A Taverna image

A Taverna

Restaurant

One of the Worst Reviewed Restaurants in Porto


Address

Praça Ribeira, Porto, Portugal

Website

www.esplanadatavernabar.com

Contact

+351 22 332 1296

Rating on Google Maps

2.00 (713 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Friday: 12:30 to 10:30 pm
  • Saturday: 12:30 to 10:30 pm
  • Sunday: 12:30 to 4 pm, 5 to 10:30 pm
  • Monday: 12:30 to 4 pm, 5 to 10:30 pm
  • Tuesday: 12:30 to 10:30 pm
  • Wednesday: 12:30 to 10:30 pm
  • Thursday: 12:30 to 10:30 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: staff (9) ordered (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 1/5 Tihana V. 2 years ago on Google
    If there was 0 stars I would give it to this "bar", "restaurant" or whatsoever. Just look at this hair on the top of calamari. Not to mention that everything we ordered was from freezer, didn't have any taste and the show that one of the waitresses prepared with sausage was unbelievable. She didn't know how to bake it, cut it, forgot to bring the plate and then yelled at the other waitress to bring her a plate. Extra plus on the end is that they do not receive credit cards only cash. Never again!!!
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 SPICY 2 years ago on Google • 989 reviews
    Please don't expect much for this place. Please come for bottle of wine and beer and enjoy the views and people walking around. We think chicken wings was good but another dishes were not that good. Cocktails here are terrible as well. Service good fast friendly and intuitive.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Dani I. 1 year ago on Google • 129 reviews
    all the staff look so tired and they don't accept any kind of payment cards, only cash payment. the toilet is really dirty and the kitchen looked out the window, also such a mess. I don't recommend eating anything.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Noëlle van K. 1 year ago on Google
    DON'T GO HERE. There was an actual worm in my food!!!!! We were instantly done with dinner and wanted to leave. When my partner told the manager, we were told to just pay for the food (which we obviously didn't). Everyone was super rude and not understanding at all.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Aliénor F. 10 months ago on Google
    How can this place still possibly exist ? This is the worse restaurant I have eaten in my whole life and I travelled a lot. Waiters try their best but the food is absolutely disgusting. We ordered burgers, raw tomatoes, fake reconstructed meat and cold cheese. The colour of the meat was so suspicious we could not eat it. Salads were tasteless and the rest was just frozen food not cooked or disgusting. Please avoid this place, I do think it’s unsanitary and almost dangerous to offer this kind of food. When I asked to speak to a manager nobody showed and the waiter said there were no manager and no chef to cook the food. But we saw a guy standing in the corner looking suspiciously at everything and giving orders. Plus, we refused to pay for the food we could not eat and she told us if we don’t pay, all the money would be taken on the waiter’s salary. And seeing all those waiters a bit lost working their way around. This is such a bad image of Porto, I will do a signal to the town hall or sanitary registrations. Something needs to be done here.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 James G. 9 months ago on Google • 360 reviews
    Great spot for some food and drinks along the water. Food is decent; you come here for the location.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Yas M. 1 year ago on Google
    They get cash to evade taxes. The toilet is very dirty. The price of pizza and food is much more expensive than other places.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Thijn H. 1 year ago on Google
    The problem seems to be the boss here. The waiters are totally stressed to help and when a waiter dropped something the other ones seemed forced to clap in a very sarcastic manner. Besides that there was a guy that clearly had a condition who was selling hats near the restaurant. The boss suddenly threw him on the ground and started to punch him. Other guests came along. Very very weird ambiance. Moreover, the food was definitely taken from the fridge clearly seen when going to the bathroom.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Marlie H. 11 months ago on Google • 30 reviews
    Went for patio drinks and had some fries. The fries and drinks were great, but not sure if I would have ordered anything other than those things. The patio was busy and crowded, and it was nice spot to listen to the street musicians and people watch. The downside of this visit was that a man selling watches and other assorted trinkets would not leave us alone at our table. I ended up flagging one of the waitresses to ask him to leave. More effort should be made so that vendors aren’t bugging restaurant guests. Also-I was horrified by a white woman (a supervisor/manager I assume) completely berating the staff members (mostly black). She was snapping and yelling orders at them. Race may not have been a factor, but she was the only white employee I saw, and whether race was a factor or not, I would never go back to an establishment that allows employees to be treated that way. I sincerely hope she receives some anger management training and a pink slip. All other employees I dealt with were very kind and helpful.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Sophie B. 8 months ago on Google • 14 reviews
    DONT EAT THERE. Like most reviews says its a tourist trap, grab a drink thats fine but please don’t order any food. Pica-pau is hot-dog sausage in gravy with melba toast for 20€ , they are thieves. The staff is mostly happy-going but have no manners at all. This place is a joke.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Rafael E. 1 year ago on Google
    Worst service ever. You cannot separate the employees from the customers as the employees do not wear any uniform or have any identification not to mention walking with their trousers down and working in slippers. Service is time consuming as employees work with headphones on and therefore cannot hear customers calling. The bar is closing and there is no warning we only realised it was closing because we tried to order and were told it was no longer possible. Customers are still sitting enjoying what they have ordered and the staff are already tidying up by closing tables, the sunshades and turning off the lights.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Mirte van L. 1 year ago on Google
    Extremely overpriced. Very bad quality, i think its from the freezer. Terrible service as well. They didn't want to refund a liter of Sangria (30 euros) that did not contain any alcohol. Never go here and save your well deserved money for something well spent.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Bobbie S. 8 months ago on Google • 162 reviews
    Wonderful location! Great veggie burger and fries!! Dining on the river…casual!

  • 5/5 Jessica L. 4 months ago on Google • 39 reviews
    We were shocked to see that this place only had 2 stars. Thank goodness we didn’t see this before stopping here, because we really enjoyed ourselves and the food! Great location and great service. The food was also very tasty!

  • 4/5 Majd K. 9 months ago on Google • 27 reviews
    We knew what we were getting into from reading previous reviews, so we decided to go for a snack instead of a fully fledged meal. It met our expectations quite right. The staff were hospitable and attentive. The atmosphere is just marvelous. Even though it looks like a tourist trap, I would say go with low expectations and you wouldn't be disappointed. If you are looking for lunch or dinner, maybe somewhere else is better.

  • 1/5 Farid Abu S. 4 months ago on Google • 16 reviews
    Meals are so so small, the price is very expensive for these meals. Avoid the place. Just a few minutes walk you will find much better options. And by the way they accept just cash

  • 1/5 Jan-Peter C. 6 months ago on Google
    Nice location, terrible food and service!!

  • 1/5 Louise D. 10 months ago on Google
    Avoid this snack bar. The food is very poor quality, the staff were rude, and if you complain about anything they will laugh at you. Honestly there are hundreds of beautiful spots in Porto, don’t waste your time on this one…you will wish you had gone elsewhere

  • 2/5 Shelby A. 4 months ago on Google • 3 reviews
    The food was really awful. 15€ and I couldn't even eat most of it. It was one of the few places open for dinner that night so I hoped the reviews were over exaggerating....they were not. The serving staff was very nice and helpful, but the food is just not good.

  • 2/5 Luke K. 1 year ago on Google
    Location and view are great. Food is very clearly frozen (pizza could’ve come from any supermarket) and chips/fries were under cooked. Order was wrong when it arrived and three staff members came down with varying degrees of English to tell me what I ordered, all three of them wrong. Service very slow and confusing as to who is taking orders and who is clearing tables. €34 for (store bought) pizza, undercooked fries, 1 coke, 1 cider and 1 small beer. Suffice to say, I won’t be returning, and I do not recommend. Unless you want to sit and have beer or coffee, then perfectly adequate.

  • 1/5 Tara K. 11 months ago on Google
    Awful experience, avoid at all costs. The food was mediocre, over-priced and sad, and they forgot half our order. Staff was nice though. With so many amazing food options nearby, don't waste your time or money.

  • 2/5 Abbey H. 11 months ago on Google
    I would recommend only going here for the drinks, the music, and the people watching. we ordered food and we were disappointed to say the least

  • 3/5 Ivan T. 1 year ago on Google
    Overlooking the river, A Taverna offers plenty of covered seating. Had two ginger ales for €5. Pleasant enough place. Many staff. Slow to order and pay.

  • 4/5 Cyndi Cheng (Cyndi C. 1 year ago on Google
    Got the flavoured sangria - Passionfruit. For the pitcher, it is 25 euros. Although a bit expensive, it is tasty. It’s passion fruit juice combined with a pre made white sangria that’s sparkly. Can’t go wrong. Definitely a tourist trap that’s pricier but it was a good drink with a nice river view.

  • 5/5 Jeffrey P. 2 years ago on Google
    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Great outdoor seating with heaters for when it gets colder. We stopped by for a beverage and some food later at night, was one of the only kitchens open at the time. Food was what one can expect for a high volume pub feel. We even took food to go for an even later night snack.


Call +351 22 332 1296 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Small plates
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Breakfast
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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