Codfish cream
Codfish with cream is repeatedly praised, with one diner highlighting its texture and flavour as the best dish of their week.
Algarve Restaurant
Jumeirah Lake Towers
Algarve Restaurant is a Portuguese restaurant in Jumeirah Lake Towers, with Mediterranean flavours, seafood and grilled dishes. Reviews point first-time diners towards the codfish with cream and bitoque, while the cozy setting and lake views add an easygoing backdrop for lunch or dinner.
Reputation Score
4.7
★★★★★
388 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Portuguese classics
Portuguese diners describe the food as homemade and authentic, especially praising the codfish and bitoque.
Lake setting
The restaurant has a calming lake view, with terrace seating mentioned as a pleasant option for lunch or a date.
Helpful service
Reviews often mention friendly, accommodating staff who help with requests and menu choices.
Catering
A home party for 45 guests received praised catering, including punctual timing, polished presentation and attentive service.
What to Eat at Algarve Restaurant How we choose these items We use AI to find praise and criticism of specific foods and drinks in a selection of Google reviews. For Algarve Restaurant, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. We still have more reviews to analyze, so the scores may change. The score is positive reviews minus negative reviews. For example, two positive reviews and one negative review give +1. Each review counts once per item; neutral comments do not change the score. A zero score is not a positive recommendation. “Only neutral feedback” means there are no positive or negative votes. “Mixed feedback” means equal numbers of positive and negative votes. The quotes are examples of what people said, not every comment we counted. We use different reviews where we can. We normally show up to 10 foods and 5 drinks with non-negative scores. Items with the same score stay together. If a tied group would go past the limit, that group and the lower non-negative scores go into Honorable mentions. If an overflowing positive top tie would leave the list empty, we show up to 10 items from that tie and keep the rest in Honorable mentions. Foods and drinks with a negative score are under What to Avoid. Use this as a guide to what reviewers liked, not a guarantee that you will like it too.
Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of Algarve Restaurant, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
Food 1
-
Bitoque Net +3
“I tried the "bitoque" and the Codfish, both of them amazing!! :)”
Positive 4Negative 1
Review excerpts
“I tried the "bitoque" and the Codfish, both of them amazing!! :)”September 2024
“Really like their Bitoque, asked for Medium, done perfectly!”January 2024
Honorable mentions (14)
-
Cataplana Net +1
“Lovely experience! The food was delicious (the Cataplana was out of this world), beautiful music, and the service was amazing. It is definitely a must if you like traditional Portuguese food! Congratulations to the chef!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Lovely experience! The food was delicious (the Cataplana was out of this world), beautiful music, and the service was amazing. It is definitely a must if you like traditional Portuguese food! Congratulations to the chef!”December 2022
-
Chocolate mouse Net +1
“A must try are the goat cheese & fig on toast to dessert, and of course pastel de nata and chocolate mouse for dessert.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“A must try are the goat cheese & fig on toast to dessert, and of course pastel de nata and chocolate mouse for dessert.”December 2023
-
Feijoada Net +1
“Always yummy food at Algarve in a pretty location by the lake! Today we had bitoque and the dish of the day, feijoada! As a Portuguese family, we are very happy with the authentic flavours at this restaurant!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Always yummy food at Algarve in a pretty location by the lake! Today we had bitoque and the dish of the day, feijoada! As a Portuguese family, we are very happy with the authentic flavours at this restaurant!”February 2024
-
Francesinha Net +1
“Great homemade Francesinha that I had for lunch in a very casual and friendly atmosphere ! This is a typical dish from my home town so I felt close to it”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Great homemade Francesinha that I had for lunch in a very casual and friendly atmosphere ! This is a typical dish from my home town so I felt close to it”October 2023
-
Goat cheese & fig on toast Net +1
“A must try are the goat cheese & fig on toast to dessert, and of course pastel de nata and chocolate mouse for dessert.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“A must try are the goat cheese & fig on toast to dessert, and of course pastel de nata and chocolate mouse for dessert.”December 2023
-
Goat cheese gratin Net +1
“Great tasting portugese food! The octopus was so tender, the goat cheese gratin was good and the leita crema was really yummy! Service was great and the 2 Filipina ladies were helpful and welcoming!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Great tasting portugese food! The octopus was so tender, the goat cheese gratin was good and the leita crema was really yummy! Service was great and the 2 Filipina ladies were helpful and welcoming!”February 2024
-
Goat cheese honey figs starter Net +1
“The goat cheese, honey and figs starter was to die for.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The goat cheese, honey and figs starter was to die for.”September 2022
-
Leita crema Net +1
“Great tasting portugese food! The octopus was so tender, the goat cheese gratin was good and the leita crema was really yummy! Service was great and the 2 Filipina ladies were helpful and welcoming!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Great tasting portugese food! The octopus was so tender, the goat cheese gratin was good and the leita crema was really yummy! Service was great and the 2 Filipina ladies were helpful and welcoming!”February 2024
-
Orange tart treat Net +1
“The orange tart treat at the end is a must-try.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The orange tart treat at the end is a must-try.”September 2022
-
Potato soup w/ kale verde Net +1
“Want to experience the taste of Portugal ? Don’t miss this place ! Potato soup w/ kale verde is a must try .”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Want to experience the taste of Portugal ? Don’t miss this place ! Potato soup w/ kale verde is a must try .”July 2025
-
Sourdough bread Net +1
“The sourdough bread was just perfect.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The sourdough bread was just perfect.”September 2022
-
Fries Net 0
Mixed feedback
“We had chicken, soup, fries, sparkling and still water. Everything was tasty, but keep in mind the servings are tiny.”
Positive 1Negative 1
Review excerpts
“We had chicken, soup, fries, sparkling and still water. Everything was tasty, but keep in mind the servings are tiny.”August 2025
-
Pastel de nata Net 0
Mixed feedback
“A must try are the goat cheese & fig on toast to dessert, and of course pastel de nata and chocolate mouse for dessert.”
Positive 1Negative 1
Review excerpts
“A must try are the goat cheese & fig on toast to dessert, and of course pastel de nata and chocolate mouse for dessert.”December 2023
-
Frango assado Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“Bitoque with an undercooked egg (egg white was all slimy still), frango assado was OK though.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
Drinks 1
-
Orange juice Net +1
“From what I order,Orange juice is the best.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“From what I order,Orange juice is the best.”July 2023
What to Avoid (6)
Food 6
-
Clams Net −1
“The clams are 50% empty shells and horribly salty too.”
Positive 1Negative 2
Critical review excerpts
“The clams are 50% empty shells and horribly salty too.”April 2023
“The clam is mainly with salty and lemon flavor.”July 2023
-
Bife à portuguesa Net −1
“The “Bife à Portuguesa,” which should be a highlight, was served without the egg! We had to remind the staff that this traditional dish is supposed to come with a fried egg on top. Only then did they bring it. For a place that presents itself as a Portuguese restaurant, this is simply unacceptable — especially coming from the kitchen, which allowed an incomplete dish to leave the pass.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The “Bife à Portuguesa,” which should be a highlight, was served without the egg! We had to remind the staff that this traditional dish is supposed to come with a fried egg on top. Only then did they bring it. For a place that presents itself as a Portuguese restaurant, this is simply unacceptable — especially coming from the kitchen, which allowed an incomplete dish to leave the pass.”April 2025
-
Chirozo Net −1
“The chirozo is just plane beef sausages fried with spices. Its NOT chirozo.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The chirozo is just plane beef sausages fried with spices. Its NOT chirozo.”April 2023
-
Garlic prawn Net −1
“The garlic prawn is very disappointed, prawn is not fresh.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The garlic prawn is very disappointed, prawn is not fresh.”July 2023
-
Morzerella salad Net −1
“The bread wasnt fresh, neither was the morzerella salad (cheese was harder than usual), and then the main Peri Peri grilled chicken - felt it was more deep fried than it was grilled.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The bread wasnt fresh, neither was the morzerella salad (cheese was harder than usual), and then the main Peri Peri grilled chicken - felt it was more deep fried than it was grilled.”May 2026
-
Peri peri grilled chicken Net −1
“The bread wasnt fresh, neither was the morzerella salad (cheese was harder than usual), and then the main Peri Peri grilled chicken - felt it was more deep fried than it was grilled. Just not done properly, didn't have any taste.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The bread wasnt fresh, neither was the morzerella salad (cheese was harder than usual), and then the main Peri Peri grilled chicken - felt it was more deep fried than it was grilled. Just not done properly, didn't have any taste.”May 2026
Tips for a Better Visit
Book ahead. Reserve in advance for dinner, as one reviewer says the restaurant gets busy in the evening.
Try lunch. Check the lunch offers first: reviewers reported deals at AED 50 and from AED 55, which may improve value.
Ask recommendations. Ask the team for menu guidance if you are new to Portuguese food; one diner followed staff suggestions and enjoyed the meal.
Use terrace. The terrace is useful for lake views and was described as welcoming to guests bringing dogs.
Check the egg. If ordering Bife à Portuguesa or bitoque, confirm the egg is included and properly cooked before settling in.
Plan the visit
Practical details
building, Lake Terrace Tower - Cluster D
Al Thanyah Fifth - Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM |
| Tue | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM |
| Wed | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM |
| Thu | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM |
| Fri | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM |
| Sat | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM |
| Sun | 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM |
Common Concerns
Small portions
One reviewer found the servings tiny, while another described dishes as small for the price.
Price concerns
Some diners considered the restaurant overpriced, including one who paid almost AED 850 for a disappointing meal.
Inconsistent cooking
A reviewer reported an undercooked egg in the bitoque, while another said the Bife à Portuguesa arrived without its egg.
Washroom issue
One birthday-lunch guest said there was no proper guest washroom and was directed to a service room near the trash area.
Seafood doubts
A few reviews flagged salty clams or prawns that were not fresh, so seafood quality may vary by visit.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Algarve Restaurant is a Portuguese restaurant in Jumeirah Lake Towers, with a Mediterranean-and-seafood angle and grilled dishes in the wider offering. Reviews make it most tempting for codfish with cream, bitoque, tender octopus and potato soup with kale verde. Portuguese diners describe the food as homemade and comforting, while others enjoy the relaxed setting and lake view.
The strongest visits seem to combine food with atmosphere: several reviewers mention a cozy terrace or water view, and evening demand can build, so booking ahead is sensible. Staff are often described as friendly and helpful, including offering menu suggestions. There is also a catering example for a 45-person home party, praised for timing, presentation and service.
Expect some inconsistency. One Portuguese diner found the codfish bland and a Bife à Portuguesa arrived without its fried egg; another reported an undercooked egg in the bitoque. Portion size and value are recurring cautions: one guest called servings tiny, while another paid almost AED 850 and felt disappointed.
A proper guest washroom was also questioned in one review. Lunch deals reported at AED 50 and from AED 55 may make midday the better-value visit, but confirm current terms.