Tapas da Cris — Restaurant in Sintra

This place is cash only. We actually had forgotten to bring our cards with us from Lisbon (our fault) and so we only had contactless and so we were unable to pay. Another table leaving at the same also had the same problem and we were both accused of not reading the menu where it says “cash only” or the door which had a tiny sticker with Visa, Mastercard etc crossed out in black marker (we sat outside and didn’t even go near the door). Tried to offer transfer or PayPal but waitress was said no and couldn’t offer us any other solution. We would never eat somewhere without paying and when we suggested to her that she should tell people it’s card only she insisted that people should read the menu. We obviously never would have eaten there if we had known. The solution is really to just mention it to people quickly before they order in case they miss it on the menu - it obviously very easy to do so, given two tables at the same time had the same problem.

We also got told that it’s normal in Portugal to not be able to pay by card - simply not the truth, we’ve paid card (contactless) everywhere and in a tourist area like Sintra, if you’re not accepting card then you’re the anomaly, not us. Anyway, ended up going to another shop and charging the bill amount to our card and they gave us cash to give to the restaurant. All in all not a pleasant experience.

Food was okay. Bacalao pastels were dry, were obviously reheated and still cold in the middle. Chorizo was pretty decent and cooked at the table which was a nice show, but only go here if you have...

I would like to start off that I never wrote reviews. With that being said this restaurant made quite the impression on me. Tapas da Cris was the perfect stop for some food after a long day of exploring Sintra. It’s in a great location right off a Main Street so it’s close to everything but a little away from the hustle and bustle. My friends and I sat outside as it was a beautiful day and ordered some tapas to share as well as a liter of red sangria. The sangria was DELICIOUS! It was sweet and fruity but not cloyingly so and it was the perfect way to cool down. Our tapas were delicious and we especially loved the toasts with honey and cheese. At the end of the meal I asked the waitress, who I now believe was the owner, what the wine was as I enjoyed it so much. She came out and showed me the bottle to take a photo of it which was kind. We then paid the check, in cash as I believe it may be cash only but I did not ask, she then brought out a full bottle for us to take back with us. It was just so kind and thoughtful it brought me to tears and then she kindly pointed us in the direction to the train. This meal was truly the icing on the cake after such a wonderful day and it as all thanks to the attentive, kind and generous owner and the...

WARNING BEWARE OF THE THIEF HERE. Be extremely careful in this restaurant, left our bag inside with valuables under the table and it disappeared within minutes, there is a thief operating there, the waitress said the camera doesn't record either even though the light was on the camera and she refused to look at it. If you eat here, don't take your eyes off your valuables because they will be gone in the blink of an eye.

It's a very strange place indeed. I also find it very strange that they have a CCTV camera with a light on but doesn't record, is this just for show? What is the purpose of a camera that doesn't work?

The waitress also stated that another couple came and sat at the table, ate their food, and vanished (with our bag) in the space of 30 minutes. I found it odd that other customers would steal our bag, which is why I wanted to see the camera.

I suspect the waitress woman working there may have stolen the bag herself. This is why she wouldn't let us see the camera. 1st, she says the camera doesn't record, then she says only the police can access the camera. Which one is it?!

If you eat here, do not take your eyes off...