The view of the lake and mountains from the patio: 10/10 The…read morehard boiled egg and mayonnaise sandwich they give you when you ask for chicken/frango: -2000/0 Made me gag and my husband question my knowledge of the Portuguese language very early in our trip

Nice little rest stop next to the lakes. Good for drinks, light snack, and restroom. The…read morecheeseburger and linguica plate were really good! Be careful with the other reviews (and expectations)...

BOTTOM LINE: As local as it gets and an extremely well-priced buffet (10€)!…read more There's less resto selection on the west side of Sao Miguel compared to the central and east sides, so Raiao is certainly a place you'd want to check out. There's a sign on the main road to point out where you turn in. There's street parking. They accept Visa. It's a family-style buffet for only 10€ and there's plenty of food to choose from. You'll be directed to the basement, where most of the seating is, though it's definitely a bit warm down there. Staff will serve you from a selection of soup, salad, chicken, beef, goat, blood pudding, fish, potatoes, and taro. Most of the dishes are slowed cooked, tender, juicy, and on the bone, which only adds to the flavour. Definitely worth checking out.

The best meal I had during my recent 6 day visit and second time visiting Sao Miguel. My family and…read moreI did a quick google search for nearby food options and stumbled on this hidden gem. The staff were incredibly warm and welcoming. Buffet style Portuguese food that tasted just like my avo's cooking that I grew up with. Incredibly clean and high quality cooked foods. I can't recommend this place enough and for the price it's a no brainer. I will be back next time I'm on the island.

I highly recommend this restaurant. The food and service were simply fabulous. The portions were…read moregenerous and the presentation lovely. We learned it is a family runned restaurant and we were both greeted by mother and son at our table. We left with a sense of happiness.

Top notch! My wife and I arrived 5 minutes after they opened for dinner without a reservation and…read moreit's a good thing we did as we were seated. The two parties that walked in right after us were not so lucky and were turned away. You can order off menu as well as from the catch of the day, which are all on display and were more than likely swimming that morning. The hostess, and I imagine also the owner, explained what each fresh catch was and how many of each were available. We chose barracuda from the fresh catch and it was perfection. From the menu we chose limpets (which is a local shellfish cooked in garlic and butter) and the fried mackerel, which was mind-blowingly amazing! A complementary shot of a local liqueur is provided post-meal and was a perfect end to a perfect dinner.

We went for lunch. Magnificent view over the water. Lots of windows. The service was good…read more I had the stuffed chicken breast (cheese and ham). It was topped with a tartar sauce that I didn't care for, but easy enough to scrape off. It came with fries, which had good flavor, but were a little limp and not so warm. My husbands meal came with chips which were much better.

We were looking for a quick bite to eat. The place had a…read moregood ambiance. We were tree people all our food came cold. Including the French fries. The chips were loaded with oil and the Cod came under cooked. We will never be back.

Was very excited to try out this restaurant for the first time and it lived up to the hype! Had an…read moreamazing meal here - Bife a Associacao was extremely flavorful and cooked perfectly! Also loved the ambiance of this restaurant!

I was admittedly hesitant to try this place given the mixed reviews about service and steak…read morequality, but happy we gave it a shot! Located in Ribeira Grande, the restaurant is run by a local agricultural society supporting farmers and showcasing regionally sourced Azorean beef, widely recognized as some of the most tender on the island. While it wasn't the very best steak I've ever had, it was still a pretty enjoyable meal, and I left satisfied and full. Veal Medallions: my favorite dish of the night -- flamed in an addictive pineapple-cognac sauce and served with mixed veggies and fries. this sauce was so good i was dipping literally everything in it -- the medallions, the veggies, fries and even the tenderloin below! Bife à Associação - Steak Lombo (Tenderloin): served in a white wine, garlic, and salted pepper sauce, topped with a fried egg. we initially debated the sizes, but 200g was plenty for us to share along with a 2nd dish. the sauce was a bit bold and peppery for my taste (I prefer sweeter sauces like the pineapple cognac), but my bf enjoyed it. for those who arent into the peppery flavor, the steaks also come with multiple other sauces -- passion fruit, island cheese, three pepper, and more. For dessert, there were numerous tempting Portuguese classics but we were stuffed and decided to keep it light with sliced Azorean pineapple -- a refreshing way to wrap up a hearty meal and a perfect choice if, like me, trying the acclaimed local pineapple was high on your to-do list. A surprise standout was the white sangria -- my first time trying the white version, and I loved the bright, fruity flavors. It's nice that they offer it by the glass, so you can mix and match if your party has different preferences. The venue is open and spacious, with lots of natural light thanks to large glass-pane doors that offer a view of the quaint outdoor patio. Despite some of the service complaints I'd read, we had a smooth experience. Food came out promptly, and while the restaurant was clearly busy and staff were spread thin, we were proactive about getting waitstaff's attention so fortunately didnt encounter any issues or delays. Overall a solid, well-priced spot with a convivial dining atmosphere and quality meat dishes. If you're someone who loves classic, no-frills salt-and-pepper steaks, the saucy Azorean spin might not be for you -- but if you're up for something bold and flavorful, it's definitely worth a visit!

Food was great! Steak was great for the price. MUST HAVE THE…read moreMARGARITA! Seriously so good! When I come back I will definitely be coming back This never posted from 2019

It could have been great if it was still there! Same address and phone number but it's a bar now…read more Called the number and had reservations but who knows who and where I called! If you go out of business take down your yelp! Walked all around Sao Miguel looking for it with hangry husband... it was horrible experience! Ended I at Burger King. Not exactly the international food I was hoping for!

Everything was great. We stopped by for a late lunch and they had their buffet going. The food was…read moreregional with everything delicious.

Five stars, incredible value. Real neighborhood joint. We've been twice on this trip, once for…read moredinner and once for lunch. For dinner, we had the steak (perfect medium rare), swordfish (the cut is always a bit thin in the Azores, but it was tasty, and came with a salad that was better than most), and the half-chicken, which was really the star of the show. Just delicious and tender, cooked rotisserie style. We also split a demi-bottle of tinto which was excellent and a steal at €5: fruity with good body and no acidity. The whole meal for three was around €44. While fries are unfortunately ubiquitous in the Azores, these were probably the best we've had. Oh, we also had outstanding garlic bread. That being said, you need to come here for lunch, a huge all-you-can-eat buffet with soup, salad, seafood and pork amongst other things. They have a fried fish with a garlic sauce that is a must--batter is crisp and light. Buffet is €8 and includes a drink!! Nice atmosphere dominated by locals and few tourists. Check it out!

This is a really great relaxed restaurant. The waitress and cook are very friendly and willing to…read moreexplain items that may be foreign when one is a tourist. Great service! Definitely get the limpets if you enjoy oysters. They're fresh! The baked cod will no doubt satisfy your hunger. As a vegetarian and non-fish eater, you may be disappointed. Salads are on the menu, but I'm not one to buy a salad. I opted for the cheese sandwich thinking that it would be layers of delicious local cheese. It was scraps of cheese on bread. Plain and simple. Save your money and make it at home. There's a good variety of beer and alcohol. There are also delicious fresh baked goods. I'm not sure they're made here.

Excellent food and staff,a golden gem in the island of green. The octopus is to die for and the…read moresquid is excellent

This was a great find in close to the square where most tourists are. Although it's off to the…read morestreet so not that many people dined here. One thing to note is that their operating hours are not M-F. I've added a picture of their time so just make sure you if you want to eat here, that it's within their hours of operation. Their sangria was very good and not too strong. I ordered the grilled squid with garlic sauce. I posted a picture of it. They gave me alot of squid and even took out the cartilage to make it easier to consume. The taste was good and not too fishy. The food was great and not that expensive either. So glad we decided to come here.

Unfortunately for O Corisco, we had learned that in order to avoid getting gluttonously full, best…read moreto get several small plates to share rather than entrées. Thus I cannot attest to their full plates. But I can with their smaller ones, and each one is a winner. Every meal in the Azores will be preceded with bread and cheese. O Corisco's was the best we had. Most places do the typical mushy and bland queso fresco that gets old quickly. Here they provided us a plate of hard cheeses and tons of bread, which were so good we didn't leave a crumb on the plate. Their Caldo Verde soup with diced linguica is pretty darn good, as is their small place of fried linguica and mushrooms. The highlight here though is their little lounge area near the big-screen television. It's not just a restaurant, but also a place to chill. Beer is cheap too. What is not to like?

I've been to multiple Michelin *'d places on several continents, and this is top drawer. Very…read moresweet, attentive staff and relaxed farmhouse place with innovative, delicious and generous dishes. Just go! My only suggestion is to go back the way you came and NOT go further up the street past the restaurant - much is unpaved, narrow, and nasty if the weather is not great.

The menu was a surprise farm to table meal with 6 courses. All the food was the freshest used by…read morethe family. The dishes were artfully put together with many tasty ingredients. Each course tasted amazing. We did the wine pairing and all the types of wines served added to the flavors of the dish. Great presentation by the chef. We are outside during a rain storm and the weather further added to the ambiance of the meal. Servers were right on top of everything but they didn't push you to eat quickly and there was no rush. It actually was delightful to take our time and have a great family conversation. Both grandkids, 12 and 10 enjoyed each course. They were very willing to try the variety of the dishes served. The servers knew what was in each dish including the seasonings. Fabulous experience by the whole family. Highly recommend this family run restaurant.