Eleven — Restaurant in Lisbon

Let me start off saying that the mediocre revisions of the restaurant I do not understand; in short, the restaurant serves really great food, no doubt about it; some of the reviewers argue the Michelin star awarded restaurant serves somewhat "uninspired" dishes; I would not call them uninspired I would call them blunt (again, we are talking about a Michelin star restaurant). I mean to serve a lobster menu for about 180.-€/person plus wine for another 120.-€ is not very innovative, fits more to the US market and: this raises your expectations dramatically; which is the general problem these kind of restaurants deal with (i.e. increasing prices raise expectations considerably). So we (my wife) and myself omitted the wine recommendations for about 60.- €/person and asked the sommelier for his recommendations (we chose the Atlantic fish menu); he concisely pointed out the most expensive wines on the wine card, although there were reasonably priced ones on the list; again, it is expected that waiters "sell" the most expensive food and wine (the lobster menue was recommended as well..), but I would expect a more sophisticated guidance in selection of wines. As far as the food is concerned: not much to criticize I guess, although I did not understand the - I guess you call it "deconstructed" in these days ;-) - Portuguese Stew, I am afraid so that you have to eat the real one first to understand what the chef intended... Outstanding the fish selection, with three different kinds of fish in - homeopathic portions- even considering a Michelin restaurant- with the St. Peters fish significantly overcooked (the other two superbly done).The dessert (in three stages) well done but again, I would call it uninspired at best.., i.e . sweet , very sweet and highly sweet chocolate, without anything to counteract...I mean if you pay about 300.-€ for two people you should definitely remember outstanding dishes , which in this case I only partially will do (I refer here again to expectations raised by a Michelin star and the price you pay). So would I recommend the restaurant: well, basically yes, my wife really liked it a lot because of the superb view to Lissabon; so I guess you have to look at the whole "package": view, the restaurant itself with its great architecture and the food.. and the price...; for the prices you pay here, the restaurant lacks at least one to two more Michelin stars, which I am currently very sceptical it will receive with a kitchen like the one in place right now; but then again: maybe I do not understand enough of cooking on a Michelin star level ...;-) (however, if you want to go to a "down to earth" fish restaurant try the Monte Mar down at the ferry station in Lisbon, I especially recommend the octopus salad for 7,80,-€, Mr Koerper might want to include this one in his lobster menu for slightly more money...;-) Kind...

As one of the few restaurants open in Lisbon on a Monday evening, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to make a last-minute reservation over the phone. The staff was friendly and accommodating, and I had no problem securing a table. The seating was excellent; I loved the table by the window and really enjoyed watching the bats flying around outside, which was quite amazing.

I opted for the Eleven-course seasonal menu, which initially seemed promising. The amuse-bouche was okay, and the starters were nice. I particularly enjoyed the spider crab dish – the textures and taste were excellent. The sardine butter was also a delightful touch. However, the gnocchi was nothing to write home about.

All the paired wines were marketed by Joachim and were their own bottlings. In my opinion, the wines were okay but not exceptional – certainly not up to standard for this type of standing. They seemed more focused on their own branding than providing a stellar wine experience, a shame indeed.

Culinarily, the food was okay, however is okay why we came here? The main course was a complete mess. It was in the sous-vide machine for too long, resulting in a texture that was simply not enjoyable. If it was Wagyu, it felt more like "FU." 😊

The dessert was acceptable; I found the ice cream with almonds quite decent nice textures . The cheese platter, however, was sweaty and served at way above room temperature which – this might have been acceptable in a Michelin star restaurant in the past, but in 2024, it's a definite no-go. Sweaty cheese. Cheese tasted good do a nice selection 🥰

The bread was not up to the standard you would expect from a German-born chef, with some pieces slightly underbaked. The wine prices on the were high

The service was okay but not extraordinary – the staff was always friendly, though. I suspect I’m not the first to mention these issues. The restaurant seems to be trying hard, but it's no longer as impressive as it once might have been.

Overall, this was among the most disappointing one-star experiences I've had in a long time, and that takes a lot. There have been some really disappointing ones, and this makes the top five.

Maybe it was a bad night, but I doubt it. They still cashed in, and when I pointed it out to the staff, they still took the money. No effort to do something for the guest. Seems to happen more often

Therefore, if you're in Lisbon, skip Eleven. Lisbon has many nice places to offer, and this one is not worth it. The inspector should come by and...

First and foremost, the food was great, perfectly cooked, artistically plated, inventive but yet excelling in continuity of the great culinary traditions of the past; the distinguished Chef Joachim Koerper doesn't require recommendations. However, every dining experience is not limited to food only, but is judged by a combination of factors. In our case, allas, the service wasn't worthy not just of a Michelin establishment but would be considered poor in a chain restaurant. Starting from the hosting. One of us was asked if we wanted to keep our coats. After our "no", a second and third time the same question was repeated alleging that the air-conditioning could be too cold for an evening gown. Three times? Not a kindergarten here, one time is more than enough and "no" means no. The server never inquired whether we wanted more bread. Yet, the empty butter and olive oil containers were left on the table throughout the entire duration of our dinner. The sommelier was the worst though. Next set of wine pairing was brought to the table yet the dirty glasses from the previous one were left on the table. When asked about the specific wine he just poured 2 minutes ago, the individual replied that he didn't remember. Really? The wine pairing that accompanied the cheese course wasn't named neither explained. Even the wonderful plating got ruined, for the negligent serving caused edible flowers fall off the top of the dishes. Does any of the above sound like nitpicking? By far not. A Michelin-star-studded restaurant implies perfection in everything. Instead of a perfection it was a sorry excuse for a proper service. Other than that, great pricing, 185€ pp for an extensive "Eleven Menu", of about 10 courses (counting in 2 amuse-bouches, 1 pre-dessert and 1 service of gourmandises) including wine pairing. Attractively designed dining area, generously spaced tables, no unwanted fellow diners rubbing elbows with you, creative modern interior. Quick ride from the old Lisbon, took us about 10 minutes' from Hotel...