Zack’s Oak Bar & Restaurant
“If this is your first time, the stuffed chicken was a perfect blend of zesty salt and citrus sweetness.”
“Outdoor seating is nice, but the 3rd street side can be noisy due to industrial sounds and feel of hospital.”
“If they run out (which they often do) my favorite things on the menu are nachos, crab cakes and the goat cheese and lentil salad.”
Zack’s Oak Bar & Restaurant
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Apple Pay: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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This is one of my boyfriend's favorite restaurants in Hoboken. Great atmosphere with friendly and attentive staff. Menu is small, but includes a pretty good variety of options for all tastes and daily specials. Great place for classic, American food.
Would definitely recommend the Brisket Burger…might be the best burger in Hoboken!
We've been wanting to try this place for a while and I really wanted to love it but I just can't push it over 3 stars.
We made a reservation approx. 30 mins prior to our arrival @ 9:15pm. We were greeted by the friendly owner (manager?) who seemed to be cordial with just about everyone there. We had high top seats across from the bar. A rose was placed on every table- sweet and appreciated gesture. Such details shouldn't go unnoticed.
A rather large crowd was celebrating a wedding engagement in the inner dining area with heaps of balloons and flash picture taking. I definitely wouldn't recommend this place for such occasions. The place is small and it was a complete eyesore.
We quickly ordered drinks and then ordered our entrees. We ordered fish tacos and stuffed chicken. Our waiter told us these were awesome choices. We then asked for a side of sautéed spinach, which wasn't on the menu. He told us how accommodating they are, and agreed to get us that side spinach- much appreciated (and it was delicious!)
My fish tacos were a disappointment. While the fish was fresh, it lacked flavor. The stuffed chicken was okay, but nothing to sing about. I left disappointed, recalling the raving reviews on Yelp about this establishment. Perhaps I should be coming here for brunch only.
I also wasn't expecting the noise level- holy hell are there really loud/rude/rowdy patrons in here… Wth?? Overgrown children (30s/40s?) from Washington street is how I'd best describe them. Two people were actively making out at the bar- tongue wars just ain't for public view (and I can't blame Zack's for this poor behavior by grown men and women- the heck could they do about it?) Wasn't expecting that from this unassuming, small, cozy looking restaurant/bar- but then again, perhaps we chose the wrong day to visit. I've never been a fan of Hoboken restaurants and I really was hoping that Zack's would be my break in the streak of bad restaurants one after another in this neighborhood… Unfortunately, it did not.
The service was impeccable but the food and drinks didn't match. My apple martini was overwhelmingly sweet- can't even rate it average (and it's an easy drink to make!). I shall stick to my usual (and first drink when we got here)- titos on the rocks. Can't mess that up!
Food: B
We got the bacon wrapped filet mignon and asparagus as an appetizer and it was delicious. The only thing was that it was a very small dish and it wasn't cheap. There were only two servings, which was fine for us, but if you have more people than that, I'd ask about the servings. For our entrees, we got the Brisket burger and the Willow. Both came with herb fries, which were thin and crispy, just how I like them. The willow was on point too – it was sliced steak with onions and mushrooms on ciabatta. I got mine medium rare, and it was a bitttt on the rare side so it was a little hard to eat in the sandwich. But I would much rather have it on the rare side than over cooked. Overall, the food was awesome and the total cost not bad at all for what we got.
Service: B
The service here was great – the waiter was very attentive and super friendly, and the food came very quickly, which was great since we were starving. The waiter was on point, making sure to refill our drinks and ask how our food was and if we needed anything else. However, there was one thing that put me off, not about the waiter but about the host. When he had seated us, he simply put down our menus and said nothing. I noticed later that when he seated others, he told them the specials and made recommendations. I'm not sure whether it was because we looked a bit younger (we are in our early/mid twenties) or whether he had something else against us. He could've been in a rush with my table, but it would have been odd since we came when it was less busy.
Ambiance: A
The atmosphere here was nice on a not too packed Wednesday night. It's a small restaurant, but the set up of the tables was just spacious enough that it didn't feel too crowded. Each table had its own (real) rose and (real) lit candle, which was a nice change. The lighting was not too dark, not too bright – great for a date. There's a full bar there as well.
Came here for brunch with some friends on a Sunday morning. There was no wait and you can choose to sit inside (with A/C) or outside.
They have the standard brunch fare as well as burgers/wraps/pasta. Zack's also has a bunch of specials. I had the farmer's breakfast, eggs, sausage, home fries and bacon! Their coffee isn't bad, though they didn't offer refills.
Overall, a great place to catch up with friends or bring kids!
I came to Zack's with a group of friends for dinner. We had reservations for 8:30pm (came to the resturant at 8:20pm) on a Friday night but unfortunately we were seated at 9:05pm. We were clearly upset and asked to speak to a manager. We spoke to someone and expressed our disappointment. He was very apologetic and indicated that he offered to buy us a first round of drinks. Beside this negative initial experience the rest of the night was great. The food came out exactly as we ordered it and was very good. The server was also very nice and attentive to our needs. I would highly recommend Zacks to anyone in the area. I will definitely try it again. Zack's lost a star for me because they did not honor the reservation.
I would rate Zack's as follows: Food is 4 Stars, Service is 3 Stars (They lost one star for not honoring my reservations), Atmosphere is 3.5 Stars and Price is 4 Stars.
The views expressed are of my own and are my true personal experience at this establishment. My personal experience may not reflect this actual establishment, their quality or someone else's experience at the establishment.
A must-go American Restaurant by the other side of the river.
Food: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Ambiance: 5/5
Decor: 4/5
Space: 4/5
Wait: 5/5 (Call to make reservation – it can get crowded)
Bathroom: 5/5
Crab Cake Sandwich – YES YES
Brisket Blend Burger – YES
Monroe – YES
Truffle Oil Fries – YES
The food was amazing! Often times I felt that American cuisine overcooks their ingredients and then covers with oil and cheese to hide the flaws but Not Zack's! The meats tasted fresh, tender, and juicy! I was pleasantly surprised by the pop of flavors here and there using pickled vegetable or … beer sauce? hm???? If you are a fan of crab cake, you are in for a treat – It was cooked to perfection, slightly crispy on the outside, soft and aromatic center, and the taste? Totally hit the spot.
A big family? A big group? Having trouble booking for a table last minute? Well look no further – Zack's was unbelievably accommodating. We called for a table of 7 and then we arrived early, still they were happily making the arrangement (we have tried to call several other places and no-go once they heard the number 7). Just about coming to the end of the meal. one of the party members wrapped a valuable object in napkin and was taken away like trash (our fault) but our waitress retrieved the object for us (from the trash bin??) without any mumbling or complaints at all.
The bathroom is located at the far end where there is no light or sign but once you find you way in, you are welcomed by the gentle floral candle scented space, clean and relaxing without being too dim or crammed.
The place was clean and the staff was friendly. The food was good, but not very memorable. My friend and I had a pleasant enough experience.
Quality spot overall, a hidden gem off the strip that's worth the trip!
Pros:
1. Food is yummy! Stuffed chicken has a good sauce, branzino special is great, short ribs and steak are great, nachos are even good too.
2. Outdoor seating is nice and quiet on Willow, except maybe a couple ambulances from the nearby hospital.
3. Service is good and attentive.
4. Wines are good, we haven't had a bad one yet, and bottle prices are decent.
5. Good value, I think the most expensive entrée is $22 for a steak, so not bad.
6. Pasta specials vary each day of the week which is nice.
Cons:
1. Small and can get crowded and they seat you on top of each other sometimes, like New York city.