What a terrible place! Not only is the food bland and cheap tasting, but the prices are outrageous. Usually, I would still give a place like this some leeway but the service has to be the worst in the city. The owner's daughter, son, and nieces, and nephews make up the wait staff. They spend more time smoking right next to the outdoor seating than taking orders. The daughter is by far the worst of them all, but they are all degenerates. The place looks dirty and I am pretty sure I saw a member of the kitchen staff go out to make a delivery on his bike and then go back to the kitchen without washing his hands. He too walked outside and immediately lit up a cigarette right next to me while I was eating. The sauce tastes like something out of a cheap can and the chicken was thin and somehow still dry. How is that possible? There are so many good Italian restaurants in Hoboken that have great food and friendly helpful wait staffs. Why waste your money on this nightmare of a restaurant? Go to Leo's read more

Horrible and rancid food. We had to leave in a hurry because one of us got food poisoning. Please eat at your own risk!

Rude server this time :-( the food was still yummy! Beware of the sharing charge.

Being an eyetalian I'm picky about my Italian food. I was never a huge fan of this place for the food, but after the waitress overcharged me and a friend (added extra tip on to out credit card) I'm done here. So if you pay by card check your statement and beware. Best things about it: The bread (but the butter packets are extra small and annoying and no olive oil) Byob Portions (if you like being overfed ) The chicken dishes are fine - nothing special nothing terrible. Sauces and pastas are avg at best (although I disliked the sauce some friends thought it was ok) Rice balls were bland and had nothing in them. Non attentive staff That's all I tried there and all I will try as I have 0 patience for sleazy business practices. My credentials: grown up on homegrown Italian food both here and in Italy so I like to think I can be a fair judge on taste. read more

24 hours later and I'm still salivating over last nights dinner... Venue: There's nothing fancy about this location, if anything very dated and old school. I think that's the look they're going for though. Old world Italian kitchen, I guess? Its always packed, which makes the dining experience fun; noise and commotion of a packed filled kitchen, which makes it cozy. Food: Regardless of the atmosphere, nom nom nom, the food here is SO FRIGGEN Delicious!! I've been here a couple of times and the food is always amazing. Top two dishes to order: Stuffed Rigatoni with Chicken in Vodka sauce and the Spicy Penne Arrabiata with Chicken. I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it, both dishes were SO good! The tomato and mozzarella antipasti is a great starter, so rich and creamy. Final: great, great. GREAT Italian food! and its BYOB :) read more

The best Italian food in Hoboken.. Always Great!!!!! Delivery is prompt and same flavor.... Love the Eggplant!! read more

Had been a while since my last visit to Cafe Michelina, and was surprised by it's 3.5 rating (vs being in the 4s) because I remembered the food always being solid. The rating in the 3s I think is mostly justified though. Not because of food quality though, I think it's still solid. I had the chicken Murphy and enjoyed. Others had chicken parm and vodka sauce dishes which were also decent. They do themselves a disservice though with lack of transparency in pricing for specials. I saw in previous reviews (after the fact) mention specials are about twice the cost as menu items which was spot on and is kinda nuts. You'd expect a slight up charge but not double. So just be aware of that. Also, I have no problem with gratuity being included, but be transparent. At first glance they made it appear that gratuity was not included - I even had to ask to confirm it was. A bit sketchy and an intentional move that turned me off a bit. I wish they'd clean up some of those items, bc they should be rated more favorably but w some things they can't get out of their own way. read more

This is a neighborhood Italian restaurant. The prices are reasonable. I dined on the recommendation of my hotel staff as it was within walking distance. I had the crab and lobster ravioli. My partner had the rigatoni with chicken. Both were from the specials board. The marinara sauces were basically the same, although described differently. We both tried each dish and agreed that the sauce basically made for similar taste experiences - not a bad thing as the sauce was good, but expectations were different. If I lived in the area, I can see this as a place I would visit regularly. The staff was nice and welcoming. The service was good and importantly, the food seems that it would be consistent and your favorites would soon be realized! It is not on the main street so the experience is a bit more quiet and sedate. As a visitor, I look for something with a bit more culinary flare and a place that will serve a glass of wine since I'm not likely to have my own bottle. Overall, a good dinner experience. read more

Had a great time here a few weeks with a big group of friends. The food is good and prices are very reasonable. We ordered a ton of appetizers and ended up bringing home most of our entrées. All the old standbys such as antipasto, muscles and fried calamari are good (if not a little mundane), but definitely try the conch salad if you're looking for something different. The mixed seafood soup entrée is also a must, as it's generously stuffed with more shellfish than pasta. Be prepared to hold your reservation with a credit card if you have a large party and are attempting to make a reservation at a busy time of year. And don't expect to have a quiet meal, this place gets pretty raucous. read more

A new addition to my short list of favorite restaurants in Hoboken... Here's the highlights: * BYOB * I ordered the Red Snapper special which was HUGE. Maybe the size of two big fish? I couldn't even eat a quarter of it. I also got a side of amazing sauteed spinach. * My date ordered a chicken special with fresh spinach, tomato, and mozzarella cheese which was incredibly delicious. * Great service...Our food came out within minutes and we definitely closed the place down and they didn't try to rush out out at all. * Weird ambiance - Casual (which is fine) but they were playing a radio station that played Black Eyed Peas, Kei$ha, and Tao Cruz. It was noticeable and threw things off. The total bill was about $30. Seriously. That's killer. read more

When I was young, Café Michelina's was a staple. It was our Italian spot like Mario's was our pizza spot. It is there I grew to love creamy pesto, and that I will never forget. Until, we forgot about Michelina's. My boyfriend and I remembered it one Monday. Our usual Italian place is closed on Mondays and I was craving a big bowl of non-intimidating pasta. So we went. It was practically empty, which I understand as it was Monday and relatively early. The staff showed no shortage of friendliness and openness to accommodating their guests. They even suggested some delicious concoction on the menu to appease my craving. The menu is what you would expect of an old-school Italian restaurant and so is the amicable atmosphere. The food was simple and delicious, hearty and heard-felt; it was exactly what I was looking for. Each round crab and lobster ravioli was smothered in creamy vodka sauce, while the penne was coated in fragrant and flavorful pesto and the chicken cutlet was just right. Michelina's is perfect for a low-key carb-heavy dinner and excellent, friendly service. Oh yeah... and the tiramisu is super delicious. I'll be back. read more

Oh here we go again. All I can say is this was a huge disappointment. Wow, this place deserves half a star. I wanted chicken francese, so I ordered delivery from this place. The delivery time was satisfactory, but what followed certainly was not. I opened my round tin foil container to see the worst piece of crap ever to be called, well, what I ordered. It was so dry, so flavorless, that I had to go into my kitchen and try to resurrect the carcass of what was, to my knowledge, a chicken. And yeah, there was some pasta. They only have linguini, spaghetti, and penne. Again, another minus. The fact that I had to add crushed red pepper, olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, etc., to my meal is an atrocity. What do I pay the chefs for? I guess I'm just mad because they robbed me for $33. Let this be a lesson, don't go cheap. Just pass and go to Filippos on First. You wont be disappointed. read more

In celebration of one of my roommate's birthday last week, we decided to hit up Cafe Michelina. We had been there once before and had been so blown away by the food that we elected to walk the 2 miles home, giggling wildly about how delicious everything had been. As we pulled up in front of the restaurant, my other roommate who was having an unbirthday swung the car door open and a passing driver smashed into it. This is important for two reasons. One, because everyone should know that people are, always have been and always will be maniacs. Be careful out there. And two, it should be pointed out that by the time we sat down to dinner, it was far closer to closing time than normal dinner time. Being a little shaken up from both the accident and the thought of obscene insurance deductibles, it was an outstanding thing that Michelina is BYOB. Our alcohol bill would have been far more sizeable anywhere else. The popularity of BYOB in Hoboken is a wonderful thing in general. It makes a lot easier to go out and have nice dinners more often. After beginning the meal with a fantastic garlic bread and complimentary bruschetta (which I passed on but the rest of my party thought was excellent), we settled in to the main course. I ordered the smoked mozzarella ravioli from the specials menu. While it wasn't a terrible meal, it definitely is not something I would ever order again. It came out a little cold and was a little too smokey for my taste. The rest of my party ordered the penne vodka (spectacular), the fettuccine alla primavera (which was delicious after a cream sauce was substituted for the standard marinara) and the penne with chicken and portobello mushrooms (above average). The lesson learned with the food here seems to be that you should stick to what's on the menu. What they know how to do, they do well. They could use a little practice on the special dishes. As we were there close to closing time, the restaurant was relatively empty so it felt like far more of a spacious place than it actually is. I can see how others might feel cramped during a busier dinner time. The proximity to closing time could also explain why my food was below room temperature. The service was decent, minus our waitress not being able to figure out what fresh pepper is and handing over a standard pepper shaker on two occasions. Our bill came out to just around $70, which was excellent for 4 entrees, garlic bread and a carrot cake - which, by the way, was awful and should only be ordered under extreme duress. I would definitely eat at Cafe Michelina again, but long gone are those giddy feelings of food joy towards it. If they just stick to what they know and kept the food hot enough, they would maybe be worth 4 and a half stars. read more

I walk by the place almost every morning and I finally decided to try it while my parents were in town. We went on a Tuesday night, so there was no wait, in fact we were the first people there and sat outside on a beautiful evening. The service was prompt and friendly. They give you complimentary bruschetta, it's wonderful, a bit too much oil but still great. We ordered the melon and prosciutto (and yes people in the actual language of Italian you pronounce the O at the end). It was simple but great. My Mom got the Rigatoni Vodka, delicious. I got chicken and baby eggplant, delicious, my dad got penne, meat sauce and meatballs. Simple, yet wonderful. The bread was great, the entrees were great, the service was great. We got a couple cannolis for desert and they of course were simple, but wonderful. I loved this place. It's small, hole in the wall, mom and pop and that's what makes it great. Best of all, BYOB - wins my heart over almost every time. If you're looking for simple, but flavorful Italian that's BYOB this is your spot, they've won a customer that's for sure, heck of a lot better than Leo's. If you want Italian/Asian/Brazilian/French fusion or whatever is trendy than this won't be for you. read more

If I can come right out and say it, I believe Cafe Michelina is THE BEST Italian restaurant in Hoboken. Best food, seriously... pasta is delicately cooked, just the right amount of sauce, great bare bones entrees, the specials are a perfect addition.. Refills on bread are frequent. Atmosphere can be very very noisy, but that's what you get when groups of people dine together. Haven't been outside at all but thankfully it increases the amount of people they can serve. On a weekend night there will always be a wait. Did I mention this place is BYOB? I love me a good Italian restaurant where I don't have to pay for wine (which you obviously drink when you eat Italian cuisine). Recommended: Penne vodka (I added fresh mutz to it and it was divine), zucchini sticks, pair these all with a great cabernet. read more

Very cute Italian restaurant that is BYOB (which is always a phenomenal thing). The service was pretty good, and I got the fried mozzarella and the chicken parm. Loved both, even if the fried mozzarella could have been a little more bread on it. I'd highly recommend both, and I thought the sauce was delicious. Plus, it seemed like they had a pretty extensive and delicious dessert, which I would have tried if the chicken parm didn't fill me up. Seriously, I felt that I was at the Cheesecake Factory with that size portion. I came with two girls and they both loved it. Consensus: we'll be back. Check it out, and, of course, bring a wine bottle or two. read more

BEST MUSCLES EVER!! I come here all the time now. The muscles in the spicy marinara sauce are simply amazing. The only time I've had better was in Italy. I've tried many of the entrees and have yet to be disappointed. The smoked mozzarella ravioli is probably the best one...so delicious. The prices are very fair, plus it's BYOB so you can't go wrong. Overall this is my favorite Italian restaurant in Hoboken. It's simple, nothing fancy, but very very delicious. I will keep coming back! read more

Cafe Michelina has been my "go to" Italian restaurant in Hoboken for many years. I held my bridal shower, group dinners and have had many date nights with my husband here. I think the food is great, many choices and they will prepare to order, if you have a special request. The family that owns it is very nice, and we go so often, some of the wait staff now knows usual order (somewhat embarrassing). The decor is simple, actually pretty blah, but this isn't the place you go to for that...it is a neighborhood restaurant. And BYOB is always a plus! read more

I've been to Café Michelina twice now. My girlfriend introduced me to this place about 2 years ago. It has a very home-y feel to it, as opposed to the many other establishments in town. They bring out a very nice bruschetta and bread to begin with. We order a plate of cantaloupe and prosciutto to begin. The melon was deliciously sweet and the prosciutto was tender and not overly salty. She had the lobster ravioli which was very good and I order the chicken parm which I loved! I can't remember what we had to eat the other time, but I can assure you that it wasn't a disappointing meal. I am looking forward to returning to this little gem in Hoboken. A HEAVY 3.5 stars read more

Michelina is the best 'simple Italian' in town. Nothing fancy. It's BYOB. They have lots of specials and the regular menu probably hasn't changed in about 15 years - for good reason, the dishes are very good. The restaurant is a bit lackluster, but a good time to bring friends or special other that doesn't need a view of the city. The seating can get a bit cramp on weekends, and it can also get a bit loud. Otherwise, I consider it my "go to" place in Hoboken when I just want a simple Italian meal - and they do a good job at delivery, too. read more

Don't come for the ambiance, but the pasta is damn good. Bring your own bottle of Chianti; it's BYO (noticing a trend among the places I've reviewed, hmmm). The specials are usually worth checking out. Don't think too much about your diet if you go; the cream-laden vodka sauce (with stuffed rigatoni if you can get it) is too good to pass up. The waitstaff pretty much leaves you alone, so if you are looking to lounge, it should be no problem on an off night. I can't speak for peak times though. read more

This is my go to spot whenever I am in Hoboken and am hungry for good quality Italian food. The servers show great hospitality, the food is excellent. They give generous portions with out breaking the bank. Another big plus is it's BYOB! Yup, I'll be coming back read more

Cafe Michelina - Stuffed rigatoni with vodka sauce - Italian Near Me - Hoboken, New Jersey

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Sept 2009 4.5 stars for having really good homestyle food, very casual setting, decent prices and BYOB! Went on a Monday night at 7pm and was able to get a table for 2 right away, although the place was already almost full. I went based solely on Yelp reviews and was not disappointed. Don't expect a "nice" place - Cafe Michelina is about good food and enjoying your dining mates' company amid no frills decor, which is a non-factor as long as you know what to expect. We started by sharing the huge caesar salad with a homemade sauce that's just perfect and not too salty. For mains, we ordered one of the day's specials, stuffed rigatoni w/ chicken and vodka sauce, which was very very good and pasta w/ meat sauce, which was fine. Overall, the portions are huge and pasta cooked well, al dente. It was a bit lively (i.e. loud), so I wouldn't come here for a quiet, romantic night out. But, it was perfect for a casual, good meal that won't hurt your wallet. Oh and BYOB is awesome. read more

This is good old time traditional southern Italian cooking. Tastes like my nonnas food. I got the stuffed rigatoni and vodka sauce special, clearly a crowd favorite judging by the other review here. It did not disappoint. I also got the rice ball. I know it's legit when there are both Meat and peas inside, a real Sicilian piece. My only problem was I felt it was a little too expensive. I know it's Hoboken and things tend to be a little more here, but you usually pay for ambience or a little flair. This place doesn't really have either so I thought the cost would be a few dollars cheaper. That being said, food was really good and I'll probably be back many times. FYI it's byob. read more

This is the place in Hoboken we go just about every week. It kind of feels like an extension of our kitchen. In fact, we had our rehearsal dinner here at a big long table. Its BYO, super chill, and consistent. I love when z100 plays softly in the background and instantly, a plate of complimentary bruschetta shows up. The same family is serving and cooking and being lovely every night. Get the antipasto for 2 and the broccoli. Then, get the shrimp fra diavola. Or anything with vodka sauce. Finally, order up "the bomba" or tiramisu for dessert. read more

Great date night spot or place to go out with a bunch of gfs. Added bonus that it is byob! My favorites here are the penne vodka with shrimp and the stuffed rigatoni with chicken in vodka sauce! Both very good..... And an added bonus that the service is good even on a busy night! read more

Cafe Michelina - Penne vodka with shrimp! - Italian Near Me - Hoboken, New Jersey

Good food and sizable portions! I've been here a couple times and i've left content each time. As most places in hoboken, this place is BYOB (fyi - liquor store is around the corner by 7/11). Personally i think the big reason which makes me keep coming back here is the complimentary bruschetta and great service that goes along with it. read more

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Love the food here! But they could stand to be a little more clean. I got a dirty utensil and my glass wasn't the cleanest either. So it makes me wonder. But the food is great. read more

Nice Italian spot just off of Washington. The prices are better than Trattoria Saporito, the tomatoe sauce is better than Leo's, and it's a BYOB. Three A's is still my money spot, but Michelin's is on the top of my list for BOYB places since the food is always good. A recipe for a good meal! Had a friends birthday party here on a Friday and the wait staff was so good. Really took care of us and all the alcohol we needed chilled. read more

Love this place. Where do you find the owner in the kitchen making you dinner this place. Sea food salad banging shrimp scampi delicious.

The owner of the cooks! This is a family atmosphere and will not disappoint. Very Hoboken. BYOB since they don't have a liquor license.

Everything I always get from here comes out great. I recommend the stuffed rigatoni or gnocchi but can't go wrong with anything

Came here with a large group of friends (15 people) and Cafe Michelina accommodated us family style with incredibly sized portions, amazing food, and perfect service. We ordered appetizers and entrees in advance and everything was perfect, including a gluten free option for one person. Couldn't recommend this place more!!! Love it. read more