Spanish Manor

Bread — 4
Food — 3
Service — 2
Not impress… neither will be back… neither will recommend… Wasn’t the best, neither the worst!!!
I guess everyone who wants to try its on his own. just in case!!! Tough food critic here…

Excellent food! Had the Portuguese steak. wonderful! Tiramisu was the best I’ve ever had!

Not Impressed at all. Went because of the high rating on Zagat. dont know where they got it. Went to celebrate a daughters birthday. The calamari appetizer was fishy and the tomato sauce accompanying was uneventful. I ordered the filet mignon and expected a nice piece of meat for the cost — rec’d a tail piece which was gamey and a complete turn off. My daughter had the Veal marsala — the veal was thick and I suspect it was chicken. My significant other rec’d paella and the lobster tail was over cooked and tough. Spanish rice was not flavorful same w/​veggies. The only thing that I enjoyed was the Spanish Potatoes! Proceed w/​caution. ! We drove up from the shore. total disapointment!

I’ve been a customer of this place for years. The food is delicious, the staff is very attentive, and the atmosphere is a sense of comfort. Nothing fancy, all the attention is poured into the food. If I could make a recommendation, order the clams in garlic sauce then use the bread they give you to dip in the garlic sauce. It is fantastic! We’ve also had their chorizo appetizer (it’s not fried sausage Paulina K.). Frankly, if you you don’t even know what you are properly ordering then please discount this person’s rating at all costs.
Anyway, like I said, great food & I plan to be a customer for as long as they’ll allow me there!

Went there last week for dinner with friends. They really wanted to have a paella so we did.
For an appetizer we got fried sausage, idk the exact name of the dish but thats what it was, just plain fried sausage, idk maybe certain people consider it good, but i dont and would definitely not pay for it $ 10 or around that. I mean it was not bad, but it is just a regular sausage, nothing special.
We also had raw clams, well i tried them the first time, i didnt like it. I guess they taste everywhere the same, i am just not a fan.
And for dinner we got the paella. There were 3 adults and one kid, we decided to get two, which was a mistake because the portion is huge. and even though it says it is for 2, it would be enough for all of us. It was good, a lot of seafood however i was expecting something better. I am not really sure what i should expect because i usually ate homemade paella, but still i liked it more. There was no taste to it, just plain rice and plain seafood.
I also did not like the appearance of the restaurant, it looks old and not taken good care off, and the prices seem pretty high so i would think its a nicer restaurant.
However the service is great, waiters take a good care of you, and they are always around.
My friend said that he would come back there to try something else because of the service, however i would not come back.

My Husband and I, as well as Friends and Family have been going to Spanish Manor for many years now. We used to live in Belleville, but, now reside in the Princeton area. We travel regularly to Newark to eat at the Spanish Manor. It’s definitely worth the trip to us. Everything is monsterous portions (will definitely take a doggy bag home)! All the food is delicious, never had a complaint yet, service is excellent and the owners always take time to stop and say hello, nice touch!!!

WOW, are you people taking crazy pills? Spanish Manor is old-​school delicious. I’ve been here about 4 times, one of which I struck up a conversation with two nuns at the table next to me. I think that automatically qualifies as an «awesome» dining experience. Anyway, here goes.
HIGHLIGHTS:
— Portions; Monstrous. I’ve been here with friends and family. I’ve seen many different dishes and appetizers ordered and the portions are always generous. I typically share the Parrilhada. That’s Portuguese for «Enough Delicious Fish to Give You Mercury Poisoning». The dish is meant for two and they have to PUT AN EXTENSION ON THE TABLE TO MAKE IT FIT. Bad ass.
— The Food; I’m not sure what Helen L.‘s palate is like, but every time I’ve been there the food has been delicious. I even took my mom there once, and she has the most plain taste of all time. She seriously only wants to eat chicken quesadillas (she even tries to order that at Chinese places), and even she loved the food she got here. I’m a big paella fan, and have had it at a few places. Spanish Manor is definitely in my top three. If you like paella, then you need to try theirs. A few appetizers that you MUST try: Frog Legs (yep, they are awesome), Fried Calamari (I get this at almost every place I’ve ever eaten, and theirs is solid), and the Clams in Garlic Sauce. Now, here’s a tip for you newbies: When you sit down and they give you a basket of bread, DON’T EAT IT. Save it to dip in the pan that the clams arrive in. Trust me, it’s worth it. The clams are secondary to the garlic-​ey buttery goodness that resides within.
— The Service; Old-​school style. Very attentive and friendly. It’s a family-​run place and they are honestly seeking to please.
LOWLIGHTS:
— Tough to find; It’s tucked away under a bridge next to a train track, in a sketchy part of Newark. Sounds like some bad Brothers Grimm /​The Wire sort of setup, and it is.
— Parking; I think there might be room for about five or six cars and no more. Thankfully I have never had trouble finding a spot, but I can understand that on a really busy night that it’d be tough.
— Prices; Not exactly the cheapest meal I’ve ever had. I find the appetizer’s to be a bit overpriced
— Sangria; Not to sound like a lush, but when I go out for Spanish/​Portuguese, I always like to get a full pitcher of Sangria. Theirs isn’t exactly up to snuff. Order the Red Sangria and it comes out looking pink. The fruit really hasn’t been given enough time to absorb a lot of the liquid and there’s too much ice in it.
VERDICT:
— Good Spanish food in an old-​school Spanish/​Portuguese atmosphere. Sizeable portions that will cost a bit, but are totally worth it, and a true feast for seafood lovers.

I was not overly impressed with this restaurant. We arrived at the restaurant around 6 PM on a Thursday night. The parking lot had about 2 — 3 cars and the restaurant was mostly deserted. Service was mediocre. We asked for Spanish Potatoes and got rice. When we complained, they over-​compensated with too much Spanish Potatoes. Food was forgettable. I ordered the Spanish Manor Special (a stew of roasted pork, chicken, mussels, scallops and potatoes). The chicken was so dry that it felt like leftover chicken that they just tossed into the stew. My friend’s Paella seems a bit better but the lobster looked overcooked. My other friend’s T-​Bone Steak looked the most appetizing. I probably won’t go back.

Great Service. Food was delicious. Definitely return for more. A must try. Large dinning area, plenty of room. Private parking.

great paella, decent tender loin… good bread. overall good