Mompou Tapas Bar & Restaurant

Mompu nails the vibe with a sleek, modern dining room, chill back patio, and genuinely friendly staff. The sangria was spot-on, but the papas bravas stole the show—crispy, perfectly seasoned, and utterly delicious. The chicken skewers and house bread with spicy tomato sauce were solid picks. The mussels were just OK, and the tres leches dessert, while clever with its pound-cake base, could’ve used more moisture.

Came here with some friends and tried many different dishes from the tapas menu. Most of them were very good and we enjoyed the experience. I liked trying things that I normally wouldn't have ordered by myself. The staff was very attentive. Pictured below is the baked potatoes, hangar steak, fried calamari, empanadas, and avocado crab salad.

Cute place in ironbound for tapas and drinks. Love the bar seating area and bartenders are friendly. They have a solid selection of draft beers as well. Just wish they’d update their tapas menu every now and then. Also pricier compared to other places in the area. The tres leches cake though, best I’ve ever had.

cozy atmosphere, friendly staff, tasty tapas with beautiful presentation, fun variety of drinks, and everything came out super quickly! my friends and i had a blast pregaming here before our concert at prudential - totally looking forward to coming back soon🤠✨

It had been a while since I made it to Mompou. I was starving after our flight back home and decided to stop for some tapas. As always, Mompou did not disappoint! Our bartender was amazing and every tapas dish was excellent! We splurged and ordered the chocolate trio dessert! AMAZING!!!

Food was great but it was a bit salty. The sangria is nice and strong. Not sweet. $3.99 fee for credit card and the suggested tip on the receipt is based on the total with the fee. If you're a big group, be careful.

Delicious tapas. Many gluten free options. The tapas are great to share and taste all different flavors. For two people we ordered 6 small tapas and it was perfect. Great drinks too!

While working in the area a co-worker suggested we try this tapas joint. Went in on a weeknight and they were pretty busy, so be sure to make reservations. Service was really good during our entire stay. The menu is loaded with some really nice, appetizing Spanish dishes. But what impressed me most was that the food was very nicely prepared! After going to another local “Spanish” joint nearby I was very unimpressed with the way they prepared their food and felt that most all places with that outdated exterior and interior were going to be this way… It was refreshing to find this place that has a very updated and beautifully decorated interior and food to match. Bottom line – Definitely worth visiting, but make reservations! Oh, and get the paella!

This place has a low-light, high energy ambiance to it, which pairs quite unexpectedly well. Conveniently located a few minutes away from Newark Penn Station. Finding parking in the area can be a little tough at times, so plan accordingly. They're very accomodating of large-ish groups, have ample space, though it may not seem like it walking past it on the street. The service was very good as well, but nothing out of this world. For the price you pay, the staff show ample care. They also do host events, and are priced pretty fairly to have an event. I've hosted a few here with bottomless sangria and tapas options, both of which turned out to be a popular choice, we kept coming back year after year to host a semi-annual event. This is a great spot in the Ironbound, and would highly reccomend it, especially if you're looking to host a corporate event here.

We came here for a pre-flight meal with the Pop-Pop and the second we walked in and took a good look around, we were correct--but the place is tolerable enough. The Champions League final was on, so it was LOUD as hell, and not sure where people were smoking cigarets and ganja, but you could definitely smell it at our table. Drinks are pretty good (a nice red sangria, beer on tap). We actually loved the tomat (sauce) that they start the meal with along with some mediocre bread. A bunch of tapas were ordered, and while one of us steered clear of the pulpo and calamari, the other found them both to be OK. Our daughter inhaled about 4 lamb chops, so we can't comment on those, although the accompanying brussels sprouts were great. The paella was unimpressive: questionable seafood along with some alarmingly chewy-with-hard-pieces of sausage. One of us ordered the hanger steak, and it, along with the sautéed spinach on the side was drowning in oil. So, main meal-wise, lots of room for improvement. The two desserts we got--chocolate mousse and pistachio ricotta cake--were 100% from the Sysco catalogue, so were expectantly average. We do want to mention that we had very nice and attentive service. Luckily, we were generously being treated to the meal, which is why we're ultimately landing on three stars, but it might very well have been two otherwise. No need for a repeat when we're back in the area.

Hmm, I have mixed reviews about this establishment. This was my first time here, and I was on a date on a quiet Thursday night. Immediately when we came in, we loved the ambiance; it was dim, cozy, and inviting. The servers were very friendly and catered to us the entire night. I can't remember the name of the drinks we ordered, but they were on a special menu. The drinks were great, and I would definitely come back here for happy hour. Accompanied by our drinks, we were served a warm French baguette with a cold tomato salsa. The salsa dip was simple, herbaceous, and flavorful. I wanted to order another round of bread and salsa, but I knew I wouldn't have room for my entree or appetizer. I was really excited for the empanada trio, and I was quite disappointed. The best empanada was the veggie empanada. The chicken and beef were lackluster. Usually, I love a meaty empanada, but the flavors were a mis and the beef was extremely soft like a puree. Textually, I wasn't a fan. 3/5 For entrees, we ordered the falda a la plancha and traditional Spanish paella. The steak was great, but I didn't care for the red jelly sauce on the plate. It was too sweet, I wish they had added a chimichurri or a different sauce. 4/5 The Traditional paella wasn't my favorite. I feel like you could taste that it was frozen shrimp, so it turned me off, but my date loved it. I will give this place another try because I did enjoy the environment and ambiance, maybe this might be a happy hour spot for me. We shall hope and see.

I love the decor and layout of this restaurant. It seems like an awesome spot for a girls night. The bread and whatever dipping sauce it comes with is delicious. I ordered the Sangria which is both refreshing and delicious but did NOT do the trick in terms of feeling boozy AND I ordered one large pitcher. The appetizers are very small in serving size. I ordered the pulpo, which was bland and slightly tough, and my colleague ordered the gambas al ajillo. I also ordered the patatas bravas which took forever to come out and portion was exceptionally small. Im giving it another try and we shall see. Service was ok.

Came here for my anniversary from Yelp reviews. Parking was a bit tough but I understand that you can park in Iberia's old parking lot with mobile app! We were greeted at the door and sat right away. Very quaint place with a Spain vibe! Our waitress Tabitha was great and made great recommendations from such an exquisite menu. We started with some Sangria a bit pricey for a small pitcher but it was good. We wanted to start with a salad and Tabitha recommended a great one. We got the tomato & avocado salad, the presentation was everything. The salad is brought to the table in a mason jar all different layers with the dressing on the bottom! Then turned over into a bowl with a little of everything just perfectly spread out. You need to order this if you come here! My husband and I shared two dishes "Trio Flamenco" and "PARRILLADA ASTURIANA" with these dishes we were able to taste 6 different things all were perfectly seasoned and cooked!. The sides that accompanied the main dishes were outstanding as well. To end the meal we had an espresso martini and double espresso. We definitely will be back!

Drinks were good but definitely not the OG authentic Spanish tapas spot anymore...still a cool place to hang but if you're a foodie you will de disappointed

Whether you go for classic tapas items like patatas bravas and garlic shrimp, or even a plainer-seeming offering like the empanada trio, everything's good here, often with more sauces and more spice than expected. Guindilla pepper is an ingredient in the excellent shrimp and potato sauces. The crabmeat and avocado salad was a sleeper hit. The service was great, as was the sangria, though I don't claim Miles Raymond-level expertise on this topic.

While working in the area a co-worker suggested we try this tapas joint. Went in on a weeknight and they were pretty busy, so be sure to make reservations. Service was really good during our entire stay. The menu is loaded with some really nice, appetizing Spanish dishes. But what impressed me most was that the food was very nicely prepared! After going to another local "Spanish" joint nearby I was very unimpressed with the way they prepared their food and felt that most all places with that outdated exterior and interior were going to be this way... It was refreshing to find this place that has a very updated and beautifully decorated interior and food to match. Bottom line - Definitely worth visiting, but make reservations! Oh, and get the paella!

Great apps and food didn't disappoint. Nice outdoor sitting. Great staff. Always a good time

Excellent Tapas place, the place has a cozy and inviting feel. The atmosphere is top notch while not overly fancy and pretentious. The calamari is cooked perfectly; tender and flavorful, lamb chops is super tender, paired perfectly with sangria and cocktails. Its not only a great place to meet up with friends but the food is as good as any upscale restaurant.

Excellent tapas restaurants walking distance from the prevention center. This is our only go-to restaurant in Newark, Lots of delicious vegetarian options, as well as seafood, etc. Love the cheese stuffed pimentos, we share them every time. Complimentary crusty bread with bowl of tomato, garlic, olive oil dip. Husband had garlic shrimp for appetizer, loved it. Trying to brussels sprouts and red potatoes tonight. Service is friendly & professional. Will work according to your schedule. If you're in a hurry for a show or game, they'll accommodate you. If you're going to take your time, no problem.

Absolutely enjoyed the restaurant. This place has a from and back part that give two different aesthetics. Me and my friend sat in the back part and we were alone. Which made it feel like we were in a private restaurant. The waiter. Although, I don't remember his name was amazing. The food tasted so good. The crème brûlée, the tuna steaks. The pistachio cake, plantanos and shrimp all had me saying "Mmmhhmmm" I would go back at night though. I bet it's even better vibes at night. I truly enjoyed this restaurant. Wel the tuna steaks came with mangoes and coated with black sesame seeds. I have it medium well and even the next day microwaving it cooked it to well done and it was still amazing. Cant

I had dinner here before a concert and this place was pretty busy for a Thursday. We shared the octopus, tostones, empanadas, medallones de carne and cheese plate. Everything was really good. The tostones were just okay, I could've done without them. The cheese plate was my favorite! I really loved the jam and the olives it came with. We shared the red sangria which I highly recommend. I also had another drink but cannot remember the name, it was okay. Ended the night with tres leches. It was tasty and the presentation was nice. Overall, I had a good experience. The service was pretty good as well. The restaurant had a cozy vibe. I would definitely return.

The bar side was closed for an event, so we sat in the dining room side, which was nicer anyway. Cute decor with signed CDs and music memorabilia on the walls. The service was attentive, though one guy lied to me about an ingredient I'm allergic to. We asked if there was garlic in the free salsa, and he replied quickly (too quickly) "No." Flash forward to the next day when I have hives -- luckily I'm not epi-pen allergic. Geez... Anyway, the food. The food was great. Nice and fresh. Good to find something in the area that's not musty, crusty, and stale, both in food and overall vibe.

Mompou offers an exceptional dining experience that effortlessly combines vibrant Spanish flavors with a warm inviting atmosphere. Chic decor, and a back patio that has you forgetting you're in the middle of Newark NJ. There's a delightful array of tapas, my favorite being the camarones Al ajillo and the ensada de cangrejo y aguacate. I would pass on the sangria, but I think i would come back again.

So this place is convenient close to train station walking distance food is great. Ambiance is good and cozy feeling. Bartenders are friendly. Music is great when they have a Dj. Will return

Amazing food. Tapas were incredible tasty and plenty of food for two people. We had the small white sangria, empanadas, chorizos, garlic shrimp and chick peas and we were stuffed. Can't wait to go back to try more dishes.

The food and drinks are delicious, and the service is great. I loved the sangria, the garlic mushrooms, the crispy shrimp and quinoa salad.

Came here for lunch with my coworkers. Really great ambiance, plenty of seating, and some good lunch specials! Also must add, really great servers. We shared a couple of tapas. I wish I got a photo but everything was delicious! What we got: Chicken skewers Bacon wrapped dates (the best!) Brussel sprouts Patatas bravas Grilled shrimp I will be back! Perfect spot to come with friends, coworkers, or even on a date. I saw some of the larger plates that a different table had and they looked amazing

One of my fav spots in newark. Great breat and salsa! Love the lamb chops. The service was great as well.

Googled this restaurant for a Thursday night dinner with my bf and I was not happy. The sangria was nasty my tapas was nasty. The employee guy handling food was sneezing throughout the restaurant with no mask on. This night was a waste of my time and money ! Very pricey restaurant ! Congested street parking ! Food purchased : Brussel sprouts - bland taste & not cook throughly Eggplant - bland taste & very mushy Red sangria - tart & bitter Chicken,lamb,steak dish - bland & Average

It's been nearly a decade since our nightly hangs throughout the Ironbound. Commuter-friendly spots have wind up being a non-negotiable for after-work festivities, and I'm glad we found Mompou in a pretty lively neighborhood. Tapas taste better with good company, our favorite was the tuna croquettes!

Brought a friend here for lunch on our way to the airport. We sat in the outside patio, which was very nice. My husband had the sea bass, our friend had the tuna and I had the vegetarian paella, all of which were delicious. The staff if wonderful and very attentive. We will definitely be back.

This was my second visit to Mompou for tapas and it still didn't disappoint. As always, I recommend reservations and arriving early because Newark metered street parking can be impossible. The staff are fantastic and incredibly attentive, always making sure you're happy with your experience. The Mompou menu has plenty of variety for gluten-free and vegetarian options, all of which are delicious. I will say that the vegetarian paella is slightly bland, but still cooked well. The cocktails are also great, and everything is priced fairly, so this is a great spot to visit with friends or for date night.

Super cool, chill vibe with a great selection of tasty food from tapas bites to hearty plates of delectable food. The restaurant has a bar feel but they certainly are serious about the food which is very tasty if not the most refined. I look at tapas as social casual and fun. They have a variety of salads seafoods and some meats which are all cooked with care. The service is hip and present. Very good drink selection with a bevy of Spanish selections. There's a very social feel to the place and I'd recommend it for an authentic tapas bar in the states.

The food is superb from the tapas to the main dishes. The service is impeccable, waiters were very attentive and you don't have to wait long for service. The ambience was amazing. I went for the Flamenco show and it was excellent. I was transported to Barcelona From the dancers , to the cante to the guitarist. You have to get there early, street parking only. Call for the Flamenco show schedule. Well worth it.

I love coming here before a devil's game. The dates wrapped in bacon are always a must, love the squid ink paella, and the brussel sprouts are delicious. Empanadas are crispy and tender, the spinach and cheese are my favorite. They have a nice list of cocktails, and a pretty decent tap list.

We stopped by Mompou on a recommendation during my first trip visiting Newark. I love a good tapas bar, so this seemed right up my alley! Mompou has a fairly laid back ambiance. This place definitely leans more towards "bar" than anything else. The decor, set up, and general vibes are all quite casual. We say in the back in the covered patio area. This space was pretty cute, but I would still say that overall, this place caters to really anyone. The food at Mompou was, on the whole, quite good. All of the dishes we tried had good flavor. Everyone ate about 4 tapas dishes and we all left nice and full. None of the dishes were really stand out hits for me, but everything tasted nice. The patatas bravas dish was quite unexpected, as I've had this dish several times at other places, but I've never seen it prepared like this before. The potatoes are served almost entirely whole and are stuffed with some spices and sauces. Very unique and tasted nice! While the food was somewhat unremarkable, the service at Mompou was excellent! Our server was incredibly attentive, helpful, and made sure that we had everything we needed. I really enjoyed how the tapas were served on multi-tiered serving trays and the food came out quite quickly! Can't say enough good things about our service at Mompou. I would return here on this basis alone. Overall, I think Mompou is a solid tapas bar and I would return if I'm ever in the area again.

After a second visit, I can confirm that the bacon wrapped dates are the best tapa on the menu! The steak medallions and lamb were just fine but those dates are a cut above the rest. Also their cocktails continue to impress. Go for the barrel-aged Manhattan or any of the gin based drinks.

Great service, environment and food !! Perfect location before or after Events at NJPAC or Prudential.

My husband and I have made this our after EWR spot! We love the sangria, the grilled octopus and everything else we've tried so far. The place is nice and the service is always friendly. We totally recommend!!

Cute bar and restaurant. I only had the sangria so I can't post much. The bartender was great. When I didn't refill my own glass from the pitcher, he came over and did it!

Stumbled into the place to watch the soccer match and was very pleased with the service and food. Sat the bar and had some very nice service with friendly bartenders. The food was key here. The complimentary house-made rolls and salsa were on point! The salsa was warm and cooked just right. It had SO MUCH FLAVOR! You will either love it or not, but if you do you will clean that dish and not leave a drop behind. The grilled octopus was tender and not rubbery. Flavored just right and served fresh. The squid ink paella was very rich with a lot of sauce mixed in. So it was not dry at all. This appears to be a trendy spot versus the local eateries and bars. Open door concept to the sidewalk so you can sit indoors or out.

Great food. OMG I have to come back here. Plain and simple. Love it to death. Albondigas De Pollo

Great food. Fire ambience. Drinks hit. Flavorful and well made. Never a wait. Easy reservations.

What a great place! The service was great. The servers work in tandem so everyone is well taken care of. We had tapas and everything was very flavorful. I especially enjoyed the clams. The octopus was okay... if you like wine, they have an organic wine that was just terrific. I recommend it. The decor is very cool. They have a wall that makes for a fantastic backdrop for photos - selfies- whatevs. My sister loves the cocktails here and there is outdoor seating out back and sidewalk. Who doesn't love options?

So we ordered the empanadas and garlic shrimp. Two cocktails were the ginger something and the pineapple and basil margarita. That bread and dip were AMAZING. The shrimp were very tasty, it's like a combo of hot sauce and garlic sauce. The empanadas were perfectly fried and all were very tasty. Service was a bit slow for water but our drinks and food came quickly as we sat at the bar.

Let me start with the food, lovely choices, we had a varied group with vegan, gluten, and shellfish dietary needs. We enjoyed the cold strawberry gazpacho, lamb, and vegan paaella. All of the flavors were executed well and delicious. The dessert was good. The best choice was the pistachio cheesecake. The waitstaff was attentive, and they didn't rush us out.

I hosted my husbands 40th in the "flamenco room" and everything was awesome. Francisco was very accommodating, the food was great, and the staff was so attentive. I've been going to Mompou for almost 20 years and it's consistently a great spot.

We love eating Spanish cuisine in Newark.Came out to try something new.They don't offer water,we had to ask.The restaurant was very cold,we froze in there!Our server was not attentive,spent time with customers who spoke her language. The restaurant was empty and I had to turn around and flag them down for a lemon and I had to steal napkins from nearby tables.She hardly checked in with us. The appetizer platter of cheese and meats was good. Main courses were salty,overcooked and chewy. I had a flamenco trio the tiny strip of octopus was gum! The seabass was dry and the one shrimp was bland. $36.... Husband ate the grill asturianas--- same- dry, overcooked, chopped chicken and meats.the dessert was store bought and average. Overall,we regret spending all that $ money when Casa D Paco, Fornos,and Casa Vasca NEVER disappoint. Improvements are needed here.we wanted this to be a better experience!

Highly recommend the drinks here! I was impressed with how well thought out every drink was. The bourbon in love was hands down my favorite and I'm not a bourbon person. The bartenders are also amazing. The vibe is also chill/dim but fun

Food is pretty decent. Tapas style and they do have hearty entrees and salad options. I had the Brussel sprouts and the tuna meatballs with seaweed salad. The venue is pretty cute restaurant sports bar like with indoor and outdoor seating. Background music and TVs. Street parking is tough but you can park in lot across the street at other restaurant. Appropriate for business lunch friend meet up date etc.

Went to dinner with a friend Ambiance- cute, nice lighting and seating Service- spectacular and very attentive Food- I preferred the apps over the entrees we had Would I recommend? For sure!

So me and a friend stopped by here to get a drink. I made reservations for 7pm. When I arrived I gave the server my name and he allowed me to sit at the bar. We were served by Fabio and he was good. We ordered a pitcher of strawberry sangria which wasn't bad. My friend ordered the mussels and I tried the sauce but wasn't a fan. They also gave us bread and some kind of tomato and oil sauce and while the bread was rock hard the sauce was tasty. The bill came to about $63. We had a good experience and will return.

The food is fantastic. Came here on a Friday afternoon, and ordered the steak, French fries, and the bang bang shrimp. It was amazing. We also got the red sangria. I will be honest it was not my favorite. It was too dry. I will be back, the decor the environment, just the energy here was great! The CAKE WAS THE BEST. I will come back just for that lol

On the evening I visited this restaurant, there were several empty tables inside. However, the host decided to sit my friends and I right next to the door. We visited the restaurant on a cold day, and it was very uncomfortable being placed next to a frequently used exit. When I had asked to be placed somewhere towards the back to avoid the draft I was told, "these tables are taken!" I did not see anyone at the vacant tables for the full hour that I remained in the restaurant. There was one difference I recognized between my friends and I and the customers in the restaurant... skin color. I can't even blame the staff, maybe it could be an unspoken rule to sit "certain customers" near the door (who knows)! The food was mediocre at best, but drinks were great.

Great representation and ambiance. Tapas was great but paella was a bit undercooked. Their lychee sangria was good!

Best Octopus I have yet in comparison to all previous reviews. Fornos can't compare. All in all very pleased, and tbh I am hard to please. Good service and the environment is nice formal casual. Would highly Recommend

It was alright, but I think there are many better options in the area. The croquets were creamy and texturally pleasing, but the flavor was nothing special and probably could have used more salt. I would say ditto the lamb chops. A decent char and tender cuts, but overall, nothing that blew me away. The chorizo felt overcooked and the wine it was in totally dominated the flavor of the meat itself. The avocado crab salad was definitely the high point, but a little overly wet and maybe ever so slightly too sweet. Still quite good. The tres leches dessert was another high point - sweet and creamy and just a fun dessert. Other than those two, I was generally underwhelmed.