Restaurante O Tonel — Restaurant in Tavira

Hands-down one of the best dining experiences we’ve ever had – not just in Portugal, but in all of Europe. We were so blown away by this restaurant that we went twice in the three nights we spent in Tavira. Every dish was exceptional.

The octopus was to die for – cooked to absolute perfection, tender and flavorful, quite possibly the best we’ve had in Europe. The seabass was equally outstanding. We also tried the oysters, which were out of this world – bursting with freshness and topped with the most delicate mix of spices and caviar.

The goat cheese and beet salad was fresh and delicious, and the octopus appetizer, served in a sizzling clay pot, was next-level good. For dessert, the lemon meringue pie and chocolate mousse were the perfect sweet ending to what was easily the best meal we’ve had in Portugal – and one of our top three in Europe.

We even asked to speak to the chef to share our compliments – he was incredibly warm and generous, and treated us to a complimentary glass of port. Pro tip: make a reservation. This place was packed every night – and for good reason. An absolute must-visit when in Tavira!

And kudos to the serving staff, they were...

Had a truly shocking meal at O Tonel this evening. Having looked at the reviews, we were expecting great things. We booked in advance for a table. Upon arrival, we were told to choose a seat. We waited and waited. 40 minutes later, someone came to the table, and we requested a wine list. Wine, couvert and meals were ordered. The couvert (bread, olives and carrots) arrived. Meals arrived very quickly thereafter, and starter plates were removed while we were still eating! (Literally chewing food when plates were removed). Main meals were overcooked and dried out ( octopus and seabass). The waiter came over 5 minutes after main courses had arrived and tried to remove our plates.. we had only just started! This is not genuine Portuguese food. If you are in Tavira, there are far better places to visit for dinner. Restautante O Castello was excellent, as was O Pátio (only a few steps away). There were many disgruntled clients at O Tonel...

We had to made reservations a night before, and so glade we didn’t miss out this wonderful dining place. The food was so delicious. We had daily special claims with garlic and cilantro, we ordered a bottle of red wine they recommended, had lamb with mashed potatoes that comes with delicious salad with mango/ pomegranate and olive oil, duck confit with roasted potatoes. This restaurant is by far the tasty and all meet over the standard. The service was great and so friendly. If I came here first night I think I would go back for my rest of the stay in Tavira. (3 nights in Tavira) Note: we had travelled last 5 weeks from Spain (Barcelona, València, Ronda,cordoba and Sveilla), by far this one delivered everything, food, service, atmosphere and even the price is reasonable and not overly charged. If you are in town, make sure make the reservation (they speak English) PS, thank you for calling me back so I could get the...