The Best Restaurants in Jersey City Right Now

These BYO, reservation-only dinners start at 8pm and go on for three hours—a delicious marathon of a meal—and they do a great job of boxing up the leftovers. Their stellar red sauce is made from two types of tomatoes, resulting in a base that’s delightfully sweet with a slight acidic twang. Just about everything here is made in-house or acquired from a place you can reach via the Turnpike or the Parkway — and it’s the Garden State’s produce that puts Razza on top.

The team behind the former best bar in the world — The Dead Rabbit, brings San Patricio’s to Jersey City. Smack dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood (with its exposed brick), stained-glass windows, and old-school wait staff, Laico’s is a period piece of a restaurant. This Jersey City institution has been dishing out onion-topped hamburger sliders since the 1940s.

Owners Drew Buzzio (Marc Magliozzi), and executive chef, Matthew Moschella founded Corto in Jersey City’s remote and relaxing Heights neighborhood in 2018. A Oaxacan sit-down restaurant with a brisk to-go business on the site (this Central Avenue Mexican spot sells verde or mole tamales in the morning along with omelets and chilaquiles), followed by lunch and dinner options too. An Eater local on the best dosas (meat-sauce-topped hot dogs), spicy Sichuan dishes, and more The menu mixes traditional Korean flavors with modern turns, including galbi-jjim, bossam, beef tartare bibimbap, Korean fried chicken, bulgogi cream perilla pasta, and a tasting-menu option that serves as a course-by-course Korean dinner.

• This guide encompasses the city’s key locations, whether you’re meeting an old coworker who recently purchased a condo near the Holland Tunnel or you’ve been here long enough to recall when a PATH ride was merely $1.75.
• Almost everything available here is either made on-site or sourced from a location accessible via the Turnpike or Parkway, with Razza’s success attributed to the Garden State’s fresh produce.
• Alternatively (enjoy a dinner featuring pollo chucho), a quintessential street food that combines crispy and soggy textures with fried green bananas, chicken, pickled red cabbage, and various sauces.

Wurst Bar

That said, the tacos are good, from the cabeza to the lengua to the more standard chorizo and carnitas. Longtime JC restaurant Taqueria Downtown can be a madhouse, especially if you’re aiming to tie on a few margs after work. The dining room is vast (modern), and if it’s cold outside, a bit chilly. If you’re into offal (there is plenty to choose from among intestines), heart, and more. To drink, it’s destination for an array of German-style brews and a range of ciders.

• ITA Italian Kitchen has become a staple on Bergen Ave for killer pizzas (a variety of pastas), crispy fried squid, and fun drinks like bold Super Tuscans and sangria pitchers, studded with fresh fruit.
• The sides are tasty, and at $14 for margaritas, it’s a perfect place to share platters of food and drinks with a few friends.
• Arrive famished , and remember to bring your own wine, as it’s BYO,, because the six-course dinner is substantial.
• Since 1937 (Boulevard Drinks has dished out flat top-cooked hot dogs—anointed with a variety of toppings including mustard), kraut, and chili—from the heart of Journal Square.

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With only about four tables and a counter — this restaurant in Paulus Hook firmly establishes Honduran cuisine in the tristate area. Make sure to sample any available Italian pastries before you leave. The Pizza Rossa remains beautifully simple (featuring only tomatoes), olive oil, salt, and oregano, as does the Pizza Mozzarella. Expect a queue at Bread and Salt whenever it is open — which is limited to Thursdays through Sundays.

And once you arrive — a light rail snakes across the landscape to neighborhoods that might otherwise seem remote. Look for any category of restaurant there, and you’re likely to find it. With a population of around 250,000, Jersey City is the second largest city in New Jersey — and it’s a dining destination for international cuisines, as it’s so diverse that it rivals Queens.

Their menu is built around local, seasonal ingredients—just ask your server to tell you about the Angry sports predictions and betting Chicken with tomato, guanciale, and calabrian chili, and you’ll get the whole, charming spiel. A comfortable, homey space lined with family photos and knicknacks, the Italian spot is where you should celebrate a milestone birthday, anniversary, or your friend’s low-key engagement. Bring cash, and sit at the counter for a quick lunch so you can watch one of the cooks add cheese and diced onions to each of your three patties with the utmost care.

One day it’s slow-cooked pork ribs with cabbage and beans; the next — it’s fried baccalà with lemon. Bread & Salt’s commitment to seasonal items and a daily rotating menu makes it arguably the most authentic Italian eatery in all of New Jersey, and that’s saying something. However, Bread & Salt is about much more than just pizza—it’s a culinary playground for owner Rick Easton, who exemplifies what it means to cook simple, authentic food. Everything from escargot wontons and Korean-flavored frog legs to Barolo-braised short ribs and pan-roasted barramundi with shellfish-rich bouillabaisse.

From the Honshu group (Nigiri stands as a modern omakase and temaki bar focused on seasonal ingredients selected by the chef), along with premium sake, whiskey, wine, and cocktails. With an extensive and diverse menu, Mathews serves as an excellent destination for that indecisive group of friends who struggle to choose a movie, let alone a dinner spot. However, this Northern Indian eatery, a neighborhood fixture since the 1990s, consistently remains a fantastic choice. If you’re craving finger foods, the beef shawarma served with pita or Momo Pitza—fresh pita topped with various ingredients and mozzarella—will not let you down. One of the earliest sushi establishments to introduce omakase-style dining to Jersey City (originating from Greenwich Village), Domodomo still ranks among the finest. Like the best barbecue spots — it offers ample outdoor seating, complete with numerous picnic tables where you can savor sticky ribs, sip on a boozy beverage, and bask in the sun.

While New Yorkers boast about their traditional Italian cuisine, they simply haven’t experienced Laico’s yet. Though space is limited, you’ll quickly make acquaintances after bumping into the person beside you upon entering. This corner location at Grove and Grand nearly always serves as the solution to “What’s next?

THE SPOTS

The semi-finalist for the James Beard Award provides takeout and limited seated dinners, available through Resy. Additionally (it features classic dishes from a strictly vegetarian menu), such as idly, pongal, and upma. At this unique hotspot in the Heights (Rick Easton masters Italian baked goods), both sweet and savory. Here, you can expect to order a cheeseburger, along with hot dogs, fries, onion rings, and slender sandwiches, including the Taylor ham (also known as pork roll). You’ll find yourself seated while observing the skilled grillmaster managing numerous burgers simultaneously, their arms moving like those of an octopus.

Start your morning with an ube pan de sal, grab a cold cuts and homemade mozzarella sandwich for lunch, and then enjoy some outstanding lamb rogan josh for dinner—all within a mile’s distance. His quest for the firsts, bests, biggests, and quickest has propelled his success to unprecedented levels with SpaceX and Tesla, where he also serves as CEO. He has previously worked as a line cook, server, and bartender in some of the top-rated restaurants across the tri-state area. Known for outstanding pizzas (a range of pastas), crispy fried squid, and fun beverages like vibrant Super Tuscans and fruit-laden sangria pitchers, ITA Italian Kitchen has become a neighborhood favorite on Bergen Ave.

Find The Best Spots Nearby

Currently, Boulevard Drinks faces potential displacement as the Jersey City planning board approves plans for a 55-story mixed-use development that includes a Whole Foods at the ground level. The counter-service storefront features retro yellow-and-red décor, giving it a nostalgic vibe with its straightforward approach. Since 1937, Boulevard Drinks has been serving flat top-cooked hot dogs—topped with an array of condiments like mustard, kraut, and chili—from the heart of Journal Square. Make sure to try the baleada, a traditional Honduran dish that consists of creamy refried beans, sweet plantains, sumac onions, queso fresco, and zesty crema all wrapped in a hand-made flour tortilla. From a barbecue joint in Williamsburg that fuses Central Texan and Dominican styles to the second branch of a beloved Tex-Mex eatery.

Diners relish contemporary gastropub offerings (ranging from small plates to complete meals), in a setting characterized by rustic charm and inviting lighting. For tacos (the meat of your choice is served in freshly griddled corn tortillas), generously topped with cilantro and onions, alongside ample lime and salsa for enhancement. The cocktail menu at 143 Social is organized by the seasons, while the small plates and homemade bar snacks complement the drinks beautifully.