Skinner's Loft — Restaurant in Jersey City

I like Left Bank which is located a couple of blocks from here. However, it had a 30 minute wait which is weird because I never wait there. So I Decided to walk to Burger Eatery, and it was closed, which is odd because it was supposed to open at 11am (and that probably explains why Left Bank was so packed). A lady that had also wanted Burger Eatery told us about Skinner's Loft after I asked her of a good place for a burger besides Left Bank. She said, "Skinner's Loft".

I have been by this place so many times and never went in. The ground floor is a bar, however we went up a flight a stairs to a nice dining area. It wasn't too crowded, or too loud. Although the background music ALMOST wanted to push itself into the foreground sometimes. But it was never annoying loud. It is just that some songs were more noticeable than others.

Our server was awesome. I can't remember his name, but he is from Kansas and has lived here for 8 years. Somehow in all of that time, he never became jaded. Good for him, I can't say the same for myself.

NOW for what you really care about, the food. WOW the food is amazing. I got a burger with mozzarella, and bacon for $14. I think in the future I won't get the bacon, not that it was bad, but it wasn't worth $2. If it was a buck, I'd get it. I usually don't do mozzarella on my burgers, but I'm glad I went that route. I had it cooked medium rare, and it was MEDIUM RARE! That is awesome. Too many times I get a medium when I order Medium Rare (Looking your direction 1 Republik in Hoboken.

There were three of us in our party, and one person got Salmon and Potato Cake, and she LOVED it. She said she wanted to come again next weekend to get the same thing. My other friend ordered Crispy Shrimp and Pancetta. She LOVED hers even more. She's a small lady, and finished her sandwich before I finished my burger. I don't think that has ever happened before. haha

To warm up our stomachs, they put an assortment of biscuits, and muffins on the table. I believe we had one blueberry muffin, two brownie muffins, and 4 biscuits. This was such an awesome surprise.

I do not really go out to eat often, because my work caters my meals, and I like to cook when I'm not at work; but I will go out for a burger from time to time because I find them too much work to cook, when I'm the only one eating them. I would HIGHLY recommend Skinner's Loft. It actually made me glad that Left Bank was too crowded yesterday, because now I've found an amazing place near the Grove St. station to have an...

If you're in Jersey City and want an all around great meal, this is the standard. Skinner's Loft is 3 floors, the downstairs area being a bar where you can get the whole menu. The roof is available when it's nice out although I've never dined up there. I prefer the namesake loft space, which is large with tall ceilings and tasteful decor. Small touches--like plates with little dogs painted on them--along with the exposed brick and crystal chandeliers help the space feel upscale while still being accessible. Whether someone is dressed up or is wearing casual clothes, they don't stick out and I've definitely never been treated differently based on what I was wearing (believe me, I've run the gamut from a jacket to ripped jeans). The servers are all good with some being great depending on who you get. If you take food home, just make sure you get everything as I've had parts of my dish left out more than once. All of this means nothing if the food itself isn't great though. Luckily, it is.

The food here is a mix of old and new American. There's plenty of places to get that kind of food, but very few in the immediate NYC area execute it well at a reasonable price point. Some standouts from the menu include the mussels, lobster BLT, calamari, and the shrimp and chorizo arancini. They make a great NY strip, which comes with french fries, homemade steak sauce and some seriously addicting white truffle aioli. That's probably what I've ordered most frequently here. The duck confit and sweet potato gnocchi was also pretty good, just not integrated as much as I'd like. Their specials menu is also really good, with a cod dish I had a few months sticking out in particular to me. Regardless, the menu is very versatile so that you should find something you'll like. In addition, the beer list is pretty serious. The owner is a fan of Unibroue so they always have La Fin Du Monde on tap and at least 1 other available. In addition to a few worthwhile draft selections, their bottle list is underrated with a few imported gems like Thornbridge Kipling and Carnegie Porter that are hard to find even in beer stores. I just moved to Brooklyn, and while I cannot make the trip often, I'll be back to visit JC just...

I have visited three times while in Jersey City, and it’s always a pleasure. I have been twice for brunch, which is fantastic. Be prepared for a lot of food! They start you off with biscuits, butter, and jam. I’m not usually a huge fan of biscuits, but these are the best I’ve ever had. All the entrees are large portions and most come with fried potatoes. They don’t have a ton of brunch entree options, but you can order a few sides if you want to make your own meal.

I went once for dinner with my boyfriend. They started us with an olive, bread, and hummus plate - small but delicious. We got a bread basket with butter as well. Instead of getting larger entrees, we got two small plates - a vegan shepherd’s pie and a mushroom pizzeta. Both were fantastic and we were full! They have an extensive beer and wine list - we had draft beers and they were very good.

The wait staff is always extremely polite, courteous, and helpful. They will explain anything to you and check in frequently. The last time I went to brunch I got my last two biscuits to go and the waiter threw in two more biscuits! That’s what I call good service.

If you come in when it’s not too busy, they may ask you if you want to sit upstairs or downstairs. I find the upstairs more cozy and intimate for a date setting or a small group. If you’re by yourself and would rather be in the middle of the action, downstairs...