A few years ago, all the hype on Hoboken’s hottest waterfront property had potential entrepreneurs scrambling for space allocation. Adapting that space for the 30-something demographic of what has become the social existence of Hoboken with the perfectly temped 47º Guinness, eclectic Irish/American yummies, brown leather banquettes, and Celtic sconces took "a dollar and a dream" to a whole new level.

Located on prime waterfront Hoboken real estate at 333 River Street, sharing space with the likes of The Quays and 340 Grill, Trinity opened in the summer of 2004 and has been going strong ever since. Reeling trendy tunes off personally recorded iPods of staff members, Trinity boasts a bi-level atmosphere including a mahogany bar accented with wrought-iron sconces, a lounge with luxurious leather couches and oversized armchairs, and dimly lit dining areas, all of which evoke a Celtic-inspired ambiance reminiscent of castles in Ireland. Appealing to 26-42 year-old Brooks Brothers wearing bankers, Abercrombie clad creatives, and Arden B beauties, Trinity offers a chic, refined environment with a low key vibe. Tight black shirts from Bang Bang need not apply!

Over the last 3-4 years, Hoboken has matured both emotionally and physically, appealing to an older, more polished demographic of 30-something success stories. Kevin Cocca, 1 of the owners and a long-time Hoboken bartender, explains how Trinity was able to identify the perfect filler for the gap Hoboken became vulnerable to.

"The Location presented itself, and we jumped on it. There are plenty of bars and restaurants in Hoboken, and we created one that evokes the essence of casual elegance and refined trendiness. We cater to the entire Hoboken demographic; hats, sneakers and suits are welcome," he says with a smirk.

"When we opened last summer, we 100% depended on word of mouth from family, friends, friends of friends, etc, and it’s proved the best advertising there is. Aside from our regular clientele, we’ve also established ourselves well in the community, sponsoring and supporting local organizations and fundraisers such as the Sacred Heart Volleyball team, PBA 5 K run, "Concerts in the Park" on Thursday nights in the summer, as well as the upcoming Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund event being held on Saturday, October 1st."

The menu brings polish to the establishment rivaling the shine off the mahogany bar. Trinity’s chef, David Hawkins, originally from Belfast in Northern Ireland, has been in America for 20 years and most immediately served as the Executive Chef for the Torch Club. He utilizes local organic produce as well as local distributors for meat and fish.

The dinner menu features brasserie style fare with an Irish flair and includes such recommended choices as: the Trinity Tart (with shaved prosciutto, roasted shallots, goat cheese and oven-dried tomato, the Trinity T-bone (grilled aged black angus beef, parmesan-crusted fried tomato, steak fries and capers), Striped Bass (with braised fennel, white bean and chorizo ragout and saffron rice), and the Seared Rib Eye Pork Chop Au Poivre (with roquefort mashed potatoes and arugula).

Let us not forget the late night menu, which offers the likes of burgers, chicken sandwiches, Buffalo wings, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, pizza, onion rings, and french fries to those who frequently forego Saturday night dinner in favor of Grey Goose, or for those who just want to share a steamy cappuccino with their special someone before heading home for the night.

Trinity’s happy hour runs Monday- Friday, 4-7 pm with 1/2 price cosmos, appletinis, Yellowtail chardonnay, Yellowtail cabernet, and select draft beer. Currently, the happy hour crowd can be found in Trinity’s outside café and lounge overlooking the Manhattan skyline soaking up what is left of our Indian summer, and enjoying the company of a few cocktails before the long winter days kick in.

Their midweek specials also appeal to many Hobokenites with "2 for Tuesdays" from 7 pm- closing. How can you beat 2 for 1 cosmos, appletinis, Guinness, Miller Light, and Coors Light, as well as items off their bar menu! On Wednesday and Thursday night, you can expect deeply discounted drink prices during their featured "Promotion Nights" with Bacardi, Absolut, Captain Morgan, and various other liquor and beers distributors Most recently, Trinity hosted the New York launch party for Absolut APeach sponsored by FHM magazine. The private party included a poker tournament, various giveaways and drew a crowd of over 250 people. Pictures of the event will be found in the December 2005 issue of FHM.

With 3 separate 50 inch plasma TVs encompassing the bar area, Sunday and Monday nights are very popular with the boys! NFL season specials include a free buffet and ½ price draft beers.

Trinity serves lunch daily from 11:30 pm to 3:00 pm, and entrées range from $8–9. Dinner is served every evening from 5:00 to 11:30 pm (10:30 on Sunday), and prices range from $7–32. Irish brunch is offered on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 pm to 3:00 pm, and prices range from $7–11. The bar menu is available all day/night, and prices range from $6-9.

With Hoboken real estate showing no signs of stalling, Trinity will continue to adapt to the flow. By winter, they hope to introduce delivery service for those residents in the 333 River Street complex. They also just installed free WI-FI access for their business lunch clientele, started hosting business groups and are equip with LCD projectors and screens for working breakfast and lunch meetings. The W Hotel contract is underway, breaking ground on the property next door is soon to commence, and out of town business travelers will most certainly migrate to the Irish castle on the corner.

See you there!