October 16, 2023. Monday. Dinner. I made reservations for this restaurant a week in advance. We waited about five minutes to be seated and the restaurant was packed. My wife and I visited here to try the cod, which Portugal is known for. This restaurant is known as the king of cod (O Rei do Bacalhau), so we knew it would be great. Inside, the restaurant has cod artwork and has cloth tablecloths. A fancy, fine dining restaurant that requires some nicer clothing. They sat us in the lower level, which had lots of patrons. The waiter spoke English and Portuguese and offered us a wine list. However, we ordered gasless water (3.80 euros). We also ordered 2 Pastel Bacalhau appetizers (3.90 euros), Moqueca Bacalhau (22.50 euros) and Bacalhau Coroado (23 euros). The Pastel Bacalhau is shredded cod mixed with potato dough and fried. The waiter told us the chef came from Brazil. My wife said that was why the food had perfect seasoning and tasted so good. Moqueca is a Mozambique dish made from cod, palm oil, mandioca root, tomato, coconut milk and shrimp. Think of a soup. The Coroado (crowned) cod features shrimp, bechamel sauce and baked shredded potatoes. Of the two main dishes we shared, I preferred the Coroado more. The cod tasted fresh and flaky and potatoes were velvety. The waiter served us quickly and the restaurant had a great selection of cod. I'm sure any cod dish ordered here would be great. Be sure to make reservations in advance as this place really filled up for dinner. For being a fine dining restaurant, it wasn't as expensive as other restaurants we visited in Portugal. I'd visit here again because the cod tasted so divine. read more

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For the price I think there are better places in Lisbon. The atmosphere is definitely quirky, the service was attentive, but for the price the food was under seasoned and kind of bland. We had the signature dish-- bacalhau with cabbage and potatoes. It was just meh read more

My first night in Lisbon and I went for the Bacalhau, everyone said to try the salted Cod and this restaurant prepares in in at least 15 different ways so worth stopping at if you want to try. It's also "Portugese traditional" and family owned so a good local place to support. The staff is amazing, classy old gentlemen that look like they should be singing lounge songs next to a piano, I wish more places in the US were like this. My waiter noticed I was enjoying the house white wine and snuck by to pour me a bonus glass "it's free, on me" he whispered. Laurentina Shrimp Appetizer: Wonderful sauce is spooned fresh when this dish is brought to the table, there were at least 15 giant shrimps and this easily filled me up. Best shared and not really for a single diner and but a definite repeat if I come back. Cod "à Minhota": North Portuguese style, fried cod and onions on a bed of fried sliced potatoes and garnished with olives. Portioning was HUGE and I did my best but probably only ate half.The potatoes were amazing and had a nice crispy outside with soft inside. High quality, bread, olives, and salted cod fritters are complimentary as you browse the menu. read more

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The Portuguese eat late! This place didn't open until 7pm Tuesday eve and you HAVE to have a reservation. So we booked it for 9:45 - walked around and came back. Server was sweet, gave us an English menu. Ordered the shrimp as an appetizer and the cream and spinach sauce cod and the laurentine special. Both were very good but looking back on it, we should have shared an entree and just ordered more apps to experience all the flavors. Food was excellent- as other reviewers stated- the cod is salty, all the entrees with cod are, so be aware, but the flavor is huge and you'll love it. We paired the house white wine with it and it was a good recommendation from our waitress. Finished off with the chocolate mousse and it was very small, but great to cleanse the palate. read more

Restaurante Laurentina - Laurentine special and cream and spinach sauce cod. - Portuguese Near Me - Lisbon, 11

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We visited Laurentina on our first and last nights in Lisbon. The seafood was the best we had while in the city and the cod was light, flaky, and flavorful. On the first night, we ordered the octopus salad and the cod cakes as appetizers. The octopus was tender, buttery, and well-prepared with the vegetables and sauce it came in. The cod cakes were crispy and savory. As a main, we ordered the Bacalhau Lascado Especial with potatoes in their jackets, hardboiled egg, onions, and peppers. The cod was salty, but not overly so, and the oil was light. For the second night, we ordered the smoked sausage, a samosa, a mini cod pie, the cod cakes, and the octopus salad. Again, everything was delicious, although the samosa wasn't as impressive as everything else. The octopus salad remains my favorite. We ordered the Bacalhau com Natas e Espinafres (Cod with Cream and Spinach) as our main and it was bliss. It's baked in a pan, and the top is a layer of crispy scalloped potatoes that are also baked throughout the dish. The cod, spinach, and cream sauce mixes together beautifully. For dessert, we had the Baba de Camelo at our server's recommendation. It was good--a sort of caramel pudding with toffee topping--but not as good as the rest of our meal. The house rosé, which we ordered both nights, was delicious and inexpensive. The service was excellent and it's a romantic restaurant with a mix of modern and traditional decor (sturdy lighting and hand painted dishes, fish coat hooks, comfortable chairs, and fake plants). This is a great date night spot! The music and atmosphere are romantic, and the servers will take good care of you. read more

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We had a fantastic meal of delicious sea bass, a traditional Cod dish and fried cod cakes. Daniel and Jaoa were so attentive and made us feel very welcome. The verde vino was great. It is a stylish, comfortable restaurant. We highly recommend! read more

Confirming it was an amazing dinner.... Wonderful food and even better service. Many thanks to Daniel and the entire team!

Pretty good. Not sure if because I went there solo so they did not offer me bread and appetizers. I had to ask for the bread. From previous remarks, bread was free but they charged me € .50 for it, which is ok, it went nicely with the entree. read more

Restaurante Laurentina - Portuguese Near Me - Lisbon, 11

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Classic Portuguese restaurant, friendly service and a clean, elegant vibe. Tried the fried cod with potatoes, it was a little too fishy for my taste, but the gin & tonic and the Portuguese sausage were tremendous! My buddy had the traditional fish stew, it was also a little on the fishy side. Overall it was still a great meal, would come back and try something different next time. read more

Laurentina serves some of the best "bacalhau" (Portuguese salted cod fish) I've ever had. Maybe the very best. I chuckle when I read some of the negative reviews posted by tourists, complaining that their cod fish is too salty. That's like criticizing pizza for having cheese. Or bemoaning a burger for containing a beef patty. "Bacalhau" is in essence salted cod. It's supposed to be salty! If it's too salty for you, then don't eat Portuguese style "bacalhau." The service was excellent and their steak was very good. But the "bacalhau" is the star, served in a multitude of varieties. And for an appetizer, I highly recommend their "pastéis de bacalhau." read more

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Restaurante Laurentina was near the hotel at which we were staying and we wanted to try something unique to Portuguese cuisine, so we ended up here for dinner. It really was a 5 star meal with wonderfully friendly and attentive service from our waitperson, but the initial wait was rather negative. We went without reservations (popular, so you should put in for them) so when the hostess said a 5 minute wait, that was more than acceptable. The problem was, after our 5 minutes and then some, another couple walked in and announced they didn't have reservations. They chatted up the hostesses and, lo and behold, got seated before we did. After that, several parties came in with reservations, so we ended up having to wait some more (understandable for those with ressies). Our wait ended up being more like 20 to 25 minutes. But, once our waitperson came to our table, he made the evening much better. He was very professional but friendly. He commented on the food we ordered and voiced his approval. He stayed at our table at the end of the meal and chatted a bit; just an all around nice guy! Now, the food. We ordered 3 dishes to share: two starters and a cod dish since they're known for their cod preparation. We had the octopus salad (oh, so good. Tender, delicious rounds and smaller pieces of octopus marinated in olive oil, vinegar and herbs, mixed with green and red bell peppers. So delectable! The second starter was the dish of Lauentina Shrimp, served in a creamy sauce that was delicately seasoned. The shrimp were served whole except for part of the body shell that was taken off; it was very easy to peel the head and tail off before eating. The main dish was one of their specialties; a cauldron of cod, cabbage, chard, and potatoes cooked in a nice sauce. The cod and the veggies were so moist and tender. Had a healthy feel to it because of the load of veggies. Our waitperson served each of us a helping before I could get a picture as it came out from the kitchen. Again, delicious! So, when you're in Lisbon and want some Portuguese cuisine, make a reservation and dine here! read more

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Off the beaten path and away from the old town parts of Lisbon which is a nice departure. Make reservations and they open at 7:00. Cod, cod, cod-the speciality of Portugal is the thing you go here for. Cod prepared many traditional ways in a traditionally designed restaurant. Service was very good, food was delicious and huge portions. I'd probably share the main course next time as neither of us could finish our meal. My only complaint is the food is very salted.... ie. salted cod! That's a personal preference thing as I'm not into too much salt but when in Rome... read more

Restaurante Laurentina - Portuguese Near Me - Lisbon, 11

Hands down an amazing meal. Everything was delicious, the service was outstanding! The restaurant is charming and quiet even with lots of people. The octopus dish was the best I've ever had - tender and perfectly prepared. I will dream about this octopus dish read more

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A wonderful dinner experience, bacalou prepared many ways, and very helpful waiter for suggestions on pairing a wine. Restaurant filled with locals who always know the best places to go for the money read more

i went to Laurentina specifically to have Bacalhau. it was an excellent decision. I asked the waitress for a recommendation of a lo dry white wine, home run. She also made on spot recommendations on accompaniments. The main course was wonderful, but that was my decision. My regret is I am leaving Lisbon in the morning. I would love a repeat. read more

My family and I came here at the recc of our uber driver and was very happy with our experience. With cod being the staple food of Portugal, we made sure to have the salt cod fritters/croquettes, and traditional sliced cod along with grilled octopus and shrimp moqueca. Having been in Portugal for a week, we ate MANY cod fritters from diff restaurants and the ones here were flavorful and light for a fried food. The octopus was tender and the shrimp moqueca stew was hearty. 4/5 because they brought out olives, bread and 6 fritters (charged by the piece) before we even ordered. Turns out in Portugal they charge for bread and olives. You have to say no if you don't want them to avoid being charged. read more

Fantastic but a little weird at the start. We showed up on the earlier side of Portugese dinner time and waited along with 2 or 3 other parties near the bar area. A host came one by one and seated the parties with 5 minutes or so in between. I figured they were busy already since this is apparently THE most famous bachalau place in Portugal. However, once we got in, the place was still mostly empty. Not sure what the big show was about making us wait. It was good we got there early though since the place did fill up pretty fast. The menu had at least half dozen different preparations of bachalau. We chose a grilled one that came with potatoes and a huge helping of broccoli rabe. NOTE: menu lists 1/2 portion and full portion. The full is meant for TWO people to share family style. It was seriously 1 1/2ish pounds of fish! read more

Restaurante Laurentina - Portuguese Near Me - Lisbon, 11

This is THE place to go for Bacalhau à Brás. Being it my first time in Lisbon, this opened my eyes to Portuguese dishes. It was so delicious we had to go once more before leaving Lisbon. It is so addicting! The dish was enough to share with 2 people. The ambience of the place was very romantic and elegant, perfect to enjoy your meal and wine! read more

Restaurante Laurentina - Bacalhau à Brás and Shrimps for appetizer - Portuguese Near Me - Lisbon, 11

Very pretentious to be a fine restaurant, but we had a poor service . They bring some appetizers without asking and later it was on the bill. Otherwise, restaurant was full, maybe it wasn't for us read more

If you want to try Portugal's famous salted cod, this is the place to go! So much cod is on the menu and there's something for everyone. I ordered the stacked potato, spinach, cod dish and my husband ordered the cod with cabbage and potato. Note that the 1/2 portion and full portion on the menu is really: portion for 1 person, portion for 2 people. My husband got the cod for two and it was... a LOT of cod. The kitchen congratulated him for finishing. We did end the night with the house cream brûlée which was good. Looks like they used to have fado music but not any more. read more

Restaurante Laurentina - Two portions of salted cod - Portuguese Near Me - Lisbon, 11

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A friend and I stopped by Laurentina for an impromptu dinner. We didn't have a reservation, but they squeezed us in really quick. The service was incredible and the food was just plain bananas. We had the Bacalhau (because you must!). It was absolutely delicious. And given how nice the meal was, the price was astoundingly low. read more

Restaurante Laurentina - Dining area - Portuguese Near Me - Lisbon, 11

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Our Bolt driver who grew up in Lisbon suggested this restaurant. And the restaurant did not disappoint. It's menu is full of cod fish - Bacalhau - dishes. Fish probably came right off the North Atlantic. It tasted fresh. Everything was good. Kids loved the cod fish pancakes. And the samosas! Service was great and ambience was fantastic. We were riding the Bolt from Jerónimos Monastery towards our hotel near the airport and this hotel was on the way. So it was perfect. We called in to reserve. They open at 7pm. There were people that lined up prior to 7. So I'm glad we reserved. They had an English menu on our table even before we were seated. Nice experience! read more

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We came after a long day of sightseeing to have a nice seafood dinner. Decor and presentation at this restaurant was spectacular. They seem to specialize in Codfish dishes and we probably were to unfamiliar with their dishes to order something amazing. Good wine selection and great ambience. read more

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this restaurant was recommended by my Uber driver - the food was mediocre and so was the service.

This was the best meal we had in Lisbon and that is really saying some thing, because there was an amazing range of food there. Bacalhau house specialties we still dream of years later and oceans away. Very affordable for the amazing quality. read more

I made reservations via The Fork about a month in advance and we were seated right away when we arrived. A lot of the tables had "Reserved" signs on them, so I highly recommend making a reservation if you can. When you sit down, they put down cod croquettes and bread. These are not free and you will have to pay for them. I didn't mind paying, as I had planned to order them anyways. BUT I would've liked the option of ordering them - not them just plopping them on the table. We had the grilled octopus, grilled sardines, and a cod dish. The cod dish was SO salty and we didn't finish it. The octopus was one of the best things I ate this entire trip. The sardines were also very good. Service was very odd. We had one waiter who took our orders, and then several other ones who came by to drop off dishes, take dessert orders, give us our check, etc. I had no idea who our "real" waiter was? It also took 3 separate attempts to get the check. You'd think they would want us out so they could give the table to someone else? The food was so good though. We still think about that grilled octopus! read more

The sign outside says this place is the "King of Cod", and King Cod himself appears on the menu and in an impressive portrait on the way in. The key ingredient, dried salt cod, looks like fish shaped styrofoam, and has been a staple of cuisine here basically forever. It needs no refrigeration, and has to be soaked for days before cooking. The place was packed for dinner, but I got in easily for lunch, and was ready for the king. I ordered the top item on the menu, which the waiter said was the signature dish. After a long wait, it arrived with a large side dish of garlic sautéed greens - spinach and rabe (I think), plus a bunch of roasted potatoes and a hard boiled egg, with a large bowl of garlic infused olive oil on the side. The good news is that there was easily enough for two, the greens and potatoes were done to perfection, The bad news is that I really was not keen on salt cod. It's wicked salty and I needed to mash up the spuds to mix it down. Quite a bit of it went back. I guess coming to Lisbon and not trying it is at least a culinary misdemeanor. So I'm off the hook on that. Great ambience, wine list and good sides, would be a 5. But slow service and the sad fact that I'm not a fan of salt cod would make it a 3. Split the difference and call it a 4. read more

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Very nice place for dinner. They feature many salt cod dishes but have other things as well. We enjoyed the baked cod and spinach. They charge each person at table for bread, butter and olives that are already on table. Water extra as well. Good service. read more

Waiting time to be seated was more than one hour, while others who came in later went first? Wrong whine was served and steak was well done instead of medium. read more

Excellent food, good atmosphere and service. The soup of the day was made of legumes and absolutely delicious!

In the last year that I've been traveling to Lisbon for work this place, Laurentina, O Rei do Bacalhau, has been my preferred choice of restaurant almost every time I'm in Lisbon. From the food to the service and the atmosphere everything is amazing. The staff are professional and attentive from the moment you walk in the door till the time you leave. The atmosphere is welcoming, comfortable and clean. There are 2 levels and both well decorated and spacious. Although I have to say that on my first visit I was skeptical because I tend to find that the best foods I've tasted are found in small, hole in the wall, mom and pop type of restaurants so this was definitely a pleasant surprise. Their signature dishes use "bacalhau" or cod fish but not the fresh cod most know but one that is initially prepared using an ancient salting process to maintain freshness without needing refrigeration. Before being used for coking the cod then of course has to be desalted properly. This process is one that has a staple to the Portuguese gastronomic cuisine for hundreds of years and is one of the reasons the Portuguese are so respected for their cooking. There are also several other dishes that is sure to please any pallet. My most recent eat was an amazingly delicious roasted young goat dish which was out of this world tender and full of flavor! It is served with small roasted potatoes and greens. The sauce in the secret so if you're a sauce person ask for extra on the side so you can bathe your meal. It is amazing! Really everything there is! The food is without a doubt well executed presented. Can't end this review without mentioning service. From the hostesses and wait staff to management you are welcomed with professionalism and attention. If you're lucky enough to go there on a Thursday evening you can opt to do their dinner with entertainment package. With this you get appetizers, main dish served with wine, dessert served with Port (another specialty of the Portuguese culture which is a dessert wine made from very sweet and concentrated grapes) and coffee meanwhile enjoying a live performance of local music called Fado which is a very traditional and soulful music. All this and you only pay 40€ which equivalent to less than $50 US. If you choose this option please make sure to call ahead or go on their site to book a table otherwise you might be out of luck. I do recommend you book ahead any night as they are typically busy every night. Needless to say I highly recommend to anyone who is in the Lisbon area to give this place a try. You will not be disappointed! read more

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This restaurant does all things bacalhau. Diners are greeted with small plates of bread, olives, and bolinho de bacalhau (cod croquettes)- they are NOT complimentary so make sure you tell the server to take them away if you don't plan on eating them. We stuck with the bolinho de bacalhau which were fantastic and perfectly seasoned- probably the highlight of the meal for me. I had the cod and creamed spinach which was a huge portion. The cod was nice and flaky and the cream sauce reminded me of a potato gratin- a little too rich for me. We also ordered the Mozambique stew with prawns. The stew was also rich and aromatic, and flavored with coconut milk. The main courses were delicious, but a little too heavy for me- I couldn't stomach more than a few bites from each plate. Ordering a salad or veggies would help balance the unctuousness of this meal. read more

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Nice ambience, great service. Food was not compatible with my taste buds. Laurentina shrimp appetizers - shrimps were so skinny and had the vein still intact. Shrimp tasted powdery. Mini samosa was good. Cod special - cod felt so dry. Cabbage and potatoes were flavorful. Even the small was a huge portion. With a bottle of wine, food for 2 was under 60 EU. read more

If there is one thing that can sum up Portuguese cuisine, it would have to be that they are the best at cooking their seafood. That being said, this restaurant specializes in codfish (aka bacalhau). I would recommend any codfish dish they have, but particularly their croquettes were one of the best I've ever had. Their tiger shrimp, although pricier, was execellent as well. The best way to describe the taste and texture is almost like a lobster. The wait staff was also very friendly and helpful. I would definitely go here again. read more

This was an excellent meal for our last night in Lisbon! Be sure to make reservations, it is clear they often get booked by larger groups so seating is limited. They call themselves the King of Cod and they are absolutely right! We started with the cod cakes and some green wine, and they brought out a variety of bread as well. I had the cod to the brás- it was a HUGE serving, I could barely finish half of it! Definitely something that could be shared. My friend had the cod with corn bread and loved it as well- this dish was much smaller and sweeter. read more

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We were looking for something to eat for dinner around our hotel and also wanted to try Portugal's signature bacalhau cod fish and this restaurant didn't disappoint. Good food and attentive service. The restaurant's specialty is the cod fish, and they have an extensive selection of different types of taste and cooking of the cod fish that you can choose from (and mostly locals there so you know it's authentic). Heads up warning though, this is a some what a fine dining restaurant. So do expect to have a slow pace meal. Also do make reservation ahead of time as they do get very busy for dinner even on a weekday. We got there around 7:30pm on a Wednesday night, didn't know to make reservations, waited until 8ish before getting seated. We didn't finish until 10:30pm (not because we were slow eaters, just the dishes took a verrrrry long time to come out). The restaurant has two levels (upstairs and basement seating). Beautifully decorated interior setting that feels very nice and cozy. The ambiance of the restaurant was nice. Although, being the only Asian couple there, we did feel a bit uncomfortable at times when some of the other guests were staring at us. If you want to try different types of port wine, they have a wide selection as well (red and green). We ordered clams for appetizers, the baked cod with potatoes, bell peppers, eggs and spinach, and the cod stew in the clay pot, all the dishes were delicious. We saw these dishes were pretty popular among the tables near us as well (so I guess we made a good choice!). The fish did not have any fishy smell at all. I was pregnant going through my first trimester so smelling and eating smelly fish was tough for me so I was a bit worried coming here. Although, I didn't have that problem at all since they prepared it very well. The fish just falls right off, flaky, soft and not overcooked. Another cool thing about this restaurant was the server actually serves and plates each dishes for you at the table. They would come out with a dish, and the server would take some of the food from that plate and plate it on the smaller empty plate for everyone at your table. Once he finishes serving everyone at the table with the dish, then he puts it down (if there's still some food left). Our server was engaging and even did a olive oil drizzle dance on our fish and some fancy plating for us. The service experience was very nice and fun. Although, the pace of the meal was a bit too slow for us (maybe we were tired and wanted to go back to sleep sooner after a long day). read more

We tried 3 staters. The fried codfish balls did not have much a taste, but codfish cakes and octopus salads were both very delicious. As main courses, we ordered 3 different codfish dishes, 2 of which turned out to be extremely salty. The services were quite good though. read more

I asked my Portuguese friend for 'the best bacalhau com natas' for my second visit in Lisbon. He found here and made a reservation. He is right! Creamy and lots of bacalhau came in a shizzling plate. Each three of us ordered one dish, it was a lot of food but very delicious. Maybe we should have left some space in our stomach so that we could have had sweets too. We shared a cream with cookie powder(forgot the Portuguese name), it was lovely. A bit away from centre, but totally worth it. I recommend for not only visitors but also to locals. Enjoy traditional bacalhau dishes! read more

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Wow! This place blew my socks off. I came for lunch because it was a short walk from the Sheraton (0.5miles) and I left eating some marvelous cod, which is what they are known for (bacalhau). Fair warning, the fish can be a tad salty but portion sizes were huge. Honestly, a 1/2 serving could feed two people. Nevertheless, house table wine was only $3 and the service was impeccable. It doesn't look much from the street but the indoor seating is very emblematic of Lisbon, including tiny models of the trams you see on the hills. Very impressed! read more

Wow pushed me for a tip because I was America! The cod fish was not very good but looks nice in pictures If this is the king of Cod the i will have sardines! read more

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