Pros: The staff at Serra were friendly, courteous, and genuinely helpful—true gentlemen on the Saturday afternoon shift. I’m sorry to have to write this review because they truly did a great job on service.
Cons: The food was overpriced and poorly prepared, which was unacceptable. The salmon portion was small, partially burnt, and incredibly dry—unacceptable at any price, especially $32. I pushed through as best I could, but it lost all appeal from the first bite. The risotto served alongside was quite good, though. A $10 order of empanadas included three pieces, but biting into them revealed they were almost empty—the cheese one was basically a fried hollow shell. Truly shocking and insult...
The food preparation at this restaurant leaves much to be desired. Having lived in Brazil for over eight years, I've noticed they seem to lack a proper understanding of how to prepare traditional dishes. My cod was mostly made up of potato cubes, and the salmon was dry, drowning in an excessive amount of mashed potatoes and broccoli, which felt like cheap filler. All of our meals were overpriced by at least 30%. While the service was friendly, we waited nearly an hour for our food, even though there were only two tables occupied in the restaurant. Unfortunately, it looks like this place may not last much longer, which is disappointing because Brazilian cuisine usually offers so much better.
The experience was quite average. My shrimp dish was flavorful, but unfortunately, my boyfriend's dinner left much to be desired. He had white rice, tough pork loin, and no vegetables on his plate; it was essentially empty. The bread was standard, and I couldn't believe a Portuguese restaurant would serve just white rice. The chips were also soggy. On the positive side, the water was nice and cold, and the diet soda was refreshing. Most items on the menu were marked "market price," except for the chicken and shrimp. Overall, it was a huge letdown for Summit, and navigating to the entrance from the street was quite challenging. I left feeling very disappointed.
I decided to try Serra, a local spot in Summit, usually opting for the Ironbound when craving Portuguese food. Although the restaurant wasn’t very busy, I gave it a shot. We began with the Octopus House Style, which was delicious, though the added potatoes felt unnecessary for such a wholesome dish. We then shared the generous and flavorful Paella Marinheira, which was a real treat. There was a $5 sharing fee. For dessert, we took a flan to go, and my wife loved it. The staff were friendly, and I hope Serra draws more customers because the food is excellent. Parking is available in the lot or on the street, but finding a spot can sometimes be tricky.
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Be prepared for a wait when ordering your food. The appetizers arrived quickly, but the main courses took longer than we anticipated. The empanadas were enjoyable, as were the bread, butter, and olives served at our table. Overall, the main courses were decent; the picanha steak stood out as the best dish, perfectly cooked and seasoned, accompanied by flavorful collard greens (though slightly undercooked) and rice and beans. The bacalao dish was average, and my steak salad was similar in quality. The tomatoes and bell peppers were fresh, but unfortunately, the mesclun mix could have been fresher. The flan was tasty but a bit too dense.
My wife and I went here for a date night after seeing good ratings on Google, so we decided to try it out. Unfortunately, both of our meals were disappointing. I ordered the steak topped with ham and egg and requested it to be cooked medium, but it came out rare. The sauce also had an unpleasant taste. My wife ordered chicken in garlic sauce with white rice and vegetables. The chicken lacked any color, and the rice was hard and tasted off.
I have visited this restaurant numerous times with both family and friends, and it has consistently been amazing. The food, service, and atmosphere are all fantastic. The octopus, steak, cod fish croquettes, empanadas, paella, and feijoada were all authentically delicious. It is BYOB and conveniently located in town, saving us a trip to the Ironbound in Newark.
Nice place I enjoyed will go back!! I had lasagna de bacalhau was ok a little too much cheese but was tasty!!
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Fantastic! The food is delicious, and the staff is wonderful. I can’t wait to return!
Very good, good service, nice place, good and taste food
