Gurkha Restaurant & Bar-São Bento — Restaurant in Lisbon

Not a good experience. Far below average in every sense.

It’s not a good start when the waiter asks if you want a curry “with rice”. Of course, it is standard for curry to come with rice. This is obviously a tactic to justify charging for the rice from the start.

No appetizers offered, as is standard in Lisbon’s many Indian/Nepali restaurants.

Portions were very small, food was not tasty, poor quality…and biryani didn’t come with yogurt — again, not standard. Food was just bad.

Price was truthfully laughable: there is no justification for a restaurant of quality this low to charge 15€ (!) for a vegetarian curry + rice. It’s such a grift, it’s actually kind of funny how brazen it is.

I was hoping I could leave 2 stars since the servers were friendly — but at the end, when they asked quite directly for a positive review on google…it feels like they want to pressure a positive review while offering a completely negative experience.

Just a poor experience all around, definitely managed in a way to operate with low standards and still try to maximize profit. Skip this mediocre place — Darshan...

Quite a cozy place during the cold times. I found this place by seer luck as it was the nearest around me during rainy day. It was just about to open but the interior was really good, i would say it’s really nice. The moment i entered I understood it was kind of fine dining even for an indian food. I loved the lighting and decors. Top notch. The place itself is kind a small so need to look carefully on the doors to find. The parking is outside and available if its not so busy day.

The staffs very friendly and understandable and could see the efforts from everyone. Its kind of small space but its really something of a new experience. The food was hot and delicious and the small request i made was accepted and understood. The food itself is good as well. The taste feels authentic and nice. I almost spend 5 hours enjoying the food and ambiance. The price for the place is not so bad. It just cost me around 40-50€ even with the drinks.

Overall, its certainly nice place to relax and would...

See below for my original review 5 years ago.

Well, I am now seriously disappointed. There was a change of ownership a couple of months ago and initially the new chef did some great things - an outstanding Lamb Jalfrezi, for example. I went again yesterday and had a shock. Their previously excellent Dahl Makhani was floury and stodgy. The Lamb Jalfrezi was fine but nothing special Good naans and papari. Very nice service. The big shock was the price €45 for a meat dish, a dahl, and a small draft beer. That included a fairly mean tip. These are prices fur rich Americans and Europeans, already hiking up our property prices.

If you’re pining after a good Indian meal, this the place to go to in Lisbon. The range is wide and the quality very high. Their dahl makani is the best I’ve eaten and they have some excellent specials. This is authentic food. The Nepalese owners and staff are delightful and helpful. I live nearby and have been a grateful fan for years. I should have written...