Every time i come here its such a hit!!! It's definitely one of my favorite hole in the wall places…read morethat I've been coming to for about 8 years. The food is probably the closest you can get to actual Spanish tapas but what i love most about this place is that everythings got flavorrrrr For our table of 4 we got CROQUETAS with their house cured chorizo- very good POLLO FIORENTINA- chicken was so tender and packeddd with flavor! BARRIGUITA- plentiful serving for a tapa, we loved the potatoes it came with too CHICHARRON DE POLLO- flavorful chicken and easier to eat than you think TARTAR- delish but small Chipirones- sooo delicately breaded you can barely tell, was great COSTILLA A LA PLANCHA- plentiful for a tapa, we recommend cooking for longer since its traditionally a tough cut of beef SAUTED VEGETABLES- tastey and not mushy thankfully! MILLIONAIRE CAIPIRINHA for my drink. was soooo good, not too sweet and not quite as sour as a margarita, was perfect for me!

Casa d'Paco is a great spot with a really cool setup. When you first walk in, it feels like a…read moresmaller, quiet place with a nice bar but then you realize they have an additional space on the side which completely changes the vibe in a good way. When I was there, they had a DJ playing, and it added energy without being too loud or overwhelming. The Service was very good, the waiter answered and helped with all our questions. The food was absolutely amazing really flavorful and well done. Just be a little prepared that most dishes come in smaller portions. But the quality definitely makes up for it. I ordered the paella, and it's easily enough for two or even three people and it was well worth it. Really delicious. The drinks were also definitely worth trying while you're there. The only thing I wasn't big on was the desserts they didn't quite live up to the rest of the meal. But overall, great atmosphere, excellent food, and a fun experience. I'd definitely come back.

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.

I keep passing Sazon. It's survived since my first (and to date only) visit, always packed with…read morepeople. Still highly rated on every platform. So maybe I had a one-off issue. I finally decided to put it to bed and check back in. Still no clear way to know what you're getting or how much you'll pay. But I can now help - What they call a "buffet" is really just the trays where you pick what you want to load on your plate. A buffet with meat and 1 side is $7.99. Add a dollar for each additional side. Add a few dollars if you want two meats or double meat. So with that pricing in mind, you can mix and match what you'd like. And it's still a great value. I don't know what tasted stale last time, but the two I had this time - the stewed chicken and their sausage - were both great. The sausage carried a little bit of heat to it, and they threw in hot sauces for the chicken (they asked!). I had yuca fries and they were wonderful as I let them marinate in the stew. So update: This is now added to my Boonton rotation. I'm glad I gave them a second try.

Yummy! Authentic Spanish food and hospitality. Went for lunch one day just by happenstance. Wanted…read moreto try some authentic dishes-- not paella, since so many places offer that. Got the soupy rice dish (forget the name) with shrimp. SO satisfying! They offer complimentary soup ahead of your entree, along with bread. It was hard not to overeat! Huge portions too, btw. Very generous. Sat at the bar. Bartender was hard working, serving all the customers who were sitting at the bar as well as keeping up with bar needs. Very friendly. Looks like the place can get busy for dinner so probably best to make reservations.

After so many years of coming to this restaurant and loving it every single time, I can't believe…read moreI'm leaving this review. I'm not sure if it was because it was midweek or if the chef was simply off his game on this night, but the experience was disappointing overall. The first thing I noticed when I sat down was that my knife was dirty. I ended up taking another knife from a different table. The ambiance, as always, was wonderful, and there were only two other tables occupied, so the restaurant was not busy at all. They started us off with soup, and it was chicken noodle soup. I was honestly very disappointed. When I go to a Spanish restaurant, especially one like this, I expect something traditional like caldo gallego or a similar house soup -- not chicken noodle soup that I could easily make at home. For appetizers, we ordered shrimp in garlic sauce and calamari. Both were absolutely delicious and honestly the highlight of the meal. We also had to ask the waiter for bread, and when it finally arrived, we were each given one very small roll. Our main entrées were sautéed tilapia and shrimp in lemon sauce with mashed potatoes and string beans, and breaded veal cutlet Milanese with mushrooms in a wine and brandy sauce over mashed potatoes. Unfortunately, neither entrée stood out the way meals here usually do. The tilapia was sitting on a bed of mashed potatoes and absolutely swimming in lemon sauce. There was so much sauce that it completely soaked the mashed potatoes and vegetables. I could only eat the top portion of the fish. My husband also mentioned that his breaded veal was very oily. The waiter never returned to ask if we wanted anything else to drink. The water had no ice and felt warm. We also had to ask for additional bread. I'm used to bread being left at the table, not rationed piece by piece. When the waiter asked if we enjoyed our meal, I politely explained that I did not care for mine and why, especially since most of it was left untouched. He looked at me like I had ten heads. I truly hate writing this because this restaurant has been one of my favorites for years, but this visit just did not live up to the standard I've come to expect.

This is my second time coming here. It was a yelp event that brought us here first and it was…read moreamazing. I will say parking is street parking or side streets and can get a little crazy on weekends. Service is always great and you feel like you are a part of the family here. Food is always fresh and amazing. Anytime I am near here we stop regardless of being hungry or not. I absolutely am obsessed with their vaca frita and black beans. It's a huge portion so leftovers are always good. My boyfriend always orders their cubano as he said it is the best one he has ever had. Their Maduros are also sweet and crisp and never greasy. We also tried their choripan sandwich and it was awesome. We've never had thinly sliced chorizo which eliminates the usual oil and messiness. Always an amazing meal. We also tried their pineapple Cuban smoothie and ended the meal with their delicious flan.

I would give Cha Cha in Kenilworth 2 stars…read more This was my first visit, and while the service was friendly and welcoming, the food itself was very disappointing. I appreciated the complimentary yuca fritters with special sauce, which was a kind gesture. However, the overall quality, freshness, and authenticity of the main dishes did not meet expectations. Parking is very limited street parking. The Cuban breaded steak was the biggest disappointment. A proper Cuban-style breaded steak should be thin, tender, savory, garlicky, slightly citrusy, well-seasoned, evenly breaded, and pan-fried until crisp and golden. The version I received tasted oddly sweet, the breading separated from the meat, and the steak had a gummy texture with an old-looking color. It did not have the freshness or clean savory flavor expected from this classic dish. The red beans were very concerning. They tasted strongly like vinegar, and I had to spit them out. When I looked closer, there appeared to be a white, murky-looking substance in them. Beans should never taste sour or vinegary unless something is wrong. Cuban-style red beans should be creamy, savory, aromatic, and well-seasoned with garlic, onion, peppers, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. The white rice was also not acceptable. It was hard, did not taste fresh, and had a vinegar-like smell and flavor. It appeared as if older rice may have been mixed with newer rice. Proper Cuban white rice should be fluffy, clean-tasting, separated, and neutral in flavor. The moro with black beans and rice was better than the white rice, but still lacked depth. It needed more bay leaf flavor and stronger Cuban seasoning. A good moro should have a rich, savory base from sofrito, garlic, peppers, onions, beans, broth, herbs, and slow cooking so the rice absorbs the flavor. The oxtail was tender and okay, but it did not fully deliver the deep, rich Cuban-style flavor I expected. Traditional Cuban oxtail should be slow-braised with garlic, onions, peppers, tomato sauce, wine, herbs, and spices until the sauce becomes rich and the meat is deeply seasoned. This oxtail tasted acceptable, but it seemed as though it may have been prepared a day or two before and reheated. I understand that many restaurants legally prepare certain foods a day ahead, especially dishes like beans, stews, and oxtail. However, food should still taste fresh and be stored, cooled, reheated, and handled according to food safety standards. Sour or vinegar-like flavors in rice or beans can sometimes indicate fermentation, spoilage, or improper storage, and that should never reach the customer. The best part of the meal was the dessert. The vanilla flan was very good, and the coconut flan was excellent. The coconut flan was rich, creamy, and full of coconut flavor, with shredded coconut pieces that added texture and made it stand out. That dessert showed real potential. The prices were reasonable, but reasonable pricing does not make up for poor freshness and low food quality. It did look like they may do better with sandwiches and empanadas, which I did not try and perhaps should have ordered first. I cook Cuban food, Puerto Rican food, and other traditional dishes myself, and I lived in Miami for over nine years. I also learned from Cuban friends who cook authentic Cuban food at home. Because of that, I know how these dishes should taste. In my opinion, the dishes I tried did not represent Cuban cuisine with the freshness, authenticity, seasoning, or care it deserves. The restaurant may have people who know how to cook, but based on this visit, it seems the kitchen has lost some of the authenticity and discipline needed to serve fresh, properly prepared Cuban food. Food that tastes sour, vinegary, old, or questionable should never be served to customers. The service and desserts were the highlights, but the main dishes need serious improvement in freshness, food handling, seasoning, and respect for authentic Cuban cuisine. There are several areas that need improvement. Freshness and food safety should be the main priority. Rice and beans should never taste sour or vinegary unless intentionally prepared that way, and food that seems old or questionable should not be served. The breaded steak should be freshly breaded, crispy outside, tender inside, and properly seasoned with authentic Cuban flavors like garlic, citrus, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves. The rice should be fluffy, the beans creamy, and the oxtail deeply seasoned and fresh-tasting. I believe the restaurant may have cooks who understand Cuban cuisine, but the kitchen needs to reconnect with freshness, consistency, authenticity, and stronger food handling standards. Cuban food is rich in flavor, comfort, and cultural pride, and with improvement this restaurant could better reflect that tradition.

Enjoyed a birthday dinner here and everything was pleasant! The food was all very good and large…read moreportions. The staff are professional and the ambiance is high-end. The octopus was my favorite! All the seafood was very fresh.

Here's the deal. I went to the monthly flamenco dance performance. It was very enjoyable and on its…read moreown would be a 4. The only thing I don't understand is why they miked the guitar in a smallish restaurant so Smartwatches kept flashed "louder than 90dB" warnings. It really wasn't necessary. But you go to a restaurant for the food. And my food was a 2 with the wind behind it. I had the Chicken Extremena, which is chicken filets with onions, red peppers, potatoes and Spanish sausage. Yes, all those ingredients were in the dish. It was too salty although it did have a bit of a kick. All in all, the ingredients didn't blend well, it sort of seemed like they were thrown together and doused in a generic . A friend had the Veal Corunesa, which is veal and mushrooms sauteed in brandy sauce. She stated that a fine piece of veal was cut into little pieces, overcooked and swimming in brandy sauce. Now, the people who ordered the pan fried filet of fish and the pork chops had good meals. But the chef should be able to do something other than panfry and broil. Last point, I had a chocolate brownie with walnuts and vanilla ice cream for dessert. I am know for my proclivity to eat anything chocolate. I took a bite of a dry brownie and ate the vanilla ice cream. I heard the tiramisu was good. But I didn't have the tiramisa. Service was prompt, surroundings pleasant. So here's the deal. The quality of the food was too erratic to be three stars. The entertainment was very pleasant, so averaging a 4 + 2 equals 3. I have no desire to go back and try again. There are so many good Spanish restaurants in Essex County even outside of the Ironbound that going here for a dinner just seems to be a waste.

What a great experience! This is my second time coming here and it always seems to be on a whim…read more Both times we just stopped by for a drink and this time was just as great as the first. Our service at the bar was exceptional. Every bartender was accommodating, alert and helpful. The drinks that they made were also outstanding! We weren't going to order food at first, but then we were extremely happy we did. We got the broiled squid just to try an appetizer, but we were happily surprised that between that the salad and the bread it quickly became a full meal. Everything was seasoned and cooked to perfection. I definitely have to come here for a proper meal in the near future, I honestly can't wait to return! Pro tip: visit the cigar room on a sunny day- it's a beautifully decorated space where you feel. Like you are somewhere special.

We made a reservation for brunch for a party of six, and this was my first time visiting Fonos of…read moreSpain. From the moment we arrived, the experience was great. We used the valet service, and upon walking inside, I noticed an older gentleman playing the piano in the foyer, which gave the place a really nice atmosphere. Even though the restaurant was busy, our wait was only about 5-10 minutes. While waiting, I couldn't help but notice how large the restaurant is. There are two bars and several separate dining areas that looked perfect for larger parties and special occasions. Once seated, we were served fresh bread while looking over the menu. I ordered the 32-ounce prime rib with A1 sauce, red peppers, and roasted potatoes. I also had the chance to try some of the sea bass. Both dishes were excellent. The prime rib was tender, flavorful, and cooked perfectly, while the sea bass was fresh and well-prepared. A special shoutout to our waiter, Milan, who was attentive, friendly, and made sure everything was taken care of throughout our meal. Overall, it was a fantastic brunch experience, and I will absolutely be back in the near future.

After nearly 40 years, I finally returned to Spanish Tavern in Newark, and I am happy to say it is…read moreevery 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.

We came here for dinner on a weeknight, a bit late, and were quite literally the only party in the…read morerestaurant 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!

It never fails ...From the moment we walk in, we were reminded why we love Basque. The food is…read moreconsistently delicious, but what truly sets this restaurant apart is the exceptional service. Abdul, our bartender, remembered my name, which made us feel genuinely welcomed and valued. It's those personal touches that create a memorable dining experience. During our meal, we accidentally ordered the wrong paella. We knew it was our mistake and never intended to ask for a replacement. However, the owner overheard our conversation and immediately stepped in to make it right without hesitation. That level of hospitality and customer care is rare and speaks volumes about how they treat their guests. The attention to detail extends to the bar as well. Their Old Fashioned is made the way it should be--with a large ice block that keeps the drink cold without watering it down. As John Taffer often says, "If an Old Fashioned doesn't have a large ice block, they're not paying attention to detail." Basque clearly does. If you're looking for outstanding food, exceptional service, and a restaurant that truly cares about its customers, I highly recommend Basque. Give it a try--you won't be disappointed.

In the heart of Piermont, with the back of the restaurant facing the great Hudson River with…read moreadditional summer outdoor seating, this Spanish-Basque tapas restaurant has become one of the County's most popular dining destinations. This restaurant is known for authentic Spanish small plates, generous paellas, imported Spanish ingredients, decadent desserts, and wonderful warm bread to start your culinary meal with. Abdul and Roberto make a perfect drink, whether it's a simple Espresso Martini or their house-made sangrias. . All this in a warm and friendly setting. The seafood paellas are portion perfect ie; large, the tapas favorites include garlic shrimp, octopus, croquetas, Iberico ham, lamb chops, and seasonal specials. Because the dining room is relatively small, expect a noisy environment. Weekend waits can be long because of this restaurant's popularity, but it is so worth the wait. If one arrives early, there will be no problem with sitting at the bar or nabbing a table. The staff is friendly, the clientele is neighborly, and you're guaranteed to enjoy your restaurant experience here. For Piermont, it's one of the strongest dining experiences available, particularly if one enjoys sharing plates. If you're going for the first time, I'd order the garlic shrimp, a few tapas to share, and one of the paellas for the table. Thank you Benny for bringing Piermont to our neighborhood. *For those across the river in Westchester, enjoy Basque in Tarrytown.