Cornbread

They can sell Ironbound because it is a Jersey made wine and cider.  Years ago Freeman's sold Jersey wines. You don't need a liquor license to do so.   

jersey_boy said:

I just read the Yelp reviews. Apparently you order at a kiosk? I'm not going.

To each his own. They will help you with the kiosk if that's a stumbling block. Personally, I like it.

The food was excellent and I loved the cornbread!

They have iPad kiosk ordering at Applebees and at the Newark Airport and I hate it in both settings, but am not surprised that those settings would choose a soulless ordering experience.

However, a Soul Food restaurant hollowing out the human core of the dining experience makes no sense. Is it a restaurant or a cafeteria or a take out window? If it has tables and servers - no kiosk. If you serve yourself onto cafeteria trays, the kiosk fits. If they serve wine. . . ?

If the staff has to help you order at a kiosk, why not just order from the staff and have them enter it into whatever system they use to communicate with the kitchen and total up the check? AND what makes me even more annoyed about kiosk ordering is that you usually pay when you order -- before your food comes --and it asks you how much you want to tip the server. Well, since I just did all the work and don't know if the food will be served correctly, I don't know - I'll give 20% back to my self - no tip!

I'm not interested in being irritated by a backwards and unnecessary "innovation" when I just want to eat out.

Don't get me going on the United terminal at Newark.  That place is awful.

hey jersey_boy

Their catfish is crazy good. I'd order it on an old PC in the rain.

krugle said:

Don't get me going on the United terminal at Newark.  That place is awful.

Not disagreeing, but this saddens me more than you know.  I helped build that terminal for Continental, which was a good airline. United has ruined it.

jersey_boy said:

They have iPad kiosk ordering at Applebees and at the Newark Airport and I hate it in both settings, but am not surprised that those settings would choose a soulless ordering experience.

However, a Soul Food restaurant hollowing out the human core of the dining experience makes no sense. Is it a restaurant or a cafeteria or a take out window? If it has tables and servers - no kiosk. If you serve yourself onto cafeteria trays, the kiosk fits. If they serve wine. . . ?

If the staff has to help you order at a kiosk, why not just order from the staff and have them enter it into whatever system they use to communicate with the kitchen and total up the check? AND what makes me even more annoyed about kiosk ordering is that you usually pay when you order -- before your food comes --and it asks you how much you want to tip the server. Well, since I just did all the work and don't know if the food will be served correctly, I don't know - I'll give 20% back to my self - no tip!

I'm not interested in being irritated by a backwards and unnecessary "innovation" when I just want to eat out.

You make excellent points. However, keep in mind they are calling THEMSELVES "fast-casual" so with that in mind forego the eating out experience and call them on the phone ordering the "crazy good catfish" on even a landline phone per flimbo.   

Back to the Sweet vs Not Cornbread discussion... I spent a few days down in Memphis last year and went to at least five amazing BBQ Joints and to my surprise, none of them even had Cornbread on the menu... Mostly it was just small dinner rolls that came with the plate, or potato chips or onion rings etc. I had thought cornbread was a BBQ staple but maybe it's a regional thing

SkippyTopaz said:

I had thought cornbread was a BBQ staple but maybe it's a regional thing

You never get cornbread with BBQ in Texas. It’s always sliced white bread, or sometimes white rolls. 

I would not tip at a prepay kiosk.  Tip would be left on the table if there is service (but not as much tip, reflecting less service).  I can stand the order in counter (manned or kiosk) as long as I also get self serve savings.

(Haven’t tried Cornbread yet... looked mobbed the night we were going to. so we went down the street and tried Branford Barr instead.  Many thanks to whoever made that recommendation.  Wonderful beef ribs.)

Took out from Cornbread tonight.  It was worthy.  Will give it another shot.  Nice people.  It is a fast foody kind of space but pleasant.  

I agree JB.  Totally.   And I am seeing this now even at better  restaurants.  Its is weird.  Why do you need to be given an ipad and instructions to hit "order" on a drink menu with fancy pics of drinks when you can just read a menu and let the waiter know what you'd like.  Bizarre and soulless.  

jersey_boy said:

They have iPad kiosk ordering at Applebees and at the Newark Airport and I hate it in both settings, but am not surprised that those settings would choose a soulless ordering experience.

However, a Soul Food restaurant hollowing out the human core of the dining experience makes no sense. Is it a restaurant or a cafeteria or a take out window? If it has tables and servers - no kiosk. If you serve yourself onto cafeteria trays, the kiosk fits. If they serve wine. . . ?

If the staff has to help you order at a kiosk, why not just order from the staff and have them enter it into whatever system they use to communicate with the kitchen and total up the check? AND what makes me even more annoyed about kiosk ordering is that you usually pay when you order -- before your food comes --and it asks you how much you want to tip the server. Well, since I just did all the work and don't know if the food will be served correctly, I don't know - I'll give 20% back to my self - no tip!

I'm not interested in being irritated by a backwards and unnecessary "innovation" when I just want to eat out.

They are going to do great.  Great food.  Nice upstairs dining.   Pleasant staff.  I’m going to be using them for take out and eating in a lot, for sure.

I need a further explanation. You order online? Do you do this on your own laptop or is there one at the table, or what? And then you pick it up at the counter?

There is an ordering kiosk where the "order here" person would be for a counter service type of place; you then step up to pay, and then you head down the line to pick up your food.  It is counter service except you enter your order on a touchscreen at the kiosk instead of telling it to a human.

While I don't find it any more or less soulless than any other counter-service type place, it adds nothing to the experience, either, except they have one less staffing post.

I don't know why they chose to use kiosks, but there seem to be a lot of articles lately about successful restaurants being more data-driven, and perhaps this helps them understand customer demand and behavior faster and easier than having the traditional paper order slips written by a waiter. Restaurants often are a low-margin business with a lot of food/ingredient waste, and a lot of guessing about what people might want, so if this helps them be a more efficient business, maybe it makes sense.

I stopped in and grabbed a menu but haven't eaten their food yet.

I'm not a big fan of kiosks.  But I think apple44 makes a good point about the need to cut waste in a low-margin business like food service.  How many times do you think restaurants have to write off an order because someone wrote something down incorrectly? Or the customer didn't remember what they ordered over the phone and insists it's wrong?  That's not just writing off the cost of ingredients - you've put in kitchen staff time preparing something that went awry.

I like the kiosk.  You don't have to wait for anyone to order, as long as there isn't a line for the kiosk.  When I was there, they had some things to iron out, but once it works smoothly, I'd prefer it to a human being.

The kiosks didn't bother me when ordering, just as long as my food is tasty. Kiosks may be the way of the future. I remembered while eating out, paying my bill with a mobile device on our table.

Two thumbs up for Cornbread. Next time, I'm ordering the catfish. 

Stopped by Cornbread yesterday afternoon - it was buzzing!  I'm used to the kiosks because I used to frequent Honeygrow when I worked in Hoboken - and agree that the data-driven aspect to kiosks is most likely why they go that route.  I had the fried chicken and collard greens.  The people were lovely, the food was good, and next time I go back I'm definitely trying the catfish!  So happy to have this within walking distance.

I went the first week and there were a few bumps in the ordering process, but when I went back a few days ago, they had ironed those out.  The food was great both times and the second time I went the process was fast and smooth. Its a great addition.

jeffl said:

They are going to do great.  Great food.  Nice upstairs dining.   Pleasant staff.  I’m going to be using them for take out and eating in a lot, for sure.

But not as good as the Frat House, right?   

They should put the food on little plates behind little glass windows and you should be able to pay by inserting cash or a credit card into a slot next to the little window which then pops up so you can take your food out. 

Now that would be really cool!

LOST said:

They should put the food on little plates behind little glass windows and you should be able to pay by inserting cash or a credit card into a slot next to the little window which then pops up so you can take your food out. 

Now that would be really cool!

Been there, done that!

-Ron Carter

The food is great and since we are low maintenance the kiosk is not an issue for us, especially for take out. Try the turkey wings.

Just had lunch.  Excellent Catfish and Fried Chicken.  Mac and Cheese is worthy as is cornbread dressing.  Cornbread is as sweet as The Sweet Tea.  I wished for a piece of the cornbread they use to make the dressing.

Will return. Nice Vibe, very friendly staff and the owner came over to chat.

Upstairs spot is very comfortable.  A little pricey to my mind for lunch.

Two small combos and two beverages was just over $34.00

My fish had one large filet, the chicken was 3 pieces:  leg, Thigh and Breast.

I wish them all success!

Best Regards,

Ron Carter

rcarter31 said:

LOST said:

They should put the food on little plates behind little glass windows and you should be able to pay by inserting cash or a credit card into a slot next to the little window which then pops up so you can take your food out. 

Now that would be really cool!

Been there, done that!

-Ron Carter

Horn and  Hardart on 42nd street...loved that place!

The owner commented that they do add honey/sweetener to the cornbread.  Too much Flour for me!

-Ron

Finally tried Cornbread.  I liked the kiosk order system, customer service was excellent, nice lay out (we ate in).  I was a bit disappointed with the food, small sides and the string beans were tasteless.  The food at Bradford Bar a few doors down is far better.

Innocentbystander said:

Finally tried Cornbread.  I liked the kiosk order system, customer service was excellent, nice lay out (we ate in).  I was a bit disappointed with the food, small sides and the string beans were tasteless.  The food at Bradford Bar a few doors down is far better.

I like both and this reminds me that I haven't been to Bradford Bar in a while ... need to get back there!