Chutnify
Good For: Casual dinner, spicy food
Overview: 8
Service: 8
Ambiance: 7
Food: 9
I really liked this place. Flavors were good, staff was cheerful and friendly. Decent prices and a good selection of wine and cocktails. Stand out dishes were Tandoori Paaner and Butter Chicken. Also good Mango Chutney. Food was adequately spicy where indicated [can be in issue in Lisbon]. My only gripe was the seating was a bit uncomfortable. Other than that, great place. Definitely make a reservation as it can get busy during peak times.
^^^^^
Gayola
R. da Imprensa Nacional 116B, 1200-257 Lisboa, Portugal
Good For: Casual dinner, steak and burgers, late night dining
Overview: 8
Service: 10
Ambiance: 7
Food: 7
Great little place in the Principe Real. All they serve is steak – occasionally they have chicken when the guy who knows how to make it shows up. Very friendly owner and fantastic service. Open late and very near [next door] to one of the big gay discos in Lisbon. Great place for a steak before hitting the bear bars in the area too.
^^^^^
Frangasqueira Nacional
Good For: Take out, life changing chicken
Overview: 8
Service: 7
Ambiance: 2
Food: 10
Reasonably priced, small joint with two tables. Hidden in the Principe Real, this place primarily does take out and, on some days, can have a ginormous line of locals[and a few tourists] waiting to pick up what is probably some of the best chicken and sausage I have had in my life. The portions can be huge but be sure to get the tomato salad and excellent garlic rice. Chicken comes spicy or not – get the spicy, find a boatload of napkins and sit down at the park for al fresco feast.
^^^^^
Jamie's Italian
Good For: Casual lunch or dinner, big groups, long waits
Overview: 4
Service: 4
Ambiance: 6.
Food: 2
I knew it wasn’t going to be good when our table that “would take 15 minutes” was actually more like 35. After getting seated, it was a good 15 more minutes before our presence was acknowledged by our server [who to be honest, had a really good personality]. When our entrees arrived, we were suitably underwhelmed. The spaghetti carbonara had super fatty strips of pork [guancale, bacon, ham from the mini-market –who knows?]. And carbonara does not come in a cream sauce – I get that’s technical and picky but it’s a restaurant owned by a chef. He should try and justify how a recipe from his site [https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/gennaro-s-classic-spaghetti-carbonara/] ended up at his restaurant like this. The spicy sausage topping on my pizza could not save the fact that the crust was limp and had never seen any salt. Not going back any time soon.
^^^^^
Koppu Ramen Concept Food
R. Gustavo de Matos Sequeira 30, 1200-215 Lisboa, Portugal
Good For: Casual dinner, change of pace
Overview: 8
Service: 9
Ambiance: 6
Food: 9
Small ramen place in the Real Principe district. Super friendly staff and very casual atmosphere. Fantastic ramen and a few other Japanese dishes. They have a special 16 hours pork broth based ramen – be sure to ask if they have it that day. Definitely make a reservation for one of those days you just cannot handle another plate of Portuguese food.
^^^^^
Sinal Vermehlo
R. das Gáveas 89, 1200-334 Lisboa, Portugal
Good For: Casual dinner, group, amazing people watching
Overview: 8
Service: 8
Ambiance: 9
Food: 7
One of those places in Barrio Alto that you just know is a tourist trap. Waiter’s accosting you with menus, outdoor seating on a desirable corner, complicated couvert that the comes the second your butt hits the seat. But you know what, it’s not. Brush aside the couvert with a polite “no thank you”, order a glass of wine and enjoy some of the best Portuguese food in the barrio. While the menu is heavy on seafood, anything with pork is a good bet too. Better yet – get them both with the Pork and Clams dish. Waiter was friendly and professional and you can spend hours there watching the coming and goings of one of the most fascinating neighborhoods in Lisbon.
Wurst – Salchicaria Austriaca
R. Nova da Piedade, 1200-297 Lisboa, Portugal
Good For: Casual lunch or dinner
Overview: 7
Service: 8
Ambiance: 6
Food: 8
Fantastic little place in the Real Principe that shares space with some other restaurants in the old Mercado de Sao Bento. Delicious house-made sausages and sides paired with a small but mighty beer selection. They also have specials such as soup and hot vegetarian entrees. Very friendly, decent prices and helpful staff too. I would certainly eat here every day if my waist-line allowed it. Great gelato across the street – just sayin’
^^^^^
^^^^^
^^^^^
^^^^^
^^^^^
^^^^^
^^^^^
^^^^^
^^^^^