Portobello Cafe

*Disclaimer: These are my opinions, you may have a completely different experience*
Pros:
2 for 1 deal but bring cash!
Chicken cutlet parm (when it’s not burnt)
Pasta primavera
Penne vodka
Sunday dinner
Gnocchi
Salad!
Hot Garlic
iPads showing what your meal will actually look like! Huge pro!
Cons:
I saw the assistants to the chefs using their hands to pick up pasta and fix things on the plate!
Mozzarella corroza was too eggy, I like usually crunchy bread
Pasta ragu
When they gives you 4 croutons for 6 people (you have to request more)
When they run out of hot garlic (not their fault entirely)
Very busy and very cramped

Came here for an engagement party and absolutely loved their service and food! Lots of options and the staff was consistent and pleasant. Can’t wait to come back here again for a regular night out!

I’ve ways had a pretty great experience at this place. The buy-​one, get-​one is totally worth it. The entrees are delicious and the salad is included, which is perfect considering the meals are quite large. They make a great Sangria so I definitely suggest ordering that as well. And of course you can’t skip dessert. PS. Order a cappuccino. You won’t be disappointed.

Should be renamed PORTOSTINKO Café. Just another poorly run Staten Island crap hole. They offer 2 for 1 during week nights, but I guess that means to them, give the customers garbage as the second entrée. Even the first entrée we got was not so good as well. My friend got Salmon which as burnt and very small. I got the so called best chicken parmesan, which was also burnt and tasted horrible, and turned out the be the worst chicken parmesan. When I complained about it to I guess the manager or host which looked like a 12 year girl gave me this horrible looking stare and actually scolds me for not telling her sooner, like I’m supposed to accept this garbage in the first place, disturb my dining experience, flag her down, then wait for a replacement hoping they don’t spit on it, how about apologizing for serving crap in the first place, I had a bad headache at the time, so I was not at full strength to argue, as it was late and I was tired after a long day of work, I was offered another chicken parmesan in its place to take home, I reluctantly said yes, then 2 minutes later, she comes out with another one, saying sarcastically see how fast that was, that was not the point, how about you should be serving garbage like that in the first place. also was it cooked right, I threw it out when I got home, I will never go back there again, it seems like the quality of living on Hylan Blvd is going downhill, alot of places are going under, the few places that stay open either raise their prices to ridiculous amounts or cut back on quality, does Portostinko have the dish washers cooking back there to cut costs. i also feel very sick the day after, places like Portostinko make the Olive Garden looked good.

Great location and food, friendly staff, always clean! Really great buy one get one specials. The desserts are amazing! Love the fried oreos and fondue for 2!

My wife and I were looking for a nice place to have a few apps and drinks. We came across a sign in the window in large print that advertised Taco Tuesday’s, my fault for not reading the fine print through the stained window that Portabella Café was advertising for their other restaurant. Being there already we walked in and were greeted by the hostess who upon seating us asked me to remove my hat. Embarrassed much you say I was? Nevertheless I removed my hat and we were seated in the empty room as so our presence didn’t insult those in the other dining area that were fortunate to be at tables with table clothes.
So now were given the menu and told there 2 for 1 specials were cash only and we could go over to the ATM at the Bagel store across the street if we needed cash. Mind you even the Olive Garden’s policy is a bit more forgiving. All these issues so far and we didn’t even get to the food.
Now here comes the review of the food .for the win. My wife ordered the steak medium rare which was well done and I went for the «Best chicken parmesan». When you make that claim it should be at least above Burger King standards which in this case a whopper Jr. might have sunk the best chicken Parmesan in a taste test. The side of linguini plunged this dish deeper into the darkness.
Other then that the waiter was nice and the water was cold.
I did not see a sign for a dress code and considering we just were looking for a place for apps I wasn’t dressed to impress, so being embarrassed as soon as we walked in, kind of set the mood for the dinner
I have to give this 1 star otherwise I can’t print my review
Never again!

I have eaten quite a few times at the Portobello Café and the food is very good. The atmosphere and the service is great. My husband orders mama’s sunday special and he loves it plus you will have left overs to take home. I would recommend this place to everyone. They have 2 for 1 dinners from Monday to Thursday too.

I have to commend the Portobello Café, and a waitress named Michelle. We were out with friends enjoying a delicious dinner as always and some cocktails. When the bill came we paid the bill and unbeknownst to us we accidentally left and extremely high tip in excess of $ 100. The waitress Michelle immediately noticed it and informed us to look over the bill because the tip was excessive. Michelle was extremely honest, and her integrity is quite impressive. Michele deserves to be recognized for this it’s says a lot for her, and the restaurant in a whole. I hope the owner of the restaurant reads this, and praises her as well she deserves it! Michelle deserved a good tip for her overall service, with that being said she was given a little some extra. Thank you Michelle.

Food is OK. I’m really not impressed by the food or the service. There are so many Italian options on Staten Island, why would anyone go here.

All I can say is wow!
We had my sister’s bridal shower over the weekend at portobello we have been dining here for YEARS everyone knows the 2 for 1 special during the week, come on! So why not have a party? Joey was our main waiter he was AMAZING from start to finish! We had a hiccup with the cake that we ordered (not through portobello an outside bakery) and he was ALL OVER IT helping my mom and I call them to see where it was and keeping us in the loop every step of the way! The food was EXCELLENT as always! Everyone keeps telling us what a great time they had and how great the food was, will definitely being having more parties here in the future! Thank you for making her day so very special!

Should’ve know after the first time. Ordered the bogo. Chicken Parmesan they call da best chicken Parmesan… far from the truth. Cutlet was burnt and sauce also tasted like burnt garlic. Last time the pork chops were raw. This will be our last time eating at this place. Like mom used to say… if it sounds to good to be true it’s probably not. I give this place limited time in business if they don’t turn there act around. Chef, rude owner and staff. So many other great restaurants stay clear of this place.

I just had 1 of the worst experiences of my life at this restaurant tonight. First off it was BOGO free dinners and we had 3 people so we asked if we can order a 4^th entrée and all share it… We were told NO. Second problem of the night, we were given a salad to all share which for 3 people was on the small side so after we we’re finished with it we asked if we could have another salad… We were once again told NO. We also asked for a pitcher of water at the table because my friend and I are both pregnant and need a lot of water … And we were told NO. Then the manager comes over to the table and we told her all the problems we had and she didn’t seem to care at all. She saw how dissatisfied we were and could care less. I’ve never been treated so poorly by restaurant staff. This was one of my worst experiences in a very long time. I will not be going back to this place for a loooooong time. Bad BAD customer service. Shame on you PORTOBELLO CAFE !

2 for 1 Deal! ($ 16 – 23 total): Cash only
Monday — Thursday (4pm-​10pm): Pasta/​Entrees
Parking: Valet parking on the street side of the restaurant. I got lucky and got to park for free right in front. But Hylan Blvd has plenty of places to park on the side streets. Got seated right away for 2 on a busy Wednesday night.
Interior: It is a transparent window kind of place. Probably to make all on goers look jealous on how deliciously everyone is enjoying their meal. But you automatically feel the fancy yet family like ambiance. Spacious indeed and also a bar style right when you come in if you rather have that kind of feel instead.
Staff: Perfect
The Host: Obviously not a lot of time spent with any hosts of a restaurant but I just wanted to note that she seemed pleasant from the start till the end. A polite great smile comes a long way.
Waiter: My girlfriend and I took a very long time to order anything since we were stumbled by the great deal. Only reason I am giving this 4 stars is because they ran out of gnocchi and that was the WHOLE REASON why we came… but maybe its not their fault lol. Anyways the waiter was very nice with us and accommodated us in a patient way.
Manager: Seems like she comes by to make sure everyone is enjoying their evening which I must is SO GREAT. I love it and I loved her friendly demeanor and caring attitude. She even came by first bc we wanted to use the free sangria by getting an app which everyone should do!
Food:
Mom’s Sunday Dinner: Italians really do know how to portion their food bc its always a lot LOL. The meat was definitely on point. The sausage I can do without since it was very soft and too tender. However the beef and meatballs were awesome and the pasta is freshly made.
Slow Cooked Pork Ragu: If you like a meaty pasta dish this is it! You will definitely though feel full very quick since the meat is strong with this one even though its in small pieces.
Overall: Great deal. Great staff. Easy parking.
Will have to come back and try the rest of the food!

Amazing food, amazing managers, the service is just fantastic.

Weird that I have not reviewed this place as it is our FAVORITE Italian restaurant. When I met my now husband in 2008, he lived around the corner from Portobello. We discovered it then and have been dining here ever since. We now make a special trip from Morristown, NJ to eat here.
Meals are phenomenal. We have always loved everything we have eaten. Typially, we start with the calamari sampler. Every time we try to figure out which of the three sauces we like best. It always ends in a tie with all three. Moreover, there aren’t a lot of tentacles which is a plus for me!!!
For the entrée, I always order the stuffed chicken as I can’t get it anywhere else. It is just perfect, stuffed with cheese and sausage over risotto. My husband gets a variety of dishes, so I always get a bite of the other menu items. Everything is delicious.
I recently threw a party for my husbands birthday. They were very accommodating and EVERYONE at the table loved their meals. And… Many of the guests are some of the pickiest eaters I know!!!

The food was excellent, the employees and atmosphere were very nice. I would have given the place 5 starts if not for the presence of the primate «sweat — suit» wearing owner screaming and marching through the restaurant like a neanderthal. He was screaming at someone in front of the restaurant then we were forced to hear him scream in the kitchen. His employees had to be extra polite and accommodating to us in an effort compensate for their bosses juvenile behavior.
I will never set foot in this place again solely because the owner (or manager) made everyone uncomfortable and was a source of embarrassment for himself, his employees, his establishment and even his guests.

Came here on date night with my woman, and it was spectacular. We did the buy one get one free deal offered Monday through Thursday. The ambiance is great and the food is greater. They started us off with bread and salad. The salad was very tasty.
I had the chicken fettuccine alfredo and it was absolutely to die for. Well seasoned, great portion amount, cooked just right.
My girl had the sautéed chicken portobello. Came with veggies as she doesn’t eat pasta. She enjoyed her meal. Only paid $ 22.41 for our 2 meals. Great place overall. We will definitely be coming back

We celebrated our anniversary here. The atmosphere was fantastic. The food was fantastic! The staff was fantastic. The owner took almost a half and hour to talk with us. We will be back on a frequent basis.

I am sooooo disappointed. This was the worst meal ever! First of all, thank you Unilocal for the free sangria. It was really good and had another. The food was just awful. The seafood grill was gross. I would bet my life that the food is frozen to begin with. I guess it was my misunderstanding, but when I order grilled, I do not expect to have things piled with breadcrumbs. The sauce was unappetizing and seafood was dried out except for the crab stuffed tilapia which was dry on the outside but seemed undercooked on the inside. The rice was mushy on the iutside and hard on the inside. My husband’s sesame encrusted tuna was over cooked and in a sickeningly sweet sauce.
My husband, being on the shy side, refused to let me complain while we were there. All I can say is Never again!!!

Just finished eating a fine meal and I am leaving happy. We did the buy one get one deal. My Chicken Parm was very good and my wife got Moms Sunday Dinner and really enjoyed it. (She is Italian from Brooklyn so she should know).
Loved Carol our waitress.
We will be back again soon.