By Sally Deering

A short walk from Exchange Place on the Jersey City Waterfront, City Diner (formerly the Flamingo) offers tasty dishes in a hip décor, key ingredients for success according to its owners Nicholas, “Lefty” and Mike Giakoumatos. The three brothers from Queens, New York, bought the old Flamingo and in three months turned it into a trendy corner bistro. With its contemporary décor, free Wi-Fi and a bar that looks right out of a James Bond film – the only thing ‘diner-esque†about City Diner is its hours — open 24/7 – and that it serves breakfast all day.

City Diner has its regulars who come from every walk of life, Lefty Giakoumatos says. Nine-to-fivers who work in downtown Jersey City, families, local residents and folks heading to a game in Manhattan and looking for a pre-game dinner keep things hopping and the booths filled. Even at 3 am, the place can be hopping with customers. Mike says just the other night a group of teenagers having a pajama party and clad in their PJs came in for milk shakes.

City Dinerâ€s menu offers traditional diner dishes but with a flair like Firecracker Meatloaf and the Jersey Boys Burger. Several Breakfast Wraps are named after local towns, too, which brings a little neighborhood flavor to downtown Jersey Cityâ€s Wall Street vibe.

The menu features Morning Favorites, All Day Breakfast, Appetizers, Salads, Premium Sandwiches, Burgers, Dinner Entrees, Desserts, a Kids†Menu, and Drinks & Shakes. If you try the Morning Breakfast, you can choose from Eggs Benedict, Jersey Benedict (Taylor Ham), Florentine Eggs Benedict, Corned Beef Hash & Eggs, Huevos Rancheros, Chicken & Waffle, Steak and Eggs, and Loxed & Loaded. ($8.50-$16.95)

The All Day Breakfast includes Specialty Omelettes like the Harvest Market, Little Italy (tomato & Portobello mushroom), Athenian (spinach and feta), Denver, California, Carnegie (pastrami or corned beef & Swiss) and the Super Nova Omelette (smoked lox, onions and capers). ($7.95-$11.95) You can also try the City Omelette where you choose whatever ingredients you like; and Energy Omelettes like the Veggie Power, Powerhouse (turkey, spinach, avocado and Swiss); the Life Omelette (asparagus, grape tomato, broccoli, mushroom and mozzarella), and the Chicken Protein Omelette. ($8.95-$11.95)

Other breakfast items are the Breakfast Wraps & Sandwiches like the Croque Madam Croissant (ham, poached egg and hollandaise sauce served on a toasted croissant), Nutella Berry Croissant
(chocolate-hazelnut spread, cream cheese and sliced strawberries served on a toasted croissant), Ranchito Breakfast Burrito (scrambled eggs, Monterey jack cheddar, sour cream, black beans and pico de gallo) 5-Alarm Wrap (scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, smoky hot sauce, jalapeño and pepperjack cheese), the Jersey City Wrap (scrambled eggs, Taylor ham and American cheese), the Bayonne Wrap (scrambled eggs with bacon, avocado and spinach), and the Hoboken Wrap (scrambled egg whites and grilled chicken). ($5.95-$8.95)

Premium Sandwiches include the Blackened Chicken & Avocado Wrap, Mikeyâ€s Reuben, Firecracker Meatloaf, Southern BBQ Pulled Pork, California Cobb Wrap, Philly Cheesesteak, Classic BLT, Blackened Salmon & Avocado BLT, Turkey Avocado BLT, Grecian Gyro, and the Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad Wrap. ($8.50-$14.95)

Dinner entrees include Calamari & Shrimp, Beer Battered Fish & Chips, Pan Seared Salmon, Fried Chicken Basket, Jumbo Fried Shrimp Basket, Lobster Ravioli, Grown Up Mac N†Cheese (cavatappi, sharp cheddar and blue cheese), Cowboy Steak (16 oz. bone-in ribeye), Charbroiled Porterhouse Pork Chop, and Chicken Milanese. ($14.95-$29.95)

“Nikos comes up with the ideas for the dishes,” Mike says, crediting his oldest brother with the menu. “He loves to put twists on traditional dishes, like our meatballs. These are not your grandmaâ€s meatballs. We make beef and pork meatballs stuffed with mac & cheese and wrapped in bacon.”

City Diner makes the best wings in Jersey City because they make them from scratch and with fresh, high-quality ingredients, Nicholas says. And the burgers are amazing, too, Mike adds, like the Jersey Boys Burger served with Taylor Ham, egg and cheese. Itâ€s a local favorite. City Diner regular Alex Ballas visiting from Philadelphia says the burgers are terrific and so is the French Onion Soup and Firecracker Meatloaf.

Another unique aspect of City Diner is that it offers two Happy Hours daily, one in the afternoon from 4-7 pm; the other late night at 11 pm. The bar menu features Craft, imported and domestic beers, and sexy cocktails, of course.

“Weâ€re dedicated to providing great customer service and quality food in a positive, home-spun atmosphere,” Nicholas says. “We wanted wanted to give Jersey City what it needed: a great 24-hour diner.”

If you go:
City Diner
31 Montgomery St, JC
(201) 721-5331
www.citydiner.com
Open 24/7

The post City Diner in Jersey City Never Sleeps first appeared on River View Observer.

 

 Here is a restaurant  list I will be updating every month by adding new restaurants in our  River View Observer Print publication and here at riverviewobserver.com

Try one of these fine restuarants for a delicious night out.- Enjoy Herb 

More DINING STORIES

Abbyâ€s Pub                                                                  
407 Monmouth Street
Cor. Of 3rd off
Newark Ave.
Jersey City, NJ
201-963-3334

Amandaâ€s
908 Washington Street,
Hoboken, NJ
201-798-0101

Ameliaâ€s
187 Warren Street,
Historic Downtown
Jersey City, NJ
201-332-2200

Arthurâ€s Tavern
237 Washington Street,
Hoboken, NJ
201-656-5009

Baja
101 Washington Street,
Hoboken, NJ
201-653-0610

Baja 2
117 Montgomery Street
(Historic Downtown), Jersey City
201-915-0062

Bangkok City
Restauarnt
335 Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ
201-792-6613

Bareliâ€s
219 E. Route 3
Secaucus, NJ 07094
201-865-2766

Big Apple Restaurant
And Catering
414 Broadway,
Bayonne, NJ
201-858-1075

Biggies Clam Bar
318 Madison Street
Hoboken, NJ
201-656-2161

Benitoâ€s Restaurant
7000 Boulevard East
Guttenberg, NJ
201-854-4114

Brass Rail Restaurant
135 Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ
201-659-7074

Brownstone Diner
& Pancake House
426 Jersey Avenue,
Jersey City, NJ
201-433-0471

Buon Appetito
906-908 Broadway
Cor of 43rd Street
Bayonne, NJ
201-436-0043

Casa Dante Restaurant
737 Newark Ave
Jersey City
201-795-2750

Coach House
Kennedy Blvd & Paterson
Plank Road ( 9th St.)
North Bergen, NJ
201-864-8600

Da Noi Restaurant
1105 Ave. C,
Bayonne, NJ
201-437-5578

Edwards Steak House
239 Marin Blvd.
Jersey City, NJ
201-761-0000

Franks Waterside
7800 B River Road
North Bergen, NJ
201-861-0700

Grand Banks
75 Montgomery Street
Historic Downtown
Jersey City, NJ
201-521-1800

Hendricksonâ€s
671 Broadway
Bayonne,nj
201-437-4955

Italia Restaurant
275 Broadway
Bayonne, NJ
201-823-9969

Just Sonnyâ€s
169 Sterling Avenue
Jersey City
201-434-9413

Komegashi
103 Montgomery Street
Jersey City, NJ
201-433-4567

Komegashi Too
99 Pavonia Avenue
Jersey City, NJ
201-533-8888

Laicoâ€s Restaurant
67 Terhune Ave
Jersey City, NJ
201-4344115

Lincoln Inn
13 Lincoln Street
Jersey City, NJ
201-659-8686

Little Food Café
330 Kennedy Blvd
Bayonne, NJ
201-436-6800

Maxwells
1039Washington Street
Hoboken, NJ
201-798-0406

Ten East Restaurant
Route 440 North
125 Lefante Way
Bayonne, NJ
201-437-1212

 This is a partial list and more restaurants will be added shortly- if you would like to submit the name of a restuarant to add to our list  please comment below – Thanks Herb

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post Man Without A Kitchen -Our Guide to Excellent Dining in Hudson County first appeared on River View Observer.