Mesa de Frades

Katia “Katie” Edward★★★★★★★★★★2.0a week ago

I attended another fado performance just two days before coming here, and I expected this one to be even better, especially as it takes place in a historic old chapel. Unfortunately, it was a very disappointing experience. The venue itself has real potential, but there seemed to be very little effort to create a special or memorable atmosphere. For a place with such a unique setting, I expected much more care in the presentation and overall experience. What made it more disappointing was that this show was much more expensive than the other fado performances I attended, where the organisers clearly made an effort to create something truly beautiful. Those experiences felt almost beyond amazing, with much better food, a warmer atmosphere, and a price that felt justified. Here, however, the food was barely edible, the atmosphere felt flat, and the whole experience did not match the price at all. Sadly, I left feeling that the historic chapel was the only impressive part of the evening.

Michelle M★★★★★★★★★★3.02 months ago

A beautiful place to watch Fado in Portugal. I came here because my hotel had made reservations for me. Located in Alfama, where fado was supposedly born, I got to go this restaurant. The reason for my rating is that it was kind of expensive. I know I was alone eating by myself but i had to keep asking for simple things like water, or a drink compared to the rest of the people that had groups. I wasn’t even offered a glass of port or a refill on my alcohol. I highly enjoyed the singers and music. They played a good amount of sets. The food: appetizers and entree were good. However, was disappointed in the dessert choices. I asked for a banana and caramel thing. However, it literally was just a piece of banana. This place was alright, just pretty pricey.

Amber C★★★★★★★★★★5.03 months ago

I’m honestly really surprised by some of the bad reviews here. I had such a great experience. The steak I ordered was delicious — tender and cooked perfectly. For €60 you get appetizers, an entrée, dessert, and the entire Fado show, which I think is a really great deal. The singing was AMAZING. Truly beautiful and emotional — it felt like such an authentic experience and the atmosphere in the restaurant during the performances was incredible. All of the employees were extremely attentive and clearly wanted to make sure everyone was having a good time. The service felt warm and welcoming the whole night. Of course the food isn’t Michelin-star level, but some reviews made it sound like it was terrible, which just isn’t true. The food was genuinely good, and when you combine it with the live Fado performance and the overall experience, it was absolutely worth it. I would definitely recommend this place if you want a traditional Fado night in Lisbon.

Sarah Frendo★★★★★★★★★★5.02 months ago

Mesa de Frades is a truly magical place to experience authentic fado in Lisbon. The intimate setting, inside a former chapel, creates a unique and emotional atmosphere that makes every performance unforgettable. The singers are incredibly talented, delivering powerful and heartfelt interpretations that give you chills. The service is warm and welcoming, and the overall experience feels genuine rather than overly touristy. A lovely personal touch: the table next to me even offered me a piece of their birthday cake, everyone was so kind and made the evening feel even more special.

Erik Gyarmati★★★★★★★★★★5.03 months ago

The experience is really 3 hours long, a lot of which is listening to the music. The size of the food was more than enough, and it was surprisingly high quality as well. The singers and musician are more that professional, the performances were very moving. They are also very friendly and welcoming, I even got to have a chat with one of the singers, who told me a bit about the local fado culture and history. The venue is really magical too, which adds a lot to the experience. I would 100% recommend it