Barge Inn

Reviews

• April L.

  star star star star star 4 October 2026

  I've been coming here for years.  Great food.  You must try the scungilli salad and the pork chop bitsy.  Both dishes were prepared well and delicious.  The pork chops were very thick and had an excellent sauce.  It absolutely had peppers, onions, mushrooms and potatoes.  The portion was huge.  It's definitely a dish to share.  
  
  I can't wait to dine here again.  They do a great job.

• Jesse S.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 4 October 2026

  I've lived in JC for two years now and have walked past this spot too often. The tiny handwritten sign on the window about pasta night always caught my attention, but it wasn't until I had a guest in town that mentioned pasta that I thought to return.
  
  Although I knew what I was there for, I looked at the reviews in advance and made a reservation due to the size and seeking a prime dinner time table. It was raining that night, but there were plenty of open seats. Based on the reviews I also had some hesitation about the service. They couldn't have been more correct - you might as well serve yourself. There were two servers on that night. One dark haired server that was hustling to try her best to get to everybody and one blonde server who's entitlement may suggest that she's the owner. The blonde was more interested in striking up a conversation with a couple of people she knew than actually serving the tables.
  
  After placing our initial order the blinders went up for the staff. Nobody to check back on the table and oddly wouldn't even look in our direction to be able to get their attention. Quite the accomplishment for a venue of this size. Interested in parmesan and chili flakes, we ended up taking them from another table that had just left. A refill of water, out of the question. Finished your pasta and wanted another, good luck. After I'd say 5-7 minutes of looking around for help we raised our hand and the blonde server was not having it. She said, "What can I do for you. This is pasta night. Everybody just relaxes and has a good time." A great motto if you felt like they were ever going to return to the table and you wanted to settle in for 4 hours. After that she took note of our requests and disappeared. The other server came over a few minutes later to ask what we needed since it was apparently too much for the blonde to pass along an order. The real highlight was actually the gentleman that brings out the food, I believe he's one of the chefs. He was charismatic and in the few moments he was at the table brought a welcoming local family business vibe.
  
  Overall the pasta was pretty good. I highly recommend adding on the sausage or meatballs. You get a good portion or protein for just $5 and it adds a lot to the meal. Certainly a good spot if you can put away a lot of pasta and want some quality.
  
  I rarely say this, but I can with quite some confidence in this case, that I will NEVER return. The pasta night looks to be a foot in the door for a larger menu where the prices are much higher than I expected considering the all you can eat pasta price. Initially I was intrigued at some of the items on the larger menu, but for the costs and nearby restaurants, I certainly would expect to be treated better.

• Jackie G.

  star star star star star_border 20 September 2026

  Highly recommend the clams oreganato and the chicken parm. Many people seem to like the veal a la Barge, which was good but nothing to write home about.
  
  This place is pretty quirky. You would never notice it if you walked by, and the inside is a ecclectic mix of Italian murals, white table cloths, and a fake fireplace. There are very few people working here, and it feels a little like a one woman show as the waitress is also the busboy is also the bartender.  Also the food takes prettttyyy long to come out, so I suspect there's only one person working the back too.
  
  The menu is not large (which I appreciate) and is comprised of only Italian American classics. Entrees are served with a salad (very minimal, kind of wilty) and pasta.
  
  We had no trouble sitting on a Friday night even though some reviews reference the need for a reservation.  The bar had a couple of regulars chatting the night away.

• Sara B.

  star star star star star 16 September 2026

  I can't believe that I waited so long to try Barge Inn. This has got to be the best Italian meal that I've had in Jersey City / Hoboken, and is possibly some of the best Italian food that I've had ever. Whenever I'm craving a classic red sauce meal in downtown JC it's hard to figure out where to go. Barge Inn is small and sort of flies under the radar, so I usually don't think to come here. Now they will definitely be at the tippy top of the list.
  
  The space is small and cozy - probably around 10 tables. There is also a long bar area where you can sit and order food. Just be sure to call ahead - especially if you plan to visit on a weekend!
  
  The meal kicked off with a hot loaf of bread and butter and some vino. The Barge Inn has a full bar and bottles of wine are fairly priced, around 30 dollars. I wanted to try everything on the menu, and there were also a ton of specials. We ended up sharing chicken parm, stuffed rigatoni vodka and a side order of meatballs. Everything was perfection - the parm was perfectly crispy and smothered in cheese. Up until now I haven't found quality chicken parm in downtown JC and I'm happy to report that it exists here. The order is a little pricey at $22 but it comes with two large pieces, pasta and a house salad. The meatballs were so juicy and smothered in the most delicious red sauce. But the star of the show was the rigatoni - pillowy goodness stuffed with ricotta and pancetta and topped in some of the most delicious vodka sauce that I've ever tasted.
  
  We were completely stuffed by the end of the meal. This was alot of food for two people but is completely worth it. Because the space is small I'm assuming the kitchen is pretty small too. It did take quite a bit of time for our entrees to come out, but it's completely worth the wait. Just don't come here if you are in a rush. I had no problem waiting in the cozy space with a glass of red wine.
  
  I'm looking forward to returning again and again. Especially on a Thursday night when they have their endless pasta special. This is the perfect place for a hearty and classic Italian meal. I'm just mad that it took me 5+ years of JC restaurant hopping to discover it.

• Judith M.

  star star star star star_border 7 September 2026

  This is a tiny spot with BIG food
  The ambiance and decor are not earth shattering, but your meal will be. I have dined here many times and only once did I have a bad experience ( I'm letting it slide because this last visit made up for it).
  
  We went for Restaurant week and got the very well priced $38 menu. That included appetizers, entree and dessert. They also served a house salad that was delicious and fresh. We shared appetizers  the artichoke and fried calamari. They were both delicious and the marinara for the calamari was spicy and tasty.
  
  For an entree I ordered the pork chop with sweet and hot peppers. The double cut pork chop was good sized and the peppers were really complimentary. My friend had the flounder macchiare and actually joined the clean plate club. She said the Sunday gravy is the best in town.
  
  For dessert I had the bread pudding in a warm caramel sauce. It was really good! It was so big I took b.c it home!
  
  The service was great and the sangria special hit the spot! I'll be back and you should go too!