Paulo's was a great experience. A large venue with multiple section and its own parking lot. Ramp style entrance to get in, & then it has a take out order area, a bar area, & a main restaurant area which also has a small bar in it. Service was super fast & efficient. Servers were all polite & professional. The drinks were perfect & the food was incredible. We had the Rodizio and absolutely no part of it disappointed. This place definitely has made my list of places to suggest for work parties &/or retirement dinners. I was thoroughly impressed by the quality of everything. I won't do individual Grades this time, as Rodizio is a non-stop assortment of meats & cuts. There was no "weakest link" in this. Disclaimer, I did not eat any of the sides that came with the Rodizio, cause I didn't wanna use up any stomach space, lol. So I can't vouch for those. Grades: Peach Sangria: A Paulo's Old Fashioned: A Rodizio: A+ read more

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Great dining experience and awesome place to have dinner with friends. The only thing I could take a picture of was the salad, because as soon as the food started rolling out, I was focused (we did Rodizio). First of all, the service here is the best I have experienced in years. The employees make you feel welcome, almost as if you are joining them at home for dinner. This place is 1000% made for meat eaters. My favorite was the Chicharron, chicken wrapped in bacon, and the lamb. The French fries were delicious. The sweet plantains were a nice touch and I couldn't get enough. Honestly, I can't say I ate anything bad this night. I look forward to being back. read more

Paulo's Barbeque - House Salad - Portuguese Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

Absolutely not worth the hype. We tried this place after seeing numerous praises on social media. We made reservations for Father's Day and I was excited to try this spot out. I was thinking the experience should be good since it should be more personal than that other hit-or-miss big chain Brazilian Rodizio. I was wrong. The decor was nice but the waiting area was oddly situated where people could be in the way of the food coming out of the kitchen. We were seated at the far end of the main dining hall. My 2nd son and I ordered the Rodizio. My wife and daughter ordered the Picaña steak, my eldest son had the Skirt steak. The first three Rodizio choices came out early. They were the chicken wing, the sausages and a BBQ Ribeye. The chicken and sausages were flavorful. The BBQ Ribeye was dry. Then, the other steaks came out. They did take awhile. They were supposed to be medium rare. My wife was medium, close to medium well. But, we were so hungry, we let it slide. Her steak was was under seasoned. Meanwhile, the Rodizio meats weren't making to our table. 10 mins passed since the last meat received and nothing came by. We'd see tables closer to the entrance and behind us receive the steaks on the skewers or the grilled pineapple, but not us. What kept on coming by were the chicken and the sausages again. There was a lamb brisket, that passed by. I tried it, it was bland and dry. I complained to the waiter about not getting any good meats. To his credit, he did say he'll do his best to get some to come. A manager came by and apologized and said that they were busy and they're trying to get them out as soon as possible. Another 10 mins and only shrimp came by. While the shrimp was being served, we saw a brand new batch of picaña come out and served to the table right next to us (who were just seated). Then, my table was skipped. It never circled back. I asked the waiter what's going on and mentioned about the Picaña skewer. He apologized again and said that he'll do something about it. But what was coming by us were the same chicken and sausages. We were almost two hours into our dining and still no good meats coming by. By then, I had enough and just asked for the bill. The waiter could tell I was far from pleased. By the time I signed the check, the Picaña and skirt Steak showed up. I tried them just for the heck of it. They were well done and dry. Afterwards, we stood up and left. $340 down the drain. No effort from management to try to appease a disappointed customer. We left utterly frustrated. If it weren't for our waiter who was doing his best, this place would have gotten a one star. Never coming back to this place. read more

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Back again and this time i must say....it was just as great this time. The food 10/10 the ambiance always a plus. And the server we had this time Heshmat was such a sweet kid. For being new he did an amazing job! They know i will be back, if your in the area i would 10000% check it out! read more

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I came here as a party of 3 around 5 pm on a Saturday when it was still pretty quiet. By the time we were preparing to leave, it started to get a little busy in the dining area. I ordered the Paulos Picanha & Yucca as an appetizer and the Red Snapper with Brussel Sprouts as my entree. The yucca was a little dry; however, the picanha is worth getting again. The snapper was prepared as a whole fish, but I requested the head to be cut off prior to it hitting the table which they were able to accommodate. I had the Blue Moon draft as my beverage. Everything was very good, and I had enough leftovers for me to enjoy once I made it home. For dessert, I tried the Pineapple with 43 (grilled pineapple, cinnamon flambeed with Liquor 43) which tasted exactly how it is described, refreshing, not heavy at all, easy to put away after dinner. Service met expectations. I would return! read more

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I went there a couple times to try and give a fair observation. The garlic shrimp the first two times was excellent. One time I went there. I got the steak sandwich. It was all fat and gristle and then I ordered dessert. It was rock hard like it was in a display case for two weeks. This last time I was there the garlic shrimp definitely had a burnt flavor to it and I got grilled chicken and it tasted like lighter fluid. Honestly, I'm done with this place. The prices are ridiculous but if the food was good, it would've been worth it. It's not stay away. read more

Had a confirmed reservation for 7:00 pm at Paulos on my phone. For some reason, it was not showing on the host's iPad. Instead of handling the situation professionally, the host rudely pushed the iPad towards my face to prove it wasn't in the system. When I asked to speak with a manager, he informed me that he was the person in charge. I responded by asking him to get the iPad out of my face and he wasn't doing a very good job. We then left and went to Spain Inn, where we had an excellent meal and outstanding service. Mistakes with reservations systems can happen, but there's no excuse for treat customers with disrespect. Paulos should seriously reevaluate the professionalism of the individual managing th seating. read more

Disappointing second visit--quality and service have dropped.This was our second time visiting Paulo's BBQ Steakhouse, and we were incredibly disappointed. Our first visit in May for my husband's birthday was outstanding--the food was amazing, and the staff was attentive and nice. Because we had such a great time, we decided to return with our daughter for an early Father's Day dinner in a party of six.Unfortunately, this experience was the exact opposite. All of the meats served were medium to well-done with absolutely no pink. We asked for rarer cuts, but we never saw any the entire night. To make matters worse, we sat waiting for over 15 minutes just to get the grilled pineapple dessert. When I brought these issues to the attention of Joe, the acting manager, really didn't seem to care. It is a bit of a drive for us, and it is far too much money to spend for a table of six where not a single person enjoyed their meal. We will not be coming back. read more

What an amazing place to host a party. With a large upstairs room that easily held 50 people had private bathrooms had dance floor area and a bar. This place is a find the staff goes out of their way to make sure you are happy and have impeccable service frequently asking our guests what they needed and bringing specified items to the table for them. They let us arrive early to decorate and we're so helpful unkind. The food was amazing and plentiful. The house sangria was surely a hit. They even provided a musician who was perfect for her baby shower occasion. Think of them for your next party it is a great place both for food and location and service. read more

Paulo's Barbeque - Portuguese Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

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Horrible experience!! Went for my daughter's birthday. Served left I. The middle service and never came back. They sang happy birthday to other people and never acknowledged her. Our food was messed up and they promised us things that never came. They just ignored us and when I spoke to manager he said sorry you feel that way and walked away . Please don't let these People ruin your special event!! read more

To begin with, the service was terrible. I had to ask for menus. They served us old reheated bread. As a matter of fact, all of meals seemed like they were reheated. The only good thing we had was the pork belly appetizer. The steak and chicken were dry as well as the rice. Not sure why all the good reviews bc our experience was subpar and we will not be going back. read more

Paulo's Barbeque - Portuguese Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

I had some extra Cash App money to use, so I decided to order DoorDash since it's linked to checkout. I came across Paulo's while browsing restaurants. The food arrived fast and hot. I ordered the fish fillet sandwich, chicken and beef empanada duo, mozzarella sticks, and carrot cake. Everything tasted great, though one of the beef empanadas had a wad of fat... not ideal. read more

Absolutely love Paulo's. The pichana apaulito is a go to of mine. Such an awesome price for such a flavorful piece of pichana! I have not had anything from this restaurant I have not loved. Additionally, the staff, servers and even the people who sit at the bar are just all around great, welcoming vibes. Food brings people together, Paulo's does just that. Pro tip: ask for the house made garlic hot sauce read more

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Avoid Paulo's Barbecue, I spent $250 on a large order, got home, and realized the entire order was wrong. When I called, they apologized and told me to come back and they'd fix it. Sounds simple--but it wasn't. When I returned, the manager was shockingly rude, unprofessional, and outright nasty. Instead of taking responsibility for their mistake, I was met with attitude and told--in a confrontational tone--that I needed to bring all the incorrect food back before anything would be corrected. No apology, No accountability. Just hostility over their own error. Mistakes happen, but treating paying customers like this--especially after a $250 order--is unacceptable. Terrible customer service and a manager who clearly doesn't know how to handle basic issues. read more

We were huge fans of this restaurant. We always got the best service but tonight was not good at all they only got like 8 different kinds of meat and that is being generous. Main concern was how rude and dismissive they were to us even after we have brought several people to their restaurant read more

Been going here for years today I ordered a Brazilian steak sandwich with french fries it was pretty good a pieces of fat in the meat but nothing too bad and the french fries was good as well. My waiter was very attentive and nice and the food came out in a decent amount of time. There's a main dining room and theres seats in the bar area so you can have a nice romantic dinner section or a hanging out section. They also have out door seating in the warmer months. It's definitely worth a visit if you are in South Plainfield read more

Paulo's Barbeque - BRAZILIAN STEAK SANDWICH - Portuguese Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

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Great staff very welcoming ambiance and the food was delicious we will be back here soon. Must try the octopus appetizer. The manager was very attentive and friendly as well. read more

SO GLAD we tried this rodizio place out! The meats were soft and fresh, not overcooked and old and chewy like some other places. It is $50pp for rodizio, which is fairly priced. Great customer service and the owner constantly walks around to check up on patrons. I LOVE THEIR GARLIC SHRIMPS, PICANHA, SAUSAGES AND GRILLED PINEAPPLE! Will be back!!!! read more

Party of 6 on a very busy Saturday night, food came timely and cooked perfectly, the staff was amazing, the host walked around speaking to the customers, felt very welcome! Will definitely be back here! Thank you for a great evening! A++++ read more

Food is Good, perfect and delicious. Waitress was very kind and very knowledgeable of the food that we wanted to order. The ambience was perfect, good vibes felt!! Paulo's nowadays is a good place to eat lunch or eat from the menu if you wish. This place is amazing!! read more

Food here is amazing, and cannot be beat. My girlfriend and I discovered this place about 2 weeks ago, and we've been back for seconds. We went to Fogo De Chao (Bridgwater), about a month ago, and was disappointed by their dismal meat selection and service, then discovered this place which is superb. The staff here is super friendly, and attentive. The meat carvers come by non-stop to the table, with a wide assortment of meats. Definitely a great place to check out if you're craving good quality meats, and come with an appetite. read more

Absolutely wonderful staff - so friendly- been coming here for years and they make you feel like home. Kenny owner, son is Thomas and the staff- Mateo, Rick, and everyone on the team is so customer friendly and personable. Highly recommended especially if you are local. read more

Paulo's Barbeque - Portuguese Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

The meals where perfect, as usual. The service was spot on, thank you Thomas. And attentive. We really enjoy Paulo's. We will be back. read more

Paulo's Barbeque - Birthday dinner with family. - Portuguese Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

The first time I came to this restaurant was a great experience. I even left a good review but it won't let me edit my review so I'm going to talk about my experience here. This is my third time here. The second time I came, I came with about eight people and we were upstairs and the service was not great and I just thought it was because we were upstairs. We were constantly waiting for meat rotations and us not having tongs was a constant issue. Today was the third time I came to the restaurant for my sister-in-law's birthday and this was one of the worst restaurant experience I've ever had in my entire life. Not only did the two families that came after us get serviced first before us, but our waiter disappeared for his break 30 minutes in. He never came back to apologize or acknowledge us whatsoever. The meat wasn't rotating well amongst the tables, and we were constantly waiting for meat. There were about three birthdays at this establishment and not once was the birthday girl at our table acknowledged. When my father in law Spoke to the manager, the manager said " sorry you feel that way" and walked off and didn't ask us what he could do to make anything better. I am in the entertainment business and I use to work in customer service.... this was not it. A lot of the meats were out of stock and it felt like we were neglected. We will not be returning to this place at all nor will I recommend it...... read more

Our first visit here was nearly flawless, great service, the manager sat with us and was very personable and spoke with me and my family for a while and made a personable impression. I recommended this place for a friends night out with 7-10 people and we were put upstairs and weren't given tongs for the rodizio, so there was no heat upstairs, and the rodizio servers would usually forget to bring tongs for our table so they would have to double back downstairs and get tongs every.single.time. It was very embarrassing and didn't compare to the first service that I experienced. Despite that, me and my family came for my little sisters birthday and our waiter went on break/lunch and left our table hanging with no service for 30-40 minutes without a waiter to pick up his table. On top of that they did not sing my little sister happy birthday or even acknowledge my little sisters birthday despite the fact my father called it in ahead of time. When my father addressed the bad service to the manager he said "I'm sorry you feel that way" and just left the conversation at that and didn't even try to help make things right or at the very least acknowledge that the service may have been subpar. We weren't looking for a comped dinner service, but just some sort of acknowledgment of the service we received was not very well. Me and my family will not be returning here after tonight's service. read more

The food is amazing. Delicious! And when you go, ask for William. He took very good care of us!

We came for a birthday party, we had a big group. The service was impeccable and the food was wonderful . Special shout out to Will who was our main server and the rest of the team that took great care of us. We will be back! read more

This manager moved my drink while I was in the bathroom to give it to these people and when I asked why he said he didn't think it was a big thing and it was tight on the end @paulosbbqsp I have never seen anyone move a drink to give someone else a seat second picture was where they could've sat cause it was another seat at the bar I come here all the time I ordered food and a couple drinks and never seen this and when I mentioned was it because the color of my skin he got all upset yeah I need to talk to Kenny never coming back read more

Paulo's Barbeque - Portuguese Near Me - South Plainfield, New Jersey

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Always outstanding! The fried pineapple to end the night is fantastic. Get the the all you can eat but don't expect to bring anything home. It's clear on the menu, no doggy bags but still totally worth it. As long as the restaurant uses the leftovers.. read more

Although the manager was not disrespectful with the tone he spoke to me with his words were concerning. I returned a chicken soup, photos below, I am used to the customary chicken soup base with chicken and vegetables in it. No disrespect to the Brazilian version but this particular version I received was mostly tomato basil and a few pieces of chicken in it. Although the manager said it doesn't bother him either way that he'll just throw it in the trash , that he would never go to a restaurant of a different culture order something and then bring it back, that he did not make a mistake and that I did not say chicken noodle soup. All I stated when I returned the soup was that I'm I'm used to a different soup and I wanted to exchange it for mozzarella sticks, which is only under three dollar difference. He stated that he respected my opinion but if he did he would not say that he would not return something because he doesn't like it, that he has been a restaurant owner for so many years and eating around the world and he would never bring something back. This shows his discontentment for my decision which counteracts his statement of respecting my decision. Although I did not ask for my customary chicken noodle soup I also did not ask for tomato basil cream with chicken in it either. Ironically if you Google Brazilian chicken soup it still doesn't look like their version. I still respect the restaurant but felt a little uneasy with the managers speech. My entire purchase was $32 and I just wanted to exchange the soup. I never said he made a mistake, I never said I didn't like it, it's just the chicken soup I was looking for was different mainly the one you eat when you have a cold. I actually did attempt to look on the menu to see their chicken soup and what they had in it and didn't see it. Its disheartening to see that an under three dollar exchange needed a speech from the manager. He appeared to be offended by the return and just didn't understand my point of view, by stating he wouldn't bring it back means that I shouldn't and should keep or throw away something something I paid for but do not like. For him to state he never complains when he orders is a restaurant manager's point of view. and also note I did not complain I just simply asked for an exchange. Lesson learned, I will be asking different cultures different restaurants from now on how do they make their chicken soup. he asked if I've ever been to Brazil. I was born and lived United States for 52 years, I have respect for people cultures and ordering. Over here any place as I told him if I take you to any restaurant and just say chicken soup or even chicken noodle soup it's going to come with noodles or rice and a clear base with vegetables at times. No hard feelings read more

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Excellent service with great food, best bartender and amazing staff running the restaurant!

My experience was unpleasant, I don't know what's happening with this restaurant, yesterday I went with my family, super happy to enjoy but that rodicio all burnt without knowing and the ribs were in pieces and all burnt, we will not go back, and there is a waiter who wears a ponytail and watches you as if you were stealing something, what a disappointment please I write this so that it doesn't happen to other people, return to the quality of meats that you offered before read more

The restaurant has changed hands. I recently went in to get empanadas as my Litmus test. I wasn't disappointed. They are flavorful and worth the money. They are stuffed with what I believe to be fresh ingredients and a touch of love. The young lady and gentleman at the counter were courteous and friendly. I am planning to go in to the restaurant to see if the service is as good as it was prior to the owner change. I don't notice any changes to the restaurant physically however there is an order of mothballs and something else I can't put my finger on as you walk through the front door. Other than that the restaurant appears clean and well maintained. When I go in to dine I will provide pictures and an update. Until then go get the empanadas and order the garlic chicken. read more

Great ambience and nice service with Brazilian/Portuguese classics like picanha, paella, and all--you-can-eat rodizio. Salgadinha appetizers were as deep-fried crunchy tasty as you'd expect. Wife got the picanha slices which generously thick and much as I remember from Brazil. I ordered the Branzino which frankly was overdone and a bit dried out. The sides were fantastic, particularly the Brussels sprouts, which were cooked in about twice their weight in butter and flavored with just the right bit of sweetness. Overall I'll be coming back, but next time I'm sticking to red meat. read more

I ordered the BBQ chicken platter. Extremely small for 14.25. Not only was I bieng overcharged for the quanity of food The quality was appalling. The chicken was dry overcooked with a horrible taste. Such a waste of money! When I called I was offered no correction. Terrible customer service. You should be ashame of yourself serving such poor quality of food. This place has really declined! read more

First time here. Made reservations online and seated upon arrival. Loved the different sections of the building. There's a take out corner and a bar area with tvs and even an outside patio. We were seated at a nice table in the dining area. Everyone we met greeted us kindly with smiles. Our server was Isabel. She was very enthusiastic and helpful. We had the full rodizio and ordered cocktails, apps, and dessert. Our burger sliders were so delicious. The full rodizio came with a yummy selection of sides including fries, fried bananas, blackbeans, rice, yucca flour, and pico. The varieties of meat were seasoned perfectly and cooked to our perfect temperature. The rate at which food came out was also perfect and we had time to rest a tiny bit between courses and varieties of meat. We somehow still managed to save a tiny space for dessert, and the tres leches and serradura were both delicious. Would definitely come back to enjoy andother Rodizio experience or even just try different entrees without over stuffing ourselves! read more

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I finally made it back into Paulos BBQ after not being there for a decent while. They are now under new ownership and management and I must say they've made a pretty seamless transition upholding the original BBQ and rodizio menu while bringing in a new executive chef from a Brazilian steakhouse in NYC. The traditional BBQ was delicious and the expanded menu with various cuts of meat and new apps were well plated and prepared. I ordered the cowboy steak for two to myself and absolutely crushed it! The sangria was fresh and also loved the picanha sliders. Quality meat! The service was exceptional in the dining room and it seemed like they mobbed at the take out counter all night. Great to see the liqueur license being put to good use. Excited to get back in there with a group to experience the ALL YOU CAN EAT rodizio!! read more

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Great food,service is great ambiance is great as well. I learned of Paulos while driving for DoorDash and I'm hooked! read more

I think the food here is good. I like the empanadas myself. The wait time was minimal, and the service was good. I feel the manager was helpful and on top of things. I liked the vibe here, it was my first time coming in but won't be my last. Worth checking out. read more

GARLIC SHRIMP AND YELLOW RICE - The exterior and interior of the building are appealing for a medium sized eatery. Ifs a nice place to eat out. I Had garlic shrimp and yellow rice. Rice was plump, moistened, and flavorful. The shrimp were a little overcooked to the point that a few were mushy. Yet it was a takeout order, and perhaps the shrimp cooked further in the closed container. The flavor of the shrimp and sauce was good , but were on the smaller size portion wise. read more