Delightful snack bar serving up delicious, cheap, and authentic Portuguese food! I stumbled upon Pica 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. read more

Pica Pau - grilled swordfish, grilled sea bass - Diners Near Me - Lisbon, 11

I have absolutely nothing negative about this restaurant. It is one of the best places I have ever had 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 read more

TOP 10 restaurant I've ever eaten at in the WORLD! This was recommended to me by my Portuguese friends grandparents who live in Douro Valley! I was in Lisbon for only 3 nights and ended up eating here 2 nights in a row! I was absolutely blown away by the staff and the food! Each dish was better than the next!! The 2nd night I tried to go to another restaurant that I had a reservation for and the food just wasn't cutting it, so I returned to Pica Pau for a 2nd dinner! Every single item was next level, but the stand out dish for me was the Octopus salad, which is wild because I usually hate octopus!! I also would like to be buried in their duck rice when I die ahhahaha I would also like to give a shout out to our waitress, Iara!!! She was so knowledgeable about the menu and food in general! I can't say enough good things about this restaurant! I will dream about this spot until I return!! PS deff make a reservation! read more

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We didn't have reservations for this restaurant but was able to get a table as a walk in. Food was delicious and service was friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend this restaurant in Lisboa. read more

Stumbled upon Pica Pau while walking around the area. After seeing pretty high ratings on Google reviews, we decided to come in based on the other options available. The bread is not complimentary but omg it is SO good! Definitely recommend their bacalhau and all the drinks. My absolute favorite item was the octopus. read more

Great local food in a very central location. It's a bit tight as the space is small but overall a good experience.

The food was amazing and the service so friendly. I ended up asking for more food to go because it was so good that I wanted a snack for later. read more