Tapabento was, without a doubt, one of the best restaurants I dined at during my recent two week trip to Portugal and Spain. Expectations were pretty high given their solid 5-star overall rating and the fact that this is currently the most reviewed restaurant in all of Porto (on Yelp). That said, Tapabento definitely lived up to the hype. From start to finish, our experience here was exceptional. To eat, we shared a variety of dishes. I can't remember all of them at this point, but the Wild Shrimp Risotto and Duck Magret were probably my favorites. If you are hoping to dine here, I highly recommend making reservations in advance. This restaurant is extremely popular. Upon arrival, we were seated immediately upstairs. Service was impeccable. read more

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It's right at the old train station and came with several recommendations. We had two tapas, the tuna tartare (way over sauced) and the hummus with cod which was good. We shared the mussels which were good, different than I have ever had with the addition of lemongrass in the broth. We ordered bread for dipping in the yummy stock. read more

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Made a reservation for 7pm when they opened- super crowded immediately. We were seated right away (reservation) and the waitstaff took time to thoroughly explain the gluten free options for the gluten intolerant member of our party. The food we got was delicious, I only wish we were hungrier so we could've ordered more portions! My only critique is that the bathrooms were unusual- located outside the restaurant and available with a code.. read more

Tapabento - Caprese - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

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WAIT It's almost always full inside. There is usually a long wait to get in. When my friends and I arrived and we spoke to the server at the door, we put our names down and was told to come back at 8:30pm. Since we really wanted to eat here, we walked around the neighborhood and killed time for a bit before we came back at 8:30pm. We waited a few minutes (as they were waiting for a party to pay & clean the table) before we got our table inside. We sat down at a table and decided to share a few dishes that we all liked: BEEF CARPACCIO Since we wanted a bit of vegetables to start with, we decided to go with Beef Carpaccio. Presentation was perfect. The beef slices were laid out around the plate. They were super thin and delicious. It's raw, but good to eat. As for the salad, the dressing paired well along with the mix of lettuce, cheese & nuts. It was a light appetizer-like dish. MUSHROOMS RISOTTO At first appearance, it looks small. But it's risotto after all, so it is a bit more filling. The risotto was cooked well. The mushroom flavor was rich. The whole dish was creamy and warm. NASI GORENG It has the ingredients of Nasi Goreng, but definitely not the typical Asian dish you would expect. They put their own twist on the popular dish, which was quite interesting. There was a good amount of fried onion pieces, so a bit more onion-y than would have preferred. But despite all, it was good. ANGUS STEAK This is probably the biggest platter, so I think it's definitely worth it's value. The meat is cooked to your liking. We got medium rare - the meat was brown on the outside, but rare enough to make the meat soft to chew. The cooked tomatoes were a bit softer/juicy than expected, but a good balance to the carb/protein. Potatoes are slightly cooked to be crispy on the outside. Overall, we enjoyed trying all their tapa dishes. Out of all the typical tapas we tried around Porto, this restaurant definitely has way more variety and cook their dishes well. Would definitely recommend if they have availability. read more

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Unique menu but very very good. Recommend Nestled inside the Sao Bento train station.

Did you know Japanese pioneers were the 1st explorers in Portugal? I was shocked I saw many Japanese people and restaurants that = fusion Anyhoot with the long line it was worth it. Wonderful service and uberlicious tapas. read more

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Great experience at Tapabento in Porto. We were blown away by the perfectly cooked steak, the prawns and the peanut butter mouse dessert. We arrived and got in line without a reservation and waited about 20 minutes for a table. They were able to fit us in, but told gave us a time limit for our table since we didn't have a resy. Service was extremely slow, but staff understood it wasn't our fault so let us stay and enjoy our mail without feeling rushed. It's definitely a popular spot so if you can plan ahead, get a reservation or arrive before they open to get on the list. Other than the slow service, everything was great and the food was delicious. Definitely recommend checking it out -- their new location is inside the train station. The official entrance is the door facing outside the station, not the one inside. read more

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Everything we ordered was flavorful! Make sure to make a reservation especially if you have a big party. We didn't make a reservation but it was only two of us and lined up 15 mins before opening. We were lucky to get a table by the bar because that was the only one available. This place is a must try. It is located inside the Sao Bento train station. read more

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I just random found Tapabento on Yelp! Would love to try them last minutes without reservation and they respond my email within an hour and Isabel get me in at the bar and remember my name by my email, so impress! 15 minutes after they open the door the restaurant is full. Foods so delicious! Services fabulous even they're packed! If I could give them 10 stars I would, make my trip to Porto more memorable! read more

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Tried to walk in on a Wednesday night 8:30pm without reservations, waited about an hour. All of the staff was super nice and friendly! The owner(?) at the front door was so warm and welcoming. They even have throw blankets for you if seated outside as the evenings can get chilly in May. Fish soup: very good, nice broth and not too salty, would order again! Veggie soup: creamy, could be hotter in temperature, will pass next time. Salmon ceviche: was OK. The sweet potato chips were all pretty soggy, portion was small for the price, will pass next time. Shrimp risotto: just a touch undercooked. Overall good flavor and small pieces of shrimp also mixed in the rice. Would order again. Foie gras on toast: foie gras was too salty, the brioche bread it was on wasn't complementary/too soft and dry (perhaps a heartier toast?). Will pass next time. Banoffee banana dessert: was OK. Mostly whipped cream with banana flavor between hard cookies. Will pass next time. 6 items plus a bottle of red was 97 euros for two people. Would be interested to try other items on the menu next time! read more

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Everything from staff to food was amazing! The service was on point and everything we ordered came quickly and it was delicious! The staff was very attentive and excellent service, especially our waiter Nitesh, he was excellent! The only thing is that you have to go outside for restroom, but they where very clean. i wish i could add pictures of the food, I had the cod dish, highly recommend it! read more

Great food! If you travel in Porto, don't miss it! The mushroom risotto and croquetas were amazingly delicious! Even the orange juice was so good. The restaurant is just next to the Sao Bento train station. Very convenient after visiting the station. read more

Tapabento - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

This place is so delicious and what makes it even more awesome is it convenient location, right next to the train station! We didn't have a reservation, but we got there as soon as they opened and were able to secure a table for two. The ambience was welcoming, and very nice. I couldn't finish all of my food, but it was excellent. read more

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Food: Delicious Service: Very helpful server. Ambiance: Very busy Bistro in the Porto train station which has construction of the subway next to the station. Takes walk ins and reservations. If you are visiting the lovely city of Porto, Portugal Tapabento is worth the wait. read more

Come here for the tortilla Español! It is five stars maybe even 10 stars. The other dishes were pretty mediocre. I got a seafood rice. That was way too creamy and salty. I also got the roast zucchini and it was way too cheesy. There also is no bathroom at the restaurant except for a nasty public bathroom. I was definitely disappointed because the restaurant looks pretty nice inside. Overall, this place was overpriced and not that good. But if you come for drinks and the tortilla, Español, I think you will have a five-star experience! read more

Believe the hype! What an amazing meal! Professional staff, friendly service. Great portions. A must go. We didn't have reservations, but we got there early and they were happy to have us. Don't miss the opportunity to experience this amazing place!!! read more

Tapabento - Desert - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

This is by far the best dining experience I had in Porto. This place is a small two floor restaurant tucked away on a side road next to the Sao Bento train station. The staff is very friendly and accommodation but reservation are highly recommended as they are usually fully booked. We showed up without a reservation as they were opening and there was already a line forming. We waited around 30 mins and were lucky enough to snag two seats at a shared table because a large party canceled at the last minted. The abundance felt like a friendly rustic pub with an open kitchen but the food were dishes out of a Michelin star restaurant. Each one felt delightfully crafted and had their own surprise. The stand out was their ox tail dumplings and the peanut butter form. The service was beyond excellent. I highly recommend you get reservations for Tapabento if you are every in Porto! read more

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The service was excellent and the food was beyond excellent, this is landmark and a must to have lunch or dinner if you visit Porto ! And I can't say enough about the ambiance and the setting in the train station and the heart of downtown . The lady hostess I am assuming she's the owner as well was super nice and very welcoming to her guests , one think to keep in mind is that you must make reservations because that place is super busy , of course that tells you something about the quality I highly recommend it Zak. read more

Totally worth the hype. Great location in the train station. I would even come again. The seafood soup for two was delicious along with the razor clams. read more

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AMAZING food! We had the risotto and steak and both were *delicious.* And frankly I'm not sure how to make a steak sooo phenomenal and memorable but wow they did. Definitely make a reservation, it's tough to get in. read more

Tapabento - Shrimp risotto and steak (okay we had already eaten most of the steak by the time we remembered to take a photo - it was soooo good!) - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

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The food is good but price is a little bit high for the portion. The place is very busy, so be sure to make a reservation before you come. I really like their dessert, I didn't take picture of that but highly recommended their desserts. read more

Tapabento - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

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A must visit with a must reservation if you're in Porto! This restaurant is truly a jewel in the wall with fresh smells just behind a curtain. We started popping wine from light to dark and every bottle had its own bevy of flavors bursting with essence of the Douro valley. We ordered everything from the oysters, to tuna, to the risotto and this tapas style restaurant did not disappoint. João was an Ah-amazing server and made the table experience extremely fun. Thank you Tapabento for making our first night in Porto so memorable and yummy ! read more

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This tiny quaint place lived up to the hype. It's located near the train station down a little street that almost looks like an alley. We tried to get a spot the night before but learned quickly people start lining up prior to opening for a seat. Lesson learned and we showed up early the following night. We tried many dishes that included: Tortilla, Paõ con Tomate, Vegetable Soup, Salmon Ceviche, Fried Rice, Angus Steak, Zucchini Parmigiana and Mushroom Risotto. It was ALL very good. Service was spot on and the food is served fresh and hot. We enthusiastically recommend this place. read more

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A must visit if you are ever in Porto! Highly recommend to make reservations or you can also get there at least 30mins before it opens. Every dish we ordered was delicious and amazing! Excellent service! read more

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This place lived up to all the hype! Amazing food, very nice staff- a lovely lunch experience. We shared a few bites with some refreshing white wine on a hot day. The tortilla had creamy texture and was delicious; the croquettes were paired with two different excellent sauces and I would also recommend those; tuna tartare was also refreshing and a wonderful balance of flavors; the oysters were the largest I have ever seen and had an incredible flavor. Our waitress asked the chef where they were sourced from, and he said they came from the south of Portugal. We finished lunch with the banoffee mille fuille, which was also just incredible! Excellent meal- loved our visit today! read more

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This is an amazing find for us; but apparently very popular so expect a small wait for lunch (not sure how long a wait for dinner), Food is superb and a great vibe! read more

Tapabento - Shrimp sautéed in garlic and claims in extra virgin olive o and coriander and green wine, of course! - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

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Amazing spot in Porto. Came here right after the sunset and good thing we did because by 9 pm (April) there was a super long queue behind us. Would recommend a reservation by emailing beforehand! Luckily we were seated pretty quickly. The service was excellent. The waitress, Ribita?, was super kind and knowledgeable. She gave great recommendations on food and wine (try the vino verde!). The owner, Isabella, came and checked in on us several times as well. The food was delicious! Loved the fried rice, potato pancake, and soup! Cod fish dish was a little heavy so would definitely split it if you can. If I'm ever back in Porto I will definitely be returning! read more

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Loved this place! It was recommended to our friend for our girls trip to Porto, and I'm so thankful she booked it! We ended up splitting a lot of items, and even with 1 vegetarian and 3 meat-eaters we were able to make everyone happy! Kind of a hidden gem, as it seemed to be one of the only spots on a kind of dark street. Don't let that deter you! I'm still thinking about the risotto! read more

Food was spectacular Service from Isabel was amazing Dessert was perfection Highly recommended read more

Tapabento - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

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Food was amazing , gave us a booth instead of high top we booked-which we appreciated, waiter nice-could have been more attentive about ordering more food or drinks, I went back the next day and got soup to go-which they don't normally do but they were super helpful! Highly recommend read more

Amazing food, very flavorful and great ambience The owner is a sweetheart and all hands-on read more

#1. Get a reservation! This place is super hot and in demand. I got there at 7:00 pm opening and had no res. I was asked to wait on side for line of reservations and the place quickly filled. I got lucky and sat 15 min later. Food is a Portuguese fusion with other countries influence, really enjoyed the whole vibe. It's in a train station : Sao Bento. read more

Came here a few days after the new year, and when we were waiting outside we were suddenly told the place was closed that day - whoops! Thankfully, the nice and friendly owner took our reservation for 9pm the next day. Interior is cute with a European home-y ambience. Here is what we devoured: Fish Soup - flavorful with decent amount of fish chunks and enough amount of heat (temperature wise). As I was at the tail end of an illness, this soup was very much needed! Seafood Risotto - beautiful appearance! The flavor itself was like this umami bomb in my mouth. I'm not typically a huge Risotto consumer, but this one was legit. Comes with whole shrimp plus head! Peanut Foam - this is actually a dessert. Surprisingly, it was not overly sweet. I appreciated the various textures, with not one flavor overpowering the others. Just a heads up that there's ice cream at the bottom :) This was the most expensive meal I had in Porto during my trip, but it was worth it so why not *shrugs* "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did..." - Mark Twain read more

Tapabento - Peanut Foam dessert! - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

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Probably one of our favorite meals during our stay in Porto. We ordered a lot of food and everything was incredibly delicious. As appetizers we ordered the salmon ceviche (SO GOOD) and the croquetas. As the main dish we ordered the seafood curry (amazing). For dessert we ordered the peanut and the hazelnut desserts and both were so good! We also had red wine with our meal and Porto with our dessert (the 40 year port wine was incredible). Our waiter was super friendly and spoke English/Spanish he was from Cuba! Tip: call or stop by beforehand to make your reservation. I emailed them to make the reservation but that didn't work. read more

Tapabento - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

This was our absolute favorite meal in our time in Portugal. We tried many individual plates and each was better than the last. The tortilla was exquisite - perhaps the best iteration of the dish I've ever had. The foie gras toast was beyond belief. So flavorful and beautiful to behold. The peanut foam dessert was outrageously good. I can't even remember the many wonderful dishes we had but I honestly don't think it really matters: I would trust that at Tapabento, each dish will be perfect. Definitely make an effort to get here. It's a true gem. read more

Great place! The dishes we ordered were delicious. Service was fast and the lady that seated us was lovely. read more

Tapabento - Wild shrimp in garlic sauce. - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

The place has a wonderful atmosphere. You could easily become a regular here because the owner is so attentive; she makes it feel like she's hosting a dinner party. Great wine selection. Better food. read more

Tapabento - Shrimp Risotto - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

This place was amazing! We tried the tuna tartar, potato tortilla, oxtail dumplings, Nasi Goreng (fried rice), shrimp risotto, angus steak, and I have to say that every dish was outstanding. They were really quick to respond to my reservation inquiry. Our server and hostess were great! read more

Tapabento - Steak - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

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My wife and I really enjoyed our evening at Tapabento despite walking through a torrential downpour to get there. We were late for our reservation but texted them to let them know. They had our table waiting when we did finally arrive. Service the entire evening was awesome. Seated on the first floor (second floor in US) gave our server quite the workout running up and down. The place was absolutely packed this mid October Sunday evening but somehow our food came out quickly. We started with perhaps the best bruschetta ever. It tasted incredibly fresh and the bread didn't crumble apart as is typical with this dish. Upon our server's suggestion, we next had the tuna tartare. There were so many wonderful flavors in the dish to mix and match making each bite a unique experience. Definitely a favorite of mine. Next round we had organic mushrooms and the pork cheek with a delightful celery root purée. The portion of mushrooms was too much for the both of us and could have fed four. The cheek just melted onto the fork being so tender. We polished that disk off we no issue. We finished with the fan favorite peanut foam. It looked like a hot fudge sundae but wasn't and was surprisingly light. read more

Oh my goodness, this place was incredible! We came straight off the train and placed our names on the waiting list. Good thing because we ended up waiting almost an hour and a half for a table. Let me tell you, though - it was worth waiting every minute! The woman taking names (who I figure was the owner) was so beyond friendly, calm, and collected despite how busy it was. Between taking names and seating guests, she was also helping deliver dishes to tables and checking in on already seated guests. That's the definition of a dedicated business owner! Beyond the ambiance (super cute place in a beautifully historic train station), the food was delicious. The tuna tartare was some of the best I've ever had and the potato tortilla was DELICIOUSLY flavorful. My boyfriend had the clams and he really enjoyed them. We shared the peanut foam for dessert since that seemed to be the most popular and it surely was for good reason. The peanut crunch was awesome and the ice cream/whipped cream combination was epic without being too overwhelmingly sweet. Don't be turned off by the wait (I recommend making a reservation well in advance or lining up before it opens at 7 if you want to be seated right away). It is so worth it. read more