MAE

Started this review a few years ago… and now it’s not there anymore. No yuppie is going to go to Communipaw to dine.
The place did have some of the best drinks in town though!

MAE? Are you there? I miss you…

Hubs and I were so excited to try Mae after the Unilocal Elite event a few months ago! After our dinner tonight it’s safe to say we’ll be going back for more!
Driving from Hoboken we easily parked right in front and snagged a table for 2 on a Saturday night. Score! Being in the middle of nowhere has its perks!
At the elite event we were wowed by the munchie appetizers so we ordered these heavily. Tried the fried pickles, house made pork rinds, and Mac n cheese. I recommend them all but maybe not together as we were very thirsty after haha! I originally ordered the all-​you-​can-​eat pig roast but changed to a salad after seeing how huge the apps were. My Cobb salad was delicious and my husbands fried chicken and biscuit was something he wanted to regenerate as he ate it because it was that good.
Since the biscuit with fried chicken was so great of course we got the dessert special with the biscuit berries and fresh whipped cream. So amazing.
This place is a total hidden gem and I’m so happy to have discovered it!

Want to find a restaurant with tasty cocktails, interesting menu choices, and reasonable prices without traveling through a tunnel? Look no further than MAE in Jersey City!
Located in up-​and-​coming area (okay, so it’s a bit down-​and-​out at the moment, as evidenced by a local fellow who rolled a tire by the front window at 11pm, but with renovated buildings like The Foundry nearby, you can tell there will be more changes to come), MAE glows like an oasis of deliciousness. A quick trip from Hoboken on the Light Rail, MAE offers many things that Hoboken restaurants don’t: old school fancified cocktails; comfort food with a contemporary twist; and support for local, natural, sustainable, and organic practices.
My boyfriend and I visited MAE late on a Saturday night. We had just missed the Saturday night rush for the all-​you-​can-​eat pig roast special, and though there were plenty of awesome theater seats that we read about on Unilocal,we opted to sit at the bar, where we got to know a friendly bartender, who also happened to create many of the unique photos that adorned the walls.
I thoroughly enjoyed my Honeybee cocktail (Don Q Anejo, raw clover honey, fresh lemon juice), and my boyfriend enjoyed a Bite the Bulleit Manhattan (Bulliet Bourbon, Amaro Nonino, black walnut bitters). At the bartender’s suggestion, he had the MAE Burger, which he described to be «as good as a burger can get without performance enhancing drugs,» meaning that it was a solid, juicy burger that could stand on its own. I had the cod special of the night, which was cooked in a white sauce and served over sauteed potatoes with asparagus and tomato. Though the potatoes were slightly unevenly cooked, the cod was moist and delicious. We felt right at home in the friendly and relaxed atmosphere, and we enjoyed chatting with the bartender and the chef de cuisine.
Would I say that MAE is the completely unmissable experience that some other Unilocalers have described? No. However, I did thoroughly enjoy my evening, and I am absolutely itching to try their delicious-​looking brunch menu. Plus, this relatively new restaurant has big plans for the future and will continue to experiment with the menu and the décor in upcoming months. According to the bartender, the hands-​on owners own other successful restaurants in Manhattan and Brooklyn and are bringing a great deal of knowledge and experience to Jersey City.
Overall, a lovely and relaxed experience that I hope to repeat. And I look forward to seeing what MAE has to offer in the future.

I’ve been here far to many times in the past few months. (edit: just the right amount!)
I love this place. The food is fantastic, prices are right, and above even those the staff goes out of their way to make your experience as pleasent as possible.
Examples of greatness:
1. Last night I was there on a date. Happened to be a Saturday and my first Saturday night there. They have an AYCE pig roast (with sides) every Saturday night, you read it, pig roast. Every Saturday night. Anyway, I ordered it but waited to go up to get food until my date’s food arrived. One of the owners came over to tell me that while I was waiting the pig nearly ran out. So he offered to have the chef carve up the last bits (happened to be the jowels, woot woot!) and bring it out on the house. The chef even delivered it himself. Consumate professionals and all around nice guys.
B. My water is never empty.
III. The food really is bangin’ and the staff know it so they’re excited to give suggestions if you’re asking. For brunch I LOVE the biscuits and gravy. I think the only thing I didn’t love there was the Hair of the Dog but my friend did, just not my dish. Also, the bar is full of great beer.
I really can’t find anything bad to say about this place. Thanks MAE for serving this Jersey City woman excellence time and time again. You have become my favorite JC restaurant.

Mae is a place we desperately need in Jersey City, especially the area its’ in. I’m pleasantly surprised with how well it’s doing in the area, and was very happy to have found it. It’s focused on seasonal ingredients and comfort food with a twist. Their cocktail list could rival any famous mixologists’.
The interior has a modern vintage décor with unique light fixtures and the most comfortable chairs. The space feels open and inviting, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s very hip. The restaurant was steady for a Tuesday and seemed to be filled with regulars.
The bar is long and inviting with a vintage mirrored backdrop. They serve up vintage cocktails like the Gin Fizz, Sidecar or Manhattan. My husband, a Manhattan connoisseur, had one and loved it. I had the rum-​influenced Honeybee with raw clover honey and lemon, and it was delicious. They have a very nice selection of craft beers from all over the world, including yours truly, New Jersey. I would recommend the Dogfish 60 Minute, my favorite, or trying the Youngs’ Chocolate Stout with dessert — it’s delicious. The wine list is also small, but mighty.
To start, we had the Cauliflower Fritters and the Cannelini Bean Hummus. Cauliflower fritters are perfectly fried, soft and comforting. The maple syrup that is drizzled on top adds the right touch of sweetness. The hummus is not your traditional hummus, so if that’s what you’re looking for, you may be disappointed. I loved it however. It’s light, and more chunky and almost «salsa”-like in consistency than a creamy hummus. The lemon, olive oil and tomato give it a fresh, light makeover and the toasted bread is perfect with it.
For dinner we both tried the Fried Chicken due to rave reviews. It was incredible. Although most of my chicken was dark meat and very little white (and I’m usually not a dark meat fan), it was still good. The chicken was fried perfectly, moist, and tender. The biscuit was heavenly and buttery. The coleslaw really added a nice addition as well with its’ pickled flavor. The french fries were mile high, but delicious and perfectly salted. They honesty give you way too many french fries. The waitress knew it, too, and kind of called us fat for eating ours! «It’ll take you days to get through those fries,» she said, «but you guys did a better job on them than most people.» We’re fat, we know.
The service was a little drab but otherwise fine — the manager did come over at one point to ask us how everything was, which was nice. Our drinks took what seemed like forever to arrive, but it may be because we’re alcoholics (kidding). We didn’t try dessert nor were we offered the menu — do they have dessert here? The prices are right. $ 10 for a chicken sandwich and a mountain of fries that’s filling and delicious. Can’t wait to come back!

This place is the BOMB. It’s hands down the best restaurant that ever existed on Communipaw. Everyone who lives in the Liberty State Park area of JC owes a great deal of gratitude to the men behind MAE. The owners and staff are really nice. They have great beer on tap, and they have the best mixology-​style cocktails in JC. The vibe is chill. They have cool old school theater seats in one section of the restaurant.
Despite all that good stuff I mentioned above, the food is what really separates this spot from the pack. The fish tacos are large and delicious. The burger is the best I’ve ever had in JC. The fries are so good. Every weekend they have a ridiculous pig roast. I can’t wait to get back there to try some other menu items. The neighborhood is very urban, but not at all dangerous. Light Rail it to Liberty State Park and eat MAE!

My boyfriend and I had such high hopes for this place. We live in Hoboken (see: «culinary wasteland») and love spending time in Jersey City trying out new restaurants. I found MAE on Unilocal and, from the reviews, thought Jersey City had hit the jackpot again with a another great new restaurant (the likes of Thirty Acres or Skinner’s Loft). I don’t know if it was an off night, but I was wrong.
We came in for dinner on an average Thursday night at 9:15pm and were seated promptly, but right away my boyfriend got a bad vibe saying, «Oooh, I just looked at the server on duty. I’m getting the feeling he’s in the weeds.» I thought, «A little late in the night to still be in the weeds and he only has six tables, but it looks like he’s the only one on, so ok. No worries.» He came to take our drink order soon after at about 9:20pm (great) and it was all downhill from there.
First off, my boyfriend ordered a Lagunitas A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ and he says, «Sorry, we don’t have it anymore. We just haven’t taken it off the menu.» Ok, fine. Not a problem. He picks a different beer. Then I order a Breckenridge Vanilla Porter. I got the same response, «Sorry, we don’t have that anymore either. We just haven’t taken it off the menu.» Cue me starting to recognize things are going south. I ended up ordering their pinot noir (which sadly ended up tasting like grape syrup) and my boyfriend immediately put in an order for the cannellini hummus, fried green tomatoes, and, upon seeing how highly reviewed they are, the deviled eggs.
At 9:35pm (15 minutes after placing the drink and app order AND with the restaurant down to four tables), I realize I’m still holding my menu and we’ve yet to order the remainder of our meal. By 9:40pm, still no order or apps, and I’m pissed. Recognizing that we’ve been sitting for 25 minutes with our menus in hand, a busser comes up to us to apologize for the wait and to tells us our server will be with us in a «minute». At 9:45pm, he finally walks up to the table to take our order at which point my boyfriend asks if the kitchen is backed up and if our order is going to take awhile. He responds, saying, «Yeah, they’ve been run ragged all night, but let me check with them.» He walks away and takes this as a free pass to run food to another table.
We finally order at 9:50pm (35 minutes after arriving) and decide to share the flat-​iron steak, the collard greens, and the black-​eyed pea succotash. A couple minutes later, our apps finally show up.
The deviled eggs were nothing to write home about afterall. The fried green tomatoes were very thinly sliced and fried in thick tempura batter so all we could taste was the batter, in addition to them being overloaded with remoulade. The cannelini bean hummus was flavorless and swimming in oil.
The next course came within roughly 15 minutes and I was trying to be optimistic. At first bite of the three steak rounds, which were rare instead of medium rare, we discovered they were more fat than actual meat. The accompanying salad was swimming in oil like the preceding hummus dish to the point of the croutons being translucent, little oil sponges. The succotash was tasty, but dry. The collards, we thought, were the saving grace. The further we got into the little ramekin, however, we had to stop. We both looked up at each other with the same reaction. Our tongues were coated in some sort of sticky, dry substance after our second bite of collards, which I can only assume was some sort of lard or shortening that did not melt during the cooking process. No idea.
Check, please! Can’t say we’ll be going back anytime soon.

MAE elevates the concept of the traditional American eatery, offering common dishes prepared and presented in uncommon ways. Overall, the execution is spectacular, and the the management eagerly seeks out feedback. The restaurant’s respect for quality extends to their beer and cocktail list as well, highlighting microbreweries from across the country and drinks from a bygone era. Don’t be deterred by the location; you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Whoaaa what the heck is this place doing in that neighborhood serving this sort of food!!!
Hitherto the Lafayette neighborhood has nothing to be desired for foodies, if there was anything even resembling a restaurant worth the trip. A newly developed public pool, Liberty State Park, some new public/​private sponsored housing and Lafayette park anchor the neighborhood. I think some yuppies live in The Foundry and people with money must own the restored brownstones on Communipaw & Pacific. But even with those, there is no other reason to go to Lafayette. Well, maybe if you’re a Morris Canal admirer.
Maybe Lafayette is the next up-​and-​coming neighborhood in Jersey City? Probably not, since there is not a convenient mode of transportation. But it is a pretty neighborhood, to me at least.
The food is fantastic. I had brunch and left patting my stomach like a marching band drummer with a smile on my face. NJ Beer Co. on tap, so you’re feeling local all the way.
Chairs are either really comfortable or not at all. Interesting layout with the reclaimed stadium-​like seats. Bathrooms are big and clean. Wait service is friendly.
Price is cheaper than you would find in downtown Jersey City for the same quality of food. This is more towards the 30 Acres end of the spectrum than Light Horse. If you own a car or a bike, this is a well worth trip for some good food. Neighborhood looks a little scary, but certainly at day time you are fine. Lafayette Park needs a lot of work, but the fact there is a functioning park is to be applauded.

The lady and I stopped in for a late bite on a Saturday night.
We left very very pleased to say the least.
When coming you must try the mac & cheese, lamb ribs, & crab croquettes.
All three are out of this world delicious.
Aside from that, stepping into this place (especially because of the «up and coming» nature of this area) is a breath of fresh air.
The restaurant features nice high ceilings in an open environment with lots of hardwood, vintage style lighting, modern art, and high school auditorium seating. Very inviting and more than comfortable enough to settle in for a while.
Service was very friendly, prompt, and just plain funny (ask for Ben, he’s swell).
Will return again for sure.
TL;DR: Great food, Great service, Beautifully decorated

This place is funny. It’s like a little hipster haven in the middle of a pretty sketchy area of town. I appreciated the effort, but it felt a little inorganic. We started our meal off with fried pickle spears that were fresh and crispy. Next, I chose the Cuban sandwich, and my boyfriend went with the risotto. He felt the risotto was a bit too al dente for his tastes (but still loved it) and I felt my sandwich was good, but a little greasier than I would have hoped. Because of the location they are able to offer «high end» dishes at extremely affordable prices. It is worth checking out.

Heard so much about this place was dying to check it out. I wanted to love this place, and was worried I wouldn’t. So many hyped places just don’t live up. Either I hype them up so much in my head that they can never live up, or they just really didn’t deserve all the hype.
MAE exceeded my expectations. This place is killer. Whether you want great food, or just want to hang out at the bar and enjoy some amazing cocktails. The vibe and ambiance here is fantastic. The space has a really hip and comfortable feel, while the soundtrack provides a great mix for hunkering down at the bar.
Everyone that greeted and/​or served us were really friendly, and interesting to speak with. Same goes for the clientele. In a short time, they have achieved «great neighborhood local» status in my book. You can count on seeing a black fixie parked out front often from here on out.
The food was amazing. We were there for the $ 12 brunch which is a ridiculous deal. The menu is definitely one that leaves me torn because what I had was so good, but I still want to try everything on the menu. I ordered the MAE burger. Add the egg. I had my first egg on a burger in San Sebastian, Spain and haven’t looked back. No reason not to do it. Much like in San Sebastian my med rare burger came out with a sunny side egg on top. A little messy for sure… maybe a fork and knife burger… but freakin delicious. Easily the best burger I’ve had in Jersey City, and out classes many of the famous burgers in NYC. My wife had the special which was a Crab Benedict. I heard from Davis J. that the Eggs Benedict was off the chain. I can only imagine what he’d say about the Crab Benny. The lump crab meat was fresh, and melted with the egg and sauce. Good french and home fries too.
They have Dale’s on draft which makes me smile, and a few other crafts. The Bloody Caesar was well done, and I am excited to go back for more… and more… and more.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! I love the food, the owners, the atmosphere, AND the location. Though the neighborhood is slowly transitioning, I believe MAE has set the standard of all new businesses in the area.
I want to thank the owners for investing in our neighborhood!
The food is delicious… As I mentioned before I judge every new brunch place by their eggs benedict. Oh boy they NAILED IT! The egg was perfectly cooked, the potatoes were plentiful, and breakfast + cocktail for $ 12, you can’t go wrong.
NOW for dinner… $ 15 all you can eat pig roast on Saturday?! I tore into that piggy and loved every minute of it! They roasted the pig on site and the sides were simple but delicious. MUST try the coleslaw!
I can go on and on about everything in this restaurant, but I have to get back to work!
CHECK THIS PLACE OUT!!! I promise you that you will fall madly in love…

I went to MAE on a date. We had passed by the restaurant several times, and one Saturday night, my boyfriend and I decided to make our way down there to try it out. We went for a late dinner, which may have been a mistake.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is really cool, trendy. Dim lighting, heavy wooden looking bar, literal stadium seats in a dining area, an open kitchen area. Something about the décor felt rustic, but very modern and simplistic at the same time.
It was Cinco de Mayo, so Coronas were on the top of our list to celebrate. That was fine and dandy, but unfortunately our food was not. We ordered the cheesey potato croquettes, which a friend gave rave reviews, but we felt otherwise. To me they were chunks of cheese and potatoes muddled up in unsavory breading and fried. The little fried balls were missing the bite that Gruyère (title ingredient) would usually produce. The appetizer had a great crunch, but they were definitely a little too doughy in the middle. It was lacking salt, and salt would have made the difference.
We also ordered fish tacos. Ever since my fish taco adventure at the Turtle Club, I have been trying them out everywhere I can. These were alright. The tortilla was torched, contaminating the taste of the rest of the taco. The fish though, was enjoyable, whole, meaty but not breaded or fried like the others I have tasted. These tacos were missing the heat I was looking for, and any heat that existed was extinguished by cool bland avocado.
I ordered a flat iron steak that was served atop a chorizo yuka hash. Where the croquettes were lacking salt, my entrée made up for it (too much). It was far too salty. The combination of the over salted/​seasoned steak, and the chorizo and grease soaked hash, created a sodium overload, and not fond memories. My boyfriend ordered the Cuban sandwich. I enjoyed my first few bites of his more than I enjoyed my dish, but the more I ate, the less happy I became. It was very greasy. The meat was layered on thick, but the cheese and meat juices weighed the sandwich down. The fries were also over-​salted and undesirable. The two of us were not the only ones who found their meal salt saturated, as I overheard from our very close neighboring table.
Crème brulee desert was dull and really indistinguishable.
I have heard that brunch there is better. Maybe we just hit it on a bad night. We have decided we would venture there again for drinks, or maybe even brunch one day, hopefully it will be a different experience.

My wife and I stopped in for dinner service on Saturday night with high hopes, REALLY wanting to love the place because it’s so close to our apartment. We were seriously let down.
The service was really REALLY bad and the employees (of which there are many) are simply too interested in talking or texting to do anything about it. Our waiter didn’t really seem too interested in our table to be honest, and it showed. For a late Saturday dinner with the dining room ½ full at best, service shouldn’t take 45 minutes for a cuban sandwich and flat iron steak.
What’s worse, the food came out piece-​meal, with one appetizer arriving at our table 5 minutes before the others. Then, there was a huge time gap waiting for our main courses which again failed to arrive together. At one point our server came to our table to ask how everything was, and we greeted him with the response that there was no food on our table so far…
The food itself was not great, but we were willing to give the place the benefit of the doubt on that front until the kinks are worked out. But the servers and kitchen staff need to step it up if this place is going to succeed because the convenience of a restaurant right down the street is no match for going a little further away to get a good meal and good service.

It’s in my hood, and I want to dig the place. I did!
The food was great. I went the day before Mother’s Day, Saturday May 12^th 2012. Took the family (12 adults, 1 toddler, and an infant. We all enjoyed the food. My wife, my sister and I have chilled on the consumption of red meat. This day, we all tried something red and something meaty :-)
The lamb ribs were «Right» and My love thought the burger was great. I also had the fish tacos, also quite tasty. The were lightly breaded so I was happy. Fried pickles were better than I expected deep fried anything to be and so were the potato and cheese croquet
.
Everyone was pleased with their choices and tasted the meals of everyone else.
Prices were good and I’m big on value.
Our server was helpful and things were bussed appropriately. The owners were also quite chill.
My only problems were the size of the Fish tacos and the amount of salt on the second batch of fries. The first batch was ridiculously tasty. I was also a bit too wide for the old school auditorium chairs. If you down to be all close to a new «someone» sit in those seats ;-)
One more message to the owners of Mae … There are great folk that have lived in the neighborhood for decades and some good ones who have joined us recently. Please reach out to them. They will be the folk who will allow your business to prosper in peace. We’ll all make this place the Ideal place to live in and raise the future generations.
BLESSINGS Y’ALL!!!

Yay! I am too thrilled to have actual cuisine in this neighborhood… in Jersey City! Hands down the best food I have eaten in Jersey City.
I split the veggie omelette & french toast with my besty. The omelette was full of crunchy veggies and mushrooms. Not slimy over cooked/​frozen veggies we have come to expect in veggie dishes. It was big enough to split just fine but I might have finished one all my own as well. We demolished it before we could take pic.
I won’t lie the French toast was soggy which is gross but my BFF did take it home and warm it up to finish the egg cooking and THEN it was awesome.
Atmosphere is great! You forget you are in Jersey City. Thumbs way up!
Going back tonight to try some things on the dinner menu. I will update my post.

Even though I’m biased (just moved into the Communipaw neighborhood, which, per the other reviews, was desperately in need of such a joint), I’m sold on MAE.
The food is first-​class; I would label it upscale American with a subtle Southern influence, but without the pretension a lot of new joints are caught up in (points for not terming anything on the menu as «artisan,» «bespoke» or «locally sourced»). Based on three visits, I can confidently recommend anything from their small plate menus.
Bar Snacks: Deviled eggs are on point, the potato croquettes are above average and the lightly breaded fried pickle spears (fried pickles might be in, but full length spears are a rare treat) are excellent.
Starters: BBQ lamb ribs were outstanding, a healthy sear with a good meat/​fat ratio and a fragrant, not-​overpowering sauce. The chorizo rounds are probably my favorite menu item, made with a quality sausage and sautéed with garlic. Also worth mentioning: the fish tacos, which were fresh-​tortilla-​wrapped and contained a very light fish (cod?) with a great sauce. The salted pork confit was also very good.
The pork stew was another highlight, simmered with collard greens and the ever-​delicious poached egg. It even had an unconventional avocado slice in it, which actually worked really well, to my surprise and delight. Still haven’t tried anything on the Main menu, but I anticipate all dishes will live up to the high expectations set by the courses I’ve already enjoyed.
The atmosphere is cool, very low key but with a quiet elegance. Of note, excellent vintage chairs and a nice long cement-​topped bar. Do yourself a favor and try the Lagunitas «A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin» ale… awesome!

Modern American Bistro or MAE, is a new, much welcomed addition to the neighborhood.
I could tell you all about how it is a new Bistro in a neighborhood filled with Dominican «joints», KFC’s, Papa John’s and take out Chinese and what that means to a neighborhood trying to make a comeback but I’d rather talk about the food, ambiance and service.
Ambiance: A corner location that takes full advantage of it with tables and re-​purposed (?) but very comfortable chairs that feel vintage-​y along the glass doors. A unique wood center bar dominates the front half of the restaurant with antique style hanging ambient lighting. Exposed brick walls and an exposed kitchen prep area in the second half of the restaurant all add up to an upscale but very hip vibe.
The menu is small but feels very well thought out. Honestly we wanted to try everything on it.
It is broken down by Bar Snacks;Starters;Sides/On Bread;Soups/Salads;Mains.
There is a nice selection of craft beers, what seems to be a well selected short wine list and some Prohibition era cocktails.
We decided to go with the Mac n Cheese made with Fontina, Gruyère, NY Cheddar and ham to start. It comes in what at first glance may seem like a small dish but it is flavorful, not overly thick. It is actually the perfect size for a starter.
The Salted Pork is a pork confit with pickled jalapenos served in a small jar with toasted Cuban bread. This was an interesting dish. The jalapenos added just the right amount of tart/​punch to balance the saltiness of the pork. Very rich and delicious.
For our main dishes we ordered the Cubano Sandwich and Charlie’s Fried Chicken.
Both came with real cut french fries, crisp, salted, abundundant. Marvelous.
The Cubano was wonderful. Confit pork, seared ham, Gruyère, pickles, aioli dijon. Authentic but updated somehow.
The Charlie’s Fried Chicken was on a whole other level though.
Here I must deviate from the tone of the review thus far and just say:
HOLY SH*T B**LS! !!!
Crispy, perfectly seasoned chicken and coleslaw in a cut biscuit.
Sounds simple, right?
A nice Bistro-​y take on a classic. I thought so too.
Then I took a bite and had to sit back in my chair until the room came back into focus. Yup, out of this world good.
My husband and I always taste each other’s food especially if we are trying something or some place new. Having said that, it took everything I had not to place a hovering hand over my dish so I could have it all to myself.
It would have been unseemly.
Crème Brulee, warm crispy topping and cool custard inside ended the meal for us.
All of the staff was very attentive and very friendly. The owners were circulating, chatting up patrons and overseeing it all.
The only thing I was not pleased with was the size of my Sidecar.
The Sidecar is my favorite drink and I was very excited to see it on the menu.
Quite frankly it was all I thought about on the eight block walk.
It was very well crafted, very delish, just the right amount of tart to sugar rim ratio but it was a very small glass. Although I know it is made with Remy Martin and Cointreau for the price point it was just too tiny.
I had to chose between Sidecars or Charlie’s Fried Chicken and that is just not a choice I want to have to make again.
A prix fixed Brunch begins this weekend.
Since I’ve clearly found my new favorite Bistro, I’m sure I’ll see you there.