Los Chiringuitos - Espinho

While we had a good meal, the evening was spoiled by providing pre meal snacks which were then added to the cost even though we were not advised this would be the case. We were presented a plate of prawns in a way that suggested they were complementary. Which came as a shock when they had been added to the bill. And they were charged at almost the cost of one of our main courses. To add insult the owner blamed us for eating them and implied we were at fault in eating them, as if we had left them we would not have been charged. Hm. Not a place we will return to. We will not go back.

The main course of rice with seafood was excellent. It took a while for it to be prepared, of course. But when it came it was apparent that no shortcuts had been taken. It could have had a bit more crab in it. However I was thankful, as most restaurants won't go to the trouble of making a one person serving of this dish. The outdoor seating allows one to watch people ambling along on the beachfront promenade. However, you can't actually see with the beach or the ocean as there is a wall blocking the view. (I suspect all of the restaurants along the beach with outdoor seating must share this same limitation. However the restaurant does have an upstairs dining room, which would have an unobstructed ocean view. The price was reasonable at 13 euros for the main dish, and another 9 euros for a bottle of the reasonable enough brand of vinho verde which the restaurant recommends.

What a fantastic meal we had here. Family of five, range of fish dishes, cod, mackerel and squid. Really fresh and fantastic flavour. And all with the sound if the ocean waves on the shore. Very friendly and helpful service. And excellent value.

Central, clean and recommended by a Portuguese friend. The food is OK and not too expensive but the quality suggested a degree of reliance on the freezer. The service is good but not warm. 'Shoe rack ' appears on the English menu our detective work suggests it may be crab.

You are spoilt for choice in Espinho if fish or shellfish is your favourite. This venue stood out in a row of similarly laid out restaurants as it was clearly popular with local people (always a good litmus test). My wife and I were visiting with two other friends, both of whom have run their own restaurants for 25 years. I have an allergy to mussels, so it was very important to check what was in the various dishes before ordering. I opted for the fish stew after checking ingredients and the full sized portion was huge. My wife had the gambas and the others chose grilled sardines and skewered prawns. We chose the house wine to accompany the dishes. Two salads were also ordered which were substantial. All the main dishes were delicious and perfectly cooked, The waiter reaffirmed that my dish had no mussels as he served it with no prompting from anyone on our table. Their attention to detail was very good. There's a friendly atmosphere in the place and the toilets were spotlessly clean and accessible. Meals like this would be regarded as an occasional expensive treat back at home in England, but the Portuguese prices are still affordable by most European standards. The restaurant, like so many others on the strip, offers inside and outside dining with a view of the beach and sea outside. Perfect for sunsets on a good night. A lovely night with dear friends made even better by the experience offered at O Quim da Granja, hence the 5 star rating.