Our very first dining experience at Sol-Mar while attending a Christmas concert at The Prudential Center, Trans-Siberian Orchestra! We met owner Anthony (Tony) as as I expected he led by example by offering his welcome hospitality manner to my wife and I. After chatting for awhile, our dinner was served; Broiled Seafood Platter (1/2 portion) and what a wonderful treat it was. A half lobster, Crab Cake in its shell, a generous portion of Flounder, Scallops, Shrimp, Mussels and Clams. Wow amazingly delicious. A side of yellow rice and fresh fried potato chips. We enjoyed a delicious red Sangria and complimentary garlic EVOO Olives, Fresh Ricotta and Rolls and Tuscan bread. Overall the entire evening was a huge hit with the rock band Christmas special and an epic dinner. Thank you to Tony and staff for a 5 Star Dining Experience! read more

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First things first, they charge a gratuity for one person and it's pretty high up, i think was over 6%. The food was ok, you have to speak up about the salt they freely put on your dinner. I don't the cook is Portuguese, probably Brazilian because of the amount of salt they use. For some reason the meats have too much salt added by the cook. I ordered a t bone steak but got a skirt steak that looked a mile long, no joking, i never saw a skirt steak that long. I also speak Portuguese but that didn't make any difference. I will not be returning. The Portuguese restaurants in the Ironbound are not like the old days and there much fewer of them since many Portuguese have moved away from the Ironbound. read more

This place is great for larger parties. They accommodate well for groups of 10 or more, which happened to be our Holiday party this year. The waiters made sure to keep our glasses filled with red and white sangria. We ended up ordering additional red wine bottles for the table and also seltzer waters since we are obsessed. Appetizers included bread and butter, black olives, and 2 appetizer samples which was enough for 10 people. Sampler included fried calamari, garlic shrimp, chourico (Portuguese smoked sausage), and melon with prosciutto. I ordered the surf and Turf and the filet mignon was cooked perfectly to my liking- medium rare. It was accompanied with yellow rice, broccoli, picked vegetables, Spanish fries. Everything was absolutely delicious but I did think the lobster was a bit rubbery, only disappointment of the night. For dessert I ordered the passiondruit mousse and this might've been my favorite all night. You already knew I followed this up with both an espresso and port wine. This is a good option for Portuguese cuisine if you're ever in the Ironbound section. read more

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If you're craving authentic Portuguese food in Newark before the Dia de Portugal crowds arrive, Sol Mar absolutely delivers. We grabbed seats in the bar area, which worked out perfectly for a relaxed and lively dinner experience. Our waiter, Armando, was incredible, he spoke English, Spanish, and Portuguese fluently, which made the experience even more special because I was excited to practice my Portuguese a little during dinner! We started with the Caldo Verde and the Shrimp in Garlic Sauce appetizers, and both were amazing. Pro tip: ask for extra bread because you will absolutely want to soak up every drop of the caldo verde and garlic sauce (chef's kiss). For our entrees, we ordered the pork chops with garlic sauce and the carne à alentejana, which is hands-down one of my favorite Portuguese dishes besides bife à casa. Everything was flavorful, comforting, and tasted like a little trip to Portugal right in Newark. We intentionally came a couple weeks before Dia de Portugal since the area will soon be packed, and it was the perfect way to get ahead of the crowds while still enjoying the atmosphere and amazing food. Next time, we're definitely saving room for coffee and dessert! read more

Sol-Mar - Kale Soup - Caldo Verde - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Sebastian provided great service to my party of 6. The steak is delicious as well as the chicken. The sausage appetizer is quite tasty too. The rice in the paella made me wish I had rice as a side instead of the potato cubes. Everyone loved their food and the espresso was so strong too enjoy with our dessert. read more

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Wow, wow, wow. Wish I had been there with a few more people to try more things. Fantastic food! read more

Sol-Mar - Grilled sardines with peppers, onions and potatoes. - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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Specifically came for the sapeteria (think I spelled it wrong) which was a crab that's been gutted and filled with crab salad (not your average crab salad.... You have to just try it .. it's rich in flavor) it comes with bread on the side and the kale soup .. last time I came here was about 8 years ago and it still tasted the same !! Had the red sangria as well that was so good! The people are very nice as well. Parking does definitely stink in this area but the food was good read more

Convenient location. Plenty of parking across street. Open airy room. Service good . Food was fair. Plenty of competition for Portugese restaurants in downneck Newark. Better options around. read more

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1/2 carafe of wine or sangria actually has 6 glasses. Good to know! Food is delicious. They don't use you out. "Paella for 2" is more like 9 people. Garlic shrimp. Grilled veggies. Calamari with tomato sauce. read more

Family celebrating a birthday this place was lively, friendly service high energy. The food was fantastic. We shared it many appetizers plus our entrées all were well prepared a wonderful wonderful meal. read more

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We went here for my wife's 50th. It was the best decision I've ever made as far as an occasion restaurant is concerned. Klay was a fantastic waiter, the food was GREAT, and the ambience was AMAZING. I HIGHLY recommend this for anyone looking to celebrate an occasion. If you go here I doubt that you can be disappointed. Keep up the great work and thank you. read more

Slightly below average at best. Service was surprisingly good given the staff was thin and had to sprint. Overall the food was not great and sub par. First time trying this porto spot and was disappointed. Most of the restaurants down neck are struggling and compound the challenge by lowering quality. read more

I loved my experience at solmar. My friend and I sat at the bar at lunch time on a Friday. The bartenders were very nice and very attentive. Within 30 seconds of sitting down I got a glass of water, bread and olives. All the people around these dishes looked really good. It was my first time there and I was already impressed before I ordered. I ordered the short rib with mashed potatoes and my friend ordered the surf and turf which was a filet mignon with a lobster tail. I also got a cup of seafood soup. My soup was fantastic. It was a red broth and had little bits of lobster, crab, and shrimp in it. When my dish arrived I said to myself. Wow! I'm definitely taking some of this home. It was a huge short rib. Probably about 12 in Long. The mashed potatoes tasted very good. The short rib was so tender. I didn't even need a knife to cut it. The flavor was outstanding. I look forward to returning to this restaurant every Friday as long as I work in the area. The ambience was very nice. The bar had a very nice white countertop. A huge piece of granite that definitely cost a lot of money. This restaurant sits right in a happening spot of of the ironbound section. So there's a lot going on outside. There's a strip mall right across the street and I asked the bartender if we could park there and he said no problem. So I would say that the parking is not an issue. I would definitely return to this restaurant. Maybe even sit in the restaurant area with my wife. read more

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I absolutely love this place. I've been here twice with my girlfriend and both times we were adorned with class, quality, of course great food. If you're in the area come stop by Sol-Mar. You will leave satisfied and wanting to come back. read more

Sol-Mar - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Great service, ambient music and well decorated with Portuguese styled tiles at their bar. Food I ate was amazing would definitely recommend it. read more

Sol-Mar - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Came here with a group of 10 for a graduation dinner and were seated fairly quickly. The staff was friendly and were cool when we asked to change a tv channel. Orders were accurate and brought out in a timely manner The ambiance as many have stated was warm and cozy. No loud music or loud commotion, and was well lit, but nothing that made it truly stand out just average in my opinion. No for the food service, we ordered a mix of drinks and water but they brought us room temperature water and no ice which was not great start. Some Items on the menu aren't too clear on what sides they include or if any at all, in return I ended up getting something I wasn't a fan of (cod fish in potato sauce!?) i tried bits of other plates and they were a bit underwhelming, just very average and not worth the prices. Overall a good experience but not a recommended or to return to. read more

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Sol Mar is one of our favorite places to dine at because the food is always fresh and delicious. We ordered: Rice with shrimp Cabrito - stewed goat Arroz tamboril - rice with monkfish Salmon stuffed with crab meat Picadinho mixto - chorizo, shrimp, beef cubes and fries - chocolate mousse - tiramisu - creme brûlée -espresso -cappuccino As always the service was amazing and the staff was very attentive. We will definitely be back soon. read more

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Business party for 9. Talked and drank so much sangria we never ordered dinner, just apps and dessert. Nice place, was looking forward to dinner, but people were getting tired and we drank several pitchers of sangria. Only issue was their claim to a parking lot, was really some spaces in a strip mall across the street from the restaurant. We arrived and all the spaces marked were gone. In the Ironbound, a parking lot is a must have for a restaurant. read more

Sol-Mar - Variety of appetizers for a table of 9 - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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it was a rainy day so we drove to Jersey mills outlet mall by the eay recommend....anyway wanted seafood so we settled on this place, luckily got a table on Saturday night. Huge portions, fresh and tasty seafood. read more

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Excellent. Meal. Everything was delicious from the old-fashioned to the tiramisu. The staff was attentive. The food was outstanding. read more

Sol-Mar - Delicious - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Tony the owner is a magnificent man...so courteous and pleasant.The staff are all so nice and helpful. The FOOD !... I just can't express how great the food is. Just wonderful. read more

Owner super friendly and visible to over see the customer experience. Food was very good!

First time dining here and will definitely be back! We sat in the Villa Nova room, even though the room was large it still felt cozy and loved the atmosphere. Our reservations were early on a Saturday so it wasn't too busy, but by 6/6:30 they were starting to get their Saturday night dinner rush. Started the meal with the shrimp in garlic sauce appetizer. The shrimp were nice and big and cooked perfectly. The garlic sauce was so delicious we couldn't get enough dipping the bread to soak up the excess. For dinner we ordered the Paella for two and the Steak Portuguese Style. When dinner came we were in shock, the paella could have fed a small village! There was a good amount of seafood mixed and the flavor was outstanding. The steak was just as good, it was cooked well and was a nice piece of steak. Lastly would highly recommend the sangria. We had the red, but it came in a few flavor choices, that will definitely try next time we go back. read more

Sol-Mar - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

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We got the seafood platter for 2 (market price ended up being $120), and my oh my, what a beautiful platter, such a great portion. Paired with their orange rice, it was so good. The seafood here is definitely what they do best. We also ordered some other dishes (Portuguese omelette, cubed chicken/steak). The Portuguese omelette was solid. But the chicken and steak were pretty tough and dry. So I'd recommend sticking with the seafood. The fish in that platter especially was so soft, tender, magnificent! read more

Sol-Mar - Seafood platter for two - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

I am not the most familiar with the food scene in Newark, so when I was invited to a dinner at Sol-Mar I took the opportunity to try something new. Sol-Mar is a family style restaurant with plenty of seating. There's a bar inside one part of the restaurant with tables around it. There's also an outdoor seating area if you want to people watch while you eat. We wound up sitting not too far from the bar and a classic diner cake/pie display. The service was great. The staff definitely makes you feel welcome as if you've been there before even though this was our first time. They are great at offering suggestions and when we did eventually order, the food came out *much* faster than we expected! Here's a rundown of what I had: Chouriço Assado (Roasted Portuguese Sausage) Sausage in general is always a good bet in a restaurant, but man, these folks go the EXTRA mile! The sausage is brought out whole in an iron pan (at least that's what it looked like to me) and then the "roasting" comes in the form of liquid that is lit ON FIRE beautifully scorching and flavoring the sausage. It is then cut up into pieces at the table for all to enjoy. The outside skin was nice and crisp while the inside was juicy and flavorful. It was on the edge of being a tad *too* salty but having it with some of the delicious dinner rolls at the table made it a perfect appetizer! Pasteis de Bacalhau (Cod Fish Cakes) Fish cakes are usually a big roll of the dice. I've had fantastic ones, I've had ones that were tasteless where you pull bones out of them so I always approach them with caution. In this case I didn't need to worry. These fishcakes were nice and crunchy on the outer layer with a chewy inner layer. The flavor was on point, offering a wonderful seafood flavor with a touch of saltiness. I knew I loved this dish when I immediately wanted another order! I held back however since I was having an entree. Linguine com Tamboril e Ameijoas em Molho Branco (Linguine with Monkfish and Clams in White Sauce) This dish combined so many of my favorite things I had to order it as soon as I saw it. Linguine? Check! White sauce? Check! Then Monkfish and clams to boot? I'm IN! After sprinkling some red pepper flakes on the dish it was perfect. The white sauce was delicious and not overpowering. The clams were tasty and fresh and the monkfish was *perfectly* cooked. I almost got another order to go but decided this was a dish best eaten fresh. My meal at Sol-Mar was a fantastic experience. Excellent food and service. Well worth a visit! read more

Authentic Portuguese restaurant serving delicious and filling food. Great Portuguese wines. Excellent service. Free Parking across street. Valdosta verde soup is fantastic, as is flaming chorizo dish. Entrees: rack of lamb served with rice and mixed vegetables; and second, a huge piece sea bass. Wine: : Quinta do Pego (red) read more

I used to love this place. I was one of my favorite spots. I went today. Soups came out cold. Medium well steak came out rare, just seared on the outside not cooked at all inside actually cold in the middle. But that wasn't the worse part. The service was terrible through out the night. So many good restaurants in the Ironbound. This one is definitely off my list. read more

Sol-Mar - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

Anytime my friend who lives out-of-state visits her parents in North Jersey, I pick her up and we end up going to Sol-Mar. It's pretty much become a tradition. This place is great! Food is delicious and they have great table service. The Portuguese food is amazing, and that bread! *drool* Tip: Finding parking in Newark can be brutal. One of the perks of Sol-Mar is its location because you can find parking in the shopping plaza lot nearby. read more

Our family had a fabulous time dining during the festival on ferry street on June 10th. Lucky, we had made reservations in advance. The atmosphere was welcoming and the food was delicious. I was happy to have my vegetable plate, and the waiter and staff was quite pleasant and efficient. Looking forward to visiting again! read more

Sol-Mar - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

We have been coming to this place for years. And for whatever reason, I always prefer to sit on the restaurant side it just feels like a different experience, better food and better atmosphere. Maybe it's mental but it's because of this preference that we keep coming back. The food is always spot on. They have rotating specials each week, the staff is always friendly and attentive. Their sangria is good but I've had better and overall the cocktails are OK. This time the kitchen was kind enough to make Mozambique shrimp, I love the sauce and the jumbo size grilled shrimp, along with their homemade hot sauce, which was the cherry on top. I asked if they sold it to go and unfortunately they didn't but it is amazing. My husband had the lamb served in a tile which was on the special menu. All of it was amazing and we look forward to coming back to this comfortable and cozy spot. read more

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I have been coming here for years and after all these years I still enjoy everything from their menu! We moved 4 years ago out of state but every time I come NJ to visit I have to stop here! So if you want good service, attentive waiters and delicious Portuguese food! This is your place! read more

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I want to apologize first because pictures didn't make it!!!! When the food came out my mind was telling me to take a pic but my heart was telling me to dig in. So of course I followed my heart ‍. This place was absolutely fantastic!!!!! My fiancé ordered shrimp in garlic and I ordered the chicken in lemon sauce. Delicious isn't even the word ‼ read more

Nice place, awesome staff, but most of all some good food. Loved them chips. The little bit of salmon I had tasted great. But loved the shrimp in garlic sauce! Omg with out that over some of the yellow rice and you have a beautiful dish. Shrimp fresh and served in abundance, the sauce has the perfect amount of garlic for my taste and all of the sauce soaked into the rice was magnifique. read more

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One of the most famous Portuguese joints in the Ironbound, the famous neighborhood in Newark, it's actually like leaving this tragically ruined country for a moment. Turn off the CNN and get over to these guys, Get the mariscada salsa verde get the clams get the shrimp in garlic drink some cachaca then wash it down with a vinho verde or drown your sorrows in a pitcher of Sangria. If you're hardcore get the bacalhau a bras or picanha con huevo. The people are so nice there is ample outdoor seating and you will actually forget for a moment that the leader of the free world is orange and doughy and lies and tweets lies all day every day. read more

Sol-Mar - Craze seafood parillada, 100 bucks - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

First time at this restaurant and I enjoyed myself . I purchased a full pitcher of red sangria and then a half of pitcher of white sangria . Both were delicious however the red was the best ! For my entree i purchased the grilled red snapper that came with broccoli carrots and potatoes. The meal was very good and they had a homemade hot sauce to top it off .. I would definitely return to this restaurant !! There is congested street parking however it's a bank parking lot across the street from the restaurant so park at your own risk in there... FYI : some servers : waitress : busboys: don't speak no English or understand English.. read more

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Food is top notch. Great service, noisy atmosphere with patrons having a good time. Sangria is the best, but 50.00 really!!! Been here many times, never had an issue. Paella for 2 feeds 3 or more. Had the suckling pig great choice at a seafood restaurant. read more

This was phenomenal! I wish this was my neighborhood place, because it would absolutely become a regular dining spot! Seven adults and five kids under 10. Chicken strips French fries and meatballs satisfied the weans. Two seafood paella, a halibut and shrimp DELIGHTED the adults! We were here for RedBu Charlotte MLS. I was joined by friends from Glasgow, Manchester, Charlotte and everyone was pleased! Service was first rate, expedited everything as traffic created a bit of a delay for our party assembling. Next time, I'll just order paella because it'll satisfy anyone who'll eat seafood! Oh, full bar service too! read more

Cozy little neighborhood restaurant with amazing food. I ordered the Chicken and Shrimp special. It came with rice and veggies and thin fried potato slices that were so good. The Shrimp and Chicken had amazing flavor. The portion sizes are large. My plate was two meals for me. Servers were attentative and kind. Great experience overall! read more

Came here with a group of friends. It seemed to be hard to find parking, However, when I pulled into the bank parking lot across the street, a nice man in the lot asked are you going to the restaurant I said yes and he said we can park there. We started off with some sangria that was okay. The waiter brought some warm bread with cheese and olives, nice touch. Had the Chourico for appetizers, it was really good and cooked by the table. We decided to share the grilled seafood platter and we were happy we did. Fresh and cooked perfectly with just enough food to share. Will definitely be back! read more

Sol-Mar - Seafood platter - Portuguese Near Me - Newark, New Jersey

We tend to go to Spanish/Portuguese places for our anniversary so we've tried many. For our 30th we tried Sol-Mar and WOW did we love it! Chorizo cooked table side for an appetizer, awesome sangria, chicken in garlic for my wife, and mariscada in green sauce for me... what a great meal! Then the brought us a complimentary dessert and sang happy anniversary. The waiter was great, we liked the ambiance, and the pricing was reasonable. We will DEFINITELY go back - and bring MORE family members! read more

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