For us, this restaurant is a nice alternative to traveling into the Ironbound section of Newark ( which we love, BTW) and has a loyal following from what I've gathered hearing about this place for many years. For us, a bit of a hit-and-miss experience: steak very good, paella - not as good. Given that both types of dishes are staples at Portuguese restaurants , we were a bit surprised. Worth another visit? Yes - want to try their other paella to learn if maybe this was just a fluke experience tonight. read more

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Very lively restaurant, on busy Crooks Ave. We were warmly greeted when we arrived. All the servers were very friendly and helpful. The decor is pleasant and the tables are comfortable. You are given a very nice complimentary salad before the meal. The menu is very extensive with many specials. I ordered the Sirloin Cap with Pineapple. The dish is enormous! The steak was served with broccoli, rice, and potatoes. The steak was well seasoned and cooked. There were two large slices of delicious grilled pineapple. It was enough for two meals! I had the Passionfruit Mousse for dessert which was fine. I would recommend the Orange Cake instead. This was a perfectly good meal, and I would return. read more

Looking around for Saturday / date nite dinner in a different town n different cuisine n stumbled upon the Portuguese tavern n thought we'd try it, we love portugese food specially seafood n fish.. Lovely restaurant in Clifton on a busy street. . Had limited parking on the side of the restaurant but we were lucky to get a spot. Very deceiving from outside. But it has a lovely ambience and plenty of seating n nicely decorated .was v busy. friendly welcoming staff. The complimentary bread though not warm was really really good w butter. The Cesar salad was good n huge portion. Tasted v good. Had the sapatiera-never heard of it before n googled n found it interesting. So ordered it. It's real crab meat mashed up w a savory creamy mixture of egg mayonnaise mustard pickles n beer (not sure of beer) n served inside crab shell. Came w crab claws too. Delicious is understatement. Out of this world. Reminded me growing up back in my country our cook used to make it for us. For entrees we had the cod/ bacalhau taverna. Was fried cod w seafood n peppers in a v tasty tomato sauce. Unbelievably good. Came w house potato chips Also had the deep fried red snapper . That was crispy n tasted good too. We had to try some of the many deserts they had - settled on cinnamon rice pudding n the mango cheese cake . So good n generous portions. Took a doggy bag home n will enjoy it tonite for dinner. Thank you for a great dinner, Will be back soon as there were some other entrees that we would love to try read more

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11/1/25 We had just come from getting our car serviced so we were starving and got here not long after they opened on a Saturday morning. There weren't many people, we practically had the whole restaurant to ourselves. Jose, Tiago, Hugo, Adolfo, Edwardo all serviced and helped us throughout our meal. Special callout to Tiago who was funny and entertaining as well as informative. Yucca Soup interesting like chicken noodle minus noodles and add yucca hehehe Octopus/Squid/Shrimp Salad delicious and a large plate, so much food. This filled us up we could only have a small taste our main course. Tripe was so good, so much flavor and the tripe was clean you wouldn't know what you were eating if no one told you. It was also a happy accident since hubby ordered cod lol Suckling Pig what!? So tender and well seasoned I didnt have to dip it in the sauce they gave We got Garlic Porkchop to go and wow so much food. We're set for dinner and lunch and dinner again hehehehe read more

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Huge portions and reasonably priced specials and menu. I've always had a good and satisfying meal here and the servers are so friendly! read more

Portuguese Tavern - Top sirlion special. - Portuguese Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

Two visits, spaced a few years apart... they've tinkered with their 'formula' but I'm not so sure it was all for the better. Our most recent visit - now they serve your entree on these massive plates that are the size of the classic "breakfast in bed" tray but it's more for show and my actual meal consisted of one piece of protein (salmon), a little blob of mashed potatoes here, some shredded carrots in opposite corners and then a bit of green veg (asparagus and broccoli) in the opposing corners. Cooked well.  Flavorful.  But a bit 'middle of the road', if you know what I mean. Had I been to any other Portuguese restaurant in Jersey my plate would've been obscenely overflowing with rice and potatoes and veggies and I'd have to wave the white flag halfway through and taking at least one doggie bag home with me. Our first time here I thought the sangria was 'off' (bitter) but this time around... better (and stronger!). My kids enjoyed their meals (steak for one, tuna-and-risotto for the other) more than I did.  (And their dishes were way more substantial than mine as well.) An extensive menu (besides all the 'classics' you'd expect they have a slew of pasta options, a kid's menu as well as a full page of specials). Restaurant looks great - from the tables to the floor to the walls and artwork. Considering portion vs. cost - pricing was a bit rough. They have a (snug) parking lot (of course you get customers inventing their own spots which later causes headaches for cars trying to maneuver in/out of the legit spaces they'd parked in originally), as well as a bit of street parking. Staff - (mostly) friendly. They have a bar in front but I'm hanging with my teenagers so I haven't had a chance to see how it is. Overall?  It's a-okay.  But when it comes to food representing Seleção das Quinas - Taste of Portugal in Newark remains unsurpassed. read more

Portuguese Tavern - Portuguese Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

I am great fun of Portuguese cuisine and have been to a variety of restaurants across tri-state and had positive experiences. Unfortunately can't say same about Portuguese Tavern. We walked in for dinner, place was fairly empty but filled in quickly. We're immediately sit. Service was courteous but rather slow and waiters didn't know the menu and ingredients. We had specific food restrictions and asked waiters couple of times after reading the menu and they confirmed, however when the main course came it had items that were not disclosed in menu nor waiter mentioned it. Very disappointing especially when a customer has medical conditions and or religious restrictions. We returned dishes back to kitchen paid for appetizers and left with bad after taste. read more

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Sigh, the food was very underwhelming. Ordered the paella marinara, it was more rice than anything, very skimpy with the lobsters and clams/mussels just had the shells and nothing in it. Only redeeming quality was the service. read more

Portuguese Tavern - Paella Marinera - Portuguese Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

Great service, efficient staff, speedy food arrivals. The Octopus was cooked nicely but a little bland. The plates are huge, portions are generous. I didn't have room for dessert, maybe next time. Parking is available but a tad bit tight. I wasn't a fan of the peach beach martini. It was more of a puree than anything else. Sangria was bitter but strong. I was typsie off half a pitcher, then again, im not much of a drinker. Cant wait to be back! read more

Excellent service here. Much better than the overpriced restaurants in other parts of jersey. I enjoyed the mixed meat platter for 2. I pretty much chopped up the onions, bell peppers, steak, chicken, pork, and one of the chorizo types that were delicious when mixed together. That's how I liked it. The homemade chips were much better than average. The meats mainly came out well done. We really enjoyed the meal. I would order it again with family. You can order the meat platter to the temp you prefer. I saw several plates go to other tables and they looked impressive. I am looking forward to trying different items next time. read more

My boss and a few coworkers pickup food from here every Friday. They get generous portions and seem to love it. I ordered the vegetable paia. For 17$ I got a large tray of food and got about 5 meals out of it. I appreciate the aluminum container which is 100% recyclable. I can't believe that anybody uses styrofoam and single use plastic utensils, I won't be going back for that reason alone. read more

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Great food at a great price. We've only ever gotten carry out, so I can't speak to the service or atmosphere. The service for take out has always been good, the staff helpful, and the sangria very tasty. Their rice pudding is also great. read more

Yes yes and yes. Amazing food, amazing menu, amazing service. We'll go back for sure.

Great food, fast service, great prices, the staff is super friendly and I love the inside of here, they have a bar/casual side as well as a nicer dining room. Highly recommend this place for just a night out or a special occasion. read more

Portuguese Tavern - Portuguese Steak Chicken breast Sausage - Portuguese Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

Portuguese Tavern is THE spot for take out. It's a restaurant but also has an updated section for takeout. I ordered the chicken and rib combo- delish! Chicken is so juicy and tender. Has a great charcoal taste. Ribs are so tender and filling. Generous portions and affordable. Fun fact you have the option of ordering this platter with chips instead of fries for additional cost. I prefer the chips but this meal was catered to my visiting family! You can place your order via phone and do a quick pick up. Keep in mind during holidays they do tend to get busy. Must give this place a try! read more

Service is excellent! Food phenomenal! Clean and brightly colored restaurant. Definitely will be back. Parking is a bit tough. We parked around the corner because they have a small lot. Can't wait to go back! Oh the sangria was delicious too! read more

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Delicious Portuguese food and the nicest service! A lot of meat options and generous portions. The pork chops and rack of lamb were standouts but everything we had was delicious including soup and sides. We will be back! read more

This restaurant delivers superior experiences. The workers maintain remarkable experiences. I've sampled different items with consistent enjoyment. This spot changed my opinion completely. This quality of care gets my complete support. read more

The girls and I got together to get dinner and wanted Portuguese. When we arrived I parked in the private lot. We walked into a nice restaurant. Adolfo was our server, and he was great. I started with the red sangria, which was only $7, and it was tasty. For my meal, I got the mussels and a side of yellow rice. They both were so tasty! My friends got the cod and the stuffed snapper, and they said they really enjoyed it. It also looked so tasty. The bill was super affordable, and I enjoyed my time. read more

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food was way too overpriced, was extremely dry, and had no flavor. Save yourself the money and time by not going to this establishment.

Love it really great food the prices is amazing and the food was amazing will be going there again more often

Honestly we were just looking for something quick that wasn't true "fast food" so we decided to stop here. The whole chicken, rice and fries came to $19. Not bad. However the food was incredibly bland. The fries (frozen for sure) had no salt or pepper and when my husband asked for ketchup they said that they didn't have any. They didn't even give salt and pepper packets. The chicken was okay- a little dry but again lacked enough flavor. The rice was the biggest letdown. I thought it was true yellow rice and would be tasty, but nope! It was yellow and tasted like plain white rice. Reviews are mixed but after this experience I'm not sure I'd return. Especially since it was basically the same a few years ago except then we also had unseasoned steak! Not much to say about customer service ... not bad, but not great either - that actually sums up the entire experience. read more

Portuguese Tavern - Roasted chicken, rice and fries.... - Portuguese Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

The food is very good, I love the sangria . Friendly atmosphere. The staff is very nice people. I recommend this place Come n enjoy ... read more

Portuguese Tavern - Portuguese Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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Was in the mood for Portuguese food and my friend happened to find this spot on Google. There was a parking lot for the restaurant. As I entered the restaurant, we were greeted by a waiter and sat us down right away. Ended up ordering the grilled meat for two. The order came with a soup (came out first), potato chips (fresh), yellow rice and assorted meats (chicken, pork, chorizo, steak) with salad. Everything was great and you don't need any sauce for the meats which were very flavorful. The price and the amount you got was definitely bang for your buck. There was plenty of left overs which I shared with my brother. My brother liked it as well and we will be planning another trip soon. I highly recommend this place to anyone that is in the mood to eat lots of meat for a good price. read more

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The food was amazingly delicious, white sangria was out of this world tasteful, the service was great and very friendly, and the ambiance very relaxing and family-friendly. read more

Portuguese Tavern - Paella Marinera - Portuguese Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

Had a fantastic experience at a Portuguese tavern!!! Exceptional service and incredible meat dishes! A few dishes were on the house, and they were so tasty! Tiago was absolutely amazing! Highly recommend!!! read more

Portuguese Tavern - Portuguese Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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This place doesn't have a warm and cozy atmosphere, but the food is solid. The soup they serve with dinner is delicious. All the food is well prepared and the service is good. However, the wine selection is poor. Best for sangria. Overall a good meal. read more

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10/10/24 Well I gave it another shot Soup was so salty. I couldn't eat it. Ordered beef ribs but got short ribs instead. waiters dont understand English. I was hungry so I ate it. Again salty very tough. Disappointing. place was empty. only two people . Wonder why.???? read more

Constantly delicious and plentiful The best baccala and grilled octopus their paella can feed 3 people loaded with seafood and delicious rice read more

The food is disgusting . The fish and meat are not fresh . The plates, utensils are dirty .

I've come here a bunch of times, and I've had experiences ranging from 2 to 4 stars. It hasn't been that consistent. The first few times I came, I thought everything was delicious. However, lately I feel like the fish is a bit too fishy. The steak didnt taste right. The fries were still a bit raw. But I have come at times where everything was fresh and tasty. Service is always great here and prices are right. read more

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Excellent experience. Food, service, atmosphere. Had Pulpo salad and Paella Valenciana. read more

I'm a regular customer of going to any Portuguese restaurants. I happened found through yelp. This is my favorite restaurant ever. Anything on the menu are fantastic. Trust me customers, to compared to any restaurants [ most expensive] in New York City 500 dollars a good restaurant. This restaurant taste like 800 dollars flavors. Sangria [ no add sugar] unbelievably fantastic drink . This guarantee restaurant do not disappointed me.. Just try it, you commented back to me, how happy you will be. read more

Very nice experience. Renewed menu, with nice seafood options as well Seafood and Specialty Meats. Chef Felipe is a wonderful person, innovation and creation new dishes. Would love to re-visit and order new menu options. CA. read more

Takeout portions are very generous.... Food is a little bland for my liking but nothing a little salt & pepper won't fix. Very good service and pretty good prices. I would come back. read more

Portuguese Tavern - Broiled salmon - Portuguese Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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Tonight we continue to celebrate the birthday of our friend Valentina at this hidden gem in Clifton, NJ. This was our 1st time here and didn't realize there was a sizable back room. Upon arrival, we had some warm bread. Our dinner started out with the complimentary peas and potato soup. I ordered the grilled T bone steak. My partner Ralph had ordered the chicken française. Our friend, Charlie had the surf and turf meal. The birthday girl, Valentina had the seafood paella. Our friend's son had the kid's meal. The meal was tasty with flavors. For dessert, we shared the serradura is a pudding layered with a simple combination of whipped cream and crumbled Marie biscuit. The price was reasonable and ample seating. We will definitely come back for a repeat performance. read more

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Authentic Portuguese cuisine!!! Our usual orders for a quick gathering meals: Always dependable charcoal grilled taste of barbecue chicken & yellow rice; a tray of Bacalao/Cod Fish & sides of potatoes; brocolini; red peppers & onions baked/grilled in olive oil; seafood paella is a must. read more

The service is excellent. The food is incredible and the ambiance is perfect for families, couples and friends gatherings. read more

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La comida tiene un sabor muy rico la ensalada de papa,el postre de coco, las costillas,el pollo son deliciosos, lo recomiendo a mi me encanta. read more

The food is amazing the portion is huge and tasty great for family I ordered sea food special was so yummy read more

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