Mompou Tapas Bar and Lounge, Newark, NJ:
A Restaurant Review
77 Ferry St.
Newark, NJ
973-578-8114
Website
Restaurant Highlights
Fare: Spanish - Tapas
Price: Moderate
Food Quality: 2 Stars
Service: 2 Stars
Decor: 3 Stars
Overall Rating: 2 1/2 Stars
Note: Four star Rating System from 1/2 Star = Poor to Four stars = Best in Class
Ambiance is trendy, NYC style high energy
Doesn't have on-site parking - May have to comb the nearby streets for street parking
Value: Good
Noise Level: Moderate
Dress: Casual
Recommended For: Diners who enjoy a trendy meeting place with good tapas, International beers, wines, and sangria
Not Recommended For: Diners who prefer "Old World" style Spanish dining with food served in huge portions
Recommended dishes: When available, The Cordero - grilled marinated baby New Zealand lamb chops; The Tuna au Cabalo, thinly sliced grilled marinated tuna over a quenelle of tuna tartar, topped with a baby green salad; and The Tapas serving of Pinchos de Camarones -
grilled marinated prawn skewers, roasted garlic, albarino white wine and fresh herbs
Liquor: Full Service Bar with a good list of International beer and wines and sangria
Restaurant Review
The Mompou Tapas Bar and Lounge in Newark's Ironbound district is a change of pace from many of the other "Old World" Ironbound Spanish-Portuguese restaurants.
A popular place for younger diners and for a date.
The restaurant is owned and operated by Chef Steven Yglesias and his wife Mia. Steven Yglesias is a Newark native whose parents were from Galicia, Spain.
This is a vibrant place for Spanish tapas and wine in an upscale, trendy New York Style attractive lounge atmosphere with exposed brick walls, hammered-copper ceilings, and intimate, soft lighting, and windows that open onto Ferry Street,
A downstairs lounge, with comfortable sofas and low tables, and a view of the wine cellar, is less noisy than the bustling upstairs lounge.
During the warmer months there is outdoor dining on the garden patio.
Unlike the the Ironbound restaurants where huge portions of food are the rule, this is the perfect place to meet before or after dinner or a show.
The Mompou Tapas Bar and Lounge features Tapas dishes that are well prepared using fresh ingredients.
The bar scene is a popular meeting place with a strong Latin crowd, especially on weekends with DJ's spinning everything from house to flamenco, soul and disco.
They have a nice selection of International beer and wine selection, champagnes, and ports along with house made sangria and specialty cocktails.
They get to be very popular during weekday happy hours with professional employees from nearby Newark businesses..
The service is very friendly and attentive.
(updated: December, 2016)
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