Unbelievably good jazz music entertainment. A whole array of musicians and groups. Piano, 2 Guitars, Horn, Saxophone, trombone, drums, double bass. A total of 5 or 6 very talented lady singers, some from out of town. Family like intimate atmosphere. Some dancing by guests. Separate...bar room food Service OK but slow. Steak tough and chewy. Eggplant wraps OK.More
The Saturday after Thanksgiving my Dad, my husband and I were feeling under the weather and, after a weekend of heavy food, all we wanted was chicken soup. I asked Siri for the best chicken soup in Jersey City and she directed us to The...Brightside Tavern. That Siri knows what she's talking about! The staff was friendly and happily accommodated my husband's need to watch a college football game as soon as we walked in the door. Instead of bread, we were served yummy mini-muffins. All three of us ordered chicken soup and, wow, did it live up to its billing. The broth was light and flavorful. No rice or noodles but lots of chicken and carrots. While we were eating, a wacky guy wearing a visor topped with fake hair to hide his bald head came over to chat. Turns out he was the owner, Tommy Parisi. That's when the fun began. We introduced Tommy to my Dad, who just turned 92. Tommy went to town! Announced my Dad to the entire bar, put a banner across the TV that told everyone that my 92-year-old Dad was in the house and then he entertained us with stories and really bad jokes! My Dad was thrilled and it all made for a really fun afternoon. While we didn't eat a whole lot, my sister and brother-in-law (who live in the neighborhood) attest to the food. What a great find!!! It really felt like the bar in the TV sitcom "Cheers," where I'm guessing everyone knows your name!More
Amazing low key place. Good for family environment. Food was great along with the wait staff. Very happy with our choice.
We met family here for Mother's Day, it was perfect! Great selection, food was amazing and Jason and Tommy were the best entertainers! We had such a good time!
Tommy Two-Scoops' tavern is not in our neighborhood, so we haven't been here before, even though we knew about it, directly from Tommy at his late-lamented ice-cream parlor, before it even opened. What finally made us take the 20-minute walk south on a chilly Saturday...was the monthly singer/songwriter afternoon, and the chance to hear some original music from locals. But don't expect to find the regular music events and "open mikes" on the website's "Calendar," which is blank. Call, and you might get someone who knows what's on tap. So the vibe is relaxed to a fault and friendly. The food may not be "the best in Jersey City," but it's good enough: my wife's Huevos Rancheros ($10) was fine, and my Veggie Burger with ALL the add-ons ($13) was saved by those add-ons (a third the cost of the same add-ons at "Bare Burger"). My requested home fries (either Home Fries or French Fries come with the burgers) were on the check, but not on my plate, as the server noticed, but he promised they'd be out in a jiffy. He brought over French Fries, instead, and I didn't want to complain. A friend who arrived later ordered an iced tea -- both from the waitress, and from Tommy himself when it didn't arrive, but, 45 minutes later, she still had nothing but water. A regular customer, she said Brightside's not known for their service. The best thing about our brunch, apart from the music? The Bloody Marys ($7) -- properly spiced with horseradish, and nice adds of lemon wedge and three olives. Ask for another, and you get the liquid, only, from a pitcher. When I remarked on the lack of olives, the waitress came back with a shot glass full of olives, and a shoulder rub. That says it all about Brightside: friendly, good food, and don't get upset about the service: relax.More
Always a fun time here. The owner is a classic host - funny, welcoming and at times charmingly wacky. (Get him to sing "What a Wonderful World.") Nice pub menu - killer Bloody Marys. Great Monday night live jazz. No cover, no pressure to buy...drinks. Very friendly, wonderfully mixed crowd.More
I had attended a Bridal Shower at The Brightside Tavern, but never went for dinner. The food was absolutely delicious. We started off with the Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil salad with a balsamic drizzle that was out of this world! My husband had the...Crispy Cauliflower & Broccoli served with warm queso. My mouth is watering, just thinking about it. OMG! For the main course I had the Atlantic Grilled Salmon with a veggie rice pilaf and my husband had the Chicken Penne a la Vodka with Fresh Mozzarella, basil and vodka sauce. All I can say is that they will be seeing us on a regular basis. The service was awesome! The location is great for parking. What are you waiting for? Get to The Brightside Tavern and enjoy yourselves like we did!More
We had a great time here! Our waitress, Lauren, was very attentive and personable. A crew from Coors Light even strolled through and bought everyone a free Coors Light. Also, the food was great! We got the Sampler which gave us a few of the...mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, wings, and onion rings-- the wings were by far the best. I ordered the Bubbly Brightside (which tasted like a mojito with whiskey-- surprisingly good) and the the Moroccan Lamb Burger which was delicious and a huge portion that I couldn't possibly finish (leftovers for tomorrow!). My fiancé got the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich which was also great. The prices are INCREDIBLY affordable and the potions are very generous. Very friendly people and good environment. Couldn't ask for a better local bar! Also, the owner, Tom, took it upon himself to have our names scroll across the main screen that read: "welcome to my new friends, Evan and Tova." All in all, we had an amazing experience, and while the food and drinks were great, the people there were even better! PROS: affordable and tasty drinks/food, good atmosphere, multiple television screens, great people, three rooms (food, karaoke, games, etc.).More
First time visiting The Brightside Tavern and would definitely return. The location is in a decent spot with ample street parking. It felt safe and family oriented. I went with friends for a fundraiser and was happy with the overall friendliness of the staff. The...karaoke event was a lot of fun and even the employees got in on the action. The food was good and the drinks were as well. I thought they were strong and adequately priced. Would definitely go back.More
This is a great local place for good fresh food and drinks with different entertainment every night including Karaoke
