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Malagueta Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Brazilian Brazilian [Edit]
2535 36th AveAstoria, NY 11106
Neighborhood: Astoria
(718) 937-4821
- Nearest Transit:
-
36 Av (N, Q)
39 Av (N, Q)
36 St (E, M, R)
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 11:30 am - 10 pm
Fri 11:30 am - 11 pm
Sat 1 pm - 11 pm
Sun 1 pm - 10 pm
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
103 reviews for Malagueta Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Passion fruit mousse and coconut flan were DELICIOUS." In 7 reviews -
"I had the shrimp stew which was great." In 6 reviews -
"The service and the food was amazing." In 5 reviews
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103 reviews in English
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Review from Matt S.
Long Island City, NY
5/13/2012
This is the best Brazilian restaurant in the NYC area (if you have another pelase drop me a note with the name). It is great, plated brazlian food (not Rodizio) at a very reasonable price. It gets 5 stars compared to it's competition in NYC. I am not going to compare Malagueta to Brasil as that is not fair (eventhough it would hold its own).
My credentials for rating Malaqueta (been to Brasil MANy times, GF is Brazilian and her 3 sisters ahve eaten here many times too). No need to show your Brazilin pride by slamming this place as I have yet to find better in NYC. -
Review from Steve R.
Petaluma, CA
4/11/2012
This restaurant makes my top three favorites of all time. After taking my annual pilgrimage here recently, I felt compelled to write this review. When I am in NYC, I seek this place out.
Let me begin by saying that the food is authentic. Having traveled through Brazil, dare I say, the cuisine here is even better. If you are expecting waiters to come out with skewers of meat, this isn't the place for you. This is a quaint restaurant with classy ambiance. The menu is something you may find in a restaurant in Fortaleza, Brazil. Everything I have had here has been great. On my last visit, I had dinner on my own, from appetizer to dessert, excellent! It was so good I returned the next day for lunch with a co-worker before flying out. Lunch prices are unbelievably low for the quality and taste of the food you get in return. For dates or a nice dinner with co-workers, dinner is best.
When friends and co-workers are visiting NYC this is the restaurant I recommend. If you haven't been there, you are missing out. -
Review from Charles B.
New York, NY
4/7/2012
If you're looking at Malagueta as "just a restaurant," it's pretty great. The caipirinhas are excellent, and on the strong side (some places go heavier on the lime and sugar; Malagueta puts just enough lime and sugar in to let you choke down the cachaca). The Saturday feijoada (black bean stew with sausage, served with rice, farofa, and collards) is delicious, and arguably among the best you can get in NYC. The atmosphere is nice, the music is great, and the service is incredibly attentive.
All of that is great. Want a nice, mellow, romanic-ish dinner spot in Astoria? Malagueta works.
But something is missing for me. Part of it is that Malagueta is one of a small handful of NYC Brazilian places that tries to serve acaraje and other dishes from Bahia... and it doesn't really work. In Bahia, the acaraje will burn a hole through an tourist's unsuspecting gullet; at Malagueta, the acaraje was an oddly refined, bland appetizer.
If you're gonna serve acaraje, bring it on. Make white American boys (and yes, I am one) cry like little girls. Yeah, the side of malagueta hot sauce was pretty great, but acaraje should have that crazy mix of spice, dried shrimp, and dende that burns for days if you're not used to it. And it should be a big, juicy, sandwich-type thing.
Little refined acaraje? I don't get it.
Still, Malagueta is an excellent restaurant. But if you expect a taste of Bahia... go to Bahia. -
Review from Mango J.
Manhattan, NY
1/30/2012
I really love this place and highly recomend it. Good good food. I felt like I was with family and was fed like it. Cozy, loved the decor and set up, the food was amazing and the staff was wonderful!!
I just wanna try to wrap myself in one of the lace curtains and hide and live there. -
Review from Gina A.
4/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
This was my first time eating Brazilian food and it was definitely a very positive experience. It was a little hidden gem in a very residential area of Astoria, but the food is worth the trip. The calamari almost melted in my mouth and the duck was tender and perfectly portioned. My boyfriend had the quail which was outrageous. I would definitely make the somewhat annoying trip back to enjoy the food here again. I could tell it was what Brazilian food was supposed to be like, even if I have never had it before. It was too fine not to be anything less.
-
Review from Tommy J.
Brooklyn, NY
4/20/2012
Went to this Brazilian spot recommended by some friends, thought it would be another meat buffet surprisingly it wasnt. It's a hole in a wall place pretty hard to find if u don't go to LIC much like me, its on a corner street...place is small but clean, waiters and waitress were nice and attentive. We were a group of 10 and we were the only ones there on a Sunday nite, not sure how busy they are on other days. But i must say the appetizers were good, we had salad, mussels and grill shrimp to start and my entree a steak with mushroom sauce with thick chimichurri sauce with yuca frita was not bad at all, done exactly how i wanted...definitely will go back to try other dishes, its a nice place to get away from the busy city.
-
Review from g g.
Brooklyn, NY
2/19/2012
It seems I went to another restaurant as I don't get the other (good) reviews.
Yes, I am Brazilian so I do compare their food to the real thing. And I am sorry to say it is not very close to it.
Me and my date had Acarajé appetizer (fritter of mashed black-eyed peas cake with vatapá - a spicy cream of fish & dried shrimp - with Sautéed Shrimp) and Moqueca de Camarão (Shrimp Stew from Bahia). We also ordered a side of farofa, which I love but Americans might think resembles sand. I eat very little these days, so although the portions were very small, it was more than enough for the two of us.
The acarajé did not resemble the real thing at all, the cake was dryish, and the shrimp on top should be dried, not sautéed. The moqueca did not come as in Brazil in a pot from which people serve the stew - it was pre-arranged in a plate with a mount of rice in the middle, and the shrimp did not absorb the sauce taste at all.
The highlight was the excellent caipirinha drink my date had. Besides that, nothing seemed really Brazilian or the real thing to me. I was disappointed as I was craving food from Bahia region really bad and I know the restaurants in Little Brazil at 46th St. in Manhattan are also not that good.
Oh well. Will keep searching and hope to find a place that is more authentic. -
Review from Newton D.
JAMAICA, NY
12/4/2011
Delicious food. I have passion for heat and love the malagueta pepper! I always get the yucca fries with calabreza and sauce for starters. Then I get the picanha with rice and beans and extra of the malagueta sauce. Definitely worth the trip.
Enjoy Yelpers -
Review from Justine B.
Astoria, NY
1/16/2012
The food here is yummy. I'm a fan of the Shrimp Stew, the Corvina Com Vatapa (or anything with "vatapa" - fish paste which sounds gross but is actually bliss), the Arcaraje, the Codorna, and the Feijoada on Satudays.
Beware the teeny tiny bowl of hot sauce that is served with some dishes. The flavor is great, but you really only need a few itty bitty drops - this sauce packs a huge punch!
The waitress (seems to be the same one every time we go there) is friendly, helpful, and impeccable.
The price is a little high for everyday, so we go there only once in a while. But the price isn't prohibitive. Fine for a nice dinner, date night, etc.
But the real draw here for me is the Passion Fruit Mousse. It might be my favorite dessert ever. (Not including ice cream, which I'll explain in my review of Four Seas Ice Cream...) But Malagueta's Passion Fruit Mousse is perfection. It's less like mousse and more like custard to me. It's silky smooth and creamy. Served slightly chilled. And the flavor is like nothing you've ever tasted! It's passion fruit, but it's like if you took 1,000 passionfruits and compressed them down into pure passion fruit essence, and then somehow transformed it into creamy, decadent perfection. I'm convinced that magic is involved. It's amazing. You will not believe how flavorful and incredible this dessert is. You MUST order it. And don't share. You'll want one all to yourself. It will rock your mouth. -
Review from Agatha Z.
Brooklyn, NY
9/15/2011
Malagueta is a charming place in Astoria. I came here on a pre-movie dinner. The first thing that strikes you is that the place is small, look around and you can see the entire room. Secondly, you'll notice, it is PACKED and with good reason. While I can't remember what I had, the shrimp stew amazed my date, while the muscles left much to be desired. The service was slightly below average (we waited eternally for water and to have our order taken) however, I do have to be fair and state that the place was pretty darn packed.
PROS
-Charming ambiance and friendly small environment
-Tasty food, well seasoned. (Who likes over spiced shellfish anyway?)
CONS
-The wait is a bit extensive, however, the portions are large and what DOES come out is worth the wait. Except for the muscles, please don't have the muscles. -
Review from Jay P.
ASTORIA, NY
2/25/2012
This restaurant was so good it made me create a Yelp account!
I went here on a whim with my girlfriend and we were in the mood for steaks.
We started with the mussels which were phenomenal. They melted in your mouth, and they served it with bread so you can dip it in the sauce. Perfect.
My girlfriend ordered the shell steak with mushroom cream sauce, which came with extremely crispy fries and a garlic sauce.
I had the sirloin with rice, black beans, and a side of vinagrette and this awesome flour with bacon bits to put on top.
The food is excellent, the place stayed full (which is always a good sign), service was fast and efficient.
I will definitely be coming back. -
Review from Francisco L.
Brooklyn, NY
1/28/2012
This place is highly recommended! The food is great with a fair price. Staffs are also friendly.
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Review from Jan C.
New York, NY
10/29/2011
DELICIOUS! Food is amazing! I had the Moqueca de Camarao- Shrimp Stew ;-) and it's like Heaven! I love it , love it! Probably the BEST Shrimp Stew I ever had outside of Brazil, yes I'm a Brazilian and I can say it was delicious!
;-) -
Review from Chris B.
Queens, NY
1/20/2012
An out of the way gem, Malagueta offers excellent authentic Brazilian food in a cozy atmosphere. We live right around the corner so we eat here a few times a year, sometimes with the kids (both under 10), sometimes without. The menu is not extensive but many dishes stand out for their simple, yet flavorful elegance. The shrimp stew, Frango con Vin Branco (Chicken in white wine sauce) and Corvina Com Vatapa (roasted fillet of pollock) are a few of our favorite dishes. For appetizers, the warm lentil salad with goat cheese is excellent and the Linguica Grelhado is "to die for" - grilled Brazilian sausage with fried Yuca slices with a delicious herbed mayonnaise dip. My mouth waters just thinking about it.
If you're there on a Saturday (and you like robust. meaty dishes) be sure to check out the Feijoada - it's a national dish of Brazil combining pork, black beans, bacon, sausage all slow cooked to perfection and served over rice with a crumbly topping. And top off your meal with the passion fruit mousse for a sweet flavor explosion.
Service varies a bit, can get slow when they get busy, but never rude or pretentious. The owner Heriberto is usually cooking in the back but his wife is frequently out in the restaurant helping the wait staff. They are closed on Mondays, but open the rest of the week. Weekday evenings are usually very quiet (particularly early) so it would make a great place for a first date or romantic night out during the week. Even on weekends it's manageable but can get a bit noisy when crowded (there are no booths, only rows of tables). We've had parties there up to about 20 people and they are very accommodating (just make sure you reserve your party well in advance as it is not a large restaurant).
Overall, a nice place with solid service , nice ambiance and tasty food. -
Review from Carolina B.
ASTORIA, NY
9/1/2011
Delicious!
I'm a fan of Brazilian food in general (I'm Brazilian) and this spot is definitely one of the best. I don't think I've ever not enjoyed a meal there. My favorite is Frango Malagueta ~ very few times have I ordered another entree. Decor is also fabulous ~ we loved it so much we had our rehearsal dinner there =) -
Review from Karen A.
Brooklyn, NY
1/16/2011
My friends and I made reservations yesterday for my birthday, and I'm glad we did. The place is super small but it is the perfect environment for an intimate dinner with friends or a loved one.
The sangria was delicious! First pitcher had a bit too much ice in it and when I asked for another, I joked about not putting in as much ice... believe it or not she listened.
The food was delicious, all my friends said the meal exceeded their expectations which weren't very high since they had never had Brazilian food. Even so the picky eaters cleaned their plates.
Portions were small enough to start out with an appetizer or finish up with dessert. (Tiramisu was different from some I've had but still super delicious, so was the Passion Fruit mousse-- sweet with some tartness)
Overall it was a great experience, and a super nice place. It's worth the trip. -
Review from Sergio T.
Long Island City, Queens, NY
6/26/2011
Malagueta is a great restaurant.
I've been a few times and I won't give it 5 stars because the food feels a little heavy at times.. But one needs to appreciate the "upscale" feeling that the owners try to communicate to their diners.
Just a couple of suggestions to them: improve how the outside of the restaurant looks (yes, the restaurant can totally afford to create higher expectations) and do a general review of the menu with the goal of lightening it up a bit.
Hope I'll be able to give it 5 stars one day! -
Review from Cindy H.
North Hills, CA
6/24/2011
PROS:
-Romantic lighting and ambience
-Friendly service...prompt yet relaxed
-Picanha was amazing...it was my first time trying the dish, and I'm in love with the combination of flavors and textures!
-Passion fruit mousse and coconut flan were DELICIOUS
CON:
-Tried both kinds of calpirinhas (lime and passion fruit) and found them watery
Still....can't wait to return here on my next trip to NY! -
Review from peter C.
Brooklyn, NY
2/19/2012
fat Peter rating system.
as follows:
STARS- standard yelp
CHANCE I WILL BE BACK- NO
Why I went- Birthday.....
WORD OF THE DAY IS OK!!
There was no bread, we sat down. The food was ok not great not bad tasted brazil but it was just ok. They had this sauce that they gave you with your side of fries with the chicken i ordered that was great but the chicken was okay
The shrimp stew was OK with black beans and white rice. the beans were ok!!
everything was okay!!
It didn't give you that I was in brazil explosion. it was okay...
if the meal was free, i'd still just say the food was okay.
so okay
I read the reviews and I expected a surprise more effort, there is literally 2 guys in the kitchen so okay
ok -
Review from Julia A.
Brooklyn, NY
1/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went to Malagueta last night for my birthday. it was our first time there and didn't know what to expect. I found the restaurant here on yelp and based on the reviews I had to eat there!
When we walked in I was not impressed. The decor is very minimal. There was a large party which took up the entire restaurant space and made the atmosphere feel weird to me, not cozy. The music was very low and with the crowd speaking so loud... it just felt like you were seated in a crowded room. We also sat in the far corner by the glass and it was freezing. I kept putting my coat over my shoulders every so often until I switched with Ariel. These are the reasons why this restaurant doesn't get 5 star rating. I like a little ambiance.
But the truth is that it was all forgotten once our appetizer was delivered to our table. We ordered the sauteed shrimp with garlic. It was delicious! I definitely can eat an entire plate of shrimp and not share it. It was seasoned perfectly and the garlic sauce was a dipping heaven for the pieces of toasted bread that came with it. For entree, I never know what to order so I asked the waitress to share her favorite meal from the menu. She pointed to the Bife Com Mandioca, grilled steak served with fried yuca and I ordered it! My fiance ordered the Ravioli De Frango. When our meals arrived it smelled and looked amazing. Right away I took a piece of Ariel's ravioli and he took a yuca from my plate... we looked at each other and decided to switch plates.
The chicken and fresh mozzarella ravioli was so tasty! I ate it very slow so i wouldn't finish it too fast. It was so flavorful! Ariel's steak was very good as well, but he didn't finish the whole thing. We did finish all the yuca though. Delicious!
I'll definitely visit this little place again. -
Review from Tony G.
Oakland, CA
6/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sangria was very good. The appetizer we had (a black eyed pea fritter with a topping made of cashew fruit) was a delight. The accompanying grille shrimp were perfect and the fresh salsa together made this a new experience I want to repeat.
For a main dish I had the quail and my partner had one of the grilled chicken entrees. OverAll the food was a bit heavy for the warm weather we were experiencing Both were very well executed. The vegetables were nicely prepared and the beens were very good. The crispy spinach was interesting but only for the first few bites and afterwards grew old. I would have preferred a good sautéed spinach. The mashed potatoes and rice of each of the dishes were simply prepared but each was nicely seasoned.
The desserts looked appetizing but by time we completed our meal we were no longer sufficiently hungry. We decided returning and ordering differently. Would allow that extra space to experience the dessert. -
Review from Jess N.
8/5/2011
A-OK. Wasn't too impressed with the menu...but all in all it was fine. They had one server/hostess/waitress/SUPERWOMAN running the whole place, so we missed out on attentive service. Not bad...I want to try Favela then update my review.
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Review from Cat J.
Flushing, NY
8/26/2010
Lovely, lovely place.
The setting was warm, our waiter seduced us with his accent and smoldering eyes, and our food left me and my two friends content with happiness (or was it our waiter?).
It's a romantic place, but it's not just for couples. Friends and family were in sight as well. Get the favela, the passion fruit mousse, the ravioli, the fish...They don't fail on anything. Malagueta makes Brazilian food look and taste good. -
Review from Paul C.
New York, NY
6/10/2011
First time at a Brazilian restaurant that wasn't a Churrascaria and based on the high yelps I thought this was gonna be great. The clean restaurant and attentive wait staff looked promising but the food was a let down.
The appetizer we had were the mussels and that was the best dish we ended up with. We had some fish entree and the Feijoada (national dish of Brazil) both cannot be recommended at all.
If the national dish failed to impress I can't imagine how the rest of the menu would fare. -
Review from Donna S.
12/20/2010 15 photos
We made reservations here last (sunday) night for a birthday dinner for a party of 27 ppl.
The decor is minimal, but the restaurant is overall very cozy and the service was very friendly and accommodating. The food didn't come out all at once but that was expected as we had such a large party. For the amount of ppl we had, the food was actually served in a very good amount of time.
As for the food itself, the appetizers were all very flavorful. The entrees were a good size for the prices. The most popular dish was definitely the Penne Pasta. We ended up ordering 4 orders for the table to share.
With appetizers, sangria, drinks, entrees, (5) extra entrees for the table to share AND desserts/coffee, the bill came out to $43pp which includes picking up the birthday boy's portion.
Service was warm and friendly. Definitely recommend this restaurant for large groups. -
Review from Silvina G.
Astoria, NY
3/21/2011
Pretty good, though a bit pricey for what it is.
The atmosphere is very romantic, but definitely group-friendly. And the food was delicious. We got the Linguica appetizer, sausages and yuca with spicy mayonnaise. Yum. For the entree, I got the shrimp stew, since so many people here recommended it. I didn't regret it. The sauce was pretty amazing.
Last but not least, we got the flan and passion fruit mousse for dessert. They were both pretty good, but for $5 I suggest you hope on over to Martha's Country Bakery (Astoria Ditmars stop) for a place that's really famous for their desserts :)
Would definitely go back! -
Review from C.M D.
Elmhurst, NY
8/9/2011
The quail with mashed potatoes and crispy spinach is the reason for the five stars (it's one of those meals that stay in your memory as exceptional - and that's the only reason I ever give a restaurant five stars). This has become my favorite restaurant in Queens to date. It never disappoints - in friendly and welcoming service, in hors d'oeuvres, entrees and desserts (I always have the passionfruit mousse), in its overall and unpretentious charm.
Malagueta is a little out of the way of the "restaurant rows" that are in Astoria. Instead, it's on a quiet corner next to homes and feels a little like a chance discovery while driving by.
Both friend and husband join me every month (alternating) - so I'm a monthly visitor and always at lunch. As I welcome a calm atmosphere in which I can focus on food and conversation, lunchtime here has always fit the bill. -
Review from Lady Di D.
ASTORIA, NY
5/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Phenomenal!!! Malagueta has the key to a successful restaurant: intimate/clean setting and fresh/delicious food. After reading great reviews I decided to have Sunday lunch and it was superb. The only negative thing I have to say is that we weren't made aware of the daily specials but aside from this detail service was great: timely & polite :)
Malagueta is a hidden gem :) -
Review from Jorge R.
Manhattan, NY
10/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Brazilian home cooking at it's best! This is the 3rd time I've eaten here and it never fails to satisfy my tummy! This charming restaurant may be a little far from the city buts worth a visit. I guarantee you will have perfect service and your tastebuds will leave you asking for more! The fried fish is simple but I think grandma was back there cooking. Even on a hot day the beef stew has the freshest vegetables and the beef was as tender as marshmallows! I didn't leave a single bite!
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Review from Juan Y.
Woodside, NY
6/9/2010
I absolutely LOVE this place! It is hands down one of the best local restaurants in New York.
The decor is very simple: wooden floor & furniture, a white ceiling with the back wall of the room painted red, featuring a painting of a Carmen Miranda/Chiquita Banana type of figure.
The food is outstanding and very moderately priced. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants. I have dined here many times and I've tried almost everything on the menu. If you are thinking about checking this out, I HIGHLY recommend the yuca frita (fried yuca) as an appetizer. The dipping sauce is unbelievable. For entree it all depends on what you like. The steak with mushrooms is very good (also comes with the infamous yuca fries) and the other dishes are very good as well. -
Review from Josephine L.
New York, NY
8/21/2011
Brazillian sausage with yuca fries + boneless quail with crispy greens. Solid meal with major flavor. Definitely recommend this small, unassuming restaurant.
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Review from Yoli P.
Larchmont, NY
7/19/2010
I was extremely disappointed.
The food was.. not great; the service was AWFUL, and the air conditioner was off on a 90 degree day.
Problem:
The shrimp dish my friend ordered was almost putrid, smelled awful and tasted bad. When our table complained, not only did we have to pay for it anyway, (she ate half of one shrimp) but the waitress actually came out with the cook and a tin full of shrimp to argue. SUCH LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM. If we say it was bad, then it was bad.
At one point the waitress went to sit down. Our table was full of empty dishes for about 10 minutes after we were done, so after those 10 minutes we looked over. She looked at us each of the three times we nodded in her direction, (with the whole table looking, you'd think a waitress would realize) and did not get up.. Just looked at us.
We were the one table in the restaurant, I wish the service was at least acceptable.
Also, I must mention, the food is so overpriced! Brazilian restaurants LINE the streets of Queens.. I have never paid so much for rotten shrimp.
It was embarrassing. -
Review from Jack N.
Astoria, NY
12/28/2008 1 Check-in Here
Excellent Brazilian food, decent ambiance, easy on the wallet
This restaurant is like a block away from my home. Its not big though. Size of a 1 store front, so it can sit about 30 ppl, tops. The decor is nice, with real candles (wrap in red paper to extend length and create ambiance) on their tables and a color palette dominated by red and supplemented by black and white. But when you look at the ceiling, you can still see the old high ceiling architecture of the place (good for high ceiling, bad for the pre-war design). Let just say the decor won't impress you, but you got to give them cred for trying.
Here's the dishes we had:
Appetizers
Linguica Grelhada Com Mandioca (Sausages with Yuca Fries) - The Yuca fries were so delicious, I wanted to have this dish by myself. They had a clean taste, not oily, and you can tell they are not your regular french fries. Add the green dipping sauce (avacado and mayo?) and it was the best dish appetizer I had in a long time. The sausages are really good too, but nothing can compare to those Yuca fries.
Lula Frita (Calamari) - Nice and crunchy, just the way I like it. The sauce is a bit watery though, but still pretty good dish.
Entree
Feijoada Completa (Brazilian National dish - served only on Saturday) - There wasn't enough meat in the black bean stew, or maybe I just gave away all the good pieces. Still I like this dish, the black bean stew had great flavor and the collards greens tasted a little like seaweed to me (which I like, cuz I like Jap food). First time I had Farofa, which is a powdery substance that has varying salt flavor. I thought its okay, but I probably didn't know how to appreciate it like Brazilian.
Codorna (Quail) - I tried this - This dish is good, although the quail is less meaty than other birds.
Moqueca de Camarao (Shrimp stew) - I tried this - This dish looks pretty. They had a scoop of rice and it was surrounded by shrimps. The shrimps were delicious, not overcooked. I can't believe there are better dishes, but
Frango Ao Vinho Branco (sauteed chicken breast w/ white wine sauce) - I tried this - The best entree I tried, bar none. The meat is so succulent and tender, filled with flavor in every bite. Oh, did I forget to mention this is white meat? You expect it to be dry, but its not at all. I will definitely order this dish the next time I come here.
Dessert
Brazilian Tiramisu - Not too sweet, make sure to dig deep (below the creme, below the chocolate) for the wafer
Flan - Really sweet on the outside, some might not like that, but once you get to the center, its so smooth and so good... yum...
I definitely want to come back here sometime. The price wasn't ridiculous. $135 (including tax and tips) for 4 ppl and we had appetizers(2), entrees(4), desserts (2), and a bottle of wine. What a bargain. Next time my friends come to visit me, we're going out to eat here. -
Review from Dimitrios D.
New York, NY
9/17/2010
A cozy, romantic little place.
I got a seafood dish that consisted of fish, some puree stuff made of shrimp and potatoes, I believe- all resting atop a salty, orange sauce with veggies. And it was great! They also gave a tiny dish of very spicy sauce which could be added for an extra kick.
The chef also came out to ask if we were enjoying our meal- a nice touch. -
Review from Katy D.
8/17/2009
3.5 stars.
Enjoyed a double date on a Friday night, and we found at 8:30pm the restaurant to not be too crowded. It's a small restaurant and the tables are a bit close together (such as Manhattan), but the music isn't overwhelming and it is actually quite charming. There are also several outdoor tables (where we sat), and it proved to be a nice, quiet dinner with some Bob Marley playing in the background.
We brought our own wine; $15 uncorking fee, though there is a full bar.
I was pleased with my dinner, the tuna over some VERY nicely seasoned vegetables. In fact all four of us had the fish, and while we were all pleased, none of us were truly blown away. Seasoning was nice, portion size was nice, but nothing that stands out and, sorry, nothing that would make me come running back again. And, as others have stated, it's pretty wallet friendly for the size of the plate.
Solid choice, but I wouldn't expect to be blown away. -
Review from Jason C.
New York, NY
8/20/2006
This place is good. I do not claim to be any kind of officianado on Brazillian food, but I know that this food was definitely tasty. Starting at the end, I tried some of the flan and a creamed corn and coconut dessert. Both were good, the creamed corn was surprisingly light, and the flan (which I haven't ever really liked before) was very good.
Our group shared their duck, pollock, snapper, and quail with one other. All were tasty, but my favorites were the fish (both pollock and snapper) which were both cooked perfectly, and seasoned with a slightly spicey and very good sauce.
We also shared two appetizers: the calamari and the sausage with some dipping sauce. The calamari were good: not over-cooked, greasy, or rubbery as seems to hapen way too often; and the sausage with the dipping sauce was awesome.
Oh, and entree's were $10-15, with app's generally under $10. -
Review from Bart A.
Rancho Cordova, CA
12/15/2007
Malagueta will not disappoint you and the local flavor of the servers is so charming I am willing to overlook some aesthetic shortcomings.
This isn't the kind of Brazilian restaurant where you have meat offered you until you flip over a coaster from green to red in surrender. While I have no expertise in the matter, I imagine this food to be what a person in Sao Paluo might order when they visit their favorite eatery.
We have tried several of the appetizers, but most favor the Salada de Lentilha Com Queijo: warm lentils with pepper crusted goat cheese over a balsamic drizzled salad greens. We have tried chicken dishes that are never dry and consistently flavorful, fish dishes that are subtle and surprisingly complex but we make a point of coming Saturday afternoon for the Feijoada Completa. Order a Brahma beer and savor this dish, you wont leave wondering why its the national dish of Brazil, its fantastic.
Lastly, I don't know if I can put words to the sheer unbridled delight of my first bite of Malaguetas Mousse de Maracuja. Sure, passion fruit mousse didn't sound like much to me either, but I'm a changed man for the experience. Truly the most amazing taste my palate has to this date enjoyed. I have to balance this by sharing that my sweetheart found the tangy ,sweet and creamy dessert only alright. She raves about the flan... try one of each, you'll be certain to find satisfaction ;)
This is an unassuming spectacular little restaurant less than a mile from my apartment, and I'm still regretting having waited so long to try it. Don't cheat yourself the way I did, find time this week and explore the culinary riches Malagueta has to offer. -
Review from Jared C.
2/18/2009 4 photos
On a hot late-summer Saturday morning, six of us descended on Malagueta from all our different parts of the city. A somewhat fancy Brazilian restaurant in Astoria, Queens, Malagueta remains a down-to-Earth establishment with a very friendly and helpful owner. The prices are similar to establishments in Midtown's "Little Brasil" but this type of care would be unheard of. We arrived 5 minutes before opening, but were welcomed to take a seat nonetheless.
Before everyone arrived (including the Brazilian among us, so typical!), we delightedly ordered the Linguiça Grelhada com Mandioca (not pictured), a simple but delicious grilled sausage plate with spicy mayonnaise. It did not come close to satisfying the hunger of multiple people, but did serve to get the taste buds watering on our tongues. Once everyone had arrived, we took a deeper swing into the menu, testing the typical dish of Feijoada (below), and taking advantage of its availability only on Saturdays. The national dish arrived in generous proportion, a stew of salted beef, pork, sausage, and black turtle beans served in a heavy claypot. On the side comes a plate of rice, collard greens, and farofa.
Our other choices were the Lombo de Porco (below, left), sauteed pork tenderloin in a tasty dill sauce, accompanied by the best mashed potatoes this side of Grandma's Thanksgiving, and the popular Moqueca de Camaro (below, right), a stew of shrimp in coconut milk and too many spices to quantify.
After the meal, despite having absolutely no room left, I was excited to order the fried banana, which actually was not on the menu. The proprietor must have liked us enough to do something special to end our meal. By this time, the place was starting to fill with others, and we could all pick our stomachs up and roll home. -
Review from gary m.
Brooklyn, NY
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
The location of this restaurant is a little strange but a trip here is worth it. You can bring a date or a small group here but keep in mind this place is not all that big. Luckily, reservations are taken. The sliced steak with rice and beans was definitely tasty and worth the try as well as the skirt steak. There is a fairly decent selection of different appetizers and entrees. The prices here are reasonable. There are only two people working here as waiters so service was a little slow but I feel for them.
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Review from Hana Y.
Long Island City, NY
1/11/2010
This was definitely a very pleasant experience.
The location itself is in a somewhat lonely part of town. But the restaurant's red awning and lights cheers the place up. The decor inside is vey cute and inviting as well.
And the food was very very good. Our party of 4 shared two appetizers - the mussels and the chicken salad. They were both delicious, and the mussels was a good portion. There was more than enough for 3 of us to share (one of us doesn't like seafood). For entree, I had the duck, and my companions got the quail and I think two of them got the pork. My duck was delicious, although a tiny bit oily - but duck is a little oily. The quail that my friend shared with me was extremely tasty, and my other companions liked their pork as well.
The best part must be the price - It was $138 for the four of us (including tip), which included 2 appetizers, 4 entrees, a bottle of wine, 2 beers, and a coffee. Two things that aren't making it 5 stars are: 1) the service - the women were exremely pleasant and friendly, but they seemed a bit overwhelemed, and it took some time for us to be able to flag one of them down; 2) the temperature. It was really really cold inside the restaurant. They should really look into that, because I want to be away from the cold weather when I'm eating.
I will definitely be back soon though! I really loved the food!Listed in: My Neighborhood, Astoria
