Alcalá Restaurant & Sky Lounge Elvas — Restaurant in Elvas

I arrived in Elvas on my Solo motorbike tour of Western Europe. I was recommended this restaurant by my accommodation host & what a recommendation it turned out to be. Firstly, because I was on my motorbike I had packed very light & so was under dressed compared to all the other restaurant guests, I was in walking shorts, flip flops and Barry Sheene tee shirt but I couldn’t have had a more welcoming reception. I asked if they had a table for one and was offered inside or outside on the Sky Lounge. I chose outside overlooking the very impressive, high, old town wall & there were many swallows putting in a very impressive flight show for everyone on the Sky Lounge. I was offered more than one table, my choice. I was seated and given a menu and I ordered a Cerveza and bottle of house red while I chose my food. A waiter & a waitress returned, pronto with my requests plus olives in a bowl, bread in a small cloth sack and garlic butter in a bowl which looked like a ladies day hat at the races, upside down, already impressed. The menu was only in Portuguese but with a mobile in this modern day, reading or conversing in foreign languages is really quite simple. I was enjoying the whole atmosphere, the 30’ heat and was in no rush to order and I was given all the time I needed to translate the menu before so was asked for my order. The food was very well presented, both starter and main and can highly recommend the mixed seafood pasta, it was a taste sensation let me tell you, the restaurant got busier as the night rolled gently on but at no point did I feel under pressure to finish and leave. I finished with a coffee and a Whisky which was brought to my table. I had to send my whisky back because it was served with Ice which I hadn’t asked for but there was no drama or questioning, the waiter took at away without any attitude and returned with a new Whisky but in a brandy glass, hey ho, different cultures but it did have a stem so no heat was introduced to my Whisky from my hands. After I had finished, I asked for my bill and was very impressed buy the total, this restaurant could charge 30% more elsewhere for the service and food and it was a little disappointing I couldn’t add a tip to my bill because I was paying by card, they only accept cash tips for the staff because the Government tax tips heavily it was explained, shame. All in all, I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough, don’t look elsewhere in...

Estive na sexta-feira, 12 de setembro de 2025, no terraço do restaurante Alcalá, na cidade de Elvas (Sky Lounge Elvas). A experiência foi muito negativa. Cheguei às 18h00, o espaço estava aberto e vazio, mas o empregado de mesa disse-me para mudar de lugar porque aquela zona “pertencia ao restaurante” e que só abriria às 18h30. Esperei pacientemente com os meus acompanhantes.

Às 18h30 não fomos atendidos. Passaram mais 10 minutos e, quando pedi para nos servir, respondeu que só abriam às 19h00. Por fim, atendeu-nos de má vontade, com uma atitude mal-educada e nada profissional. Além disso, obrigou-nos a levantar-nos para ir buscar as bebidas ao balcão.

O pior foi verificar, à saída, que a placa oficial indicava claramente que às sextas-feiras o horário de abertura era às 18h00, não às 19h00. Fizemos uma espera inútil de 40 minutos. O empregado (um rapaz gordinho, português que falava espanhol, que estava a preparar o serviço nesse dia) demonstrou total falta de educação, de interesse e de profissionalismo.

Uma grande decepção. Não recomendo este local pela má atenção e péssimo serviço.

En español

Estuve el viernes 12 de septiembre de 2025 en la terraza del restaurante Alcalá en la ciudad de Elvas (Sky Lounge Elvas). La experiencia fue muy negativa. Llegué a las 18:00 h, la terraza estaba abierta y vacía, pero el camarero me indicó que debía moverme a una zona “habilitada” porque aún no estaba abierto. Me dijo que abrirían a las 18:30, por lo que esperé pacientemente junto a mis acompañantes.

A las 18:30 no nos atendió. Pasaron 10 minutos más y, cuando le pedí que nos sirviera, me contestó que no abrían hasta las 19:00. Finalmente, accedió de mala gana a servirnos, pero con un trato maleducado y poco profesional. Incluso nos obligó a recoger las bebidas en la barra, a pesar de estar sentados en la terraza.

Lo peor fue comprobar a la salida que el cartel oficial indicaba claramente que los viernes la apertura era a las 18:00, no a las 19:00. Nos hicieron perder 40 minutos innecesariamente. La actitud del camarero (un chico gordito, portugués que hablaba español, que estaba montando el servicio ese viernes) fue nefasta: descortés, con desgana y sin interés en atender al cliente.

Una decepción absoluta. No recomiendo este lugar por la mala atención y la falta total de profesionalidad.

In English

I visited the terrace of Restaurante Alcalá in Elvas (Sky Lounge Elvas) on Friday, September 12, 2025. Unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing. I arrived at 6:00 PM; the terrace was open and empty, yet the waiter told me to move to another area because the place was “not open” yet. He assured me they would start serving at 6:30 PM, so I patiently waited with my companions.

At 6:30 PM, no service. After waiting another 10 minutes, I asked again, and the waiter replied that they wouldn’t open until 7:00 PM. Eventually, he reluctantly served us, but with a rude and unprofessional attitude. On top of that, he made us go to the bar to collect our drinks instead of serving us at the table.

The worst part was discovering, upon leaving, that the official sign clearly stated opening hours on Fridays were from 6:00 PM, not 7:00 PM. We wasted 40 minutes waiting for no reason. The waiter (a chubby Portuguese guy, speaking Spanish, who was setting up the service that day) showed no manners, no professionalism, and no customer care whatsoever.

A truly unpleasant experience. I do not recommend this place due to the terrible service and lack of...

A beautiful, sophisticated and elegant venue. The service is great and the staff is extremely attentive from the door to the floor. The food is fairly priced and of impeccable quality. The Chuléton maturado is a must! Overall, an amazing food experience with generously sized dishes and fair prices. I would come again anytime and recommend it...