(Last updated: June 30, 2026)
I first went to the Military Club about twelve years ago. At the time, I gave it three stars, and didn’t really see how it warranted a return visit. The owners of MacauSoul were never too high on the place either, telling me it was extremely hit or miss, which a lunch visit in 2024 all but confirmed. Sitting there with a guy who had grand dreams of starting a Macau Jazz Festival that fell flat on its face, I barely found anything worth trying twice.
Then a Portuguese priest friend of mine, who wines and dines with the best of them, told me that their Portuguese food was excellent. Given his palate and pedigree, that piqued my interest enough to give the Military Club another try.
And the results were far better than expected. Somewhere along the way, the Military Club got seriously good.
Starting with the appetizers, I’d characterize two of them as must orders.
The 24-month Pata Negra ($128) is what dreams are made of. Beautifully marbled, juicy, with the fat doing most of the talking. If there’s better Pata Negra in Macau, I haven’t had it. 5 stars
The Codfish Dumplings ($88) completely blindsided me. Wow! Crisp on the outside, wonderfully soft inside, and packed with far more cod than the typical codfish cakes you find around Macau.
I think the thinner coating is the secret. It gets out of the way and lets the fish do all the talking. Like the Pata Negra, this immediately joined the list of dishes I’ll order every single time I come back. They’re that good. 5 stars
The Spider Crab Soup ($78) is right on that level as well. Rich, creamy, and intensely flavoured, with real depth, the crab comes through clearly in every spoonful. 5 stars
Just behind them are four more appetizers I’d happily recommend, all landing in the 4.5 star range.
The Caldo Verde Soup ($48) carries a gentle smokiness from the sausage, with a thicker body than most versions around town. Potato-forward, hearty, and properly done.
The Roasted Portuguese Sardines in Salt ($89) are properly seasoned with good moisture, while the Sauteed Clams Portuguese Style ($88) lean garlicky and bright, with plenty of sauce worth chasing with bread.
The Grilled Portuguese Bísaro Sausage ($133) was gently charred, smoky and excellent with the garlic bread. Another easy 4.5 stars.
Turning to the mains, the best one I’ve had at the Military Club is the Steamed Sea Bass with Clams ($218). Simply flawless, the fish is delicately cooked, almost dissolving on the palate, sitting over the best tasting rice in Macau. Somewhere between a loose risotto and a seafood rice, the rich sea flavours linger long after the plate is cleared. 4.5 stars
The Suckling Pig Bairrada Style ($258) is exactly what you hope for: glassy crackling, juicy meat, and a depth of flavour that explains why it sells out some evenings. 4.5 stars
The Wet Seafood Rice ($238) comes loaded with seafood, while the rice absorbs plenty of flavour without turning into soup. One of the better versions I’ve had in Macau. 4.5 stars
Moving down a level, the Bisaro Pork Shoulder Confit ($228) melts effortlessly, rich with flavour and beautifully rendered fat. On par with any steak on their menu, it carries that long deep finish that pairs sublimely with wine. 4 stars
The Roasted Pork Loin with Clams ($188) is very similar to the famous Portuguese pork and clams from Alentejo. The pork is tender and the clams bring plenty of salt to the sauce. My only complaint is the lack of potatoes or rice, which makes it feel more like an appetizer than a main. 4 stars
The US Beef Angus Sirloin ($268) might not be for everyone. Quite why they put a firm slice of pork on top is beyond me, and the meat arrives already smothered in gravy. The beef itself is tender enough, but you lose any chance to enjoy the steak on its own terms. It’s definitely not bad, just a little odd. 4 stars
The Chicken Thigh with Honey and Almonds ($178) was nicely cooked, but I’m not convinced the honey or almonds made it any better. Strip away the extras and it might have worked just as well as a straightforward roast chicken. 4 stars
For things I’d stay away from, the Beef Angus Sirloin with Strawberry Jam ($158) lands somewhere between carpaccio and a salad. While it offers good quality beef, the sweet jam mostly just mucks things up.
The Creamy Pumpkin Soup ($68) pales in comparison to the other soups, while the Australian Angus Sirloin ($338) is overrun with garlic, and doesn’t justify the premium.
The Lemon Rice ($228) leans heavily into citrus, with a porridge-like consistency that doesn’t really change from first bite to last. The lemon dominates everything, and after a few spoonfuls it starts to feel repetitive. There’s a touch of spice underneath, but it never gets a chance to come forward. Avoid.
I only ordered the Dried Poached Codfish with Pumpkin Sauce ($248), and Bacalhau with Sausage ($248) because O Santos had recently served one of the best cod dishes I’ve eaten in Macau. I figured maybe I’d just been ordering bacalhau in the wrong places all these years.
Turns out, probably not.
The pumpkin version was the better of the two, but neither came close to changing my mind.
Both suffered from exactly the same problem: too much oil, not enough flavour, and very little of the freshness that made O Santos version so memorable. More than anything, they reminded me why I usually skip straight past the cod section whenever I order Portuguese food.
The worst dish though is the Portuguese Duck Rice ($178). The rice comes out noticeably dry, lacking the richness and moisture that make this dish work. Even the slices of sausage and cured meat on top can’t rescue it, and the whole thing feels like it’s been sitting a little too long. There are much better versions of duck rice around town.
If there’s one thing that’s been consistently impressive here, it’s dessert. Across multiple visits we’ve worked through four: the Thousand Sheets of Portuguese Nata with Cinnamon Ice Cream ($58), Hazelnut and Chocolate Cake with Baileys Ice Cream ($68), 72% Chocolate Cake With Red Fruits Ice Cream ($78), and a simple Ice Cream ($58).
The Thousand Sheets was the best of them, with crisp pastry and excellent cinnamon ice cream. Both chocolate cakes delivered too, particularly the darker 72% version with red-fruit ice cream. Even the plain ice cream was good. Whatever else happens at the Military Club, dessert has never been the problem.
Perhaps one reason for the Military Club’s resurgence is its partnership with several Michelin-starred Portuguese chefs. Once a year, they all come to Macau for a short culinary festival that lasts a week or two. After it’s all over, the dishes that resonated the most stay on the menu. Over time, the Military Club’s food becomes a kind of living anthology, with plates tied to different chefs, regions, and traditions.
Then there’s the building itself. High ceilings, polished wooden floors, white tablecloths, old cabinets and folding screens make it one of Macau’s great dining rooms. New restaurants spend fortunes trying to manufacture this kind of atmosphere. The Military Club has had it since 1870.
It’s the kind of place where you walk in wondering if you belong there. By the end of the meal though, you’re not thinking about that at all.
You’re just thinking about when to come back.
Sublime.
***
(Here is my original review from 2013).
Macau’s prettiest looking restaurant from the outside dates back to 1870, when it was founded as a private military club. Redone and refurbished in 1995, it reopened as the restaurant you see today, serving Portuguese cuisine for lunch and dinner.
Reservations are essential at night and lunchtime is exclusively buffet. I think the old rule where non members have to wait until after 1:45 pm to dine was scrapped years ago. A dress code is enforced so watch what you wear, but they don’t require anything too formal or dressy.
As for the food, friends who’ve gone there for years tell me that the quality wavers. When it’s at its best, the restaurant is brilliant, but it’s prone to slipping.
After having dined there I think it’s fair to say that the Military Club is not quite at its best these days. I ordered three dishes for dinner: a selection of Portuguese Cold Cuts, King Crab and a Rack of Lamb.
The cold cuts and king crab were definite disappointments. The meat was not fresh and the king crab nothing special, being a little on the dry side. Although I had no complaints with the rack of lamb, I have had better elsewhere.
On the flip side, the restaurant has a good wine list and food prices are generally affordable. Most mains are in the $100 to $200 range while starters and soups don’t exceed $80. Staff is friendly and efficient, and the restaurant has an unmistakable Old World feel about it.
Beautiful and charming, the Military Club is a relic from Macau’s colonial past, a small piece of tradition in a city that is quickly losing it. Perhaps that’s enough for some of you to visit it, perhaps not. I think it’s still probably worth a try, just know what you’re getting into beforehand. The Military Club’s hype and history is a better drawing card than its food these days.
