Restaurante O Frade

This review is mostly about the service and atmosphere at this restaurant. It has limited seating. Most of the seats inside are around the counter. You get very little elbow room and absolutely no privacy. Although nobody rushed us, it didn't feel like a relaxing place to eat. We were fortunate to be seated right away because there were only two of us. We ordered the specialty pie (the filling was great but the crust could be a bit more flaky), octopus and bean stew (flavorful but VERY FEW pieces of octopus), and a dish with pork and clams (mostly excellent but the fries were not that good--over fried). Everything was on the pricey side. It was the first time during our 5 day trip in Portugal that we were cahrged 2.5 Euros for a glass of TAP water (i later did some research online and learned that it would be ILLEGAL for restaurants to charge for tap water in Portugal). The mini bottle of sparkling water we ordered costed another 5.5 Euros! It would coat a lot less at other restaurants. It's a Michelin star restaurant and the servers acted the part (not a compliment). It was the first time during our Lisbon trip that a waiter/waitress *suggested* 10% tip on the bill. We were going to tip anyway but this felt awkward.

Really good restaurant with regional Portuguese fare. The food is delicious. We got the duck rice and the oxtail. The duck rice was very good! The portion was generous and the flavor was great. It was very unique, not like any dish I've tried before. The oxtail was my favorite though - it is one of the best oxtail dishes I've had. Perfectly seasoned and I loved the sides. Some other notes: the place is fairly small inside, you'll probably end up sitting at the counter or outside. The outside seating area is not too bad but it doesn't have the same ambience. I ate outside but I would recommend trying to get a seat indoors if you can. My main point of criticism for this place is it does feel a little touristy. They include a 10% tip in the bill which is fine, but my understanding is this something that really only tourist restaurants would do. Like most Portuguese restaurants they have a "couvert" dish (which you can decline) but theirs is overly expensive at 5.50 euros for some bread and a little bit of butter and olive oil. That was more expensive than some entire meals I had Portugal. In general it is a little pricey for what you get and you are certainly paying the "tourist tax" when you eat here. But what can I say, the food is good - they've earned it.

So glad we came to this spot! Intimate seating at the bar, friendly servers, AMAZING food- we got the razor clams, beef tartare, ox tail, and duck rice - all delicious. Wish we got the squid with garlic bc we saw so many people ordering and it looked delish. And the house white wine is so good- they make their own "Amphora wine" blended from 5 grape varietals- so different from the Napa/Sonoma wines we're used to. Would highly recommend this place and will def come back when we visit Lisbon again!

The whole experience was honestly one of the best in Lisbon. The staff were very friendly and attentive. We ordered a couple of petiscos and 2 main course (Duck Rice and Octopus and beans stew) and they were all exceptional 10/10. Don’t miss out on the walnut cake for dessert at the end. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys high quality and delicious Portuguese food. We will definitely come back.

A definite 5/5 for this one! The restaurant is very delicious. We had the steak tartare, absolutely yummy! Would have been perfect with a squeeze of lemon on top. The oxtail, suggested by the waitress, did not disappoint! Cooked beautifully and the potato foam was just lovely. And a moment to appreciate the dessert.. it was one of the best desserts weve had in Portugal, it was part of the special menu, but it should definitely become part of the permanent menu! Recommended to book in advance!

Tiny, warm, welcoming, exceptional food and service. We had steak tartare appetizer, oxtail, and duck rice. Anna Julia was our delightful server. She explained what was in each dish. The dessert was an insanely good concoction of coffee puree, toffee crunch, Chantilly cream, and neutral ice cream with a hint of basil and black pepper. Wine was very reasonably priced. As good as it gets. Thank you, Lisbon!!!!

Couldn’t recommend this restaurant more. Some of the best food we’ve ever eaten, the duck rice was nothing like I’d expected - absolutely delicious. The service was 10/10, everyone was so friendly and helpful. A must visit for anyone coming to Lisbon

Food is good but I wouldn’t recommend the duck rice. It’s typical with other Portuguese and Spanish places we visited. The Iberian pork had clam and fries, that dish was far superior. We also had the codfish/leak and egg which was also delicious. Service is good but all indoor seating are high chairs so can feel a little cramped. Be mindful that bread cost money, and additional bread will cost more money. Make reservations if you want to come.