Sayola Restaurant — Restaurant in Montclair

Where do I even begin with this experience? I'm planning a surprise 40th birthday party for my husband on October 19th and made a reservation for 12 people about three weeks ago. When I first called, I spoke with Sandra, who was incredibly accommodating and kind. I explained that this party is important, as it’s a surprise for my husband, and I wanted to recreate an evening from our summer trip to Spain. Sandra and I agreed on a semi-private room, where we would be sharing the space with a few other tables, and we made arrangements to bring decorations, a flamenco dancer, and a cake. Today, I visited the restaurant to finalize the menu and check out the space. I was greeted by Francisco (the manager, though I’m unsure of his actual name), and that’s when everything took a turn. He informed me that if a larger party (13+ people) books the same night, we would be moved to the main dining area—this was never discussed. As for decorations? He dismissed it, saying if it doesn’t fit on the table, we can’t have it. The flamenco dancer I arranged? No space for a 30-minute performance on a busy Saturday. All these details had been confirmed with Sandra well in advance, yet Francisco seemed uninterested in honoring them. He then emphasized that he "can’t lose money" and treated my party of 12 as more of an inconvenience than valued customers. His message was loud and clear—profits come first, and if my party gets bumped from the private room, so be it. He even suggested I move the entire event to Sunday because it would be more convenient for the restaurant. Excuse me? I’m not asking for a favor or a free meal. To the owner: I strongly recommend reevaluating your management. Francisco's behavior was unprofessional and completely lacking in hospitality, while Sandra has been a model of customer service. Perhaps she should be the one managing. I work in the city and regularly deal with restaurants, and I’ve never been spoken to or treated like an inconvenience.

UPDATE: After my review, Sandra called to apologize on Francisco’s behalf, and while I appreciate her gesture, it’s Francisco from whom I should have received an apology. Unfortunately, the restaurant failed to offer any meaningful solutions, so I’ve chosen to spend my money where it’s truly valued. If you're looking for an exceptional dining experience where your party is treated with care, I highly recommend driving just two minutes down Bloomfield Avenue to Faubourg Restaurant. There, you’ll enjoy a private room, a dedicated party coordinator attentive to every detail, and three personal waiters ensuring a flawless event. Sayola, perhaps it's time to take a few notes from your neighbors.

REPLY TO SANDRA NEGRIN'S MESSAGE BELOW: From the outset, we were clear that we were looking for a semi-private space, not a private room. It seems there’s been some miscommunication, as Francisco seems to have shared a different version of events. When we met, he showed me a completely different table and informed me that we could not bring our own dancer, etc. I believe your venue has cameras, so I would encourage you to review the conversation to understand how unprofessionally the situation was handled. If the solutions below had been presented when I visited to finalize the details, I would not have been forced to move my event, which has caused significant inconvenience. Furthermore, after the disrespect I experienced, I never received a follow-up call with...

This restaurant never fails. It is delicious. The staff is welcoming and kind and they are always there just when you need them, but give you space and privacy when you want to talk. While they're entrées are spectacular, you can have an incredible night making a meal of their tapas. Try the buñuelos de bacalao, the duck empanadas are made with cream cheese and are to die for, caldo de gallego soup Is like a delicious warm hug.. perfect for a chilly fall day, the higos are delicious twist - wonderful, sweet figs wrapped in cured ham topped with a dollop of goat cheese and drizzled with the most scrumptious honey you've ever tasted. And one of my favorite dishes ever is the combinación de camarones, churrasco y chorizo (a combination of shrimp, skirt steak and Spanish sausage in a wonderful sauce made from paprika and cream. You will want to lift the bowl and drink every drop!). The place is quiet and beautifully decorated. The only drawback would be parking but that's true for any restaurant in Montclair. There is an outdoor parking lot nearby and depending on the time of year you will find parking there, otherwise there is a slightly more expensive indoor parking lot across the street. It's well worth it to dine at this place....

The restaurant itself is nicely decorated. So when I saw the nice set up, I thought the food would also be just as amazing. Unfortunately that was not the case. We were a group of 11 celebrating a graduation. The staff was very nice. This is a Spanish restaurant, so of course one of the dishes we ordered was paella. That was a mistake…my husband ordered paella valenciana. It was dry and tasteless. It was just extra dry. We even tried to ask for some melted butter, which they brought us a broth of some type and it did not help at all. I had the pork chops, one of the chops was again extra dry and the other was ok. The vegetables were good and the sauce was tasty. We also had the pulpo on the grill, this was properly made thank goodness. The dessert was good, we had the flan. The whole group was a bit disappointed. The food looked good but it just wasn’t great. It was just ok for the price we paid. I really doubt we will be back. The one thing I will say is that the staff was nice and stayed a little...