Stephanie Spear 
The Snack Bar, located at 520 Adams Street, is the newest addition to Hoboken’s dining scene this fall. The spot has two concepts in one building: a classic bar serving food from Otok Bakery, and an “open play” space for kids and birthday parties. The inspiration for this space comes from the team’s desire to have a fun spot for multi-generational groups to gather without sacrificing comfort or high-quality food and beverages, and recently soft opened in town. Read on for more about The Snack Bar in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Photo Credit: Bill Schmitt
Opening Timeline
The Hoboken Girl exclusively learned back in May of 2024 that The Snack Bar was making moves to open in Hoboken. The team has since provided a few updates on the space via Instagram since the initial news came out, and announced on Tuesday, August 26th, 2025 that The Snack Bar was aiming for an October 2025 opening.
“Big update from The Snack Bar
We know it’s been a little quiet on our end, and things have taken longer than expected (as these projects often do ). But the wait is almost over—construction is moving full speed ahead and we’re thrilled to announce that we’re hoping to open our doors this October!
We can’t wait to welcome you in, share what we’ve been working on, and finally bring The Snack Bar to Hoboken. Thank you all for the patience, support, and excitement—it means the world to us.
Stay tuned for sneak peeks and opening date details. The countdown is officially on”
^ the bar space as of October 24th, 2025
The team shared with HG last week that it was making moves towards opening soon, and the space has now soft opened in Hoboken.
Read More: Sweetgreen Opens on Washington Street in Hoboken
About the Concept
Bill and Maren Schmitt are the team behind Hoboken businesses Schmitty’s, located at 359 1st Street, and Otok Bakery, located at 506 Grand Street. They are also parents of two young children, so they’re on the weekend playdate-and-birthday-party circuit. They kept noticing there wasn’t a good place for multi-generational groups to spend time together. “We were at my nephew’s birthday party and the grandparents didn’t even want to go because it was at a play space with no seating,” Bill said. “We’ve had kids come and hang out at Schmitty’s but that’s not ideal.”
Bill and Maren, along with sister-in-law Amanda Schmitt started thinking about what kind of space would work for all generations to spend time together. Maren grew up in Germany and said that indoor playspaces where adults can socialize and have drinks while the kids play are common. “When we visit Germany, we’re at a playspace maybe once or twice a week,” she said.
The space at 520 Adams Street, a long-closed bar, seemed tailor-made for the two-in-one concept that the team had in mind. “The front is a pretty standard bar, with a long wooden bar,” Bill said. “But the back is a big space with 15-foot-high ceilings. It seemed like the perfect fit for a play space.”
What to Expect
Photo Credit: Bill Schmitt
The original plan was to have a custom-built, two story jungle gym in the back area, but the team shared with HG last week that they thought a fixed structure was too limiting with certain ages. Instead, the front half will house the bar, and the back half will house an “open play” space that can also be used for birthday parties while the parents hang out in the bar space.
The team has also worked with sound engineers to test the range of noise from the facility. “We will add sound mitigating materials to the interior of the space,” Bill said.
“In Hoboken, most people live in an apartment or maybe have a tiny yard. It can be hard to get kids outside,” Bill said. “Especially on rainy days when you can’t go to the park, there are even fewer options. Having a space like this means kids can get their energy out in a safe, clean space.”
Bill and Maren pointed out that the space’s kid-friendly vibe means parents don’t have to worry if their kid cries or makes too much noise. “It could be someone else’s kid, and the space is for that,” Bill said. “Parents don’t have to be worried or embarrassed about their kid being loud.”
The front half of the space is a classic bar. The team serves food from Otok Bakery and has a fully stocked bar. “The glassware will be nice, but it will also be shatter-proof,” Bill said. The same high-end coffee and espresso drinks served at Otok will also be available at The Snack Bar.
The team will have birthday party packages, with partial and full rentals of the playspace and food from Otok Bakery. The team is also considering a subscription model to encourage parents to come back without their kids for discounted food and beverages.
See More: Fort Lee-Based Coffee Shop ‘Roast’d Coffee’ Opens in Montclair
More than anything, Bill and Maren want The Snack Bar to be a place for community. “We want to foster a community among the parents and kids,” they said. “We want people to use our space as a launching pad for other activities, making plans to do other things with parents and families they meet here.”
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