I've now been here three times. My bf has been coming to Dunellen BBQ on and off for 10 yrs. This is a family run Portuguese/Spanish style BBQ restaurant. This place was hopping. The staff is very friendly and they all were working very hard to get everyone's orders ready. The staff is very nice. I placed my order to go for (2) half orders of BBQ Chicken Combo. A 1/2 order comes with a half a chicken cut up into 4 pieces of bbq chicken, a choice of yellow rice, black or red beans, fries, or salad. They also serve several different types of homemade Empanadas, Yuca, and Fried Bananas. This is not a big place. There are a couple of tables and a few counter seats. I saw in their refrigerator they have ready to go desserts. I added 2 Flans to go with my order. When I got home I was really surprised. They didn't skimp on our orders. They gave me 1/2 a chicken cut up into 4 nice pieces of chicken which was juicy with a side of hot sauce and a side of their bbq sauce. Both sauces were good. I also got an abundance of delicious yellow rice with some veggies in it. I chose black beans which came in a separate container. I enjoyed everything and so did my boyfriend. For dessert we each got a flan. I was truly surprised. My flan was super creamy, it had lots of caramel sauce on the bottom. The flan was so very good I couldn't stop eating it. I highly recommend trying their dessert.They also sell Tres Leche Cake,Rice Pudding, Oreo Cake,Tiramisu, Cheese Cake, Carrot Cake, and Red Velvet Cake. Dunellen BBQ offers an extensive menu. They offer chicken, steak, and seafood along with kebabs and sandwiches. There is a free parking lot next door. It's small bc they share it. There's also some street parking. I would definitely recommend trying this place especially their BBQ chicken platter. read more

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Hi, we ordered here so many times (over 25 times) plus at least 4 diff holiday catering over the last 2 years and have always been a fan of this restaurant plus recommended to many others...unfortunately that changed tonight. I picked up a routine whole chicken platter with brown beans...bad start was waiting over 15 min on a Monday night and told i was waiting for the beans after I inquired. Once I got home 10 min later, the meal was quite disappointing for the 1st time. Not only were the beans lukewarm, they were ultra watery like someone added water to old beans as they had zero taste and a mushy consistency which made them inedible. The rice was not warm but also flavorless and clumpy - the most disappointing part was the dry and very small chicken pieces. Maybe being a Monday was a tough day but it pains me to write this review as this is a place we enjoyed; my wife will be calling tomorrow to discuss with manager. Sorry team...not an acceptable/pleasant/recommendable experience. read more

We ordered a bunch of empanadas for a small party. I really like the thin, flour-based empanada dough that they use. It turns out thin and crispy with a great filling to dough ratio. Pork was my favorite, but beef and chicken were great as well. We thought the shrimp was overcooked. Spinach and cheese was too cheesy for my taste. Sadly, they got our order slightly wrong and did not include the cheese and guayaba (romeo e julietta) empanadas so we did not get to try those. Fries are not great; definitely a skip from me. I would come for the empanadas alone and give the ribs and roast chickens a try. read more

Pictures didn't make the cut the food is so damn good you want to eat it while it's hot. Service is stellar, you don't have to wait long and it's always clean when you step into the restaurant. I would recommend this place to anyone. read more

We always order here when we have parties. The service is great and the food is a hit. Our guests always want to know where the food is from. We actually learned of this place from a party. 10/10 good juicy tasty food. Authentic read more

Second time here in 2 weeks. The food here is amazing. I came in and Leeah knew exactly what i wanted without question. The service is immaculate. A very cultural ambiance with a television for entertainment. read more

Dunellen BBQ - Chef - Barbeque Near Me - Dunellen, New Jersey

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Horrible service unless your some type of Spanish. Not once not rice but three times I've ordered food and received atrocious service. The only reason I order is mere convenience other than that their food is bland. Never go to this hole in the wall. read more

The food was very tasty. The rice was very good. The ribs and chicken and tilapia fish was very well seasoned. So yummy! We just wished they would provide more condiments! Not enough hot sauce, ketchup etc with 2 trays of food. They prepared the food within 30 minutes. We ordered to go. read more

Food was freshly prepared and very well seasoned. I always just go for the chicken and ribs combo with yellow rice. I prefer the pork ribs over the beef. The beans lack some flavor albeit still good, it's just missing something to make it come alive. The staff are tripping over each other trying to help customers, they're very friendly. Most definitely will come back. read more

Cute little "hole in the wall" spot in the neighborhood. We sat in the back dining area (you have to walk all the way to the way and through a door). For apps, we had the chorizo. It was salty and a little spicy; good thing the pickled veggies came with it because it helped to drown out some of the fat too. For our dinners, we had the chicken and pork ribs. My husband loves the chicken. Seasoning is on point; meat is moist. The ribs were super fatty so for some parts I had to tediously pick out the meat. The ribs were a little tough, however, the flavor was good. Rice was surprisingly salty as well. Overall, decent. Can't say I loved it. I felt like everything I had besides the bread was heavily salted. The wait staff was a little young but friendly. One server in particular was very inexperienced and quite under-trained. I might come back, only because my husband likes it. FYI, they have a TINY parking lot so street parking is the way to go if you have a larger vehicle. read more

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I ordered a chicken and pork combo. They said 20 minutes . I got there and still had to wait another ten minutes. I got all the way home to see that they gave me old fries. I take it back and told them that I had old fries . The nasty older lady that's always yelling at the children, responded we make fresh fries. I asked her to taste the fries that she gave me . She responded "I don't eat fries. She then proceeded to give me fresh fries with an attitude . She didn't bag my food back up . I left with just a tray of food in my hand . Very poor customer service after I was trying not to make a scene . I will never go there again . read more

Their chicken and ribs are good. The fried snapper needs some seasoning on it. You get a lot of rice with your meal. I would recommend it

This is my go to place for churrasco outside of Newark. Always fresh and portions are large. read more

Excellent food, Nice and helpful staff and reasonable prices. Ex customer of 28 BBQ but after they double charged me $400, I tried Dunellen barbecue and boy was I happy I did! The servings are much larger the ribs are bigger and in general fresher and the prices are lower. You've made me a permanent customer, I urge anybody who is a of Portuguese barbecue to try this place I guarantee you it's the best! read more

Food is always great and the kids behind the counter are always helpful. Make sure you order in advance for takeout.

This place used to be so good and family oriented. We always order the chicken and beef ribs combo, however lately, it seems like their beef and chicken quality has dropped a lot! Most of the times the ribs comes with a lot of fat (picture attached) and the chicken its dry at time, like it seems they had it cooked already and set aside for a while. French fries always gets saggy since they put it on top of the food. If food quality continues like this I'm probably going to switch to another bbq place nearby. read more

Dunellen BBQ - Beef ribs with lots of fat - Barbeque Near Me - Dunellen, New Jersey

Food is great. The young girls packing up the food are super sweet and helpful. The woman running the place is super nasty and gives an attitude when you ask for help. read more

ad, bad, bad experience. This past Monday I ordered food over the phone. My order was big. I paid around $85 dollars. I ordered a tray with chicken and ribs, rice and fries. A second tray with only meat instead of the rice and the ribs I asked to add more meat. I also ordered 12 (very expensive) empanadas and a house salad. I drove about 40 minutes to pick up my food from my house. I don't care about driving too far to get their food because I thought until Monday I was their dear customer. When I got home I opened the trays to double checked the order and to organized the food for my guests. Yes!!!! I had a party of 10 people. I was very upset when I saw one little tray with 5 little pieces of meat. Yes. They did not replaced the rice and the fries for more meat. They just simply took out the rice and the fries and they charged me around $18 dollars for this small tiny tray. I was extremely upset because I was not going to have enough food for my party. So, I decided to call the restaurant. Basically the manager did not care about the complaint. He did not even offered me to come and at least get my rice and fries. I am very disappointed. They over charge for their food. They are taking advantage of us customers. I will never come back to this place. I will report them to BBB. read more

Food is decent and a little pricey but the best Portuguese food local. Customer service is not good at all. Whether you walk in or call in the young girls that service you are snotty and rude. If you have to order get a male. read more

One of the better spots in the area. I happen to love my fries to be extra crispy, THEY ARE THE ONLY PLACE THAT LISTENS! I get the same thing, no matter the restaurant. 1/2 Pork ribs and garlic shrimp appetizer. The portions are good. The rice would be a little softer, but the flavors are spot on. I appreciate the medium/large shrimp being draped in garlic, like they are supposed to be. This BBQ location offers beans. Those were good too. read more

Shared the chicken, pork ribs and beef ribs combo with my husband. Huge portion, definitely enough left over for another meal. The meat was tender and flavorful. Rice and fries are great as well. The store front looks small but there's a bigger dining area in the back for bigger groups of people. Servers are friendly. Try the Portuguese soda Sumol. :) read more

This is by far the best Churrascaria style restaurants in the N.J./NYC area!!! I've eaten at many from Newark to Dunellen and I can tell you unlike many of the others the food here is consistently good, flavorful, and plenty! Ive gone here off and on for ten years or so and have never been disappointed. There are probably a dozen or so in Newark and the surrounding area and none of them can compare to this little spot in a town where the last thing you would think of is good Churrascaria. On top of the exceptionally seasoned meat and rice the Garlic Shrimp, and empanadas are also the best around and consistent in taste. Lastly the Red Velvet, and Tres Leche cakes are also exceptional and strongly recommended. This place is great and strongly recommended. read more

This place is hit or miss. Sometimes they're good and sometimes they're not. We've tried platter of wings, grilled chicken, pork, and a variety of empanadas. If you're feeding a large crowd then go for it, if not don't bother. Oh, and the customer service is non-existent so...yeah. read more

Small place but the food is always fresh and delish. We come here often for lunch and they havent disappointed yet.

This is my favorite Portuguese style BBQ in the area. My orders are always platters of chicken or beef (short ribs or picanha/sirloin). In my opinion, the chicken is the better of the two. I have never ordered any sausages or pork from them. So I can't comment on how good they are. However, they do make cheesesteaks, which are not on the menu, and they are really (emphatic) good. I have ordered their empanadas, and I highly recommend them. My wife orders the sweet Plaintain's every time too. Each platter comes with a massive side of fries and rice; you can order without the rice and fries for a dollar or two off the menu price. read more

This place used to be good. Twice I order food and get home and did not receive what I had ordered!! The first time I didn't bother to call we just ate whatever they gave us. The second time I called they apologized told me to come right away and they will give me the ribs. I drive all the way back and they Would not give me the ribs because I didn't bring the tray back. I told the lady you told me to come right away and didn't tell me to bring the tray. What were they going to do give the food to someone else? That's unsanitary! I drove back for nothing. They screwed up and I didn't even get an apology. Also the food was tasteless. I will buy them a huge sack of salt and pepper and send it to them so their good can taste better. So sad this place was good!! Never again!!! read more

Cod fish was drenched in vinegar as soon as you open the tray felt my eyes burning. The portions isn't as generous compared to other Portuguese restaurants and not worth the price. Rice was not cooked properly and you can't customized your order and expect to wait at least one hour on weekends for take out. You're better off going to Ironbound. Do not recommend. read more

Dunellen BBQ is not quite the bees knees but they do have some delicious eats. Pork and beef ribs are good most of the time. Yes there are times where some days they are over cooked and very dry. Hey I write honestly. The combos are worth the price. Plenty of rice and fries (soggy) and the veggies are alright. Chicken is always prepared well as well as the garlic shrimp. Good food for the price with some quirks on those odd rib days read more

I think this place has changed owners again. That has happened to this place a few times in the past. They serve Portuguese style BBQ. The ribs are still the same....although they are better tasting when you buy them closer to lunch time or dinner time. I ordered a full rack of ribs with the yellow rice, no french fries. The yellow rice was kind of salty and it didn't come with enough pickled vegetables. All in all it's good enough if you're in a hurry and have to feed like 5 people, which is what I had to do. read more

I passed by this place plenty of times & I finally decided to try it out. Food is real good, seasoned just right and the people were extremely nice. read more

Dunellen BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Dunellen, New Jersey

I have been coming to this place for years now whether to eat in or take out, but mainly take out. For the past year or so, the size of their chicken keeps getting smaller. Also, the thing that I hate about this place is, when you order over the phone to get a take out, they ALWAYS tell you it only takes 15 mins. When your freakin get there, they always make you wait half an hour or more just to pick up your order! It defeats the purpose of getting a take out when you have to wait that long as if you ended up eating there! It's the closest Peruvian place by me, so basically I come here for convenience when I want Peruvian food. But if I had another choice, I probably won't be back. read more

This place is really good. The only thing is that, I've always ordered the Brazilian steak and it just keeps getting smaller and smaller. The portions are not always the same .. Because my boyfriend and I had ordered the same thing last time, sometimes I would get more of something than him or he would have a certain veggie on his plate that I didn't receive on mine. I would like more of a consistent meal and more meat. Don't be cheap on that and put more rice on the plate, please. read more

Food doesn't have much flavor. Pork ribs were chewy. Appetizers are a little better with flavor but small for the price. I had Shrimp and Garlic sauce and chorizo. read more

Delicious food every time. I've had many dishes from chicken to steak and everything has always been great! The portions are huge too. You can definitely feed a family for a good price. I always offer to pick up the food because It smells so amazing there. read more

Updating my review as this turned out to be one of my go to spots. I explored more of the menu and realized they have a sit down place in the back which is nicer than the seats upfront when you walk in. Food is consistently tasty and love the empanadas now! read more

Went here to pick up food with my mother in law who always gets food from here. Food was very good. They are generous with their portions and are priced very well. They seem to always be busy so do be prepared to wait for your food unless you call in first to order. Place looks very clean and service was great. My mother in law loves there food and she always picks up their chicken. I had their chicken and yellow vegetable rice which was very tasty.No complaints here! read more

Dunellen BBQ - First time here and i loved there food:) - Barbeque Near Me - Dunellen, New Jersey

Nothing fancy, but the bbq chicken was fantastic! Big portions Rice, French Fries Salad.. Friendly service. And inexpensive too.. We will go back! Enjoy everyone.. read more

Dunellen BBQ - So yummy- glad we stopped in - - Barbeque Near Me - Dunellen, New Jersey

Pretty good food I eat there all the time the kids who work there though they aren't great with costumer service there's one kid there who's really nice but the girls are not at all read more

Drove 20min and tried for the 1st time recently and was disappointed. I ordered the chicken and ribs combo and both meats were dry with the ribs being tough & chewy! Wish the fries were a little more crispy also. Their customer service needs some work as well. read more

The Empanadas are amazing!!! Also if you have a sweet tooth like me, go for the tres leches cake for dessert. Definitely recommend this to anyone in the area. read more