Anthony David's — Restaurant in Hoboken

some months ago i had a nice experience with ok food. today it was all, not just, all bad. bad waiter, bad wine, bad food, bad service, bad attitude, bad music, bad seating, and of course this leads to completely bad pricing! waiter was like a teacher, not friendly but like a dictator without any enthusiasm teaching me the menu, how i should eat. he thought he could sing, but no colleague told him should shut up; music was not fitting the atmosphere anyway. I was seated in less than half filled restaurant as if this was the only place available, not even asking if this was ok with me. halfway my dinner the employees starting to have dinner right next to me; not done and furthermore noisy; why didn’t they put me somewhere else if they knew they would have their dinner soon? I tried to read a book but had to give up due to the distraction and therefore tried a puzzle; still the waiter insisted on disturbing me every 5 minutes to ask me if all was ok. He was not trying to understand that I did not want to be disturbed: how clear should i be if i never looked up to you. If this guy is the owner; what a misfit. if he is a waiter; fire him! of course I ended giving a small tip. again the waiter did not have any modesty whatsoever and picked it up before it left to find out what he should be knowing and reacted annoyed; does he understand I am coming there to have a nice evening and not the other way around? on top of it all the food was all over cooked. amazing how dull it all was; tasteless and still an hour later feel bad in my mouth. unfortunately i was hungry, but even then it did not have any taste. Artichoke with breadcrumbs completely without any artichoke taste, completely falling apart like mashed potatoes (which would have been even better). the squid, at least the 3 strings they afforded themselves to serve were ok, but placed on some bean like over cooked bedding again without any taste: something they serve to the pensioned people without any teeth. the bread that was served was probably cut in the beginning of the evening and came with (again) a tasteless tapenade. there are so many good places in Hoboken: i can not understand why this one has become such a huge disappointment after the first time in came here some months ago. I almost never write a review but this one i kindly write for fellow dining friends to avoid the...

Retroactive to July 2019:

My lone brunch experience at Anthony David's was an interesting one. Last summer there was a stretch of 3 or 4 days where it was like 115 degrees out. So hot that they weren't seating parties outside at Anthony David's (or maybe they were and it was so hot that we wouldn't even consider it). So hot that INSIDE the air conditioning was either broken or ineffective. It was unbearably hot inside, flies were a nuisance to us and nearby parties. I do remember service being slow with the water, which, on that day specifically, was tough.

But the food was awesome. I had heard great things about AD's, so this was a long time coming. Two of us had the Florentine Benedict with potatoes and Smoked Salmon Benedict with fruit salad. Side of bacon, obviously.

The elements were beyond Anthony David's control. Gonna score this one almost exclusively on food. Can't wait to get back for brunch and dinner.

2021 Update:

This was my second time at AD’s, both experiences vastly different. The first was for breakfast where the food was amazing and the service was just alright. This time for dinner was almost the opposite. Great service, food was good but not great. 4 stars again, just in different ways. We spoke with the manager and the server at length, and they made us feel at home.

The ambiance was awesome as we went on a quiet night. So we sat inside in a relatively private environment.

We had the Taleggio Arancini to start and loved it. The tomato sauce was rich and perfectly spicy.

For mains, we had Scallops and Brown Butter + Sage pasta with Biscotti. The scallops were tasty, though we only got 3 and one of them were significantly smaller than the others. The sides/garnish didn’t bring much value, and at the price point I think more scallops would’ve been appropriate.

The pasta was delicious. Never have I seen biscotti crumbs added to the top of pasta, but it worked. This dish was sweet and savory, something I was pleasantly surprised with on a cold night.

Dessert - we had both the Nutella and bourbon glazed donuts. I was excited to taste the bourbon glazed but it tasted as if a shot of bourbon was poured over the top. Way too strong. I recommend the Nutella or a different dessert.

Having now been for both breakfast and dinner, I’d prefer breakfast at Anthony David’s, but it’s a great spot whichever way...

My partner and I, along with our dog, had a 5:15 PM Sunday reservation and were promptly seated at one of the many available outdoor tables. The restaurant is nestled in a tranquil, residential corner of Hoboken, making for a peaceful and pleasant people-watching experience without the disturbance of heavy traffic.

The service was a definite highlight. Our waitress was gracious and attentive throughout the meal. We were particularly touched when they brought out a disposable foil bowl of water for our dog—a small but significant gesture of hospitality that we greatly appreciated. The wine list was somewhat limited for our taste, but we were very pleased with the option of a reasonable $25 corkage fee, which allowed us to enjoy a special bottle we brought from home.

Our meal began on a high note with the appetizers. Both the Heirloom Baby Beets and the House Whipped Ricotta were excellent, showcasing fresh ingredients and balanced flavors that set a promising stage for the main courses.

However, the entrees presented a more mixed experience. The Eggplant Bolognese featured bucatini cooked to a perfect al dente, but unfortunately, the sauce seemed to sit on the surface of the pasta rather than being fully infused, leaving the dish wanting for a deeper marriage of flavors. The Crispy Rohan Duck Breast was a similar story of near-perfection. The flavor combination was lovely, with a house-made, reduced cherry demi complementing the rich duck beautifully. The letdown, however, was in the execution of the skin; despite the "crispy" descriptor on the menu, it was not rendered so.

In conclusion, Anthony David's offers a truly wonderful atmosphere and top-notch service that make for a delightful evening. While the appetizers were flawless, the entrees, though conceptually sound, had minor flaws in execution that kept them from reaching the same heights. Would I return? I'm undecided. The service and ambiance are strong pulls, but the food gives me pause. I would certainly consider coming back to explore more of their excellent appetizers over a glass of wine, but I'd need to deliberate before committing to another...