Honest Greens Santa Catarina — Restaurant in Porto

I wanted to share my experience at your restaurant—one that didn’t quite match the “Honest” part of your name. Maybe it should be called “Not That Honest Green” instead.

It started this morning when we walked by your place on Santa Catarina. It looked nice, so we went in and had two courses. The food took a bit of time, but it was good, and we enjoyed it. No problem—we understand busy days happen.

After a long day of exploring Porto, we had many options for dinner. We could have stayed on the other side of the city, but we decided to take a cab and come back to your restaurant. That should already tell you how much we liked the food the first time.

We arrived around 8:25 pm and ordered a steak (well done) and a lemon chicken dish at 8:30 pm. We waited, and waited… and waited. After half an hour, I asked one of your staff when the food would be ready. He said, “Just a few minutes.” Okay, I thought, maybe they’re busy.

Ten minutes later—still nothing. I went back to ask, and this time a guy (beard, glasses, maybe from East South Asia) said, “2 minutes,” but in a way that felt like I was annoying him just by asking. That’s when I started to think: maybe we’re the problem here for wanting to eat at a restaurant?

When I asked again after a while, the same guy said, “Many issues, many,” as if it was our fault they had problems in the kitchen. Mind you, the place wasn’t even that busy.

Finally—45 minutes later—the food arrived. The steak was basically raw blood dripping, even though I had clearly asked for well done. When I pointed it out, the guy insisted, “But this is what you ordered.” Luckily, another staff member corrected him, saying I had ordered well done. Then the first guy said, “Oh, system problem,” like it was the computer’s fault, not his.

At this point, I was already frustrated. I told him that it wasn’t my problem if the order was taken wrong. Instead of apologizing, he just looked at me like I should accept it. So, they took the steak back after a debate, put it in the boiler, and brought it back even harder and chewier than before. Half of it stayed on the plate because it was just not edible.

Honestly, this was the worst dining experience I’ve had in a while. The food wasn’t the biggest problem—it was the attitude. Not once did the guy say “sorry” or act like he wanted to fix the mistake. It felt like he thought we were lucky just to be served.

I guess I must live in a fantasy world where people actually care about doing their job well and apologize when things go wrong. But clearly, that’s not how it works at Honest Green.

I hope you take this feedback seriously because your food has potential. But maybe next time, focus on being more honest—and a bit...

The focus on providing healthy and tasty food options was commendable. I enjoyed the flavours and quality of the dishes I ordered. Additionally, the waiter at the coffee counter was friendly and provided good service, adding a pleasant touch to the dining experience.

However, there were a few drawbacks that need attention. Firstly, upon entering the restaurant, we were not welcomed or given any information about the ordering process, which created some confusion. It would have been helpful if someone had guided us to the counter and explained that we needed to place our orders there.

Furthermore, despite the open kitchen concept, the staff did not acknowledge or interact with the customers. A simple greeting or a friendly interaction would have added a personal touch and enhanced the overall dining experience.

Moreover, I found it disappointing that the food was delivered openly at the back of the restaurant on the floor. This lack of privacy and hygiene during the delivery process was a notable drawback.

Additionally, there were missing labels at the cutlery station, making it difficult to locate the forks, knives, and spoons. Clear labeling would greatly improve the convenience and efficiency of dining.

In terms of cleanliness, the tables were sticky, and the seats were dirty, which negatively impacted the overall ambiance. Attention to cleanliness and regular maintenance is necessary to ensure a pleasant dining environment.

Another letdown was the temperature of the food served, as it arrived cold. It would have been more enjoyable if the dishes had been served at the appropriate temperature.

On a positive note, the banana bread was good, but I believe it would have been even better if it had been toasted. The slight crispness from toasting would have added an appealing texture.

However, I was disappointed with the taste of the halloumi. It didn't meet my expectations and lacked the...

I had visited this place last year and left with a positive impression, which is why I returned this time. Unfortunately, the experience was quite different.

While placing my order, a mistake was made — an extra dish was added to my bill. These things can happen, and I was understanding of that. The order was refunded to my card, and I paid for the correct order separately. However, the refund did not appear on my banking app, which left me essentially double-charged.

I returned to the staff to clarify the situation, hoping for a straightforward resolution. Instead, I was met with reluctance. The manager refused to speak with me directly, the other staff that went to her were returning by offering vague and inconsistent explanations, repeatedly telling me to “just wait a bit longer,” or "100% the refund will happen" despite the fact that I had already waited for about 20 minutes without any clarity.

Eventually, when I asked for some form of confirmation that the refund had indeed been processed, the manager finally came over — not to explain or apologize, but to wordlessly hand me a printed receipt in Portuguese, all the while rolling her eyes. The tone was dismissive and impolite, and I found the entire interaction deeply unprofessional, especially considering that the issue was not caused by me.

Mistakes can happen, but the way they are handled matters. A little transparency, communication, and courtesy would have gone a long way.

My bank account still doesn't...