Sayola Restaurant — Restaurant in Tenafly

Three words folks: A Freaking Mazing.

I don't venture into Tenafly often if at all but a co worker of mine referred this place. Once i checked out fellow reviews and picture that past the eyeball test i was sold. The outside looks very inviting and welcoming like it talks to you inviting you inside lol. The ambience was quite romantic. Perfect dim to light ratio for the setting of this place. Borderline upscale and casual literally tiptoeing that line. So no need to dress up too nice..but I would do jeans and sneakers neither. The staff was super friendly and professional. Reservations are recommended for large parties after 7pm during weekends because it was getting kind of packed as it got later.

But what about the food though... 4.5 out of 5 stars

Very AUTHENTIC, The complimentary bread with Olive oil was GREAT!!! I had to stop myself so I was not full before the meal came. Bread quality so soft and fresh just melted in your mouth. The seafood Paella was amazing perfect blend of spices and rice to meat ratio. The shrimp and Scallops were sooooooooo good. The Filete de Lenguado Relleno Stuffed Filet of Sole With Shrimp, Crabmeat, Lemon Sauce,Vegetables and Duquese Potatoes IS A MUST ORDERRRRRRRRRRRRR. The Lemons sauce was so good you had to slap yourself to make sure it was real lol. The "Pollo al Ajillo" Chicken on the Bone in Garlic Sauce With White Wine, Served With Spanish Potato and Yellow Rice was phenomenal as well. The potatoes seasoned and cooked to perfection in a very flavorful garlic sauce was just to die for seriously. Chicken slow cooked on the bone marinated in this sauce. The New York Strip Chef Jack Style NY Strip Topped With Serrano Ham, Two Sunny Side Up Eggs in Light Brown Sauce,Roasted Potato was very good as well. Well seasoned steak came sizzling hot. Everyone in our party was more than pleased with the quality of the food and the portion to quality ratio off the charts.The yellow is family style they will bring out more upon request throughout the evening

THE SANGRIA WAS EXCEPTIONAL !!!!! It was also the MVP of the night. IF YOU ARE A SANGRIA FAN THEN IT WOULD BE WORTH IT TO COME HERE FOR THE SANGRIA ALONE IT IS THAT GOOD SERIOUSLY FOLKS

Our server Persio was the man. One of the best waiters as far as personality, efficiency, customer service and knowledge of his job all wrapped up into one. He us feel like we were at home. Based on his service i can see why this business has all the great reviews and packed houses on a Friday evening.

Overall I love this place and will definitely be back to try other things on the menu. The staff was AMAZING I cant say it enough. I didnt give 5 stars because the WIFI did not work and the calamari and yellow rice was solid but not great but still tasted well.

TIPS:

Plenty of street parking available if you arrive before 7pm Mon-Fri (They also have valet parking available Thurs, Fri and Sat. Only) The tables for 4 can extend if you feel you may need more space Thursday evenings they have happy hour $5.00 and $6.00 Margaritas/Mojito's The Paella needs 25 to 30 minutes to prepare because it is made upon...

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. My reservation still stands—will you...

If you're looking to get robbed blind while leaving hungry, then Syolla Restaurant is the place for you. I took my husband here thinking we'd enjoy a nice splurge on a quality meal. Boy, were we mistaken.

My husband ordered the $55 steak, expecting a hearty, premium cut of meat befitting the exorbitant price tag. What arrived at our table was an embarrassingly low quality meat with no taste. Needless to say, my husband felt cheated having to leave half the dish uneaten because the quantity was so paltry. For that outrageous pricing, he should have been able to fully enjoy and clean his plate. Instead, we paid through the nose and left disappointed and still hungry. Don't waste your money here unless you enjoy feeling robbed of a satisfying meal. There's no excuse for such an overpriced, low-value experience from a restaurant promoting itself as high-end. Absolute travesty. One more addition.. the waitress had no idea how much she supposed to pour in the glass. She was not properly trained on serving red wine. I don’t...