I now understand what they mean by "true Portuguese" restaurants. This was recommended by our local…read moreUber driver and it is tucked away off of the Sesimbra city center. There is a small patio seating area and then about 10 tables or so inside the inviting space. It is full of fish decor and carved wooden chairs and tables. A really charming mom and pop spot. At 7-ish PM were immediately greeted and seated. Given how popular the place supposedly was with locals, we were surprised by so few tables occupied. However, by the time we left a little after 8, the place was full. To our table, they immediately brought bread and a plate of cheeses, sardine pate, and butter. Know that you must pay for all of these and can hand back any items you do not plan to consume and not get charged. We handed back the plate with all but the butter and kept the bread. This was a solid choice and tasty bread. We ordered a curried shrimp stew and a pepper steak with a side of vegetables. The vegetables were a flat Italian green bean and they were expertly sautéed in garlic and butter. The curry was delicious with a seemingly endless amount of shrimp (served over white rice). It cost around 12 euros. The pepper steak was covered in a scrumptious brown sauce and served with both white rice and steak fries and a random few slices of tomatoes. The steak itself was a much thinner cut than they give in the US but was cooked well and was very tender. I was able to eat my portion with a butter knife! My husband and I enjoyed dipping the fries into the steak sauce. If you eat here, plan to pay with euros or a Visa or Mastercard. We had not yet exchanged currency to Euros and my typical travel Amex was giving them issues. It was awkward (but they were very kind and patient as we sought out an ATM). Would recommend. Most locals seemed to be ordering the fried or grilled fish, FYI.

This place was amazing, very authentic Portuguese food. Six minute walk from our hotel. 12-15…read moreeuros each. Mom & Pop restaurant where locals eat. Opens at 7pm, we walked right in, but it got busy shortly there after. We had the grilled fish, potatoes and salad and shrimp curry. I had to try the almond pie for dessert, it was delish! You will love it!!!

The chicken was very tasty. Service was a bit slow, but it was Saturday evening and staff were very…read morebusy at 8 pm.

This potentially the best chicken I have ever eaten. Do not miss this place if you are in Sesimbra…read more But FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SIT INSIDE. This restaurant has more flies than anywhere else I have been in Portugal.

This restaurant was recommended during my Sesimbra & wine tasting tour. Service was great and I…read morequite enjoyed the ambience and seating just steps from the beach. They definitely know how to plate a meal here and the seafood is so fresh, you might see it arrive before it's cooked for you! The prices are a little on the pricey side but it's on par with the experience. Overall it wasn't my favorite seafood restaurant while visiting Portugal but I enjoyed trying the clams, lobster and shrimp rice entree and unique pineapple dessert! The Sangria was top notch!

We were on a winery tour and our guide recommended this place for lunch. What a great rec!! One of…read moreour best meals while on vacation. We got there right when they opened and they quickly filled up. Our server was super helpful answering our questions. And the food was divine!! I still think about those shrimp!

One of the best places to eat in town. Casa Mateus is exactly what you want in a cute fishing…read morevillage in Portugal. Historically significant in Sesimbra, with reasonable prices and excellent food, Casa Mateus brings you family owned charm alongside excellent cuisine. From the local cheese to the oxtail croquettes to the out of this world quail every dish was so well executed. Service was amazing and the fish was so fresh! We'll certainly be coming back.

Food, service, original and unique dishes. Super friendly staff. Lovely table outside on cute side…read morestreet.

Very good fresh seafood - wide variety of daily catch to choose from. Food is tasty with just the…read moreright flavors and seasoning... however, overall preparation and the style of some dishes was a bit simplistic, maybe even homemade. I actually liked that a lot, but I can imagine someone wanting a bit more sophistication from a rather pricey place.

My first Portuguese perceives, wonderful seaside view, very fast attentive service, yet we were not…read morethere a apeak time. Had the monk and grouper stew very good. Our sides were mixed salad, olives and perseives, all very tasty.

Lovely ambiance and great food! The four of us all had a wonderful evening and everyone enjoyed…read moretheir meals. Definitely recommend as a lively, delicious place to eat.

I went back and forth between three and four stars, and came to the conclusion I had higher hopes…read morebeing on vacation and Europe has always had a higher standard for me with food compared to the United States. Inside was classically decorated with many square tables that could be rearranged for groups of 1-2 or larger. We did not need a reservation but it was a Tuesday night at 8pm. Service was friendly but could felt similar to the service you get in many tourist restaurants and the idea of American tipping seems to be taking root. Food portions were hearty and seemed to be a more formal take on Portuguese comfort food (I imagine). The Cod Duque was under seasoned with the Octopus done well and the sweet potato puree was just....there.

If you're in Sintra, do NOT miss Tascantiga. It was easily our favorite meal of the trip. It feels…read morelike dining in someone's Portuguese family home, with mismatched plates and charm in every detail. The sangria (by the glass or in a clay jug) is a must.  We went all in as a group of four diners, ordering the sardine sandwich (incredibly fresh and layered with flavor), fried fish, octopus, scrumptious pig cheeks, and the most delicious chicken wings. Honestly, I could've skipped the steak sandwich, but everything else was outstanding. Didn't make it to dessert, but the plates we saw heading to other tables looked good. Even the bathroom adds to the experience, decorated like a home, complete with fake hanging "laundry". We walked in during a busy lunch time on a weekend day. Indoor and outdoor seating is available depending on the weather.

This was the first spot we visited on our second leg of our Portugal trip. It was easy to find and…read morewas very casual. The tapas sized food was perfect for what we needed as a simple appetizer as we ate through Sintra. We coupled it with wine and beer. Service was fast and friendly. It was the only spot that had a lot of people - speaks to its superiority in the area perhaps. I'd definitely recommend - get the seafood salad!

Small indoor space and covered outdoor patio with four tables. We saw this on Yelp, craved seafood…read moreand knew we needed to give it a try. It was hoppin' when we arrived but we snagged an open patio table pretty quickly and were given drinks promply. We made a great choice with the half pitcher of sangria. So good! We opted for red but most tables got white. Glass, half pitcher or large pitcher. On the table upon arrival: sausage, olives, fried fish cakes, bread (so good-well seasoned). Know that these table items are not free like in the US. You are able to tell them "no thanks" to whatever items you don't want and they will take them away with no charge. We kept all items this time since it was our first meal in Lisbon area and we wanted to try new things. We also ordered: Shellfish Mix Platter (Cold shrimp, crab mix dip, au gratin shrimp dip/spread, crab, garlic shrimp). We should have known better with the cheese/seafood combos that this was a gimmicky meal. Most of the items ended up tasting a bit heavy instead of light, flaky, and flavorful like fish can/should be. We did enjoy the garlic shrimp and the crab, but the dips were too heavy for us. Fries-best we've had in Portugal Spoke English. They gave us an English menu upon recognizing our "unique" Portuguese attempts. Note that they take Euros only. No cards. We would go back nut not order the platter.

Excellent restaurant in Sesimbra. If you really come to the beach near Lisbon, Sesimbra is the…read morebiggest beach. You need to seek the seafood here if you come here. We were here for the carnival. We have look up yelp and the this restaurant did not disappoint us. We start with local beer and Sangria. Local beer is super bock. It is a light beer. We started with the octopus. It tentacle is section cut in dish with olive oil. It is fun appetizers. We also have the bamboo clam which is call Atlantic jackknife. This clam I have it at Malaysia. Now I see them in Portugal. It is delicious cook with stir fry. It is also delicious. We also have the little neck clams. It is good too. Our entree is the garlic shrimp. The garlic was pan seared to crispy and cook with the shrimp. The aroma is perfect. Last and the best is the season king crab look like massive dungeon crab. The center of the top shell is stuff with crab meat stuffing. The crawl taste like Florida stone crab and sweet. I like my experience here. Highly recommended.