Sabores do Churrasco Premium - Faro — Restaurant in Faro

I was recommended to this restaurant, and I checked the reviews and could see that there had been comments about the service, but some recent positives too. We decided to try anyway...

The issues started almost as soon as we sat down in the Sabores do Churrasco. We were almost immediately presented with a set of four plates that I assumed were some kind of starter. Note: There were just the two of us and we were just opening the menus and these dishes arrived. I had no idea what was in them / what they were. There was no asking if we had any allergies (fortunately we have none), but for some of ours friends this could be a medical emergency. There was no enquiry as to whether we even wanted any of it

We sent these dishes back while we at least got settled in.

After ordering drinks and mains, the starters were brought back - one was refused but I allowed the others to be laid out which was my mistake. Each of these were chargeable, and were now not fresh. The Carrot dish was refused and sent back Chopped salad was swimming/drowning in oil and had seafood (squid) in it - I dislike squid so this dish was a No. (Also I refer back to allergies comment.) Croquettes (lamb?) had lost any warmth. The mystery "meat" was stringy. What I mean by that is that mixed in the filling was long grey/white fibres - that I can only hope was a tendon or an artery was about 10cm long. Sounds unappetising? Yep. Small doughballs were OK, but now I wanted rid of this.

After eating small amount of starter we had main being offered up but starter not cleared away Also there had been no question to my wife about how she wanted her steak cooked.

After starters cleared and mains served, I had to get own knife and fork. We were never asked about how our meals were by the waiting staff. Plates were cold - so all foods from serving dishes cooled rapidly. The restaurant was very quiet so it was not as if the staff were rushed, or busy. This is simple observation and attention to detail.

We could have stayed here full relaxed evening meal - and paid accordingly. Instead, we could not get out quick enough. The only time the staff took any interest is when they realised that we were not having the extra drink / desert / coffee - all those bits have a large profit margin.

Let me be clear - the service from some individuals was OK in parts and the place looks impressive, but the management and overall dining experience - ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I would NOT...

My first 2-star review of any establishment, luckily? Going to a steakhouse buffets is part of our anniversary tradition, when there is such a place in our destination city, which is why we were there tonight.

We made a reservation three days ago, for as soon as the restaurant opened at 19:00. We assumed we'd awkwardly be the first arrivals but we also new an earlier dinner suited us better. Also, we are aware our lack of Portuguese skills may hinder our experience some, but pointing on the menu traditionally works perfectly.

Overall, the food was average to just above, very well cooked meats but lack luster sides. At first we were inundated with servers since we were the only table to serve but once we weren't alone, we only saw two more servers for over an hour.

When it came time to pay we were over charged €13 on the €103 bill. €4 for what we assumed were complimentary buns during our initial half hour wait with no service of any kind. And €9 for a misdelivery on their part of two 1L sangria pitchers (€17 a piece) when we initially ordered one 2L sangria (€26) knowing we would drink two over the course of the night.

Upon receiving the bill and noticing the sangria issue, which we brought up earlier in the dinner, I tried to explain the situation to the host. After a few minutes it became clear he neither believed me nor would be budging on changing the bill.

We can afford the mix-up and will probably never return to Faro in general, even though we've been having a fantastic vacation here, so it's no loss for them to not help right the wrong here. The overall experience just left an unpleasant memory for this year's...

The restaurant is beautiful, with lovely decor and well-arranged tables. The service is excellent, and the staff are very attentive. The food is good, but one major drawback is the menu, which lacks clear explanations. Some sections have descriptions in English, but others don’t. I speak Portuguese, so I had to translate some items for my husband.

I ordered the BBQ ribs, but it wasn’t indicated that they were pork, which I don’t eat. It also didn’t list the side dishes, so I ordered extra rice, only to find that the dish already came with fries and a salad – making it a lot of food! While it’s great that dishes come with generous sides, it would be helpful if this was clearly stated for all items, not just some.

My husband ordered the “picanha burger,” but the menu was confusing because it included the word “pork” in the name of the dish, even though it wasn’t pork. Of course, we could have asked the waiter, but after a long day, we just wanted to relax without having to ask too many questions. In the end, I ate the pork ribs – they were good, though I was disappointed. My husband enjoyed his picanha burger, which was delicious.

We paired our meal with a bottle of Adegamae Merlot, which I highly recommend – it’s excellent. When it came time to pay, there were two total amounts on the bill: one with tips included and one without. Just be aware of this (it can feel a bit awkward to decline the tip option, especially if the service wasn’t exceptional, as you might feel pressured to go with the higher amount just because it’s on the bill).

Overall, it was a pleasant experience, but a more informative menu would make a...