Valenca
64-66 Centre Sq, Easton, PA, 18042
Valenca Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Easton for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Easton for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Easton for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
64-66 Centre Sq
Easton, PA, 18042 - Phone (610) 829-0360
- Website https://www.valencaonthesquare.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:00 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Mary D.
Love the bar, love the atmosphere; however, I've tried many entrees and appetizers and am always disappointed with the food. Always. Will definitely go for a cocktail but will never buy food here unless I'm absolutely desperate.
(3)Michael H.
Called ahead to see if they could accommodate vegan (they could!). Arrived on time for 5:30 reservation in anticipation of concert at the State Theater right up the street starting at 7pm. By 6:30 our appetizer had not arrived and upon questioning the staff conceded that there was no way our dinner would arrive on time. We had to bail out. Appetizer, a stuffed avocado, was yummy. Hostess professed all kinds of apologies. We may give it another shot, but not with anyplace we need to go afterwards. A couple next to us arrived at 5pm and were attending the same concert. They had to rush their entree to arrive at the theater on time.
(2)Michele B.
this place is great. I have been here on a few occasions and have not been disappointed. Steak on a stone (or something similar) is great. You are brought a hot stone with a raw steak which you cook yourself. Ive had the paella which was amazing and filling. Staff is knowledgable, and friendly. Pricing is decent. Im a fan.
(4)Jonathan S.
First time here and we loved it. Came across Valenca while plotting one of our all-day motorcycle excursions. The wind blew us through Easton, PA and in search of a cool place to have brunch we found Valenca. Very nice restaurant, with very friendly service. This place started out as a Portuguese restaurant, but now is more of a fusion place. Executive Chef Abe Lopez is a fellow New Yorker, so extra points there. I had the Valenca Benedict which is their take on Eggs Benedict, and clearly shows the Portuguese roots. Replace the English Muffins with arepas, replace the Canadian bacon with chorizo, and spike the hollandaise sauce with chipotle and the result is something pretty damn good. Top it off with a couple of mimosas and one of their sinful desserts and you get a place that we'll be stopping in many more times in the future. Come check out Easton, PA, it's a lovely city, and while you're there, stop in at Valenca. Tell Candace I said hello ;-)
(4)Shawn S.
Ate here while in town for a business trip. Food was top notch. Service was solid. Beer could have been colder. Wasn't very crowded. Maybe I caught them on a slow night. Would definitely recommend.
(4)Vicki K.
Awful service and terrible meal for the price. I will not go back and I frequent Easton restaurants. Go somewhere else and save your money!
(1)Jeffrey M.
Food was very decent but the wait time was horrific. Waitress held it together though. Mostly.
(3)Zirvios K.
Never again ,i dont care for that place ,the only good think you can sit outside
(1)Ruikun S.
The appetizers are fine except they overcooked the octopus, but they serve us a nwe plate. No complaint about that. However, the entrees are disasters! They were extremely salty. Only the steak on the stone was not salty, the rest of 5 entrees were horrible, especially the crab cake. I spent total 300 dollars including 50 dollars gratuity for this six people meal. And I never expected this.. However, the service was nice though.
(1)Mark J.
Dining date: Dec. 23, 2013 for lunch. Although not completely authentic, the Cuban sandwich was fantastic! My wife loved the chipolte chicken sandwich. Great beer list on top of the great food! The server was friendly and attentive. Prices were average for Easton. Will definitely come back.
(5)Jimmy S.
I have been here for both the lunch menu and dinner menu and both were incredible. There are a lot of unique items on the menu it is almost hard to decide on just one. Calming elegant atmosphere and great service. I will definitely eat here again to try the other dishes!
(5)Katrina A.
Had a ladies brunch this weekend while visiting friends in PA. No wait when we arrived and our request for a different table was willingly granted. Service was attentive throughout the meal. Being a group of eight we all ordered something different. Everyone was very pleased with their meal. The churros and fruit was delicious as was the omlettes and salads. I loved my Valenca pizza with fig jam brie and arugula drizzled with truffle honey. I would definitely visit again.
(4)Maryellen P.
Too bad this place used to be excellent. After walking into 6 other downtown Easton restaurants and being told it was at least a 1 hour wait, Valenca took us right away. This was much appreciated on a cold snowy night. However it was all downhill from there. It started off with a young server dropping an entire glass of ice water right on my husband's lap. I mean...bullseye...an entire glass right on his lap. OK, accidents happen...I even said well at least it's only water. The boy apologized, the rest of the restaurant saw what happened but the waiter didn't mention it. We sat with the remaining 3 glasses of water for a long time...the waiter came by 3 times to tell us he would be back in 1 second. He kept going to other tables. A table of 8 come in after us and received their drinks and their waitress was taking their dinner order and there we were... About 30 minutes after sitting with nothing but water and an unlit candle some woman, who appeared to be a manager came over and asked "is there a problem here? " We mentioned the water but said it was ok. She glared at us, didn't introduce herself and didn't come back.... no complimentary drink and no apology. In fact they charged us for things they never brought and we were too frustrated to request again.... The food was good but not good enough to justify the rudeness if the senior staff and the incompetence if the wait staff. After having eaten here several times in the past, we won't be back. Oh and yes, we did leave a nice tip anyway.... Because we're nice people.
(1)Ally B.
Great food! We ate here this past weekend with a large party. Service was excellent, polite and quick. The food was excellent. The Paella is amazing. And they offer gluten free options upon request. The price is mid-range, but worth it. Good sized portions. Nice atmosphere. And they have free valet parking. We'll be back.
(5)Rich A.
A former colleague was visiting Allentown on business, so we decided to meet up for dinner somewhere between my home in NJ and his hotel. I had a good feeling about Velanca, despite several negative reviews on the food and service elsewhere on the internet, and it turned out to be the perfect spot to catch up over dinner. We made reservations for 730pm to intentionally avoid the pre-theater crush. Valenca doesn't have its own parking lot, but street parking was easy to find. The restaurant wasn't very busy, so we were seated immediately. Our server came over quickly to offer a bit of helpful commentary on the menu (Valenca's most popular dishes are the other white meat) and the local beer offerings. Note that, while Valenca bills itself a Portuguese restaurant, I found that the menu seems to cater to local tastes and seems more Portuguese-inspired traditional American cuisine than authentic Portuguese. For an appetizer, my companion had the popular Portuguese Sausage ($9.50), a tasty mildly spicy sausage served in a flambéed presentation that reminded me of the sizzling platter of fajitas you might have at Chili's or TGI Fridays, and I opted for the BLT Salad ($9.50), comprised of fresh avocado slices, cherry tomatoes, baguette slices, and a generous serving of bacon served on a bed of baby greens. We both had the pork chop ($21.50), wrapped in bacon and served with a chili-maple glaze and bokchoy-avocado vegetable roll, which was exceptionally tasty. Overall, our service was prompt and efficient, the ambience was modern and upscale but casuall and relaxed, and the menu was imaginative and the food was tasty. Definitely worth the trip!
(4)Bob F.
My wife and I went out with friends who had tried Valenca before and wanted to give it one more try. The atmosphere was nice and we were surprised that the restaurant wasn't packed on a Saturday night. We were promptly seated at our table, but we should have taken note of the early warning signs and left. We put in our drink orders, and my friend and I ordered a draft and they came in small white wine glasses. After about 20-30 minutes, the waiter took our order. My friend asked if he could have a minor modification to his entree and the waiter informed us that the chef was in a bad mood and stressed, so he didn't want to bother him. We placed our order and waited a half hour for our appetizer. Once we finished that, our salads came. My friends Cesar salad had lettuce that was so wilted, it wasn't edible and he didn't touch his plate. When that waiter finally checked in after 20 minutes or so, my friend mentioned the problem. The waiter apologized and cleared our plates without offering to address the issue. When our entrees came after another half hour (yes this was and hour and a half after being seated), we were hoping for the best. My friends fiancee said her fennel was so hard she couldn't eat it. My wife's meal was undercooked. Fortunately my friend and I got a steak on a stone. Since we cooked it ourselves, it turned out OK. After trying to get the waiter's attention for 15 minutes, he took an entree back and asked the cook to put the vegetables on the grill. Several minutes later, the waiter returned with the entree still under cooked. At this point, we had enough, and asked the waiter to bring the check and put the remaining entree's in containers so we could take it home. After another 10 minutes, he informed us that they entrees were thrown away accidentally. We thought that at least they would credit us, but only removed 6 dollars from the one undercooked entree and charged us full price for everything else. We were so upset, we paid the bill just to get out of there. The one thing that bothered us most, is that it was clear to the waiter that we were not getting what we paid for, yet he made no attempt to correct the issue. In addition, the owner was wandering around the restaurant, and we tried to get her attention several times and were ignored. I have to say this was the most disappointing dining experience I have had in the Lehigh Valley. Not only was the service poor, but the food was bad, and the owner and waiter made no effort to address our concerns. It's too bad, I think the restaurant has potential, but it is so poorly managed that I don't see it getting better. I strongly recommend skipping Valenca until they hire a competent staff and manager that understands how to treat customers and run a restaurant.
(1)Scott S.
Second time there tonight. Taking my special lady for a special dinner. Made reservations and was to believe to be a sell out night. But apparently was wrong many tables available all night Upon arrival was seated by the front door to an empty room. Asked hostess and she was able to move us 15-20 minutes before anybody came to the table. Service tonight was poor. Apparently the front staff was not being managed. Last time here the service was fantastic tonight it was the opposite Food was great but the service really put a damper to things. For this price service should be first class
(2)Cher L.
Horrible!!!! Do not waste your money! After a wonderful day with my family, we decided to give Valenca a chance. After being seated, we weren't greeted by the server, she didn't give us any specials and she couldn't substitute or add steak onto my salad or a meal for my daughter. After 30 minutes of waiting after she took my order, Amanda is her name, she brought over bread on a plate that was hard as a rock ( the table next to us with a different server had it presented quite nicely on a wooden board), I finally asked where our drinks were. She said " what did you order again?" I couldn't believe after 30 minutes I needed to repeat a simple sangria and beer order. Then she said " oh, right. My bad. I had that written down. I gave the table up there their drinks and forgot to bring yours. " wow, that really makes someone feel special! Then I specifically asked for no cheese on my salad and to add chicken breast. They come out with cheese slathered all over it , a dressing that did not taste like blood orange and chicken that was dark meat, clearly not breast. I had to send it back. When I asked if the chicken was a whole chicken or breast, she said it's breast. Not true at all! I only eat breast meat and trust me I know the difference in color alone! Then she brings out my linguini carbonara which I specifically requested once again for NO cheese and once again it comes out with cheese. I send it back. Then she comes by and said I know the kitchen had to remake it. Really?? Terrific! After my husband is almost done with his meal, my daughter and I get out slop of shit! The worst carbonara I have ever tasted!! I literally feel like throwing up and I only had two bites and by bites I mean strands of linguini. My daughter wouldn't go near it and Amanda noticed and asked if I wanted it boxed up! The nerve of her!!! I get my meal five minutes earlier and bc my husband is done with his meal, I should not eat???? So j told her no , I'm not taking it home. She asked if I liked it and j said No. She asked if she could know why and I said bc it's not good. So she took it off the check. Now I'm driving 4 hours home to New York and my daughter, son and I didn't eat dinner and most likely won't now. I feel like throwing up. My daughter ate a granola bar and my son ate a pb and jelly sandwich! This was by far the worst restaurant in service and food I have ever been too!!! Over salted, no seasoning, worst service, a chef that doesn't understand modifications. I don't wish this on anyone. Stay far far away!!!
(1)Aaron T.
On Center Square in Easton, you'll find a beautiful, classy bar and restaurant Valenca. At it's core Valenca is a Portuguese restaurant, and it has a variety of steaks, pastas, and seafood to choose from on the menu. While visiting, we both had the Paella Valenca. They also have a nice appetizer menu. We sampled the Portuguese sausage and the cheese plate. These were the highlights of our dining experience here. The cheese plate is very large in size, so you may want to share it. As a gluten intolerant person, I was pleased with how well the wait staff provided knowledge on the menu. In addition, the restaurant has a selection of gluten free pastas that can be exchanged in any of their regular pasta dishes. There is a bar that expands from the front entrance of the building to the side entrance, which sometimes has live music. They also have several drink specials; Wednesday is half price bottles of wine (as long as the wine is under $100 in value). An excellent dining experience complimented by good food, courteous staff, and a beautifully composed dining environment.
(4)Tom C.
I would have liked to have rated this place a little higher but there were several issues that made the meal less than ideal. I ordered a Mojito and was served a drink with very little rum and the mix was watered down and poured into a glass full of ice. Not something one does to a nine dollar drink. I ordered off the Fork and Spoon section of the menu and was served my angle hair pasta without a spoon. Not a big deal but when I asked for a spoon the bus boy acted like he was totally surprised and came back with a small soup spoon. Other than that, the experience was good, a nice atmosphere and all around the food was good.
(3)Allison C.
I have been here numerous times, this is starting to be my normal date spot for my boyfriend and I. The red Sangria is the best I have had around. And all the appetizers are great, but I'm mostly partial to the crab and avocado, it is always amazing. Last time I went I had the paella for my dinner which did not disappoint. The best part about Valenca is that it is located directly in the the square and when its nice out you can sit outside and enjoy the weather, and people watch! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone.
(5)Katie M.
The service was good, the seafood was fantastic. The only thing I was unhappy with was my main dish, veal, because it was too tough and for the price I was paying. Good atmosphere and outdoor seating which is always a plus.
(4)Nick S.
"Amanda the Hostess" Me and my girlfriend are here in Easton at a bed & breakfast (Lafayette Inn) on business for a few days. We've been trying out the local food spots here around midtown and have been having a wonderful experience with the nearby restaurants (River Grill and ESPECIALLY Two Rivers Brewery). We noticed Valencas 4 star rating today, so it was a go for tonights dinner. Upon entering, there was no hostess (Amanda as we later determined) to be found anywhere. There was a very nice waitress who was busy tending to other diners that took time out to seat us. The hostess later comes and takes over as our waitress. We order steak carpaccio, risotto rice balls, grilled pork belly and a marinara pie. Didn't like the grilled pork belly at all. Needless to say, it may be a matter of taste but definitely not mine. Which is fine.. I didn't eat more than a bite before deciding to return it. I told Amanda that I'd like to return the dish and she did so, with a slight smirk on her face. Dinner finishes up and voila, we're billed for the grilled pork belly, the one I returned with barely a bite missing. Needless to say, I really thought this could've been a mistake so I politely confronted her about it where she told me that it was a matter of taste and that she wouldn't take it off the bill. Anyways, I took it out her tip because thats the right thing to do. Any patron dining at a restaurant where we consume food. Things that we put in our body, are always entitled to say "Hey, I don't like this. May I have it returned?" Did I abuse this principle? No. In fact I cant remember the last time I returned food for myself. .. and for Valencas heinous wrongdoing, they have now lost a potential customer who could have spent more there in return business than the value of a $10 dish. Don't believe me? Ask one of your foodly neighbors and take notes.
(2)Samantha S.
Positives: lovely outdoor seating; very friendly and considerate wait staff. Negatives: the food has been decidedly underwhelming the last three times I've been. In particular, my meals have been overly greasy (why is there a puddle of olive oil under my dinner?) and suuuuuper salty. Like "maybe don't finish that" salty. Wen I ordered "Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables" I received literally eight average-size gnocchi decorating a pile of veggies. However, I love sitting outside at twilight, like the interior as well, and have alway enjoyed the live music, so all in all, it's a mixed bag.
(2)Gail S.
I needed a quick lunch and noticed the outside seating. I ordered the fried artichoke sandwich that had red onion and garlic aioli on a very soft chewy ciabatta bread. It also came with a side and I had the tossed greens in a very light and tasty vinaigrette. It was AWESOME. This sandwich rocks! And the greens were fresh and varied. My bill with iced tea came to $12.67. A lovely fall outdoor lunch experience.
(5)Jesse M.
Great experience! 2nd best restaurant we've been to in Easton next to only Sette Luna. Food was very good (carrot ginger soup, wedge salad, glazed salmon, amazing burger, and a super fresh paella that you rarely will find to this level.) Atmosphere was loud so we sat by the door on a cold snowy night. Probably should have dealt with the sound as opposed to the cold spot. They were kind a warned us that seat might be cold and originally tried to seat us in the main area. Gota give props for that service. It's very large for Easton's restaurants and probably the priciest too. Would highly recommend though!
(5)Nanette W.
My husband and I have been here several times in the past few months. We normally go on a Saturday or Sunday for lunch or brunch. We have yet to eat inside as when the weather is nice we prefer to sit outside, which if you like to people watch then this a perfect place to sit. If we are in Easton for the farmers market on Saturday this is one of the places we like to have lunch or brunch at. We have had pizza, including the breakfast pizza, to the omelet of the day to eggs Benedict and sandwich specials. We have always had very good food and great service. The only thing I was disappointed with was I was told the kitchen did not have crushed red pepper flakes for my pizza??? If a place has pizza you must have crushed red pepper. It's a given. I'm not sure where some of the negative reviews are coming from. The only thing I can think of is we have never eaten here at night or on the weekday. But regardless of the negative reviews I would suggest you give this place a try. If you are looking for a good place for brunch on Saturday or Sunday then this is the place. For $25 you can order anything off the brunch menu and have 2 hours of bottomless Bellini's, mimosas, or sangria. Our favorite is the blood orange Bellini, yum!
(5)Zachary L.
By far the best place my family and I have found in the area. After living in the Easton area for ten months, we have been disappointed with the poor quality of restaurants in the area. This was until we dined here. All five entrees were different and they were all great!!
(5)Eli K.
Food was great!!! Restaurant was very elegant for the price. Bathrooms really clean. Steak wrap was very tasty. Were very accommodating to our toddler!
(5)Ginni T.
The place never fails: terrific atmosphere, great waitstaff, and wonderful food. The crab cocktail is a favorite appetizer: fresh crab meat and avocado in a citrus dressing. The steak on a stone is a good cut of filet that you cook yourself on a seering stone. The paella is enough to share. Grab an outside table; if you're lucky you may catch a Friday evening concert in the square. Enjoy!
(4)Isabel O.
But why does it have to be in Easton?! We very much enjoyed our first visit to Valenca. I am not going to comment on the 'authenticity' of the food since I don't know much about Portuguese food beyond Iberia in the iron-bound section of Newark growing up. We thought the quality and the quantity was right there for the price point and look forward to our next visit. Scallops with spinach was fantastic - 4 large, plump scallops, a sheaf of spinach, no problems swapping rice vs mashed potatoes. Husband's rib eye special w/chorizo, mushrooms and in a brandy-cream sauce was fantastic. Very tender and very flavorful. Portions super large. Server Michael was charming, friendly, attentive and funny. Full marks to staff. If I had a beef it would be the fireplace being lit on a warm night on top of the heat being on. I was warm to the point of discomfort by the time we left, I can't imagine how hot the servers are running around. Also Allentown to Easton is a bit of a hike. We parked on the square (circle?) but didn't realize they did free valet parking. Also unclear why they no longer use Opentable.com Would think that would be a real boon. 2 mains, 2 martinis, 3 wines was $97 after tax, before tip. Certainly on par with the other places in this price point. We had a $50 gift cert from wlev.com half-price promo, but we'll return even without it.
(5)Tom B.
I've been only here this one time, but I have to say, the attentiveness of the wait staff, and the food itself was excellent. As I read, there were a ton of hits to this place....but I didn't see it on a Friday Night at 7:30 at all (and it was indeed crowded) Started with the Artichoke Milanese.....very light tasting (not too rich). Never had Artichokes that way. Next the wife had a baby greens salad (simple....she enjoyed it)...I had the French Onion Soup (was very good.....although I'm not so sure it was any different from any other French Onion Soup I've had)....but then on to the entrees which were great. I had the Picadinho.....and to describe it simply, it's beef, pork, and shrimp in a stew with olives and potatoes. Fantastic.....the wife had the grilled sirloin....grilled perfectly and the glaze on it was great. Ok...so this is a great review...but I have to tell you....I didnt know what to expect....the reviews here on Yelp were all over the place. The whole meal was under $60 with the restaurant.com certificate (which I had reservations on using.....because it was kind of an upscale place). I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(5)Gloria P.
We were seated at our reservation time. Calde verde soup was not an accurate example of true Portuguese cuisine, it was disappointing. The acoustics of the room made the noise level difficult to hold a conversation. Main entrees were very good though the chorico was very spicey for our palate.
(3)Seana C.
I've been to Valenca four times now and usually opt for the Picadinho Mixto, which is a delicious mix of pork, chicken, steak and shrimp with potatoes, olives, etc., which is great for me because I can never decide just exactly what it is that I want! It's always delicious and the serving is huge! I can never finish it myself. I've also had the strip steak topped with shrimp and mozzarella cheese, which is also yummy, but not very flavorful. The Picadinho Mixto is what keeps me coming back! The calamari appetizer leaves much to be desired. Both times I've had it, it has been tough and bland. The service is usually decent, but never exceptional. This is a great place to come for a glass of wine and a simple meal. I'd recommend trying it out for lunch! They have great lunch specials and it's not as hectic.
(3)Jeff K.
Service was slow, our table of 4 was seated, 5 minutes later a table of six was seated and they were greater by their server and received the drink orders before our table was greated by our server. We ordered two serloin steaks medium and both were beyond well done, we informed the server when he asked how the food was, he apologized but nothing was done about our overly well done steaks. At $27.50 a steak it would have been nice to have to have our drinks comped or something. The appetizers and other entrees were delicious and the seasoning on the steaks was great as well.
(2)Jabbour J.
Food was okay, overpriced for the quality, the food came out cold. Not worth a visit, if you want some real good Spanish/Portuguese food head over to Spain Inn 2 in New Jersey it's about a 20 min drive from Valenca but trust me its much better.
(2)Jim D.
Located in the heart of my least favorite city in PA is the surprise star, Valenca. What a wonderful find this place turned out to be. It's been open for almost a year now and I am a little surprised how very few people know of it. The inside is gorgeous (unlike the city in which it dwells). Deep, dark woods frame a warm and inviting interior. Plush cushions, tons of elbow room, low lighting and a burning fireplace help make your dining experience a most comfortable and intimate one. Service is right on the mark. They're courteous, knowledgable and very attentive but never intrusive. Food was very good. From the delicious soup, to the flavorful calamari, to the enormous seafood paella for two. Truth be told, that paella is the best deal around. For $39, you're going to get enough food to serve three people handsomely - whole lobster included! I must admit the flavor could have been more robust though (it was a tad weak). The menu is pretty large and has a really great range of dishes to please just about everyone. Oh yeah, the triple berry cobbler is friggin insanely good. I recommend reservations for Friday and Saturday nights. It was relatvely slow when we first arrived at 5:15 but the place was hopping by 6:00pm and there was a massive crowd waiting. With places like Valenca emerging in Easton, there just might be some hope for this town yet...
(4)Susan G.
The food was very good and served attractively. The service was excellent. And the atmosphere was warm and inviting on a cold snowy day.
(5)Vanessa W.
I've been wanting to go to this place for a while after hearing about their legendary sagria and paella. We were there on a Friday night and the place was hopping. The decor was very nice - warm, inviting and sophisticated. Noise level was nice, not very loud considering how packed it was. Service was great. Attentive, but not intrusive or annoying. Very friendly, and knowledgable about the menu. Bonus points for free valet parking. My husband and I split the paella for two which includes a healthy serving of clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp and a whole lobster for $40. My husband eats A LOT and we couldn't finish it. My friend ordered a special - flounder stuffed with crab which she said was amazing and priced on par with other menu items at $24. We got a pitcher of Sangria ($21) for our table of three and it was just enough for us to have 2-2.5 glasses each. All said and done, I loved this place, and look forward to going back.
(5)Josh F.
So this will be a short but sweet review, as we only attended for a few drinks and desert. I'll re-review once I have a chance to properly dine there. Nice place, good atmosphere. Not as truely authentic Portugese as I would ahve hoped, but the menu is writhe with numerous amazing looking dishes. The wine selection is wonderful, with some great Spanish and Portugese reds, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also had a rasberry-almond tart, which was pretty good. Only complaints for now are a slight slowness to the bar staff, she was not very attentive for how slow it was that evening...but nothing horrible. I also had my first glass of wine served in an absolutely filthy glass...I'm a real bitch, right? ;)
(4)Emily M.
I haven't been to Valenca since just after they opened a few years ago. Then, I had just a few appetizers and cocktails. It was good, but never went back until a friend mentioned how much he loved it, so we went for dinner last night. Our meals were phenomenal! We had the seared tuna and a salmon entree. Very nice sized portions too! The service was also spot on. Very friendly, attentive and not over-bearing. I'll be recommending Valenca to many people and will absolutely be back!
(4)Brian L.
Came here on lunch break one Friday afternoon. The interior was very nice and the staff was friendly. The restaurant was kinda dead when we went except for a family of 5. I ordered the pork sandwich which was DELICIOUS. The meat was tender and the sauce used complimented it perfectly. This place woulda got a 5, but the service was ridiculous (as allison m. said). We didn't get our food until maybe 30 - 45 minutes later....and we all got sandwiches. So there's no reason it should have taken that long. I will be back to try Valenca again though, because I love paella and need to try their's...
(4)Mike H.
Excellent experience my first time there! This was my wife's 3rd or 4th visit and insisted I try it and it was well worth it. It was early on a Friday evening and we were able to walk it and be seated quickly. The atmosphere was very cozy; we weren't far from the bar and there was even a 2-man band later in the evening and we were still able to have an easy conversation. The service was very professional. The wine list was very good; we had the Clos Du Bois 2008 Pinot Noir. Highlights were the Prosciutto and Cheese Plate, Crab Bisque and the Braised Short Rib Ravioli. I'll definitely be back.
(4)A K.
Granted it was a Friday night (2/11/11) and very busy with pre-theater crowd as we arrived - this was a bad experience all around. I have to mention that the menu on the website is not their menu - they changed it the Wednesday before we arrived. First the hostess, she needs a different job. She mumbled odd apologies for the fact that we were waiting for our table when we hadn't even complained, I don't consider it bad to wait 5 mintues for a table. She looked like a deer in headlights and was unable to handle the irritated people trying to make it to the show and unable to get their checks or coats. Food - I am sad to say it was just plain awful. Cod au gratin was flavorless and luke warm. Scallop entree was SO overcooked, I was hungry at this point and was really trying to eat my entree, but the scallops were so rubbery and overcooked they were getting stuck in my teeth. The sauce was bland and watery. The lentils were actually great, but, I had to send the dish back since I am not going to pay $28 for lentils. The waitress apologized, took my plate and came back with a dessert menu and said pick anything you like on the house. Other person in party had the portuguese sausage finished tableside with grapa, he said it was flavorful but dry. He had the Picadinho which was also WAY OVERCOOKED, rubbery shrimp and chewy meat. The sauce for that was great, but, who cares if you can barely chew the protein. Dessert also very bad, some berry thing that had FROZEN fruit. Really.Large frozen strawberries which hadn't been defrosted enough. And an underwhelming molten chocolate cake. In the end, my scallop dish was still on the check! Apparently the free dessert was suppsoed to placate me. I don't think so...got that taken off the check too, but I would have much preferred the excellent dinner most people enjoy here. Service - although we really liked our waitress in general - she was scarce. My one positive and it's a very positive thing, BEST sangria I have ever had. I would go back for that alone, but would eat somewhere else. BTW - the old menu is still on the website - it might not really matter normally, however, in this case I got specific recomendations from Portuguese friends, most of which were useless.
(1)Lauren W.
Have been here a couple of times. Beautiful space (nice space, top of the line appointments, wine cellar, outdoor seating) great food (Portuguese, plenty of seafood). However, service was off. The second visit, our waiter was a little unprofessional, volunteering information about drinking and hangovers. It was pretty uncomfortable. I would return, but am wary about service.
(3)John A.
The menu is great. You will not find dishes
(5)Karen S.
Fresh, quality food. Nice atmosphere. Filet mingon on a stone was excellent, as were the scallops. Nice salads. Good service but some of the help young and could use some training. I recommend.
(4)Joshua L.
it is said that with change comes a new era, and a new era can create legends. if this is so the change at valenca might just provide us with such an event. last time i went there i left unsatisfied. but how things can change. with the simple act of changing chefs valenca now has my respect. the churizo sausage flambyed tableside in grappa might very well have been the best sausage i have ever eaten. the wine list was extensive which my gf loved, but the beer list was not, which i did not enjoy. main course i just went for the greek-italian chopped salad. very fresh ingredients and the kalamata olives were plump and juicified in my mouth. i will be going back and then possibly leaving with more than just a smile and a full stomach.
(4)Shane O.
The place is very very nice, the bar seems interesting and they seem to have a good selection of drinks. We went on a Thursday night and the place was completely dead, it was 10F outside though which may explain the situation, I'm told it's usually very busy. Service was very good but slow, I can imagine it's just average if it's crowded. Food selection was very interesting and everything we got was good to very good except the mashed potatoes (skip them and get something else). The caipirinha was pretty good, much much better than Made in Brasil, but I'm still looking for something better in the Valley! Definitely worth a stop if even for a drink and some apps at the bar. Prices were on the high side but seemed fairly reasonable for most things except the drinks which were definitely over-priced. Outside seating looked nice too, maybe a stop back in the Summer is due.
(3)Ko K.
Pretty good paella and sangria the first few times, but quality has slipped a little bit in recent times. Two other dishes I've ordered a few times and have liked are the Portuguese Steak, and Stone-grilled fillet where you grill the fillet yourself on a burning hot stone.
(4)Mihee K.
It's a lovely, cozy atmosphere. I went for the wine and paella and was thoroughly satiated. Decent service.
(4)Bernd H.
Went there twice: lunch is beside the small portions all right, however the dinner menu, well: A bowl of meat (not to tender, not to tasty) for 24 bucks without any side dishes and way to much vinegar in the shrimp salad (15 $) - it is a nice place, but way overpriced for the food quality. Restaurant was completely empty when we went their first time for lunch.
(2)Sirikwan W.
We came here for dinner and found this place to be delicious. We were in town for the Crayola Factory tour. Sangria and Paella were good, although the lobster was not as fresh as it should have been. The sausage was excellent. Steak on the hot stone was good. Decor of the place was really nice, didn't really fit the town. A place like this you would find in NYC, not really Easton, PA. I would be back again if I come back to Easton, but there is really nothing to see except the Crayola Factory.
(4)Dennis S.
First time guests Saturday night. What a great place. Great greeting by the host. Great service by our server and the food was outstanding!!!!!! Will definitely recommend this place to our friends and family as well as be back again soon.
(5)Danielle G.
Pretty good brunch. The Bloody Mary was pretty average, and it took a pretty long time for food to come out (which I generally don't mind, especially for a weekend brunch), but the entrees were worth it. The onions (which I had in my omelette and also in my breakfast potatoes) were SO GOOD. Everything was prepared really well. Overall a really nice atmosphere for a relaxing Saturday brunch.
(4)Glenn C.
Excellent seafood. I had the Swordfish with the asian preparation that they usually do for salmon. My daughter had the salmon and my wife had the shrimp and grits with chorizo. Everyone were happy. Grilled caesar salads were very good and huge. They have specialty cocktails for 10 dollars. Fish was very fresh. Risoto balls for appertizer were good. We sat outside which was nice.
(4)Jeremy M.
Great Sunday lunch. Excellent beer selection and fantastic Cuban. My wife's cheeseburger was good as well. Reasonable prices and great food.
(4)Ralph D.
Amazing staff, atmosphere and food! Great date night!!
(5)Monika W.
The waiters are very knowledgable & friendly. The entrees are on the pricer side, but well worth it! Their salad choices are creative & the different ingredients blend very well together. I've been there a few times now & it seems that the steak on the stone is a very popular dish. Served on a hot stone with two sauces and a dry rub, the wellness of the steak is in your hands...so enjoy! I recommend making a reservation if you don't want to wait, especially on the weekend. You can make it through opentable.com so it's quick & easy.
(5)Jeff C.
I don't often (if at all) go out to a restaurant in which my bill totals over $200 and I don't often write reviews but this was a celebration and went out with my wife and two of our closest friends. After having read the reviews I was psyched to really enjoy the experience..but a lot of little things kept occurring until I couldn't ignore them anymore. This added up in the end to an expensive and less satisfying experience. While the tables are good sized, there is little room between them to walk and I was inconvenienced multiple times during the dinner by servers and patrons asking me to move my chair. First the pitcher of Sangria was mostly ice and we downed it quickly. Later, as our glasses were still filled with ice from the first serving, we ordered the next carafe sans the ice. It also came sans the wine as it was half filled. The appetizer (Portuguese sausage) and salads were tasty and delivered in good time. The entrees took longer and finally when they came, each one came separately with a span of minutes between deliveries, excluding mine, my Mariscada, which came extremely late while I was watching my friends feast on their entrees for a good ten minutes. They finally explained that they made it up originally as a paella and had to be recooked. I wish that they had just given me the paella instead as the Mariscada's shrimp was flaccid and the flavor wasn't as tasty (or as garlicky) as I was expecting. The paella (that my friend ordered, though was wonderful!) The rice adjoining my Mariscada was undercooked, crunchy and bland. The huge plates took up much of the table and there wasn't any space left for the kettles for the Mariscada and Paellas we ordered. We had to move, stack, combine and get rid of plates in order to be in a position to eat! The service, however, besides the kitchen mix ups were first class. The only gaff was that with three of us ordering dishes with lobster no shell crackers were provided and when we asked, we received only one for the table. One other thing at the low end of my con list were the knives on the table. The handles are horizontal, while the blades (of course when cutting) are vertical. It didn't feel comfortable and I had to "adjust" throughout the meal. While not enough to write a review over or turn the tide, I figure that I may as well add it here. All in all it was a lackluster performance and while it didn't ruin the evening, it sure took me out of the fantasy of first class restaurant and back into diner thoughts.
(2)Mike S.
The hostess was dismissive and barely acknowledged our existence, but our waiter was highly knowledgeable regarding all of the items on the menu as well as the ingredients! Hostess aside, service was fantastic. My girlfriend got one of their salads but was a little disappointed that there was so little dressing that I personally couldn't even taste it. Main course was a different story. The picadinho was phenomenal! A little hearty for the summer, but fantastic all the same. Wine list was commendable and I really liked the number and variety of 'by the glass' offerings. Their specialty drink list looked very good and unique and comes highly recommended by friends, but I can't comment as I haven't tried any yet. Needless to say, I will certainly be returning! Free valet parking on the weekends is definitely a plus!
(4)Rhino V.
Was just here tonite, after Bonefish @ LV Mall. My first time. My buddy Blanco Jonny took me & has been here before. Has Valet parking, a plus on the Easton Square. We sat @ bar. They had live music playing & the girl & acoustic guitarist seemed fine, but I could have done w/out it & just had some regular tunes playing as it was a bit loud & tough to carry a conversation. Anyway, we sat & My boy had to use bano & I waited to be greeted by bartender, to no avail. There were 3 guys behind the bar & no one said Boo, even after 5 mins. and the place was not crowded by any means. One guy said he is not the bartender, but the other guy was. Finally took our drink & appy orders. But this guy was DULL, no personality, hey here is a quarter, go buy one. Red Sangria was very good (I was shocked - as I've eaten @ plenty of Ironbound places - Newark, NJ for U not in da know) Appy was good too, some fish concoction served in a martini glass - it was good. Would have been 4 stars but as stated bartender put the D in dull. Will go back
(3)Mark S.
Service quick, over-garlicly on the food, which is not uncommon in NEPA, dining experience did not stand out, perhaps next time I will try the bar or outside seating
(3)Shouri W.
We went to this restaurant for dinner on Feb 6, 2013. At first glance, the restaurant looked really nice. I booked our reservation from opentable and requested to be sitted by the fireplace. They get a 1 star BECAUSE they accommodated by seating request. Our waitress was a white woman with a long ponytail. My girlfriend ordered the angelhair pasta. I ordered the filet mignon on the stone. When I told our waitress I wanted it medium rare, she explained that the steak is cooked on our table and I will be cooking it and I'm responsible for how my steak is cooked. I was not happy with that. $29.95 for a steak that I will be cooking by myself?? No thanks. If I wanted to do the cooking myself, I would stay home and cook. I then changed my order to lamb shank. When our orders came in, the food looked presentable. Sadly, the taste did not match it or even came close. The pasta was very lightly seasoned, and there was no salt or pepper on the table. The spinach was also undercooked. As for my order, the lamb had a very strong taste. I've had lamb many times and never had this problem with the taste. When I had the lamb shank at Valenca, I was so unhappy with the taste that I literally just took 3 bites from my food. The risotto however was pretty tasty with the mushroom sauce. When our waiter came, she saw that I barely touched my meal and my gf only finished a third of her meal. Not once did she ask us how our meal was. She just came by and ask us if we want the check. Mind you there was only one other party in the restaurant, other than us. They're less than 10% packed. I will not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Their meal left a really bad taste in our mouth. They get 1 star for accommodating my seating requests, otherwise I would give them zippo.
(1)Candi K.
I've been in a rut of restaurant choices in the LV, so it was time for something new. Restaurant.com was running $25 certificates for $3 a few months ago, so I picked one up a stack of them online, slowly eating through them. This week was our four year anniversary, so Valenca it was :) I made a reservation about 3 weeks in advance via OpenTable (they make eating out so easy). The afternoon of, they called to verify the reservation and see if we preferred indoor or outdoor seating. We asked for outdoor seating, but realized about an hour before leaving that the skies were about to unleash. No worries, a quick call to the restaurant had us moved to an inside table. Then of course it did not rain, and I wasted a particularly good opportunity to eat al fresco. I guess it's one of many reasons to go back; it's a nice outdoor seating area right on the circle. Indoors is nice as well - lots of beautiful woodwork and nice lighting. Service was okay - nothing crazy. Our waiter was a bit overwhelmed and it showed. My husband's water glass went empty for quite a bit, I was never asked if I wanted another glass of wine, and service felt a bit choppy. But the service was reasonable, and whenever our waiter noticed that we needed something, he made sure we got it. Some food was awesome...some was just so-so. We started with wine (I had an awesome glass of Vinho Verde...my husband had a Riesling of some sort), a classic caesar salad (a bit overdressed), calamari (just eh), and a basket of bread and dipping oil (delicious!). Main courses were much better. My chicken francese was awesome and I loved the spanish potatoes, rice & carrots that came with it. My husband loved his broiled salmon with crab but could have dealt without the mashed potatoes. Desserts were good, but not phenomenal (midnight layer cake & triple berry cobbler). I'm ruined for life on dessert though, after multiple trips at Sagra Bistro (where the desserts are fresh, awesome, the size of your face, and extremely reasonably priced). Dinner for 2 (2 glasses of wine, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees & 2 desserts) was $92 plus tax & tip. We had our Restaurant.com certificate that brought that down, but like most Restaurant.com certificates, they add an automatic 18% tip (I would normally tip more - but once they auto-add what they feel they are worth, I don't go beyond). Free valet on Fridays & Saturdays, but we just found a street spot. We'd definitely go back...maybe go for beef or pork next time and sit outside on the circle!
(4)Giovanni B.
Amazing outdoor space, great food and staff. Had the Cuban sandwich and it was delicious. Two thumbs up! I recommend.
(5)Michelle M.
An update to my previous review detailing a negative experience: the restaurant has contacted me in an effort to correct the situation. They have demonstrated why they are among my favorite restaurants. Kudos!!
(4)Bill B.
This was my first time here and it was during restaurant week. The place was excellent. The atmosphere and decor are well thought out. The service was outstanding. Our server (Sarah) was on top of everything. I had the fired goat cheese and figs with white balsamic and it was an excellent combination. The cream of mushroom soup was equally as tasty. My short ribs with mascarpone polenta was delicious. The meat was very tender. My friend had the steak on the stone and said it was equally delicious. The prices were reasonable and comparable to other great restaurants. I definitely plan on coming back and would recommend you try it as well.
(4)keith c.
went for a first time visit for our anniversary; seems there is some sort of holiday on Feb 14th so they were running a couples special. special deal was salad, share appetizer, 2 entrees, share dessert, bottle of wine and 2 glasses of champagne for $75. everything was fantastic, the Caesar salad seemed small, but what a wonderful taste and great presentation. took some time to get our appetizer (they were VERY busy, a friday night) but it was SO worth it. don't remember the name, but it was full of lump crab meat, tiny bits of fresh tomatoes and big chunks of avocado. it looked like an ice cream sundae when they brought it out in an oversized martini glass. entree was steak, prepared just as we asked (mine was medium well) ever so slightly pink inside, grilling marks nice and crispy. side of asparagus and 'meh' mashed potatoes; they tasted like instant potatoes. they should get rid of them. a baked potato would be a better choice. I had never been here before so I can't comment on the Portuguese fare, and the waitress said this was only their SECOND night with their new menu! I don't know how much changed, but none of the descriptions seemed daunting or unfamiliar. I DO have to mention some of these other reviews that slam this little city; SERIOUSLY??? a few people are bashing Easton when they know nothing about it. us local residents appreciate you coming to visit crayola, but there is a lot more to Easton than the crayons. and those of you from Allentown and Bethlehem are REALLY in no position to say anything about Easton! in case you didn't know, downtown Allentown really SUCKS.
(5)Allison C.
I have been here numerous times, this is starting to be my normal date spot for my boyfriend and I. The red Sangria is the best I have had around. And all the appetizers are great, but I'm mostly partial to the crab and avocado, it is always amazing. Last time I went I had the paella for my dinner which did not disappoint. The best part about Valenca is that it is located directly in the the square and when its nice out you can sit outside and enjoy the weather, and people watch! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone.
(5)Katie M.
The service was good, the seafood was fantastic. The only thing I was unhappy with was my main dish, veal, because it was too tough and for the price I was paying. Good atmosphere and outdoor seating which is always a plus.
(4)Rich A.
A former colleague was visiting Allentown on business, so we decided to meet up for dinner somewhere between my home in NJ and his hotel. I had a good feeling about Velanca, despite several negative reviews on the food and service elsewhere on the internet, and it turned out to be the perfect spot to catch up over dinner. We made reservations for 730pm to intentionally avoid the pre-theater crush. Valenca doesn't have its own parking lot, but street parking was easy to find. The restaurant wasn't very busy, so we were seated immediately. Our server came over quickly to offer a bit of helpful commentary on the menu (Valenca's most popular dishes are the other white meat) and the local beer offerings. Note that, while Valenca bills itself a Portuguese restaurant, I found that the menu seems to cater to local tastes and seems more Portuguese-inspired traditional American cuisine than authentic Portuguese. For an appetizer, my companion had the popular Portuguese Sausage ($9.50), a tasty mildly spicy sausage served in a flambéed presentation that reminded me of the sizzling platter of fajitas you might have at Chili's or TGI Fridays, and I opted for the BLT Salad ($9.50), comprised of fresh avocado slices, cherry tomatoes, baguette slices, and a generous serving of bacon served on a bed of baby greens. We both had the pork chop ($21.50), wrapped in bacon and served with a chili-maple glaze and bokchoy-avocado vegetable roll, which was exceptionally tasty. Overall, our service was prompt and efficient, the ambience was modern and upscale but casuall and relaxed, and the menu was imaginative and the food was tasty. Definitely worth the trip!
(4)Ginni T.
The place never fails: terrific atmosphere, great waitstaff, and wonderful food. The crab cocktail is a favorite appetizer: fresh crab meat and avocado in a citrus dressing. The steak on a stone is a good cut of filet that you cook yourself on a seering stone. The paella is enough to share. Grab an outside table; if you're lucky you may catch a Friday evening concert in the square. Enjoy!
(4)Jeff K.
Service was slow, our table of 4 was seated, 5 minutes later a table of six was seated and they were greater by their server and received the drink orders before our table was greated by our server. We ordered two serloin steaks medium and both were beyond well done, we informed the server when he asked how the food was, he apologized but nothing was done about our overly well done steaks. At $27.50 a steak it would have been nice to have to have our drinks comped or something. The appetizers and other entrees were delicious and the seasoning on the steaks was great as well.
(2)Jabbour J.
Food was okay, overpriced for the quality, the food came out cold. Not worth a visit, if you want some real good Spanish/Portuguese food head over to Spain Inn 2 in New Jersey it's about a 20 min drive from Valenca but trust me its much better.
(2)Jim D.
Located in the heart of my least favorite city in PA is the surprise star, Valenca. What a wonderful find this place turned out to be. It's been open for almost a year now and I am a little surprised how very few people know of it. The inside is gorgeous (unlike the city in which it dwells). Deep, dark woods frame a warm and inviting interior. Plush cushions, tons of elbow room, low lighting and a burning fireplace help make your dining experience a most comfortable and intimate one. Service is right on the mark. They're courteous, knowledgable and very attentive but never intrusive. Food was very good. From the delicious soup, to the flavorful calamari, to the enormous seafood paella for two. Truth be told, that paella is the best deal around. For $39, you're going to get enough food to serve three people handsomely - whole lobster included! I must admit the flavor could have been more robust though (it was a tad weak). The menu is pretty large and has a really great range of dishes to please just about everyone. Oh yeah, the triple berry cobbler is friggin insanely good. I recommend reservations for Friday and Saturday nights. It was relatvely slow when we first arrived at 5:15 but the place was hopping by 6:00pm and there was a massive crowd waiting. With places like Valenca emerging in Easton, there just might be some hope for this town yet...
(4)Susan G.
The food was very good and served attractively. The service was excellent. And the atmosphere was warm and inviting on a cold snowy day.
(5)Vanessa W.
I've been wanting to go to this place for a while after hearing about their legendary sagria and paella. We were there on a Friday night and the place was hopping. The decor was very nice - warm, inviting and sophisticated. Noise level was nice, not very loud considering how packed it was. Service was great. Attentive, but not intrusive or annoying. Very friendly, and knowledgable about the menu. Bonus points for free valet parking. My husband and I split the paella for two which includes a healthy serving of clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp and a whole lobster for $40. My husband eats A LOT and we couldn't finish it. My friend ordered a special - flounder stuffed with crab which she said was amazing and priced on par with other menu items at $24. We got a pitcher of Sangria ($21) for our table of three and it was just enough for us to have 2-2.5 glasses each. All said and done, I loved this place, and look forward to going back.
(5)Sirikwan W.
We came here for dinner and found this place to be delicious. We were in town for the Crayola Factory tour. Sangria and Paella were good, although the lobster was not as fresh as it should have been. The sausage was excellent. Steak on the hot stone was good. Decor of the place was really nice, didn't really fit the town. A place like this you would find in NYC, not really Easton, PA. I would be back again if I come back to Easton, but there is really nothing to see except the Crayola Factory.
(4)Eli K.
Food was great!!! Restaurant was very elegant for the price. Bathrooms really clean. Steak wrap was very tasty. Were very accommodating to our toddler!
(5)A K.
Granted it was a Friday night (2/11/11) and very busy with pre-theater crowd as we arrived - this was a bad experience all around. I have to mention that the menu on the website is not their menu - they changed it the Wednesday before we arrived. First the hostess, she needs a different job. She mumbled odd apologies for the fact that we were waiting for our table when we hadn't even complained, I don't consider it bad to wait 5 mintues for a table. She looked like a deer in headlights and was unable to handle the irritated people trying to make it to the show and unable to get their checks or coats. Food - I am sad to say it was just plain awful. Cod au gratin was flavorless and luke warm. Scallop entree was SO overcooked, I was hungry at this point and was really trying to eat my entree, but the scallops were so rubbery and overcooked they were getting stuck in my teeth. The sauce was bland and watery. The lentils were actually great, but, I had to send the dish back since I am not going to pay $28 for lentils. The waitress apologized, took my plate and came back with a dessert menu and said pick anything you like on the house. Other person in party had the portuguese sausage finished tableside with grapa, he said it was flavorful but dry. He had the Picadinho which was also WAY OVERCOOKED, rubbery shrimp and chewy meat. The sauce for that was great, but, who cares if you can barely chew the protein. Dessert also very bad, some berry thing that had FROZEN fruit. Really.Large frozen strawberries which hadn't been defrosted enough. And an underwhelming molten chocolate cake. In the end, my scallop dish was still on the check! Apparently the free dessert was suppsoed to placate me. I don't think so...got that taken off the check too, but I would have much preferred the excellent dinner most people enjoy here. Service - although we really liked our waitress in general - she was scarce. My one positive and it's a very positive thing, BEST sangria I have ever had. I would go back for that alone, but would eat somewhere else. BTW - the old menu is still on the website - it might not really matter normally, however, in this case I got specific recomendations from Portuguese friends, most of which were useless.
(1)Lauren W.
Have been here a couple of times. Beautiful space (nice space, top of the line appointments, wine cellar, outdoor seating) great food (Portuguese, plenty of seafood). However, service was off. The second visit, our waiter was a little unprofessional, volunteering information about drinking and hangovers. It was pretty uncomfortable. I would return, but am wary about service.
(3)John A.
The menu is great. You will not find dishes
(5)Karen S.
Fresh, quality food. Nice atmosphere. Filet mingon on a stone was excellent, as were the scallops. Nice salads. Good service but some of the help young and could use some training. I recommend.
(4)Shane O.
The place is very very nice, the bar seems interesting and they seem to have a good selection of drinks. We went on a Thursday night and the place was completely dead, it was 10F outside though which may explain the situation, I'm told it's usually very busy. Service was very good but slow, I can imagine it's just average if it's crowded. Food selection was very interesting and everything we got was good to very good except the mashed potatoes (skip them and get something else). The caipirinha was pretty good, much much better than Made in Brasil, but I'm still looking for something better in the Valley! Definitely worth a stop if even for a drink and some apps at the bar. Prices were on the high side but seemed fairly reasonable for most things except the drinks which were definitely over-priced. Outside seating looked nice too, maybe a stop back in the Summer is due.
(3)Ko K.
Pretty good paella and sangria the first few times, but quality has slipped a little bit in recent times. Two other dishes I've ordered a few times and have liked are the Portuguese Steak, and Stone-grilled fillet where you grill the fillet yourself on a burning hot stone.
(4)Mihee K.
It's a lovely, cozy atmosphere. I went for the wine and paella and was thoroughly satiated. Decent service.
(4)Seana C.
I've been to Valenca four times now and usually opt for the Picadinho Mixto, which is a delicious mix of pork, chicken, steak and shrimp with potatoes, olives, etc., which is great for me because I can never decide just exactly what it is that I want! It's always delicious and the serving is huge! I can never finish it myself. I've also had the strip steak topped with shrimp and mozzarella cheese, which is also yummy, but not very flavorful. The Picadinho Mixto is what keeps me coming back! The calamari appetizer leaves much to be desired. Both times I've had it, it has been tough and bland. The service is usually decent, but never exceptional. This is a great place to come for a glass of wine and a simple meal. I'd recommend trying it out for lunch! They have great lunch specials and it's not as hectic.
(3)Isabel O.
But why does it have to be in Easton?! We very much enjoyed our first visit to Valenca. I am not going to comment on the 'authenticity' of the food since I don't know much about Portuguese food beyond Iberia in the iron-bound section of Newark growing up. We thought the quality and the quantity was right there for the price point and look forward to our next visit. Scallops with spinach was fantastic - 4 large, plump scallops, a sheaf of spinach, no problems swapping rice vs mashed potatoes. Husband's rib eye special w/chorizo, mushrooms and in a brandy-cream sauce was fantastic. Very tender and very flavorful. Portions super large. Server Michael was charming, friendly, attentive and funny. Full marks to staff. If I had a beef it would be the fireplace being lit on a warm night on top of the heat being on. I was warm to the point of discomfort by the time we left, I can't imagine how hot the servers are running around. Also Allentown to Easton is a bit of a hike. We parked on the square (circle?) but didn't realize they did free valet parking. Also unclear why they no longer use Opentable.com Would think that would be a real boon. 2 mains, 2 martinis, 3 wines was $97 after tax, before tip. Certainly on par with the other places in this price point. We had a $50 gift cert from wlev.com half-price promo, but we'll return even without it.
(5)Tom B.
I've been only here this one time, but I have to say, the attentiveness of the wait staff, and the food itself was excellent. As I read, there were a ton of hits to this place....but I didn't see it on a Friday Night at 7:30 at all (and it was indeed crowded) Started with the Artichoke Milanese.....very light tasting (not too rich). Never had Artichokes that way. Next the wife had a baby greens salad (simple....she enjoyed it)...I had the French Onion Soup (was very good.....although I'm not so sure it was any different from any other French Onion Soup I've had)....but then on to the entrees which were great. I had the Picadinho.....and to describe it simply, it's beef, pork, and shrimp in a stew with olives and potatoes. Fantastic.....the wife had the grilled sirloin....grilled perfectly and the glaze on it was great. Ok...so this is a great review...but I have to tell you....I didnt know what to expect....the reviews here on Yelp were all over the place. The whole meal was under $60 with the restaurant.com certificate (which I had reservations on using.....because it was kind of an upscale place). I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(5)Gloria P.
We were seated at our reservation time. Calde verde soup was not an accurate example of true Portuguese cuisine, it was disappointing. The acoustics of the room made the noise level difficult to hold a conversation. Main entrees were very good though the chorico was very spicey for our palate.
(3)Bernd H.
Went there twice: lunch is beside the small portions all right, however the dinner menu, well: A bowl of meat (not to tender, not to tasty) for 24 bucks without any side dishes and way to much vinegar in the shrimp salad (15 $) - it is a nice place, but way overpriced for the food quality. Restaurant was completely empty when we went their first time for lunch.
(2)Josh F.
So this will be a short but sweet review, as we only attended for a few drinks and desert. I'll re-review once I have a chance to properly dine there. Nice place, good atmosphere. Not as truely authentic Portugese as I would ahve hoped, but the menu is writhe with numerous amazing looking dishes. The wine selection is wonderful, with some great Spanish and Portugese reds, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also had a rasberry-almond tart, which was pretty good. Only complaints for now are a slight slowness to the bar staff, she was not very attentive for how slow it was that evening...but nothing horrible. I also had my first glass of wine served in an absolutely filthy glass...I'm a real bitch, right? ;)
(4)Emily M.
I haven't been to Valenca since just after they opened a few years ago. Then, I had just a few appetizers and cocktails. It was good, but never went back until a friend mentioned how much he loved it, so we went for dinner last night. Our meals were phenomenal! We had the seared tuna and a salmon entree. Very nice sized portions too! The service was also spot on. Very friendly, attentive and not over-bearing. I'll be recommending Valenca to many people and will absolutely be back!
(4)Brian L.
Came here on lunch break one Friday afternoon. The interior was very nice and the staff was friendly. The restaurant was kinda dead when we went except for a family of 5. I ordered the pork sandwich which was DELICIOUS. The meat was tender and the sauce used complimented it perfectly. This place woulda got a 5, but the service was ridiculous (as allison m. said). We didn't get our food until maybe 30 - 45 minutes later....and we all got sandwiches. So there's no reason it should have taken that long. I will be back to try Valenca again though, because I love paella and need to try their's...
(4)Joshua L.
it is said that with change comes a new era, and a new era can create legends. if this is so the change at valenca might just provide us with such an event. last time i went there i left unsatisfied. but how things can change. with the simple act of changing chefs valenca now has my respect. the churizo sausage flambyed tableside in grappa might very well have been the best sausage i have ever eaten. the wine list was extensive which my gf loved, but the beer list was not, which i did not enjoy. main course i just went for the greek-italian chopped salad. very fresh ingredients and the kalamata olives were plump and juicified in my mouth. i will be going back and then possibly leaving with more than just a smile and a full stomach.
(4)Mike H.
Excellent experience my first time there! This was my wife's 3rd or 4th visit and insisted I try it and it was well worth it. It was early on a Friday evening and we were able to walk it and be seated quickly. The atmosphere was very cozy; we weren't far from the bar and there was even a 2-man band later in the evening and we were still able to have an easy conversation. The service was very professional. The wine list was very good; we had the Clos Du Bois 2008 Pinot Noir. Highlights were the Prosciutto and Cheese Plate, Crab Bisque and the Braised Short Rib Ravioli. I'll definitely be back.
(4)keith c.
went for a first time visit for our anniversary; seems there is some sort of holiday on Feb 14th so they were running a couples special. special deal was salad, share appetizer, 2 entrees, share dessert, bottle of wine and 2 glasses of champagne for $75. everything was fantastic, the Caesar salad seemed small, but what a wonderful taste and great presentation. took some time to get our appetizer (they were VERY busy, a friday night) but it was SO worth it. don't remember the name, but it was full of lump crab meat, tiny bits of fresh tomatoes and big chunks of avocado. it looked like an ice cream sundae when they brought it out in an oversized martini glass. entree was steak, prepared just as we asked (mine was medium well) ever so slightly pink inside, grilling marks nice and crispy. side of asparagus and 'meh' mashed potatoes; they tasted like instant potatoes. they should get rid of them. a baked potato would be a better choice. I had never been here before so I can't comment on the Portuguese fare, and the waitress said this was only their SECOND night with their new menu! I don't know how much changed, but none of the descriptions seemed daunting or unfamiliar. I DO have to mention some of these other reviews that slam this little city; SERIOUSLY??? a few people are bashing Easton when they know nothing about it. us local residents appreciate you coming to visit crayola, but there is a lot more to Easton than the crayons. and those of you from Allentown and Bethlehem are REALLY in no position to say anything about Easton! in case you didn't know, downtown Allentown really SUCKS.
(5)Mark J.
Dining date: Dec. 23, 2013 for lunch. Although not completely authentic, the Cuban sandwich was fantastic! My wife loved the chipolte chicken sandwich. Great beer list on top of the great food! The server was friendly and attentive. Prices were average for Easton. Will definitely come back.
(5)Jimmy S.
I have been here for both the lunch menu and dinner menu and both were incredible. There are a lot of unique items on the menu it is almost hard to decide on just one. Calming elegant atmosphere and great service. I will definitely eat here again to try the other dishes!
(5)Tom C.
I would have liked to have rated this place a little higher but there were several issues that made the meal less than ideal. I ordered a Mojito and was served a drink with very little rum and the mix was watered down and poured into a glass full of ice. Not something one does to a nine dollar drink. I ordered off the Fork and Spoon section of the menu and was served my angle hair pasta without a spoon. Not a big deal but when I asked for a spoon the bus boy acted like he was totally surprised and came back with a small soup spoon. Other than that, the experience was good, a nice atmosphere and all around the food was good.
(3)Cher L.
Horrible!!!! Do not waste your money! After a wonderful day with my family, we decided to give Valenca a chance. After being seated, we weren't greeted by the server, she didn't give us any specials and she couldn't substitute or add steak onto my salad or a meal for my daughter. After 30 minutes of waiting after she took my order, Amanda is her name, she brought over bread on a plate that was hard as a rock ( the table next to us with a different server had it presented quite nicely on a wooden board), I finally asked where our drinks were. She said " what did you order again?" I couldn't believe after 30 minutes I needed to repeat a simple sangria and beer order. Then she said " oh, right. My bad. I had that written down. I gave the table up there their drinks and forgot to bring yours. " wow, that really makes someone feel special! Then I specifically asked for no cheese on my salad and to add chicken breast. They come out with cheese slathered all over it , a dressing that did not taste like blood orange and chicken that was dark meat, clearly not breast. I had to send it back. When I asked if the chicken was a whole chicken or breast, she said it's breast. Not true at all! I only eat breast meat and trust me I know the difference in color alone! Then she brings out my linguini carbonara which I specifically requested once again for NO cheese and once again it comes out with cheese. I send it back. Then she comes by and said I know the kitchen had to remake it. Really?? Terrific! After my husband is almost done with his meal, my daughter and I get out slop of shit! The worst carbonara I have ever tasted!! I literally feel like throwing up and I only had two bites and by bites I mean strands of linguini. My daughter wouldn't go near it and Amanda noticed and asked if I wanted it boxed up! The nerve of her!!! I get my meal five minutes earlier and bc my husband is done with his meal, I should not eat???? So j told her no , I'm not taking it home. She asked if I liked it and j said No. She asked if she could know why and I said bc it's not good. So she took it off the check. Now I'm driving 4 hours home to New York and my daughter, son and I didn't eat dinner and most likely won't now. I feel like throwing up. My daughter ate a granola bar and my son ate a pb and jelly sandwich! This was by far the worst restaurant in service and food I have ever been too!!! Over salted, no seasoning, worst service, a chef that doesn't understand modifications. I don't wish this on anyone. Stay far far away!!!
(1)Aaron T.
On Center Square in Easton, you'll find a beautiful, classy bar and restaurant Valenca. At it's core Valenca is a Portuguese restaurant, and it has a variety of steaks, pastas, and seafood to choose from on the menu. While visiting, we both had the Paella Valenca. They also have a nice appetizer menu. We sampled the Portuguese sausage and the cheese plate. These were the highlights of our dining experience here. The cheese plate is very large in size, so you may want to share it. As a gluten intolerant person, I was pleased with how well the wait staff provided knowledge on the menu. In addition, the restaurant has a selection of gluten free pastas that can be exchanged in any of their regular pasta dishes. There is a bar that expands from the front entrance of the building to the side entrance, which sometimes has live music. They also have several drink specials; Wednesday is half price bottles of wine (as long as the wine is under $100 in value). An excellent dining experience complimented by good food, courteous staff, and a beautifully composed dining environment.
(4)Samantha S.
Positives: lovely outdoor seating; very friendly and considerate wait staff. Negatives: the food has been decidedly underwhelming the last three times I've been. In particular, my meals have been overly greasy (why is there a puddle of olive oil under my dinner?) and suuuuuper salty. Like "maybe don't finish that" salty. Wen I ordered "Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables" I received literally eight average-size gnocchi decorating a pile of veggies. However, I love sitting outside at twilight, like the interior as well, and have alway enjoyed the live music, so all in all, it's a mixed bag.
(2)Gail S.
I needed a quick lunch and noticed the outside seating. I ordered the fried artichoke sandwich that had red onion and garlic aioli on a very soft chewy ciabatta bread. It also came with a side and I had the tossed greens in a very light and tasty vinaigrette. It was AWESOME. This sandwich rocks! And the greens were fresh and varied. My bill with iced tea came to $12.67. A lovely fall outdoor lunch experience.
(5)Jesse M.
Great experience! 2nd best restaurant we've been to in Easton next to only Sette Luna. Food was very good (carrot ginger soup, wedge salad, glazed salmon, amazing burger, and a super fresh paella that you rarely will find to this level.) Atmosphere was loud so we sat by the door on a cold snowy night. Probably should have dealt with the sound as opposed to the cold spot. They were kind a warned us that seat might be cold and originally tried to seat us in the main area. Gota give props for that service. It's very large for Easton's restaurants and probably the priciest too. Would highly recommend though!
(5)Jonathan S.
First time here and we loved it. Came across Valenca while plotting one of our all-day motorcycle excursions. The wind blew us through Easton, PA and in search of a cool place to have brunch we found Valenca. Very nice restaurant, with very friendly service. This place started out as a Portuguese restaurant, but now is more of a fusion place. Executive Chef Abe Lopez is a fellow New Yorker, so extra points there. I had the Valenca Benedict which is their take on Eggs Benedict, and clearly shows the Portuguese roots. Replace the English Muffins with arepas, replace the Canadian bacon with chorizo, and spike the hollandaise sauce with chipotle and the result is something pretty damn good. Top it off with a couple of mimosas and one of their sinful desserts and you get a place that we'll be stopping in many more times in the future. Come check out Easton, PA, it's a lovely city, and while you're there, stop in at Valenca. Tell Candace I said hello ;-)
(4)Shawn S.
Ate here while in town for a business trip. Food was top notch. Service was solid. Beer could have been colder. Wasn't very crowded. Maybe I caught them on a slow night. Would definitely recommend.
(4)Vicki K.
Awful service and terrible meal for the price. I will not go back and I frequent Easton restaurants. Go somewhere else and save your money!
(1)Jeffrey M.
Food was very decent but the wait time was horrific. Waitress held it together though. Mostly.
(3)Zirvios K.
Never again ,i dont care for that place ,the only good think you can sit outside
(1)Ruikun S.
The appetizers are fine except they overcooked the octopus, but they serve us a nwe plate. No complaint about that. However, the entrees are disasters! They were extremely salty. Only the steak on the stone was not salty, the rest of 5 entrees were horrible, especially the crab cake. I spent total 300 dollars including 50 dollars gratuity for this six people meal. And I never expected this.. However, the service was nice though.
(1)Danielle G.
Pretty good brunch. The Bloody Mary was pretty average, and it took a pretty long time for food to come out (which I generally don't mind, especially for a weekend brunch), but the entrees were worth it. The onions (which I had in my omelette and also in my breakfast potatoes) were SO GOOD. Everything was prepared really well. Overall a really nice atmosphere for a relaxing Saturday brunch.
(4)Maryellen P.
Too bad this place used to be excellent. After walking into 6 other downtown Easton restaurants and being told it was at least a 1 hour wait, Valenca took us right away. This was much appreciated on a cold snowy night. However it was all downhill from there. It started off with a young server dropping an entire glass of ice water right on my husband's lap. I mean...bullseye...an entire glass right on his lap. OK, accidents happen...I even said well at least it's only water. The boy apologized, the rest of the restaurant saw what happened but the waiter didn't mention it. We sat with the remaining 3 glasses of water for a long time...the waiter came by 3 times to tell us he would be back in 1 second. He kept going to other tables. A table of 8 come in after us and received their drinks and their waitress was taking their dinner order and there we were... About 30 minutes after sitting with nothing but water and an unlit candle some woman, who appeared to be a manager came over and asked "is there a problem here? " We mentioned the water but said it was ok. She glared at us, didn't introduce herself and didn't come back.... no complimentary drink and no apology. In fact they charged us for things they never brought and we were too frustrated to request again.... The food was good but not good enough to justify the rudeness if the senior staff and the incompetence if the wait staff. After having eaten here several times in the past, we won't be back. Oh and yes, we did leave a nice tip anyway.... Because we're nice people.
(1)Bob F.
My wife and I went out with friends who had tried Valenca before and wanted to give it one more try. The atmosphere was nice and we were surprised that the restaurant wasn't packed on a Saturday night. We were promptly seated at our table, but we should have taken note of the early warning signs and left. We put in our drink orders, and my friend and I ordered a draft and they came in small white wine glasses. After about 20-30 minutes, the waiter took our order. My friend asked if he could have a minor modification to his entree and the waiter informed us that the chef was in a bad mood and stressed, so he didn't want to bother him. We placed our order and waited a half hour for our appetizer. Once we finished that, our salads came. My friends Cesar salad had lettuce that was so wilted, it wasn't edible and he didn't touch his plate. When that waiter finally checked in after 20 minutes or so, my friend mentioned the problem. The waiter apologized and cleared our plates without offering to address the issue. When our entrees came after another half hour (yes this was and hour and a half after being seated), we were hoping for the best. My friends fiancee said her fennel was so hard she couldn't eat it. My wife's meal was undercooked. Fortunately my friend and I got a steak on a stone. Since we cooked it ourselves, it turned out OK. After trying to get the waiter's attention for 15 minutes, he took an entree back and asked the cook to put the vegetables on the grill. Several minutes later, the waiter returned with the entree still under cooked. At this point, we had enough, and asked the waiter to bring the check and put the remaining entree's in containers so we could take it home. After another 10 minutes, he informed us that they entrees were thrown away accidentally. We thought that at least they would credit us, but only removed 6 dollars from the one undercooked entree and charged us full price for everything else. We were so upset, we paid the bill just to get out of there. The one thing that bothered us most, is that it was clear to the waiter that we were not getting what we paid for, yet he made no attempt to correct the issue. In addition, the owner was wandering around the restaurant, and we tried to get her attention several times and were ignored. I have to say this was the most disappointing dining experience I have had in the Lehigh Valley. Not only was the service poor, but the food was bad, and the owner and waiter made no effort to address our concerns. It's too bad, I think the restaurant has potential, but it is so poorly managed that I don't see it getting better. I strongly recommend skipping Valenca until they hire a competent staff and manager that understands how to treat customers and run a restaurant.
(1)Scott S.
Second time there tonight. Taking my special lady for a special dinner. Made reservations and was to believe to be a sell out night. But apparently was wrong many tables available all night Upon arrival was seated by the front door to an empty room. Asked hostess and she was able to move us 15-20 minutes before anybody came to the table. Service tonight was poor. Apparently the front staff was not being managed. Last time here the service was fantastic tonight it was the opposite Food was great but the service really put a damper to things. For this price service should be first class
(2)Nick S.
"Amanda the Hostess" Me and my girlfriend are here in Easton at a bed & breakfast (Lafayette Inn) on business for a few days. We've been trying out the local food spots here around midtown and have been having a wonderful experience with the nearby restaurants (River Grill and ESPECIALLY Two Rivers Brewery). We noticed Valencas 4 star rating today, so it was a go for tonights dinner. Upon entering, there was no hostess (Amanda as we later determined) to be found anywhere. There was a very nice waitress who was busy tending to other diners that took time out to seat us. The hostess later comes and takes over as our waitress. We order steak carpaccio, risotto rice balls, grilled pork belly and a marinara pie. Didn't like the grilled pork belly at all. Needless to say, it may be a matter of taste but definitely not mine. Which is fine.. I didn't eat more than a bite before deciding to return it. I told Amanda that I'd like to return the dish and she did so, with a slight smirk on her face. Dinner finishes up and voila, we're billed for the grilled pork belly, the one I returned with barely a bite missing. Needless to say, I really thought this could've been a mistake so I politely confronted her about it where she told me that it was a matter of taste and that she wouldn't take it off the bill. Anyways, I took it out her tip because thats the right thing to do. Any patron dining at a restaurant where we consume food. Things that we put in our body, are always entitled to say "Hey, I don't like this. May I have it returned?" Did I abuse this principle? No. In fact I cant remember the last time I returned food for myself. .. and for Valencas heinous wrongdoing, they have now lost a potential customer who could have spent more there in return business than the value of a $10 dish. Don't believe me? Ask one of your foodly neighbors and take notes.
(2)Dennis S.
First time guests Saturday night. What a great place. Great greeting by the host. Great service by our server and the food was outstanding!!!!!! Will definitely recommend this place to our friends and family as well as be back again soon.
(5)Nanette W.
My husband and I have been here several times in the past few months. We normally go on a Saturday or Sunday for lunch or brunch. We have yet to eat inside as when the weather is nice we prefer to sit outside, which if you like to people watch then this a perfect place to sit. If we are in Easton for the farmers market on Saturday this is one of the places we like to have lunch or brunch at. We have had pizza, including the breakfast pizza, to the omelet of the day to eggs Benedict and sandwich specials. We have always had very good food and great service. The only thing I was disappointed with was I was told the kitchen did not have crushed red pepper flakes for my pizza??? If a place has pizza you must have crushed red pepper. It's a given. I'm not sure where some of the negative reviews are coming from. The only thing I can think of is we have never eaten here at night or on the weekday. But regardless of the negative reviews I would suggest you give this place a try. If you are looking for a good place for brunch on Saturday or Sunday then this is the place. For $25 you can order anything off the brunch menu and have 2 hours of bottomless Bellini's, mimosas, or sangria. Our favorite is the blood orange Bellini, yum!
(5)Zachary L.
By far the best place my family and I have found in the area. After living in the Easton area for ten months, we have been disappointed with the poor quality of restaurants in the area. This was until we dined here. All five entrees were different and they were all great!!
(5)Ally B.
Great food! We ate here this past weekend with a large party. Service was excellent, polite and quick. The food was excellent. The Paella is amazing. And they offer gluten free options upon request. The price is mid-range, but worth it. Good sized portions. Nice atmosphere. And they have free valet parking. We'll be back.
(5)Jeff C.
I don't often (if at all) go out to a restaurant in which my bill totals over $200 and I don't often write reviews but this was a celebration and went out with my wife and two of our closest friends. After having read the reviews I was psyched to really enjoy the experience..but a lot of little things kept occurring until I couldn't ignore them anymore. This added up in the end to an expensive and less satisfying experience. While the tables are good sized, there is little room between them to walk and I was inconvenienced multiple times during the dinner by servers and patrons asking me to move my chair. First the pitcher of Sangria was mostly ice and we downed it quickly. Later, as our glasses were still filled with ice from the first serving, we ordered the next carafe sans the ice. It also came sans the wine as it was half filled. The appetizer (Portuguese sausage) and salads were tasty and delivered in good time. The entrees took longer and finally when they came, each one came separately with a span of minutes between deliveries, excluding mine, my Mariscada, which came extremely late while I was watching my friends feast on their entrees for a good ten minutes. They finally explained that they made it up originally as a paella and had to be recooked. I wish that they had just given me the paella instead as the Mariscada's shrimp was flaccid and the flavor wasn't as tasty (or as garlicky) as I was expecting. The paella (that my friend ordered, though was wonderful!) The rice adjoining my Mariscada was undercooked, crunchy and bland. The huge plates took up much of the table and there wasn't any space left for the kettles for the Mariscada and Paellas we ordered. We had to move, stack, combine and get rid of plates in order to be in a position to eat! The service, however, besides the kitchen mix ups were first class. The only gaff was that with three of us ordering dishes with lobster no shell crackers were provided and when we asked, we received only one for the table. One other thing at the low end of my con list were the knives on the table. The handles are horizontal, while the blades (of course when cutting) are vertical. It didn't feel comfortable and I had to "adjust" throughout the meal. While not enough to write a review over or turn the tide, I figure that I may as well add it here. All in all it was a lackluster performance and while it didn't ruin the evening, it sure took me out of the fantasy of first class restaurant and back into diner thoughts.
(2)Mike S.
The hostess was dismissive and barely acknowledged our existence, but our waiter was highly knowledgeable regarding all of the items on the menu as well as the ingredients! Hostess aside, service was fantastic. My girlfriend got one of their salads but was a little disappointed that there was so little dressing that I personally couldn't even taste it. Main course was a different story. The picadinho was phenomenal! A little hearty for the summer, but fantastic all the same. Wine list was commendable and I really liked the number and variety of 'by the glass' offerings. Their specialty drink list looked very good and unique and comes highly recommended by friends, but I can't comment as I haven't tried any yet. Needless to say, I will certainly be returning! Free valet parking on the weekends is definitely a plus!
(4)Candi K.
I've been in a rut of restaurant choices in the LV, so it was time for something new. Restaurant.com was running $25 certificates for $3 a few months ago, so I picked one up a stack of them online, slowly eating through them. This week was our four year anniversary, so Valenca it was :) I made a reservation about 3 weeks in advance via OpenTable (they make eating out so easy). The afternoon of, they called to verify the reservation and see if we preferred indoor or outdoor seating. We asked for outdoor seating, but realized about an hour before leaving that the skies were about to unleash. No worries, a quick call to the restaurant had us moved to an inside table. Then of course it did not rain, and I wasted a particularly good opportunity to eat al fresco. I guess it's one of many reasons to go back; it's a nice outdoor seating area right on the circle. Indoors is nice as well - lots of beautiful woodwork and nice lighting. Service was okay - nothing crazy. Our waiter was a bit overwhelmed and it showed. My husband's water glass went empty for quite a bit, I was never asked if I wanted another glass of wine, and service felt a bit choppy. But the service was reasonable, and whenever our waiter noticed that we needed something, he made sure we got it. Some food was awesome...some was just so-so. We started with wine (I had an awesome glass of Vinho Verde...my husband had a Riesling of some sort), a classic caesar salad (a bit overdressed), calamari (just eh), and a basket of bread and dipping oil (delicious!). Main courses were much better. My chicken francese was awesome and I loved the spanish potatoes, rice & carrots that came with it. My husband loved his broiled salmon with crab but could have dealt without the mashed potatoes. Desserts were good, but not phenomenal (midnight layer cake & triple berry cobbler). I'm ruined for life on dessert though, after multiple trips at Sagra Bistro (where the desserts are fresh, awesome, the size of your face, and extremely reasonably priced). Dinner for 2 (2 glasses of wine, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees & 2 desserts) was $92 plus tax & tip. We had our Restaurant.com certificate that brought that down, but like most Restaurant.com certificates, they add an automatic 18% tip (I would normally tip more - but once they auto-add what they feel they are worth, I don't go beyond). Free valet on Fridays & Saturdays, but we just found a street spot. We'd definitely go back...maybe go for beef or pork next time and sit outside on the circle!
(4)Giovanni B.
Amazing outdoor space, great food and staff. Had the Cuban sandwich and it was delicious. Two thumbs up! I recommend.
(5)Michelle M.
An update to my previous review detailing a negative experience: the restaurant has contacted me in an effort to correct the situation. They have demonstrated why they are among my favorite restaurants. Kudos!!
(4)Bill B.
This was my first time here and it was during restaurant week. The place was excellent. The atmosphere and decor are well thought out. The service was outstanding. Our server (Sarah) was on top of everything. I had the fired goat cheese and figs with white balsamic and it was an excellent combination. The cream of mushroom soup was equally as tasty. My short ribs with mascarpone polenta was delicious. The meat was very tender. My friend had the steak on the stone and said it was equally delicious. The prices were reasonable and comparable to other great restaurants. I definitely plan on coming back and would recommend you try it as well.
(4)Rhino V.
Was just here tonite, after Bonefish @ LV Mall. My first time. My buddy Blanco Jonny took me & has been here before. Has Valet parking, a plus on the Easton Square. We sat @ bar. They had live music playing & the girl & acoustic guitarist seemed fine, but I could have done w/out it & just had some regular tunes playing as it was a bit loud & tough to carry a conversation. Anyway, we sat & My boy had to use bano & I waited to be greeted by bartender, to no avail. There were 3 guys behind the bar & no one said Boo, even after 5 mins. and the place was not crowded by any means. One guy said he is not the bartender, but the other guy was. Finally took our drink & appy orders. But this guy was DULL, no personality, hey here is a quarter, go buy one. Red Sangria was very good (I was shocked - as I've eaten @ plenty of Ironbound places - Newark, NJ for U not in da know) Appy was good too, some fish concoction served in a martini glass - it was good. Would have been 4 stars but as stated bartender put the D in dull. Will go back
(3)Mark S.
Service quick, over-garlicly on the food, which is not uncommon in NEPA, dining experience did not stand out, perhaps next time I will try the bar or outside seating
(3)Michele B.
this place is great. I have been here on a few occasions and have not been disappointed. Steak on a stone (or something similar) is great. You are brought a hot stone with a raw steak which you cook yourself. Ive had the paella which was amazing and filling. Staff is knowledgable, and friendly. Pricing is decent. Im a fan.
(4)Jeremy M.
Great Sunday lunch. Excellent beer selection and fantastic Cuban. My wife's cheeseburger was good as well. Reasonable prices and great food.
(4)Ralph D.
Amazing staff, atmosphere and food! Great date night!!
(5)Glenn C.
Excellent seafood. I had the Swordfish with the asian preparation that they usually do for salmon. My daughter had the salmon and my wife had the shrimp and grits with chorizo. Everyone were happy. Grilled caesar salads were very good and huge. They have specialty cocktails for 10 dollars. Fish was very fresh. Risoto balls for appertizer were good. We sat outside which was nice.
(4)Mary D.
Love the bar, love the atmosphere; however, I've tried many entrees and appetizers and am always disappointed with the food. Always. Will definitely go for a cocktail but will never buy food here unless I'm absolutely desperate.
(3)Shouri W.
We went to this restaurant for dinner on Feb 6, 2013. At first glance, the restaurant looked really nice. I booked our reservation from opentable and requested to be sitted by the fireplace. They get a 1 star BECAUSE they accommodated by seating request. Our waitress was a white woman with a long ponytail. My girlfriend ordered the angelhair pasta. I ordered the filet mignon on the stone. When I told our waitress I wanted it medium rare, she explained that the steak is cooked on our table and I will be cooking it and I'm responsible for how my steak is cooked. I was not happy with that. $29.95 for a steak that I will be cooking by myself?? No thanks. If I wanted to do the cooking myself, I would stay home and cook. I then changed my order to lamb shank. When our orders came in, the food looked presentable. Sadly, the taste did not match it or even came close. The pasta was very lightly seasoned, and there was no salt or pepper on the table. The spinach was also undercooked. As for my order, the lamb had a very strong taste. I've had lamb many times and never had this problem with the taste. When I had the lamb shank at Valenca, I was so unhappy with the taste that I literally just took 3 bites from my food. The risotto however was pretty tasty with the mushroom sauce. When our waiter came, she saw that I barely touched my meal and my gf only finished a third of her meal. Not once did she ask us how our meal was. She just came by and ask us if we want the check. Mind you there was only one other party in the restaurant, other than us. They're less than 10% packed. I will not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Their meal left a really bad taste in our mouth. They get 1 star for accommodating my seating requests, otherwise I would give them zippo.
(1)Monika W.
The waiters are very knowledgable & friendly. The entrees are on the pricer side, but well worth it! Their salad choices are creative & the different ingredients blend very well together. I've been there a few times now & it seems that the steak on the stone is a very popular dish. Served on a hot stone with two sauces and a dry rub, the wellness of the steak is in your hands...so enjoy! I recommend making a reservation if you don't want to wait, especially on the weekend. You can make it through opentable.com so it's quick & easy.
(5)Michael H.
Called ahead to see if they could accommodate vegan (they could!). Arrived on time for 5:30 reservation in anticipation of concert at the State Theater right up the street starting at 7pm. By 6:30 our appetizer had not arrived and upon questioning the staff conceded that there was no way our dinner would arrive on time. We had to bail out. Appetizer, a stuffed avocado, was yummy. Hostess professed all kinds of apologies. We may give it another shot, but not with anyplace we need to go afterwards. A couple next to us arrived at 5pm and were attending the same concert. They had to rush their entree to arrive at the theater on time.
(2)Katrina A.
Had a ladies brunch this weekend while visiting friends in PA. No wait when we arrived and our request for a different table was willingly granted. Service was attentive throughout the meal. Being a group of eight we all ordered something different. Everyone was very pleased with their meal. The churros and fruit was delicious as was the omlettes and salads. I loved my Valenca pizza with fig jam brie and arugula drizzled with truffle honey. I would definitely visit again.
(4)Danielle G.
Pretty good brunch. The Bloody Mary was pretty average, and it took a pretty long time for food to come out (which I generally don't mind, especially for a weekend brunch), but the entrees were worth it. The onions (which I had in my omelette and also in my breakfast potatoes) were SO GOOD. Everything was prepared really well. Overall a really nice atmosphere for a relaxing Saturday brunch.
(4)Glenn C.
Excellent seafood. I had the Swordfish with the asian preparation that they usually do for salmon. My daughter had the salmon and my wife had the shrimp and grits with chorizo. Everyone were happy. Grilled caesar salads were very good and huge. They have specialty cocktails for 10 dollars. Fish was very fresh. Risoto balls for appertizer were good. We sat outside which was nice.
(4)Steve T.
Friday night dinner. Rolls frozen in middle. Overcooked and room temperature fish special. Over salted risotto. This was the worst dining experience in some time. Certainly not worth the price
(1)Mary D.
Love the bar, love the atmosphere; however, I've tried many entrees and appetizers and am always disappointed with the food. Always. Will definitely go for a cocktail but will never buy food here unless I'm absolutely desperate.
(3)Mark J.
Dining date: Dec. 23, 2013 for lunch. Although not completely authentic, the Cuban sandwich was fantastic! My wife loved the chipolte chicken sandwich. Great beer list on top of the great food! The server was friendly and attentive. Prices were average for Easton. Will definitely come back.
(5)Jimmy S.
I have been here for both the lunch menu and dinner menu and both were incredible. There are a lot of unique items on the menu it is almost hard to decide on just one. Calming elegant atmosphere and great service. I will definitely eat here again to try the other dishes!
(5)Jonathan S.
First time here and we loved it. Came across Valenca while plotting one of our all-day motorcycle excursions. The wind blew us through Easton, PA and in search of a cool place to have brunch we found Valenca. Very nice restaurant, with very friendly service. This place started out as a Portuguese restaurant, but now is more of a fusion place. Executive Chef Abe Lopez is a fellow New Yorker, so extra points there. I had the Valenca Benedict which is their take on Eggs Benedict, and clearly shows the Portuguese roots. Replace the English Muffins with arepas, replace the Canadian bacon with chorizo, and spike the hollandaise sauce with chipotle and the result is something pretty damn good. Top it off with a couple of mimosas and one of their sinful desserts and you get a place that we'll be stopping in many more times in the future. Come check out Easton, PA, it's a lovely city, and while you're there, stop in at Valenca. Tell Candace I said hello ;-)
(4)Shawn S.
Ate here while in town for a business trip. Food was top notch. Service was solid. Beer could have been colder. Wasn't very crowded. Maybe I caught them on a slow night. Would definitely recommend.
(4)Vicki K.
Awful service and terrible meal for the price. I will not go back and I frequent Easton restaurants. Go somewhere else and save your money!
(1)Jeffrey M.
Food was very decent but the wait time was horrific. Waitress held it together though. Mostly.
(3)Zirvios K.
Never again ,i dont care for that place ,the only good think you can sit outside
(1)Ruikun S.
The appetizers are fine except they overcooked the octopus, but they serve us a nwe plate. No complaint about that. However, the entrees are disasters! They were extremely salty. Only the steak on the stone was not salty, the rest of 5 entrees were horrible, especially the crab cake. I spent total 300 dollars including 50 dollars gratuity for this six people meal. And I never expected this.. However, the service was nice though.
(1)Dennis S.
First time guests Saturday night. What a great place. Great greeting by the host. Great service by our server and the food was outstanding!!!!!! Will definitely recommend this place to our friends and family as well as be back again soon.
(5)Katrina A.
Had a ladies brunch this weekend while visiting friends in PA. No wait when we arrived and our request for a different table was willingly granted. Service was attentive throughout the meal. Being a group of eight we all ordered something different. Everyone was very pleased with their meal. The churros and fruit was delicious as was the omlettes and salads. I loved my Valenca pizza with fig jam brie and arugula drizzled with truffle honey. I would definitely visit again.
(4)Bob F.
My wife and I went out with friends who had tried Valenca before and wanted to give it one more try. The atmosphere was nice and we were surprised that the restaurant wasn't packed on a Saturday night. We were promptly seated at our table, but we should have taken note of the early warning signs and left. We put in our drink orders, and my friend and I ordered a draft and they came in small white wine glasses. After about 20-30 minutes, the waiter took our order. My friend asked if he could have a minor modification to his entree and the waiter informed us that the chef was in a bad mood and stressed, so he didn't want to bother him. We placed our order and waited a half hour for our appetizer. Once we finished that, our salads came. My friends Cesar salad had lettuce that was so wilted, it wasn't edible and he didn't touch his plate. When that waiter finally checked in after 20 minutes or so, my friend mentioned the problem. The waiter apologized and cleared our plates without offering to address the issue. When our entrees came after another half hour (yes this was and hour and a half after being seated), we were hoping for the best. My friends fiancee said her fennel was so hard she couldn't eat it. My wife's meal was undercooked. Fortunately my friend and I got a steak on a stone. Since we cooked it ourselves, it turned out OK. After trying to get the waiter's attention for 15 minutes, he took an entree back and asked the cook to put the vegetables on the grill. Several minutes later, the waiter returned with the entree still under cooked. At this point, we had enough, and asked the waiter to bring the check and put the remaining entree's in containers so we could take it home. After another 10 minutes, he informed us that they entrees were thrown away accidentally. We thought that at least they would credit us, but only removed 6 dollars from the one undercooked entree and charged us full price for everything else. We were so upset, we paid the bill just to get out of there. The one thing that bothered us most, is that it was clear to the waiter that we were not getting what we paid for, yet he made no attempt to correct the issue. In addition, the owner was wandering around the restaurant, and we tried to get her attention several times and were ignored. I have to say this was the most disappointing dining experience I have had in the Lehigh Valley. Not only was the service poor, but the food was bad, and the owner and waiter made no effort to address our concerns. It's too bad, I think the restaurant has potential, but it is so poorly managed that I don't see it getting better. I strongly recommend skipping Valenca until they hire a competent staff and manager that understands how to treat customers and run a restaurant.
(1)Scott S.
Second time there tonight. Taking my special lady for a special dinner. Made reservations and was to believe to be a sell out night. But apparently was wrong many tables available all night Upon arrival was seated by the front door to an empty room. Asked hostess and she was able to move us 15-20 minutes before anybody came to the table. Service tonight was poor. Apparently the front staff was not being managed. Last time here the service was fantastic tonight it was the opposite Food was great but the service really put a damper to things. For this price service should be first class
(2)Cher L.
Horrible!!!! Do not waste your money! After a wonderful day with my family, we decided to give Valenca a chance. After being seated, we weren't greeted by the server, she didn't give us any specials and she couldn't substitute or add steak onto my salad or a meal for my daughter. After 30 minutes of waiting after she took my order, Amanda is her name, she brought over bread on a plate that was hard as a rock ( the table next to us with a different server had it presented quite nicely on a wooden board), I finally asked where our drinks were. She said " what did you order again?" I couldn't believe after 30 minutes I needed to repeat a simple sangria and beer order. Then she said " oh, right. My bad. I had that written down. I gave the table up there their drinks and forgot to bring yours. " wow, that really makes someone feel special! Then I specifically asked for no cheese on my salad and to add chicken breast. They come out with cheese slathered all over it , a dressing that did not taste like blood orange and chicken that was dark meat, clearly not breast. I had to send it back. When I asked if the chicken was a whole chicken or breast, she said it's breast. Not true at all! I only eat breast meat and trust me I know the difference in color alone! Then she brings out my linguini carbonara which I specifically requested once again for NO cheese and once again it comes out with cheese. I send it back. Then she comes by and said I know the kitchen had to remake it. Really?? Terrific! After my husband is almost done with his meal, my daughter and I get out slop of shit! The worst carbonara I have ever tasted!! I literally feel like throwing up and I only had two bites and by bites I mean strands of linguini. My daughter wouldn't go near it and Amanda noticed and asked if I wanted it boxed up! The nerve of her!!! I get my meal five minutes earlier and bc my husband is done with his meal, I should not eat???? So j told her no , I'm not taking it home. She asked if I liked it and j said No. She asked if she could know why and I said bc it's not good. So she took it off the check. Now I'm driving 4 hours home to New York and my daughter, son and I didn't eat dinner and most likely won't now. I feel like throwing up. My daughter ate a granola bar and my son ate a pb and jelly sandwich! This was by far the worst restaurant in service and food I have ever been too!!! Over salted, no seasoning, worst service, a chef that doesn't understand modifications. I don't wish this on anyone. Stay far far away!!!
(1)Aaron T.
On Center Square in Easton, you'll find a beautiful, classy bar and restaurant Valenca. At it's core Valenca is a Portuguese restaurant, and it has a variety of steaks, pastas, and seafood to choose from on the menu. While visiting, we both had the Paella Valenca. They also have a nice appetizer menu. We sampled the Portuguese sausage and the cheese plate. These were the highlights of our dining experience here. The cheese plate is very large in size, so you may want to share it. As a gluten intolerant person, I was pleased with how well the wait staff provided knowledge on the menu. In addition, the restaurant has a selection of gluten free pastas that can be exchanged in any of their regular pasta dishes. There is a bar that expands from the front entrance of the building to the side entrance, which sometimes has live music. They also have several drink specials; Wednesday is half price bottles of wine (as long as the wine is under $100 in value). An excellent dining experience complimented by good food, courteous staff, and a beautifully composed dining environment.
(4)Tom C.
I would have liked to have rated this place a little higher but there were several issues that made the meal less than ideal. I ordered a Mojito and was served a drink with very little rum and the mix was watered down and poured into a glass full of ice. Not something one does to a nine dollar drink. I ordered off the Fork and Spoon section of the menu and was served my angle hair pasta without a spoon. Not a big deal but when I asked for a spoon the bus boy acted like he was totally surprised and came back with a small soup spoon. Other than that, the experience was good, a nice atmosphere and all around the food was good.
(3)Nick S.
"Amanda the Hostess" Me and my girlfriend are here in Easton at a bed & breakfast (Lafayette Inn) on business for a few days. We've been trying out the local food spots here around midtown and have been having a wonderful experience with the nearby restaurants (River Grill and ESPECIALLY Two Rivers Brewery). We noticed Valencas 4 star rating today, so it was a go for tonights dinner. Upon entering, there was no hostess (Amanda as we later determined) to be found anywhere. There was a very nice waitress who was busy tending to other diners that took time out to seat us. The hostess later comes and takes over as our waitress. We order steak carpaccio, risotto rice balls, grilled pork belly and a marinara pie. Didn't like the grilled pork belly at all. Needless to say, it may be a matter of taste but definitely not mine. Which is fine.. I didn't eat more than a bite before deciding to return it. I told Amanda that I'd like to return the dish and she did so, with a slight smirk on her face. Dinner finishes up and voila, we're billed for the grilled pork belly, the one I returned with barely a bite missing. Needless to say, I really thought this could've been a mistake so I politely confronted her about it where she told me that it was a matter of taste and that she wouldn't take it off the bill. Anyways, I took it out her tip because thats the right thing to do. Any patron dining at a restaurant where we consume food. Things that we put in our body, are always entitled to say "Hey, I don't like this. May I have it returned?" Did I abuse this principle? No. In fact I cant remember the last time I returned food for myself. .. and for Valencas heinous wrongdoing, they have now lost a potential customer who could have spent more there in return business than the value of a $10 dish. Don't believe me? Ask one of your foodly neighbors and take notes.
(2)Samantha S.
Positives: lovely outdoor seating; very friendly and considerate wait staff. Negatives: the food has been decidedly underwhelming the last three times I've been. In particular, my meals have been overly greasy (why is there a puddle of olive oil under my dinner?) and suuuuuper salty. Like "maybe don't finish that" salty. Wen I ordered "Potato Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables" I received literally eight average-size gnocchi decorating a pile of veggies. However, I love sitting outside at twilight, like the interior as well, and have alway enjoyed the live music, so all in all, it's a mixed bag.
(2)Gail S.
I needed a quick lunch and noticed the outside seating. I ordered the fried artichoke sandwich that had red onion and garlic aioli on a very soft chewy ciabatta bread. It also came with a side and I had the tossed greens in a very light and tasty vinaigrette. It was AWESOME. This sandwich rocks! And the greens were fresh and varied. My bill with iced tea came to $12.67. A lovely fall outdoor lunch experience.
(5)Jesse M.
Great experience! 2nd best restaurant we've been to in Easton next to only Sette Luna. Food was very good (carrot ginger soup, wedge salad, glazed salmon, amazing burger, and a super fresh paella that you rarely will find to this level.) Atmosphere was loud so we sat by the door on a cold snowy night. Probably should have dealt with the sound as opposed to the cold spot. They were kind a warned us that seat might be cold and originally tried to seat us in the main area. Gota give props for that service. It's very large for Easton's restaurants and probably the priciest too. Would highly recommend though!
(5)Nanette W.
My husband and I have been here several times in the past few months. We normally go on a Saturday or Sunday for lunch or brunch. We have yet to eat inside as when the weather is nice we prefer to sit outside, which if you like to people watch then this a perfect place to sit. If we are in Easton for the farmers market on Saturday this is one of the places we like to have lunch or brunch at. We have had pizza, including the breakfast pizza, to the omelet of the day to eggs Benedict and sandwich specials. We have always had very good food and great service. The only thing I was disappointed with was I was told the kitchen did not have crushed red pepper flakes for my pizza??? If a place has pizza you must have crushed red pepper. It's a given. I'm not sure where some of the negative reviews are coming from. The only thing I can think of is we have never eaten here at night or on the weekday. But regardless of the negative reviews I would suggest you give this place a try. If you are looking for a good place for brunch on Saturday or Sunday then this is the place. For $25 you can order anything off the brunch menu and have 2 hours of bottomless Bellini's, mimosas, or sangria. Our favorite is the blood orange Bellini, yum!
(5)Tom B.
I've been only here this one time, but I have to say, the attentiveness of the wait staff, and the food itself was excellent. As I read, there were a ton of hits to this place....but I didn't see it on a Friday Night at 7:30 at all (and it was indeed crowded) Started with the Artichoke Milanese.....very light tasting (not too rich). Never had Artichokes that way. Next the wife had a baby greens salad (simple....she enjoyed it)...I had the French Onion Soup (was very good.....although I'm not so sure it was any different from any other French Onion Soup I've had)....but then on to the entrees which were great. I had the Picadinho.....and to describe it simply, it's beef, pork, and shrimp in a stew with olives and potatoes. Fantastic.....the wife had the grilled sirloin....grilled perfectly and the glaze on it was great. Ok...so this is a great review...but I have to tell you....I didnt know what to expect....the reviews here on Yelp were all over the place. The whole meal was under $60 with the restaurant.com certificate (which I had reservations on using.....because it was kind of an upscale place). I'd go back in a heartbeat.
(5)Gloria P.
We were seated at our reservation time. Calde verde soup was not an accurate example of true Portuguese cuisine, it was disappointing. The acoustics of the room made the noise level difficult to hold a conversation. Main entrees were very good though the chorico was very spicey for our palate.
(3)Seana C.
I've been to Valenca four times now and usually opt for the Picadinho Mixto, which is a delicious mix of pork, chicken, steak and shrimp with potatoes, olives, etc., which is great for me because I can never decide just exactly what it is that I want! It's always delicious and the serving is huge! I can never finish it myself. I've also had the strip steak topped with shrimp and mozzarella cheese, which is also yummy, but not very flavorful. The Picadinho Mixto is what keeps me coming back! The calamari appetizer leaves much to be desired. Both times I've had it, it has been tough and bland. The service is usually decent, but never exceptional. This is a great place to come for a glass of wine and a simple meal. I'd recommend trying it out for lunch! They have great lunch specials and it's not as hectic.
(3)Jim D.
Located in the heart of my least favorite city in PA is the surprise star, Valenca. What a wonderful find this place turned out to be. It's been open for almost a year now and I am a little surprised how very few people know of it. The inside is gorgeous (unlike the city in which it dwells). Deep, dark woods frame a warm and inviting interior. Plush cushions, tons of elbow room, low lighting and a burning fireplace help make your dining experience a most comfortable and intimate one. Service is right on the mark. They're courteous, knowledgable and very attentive but never intrusive. Food was very good. From the delicious soup, to the flavorful calamari, to the enormous seafood paella for two. Truth be told, that paella is the best deal around. For $39, you're going to get enough food to serve three people handsomely - whole lobster included! I must admit the flavor could have been more robust though (it was a tad weak). The menu is pretty large and has a really great range of dishes to please just about everyone. Oh yeah, the triple berry cobbler is friggin insanely good. I recommend reservations for Friday and Saturday nights. It was relatvely slow when we first arrived at 5:15 but the place was hopping by 6:00pm and there was a massive crowd waiting. With places like Valenca emerging in Easton, there just might be some hope for this town yet...
(4)Susan G.
The food was very good and served attractively. The service was excellent. And the atmosphere was warm and inviting on a cold snowy day.
(5)Vanessa W.
I've been wanting to go to this place for a while after hearing about their legendary sagria and paella. We were there on a Friday night and the place was hopping. The decor was very nice - warm, inviting and sophisticated. Noise level was nice, not very loud considering how packed it was. Service was great. Attentive, but not intrusive or annoying. Very friendly, and knowledgable about the menu. Bonus points for free valet parking. My husband and I split the paella for two which includes a healthy serving of clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp and a whole lobster for $40. My husband eats A LOT and we couldn't finish it. My friend ordered a special - flounder stuffed with crab which she said was amazing and priced on par with other menu items at $24. We got a pitcher of Sangria ($21) for our table of three and it was just enough for us to have 2-2.5 glasses each. All said and done, I loved this place, and look forward to going back.
(5)Josh F.
So this will be a short but sweet review, as we only attended for a few drinks and desert. I'll re-review once I have a chance to properly dine there. Nice place, good atmosphere. Not as truely authentic Portugese as I would ahve hoped, but the menu is writhe with numerous amazing looking dishes. The wine selection is wonderful, with some great Spanish and Portugese reds, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also had a rasberry-almond tart, which was pretty good. Only complaints for now are a slight slowness to the bar staff, she was not very attentive for how slow it was that evening...but nothing horrible. I also had my first glass of wine served in an absolutely filthy glass...I'm a real bitch, right? ;)
(4)Emily M.
I haven't been to Valenca since just after they opened a few years ago. Then, I had just a few appetizers and cocktails. It was good, but never went back until a friend mentioned how much he loved it, so we went for dinner last night. Our meals were phenomenal! We had the seared tuna and a salmon entree. Very nice sized portions too! The service was also spot on. Very friendly, attentive and not over-bearing. I'll be recommending Valenca to many people and will absolutely be back!
(4)Brian L.
Came here on lunch break one Friday afternoon. The interior was very nice and the staff was friendly. The restaurant was kinda dead when we went except for a family of 5. I ordered the pork sandwich which was DELICIOUS. The meat was tender and the sauce used complimented it perfectly. This place woulda got a 5, but the service was ridiculous (as allison m. said). We didn't get our food until maybe 30 - 45 minutes later....and we all got sandwiches. So there's no reason it should have taken that long. I will be back to try Valenca again though, because I love paella and need to try their's...
(4)Ko K.
Pretty good paella and sangria the first few times, but quality has slipped a little bit in recent times. Two other dishes I've ordered a few times and have liked are the Portuguese Steak, and Stone-grilled fillet where you grill the fillet yourself on a burning hot stone.
(4)Mihee K.
It's a lovely, cozy atmosphere. I went for the wine and paella and was thoroughly satiated. Decent service.
(4)Rich A.
A former colleague was visiting Allentown on business, so we decided to meet up for dinner somewhere between my home in NJ and his hotel. I had a good feeling about Velanca, despite several negative reviews on the food and service elsewhere on the internet, and it turned out to be the perfect spot to catch up over dinner. We made reservations for 730pm to intentionally avoid the pre-theater crush. Valenca doesn't have its own parking lot, but street parking was easy to find. The restaurant wasn't very busy, so we were seated immediately. Our server came over quickly to offer a bit of helpful commentary on the menu (Valenca's most popular dishes are the other white meat) and the local beer offerings. Note that, while Valenca bills itself a Portuguese restaurant, I found that the menu seems to cater to local tastes and seems more Portuguese-inspired traditional American cuisine than authentic Portuguese. For an appetizer, my companion had the popular Portuguese Sausage ($9.50), a tasty mildly spicy sausage served in a flambéed presentation that reminded me of the sizzling platter of fajitas you might have at Chili's or TGI Fridays, and I opted for the BLT Salad ($9.50), comprised of fresh avocado slices, cherry tomatoes, baguette slices, and a generous serving of bacon served on a bed of baby greens. We both had the pork chop ($21.50), wrapped in bacon and served with a chili-maple glaze and bokchoy-avocado vegetable roll, which was exceptionally tasty. Overall, our service was prompt and efficient, the ambience was modern and upscale but casuall and relaxed, and the menu was imaginative and the food was tasty. Definitely worth the trip!
(4)Zachary L.
By far the best place my family and I have found in the area. After living in the Easton area for ten months, we have been disappointed with the poor quality of restaurants in the area. This was until we dined here. All five entrees were different and they were all great!!
(5)Monika W.
The waiters are very knowledgable & friendly. The entrees are on the pricer side, but well worth it! Their salad choices are creative & the different ingredients blend very well together. I've been there a few times now & it seems that the steak on the stone is a very popular dish. Served on a hot stone with two sauces and a dry rub, the wellness of the steak is in your hands...so enjoy! I recommend making a reservation if you don't want to wait, especially on the weekend. You can make it through opentable.com so it's quick & easy.
(5)Allison C.
I have been here numerous times, this is starting to be my normal date spot for my boyfriend and I. The red Sangria is the best I have had around. And all the appetizers are great, but I'm mostly partial to the crab and avocado, it is always amazing. Last time I went I had the paella for my dinner which did not disappoint. The best part about Valenca is that it is located directly in the the square and when its nice out you can sit outside and enjoy the weather, and people watch! I would recommend this restaurant to anyone.
(5)Katie M.
The service was good, the seafood was fantastic. The only thing I was unhappy with was my main dish, veal, because it was too tough and for the price I was paying. Good atmosphere and outdoor seating which is always a plus.
(4)Eli K.
Food was great!!! Restaurant was very elegant for the price. Bathrooms really clean. Steak wrap was very tasty. Were very accommodating to our toddler!
(5)Maryellen P.
Too bad this place used to be excellent. After walking into 6 other downtown Easton restaurants and being told it was at least a 1 hour wait, Valenca took us right away. This was much appreciated on a cold snowy night. However it was all downhill from there. It started off with a young server dropping an entire glass of ice water right on my husband's lap. I mean...bullseye...an entire glass right on his lap. OK, accidents happen...I even said well at least it's only water. The boy apologized, the rest of the restaurant saw what happened but the waiter didn't mention it. We sat with the remaining 3 glasses of water for a long time...the waiter came by 3 times to tell us he would be back in 1 second. He kept going to other tables. A table of 8 come in after us and received their drinks and their waitress was taking their dinner order and there we were... About 30 minutes after sitting with nothing but water and an unlit candle some woman, who appeared to be a manager came over and asked "is there a problem here? " We mentioned the water but said it was ok. She glared at us, didn't introduce herself and didn't come back.... no complimentary drink and no apology. In fact they charged us for things they never brought and we were too frustrated to request again.... The food was good but not good enough to justify the rudeness if the senior staff and the incompetence if the wait staff. After having eaten here several times in the past, we won't be back. Oh and yes, we did leave a nice tip anyway.... Because we're nice people.
(1)Ally B.
Great food! We ate here this past weekend with a large party. Service was excellent, polite and quick. The food was excellent. The Paella is amazing. And they offer gluten free options upon request. The price is mid-range, but worth it. Good sized portions. Nice atmosphere. And they have free valet parking. We'll be back.
(5)Michael H.
Called ahead to see if they could accommodate vegan (they could!). Arrived on time for 5:30 reservation in anticipation of concert at the State Theater right up the street starting at 7pm. By 6:30 our appetizer had not arrived and upon questioning the staff conceded that there was no way our dinner would arrive on time. We had to bail out. Appetizer, a stuffed avocado, was yummy. Hostess professed all kinds of apologies. We may give it another shot, but not with anyplace we need to go afterwards. A couple next to us arrived at 5pm and were attending the same concert. They had to rush their entree to arrive at the theater on time.
(2)Michele B.
this place is great. I have been here on a few occasions and have not been disappointed. Steak on a stone (or something similar) is great. You are brought a hot stone with a raw steak which you cook yourself. Ive had the paella which was amazing and filling. Staff is knowledgable, and friendly. Pricing is decent. Im a fan.
(4)Jeremy M.
Great Sunday lunch. Excellent beer selection and fantastic Cuban. My wife's cheeseburger was good as well. Reasonable prices and great food.
(4)Ralph D.
Amazing staff, atmosphere and food! Great date night!!
(5)Jeff C.
I don't often (if at all) go out to a restaurant in which my bill totals over $200 and I don't often write reviews but this was a celebration and went out with my wife and two of our closest friends. After having read the reviews I was psyched to really enjoy the experience..but a lot of little things kept occurring until I couldn't ignore them anymore. This added up in the end to an expensive and less satisfying experience. While the tables are good sized, there is little room between them to walk and I was inconvenienced multiple times during the dinner by servers and patrons asking me to move my chair. First the pitcher of Sangria was mostly ice and we downed it quickly. Later, as our glasses were still filled with ice from the first serving, we ordered the next carafe sans the ice. It also came sans the wine as it was half filled. The appetizer (Portuguese sausage) and salads were tasty and delivered in good time. The entrees took longer and finally when they came, each one came separately with a span of minutes between deliveries, excluding mine, my Mariscada, which came extremely late while I was watching my friends feast on their entrees for a good ten minutes. They finally explained that they made it up originally as a paella and had to be recooked. I wish that they had just given me the paella instead as the Mariscada's shrimp was flaccid and the flavor wasn't as tasty (or as garlicky) as I was expecting. The paella (that my friend ordered, though was wonderful!) The rice adjoining my Mariscada was undercooked, crunchy and bland. The huge plates took up much of the table and there wasn't any space left for the kettles for the Mariscada and Paellas we ordered. We had to move, stack, combine and get rid of plates in order to be in a position to eat! The service, however, besides the kitchen mix ups were first class. The only gaff was that with three of us ordering dishes with lobster no shell crackers were provided and when we asked, we received only one for the table. One other thing at the low end of my con list were the knives on the table. The handles are horizontal, while the blades (of course when cutting) are vertical. It didn't feel comfortable and I had to "adjust" throughout the meal. While not enough to write a review over or turn the tide, I figure that I may as well add it here. All in all it was a lackluster performance and while it didn't ruin the evening, it sure took me out of the fantasy of first class restaurant and back into diner thoughts.
(2)Mike S.
The hostess was dismissive and barely acknowledged our existence, but our waiter was highly knowledgeable regarding all of the items on the menu as well as the ingredients! Hostess aside, service was fantastic. My girlfriend got one of their salads but was a little disappointed that there was so little dressing that I personally couldn't even taste it. Main course was a different story. The picadinho was phenomenal! A little hearty for the summer, but fantastic all the same. Wine list was commendable and I really liked the number and variety of 'by the glass' offerings. Their specialty drink list looked very good and unique and comes highly recommended by friends, but I can't comment as I haven't tried any yet. Needless to say, I will certainly be returning! Free valet parking on the weekends is definitely a plus!
(4)Rhino V.
Was just here tonite, after Bonefish @ LV Mall. My first time. My buddy Blanco Jonny took me & has been here before. Has Valet parking, a plus on the Easton Square. We sat @ bar. They had live music playing & the girl & acoustic guitarist seemed fine, but I could have done w/out it & just had some regular tunes playing as it was a bit loud & tough to carry a conversation. Anyway, we sat & My boy had to use bano & I waited to be greeted by bartender, to no avail. There were 3 guys behind the bar & no one said Boo, even after 5 mins. and the place was not crowded by any means. One guy said he is not the bartender, but the other guy was. Finally took our drink & appy orders. But this guy was DULL, no personality, hey here is a quarter, go buy one. Red Sangria was very good (I was shocked - as I've eaten @ plenty of Ironbound places - Newark, NJ for U not in da know) Appy was good too, some fish concoction served in a martini glass - it was good. Would have been 4 stars but as stated bartender put the D in dull. Will go back
(3)Mark S.
Service quick, over-garlicly on the food, which is not uncommon in NEPA, dining experience did not stand out, perhaps next time I will try the bar or outside seating
(3)Shouri W.
We went to this restaurant for dinner on Feb 6, 2013. At first glance, the restaurant looked really nice. I booked our reservation from opentable and requested to be sitted by the fireplace. They get a 1 star BECAUSE they accommodated by seating request. Our waitress was a white woman with a long ponytail. My girlfriend ordered the angelhair pasta. I ordered the filet mignon on the stone. When I told our waitress I wanted it medium rare, she explained that the steak is cooked on our table and I will be cooking it and I'm responsible for how my steak is cooked. I was not happy with that. $29.95 for a steak that I will be cooking by myself?? No thanks. If I wanted to do the cooking myself, I would stay home and cook. I then changed my order to lamb shank. When our orders came in, the food looked presentable. Sadly, the taste did not match it or even came close. The pasta was very lightly seasoned, and there was no salt or pepper on the table. The spinach was also undercooked. As for my order, the lamb had a very strong taste. I've had lamb many times and never had this problem with the taste. When I had the lamb shank at Valenca, I was so unhappy with the taste that I literally just took 3 bites from my food. The risotto however was pretty tasty with the mushroom sauce. When our waiter came, she saw that I barely touched my meal and my gf only finished a third of her meal. Not once did she ask us how our meal was. She just came by and ask us if we want the check. Mind you there was only one other party in the restaurant, other than us. They're less than 10% packed. I will not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Their meal left a really bad taste in our mouth. They get 1 star for accommodating my seating requests, otherwise I would give them zippo.
(1)Candi K.
I've been in a rut of restaurant choices in the LV, so it was time for something new. Restaurant.com was running $25 certificates for $3 a few months ago, so I picked one up a stack of them online, slowly eating through them. This week was our four year anniversary, so Valenca it was :) I made a reservation about 3 weeks in advance via OpenTable (they make eating out so easy). The afternoon of, they called to verify the reservation and see if we preferred indoor or outdoor seating. We asked for outdoor seating, but realized about an hour before leaving that the skies were about to unleash. No worries, a quick call to the restaurant had us moved to an inside table. Then of course it did not rain, and I wasted a particularly good opportunity to eat al fresco. I guess it's one of many reasons to go back; it's a nice outdoor seating area right on the circle. Indoors is nice as well - lots of beautiful woodwork and nice lighting. Service was okay - nothing crazy. Our waiter was a bit overwhelmed and it showed. My husband's water glass went empty for quite a bit, I was never asked if I wanted another glass of wine, and service felt a bit choppy. But the service was reasonable, and whenever our waiter noticed that we needed something, he made sure we got it. Some food was awesome...some was just so-so. We started with wine (I had an awesome glass of Vinho Verde...my husband had a Riesling of some sort), a classic caesar salad (a bit overdressed), calamari (just eh), and a basket of bread and dipping oil (delicious!). Main courses were much better. My chicken francese was awesome and I loved the spanish potatoes, rice & carrots that came with it. My husband loved his broiled salmon with crab but could have dealt without the mashed potatoes. Desserts were good, but not phenomenal (midnight layer cake & triple berry cobbler). I'm ruined for life on dessert though, after multiple trips at Sagra Bistro (where the desserts are fresh, awesome, the size of your face, and extremely reasonably priced). Dinner for 2 (2 glasses of wine, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees & 2 desserts) was $92 plus tax & tip. We had our Restaurant.com certificate that brought that down, but like most Restaurant.com certificates, they add an automatic 18% tip (I would normally tip more - but once they auto-add what they feel they are worth, I don't go beyond). Free valet on Fridays & Saturdays, but we just found a street spot. We'd definitely go back...maybe go for beef or pork next time and sit outside on the circle!
(4)Giovanni B.
Amazing outdoor space, great food and staff. Had the Cuban sandwich and it was delicious. Two thumbs up! I recommend.
(5)Michelle M.
An update to my previous review detailing a negative experience: the restaurant has contacted me in an effort to correct the situation. They have demonstrated why they are among my favorite restaurants. Kudos!!
(4)Bill B.
This was my first time here and it was during restaurant week. The place was excellent. The atmosphere and decor are well thought out. The service was outstanding. Our server (Sarah) was on top of everything. I had the fired goat cheese and figs with white balsamic and it was an excellent combination. The cream of mushroom soup was equally as tasty. My short ribs with mascarpone polenta was delicious. The meat was very tender. My friend had the steak on the stone and said it was equally delicious. The prices were reasonable and comparable to other great restaurants. I definitely plan on coming back and would recommend you try it as well.
(4)Ginni T.
The place never fails: terrific atmosphere, great waitstaff, and wonderful food. The crab cocktail is a favorite appetizer: fresh crab meat and avocado in a citrus dressing. The steak on a stone is a good cut of filet that you cook yourself on a seering stone. The paella is enough to share. Grab an outside table; if you're lucky you may catch a Friday evening concert in the square. Enjoy!
(4)Jeff K.
Service was slow, our table of 4 was seated, 5 minutes later a table of six was seated and they were greater by their server and received the drink orders before our table was greated by our server. We ordered two serloin steaks medium and both were beyond well done, we informed the server when he asked how the food was, he apologized but nothing was done about our overly well done steaks. At $27.50 a steak it would have been nice to have to have our drinks comped or something. The appetizers and other entrees were delicious and the seasoning on the steaks was great as well.
(2)Jabbour J.
Food was okay, overpriced for the quality, the food came out cold. Not worth a visit, if you want some real good Spanish/Portuguese food head over to Spain Inn 2 in New Jersey it's about a 20 min drive from Valenca but trust me its much better.
(2)Joshua L.
it is said that with change comes a new era, and a new era can create legends. if this is so the change at valenca might just provide us with such an event. last time i went there i left unsatisfied. but how things can change. with the simple act of changing chefs valenca now has my respect. the churizo sausage flambyed tableside in grappa might very well have been the best sausage i have ever eaten. the wine list was extensive which my gf loved, but the beer list was not, which i did not enjoy. main course i just went for the greek-italian chopped salad. very fresh ingredients and the kalamata olives were plump and juicified in my mouth. i will be going back and then possibly leaving with more than just a smile and a full stomach.
(4)Shane O.
The place is very very nice, the bar seems interesting and they seem to have a good selection of drinks. We went on a Thursday night and the place was completely dead, it was 10F outside though which may explain the situation, I'm told it's usually very busy. Service was very good but slow, I can imagine it's just average if it's crowded. Food selection was very interesting and everything we got was good to very good except the mashed potatoes (skip them and get something else). The caipirinha was pretty good, much much better than Made in Brasil, but I'm still looking for something better in the Valley! Definitely worth a stop if even for a drink and some apps at the bar. Prices were on the high side but seemed fairly reasonable for most things except the drinks which were definitely over-priced. Outside seating looked nice too, maybe a stop back in the Summer is due.
(3)Isabel O.
But why does it have to be in Easton?! We very much enjoyed our first visit to Valenca. I am not going to comment on the 'authenticity' of the food since I don't know much about Portuguese food beyond Iberia in the iron-bound section of Newark growing up. We thought the quality and the quantity was right there for the price point and look forward to our next visit. Scallops with spinach was fantastic - 4 large, plump scallops, a sheaf of spinach, no problems swapping rice vs mashed potatoes. Husband's rib eye special w/chorizo, mushrooms and in a brandy-cream sauce was fantastic. Very tender and very flavorful. Portions super large. Server Michael was charming, friendly, attentive and funny. Full marks to staff. If I had a beef it would be the fireplace being lit on a warm night on top of the heat being on. I was warm to the point of discomfort by the time we left, I can't imagine how hot the servers are running around. Also Allentown to Easton is a bit of a hike. We parked on the square (circle?) but didn't realize they did free valet parking. Also unclear why they no longer use Opentable.com Would think that would be a real boon. 2 mains, 2 martinis, 3 wines was $97 after tax, before tip. Certainly on par with the other places in this price point. We had a $50 gift cert from wlev.com half-price promo, but we'll return even without it.
(5)A K.
Granted it was a Friday night (2/11/11) and very busy with pre-theater crowd as we arrived - this was a bad experience all around. I have to mention that the menu on the website is not their menu - they changed it the Wednesday before we arrived. First the hostess, she needs a different job. She mumbled odd apologies for the fact that we were waiting for our table when we hadn't even complained, I don't consider it bad to wait 5 mintues for a table. She looked like a deer in headlights and was unable to handle the irritated people trying to make it to the show and unable to get their checks or coats. Food - I am sad to say it was just plain awful. Cod au gratin was flavorless and luke warm. Scallop entree was SO overcooked, I was hungry at this point and was really trying to eat my entree, but the scallops were so rubbery and overcooked they were getting stuck in my teeth. The sauce was bland and watery. The lentils were actually great, but, I had to send the dish back since I am not going to pay $28 for lentils. The waitress apologized, took my plate and came back with a dessert menu and said pick anything you like on the house. Other person in party had the portuguese sausage finished tableside with grapa, he said it was flavorful but dry. He had the Picadinho which was also WAY OVERCOOKED, rubbery shrimp and chewy meat. The sauce for that was great, but, who cares if you can barely chew the protein. Dessert also very bad, some berry thing that had FROZEN fruit. Really.Large frozen strawberries which hadn't been defrosted enough. And an underwhelming molten chocolate cake. In the end, my scallop dish was still on the check! Apparently the free dessert was suppsoed to placate me. I don't think so...got that taken off the check too, but I would have much preferred the excellent dinner most people enjoy here. Service - although we really liked our waitress in general - she was scarce. My one positive and it's a very positive thing, BEST sangria I have ever had. I would go back for that alone, but would eat somewhere else. BTW - the old menu is still on the website - it might not really matter normally, however, in this case I got specific recomendations from Portuguese friends, most of which were useless.
(1)Lauren W.
Have been here a couple of times. Beautiful space (nice space, top of the line appointments, wine cellar, outdoor seating) great food (Portuguese, plenty of seafood). However, service was off. The second visit, our waiter was a little unprofessional, volunteering information about drinking and hangovers. It was pretty uncomfortable. I would return, but am wary about service.
(3)John A.
The menu is great. You will not find dishes
(5)Karen S.
Fresh, quality food. Nice atmosphere. Filet mingon on a stone was excellent, as were the scallops. Nice salads. Good service but some of the help young and could use some training. I recommend.
(4)Bernd H.
Went there twice: lunch is beside the small portions all right, however the dinner menu, well: A bowl of meat (not to tender, not to tasty) for 24 bucks without any side dishes and way to much vinegar in the shrimp salad (15 $) - it is a nice place, but way overpriced for the food quality. Restaurant was completely empty when we went their first time for lunch.
(2)Sirikwan W.
We came here for dinner and found this place to be delicious. We were in town for the Crayola Factory tour. Sangria and Paella were good, although the lobster was not as fresh as it should have been. The sausage was excellent. Steak on the hot stone was good. Decor of the place was really nice, didn't really fit the town. A place like this you would find in NYC, not really Easton, PA. I would be back again if I come back to Easton, but there is really nothing to see except the Crayola Factory.
(4)Mike H.
Excellent experience my first time there! This was my wife's 3rd or 4th visit and insisted I try it and it was well worth it. It was early on a Friday evening and we were able to walk it and be seated quickly. The atmosphere was very cozy; we weren't far from the bar and there was even a 2-man band later in the evening and we were still able to have an easy conversation. The service was very professional. The wine list was very good; we had the Clos Du Bois 2008 Pinot Noir. Highlights were the Prosciutto and Cheese Plate, Crab Bisque and the Braised Short Rib Ravioli. I'll definitely be back.
(4)keith c.
went for a first time visit for our anniversary; seems there is some sort of holiday on Feb 14th so they were running a couples special. special deal was salad, share appetizer, 2 entrees, share dessert, bottle of wine and 2 glasses of champagne for $75. everything was fantastic, the Caesar salad seemed small, but what a wonderful taste and great presentation. took some time to get our appetizer (they were VERY busy, a friday night) but it was SO worth it. don't remember the name, but it was full of lump crab meat, tiny bits of fresh tomatoes and big chunks of avocado. it looked like an ice cream sundae when they brought it out in an oversized martini glass. entree was steak, prepared just as we asked (mine was medium well) ever so slightly pink inside, grilling marks nice and crispy. side of asparagus and 'meh' mashed potatoes; they tasted like instant potatoes. they should get rid of them. a baked potato would be a better choice. I had never been here before so I can't comment on the Portuguese fare, and the waitress said this was only their SECOND night with their new menu! I don't know how much changed, but none of the descriptions seemed daunting or unfamiliar. I DO have to mention some of these other reviews that slam this little city; SERIOUSLY??? a few people are bashing Easton when they know nothing about it. us local residents appreciate you coming to visit crayola, but there is a lot more to Easton than the crayons. and those of you from Allentown and Bethlehem are REALLY in no position to say anything about Easton! in case you didn't know, downtown Allentown really SUCKS.
(5)