Commerce Downtown Kitchens

Fresh food constantly. A Great choice of open buffet foods and very flavorful. A great hangout spot to chill or have business meetings!

They had only been about an hour when we walked in one Sunday, so only a few people were there. From the description I thought there was only a simple buffet, but it was more sophisticated than I thought it would be… table clothes and all. In addition, the staff greeted us at the door, with smiles, dressed professionally in all black.
A young woman asked us if we were there for brunch. Then a gentleman, I think he was the chef, explained that brunch was $ 30/​person, was all you can eat, included live music and he would throw in a free mimosa. I thought that was bit expensive because despite the more sophisticated than expected ambiance, no one was there… it didn’t seem worth it to stay. We decided to do the takeout option which was the regular price of the buffet, $ 5.99/lb.
My friend and picked a wide assortment of foods since it was our first time. Let’s start with what was good. The crab cakes, collard greens, everything from the cold bar… in particular the quinoa, pork bacon and Canadian bacon were amazing. The jerk chicken (I am Jamaican and have high standard for jerk chicken) and the salmon were meh. But as with any buffet, you’re going to find a few things that you don’t love so much. Compared to other buffets though, I did like the healthy options they had available and the food was fresh. In addition what was delicious was really good! Would I have loved it a $ 30 a pop… probably not without a more lively crowd. The experience definitely counts toward whether you spend the big bucks or not.
They did explain that if you bring a group of five or more… then the price is $ 20/​person. That’s what I’m talking about! As a NYC ex pat, that is about the average price for brunch… with free unlimited mimosas. Also… by bringing more friends your social experience is lifted and the quality of what you get for your money is better… especially at the lower rate. I intend to come back… with 4 friends.

I just started working in Downtown Newark a month ago, and just walked across the street and into this restaurant for lunch. What a pleasant surprise. I have returned each week. Not only do they have a lot of things to choose from on the salad and hot food buffets, but everything looks appetizing, and everything that I have tried (4 visits in 3 weeks) has been good. I highly recommend it. No matter what kind of food you like, it’s probably on the buffet. Today I had Jerk Chicken, Rice, String Beans, a Crabcake, Baked Veggies, and Plantains. All good!
The owner was there making sure that everything looked good, the facility was clean, etc.
Go check it out!

Got there to grab a bite to eat at around 3:00 PM. Food is very unappetizing and it looks either I got there too late or the food been sitting there for hours. I made sure to check the place before I went there and all the reviews were good.
The food was terrible… The look and the taste! The rice was all jumbled up and there was no Korean rolls/​California rolls. The selection was good but the food was not fresh and just bland with no distinct flavors.
–Unimpressed.

The new Sunday Better brunch is a full buffet of breakfast and lunch/​dinner food. Plus they have unlimited mimosas for $ 10 more. There is a live singers and musicians.

First of all, this place is a diamond in the rough. I don’t go anywhere else. I’m a health-​conscious person and work across the street, so it’s great to have this place I can depend on every day to give me something fresh and clean. The owner and employees even eat the food.
UNDER NEW (and improved) MANAGEMENT. This guy has turned this place around. It’s a clean and sanitary place, I’ve been eating here for close to 4 years. I’ve never been disappointed,
but unquestionably, the past few months here have been the best. Always quick in-​and-​out or you can stay and sit and watch the news.
It’s the same quality and selection as the prepared foods section of Whole Foods, but you’ll spend half the money. A normal person spends $ 5 to $ 7 on their lunch.
A lot of their food selection is on rotation, but I’ll mention some of their more regular choices below:
Trying to get healthy and strong? You want quinoa, avocado, kale, grilled chicken, beef stew, collard greens, shrimp ceviche or roasted beets? They got it.
Are you a vegetarian or vegan? No problem. Bean salads, green salads, mushroom salads, tofu, roasted veggies, pasta salads, fresh fruit, fresh greens, sautéed greens, salad bar, tomato basil. Being a veggie here is easy. I usually eat vegan.
Want something heavy? Craving fried chicken? BBQ chicken? Chinese food? Sweet potato fries, plantains, mac n cheese, roasted lamb, baked salmon or tilapia… This place has everything.
They even do breakfast in the morning. I get their oatmeal and fruit and egg whites with veggies, but if you want bacon and eggs, it’s all there. They’re even trying a brunch menu on sundays
To add to all that, the staff knows my face and is super friendly. They know all their regulars and sometimes even give me a little piece of candy for the road.
Can’t say enough good stuff about this place. I live in the West Village of NYC so it blows my mind how little money I can spend at this place and still get a huge, fresh, healthy meal. Definitely give it a try, nothing else in the area compares.

Had the breakfast buffet
Eggs were a little over cooked and fruit wasn’t that fresh, and turnover was cold
Sausage, potatoes, and corn beef hash were pretty good
You pay by the weight which could be a good deal if you pick the right foods

I am vegetarian (fyi) so choices offered were pretty limited.
But my feedback is on price & quality. Food itself was ordinary — some veg items did not have any veggies example noodles. Onion was the most prominent veggie. Tofu was bland.
.
And price is close $ 7 a pound and not 5.99 $ a pound.
This place definitely is not 1star in terms of price.

I love this place. I like the fact that I can go to the same place everyday and still eat different food. It is $ 5.99/lb and I usually spend about $ 7.00 for a decent amount of food. I also like that they have salad when I want to eat something healthy.
Tip: They also serve breakfast :-)

Awesome spot to eat in Newark~! I love the Salmon and Sauasage and Peppers! A-​M-​A-​Z-​ING!

So impressed with this unassuming little restaurant. Stopped in for an impromptu breakfast and was unsure about the buffet situation, but the super friendly chef stopped and treated us to a couple of free sample bites — all delicious. Got two great breakfasts for under $ 10 and were treated to complimentary coffees as well. Southern hospitality in New Jersey… highly recommended!

This spot has a huge turnover which is thebway the keep the food fresh. The salad bar is up to par, but nothing to write home about. The majority of the buffet is American Chinese food style (read MSG, fried and sweet) although the baked whitefish and greens was off the hook. I payed $ 5 for moderately big lunch of salad, fish and greens.

Maybe I need to go back again because I don’t get this place. I’ve got a few times but this jack-​of-​all trades has never impressed with quality or prices.
I would lower expectations before checking this place out, you might be disappointed!

Commerce Food Court is located off the beaten path near Track 1 in Newark Penn Station. Large variety, food is fresh and pretty affordable.
They have a few items for salads, soul food, and even Asian food. They also accept credit cards.
All in all a great place to go if you want a little bit of everything for lunch. They also serve buffet style breakfast. Commerce Food Court charges $ 6.75/pound. And Drew P. is right… there plasticware is cheap.

Look, this is a fantastic food court. The food is always fresh and such variety! I have always thought that food court were kind of gross, and I think in theory they can be funky. But me and all my co workers love this place, and it is always busy which is a good sign. I also love that they weight the food so I can tell when I am binge eating. I especially love the rib tips with white rice.

Great buffet. Food always fresh and prices are reasonable. Only issue is the plastic silverware they give out after paying. This is the cheapest of cheap silverware that can’t cut through a tomato without breaking and the napkin inside the plastic silverware packet is useless. Cmon folks. Your place does a good business. Provide your customers with usable utensils and napkins.

Good selection of hot items, the fruit is usually fresh (but sometimes not fully ripened), & the lines move quickly.
The brioche is my go to snack, usually very fresh & perfectly chewy
The breakfast buffet is also pretty diverse. This place is cleaner than most buffets, & the price is pretty good; i believe around 5.99/lb

commerce food court is a five star rating for hot-​buffet and grill-​cooked food in downtown newark. and it’s been five star for a number of years.
very important note: it’s a breakfast and lunch place only; no dinner.
there’s a large selection of hot food dishes to choose from and they’re all tasty. the fruit is fresh. the place is clean. and there’s ample seating.
if you’re getting food to go, the cashier is quick. i say this because, if you’ve been to some places in newark, then you know that this is not always the case. i merit high marks for quickness.
at the grill, you can get a great breakfast sandwich fast in the morning before work. plus, they also sell those brioches, the same ones sold in penn station. i’m a über-​fan of these (especially the spinach and cheese ones).
also, the people working there are friendly and that’s something, for me at least, that always enhances the experience.
not sure if the sushi bar is considered part of commerce food court for the purposes of the review, but i think it’s actually pretty good. you can get your standard rolls there. i personally think both the sushi and sashimi deluxe are good deals and worth it if you’re craving sushi in newark.

Hideki is absolutely right. Compared to Metro Café who charges $ 7.49, Commerce Food Court definitely outshines them in terms of quality AND price.
Once in a while they have pepper Beef Ribs. Beef Ribs!!! I swore I busted a gut that afternoon, but definitely food coma for sure. Their cold side is also pretty good — lots of salad/​fruit/​seafood selections.
One thing though is to keep in mind this is a buffet and like all buffets, it’s best to go early, like 12 for the primo/​freshly cooked stuff. I wouldn’t come here after 1:30pm. Also stay away from the Cheesesteak guy between the cashiers– waaay too greasy.

Commerce Food Court has so many choices!
They have $ 5.99/lb food-​by-​the-​pound, a sandwich counter, and a sushi bar. It’s a couple of blocks walking distance from the Gateway Center business park, but worth it if you can spare an hour for lunch.
The selection of food dwarfs that of Metro Café and is cheaper too ($ 5.99/lb vs. $ 7.49/lb). I haven’t tried the sushi here, but it’s not gourmet so don’t expect it to be really good pieces or cuts.