Elysian Cafe
10/21/06 Update:
Wanted to report back regarding the Monday night bar specials at Elysian.
We don’t get to eat here too often, but the deal you get on Mondays during the winter is definitely something worth considering. We feel the staff that works there is friendly, the service is good, and the food is tasty. They also seem to get a very pleasant and friendly crowd there as well.
I want to point out that my assumptions about “mix & match” was incorrect. You CAN pick any two different items off the bar menu. They just deduct the lower priced item off the tab.
Quicky, my friend and I ordered the mussels ($13.50) and the pulled pork sandwich ($11.50). Oddly enough there were more than 1/2 dozen people at the bar who also ordered the mussels. Very popular.
You can pick the mussels in either a marina sauce or a garlic white wine sauce. She chose the latter. While the quality of the mussels were very good, she found the sauce to be on the bland side. We inquired with other patrons eating the same dish, and they enjoyed them more. Each having their own reasons for liking them. Some people commented that they liked the fact that the garlic didn’t overwhelm the dish. So if you’re a major garlic lover, you might want to ask for extra garlic.
The pulled pork sandwich was very good as well. It wasn’t drenched in any kind of BBQ sauce or anything, but it was just quality pork that was very lean. Almost had a brisket-like taste to it. Very filling. The fries were good as always, and I found the side of cole slaw particularly refreshing.
The tab for the meal, plus a glass wine and a beer was $21. Not bad at all!
10/16/06 Update (great deal alert!):
Not sure if any of you noticed their ad in this weekends Reporter, but Elysian has a special Monday night two-for-one bar menu special.
Click the thumbnail to the left to see the offerings. Two burgers and fries for $11.50 sounds like a fantastic deal, along with their other options. I doubt you can mix & match, so you and whomever you dine with will have to agree.
CLICK BELOW TO READ THE 4/21/06 REVIEW
Description – French Bistro, Bar
Services – Dinner, Brunch
Address – 1001 Washington St, Hoboken, New Jersey ( NJ ) 07030
Telephone – (201) 798-5898
April 2006
4/21/06
Today seemed like a great day to try out the Elysian Cafe. It was a beautiful, crisp spring afternoon. I had typically stayed away from there because they were one of the only bars in Hoboken that didn't allow smoking. Now that it's a level playing field, why not give it a shot?
My dining companion and I got a nice table along the rail on the 10th st. side of the outdoor area.
Our waitress, Kristen, immediately came by and asked if we had too much sun, and if we wanted to have the umbrella moved, which we were ok with, since we’re both sun worshippers.
For drinks, we ordered a couple Pomegranate Sours. They were served with a slice of orange and were very tasty and refreshing.
As an appetizer, I ordered the Crispy Calamari salad ($6). This was unbelievable. Wasn't crispy as advertised, but incredibly yum-yum-yummy. Tender and packed with flavor. Kristen indicated it's essentially one of their signature items, and most popular.
Being the bacon and meat connoiseur, I went with how I typically judge a restaurant when I eat there for the first time. Bacon cheeseburger ($8). If you can't make a burger right, why bother with the rest?
This burger was well prepared and presented and very satisfying. The meat texture and flavor was as good and juicy as can be. The bun was soft and easy to handle. Bacon was oinkfully loaded with taste. The toppings accompanying it were fresh. The fries, served in a fruity little "bucket" reminded me of McDonald's. The pickle was excellent too. I know, small details, but it all added up to CRAZY delicious.
She ordered a simple French Onion Soup ($4). Was good, but I think all french onion soups pretty much taste the same. Some kind of conspiracy, I gather.
Overall, the dining experience was very positive. The atmosphere was nice, our waitress Kristen was excellent even when the outdoor area was filled to the capacity, some screaming 3 year olds, and she was the only one working. Wonderful job. Friendly and approachable. She sets a good example for others.
Not sure why they had to get fancy with the wine-like water bottle (see below), but I guess that's part of the package.
Check Elysian out! Now that smoking is banned everywhere, there's no excuse not to give it a try.
134 Responses to ** Elysian Cafe **
June 9th, 2008 |
jscirish, I know you work as a chef and so I find your comments especially interesting. What would you like to see in an ideal French place?
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June 9th, 2008 |
Oceanbloo, honestly, I would just like to see real French food executed properly. The problem with the Elysian for me is that the menu is only nominally French, ie Onion Soup Gratinee and Croque Monsieur, and the French items are often the weakest. Where is the escargot, the salmon tartare, the duck confit, the true frisee salad with a poached egg, the skate or trout with a beurre noisette? No beef Bœuf bourguignon or Coq au Vin? Where is the terrine of foie Gras or pork rillettes? I could go on forever. Also, how about being open later for food like the great Paris Brasseries? I just feel that Elysian is all about pleasing pedestrian tastes; the menu is designed without conviction or vision and is overpriced. I believe that if you have a strong vision, provide good consistent quality, and don’t try to be everything to everyone, you will find a niche and ultimately be a better restaurant. Just my two cents.
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June 9th, 2008 |
Oceanbloo, honestly, I would just like to see real French food executed properly. The problem with the Elysian for me is that the menu is only nominally French, ie Onion Soup Gratinee and Croque Monsieur, and the French items are often the weakest. Where is the escargot, the salmon tartare, the duck confit, the true frisee salad with a poached egg, the skate or trout with a beurre noisette? No beef Bœuf bourguignon or Coq au Vin? Where is the terrine of foie Gras or pork rillettes? I could go on forever. Also, how about being open later for food like the great Paris Brasseries? I just feel that Elysian is all about pleasing pedestrian tastes; the menu is designed without conviction or vision and is overpriced. I believe that if you have a strong vision, provide good consistent quality, and don’t try to be everything to everyone, you will find a niche and ultimately be a better restaurant. Just my two cents.
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June 9th, 2008 |
Sorry for the double post.
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June 9th, 2008 |
i’d settle for seeing some of the French executed properly…
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June 21st, 2008 |
I like the freedom fries. (and the cool container)
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July 12th, 2008 |
Drinkers at Elysian Beware!!! Copied over from the Rant Corner:
In response to uptown girl who said:
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July 12th, 2008 |
Re 87.: Sounds like another example of (sorry to sound so crass)…a “pretty girl with dirty underwear.”
Such a lovely ambience @ The Elysian. How can you miss, with the fabulous bare bones there?
And I do appreciate the Flynns spiffing it up for what Hoboken seems to like now. They do seem to have their fingers on the pulse of the hospitality industry here.
And they donate lots to the town, the Museum, the Library, etc., even if they are in bed with Dave, from the time they took over his Amanda’s….
But I also miss the gritty blues bar that was The Elysian. Nicotine residue thick on all that historic plaster. But also loaded with character & soul.
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July 12th, 2008 |
Tamara- we all miss the “old” Elysian It was a great place to hang
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December 28th, 2008 |
In response to strand tramp who said:
What a moron.
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February 15th, 2009 |
Great local restaurant. Very friendly owner (Eugene), great staff (kukos to our regular server- Andrew), always helpful with wine suggestions. Food quality- consistent. Learned the other night that Eugene had done the opposite of what many Hoboken restaurants are doing… he actually lowered his prices to help accomodate his customer’s financial needs. The bar is always full with happy folks. My only critisim… would like to see more menu variety, change up the menu from time to time to keep the regulars coming back for more.
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February 15th, 2009 |
Re 92.: Do love the ambience, some really nice servers & glad to hear that prices have dropped. A smart, realistic business move. And agree that the food is consistent—alas, consistently mediocre. But IMO, Hoboken has consistently mediocre restaurants—Elysian is better than most though.
Seems such a shame, the quality of the restaurant food in Hoboken. If I’m spending the $$ to dine out on this side of the Hudson, I’d rather go to JC—Ox or Marco & Pepe or Skinner’s Loft or Bistro La Source. All better/more interesting menus than most everything here.
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February 15th, 2009 |
My last dinner experience at Elysian was… okay. I think I had … Snapper? (They no longer serve it.)
However, my FIRST few experiences there were great. I loved their lobster bisque, fries, burgers, a couple of other sandwiches and most of their brunch items– their thin, crispy-edged blueberry pancakes were absolutely delicious!
I’ll have to try them again soon.
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February 15th, 2009 |
If I didn’t have friends that work at Elysian, I would never go. While the bar and restaurant have been beautifully restored, the kitchen turns out consistently bland and improperly cooked fare, and it isn’t cheap either. A $12 hamburger that they can never cook to temperature (always well done it seems, but thankfully fatty enough to not be overly dry) does not scream value to me. Fries that are not hand-cut but instead come frozen in a bag. Come on. Drinks aren’t that cheap either. In many ways, Elysian is a metaphor for so much of Hoboken. It has the potential to be great, but settles happily in mediocrity.
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February 16th, 2009 |
I found the food bland. Off brand liquor and frozen french fries don’t match the restoration atmosphere. As for the Mayor’s role…………..
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February 16th, 2009 |
Agreed. They need to learn how to use salt and pepper. Those 2 little things would make this place so much better.
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February 16th, 2009 |
My last dinner there certainly lacked seasoning… Has the restaurant, as a whole, really become this bad? I thought it was just that one meal!
On the bright side, there’s one thing that doesn’t require salt and pepper: pancakes.
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February 16th, 2009 |
The food has really gone downhill since they opened. I won’t be going back at any price point, with or without the “happy talk”.
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February 16th, 2009 |
Elysian hasn’t had a legitimate chef in a couple of years. They have a consortium of line cooks who run the kitchen. It has honestly become a bar that serves food/brunch spot, instead of the original intent, which was a Balthazar-like French Bistro. Sad on so many levels. As far as “happy regulars,” at the bar, I would say it is more along the lines of a bunch career drinkers. Drunk and happy are not the same thing.
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February 16th, 2009 |
In response to jscirish27 who said:
You can say that again.
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