Hudson Hall

Hudson Hall, a Jersey City beer hall and smoke house, recently opened in September of 2017 after the owners completely renovated the space from the ground up. And let me be the first to say, the result is stunning.

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The restaurant is divided up into two sections; one is a massive, spacious dining hall with exposed brick walls from the original framework of the building, tables made from the wood that was torn out from the basement, and a long, winding bar perfect for large groups. The other section is a smaller, more intimate space with a perfectly tiled dome ceiling, tons of natural light, and another bar. I usually never spend this much time talking about a restaurant's aesthetics, but this was truly gorgeous.

With a space this impressive, I had high hopes for the food, and I can confidently say it did not disappoint. The menu features a variety of German and Polish inspired dishes. The menu was also the perfect size, providing plenty of options without being overwhelming.

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To start, I went with the portobello fries and the smoked salmon with scallop ceviche.

The portobello fries were crisped to perfection and delicious on their own, but the lime aioli they were served with took them to the next level. I'm usually not a huge fan of lime, but it was pretty subtle and created a perfect balance of flavors that you definitely aren't gonna get if you dunk these fries in ketchup (even though that tasted good too).

The smoked salmon with scallop ceviche was everything you'd hope for in an appetizer: totally satisfying in terms of flavor, without being overly filling. It was super light and refreshing from the vinegary dressing it was tossed in, and the mini latkes it was served with were a great crispy addition to the dish.

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For the main course, my mom ordered the Hudson Hall pastrami sandwich which definitely did not skimp out on the ingredients. It was loaded with thick cut pastrami and served on a warm (and massive) toasted baguette.

Meanwhile, I went with the smoked salmon sandwich because what better way is there to follow up a smoked salmon appetizer than with even more smoked salmon? This was served with greens and creamy goat cheese on toasted white bread, and all the flavors went together perfectly. This sandwich was also big enough without being overly heavy, which is always a bonus because it means there's room for more food (yay, obesity!).

We also got a side of pierogi, which were probably the mildest tasting dish of the night, but they were fluffy, comforting, and paired really well with the applesauce they was served with.

I HIGHLY recommend checking this place out, even if you have to make a trip for it. It's got the whole package and I can only hope after all the fantastic work they've done on it that it stays in business. I'm tired of writing and I'm gonna go eat some leftover portobello fries now, so ✌️.