Mara's Continental Cuisine

4.4 (257)

$31 to $50

Continental

3602 RT 35 North, South Amboy, NJ 08879

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Romantic
Innovative

Mara’s offers a fine dining experience in an elegant atmosphere in the heart of Middlesex County, New Jersey. Our Executive Chef, Michael Steinberg, trained at the prestigious Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan and has designed a menu that focuses on seafood and steaks. Every item on Mara’s menu is made to order with high-quality ingredients and great care is taken to ensure that you receive a top-notch dining experience at a relaxed pace. We look forward to having you dine with us.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

There’s more to explore

Discover countless more restaurants like this one with our app.

Scan the QR code to discover countless more restaurants like this one with our app.

Open app

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Continental, Seafood, Steakhouse
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
Website
http://www.marasrestaurantnj.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Michael Steinberg
Catering
Mara's has catering options to meet your needs. Please contact us for a consultation.
Private party facilities
Mara’s offers private dining rooms for your special occasions like office functions, bridal & baby showers, and birthday parties. Please contact us for a consultation.

Location
3602 RT 35 North, South Amboy, NJ 08879
Neighborhood
East Brunswick
Cross street
Catherine Street
Parking details
Private Lot
Public transit
Mara's is located one mile from the South Amboy NJ Transit train station.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Little Neck Clams$11.00
sautéed with red or white sauce
Garlic Shrimp$12.00
sautéed with garlic, paprika, and sherry wine
Shrimp Martini$14.00
fresh gulf shrimp with cocktail sauce
Crispy Calamari$11.00
traditional marinara sauce or asian sweet & spicy
Tuna Tartare*$12.00
tossed with avocado and spicy aioli
Sautéed Crispy Artichoke Hearts$9.00
with yogurt sauce
Pan Seared Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto$14.00
over tomato chutney with balsamic glaze
Artichoke Ravioli$10.00
with roasted tomatoes

Soups and Salads

French Onion Soup$8.00
with melted gruyere and toasted french baguette
Mediterranean Salad with Grilled Shrimp$14.00
chopped tomato, cucumber, red onion, and parsley with lemon vinaigrette
Fennel Salad$8.00
fennel, arugula, and orange with honey vinaigrette
Gorgonzola Pear Salad$9.00
mesclun greens with pear, gorgonzola, and caramelized walnuts with house vinaigrette
Classic Caesar$8.00
hand-cut romaine hearts tossed with croutons, and parmesan with house dressing

Entrées

all except pasta dishes served with vegetable du jour and potato

Cedar Roasted Wild Salmon$22.00
Sesame Crusted Seared Yellowfin Tuna$26.00
with soy reduction and wasabi crème fraiche
Walnut and Herb Crusted Roasted Tilapia$15.00
Pan Seared Scallops$30.00
Shrimp Scampi$22.00
Spicy Sautéed Shrimp$22.00
with cumin, garlic, and jalapeno pepper
Double Cut Prime Pork Chop$25.00
with wild mushroom reduction
Rosemary Crusted Rack of Lamb$34.00
Pan Seared Duck Breast$26.00
with cherries and port sauce
Wood Oven-Roasted Half Chicken$18.00
Crispy Boneless Half Chicken$18.00
Pesto Penne with Chicken$15.00
Bucatini Carbonara$17.00
pasta tossed with pancetta, parmesan, egg yolk and cream mixed with seasonal vegetables
Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Steaks$17.00
with balsamic glaze
Italian Vegetable Ciambotta$15.00
hearty vegetarian stew

Steaks

served with vegetable du jour and potato

Hanger Steak$28.00
seasoned with our house blend of herbs and spices
Skirt Steak$35.00
grilled with crushed peppercorns and topped with cognac and shallot reduction

Accompaniments

Sautéed String Beans$6.00
Sautéed Broccoli Rabe$7.00
Roasted Caramelized Brussels Sprouts$7.00
Fresh Herb & Wild Mushroom Risotto$7.00

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Mara's Continental Cuisine.

4.4

(257)

4.5Food
4.3Service
4.3Ambience
3.8Value

Noise • Moderate

232 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner Gold
Atlantic City4 reviews
1.0
Dined on March 8, 2020
1. Overall 1
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
Really!? I literally never got my entree. A service disaster from start to finish. Waited an eternity to ever see wait staff to begin with. Finally the hostess saw us sitting there with menu, but no water or drinks and instructed a waitress to join us. Appetizers and drinks went ok. Although the waitress has no knowledge of the wine menu. We ordered the skirt steak. A hanger steak came out with a butter knife to cut the steak. The shrimp entree was supposed to be served over pasta. It was served next to potatos. I ordered the duck entree. It never came. We literally only saw our waitress once, when we ordered our food. She NEVER came back. No one checked on us. Went to hostess. "Sorry,I don't know" Went to old guy that appeared to be management. "Let me check". My family finished their wrong orders and I got a check and my duck in a tupperware. Just don't go here. Even the food that showed up was only moderately good. My apology was,"Sometimes this happens in food service" BTW, they must be paying for good reviews. One reviews says they need a Michelin star?! I've been to plenty of restaurants. This place had a reasonably ok chef, and the rest is crap
Is this helpful?
MW
MarcW
New York City31 reviews
2.0
Dined on March 8, 2020
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
Disappointing evening. I try to be understanding but too many things were missed tonight: We sat at the bar before dinner and after one cocktail they ran out of the vodka we ordered, then they ran out of vermouth for Manhattans. Once seated at the table we were told that they ran out of bread. We ordered appetizers but they ran out of the octopus and then they informed us they were out of the pork belly. It started to become an almost comical trend. The appetizers that they had, apple and Gorgonzola salad, French onion soup, calamari, tuna tartare were all nicely presented and tasty. However, three separate occasions servers came to out table and delivered food/drinks that we hadn't ordered. Additional, we had three separate waitresses come to our table and either take orders or ask questions; we couldn't identify who our primary server was. Stacey, who informed us that she was in training and would be assisting, was the saving grace. She was personable, attentive, and friendly. All-in-all it was just a bizarre dining experience at a 1/2 empty restaurant on a Saturday evening. If your unsure about the attire, it seems anything goes- I was corporate business-casual, but there were men in baseball hats & work boots, while another was in a soccer uniform and flip-flops! Overall weird for a restaurant that's set with linens
1 person found this helpful
TM
TinaM
San Francisco7 reviews
1.0
Dined on March 7, 2020
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
If I was able to give this restaurant no stars, That would be my rating. My husband and I went there to celebrate my birthday. We got there before 6pm. The restaurant was not busy, 3 other tables besides ours. The waiter came over to advise the we’re out of crispy artichoke hearts and asked if we wanted anything from the bar. Told him we will wait for dinner and placed our appetizer order, jumbo lump crab cocktail and clams in a white sauce. The appetizers took at least a 20- 30 minutes to come out. They were good but nothing special about them. When the waitress came to clear our table, she spilled the clam sauce on the table. She apologized and walked away. The hostess came over and asked if we wanted her to take care of the spill. We said yes, thinking she would change the table cloth. Nope she put a black napkin over it. We were waiting for our main course to come out. Possibly 30-40 minutes later we were told our main course will be right out. Ten minutes later our waiter said several dishes were dropped in the kitchen and he wants to make sure they were not ours. What did you order, was his question. Told him scallops oreganata and rack of lamb. He left our table to check. He came back and said “yep, that was your order on the floor, ok, we will remake” and walked away. Are you kidding me? No apology - nothing from this restaurant. We wait another 20-30 minutes and the food was still not out. Other tables that came in an hour later than us were getting there food. The hostess asked how dinner was and I told her what happened. I was so disgusted with how we were treated, I did not want to wait any longer. Requested the check, thinking they would compensate us for the apps but that did not happen. Paid $40 for appetizers and left. Would not go back there again and would NOT recommend this restaurant to anyone. This restaurant is a NIGHTMARE and does not mot know how to treat their customers.
1 person found this helpful
K
Kevin
Orlando3 reviews
1.0
Dined on February 28, 2020
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
Great Food served in a wonderful, cozy atmosphere by a very attentive staff. Come a check out this hidden gem
Is this helpful?
SB
StevenB
Orlando3 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 21, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
(Dined Friday 2/21/20) I live out of the area but try to get to Mara's whenever I get to visit family still in Old Bridge area. While the base menu may seem somewhat limited, the lamb is always fantastic (what I always get there) and there are always specials for appetizers and dinners. Friday's specials included lobster bisque, a lump crab cocktail, twin lobster tails, lobster francaise, 10 oz filet mignon with a surf and turf option and a fresh fish special. The tuna tartare appetizer is always delicious and the lamb is plentiful and always perfectly cooked. A good helping of vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, green beans and carrots) are enjoyable and their house potatoes (baked potatoes, broken apart by hand, quickly deep fried and then seasoned with garlic, herbs and parmesan!) are a favorite part of the meal. In the past the kitchen has been a little slow but not on my last two visits. While the restaurant is not located in an area known for finer dining, and the parking lot could use some TLC, the food alone at Mara's should keep this place going.
Is this helpful?
MC
MichaelC
New York City1 review
5.0
Dined on February 16, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent all around! Loved the atmosphere, service and most of all the meal!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City1 review
5.0
Dined on February 15, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Very lovely dinner. Beautiful space. Good portion size. Filet Mignon was good, but lobster was amazing (cooked perfectly). Gorgonzola salad also very good, and Mara’s Cheesecake is one of the best I had. Some small issues here and there but did not detract from an excellent experience on Valentine’s Day.
Is this helpful?
NK
NellyK
New York City1 review
5.0
Dined on February 9, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The food was very good. The wine variety is good
Is this helpful?
HK
HarryK
New York City3 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 1, 2020
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had the Octopus appy, which was on the special menu. They were fresh and perfectly cooked. My wife had the fish topped with crab meat, which was also on the specials menu. I don't recall what type of fish it was, but she loved it. The Pork Chop entree with Reduction sauce was the best I've ever had. Beyond that, both entrees came with their potatoes, crispy on the outside, soft and moist inside, sprinkled with parmesan cheese and was to die for. Also, just for good measure, the vegetables made it to the table still hot...don't see that very often! We do plan on returning!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City2 reviews
1.0
Dined on January 25, 2020
1. Overall 1
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
Seated at 6:30 and food arrived at 9:15. Unacceptable
Is this helpful?

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Continental, Seafood, Steakhouse
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm
Website
http://www.marasrestaurantnj.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Michael Steinberg
Catering
Mara's has catering options to meet your needs. Please contact us for a consultation.
Private party facilities
Mara’s offers private dining rooms for your special occasions like office functions, bridal & baby showers, and birthday parties. Please contact us for a consultation.

Location
3602 RT 35 North, South Amboy, NJ 08879
Neighborhood
East Brunswick
Cross street
Catherine Street
Parking details
Private Lot
Public transit
Mara's is located one mile from the South Amboy NJ Transit train station.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

Mara's Continental Cuisine

About this restaurant

Permanently Closed

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Appetizers

Little Neck Clams$11.00

Garlic Shrimp$12.00

Shrimp Martini$14.00

Crispy Calamari$11.00

Tuna Tartare*$12.00

Sautéed Crispy Artichoke Hearts$9.00

Pan Seared Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto$14.00

Artichoke Ravioli$10.00

Soups and Salads

French Onion Soup$8.00

Mediterranean Salad with Grilled Shrimp$14.00

Fennel Salad$8.00

Gorgonzola Pear Salad$9.00

Classic Caesar$8.00

Entrées

Cedar Roasted Wild Salmon$22.00

Sesame Crusted Seared Yellowfin Tuna$26.00

Walnut and Herb Crusted Roasted Tilapia$15.00

Pan Seared Scallops$30.00

Shrimp Scampi$22.00

Spicy Sautéed Shrimp$22.00

Double Cut Prime Pork Chop$25.00

Rosemary Crusted Rack of Lamb$34.00

Pan Seared Duck Breast$26.00

Wood Oven-Roasted Half Chicken$18.00

Crispy Boneless Half Chicken$18.00

Pesto Penne with Chicken$15.00

Bucatini Carbonara$17.00

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Steaks$17.00

Italian Vegetable Ciambotta$15.00

Steaks

Hanger Steak$28.00

Skirt Steak$35.00

Accompaniments

Sautéed String Beans$6.00

Sautéed Broccoli Rabe$7.00

Roasted Caramelized Brussels Sprouts$7.00

Fresh Herb & Wild Mushroom Risotto$7.00

Additional information

Permanently Closed