Great food and service. Traditional Italian fare. You could smell the garlic cooking from outside. They fit us in on a busy night. Seems like a family business. Loud inside by that is to be expected. Enjoyed the evening.
Kate M.
Had a really nice dinner with my boyfriend's family and my parents here for my boyfriend's birthday dinner. Food was very good and service was pretty fast especially for a party of 7 but the reason I'm giving a 3 star rating is because the waitress went up to my 70 year old father, who just paid a $321 bill and told him we need to leave. We weren't even there for the 90 min limit maybe an hour and 15 min tops...but to tell my 70 year old dad after paying a pricey bill.....on top of that charging $15 each for 3 small desserts we need to leave? Prob won't return
Pinky N.
Classic NJ Italian in every way. Fun and lively atmosphere, friendly service. BYO. They don't take reservations - we were there on a fairly busy night and I liked that the host was ruthlessly fair about seating - party must be complete and there when the table is ready, otherwise on to the next. We sat outside which was really nice - felt the atmosphere but it wasn't too loud. We tried a bunch of pastas. Portions are generous, and the food is straight forward. My friend thought the meat sauce was one of the best he has had, and I also really enjoyed the vodka sauce. The arrabbiata had a real kick! I loved the super garlicky garlic bread. My eggplant parm was a little too oily, but I still enjoyed it. The desserts were also nice - a ladyfinger dense tiramisu and very lemony limoncello float. Would recommend if you're in the area and craving simple, classic Italian food.
Tejas Joshi
Recently, my friends and I had a really poor experience at a cafe Michelina. The waiter was extremely rude. My two friends and I were surprised to be charged $5 fee sharing fees for each plate. Additionally, even though there were three of us, the waiter stubbornly wouldn't provide extra plates. The service was terrible, deserving a score of 0 out of 10 (I'd opt for negative stars if that were an option), and the food was barely any better and overpriced, earning a 0.5 out of 10. I definitely don't recommend this place to anyone. The ambiance was mediocre as well.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Amanda Lusk
I saw the pasta flights on Instagram and just had to try them! The pesto was in the top 3 best I have had, the vodka penne was creamy and the cacio e pepe was buttery and full of pepper! Our server was so helpful, funny and amazingly nice. Definitely would say our party had an amazing night.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Penne Vodka
Chloe Bergman-Ray
I had been wanting to try this place for years as there is always a line outside. The service was good, but the food was just mediocre and overpriced. Nice that its BYOB, but the place itself and menu needs some updating (not many veg options).Vegetarian options: Not very many vegetarian options!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Andrew C.
Wow what a letdown after a (mostly) delicious meal to find out that the soggy, salty, overly buttery side of vegetables I ordered alongside my meal cost a staggering $16. That's just rude. Even the waitress did not seem surprised by this ridiculous cost so I guess that's the era we're living in now.
David Frank
The place was packed with a very large party and it made service less than ideal. Also they included gratuity on a party of four and they included the tax in the tip.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Andrew Watson
Had high hopes for this place but was disappointed. It is extremely overpriced, even for Hoboken. $35+ for a plate of pasta, I might as well stay in Manhattan. I could understand the price if the atmosphere was better but even that lacked. Tipping suggestions start at 20% and go up to 25% (although you can add however much you'd like). The food was fine, but the price just made it not worth it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Rigatoni
Jasmin Solis
This place really disappointed me. I wanted to eat high quality, homemade like Italian food. I decided to give this restaurant a try, I ordered meatballs and spaghetti. First the pasta was over cooked, the sauce tasted like the kind of sauce that you bought in a supermarket, not even the bottle kind, but the can cheap sauce. It tasted so bad. The meatballs had a fatty taste. You don't get parmesan cheese on the side, who in the world doesn't get cheese to top up your pasta? This is an Italian restaurant for God sake. On top of that no utensils eventhoughi asked when placed the order. For this bad experience I paid $59 including tip.
It was our first time trying this place while visiting a local friend that made a reservation for us here. It was a small place with tables kinda crammed together. The food was well worth it though. We ordered calamari, ceasar salad, mozzarella sticks, gnocchi with vodka with a chicken cutlet, and penne with vodka and a chicken cutlet. I LOVE the option of adding a chicken cutlet to every entrée!!! more Italian restaurants should take note. The burrata was a great touch too. We also ordered dessert to go and the tiramisu was creamy and full of flavor. When we come back to the area, we will definitely make a point to stop here again! Reminded me of my hometowns Italian restaurants in PA.
Patrick B.
I've been going to Cafe Michelina for over 7 years and it's truly one of my favorite spots in town. The broccoli appetizer, stuffed rigatoni with chicken in a vodka sauce and the chicken murphy are some of my favorite dishes. The reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is the rising prices. I totally get inflation and things are more expensive than they used to be, but for a super casual spot prices to me have felt a bit high as of late. Other than that no complaints. Cheers.
Adz
Excellent
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Matthew S.
If you want old-school Italian, Cafe Michelina is your spot! The penne arrabiata with sausage is awesome, I get it every time I go. The zucchini sticks are also a fave. And the vibe inside is great--a bit loud, bustling, and lots of fun.
Ej Carannante
Best moderately priced Italian spot BYOB in Hoboken.
Great food and service. Traditional Italian fare. You could smell the garlic cooking from outside. They fit us in on a busy night. Seems like a family business. Loud inside by that is to be expected. Enjoyed the evening.
Had a really nice dinner with my boyfriend's family and my parents here for my boyfriend's birthday dinner. Food was very good and service was pretty fast especially for a party of 7 but the reason I'm giving a 3 star rating is because the waitress went up to my 70 year old father, who just paid a $321 bill and told him we need to leave. We weren't even there for the 90 min limit maybe an hour and 15 min tops...but to tell my 70 year old dad after paying a pricey bill.....on top of that charging $15 each for 3 small desserts we need to leave? Prob won't return
Classic NJ Italian in every way. Fun and lively atmosphere, friendly service. BYO. They don't take reservations - we were there on a fairly busy night and I liked that the host was ruthlessly fair about seating - party must be complete and there when the table is ready, otherwise on to the next. We sat outside which was really nice - felt the atmosphere but it wasn't too loud. We tried a bunch of pastas. Portions are generous, and the food is straight forward. My friend thought the meat sauce was one of the best he has had, and I also really enjoyed the vodka sauce. The arrabbiata had a real kick! I loved the super garlicky garlic bread. My eggplant parm was a little too oily, but I still enjoyed it. The desserts were also nice - a ladyfinger dense tiramisu and very lemony limoncello float. Would recommend if you're in the area and craving simple, classic Italian food.
Recently, my friends and I had a really poor experience at a cafe Michelina. The waiter was extremely rude. My two friends and I were surprised to be charged $5 fee sharing fees for each plate. Additionally, even though there were three of us, the waiter stubbornly wouldn't provide extra plates. The service was terrible, deserving a score of 0 out of 10 (I'd opt for negative stars if that were an option), and the food was barely any better and overpriced, earning a 0.5 out of 10. I definitely don't recommend this place to anyone. The ambiance was mediocre as well.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
I saw the pasta flights on Instagram and just had to try them! The pesto was in the top 3 best I have had, the vodka penne was creamy and the cacio e pepe was buttery and full of pepper! Our server was so helpful, funny and amazingly nice. Definitely would say our party had an amazing night.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Penne Vodka
I had been wanting to try this place for years as there is always a line outside. The service was good, but the food was just mediocre and overpriced. Nice that its BYOB, but the place itself and menu needs some updating (not many veg options).Vegetarian options: Not very many vegetarian options!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 4
Wow what a letdown after a (mostly) delicious meal to find out that the soggy, salty, overly buttery side of vegetables I ordered alongside my meal cost a staggering $16. That's just rude. Even the waitress did not seem surprised by this ridiculous cost so I guess that's the era we're living in now.
The place was packed with a very large party and it made service less than ideal. Also they included gratuity on a party of four and they included the tax in the tip.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Had high hopes for this place but was disappointed. It is extremely overpriced, even for Hoboken. $35+ for a plate of pasta, I might as well stay in Manhattan. I could understand the price if the atmosphere was better but even that lacked. Tipping suggestions start at 20% and go up to 25% (although you can add however much you'd like). The food was fine, but the price just made it not worth it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Rigatoni
This place really disappointed me. I wanted to eat high quality, homemade like Italian food. I decided to give this restaurant a try, I ordered meatballs and spaghetti. First the pasta was over cooked, the sauce tasted like the kind of sauce that you bought in a supermarket, not even the bottle kind, but the can cheap sauce. It tasted so bad. The meatballs had a fatty taste. You don't get parmesan cheese on the side, who in the world doesn't get cheese to top up your pasta? This is an Italian restaurant for God sake. On top of that no utensils eventhoughi asked when placed the order. For this bad experience I paid $59 including tip.
Food: 1
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
It was our first time trying this place while visiting a local friend that made a reservation for us here. It was a small place with tables kinda crammed together. The food was well worth it though. We ordered calamari, ceasar salad, mozzarella sticks, gnocchi with vodka with a chicken cutlet, and penne with vodka and a chicken cutlet. I LOVE the option of adding a chicken cutlet to every entrée!!! more Italian restaurants should take note. The burrata was a great touch too. We also ordered dessert to go and the tiramisu was creamy and full of flavor. When we come back to the area, we will definitely make a point to stop here again! Reminded me of my hometowns Italian restaurants in PA.
I've been going to Cafe Michelina for over 7 years and it's truly one of my favorite spots in town. The broccoli appetizer, stuffed rigatoni with chicken in a vodka sauce and the chicken murphy are some of my favorite dishes. The reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is the rising prices. I totally get inflation and things are more expensive than they used to be, but for a super casual spot prices to me have felt a bit high as of late. Other than that no complaints. Cheers.
Excellent
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If you want old-school Italian, Cafe Michelina is your spot! The penne arrabiata with sausage is awesome, I get it every time I go. The zucchini sticks are also a fave. And the vibe inside is great--a bit loud, bustling, and lots of fun.
Best moderately priced Italian spot BYOB in Hoboken.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5