Cancel

Open app

Search

Beira Mar Sao Mateus

4.5 (39 reviews)
ModerateSeafood, Portuguese
Closed 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM

Beira Mar Sao Mateus Photos

BEIRA MAR SAO MATEUS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Loud
Good for kids
Good for groups
Outdoor seating

Recommended Reviews - Beira Mar Sao Mateus

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

The biggest fish available tonight! And the only 1 and I snagged it!  I ate 1/4 of it already before the picture.
Daniel Y.

After asking around the hotel and the tour guide representative the most recommended seafood restaurant is this one. All the locals eat here and it was very evident when we dined here on Thursday evening. The seafood is all on display on ice. And you can see the staff cutting fish and prepping as well as cooking in progress behind the counter is the open kitchen. Nothing fancy about this place and it's actually quite cramped in my opinion. The location is at a small marina, boat launch with barely any parking available. The lapas was delicious, the seafood soup in the bread bowl also was good. The grilled Octopus is really good as well as the grilled squid. My red snapper which was grill as well was good but really salty on the skin side. The seafood here is really fresh for sure. The Restaurant is a really popular spot so be prepared to wait on a table.

Fish soup. Delicious! 2€.
angela l.

Excellent seafood restaurant, in the fishing village of Sao Mateus, which was highly recommended both by the tourist information center and staff from our tour company. We arrived few minutes, before the restaurant opened for lunch on a weekend, to enjoy the view of the harbor in front of the restaurant. When we were ushered inside the restaurant, we noticed most of the table were reserved. The waiter said if we could finish within an hour's time then we could sit by the reserved table by the window and we did just that. The limpets and seafood skews were both amazingly fresh and delicious! Service was great too! Prices were very reasonable! Highly recommend this place!

Hanna M.

Busy place. Reservation needed. We were so lucky to get the very last table without reservation. We ordered grilled squid, steak and the 2kg lobster. You can't go wrong with lobster, but I didn't like the sauce at all. It's cold, it smells weird. I the asked for garlic butter sauce. I waited and asked 2 more times for it. About 20 mins later, my sauce came. But lobster already went cold. I didn't have great experience there anyways.

John H.

Beira Mar Sao Mateus is one of the restaurants that locals will recommended most often. The restaurant specializes in local catch primarily from deep water fisheries surrounding the Azores islands. Inside and outside seating, fresh fish available for take away and reservations highly recommended. We thought we'd missed our chance to try this neighborhood gem, but on our last night, we scored a same-day reservation at 9pm. After a brief wait (during which we enjoyed a tiny bottle of beer at the adjacent convenience store), we were seated on the deck overlooking Sao Mateus' storied fishing harbor. Views are only exceeded by the simply prepared, just-caught seafood items that are typical of Azores, such as: Cherne (also known as wreck fish - a deep dwelling, large seabass-like fish with dense flesh), Boca negra (red snapper), Garoupa (a small fish usually served grilled and whole, head-on, and not to be confused with grouper), Lula (squid), Polvo (octopus), and shellfish such as large prawns, lappas (limpets) and cracas (barnacles). We'd already tried the local lappas elsewhere and found them not to our taste, so we passed on the cracas, though we noticed many people ordering and enjoying them. Our mixed seafood platter, with garoupa, polvo, XL prawns, lula and cherne, was impeccably grilled and presented. Prices are quite reasonable, considering the quality of the local seafood and its preparation. Our experience was 5-star due to our service, the food, view, and the overall thrill of discovering this delightful seaside restaurant. Check it out if you get a chance!

Tomás S.

Amazing food! My wife had grilled octopus which was amazingly tender. I am Portuguese (she is not) so I know my octopus. I had fried hake fish which was perfect as well. All the dishes came well served and averaged 10EUR in price which is great for fresh fish/seafood. Waiters were very friendly and made sure our visit was great! If you still fancy something sweet in the end try the pineapple which is grown here in Azores (it tastes nothing like pineapple you get in mainland Europe), it is so sweet and not acid. Just amazing! Totally worth the visit, one tip I might as is book! Even though walk-ins work you will wait. So just call earlier in the day and you will have no problem!

Flan.
Pykee C.

I noticed there are a couple of restaurants on the island called Beira Mar but in my opinion this is the best location for food or seafood in general. It can't get fresher than getting your food off the dock/harbor. The restaurant is literally a few steps where fisherman's unload their fresh catch. I ordered the skewered combination of shrimp, squid and fish served with steamed potatoes and salad. The meal was great and delicious. Also had lapas which is part of the sea shell family but the meat is quite different from a mussel or oyster. This was recommended by a local so I figured to taste it; in my opinion it was good and wanted the experience. They have a lobster tank in dining area to pick and choose from; you can taste the freshness after they cook it and serve it to you. To top my meal off, I had the flan which was sweet and rich in caramel sauce. Overall, when people tell you to go to Beira Mar make sure to come to this place. I feel it is the best and I highly recommend to eat fresh seafood from here.

Breaded calamari
Dawn J.

Definitely worth the trip. Our group of six went for dinner and the food was all very good. Calamari (breaded) was crispy and not at all chewy. Most of us got the kabobs with fish and shrimp. One kabob was plenty for me, but others got two. Service was friendly and answered all of our questions. It's a small place and was crowded by the time we left. I'd suggest making reservations. I wish we had also gone for lunch for the view.

Views
Elianny S.

This place is very popular with both tourists and local people so it seems to always be packed. We came in for a late dinner and lucky for us did not have to wait long for a table. The place is located right on the dock, the view is great! The atmosphere inside is very loud and jovial, packed with people enjoying great food. Our friend from the island took us so he handled all of the talking in Portuguese, and ordered all of the food for the table. We had the blackfish which was very good. If you are not used to seeing a whole fish, head and eyeballs intact it may shock you a bit. I tried the fish eyeballs just for fun, it's very hard to bite into and in my opinion doesn't taste all that great. My favorite part of the meal was trying the barnacles for the first time. My only reference for barnacles was Sponge Bob related lol. After a brief tutorial of how to pick them out using the little metal pick, I finally got to try barnacles. The taste reminded me a bit of snails with a stronger taste of sea water. I accidentally spilled all of the water from the barnacles on me so be careful when eating.

Limpets (Lapas) at Beira Mar Restaurant, Sao Mateus
JV K.

Be prepared for a very long wait for dinner: the night we went, seemingly everyone else on the island had come to eat seafood at Beira Mar Sao Mateus! We must have waited 1.5 hours out on the patio (because inside is very crowded), but once we got a seat it was totally worth the wait. The fish is exceptionally fresh of course since the restaurant is located overlooking the marina. I recommend the limpets (lapas) in butter and garlic. They are divine!

Seafood soup in a bread bowl and grilled Wreck fish and shrimp skewer!!
nikki h.

This restaurant was amazing!! The seafood soup in a bread bowl I cannot describe in words how delicious it was!! I tried Wreck fish for the first time and now I cannot wait to go back!! This is a place you should not miss!! You may want to make reservations,we went on a Sunday and it was very crowded but well worth the wait!!

See all

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of John W.
0
111
1

1 month ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Skimmilk K.
27
163
161

7 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of angela l.
1
603
4254

7 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

The Service was excellent! Great hospitality! The fish was very very good! We enjoyed the meal!

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Best squid and octopus ever!! Charming restaurant at harbor- outstanding service and beautiful fresh fish.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Hanna M.
70
23
68

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of John H.
3161
707
5039

9 years ago

Helpful 7
Thanks 0
Love this 6
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Joe G.
423
450
1605

10 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Pykee C.
133
95
1006

10 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of JV K.
123
132
13

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Pedro R.
102
16
23

9 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Katie C.
262
22
15

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Cindy H.
71
61
19

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of TX M.
2
10
10

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Mary D.
181
26
1

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Robert D.
49
64
61

12 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Beira Mar Sao Mateus Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Beira Mar Sao Mateus

We were told by locals it was the best seafood restaurant in Terceira.

Mentioned in 6 reviews

Read more highlights

Verify this business for free

Get access to customer & competitor insights.

Verify this business

As Nossas Ilhas - Dining room

As Nossas Ilhas

4.1(8 reviews)
3.9 km

I chose this place for a Thursday night dinner because I'd been wandering through the town looking…read morefor someplace for a meal and I got tired of looking. But I was totally satisfied with my choice! From the outside I wasn't expecting such a large and nicely decorated restaurant. There were almost no other customers, and my server seemed delighted to have someone to make a good impression on. They had a few different types of steak; I ordered the €12 one which came covered with bacon & shrimp (normally there would also be mushrooms but I asked them to hold the mushrooms). There were also fresh-fried potato chips, a side salad, and some rice, plus I'd asked for bread and cheese as a starter, and I was also brought some olives. What I'm saying is that I got A LOT of food! And it was all really good! The steak was boneless and lean and really, really juicy. All that stuff on top of it created a ton of flavor that made every bite of that steak absolutely delicious. And those potato chips I mentioned, that sounds corny but if you get a dish that comes with those, start on them right away while they're still fresh from the fryer. All that food on my plate plus a 1.5-liter bottle of water ran me €16.50. It was very reasonable and I expect to return here before I leave Terceira Island.

This restaurant was recommended by the person at the town center tourist information office for…read moretheir seafood. We went on Thursday morning around 11am, and was disappointed that it won't open until noon. My empty stomach did not want to wait so we left. But I came back two days later for lunch and very glad that I did. We ordered grilled grouper and fried "abrotea", both were so fresh! Especially the latter was impressive; even though it was fried but very light and tender! The waiter suggested this local fish, and we were happy that we took his advice. The interior of this place is nicely decorated that we browsed around while waiting for our dishes. The service was excellent. The waiter speaks fluent English. It is next to the fresh market, so we got to visit it too!

Photos
As Nossas Ilhas - Bar

Bar

As Nossas Ilhas
As Nossas Ilhas - Albacore tuna with potatoes and salad.

See all

Albacore tuna with potatoes and salad.

O Pirata - Tabla charcuterie

O Pirata

4.3(15 reviews)
4.1 km
€€

Mixed bag here. Loved the ambiance, the service was great, and the beer was delicious! Local beer…read morewas a huge pull for us to choose this restaurant and there were a fair amount of options. The food was okay. Fried potatoes were the biggest hit. Not pictured was one of the burgers which got the best reviews otherwise. The charcuterie board was nice but the olives had such a strong and honestly off-putting smell that was also on the boiled potatoes-would not order those again. The views from the restaurant were truly incredible though and made everything worth it.

CRAFT BEER! We are craft beer junkies from the states and have been a bit dissatisfied in the lack…read moreof craft beer on the island. I was aware of this place and wanted to check it out so we made our way up the hill after dinner. The place is the only one we have been to on Terceira so far that had more than super bock. We were quickly greeted, shown a table and given many menus of beers to choose from. I'd say there are about 25 beers you can get here. That and a full bar is here too. Not like a snack bar where they have 6 bottles but a full on bar. So if you're looking for a cocktail, scotch, whisky or something you'll have better luck here. The place is decorated with all sorts of pirate stuff and there was music and a tv. Staff was super friendly and fast and the drinks are reasonably priced. Worth checking out if you're chasing beers. Cheers!

Photos
O Pirata - Traditional strew

Traditional strew

O Pirata - Guinness beef steak

Guinness beef steak

O Pirata - Morgan steak

See all

Morgan steak

Beira Mar Sao Mateus - seafood - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...