Amazing food and a great value! I got a Piri Piri Frango bowl to go and I had enough left over for a full meal the next day. I called in my order and it was ready within 15 minutes. When I arrived, there was one other party waiting for an order, but not too many dining in-person. I got the vibe that it's more of a to-go type of place than sit-down dinner-date establishment. I will definitely be back. read more

Otilia's Cafe - Piri Piri Frango Bowl - Portuguese Near Me - Spotswood, New Jersey

Happy to have tried this Portuguese restaurant. We came during week so no one having sit down dinner but plenty of people stopping for take out. That tells you how good this place is. John, the owner, was so friendly and told us about how they got started. My husband and I were very hungry and ended up ordering more than we could eat. Cod fritters, beef and chicken empanadas, and 1/2 chicken 1/3 ribs dinner which comes with fries and rice. And we also ordered sweet plantains as side. we could not finish it all so we have took home for dinner next day. Everything was delicious!! We will definitely be back. They also have a catering menu that I need to check out. John suggests making reservations if going Friday-Sunday. And it's BYOB! read more

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Food is top notch and hospitality warm and welcoming in this unassuming restaurant tucked in NJ. Each dish was better than the next - creamy shrimp, chicken rice, duck special and the incredible egg tarts and Nutella empanadas. I'm dreaming about the sticky toffee cake. Would love to come back! read more

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The service and the food is amazing, it's not your fancy restaurant. It has parking and handicapped accessible. No alcohol, but you BYB. The owner is personal and very engaging. Food is cooked to perfection. Please call before you go and reserve a table. I little hole in the wall setting is limited. read more

The food is amazing! It's home made Portuguese food in a restaurant. The cod fritters are to die for. The chicken wings are meaty and delicious DO NOT PASS UP THE GARLIC SHRIMP. Served with toasted bread that soaks up the amazing garlic sauce. Ohhh! I'm telling you are the best. We finished up with the beef tips in mango sauce. Very good. But, the highlight was Fatima! She is married to the chef John so she is a happy lady. The most wonderful server/hostess/owner you will ever meet! FATIMA IT WAS MY PLEASURE MEETING YOU. read more

The food was very good and the portions were generous We were six people and ordered the family dinner and a couple of appetizers and had plenty the waitress, who is the chef's wife was so pleasant and welcoming The only negative is we had to wash our clothes because of the smells from the kitchen Even so I would definitely go back read more

This place is soooo good! We got the mix platter and grilled octopus. The octopus was tender and I've been to a lot of Portuguese restaurants but this chicken was something else. I didn't want to write a review about the chicken until I knew it was consistent. And I'm happy to report I've this is the juiciest chicken I've ever had at a Portuguese restaurant read more

Excellent food. The smashed potatoes were dreamy! But it's the amazing service that got me. I called while looking over the menu to ask if some of the items on their menu were gluten and dairy free. Some were, and the gentleman who answered the phone took the time to review the menu with me to confirm how items were prepared. I thanked him and told him I would call a bit later to place my order. When I called back about an hour later, I spoke with his wife and added an item to my order that we hadn't discussed. After we hung up, she called me back almost immediately. The gentleman thought my phone number looked familiar and wanted to make sure I was aware that the additional item I ordered was made with butter. Service like this is rare these days, and I am so grateful to Otilia's for going out of their way to make sure their customers are taken care of. read more

Food was great. Service was great. Fatima and John were so hospitable they made us feel like family. We will be back!!

Ordered there for the first time cause my daughter recommended it. Food was delicious and huge portions but what I loved the most was their Portuguese chips. They're so delicious and crispy even 5 days later I'm still eating them read more

Excellent food and service! Calm and super family-friendly ambiance (kids have a bucket of colored markers to draw on table paper and stay entertained while food is getting ready). The arroz com marisco (seafood paella) is the best we have found in central NJ and the kids are frequently asking to go back for it. read more

The food is simply delicious. John, the owner, served us himself and was very pleasant and welcoming. We had short ribs and steak and shrimp in garlic sauce and it was all wonderful read more

Delicious food. Small dining area so reservations are recommended. Waitresses very friendly and accomodating.

Great place and very hospitable service! Peri peri wings were amazing and so were the ribs! AND the empanadas were also super delicious. Also, get dessert, any dessert. Trust. Fatima is a super sweet and great server. Definitely will be going back. I actually already went back. Will be back again and again. read more

Empanadas (chicken & beef) are amazing! Served with a side of either fries or chips, which are both very good. Reasonably priced and easy to pick up on the way home from work. read more

Otilia's Cafe - Chicken Empanada w chips - Portuguese Near Me - Spotswood, New Jersey

Great everything!! My ultimate favorite is the grilled octopus and the collard green soup. Omg and Fatima is the bee's knees . See you soon guys!!! read more

Cozy little place. Super authentic and very family like. Food is delicious. Nice variety of options. Definitely a perk with all the chain restaurants in the area. read more

Stopped here on a road trip and it was a great find!! Not much decor, but the food and service were both excellent. Fatima, our server (who possibly owns the place too), was so lovely! We had delicious Portuguese rolls, salads, an incredible empanada, and fabulous pork ribs and chicken. The fries were some of the best I've ever had. Would definitely recommend for a great meal if you are not looking for decor/ambiance. Great value too!! read more

The customer service is great. Very friendly! BUT... BUT... We ordered a whole chicken and it was as big as a quail. The beef ribs were burned (not charred- don't even try to talk me about the difference). The rice was bland and the fries were awesome. I might be jaded because I'm from Elizabeth but I rather drive home with cold chicken over ordering from here again. read more

Ordered recently for the first time. Great tasting food!!!!! Order was ready on time. Prices are slightly high.

Delivery companies charging too much and grabbing money from local businesses so we pay the price and lose out . In wheelchair can't pickup so I either eat out of the microwave or off the stove and I can't cook in a wheelchair with oxygen . Thx Biden read more

I'm used to all of the Portuguese bbq spots down neck, this isn't the same, but definitely good and the owners are awesome ppl! The place is always impeccably clean and service is always prompt. read more

Have both ordered take out and have dined in the restaurant. Very casual, clean, and low key, But everything you'd expect from a Portuguese bbq place with other traditional dishes as well. Tastes just like home! Highly recommend for a casual lunch/dinner out, and even for take out. read more

We did the mixed grill, empanadas and sweet plantains. Like every other Portuguese bbq, it came with a ton of rice and limp fries. The sausage with cheese and jalapeno was absolutely delicious, very spicy. They also nailed the chicken, not dry at all, and the beef ribs had a nice pink center. Pork ribs were nice. The other sausage was split own the middle, and the outside was overdone, so that was less good but the meat inside that we picked out was tasty. I liked the flavors in the empanadas, almost tasted like a curry in the chicken, which was something different. Plantains were a little stiff in the center, but awesome char on the outside. Overall, pretty solid place for Portuguese bbq. If I'm ever in the mood, I'd order from here no problem. read more

Terrific food. Large portions. Reasonably priced. Good fast service. Not too fancy but clean and quiet. The menu was varied and they had lots of beverage options. Dessert too! Started with the chickpea soup which was very tasty and hearty with a warm bun. Next I had the healthy baked half chicken with (get this) homemade fresh, hot potato chips. So crispy I thought I'd wake the neighbors! The latte topped off a great meal. This is a hidden Spotswood gem. Free WiFi. read more

Great food the bbq is great and menu options always fresh! Food is always fresh and hot

I like traditional Portuguese and Brazilian food (e.g. Recanto Do Xiru & Cirino Bakery, both in South River), but the chicken at KFC tastes better than the chicken I had in this place. The place looks good, but the food I tried was disappointing. Surprisingly, the owner was condescending and unfriendly even though we never complained. I am never going back there. I will keep going to the others places in South Rivers and some of the Portuguese restaurants in Newark. You should know that as a business owner, if you want customer loyalty and more customers to come to your restaurant, you shouldn't treat the customers like s***. read more

The food is delicious and priced perfectly. We typically get the half chicken half ribs combo that comes with two sides in a half tray. It's a lot of food for us and SO good! Clean, fresh and tasty. If you like spicy, get the piri piri chicken. The plantains and chick peas are good too. If you like garlic, the garlic shrimp is also delicious. The owners are so kind and helpful too. Great food and super nice owners? Makes me want to support them even more! It's one of our favorite spots in the area. Edited to add - we recently catered from them on New Years Eve. I called them at the last minute the day before with a large order, and it was still a great experience. read more

I have tried this place twice and while the food is ok (I have been to Portugal), not great and the service is not bad, but not great. The prices are ridiculously high for something as simple as roasted chicken with french fries. Not worth your money. read more

Really delicious food! Placed an order for lunch on July 4th for me and my family. We got the whole chicken and whole ribs combo, sweet fried plantains, bbq chicken wings, and a side salad. It was plenty of food for a family of 5. The ribs and chicken were flavorful and we really enjoyed the wings. Plantains are always a must have. Would definitely recommend! read more

Otilia's Cafe - Whole Grilled Chicken Whole Pork Ribs, Sweet Fried Plantains, 6 Pieces Chicken Wings, Side Salad - Portuguese Near Me - Spotswood, New Jersey

Food was very oily, no taste (very bla). My chicken sandwich had no flavor just eating chicken with oil. The fries were ok and the only good thing about the meal was the Portuguese bread roll was fresh. The garlic chicken was not good at all. Chicken was dry and pounded to death covered in garlic sauce that had no spice/flavor. Ria Mar makes it so much better, I'm sorry. My son only ate the fries, didn't go near the chicken tenders. Only gave 2 stars for the fast delivery and friendly staff. read more

Great Portuguese food! Staff is very friendly and food comes out fast. Close to the lake so you can pick up food and sit on the bench and enjoy great views. read more

Always awesome food. Delicious and huge amounts of it. Go. Eat and enjoy. Ribs, chicken, rice and beans are all to die for. The garlic shrimp appetizer is delish! Small local business that knows how do it right. read more

My wife and I were very excited to see a new restaurant open near us, Portuguese and BYOB no less! We were going to host a small party for the holidays and wanted to try some of the items on the menu that we're also on the catering menu, which we thought had reasonable prices. Ordered chicken and rib combo, fried squid, short rib dinner, and shrimp and garlic sauce app. We thought everything was just ok and nothing spectacular. The portions were big (look at my pics) . The chicken and rib was on the dryer side - definitely not fall off the bone line some reviewers said. All the meats had a smokey taste which I liked. It could have used a little more seasoning, but I think that's just how Portuguese bbq usually is. The short ribs were a little red in the center. The fries were soggy and the yellow rice was just average. The dish I disliked the most was the shrimp in garlic sauce. About 8 smallish shrimp in a garlic soup. The complimentary Portuguese rolls were hard, but we able to moisten it with the garlic sauce. The restaurant itself was spacious with square tables spread apart. With the wall coloring and lighting, it looked a little drab. They share a parking lot with domino's and a yoga studio. Sadly, we did not use Otilias for our catering needs. The prices are very good for their meat dishes and the portion sizes are very good. They now serve a Portuguese breakfast, so I will probably stop by to try it in the near the near future. read more

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Absolutely fabulous. OMG the food is good here. Get the empanadas for lunch with with home made chips. Out of this world. But the dinners. Never had anything but perfection. Top it off with the homemade lemonade and mango cheesecake. Heaven. It's pricey which is probably good or we would be there very day! read more

We finally tried this little gem right in our town and, boy am I glad we did! We got takeout because covid19 but I can't wait until we can go and eat there. The prawns in spicy garlic sauce was great, the fried potato chips were still crisp and the prawns were huge. My husband got the picadinho, also excellent. The pork was so tender and the chorizo was delicious. But our favorite was the shrimp in whiskey cream sauce. Wow! Definitely their house specialty. I highly recommend Otilia's! read more

OK so I pick up some food. Rack of ribs half chicken 3 sides and desserts. The price was surprising but I get it with the economy and I did order alot of food. I walked out saying to myself " this food better be BANGIN" we'll this is my very first yelp review and I'm glad it's my friends at Otillias. These ribs are outstanding. Perfectly cooked. This chicken is tender and moist. A joy to consume. The fries are awsome. I sprinkle sea salt on them .the yellow rice is again perfectly cooked and tasty. The pudding cups I'm sure will not disappoint me either. This place is great. My Portuguese cousins I call them. So friendly. So professional. So focussed on the food they put out. I LOVE OTILLIAS read more

I definitely would recommend this place! it's definitely not the fanciest, it reminds me of a deli. But something magical happens once the waitress start serving you Fatima, it suddenly feels like a five-star restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious everything from the salad to the dressing, to the appetizer. The entrée and dessert for all very good it's a hidden gem ! definitely worth a visit! very attentive the food was amazing! read more

The food was excellent had gotten several trays of chicken and ribs large portions I used them for my parents wedding anniversary with the family everyone was so satisfied with the food very tasty just like Portuguese style should be made had yellow rice with French fries as sides. Definitely would recommend this place people were also very friendly and helpful. read more

Absolutely delicious!!!! Fatima thank you! Shrimp and whisky so good. Fast and friendly. Keep up the good work. I highly recommend. Your friends Dean and Susan . read more