Portuguese Square
Portuguese Square
3.5
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3.5
152 reviews
Excellent
30
Very good
51
Average
46
Poor
13
Terrible
12
Lian Tiong G
Subang Jaya, Malaysia4,383 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
This time of the alert on Coronavirus see less crowd visiting the Pottrguese Square. The food stored are still crowded but not as before. We had our seafood dinner. After dinner we were at the De Melios Pub listening to oldies. Nice evening with friends.
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LuciferLoveToTravel
Penang Island, Malaysia103 contributions
Mar 2017
Very interesting place to visit with family and friends. The Portuguese community there is very friendly and communicate with warmth and a sense of welcome.
At night, me and my family enjoyed a delicious dinner and we were served with Chicken Curry Devil - which indeed a delicious and unforgettable dish that all of us should try when we go to Portuguese Square for visit.
At night, me and my family enjoyed a delicious dinner and we were served with Chicken Curry Devil - which indeed a delicious and unforgettable dish that all of us should try when we go to Portuguese Square for visit.
Written 17 March 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
D_Jekyll
Malaysia3,950 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
We have been hearing quite a fair bit about the Portuguese settlement, we just had to see it for ourselves. We drove there with no intention for dinner but just to check out the place first. The moment we turned into the open air car park, 7-8 people started to group around our car even before we stepped out of it. Each of them were persuading us to dine in their restaurant and this was most uncomfortable.
We politely told them that we just wanted to stroll along the water front and jetty. This did not deter them and the whole bunch just kept on walking behind us to a point where I told them that they were making us very uncomfortable. In the end after we had recce the place, we decided to try out one of the ocean facing restaurants. The food was ok and price not too expensive either.
If they'd stop harassing their patrons, this place might just become a haven for tourists. Right now, all they are accomplishing, is driving business away.
We politely told them that we just wanted to stroll along the water front and jetty. This did not deter them and the whole bunch just kept on walking behind us to a point where I told them that they were making us very uncomfortable. In the end after we had recce the place, we decided to try out one of the ocean facing restaurants. The food was ok and price not too expensive either.
If they'd stop harassing their patrons, this place might just become a haven for tourists. Right now, all they are accomplishing, is driving business away.
Written 7 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MBECA
Bedfordshire, UK164 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Excellent day out. Busy all around Jonker Street on a Sunday plus the night market which begins at 6pm.
Lots to see, shop and eat. Prices are cheaper than KL or Penang
Lots to see, shop and eat. Prices are cheaper than KL or Penang
Written 27 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
clover869
Havana, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba2 contributions
Jan 2013 • Family
Hi!! Highly recommended food to eat is at Stall no 2. Joan & el'chico's.. Seafood was fresh!! I've tried the butter garlic scallop. its was so delicious. and the baked fish!! was so tasty and so fresh.. Try the eggplant in portuguese style (Muliu). Only stall no 2 have that dish.. The chicken wings is good.. and the black pepper crab! Wont regret! :)
Written 5 January 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shannon_JoyOZ
5 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
The seafood restaurants in the Portuguese settlement should learn from the beca riders around melaka city. Every beca rider decorated their trishaws as best they could and answered tourists inquiries politely. There were so many trishaws but no touting or harassing tourists. Just politely calling out to the tourists. The Portuguese settlement restaurant staff were touts,louts and harassing tourists from the car park to the end of the Jetty. They also backstabbed their rival restaurants and were rude when we inquired about food not on the menu. Food quality is poor and portions v small for the $$ we paid.The Portuguese community should really improve on this because it creates v bad impressions on their behavior and how they go about their business.
Written 25 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sadee raghavan
Subang Jaya, Malaysia201 contributions
July 2013
Boys n girls will rush to you as soon as you enter the Square, persuading you to order food from their stall. It's a big area so we sat and ordered food from Stall #2. Very good food. Steamed fish, "Debel" curry aka "devil"curry with chicken and Malaysia' s staple food rice. All dishes are very good. The "Debel"curry was not as spicy as it should have been but nevertheless good. The stalls are all owned by the Portuguese which I personally think it's excellent. I spoke to several Portuguese people and all were upset that a multi-millionaire built a university at the border... viable from the Square. The government should have preserved this as a Portuguese Settlement but big money speaks loud and strong.
This Square is a must-visit for travellers even with that eyesore of a white university. People are extremely friendly.
Best time to visit is 29 June every year when they have Fiesta San Pedro... patron saint of the fishermen. Portuguese clad in colourful traditional costumes song and dance and the whole village comes alive.
This Square is a must-visit for travellers even with that eyesore of a white university. People are extremely friendly.
Best time to visit is 29 June every year when they have Fiesta San Pedro... patron saint of the fishermen. Portuguese clad in colourful traditional costumes song and dance and the whole village comes alive.
Written 6 July 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MarinaTan8
Singapore, Singapore10 contributions
Nov 2012 • Friends
Immediately stepping out of the cab ride from Explorer Hotel to Portuguese Square, we were being harassed and pestered by the streams of stall holders. They keep on asking you to choose their stalls.You cannot breathe and think when they start harassing you! Both my friends were very aggitated including my husband. Until we had no choice but to quickly sit at any vacant table.
However the unknowing stall that we chose, served horrible, horrible food. I mentioned to the lady who took our orders to serve us hot rice, she understood and when the rice was brought out in an oval plastic plate, it was horrible cool rice which is lumpy..That lady just couldn't care less after she clinched the orders from us. She was different before we took the bait.
The lady fingers dish was not good. They used the old ones. They servings and quality of taste were liked those from hawker stalls.
That lady also told us to try their speciality crabs with salted eggs. She also told us tht the crabs will weigh less than a kilo. The bill showed we were charged 1 Kg for the crabs. The crabs were not proberly washed. They dont give you proper utensils to eat the crab.
Fish was also not to standard.
The Portuguese settlement needs to revamp their style of approaching customers. You will need to do your homework if not, you pick the wrong stall and get fleeced.
However, I am glad that there's a family whom we met, selling Homemade Acar-Kurau fish ( pickles)Portuguese Style homemade pickles. Contact no -0146203390, who seems friendly and does not pester us to buy their wares. The pickle was really nice. Regretted for not getting more. It really tasted like how my mum used to prepare such pickles when she was well. For those going to Portuguese settlement, dont miss on this wonderful Acar.It cost RM 16 per jar but worth it. They are locted near the old Lisbon hotel, also near to stall 1 which incidentally sells decent dihes.
However the unknowing stall that we chose, served horrible, horrible food. I mentioned to the lady who took our orders to serve us hot rice, she understood and when the rice was brought out in an oval plastic plate, it was horrible cool rice which is lumpy..That lady just couldn't care less after she clinched the orders from us. She was different before we took the bait.
The lady fingers dish was not good. They used the old ones. They servings and quality of taste were liked those from hawker stalls.
That lady also told us to try their speciality crabs with salted eggs. She also told us tht the crabs will weigh less than a kilo. The bill showed we were charged 1 Kg for the crabs. The crabs were not proberly washed. They dont give you proper utensils to eat the crab.
Fish was also not to standard.
The Portuguese settlement needs to revamp their style of approaching customers. You will need to do your homework if not, you pick the wrong stall and get fleeced.
However, I am glad that there's a family whom we met, selling Homemade Acar-Kurau fish ( pickles)Portuguese Style homemade pickles. Contact no -0146203390, who seems friendly and does not pester us to buy their wares. The pickle was really nice. Regretted for not getting more. It really tasted like how my mum used to prepare such pickles when she was well. For those going to Portuguese settlement, dont miss on this wonderful Acar.It cost RM 16 per jar but worth it. They are locted near the old Lisbon hotel, also near to stall 1 which incidentally sells decent dihes.
Written 27 November 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marco R
Lisbon, Portugal178 contributions
June 2013 • Couples
As Portuguese, once again we are proud that even though we militarily occupied Malacca for trade and strategic issues, the Portuguese were able to create family ties between them and the Malays from Malacca, something that neither English nor Dutch managed to do. Despite having been a forcible occupation, the relationship with the Malays was so fruitful that gave rise to a Portuguese dialect (Kristang) as well as the implementation of the Catholic religion from a mostly Muslim people.
Will be welcome as a people coming from so far away, across the World, can adapt and share their culture with a culture so different, thus creating a community with large Portuguese and Catholic ancestry. One can see this when visiting the Portuguese Square.
In this square has an image of St. John, who is the patron saint of this community. When we were there, we saw exposed a document where were the names of the organizers of the feast in honour of the Saint, which takes place June 23, and the names of those people were all of Portuguese origin. It is a community basically fishing source, where denotes a link to Portuguese cuisine characteristic of this region based on seafood dishes.
Although we occupied Malacca during less time than English and Dutch, still managed to leave memories and a greater legacy than any other people that these lands passed.
The Portuguese community lies outside the Centre of Malacca, because is a fishing community and required that the houses of fishermen would be closer to the sea, because the Centre of Malacca is occupied primarily by religious , commercial and military buildings and because the community of Chinese origin that originated the culture Baba-Nyonia had a lot of commercial influence and installed in the Centre by a strong community also economic influence.
Will be welcome as a people coming from so far away, across the World, can adapt and share their culture with a culture so different, thus creating a community with large Portuguese and Catholic ancestry. One can see this when visiting the Portuguese Square.
In this square has an image of St. John, who is the patron saint of this community. When we were there, we saw exposed a document where were the names of the organizers of the feast in honour of the Saint, which takes place June 23, and the names of those people were all of Portuguese origin. It is a community basically fishing source, where denotes a link to Portuguese cuisine characteristic of this region based on seafood dishes.
Although we occupied Malacca during less time than English and Dutch, still managed to leave memories and a greater legacy than any other people that these lands passed.
The Portuguese community lies outside the Centre of Malacca, because is a fishing community and required that the houses of fishermen would be closer to the sea, because the Centre of Malacca is occupied primarily by religious , commercial and military buildings and because the community of Chinese origin that originated the culture Baba-Nyonia had a lot of commercial influence and installed in the Centre by a strong community also economic influence.
Written 19 May 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HelenaGuerra
Washington DC, DC13,761 contributions
June 2013 • Couples
I had big expectations about this place. It was very disappointing. Very decadent and no sign of the Portuguese influence. Even the restaurants are bad. The fish/ seafood didn't look fresh and there were thousands of pushy guys trying to convince you to have a meal in their "restaurants".
The hotel Lisbon is now an university dorm. The Portuguese heritage is lost. It's a shame for Portugal.
The hotel Lisbon is now an university dorm. The Portuguese heritage is lost. It's a shame for Portugal.
Written 4 July 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi! Will this place be open on christmas day itself (25th dec)? thank you :))
Written 20 December 2018
What's the best time to visit on December? When they are setup the Xmas deco. ..?
Written 8 November 2016
Normally in the past, a few weeks before Christmas time, they started to decorate but the decoration was very simple and not as grand as expected.. In fact, there are only a few shops and few Portuguese restaurants inside the Square with a small stage which they had a little concert there. There are also restaurants outside (not inside the Square) which offer very good and Spicy Portuguese cuisine but the price was a little expensive. I am not too sure whether these restaurants are still there as my last visit there a few months ago, there was no activities during the day. A hotel was built near the Square a few years ago where tourists can lodge.
Written 9 November 2016
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