Jersey City's Golden Cicada To Reopen Under New Ownership

JERSEY CITY, NJ — For years, the Golden Cicada was a staple for Jersey City patrons looking for a cold drink and good conversation, not to mention the famous karaoke nights. The tavern was owned for decades by Cheng “Terry” Tan and closed its doors in 2019, but a pair of new owners are determined to bring new life to the old favorite.

Keeping the name Golden Cicada, new owners Eva Johannesdottir and Gary Keating said they want to pay homage to the origins of the city favorite, even recycling the logo with a new twist.

"Everyone spoke so highly of the original Golden Cicada — it would be off to change the name," the owners told Patch.

The duo hopes to incorporate several traditional pieces from the original bar into the new restaurant, including the bar stools and some of the cicada logo. The couple want so refocus the establishment as a bar and restaurant with a Baja/southern California aesthetic, including a menu full of modern Mexican dishes.

"When we build a place, it's supposed to be an escape," Keating said, "I think we're just always trying to get back to a sunny place."

The new Golden Cicada will keep the famous karaoke nights while incorporating a live band. Sporting events and the usual big games will be screened in the establishment. The new big seller for the restaurant will be the beer garden. The couple is converting the empty parking lot next to the building into a beer garden.

"We're trying to start a new trend, a Baja beer garden!" the couple laughed. The idea for a beer garden with non-traditional food options came from their own experiences in beer gardens.

"Why can't you have a taco and some great margaritas in a beer garden," Keating said.

The couple own and operate The Cliff restaurant in The Heights and said they saw first-hand the toll the pandemic took on the dining industry. The opportunity for an outdoor beer garden at the new Golden Cicada felt like the perfect way for them to bring their vision to life while allowing patrons to stay safe outdoors.

Taking over an old favorite does come with its fair share of hardships, the couple explained. Some Golden Cicada patrons aren't too happy about the revamp and have been vocal online aout their opposition. Keating and Johannesdottir said the online commenters are more aggressive in message than they are in numbers.

"There are far more people excited and happy about this restaurant than not," the couple said, "You can't please everyone, but we have people honking and screaming past the restaurant how happy they are."

While there's no hard opening date yet, the pair hopes to have doors open by the end of the month. Along with the live-band karaoke, the new Golden Cicada will offer events like boozy bingo and live DJ nights in the beer garden for dancing. Johannesdottir is hard at work, putting the finishing touches on the menu, but some fish and even lobster tacos may be in the works. Regardless, a greater emphasis on food and drink with fresh, well-crafted ingredients are at the top of mind.