Casa do Farol — Restaurant in Câmara de Lobos

Americans beware!

(Go to Gaviao do Ilheu or Minerva instead. Both have excellent food and they treat customers (even tourists) like family.)

This place charges your credit card in U.S. dollars even when you look them directly in the eye and direct them to charge your card in Euros. (If you don't know already, if you make your purchases in Euros instead of USD, your card will be charged at the exchange rate for that day. If you choose to pay for your purchases in Europe in USD, the credit card company (and ATM machines) will charge you a mark-up. That markup is totally avoidable...by simply choosing to pay in Euros.)

I could understand if it was a mistake but the server flat out lied about it...and lied in more than one way. First, he showed me the receipt with the Euro price and said that's what I paid. I told him no and showed him that the receipt stated it had been paid in USD with a 4% markup, and the Euro amount was followed by the actual USD amount. He then told be the USD amount was simply the conversion. I again pointed out that the receipt ACTUALLY STATED "4% markup". He again said the USD was simply the conversion rate. ...so, I showed him on my phone what the current conversion rate for the Euro amount shown would actually be at today's rate. It was 4% less than what the receipt ACTUALLY STATED as the USD paid. (I later received confirmation via text from my credit card company of what the actual USD charge was and sure enough, it was today's conversation rate, plus a 4% markup.)

At that point he changed his lie and stated that it's not his fault, it's the credit card company. That's when my wife pointed out that she watched him press the button for paying in USD instead of Euros. (We travel extensively so are quite familiar with how the credit card machines work and know that when using a US card to pay for a European product, the machine will ask if we want to pay in Euros or USD. ...we always choose Euros in order to avoid unnecessary fees.)

Because the markup amount in actual dollars was small, we decided to just let it go and instead left no tip. (Yes, I know people will say that you're not supposed to leave a tip in parts of Europe, but we always do. Those folks work hard and we like to thank them for their service...when it's good.)

However, I saw the manager as we were leaving and showed him the receipt so that he'd know his employee was doing this. Sadly, he went with the same story about how no, it shows the Euros, and that's what we paid. ...I went through the whole thing again with him, showing him the actual markup wording and the fact that the USD was 4% more than the actual conversion. At that point I expected him to at least apologize but instead, he doubled down and said that it's the credit card company, not them. I told him that was absolute BS as we had watched his server choose the USD option when I specifically had told him Euros. He then stumbled with what to say next, but clearly an apology wasn't coming so we left.

That all said, they took forever to take our drink order and our food order (not that unusual in Europe - we're used to that) but then also forgot one of only three food items we ordered.

As far as the food, what we tasted was okay for a touristy area and the prices matched. But their customer service was atrocious. We definitely will not return and would recommend others go to Gaviao do Ilheu or Minerva for better food, prices,...

Food is reasonably good. I am leaving this review for the consideration of other parents.

I visited Casa do Farol with my wife and 2-year old daughter. We have visited many times before, and visit Camara de Lobos at least a couple of times per year.

Casa do Farol appears to have employed new staff. One staff member attempted to interact with our daughter, who looked unhappy and was clearly not interested. We told him "she's not interested" at which point he lunged forward and attempted to tickle her abdomen, which clearly distressed her. I had to physically remove his arm, following which he still did not get the hint and held it out next to her to play with. There was only one step left before it would have been necessary for me to physically remove him from our table, which is not what anybody wants be involved in when they sit down for lunch with their family.

We complained to the manager, who apologised and informed us that he would have a word with the waiter but that knowing him, he just likes children. No discount was offered, which is worth mentioning but did not bother us.

I am uncertain which action will be taken or whether this will have any actual influence on the waiter's behaviour. Certainly, we will not be returning to...

I would like to leave a review on Farol verde Câmara de Lobos. On th10 of August I whent to have a dinner with family including 4 kids, I made a food order at 21:30 and I had to wait 1 hour and 45 minutes for my food to arrive at my table, even that I had to request the waiters for my food, because it was taking to long to arrive at my table, all my family Included our kids their were very hungry, it was no coordination or communication between them, I understand it was busy day, but they could do a better service if they advised us, food was delivered to our table at 23:10 and it was very cold, the restaurant its on good location, but the service it was very poor, compared to the other restaurants at same area, the manager didn't come to our table to apologise, when I request to come, after all my family had to wait 1hour and 45 minutes, with all respect in my point of view, I do don't recommend to no one to eat at that restaurant, they need to improve better customer service to the customers. Kind...