Update. We have been back numerous times, this time with cousins and their wives or a "plus one," eight of us at a tight, rectangular table in the back. There are several hanging paintings on the walls, not worth a look, so you don't feel like you might be in Spain or Italy. Otherwise, it's a friendly, busy restaurant on weekend evenings, so reservations are recommended. Entrées, their starter salad ginger dressing and service are always good-very good. It's always either Spanish or Italian, so for example, you can order chicken parmigiana or variations of paella. This time I ordered Chicken Villaroy, which "is a classic French-origin dish featuring cooked chicken breasts (or croquettes) coated in a thick, cheese-infused béchamel sauce (Sauce Villeroy)." However, this one was served looking like two squared, lumpy, sautéed potato knishes, but tasted better than it looked. The inside was a very thick, well cooked chicken breast covered by a thin, light béchamel sauce and what seemed like plain, sautéed flour covering. The sauce made it slightly juicy, but not nearly juicy enough, and there was no thick, cheese infusion. My suggestion (for what it's worth ... and no offense intended to the Villaroys), is much more wet, cheesy infusion, along with perhaps a thick, panko crust covering thinner slices of chicken breast. They offered Sangria and Pinot Noir (tonight's table favorites), but not Chianti (my first choice) and you can skip most of their desserts. I was only able to finish one of the Chicken Villaroy croquettes and took the other one home for another day. The entrées came with rice or a wide variety of cooked vegetable sides, so mine was (excellent) spinach with oil and garlic, which I shared with my wife. read more

El Parral - Inside of Chicken Villaroy - Spanish Near Me - Syosset, New York

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We had a great experience here! The service was attentive and friendly, even though the restaurant was pretty busy. We started with the potato chips and chorizo, which were very good. For entrées, we tried the shrimp in hot garlic sauce, seafood in green sauce, lasagna, and the chicken in pepper sauce. Everyone enjoyed their dish, and we loved that all entrées come with a salad plus a choice of rice, pasta, fries, or green beans. The sangria is also worth mentioning--really good and definitely strong! Overall, solid food, good service, and a lively atmosphere. Would definitely come back. read more

El Parral - Spanish Near Me - Syosset, New York

Came here with a big party of friends to catch up one evening. I had never been inside but it was well decorated and I had heard great things about the food. Once our party was seated they delivered complimentary salads for each person with an incredible dressing that I loved every second of! We also had some wine which was great. Our waiter took our order and I went with one of the specials that had baked ziti, eggplant parm and veal parm. It was a great sized dish and came out very timely. The sauce tasted authentic and the eggplant was sliced nice and thin. I loved my dish and made sure the plate was clean lol. I absolutely loved it here, as did everyone I came with. Everyone loved their dish and we had such a great time. I hope I come back here soon! read more

El Parral - Spanish Near Me - Syosset, New York

Attended a birthday party here and they did a great job managing a large party! Each meal came with a choice of pasta, rice or green beans. I really enjoyed the veal parm and the shrimp in green sauce. Definitely order the rice side when you get the shrimp so you can drench it in the green sauce. The green bean side was pretty basic. The chicken rollatini was very salty and I would not recommend. Prices of the entrees are between $20-$30 but they gave you a decent portion for each. I wasn't a fan of the sangria; both the red and white were very sweet! Overall, I wouldn't come running back but they did a nice job hosting for the occasion. The food isn't anything special so I'm not sure I'd come running back! read more

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This place has been around forever. Went with few friends and the food and service was great.

El parral is the best. The food is great. The people are even better. Rudy and his crew make you feel like family. David

Ambiance (4/5): The inside was fairly empty on a Friday night with approx 4 tables occupied. The establishment is nicely lit and has a full bar as well. Minimalistic decor. Service (5/5): I really wanted to love this spot because our server was so friendly and enthusiastic with the drink and food recommendations! He said he knew the regular patrons and we were newbies, which shows attention to his guests! The food came out decently fast. Food (4/5): The meal came with a free starter of table bread and salad! The bread was very meh but I enjoyed the salad dressing! Mariscadas al Ajillo: the seafood bits were cooked perfectly! Nothing tasted overcooked or fishy. The sauce had a good amount flavor. It was reasonably priced for the portion of seafood in the stew. The yellow rice that comes it does a good job in soaking up the sauce. My only thing was that the sauce could have used a little more flavor. Paella Valenciana Speciality: This dish was not something write home about. The rice was not throughly seasoned through and bland side--it was as if the meat and veggie toppings were thrown on top rather than cooked into the rice. The rice went well with the extra Ajillo sauce from my dish. I liked the sausage but not the chicken as much. I really wished the flavors were integrated better. read more

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Just left and I'm already planning my next visit here. Their service quality was superb yet again. The place makes dining stress-free. Their cuisine exceeds all expectations. Bring your social circle to this restaurant. read more

Yummy good great service recommend the Maranda and shrimp and papas Fritas. Old school

We just dined at El Parral to celebrate our 56th Anniversary. We've dined here many times in the past 44 years and as always, the meal was everything we expected. Delicious food, great service and we were treated so well by the staff. We even had them take our picture so we could always remember this milestone in our story. read more

After many years we decided to try El Parral again. Decor was improved but the food went downhill. The mariscada with green sauce was bland and the side pasta was served in what seemed like a dessert bowl. Very small portion. The other three dishes were just ok... bland. But it was quiet and we were able to hear all conversations. Not a reason to dine at any restaurant, but worth mentioning. The salad dressing was the same as it was ten years ago. Bread was good. Plus portion sizes were 'meager'. All in all not as it used to be. Easy to park. read more

Simple food cooked well. One server and one bus boy held down the fort tonight. He was really friendly. It wasn't a crowded night at all. The complimentary salad and delicious house dressing made this place especially charming. I had minestrone soup and chicken francese. Both were great. The menu had a lot of options to choose from. Each table also receives a bread basket with warm bread. Looking forward to going back one day! read more

El Parral - Chicken Chicken a la Francese a la Carte - Spanish Near Me - Syosset, New York

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I hosted a dinner for 8 at El Parral on Thursday, August 15th. El Parral, a restaurant which features both Spanish and Italian cuisine, has been around a remarkable 42 years as I'm writing. Parking should not be a concern because there are spaces along the front of the strip mall which houses the restaurant, as well as a large parking lot in the rear. I enjoyed a small pitcher of Red Sangria as I waited for the arrival of my fellow diners. It was a great value at $16.00. The restaurant seated us in the simple and sparely decorated dining room promptly but controversy arose as my members began to whine about the table being too "tight".....I spoke to our waitress and she rectified everything by adding two more seats to our large table. The restaurant provides an Iceberg Salad for each entree, topped by a French/Russian tasting dressing. The salad was good.I followed up with the Chorizos which were also good. They were neither salty, too fatty or overcooked. I set some aside to throw in my Paella without Lobster ($25.00). The Paella was a little dry and bland. Moreover, it would have benefited from the addition of some Mussels, as there were none. Neither I nor my fellow diners had dessert. With regard to my companions, they also agreed that the Paella was lacking. However, we all agreed that the restaurant's green sauce was superb. So....the Shrimp with Green Sauce was the winning entree. Although the kitchen was fast, service was indifferent. Our waitress was difficult to track down. What really irked me was our waitress's reaction after we advised her that we were being undercharged because the check did not list one of the Shrimp with Rice dishes that our table ordered. Rather than appreciative thank you, she seemed put off by having to redo the check. Very strange. BOTTOM LINE: El Parral is OK but there are much better Iberian options on Long Island. read more

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How can a restaurant. charge you an additional $4.00 for mashed potatoes when you order rib eye steak which comes with a side order? No sense .. lost a good customer How can management be so stupid read more

Food was excellent, drinks were excellent, service was out of this world. Our waiter Eric is the man and guided us through our meal in all the right directions. My friend Giacometti loves the in house made chips and can't get enough of the green sauce. Will definitely recommend to Other and be back for more. read more

Been here twice, both times the food was amazing and so was the service, our waiter was very attentive and funny, definitely coming back!

We hadnt been to El Parral in a few years but it popped back up on our radar and we decided to give it a shot...Last time we went it looked tired but since our last visit the inside was redone..bright white with tables and no booths...a great improvement as I remember duct tape on the banquets last visit. Very inviting and comfortable to dine. Our server was very attentive and we wanted for nothing. We ordered various dishes but the standouts were the Veal Parm, big and delish, and the Seafood Mariscada was good as always. I was impressed by the Shrimp Possilipo...the shrimps were perfect and the sauce was so good we all dipped our bread and even use the spoon to slurp it up! The fact that we have been bringing up EP since our dinner there and repeatedly saying how good the food was is testimony to their continued efforts to make the customers happy..We certainly were!!! read more

Started going to El Parral around 1978. It always been absolutely delicious. I love the paella dishes as well as the mariscada in green sauce. With new ownership, it's still e best. read more

Good food at reasonable prices with exceptional service makes this a restaurant that you'll want to return to often.

The best food, everything is always so fresh. The servers are all so nice and helpful,especially Robert! It's been our Friday night spot for 30 years, always consistent. read more

Went there on Saturday for my birthday with a party of 5. Eric our waiter was terrific. The food was delicious, the atmosphere perfect. Not one complaint by any of us. A perfect evening. read more

Run, don't walk away from this abysmal roach infested dump. The food is horrendous (by far the worst I've had in Long Island- or anywhere, really), and the service isn't much better. El Parral should change their name to La Porquería. A friend of mine was told this was *the place* to go for paella. Well... The restaurant was more than half empty when we arrived on a Saturday night (hmmm), and everything looked run-down and dated. We were seated and given plastic menu booklets with prices written in ink, and our cheerless zombie of a waitress (complete with AirPods in her ears) was hospitable enough to ask, "Are ya ordering anything besides water?" before disappearing for at least fifteen minutes. The cocktail list is straight out of an early 1990's bartending course (a Grasshopper? Who even drinks those?), so we went with a half bottle of wine. The "Italian" food at the tables around us looked and smelled like generic store-bought slop, so we decided to try the Spanish fare: gambas al ajillo, chorizo, and the seafood and lobster paella (we had to catch the attention of another waiter to place our order, since our waitress never came back). Complimentary mini loaves of stale white bread were served, along with a puny iceberg lettuce salad (garnished with one grape tomato) and a gravy boat of some Hidden Valley-esque mystery dressing. The chorizo was more like small curls of pepperoni, the gambas were tasteless and so shriveled they resembled something out of my cat's canned food, but the worst of all was the paella. It came out in about ten minutes (talk about a BAD sign), and it wasn't even in a proper paella pan. Inside the dish was a mushy pile of bland yellow rice, a few rubbery clams, lobster as tough and dry as jerky, and some peas. To top it off, just as we were about to get our check, I noticed a large cockroach crawling next to our table. My friend told a member of the staff, who came over with a small napkin to crush it with (which he did, but then it fell off the wall and onto the inside of her parka). Our waiter later claimed he's never seen that happen before. Sure you haven't, bro. read more

El Parral - Uninvited dinner guest - Spanish Near Me - Syosset, New York

My parents had been going here since before I was born and I am now in my 20s- El Parral will forever be my Sunday night ritual. They have had the same staff since Ive been there and everyone is always so friendly- owners, wait staff, busboys and bartender, even the other customers are all friendly toward one another. I have been getting the chicken park for eternity with brocolli sauted in garlic and oil on the side. My dad is a big fan of their creole dish (he crafted his own so you can go and ask for what Steve gets, theyll know) but only if you like it spicy. My mom is also a big fan of their shrimp parm- vegetarians! The bread they give you before the meal is legendary, we have stocks of it at all times in my freezer, the salads you get with your entree wouldnt be anything without their dressing- its like 1000 island on crack. My boyfriend loved is so much we sent him back to MA with some to go containers and their CHIPS oh my my myyyyyyy the chips- I'm drooling. I also made my own chicken parm: instead of red sauce, I put their ajio sauce (yellow sauce I think used for shrimp) and there is nothing like it in the world. Also, if you dont get their sangria, you're doing it wrong. read more

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Outstanding food, great service. I even brushed the breadcrumbs off the table and ate them!

I have been going to El Parral since I was in elementary school. My family an I absolutely love it. Even though I don't live in the area anymore, no weekend visit home is complete without a dinner at El Parral. The service is great, the owners are always there and willing to accommodate any request you might have. The inside of the restaurant is cozy and simple, nothing over the top. We always start with the chips and chorizo. Then, a simple garden salad with yummy french-type dressing comes with your dinner order. In all my years coming here, I have ALWAYS ordered the ziti with chicken and broccoli for my main course. It is simply the best - crispy bits of chicken mixed with tender broccoli and lots of ziti. Oh, and don't forget to order a pitcher of sangria to wash all this delicious food down! Can't wait to go back soon! read more

El Parral - Chicken with broccoli and Ziti, my favorite dish at El Parral - Spanish Near Me - Syosset, New York

A little Spanish place tucked away in the corner of a strip mall. This place is very easy to miss as it is tucked into a corner of a small strip mall on a busy road. The inside is a lot of dark wood and candles. The food is decent Spanish with excellent servers and decent prices. Nothing special stood out when we were there - all was good, solid Spanish- paella, garlic sauces etc. There is a tiny bar at the entrance but nothing you'd really hang out at. The small lot out front gets filled pretty quickly as this place does a brisk business. read more

Haven't eaten here for many years and our friends suggested to try it again. We were greeted warmly and seated promptly. Our server came right over and we ordered a half liter of red sangria. Warm bread was brought to our table , but was lacking any taste, as it was a plain loaf of white bread. We began the meal with a shrimp appetizer covered with garlic and oil , very tasty. Bread was good for dipping. Next we ordered the paella Valencia with lobster. The dish was very good, filled with shrimp, scallops, chicken and a small lobster tail . However the lobster was a little tough and next time would omit it Almost forgot about the complimentary salad,vey good with an excellent dressing. For dessert we shared a tartufo which was okay. By the way the sangria was very good. All in all enjoyed a very pleasant dinner and will return. Steven f read more

One star, only because I couldn't give it a zero or negative rating. The manager, Rudy, was very dismissive and unapologetic when an order placed through Uber Eats was incorrect. He kept instructing me that Uber Eats was at fault, when in fact it was the negligence of the restaurant and ultimately his mistake. Rudy took no responsibility or accountability of the restaurant's error and was completely unphased when I stated that I would be giving El Parral a bad review. Not a place I will frequent again, or ever recommend to another. read more

Paella was good , service was prompt and wait staff very friendly. One dish was Valencia with lobster. Second was requested to be only shrimp and chicken , no issues with the customer order. This was a very pleasant surprise, so many restaurants act line it's reinventing the wheel to any changes. Wait staff actually mentioned us being new faces. Place seems to be full of regulars! One warning Paella was very very hot ! Took a while for the rice to cool down. read more

I called in a pick up order for paella. The woman told us 25-30 minutes. My husband picked up the order got it home and it wasn't close to what we ordered. I called and spoke to Rudy, the manager, and it turns out the woman forgot to put my order in. How can you run a restaurant like that? read more

Been coming here for 15 years and have never had a complaint. Food is consistently unbelievable and will come here for the rest of my life ! Red Sangria Homemade Chips ask for the dressing ! Clams Casino Chicken Ajio Scallops in Green Sauce Chicken Creole Rating Scale : Good, , Amazing read more

Excellent chicken parmigiana , the gambas ajillo app is my absolute favorite. Also the house salad dressing is too die for. Been coming here for 20 years and it's always fantastic. read more

I recently went there with my family for my nephew's confirmation. We were so excited to try this place but we're extremely disappointed. The chicken was so salty, the margaritas were served in these small little glasses, and even the complimentary bread was so terrible!! How can complimentary bread be terrible??? If you want to be underwhelmed and waste money, go visit this place. read more

First thing i noticed about El Parral was that the sign in the parking lot said parking for "El Parrel." If they can't spell the name of their own place correctly in the parking lot, best bet is to give up right there. Food? Awful. Paella was just some bland yellow rice cooked with butter and frozen shrimp and frozen scallops. Chicken so dry it was indelible. This dish was so far from actual paella it was almost funny. Should have been called Flavorless Yellow Rice Mismash. The place is a dump. Cheap flea market oil paintings, tired furniture and even more tired waitstaff. Entrees served with a "side salad". Another joke. Basically salad out of a bag with two cherry tomato halves. Spaghetti with meat sauce was worse than jarred sauce. The manicotti was decent, saved by creamy ricotta filling. Chicken parm? Represents the worst of red sauce. A massive chicken cutlet, covered with goopy mozzarella and slathered with sweetened tomato sauce. It's an amazing experience in that it is simultaneously expensive and cheap. read more

I have been going to El Parral for 40 years or more. I love it. they are not afraid of garlic. I've sampled almost everything on the menu, the shrimp ajilio appetizer is my favorite, my husbald likes the chorizo. the steaks are good, the chicken marsala or francese also favorites but most of all I come for the paella. The'll make it any way you like - they are not afrain of special orders and they actually pay attention ! I am not sure what the house salad dressing is, but sometimes I crave it so badly that we order extra to dip bread in. Safood is always fresh and the wait staff is great. read more

I been coming here for over 17 years & the food is always consistent & delicious. My favorite is the gambas ajillo & the chicken parm. Also the complimentary house salad dressing is delicious! read more

Never get tired of their Mariscada. Ignore negative reviews. Complain? Find somewhere else that can be so consistent for 40 years! read more

Terrible experience. Food is inedible. Literally worse than airport food... frost bitten, Deep fried clams. Lobster tail the size of one shrimp. Sangrias not drinkable. Brought out wrong entree. read more

We last ate at the El Parral in the roaring early 90's, a time when every restaurant was filled with people and the money was flowing. In todays economy we don't eat out often and so when we do we try to get it right and I have to tell you, the El Parral got it wrong. We both- my wife and I- ordered the seafood paella and it was hardly anything to talk about just a package of yeloow rice with peas that were still frozen and a few shrimp, mussels and clams. Where was the flavor???? I could have made this for $5.00 at home. To me the place has more of an Italian restaurant feel and not the Spanish one that it used to have. read more

So not worth it. Would have been 3 stars but just way over priced. Used to come years ago and remembered it was awesome. Was just fair at best this time. Calamari you could tell was Frozen. And small portion. Baked clams was fishy. Both came out within 5 min of ordering. Main Veal chops and pork chips were decent. Onions on top were great. But didn't make up for the rest of the crappy meal. And the free salad that came with the meal was just lettuce. And the garlic broccoli was crap. They used diced garlic from a jar. Nothing fresh. read more