It’s a random Friday during the summer, and you’ve got the green light to book it out of the office at 1:00PM or skip work altogether. Don’t be too quick to race to the beach — some of the best spots in Hoboken and Jersey City offer discounts, special menus, and events exclusively on weekdays, and your free vacation day is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of them. And bonus: no weekend crowds. Read on for a list of what to eat, drink, and do on a Summer Friday in Hoboken + Jersey City including some pretty decent drink and food specials.
Please note: These specials are subject to change — please contact the establishment directly to confirm.
Food + Drink
Before you get into all the fun activities that are at your disposal on a Summer Friday, you have to fuel up. Here’s where to eat + what specials are on offer every Summer Friday.
Hoboken
Aperitivo Happy Hour at Sorellina {1036 Washington Street}
Grab a seat at the bar Wednesday-Friday from 4:30PM-7:00PM {all night on Tuesday} for a special menu of reasonably priced Italian drinks and bites, including $6 spritzes and $7 meatball subs.
Finally Friday at The Brass Rail {135 Washington Street}
Enjoy half-priced select draft beer and wine from 4:00PM-7:00PM, then switch to $5 red sangrias from 7:00PM until close. The restaurant also offers a $35 three-course prix fixe dinner from 5:30PM6:30PM and a special weekday lunch menu.
Happy Hour + Live Music at The Shepherd + The Knucklehead {1313 Willow Avenue}
Get an early start at this uptown spot: The weekday food and drink specials run from 3:00PM-7:00PM and include $2 off all drinks, 75 cent wings, and $2 off tacos and sliders. On Fridays, stick around for live music at 9:00PM.
See More: Free Things to Do in Hoboken + Jersey City This Summer {and Year-Round}
Happy Hour at Halifax {225 River Street}
Dine at the W Hotel’s swanky restaurant without breaking the bank on weekdays from 4:00PM-7:00PM. Drink deals include $4 beer flights and $7 seasonal cocktails; discounted bites include $3 beef sliders with bacon-onion marmalade and $1 oysters.
Happy Hour at Urban Coalhouse {116 14th Street}
Go ahead and lock in your seat at the bar for the day: Weekday deals start at noon and last until 7:00PM. Domestic drafts are only $3, while well drinks, house wines, and imported/craft drafts are $5. Bar fare like personal pizzas and signature wings are $8 each or two for $14.
Early Bird Specials at T Thai {102 Hudson Street}
Come to this downtown spot hungry on weekdays from 4:00PM-7:00PM. Entrées like shrimp pad Thai and red curry chicken come with salad, soup, and an appetizer for $15 to $17.
Happy Hour at East LA {508 Washington Street}
On weekdays from 4:00PM to 7:00PM, beers are $4, margaritas are $6, and apps like wings, guac, and flautas are half-priced.
Happy Hour at Coco Havana {32 Newark Street}
Coco Havana bills its happy hour as Hoboken’s best. All drinks and apps are half off at the bar from 4:00PM-7:00PM.
Happy Hour at Madd Hatter {221 Washington Street}
This sports bar offers a variety of deals on weekdays from 3:00PM- 8:00PM, including half-priced apps like $8 baskets of wings, sliders, or tacos, $4 beers, $5 mixed drinks, and $6 glasses of wine.
A Special Lunch Menu at Bangkok City {335 Washington Street}
Grab an affordable lunch weekdays from 11:00AM-3:00PM {excluding holidays} at this Thai restaurant. Entrées range from $7.95 for chicken-based dishes to $9.95 for shrimp- or squid-based dishes and come with steamed white rice.
Friday Nights at Pig & Parrot {77 Hudson Street}
A newer spot in the Mile Square with a Key West theme that is always packed these days —and on Fridays, Pig & Parrot has a great happy hour special — 3:00-8:00PM including $6 margaritas, $1 off draft beers, and more. It gets rowdy later on Friday nights, so if you’re in the mood, stay till close {the DJ does a great power hour mix, too}.
Jersey City
A Special Lunch Menu at Mathews Food + Drink {351 Grove Street}
{Photo credit: @mathewsfoodanddrink}
This modern Grove Street bar and restaurant is the perfect place to go all out on a celebratory dinner, but on weekdays from 11:00AM-3:00PM you can order from a special lunch menu without breaking the bank. Entrées like the housemade bucatini cacio e pepe, falafel burger, and arugula-grain salad are under $15. The restaurant switches over to its limited bar menu from 3:00PM-5:00PM before transitioning into dinner service.
Lunch Specials and Happy Hour at Barcade {163 Newark Avenue}
Weekdays from 12:00PM4:00PM, take a break between games and grab a sandwich, chips, and any $7 beer for $15. Happy Hour deals also start at 12:00PM and continue until 7:00PM with $2 off beer, well drinks, and house wines.
A Lunch Special at NoodleFan USA {514 Central Avenue}
A special lunch menu is available weekdays from 11:00AM-2:30PM.
A Lunch Special at Honshu {95 Greene Street}
This Paulus Hook sushi destination has a special lunch menu of sushi and sashimi combos, noodles, and more on weekdays from 11:30AM-2:30PM. Try the sushi lunch, which includes seven pieces of sushi, a roll, and soup or salad for $16.
Lunch Specials at More Express {281 Grove Street}
This sushi and Thai street food spot offers a variety of deals weekdays from 11:30AM-3:00PM {excluding holidays}. Bento box lunches start at $11, and sushi lunch deals start at $9 for any two rolls with salad or miso soup.
Lunch Specials at Delenio {357 7th Street}
A long list of weekday lunch specials {available from 11:00AM-3:00PM} includes penne vodka for $8 and chicken parm for $9.50.
A Lunch Buffet at Shadman Restaurant {293 ½ Grove Street}
You can’t beat this $10 all-you-can-eat lunch buffet {which features a variety of Pakistani and Indian fare} weekdays from 11:00AM-3:00PM.
A Special Lunch Menu at Gringo’s {12 Coles Street}
Check out this taqueria’s special weekday lunch menu of tortas, tacos, apps, and more from 12:00PM-3:00PM.
Read More: The Best Spots in Hoboken + Jersey City for Frozen Drinks
Big Flavor Menu at Amelia’s Bistro {187 Warren Street}
This special menu is available weekdays from 11:00AM-3:00PM and includes pasta, salads, wraps, and flatbreads. You can mix and match $4 tacos like shrimp with cilantro crema, tomato, and pickled onion plus a side of dirty rice. There’s also a special weekday brunch section with classics like eggs Benedict and avocado toast ranging from $10 to $13. Add 75 cents per item for delivery and takeout.
Things to Do
After you’re all fueled up from all that food, you’re ready to really start your Summer Friday with a fun {or relaxing} activity.
Catch a Matinée
Going to see a movie on the big screen is an expensive outing these days — even without the {essential} candy and popcorn. Take advantage of your free day to catch one of the summer’s biggest movies without the crowds and hefty ticket prices. Matinée tickets at Bow Tie Cinemas {409-415 14th Street, Hoboken} are $10.50 {instead of $13.00 for evening shows}. At the AMC in Newport Centre {30 Mall Drive, Jersey City}, matinée tickets are $13 {instead of $16 for evening shows}.
Take a New Workout Class {that probably isn’t too crowded}
Your barre, yoga, pilates, or spin studio may offer completely different classes and instructors during the day. And if you belong to ClassPass, you can sometimes snag a spot at a popular gym for a fraction of the credits during these less popular time slots.
Book a Last-Minute Spa Deal at Hand + Stone
Hand +Stone {1400 Hudson Street} updates its website daily with deals on massages and facials for the following day. Only a limited number of discounted services are available, and the slots usually fall during workday hours. A regular one-hour massage is $69.95, but the last-minute price can be less than $50.
Head to Pier 13, Lutze Biergarten, or Surf City
Outside fun in the sun + some frozen drinks = heaven on a summer Friday. Bonus is that all of these spots are by the waterfront.
What’s your favorite way to spend a summer Friday? Let us know in the comments!
