Churrasco da Graça — Restaurant in Lisbon

Churrasco da Graça - Where the Seafood is Sacred and the Tram is a Co-Star

When your sister Jo insists on celebrating her birthday at her favourite local, you don’t argue. You show up hungry and ready for a seafood sermon. Churrasco da Graça, perched right on Largo da Graça, is the kind of place where the codfish is king, the octopus is grilled to perfection, and the potatoes (fried or baby-boiled) deserve their own standing ovation.

We ordered like we meant it … bacalhau two ways (because why choose?), sea bass (a family classic), and polvo that didn’t skimp on the tentacles. Pro tip: next time, order the tuna rare - lesson learned. Chickpeas made a surprise cameo as a side, and honestly? They held their own.

Drinks? Sagres beer flowed freely, and for the sweet-toothed among us, sangria in both branco and tinto versions kept spirits high and cheeks rosé.

Now, let’s talk about the real showstopper: the number 28 tram. It stops right outside, and our very own Dion turned it into a full-blown photo shoot. Every missed shot was met with a collective groan from the outdoor tables, and when he finally nailed it - cheers all around. Who needs dessert when you’ve got that kind of entertainment?

Service? One-man show Julio runs the floor like a seasoned pro - multilingual, efficient, and somehow always exactly where you need him. Jo’s been coming here for three years and never caught his name. After a round of rock-paper-scissors, Sean was nominated to ask in his best Portuguese: “Como se chama?” And just like that, Julio became part of the family.

Verdict: Generous portions, consistent quality, unbeatable value, and a front-row seat to Lisbon life. Highly recommended - just don’t forget to cheer when Dion...

One bright, sunny day in Lisbon all was well but the tummies were rumbling. So, what better place to stop than Churrasco da Graça, right?

The bald, bearded waiter greets us with a nasty look on his face, as if the 57th tattoo he got inked this morning went a little lopsided. He mutters that there is space for three, but he'll have to take a chair from another table (I'm huffing and puffing at the thought!). We take our seats and order drinks. But, no jug of water available. Not even 1L bottles. Only 500ml baby bottles. Not much help in the 30 degree Lisbon sun is that. Anyways. With six half-litre bottles cluttering the table, it's time for the food. I wonder if they'll serve the grilled meat in dessert plates as well, for consistency's sake at least. To my surprise the food is served in normal sized plates, and wasn't half bad! Well done chef! However, the waiter's dirty look gave it a sour taste.

Asked for the bill, payed in cash (because obviously we're stil in the middle ages and are suspicious of these bizzare plastic rectangles that can store -and even transfer! - money), got our change after about half a decade and strutted on towards more adventures.

Ah, I almost forget, Botequim is just round the...

TOURISTS BEWARE! DISHONEST staff and manager . As I was trying to pay my bill at the end of my meal, the waiter tells me they don’t accept credit cards. I communicate this should have been expressed to me before I dined and he proceeds to tell me this is on the menu. Ok let’s see the menu. When he brings me the menu it clearly states no checks, no visa no Mastercard. Ok no problem I will pay with my American Express since I don’t carry cash. They proceed to tell me no I can’t that they can only take cash. This is very frustrating as most travelers know taking cash out of an atm abroad is costly, ( 10 euros for me) and with so many pickpockets In Lisbon I simply don’t carry cash. I found this very dishonest and frustrating. BE HONEST AND CLEAR YOU ARE A CAsh only establishment unless you are Portuguese , that way I have the choice of dining...