I love it here. Been coming for years. Can't go wrong with any item on the menu. We had a couple of specials as you can see. Enjoy. read more

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Can't attest to the food since we were told the chefs were leaving and they're closing soon. They said they can whip us up some "simple food" but also added that they were closing. We opt to leave since they didn't feel welcoming. Please fix the hours of operations on yelp. Arrived at 9pm and yelp says they close 11:00. The set up to the entrance was also hidden. We had to go through a few doors before we got to the host podium. read more

Had a wonderful time here. The staff were extremely nice service was amazing and the food OMG! The food was so delicious. We had octopus (pulpo) for appetizers and for dinner I had the shrimp in garlic sauce which was sooooo good!!! The ambiance was incredible so romantic. I am definitely coming back. read more

Don Pepe - Octopus appetizer - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Parking is very tight. Staff is wonderful. Food is fine, although my meal was lukewarm. Some of the best cheesecake I've ever had. The dining area was nice. I would recommend. read more

Bellissimo!!!! The food is hands down the best Portuguese cruise I've ever eaten! The ambience is incredible and the staff are amazing. They are very attentive to your dining needs without you having to get their attention. You definitely have to go there really hungry because the portions are large enough for a to go package. Moreover, there's valet parking! Whenever I'm in town this is my goto place for a fabulous dining experience. They take walk-in's as well as reservations. Depending on the time and the day the wait time may vary. To be on the save side make a reservation if you plan to dine on the weekend. For those who like cocktails there's an array to choose from. read more

Very unique location in the business district. It's a @white table cloth" classy kind of place. My husband and I had very large portions of paella for lunch. Both contained large chunks of meat and vegetables. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. You won't be disappointed. read more

This is a Spanish restaurant that's a bit on the pricey side, so be forewarned. It's one of those nice linen tablecloth and napkin places and is very classy. According to the menu, it appears that everything comes a la carte, but we were served a bowl of rice, two bowls of brussel sprouts and carrots, and a couple of plates of homemade sliced potato chips for no extra charge. There were nine of us, and the sides were plenty to share. I had the Norwegian salmon for $26.50. It included a small boiled potato on the side, but as I mentioned, somehow, we got a couple of additional sides to share. The slab of salmon I was served was HUGE! I could barely eat all of it. Three others at our table ordered it also, and the serving size was the same for them. It was cooked perfectly (not dried out at all), and had a wonderful flavor to it. The server wasn't the friendliest person in the world, but he did ok. No orders were screwed up, and there were two runners keeping an eye on our table and even bringing more drinks as we ordered them. The paella was also ordered by one person - it was enough for two or three people to fill up on. The other dish I remember from that night was the American Red Snapper pastelera style ($29.95). It sounded good, and I almost ordered it, but the server warned us it was served "whole fish" style. Translated roughly, this means, it still has the head, tail, etc. I just can't eat fish that way. However, the person in our party who ordered it was very pleased with it. After dinner, Pepe (the owner) stopped by to chit chat with our eclectic group of nine. He even posed for a group photo with us. Shortly thereafter, the waiter stopped by to tell us that Pepe wanted to buy us a round of drinks. What??? Where else does this happen? Viva la Pepe!!! In summary, I would definitely stop by for a good Spanish style meal - be it seafood, or steak. read more

Don Pepe - Norwegian Salmon ($26.50) - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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Really fine restaurant in Ironbound, a neighborhood worth lots of authentic Spanish and Portuguese restaurants. Really enjoyed the food.

The service was absolutely wonderful. They paid close attention to our needs. And the atmosphere is very welcoming and comfortable. The only thing missing was the quality of food. Its better than most restaurants in the area but was still lacking. read more

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While the service was great and an OK selection for vegans, food was tasty but overcooked. The fresh bread was fantastic. The vegetarian paella had overcooked veggies and cold artichoke hearts. The broccoli rabe was also tasty but way over cooked. Our friend had a chicken salad, greens looked completely wilted and unappealing. read more

What a bargain for seafood. Night I went lobster was $19.95/lb whereas the mixed seafood grill was $39.95. I went with the mixed seafood grill which had a full lobster which might be near 1.5-2lbs along with mussels, shrimp and scallops along with potato chips. Totally delicious with the drawn butter and way too much for one person. Ideally 2 can split this dish with soup or salad for a starter. No chance of making it to dessert on your own. Great service, great food. Outrageous portion size. read more

Don Pepe - Mixed seafood grill - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

The food is yummy. The portion sizes are HUGE and worth the pretty penny that you will spend. The waiters were professional and attentive. The inside is cleanly and just the right amount of upscale... you don't have to do too much. Parking can be difficult so I suggest getting there definitely before reservation time. read more

Don Pepe - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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Last time I was there the food was just how it used to be, that was on a Sunday. Before that it was all right on a weekday lunch. Sunday we made reservations at 3pm, we were 7 people And they wanted to put a Us against the wall by the bar. I complained and wanted another table. With arguing and back and forth we got a round table that was "reserved " the guy was a real dick and if it was not for the people I would have told Pepe about it. My family goes there for 30 years. In any case they got good food on weekends. It is an experience. They also used to have the best staff, now it's ok ! read more

THE WORST/WEIRDEST EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD AT A RESTAURANT. My fiancé and I dined here and we shared an appetizer and both got our own entrees. I got a huge sirloin steak and only ate about less than half of it due to being full from the other food I had eaten prior. The lady cleaning off our table spoke zero English so I guess she didn't understand me when I asked her to please wrap it up so I can take it home. Now this is about a $65 steak we are talking about here. I received the check and never got the leftover steak back. When I asked the waiter where the steak went, he went back and checked on it, learning the steak had been thrown away by the lady who cleaned off the table. So the waiter told me he will have the kitchen make me another steak to go. After I waited for it to be done, I WAS SENT HOME WITH SOMEBODY ELSES HALF EATEN STEAK. WITH BITE MARKS ON IT AND 2 RANDOM CUT PIECES WITH OTHER FOOD STUCK TO IT! The steak I had was already cut into pieces by me. The steak in the photo is what I was sent home with. What you see is exactly what I got. Blown away by how gross and unprofessional this is. Just a disgusting thing to a customer. I wish I can give it zero stars. I am currently waiting to talk to the owner. read more

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My family and I have come here for paella for a very long time but can only say I've eaten in the restaurant twice. I came her with my husband and my family plus their significant others, so there were many mouths to feed. Let me just say the Paella Valencia is a must have on the table. We also had the pork chops but the paella is the best dish to get. We also had the red sangria to go alongside it. Those two paired together is a match made in heaven. For appetizers though if they offer this as a special when you go, the avocado special is mouth watering! The staff were very friendly and accommodating. We had lots of leftovers and didn't even have to ask to get it wrapped. read more

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Had a group of 10 people on a Saturday night. We made reservations and they had a nice table reserved for us. We had called a few hours before the reservation to add a note that we were celebrating a birthday and they told us to just tell the server. Atmosphere is old school and fancy. The portions of the food are huge. Great for groups and bigger parties. However, the flavors of the food were underwhelming. There is a bar before the restaurant area. The sangria was AMAZING!!! We got 2 pitchers for the table and it was the best sangria I've ever had. Highly recommend. Pros: 2 parking lots available for patrons, portions are huge, great for events or big groups, free dessert (flan) for special occasions/birthday Cons: flavor of food, minimum orders required on Saturday nights, couldn't add a note to the reservation hours beforehand read more

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Food was good but service was poor. We asked the server two questions about the menu Please train everybody on the floor! Leches asadas i think it was the dessert's name or something like thst We wanted to try it out so we asked and the server said: thats a thing fried in oil We did ask him about something else and got a very similar answer. Honestly, i would have preferred him saying: i dont know but i will go find out for you Prices are high for such a poor service. We are foodies, so Im sure we could have spent way more had we had good service. Obviously after hearing his description we didn't order the dessert ir anything else. Also, Our table was no cleaned while we noticed the guy in the other section cleaning everybody's tables. read more

This review comes as a combination of nostalgia -this is a place my father used to take us, and so it will always remind me of him- and utter denial about the parking. It's distressing every time I've been, though we do manage to park in the lot every time as well, so there is that. What do I appreciate? The ambience, the service which has always been good for me, and the food of which I am quite fond. Stepping into Don Pepe is like sealing yourself away from the loud sweaty mess of the city into a cool oasis of old-style calm, sprinkled with the murmur of other conversations and the clink of tableware. The menu is reasonably varied and has plenty of options to satisfy different sized appetites, and especially with the complimentary bread, several of the appetizers are enough to serve as a meal. The gambas a ajillo [their garlic shrimp] are one such, especially if you're inclined to sop up all the extra melted garlic butter in the aforementioned bread. Paella is invariably delicious, though getting it on a Saturday when they insist on at least a double order [paella is impossible to make in single portions and wasteful, no doubt the reason for the rule] can be very pricy. I'm also rather fond of their sangria, which is refreshing instead of the sticky-sweet drink often available elsewhere. I've only ever been disappointed by the broccoli rabe, which was frankly -boring- when I last ordered it, but as track records go, that's not bad. read more

Don Pepe - Brilliant sangria - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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Amazing food! Restaurant is centrally located in the. downtown Newark area and the staff are amazing. Don Pepe is a real class act! Love him and his establishment. Definitely coming back And bringing good friends. read more

First time coming to Don Pepe and of course I'll be coming back. Very close to Penn Station and also has its own parking lot (which is very hard to find in Newark). The fried calamari and shrimp that I had for my appetizer were delicious. I tried both the red and white sangria, and both had a great taste. Wouldn't say that either drinks were strong. Honestly, my entree was the best compilation of seafood I've had in a long time. A burst of juice came from each bite I took. Such a generous amount, I had to get a take home box. Even though I was stuffed, I couldn't leave without ordering dessert. I ordered leche frita, which is fried milk. This was my first time having this dessert. It's unique, but I can't say I would order it again. Overall, this restaurant is a must visit. Hopefully I can return sooner than later! read more

Don Pepe - Lobster, shrimp, clams, mussel, scallop, butter (in the silver cup) - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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Came with a party of 20 and it was great in the beginning while we ordered. Drinks and bread came out fine. Some entree info. The garlic shrimp are not cleaned all the way which was a turn off. The chips had a piece of hair in it. Someone's entree had a piece of metal in it. Service was good but food is mediocre. Not the best place I've been to. read more

Don Pepe - Menu - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

AMAZING food, love the salmon with rice. very clean and beautiful, hoping to go here for father's day. expensive but authentic. love.

This is a place I've passed many times, and I am glad I finally got to try it. If you are looking for a special occasion dinner or something nice before a show at NJPAC or Prudential Center, this is in walking distance. It also has its own lot if that's all you're in town for. Things are definitely on the pricey side, but they have really big portions of seafood options. The stuffed scallops were giant and had a nice baked crust on them. The garlic shrimp entree had a ton of juicy shrimp with great flavor and came with rice. I was annoyed the paella can't be ordered unless 2 people ordered it (only a weekend thing so they are capable of making less). And then it was such a massive amount of food, I think half the amount would have still fed 2 people. It came with 2 giant lobsters, scallops, mussels, shrimps, and veggies and rice. It really was a feast! So prepare for leftovers. Just to overdo it a little, we got the creme brulee and tirimisu at the table for desserts. Both were outstanding. Certainly every course we ordered was amazing, but then the bill came and it's a little sad. It adds up. For for a treat, I do think it was well worth it, I just wished it came with a little less food so it was a little cheaper. read more

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Came for our anniversary date and we left so happy! The service was great, every staff member that we came across was so polite and helpful. The food was amazing, garlic shrimp was seasoned perfectly and the steak just melted in your mouth. We tried the mango sangria which was refreshing with a touch of sweetness. I think we found a new spot for our date night rotation. read more

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We went with a large group of 17. Ages ranging from 3 to 91. Everyone had a great time. Service was great. Drinks were good. The octopus was delicious. Lamb chops were perfect. Chocolate pecan pie was amazing. Definitely worth checking out read more

Don Pepe - Lamb Chops - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Wife and I went for lunch. I had the Paella Valencia - Had rice, shrimp, Spanish sausage, shrimp, spices scallops AND 1/2 Lobster. Huge portions for only about 21.00 ! Great taste and flavor My companion had the Veal in brandy sauce. Sauce was perfectly flavored and you tasted the brandy. It came with Spanish rice (cooked to perfection) , vegetables (broccoli, carrots and baby zucchini (slightly crisp - spot on) and their version of potato chips but soft - really good The bread came to our table warm and was also great Our server was also perfect - there when we needed him without being overpowering The best Portuguese Restaurant in Newark by far read more

Don Pepe - Paella Valencia - Perfect - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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This was definitely in the worst 10 meals of my life. The paella was literally soup and came out in like 5 minutes. Flan was cold sweet scrambled egg. So disappointing. read more

Every visit to Newark we make it a point to dine at Don Pepe's for their incredible menu and wonderful customer service! Last night we had incredible Chilean Sea Bass served with their Valencia's Bomba saffron rice and incredible garlic green beans and carrots, Garlic Shrimp and split a very fresh house salad! Everything was served to perfection and their portion sizes are huge! True gem in the heart of Newark's Ironbound with perfect ambiance for everything from a quick getaway dinner to business dining! Great staff with friendly welcoming smiles and service. Until next trip! Nice job Don Pepe's! read more

They have a dress code. The host attendants had us sit down and afterwards told us we cant wear that. Oh well. We politely left and took our business to another restaurant and spent our money! read more

The food was excellent and the atmosphere is very nice. the wait Staff was very attentive and food came quick. I would higly recommend going here and trying it. read more

This is a great place to eat. In Nov. 2019 I selected this place to have my father's funeral repass which I selected a prefixed menu. The food and service was excellent. In addition, they were able to accommodate the changes in the party with ease. The other day, thought to try Don Pepenagain to see if it was just the covered event, and I wanted to go to diner as the COVID-19 restrictions was beginning to get to me. read more

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Oxtail Stew! Don't see it on many menus so I had to try. Tender, well seasoned . Excellent rice. Service very good. We picked the place based on its proximity to the train station but I'd go out of my way to return. read more

My Boyfriend Surprised Me For My Birthday With Dinner At Pepe! Everything Was Delicious! read more

Don Pepe - Chicken In Garlic Sauce And Garlic Shrimp And Rice. - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

A Spanish cuisine legend around these parts that has spawned a number of other locations. My underwhelmed reaction is that it's "fine." The clams casino were robust and flavorful but the vegetarian paella was as desolate as an abandoned mine. Now I know why wars have been fought over spices. Wonderful service redeemed a rather pedestrian meal. Don Pepe needs to locate his pepper grinder. A very charitable three stars. read more

Very good and affordable fine dining! I had the garlic soup and the shellfish paella, the portion is insanely large! Can feed up to 3 or 4 people, and it was only $36 for that! I would definitely comeback and try other dishes read more

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It been a long while since my last visit because of COVID and distance from my home. But, as I deplaned in Newark, my mind drew me in. We went for dinner and truthfully it was a great treat. From the onset, the attentive service was wonderful as usual and the food outstanding. The garlic shrimp is one of my favorites and it never lets me down.... Outstanding flavor & wonderful portion size. Son had a grilled octopus dish & and he almost licked the plate. Wife and I had soups and she ate a chicken dish..... everything was great except the prices have gone up significantly. Especially had we chosen any steak. So, if you are fine with paying, the food and service will not disappoint, so I recommend this wonderful place. read more

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Great experience at this restaurant for a lunch break during work. Amazing steak! I was really banking on trying the lamb chops and was disappointed to know they no longer have them. But i will be back to try more stuff. read more

Don Pepe - Sirloin - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

The food is very good. As soon as we were seated we noticed that our server was in a bad mood. Then we realized that all the servers have the nastiest attitude that I have seen in the restaurant business. I went with a family after a funeral service, this family just lost a family member. The servers were impatient, rude, one even argued with one of us to a point of almost getting into a fist fight. It was the strangest experience. It's like their job is to be rude to the clients. The food is good but not worth going. Spend your money somewhere that will treat with respect. Unacceptable! read more

My boyfriend and I went here for Valentine's Day and our overall experience was pleasing! Overall price was a bit pricier but we expected that from the reviews. Food: we had the calamari, the special of veal (basically the knee), and seafood penne (with scallops, lobster, and shrimp) a few glasses of white and red wine, and cheesecake and tiramisu for dessert! They give you bread and olive oil as a starter and I also got complimentary Spanish rice with my veal. Everything was hot and very good. Overall experience: since we went on a busy holiday, we had to wait even though we had a reservation. The staff are very quick when they come to your table. They're very nice, but they don't hang around too long. They also don't rush you out of the restaurant which is what I liked! Parking is limited but they have a garage around the back which you have to pay a flat rate read more

Don Pepe - Veal special - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Not impressed. Big on portions, small on flavor. While their entrance and decor are pretty formal, most patrons dress casually. They have a full bar and very attentive service. Their menu's heavy on seafood and steak options. Most dishes come with a little too much bland saffron rice and veggies that could actually be shared among 2-3 people. While their steak's delicious and usually arrives perfectly cooked and simply seasoned with s+p and sides of string beans and potato chips- the thick kind that semi-soft, their seafood's sometimes overcooked. Boo! Flavor-wise, most of their dishes lack and are too carb-heavy by nature. For dessert, they present a cart full of temptingly beautiful pastries that are pretty good, but inconsistent entrees prevent me from coming back on my own. read more

Don Pepe - T-bone Steak - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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