I've been coming here since I moved to the area... sixteen years ago, I think? (God I feel old lol) I guess that's kind of a review in itself, actually. Even as the overall level of gentrification has kept rising, and other places have opened (and then, in many cases, closed), Basic has remained a solid neighborhood staple. Good coffee, nice food... Slightly fancier options than at e.g. a deli, but still laid back and unpretentious. It's just a nice, comfortable neighborhood place. I think that's more or less how it's described in the newspaper review that's framed on the wall between the door and the milk & sugar station. That's from roughly the same time as when I moved here, and I'm not sure but I think there have been a couple different owners since then. But you know, it's still true! read more

I was honestly headed somewhere else and happened to walk past this spot--and I'm so glad I stopped in! Basic is definitely way above basic. Such a cute shop--super clean and incredibly friendly staff. I ordered a vegan sausage, egg, and cheese on a toasted croissant, and it was absolutely perfect. The prices were just right, and the sandwich came out fresh and delicious. I paired it with an iced matcha oat milk latte (with a little extra honey), which was spot-on. I was pleasantly surprised and can't wait to come back the next time I'm in Jersey City. It's also a great place to set up with a laptop and get work done--the vibe is just right. read more

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Don't let the name fool you. This is a no-frills, high quality food spot with friendly service. Their menu covers breakfast and even more lunch. Hands down best avocado toast in JC. read more

The servers were very sweet and welcoming, but the food lives up to its name. The ambiance was quiet and peaceful. read more

I've been coming to Basic on and off for 12 years. Mostly because it's convenient and right next to where I drop my kids off for school. My kids often get after school snacks and we have spent a considerable amount of money purchasing food from Basic over the past 12 years. Today I spent $42+ for breakfast and my son accidentally knocked over my coffee. When I asked if they could make me a new one, they made me a new one then the owner told his employee to charge me. When I asked him why he said "well we didn't spill the coffee" Honestly, I was shocked. I've been a patron for 12 years and this is how you treat me? I understand it was my mistake. But it just feels wrong especially the way he did it, cowing in the kitchen, telling his employee to charge me. The owner is often unfriendly and he seems to be in a bad mood every time I'm in there, which makes the atmosphere tense when you walk in. He never says good morning or smiles. I've ignored it because it's a quick and easy place to get food and coffee on my way to work. I'm just so disappointed in the whole experience. I of course paid for my coffee. But somehow it all just feels so unfriendly and wrong. read more

this review is for takeout ONLY. my boyfriend came here to order some breakfast burritos for us during busy work days. i was only on the receiving end of this deal lol, i did not visit the cafe myself. although the breakfast burritos were good (definitely above average for being "basic" haha get it) i think they're overpriced. you can pay extra to add ham too but they only gave a little bit of ham and i didn't feel like that was worth it. read more

Basic Food & Beverage - a breakfast burrito - Delis Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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For being a coffee shop, the coffee is horrible. Tastes like they use coffee beans for the espresso and they're cheap coffee beans for a very expensive price tag. A lot of things inside are Kirkland brand including the milk options maybe the coffee is from Costco? If they changed the coffee beans, it would be better because they have such a great location and cute atmosphere all around. Staff inside was a little grumpy, maybe they don't like the bad coffee either? read more

Wow...their coffee was really not great. We ordered the ice coffee and although it was strong, it was bitter and watered down all at the same time. We also ordered the mixed berry scone which was too overpowered the vanilla flavoring and the berries were extremely tart. We decided not to come back. read more

We ate at Basic twice today - we got smoothies after a morning run and noodles in the afternoon. The smoothies were pretty good and the food was good as well! Only reason I'd gave a 4/5 was because the packaged desserts (brownie and Rice Krispie treat) weren't as fresh as we'd like. Also - they do accept credit card ($5 minimum) read more

Basic Food & Beverage - Kimchi ramen with egg - Delis Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

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The owner has a major attitude about ordering the food the way it is on the menu and he is extremely passive aggressive about it. Although the food was good for a neighborhood cafe where you can get a decent quick meal, this cafe has disappointed me with what I found in my sandwich. I hope this was not a passive aggressive move or it's just something you sometimes get here along with your sandwich! read more

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I'm not sure why this spot has bad reviews! Got a couple delicious breakfast burritos from here with classic bodega level coffees, and it was not too expensive and nothing mind blowing either. I'd come back. read more

This place is extremely over priced for the quality and amount of food they give you; it's almost laughable. Also it should be rated two $$ not one. Avoid this place at all costs unless it's a last resort. There's a Rumba Cubana a block away with much better food, bigger portions, and for literally half the price (not joking). There's also a corner deli/shop two blocks away opposite direction of Rumba Cubana which makes big sandwhiches for a reasonable price. There's literally no reason to go this place, unless you want to be robbed of your hard earned money. Don't believe me? Go find out for yourself. You've been warned! read more

Basic Food & Beverage - This is the "philly cheese steak". For $10 you get a slither of meat and a measly amount of fries. Basically you overpay for bread. Enjoy - Delis Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

I would come here every now and then for my usual a bulgolgi wrap with a salad. I wanted to try something different and ordered a side of pasta and I'm not too sure what happened. When I picked up order, the wrap was soggy and I only got about a really small portion of the pasta, less than a serving for a toddler. I know it's silly but this experience made me wonder if the cafe was out of it and if so, should of let me know when picked up or give me an alternative. read more

Toxic place and people! Coffee is trash. Food is trash. This business in general is trash. I was using their bathroom and when i came out, their container of potatoes was filled with maggots. On top of that, saw their workers not wearing gloves. And the way they handle food is unsanitary. This place disgust me. The 2 owners got issues. Never coming back and i recommend everyone to not go here if you dont wanna get food poisoned. read more

Stopped by here for coffee a few times in the past week since they opened after covid-- the coffee was good and they were nice, the menu looked pretty good too. Really really disappointed that they have a $10 credit card minimum. Especially post covid, who wants to be carrying around dirty cash? Ugh, sad I can't go here for quick drinks/bites since I almost never carry cash and don't want to commit to $10 at a coffee spot especially with other options 1/2 a block away. read more

Coffee is great as well as breakfast items, such as egg sandwiches and pastries! Best of luck, Thanks for the good work! read more

FINALLY A REALLY GOOD AVO TOAST!! Love it. So many other places around are crap and over charge and under avocado read more

Basic Food & Beverage - Avocado toast - Delis Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

My boyfriend stopped here for breakfast and got me a toasted sesame bagel with scallion cream cheese..... there was BARELY any cream cheese! I couldn't even taste it. There was such a tiny bit of cream cheese it was pointless. Yes, I'm a New Yorker whose is used to a solid 1 inch of cream cheese but there has to be a middle ground! I shouldn't see bread through the small bit of cream cheese on my bagel. See picture. Won't be back wasn't amazing.... and the breakfast burrito my boyfriend got gave him bubble guts. ‍ read more

Basic Food & Beverage - Ridiculously small amount of cream cheese. This was suppose to be scallion cream cheese. Wasn't enough to even taste it. - Delis Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

Cute cozy little neighborhood cafe with delicious breakfast/lunch sandwiches. The owners and employees are also very polite and friendly. Service is pretty fast. I've been coming here for a couple of years now and have only good things to say about Basic. This is a really a great little cafe if you want to relax with a cup of coffee and they have some outdoor tables, too :) read more

Each time I visit I'm underwhelmed. I want to like it. But it's just meh. But the ice tea I got was perfect.

The only place in JC that I've found a bialy, and they're good! The place is cozy and good coffee, sandwiches, fresh juice.

This review is based solely on the coffee, and the coffee was so bad I don't think I'd come back and try anything else. You know when your coffee is a dull brown/grey color, it's not going to be a good experience. Burnt, watery, tasteless coffee. The coffee was worse than my office's Flavia coffee, and that's BAD. If you like overpriced brown water, you would love Basic. Sugar couldn't even help this case. I just realized there are quite a few other reviews that mention how terrible the coffee is.... I trusted a friend - should have trusted Yelp!! read more

Well, it's been 5 years since my first review of BASIC. Needless to say we still go here every week and still love BASIC, so here's an update... We have gotten to know Daniel who has become a part of the neighborhood and is now very friendly to all who walk through the door. The place is a central point of Hamilton Park and in the mornings it fills with parents after school drop off, and local fire fighters getting their coffee after a long night. The food is still great, everything from muffins to soups and meals. Here's why it doesn't get 5 stars though (sorry Daniel...) it's the coffee. I'm sure the normal drip coffee is fine. I don't drink it but a lot of the reviews are very positive. However, there is no barista there who knows how to pull a latte, and most espresso drinks have the milk steamed directly in the cup rather than foamed in a jug and poured. The actual beans are typically over roasted and bitter. Don't get me wrong, I love Basic and will continue going there several times a week. But if you want a great latte, there are now 3 other places in the neighborhood who put a lot more care / attention into the quality of their coffee. read more

I am not an avid coffee drinker but from what i have heard coffee is the only thing that is decent there. 1 for a place in NJ to not even know what Pork Roll is I believe is a sacrilege. 2 they are extremely slow if you order any types of foods and the sandwiches are not very good at all. 3 after placing an order one day for a sandwich (Egg White and Swiss) for my GF, getting home she finds its a Egg White and Turkey Sausage she goes down there to get the proper sandwich and instead of them saying sorry they place the blame on us saying that is what we ordered. For me any place that is a supposedly neighborhood place that takes care of the people should never blame someone for their mistake. This will be our last venture to this place and hope that others will realize there are many other good places in this town that have much better customer service and foods. read more

I guess they've changed owners sometime during the last 18 months. The old owner and staff were really nice and friendly. This new owner is the absolute worst-rude, unfriendly, doesn't understand if you're gonna be a cash only business you'd better make sure your customers have a reason to come back. The food quality seems to have gone downhill and In the past year I've stopped going entirely. It's just not worth the hassle and the complete lack of customer service. read more

Basic has really good food. It is a solid lunch spot in the neighborhood. The salads are always fresh, the hot food items are always well made, and they folks working at the counter are always pleasant. read more

Got iced green tea and soup. Easy enough. Soup was OK at best. When I was done, I really just wanted Union Republic. I suppose this place was half as expensive, you get what you pay for, blah blah blah. I had hopes that this place would be a hidden soup gem, I suppose. The space is tight, I wasn't sure where the line started or ended, and I was positively in everyone's way while I waited for my soup to get cooked. I give this place a big ol' soggy meh. read more

I'd be pretty bummed if this were my "go to" spot for coffee. Coffee is pretty weak, and nothing more than bodega coffee. Not what I expected at all. They do have decent sandwiches, but I have never tried their baked goods. They also don't regulate the temp in the summer. It can get pretty hot in this joint. If I were to recommend anything here, it would be to swing by, pick up a sandwich to go, and then enjoy it in Hamilton Park. read more

Mmmm....I want to be nice, but if this place wasn't so damn convenient, I would never go. The coffee is blah, and they leave an awful lot of room for milk. The pastries are often stale. The salads are good but overpriced by at least 50%. But, the evening staff is pleasant. read more

Small coffee shop on the corner of Hamilton Park. I try to only go there when it is a desperate caffeine 911. The coffee is usually stale and selection of pastries/bagels is pretty basic, no pun intended. They also offer a random selection of lunch ranging from your standard deli wraps to asian cuisine & ramen noodle bowls...don't know if I am brave enough to test that out here. They do have wifi and a nice long window table to set up shop with a lap top if you need to get work done. The staff is so/so, not terrible. Also it's cash only but there is an atm inside. If you are in a rush and need just a coffee & bagel, sure stop in but don't expect anything better than basic. read more

Great value here. Some of the lowest prices in the neighborhood - maybe the lowest - and they also have very tasty food. Smith and Chang is always overcrowded and you spend at least twice as much to get the same amount of food. These guys are also always fast and consistent. Highly recommend! read more

Meh. I generally hate coffee, but even I think the coffee here is way too weak. The sandwiches look tiny for the prices--breakfast burrito about the size of my fist for $5? No specific complaints, because it's an easy in and out if you need something quick. But it just seems like there are better coffee/sandwich shops nearby. read more

Basic Food & Beverage - Huge iced coffee - Delis Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

Drove past and from the outside I had to stop in. Early morning so I wanted breakfast. Really good service. Cash only was very clear at the beginning of our transaction. However sometimes you forget to run to the bank so some mornings you don't have cash. Then who wants to pay the ATM fee. Thank for the clear heads up! I had a blt with cheese. I had couple selection of bread and three cheeses to choose from. And even came with sides , I got the potatoes. It was really good. Roomy enough to sit and eat. Outside too. Really nice coffee shop. The people in the neighborhood were very nice almost everyone who came in the door spoke. There is quite a selection of food and drinks (hot and cold) to choose from. Nice spot! read more

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Seriously stumbled upon this place while running late for grad school and getting semi lost in JC trying to find coffee one Saturday morning. I NEED my coffee in the morning, especially before a 5 hour class so when I saw the 'Best coffee ever' sign in the window, I quickly parked the car and sprinted out for a test. Cute little cafe place, not sure the name goes along with the ambiance. 'Basic' makes it sound like it's a chintzy deli or bodega. Meh. I ordered a large coffee and then after realizing I need some sort of food, I also ordered a ham, egg, & cheese on a roll. Quick service and friendly staff. Food was ready pretty speedy and I quickly said thanks and sprinted out of there. The coffee is decent, not strong enough in my opinion but I'm a Starbucks girl. The breakfast sandwich though was actually one of the better ones I've had! I hate when sandwiches are really greasy and messy and this one was honestly perfect and as healthy as it can get. The roll was a whole wheat roll or some sort of multi grain roll, the eggs were cooked perfectly, and the ham was nicely grilled. I ate most of it while driving but seriously enjoyed it. Will def want to come back! The rest of them menu looked pretty decent! read more

i agree with Caroline..the food on the counter should be covered, it's just out in the open all day long..eww. Well, the coffee is still pretty good and they sell home made soaps that are divine, I bought a ton of them and gave them away as gifts! read more

Pumpkin latte all year round? AND I can ask for it iced? Chicken pot pie made fresh for $7, with real white meat chicken and tasty vegetables and a perfectly cooked pastry crust? Fresh baked brownies and fresh smoothies? AND vegan and veg options for the majority of days when I'm not in the mood to eat meat? The best part about Basic is that it's anything but. Sure it's on the pricey side for my budget, but the convenience of it being located right downstairs from my office make it a go to nonetheless. I recommend the turkey club, the pot pie and the bean burrito. read more

The high priced ramen was not flavorful and seemed to have old sliced deli chicken in it rather than actual chicken. hardly any veggies either. Over 14$ for a container of soup with ramen noodles in it. Ugh - this place should be called "extra" not basic. read more

Really good food (unexpectedly), and good coffee too. I come here at least once a month and its about a 20 minute walk from where I live. I don't understand some of these 1 star reviews - makes no sense to me. read more

The actually have legit food and its great to work from here. I wish it came up on google when looking for "Cafe" or "Coffee Shop".

I live very close to this place and sometimes I forget that it's there. However, I have had their coffee before and that was good, recently they've had to up their prices but they have a note about it and are at least being upfront and honest about why their prices have gone up. For the first time today I got their basic chicken sandwich. Once again a little too pricey I feel, but at least their portion is big and you get a side with it. I got their pesto pasta salad and it was pretty bangin. The chicken was a little dry, but the mayonnaise made up for that, which was more than your average mayo and was delish. People seem to like their wi-fi availability, and whenever I go in there are always at least 2 people in their with their computers. They don't take credit cards but a high fee atm is in shop (do yourself a favor and don't go unless you have cash on hand!). All in all good. Only criticism is the over pricing but I'll probably still go back because it is so darn close, and I'm feeling full and satisfied so that's enough for me. read more