Meshua — Restaurant in Portimão

A Culinary Gem at Meshua - Exceptional Experience from Start to Finish!

I had the pleasure of dining at Meshua in Portimao, and it was an absolutely outstanding experience! From the moment I reserved my table, the process was seamless and efficient. The warm and welcoming reception set the tone for a wonderful evening, and the service throughout was impeccable—attentive yet unobtrusive, making us feel truly special. The ambiance is stunning, with a beautifully designed interior featuring large windows, stylish wicker furniture, and lush greenery that creates a relaxing atmosphere. The food was a highlight—starting with beautifully presented oysters adorned with caviar and lemon, followed by a perfectly grilled meat dish served with fries and a delightful pineapple side, and ending with a decadent home made dessert featuring creamy textures and a rich sauce. Each dish was a masterpiece, bursting with flavor and beautifully plated. The attention to detail, from the elegant table settings to the creative cocktails and fine wines, reflects the passion and quality Meshua brings to the table. I wholeheartedly recommend this place to everyone and hope it thrives for years to come—supporting Meshua means supporting a local gem! Five stars...

We had booked the NYE Reveillon at the Mechua. We were the very first at the restaurant. The waitress had difficulties to find the table of our group. My husband had to pointed the group on her list. So she set us on a long table and we waited an hour and nobody of our group arrived. Than the waitress came with a large family who had reserved that table where we were placed. Recognizing her mistake she escorted us to the table of our group. We are new in the group and so we didn’t know someone. Very annoying for us.

Food: the food was delicious but it takes forever to get it. The 1st. of the main course arrived at 11.30 h p.m. at our table. The 2nd. of the main course arrived at 0.30 h a.m. Most of our group members had already left. We waited for the desert until 1 a.m. and it didn’t arrive, so we left.

Music: was ridiculous loud. I was not able to hear even my neighbors talking to me. It was taped music, not live. Live music was announced. Only bongo drums were played to accompany it.

Service: The staff tried very hard to bring the dishes and drinks to the tables quickly. But there were simply not enough staff for so many people. I'm guessing it was 120-150. Just not good management to plan such an event so badly.

Résumé...

Completely unprepared and slow staff. The service is absolutely despicable or nonexistent. We had to work on our patience, waiting a long time for someone to come to our table to take our order. After this, we waited even longer to get our drinks, even a bottle of water. At the time we were there, only a few tables were taken, so it was not busy at all. Despite at least five staff members being around, everything took a long time.

We ordered starters (ceviches) and had to send them back because they tasted spoiled. After this, we waited at least 40 minutes to get our main courses, which was another disappointment. The fish was tasteless, the beans tasted like curry, and the entrecôte was overcooked and therefore hard. The waiter messed up the sides for some of the dishes and missed some thing, as the service was poor we did not even manage to have it sorted.

To be honest entire experience was extremely disappointing. I would never go back, and I would not recommend the place at all. The atmosphere of the restaurant was fine, but the poor service and clueless half-asleep staff totally destroyed...