Café Central Portugais

Trisha

3.0

Saturday we came to Café Centrale to watch both matches & had such a great experience that we decided to come back on Monday for the Portugal vs. Spain game. A big reason we returned was because of the exceptional service we received from Amaya. She is an absolute gem & deserves to be recognized.

Knowing it was a Portuguese bar & that it would be packed, we arrived at 1:30 p.m. for the 3:00 p.m. match. Amaya explained that the owner had told her every table was reserved, so she offered us a small bar table in the back. We happily accepted because we were there to enjoy the game, have a few beers, & soak up the atmosphere.

At one point, I moved the table slightly into the shade. The owner immediately came over &, after asking if we had a reservation, told us that if a larger group arrived, we would have to give up our table. Keep in mind this was a small bar table that could only seat four people. Two days earlier, we had spent over $500 at the restaurant, yet instead of feeling like valued returning customers, we were made to feel completely disposable.

What made the situation even more frustrating was that, over the next 30 minutes, we watched several groups of two or three people arrive without reservations & be seated at regular tables. It quickly became apparent that the'all tables are reserved' rule seemed to apply only to us.

I understand that big game days are stressful & busy, but that's when customer service matters the most. Being busy is never an excuse to make guests feel unwelcome. Respect, consistency, & kindness should be extended to every customer, especially those who choose to come back.

Unfortunately, customer service starts at the top, & that's exactly where our experience fell short. The owner's attitude came across as dismissive & unwelcoming, leaving us feeling like our business wasn't appreciated. We won't be returning, which is disappointing because Amaya provided the kind of service that creates loyal customers. She deserves recognition, & frankly, the leadership at this establishment should strive to meet the same standard.

Felix

5.0

Had some pasteis de bacalhau & superbocks & it was great....the food the beer & atmosphere felt like I was in a small town bar back in Portugal.

Veysel

5.0

Fast, friendly service, & good coffee. Cozy & affordable. Mainly older Porteguese gentlemen are hanging out here, playing dominos, watching soccer, & chatting. It reminds me of our neighborhood tea houses in the old country (Istanbul, Turkey). I also had meals here. Sandwiches were very good, so is the grilled fish! They are operating a charcoal grill so everything becomes x2 tasty. You can talk to the waiters/barmen for fish suggestions.

Sergio

5.0

One of the best bars in Montreal especially if you want to experience Portuguese culture.

Nathalie

5.0

My mother, sister-in-law, & I were in the mood for coffee after having dinner at a nearby restaurant on a Tuesday. We arrived at the café around 9:30 PM. Three Portuguese patrons occupied seats at the bar while Portuguese news played on the televisions. It was well-lit, & the absence of music was a welcome contrast to our loud dinner. We ordered 3 "café com leite", 3 flans, & 1 pastel de nata at the counter—all for just $24. Domingos, who graciously attended to our order at the counter, was warm & made us feel welcome; we spoke to him in Spanish while he responded in Portuguese. He brought our flans to the table & offered to splash them with Cointreau, to which we happily agreed. Once we were done with our desserts, he kindly treated us to a glass of Porto while we talked about Venezuela (our home country) & the Portuguese diaspora who lived there. It was the perfect ending for our weeknight out. Make sure to bring cash, since it's cash only.