went for the first time because social media recommend local things to do. family and I are Italian…read moreand we are actually really disappointed. it was crowded, the parking is hectic (but that's to be expected). what really upset us was that the vendors absolutely sucked. they had empanada, gyros and other nonauthentic food. the Italian food was greasy carnival food that was very expensive. we went with hopes to get some merch and good food and sadly, that's not what happened. There was a lot of homeless and people with disabilities roaming. They didn't even play Italian music for the first 4 hours, it was loud spanish and club music. There was an American football game playing on every TV and we noticed there were even duplicate vendors - you should only have one permanent jewlery stand, not 3. And what was the point of a "slime" stand...? it was so strange. This needs to welcome more authentic Italian heritage and businesses only with better vendor options. It did not feel or look specific to an Italian feast at all. we had brick oven pizza that gave us an upset stomach, walked up and down and went home. Will not be returning.

Beautiful festival, wonderful food. One of the best views in town. There is very little more one…read morecan ask for. Ok, I can ask for more. I would have liked to see more art but overall it was a great setup with food and activities for the family.

I have never stood on a line that long for zeppoles, but I 100% would do so again. Bring cash for…read morethe zeppoles and the fried seafood stand, I'm looking forward to trying clams strips next time! I stopped by during the day and it wasn't too bad crowd wise, but that sun was rough! I also tried a mini cannoli and some pasta, both were fine. Come for the zeppoles and stay for the vibes!

Good Feast. Great food. Nice vendors. Celebrating Feast of St Ann. Good neighborhood community.read more

The Hoboken Arts and Music Festival is offered annually, in both the Spring and again in the Fall…read more It is one of largest and most interesting street fairs in the area. There is a huge number of vendors spanning from artwork to jewelry, décor, clothing, soaps, candles, gourmet foods, and more, as well as a load of local food vendors. There are also stages at either end of the 8 block fest with various musicians playing decently long sets throughout the day. You could even take a break from the festivities to sit outside at one of the many bars and restaurants on Washington and simply people-watch. It really is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon! I would recommend checking it out, but, if you are not based in the area, be sure to take the train or Path into town, as the station is right near the festival, and parking can be even more scarce than usual.

A good number of local artists, vendors, and businesses lined the length of this event, with stages…read moreflanking each end and a stage near the center in the kid's area. We initially came for the music, but a last minute decision to bring four kids with us meant we were now overruled by beings who couldn't sit still for live music. We managed to get two-and-a-half songs in from a Latin-style band with a female lead. There was plenty to see and do and EAT! This was the perfect location! The area had a good amount of small businesses, as well as the stuff we're all familiar with. A combination of these businesses and festival food filled our bellies, excessively...gluttonously. The vast choices of unique art, crafts, and jewelry allowed each kid to pick out something special for mommy for Mother's Day. But I couldn't find the Yelp booth!

This was my first time attending the annual Taste of Hoboken event, and it was such a great…read moreexperience! Despite all the time I spend in the 'Boken, I rarely have a chance to try out all the restaurants in the area. I was lucky enough to snag a pair of tickets from our dear NJCM Steph, and I asked Lauren K. to come with me as my +1 to try all the food Hoboken has to offer -- and for a good cause! We started at the champagne table (of course), and sampled glasses of regular & rose champagne. I am partial to the rose, so I was happy. Then we stopped to play a little Yelp trivia to win some swag (hey, pint glass!). And so, after we were all bubbly & Yelp-tastic, we started to make our way around the room. Here's what we tried: Biggie's Clam Bar: 1) Pulled Pork Wonton Chip, 2) Fresh Seafood Salad. Honestly, if I was any hungrier, I could have eaten that pulled pork wonton all night long. The pork was perfect, the wonton was so crispy and big!, and the crispy onions on top made for a sweet, crunchy ending. The seafood salad was made of calamari, clams, shrimp, & scallops tossed in a light dressing with red onions & celery. Honestly, it's something I would have never ordered on my own, but it was so good that I would definitely consider having it in the future. The seafood was so fresh, big, meaty, and flavorful. The clams were a little bit sandy, but what can you do? The Madison Bar & Grill: 1) Butternut Squash Risotto, 2) Osso Bucco, & 3) Sausage Slider. My risotto was a little disappointing. The flavor was there, but the consistency was just too thick. It was so heavy & dense! We could only eat a bite or two. The osso bucco was really good. The meat was tender & fell off the bone with just a little prodding from my plastic fork lol. The sausage slider had a lot going on. Broccoli rabe, mozzarella, a sweet sausage patty, & a spicy sausage patty. I couldn't handle the spice or the size. I ended up taking out the rabe & the spicy sausage, and the rest made a pretty good sandwich! Cadillac Cantina: Chicken empanada. In general, I do not like anything even close to Mexican food. But I can say that I was completely surprised by this chicken empanada. It was really, really good! The shell was light & crispy without being greasy, and the filling was generous -- with just a little kick of spice. Just enough to make me feel fancy lol. I could've eaten another one. Okay, I regret not eating another one. Sushi Lounge: Spicy tuna roll. I was unimpressed by the selection rolled out by Sushi Lounge. They offered a salmon tartare, a Totowa roll (spicy tuna, shrimp, avocado, & tempura flakes w/ salmon & spicy mayo), and a Spicy tuna roll. Now, if you wanted to try anything other than a spicy tuna roll, they didn't have it. I didn't care for all the ingredients in the Totowa roll, so I went for the "plain" spicy tuna -- it was somewhat fishy, and too spicy, and not that appealing. I wish they had other rolls to try, or maybe a non-spicy sushi option. Batello: Ricotta gnocci. We agreed that the best part of the ricotta gnocchi was the sauce. It was light, fresh, and perfectly seasoned. The gnocchi had a nice texture, and it was amazing to try a gnocchi that wasn't heavy or dense. It was somehow prepared very lightly, and it tasted fresh & soft. Perfectly done! But it just felt like it was missing something. Seasoning, perhaps? I would go back to Batello to have some more of that sauce though. Amazing! Court Street: chorizo & shrimp. This was ... a miss for me. I didn't care for either the chorizo or the shrimp. The flavors were off, and the sauce was too watery, and it was just too much for me to handle. Pass. Carlo's Bakery: white cake with chocolate frosting. Now, I have never tried anything from Carlo's bakery before. So of their three options (red velvet, brownie, & white cake), I obviously went for the most boring, basic choice. But the cake was spongy, light, and tasty, with a little sprinkling of sugar on the bottom for an added crunch. The chocolate frosting - which I don't usually care for! - was sweet & fluffy as well. I really enjoyed it, and I can see why people keep coming back to Carlo's for their cakes! Kobrick's Coffee: latte. UNEXPECTED WINNER OF THE NIGHT. I had the most amazing, delicious, PERFECT latte from Kobrick's at the end of our evening. Lauren K had a coffee too, and she agreed that this was the best table at the whole event. My latte was creamy, foamy, but still with a strong taste of coffee that somehow managed to not be bitter. The barista even drew a little heart in my foam, which is impressive considering the dim lighting and small work area! Oh, it was just so good. I would go out of my way in Hoboken to have another latte from Kobrick's. All in all, I had a great time -- and I think Lauren K did too. Special shoutout to Swingadelic, because I really enjoyed their live music! Thanks for the opportunity to attend, Yelp! And good job, Hoboken!

Oh swine, how I love thee…read more What a great event! First of all, so many people came by through out the day starting at noon and ending at 8 PM. This was a ommunity event at its finest. The music was on point and there were a variety of local vendors including MAE, Dinosaur BBQ, Jimmy's BBQ, Hamilton Inn serving up NJ Beer Co, Sophie Sophia, Fizzy Lizzy and a few others. The bbq was amazing. I had lamb ribs from MAE, some pulled pork (I think) from Dinosaur BBQ, and of course an amazing bite of cupcake from SS. Hot damn. Everything was fresh and delicious. The food was great, the proceeds was going to a great cause (Hamilton Park Conservancy), and the weather was perfect albeit a bit windy. There is nothing like eating bbq with the community filled with babies, dogs, hipsters, non hipsters, beer, laughs and live music. Win. I look forward to next year! Oh and for families: petting zoo in the house! Along with vendors selling crafts organized by Not Yo Momma's Craft Fair. Amaze.

Hamilton Park BBQ Festival was a wonderful community event which was a fund raiser for The Hamilton…read morePark Conservancy. The conservancy is dedicated to assisting the city in the maintenance and improvement of the park. What a great way to enjoy a beautiful sunny afternoon and raise some money for a good cause. Outstanding. The event featured: BBQ at Legal Beans, Dinosaur Bar-b-que, Jimmy's BBQ and Modern American Eatery. Beverages by New Jersey Beer Company, Lizzmonade and Fizzy Lizzy. They also had a petting zoo for the kids and assorted tables selling bake goods, treats and goodies. Yelp had a table and was represented by Stephanie Y who was full of enthusiasm. It was my first time meeting her and was wow by her energy and friendliness. Yay! I only had the opportunity to taste Dinosaur Bar-b-que and the ribs were delicious. The half rack I ordered was very good. It had all the characteristics of excellent barbecue ribs: ring around the rib, moist, tender, great flavor and meaty. The 2 pieces of 3 ribs each had good texture and just fell off the bone. It just had the right amount of pull and awesome flavor. The ribs had a good rub with a balance of traditional spices. Overall high B+, very high. The pull pork sandwich just did not cut it. It was a beautiful cut of pork shoulder with all the good characteristics of good tasting pull pork BBQ, but It failed. It was just cold and the flavors did not come out. While I did received a good amount of pull pork it was just not steaming with flavor. Overall, this was a wonderful event with lots of food and drink. To bad I had to leave after an hour. I was on a journey to visit my in-laws with Wifey. This was certainly a local event and supported by the local community. There was good food and drink. There was fun. There was community spirit. I can't wait to come back to this part of New Jersey and experience some great hospitality.

Midnight Markets vary in size and the schedule feels arbitrary, but the July 4th fest is impressive…read moreto stand on its own regardless of music or fireworks. I'm not a World Cup guy but they've set up a delightful event on Magnolia Ave. with big screens and no pressure to buy anything. With four dinner-type vendors plus some desserts it's no Smorgasburg but of course four dinners is enough for most folks. The Super Savage Burger at Savage Burgers was a rare one-and-done for me so I didn't get to try the Going Bananas banana flight.

First time at Midnight Market and I got VIP tickets. The VIP area was pretty packed with the…read moreafter-work crowd, but it had a cute bar in the back called The District--I tried the lavender spritz, and if you love lavender like I do, it's a must. -196 also had a booth with lemon vodka seltzer, which was interesting. There were a lot of food vendors, but I recommend walking around first, some spots sold out of items I wanted. I tried the shrimp, crab, and cheese spring rolls from Rell's Kitchen--so good and a great size (I wish I got two!). The birria spring roll from Stop Drop N Roll was also top tier. The spinach and cheese roll was decent. I had to get some veggies in lol. To wash it all down, I got a strawberry colada from Aqua Frescas Juice... definitely tasted like diabetes in a cup. lol. Midnight Market was definitely a good vibes. I didn't see where they had roller skates but the miniature golf was fun.

the worst experience of any place I have been too. Poor instructions, poor planning, just poor…read more everything. Nothing was executed right. They ran out of everything.

Not worth the long wait to enter a 30 minute event. Very unorganized and no one was monitoring the…read moreline which allowed for people to cut the line.

Fall Craft Beer Festival was a five star event. It was a five star event not because I received…read morefree tickets, not because of multiple 2 oz pours of craft beers, but for one reason. It was a fund raiser for The Liberty Humane Society, http://www.libertyhumane.org/ I am big on supporting groups that are involved in the care and love of neglected cats and dogs. Organizations like The Liberty Humane Society are important because they save the lives of these four legged bundles of love. The love of a cat or dog is total unconditional love. No questions asked. While the beer selection was small, about 12 to 14 different types of craft beers, it was perfect for the size of the space. Plenty of room to move, nice people serving beer and I felt I was in someones home. Just chilling and drinking beer, very nice. Beer selection was heavy on stout. While I did enjoy the 4 or 5 available, I found them to be heavy and full body for afternoon adult beverages. If you like pumpkin style beers, you were in luck. Three to sample. The only beer I did not like was one that tasted like coconut. Not my cup of tea or beer, but my wife loved it. Go figure. Yelp had a table. James did a great job manning the post. Won my third key chain. Yay! Overall, nice event for a good cause, The Liberty Humane Society. Thank you Yelp and James for the tickets. Made sure wife and I supported the cause with the purchase of raffle tickets. I will certainly be a future supporter of The Liberty Humane Society.

Actually I was kind of surprised that there was only 6 competitors. Not a big deal as I don't think…read moreI could have eaten any more. The competitors were: M&P Biancamano, Littletown NJ, Fran's Deli, Losurdo Brothers Deli, Gigi's Rosticeria and Vito's Deli. Luckily I purchased tickets three days ago at Fran's Deli because when we arrived those with actual tickets were let right in. Those that purchased online had to wait outside while the list was checked. We only made it through the first hour. One, we were stuffed to the gills and two it was awfully crowded. Hopefully next year they will find a bigger venue because I will go back next year. Some of the highlights were Littletowns sandwich which was Pesto, mozzarella, zucchini and broccoli Rabe. Vito's had a delicious mozzarella made with prosciutto and jalapeño. M&P did the map of Italy in mozzarella. And the winner is in my book for the best plain mozzarella is (drum roll here) Losurdo Brothers. Their cheese had most taste, not too salty and excellent texture. The $20 entrance fee goes to The Hoboken Family Alliance which is a great charity. It was definitely worth the price. I would recommend trying all the competitors if you are in Hoboken. They did well. Mangia Bene!

Beer, Bourborn, and BBQ 2012 - what the hell happened last night?…read more Good God, exactly how much booze did I drink last night? I honestly don't even remember leaving or saying goodbye to anyone. My bad, but when one is presented with a ridiculously unlimited amount of good craft beers and terrific bourbons your mind kinda gets erased. My hangover has finally subsided and the JACKHAMMER has been removed from my brain. I do have to say right off the bat that I think they oversold the event a bit this year. Sure, it was packed, and very crowded, but not so much so that you could not get a glass of beer or bourbon quickly throught the venue. Our group drank A LOT before we even decided to get some grub in our bellies. We even hit up a bourbon tasting class where one who shall remain nameless pretty much spilled everything onto her crotch. I even bought a viking helmet hat to wear. Drunken fun times! The food lines were another story - ridiculously long and slow moving. Sure, I had some decent pulled pork from one stand right out of a pig carcass, but the best was from the Kloby's BBQ booth where the line was the longest. Gotta give it to Monique R for holding her ground on that long line amid some drunken fools and line cutters to secure a few plates of amazingly tasty hush puppies, pulled pork and coleslaw sandwiches, and pork rib wings. Worth the wait even though it cut into our drinking time, but we needed to eat something to help soak up all the alcohol. Our group had a great time. There were so many terrific beers and bourbons on hand. Many of the staff would even fill your tasting glass to the brim. All you could consume for four hours - wonderful or insanity - it's all how you look at it. So worth it when paying half price, 2 for 1 tickets, or discounted tickets. You have to be a noob to pay full price for any of these events as there are always offers on different websites with big discounts. But to charge $3 for the coat check is kind of a money grab, even though it was nice to ditch our heavy winter gear. We came, we drank, we ate pork, we pillaged and plundered. Looking forward to doing it all over again next year. Oh, and kids, here's a tip for you all. When you are totally blasted outta your mind on bourbon and beer it's not really a great time for an Italian-Norwegian to fight with your Russian-Polish fiance' out on the street. There is just too much stubborn hard headedness in that combination for any good to come out of it.

Gluttony, thy name is BBBQ!…read more At the urging of our resident over-consumer Phil H., a bunch of us got tickets for this (third?) annual festival. I am allergic to beer, addicted to bourbon, and will be smited for eating pork, so to me this was a no brainer. The entrance line was massive, but I fortunately only waited for a few minutes thanks to Yelp teamwork. Despite some other lines when you walked in (coat check, drinking glass), it really wasn't too bad a start. The selection of consumables was incredible. La Venue is huge and there were beer stalls (and to a lesser extent, bourbon) as far as the eye could see. All the drinks were free, and considering the crowd, the pours were generous. The food selection was a little less spectacular. Although there were ostensibly many options, there was only one line in the whole place that was consistently less than 30 minutes long. This meant that I used all three of my tickets on the same plate of shredded pork and beans. Delicious as they were, I would have liked to try something else. Also, the sight of a large man in camouflage sticking his rubber-gloved hands directly into a pig's stomach to serve me dinner will stay with me for some time. In addition to the many stalls, there were several workshops, classes, and seminars where you could learn more about the products and enjoy additional tastings. It was the four shots of bourbon at such a seminar that would come to define how I felt for the rest of the night. As a standalone event and for the $85 that some people paid, the lines and food selection might be a turnoff. For the ~$55 that I paid for this ticket (and the company I was with), this was a great evening.