Pao!

Cream of shrimp soup appetizer was a meal in itself -- ample, FULL bodied, and smoooooooth. ahhh.... Friendly, open, knowledgeable waitstaff. Tres cool location away from the maddening crowds and congested streets. The bacalau? Like butter! Accompanied by a watercress salad and string fried potatoes. Perfect! My wife, son, and I were celebrating my wife's birthday a day earlier because of Hurricane Irene so the vibe was super mellow, happy, and with a hint of adventurousness. Fab experience! We will return! more

It's a wonderful experience when you can find a spot that makes you feel at home, where the food is... more

It's a wonderful experience when you can find a spot that makes you feel at home, where the food is delicious, and the owner and staff make you fee... more

I've been here and it's good. The Bife a Marrare Com Porto is delicious. Other things, like their octopus appetizer, and scrimps are tasty and fresh. The only problem with this restaurant is that there are a lot of people who come here, so after work hours is not the best idea, nor on a friday night, where people try to impress their dates with their subjective ideas of what a great restaurant is.\r \r Try it out, it's definitely worth checking out. Seafood is great, as well as their other dishes, and the atmosphere is heavenly. If you go during the work week before the lunch rush, it's great. Nice personable servers (for the most part), and it's definitely a great place to eat.\r Pros: staff,seafood,ambiance more

I took my boyfriend to this place for his birthday: I read the reviews and was excited b/c the reviews were excellent. But the food was just ok, the atmosphere was just OK too, we sat right by the kitchen, the staff was polite but not outrageously personable. It was also really dark we had a hard time reading the menu. =] will I recommend it to somebody: no. Very average Pros: nice location Cons: too dark, food just ok more

I recently stumbled upon this place for a friend's birthday celebration. It is cozy with a classic european kind of feel. The staff was friendly and attentive. I had the octopus to start, which was great. I followed up with some delicious snapper. The chocolate cake was the best i've had in ages. If you're looking for a crazy scene, this probably isn't the place for you, but for a mellow or romantic dinner with truly tasty food, definitely check out pao. Pros: Kind staff, cozy ambiance, great food more

Low key, friendly, and good for the soul. Even better, the food and service are excellent. Ambiance clearly rustic, makes you want to stick around. Wait staff will be honest and steer you right through the menu. Listen up! Pros: Service, Food, Ambience Cons: Music sometines loud more

Expensive, considering I don't find Portuguese food all that exciting. But a very a nice meal. more

Expensive, considering I don't find Portuguese food all that exciting. But a very a nice meal. more

I went here with a few girlfriends last Friday night. I just started working in the neighborhood and thought I'd like to get to know some ot the local spots in this charming area of Soho.\r I was first taken aback when we were seated at the table next to the bar. If you sit next to the wall, you have to look directly into the bar's interior. Not the best view looking at the glasses, bottles, sink, etc. Also, nice but very loud man (owner, manager) shouted into his phone 2 feet from us for about 10 minutes. Overall,, the atmosphere was lovely and the lighting nice, but you enjoy little of this from this table. \r \r The waiter was very friendly and sweet. And then the food came... I tried the soup special. Super salty broth with a few mushrooms. The bacalao was possibly of the frozen variety that they had heated up in a microwave. There is no way it was fresh. \r \r I wish I could have liked this place but there isn't much to bring me back. I plan on trying some of the other places like Giorgione and Pinxtos and will NOT be coming back here. I resent paying for anything of poor quality esp. with so many other amazing choices in NY Pros: If seated at a table by the window, I only imagine that the ambience is lovely. Cons: Poor food, poor seating more

I've been here twice now: once on a lazy summer day and once on a Thursday night dinner. It's a small quiet place with a few diners both times I've been. The caipirinhas are so good that I can't have them anywhere else in the city. Service is excellent as the place is small. Everything from drinks to soup to their seafood is solid. Their chocolate souffle special is to die for. Pros: Caipirinhas more

You should definitely try this place. Where else can you get Portuguese food in a refined but relaxed atmosphere? The food was pretty good, generally the meat dishes are better as tempting as the seafood dishes sound. But the food was so salty the last time I went I haven't gone back. Some places aren't that great sauciers, you know? They try to make up for something lacking with too much salt. more

It was easier to get into than the place next door. The food was good, and the service was great. more

Such a great place to enjoy a quiet lunch -- they're not that busy, they have 2 walls of windows so it's nice & bright, the waiter is friendly & laid-back &, as a Portuguese person, I can tell you the food is authentically delicious. more

A nice relaxing dinner if the resturant is not crowded - go on weeknights. Waiter was Portuguese - a good sign, but he didn't really know what he was doing (in a very friendly sort of way). Probably a great place to be a regular. The wine he recommended was good. We were happier with the red meat than with the seafood, but it could have been an off-night. The whole place has a friendly familiar vibe which helps to overlook any negatives and provides an oasis from many other establishments in the area. Pros: food, friendly service, wine Cons: cramped, the shrimp more

I brought my portuguese boyfriend here when he was visiting from Toronto and Pao blew us both away. The ambience and the quality of the service were perfect, but the food was amazing. I loved that we did not feel rushed through each course and the staff was super-friendly and attentive. My boyfriend was thrilled with the food and swore it tasted exactly like the food his grandmother from Portugal cooks. I completely recommend this restaurant for anyone who wants a romantic meal and authentic portuguese cuisine. Pros: food, service, setting more

I have been many times without a disappointment. The Stone Soup is excellent as are most of the seafood options. Don't miss the Acorda..... Pros: Honest food, good date spot, strong drinks more

went to Pao last night early and the service was great since it was not crowded in the least we arrived at 8:30 and were out by 9:30...cream of asparagus soup was yummy, and the shrimp turnovers were delicious.....the steak in port sauce was really fine and went great with the sourgrape wine which was a winning recommendation from the waitress. The atmosphere is very old world, white linens and candles, very relaxing however the music being played was a cheesey mix complete with ""kung fu fighting"" a little bizarre but a nice evening nonetheless Pros: food, ambiance, service very friendly Cons: music more

All I have to say eat before you get there or make sure to take full advantage of the flowerpot full of complementary bread they offer...and don't be ashamed to ask for more during the hour long wait for your entrees..otherwise you'll be sorry. Stingy with portions, very expensive...not worth the hassle and belly ache!!! Pros: tasty food, cute lanterns, nice interior Cons: STINGY, mediocre service more

Everything was scrumptious- I had lamb which, as the waitress described, was so tender it fell off the bone, and my girlfriend's cod fish was really tasty. Everything had a meditteranean feel- the food, the people, the place. Pros: delicious, tasty, yummy Cons: a little cramped more