O'Manel Restaurant

11.3.24 My 1st time visiting and eating Portugese food. The service was excellent. The food was flavorful and delicious. It was a bit loud with the screaming kids around us, but that just added to the atmosphere. If I loved closer, I'd be here again very soon.

Authentic Portuguese food. The cod is super good. Only complaint is that the chairs have no cushions at all.

So delicious Portuguese food! We ordered steak and salad. Fresh bread with butter on the side and a beautiful table setup welcomed us, along with fresh, real flowers. We ordered calamari as an appetizer, and while I didn't think I would eat much, all those smells made me so hungry right at the start! Although we only had water, they have sparkling water, tea, espresso, wine, and many other drinks to accompany your meal. Our steak came on a hot stone rack. (tip: call ahead if you order a hot rack because the stone takes about 25 minutes to heat prior to your meal. We did and it worked out perfectly!) The steak is raw and you can add fresh garlic, rock salt, and lemon to the steak as it cooks, slice it as you prefer until desired temperature and eat right away. The salad was delicious too, raw onions and olives with the pit (Portuguese style you can't taste anywhere else) to accompany the typical house salad toppings and olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing, and white rice like no other I've tasted (and I eat lots of rice, as Japanese and Asian cuisine are my favorite and good for the skin). To split between 2, you'll both feel full and have leftovers! Finished off with a orange pekoe black hot tea. Can't wait to come back and eat everything else :)

Wanted to try something new! My first Portugese restaurant. I love how they have a bar, restaurant, and venue. All together but separate. We started with a red Portugese wine. It was so tasty and they gave a great pour! For my entree I ordered the Peito de frango mocombique - which is chicken breast served in a spicy sauce. The sides were rice and French fries. The chicken was not spicy at all but it was moist and very flavorful. The ff and rice were really good too. Would definitely order this dish again. My friend ordered the bacalhau a bras - which is COD fish Braz style. It was chopped up and served with egg and sautéed onions. It was tasty! Could of used more seasoning or salt. But she did enjoy it! The restaurant itself is beautiful and calm. The server was great! We really enjoyed ourselves and will definitely be back.

Old world feel with an excellent dining experience. Even though O'Manel is on a part of town that some might consider sketchy, you be well enough getting rid of any misconceptions. The food was expectacular!! It a great place for a date night. A little on the pricey side on their dinner menu, but I have check their website and they more moderate prices for the lunch menu. We went there to celebrate my wife's birthday and the staff was really courteous and the food got to our table really fast. We ordered some Lulas Fritas (Fried Calamari) and they were really fresh and delicious. Food is plenty and should be shared. I ordered the Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa (Salted codfish baked with potatoes) and windup taking half of it home.

My husband and I love Portuguese food. Saturday night, we decided to go to Bridgeport and have dinner at Omanel Restaurant. From the moment we walked in the door, we were made to feel welcome. Lisa, our server was exceptionally welcoming and competent. The food was authentic, perfectly cooked, fresh and tasty. We liked everything we ordered. We both had Ameijoas a Bulhao de Pato as an appetizer. What a delight! The Portuguese bread they gave us was perfect to soak up every bit of the garlicky sauce they were cooked in. Much to my surprise, the sauce had cilantro; I always expect Portuguese food to have parsley instead of cilantro. It was good, however, and definitely not overwhelming. My husband had grilled balcalhau with potatoes and vegetables on the side. I ordered one of the specials, which consisted of a variety of seafood in a tomato sauce. It came with white rice on the side. We shared a flan and had espresso for the perfect ending to this delicious meal. The portions were big. The ambiance was pleasant. We plan to return and hope that Lisa will be our server again.

Food was delicious. Had the churrasco do Brasil and was enough for two. The passion fruit mousse was delicious. Waitress was super friendly. Would definitely return.

Very easily one of the better Portuguese restaurants I have been to in this state. My only knock was that my dish(which was one of the simpler ones to make) took wayyyyyyy to long to come out of the kitchen and by the time I was served everyone else had already eaten. That being said all the food was prepared to taste and cooked well. Their version of kale soup wasnt as hearty as I had hoped for but the linguica (portuguese sausage) was high quality. They serve a wonderful bread/roll to whet your whistle while you wait and their menu is fairly extensive. Their homeland specialties are not available at most any other basic restaurant of this nature so this place is a real treat. I loved the flavors and the ambiance of this establishment and am looking forward to the next visit in hopes that they improve upon this past experience. Authentic Portuguese food done well.

Wanted to try something new! My first Portugese restaurant. I love how they have a bar, restaurant, and venue. All together but separate. We started with a red Portugese wine. It was so tasty and they gave a great pour! For my entree, I ordered the Peito de frango mocombique - which is chicken breast served in a spicy sauce. The sides were rice and French fries. The chicken was not spicy at all, but it was moist and very flavorful. The ff and rice were really good, too. Would definitely order this dish again. My friend ordered the bacalhau a bras - which is COD fish Braz style. It was chopped up and served with egg and sautéed onions. It was tasty! Could have used more seasoning or salt. But she did enjoy it! The restaurant itself is beautiful and calm. The server was great! We really enjoyed ourselves and will definitely be back.

It was a long time since I had dined at Omanel. It was one of my mom's favorites. We had the garlic soup, cod with potatoes and egg, trout stuffed with crab meat and vino verde wine. It was all very delicious. Just as I remembered. The service is always friendly. We ate all the Portuguese rolls too. My friend took food home for the next day. The lovely roses on every table are much appreciated. Bom apetite!

Great ambience with linen tablecloths and napkins! Owner usually has fresh flowers on each table. Food is excellent. They do move at a slower pace so make sure you allow enough time if you're taking in a show at the downtown Cabaret .Service sometimes is a little slower, but the food is worth the wait! Highly recommend. Free Parking is in the back.

One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Always great service and delicious food. My favorite is Bacalhau à Brás - salted cod, onions and matchstick size fried potatoes with eggs. My husband had the pork and clams. We ended with chocolate mousse and flan. They are both such rich and creamy desserts. We can't wait to go back.

Down Hill! I've been eating here for almost 25 years when they had actual professional waiters and waitresses and fantastic food. Unfortunately, my last several dinners have indicated that it has all gone DOWN HILL. The basics aren't even covered any longer - inexperienced wait staff, unprepared food, and old cheese cake. The garlic soup was basically bread in a bowl with very little broth and an overcooked egg (in this soup the egg yolk is not supposed to be cooked). Under cooked rice and almost raw carrots with the final disgrace being cheese cake that tasted like it had been sitting in the refrigerator for a week. I'm disappointed that after almost 25 years with the owner sitting in the corner playing with her phone and never checking on the food or customers, that I've given up on Omanel.

Crab stuffed mushrooms-crabs got away and was in some kind of tasteless sauce. Clams casino tasted like bacon in sweet potatoes...seafood paella a C at best. Venue was a B, service was friendly, a B. They are not paying attention to their food.

We enjoy our meals at this restaurant. Nice little restaurant with big portions. We will definitely revisit.

My husband and I love Portuguese food. Last night, we decided to go to Bridgeport and have dinner at Omanel Restaurant. From the moment we walked in the door, we were made to feel welcome. Lisa, our server was exceptionally welcoming and competent. The food was authentic, perfectly cooked, fresh and tasty. We liked everything we ordered. We both had Ameijoas a Bulhao de Pato as an appetizer. What a delight! The Portuguese bread they gave us was perfect to soak up every bit of the garlicky sauce they were cooked in. Much to my surprise, the sauce had cilantro; I always expect Portuguese food to have parsley instead of cilantro. It was good, however, and definitely not overwhelming. My husband had grilled balcalhau with potatoes and vegetables on the side. I ordered one of the specials, which consisted of a variety of seafood in a tomato sauce. It came with white rice on the side. We shared a flan and had espresso for the perfect ending to this delicious meal. The portions were big. The ambiance was pleasant. We plan to return and hope that Lisa will be our server again.

The restaurant has a huge bar section which is totally sectioned off from the dining area. The bar is a bit dark and usually packed. I never really visit the bar area, the dining area is much more quiet. When visiting the restaurant I suggest you visit and come with some patience. During my several visits I have probably seen about two servers actually working the floor and as a result it may take some time to place an order and get your food. I don't really mind it because I have already come to expect it so it is fine especially when you consider the food is delicious and plentiful. In addition the prices make it an excellent value. I can honestly say I have not had a bad meal ever when we have visited. We have chosen to have dinner parties with 15-20 people and they do an excellent job in service and value. I visited the restaurant the other day to pick up some curbside dining and everything was perfect. They processed my payment ahead of time and I was able to pick up my food at their back door. If you want to change your dining options during these strange Covid 19 times give them a call you will not be disappointed. The steak, rice and fries was cooked perfectly-the right temperature and very flavorful. I ordered the Paella Valenciana and I loved it. The paella had a half lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, scallops, chicken, pork and chorizo. I literally had enough food for dinner and two days worth of lunch. Give them a try I am sure you will like it.

It was ok. We began with the flaming sausage- presentation exciting and flavor delicious. Our entrees were- good, not great, but I'm biased because my dear friend is Portuguese AND a chef, so Omanel pales in comparison. Service was efficient but not overly friendly- they seem to prefer the many patrons who are actually Portuguese. There wasn't enough explanation on the entrees when asked. Will try Brasa next time.

This place is as authentic as it gets. I ate here last night and the experience was so good I came tonight as well. Ordered the Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa (Salt Cod, Onions, eggs, and Potatoes) both nights. Amazing. Even the potatoes were two cuts above. As an appetizer, I ordered the shrimp. The garlic, pepper, parsley, and oil sauce was exquisite. Along with the Portuguese beer (Super Bock and Sagres) the flavors were so authentic I might as well be sitting at a restaurant in Braga. Bravo. Come here and enjoy the food.

This perfect hole in the wall has the best authentic Portuguese food. The staff is pleasant, polite and professional. The food is abundant and tasty. We ordered Beef a Portuguesa with Filet Mignon, Squid and Grilled Lamb chops. The atmosphere is delightful with enough lightning but not too much. Portuguese wine weather Cabriz or EA extremely good. The fresh flan and my decaf capucchino finish the meal in style. Between $50-$60 dollars per person with tip you can not go wrong.

Great Cod Fish Dishes, a little on the expensive side for the location.

There was only one server for the whole dining room. Our party of five were there for almost three hours! When we received our food some parts were extremely overcooked and some of the meats were practically raw! I hope none of us get food poisoning!

Came here for Easter; very good food and fantastic internal setting! The service was also quite good.

We went there for lunch. There was only one server (Lisa) for the entire dining room of about 15 tables. She did a wonderful job, answered all our questions about the food, was patient and attentive with us. So 5 stars for her service. The food, on the other hand, no bueno. The salted cod dishes were WAY over salted and the Mariscada em Molho Vermelho (mixed seafood in red sauce) was bland. I was very disappointed and cannot recommend this place for authentic Portuguese food.

Ordered takeout the food was still hot when we got home and it was extremely delicious. We loved it.

Great restaurant. Authentic cuisine, huge portions, great service and affordable. What is not to love. One expectation you need to have is that it takes for ever to get your food. The food is truly made after you order. But if you plan accordingly, get a chorizos, and a vinho verde, the wait is worth.

Although it looks very plain from the outside the dining room is nice inside and the tables were set with beautiful fresh flowers. The waitress was extremely friendly and helpful with suggestions. Yummy Portuguese rolls that were delicious sopping up sauce from Shrimp in Garlic sauce appetizer. Entrees were both extremely tasty and generous portions.

The pork & clams here has always been the best! Can't believe this is my first time here for dinner. Sleeper spot, in the hood and unassuming- but the Portuguese food is as good as it gets! They do it right, big portions of savory fare. The Paella is legendary, but the turf is as good as the surf. More of a locals type of spot because of the locale, but don't pass up the chance at an authentic meal served by people that care about what they're doing. This place is the essence of what's amazing about Bridgeport!!!

We've been here several different times, trying different things. Veal Parm w/pasta, cod fish w/shrimp & Portuguese fries, & Bife a Portuguesa...ALL VERY DELICIOUS!!! If you want authentic Portuguese food served in authentic Portuguese plates/dishes..this is the place!

So happy I was taken to Omanel last night and so disappointed I hadn't found it on my own years years sooner. I love Portuguese food and having been exposed to it over the past few years, I never quite found a restaurant that lived up to my expectations. This is a simple, no frills place that lets the food do the talking. We started with the flaming chorizo and it was fantastic and a show stopper. For dinner, I enjoyed the chicken in a Madeira sauce that was fantastic. The portion sizes are huge and my chicken came with rice, veggies and potatoes. I have enough food for an entire second meal and then some. The best part of this place is the dessert and it was out of this world. You must give this place a try, you'll be happy you did.

It's been years now, we still love and enjoy meals at Omanel. We recently had their Friday only lunch special, grilled octopus, and we have to reaffirmed our 5 stars vote for them. The service is always nice, they treat you like family and that's the foods taste like too! The very best home made and wonderfully prepared.

Our server was horrible. First, she didn't bring us the drink menu - we had to ask for it and she's like well we only have wine. She then asked us what we wanted as she was handing us the menu. We asked if we could just do water while we looked.... we didn't get those waters until we were almost done with our meal The food was nothing to rave about but not sure if I'm swayed by the terrible service. I got the squid with potatoes and veggies. My friend got the shrimp scampi, which actually came out cold. Both were pretty bland.

Love this place. Amazing flavors and huge portions for not too much money. A seafood paella for 23 bucks easilly feeds 2 and almost 3! The best value in the whole place is the 15 dollar bottle of Monte Velho wine. I enjoy this wine more than some 100 dollar bottles I have tried. Not too strong and it's hard to find a good bottle out for less than 20. The waiting staff you can tell has been there forever and really know their stuff. Ask their opinion on what to order if you are unsure.

I really enjoyed the bacalau with potatoes and olives. They make an awesome quail appetizer with a spicy brown sauce. We went with a large group and everyone enjoyed their meal. The service is a little on the slow side. We were a party of 11 and we were there for 3 hours. That was just dinner and no dessert or coffee. Don't go if you are in a rush. Other than that, the food is pretty good.

This place is definitely worth checking out, if only for one dish in particular which is out of this world. I forget the name, but it's the one with bacalhau (salted cod), boiled potatoes, eggs, and black olives. Unbelievable. The other dishes are a bit hit-or-miss. I'm not sure I agree with Norman's assessment of the pork and clams, as I thought the pork was tough and dry. It seemed like either they should have cooked the pork separately and added it at the end, or they should have stewed the dish for a whole lot longer than they did. As it was, it was sort of neither here nor there. We also ordered an appetizer of fried quail with brown sauce, and although the quail was a little overcooked (which is easy to do with those little guys!), the brown sauce was absolutely heavenly. The serving sizes there are really huge, so there's absolutely no question that you're getting your money's worth. And given how awesome that one bacalhau dish was, I would say this is definitely a place worth exploring. My biggest objection: feijoada is not a regular menu item. That's just not right!

The food is hit or miss. If you go on a weekend and they have or had a party before, you'll get left overs or 13th he same food as the catered party. Go at your own risk.

I've been going here forever, and I'm finally putting in a yelp review. Delicious traditional portugues food. Definitely worth spending the extra penny to great a homemade dish. Everything is fresh, and a great place to get a glass of wine. It's a small little restaurant but very cute, and clean.

The food was good. I must say the sangria was not that great or cold.The waiter forgot we were there, but food was good. Fix the little things and the place would be great!

FINEST PORTUGUESE ANYWHERE Wow! Omanel is an incredibly special restaurant. Located in an a brick building in bridgeport, with a private gated parking lot, this is an immaculate, old school, Portuguese restaurant with white table cloth service in a warm and cozy setting, with service by classic and sophisticated staff, and food that is beyond compare. The seafood choices from shrimp ajillo to mariscada to special cod is not only of the highest caliber, but delectable, light, and succulent. the meat dishes... some which i observed on other tables served flaming, looked awesome. the vegetable soup i had was the best ever. this is a MUST GO TO SPOT that is exciting, relaxing, and fills not only the belly with very fine, yet very fairly priced cuisine, but fills the soul with a wonderful good time. what a spot for a private party large or small; a quiet dinner together; or THE restaurant for a seafood outing. You may even find the owner sitting quietly at a table in the main dining room obviously pleased by the commitment to excellence that follows every item from kitchen to table.

Consistently AWESOME!!! My favorite Portuguese Restaurant ever! From the homey atmosphere, the friendly staff to the delicious food, it is always a pleasurable experience. I highly recommend it.

Conveniently located just off the freeway, Omanel is truly authentic. Two kinds of paelha, and both are truly excellent, lamb, lots of seafood, beef, pork and lots of chicken dishes are on the fairly extensive menu. So, here's the punchline right up front; you can't pick a loser. They are all truly excellently prepared dishes that are attractively presented. I've had both paelha dishes, the tile fish, arroz de marisco, and Carne de Porco a Alentejana (Clams and Pork in a brown sauce). TO DIE FOR!!! And, the Paelha comes with half a lobster on top. Also, the portions are for two, really. I can only eat half of that Paelha, and I only do that because it taste sooooo good. There is parking in the rear in a paved lot, and you can enter the bar from that parking lot. There is also a small, very nice dining room with tablecloths and all the appointments. Since I'm a single guy, I dine in the bar, which can be kind of rowdy with the crowd of Brazilian and Portuguese guys getting off work and stopping in for a bit of a social hour. But I've always felt welcome and have never gone home without great anticipation for my next visit. Great place for authentic Portuguese food!! Five stars all the way. If you like Portuguese food, this is definitely THE place.

bridgeport is loaded with good portuguese restaurants and this is one of the really old good ones. nice dining room. excellent service. seafood paella is very flavorful and ingredients are fresh. i've had portugese style steak in other places with the eggs on top but this place makes a dish called beef a portuguese with a really yummy gravy. the pork and clams dish is really good. normally i don't like potato because it is usually dried out and mealy but this place makes them really moist and they taste great with the clams and pork mixed in.

Unfortunately, I was led to Omanel under false pretenses. I like good food and good restaurants, and being new to the Bridgeport area I solicited general advice on the local restaurants. Someone told me Omanel was as good as it gets in Bridgeport. Now in retrospect, while they may not have been lying, I realize that's not much to brag about. First and foremost, the dining room is hideous. The walls are painted salmon, the napkins are the same color, I think they have pictures of flowers on the walls, and the lighting is amped up to K-Mart fluorescent type levels. The appearance alone is an appetite suppressant. There were two other tables of diners (on a Friday night) out of about a dozen small cramped tables. Even so, the waiter was incredibly inattentive. It felt like there was something illegal going on in the back room, and he was the lookout, only using waiting tables as a cover for the illicit activities. Gambling? Dog fights? Who knows, but serving diners was not his main focus. At the end of the meal I actually had to yell across the dining room for him to bring the check, after making the check signing gesture several times while he looked directly at me proved ineffective. Now finally the reason for two stars instead of one. The food wasn't good, but considering the prices and the portions it's a decent value. I think it's pretty traditional Portuguese fare, cooked with very little training and even less passion, but with the "food as fuel" concept it didn't disappoint. I ordered their signature dish, pork and clams, and I found the pork to be tough the clams few and far between, the whole thing piled on top of a bed of pan fried potato balls and swimming in a salty broth. I might actually be making it sound better than it was. My dining companion got the paella, which was equally as massive and unimpressively prepared. Right before I left though, two patrons pushing the four to five hundred pound plateau were seated (actually, they just came in and sat down). And that is why I give it two stars instead of just one. It's good for some people, just not me.

Family atmosphere at this CT institution. Naturally, the layout is the restaurant on one side and the bar on the other separated by a wall. Caldo verde, shrimp in garlic sauce, pork and clams alentejana, portuguese wine, cognac and great friends...doesn't get any better!

Paella was quite disappointing. Some OK yellow rice with, I must admit, fresh seafood. Which leads me to believe that maybe other fish dishes are better and that they simply don't specialize in paella.

Delicious, fresh, great quality & polite staff. Brought kids and staff was pleasant and amenable. I'd make reservations though!

Meat lovers paradise...! First time I've had Portuguese food, but was really delicious. Service was great, waitress offered some good suggestions for me to try out. I really enjoyed the flaming sausage.... You have to try it! It's a delicious pork sausage served on a pig shaped dish that is flaming... Doesn't get much better than that!

I look for Portuguese restaurants everywhere I go, and this is the standard by which they are judged. I have never had a disappointing meal from Omanel. I'll even go there right now if the boss lets me out of work early!

Simply amazing. I've heard about this place for a long time but somehow never managed to get there. Too bad. It is authentic Portuguese food with quality better than anything my Mom could make (although I did not have the codfish cakes there). If anyone is interested in amazing, authentic Portuguese food I would suggest making whatever trip you have to to try it here.

The food was excellent as was the service. The restaurant itself is very tastefully decorated with white table cloths and beautiful roses as an accent, adorn all the tables. I brought friends from New York City there to dine and they were very impressed with the prices of the appetizers and the entrees, the portions are huge! Our waitress was great and made us feel at home. I recommend this highly and can't wait to take more friends there.

Great family restaurant. The pork and clams are perfect, shrimp, steaks, chops all expertly prepared. Always check out the specials.

Love this place. We need to go more often, good food, good price and always have a great seafood dish.

I frequent Omanel at least twice a month...my favorite dishes are the Steak Portugese Style, the baby Tile Fish, and the Lamb Chops. Hearty amounts of fresh food for a very reasonable price. Very easy going atmosophere but perfect for a date night too!

Family style eating. Amazing flavor. Recommended dishes EVERYTHING ON THE MENU!!! Deserts are even better. I always have to have my cappuccino n flan. Full bar. Inexpensive and they have a dancing hall that they cater events in same building separate from bar and separate from dining area. Same familiar faces for years. everyone i bring here keeps going back for more! Best Portuguese food around!

The food is excellent. We had the stuffed mushrooms and shrimp in garlic sauce for appetizers, amazing! Had the Steak with mushroom sauce, excellent. Finally and amazing homemade desert, which the name I have forgotten. Amazing, amazing is the only description. And a carafe of red to go with it all.

simple place that has been around for years. The Portuguese food is fresh, great flavors with excellent portion size. If you're not in a rush and want to enjoy an old school meal head over, they do it right

tough parking , not a great area, but love the food. I like the Pork and clams. not sure they are supposed to go together. huge portions and I always feel like I received a bargain. Leave room for dessert. cheap Portuguese wine won't bust your budget.