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Hoboken (PATH)
Hoboken Terminal (HBLR)
Nice atmosphere upstairs, where white linens and a less barroom atmosphere make for a good date spot. Considering this was in Hoboken, I was happy with the overall atmosphere and service, as well as a well-rounded wine list (had the J Russian River Pinot Noir), though the food left a little something to be desired.
My butternut squash soup special was delish, followed by a not-too-creamy Lobster Mac & Cheese (with lobster bits as opposed to lobster flavoring). The macaronis stood out as being overcooked and under-cheesed. The cod wrapped in prosciutto special my acquaintance ordered was much better, with a crispiness to the prosciutto that added to the texture of the fish.
This place is very good! I ate here when you could sit outside.
The ambience was great.... dog friendly.
Good service from the waitstaff and bartenders, but not so good from the hostess. (she was half asleep, and seemed annoyed that she had to ... do her job and find us a table... but anyway)
The bad experience with the hostess aside, I had a good experience and would definitely give it another visit!
This review is for NYE only ..
GREAT place .. perfect for a group of 12 people in their late 20'3 /early 30's. I highly recommend this place for NYE.
We paid about $50 pp and this included the standard open bar, passed apps and entertainment for the evening.
Pros:
1. The place was NOT packed with young over dressed Hobokenites
2. Bar tenders were very friendly and worked quickly
3. Apps were tasty and plentiful - granted they were the frozen variety
4. Music was great and there was room to dance.
I have been to my share of open bar events in and around DC, Orl and NYC.. and this was by far the best for me.
Low key group, good drinks, great music, no pretentious people causing DRAMA and some tasty apps.
Yeah for Brass Rail.
Wow! What a great place! We went here for an early birthday dinner last Saturday. There were seven of us, and the restaurant could not have been more accommodating. Our service was impeccable. Lindsay, our server, was helpful with recommendations on drinks and knowledgeable about the menu overall.
I had a glass of the white sangria, which was tasty but had a bit too much peach for my liking, so I switched to the pinot noir (there was only one by the glass, but I cannot remember what it was called). The bread is amazing- tomato basil foccacia, which basically tasted like puffy pizza without the cheese, and delicious basil dipping sauce on the side. Our appetizer selection, the calamari, was light and crisp, though cut into squares instead of the traditional rings, and served with an asian vinaigrette that was lovely.
My main course, the basil wrapped tuna, was delicious, though the portion was huge. I thought it was going to come wrapped in Thai basil, but it is actually wrapped in Phyllo-style dough. I have no idea how they did it, but even though the dough was crisp and cooked, the tuna was the beautiful rare I requested. The pineapple salsa provided a wonderful sweet balance to the tuna and the earthy brown rice.
We were not intending on dessert, but because we were celebrating a birthday, we decided it was a necessity. Thank goodness we did! The pound cake french toast dessert was a rich, unique twist that reminded my sister and I of our parents' birthday tradition of serving us ice cream waffles. The tres leches cake was creamy and decadent and had our table spoonfighting over who could snag the last bite, even as our clothes were basically bursting at seams.
This is not a cheap meal, but seven of us had a lovely, special meal and we will most certainly return.
Ok... I have now actually eaten here (I used to just drink here).
The Sunday brunch is very very good and very reasonable. I had crab nachos and a burger, and both were great. I was enviously eyeballing the slabs of polenta at the table next to me - that's what I'll have next time. My wife had the steak and eggs, and they were similarly excellent. This place is running its kitchen right!
The service is really good too. Great attitude and willingness to help with the kid's mess = big tip... just the way I like to leave a place.
If you need a place for Sunday brunch, look no further.
I have not eaten here! I do, however, drink here every so often.
I'm rating it a 4 because:
- good…
Read more »
Half price on bottles of wine? Sign me up!
Sat outside on a lazy Monday evening and watched the world go by... well, Hoboken anyways. We had the $29 Prix-fixe dinner (Mondays and Tuesdays) and a bottle of sparkling (did I mentioned it was half price?). The tuna tartare with the shredded cucumber salad was average, but the mussels were awesome. It came on a big plate bathe in a gumbo broth. Can't say I've had it like this before, but I loved it. It was so much, that it almost felt like a meal in itself. As for the entree, we had the filet migon ($7 extra) and the duck breasts. Both were decent and enjoyable, but nothing spectacular. After all this, we still had to make room for dessert. I barely had any room in my tummy for a few bites of my french toast with ice cream before tapping out. This place might not be the cheapest on the block, but I still think it's well worth the visit if you're in the hood.
This past Sunday was my grandfather's 70th birthday. Despite the incredible traffic and unbearable parking my family and I ventured back to my Grandfather's hometown, Hoboken, NJ. My suggestion for brunch was The Brass Rail. They had an interesting two course prix fixe menu that was very reasonably priced and offered interesting but not over the top options.
I must say most of the food was quite good. I ordered the duck confit spinach salad as my first course (nothing to brag about). My boyfriend and aunt had the polenta which had a sausage and tomato chutney drizzled over the top. The polenta did not have much flavor, but the sausage chutney had a nice sweet and spicy kick. For our main courses we chose a chorizo omelet and lemon pepper smoked salmon over sunny side up eggs and brioche toast. The omelet was cooked to perfection with tons of fresh vegetables and cheeses. The smoked salmon and eggs was "ehh". We ended our meal by sharing two birthday cakes , tres leches for me (my birthday had just passed earlier in the week) and a warm chocolate cake with a white chocolate cheesecake center ( AMAZING) for my grandfather.
My only negative critique of the entire meal was the service. I hate to give a bad review considering only one component of the meal was poor, but the service we received was truly terrible. Upon our arrival our server did not give us a warm greeting and we had to ask a million questions to get a straight answer. For example, "are the infused champagnes on your menu infused with fresh ingredients or flavored liquors??" Our server had no idea and did not offer to find out an answer. Next, we were given silverware a few different times; I believe three or four. However, no one was given the correct utensil at the appropriate time. My grandmother was given a knife and fork with her French onion soup but not with her quiche and actually had to ask for one several times. Furthermore, at the conclusion of our main course, we were not cleared nor were we told that we would be having a new server from that point on. When our new server came over with the check (plates still on the table) my grandmother was very embarrassed and whispered to the waitress that she had ordered two cakes with candles upon our arrival. Our waitress was polite and said she would take care of it. About 15-20 minutes later our cakes came out and were presented to my boyfriend and grandmother (guess someone got the seat numbers wrong !) When our server came over to check on us, which I believe was the only time we were checked on since the start of our meal, without seeking attention ourselves, my grandmother asked that we have our bill right away (our parking meters were just about expired and we were now rushing through what would have been the best part of the entire meal.) She brought us our check in a timely fashion and we left aggravated the entire walk down Washington Street.
It gets the three stars because the specialty cocktails I tried were great.
It doesn't get five stars because the bar food was ridiculously priced-- the calamari was just okay, and wasn't a TERRIBLE value, but the $15 cheese plate was a joke. Cheeses from "around the world" amounted to swiss, manchego and two others. There was about a quarter of an apple sliced and a handful of grapes tossed onto the plate.
And it doesn't get even four stars because our bartender would rather chat with the two loud, drunk girls at the end of the bar, or with his friend at the OTHER end of the bar, rather than come by to accept our money in exchange for more beverages. DUDE. You're behind a bar. It's not hard to figure out how this system works. Meh.
I came here for brunch, so that is my only experience and therefore you should not use my review to judge a lunch or dinner.
Brunch was ok. I came by myself, with a book. Obviously I wanted to sit, read and eat...alone...quietly. The place was empty and so I figured I could get a table. No. I was seated at one of those awkwardly tall high tables by the bar.
They brought out a little muffin basket before my meal, which was a nice touch. The meal itself was good--I honestly don't remember what I had so I can't tell you what specifically was good or not good about it. But if it was good enough that I liked the place, but not stellar enough to garner 5 stars or a memorable dish...it's a 3 star place.
Also, the waitstaff refused to let me drink more than 1 inch of water before filling my glass. Annoying. Attentive, good service, but annoying.
The Brass Rail is a great place to get some drinks on Washington St. if you want to get away from the otherwise typical "bar scene" all around it. Decent beer selection (they serve Peroni - nice...) and plenty of room on the main floor.
If you're looking to get something to eat, there's a 2nd floor that's a bit more private. However, the food here is awfully expensive. The grilled snapper I ordered was swimming in some kind of gravy, and the risotto was not fresh (gave me bad flashbacks to the TV show "Kitchen Nightmares," I can only imagine what its status was in the freezer room). The snapper itself was great. Calamari was served a little un-orthodox as it was not cut into the traditional ring shape, but it was still tasty. This little dinner for two cost me over $105, which is astounding for a place of this caliber.
Definitely check out the Brass Rail in Hoboken for a low-key bar where you won't have to scream to your friend or date during a regular conversation.
The Brass Rail stands out with a broad representation of modern-american, upsale dining and a impressively thorough selection of drinks.
There's a lot going on at this elegantly decorated bar/fine dining restaurant. You have a choice of bar menu or fine dining (with $29 price fix option wed-sun before 6:30pm, all night mon,tues). The bar menu goes great with the excellent mixed drinks, extensive spirits list, any of the 16 beers on tap (and at least as many bottles) or one of the 100+ bottles of wine (~20 by the glass). Though, if you're hungry for dinner, the price fix is certainly the way to go (and more reasonably priced).
The fine-dining menu offers much of the usual - french onion soup, foie gras, calamari, crab cake, salads, chilled seafood appetizers and the expected fish, poultry and beef mains with occasional game. You won't find many experimental or eccentric dishes that blow you away, but you will find well-crafted modern american food with solid traditional foundations.
The Brass Rail also turns out a great price fix brunch (app and main) for $15 on Sat and Sun afternoon. The appetizers are all delicious and beautifully presented. The mains are more hit and miss, and you'll find only a few typical brunch entrees. The french toast and salmon are usually spot on.
Overall, service is attentive and pleasant. The staff aims for fine-dining elegance and always leaves a good impression. Decor is refined with restored wood interior and a beautiful bar stretching the length of the first floor.
The Brass Rail is a nice bar. Or restaurant. Or lounge. It's going through a weird identity crisis where the high chairs and slick wooden tables clash with the gigantic signs saying "COME DOWN FOR HOT 80'S NIGHT, KIDS!" and the quasi Sports/Dive Bartop.
The food tastes like an upscale gastropub, and is priced to boot. It's certainly tasty, with the steak very much a melt-in-the-mouth treatment that, sadly, also melted through the leather in my wallet. The waitresses were quick and courteous, though, and I can't say I was disappointed by the meal itself. It just wasn't a particularly comfortable place to dine, or drink for that matter.
While I have never eaten here, my roommate raved about brunch all the time and the fantastic mimosas. Saturday nights were my piece of pie here and they are always a blast(maybe because we know the DJ?!) They play fun dancing music in a bar that has the 24+ crowd that wants to have a good time but not go insane(Translation: Drunk kids right out of college need not apply)
For the daytime: drinks are strong and good and if it's nice out, you can pick a spot on the sidewalk to people watch in Hoboken. The upstairs is a great spot for a private dinner/reception and used for engagement parties and bridal showers a LOT.
The owner is a really nice guy too and is always there on the weekends to meet the guests. Pretty cool in my opinion.
Top 5 fave bars in Hoboken definitely.
I've been eating at the Brass Rail since the early 90's and it has served a consistently good dinner on each occasion. I don't consider it a special event place as fellow yelper Christopher W. suggests. In fact, I've never had a reservation here. I would just pop in for dinner whenever the mood struck me.
It has a wonderful ambiance, good service, appealing menu selections, and the restaurant is a nice step up from many of the dining options in the near vicinity. It's a bit classy for Hoboken, but not when compared to restaurants in the City. I frequently came dressed in nice jeans and a turtleneck or, in the summer, a cotton sundress. Some people come dressed in their work attire, straight off the path train. There is no need to kick it up a notch unless you just want to do so.
As far as the menu goes, I've never ordered an item that wasn't delicious. I'm a big steak lover, as well as well-prepared fish and they do both very nicely.
Is this a joke? Have all the reviews for this place been deleted, or are Yelpers really too cheap to eat here?
This is an Anniversary Place, an Engagement Place, the Special Night Out Place. Not to put too fine a point on it, but you reserve two weeks in advance and plan the entire night, because this will be a centerpiece. Beautiful, beautiful place to eat and efficient, unobtrusive wait staff make this a relaxing dining experience.
The calamari, as a starter, is paired with a Thai sauce that really makes you wish everyone did it this way. Most people won't go for duck. Duck is easy to get wrong, but no such thing exists here. Order it as if you expect it to be excellent, which it will be. The entire menu has surprises and challenges in it for you, so jump in.
Pricey, yes, but you feel as if you had dinner at a private club. Even sidling up to the bar has its own cachet, so to speak, as if to welcome back a returning member. Check it out, when you have a reason.
-C
First surprise - three spaces to eat. An outdoor space (we went in due to the rain coming), a bar area, and a quiet upstairs. We chose upstairs, and I wasn't disappointed. Lovely furnishings, comfortable seats for a luxuriously long dinner.
Second surprise - 5-10p price fixe menu of $29! Amazing entree, app, and dessert for all that one price. *edit - this is Mon/Tuesdays only, shorter times on other non-peak week nights.
So we had a couple of the summer beer and wine (from Spain) choices recommended by the waitress, and chose our appetizers.
The calamari was okay, the sauce would've been better had it been marinara, but more like a very liquidy sweet and sour. The mussels in white wine sauce with bits of sausage and tomato was excellent.
Bread and olive oil / vinegar pre-mixed was a nice touch.
Entree of king crab leg over pasta was okay - the sauce was buttery but the king crab was in shreds instead of chunks as I expected. The strip steak with mushrooms, fries and a good salty layer of rubbing was excellent, though.
Dessert was the best - trois leche cake, with creme and a strawberry on top was thick and tasty, but the pear flan with fresh pear and apple and flan was excellent, light and fluffy and just perfect for the end of a hot meal and day.
This place is nice. The food is good and the wine is good. The atmosphere upstairs is much better than downstairs, unless you're going to eat on the patio, but if you're going to pay the high prices, you may as well enjoy the quiet and luxurious setting upstairs.
We had a party of 5, and since we have eaten here several times without having to wait, we didn't bother getting a reservation. We went on a Friday night and got seated right away, so I wouldn't bother with two weeks in advance, it's not THAT nice! Come early to look for parking- I'd estimate you'll need about 20 minutes to find street parking or just park in the parking deck on 2nd and River.
came for a light lunch here one day in the summer with my mom. if you can, opt for a table outside, such great people watching! our waitress was very friendly and extremely helpful.
try the strawberry mojito - deliciously refreshing..
id say the food is good but average and the menu is limited but our lunch was great nonetheless. have yet to have dinner hear but i've heard good things. probably one of the classier restaurants in hoboken.
In my opinion, the most consistently excellent restaurant in Hoboken. Very rarely do they miss the mark. I have eaten here at least 20 times and always find the food to be wonderful. The Prix Fixe menu is a steal. Overall the restaurant is not cheap but a good value. If it were in Manhattan it'd be 50% more easily. Sometimes things take some time, but are worth waiting for. The chef's specials keep it interesting. I would say eat outside for people watching, but if you want the best dining experience sit upstairs.
I have not had the same experience as many of the other yelpers have - I found the food very average compared to places like Amandas and Frankie and Johnnies (Dino???).
Isn't The Brass rail supposed to be at that level? I have been twice - the first time our food was good, not great. The second time, my steak was very dried out...just not good enough for a high caliber place. I know its not a steak house but if youre putting Filet on a menu then you have to know how to cook it.
I do recall the service being quite good though.
The food is average and very pricey for what it is...drinks are good though.
This place is a good time...when the weather is nice its great to sit outside but its nice inside too. The service is always pretty good and the food is really good too...especially the flank steak. I had the best appetizer ever there, but I only saw it once...seared tuna, guac, and crab meat...fantastic!! So bummed I haven't seen it since...
The maragaritas here are first-rate, and the bar menu (calamari, tarare) is pretty tasty. But this place does not succeed at fine dining. The first time, the beef carpaccio arrived w/o the beef--something our non-present server failed to notice. Then tonight, our entrees arrived cold, and they clearly had sat around 15-20 minutes even though the place was less than half full. They (duck, tuna) were pretty tasty though.
I think It's entirely plausible that the Brass Rail is not aimed at the tastebuds of people like myself, which is why I offer this review--so people like myself do not drop $75 per person on a meal that was a bit of a let-down. I don't enjoy steakhouses at all, and my regular "eating out" foods are mostly ethnic-fare like Indian, Italian, Cuban, Thai etc.
Having said that, I found the menu at the Rail to be extremely limited. There was not a single vegetarian option on the entree menu, and a lot of duck, beef and even foie gras. (come on dude--foie gras??)
I had Broccoli Rabe & Provolone-cheese-stuffed shrimp as an appetizer, and for my entree, scallops, which were covered in a spicy tomato sauce.
To my tastes, there seemed to a lot of strong, confusing flavors and combinations which seemed to cover, instead of compliment the main ingredients. I think one needs to be careful about pairing extra-sharp provolone cheese with any food, never mind combining it in a blender with broccoli rabe and stuffing it into shrimp. In addition, the texture of the stuffing was something akin to baby food. I had the same experience with my scallops. Large scallops were paired with sauteed spinach and a delicious piece of cornbread but the whole thing was covered in a spicey tomato, pepper sauce which pretty much destroyed the flavor of the scallops. (but which went quite well with the cornbread)
To be fair, the beef-eaters at the table seemed to really enjoy their various dishes (the skirt steak was a big favorite as was the filet) and the service was pretty much amazing. As far as the food goes, though, the Brass Rail tries too hard for me.
February Specials
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Restaurant Week Extended
Neighborhood: West Village
Hoboken, NJ
Category: Southern
Hoboken, NJ
Category: Restaurants
Hoboken, NJ
Category: American (New)
Hoboken, NJ
Category: Steakhouses
Hoboken, NJ
Category: Restaurants
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