This is one of my favorite restaurants. I have been here one time before, but I am also having a special occasion booked soon. Juan the owner is just amazing. He doesn't rush you, he explains everything. We walked out to think about it and walked right back in to book the party because of the professionalism the Juan showed! I am excited for our event coming up. Thank you Juan and the Marbella Restaurant! read more

I went there to celebrate my sister's birthday. She wanted sangria, witch was wonderful. The paella was fantastic. Seasoned well and loaded with seafood. The caprese salad was nothing special. The best thing was the service. The whole staff was very attentive, polite and funny. My party totally enjoyed the experience. I will be back. read more

my favorite restaurant in new york. not pretentious but intimate and surprisingly elegant. great food and great service every time.

Marbella Restaurant is a slice of the old world. They serve traditional, authentic Spanish Mediterranean cuisines made to order. Our first appetizer was called Chiporenes. Grilled Calamari tossed in an Iberian Olive Oil served with a spicy Fra Diavolo sauce. We also enjoyed the Avocado stuffed with seafood. I hate using certain types of terms but it is the best way to describe it. OMG it was amazing. The dressing was a light citrus and not overpowering. The seafood was fresh and presentation impeccable. It could have been dinner by itself. The Piéce de Résistance was Paella Valenciana. The rice had a beautiful sticky quality mixed with pork, shrimp, lobster tails, scallops and other shellfish. Just an amazing combination. We paired the paella with a sweet sangria. To our surprise the suited waiter brought a ceramic pitcher, filled it to our specifications and served. They made it tableside! Great touch. For desert (what's dinner without it) we had a decedent custard filled crepe. They flambéed citrus with Grand Marnier and drizzled the syrupy mixture over the crepe and vanilla ice cream. The flambé was once again done tableside. It was like dinner and a show. read more

Excellent service, exceptional food, and luscious wine. Quiet, traditional white linen and classy atmosphere. Carlos and his team took very good care of us. Very special. read more

Went there once, never again! bad service, Paella rice was raw, the lobster in Paella were just empty shell, called the waiter about it and he gave me an attitude. Waited over an hour for the food. The soda came in a very small glass with lots of ice. It had to be about 4 oz. or less but was charged about 4 dollars for the soda. Very overpriced restaurant. I saw people come in after us but was served before us. I really hated this place.If I could, I wouldn't give any stars to Marbella! read more

I really can not say enough good things about having a party at Marbella. Juan has done this business for a really long time and it shows. He is organized, he is prepared and he runs everything smoothly from beginning to end. He comes in and out of the room to check on the progress, he introduced himself to each table to make sure they were enjoying themselves and that they were getting everything they needed. He gives smooth working directions to his staff. In addition, you can tell his staff has wonderful serving skills, they were all so polite and friendly. My family described the party as "feeling pampered and elegant". We had a sit down lunch which I much preferred over a buffet, it's the same price and his staff is so organized and attentive. My guests were all raving about the food, especially the Paella, the Arroz con Pollo and the Tilapia with Crab and Lobster Sauce. I had the Arroz con Pollo and I loved it. People were so happy with the Sangria pitchers on the tables. I highly suggest those. It's an additional cost per table but there wasn't one person in the room without a smile for that. I also opted to pay for my guests extra drinks because with the sangria, the bill was reasonable. Otherwise cash bar is an option. My family and friends really could not say enough good things about this place. The one thing that I did wrong was not tell my guests with the invitation that they could park at both the Best Western and the Aria Hotels. That's important, people were confused about where they were allowed to park. Juan had mentioned the parking 3 times to me so that was my fail. He even had papers that I could have included but I forgot to ask. Do put a little piece of paper with parking directions in with your invitation. Also if you are doing a lunch, go with 12:00, and not 1:00. You need time to pack and clean up before the next party which starts at 6:00-7:00 generally and they need to set up. We made it work, they brought in, while we moved out. All in all Marbella gets an amazing A++++ for giving my family and most of all my daughter, a bridal shower to remember. We had a great time. Thanks Juan and his amazing staff. read more

I grew up in the Bayside area and always passed by this restaurant for the better part of 20 something years. For Valentine's Day this year, I was looking for something local to celebrate with the girlfriend and decided to try this place. At first, it's a bit odd that the restaurant is located in a hotel, but having read some reviews on some other site, many people assured that the restaurant was one of the most authentic Spanish restaurants in Queens. We ordered the serrano ham as an appetizer which was delicious. I had the paella with a lobster tail. The lobster tail was a bit dry but the paella was absolutely delicious! Not too wet, not too dry, just perfectly succulent with the right mix of flavors. Definitely the dish to try here and just one of the best paellas I've had period. Would definitely recommend! read more

The food was bland. The service was inconsistent. The seating was tight. Marbella took advantage of a holiday and gauged their customers. 2.5 stars for live music but iffy service read more

Excellent food in charming old school setting. Service was good and purposely nonintrusive. Harp playing adds to soothing slow and relaxing setting. Ordered a great bottle of Rioja with our meal of Duck Valencia Flambe and Steak with Shallots. Crowd was mix of families and couples. If you want a classic restaurant experience in middle of Queens it is hard to beat. read more

This is it! The staff is truly incredible, the sangria must NOT be missed (probably the finest we've had in years). In fact we have asked other restaurants who pride themselves on their sangria, to make it instead the way Marbella makes it. A leading south shore restaurant served us sangria and I sent it back, asking for the Marbella style, and the owner responded, that Marbella makes it authentic and indeed delicious. Their paella and green-sauce items should not be missed. Their flambe crepes are another house specialty and truly a treat. Most of the time you don't need reservations. Fridays and Saturdays they have a harp player that makes the experience all the better. We've become more or less of a regular and have NEVER been disappointed. Leave your diet at home and splurge!!!! Visit, eat, and enjoy. Considering the market conditions, their prices are not unreasonable. Yes, indeed, it's as good as it gets! read more

To be honest I don't think it even deserves the 1 star, but unfortunately its the minimum. That's how bad my experience with Marbella Restaurant was. I'M WARNING YOU NOW TO COMPLETELY CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT COMING HERE. I'm surprised there are so many good reviews here because the restaurant seemed pretty deserted, and I'm starting to believe the employees and owners create fake Yelp accounts to write good reviews for themselves. It started out alright, with a wild goose chase to find the bathroom. When we sat down, bread was waiting on the tables. It would have been nice... if the bread hadn't been cold and stale. Food: YOU PAY AN AVERAGE OF 25 DOLLARS PER ENTREE. WITH A FEE OF 6 DOLLARS FOR SHARING FOOD PER DISH SHARED. The food is not even worth half that.. let me tell you that right now. French Onion Soup: Sadly, the only good food. Fried Calamari (special): Miniscule portions literally smaller than a dog bowl. Forget about the special; you'll be charged extra anyways. All salads: Looks pretty but tastes horrible. I liked the addition of the hair though. However, I think I shouldn't have taken the hair out of my salad, it would have probably tasted better than the salad. Paella a la Valenciana: I didn't like the taste. Wouldn't eat it if you paid me. Lenguado al Champan: Nothing special, but it was decent. So when we got the check, we discovered that we were charged extra for the fried calamari. So we politely told the waiter and he said he would fix it. Here's when the bad service comes in. He comes back, with the proper amount for the fried calamari, but with an additional 7 dollars. We point out that the amount is now even more and he says that we shared the paella and the 6 dollars were added to the paella. I considered complaining about the hair in my salad but I realize its no use; the more you complain about unjust treatment, the more they will charge you for supposedly sharing foods and you get to pay 7 more dollars. Hip hip hooray. The owners of this establishment obviously are only interested in making money. Guess they're gotten their wish. But its only a lose-lose situation. I pay more than I have to because of their scheming ways, and they lose customers. Don't make the same mistake twice. And don't fall for their traps. read more

We learned the night we dined at Marbella that we have lived in Bayside as long as the restaurant has been here. That is 37 years. It's rare that any place besides a museum could last this long. For that, we congratulate the management and the people who work hard to maintain the high standard in every way. It was an excellent experience for four of us. Our friend who knows the restaurant business made the reservation. This is one of his favorites; he thinks Marbella has good quality food and warm and friendly service. The night we were there, it was a busy birthday night; two tables were treated to the singing, the music and the good wishes from all around. The table near us was full of young guests with one birthday person among them. This place is just as classy as any place we have been- and there are quite a few that we have enjoyed around the world. There is an unique difference, it's nearby and it's in our neighborhood which would be one of the reasons that we will enjoy frequent visits from now on. read more

The steak was nice and big! The pepper sauce was off the hook! I would definitely recommend this place for couples. It looks very fancy in the inside. I used a restaurant certificate with my girlfriend for this place. It was worth it! read more

Ive been to Marbella many times over the years. Not always good, but my wife's family is from Spain so they enjoy it. The evening before Mother's Day we went to Marbella with a group of ten people. Of course we had reservations. The place was packed. They even had the catering room packed with people. It took them more than a half an hour to take our order and another one and and half hours to be served. The food was terrible as it was probably just living around the kitchen for a long time. The service was nil, no checking on what we needed as the meal went on. I'm the type to make a fuss about this kind of service, but I didn't want my wife to be upset. We will never go to this place again. If I want to be badly treated, I may change my mind. Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employees. read more

Unpleasant experience: My mother, an elegant 84 year old proceeds to the restroom with my sister. One of the waiters realizes we are a Dominican family and tells her that there are no bathrooms only latrines, so she can remember where she comes from. We were shocked and planned to approach the waiter after dinner until a table, in the room, decides to receive a cell phone call on speaker phone. When I ask one of the waiters to ask them to turn off the speaker as everyone in the room was listening, the same waiter who made the comment says to me: "This is a free country..not Cuba." At this point we were all floored and did have words regarding the treatment we received. Unfortunately, not only was his 'apology' disingenuous, he acted like he was sorry we didn't get his jokes, but no manager came by to excuse or address us. We will never return here as what was to be a memorable experience has become a tragic one. read more

We went after reading 4 raving reviews of this place for what else, but the "fantastic paella." We were greeted with a dead fly on one of the plates, which I guess is not their fault, but they didn't offer to change the plate! Eeek! The portions were ok, but the prices went up-- $34 for the paella marinera and $7 for plate sharing! The paella was overly salty and the peas were half raw. We will not be going back! read more

This review is based on an event a friend had here. So the setup isn't bad and the parking is the same as the hotel parking. Ok started off to a good start. The restaurant is located inside the Best Western. Entrance from outside and from the inside. The event hall is on the right once you walk in. And they have coat check(extra) if you don't want to hold on to your jacket. The room was setup to hold about 80 persons. The "package" my friend chose was 1hr of hors d'oeuvres then the buffet style dinner. The hors d'oeuvre consisted of baked clams, cheesy empanadas, ceviche of mussels, fried calamari and a platter of cheeses. The only thing we liked was the empanada, calamari and the platter of cheeses. They didn't have Sangria(i guess this was extra) and they had something like a Shirley Temple style drink with apples. Weird but not too bad. And water and coffee. The staff was friendly and helpful with my nephews they gave the kids chicken fingers w/French fries and served them first. Although there was this creepy waiter by the buffet station and he kept on saying "how my friend and I were so beautiful" and asking where we were from. Ok weirdo...kept looking at us as if we were meat...ugh! The food here was OK definitely not the best. They had pasta w/ sauce and cheese (which was dry and tasteless), chicken parm(chicken was flavorless), eggplant parm(soggy mess), baked salmon(which was good), lemon chicken(no lemon and very very dry), sole stuffed with crab meat in sauce(BEST THING ON MY PLATE), Chicken Paella( no flavor and rice tasted like microwaveable rice) and the Seafood Paella which is one of the signature dishes only had calamari(was just as flavorless as the other) just plain. Total disappointment. My friend paid a lot for this place and I really expected more. The place is nice, but the food is a let down. I don't think we will visiting this place. read more

I am a valued customer since 2006. I've had my christening here for my two sons, wedding anniversary, numerous happy hours and dinners and Thanksgiving dinner. Everything has exceeded expectations. We really loved their food and service. Classic Spanish vibe. Superb food. A bit pricey but it's worth it. Good portion even for the parties! Must try! read more

I ordered out at Marbella's for Thanksgiving, I have to say that the food was spectacular, and the bill was not as bad as I thought it would be for family of seven with soups, appetizers and full entrees. Well anyways I order at twelve pm for dinner at four, when I got to the restaurant I was greeted by a nice gentleman in a suit, and noticed a harp player entertaining the dinners. I thought the atmosphere seemed nice and I noted to my self that I would try the restaurant experience someday. Anyways to get to the point I ended up picking up a whole crate of food which consisted of the sole in champagne sauce, paella, ,arroz con pollo, stuffed chicken and sole, mussels, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp in champagne sauce, lobster bisque, and onion soup. Everything tasted wonderful the sole was tender and delicious, stuffed mushrooms was out of the world, pretty much everything was great. I kind of stumbled on this restaurant online I thought why not read more

Sharing a dinner with another couple (Saturday 4/29/17), one of whom had been there several times for lunches and enjoyed herself. Yikes, for her, and us what a disappointment. LOUD, LOUD and we were seated directly next to a table of approximately ten that had a harpist (with a speaker).....seriously, you should have moved us to one of the few remaining empty tables despite those being near large party groups too but without a music instrument! Problem two: while the Chilean sea bass was cooked to perfection, it clearly only met the green sauces, seconds before.....absolutely no melding of flavors.....same complaints from the other couple who ordered of dishes. read more

Beyond excellent food and service!! Those that rated low stars, are the competition just saying. The food, staff, cook (owner) are a force that I can see why the completion is trembling. Read on folks. Make the reservation, u will be food amazed . The bread, bruschetta delish. I sampled both the Cesar salad and the Tuscan Bean soup. Been craving it all day it's that good. I had both the monk fish and snapper, which is now is season. Snapper was delish. Monkfish was firm but still so yummy with the spinach! Dessert - Tartufo and simple Variety that will make your mouth watering and want, although u may be full. All eight of us loved and enjoyed our variety of dinner - from pasta, meat, fish, meatballs blah blah - not one complaint. I knew it was going to be good when I sampled the bread.. tasted like it came from Hoboken, Brooklyn, or JC. The wait staff, manager, and the owner/Chef Mark all attended to our crew and made the evening spectacular. All those low reviews are phony just saying - this BYOB is spectacular!! read more

Some of the best food in town. I might be a little biased because our family has been going there for decades, but still you should come during the day because at night it it packed and there are nice portions read more

Super racist and sexist! If I could give 0 stars, I would. First off, the food isn't even that good. I've been to Spain, and the food didn't taste anything like that I had there. All of the waiters/staff didn't talk to you if you were a woman and/or if you didn't talk in Spanish. The reservation was under MY name, I got into the restaurant first, and the host insisted on talking to my boyfriend instead. When I ordered in English, the waiter scoffed at me and rolled his eyes. Definitely won't be going back. read more

Ahhh pre fix meals for a large party... Recently made an reservation for a party of 30 with a pre fixed meals of app, salad and entree. Humm what can I say for a price of 28.95 it was a little steep for the food that they had offered. The app were a little small but it looked good and the salad might as well be a garnish, think that the veggie garnish at the Chinese place might be more. The beef was a addition 6 dollars but way too tough to eat. The chicken parm wasn't too bad and the fish was the only two that was acceptable in this pre fixed meal. The seafood rice was pretty looking but lacked in taste of what I have tasted. What can I say if it were not for good company and a happy birthday. I think I would of dumped the date that would of taken me here... Hope the dessert is not as disappointing. The good thing is that they can accommodate a large part with just 4 days notice. And the waiter service was really nice. read more

EXCELLENT place. Came for a party and it was amazing the room was great as the sound system was actually good for a Banquet hall. The Food was amazing and the service was also great. I would come back again without a doubt. read more

Not sure how this place gets good reviews. Went here for dinner and I couldn't wait to leave... service is below average but even worse the food is terrible. "Spanish Fries" is nothing but plain baked potato chips - the meat ravioli was in a watery tomato sauce which was very bland and the meat inside looked raw...looked as if they attempted to cook the meat while boiling the ravioli - needless to say I had diarrhea when I got home. Pepper steak tasted and felt like rubber with pepper sprinkled on it... anyway stay away, def not worth a visit read more

I am surprised that this place only got 3 stars. Don't let the gloomy outdated decor fool you. I've been here twice and had nothing but exceptional service and delicious food! I had issues with restaurant.com certificate but twice, they've assured me and made my experience a good one. It seems like an upscale fine dining establishment and while my brother and I were dressed in jeans and t-shirts, they never judged us and had treated us with complete respect and hospitality. Food was excellent, we had the lobster bisque and paella Valencia con langosta. The complimentary sour dough bread was warm, crusty and soft inside served with all the butter you want and a dish of carrots, celery sticks and olives. Paella was mixed in front of us right before serving and since we were sharing, they had 2 plates for us. The plates were nice and hot to keep the food warm. Only the finest restaurants take care of this detail. I will definitely return to this restaurant. read more

I LOVEE this place. Everything I've ever ordered surpassed and satisfied my tastebuds. Pitcher of Sangria is a little steep. Wish they had a special once in a blue but w/e it's delicious ! My only problem is my husband won't come back with me after a incident where a waiter asked about the tip. (We always leave a 20% in cash rather than credit card but we weren't ready to leave at the time of which they took the receipt back-granted the man apologized when he realized it was on the table but it left a bad taste for my husband) read more

Love the decor. The atmosphere was classy and warm. The service was superb. I had paella and it was awesome. Hope to go back again soon.

One of our favorite restaurants.....very comfortable for a cozy dinner for two or a larger group celebration. Service is top notch, very attentive (the waiters have been here for years and haven't lost their wonderful gentlemanly attitude). The food is very tasty, beautifully presented, and dining is never rushed. Some nights, there's a harpist for entertainment. A solidly reliable dining choice. read more

There we're ten in our party at Marbella Restaurant, the service was great.Our waiter's we're very professional and charming, we enjoyed many fish dishes including paella marinara, Fillet of Sole with stuffed crab meat, each one delicious and let's us not forget the deserts and coffee. It was a wonderful evening thanks to the good food, wonderful service and atmosphere. We'll be back soon. read more

We had an 8PM reservation for this restaurant last night. We arrived on time, and it was pretty busy. We were seated near a large party and I guess the door to the kitchen. A waiter was busy cutting and preparing foods to be served to the other table. He pushed into me very hard, causing me to knock over a glass of sangria into my friend. The waiter just said "I can't help it." I jumped up, along with the rest of us and asked for another table. The waiter was nasty. The management seated us elsewhere and comped us the sangria. I have never been treated so brutally in a restaurant. We should have been comped a lot more and gotten an apology. The restaurant manager said they were going to look at the restaurant's security camera videos and fire the waiter, which I don't believe. We'll NEVER go back, and we live within walking distance of this restaurant. The food was great, but the ambiance was that of Penn Station at rush hour. read more

Without a doubt they have the best Paella in New York. I have been to almost all the spanish restaurants in new york and the Paella at Marbella is just incredible. The chef is amazing and it shows in all their dishes. I also recommend you to try their sangria!! read more

Authentic Spanish cuisine in a strange location (inside of a motel). Look past this fact and the actual restaurant space is actually quite nice with friendly staff and there is an outside entrance that allows one to skip the motel desk. read more

the staff makes the meal here. they are the best...the food is awesome as well...the stuffed mushrooms...cant say enuff how great they are...chicken and rice is also a top for me. and dont forget the sangria, they mix it right at your table... read more

We went to Marbella because we had a Groupon. We always passed by and had wondered about it and the Groupon gave us an excuse to try it. It was one of the worst meals we've ever had. First, we ordered drinks and the waiter took our order. I had escargot for an appetizer which was very good I have to say. I ordered the sirloin steak and my boyfriend ordered the paella. We waited almost 1 hour for our meal. We would have gotten up to leave if we didn't have the Groupon. When the meal came my medium rare steak was well done and the paella was dry. We were going to say something but didn't want to wait another hour for a new meal. Our waiter never came by to refill our water or ask if we wanted another drink which we finished waiting for our meal. We also had to wait a long time to get the check. I have never written a review before but feel I have to because our experience was so bad. Will never go back. read more