A few days ago my dear friend V and I went for dinner at a nice restaurant we were both eager to go! Izakaya in my hometown As we went into the dining room, the environment immediately caught our attention. Loud music in an authentic Japanese tavern! A kind of rap that really suited it well. Great playlist by the way! The nice staff welcomed us with the warmest smile and It began to add up points. The restaurant itself is small, so no tables but a fantastic counter! Best option for this concept which in my opinion makes much sense because it gives you the feeling of being part of the action. You feel the vibes, you connect with the staff, you get immersed into the scenario and you just want the adventure to continue! After the welcome, the lovely staff gave us options for drinks and helped us with the menu. The drinks seemed different and I went with whiskey sour which is a whiskey-based drink with lemon juice, egg white foam and syrup - I must say a bit of a daring choice for me btw). V stayed loyal to her red wine which is always a good option! But as she said, after trying a sip of this curious drink, whiskey sour, was no doubt, the best option. With drinks chosen, we were ready to order! It was an easy task as we are both curious gals and we are open to new experiences. So we decided on the following dishes to share: - Oysters Ponzu with wild salmon roe and lemon kosho sauce. As oyster lovers, this first option did not disappoint us and we were just at the beginning of a fantastic gastronomic journey. - Yaki Ika is a fresh squid grilled, served with miso beurre monté, red vinegar and lime. I was impressed with the delicate and charming curves of the squid. It was absolutely the sexiest squid I have ever seen and tasted. When in contact with the palate, it melted in the mouth leaving all the flavours free.... You just want to kneel and pray for more. - Nasu dengaku is an elegant eggplant slightly grilled, then gratinated in the oven with miso sauce, onion and sesame seeds that makes your life easier by melting in the mouth in the smoothest way. - Toro Yokke Chirashi served in a poke bowl with cured egg yolk on the top, chopped chives, tuna tartar, wild salmon roe and rice. Then you mixed all the ingredients and this time soft flavours contrast the previous dishes! In one sentence “your cardiac rhythm slows down until the Chef suggested a last dish to finish, a sweet course!” - The Miroku sen-ko - is a milk based wet cake dessert with meringue and sansho pepper that literally melts down leaving a soft taste of silk in the mouth. You just can't believe how gentle a dessert can be. Definitely a place where happiness happens for those who truly appreciate the simple things in life! Food and friends are the perfect match, no doubt about that!

My favourite meal in Portugal. Absolutely everything is amazing from the knowledge of the staff to the incredible food prepared right in front of you. I ended up asking the chef what else I had to order because everything I tasted was so good. Could not recommend enough!

The izakaya vibe I expected and gotten! Food was delicious, the atmosphere was just chaotic enough (in a very good way) for us to enjoy the food, music and fun conversation exchange with the staff over the counter. Excited to be back again to try out more things on the menu!

An amazing place in the heart of Cascais. Staff and atmosphere were great and every single member of staff was a pleasure to talk to and were all keen to help and advise on what to have next .... food was some of the best I've ever had. Would happily give 6 stars if I could!

I live in NYC, have been to multiple Michelin star Izakayas and the chicken heart here (Hatsu) is the best I’ve had. Hands down. They must have special chickens or feed them something that makes the chicken heart absolutely delicious. I could have easily eaten 5 skewers of just that on my own. I also got the chicken and scallion (Negima) and they were very generous with the meat. I personally like more scallion than meat but I think the average customer would appreciate their meat to scallion ratio. The ponzu oysters are great too! The staff are super friendly and attentive as well! The only improvement would be the by glass sake collection. Though understandably Portugal is a long ways from Japan so didn’t knock a star for this.

Nothing about this place is bad but everything could be better, with the exception of the yakitori skewers (chicken, asparagus) which were excellent. The katsusando meat needs to be seasoned - it was overpowered by the excessive slaw. The eggplant was wonderfully cooked but had slightly too much miso paste. Just a bit less would have been a perfect dish. The chefs special toro toast was a bit too Portuguese influenced and had conflicting flavors. Ultimately though, it was still a great way to get different cuisine and worth the visit for drinks alone.

Great experience having lunch on a rainy Cascais afternoon. Fantastic uni toro don that made the trip for me and a fantastic scallop special as well. Salivating at their rumoured expansion to Lisbon. Thank you chef Penão and the team.

Found this gem here on Google maps. Decided to take the quick train ride for lunch today. It was totally worth it. I let them serve what they wanted. Excellent choice on my part. Had sea urchin for the first time. Something I will never forget. The dish with the egg you mix with the other ingredients was my fave. If you find yourself in Lisbon or Cascais, I highly recommend a visit!

Very very good place to eat quality food nicely served. You seat at the counter and you'll be served from the chefs! I think size portions are small but very well presented. It's definitely an experience to try!

The interior was nice, staff was super friendly and helpful in explaining the menu. Where it could improve was value for money, the choices were awesome, some plates were really good, but a lot of others not so much. So for me, based on value for money it could improve. Either improve some dishes (like katsusandu) or reduce prices. The sister restaurant kappo was more expensive, but delivered on taste. Another thing, the menuI items were using the Japanese names, which was intimidating and I couldn’t understand anything. The waiters were kind enough to explain it, but with loud music, it was awkward.

This Japanese ‘street food’ bar is a real treat 👌 Fish and oysters are super fresh. Saki and cocktails - delish 🤤 Just stir clear of the Kobe sandwich 🥪 ouch!

I lived in San Francisco for 15 years which has a huge Japanese community and some amazing izakayas. This place is 100% legit and really holds up against some places I miss dearly. The food is awesome, the staff are super friendly and they have a great sake selection. I do believe I am going to be a regular here!

Welcome to a hidden oasis! Nice setting and decor, try to get a place in front of the chef and you won't be disappointed. And the food? Now that's what will bring you back...! Perfect portions to share, since it would be a shame not to do so with such delicious food! Ponzu oysters, yaki ika, yama toro, tori karaage, toro yokke chirashi, yaki tori, unaju... All great!

I love this funky place. The staffs are friendly. We only ordered two plates but they were quite good. Korokke are more like Portuguese croquettes, which are almost entirely made of meat, than Japanese potatoes and onions mixed croquettes.

Amazing food, music and service! Absolutely need to try it if you love the intricate tastes of japanese food; absolutely loved it.

Very authentic place created like a local market experience. Loud, small and engaging. Cocktails is quite unique as well as dishes. Expect an experience here rather than a regular diner. If you like edamame - you will surprised by a new taste. Tonkatsu pork is also very solid. Prices are quite high.

Great and irreverent Japanese experience. There's not one obvious dish served at Izakaya. You should just seat at the bar counter and let them choose for you. The staff was so attentive and charming, the food was amazing and don't leave without trying at least one of the twisty cocktails (the kimchi margarita was sooo spicy good).

What a great experience! Each dish has a special flavor. Delicious. They have good beers too. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly staff.

Amazing food, amazing staff and amazing Chef. Easily became one of my favourite restaurants. Every bite is a true experience. Congratulations!

Amazing Izakaya! Everything is excellent: the cool atmosphere, delicious food, and friendly and knowledgeable staff. I loved the chicken thigh and chicken liver yakitori were the best I have ever had!