This past year we covered a slew of new restaurant openings. According to our readers, those in Bergen-Lafayette were of the most interest with the Jersey City neighborhood claiming three of the top five spots. Coming in on top is a new beer hall in downtown Jersey City. In all, 2017 turned out to be a banner year for new restaurants. We’re excited to see what 2018 brings!
See the full list below:
Eleven Clinton brings “smothered blues” to downtown Newark. The food is upscale southern-style and the eatery morphs into a jazz and blues nightclub during evening hours.
Not exactly a new opening, but considering the popularity of our profile, it’s worth including. Unassuming but inviting, O’Leary’s is the area’s best-kept secret. It’s a great neighborhood watering hole reminiscent of old-school Jersey City.
This former auto-parts warehouse turned restaurant was three years in the making. A beautiful buildout featuring 20-foot ceilings is the perfect setting for the restaurant’s steak and seafood-centric menu.
With front windows resembling portholes on a ship and knotty pine paneling on the walls, Hooked has all the salty charm of an oceanside seafood shack only smack dab in the middle of Bergen-Lafayette. Serving a fresh sea to table menu, the owner literally knows the people pulling the fish out of the water, which makes for the freshest seafood around. Add in BYOB and Hooked quickly became our favorite new restaurant.
Hudson Hall brings an authentic European-style smokehouse complete with great beers and drinks to downtown Jersey City. A Euro-centered menu is their focus, which includes smoked meats like house-made pastrami as well as smashed chicken, fermented veggies, and smoked fish dishes. The restaurant also smokes their own cheeses and offers in-house pickling.
