As you approach Nicko's at their 4PM opening there's a crowd gathering in anticipation of the wonderful dinner to come. Looked like a subway stop as you descend sidewalk stairs to the Grotto. They have seating all sorted out so need reservations and don't even ask them for the favorite table just go with the flow as they know what they're doing. Service was excellent and support staff for waiters/waitresses is very attentive. We took the Coupeville to Port Townsend ferry over as walk ons to save the $30 on car passage we didn't need. Short 1/2 mile walk across from the historic Rose Theater. Dinner was fabulous with me ordering the saltabucca with polenta. Big chicken breast wrapped in aged ham with a ton of polenta and green beans. The other three guests had the cioppino with various seafoods and they thought it was delicious. Great Valentine's Day dinner with friends. You have two hours to eat before your 20 minute brisk walk back to the ferry for your return to Whidbey Island. Calm Sailing! read more

Pros: Nice ambiance Decent food, nothing to write home to mom about but ok. Portions sizes were ok. Cons: EXPENSIVE. My friend and I both had a lasagna dinner (that did not come with anything (no salad no side, nothing) and water and our bill was 72.00. Slow and below average service. The woman serving us seemed flippant and cold. I don't need my butt kissed but pleasantries would be nice. She barely checked on us and we saw her a total of 3 times. Once to take our order, once to deliver the food, and lastly to drop off the check. No refills on drinks, or to ask how our food was. We asked for some bread to hold us over before our meal arrived and she said it was in the oven. We ended up getting the bread after we received our meal, and it was just bland and meh. For the expensive prices, I would expect better service. read more

Service was great, the drinks were delicious. Lemon drop was fantastic! The food was really good, especially the caprese salad, chicken Parmesan and spaghetti Bolognese. When we were leaving we talked about coming back:) would def recommend read more

Nicko’s Grotto - Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Port Townsend, Washington

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Typical Americana bad Italian. The ravioli of the day was clearly frozen bag ravioli swimming in over 8 oz of cream sauce. Inedible and would have caused serious stomach upset to consume that much cream sauce. read more

Our first time in this restaurant was lovely. Yes, it is a dark, secluded place but the decor and staff are warm and welcoming. The crab cake apps we split were delicious, nestled in a homemade slaw. The entrees were well-prepared, and great examples of hearty, Italian fare. We took home the house made tiramisu because we were stuffed and it was well worth the trip. read more

This was our favorite restaurant! Last night's dinner was terrible from the moment we entered. We had reservations to sit in the bar side of the restaurant. There is a table we love so I asked for that. No reservation sign was on it and we were the only people there. She said no and wanted to put us in a dark corner. Finally, she seated us at the table. We all ordered Martinis which we love there. We were brought drinks in these tiny, I mean tiny, little glasses. $18! I asked the waitress why the change, she said it was the same amount. No way!!! I asked for bread. She brought enough for two people but we were four. We ordered two large Caesar Salads but no salad plates. We were sharing them with our husbands. We were told to use our bread plates. Unbelievable! Dinner came and mine was barely warm. I ordered their special of the day, Alaskan Scallops for $48. Our waitress took my plate to reheat. Everyone at my table had finished their meal before mine came back. It was a very dismal evening out with friends. We didn't even get to enjoy our meal together. I mentioned this fact to our waitress who said my meal was comped. No solace but a nice gesture. Our waitress never even asked us if we wanted dessert. She just threw our checks at us. We live an hour away from Port Townsend so this was a trek for us. We won't be doing it again. Good Bye to a once-wonderful restaurant. I don't know what happened but it's not the same. read more

Wow, awesome dinner! I had a cocktail similar to an aperol spritz but it wasn't too heavy on the orange flavor. We shared the burrata appetizer, it was probably one of the best I've had. I loved the tomato's and it came with tasty crusty bread. I had the clam spaghetti for dinner. It was really tasty. There were a ton of clams and the sauce was light and perfect. Our waitress was able to squeeze us in on a very busy night. I'd definitely recommend a stop by! read more

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Serving massive portions because your food tastes like garbage isn't a worthwhile trade off. This place is small, dirty and doesn't filter their water. However, the service was excellent! We were sat right away, our server was friendly and experienced. read more

Food and drinks were very good, ambience was nice, service was friendly. Unfortunately the good-sized selection of draft beers was unavailable as the CO2 or something was not working. As others have commented the food didn't come quickly, though it was a Saturday night and getting pretty full. read more

First and foremost, I had a miserable night and day after with stomach issues. We've never tried Nicko's, so I asked for dinner there as my birthday gift. I regret my wife paid a lot of money for bad food served rudely and ineptly. You know when a restaurant cares about you having a good experience -- and this place doesn't. Maybe some nights they are better than others... the positive reviews here baffle me. Pasta in both of our dishes was overcooked. That pretty much tells you what you need to know, seeing as how this is an Italian restaurant. But ... the list goes on. My $26 carbonara was a large portion, but it had an unpleasant, greasy and oddly sour sauce (on gummy pasta - yum!) with tasteless hard peas and the most stringy prosciutto I've ever encountered -- and there was a hair in my food (it happens, I know) ... I forced myself to eat some of it because I didn't want to ruin a birthday dinner and make my wife feel bad, and I am not the type to send things back to the kitchen because it stresses me out ... but I wish I hadn't because I felt sick afterwards. So much was wrong. For example, the wine list is extensive, with detailed descriptions. I finally made my choice, making sure it was an Italian wine, which I wanted. But the server looked annoyed when I told her what I had selected and said they weren't carrying that one and were replacing it with something else -- so I got that one but I'm not sure what it was or if it was Italian. But - why put your diners through a laborious selection process using an out-of-date wine list? Or seating. We had an early dinner reservation. During the time we were there (about an hour), two other tables were seated. Yet they stuck us at a tiny and uncomfortable table in the back by the server's station (I could hear it when they "privately" discussed things). Or the decor - to my eye it was tacky and the place feels unclean. Or the water - unfiltered and bad tasting. Table bread was bland and not fresh. No fresh ground pepper or parm offered. There was no check on us to see how the wine and food was. But servers did offer suggestions for ordering additional items, including thrusting unasked-for desert menus into our hands. For a place that supposedly offers a "romantic dinner" experience, it is odd that the service seems so hurried, uncaring, and unable--or unwilling--to connect with people. The server left two items off our bill and rudely did not say a single word when we pointed it out (we didn't have to do that) -- just silently dropped off a corrected version. You can get better food and service at a Subway restaurant, for a tenth of the cost. read more

Wow, so delicious!! Loved loved loved all of our food and wine, and we so appreciated the chef being willing to alter a couple dishes to make them vegetarian for us! We got the cannelloni with a tomato sauce (instead of the boar ragu), and an eggplant piccata. We also enjoyed the creamy burrata appetizer, one of the current specials, which was absolutely perfectly flavored and delicious! I got a glass of the Sangiovese wine - really perfect with my meal. We will definitely be back, the next time we're in Port Townsend. Highly recommend! read more

Nicko’s Grotto - Vegetarian cannelloni - Italian Near Me - Port Townsend, Washington

Great Italian wine selection and the caprese salad was delicious. My friend got the chicken parm which was also very good. I ordered the cannelloni which wasn't anything special. Kinda bland. The bread they bring out with pesto butter was a nice touch. Service was prompt and polite, but not overly warm or intentional. Lovely ambient light. Underground location is cool too. read more

Nicko’s Grotto - Table in Nicks - Italian Near Me - Port Townsend, Washington

From the warm welcome from the hostess with a smile who seemed please we were aware they had a new chef adding, "he is a family friend." Our server recommended the Italian Manhattan as a signature cocktail. It was the best Manhattan I have ever had. The Italian berr she recommended to my lady was very good. The Chef's Specials starting with the salad (I would have never thought Strawberries with Mozarrela would be so good. "Buratta." Next the entrees of Halibut and Raviola were both out of this world. Finishing with Terramasu made by the chef - Bella bella. The food, the ambiance, and the service all 5 stars. I truly appreciate great food and service that doesn't rush but allows me to enjoy the flavors. The prices were not cheap but excellent food never is. We had leftovers from the healthy portions. This little restaurant has food as tasty as any fine restaurant in Paris, NY, Miami, LA, SF, or Seattle. Thank you. read more

Superb! Delicious! Large Portions! Nicko's Grotto was a terrific choice for dinner. It was a group of four of us. We started with the Caprese Salad- highly recommend and the goat cheese dip which was also very delicious! Would order both appetizers again. The main courses were also very delicious! They were all so good we ended up sharing so we could try a bit of everything. The service was perfect especially for a romantic/gathering. They are attentive without pestering. Personable and not cold. Such a great place! read more

Fabulous Experience & Great Food This restaurant was such a great experience for us. We had a bit of a hard time finding it as it is deep underground in Port Townsend, but the locals directed us to it with no problem. We walked down the stairs to the underground not knowing what to expect. When we opened the door and stepped inside, we discovered a whole different place, cozy & beautifully decorated, creating the perfect Italian experience. The first thing we noticed was the smell of what seemed like garlic bread. My friend ordered the spaghetti & meatballs & I ordered the scampi. Perfect! Served hot and with large portions. And the Chianti was delicious as well. We're definitely going back! read more

On multiple occasions by different friends, we all have experienced food poisoning like symptoms. Days of negative effects from the food there. We are all avoiding the food there. Beware. read more

Our party of 4 was craving italian food after road tripping all day and this place hit the spot! The carbonara, alfredo, lasagna and scampi were all scrumptious. They serve complimentary bread with herb butter which I always find a treat. Our waitress was perfectly attentive and very friendly which made us feel right at home. Lastly, I love an "underground" restaurant because it feels like a secret lol and it's cozy. I would definitely return! read more

Excellent food and impeccable service all in a warm, cozy and downright delightful setting! We ate there last night and will probably go again tonight!!! read more

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This little gem was amazing! My husband and I stopped by for dinner for anniversary and everything was delicious! The pappardelle pasta was to die for. Service was friendly and quick, ambiance was moody and romantic. read more

I don't write reviews very often, but I think this Italian restaurant is top notch. Our food was absolutely delicious, every bite was heaven and full of flavor. Our waitress, Lindsay, convinced us to try their new signature cocktail the Citrus saint. It was refreshing, tangy, light and well balanced between all the flavors. Lindsay was very attentive and friendly and we look forward to seeing her again. The downstairs location gives it a cozy, speakeasy feel that is very intimate while not feeling crammed with the other tables. I will definitely be bringing visitors here and look forward to returning on another date night. read more

Nicko’s Grotto - The Citrus Saint - Italian Near Me - Port Townsend, Washington

Went here for a date night before a show at Rose Theater (right across the street). Cozy, intimate, and the best Primavera Alfredo I have ever had. The food is delicious and the drink menu pairs perfectly. Serving sizes were so large, we couldn't finish everything (it was still amazing the next day). Service was impeccable and friendly. An experience not to be missed! read more

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Everything was delicious, with generous portions. Service was overall good, and our server was very knowledgeable about both the menu and the wine list. read more

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Local review...Best dining experience in Port Townsend! Amazing atmosphere and service! Super delicious food and amazing cocktails! 100% recommend! read more

Three times we've been to Nicko's Grotto and three times it has taken over an hour to get served our food. Two of the times we left over an hour and a half to eat before the movie and both times we ended up with a serving of time-stress with our meal. This last time we came after the movie and again after an hour half to call on the waitress to check if the food was actually coming. When the food came this evening all three dishes were so hot we had to wait still longer for it to cool down to an edible temperature. We suspected microwaving because pasta never stays that hot between the kitchen and the table. For two of us, the food was marginal at best, which is the same ratio we found on other visits. And none of the servers seem to understand that neither ricotta-filled pasta nor eggplant parmigiana are dairy-free options. In addition, when we first walked in and announced our names for the reservation it was obvious they could not find it in the three places they looked. Later we stopped at the Port Townsend Food Coop and mentioned our discontent with the restaurant while checking out. The cashier said, "I will never go there again. The food takes forever to come, it's not that great, and they lost my reservation all three times I went there." Coincidence, I think not. On each visit when we expressed our discontent with the wait, the server gave us the same line; "We are sorry for the wait, the chef got slammed." This time, I asked to speak to the boss. The man that came to the table, I was told later, was the owner. I told him of the repeated issues and got the same exact same excuse. I said, tonight most tables were empty when we arrived. He just shrugged and said, "Next time let us you want your food quicker and we will try." If the owner is that unclear of both the concept of customer service and of the word apology, it is no surprise that the rest of the staff feel no impetus to keep the customers happy. As if to say "We have no clue about our business," I noticed something that I have never seen on any restaurant website. On their website, they failed to put the name restaurant anywhere (except in the small printed copywrite at the bottom and in the address on the contact page). read more

We had a reservation for 15 on Saturday night. upon arrival we were seated and our waitress from the start was very rude and acted as if we were an inconvenience to her. A few people at the table were able to order their beverages and one appetizer was ordered with the waitress still being extremely rude and hostile. We were told salads were not available on Saturdays and neither was check splitting. my mother asked a question and the hostile waitress became condescendin. At that point we asked for a moment and decided among the group to pay our tab and leave. It was def not the restaurant or the atmosphere that made us leave. read more

How woke is Port Townsend? At our Eid celebration after Ramadan at this restaurant, my husband ordered the cannaloni, no pork. The waitress didn't listen to us because some loud jerk was yelling about how stunning she was (white guy of course). She served my husband bolognese and I didn't notice because of said loud jerk. He accidentally ate pork on flippin Eid al Fitr after the holy month of Ramadan! The waitress was totally clueless, she said is this not Kosher? Wrong religion. So tone deaf and culturally incompetent. The food was mediocre and the place feels like an underground shelter bunker. Dinner was ruined by loud entitled jerk and ignorance about a religion practiced by many millions of people across the world. How woke is Port Townsend? Yeesh. read more

Went for a date night and we got the lamb shank and saffron sea. Our bartender/waitress gave us great recommendations and the polenta in the lamb dish was as delicious as she described. Our main dishes were eaten before pictures were taken but we finished the night with a delightful tiramisu. read more

Nicko’s Grotto - Tiramisu dessert - Italian Near Me - Port Townsend, Washington

Delicious food, great service. We had bruschetta, the Tuscan salmon, and Saltimbocca. It was a great meal. The service was great, too!

So much to say. Start by going down the stairs that haven't been swept since ????. Kinda gross going in to restaurant. Ambiance: dark. Not sure what they are trying to accomplish or hide. Service: good until it stared getting busy. We were the first ones there. Food: five of six is not bad. The boar and beef bolognese was delicious served hot, but you need to eat fast, because when it starts cooling, it becomes a cold greasy inedible glop. Canalone and shrimp pasta dishes were good. I may go back, but it would be in search of a specific dish, not because of the experience. I would rate the value at slightly overpriced. read more

Never have I ever been treated so poorly at a restaurant. I've had bad days at work and I understand the pressure and frustrations of having to serve and be around people but honestly if you're going to treat a family just trying to celebrate someone's birthday this poorly, you should reconsider your job. We showed up on February 22 and had a reservation for 15 people. I can understand the pressure with this many people but we honestly weren't rude or demanding when the waitress came over. We were very polite to her. But she immediately had an attitude as if we were bothering her by just existing. Furthermore, once everyone arrived, we asked if splitting the checks was allowed and she told us not on Saturdays because they typically got busy. While we were there, it was our party and maybe 4 other people in the restaurant.. they weren't busy at the time so it really SHOULDNT have been an issue. To top it all off, she was very rude to my grandmother and mother in law. Condescending and acting as if "our kind" was not in her interest of serving. While we were paying our check, she was even more rude and snarky to my mother in law. I honestly don't know what we did to deserve this kind of treatment. Yes, we were a little loud, but we weren't screaming or yelling at people. We got 1 appetizer to go, and to be honest, it was very mediocre for $25... If you're gonna show up to work and act like this, especially to people who are just trying to celebrate a birthday, maybe you should reconsider coming into work. I didn't catch the waitress name, but she was blonde and had a slender build. The only person who was kind to us was a younger boy, who offered us bread on the way out. To the blonde waitress, you work in customer service, it's not the best job in the world and trust me I've had my own personal days. But you need to leave your life at that door and pretend you're not miserable because it affects the people you were serving. Learning and teaching yourself this goes a LONG way. To anyone coming here to celebrate anything DO NOT COME HERE! read more

Absolute hidden gem of a restaurant. We stumbled upon this place when we needed a spot to eat dinner for our group of 12. There really aren't a lot of highly rated restaurants in Port Townsend that a) could fit a group of 12 and b) had reservations for a Friday night, but this spot fit the bill. Wine pours were fantastic, cocktails were great, pasta was HOT and fresh. We had the Cesar salad, prawn appetizer, and gnocchi special...and several beers/glasses of wine. Everything was fantastic, absolutely no complaints about our food or service. Our waitress was fantastic and provided genuine and prompt service. The only mediocre review from our group was the truffle grilled cheese, everything else got rave reviews. Highly highly recommend if you're in Port Townsend! read more

Great Italian restaurant in Port Townsend. Everything we had was excellent. Nice bar and cool atmosphere. read more

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I just had the most delightful dinner at Nicko's Grotto. Being single, I took myself out to dinner. I didn't need to make a reservation, they sat me right away. Normally when you're by yourself, restaurants aren't as likely to want you to hang out for long, as they prefer to turn the table to make more money on a bigger crowd. The opposite was true tonight. The waitress was fantastic, met my every need, and after I was finished, in the middle of their dinner rush, I asked if there was time for me to enjoy a 2nd glass of wine. She said ofcourse, brought it to me, and then told me please stay as long as you like, no rush at all. Being a foodserver my whole life, that pleased me to no end! The arugula salad with prociutto and a lemony champagne vinaigrette is one of my favorites, and I tried the buratta tonight which is probably the best buratta dish I have ever eaten in a restaurant. Kudo's to the Nicko team for taking such good care of a local. read more

Actually the food was very good, but poor service can ruin it all. Incorrect food served to wrong person, merchandise not received but charged, and in the end to have the server publicly humiliate.....nice ........good luck Nicos. We will give it a rest before we return read more

We haven't been eating out enough so I've delayed trying the Grotto. I knew it would be good as the owner has another restaurant (the best in town) but goodness, this gives the Fountain a run for its money. we had the cheese plate (a meal in itself) cioppino and a grilled cheese. Everything was delicious. The atmosphere was delightful. I managed to sit through a meal with three teens and leave happy lol I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone! it's lovely. read more

This is apparently not the same Nicko's Groto that was there before their earlier shut down. The food was poor. The bread, appetizers and entrees were flavorless and poorly presented. The service was marginal at best. I won't be returning. read more

Ambience is wonderful: warm and welcoming, not pretentious. Service is excellent. We came with a party of 14 and were accommodated without issue. All of the food was fantastic, with ample portions and balanced flavors. A real nice little spot when you're craving hearty Italian fare. read more

fantastic food, lovely environment with good music, service is quick and nice. definitely will come back and recommend others to do the same. read more

Everything here is excellent. The food, service and ambiance is so enjoyable. We have told many of our friends about Nicko's and they love it too. read more

This was our second time visiting Nicko's, and it was another pleasant experience. The special of the day was very tasty (the gorgonzola cream sauce was light enough to not overpower the delicately seasoned chicken), as was the lasagna. Service was good and, while things took a little while it wasn't bad at all. The one downside was dessert - the cannoli was supposed to have a cherry/orange zest mascarpone filling, but it chocolate had been substituted for the cherry. That definitely was not what I was expecting, nor what I wanted. That was a pity given how much we enjoyed the rest of the meal. read more