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    Lit 21

    2.4 (161 reviews)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Lit 21 Photos

    LIT 21 ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Loud
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Lit 21

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    a woman in a fishnet top and jeans
    Wanda R.

    In the heart of Newark, New Jersey, perched with a grand view of Kearney, Lit 21 is a good choice. The cocktails are very, very good. Whether you're in the mood for a classic concoction or a modern twist, the drinks menu is designed to impress even the most discerning palates. The music and DJ were really on point and just what we needed before heading out for a night on the town.

    Tiara W.

    Yikes!! Well the good news is we made it in before paying for parking . The bad news is the service sucked and so did the food. We waited about 15 mins before i had to go get someone to take our order. Then my friend's steak was literally seasonless. It was sad. The food was so mediocre. It was cool that the patio is on the water but what a waste for not such a cool spot

    Colombian breakfast. Hookah.
    Tanya R.

    Lit 21 for brunch on a Sunday was a vibe-a very pricey vibe. The restaurant is very spacious and for Sunday Brunch Day in Newark, the crowd was pretty light. To be honest, I only ended up here because Top's Diner just blocks away, was packed and the reservation books were closed. I feel like everyone was dining at Top's which left Lit 21 empty. My two friends and I decided on the unlimited mimosas brunch special. My coconut French toast was tasty. The Colombian breakfast main course was hit and miss. I regret asking for well done skirt steak because it was dried out. Bland rice and beans, delicious sweet plantains and good scrambled eggs. The mimosas weren't bad and they were truly bottomless. I did NOT enjoy the party store quality, plastic champagne flutes. The hookah burned for a long time. That BILL though??? Over two hundred dollars. Admittedly, we did order empanadas and Hennessy wings (which were really yummy) as appetizers but I still couldn't wrap my head around the grand total. The gratuity was automatically added in and there were some extra tax and service fees. Two really exceptional DJs took turns spinning the greatest tunes and I was given a birthday shout-out. I might return to Lit 21 some day to try their regular food menu but I will ask for a more detailed explanation of their billing practices.

    Tee G.

    No issues on a Sunday afternoon. Didn't have to order brunch, was able to order off of menu, sat where we wanted to without issue, the drinks were good and appetizers were standard bar food quality. The DJ was good but the crowd was mellow and no one was dancing, I guess that's reserved for Friday / Saturday night vibes. No issues with parking lot. Security did the pat down which is appreciated in that area. Highly doubt we would go on a Friday or Saturday night. We are older and have always avoided riff raff which is likely the case Friday & Saturday nights but as mentioned the vibe was mellow and enjoyable Sunday afternoon. We are also inclined to check it out on a Saturday afternoon.

    a plate of french toast and bacon
    Hemalatha K.

    Would have given 1 Star if not for the Cocktails..! Lots of great options in Drinks and the Cocktails were pretty good and strong..! But most of the Food we tried was really bad and not worth the Price.. Most of the items were barely edible.. Good place to go if all you want is Drinks and Bar Food..! Also, not sure what happened in the past but they literally pat you down at the Entrance before letting you in.. At 1 PM in the afternoon..

    Jack Daniel's punch bowl.
    Steve S.

    First off you're in Newark, NJ, you know murder capital of the US. So when you first walk in you have to show your ID, they take a picture of you and then there are police officers that pat you down before entering. I was there with a party of 4, we all enjoyed our meals and drinks. The Jack Daniel's punch bowl was a bit small but good. Three of us ordered the Lomo Saltado, which was delicious. I call it fancy Lomo, compared to what I'm used to in Port Chester, NY. The fourth person ordered chicken tenders and fries and those were good too. The waitress forgot two of ours dinners so we had to wait for those. Lastly there is no mention that thy automatically add 18% gratuity to the bill. I usually Give 20% but I I think there should be mention of it somewhere. I'll definitely be back again that's for sure.

    INDIA O.

    Service was a little slow and having one waitress take multiple orders and deliver individual checks at the end was the biggest nuisance. We literally waited 30 min just to pay and get out of there. There has to be a better system. Other than that the Bar food was decent and the place is super cute. I cant wait to try Brunch.

    HennyRita and In the Sheets (Dusse)
    Lani T.

    This is a good spot to turn up or just chill (assuming it depends on the day). The drinks were good and the appetizers were delicious!! I gave 4 stars because it took a long while before our server came to take our order. The music was great and the decor outside was super cute. Looking forward to going back again.

    Sheek Louch Birthday Bash Event LIBRA GANG!! #MizzKeeKee#

    Amazing Place!! Everything So Perfect! The Food Was Great! I Believe We Had The Picata & A Few Other Dishes The Drinks Were Nicely Served Cool & Creative The Miami Vice Drink Tasted Great! The Music Keeps You On Your Feet Out Your Seat! The Waitresses Are BEAUTIFUL & KIND! I Would Definitely Suggest This Place To EVERYONE!

    Nick C.

    Visited Lit21 for the first day of reopening for outdoor dining. It was a pretty decent experience. We booked a table, arrived, and the process starts with a touchless temperature check. You must wear a mask when you walk in, and you are only supposed to remove it once you are at your table. And if you get up to use the bathroom, you must put your mask back on. The tables are spaced pretty far apart, more than 6 ft, following social distancing guidelines. Definitely felt more cramped buying groceries than sitting on their patio with a view of the Passaic River. The menus are touchless now. Scan the QR code with your phone to view the menu on it. I got the Lit21 Bulldog and an appetizer sampler platter to share. Food was OK, the Corona in my bulldog was skunked though. The bottle was probably exposed to light during the time they were closed for the pandemic. Good experience so far, if it remains not super crowded, i wouldn't mind returning.

    Beer tower!
    Angel H.

    Not sure why the low rating. Drink prices were cheap, service was great. Wasn't a terribly busy day on a Friday night when I was there. The mussels were surprisingly good! Better than Fornos and Mompou, definitely juicer. The outdoor patio overlooks the river and is actually super cute. 18% gratuity included in bill and $10 for parking. Would come back again.

    Salmon and wings
    Daniela H.

    This place could be soooo much better. Love the salsa night on Wednesdays! The drinks are delish. But the food is horrible and waay overpriced. Look at this so called lobster Mac and cheese my friend got..it's a joke. Everything was disgusting and my friend got sick from eating here. Called the restaurant to tell them she got food poisoning and the person on the food literally said "o, well we make all of our food fresh!" No apology or anything.

    Tres Leche
    Yamila M.

    Not sure why this place has so many bad reviews. We came in on a Sunday and were checked/patted down at the door. If you have the option to sit outside do it because the inside is dark and more of a club vibe. The sitting area is outside is very pretty and the view is not bad. The music was mostly Spanish but they did play some of the more popular English music which was nice. Drinks - I had the lit 21 lychee and my friend had the pineapple margarita which came in a really cute Patron bottle. These drinks were good but they were pretty small. We also got the mermaid bucket and starburst bowl, these were so good and pretty big. The mermaid bucket tasted like a sour patch kid and the starburst bowl tasted like bubblegum. Food - we got the chicken empanadas and bbq wings for our apps, the empanadas were good and the wings were just okay. I had the salmon with rice and beans, my friend had the salmon with Mac & mashed potatoes, and my other friend had the Cuban sandwich. The salmon was cooked well but had zero flavor which was pretty disappointing, the sides were really good though. My friend enjoyed her Cuban sandwich. For dessert we had the churro bites and tres leche cake, both were very good. Service - the service was not the best. Our waitress was very attentive at first but once she got us our second round of drinks she disappeared for 30 minutes and we ended up having to ask multiple waitresses to call her for us because we were waiting to order. After this little hiccup she went back to checking up on us regularly. Overall, this place has pretty good food, great drinks, good prices, and a great vibe. I would definitely come back.

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    Waitress was too slow with EVERYTHING!!!! Waited 20 mins just for the water. Food was delicious!

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    Ask the Community - Lit 21

    Do they have a dance floor?

    Not necessarily.. but they have enough space to do a lil two step lol

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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