No matter how old you are, your birthday is a day that should be cherished (and, of course, celebrated accordingly). But we all know the struggle of having to figure out where to go for your birthday in Hoboken or Jersey City — since there are so many great places to choose from. To help make the planning easier, we’ve rounded up some bars and restaurants that have great deals or special birthday components to make planning easy. From boozy brunches for the super celebratory group, to spots with live music, to more low-key get-togethers like renting private dining rooms, The Hoboken Girl has some creative and fun birthday party ideas worth considering. Keep reading for a list of restaurants and bars in Hudson County that will make for an unforgettable birthday celebration.
Boozy Brunches
For those looking for a fun, daytime event, boozy brunch is the way to go. Brunch is the perfect time to celebrate a birthday in an atmosphere that is exciting and fun. Plus, drink deals are a huge plus.
Barbès | 1300 Park Avenue, Hoboken
Barbès is always a fun visit for brunch. With a host of delicious Mediterranean eats and a variety of fun cocktails (like the Rock’n Moroccan), this makes for a great brunch on a birthday. What’s more, both Barbès and its sister restaurant, La Boheme (233 Clinton Street in Hoboken), bring out sparklers upon request, making the meal extra festive.
Bin 14 Trattoria & Wine Bar | 1314 Washington Street, Hoboken
Hoboken’s first and only wine bar is great for wine lovers – and features a contemporary blend of upscale Italian tapas in an industrial chic space. Bin 14 also has a great brunch deal, where it costs $29 per person to get one appetizer, one entree, and discounted brunch cocktails. You can also customize birthday desserts with candles upon request to make the zeppoles extra special.
The Brass Rail | 135 Washington Street, Hoboken
(Photo Credit: @thebrassrailnj)
For $27 on Saturdays and Sundays, you can enjoy two courses and a complimentary brunch cocktail of your choosing — making this a great spot to celebrate on a budget. Plus, the team also offers complimentary dessert for birthdays.
Read More: Thanksgiving Catering in Hoboken + Jersey City
Halifax Hoboken | 225 River Street, Hoboken
(Photo Credit: @halifax_hoboken)
Located at the W Hotel on the Hudson River waterfront, you’ll find stunning river views and a $32 deal that includes unlimited food (no drinks included). The team also does a “Bubbles Brunch” for $46 that includes unlimited food and 1 bottle of sparkling wine per person — perfect for birthday festivities. This provides both a fun and beautiful ambiance/backdrop for a birthday celebration.
The Madison Bar & Grill | 1316 Washington Street, Hoboken
For $25 per person, The Madison’s buffet includes a choice of one beverage: bloody Mary, mimosa, herbal tea, juice, or a soft drink. You can also add eggs of any style or an omelet to the brunch buffet for $5. For birthday, you can get sparkling candles on any dessert of your choice.
The Stewed Cow | 400 Adams Street, Hoboken
The Stewed Cow is known for its Infamous brunch, served every Saturday and Sunday (11:30AM-3PM). For $26 per person, guests will receive 2 brunch cocktails and 1 entree. In addition, it has a mimosa bar and a build-your-bloody-Mary drink, which is an extra fun way to get your birthday drink on. You can also request to get candles on desserts here.
Spots With Live Music
While a DJ or even playlists are a fun option, live music is what makes a birthday celebration even more memorable. It’s interactive, and nothing is better than getting together and dancing the night away. Below is a list of local spots that offer live music to have fun all night.
Fox & Crow | 594 Palisade Avenue, Jersey City
(Photo Credit: @foxandcrowjc)
This snug, local spot offers beer, cocktails, and elevated pub grub in addition to live music in the backroom. This is for the music lovers who want more of a fun but casual and low-key way to ring in a birthday celebration.
House of ‘Que | 340 Sinatra Drive, Hoboken
Every Friday and Saturday night starting at 8PM, the Dueling Pianos takes center stage with a high-energy, interactive performance by the Flying Ivories. This event includes hits you’ll be able to sing along to as well as song requests, audience games, and more. The lively communal experience is an excellent way to spend a birthday. Plus, visitors can bring a cake, balloons, and the staff will customize desserts upon request. What’s more, if you tell the Flying Ivories it’s your birthday, you’ll get special shout outs and your song requests played.
Willie McBrides | 616 Grand Street, Hoboken
With its extensive indoor space, Wille’s offers live bands every weekend that will certainly give you a shoutout for your birthday in between sets. Plus, the team offers free limo services, where a limo will pick guests at their door or anywhere in Hoboken or surrounding areas. Mover over, Uber — there’s nothing like a limo service to make you feel extra special on your birthday.
Another fun birthday idea is to reserve a private room at a local restaurant. It will not only make eating out feel more special, but you can typically bring your own decorations, cake, music, and customize the space to celebrate. Here are just a few of the many restaurants where you can take advantage of private dining + feel extra special on your birthday — and you can find a bigger list here.
Antique Bar and Bakery | 122 Willow Avenue, Hoboken
While it isn’t a private room, Antique lets you book a section of tables or even rent out the whole restaurant to go all out. Instead of a traditional birthday cake, Antique has a massive bread pudding with a candle and the staff goes all in for the surprise to be special and even pops a bottle for a champagne toast. We already know how good the bread pudding is at Antique — need we say more?
Antique Loft at Riverview | 33 Newark Street, Hoboken
The sister space to Antique Bar + Bakery,“The Loft” is located on the Penthouse Level of the Historic Riverview Plaza building, and it features high tin ceilings, stylish chandeliers, three walls of windows, and a wrap-around terrace. The panoramic backdrop views of the Manhattan + Hoboken skylines make it an incredibly special place to host a birthday party. Plus, managers will work with guests to plan the birthday event of your dreams.
Battello | 502 Washington Boulevard, Jersey City
This modern Italian spot with gorgeous views makes for a special birthday. When it comes to private events, Battello is an excellent choice. The private wine cellar is a great place place for a smaller gathering (it can fit up to 16 guests comfortably) — or you can book the lounge or main dining room for a much larger event. Given that this is a popular wedding venue in the area, you know the team does big + important celebrations well.
Carpe Diem | 1405 Grand Street, Hoboken
The private party room tucked away upstairs offers an excellent space for private birthday parties of all occasions. The room can be arranged with an open space for dancing or in a more conventional dining format. It includes a full service bar with your own bartender for events with 20 people or more. Plus, there’s a wide variety of quality appetizers and entrees, served buffet style. An audio hookup to play your own music is provided or a DJ can be arranged if requested, as well as two large flat screen TV’s with multi-media casting. Upon request, the staff will bring out a cake with a candle for your birthday celebration.
City Bistro | 56 14th Street, Hoboken
This American bistro offers two private event areas located on the second floor: The Front Room Lounge and The Back Dining Room. Plus, there is a DJ on the first floor on the weekends and a roof deck + late-night bar to continue the fun. Cakes and desserts are available with candles to customize for birthday celebrations.
Corgi Spirits Distillery | 1 Distillery Drive, Jersey City
This bring-your-own-food establishment can accommodate small intimate gatherings to groups as large as 120. Live music, such as a DJ or band, can be rented out for a buyout or patio experience. Please note, as a craft distillery, the team is only permitted to serve their own spirits but can work with guests to create a custom cocktail menu.
Dozzino | 534 Adams Street, Hoboken
Guests can rent out a room or the backyard patio at Dozzino and enjoy the most delicious wood-fired pizza and shareable apps. Its casual, hip space makes it a great place to celebrate any occasion and customize your birthday party. Plus, it’s BYOB.
Fire and Oak | 479 Washington Boulevard, Jersey City
Guests can rent out the tavern room, board room, or main dining room for a birthday celebration. Upon request, a warm chocolate cake with a sparkler is available (for $10) — yum.
Franklin Social | 292 Barrow Street, Jersey City
This establishment offers a few different private rooms to rent out — including the Carriage House, the Courtyard, or The Junto Attic Bar. It also has event and brunch packages. If you ask, you can get candles put on a cake or dessert of your choosing to celebrate.
Grand Vin | 500 Grand Street, Hoboken
Customers can rent out the entire space for private birthday parties, customize the space, all while enjoying delicious food, crafty cocktails, and the carefully-curated wine selection in a cozy atmosphere. Restaurant managers will work closely with guests to develop a specific/ customized menu, and you can decorate the space with balloons and sparklers as you would like. For smaller parties, guests will be given a dessert with a candle to celebrate.
Hudson Hound Restaurant & Bar | 8 Erie Street A, Jersey City
Hudson Hound has a private room for gatherings of up to 40 guests. Here, you canl bring in your own cake, decorate however you would like, and use the room all night. Please note this spot only books parties on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Thursday through Sunday is walk-in only, as those days have become too busy to block the room — but hey, this is a great way to celebrate your birthday if it falls on one of these weekdays. There’s also no minimum charge or reservation fee.
Johnny Pepperoni | 219 11th St #4323, Hoboken
(Photo Credit: @johnnypepps)
If you’re looking to host a lively gathering of friends for a milestone birthday, or really any type of celebration, Johnny Pepperoni’s newly-revamped dining room is a great space for a memorable birthday celebration. Plus, it is BYOB and guests can bring cake, decorations, and customize the space as they would like. Staff will sing and they’ll put candles on tiramisu or any specialty desserts.
Kolo Club at Pilsener Haus | 1422 Grand Street, Hoboken
(Photo Credit: @pilsenerhausbiergarten)
This artisan-built loft in uptown Hoboken is available for private catered birthday events of 40 to 160 guests. The management team will work closely with you to tailor to your birthday party planning needs.
Lokal | 2 2nd Street, Jersey City
With a full service bar and in-house kitchen, the banquet menu at Lokal offers a variety of food and beverage options that can meet different needs depending on the kind of party you want to throw. The team also does other special celebrations and events to accommodate many different occasions.
Lola’s Tapas Bar | 153 14th Street, Hoboken
Lola’s unique private party room + wine cellar features a private bar, room for large parties, and a fun and cozy ambiance. It offers family-style plates and will bring food, unlimited wine, sangria, coffee, and desserts out for guests. It has an assortment of birthday desserts, candles, and staff will sing happy birthday.
Porta Jersey City | 135 Newark Avenue, Jersey City
(Photo Credit: @portajerseycity)
Guests have the option to reserve a completely private dining space on the rooftop, in the Main dining room, or the monk room. Event packages are also available at $35 per person for a 2-hour reservation served family style for parties of 20-35. The team will accommodate any of your birthday planning needs, including customizing desserts with candles.
Sirenetta | 1039 Washington Street, Hoboken
Sirenetta celebrates birthdays, anniversaries, + all other special occasions on a daily basis. The team does so with candles in desserts or a message on the dessert plate (such as “Happy Birthday”), or with an after-dinner toast. A new favorite has become an Espresso Martini shot to enjoy alongside the house-made desserts. In addition, Backstage at Sirenetta is an upscale cocktail lounge located at the back of Sirenetta. The intimate atmosphere is perfect for those looking to enjoy a custom-curated cocktail or glass of champagne or a sophisticated place to celebrate a birthday.
Sorellina | 1036 Washington Street, Hoboken
(Photo Credit: @sorellinahoboken)
The semi-private dining room is available to rent out Sunday-Thursday, as well as a full buyout of the restaurant, which is available for cocktail parties or seated brunch + dinner events. All menus are prix fixe and served family style for the table to share. Similar to Sirenetta, it celebrates birthdays with candles in desserts or a message on the dessert plate (such as “Happy Birthday”), or with an after dinner-drink such as an Amaro digestif or a toast of sparkling wine. Cin Cin!
South House | 149 Newark Avenue, Jersey City
At South House, guests can rent out a private dining space — plus, it has a shuffleboard and pool tables to get competitive with your friends or family. Upon request, customers will receive a special dessert with a candle and sparkler — and the servers will sing happy birthday.
The Shepherd and the Knucklehead | 1313 Willow Avenue, Hoboken
At the Shepherd + Knucklehead, celebrating events like birthdays are a huge part of the business — and the team can accommodate large parties where guests are given their own private space to celebrate. The spot has a few different open bar packages — including buffet style trays of food. In addition, specialty birthday ‘shots’ and cocktails are available, and servers will sing happy birthday upon request.
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Unique Ideas
Barcade | 163 Newark Avenue, Jersey City
(Photo Credit: @barcade)
This is the ultimate spot to access your inner child for your birthday (because age is just a number after all). Barcade® is the originator of the arcade bar concept and the largest operator of arcade bars in the United States. Barcade locations feature 40 to 75 video games and pinball machines, mostly from the classic period of the 1980s, as well as 25 to 30 American craft beers on draft. In addition to beer, Barcade locations offer a full bar with craft spirits, cocktails, and creative variations on classic pub food.
Hudson Table | 1403 Clinton Street, Hoboken
Hudson Table is a fun and hands-on venue that offers fully-catered events with customized menus created by one of the in-house chefs, prepared right in front of you. Whether it be a hands-on cooking class, chef’s table, demonstration cooking class, catered event, or a mix of all of them – the team can accommodate any special birthday celebration. Choosing to cook your own birthday dinner with friends or family is sure to make it a party you won’t forget. It’s also BYOB.
15 Fox Place | 15 Fox Place, Jersey City
This true Jersey City hidden gem is an absolute must-visit and sure to make any birthday special. First of all, it’s inside a house — and second of all, this multiple-course meal usually takes hours, turning a normal dinner into a full on event. With its prix-fixe menu and the sheer amount of food to eat, we recommend this spot for a larger group meal.
