Faca & Garfo — Restaurant in Lisbon

One of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve ever had. This was back in December and it took me this long to recognise the restaurant again. You can only pay cash annoyingly, but ok that’s fine. The food was ok. That’s where the positive ends.

What really upset us was the staff, especially our server. He was arrogant and rude, and lied to us about our bill. At the start of service, he offered a bowl of olives which I declined. However he stated that he’d bring them out and I can try it, if I don’t like the olives he will take it back “no problems”. I had one olive because I felt pressured into trying it, and then said I really don’t want the olives and he said “no problem, I’ll take it away.”

When we get the bill, we have a charge for the olives. When I questioned it, our server said “you had the olives so I charged you”. When I responded saying “I didn’t want the olives originally, but you said if I tried it and didn’t like them you would take it away without charge” he very rudely started to yell at us in the restaurant. People were staring naturally. He said “well obviously I’m going to charge you because you ate the olives!” He was gaslighting us and made me feel like I had done something wrong. I had 1 olive because he insisted. And then he lied to us by saying he’d take it away without any questions, but still proceeded to charge us the entire dish. He had assured us it was no issue to take it away and wouldn’t be a charge.

Don’t fall for their cheap sales tactics of forcing you to “try” a dish, promising to take it away if you don’t like it without cost and then charging the full dish. The worst was the gaslighting and rudely yelling at me in front of others when we questioned it. I don’t know if this happens normally, but the experience left me shaken. I wish I had the name of that server because he should not be allowed to work in hospitality.

Don’t bother coming here especially if that is how they treat customers, and for the love of god don’t try an olive even if they...

SCAM, AVOID, DISHONEST, PLEASE READ OTHER 1 STAR REVIEWS.

Worst experience in Lisbon. Went yesterday for dinner, wish we had have checked the reviews beforehand.

Got seated quickly. A few people there already. Looks decent.

There is bread on the table = FIRST SCAM, will add to your bill at the end.

Presented cod croquettas thinking they are there to try or free. NO = another way of giving you something on your table and then adding a big price.

NO WINE LIST - IN PORTUGAL = Next SCAM - we ordered two glasses of the house wine which equaled €12, RIP off. No prices are listed for the wine, NONE, absolutely dishonest.

Salad was ok, it's hard to mess up salad. I got Sardines, very salty but ok. My partner was impressed with the octopus hence the two stars for the food.

Seen the bill, they tried to include, bread at 3 euros which could have been sitting there all day as it was there before we sat down, tried to charge for the butter which we also didn't use. We said we are not paying for these and they quickly rubbed it off. €2.50 for a tiny water bottle, even expensive places in Lisbon charged a maximum €1.50.

FINAL SCAM - I accept only cash even though there was a we accept cards sticker on the wall.

PLEASE AVOID, don't let dishonest people like this become...

Went here for dinner on the recommendation of a local. The food was good - kebabs and tuna. Adequate portions and very reasonably price. I ordered the goat cheese covert directly from the menu. The waiter instead brought a sheep's cheese that he said was a regional specialty. He said he would take it back if we didn't like it. I witnessed him doing this at all the tables, pushing the off the menu cheese. I had a taste. It was truly awful - a sour, rancid-like taste. I asked again for the goat cheese I had ordered, which he then brought. Exactly to my taste. Then when I got the bill, both cheeses were on it, the horrible sheep's cheese at higher cost than the goat cheese from the menu. I stated that I never ordered the more expensive cheese and that he had told us he would take it back if we didn't like it. He said that we misunderstood - that once we tasted it ge couldn't re-sell it. I was going to refuse to pay, actually hoping he would call the police so that I could expose this scam. But I decided to not make a scene, just pay, leave no...