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Portuguese Fisherman, South River, NJ

Portuguese Fisherman

4.8 (1342)
$30 and under
Portuguese
11 Jackson St, South River, NJ 08882

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 10 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for groups
Established in 1976, We are one of the oldest Portuguese and Spanish restaurants on the east coast. Attentive service, delicious authentic food, generous portions and refreshing sangria—these are the hallmarks of the Fisherman. Since our opening in 1976 we have consistently upheld the traditions of fine Portuguese and Spanish dining in central New Jersey.

A variety of fresh seafood and fish, as well as organic meats, all made with the finest ingredients available, await you at our tables. Our seasonal menu and daily specials include delectable dishes prepared to satisfy many tastes.

We invite you to visit us in the historic town of South River, New Jersey.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Portuguese, European, American
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Wed–Sun 12:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Manuel Alves
  • Catering
    Off-site catering is available. Please visit our website for inquires.
  • Private party facilities
    The Restaurant features welcoming spaces accommodating parties ranging from dinner for 20 to a formal wedding for 180.The Restaurant offers two different spaces to hold private events: One banquet room can hold a maximum of 60, while our ballroom can hold a maximum of 180.Visit our website for inquiries.
  • Neighborhood
    East Brunswick
  • Cross street
    Water Street and Ferry Street
  • Parking details
    Two private lots and street parking available.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,342 people are saying

Portuguese Fisherman reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.7Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Middlesex

    Best Overall

  • Middlesex

    Best Food

  • Middlesex

    Best Service

  • Middlesex

    Best Value

  • Middlesex

    Kid-friendly

  • Middlesex

    Good for groups

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Portuguese Fisherman delights with "delicious food" and "great service," making it a top choice for Portuguese cuisine lovers. The atmosphere is "friendly and cozy," accompanied by "fantastic sangria." While the noise can be high, the "attentive staff" and "large portions" ensure a satisfying dining experience. Highly recommended for special occasions!
1,342 Reviews
  1. Linda

    Unspecified1 review

    4.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Very nice restaurant , the food was delicious! But the steak was a little bit too small

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  2. Rona

    Phoenix / Arizona2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Food, service was great. Noise level was bit high. I have always liked coming here. It’s been awhile but still as good as I remember.

    Is this helpful?

  3. James

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I never have a bad experience or meal here. They made it extra special with giving us a Happy Anniversary card signed by the staff. That I thought was a great touch. We've never had that before but me and the wife loved it! Keep up the great work. We'll be back soon and Thank You!!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Erin

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Service was excellent and the food was amazing. Favorite restaurant for Portuguese food!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Marc VIP

    New York City75 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Great food but very noisy with tvs and music in addition to the crowd noise

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  6. Linda VIP

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The food is delicious. The weight staff is extremely attentive. Everyone that works there is extremely nice and accommodating. The only negative I have is the music is way too loud. It’s very hard to have a conversation. But otherwise a very good place to eat.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Jennifer

    New York City1 review

    3.0

    Dined on May 25, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Food wasn’t bad . It could be hotter. We were a family of 5 that day. Each of our plate was swimming with so much potatoes not sure if that is the norm in this restaurant. We would have preferred a different options such as other sides if we we given that info when we placed the order. We spent almost $300 dollars figure it should well worth it for the money we spent. It was okay. I was expecting more considering the restaurant was referred to us.

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  8. Stephanie

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was great and exactly the type of Portuguese food o was craving!

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  9. Jim

    Unspecified2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 17, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Nice atmosphere, great food. I would recommend this as a go to if you are seeking a nice meal in the area.

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  10. Amos VIP

    New York City44 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As always great service and delicious food. The ambiance is friendly and cozy. Their sangria is the best. They have acoustic music on Thursdays it’s a great addition to their lively atmosphere. I highly recommend it!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Portuguese Fisherman offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (732) 238-5188.

Portuguese Fisherman is rated 4.8 stars by 1342 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. New Jersey
  4. Middlesex
  5. East Brunswick

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 10 times today
Google Map for Portuguese Fisherman

11 Jackson St, South River, NJ 08882

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Water Street and Ferry Street
  • Neighborhood
    East Brunswick
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Wed–Sun 12:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Portuguese, European, American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Two private lots and street parking available.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Manuel Alves
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Off-site catering is available. Please visit our website for inquires.
  • Private party facilities
    The Restaurant features welcoming spaces accommodating parties ranging from dinner for 20 to a formal wedding for 180.The Restaurant offers two different spaces to hold private events: One banquet room can hold a maximum of 60, while our ballroom can hold a maximum of 180.Visit our website for inquiries.
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