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    Vila Verde

    3.9 (232 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 10:00 pm

    Vila Verde Photos

    VILA VERDE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Vila Verde

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    Spanish Rice
    Lori G.

    Vila Verde is one of my mother's favorite restaurants in NJ. The Portuguese- inspired cuisine never fails to deliver on all levels. We go here more so than any other fine dining establishment in the area. Here's why ... Extensive, fascinating menu featuring delicious, authentic Mediterranean cuisine. Very personable and attentive wait staff. They provide the patron with an atmosphere of Old World fine dining without being pretentious. Very relaxing. I've dined here quite a few times, so it is pointless for me to review individual menu items. Suffice it to say that everything I've eaten at Vila Verde has been very good. It's a "no-miss", especially if you're looking for seafood.

    M T.

    We came here for a party and had about a dozen people. The service was good, and the food was also good and had large portions. Most people left with doggy bags.

    Roseanne P.

    Thank you Artie and the Vila Verde team for such a great dining experience! I had made a last minute reservation for my mom's birthday lunch and thankfully they were able to accommodate our large party of 17. I had never been here before but read some great Yelp reviews! So we arrived and our table was ready for us. The dining room was cozy and welcoming. Artie was our waiter and he was awesome! He let us know the specials for the day and gave great recommendations! We started with some red sangria and that was delicious! We also were brought out freshly baked bread and black olives to start. For appetizers we had the fried calamari, garlic shrimp, Spanish sausage, and the grilled octopus. Everything was delicious and cooked to perfection! We opted to order ala carte but they did have pre set options. I had ordered the cowboy ribeye and had shared it with it came out and it was still sizzling on the plate. The steak was cooked medium as I had ordered and served with this delicious mushroom gravy. That mushroom gravy was delish with the steak. Entrees were all served with sides of yellow rice, steamed vegetables and fried potato crisps. Everything tasted so good! The rest of the table ordered the paella Valenciana, baked salmon, penne and seafood in vodka sauce, swordfish, lamb chops, and chicken fingers and fries for the kids. The paella valenciana was so good and the portion was super generous with tons of seafood, half a lobster and pieces of chicken. Everyone enjoyed their meals with still plenty of leftovers to take home. We ended the meal with a delicious carrot cake and the staff sang happy birthday to my mom! Overall it was a wonderful lunch! The entire staff was so helpful and always accommodating to us! Artie our waiter took wonderful care of us while we there! Thank you again for making my mom's birthday enjoyable! Also there is plenty of parking with a few spots in front and behind the building and a large parking lot across the street. They also have a party room.

    Veal
    Cassy B.

    Vila Verde was where my mother insisted on going for her birthday so we all decided to go on St. Patrick's Day for dinner. We made reservations but I think if you walked in for dinner you'd be safe in finding a table. It is a Portuguese restaurant, but everyone speaks English very well. It's a good size and has a bar area as well. It's also in front of the small lake so it's actually very little scenic area. The menu definitely has a lot to choose from, but I was really craving a stuffed salmon dish. I asked if it was possible to make, and the server was more than happy to accommodate. It was absolutely delicious, incredibly stuffed with crab and shrimp in every bite. All paired with a fantastic butter sauce. My mom got her favorite - the seafood pasta. It was fresh and tasty too. My boyfriend and uncle both got the veal and they enjoyed it while my aunt got a paella and that was great too. Everything was served with family style sides including veggies, rice and crispy potatoes. There's no denying everything was really fresh and the food was plentiful. My mom and I shared the chocolate pecan pie and a scoop of ice cream and it was sinfully good! This restaurant is a little out of the way in Wayne but it's worth the trip - excellent food and service.

    Pretty inside.
    Scott M.

    This was a lovely restaurant. The food was generally delicious and well prepared. The bread was very fresh and delicious and was just what we needed to soak up all of the sauce in the mussels and garlic shrimp - both of which dishes tasty. The mussels were a little small but other than that they were tasty. The shrimp were loaded with garlic that was cooked to brown but not bitter. The lobster in the paella was very very overcooked. It was tough and dry. Not what you expect when you pay that much for paella. Also two unopened mussels which is also an issue when there aren't many in there to begin with. But aside from those issues, the food was tasty and the service was very good with one comment. They were too fast to take away the glasses with liquor still in them. That's a no no. Aside from that it was good.

    Soft shell crab  Seafood  Special
    Claudia S.

    We live in the area and haven't been here in awhile but really love it! The food so delicious! A must have appetite is the garlic shrimp Lots of garlic yummm.... Besides having a great menu they also have alot of specials. This time I got the seafood special. It was so fresh and the sauce was so tasty . My husband got the soft shell crabs he really enjoyed it. The potions are usually big and always left overs. The service is great. We were served quickly. Our waiter Joseph is very nice and has been working here for 17 years !! The decor is also very pretty too.. Definitely recommend you come and try this place!! You won't be disappointed!!

    Plain salmon with a vegetable medley.
    Lenore F.

    We had a late lunch today at Vila Verde and it was excellent. They brought us the most delicious warm bread, butter, olive oil and black olives. The sign of a great restaurant is it's bread, and their's is delicious. My grandson ordered the chicken soup and the garlic chicken entree served with yellow rice. He said both were delicious. I ordered the stuffed salmon and it came with a salad. The salad & entree were both excellent. My husband has dietary restrictions so he ordered plain salmon and vegetables cooked well. His food was cooked perfectly. For dessert we had the creme brulle and chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. Need I say more. We would definitely go back and highly recommend Vila Verde. Thank you for a wonderful dining experience.

    Spanish peppers stuffed with crab and shrimp
    Daniel M.

    A quick bite at our favorite restaurant. As usual service is the very best around. When you walk in it's like walking into your house because everyone knows you and greets you with a smile and a handshake. I love that. Sangria for us with some oysters and soup for appetizers. All were fabulous. For dinner Sandra had the snapper that was cooked perfectly and I had the chicken on the bone. One of my favorite dishes anywhere. Fantastic place fantastic meal and a fantastic evening. Enjoy

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    3 years ago

    Great food! A little expensive, but definitely worth the price! Portions are very big and the staff is very professional.

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    3 years ago

    Big energetic room getting a bit loud at times. The food and service are very good and worth a visit.

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    2 years ago

    Amazing service, food, drinks and atmosphere! My birthday celebration was just perfect.

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    6 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Excellent service; great food. Considered by many, the best restaurant here in Wayne. Highly recommended.

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Always great and consistent food with matching service. Always go here for at least a birthday or two a year, never been disappointed

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    4 years ago

    Phenomenal food and service. Manny and Artie in particular are wonderful with great personalities

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    4 years ago

    This place is great just as good if not better than any of the Spanish Restaurants in the Iron Bound Section in Newark.

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    3 years ago

    Excellent food and service. Ambiance is good too but it can get a little loud. Bar area is small however.

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    Page 2 of 6

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    Sazon Latino Restaurant - Ribs, grilled chicken, queso fresco, rice, beans

    Sazon Latino Restaurant

    4.8(446 reviews)
    9.3 mi
    $

    I love this place . The owner is very friendly, always greets me with a smile. Also the food is…read morevery flavorful and good.

    Sazon Latino, located on Main Street in Boonton just a few steps from the NJ Transit station, is…read moredefinitely a hidden gem. It's a very casual, cafeteria-style spot with a semi-open kitchen, but don't let the simplicity fool you -- the food is incredible and the staff here is friendly and patient. The highlight of the experience is the small buffet that features a variety of freshly-made Latin cuisine -- including pulled pork, chicken and beef stews, and other traditional Latin entrees and sides. You can build your own plate by selecting one or more entrees and sides - which are priced accordingly. As a 'gringo' who wasn't entirely sure what everything was, I really appreciated them taking the extra time to explain all the different options and give me their honest recommendations. The counterstaff is bilingual and were pretty patient with my elementary school level Spanish vocabulary and grammar. I ended up going with the pulled pork platter with two sides ($7) and it was terrific -- the perfectly seasoned and tender pork, black beans and rice, and macaroni salad were delicious and very filling. You can tell they use fresh ingredients, and the portions are very generous for the price. If you're looking for authentic, home-style Latino food in a laid-back setting, this is the spot! PRO TIP #1: Bring a bottle of wine or beer from home to enjoy with your meal. Sazon Latino is a BYOB establishment and does not serve alcohol. PRO TIP #2: Sazon Latino offers free off-street parking in a small lot behind the restaurant and there's plenty of free on-street parking on Main Street.

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    Sazon Latino Restaurant - Pernil

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    Sangria Tapas Restaurant - Croquetas Jamón

    Sangria Tapas Restaurant

    4.2(523 reviews)
    8.2 mi
    $$

    Fantastic food. Great place to get together with family and friends. Lively atmosphere.read more

    Sangria's has been a go-to for us for years for good tapas and sangria, but we've now had issues on…read moreour last two visits, and this most recent one was especially frustrating. The food is still great. We had scallops, chorizo, brussels sprouts, and a flounder ceviche special. Everything was delicious. The ceviche in particular stood out -- fresh, well-portioned, and nicely "cooked" in lime juice. The sangria is still a highlight too. A big carafe, no ice watering it down, served with glasses full of fruit. The problem is the service. They had two servers and one bus person, and it showed. Everyone seemed to be scrambling, and it was hard to get a moment of attention to ask for anything or even be heard. Our food came out in pieces -- three items, then a long delay, then another. The last dish, calamari, never came. When I tried to tell the waiter we didn't want it anymore if it was forgotten, he didn't listen and insisted on bringing it anyway. We ended up waiting even longer, which just made the experience more frustrating. To top it off, they're now adding an operating/service fee (around 3-4%), which wasn't clearly communicated and just showed up on the bill. It's disappointing because the food is still very good, but the service issues -- and now the added fees -- are taking away from the experience. After this visit, we'll think twice before coming back.

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    Sangria Tapas Restaurant - Inside

    Inside

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    Aguacate Relleno

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    La Cocina De Maria - Tacos al pastor!!! So tasty

    La Cocina De Maria

    4.7(27 reviews)
    12.4 mi

    TLDR: friendly staff but underwhelming flavors…read more The team at La Cocina De Maria are incredibly friendly and attentive. They're knowledgeable about the many items on the menu and kept our waters and chips topped up throughout the meal. The actual food wasn't as great. I tried some barbacoa street tacos and some fried fish tacos. Everything was fresh and well cooked but lacking in flavor - each dish could be seasoned a bit more. I'm hopeful for the restaurant, and I may try it again if they try new recipes or something different to season their food.

    My steak burrito was ready very quickly. Gooey cheese, chewy and only mildly flavored steak, lots…read moreof starch flavor from the beans and rice. I do feel everything would have benefitted from salt, and I wish that as a dine-in customer my burrito had not come wrapped in to-go paper. To give you a sense of the ambiance: the Spanish-speaking cashier/cook was reading a book when I walked in, and the television on the wall was blaring a Spanish-language TV show. I was one of only two customers when I went for a Saturday lunch around 1p. The other customer was also conversing in Spanish with the front of house. I appreciated that a bottled green habanero sauce was at my table, along with Cholula. It helps add to the authenticity. All that said, maybe don't come here for the tex-mex. If I came back I'd try one of the five different kinds of tacos they offered.

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    La Cocina De Maria - Dinner room

    Dinner room

    La Cocina De Maria - Chorizo Deep and chips

    Chorizo Deep and chips

    La Cocina De Maria - Posole rojo

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    Posole rojo

    Vila Verde - spanish - Updated May 2026

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