So this place showed up on a bunch of lists of places to go in Porto, and for good reason - but I…read morewas having trouble finding the hours, so I figured I'd just get there around noon once I was in Porto, and ask. Around noon, someone did show up briefly to post a sign out front saying they were going to be opening at 12:45 that day (I asked out of curiosity; sounds like it's *often* 12:30, but it's really mostly a "they'll open when they want to" kind of place.) I knew it'd be the sort of place that would fill up immediately, so I got back at 12:30. At least that day, it turns out they still had 1 table left after they sat everyone there before they opened - that last table got claimed at 1, 15 minutes later. It's not a large space, and word is out for good reason. Given it's not a large space, it was also easy for them to have excellent service, which they did. You could tell they were all passionate about the place, and again, for good reason - it was great. Definitely one of the best meals we ate on that trip. Between the two of us, we tried: Complimentary bread and olive oil. One OMG fantastic, wonderful fish soup. The sort of soup you'd want to eat every day if you could. Croquettes that were pretty good. Enjoyable enough, perfectly crispy, a little too salty. Not nearly as memorable as everything else. The seafood rice stew for 2 - a description I always question ("for 2"), but true in this case. It was quite large - and great. Excellent shrimp, which I'm picky about. I'm even pickier about shellfish (clams, mussels, etc). I was expecting to give my wife most of them, but I did *not* do that. They really know how to get and cook the best seafood here. The rice at the top of the stew wasn't anything particular to mention - filling, though, and warming for the drizzly day it'd been that morning. The rice at the *bottom* of the stew, that'd been slowly cooking in hot stew the whole time, was *very good*. :D Wine-wise, they have like a hundred bottles of wine by the whole bottom, some very expensive, some *surprisingly* reasonably priced, but we also didn't need a whole bottle of wine with lunch - by the glass, they just had one red and one white house wine (also solidly priced, though, for a place like this, 6 euros (Be way more than that in the US. I had the red with the stew - solid.) Also a handful of solid-looking ports by the glass, one of which I had with dessert, a reserva tawny for 6.50 euros. After eating the stew, my wife tapped out. I was also pretty full, but I'd spent a lot of effort getting here and I was *gonna* have dessert, darn it. Had what was basically just a whole roasted stewed apple, cooked down until it turned to pudding. Super good. Went really well with a reserva tawny port. This place was great.

This was a low key restaurant located on a small street. The door was closed and locked so I had…read moreto knock before one of the staff came outside. Luckily for us the restaurant was only half full so there was no need to wait (weekday at 3pm). Odd hours for popular restaurants worked out the best for us on this trip. Inside there were just 8 tables so I can see why this place usually sees long lines outside. It was quite cozy. Menu was straightforward with appetizers, seafood and from the country (aka meat). The octopus rice was so good. The strips of sliced octopus were very tender and the flavors of this dish were delicious. It was comforting on that cold and rainy afternoon. The salt crusted seabass selection was delivered the with flare all covered in flames. Our server ignored the flames and proceeded to crack open the salt crust, fillet and debone the fish. Full service! The fish was meaty and perfectly cooked. The side of potatoes and broccoli was addicting and I normally don't eat a lot of potatoes. We skipped dessert but the menu was tempting. Besides the fish service it would've been nice to have a bit more proactive attention from our server. When we requested our check, she pointed out that out that tipping was not included and waited until we completed the transaction. Would return for the food next time in Porto.

We read very favorable reviews of this restaurant, it was clearly a local favorite and we could…read morewalk to it from where we stayed on vacation. The focus here is on rotisserie chicken; they have other items but they're not the main event. It's very big inside, 2 stories and even early it's pretty busy. The chicken is well seasoned and very juicy; enough so that you know why it's So popular. Sides I can barely remember , but everything else was good- it's just that you will Always remember that chicken! Other than that, my only other clear memory of that dinner is that it was very reasonably priced. If I were in the area again, I'd return in a heartbeat. Highly recommended.

I am delighted that I tried this place. Upon walking in, there is a diner countertop that one can…read moresit at and basically watch the kitchen prepare your food. There is also dining upstairs. As I came in on my own I opted for the one open stool at the counter. The restaurant was busy on a Monday early evening, about 5:30-6:00 pm-ish, with what felt like mostly locals. They have a regular menu, a daily menu printed on the counter top, and they also do Take-Away. Their specialty is definitely their roasted chicken, which one can see cooking on spits at the entrance of the restatruant, conjuring such amazing smells that truly open up the appetite. The staff is sweet and did their best to serve me, with my English/Spanish and no Portugese self. Everything I ate was top-tier without being fancy. Simple and flavorful. I ordered a 1/2 chicken (way too much for me by myself) that came with batatas (french fries- which I didnt love), so I ordered a side of white rice and a salad, as well as what I would call a carafe of wine (it was definitely either two very healthy pours or 3 regular ones). All in all, I paid $15 euros, which I thought was a great value for all that I was given and how tasty everything was.

Pretty good! The restaurant is located inside the Sao Bento train station to the left as you walk…read morein from the tiled entrance. Definitely recommend making a reservation, I found it impressive that the hostess's reservation system was essentially a notebook and pen in this digital age. We did not see much of our waiter, since the restaurant was extremely busy and filled up with diners. Standouts: 1. Razor clams - I'll always get these if I see it on the menu. Cooked in this incredible garlic sauce. 2. Fish and seafood cataplana - delicious, tomato-forward seafood stew; I liked the version that we had the night before more which came with rice and was more filling. But this was basically a never-ending bowl of fish, clams, mussels, and shrimp. Add to that the fact that the restaurant like most in Porto did not have A/C and I emerged feeling like I had been sitting in a sauna. Skipped dessert; I had my eye on the Weeel! froyo truck parked outside. One more nit - the metal chairs are not comfortable at all for sitting a long time in.

I found this place on Google Maps when we were looking for a dinner spot. It was packed and we made…read moreit just on time because there were 2 seats open at the bar! We ordered a few tapas to share: croquets de alheira and croquets de codfish. Both were so good! We loved it. The star of the show though was the pork neck tacos! They were so delicious! So much flavor and perfect. I got the lemonade and it was just okay. Nothing special. Overall, would 100% recommend this place! Make a reservation if you can but if you can't, would still try to stop by!

Service is great and entertaining but food quality and value is abysmal. 48 euros for 2 people was…read moreunexpected especially when so many higher end places in downtown Porto are cheaper with fresh food and high quality wine.

My best meal in Portugal. Clams, mussels, prawns in a delicious sauce, bread to soap up the sauce,…read moresauted vegetables hit the spot for me today. What a friendly, take charge proprietor. Funny too. She helps you get what you want. Olives on the tables when we arrived. Good quality. Welcoming setting.

I absolutely loved this place. We tried to eat at a restaurant close to this location card Bat…read moreLola. They were not very friendly with my daughter. We ended up entering this fabulous location. It's a simple, true Portuguese restaurant with authentic Portuguese food. The waiter, Johan was very friendly to my daughter and the salmon and Seabass was delicious. If we ever come back to Porto we will absolutely visit this authentic, charming restaurant again.

Took a bus froM Porto to Foz to see the shoreline. Beautiful! Found this place by chance. Set menu…read moreat lunch; bargain at 7.5€. Broccoli soup starter and entrees (I had pork cutlet with side of rice/beans, friend had tuna). Both were delicious. Waiter spoke English and was very friendly. Worth visiting!

What a lovely meal. Relaxed. Outside. Grilled sardines, squid and robalo with salad, potatoes,…read morebread , olives and a bottle of Planalto white wine. Crème brûlée for dessert. Very Portuguese. The couple at the next table had Alice, their 6 month old daughter, in a baby carriage next to their table and took time out from their meal to feed her. Did I mention I loved this meal? The fish is fresh and grilled to perfection. The ambience was perfect. And the service was enthusiastic.

One of my favorite places we ate in Porto. We stopped in from lunch based on a recommendation from…read morea friend, we didn't have a reservation. The seafood was fresh as was the vinho verde. The three of us had two bottles of vinho verde and what felt like a HUGE lunch of squid, prawns, two nice fishes, salad, and more for around 100 euros. My favorite was by far the squid, but everyone had their preferences. Sitting outside and enjoying seafood at friendly prices with great wine is a dream come true. This meal was so worth while, honestly great vibes, and where you want to go for a local experience in Porto.

Great food, traditional, friendly service. Been around for over 50 years. Tourists that fumbled…read morePortuguese language badly. Staff very helpful and patient with us. Wouldn't hesitate to return again. Francesinha was out of this world.

The food is very bland and overpriced. The service was poor. Everything here felt old and rundown…read more I would not recommend eating here

This restaurant was just what we wanted. Fresh (fresh, fresh) fish and tiger prawns, friendly…read moreservice, good wine, and an unhurried lunch. Everyone there was enjoying what was offered. The side dishes were almost as good as the fish and prawns we had. I'm sad I didn't have enough room for them as well! Cannot say enough good things about the team and our delicious meal!

This was the best meal that I had will visiting Portugal. I would highly recommend. The staff was…read morewonderful and the food was delicious.

Eating with the locals in Portugal - northern edition (1 of 2)…read more It was later in the evening and I was laying my head down in Porto instead of Vila Nova de Gaia, which is atypical for me. I asked where to get some fairly priced and good grub that locals would definitely like. I was given this name - Capa Negra II - and, since they know they can be nasal and enunciate differently from the other Iberians, this young lady wrote it down for me. Capa Negra II was nearby and on the busy street that buses use to go from the Casa da Musica Metro over the Ponte Arrabida to the south shore. I had thus been by it numerous times. I took note that they offered many things, but are best known for their Francesinha. Even though Francesinha approximates "little Frenchie" in Portuguese, it is said to have been born in the Porto area. It is a sandwich inside which there are pressed layers of different pork and cured meats and it is covered in a complex sauce including cheese, tomato sauce, beer, port wine, spices, and then some. It is usually topped with an egg. They are very nice to look at, albeit almost decadent. I have a short history with the Francesinha. Years ago, I notice a place that looked like Capa Negra II and on that very same row of eateries that was hopping in the evenings and I went in there to get a Francesinha. (I don't know why that similar place is no longer open.) The sandwich was just like I have described above except that there were peppercorns in the meat that, in my opinion, were nasty and I had to open it up to work around them. It was thus the only time I had eaten a Francesinha. The waiter was mild mannered and I told him I only needed to verify one thing. I always try to put together some words in the local lingo because I want to ... and because I want to be far from being an "ugly American." I was adamant about there being no peppercorns in my Francesinha. I said something like, "Tem issas coisas pequenas negras e picante dentro a carne? ... nao quiero ... nao gosto." He quickly understood my issue and indicated there would not be any. Now, here, I was an idiot an asked for "batatas cocidas!" I should have just accepted the traditional fries that accompany the sandwich given how many times I've had Big Boy and Big Mac combos. I washed it all down with a soft drink. I was happy that I gave the Francesinha another chance. Mind you, you cannot do this often. It was robust, tasty, and, since you might eat only that, it will be filling without completely bogging you down. I liked the waiter and his politeness. The price was fair. The restaurant was modern, simple, comfortable, and airy, even though it was in the evening. Finally, there was a queue because it was full and you had to give the host your name. They stuck to it and got me seated quickly. I really appreciated the fairness and even handedness of all this and it's usually this way in Portugal, especially in its north. Their Francesinha is good and they have many other choices. It's not fine dining. I would almost describe Capa Negra II as a glassier modern tavern. There is another "branch" in the center and there may be more tourists at that one. I do like this newer part of the city, you will be eating with locals, and I recommend this restaurant.

October 12, 2023. Thursday. Dinner…read more Our first night in Porto and we decided to visit this joint. It was directly across from our hotel and seemed to be packed with locals. We waited about 10 minutes to be seated and every table looked to be full. Even the dining counters were full. This place reminded me of an American diner. Every waiter bustled to and fro and I think all of them were guys. Our waiter recommended a red wine blend (17 euros) called Quinta Crasto which turned out to be exceptionally delicious. The only problem was that the wine did NOT pair well with the heavy food. I ate a caldo verde (5 euros) a hearty, thick Portuguese soup with kale, chorizo, and potatoes. The soup tasted good, though I wished they included more chorizo. My wife ordered with the traditional Francesinha with egg and fries (14 euros). It looked like most people in the restaurant were ordering this. Her dish had lots of fries and was piled high. They are very generous with the food here and she left a few fries on her plate. I couldn't help her because I barely finished my bacalhau braga (23 euros). My dish came with fried cod buried in brown gravy, carrots and cauliflower, and lots of potato chips on the side. Basically a Portuguese take on fish and chips. The cod tasted light and amazing but the very filling, heavy food and wine didn't go well. I think a light, carbonated drink would go well with this food. Service was fast, food piled high and very generous, and the other diners were very comforting to see. Prices were low, so we visited here once more before leaving Porto.