D'Bacalhau

We had our lunch here on their terrace on a beautiful day in February. This risotto-like dish was so yummy and the portion incredibly huge. There were many restaurants on the promenade but we made the right choice. Btw. The waitress who served us spoke perfectly English and was very professional. We surely will come back.

Atmosphere of the restaurant was nice especially that was a Halloween day. However, the bread in the basket on our table got mouldy (black green dots) and while I told the waitress about that, she denied that at first time, but then she exchanged for us after finding those were really moulds. Bad feeling. And the other bread were not fresh at all. Next, we ordered the Pataniscas de Bacalhau com Arroz de Feijao (pan fired cod fish cake plus a risotto combo). The fish cake tasted fair without much surprises, and the risotto was too watery like puree. Although the risotto had kind of seafood taste, I couldn’t see what I was eating actually as they were too mashed. And there were sand particles in my month too. Not enjoyed. Honestly, I seldom give such negative comments to the food quality of a restaurant but I really didn’t like this one. I shouldn’t solely believe the high rating on Google or recommendation of my hotel staff as it ruined my dining experience of my last night in Lisbon. Not being offensive but this was my genuine opinion. I appreciated the good singing of the performance guests in that night though, they lighted up the atmosphere in the restaurant.

We had the mixed platers of 4 dishes. 3 of them were lukewarm which was a pity. They tasted good. Service was good and swift. Nice atmosphere.

Genuinely love eating at this restaurant. Multiple different food preparations of cod fish and each as nice as each other in terms of flavour and portion size. Lovely selection of wine to accompany the food also. The staff are consistently pleasant to deal with and seem happy at their job. This alone brings credit to the establishment. Of the restaurants situated on that strip, this one is in top 3. The location is ideal also as the view of the sunset across the river can be seen. Would highly recommend an evening meal here.

Having visited D’Bacalhau with high hopes of enjoying traditional, hearty Portuguese bacalhau, the experience, unfortunately, fell far short of expectations. While the ambiance was pleasant and the service generally attentive, the kitchen failed to deliver on the most critical element: the codfish itself. The primary issue plaguing both our appetizers and main courses was an overwhelming excess of salt. Dishes that should have been robust and flavorful—allowing the natural taste of the quality ingredients to shine—were instead aggressively seasoned to the point where the salt was the only discernible flavor. It was genuinely difficult to finish the plate without constantly reaching for water. Furthermore, the very star of the meal, the bacalhau (codfish), was conspicuously sparse. For a restaurant specializing in this iconic ingredient, the portions of actual fish were meager, often buried beneath potatoes and sauces. It felt like we were paying a premium for a dish centered around a core component that was disappointingly absent. The texture of the little cod we did find was adequate, but its flavor was completely masked by the seasoning. Hoping for a saving grace, we moved onto the desserts, but they, too, were underwhelming. While visually appealing, they lacked complexity and vibrancy, providing a flat end to an already unbalanced meal. In summary, D’Bacalhau missed the mark. If you are seeking an authentic bacalhau experience defined by rich flavors and balanced seasoning, I would recommend looking elsewhere. The cooking requires a significant adjustment to achieve the depth and quality that Portuguese cuisine is famous for.

Overall, an excellent lunch choice. We had the sharing platter which arrived very quickly. It was lukewarm which initially was a bit off putting BUT the flavours were delicious. The cod was cooked to perfection and the differences in the dishes made it a lovely tasting experience. Washed down with a refreshing bottle of vinho verde. The staff were attentive and pleasant despite the restaurant being very busy.

The food is just perfect; what I mean is that it tastes as if you grandma or a great aunt just cooked this for you, it has a tastes of home. Service was fast and accommodating as we came with a toddler in a stroller; waitress waited nearby to take our order and speaking of ordering the menus are kinda funny since they are just a folded sheet of paper BUT the right amount of information on it (with pictures). Two super fulfilling dishes for around 30€ was perfect for us.

This is well made winter food. The dark bread with sultanas is amazing. Try the sheep cheese from Alentejo!