We will be shortly arriving in Carvoeiro for two weeks of glorious sunshine and relaxation. On the day we arrive, between travelling and settling in, I'm not sure what time we would be going to dinner. My question is do you need a dinner reservation every night in Carvoeiro and are there restaurants where you don't need a reservation and more importantly are they any good?

I would say that it is a safe bet you will find good restaurants where you won't need to reserve simply because it is not that full down here yet.

Have a look at http://www.eatalgarve.com/ for recomendadtions or visit the restaurant review section a bit further down the forum.

There must be places that are SO good that you would be missing a real experience and that a reservation is necessary but when on holiday the last thing I want is to be tied to timetables ( we have enough of this at home ).
There is plenty of choice and anywhere that is empty mid evening at this time of year can,t be any good anyway.
Just go with the flow.

In 6 years of visits we have always managed to get a table.
Although obviously harder for large groups.

It always amuses us that some places will ask if you have a reservation when they are obviously only half full. illusions of grandeur ?

I always book the restaurant under my apartment (Marisqueira) for evening meals as they do get full most evenings. Also book Maximes if I definitely want to eat there as they are sometimes full - same with Ele and Ela. If I am not fussed (i.e it is usually on the last night when i want to eat somewhere nice) then I will take pot luck.

If there are more than 6 of you though, I would be tempted to book.

EMM wrote:There must be places that are SO good that you would be missing a real experience and that a reservation is necessary but when on holiday the last thing I want is to be tied to timetables ( we have enough of this at home ).
There is plenty of choice and anywhere that is empty mid evening at this time of year can,t be any good anyway.
Just go with the flow.

In 6 years of visits we have always managed to get a table.
Although obviously harder for large groups.

It always amuses us that some places will ask if you have a reservation when they are obviously only half full. illusions of grandeur ?

Billant, thanks for your help, I just the impression from some of the threads that a reservation was necessary. This was slightly worrying me as we've never made reservations before on holiday, usually like to go the flow of the the day.

I assume Bella Vista is the obvious exception though?

btw - EMM - restaurants ask if you had a reservation so that they know whether the tables that have been reserved have been taken. How else are they to know whether you have reserved the table unless they ask you? !!!!! Appalling English (apologies) but you know what I mean!

fmm wrote:I always book the restaurant under my apartment (Marisqueira) for evening meals as they do get full most evenings. Also book Maximes if I definitely want to eat there as they are sometimes full - same with Ele and Ela. If I am not fussed (i.e it is usually on the last night when i want to eat somewhere nice) then I will take pot luck.

If there are more than 6 of you though, I would be tempted to book.

Hi,

I agree - Marisqueira gets full by half past seven - we usually got there by seven when it was not too crowded - but being frequent guests we had a booked table anyway ... for other restaurants: at this time of the year you can easily find a table

Cheers, Burkhard.

You always have to book for Happy's.