Halifax — Restaurant in Hoboken

I visited this restaurant on Sunday for my friend’s birthday brunch, having heard great things about it from her, as well as reading positive reviews and seeing appealing photos of the place. My friend, who has dined here several times, has always shared delightful experiences, which made me particularly excited to celebrate her special day here.

Parking:

Finding parking around the area was somewhat challenging, especially with limited street parking. However, the restaurant offers a convenient $15 valet service at the nearby W Hotel, which covers up to three hours—reasonable for the location.

Ambience & Dining Experience:

Upon entering, I was immediately impressed by the calm and tastefully decorated interior. Our table had a fixed brunch menu with my friend’s name on it, which I thought was a nice personal touch. The food itself was excellent, and the brunch deal included sparkling wine (1 bottle of bubbly per guest) for mimosas, which was a great start to the meal.

Service Concerns:

Unfortunately, the service fell short of expectations. Throughout the meal, we found ourselves repeatedly trying to flag down servers for drink refills, which became frustrating, especially given the limited two-hour timeframe for the brunch. This was particularly surprising, as most brunch spots I’ve visited prioritize keeping drinks refreshed.

Our main server, Valeria, became visibly irritated with our requests, and it was clear she was discussing us with her colleagues in a less-than-professional manner. Additionally, another server, a gentleman with curly hair and a mustache, was notably rude when I asked for more drinks, creating a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere at our table. Dining out, especially for a birthday celebration, should be an enjoyable and relaxed experience, but the service unfortunately detracted from that.

One of the more concerning issues was the lack of attention to a guest’s peanut allergy. Despite the host’s prior mention of the allergy, a dish with almonds on the French toast was almost served to that guest. Thankfully, it was noticed before any harm was done.

Resolution:

After sharing my concerns with the manager, Louis, he was very understanding and genuinely concerned about the issues we encountered. He took immediate steps to address the situation, and his efforts ensured that the remainder of the brunch went smoothly. By the end of the meal, everyone was able to relax and enjoy the celebration.

While the food and ambiance were excellent, the service and attentiveness to guest needs fell short of expectations. I hope the restaurant addresses these service issues, as it has great potential for future visits. Thank you to manager, Louis, for the quickness...

Have been wanting to come here for brunch for such a long time! Finally took the plunge, and it was interesting. First, they have an unannounced 2 time slot brunch. I don't remember the exact times, but I think the first one ends at 1, I which the whole room is somehow cleared out and tables reset. We arrived at 12, so opted to sit at the bar area so that we could not be rushed to be ushered out by 1 (there's also a large table that's part of the bar area). This area was unique, as it was in-between both the normal brunchers (is that even a word?) and the party brunchers. It seemed as the back room was where bigger groups were sent, and the music and volume was giving club vibes. Now for the food! We were excited for the unlimited small plates. In theory, that sounds amazing. HOWEVER, you are served EVERY small plate! Even if that was not on your wish list. You get one of each and every small plate. My table was a mix of types of eaters, one was no red meat, and the other dislikes breaded things as well as sweets. So already there are things that neither of them will eat, so I, with my fear of food waste, eat whatever they don't. There were some good items in the spread, but really nothing was excellent. There of course were some not greats in the line as well. The good : potato poutine, challah French toast, deviled eggs, and maybe the wonton. The worst was the mac and cheese...it tastes like a milk soaked wet noodle with a little crunch added. Total let down. The others were meh. For the unlimited food package ($35), you can also add one bottle of champagne per person ($49). We opted for the frink package and were tipped off and filled up frequently, but we didn't know when our bottle was done, and constantly lived in panic that that might be our last refill. Overall, I thought my experience was ok and the food was ok. I probably wouldn't come back unless the brunch menu changed. Service was ok, as we were not sitting at an actual table, the bartender had to oversee us from abut away. So there were small delays in getting service, but everyone was very nice, and some of the waiters were quite easy on the...

Went for Thanksgiving. Food portions were shockingly small, not at all what Thanksgiving is about. The chef is not just stingy, but also inflexible. The apps we had to choose from were turkey (same as entree) beets, raw scallops, and squash soup. Two of my party did not like beets and squash soup, and definitely did not want raw scallops. So we asked if the kitchen would give us an entree of mushroom agnolotti to share between the two guys who found the apps choices unappealing. The answer was a flat no. Why? If it is an entree, and not turkey on Thanksgiving, what problem should there be in the kitchen for this? I even offered to pay extra. Still a no. So two of my party had a turkey app and turkey entree.

Throughout the meal servers kept trying to clear plates while we were still eating, while wine glasses and water glasses went unattended. This repeated attempt to clear whilst we were still eating is a well-known restaurant truck to rush diners so they can seat the table sooner.

The entree turkey portion was just tiny by any Thanksgiving standard. One of my guests wanted more turkey, and what was brought out was another tiny portion on a bread plate.

So we paid $79 per person for cheap ingredients: turkey, beets, squash, and pumpkin, with a tiny bit of chocolate (because it’s expensive). Then they were so miniscule that we had to go have actual turkey and stuffing elsewhere later at a diner. No pumpkin pie on the menu but the pumpkin “puff” literally looked like barf 🤮 on a plate.

When I got the check, the waitress charged me 18% gratuity, after no notice on the menu nor upon making reservations. This was blatant discrimination. I am 25 year restaurant veteran, and not only was there zero value in our $500 meal, for 3 people , we were treated like second class citizens.

Steer clear of this place like the plague! It’s too bad because the decor and the location are fantastic. New people need to take over this restaurant, as I can’t...