Zack’s Oak Bar & Restaurant

Best service, awesome drinks and great food. I had an amazing bartender by the name of Kieran. I strongly recommend asking for him when you come in.

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.

We have only been here twice, both times with our young son. They are really nice people working there. Very kid friendly. The food is wonderful. If you ever get the chance to have the filet mignon on special, try it. Prices are great. Outdoor patio is our favorite. We ordered for our son the chicken tenders app, big pieces of chicken LIGHTLY breaded. Wonderful. Great wines as well. Too bad the location doesn’t have more foot traffic because it should be packed at all times, personally speaking.

Love this place! The food was good and service is amazing. They were also very accommodating of my cousin’s last-​minute party of over 20 people.

Excellent ambience. I love the style of the bar. Feels classer than you would except but not so much so or in a way where you feel like you don’t belong in there without a suit on.
Tends to get crowded at the popular times.
The food here is very good but the cocktails are the real star. They made one of the best manhattans I have ever had.
Would recommend.

This bar and grill is super consistent. The food and service are on par with their prices. We have consistently had great service.
This bar seems to always have room when other places are packed. A great secret spot when you need a quieter night. Also good if you want a bar seat for a last minute sports event on TV.
Their menu is full of winners. I especially love the French Cut Chicken and Brisket Blend Burger. Their weekend brunch menu is diverse enough to please a brunch-​hater like me :)

Cute bar and restaurant off of Washington Street. The cheeseburger was perfectly cooked and came with crispy seasoned shoestring fries which were great. The sunday pasta special was also really good! Service was quick (almost a little too quick) but overall it was a really nice evening with friendly staff and good food. I would highly recommend.
This is a great alternative restaurant to O’Nieals (less crowded/​less noisy).

I love Zack’s! More than just because they are down the street, but it’s an adult feeling bar. It has TVs, is clean and doesn’t smell like stale beer, and has a great menu. I’ve probably had 50% of the menu at this point, all very good. The chicken sandwiches are great, and the brisket burger is very good (quite heavy on the cheese, though). I love that their fries are not heavily salted as well. One of the more surprisingly good items I’ve had is there lentil salad. I’ll keep coming back!

The service was excellent although the food was so-​so. We ordered the pork sliders, calamari, goat cheese fritter salad, fish tacos and bread pudding. Out of the above would come back for only the tacos and bread pudding which was excellent.

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.

Okay, so the rating is on a Hoboken scale (which means it’s tops for Hoboken but if it was compared to NYC, then it’d be a solid 4 stars). This place is great and here is why:
1) It’s a restaurant with a bar — not a bar that serves food. They care about the food they serve and they serve great food. Some of our favorites are the Sheperd’s Pie and the Short Ribs. Both are absolutely delicious and very generous in sizing.
2) Service is very fast. Yes, the place does get more busy as it gets later in the evening and service slows down as they reach full capacity but if you’re there at 7:30pm on a weeknight, your appetizers and your entrees will appear before you in record times.
3) It’s not super loud so you can actually have a conversation.
4) They do have a full bar so in addition to good food, they have plenty of drinks to go with dinner. They have a good selection on draft and also plenty of specialty beers in bottle.

Came here for dinner last night (Saturday night) with my lady. We’ve been wanting to try this place. I had come to this place for brunch in what seems like many moons ago but dinner never tried.
We made a reservation shortly before we got there. I knew the place was small so figured we would need a ressy. Very accommodating. Sat us right away when we got in at a high top table near the bar.
The place was loud (again small bar in Hoboken). The waiter was very nice and accommodating. We ordered drinks and our meals. Fish tacos and the stuffed chicken. The waiter seemed to believe we ordered good stuff. I enjoyed both but have I had better meals. Yes. In Hoboken? Questionable. But the food was good not amazing. However when we ordered a side veggie that was not on menu the waiter said anything we wanted he would get. And he did. Again, very accommodating.
There were some loud and obnoxious people. Surprising for 30 – 40 year olds. Sure. For Hoboken — expected. But I do not blame the establishment one bit.
Overall I would come again.

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 Unilocal 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!

I went to Zack’s for the first time Saturday night with a group of 8 for my friends birthday. I got there early and the table was ready and the host allowed me to sit down. He was very friendly and welcoming and asked me if I wanted a drink. I ordered Zack’s cocktail which was delicious.
My friends came and the waiter was alert and waited on us right away. We ordered the Mac & cheese as an appetizer which was really good and calamari which was ok, a little spicy for me. I ordered the salmon for dinner, it was very tasty!
They brought out dessert with a candle for my friends birthday. We had a very enjoyable time. Great atmosphere. Great staff. Would definitely go back!

A must-​go American Restaurant by the other side of the river.
Food: ⁵⁄₅
Value: ⁴⁄₅
Service: ⁵⁄₅
Ambiance: ⁵⁄₅
Décor: 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.

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!

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.

I’ve been here a couple of times and it has become one of the restaurants I can rely on for good atmosphere, great food and delicious drinks in Hoboken, without the hustle and bustle of being on Washington Street.
Zack’s is tucked away on the corner of 3^rd and Willow, which can help explain the relaxed ambiance inside. The service is always friendly and attentive, albeit a little slow at times. Cocktails like the Vodka Thyme Lemonade and White Sangria are always on point in addition to their collections of whiskeys, bourbons, craft beers and wine. I’ve had a little bit of everything from their menu and nothing has been shy of great.
APPS: The Fried Calamari appetizer has a great kick to it from the cajun seasoning, the Truffle Fries are good (but served with ketchup? Should be with one of the aioli sauces for sure), and the nachos are piled high with flavorful layers of chili, cheese, salsas and all the extra good stuff.
ENTREES: The Penne Vodka and Stuffed Chicken are among some of the house specialties. The salads are of substantial size and perfectly dressed; my favorite is with Pear & Avocado with an additional protein. Early in the summer I had a Scallop special, which had asparagus, corn and tomato and it was a perfectly executed summer dish. The Steak n Fries is also a classic, done very well.
I can’t comment on brunch, but I imagine it being equally as enjoyable as dinner has been for me.

Zack’s is a cutesy little spot that’s tucked away in the very residential Willow Ave. I love how it’s off the beaten path (aka not on Washington St) and it’s one of my all time favorite dinner date spots.
The brunch and dinner menus both sound bomb but I’ve only ever come in for dinner. Some of my fave menu items are the penne vodka and the stuffed chicken. Yes, Zack’s is American New and not Italian, but they make a mean penne vodka. Super rich and creamy, and easily enough for two meals. The stuffed chicken is a signature here– definitely not surprising. The spice sauce is incredible and really brings out the flavor of the chicken and veggies.
Although at their core Zack’s is a restaurant, the dimly lit space and drink selection give the space a cocktail lounge sort of feel. Their «perfect» gin and tonic’s name doesn’t lie, it’s damn good. The BF always gets some sort of Whiskey and maple concoction which he loves.
Hoboken has an abundance of dinner and drink spots and Zack’s is definitely worth coming to!

Went there for the Unilocal Event last week.
Nice little place in Hoboken that offers a small restaurant area and an upscale bar. Price was on par with every other place In Hoboken.
Tried some of the samplings of food and everything was delicious.
Cool vibe with an awesome tin ceiling.
Parking can be an issue because of the proximity to the hospital.
I’d go back.
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