Zona Libre

I left here wishing the restaurant that was here before was still available (different cuisine). They are currently using a "soft opening menu" so maybe things will change. The first thing on my mind is that there are very small portions at exorbitant prices. I had two regular sized chicken enchiladas with nothing else on the plate for $18. If you want rice and beans you can add $10 more. They seem to be going for an eclectic Mexican experience with a fancy tapas price/plating. Don't get me wrong the food was pretty good but far from that level demanding these price. The salsa was served in small squeeze bottles that would clog and suddenly squirt out explosively. Maybe if I see an updated menu that indicates a real value I will return but otherwise once is enough. Update 6 December: removing two stars for using my review for advertising and not having any interest in commenting on what was written. I will not be visiting your other restaurants!

I live in the area and have been to Zona Libre three times already. And planning to go there tonight and by the looks of it I will going there pretty often! This restaurant is what the area needed a place where we can walk to grab drinks/ food etc. The atmosphere is great, the murals and the art are amazing. So far the food has been great, I have tried la cochinita tacos and las gringas, my parents had the al pastor chicken and tampiqueńa tacos and also liked them. The margaritas are great too. As mentioned in other posts there are things they still need to work out but they are only softly open so people need to be patient and give them more time

What a great addition to the Hudson County restaurant scene. Zona Libre has a fun, whimsical feel and boy is it necessary. There are 4 floors of fun in this simply ginormous space. Each floor with a slightly different vibe but all distinctly Mexican. The walls are adorned with very artfully painted sugar skulls creating that year round Dia De Los Muertos feel year round. You walk in to what would be a decent sized restaurant and bar all on its own, only to realize that there is an equally large cantina style patio space out back. The second floor boasts a south of the boarder speak easy kind of feel to it with a built in service and lends itself to being a great party rental space. The 3rd floor is more modern looking lounge kind of feel. And last but not least, the rooftop bar. It is great to have this place right in my back yard. I hope this restaurant remains fresh and the owners find a way to make it work. This space is very large and I think it may be difficult to keep the seats full considering the sheer size of this place.

This place is brimming with potential. The decor and the energy is beautiful. It's a lively place to have a few drinks with friends. Plus, access to the roof is awesome. What needs work are some basics. Seasoning throughout is middle of the road, no memorable flavors. The dishes need an anchor, a spice to set them apart. The Pico de Gallo needs a rework -- more cilantro and a dash of jalapeño or serrano pepper would help. So far, the food won't invite a return, although the decor just might. In essence, the food falls flat next to the charm of this place. If the kitchen and chef can match the powerful decor, they'd have the best restaurant in Weehawken. For now, the food just falls short.

The overall Decor is cool and fresh and inviting and they have a great happy hour. However, the service is not up to par especially at the bar. The staff that was near the bar and inside the bar was either distracted or not very friendly. We had drinks and food at the bar, the shrimp tacos are delicious and the drinks were okay but the rest of my tacos came out a little bit cold and we had to have them heated up.