Hamilton Pork

What do you do when you have a sudden urge for BBQ? You start looking up BBQ restaurants in your area. Although there were a few to pick from, I decided to try out Hamilton Pork. I ordered for pickup, so there’s not much for me to say regarding the service, but they did give me a call to let me know when my order was ready so that’s nice.
The ambiance of the restaurant was nice and although it doesn’t look like from the outside, it’s a fairly large space. It wasn’t too packed for a Sunday evening.
I ordered the BBQ ribs (which I only tend to eat once a year) and they were fairly good. The meat was tender and relatively juicy. The sauce was a little sweeter than I anticipated, but I could roll with it. The ribs did not come with any sides, but it was a filling meal with about 4 ribs total.
I also received a flyer that called out the different specials such as taco Tuesdays and endless happy hours. I’m definitely keeping it in my back pocket for a place that I’ll return to with friends in the neighborhood.

Good BBQ spot in Jersey City. Had the triple decker sandwich which included smoked chicken, brisket, and bacon. Had lettuce and a spicy mayo on it. Very good. Had a cold beer to wash it down. Good spot. Little pricy, thus the no full 5 stars. Would recommend to check these guys out.

Well I must say that we were a bit hesitant trying this place after reading and hearing mixed reviews, but I’m glad we checked this spot out.
For those who don’t know, this place is owned by the Hamilton Inn folks and is literally half a block from Hamilton Inn in the nice Hamilton park neighborhood.
We had a great experience from start to end, came here on Thursday evening and the place was quite packed. We were immediately seats by the hostess, they have indoor as well the outdoor space, it’s quite spacious inside and not cramped at all.
We ordered pulled pork torta with a side of Cole slaw and chicken sandwich with side of Mexican corn. First off both sides were super delicious specially the Mexican streets corn. I liked how torta was served with a twist (open faced), meat was flavorful.
If I had to pick on something, I’d say that the chicken sandwich was on the dry side and could use some sauce… they do have bbq sauce on the table.
Overall a welcome addition to jersey city downtown!

I ate probably everything off the menu. This is our née go to spot now for BBQ. The sides are good. The Mexican street corn anod the mac and cheese are excellent… the sweet mashed potatoes are the girlfriends favorite. The baby back ribs are almost as good as the ones I make… The brisket and pulled pork have good flavor. You have to get the Churros dessert.

Really good. 4 of us stopped in and ordered a variety of items to share. We had pork ribs, beef ribs, brisket, Mexican Street corn, Jalapeño cornbread, and beans. Husband had two beers, not sure what my companions drank.
The brisket was good, not dried out at all. The ribs were great. Wasn’t thrilled with the cornbread but I like my own better. The corn was good.
Menu is a bit pricey but that’s to be expected, right? Music was extremely loud and focused mostly on the 70s, with a few 60s & 80s tunes thrown in. Did they notice we were old & aimed for our HS years?
Fun night, really great service. Matter of fact, service was exceptional and fun!

Update. … after our bad experience we were contacted by the manager and invited via gift card to return.
i have to say much improved…
What we ordered:
Baby Back Ribs: (tender well flavored meat fell off bone awesome)
Brisket: (tender and juicy 2 thumbs up)
Sweet potato hash: (wow… creamy, tasty they also add Pecans on top … really nice touch)
Chips and guacamole: fantastic ;)
Desert:
Waffle with ice cream (pretty good definitely order again)
2 thumbs up will return. …

Note that there are no free refills. I thought this was America not the Soviet Union. Might as well rename the restaurant Moscow Pork.
Food was good had pulled pork sandwich. Didn’t like how they didn’t include sides.
Def coming back

Ok The drinks were watered down and the glassss are so tiny. The tacos were yummy but not worth 5 dollars a piece ! Service was slow and it was a slow day Probably a new waiter? Paid 30 dollars for 2 pork tacos and 1 lemonade and 1 small «brunch drink » Overall I wouldn’t go back. Good BBQ? These reviewers other probably never been out of town.

Great ambiance and service! Good music and energy overall. Super expensive drinks and very small dishes. The brisket was extremely dry — we did not even eat it. Lamb Belly was delicious and so were the spicy wings and cornbread. We ordered a good variety of dishes and overall had a nice meal. The street corn was not a winner for me, I like Queso Fresco to have some texture but this cheese was all cream. Not sure if I will be back. I am curious about the ribs…

Solid 3.5 stars. other Unilocalers have been spot on!
There is a lot to like about Hamilton Pork. I love the outdoor seating and the ambiance of the restaurant. it’s a very chill and relaxed atmosphere and they played great music. The service was fine, if a bit inattentive. I liked the vibe of the bar a lot, but I do wish the drinks were cheaper (or that the draft beer selection was better and more extensive). I did not like how our food was served. I hate those tiny metal trays, and BBQ is far too messy to contain on them.
As for the food. this isn’t Mighty Quinn’s (which probably has my vote for the best BBQ around) but it is pretty good! Some things were better than others. In general, their style of BBQ is on the dry side. The sauce on your table is not a suggestion but a requirement.
The spicy slaw was by far our favorite of the night. 5 stars for this! It was extremely flavorful and had a subtle kick that built with each bite.
The brisket was the biggest disappointment. The flavor and smokiness were there, but it was too dry and the amount you get for $ 14 is simply not worth it. I really hope they do something about this. I could probably say the same for a sandwich I got (the triple decker), which cost $ 11 on its own with no sides or fries and ends up being more bread than meat. It was a tasty sandwich regardless and I really did like the chipotle mayo on it.
We also got the baked beans which were pretty good. I wish the flavor had been a little stronger (more pepper or spice maybe?), but the real issue is that they were pretty soupy and didn’t have much meat in them.
I’ll probably come back, but I do wish they’d adjust their prices some. Maybe a happy hour food menu with some cheap sliders on it or something? That would be great!

This place is amazing. Set right in the heart of Hamilton area of Jersey City. The smells as you walk in are overwhelming in the best way. There is outdoor seating available at 3 oversized picnic tables. Inside is a big bar that you can also eat and any many tables for seating. Your welcomed into the restaurant by friendly hosted and a bug sign that says «smoking» with the most amazing scents coming from the actual smoker. We had to wait for a table because we didn’t make a reservation and they sat us in about 15 minutes which was great. I went with my boyfriend and another couple so we got to try a few dishes. By far, the best part was what I ordered, THE RIBS! A must have. And the red sangria is so tasty. Not too sweet and lots of fruit. The cornbread was a little bit dry to my taste but the jalapeño flavor was great. Despite being so full we had to try the churro waffle Ice cream sandwich. I can’t wait to come back!

I feel blessed to have a BBQ smokehouse so close to home. What an easy way to get your fix.
The ambiance is spot on for a BBQ place, with the exposed brick walls and open dining hall-​style layout. And the intoxicating smoky smell.
Where this place fell short was in the quality of the food. Everything was mediocre at best and nothing blew me away. The pork belly was interesting in the fact that it was more like ham, and was actually unique and tasty. What ruined it was the fact that it was so damn salty. Mind you, I love salt and tend to over-​salt my food, but this stuff was too much, even for me. One piece will probably give you enough sodium for a whole day.
Aside from that, the brisket was dry and hard to swallow, although it did have some tender & juicy parts. The beef rib was so boring, it almost put me to sleep. Extremely dry and lacking in flavor. The lamb belly was actually really good, and another a very unique item, but sadly, also could’ve used a bit less salt.

Let’s get right to the point:
The baby back ribs are delicious. My husband and I always (the three times we’ve been there) share a half rack and are perfectly full.
The fries are fresh cut tasting and taste homemade.
Sometimes they have happy hour but I always go for the Moscow mule. Tasty, but I drink it in like three slurps so it could probably be a tad bit bigger (or less ice) for the money.
This spot has room for improvements but I give it 4 outta 5 for now!

Because it’s sister restaurant next door was full we had to settle for this one. This was a brunch visit so I didn’t want to go for the heavy duty stuff like the ribs and pulled pork. I kept it simple with the Grande breakfast which hit the spot but the presentation was kinda eh it looked like a prison tray, which is sensible as it’s a nice portion. Nothing was particularly exceptional about the meal except the bacon which had a great smoky flavor. The Huevos benedictos was ok, and came with a brisket that was pretty nice but Ive had similar comparable entrees that were far better. I’d consider another try here for dinner and the set up inside is nice but Hamilton inn definitely is better choice between the two based on a first visit to both.

This is a new restaurant right next to Hamilton inn with the same owners but different themes. This place is all about meat! And specifically BBQ with a tex-​mex style.
I like how big the menu is! Initially I was hesitant to come here because I didn’t think they had very many options. Boy was I wrong! The menu is pretty extensive and has lots of delicious sounding things. A lot of traditional foods like corn bread and Mac and cheese but some with a twist!
For better or worse, I came here for brunch on a Saturday morning. The brunch was quite good! But I was bummed that I couldn’t try everything else at the same time! I ordered the Huevos Benedictos as I love eggs Benedict. This was great because it included avocado and had a really tasty sauce. The eggs were perfect and I liked how the potatoes were fully cooked but crispy on the outside! Mine also came with a choice of meat and I chose the brisket. It was good!
They also have some great drink specials but didn’t try any this time. One critique was that when I asked for hot water it was brought in a regular water glass and was too hot to hold. Do they not have any mugs? Possibly…
I also tasted some of the waffle dish but it was a bit of a letdown. The bacon was great though.
Overall the service was good although seemed a little overly concerned. This might be due to it having just opened though. Will definitely be back anyways!

A friend told me about this place only because his friend lives in the neighborhood. I would have never discovered it because the restaurant is hidden on a quiet side street. I visited on a Friday night. We had dinner reservations for 7:30pm and as soon as we arrived they sat us down. There was not much of a crowd as I would have expected for a new bbq restaurant. The restaurant is on a quiet side street and as a plus they have outdoor seating.
We started off with a maple old fashioned drink. We ordered ribs and the brisket which were both very well done and tasty. One suggestion is they should consider changing the bottles for the bbq sauce. The bbq sauce on the table was difficult to pour and it became a bit frustrating because the nozzle of the bottle is too small. We ordered the sweet mashed potato with nuts and the mac and cheese… delicious. The sweet mash melts in your mouth and the sweetness was to perfection. I wasn’t a big fan of the jalapeño corn bread mostly because I like a sweetness to my cornbread and this one was a bit bland. For dessert they have 1 item on the menu, warm waffle churro ice cream sandwich… Amazing and is a great finish to the meal.
Overall, I enjoyed the restaurant, good chill ambiance, service was good and the food was exceptional. I plan on returning soon and next time trying more of their dishes.

Solid food, service, and ambience — a welcome addition to the neighborhood, and my husband and I will definitely return.
I was very happy with my brisket tostada and lamb belly taco, which were packed with flavor and also good value for money. Our dessert, a churro ice cream sandwich, was just divine. We sat at the bar for happy hour, and the bartender was genial and offered compelling recommendations.

We came here for lunch. We ordered the mac and cheese, the lamb belly, and the pulled pork. He got a beer and I got a cocktail. I was so excited for barbecue! You can smell this place from down the block! It was going to be amazing!!!
Alas. Everything was okay, but it was almost a disappointment. I love the kitchen at Hamilton Inn, and even though it’s pricy the food is always good an interesting. These were 3 traditional solid dishes, with small portions for the price. The lamb was by far the best, but still the price seemed pretty steep. I wouldn’t come back unless they have some great deals or happy hours offers.
I hope they re-​think their prices or menu and stay in buisness. There’s so much potential for a good barbacue place in this neighborhood, especially as we get closer to summer.

There are some good things and some room for improvement with this restaurant, but the best thing is that it has really great potential and I hope it finds its footing.
One problem is that people generally don’t realize it exits. It’s on a side street and personally I’ve seen no advertising for it. People can’t go somewhere if they don’t know about it.
The space is actually really nice, a good layout and design for a BBQ place. Five stars for that.
My friend and I split the ribs and the brisket. Portions are only available in ¾ lb increments. Waiter said they were originally ½ lb but people complained that it was too little. Personally I’d prefer ½ lb but obviously you can’t please everyone, and apparently «the masses» wanted ¾. So, ok, that’s fine.
Brisket was good, nice and tender. Ribs were also good, meat fell off the bone.
Cornbread was just average, and would benefit from some honey or butter along with it. Burnt End Beans were not good at all. Borderline bad. Zero flavor, not even a hint of flavor. I mean, these need a complete re-​boot to be on the menu.
Staff was very nice.
In short, I think some items on the menu may benefit from revisiting the recipe, but most of all this restaurant just needs to make its presence known. I hope they succeed, as a BBQ place in downtown is much needed.

Hamilton Pork is really easy to miss. From the outside, it doesn’t look like a grand BBQ joint. And after trying the food, I would say that it lives up to its appearance.
My boyfriend and I came in on a Thursday at around 8. It doesn’t look like it, but the place is actually pretty big on the inside. That, or maybe the empty tables just made it feel bigger.
To start, we ordered the nachos. It comes with your choice of brisket, chicken, or shrimp — then topped with beans, jalapeños, crema, guacamole, and cheese. These were okay but I think that was just because we were pretty hungry. I’ve definitely had better nachos elsewhere. Plus, the brisket was kind of dry.
For sides, we had the Mexican street corn and the jalapeño sausage. The corn was alright but I wish they put more cotija on there, as opposed to just ¹⁄₆ of the corn (just the top sliver). The jalapeño sausage was not on their official menu but it was written on their menu board. A more accurate name for it would be mushy, spicy hot dog. I believe there were 3 of them for $ 3.50, so I guess that should have been a red flag.
For my entrée, I was afraid to go with any more pork since the brisket from the nachos were pretty dry. So I went the triple deck sandwich (pulled BBQ chicken, smoked bacon, jalapeño, avocado, spicy mayo). This was very underwhelming. The bread they used was not good and everything was just falling apart. He got the pork ribs, which I thought was kind of dry and super salty.
Drinks are expensive. Manhattan prices in New Jersey. NO.
But I guess everything there is pretty expensive in general.
We really wanted to like this place. It looks cool and it’s literally down the block from my boyfriend’s apartment. The only good thing about this experience was their BBQ sauce. But I wonder if they even made it…