Wowza. Got the in-laws sangria-wasted here. Here's a hot tip by the way: If you need to break bad news to your in-laws, or any type of news, get them drunk first ("We're gonna be out of the country for Christmas!"/"We're leaving the entire summer to go cross country road tripping!" and the ultimate "We're moving to NYC!"-- has never gone over so well) Our original plans of taking them to the famed Newark Tops Diner failed when we were told it'd be a one hour wait. So, we drove down the street and stopped here at the SP. Apparently, came at the right time cause it was half-priced apps (Sat & Sun 12-5p) AND a lunch special below $15 AND 25% off entree with Yelp check-in. So with all these specials, we were a bit worried that maybe something is amiss here. Ambiance: Nice Spanish style tavern. It was midway empty when we came in (3:30p is the magical dinner hour when dining with the older folks) so not sure how it fares at a later hour. Definite an intimate setting Food: Complimentary bread baskets with salted pats of butter. Gobbled it up. Ordered two pitchers of Sangria ($23.50 each). We couldn't finish the second pitcher so we asked the waiter if we could take it to go. HE SAID YES. Motto in life: It never hurts to ask. For the half priced apps, we ordered the grilled shrimp (amazing), Patatas Bravas (amazing! Perfectly done, lightly seasoned with a nice hint of lemon and garlic) and Fried Baby Sardines (just okay). I ordered the Camarones de ajillo (shrimp in white wine garlic sauce) and it came with grilled veggies and yellow rice on the side. That thing was so tasty. Also came with soup or salad. Everyone loved their dishes and The Husband is still raving about the food. Service: Awesome! If you're in the Newark/Harrison area, definitely stop by here. Highly recommended and can't wait to come back. read more

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Great Tapas spot! This place is such a chill environment. They even had the fire pit going since they had outdoor seating. I loved our array of food- everything was delish and fresh. read more

Spanish Pavillion Restaurant - Tapas - Seafood Near Me - Harrison, New Jersey

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Probably one of the better Paella that I have had. There were five to choose from too. My paella had a nice amount of rice to seafood ratio and all were prepared well. I asked for some additional spices and was pleasantly surprised with a garlic-chili oil and cayenne mix that set my paella into a pleasant meal. Authentic! Worth the try. read more

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Fantastic. We ended up here unexpectedly after Disney on ice at the prudential center and we felt so lucky to find this gem!! We live in Monmouth county and so getting to a Spanish restaurant was a treat to begin with, but this place really went above and beyond. The food was great and everyone liked it (including my 3 and 5 year old who tried things they never had here) but more impressive was the service! Kids are free (bc of sunday) and the soups and salads and just overall general attention to our entire table having a great experience was 10/10. I'm a service 'snob' (four seasons is the bar for me) and this place really lived up to my expectations. I'd love to go back sometime! read more

I have been here three times and this place is amazing. I really wish I knew the waiters name from the last time I was there. He recommended us great dishes and made sure we didn't over order. Paella=10/10 Steak Sandwich=10/10 read more

Went for Daily Lunch Special Food - 2/5. The salad is loaded with onions and the dressing is very sweet on the edge of being too sweet. The bread was OK if a little bit dry. Shrimp and garlic sauce was very disappointing. The rice was a bit undercooked with that unpleasant raw rice crunch on some of them. Vegetables were overcooked with the green beans being mushy. The shrimp themselves were a bit stringy and the sauce barely covered them. The garlic sauce sat on the bottom and consisted heavily of over-fried garlic that did not add a good crunch at all. Service - 1/5. I realize that solo diners aren't a priority and I only really expect the basics but I was neglected the entire time. I had to call someone passing by for everything: water, clearing plates, utensils, checks, etc. Really makes me feel like I'm being treated as a burden by the people I'm paying. Also the entire restaurant smelled of bathroom cleaner! It was so strong and the stench was permeating throughout the entire restaurant; not an odor you want when you're dining! Value - 2/5. The lunch prices are average being around the $10 mark. The portions are actually pretty good as half my plate was stacked full of shrimp. However the food is not good, the service was poor and the odor at the time made me want to leave as soon as possible. Not recommended. Parking - Private Lot (Free) read more

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I was there on Friday with mom and a friend. For a place that is supposed to know how to cook seafood ...I wasn't too impressed. The garlic shrimp taste ..well let's say had no flavor and did not taste like garlic. The calamari as an appetizer lacked flavor . They don't give it with any sauce just red cherry peppers and jalapeño peppers. They were crispy outside but that's about it . I ordered the paella valenciana..shrimp and calamari were overcooked, rice had flavor . I took it home and haven't eaten it nor do I think I have after 2 days in the fridge . My friend didn't like his dish. My mom's garlic salmon was decent. I would probably come back to give it another try, but wouldn't go put of my way to come here read more

Great food, staff was friendly. We will definitely come back. Good atmosphere also. Thanks guys

Been coming here for years and this place never disappoints. From the moment you walk in you know you are in good hands. The wait staff dressed to impress and immediately make you feel like you are in for a dining experience. OMG, bacon wrapped dates are something I have heard of but never tried. I may be making the trip up there just for them. Shrimp and Garlic is a staple at all the spanish restaurants in the area, but none quite as good as these. I am a Spaniard from the Galicia region and I love Pulpo a la feira, and theirs is as good as any I have had even in Spain. Paella is beautiful and tastes AMAZING. Great Sangria and Beers from Spain and Portugal make the experience as close to being in Spain as any restaurant can pull off. If its a nice day out, their Outside Patio is covered and comfortable to have some drinks, a meal or just dessert. Speaking of Dessert, they have the most amazing coffee and desserts. This place is AMAZING, a must try. With over 30 Spanish Restaurants in the immediate area, Spanish Pavillion rises to the top, and without having to deal with the hassle of going to Newark. read more

I eat at Spanish Pavillion twice a week on average. I return over and over because the food is fresh, delicious and fairly priced with generously sized portions. The drinks are well priced too. The staff at Spanish Pavillion is incredibly friendly without a fault. Every time I step in I feel welcome and wanted there. The menu is loaded with Spanish Classics and a handful of items I would call Continental American with a Spanish twist. Go! You'll be glad you did. read more

The service was friendly and fun with a relaxed atmosphere. All of our food was delicious but I definitely recommend the calamari with peppers (hot and sweet). Don't forget to grab a beer or one of their fabulous sangrias because those peppers are no joke!! read more

Spanish Pavillion Restaurant - Red Snapper, salmon, and sangrias...delicious!!! - Seafood Near Me - Harrison, New Jersey

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I love paella. When a friend suggested that we come here for dinner, I was all for it. There was some confusion when I arrived because the waiter thought I was supposed to be downstairs at a private event. My friend saw me and we settled in to review the menu with our glasses of sangria. There tapas were good, but nothing special. For my main meal, I ordered the paella marinara Americana. Where the rice met the pan, it was hard, and in the center, it was soupy. The flavor was bland and the muscles were all gritty. The worst happened when I got home with my leftovers. I had left the lobster claw uneaten and when I opened my container the next night, it was missing. While the location is convenient, the sangria and tapas were good-I am sorry to say that we won't be coming back. read more

Good Spanish Food Outside of Newark for an even better price! The owner Mike was super friendly and active in the restaurant at all times ! Different themed nights and specials include Salsa Mojito Monday's with dancing on the Patio, Tapas Tuesday's, and Wine Wednesdays ($3 glass) etc. Highly recommend the Shrimps in White Wine Sauce. Be careful with the Mojitos because the pour is a bit strong ! 10/10 for Harrison! read more

Extremely disappointing night out with friends April 28. Not crowded when we first arrived. Service was choppy at best. Waited for server to take drink order, then placed appetizer order. He walked away without asking if we wanted to order dinner or wait awhile. Never was asked if we wanted coffee, dessert, or after dinner drink. Friend ordered flounder filet sandwich. More roll than fish. Best part.. my other friend asked for her shrimp 'to go', with a little garlic sauce. Opens her container at home and finds rice with the shrimp TAILS. Overpriced, sub par service. It'll be a long time before I drop my money there. Needs an overhaul big time. read more

So disappointing. They used to be better. Went for dinner tonight before a concert. The hostess couldn't have been nicer and was able to accommodate us even without a reservation. The waiter we had... not so accommodating. Not that we really asked for much. But got the order wrong right off the bat. We ordered calamari Pavillion as an appetizer. Regular fried calamari came out. To correct it went back to the kitchen where someone threw peppers on top of the fried calamari and sent it right back out. Didn't even bother to take the marinara sauce off the plate and pretend it wasn't the same plate. The shrimp and garlic lacked flavor if you could imagine that. Mussels were cold. I ordered shrimp and wine sauce. Again, while the shrimp was warm enough the rice was cold. That shrimp dish used to be brought to the table sizzling. Not any more. The paella my boyfriend ordered was average at best. We skipped dessert but did order two cappuccinos. Apparently. That was too much for our waiter who literally had disappeared since taking our order originally until it was dessert because he only brought one to the table then disappeared again. He didn't ask once if we wanted or needed anything or how everything was. We used to always count on Spanish Pavillion to offer up a good meal. Sadly, those days seem to be over. read more

My fianceé and I recently moved up to Harrison from Philadelphia and we've been getting acclimated to the area and searching for good places to eat. We both love Iberian-style cuisine and have had some great dinners with this style. When you go by the place, from the outside it stands out in stark contrast to the otherwise ubiquitous urban-sprawl surroundings of this part of New Jersey. There's a nice patio out on the side yard of the property, and a front facade that reminds me a lot of the old-style italian-american restaurants I used to frequent as a kid. That is, somewhat drab, and outdated, but retaining its endearing feel in its mid-century charm. This feel continued into the restaurant as well. Walking into the establishment, the smell was surprisingly bad at the vestibule (like old, damp and mildewy carpeting), but it cleared up as we walked through the bar area, which you have to walk through first to get to the pass-through/makeshift host stand that leads into the dining room. We came on a Friday night and the place was quite busy, with plenty of locals enjoying their meals. With a few rowdy patrons at the bar and loads of iberian/south american families in the dining room, the place felt "authentic" and home-like, so we arrived with positive expectations. Once sat, I immediately googled the restaurant and learned that it was featured on an episode of Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares. We were a little worried about this initially, but knowing that the episode was shot in 2010, and that the vast majority of restaurants featured on the show end up shuttered, we concluded that they must have greatly improved since the show aired. Back to the experience: Our waiter promptly greeted us. I ordered a portugués beer which was refreshing, and we placed an order for four tapas items. We briefly considered the entrees, but we were on a budget with what we could spend (entrees are in the $20-50 range) and so we stuck with tapas, which are reasonably priced for the NYC area. Along with our beverages came bread. The bread was solidly average, but nothing to write home about. Crusty, chewy, much improved with butter ( pre-packaged pats), but otherwise cold, hard, and really just an after-thought. On to the meal: The tapas we ordered were.. Patatas Bravas - potatoes were nicely roasted, spiced, crispy, not oily, and paired with a wonderful garlic aioli. The only regret I had was that there weren't more on the plate. Overall rating: 9 out of 10 Albondigas con Cordero (Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce) - I was excited to try these but they ended up being a little disappointing. You get about four of these little balls, and the lamb isn't quite as flavorful or moist as I would have liked. Now this would not be such a big deal with the right sauce, but my impression was a sauce that had a distinct "Chef Boyardee" canned and watery flavor to it. Not so much a tomato sauce, but rather more of a "suggestion" of one. It probably would've benefitted from a heavier hand in seasoning it. Overall rating: 6.9 out of 10. Garbanzosal Ragu: fairly decent, and enjoyable dish. Flavored and (likely) seasoned nicely. It was interesting that the sauce was quite similar in its thin consistency (and almost identical) to the lamb meatball sauce, but worked much better in this dish even though the thinness of the sauce throws you off with a dish described as a "ragu". Overall rating: 7.8 out of 10 Chicken Empanadillas: Tasty, delicious meaty/cheesy filling. They came out steaming hot temperature-wise. Just a simple, crowd-pleasing dish that everybody could get down with. Overall rating: 9 out of 10 Final Thoughts: Granted we ordered some of the more simple offerings, it was a solid, middle-of-the-road experience, and we would be greatly curious to explore more of the menu to test everything else out. As for a relaxed, easy Friday night dinner, it definitely hit the spot. The place is only a couple of blocks from where we live, and if you're a Harrison/East Newark/Kearny resident, it makes sense to give this place a go. Outside of that bubble, you may be better served by the many other spanish restaurants that dot Newark's Ironbound. Overall rating for our first time: 7.5 and will very likely return. read more

I went here to celebrate a birthday with family. Usually we would goto one of the two Don Pepe restaurants. But decided we'd give this one a try. Service was average, sangria was tasty but didn't seem to have much alcohol. 3 out of 4 of us ordered the filet, all though cooked medium very well, they were all extremely salty. The other in our party had the paella and it was pretty good nothing exceptional. The dessert was delicious though. I had the chocolate brownie cake. read more

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Horrendous service . And they were not busy at all! Food was BLAND. Worst paella . best thing we ordered were the patatas bravas. read more

Me and my family had a really nice time here over the summer. Starting with dinner in the Maine restaurant, then drinks outside. The food is solid, and the wine list is quite inexpensive. I have been here twice so far, and I usually like to try new things, but this place had me and my family wanting to go back. read more

Went here for tapas and sat outside which was an awesome space! Unexpected to find such a cool outdoor space with live music around here. Split a pitcher of red sangria and a ton of tapas. The food was all really tasty but my favorite was the stuffed mushrooms. We also had chorizo, potato croquettes, mussels, clams casino and a bread with a tasty tomato spread on it. When I've been here in the past I've had the fried manchego cheese which is my all time favorite but it wasn't available this time unfortunately. I've never had any of the entrees here but it's hard to want to try any of them when the tapas are so good and I end up stuffed after having them. Definitely a place that i'd recommend checking out! read more

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Oh. My. GOD. This was the best meal I've literally ever had in my life. My boyfriend and his family have been coming here for years, this year it was our choice for our Valentine's Day meal. The ambience is beautiful, wait staff is friendly and attentive. But the food, THE FOOD. From the yummy green sangria, savory collard green soup, mouth watering shrimp and garlic appetizer, to the most beautiful tender and tasty short rib ever. Every bite was better than the last. I see us being repeat customers for many years to come! Fine dining for fair prices and wonderful experience. read more

Spanish Pavillion Restaurant - Short rib - Seafood Near Me - Harrison, New Jersey

Allow me to preface this with two notes. First, I don't fancy European seafood on my taste palate. I prefer American seafood. Also, just a heads up that this restaurant has been the subject of two episodes of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. So take those two points with a grain of salt, two grains of salt which may have made my meal better. I ordered Arroz con Pollo y Chorizo thinking that'd be the safest thing for me to order on the menu given my dislike for European food. The salad and bread that held us over till our entrees arrived were delightfully good, but that's where it ended for me. The chicken was fatty and gristly. The sausage had chunks of fat in them that noticeably took up at least 1/3 of the diameter of the meat... And it tasted like bleu cheese. The rice was so so, nothing special. I decided to eat only bread for the remainder of my meal, but $16 is too much to pay for bread. I would have been better off going to Popeyes across the street... read more

Spanish Pavillion Restaurant - For me, the bread was the best part of the meal. I didn't care for the rest. - Seafood Near Me - Harrison, New Jersey

Not to date myself but I've been coming here since they first opened with my parents so it's always held a special place in my memories and I was happy when they won their eminent domain case and didn't have to close/move. But for a while they seemed to lose their way and visit after visit was disappointing. Perhaps it was Gordon Ramsey's visit for Kitchen Nightmares back in 2011 that got them back on track because they are once again knocking out some serious eats. Good (large) portions, well-seasoned, decent prices. From the sangria (tasting better than I remember from a few years back) to the garlic shrimp (supposedly Chef Ramsey wanted them to ax that from the menu... he must've been high) to their damn delicious Pavilion Burger to what is still my favorite item - their Café Pavilion (hot coffee chock-a-block with various liqueurs that's definitely not for the lightweights out there) - everything was a hit. Coming up to 40 years in business and it's wild that I'm bringing my kids there like I used to go with my folks... read more

Saw you on kitchen nightmare ... with Gordon Ramsey and I gave you a try. Our family loved you guys. The food is perfect and the service is outstanding! Great job turning your business around we were so rooting for you and super excited to come and see how you guys were doing! AMAZING FOOD! read more

The drinks that they prepare are strong the bartender is good at what he does The food isn't that great it's pretty bland not too much flavor I had shrimp and garlic sauce that was dry no sauce at all the rice was pretty good but bland no flavor but it wasn't mushy that was the best part and chicken with garlic on top of it that was dry no sauce at all and very very thinly cut they have a good bread supplier though read more

Met up with a group of good friends. Here us what we all thought: -Tasty food , great atmosphere. -Good food place to stay with friends. Delicious. It's good. Very pleasant atmosphere, good waiter And I enjoyed my food. The shrimp in garlic sauce and bread and salad and olives and sangria and atmosphere and music was delicious and wonderful. The bathrooms were also in good shape. Great place to hang with a bunch of friends And it won't cost an arm and a leg. read more

Spanish Pavillion Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Harrison, New Jersey

I drop in here to order for lunch for my office once in a while and have never had complaint. Today they apparently were out fresh spinach which makes sense if they want everything fresh. I wasn't upset at all I completely understood, however the manager/owner gave me the entire order (over $50) for FREE and a cappuccino. I even tried to give him money to cover at least the other meals but to no avail. I gave them a tip to sorta make up for it and because of the service they always provide. read more

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Honestly I really wanted to dislike this place. But I love the food! The chicken dishes taste so fresh and flavorful, and the shrimp with garlic sauce is so buttery and the shrimp are big! The food keeps me coming back. read more

Spanish Pavillion Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Harrison, New Jersey

The Paella Valenciana is as good as everyone has mentioned. Plenty of seafood and a nice big prawn to boot. Worth visiting for this dish.

we were recommended by friends and definitely will be going back. food was great and whats more they have fantastic customer service.

Came here for a surprise birthday party with a large group of people and had a great time. With most big groups, the food took forever to come out, but we had ordered appetizers and waited an extremely long time for the food to come out. When it did finally arrive, the food was good. I wasn't blown away, but it was pretty good. Service was decent, they accommodated all our needs and we had a good time. Food wasn't ridiculously expensive and the portions were decent. I'd have no problems coming back here. read more

I went to this place for the first time yesterday. It was great. It's a cute and casual spot serving big portions. Our bartender Lisa was really friendly and worked quickly. We sat near the outside bar. Some nice perks were the DJ and games like connect four and jenga to play while you wait. As for the food for apps I got the grilled octopus. It wasn't my favorite. For entrees we got the paella for two and it was good. I had enough to eat for lunch the next day and it was still good. I'll definitely go back soon. Thanks for the great service Lisa. read more

Spanish Pavillion Restaurant - Paella Marinera Americana - Seafood Near Me - Harrison, New Jersey

Very good food and service very recommendable. We visit this place because we were at a hotel near but we were surprised by the service and good flavored food. They are really focus on you and ready to refill your drinks while you eating, (that is so important to me lol) We been there around 8:00pm. read more

Spanish Pavillion Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Harrison, New Jersey

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Very Good! A Diamond in the Rough! Friendly, warm, inviting waitstaff. All our food was delish! Comfortable interior. Dinner served promptly & perfect temperature. I had the Filet Mignon & my dinner guest had the Chicken & Garlic. Expertly prepared. Fresh high quality ingredients. Sides were yellow rice & homemade unsalted potato chips. For dessert I had the Creme Brûlée & my guest had the Banana chocolate mousse. Very good. read more

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My girlfriend and I love watching Kitchen Nightmares. I am a person that believes you should be able to perform surgery in your kitchen 24/7/365. I am a very picky eater with extremely high standards. I do not care if it Thanksgiving or your typical Thursday your kitchen should be so clean that is smells clean. I believe a kitchen should be able to pass a white glove inspection. So imagine my surprise when I was invited to a party at the Spanish Pavilion, the scene of a Gordon Ramsay Kitchen Nightmares episode. Prior to accepting I read the reviews on Yelp for before and after Kitchen Nightmares visit to the Spanish Pavilion and it does seem like things have changed for the better either way I still was not going to take a chance. I saw enough during this episode of Kitchen Nightmares to last a life time. I stuck with ordering bottled water. There were no Vegan options on the menu and the food served for this party was a buffet style and even if it was Veggie friendly which they were not there is zero chance I am eating a buffet style dinner. I attended the party. We brought a cake that was made special for the guest of honor by no other than Stefanie Sancho. That cake was amazing and the staff at the Spanish Pavilion did a great job presenting & serving the cake to guests. The staff here was top notch, they were on the ball, you needed something all you had to do was ask once and it was done moments later. The Spanish Pavilion offers an upstairs restaurant with a semi-strict dress code. The Spanish Pavilion has a banquet hall downstairs (where the party I was attending was located). The Spanish Pavilion also offers an outdoor seating section / patio area where they offer full bar service. There is a free parking lot just adjacent to the Spanish Pavilion or you can Valet your car for a small fee. This is the first time I have been here and quite honestly my last. I do think the staff when out of their way to make sure this party was a hit and it was. Due to the distance, the lack of Veggie options on the menu and quite frankly Kitchen Nightmares filming an episode there is zero chance I will be back. read more

Spanish Pavillion Restaurant - Sign on the front door. I have to say I agree 100% when having a sit down dinner @ a restaurant!!!!! - Seafood Near Me - Harrison, New Jersey

I ordered a crab platter and the seafood paella Americano from here on a Saturday afternoon. The crab platter was very enjoyable to eat and they gave a good amount of clusters and whole crabs for $40. However, we were very disappointed with the Paella. It was very dry and the rice was only half boiled. It also lacked the typical flavors you tend to get from a well-cooked paella. I would get their crab platter again but definitely not their paella. read more

It was a wonderful experience tonight in this beautiful restaurant! The food was excellent cooked to perfection, service was outstanding!! I really enjoyed the seafood on the grill!! I would definitely come back! read more

Spanish Pavillion Restaurant - Paella Marinera - Seafood Near Me - Harrison, New Jersey

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The tapas here are really good especially the empanadillas and the patatas bravas. The shrimp in wine sauce is one of my favorites. Love the 80's music at the bar. Carlos is fantastic! Tony and Joe in the dining room are fabulous. read more

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Going down hill unfortunately... 1) pitcher is now half a pitcher (what a joke these plastic containers) 2) the quality of sangria is bad, and 3) HALF price tapas are actually FULL price tapas since the restaurant inside isn't open and their menus DOES NOT mention 'HALF PRICE INSIDE ONLY'... When challenged why they charged the full price, they just said 'oh well'... Oh well, you won't be seeing me again... neighbor read more

Delicious! The lobster was soft and juicy. The octopus was so good. The sangria is one of the best. Love this place. read more

Spanish Pavillion Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Harrison, New Jersey