After nearly 40 years, I finally returned to Spanish Tavern in Newark, and I am happy to say it is every bit as wonderful as I remembered. From the moment we arrived, the service was exceptional. The staff went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and ensure everything was perfect throughout our meal. My wife ordered the salmon topped with crab, and it was outstanding--tender, perfectly cooked, and a very generous portion. I had shrimp with pepper sauce was equally impressive, packed with flavor and cooked to perfection. The sides of fresh vegetables, yellow rice, and the homemade potato chips complemented the meal beautifully. Dessert was the perfect ending to a fantastic evening. The flan was simply incredible--smooth, rich, and full of flavor. The chocolate cake was absolutely decadent and worth every bite. Spanish Tavern offers plenty of convenient parking and a warm, inviting atmosphere that makes it ideal for a date night, family dinner, or special occasion. What impressed me most is that after four decades, this restaurant continues to deliver outstanding food, exceptional service, and a memorable dining experience. Some places come and go. Spanish Tavern has stood the test of time, and for good reason. It remains a truly special place to enjoy great food and even better company. Highly recommended! I'd rate it 5 stars without hesitation. read more

We came here for dinner on a weeknight, a bit late, and were quite literally the only party in the restaurant seated for the rest of the night. They had a decent amount of servers and one or two parties at the bar when we sat down, but no one else came in to get seated which was interesting given how many tables they had and how nicely everything was set. The vibe of this restaurant felt a little more upscale than we expected so staff were in black tie dress, but since no one else was there, we didn't feel too out of place. Menu had a good selection of dishes and we shared a few for the entire meal. Taste was fine, solid and decently priced. I enjoyed the paella. Overall, not a bad experience, just felt a little eerie due to the lack of patrons. We enjoyed it nonetheless and wish Spanish Tavern more success! read more

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We stopped in for dinner and what an amazing experience. The food was absolutely delicious. We started with a complimentary soup which was very tasty especially on a cold day. For our appetizers we had the mini spicy sausages which were so good. Very tasty and spicy, but not overly spicy. For our meals I had the Chuleta de Cerdo which was absolutely delicious. I ordered the broccoli rabe which was excellent, it was very garlicky. My girlfriend had the croquetas and the chorizo which was also excellent. We really loved this place and would love to come back to this place in the future. read more

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This is a 4.5 star review I rarely explore Newark, but I had the opportunity to last night and it was an absolute pleasure to go to Spanish Tavern. It was really empty for a Friday evening, around 7. The staff were super welcoming and attentive. They tend to hang around the perimeter of the restaurant to keep tabs on the progress of your meal which is nice, but can feel a little invasive (although not their fault). We were well taken care of. I'm a huge seafood fan and ordered the mariscos marineros ($34), which I really liked. It had all of my favorite shellfish, scallops, and shrimp, and I dipped bread in the sauce . We also ordered a sangria pitcher ($?) which was amazing. It was definitely fresh and strong! It's an experience to eat here. They give you an amazing potato and spinach (I think) soup to start, which I really loved, and bread. Definitely recommend read more

Spanish Tavern - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

The food was delicious, came here before a concert, looking for a place to park so we could get something to eat and found the Spanish tavern, no idea what we would get. We were seated right away. Ambiance was quiet, relaxed, nice music in the background. The sausage and potato soup es tasty, and so was the tomato salad. The duck sausage and benign sausage special was a nice size and the caipirinha was delicious. The drunken pear for dessert was great if you like cooled pear and port wine, which I do. read more

Spanish Tavern - Duck sausage and venison sausage - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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We had a very good dinner here last night. The ambiance was very nice with white tablecloths and great service. The red sangria was very good- not too fruity, and the appetizers were mostly good. We ordered the Camarones al ajillo- shrimp sauteed in olive oil, garlic, and paprika, which were very tender and flavorful; and the Mussels and Chorizo Special, but the mussels were a little tough, with little meat in the shells. Chicken soup was also brought to the table, unprompted, and I was glad it did, because it was absolutely delicious! Like a chicken noodle soup, but instead of noodles, potatoes. For my entree, I had the Filet Mignon Bomba, which is filet mignon encrusted with parmesan mashed potatoes- it literally had the potatoes on the outside with the beef hidden inside. I had never seen it presented that way before, but it was very good, and cooked to medium rare like I asked. My husband had the Veal Cutlet Special stuffed with crab meat, which he said was also very good, albeit a smaller portion for him. This did not matter though, as homemade potato chips and saffron rice was also brought to the table for our party, again, unprompted, and both were yummy, especially the potato chips. Other entrees thoroughly enjoyed were the Ternera a la Corunesa, or tender veal medallions sautéed in a wine and brandy sauce with mushrooms; and the Pork Loin special, both tasty and cooked to perfection. Desserts included the Bread Pudding, which my husband and I shared and enjoyed; the chocolate cake, served in a big portion and very rich; and the creme brulee. The coffee was also strong and high quality. Overall, minus a mishap with one of the appetizers, it was a delectable meal, with one of my favorite parts being the soup and sides that were included in the meal, without us having to order them. I would go back here again and recommend it if you are in the area! read more

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Always a good dinner with excellent friendly service. We started with a few cocktails, I was surprised at the $18 basic cocktails, NYC prices but the prices for most dishes were more moderate. All meals come with a complimentary soup, on a Tuesday night it was a chicken noodle soup, not what I was expecting in a Spanish meal but very good. Everyone in our party enjoyed as we had seafood, fish, chicken and veal dishes. Rice and potato chips were served family style to share. Parking lot across the street is very convenient read more

Wow Wow Wow! I cannot believe how great this place is! My friend and I were looking for a good place to have dinner after a conference at the arena, and we walked here, it was open, but very quiet when we first arrived. We were promptly seated and brought water and soup, which was very tasty. They also brought some warm bread and butter. We ordered a nice bottle of wine and then perused the menu. They brought the wine, a nice Rioja, and it was excellent. I ordered Pulpo a la Gallego for a starter and the Paella Valencia for my main. The octopus was perfect, tender, not chewy, spiced perfectly, but the best part of my meal was the Paella- I am very careful about ordering Paella anywhere but Spain, as they never seem to get it right- but here- it was as good as any Paella I have had anywhere in Spain! Plus, the portion was HUGE, I could not finish it! While I would love to come here again, I am rarely in Newark, but next time I akm in NYC, I may just make a special trip out here! read more

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4.5 stars! Amazing service! The waiters were so kind and attentive. When one of them found out my friends were of Korean descent, he started speaking some Korean to them and we were all impressed! We were also definitely underdressed (it was a spontaneous dinner choice) and I was wearing a pokemon T-shirt and school sweater but this didn't seem to impact service at all. The food was great too. Solid bread and loved the free soup that came with the meal (it had potato, leek, and sausage I believe). The Valencia style paella for two was huge (definitely enough for 3 in my opinion), and tasted delicious. The rice was a little too moist, but the lobster was cooked very well! There were so many pieces of seafood/meat it was hard to scoop a bite of just rice! read more

Spanish Tavern - soup - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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Food was great! Great customer service which can't remember the name of the server. Ambiance was cozy and fine dining to go with it. Definitely come back next time & highly recommend to family and friends. The lamb chops & garlic chicken was to die for! read more

This is one of my favorite places to get paella. This time I tried something different for dinner - Cazuela de Mariscos which was the dinner special for the evening. It was a large casserole dish with lobster, rice, and broth. It was very filling. Two glasses of Red Sangria were a good accompaniment for dinner. The staff was patient with me as I attempted to speak a little Spanish. read more

Great food and service. My go to place for Spanish food in Newark. You can't beat the prices and the food is amazing.

Was here yesterday or day before ...Definitely came under dressed - was very casual for this "forced fine dining place". The bartender failed with making an old fashioned. I ordered a bulleit bourbon old fashioned and nearly had a heart attack when he muddled maraschino cherries and literal pieces of orange, added sweet vermouth, shook it with the bourbon and dumped the ice and mix together and served it to me with an orange garnish. I almost died. When I asked him about the mix, he sounded aggressive to the point that the business men sitting next to me even glared at him. He had the nerve to try to charge me for it. Nope, remove that. I settled for a jack daniel and ginger ale mix - he also failed that but I was tired of complaining. Coincidently, two other black guys walked in and he visibly was uncomfortable. Rushed their service. It was uncomfortable to watch. I was definitely judged on my appearance. Everyone here was Caucasian and on the brink of retiring. Here I go, tattoos all out and just out of place. Bartender treated me as such. But my bank account would match anyone's there...look at my yelps reviews :) I ordered the camarones ajillo - disgusting. It didn't even look like a typical dish. The rice is very Tex-mex. Super bland. Will never return here. The racist vibes and drinks to match should be a deterrent. Also, fire that bartender. Thank you read more

Spanish Tavern - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

The meal was okay but not exceptional. Some dishes were tasty, others just average. Service was friendly but a bit slow. Decent place if you're not expecting too much. read more

Food was very expensive and, as someone who just got back from Spain, was definitely not authentic. Paella was bland and soupy. Bread was stale. read more

Nice lunch. Food was great as well as the service. Ambiance is cozy. I would go back.

Love it! Another awesome experience. Makes every dinner an event! Paella, garlic shrimp, chorizo... man that place never gets old... read more

Spanish Tavern - Garlic shrimp - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

There are many restaurants in Newark but Spanish Tavern is one of my favorite for over 25 years. The service is amazing, the complimentary soup is one of my favorite and the appetizers are plentiful for sharing. Paella is one of my regular orders and their Sangria pairs perfectly with it. read more

Spanish Tavern - Chorizo, Shrimp in Garlic and oil and Clams Casino. - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

We have been coming here for years. The food does not disappoint. They make the best grilled prawns - langostinos around. The dish comes with the potato slices. The steak was cooked as requested and had good flavor. There is always complimentary collard green soup when you have dinner. We drank the mango sangria. For dessert we had the bread pudding and crema catalana. The crema looks like crem brûlée but it's a little more lemon flavored. The waiters were very attentive and moved our items out of the way quickly to make room for the next course. The place is an inviting intimate setting. read more

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Moved to Delaware 10 years ago Miss GREAT PORTUGUESE FOOD!!! Spanish Tavern was always a stop before going to a Devils hockey game or Red Bulls soccer game. There are NO Portuguese restaurants in lower DE The appetizers are awesome shrimp n garlic, grilled Chorizo, scallops appetizer Then onto our party of fours favorite A pitcher of white and Red sangria Ahhhhh Dinner entrees Filet and lobster Stuffed Flounder Portuguese skirt steak Veal medallions The family style fried potatoes, Rice platter was as it always was remembered Quality and tasteful Unfortunately no room for dessert Told the waiter please get a crew A chef and others open a restaurant in Rehoboth beach There would be a line out the door!!!! read more

We had the reception for our son's baptism here, and I'm so glad we did. Every single dish was delicious (we had the escarole soup, croquettas, chorizo Espanol, paella, pollo al ajillo, chips, and desserts). The service was great-- pleasant and attentive. The restaurant was perfect for our semi-formal event. read more

The service is top-notch. The complimentary ham soup is delicious, but beware, you will be too full to eat if you finish it. The specials are fabulous every time, so take note. The seafood risotto was packed with fresh clams, mussels, and calamari. The seafood in salsa verdi was excellent. Each type of seafood in the dish was cooked perfectly. The flan is the best I've tasted. The espresso martini is the perfect end to a great meal. You need to try this place. read more

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Okay I hope I drove my point with this photo. I have traveled to Barcelona and enjoyed this dish. However it's just as tasty right here in New Jersey. Great staff , awesome service read more

Spanish Tavern - Paella Valenciana Paella Valenciana Paella Valenciana Paella Valenciana Paella Valenciana Paella Valenciana Paella Valenciana - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Been going to the Ironbound for 15 years and tonight's meal was just pathetic. The service was a complete joke. Saw our waiter maybe 3 times, couldn't get plates cleared, got given two separate bottles of empty ketchup, and didn't even get to consider dessert because we never got a menu after waiting for 15 minutes. Two of us got lobsters that were barely a pound, overcooked, and had almost no meat. We all didn't get utensils for our lobsters and could fix it because our waiter never came back. Really just disappointing overall. Go somewhere else. read more

I had the rainbow trout: ok but boney. For $28 it came with rice and chips. I paid an extra $8.00 for poorly done sauted spinach. An easy dish to prepare. My friend had what he described as bland veal. The service as well was spotty despite not being crowded on a Tuesday. The topper? Soup "on the house". Chicken soup so salty neither of us could eat it. It's a nice place. A shame that the food was mediocre at best. read more

My sister's birthday is just around the corner so I wanted a good restaurant to take her to with friends and family. Was looking for a place to eat right before the Maluma concert and this wonderful restaurant came up so happy I found this place. As soon as you walk in you had this feeling that the food was going to be excellent. My sister and I ordered the Cornish hen with small baked potatoes it was sooo good and so much flavor-my friend got the veal parmigiana she loved it -my nephew ordered a pan seared pork chops with a delicious gravy and my younger nephew ordered a clam shell stuffed with shrimp crap meat and clams looked soo good. We didn't order desert because we were full we could not finish our food. But they came out with a tray showing different kind of pastries -this we regretted later lol looking back what could have been. It was pricey but it was all worth it for sure will be coming back. The place is elegant but small, the waiters very pleasant and attentive. read more

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The food, service and setting were all excellent. We highly recommend. They have a big dedicated parking lot right across the street, so it is easy to park. read more

Went here after picking my niece up at Newark airport food was delicious service superb. Meal came with a bowl of soup and fresh Portuguese bread one strike against the restaurant is that the restrooms are downstairs and if you have mobility issues, you better hold it. read more

Had an early dinner after a show at NJPAC. There was plenty of parking. Entrance had a ramp which is a plus for the disabled. The restaurant was clean and had that Spanish flair that reminded me of the Ponce de Leon restaurant in Spanish Harlem. The service was prompt and courteous (we were the only ones there when we arrived). The appetizers, garlic shrimp and a plate of white anchovies, were fresh and savory. We also ordered a white and a red sangria. Both drinks were tasty and had the right alcohol balance as we were able to walk in a straight line after dinner. My wife had the Paella Marinera which was very good and I had the steak special (NY Sirloin with ham and egg topping in a mushroom gravy). The paella had plenty of seafood and was great tasting. The steak was lean and cooked correctly. If I had to complain, I would have like the egg to be more runny (that's my preference). The meal was finished with a coffee but I must say that the desserts looked great. I will say that it was an enjoyable meal and I look towards visiting again in the near future. By the way, the restaurant was filling up tables when my wife and I left. read more

Spanish Tavern - Steak Special (NY Sirloin with egg and ham topping in a mushroom gravy) - Spanish Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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We enjoyed a good dinner at this place yesterday before going to NJPAC for the Diana Ross concert. The place has a big parking lot directly across the street which is truly convenient for busy Newark in the heart of the city. The decor of the place is old school Spanish with even the building itself looks like it was straight out of Spain. The service is outstanding with waiters looking after your needs attentively but not overbearing. The food is quite good as long as you order things they do well. The seafood is the best thing to order when you go to a Spanish restaurant, we had the stuffed butterfly shrimp with lump crab meat, served over asparagus and spinach with a side of rice and it was really tasty. Well seasoned and quite delicious. One of person in our party ordered filet mignon and thought it was tough so she sent it back and had the stuffed shrimp instead and loved it. They fully comped the dish so it was great. They make some great drinks too, I had a classic caipirinhas which was great! The place even has a pay phone which I'm sure most young people wouldn't know how to use! lol! read more

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A good place to go for dinner after going to church, I think the food was nice and tasty, the service was good and also the ambiance, I would say this is a good place to eat food, I would come back again if I have a chance to go to Newark. read more

Came here during a layover in Newark after it was recommended by our shuttle driver. The driver casually said the food is good there. Went around noon on a Sunday, didn't have a reservation, and we were seated immediately. The service was awesome--every person we encountered was friendly and welcoming. We were offered this really tasty soup with collard greens and potatoes. I don't remember the name but it was heavenly. We ordered the red sangria--trust me, order a pitcher! It was fresh and so good! We did Chilean sea bass and branzino and both were cooked to perfection. I would return and recommend as everything was wonderful from start to finish! read more

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Sometimes forget about this staple of the ironbound. What's not to like - free parking and soup!!! Delicious Spanish fare in an old school vibe with solid service. read more

The place is nice and clean. The Service was decent. Our waiter was friendly and timid. My Hubs brought me here after a crazy work Week and it was just what the Doctor ordered. I love Spanish food. I wasn't particularly impressed by the appetizer. We ordered Pulpo a la Gallega and Chorizo salteado. I would have wanted the pulpo to come in more saucy. It was dry and tasteless. The chorizo salteado is usually nice with caramelized onions and they were just pan fried and plain. Nothing particular. A suggestion is bringing out warm Portuguese rolls to dunk in the Chorizo oil. The bread was hard and cold. For the entrees I ordered the Rack of Lamb. Small portion for $40 per plate, but delicious. My husband ordered the Filet Mignon Medallones and came in a sauce he didn't care for. I tasted it and it was meh. He would have been better off with a Porter House in my opinion. Those come with a huge plate of yellow parboiled rice which we left untouched and Homemade Potatoes chips. They were soggy not crunchy. We washed that all down with some great wine. My favorited part was the dessert. Hubs had cheese cake and I had Peach Tartufo washed that down with Cappuccino and Sambuca and continued our great conversation thereafter. It was an elevated meal but none of it gave me the Wow factor. Again, the staff is nice and attentive. read more

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Nice place with good food and formal atmosphere inside. Lamb chops- tasty SeabAss- good Soup- collard green and potato- ok Sangria- very sweet If in the hood and seeking good food, this place fits the bill. read more

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I have been to many of the Portuguese restaurants in the Iron Bound section over the years. This one was my first time. We started with a recommendation from the waiter of the sausage and shrimp dish. It was very small for sharing. I requested a sharable item. I felt it was too small. Followed by the soup of the day. And for dinner, the Monk fish special. was very good but a lot of butter. Staff could have been a little more attentive. and the old style feel was fine. Place could have used a little face lift as it looked a little like someone's basement on the first floor. read more

Food was delicious! Servers were very attentive . Would go back again . Did wish they had a veal chop on the menu. You usually can find them at Spanish restaurants. read more

Here is all you need to know about the Spanish Tavern. Whole lobster comes in one size, a tiny thing at a bit over a pound. So if you are looking to recreate the experience from, let's say, Francisco's Centro Vasco in NYC, now closed after 45 years, you will be sorely disappointed. Sangria good. Service fine. Noisy to a level of ridiculous -- can they cram any more tables into that dining room? The answer is absolutely not. But try they will. And try to figure out how to go from one end of the room to the other to get downstairs to the bathroom -- give yourself enough time to figure it out. Impossible. But, here is what really burned my onions: We paid with our debit card. DEBIT card. Upon giving it to the waiter, I told him, it's a DEBIT card. So, no credit card surcharge. What's on the bill? A credit card surcharge. I called the waiter over, asked him to take it off the bill. He said it's a charge to 'use the terminal'. Those falling off the turnip truck may not realize that in NJ, places cannot charge DEBIT card customers a surcharge. I let it go -- paid it and then reached out to my bank. Was told that I had to take it up with the merchant. Tried a few times, but each time they said they could charge me. Went back to my bank -- oh, sorry call the merchant again. Be cautious. Make sure you aren't screwed like we were. Ask questions before you even sit down. Better yet, go somewhere else where they won't pull this stuff on paying customers. read more

My first time back since 1984, but this time I was able to treat my wife to the paella that I have been raving about for years. She agreed. Best paella....ever.... Anywhere ! Great mid week lunch on our way to fly out of EWR. Such a treat over airport food or the lounges! read more

Tasty food and wonderful staff that is very accommodating. Free parking is available across the street.