Café Santiago

Incredibly delicious francesinha. Came here solo and immediately got a seat at the bar. Short wait for the sandwich. The sauce is delicious and comforting, and the meats with bread are amazing. Tastes much better than it looks! Place was packed, expect to wait with 2+ people. Service was friendly and efficient

I recommend this place. I ordered the Francesinha Santiago - Bife do Lombo (sirloin beef steak) and each piece of meat was perfectly cooked and with each bite bursting with flavour. The chips are crispy so even when it’s dunked in the sauce, it’s not too soggy. It’s a hearty and rich meal. I liked the bar seating because you get to watch the process of them making it which is quite fascinating. The service is good and attentive, they gave extra sauce without me asking when they noticed my plate was lacking it, which was nice.

I had the Francesinha, and it was very good – rich in flavor, perfectly balanced sauce. The service was fast and friendly. However, the place gets very crowded, and there’s quite a bit of confusion when waiting to be seated. It would be helpful if they introduced a ticket machine to call customers in order. Still, it's definitely worth a visit!

First time in Porto and heard about Café Santiago, so decided to give it a try and taste the famous francesiña. After had it, I was full for the rest of the day, a lot of things and futty food. The place itself was very busy, and if tables are not available, you can sit at the bar. Probably you will have the same francesiña in another place, even more quiet and with less people around.

Absolutely delicious Francesinha, me and my husband split the Francesinha Santiago, it comes with fries and was plenty enough, I couldn’t quite finish so my husband happily helped me out. The flavor of the smoked meats and the tender steak really made it an explosion of flavors and a true comfort food. I would totally eat here again. It’s very busy but we were lucky and didn’t have to wait, since as a table opened up straight away, it is however quite noisy.

My wife and I are currently in an apartment about 100 meters away and this place was recommended by us by the taxi driver so we had to try it. We sat outside on the backside of this restaurant, in the R. de Santo Ildefonso. Of course we tried the local specialty 'Francescinha'. This is quite some meal. French fries, bread, egg and various sorts of meats. You could compare it in a way with a specialty well known in our country, the 'kapsalon' but this dish is without anything healthy :-) We liked it very much. Of course it's not 'high cuisine' but if you are in the mood for 'fast food' and can cope with a gazillion calories then try this ! The place was full inside and outside but the service was good, fast and friendly.

The food was really good. It's well know for their francesinhas, but next time i would share it with someone because they are huge. We almost didn't get a table because apparently you need to have a reservation, but when we arrived, another table was just leaving, so we could take their place. I think somewhere else we could have found the same food for better price, but this one is really recommended so we paid anyway.

This is my first time having francesinha in Porto and I liked it a lot here in Santiago cafe. The sandwich has such a perfect balance with the sauce. The place has a history behind.

Waiter was nice, tables are all squished together. Unfortunately, the couple sitting right next to us were nonstop coughing. Both dishes were extremely salty, but at least the francesinha sandwich had some more flavor to it. Not spicy at all!

Save Your Stomach for this! And I mean literally... The portion of these Francesinha sandwiches are super big and heavy. It's filled with so much protein in one bite - it has a lot of cheese, meat and egg. It also comes with layers of bread inside. My friend and I decided to get half portions and honestly, it was enough food for me. It was quite packed and to have gravy and fries on top of that made me so full. It was very flavorful and nothing that I've tried before, so I would highly recommend to try it once in Portugal. Inside, they do have a lot of tables, but this place is very well known so expect to wait a bit. Service is quick. Great food/portions.

I'm not sure what to say? I've not met a bifana I didn't like yet. And this place was literally empty on a somewhat rainy Tuesday early afternoon. I figured it would be packed for lunch. I asas the lonely diner. I suppose which one is best is simply subjective. But definitely like the spicy oil you can add in this case. The bread soft as a pillow, the meat spicy tender and juicy And abundant. Simple eats simply the best!

This francesinha was bursting with flavor and it was so savory! I ordered the francesinha top (came with fries) and it was a monster dish. I just about ate the whole thing & the fries because it was too good. The inside had delicious meat, it was covered with gooey cheese and absolutely smothered with this fantastic broth. After going to Gazela eating a cachorrinho and then eating this, I was able to not eat for the rest of the day or night. Amazing value and the staff was friendly.

Cute little diner serving up comfort Portuguese dishes. When in Portugal, you have to try franchesina and we were told this is the place! It did not disappoint. Being close to the main Porto attractions, it was mostly tourists. My mom and I shared the Santiago franchesina ($16). And this was enough for 2. Loaded with sirloin steak, ham, cheese, etc all smothered with a delicious gravy. It's not a fancy meal, but an experience. You have to try it at least once in Porto :) Waiters here were quick and efficient. Also, spoke perfect English with was greatly appreciated.

Cafe Santiago is a friendly diner in Porto known for their Francesinha, a monstrous sandwich made of bologna, sausage, beef steak, ham, and cheese in between two slices of white bread, topped with melted cheese, a fried egg, and a spicy, vinegary Francesinha beer sauce! Whoever invented this must have been looking for a hangover cure, as this salty, meaty, cheesy sandwich was as decadent as could be. On the side, we had a mixed salad of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and onions, which added a refreshing contrast to the sandwich; as well as the Caldo Verde, a creamy local soup made with kale and potatoes. Overall, the food at this casual restaurant was simple but tasty and came at a good value, and the service was super friendly too!

Wonderful place offering non-pork and even vegan sandwiches! I walked in and the kind staff seated me quickly. The sandwich is massive so coke with an appetite!

Clean and modern restaurant known for their food! There are multiple floors and lots of indoor seating, as wel as outdoor seating on the first floor. Our server was very nice, although took quite a while. The food was good overall! Had to try their famous fish, which was extremely filling! I could barely eat 1/3 of the plate. The sauce was pretty good!

We didn't want to have Francesinha more than once in Portugal as we didn't want to clog our arteries too much so we settled for this place. The Francensinha is MASSIVE. It's hearty and hard to finish by yourself. I would say pay extra and just share one Francensinhas as that is an option at this restaurant which is great. We got the calde verde which I must say was my favourite. It was creamy and had lots of the collard greens in it. Wasn't overly salty and reminded me of home. The pork with potatoes I would pass on next time. It was dry and hard to stomach. Overall get the calde verde and share the francensinha with someone. The service is okay. Kind of slow when trying to get the bill but other than that no big issues

The famous sandwich lived up to its reputation. We sat at the counter and enjoyed watching the kitchen work. We paid a small split charge to each get our own plate with half a sandwich, an egg each surrounded by gravy and fries. A must eat while here in Porto Do not go somewhere else. Eat the best.

Highly recommend by our guide for its local signature sandwiches Francesinha. We went out of our way to try it though it wasn't our usual diet. We went as soon as the door was opened and the room was almost full already, and soon there was a long line waiting outside. If you want to try Francesinha, this is the place. We ordered: 3*Francesinha Santiago-Bife do Lombo: the Portuguese sandwich Francesinha was loaded with everything you can think of, including bread, bologna, fresh sausage, red sausage, Sirlin beef steak, ham, cheese, fried egg, fries and francesinha sauce: It tasted a bit crunchy at first but as the sauce was soaked soon by the Francesinha, the crunchiness was gone. So my recommendation is to eat it as soon as it is served to achieve the best texture. Like I said it isn't our usual diet, it's too fattening and unhealthy, but definitely worth trying it when visiting Porto, Portugal. 3*Bacalhau à moda de Braga: fried cod with chips, onions and olives: it was ok, nothing memorable.

Really yummy spot to get the famous sandwiches. It was flavorful. I thought that it would be greasy and too cheesy, but it had a perfect combination of cheese and sauce. I really liked the simplicity of the meal and it was just so filling and good. I can see why so many people go here and why there was a long wait. It was well worth the wait.

Home of the traditional Portuguese Francisca sandwich (a stacked bread sandwich with thin slices of ham, sausage, steak, a lot of cheese, and a specialty sauce. that has a little hint of paprika and tomatoes to give it a nice little kick). Also known as the Local winner for the best of this type of sandwich in the area. The sandwiches are cooked on what appears to be an oversized like George Foreman grill. Definitely a stop for locals. It's easily reached on foot. Parking is virtually nonexistent in this part of the city. We were warmly greeted and offered either indoor or outdoor seating. The shop is very small, but turnover is relatively quick so wait are not long. The restaurant is clean and service efficient. Soft drinks, beer, coffee, are all available along with dessert. A definite stop to try this sandwich, noting that it is exceptionally heavy and if you're not a big lover of this type of food, maybe sharing is a good idea so that you have room for other snacks later!

Came to get Porto's famous francesinha! If you want to avoid a wait, come on a weekday before they open. We arrived 5 minutes early and it looked like some people were already seated and eating already! We found the service friendly and quick, it's easy to use English here. Lots of tables inside and outside. Ask for the wifi password and you'll get it! As for the francesinha, I think you'll like it or you won't, it's that kind of food lol. I went for the cultural experience and while it was a bit heavy - layers of bread, ham, beef, sausage, cheese, sauce etc - I thought it was pretty good (I'm a cheese lover). They add a bit of spice automatically so if you can't take spicy let them know ahead of time. My husband on the other hand thought it was too saucy - he is not a saucy person when it comes to things like bread or rice. Balanced out the meal with a side salad and soup. Was as expected!

Where in the world is Cafe Santiago? (Answer: R. de Passos Manuel 226, 4000-382 Porto, Portugal) Easier to find on social media than Carmen Sandiego, Cafe Santiago lists its famous Francesinha in two versions. The Bife do Lombo offers a higher quality cut and was recommended by staff. Despite the 3.75 euro premium, it did not disappoint. The runny egg spilled onto the beefy sandwich and was split in half and on two separate plates with fries. The tender steak, ham, and sausage, and the melted cheese and rich tomato sauce added a perfect level of flavor and moisture. Although the wait time for the dish was a bit long, it was well worth it. In addition, we ordered a small Super Bock that paired refreshingly well. Dining outside was nice, but unfortunately the weather was a little chilly and took away from the overall experience. The wait time may be a bit long, but the quality of the food makes up for it. Make sure to plan ahead and dress warmly if you choose to dine outside during the cooler months.

This was a must-try spot on our list while in Porto. The Francesinha is ranked in the top 50 sandwiches in the world and this is the place said to have the best. We arrived about 3 hours before close to a line outside. We didn't realize that we needed to put our names on a list until the people in front of us mentioned it. We put in our name and ended up waiting 1 hr 15 minutes in sporadic rain. People were getting impatient and the man coming out to yell names seemed overwhelmed as people bombarded him to learn wait times. We didn't realize that there is an entrance on both sides of the building, obviously adding to the unexpected wait. We were the last people in line to be seated, with many turned away. Unfortunately, our experience was still lackluster once seated. Extremely poor service inside, both with interactions and speed. We ordered #1-Francesinha sandwich and fries and the #6-Cachorro Santiago (the hot dog-esque dish). By the time we got our food, it was 30 minutes to close and our food was so darn cold. The saving grace? Very inexpensive for large portions and such a unique concept. Gravy/sauce had a Tabasco taste within it. Cheese great quality. Meats tender and deliciously salty/savory.

The experience was overall a cultural experience, and we'll leave it at that. We fortunately had no wait, we went around noon. The place definitely got packed up though by 12:30-1PM. The famous francesinha is very heavy, in a way that did not necessarily entice us to have more. It's a lot of bread, a lot of meat, a lot of cheese, a lot of fries, with a lot of sauce. We don't have a frame of comparison, but we'll pass on other opportunities. The services was neutral; our waiter spoke English, but it was clearly just a job to get through. The cabbage soup was heavier than expected, quite creamy, with bits of cabbage. Nothing was overly flavored/seasoned/salty, but it was both pretty heavy.

I tend to eat on the healthy side, so am not a big fan of many different meats piled on top of each other all at once. However, when in Porto, you have to try the francesinha sandwich. Even the locals like to eat this, sometimes daily! We got the Francesinha Santiago - Bife do Lombo and it was big enough to be split between two people. Basically, it's layers of thick white toast, sausage, ham, sirloin, cheese, sauce, and egg. I'm not sure if it's necessary to have all those different meats haphazardly piled together. It's like there is too much going on (1 star off). I personally prefer only one or two meats in a sandwich so I can appreciate how the individual flavors of the meats complement each other, but that's what they do. FYI A cold beer goes very well with this sandwich. Now onto my post-francesinha food coma nap...

Our first time in Porto, so had to get the famous francesinha sandwich. Everyone has their favorite and our walking tour guide said she liked this one the best. Food: 4 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 4 Cost to worth it rating: 3 Opentableable: no reservations taken Return worthiness: maybe Highlights: - Francesinha sandwich: we got the one with the fries and the egg. Layers of multiple meats (bologna, ham, sausage) on thick bread topped with lots of cheese and gravy with a sunny side egg up top and fries all around it. Was what I thought it would be: a lot! Very tasty and gravy wasn't too thick or thin--love it with the fries. Definitely want to share it with someone. Was fine but we tended to like other local sandwiches better. 4 stars - Have beer and sodas - No wait on an off time Lowlights: - Don't think anyone gets anything else on the menu! Glad we tried it.

This review is honestly slightly jaded. We had experienced food poisoning the day before so I was not honestly 100% back to eating. However, given the circumstances, the Francesinha was still so delicious and I wish I could have eaten more. The egg on top makes it more rich and the cheese the wraps the sandwich is delightful! The meats are nicely stacked inside so you do get a nice even bite which I can definitely appreciate. The only thing that I wish was different is fries. It sits in the sauce making it very soggy unless you eat it fast. The location has 2 entrances and from what I could see, the location is large and has lots of tables/seating. The service is a bit slow (which we did not mind since we were in no rush) so do not expect a very fast in/out service.

Worth it. So filling but so so so good! Don't know if I ever need to do that again! Friendly service too.

Definitely a popular spot for locals and a place worth trying for he Francesinha! The place was packed when we came around 2 PM on a weekday but we were seated right away and they even had a small space for our luggage. While we were dining, we saw the many guests come in that the waiters greeted like they were regulars which was pretty cool to see. The Francesinha that everyone talks about is basically a sandwich with lots of different meats and covered with cheese and topped with a gravy. You can get extra add ons like fried egg on top or french fries (though the french fries weren't as crispy and flavorful as I love so might pass on those). It's not the most amazing sandwich I've had and I wouldn't have it again but it's definitely worth a try given how popular it is!

Okay after hearing a number of people saying we should split this sandwich, we decided to do that for lunch. Still even though we weren't super hungry, we could have definitely each had our own. The sandwich is really as good as they say - def don't come in expecting something super fancy or novel. But if you like warm, comforting and delicious sandwich this checks all the boxes

Our server Andreia quickly fixed up my dad's crabby attitude which in itself is worthy of all 5 stars. I can happily report that the food also matched the high standard set by the great service. We only tried two different Franceshina while in Porto, but the Cafe Santiago rendition came out on top (other was from Pregar which is maybe not a fair comparison because they heavily focus on steak). Drinks were generous and poured at the table with flourish from the amazing Andreia. She was extremely attentive and shared a number of moments of sass with us (mainly directed at my dad which I appreciated a lot). For anyone wondering, there are 3 Cafe Santiago locations that are sister locations with the same menu items/recipes. The one we went to was Cafe Santiago F, and the other two are Cafe Santiago and Santiago da Praça which are all nearby. The lines for these locations were insane later in the night but we were seated immediately at ~6pm (early for a Portugal dinner time). We were hesitant to order another Franceshina after not particularly enjoying our first one but were pleasantly surprised by Cafe Santiago's. This is definitely the place to go for one of those or also if you have a family member in need of an attitude check!

In every city that we visit outside of the US, we always try their traditional local dish. Even if it is something we normally wouldn't eat - we still try it. Francesinha is the dish we were told to try in Porto. It is a sandwich, a wet one. It is made with bread, wet cured ham, linguica, sausage, steak, some other roasted meat, covered in melted cheese and drowned in tomato based beer sauce. They also crack an egg on a very top just to make sure you don't stay hungry....AND you also get a pot of warm sauce on a side to keep things moist. It sounded a bit over the top & it most definitely was. We weren't sure if we would be able to eat something like that but rule is a rule - when in Porto eat their dish. Cafe Santiago was recommended to us for good Francesinhas. There were many different variations of this dish on the menu but we opted for the regular one. Oh boy. It was really good. We took our time & finished everything! Of course those things have enough calories to sustain you for several days, however I recommend trying it when in Porto!

This was our first meal once we arrived in Porto, and of course the attraction was trying their Francesinha. Given we were jet lagged, stomachs flipped to a different time zone, we opted to go with the Francesinha Santiago for 2 people. "Thank God" we did. As even having one piece shared amongst us, we were full by the end of it. For meat and carb lover, its a match-make in heaven. Having fries surrounding such a beast is a plus. In terms of crowd, it does get busy. Sitting shoulder to shoulder with each customer. But definitely enough room to cut away at this beast. I would recommend for anyone visiting Porto to try this!

This is the stop for a Francesinha in Porto. They churn them out by the hundreds with lots of seating and multiple large restaurants adjacent to one another. The process is a bit disorganized, and you may need to wait a while (without much clear direction) to be seated. The Francesinha itself is tasty and heavy. I haven't tried others, so I can't compare to know if this is "the best." But it's certainly the most popular. If you want to avoid sitting next to smokers, ask for a table inside.

This is the place to be if you want to try an authentic Porto Francesinha. We coincidentally were staying nearby in our airbnb and walked over for dinner to try it. It's not something I would typically eat but when in Porto! The place was packed and it was a pretty tight space. As we were talking to our table we noticed that the Francesinha is the number one thing to get at this restaurant. About every single person had this meal in front of them. We didn't have much of a wait either because the kitchen probably had these lined up all night long ready to go. There was A LOT of meat in this thing and A LOT of gravy. A little toooo much gravy. Overall though - glad I got to try it!

This was one of the must-go to places to try the francesinha sandwich, so I got there just when it opened at noon. Overall, the place was very big and there were many tables as well as the counter. The staff was really nice and spoke English. I sat at the counter and was able to witness them making the sandwiches. The Francesinha was heavy! it's filled with ham, beef, cheese, and an egg on top with the famous sauce. It definitely fills you up! This isn't what I typically eat so this was definitely a lot for me. Overall the food is great and definitely worth trying, but if you aren't used to super heavy meals, this will for sure hit you. I also had their Port Wine while I was there. The wine is a lot stronger than any of the wines in the US, and even after eating all of that, I still felt a nice buzz. The ambiance is like an American diner. It's laid back and family friendly.

This place is the de facto spot for the classic Portuguese hot dog and francesinha. We got the Francesinha Especial- the most premium of these decadent sandwiches), with fries and it was flavorful! The Cachorhinos (hot dogs) were awesome. Combined, definitely a cholesterol haven but had to try it once and would definitely recommend this spot to anyone looking for this classic Portuguese dish.

The one star is too much for this place. Owner was beyond rude, went out of his way to make sure he didn't need Americans. Now his loss....

When you google things to eat in Porto, you're bound to come across francesinha, which is this sandwich that had different meats (such as ham, sausage, steak, etc) inside and topped with melted cheese and an egg. At first it may not seem the most appetizing, but it wasn't too bad. Pretty much tasted like what you would expect with a sandwich with just a kick from the sauce. The francesinha didn't blow my mind, and I also wasn't a big fan of the sauce. Some of the meats were also pretty tough. We ended up splitting one amongst 4 since none of us were hungry, so it was nice of them to accommodate us. Our waitress spoke English so that was super helpful.

Cafe Santiago in Portugal is a gem, and their Francesinha Santiago is a must-try. Loved experiencing the Portuguese classic here. The cozy ambiance and attentive service add to the overall enjoyment. Would recommend!

Incredible meal here for under €15. Ordered the Francesinha Santiago which is jam packed full of different sausages, steak, bologna, ham, cheese between two thick slices of toast, topped with an egg and served on a bed of fries covered in gravy. Be sure to wash it down with a caneca sized beer and put some picante (just ask for picant, it's their homemade hot chili sauce) on the second half of your sandwich to help it pass through your body a little bit easier and hit some high notes on the flavor scale. Ambiance is nice, they have a famous Portuguese artist's work on the wall. I didn't have to wait for a table since I ate at the counter. If you want a real francesinha, stop here! I'll add more reviews on some Porto francesinhas soon as well.

Very busy house of Cafe Santiago. We appreciator our waitress who speaks fluent English and was very helpful! We ordered the well known *Francesine which was so big that. We had to split an order. According to the reviews the Francine is the best in Porto! * Francesinha (Portuguese pronunciation: [frszi] meaning little Frenchie) is a Portuguese sandwich originally from Porto, made with bread, wet-cured ham, linguiça, fresh sausage like chipolata, steak or roast meat, and covered with melted cheese and a hot and thick spiced tomato and beer sauce. It is typically served with french fries. Wikipedia Strad -Porto Portugal

Old school purveyor of the classic Francesinha sandwich of Porto. Friendly atmosphere with good mix of locals and tourists. Friendly and lively staff make it a fun atmosphere. Great view of the sandwich production from the long bar top with seating.

* * * EXPERIENCE * * * We went on a Thursday around 2pm, the restaurant was still almost completely full except one last table for us. There were actually more locals than tourists which is a good sign. The place was pretty easy to find, there were front and back doors too. Service was alright, menu was long but the focus here was obviously francesinha, #1 seemed to be what everyone's getting. * * * FOOD * * * Francesinha Santiago: A- It's my first time having francesinha so to be honest I didn't know what to expect - but it tasted good! It's so thick and packed of meat and cheese, good choice that we made to share one among two of us. The stack of meat was very flavorful, the cheese and egg on top was so creamy and good, the bread was very thin. I couldn't really taste the sauce though, mostly just from the melted cheese. We also ordered mixed vegetables which was fresh. Francesinha can definitely fill you up, but if you are in Porto, this dish is a must try, and Cafe Santiago would be a very good choice!

A popular spot if not the number one spot for a traditional portuguese item called a francansenia. The items were all delicious and will prompt you to order more. It is also well loved by locals and was not a tourist filled spot. The only downside is that it is not very close to the waterfront area or the river in Porto so it can be quite the trek if you spent most of your time in the tourist filled areas

It was definitely a mistake to have francesinha in Lisbon because Porto is the birthplace of this monstrosity. There are many places to eat francesinha in Porto, but Cafe Santiago is the place to get it. While the restaurant is fairly large with multiple tables, there is always a line outside. Pro-tip: everyone outside already has their name down, so go inside and put your name down. Once a table is ready, they'll call your name. After several minutes of waiting, we were seated. The restaurant is extremely busy, so order when your waiter is available. After looking through their menu, I decided to order the Francesinha Santiago. It was glorious once it arrived. It was a square, with ham, sausage, and steak in between 2 pieces of toasted bread. It is then topped with an egg and covered in melted cheese. I don't know how they do it, but you can see the egg yolk through the cheese. The francesinha also sits on top of a tomato sauce and surrounded by french fries. The francesinha was quite tasty. Get every layer in a single bite to fully enjoy it. You can definitely taste the individual elements of the dish. The tomato sauce was quite subtle and the tomato taste wasn't overpowering. I enjoyed the francesinha at Cafe Santiago. I highly recommend making a stop for Porto's own creation while you're in Porto. Come hungry.

Overrated! Bad service! Overhyped place. Francesinha is literally a melted cheese sandwich with some ham and a slice of beef drowned in a tomato based sauce. I did not like the sandwich or the terrible service.

Oh this place was awesome. It is beautiful to sit outside, but if there is no room inside is surprisingly big, so eat in if there is no room outside. The Francesinhas which is a sandwich with three to four types of meat smothered in cheese and topped with a fried egg, surrounded by a tomato base sauce and French fries. It is a "must try". It is big, so unless you're hungry you'll want to share it. The server was fabulous! She was quick and got your food quickly. Though not necessary,we believe in tipping for a job above and beyond. She was great.

Looking for a francesinha sandwich in Porto that's authentic? Look no further because it's at Cafe Santiago. They had availability seating so no wait at all, but it can get busy because 5 minutes after we sat, crowds were coming and understandably. They churned these delicious sandwiches with a refreshing beer quickly. Enjoyed every bite and so did the rest of the family. Wish I could bring some back home but maybe I'll venture to try and make it some day. A great dining experience and a must try while in Porto!

It take us a long walk of stairs to come here but it worth it. The waiter is very nice! And the Francesinha is delicious! Must try the Santiago one! You may split it in two people. The waiter also bring us a additional sauce to pour into the French fries. It is so tasty!

Like other reviewers we came here for the famous dish of Porto, the Francesinha. Unless you are a big eater or have starved yourself in preparation plan to split this dish with someone. Our grouped grabbed a table in the window and sat down to try this Cafe's version of this culinary treat. Supposedly each place has their own take on the sauce. I found my sandwich to be quite good - I really liked the sausage layer the best. My brother-in-law ate one himself, the second one in two days, and decided that that was a mistake. This was very dangerous on his part. Another in the group tried what they called a hot dog but it was some weird sausage in sort-of-a hot dog bun. It was just OK. We appreciated that the wait staff kept things moving in a jammed packed restaurant. And the prices were reasonably. You can try the Francesinha all over town but I think this is a very good restaurant to give it a go...

Francesinha is a MUST GET in Porto! I decided to come to this spot in particular because I saw that it was highly rated. There weren't many tourists inside and everyone was ordering the Francesinha Santiago. Although most of the tables were almost full, my friends and I were still seated fairly quick. Their tables seat up to 4 people so if your party is larger than that, you'd likely be split up. The service was alright, a bit slow and hard to get their attention. Since everyone was basically ordering the same thing, I thought it would be faster. It was my first time having a francesinha so everything that I knew about it was based off of what I had read online or seen pictures of. It looked super filling, being an intensely layered sandwich of different meats, covered in cheese, topped with an egg, and surrounded by fries. & That's exactly what came to the table. It looks heavy and although it was, I still really enjoyed it. It felt hearty and was like a comfort food, even though I never had it before. The bread still remained toasted on top but the bottom layer was a bit soggier. I love cheese so the melted cheese added an extra richness to the dish. The combined flavors of the different meats also paired well with the sandwich overall. It's also supposed to be covered by a thick tomato-flavored sauce but the flavor of it wasn't as prominent as I had wanted it to be. The fries surrounding the sandwich were a bit plain but good since it soaked up all the juices from the sandwich. Francesinha is definitely a must try in Porto. It was delicious and the balance of flavors between the egg, cheese, meats, and bread were perfect. You will definitely come out feeling satisfied and full!

I'll blame the six pounds I need to lose on this sandwich alone ;) Kidding! But a francesinha is hands down in a class of its own. I knew I was absolutely not under any circumstances coming to Porto and not getting down on one of these bad boys. I knew half is what I was committing to and let me tell you when it arrived and I sliced into it I wasn't certain I'd even get that far. The fries in gravy were sooooooo good. I ate even more than half of the sandwich but definitely not the entire thing and while I thought for sure I'd really, and I mean REALLY pay for eating this later that night - nope! I was all good. I didn't eat all of the meat inside since I don't eat a lot of meat but I did eat most of all of the half I committed to. I also had to try Portos Super Bock after hearing much about it the day before on a walking tour, I'd say you just have to order this beer with this sandwich for the complete experience. I'm not a big beer drinker but I was also not, not going to try their famous beer and where I typically only drink dark beer, this beer paired perfect with this meal. All in all, not to be missed. What an experience. Yumm! but you are good to mark that box and don't need another one of these for quite sometime unless you want to be on cholesterol meds. Great service!

Food is great. Price is fantastic. Classic sandwiches. The ambiance is very chill as if all are locals.

Great service,Great food. Highly recommended. Best waitress ever. Lunch is very good/

Not sure how francesinha becomes the iconic food of Porto. It's basically a sandwich of ham, sausage and steak, with melted cheese and egg on top, covered with a beer tomato sauce. Yes, it sounds like something a college kid may put together one late night, and as you can imagine, sinfully rich and delicious. When we approached the restaurant, we saw a big advertisement in multiple languages, including Japanese. I was worried it would be a tourist trap, but the place still feels very local, with very reasonable price. We ordered coffee and shared one sandwich, and without being asked, the kitchen split the sandwich, each half completed with its own sauce so it looks pretty on the plate, with no exposed edge. Pretty amazing service over a little sandwich. The sandwich is super rich, heavy, and delicious. I ate only half and was full for a long while. So sad I couldn't get it back where I live, across the Atlantic.