Easily 5 stars! No-frills ambiance, but a totally authentic mom-and-pop restaurant. We had a real…read morePorto Francesinha sandwich (which means "little French girl" in Portuguese)--hot, hearty, and much bigger and richer than a regular sandwich. We ordered three sandwiches, two glasses of house vinho verde, one beer, and one lemonade for just 30 euros. Not only a famous spot in Porto, but also great food and excellent value. Simple setting, good service, and great prices make this a perfect choice.

I have to admit that neither Jamie W nor I were all that excited about trying the Francesinha,…read morePorto's signature sandwich, because it's a "heart attack on a plate" as Anthony Bourdain described it. Its nearest cousin is the Croque Madame only more gluttonous with multiple kinds of meat and an excess of melted cheese. Bourdain went to O Afonso to try his first Francesinha when he visited Porto. However, current consensus motivated us to come here after we watched more recent YouTube travel videos from Jamie Oliver and others. This looked like a more classic, retro-style diner like Mel's Drive-In, but there was no mistaking what everyone was ordering here whether they were tourists or locals. Tables were pretty snug, but we managed to squeeze ourselves in against the wall. We knew we had to get the 13,2€ Francesinha Santiago because it was the classic rendition (Photo 8). Fortunately they allowed us to share an order because our tablemates let us know other places around town don't allow you to do that. It was quite a sight with the fried egg on top of a monstrous sandwich covered by multiple, overlapping slices of a Portuguese cheese called queijo flamengo. The sandwich itself consisted of two thick slices of white bread toasted to golden brown. Inside was Portuguese wet-cured ham, bologna, grilled sirloin steak, fresh sausage, linguiça, and mortadella. It was all doused with their house francesinha sauce made of beef gravy, tomato paste, onion, garlic, piri piri chiles, beer, brandy, and port wine. A pile of fries surrounded the sandwich (Photo 10). Wow, I just spent two paragraphs describing the francesinha and didn't mention whether I liked it or not. I did - but I also realized it was one-and-done for me. We managed to have a couple of the 2,7€ bowls of soup. Jamie had the Caldo Verde (Spinach Soup) (Photo 9), and I had the Canja de Galinha (Chicken Soup) (Photo 7). Both were satisfying, and mine had orzo. Yes, that was enough food. FOOD - 4 stars...that was quite a mountain of a sandwich AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...very popular spot with seating squeezed together SERVICE - 4.5 stars...a veteran server treated us very well TOTAL - 4 stars...come hungry and enjoy RELATED - Exploring Porto? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/7s1tZV5h5M

What a GEM! Located off the bustling Costal Cabral drag is this fantastic place, with their hidden…read morepatio outback. While I walked by a million times and never entered, I am so glad I finally popped in. I love a place with a warm vibe and energy and this is the spot. The service was on the spot, the food extra on the spot, prices on the spot, everything just works here. Plenty of space to sit indoors and community sitting on the magical back patio. Not sure you should even be thinking about where to go... this is your next stop. Now go, see for yourself. Fall in love!

This is a somewhat belated review. Nevertheless, not to review Sergio's gem in Porto would be an…read moreinsult. Our 1-day visit to Porto was made immensely welcome by Sergio, his wife, staff, and the local customers. Even to call the locals "customers" would be incorrect. We were welcomed into a family, even if it were for only a few hours. The place might look unassuming from the outside, but don't be fooled. It is indeed a gem. The food was out of this world. The portions are sizable for the price, and Sergio did not hesitate to warn us about the portion sizes. He suggested we order half portions or share a full one. And boy was he right. The food was well prepared and delicious. Sergio described every meal option in detail, and made suggestions; we cared to listen and were not disappointed in the least. It is rare when the food and hospitality combine in a sincere presentation. There was no conniving mercantilism and fake smiles. All was genuine, conversations and atmosphere. Such candor and warmth can only come from sincere and open people. Sergio and everyone we met that night made us feel like part of the family. Muito obrigado.

Came to Portugal with family and came across this hidden local gem! The monkfish and seafood with…read morerice came in a big portion size (2-3 people) and there was a good amount of seafood. The seafood itself was delicious and very fresh. The sauce used was also very tasty and healthy. The beef with mushroom was very good as well. We heard them pounding on the beef to make it tender and boy, was it just right! It came with such a big amount of rice and fries. Also, there was an abundant of French fries which is the typical homemade French fries. Service was also amazing. The waiter/owner was very attentive and was always there when we need him. Also, he let us stay there for as long as we wanted and when we were ready to go he was quick to notice. (Just remember to communicate about wanting the check when you're ready to leave since it's part of their culture to let you stay there for as long as you want). Overall, a great experience!

The food is just delicious and you have a great variety from pasta, to salads, meats and pizzas…read more All of them are amazing. The price is very correct for what you eat. My favorite dish is of course the "Naco na pedra" which is a raw steak on a hot stone. In Second, the Piadina steak (chef's specialty). For beverage, I recommend the strawberry Sangria (the restaurant's specialty). The deco is simple and a little rustic but you can watch the chef making the pizzas and the "nacos na pedra" which confirm the great quality of this place. The staff is very speedy to take your order and to serve the first appetizers. The main dishes arrive usually after max. 15/20mins. Only bad aspect is the quantity of appetizers they serve you (without ordering them). In Portugal, restaurants serve you bred, butters, pate and olives once you are sitting without ordering them. However, don't think it's free welcoming food, even if you didn't order them, you have to pay for them. La Mamaroma, not only serves you the bred, butters, presunto (Portuguese ham) and olives but furthermore they serve you small slices of pizzas (that you have of course to pay).

Ar de Rio was the last stop on my food & wine tour with Eating Europe (s/o to Gonçalo), and he…read moresaved the best for last. Our tour group got to try Portugal's famous dish--the Francesinha. The Francesinha is a hearty, traditional Porto sandwich stuffed with a variety meats (steak, ham, and 2 different sausages, covered in melted cheese and drenched in a rich, tomato & beer sauce. If you're calorie-conscious, this is one that should be skipped, but if you travel to eat, vacation calories don't count!!Surprisingly, I didn't hate it--especially considering I'm not much of a meat eater, but the tomato sauce on top made it enjoyable. I also got to try the Portuguese Codfish Casserole, which was much more my speed since it's fish-based and cooked with onions & potatoes.

Service is terrible server was extremely rude and got our orders wrong. We had to ask for a waiter…read morechange, who was much nicer. Unfortunately the food was terrible, cold and didn't taste fresh. The restaurant was pretty empty for such a busy day in town so I imagine it's hard to keep fresh ingredientes and food. A shame given that the location is nice.

Fantastic location for people watching. Great service, and our espresso drinks were excellent. My…read morelunch was a beautiful salad with a scoop of lemon sherbert -- love this! Highly recommended this restaurant.

Good food with a great view (air bnb right across the street so it was perfect! Good serviceread more