O Rei dos Frangos

O Rei dos Frangos, whose name translates as 'the king of chickens', is a Portimão institution famous throughout the Algarve for slow-grilled piri-piri chicken, marinated and cooked over charcoal until the skin is crisp and the meat stays juicy. The menu is deliberately narrow, focused almost entirely on half and whole piri-piri chickens served with crispy fries and rice, a specialisation that has made it one of the most consistently recommended casual eateries in the region. The dining room is functional and no-frills, with bright lighting, quick table turnover and a lively, informal noise level driven by its very late opening hours and constant stream of local diners. There is no tasting menu or fine-dining pretension here; the format is simple ordering by portion size, and the chicken is priced extremely affordably relative to the rest of the Algarve's dining scene. Because the kitchen stays open until midnight daily, it is a reliable option when other restaurants have already closed. Reservations are not typically needed, though queues can form during peak dinner hours given the restaurant's enduring popularity.