Guidebook for Jersey City

Steve & Kate
Guidebook for Jersey City

Parks & Nature

A great place to ride a bike, run, picnic or just relax. Incredible views of the NYC Skyline, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. We get to see her back. Directions: exit apartment and turn right. Turn right on Jersey Ave., cross the pedestrian foot bridge and you're in the park! Also, at the north end of the park take the tourist ferry to Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty. If you're up for a walk it's less than 30 minutes from Hamilton Park.
465 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Parque Liberty State
1 Audrey Zapp Drive
465 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
A great place to ride a bike, run, picnic or just relax. Incredible views of the NYC Skyline, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. We get to see her back. Directions: exit apartment and turn right. Turn right on Jersey Ave., cross the pedestrian foot bridge and you're in the park! Also, at the north end of the park take the tourist ferry to Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty. If you're up for a walk it's less than 30 minutes from Hamilton Park.
It's right across the street - you can't miss it! Citibike at the east end of the park. Also two tennis courts and a basketball court. A great place to relax and read a book. A fine destination after stopping at Basic Coffee Shop with your coffee and croissant to go! Farmer's Market every Wednesday.
126 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Parque Hamilton
25 W Hamilton Pl
126 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
It's right across the street - you can't miss it! Citibike at the east end of the park. Also two tennis courts and a basketball court. A great place to relax and read a book. A fine destination after stopping at Basic Coffee Shop with your coffee and croissant to go! Farmer's Market every Wednesday.

Shopping

It's a mid sized mall with the stores that you'd expect to find in a mall. Forget something? This is the place to go! Macy's, JC Penney's, Sears, CVS, and lots more! Also a movie theatre.
384 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Centro Newport
30 Mall Dr W
384 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
It's a mid sized mall with the stores that you'd expect to find in a mall. Forget something? This is the place to go! Macy's, JC Penney's, Sears, CVS, and lots more! Also a movie theatre.
Ok not exactly "unique" but you sometimes Target just hits the mark! Also a pharmacy on site. About a 10 minute walk and a little tricky so follow the map or ask us for the direct route.
399 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Target
139 Flatbush Ave
399 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Ok not exactly "unique" but you sometimes Target just hits the mark! Also a pharmacy on site. About a 10 minute walk and a little tricky so follow the map or ask us for the direct route.
People travel from hundreds of miles to visit Iris Records. If you love vinyl records - this place is heaven! From Yelp: "I'm so glad I check my 'Nearby Feed', which was the reason I found out this place exist. I just bookmarked it to pass by one day. But then the wife wanted to enjoy the nice weather today and that was enough of an excuse to make a pit stop here. Got lucky finding street parking nearby as it's usually not an easy task in the area. Iris has a hefty selection of $1-$5 records , which is awesome. I mostly looked through their $1 Soul and Latin section. They also have a $1 rock section, which I must return for. Found a few gems for $1 and $5. Especially happy with one Latin record of a composer from my parents hometown in Dominican Republic. It's a Merengue and Bolero album from the 50's. It's priceless to me. But glad I only paid $5...Can't wait to return."
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Iris Records
109 Brunswick St
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
People travel from hundreds of miles to visit Iris Records. If you love vinyl records - this place is heaven! From Yelp: "I'm so glad I check my 'Nearby Feed', which was the reason I found out this place exist. I just bookmarked it to pass by one day. But then the wife wanted to enjoy the nice weather today and that was enough of an excuse to make a pit stop here. Got lucky finding street parking nearby as it's usually not an easy task in the area. Iris has a hefty selection of $1-$5 records , which is awesome. I mostly looked through their $1 Soul and Latin section. They also have a $1 rock section, which I must return for. Found a few gems for $1 and $5. Especially happy with one Latin record of a composer from my parents hometown in Dominican Republic. It's a Merengue and Bolero album from the 50's. It's priceless to me. But glad I only paid $5...Can't wait to return."

Essentials

A nice little grocery store well stocked with staples and some more gourmet fare. A right on Jersey Ave. A short walk of less than 10 minutes.
134 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Key Food
574 Jersey Ave
134 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
A nice little grocery store well stocked with staples and some more gourmet fare. A right on Jersey Ave. A short walk of less than 10 minutes.
The closest laundromat. We can also do a load of laundry for you. Just ask Kate or Steve!
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Hamilton Laundromat
292 7th St
6 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The closest laundromat. We can also do a load of laundry for you. Just ask Kate or Steve!

Entertainment & Activities

The closest movie theater. In Newport Mall next to the food courts.
84 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
AMC Loews Newport Centre 11
30 Mall Dr W
84 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
The closest movie theater. In Newport Mall next to the food courts.
IMAX and science exhibits, very close to Liberty State Park. See lsc.org for current exhibits.
350 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Liberty Science Center
222 Jersey City Blvd
350 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
IMAX and science exhibits, very close to Liberty State Park. See lsc.org for current exhibits.
An up-scale gym with a swimming pool, a short walk away.
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Hamilton Health & Fitness
161 Erie St
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
An up-scale gym with a swimming pool, a short walk away.

Everything Else

Nothing fancy. A gym with machines and free weights. Day passes available.
7 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
World Boxing Gym
29 Division St
7 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Nothing fancy. A gym with machines and free weights. Day passes available.

Drinks & Nightlife

From their site: ~~Port-o Lounge brings the essence of Traditional Portuguese cuisine to Jersey City. Our inspiration is the beautiful city of Porto reflecting its history, beauty, bohemian attitude, and the simplicity of its people that perfectly blends with the Historic Downtown of Jersey City. Port-o offers a Portuguese / new American full Menu including an array of Petiscos ( Tapas ), Selected Wines , Ports, Cocktails ,Coffees and refreshing Sangrias, in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. After dinner Port-o turns into a hip lounge complemented by house specialty cocktails, in a stylish ambience. In the warmer season you can also enjoy outdoor dining at our private Patio.
Port-O
286 1st Street
From their site: ~~Port-o Lounge brings the essence of Traditional Portuguese cuisine to Jersey City. Our inspiration is the beautiful city of Porto reflecting its history, beauty, bohemian attitude, and the simplicity of its people that perfectly blends with the Historic Downtown of Jersey City. Port-o offers a Portuguese / new American full Menu including an array of Petiscos ( Tapas ), Selected Wines , Ports, Cocktails ,Coffees and refreshing Sangrias, in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. After dinner Port-o turns into a hip lounge complemented by house specialty cocktails, in a stylish ambience. In the warmer season you can also enjoy outdoor dining at our private Patio.
Vintage arcade games and a huge selection of craft beer on tap. Who could ask for more? You don't have to go all the way to Brooklyn. There's a Barcade a short walk from Hamilton Park. Next to Porta Pizza. Also highly recommended.
587 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Barcade
388 Union Ave
587 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Vintage arcade games and a huge selection of craft beer on tap. Who could ask for more? You don't have to go all the way to Brooklyn. There's a Barcade a short walk from Hamilton Park. Next to Porta Pizza. Also highly recommended.
Great burgers, salads and appetizers, AND awesome bar. A few steps up from standard bar food. Vegan entries too. Thursday and weekend night's it can get a little crazy. You can still grab a quiet meal if you arrive early. Good selection of beer on tap. Not too expensive. This is the original and many feel the best location. Cheers!
39 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
White Star Bar
230 Brunswick St
39 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Great burgers, salads and appetizers, AND awesome bar. A few steps up from standard bar food. Vegan entries too. Thursday and weekend night's it can get a little crazy. You can still grab a quiet meal if you arrive early. Good selection of beer on tap. Not too expensive. This is the original and many feel the best location. Cheers!

Food Scene

Not to be confused with Port-O lounge...both on Newark Ave. From the site: At Porta, we are committed to these details. From making our mozzarella in-house daily to sourcing our ingredients from local vendors, our focus on quality and freshness is second to none. Porta is listed as the top driving destination by Uber! It's popular for a reason.
156 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Porta Jersey City
135 Newark Ave
156 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Not to be confused with Port-O lounge...both on Newark Ave. From the site: At Porta, we are committed to these details. From making our mozzarella in-house daily to sourcing our ingredients from local vendors, our focus on quality and freshness is second to none. Porta is listed as the top driving destination by Uber! It's popular for a reason.
Korean cuisine - just the place to satisfy your craving for Kimchi! Solid entrees all around. Vegetarian options. Try the seafood dishes. Yum!
19 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Ahri's Kitchen
227 7th St
19 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Korean cuisine - just the place to satisfy your craving for Kimchi! Solid entrees all around. Vegetarian options. Try the seafood dishes. Yum!
A small Indian / American grocery store with some fine freshly prepared Indian Food! The only way to find out about how solid the food is by word of mouth. We recommend the Palak Paneer and Chicken Tikka Masala. Take out only.
7 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Prime Food Market
180 10th St
7 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
A small Indian / American grocery store with some fine freshly prepared Indian Food! The only way to find out about how solid the food is by word of mouth. We recommend the Palak Paneer and Chicken Tikka Masala. Take out only.
This is the new location of ANTIQUE BAKERY (Pecoraro Bakery is no more) - moved from Hoboken in May, 2016. Antique Bakery is considered to be one of the finest Italian Bakeries in the US! Fresh baked Italian bread, and stuffed breads, including pepperoni and cheese, broccoli, also focaccia and garlic bread, A short walk from Hamilton Park. Awesome - check it out! From Yelp: "best bread ever. i get the medium whole wheat round sliced on a weekly basis. crunchy (but not hard) on the outside, fluffy and perfect on the inside. only $3.25. you gotta eat it fast though! since this is the real deal the bread turns after a few days. Rolls and specialty bread are great, too - service is fast and friendly."
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Pecoraro Antique Bakery
279 Newark Ave
8 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
This is the new location of ANTIQUE BAKERY (Pecoraro Bakery is no more) - moved from Hoboken in May, 2016. Antique Bakery is considered to be one of the finest Italian Bakeries in the US! Fresh baked Italian bread, and stuffed breads, including pepperoni and cheese, broccoli, also focaccia and garlic bread, A short walk from Hamilton Park. Awesome - check it out! From Yelp: "best bread ever. i get the medium whole wheat round sliced on a weekly basis. crunchy (but not hard) on the outside, fluffy and perfect on the inside. only $3.25. you gotta eat it fast though! since this is the real deal the bread turns after a few days. Rolls and specialty bread are great, too - service is fast and friendly."
Solid mid priced Italian restaurant just a few minutes from where you're staying! Bring back leftovers and put them in the fridge for later. The portions are generous. Also brunch. From yelp: "...we were seated promptly and given a a "specials" menu in addition to the nightly menu. The waiter was so polite and very attentive! They also had s very nice and reasonable wine selection. (We ordered 2 bottles). We started with their famous meatballs (we now know why they are famous!!), They were outstanding! The beet salad look like a work of art and tasted even better. Three of us ordered veal saltimbocca, (2 without the spinach and they came out just the way we ordered) and also the chicken scarpariello. We were served promptly but NEVER rushed! We didn't have dessert due to a time constraint and being very full (the portions were very generous), we took home leftovers. But we will DEFINITELY return! Thank you GP's for becoming our new favorite spot in JC!!"
22 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
GP's
236 Pavonia Ave
22 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Solid mid priced Italian restaurant just a few minutes from where you're staying! Bring back leftovers and put them in the fridge for later. The portions are generous. Also brunch. From yelp: "...we were seated promptly and given a a "specials" menu in addition to the nightly menu. The waiter was so polite and very attentive! They also had s very nice and reasonable wine selection. (We ordered 2 bottles). We started with their famous meatballs (we now know why they are famous!!), They were outstanding! The beet salad look like a work of art and tasted even better. Three of us ordered veal saltimbocca, (2 without the spinach and they came out just the way we ordered) and also the chicken scarpariello. We were served promptly but NEVER rushed! We didn't have dessert due to a time constraint and being very full (the portions were very generous), we took home leftovers. But we will DEFINITELY return! Thank you GP's for becoming our new favorite spot in JC!!"
Indian Food minutes away. Casual, eat in or take out. Also check out Prime Market (a hidden gem) for take out. Also in this guide. Blue Lotus on Yelp: "A really cute and small eatery that's tastefully designed, Blue Lotus highlights some of the typical Northern Indian cuisine that you'd expect, but they also have some unique regional dishes that are not as common. Husband and I along with his three cousins came here during the July 4th holiday weekend, and we loved everything about the place. The food was impeccably prepared, with a honest and refined flavor profile unlike I've ever had. The spices were fresh and pungent and the consistency of the sauces was smooth and rich without being artery-clogging heavy. Our favorites were the lamb rogan josh, with a tangy tomato base, and the Aloo Gobi, but everything was delicious. Naan was really good, but be forewarned that it is a La carte and you will want to order 2-3 pieces to sop up all that yummy sauce. The plating was simple yet elegant. I love the white minimal geometric bowls, and the white tablecloths. It matches the overall neutral decor with ornate wall sconces and an equally intricate entrance wall piece. There's also a small little fountain near the side of the entrance that was enchanting and soothing. Service was prompt but not rushed. Everybody was so nice and hospitable; I just wanted to get to know them even more. :) If I'm ever in the area again, I would definitely come back to enjoy the food, and would strongly suggest you to do the same."
11 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Lotus
131 Erie St
11 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Indian Food minutes away. Casual, eat in or take out. Also check out Prime Market (a hidden gem) for take out. Also in this guide. Blue Lotus on Yelp: "A really cute and small eatery that's tastefully designed, Blue Lotus highlights some of the typical Northern Indian cuisine that you'd expect, but they also have some unique regional dishes that are not as common. Husband and I along with his three cousins came here during the July 4th holiday weekend, and we loved everything about the place. The food was impeccably prepared, with a honest and refined flavor profile unlike I've ever had. The spices were fresh and pungent and the consistency of the sauces was smooth and rich without being artery-clogging heavy. Our favorites were the lamb rogan josh, with a tangy tomato base, and the Aloo Gobi, but everything was delicious. Naan was really good, but be forewarned that it is a La carte and you will want to order 2-3 pieces to sop up all that yummy sauce. The plating was simple yet elegant. I love the white minimal geometric bowls, and the white tablecloths. It matches the overall neutral decor with ornate wall sconces and an equally intricate entrance wall piece. There's also a small little fountain near the side of the entrance that was enchanting and soothing. Service was prompt but not rushed. Everybody was so nice and hospitable; I just wanted to get to know them even more. :) If I'm ever in the area again, I would definitely come back to enjoy the food, and would strongly suggest you to do the same."
Where do construction workers, tradespeople, firemen, and work from home locals go to pick up Italian deli sandwiches? Take out only. Closed during the evening. This is the favorite sandwhich spot in the neighborhood. People travel for miles to grab a chicken parm or other hot or cold entree. For you it's about a five minute walk. Check it out! From Yelp: "This is a hidden gem... It's small Italian deli and serves up dozens of combos of old-school Italian subs, along with daily specials. They also sell Boylan's sodas which are hard to come by.... The guys who man the counter are also warm and personable, don't be afraid to say hello. And tell them I sent you. Oh, one thing, the place closes at 3'ish."
Monmouth Street Grocery & Deli
500 Monmouth St
Where do construction workers, tradespeople, firemen, and work from home locals go to pick up Italian deli sandwiches? Take out only. Closed during the evening. This is the favorite sandwhich spot in the neighborhood. People travel for miles to grab a chicken parm or other hot or cold entree. For you it's about a five minute walk. Check it out! From Yelp: "This is a hidden gem... It's small Italian deli and serves up dozens of combos of old-school Italian subs, along with daily specials. They also sell Boylan's sodas which are hard to come by.... The guys who man the counter are also warm and personable, don't be afraid to say hello. And tell them I sent you. Oh, one thing, the place closes at 3'ish."
Out of the way - tucked into a quiet residential street. This is our preferred coffee shop and approximately 7 minutes from the apartment. Coffee is very good and also pastries and cupcakes.
Seven Sheep Coffee
342 7th Street
Out of the way - tucked into a quiet residential street. This is our preferred coffee shop and approximately 7 minutes from the apartment. Coffee is very good and also pastries and cupcakes.