A Grade — Restaurant in Porto

We booked the restaurant because of all the good reviews. It was our last dinner in Portugal so we were really looking forward to it. However, it turned out to be the only bad food we have had in this wonderful country. The weather was very bad at the evening we went, we went through terrible traffic and arrived 20 mins late at 7:50. (We originally booked for 7, but called to change to 7:30) The owner shouted at us in Portuguese when we entered, I didn’t know what he was saying then a waiter came tell us we were late, we can still eat but they need to have the table back in an hour! They surely didn’t tell us we can only have limited time when we called to change time. I would normally walked away in a situation like this but there was heavy rain and crazy wind outside so we sat down. And because of their attitude, I knew I have chosen a touristic place. I told my families not to order too much,（they only gave us one hour to eat anyway)! And when the food arrived I was proved correct! They served food on very cold plates, the fried sardines were pre fried then warm up so they were not crispy. The rice served with the fish were not cooked through either. The seafood rice was very average and too salty according to my daughter. On the other hand, we were lucky that the owner was mean to us, that saved us from wasting too much money on this place! We went back to hotel bar to have our 2nd dinner! BTW, I have been eaten only Portuguese food the entire week, so I think I have some knowledge about the...

Oh man. This restaurant is the kind one dreams of. Tucked into a small alley on a hill above the river, this tiny restaurant may look similar to others, but it is special and memorable. Inside it has maybe 5 tables, and I suspect the decor and bar haven't changed in decades; they still have a dial phone. Most people eat outside, which is cozy and welcoming and well shielded from even strong rain. While many of the dishes are traditional and sound similar to other places, for us the taste of each dish was way better. Our starter of clams were simply different - fresh, sweet, and cooked in a broth so good we ended up soaking up every last drop with bread. I had grilled sardines; a common Portuguese dish, but these were ones I will long remember. I don't know what their secret ingredients are for the crust, but they have it figured out. My wife had seafood rice, and again, it set the standard against which all others should be judged. Our waiter (there's only one; I have no idea how he covers so many tables so well) knew the wine list well, and his recommendations were both memorably good and paired well with the food. Desert and a pairing of port were the perfect end to a memorable evening. We will remember A Grade for a...

My wife and I had dinner here on May 11th of this year, and it was absolutely superb! This is a (very) small family-run restaurant on a tiny winding street, Rua de Sao Nicholau, just off the river walk (it's hard to find but a delight to find), and we sat outside on a small porch and chatted with another couple from the States sitting at the next table whose daughter, who works with food, told them they just had to come here. We began with soup--potato cabbage, which is a Portuguese specialty, and vegetable; these were REALLY good. We both had Sea Bass, and it, too, was excellent. The almond tart was, as my wife says, "to die for." Our other dessert was simply strawberries. (Another dessert on the menu may have been simply "a slice of pineapple." All of this food is prepared by an older woman, perhaps the mother, in the tiniest of kitchens--not much larger, if at all, than the kitchen in our brownstone apartment in NYC. I believe her husband makes the drinks behind the bar, and her son is the waiter. Everyone works together very well especially in the kitchen; it is a family affair. (We considered returning here for dinner the next night, but they were...