Reviews for Portneuf Grille & Lounge in Lava Hot Springs, ID

Food was pricey however it was absolutely delicious! Wish bread and salad came with meal, then would be priced perfectly. ... Desert was devine. very pleasant atmosphere. Waitress was friendly and inviting. Read more

We are so happy with our experience here! They have the option to dine outside along the river or inside. Because this was a... special occasion, we chose to have trout cakes and a fisherman's soup as appetizers. We had the pork roulade and summer salmonand finished it off with a piece of carrot cake. What an amazing experience! We are staying at the Riverside and also received a$40 dining credit from booking online. We have one more night and are looking forward to trying more on the menu. Please makesure you stay and have dinner here. It's so well worth it! Read more

Horrible experience. All the staff were completely frantic, flustered, and disorganized with only a few tables to wait on. The... place was cluttered, dirty, and had outdated decor. Food was subpar for the price. We couldn't wait to finish our one drink,greasy salmon spread, and get out of there. There are way better places to eat at in town, but if you're going here, makereservations... Even for bar seating!... They are crazy about reservations. And only go for some good wine and decent dessertsand sit outside (pretty patio with a view of the river). But you can find most of the same wine for cheaper at otherestablishments in town. Read more

Got to say I was a bit disappointed. I ordered a ribeye and requested it medium rare. Unfortunate it came out well done. If it... wasn't for how long it took to come out, I might have sent it back. On the other hand, other food came out just fine. My sonloved his seafood chowder and two other people in our party had the Salmon. Both entrees came out well. An order for Macaroni,which is on the unpublished kids menu along with chicken strips, was not mixed and came out with chunks of powder. My daughtertold me it was some of the worst Macaroni she has had. For a fine dining restraunt I had expected better of the food. It wasoverall an experience in between good and bad. Read more

Wow! We stayed the night at the riverside. This was our decision for dinner. We arrived later and were able to settle into a... table outside. The creek is nice but kids go down on tubes so you get to hear their joy. The drinks were okay. We ordered aFrench onion soup as appetizer. My wife ordered the salmon and I got the clam chowder. The soup was a perfect appetizer andover the top on flavor. It was primo. I had a clam chowder in California by the shore and it was not nearly as good as thePortneuf clam chowder. Their clam chowder was simply divine. My wife said her salmon was amazing. I wouldn't know as I didnot get any and she enjoyed every bite. They are pricey but the cook has to be a pro. The cook even came out and talked to us. She also gave us a piece of cake on the house because we were on our honeymoon. This was a culinary delight on our honeymoontrip. Read more

Hard to believe the best culinary experience in Idaho is in the basement of a haunted hotel in Lava Hot Springs! Spring salmon... and asparagus in a delightful buttery sauce, tastefully herbed, cooked to perfection. Wise pairing suggestions or exquisite,original non-alcoholic options compliment a concise yet excellent menu. Even if you don't catch a glimpse of the ghostswandering the halls, the dining selections are hauntingly delicious. Taste the spectral magic of Portneuf Grille's new chef. Meeting her in the lobby after the meal was a classy touch. The service was also instrumental in evoking the spirits; polite,prompt, and attentive. Portions are generous and prices are reasonable. We even enjoyed a sliver of river view from our seatsthrough the wall-to-wall windows at the back of the dining room. The only regret we have in posting this rating is thedifficulty in getting a reservation once the word gets out. And the restaurant is open to all, not just the hotel guests. Geta reservation while you can! Read more

One of the few places in town to eat out. Old style elegance located in the basement of the building so takes a little effort... to locate. Food was tasty but on the pricey side. My wife and I had the salmon while others in our party had the prime rib andthe stuffed poblano pepper which both looked good. Menu on line was not updated so items we actually were looking forward toordering were not available which was disappointing. Even items on the menu were not available. Read more

Food was very good. Pomegranate lemonade was super intense which is how I like my lemonade but some people might think it too... strong and sour. Wedge salad had incredible blue cheese, but would have benefited from some crisp bacon crumbles. Humus platterwas okay. I had the chicken and my husband had the pork. Blueberry was the theme for the desserts but I actually would haveliked the desserts better without the blueberry glaze. I overheard that they ran out of about four of the six entrees by thetime we left, which can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. Atmosphere was lacking! I mean, I understand that theyare going through a massive remodel, but there were things here and there that could have made the experience better despite theawful building...like having a real flower (or even real silk centerpiece) at the table instead of a silly dollar-store typeplastic flower. Service was in (general) good. They mostly stayed away so my husband and I could chat on our date. But theydidn't keep our glasses filled, so if the servers could be quicker at doing that, the service would be spot on. To sum up: foodvery good, service good, guitar player good, physical atmosphere very bad. Considering that it is a somewhat high-endrestaurant, the service needs to be excellent and the table settings more appealing. With a little more effort, this place canbe a solid five stars. Read more