Faial Restaurant & Lounge
970 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, RI, 02917
Faial Restaurant & Lounge Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Smithfield for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
970 Douglas Pike
Smithfield, RI, 02917 - Phone (401) 231-1100
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Jeff H.
We had been looking forward to dining at Faial for a long time. I had heard such great things and that it was authentic "Portuguese" cuisine. Alas, our experience was less than mediocre. I mentioned to my partner that this seemed more like a diner than a better restaurant. For example, the china was mismatched and the decor was "Dollar Store" chique. We ordered drinks. I ordered a Stella, she ordered a vodka soda. Her vodka soda was served in a pint beer glass with a Coors Light logo. My Stella was served in an 8oz retro pilsner. They must have gotten a deal on Coors logo pint glasses. We received a bread basket with some Italian bread. For a restaurant that advertises itself as Portuguese, I would have expected traditional Portuguese bread. We started with the Oyster Rockefeller appetizer. When it arrived, it was plated in a bowl (?) with a large soup spoon to serve. I would hazard a guess that the oysters were frozen and then topped with thawed frozen spinach some shredded mozzarella, and then baked in the oven to bring to temperature. Absolutely no seasoning, no taste. My partner had the stuffed lobster, a one pounder, that was priced at 28.99. I could have gotten the same entree at Fresh Catch, better prepared, for 16.99. I had the Lobster Fisherman Platter. I requested the linguini option and it was served with plain, out of the box spaghetti. Ridiculously overseasoned with basil and a tasteless sauce. The server was attentive and definitely had diner service training. She kept passing the table, picking up my bottle of beer to see if I was finished. The prices are way too high for the quality of food, atmosphere and service. If you want to experience real Portuguese cooking, you are better off heading down to Fall River or New Bedford. Needless to say, they gave us no reason to return.
(2)John B.
So I see some really good reviews and most of them had seafood, so maybe that's the secret here is to get seafood. But I had the steak Portuguese style with the fried egg. I have had this dish at many portugués restaurants through out the state, at faial I didn't think the steak had much flavor, the rice was very good the potatoes were Ok. I ordered the Portuguese soup and never got it. I wasn't charged though so I guess that's good. The faial sauce is delicious. I would have liked to see Portuguese rolls though served with the faial sauce . My wife got a chicken dish with some brown gravy, didn't care for that dish at all. Again the rice was good and the Potatoes were the same. I have had better Portuguese experiences in fall river at half the price. I think my biggest issue here is the price I would not go there again and pay 25 bucks for my plate. I could of had my meal, with soup, espresso and dessert for that price, maybe cheaper elsewhere. If I could give it 2.5 stars I would but the value here is what brings the rating down for me.
(2)Marco C.
HUGE PORTIONS !! Must try in Smithfield good quality food friendly staff , the small portion is more than most anyone can finish !!
(5)Emily D.
always a fabulous experience. have only been here a few times but every time i go home and think of how good and how worth the money dinner was. their seafood is some of the best in RI. their service is top notch and everything they have is good. never had a bad meal here. huge portions as well, without fail ill always have a doggie bag to bring home. also the house sauce they give you with the bread.... youll leave with a jar of it. my parents and grandmother go here religiously every saturday. Theres a reason this place is always crazy packed! This is one of those places that when somebody from out of town comes you bring them there, when somebody asks where a good restaurant is around here, this is where you send them. will always recommend!
(5)J C.
Hidden in a strip mall is Faial's Restaurant. We had a great pre-Thanksgiving lobster dinner here complete with a family of musicians to make it festive. I was scared when they started to set up. Small children and older relatives are not a good mix to begin with. Thankfully the music seemed to help entertain and the songs were beautifully sung. Loved the live music! The food was excellent. That bread and sauce thing they put out is amazing. We loved it. Slightly spicy and so delicious. Took some home for the week! The salad and the dressing were so fresh and yummy. The lobster was great. We thought we ordered too much but we ate every bite! Great evening. Stop by if you are in the area!
(4)Scott S.
Nice atmosphere. Food was ok but a little bland. Had the lobster fisher mans platter with seafood rice, which was the most favorable item. Kendal Jackson Chardonnay was $9.50 a glass which was a little pricey.
(3)Toby H.
Yelp, you do not do this place justice. - 3 Stars?? You're crazy !! ORDER THE PAELHA Yup it is another great restaurant that for some reason is located in a strip mall setting and yes when you walk in you are not exactly blown awake by the fancy decor.... but where it counts this place will knock your socks off. YUMMY - the food here is a-maze-balls! ORDER THE PAELHA Before I continue with the good stuff lets get the few short comings of this place out of the way. Your not bringing a date here for date one, two or three, but for a special partner who is a real foodie, one who is willing to look past the lack-luster look of the place, one who can understand that the guy (or gal) in the kitchen can overcome the sometimes slow service and even my pet peeve -- laminated menus. ORDER THE PAELHA The menu is loaded with awesome seafood dishes, I ordered the Paelha (this is how the Portuguese spell Paella and not in fact an embarrassing spelling error). It was rather good...correction it was really good....actually it was the cats meow and the bee's knees all rolled into one. Oops, almost forgot Portuguese soup was yummy and my "glass" of wine was in fact a goblet SCORE! Sorry Yelp, you are dead wrong about this place .... shame on you!
(5)Beverly D.
Simply, Faial Restaurant is the BEST. Great Food, Fabulous Service. Super prices. Their reputation is the community is second to none. Beverly Dwyer, North Providence
(5)Jean L.
On a whim we ate here for my husband's birthday. It was more noisy then I would have liked. But wow, the food made up for it. Outstanding filet for me, and hubby's tuna steak was amazing. Free dessert if it's your birthday! Definitely going back.
(4)Chelsea F.
My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary and were pretty impressed! To start off, the location is weird. It's in a plaza in the middle of nowhere. Secondly, the dining atmosphere is weird. It's like, tacky chairs and tacky decorations in a huge, wide open space---with no booth. Anyway, we browsed the menu and our server came over. She was pleasant answered out questions to what seemed was the best of her ability. We were disappointed that the portugese entrees didn't have a better description, for we aren't portugese and know nothing about the food. They were also a lot pricier than the other items on the menu. Strange, for what is supposed to be a portugese restaurant. We were wowed by the large selection of seafood and chose little necks for our appetizer. YUM! Our server was kind of distant at this point and hadn't checked back to see if we needed anything--which we did. Not a big deal though. We were too engulfed in the little necks! For our entrees, I chose Baked Stuffed Shrimp and my boyfriend chose a Seafood Bake of some sort. YUMMMM as well. The portions were a bit small for the price, but sufficient. Also, my baked stuffed shrimp seemed to have more stuffing than anything else. Very starchy. Overall we were satisfied. It took quite awhile for us to get our check and boxes, but we were patient. If I could give 3.5 stars I would, but I'll round up to 4 for the delicious food.
(4)Daryl H.
Great dinner specials, buy one get one free! Great seafood and huge portions. Really good pepper oil with the bread before dinner.
(4)Joseph A.
I'm not sure what happened. I have been a loyal customer and been going here for a couple of years, so much, the wait staff knew my order. When I walked in today, I was prompted with the statement "we can no longer honor your gift certificates." Not even a hello. Like I said I have been going here for a couple of years. I have at least five gift certificates that I cannot use that were given to me because I enjoyed going there so much. They raised the menu prices, will not give you bread unless you ask, and pass off their signature rice as being reheated rice from the day before. I guess they were recently purchased from the original owner and already everyone noticed a difference. This is for the worse and I will not return.
(1)Tina Z.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere, this is a very cozy atmosphere. The wait staff are very friendly and accommodating. I dined with a very large party, I think we had 14. The service was fast and the portions were huge. I got the grilled salmon in a boat and it was tasty, but very salty. I took home quite a bit of food, but didn't finish it because I was overwhelmed by the salt. The one think I will say, is that the smell of garlic can be smelled from the parking lot, so if you like very seasoned food, you are in luck!
(3)Joanelle W.
Major A-holes. Not accepting gift certificates. Don't they want happy customers and customers to return? I will not be returning after how others were treated there, major turn off!
(1)Rob F.
Note to all. They are closed for good. First, the ownership change and their refusal to honor their gift certificates. Next, the interview with the mouse running up the wall in the background. Now, they are closed for good. The first trip to Faial, I had pork and little necks. It was very good. Tender, flavorful, and a nice big plate. My friend had a seafood scampi over linguini. He liked it. I was going to try it my next trip, but I wanted something a little more Portuguese to try. My second trip, last night, I has a paella and it was ok. People rave about it here on Yelp! For $27, I'd have liked more. No soup. No salad. Just bread. I might have had 4 little shrimp, 3 scallops, 4 mussels, 2 little necks, a half a chicken lobster, and the seafood rice with the little canned shrimp and dried scallops. It went quick! My date had Moriscos do mar which was pretty much the exact same thing without the half lobster. She thought neither was worth the money. I thought a lot better of the pork and little necks! That's what I'd go back for. Dinner, a couple sodas and beers , and a tip for 5 was $200. So, $40 each for an entree and one or two drinks. No doggie bags! Probably going rate.
(1)Gina B.
Maybe it's because I'm from the South (NC), but this was some seriously good seafood. In the South, we will fry some seafood in a heartbeat, but I'm not a fan of grease. The plates were heaping with food and the flavors were full. They even had an extensive gluten-free menu. Everything from the starter to the dessert was fantastic (including the drinks + sidecar). Next time I'm in Smithfield, you bet I'll be back!
(4)Local P.
There is plenty of parking in their lot shared with a Dunkin Donuts and other businesses, just West of the 295 interchange off Route 7 Douglas Ave. Their sign is nearly impossible to see. The atmosphere is upscale as is the menu but the prices are very reasonable and the portions are generous. Faial serves a soft Italian type bread and butter along with a house sauce that involves some kind of medium hot peppers. Spread both on your slice and the dairy moderates the bite of the sauce. Excellent! As a person nearly famous for being a picky eater I was not enthusiastic about the prospect of trying Faial. I was raised in a Portuguese household and was never thrilled with the food, so when my wife and I received gift certificates to Faial my only thought was "Great, I'll bet even the hamburgers taste like fish." I was pleasantly surprised. First, to find out that there is a lot more to the Portuguese diet than fish. But when I saw Fillet of Sole with stuffing made of crab and shrimp... I uh... I ordered fish. The dish was amazing. Not overdone. In a Ritz Cracker crumble, just incredible. I added the Portuguese fries (think thick, soft potato chips), and glaced carrots. Yummo. Patti had a sirloin steak and baked potato to rival anything we've ever had on a cruise ship, along with a glass of wine that had to account for nearly half the bottle it came in, which is typical... there is no skimping at Faial. I ordered the smaller portion of that sole and still wound up taking half of it home. Can't close without a mention of our waiter, Paul, who really understands that waiting tables is customer service. He is really good at it. Ask for Paul's table. Faial is a new addition to our favorite places to eat!
(4)Sonia V.
Where do I start... Coming from family from the Island of Faial and knowing the authentic Portuguese food the island and Portuguese culture has to offer I was extremely disappointed with my visit to the restaurant and will no be going back. Walking in I was at awe with the pictures of the beautiful Island of Faial and its decor. After walking in past the entrance way my disappointment began. From the heavily stained ceiling tiles that could easily and inexpensively be replaced to the odd looking butterflies hanging from the ceiling I thought was a horrible touch. There was no table decor or candle except for salt pepper and a blue table cloth ( the blue cloth I'm assuming to reflect the beautiful color of blue the island is known for). Not to mention anything else in the restaurant to give it a Faial touch. Our wonderful greeting was hello we no longer honor our other locations gift certificates. Really? The wait staff were unfriendly and quite honestly very unaware of what was on the menu. No offense but if you are advertising to be an authentic Portuguese restaurant at least have staff that at least can pronounce the menu and know that Portuguese beer is Sagres and not Stella. We waited a long time for our drinks and Italian style bread - which personally I have never gone to a Portuguese restaurant that did not serve papsecos. The menu was very over priced for the type of restaurant it was for. If I wanted to pay 20.00 for a plate of smelts or 30.00 for a Portuguese steak I would of gone to Cotali Mar and at least be satisfied with the quality of food and service. There was hardly anything Portuguese on the menu except for the items they added Faial sauce to which in the 36 years that I have been eating Portuguese food I have never had "Faial" sauce like the one that was provided to us. It was so spicy I nearly chocked with I dipped a piece of bread into it. I ordered the surf n turf which wasn't all bad. The mashed potatoes had no taste and was reheated numerous times. My friend ordered smelts with Portuguese style potatoes. The smelts we frozen and did not taste fresh. The smelts were served with tartar sauce something that is never served with Portuguese fish plates unless it is requested. The Portuguese style potatoes were not fully cooked / fried through. Extremely disappointed with our visit to this restaurant especially after I drove over 35 minutes to try out the restaurant that was named after the island I love so much.
(1)Kayla H.
Delicious! Staff extremely friendly, food is great, nice atmosphere! sometimes a live band. The bread and sauce is amazing, big glasses of wine, I enjoy the chicken parmesan and my boyfriend enjoys the filet with eggs. Been there plenty of times including thanksgiving and today (Easter). Made a reservation and was seated immediately. Perfect place to spend the holidays without the mess and stress at home. If there's not a long wait I suggest stop in and try it out :)
(5)Alvaro P.
I give this restaurant 3 stars. Let me begin with the positives. Every Monday during the summer you pay 1/2 of your bill including alcohol. Second positive is that Tues - Sun you can purchase a gift cert for $25 and a second one for free and can be use for your entire bill including alcohol at any time including the day of purchase. The food is decent but having been to other portuguese restaurants this is my least favorite one. The portions are big, and that is how the food tastes (as if they were made in huge quantities) - service is fast and the staff is friendly. Hope this helps, thanks!
(3)Daniel B.
Stopped here after another restaurant we were planning on going to had a crazy wait. Glad we did. It was 7 and there was still a wait so we chose the bar. Junior was awesome. He was very busy but made sure we had everything we needed and quickly. The bread and Faial sauce is dangerous. The whole loaf disappeared very quickly. The calamari was well seasoned, fresh, and really tender. Even better dipped in the Faial sauce. I had the stuffed pork chop with chourice stuffing. It was a huge portion and half came home. My girlfriend had the surf and turf. She usually smothers her steak in A1 but chose the Faial sauce this time and said she'd never go back. Thank god. She said the shrimp was delicious but slightly over cooked. Definitely opt for the Portuguese fries. They are great here. Only negative for me was no draft beer, but they have a good bottle selection. We also had the red And white sangrias and a tequila sunrise. All the drinks were mixed well, strong but not so much you couldn't drink them. With splitting the caramel flan the bill was $100 great deal and value for the money.
(5)Stephanie R.
This used to be my favorite place to go for Portuguese food, but I have to say the last few times I've gone, I've been a bit disappointed. The portions used to be enormous, and now they've literally been sliced in half. I've only ever gotten my favorite dish (paella) and it would always feed me for at least 3 days afterward. This is how I would justify the price (29.99) for a dish I could easily get in Fall River for half the price...or maybe even a third of the price. Now, my dish is smaller, but my payment stays the same. They used to have half priced dinner nights, which drew in a huge crowd, but also made the prices is certain dishes far more reasonable. Now that is gone too. The sauce is what keeps me coming back. It's spicy, tangy and downright the best red Portuguese sauce I have ever had. And now- it's sold separately to take home! Like store bought ragu but with all the wonderful Portuguese tastes just a jar opener away. Overall, I might just buy the sauce from now on and make my own. Unless they decide to revert back to doing the things that made it so great, I'll be content to listen to Barbara Streisand singing "the way we were" while I make my own paella and think about what I can now do with my extra $30...
(3)Tiffany K.
I came with a large group and the service was awesome but the food was amazing with generous portions. The crab cakes were delicious as they had a nice crunch on the outside and were soft and moist on the inside. Its sauce was a nice accompaniment but was rather rich. I also had a Caesar salad and chicken fingers as appetizers. The dressing was good and the dipping sauces for the chicken was really good too - love that honey mustard. The chicken fingers were more like cutlets (very big!) and they had a wonderful crunch and flavor. I also tried the veal parm. It was pretty standard but I liked it. I had a white sangria with the meal, which was also really tasty. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Adam C.
The experience at Faial was disappointing. The prices are outrageous for the quality of food. The seafood was over cooked and dry. Their seafood rice is filled with imitation crab and some other slimy knockoff for seafood. The service is far from friendly! I will not be coming back.
(1)Maureen K.
Had the tower paella which had lobster scallops shrimps clams mussels and wonderful rice
(5)Kristen B.
Food is great, but it is expensive for the atmosphere. Bright lights. Looks more like a banquet hall than a restaurant. And I'm not a fan of the music entertainment. Not my scene. Food tastes good, however.
(2)Mila P.
The steak is very tough and the salmon was not good with a fowl smell had to be sent back. Twice have been there and both times had to send the food back. Same experience with my friends. Never going back worst experience ever!!
(1)BB C.
Went here for the first time and loved every bite of my Peixe de Serra (stuffed swordfish). Others at my table got the baked seafood platter, or the "steak and lobster" and also loved it. Prices were pretty cheap for the huge portions. The decorations are tacky - butterflies hanging from the ceiling and holiday wreaths on the wall in July...but I got over that once I had a bite of the food.
(5)Hungry H.
LOVE this place! Excellent food. LARGE portions. Definitely recommend their paella, chicken parm, stuff mushrooms and chilean seabass. YUM! LOVE their sangrias too! Friendly staff. The host could use a smile once in a while though.
(5)Carlos L.
This is a Gem here in Lincoln the food is high end right down to the sauce you spread on your bread. The seafood selection is top notch and the selection is to die for. The staff is friendly and fast. Prices are a little high but it's to be expected. High quality dinning
(5)Roberta B.
This is our new favorite restaurant in Rhode Island. Baked scrod with scallop and shrimp stuffing, steak, their sauce and hot bread, the yummy Portuguese fries and seafood rice. They even know how to cook vegetables! Our young waiter who had just been promoted after working for years as a bus boy was a gem! Great waiter who wasn't afraid to make recommendations and he was friendly too. We are telling everyone about this place Wish we lived on the east coast!
(5)Hans H.
Always Wonderful! Both the Smithfield and now the new Greenville location are great. The food, drinks, and service is always good.
(5)Brazilian M.
Went there with friends. They are regulars and love the food. I was excited to have some Portuguese food! We had a reservation but my friends wanted a corner table with a little more privacy so when they told the host he was very rude about it. He told us "well we reserve a table, we dont garantee where. Plus a table is a table. You may have to wait another hour". 10 minutes later we were seated on a corner table and our waitress took our drink order. She was friendly but there were times she was gone and took a long time to check on us. We were not done with our meal when she brought the check. Never asked if we wanted dessert or coffee. The decor was tacky. The place was really loud and the smell of fish and garlic was overwhelming. Now, the food! Portions are huge, however, tasteless. The seafood rice that comes with most of the dishes, was cooked too much and tasted like it was part of a large batch that was sitting in the kitchen for a long time. I had the Portuguese soup for appetizer and it was delicious. I wish I only had ordered that as my dinner instead of the expensive fisherman platter that was overpowered with salt. The prices are expensive, the host is rude, the food is just ok. You feel like you are on a VFW hall and not a nice one. We will not be coming back and because of that rude host my friends said they were done with that place.
(1)Laurie T.
This review is for the new location on Rte 116 in Greenville: Having been to the original Faial, I knew what to expect. The menu is quite large, and can be a bit pricey and a tad repetitive. I was slightly disappointed when I heard we couldn't use our gift certificate. Apparently, this location is offering a buy one get one free dinner special & gift certificates are rendered invalid. My favorite part of this experience was our waiter, Paul. He was attentive without being overbearing. Quiet, but funny. The calamari appetizer was cooked well, nice and light with a good coating. It could've used a light sauce or a sauce on the side. Our meals were huge! I ordered the Mariscos Do Mar. All of my seafood expect for the scallops were overcooked, which was really disappointing. The rice also seemed too soft, and it was soaked with the Faial sauce. The dish had so much potential! My boyfriend ordered the grilled sea bass. It was cooked perfectly, lacked seasoning, and his rice was also too soft. I feel like with a few small changes and some extra love in the kitchen, this place would be awesome. I don't see myself going out of my way to go here again.
(3)Theodore H.
I have yet to be disappointed, service is great and the portions are huge. Joe is the best.
(5)Todd R.
Have you ever heard of a place that takes 50% off of your bill every Monday, Tues, and Weds? Its just crazy. Whatever your bil is you cut it in half. Drinks and everything. Your bill is $112. No its not, it's now $56. This place does that. I know the owner. What a great guy. You show up he goes behind the bar and hands you a beer (doesn't expect anything in return). I'm actually going here tonight to meet my parents for dinner and can't wait. Has great seafood. If you go here on a monday, tues, weds, be prepared to wait a little bit if you have a big party. They say the lines start forming around 3pm LOL
(5)John D.
I took my wife out on July 3rd for our 29th wedding anniversary to the Smithfield location that we have been going to for years, sometimes with as many as four other couples. The food was always great, the service was good, and we always enjoyed our experience. Not this time! We got a good parking spot just outside the door, but went inside only to find out that the gift certificate we had purchased during our last visit could now only be used at their other restaurant in Greenville. We got back in our car and finally located the Greenville site. This was not easy as I did not know this area well, and there was no sign or even a number on the building. Parking was also limited, and we had to park in a school lot and walk over 100 years to and from the restaurant. I was then informed that they would only honor half of the value of the gift certificate. Additionally, you could not use the gift certificate for alcohol, which bothered me even more--because by this time I really felt like drinking. The meal and service from the waitress was excellent, but running through the gauntlet to arrive at that point totally ruined our anniversary, and I doubt we will ever go back. As a semi-retired businessman, I would never turn away customers like that who came into my place of business and put them through such an unpleasant experience. Perhaps in my younger days, it would not have bothered me as much. I do remember walking miles to attend concerts and other events, but now my wife and I are in our sixties, If you are a Navy Seal-I would recommend this restaurant--the walking should not be too much for you. You might also want to pick up a gift certificate for someone you do not like!
(2)Kristine R.
One of my favorite places to have a nice seafood dinner. This remarkable restaurant is hidden within a shabby strip mall. The restaurant brings in a great crowd, mood lighting, a large bar, and amazing live piano music (that even takes birthday requests!). I would come back for their signature Faial bread sauce alone! It's a chunky lightly spicy red sauce that is just plain addicting. In fact, I even bought some for home! Yes, it's that popular that you can buy a jar of it. Craziness. Their calamari was cooked to perfection. Not tough, chewy or soggy. Their baked scallops and stuffed shrimp was delicious and their sangria isn't too bad either. Their food is consistently delicious, flavorful, and filling. Despite the busy nature of the weekend dinner experience, the service is pretty friendly, attentive and nice. Give it a try!
(5)Jägerman Z.
Service was good, food was great. Paella for two: 1 lobster, 1 king leg, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams. I split it with my buddy and couldn't finish it. The stuffies are also great.
(5)Robert G.
We have enjoyed dinner at Faial twice in the past two weeks. The food is very good and reasonably priced. We also like the fact that we can go in the afternoon and still get dinner. Very often we stop for an early dinner before attending functions at Bryant University where I am an alumni. Their seafood is always fresh, excellent stuffies, and great martinis. We especially enjoy the Portugese style dishes that they offer. They have regular specials which are enticing. The service personel do an excellent job.
(4)M S.
Came recommended from the folks at the Hampton. There isn't a huge selection of places to go here in Smithfield so we gave it a try. Their Signature Sauce - There is so much garlic in this sauce it burns - If you are on a date you may want to hold off on dipping your bread in it - If you are planning on going on a date tomorrow, you may want to pass as well - Overall we finished both bowls that were provided with our bread Appetizers - Bacon Wrapped Scallops - you are going to want to pass on these. Not good - Oysters - Blue Point Oysters, cleaned nicely, fresh, they were good - Calamari - Was actually amazing. Tender, not too much batter, we had some left over cocktail sauce from the oysters so that helped kick it up. Would recommend Mains - Pork Chop - It should read 2 pork chops with peppers, onion, chorizo in between. It was delicious and I would order it again. Came with the Portuguese Chips, which were really good, and their seafood rice which was tasty - NY Steak - 2 of the guys I was with got this dish, the one with the egg and hot peppers on it. Cooked perfectly, good flavor, same sides as above. Recommended. - Stuffed Swordfish - Another guy in our party got this and really enjoyed it. Stuffing was good. Dessert - Carrot Cake - Standard carrot cake, tasted good - Chocolate Cake - One of the favorites at the table - Caramel Pudding - Too sweet for me but others at the table liked it Drinks - the $37 bottle of Portuguese red wine was great - Drinks are poured with a heavy hand, definitely get your $ worth You can tell it is family owned. It was crowded (even for a Wed night). Staff were really friendly. Overall a good experience. Portions were large. Stephanie said that they portions have been cut in half...I can't imagine what they used to be like then! If I could give it a 3.5 I would.
(3)Linda A.
This place is pretty good. I have gone one time and everyone in my party loved what they had. The Faial sauce with the bread alone is worth a try. I am Portuguese, so I can vouch for the quality in the dishes and like that there's a mix of Portuguese traditional dishes and American fair.
(4)Cee D.
Nice decor (wish it was brighter as we went for lunch! open the blinds!) Friendly staff. Extensive menu and portions are available for Small or large (which i consider a bonus) Seafood is probably the best bet, although I did not care for the calamari. Although there were only 3 tables on an early mid week lunch, our plates for a party of two came out five minutes apart - bizarre. There was a piano which is played on Saturday nights. I would return.
(3)Rob L.
I always enjoy eating at Faial! I like to try different dishes when I go to a restaurant, however the Stuffed Swordfish pulls me in every time! The portions are large, the food is always delicious and the prices are very reasonable for the size of the portions. Don't forget to try the fantastic Faial Pudding and grab a jar of Joe's Faial Sauce.
(4)Maureen S.
SERVICE: Joe is always there at the door to greet the guests. Service at both the tables and the bar is great. Servers are attentive and never let the glasses get empty. FOOD: Have tried a variety of different meals here, from seafood to steak, all meals have been excellent - the Portuguese Potatoes and the Faial Sauce as a side are a must try. Favorite dishes include Bife a Portuguesa (Sirloin topped with fried egg and hot peppers and Faial Sauce), Carne de porco Alentejana (pork with littlenecks and potatoes), Grilled Pork Chop Portuegese Style (Two pork chops stuffed with chourice, peppers and onion). DRINKS: Drinks here are reasonably priced for the large pour. They offer a side car on ice for martini-style drinks in addition to the full glass. DEALS: I would highly recommend signing up for the email club, to start they give you a free appetizer then continue to notify you of all deals throughout the week. Each day has a special, but our favorites are the Prime Rib on Tuesdays ($10 queen, $20 king, $30 caveman cut) and the King Crab Legs on Thursdays ($10, $20, $30 portion).
(4)Sarah E.
I am so happy I gave Faial a second chance. Everyone raves about this place, but my first experience was flawed and extremely disappointing. Let's focus on the positives. The food was amazing! I went on the waitress' recommendation and ordered the Chicken Faial with Portuguese fries. I was served massive amounts of food!! It was as good as advertised. Faial does not skimp on the beverages either. Their drinks are tasty and large. Service was 100x better this second time. That was my biggest beef with the first experience. The staff was very unfriendly and rude to our large party. This time, however, the staff was very friendly, attentive and helpful. I will go back a third time, hopefully soon!!
(4)Eugene P.
We held a Cousin's Night on 8/23 @ Faial Restaurant North Smithfield. There were 10 of us for dinner. We had 7 PM reservations . We arrived there on time. The place was packed. We were seated promptly. The server was friendly and very efficient. Everyone had a great meal. This place will be on my return list. Highly recommended. Keep up the good work Joe
(4)Jessica M.
Here is the thing....I REALLY like the food here. I swear that what they call their Faial sauce, which is some sort of garlicky, hot saucey concoction, is as addicting as crack (I do not know from experience, of course...just sayin'). Their seafood and Portuguese dishes are very good. I love their paella, and the seafood rice that is served with it always and other dishes is always fabulous. They also have a lobster fisherman's platter that is delicious! No, it is not the food that keeps me from giving this restaurant a four- or a five-star rating....every dish I have ever had is fabulous, and you cannot beat their deal Monday through Wednesday when they split your bill, including alcohol, literally in half! No, what keeps me from giving Faial a rating over three stars is the service. It has always been a bit off to me. Nice enough, but extremely slow...having worked in the service industry, I am very patient with waitstaff, because their jobs are not easy. However, Faial's staff even tries my patience. I will continue to go here because of their crave-worthy food...but the service takes away from the overall experience.
(3)Erin N.
Introduced here by my fiance'. I was very impressed by the food. All is plentiful and well made. I ordered BAKED SCALLOPS Dinner:$17.99...Lightly dusted with Ritz cracker crumbs, baked to perfection. Heaping helping well made served with choice of sides. Restaurant could use a little redesigning. Live piano music on some nights which is a nice touch. Full bar offering. Bar is hardly separated from the restaurant which can be distracting because it gets loud at times.
(4)Matt S.
Wish I could give no stars. Go there on a Saturday night and place is fairly busy but nobody waiting. After standing for about a minute or two waiting for the hostess to acknowledge us...he was busy just sitting there thumbing through papers...I go up to him and ask for a table for two. He looks up and says it's an hour wait. I look around..nobody waiting how the hell is it an hour. I question him on it and he like yeah sorry hour or so wait. You ever feel like your being lied right to your face?? I knew it was bull... The hostess barely even looked up..:so we left. We go into the car and call inquiring how long of a wait is it just to prove a point. The same hostess I believe answered and said only a short wait not too long. Needless to say my blood pressure started to rise. I was ready to go back in flipping but my friend said lets just go. They don't want our business that fine. She calmed me down and we left. Guess we aren't good enough to dine here. Maybe he didn't like the way we were dressed who knows. I will never step foot in this establishment again and I'm making sure I'm telling everyone I know bout my experience. I'd rather throw my money away then spend it here
(1)Sherrill T.
I went with my aunt on Tuesday after hearing good things from my best friend. Their special bread dipping is really nothing special, has a slight kick but no real flavor. I asked if I could get a half order of "littlenecks" the waitress did not check with anyone and said NO. I then asked her if there were really littlenecks and how big were they, She made a sign with her fingers indicating about a quarter size. I said OK if they are that little then I will get them. My aunt ordered a Turkey Club with sweet potatoe fries. Well the club sandwich was a club sandwich, hard to ruin that. The sweet potatoe fries were plentiful and good, but again nothing special. The little necks were not little necks but rather cherry stones and very large. I told the waitress these are not littlenecks, they are cherrystones. She said well I would not know I am alergic to seafood and walked away. I know a quahog should be a quahog, but I really do not like the taste or texture of the larger clams. I tried to eat one and just could hardly gag it down. I called the waitress over and said these are unacceptable. She staired at me like I had three heads. I said OK, just bag them up and I will take them home, cook them and make chowder. No one approached me to see if there was something else I might like, no adjustment was made on my bill. I was hungry, so I ordered a cup of their seafood chowder. It was a short of red clam chowder, it had too much spice in it and I think they had taken one of those cherrystones, put a string on it and dragged it through several gallons of soup. Needless to say I will never return. The least the owner could have done was come over and say something positibve, but reading through the reviews I guess he just does not care. Enough bad press and word of mouth and maybe the ecomony will finally get to him.
(1)Cristina P.
Good food, good staff. Bread dipping sauce is great! V generous portions. Lots of Portuguese and non Portuguese dishes. My only complaint is all the Christmas decorations in September.
(4)Diane D.
Good food but very busy...2 hour wait the other night so we left and will make reservations for another time
(4)Beverly S.
I've now been back to Faial's at least seven or more times for the Wednesday 10-20-30 lobster special and every single time the food was as excellent as the first time I dined there - the sides continued to be spectacular and the sides of either seafood rice OR Portuguese potatoes (hot French Fries) were beyond amazing. A friend took me there for my birthday, and I took her there for her birthday and yet another friend took the two of us their for our birthdays (thanks Marilyn!) - any excuse to go back to Faial's on Wednesday. My husband has taken to asking me now on Wednesday mornings "who are you having lunch with in Smithfield today?" Ha ha funny guy. So this past Wednesday I took yet another friend there for lunch - however, with a view towards full disclosure, I have to tell you the prices have gone up by $5, (It really WAS too good to be true). Now it is $15-$25-$35 for the 1-2 or 3 lbs. lobsters. I have yet to have a lobster there that was not delicious, juicy, tender and succulent. A couple of friends told me they had tough ones occasionally - I never have, so cannot complain in any way about that. AND $25 for a full course 2lb. lobster luncheon (OR DINNER) served with bread, peppery dip, and two side dishes, in my estimation, does not warrant a complaint. I really don't go there every Wednesday, but when I can find an excuse to spend $25 for lunch (same for dinner) I GO! Did I say the wine pour was exceedingly generous? (I believe I did in my first review). If you order a martini, they serve you one, plus another full refill in a cute little jar (a boot? not sure of the term)l. So, if you like good food, well-prepared, and lots of it in a very lovely environment with cloth napkins and table cloths and VERY friendly (amazingly friendly) service, and great drinks, this place is for you! Man, moving to RI has been a very fattening experience for me.
(5)Tricia T.
I really like going to Faial Restaurant in Smithfield. When I first started going there I would order a dinner that would be so filling. My fault. I became uncomfortable because I ate too much!! I learned my way around the menu. I can get salmon with a potato & veggie. Their larger portion of salmon is wonderful. VERY filling. I can also order a steak sandwich. Delicious. I love their white clam seafood zuppa with scallops & little necks over linguine. My friend gets chicken Faial Style and it is delicious and filling. We order a glass of wine & I am thrilled to say they give you a nice size glass of wine. I would suggest this restaurant to anyone who can eat large portions and anyone who wants an appetizer & something else to dine on.
(4)George P.
Went there a few times and could not get in (because of the great deals they offer). Finally went there for an anniversary dinner. Menu descriptions make the food sound great. Unfortunately, the best thing there is the salted butter (they give with the bread). We ordered the 2 lb boiled lobster (I did not think it was fresh), the lobster fisherman's platter has a lot of seafood but none of it is particularly tasty and again the lobster was not fresh, baked scallops (average) and a bowl of seafood chowder (which had imitation crabmeat in it and very little other seafood). d'carlo's next door blows this place away. Service was good, people were friendly, prices were reasonable, I would not go back. Not impressed.
(1)J A.
Was here last Saturday night and had a good meal as usual. One of the few places I discovered with a groupon that I would drive back without a groupon. Just a great atmosphere and great value.
(4)Kristin C.
We visited Faial for my mom's birthday dinner on a Saturday night and it was packed. Definitely make a reservation if you can - they were turning people away at the door. This restaurant has a festive (loud) atmosphere and there was some great live music the night we were there. We really enjoyed it, but it might not be the place for a quiet, romantic dinner... Now for the food. I had the baked seafood platter, which included scallops, sole, stuffed scrod, and shrimp with a side of seafood rice and broccoli. Everything was perfectly cooked and the portions were large (enough for lunch the next day as well). My husband had the paelha, which included a 1/2 lobster, littlenecks, mussels, scallops and their spicy faial sauce. Again - everything was cooked perfectly, lots of flavor, and large portions. We thought the prices were quite reasonable for the portion sizes. Overall this was a very positive experience and we're looking forward to another visit!
(4)Michael S.
At Faial make sure to get a reservation, as this place is almost always packed. The restaurant has super-huge portions and I strongly advise that you order the half sized portions (they are super-huge too, but half the price) to save some dough. Wait staff is friendly, quick and always checking in on their customers. Check into their gift certificate program. Sometimes they offer a "buy one gift certificate, get one free" program that will save you some dough.
(4)Pilar C.
I cannot say anything about the food. I'm sure it is wonderful. The service however, is absolutely the worst I have ever witnessed. I have never given any business such a terrible rating. But, I walked in with two of my friends at 7pm on a Saturday night and asked for a table for three, the owner, Joe, tells us there is an hour wait - which was no problem. I told him we would gladly wait for a table... instead of being happy to oblige he says "Have you gone next door? They have plenty of seats there. Maybe you should go there". Well, D. Carlo didn't have plenty of seats (they seemed just as busy as Faial), but they did have three seats and they were very obliging and the meal was fabulous. I am so extremely sad as I, myself, am Portuguese and was excited to try it out. But, I can promise I will never step foot in there again.
(1)Glen J.
Well this was my second trip to Faial's, my first was not so good, but I bought 2 $50 gift cards so I had to go back. This time I got baked Fish and scallops, well it was not so good, the flavor was that of a dirty oven that was smoking and that was the flavor throughout. But that was not it! Almost every bite had me picking out fish bones, so what does that tell you of the quality. I had some left over on my gift card and I gave it to a couple coming in! Never again!
(1)Bruce B.
This was our first visit to Faial in Smithfield. Our choice to try this place was based upon receiving a gift certificate and also some word of mouth. We went for dinner (appx.6:00PM) and as we entered, the host/hostess podium was unattended as we waited for at least 5 minutes before anyone even acknowledge that we waiting for a table. That being said, our server was very attentive, bringing us water, fresh bread and butter and drinks. The menu had many dinner options BUT most dinners revolved around seafood. Even the rice pilaf ,that was their "signature" side dish, had lobster,crab and shrimp meat in it. This is advertised as a "Portuguese cuisine" lounge but they really didnt have that many choices on the menu for Portuguese dishes...most of the menu choices were meals you can find anywhere. The menu also offered the choice of ordering a lunch or dinner portion sized plate, even at dinner time, which was a nice option and a little easier on the wallet. We both ended up ordering a seafood meal (I, the baked stuffed scrod and my wife, the fish and chips). Both dinners were decent but not great but portion sizes were huge for the price. Also, a nice touch was a piano/guitar player who played xmas music as well as some light rock during dinner. Not sure if this is a regular feature here or it was because of the holidays. Overall, I would say try this place IF and ONLY if you love seafood. Most of the menu consists of seafood dishes. Prices are decent for the amount of food you're paying for....in my opinion, it's just ok, nothing great.
(3)B K.
Seriously? Our party of 6 got there at 5 and had a 2 hour wait. I guess that is standard on their half price days. The place was packed. Portions were generous, but the food quality was poor. The best thing I ate was the faial sauce that they give you with the bread. My caciola was the worst I've ever had. It was served on a soggy hot dog bun (where's the Portuguese roll?) and tasted like dirty dish water. The fries were soggy and bland as well. The mushy bland rice had rubber scallops in it. Seriously overcooked. Our waitress was nice enough, but the only other good thing I can say is thank god we didn't pay full price.
(2)Ken H.
The food was delicious and theserving was enormous. We went for the half off special that starts at 15:00, so it was a real deal. The place gets packed, as you would expect for the price. Very good authentic Portuguese food. Well worth giving a try.
(4)Sue P.
We visited Faial's for lunch yesterday with my parents and found it to be decent, but nothing to write home about. The seafood was good- I had baked stuffed shrimp (lunch portion). The portion looked small when set down in front of me, but I was actually quite full after finishing my meal. The prices seem fairly reasonable and the speed of service was decent. Not a real "hip" place- more the type of restaurant you'd go to with your parents/family for a Sunday brunch
(3)Skinclinic E.
Really nothing good to say about the food. Sandy seafood, tough steak, greasy pot roast. Tried several times because my husband's family enjoys it here, for the large strong drinks I suspect... Service is good, crowd is loud, must be those drinks again.
(2)S. I.
Got in immediately on a Sat night at 8:00, nice. Very busy, but to be expected... This place has a nice variety of dishes, including authentic Portuguese dishes. They have a signature dipping sauce that's served with fresh bread, extremely tasty. It can be a slight bit spicy, so dippers beware! The waiter was Peter, and he couldn't be any nicer. Helpful, attentive, and personable. All of the staff seemed pretty attentive, even though the place was jam packed. The food: incredible. We were served in no time flat. The food was hot, and quite delicious. The menu has two columns of prices for many dishes, one for lunch, one for dinner. Our waiter explained that we could have lunch portions instead of dinner portions, as we didn't want a lot of food. SO happy he told us; dinner portions are HUGE. I couldn't even finish the lunch size and took the rest home ( they box the take home food at the table) I had provimi veal parm and linguini. Perfectly cooked, all the way around. I completely enjoyed my meal. My husband had chicken 'faial style". He loved it and thought it unique. Perfectly cooked, with real mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. I had thought the lunch portions were reasonably priced (which was really any other restaurant's dinner size!). Additionally there was live music: an acoustic guitarist/singer who was really talented. Perfect song choices...nothing too jarring and he had a beautiful voice. I've got to say, it was a fantastic night out. I read a few other bad reviews of this place and am perplexed. NOT what I experienced at all. Quick, tasty food, at a reasonable price. Top notch service, and wonderful entertainment. Not a bad word to say.
(5)Peter H.
I've been here twice. Once I sat at the bar after about 5 or 6 previous unsuccessful tries (no seats available) and found the food to be adequate but nothing to write home about. The second time, again after multiple tries, I managed to get a seat at the bar next to an obnoxiously drunk regular. This time, I waited for a least ten minutes while the bartender repeatedly ignored me. She cleared dishes from another customer and took them to the kitchen. Then she came back and cleared someone else's dishes and took them to the kitchen. Apparently, it was more important to clear the dishes then it was to greet a new customer and set me up with a drink and a menu. I ended up walking out. This place just isn't worth the hassle to get in. Go somewhere else. Chester's in Gloucester on rt. 44 is much better.
(1)Daryl H.
Great dinner specials, buy one get one free! Great seafood and huge portions. Really good pepper oil with the bread before dinner.
(4)Joseph A.
I'm not sure what happened. I have been a loyal customer and been going here for a couple of years, so much, the wait staff knew my order. When I walked in today, I was prompted with the statement "we can no longer honor your gift certificates." Not even a hello. Like I said I have been going here for a couple of years. I have at least five gift certificates that I cannot use that were given to me because I enjoyed going there so much. They raised the menu prices, will not give you bread unless you ask, and pass off their signature rice as being reheated rice from the day before. I guess they were recently purchased from the original owner and already everyone noticed a difference. This is for the worse and I will not return.
(1)Tina Z.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere, this is a very cozy atmosphere. The wait staff are very friendly and accommodating. I dined with a very large party, I think we had 14. The service was fast and the portions were huge. I got the grilled salmon in a boat and it was tasty, but very salty. I took home quite a bit of food, but didn't finish it because I was overwhelmed by the salt. The one think I will say, is that the smell of garlic can be smelled from the parking lot, so if you like very seasoned food, you are in luck!
(3)Joanelle W.
Major A-holes. Not accepting gift certificates. Don't they want happy customers and customers to return? I will not be returning after how others were treated there, major turn off!
(1)Rob F.
Note to all. They are closed for good. First, the ownership change and their refusal to honor their gift certificates. Next, the interview with the mouse running up the wall in the background. Now, they are closed for good. The first trip to Faial, I had pork and little necks. It was very good. Tender, flavorful, and a nice big plate. My friend had a seafood scampi over linguini. He liked it. I was going to try it my next trip, but I wanted something a little more Portuguese to try. My second trip, last night, I has a paella and it was ok. People rave about it here on Yelp! For $27, I'd have liked more. No soup. No salad. Just bread. I might have had 4 little shrimp, 3 scallops, 4 mussels, 2 little necks, a half a chicken lobster, and the seafood rice with the little canned shrimp and dried scallops. It went quick! My date had Moriscos do mar which was pretty much the exact same thing without the half lobster. She thought neither was worth the money. I thought a lot better of the pork and little necks! That's what I'd go back for. Dinner, a couple sodas and beers , and a tip for 5 was $200. So, $40 each for an entree and one or two drinks. No doggie bags! Probably going rate.
(1)Gina B.
Maybe it's because I'm from the South (NC), but this was some seriously good seafood. In the South, we will fry some seafood in a heartbeat, but I'm not a fan of grease. The plates were heaping with food and the flavors were full. They even had an extensive gluten-free menu. Everything from the starter to the dessert was fantastic (including the drinks + sidecar). Next time I'm in Smithfield, you bet I'll be back!
(4)Tiffany K.
I came with a large group and the service was awesome but the food was amazing with generous portions. The crab cakes were delicious as they had a nice crunch on the outside and were soft and moist on the inside. Its sauce was a nice accompaniment but was rather rich. I also had a Caesar salad and chicken fingers as appetizers. The dressing was good and the dipping sauces for the chicken was really good too - love that honey mustard. The chicken fingers were more like cutlets (very big!) and they had a wonderful crunch and flavor. I also tried the veal parm. It was pretty standard but I liked it. I had a white sangria with the meal, which was also really tasty. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Adam C.
The experience at Faial was disappointing. The prices are outrageous for the quality of food. The seafood was over cooked and dry. Their seafood rice is filled with imitation crab and some other slimy knockoff for seafood. The service is far from friendly! I will not be coming back.
(1)Maureen K.
Had the tower paella which had lobster scallops shrimps clams mussels and wonderful rice
(5)Kristen B.
Food is great, but it is expensive for the atmosphere. Bright lights. Looks more like a banquet hall than a restaurant. And I'm not a fan of the music entertainment. Not my scene. Food tastes good, however.
(2)Mila P.
The steak is very tough and the salmon was not good with a fowl smell had to be sent back. Twice have been there and both times had to send the food back. Same experience with my friends. Never going back worst experience ever!!
(1)Maureen S.
SERVICE: Joe is always there at the door to greet the guests. Service at both the tables and the bar is great. Servers are attentive and never let the glasses get empty. FOOD: Have tried a variety of different meals here, from seafood to steak, all meals have been excellent - the Portuguese Potatoes and the Faial Sauce as a side are a must try. Favorite dishes include Bife a Portuguesa (Sirloin topped with fried egg and hot peppers and Faial Sauce), Carne de porco Alentejana (pork with littlenecks and potatoes), Grilled Pork Chop Portuegese Style (Two pork chops stuffed with chourice, peppers and onion). DRINKS: Drinks here are reasonably priced for the large pour. They offer a side car on ice for martini-style drinks in addition to the full glass. DEALS: I would highly recommend signing up for the email club, to start they give you a free appetizer then continue to notify you of all deals throughout the week. Each day has a special, but our favorites are the Prime Rib on Tuesdays ($10 queen, $20 king, $30 caveman cut) and the King Crab Legs on Thursdays ($10, $20, $30 portion).
(4)Matt S.
Wish I could give no stars. Go there on a Saturday night and place is fairly busy but nobody waiting. After standing for about a minute or two waiting for the hostess to acknowledge us...he was busy just sitting there thumbing through papers...I go up to him and ask for a table for two. He looks up and says it's an hour wait. I look around..nobody waiting how the hell is it an hour. I question him on it and he like yeah sorry hour or so wait. You ever feel like your being lied right to your face?? I knew it was bull... The hostess barely even looked up..:so we left. We go into the car and call inquiring how long of a wait is it just to prove a point. The same hostess I believe answered and said only a short wait not too long. Needless to say my blood pressure started to rise. I was ready to go back in flipping but my friend said lets just go. They don't want our business that fine. She calmed me down and we left. Guess we aren't good enough to dine here. Maybe he didn't like the way we were dressed who knows. I will never step foot in this establishment again and I'm making sure I'm telling everyone I know bout my experience. I'd rather throw my money away then spend it here
(1)Kristin C.
We visited Faial for my mom's birthday dinner on a Saturday night and it was packed. Definitely make a reservation if you can - they were turning people away at the door. This restaurant has a festive (loud) atmosphere and there was some great live music the night we were there. We really enjoyed it, but it might not be the place for a quiet, romantic dinner... Now for the food. I had the baked seafood platter, which included scallops, sole, stuffed scrod, and shrimp with a side of seafood rice and broccoli. Everything was perfectly cooked and the portions were large (enough for lunch the next day as well). My husband had the paelha, which included a 1/2 lobster, littlenecks, mussels, scallops and their spicy faial sauce. Again - everything was cooked perfectly, lots of flavor, and large portions. We thought the prices were quite reasonable for the portion sizes. Overall this was a very positive experience and we're looking forward to another visit!
(4)Michael S.
At Faial make sure to get a reservation, as this place is almost always packed. The restaurant has super-huge portions and I strongly advise that you order the half sized portions (they are super-huge too, but half the price) to save some dough. Wait staff is friendly, quick and always checking in on their customers. Check into their gift certificate program. Sometimes they offer a "buy one gift certificate, get one free" program that will save you some dough.
(4)Sonia V.
Where do I start... Coming from family from the Island of Faial and knowing the authentic Portuguese food the island and Portuguese culture has to offer I was extremely disappointed with my visit to the restaurant and will no be going back. Walking in I was at awe with the pictures of the beautiful Island of Faial and its decor. After walking in past the entrance way my disappointment began. From the heavily stained ceiling tiles that could easily and inexpensively be replaced to the odd looking butterflies hanging from the ceiling I thought was a horrible touch. There was no table decor or candle except for salt pepper and a blue table cloth ( the blue cloth I'm assuming to reflect the beautiful color of blue the island is known for). Not to mention anything else in the restaurant to give it a Faial touch. Our wonderful greeting was hello we no longer honor our other locations gift certificates. Really? The wait staff were unfriendly and quite honestly very unaware of what was on the menu. No offense but if you are advertising to be an authentic Portuguese restaurant at least have staff that at least can pronounce the menu and know that Portuguese beer is Sagres and not Stella. We waited a long time for our drinks and Italian style bread - which personally I have never gone to a Portuguese restaurant that did not serve papsecos. The menu was very over priced for the type of restaurant it was for. If I wanted to pay 20.00 for a plate of smelts or 30.00 for a Portuguese steak I would of gone to Cotali Mar and at least be satisfied with the quality of food and service. There was hardly anything Portuguese on the menu except for the items they added Faial sauce to which in the 36 years that I have been eating Portuguese food I have never had "Faial" sauce like the one that was provided to us. It was so spicy I nearly chocked with I dipped a piece of bread into it. I ordered the surf n turf which wasn't all bad. The mashed potatoes had no taste and was reheated numerous times. My friend ordered smelts with Portuguese style potatoes. The smelts we frozen and did not taste fresh. The smelts were served with tartar sauce something that is never served with Portuguese fish plates unless it is requested. The Portuguese style potatoes were not fully cooked / fried through. Extremely disappointed with our visit to this restaurant especially after I drove over 35 minutes to try out the restaurant that was named after the island I love so much.
(1)Local P.
There is plenty of parking in their lot shared with a Dunkin Donuts and other businesses, just West of the 295 interchange off Route 7 Douglas Ave. Their sign is nearly impossible to see. The atmosphere is upscale as is the menu but the prices are very reasonable and the portions are generous. Faial serves a soft Italian type bread and butter along with a house sauce that involves some kind of medium hot peppers. Spread both on your slice and the dairy moderates the bite of the sauce. Excellent! As a person nearly famous for being a picky eater I was not enthusiastic about the prospect of trying Faial. I was raised in a Portuguese household and was never thrilled with the food, so when my wife and I received gift certificates to Faial my only thought was "Great, I'll bet even the hamburgers taste like fish." I was pleasantly surprised. First, to find out that there is a lot more to the Portuguese diet than fish. But when I saw Fillet of Sole with stuffing made of crab and shrimp... I uh... I ordered fish. The dish was amazing. Not overdone. In a Ritz Cracker crumble, just incredible. I added the Portuguese fries (think thick, soft potato chips), and glaced carrots. Yummo. Patti had a sirloin steak and baked potato to rival anything we've ever had on a cruise ship, along with a glass of wine that had to account for nearly half the bottle it came in, which is typical... there is no skimping at Faial. I ordered the smaller portion of that sole and still wound up taking half of it home. Can't close without a mention of our waiter, Paul, who really understands that waiting tables is customer service. He is really good at it. Ask for Paul's table. Faial is a new addition to our favorite places to eat!
(4)Alvaro P.
I give this restaurant 3 stars. Let me begin with the positives. Every Monday during the summer you pay 1/2 of your bill including alcohol. Second positive is that Tues - Sun you can purchase a gift cert for $25 and a second one for free and can be use for your entire bill including alcohol at any time including the day of purchase. The food is decent but having been to other portuguese restaurants this is my least favorite one. The portions are big, and that is how the food tastes (as if they were made in huge quantities) - service is fast and the staff is friendly. Hope this helps, thanks!
(3)Daniel B.
Stopped here after another restaurant we were planning on going to had a crazy wait. Glad we did. It was 7 and there was still a wait so we chose the bar. Junior was awesome. He was very busy but made sure we had everything we needed and quickly. The bread and Faial sauce is dangerous. The whole loaf disappeared very quickly. The calamari was well seasoned, fresh, and really tender. Even better dipped in the Faial sauce. I had the stuffed pork chop with chourice stuffing. It was a huge portion and half came home. My girlfriend had the surf and turf. She usually smothers her steak in A1 but chose the Faial sauce this time and said she'd never go back. Thank god. She said the shrimp was delicious but slightly over cooked. Definitely opt for the Portuguese fries. They are great here. Only negative for me was no draft beer, but they have a good bottle selection. We also had the red And white sangrias and a tequila sunrise. All the drinks were mixed well, strong but not so much you couldn't drink them. With splitting the caramel flan the bill was $100 great deal and value for the money.
(5)Stephanie R.
This used to be my favorite place to go for Portuguese food, but I have to say the last few times I've gone, I've been a bit disappointed. The portions used to be enormous, and now they've literally been sliced in half. I've only ever gotten my favorite dish (paella) and it would always feed me for at least 3 days afterward. This is how I would justify the price (29.99) for a dish I could easily get in Fall River for half the price...or maybe even a third of the price. Now, my dish is smaller, but my payment stays the same. They used to have half priced dinner nights, which drew in a huge crowd, but also made the prices is certain dishes far more reasonable. Now that is gone too. The sauce is what keeps me coming back. It's spicy, tangy and downright the best red Portuguese sauce I have ever had. And now- it's sold separately to take home! Like store bought ragu but with all the wonderful Portuguese tastes just a jar opener away. Overall, I might just buy the sauce from now on and make my own. Unless they decide to revert back to doing the things that made it so great, I'll be content to listen to Barbara Streisand singing "the way we were" while I make my own paella and think about what I can now do with my extra $30...
(3)Carlos L.
This is a Gem here in Lincoln the food is high end right down to the sauce you spread on your bread. The seafood selection is top notch and the selection is to die for. The staff is friendly and fast. Prices are a little high but it's to be expected. High quality dinning
(5)Robert G.
We have enjoyed dinner at Faial twice in the past two weeks. The food is very good and reasonably priced. We also like the fact that we can go in the afternoon and still get dinner. Very often we stop for an early dinner before attending functions at Bryant University where I am an alumni. Their seafood is always fresh, excellent stuffies, and great martinis. We especially enjoy the Portugese style dishes that they offer. They have regular specials which are enticing. The service personel do an excellent job.
(4)Todd R.
Have you ever heard of a place that takes 50% off of your bill every Monday, Tues, and Weds? Its just crazy. Whatever your bil is you cut it in half. Drinks and everything. Your bill is $112. No its not, it's now $56. This place does that. I know the owner. What a great guy. You show up he goes behind the bar and hands you a beer (doesn't expect anything in return). I'm actually going here tonight to meet my parents for dinner and can't wait. Has great seafood. If you go here on a monday, tues, weds, be prepared to wait a little bit if you have a big party. They say the lines start forming around 3pm LOL
(5)Brazilian M.
Went there with friends. They are regulars and love the food. I was excited to have some Portuguese food! We had a reservation but my friends wanted a corner table with a little more privacy so when they told the host he was very rude about it. He told us "well we reserve a table, we dont garantee where. Plus a table is a table. You may have to wait another hour". 10 minutes later we were seated on a corner table and our waitress took our drink order. She was friendly but there were times she was gone and took a long time to check on us. We were not done with our meal when she brought the check. Never asked if we wanted dessert or coffee. The decor was tacky. The place was really loud and the smell of fish and garlic was overwhelming. Now, the food! Portions are huge, however, tasteless. The seafood rice that comes with most of the dishes, was cooked too much and tasted like it was part of a large batch that was sitting in the kitchen for a long time. I had the Portuguese soup for appetizer and it was delicious. I wish I only had ordered that as my dinner instead of the expensive fisherman platter that was overpowered with salt. The prices are expensive, the host is rude, the food is just ok. You feel like you are on a VFW hall and not a nice one. We will not be coming back and because of that rude host my friends said they were done with that place.
(1)Laurie T.
This review is for the new location on Rte 116 in Greenville: Having been to the original Faial, I knew what to expect. The menu is quite large, and can be a bit pricey and a tad repetitive. I was slightly disappointed when I heard we couldn't use our gift certificate. Apparently, this location is offering a buy one get one free dinner special & gift certificates are rendered invalid. My favorite part of this experience was our waiter, Paul. He was attentive without being overbearing. Quiet, but funny. The calamari appetizer was cooked well, nice and light with a good coating. It could've used a light sauce or a sauce on the side. Our meals were huge! I ordered the Mariscos Do Mar. All of my seafood expect for the scallops were overcooked, which was really disappointing. The rice also seemed too soft, and it was soaked with the Faial sauce. The dish had so much potential! My boyfriend ordered the grilled sea bass. It was cooked perfectly, lacked seasoning, and his rice was also too soft. I feel like with a few small changes and some extra love in the kitchen, this place would be awesome. I don't see myself going out of my way to go here again.
(3)Theodore H.
I have yet to be disappointed, service is great and the portions are huge. Joe is the best.
(5)Roberta B.
This is our new favorite restaurant in Rhode Island. Baked scrod with scallop and shrimp stuffing, steak, their sauce and hot bread, the yummy Portuguese fries and seafood rice. They even know how to cook vegetables! Our young waiter who had just been promoted after working for years as a bus boy was a gem! Great waiter who wasn't afraid to make recommendations and he was friendly too. We are telling everyone about this place Wish we lived on the east coast!
(5)Hans H.
Always Wonderful! Both the Smithfield and now the new Greenville location are great. The food, drinks, and service is always good.
(5)Toby H.
Yelp, you do not do this place justice. - 3 Stars?? You're crazy !! ORDER THE PAELHA Yup it is another great restaurant that for some reason is located in a strip mall setting and yes when you walk in you are not exactly blown awake by the fancy decor.... but where it counts this place will knock your socks off. YUMMY - the food here is a-maze-balls! ORDER THE PAELHA Before I continue with the good stuff lets get the few short comings of this place out of the way. Your not bringing a date here for date one, two or three, but for a special partner who is a real foodie, one who is willing to look past the lack-luster look of the place, one who can understand that the guy (or gal) in the kitchen can overcome the sometimes slow service and even my pet peeve -- laminated menus. ORDER THE PAELHA The menu is loaded with awesome seafood dishes, I ordered the Paelha (this is how the Portuguese spell Paella and not in fact an embarrassing spelling error). It was rather good...correction it was really good....actually it was the cats meow and the bee's knees all rolled into one. Oops, almost forgot Portuguese soup was yummy and my "glass" of wine was in fact a goblet SCORE! Sorry Yelp, you are dead wrong about this place .... shame on you!
(5)Beverly D.
Simply, Faial Restaurant is the BEST. Great Food, Fabulous Service. Super prices. Their reputation is the community is second to none. Beverly Dwyer, North Providence
(5)Jean L.
On a whim we ate here for my husband's birthday. It was more noisy then I would have liked. But wow, the food made up for it. Outstanding filet for me, and hubby's tuna steak was amazing. Free dessert if it's your birthday! Definitely going back.
(4)Chelsea F.
My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary and were pretty impressed! To start off, the location is weird. It's in a plaza in the middle of nowhere. Secondly, the dining atmosphere is weird. It's like, tacky chairs and tacky decorations in a huge, wide open space---with no booth. Anyway, we browsed the menu and our server came over. She was pleasant answered out questions to what seemed was the best of her ability. We were disappointed that the portugese entrees didn't have a better description, for we aren't portugese and know nothing about the food. They were also a lot pricier than the other items on the menu. Strange, for what is supposed to be a portugese restaurant. We were wowed by the large selection of seafood and chose little necks for our appetizer. YUM! Our server was kind of distant at this point and hadn't checked back to see if we needed anything--which we did. Not a big deal though. We were too engulfed in the little necks! For our entrees, I chose Baked Stuffed Shrimp and my boyfriend chose a Seafood Bake of some sort. YUMMMM as well. The portions were a bit small for the price, but sufficient. Also, my baked stuffed shrimp seemed to have more stuffing than anything else. Very starchy. Overall we were satisfied. It took quite awhile for us to get our check and boxes, but we were patient. If I could give 3.5 stars I would, but I'll round up to 4 for the delicious food.
(4)John D.
I took my wife out on July 3rd for our 29th wedding anniversary to the Smithfield location that we have been going to for years, sometimes with as many as four other couples. The food was always great, the service was good, and we always enjoyed our experience. Not this time! We got a good parking spot just outside the door, but went inside only to find out that the gift certificate we had purchased during our last visit could now only be used at their other restaurant in Greenville. We got back in our car and finally located the Greenville site. This was not easy as I did not know this area well, and there was no sign or even a number on the building. Parking was also limited, and we had to park in a school lot and walk over 100 years to and from the restaurant. I was then informed that they would only honor half of the value of the gift certificate. Additionally, you could not use the gift certificate for alcohol, which bothered me even more--because by this time I really felt like drinking. The meal and service from the waitress was excellent, but running through the gauntlet to arrive at that point totally ruined our anniversary, and I doubt we will ever go back. As a semi-retired businessman, I would never turn away customers like that who came into my place of business and put them through such an unpleasant experience. Perhaps in my younger days, it would not have bothered me as much. I do remember walking miles to attend concerts and other events, but now my wife and I are in our sixties, If you are a Navy Seal-I would recommend this restaurant--the walking should not be too much for you. You might also want to pick up a gift certificate for someone you do not like!
(2)Kristine R.
One of my favorite places to have a nice seafood dinner. This remarkable restaurant is hidden within a shabby strip mall. The restaurant brings in a great crowd, mood lighting, a large bar, and amazing live piano music (that even takes birthday requests!). I would come back for their signature Faial bread sauce alone! It's a chunky lightly spicy red sauce that is just plain addicting. In fact, I even bought some for home! Yes, it's that popular that you can buy a jar of it. Craziness. Their calamari was cooked to perfection. Not tough, chewy or soggy. Their baked scallops and stuffed shrimp was delicious and their sangria isn't too bad either. Their food is consistently delicious, flavorful, and filling. Despite the busy nature of the weekend dinner experience, the service is pretty friendly, attentive and nice. Give it a try!
(5)Jägerman Z.
Service was good, food was great. Paella for two: 1 lobster, 1 king leg, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams. I split it with my buddy and couldn't finish it. The stuffies are also great.
(5)Kayla H.
Delicious! Staff extremely friendly, food is great, nice atmosphere! sometimes a live band. The bread and sauce is amazing, big glasses of wine, I enjoy the chicken parmesan and my boyfriend enjoys the filet with eggs. Been there plenty of times including thanksgiving and today (Easter). Made a reservation and was seated immediately. Perfect place to spend the holidays without the mess and stress at home. If there's not a long wait I suggest stop in and try it out :)
(5)M S.
Came recommended from the folks at the Hampton. There isn't a huge selection of places to go here in Smithfield so we gave it a try. Their Signature Sauce - There is so much garlic in this sauce it burns - If you are on a date you may want to hold off on dipping your bread in it - If you are planning on going on a date tomorrow, you may want to pass as well - Overall we finished both bowls that were provided with our bread Appetizers - Bacon Wrapped Scallops - you are going to want to pass on these. Not good - Oysters - Blue Point Oysters, cleaned nicely, fresh, they were good - Calamari - Was actually amazing. Tender, not too much batter, we had some left over cocktail sauce from the oysters so that helped kick it up. Would recommend Mains - Pork Chop - It should read 2 pork chops with peppers, onion, chorizo in between. It was delicious and I would order it again. Came with the Portuguese Chips, which were really good, and their seafood rice which was tasty - NY Steak - 2 of the guys I was with got this dish, the one with the egg and hot peppers on it. Cooked perfectly, good flavor, same sides as above. Recommended. - Stuffed Swordfish - Another guy in our party got this and really enjoyed it. Stuffing was good. Dessert - Carrot Cake - Standard carrot cake, tasted good - Chocolate Cake - One of the favorites at the table - Caramel Pudding - Too sweet for me but others at the table liked it Drinks - the $37 bottle of Portuguese red wine was great - Drinks are poured with a heavy hand, definitely get your $ worth You can tell it is family owned. It was crowded (even for a Wed night). Staff were really friendly. Overall a good experience. Portions were large. Stephanie said that they portions have been cut in half...I can't imagine what they used to be like then! If I could give it a 3.5 I would.
(3)Linda A.
This place is pretty good. I have gone one time and everyone in my party loved what they had. The Faial sauce with the bread alone is worth a try. I am Portuguese, so I can vouch for the quality in the dishes and like that there's a mix of Portuguese traditional dishes and American fair.
(4)Cee D.
Nice decor (wish it was brighter as we went for lunch! open the blinds!) Friendly staff. Extensive menu and portions are available for Small or large (which i consider a bonus) Seafood is probably the best bet, although I did not care for the calamari. Although there were only 3 tables on an early mid week lunch, our plates for a party of two came out five minutes apart - bizarre. There was a piano which is played on Saturday nights. I would return.
(3)Rob L.
I always enjoy eating at Faial! I like to try different dishes when I go to a restaurant, however the Stuffed Swordfish pulls me in every time! The portions are large, the food is always delicious and the prices are very reasonable for the size of the portions. Don't forget to try the fantastic Faial Pudding and grab a jar of Joe's Faial Sauce.
(4)John B.
So I see some really good reviews and most of them had seafood, so maybe that's the secret here is to get seafood. But I had the steak Portuguese style with the fried egg. I have had this dish at many portugués restaurants through out the state, at faial I didn't think the steak had much flavor, the rice was very good the potatoes were Ok. I ordered the Portuguese soup and never got it. I wasn't charged though so I guess that's good. The faial sauce is delicious. I would have liked to see Portuguese rolls though served with the faial sauce . My wife got a chicken dish with some brown gravy, didn't care for that dish at all. Again the rice was good and the Potatoes were the same. I have had better Portuguese experiences in fall river at half the price. I think my biggest issue here is the price I would not go there again and pay 25 bucks for my plate. I could of had my meal, with soup, espresso and dessert for that price, maybe cheaper elsewhere. If I could give it 2.5 stars I would but the value here is what brings the rating down for me.
(2)Marco C.
HUGE PORTIONS !! Must try in Smithfield good quality food friendly staff , the small portion is more than most anyone can finish !!
(5)Emily D.
always a fabulous experience. have only been here a few times but every time i go home and think of how good and how worth the money dinner was. their seafood is some of the best in RI. their service is top notch and everything they have is good. never had a bad meal here. huge portions as well, without fail ill always have a doggie bag to bring home. also the house sauce they give you with the bread.... youll leave with a jar of it. my parents and grandmother go here religiously every saturday. Theres a reason this place is always crazy packed! This is one of those places that when somebody from out of town comes you bring them there, when somebody asks where a good restaurant is around here, this is where you send them. will always recommend!
(5)J C.
Hidden in a strip mall is Faial's Restaurant. We had a great pre-Thanksgiving lobster dinner here complete with a family of musicians to make it festive. I was scared when they started to set up. Small children and older relatives are not a good mix to begin with. Thankfully the music seemed to help entertain and the songs were beautifully sung. Loved the live music! The food was excellent. That bread and sauce thing they put out is amazing. We loved it. Slightly spicy and so delicious. Took some home for the week! The salad and the dressing were so fresh and yummy. The lobster was great. We thought we ordered too much but we ate every bite! Great evening. Stop by if you are in the area!
(4)Scott S.
Nice atmosphere. Food was ok but a little bland. Had the lobster fisher mans platter with seafood rice, which was the most favorable item. Kendal Jackson Chardonnay was $9.50 a glass which was a little pricey.
(3)Sarah E.
I am so happy I gave Faial a second chance. Everyone raves about this place, but my first experience was flawed and extremely disappointing. Let's focus on the positives. The food was amazing! I went on the waitress' recommendation and ordered the Chicken Faial with Portuguese fries. I was served massive amounts of food!! It was as good as advertised. Faial does not skimp on the beverages either. Their drinks are tasty and large. Service was 100x better this second time. That was my biggest beef with the first experience. The staff was very unfriendly and rude to our large party. This time, however, the staff was very friendly, attentive and helpful. I will go back a third time, hopefully soon!!
(4)Eugene P.
We held a Cousin's Night on 8/23 @ Faial Restaurant North Smithfield. There were 10 of us for dinner. We had 7 PM reservations . We arrived there on time. The place was packed. We were seated promptly. The server was friendly and very efficient. Everyone had a great meal. This place will be on my return list. Highly recommended. Keep up the good work Joe
(4)Jessica M.
Here is the thing....I REALLY like the food here. I swear that what they call their Faial sauce, which is some sort of garlicky, hot saucey concoction, is as addicting as crack (I do not know from experience, of course...just sayin'). Their seafood and Portuguese dishes are very good. I love their paella, and the seafood rice that is served with it always and other dishes is always fabulous. They also have a lobster fisherman's platter that is delicious! No, it is not the food that keeps me from giving this restaurant a four- or a five-star rating....every dish I have ever had is fabulous, and you cannot beat their deal Monday through Wednesday when they split your bill, including alcohol, literally in half! No, what keeps me from giving Faial a rating over three stars is the service. It has always been a bit off to me. Nice enough, but extremely slow...having worked in the service industry, I am very patient with waitstaff, because their jobs are not easy. However, Faial's staff even tries my patience. I will continue to go here because of their crave-worthy food...but the service takes away from the overall experience.
(3)BB C.
Went here for the first time and loved every bite of my Peixe de Serra (stuffed swordfish). Others at my table got the baked seafood platter, or the "steak and lobster" and also loved it. Prices were pretty cheap for the huge portions. The decorations are tacky - butterflies hanging from the ceiling and holiday wreaths on the wall in July...but I got over that once I had a bite of the food.
(5)Hungry H.
LOVE this place! Excellent food. LARGE portions. Definitely recommend their paella, chicken parm, stuff mushrooms and chilean seabass. YUM! LOVE their sangrias too! Friendly staff. The host could use a smile once in a while though.
(5)Jeff H.
We had been looking forward to dining at Faial for a long time. I had heard such great things and that it was authentic "Portuguese" cuisine. Alas, our experience was less than mediocre. I mentioned to my partner that this seemed more like a diner than a better restaurant. For example, the china was mismatched and the decor was "Dollar Store" chique. We ordered drinks. I ordered a Stella, she ordered a vodka soda. Her vodka soda was served in a pint beer glass with a Coors Light logo. My Stella was served in an 8oz retro pilsner. They must have gotten a deal on Coors logo pint glasses. We received a bread basket with some Italian bread. For a restaurant that advertises itself as Portuguese, I would have expected traditional Portuguese bread. We started with the Oyster Rockefeller appetizer. When it arrived, it was plated in a bowl (?) with a large soup spoon to serve. I would hazard a guess that the oysters were frozen and then topped with thawed frozen spinach some shredded mozzarella, and then baked in the oven to bring to temperature. Absolutely no seasoning, no taste. My partner had the stuffed lobster, a one pounder, that was priced at 28.99. I could have gotten the same entree at Fresh Catch, better prepared, for 16.99. I had the Lobster Fisherman Platter. I requested the linguini option and it was served with plain, out of the box spaghetti. Ridiculously overseasoned with basil and a tasteless sauce. The server was attentive and definitely had diner service training. She kept passing the table, picking up my bottle of beer to see if I was finished. The prices are way too high for the quality of food, atmosphere and service. If you want to experience real Portuguese cooking, you are better off heading down to Fall River or New Bedford. Needless to say, they gave us no reason to return.
(2)Beverly S.
I've now been back to Faial's at least seven or more times for the Wednesday 10-20-30 lobster special and every single time the food was as excellent as the first time I dined there - the sides continued to be spectacular and the sides of either seafood rice OR Portuguese potatoes (hot French Fries) were beyond amazing. A friend took me there for my birthday, and I took her there for her birthday and yet another friend took the two of us their for our birthdays (thanks Marilyn!) - any excuse to go back to Faial's on Wednesday. My husband has taken to asking me now on Wednesday mornings "who are you having lunch with in Smithfield today?" Ha ha funny guy. So this past Wednesday I took yet another friend there for lunch - however, with a view towards full disclosure, I have to tell you the prices have gone up by $5, (It really WAS too good to be true). Now it is $15-$25-$35 for the 1-2 or 3 lbs. lobsters. I have yet to have a lobster there that was not delicious, juicy, tender and succulent. A couple of friends told me they had tough ones occasionally - I never have, so cannot complain in any way about that. AND $25 for a full course 2lb. lobster luncheon (OR DINNER) served with bread, peppery dip, and two side dishes, in my estimation, does not warrant a complaint. I really don't go there every Wednesday, but when I can find an excuse to spend $25 for lunch (same for dinner) I GO! Did I say the wine pour was exceedingly generous? (I believe I did in my first review). If you order a martini, they serve you one, plus another full refill in a cute little jar (a boot? not sure of the term)l. So, if you like good food, well-prepared, and lots of it in a very lovely environment with cloth napkins and table cloths and VERY friendly (amazingly friendly) service, and great drinks, this place is for you! Man, moving to RI has been a very fattening experience for me.
(5)Tricia T.
I really like going to Faial Restaurant in Smithfield. When I first started going there I would order a dinner that would be so filling. My fault. I became uncomfortable because I ate too much!! I learned my way around the menu. I can get salmon with a potato & veggie. Their larger portion of salmon is wonderful. VERY filling. I can also order a steak sandwich. Delicious. I love their white clam seafood zuppa with scallops & little necks over linguine. My friend gets chicken Faial Style and it is delicious and filling. We order a glass of wine & I am thrilled to say they give you a nice size glass of wine. I would suggest this restaurant to anyone who can eat large portions and anyone who wants an appetizer & something else to dine on.
(4)George P.
Went there a few times and could not get in (because of the great deals they offer). Finally went there for an anniversary dinner. Menu descriptions make the food sound great. Unfortunately, the best thing there is the salted butter (they give with the bread). We ordered the 2 lb boiled lobster (I did not think it was fresh), the lobster fisherman's platter has a lot of seafood but none of it is particularly tasty and again the lobster was not fresh, baked scallops (average) and a bowl of seafood chowder (which had imitation crabmeat in it and very little other seafood). d'carlo's next door blows this place away. Service was good, people were friendly, prices were reasonable, I would not go back. Not impressed.
(1)J A.
Was here last Saturday night and had a good meal as usual. One of the few places I discovered with a groupon that I would drive back without a groupon. Just a great atmosphere and great value.
(4)Erin N.
Introduced here by my fiance'. I was very impressed by the food. All is plentiful and well made. I ordered BAKED SCALLOPS Dinner:$17.99...Lightly dusted with Ritz cracker crumbs, baked to perfection. Heaping helping well made served with choice of sides. Restaurant could use a little redesigning. Live piano music on some nights which is a nice touch. Full bar offering. Bar is hardly separated from the restaurant which can be distracting because it gets loud at times.
(4)Pilar C.
I cannot say anything about the food. I'm sure it is wonderful. The service however, is absolutely the worst I have ever witnessed. I have never given any business such a terrible rating. But, I walked in with two of my friends at 7pm on a Saturday night and asked for a table for three, the owner, Joe, tells us there is an hour wait - which was no problem. I told him we would gladly wait for a table... instead of being happy to oblige he says "Have you gone next door? They have plenty of seats there. Maybe you should go there". Well, D. Carlo didn't have plenty of seats (they seemed just as busy as Faial), but they did have three seats and they were very obliging and the meal was fabulous. I am so extremely sad as I, myself, am Portuguese and was excited to try it out. But, I can promise I will never step foot in there again.
(1)Glen J.
Well this was my second trip to Faial's, my first was not so good, but I bought 2 $50 gift cards so I had to go back. This time I got baked Fish and scallops, well it was not so good, the flavor was that of a dirty oven that was smoking and that was the flavor throughout. But that was not it! Almost every bite had me picking out fish bones, so what does that tell you of the quality. I had some left over on my gift card and I gave it to a couple coming in! Never again!
(1)Jeff H.
We had been looking forward to dining at Faial for a long time. I had heard such great things and that it was authentic "Portuguese" cuisine. Alas, our experience was less than mediocre. I mentioned to my partner that this seemed more like a diner than a better restaurant. For example, the china was mismatched and the decor was "Dollar Store" chique. We ordered drinks. I ordered a Stella, she ordered a vodka soda. Her vodka soda was served in a pint beer glass with a Coors Light logo. My Stella was served in an 8oz retro pilsner. They must have gotten a deal on Coors logo pint glasses. We received a bread basket with some Italian bread. For a restaurant that advertises itself as Portuguese, I would have expected traditional Portuguese bread. We started with the Oyster Rockefeller appetizer. When it arrived, it was plated in a bowl (?) with a large soup spoon to serve. I would hazard a guess that the oysters were frozen and then topped with thawed frozen spinach some shredded mozzarella, and then baked in the oven to bring to temperature. Absolutely no seasoning, no taste. My partner had the stuffed lobster, a one pounder, that was priced at 28.99. I could have gotten the same entree at Fresh Catch, better prepared, for 16.99. I had the Lobster Fisherman Platter. I requested the linguini option and it was served with plain, out of the box spaghetti. Ridiculously overseasoned with basil and a tasteless sauce. The server was attentive and definitely had diner service training. She kept passing the table, picking up my bottle of beer to see if I was finished. The prices are way too high for the quality of food, atmosphere and service. If you want to experience real Portuguese cooking, you are better off heading down to Fall River or New Bedford. Needless to say, they gave us no reason to return.
(2)Beverly S.
I've now been back to Faial's at least seven or more times for the Wednesday 10-20-30 lobster special and every single time the food was as excellent as the first time I dined there - the sides continued to be spectacular and the sides of either seafood rice OR Portuguese potatoes (hot French Fries) were beyond amazing. A friend took me there for my birthday, and I took her there for her birthday and yet another friend took the two of us their for our birthdays (thanks Marilyn!) - any excuse to go back to Faial's on Wednesday. My husband has taken to asking me now on Wednesday mornings "who are you having lunch with in Smithfield today?" Ha ha funny guy. So this past Wednesday I took yet another friend there for lunch - however, with a view towards full disclosure, I have to tell you the prices have gone up by $5, (It really WAS too good to be true). Now it is $15-$25-$35 for the 1-2 or 3 lbs. lobsters. I have yet to have a lobster there that was not delicious, juicy, tender and succulent. A couple of friends told me they had tough ones occasionally - I never have, so cannot complain in any way about that. AND $25 for a full course 2lb. lobster luncheon (OR DINNER) served with bread, peppery dip, and two side dishes, in my estimation, does not warrant a complaint. I really don't go there every Wednesday, but when I can find an excuse to spend $25 for lunch (same for dinner) I GO! Did I say the wine pour was exceedingly generous? (I believe I did in my first review). If you order a martini, they serve you one, plus another full refill in a cute little jar (a boot? not sure of the term)l. So, if you like good food, well-prepared, and lots of it in a very lovely environment with cloth napkins and table cloths and VERY friendly (amazingly friendly) service, and great drinks, this place is for you! Man, moving to RI has been a very fattening experience for me.
(5)Tricia T.
I really like going to Faial Restaurant in Smithfield. When I first started going there I would order a dinner that would be so filling. My fault. I became uncomfortable because I ate too much!! I learned my way around the menu. I can get salmon with a potato & veggie. Their larger portion of salmon is wonderful. VERY filling. I can also order a steak sandwich. Delicious. I love their white clam seafood zuppa with scallops & little necks over linguine. My friend gets chicken Faial Style and it is delicious and filling. We order a glass of wine & I am thrilled to say they give you a nice size glass of wine. I would suggest this restaurant to anyone who can eat large portions and anyone who wants an appetizer & something else to dine on.
(4)George P.
Went there a few times and could not get in (because of the great deals they offer). Finally went there for an anniversary dinner. Menu descriptions make the food sound great. Unfortunately, the best thing there is the salted butter (they give with the bread). We ordered the 2 lb boiled lobster (I did not think it was fresh), the lobster fisherman's platter has a lot of seafood but none of it is particularly tasty and again the lobster was not fresh, baked scallops (average) and a bowl of seafood chowder (which had imitation crabmeat in it and very little other seafood). d'carlo's next door blows this place away. Service was good, people were friendly, prices were reasonable, I would not go back. Not impressed.
(1)J A.
Was here last Saturday night and had a good meal as usual. One of the few places I discovered with a groupon that I would drive back without a groupon. Just a great atmosphere and great value.
(4)Erin N.
Introduced here by my fiance'. I was very impressed by the food. All is plentiful and well made. I ordered BAKED SCALLOPS Dinner:$17.99...Lightly dusted with Ritz cracker crumbs, baked to perfection. Heaping helping well made served with choice of sides. Restaurant could use a little redesigning. Live piano music on some nights which is a nice touch. Full bar offering. Bar is hardly separated from the restaurant which can be distracting because it gets loud at times.
(4)Matt S.
Wish I could give no stars. Go there on a Saturday night and place is fairly busy but nobody waiting. After standing for about a minute or two waiting for the hostess to acknowledge us...he was busy just sitting there thumbing through papers...I go up to him and ask for a table for two. He looks up and says it's an hour wait. I look around..nobody waiting how the hell is it an hour. I question him on it and he like yeah sorry hour or so wait. You ever feel like your being lied right to your face?? I knew it was bull... The hostess barely even looked up..:so we left. We go into the car and call inquiring how long of a wait is it just to prove a point. The same hostess I believe answered and said only a short wait not too long. Needless to say my blood pressure started to rise. I was ready to go back in flipping but my friend said lets just go. They don't want our business that fine. She calmed me down and we left. Guess we aren't good enough to dine here. Maybe he didn't like the way we were dressed who knows. I will never step foot in this establishment again and I'm making sure I'm telling everyone I know bout my experience. I'd rather throw my money away then spend it here
(1)Kristin C.
We visited Faial for my mom's birthday dinner on a Saturday night and it was packed. Definitely make a reservation if you can - they were turning people away at the door. This restaurant has a festive (loud) atmosphere and there was some great live music the night we were there. We really enjoyed it, but it might not be the place for a quiet, romantic dinner... Now for the food. I had the baked seafood platter, which included scallops, sole, stuffed scrod, and shrimp with a side of seafood rice and broccoli. Everything was perfectly cooked and the portions were large (enough for lunch the next day as well). My husband had the paelha, which included a 1/2 lobster, littlenecks, mussels, scallops and their spicy faial sauce. Again - everything was cooked perfectly, lots of flavor, and large portions. We thought the prices were quite reasonable for the portion sizes. Overall this was a very positive experience and we're looking forward to another visit!
(4)Michael S.
At Faial make sure to get a reservation, as this place is almost always packed. The restaurant has super-huge portions and I strongly advise that you order the half sized portions (they are super-huge too, but half the price) to save some dough. Wait staff is friendly, quick and always checking in on their customers. Check into their gift certificate program. Sometimes they offer a "buy one gift certificate, get one free" program that will save you some dough.
(4)Pilar C.
I cannot say anything about the food. I'm sure it is wonderful. The service however, is absolutely the worst I have ever witnessed. I have never given any business such a terrible rating. But, I walked in with two of my friends at 7pm on a Saturday night and asked for a table for three, the owner, Joe, tells us there is an hour wait - which was no problem. I told him we would gladly wait for a table... instead of being happy to oblige he says "Have you gone next door? They have plenty of seats there. Maybe you should go there". Well, D. Carlo didn't have plenty of seats (they seemed just as busy as Faial), but they did have three seats and they were very obliging and the meal was fabulous. I am so extremely sad as I, myself, am Portuguese and was excited to try it out. But, I can promise I will never step foot in there again.
(1)Glen J.
Well this was my second trip to Faial's, my first was not so good, but I bought 2 $50 gift cards so I had to go back. This time I got baked Fish and scallops, well it was not so good, the flavor was that of a dirty oven that was smoking and that was the flavor throughout. But that was not it! Almost every bite had me picking out fish bones, so what does that tell you of the quality. I had some left over on my gift card and I gave it to a couple coming in! Never again!
(1)Bruce B.
This was our first visit to Faial in Smithfield. Our choice to try this place was based upon receiving a gift certificate and also some word of mouth. We went for dinner (appx.6:00PM) and as we entered, the host/hostess podium was unattended as we waited for at least 5 minutes before anyone even acknowledge that we waiting for a table. That being said, our server was very attentive, bringing us water, fresh bread and butter and drinks. The menu had many dinner options BUT most dinners revolved around seafood. Even the rice pilaf ,that was their "signature" side dish, had lobster,crab and shrimp meat in it. This is advertised as a "Portuguese cuisine" lounge but they really didnt have that many choices on the menu for Portuguese dishes...most of the menu choices were meals you can find anywhere. The menu also offered the choice of ordering a lunch or dinner portion sized plate, even at dinner time, which was a nice option and a little easier on the wallet. We both ended up ordering a seafood meal (I, the baked stuffed scrod and my wife, the fish and chips). Both dinners were decent but not great but portion sizes were huge for the price. Also, a nice touch was a piano/guitar player who played xmas music as well as some light rock during dinner. Not sure if this is a regular feature here or it was because of the holidays. Overall, I would say try this place IF and ONLY if you love seafood. Most of the menu consists of seafood dishes. Prices are decent for the amount of food you're paying for....in my opinion, it's just ok, nothing great.
(3)B K.
Seriously? Our party of 6 got there at 5 and had a 2 hour wait. I guess that is standard on their half price days. The place was packed. Portions were generous, but the food quality was poor. The best thing I ate was the faial sauce that they give you with the bread. My caciola was the worst I've ever had. It was served on a soggy hot dog bun (where's the Portuguese roll?) and tasted like dirty dish water. The fries were soggy and bland as well. The mushy bland rice had rubber scallops in it. Seriously overcooked. Our waitress was nice enough, but the only other good thing I can say is thank god we didn't pay full price.
(2)Ken H.
The food was delicious and theserving was enormous. We went for the half off special that starts at 15:00, so it was a real deal. The place gets packed, as you would expect for the price. Very good authentic Portuguese food. Well worth giving a try.
(4)Sue P.
We visited Faial's for lunch yesterday with my parents and found it to be decent, but nothing to write home about. The seafood was good- I had baked stuffed shrimp (lunch portion). The portion looked small when set down in front of me, but I was actually quite full after finishing my meal. The prices seem fairly reasonable and the speed of service was decent. Not a real "hip" place- more the type of restaurant you'd go to with your parents/family for a Sunday brunch
(3)Skinclinic E.
Really nothing good to say about the food. Sandy seafood, tough steak, greasy pot roast. Tried several times because my husband's family enjoys it here, for the large strong drinks I suspect... Service is good, crowd is loud, must be those drinks again.
(2)S. I.
Got in immediately on a Sat night at 8:00, nice. Very busy, but to be expected... This place has a nice variety of dishes, including authentic Portuguese dishes. They have a signature dipping sauce that's served with fresh bread, extremely tasty. It can be a slight bit spicy, so dippers beware! The waiter was Peter, and he couldn't be any nicer. Helpful, attentive, and personable. All of the staff seemed pretty attentive, even though the place was jam packed. The food: incredible. We were served in no time flat. The food was hot, and quite delicious. The menu has two columns of prices for many dishes, one for lunch, one for dinner. Our waiter explained that we could have lunch portions instead of dinner portions, as we didn't want a lot of food. SO happy he told us; dinner portions are HUGE. I couldn't even finish the lunch size and took the rest home ( they box the take home food at the table) I had provimi veal parm and linguini. Perfectly cooked, all the way around. I completely enjoyed my meal. My husband had chicken 'faial style". He loved it and thought it unique. Perfectly cooked, with real mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. I had thought the lunch portions were reasonably priced (which was really any other restaurant's dinner size!). Additionally there was live music: an acoustic guitarist/singer who was really talented. Perfect song choices...nothing too jarring and he had a beautiful voice. I've got to say, it was a fantastic night out. I read a few other bad reviews of this place and am perplexed. NOT what I experienced at all. Quick, tasty food, at a reasonable price. Top notch service, and wonderful entertainment. Not a bad word to say.
(5)Peter H.
I've been here twice. Once I sat at the bar after about 5 or 6 previous unsuccessful tries (no seats available) and found the food to be adequate but nothing to write home about. The second time, again after multiple tries, I managed to get a seat at the bar next to an obnoxiously drunk regular. This time, I waited for a least ten minutes while the bartender repeatedly ignored me. She cleared dishes from another customer and took them to the kitchen. Then she came back and cleared someone else's dishes and took them to the kitchen. Apparently, it was more important to clear the dishes then it was to greet a new customer and set me up with a drink and a menu. I ended up walking out. This place just isn't worth the hassle to get in. Go somewhere else. Chester's in Gloucester on rt. 44 is much better.
(1)Sherrill T.
I went with my aunt on Tuesday after hearing good things from my best friend. Their special bread dipping is really nothing special, has a slight kick but no real flavor. I asked if I could get a half order of "littlenecks" the waitress did not check with anyone and said NO. I then asked her if there were really littlenecks and how big were they, She made a sign with her fingers indicating about a quarter size. I said OK if they are that little then I will get them. My aunt ordered a Turkey Club with sweet potatoe fries. Well the club sandwich was a club sandwich, hard to ruin that. The sweet potatoe fries were plentiful and good, but again nothing special. The little necks were not little necks but rather cherry stones and very large. I told the waitress these are not littlenecks, they are cherrystones. She said well I would not know I am alergic to seafood and walked away. I know a quahog should be a quahog, but I really do not like the taste or texture of the larger clams. I tried to eat one and just could hardly gag it down. I called the waitress over and said these are unacceptable. She staired at me like I had three heads. I said OK, just bag them up and I will take them home, cook them and make chowder. No one approached me to see if there was something else I might like, no adjustment was made on my bill. I was hungry, so I ordered a cup of their seafood chowder. It was a short of red clam chowder, it had too much spice in it and I think they had taken one of those cherrystones, put a string on it and dragged it through several gallons of soup. Needless to say I will never return. The least the owner could have done was come over and say something positibve, but reading through the reviews I guess he just does not care. Enough bad press and word of mouth and maybe the ecomony will finally get to him.
(1)Cristina P.
Good food, good staff. Bread dipping sauce is great! V generous portions. Lots of Portuguese and non Portuguese dishes. My only complaint is all the Christmas decorations in September.
(4)Diane D.
Good food but very busy...2 hour wait the other night so we left and will make reservations for another time
(4)Bruce B.
This was our first visit to Faial in Smithfield. Our choice to try this place was based upon receiving a gift certificate and also some word of mouth. We went for dinner (appx.6:00PM) and as we entered, the host/hostess podium was unattended as we waited for at least 5 minutes before anyone even acknowledge that we waiting for a table. That being said, our server was very attentive, bringing us water, fresh bread and butter and drinks. The menu had many dinner options BUT most dinners revolved around seafood. Even the rice pilaf ,that was their "signature" side dish, had lobster,crab and shrimp meat in it. This is advertised as a "Portuguese cuisine" lounge but they really didnt have that many choices on the menu for Portuguese dishes...most of the menu choices were meals you can find anywhere. The menu also offered the choice of ordering a lunch or dinner portion sized plate, even at dinner time, which was a nice option and a little easier on the wallet. We both ended up ordering a seafood meal (I, the baked stuffed scrod and my wife, the fish and chips). Both dinners were decent but not great but portion sizes were huge for the price. Also, a nice touch was a piano/guitar player who played xmas music as well as some light rock during dinner. Not sure if this is a regular feature here or it was because of the holidays. Overall, I would say try this place IF and ONLY if you love seafood. Most of the menu consists of seafood dishes. Prices are decent for the amount of food you're paying for....in my opinion, it's just ok, nothing great.
(3)B K.
Seriously? Our party of 6 got there at 5 and had a 2 hour wait. I guess that is standard on their half price days. The place was packed. Portions were generous, but the food quality was poor. The best thing I ate was the faial sauce that they give you with the bread. My caciola was the worst I've ever had. It was served on a soggy hot dog bun (where's the Portuguese roll?) and tasted like dirty dish water. The fries were soggy and bland as well. The mushy bland rice had rubber scallops in it. Seriously overcooked. Our waitress was nice enough, but the only other good thing I can say is thank god we didn't pay full price.
(2)Ken H.
The food was delicious and theserving was enormous. We went for the half off special that starts at 15:00, so it was a real deal. The place gets packed, as you would expect for the price. Very good authentic Portuguese food. Well worth giving a try.
(4)Sue P.
We visited Faial's for lunch yesterday with my parents and found it to be decent, but nothing to write home about. The seafood was good- I had baked stuffed shrimp (lunch portion). The portion looked small when set down in front of me, but I was actually quite full after finishing my meal. The prices seem fairly reasonable and the speed of service was decent. Not a real "hip" place- more the type of restaurant you'd go to with your parents/family for a Sunday brunch
(3)Skinclinic E.
Really nothing good to say about the food. Sandy seafood, tough steak, greasy pot roast. Tried several times because my husband's family enjoys it here, for the large strong drinks I suspect... Service is good, crowd is loud, must be those drinks again.
(2)S. I.
Got in immediately on a Sat night at 8:00, nice. Very busy, but to be expected... This place has a nice variety of dishes, including authentic Portuguese dishes. They have a signature dipping sauce that's served with fresh bread, extremely tasty. It can be a slight bit spicy, so dippers beware! The waiter was Peter, and he couldn't be any nicer. Helpful, attentive, and personable. All of the staff seemed pretty attentive, even though the place was jam packed. The food: incredible. We were served in no time flat. The food was hot, and quite delicious. The menu has two columns of prices for many dishes, one for lunch, one for dinner. Our waiter explained that we could have lunch portions instead of dinner portions, as we didn't want a lot of food. SO happy he told us; dinner portions are HUGE. I couldn't even finish the lunch size and took the rest home ( they box the take home food at the table) I had provimi veal parm and linguini. Perfectly cooked, all the way around. I completely enjoyed my meal. My husband had chicken 'faial style". He loved it and thought it unique. Perfectly cooked, with real mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. I had thought the lunch portions were reasonably priced (which was really any other restaurant's dinner size!). Additionally there was live music: an acoustic guitarist/singer who was really talented. Perfect song choices...nothing too jarring and he had a beautiful voice. I've got to say, it was a fantastic night out. I read a few other bad reviews of this place and am perplexed. NOT what I experienced at all. Quick, tasty food, at a reasonable price. Top notch service, and wonderful entertainment. Not a bad word to say.
(5)Peter H.
I've been here twice. Once I sat at the bar after about 5 or 6 previous unsuccessful tries (no seats available) and found the food to be adequate but nothing to write home about. The second time, again after multiple tries, I managed to get a seat at the bar next to an obnoxiously drunk regular. This time, I waited for a least ten minutes while the bartender repeatedly ignored me. She cleared dishes from another customer and took them to the kitchen. Then she came back and cleared someone else's dishes and took them to the kitchen. Apparently, it was more important to clear the dishes then it was to greet a new customer and set me up with a drink and a menu. I ended up walking out. This place just isn't worth the hassle to get in. Go somewhere else. Chester's in Gloucester on rt. 44 is much better.
(1)Sherrill T.
I went with my aunt on Tuesday after hearing good things from my best friend. Their special bread dipping is really nothing special, has a slight kick but no real flavor. I asked if I could get a half order of "littlenecks" the waitress did not check with anyone and said NO. I then asked her if there were really littlenecks and how big were they, She made a sign with her fingers indicating about a quarter size. I said OK if they are that little then I will get them. My aunt ordered a Turkey Club with sweet potatoe fries. Well the club sandwich was a club sandwich, hard to ruin that. The sweet potatoe fries were plentiful and good, but again nothing special. The little necks were not little necks but rather cherry stones and very large. I told the waitress these are not littlenecks, they are cherrystones. She said well I would not know I am alergic to seafood and walked away. I know a quahog should be a quahog, but I really do not like the taste or texture of the larger clams. I tried to eat one and just could hardly gag it down. I called the waitress over and said these are unacceptable. She staired at me like I had three heads. I said OK, just bag them up and I will take them home, cook them and make chowder. No one approached me to see if there was something else I might like, no adjustment was made on my bill. I was hungry, so I ordered a cup of their seafood chowder. It was a short of red clam chowder, it had too much spice in it and I think they had taken one of those cherrystones, put a string on it and dragged it through several gallons of soup. Needless to say I will never return. The least the owner could have done was come over and say something positibve, but reading through the reviews I guess he just does not care. Enough bad press and word of mouth and maybe the ecomony will finally get to him.
(1)Cristina P.
Good food, good staff. Bread dipping sauce is great! V generous portions. Lots of Portuguese and non Portuguese dishes. My only complaint is all the Christmas decorations in September.
(4)Diane D.
Good food but very busy...2 hour wait the other night so we left and will make reservations for another time
(4)Daniel B.
Stopped here after another restaurant we were planning on going to had a crazy wait. Glad we did. It was 7 and there was still a wait so we chose the bar. Junior was awesome. He was very busy but made sure we had everything we needed and quickly. The bread and Faial sauce is dangerous. The whole loaf disappeared very quickly. The calamari was well seasoned, fresh, and really tender. Even better dipped in the Faial sauce. I had the stuffed pork chop with chourice stuffing. It was a huge portion and half came home. My girlfriend had the surf and turf. She usually smothers her steak in A1 but chose the Faial sauce this time and said she'd never go back. Thank god. She said the shrimp was delicious but slightly over cooked. Definitely opt for the Portuguese fries. They are great here. Only negative for me was no draft beer, but they have a good bottle selection. We also had the red And white sangrias and a tequila sunrise. All the drinks were mixed well, strong but not so much you couldn't drink them. With splitting the caramel flan the bill was $100 great deal and value for the money.
(5)Stephanie R.
This used to be my favorite place to go for Portuguese food, but I have to say the last few times I've gone, I've been a bit disappointed. The portions used to be enormous, and now they've literally been sliced in half. I've only ever gotten my favorite dish (paella) and it would always feed me for at least 3 days afterward. This is how I would justify the price (29.99) for a dish I could easily get in Fall River for half the price...or maybe even a third of the price. Now, my dish is smaller, but my payment stays the same. They used to have half priced dinner nights, which drew in a huge crowd, but also made the prices is certain dishes far more reasonable. Now that is gone too. The sauce is what keeps me coming back. It's spicy, tangy and downright the best red Portuguese sauce I have ever had. And now- it's sold separately to take home! Like store bought ragu but with all the wonderful Portuguese tastes just a jar opener away. Overall, I might just buy the sauce from now on and make my own. Unless they decide to revert back to doing the things that made it so great, I'll be content to listen to Barbara Streisand singing "the way we were" while I make my own paella and think about what I can now do with my extra $30...
(3)Alvaro P.
I give this restaurant 3 stars. Let me begin with the positives. Every Monday during the summer you pay 1/2 of your bill including alcohol. Second positive is that Tues - Sun you can purchase a gift cert for $25 and a second one for free and can be use for your entire bill including alcohol at any time including the day of purchase. The food is decent but having been to other portuguese restaurants this is my least favorite one. The portions are big, and that is how the food tastes (as if they were made in huge quantities) - service is fast and the staff is friendly. Hope this helps, thanks!
(3)Carlos L.
This is a Gem here in Lincoln the food is high end right down to the sauce you spread on your bread. The seafood selection is top notch and the selection is to die for. The staff is friendly and fast. Prices are a little high but it's to be expected. High quality dinning
(5)Daryl H.
Great dinner specials, buy one get one free! Great seafood and huge portions. Really good pepper oil with the bread before dinner.
(4)Todd R.
Have you ever heard of a place that takes 50% off of your bill every Monday, Tues, and Weds? Its just crazy. Whatever your bil is you cut it in half. Drinks and everything. Your bill is $112. No its not, it's now $56. This place does that. I know the owner. What a great guy. You show up he goes behind the bar and hands you a beer (doesn't expect anything in return). I'm actually going here tonight to meet my parents for dinner and can't wait. Has great seafood. If you go here on a monday, tues, weds, be prepared to wait a little bit if you have a big party. They say the lines start forming around 3pm LOL
(5)Joseph A.
I'm not sure what happened. I have been a loyal customer and been going here for a couple of years, so much, the wait staff knew my order. When I walked in today, I was prompted with the statement "we can no longer honor your gift certificates." Not even a hello. Like I said I have been going here for a couple of years. I have at least five gift certificates that I cannot use that were given to me because I enjoyed going there so much. They raised the menu prices, will not give you bread unless you ask, and pass off their signature rice as being reheated rice from the day before. I guess they were recently purchased from the original owner and already everyone noticed a difference. This is for the worse and I will not return.
(1)Tina Z.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere, this is a very cozy atmosphere. The wait staff are very friendly and accommodating. I dined with a very large party, I think we had 14. The service was fast and the portions were huge. I got the grilled salmon in a boat and it was tasty, but very salty. I took home quite a bit of food, but didn't finish it because I was overwhelmed by the salt. The one think I will say, is that the smell of garlic can be smelled from the parking lot, so if you like very seasoned food, you are in luck!
(3)Joanelle W.
Major A-holes. Not accepting gift certificates. Don't they want happy customers and customers to return? I will not be returning after how others were treated there, major turn off!
(1)Rob F.
Note to all. They are closed for good. First, the ownership change and their refusal to honor their gift certificates. Next, the interview with the mouse running up the wall in the background. Now, they are closed for good. The first trip to Faial, I had pork and little necks. It was very good. Tender, flavorful, and a nice big plate. My friend had a seafood scampi over linguini. He liked it. I was going to try it my next trip, but I wanted something a little more Portuguese to try. My second trip, last night, I has a paella and it was ok. People rave about it here on Yelp! For $27, I'd have liked more. No soup. No salad. Just bread. I might have had 4 little shrimp, 3 scallops, 4 mussels, 2 little necks, a half a chicken lobster, and the seafood rice with the little canned shrimp and dried scallops. It went quick! My date had Moriscos do mar which was pretty much the exact same thing without the half lobster. She thought neither was worth the money. I thought a lot better of the pork and little necks! That's what I'd go back for. Dinner, a couple sodas and beers , and a tip for 5 was $200. So, $40 each for an entree and one or two drinks. No doggie bags! Probably going rate.
(1)Gina B.
Maybe it's because I'm from the South (NC), but this was some seriously good seafood. In the South, we will fry some seafood in a heartbeat, but I'm not a fan of grease. The plates were heaping with food and the flavors were full. They even had an extensive gluten-free menu. Everything from the starter to the dessert was fantastic (including the drinks + sidecar). Next time I'm in Smithfield, you bet I'll be back!
(4)Local P.
There is plenty of parking in their lot shared with a Dunkin Donuts and other businesses, just West of the 295 interchange off Route 7 Douglas Ave. Their sign is nearly impossible to see. The atmosphere is upscale as is the menu but the prices are very reasonable and the portions are generous. Faial serves a soft Italian type bread and butter along with a house sauce that involves some kind of medium hot peppers. Spread both on your slice and the dairy moderates the bite of the sauce. Excellent! As a person nearly famous for being a picky eater I was not enthusiastic about the prospect of trying Faial. I was raised in a Portuguese household and was never thrilled with the food, so when my wife and I received gift certificates to Faial my only thought was "Great, I'll bet even the hamburgers taste like fish." I was pleasantly surprised. First, to find out that there is a lot more to the Portuguese diet than fish. But when I saw Fillet of Sole with stuffing made of crab and shrimp... I uh... I ordered fish. The dish was amazing. Not overdone. In a Ritz Cracker crumble, just incredible. I added the Portuguese fries (think thick, soft potato chips), and glaced carrots. Yummo. Patti had a sirloin steak and baked potato to rival anything we've ever had on a cruise ship, along with a glass of wine that had to account for nearly half the bottle it came in, which is typical... there is no skimping at Faial. I ordered the smaller portion of that sole and still wound up taking half of it home. Can't close without a mention of our waiter, Paul, who really understands that waiting tables is customer service. He is really good at it. Ask for Paul's table. Faial is a new addition to our favorite places to eat!
(4)Sonia V.
Where do I start... Coming from family from the Island of Faial and knowing the authentic Portuguese food the island and Portuguese culture has to offer I was extremely disappointed with my visit to the restaurant and will no be going back. Walking in I was at awe with the pictures of the beautiful Island of Faial and its decor. After walking in past the entrance way my disappointment began. From the heavily stained ceiling tiles that could easily and inexpensively be replaced to the odd looking butterflies hanging from the ceiling I thought was a horrible touch. There was no table decor or candle except for salt pepper and a blue table cloth ( the blue cloth I'm assuming to reflect the beautiful color of blue the island is known for). Not to mention anything else in the restaurant to give it a Faial touch. Our wonderful greeting was hello we no longer honor our other locations gift certificates. Really? The wait staff were unfriendly and quite honestly very unaware of what was on the menu. No offense but if you are advertising to be an authentic Portuguese restaurant at least have staff that at least can pronounce the menu and know that Portuguese beer is Sagres and not Stella. We waited a long time for our drinks and Italian style bread - which personally I have never gone to a Portuguese restaurant that did not serve papsecos. The menu was very over priced for the type of restaurant it was for. If I wanted to pay 20.00 for a plate of smelts or 30.00 for a Portuguese steak I would of gone to Cotali Mar and at least be satisfied with the quality of food and service. There was hardly anything Portuguese on the menu except for the items they added Faial sauce to which in the 36 years that I have been eating Portuguese food I have never had "Faial" sauce like the one that was provided to us. It was so spicy I nearly chocked with I dipped a piece of bread into it. I ordered the surf n turf which wasn't all bad. The mashed potatoes had no taste and was reheated numerous times. My friend ordered smelts with Portuguese style potatoes. The smelts we frozen and did not taste fresh. The smelts were served with tartar sauce something that is never served with Portuguese fish plates unless it is requested. The Portuguese style potatoes were not fully cooked / fried through. Extremely disappointed with our visit to this restaurant especially after I drove over 35 minutes to try out the restaurant that was named after the island I love so much.
(1)Robert G.
We have enjoyed dinner at Faial twice in the past two weeks. The food is very good and reasonably priced. We also like the fact that we can go in the afternoon and still get dinner. Very often we stop for an early dinner before attending functions at Bryant University where I am an alumni. Their seafood is always fresh, excellent stuffies, and great martinis. We especially enjoy the Portugese style dishes that they offer. They have regular specials which are enticing. The service personel do an excellent job.
(4)Brazilian M.
Went there with friends. They are regulars and love the food. I was excited to have some Portuguese food! We had a reservation but my friends wanted a corner table with a little more privacy so when they told the host he was very rude about it. He told us "well we reserve a table, we dont garantee where. Plus a table is a table. You may have to wait another hour". 10 minutes later we were seated on a corner table and our waitress took our drink order. She was friendly but there were times she was gone and took a long time to check on us. We were not done with our meal when she brought the check. Never asked if we wanted dessert or coffee. The decor was tacky. The place was really loud and the smell of fish and garlic was overwhelming. Now, the food! Portions are huge, however, tasteless. The seafood rice that comes with most of the dishes, was cooked too much and tasted like it was part of a large batch that was sitting in the kitchen for a long time. I had the Portuguese soup for appetizer and it was delicious. I wish I only had ordered that as my dinner instead of the expensive fisherman platter that was overpowered with salt. The prices are expensive, the host is rude, the food is just ok. You feel like you are on a VFW hall and not a nice one. We will not be coming back and because of that rude host my friends said they were done with that place.
(1)Laurie T.
This review is for the new location on Rte 116 in Greenville: Having been to the original Faial, I knew what to expect. The menu is quite large, and can be a bit pricey and a tad repetitive. I was slightly disappointed when I heard we couldn't use our gift certificate. Apparently, this location is offering a buy one get one free dinner special & gift certificates are rendered invalid. My favorite part of this experience was our waiter, Paul. He was attentive without being overbearing. Quiet, but funny. The calamari appetizer was cooked well, nice and light with a good coating. It could've used a light sauce or a sauce on the side. Our meals were huge! I ordered the Mariscos Do Mar. All of my seafood expect for the scallops were overcooked, which was really disappointing. The rice also seemed too soft, and it was soaked with the Faial sauce. The dish had so much potential! My boyfriend ordered the grilled sea bass. It was cooked perfectly, lacked seasoning, and his rice was also too soft. I feel like with a few small changes and some extra love in the kitchen, this place would be awesome. I don't see myself going out of my way to go here again.
(3)Theodore H.
I have yet to be disappointed, service is great and the portions are huge. Joe is the best.
(5)Roberta B.
This is our new favorite restaurant in Rhode Island. Baked scrod with scallop and shrimp stuffing, steak, their sauce and hot bread, the yummy Portuguese fries and seafood rice. They even know how to cook vegetables! Our young waiter who had just been promoted after working for years as a bus boy was a gem! Great waiter who wasn't afraid to make recommendations and he was friendly too. We are telling everyone about this place Wish we lived on the east coast!
(5)Hans H.
Always Wonderful! Both the Smithfield and now the new Greenville location are great. The food, drinks, and service is always good.
(5)Toby H.
Yelp, you do not do this place justice. - 3 Stars?? You're crazy !! ORDER THE PAELHA Yup it is another great restaurant that for some reason is located in a strip mall setting and yes when you walk in you are not exactly blown awake by the fancy decor.... but where it counts this place will knock your socks off. YUMMY - the food here is a-maze-balls! ORDER THE PAELHA Before I continue with the good stuff lets get the few short comings of this place out of the way. Your not bringing a date here for date one, two or three, but for a special partner who is a real foodie, one who is willing to look past the lack-luster look of the place, one who can understand that the guy (or gal) in the kitchen can overcome the sometimes slow service and even my pet peeve -- laminated menus. ORDER THE PAELHA The menu is loaded with awesome seafood dishes, I ordered the Paelha (this is how the Portuguese spell Paella and not in fact an embarrassing spelling error). It was rather good...correction it was really good....actually it was the cats meow and the bee's knees all rolled into one. Oops, almost forgot Portuguese soup was yummy and my "glass" of wine was in fact a goblet SCORE! Sorry Yelp, you are dead wrong about this place .... shame on you!
(5)Beverly D.
Simply, Faial Restaurant is the BEST. Great Food, Fabulous Service. Super prices. Their reputation is the community is second to none. Beverly Dwyer, North Providence
(5)Jean L.
On a whim we ate here for my husband's birthday. It was more noisy then I would have liked. But wow, the food made up for it. Outstanding filet for me, and hubby's tuna steak was amazing. Free dessert if it's your birthday! Definitely going back.
(4)Chelsea F.
My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary and were pretty impressed! To start off, the location is weird. It's in a plaza in the middle of nowhere. Secondly, the dining atmosphere is weird. It's like, tacky chairs and tacky decorations in a huge, wide open space---with no booth. Anyway, we browsed the menu and our server came over. She was pleasant answered out questions to what seemed was the best of her ability. We were disappointed that the portugese entrees didn't have a better description, for we aren't portugese and know nothing about the food. They were also a lot pricier than the other items on the menu. Strange, for what is supposed to be a portugese restaurant. We were wowed by the large selection of seafood and chose little necks for our appetizer. YUM! Our server was kind of distant at this point and hadn't checked back to see if we needed anything--which we did. Not a big deal though. We were too engulfed in the little necks! For our entrees, I chose Baked Stuffed Shrimp and my boyfriend chose a Seafood Bake of some sort. YUMMMM as well. The portions were a bit small for the price, but sufficient. Also, my baked stuffed shrimp seemed to have more stuffing than anything else. Very starchy. Overall we were satisfied. It took quite awhile for us to get our check and boxes, but we were patient. If I could give 3.5 stars I would, but I'll round up to 4 for the delicious food.
(4)John D.
I took my wife out on July 3rd for our 29th wedding anniversary to the Smithfield location that we have been going to for years, sometimes with as many as four other couples. The food was always great, the service was good, and we always enjoyed our experience. Not this time! We got a good parking spot just outside the door, but went inside only to find out that the gift certificate we had purchased during our last visit could now only be used at their other restaurant in Greenville. We got back in our car and finally located the Greenville site. This was not easy as I did not know this area well, and there was no sign or even a number on the building. Parking was also limited, and we had to park in a school lot and walk over 100 years to and from the restaurant. I was then informed that they would only honor half of the value of the gift certificate. Additionally, you could not use the gift certificate for alcohol, which bothered me even more--because by this time I really felt like drinking. The meal and service from the waitress was excellent, but running through the gauntlet to arrive at that point totally ruined our anniversary, and I doubt we will ever go back. As a semi-retired businessman, I would never turn away customers like that who came into my place of business and put them through such an unpleasant experience. Perhaps in my younger days, it would not have bothered me as much. I do remember walking miles to attend concerts and other events, but now my wife and I are in our sixties, If you are a Navy Seal-I would recommend this restaurant--the walking should not be too much for you. You might also want to pick up a gift certificate for someone you do not like!
(2)Kristine R.
One of my favorite places to have a nice seafood dinner. This remarkable restaurant is hidden within a shabby strip mall. The restaurant brings in a great crowd, mood lighting, a large bar, and amazing live piano music (that even takes birthday requests!). I would come back for their signature Faial bread sauce alone! It's a chunky lightly spicy red sauce that is just plain addicting. In fact, I even bought some for home! Yes, it's that popular that you can buy a jar of it. Craziness. Their calamari was cooked to perfection. Not tough, chewy or soggy. Their baked scallops and stuffed shrimp was delicious and their sangria isn't too bad either. Their food is consistently delicious, flavorful, and filling. Despite the busy nature of the weekend dinner experience, the service is pretty friendly, attentive and nice. Give it a try!
(5)Jägerman Z.
Service was good, food was great. Paella for two: 1 lobster, 1 king leg, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams. I split it with my buddy and couldn't finish it. The stuffies are also great.
(5)Kayla H.
Delicious! Staff extremely friendly, food is great, nice atmosphere! sometimes a live band. The bread and sauce is amazing, big glasses of wine, I enjoy the chicken parmesan and my boyfriend enjoys the filet with eggs. Been there plenty of times including thanksgiving and today (Easter). Made a reservation and was seated immediately. Perfect place to spend the holidays without the mess and stress at home. If there's not a long wait I suggest stop in and try it out :)
(5)M S.
Came recommended from the folks at the Hampton. There isn't a huge selection of places to go here in Smithfield so we gave it a try. Their Signature Sauce - There is so much garlic in this sauce it burns - If you are on a date you may want to hold off on dipping your bread in it - If you are planning on going on a date tomorrow, you may want to pass as well - Overall we finished both bowls that were provided with our bread Appetizers - Bacon Wrapped Scallops - you are going to want to pass on these. Not good - Oysters - Blue Point Oysters, cleaned nicely, fresh, they were good - Calamari - Was actually amazing. Tender, not too much batter, we had some left over cocktail sauce from the oysters so that helped kick it up. Would recommend Mains - Pork Chop - It should read 2 pork chops with peppers, onion, chorizo in between. It was delicious and I would order it again. Came with the Portuguese Chips, which were really good, and their seafood rice which was tasty - NY Steak - 2 of the guys I was with got this dish, the one with the egg and hot peppers on it. Cooked perfectly, good flavor, same sides as above. Recommended. - Stuffed Swordfish - Another guy in our party got this and really enjoyed it. Stuffing was good. Dessert - Carrot Cake - Standard carrot cake, tasted good - Chocolate Cake - One of the favorites at the table - Caramel Pudding - Too sweet for me but others at the table liked it Drinks - the $37 bottle of Portuguese red wine was great - Drinks are poured with a heavy hand, definitely get your $ worth You can tell it is family owned. It was crowded (even for a Wed night). Staff were really friendly. Overall a good experience. Portions were large. Stephanie said that they portions have been cut in half...I can't imagine what they used to be like then! If I could give it a 3.5 I would.
(3)Linda A.
This place is pretty good. I have gone one time and everyone in my party loved what they had. The Faial sauce with the bread alone is worth a try. I am Portuguese, so I can vouch for the quality in the dishes and like that there's a mix of Portuguese traditional dishes and American fair.
(4)Cee D.
Nice decor (wish it was brighter as we went for lunch! open the blinds!) Friendly staff. Extensive menu and portions are available for Small or large (which i consider a bonus) Seafood is probably the best bet, although I did not care for the calamari. Although there were only 3 tables on an early mid week lunch, our plates for a party of two came out five minutes apart - bizarre. There was a piano which is played on Saturday nights. I would return.
(3)Rob L.
I always enjoy eating at Faial! I like to try different dishes when I go to a restaurant, however the Stuffed Swordfish pulls me in every time! The portions are large, the food is always delicious and the prices are very reasonable for the size of the portions. Don't forget to try the fantastic Faial Pudding and grab a jar of Joe's Faial Sauce.
(4)John B.
So I see some really good reviews and most of them had seafood, so maybe that's the secret here is to get seafood. But I had the steak Portuguese style with the fried egg. I have had this dish at many portugués restaurants through out the state, at faial I didn't think the steak had much flavor, the rice was very good the potatoes were Ok. I ordered the Portuguese soup and never got it. I wasn't charged though so I guess that's good. The faial sauce is delicious. I would have liked to see Portuguese rolls though served with the faial sauce . My wife got a chicken dish with some brown gravy, didn't care for that dish at all. Again the rice was good and the Potatoes were the same. I have had better Portuguese experiences in fall river at half the price. I think my biggest issue here is the price I would not go there again and pay 25 bucks for my plate. I could of had my meal, with soup, espresso and dessert for that price, maybe cheaper elsewhere. If I could give it 2.5 stars I would but the value here is what brings the rating down for me.
(2)Marco C.
HUGE PORTIONS !! Must try in Smithfield good quality food friendly staff , the small portion is more than most anyone can finish !!
(5)Emily D.
always a fabulous experience. have only been here a few times but every time i go home and think of how good and how worth the money dinner was. their seafood is some of the best in RI. their service is top notch and everything they have is good. never had a bad meal here. huge portions as well, without fail ill always have a doggie bag to bring home. also the house sauce they give you with the bread.... youll leave with a jar of it. my parents and grandmother go here religiously every saturday. Theres a reason this place is always crazy packed! This is one of those places that when somebody from out of town comes you bring them there, when somebody asks where a good restaurant is around here, this is where you send them. will always recommend!
(5)J C.
Hidden in a strip mall is Faial's Restaurant. We had a great pre-Thanksgiving lobster dinner here complete with a family of musicians to make it festive. I was scared when they started to set up. Small children and older relatives are not a good mix to begin with. Thankfully the music seemed to help entertain and the songs were beautifully sung. Loved the live music! The food was excellent. That bread and sauce thing they put out is amazing. We loved it. Slightly spicy and so delicious. Took some home for the week! The salad and the dressing were so fresh and yummy. The lobster was great. We thought we ordered too much but we ate every bite! Great evening. Stop by if you are in the area!
(4)Scott S.
Nice atmosphere. Food was ok but a little bland. Had the lobster fisher mans platter with seafood rice, which was the most favorable item. Kendal Jackson Chardonnay was $9.50 a glass which was a little pricey.
(3)Tiffany K.
I came with a large group and the service was awesome but the food was amazing with generous portions. The crab cakes were delicious as they had a nice crunch on the outside and were soft and moist on the inside. Its sauce was a nice accompaniment but was rather rich. I also had a Caesar salad and chicken fingers as appetizers. The dressing was good and the dipping sauces for the chicken was really good too - love that honey mustard. The chicken fingers were more like cutlets (very big!) and they had a wonderful crunch and flavor. I also tried the veal parm. It was pretty standard but I liked it. I had a white sangria with the meal, which was also really tasty. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Adam C.
The experience at Faial was disappointing. The prices are outrageous for the quality of food. The seafood was over cooked and dry. Their seafood rice is filled with imitation crab and some other slimy knockoff for seafood. The service is far from friendly! I will not be coming back.
(1)Maureen K.
Had the tower paella which had lobster scallops shrimps clams mussels and wonderful rice
(5)Kristen B.
Food is great, but it is expensive for the atmosphere. Bright lights. Looks more like a banquet hall than a restaurant. And I'm not a fan of the music entertainment. Not my scene. Food tastes good, however.
(2)Mila P.
The steak is very tough and the salmon was not good with a fowl smell had to be sent back. Twice have been there and both times had to send the food back. Same experience with my friends. Never going back worst experience ever!!
(1)Maureen S.
SERVICE: Joe is always there at the door to greet the guests. Service at both the tables and the bar is great. Servers are attentive and never let the glasses get empty. FOOD: Have tried a variety of different meals here, from seafood to steak, all meals have been excellent - the Portuguese Potatoes and the Faial Sauce as a side are a must try. Favorite dishes include Bife a Portuguesa (Sirloin topped with fried egg and hot peppers and Faial Sauce), Carne de porco Alentejana (pork with littlenecks and potatoes), Grilled Pork Chop Portuegese Style (Two pork chops stuffed with chourice, peppers and onion). DRINKS: Drinks here are reasonably priced for the large pour. They offer a side car on ice for martini-style drinks in addition to the full glass. DEALS: I would highly recommend signing up for the email club, to start they give you a free appetizer then continue to notify you of all deals throughout the week. Each day has a special, but our favorites are the Prime Rib on Tuesdays ($10 queen, $20 king, $30 caveman cut) and the King Crab Legs on Thursdays ($10, $20, $30 portion).
(4)Sarah E.
I am so happy I gave Faial a second chance. Everyone raves about this place, but my first experience was flawed and extremely disappointing. Let's focus on the positives. The food was amazing! I went on the waitress' recommendation and ordered the Chicken Faial with Portuguese fries. I was served massive amounts of food!! It was as good as advertised. Faial does not skimp on the beverages either. Their drinks are tasty and large. Service was 100x better this second time. That was my biggest beef with the first experience. The staff was very unfriendly and rude to our large party. This time, however, the staff was very friendly, attentive and helpful. I will go back a third time, hopefully soon!!
(4)Eugene P.
We held a Cousin's Night on 8/23 @ Faial Restaurant North Smithfield. There were 10 of us for dinner. We had 7 PM reservations . We arrived there on time. The place was packed. We were seated promptly. The server was friendly and very efficient. Everyone had a great meal. This place will be on my return list. Highly recommended. Keep up the good work Joe
(4)Jessica M.
Here is the thing....I REALLY like the food here. I swear that what they call their Faial sauce, which is some sort of garlicky, hot saucey concoction, is as addicting as crack (I do not know from experience, of course...just sayin'). Their seafood and Portuguese dishes are very good. I love their paella, and the seafood rice that is served with it always and other dishes is always fabulous. They also have a lobster fisherman's platter that is delicious! No, it is not the food that keeps me from giving this restaurant a four- or a five-star rating....every dish I have ever had is fabulous, and you cannot beat their deal Monday through Wednesday when they split your bill, including alcohol, literally in half! No, what keeps me from giving Faial a rating over three stars is the service. It has always been a bit off to me. Nice enough, but extremely slow...having worked in the service industry, I am very patient with waitstaff, because their jobs are not easy. However, Faial's staff even tries my patience. I will continue to go here because of their crave-worthy food...but the service takes away from the overall experience.
(3)BB C.
Went here for the first time and loved every bite of my Peixe de Serra (stuffed swordfish). Others at my table got the baked seafood platter, or the "steak and lobster" and also loved it. Prices were pretty cheap for the huge portions. The decorations are tacky - butterflies hanging from the ceiling and holiday wreaths on the wall in July...but I got over that once I had a bite of the food.
(5)Hungry H.
LOVE this place! Excellent food. LARGE portions. Definitely recommend their paella, chicken parm, stuff mushrooms and chilean seabass. YUM! LOVE their sangrias too! Friendly staff. The host could use a smile once in a while though.
(5)