Kabooz’s Bar & Grill
“Whenever we are at Penn Station to catch the train, this is our go-to place to eat.”
“An unexpected bit of niceness in the bleak underground world of Penn Station.”
“Definitely not a bad place to grab a bite to eat or throw back some beers!”
Kabooz’s Bar & Grill
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Its Penn Station, I wasn't expecting "WOW". This spot is close to the Amtrak lines so its good for a quick bite. In my opinion it is too expensive however they may be catering to the "consultant crowd" who can expense everything or to the "starving wander" who's trains got delayed.
They do have a nice "outdoor seating area" in the front of the restaurant which provides a nice view of the terminal. Thank goodness because inside the main restaurant it was freezing……. I would like not to feel like I'm in the Alps.
I had the Tomato & Garlic Soup which was OK. I have had much better. It came with garlic bread tat tasted as if it had been microwaved a few times.
I came here for a nonprofit board meeting so from that perspective it was good. The servers were concise and did not push the group to leave even though we were there for a few hours.
$3.50 beer on tap during happy hour? Yes, please!
Great spot for people watching. The people who work here understand that you're in a rush, too, which definitely helps.
A convenient place that has a far warmer feel than the rest of Penn Station, but you will pay dearly for it: a beer costs $8 plus tip. I appreciate that they have the train status displayed prominently. They will also help you quickly most of the time.
Recently, they gave me a severely chipped glass for my beer. The glass was broken in several places, and they did not so much as apologize when I brought it to their attention.
A bar in a train station has a very simple job: give me beer while I'm waiting. There are only a couple ways to mess this up. Bad glassware is one, and bad service is another. I'll probably be back now and then, but I'll be sure to check my glass very carefully.
I was torn between three and four stars and had to go with four. Kabooz's is conveniently located close to the Amtrak lines. It can definitely get packed, but had a cute little dining area outside of the restaurant if you're looking to escape the crowd inside. My bestie and I were quickly seated at a tiny table near the kitchen, after escaping the monsoon of rain on the streets. This place definitely has too much going on in its menu, very overwhelming. When a menu has SO many options and such random variety, it just sends a message that rather than specializing in one area, they're mediocre in many areas. Anyway, we started off with a refreshing beer. We ordered the brie in a puff pastry (heavenly, incredibly good!) We also ordered the thai mussels (tiny, but pretty good) and calamari (very good.) The portions are huge and we definitely couldn't finish everything. I was impressed with the food and even more impressed by the professionalism of the staff. The waitress, chefs, even the manager checked up on us and provided outstanding service! Definitely not a bad place to grab a bite to eat or throw back some beers! Really impressed by the service!
If you're like me and frequently miss the train by thismuch on the NJ Transit tracks, then you might just find yourself at Kabooz's which is a stone's throw away from the tracks. A glass of wine or a gnosh and quiet place to stay are much more tempting than camping out next the bums who take up much of the chair area with their bodies and plastic bags.
The bar area is softly lit and the service is quite friendly and special props to whomever does the playlists for the music because it's always a great mix of Etta James, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald or another great legend. They have quite a bit of draft beers on tap and a jukebox that the fellow patrons love to play. Friendly word of caution : If you're a solo gal, the bar is loaded with solo men also waiting for trains so don't expect to sit without a "train waiting buddy" – some are nice, some are lecherous. When it's the latter or if I just want to read my book and relax I will get a table. That brings me to the seating. They have a cute little faux "al fresco" area cordoned off with patio tables just outside. Please try not to choose one bordering the fence area, you will be panhandled to REPEATEDLY.
Food isn't so bad, they have a nice little selection of appetizers and salads. I've only tried the salmon once and it was mediocre but I wasn't expecting cordon bleu cookery from a Penn Station location. However, they have an amazing scallop salad I've had on a few occasions (see photo). Lightly seared scallops over mesclun greens with toasted almonds, mandarin oranges, tortilla strips, and finished off with a light citrus vinaigrette.
No need to wait in those metal chairs if you're waiting or if for some reason you like to try to be picked up by lonely/horny/married men.. they're's always Kabooz's!
Ate lunch here while waiting for a train. The food was pretty uninspired, granted I wasn't expecting much. Yelp's A-OK rating sums up this place pretty well. Its certainly conveniently located, right in the middle of the Penn. Station underground, and it doesn't really rock the boat when it comes the food or service or presentation. Typical Bar & Grill/Diner stuff. The price is a little on the high side, but hey its NYC.
Although this is one of the better spots in the Amtrak terminal to grab a drink, to me it has the feel of a Applebee's bar. Happy hour is nice with half priced pints and $5 margarita's and the turkey burger I recently tried was decent.
In no way would I come into Penn Station just to visit this place. But if I have a hour to kill until I jump on the Northeast Regional/Acela, this place does the trick.
Caesar salad and Sam Adam's takes the edge off! Just needed something light to eat and a drink to relax while I wait for the train. The beer was excellent and the Caesar salad was really good. Really nice vibe to this place and nice to hear the Jamaican accents of the staff. If you have some time to wait for your next train definitely check this place out.