First Impressions 5: We walked from the hotel near the port so it was a nice stroll. Upon walking up to the place, we were directed to the outside seating and it looked like a great area. There was indoor seating, but the weather was too good to sit in there. At the end of the outdoor seating was the grill and we could see the chef cooking up the meat that he took from a cooled cart nearby. The outdoor seating had a "fiesta" feel where tables were long, but spread out to give room. It definitely fit the "family dining" environment that the culture is known for.
Service 5: I expected European style service where they leave you alone until you call them over. But this was a pleasant surprise! The servers were always nearby and checked on us from time to time to see if we needed more drinks or if everything was cooked to our liking. We had a large group of about 12 people so this was nice so we weren't left waiting.
Food/Drink 3.5: One of our party members was a local and made suggestions, so I decided to order the same thing she did. The food was good, but I wouldn't say it was the best I've ever had. The steak was cooked medium rare like I like, but the flavors weren't as bold as I normally prefer. There was of course the side of French fries or "batatas" and there was beans and some type of seasoning. They were standard fare, but complimented the food well. In true Portuguese fashion, there wasn't much in terms of vegetables, but we kind of expected that. I had a Kima, which was a local drink based on passionfruit (or Lilikoi, if you're from Hawaii) and it was good, but not my favorite. Overall, the food was good, but don't expect your taste buds to explode with excitement.
Overall 4: This is a great place for meeting up with a big group of people and enjoying some local cuisine. It's off the beaten path but right on the water and the service was excellent. The wait for food wasn't too bad compared to other places in the Azores/Portugal. If you enjoy good ambience by the water, this is a great place, but if you're adventurous and want to sample bold new flavors, you may want lower your expectations a little. But overall, this is definitely worth a try if you're in Pico. read more