We were just passing through Chattanooga and stayed one night at the Hotel Chalet, which was awesome! While searching for an early dinner spot, we came upon this exotically described Portuguese Mediterranean restaurant on the other side of the Tennessee River. We were the only two diners at this place, at 3:30pm, during our entire meal and had full attention of the young waiter who was courteous and knowledgeable. The interior is spacious and tastefully done in black. At first glance of the menu, I immediately spotted some exotic items...elk lollipops, octopus, which I must have. The waiter recommended the seared scallops which was a great idea. We also ordered the carne de porco. Every dish was exceptionally delicious and in, of all places, Chattanooga, Tennessee! read more

Food was delicious. Had the octopus entree and the cod appetizer. The restaurant seemed understaffed and the server was hurried. Overall, positive experience. read more

My husband and I discovered this gem of a restaurant about 2 years ago while we were living in Georgia and loved it! Fast forward to last weekend (and now living in Tennessee) and what better way to celebrate my Portuguese husband's birthday than take him to dinner here. My husband had the octopus once again and I had the Brazilian steak on hot stone. We started with their delicious red pepper hummus and toast and a delicious glass of red Portuguese wine. We ended our meal with Bolo de Limao (Buttery lemon layered cake filled with Meyer custard covered in butter cream and a raspberry sauce) and it was like everything else was so delicious. From the service to the decor to the food I can't recommend this place more. We will be back! read more

Bela Lisboa - Polvo Lagareiro - Portuguese Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Everything was amazing! Tonight was our first experience and we already have plans to come back next week! Food deserves 10 stars Service deserves 10 stars Drinks deserve 10 stars Gabriel was our server and he was very knowledgeable and helpful! It's hard to find good scallops. They're usually over cooked. These were some of the most perfect that I've ever had! The goat cheese appetizer was so delicious! Our entrees were so flavorful! We can't wait to go back again! Our new favorite place. read more

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Stopped in for dinner on a work trip and will definitely return (and luckily came on a Wednesday when it's happy hour all day: 2 for one glasses of wine & beer and $2 off apps)! The food was yummy. I had a generously sized spinach salad and a hot stone cooked salmon with veggies and smashed potatoes. The salmon portion was perfect. I felt completely satisfied but not stuffed. I overheard the table next to me raving about all of the starters and dessert cellos they tried so I'll have to come back to try more of their menu items. read more

Absolutely not Portuguese food at all, not even close. The only resemblance to Portuguese is some of the dishes happen to have Portuguese words in them. In no way is this a representation of Portuguese cuisine. We Portuguese people pride ourselves in the ability to feed folks with what is considered peasant food. This crap is a sad attempt to cash in on what was probably the owners attempt after experiencing a real Portuguese restaurant. read more

Best food in town you could find, also great quality for take-out food! Sangria is a must-try! read more

Bela Lisboa - The main course for the candlelight night - Portuguese Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Our party of 3 entered the restaurant around 8:10 on Friday April 20th 2024. A person with a long beard, wearing a blazer approached us. Before speaking to us, he made a point of dramatically looking at his watch as if we had walked in one minute before closing. Being that the restaurant closes at 9:30 on Friday the gesture was a bit confusing and most certainly received as rude. He then said, "Do you have reservations"? I said, "No, I didn't know that was a requirement". He seemed annoyed at this point, holds up his index finger and says give me a moment. After a minute he comes back to the front of the restaurant and proceeds to set the the table right next to the front door. Please note there were several tables toward the back of the restaurant and they were empty. So, message being received, we took our business elsewhere. *Either be a fine dining, reservations only restaurant or don't. You can not be casual enough to offer "Togo Food" on your website and then treat people coming in "without" a reservation like they have somehow offended you. I have worked in plenty of restaurants in my life, including fine dining, so I understand how it goes. I understand sections being closed, cutting staff, seating people up front to make it seem quaint and busy. What I don't understand is that you had over an hour of service left to go before closing. How would you treat people who came in at 9:15? Perhaps Gabe, who I now know, is the person who "greeted" us just did not feel we fit into his ideal guest profile. It is a good thing that Michelin Stars are awarded based on food not service. read more

What a treasure for Chattanooga! Several great choices of Portuguese food and wine on the menu. The room is cozy and includes photos from Portugal on the walls. I even heard Fado music on occasion. Only disappointment was no pasteis de nata which is almost criminal not to have at a restaurant deemed Portuguese. The food was very good and the prices unusually reasonable - just like it is in Portugal. Another great surprise was the Thursday half price bottles of wine! They offer "on the stone" meals which will be my next meal there. Tried that in the Azores with a filet and really enjoyed it. Highly recommend this place and can't wait to go back! read more

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Great little gem! We started with the chorizo which we loved. My husband had the frango piri piri which was awesome! The chicken was perfectly cooked, it had a great level of spice! I had the paella which was a wetter version with broth, and while delicious, my husband's dish was the star. We had the salted chocolate mousse & the pear tart for dessert, both lovely! Gabe was an attentive host & charming. Definitely would return the next time we're in town. read more

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Outstanding dinner tonight! ( see my previous review about the brunch here) Service by Gabe and Kiki was phenomenal! I had the salmon with fig and hubby had the Ahi tuna. Words cannot describe the deliciousness of these meals. If you haven't here you must! Fantastic prices and good portions. Happy hour every day 3-6 ; buy one get one! Parking in back! read more

Bela Lisboa - Portuguese Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Bela Lisboa is my choice in dining in Chattanooga. = Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambiace 5/5. After being forced to temporarily close nine months due to an electrical fire involving a Kia and it' charging station, I a thrilled and excited to hear Bela Lisboa will be reopening and the others businesses and tenants will be able to return to their businesses and condominiums. I have never had any meal other than excellent. Salmon on a lave stone is my favorite. Camarão Piri Piri / Shrimp Piri Piri, Cunha de Romaine / Wedge of Romaine, Shrimp Mozambique, Paella de Frango e Marisco / Seafood Paella, Risoto com Camarão, Vieiras e Mexilhões / Seafood Risotto, Black Truffle Lobster & Shrimp Pasta, Salmão / Salmon Stone - I have tried them all!!! The Candlelight Dinners are extremely wonderful - Special 5 or 6 Course Menus and the meal includes Appetizer, Salad, Main Course paired with a wine or Chello and dessert. The Candlelight dinners have been offered 5 to 6 times a year and every offering has been different. Nothing like it in Chattanooga. read more

Would completely go again just for the salmon on the plate. It was like a humongous salmon sashimi but with light seasoning. I pretty much ate the whole thing raw. My husband mad the paella but he wasn't too impressed (usually paella is done in very large batches so since this was a singular plate, he was attributing the lack of flavor to that lol). They were severely understaff so the service was extremely slow but we know that is how things are with Covid and all. Still recommend and would def go back. read more

Bela Lisboa - Paella and salmon. - Portuguese Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Went twice Food upset my stomach both times. Too much oil. I have been to Portugal many times. Food is better there. Forget this place. read more

The place was not open despite getting text reminders of my reservation. Saw later that Google Maps shows it "temporarily closed "

You would expect it with where it's located but by far the best food I've had in Chattanooga! The food was made fresh and flavors are complex, no accompaniments necessary. Plating flavors are comparable to a gourmet restaurant yay prices was not ridiculous. Service was excellent, we had Gabriel and he was amazing in pointing out recommendations! My husband even loved the kale in the vegetable side. read more

Bela Lisboa - Chicken with a creamy lemon caper sauce, Frango Algarvia - Portuguese Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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I highly recommend Bela Lisboa! we had such a wonderful experience, from the atmosphere, to the outstanding Portuguese cuisine. we had a great conversation with the owner who took his time to explain more about the dishes we ordered, from where the food was sourced to the kinds of spices and other ingredients used. Do yourself a favor and visit this gem! read more

It was such an amazing experience. Gabe treats you like family. The table presentation of him making the Meca Conjelado cocktail. You have to try it. read more

Bela Lisboa - Portuguese Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Skipped lunch so dropped in for dinner like a couple of old timers at 5:30pm on a Friday night haha. Had a great experience! Got there in time for happy hour half off drinks - sweet deal with cheap prices. Our server was so friendly, gave good suggestions and overall made for a wonderful time. Started out with the peri peri shrimp. It was cooked well but was a tad underwhelming. The sauce was underneath instead of on top or tossed. I wanted it spicier for sure. Our main meals were excellent! I had the swordfish trio and it was the perfect portion, all three options were amazing. My favorite was the mango salsa YUM, closely followed by the quinoa and the potato purée ones. Husband loved his pasta, rich and delicious. We can't wait to come back and try more at this local spot. read more

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We visited from out of town and went to Bela Lisboa on a Sunday night. Our experience was mediocre. The seared ahi tuna was delicious, but nothing else stood out. There were some unpleasant surprises. Several menu items were unavailable, as were the first two bottles of wine we hoped to order. What was really strange was the atmosphere. For instance, a solo diner at the table next to ours was carrying on a loud phone conversation. We tried to let our server know that it was detracting from our meal, but he didn't get the hint. Maybe we should have been straightforward, but it really shouldn't have been necessary. Eventually we asked to be reseated. Meanwhile, the decor just seemed to be slapped together--it just didn't feel like the restaurant we had been hoping for (and that, quite frankly, we paid for). read more

A slice of Portugal in Chattanooga! So we've visited this Portuguese restaurant twice on our trips to Chattanooga. The ambience is excellent and the Portuguese food in delicious! We tried their veggie Paella, prawns Mozambique and those were delicious. The service is great and they're doing a wonderful job of social distancing. read more

Bela Lisboa - Veggie Paella Vegetariana Dinner - Portuguese Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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First time eating here. Staff was attentive and dining room is attractive. Seafood bisque, spiced chick peas, and Bolo de limao (lemon layered cake) were delicious. Goat cheese with honey and fig and walnuts was generic but satisfactory. If I were rating the restaurant on those four items, I would give it a strong recommendation. But that was before I sampled my seafood paella. It was mushy with a watery layer of liquid at the bottom. Where was the socarrat? Isn't that the whole point of a paella? I know this isn't a Spanish restaurant but this dish should be right up their alley. The rice on the bottom is supposed to be slightly crunchy. It should never ever be sitting in water. Figured this was a kitchen accident and called one of the staff over and was told they make their paella "wet". Seemed receptive to taking it back and probably letting me order something else but that dish is why I came to the restaurant. Looking at previous reviews, others have been highly disappointed with the paella (but some have loved it). Regardless, they should take it off the menu if they can't consistently make it properly. Maybe we'll go back. I know this restaurant has a stellar reputation but this visit was so disappointing. read more

In Chattanooga for the weekend and thanks to my sister we scored a table for 6 for brunch at one of my favorite spots in CHATT. This is a family run small business in the north shore near the walking bridge with its own parking in the rear of the building. Park and enter the building and take the elevator to 1st floor. Or park and enter from the street. Great vibe of casual elegance you feel instantly cared for as you are greeted warmly upon arrival. We had 6 in our party with some dietary restrictions. Our server went thru each of our orders with great care letting us know which allergen may cause an issue and didn't bat an eye as we went on and on with questions. We ordered the Sunday Mimosa special $13!! Great food takes time this is NOT a fast food restaurant. The food is truly cooked to order and the flavor is off the charts. Order ANYTHING and you will LOVE it Go to Bella Lisboa and let them treat you like family. read more

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So I'm excited about my trip to Portugal in February, and I have been told that we must try Bela Lisboa here in Chattanooga! You just don't see many restaurants out there dedicated to Portuguese cuisine. On the first pass of the menu, I saw a few things that I knew were classic Portuguese dishes, Pastels de Bacalhau, Caldo Verde, Polvo (octopus), lots of seafood! There are dishes where you cook your meal on a hot stone (Na Pedra) That was cool! I wanted what is considered one of the National Dishes of Portugal, Bacalhau or salted codfish. We ordered the cod fritters first with our bottle of vino verde and they did not disappoint! The fritters were made with cod and mashed potatoes and served with a lemon pepper aioli. Very creamy on the inside and nice and crispy on the outside. These are a must try! My intention was to order more Bacalhau for my meal and I was crushed to find out that they were out of ALL of their salt cod (house special) dishes! Really was a bummer, but I decided to stick with seafood and ordered Snapper and Clams. Let me tell you, this was EXCELLENT! Seared red snapper and clams in a white wine lemon butter sauce over mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies. At our table we also had Paella and Cataplana de Peixe which was a mixed seafood dish in a lobster tomato sauce. Fantastic choices! The only thing missing was some nice crusty bread. Not sure if that's a thing, so ask for spoons. You're not going to want to leave any of the sauce! One thing I love about Portuguese cuisine is how seafood is served with potatoes rather than rice or pasta in many cases. At least in the two dishes we had, the potatoes kind of melt into the dish whether they are served whole or mashed. We did decide to order dessert, although I was hoping for the classic pasteis de nata which isn't on the menu. We ordered Creme de Leite, Bolo de Limao, and I had a deconstructed apple pie paired with an apple cello. Our favorite was the buttered lemon cake, which had a strawberry sauce on top. Was really disappointed in the "apple pie". It was diced and thinly sliced apples (I was told apple 3 ways). I believe they were sautéed in a butter and caramel sauce and served with a crumble and whipped cream. The flavors were there but there was not enough apple. It was like just eating the peel. Skip this. We were also very disappointed that they didn't have coffee. There was a very high end espresso machine just sitting there gathering dust. Aside from a couple of hiccups, most likely attributed to the supply chain most restaurants are struggling with, I would add Bela Lisboa to your must try list for Chattanooga. The service was excellent, the prices were fair, and the food was outstanding, fresh and made to order! There are enough items to choose from that would keep ME coming back. So many interesting things to try! GET HERE for the cod fritters! read more

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I find it unacceptable for a server not engage a table for 10 minutes, especially while the restaurant has only two tables and the server is playing on their phone. I'm ready to order a nice bottle of wine! That being said, the food was good. We were on vacation and excited to try what looked like a different type of restaurant, never have had Portuguese before! I had the lobster and shrimp pasta, I needed a spoon and a little bit of salt or Parmesan which I never received. Of course I wasn't able to ask for this until I was halfway finished- because the server waited to check on us and was not the one who brought our food to the table. My daughter had chicken tenders and fries and they fresh and crispy. My husband enjoyed his snapper and clams. My request- improve the customer service. This can make our break a restaurant. Such a simple fix! read more

Cute restaurant good location in North Chatt. I ordered the frango com pesto de manjericao this came with a chicken breast with walnut cilantro pesto on top and a vegetable medley type thing with zucchini, onions,carrots, squash and potatoes. It was good the pesto was perfect. We also ordered a Caesar salad to share. My husband ordered the bife de lombo on the stone. This was filet mignon you can cook it to your liking on the hot stone . It also came with the same vegetable medley and 3 sauces there's steak sauce, chimichurri and garlic butter. Everything was very good and the Chef came out to ask how the food tasted. Overall good experience good food great prices. We will definitely go back. read more

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I ordered a meal on DoorDash. It took the restaurant an hour to have the food ready and when I received it the order was substandard. I paid 38.00 for food that could have come from Publix. I tried to call them and the phone number goes to a voice mailbox that is full. read more

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This place exceeded my high expectation! Randy, our server was great and the food from this place is phenomenal! Many compliments to the chef(s). Plenty of options available on their diverse menu. If you're a foodie, or not, please try this place. I promise you you'll never regret it. There's a bit of everything for every palate. The service is amazing, they're so welcoming and you'll feel like a king or queen. read more

Bela Lisboa - Seared Red Snapper and Clams - Portuguese Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

The concept has such promise and it's in my favorite category - Mediterranean. But, alas, I leave unimpressed. We visited this past Sunday (I last visited about 2 years ago). We ordered the chicken piri piri, chicken gyro platter, and filet mignon. The only thing that was halfway palatable was the steak. The chicken piri piri looked like day old Costco rotisserie tossed in spice and put inside a thick white bun. The bread was so thick and bland. Like what I'd expect from a generic sub-sandwich shop. The chicken was greasy and nasty. On top of that, I specifically asked the waitress to substitute the fries with veggies. The food came out 35 minutes after ordering...with fries. The chicken gyro platter wasn't much better -- just strips of chicken, bread and fries. Overall: This Place is substandard in every respect - food, service, and experience. Chattanooga has so many other options that are far better. read more

This is excellent place to eat. Make sure to make reservations. Love the lobster pasta and beer steamed mussels read more

Bela Lisboa - Bar - Portuguese Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

We were visiting the aquarium and happened to stumble upon this hidden jewel on Yelp review. We will admit, it was difficult to find at first but the journey was well worth the destination. Our server, Jeff, was incredible and very attentive. We were lucky enough to go during happy hour (3-6pm)-- I recommend the Gladiator! All of the food was a wonderful blend of Portuguese cuisine. Pictured is the surf & turf on stone (my first experience with stone cooking) where you decide how well done you like your meat by turning it in the stone. We also had the Chicken Algariva which was creamy. We topped off our food with chocolate mousse dessert, which was a tad salty. Overall, had an absolutely incredible experience. Our favorite restaurant we went to during our weekend stay in Chattanooga. Highly recommend and will definitely be back. read more

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This little spot is amazing!! We had a group of 6. Small and quaint. The happy hour was a wonderful deal! The wine selection is fabulous and the house made red sangria was delicious! Now the food. All 3 appetizers that we had were delectable. We had calamari (that was perfectly fried), cod fritters (so perfect) and mussels (sauce was the best). Then came dinner. Our group had a sampling of items. The Ahi tuna stone was fabulous! The salted cod in mashed potatoes was scrumptious. Not one person in our group had a negative thing to say. Okay maybe we complained there were too many delicious sounding options and we didn't know what to choose. The staff was great! Very patient and knowledge. I highly recommend for a date night or even a small group date. read more

Bela Lisboa - Salted cod in mashed potatoes - Portuguese Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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An absolute to delight to eat at! Great presentation and solid food. As a guy, you might not be full after this meal. My boyfriend mentioned he was still hungry after eating his entree and having some of mine. Service was great! Waitress did mess up in my friend's order and misheard him, but she was polite about it. And it was corrected pretty quickly. What we got: 1) Queijo de Cabra Gratinado Com Mel e Nozes - Fig Infused Goat Cheese with Toast (honey & balsamic reduction as well) - delicious and light. Loved the addition of the sweetness from the honey. 2) On the stone - atum/tuna; had seasonal veggies and a couple of potatoes. Not very substantial sides, but tasted great seared on the hot stone! 3) Black Truffle Lobster and Shrimp Pasta - amazing, but definitely heavier! I would return here again and definitely recommend! read more

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The food is SO good...though I can't claim to have substantial experience with Portuguese food, only 3 days in Lisbon, I know good food when I eat it. The cod fritters are yummy, but not at all like the Brazilian style (if you're familiar with that)...think more Cuban croqueta. The food is made to order...so don't go HUNGRY like we did the first time years ago. You will have to wait for your delicious food. I've had the skewers, various lunch specials, and a few other items....and have liked them all. read more

You have to branch out! There's plenty of barbecue, burger, Italian, or steak house restaurants in Chattanooga. You're in for a delight with this Portuguese food experience. The executive chef knows what he's doing! I went with my sisters and their (respective) husbands. My husband and I are vegan and they had selections for us all that surprised and satisfied our pallets. The vibe is super chill and relaxed. They did a great job with the atmosphere. Everything is made fresh. It doesn't come out quickly, so don't be in a rush - enjoy the experience, relax, and the food will not disappoint. read more

I went to Bella since two friends recommended it. We were amazed to find that the restaurant is really good. I tried surf and turf. I liked the raw steak and shrimp cooked on a hot surface theme. It worked for me. We will be back! read more

Amazing food with awesome service and great prices! The complimentary hummus was to die for! The calamari was just right, not greasy or chewy. Then he salmon on stone was plain perfect. Oh! And they gave me a 25% discount for some reason too. I'm going there again next time I'm in town (next month). read more

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I hate to leave a negative review but they just were not on their game. Sit down. Order draft beer - drafts broken Order 2 soups, 2 entrees and appetizer. Waitress comes back, out of the soup so we switch. Then brings out wrong soup. Waitress comes back, they've run out of the appetizer. Switch to shrimp, it comes out - it just wasn't good... Paella comes out... it's aight. read more

The food and wine were very very good and well priced. Paella was underwhelming, but red snapper and clams phenomenal. Wine was well priced by the glass, so I was able to try several; very happy with that. Service is terrible, incredibly slow, but that may have just been our server, the guy looked very busy. Food was promptly delivered, but drinks were NOT. That being said, I would still return, I really enjoyed dinner. Actually parking and getting in to restaurant was a little weird, but website gives good instructions. read more

Such great food!! Our original honeymoon has been cancelled but we are enjoying trying new things in our hometown! We tried the goat cheese appetizer, Caesar salad, fettuccini, and black truffle lobster, shrimp fettuccini. The goat cheese was our favorite!! We highly recommend Bela Lisboa and we can't wait to go to the restaurant and experience the in house vibe! read more

Bela Lisboa - Portuguese Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee