Izakaya Cascais is a restaurant in Cascais Centro, Cascais. Rated 4.7 stars from 904 Google reviews. Known for counter seating with full kitchen view and michelin-starred japanese cooking at fair prices. Best for date night and solo dining at the counter. Ranked #7 of 16 in Cascais Centro. Price range: +€ 50.
Rankings updated April 2026
Izakaya Cascais
Zone Ranking
Ranked weekly from live Google review data
in Cascais Centro
↑ Up 1 this week
Quick Verdict
Locals book weeks ahead and come back because the food's genuine, the chefs are visible and skilled, and €50 feels right for what you're eating under a Michelin star.
You want to watch a chef work while you eat, don't mind sitting at a counter, and can book ahead — reservations are necessary even at lunch on weekdays.
About Izakaya Cascais
Izakaya Cascais is a 12-seat counter restaurant in central Cascais where you eat inches from the chefs. It's built on the Japanese izakaya concept — casual, interactive, everything cooked in front of you — but the execution landed it a Michelin star. The space is tight, the atmosphere is animated, and the menu moves between raw fish (usuzukuri hamashi at €12, toro yokke chirashi at €24), grilled items (yaki ika at €19, hotategai batayaki at €12), and unexpected turns like a kastu sandwich and tres leches that reviewers won't stop mentioning. Service is the other pillar: staff know the menu inside out, they're communicative without being intrusive, and they'll guide you through the wine list (small but well-chosen, prices fair for what you're drinking). One reviewer ate here the night they got their Michelin star and called it "the best sake in Portugal." Another said it's "the best Japanese food I had in Europe." The catch: it's small, it fills fast even at lunch on weekdays, and you're sitting at a bar watching your dinner get made. That's the point.
What Stands Out
Counter seating with full kitchen view
"Todos os lugares com vista privilegiada pelas várias áreas da cozinha e com total interacção com quem está a ultimar os pratos" — every seat looks directly into the kitchen, and you're watching the chefs finish your plates in real time.
Michelin-starred Japanese cooking at fair prices
Reviewers cite specific dishes (toro yokke chirashi €24, yaki ika €19, hotategai batayaki €12) and note: "quite affordable for a Michelin star restaurant" and "best Japanese food I had in Europe."
Service that knows what it's doing
"Serviço muito simpático, disponível, conhecedor e muito comunicativo" and "exceptional service" — staff guide you through dishes and wine, and create an atmosphere that feels both professional and relaxed.
What Customers Say
From the moment we walked into the door, we knew that it was on the Michelin list the food is beyond expectations.
Our waiter Luca, exceptional Kardelen, Our chef, is beyond compare.
Great ambiance, exceptional service, and amazing food made for the chef with fresh ingredients.
Real quotes from Google Reviews
Practical Information
Contact
Frequently Asked Questions about Izakaya Cascais
Yes. Reservations are necessary even at lunch on weekdays — the 12-seat counter fills fast. No online booking available, so call or visit the website to reserve.
€50+ per person. Specific dishes run €12–€24 (usuzukuri hamashi €12, toro yokke chirashi €24, yaki ika €19). Wine is available and priced fairly for the concept.
Yes — one reviewer was there the night they received their star. The kitchen is visible from every seat, and the chefs (including Chef Manuel) work in front of you.
Japanese izakaya — raw fish (hamashi, toro), grilled items (squid, scallops), rice bowls, and dishes like kastu sandwich and tres leches. Menu changes, so ask staff for recommendations when you arrive.
Tight, animated, friendly. You're sitting at a counter watching chefs work. Reviewers describe it as "descontraído" (relaxed), with good music and a "trendy" vibe — not formal, but focused on the food.
Also in Cascais Centro
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