Place: Mikie Squared
Neighborhood: Hoboken, 616 Washington St. (between 6th and 7th St.)
Mimosa Rating:
The scoop: I have been to Mikie Squared in Hoboken before for lunch. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was on that occasion, so I was looking forward to going back for brunch.
Outdoor seating at Mikie Squared
It was a warm Sunday afternoon, and we arrived at Mikie Squared around 1:30 p.m. The place was packed! A $10 pitcher-of-sangria special will do that. Originally, I wanted to sit outside, but when a not-so-shady table opened up, we thought we’d be too hot with the sun beating down on us. After waiting for an inside table for about 10 minutes while no one who worked at the bar paid much attention to us, we decided we were too hungry to wait any longer, so we took a couple of seats at the bar.
Bar area where we sat
Mikie Squared is a straight-up bar, so the atmosphere isn’t typical for brunch. It can get very loud, with music, numerous TVs and large groups enjoying the flowing pitchers of sangria. If you’re looking for a quiet brunch, this isn’t the place for you, but it suited our needs. We were looking for a no-nonsense spot where we could enjoy a couple of drinks and some good food.
The walls of Mikie Squared are covered in celebrity-autographed photos, sports banners and many signs in honor of drinking and New Jersey. Since we were sitting at the bar, the service was good, although we did have to ask twice for glasses of water. The bartender was pretty on top of her game, though. We probably watched her make at least 20 pitchers of sangria as we ate.
Bottoms up: Mikie Squared serves pitchers of red and white sangria for $10 all day on Sundays.
Pitcher of white sangria $10
White sangria
The last time we were at this bar, we had the red sangria. This time we tried the white. A pitcher was more than enough for the two of us. We each got three full glasses. And they were big glasses. Since they ran out of wine glasses, we were served in Duvel beer glasses. The bartender used triple sec, brandy and another liquor but I couldn’t tell what it was. She topped off the pitchers with orange juice and cheap white wine (it was poured from a jug). This sangria was sweet and strong and included pieces of apple and orange. It was refreshing on a warm day, but be careful. It was the type of sangria that can easily give you a headache.
Chew on this: Mikie Squared serves a mix of brunch and lunch dishes during brunch hours.
Tropical chicken wrap
Tropical Chicken Wrap $8 / With avocado, pineapple, chopped romaine, melted Monterey Jack & cheddar cheese with a cilantro lime vinaigrette. Served with with your choice of fries, onion rings, sweet potato fries or a side salad.
On our way to Mikie Squared, I knew I was going to order the tropical chicken wrap. I loved it the first time I had it. Since I don’t live in Hoboken, I don’t go to Mikie Squared often, so I can’t pass up an opportunity to order this wrap. One of the great things about their menu is that you can substitue the roll of any sandwich or burger for a wrap. That’s what I did. I love that they heat up the wraps, too, as you can tell by the grill marks. The ingredients of this wrap scream summer and all go very well together. Since I’m not into cilantro, I asked them to hold the dressing. But if you like cilantro, I’ve heard that the dressing is good. The avocado and pineapple were fresh. The cheese wasn’t as melted as I would have liked. There were pieces of the shredded cheese that weren’t melted at all. Out of all the ingredients, the wrapped was stuffed mostly with lettuce. I would have preferred to have gotten more pineapple and avocado. I got sweet potato fries as my side. The hint of sweetness from the wrap and fries went well together. The fries were of the perfect crispiness. If you’re in the mood for a lunch item, this is a good choice. I’ll order it again.
Cheese burger
The Juiciest Burger $9 / Fresh ground beef, your choice of cheese: Jack, mozzarella, cheddar, Swiss, gorgonzola. Served with with your choice of fries, onion rings, sweet potato fries or a side salad
David was in the mood for a burger and ordered his medium rare with Swiss cheese. It was cooked more on the medium side, but he didn’t mind. There was a lot of cheese on the patty, and it was melted well. This burger wasn’t the “juiciest burger” he’s ever had, but it hit the spot. He ordered regular fries and enjoyed them. He especially liked that they didn’t skimp on the amount of fries.
The final bite: Mikie Squared doesn’t serve a gourmet brunch by any means, but it’s good for what it is — solid food in a bar atmosphere.
Reviewed by: Stephanie
