On a whim, we were bound for Ironbound (my first time) and wound up at PortuCale. Dinner started very promising. We got Uma Combinacao Aperitivos Portugueses featuring small square dishes of flamed Portuguese sausage, octopus in garlic sauce, shrimp in garlic sauce, and sautéed hot potatoes. All garlicky, olive-oil drenched deliciousness. Then we got to the Paelha Marinheira, and it kind of fell apart. The rice felt...Goya-like. Sort of artificial. The seafood combo was overcooked and chewy. Kind of sandy too. The whole dish was simultaneously salty and bland, and we regretted getting it. Sadly, they were also out of our first, second and third choice desserts, so we wound up with a giant slice of Molotof to end our meal on a better note. It was fine, but I wouldn't order it again. Appreciated that the clientele around us were all speaking Portuguese, and this clearly is an old school neighborhood spot--but I think we'll keep exploring the area for dinner options. read more

See all

We met our significantly older siblings and friends for early dinner. Even with the ice/snow parking was not a problem. Service was on point, our drinks were always full. Food was excellent, plated very nicely and plentiful. Definitely come with a healthy appetite and be prepared to bring home left overs. Very casual local crowd, real deal home cooked meals. read more

See all

Once again the fish was superb. Flavorful and well cooked. We called ahead because we were crunched for time and it was ready when we arrived. That was such a nice gesture. The cerradura was off. It was missing flavor. I will always come back here. Great food and great prices. read more

See all

I came here for a party, and while the environment was nice and the piña colada was amazing, the food was absolutely disappointing. * Appetizers: The only good thing! The sausage, shrimp, and calamari were actually enjoyable. Everything else? Not so much. * Beer Sauce Chicken: Way too mushy and just plain nasty. The texture was off, and the flavor was unappetizing. * Ribs: Completely undercooked--pink on the inside, which is unacceptable. * BBQ Chicken: Dry, flavorless, and just sad. * Fish: Overcooked and bland, no seasoning at all. * Mashed Potatoes: Tasted like they came straight from a box, artificial and unappealing. * Rice: It was okay, but not properly cooked. Overall, this was a terrible dining experience. The only saving grace was the appetizers, drinks, and atmosphere and service, but I would never return for the food. If you want a traditional Portuguese resting I highly recommend the "taste of Portugal" in Elizabeth NJ read more

See all

Five star rating based on the extensive menu, both food and drink, and excellent customer service. My server Tony was an attentive and answered my questions in detail. As I had been wanting octopus for a while, it was a pleasure to be able to sample this Portuguese delicacy along with shrimp sautéed in garlic (with slices of garlic!), patata bravas (potatoes with olive oil) and replaced sausage with calamari. The desire for a green addition was limited to broccolini, which was not desired. Ordered the arroz con tomate (tomato rice) to pair with sampler. The wine list was extensive; Tony suggested pairing sangria with my meal. The food met my expectations and would have surpassed if the octopus was less salty. I was able to combine with the rice to ease the saltiness. The ambiance and service were a large part of the rating. There were multiple rooms including an enclosed patio, large dining area and bar area seating. I opted for the bar area to sit at a high table and watch Olympics on one of the bar area televisions. Other televisions showed FIFA futbol, which was equally exciting. Overall, the restaurant had something for everyone and appeared to be a local favorite. Would gladly return again! Obrigada PortuCale! read more

See all

Very nice place , attentive service and the dishes and drinks were nice. Strongly recommend pulpo in garlic sauce as an appetizer. read more

We were attending a dance event at the Portuguese Sport Club in Newark, and this place is a short walk from there. Great service, we requested to sit on the outdoor patio where there was a waterfall wall. The server was very helpful with suggestions on what to order, both for food and wine. We enjoyed our vinho verde and roasted suckling pig. One of our friends took out his bandoneon (accordion) and played some songs, and the servers were so supportive and even applauded and asked for more. Great vibes, highly recommend read more

See all

Nice, warm and clean ambience. Very friendly service. Absolutely delicious food- Bife A Portuguesa and Mussels are phenomenal. Great red sangria. Highly recommend. read more

PortuCale Restaurant & Bar - Mussels - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Amazing meal all the way around and the red sangria was lovely! Definitely will go back! read more

PortuCale Restaurant & Bar - Crocker fish - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

My husband and I have been here several times and the service and food are always good. It's authentic Portuguese cuisine and reasonably priced. Portions are filling and wine is poured generously. We particularly enjoy their seafood dishes. Highly recommend! read more

Our experience dining here was good - not great, far from spectacular. 3 star is a fair rating. The service.. was somewhat slow, and staff doesn't hustle like some other places in ironbound. It didn't bother us terribly but it was noticeable. The ambiance.. was ok. TV over our table was on the weather channel. No music playing in the dining room. Fairly small and crowd was a little loud. Again didn't bother use but all noticed. The food.. apps were ok - portions felt slightly smaller than average. 4 people in group ordered meat / 1 was filet mignon. All of the meats including the filet had fat. Don't expect this in filet mignon. Taste was good - but quality was just ok. Desserts were ok - again slightly smaller portions. Overall cost was less than other places, which seems to match the experience. read more

Would give 3.5. Good amount of food for the price. -Appetizer sampler: good flavor but everything was very oily -T bone steak: good size steak and decent flavor the price. Side potatoes and green beans were very oily. Unsure if would return to this business mainly because of how oily everything but the steak was. read more

See all

One of my girlfriends and I got together for dinner. When I arrived I parked on the street in front. I walked in, and we sat at the bar. Roxanna was our bartender, and she was cool. I started with a red sangria and it was good. For my entrée I got the sea bass special for only $20. When it came out it looked amazing! The only problem was that it was full of bones. It was delicious though! My friend really enjoyed her garlic shrimp. The bill was super affordable! All in all we had a good experience. read more

See all

I had the most amazing night here! Two weeks ago I was in Newark for a concert so I sought out a good restaurant and ended up choosing this place. The restaurant, when you come in, is a bar/high tables scene but when you get to the second back room it is very homey and cozy. I felt like I was IN Portugal! We had a host and a waiter, both super sweet and helpful! I already had looked at the menu so first ordered the appetizer platter, great idea! It was garlic shrimp, garlic octopus (my favvvv I already knew I needed to have octopus that night, they had three dishes of octopus btw), "flaming" Portuguese sausage, and hot potatoes! Def get this to share, if you ordered separately it would've been too much food and probably 3 times expensive!! Everything was soooo delicious! (Post for my IG): Dinner at @portucale_restaurant in Newark Friday night App sampler: * garlic shrimp * garlic octopus (my fav, sooooo tender) * hot potatoes * flaming Portuguese sausage * clams in white wine garlic sauce * mussels in tomato sauce (it was like a delicious veggie broth) The octopus was heavenly and I inhaled the portion. Perfectly cooked, tender and full on flavor explosion! I'm not a huge potato fan but delicious! Obviously the sausage was soooo flavorful with a nice crisp! The garlic shrimps were small but yummy, not overly garlicky. Entree: * Chilean sea bass in champagne sauce I LOVE Chilean sea bass, they gave two fillets and every bite just melted in your mouth! Yummmm... creamy mashed potatoes and fresh veg! Desserts: * flan (eggier than usual, so good) * extreme bamba (sherbet) * coconut sherbet (creamy with chunks of coconut, my favvvv of the three) I wanted the egg tarts but they were out (we were there late, so I suggest you ordering them as soon as you sit down) The coconut sherbet stole my heart and stomach! Soooo coconutty and refreshing with pieces of real coconut flesh! It was SO amazing! The flan was delicious, not too sweet - it wasn't the silky creamy type that I'm used too, it was eggier and had bubbles when you cut into it. Definitely "heartier" feeling because of that (but actually light) The Bambara is HUGE so be ready! Everything was absolutely delicious! The wine that they paired for us worked perfectly with all the dishes and our waiter was THE sweetest!!!! Highly recommend this place will definitely go back if I'm back in the area! #octopus #garlic #garlicshrimp #portuguese #portuguesesausage #potatoes #mussels #clams #seafood #shellfish #newark #dinner #chileanseabass #seabass #champagnesauce #dessert #sherbet #coconut #bomba #coconutsherbet #flan #olives #piawine read more

See all

Let me start by saying, don't judge a book by its cover. The outside of the restaurant does not prepare you for the inside. They have very beautiful decor throughout the inside and there is also an inviting wonderful outdoor eating area with a waterfall Antonio, our server is amazing such a friendly person! The food! It is out of this world!! I have been there 4 times and never have I ever been disappointed by anything I have tried. The sangria is ON POINT I'd give this restaurant more than 5 stars if I could!! read more

We had an excellent dinner here! Seems like it's an old restaurant. A bit rustic inside. You walk into the bar area where there are a few high top tables. There's a smaller room off to the side with 6 tables. There's an outdoor patio area and a more formal dining room on the other side of the restaurant where the bathrooms are. They offer free parking but we found street parking with no problem. The menu at the restaurant is different than what's online. There were more dishes to choose from. The prices are also different (now slightly more expensive of course). We started with the octopus salad for $20. It could definitely be shared with a few people as an app. The octopus seemed fresh. The seasonings were perfect. For my entree I had grilled cod in a clay pot with peppers, onions, broccoli rabe and potatoes with the skin ($30). I expected to get a clay pot bowl. It was this long rectangular dish that the food came out sizzling on. The fish was perfectly cooked. I ate maybe about half the dish. The portions are generous! My other half ordered filet mignon wrapped in bacon. To me the bacon wasn't cooked to my liking (not crispy enough) but I wasn't the one eating it. The filet was perfectly cooked. I'm not much of a meat eater and I was impressed. Service was good. Our waiter was attentive enough. Checked on us and was pretty much always in our sights if we needed him. read more

See all

They have a multi menu with Portuguese/ Spanish cuisine. The Mariscada was delicious, the duck with rice was excellent. The salmon was awesome, well cooked and juicy. Service is what you would expect from a good restaurant and the ambiance is family, there were children with family and everyone enjoyed their food read more

Staff, atmosphere and food were great! I went for my sister's birthday and all the food was delicious. Great portions too, everyone had leftovers to eat the next day. read more

See all

Food was very good large portions Service was off- we found the waiter to be rude and we didn't feel welcome. read more

The place is lively and service was good. The food however was subpar. Myself and my friend had the chicken and pork ribs combo. Ribs were totally undercooked and chicken was dry and uninspiring. My wife had the bacalhau which was good but also not great. Salads to start were meh. Desserts were very good. read more

Found this place on Groupon while looking for a place to have dinner before attending a concert at the Prudential Center. Let me tell we couldn't have been happier... The offer included an appetizer to share, 2 entrees, a 1/2 pitcher of sangria, and 2 cappuccinos... they were having a 20% off on the Groupon so it was only $36.80 before tax, gratuity and whatever overages above the base prices. Still a terrific bargain... We were greeted at the door and chose a seat in the dining room... We were served some nice fresh rolls and butter and our drink orders were taken. We decided on the red sangria. After looking over the menu we decided on the shrimp in garlic sauce for our appetizer and for the main course the hubby went with the Grilled NY Sirloin Steak that comes served on the clay roof tile. That comes with rice and red beans as the accompaniment. I decided on the Stuffed salmon with crab meat served with mashed potatoes and broccoli. The garlic shrimp came out and it was really tasty and the sauce was great for dipping the bread in. Then the main courses were served... the steak came out sizzling served over a flame on the tile that kept in warm. It was topped off with some herbed butter that melted all over and made for delicious flavor because of course I had to steal a bite. He said he also enjoyed the rice and beans that also included some chorizo. My stuffed salmon was quite tasty as well and a very large portion. I ended up taking quite a bit home. Unfortunately no room for dessert but we did enjoy our cappuccinos before we headed off to the show. I'm very happy we found this spot and I look forward to returning and trying some of their other selections. read more

See all

So I found this restaurant on Groupon & noticed all the great views. Starting off telling everyone this groupon was an awesome deal! A must buy. The staff was very attentive & friendly. The sangria was great. My meal was the Bitoque which was so good. The sauce went great with the steak and the steak was cooked perfectly. Overall everything was amazing. I will definitely come back. -ps. They do have a parking lot & outdoor seating. FOOD: 5/5 SERVICE: 5/5 read more

See all

Water wasn't served and we didn't get it til the end after I asked. We had steaks and I had to ask for steak knives halfway through eating the steak. No one cared to stop and ask how things are going. Steak felt cold and not flavorful. Waited 45 min ti they offered dessert. My girl was happy but I was not and it's Valentine's Day. read more

PortuCale Restaurant & Bar is one of my favorite go to restaurants for Portuguese food. They are very popular. I would recommend calling in for a reservation, or checking the wait time before going, especially during the weekend. They have two lots one right next to the entrance and the other around the block, still parking can be scarce. Food wise, they make one of the best Palella I have ever had. Not too wet. Not too dry. Each bite includes different types of seafood and can be shared with 2-3 people. They also have great apps. My favorites appetizers include sausage, shrimp in garlic sauce and the octopus. All very delicious. Staff is always friendly and ready to share some of their favorite dishes. Great atmosphere also for a night out and definitely better than other more popular restaurants in the area. read more

See all

Horrible overrated food. Disgusting. I would never recommend. 2 stars is generous. Service was good. I was very disappointed with the food. The octopus was tasteless and mushy. The Calamari was decent. The crab stuffed clams were disgusting. I had crab stuffed twin lobster tails. They were overcooked like a piece of rubber. The crab stuffing was imitation. Crab and breadcrumbs. The garlic white wine sauce of other dishes was horrible. They have no idea how to make a white wine sauce. The drinks sucked. The dessert was horrible. A huge disappointment and huge flies everywhere. I will never go back. How do places like this stay open. Food was basically inedible. Really I think these reviews are fake. read more

See all

Pleasantly surprised. Hidden gem in Newark! Quaint place with exceptional Portuguese cuisine. Worth the $20 toll across the GW if you are a New Yorker. I have been to a lot of eateries up and down Newark. This part of a Jersey has really good food and is well hidden from foodies in the NYC area because...let's face it....We are spoilt for choice up here...Astoria, Williamsburg, Greenpojnt, LIC, downtown, The Bronx...you name it... but man! Was it worth it! Nice bread Goat cheese Spicy grilled shrimp in Portugese sauce Octopus with Spanish potatoes. Sirloin steak and fried eggs. Just wow!! I took my gorgeous wife and she was super happy. We even had a groupon! The sangria was nice and the espressos were BOMB!!! Will be back!! read more

PortuCale Restaurant & Bar - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

See all

Outstanding!!! We were stuck in Newark for 2 days due to a flight cancellation, and decided to check out the Portuguese cuisine. We LOVED this restaurant! The food was yummy, the atmosphere beautiful and the service outstanding! They treated us like VIP queens! Highly recommend! read more

See all

Welcome to Portugal! As I stepped into Portucale, I felt as if I was instantly transported into a traditional Portuguese tavern. The inside is so cozy and homey, with exposed brick walls and pretty artwork. There are one (or maybe two?) dining room areas, and a bar area in the middle. A big screen TV in our dining room broadcasted a fútbol game via satellite. The service was slow at times, because they were a bit busy, but still very attentive and gracious. Everything we ate was fantastic. The steak and the seafood were well-seasoned and cooked to perfection. The fried calamari was so light and crispy, I could've eaten a whole plate of it by myself. The sangria was delicious, and I had some kind of pistachio gelato dessert with chocolate and chopped praline pistachios on top that I definitely want to eat again. Honestly I don't think you can go wrong ordering anything on their menu. Portucale does take-out as well, but to get the best experience, you should dine in (reservations are recommended!). This is a great place for a romantic dinner, a celebratory meal, or a nice meal out with the family. Or treat yourself and eat alone at their lovely bar! read more

See all

It was my first time eating in a Portuguese restaurant and I must say I was not disappointed. I heard this area in Newawk, NJ is surrounded by many Portuguese restaurants and this is the place where people go. To give background, I was sick with the flu but was desperate to go out for food. I got a bunch of appetizers which consisted of shrimp, sausage, and potatoes. The staff noticed I was not on my food game and offered me desert which I took! It was the most amazing food I have ate and I dare say cured me of my flu as I felt better the next day! read more

PortuCale Restaurant & Bar - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

See all

Had my mom's 90th bday party here for 24 people. Constantino was so accommodating. Made the experience seamless. The food was awesome, the service was quick and the staff was friendly. It was my first time at Portucale and we were all pleasantly surprised. Highly recommend. read more

A great place with wonderful food. My family went there after a shopping day in Newark and we were so pleased with the food and the service. We will be back read more

Visited 02/22/2020 Came here with bro and sister in law. They brought along a GroupOn which was (is) a pretty good deal. We had to wait a bit at the bar, so we ordered a pitcher of sangria, which was very good. All of us had the octopus, (2 orders) which was tender and delicious as well as a nice portion. For my entree, I opted for the Picahna with beans, rice Spanish potatoes. I love Picahna and this was very good, but looking at a plate filled with a T-bone across the isle... I might have to come back for that soon. My wife and her sister went for the Mariscada as they usually do and enjoyed it all. My brother in law ordered a pork special, which he liked. Not sure how often this braised pork dish is available. No desserts this time, but maybe next time. read more

Excellent service and food. Atmosphere was good First time here and we will be back again read more

It did not match the reviews. The food was not good and there was a weird smell as soon as I walked in. I should had let that red flag lead me to another restaurant. Our waiter was friendly, yet too friendly in these unprecedented times. He was touching your arm to speak with you, he was mask-less and got very close to you to hear your order. As friendly and nice as he was, he should take caution when serving guests to protect himself and others. read more

Came here with a groupon on a Thursday night and was pleasantly surprised. The food was excellent and the prices (even without the Groupon) were super fair. Our service was a little slow - took a while to take our order and bring waters out, especially for how quiet the restaurant was. Everything else made up for it tho! The groupon came with a half pitcher of sangria that was about 6 glasses! Totally worth it. As an appetizer we got stuffed clams which were delicious. For our meals I got the stuffed salmon and my boyfriend got a steak dish (I believe it was a signature portucale steak). Everything was cooked perfect and the portion sizes were huge, big enough for two meals. The groupon ending up working out perfectly and covered the entire meal - would definitely recommend! read more

PortuCale Restaurant & Bar - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

See all

I had a great dinner here with my BFF who traveled with me to Lisboa few years ago. This place was a great choice to reminisce our awesome food experience we had in Portugal, we absolutely loved the way Portuguese people prepare the octopus! Portucale's grilled octopus is so far the closest thing we've managed to find in the States, and so worth paying $28 for this plate! Besides the octopus, we recommend their sample platter! A must order! I think if I were to come here by myself, I'll be satisfied with just the sample platter and bread! I enjoyed dipping my bread in the paprika and garlic infused oil from the octopus appetizer which comes with the sample platter. So so good! Muito bom! So far it's easily the best Portuguese restaurant I've tried in the Ironbound. Don't waste your time trying other places, just take my advice, you'll thank me later. For a Monday night I thought the restaurant is doing pretty good business. The seats were 80% filled. I can only imagine what the weekend must be like...... ok, mental note, skip weekend. Our waiter Ruben was very attentive and accommodating, he deserves a shoutout! Obrigada! read more

See all

I am new to NJ and decided to check out some new restaurants using a Groupon deal. I found this place and glad I did. The restaurant has great friendly service and the food is flavorable and the portions are a lot for one person. You will go home full or end up taking a doggie bag! The desert is Amazing! read more

PortuCale Restaurant & Bar - Chocolate mousse dessert - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

See all

Roxanna our waitress, was great and was very accommodating, the Groupon deal also made everything wonderful.. the atmosphere was very inviting and the food was very tasty and the portions are plentiful!!! Would definitely recommend this hidden gem in the middle of the Ironbound Newark area!!! read more

See all

After seeing a 'Top 10 Portuguese Restaurants in Newark, NJ' article in USA Today over the summer (where Taste of Portugal ranked #1) I figured it was time to try one of the places I'd never been to... #8's PortuCale. (Let's get this out of the way: even with their two not-that-big parking lots available it can still be madness finding a spot. And let's also forget about a reservation we'd made through Yelp that was nowhere to be found when we arrived which caused us to 'pregame' at the bar until a table became available.) What makes driving around in circles in crazy-congested-Down-Neck worth it... their food. From their Bitoque (served lukewarm, which was odd) with an egg-over-medium, instead of the more classic sunny-side-up to their unbelievable skirt steak (served literally cooking on an inverted clay roof shingle) to their chicken-and-shrimp dish (with artichokes, not a veg you associate with Portuguese cuisine) - they nailed it all. (And as expected you're also given copious amounts of amazing bread, rice, beans, and those addictive potato slices - which here are a touch lighter/whiter than in other places.) They make a decent pitcher of (white) sangria. Most of the desserts are from Bindi (and enjoyed by my companions - but I opted to skip any sweets for a cappuccino and more sangria). The staff couldn't have been any cooler (a special mention to Leslie behind the bar - holding it down the entire time with a smile even after a crazy incident flagging a drunk patron that was none-too-pleased and made a scene about leaving). USA Today needs to bump this place up a few spots - at least to #4 or #5. read more

Gave this place a try based on reviews. We were pleasantly surprised at our experience. The restaurant was warm and cozy with exposed brick in the interior. We were promptly served and there were so many selections on the menu! We had the grilled octopus and it was delicious and tender. For our entrees, we got the steak with vegetables, and pork cubes with chicken. My husband loves the steak and was tasty even through the next day. My pork cubes had good flavor but was a bit dry. Would probably try something else next time. We also had the red sangria and a cappuccino. Great way to end the evening! Will definitely return. read more

PortuCale Restaurant & Bar - Pork cubes - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

See all