O Calhau in Hounslow

A perfect place for food, wine and a good time.

We went here in March, anll ordered off the main menu and had a fabulous meal, the lady serving was also brilliant, so bubbly and friendly. It was so good we decided to go back again, this time, it was dreadful. Firstly, the lady serving never cracked a smile the whole time we were there, she couldn’t be bothered to place our water glasses or cutlery on the table properly she just plonked them down on one part of the table. When she brought out our plates with chips on, she slapped them on the table like your mother did when you were a child, she had absolutely no interest in giving good customer service. Now, for the food: Two of us decided to try the set lunchtime menu, thinking the portions would be smaller, giving us room for a dessert. The third chose off the main menu, he had the black scabbard which he said was delicious. From the set menu, we both went for the prawn cocktail and the marinated lamb skewers. The prawns on the cocktail were so dry and small, the sauce had a vinegar taste, we didn’t eat them, very sub standard products. I don’t know if better quality produce is used when ordering from the main menu. The lamb was presented on two skewers and looked lovely, we already had our chips and we also got a very very small dish of salad to share. The server asked if we wanted our lamb removed from the skewers, we said “yes please”, one skewer the lamb came off easily, the second one was more difficult so she took it to another table to get it off, them plonked it back on the table in a dish. Unfortunately, perhaps we were naive but we expected the marinated lamb to have been marinated in something like lemon, oil and mint, no, it was marinated in harissa, the bit I did try, before finding it was too hot, was very grisly, we both found it inedible. The server did offer to cook a steak but our mouths were tingling and our appetites had been ruined, we declined. The chips reminded us of frozen chips, crispy but very dry inside, also inedible. We had one house red wine and one j2O. So, for two inedible starters, two inedible mains, one very good main , one house red and one j2O the bill came up at £70, she knocked £10 off when I went to pay We thought we had found a great restaurant to enjoy whenever visiting the area. This one we most definitely will not be on our ‘To Do’ list.

This was by far my favorite place we ate at on vacation. I had the fried brie, lamb skewer, and tiramisu. Everything was delicious! But the best part by far was the staff! They had us cracking up all night! Definitely worth a stop in!

Great food, fabulous service, brilliant cocktails!

Amazing Portuguese restaurant, food very tasty. Perfect place to get family together

Fantastic food. Authentic Portuguese dishes. Great service. A real Gem in the local area

Waitress about when you need her , prompt service , english expkanation on menu , nice food !

Great food. Lovely friendly service

First time here and I loved the food. Very friendly and great food.

You can tell the 4/5 star reviews are from foreign people and not Portuguese. The food is appalling, it is very pricey and the owner is not humble. She is very rude to customers, simply has no manners talking to people. The service is even worse than the food. Avoid eating here and spend your money elsewhere!

Went there for Father’s Day . Gable of 6 . Loves it a. A real find and can’t recommend it enough . We are from Madeira so was looking for a great Portuguese restaurant and we found it ! Food - great quality and a lot of it ! Service was very friendly and the manager was great too . We will be back soon - thank you for a lovely Father’s Day

Bought spaghetti Bolognese from here tonight it was dry and too much garlic and herbs no sauce

Great service and fantastic Madeiran cuisine. We opted for the Espetada regional. Highly recommended

The food was excellent 👌 just how I ordered it. The waitress made the whole afternoon a delight. Next visit coming up soon

Salmon and prawn skewer was absolutely delicious! So tasty and great portion sizes. House wine was very good too. We had a very relaxed and enjoyable meal, thank you !

It's worth visiting here, I recommend it.

It is very expensive and takes a long time to prepare the food and stuff is not very nice.

Oh my good God, part of me wants to keep it a secret but, that wouldn't be fair to Rosa, the gorgeous owner!!! The service, atmosphere AND food is awesome!! HIGHLY recommended!! 😎👍🏻

The atmosphere is typical Portuguese, welcoming and familiar. The service could be improved, there is a lack of friendliness for non-locals, which doesn't make sense. I'm an emigrant in another country and I'm originally Portuguese. Regarding the food, it is very good and the products are fresh, the prices are normal. I recommend the experience.

Lovely place, food, service and staff. Relaxed and welcoming. Flexible around their menu. House wine was lovely. We will go back soon.

Delicious food from a range of dishes to choose. Great atmosphere. Space for different size groups. Good entertainment.

The food is so good, the service is kwik and they are very kind

First visit to this lovely little gem. Amazing food, friendly service, definately will be returning

Had the best afternoon/ evening at O Calhau. Amazing fresh delicious and tasty food. Excellent fish. A hidden gem. ! Best of company as well. We will be back.

Really impressed with the restaurant. Great food and great service and staff.

Very good food . Portion size were really huge. Highly recommend good host . Only one thing ass more vegetarian option besides pasta . Still I loved it . Went for my work Christmas get together

I was invited to a birthday party , which was exactly what I expected: very nice waitresses, very good condition and very clean, quality and good prices for meals and wine is awesome. For people who want to have a happy evening and like Latin music and life and not just, is a perfect place. I don't know when I will have another dinner there because it is far from me ,but each time I have the opportunity I will dine in this restaurant.

Really nice food and staff too.. Will go again soon..

Really good food, staff were nice and atmosphere was friendly

OMG the food is simply amazing, very tasty.

Great place, delicious food, wonderful service. I recommend it for meeting friends 🫶🫶🫶🫶

4 years on from.my 1st review. This place exceeds my expectations and never fails to make us happy fed customers with awesome food,lovely staff and very nice interior. We may not get here as much as we like but we will definitely keep returning 🙂

I have been wanting to get back to O Calhau for ages, since my last review and brunch time visit several years one weekend a while back..... AND JUST WOOOOO!! Not much doing on a Wednesday night in Bedfont food wise, bar here, the best Portuguese food for miles.. A friend and I enjoyed a share of some Bruschetta and Batatas Bravas to start, and for me the best tasting Dorada in the house style with potatoes and some vegetables. I had read some negative reviews, but the quality of food, and the wonderful waiting staff guarantee you a meal to remember, and to the staff and owner who had popped and stopped to speak to dinners I say "Por favor, ignore os idiotas e guerreiros do teclado aqui, sua comida, serviço e amor pelo que você faz falam muito, estarei de volta e obrigado por algumas das melhores comidas que já comi. . ." Back today Nov 15 2023, still amazing!!

First time at this restaurant tonight and we could not have been happier. The food was amazing , the atmosphere was great and the staff were so friendly. I would highly recommend a visit to O Calhau if you are looking for a couples night or even a family get together. ❤️ 👏🏻👏🏻

Ordered four different meals between us and all were excellent. Staff were very good.Would visit again.

O Calhau, bom restaurante, pessoas agradáveis, recomendo muito. Sem contar a comida, hhuummm delicia pura

Despite all the bad reviews, we decided to give it a try for dinner. We ordered the mixed grilled fish for 2 people seeing the price before we went as £52.95 on The Fork app but it was actually £57.95 on the menu that was given to us. The Salmon, sea bream, mussels, clams and the prawns were tasty but the squid was absolutely rubbery and tastless. When the famous owner/manager that everyone was talking about came and ask how the food was, we said all fine but the squid was not great at all and then all she said was sorry sorry (with like deal with it, pay and go kind of tone and attitude) whilst walking away from the table. After 5 minutes, she then walks to the table with the dessert menu of wich we declined while she was cleaning the table with the fresh wipes I already used. There was no discount offered, nothing complimentary or anything. At the price of the dish we ordered, we at least expected some sort of gesture of good will. Apart from the tasteless squid and the price of a coke being £3.95, the attitude of the lady whom everyone was talking about made us feel horrible. We definitely wouldn't go there again. Please spend your money somewhere else.

Despite all the bad reviews, we decided to give it a try for dinner. We ordered the mixed grilled fish for 2 people seeing the price before we went as £52.95 on The Fork app but it was actually £57.95 on the menu that was given to us. The Salmon, sea bream, mussels, clams and the prawns were tasty but the squid was absolutely rubbery and tastless. When the famous owner/manager that everyone was talking about came and ask how the food was, we said all fine but the squid was not great at all and then all she said was sorry sorry (with like deal with it, pay and go kind of tone and attitude) whilst walking away from the table. After 5 minutes, she then walks to the table with the dessert menu of wich we declined while she was cleaning the table with the fresh wipes I already used. There was no discount offered, nothing complimentary or anything. At the price of the dish we ordered, we at least expected some sort of gesture of good will. Apart from the tasteless squid and the price of a coke being £3.95, the attitude of the lady whom everyone was talking about made us feel horrible. We definitely wouldn't go there again. Please spend your money somewhere else.

Would have given 5, but no Pasteis de nata and PLEASE do not serve McD style french fries (the biggest disappointment). The beef skewer was incredibly good. Perfectly cooked and tasty.

Amazing food and lovely people 🥰

Recommended by friends so first time eating here! Food was amazing however was very busy and cramped which is obviously a good thing for business but if you personally prefer a bit of room then it’s not. Definitely book a table !! Again food was fantastic!

Peters was amazing! Appreciate the great service😁

The food was ok that’s why I gave 3 stars. The welcome from the moment we walked in was frosty. I was with my friend and her young son, it seemed to be an inconvenience that we needed a high chair. We were the only people in there at lunch time, but there seemed to be a need to rearrange the tables and chairs while we were there. We couldn’t hear ourselves talk over the noise of tables and chairs scrapping across the floor. Then the lady whom I presume to be the owner, started screaming and shouting at some one, I don’t know if she was shouting at a member of staff or shouting at someone on the phone as I was too scared to turn round and look. Again we couldn’t hear ourselves talk. We were quite clearly finished eating but, our plates were not cleared away. When we paid we wanted to split the bill, we were told this was not possible because the card machine works from the till. Never heard of this ever! If they put a friendly person at front of house it could be a lovely place to eat. We will not return.

Amazing family run business in the heart of Bedfont Rosa is amazing friendly & welcoming the food is amazing and the Mon- Thurs 2 course £18:99 menu is real value for money come on down you won’t regret it

A friend took me to this restaurant, "O Calhau". O Calhau in Portuguese means "The Stone". A woman served us, and my friend told me she owned the restaurant! The owner may think she holds a Michelin Star restaurant, but to be honest, she is far from it. The menu is very confusing and messy, and it's very priced up compared to the other restaurants that I have been to. Her attitude and customer service skills towards us were disgusting and appalling, and she doesn't care about you! She may have a brain made of "Calhau"; it may be the reason for the restaurant's name! It was the worst experience that I had in a restaurant. I feel sorry for the staff of this restaurant. Honestly, you will never see me again there!

A friend took me to this restaurant, "O Calhau". O Calhau in Portuguese means "The Stone". A woman served us, and my friend told me she owned the restaurant! The owner may think she holds a Michelin Star restaurant, but to be honest, she is far from it. The menu is very confusing and messy, and it's very priced up compared to the other restaurants that I have been to Her attitude and customer service skills towards us were disgusting and appalling, and she doesn't care about you! She may have a brain made of "Calhau"; it may be the reason for the restaurant's name! It was the worst experience that I had in a restaurant. I feel sorry for the staff of this restaurant. Honestly, you will never see me again there!

Ótima comida, preço um pouco alto pra quem quer comer e pagar pouco, mas como disse a comida é otima.

Fantastic food great service beautiful place 10/10

La cocina portuguesa no es muy conocida, pero este restaurante lo puedo recomendar para conocerla. La comida es muy rica y hay gran variadad. Recomiendo las espadas, muy rico y la variedad de entradas. Sirven Bock y Sagres.

I'm not even from London but every time a come down to visit family I come here. This is my favourite restaurant the food no matter what meal you have is fantastic the price is great and portions are good. I normally have a steak dish but this time I tried the fish dish and is great... only thing wrong is a wish they could open a restaurant by me... Full of flavour 😋

Credit where credit is due... The food was unreal: delicious, authentic and filling! So far I’ve tried the prawns, the sea bass and a salmon dish here and I’ve left happy each time. It helps that the bill is reasonable too. I will continue to work my way through the fish menu👌🏼 thanks for a lovely dinner and the friendly service throughout.

My first impression the full English breakfast looked expensive. But I must say the breakfast was outstanding served by a beautiful Romanian/Italian lady.

Best restaurant we have been to in UK, and we have visited plenty. Service was great,lovely Lady who served us. The chef was amazing, and the food was outstanding. Even though its over an hour to get there we will visit again for sure.

We are a native Portuguese family and are therefore accustomed to Portuguese cuisine. This was by far one of the worst experiences I have ever encountered in the UK. When asked if the restaurant had Portuguese bread, the waitress very openly admitted that they abandoned conventional Portuguese bread for Tesco alternatives. The bread in question was not bad but it was terrible to hear they didn’t have authentic Portuguese breads available. As an alternative we were offered ciabatta. The selection of foods available on the menu were good. We weren’t alarmed by the high prices as authentic Portuguese restaurants in the UK have a tendency to be a bit pricey. But you pay for authenticity. This was not the case. When the food arrived we noticed the side dishes - potatoes, rice, and vegetables were from a packet. Conventionally potatoes are boiled so we were surprised to see Aunt Bessie’s with a touch of seasoning presented to us. The rice is without question from a pack maybe uncle bens or tilda which is pitiful to say the least. The products that were fresh within our meal featured meat and fish. These were average at best. Fish was over cooked, and the steaks were undercooked. Considering the establishment employs Portuguese people it’s embarrassing that they aren’t bothered to cook fresh food. Having said that the place is beautiful and very well decorated, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Dishes are presented very nicely - it’s a shame the freshness and quality isn’t there. Needless to say we will not be returning to this establishment and I’m sorry but I couldn’t recommend anyone go there either.

What a great authentic Portuguese meal. The owner Rosa she's fantastic and great atmosphere.

Great 🇵🇹 restaurante and fantastic attention! The Regional espetada was muito bom 🗡️🥩

The seafood paella was nice, but the grilled mixed seafood platter was too dry and bland, it didn't work for me.

OMG this place is amazing love it sooooo much all up to my expectations of fancy to kindness lovely food filling up your body till u can’t make any room for pudding soo nice I would love to go AGIAN I got a steak and shrimp and my mum got shrimp and veggie stake as my little ones got pasta and burger with chips this is my top 1 restaurant and new best I love though there’s no parking the rest is top tear

Lovely dècor (you can’t tell you’re in Bedfont high street), authentic taste, fresh food and very reasonably priced. Thanks for the lovely Sea Bass 👌🏼

The service was horrible and the staff tried to scam me and my family twice , the food also took longer than an hour which is understandable since it was busy. I do not recommend.

We were there on an Elvis tribute night,first time here will be back

Great place, a real hidden gem. Food was fabulous... Very authentic. Table of 6 and we all loved the food.

We love this restaurant, and food is perfect always customer service is 100%

Great food, it's a real hidden gem. I recommend to anyone who loves Portuguese food. Massive portions and very good quality.

Rude and racist! Not sure why it got such good reviews, at least not our experience. We’re led by the reviews and thought it might an okay restaurant for lunch, so my girl and I walked in, but little did we expected such an awful service! We politely asked whether it is open? And we got a reply not more than a careless ‘eh hmm’, then we sat down waiting for the waitress to show us the menu, well, she was just standing there minding her own business (btw we were the only customers at the restaurant) not responding to our call. Then 5 mins later, she finally grabbed the menu and walked towards us, I was still trying to maintain my politeness and said ‘thank you’ as she was walking. Well then she DROPPED the menus on our table and walked away without any words or facial expressions. My girl and I were a little shocked by this horrendous service we received, and decided to escape from this horrible restaurant as quickly as we could, while both laughing about how weird that was! The short experience we had with this restaurant is downright RUDE or even RACIST, I could not pin down the exact reason. Either way, my dear friends, avoid this restaurant if you expect to have a lovely meal with your loved ones!

very tasty food highly recommended

Amazing service and amazing food!

Um bom serviço Obrigado a todo staff

Whilst the food is ok, it isn’t something absolutely divine. Don’t get me wrong, it has flavour and it’s ok, but not mind blowing. And for the prices, that is exactly what I was expecting. I was really shocked when the bill came through (my own fault, they do have the prices on the menu) and a small bottle of coca-cola is £3.95! Also, the desserts aren’t exactly portuguese which was disappointing. A service charge of 10% was added, likely as we were a group of 6. Ok restaurant, but that is it.

Amazing food highly recommended

One less star due to the length it took & also the owner and her pal/family member ate first before we were served. It took about 40 minutes for the food to arrive. It has a relaxed and chilled atmosphere. Apart from that, the food was super delicious! We had the mixed seafood dish which was huge! It states for two but could easily feed 3-4. We struggled to finish it. But we did! However that was because we also had the house pasta. It was absolutely delicious! It has chicken and cheesy sauce. This establishment is run by Portuguese therefore offering Portuguese cuisine. So for 3 adults we had the mixed grilled seafood, 3 teas, a small portion of veg and potatoes and pasta. More than enough. Came to £83.93. This is the second time we’ve been there. We sought it out the first time and this time as well. It’s not in a place we would go to. I’d never been to Bedfont until I went to O Calhau. But don’t let that deter you. It’s worth a trip. Just for the food.

Everything was a great 👍 lovely place, lovely service, fresh food and a very delicious and nice atmosphere 😊🥰

Muito bom comida boa e bom ambiente recomendo

We got three different pastas; it was all amazing!!!

Very nice restaurants. The staff is friendly. They speak English and Portuguese. On the Friday night there was live music. The food is tasty

Uma boa experiência da gastronomia portuguesa em terras de sua Magestade.

I went in November with my wife and I was ignored by the waiter, the food was tasteless and cold

Lovely restaurant! Had the Espetada, which is a large portion & was cooked to perfection! Will be back! Highly recommend!

Very good food, very nice service.

Fantastic food and very accommodating staff , Rosa is friendly and welcoming and the food is delicious.

Absolutely tasty food. The food was so nice and the people are so friendly. Try it at all cost.

A shining star of a restaurant that surely must be the best in the area.

Well…. What a surprise that was! When arriving the place did not look like much…. Looking at the prices on the menu, it did not seem cheap either! But the food and service made up for it all! Food was amazing!

tasty food , beautiful location , super

In the right location and very quick and good food

Where to start ? I've always enjoyed this place, right up until last night. Booked well in advance , arrived , crammed in like sardines , fillet steak served up which was basically a lump gristle and "large" wine orders and charged for showed up in a small glass. All a bit of a rip off. We won't be returning.

Great evening, customer friendly, didn't rush us Definitely recommend

Very good portuguese restaurant 😋

Celebrated my mums 75th birthday last Sunday and it’s was amazing,starting with the owner who gave us total privacy by letting us use the private room just for us .the food as always amazing specially the Mar e Serra steak and not to forget the 5star service from Sonia👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽definitely recommend this place if you want authentic good quality Portuguese food 👌🏽

Atendimento e pratos excelentes! Boa opção de vinhos e pratos. Vale muito a visita!

Beautiful food can't recommend enough

Was the best night great food singer great very welcoming and deffo recommend x and deffo be returning x

Excellent service and experience always looking forward to trying something new

We had a great relaxed evening. The food was amazing highly recommended

An unexpected surprise. Normally stay around the Bath Road but stayed at a hotel in T4. Restaurant was within 25 mins walking distance from T4 and was worth every step. Service was polite and professional. Wine was lovely. But the food was delightful- well cooked, presented and plentiful. Great decor and atmosphere in the restaurant. Really worth the stroll instead of an overpriced and soulless hotel restaurant.

The restaurant is very cozy, the food delicious and the service very good.

Delicious food, very cozy restaurant with a very nice ambient! Staff there was so kind.

Beautiful Portuguese restaurant and lovely decor. Fantastic food and great customer service. Would definitely recommend!

Good food - delicious sardines - and lively atmosphere. A bit pricey and we found parking a nightmare!

Nice food,very unwelcoming atmosfere. Being there few times.Same experience.