For those wanting to get off the beaten, Harry’s Daughter, located in the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood of Jersey City on Communipaw Avenue, has made our city souls happy with their modern take on traditional island fare. {Getting there from the waterfront neighborhoods of Jersey City and Hoboken is quite a cinch, btw. Choose to take the Light Rail to Liberty State Park and walk a few blocks, or drive and park on the street which offered ample spaces, even on our visit on a Friday night.} Here’s a bit more about this Jersey City restaurant with a Carribean-inspired theme:
The Atmosphere
To say that the atmosphere at Harry’s Daughter is unexpected is certainly not an understatement. In a land where neighborhood taverns and bars rule, the island-inspired interior is refreshing. The restaurant, located at 339 Communipaw Avenue in Jersey City {not far from Corgi Spirits}, creates quite the statement at the bar upon first arrival. Beautiful wood liquor shelves are framed by eye-popping green and white palm leaf wallpaper.
Large straw chandeliers loom overhead and transport you directly down to the Caribbean where you can almost imagine them swaying in the warm ocean breeze, complete with some Caribbean music playing in the background. Adjacent to the bar are four hanging basket chairs, allowing patrons to sip and swing the night away. All in all, it makes for a pretty Instagrammable spot, if that’s what you’re looking for!
Food
Not only does the atmosphere have the island vibe thing going on, but so does the food…and it’s good. Really good. For dinner, Caribbean staples like jerk meat, roti, and stewed peas make up the menu along with a few curveballs like bao buns bringing the Asian flare and peri peri shrimp evoking African flavors.
If you’re looking for some heat, consider ordering the jerk chicken that completely falls off the bone as soon as you put your fork into it and its delicious side dish of pumpkin rice and beans. Or, opt for a super authentic dish of goat, served in a spicy curry broth with white rice. Your taste buds will be dancing for sure! For those who can’t stand the heat, there are definitely tamer flavors like avocado toast, braised short ribs, and salads with sorrel citrus dressing topped with mahi-mahi. We ordered several of these and all did not disappoint — in fact, there is no photographic evidence because they were just thaaat good {and we’re not hardcore food bloggers with our portable food lights, just hungry with iPhones in hand}.
See More: Hooked Jersey City — A Seafood Lover’s Paradise
As you might expect, rum punch is served up almost as frequently as water is, with everyone ready to bring back great memories of their last island vacation. While the rum punch is good, go for the Lulu Potter which is made up of sorrel syrup, elderflower, Prosecco, and topped with a festive garnish. You can never go wrong with bubbles and elderflower.
See More: Our Happy Hours Section is Chock-Full of Delicious Drinks
Brunch + Beyond
The fun doesn’t stop with their dinner service as they have an equally scrumptious brunch menu that’s served up on Saturdays + Sundays from noon to 4:30pm. Classic brunch dishes make an appearance, but all with a Harry’s Daughter twist. You may have tried chicken and waffles, but have you had chicken {the recipe comes from non-other than Harry’s wife!} and plantain waffles? French toast gets kicked up a notch with rum flambé bananas. The standard burger is improved with jerk spices and a side of cumin fries. Lastly, no Jersey breakfast spot is complete without a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, only Harry’s Daughter is taking to the next level with their jerk pork belly bao egg and cheese. It’s pretty hard to resist.
A word to our vegan readers: Most dishes have seafood, cheese, or meat in them — so come prepared and read the menu beforehand so you don’t leave hungry {but even just come for a cocktail – it’s so awesome}.
The Background
Harry’s Daughter’s owners, Ria and Allister, are Jersey City residents that have a background in the restaurant business and Carribean cuisine have called Jersey City their home for the last five years. Ria has an extensive background in Caribbean cuisine. Ria worked at Negril Village as well as Pearl’s Bake and Shake in Brooklyn. Their collaboration brings a unique, exciting addition to the burgeoning restaurant scene {Oak on Pine, we’re looking at you} in the Be-La neighborhood of JC.
Reservations are recommended as the restaurant fills up fast on the weekends. For ease of booking, you can find Harry’s Daughter on OpenTable. Reserve your spot and come hungry {+ ready for some Caribbean #eeeeeats}! We loved our visit, and we’ll def be back soon.
Have you been to Harry’s Daughter? What did you think?
