Mar do Guincho — Restaurant in Cascais

We found this spot as we were stranded in the area with nothing around so we decided to give it a try.

The outside looks really underwhelming, building looks old and unkept but the inside looks nice and modern. Clean modernist design, looks pretty cool.

We were greeted by a very overly friendly man who kept making jokes every 5 seconds although we were visibly very tired and quiet. He bought appetizers for the table without us asking any, and he phrased it as if they were on the house (plot twist: they weren’t but he didn’t explain the system at all and encouraged us with a smile to try them). We didn’t think much of it since we were the only people in the restaurant and we thought he was just overly accommodating due to low clientele day.

We wanted lunch but after ordering a round of cocktails that were underwhelming in taste and eating the appetizers we realized that the food will not be worth the spicy prices. The bread was plain white bread, the kind you would get in any tourist trap bistro, and the octopus was bland and lacked taste. The butter served was packaged butter, and it was cold and difficult to spread. Cheese and hard crackers were underwhelming and we have not ordered that if given a choice. The olives were okay.

When we asked for the check we saw we got charged over 50€ for those appetizers we didn’t order. When we said we wanted the check and changed our mind about the lunch the waiter previously overly friendly became really quiet and visibly annoyed with us.

One of my friends is highly allergic to gluten and we have picked appetizers that reflect that but they just bought out those without asking and so my friend ended up not being able to eat while we were charged for food we didn’t want. Another detail that was problematic was that one of my friends was in crutches due to an accident (their entrance is NOT accessible btw), and although there was nobody but us in the whole restaurant the waiter insisted on taking my friend’s crutches away from the table and forced her to wave someone down and ask for them every time she wanted to use the restroom. I don’t understand why they needed to do this to someone with an obvious disability.

Not a nice experience at all. I would expect the appetizer trick at a cheap tourist trap, not in such a location and with such steep prices. The view is nice but not worth paying so much for bland food just to look at the ocean, I believe there must be better spots for...

The location is wonderful, but do not expect a clear view of the sea and the sunset, as there is a dirty glass wall between you and the view. To be fair, this may not be entirely the restaurant’s fault, since sea spray constantly hits the glass, and on a windy day with splashes it is almost impossible to keep it clean. Just keep in mind that you may end up looking at the sea through dirty glass.

Most of the waiters walked around with an unhappy expression, as if we were disturbing them from enjoying their lives. They did not seem particularly willing to engage in conversation, nor especially inclined to help with menu choices, and overall gave the impression that they were fed up with everyone and just wanted to go home to their wives.

To make matters worse, right in the middle of our dinner they began dragging empty tables around, rearranging them into some kind of composition—probably preparing the hall for the next day’s lunch, breakfast, or a banquet. All of this was accompanied by loud scraping of chairs and tables across the floor, which did nothing to add to a pleasant dining atmosphere.

The food was mediocre. The highlight, in quotation marks, was the deep-fried prawns served unpeeled, with shells and heads still on—a very “creative” approach. The monkfish cataplana was pleasant.

Overall, a very average place. If you are looking for an experience, this is not...

The location of the restaurant is truly stunning, especially if you're fortunate enough to visit during a storm or windy weather. The view from inside is remarkable, allowing you to appreciate the dramatic scenery in comfort. The design of the place is simple yet elegant, giving it a distinct character that complements its surroundings. The service was also up to par with what you would expect from a five-star restaurant—attentive and professional.

However, we were left quite disappointed by the food. The dish, which looked beautiful and promising, was nearly flavorless. It felt as though the seafood had simply been boiled in unsalted water, with no effort put into enhancing the flavors before it was served. Lack of seasoning and preparation was quite underwhelming, especially given the high expectations set by the ambiance and service. Even now I have mixed feelings about the place. It has so much potential with its stunning location and atmosphere, but unfortunately, the food fell far short of what we hoped for. Despite its beauty, it’s hard to overlook the fact that the culinary experience didn’t match the restaurant’s otherwise...