Tavira Restaurant

I was around the building and noticed this restaurant by the basement which I decided to stop by. Service was just ok, and the ambiance was nice for a restaurant under the building. They have a very big menu and a lot to choose from that it’s hard to decide on one item plus it has weird names for my understanding, at the end I decided on “The Veal Scallopini” which was the best choice since I’ve had this dish at another restaurant close to this one BUT this one comes 1st compared to the ones I had before. It was so Yummy that I did not took a picture which I regret not doing it. But at least I took one from the menu which I will be leaving here. My compliments to the Chef 🧑‍🍳 😋. They also have free parking which is very convenient.

The most important aspect of a restaurant is the food. Sadly, the food was not even acceptable, let alone meeting expectations. I ordered a beef steak, and my wife chose baked salmon served on risotto. Unfortunately, neither of us could eat more than a couple of bites, and most of the food on our plates remained untouched. I don't understand why this place has such high reviews despite the low-quality food. It's frustrating to pay a lot for something inedible - this place is so expensive, too. Additionally, they had bought the cheesecake from a grocery store. See the photos that we took from their back shop area (or better to say the main entrance! That's where you could enter from)

Don't be fooled by the strange location (and be patient attempting to find the parking lot!!) This place is worth it! Wonderful food and friendly service. Definitely makea reservation, it can get crowded. Love the warm bread, we inhaled it. I went with seafood everything and it was fresh and delicious. Prices are very reasonable considering the quality of the food. Highly recommend.

I had high hopes for this restaurant, but the food was a complete letdown. We ordered a beef steak, and the baked salmon with risotto—both were practically inedible. We could barely take a few bites before giving up, leaving most of the food untouched. We informed the server that we didn’t like our meals, but they didn’t seem to care at all. For a place with such great reviews, I expected much better. On top of that, the prices are ridiculously high for the low quality served. It's definitely not worth the money. By the way, find the dessert that they claimed they baked themselves! After all of our complaints, they charged us for full service and asked us to come back, LOL!

This spot seems like a local institution. They had live music- two guitarists playing in the background. The atmosphere was perfect and the food was really tasty as well. The restaurant is underground with no windows but the murals and lighting make it seem as if you’re transported to Portugal. Overall, an older clientele but a lovely spot.

This place is not worth it. We got Garlic Shrimp and the only taste was old lemon. Grilled Salmon, same deal, tasted like old lemon. Portuguese steak tasted like olives. The bread was stodgy. The chips had a good texture, but needed salt. I can't say anything else positive about the food. The vibe is definitely tailored for an older crowd. It seems like some other reviewers mention new ownership. The quality certainly does not match the 4.5 star rating as of this review.

We recently dined at Tavira and had a bad experience. Cod Pie – Came with a delicious sauce, but unfortunately contained several fish bones, making it unsafe to eat. Mushroom Risotto – Bland, unseasoned, and poorly plated. For the price, it was a letdown. Roasted Monkfish with Shrimp & Mussels in Saffron Sauce (served with rice) – Absolutely delicious. Perfectly cooked seafood with a rich, fragrant sauce. Bread & House-Made Butter – Warm, fresh bread with creamy, flavorful butter was a delightful start to the meal. The musicians playing selections from Latin America and Brazil were the highlight of the atmosphere — lively, skilled, and uplifting. The service was terrible and very slow. The server had broken English, almost incomprehensible, and the inconsistent food quality made the experience uneven. We don't think we'll visit Tavira again.

The food and service is amazing here!! We first came to celebrate our wedding anniversary earlier this year, then went back with friends last week. We had great experience both times. Go, you won’t regret it.

Excellent food, excellent service, easy and free parking. I am hard of hearing, and if we are dining with friends, we are usually able to be seated in one of the smaller private rooms, which are generally quieter than the main dining room.

Some may have doubts choosing to go to a restaurant that is in the basement of a building and that had no windows to the outside because Tavira is all that. BUT you are making a big mistake by not going to this really fine Portuguese restaurant! We have dined at Tavira a million times and have tried a lot of their dishes, all of them have been quite good and served in generous portions. On our most recent visit, the perfectly grilled calamari was soft and served with an olive oil& balsamic dressing that you really have to mop up with that bread- that-you-said-you-were-not-going-to-have. I opted for the grilled branzino with sautéed spinach. For many, the whole fish may seem daunting to eat but if you're adventurous enough-- it is a must! Others in our party had the more traditional bacalao dish which was served with olives, onions and red peppers; veal medallions; and liver with onions. Service is always appropriately attentive.

Happy to report that the food and service are as good as ever - it's hard to find a unique Mediterranean style kitchen these days, but look no further than Tavira. Friendly ambiance, easy free parking, oh and the Brazilian samba sound track!

Beautiful ambience, nice staff. The food has rich flavors. But, the beef/steak was very tough. For sure this was not marinated in advance. The desserts are delicious, though very small portions.

We love this Portuguese restaurant. Really old school, wonderful service, very reasonably priced. We brought friends whose family hails from Madeira and they loved it, too. My kids love it - the food reminds us all of the wholesome restaurant meals we enjoyed while living in Europe. Excellent quality of all ingredients.

Ambiance! Food ok. Only one veg entree. No options. Pricey. Parking great. Service was ok too.

These are some pictures from my last visit to Tavira in Silver Spring, Maryland. Still an amazing restaurant with wonderful food and ambiance.

Came here again with my boyfriend and this place didn't disappoint! We came on Sunday and it was quiet, which was nice. Great place to ring in a quiet date night without the hassle of going into DC.

Tavira is a well-kept secret. While it may seem underrated because it's not hip and new, the two times I've visited, this Portuguese restaurant has been busy. It's tucked away into the ground floor of an office building. There is plenty of parking, which is appreciated. They are open for lunch and dinner, which is worth keeping in mind. Service is excellent. Servers are trained to serve properly. Also, I hadn't visited in months, and one of the servers, Horis, remembered me, which is nice. They take care of their customers here. The ambiance isn't quite that of a Massachusetts Portuguese restaurant, but Tavira does embody an old-world feel. Food is also excellent. I've had the garlic shrimp, pasteis de bacalhau, piri-piri chicken, suckling pig special, lamb shank special, and the pistachio and chocolate lover's cakes. Everything has been delicious. The roast suckling pig is the standout and you must order that if they have it on special. I'm looking forward to returning to try the pork shank and cod dishes. Presentation of all dishes is beautiful. The wine list is nice, especially as I love Portuguese wine. If you are dining with companions, I highly recommend a bottle. They do not have a cocktail list but do have a full bar. On Friday nights, there is live music, which is appreciated. While this restaurant might be as close as I can get to the city of Tavira for the time being, I'll take it. The amazing food and service ensures Tavira will be on my regular rotation, and it should be added to yours as well.

Oustanding food & service for a dinner wedding. Servers were attentive, food selection superb, and wines recommended to us were perfect to go with foods ordered. The owner was very friendly, too.

The epitome of a 3 star restaurant. Let me first stress that nothing was bad. There was no surprise cold or burnt food. The service was fine. The decor was okay but a little out of date. The food could have used some more spice. I understand some european food is bland but the caldo verde just tasted like potatoes and the bacalhau á pobre could have used some more salt and flavour other than just fish and onions. As a fairly decent cook I feel like I could have made a lot of the dishes I had at home, which sort of defeats the purpose of going out. I would have liked to see some more complexity.

We held a large party at the Tavira Restaurant about a week ago. I can't say enough good things about how great they are. The food and service were amazing. They were incredibly professional and helpful. My guests kept changing the count, and no matter what happened, they worked with the latest numbers we had. And not only that, the cost was very reasonable. This party was extremely important to me. They did a great job, and I will always be grateful and will now use this restaurant as my "go to" for dinners and carry out. They are terrific.

Tavira has long been my favorite restaurant. Quiet, excellent food and friendly, efficient service. Convenient for parking and handicapped access. European ambiance, and sometimes live classical guitar. Always a lovely evening.

We were there for a small family celebration. They put us in a very nice semi-private separate room. The food was excellent. The service was attentive. We were very comfortable. We will definitely be back.

One of the best meals I've ever had! Great food. Great service. Cool and interesting spot!!

Our party enjoyed the Old school atmosphere, good food and service. Recommend for any occasion

We loved Tavira in the past, but the on Valentine's Day was inexcusably non-existent. Informed the manager, but free dessert with no discussion or apology was insufficient to make me want to return.

Add this to your bucket list if you're looking for an excellent dining experience Superb on many levels Atmosphere, classic European and the menu selections not on menu were overwhelming We arrived at 530p start of dinner and as we left @7p.. nice crowd but not sitting on top of each other. The wait staff was personable and knowledgeable Makes a difference to me The prices were reasonable for two; no drinks or dessert. If available when you go... the red snapper.. awesome, well seasoned and generous portions This is well worth if you get to go!... Five stars Plan to visit again on my return from Portugal

This is a special Portuguese restaurant located in the basement of an office building. Easy walk to the restaurant from the garage. The bar is large but quaint and relaxing. There are a few tables in the bar where you can sit and feel like you're transported to Portugal. The dining rooms are spacious and romantic. The service and food are very good. There are always several specials but basically it features a good solid Portuguese menu. Wine list is well selected. Definitely a go to place for us. We've never been let down.

I tried the cheeseburger and fries from Tavira again and added bacon this time but I wasn't super impressed. Something tasted burnt so I somewhat lost my appetite and I think it'll be a while before I return.

The Taste of Portugal ($23 for 3 course meal on Fridays) is the way to go! For lunch, I ended up getting the Caldo Verde (Portugal's National soup) which was creamy and tasty (but probably could have had more than two small pieces of meat that tasted like hot dog). For the entree - the pork shank - which was fall-off-the-bone delicious. My mom got the Cornish Hen dish, which I was not too impressed with, along with chips, which were mostly burnt. And for dessert I got a decadent chocolate mousse cake.

Don't honor deals on website. Treated us rudely. possibly racist. They lied to us.....

You're trying to find an authentic Portuguese restaurant in the DC area. Thanks for your we found this hole in the wall. Good ambience and great service. The food was delicious. Will come again.

A couple of out-of town friends were visiting, and they wanted to treat me for an early birthday present, so I recommended Tavira. Been at Tavira several times since moving to DC area from NYC 2 years ago. Quaint ambiance, did not mind the hidden place, nor the food. But last night had a terrible experience with Ricardo the waiter, hard to explain but there was a "bad vibe" the moment he approached our table. Do not know if he had a bad day or just did not like me, but his helper Ezequiel was approachable, friendly and with a good demeanor. I get bombarded with emails from your locale, thus asked him (nicely, and first time I remember to ask from the 6-8 times I've eaten there) to honor the $20 off, but his inflexibility and intransingence because "we did not print it" did it, we will not return. Was is worth it for Tavira not do honor it? Even in Broadway and airports is enough to show tickets or boarding passes in your cell phone. Jorge W.

The friendly and attentive service is second to none. I will go back just for that. On the food side need to improve on classic dishes like caldo verde which was overly salted. Restaurant at this level needs to taste the dish must have been a mishap we returned both.The fish stew was very good and also the rockfish special. The creme caramel was lacking sweetness. So in general not a bad experience and will give a second and third chance due to service efforty.

The best Portuguese food. Excellent service. Ambiance is nice with low lighting and cozy atmosphere. We have been here 3x in the last 20 years and never does this place disappoint!

The food was excellent and the service was great. This was a good place to enjoy a romantic dinner with a date.

Cod came out raw in the center. I would think a Portuguese restaurant would do better at cooking cod because that's what they known for. Otherwise, great ambiance.

The quality of the food was excellent. However the service was aggressive. We were served our appetizers, then we were visited not once or twice, but ten times for various refills, new water, removal of various dishes and plates. They asked to remove our appetizer plate three times. I had to confront the waitress and tell her that we were still eating. Then came the main entrees, and we had to eat as fast as we could. No respectful time for us to relax. We felt unwelcome and that we were being driven out of the restaurant. The price of the meal was $120 for two people. We will never return.

This place has one of the best service in the area! My husband and I discovered this restaurant 2 years ago and we have been coming since. They always have special items that are not on the menu we highly recommend. We had the baked octopus last time we went and it was absolutely amazing. Their bread is also served warm and always fresh. For the entrée, highly recommend the seafood broth! The service is excellent.

Yummy! Delicious food and great service! Highly recommend. I love everything that I ate. Ambience was also nice. Truly authentic Portuguese cuisine. Will definitely be coming back!

Oh it's like I just walked into a Portugese wine cellar for a meal! Meal Quality: I ordered their Tamboril na Cataplana (monkfish with shrimp & mussels on saffron rice) and it was decadent! All was prepared perfectly and was adorned in a delicious sauce! Aesthetic Appeal & Atmosphere: The restaurant is located at the base of a commercial building. The interior is bright, pleasant, and is reminiscent of a Portugese town restaurant on the ocean. The tables are nicely set and they do have two rooms for large parties Service: It was prompt and accurate, just not of a formal nature of what I would expect of the place Meal Quality: 5 Aesthetic Appeal & Atmosphere: 5 Service: 3

We love Tavira! Tonight we dined in mid-week with our 3 year old and it was just as we remembered. Plus they are taking extra steps to be COVID conscious which we really appreciate since we have a child that cannot yet be vaccinated. (See photos!) We shared the grilled calamari and artichoke special appetizers (they also had a burrata special we wanted but we needed room for our mains). We ordered the chicken and rice soup for our kid who devoured it. My husband enjoyed his grilled trout and I was very happy with my rockfish topped with 2 shrimp! We had a lovely bottle of Portuguese wine and the warm fresh bread rolls are worth the carbs (don't skip them!!). Bedtime beckoned so we had to skip dessert but that also never disappoints. Duarte is an amazing chef and this place never disappoints!! Please come and try their delicious food. We are also fans of the lunch specials and three course pre fixed meals which we had been taking out for the last few months. We were one of only 3 tables tonight and this place is a local institution. I'm writing this because I don't want to lose this place. The staff are professionals and customer service is outstanding. Give them some love and enjoy some great grilled seafood (or meat, pasta, wine ....)!!

I came here with my boo and found this place nestled in what looks like a business building. We ordered the grilled squid appetizer and it came out way too fast! Must have been pre cooked since it didn't have the characteristic char I was looking for. The sauce it was in was tasty. I ordered the rack of lamb at medium and came out perfectly. Most restaurants help you clean the bone part but this place does not. The lamb was tender so that's great but the flavor could have been more unique. The side of veggies were quite sad.

I was a bit concerned going to any restaurants during this pandemic but the moment I stepped in to Tavira, I felt totally comfortable. They kept hand sanitizers on each table. The silverware wrapped in plastic. Labeled sanitized on all the reusables. Food was amazing and for a $15 Cornish hen Piri Piri, that was a lot of tasty food. I had Mango mousse for dessert and the condensed milk cream on the side was a nice touch. I loved it. Duarte came over to say Hi. Very nice guy. I went for lunch but it felt like an upscale dinner service.

Great place for local neighborhood, the liver steak is amazing. Lunch food is great go to for the office.

Excellent Portuguese restaurant, good services, comfortable place, good wine and reasonable price

The food here is just amazing. We've eaten here several times, and the atmosphere is low-key and friendly, with competent servers, and good management. But best of all is the taste and quality of the food! Tavira is really a special place. Although it is more frequented by an older crowd than I generally hang out with, it's a really a nice place

I was very excited to try this highly rated Portuguese restaurant, but the poor service ruined the experience. After placing a reservation through yelp, the "closed" sign was still on the door 7 minutes after their open time despite my reservation for their opening time. Knocking finally got them to open the doors for customers with a reservation. We were seated and after waiting 5 minutes someone came by to take plates off our table, I mentioned that I had questions about the menu and was told, "I'm not your waiter, but I'll get one for you". Not a good start to the visit. After finding out that the fish of the day was plain tilapia, my wife and I placed our orders. The salad she ordered came after my entrees arrived, and we had to flag down the waiter each time to refill our drinks after a lack of attentiveness meant we weren't asked about the meal, nor adequately hydrated... Despite finishing our meal, the waiter spent 10 minutes visibly on a personal call in the corner of the dining room. Once he was done with that, he decided to come over and attend to us. We asked for the dessert menu, which didn't have prices for any of them, and after being thoroughly let down by mediocre service and food, we had lost our appetite and left without dessert. Based on this experience, if you're in the area and looking for a good Portuguese restaurant, I'd suggest skipping Tavira, and giving Nova Europa a try instead.

Loved this restaurant. Totally hidden but worth looking. Service was impeccable. Loved the food. Great Portuguese wine. Went with two children and they were treated well. Want to go back.

Love this place. Hardly a trendy, hip restaurant but food and service is outstanding. Every meal I've had has been delicious and every dining experience memorable. Our waiter, Horace, added a lot to our last visit. Great suggestions from the menu, attentive but not bothersome and funny. Look forward to my next visit.

I came here one Saturday night a few weeks ago and loved it! It's definitely off the beaten path and somewhat secluded from the busy atmosphere of DC/Chevy Chase but this adds to its charm. I started off with the fried cod fritters which were perfect. For dinner I had the codfish with caramelized onions and potatoes. Both were delicious and very similar to anything you'd find in Portugal. Don't leave without trying their desserts too. I highly recommend the pastel de nata and the mousse cake. Great service, quiet (and romantic) atmosphere. Can't wait to come back!

We went to Tavira for the first time and we were not disappointed. The food was excellent and the service was equally as good. We will definitely return. There was plenty of parking as well.

Great place, if you can find the entrance through the underground garage! Nice to have a good Portuguese menu! Excellent! A lot of really good and traditional food. I was going to go with a baked cod option, then I heard the special of the baby lamb chops, ok then!

Impressed with the covid precautions. Wonderful and welcoming staff. We enjoyed the Saturday night specials, shrimp bisque, grilled calamari, lamb.shank.and corvina. A good Portuguese white wine matched our food selections well. It was good to get out and enjoy a Saturday night date with my hubby.

Food was absolutely delicious. The service was excellent. It was fun to try Portuguese food. The decor is cute but could use a little freshening up. The parking is excellent! We will absolutely be back.

The saudade was too much not to have some Portuguese food, and we couldn't have a better family lunch. Started with grilled lulas, and choriço assado. We had bacalhau several ways, pasta with seafood, and the house beef - some are house recipes. Portuguese wine and beer complemented the meals. We ended with several deserts including a pastel de nata and a galão. Nicest owner you'll meet-he was everything today. Truly a Portuguese experience at it's best. If you are Portuguese, visited, or are planning to go this will be a great place to have a small taste of Portugal. We'll definitely come back and will recommend to anybody.

We just had an excellent lunch here on a Monday. This is my 4th time over the years and Tavira never disappoints. After a trip to the south of Portugal many years ago this is a perfect venue to recapture those flavors. The best part is their Portugese taste of Portugal menu for $23 in this scary time of inflation. There were excellent choices under appetizers, entrees, and desserts. The three different dishes we three diners ordered were beautifully prepared and delicious.

You should most certainly bring stretchy dress pants, because loading up on their delicious food is most certainly going to take place.

Cafeteria grade food. Bacalao was stale, tough, flavorless with overcooked vegetables. There was no chorizo, no clams as stated in the menu. Even the caramel custard lacked flavor. Blah! Standard quality ingredients badly executed, overpriced and the windowless, cheap decor in an underground garage make this a never-again experience.