One of two Hard Rock Cafe locations in Portual, this stop in Lisbon (opened in 2003) was a good…read moreplace to make a waypoint on our map from the cruise port: we got to pick up a souvenir from a Hard Rock that we hadn't been before and see quite a few sights as we meandered through the streets of Lisbon. We ended up a having a long enjoyable lunch before heading back to the ship.
We got there by lunchtime (12:15) and were greeted warmly at the door, being seated immediately. What I really like about Hard Rock Cafes is that each location is different on the inside, but the food is similar and consistently good. We got sat right below an Elton John jumpsuit. Yani was our server, and was mostly attentive throughout. The crowd was diverse, definitely with some tourists like us but also quite a few working locals, taking a break for lunch. We placed our order and the food came soon after.
-- BBQ Platter. My wife chose the 2 meat platter (23,95€) with pulled pork and bbq spare ribs. If we were more hungry, would have gotten the 3 meat (including BBQ chicken) for an extra 2€, but we knew we couldn't bring any food back to ship. The pulled pork was excellent, extremely tender and without gristle with the right amount of bbq sauce. The ribs were generous: a half rack, sourced from a good supplier since it was very meaty.
-- Southwest Bowl (21,95€) - I've had good luck with this dish in the past, but not this time. Even though it used unusual ingredients (like fava beans and various greens), the mix along with a southwestern ranch dressing didn't really work for me. The chicken breast served on top was solid: large, moist, and filling.
It could have easily been a Hard Rock in the states, with one difference being a portual beer (Sagres pint for 6,60). It was very good from a bottle, wish they had a local beer on tap but they told me they had run out.
It took a bit of time to get the check, so I had to go up to get it. The 13% tax (23% for alcohol) is included in the price. Learned that tipping in Portugal is not expected, but 10-15% is not unusual for great service. Plus this being mostly an American brand, I think it is expected here. Was able to pay by credit card, though you have to put any gratuities on it first before running it through.