Mama J's Cafe Introduce
For New Jersey locals craving authentic, heartfelt **soul food**, **Mama J's Cafe** in **Newark** stands out as a restaurant bringing genuine Southern flavors right to the Garden State. Located in the heart of Newark, Mama J's offers a dining experience focused on classic, comforting dishes, all served up with a friendly vibe. The restaurant has clearly won over patrons with its dedicated atmosphere, which often includes a **DJ** spinning tunes to "keep the vibes going," making it more than just a place to eat—it's a communal experience.
The culinary highlights are evident in customer reviews, where dishes like the **shrimp n' grits** are praised as "excellent" and "perfectly seasoned," with the grits noted as being "straight from the south." Beyond the savory main courses, the indulgence continues with desserts like **fried Oreos**, which one reviewer simply described as "so good!!!" These positive reviews emphasize that when the food and service are "on point," Mama J's delivers truly memorable meals that Newark residents are excited to have in their community.
As a growing local business, Mama J's Cafe is recognized for its warm, **friendly, and smiling faces**, with a hands-on approach that sometimes includes **Mama J** herself serving customers. The desire to see more soul food restaurants flourish in communities is strong, and this establishment is contributing to the local dining landscape by providing a taste of home-cooked comfort food for dinner.
Mama J's Cafe is conveniently located in the bustling city of **Newark, NJ**, making it highly accessible for residents of Essex County and those traveling from throughout North Jersey. The restaurant's address is:
2 Treat Pl, Newark, NJ 07102
Situated on Treat Place, the location is part of the dynamic downtown Newark area. Being a newer establishment, accessibility details are more focused on practical methods of reaching the location rather than expansive amenity listings. As a city location, local users should be aware that while the immediate area offers city accessibility, parking may rely on typical urban street parking or nearby garages, and there are no specific public accessibility features like wheelchair parking or restrooms listed in the primary data. Patrons utilizing public transportation will find the location well-served by Newark's transit options.
Mama J's Cafe focuses on providing flexible and convenient ways for customers to enjoy their authentic soul food:
- **Dinner Service:** The primary dining option is a hearty and satisfying dinner menu.
- **Takeout:** Customers can easily place orders for pickup to enjoy their meal at home or at work.
- **Delivery:** For maximum convenience, the restaurant offers **delivery** service, allowing patrons to get their favorites delivered straight to their door.
- **Flexible Payments:** Transactions are made simple with accepted methods including **Debit cards** and **NFC mobile payments**.
It is important to note that the restaurant's operational hours, particularly on weekends, have been cited by some customers as occasionally inconsistent, indicating a possible variation in opening times that patrons should verify before planning a visit, especially for dining-in options which are less specified in the public data.
The true appeal of Mama J's Cafe lies in the quality of its traditional, Southern-inspired menu and its energetic atmosphere:
- **Authentic Soul Food Menu:** The core focus is on classic, expertly seasoned soul food, featuring highly-praised dishes such as:
- **Shrimp n' Grits:** Noted for being perfectly seasoned and having authentic Southern roots.
- **Fried Chicken:** A staple of soul food dining.
- **Desserts:** Including crowd-pleasers like **Fried Oreos** and potentially other Southern favorites like cobblers or pies, based on common soul food offerings.
- **Sides:** Traditional accompaniments frequently mentioned in reviews include **collard greens** and **macaroni and cheese**.
- **Vibrant Atmosphere:** The experience is enhanced by the presence of a **DJ** and lively music, creating an upbeat, positive, and friendly environment where the "vibes going" are a definite highlight.
- **Friendly Service:** The staff is described as having **friendly and smiling faces**, with personal touches like **Mama J** serving guests, which contributes to a warm, welcoming feeling.
- **Community Importance:** The restaurant serves as a key local business, fulfilling a need for more quality soul food establishments in the community.
While the atmosphere and food quality can be excellent, as noted in the reviews, customers have suggested areas for operational improvement, such as clearly posting menus and prices online and in the restaurant, and ensuring consistent service and temperature of food, indicating an exciting and evolving local business with strong potential.
For New Jersey customers looking to contact Mama J's Cafe for orders or inquiries, please use the following information:
Address: 2 Treat Pl, Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 468-4303
Mobile Phone: +1 973-468-4303
For New Jersey diners, especially those in the Newark area, Mama J's Cafe is a venture worth supporting, particularly if you're looking for an infusion of **authentic Southern flavor** served in a fun, dynamic setting. The primary reason to choose Mama J's is its demonstrated ability to deliver **delicious, well-seasoned soul food**—the kind of comfort cooking that is hard to find done right outside of the South. From the rave reviews of the **shrimp n' grits** to the perfect indulgence of **fried Oreos**, the high points of the menu are truly exceptional and worth seeking out.
Beyond the food, the experience is enhanced by the restaurant's **vibrant atmosphere** and the personalized, **friendly service**. This is a business with a clear passion for its cuisine and its community. While it appears to be a newer or evolving establishment that is still refining its operational strategy—with reviewers suggesting clearer menu listings and more consistent hours—the core offering of great food and a welcoming environment is strong.
By choosing Mama J's Cafe for your next **dinner**, whether through **takeout** or **delivery**, you are not only satisfying a craving for classic soul food but also supporting a local Newark business committed to bringing a much-loved cuisine to the New Jersey dining scene. This is a restaurant with immense potential, and those who visit are often met with memorable dishes and a great time.
Mama J's Cafe Details
Service options
- Delivery
- Takeout
Dining options
- Dinner
Payments
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
- Credit cards
Mama J's Cafe Photos


Mama J's Cafe Location
Mama J's Cafe Reviews
mac n cheeseatmospherecollard greensturkeydinnershrimp
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1The atmosphere, service & food are all on point! The shrimp 🍤 n grits were excellent 😋....perfectly seasoned, grits were straight from the south.I had fried oreos and it was so good!!!S/o to the DJ, the music 🎶 kept the vibes going.
November 20 · Ak ZiqueFirst I want to say that I would love to see more soul food restaurants in more communities. It was wonderful to see so many friendly and smiling faces. Mama J was very polite and served us herself. Unfortunately this business needs a strategic plan. My sister and I visited on a Sunday. It was difficult to find their hours and their menu is not clear. There was no price list online or in the restaurant. There should be a dry erase board with the menu and the prices posted in the restaurant and a picture of this board posted online. They were supposed to open at 1pm and did not open until after 2. The food was cold. The cashier was easily distracted and overwhelmed. I ordered a large dinner plate with 2 meats and 3 sides. I got turkey wings and shrimp, collard greens, mac n cheese, and white rice. All of my food was cold. The turkey wings were ok, the shrimp was cold and not very good, the collard greens were ok, the macaroni and cheese was hard and nasty, the white rice was hard and nasty. I hope they continue to run this restaurant and make improvements as they go. Once again, one simple and easy fix would be to buy a dry erase board and write the menu options with prices daily. Also staff should all be dressed in a “uniform” so that customers know who works there easily. A printed T-shirt and jeans would be an easy place to start.
October 09 · Irina ElberPleasant n friendly staff. Disappointed since there was no menu or price list. Food was served in the dinning area in steamers so wasn't hot. Also, too many folks around/close to the food. Collard greens were bland, oxtails barely seasoned and small pieces, aka end of the tail. No cornbread. Rather a heat n serve dinner roll with garlic n broccoli.Mac n cheese and rice
October 24 · Linda BaileyThe food was cold it seems to always be cold on Sundays I keep coming back because during the week the food and a 10 + and always fresh and hot . Maybe you guys should have a different cook for Sundays and different options then the regular things being sold . I wish you nothing but the best I'll come Monday thru Saturday I still love you mama Jones 😘 just some hot food and more season . AND WHEN CAN WE GET SOME MORE POTATOE SALAD 😛
November 29 · Tonya LABOOTThe food was good I had turkey wine and Mac and cheese, greens
November 20 · Angela Williams
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