J-Towne Tavern

Why I waited so long to try this place is beyond me. I should have known that this Watering hole and eatery deriving from the loins of the same folks that created the wizardry behind the Jefferson diner would be anything less then a gem.
Maybe my reluctancy here stemmed from having such great family type experiences and meals at the Jefferson diner that I did not want to tarnish that wholesomeness with a place that offered steamers and over 20 craft beers on tap. All of this right next door to my leave it to beaver family go to spot.
I ordered a margherita pie for takeout and snuck in a margarita drink while I waited. The drink was without question the best margarita I’ve ever had resorts included. Patron & Grand marnier just mesh well over ice and limed. as for the pizza it was just plain delicious. From the imported tomatoes to the fresh cheese to the Schmeer of dynamite tomato sauce blast with fresh basil leaves and garlic then finished with the olive oil drizzle all sitting on a crust that tasted like it was built off the good ol tristate hudson tap that put many pizza slingers on the map. Just right.
Next visit it’s Yucca fries with crab dip. Oh and the wife of course…
Will be back to stay

We used to go there once or twice a month for Taco Tuesday, sometimes we would get drinks, other times we wouldn’t if we weren’t in the mood (on a Tuesday night…). We were told that we were no longer able to $ 2 ea. tacos if we didn’t get drinks because they weren’t making any money on it. It doesn’t state that anywhere on the menu. They were fine letting recurring customers walk out the door that usually brought big groups of people in for food and drinks. After that experience we are never going back.

Can’t say enough good things about this place. Great service, great value, and delicious food. Never disappoints. A little more expensive that other pubs in the area, but totally worth it.

Went here for the first time a couple of days ago because I heard it was the closest place for raw clams and oysters. I gotta say that the «neighborhood» feel is great. The entire staff all the way up to management was incredible. The food, drinks and service was awesome. Will definitely be back soon.

Ok listen this place is great BUT they took the best meal EVER off the menu the seafood soup bread bowl soooooo disappointed BRING IT BACK !! A meal that you even eat the bowl amazing !!!
And yes I call to see if it’s back as of today it was a NO.

Been here several times and the food is always good. They changed their menu, but otherwise the food is always fresh and delicious. I normally go in December after my annual Girls Christmas shopping night!
Drink are good too!

The good — this place has a lovely, warm and welcoming staff, hell at times they’re down right jolly (they sing songs playing in the background) they used to offer free cheese pizza on Sundays. Sometimes the food is good.
The bad — I used to come here often, but one time I ordered sliders & they were under cooked. After that I decided to stay away. The other night I chose to try again. It was taco Tuesday & I went for a few of those. I was a bit let down, it tastes like something I could have made at home.
I want to give it a descent rating, but I don’t feel compelled to visit here again. Maybe swing in for a few drinks, but the food was just forgettable.

DELICIOUS! We moved into the area a few months back and this restaurant has been our favorite so far that we have tried. The service was great! Atmosphere was awesome. The food was incredible! The portions were very generous. The butternut squash ravioli appetizer was by far the BEST ravioli I have ever had. The sauce was so good, that we asked for the waiter to leave the plate, so we could dip our bread in it. YUMMY! Looking forward to going back.

This tavern on the inside is very cozy and inviting. The ambience is the best part. The detail of the wooden ceiling and black big piping along the roof gives this place a cool dark vibe with comfy booths. However upon seeing the menu and ordering, I was underwhelmed. For the cost of the items, the quality just didn’t hit the mark. Everything was just adequate and portion sizes weren’t very large. We ordered the taco salad, cranberry goat cheese salad, artichoke dip (which I do not think was what we were given), fries, and boneless wings. Our server was very nice and friendly which was appreciated. But we seemed to receive the wrong dip, and got jalapeños on my salad after I asked for them to not be put on.
I would probably go back for a drink at the bar, but not rushing back to have any food any time soon.

The bartender at the tavern, Craig, is extremely rude. He is also very slow with the orders. It took me over ten minutes to get a beer. He is pretty arrogant and talks down to all of his customers. A few girls tried to order some shots and he told them he didn’t have their «crap». I definitely won’t be returning due to the poor customer service I have received from employees who clearly do not have any social skills. The atmosphere could be improved without rude employees.

This is by far a fantastic place to go and enjoy an excellent meal with the family. The prime rib melts in your mouth, with an excellent flavor. The draft beer selection is also very nice. The service was also top notch! I will definitely come back here many more times!!! Great job to everyone at this fine establishment!

Have been here several times for drinks aps and last night for dinner.
This place always has its act together. Good variety of aps, the bbq sliders were delish. NY STRIP tasty and nice charring.
After dinner we stayed at the bar and everybody was friendly.
Our luminiferous irredescent purple haired waitress was fun and nice.
Lots of locals but don’t be afraid to join in the fun.
Excellent TVs for watching the games. BIG selection of craft brews.
Indubitably a utopian place to pontificate and consume mass quantities

Food is decent, somewhat overpriced and so are the drinks. They share the kitchen with the diner next door. Service is hit or miss, could be better.

I would love to give this reataurant 5 stars but I cant. I have been to this establishment at least 5 times. The reaaaon we first went is because of the enntertainment. We tried the food and it is excellent. Havent had a bad meal yet. The first time we went we had to sit at a table. We usually enjoy eating at the bar but the bar was full. No big deal, we had excellent service at our table. After dinner we decided to move up to the bar to see the musician and have some drinks. The man who was tending bar was very unfriendly and made us feel like we were a nuisance for making him pour us a glass of wine. We figured he was havin an off nite and brushed it off until the next few times we went and he waited on us at the bar. Same bad attitude and seemed to want to give us the impression he was closing early. It was only 11pm and the music is until 12. I would love to patronize this business more but we only go when there is a certain band playing. We also always choose a table and avoid sitting at the bar. All the waiters who have taken care of us at the table have been awesome. No complaints there or with the food.
My opinion– that bartender needs to find a new career!

For the area this is a «do stop in». An inviting ambience. Nice drink menu and a good variety of choices for a meal. Consistently well prepared and tasty. They will even serve you something from the attached diner if you wish. The staff are welcoming and friendly. Nice, clean and very attractive restrooms.
One of my pet peeve is that they put the silverware directly on the table. I have worked in Restaurants and know how they clean many tables, chairs, floors with that dirty rag. I always ask for second napkin to put down. Cheers

I have nothing negative to say about this place! The food was amazing and reasonably priced for what you get. Plus, the wait staff really amplified the experience. Jennifer was amazing!
I started with the two dozen steamers, which were delicious! For dinner, I had the Perfect Scallops… and they were. Without a doubt, the best I’ve ever had. Perfectly cooked and you could actually taste the ocean. I’m too full for dessert, so that will be for next time. I’ll definitely be returning.

After living away from sleepy Jefferson to go to college, I’ve gotten used to the younger bar scene in the areas that I frequent now (Montclair, Hoboken, etc.). When I came back home to visit, I did not expect J-​Towne Tavern to have that same clientele, but they proved me wrong. Like, this isn’t a Dad Bar! I’m seriously so happy about this!
While the drinks are a tad pricey, the overall scene is good. Good ambiance, tons of TV’s, a decent DJ during the weekends, and an overall good wait staff. I’ve been here a few times for drinks and I’ve had a good time each time I’ve gone. The last cocktail I got was a Sweet Mojito (mint leaves, rum, and 7-​Up) and it was very refreshing for me. I love strong drinks where I can literally feel the alcohol burning my throat, but this was kind of weak. Then again, it’s a Mojito so I’m not that surprised.
This place is definitely somewhere I go to when I come home for the weekends because it’s the closest thing to a bar in Hoboken that I can find in the Morris/​Sussex area apart from Morristown. While it may not be exactly like one of those upscale and trendy bars there, this is a close 2^nd.

This place has some of the best drinks and food in the area. This place in my opinion shouldn’t be your go-​to dinner place but it’s definitely the kind of place to have a solid meal with your cocktail/​beer. It’s definitely pricey for the area but a much more enjoyable experience than at a nearby place.
Great ambiance, plenty of TV’s, a solid wait staff (especially Socrates) and the music on the weekend is usually on point.

Im so sad!
I have been raving about this restaurant to everyone I know since I moved to Lake Hopatcong last year!
I have taken all of my friends here when they come to visit me and my boyfriend and I started frequenting at least once a month as our date night special dinner!
Once they renovated though and made the bar larger, the food really took a nose dive, but the prices stayed up in the clouds! Pricey!
What a disappointment when we ordered the same dish we looked forward to getting every time we were there previously, only to be presented with a piece of Chilean Sea Bass that was about half the portion size and not prepared in the same fashion.
I had the same experience with the Salmon Rustica. :(
Small portions and prepared very differently than in my earlier experiences.
The chef must have been replaced with a cheaper one, and the food really reflects this change.
Crab cakes are really small and loaded with filler.
I have to say I DO love the handmade veggie burger– they seem to have kept that the same.
Its a shame because this restaurant is really beautiful!
Wonderful wood work and a fireplace in their overflow room!
Friendly wait staff.
But the bar is clearly their money maker, hence the renovation to enlarge it and I suppose why they decided to focus more on that part of it than the food aspect.
So sad as we wont be going back.
(I do wonder if the owners are the same as for the diner since I have experienced this same trend in the quality of the food declining over the last year, next door too)

I preface this review by saying that J-​Towne could easily be a 4 star local NJ restaurant with a little bit of tweaking.
It has so many elements done right including a non-​funky/​easy going menu. Super fresh seafood and product overall. A very rare to find authentic Caesar Salad dressing. Good cocktail menu and execution on drinks and drink list. Really good apps. Very good prices.
Somewhat spotty execution on entrees. Our total order, fried pickles, mussels steamed cherrystones (not real steamers) but still really good), lobster mac, ribs, filet mignon appetizer. We didn’t order dessert because the normally excellent Tahitian Vanilla crème brûlée was replaced by an espresso version which doesn’t make sense to all people. The burnt caramel and espresso flavors in my opinion are too compounding and don’t work.
Everything was nearly spot on including service, had a great waiter. The ribs were soft and had no char which made them taste fatty. All in all it was enjoyable though and I wouldn’t hesitate to go back and try more dishes.