Delightful snack bar serving up delicious, cheap, and authentic Portuguese food! I stumbled upon…read morePica Pau while meandering back to my hotel after realizing that the restaurant I was originally planning to eat lunch at was closed on Thursdays. It was getting a wee bit late for lunch (~1:30 PM), and I was quite hungry, so when I passed by Pica Pau and saw how packed it was, I knew I had to drop by to give it a try. It's absolutely bustling inside; there are several tables inside and outside, and you can generally just seat yourself as long as there's an open slot. There are very few tourists here -- another great sign -- so the menus will all be in Portuguese, and it will be hit or miss as to whether your server can translate for you. However, the menu is pretty simple, so it's easy enough to intuit what they say (or to just use Google Translate) -- the menu is spread across three blackboards, one for daily specials, another for seafood, and the last for other meat dishes. Everything is just twelve euros for lunch, and it also comes with a drink and bread. You genuinely can't go wrong with anything on their menu. My mom and I both ordered from their seafood menu, and the fish is super fresh and grilled to perfection. It has a perfect char on the outside, and is super flaky and tender on the inside; they add a hit of salt and a side of lemon, but the fish honestly doesn't need much else. The fish also comes with a side of boiled veggies and potatoes, which are a great, neutral accompaniment to the fish. I ordered the swordfish, and my mom got the sea bass, but we ended up splitting both of the dishes between us (especially since they both conveniently came with two pieces). Both were phenomenal, but I did enjoy the swordfish a tiny bit more; it was a bit more tender, and they also descaled the swordfish but did not for the seabass, so it was a slightly easier eating experience.

I have absolutely nothing negative about this restaurant. It is one of the best places I have ever…read morehad the pleasure of having a meal. Our waitress was amazing! She reccomended what and how many plates we should share, paired it with a great bottle of wine, and never let our glasses go empty. We sampled a total of 7 dishes between 4 of us and ate it family style. I can not recommend this amazing local establishment enough. Even if it means rearranging your day or trip to fit in a reservation, you will not be sorry! This will be my new staple on any trip to Lisboa

We were looking, as usual, for a little something before we began our walk...all the places…read morewaterside looked total tourist and they were trying to get you to go in...irritating Then we found this tiny place...though once inside you discover its actually 2 rooms with lots of space Coffees and tarts - oh yes...mostly locals, very reasonable at €7 Its just before the monastery and everywhere round there seemed unappetising...really tourist focused...this was just a nice little place with decent basic food...I do love icing and got it in spades - see photo...yum For a snack, go here!

Am I a tourist? Maybe...I've been to Portugal a few times because I have friends there. And I can…read moresay this place is pretty authentic. It was full of Portuguese people. Food is not going to blow you away but it's acceptable. For the location and the price, it's quite A-OK. I would go back, especially if I'm hungry.