This time I ordered through Uber Eats and again I'm impressed! Presentation is lovely, and nothing is missing from the order (not even the sauces). This might be my new Togo stop! The online website was a tad confusing to navigate. I'd much rather give them the money directly than through a third party, their food and service is that good! read more

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Food: The food was good overall. Service: The service was okay, but our server didn't really check in on us after taking our order. Ambience: The ambience was great and made the experience enjoyable. Additional note: The only downside was when I seated by the bathroom, which took away from the experience a bit. read more

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I've supported Light Rail Café for over two years. I've brought friends here, eaten here, worked from here, and encouraged others to check it out. I believed it to be a community space. What I witnessed recently changed that permanently. I was speaking with a Black woman at the bar, someone who was there for the first time. The owner walked past her and grabbed her body without her consent. It was direct, intentional, and done casually, like it was normal behavior. The woman looked shocked and uncomfortable. I asked her quietly if they knew each other or if they came together. She said no! she had never met him before that moment. The look on her face was a mix of violation, confusion, and disbelief. No one should experience that in any space, let alone one calling itself a neighborhood spot. I pulled the owner aside privately to address what I saw, calmly, man to man. Instead of listening or acknowledging harm, he dismissed it completely. No accountability. No awareness. Just defensiveness. In that moment, it became crystal clear: * Women are not safe here, especially Black women. * The power dynamics in this space are being abused. * The behavior is not seen as a problem by the person in charge. I can no longer support or recommend Light Rail Café, and I say that as someone who truly tried to pour into this place. A good vibe and decent food mean nothing if the environment enables violation and shrugs at harm. Community spaces should be safe for the community. This one is not. Go elsewhere! Note: The owner replied publicly on Google denying everything and quoting MLK instead of addressing the issue. That response is viewable on Google for transparency. read more

Light Rail Cafe - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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Great food spot! I love their margaritas and their chicken Cesar wrap. Definitely will be coming back.

Food 10/10 Drinks 10/10 That waitress 0/0 she literally ignored me at my own table and only spoke to the woman I was with because she thought they were from the same nationality and openly spoke about their skin color being better and " I'm not Black". She displayed racist colorist behavior and had the nerve to other me. Please get servers that know understand the clientele and are not racist. read more

Food is good, but the customer service completely ruins the experience. I've ordered online twice, and both times were a mess. The first time, I ordered oxtails and was told they were unavailable--which happens. What shouldn't happen is offering no replacement at all and forcing the customer to cancel. The second time was worse. I ordered two rotisserie chicken plates, only to get a call ten minutes later saying they don't even make that on Mondays and it shouldn't have been listed. That's basic menu management. I asked for a similar chicken dish, and was then told I could only get one plate because two would exceed what I paid. At that point, it felt like I was being penalized for their mistake, which is unacceptable. After going back and forth for about ten minutes, they finally agreed--but what I received was honestly embarrassing: two small pieces of chicken breast that didn't resemble a full order in any way. Good food doesn't excuse poor organization, inaccurate listings, and frustrating customer service. There are too many other options to deal with this again. read more

The food was amazing and service was great. The group constantly asked if we were ok, if my party needed drinks or anything else. Super response and pleasant. I want to plan another event. read more

Another hidden gem and happy i finally made my way here. Happy hour until 6, EVERYDAY, including weekends. they have a few apps about $5 to $7. beers as cheap as $3, drinks as cheap as $5 and shot specials. such a great deal! really good service. friendly staff. downstairs got packed on a sunday afternoon. music was blasting and the game was on every tv. food was pretty close to perfect, looking forward to coming back. everything was house made and very modestly priced. parmesean fries were perfect. double fried. plenty of cheese. decent serving too. my date grabbed the HOUSEMADE chicken fingers. i think there were about 4 or 5 long chicken fingers. nice batter. good flavor. we both loved them. sriracha honey wings came on the happy hour with 6 for $5. they were good, but the sriracha barely came through. i love the crunchy outside of the wings, they hit the spot. fried califlower bites really grew on me. they are also on the happy hour. lightly battered and came with ranch & thai chilli sauce. would get these again for sure. topped this feast off with the fried oreos. these were so heavy, i had to tap out. theyre huge, and covered in a batter. they come with 6? also have 2 dipping sauces and white powder. they're really good and a must get. read more

Light rail cafe is a vibrant neighborhood bar and restaurant in the jersey city community!! Happy Hour specials are good! Prices are good compared to other local spots. It gets very crowded with the after work crowd. Theres additional seating upstairs and outside when the weather is nice. Try the wings and flatbread pizza ! Very tasty! read more

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I would suggest anyone reviewing this place, understand it's setting and vibe before doing so.. This is a small, casual place, that offers good food and drinks at a reasonable price.. They are not "Fancy", so don't expect that.. We were 8 people in total and showed up without reservation since it was unplanned, and we were all just hungry, after a long and tiring evening, and this was the only place nearby with a good rating.. It was 1st time for all us.. Place was packed with barely any room but they got us seated right away by opening up the upper level.. Service was a little slow, but that was expected with the crowd, and the fact that we were seated separately from the rest of tables.. There was no complaints on the Taste or Quantity of the Food, especially for the price.. There was mix up with the getting separate checks, but again, it was understandable and they were quite apologetic about it.. read more

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Ordered the Rasta pasta & Fries Oreos both were such a bust. I also tried delivery for the fish & veggies instead of fries. They didn't separate the side dish so guess what my fried fish was soaking wet so no longer fried. I was so upset. That's restaurant 102 don't pack wet & dry items together! Wth I officially won't be returning & definitely don't recommend delivery. read more

Light Rail Cafe - Fried Catfish Dinner bomb - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

My sister and I got takeout from light rail on a Thursday evening. The order and pick ip process was fairly smooth. We only had to wait about 5 min. I ordered a chicken Caesar salad with garlic parm fries. I basically licked the bowl clean haha. It was a very solid Caesar salad. The fries were still fairly crispy and warm given the transportation. My sister got a penne pasta with chicken. She was a bit disappointed because the chicken was breaded instead of grilled which is not what was offered in the past. She also ordered extra mozzarella on one of the pasta dishes but they did not provide the extra cheese. However we were both satisfied with our food and would order again...double checking that the order is correct. read more

Light Rail Cafe - Light rail cafe - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

My dad has talked about this spot for a while now so i'm glad we finally were able to go! Parking is a bit tight as they have street parking but if you get there early enough you'll find a spot. Light Rail Cafe definetly gets packed! We arrived around 6pm and was immediately seated outside. Since it was a hot day we wanted to sit inside but it was already packed. It is a small cafe with a couple of tables and seats at the bar but they're currently building a rooftop which is cool. The menu had so much to choose from and for affordable prices too! I ordered the salmon alfredo which came with a peice of garlic bread and it was so good! My sister and I ordered the cauliflower bites to share. They were nice and hot fresh out the fryer too. They serve the bites with a sweet chili sauce and ranch. They were good, more batter than cauliflower but still good. My sister and dad ordered th red sangria and boyyyyy was it perfect; the right amount of fruitiness and liquor. I recommend it 100%. Fried Oreos were good too! Waitresses were attentive and friendly. They also played a lot of hip hop and r&b which I loved. I also saw someone bring their own hookah and smoked it at a table outside. The vibes were there for sure can't wait to come back! read more

Light Rail Cafe - Cauliflower bites - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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Great coffee and even better staff. Relaxed and large but comfortable space to work or meet in. read more

Light Rail Cafe - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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I've been here multiple times. The ambiance is nice, urban and the music always good. The food is fresh and fast. The drinks are tasty!

Delicious food, boozy cocktails and a lively atmosphere. It's a great addition to a restaurant barren area of town. They have great brunch and lunch, where the atmosphere is quiet and good for light reading. They're also great after work where you can mingle amongst the crowd and enjoy a delicious drink. Bartenders are always nice as well. read more

My experience at Light Rail Cafe was great as usual. Jupiter made me a wonderful Berry Smash. The shrimp alfredo was phenomenal. And it doesn't hurt that Jupiter is beautiful!!! The service was amazing. Definitely will be returning. read more

Giovanna was very pleasant and helpful : ). I jumped off the light rail for a quick bite

Friendly bar staff & environment! Very clean looks as if it just opened! It was crowded but everyone had a seat. Outside seating was available but it is winter in the north east so I opted to sit at a high top. Margaritas were on point! read more

Light Rail Cafe - Buffalo chicken Wings! These were so good I ordered a tray a day later! - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

Came here with a group of friends. The server was super friendly and even put on a little show. For food.i got the lemon pepper tilapia which was good. read more

Light Rail Cafe - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

Alright guys. Never get the pasta, no sauce and it's mixed in after which makes the flavor ass. Get burger drinks and fries that's where the sauce is. Greiii greiii read more

Light Rail Cafe - Dranks done. - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

My soror and I got together for brunch and to catch up. It's first come first serve so no reservations. When I arrived I parked on the street nearby. I walked into a small, cute restaurant. I found seats by the bar. Our bartender was Jermaine and he was cool. They had $3 mimosas so I started with that. For my entrée I got the grilled catfish with yellow rice and spinach. My friend ordered the seafood combo with penne. When everything came out it looked great. I dug in and the catfish was good. The rice and spinach were a little salty though. My friend enjoyed her meal. Gratuity was included and it only was about $25 a piece. All in all we had a good experience. read more

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Good food and great atmosphere. Loved the fried calamari and large entrees. The mocktails were fabulous. Can't wait to go back.

This place is great for brunch and happy hour starts at 11am. Has a full size bar and spacious seating... plus those raspberry wings are to die for #FINGERLICKINGGOOD read more

Light Rail Cafe - Fried calamari/fried cauliflower/raspberry wings - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

The service has fell off a little. But definitely go for happy hour and they did renovations. Locals favorite. The wings and burgers are delish read more

Local neighborhood spot if you're looking for some autAmbiance is full of vibes, drinks worth the price. Never a dull moment !

Ordered on Uber Eats and it was decent until I felt something hard and sharp in my mouth. It was a staple in my food. Im literally grossed out. How does a staple get into someone's food? read more

Light Rail Cafe - Rasta pasta with staple cooked in - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

Cool spot. Drinks, food, might catch some good music. Service is decent. Would pop in again read more

I stopped by Light Rail Cafe to enjoy some dinner and drinks with my family and overall, I enjoyed my time there! When we arrived, it was pretty packed but that's expected on a Thursday night. We were immediately sat outside and our waitress was very friendly and welcoming. Our waitress was also very attentive and came by with a pitcher of water, plates and utensils to ensure we had everything we needed. To start off, we ordered a pitcher of Red Sangria and Cauliflower Bites. The cauliflower bites arrived fresh out the fryer and were served with a Sweet Chili sauce and Ranch. They were perfectly battered and paired very well with the sauces. A delicious starter that I would rate 4/5. The Red Sangria was also a great choice because it was fruity and strong. I definitely felt it by the end of my meal and rate it a 4/5, as well! For my meal, I went with the LRC Black Bean Burger (black bean pattie, spring mix, tomatoes and raw onions on a toasted brioche bun) with a side of garlic Parmesan fries. The burger was decent and the pattie was reminiscent of the Gardein black bean burger. The garlic parmesan fries were delicious and crispy, so they were a nice addition. I rate the burger a 2.5/5 and the fries a 4/5. Lastly, our waitress suggested ordering the Fried Oreos for dessert so we went with that. They came out hot, covered in powder sugar and chocolate & caramel sauce. These were better than the ones you find at the fair, so I rate them a 4/5. Perfectly fluffy and soft on the inside with a nice crisp outside. The perfect dessert to wrap up the night! Overall, I enjoyed my time at Light Rail Cafe and would certainly stop by again for some drinks and apps! read more

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This is a great brunch spot with great prices, great service and delicious food. Me and my fiance have come here twice and everything has been quite consistent. The parking situation is pretty decent also. The first time we order Waffle brunch and the Chicken Sandwich. The second time he ordered the same sandwich and I order the Rasta Pasta with chicken. Everything was delicious. This is definitely going to be our new spot. read more

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I stopped by on a Saturday evening with one of my friends. I have a soft spot for black owned businesses so I was really looking forward to visiting here. The surrounding area is a bit rough, the restaurant it self was smaller than I expected, but we were seated right away. The music was good. It was R&B music mostly. They had an extensive drink menu. Their drinks were STRONG and TASTY! They had happy hour at the time we were there (yes happy hour on the weekend!!) I had a chicken wrap and calamari and my friend had a cheeseburger and fries. Everything tasted good. This is a great spot to catch up with friends, get a great bite and get a bit tipsy! I recommend. read more

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Another hidden gem in Jersey City off the known path. A few blocks fellow Cummunipaw. Good food, good ambience, great service. Stopped in for Sat brunch with my wife & was pleasantly surprised by the location. Place was almost at capacity, mixed crowd but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves & the food. The woman seated behind me recommended the LRC Cajun Chicken Sandwich which was delicious with garlic Parmesan Fries. Food was fresh, light and not oily. The cauliflower bites weren't great given all the restaurants I have tried but definitely above average but serving was small in my opinion. Service was great & given the crowd, the food came out fairly quickly & was all round delicious. Will definitely visit this place again. Only slight downside was noise level as place had no sound diffusion or sound absorbers. Not exactly 5 star but definitely not 4 either so I will rate in the most positive and the prices are also great. read more

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Always heard about this place thru word of mouth first time actually stopping in. Place was nice and cozy, service was on point and food was also on point. Will definitely give it that 5th star hotel once you get that Apple Pay up and running. It's 2024 that's borderline the standard hope to be back soon read more

CONS 1. Oxtails Stew is Puerto Rican/Dominican Style at a Hefty Price of $20.00 without Taxes. Perhaps, if it was an American Soul Food Style then it would be WORTH the Price. 2. Fried Cat Fish was Huge yet needs more Flavor. 3. Fried Plain Chicken Wings needed Basic Seasoning, Salt and Black Pepper or White Pepper. 4. Mama's Mac n Cheese is NOT American Soul Food Style with an Egg mixed in. PROS 1. Jersey City Sweet Tea Cocktail is Deliciously Strong. 2. Yellow Rice is Flavorful and Fluffy. 3. Cheeseburger is Hearty. 4. Steam Broccoli is Cooked Well. 5. Outdoor Dining Seating is available. 6. Friendly Staff. read more

Light Rail Cafe - Huge Fried CatFish and Yellow Rice. - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

Stopped by with a group of friends and still wasn't impressed with this restaurant. I had the Rasta pasta again and this time, it was way too spicy. I would however, recommend this place for happy hour! The bartenders and waiters are awesome! Our waiter did magic tricks and was soo attentive. read more

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It's an ok place, never a first option. Drinks are extremely over priced e.g. 2 shots of cognac and a whiskey on the rocks - $43. You need to pay attention to your bill here. The staff are all very chill and cool. Food is decent. read more

Whoever the lady that is working on the online deliveries doesn't know the hell she's doing .. So i did an uber eats, ordered item. And waited for so long. Delivery drivers changed 3 times due to the long wait because of the delay in the restaurant. After hour and half me trying to call the restaurant and no one is picking up. They just picked 5 mins before closing saying ohh we canceled the order cause we don't have this item available. On uber eats it says it's not cancelled and they keep delaying for the estimated arrival. Not worried about how can i get my money back cause this is an easy thing to do on the app. But really that's one of my worst experiences ever read more

4.5/5 I order from here quite often and have always appreciated their fresh, tasty and quick food. Their wings are definitely a contender in the Top 3 wings conversation in Jersey City. The portion sizes area beyond fair and I'm continuously surprised at how hot my food is when it arrives. This place has become both a craving and a last min go to for my type of comfort food. A little upset with the burnt bacon I received on my Mac and cheese order the last time (also my first time ordering extras in it) but that won't make me stop drooling over this gem of a spot. read more

Light Rail Cafe - Yumm!!! And I can get all flats?! - Bars Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

Great drinks. The cauliflower us delish bits a small place but it has great friendly vibes. Good staff. Clean. Veggie burger was nice too. Outdoor seating. read more

It is awesome to see a Black owned venue thrive in a challenging neighborhood. I went on a Friday night and it was bustling with a good crowd good music and fun DJ. It was busy busy busy, without being disrespectful to the residents in the area. The music was not spilling over on the street at terrible volume. If you were to live by the venue you could easily go to sleep with the windows closed. No drunken fights, no sketchy individuals: just fun and happiness. So the ambience is very nice with great outdoor seating. The drinks are delicious, strong but without the overwhelming bitter taste of alcohol. Happy buzz ensues after each sip of their delish and reasonably priced cocktails. Do try the mango mojito. The menu features traditional comfort dishes with one step up. Chicken and waffles are a win at brunch. A picker upper after a week slaving away at the office. The whipped coffee is a treat. Don't miss out the Cajun dirty rice. My all time favorite is the fried catfish sandwich; it comes with homemade French fries that are delightfully crispy. The food has been consistently good. I often order for pick up and they never messed up an order. I walk in, pick up, and go home. read more