Amelia’s Bistro

Outdoor seating with shade — good for a warm summer day! I enjoyed the gaucho eggs with chorizo, roasted pepper, manchego, chickpeas and salad served on a tortilla. Just right for a post workout meal. Better half got the fish and chips which wasn’t anything to write home about but did the job. Decent beer, wine and cocktail menu. Ideally 3.5 stars, but going with 4, because I enjoyed the laid back air and my order!

Great Brunch! My husband and I love love there French toast. I usually order the crabs Benedict and he orders the French toast so we can split it! $ 4 drinks specials is awesome! The lil muffins as starters are pretty yummy too!

The place is highly kid unfriendly. We visited the café for brunch on Sunday with a couple of one year olds. We were seated at a table inside to begin with. While the staff is friendly, the owner of the place came across as extremely rude and unwelcoming. According to him, the baby babble was too much to handle for other guests. He actually moved us to a table outside the restaurant (they have seating outside) in the middle of the meal! The waitress was extremely apologetic but the owner was least concerned. Average food and abysmal service is how I would define this place. I ain’t coming back and neither are my friends. If you have kids, best to stay away!

This review is for a pick up order which was horrible! I ordered a burger buffalo style chicken strips and a brownie. None of which were good. The burger had lettuce that was old on it and was tasteless. There was a small amount of French fries. The chicken strips looked like chicken scraps which were not edible. Lastly the brownie was stale. I threw out most of it because it was so bad. I won’t be going back there!

The menu is great with lots of choices.
Overall decent place.
The host or manager is a little guy with a big attitude.
That ruins everything for a place. It sure turned off all my guests.

Food was creative and very good. Service was hard to find when I needed it.
I was there for a weekday lunch around 2:30pm. Had Octopus on Salad with Calamari. Very nicely done. Even before that came out, they brought out a free basket of bread that came with a wooden mortar/​pestle type thing filled with chick peas. Not very tasty, but a fun idea anyway, and it was free when they could have charged like $ 8 for that little thing, just for the novelty of it. Kudos! I would return of I were there more often.

What keeps me coming back to Amelia’s is the Kale Salad with Spicy Shrimp! They also have a great brunch menu as well. The service can be a little spotty at times, which coincides with the busyness of the restaurant. Not saying that the service is «bad» it’s just not 100% when things get crazy for them.
Not a lot of places serve «grits» and sad to say, I am not a fan of the ones served here. They are too herbaceous and have a bitter after taste. Keeping it simple is the best bet.
All in all, I am still a fan

I came here for hearty Brunch and they sure put out a great spread. I started with a wild mushroom, onion and Gruyère cheese omelet which was a great appetizer for me at the time. Then ordered this «Caramel Crunch Brioche French Toast» for adults. Not soggy as you would normally get or expect. The rum sauce and banana on top of this Corn-​Flake crusted concoction was sheer bliss on a plate. Never had french toast like this before.
My gf ordered the Eggs Benedict which was well worth the noise. Everything was well presented. We were amazed to discover such a place in the area. We wanted to come back to do Dinner, but we were only passing through. If we’re ever around these parts we’ll check it out again.

This is my new favorite lunch spot in Jersey City! It is in a user location on Bright St. I went with my boyfriend to check it out because we love Bahn mi sandwiches. Unfortunately they were all out of almost everything when we got
There in the afternoon! The owner was extremely apologetic and he had enough steak for one more
Sandwich. He told us since that’s all the meat he had left he would stuff it for us! He most certainly did. The sandwich was plenty for two people! And the steak was absolutely amazing! So tender and juicy. The meat was definitely great quality. The Bahn mi sandwich comes with your choice of meat, pickled red onions, shredded fresh carrots, cucumber, cilantro and sriracha mayo. I would recommend this sandwich. It is their specialty and tastes so delicious. It costs $ 7.50 so you can’t go wrong. We wanted a little something extra so
We got a croissant. It was big and fluffy. He heated it up for us and I couldn’t have been happier. I will be going back here ASAP!

Came here for lunch during restaurant week and so happy I did! Staff was super friendly and very accommodating for our larger group.
As an appetizer, I had the Ginger Mango Glazed a Chicken. Very tasty, I’d definitely recommend it if you like sweet & sour flavors. I ordered the Chicken Sauvignon as my entrée which was also very good. The Brownie a la Mode was a perfect way to finish this delicious meal!

I can’t believe I haven’t written a review for Amelia’s yet after coming here so many times. I’ve tried quite a lot of things off their menu, and everything has been good to where it’s become a go-​to spot for me (and my parents when they’re visiting). As for a favorite, I’d have to go with the Chicken Sauvignon. For drinks, they have a solid beer list where I’ve been able to find some of my all-​time favorites (Unibroue La Fin Du Monde, I love you).
Almost every time I’ve come here has been for dinner, although a lot of my friends also highly recommend their brunch, which I haven’t had a chance to try yet. As an aside, this was also the first place I ate when I first moved to Jersey City, and they were able to accommodate my large group of people helping me move in with no problems.
It’s a nicely designed place, and located right in the heart of Paulus Hook. Staff are always friendly and attentive. I think the thing that knocks one star off for me is just the prices — they’re not extremely high but sometimes it just feels to me like they don’t fit.
Overall, I definitely recommend giving it a shot for what it is — a trendy, casual but not too casual restaurant in the heart of Paulus Hook that serves up great bistro food. Maybe you’ll make it a go-​to as well!

RESTAURANT WEEK REVIEW — LUNCH
I researched restaurant week lunch options close by work (Exchange) and Amelia’s Bistro has the best deal! At $ 16, you get an app, entrée, AND dessert at no extra charge. I went today (Friday) at 1pm and this place was packed! Good thing we made reservations!
I ordered:
— Ginger Mango Glazed Chicken: At first bite, it tastes like an Asian Fusion version of Orange chicken. But once you take that second bite, you’ll find all the flavor has been washed away. I’ve literally never had this happen to me before! All the flavor was on the outside, which was why it washed away so quickly. Oh, and the chicken was overdone.
— Flame Grilled Pizza: it’s on flat bread! I was envisioning a round, thick crust personal sized pizza. This would have been great as an app to share, as it did taste good. Not entrée material though!
— Homemade Skillet Apple Cobber — with vanilla ice cream: Very tasty! I couldn’t finish it because I was already so full, but I love the texture of the cobbler balanced with the apples. Not too sweet either.
My friend ordered:
— All Hail «Kale Salad»: she liked it and finished the whole thing
— Classic Penne Vodka: you can’t ever really mess up this classic dish. Big penne noodles too!
— Amelia’s Homemade Tiramisu: Very good.
I don’t think they were properly staffed for a full house. There were two waiters total, and one of them was doing everything– working behind the bar, busing, and being our waiter. He was also kind of awkward… Understandably, service wasn’t that great. The waiters even bickered a bit. I’ve been here several times before and there are usually only a few people in it at lunch.
I’m sad to demote Amelia’s to 3 stars, as I usually love their food, but my recent experience with them was below par.

3.5 stars
*crispy short rib BBQ lollipops (these were ok; definitely not impressed with these, the meat was a little dry, I wish there was more fat content and the coating should have been crispier; the bbq sauce needs more kick to it as well; this appetizer needs a little more love and I know it can be amazing)
*roasted eggplant and tomato jam panini (the eggplant was alright; there was a lot of roasted red peppers inside so it made the panini rather wet and too soft for me; it needed more salt and some kind of sauce spread throughout to give it more kick; I just kept dipping this in a balsamic dressing)
*Alaskan cod oreganato (the cod was delicious!!! flaky and silky; could have done without the beans but nonetheless it was still good; loved the kale!!)
This place is super cute!!! Loved the ambience here. Service was absolutely wonderful. The menu is so vast that I feel they will have something based on my craving that day. They have soups, salad, sandwiches, flatbreads, steak, fish, chicken, vegetarian options and a full bar! Haha. Service is wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience here. I would totally come back to try more.

I came back two more times after the first time trying brunch here. One for dinner and one for brunch again. Updating my review to 3.5 stars. I think some dishes are better than others.
For dinner, they supplied us with hummus prepared right at the table and a basket of bread. That was probably the best part of the meal, considering we thought the actual meal was disappointing.
I ordered the Chorizo, Wild Mushroom, Smoked Gouda w/​Fried Egg flatbread. Such an unappetizing flat bread. Instead of a hot, cheesy flatbread, I got this room temperature mess. The cheese was this rubbery substance. The mushrooms and chorizo didn’t do much to improve it because it wasn’t even warm. Best part was probably the egg.
My mom and brother ordered the Crab Cake Sliders and Chipotle Club. My mom didn’t really enjoy the crab cake sliders and my brother thought the chicken sandwich was a little dry. We ordered Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs to go for my dad, but he ended up not wanting it, so my brother ate it instead. He said the beef was kind of dry and bland, but he really liked the side of potatoes that came with it.
My third time, I came for brunch again. The food we ordered this time was better than what we ordered for dinner, but not as good as the first time I came for brunch.
We ordered the Hand Rolled Mozzarella Sticks with pepperoni and tomato butter as an appetizer. I thought they were just going to be regular mozzarella sticks but they were actually mozzarella sticks wrapped in egg roll wrappers. I think I prefer the normal breaded mozzarella sticks, but these were not bad. Still hot and gooey at least.
I ordered the Hen In The Garden (Toasted Farro, asparagus, tomato, wilted greens, wild mushroom, fried eggs). I enjoyed all the vegetables in the dish, but the farro was a little bit undercooked and hard to chew. It could have also used some more flavor, but I enjoyed the textures of the dish.

I came here after my co-​worker suggested we meet here for lunch. For a random pick, I was certainly impressed.
Our server was very amusing and rolled along with our jokes, including one where he «stole butter from the taqueria down the street for us.» He came at all the right times to get our drink order, take our food order, and then for dessert. We never had to wait on him nor wonder where he was.
In addition to the great service, the food was also very excellent! I split a wedge salad with my co-​worker which was decent, though admittedly not the best I have had.
I ordered their gnocchi and short ribs for my entrée and favored every last bite– strongly recommend this dish to anyone who enjoys gnocchi!
Dessert was their tiramisu which was also on point. It was the perfect blend of the coffee, cream, and cake flavored without any one over powering the other flavored.
I will gladly return here next time I find myself in Jersey City!

I’ve been loyal for years and even had my bridal shower here but both the service and food has been on the decline the last few times I’ve visited. We sat down and there was no waiter to greet us. After 10 minutes and a ticking time bomb (bambino) i flagged down the only waiter I’ve seen since I sat down. He looked us with a perplexed/​frustrated expression and very unhappily said he wasn’t our waiter but will take our order to make our life easier… Why thank you, would you like a gold star with that? Our own waiter came eventfully and I apologized that I might have offended the other guy and she assured me that they are a «team» so no worries… Well not according to this guy.
Our breakfast burrito and eggs Benedict were both kinda cold so not sure how long the order was sitting there for…
For some simple brunch, there is so much competition in Downtown that I hope Amelias get it together again.

Came here for brunch on a Sunday and let me tell you, with such an expansive menu –this place has something for everyone!
A little confession… we actually have Sam AM café to thank for helping us discovering this place. Their 1 hour wait lead us right around the corner to Amelia’s!
What we ordered:
Parfait with fresh seasonal fruit and home made granola — The granola was the bomb! The seasonal fruit though. I wasn’t a huge fan of. There wasn’t anything fresh about it and I’m pretty sure they use the same fruit year round.
Farm House Skillet — combination of ingredients was delicious. Definitely a hearty meal.
Hen in the Garden — This dish completely blew me out of the water. It was so much better than I expected! The toasted farro had this hint flavor that kept me guessing as to what it was. Before I knew it, my plate was pretty much cleaned out. The asparagus also gave it a good texture and great flavor. Great vegetarian option!
I will most definitely come back here for brunch and also for dinner. Solid brunch spot in JC!

Been to Amelia’s multiple times and have no idea why it took me this long to write my review. Every single one of my visits here have been enjoyable.
Amelia’s is located in the pretty Paulus Hook area of JC. It offers plenty of outdoor seating, as well as a very intimate dining area inside. They also have a small bar where you can enjoy some drinks and small plates.
I love Amelia’s menu, it is hugeeeeee. Tapas and small plates, crostini, flatbreads, apps, soups/​salads, sliders & sandwiches and entrees. Anyone can find something off of this menu, whether you are a meat lover or a vegetarian. I also love the fact that they stamp their daily specials on a piece of paper, its such a cool way of displaying the highlights of the night. It’s the small things, right? They also start you off with your own chick peas to crush and make into hummus, its accompanied by an assortment of bread. Yum, yum, yum.
On this particular trip I had the Miso Chilean Sea Bass and it was amazing. The Sea Bass was cooked perfectly and the miso glaze was the perfect addition to the plate. I substituted out the jasmine rice for some mashed potatoes and I thought it was a good decision. The presentation of the dish was on point as well.
I just love Amelias overall. I’ve been here for brunch as well and left satisfied. I think you can add on a bloody mary or mimosa for an extra $ 6 or something.
Do not skip over this joint, its probably my favorite restaurant in the area.

Dining al fresco for Hudson Restaurant week. Love it!
Amelia’s scores high in terms of creativity, starting with the chickpeas in a pestle and mortar with bread. No butter. Even olive oil alone isn’t enough. Could have benefited from toasted bread and more seasoning, though. We made sure to make use of the salt and pepper provided — a rarity for me.
Guacamole for the lady (she’s a Mexican raised in Cali who is very opinionated on her Mexican food). Could have used a bit more acid. Otherwise, a very good guac in terms of texture and appearance.
Short rib lollipops for me. I was VERY disappointed to see they used actual sticks. I was looking forward to seeing them utilize the bone as the stick. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see it dipped in batter and lightly fried. The provided bbq sauce was a necessity.
Alaskan Cod Oreganato for the lady. Very well executed! Great flavor, but keeping the white beans and kale light as to not overpower the cod. Crunchy topping adds flavor and texture.
Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs for me. Yikes. The short rib was dry and relatively flavorless. The best part of the dish was the herbed hash browns. It seems like they sauteed chunks of potato then mashed it. I love both the fried potato and the flesh of the potato combined together.
Chocolate Smore’s Pot De Crème for the lady. Served in a low mason jar looking vessel, the chocolate crème was amazing. I could probably snack on that with the graham crackers for days.
Homemade Tiramisu. I love my lady fingers to be soaked and full of flavor. It was a bit lacking.
While it seems I bashed half the dishes here quite a bit, I still enjoyed eating here. I really love their creativity, and I expect other dishes to be better. I also loved the atmosphere. It was really quiet and intimate relative to most dining in Jersey City.
Also, major brownie points for having Ommegang Game of Thrones Three Eyed Raven on tap AND served in a Three Eyed Raven glass.

Amelia’s was really really good, but…
Okay, no ifs ands or buts about it. My dining experience at Amelia’s was a damn near perfect one, and I’m sure that I’ll be back in for dinner and brunch time and time again.
Often times the restaurants that surround me over on Grove Street feel a bit commercial and overpacked, almost like a mini version of Washington Street in Hoboken. I guess that can happen when you live .23 432 seconds away from a path train. Ahh… the sacrifices I’ll make to avoid being outside during the winter months. Amelia’s is nestled away on a side street in the residential Paulus Hook area and has a private and intimate feel, similar to that of Zack Oaks or O’neals in Hoboken which are both tucked away in uptown Hoboken.
Reasons why I have a newfound love for Amelia’s
–The inside is dimly lit and cozy. It’s got a buzz at 8:00 on a Friday but isn’t too loud and is a great setting for a date.
–Their daily specials menu is a piece of paper that the waitress stamps at your table. I repeat, these people have a customized stamp for their specials.
–Bread and butter? Never that. They bring out a mortar of chickpeas in olive oil to your table with a pestle in it so that you can make your own hummus. Probably one of the most fun and delicious ways to serve bread accompaniments that I’ve seen to date.
–Bacon risotto balls.
–Flatbread with gruyère, goat, artichokes, red onion and sun dried tomatoes. Thin, crispy and and hearty enough for dinner because of all the veggies.
–Ample craft beer selection
–50 dollars for two of us to each have a beer, split an app and order an entrée. Seems fair to me.
This was the first time in a long time that I walked away from a meal feeling 100% content and satisfied with the food, service and overall dining experience. The only drawback here is selecting what to eat because of the dozens of tempting menu options. I’m pumped to come back in and try out the brunch menu!