Can someone recommend a good restaurant to eat and listen to fado music in Lisbon? My research thus far is showing a lot of disgruntled tourists :(.
Posted by
Toronto, Canada
415 posts
I may be shooting myself in the foot by doing this, but there is a place called The Little Wine Bar in Lisbon in the Chiado/Bairro Alto neighbourhood which currently has fado on Friday and Sunday evenings. It only has 14 seats, so it is very intimate and it has fado because the owner has a personal interest in it.
I love this place, but because it is so small, I hope that this posting doesn't mean it gets overrun with people. On the other hand, it's only been open 5 months and I want the owner to succeed.
There is no charge for fado. You can go in and just have a glass of wine or a beer. But I recommend eating there as well. There is some good food there as well as an extensive wine list. The food is supposedly small plates, but it's Portugal so the portions are a decent size.
The address is Calcada do Duque 39A. This is a staircase street that runs off of the plaza in front of the Sao Roc Church. If you blink, you will miss the place.
If you do go, please respect the fadista and the musicians by being silent and enjoying the music while they are performing. It is a performance and not background music. Each set is only 3 songs, so there is nice balance of music and break periods.
Posted by
127 posts
If you are interested in fado, I recommend starting with a visit to the fado museum. This small museum provides an excellent introduction to this unique musical form, and the staff there can recommend places to hear the music.
I have used the recommendations in Rick's book, and enjoyed the experience. I recommend a smaller place, where you have dinner and fado over three hours or so. I have not seen the reports of rip offs, so I can't comment. To me, spending 30 or 40 Euros on a good dinner and show with three or four musicians is a very good deal. If you like to drink, add another 10 or 15 Euros and have a wonderful evening.
Posted by
Indiana
931 posts
I wish I could recommend one, but we went to Clube de Fado and were not impressed. Overpriced, mediocre food, subpar service and not a great show. Felt like a big tourist trap!