An Uzbek spot in Rego Park and a Korean restaurant in Astoria join the list There’s also a good eggplant rollatini stuffed with fresh ricotta. Dabble between cuisines (with dishes like pork-and-chive dumplings), Shanghai meatballs with salted egg yolks, lobster mapo tofu, noodle soups, and more. This newish Chinese restaurant offers dishes from Shanghai and Sichuan province.
THE SPOTS
But Jersey dogs don’t come topped with sauerkraut and caramelized canned onions (rather there’s a meaty topping often described as chili), even though it’s more like an onion-y Greek meat sauce. Squeeze into a spot at the high tops where you’ll be eye-level with photos of the LA Dodgers, and mix and match four tacos for under $20. In addition to dinner, Maxwell Alley offers one of the best bars in the city to unwind with a few cocktails. Sure there’s seating in the dining room (but that bar is a good place for a fine Guinness pour and lowkey spot to go see music), thanks to the piano at the front of the restaurant.
Mariscos El Submarino Jersey City
Ani makes fantastic ramen, but the appetizers at this casual spot with a ’90s and early aughts playlist are top-notch, too. If you come during lunch, plan on also ordering one of their hot-dish combos that come with rice and your pick of different stews or other meat and seafood dishes. But the sides are good, and the margaritas are $14, making for a good spot to graze on platters of food and drink with a couple of friends. betting and predictions Their barbecue is decent—we prefer the appetizers — like those sticky ribs or some very crispy smoked wings. It’s snappy (with a nice sear), and best topped with the tingly homemade chili-onion sauce—featuring tiny diced onions that somehow taste both raw and caramelized. The neighborhood mainstay has been serving big platters of eggplant rollatini and chicken francese since the 1970s (and it remains a great place for red-sauce Italian and cheap glasses of red wine), filled right up to the brim.
To make a reservation, you must call and join their extensive waitlist. Bring your own wine (as it’s BYO), and arrive with an appetite because the six-course meal is quite substantial. Although the owners no longer reside above the restaurant, the entire home on a residential street in Journal Square still features decorations of their wedding photos and family memorabilia. Similar to the other venues, this spot is laid-back and suitable for a weeknight dinner; however, the vibrant and loud music makes it easy to linger for a few hours before heading out for the evening.
Wurst Bar
Go here for all things sausages (including brats), kielbasa, and hot dogs. And if you’re a Guinness fan — here’s where to find the best pour in town. A bar that recognizes Irish immigrants fighting on behalf of Mexico in the Mexican American War, it reflects the Irish heritage of the owners behind sibling Dead Rabbit. This tiki bar below White Eagle Hall is a tiki bar decorated with items from Jersey City’s St. Boniface Church. The cozy bar and restaurant offers plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Owner and chef is Nur-E Gulshan Rahman but she gets lots of help from her daughter.
The menu boasts seasonal delights alongside signature dishes like crunchy puntarelle salad, pancetta-studded rigatoni with tomato and mint, and the fiery angry chicken. Guests can witness the culinary magic firsthand in the open kitchen, where fresh pasta is expertly crafted. Slow-cooked pork carnitas and air-dried cecina remain popular options, but the lamb barbacoa is a must-try for taco enthusiasts. This is a bar that isn’t just impressive for New Jersey—it would wow no matter where you placed it.
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Across from the modern dining area, a bar lined with palm tree wallpaper is your cue to ask the staff—a fun bunch—what cocktail to order. Twists on classic Southern dishes (like fried shrimp with a homemade lemon remoulade), join crowd pleasers like burgers, squid ink bucatini, and jerk mahi mahi. Bring the family for a relaxed sit-down dinner at this husband-and-wife-run restaurant that specializes in North Indian food.