Mariscaria — Restaurant in Cascais

Service was excellent unfortunately there was some miscommunication. Initially it was clear that they try to sell the most they could and they were slightly pushy.

I ordered and clearly said I wanted a Sapateira as my friend recommended to try that in Portugal. That was €39/kg in the menu. They offered me to come to see them myself in the fishtank where I asked again which one was the Sapateira and they pointed me a few to choose from, there was a few types of lobsters, crabs and others. I said I want a middle size Sapateira, they pointed one and I said "yes".

Service was very good and attentive and food good but the bill came €244 when we expected €110. Apparently it was that they served us a more expensive dish.

Obviously I complained and the manager made a huge fuss with a phase like " you ordered Sapateira but you ate Lobster so you paid for lobster". Obviously I strongly complained as I was happy to pay for what I ordered even though they brought me something else.

I honestly don't care overpaying for something if there has been a mistake but the manager made me feel like I was trying to get away paying less which it wasn't.

First he deducted €30 form the bill, but still he was charging €130 for a dish they sold me for €39 so I didn't accept it. Then he unwilling put the right price to the bill but clearly said very loud to his waiter that he would pay for the difference.

Obviously I didn't accept the waiter to be blamed for it. And even though I know this is an old trick, I ended up paying the updated bill and pay 50% of the difference they were trying to charge me as tips.

So the bill should have been €120, they charged me €244, they eventually discounted to €140 but I paid €180 +20 cash and went home feeling badly as they made me feel that because of me the nice and kind waiter was in trouble.

Nice place but fix these little tourist...

Underwhelming Experience at Marisqueira, Cascais

We had lunch today at Marisqueira in Cascais, lured by the prospect of savoring authentic Portuguese cuisine. Unfortunately, my experience was far from satisfying. Firstly, the rice, a staple in Portuguese cuisine, lacked the traditional flavors one would expect. It was passable, but unmistakably distant from the local culinary heritage. This deviation was perhaps a nod to the cook's Indian expertise, which, while commendable, felt misplaced in this setting.

The fried calamari, a dish I eagerly anticipated, turned out to be nothing more than generic frozen rings that one might find in a supermarket like “Dia” or Aldi. This was a letdown, especially in a coastal town known for its fresh seafood.

Furthermore, the cream of marisco, which I hoped would be a savory seafood soup, was merely a vegetable soup with a noticeable absence of marisco. This was a surprising and unfortunate misrepresentation of the dish.

The boiled clams, another disappointment, were bland and devoid of flavor. A dish that traditionally sings with the notes of white wine and garlic was presented in its most uninspired form - plainly boiled with no seasoning.

The rice with mussels and clams, though surprisingly pleasant to eat, was another letdown. The seafood seemed to be an afterthought, added at the last moment without allowing the flavors to infuse into the dish.

In conclusion, Marisqueira in Cascais was a disheartening culinary experience. It lacked the authenticity and quality one would expect from a Portuguese seafood restaurant. For those seeking a taste of genuine Portuguese cuisine, I advise looking elsewhere. This visit was, regrettably, a waste of both...

On the night of Portugal v France for the quarterfinal match of Euro 2024, there was ample space on their patio to watch the game for our large party who were accommodated at three different tables.

My friend’s table received their food first and the sea bass was phenomenal.

Our table received food about an hour after them but one order of grilled sea bass was raw so the waiter took it back to prepare it again.

The third table didn't receive their food at all because there was a fire in the kitchen and the cook burnt all of their food because he was distracted by the game. As they had been waiting 1-2 h for their food, they asked for bread but the kitchen had run out.

In the mean time the host (who is S Asian) comes to our table to apologize and explained that three of the staff called in sick and that the cook was distracted by the soccer game and was having a hard time getting the meals out. He commiserated that the some people are lazy and don’t like to work.

We waited an hour for his properly cooked sea bass to arrive, he could not wait any longer so he ran to the McDonald’s for a burger. Alas Portugal lost in the shoot out. Our Portuguese waiter burst into tears and ran out of the restaurant into the alley. He came back sobbing and the guests consoled him with hugs.

So what can I say? Avoid this restaurant if Portugal is in the quarterfinal match for the Euro cup. And the sea bass...