Taberna da Esperança — Restaurant in Lisbon

I would have given zero stars, unfortunately it's not possible. The service was extraordinary - in a very bad way. The waitress was very unfriendly from the start and didn't make us feel welcome. They charged for olives and rusk! that we didn't even order. There is no main dish at all for vegetarians, luckily we eat fish, well it wasn't that lucky in the end...

We chose codfish with polenta, but when we asked if we could get mashed potatoes instead of polenta, the harsh waitress said it wasn't possible since it's inside the fish, so we figured it's stuffed inside, which it wasn't. It wouldn't have been a problem to change the side dish, but she simply didn't want to. Everything had coriander on top which wasn't mentioned in the menu nor by the waitress. The food was actually disgusting, fish was dry, Polenta undercooked and the mussels on top weren't seasoned at all. We complained that we don't eat coriander and didn't know the dishes would be served with lots of it. She said "ok then, just eat from the bottom, there should be none."

Incredible! I never experienced a level of rudeness like that. We ate barely anything and no one cared. They didn't offer us any compensation, but instead obviously talked about us behind the bar. Bill was high, plates were still full, when we left. To sum it up: Don't go there. The service is as bad...

A great place for traditional Portuguese cooking with a modern edge.

Apparently on the vanguard of the new wave of contemporary tavernas in Lisbon, Ideal provides authentic and time honoured flavours fit for the contemporary diner.

Like most restaurants in Lisbon, this takes a tapas style approach. We shared 3 small plates and 1 large dish between two.

Mushrooms sautéed with chestnuts had incredibly depth and earthiness of flavour, but sweetness too from the chestnuts.

Prawns sautéed with sun dried tomatoes were good - but no surprises.

Toast with melted goats cheese, honey and rosemary was sublime and, hopefully, relatively easy to recreate at home!

The star of the show was the big plate (definitely a healthy portion) of soft polenta with cod. Comfort eating at its best. The fish had a very meaty texture while the sweet, soft polenta was like an unctuous risotto.

Waiters were friendly, helpful and relaxed. Very accommodating to those with dietary requirements (celiac and dairy intolerance in our case).

Good craft beers on offer too - the local milk stout was great.

60-odd euros for an excellent, and very filling,...

I felt disappointed. The name "tavern" suggests a different type of restaurant. Food is tasty but that's not classic Portuguese. Space is narrow and you might get some bumps from other customers while eating. Heads-up: served portions are too small and the price is exorbitant. It's more costly than the two Michelin star restaurant nearby for the equivalent amount of food. Beware that dishes aren't good for sharing and leaving satisfied. Wine is overpriced - consider alternatives. Staff is friendly and cozy. The restaurant closes early and you can't relax after dinner. There are better...