Ayyy Ohhhh Pizannooo!!!…read more Italian festival in Jersey City on a beautiful sunny symmer day. Eat, drink, play games, be merry, AND, foghettaboutit!!!

I expected much much more from this Italian "party". I put party in quotes because this is just a…read moresmall, yes, super small street fair, just 2 blocks. The weather wasn't good so that obviously contributed to my "not so happy" day but my 2 stars are strictly about the "party" itself because bad weather is nobody's fault. There is very limited food choices and the food didn't look good. Cheese steak looked very dry and the kebabs look like they had been sitting there for 2 weeks. The only thing I enjoyed was the rice ball but it's small for $7 a piece. Lots of people asking for donation for churches and a few other causes. The band was ok but the sound wasn't very clear. There is a very limited number of small tables near the stage if you want to eat. Since it was raining it wasn't difficult to find street parking 3 blocks away and the line for the food wasn't bad. But if it's a sunny day I can imagine how difficult it would be to find parking and, as other reviewers have mentioned, the long lines to order food.

Groove on Grove has got it all. Funky live tunes, delish food vendors, shopping and most…read moreimportantly, an authentic local feel and a strong sense of community. This happens every Wednesday night and is right outside of my apartment. If I'm around you can bet that I'll be there. Every week they feature a different local act and from what I've heard so far, talent is always in full force. I like that the bands will take some time to cover old and familiar songs, it's always fun to sing along and rock out. I haven't tried any of the food yet, but the empanadas look killer. The line is always pretty long, but I'm sure it's worth the wait. Sometimes Orale has a taco stand set up as well. Everyone has a smile on their face and the mood is always relaxed and upbeat. What's not to love about a warm summer night filled with food, music and community lovin!

I mean how can you not love Groove on Grove? Great music weekly. Amazing local vendors to choose…read morefrom and a community spirit that makes you love Jersey City even more. Amazing. Once a month or so they have Barcade and Hard Grove out there selling some beers and mixed drinks making the event even more awesome since, c'mon now, who doesn't like an adult beverage outside in the Grove St. area square listening to some home grown Jersey bands or visitors from across the Hudson. The selection of people range from JC hipsters to families with small children to the older community. What a great cross - section of JC life. This weekly community event is a great part of downtown Jersey City and adds a lot of fun and spirit to the area, I highly suggest checking it out (especially on booze days) and just enjoy being outside with some other great locals!

With only a few days left, you should get here if you can. I haven't seen the shipping container…read moreexhibits that have shorter hours but there are tons of other photos available. There's plenty of documentation about the awful things going on in America, but I was drawn to the lighter side. Specifically, Odd Apples by William Mullan offered a startling array of fruits including the potato-esque golden russet. There's a depiction of a fox rescue place which also takes in an occasional bobcat. Juxtaposition enthusiasts should check out the Pennsylvania shots in Nothing Gold Can Stay by Matthew Ludak.

I always try to catch Photoville every year. This year it will run through June 22…read more Years back, it was held more towards the end of summer. As of last year, it's also arranged a bit differently but I love everything about it. Talented photographers showcasing their work with important messages embedded in their photos. Example: migrants living in shelters and mass shootings. Some exhibits are held in containers while others are in the open space. I took tons of photos of these photos. Don't miss it.

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.

Had a lot of fun running Summer Streets with my run club on Saturday. Was nice that they extended…read moreit a mile into East Harlem at 109th Street. Terrific way to experience Park Avenue with no vehicular traffic 7am to 1pm all the way down to Brooklyn Bridge. It's great that there are water stations, entertainment, water sprinklers, and hydration sample area set up. Was an awesome training run for 14 miles and we ran across Brooklyn Bridge over to Manhattan Bridge then back on to Summer Streets. The only thing that would make this better would be to have porta potties set up along the course as there are no bathrooms along the way unless you find a Starbucks to jump into. Still, it's a fun way to spend a Saturday morning with a run, bicycle ride, or walk in fresh air.

If I had it my way Manhattan wouldn't have cars and very few trucks. Leave the supplies at the…read moreborder. In the mean time I enjoy Saturdays in the month of August. I head out early and go as far as I like down Park Avenue. When it gets crowded I head East and find an Avenue to walk home. My favorite part of the trip is around Grand Central. I love the view of the historic building up close. I have the best photos! If you live here, or you are visiting, experience the streets. So much fun, free events and interesting sights. I highly recommend!

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!

Note: Schedules/locations are updated at https://www.japanfes.com/newyork/2026…read more Always on weekends, and always on a handful of blocks, this is a very popular and very crowded Japanese food festival. From previous years, the space was very cramped, but at least this year, on the Upper East Side earlier today, it wasn't as bad as usual, as it seems some stuff was actually spread out for once. There are a couple of vendors who are commonly there, such as Karl's Balls, a takoyaki/octopus ball stand, among others. New for me this year was Mochi Mochi Sisters, which had various types of mochi, as per the name. This included fruit-filled ones (mango/peach/pineapple) for $3, larger daifuku for $5 to $6, depending on type and filling, or a single skewer of Mitarashi Dango for $5. I got the latter one, and I regretted it a bit even outside of the price, as it lacked any char, though at least the sugar/soy sauce syrup wasn't super sweet. Another newcomer was Chotto Matcha, which unfortunately only made matcha lattes, so I wasn't interested. I thought of getting some $5 broth from Menya Jiro, but in hindsight, I'm happy I didn't based on reviews. It's a fun thing to check out, but the prices are laughable.

I had so much fun at Japan Fes and ate so much good food. I enjoyed learning about Japanese…read moreculture. The festival did not only have food, but they had music, games, and art. There were a lot of vendors there. I was able to try Japanese dishes like onigiri, inari zushi, yakitori, gyoza, karaage, and the katsu sando. I had sweet treats like mochi, tanghulu fruit candies, and the delicious ube soufflé pancake. They also had refreshing drinks and different matcha vendors. I plan to go to Japan Fes every year. The festival is throughout the year in different boroughs in NYC and ends in December 5th.

Auntie Anne's needs to take care of the Health Department Violations! I didn't notice this until I…read moresaw the business page doing this review. I'm certainly surprised. I don't usually get anything from this pretzel brand. I'm not into and don't understand why anyone would want a huge pretzel. Give me a bag of pretzels from the grocery store! If you need a cheap snack it's here. They must be doing a good business because it hasn't closed like some of my favorite Macy's food places.

The truck's been uptown for a while now. It works when you're looking for a snack. You really have…read moreto be a pretzel fan to pay these prices more than once or twice a year. I got the mustard sauce, which was good. I noticed it's Ken's brand, so I can just get it at the supermarket. Yeah, the prices are a bit of a turnoff. For what you pay, you could easily get a meal with a regular drink. Maybe again next year *shrug*