2Monkeys Restaurant — Restaurant in Lisbon

Tries really hard – but room to grow to be truly exceptional

First of all, the food and experience here are very high quality. My mouth was happy when I left. But judging a Michelin-starred restaurant means comparing it to its Michelin peers — in food, service, and ambience — and to what it aspires to be.

The closest comparison from our experience is Barmini, José Andrés’ two-star restaurant in Washington, DC. Both offer beautifully curated small bites with a sit-at-the-bar setup where chefs use tweezers and microgreens to create artful dishes. The concept is playful and experimental, with hits and misses. Barmini’s artistry and theatricality, like a “butterfly on a log” dish, set a higher bar. Barmini is pricier with a 22% service charge; Two Monkeys is roughly 60% of Barmini’s cost, making it a strong value.

Two Monkeys is located in what seems to be the former wine cellar of the exclusive Torel Palace Hotel, where rooms cost $500–700 per night. The grounds give a White Lotus vibe — both cinematic and slightly unwelcoming. Upon arrival, security’s curt “Can I help you?” shifted only after we mentioned our reservation. Inside, the hostess greeted us politely and offered water while we waited about 15 minutes for our table.

Service began with Serge, the sommelier, who was friendly but seemed disappointed when we declined the wine pairing (too much alcohol for us). Each course was presented by one of four chefs rotating in and out. While the chefs explained the dishes clearly, their descriptions were minimal — often just the basics. For a restaurant Michelin describes as “interactive” and “high energy,” the engagement could be warmer. Serge, however, was more gregarious and lively.

At the end, Serge presented the bill and gently suggested tipping in cash rather than by card, saying staff might get less that way. We left about 5% cash, but wish we had more on hand. It would be helpful if the restaurant mentioned this in an FAQ, especially for U.S. visitors. Another annoyance was being charged €2 each for bottled water and tea with dessert. These small fees detract from the premium vibe. It would be better to just include them in the menu price — guests wouldn’t mind, and it avoids nickel-and-diming. By comparison, top restaurants like the three-star Inn at Little Washington charge for wine but not for water or coffee/tea, which feels more polished.

Finally, a colleague recommended Grenache, Lisbon’s one-star Michelin spot. Though we didn’t eat there, the photos show similar elegant small bites, but at a significantly lower price — about 40–50% less than Two Monkeys, excluding wine. Grenache may be less experimental (more French), but I suspect the food and service would be equally satisfying.

Two Monkeys currently sits between Grenache and Minibar (José Andrés’ other concept) in style and price, but behind Inn at Little Washington in overall experience. There’s great potential here, but also work to be done. Lisbon deserves Michelin two- and three-star restaurants, but they must earn it. I hope Two Monkeys uses feedback like this to grow into its...

An UNFORGETTABLE fine dining experience like no other!

I usually don't write reviews, but the dining experience at 2Monkeys was so exceptional that it wouldn't be fair to keep it a secret. I've had many fine dining experiences in the last years, but this is the one I won't forget.

The experience: This restaurant isn't just about fine dining, it's about creating a fascinating, multi-sensory experience! The open kitchen transforms the art of cooking into a live performance, bringing a unique facet to the dining experience - however without turning this too much into a "show" - it remains an intimate dinner with the true star being the food. The chefs absolutely are artists, meticulously crafting each dish with an uncanny blend of precision, creativity, and passion. Watching them at work was like watching a symphony unfold - an unforgettable spectacle!

The food: Each dish is a culinary masterpiece, innovative, and creative, playing on the familiar and delivering the unexpected. They focus a lot on local ingredients as well. Every bite was a journey with layers of flavors and textures that surprised and delighted over and over again. It was, without a doubt, the best food I've ever had in a fine dining setting. And no worries if you are on the "hungry" side (as I am), it is enough food :)

The wine: The wine pairing was exceptional! The sommelier is very experienced and trained and displayed an impressive knowledge. While you would expect from a wine pairing that the wines complement the dishes well, the composition at 2Monkeys did more - the wines echoed the essence of each dish, deepening the overall culinary experience. The precision in pairing, the balance of flavors, it was remarkable to experience this added depth to the meal.

The staff and atmosphere: The staff was phenomenal. Friendly, attentive, fun, dynamic, and professional! All this contributed to the impeccable ambiance. The service they provided was simply top-tier - they completed this perfect experience!

To sum up, this restaurant exceeds the traditional understanding of 'fine dining'. It simply is an unique experience that is as captivating as it is delicious. I very much recommend it to anyone seeking a meal and an evening to truly remember! It is absolutely worth it!

Thanks so much to every single one from the 2Monkeys team for...

I visited Torel Palace Hotel in Lisbon with my mother at the end of January to treat her for Chinese New Year while she was visiting me in the UK from China.

While dining in the Michelin restaurant 2Monkeys at the hotel my mother contracted food poisoning. I reported this to the hotel and the restaurant but they were unhelpful and denied responsibility saying the food poisoning was likely fron another source because they have never had this problem before.

I am terribly disappointed that this happened, especially when considering the hotel strongly pushed the sale and urged me to dine in this restaurant in the first place. Not only was I pressured into booking this restaurant, I was not informed this is a multiple course set menu, nor was I informed of the price.

The food poisoning ruined what started as a nice holiday, my mother vomited repeatedly throughout the night which then became diarrhoea. This was the last night in Lisbon and we needed to get a flight back to the UK the following day. We hardly slept as her symptoms were so intense, my mother was contantly in pain and using the bathroom.

The journey home was extremely unpleasant for my mother as she was in intense paid for the duration of the flight, and we needed to seek assistance from the cabin crew.

Food poisoning is very serious matter, if this had happened in the uk, the restaurant will have taken action immediately to resolve the problem. I am shocked that this has happened and even more so at the poor response, especially when considering this is a Michelin restaurant and they still deny it was their fault.

I have also reported this to the Economic and Food Safety Authority (ASAE) in Portugal and the...