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Interior - Light Horse Tavern, Jersey City, NJ

Light Horse Tavern

4.6 (1497)
$30 and under
Contemporary American
199 Washington Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302

Make a reservation

A photo of Light Horse Tavern restaurant

Light Horse Tavern

4.6
$30 and under
Contemporary American
Jersey City

Make a reservation

2 people
11:30 PM
Booked 42 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for happy hour
  • Great for brunch
Set in the heart of historic Jersey City, Light Horse Tavern offers a refined take on seasonal American dining in one of Paulus Hook’s most unique settings. Our philosophy begins with exceptional ingredients, thoughtfully sourced at the height of their season and prepared to preserve their natural character. The menu features a pristine raw bar, fresh market seafood, elegant seasonal dishes, prime steaks, and signature Tavern favorites. Whether joining us for an intimate dinner, leisurely weekend brunch, cocktails at the bar, or afternoon lunch, guests enjoy warm hospitality in a sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere. Our wine and cocktail program complements the kitchen. Join us in historic Paulus Hook, just steps from the Jersey City waterfront.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–3:00 pm Lunch Tue–Fri 11:30 am–5:00 pm Dinner Mon 4:30 pm–10:00 pm Tue, Wed, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Light Horse Tavern can do catered events. For more information please ask to speak to our Private Events Coordinator.
  • Private party facilities
    Light Horse Tavern offers a private dining room available for brunch, lunch and dinner events as well as cocktail receptions.
  • Neighborhood
    Jersey City
  • Cross street
    Morris Street
  • Parking details
    Street parking is available around Light Horse Tavern. We also offers discounted parking for three hours at the ProPark Madox Building. The parking garage entrance is located one block west of the us on Morris St. The address of the parking garage building is 198 Van Vorst Street. Bring your ticket and ask to have it validated at the restaurant.
  • Public transit
    Light Horse Tavern is conveniently situated next to several public transit stops. The Essex Street stop on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is two blocks from the restaurant. The Exchange Place Path station is a 10 minute walk. The Paulus Hook Ferry terminal is a 10 minute walk. The Grove Street Path station is a 15-20 minute walk.
  • Entertainment
    Light Horse Tavern Live Music Series:Showcasing Different Artists Throughout The Week: Mondays & Wednesdays-- Live Guitar, Tuesdays-- Live Piano, Sundays-- Live Piano & Bass.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Beer, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wine
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Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Light Horse Tavern.

4.6

4.6
(1497)
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Hudson

    Great for brunch

  • Hudson

    Neighborhood gem

  • Hudson

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Hudson

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Light Horse Tavern offers "delicious food" and "excellent service" in a charming "old school" tavern setting. With "great atmosphere" and "live music," it's a favorite in Jersey City. The menu is creatively "fresh," with standout dishes like "smoked salmon benedict" and "swordfish Milanese." Enjoy dining indoors or outdoors.
1,497 Reviews
  1. Jenny Gold

    New York City32 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Varied brunch menu is flavorful. The 3 eggs Benedict choices are delicious with a choice of fries or salad. Early afternoon was quiet, but weekend evenings are usually lively and occasionally noisy with live music and good vibrations. Food is well prepared, presented simply and delicious. If one can get to dessert, the choices are very tasty. Menus are seasonal but will always have the neighborhood favorites.

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  2. David

    New York City12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 18, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Lighthorse is always a comforting, old school Tavern with great food and drinks. The live music was the icing on the cake. We had a very relaxing evening. The dark wood decor adds to the calming atmosphere of a great Jersey City eatery.

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on October 11, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We dine at the Light Horse Tavern at least once a week and we always experience delicious food and excellent service! It's our go-to neighborhood restaurant!

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  4. Frank Gold

    New York City7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 11, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great atmosphere, great food and very good service! All in all a terrific experience.

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  5. Taylor

    Toronto16 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 10, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful restaurant. We went for brunch and got the smoked salmon benedict, absolutely delicious.

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  6. Nicole

    New York City1 review

    4.0

    Dined on October 10, 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Took a while to get food/drinks. Food was decent. Vibes are great

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  7. Daniel Gold

    New Jersey129 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 29, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This is a good place with good food and great service.

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  8. Dan Gold

    Fort Lauderdale56 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 20, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love this place... they are always updating and keeping everything fresh with regular changes to 'tweek' the menu, music & surroundings. Never a bad experience here!

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  9. Margaret

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 15, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Consistently good food and a variety of options for your wallet. A neighborhood favorite.

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  10. Damian Gold

    New York City21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on September 9, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Tess and Jordan were great. Accommodated our party of 6 celebrating dual birthdays. Manager wasn’t friendly. Despite many outdoor tables available and we used empty outdoor chairs to set our bags/gifts he wanted to make it a point that he would want those chairs even when others were free. Bizarre and unnecessary to flex his authority. That was the only disappointing part but Tess (server) and Jordan (Matri’d) were great and made up for that unpleasantness.

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–3:00 pm Lunch Tue–Fri 11:30 am–5:00 pm Dinner Mon 4:30 pm–10:00 pm Tue, Wed, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Light Horse Tavern can do catered events. For more information please ask to speak to our Private Events Coordinator.
  • Private party facilities
    Light Horse Tavern offers a private dining room available for brunch, lunch and dinner events as well as cocktail receptions.
  • Neighborhood
    Jersey City
  • Cross street
    Morris Street
  • Parking details
    Street parking is available around Light Horse Tavern. We also offers discounted parking for three hours at the ProPark Madox Building. The parking garage entrance is located one block west of the us on Morris St. The address of the parking garage building is 198 Van Vorst Street. Bring your ticket and ask to have it validated at the restaurant.
  • Public transit
    Light Horse Tavern is conveniently situated next to several public transit stops. The Essex Street stop on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is two blocks from the restaurant. The Exchange Place Path station is a 10 minute walk. The Paulus Hook Ferry terminal is a 10 minute walk. The Grove Street Path station is a 15-20 minute walk.
  • Entertainment
    Light Horse Tavern Live Music Series:Showcasing Different Artists Throughout The Week: Mondays & Wednesdays-- Live Guitar, Tuesdays-- Live Piano, Sundays-- Live Piano & Bass.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Beer, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wine
Gift card

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FAQs

Yes, families are regulars at Light Horse Tavern: reviewers describe bringing toddlers and enjoying brunch or dinner there, so parents can expect a family-friendly neighborhood vibe.

Portions at Light Horse Tavern tend to be generous, guests describe the fried chicken sandwich as substantial, note several entrées as hearty, and say the poutine is large enough to share.

Yes, Light Horse Tavern is well suited to date night, with cozy corners for conversation, a polished tavern atmosphere, and guests praising its food and cocktails for special evenings.

Light Horse Tavern fills up during busy lunch rushes and can be packed on Saturday nights, while quiet weeknights are described as calmer and more relaxed.

Yes, Light Horse Tavern offers outdoor seating; guests frequently mention sitting outside on the patio and enjoying the atmosphere.

Light Horse Tavern feels like a warm, historic tavern, high ceilings, a grand piano, and two levels (a balcony overlooks the main room) with live music often adding to the evening; there are also quieter dining areas for more intimate conversation.

Casual dress, comfortable, everyday clothing is appropriate for a visit to Light Horse Tavern.

Dogs are commonly seen on the outdoor seating, several guests describe sitting outside with their dogs and enjoying the patio.

Go for weekend brunch, Light Horse Tavern’s weekend brunch (Sat–Sun, 10:30–3:00) is a popular pick for people-watching and outdoor seating; for live music try a Sunday evening when pianists have played around 5:30 pm.

Light Horse Tavern offers indoor dining across two levels (the second-floor balcony overlooks the main room), a bar, and attractive outdoor/patio seating that’s great in good weather.

Yes, the patio regularly welcomes diners with dogs: multiple guests mention sitting outside with their dogs and other patrons dining with theirs.

Weekends for brunch, Saturday and Sunday brunch (10:30 am–3:00 pm) are a guest favorite at Light Horse Tavern.

How FAQ content is generated

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  2. United States
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Make a reservation

A photo of Light Horse Tavern restaurant

Light Horse Tavern

4.6
$30 and under
Contemporary American
Jersey City

Make a reservation

2 people
11:30 PM
Booked 42 times today
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