Gotta love the lil spots all over Jersey. On this particular day, I got to try out Casa Vasca. The food....the bread was a little tough, but my trout a la bilbao was ok. It was a little bland for my taste and needed a little salt and pepper, but that made it better than being too salty right off the bat. I don't know why...maybe it was because it was kinda raining, or just because it was one of those days, but vegetable lentil soup was awesome....it was the perfect pre-meal soup. Dipped my bread in it and made me forget about the fact that it was kinda tough. All in all. a good meal for $16 Servers were very nice to us. Just FYI, there is a full restaurant, and a bar/diner type area...which is where we sat; at the bar. They had soccer games goin on and the crowd was very chill. The bigger groups were seated in the restaurant. Parking lot can easily get crowded, though at lunch on a weekday, not so much. There is an attendant that watches over the cars tho, and you have to stack-park when it is packed. Street parking is also an option, if there are spots available. Oh yeah, FYI - Bathroom in the lil diner area is quite small....so user beware, he he he. read more

I'm conflicted with the number of stars Casa Vasca deserves, but here's my breakdown: Waits: 1 We reserved a table of seven and when we arrived, they gave us an estimate of 15 minutes. We waited an hour. Service: 3 We got our menus, but we needed a moment to decide on what to get. Our servers kept pestering us to order. It also seemed like they wanted us to leave as soon as possible, clearing up our plates often and giving us the check early. Food, however, comes out pretty quickly. Food: 4 The dishes we ordered were above average. The lentil soup was pretty good. The calamari and the chorizo were okay. The paella wasn't close to the best I've had. The veal marsala was okay, but tasted more like pork. The filet mignon was decent. The swordfish dish, however, was outstanding and hearty. The stuffed flounder was also worthy of note. All these would be 3 stars, but the humongous portions bump it up another star. Cost: 4 The pitcher of sangria was pricier than I've seen at most places. However, food-wise, Casa Vasca is a win. Big portions for reasonable prices -- about $18-22 per entree dish. Decor/Ambiance: 2 This is an oldish place. Seating is cramped. Nothing fancy and a little dirty. Overall: Bad wait, good buy. read more

I love this place! The food is delicious and the service is amazing. I've had the paella marina, Seafood in green sauce and seafood in red sauce. All of them are well seasoned, seafood is fresh and the portions are large. The octopus can be a hit or miss, sometimes its soft, other times it tastes like rubber. The salted bacalao was light and aromatic between the garlic and onion.The filet was juicy and tender, as it should be. The service was excellent. Waiters always come around and they have a great sense of humor. read more

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Excellent food and service, private parking lot, going back tonight, been here several times and drive 40 minutes from Staten island, well worth the drive. read more

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Went on a busy night - Valentines Day. service was good food was great very friendly staff and welcoming the Paella was amazing And 22$ for a bottle of wine read more

Great food, customer service and price point. Came in for lunch with my daughter and was happily surprised on portion taste and friendly staff. We'll be back even though we live an hour away. read more

Authentic Spanish food and great service! The perfect combination for a wonderful experience. read more

I went here with my girlfriend and her father. First time. Love how there's a bar and inside is a lovely restaurant. Service was impeccable and the food was very delicious. You get the authentic Spanish feel, a little crowded, but very classy and homely. I ordered a stuffed salmon with crabmeat inside. The order came out with a huge portion that was only half. They had brought out another to complete the plate but I was full by then. Was very tasty with a nicely seared salmon a bit crunchy on the outside and soft and moist added with the crab meat. Top it of with well steamed vegetables. My girlfriend had surf and turf. Very good well done steak and delicious lobster tail. All cooked to perfection because she's pregnant. Her dad had beer. read more

Located in the ironbound section of Newark, you enter through the bar and into a small but white tablecloth restaurant, with a much larger menu than you would expect. Everything is cooked individually, and to perfection and way more food than you can possibly eat my friend had a 16 ounce filet mignon cooked medium, rare exactly as he requested and I had the 16 ounce ribeye also medium rare done perfectly. I couldn't finish all of it and took it home and had it two nights later and a steak salad and it was still wonderful. Would I go back? Absolutely! Service was excellent. Food came out promptly. We received a bowl of a chicken gumbo type of soup on the house, and it was terrific freshly baked bread came with the meal. We did not order appetizers because we knew we weren't going to finish everything except they had to sample the garlic shrimp which was exactly what I remember from Brazilian/Spanish style restaurants in the past just perfect. They have the wrong little parking lot about a half a block away well lit, with an attendant to keep an eye on your car. Service was very professional, and the food was fabulous. Highly recommended. read more

I been going to this restaurant for a few years first for the soup then started to go there for family events but stop going for two fishes that I couldn't eat because had a bad smell like was in the refrigerator for a week. The vegetables is all mushy from a frozen bag. What really bothered me was how the owner was yelling at the workers calling "stupid big heads" and making stupid comments about customers personal lives.. low class rotten fish and frozen veggies. read more

Without doubt they have the best soups, flavor and heartiness, served in Newark. This is a small place, so larger groups should, at least, call ahead. Food is consistently good, serving some more traditional fare, which separates it from the more Americanized places. Parking lot is a big plus here. Cocktails are weak- guess wine is the drink of choice. Beware it's a little rough in the customer service department read more

Great service, awesome Spanish food. The veal was pretty good, their appetizers are a must especially the stuffed mushrooms! The paella was a little dryer than what I'm used to but the sangria was the icing on the cake and the waiters were very courteous. I came with 10+ people for my girlfriend's class field trip and they accommodated us all. Highly recommend to go especially if you have a big party- try the family style if you do go with a lot of people. read more

Casa Vasca - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

I will make this short and sweet. SIMPLY THE BEST!!! Best food, best value, best service . Ditch the large, touristy, Spanish Portuguese, restaurants in the area, and go to Casa Vasca - a truly, authentic Spanish restaurant in Newark!! I can assure you, you will not be disappointed!!! read more

Dined here this past Saturday night... Excellent food and service... Waiter wrote nothing and everything came out perfect... Professionalism at it's best... We're originally from NYC and live in northern Bergen County... Definitely worth the trip... Must make reservations for Saturday nights.... read more

Had the best meal at this restaurant everything is fresh and delicious very authentic if you have another chance to go you should go

Great Spanish Restaurant! I stopped a few times before in this place, but never had the chance to write a review. They have great food at very affordable prices. Today I had the pulpo ( octopus ) Galicia style ( olive oil, paprika and boil potatoes ) it was good! Cooked to the perfection. They also have a nice selection of Spanish wines, and the prices are not that high! For dessert I had the traditional flan, which was just right! I was in the bar area and I had excellent service from Freddy and Alex read more

Casa Vasca - Delicious Pulpo a la gallega! - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

This place is cozy and smell good food. I had fried calamari and the paella. Great! Especially the paella, so delicious! Will come back again! read more

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Love it here. Love the bartenders for lunch. The steak are huge and come very rare - just as a warning - but are delicious read more

Cozy restaurant with parking. Disappointed on the servers being super rushed and sloppy. Our waiter seemed annoyed and aggravated when we asked about items on the menu. I would've given them a 4 star review had the servers been more pleasant. Food was good, fresh and decent portions. I would probably come back on a weekday when its less crowded. read more

I would give three stars for the food and 5 for the service and ambience. We came here at noon for a Sunday lunch with our toddler. The bar (separate from the restaurant but you need to walk through it) was already filling up but we had no trouble getting a table in the restaurant. Everyone who orders a meal gets soup included, which was very good and reminded me of restaurants in Spain. The bread was fresh and excellent, although unfortunately that's all my toddler would try (not the restaurant's fault!) We ordered the fried cod croquettes appetizer, which was fantastic - usually I expect anything fried and breaded to be at least 50% bread crumbs, but in this case it was just a perfectly cooked shell surrounding the fish. The main courses were a bit of a disappointment. I ordered the monkfish with oil and garlic, which was very well seasoned and tasty, but somewhat dry and overcooked. My wife got the paella, which featured tiny, oversalted shrimp, although the oysters, 1/2 lobster and meats were all fine. Although they said it was a normal portion, a single order of paella can easily feed two. Service was very friendly and everyone was very patient with our toddler, even though he was the only small child in the restaurant. Extra points for authenticity - walking through the bar on my way out, with TVE playing in the background, and a bunch of old men sitting around eating tortilla española, I could have been back in Spain. read more

I had wanted to try a restaurant in this area for some time. I was going to bring a friend to Newark Airport and thought here is my chance. I chose this restaurant based on reviews and the fact they have parking and that they specialize in seafood. Since it was a rainy Monday night, it was almost empty. The only other diners told me a made a great choice and this is their favorite as they live nearby and coming for years. They start you off with bean soup which is hearty and DELICIOUS. The chorizo appetizer was very tasty. There is also bread and home-made potato chips. I had the monk fish and clams with potatoes casserole in yellow sauce. I know it doesn't sound exciting... but it was was full of flavor. I didn't think potatoes could be so tasty. You cannot let the leftover yellow sauce go to waste. The DELICIOUS yellow rice that also comes with the meal or dish (I don't remember) can be used to finish up the sauce. Or you can use bread. My friends had a steak which was very good and a shrimp dish which I'm sure was great because he finished every drop and I didn't get to try. Service was very good and nice homey ambiance. read more

This place never disappoints. Awesome seafood and good service. I love their caldo gallego and of course, their sangria.

Out of all the places I've tried in The Iron Bound I can confidently say that Casa Vasca is my favorite. The food is hands down the best! My favorites are chicken Marsala and garlic shrimp(they're not on the entree menu, but they're very accommodating). I love when they have the garlic soup when I'm there, it's to die for! The blue sangria is one of the best too, you seriously will never get anything bad from there. The price is the best in the area too! read more

We choose this restaurant based on previous reviews and weren't disappointed! Maria, the owner, is delightful and helpful. We had three appetizers, chorizo the likes of we haven't had since Portugal two years ago in Lisbon, garlic shrimp swimming in delicious oil and garlic and huge rings of calamari. A real Iberian treat for us. And the prices were so reasonable! Thank you Maria, we will be back next time we're in town! read more

I can't really say enough good things about this little (and quite popular) establishment in Newark. Where do I begin? Well, I come here pretty much every month with my girlfriend and we both LOVE it! She turned me onto the place when we first started dating and I can't quit this Casa! By no means upscale in the conventional sense (as in NYC) but rather a nice blend of homestyle and gourmet. Authentic, Real, Spanish cuisine. And the attention to detail certainly reflects in the food. The manager or owner ( I think she's the owner) is a wonderful lady who greets familiar/regular patrons with warmth and smiles. The servers are all attentive and have a sense of humor too. And the food is absolutely delicious! The portion size is enough for two people so be ready to share. Nice selection of both meats and seafood not to be missed. We always end up ordering Paella Marinera (a rather large dish that neither of us actually finish) or some other seafood mix like Vieiras Rellenas (stuffed scallops with crabmeat) Meats of note: try the Ternera Extremena (veal in sherry sauce with sausage, peppers and onions) or Chuletas De Cerdo Al Vino (pork chops in wine sauce) or the basic Arroz Con Pollo (didn't need me to translate that one did ya? ;) Again- a very intimate, romantic, low-key, while still quite popular neighborhood hot spot. read more

Tried Casa Vaca as a result of reading a write up in Radius Magazine - a magazine featuring the great City of Newark! I have to say I am glad I did! They have a parking lot which is a plus in a residential area with a lack of street parking!! So for starters, the red Sangria is very good - not many places can make a great sangria, they've got what it takes! Thank God my girlfriend and I decided on a half pitcher! The bread is also a perfect combination of soft and toasty! For appetizers we ordered the typical shrimp i garlic sauce and sausage and lets just say, its far from typical- its darn right so good :) before they brought out the appetizers they served their complimentary white bean soup...let's just say that I'd be the perfect candidate NOT to have my feelings hurt by Seinfeld's soup natzi! lol! But O M G! I LOVED it! and had the nerve to eat the entire plate served AFTER having bread..then the appetizers!...Who had room for our entrèes? Nevertheless, there was no way we were not diving into what came next:) I ordered the filet mignon with shrimp in brandy sauce as should you! Tender tender cut of meat which certainly adds to the flavor experience:) The shrimp were full of flavor without being overdone. The sides are typical fried thin potato slices and saffron rice and like they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! My girlfriend ordered the shrimp in salsa verde which she said was very good but unfortunately, I didn't take a taste but will next time. We passed on dessert because there was simply no room for anything more. The service was very friendly and attentive. Of note would be *bring a sweater, that AC is a blast of frio! Enjoy! read more

I'm in pain, my stomach is still aching from eating too much tonight. It was a good surprise to know that they've got a private parking lot which can handle a lot of cars. Had the paella, which was done well with a lot of shrimp and a half lobster, way too much for one person if you have an appetizer and have a lot of their free bread. They're very generous with the amount of food they give. They serve sangria in half a pitcher if you want, in case there's 2 of you. The way into the restaurant forces you to pass through a bar. If you didn't know where you were going, you'd think the bar was it and probably walk out. It can hold about 25 people and the best time to go is during the week day so it's not packed. The width is about 10-12 feet so it's pretty narrow. The servers were really good, always paying attention whenever you're low on water or any drink, you sort of feel rushed to eat your appetizer. It's in a safe side of town where people know each other, the Iron Bound to some. read more

What a find. We were tipped off by a Basque Uber driver and it was fabulous. The service was superb if a bit aloof (although they seem to be more chummy with the locals). The food was really really excellent. I had the spicy lobster an my wife had the grilled monkfish and we both felt it was among the best we've ever had. The food is not fancy but traditional and perfect. Not overwhelmingly spicy but nuanced and fresh tasting. Served with an understated style I appreciated. It's close to Newark Airport which is great if you're tired of the usual fare. The desserts were great and the Sangria was also top notch. read more

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Ok, so how do i give a place 10 Stars? When we want absolutely the best Spanish food in a non-pretentious atmosphere; this is where we go. the Octopus is the BEST I've ever had. This place is small so week nights are recommended or make a reservation for weekends. read more

Excellent entree, but a bit too attentive wait service and I was almost skating on the bathroom floor... I have never been to the Ironbound district in Newark, but its pretty nice. Not as shady as I thought Newark can be. Anyway, Casa Vasca is a restaurant and a bar, but unlike most restaurant bars, they are completely separated, yet you enter through a door in the bar. Upon entering, I found myself right next to the dining tables. Kinda odd, since there wasn't any host/hostess to greet us at the bar area (although I wouldn't have expected that if I was going to a Chinese restaurant). Anyway, we were sat in the back by a waiter. A couple of our friends were already there cuz they didn't get stuck in traffic like we did cuz they came from Staten Island. But we weren't the last people from our group, we had another car load of friends that were stuck near the Holland tunnel. So we order some appetizers and Sangria while we waited for them. Calamari - Kinda soft, chewy, not the best I had, but this is like French fries, everybody have a diff taste Mussels in Spicy Tomato sauce - I think they messed up and put marinara sauce instead of spicy tomato, I didn't taste any spices. Decent portion size, I think around 10 mussels. Fried Shrimp (Shrimp on the shell) - taste pretty good, but only 6, good thing we only had 6 ppl at the time White Sangria - Um, its not really white, but orange, and it taste like a screwdriver cuz of the excessive orange juice. You still taste alcohol, but I don't think its from a white wine. They also served us a chickpeas spinach soup (complimentary). The soup was pretty good. There bread was pretty good as well, still warm when they brought it out and it was nice and soft. The only issue was that my friend wasn't quite finish w/ his soup cuz he was talking to our other friends that were still stuck in the tunnel, but they were taking that away from him w/o asking him first. It made sense cuz the appetizers were coming, but they could have at least asked if he was done. So after we were nearly done w/ our appetizers, our friends were still not here yet. We ended up ordering for them so that their entree will be ready when they finally get here. We ended up getting mainly seafood, with a swordfish and a few seafood paella. The paella was excellent, with plenty of huge pieces of clams, shrimps, and 1/2 a lobster. The rice had plenty of flavor, definitely a dish done right. So why the average rating? Besides the waiters being a bit pushy, and the appetizers being average, the bathroom is where they really lost a star. They have a restaurant that serves about 30+ people, yet, they only have 1 bathroom. Add to that, when I went to the bathroom, the floor was really wet and slippery. Good thing my other friends that went cautioned me about that. In addition, the toilet flush handle was broken and was on the sink. I didn't have to use it since they also had a urinal, but still, that is not acceptable, and the reason why they lost a star. read more

Four of us went last night - 2 of us had paella, one had the veal Vasca another the chicken aiejo. Everyone enjoyed their food a lot! Service was great and friendly - never rushed. Nice pitcher of sangria as well. First time back in a decade but definitely won't be that long again! read more

Casa Vasca is located on the corner of Elm Street in Newark. They make pretty okay Spanish food and it isn't very expensive either. I really loved their fresh fried potato slices (I guess Vasca's version of homemade chips), perfect consistency. We came for a company dinner so we had a special pre-planned menu, but I did see their menu online was very extensive. The food was rather mediocre and the menu items are quite authentic, but the flavors are not best I've had. To be fair to them, I am comparing them to the food I had while I was living in Spain so this isn't as fresh. We ordered a variety of dishes that were served family-style, but these were the ones that were really worth noting because they tasted so good: Shrimp with Garlic ** Stuffed mushrooms ** Chickpea Soup (for starters) ** They had a small variety of desserts from our "pre-fixe" menu: carrot cake, chocolate cheesecake, regular cheesecake and flan. I'm really sad that the flan was not very good (this is what I ordered), but the chocolate cheesecake looked amazing and my coworkers reported that it was indeed very good. When in doubt, always go for the chocolate. They're not the biggest restaurant in the area, but the spacing we had was intimate for a family-style dinner. We had 25 people and they created a rectangle shaped dining setting for us (not convenient for them). So I'd highly recommend keeping your parties to below 20 to really sit well in their space. read more

So awesome and maybe 5 stars but I say st the bar so will update once I sit at a table. I had the chicken with broccoli rabe sauce. Ridiculously good! This is located in a neighborhood setting so you will meet nice locals. I will be back as long as I am near Newark read more

Walk through a small bar filled with old spaniards and Italians playing cards (unfortunately NO LONGER smoke filled) through another door into a white tablecloth restaurant with some amazing old school Spanish food. Definitely basque, the portions are huge and the service is amazing. We've been going for 15 years and have always had the same waiter! I've eaten almost everything from the main menu (except the bacalau--which I kinda hate, in sure it's great here!), so I stick to the specials, which are plenty. Go with the paella the first time, skate if they have it, anything a la Bilbao, meaning with Spanish paprika and tons of garlic. I stick with the fish or shrimp, but the steaks are great and perfectly cooked. Down sides--it's small, very small. The neighborhood scares my mother in law (which is odd since she grew up here). It helps to know Spanish. And make reservations!! read more

Really good, affordable food in a busy, noisy restaurant. I am a fan because I've never been disappointed. Parking is convenient. If ambiance matters this may not be the place for you. read more

Great food!! I love the grilled salmon and yellow rice. The service is good. It's a very small seating area. You do get a nice portion of food for what you pay. It's like somewhat of a hidden gem. I'd recommend this place and I'll definitely be back! read more

Love this restaurant, food is the best in NJ in my modest opinion. Service very friendly and professional. I am coming here since 1972. read more

One word: yum. One of my work colleagues is Cuban and he has been trying to get us all together to go out for some authentic Spanish food in Ironbound section of Newark for a while now. He finally sent out an email and threw together this little tasting event for us (I say tasting because there were like 17 courses). Now, I know what you're thinking, why go to Newark when there are plenty of Spanish places in Manhattan. Well friends, I'm not sure if you're aware but Newark is the mecca for authentic Spanish and Portuguese food in the NYC area. Our little group of 15 walked from the train station all the way over to Casa Vasca - so less than 10 minute stroll. We arrived at the restaurant and it looked really plain and kind of run down in terms of aesthetics. The door to the dining area is like an old school brown door which reminded me of a basement door in my parent's house when we lived in the Bronx. So, nothing snazzy for sure. However, as soon as we sat down we were treated with the great amount of hospitality. Within minutes of us sitting we were instantly brought fresh warm bread, water and pitchers of red sangria. Then they started with the first course, which was a yummy soup that kind of reminded me of an Irish stew, but way tastier. Next was shrimp in garlic sauce, churizo, stuffed mushrooms and mussels with some kind of red sauce on them. Finally for our meal they brought out three dishes: veal, chicken and seafood paella. Everything was insanely flavorful and amazing. The best part about this was that including tip it cost us $40/pp for all of that food and unlimited sangria. I waddled to the PATH train home and immediately put on sweatpants...sooooo full. read more

I have never had service so efficient. The place is small, but comfortable. We were served within seconds of sitting down, and there was no way to beat the waiters and finish the water before it was topped back off. The seafood rice dish was fantastic. It was piping hot and stayed that way - as it is served in cast iron. The soup was exceptionally good, seasoned very well and served family style. I highly recommend trying this place. read more

Meal and service were impeccable. Food was cooked perfectly. Wide variety of daily specials. Would highly recommend this jewel tucked away in the Ironbound read more