John Soup Kitchen

Chicken and Rice is everywhere these days. There are a lot of imitators and lots of subpar chicken and rice. Halal Guys over on 53^rd and 6^th definitely has the mind share of everyone. But John’s Soup Kitchen has definitely made my stomach and taste buds make not even care about Halal Guys. Their chicken and rice is in everyway superior in taste to Halal Guy’s. John’s uses dark meat instead of white meat. That’s a win right there! Wide range of hot sauces. Which is already better than the one really hot at Halal Guys.
This is in my opinion the best in the tri city area!

The guys do their best to serve a good hot and delicious meal for a great price. The chicken and salad combo is the go to dish. The lunch line can be 10 people long so be patient as it is worth the wait.
Great tasting food especially for the price and fantastic for lunch especially when the weather gets better and warmer.
They also have good soups which hits the spot when it is a little cold out. You can’t go wrong for the price, service, quality and taste of the food.

I just moved into one of the offices in Jersey City and this is one of the few food trucks within a five minute walk from my office. I had high expectations for this place due to the high reviews but boy was I disappointed. I ordered the lamb and chicken over rice. I was wary when I saw that there was no steam coming from the chicken that was on the grill. They do not add vegetables in there and the lamb was straight from a pot of water which they kept the lamb in. The only good thing I can say about this place is that the white sauce was pretty decent and the service was friendly. The lamb here is pretty nasty so I would stay far far away from it. The chicken was edible but was below average. I am pretty sure I am never going to come back here again. This place just cannot compare to the food carts in NYC.

They are to Jersey City as 53^st and 6^th Halal is to NYC! Their selections and portions are great. Their taste is always fresh and spices are just right and consistent. I usually get lobster bisque and halal chicken over brown rice. By far, the best lunch joint around Exchange Place!

Have been working in the area for over 9 years. These guys are the best chicken and rice cart in the area. I live in manhattan mind you but these guys are better than 53^rd and 6^th and most other places.
The soup is good but how can you not eat chicken and rice. if you do get the soup, the chicken and corn spicy soup is amazing amazing.

I love love loooove this chicken and rice cart! The guys are super friendly and fast, and the menu is simple and delicious. I also like that they use mostly white meat versus both white and dark meat.
Also, if you’re craving soup, their lobster bisque is pretty good considering it came out of a cart!
My only complaint is that I wish they would open a location/​cart in LA!

Surprisingly good soup! You will like it

Yay!
I used to work in this area, and live farther away. Back then, there was the John Soup cart where we always got chicken and rice, and it was always perfect.
Now I live right in the area I used to work, but I work in Chelsea. This means I am no longer around during lunch hours, and these guys close very early (2 or 3?). There are carts by my job now, including a rafiqi’s that’s pretty good (see my review!), but nothing quite so good as this.
So I had a surprise day off work, and was home during lunch hours. Something triggered my memory and got me reminiscing about these guys, so I hopped over and got my favorite… chicken & rice with salad, extra white and super-​hot sauce (they have grades of hot sauce). It was just as good as always. I am so happy they haven’t changed over the years.
The chicken is basic cart quality chicken, but i’ve never found any gristle or bone in it like you find at many other carts. It’s always cooked through but not dried out. The salad is good. Whole grape tomatoes and lettuce with huge cucumber chunks. The lettuce gets soggy fast with a lot of sauce, but that’s my fault. Not as many ingredients as some other carts, but who needs them? The rice is loose and moist, not chunked up like it’s been sitting for a while. And I came towards the end of lunchtime when you usually get that. The white sauce is good. It’s not the best white sauce I’ve had at a cart, but it’s consistent. The hot sauce is awesome. I always get a lot. They have lower-​spice versions (or get bbq, or none) for people who don’t love spicy… but I love spicy.
Many compare this place to 53^rd and 6^th, which I also love (see my review), but they are truly different animals. 53^rd and 6^th has the biggest portions I’ve seen at a cart, though they give you an awful lot of rice. Their hot sauce is spicier, but less flavorful. I feel that 53^rd and 6^th is a better choice when you’re drinking, and John Soup is a better choice for lunch. They’re both definitely worth a try, though… decide for yourselves!
…I do find it funny that I’ve never actually had the soup here.

Good Street cart. Usually eat their chicken over rice with salad.
They are friendly and quick service. Lines can be long though.

This place is definitely better than 53^rd street. I LOVE John’s. LOVE IT. I order the same thing at every Halal cart and carefully examine each element of the meal, scrutinizing every aspect of each different component. Ok, so there are 7 different things that make up a combo plate at any of these carts: chicken, lamb, rice, pita, salad, white sauce, hot sauce. Then there is the portion.
Ok, 53^rd st has huge portions. They win there. However, I’d feel like a slob if i ate the entire plate, but John’s gives me as much or more than I need, so portion is irrelevant in this case.
Chicken: John’s all the way. Its literally not even close. It tastes like REAL chicken. Its definitely quality bird that eats with more integrity than the finely-​chopped stuff on 53^rd st. Its fuller, tastier bites of chicken.
Lamb: 53^rd st wins. I think they boil it ahead of time so its just pretty good, but John’s uses Gyro meat, so 53^rd is an easy pick here. I still like the gyro meat, but if he ever switched it would be the greatest day for all of mankind… that eat halal in Jersey City anyway.
Rice: John’s rice is excellent. There are carts with better rice, but John’s is definitely better than 53^rd and rice is not a critical component of this meal, but its still definitely better. Its got some spice to it and eats very well with the sauces and meats without overpowering them whatsoever.
Salad: John’s by a landslide. God, that side salad is fantastic a lot of the time. Fresh, crisp lettuce. Cherry Tomatoes, and cucumbers. Sounds better than wilted lettuce to me.
Hot Sauce: John’s again. First of all, they put it on for you every time. The regular hot sauce is not that hot, but the flavor is phenomenal. Its also edible for normal people, unlike the over-​spiced red sauce on 53^rd. They also have ‘the super hot sauce’. Its the red sauce from 53^rd. I get it on the side and ration it out to my liking.
White Sauce: Draw. I’ve compared the two numerous times and its the same stuff. Its great at both places. John’s puts it on, then i get some on the side.
Pita: 53^rd. They give it to you every time. You need to ask at John’s. And then you get 1 pita instead of sometimes getting two or one and a half at 53^rd. Still, ask and you shall receive two if you want.
John’s is definitely better. Its so unbelievably good that I definitely go there every time I’m in Jersey City. Oh, and they’re nice guys too, unlike the jerks in midtown. They only problem is that they are only there during the week at lunch.

Eww — I think the only reason people line up for this stuff is because there is almost nothing good to eat around this area. Their chicken and rice is soggy and flavorless. I asked for extra hot sauce and they laughed and said give her the real hot stuff. When I got back to my desk at work I almost laughed out loud because it was a joke — plllease.

Oh my goshness, oh yes — downtown Jersey City now has its own version of the halal cart on 53^rd Street and 6^th Avenue. Well, the menu is not as extensive as the 53^rd Street cart but what it lacks in variety it makes up in good taste and value.
I always order the chicken over rice, which is, of course, shredded chicken served over rice, with a side of salad. You can have white sauce put on top of the food, or you can have BBQ sauce too. Hell, you don’t even need to put any sauce and the food will still be delicious. And for $ 6.00 an order, you get a whole lotta food.
They also serve different soups, such as chicken with chili, lobster bisque, and others. But with the good weather coming, the amount of soups will most certainly dwindle. But during fall and winter, there are about 5 different types of soups served.
I always get there around 12:30 because if you go at 12 noon, the line can be 15 people deep. Yes, this cart is that popular. And these boys are friendly too: one takes the order and puts the rice and salad in the styrofoam container, the next guy puts the chicken and seasoning over the rice, and the last guy takes the cash and any soda orders.
Easy peasy, nice and easy.