A stretch of Bergen Avenue, Jersey City that has morphed into restaurant row in recent years has added another eatery serving late-night grub to the landscape.
Taco Bar JC quietly launched in November inside space at 684 Bergen Avenue. Formerly home to a Chinese take-out joint, the restaurant is decidedly on the smaller side but does include bar and traditional table seating alongside graffitied brick walls.
The area’s latest restaurant is owned by Jersey City’s own Max Rudenko and is sandwiched between Carvao BBQ and ITA Kitchen, his other two eateries. The star of the restaurant is unsurprisingly their tacos, and a few featured varieties include grilled shrimp with avocado salsa and chipotle crema or spicy chorizo with potatoes.
Other taco options include a vegan variety with delicata squash, vegan crema, black beans and pumpkin seeds or a birria ramen version with noodles in consome. Despite the space’s limitations, the restaurant has full liquor license and features libations like a “Megroni” with mezcal, vermouth, and amaro.
A mula de manzana concoction utilizes tequila blanco, apple cider, ginger beer and cinnamon, while their el viejo is a Mexican spin on an old fashioned that blends reposado tequila, piloncillo syrup and mole bitters. A deeper dive into the restaurant’s drinks can be found on their Instagram account at the handle @tacobarjc.
Desserts like a flourless ancho chocolate cake and churros with ganache round out the experience at Taco Bar JC, which is open for both dine-in and take-out services. Online orders can be placed through Door Dash and the restaurant is open on Monday through Saturday from 7 p.m. until midnight, making them one of the few late-night food spots in the neighborhood.
Taco Bar JC is the latest restaurant to open along this stretch of Bergen Avenue, which has grown considerably in recent years. The New Orleans-themed Krewe opened last year, joining Champs Chics & Waffles and Crema as (relatively) recent culinary arrivals to the neighborhood.
