Alvaro's Portuguese Restaurant in Southend-on-Sea

We booked here as a birthday meal. Having decided to try somewhere different for us , this was very much a random choice. Which turned out very well as this is a most delightful restaurant. With a relaxing ,gentle atmosphere but not too quiet (we ate early so it hadn't got too busy) , the gentleman looking after us was friendly and very helpful with our questions on the menu. The food was served quickly, hot and fresh made, and if Potuguese food is your thing , will not disappoint. Thoroughly recommended, we'll be returning.

Why I have taken so long to come here I do not know ,has been going for over 40 years. The service was incredible so personal, wine recommendation spot on, the food was amazing . The food is freshly cooked, you can so see this in the taste and presentation , and there was a sweet trolley too !!! My husband and I had such a lovely evening here, will be coming back too

What a great little restaurant, staff were very welcoming and friendly. Fantastic menu, food beautifully presented, the bottle of Portuguese wine most enjoyable. Really relaxed atmosphere, great play list. Great restaurant for family celebration or an intimate meal for two . My second visit in the last year, my dinner partners first visit and I am sure won’t be her last . Great food always made better by the company you share it with

I hadn't visited this restaurant for years but had fond memories. Even these were surpassed by an absolutely delicious meal. Beautiful food, beautifully cooked and attentive service. Looking forward to my next visit, which I hope will be soon!

Sunday lunch. Not much atmosphere. Food quite good but extras make it very expensive for what is served - charged for bread we didn't ask for and £20 for vegetables. Friend served a coke which was flat. Very grudgingly replaced. Used to go quite a lot under old management but won't go back now.

What a great place to eat, fantastic food, waiter and waitress welcoming and friendly, really comfortable place to relax and enjoy a lovingly prepared meal. You are not rushed and therefore can enjoy your meal

This restaurant is a complete let down. They find every way possible to charge over the odds. The bread on the table when you arrive - you're charged for this. Vegetables are charged separately from your meal. For drinks order a spirit with a juice mixer and they'll use the syrupy mini bottled juice from the 70s that tastes as fresh as unwashed socks, then charge separately for each making it around £8 per horrid drink. There was 2 of us, we had an alcoholic drink and a water each, a starter and a main and our bill came to just over £130! I nearly fell off my chair! If the service and food was exceptional it'd be ok, but it's not. It's super old fashioned and not in a good way. I have no idea what the 5 star reviews are about - die-hard regulars maybe? Overall this restaurant is out of touch with the restaurant scene and we left feeling totally ripped off.

Alvaros yet again you didn’t disappoint ,we visited on Friday evening for my wife’s Birthday. I’m sure over the years the food & service gets better. Have been going to this restaurant since the seventies and can honestly say you would be hard pressed to find better.

This restaurant hasn’t changed, still excellent food for a special occasion. We were there for our anniversary and although pricey the presentation and quality of the food was superb. Definitely worth a revisit when the next special occasion arrives.

Well i cant praise this restaurant enough, we last visited 9 years ago, why did we leave it so long ! We were made to feeel welcome from the minute we walked through the door, all of our party of seven were full of praise for the food. Well done chef and kitchen team. Front of house team were excellent, giving great advice on food and providing a level of service that a lot of others could learn from. If you have never visited you are missing out. Thank you all for a great evening

A Thursday evening dinner with two very good friends. Sam, mine host and his colleague always extend such a warm welcome and tonight was no different. Service excellent, food delicious, company wonderful. What more is there to say. Already looking forward to our next visit.

Honestly , There's nothing typical portuguese about these dishes, taste wise lacking in seasoning! Extremely disappointed to see mussels instead of clams in bifes de porco a alentejana! For desserts ... once again couldn't spot anything typical portuguese, there's only custard tarts and they looked awful. Clearly in anyones eye, mainly elderly people with plenty of money would go there thinking it's ever so posh and tasty because they don't really know what portuguese food should taste like. It looks more like there's no chef in the kitchen and the poor guy heats up the food in front of you just for show off and extra tips in the end of your bill 😅 and in the end you leave the restaurant smelling of fried onions. Extremely over priced, 6 medium prawns for starters £10 ??? 🙄 a box of tiger prawns at the cash and carry would cost £7 !!!! Very small portions and a main doesn't even include a side or veg . Everything is an extra. As a portuguese I must say... I won't be back here again.

As usual, this place has the best steak in town. Gorious food and wine. Great portuguese pudding yoo

I was brought here with the promise of a great meal from a restaurant that has a long legacy around these parts. There was nothing Portuguese about this place. I could have literally taken canned sauce and poured it over various meats and made a better meal. Even the folks who brought me here knew this place was different now. Save your money and use it for the many other restaurants around here.

From the moment we walked in we were blown away by the restaurant and the service. It felt like we’d walked in to an old friends house for dinner. Service was relaxed; and the food was amazing! The best meal I have had in years; with such wonderful hosts… 10/10; thank you.

I have visited this restursnt and every single time it has been my favourite resturant in the whole of UK. Joint favourite with o camilo resturant for worldwide favourite. Absolutely 5 star food every single time. The service is second to none. Highly recommended!!!

We visited last night for a birthday, and the staff at Alvaros went to so much trouble to make sure the evening was perfect, including arranging balloons to be on the table before we arrived. The service was warm and friendly throughout the evening, and the food was as good as it always is. The menu is slightly smaller than it used to be, but the main dishes are still there - and they were able to sort out anything we wanted that wasn’t on the menu! The whole evening was such an amazing experience thanks to the excellent staff they have at Alvaros. We can’t wait to come back again very soon! Thank you!

Tried here for first time as the online menu looked super. It's a nice restaurant with nice friendly staff and good service,menu a lot smaller now.Most of the food was good although some dishes were very pricey. Dover sole was £32 just for the fish although nice but for that price veg should have been included. I'm not keen on paying for every portion of veg on top of meat. I'm also not keen on restaurants adding tip to bill. The customer should be allowed to make their own mind up. £50 per person with only one glass of wine is a bit steep.Nice place but won't hurry back.

We visited Alvaro's with friends once reopening was allowed. We were delighted that the food was as good as always and the staff were so pleased to see folks returning. It was busy inside but good Covid precautions were all in place. The inside had been brightened up, which made for a pleasant environment - the old deep red was quite imposing. Food was all served hot and exceptionally tasty. Will definitely be back.

I have been going to this restaurant for over 30yrs and always had a lovely time, I was so sad to see it has now changed ownership and wow could you tell. The menu is so small now no lobster. I had the prawn Piri Piri to start it was in a awful sauce, then followed by the steak which wasn’t a great cut ... the restaurant is bright with walls painted yellow , it really isn’t the same experience. I felt sad when I left as I will not be returning.

Best local European restaurant in the southend area.been going there for years. Proper professional service with great cooking. You would never hesitate to recommend this Portugese themed rest

I am sad to say that Alvaros did not live up to my expectations.....I have been visiting Alvaros since the early 1980’s, although in the past 10 years I have only been a couple of times. I was very much looking forward to taking my own children for the first time. I did not expect the “old style” menu as that was very extensive, but was expecting a larger menu that was offered. Our food was very average....when I used to visit on a regular basis in my opinion it was the best food in the area, on this visit I was disappointed with the quality, it was ok but there are plenty of local restaurants nowadays that offer better quality at a better cost. After looking forward to visiting again after so long I’m sad to say that I will not be visiting again.

Alvaros was the last restaurant we went to before lockdown. first time back . We were not disappointed. Food excellent as was the service. We will be back soon

We returned to Alvaro’s a little nervous as to how the “rules” would change this lovely restaurant. The answer is “not a lot”, thank goodness. The tables were more spread out, sanitizer provided as you enter and a small bottle of it, left on your table. We felt very safe.As usual, the waiters were friendly, helpful and the service good but not quite as quick in the past due to fewer staff in the kitchen. We didn’t mind the wait as we were just pleased to be there.The menu was much smaller then their usual one, but still offered plenty of choice. The food was as delicious as always.We booked to return but had to wait for some other diners to make their return bookings. That says it all!

Our first meal out since lockdown, we were a bit wary - we needn’t have been. Fewer tables than usual and hand sanitizer available. We were shown straight to our table offered a drink there as the bar area wasn’t open. Food ( although on a reduced menu ) was fabulous as usual , the staff were very efficient and friendly. It was a different experience to the usual one at Alvaros but everyone had done their best to make it an enjoyable one. Definitely go again!!

Delicious and friendly.Staff were really helpful for choosing the meals and had many recommendations, large menu.Really charming atmosphere the dessert was so good I had cheesecake.My starters was scallops and they were lovely and a touch spicy but my main of Duck and apples was heavenly!

Alvaro’s restaurant is a great place to eat. On arrival we were greeted with a warm welcome. The restaurant staff are very professional and attentive. We enjoyed starters of sardines and baby squid - both very tasty, followed by halibut in a delicious white wine sauce with fantail prawns and scallops and a simple grilled halibut steak with a garlic and butter sauce. We’ve been to several restaurants in Westcliff-on-Sea recently and Alvaro’s has, by far, been the best. Excellent service, delicious food and great quality Portuguese wine merit a five star rating.

Is the test Place in Essex charming friendly the food cook in front of you. fresh ingredients planty fish choices delicious 😋

We go to Alvaro’s probably twice a year and we are never anything other than happy.We went on Friday and it was no different. I had a lovely scallop starter from the specials and my wife had stuffed mushrooms. We both had steaks for main, deserts from the trolley and then coffee.The wine was good, the service was great!

Called here at 8.30am as the one we were going opened 9. We had tea and toast and it was nice service and lovely tea.

We visited Alvaros on a Saturday evening early January- 11 of us. From the minute we arrived, the staff were excellent. We had a pre-dinner drink in the rather compact bar area which although was busy, was very pleasant. I ordered the prawns in piri-piri sauce to start and then fillet steak in a garlic oil. Both courses were superb. I couldn’t fault either dish. There was a huge selection of desserts. I opted for a vanilla cheesecake which was lovely and a perfect way to end a stunning meal. All of our party were impressed with the standard of food and can’t wait to return. Yes, the restaurant is dated and quirky but it adds to the charm. We had a very enjoyable evening.

Just visited Alvaro’s after more than 25 years living away. It was so reassuring, in an age of change and transience. Excellent squid and T-bone veal steak were excellent and the scallops and whitebait were no less good. Befitting a Portuguese restaurant the fish was beautiful, cooked well and presented with a little colour. This is not cutting edge cuisine, flashy decoration nor a spectacular dining room, but an ultra reliable & professional, courteous old friend that knows its customer base so well it doesn’t break a sweat delivering first class food, year in and year out. A limited range of wine by the glass was a little disappointing, but we got over it.

Poor service. Couldn't be bothered to bring the sweet trolley over. Fault towers combined with a ring a long detective show. £26.00 for a plate of fish muck. Shocking!

Having not visited Alvaro's for a year; (no real reason for that) we decided to treat ourselves a week ago to celebrate our anniversary. We received a very warm welcome and were pleased that our request for our favourite table had been possible. We started with a bottle of the fabulous Portuguese 'champagne', Monge. It really is as good as the over-rated French fizz and was placed in a champagne bucket with lots of ice. We had both asked for smoked salmon to start, to savour with the lovely fizz. A perfect combination and we were given time to enjoy. We both followed up with the wonderful Tournedos Madeira (a Portuguese take on the Rossini- Italian classic). The fillet was top notch, a really superb cut with plenty of flavour. Very rich, decadent and delicious. This was combined with a punchy Portuguese red wine that complimented the dish perfectly. No room for desert. This was another excellent meal. Why had we waited a year? I honestly don't know. We shall return again much much sooner.

Visited Alvaro's for the first time in October 2019 as I have heard good feedback about it, however it was an awful experience and I definitely do not recommend at all! I booked a table for a Tuesday evening for 4 people and as I have checked the opening hours they are closed on a Monday. Therefore you would expect the food to be fresh...but not. Arrived there and restaurant only had 2 or 3 tables so nearly empty ( which is okay as it was a week day ). Not big but neither small restaurant, clean and old fashioned restaurant but good atmosphere.We ordered drinks and food, informed at first by the waitress that they did not have some of the starters and mains that were on the menu...which is fine...we order prawns ( cooked in a traditional Portuguese sauce), Cod (Portuguese bacalhau) and a fish dish similar to fish soup ( caldeirada/fragateira portuguesa) and a side dish of vegetables.... then waited nearly 1 hour for the food to arrive to the table ( when the restaurant was nearly empty)...then when finally food arrived, first impressions not smelling at all which is a bad sign, then all the meals seemed to have the same sauce. Started to try the food ... OMG I never ever had such a bad meal in my life ... food tasted like plastic which means first that not fresh at all, second it was defrosted and warmed up in a microwave probably in a plastic container, third the tomato sauce was from a can and all the meals had the same sauce. Prawns were very small and they were crumbling, the Cod did not tasted like Portuguese Cod at all and the fish taste was really bad. In general all the food did not smell at all, had all a tomato can sauce, taste was off and not fresh, tasted like plastic ....could not eat at all even trying hard...only thing we could eat were the vegetables as a side dish, just cooked in water and the bread.During our meal the waitress and the waiter did not even come up to the table to ask how was the food, which is really bad...but truly inside they knew it was terrible or maybe it's because we were Portuguese and did not matter at all asking ??? First of all you should always treat costumers politely and in a courteous manner regardless. Please do take this as a constructive feedback because myself and my family are Portuguese and I am sorry but the food had nothing Portuguese at all.My husband is a Chef and has worked in many places in London and now Southend, my family also works in hospitality for over 20 years and I have worked as a waitress in different places and currently working in a restaurant in Southend. However you don't even need any knowledge in this industry to understand that from the food to the service nothing was good. anyone could cook better at home! Therefore I can honestly say that I do not like to write bad reviews but this time I had, so that costumers would know what to expect and second owner would think about it all.... food was terrible, service wasn't great. Just to add we did not complained at the moment as we were not even asked how was the food and everything overall...and last but not least service charge for 4 people and not optional ??? I will not visit again because there is nothing worst than spending money in food/service which is more than bad ...is terrible !!!!

Alvaro's is a very old fashion type of restaurant but the food is great and so is the service. Prices are not cheap but it's well worth it.

We had a wonderful evening with friends (18 of us) to celebrate my husband's 80 birthday. Could not have asked for more from the staff. We have been going here since it opened and have never been disappointed.

Small and friendly, excellent service with exceptional food. Parking can be a nightmare if you wish to park close.

The atmosphere is superb and the food was amazing. Very polite staff. I had the tunna steak exactly how we do in Portugal. Recommended

Took my wife for our wedding anniversary, 32 years since we were last here for a meal and I honestly don't know why? The food was excellent, service was also excellent. Maybe a bit old fashioned, but quality and portions size very good. Now we have found it again we will certainly be back. Loved it.

Went here recently with my family and had great food. Plus, there's always good service. Personal favourite is when the dessert trolly is rolled out! If you're looking for good portuguese food, look no further!

We decided at 6pm to eat out and came across this little gem! It was a complete accident we came across it but it Was perfect, the service was on point, the food was absolutely amazing and fresh! And the dessert was out of this world, everyone was helpful, friendly and happy. Honestly the best meal out ever! Definitely we will be back thank you.

The decor is classic Portuguese style, possibly a little dated for the modern diner, but you can forget all about that when you savour the wonderful food. The service is impeccable and the staff are friendly. Yes, taking everything into account, this is the all-round best restaurant in town. Good wine list too.

Went here for my mother's birthday - her request for a revisit after an earlier night out there.

Nothing wrong with 'old fashioned' when it comes to Alvaro's! Who needs bling decor? When the welcome is warm, traditional and friendly, the service attentive (without being intrusive) and the food tasty, varied and delicious. The staff were all charming and professional, the venue perfectly lit to create an ambiance and a dessert trolley to die for. All contributing to a down to earth dining experience, without any pretentious nonsense, that is all to common in many other restaurants in and around Southend.

We ate here this saturday great service nothing too much trouble just how it should be and the food is to die for we both had lobster for mains was the best thermidor we have had in years.

A fabulous experience for us on our 10th wedding anniversary. The service is friendly, attentive and professional. The menu has a huge range of tempting dishes. I had the seafood pancakes which were exquisite and my wife had the steak which she loved. If you haven't been, go! If you have, go again!

On walking in you are transported back to the 1970, with a Sweet trolly, but that said its wonderful old world charm, the Portuguese decoration is lovely. The staff are so attentive and caring. Lovely place for a dinner for 2

This was our first visit to Alvaro's with friends who live in Westcliffe-on-Sea. We were all apprehensive as we had not been there before. What a lovely surprise upon entering the restaurant as the atmosphere was electric. Our meal was excellent. Silver Service is still used at Alvaro's and the staff are adept at cooking steaks/lamb/vegetable for you on a gas ring near your table which is unusual these days. The manager had a long chat with us at the end of the evening and was deservedly very proud of his staff. Would definitely go there again, it was lovely.

We went with friends and had a really special evening the food and service were superb the seating was very comfortable and the tables had ample space between them all in all we had a very relaxing evening thank you Alvaros

Alvaro's is now open earlier on a Sunday than before. We had a superb A La Carte Lunch. As usual, the Menu had loads of choices and some daily specials. There is also a £17.50 2 course Table D'Hote Menu (available Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday). Standout dish was the Seafood Skewer (Espetada de Mariscos) in Garlic Butter. Fabulously friendly staff and lots of regular customers - which is always a great sign. Still, in my opinion, the best Restaurant in Southend! Would highly recommend...

We went there with my in-laws for a meal on Sunday early evening for my birthday. I didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. The restaurant is lovely and cosy. The waiters and waitress are very professional, friendly, provide excellent service, welcoming and generally make your visit excellent. The food is exceptional. We had the loveliest meal in a long time. We will definitely go there again. There are no words to describe it. The place was busy even though it was Sunday. Everyone seemed to be having a very good time. This place deserves 7 stars

Alvaros continues to provide a comfortable relaxed but special dining experience. First class food from an extensive menu and exemplary customer service combine to ensure a wonderful evening.

My wife and I visited Alvaro’s restaurant on February 1st. Staff are very welcoming and friendly and were quick to attend to us. The menu is extremely extensive with a heavy focus, as you would expect, on fish and seafood. The choice is so wide that it can be difficult to decide given the sumptuous sounding choices.

No need for long reviews on this one. The service fantastic The starters fantastic The main meals fantastic The deserts fantastic Go hungry I would recommend anything on the menu

Went to a matinee at Cliff pavilion & wanted somewhere early to eat afterwards. I don't know the area, so picked Alvaros, which was the first place I saw that I liked the look of. What a great choice & find! We were seated in an alcove next to the bar to have drinks & choose from the extensive menu. There was no rush & we sat there for at least half an hour. All the food was delicious & plenty of it. Everyone was impressed & want to go back, as there is such an extensive menu, all agreed there were other things they wanted to try. Lovely friendly relaxed restaurant. We were all talking about it the next day.

We were invited to a birthday celebration at Alvaro's. There were 14 of us on a very busy Saturday evening.

Staff attentive with faultless service, food absolutely spot on. A true delight. Could not recommend more highly.

We came from Spain choosing Alvaro’s to have a Christmas celebration with 16 old friends. The waiters were warmly welcoming to each and everyone of us. Plenty of choice from the Christmas menu which was delicious and service excellent. Christmas decorations placed tastefully around giving this already cosy restaurant a festive ambience. Our thanks to all staff for your expertise in creating a memorable reunion. We highly recommend this restaurant and any future visits to UK we shall certainly be back for more.

Big Birthday yesterday so we booked Alvaros for the first time.

Visited following a friends recommendation, booked on line but as no email or contact in advance I rang to discover we were not booked in. The man who answered the phone was helpful and booked us in without any issue

Reserved table on line got confirmation number ! 3 days layer they call to say they are full so obviously got a larger booking ! Wont be getting my £ ever again !

Lovely service. Lovely food. Lovely atmosphere. Lovely waiters. Lovely as usual. Also have a set menu aswell as a la carte and all silver service

excellant food served with high class attention... superb wine list... huge variety of food including flambe at your table.. have been several times and always been impressed ....

Back in the early 80's this was a favourite when entertaining important clients. Roll forward some 35 years and although the decor is much changed, the quality of the food is still excellent. We concentrated on the Portugese specialties and were not disappointed. The chosen Portugese wine was also exceptional. Despite some other Trip Advisor comments, we found the service friendly and efficient.

Yesterday me and my partner (both Portuguese) visited this restaurant for the first and Last time. They claim to be a Portuguese one so we had high hopes on the food.

I'm a moderately fussy eater and generally favour comfort food over fine dining as it's often spoilt with weird flavours or the addition of ingredients I can't stand. However Alvaro's menu has so many options you will be guaranteed to find something you fancy - albeit it will take you 15mins to read the whole thing. To start I had a tuna steak in a seasoned tangy sauce (I forget what it was called) and it was the tastiest tuna dish I can remember eating, the sauce suited the fish perfectly. For main I had pork escalopes in a white wine and garlic sauce and it was so light but creamy and full bodied. I was expecting something totally different and was amazed by just how delicious it was.

Booked a table for my wife and myself before going to the Cliffs. We were seated at the cosy bar area after our coats were taken for us. We read the menu and chose our meals at leisure before being taken to our table. Beautiful food and wine with great and personal service. Jim Stanford le hope

we have eaten at Alvaro's many times over last two decades..the food and the service was always good.i had written a glowing review before.Fortunately for us we checked the Bill with the costs as displayed on the Menu on this occasion..We had been overcharged more than £50.They blamed their touch screen pad for the error. We knew from their body language they got caught cheating.I do not thing this is a one off incident. What a shame for one of our favourite eating places.PLEASE CHECK YOUR BIIL BEFORE you PAY

Have never experienced a bad meal yet in Alvaros, in fact I cannot even imagine them serving a meal

Small group of us, restaurant not massively busy. Waited 1hr 10mins for mains. Half of the mains did not come. Ordered fillet steak rare with med salad and garlic bread. Got a very well done steak without the salad or bread. Other meals were badly cooked also. Service was terrible all night, had to keep asking for drinks, updates, nobody poured wine despite ordering a number of bottles, some drinks didn't come at all, service was abrupt and quite rude. Not good at all. Bill was expensive for a poor experience, and they'd overcharged on drinks (adding drinks that we did not have), apologising and saying they were still getting used to how the till works. Large tip auto added onto the bill. Bad service, poorly cooked food, a portion of which didn't arrive, being overcharged and then having tip added on top which they didn't want to take off. Wouldn't return. Much better restaurants to visit.

Last week, my wife and I came to dine at Alvaros Restaurant. I ordered 'Filete Americano' and my wife ordered 'Porco Alentejana'. I can truly say the food was absolutely wonderful. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it and we will definitely be back again.

I recently visited this restaurant and I am pleasantly surprised by the menu. I ordered the chateubrainde, everything about it was delicious, the sauce was made to perfection! definitely will come again !

I found this restaurant on line to eat before a visit to Cliffs Pavilion. A real pleasant surprise . The extensive menu was filled with unusual and interesting choices. The presentation and quality of the food was superb. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Faultless evening for my mums birthday meal. Food cooked to perfection and lovely service. Thank you to all the staff for the amazing meal. Will defiantly be returning again.

Visited Alvaros again, this time in a group of eight last evening.

Wonderful menu, wonderfu staff and best steak in town . Amazing wine and locally brewed bottled beer

Alvaro and his team of traditional waiters do their utmost to make you feel at home. Food is very tasty Portuguese-English fusion in my opinion. Excellent portuguese house wine to go with it. The piece de la resistance no doubt is the dessert cart with freshly prepared delicacies. Loved the whole orange in grand marnier.

Great food, exceptional service and brilliant cuisine - can’t ask for more ! Especially seafood is heavily recommended !

Every year we come to this restaurant for our Wedding anniversary. Two years ago we decided we would try somewhere different for this occasion. It never came up to the standards of Alvaros. So we decided to go back this year, and we are so glad we did. All the staff are professional and take pride in their work. The food is still sensational. We will make this a tradition from now on.

I have been going to Alvaros for 35 years and used to love it. However, sadly, under new ownership it seems to have lost its way. The service was terrible and we waited ages for our order to be taken, then for the courses to be served. My fish was very dry and the runner beans did not even taste as they should. I will not return again.

Great little restaurant. Slow service to start, but the food and service at the table was amazing. Cooking my oysters at the table was a treat and the amazing taste.......I'll be back soon.

I now live in Spain but have been to this restaurant a long time ago. So on our visit to Westcliff we decided to bring our family (14 of us) to Alvaro’s to celebrate my 70th birthday. It turned out to be an excellent choice, the warm old fashioned ambience was much as I remembered it. Impeccable service and my piri piri chicken was deliciously spicy. Two of our boys had the prawns & scallops on elaborate skewers that looked amazing and the waiters were especially attentive to our grandchildren’s needs. We’d like to thank all staff for helping to make this a very special occasion and will definitely not leave it so long for our return visit.

My parents have been going to Alvaro’s for nearly 40 years, and to be fair I have been here as a child and on a few special occasions over the years..... this is my Dad’s favourite restaurant and this is man who is quick to criticise badly cooked food. This place is consistently fantastic, the ingredients are high quality, the cooking is excellent and the service is “old school” ...... some of the staff have been there for decades and it’s absolutely first class! Friendly staff, the decor is dated now but really well maintained..... it has charm in abundance. As a family we love this place!

We have been to Alvaros a few times in the past but haven’t been for a couple of years and we’d always had a lovely meal and experience. It was my husband’s birthday and this time we went with five great friends to celebrate. We booked a couple of weeks before but could only get the 8.30 sitting but as it was a Saturday night that was fine.

Great Portuguese restaurant..very professional..Attentive service..Excellent food.. opened i believe in 1979.. so almost 40 years...must be doing something right.. Bar area a little small for pre dinner drink...and a smaller more compact menu would be better..With seasonal specials...but that's just me...Otherwise a really enjoyable experience...

recommended by a friend whos quote "possibly one of the best restaurants in essex "`... i tend to agree , stuck in a time warp but thats the beauty such attention to the customers and the level of food were so refreshing it made the...

Love this restaurant. You start off in the bar area with a drink looking at menus and you finish with a dessert from the sweet trolley. A lovely throwback to days gone by. Friendly service, great food. Give it a try

really lovely meal... we were running a bit late but the service was excellent ... would thoroughly recommend and will definitely return...

My husband took me to Alvaros for the first time last night. What an amazing dining experience. It was like stepping back in time to when service and food really mattered, ( the decor too which added to the charm). To begin with we called...

We can understand the amazing reviews this place receives. From the start to the end we had an amazing night. Staff are fantastic. The place reminded me of meals with my parents in the 80's. You get taken to the bar where you sit and...

Words would not describe on how nice this restaurant is. It’s our first time is this eating here and I’m so impressed with this place from start to finish. Extremely nice staff and the food is the best I’ve ever had in southend. Yes it’s...

Firstly I would have given a Good rating if there was such a thing but there isn’t so the nearest...

Every time we go we cannot fault food or service. But when you have been there for over 40 years...

We hadn't been to Alvaro's restaurant in about 3 years, but in the interim, have now moved to the area...

I have lived in the area for many years but it is a long while since last eating here. Just...

We booked Alvaros for an 18th birthday for our son with a group of 17. Staff were top class and...

What a fantastic evening. Fantastic food and wonderful service. Nice to see proper silver service. Highly recommended.

Visited Alvaro's for an 81st birthday celebration. Loved the old fashioned courtesy i.e. taking coats etc. Made a lovely fuss of my 11 yr old daughter. Great menu choices and food of a high quality. Toilets unbelievably clean!

Lovely evening, attentive staff, nice atmosphere and the food is incredible. I had the Pate stuffed breaded mushrooms to start followed by the Penteolas a Moda do Chef which was cooked beautifully with so much flavour. I also tried some of the mussels on the seabass special - I have never enjoyed mussels before but these were gorgeous. Unfortunately there was no room left for desert but I will definitely be back.