Mayflower — Restaurant in Loulé

A Letdown Dinner with a Beautiful View

We were really looking forward to this dinner, especially given the stunning setting — seated right by the harbour, surrounded by boats and a gentle sea breeze. Sadly, the food and service couldn’t have contrasted more sharply with the view.

We began by ordering bread to start, but it never arrived. Oddly, the table seated after us received theirs first. After flagging down a staff member who seemed confused, a second waiter came over to take out bread order again. Which did come quickly — thankfully. Unfortunately, the bread was neither fresh nor warm.

Our children both ordered steak and chips, which oddly came with rice as well — perhaps a local twist, though some vegetables would have made more sense. The steak itself was shockingly poor in quality. We asked for medium, but what arrived was overcooked, dry, and full of gristle — nearly impossible to cut, let alone chew. We sent the dishes back, and while the replacements came quickly, they were somehow even worse. One of our daughters nearly choked on a particularly tough piece, at which point we decided enough was enough. We told the staff we wouldn’t be eating or paying for the steaks. To their credit, they didn’t argue the point, but justified the texture by saying the meat was thin — which it wasn’t particularly. Looking around, we noticed other tables also struggling with similarly overcooked, leathery steaks, suggesting this wasn’t an isolated issue.

The seafood rice didn’t fare much better. It arrived far too quickly to inspire confidence, and indeed tasted bland, with fish that seemed like it came from a frozen packet. There was no real depth of flavour — just a flat, uninspired dish.

Overall, the experience was extremely disappointing — a far cry from our visit back in May 2023, which we had really enjoyed. It’s unclear what’s changed since then, but we won’t be returning. A shame, as the location truly deserves a restaurant...

Mayflower, Marina Vilamoura – A Quick Lunch with Mixed Results

We stopped by Mayflower in Marina Vilamoura for a quick lunch, drawn in by its prime location overlooking the yachts. The view is certainly one of the restaurant’s strongest points – sitting by the marina with boats bobbing gently in the background makes for a pleasant atmosphere. Unfortunately, the rest of our experience didn’t quite live up to the setting.

The visit got off to a rocky start. My wife had asked specifically for a vegetarian salad, making sure to communicate her dietary preference clearly. However, when the dish arrived, it didn’t come out as requested. To their credit, the staff did take it back without fuss, but it meant she had to wait longer for her meal. When it eventually arrived, it wasn’t particularly warm – a theme that applied to most of what we were served.

We ordered a garlic bread and fries to start – simple fare that you'd expect to come out quickly and hot. While they were passable in terms of flavor, both were served lukewarm, which was a bit disappointing for such basic items.

The service began well – staff were attentive and welcoming at first – but seemed to taper off as the meal went on. Perhaps they were getting busier, but it felt like we were left to our own devices after the initial orders were taken. As for the menu, it’s fairly limited. There isn’t a huge variety of dishes, which might not be an issue if you’re after something quick and light, but it’s worth noting that they do not serve pizza – despite what some may expect from a casual marina-side spot.

Overall, Mayflower gets points for its lovely location and early service effort, but the experience was let down by the food temperature, a lack of menu variety, and an initial oversight on a dietary request. It’s a decent spot for a drink or a quick snack with a view, but don’t come expecting a wide range of options or piping-hot...

Well. Mixed feelings. Food presented in excellent conditions. Aspect 4, Content 3, Plate 2 (when you ask for a fish food, you expect your plate pre heated for the price involved), Palate 3 (chef makes an effort of churning out his food at adequate rhythm but each plate should be a work of art, he tried, but his staff did not live up to his standards). Now for the space. Gusto in all aspects which deserves a high star rating, but if you have a mashed paper serviette on the floor in front of the toilets (courtesy of a less educated customer) you should be as fast as lightning picking it out of the way… didn’t happen, stayed there for exactly 10 minutes), when noticed, late but not as late that would constitute a capital sin. This means that one of the employees read, or at least understood the philosophy behind “Who moved my cheese”. Now given the setting one would have to say that the staff went to all extents to please every customer (agreed… not an easy feat) in spite of me having them set up against their chef a few sentences above. All in all a nice experience and given the setting and the business pitch. You may visit Mayflower with confidence, you’ll be adequately served and you will enjoy your experience! Don’t be...