Augie’s 4-star review:
I was going to wait a few months while the new South House worked out the kinks, but we had the chance to visit Jersey City's newest restaurant this weekend and were very pleased. The place is currently serving a reduced menu, which still offers plenty of delicious options. It is still a couple of weeks away from a full menu and opening the upstairs and downstairs spaces, but what is currently open and what they currently offer is far more than enough to recommend South House.
The space is beautifully designed. South House has a little courtyard area at the entrance for outdoor dining, and the front window can be rolled up to open the entire space to fresh air. (The evening we visited was quite hot and humid, so we were glad the window was closed and the restaurant air conditioned.) The loft-like decor is spacious and comfortable, with mismatched old-school furniture giving it a homey look.
My wife and I ordered a salad with grilled peaches and blue cheese, and it was very large. (I hope the permanent menu offers half-sizes of the salads since the deep bowl was more than plentiful.) The salad was fresh, and the housemade ranch dressing was delicious (and extra credit for mixing the right amount of dressing uniformly throughout the salad.)
We split the pulled port sandwich, and both my wife and I were very happy with the taste. Their BBQ has a subtle sweet-but-not-too-sweet taste that we enjoyed. The slaw on the top also was delicious.
Our drinks were both very good. My wife enjoyed the Forever 27, a pleasingly sweet drink served in a Moscow Mule copper mug. I enjoyed their Smokey Old Fashioned (although it wasn't as smokey as I expected.)
Service was very good. Our server, Ali, was friendly and efficient, the drinks and food arrived in a timely manner, and he checked on us to see if we needed anything else.
The only things that were even mildly disappointing were that the potato salad was a little bland and the noise level can be a bit loud. Between the rocking soundtrack, the crowds, the brick walls and the wood ceiling, it doesn't take much for South House's sound level to go from lively to uncomfortable. If you're like me and prefer the noise level more moderate so that your party can chat across the table, then ask to be seated in the back rather than in the louder bar area.
We'll definitely be back to test more of the menu. Even in its initial week or two, the South House offers a very good dining experience.