Azorean Restaurant & Bar

I'm not someone who complains but my experience was not at all what I expected. The waitress said that food was made to order but def not true when it gets to my table before the glass of wine and it tastes like "fridge". I ordered the portuguese octopus. I was expecting fresh and flavorful food but that's just not it. Also ordered the bifana sandwich thinking that they could not mess up a "simple" but delicious food and they disappointed again. The best part of my meal was the wine and French fries. The food in the photos look better than they tasted.

I recently dined at Azorean Restaurant & Bar in Gloucester, MA, and it was a fantastic experience. I tried both the Spanish Paella and the Lisbon Octopus, and I was blown away by the quality. The Lisbon Octopus was hands down the best octopus I have ever had. It was incredibly tender, cooked to absolute perfection, with a beautiful balance of flavors that left me wanting more. It truly stood out as a must-try dish! The Spanish Paella was equally impressive. The portion was more than enough for two people, packed with an abundance of seafood and meat. Every bite was flavorful and satisfying, making it one of the heartiest and most delicious paellas I’ve had in a long time. Overall, the Azorean Restaurant & Bar is a gem with excellent seafood, and I can’t wait to return. Highly recommended!

If you are visiting or just passing by Gloucester, Rockport area and not stoping at this place…. well, you are a criminal. The food is absolutely fantastic!!! Definitely these people know what they are doing.

Azorean was a pleasant surprise! Casual and comfortable neighborhood dining spot with Portuguese azorean style decor. Menu had many interesting seafood options. Marinated haddock with molho Vilao $24 Haddock was so fresh and perfectly pan fried in olive oil. Came with string beans and Portuguese fries that were so good. Lemon shrimp $20 breaded deep fried shrimp, spicy lemon garlic sauce over linguine. Was not spicy at all for me , but had enough kick and delicious. Lisbon octopus $26 baked octopus on a cast iron skillet, drizzled in olive oil. Was a bit too oily and lacking flavor. All dishes came piping hot. Desserts were also fantastic. Tarta de ananas $6 pineapple coconut cake in a chocolate crust. Chocolate decadence $8 Flourless chocolate cake topped with toasted coconut and almonds. Both were amazing and couldn't decide which was better. I'd love to return when I am in the area to try other interesting dishes.

The atmosphere of this place definitely feels like you're transported into the Azores with lovely traditional décor. But, it does seem like you're paying more for the atmosphere than the food. Don't get me wrong, there are highlights that I did find delicious such as the Codfish Fritters with their light and crispy coating with savory filling, the Linguiça, hot and peppery with a peri-peri sauce complimented well with grilled pineapple, but the let down was the Carne Porco Alentejana and the Fish Cataplana. The olives are the astringent kind which can overpower the flavor of the seasoned pork. The meat was just a tad tough for me, however, the potatoes were delicious and fried to perfection. The Cataplana unfortunately was very under seasoned and bland. It could have used a bit more pepper or salt. The fish was very tender though and the rice was al dente. I'll let you be the judge!

A very unique resteraunt you don't see too many of. Great Portuguese cuisine. Staff is great, too. A bug menu and wine list to try. The whole building is very nicely designed. Highly recommended!

I love this place! Had the chicken and squash raviolis, and it's was wonderful. The steak tips were delicious and the haddock was light fluffy and sweet And the house cab. was really good. I really can't wait to come back. Our waitress was excellent and so accommodating.

Amazing Portuguese place, lovely ambiance surrounded by traditional details. We tried their Baked Stuffed Haddock, Owner’s Mix, Seafood Cataplana , and Shrimp Mozambique. For desserts we had the Upside Down Pineapple Cake. We loved all the dishes but Cataplana was our favorite.

Really impressed with this Portuguese restaurant on the North Shore. The lightly fried haddock with green beans and pan-fried potatoes was excellent; I loved the texture of the pan-fried potatoes was not so oily, but still had a nice crispness on one of the edges. The haddock was fresh and tender, and seasoned with a special sauce. The green beans were well-cooked, not too soft and not too hard, and they were appropriately not seasoned, allowing the flavors of the fish to come through. The Azorean salad had pineapples and came with a pineapple vinaigrette. I didn't know the Azores to be an exporter of pineapples, but apparently it's a thing! (Not saying that this restaurant used pineapples from the Azores). But it was a tasty dish, and a nice addition to a more typical salad. The cataplana (rice stew with seafood) was excellent and harmonious; it's sort of like a paella, but more of a soup, and maybe less rice. I wasn't as used to this soupy version, but I did find the seafood to be quite fresh, not overcooked, and the calamari especially was quite soft and chewy and nicely textured. The soup itself was a tad salty for my tastes, but likely not for other people's. Definitely worth a revisit! And you can park in the lot if there's space; no need (ahem!) to park in a metered city space!!! :)

Loved my dish. It's not fancy but the food is delicious and the price is excellent. We went with 3 others and sat in the bar area. I had the traditional fish soup with a white wine/garlic/saffron broth. So flavorful and delicious. I almost finished it which is amazing because it was huge. You can get it with potatoes or rice and I got potatoes which are supposed to be a little more traditional. Two other people in our group got Cataplans - big platter dishes and loved them. The other half had a grilled seafood plate that was huge and fully enjoyed. On top of this we had a nice Albariño for only $18! Worth it!

Food was good but the portions were on the small side. The service was lacking, as we asked two woman for water and we were ignored. The waiter finally came back and got us some. They really need to check in with the patrons more often

Food is good, server was nice and friendly, food took a while, decorated for Christmas so look nice, not busy, but we did have late lunch.

This food from the tradition of the Azores was delicious. We had bread and oil and salmon cakes, octopus cataplana (like a jambalaya), and swordfish. The bread was toasty warm, crispy on the outside, melt in your mouth on the inside. The oil was amazing with sliced garlic and what looks like diced dehydrated red pepper. The octopus was oh so tender, as was the swordfish. These are two items that restaurants often don't get right, but the kitchen staff was skilled. And one has to be patient with what I presume was slow cooking to get them so tender. This was a very nice find.

I've known about the Azorean Restaurant & Bar for quite awhile now, and was in the area yesterday, and was able to place an order for the seafood cataplana, which was fantastic. The broth was delicious, as well as the seafood itself, and I thought they gave a generous portion of it for the meal. And as always, what earns the 5th star in my book is the service. I hesitated to place a takeout order even though I would be in & out of there quickly because it was peak dining hours on Saturday evening, but I went for it because I live a bit out of the area/am not in Gloucester frequently. Both of the servers I spoke to on the phone were gracious and friendly, and I had the same experience in-person, despite the bustling atmosphere. I am looking forward to returning!

Terrible food, used to be decent but has gone down hill! Food is not fresh, tastes frozen.

Being adventurous and trying this restaurant. Tuesday Tapas night was perfect to sample several different items. Favorite was the Azorean Littlenecks clams, with added chourico sausage. The broth was amazing. The wrapped shrimp were crispy wrap and shrimp tender.

Enjoyed light lunch of octopus and Portuguese soup. We were quickly seated despite the large lunch crowd for the holiday weekend. Loved seeing the Azorean decorations.

Two meals at the azorean this week while in town fishing. They had a great selection of small plates available. Excellent sauces on a swordfish one and mussels. Great handmade raviolis. Also had the azorean pizza with chourico bits. Very tasty. Sat at the bar both times and had excellent service.

I've been here a hand full of times everything here was all ways tasty. I had the steak w/ fried egg on top with gravy and slied potato's so good a must order my dinner partner got fried fish I believe it was haddock with shrimps also was so good . Service was warm and friendly all smiles restaurant vibs was just very comfy and so clean a great family restaurant and bar for celebrations birthdays can't wait to come back with friends

Great food and service every time We love the strawberry balsamic ice cream dessert and the seafood

Five stars all the way around! Food, service from Juliana, ambiance... incredible experience all the way around. We came for an early dinner after a great beach day which left the family so hungry. Pictures reflect the beautiful interior, no pics of the food as we gobbled everything before reviewing was even a thought. Dessert is pictured and amazing as well.

As an occasional vacationer in Gloucester, this restaurant is hands down my favorite. The food is always excellent. We were a party of 4 and we started with 2 appetizers: fried calamari and grilled linguica. The calamari was tender and tasty. I didn't have the opportunity to eat any linguica but it didn't last long. Next came the entrees. I had the Galacian Octopus. It tasted excellent and was very tender. Nice mix of peppers, onions and garlic. Spouse had Shrimp Mozambique which she totally enjoyed. Shrimp had a nice little bite to them. Person #3 had the Lobster ravioli. It was great (no leftovers). Person #4 had the surf and turf. Steak cooked to perfection and very tender. Only 3 Shrimp but very good. Alcohol flowed and everyone was fully sated by the time we left. Until next time...

We were greeted promptly and had a comfortable booth with a great ambiance. Our waiter helped with our questions and overall provided great service. For appetizer we had the shrimp which were perfectly cooked and nicely flavored. We then had Milanese pizza which my daughter said was delicious and had a beautiful golden crust. I tried the seafood Cataplana and the seafood was done perfectly, the broth was delicious and there was a perfect amount of rice. Highly recommend giving this restaurant a try.

We had a great family dinner. Authentic Portuguese (Azores) fare. Appetizers are good for sharing. Fava beans are a classic that are heartwarming during the winter. The Grilled Linguica (a typical Portuguese sausage) is perfectly grilled (Served in halves). We also ordered a Seafood Cataplana which is a type of Saffron Rice stew with rich flavors. With it, a good selection of wines (Open bottles can be taken home. The restaurant seals them to go). We opted for the Portuguese house wine. They also have American and Italian dishes as well. Traditional, small deserts hit the spot at the end of the meal. Restaurant is very clean with excellent service. Ambiance is very classical Portuguese. Parking was easy. The restaurant has a small parking lot and there is also street parking.

Wonderful food, service and ambiance!! It was amazing!!! Highly recommend the seafood cataplana, and ask them to add octopus to it. Best ever!! My tongue and lips still sing from how delicious it was!!

The lady at the bar doesn't realize that just because you are a brown person doesn't mean you deserve to be treated badly. We spent $200 on dinner and she ruined our evening. After 15 years, we won't be coming back - unless the restaurant promises to review its service policies and do better.

This restaurant is not only profoundly gracious, but incredibly yummy. I rolled my lovely 92-year-old mother in this afternoon in a wheelchair. We are limited to where we can go suddenly given her an ability to ambulate. Honestly, we came in only do to proximity. When we came in I asked if they might perhaps cook us a half portion of scallops + with potatoes and lieu of pasta. My mother is a petite little creature. Who happens to love scallops. Matteo, the wonderful waiter, very kindly went back and checked with the chef. Not only did the chef accommodate my request, but then came to our table to greet my mother. The food was "beyond" expectations. The scallops out of this world ---and oh so fresh. What's more is the chef then offered dessert on the house. And it was absolutely exquisite. As a foodie, and a bit of a food snob, and someone who goes out frequently, it is restaurants like this, that you come back to you. Not only for the extraordinary food, but the excellent service, and the profound graciousness. Thank you, gentlemen. xo

The food was very good and the service was great. We had a wide selection of dishes to choose from. The ambiance was very pleasant. We had a great time and want to come back again.

Food and ambiance really good, service was fast , place was clean and nice staff . I really recommend

Very authentic, very nice staff, great food. We went with friends who love this place. You'll be treated like royalty.

Food is worth the $$ and you'll have a good variety. Service is always genuine and quick. Friendly but not intrusive. Ambiance is ok and typically Portuguese. Overall a treat to go there for a good meal you can enjoy. Fried Calamari Portuguese Soup Steak Tips

My family has been going to the Azorean since it opened. Yesterday made a 6:00 reservation for three for a booth. When we got there, the hostess told us she made a mistake and our party was too small for a booth or a table for 4. Told us we could only have a high top or sit outside. This was with our 90 year old mother. She refused to accomodate us, saying she had to keep the booths and tables for larger parties, and if we didn't want the high top, we could leave. So we left. Thank goodness Gloucester is adding more quality restaurants who care about customers, and hopefully their loyalty. After almost two decades of loyalty, we won't be back. Very sad when a young lady gets to say "I took your reservation and I made a mistake and can no longer accomodate you". Bye.

Food was uneven. We shared two appetizers: Azorean Littlenecks and codfish cakes. The clams came in a flavorful broth, but bread wasn't served with it, so we couldn't mop up all that deliciousness. The clams themselves were a bit overcooked and touch. The codfish cakes were small and sausage-shaped with a nicely browned exterior. However, it wasn't surrounding a tasty filling of potato & cod. The filling was somewhat mushy and there was a lot empty space between the exterior crumb coating and the filling. The dish tasted mostly of cooking oil. The La Portuguesa Pizza--a 12-inch pizza with homemade tomato sauce, ground chourico, peppers, onions and mozzarella--was first-rate. The toppings were spread equally across the top, and in just the right amounts. The chourico added a nice smokey flavor. The crust's exterior was crisp and nicely browned on the bottom, with just a bit of chew inside. My glass of house vino verde was a generous pour of a serviceable wine. The atmosphere was very pleasant with attractive colors, and not too much noise.

This place was a very pleasant surprise, because we originally tried going to Passports Restaurant in the Gloucester, but gave up after sitting at our table for a half hour waiting to give our drink order. Luckily we quickly found that Azorean Restaurant & Bar was close by and loved the experience. Upon arrival, we were greeted at the door by friendly faces who immediately sat us down in the dining area without a reservation. The place was pretty busy for a Sunday night, and the environment consisted of happy families laughing, the clinking of friends toasting with cocktails, and the beautiful wall to wall Portuguese decor. The whole vibe felt like a big warm hug. Despite being extremely busy, our waitress greeted us almost immediately and took our drink orders. To our surprise, our cocktails quickly arrived and the waitress was ready to take our orders. I commented about how she must have her hands full, because I watched her check in with each table on her way out, and on her way back. But she had a great optimistic point of view, and said something funny to make us all laugh. She definitely contributed to the wonderful experience we had here. My cocktail was the Cool As A Cucumber, which I've had at other places, and it was just as good here. Cucumber vodka, St Germain, and lime make up the core of this refreshing drink. Along with that, I decided to try the Linguica With Pineapple. To my surprise, it was very similar to kielbasa with a mild spicy finish, but it was not greasy at all. It was grilled beautifully, and each bite with a little bit of pineapple was an exceedingly pleasant experience. I would order this again in a heartbeat. For my main course I had the Chicken Medallions with Butternut Squash Ravioli. It was prepared beautifully, in a wine cream sauce that had walnuts and dried cranberries. Definitely on the sweet and savory side of dinners, I really enjoyed this, and was practically licking my plate when finished. My friend ordered the Azorean Steak Tips with Portuguese Fries. Both were beautifully cooked, and me being a French fry connoisseur, I have to say that the Portuguese fries were pretty great. We're not sure if they should have been eaten with ketchup or some other kind of dipping sauce, but they were actually very good and crispy on their own. For dessert, we shared what I believe was a Chocolate Mousse Torte. It was absolutely delicious, and kudos to the waitress who warned us there were only three left halfway through our meal. I don't know if I've ever heard anyone describe a dessert so beautifully, so much so that the table next to us also ordered one in the middle of their meal. And trust me, it lived up to the hype! Overall, this was a wonderful experience. The Portuguese flavors mixed with a warm friendly environment, more than made up for the disappointing experience we had at the previous place. In fact, I should probably thank the other restaurant for inadvertently redirecting us to Azorean Restaurant, because we really had a great time there.

Food and service is always great. Probably the best seafood restaurant in the Cape Ann area.

On July 6, 2024, our family held a Celebration of Life for my husband in Gloucester where he spent much of his life. He loved this restaurant and we would go for lunch or dinner every month or so. Our server that night was Susan and she was so kind and efficient and thoughtful. So we had the best of everything, great food, wonderful service. Susan made a difficult emotional experience much easier and we are grateful. For any occasion we feel this is the best restaurant. JO in Wakefield

Everything on the menu was delicious. Service was like being served right in your home. Very cozy place. Beautifully decorated. Has parking lot and street parking.

I love Portuguese food and this place fills that area perfectly. The food is always delicious and the staff + owners are always very nice. The steak is delicious and my favorite by far. The restaurant is always busier later in the day and very positive!

I am sad to report but the food was not well seasoned. Very bland and presentation was as if they just threw it together. The restaurant is very clean, did not use the restroom. Waitress did a great job, she appeared to be the only one working. They may have been having an off night.

As always, the Azorean Restaurant provides delicious food in cheerful surroundings. Friendly, professional staff. Highly recommended!

Food was great as always. Our waitress seemed bothered that we were there, didn't have knowledge of the menu. Questioned us when we asked for more bread, then never brought it. Probably because we only saw her twice. Never came to check how our food was and we constantly had to bother the hostess as she walked by. If this was my first time there I'd probably never go back. If I do, I will ask for a different server if she is still there. Ambiance is always nice.

Has some of the best food in town (tied with Lobsta Land) with a specialization in Portuguese cuisine. There's a nice wine list and their house wines are very nice, especially at the price. The service is always friendly and it's never noisy even though it's one of the most consistently busy places in Gloucester.

The food was great! My husband and I loved everything we ordered. For appetizers we had the Owner's Mix. Had a good serving size and tasted great! Squid and shrimps were cooked just right. I had Azorean salad and my husband had seafood casserole. They all tasted delicious. Would have given 5 stars had the waitress given us the right order. My husband ordered the scallop casserole but got the seafood casserole. Despite the order mix up we enjoyed the food and service was great! Place had a lot of fascinating displays pleasant to the eyes. We will definitely come back next time we visit Gloucester.

Delicious food! Great staff! Menu has a variety of traditional Portuguese foods, many seafood dishes, and numerous dishes of chicken and beef. Sandwiches, entrees and so much more

It's not a pricey place. We've been coming to this place for a very long time. A few little things I think should be changed food wise. Amazing service amazing quality clean this. It's all there. Me and my wife have been going to this place over 10 years. it's about 1 Hour Dr. but a pretty good Portuguese restaurant

We've enjoyed The Azorean for years! Amazing Portuguese food served in a beautifully decorated, friendly atmosphere! The seafood is always so fresh and prepared on so many ways! But the pizza, salads and appetizers are all wonderful! We love that our children who are vegan and vegetarian can enjoy a number of great options, too! Last night we attended one of Chef Manny's wine dinners which are back on the schedule this winter! Our server Andrea was warm, knowledgeable and attentive! Our first course was a kale and potato soup with sausage, mild garlic flavor, velvety consistency with chunks of sausage. So perfect for the winter! This was served with the 2019 Auspicious Chardonnay. This Chardonnay is fruit forward and has a smooth body! The next course was salt cod served with potatoes and peppers. The meaty but light texture of the cod was a great match with the red blend, Berco do Infante which was light bodied and had lots of plum! The main entree was the Chateaubriand paired with a 2019 Auspicious Cabernet. The beef was so tender and the light gravy was a great compliment. The beef was served over grilled polenta cakes. I loved this dish!! Again so wintery, homey and not fussy! This wine wasn't my favorite, I found it a bit acidic and heavy, but it is always great to try something new! Finally for dessert an almond flan served with Beirao. Which is a traditional Portuguese liquor made from seeds and herbs. I tasted orange and a little nuttiness. The flan was creamy, rich and not too sweet! Manny is the perfect host! Educating us all on the wines and the dishes and insuring that everyone had a great time! Andrea was sweet and made sure our glasses stayed full! We cannot wait until the February wine dinner dates come out! Such a treat! Like a mini vacation on a cold Wednesday night!

The food here was very much just OK nothing popped out flavor wise. The paella was not a paella and more of a rice soup. The grill octopus was tender and not over cooked but nothing special. Good luck getting out of the parking lot.Lol

My superpower is finding excellent restaurants, with the help of Yelpers (thanks, all y'all - you make me look GOOD!). Here's one. My wife's seafood casserole was outstanding, particularly the sweet and excellently-cooked sea scallops. Get that. My marinated haddock with molho vilao was also excellent. I'd never heard of molho vilao before. Kind of a mildly spicy, colorful-tasting sauce; a bit like a salsa, but not. I dunno. Just yummy. Thinking I'll have to make some myself. Or go back to Portugal and have it every day. Mmm. And it played perfectly with the earthy yet slightly sweet haddock. Get that. Bread and oil was ... just bread and oil. For some reason, I ordered a Portuguese "vinho verde" - a green wine - which I already know I don't like much. Portugal makes excellent wines overall, and a lot of people like vinho verde, so don't let that scare you off. But I should have ordered something different. (Portuguese beers - meh.) Our server, Andrea B, was helpful, nice and fun. Very attractive store: clean and efficient. Kind of small, though, so make a reservation. Parking is odd and tight, so leave your 30-foot duallie at the house. Go there!

A real gem. Very friendly staff. Fun ambiance.Terrific, authentic Portuguese/Azorean food. The Portuguese soup is among the best I've had. Octopus is fantastic, as is the calamari. Whole bronzino was simply amazing. Very generous cocktails/wine. Definitely worth a return visit the next time I am in Gloucester.

Food, service and ambiance great! Sat in bar booth. Waiter was the best. He came back often to check on how we were doing- very attentive. Food was good.

very good food and service: Calamari appetizer was delicious I had grilled octopus, calamari and shrimp entree, very good, especially the octopus Friendly and efficient server

On a rainy dreary night our dinner at Azorean turned things around. Fun, vibrant atmosphere turned our frowns upside down. Waiter was super quick and friendly. House wines on point. Food was delicious! Took home leftovers as portions were big. Will be back!

Great food, great selections, good value! Close by and nice area. Been going there for several years

Great food, great atmosphere, great staff. You feel like you are in Portugal!! Whether it's lunch or dinner or a private group you can't go wrong!! Wonderful restaurant!!

Great Portuguese ethnic and seafood cuisine! Nice Azorean/Portuguese ambiance and great wait staff.

Great food charming atmosphere and prices are reasonable. Fantastic cataplanas. Pleasant waitstaff

Came back again while visiting the North Shore. Was just as good as our visit a few months back. The atmosphere is relaxed and service is friendly. If you are looking for some good Portuguese food in the area check them out. We had: Azorean Salad. Was told that it was delicious and the person who ordered it gets it there quite often as shes a local. My bf and I both had the Azorean steak tips and potatoes. The marinade was delicious. They were cooked well and were very tender. The potatoes sliced thin and sauteed they were yummy. My cousin and her husband ordered the 6 for 36 It's a huge appetizer tier that they share for dinner. On it was some calamari, fish, scallops, buffalo chicken balls and one more item I forgot. It all looked good. I tried a piece of calamari and a chicken ball they were really good. Their house red was very good and just to be sure we had another bottle. Lol For dessert. Cappuccino with DiSaronno and two split desserts. Chocolate cake and coconut custard type pie. I would recommend them highly if in the area. We had a great time and the food was delish. Will be back!