Boutique - Tapas & Petiscos — Restaurant in Coimbra

This is the kind of place you dream about when planning a trip to Portugal, a small hole in the wall with a husband and wife preparing fresh, country style food in a charming setting for excellent prices. The restaurant looked like someone's cute dining room, on a lovely street decorated with hanging hand woven linen cloths. Make a reservation through facebook as it gets quite busy with just a handful of tables inside and a few on the street. Service was exceptional. We ordered their dinner package for two people, which was three appetizers and steak with chimichura sauce plus potatoes/veggies for the main. All were excellent, and made on the spot unlike a lot of Lisbon/Porto fine dining establishments that pre-prepare everything and simply finish it before serving, meaning nothing is ever really hot enough. The steak was the best we had in Portugal, more flavorful and tender than much more expensive places. The dinner package included the food, plus two glasses of wine for 40e a couple (my husband didn't believe me at first he thought it must be per person). We wanted a bottle of wine so they gave us two free desserts instead of the two glasses of wine, which were the best desserts we had in a month in Portugal. I told the waiter/owner that I didn't like super sweet deserts so he recommended the sweet egg crepe which was amazing, so much so that I tried to stop there after our dinner the next night to get it again but every table was full. I can't remember what my husband got for dessert but he loved it as well-- do not...

This restaurant boasts a 5-star rating on TripAdvisor, and it's easy to see why. My wife and I made a reservation and arrived at 7:00 p.m., stepping into what felt like someone’s cozy living room. The atmosphere was charming and tastefully decorated. We were warmly welcomed and promptly seated at our table.

The house red wine is excellent and definitely worth trying. For starters, we chose three tapas: Stroganoff, codfish, and pica pau. Each dish was beautifully presented and packed with flavor.

For mains, we had the prawn risotto and the beefsteak with chimichurri sauce—both were out of this world! The steak was incredibly tender, cooked to perfection, and the sauce was simply phenomenal.

The service was fantastic, and the prices were surprisingly reasonable. This is easily one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in a long time. If you love great food, this place is a must-visit. You won’t be...

Terrible management, disappointing experience

We were waiting outside the restaurant — a group of three, including a child. Before us, there was a group of four, and we were told there was no table available for them. We patiently waited our turn, and when it came, the waiter invited us in, saying there was a table for three.

Shortly after, the group of four returned and said that only two of them would dine inside, while the other two would sit outside. Then the owner showed up — clearly preferring four guests over three — and gave our table to them, sending us away without much explanation.

When we asked for clarification, we were rudely told that “it had been handled by the waiter” and therefore was not the owner’s problem. This kind of behavior is opportunistic, rude, and highly unprofessional.

Not recommended, especially for those who expect a minimum level of respect and fairness in...