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On Sundays (patrons can indulge in large-format punch), fostering an intimate atmosphere perfect for shared enjoyment. A softly lit setting (some of the state’s best bartenders), and killer throwback hip-hop tracks make this cocktail bar one of Jersey City’s best. Hand-rolled bagels are made every single day at this popular bagel shop, but it’s the sandwiches made with them that keep the line out the door every weekend. Think slow-cooked goat stews with fresh — flaky paratha and full-flavored chicken roasts. Irish cheddar queso fundido, Pacifico-battered fish and chips tacos, and a seriously good Sunday roast—chile-rubbed rib roast, cheesy cauliflower, mash, Yorkshire pudding, and jus—comes in at a steal for only $38. Owner Jack McGarry tells that story through cocktails—putting together creative concoctions that mix elements from each culture.

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Downstairs is the Life of Reilly, a speakeasy https://bardumusee.com -style bar where the world of craft cocktails and Irish revolutionary history opens up even more. This dark, moody, locals bar is the place to go for a burger, a beet salad, steamed mussels, or plates like schnitzel. This place is also big on bread and butter, there’s a butter tasting on the menu — as well as short dishes in a modern Italian vein. A standout Chinese restaurant with a sibling location in Hell’s Kitchen (this Sichuan-leaning restaurant offers some excellent dishes including its fish with pickled cabbage), beef in sour pickle soup, green peppercorn chicken, or dry pot okra. Expect ambitious cocktails and a menu of tacos (enchiladas), a Mexican-leaning spice bag, and weekend brunch. Barbecued offerings run from the core favorites , brisket, pulled pork, chicken, beef ribs, to the lesser-seen (pork belly, lamb ribs, habanero cheddar sausage), along with barbecue tacos and a whole slew of sides.

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Frequently ranked one of the most diverse places in the country (Jersey City has dozens of Indian restaurants), Filipino bakeries, classic red-sauce Italian spots, and even a pre-WWII hot dog counter. It’s a place where your night can begin or end—the one constant in a neighborhood that hasn’t stopped changing. With its garnish-heavy tiki cocktails and hip atmosphere in a sunken, street-side bar, Cellar 335 has never slowed down. The rooftop terrace offers picturesque views of Newark Avenue, while the bar below boasts unique cocktails and a wide beer selection.

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• This Mexican establishment on Central Avenue is a sit-down restaurant from Oaxaca that also boasts a busy to-go service, offering verde or mole tamales, omelets, and chilaquiles in the morning, in addition to lunch and dinner choices later in the day.
• Rick Easton is the impresario of Italian baked goods — both sweet and savory, at this rare scenester spot in the Heights.
• You have to know where to look to find this stellar cocktail bar in the heart of the city (but once you do), you’ll enter a world defined by boundary-pushing beverages and tasty bites.
• 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.

Cellar 335 is my pick for a night when the cocktails need to keep up with the food. Chef Brian Walter gave Jersey City the kind of polished, grown-up fine dining spot that used to mean a trip to Manhattan. They don’t feel like consolation prizes for people who couldn’t get a reservation in Manhattan.

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DomoDomo brings a more structured kind of sushi counter to Jersey City (built around hand-rolls), small Japanese plates, and a clean, modern dining room. Chef Matt Moschella’s cooking in the Heights has earned national attention for fresh pastas — daily-changing meat-and-cheese plates, angry chicken, octopus, and ricotta toast with honey and pink peppercorns. The menu moves through caviar-topped thousand-layer potato, quail egg ravioli with pulled oxtail, frog leg drumsticks in Korean barbecue glaze, Barolo-braised short rib, and duck breast with roasted apricots and Marcona almonds. This tiny city in Jersey has more than just fratty bars and expensive condos.

Cellar 335

One of the city’s best and smokiest barbecues is found in Jersey City’s plush Hamilton Park neighborhood. Jersey City has its own iconic hot dog counter — in this case it’s bright yellow and also selling the conventional gritty drinks of NYC institutions like Papaya King. The menu changes frequently (but look for any freshwater fish), like hilsa; chicken curry; and the mustard-oil-laced vegetarian dishes called bhortas. Place your order at the counter — take a number, and sit down until your dishes are called. Recently, Eater staffers found the chef barbecuing lamb shanks on the back patio, and a meal included rigatoni in a tomato sauce flavored with pancetta and Calabrian chile, and an excellent charcuterie and cheese plate.

Discovering this remarkable cocktail bar in the bustling city center requires knowing where to search; however — once you find it, you’ll step into a realm filled with innovative drinks and delicious snacks. A delightful variety of small bites and shareable plates is showcased on Dullboy’s menu — which is enhanced by a selection of natural wines and masterfully crafted cocktails. The menu remains fresh thanks to locally sourced ingredients (featuring rotating seasonal offerings such as fluke crudo topped with kiwi salsa), fried wax beans with lemon ricotta, and a hearty lamb burger adorned with provolone, shaved onion, and adobo tzatziki. The pastas and breads are made fresh daily (the cocktails are thoughtful and well-executed), and the service backs it all up. This popular spot in JC has received numerous accolades — including a nomination from James Beard for Mama Rahman as Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic region, alongside reviews from Eater, the New York Times, and additional publications.