Reviews - Fortaleza da Luz
Reviews
9.3of 10
Ratings and reviews can only be left by guests who have booked with TheFork.
Denise P. • 1 review
September 15, 2025
8.5/10Beautiful view, service was slow to get served but once we the waiter came to the table he was great. Knowledgeable about the wines and menu items and very attentive. The lamb was excellent and the presentation was superb. The oven roasted chicken was very rubbery and I was not able to eat it but then vegetables and potatoes were great!
Fortaleza da Luz • Owner
Dear Denise, Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback and for rating your experience with us. We’re delighted you enjoyed the beautiful view, the attentive service once seated, and that the lamb and presentation met your expectations. We’re sorry, however, that the chicken dish did not live up to the same standard — this is not the impression we want to leave. Please know that if anything is ever wrong with your dish, we would be more than happy to change it immediately for something more to your liking. Your comments will also be shared with the kitchen so we can ensure greater consistency across the menu. We’re glad to see your overall experience was positive, and we hope you’ll give us another opportunity to turn that 8.5 into a full 10 next time. Kind regards, The Fortaleza da Luz Team Once a fortress. Now a feast!
jack s. • 1 review
September 14, 2025
8.5/10The view is worthy every penny
Christine H. • 2 reviews
September 14, 2025
10/10
There is absolutely nothing to dislike about this Sunday Lunch. The food and service is fabulous. The band are just perfect and everything just pulls together for the most perfect Sunday relaxation. Have booked for next week.
Fortaleza da Luz • Owner
Dear Christine, What a joy to read your words — thank you! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the Sunday Lunch so much, from the food and service to the music and the relaxed atmosphere. It’s wonderful to know you’ve already booked for next week — we look forward to welcoming you back for another perfect Sunday by the sea. Kind regards, The Fortaleza da Luz Team Once a fortress. Now a feast
Amelia H. • 5 reviews
September 12, 2025
3/10Booked for 7pm, arrived on time — but apparently, we were invisible. No one took our drinks order until 7:30 (only because I went to the bar myself), and food order? Forget it. The table behind us arrived later and got served before us. By 7:55, after chasing several times, someone finally appeared ready to take our order. Too late. Four women sitting there clearly didn’t matter. We paid for our drinks and walked out. No apology, no “sorry, let us make this right,” not even a complimentary gesture. Absolutely shocking.
Fortaleza da Luz • Owner
Dear Amelia, We are truly sorry to read about your experience. The service you describe — long delays in taking your order, lack of attention compared with other tables, and no apology when you left — falls far short of the standards we set ourselves at Fortaleza da Luz. We want every guest, regardless of the occasion or group, to feel welcomed and valued, and it is clear that we did not achieve this for you. Please accept our sincere apologies. We have shared your comments with the team to ensure this kind of lapse does not happen again. While we regret that you chose to leave, we do hope you might consider giving us another opportunity in the future to show you the true hospitality we are known for. Kind regards, The Fortaleza da Luz Team Once a fortress. Now a feast!
Edward D. • 5 reviews
September 6, 2025
9.5/10Unbelievable view with great food
Fortaleza da Luz • Owner
Dear Edward, Thank you for your kind words! We’re delighted you enjoyed both the food and those unforgettable views — the perfect combination at Fortaleza da Luz. We look forward to welcoming you back soon for another experience by the sea. Kind regards, The Fortaleza da Luz Team Once a fortress. Now a feast!
steve d. • 1 review
August 31, 2025
7/10
Good food but just good not exceptional. Okay if you get the cliff side outside space that everyone instas you are going to feel the vibe but if you get the inland side of the conservatory not so much. Service is efficient but not personable. Nice sunset….
Fortaleza da Luz • Owner
Dear Steve, Thank you for sharing your impressions with us. We’re pleased you enjoyed the food, the service, and of course the sunset over the ocean. We did notice, however, that your written comments felt more positive than the “just good” summary. Every table at Fortaleza da Luz offers a sea view — whether from the terrace, the garden, or the conservatory — and we take great care to ensure that no guest feels they are in a “second-class” spot. Your note about service being efficient but not personable is particularly useful — we want our team not only to serve well but also to connect warmly, and this is an area we will continue to focus on. We hope to welcome you back again soon and turn your “good” into truly “exceptional.” Kind regards, The Fortaleza da Luz Team Once a fortress. Now a feast!
James D. • 13 reviews
September 5, 2025
10/10This was our first visit to Fortaleza. We were very pleased with our visit. The menu had a great variety to choose from, the food served was very beautifully laid out with a variety of tastes and textures. The wine list was very good and we had very good friendly service.
Fortaleza da Luz • Owner
Dear James, Thank you for choosing Fortaleza da Luz for your first visit — we’re so pleased to know you left happy with the experience. It’s wonderful to hear that you enjoyed the variety of the menu, the presentation and flavours of the dishes, the wine list, and the friendly service. We hope this will be the first of many visits, and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Kind regards, The Fortaleza da Luz Team Once a fortress. Now a feast!
Sarah C. • 1 review
September 3, 2025
8.5/10The location is perfect with ocean views. The weather was glorious. The food was delicious and service attentive. A very enjoyable experience.
Fortaleza da Luz • Owner
Dear Sarah, Thank you for such a glowing review — we’re delighted you enjoyed the food, the attentive service, and of course the perfect ocean-side setting with glorious weather. We did notice, however, that your written words shine even brighter than the score you left us! We’ll take that as encouragement to keep striving, and we hope next time we can turn your already very positive experience into a truly perfect one. Kind regards, The Fortaleza da Luz Team Once a fortress. Now a feast!
Jane T. • 1 review
August 24, 2025
10/10Amazing food and spectacular views. Very welcoming for family group
Catia S. • 20 reviews
August 24, 2025
9/10Beautiful patio to watch the sunset and the ocean. Good food and wine selection. Nice ambience and service too.
Michelle B. • 1 review
August 27, 2025
5.5/10
The setting and view were beautiful, and the hostess was very welcoming. My starter arrived quickly and was delicious, so I was hopeful for the rest of the meal. Unfortunately, service went downhill after that. I waited more than 30 minutes for my main course with no one checking on me. When I asked, the server said “you have to tell me when you want your main course, I told you that at the start.” This was not true, he only asked if I wanted my starter first, which I agreed to. Rather than taking accountability, he tried to shift the blame onto me, which I found very disappointing. By then I had been there for over an hour and had to take my main to go. The food was tasty, but portion sizes were small compared to other restaurants in the area. A stunning location with good flavours, but sadly let down by poor service.
Fortaleza da Luz • Owner
Dear Michelle, Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the setting, the view, and your starter. We have reviewed your experience with the waiter involved. Our practice is to ask guests if they are ready for their main course, as some tables prefer a more relaxed pace between starter and main. When you mentioned your appointment, the waiter prioritised your main in the kitchen queue and promptly arranged it as a takeaway as you asked, so you could make your appointment on time. We were pleased to hear you were satisfied at the time. We hope your appointment went well, and we look forward to welcoming you back when you have more time to savour the full Fortaleza da Luz experience. We did manage to give you a table that enjoys a sea view as requested. We take pride in ensuring each guest can enjoy both our cuisine and the atmosphere at a relaxed pace. Kind regards, The Fortaleza da Luz Team Once a fortress. Now a feast.
Caty M. • 1 review
August 8, 2025
10/10Excellent food and staff. Highly recommend!
Cheryl C. • 2 reviews
August 10, 2025
10/10
We booked for a couples meal as my husband & I were celebrating our anniversary and we were not disappointed. Seated with an amazing view and the food was absolutely unreal!! Beautifully presented and the most delicious flavours. We have wanted to try this place for a number of years and had been put off by negative reviews but honestly wish we’d have come sooner. We will be back! Thank you 😍
Tonia M. • 1 review
August 2, 2025
10/10The staff was amazing and the food was incredible! I definitely would go back.
Denise P. • 1 review
August 10, 2025
10/10Amazing views, wonderful beautifully presented delicious food and perfect wait staff. Wonderful meal!
Paula B. • 2 reviews
August 2, 2025
10/10
Lovely setting , great service , wonder selection of food with a nice big menu. The food came out displayed lovely . The taste and flavours were Devine -
Helena C. • 1 review
August 4, 2025
10/10We come here every time we visit the Algarve, and somehow it gets better and better. The food was stunning today, incredible service - super friendly and professional, we felt really well looked after and ate like Kings. Thank you once again to everyone at Fortaleza - we'll be back! :)
Tim K. • 1 review
August 1, 2025
10/10From the minute you arrive, the experience begins your greeted by a friendly, helpful hostess. There isn't a bad table at this restaurant. Everyone works at making your dining experience incredible from the way they serve you, making sure all your needs are taken care of. The food from the starters, salad and main course will leave you wanting to come back tomorrow. Big thank you to Henry and Jeff for making our evening unforgettable ♥️. Make sure to book your reservation early.
Niebel A. • 1 review
July 24, 2025
7.5/10It took the Service 15 minutes to gice us a seat even all tables were empty...
Linda B. • 2 reviews
July 30, 2025
9/10The location is amazing, and the service perfect, specially Chris and the nice guy ,Dutch I guess both they really made our afternoon special.. together with the view. But than there was a guy who came with the bill, we didn’t saw him before at the table , he kept on telling us 3 times that the tip was not included (we where still busy to get the tip together in cash) he was only busy with the tip and didn’t even hand out the multi banco machine till we had the tip ready… that was really annoying and not necessary as we always tip… that was really a minus point !
Olena N. • 1 review
July 14, 2025
5/10For our taste disches were just horrible and strange tastes of all you can ever imagine. I have still pain in my stomach the next day… The waiters are very inattentive….. table samples were not served, were not replaced.. even sour juices for children (
Laura H. • 1 review
July 11, 2025
10/10Would highly recommend, everything was excellent and had good choice for a very fussy vegetarian 😊
Karen K. • 2 reviews
July 10, 2025
10/10Such a lovely setting with good food and good service
Rui T. • 3 reviews
July 6, 2025
9.5/10
Very beautiful setting - spectacular views!
Edith P. • 1 review
June 27, 2025
10/10Gorg service gorg food beautiful view made my friends birthday the best ever xx
Fernando L. • 7 reviews
June 20, 2025
6.5/10
On an important date like my fiancée's birthday, I wanted to provide a special moment, so I chosed the Fortaleza da Luz restaurant, due to its reputation and privileged location. I made the reservation two days in advance and mentioned on the reservation form that a well-positioned table with a good view of the sea should be reserved, as it would be the celebration of a very special day. When we arrived, the waiter gave us a table in the center, without a sea view. I mentioned to the waiter that the table did not correspond at all to the reservation, and her answer was that they already had other reservations. But one of the well-located tables remained empty all the time we were in the restaurant. We didn't understand this situation. We also wanted to evaluate the possibility of holding our wedding in this place, but after this situation, it was completely out of the question.
Anastasiia V. • 6 reviews
June 20, 2025
9.5/10
Food was great and the staff was friendly. But it was very windy and our glasses were blown away and broken… but the waitress brought us 2 other full glasses of wine as a complement from the bar.
Karen K. • 2 reviews
June 16, 2025
9/10The views are amazing and great service
Rachel P. • 4 reviews
June 18, 2025
10/10The setting was beautiful, the food was great, and the service was very nice. We had an excellent experience.
Alexa D. • 1 review
June 16, 2025
10/10
This was one of our favorite dinners, from the views and ambiance to the food and staff. Everything was amazing. I would 100 percent recommend and recommend making a reservation! They were a popular place to visit
Carlee Logue B. • 1 review
June 12, 2025
10/10Best meal, presentation 10/10
David K. • 1 review
June 9, 2025
10/10
The food was delicious and beautifully presented. The staff were attentive but not overly
NEIL M. • 1 review
June 4, 2025
10/10Great service from all the staff, food was beautiful and the setting of the restaurant is spectacular
Shaun H. • 1 review
May 25, 2025
10/10The food and service was excellent! Would definitely recommend and will be visiting again soon.
Jean L. • 3 reviews
May 17, 2025
5/10Lamb rack smothered in grain mustard. Meat spoiled by poor cooking. Fiddly presentation with too many tasteless small veg bits Very poor value. No cooking skill.
Deborah B. • 1 review
April 20, 2025
10/10
We hadn’t been to Fortaleza for over 25 years. We had family coming over for Easter and we thought they would like the setting of the restaurant. We weren’t sure of the menu but took a chance. How happy we were that we did! The menu was terrific. A nod to Portuguese food, excellent quality fish and meat and the presentation was magnificent. Service by our waitress was just the right side of attentiveness. Will definitely recommend it to family and friends .
Julie N. • 2 reviews
March 30, 2025
10/10Wonderful food Friendly staff Great view Sunny day Perfect!!!
JOHANNA H. • 1 review
March 23, 2025
10/10The food is authentic Portuguese. The staff were attentive. The views are spectacular.
Mark L. • 6 reviews
March 22, 2025
10/10Always the setting and view, so captivating. We try to go weekly while here in Praia da Luz. The owner and staff are so attentive, friendly and professional. Today we were introduced to a lovely vinho blanco by the owner, an Alentejo region vinho blanco, Esporao, to accompany our tiger prawns, We’ve tried everything here at Fortaleza and, while we have our favorites, one cant go wrong with any of the offerings both starters (Entradas) and Main courses (Plato’s principais). Our favorite Couvert item are the smoked salmon rillettes. Treat yourself to Fortaleza da Luz.
Erich C. • 1 review
March 16, 2025
9.5/10Good Food. Nice Location. 1A Service
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