Bar da Dona Onça

Wow. Truly one of the great value for money meals I've eaten, not just in these three months in South America. It's not cheap by Brazilian standards, especially not the starters but I thought every dish was of high quality and they totally surpassed my expectations. I had the pot roast croquettes to start. Phenomenal, especially with a couple of dabs of the little bottle of hot sauce you'll find on the table. For my main, I had the steak au poivre that is accompanied by thin noodles. This description which only a Brit will understand and will be underwhelmed by and not do the meal justice is what I'm gonna stick with regardless. I can't believe I'm saying this. Imagine someone made high end steak flavoured Pot Noodle, with actual steak cooked medium rare and a delicious pepper sauce rather than the boiled water and sachet of crap. That's what this tasted like. It was so good, I was full but I wanted to eat more of it. If I ever return to Sao Paulo, this would be my first stop!

We had a great experience at Bar da Dona Onça. The place has a warm, welcoming vibe and the food was absolutely delicious. What made it even better was the service. Our waitress took the time to explain the entire menu to us, which really helped us choose the perfect dishes. You can tell they care about both the food and the customer experience. Highly recommended if you're looking for authentic flavors and great hospitality in São Paulo!

We were looking for an easy meal without too much extra. This absolutely hit the spot. The tartare was an absolute winner for us. Outdoor seating because we didn’t make reservations and did not want to wait. Our fault but it was a little chilly. Still on us. But food made up for it.

Cute place, great drinks and very good service even on a Friday night. The Onça Pintada drink is to die for and the food is delicious. Not directly accessible by car so you'll need to walk about 50ft from the street. Totally worth it. Make a reservation during the busy hours.

Very nice restaurant with a good service. The hardest part in there was to choose among the wide variety of dishes. Most of them you can only taste in here. Everything was very delicious especially the Spinach Dumplings. I really would love to have its recipe to try at home.

The food is amazing, all of it!! Dishes are well prepared, well presented and very flavorful! The starters are out of this world. The drinks are pretty and delicious. Service is impressive, waiters are always paying attention and are fun to talk to. This definitely a must try restaurant, but get there early as it's no secret and lines are huge!

The service was good. I went with my partner with high expectations, as the restaurant is owned by a renowned chef. We had the seven-course tasting menu, but unfortunately, the overall experience was disappointing. The food lacked flavor — where were the presentation and the mix of textures? A few dishes were just okay, and the tucupí pork was the highlight, but overall the food felt unbalanced, uninspired and not worth it.

I was disappointed. Maybe it’s just not my type of food? Maybe I ordered the wrong thing? People raved about it. It was okay, I think if you love meat and sausage you’d probably love it. My dessert was good and I had a nice cocktail. I had two appetisers a cocktail and a dessert for 45USD. I wouldn’t rush back but maybe that’s more my fault than theirs Service was top class

The food was really good with great service. The lobster ravioli was delicious! Would definitely recommend!

The bao buns to start were really good, the overall ambiance is ok. It's not a super fancy place. I had the gnocchi with meat sauce which was really good. The service was fast and attentive.

This place was amazing! Would most recommend the oxtail it straight fell off the bone. But to be honest everything we ordered was amazing.

My overall experience with "Dona Onca" was ok. We first tried to go to "A Casa do Porco" and even though we got there on a weekday around 12pm (basically when they open), they had a 2-hour wait already. Well, it's worth mentioning that in Sao Paulo you can't even go to McD's without waiting in line... unbelievable. I grew up in this city and still love it but no thanks - at least not for me anymore. Anyway, we ended going to Dona Onca I guess for lack of options. They all send you there from A Casa do Porco since apparently the owners are related. We got there and guess what?? They're packed too and line was starting to form outside the door around 12:30ish. Keep in mind that Paulistas (people from Sao Paulo) usually eat pretty late, especially on weekends.. so 12:30 is sort of early since it's the holidays. We were finally seated on the sidewalk since they didn't have seats inside, which I probably don't recommend because we were approached by several people while eating. Let's get to what matters most: food. We ordered a couple drinks and one of their caipirinhas (super pricey btw), almost $10 USD if I'm not wrong and their IPA, which was good but nothing special. The menu didn't impress me and it was pricey again. We had the pork shank dish, a couple sausage apps, the smallest side of fries I ever had in my life and dessert. After a couple drinks and some mediocre food, we spent close to $200USD and almost $800BRL. Honestly Sao Paulo can offer way better food for less.. just look for it and perhaps stay away from the "cool" or modinha places. All in all, I'll probably not go back and not sure if I'd recommend to friends. I do still want to check out A Casa do Porco next time.. maybe I get there before sunrise to try to get a table... jokes aside - but honestly it may not be a bad idea if you really want to check out this place.

Despite the sort of semi-shabby, downtown lunchroom feel to the place, it turned out to be a great choice. My partner went with a bowl of stewed chicken giblets in a delicious tomato based sauce, and I went with the traditional local specialty for Mondays, the virado a paulista, one of those "whole meal on a single plate" type dishes - their version with a grilled pork chop (slightly overdone, but tasty), deep-fried bacon, housemade linguica sausage, a fried egg, mashed beans, shredded kale, and a bowl of rice on the side. Served up with mini-bottles of housemade hot sauce, which we went through like fiends, and we left quite satisfied for 154 reales, or $41.

Cool bar at the ground floor of a huge Oscar Niemeyer building in downtown. The decor is very stylish and chique with a nicely lit bar. We came here just for one quick drink and a snack. Service was ok; the drinks were nice. The croquettes we tried were a bit bland and the mustard mayonnaise wasn't too exciting either. Nevertheless, this would be a great place to take a date or to enjoy the evening with a group of friends.

Tipped off by a passionate foodie local, my small group and I arrived to dinner at this downtown locale to find a lightly bustling scene full of native diners. Super authentically Brazilian, I didn't anticipate the restaurant to have a menu in English, but voila, there it was. Gringos take note! While this is categorized as a "dive bar," uninitiated expats shouldn't arrive here expecting to find a rough and rugged bar scene complete with pints for pennies. The term boteco suggests a casual, tried and true neighborhood joint that attracts the locals. And thanks to chef Janaina Rueda, the food you'll find is stewed in tradition and rich in comfort. While plentiful, the sausage we split as an appetizer simply wasn't enough. Probably some of the best prepared homemade sausage I've ever had, I could've easily eaten this all night. Match that with the lightly fried fish ribs (yeah, that's right) and I was super happy. Wild boar was later added to the table and now I know why people avidly hunt this game. The taste was simply beyond and better than your average piggy. I stuck to different variations of caipirinhas but for those of you passionate about wine, you'll be happy to know Dona Onça has a particular focus on vino. Beer seekers can obviously find brews as well. Casual comfort food done right. I'll definitely be back!

The friends who took us to Bar da Dona Onça also once brought Alice Waters here for dinner. If it's good enough for Alice Waters, it's good enough for me! Two words: fish ribs. They taste much better than the sound. Afterward you can clean and dry them and use them as hair accessories. (I'm not totally joking.) Drink this: Osa's leche - coconut milk and cachaca and condensed milk. Need I say more? You need one of these! Bar da Dona Onça should definitely be on your São Paulo shortlist.

Dona Onça is located in the street level of a famous building designed by the legendary Brazilian architect Neymeyer. I went with a friend who was from the area and it was a very nice way to spend my last afternoon in São Paolo. Good selection of beers. Also had a shot of oça which is fermented milk mixed with cachaça. I had an order of brigadeiros which were also very tasty. Service was good and facilities aswell.

We found ourselves in the area recently around dinner time, and our baby was at home with the grandparents, so we thought - why not! My husband used to come here a lot in his younger days, so he thought it would be fun to take me. We promptly ordered a couple Caju Amigos and some bar food... cochinas and veggie kibe. They were all great! Service was good, and the food came quickly. We then ordered main courses which is where it seemed to lack. I ordered a gnocchi, which I love, and it was only okay. If they could take everything up a notch with flavor, it would go a long way. The vibe was nice, and again, the staff was very friendly. They even helped call us a taxi. This place is great to hang out with friends, have some drinks, and grab some appetizers. I look forward to hearing that they've updated their main course dishes with a little more punch!

Bar da Dona Onça is a São Paulo classic. Nestled in the ground floor of the iconic Copan building, it has everything you'd expect from a boteco paulistano, taken up a notch. While they have a good selection of beers, I recommend trying their mixed drinks. The food is awesome too. For starters, try the coxinhas and the linguiça artesanal. There are two drawbacks, though. First of all, being a popular destination, either be prepared to wait to get a table, or try going during off-peak hours. Second, some of the servers were new to the job, so be sure to figure out who the most experienced server is be extra nice to that person.

Stumbled onto this famed spot while looking for a place for lunch between meetings in São Paulo. The menu is extensive, and relatively expensive for Brazil (I think) but the food is very good. I could not pass up on a chance to try their famed coxinhas, and was surprised that the order consists of four pieces, charmingly presented on a little stand with springs that supports them, and a little dish of garlicky sauce. For my main course I opted for a dish of rice smothered in a soupy meat concoction with kale and a fried egg on top. It was not quite what I had anticipated, but it was very tasty nonetheless. For dessert I had a little combination of three treats--a tiny portion each of quindim, flan and doce de leite, all of which were very tasty indeed. A pricy repast, but one that I was happy to have experienced.

Had a great Monday lunch here, the traditional virado a paulista, nicely cooked combo of rice, beans, egg and three kinds of pork. Followed by a long siesta. Passed this place many times and avoided it because it looked posh, but in fact this is down home cooking done well. Not pricey as you can easily split a plate and be sated.

Bring me here daily!! What a place. It seemed like it took an eternity to get here from our hotel, and we even questioned whether it was worthwhile going that far out of our way just for some food, it was/is. Invited here by a local foodie and his wife, it turns out it is his favourite spot where he dines about twice a week. The head waiter, William, was a star and looked after us in a way that I could only imagine he looks after all his regulars. Not being able to read the menu we put ourselves in the hands of our friendly foodie - safe hands indeed. Although we had lots of tapas style food to die for, one thing stood out to me as of particular note. It was fish ribs in an amazing crispy batter. That's right, ribs, of a fish, as a dish...it is a big fish. Delectable. Cachaca, cocktails, fruit-flavoured Caipirinhas and the odd fruit that houses the cashew nut ensued. Needless to say, it was a fantastic experience, in terms of atmosphere, companionship and a culinary delight.

Start with the bisteca a cavalo starter and quickly ppt for the hen risotto... Amazing

I went with some locals who work in the neighborhood. I can see why it's a favorite. My food was excellent. They have a lot of traditional, home-style Brazilian food as well. Also, the brigadieros are super yummy and I wish we had them back in the States!

An upscale wannabe, with bland "gourmet" offering. They only thing they have going upscale is the price.

Confesso que esperava muito mais. O lugar é ok, o cardápio tem opções bem interessantes (acho que isso explica as avaliações tão positivas dos gringos) com preços salgados demais. As carnes variam entre $50-60 por prato individual e não valem o preço pago. Não vou dizer que a comida é ruim, na verdade é gostosa. E só, do mesmo jeito que a comida da minha mãe, mas ela não me cobra $60 num prato com seis pedacinhos de língua de boi com purê ou em um pouco de massa na manteiga com um pedaço de carne (esse no ponto perfeito, devo admitir). No fim das contas: você consegue lugar melhor pelo preço.

Had appetizers. Good variety and quality. Nice ambiance. Ice cold beer. Potbelly was nice and crispy with some tasty sauces. Wide variety of well drinks only available in Brazil.

Great selection. The almôndegas and the bolinhas de espinafre were incredible. There is a yellow pepper sauce along with the other condiments that is a great comment to both appetizers (if you don't mind a little spice hotness in your food). The service is great, the servers are very attentive and friendly. The prices are a little high in this hidden gem. The drinks, although good, are super expensive. The main courses are pricey as well, so if you are looking for a bargain, this is probably not your best option. The quality of the food is definitely worth the price and if you feel like venturing out of your budget, definitely give it a shot.

The place is definitely not a dive. It's actually quite a classy spot, but a little difficult to find since it is in an alley. However, I was a little disappointed with the food and menu. The prices are higher than I expected. The dishes are about 50-100$R ($25-50 USD) each, but not as good as I'd like. Also, the drinks are pricey. A lemon drop was 34$R ($17 USD) and a glass of wine was about 50$R or more. There is a lot of dishes with okra (I don't like it) and others with cheese (I'm lactose intolerant) so I had limited items to choose from. I saw the dog paw (I assumed it indicated signature items) next to the item called "meat pan" with veggies. There wasn't any one who could speak English to help me figure out what meat, but I decided to go with it. When I got it, it was stew. I hate stew. And, they had banana pieces in the stew, along with okra, and some type of cactus vegetable. Yuck. If you like that kind of thing, go for it. But yuck!! I didn't like it and was very disappointed. My husband had a shrimp and rice dish (99$R or $50USD) that was good. There were about 8 big shrimp on his plate. I don't think it was worth the price, but definitely tasty. So, for me it was average. I had higher hopes after reading the other reviews. Service was fine, and the menu in English was helpful, but did not contain all information needed to make a good choice without an interpreter.

Went there during the weekday, and it was pretty busy even though we went after the pick hour. The quality of the food is great, with lot of options in the menu that makes me want to come back for more. No complaints! This time i am giving a lower rate because of the service. There was this lady whom i asked about one dish in the menu and she was kind of rude saying "this meat is either you like it or not. If you dont like liver, dont order it". Surprised, I said "well, i might not be a fan of liver, but i really appreciate when is made well". She respond to me "there no such a thing, people just eat liver when they like" persisting with that idea. I believe she could say it with less rudeness but, at that moment, she didn't. More than having a preference for something, we are caught many times eating a shitty version of some food that we love. Or when we are lucky, we have the chance to try an amazing food that we weren't having any expectations for. I just think she made an unnecessary comment with an unmannerly attitude when it came to sell or offer a dish.

Bar da Dona Onça and Tordesilhas are both run by two creative chefs: Janaina Rueda and Mara SallesEUR