05/29/09

35 years of excellence

by Whatsherface682

Celebrating 35 years is a remarkable milestone for this pitiful restaurant, as innocent and ignorant dinners must be their sole means of income.

The place charges above what it promises to offer. The menu looks like a deli menu. Yet simple wine of 2008 is 10$ a glass. Crab cakes weren't real. They microwave frozen stuff, including mashed potatoes. Grilled stuff is served cold because they were made earlier. Waiters were oblivious and far from sweet or helpful. On Saturday night they can hardly fill up half of their tables. Their life is running out. And, for one, am not surprised. Waste of money, time and mood. Stay away!

• Pros: location
• Cons: horrible food, ridiculous interior design,unreasonably pricy

11/12/08

Amazing food!!

by jetsetter28

For many years I have been dining out on weekends and somehow missed this spot. I can?t believe the quality of the food great service and unbeatable price. The location is convenient and parking is discounted. I couldn?t ask for more, this is my new favorite restaurant in town.

• Pros: Food and Price

11/11/08

SIMPLY PUT - THE BEST!!!

by chrisjimd

I have dined in Center City for many, many years but I have never before felt the need to write a review of any other establishment. If you're looking for quality, comfort, attentive service and the best food in town - IT'S PORTOFINO'S. Sorry that we didn't get to see Ralph (character that he is). Robert is the most graceous maitre'd who took the time to occasionally stop by our table to make sure we were well taken care of. Glen is attentive, polite and a waiter who makes sure that your meal is not just food on the table but a dining experience. The presentation was paced perfectly so that we felt relaxed rather than rushed and the fried calamari and the salmon is to die for.

I could write an epiphany, but simply put, Portofino is the best of the best.

• Pros: Best food, best service, best ambiance, convenient location, parking
• Cons: none

10/01/08

I LOVE THIS PLACE

by ROGER12

I CAME HERE THE OTHER NIGHT WITH MY GIRLFRIEND. SHE WAS A LITTLE UPSET WITH ME AND THANKFULLY I BROUGHT HER TO PORTOFINOS BECAUSE IT TURNED THE MOOD AROUND. THE STAFF WAS GREAT, THE FOOD WAS GREAT AND ON TIME! SHE LOVED THE WINE AND I LOVED THE PRICE. THANK YOU PORTOFINOS FOR SERVING US A GREAT EVENING.

• Pros: EVERYTHING
• Cons: NOTHING

08/27/08

Yummy!

by Gina76

My husband and I came here to eat the other night and I couldn?t say better things about this place. The price was very reasonable and the quality of food was top notch. My husband couldn?t stop talking about how good the food was. To top it off we had great service and the restaurant is beautiful. We already made reservations to return.

• Pros: good food, good service, good price

08/14/08

Finest Italian Food the City has to offer

by PhilliesFantasticFour

We ate here over the weekend and were very impressed. When I first walked into the restaurant I was impressed by the ambiance, it was beautiful! We were greeted right away and seated promptly. Our server was a charmer and helped make our experience memorable. The specials were described to us and we were even asked if we had any questions, this impressed me because no restaurant server has ever been so polite and patience to ask that. After we ordered our meals and appetizers a wonderful wine recommendation was made to us, we took it and it paired so nicely with our dishes.. We finished with coffee and the homemade tiramisu. I think this may be the best Italian food restaurant that Philadelphia has to offer. I?m looking forward to going back.

• Pros: discounted parking for the nearby parking deck

07/30/08

The Atmosphere and Food felt like home.

by TechKicker5

This authentic Italian restaurant really gave me a sense of home. I have lived in Philly for a year and have tried many Italian Restaurants. Portofinos is by far my favorite, and the best this city has to offer. It has a convienient location, great staff, and the food is amazing! I also was very pleased with the atmosphere. I plan to come back here many more times.

• Pros: 20% parking validation for nearby parking deck.

02/07/08

worst pre-theater meal.

by brynnamon

my family and i were going to a show around the corner and thought we would get a nice italian dinner beforehand. however, we were sadly mistaken. we told them when we walked in that we were seeing a show and had about an hour and a half to go. an hour and half should be more than enough time to get a nice meal (especially in a restaurant that most certainly does a pre- and post-theater crowd), but the owner yelled at us and told us that we could only get pasta because there was no time to get anything else. we had heard good things, so we decided to stay even though the owner was incredibly rude. the food that came out was mediocre and the service was terrible. don't waste your time or your money.

• Cons: rude staff, mediocre food

01/15/08

Amazingly Rude Manager

by drdallen

I have eaten here twice- food is nothing special- typical Italian fare done decent. Then only reason it does well

is that it is near the theater and gets the pre-theater crowd. I tried booking a large 40+ person party here

strictly for convenience of location and the owner/ manager was so amazingly rude. I mean repeatedly rude. The first time I asked he said 'cant you see I am busy, come back some other time' - very rude for a simple question, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt and tried later to set up a weekend appt with out of town parents and was told to make them come in during the week some time, he doesn't like to set up parties on weekends. Can't see giving my business ever again to someone so rude- and the food is mediocre

• Pros: Convenience of location
• Cons: Rude Manager, average food

04/25/07

horrible experience

by nyc_traveller

The two of us were seated fairly quicky without a reservation Saturday night. Initial service was pleasant but that was the only good thing about this place. Took a while for the drinks to come--the appertizer even longer (about half hour). ( we are from NYC so we are used to crowded restaurants and sometimes slow and spotty service). Then we waited for the main dishes for an hour until someone came out and told us they "ran out of the special". Again they did this after letting us sit there for and hour (after the appetizer was served, almost 2 hours after we sat down). Needless to say, we immediately left. THe people next to us got one the dishes cold and had to be sent back. Some one has got to be fired for running the place like this!!

• Pros: location for Center City
• Cons: incredibly BAD service and management