Reviews for Ernesto's Italian Restaurant in Portland, OR
What a wonderful dining experience. First time at Ernesto's and the service was great. Jenny you are amazing with your... knowledge and patient with our questions. Jeremy thank you for making sure we were okay even though the place was busy. I willbe back and I will be bringing my out of town guests. Jenny - see you this weekend. Looking forward to the clam chowder. Read more
We enjoyed a late lunch early dinner. The service was excellent . Our wait person Jenny , was fun , informative and perfect for... the experience we wanted. The food also fit the bill of a fine old style (from my childhood memories) Italian meal. We bothenjoyed our entrees. And had enough to enjoy leftovers tomorrow . Reminded me of the places on the east coast( NJ and NYC) fromthe 60s-70s that were comfortable seating, quiet enough to talk, and great food?friendly family style service . We willdefinitely return for more. Read more
I had chicken parmesan and my lady-friend associate had eggplant parmesan, we had the Focaccia bread, she had minestrone which... was out of this World, I had a Caesar salad which was perfect. After the main course came after all that, because as you knowthe problem with Italian food is you have to eat again in 3 days........ We had split one slice of cheesecake with a littledrizzle of chocolate on one end -and- a blob or two of strawberry on the other end; and it was a Grandmother's hug. Clearly weare already planning our second visit ! Read more
If I could leave no stars I would. The quality and quantity of food is awful for the prices charged! Salad has spoiled rotted... lettuce on it. We did not receive two of our salads, we ordered full orders of pasta and received very small portions. Zucchiniwas soggy. Worst first time experience ever, and definitely will not recommend to my family or friends and will not be returningas customers. Read more
The credit card machine was down for 2 hours, yet they failed to inform customers until it was time to pay. The only options... were cash, getting fees from a random ATM, or leaving your credit card info with a stranger. I only had a credit card to use.The service wasn't friendly, it was sarcastic and she was short with people, "didn't you look at the menu?". The food was good.The atmosphere was pretty. The music was nice. Work on customer service & you'll be perfect. Read more
The staff was very helpful in suggestions and recommendations for vegetarians. I was helped by Jenny and she made sure veggies... in my pasta were not mushy but perfectly cooked. I went for the pesto pasta and the pasta was nicely done, nice texture, flavor,and pesto taste. Shoot out to Jenny for the suggestions, I recommend trying this place. Also, the focaccia was great. Read more
This restaurant is a hidden gem, located in the corner of business complex. The dishes were authentic and flavorful and the... service was genuine. I recommend getting the signature lasagna and the tiramisu the first time you visit. Read more
This was the second time I've been to Ernesto's. The first time was late 2020 so dine in wasn't an option, but they had takeout,... which I enjoyed. One great thing is that I cannot eat cheese, thankfully there are plenty of choices that don't havecheese. This time that I went, I was celebrating a milestone with my wife, which was great. There a PLENTY of options from themenu, I would probably say that there are too many. But if you're looking for the classical Italian restaurant with the choicesof food, ambience, and feel, this is the place. They are not the big chains like Olive Garden or The Old Spaghetti Factory, butthey have to compete with them. Thankfully, they do. Everything you order includes unlimited Focaccia bread. But here is wherethere is a dilemma; the hearty bread is served plain. There's no sauce, or even butter. Now you probably don't need any more fatin the focaccia, but the bread is still plenty dry without something to come along with it. I did order a bowl of marinara,which was delicious, but just for that was an additional $3. Also, the prices in the menu are either incomplete or incorrect. Iordered Ravioli and Spaghetti, while she ordered Chicken Alfredo. Per the paper menu, it should have cost $19. But the bill cameout to $20 each... It's a small thing, but as a customer, it's not very conducive to bringing me back. Even at the $19 price,that included a soup or salad, so I think the price is justified (Bread, Soup/salad, and entree). The environment is like aclassic sit down restaurant, and so many of these chains really don't understand the need for the feel and ambiance that arestaurant like this offers. If you like Italian food, then it's worth trying. But just know, it's not cheap. The food wasdelicious, the service was good, the ambiance is unique, and the location is out of the way????. Take that however you want. Read more