O Dinis Restaurant
579 Warren Ave, East Providence, RI, 02914
O Dinis Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in East Providence for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in East Providence for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in East Providence for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
579 Warren Ave
East Providence, RI, 02914 - Phone (401) 438-3769
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Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 9:00pm
- Mon : 11:30 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : 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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Heather W.
Went to O Dinis hoping for some good Portuguese food. Went with a friend who had been before in the past. It was right up my alley, hole in the wall, family run and friendly staff. Sadly the food was ok. It was not bad but it was not the best portuguese I have had. My friend who raved about the place said the food was not quite what it used to be. I can't base my opinion on that just what we had and as I said it was OK. Nothing to write home about. The service and the environment were great though!
(3)Lorraine D.
We stopped here for lunch while doing some shopping. It was out first time and we were quite impressed! It's a small Portuguese place with excellent food. The prices are very reasonable and the portions are large. The service was quick and cordial. I would recommend this highly. If you're looking for good, flavorful food and reasonably priced try this!
(5)Carlos R.
Nice friendly restaurant with great specialty food and excellent prices but it pains me to say this since our families are acquainted, the service is poor, especially when it's busy and weekend nights. The service is disorganized and haphazard at best extending a dinner experience for hours. That length of stay would be OK if it was a larger venue with entertainment like Fados but it's a small restaurant. Staff is friendly but does not overcome poor service. I was there once when it was busy, we got seated (they don't seat you) and didn't get approached even for drinks for more than one hour. We left frustrated without any comment from the staff though other dinners were asking us if we ate. We went to another restaurant and completed dinner in less time than we waited there. I know they are trying to duplicate the small authentic cozy restaurants that exist in Portuguese countryside. I have been to those types of cozy places in Portugal where the food is hearty but the service is usually exceptional. It's amazing to me that so many restaurants do not understand what they are selling. It's the diner's total experience! * consistent quality, tasty, well prepared food * facility, staff, and plate presentation and cleanliness * prompt, friendly, attentive service from kitchen, bar, and servers You end up with happy repeat customers with good dining experiences. Find your niche and repeat. Go during the week and you will not be disappointed.
(3)Alma C.
I guess you can say this tastes like Mom's home cooking, if Mom is a Portuguese matron from the Azores that has a somewhat alarming side gig as a taxidermist, judging from the decor. This one time I did have an absolutely wonderful short rib braised in wine dinner, but that was a special and unfortunately it hasn't reappeared since. This place is worth checking out if you don't feel like making the trek over to Fall River or the Azores, but for those that want Lisboan Portuguese, you will not find it here.
(3)Kat N.
This place is alright. We ordered the chourico sandwich and the pork sandwich. Maybe we should've ordered one of the entree dishes instead of from the sandwich list. I would not come back for what we had. The service is spotty. The lady did not attend to our table once we received our food.
(2)Sarah M.
Yeah, we'd read the reviews that said service was bad, but at our first visit the service was fine. But, last night, no, it was something else. We arrived at 6:30 and were seated quite promptly. After that, all went down hill. We didn't get water or bread, just menus. After 15 minutes, a couple came in and sat at the nearest table in my view. Within 5 minutes, they had wine, bread and had ordered. THEY WERE FRIENDS OR RELATIVES. We still had only menus. After sitting for half an hour, the waitress came over. She didn't tell us the specials. She took our order. The couple across from me got their meal. What I don't like is the mind-set that allows such favoritism. Is the message "Don't go unless you're Portuguese"? Not a good message to send potential customers who aren't. There were plenty of waitresses and while we waited, there were lots of empty tables. This was so egregious, I was really not happy. The food is good, but verrrrry salty. Huge portions. Noisy crowd of happy people, many large groups.
(2)Reese A.
This small place has some BIG things going on. honestly the best portugese place in East Providence --hands down. Loved it, and I will be coming back for more of that deliciousness they have going on. Spicy little necks and mussels were out of this world and the octopus was phenomenal. Loved every bite. Serving size is definitely big. You get more than what you pay for.
(5)Richard P.
Hate to do this as the wait staff were so nice and friendly but the Red Snapper I had was on a scale of one to 10 about a 1. I am not sure it was even a red snapper due to it not tasting anything like a red snapper. Salty as hell and barely any meat on the thing. It came with an equally salty boiled potato. I will never go back. Just not my taste I guess but if you are a salt sucking creature, this just may be the place for you.
(2)American E.
Being from New Jersey where we have some decent Portuguese restaurants in Iron Bound, This was an OK Place. Food was decent so was the service, Great ambiance Though. We ordered the Shrimp with garlic sauce and clams in red sauce for appetizers, The shrimp sauce was kind of watery and had no taste. Clams was kind of OK.. for the main course we got the sirloin steak with Fries and rice and the Bacalhao na brasa. the Steak was good. the Bacalhao was cooked perfectly but the topping (sauteed onions in olive oil with garlic) was kind of raw. the good service and atmosphere made up for the not so great food. will definitely try a different place next time we go up there.
(3)Gibbs R.
Very nice and authentic Portuguese home-cook in'. I ordered the Cuttlefish and it was very tasty with lots of texture with a vinegar like dressing. Not too tough and just right. My wife had a steak with an egg on it. She ordered it medium but it was a bit overdone. The staff is extremely welcoming and friendly. I will be back.
(4)Marie G.
There are lots of restaurants in Rhode Island but do yourself a favor and save a meal for East Providence! We had an epic final meal at this wonderful local place - service was great and the food was even better. Don't miss the clams in the tomato sauce and the Portuguese sausage. Savory and fresh food at its best! Can't wait for a return visit!
(5)Glenn B.
We were looking for a place serving cassoula sandwiches, but found O Dinis, and I'm glad we did. I'm not Portuguese but my girlfriend is, so we've eaten Portuguese food all over as well as in Portugal and Angola and we both agree that this is right up there with the best we've had. Carne de Porco Alentjana and the Camarao Alhinho were both well prepared, delicious and large. Service was great, it was 3:30 so hard to comment on atmosphere, but I'd bet it would be rocking come regular meal times. All in all, a great find, good value, we'll be bringing, friends and family there soon!!
(4)Sean M.
4.12678 stars The parking is very tough especially in the early evening on a Sunday, getting a table for 5 is slightly harder. We had a 5 minute wait while they cleaned a table that was freshly empty. The conversation was loud peppered with laughter in mixed English and Portuguese. It was painfully obvious that we were not regulars. After the initial deadpan stares, nobody paid much attention to us. The waitress was patient and helpful but I was crushed that the suckling pig special was gone by 5:30pm. We opened with grilled artisan chourico (see the pic), and the little necks in garlic and wine sauce. Both were fairly spicy. I ate most of the calms and mopped up the broth with bread. The entrees came up in a timely fashion and was still pretty packed, with only a few small tables empty. The steaks looked to be hand cut and of decent thickness. There was a seafood kabob special, and we also sampled two of the chicken breast dishes, theses has similar sauces, one came with small shrimps on top. All the dishes come with thin cut frites (not the cross-sectional fried potatoes) and rice. If you have ever had a Chicken Curry in an Irish Pub, "Irish Style" with "chips and rice" and mix the curry sauce in, this was a similar, and delicious. I mixed my frites, rice, chicken and sauce as I would at thePub. We ate with a Vinho Verde (not Casal Garcia) that was perfect with saltiness of the food and cleansed the palate. The finish was met with bean pie, pecan pie, some sort of Grandma's Cookie cake, espresso and Portuguese brandy. * service was quite good * noise level was high but we felt at home * back in 2007 when I was new and shiny on Yelp I friended Gary-Sousa G. My go-to guy on value dining in PVD. Based on his review and one other I thought a bit unfair, we selected this place. Good call G! (I have been eating Portuguese food since 1975 and bones in the salt cod runs 50-50 i'd say)
(4)Jen L.
Good simple food and the price is right. My favorite Portuguese restaurant in RI. I've had octopus here that wasn't so good, and the service is pretty meh. But the steak with egg, fries and rice is consistently delicious.
(4)Anthony M.
I like the waitresses here, but that's all I can say about this place. The food isn't good. The prices are reasonable, for how much food they give you, but, unfortunately, the food isn't good. I'd try another Portuguese spot if you're in Providence.
(2)A I.
Had the salted cod dinner here a few weeks ago, and it was delicious. The chourice app was very simple but it hit the spot. The servers were really helpful when we interrogated them about the dishes, and kindly warned us that the salted cod dinner takes about 40 minutes to prepare. We ordered that first, then later ordered the rest of our apps and meals. Very much a family restaurant, definitely not fancy, and quite satisfying.
(4)Chris L.
Steak was amazingly tender, tons of thinly cut fries. Special was grouper and the red sauce it was in was pretty salty but everything was good. Veggie dish was excellent too. Prices fair, service excellent.
(4)Stop-Hate O.
....o denis....owned by singer dinis paiva.......small prices for big meals-- a hidden gem......... Tip: Don t get the whole fish, because it has fish bones, but everything else on the menu is just perfect.......
(5)Mary P.
O'Dinis is not only know for there authentic portuguese dishes but the prices are so reasonable. The staff is the best!!! I try to get there every weekend and have never been disappointed with my food. The Friday night girls (Natalia, Donna, Mel and Kayla) are great!!! I guarantee you will not be disappointed with anything that you order.
(5)Joseph C.
i had been there recently.Awesome food even if i had to wait for it .
(4)Mic F.
This place is a regular for me. Good Portuguese food, friendly service and huge portions in fact, often the plates are overflowing. Service is usually pretty fast, so makes for a good lunch place during the work day.
(3)Rob F.
Went with a friend at her request. We sat under the three ragged, and now famous, deer heads. I ordered pork and little necks and she had shrimp and chicken in lemon butter sauce. While we were waiting, our waitress walked up to the guy next to us and asked how his pork and little necks was. He said " I had much better in Fall River." Great. Couldn't wait for mine! The deep fried canned potatoes were the best part. I could not cut pork with a knife. I could not chew the four clams. I Brought home the pork and cooked it another hour in a little more wine and chicken stock. It got better but it was still dry. It was as though they used lean pork, like a loin, instead of shoulder meat. My friend got a tiny slice of chicken breast and five or six cocktail shrimp in "lemon sauce" with shoestring potatoes and rice. She's tiny and ate it all. Every grain of rice. She loves it, and orders it whenever she goes. It was a tiny plate of food though. For my next visit, I went back with my two friends. I work late, and they are open until 10, so I was up for another try! This time, I got the chicken and shrimp. My lady friend did as well, and her friend had a steak. Both our plates were 50% bigger than the first time. I wasn't expecting that at all. Our chicken and shrimp (Mozambique) was very good. My friend's steak was small but pink and tender. Not a pounded out sirloin, but more like a strip loin. She liked ours better though and ordered one to go. We had a better experience with the food the second time around. My third visit, I had the chicken and shrimp and the chicken was so hard and dry, you couldn't cut it. I told the waitress, who told me the girl in the kitchen was still learning. I was disappointed. They took $10 off my bill and said they were only charging me for the shrimp. The food portions and quality were different all three trips!
(2)Chris C.
Mmmm! This place is awesome! Authentic portuguese food. I had pan seared sirloin with rice and fried egg. Delicious! Seasoning was perfect!!! 4 stars only because i asked for medium rare and it was medium well. Usually i wouldnt be this picky but it was a slow time in the restaurant and only our order wAs being cooked. My girlfriend had chicken rice soup which was AWESOME. Maybe a little less salt. Overall amazing experience great service too. Thanks.
(4)Kent B.
I had the opportunity to visit Lisbon and Sintra, Portugal in 2014. I had some of the best meals I've ever eaten while I was there, and I was keen to duplicate the experience here in the States. This is the first Portuguese joint I've been to stateside, and my first impression of this establishment is very high. When walking in I noticed that Rabbit Barbacoa was on the 'Specials' menu, which made me incredibly happy since my favorite meal in Lisbon was this exact dish. We ordered the 'Rabbit Barbacoa', 'Galinha a Alentejana' and 'Portuguese Soup' for our toddler. We also ordered a half-pitcher of Sangria. The Rabbit dish included crisped rabbit, not unlike fried chicken if you've never had rabbit, plus rice and potatoes in delicious Portuguese sauce/gravy. The Galinha a Alentejana is marinated chicken and fried potatoes with steamed littleneck clams, also in Portuguese gravy. I don't know what they put in this magical, mythical gravy, but it's spicy and amazing. Not Indian-food spicy, but everything Portuguese seems to have a pleasant kick that Spanish food, which is similar but not the same, always seems to be lacking. I also like how seafood works it's way into many dishes that you might not expect, like clams in an otherwise simple chicken/potatoes dish. The soup was tasty, yet mild, and a perfect recommendation from the waitress for our toddler. It basically reminded me of Italian Wedding soup with small pieces of pasta in a clear chicken-stock broth with veggies. Finally, the half-pitcher of Sangria was WAY larger than we expected, and we actually thought we got the larger pitcher by accident. Portuguese Sangria, which I strongly prefer, is typically less sugary than Spanish Sangria, a little stronger and less 'watered-down'. I'm not trying to knock Spanish style or start a flame-war, just stating that, in my limited experience, I seem to prefer Portuguese versions of foods that are shared with Spain. After we ate until we were stuffed, we still had enough food to necessitate two boxes for leftovers, and with tax and a generous tip we left at $54.00 in damage. Amazing. Also, the owner came out and kept our two-year old entertained so the wife and I could relax and enjoy our food a bit. Only ten minutes or so, but any parent will tell you that's a welcome relief. As some final notes: (a) Portuguese food is not Brazilian food, any more than Spanish food is Mexican food. They are distinctly different styles, and although I love Brazilian steakhouses, do not expect that same at any dedicated Portuguese restaurant. Please arrive with an open mind and I hope you will enjoy the experience. (b) Some people have complained that the restaurant seems to favor Portuguese folks AND regulars. I didn't have this problem, but I don't really disagree in practice or theory. Any restaurant that has so many customers that there's a waiting list has to prioritize; do you keep regulars regular, or turn regulars away so that new, non-established visitors can have a crack. There is no right answer, but regulars pay the bills, in my opinion. (c) Some people have also complained about long wait times between ordering food and receiving it. In the ENTIRE world outside of the U.S. eating out is often a evening long affair. You come, you eat some Aperitivos, drink... more than a little, and possibly meet some new people and have a good time. Not to be rude, but if you want fast food then get fast food. If you want REALLY good food served at an exceptional price from a friendly, local mom-and-pop, then please give this place a try.
(5)Debbie C.
Yummy!! Love this restaurant and the waitstaff. Food is always good along with the service.
(4)Ana R.
Authentic Portuguese food at very reasonable prices! Large platters of food, enough to share, for $15. A wide range of decadent and home-made desserts. Lots of fresh seafood specials, and amazing bread. They have a great selection of wine and delicious sangria (get a pitcher!). I wish it was closer to Boston, but worth the 1 hour drive to check out this place.
(5)Michael P.
Great authentic flavors and awesome service. Got Portuguese soda and beer = awesome!. Swordfish cooked just right. The garlic butter sauce was unbelievable. Large portions of deliciousness.
(5)K.Anne Q.
We went back tonight.. HORRENDOUS! We waited 20 minutes for someone to take our order & waited another 40 for our food! The steak which was ordered medium was well, my fries were undercooked. My husband ordered Portuguese fries and they gave him regular fries. When he asked for it to be corrected to Portuguese fries, Isabel told him, "no." No one ever came to check on us or refill our drinks. We weren't even asked if we wanted dessert. We had to flag down the man who busses to get our check. I am so disappointed I most likely won't return. :(
(1)Lara F.
Used to love this place - food was always decent but had a couple disappointing meals as well. What ruined it for me was after waiting over 45 minutes for a table - they proceeded to sit another larger party before my party that had been waiting HALF the time because some guy bullied the hostess into it. Even though she apologized and told me I would be "Next" to be seated - I never had been so offended not only for myself but the other parties waiting alongside me...so we decided to leave. To the owner: the semi decent food isn't worth the hassle of the wait, noise, over-worked waitresses and the 50/50 shot of a good meal....too many other good restaurants to choose from.
(1)Angela L.
Worst meal and restaurant experience I've had in a very long time, and unfortunately a similar sentiment was had by the rest of my family. The 6 of us arrived at 515 this evening (Sunday) for dinner. The only two tables available were two tops, and there was a very large (and VERY loud) party of about 25 people utilizing half of the restaurant (which we realized sometime during the night was clearly a party involving family/friends of the owners). After waiting for nearly 45 mins, we were finally seated. While waiting we observed the only 2 waitresses running around like mad women trying to keep up with the tables, so I was prepared for lackluster service. I will say, though, while we were waiting both waitresses came up to us to apologize for the wait so I was hopeful. Both waitresses tag-teamed our table, but they were spread far too thin. Unfortunately our meals were worse then our service. Our party ordered 4 steaks, the chicken with white wine, garlic, and oil, and a churico sandwich. All 4 steaks were cooked well done, despite them being ordered medium rare and medium. The medium rare steak was recooked. All reported ok flavor but very chewy and tough. Chicken was literally like rubber (after being brought out a second time as it was not what was ordered). Churico sandwich was very gritty, and resulted in several covert spits from the mouth into a napkin. Even the sides were a miss - received white rice instead of yellow and broccoli instead of carrots (which were steamed/boiled to the point of disintegration). During the course of our meal trying to get our waitresses attention was near impossible, and once we did, whatever we requested promptly went forgotten. Needless to say, when it came time to get our check, it was an effort in futility. A member of party had to actually stand up and chase a waitress down, and even then it was 10 mins until we had the bill. Thankfully we had enough cash that we could just leave that and get out of there... at 8. That's right, nearly 3 hours for dinner on a Sunday. None of us will be returning. To the owners: seems you would benefit from staffing at least 3 servers for busy times. It was clearly stressful for the waitresses running around, and extremely painful for us as guests. To their credit, they were very polite and courteous, despite their stress. Also, I'm not sure what was going on in your kitchen but for 5 out if 6 orders to come out wrong is completely inexcusable. It may have just been an off night due to the large party (although I can't really understand how this may be the case as the large party all had food when we arrived, so by the time we were seated they were finished). Regardless, it's a very small restaurant so I imagine it gets packed on a regular basis and this is a situation your kitchen should be able to manage better.
(1)Peter W.
Absolutely hands down the best Portuguese cruise restaurant around. Food and service is fantastic. Its like having your own vovo cooking sunday dinner for you. Actually the desserts are made by one. You won't have to remortgage your house to eat here either. Try this place and you will be a believer...on second thought don't, more for me. Haha.
(5)Lino A.
Unbelievable place , food is excellent and service unbelievable friendly. My first time here but we will definitely be back. Love this place !!
(5)Linda A.
Great place for some authentic Portuguese cuisine. I haven't had a bad meal here and prices are super reasonable. I had (on special) a whole fried red fish with boiled potatoes and caramelized onions that made me very, very happy. The dining room is a bit crowded with tons of radio paraphernalia on the walls -- the owner is a famous radio DJ for the local Portuguese station. It definitely gets busy on the weekends, so I would recommend going earlier or calling for reservations. There is also limited parking, which can cause a problem during really busy times. Still very much worth the trip!
(4)Melissa D.
I am 100% Portuguese and have had plenty of Portuguese food at many restaurants throughout my life. My Mom cooks excellent Portuguese food and I also take an honest crack at it now and again. At the recommendation of my parents who are connoisseurs of Portuguese cuisine, we went for lunch last week. Their Portuguese vegetable soup was excellent. I had the steak sandwich and it was easily the best I've had! I'm sorry that I just discovered this place after living less than 10 minutes away for the last 3 years, but I will definitely be back for this amazing food.
(5)Sally P.
Found this small quant place on our way to Foxwoods via Google. Was very much pleased. The food was great the service was great and the atmosphere was incredible. You don't find too many places like this anymore. Will definitely be back
(5)Javier G.
My expectations were definitely high coming here due too all the Portuguese food I've seen on tv, and this restaurant actually exceeded all my expectations. They let me split my main course into 1/2 goat and 1/2 rabbit. The portions were very generous, and I could not stop eating due to how delicious all the food was. I also had a Portuguese cup of soup and a bean cake dessert. I'll most certainly eat here every time I come to providence. I highly recommend this place. The portions are great, the food is amazing, and the prices are very reasonable. Oh the green Portuguese wine is also great!
(5)Jenn B.
I love coming here. Real authentic Portuguese food. Yes it's on the smaller side, and you have to wait at times because they get so busy but, the wait is worth it the food is really good and very reasonably priced. Coming back again!!!
(5)John K.
Born and raised in East Providence I was raised in a Portuguese household, so the culture and food is not new to me. Odinis restaurant is one of my favorites. If you like authentic Portuguese food, this place is for you. Service is great, food is great, especially my favorite dish, called Alentajana ( pork and little necks in a Portuguese gravy). The owner, Dennis Pavia is very friendly and a great musician, he also played a small part in the 80's movie Mystic pizza, he was the singer during the wedding scene at the end of the movie.
(5)Victoria G.
I used to come here all the time with my family. It's great Portuguese food , that makes you feel like your eating at your grandmas house and the staff are beyond friendly. The shrimp Mozambique is one of my favorite dishes. The French fries are crispy and warm. The bread before the meal is soft and just mouthwatering! I can't wait to go back and see if it's changed.
(4)r b.
Came here with friends that raved about this place! Son of a Portuguese Dad. WARNING portions are HUGE. The food is savory & scrumptious HINT: Don't fill up on the bread b4 hand. The waitress we had was funny. Her name is Natalia.
(5)Cee D.
I crave this place! A variation of delicious food. Small family run Portuguese Restaurant. I agree with Carols R. usually slow service (I am thinking the kitchen is tiny) Do not go there if you are in a hurry! Portuguese Pork Alentejana with Little Necks ARE to die for. AND CHEAP!!!
(4)Katy A.
Prepare to stuff your face with amazing, home-cooked Portuguese deliciousness. This is a great locals joint that really gets busy for dinner, but is also a good stop for lunch. Monday night is buffet night, where you can pay a fixed price and eat whatever's being served. It's always amazing. You can still order from the menu though and I highly recommend the bacalhau. It can be a bit on the salty side, but the way it's cooked and the intense flavors are heavenly! Aside from that, the pork with clams dish will have you asking for more bread to soak up the broth. Serevice is always friendly and with a smile, even when the restaurant is crazy busy. Decent wines, great espresso and unique desserts. O Dinis is a staple that guarantees heaping plates if delicious food. Always reliable. If you're a group going for dinner, I recommend a reservation.
(5)Kelsey G.
One word to describe the experience: SALTY. Don't get me wrong, I know Portuguese food is usually on the salty side. But I have never experienced a Portuguese meal I literally could not bring myself to take another bite because of the saltiness. Soup was ok, not the best but not the worst. Good size portion. I would say it was the best part of the meal. We got the steak and the pork with little necks, both on my list of favorite Portuguese meals, both were too salty to even put a dent in our plates. Hoping I'll have a different experience with my leftovers, but I'm skeptical. Unfortunately my first experience, turned out to be my last experience. Too bad since it's so close and I had such high hopes. Back to my favorite in Fall River. :(
(2)Jieyi L.
Best resultant I have ever try in east providence. Really pref the pork entry.good good good good good good
(5)Chuck L.
We've been to Portugal and loved the food there. Although there's certainly a tendency towards too much garlic and salt, it is a deceptively simple cuisine that reflects a deep understanding of the fresh ingredients. I say that to preface this review of O Dinis in E. Providence, where the food we were served was truly disgusting. The tuna in the tuna kabab special had been cooked so long that it tasted like blotting paper. The pork alentejana was a humongous pile of fibrous fried meat pellets, in a heavy brown sauce that was worse than anything in my old college cafeteria. There were 4 clams, of which one was rancid. There were also lots of fried potatoes, and they were tasty enough. The bean cake for dessert was OK, dense but edible. We wrote a song about our experience: it starts O Dinis, My Dinis One bite and you are finis The rest is unprintable.
(1)Jarrod C.
Food was alright. Drinks were mediocre. Had the trots for days after. Not so much worth it.
(2)Eric C.
A new friend from work and I are both big foodies and we are roaming the city of Providence together to find new and interesting things. It surprised both of us to find that there are quite a few Portuguese restaurants in the area. What is Portuguese food you might say? That's a good question because I didn't know until I got here! Being on the coast is probably one of your first clues. On O Dinis' menu, you'll find a nice array of meats and seafood that you can choose from. I looked high and low for a menu online but had no success. The next time I am here I will be taking a picture of the menu and posting it online. I ordered the shrimp and squid kabob over rice. They had a nice butter sauce that was well seasoned and the meats were cooked to perfection. You can taste the freshness in the shrimp and the squid as you bite into it. They have big portions so I don't think you'll be having dessert here (although they do have it!). Parking is on the street and they have a nice selection of alcohol including Portuguese beer. I don't like beer but I hear it's good! This is a must try on a street littered with Portuguese food!
(5)A Z.
Great little hole in the wall hidden gem of Portuguese food. They're friendly as hell, and you'll feel like you're eating at someone's house. You'll start with a giant basket of squishy bread mixed with toast. Order the fresh cheese to go with your bread, and a salad to share with your olive oil and vinegar. I don't think either are on the menu but the regulars always seem to get them! My favorite thing to get here is Portuguese Pork Alentejana with Little Necks. I don't eat the little necks and share them with P but the sauce is ridiculously good, and somehow they even keep the potatoes crispy. Love this dish more than I can explain. They also have Sumol and pitchers of Sangria which is awesome!
(4)Carlos C.
Went to O Dinis for the first time with family this past Sunday. We had the two different soups, the steak, Cod Special and Goat and all were very good and reasonably priced. It's not a fancy place at all so you can stop in as you are. The coffee however was not good at all. There was something wrong with it like a real burned flavor to it. Definitely will be making a return visit just not having coffee though.
(4)Annie J.
Confession: I am not the biggest fan of Portuguese food. For the most part, I find it to be too heavy (lots of meat and potatoes) and too bland (even with all the garlic). That having been said, I really enjoy going to O Dinis (which is actually Azorean Portuguese food). With its retro wood paneling, faded framed photographs, and paper place-mats advertising local businesses, O Dinis feels like a throw back to another time. It's loud and boisterous, and everyone just seems really happy to be there. This place is about as Rhode Island as it gets, and I love that. On our most recent visit I had one of the specials, the fried hake with boiled potatoes, which was great. Future husband had the old standby, bife a casa--basically steak with a fried egg on top, plus rice, plus french fries, with a garlic sauce. Yeah, it's intense. We washed it all down with some decent Portuguese beer, Sagres. Unlike Madiera in East Providence, O Dinis is a pretty laid back type of place. As our lovely waitress told me when I got my fish, "This isn't Al Forno, feel free to eat with your hands!" Service is equally casual, so don't come here if you're in a rush. This place is a Lil' Rhody treasure. If you live in the area and haven't been yet, you're missing out!
(4)Jack L.
I often go here and never disappointed the food is very good.
(4)Joe B.
A nice Portuguese restaurant. The camarao mozambique is delicious. The staff is friendly and helpful. The food is good and if you are nearby you should give this place a try.
(4)Paul W.
Far from elegant, close to perfect! The cod phenomenal, the pork and little necks - awesome, the little neck and garlic app - wanted a straw to drink the broth! Can not wait to go back and try more. Wine is your best bet - mixed drinks are not a good bet. Two waitresses handled the entire restaurant and service was great. One waitress in particular was a hot ticket - very accommodating and funny. 4.5 stars would be more accurate but I don't think the lack hard liquor is a big issue - go with the staff wine recommendation. They weren't shy about letting us sample a few!
(5)Kel S.
As my boyfriend mentioned, most the reviews for this place stated the food was great but the service was slow. They lived up to their reputation. The food was tasty, the servers were friendly, but not in a hurry. Knowing this in advance kept me mindful to enjoy the scenery, not pay attention that it us nearly 2 hrs. to complete a 2 course meal. It was quite inexpensive and the decor was pretty comical, complete with multiple deer heads.
(4)Michael M.
O Dinis was a very mediocre Portuguese restaurant. The waitress I had didn't pay attention that well and it was very slow at the time. I ordered one of my favorite Portuguese dishes, which was the steak plate and it was over cooked and just didn't taste right. I won't be coming back here! 2.5 stars
(2)Nena R.
I came here on a weeknight with my boyfriend so it wasn't too busy. The decor -is- a bit strange but somewhat endearing. (I grew up in EP so it was like being a neighbor's house.) The staff made us feel welcome, our service was great, and our food delicious.
(4)Ohoh Heyla B.
Good food. My in-laws are originally from Portugal and we've been looking for a good Portuguese restaurant to take them to when they visit. O Dinis was homey with good food and a relaxed atmosphere. There were four of us. We ordered, clams and Portuguese kale soup appetizers, shrimp with rice and three beef with an egg meals. All very tasty. The kitchen's pace was laid back, but not excruciatingly slow. The staff was nice and attentive (without being overbearing) and the atmosphere was great for a midweek night out. Will definitely go back and try other dishes.
(4)Will H.
Great Portuguese steaks and sangria but even better decor! Very reasonable prices.
(4)Mitch K.
The food is good (love the portuguese steak with the fried egg) and the prices are reasonable, but the service is slow. I'm unsure why as it's a small restaurant so it's not like the servers have a lot of tables to worry about, but the last time I was there I felt like I had to always make eye contact for her to come over. It's too bad because I would go there more often if I knew that it wouldn't take so long for everything.
(3)V. V.
This restaurant has the feel of eating at Mom's. We went with friends who are regular customers. They had the fave bistec (steak w/the fried egg) but hubby and I opted for the specials of the day: I had the grilled red snapper w/boiled potatoes and salad and he had the pork, beef, and chicken kebab. Most of the meals come with 2 starches: fries and rice which I thought was funny -- but a starch lover's delight! The flavor of the food was great! We just love the Mama's kitchen feel of the place -- such a different experience than a more "polished" restaurant. I disagree with the reviewer that said fish should not have bones. This is a personal preference -- I like fish with bones and was delighted to have a whole fish (as opposed to just filet) for the first time in years.
(4)Torrie W.
Been here many times before and had great food and service.. Got both of our orders wrong and the food was very bland this last time we were there. We will never go back. Plus they don't have free refills on soda.
(2)Steven L.
Great food at a very good price. I have never been disappointed. The decor is a little odd but the atmosphere and staff are wonderful. The wine selection is average which unfortunately is true for many Portuguese restaurants. I would definetly recommend ODinis for dinner!
(4)Maura C.
By far the best Portuguese food I've had in RI! I love the Camarão Alhinho so much that I would like the plate if they didn't provide such great portuguese rolls to use instead! I also love the Carne de Porco à Alentejana! Great affordable wine and yummy desserts to top it off.. I don't know the real name, but the Maria cake is to die for!
(5)Ian I.
I went with my friends, who are from Azores. The restaurant is said to do above average home made Portuguese food with reasonable prices. I had their 2 staples Camarao Alhinho and Bacalhau na Brasa. Camarao Alhinho is basically small shrimp cooked in garlic, butter and lemon juice. It was tasty but either shrimp were too small or small portion, I didn't feel like it was anything special. 1/2 shrimp had tails on and 1/2 did not. The garlic was sliced thinly, how I like it (if I don't want to eat it, it's big enough to take out). I did not taste lemon and it was a little bit under salted. Bacalhau na Brasa - I will admit, I never has salted cod nor Portugese cuisine but I have had dozen of different fish in many restaurants and this was the worst. First of all, the waiter never said anything about bones. Generally it's assumed that they are removed or if they exist, you will be warned - never happened here. The dish arrived swimming in oil, which is fine I guess but if it was grilled, and onions were sauteed (they weren't oily), where did the oil come from? Potatoes on the side, were cubed and deep fried, very tasty just needed a bit of salt. But here is the kicker...the fish portion was basically 1/2 bones and skin was chewy and barely edible. If one was to say skin is not eaten just flesh, it's fine. Fish itself, was very tasty but probably about 2oz of it. The inch from each side of the fish were so crispy that even knife could not cut through it. And, when I tore it, it was all bones. 2 Of my friends giggled and said, that's why we never order it here...they just got steak with pepper, rice and fries.... My biggest problem is that they never said 1 thing about bones. I feel the portion of the fish was nowhere close to what it should have been. Fish should be bone free. Pics on my profile of the Bacalhau na Brasa before/after. Verdict: be sure you know what you are getting into before you order Bacalhau na Brasa.
(2)Herbert K.
OK, a few points - more customers than you'd think get greeted with a hug or a kiss - friends, relatives? :) I usually just order the special - most recently a seared tuna steak with shrimp sauce. Comes with boiled potato - don't switch those out for fries, k? They're cooked perfectly and a perfect way to sop up the sauce that escapes the fresh portuguese bread on the table. "Don't fill up on bread". Only a mother / waitress would say that! A special, salad, wine will not hurt your wallet, and will satisfy both your stomach and your soul.
(5)April S.
Incredible Portuguese food! Let me qualify that statement with this one: I am not Portuguese, but my dinner companion is Portuguese. As in, duel citizenship, visits his family in the Azores every few years, etc. He says the food is the real deal, so I believe him. And heck, even if it weren't strict Portuguese food, it's just really good food! Intense flavors, wonderful spices, great sangria. Cannot wait to go back.
(4)Daniel G.
I am a fan and probably my most visited restaurant during any given year... good quality but most importantly is pricing and convenience. I can take my 2 toddlers and not a worry about it. I enjoy the fish and chips plate but with home cut french fries... and to top it all off is one of the best desert hands down - the homemade pudim flan!
(4)Rob F.
Went with a friend at her request. We sat under the three ragged, and now famous, deer heads. I ordered pork and little necks and she had shrimp and chicken in lemon butter sauce. While we were waiting, our waitress walked up to the guy next to us and asked how his pork and little necks was. He said " I had much better in Fall River." Great. Couldn't wait for mine! The deep fried canned potatoes were the best part. I could not cut pork with a knife. I could not chew the four clams. I Brought home the pork and cooked it another hour in a little more wine and chicken stock. It got better but it was still dry. It was as though they used lean pork, like a loin, instead of shoulder meat. My friend got a tiny slice of chicken breast and five or six cocktail shrimp in "lemon sauce" with shoestring potatoes and rice. She's tiny and ate it all. Every grain of rice. She loves it, and orders it whenever she goes. It was a tiny plate of food though. For my next visit, I went back with my two friends. I work late, and they are open until 10, so I was up for another try! This time, I got the chicken and shrimp. My lady friend did as well, and her friend had a steak. Both our plates were 50% bigger than the first time. I wasn't expecting that at all. Our chicken and shrimp (Mozambique) was very good. My friend's steak was small but pink and tender. Not a pounded out sirloin, but more like a strip loin. She liked ours better though and ordered one to go. We had a better experience with the food the second time around. My third visit, I had the chicken and shrimp and the chicken was so hard and dry, you couldn't cut it. I told the waitress, who told me the girl in the kitchen was still learning. I was disappointed. They took $10 off my bill and said they were only charging me for the shrimp. The food portions and quality were different all three trips!
(2)Chris C.
Mmmm! This place is awesome! Authentic portuguese food. I had pan seared sirloin with rice and fried egg. Delicious! Seasoning was perfect!!! 4 stars only because i asked for medium rare and it was medium well. Usually i wouldnt be this picky but it was a slow time in the restaurant and only our order wAs being cooked. My girlfriend had chicken rice soup which was AWESOME. Maybe a little less salt. Overall amazing experience great service too. Thanks.
(4)Debbie C.
Yummy!! Love this restaurant and the waitstaff. Food is always good along with the service.
(4)Ana R.
Authentic Portuguese food at very reasonable prices! Large platters of food, enough to share, for $15. A wide range of decadent and home-made desserts. Lots of fresh seafood specials, and amazing bread. They have a great selection of wine and delicious sangria (get a pitcher!). I wish it was closer to Boston, but worth the 1 hour drive to check out this place.
(5)Kent B.
I had the opportunity to visit Lisbon and Sintra, Portugal in 2014. I had some of the best meals I've ever eaten while I was there, and I was keen to duplicate the experience here in the States. This is the first Portuguese joint I've been to stateside, and my first impression of this establishment is very high. When walking in I noticed that Rabbit Barbacoa was on the 'Specials' menu, which made me incredibly happy since my favorite meal in Lisbon was this exact dish. We ordered the 'Rabbit Barbacoa', 'Galinha a Alentejana' and 'Portuguese Soup' for our toddler. We also ordered a half-pitcher of Sangria. The Rabbit dish included crisped rabbit, not unlike fried chicken if you've never had rabbit, plus rice and potatoes in delicious Portuguese sauce/gravy. The Galinha a Alentejana is marinated chicken and fried potatoes with steamed littleneck clams, also in Portuguese gravy. I don't know what they put in this magical, mythical gravy, but it's spicy and amazing. Not Indian-food spicy, but everything Portuguese seems to have a pleasant kick that Spanish food, which is similar but not the same, always seems to be lacking. I also like how seafood works it's way into many dishes that you might not expect, like clams in an otherwise simple chicken/potatoes dish. The soup was tasty, yet mild, and a perfect recommendation from the waitress for our toddler. It basically reminded me of Italian Wedding soup with small pieces of pasta in a clear chicken-stock broth with veggies. Finally, the half-pitcher of Sangria was WAY larger than we expected, and we actually thought we got the larger pitcher by accident. Portuguese Sangria, which I strongly prefer, is typically less sugary than Spanish Sangria, a little stronger and less 'watered-down'. I'm not trying to knock Spanish style or start a flame-war, just stating that, in my limited experience, I seem to prefer Portuguese versions of foods that are shared with Spain. After we ate until we were stuffed, we still had enough food to necessitate two boxes for leftovers, and with tax and a generous tip we left at $54.00 in damage. Amazing. Also, the owner came out and kept our two-year old entertained so the wife and I could relax and enjoy our food a bit. Only ten minutes or so, but any parent will tell you that's a welcome relief. As some final notes: (a) Portuguese food is not Brazilian food, any more than Spanish food is Mexican food. They are distinctly different styles, and although I love Brazilian steakhouses, do not expect that same at any dedicated Portuguese restaurant. Please arrive with an open mind and I hope you will enjoy the experience. (b) Some people have complained that the restaurant seems to favor Portuguese folks AND regulars. I didn't have this problem, but I don't really disagree in practice or theory. Any restaurant that has so many customers that there's a waiting list has to prioritize; do you keep regulars regular, or turn regulars away so that new, non-established visitors can have a crack. There is no right answer, but regulars pay the bills, in my opinion. (c) Some people have also complained about long wait times between ordering food and receiving it. In the ENTIRE world outside of the U.S. eating out is often a evening long affair. You come, you eat some Aperitivos, drink... more than a little, and possibly meet some new people and have a good time. Not to be rude, but if you want fast food then get fast food. If you want REALLY good food served at an exceptional price from a friendly, local mom-and-pop, then please give this place a try.
(5)Michael P.
Great authentic flavors and awesome service. Got Portuguese soda and beer = awesome!. Swordfish cooked just right. The garlic butter sauce was unbelievable. Large portions of deliciousness.
(5)Linda A.
Great place for some authentic Portuguese cuisine. I haven't had a bad meal here and prices are super reasonable. I had (on special) a whole fried red fish with boiled potatoes and caramelized onions that made me very, very happy. The dining room is a bit crowded with tons of radio paraphernalia on the walls -- the owner is a famous radio DJ for the local Portuguese station. It definitely gets busy on the weekends, so I would recommend going earlier or calling for reservations. There is also limited parking, which can cause a problem during really busy times. Still very much worth the trip!
(4)Melissa D.
I am 100% Portuguese and have had plenty of Portuguese food at many restaurants throughout my life. My Mom cooks excellent Portuguese food and I also take an honest crack at it now and again. At the recommendation of my parents who are connoisseurs of Portuguese cuisine, we went for lunch last week. Their Portuguese vegetable soup was excellent. I had the steak sandwich and it was easily the best I've had! I'm sorry that I just discovered this place after living less than 10 minutes away for the last 3 years, but I will definitely be back for this amazing food.
(5)Sally P.
Found this small quant place on our way to Foxwoods via Google. Was very much pleased. The food was great the service was great and the atmosphere was incredible. You don't find too many places like this anymore. Will definitely be back
(5)Javier G.
My expectations were definitely high coming here due too all the Portuguese food I've seen on tv, and this restaurant actually exceeded all my expectations. They let me split my main course into 1/2 goat and 1/2 rabbit. The portions were very generous, and I could not stop eating due to how delicious all the food was. I also had a Portuguese cup of soup and a bean cake dessert. I'll most certainly eat here every time I come to providence. I highly recommend this place. The portions are great, the food is amazing, and the prices are very reasonable. Oh the green Portuguese wine is also great!
(5)Jenn B.
I love coming here. Real authentic Portuguese food. Yes it's on the smaller side, and you have to wait at times because they get so busy but, the wait is worth it the food is really good and very reasonably priced. Coming back again!!!
(5)John K.
Born and raised in East Providence I was raised in a Portuguese household, so the culture and food is not new to me. Odinis restaurant is one of my favorites. If you like authentic Portuguese food, this place is for you. Service is great, food is great, especially my favorite dish, called Alentajana ( pork and little necks in a Portuguese gravy). The owner, Dennis Pavia is very friendly and a great musician, he also played a small part in the 80's movie Mystic pizza, he was the singer during the wedding scene at the end of the movie.
(5)K.Anne Q.
We went back tonight.. HORRENDOUS! We waited 20 minutes for someone to take our order & waited another 40 for our food! The steak which was ordered medium was well, my fries were undercooked. My husband ordered Portuguese fries and they gave him regular fries. When he asked for it to be corrected to Portuguese fries, Isabel told him, "no." No one ever came to check on us or refill our drinks. We weren't even asked if we wanted dessert. We had to flag down the man who busses to get our check. I am so disappointed I most likely won't return. :(
(1)Lara F.
Used to love this place - food was always decent but had a couple disappointing meals as well. What ruined it for me was after waiting over 45 minutes for a table - they proceeded to sit another larger party before my party that had been waiting HALF the time because some guy bullied the hostess into it. Even though she apologized and told me I would be "Next" to be seated - I never had been so offended not only for myself but the other parties waiting alongside me...so we decided to leave. To the owner: the semi decent food isn't worth the hassle of the wait, noise, over-worked waitresses and the 50/50 shot of a good meal....too many other good restaurants to choose from.
(1)Peter W.
Absolutely hands down the best Portuguese cruise restaurant around. Food and service is fantastic. Its like having your own vovo cooking sunday dinner for you. Actually the desserts are made by one. You won't have to remortgage your house to eat here either. Try this place and you will be a believer...on second thought don't, more for me. Haha.
(5)Lino A.
Unbelievable place , food is excellent and service unbelievable friendly. My first time here but we will definitely be back. Love this place !!
(5)Angela L.
Worst meal and restaurant experience I've had in a very long time, and unfortunately a similar sentiment was had by the rest of my family. The 6 of us arrived at 515 this evening (Sunday) for dinner. The only two tables available were two tops, and there was a very large (and VERY loud) party of about 25 people utilizing half of the restaurant (which we realized sometime during the night was clearly a party involving family/friends of the owners). After waiting for nearly 45 mins, we were finally seated. While waiting we observed the only 2 waitresses running around like mad women trying to keep up with the tables, so I was prepared for lackluster service. I will say, though, while we were waiting both waitresses came up to us to apologize for the wait so I was hopeful. Both waitresses tag-teamed our table, but they were spread far too thin. Unfortunately our meals were worse then our service. Our party ordered 4 steaks, the chicken with white wine, garlic, and oil, and a churico sandwich. All 4 steaks were cooked well done, despite them being ordered medium rare and medium. The medium rare steak was recooked. All reported ok flavor but very chewy and tough. Chicken was literally like rubber (after being brought out a second time as it was not what was ordered). Churico sandwich was very gritty, and resulted in several covert spits from the mouth into a napkin. Even the sides were a miss - received white rice instead of yellow and broccoli instead of carrots (which were steamed/boiled to the point of disintegration). During the course of our meal trying to get our waitresses attention was near impossible, and once we did, whatever we requested promptly went forgotten. Needless to say, when it came time to get our check, it was an effort in futility. A member of party had to actually stand up and chase a waitress down, and even then it was 10 mins until we had the bill. Thankfully we had enough cash that we could just leave that and get out of there... at 8. That's right, nearly 3 hours for dinner on a Sunday. None of us will be returning. To the owners: seems you would benefit from staffing at least 3 servers for busy times. It was clearly stressful for the waitresses running around, and extremely painful for us as guests. To their credit, they were very polite and courteous, despite their stress. Also, I'm not sure what was going on in your kitchen but for 5 out if 6 orders to come out wrong is completely inexcusable. It may have just been an off night due to the large party (although I can't really understand how this may be the case as the large party all had food when we arrived, so by the time we were seated they were finished). Regardless, it's a very small restaurant so I imagine it gets packed on a regular basis and this is a situation your kitchen should be able to manage better.
(1)Victoria G.
I used to come here all the time with my family. It's great Portuguese food , that makes you feel like your eating at your grandmas house and the staff are beyond friendly. The shrimp Mozambique is one of my favorite dishes. The French fries are crispy and warm. The bread before the meal is soft and just mouthwatering! I can't wait to go back and see if it's changed.
(4)r b.
Came here with friends that raved about this place! Son of a Portuguese Dad. WARNING portions are HUGE. The food is savory & scrumptious HINT: Don't fill up on the bread b4 hand. The waitress we had was funny. Her name is Natalia.
(5)Cee D.
I crave this place! A variation of delicious food. Small family run Portuguese Restaurant. I agree with Carols R. usually slow service (I am thinking the kitchen is tiny) Do not go there if you are in a hurry! Portuguese Pork Alentejana with Little Necks ARE to die for. AND CHEAP!!!
(4)Richard P.
Hate to do this as the wait staff were so nice and friendly but the Red Snapper I had was on a scale of one to 10 about a 1. I am not sure it was even a red snapper due to it not tasting anything like a red snapper. Salty as hell and barely any meat on the thing. It came with an equally salty boiled potato. I will never go back. Just not my taste I guess but if you are a salt sucking creature, this just may be the place for you.
(2)Katy A.
Prepare to stuff your face with amazing, home-cooked Portuguese deliciousness. This is a great locals joint that really gets busy for dinner, but is also a good stop for lunch. Monday night is buffet night, where you can pay a fixed price and eat whatever's being served. It's always amazing. You can still order from the menu though and I highly recommend the bacalhau. It can be a bit on the salty side, but the way it's cooked and the intense flavors are heavenly! Aside from that, the pork with clams dish will have you asking for more bread to soak up the broth. Serevice is always friendly and with a smile, even when the restaurant is crazy busy. Decent wines, great espresso and unique desserts. O Dinis is a staple that guarantees heaping plates if delicious food. Always reliable. If you're a group going for dinner, I recommend a reservation.
(5)Kelsey G.
One word to describe the experience: SALTY. Don't get me wrong, I know Portuguese food is usually on the salty side. But I have never experienced a Portuguese meal I literally could not bring myself to take another bite because of the saltiness. Soup was ok, not the best but not the worst. Good size portion. I would say it was the best part of the meal. We got the steak and the pork with little necks, both on my list of favorite Portuguese meals, both were too salty to even put a dent in our plates. Hoping I'll have a different experience with my leftovers, but I'm skeptical. Unfortunately my first experience, turned out to be my last experience. Too bad since it's so close and I had such high hopes. Back to my favorite in Fall River. :(
(2)Sarah M.
Yeah, we'd read the reviews that said service was bad, but at our first visit the service was fine. But, last night, no, it was something else. We arrived at 6:30 and were seated quite promptly. After that, all went down hill. We didn't get water or bread, just menus. After 15 minutes, a couple came in and sat at the nearest table in my view. Within 5 minutes, they had wine, bread and had ordered. THEY WERE FRIENDS OR RELATIVES. We still had only menus. After sitting for half an hour, the waitress came over. She didn't tell us the specials. She took our order. The couple across from me got their meal. What I don't like is the mind-set that allows such favoritism. Is the message "Don't go unless you're Portuguese"? Not a good message to send potential customers who aren't. There were plenty of waitresses and while we waited, there were lots of empty tables. This was so egregious, I was really not happy. The food is good, but verrrrry salty. Huge portions. Noisy crowd of happy people, many large groups.
(2)American E.
Being from New Jersey where we have some decent Portuguese restaurants in Iron Bound, This was an OK Place. Food was decent so was the service, Great ambiance Though. We ordered the Shrimp with garlic sauce and clams in red sauce for appetizers, The shrimp sauce was kind of watery and had no taste. Clams was kind of OK.. for the main course we got the sirloin steak with Fries and rice and the Bacalhao na brasa. the Steak was good. the Bacalhao was cooked perfectly but the topping (sauteed onions in olive oil with garlic) was kind of raw. the good service and atmosphere made up for the not so great food. will definitely try a different place next time we go up there.
(3)Gibbs R.
Very nice and authentic Portuguese home-cook in'. I ordered the Cuttlefish and it was very tasty with lots of texture with a vinegar like dressing. Not too tough and just right. My wife had a steak with an egg on it. She ordered it medium but it was a bit overdone. The staff is extremely welcoming and friendly. I will be back.
(4)Reese A.
This small place has some BIG things going on. honestly the best portugese place in East Providence --hands down. Loved it, and I will be coming back for more of that deliciousness they have going on. Spicy little necks and mussels were out of this world and the octopus was phenomenal. Loved every bite. Serving size is definitely big. You get more than what you pay for.
(5)Marie G.
There are lots of restaurants in Rhode Island but do yourself a favor and save a meal for East Providence! We had an epic final meal at this wonderful local place - service was great and the food was even better. Don't miss the clams in the tomato sauce and the Portuguese sausage. Savory and fresh food at its best! Can't wait for a return visit!
(5)Jieyi L.
Best resultant I have ever try in east providence. Really pref the pork entry.good good good good good good
(5)Chuck L.
We've been to Portugal and loved the food there. Although there's certainly a tendency towards too much garlic and salt, it is a deceptively simple cuisine that reflects a deep understanding of the fresh ingredients. I say that to preface this review of O Dinis in E. Providence, where the food we were served was truly disgusting. The tuna in the tuna kabab special had been cooked so long that it tasted like blotting paper. The pork alentejana was a humongous pile of fibrous fried meat pellets, in a heavy brown sauce that was worse than anything in my old college cafeteria. There were 4 clams, of which one was rancid. There were also lots of fried potatoes, and they were tasty enough. The bean cake for dessert was OK, dense but edible. We wrote a song about our experience: it starts O Dinis, My Dinis One bite and you are finis The rest is unprintable.
(1)Jarrod C.
Food was alright. Drinks were mediocre. Had the trots for days after. Not so much worth it.
(2)Lorraine D.
We stopped here for lunch while doing some shopping. It was out first time and we were quite impressed! It's a small Portuguese place with excellent food. The prices are very reasonable and the portions are large. The service was quick and cordial. I would recommend this highly. If you're looking for good, flavorful food and reasonably priced try this!
(5)Eric C.
A new friend from work and I are both big foodies and we are roaming the city of Providence together to find new and interesting things. It surprised both of us to find that there are quite a few Portuguese restaurants in the area. What is Portuguese food you might say? That's a good question because I didn't know until I got here! Being on the coast is probably one of your first clues. On O Dinis' menu, you'll find a nice array of meats and seafood that you can choose from. I looked high and low for a menu online but had no success. The next time I am here I will be taking a picture of the menu and posting it online. I ordered the shrimp and squid kabob over rice. They had a nice butter sauce that was well seasoned and the meats were cooked to perfection. You can taste the freshness in the shrimp and the squid as you bite into it. They have big portions so I don't think you'll be having dessert here (although they do have it!). Parking is on the street and they have a nice selection of alcohol including Portuguese beer. I don't like beer but I hear it's good! This is a must try on a street littered with Portuguese food!
(5)A Z.
Great little hole in the wall hidden gem of Portuguese food. They're friendly as hell, and you'll feel like you're eating at someone's house. You'll start with a giant basket of squishy bread mixed with toast. Order the fresh cheese to go with your bread, and a salad to share with your olive oil and vinegar. I don't think either are on the menu but the regulars always seem to get them! My favorite thing to get here is Portuguese Pork Alentejana with Little Necks. I don't eat the little necks and share them with P but the sauce is ridiculously good, and somehow they even keep the potatoes crispy. Love this dish more than I can explain. They also have Sumol and pitchers of Sangria which is awesome!
(4)Carlos C.
Went to O Dinis for the first time with family this past Sunday. We had the two different soups, the steak, Cod Special and Goat and all were very good and reasonably priced. It's not a fancy place at all so you can stop in as you are. The coffee however was not good at all. There was something wrong with it like a real burned flavor to it. Definitely will be making a return visit just not having coffee though.
(4)Joseph C.
i had been there recently.Awesome food even if i had to wait for it .
(4)Mic F.
This place is a regular for me. Good Portuguese food, friendly service and huge portions in fact, often the plates are overflowing. Service is usually pretty fast, so makes for a good lunch place during the work day.
(3)Heather W.
Went to O Dinis hoping for some good Portuguese food. Went with a friend who had been before in the past. It was right up my alley, hole in the wall, family run and friendly staff. Sadly the food was ok. It was not bad but it was not the best portuguese I have had. My friend who raved about the place said the food was not quite what it used to be. I can't base my opinion on that just what we had and as I said it was OK. Nothing to write home about. The service and the environment were great though!
(3)Paul W.
Far from elegant, close to perfect! The cod phenomenal, the pork and little necks - awesome, the little neck and garlic app - wanted a straw to drink the broth! Can not wait to go back and try more. Wine is your best bet - mixed drinks are not a good bet. Two waitresses handled the entire restaurant and service was great. One waitress in particular was a hot ticket - very accommodating and funny. 4.5 stars would be more accurate but I don't think the lack hard liquor is a big issue - go with the staff wine recommendation. They weren't shy about letting us sample a few!
(5)Carlos R.
Nice friendly restaurant with great specialty food and excellent prices but it pains me to say this since our families are acquainted, the service is poor, especially when it's busy and weekend nights. The service is disorganized and haphazard at best extending a dinner experience for hours. That length of stay would be OK if it was a larger venue with entertainment like Fados but it's a small restaurant. Staff is friendly but does not overcome poor service. I was there once when it was busy, we got seated (they don't seat you) and didn't get approached even for drinks for more than one hour. We left frustrated without any comment from the staff though other dinners were asking us if we ate. We went to another restaurant and completed dinner in less time than we waited there. I know they are trying to duplicate the small authentic cozy restaurants that exist in Portuguese countryside. I have been to those types of cozy places in Portugal where the food is hearty but the service is usually exceptional. It's amazing to me that so many restaurants do not understand what they are selling. It's the diner's total experience! * consistent quality, tasty, well prepared food * facility, staff, and plate presentation and cleanliness * prompt, friendly, attentive service from kitchen, bar, and servers You end up with happy repeat customers with good dining experiences. Find your niche and repeat. Go during the week and you will not be disappointed.
(3)Annie J.
Confession: I am not the biggest fan of Portuguese food. For the most part, I find it to be too heavy (lots of meat and potatoes) and too bland (even with all the garlic). That having been said, I really enjoy going to O Dinis (which is actually Azorean Portuguese food). With its retro wood paneling, faded framed photographs, and paper place-mats advertising local businesses, O Dinis feels like a throw back to another time. It's loud and boisterous, and everyone just seems really happy to be there. This place is about as Rhode Island as it gets, and I love that. On our most recent visit I had one of the specials, the fried hake with boiled potatoes, which was great. Future husband had the old standby, bife a casa--basically steak with a fried egg on top, plus rice, plus french fries, with a garlic sauce. Yeah, it's intense. We washed it all down with some decent Portuguese beer, Sagres. Unlike Madiera in East Providence, O Dinis is a pretty laid back type of place. As our lovely waitress told me when I got my fish, "This isn't Al Forno, feel free to eat with your hands!" Service is equally casual, so don't come here if you're in a rush. This place is a Lil' Rhody treasure. If you live in the area and haven't been yet, you're missing out!
(4)Jack L.
I often go here and never disappointed the food is very good.
(4)Joe B.
A nice Portuguese restaurant. The camarao mozambique is delicious. The staff is friendly and helpful. The food is good and if you are nearby you should give this place a try.
(4)Kel S.
As my boyfriend mentioned, most the reviews for this place stated the food was great but the service was slow. They lived up to their reputation. The food was tasty, the servers were friendly, but not in a hurry. Knowing this in advance kept me mindful to enjoy the scenery, not pay attention that it us nearly 2 hrs. to complete a 2 course meal. It was quite inexpensive and the decor was pretty comical, complete with multiple deer heads.
(4)Michael M.
O Dinis was a very mediocre Portuguese restaurant. The waitress I had didn't pay attention that well and it was very slow at the time. I ordered one of my favorite Portuguese dishes, which was the steak plate and it was over cooked and just didn't taste right. I won't be coming back here! 2.5 stars
(2)Alma C.
I guess you can say this tastes like Mom's home cooking, if Mom is a Portuguese matron from the Azores that has a somewhat alarming side gig as a taxidermist, judging from the decor. This one time I did have an absolutely wonderful short rib braised in wine dinner, but that was a special and unfortunately it hasn't reappeared since. This place is worth checking out if you don't feel like making the trek over to Fall River or the Azores, but for those that want Lisboan Portuguese, you will not find it here.
(3)Kat N.
This place is alright. We ordered the chourico sandwich and the pork sandwich. Maybe we should've ordered one of the entree dishes instead of from the sandwich list. I would not come back for what we had. The service is spotty. The lady did not attend to our table once we received our food.
(2)Nena R.
I came here on a weeknight with my boyfriend so it wasn't too busy. The decor -is- a bit strange but somewhat endearing. (I grew up in EP so it was like being a neighbor's house.) The staff made us feel welcome, our service was great, and our food delicious.
(4)Ohoh Heyla B.
Good food. My in-laws are originally from Portugal and we've been looking for a good Portuguese restaurant to take them to when they visit. O Dinis was homey with good food and a relaxed atmosphere. There were four of us. We ordered, clams and Portuguese kale soup appetizers, shrimp with rice and three beef with an egg meals. All very tasty. The kitchen's pace was laid back, but not excruciatingly slow. The staff was nice and attentive (without being overbearing) and the atmosphere was great for a midweek night out. Will definitely go back and try other dishes.
(4)Will H.
Great Portuguese steaks and sangria but even better decor! Very reasonable prices.
(4)Mitch K.
The food is good (love the portuguese steak with the fried egg) and the prices are reasonable, but the service is slow. I'm unsure why as it's a small restaurant so it's not like the servers have a lot of tables to worry about, but the last time I was there I felt like I had to always make eye contact for her to come over. It's too bad because I would go there more often if I knew that it wouldn't take so long for everything.
(3)V. V.
This restaurant has the feel of eating at Mom's. We went with friends who are regular customers. They had the fave bistec (steak w/the fried egg) but hubby and I opted for the specials of the day: I had the grilled red snapper w/boiled potatoes and salad and he had the pork, beef, and chicken kebab. Most of the meals come with 2 starches: fries and rice which I thought was funny -- but a starch lover's delight! The flavor of the food was great! We just love the Mama's kitchen feel of the place -- such a different experience than a more "polished" restaurant. I disagree with the reviewer that said fish should not have bones. This is a personal preference -- I like fish with bones and was delighted to have a whole fish (as opposed to just filet) for the first time in years.
(4)Torrie W.
Been here many times before and had great food and service.. Got both of our orders wrong and the food was very bland this last time we were there. We will never go back. Plus they don't have free refills on soda.
(2)Steven L.
Great food at a very good price. I have never been disappointed. The decor is a little odd but the atmosphere and staff are wonderful. The wine selection is average which unfortunately is true for many Portuguese restaurants. I would definetly recommend ODinis for dinner!
(4)Glenn B.
We were looking for a place serving cassoula sandwiches, but found O Dinis, and I'm glad we did. I'm not Portuguese but my girlfriend is, so we've eaten Portuguese food all over as well as in Portugal and Angola and we both agree that this is right up there with the best we've had. Carne de Porco Alentjana and the Camarao Alhinho were both well prepared, delicious and large. Service was great, it was 3:30 so hard to comment on atmosphere, but I'd bet it would be rocking come regular meal times. All in all, a great find, good value, we'll be bringing, friends and family there soon!!
(4)Chris L.
Steak was amazingly tender, tons of thinly cut fries. Special was grouper and the red sauce it was in was pretty salty but everything was good. Veggie dish was excellent too. Prices fair, service excellent.
(4)Stop-Hate O.
....o denis....owned by singer dinis paiva.......small prices for big meals-- a hidden gem......... Tip: Don t get the whole fish, because it has fish bones, but everything else on the menu is just perfect.......
(5)Jen L.
Good simple food and the price is right. My favorite Portuguese restaurant in RI. I've had octopus here that wasn't so good, and the service is pretty meh. But the steak with egg, fries and rice is consistently delicious.
(4)Anthony M.
I like the waitresses here, but that's all I can say about this place. The food isn't good. The prices are reasonable, for how much food they give you, but, unfortunately, the food isn't good. I'd try another Portuguese spot if you're in Providence.
(2)A I.
Had the salted cod dinner here a few weeks ago, and it was delicious. The chourice app was very simple but it hit the spot. The servers were really helpful when we interrogated them about the dishes, and kindly warned us that the salted cod dinner takes about 40 minutes to prepare. We ordered that first, then later ordered the rest of our apps and meals. Very much a family restaurant, definitely not fancy, and quite satisfying.
(4)Sean M.
4.12678 stars The parking is very tough especially in the early evening on a Sunday, getting a table for 5 is slightly harder. We had a 5 minute wait while they cleaned a table that was freshly empty. The conversation was loud peppered with laughter in mixed English and Portuguese. It was painfully obvious that we were not regulars. After the initial deadpan stares, nobody paid much attention to us. The waitress was patient and helpful but I was crushed that the suckling pig special was gone by 5:30pm. We opened with grilled artisan chourico (see the pic), and the little necks in garlic and wine sauce. Both were fairly spicy. I ate most of the calms and mopped up the broth with bread. The entrees came up in a timely fashion and was still pretty packed, with only a few small tables empty. The steaks looked to be hand cut and of decent thickness. There was a seafood kabob special, and we also sampled two of the chicken breast dishes, theses has similar sauces, one came with small shrimps on top. All the dishes come with thin cut frites (not the cross-sectional fried potatoes) and rice. If you have ever had a Chicken Curry in an Irish Pub, "Irish Style" with "chips and rice" and mix the curry sauce in, this was a similar, and delicious. I mixed my frites, rice, chicken and sauce as I would at thePub. We ate with a Vinho Verde (not Casal Garcia) that was perfect with saltiness of the food and cleansed the palate. The finish was met with bean pie, pecan pie, some sort of Grandma's Cookie cake, espresso and Portuguese brandy. * service was quite good * noise level was high but we felt at home * back in 2007 when I was new and shiny on Yelp I friended Gary-Sousa G. My go-to guy on value dining in PVD. Based on his review and one other I thought a bit unfair, we selected this place. Good call G! (I have been eating Portuguese food since 1975 and bones in the salt cod runs 50-50 i'd say)
(4)Maura C.
By far the best Portuguese food I've had in RI! I love the Camarão Alhinho so much that I would like the plate if they didn't provide such great portuguese rolls to use instead! I also love the Carne de Porco à Alentejana! Great affordable wine and yummy desserts to top it off.. I don't know the real name, but the Maria cake is to die for!
(5)Mary P.
O'Dinis is not only know for there authentic portuguese dishes but the prices are so reasonable. The staff is the best!!! I try to get there every weekend and have never been disappointed with my food. The Friday night girls (Natalia, Donna, Mel and Kayla) are great!!! I guarantee you will not be disappointed with anything that you order.
(5)Ian I.
I went with my friends, who are from Azores. The restaurant is said to do above average home made Portuguese food with reasonable prices. I had their 2 staples Camarao Alhinho and Bacalhau na Brasa. Camarao Alhinho is basically small shrimp cooked in garlic, butter and lemon juice. It was tasty but either shrimp were too small or small portion, I didn't feel like it was anything special. 1/2 shrimp had tails on and 1/2 did not. The garlic was sliced thinly, how I like it (if I don't want to eat it, it's big enough to take out). I did not taste lemon and it was a little bit under salted. Bacalhau na Brasa - I will admit, I never has salted cod nor Portugese cuisine but I have had dozen of different fish in many restaurants and this was the worst. First of all, the waiter never said anything about bones. Generally it's assumed that they are removed or if they exist, you will be warned - never happened here. The dish arrived swimming in oil, which is fine I guess but if it was grilled, and onions were sauteed (they weren't oily), where did the oil come from? Potatoes on the side, were cubed and deep fried, very tasty just needed a bit of salt. But here is the kicker...the fish portion was basically 1/2 bones and skin was chewy and barely edible. If one was to say skin is not eaten just flesh, it's fine. Fish itself, was very tasty but probably about 2oz of it. The inch from each side of the fish were so crispy that even knife could not cut through it. And, when I tore it, it was all bones. 2 Of my friends giggled and said, that's why we never order it here...they just got steak with pepper, rice and fries.... My biggest problem is that they never said 1 thing about bones. I feel the portion of the fish was nowhere close to what it should have been. Fish should be bone free. Pics on my profile of the Bacalhau na Brasa before/after. Verdict: be sure you know what you are getting into before you order Bacalhau na Brasa.
(2)Herbert K.
OK, a few points - more customers than you'd think get greeted with a hug or a kiss - friends, relatives? :) I usually just order the special - most recently a seared tuna steak with shrimp sauce. Comes with boiled potato - don't switch those out for fries, k? They're cooked perfectly and a perfect way to sop up the sauce that escapes the fresh portuguese bread on the table. "Don't fill up on bread". Only a mother / waitress would say that! A special, salad, wine will not hurt your wallet, and will satisfy both your stomach and your soul.
(5)April S.
Incredible Portuguese food! Let me qualify that statement with this one: I am not Portuguese, but my dinner companion is Portuguese. As in, duel citizenship, visits his family in the Azores every few years, etc. He says the food is the real deal, so I believe him. And heck, even if it weren't strict Portuguese food, it's just really good food! Intense flavors, wonderful spices, great sangria. Cannot wait to go back.
(4)Daniel G.
I am a fan and probably my most visited restaurant during any given year... good quality but most importantly is pricing and convenience. I can take my 2 toddlers and not a worry about it. I enjoy the fish and chips plate but with home cut french fries... and to top it all off is one of the best desert hands down - the homemade pudim flan!
(4)