Mara's Continental, South Amboy, NJ:
A Restaurant Review

Maras Continental Restaurant
Mara's Continental Cuisine
3602 RT 35 North
South Amboy, NJ 08879
(732) 525-0045
Website


Restaurant Highlights

Fare:  American with European influences

Price:  Expensive

Food Quality:  3 Stars

Service:  2 1/2 Stars

Decor:  3 Stars

Overall Rating:  3 Stars

Note: Four star Rating System from 1/2 Star = Poor to Four stars = Best in Class

Ideal for diners looking to celebrate a special occasion, or for an old world, Victorian style romantic dining experience.

Noise Level:  Moderate

Dress:  Casual

Recommended For:  Diners who enjoy upscale dining, well prepared food with attractive Old World Victorian home ambiance

Not Recommended For:  Budget conscious who enjoy comfort food in a casual, trendy, setting.

Recommended dishes: When available, The Bucatini Carbonara, pasta tossed with pancetta, parmesan, egg yolk and cream mixed with seasonal vegetables, The Rosemary Crusted Rack of Lamb; and The Cedar Roasted Wild Salmon

Liquor:  Full Bar Service



Restaurant Review

Mara's is an upscale restaurant serving American/Continental European fare. It's a popular spot for diners looking to celebrate a special occasion, or for an old world, Victorian style romantic dining experience.

The restaurant sits on a corner along Route 35N in South Amboy and you need to carefully look for it otherwise you will miss it. The restaurant appears to be out of place in a neighborhood made up of neglected and closed buildings.

The kitchen is run by co-owner and Executive Chef, Michael Steinberg, who received formal culinary training at the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan.

The menu features a variety of seafood, steaks, meats, and pasta dishes, creatively prepared using quality, fresh ingredients.

Meal starts off on a positive note with a complimentary serving of oven warmed, crusty bread, accompanied by soft herbal butter and bruschetta

Desserts are well prepared, home made Chef Steinberg's mother.

The decor is upscale, well furnished, comfortable and spacious. Upon entering you encounter a small vestibule which opens into the bar area where the host podium is found, along with a couch and comfortable chairs and a bar to the left. Through sliding doors you enter the main dining room; elegantly decorated with chandeliers, a fireplace, a grand piano, wood trimmings, and candle lit tables set with white tablecloth tables. Their is also a smaller dining room with a fireplace.

Wait service is professional, attentive, and friendly

Mara's is open five days/week Wednesday - Sunday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Happy hour is Wednesday - Sunday 4 - 6PM; 1/2 price bar menu (available in the bar area only)

There is on-site parking

(update February, 2018)

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