VIP Diner, located at 175 Sip Avenue, has been a Jersey City landmark since its opening in 1974. The iconic spot has been a staple of the Journal Square neighborhood for decades and even earned its spot in television history for its role as a filming location for The Sopranos. The restaurant was recently closed but is now slated to reopen. Read on for more about this dining destination and what’s next for the business.
About VIP Diner
VIP Diner opened for business in 1974 and has served diner classics like Taylor ham egg and cheese sandwiches (definitely not pork roll) and grilled cheese sandwiches 24 hours a day. A 2010 rumor had the space being torn down to make way for a Walgreens, per the Huffington Post.
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The business was sold to a new owner in 2019, again sparking fears that this neighborhood staple would close or be redeveloped. The new owner is local restauranteur Barshay Muhammad who also runs Barshay’s Steak N’Take in Jersey City. At the time, he told HG: “I didn’t want to change anything,” Muhammad said. “When I took it over, I kept the entire staff and we still maintain the same customers. To me, it’s a landmark. I would love for this place to remain here forever,” he added. In 2019, Part of the plan to increase VIP’s customer base is to make more dishes that appeal to a variety of different diets, as well as staying loyal to its current fan base.
The restaurant’s hours are now 6AM to 8PM. The restaurant’s classic decor made it an excellent spot for filming, as it was also the setting for several scenes in The Sopranos.
The intersection where the restaurant is located, at Kennedy Boulevard and Sip Avenue, is part of an often-congested section of Journal Square. The area is undergoing a variety of upgrades, including a $7.2 million safety overhaul.
Recent Closure
The diner was recently closed due to an unpaid tax bill. According to NJ.com, the restaurant owed over $40K in unpaid taxes. The doors were locked and a letter from the State Department of Taxation was taped to the exterior on February 28th.
A spokesperson for the Department of Taxation says that the restaurant owners have been given the keys back, as the tax bill has been settled.
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Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione told HG that any food establishment that has been closed for an extended period must be inspected before it can reopen. No information was available on whether the inspection of VIP Diner had been scheduled.
The Hoboken Girl has contacted the restaurant for more information and will update this piece when we hear back. For now, stay in the know with all of the local happenings by following @thehobokengirl on Instagram and TikTok, and sign up for our weekly newsletter here.
