JNcQUOI Avenida — Restaurant in Lisbon

We visited this establishment with a group of five. Our reservation was to start at 22:00, but we arrived a bit early, so the table was understandably not ready. We left and returned at 22:05, and had to wait 15 minutes. Speaks for the popularity of this restaurant i suppose.

Food was generally well received in our group, but there were a few problems. I had the ceviche which was served from a deep bowl. Not optimal as i was troubled to get the last bites with the large fork provided. All the juices were concentrated in the bottom. I would recommend a flat plating for such a dish.

My friend had the baby eel dish, which was served with cheap wooden cutlery (i'm really talking about the cheapest, most simple disposable fork and knife) with the regular cutlery. The server explained that the metal cutlery might negatively affect the taste of the dish - this is fine. What wasn't so great, was the answer to the question, "would you recommend using the wooden utensils, then?". My friend was told basically, "I wouldn't use them, but it is up to you". The dish proved impossible to eat with the wooden cutlery, so the waiters asked if my friend would like a spoon? The whole ordeal with the cutlery seemed unnecessary and a bit humiliating. Just get better wooden utensils (there are nice ones) or provide what is needed for the diner at the start (a spoon?). And i think that the job of the waitstaff is not to question the choices made by the chef or the maitre d', but to carry them out and to defend the serving plan without question.

When time for desserts came, we were provided with a "menu" in the style of a tray containing the available selection. This was nice! But at no point were we asked whether we wanted for some coffee or other drinks with our desserts.

All during the service plates were set, then taken away although our orders were known. The table was rather cramped for five. The waitstaff constructed plating of some dishes on the table - portion size varied a lot between guests who had the same thing.

All in all a bit troubled and confusing experience, requiring much communication with the servers. Food was of high quality and the ingredients fresh and delicious. Premises are luxurious and interesting. I suppose i expected a bit more...

Upon booking I was instructed to inform the restaurant about any requests and I clearly stated that I had a lactose intolerance.

My girlfriend and I were celebrating our new home and really looking forward to a celebratory meal.

Upon arrival we were in good spirits and brushed off the rather rude and condescending sommelier after he laughed at us when we described a wine we enjoyed the previous evening.

We were sat in a 4 person table at least 3.5 meters away from the neighbouring couple and when I went to sit next to my girlfriend to share the starters we both ordered (with the intention to share which was made obvious on order) the waitress abruptly asked me to return to my seat and said that we could not sit beside each other due to covid… this puzzled me as the restaurant was half full and the neighbouring couple were so far away I couldn't even identify if the lady had brown or blonde hair … we brushed this aside and tried to enjoy our meal until the cutlery arrived … I was stabbed in the arm as the waitress placed the knife under my forearm when we were sat at a four person table and there was evidently plenty of room in which to place the crockery either side of my body…

When our food arrived (half an hour after I had poured my own water and wine at the table) I began to eat and asked “does this have milk in it” to which they said let me check, then when they confirmed it did they offered to swap for an alternative dish… we thought this was kind and accommodating and the least we would expect so we shared our main.

The restaurant remained half empty but the lack of atmosphere was not the final straw. Upon paying the bill we saw that we had been charged for the extra incorrect dish.. instead of the appropriate apology.. a manager came over and interrogated me. Not only was I accused of not informing the restaurant of my intolerance, I was accused of lying about the fact that to the waitress offered an alternative dish without any issue.

After checking my booking the manager apologised and I was free to leave. Great food, beautiful architecture … hideous service.. unless of course you are actively seeking to be stabbed and poisoned.

The next evening we went to Palacio Chiado, please go there instead it...

I am writing to express my extreme disappointment with the service I received during my recent visit to JNcEQUOi Lisbon on 24 Feb 2024, for my 50th birthday celebration. Despite my anticipation and prior arrangements made with your manager three weeks prior to the event, the evening turned out to be a significant letdown due to several issues that arose.

Firstly, upon arrival, I was dismayed to discover that the table assigned to me was arguably one of the least desirable in the restaurant. Considering the special nature of the occasion and the prior confirmation of your manager, I expected to be accommodated with a table more befitting the importance of the celebration.

Furthermore, the incorrect main dish order compounded my disappointment. As I had specifically requested caviar to be included in my Peking Duck, its absence was conspicuous and disappointing. This oversight significantly detracted from the dining experience and failed to meet the standards of quality I anticipated from a restaurant of your reputation.

The culmination of these disappointments occurred with the untimely arrival of the birthday cake. Despite numerous follow-ups with the staff, the cake was served awkwardly late, well after the completion of our meal and even after coffee had been served. This not only disrupted the flow of the evening but also undermined the celebratory aspect of the occasion.

The series of shortcomings encountered during the course of the evening left me feeling profoundly dissatisfied and frustrated.

I trust that you will take my feedback seriously and address the issues raised to prevent similar occurrences in the future. I would appreciate a response from you regarding the steps that will be taken to rectify these matters and ensure that future patrons do not experience similar disappointments.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing...