White Mana Diner — Restaurant in Jersey City

I have been going to this place for years. I even told a few friends and family members about it....and everytime im in jersey city i never leave without stopping here.... UNTIL TODAY. My fiance and i told my future father in law about this place and how good it was... when we walked in we went on the side WE ALWAYS SIT ON ( by the mens bathroom) and we were told by the White Cook we were sitting on the wrong side....

Very weird since we ALWAYS sit on that side...ok cool no problem right... i figured maybe there was something wrong with the seats and thats why we had to go to the other side. (Let me make it clear there were people sitting on the side already) who were white.

The spanish cook we have always dealt with while coming to white mana and he has always been super chill and nice... he took our order while a little girl ( who was with the family who was sitting on the wrong side) was cooking with the chef ( white chef)

We all ordered about 11 burgers, 2 onion rings, fries ,2 drinks and a milkshake with the Spanish guy and when it was time to pay my father in law asked the chef cooking "how much is it" he said... I DONT KNOW EXTREMELY RUDE MANNER...And the Spanish cook rang us up while the other cook packed all of our food into one BROWN BAG. When i asked if we could have our meals separately he didnt even move, the Spanish man packed it away for us.

Also may i add while we were waiting for our food an elderly white man came into the diner and sat in the wrong side and NO ONE SAID ANYTHING TO HIM.

I have never dealt with such bullshit in my life but this was clearly MODERN DAY RACISM . And it is such a shame because you could feel it in the air once i realized and my family what was going on. We paid for our food and left but i had to leave a review because shit like this is not right and to make people feel it and act like we wouldnt know what was going on is even more disrespectful. Our money is good but we arent? I will NEVER EAT HERE AGAIN AND I WILL BE TELLING EVERYONE ABOUT THIS AS WELL THAT I PERSONALLY KNOW AND MY INSTAGRAM THAT HAS OVER 102 THOUSAND FOLLOWERS thats a page that i have raved about in regards of these burgers, my experience and my page is a FOOD PAGE based off of NJ EATS. I wish i could give...

It is exactly what you think of when you think of a small New Jersey diner on the corner that’s been open since the World Fair 1939, standing amongst Tonnelle Ave traffic, a Dunkin’, and an autoshop.

The cheeseburgers are cheap, hot, and crushable. Onions are a must. You can easily crush a Special—3 burgers, small fry, and a drink—for $10. If you want to treat yourself to what is essentially melted red popsicle, get their fruit punch. It tastes like a 4th of July sugar high as a kid. Is it the best food and dining experience I’ve ever had? No, but they get 5 stars for being exactly as expected and their burgers are great. It’s a spot with its own vibe.

I’ve been twice, and I was going to eat there the second time until one of the most obnoxious patrons came in. Somehow, in about ten minutes, this person managed to make two people move from the counter by asking with an attitude, mock one of those two people outright, speak rudely to the people working the grill and counter, and try to order ahead of me. It was busy, and I wasn’t in a rush. The person working grill was cranking out burgers at high speeds, and there isn’t much space for another person to also work the grill. But they were doing fine—Customers need to remember it’s not a fast food joint, despite the cook’s speed. Don’t come hangry or with an attitude.

Anyway, tip these folks because that person alone reminded me how many entitled attitudes they have to deal with and serve on a...

One of the more fun "local" spots to take visitors for those of us who live in Jersey City Heights. White Mana has spectacular views of the vista that is Tonnelle Ave (heavy on the sarcasm), with a parking lot shared with an auto repair shop.

That being said, once you're inside, it's like being warped back into a different time. It's both a landmark and a counter-serve diner all in one, with a "system" from the 1939 World's Fair that predates fast food restaurants (like McDonald's Speedee Service).

They serve smashed simple mini cheeseburgers on soft rolls. They're extremely simple, with the option for onions or no onions. You can order fries and other predictable counter serve burger restaurant staples, but the star of the show is the 3 burger combo. Drinks are served in styrofoam cups and the no-frills counter service is complete with squeeze ketchup bottles. For 10 bucks you can leave satisfied, and in my case, hangover-cured.

The staff here is also quintessentially Hudson County. You might get lucky and be subject to sarcastic remark or a curt response, but that's all part of the experience. Call it New Jersey hospitality, with a Tonnelle Avenue burger joint flair Joking aside, the staff is quick and friendly.

Think of this spot as a locals only White Castle, but with a ton of history and cool pictures of some celebrities who've passed through White Mana over the decades. And note: it's CASH ONLY, but there's an ATM (with a modest fee)...