The Folks Sé - Specialty Coffee, Breakfast & Brunch — Restaurant in Lisbon

Not a Great Experience

I didn't enjoy my visit to this coffee shop. While the waiter was very prompt, the overall vibe was off-putting, and I didn’t feel welcome.

This is the second location I’ve tried, hoping for a better experience, but unfortunately, it fell short.

The Coffee

Let’s start with the coffee itself. They do have an impressive selection, featuring competition-grade coffees from renowned roasters like Dak and Friedhats in Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

However, the execution left much to be desired. The coffees I tried—a filter and an Americano—were not dialed in properly. Both missed the mark entirely, which was disappointing considering the quality of the beans.

The Service

The service was another low point. Upon entering, I was greeted and immediately pressured to place my order before I even had a chance to browse the coffee offerings. After paying, I discovered a bag of coffee I wanted to purchase and learned it would have been free if I hadn’t already paid. I was told I’d need to return another day to claim the free drink, an unnecessary hassle.

This high-pressure sales approach felt more like a chain coffee shop experience than the relaxed, welcoming coffee culture I know and love. The rushed in-and-out atmosphere doesn’t align with what I expect from a specialty coffee shop.

Final Thoughts

While the coffee selection is impressive on paper, the execution and service fail to deliver. The lack of care in brewing and the uncomfortable atmosphere make it unlikely...

Sadly we decided not to eat here after being kept waiting outside (first in line) for more than 15 minutes to be seated (meanwhile 5 tables empty inside...)

After 10 minutes we went inside since there were 3 clean and empty tables, but we were asked to wait outside until we were called in.

Two more tables left and it was only 4 tables occupied and the rest was empty. We did the second attempt to enter, and have been removed from the premises again. Waiting outside in the cold (8C) rather than inside is not a very hospitable behaviour. They could let us sit inside and tell that we will be served later, if the kitchen is busy? At least tell us why we are waiting while there are empty (unreserved) tables inside. At that point we felt very unwelcome, and we would not be able to enjoy our food there anymore.

We have been to a different branch with a completely different experience before where we were welcomed kindly. That is why we would visit the Folks again,...

When i saw syrnyky in the menu, I knew I had to come in! This spot ended up being one of my favorites in Lisbon and I’m now recommending it to everyone visiting.

Syrnyky were insanely good indeed. It’s been a couple weeks but still cannot get them out of my head at all. Whether you’re Ukrainian or not, I recommend from my purest heart to order them. They taste so good in combination with mango and almonds!

Overall I must say the menu is very interesting, and I would come here again to try other positions.

And have you seen the interior? Very creative, perfect to enjoy and take some pictures. They have tables that are half outside - located in the frames of huge open windows.

And the service is good. You can make an order via qr code on the table to make things...