Portuguese Tavern

This was terrible portuguese food. I had a mixed grill and the meat was tasteless and looked old. I was so disappointed when I tasted it because I felt like throwing up. The rice was good but the potatoes were too soggy and oily. The white sangria tasted like tampico juice. I will not be returning here. It was terrible. Service was good though.

Been coming here for years — awesome spot! BBQ Chicken and Ribs are worth the wait. Seafood plates are also great. Who doesn’t love a whole grilled fish?! Bread is always watm and the soup before each meal is also a plus. The 2 guys that have been running this place forever are awesome. They’re friendly and love conversation.

My wife called Portugese Tavern to place pick-​up order when picking up order came home to eat dinner when she opened her FOOD there was a COCK-​ROACH in her food when she called to let the manager know he said that they have no ROACHES and I told him that’s because it’s in my FOOD I took it back to get a refund and the guy there was the NASTYEST person instead of saying that he was sorry for the inconvenience he told me he doesn’t need my business and I told him after I post this that he shouldn’t have any business
A COCK-​ROACH IN MY FOOD FRESH and NASTY MANAGER

Please Share with Everyone Thank You KINDLY

Love this place, especially when I’m in a rush but hungry. I sit at the very comfortable and friendly bar, have a bit of Sangria and a meal to satisfy a king. The steaks, ribs, chicken, seafood are all good. I haven’t had a bad meal yet at this place. The guys that work here are supercool and friendly.

Have come here for years and will have to say that the quality/​taste of the food has deteriorated over the years. I used to love coming here for their paella and grilled steak dishes but have stopped ever since I realized that it wasn’t worth what you pay for. At one point I started taking out food, get half a chicken, rice, fries and vegetables for $ 7. Not a bad deal at all!!! Until the last 3 times I went, they rose the price and started skimping out on the food and gave more vegetables at times just to fill the dish. Unfortunate that I live so close, yet this place has kind of gone down.

Looking for a great place to go after work? How about a great place to take a date or the family? I know, how about a place to kick it with your friends? I strongly suggest the Portuguese Tavern… where everything is good. #eddiecomicclark.

The service was great! But the flavor was not good & too expensive. I am not coming back ever again.

I am from the Ironbound so I have had my fair share of Portuguese/​Spanish food and this restaurant ALWAYS delivers! Great, fresh seafood and a skirt steak that is never ending. The steak was very moist! Very friendly atmosphere, and the owner is very friendly. Can not wait to go back!

Food is way less than average, don’t touch the stuff mushrooms, it was the worst I ever had in my life. Shrimp was way over cook. The filet mignon steak was over cooked and full of sliver skin. Service was less than ok, they asked me how is everything, I said «not so good» I was ignored. I don’t think we will be back.

Good seafood and wine. I’ve been here a few times already since it’s around the corner from me. So far I had grilled salmon, grilled red snapper, grilled octopus, and seafood with rice. Wine is pretty good mostly is Portuguese

raising prices triple on Good Friday? not cool! I hope when you confess this weekend, you tell the lord how you took advantage of us.

My family and I have been enjoying the food from Portuguese Tavern for years. Mainly because its convenient and a great value for take out. Platters are enough to feed several people.
We have also eaten in the restaurant for family events. They have a great deal for family style dining for large groups. They keep bringing out as much food as you can eat and include sangria as well.
The food itself is decent. I have had better Portuguese food else. Parking is also a joke. Tiny little parking areas for a very busy restaurant = annoying.

Portugese steak was not good at all… not good quality meat and asked for med rare got medium well. Also order the fried calamari which was very bland with no flavor until we put lemon on it… We could not identify the sauce which cAme with it. Again bland! Will not go back. Might as well go to solar in belleville 15 mins away.

Price is now $ 14 for the chicken but still worth it. Stay away from the $ 3 black beans. Tasted canned. Again, still an awesome value that I get once a week.

Entered the restaurant to find a load of Portuguese men sitting at the bar counter, so I thought we were on to a winner. We were taken round the back though to a rather empty dining area — would have preferred to sit in the bar area where the atmosphere was.
I ordered the BBQ chicken and was sorely disappointed. It was dry and worst of all despite being a Portuguese restaurant, they have no piri piri sauce! (I was brought Tabasco sauce when I asked for it).
The shrimp in garlic sauce was very good, and the person I was with said his sea bass was «excellent».
Once again though, I find myself thinking that the best place for Portuguese BBQ chicken is in Newark’s Ironbound.

i been coming here since i was a little kid
Great food, big portions and good service
a gem in the Paterson/​Clifton border

«Take Out» After The Changeover This Place Falls Short
Once a favorite take out Portuguese Restaurant, now flavorless and lower quality ingredients have changed this Unilocalers mind. Several years ago something happened here and the food just was never the same. The take out part of this eatery was jammed with hungry folks mesmerized by the variety of meats cooking over a open barbecue pit. The sight and smell of the food was intoxicating, waiting for your order seemed like a eternity softened only by the six packs of beer for sale that you could consume while standing around.
Fast forward, the food is bland and cooked haphazardly the rice is tasteless and gone are many of the customers including me. Just don’t know why they had to ruin a good thing, is profit that important? The Grill-​master is long gone as this once fine eatery fades into oblivion, I wave goodbye old friend!
Sad

OH MY GOD THEIR CHICKEN IS SO GOOD.
That’s the only thing I’ve tried from it but it was so delicious that I haven to comment. They have the chickens cooking on rotisserie so there’s always some ready. I haven’t eaten there but picked food up for take-​out. They take a chicken, add more seasoning, chop it up, and put it with a HUGE amount of really tasty yellow rice and salad with light dressing. It’s an easy dinner for two people and at 13 dollars, you absolutely cannot go wrong.

Stopped in after shopping at the middle eastern stores in Paterson with my sister on Jan 2. The fact it was Jan 2 may have had an effect on what we experienced.
We had the seafood platter for two. While ample food, it was seriously overcooked and the service was slooow.
If you really want good Portuguese food make the drive down to the Ironbound district in Newark, NJ. Though this is not bad as a neighborhood bar.

Huge take out portions. Ribs chicken rice. Made over a brick charcoal grill