Question regarding if this info on the internet is accurate. Are Chinese restaurants speakeasy a real thing or not worth looking into in Lisbon?

12 comments

  1. I think it was a thing some years back, but the whole “secret club” thing is nowadays just for image. I’ve been to one of these supposedly cladestine restaurants in Martim Moniz, I was able to find it through google maps. Didn’t notice scarves/lanterns, but maybe I just didn’t notice it.

  2. A friend took me to one of these… I’ve never been to China, but I’d guess the food at this place resembled authentic chinese food more than the stuff we usually find in common chinese restaurants. Don’t particularly feel like going back, though, wasn’t that special.

  3. Some years ago it was legit. Now I don’t know.

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    There are some restaurantes that caught on to the fact that this was something that people might be interested in the whole thing and sell themselves as “clandestino”, even when they clearly aren’t. I’ve been to a couple of dinners in “Chinês clandestino” and they were just normal chinese restaurants with a normal chinese menu and the exact same food you find in others, but the room wasn’t decorated. That was the only difference.

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    If there are still legit clandestine restaurants, I don’t know.

  4. Yeah, they’re a real thing, I’ve been taken to a couple of them near Martim Moniz.

    Not really worth tho, food’s on par with prices. And I’m guessing chances of samonella skyrocket.

  5. I live there and it’s true. But I wouldnt take the risk of walking some of those streets nowadays (criminality, drug trafficking and consumption in plain sight), nor would I eat that food, nor would I support th paralel economy that doesnt pay taxes but get all the benefits from our social welfare system. There is an asian market down the street with various restaurants with great, great food.

  7. You can get even more excitement if you search for the real african delicatessen restaurants in Cova da Moura.

  9. Yes, you should go.

    One of my favorite restaurant is Chinês Clandestino on Mouraria / Martim Moniz. (search Chines Clandestino on Google.pt)

    People around May Seem odd, but if put your ” i will fck you up” face, they wont do anything.

  12. “non-touristy streets of mouraria”.

    Take it this way. You’ll find one the same day you’ll find a pig riding a bike.

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