Restaurante Avó Maria — Restaurant in Porto

First of all I want to say I’m sorry because I have never rated any place a one star. Let’s start by saying that the location is great. The table settings were ok. That aside the experience was just not good. First the servers were hovering and very awkwardly staring at us the entire time. Drinks: lemon and lime soda and water. The water was ok because it was just water. The lemon lime soda was very low quality. Very strong chemical smell and awful taste. This surprised us as we’ve been living in Europe for over two years and we know that usually the lemon and lime (sprite, 7up, etc) will be sugar free. Ok so starters: fish soup, pineapple and ham. Fish soup came out in less than ten minutes. The broth was just tasteless. Could not taste any flavor aside from a strong fish flavor. After adding a bit of salt and pepper it was tolerable but could not finish. Hamm and pineapple we all agreed the pineapple was delicious and refreshing, the ham was tough and chewy and just not good. Main: chicken noodles (pasta), shrimp noodles (pasta),grilled seabass. The pasta with the chicken was tasteless and the chicken was dry. The sauce also had zero flavor. Pasta was under cooked. Same issue with the shrimp pasta and the shrimp was way over cooked and not fresh. Seabass was not seabass. It was trout. It looked like trout, it was priced like trout. Not seabass at all. Non of us finished out meal. We paid. Gave a good night and did mentioned that it was...

A Warm Welcome and a Memorable Meal at Restaurante Avó Maria, Porto

Our visit to Restaurante Avó Maria in Porto was a true delight from start to finish. Tucked away with charm and character, this restaurant offered not only delicious food but also the kind of hospitality that stays with you long after the meal is over.

The staff were genuinely friendly, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere that made us feel right at home. Service was attentive without being intrusive, always ready with a smile, a recommendation, or a kind word.

The highlight of the evening was the Bacalhau à Lagareiro, a classic cod dish prepared with garlic, olive oil, and roasted potatoes. It was nothing short of exquisite. The cod was beautifully cooked, tender and full of flavour, capturing the essence of Portuguese cuisine in every bite.

Restaurante Avó Maria is a perfect example of how authentic food and heartfelt service can elevate a simple evening into a memorable experience. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Porto and wanting to experience true Portuguese hospitality. We’ll...

TOURIST TRAP

The experience at this restaurant was awful. When you sit down they place 3 types of appetisers and bread on the table making you think they're free, but they actually aren't (they are around 10 euros). This is a huge red flag and we saw some people next to us asking why they were charged for this. We told them to take them back and the waiter wasn't very nice about it, but fortunately they didn't charge us.

We ordered carbonara (mushrooms instead of bacon), fish soup, mustard tenderloin and a sangria. It was nice of them to adjust to my vegetarian needs, but they gave me pasta with hair in them. I asked for them to be replaced and (I think) they were, but anyway there was no hair in them at the end. The food didn't taste bad, but I had better for lower prices and better service.

One waiter was a bit too aggressive and angry imo, which kinds ruined the atmosphere.

Everything was pricy, and for the bad service and scam, not worth it. The only good thing about this restaurant is the...