We always go into local Grand Haven restaurants expecting a mediocre food experience. But tonight, at Porto Bello? We were surprised. Our server, Will, was on it - efficient, helpful, and attentive. I ordered Chicken Piccata....I make this meal once a week, however? this was the very BEST I've ever had. Highly recommend. Forget the "season veggies," and double up on the Mashed Potatoes. Beyond. Hubby didn't love his Mussels. Bland Sauce. I think chefs in this town are timid to add special spices. I say, "just do it," and you will see people like a lot of flavor. Fuel Restaurant has the best Mussels in town. We didn't get bread and butter. Is that still a thing? read more

Fairly disappointing and expensive when you realize how not delicious the food is. I got the Osso Bucco, which is described as "slow roasted pork shank in savory garlic sauce". It was super bland. It was clearly not slow roasted with any herbs or in any meat/vegetable broth. The sauce was bland. I've enjoyed this classic Italian dish at many other Italian restaurants, so this was particularly disappointing. My friend got the mussel and frites. Multiple mussels were still closed shut when served. For such a small number of mussels, I would have hoped they would have replaced the closed mussels rather than expect the customer to pry them. The only dish I enjoyed was the mozzarella sticks appetizer. I came in with a very large party, and the service was solid. Do not recommend. read more

Food looked amazing, coffee was great! Server was very attentive. I love the Ambiance of this restaurant. I highly recommend this place. read more

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Went years ago, food was good but service was lacking.. Now: Menu was tiny and we were told no modifications because they were going to get busy later? There was like 6 tables and it was 3:30p. Food came.. Pizza was undercooked, nothing tasted great, Caesar salad was wilty and they didn't even toss the side salad.. mozzarella sticks were there only thing we liked. Server was kind but we won't be back. read more

Horrible experience. its 90 degrees out we waited 20 mins for a refill plus our server was nowhere to be found , everyone had bread and a big glass while we had nothing , ended up walking out that shithole. read more

The service was adequate, she tried hard. The ambiance was charming and clean. The food was horrible! We ordered the spinach artichoke dip and it was tasteless and overcooked we couldn't choke it down. I ordered a house salad with Italian dressing, the lettuce was fresh and dressing was good, we shared the lasagna and had to send it back it tasted like it was cooked at least a week ago and reheated, couldn't eat more then two bites! The only highlight were the rolls and butter, they were the only redeeming food in this place! The manager did take the lasagna off our bill. It had been a long time since we had eaten there and now I remember why! Don't waste your money! read more

Portobello - Burnt lasagna, my plate and my wife's. - Italian Near Me - Grand Haven, Michigan

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The staff was great, the chicken parm great-a bit difficult to find the chicken and pasta under the mountains of cheese- but it was good once we found it. I was surprised that our meals were not served with a soup or salad option. We ate inside and there was a VERY loud live band inside this very small area. It was impossible to talk to each other without yelling. read more

In from Chicago for our yearly visit. Menu changed and no longer have Chicken Parm. We ended up sharing Chicken Alfredo with tiny little pieces of Chicken and bland as Hell. Overall menu was uninspiring to say the least. Sadly, this place is no longer a "Must Go" on our places to dine when in Michigan. read more

Stopped in for a quick bite and had the spinach artichoke dip, it was super creamy and flavorful. The staff was incredibly friendly and made us feel right at home. Was not far from the beach, there was live music, and a great scene! Perfect spot to relax, and wat not far from the water! read more

Portobello - Artichoke spinach dip - Italian Near Me - Grand Haven, Michigan

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Went to Portobello with some friends last week after hearing they were under new management and enjoyed a wonderful meal. Two of us had the lobster ravioli with shrimp and scallops, one feta pizza and another ravioli dish, everyone was quite happy with their choices and the service was very attentive, we'll be back soon! read more

Came here with my 3 buddies and a guy who is 69 (well he is going to be in 1 week but he likes to tell people he is because I think he thinks other people will think it is funny if he tells them he is 69 is his thought) and his wife is two years younger than him. They been together since he was 15. At least that is when they met. I had the lobster crab ravioli and it was really good the vodka sauce was so good that after I finished I asked our waitress Rebecca (not Rebecca black but at first I wished it was but later I realized I was glad we had this Rebecca because she kept refilling my Arnold Palmer which was tasty and she even let me taste test it before I ordered it) what the sauce was. This is when one big laugh came, she said it's vodka sauce and I said, "oh that is why I feel funny". Honestly not one of my better jokes just a normal one but one of my buddy who apparently doesn't get to be around above average funny people often gave it a big laugh and kept laughing. I guess my delivery was fire. The entertainment here is tight. The main singer who's name is Steve I think kept looking at us and coming over to our table and playing with us and let us play instruments and sing up on stage. He was tight. Rock on brother. Bros before ho€s. read more

Portobello - About to go on our walk after our not too heavy but very tasty meal - Italian Near Me - Grand Haven, Michigan

We've been going here for years and I don't understand the hate in some of the reviews. It's great Italian food by West Michigan standards, and for being on the channel and next to ice cream, the amphitheater and the fountain, this is a great spot. The service is generally good. In the busy season they have a lot of student helping out and their experience is limited. But they get it done, try hard and we've never had a serious issue. Foods great. read more

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Portobello is under new ownership. Tried it last night with a huge group of friends. Everyone said their food and service was amazing. Eat local!! read more

How does this place only have an average 3 star rating? Insane disrespect. Everything was amazing. Service was excellent. Food was delicious. Anybody that speaks poorly about the food here needs to try something else. They are dumb. Don't listen to the bad reviews. Listen to me. You got an anniversary? You got family in town? This is the place. Live music was great. Not too loud, perfect background noise. read more

We were in town for the Coast Guard Festival so things were really busy in town and this restaurant did not look overcrowded so we thought we would try it. They offered us indoor or outdoor seating and when we said indoor initially they said that was a 30 minute wait so we decided to sit outside so we could be seated immediately. The waitress was very sweet and helpful. We decided to split one appetizer and one entree so that we wouldn't have any leftovers. For our appetizer We got spinach artichoke dip and it came with tortilla chips. It was really good and so cheesy. It came with the perfect amount of chips. For our entree we got the shrimp scampi with linguini and the waitress brought it to us already split on two plates which was awesome!! It came with quite a few shrimp and a lot of pasta. The taste was very good and everything was great about our experience. The picture I took was just my plate of food and my friend got the same sized portion. read more

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This restaurant ambience hasn't changed in many years. The live music in the bar area is pleasing & not so loud that you can't carry on a conversation. Appetizers are excellent , especially the Margarita Dip. The pasta dishes are very good. Great choices with chicken, meatballs, sausage and more. Service is great, pleasant staff. read more

Read the reviews and since they were mixed we thought we'd try it for ourselves and see. Great location downtown but unfortunately it appears they try to bank on the location because the food is gross. The ambience is dated and dusty. The music loud and misplaced in the room. Service was unfriendly and standard...not many smiles in the place. Heard they are trying to sell it and maybe they will find an actual chef who will make the food not microwave it. We eat out as often as we can so we do have a chance to compare restaurants. For the money there are some really great newer restaurants close by. I suggest you keep trying and avoid this place until it sells. Nothing sadder than a dying restaurant. read more

One of the worst meals I have had in some time. MY shrimp scampi was drowning in oil and butter, along with overcooked linguini. My friends shared a "traditional" Ceasar Salad and Tortellini Alfredo. Both picked at the food and couldn't finish. And surely didn't take any home. You would do better getting a frozen Italian entree from the grocery store. And the band was cringe worthy. Oh yea, my martini was just semi-cold gin. Uggh. read more

Stopped by at 8:15 to see if we could snag a quick bite. Possibly the biggest mistake we could've made. Service was slow (20 mins to get a beer, 1 hour to get 2 entrees) and the food was beyond bland. There was no salt or flavor to be found anywhere in the dish. Skip this place. Find a fast food chain. You'll be happier. read more

Portobello - Italian Near Me - Grand Haven, Michigan

Just moved to town and came here for the first time last week during night 1 of the Coast Guard festival and the food was so good! Our server was so sweet and the entire dining experience was overall great. We had the spinach and artichoke dip and the calamari, which my son absolutely loved and for dinner, I had the lobster ravioli - delicious!! Everything came out in a timely fashion and was hot and yummy. This will surely be added to our rotation of restaurants in the future! read more

The ambience at Portabella's is fantastic. They have talented jazz musicians, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Their food is delicious. They even have gluten-free pizza. I recommend this five star. read more

Food was decent, big pasta portions with smaller portions of protein or broccoli if added on. good location and has option for outdoor seating. The bathroom is a bit hard to navigate if you're in a wheelchair or have a stroller. They do have a changing table but only 1 sink was working of the two sinks in the ladies room. read more

As best this is a three. I would not waste time or money at this place. We were going to split a $17 lasagna. Our waitress explained they are small and most likely would not be enough. Then, I find out its another $5-$7 if you want meat of any type on it. Decided to switch to pizza and cheese bread and house salad. The salad was an Olive Garden mushy salad half filling a plastic bowl to share. Cheese bread was thin french bread with melted cheese on it. The Marina sauce was good. Med. Crust pizza was pretty darn thin for medium although it was good. For the price and flavor there are so many better choices here in Grand Blanc not sure how they stay open. read more

Portobello - a pizza with a slice taken out of it - Italian Near Me - Grand Haven, Michigan

First of all, the yelp reviews for this place are not doing it ANY justice. My boyfriend and I were walking down the street and came across this wonderful restaurant. First, we ordered the Porto margarita dip (not pictured because we ate it too fast) which was delicious. Next, we ordered the Chicken Alouette and Lobster Crab stuffed Ravioli. Let me just say, that was the best ravioli I'd ever had. The meat inside the noodles was so soft and tender a that I had to check if it was even stuffed into the noodles (which it was lol). My boyfriend absolutely adored his chicken Alouette and cleaned his plate. Lastly, we ordered the tiramisu for dessert. It was delicious! Shoutout to Sadie for being such a good waitress! She was so nice, down to earth and very attentive to us. Please, give that girl a raise! Yes, the wait for our food was long but it was a busy night and that's to be expected when you have to wait for a table in the first place. It was definitely worth the wait! The only comment I have is that I wish they would serve complimentary bread because I wanted the leftover sauce on my plate haha! Overall, this place does not get the recognition it deserves and I'd highly recommend. read more

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Husband and I went here for a date night and the food was fantastic! We both got pasta and enjoyed the complimentary bread. read more

Portobello - Italian Near Me - Grand Haven, Michigan

So good! We'd originally tried to get a table elsewhere but settled on Portobello. So glad we did. Garlic bread, salads, ravioli appetizer, fish n chips, spaghetti were all delicious. Our server Veda was attentive and patient with our kiddos too. read more

We walked in and were seated at the bar and given menus. Our drinks arrived quickley and the manager said they were busy with a wedding and asked for our patience. After a half hour we asled the bartender if we could put in food orders and he said "no, they were too backed up but we could get in line for a table"??????? WTF! If they could take food orders at a table then why not the bar. Total BS. Never going back! Lotsof empty tables! read more

This place used to be SO good. I was there recently and had less than an amazing experience. The pizza crust was much different from last time, wasn't a fan. The server was great, but the food was lacking. Over half the people in my party had some sort issue with food, from sauce being super watery, to ingredients missing in a dish. Too expensive for "just ok" food. It was extremely busy and they had a band playing, could barely hear the people at my table! Also you have to pay extra for salad. Went to Olive Garden a couple days later, and the food was so much better! A few years ago that would have been the case. This place used to have the best food, what happened?! read more

One Star is being too nice. We drove up to celebrate a birthday and to have both my kids with me at the same time. The first shock was the extremely cloudy Ice Tea. I ordered Chicken Marsala. It was the worst Chicken Marsala that I have ever tried. I could not finish it. All four of us could not finish our meal. I did pay for the meal. I really regret that. read more

Portobello - "Iced Tea" - Italian Near Me - Grand Haven, Michigan

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I'd give this place a 3.5 star rating if I could. Good vibes. I came here on a whim while waiting to go to a friend's welcome wedding party. It's definitely not a place to go if you're in a rush since the waits a are a tad longer than I'd like. I ordered the fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp: the pasta was a tad too "al dente" for me, but the sauce was definitely good. While waiting about 30minutes for my meal, I helped myself over to some self-serve popcorn. This was a nice touch while watching the soccer game. Atmosphere was more of a really large open bar thing. Sort of reminds me of Hooters dining room setup, minus the hooters. Haha. They had a lovey one man pianist and a singer. Not shabby at all. The service was friendly, but again, a tad slow. read more

Portobello - Italian Near Me - Grand Haven, Michigan

Time to update this review, as we dined here yesterday. So I'm not going to get into this here, but last summer (2017) some friends and I had the worst service of our lives at Porto Bello ... the waitress was very rude and condescending to us. Fast-forward to this summer (2018), and Porto Bello had sent me a gift certificate to come back, so my boyfriend and I decided to try it. Luckily I didn't see the rude waitress working. They used to serve salad and bread with the lunch entrees (and their bread was really good, IIRC) but they no longer do. I ordered the lasagna ($11), which had mushrooms and other veggies (no beef), and he ordered the Powers Pasta, which came with a spicy sauce. We also ordered the garlic aioli French fries to share ($9). The French fries were nice and crispy though in my opinion, would have been better with an aioli dipping sauce - instead, they were slathered in the garlic aioli. Still tasty but a little strange. My lasagna was also pretty good and a large portion - I was only able to finish about 2/3 of it. My boyfriend's pasta was good too but too spicy for me. Waitservice was very good this time, thankfully, and pleasant. Porto Bello has been around for 15+ years - I used to go there with my parents before they'd drop me off at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp the day afterwards - and I think it's probably because of their prime location. Food is decent but nothing special, and I'm bummed that they no longer serve bread with lunch, too. I do like their outside patio area but there are better places to eat in Grand Haven, so they earn a 3 from me now, in 2018, vs. my previous 5-star review. read more

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The booths are great and clearly made by a master craftsman...food is just ok. The fries at decent

Service was ok. The chicken was actually rubbery not sure it was fresh. The sauce was ok. My girl's linguine had nearly no sauce on it at all. The eggplant was deep fried/frozen soaked in oil. Very disappointing place. Hard to imagine they are in business. The bar was full with locals however no food on the counters just drinks. We we're the only 2 dinning in. read more

Service was fine. The place felt extremely outdated, upon sitting down you could tell this place does not get throughly cleaned, dust everywhere, whole pile of salt on the table. Food was by far the worst part. Shrimp Scampi was awful and had zero taste, pasta was overcooked, for the margarita dip the bread was soft, had no crunch and just felt awful to eat, very bad experience. overpriced read more

The food here was absolutely terrible. I can understand that service is slow due to a limited staff. However, the food was served cold/lukewarm. I had ordered the margherita pizza and what I received was not it. It was served with too much mozzarella cheese on a crust that was not hand made. read more

We were here during the busy coast guard festival. They have a huge outdoor patio where you could watch the fun fair happening with rides and games. Inside their was a band setting up for some live music. Our server was young and friendly. The food was a bit on the heavy side (think heavy Italian dishes in the middle of summer), so I opted for a small salad with addition of shrimp. The salad was presented like a bagged dole iceberg and romaine salad blend emptied into a bowl with chopped cucumbers and tomato on top... missing the olives that were mentioned in the menu description. The waitress brought me the olives, but the whole salad just lacked any personality. I didn't get sick eating it though, and it was edible... just nothing special about it. I had to devein my own shrimp because they were not properly cleaned. Otherwise the shrimp were cooked fine. My husband got the cheese ravioli in marinara sauce. I tasted a small bite and it was okay. It had a hint of basil to it, but there was a slightly chemical flavor in the background. My 7 year old son had the spaghetti and meatball and seemed satisfied and my 4 year old daughter ordered the Kraft macaroni and cheese which she seemed happy enough to eat. All in all, it's not good... but it's not bad. Happy we were able to find a place to be seated on such a busy evening, though not in a hurry to rush back. Some of their desserts looked interesting aside from the classic tiramisu they had an interesting wine soaked cake with berries, but the entrees were so underwhelming we opted to forgo dessert for ice cream near the pier. Curious how the desserts are at this place. Has anyone tried them? Are they worth it? read more

This review is not a reflection of the staff, the staff is wonderful. I strongly recommend not dining here. I'm not too picky of an eater and I could hardly finish my plate. I ordered a very simple dish, cavatappi noodles with a tomato sauce. My noodles were drowning sauce. The sauce tasted like it had come from a can and was haphazardly seasoned. The tomato pieces in the dish also seems to come from a can. My husband got the lasagna and it was also swimming in sauce (it resembled soup) and tasted like chemicals. I'm very sorry I didn't research the restaurant ahead of time. The 2.5 star rating seems accurate. read more

Dare I say it's gotten worse? Or am I drinking less? It's like going to Disney...you know the atmosphere will be ok but the calamari will make you feel...goofy. I hate to say it I'm not sure there's anything there you couldn't find at Meijer in the frozen food section. I'm writing this from the porta potty of tip-two. The seafood messed me up. read more

We were here to celebrate a birthday with a party of 12 . We were seated promptly . The restaurant was not busy for. Friday night which is an indication of years of mediocrity. Our waitress was experienced and helpful , meatballs were a good app , but apps for the group came out piecemeal instead of at once. Entrees were nothing special , as they included basic Italian fare and Boone was wowed. Again we give great props to our server but bartender was a disappointment, struggled to get basic shot and pop drinks correct . It's definitely not a destination but if you have a large group or have long waits at other places you can usually get a table here read more

Reviews are important to me. Saw this had mixed reviews but tried anyway. Loved the character of the space - old piano factory.. Our server, Ishi was very friendly and attentive. Bread is provided and was warm and wonderful. We had the Chicken Marsala and the Chicken Parmesan; we each had a portion of both. Plenty of food to share one meal if not terribly hungry (2 chicken breasts per meal). Marsala sauce was very good! Overall experience was great. Would come back again. read more