Adorable restaurant in Bergenfield, NJ with a surprisingly large space. It seems like they host a…read morelot of private parties and events--we've tried to dine here before but ran into party setups a few times. We finally made it in on a Friday evening, and it was nice and quiet. Service was spot-on, and the food was excellent. We really enjoyed everything we ordered. Definitely a place we'll be returning to. ---byob

This place is so cute! You walk in and it feels like you've arrived to the tea party. The…read morethoughtful decor and china is absolutely beautiful. We went for dinner on a Saturday night, but this would be the perfect spot for a gorgeous bridal shower or ladies brunch. I don't live in the area, but I would throw something girly here for sure! The food was very good, and the service was attentive, however, we were the only table at 7pm on a Saturday until after our food arrived, and then one other couple came in. This place should have been packed with date night guests.

I like to comment on the good experience last Saturday,Aug15, when we celebrated the birthday of…read moremy husband. Jorge, the Manager did a great job - assigned two good ladies to wait on the table for 17 people . The food and the drink served were very good and was served well. With the reservation placed last minute- all enjoyed the gathering! Thank you! - Guests took note of the good experience and will surely come back to dine here again.

This is one of my favorite restaurants to dine at in-person. I've moved away now, but my family is…read morestill there and Casual Habana holds a special place in our hearts. From birthdays, to casual meals, to my despedida to move cross country. I've just ordered a special meal for my mom's birthday and received photos. I cannot express how utterly disappointed I am in this order. For dishes more than $30, the portions are pathetic. Again, we are no stranger to this restaurant and know what it's like to dine here. This was meant to share among three people and it seems far from enough. Especially the main dishes of Paella, Pescado Frito, Cazuela de Mariscos. Just look at them compared to the in restaurant photos. The sides are really sad compared to what we'd get in restaurant too.

I had takeout from Lula's Latin Cuisine in Bergenfield, NJ, and I was impressed by the portion…read moresize--6 pounds of food. This was the first time a restaurant asked if I had any food allergies, which I appreciated. The staff was friendly, and the music created a lively atmosphere while I waited.

Solid, solid Latin food and for a good price at that…read more I'm not sure if they are related to the Lula's Latin Cuisine in Lodi, but I've been going there for years. However, that Lula's of Lodi is not open on Sundays, while this one is, hence why I decided to finally go the extra mile (literally) to check this Lula's out. To be honest, I didn't look at much of the menu (although I'm sure much of it is good), EXCEPT for the Daily Specials. Each day, just like the other Lula's, there are different items that you can order for a VERY, VERY reasonable price ($8.50 and up as of Sept. 2023). It's actually quite shocking that you can order an entree of anything in 2023 for just $8.50, but you can here! All of the Daily Specials come with a protein of your choice (depending on what's available that day) + white/yellow rice and pinto beans. When I say protein of your choice, like I said, various days will have a different offering, such as, Shredded Beef/Ropa Vieja, Chicken Stew, Roasted Pork/Pernil, Baked Chicken, 1/2 Chicken, Pork Stew, Ox Tail Stew, Baked Chicken, etc. On our 1st visit to this location, we ordered a few entrees to try - Shredded Beef/Ropa Vieja, Roasted Pork/Pernil, Baked Chicken, 1/2 Chicken and Baked Chicken. To sum it up, everything was good and the portions were HUGGGGE. So much so that we easily split each entree into 2 meals. Yellow, and even the White, rice were tasty. The meats were solid - some on the drier side, but it's to be expected with Pernil and pieces of white meat Baked Chicken. The pinto beans definitely helped with adding some moisture to the meal. Since this location is located within the Bergenfield town, you can only find parking strictly on the street. Also, this location has a few tables that you can dine in on, but just about every customer I saw walk in, walked back out with takeout. Just about all of the employees didn't speak much English here and only one was delegated to help me because they spoke it somewhat, so try to be patient when ordering if you don't speak Spanish. And, one more tidbit is that you can order online via their website, but it's possible that not all of the items that you purchase will be available, so when you show up, they might ask you to order what's available.

Empanada Mania 62 S. Washington Ave…read more Bergenfield NJ 07621 Angus Beef Bacon Cheeseburger Cuban Sweet Thai Chicken Spinach & Feta On the Southern part of Washington Avenue is a Latin American spot that specializes in homemade empanadas. Owner Galo and Manager Felipe introduced me to a variety of the signature product. Check out the outer layers of these crispy empanadas. If you think they look this good on the outside, wait until you see the inner fillings! Angus Beef: This original version of this folded hot pastry is packed with plenty of angus beef along with sautéed peppers & onions. Bacon Cheeseburger: This may have a similar appearance to the previous empanada, but do not be deceived. Imagine having a juicy succulent bacon cheeseburger in a crunchy shell in lieu of a hamburger roll. Cuban: Here's a perfect variation of the classic Cuban sandwich. The pork was smoked for several hours and it also includes ham and mozzarella cheese. Sweet Thai Chicken: It's time to try some Thai. The sweet thai chili sauce mixed in this Asian style empanada has the perfect blend of heat and spice. Spinach & Feta: If happen to be a vegetarian or If you just need a break from meat and poultry, the spinach & feta is a must try! As a bonus, these two secret sauces are fantastic supplements for your meat pies! Dunk away in the house made red hot sauce or if you are craving thousand island base with some top secret ingredients then go for the pink sauce. As another bonus, there is a state of the art coffee machine for hot beverages such as expresso, or cappucinno. All in all, each empanada was paradise. When I next return I'm looking forward to exploring their other empanadas as well as the side dishes. #empanadamania #empanadas #cuban #angusbeef #baconcheeseburger #SweetThaiChicken #spinachandfeta #LocalBusiness #foodstagram #eats #njfoodie #localspots #foodreviews

I've heard very good things the past 14 years about Empanada Mania…read more An award winning food truck, a catering business, and this tiny storefront producing big flavors. Street parking; only a few seats to eat inside. Basically a To Go place. These empanadas were awesome!! Big & stuffed with a very nice crispy, fried shell. ( they offer mini sized empanadas too) There are many options of Savory fillings, but I wish they had more "sweet\dessert" types. Which brings me to my favorite: the Guava & Mozzarella Cheese empanada... Best one I've ever had. For upcoming St. Patricks Day (for a limited time) they have -- The Reuben- filled with Smoked Corned Beef, Swiss Cheese & Sauerkraut. EMPAN-TASTIC! Wish I had a beer. -the Cuban Pork empanada made with an 8-hours smoked pork, with ham and mozzarella was very good, but I wasn't a big fan of the Sweet Thai Chicken empanada with, sweet Thai chili sauce, scallion and cilantro.. Maybe I was full... The fries are old school. Reminded me of boardwalk fries. Some a little greasy. Some a little overcooked & crunchy.. So if you like empanadas, you need to give this place a shot.

We really enjoy the empanadas here…read more Here is our rating of each we've tried. Beef & cheese 10/10 Shrimp 10/10 Pizza (super cheesy) 10/10 Crab 8/10 Chicken & cheese 8/10 Salmon 6.5/10 Personally don't feel the need for the sauce, especially for the seafood ones, because they are so tasty as is! Staff is friendly, too.

The food hits the spot! It makes me think of the warm, comforting meals I used to enjoy with my…read moreabuela. From yellow rice, black beans, empanadas, tostones, mofongo, and more!! Each dish is a delightful reminder of home. I definitely recommend this cozy mom-and-pop spot, where the staff is friendly and helpful. I ordered carryout and I appreciated the tv tuned to a World Cup game while we waited.

PROS: liquor store is fully stocked and the prices are good, loads of parking, atmosphere is high…read moreend, live music, and the staff is friendly. My friend and I enjoyed the bartender Sam CONS: it took 45 minutes for my ice cream to come out. The middle aged lady bartender with tattoos on her arms was screaming at the brand new bartenders; which was uncalled for OVERALL: as long as the staff can get along and the food comes out in a timely matter I'll be coming back here

Barrel & Brew Craft Bar (Located in Brookchester Shopping…read moreCenter) 872 River Rd. New Milford, NJ 07746 $18.99 Lunch special: Hackensack Musket Haze Draft Beer Smash Cheeseburger Fries I encountered this deal from a leaflet that was placed on my front door, so I decided to stop by on a weekday afternoon. The lunch offer is valid Monday through Friday from 12 PM to 4 PM. Hackensack Musket Haze Draft Beef: There was a variety of ten different draft beers to select. I don't order from the tap often, so I wasn't familiar with the beers. Before making my decision, Server Marcos was kind enough to let me sample it to be sure I I would like it. The IPA was fantastic. It was served chilled with a bit of foam up top. There was a hint of citrus and it had a smooth taste. Unfortunately, free refills are not included with the lunch special. Smash Cheeseburger & Fries: This is a perfect lunch serving portion as it will definitely keep you full until supper time. The double patty was served on a potato roll with special sauce and toppings; it didn't disappoint. The proportion of fries could have been a bit larger, but it they were still tasty. There are several flat screen HDTVs for patrons that enjoy watching sports as they wine and dine. If you enjoy the nightlife or clubbing atmosphere, a silver disco ball is adorned at the center of the restaurant. There is a decently sized outdoor seating area, which includes one semi-circular booth. As a bonus, if you want to purchase any bottled or canned beverages to bring home, there is a liquor store conveniently attached to the pub. This was a great lunch deal and if you need a quick meal in the middle of the day, stop by Barrel and Brew today! #barrelandbrew #barrelandbrewcraftbar #barrelandbrewlunchspecial #barrelandbrewwineandspirits

The Grand Cubano in Englewood, NJ is serving some delicious Cuban dishes! From the classics like…read moreRopa Vieja to the innovative dishes like the Cuban nachos-everything was amazing! Come taste the excellence of The Grand Cubano! The service and atmosphere is amazing! Ceviche Grand-a mixture of fish, shrimp, mango, onions, peppers, and cilantro in citrus juices. Topped with avocado. Served with plantain chips. Cuban Nachos- Plantain chips topped with slow roasted mojo pork, swiss cheese, pico de gallo, and avocado cream. Pulpo A la Parilla- Char grilled Spanish octopus in a lemon paprika vinaigrette topped with our homemade chimichurri. Ensalada de la Casa- Arugula, palm hearts, cherry tomatoes, pickled red onions, avocado. Tossed in our homemade chimichurri Ropa Vieja- A Cuban classic. braised shredded beef simmered with tomatoes, bell peppers and Spanish olives. Churrasco- Char grilled marinated skirt steak topped with our homemade chimichurri and pickled red onions.

My visit here was excellent. I came on a Friday night and it was a lot of fun. It is byob but they…read moreseem to have a pitchers of sangria and bottles of wine to purchase. For dinner I had the red snapper and it was delicious! I would order again. I also had a side of Yuka fries that were great and a side salad. They had live music that was really fun. Service was great.

Loved the variety of food excellent experience! The service…read morewas amazing as well! It's a great place to go for special occasions!

THE FOOD ----------------…read more+ Pulpo a La Gallega - Most tender octopus we've everrrrr had! Not even close. The octopus was cut into pieces AND there was a surprisingly very generous portion of it sitting on a small round plate surrounding some potatoes. There was also a slight hint of rock salt to top it off. + Paella Valenciana - Possibly some of the best paella we've ever had! The Spanish rice was soooooo flavorful, moist and delicious. There was a healthy amount of ingredients all around - shrimps, scallops, clams, mussels, calamari, chicken, sausage and a lobster sitting on top. + Surf & Turf - 18oz New York Strip was cooked perfectly medium and the juices were pouring out of it. The lobster was also good too, maybe a tad overcooked, but still was delicious. FYI, it also came with a side of rice and chips. - Churrasco a la Parrilla - Presentation was great with the steak laid neatly on the plate, but the churrasco was off this evening. First, it was medium well instead of the medium that I requested, so that was not good. Second, the flavor of the steak was NOT good at all, which was a bigger knock for us. We suspect that the meat might have been spoiled as it just didn't taste fresh. When we were eating the steak in the restaurant, it wasn't as evident, but still tasted funky. When we tried the leftovers of it the next day, it was very apparent that the steak had gone bad. Wanted to really love this, but, unfortunately, I couldn't ignore that it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. FYI, it also came with a side of rice and chips. + Coconut Flan - Loved this. Basically your typical flan with a coconut twist to it. + Complimentary Bread with Garlic-Herb Olive Oil Dip/Pesto - PHENOMENAL bread and I could eat the dip/pesto allll dayyyy long! The bread came out piping hot and fresh. The dip was something that we had never seen at any restaurant. It was a thick pesto-like dip that had a light olive flavor to it. We just kept eating it and eating it and eating it until our entrees came out. THE SERVICE ------------------- + EXCELLENT waiter service all evening. Our waiter, Eric, was super friendly, informative about the menu items and accommodated any request we had. He was great throughout our meal. + All of the waiters came by to sing Happy Birthday to us as we were celebrating a birthday in our family. THE SURROUNDINGS ------------------------------- + Very spacious interior with a lot of tables. The dining area is actually separated into 2 spaces and a large bar sits towards the front. + Decorations are beautiful inside, especially the walk in through the entrance. + There are a few outdoor tables for those warm nights. - No private parking lot, so street parking is your best bet, although there is plenty of street parking right outside since it's a very quiet street. FYI, the racquet club across the street had a sign that said "Additional parking for Sayola Restaurant", but then also had a sign that said the parking was only for the racquet club??? It was confusing, so we just parked on the street, which was fine. RANDOM OBSERVATIONS -------------------------------------- = Dined in at 6 PM on an August Saturday evening and, to our surprise, it was fairly quiet inside. There were a few tables dining in and having a good time, but it never came close to reaching capacity. It was definitely way more empty than full.

This place in Palisades Avenue, never disappoints as a lover of authentic Colombian food…read more I am always impressed by their consistent quality and fresh ingredients. The hospitality is top-notch... a huge-shout out to my server Melanie for being so attentive and kind!!! the Restaurant is consistently spotless and comfortable; perfect for any occasion. The "Paisa bowl" must-try a hearty delicious mix of beans, sweet plantains, crispy Chicharron, grilled steak, pico de gallo, sautéed corn and fresh guacamole. Pair it with their incredible house-made Sangria . Don't live without grabbing their amazing Flan or a Guava & cream cheese empanada to go Congratulations to the entire team on such a wonderful experience that highly recommended!!!

Stopped in for some coffee and pan de bono, this spot makes a great coffee, but the service isn't…read moreso friendly. They have a very nice setting and the ambiance is relaxing. However, it is overshadowed by the not so friendly people who work there.

Came here on a Friday afternoon with a friend. I had been here once before, but I honestly don't…read moreremember what I ordered. One thing I do know is that I definitely didn't get the chicharrón or the pernil. Once we walked in, the host seated us at an open table. The restaurant is pretty spacious, with music playing in the background. I also noticed a DJ booth, so I'm guessing it gets pretty lively at night. I ended up ordering the daily special, the Pernil al Horno ($15), which came with white rice and beans. The pernil was topped with crispy pork skin, which I really appreciated. It was juicy, flavorful, and the crispy skin added the perfect crunch to every bite. My friend ordered the chicharrón, and it was awesome. It wasn't overly fatty, just the right balance of meat, fat, and crispy skin. Every bite had the perfect combination of crunch and flavor. I'll definitely be back for the chicharrón, as a snack or a full meal. If you're a fan of chicharrón, I highly recommend giving this place a try. * Parking on premise * Outdoor dining available

This place gets some bad reviews, and I can see why some people may say they didn't like their…read moreexperience there. However, every time I visit this place I can clearly say I truly enjoy my meal. You also can get a cold beer for about 6 dollars which is reasonable compared to other places. The issue is they make some things really well and maybe others not so great. I always eat a few things I know they make well. After all you don't order a filet at a fried chicken joint. Today I visited after being disappointed at the Freakin Rican spot on Cedar lane. See that review for details. I went by Elsa's and ordered some Mofongo with their famous Chicharones and it was delicious. Perfectly seasoned and paired with some delicious sauce that was perfect. My wife had oxtails with rice and beans and they were delicious too! We enjoyed a couple of really cold beers each and our bill was only around 60 dollars. The place has a really relaxing atmosphere and the service was good. I had to battle with a couple of knats but it just added to the entertainment, lol! The place could use some remodeling and cleaning but at least they consistently serve me good food at a great price. If you go there just temper your expectations. It reminds me of a roadside eatery in the islands which always serves good food but you have to battle with some bugs. Lmao!