Vinho e Noz by Rui Silva — Restaurant in Évora

We booked this dinner for a birthday for two people, we reserved a table as we had heard that it can be busy and filled up, we were lucky that we did as they were fully booked. The restaurante has around 15 tables.

The man who sat us down was very friendly explained to us the story of the place and how the menu works, then for about 20 min no one came to our table to take our drink or food order. Then once someone came over they were only able to take our drink order and we had to wait for the other waiter for the food. Once we had ordered we were greeted with unfriendly looks of one of the waiters that was even peaking over to my phone to see what I was doing.

Once our food arrived no one came to check on us even though there was 3 waiteres for around 15 tables. Even when it came to paying the waiter threw the card machine on the table and walked away, we were very confused and felt it was a bit agressive.

We noticed that the service was alot better to the tables that were for 4+ pax the waiters were talking and joking around with the other tables and alot friendlier, maybe because we were 2 pax and younger.

The food was very good no complaintes on the food, best food we...

I should preface all this by saying we did not have the opportunity to eat at Vinho e Noz. You see, the owner Rui Silva decided to give his staff a rest day and closed the restaurant for this purpose. Business has been very good, but his staff were getting tired. They needed a day to relax. When we arrived at 1230pm, we found him hanging a sign on the door to this effect. An incredibly kind gentleman, Rui cares deeply about Alentejan cuisine and proceeded to spend the next 10+ minutes calling around town to friends running restaurants that would meet our desires for traditional Alentejan cuisine - while his kids were sitting in the car waiting for their dad. He wouldn't relent until we were taken care of. I can only imagine what he does for his guests that get to eat at his restaurant. Given his dedication to us, I can only recommend this...

At the end of our first full day in-country, and suffering from LAX-LIS jet lag, my wife and I dropped in early (for Portugal) on a cool, drizzly weekday evening thinking the place would have plenty of spare tables and be eager for customers. We were wrong. But even though the tables were fully booked, they graciously squeezed us into a table pressed up against a sideboard adjacent to the entry door. Another couple came and they also managed to get them seated. I worried for the next walk-in, because I couldn’t see how any more room could be wrung out of the cozy, rustic dining room. Fortunately, the rest of the evening was filled with wise folks who made reservations. Our octopus and veal dishes were both excellent, and the kind staff could not have been better at giving us a primer on Portuguese...