I popped in here for a late night dessert. The ambiance was wonderful! The waiter was very attentive and kind. I tried the chocolate mousse cake which came in a rich, slender slice. People watching from the giant plate glass windows overlooking a popular bar crawl area in downtown Waco was also a treat. I would definitely come back to explore more on their menu! read more

Uber Eats delivery. Really tasty chicken parm with spaghetti. Truly great dish -- lots of cheese, delicious sauces, and good size piece of chicken. The shrimp appetizer to start was also very good. Loved the rolls too. Good salad, as well. Nicely done. Worth the price in my opinion. read more

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Great food! Amazing service! The ambiance of Italy. We have been coming here since they opened off of Lake Shore. Highly recommend Portofino's to everyone!! read more

I've been going here regularly since living in Waco for the past six years, and the food and service are always excellent! I usually get the chicken (or sometimes veal) parmigiana cremora (too good to pass up!) but I've also really liked the baked ziti. They also have solid chiantis on the wine list. The atmosphere reminds me a bit of an old school Italian restaurant, especially with the 50s kinda jazz they usually play, which I enjoy. It's my favorite restaurant in Waco, and I usually end up back there at least once a month! read more

Food was very good. Service was MEH. Price is ok except for the wine. $13 bottle (retail at Total Wine) of Franciscan cab was $48. The bottle of wine was brought to our table open. Hmmmm....NOT DISCLOSED ON THE MENU is a credit card surcharge of 3.95%. Nick, the manager, insisted it was posted on the door. I asked him to show me (knowing it wasn't there) and he went to look, and amazingly came back and admitted it was not posted. One couple walked it, sat down and reconsidered their selection. It was too hot. We totally agreed, and mentioned that your server when we came in. read more

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HE NEVER BROUGHT MY RANCH. :(((( This mad me very mad, sad, sick, and nauseous! This was very unprofessional and extremely rude! The food was absolutely amazing! I will not be coming back!!! read more

Portofino's - See how there's no ranch!!!?????? - Pizza Near Me - Waco, Texas

The service is fantastic and I enjoyed the ambience and music. The Vela Marsala was some of the best I've had! My niece loved her Shrimp Scampi dish too! I'm local and have not been here before so I'll definitely be back! read more

Portofino's - Pizza Near Me - Waco, Texas

Absolutely delicious! Lunch was easy in and out. The mushroom ravioli (substitute with Alfredo sauce) and the Chicken Scampi is a must have.

My experience was less than desirable at Portofino's in Waco, TX last weekend. The service was slow, and even though I had a reservation, we had to wait over 30 minutes to get seated. The waiter forgot one of the dishes we order, and had to wait an extra 30 minutes. Food was mediocre. First and last time our family will visit this place. read more

Jessica was the best waitress, our food was superb, it was early Friday and we were worried that there would be a line, there should be, it was that good! read more

PLEASE READ you'll want to :) My experience at Portofino's in Waco was beyond disappointing -- it was an absolute disaster from start to finish. Let's begin with the first absurd issue: they refused to let my 96-year-old grandmother order from the kid's menu. A 96-year-old woman. And our waitress delivered this with major attitude, as if basic human decency was too much to ask. You'd think they'd accommodate her out of simple respect. But of course... NO. Next, my brother ordered a basic pepperoni pizza -- something a toddler with an Easy-Bake oven could manage -- and they forgot about it entirely. My mom had to physically get up because our waitress had apparently vanished off the face of the earth. She finally finds all three waitresses huddled together, glued to their phones, doing absolutely nothing resembling their jobs. When my mom asked to speak to the manager to simply check on the pizza, every single one of them responded with attitude like we were inconveniencing them. Ridiculous doesn't even begin to cover it. Then the bill comes out completely wrong. Shocked? Not even a little. And now, the grand finale. The "manager" -- and I use that title very loosely -- shows up and immediately starts acting rude to my mom. Mind you, my mom is one of the sweetest, most respectful people on this planet. She politely asked the manager if he could remove the pizza from the bill since it never came out. She literally said, "My son's pizza hasn't come out, and I just wanted to see if you could take it off the bill." Right as everyone finishes eating, the pizza magically appears out of nowhere, and the manager has the nerve -- the AUDACITY -- to snap at my mom with: "Well ma'am, I'm sure your son has made mistakes in his life." Excuse me... WHAT? FIRST OF ALL, YOU MESSED WITH THE WRONG FAMILY. I hope you read this yourself. TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY. My brother has nothing to do with your incompetence, your laziness, or your inability to run a restaurant. You tried to justify a pizza that never came out, your pathetic excuse for service, and your miserable attitude. And let's talk about the food -- if you can even call it that. It was trash. Easily the worst meal my family has ever had. The appetizers tasted like frozen grocery-store rejects. Everything was bland, cold, low-effort, and absolutely not worth a single dollar we spent. It felt like nobody in that kitchen cared at all. The staff's attitude was just as terrible -- cold, dismissive, and acting like acknowledging customers was somehow beneath them. Not once did we feel welcomed or even treated with basic courtesy. Overall, this place was a complete embarrassment. Between the rude, unprofessional service and the awful food, I left frustrated, disgusted, and honestly amazed that this place is still in business. I will never be returning, and I strongly suggest anyone with common sense avoids this place altogether. read more

Service was friendly and prompt. They became very busy but the waitress continued to check on us. We got calamari and pizzas. The calamari was very good. The meat lover and Hawaiian pizzas were delicious. Everything was served piping hot. My husband's soda was never empty. read more

bruschetta was on point, but the portobello ravioli, oh my goodness, delicious, and the service! Couldn't ask for anything better. we will return! Thank you! read more

Management is an absolute joke. Dude just stood around holding up the bar and playing on his phone. Went to order drinks at bar because waiter was busy. No big deal until mgr pipes up and says "you can't get happy hour pricing at the bar because our party of 8 was seated in dining room. Not a big deal but I could care less about that stupid rule. I think I can afford $5. Food VERY VERY average and got and forgot orders. Very overwhelming and way overpriced. First time there. Last time there. Manager would not lift a finger to assist staff. Stuffy little brat who need to move to dishwasher. STAY AWAY! Would give it a zero if possible. read more

We were a little skeptical about going here when our friends suggested it for dinner after reading the reviews. John was our server and he was amazing! Our entrees and dessert were delicious. We were given the corner table by the window which was perfect for us to talk and catch up with each other. We will definitely be back. read more

I arrived from out of town and was really hungry for pizza. So I looked up GrubHub and ordered a large multi topping pizza. The dough was soggy but that wasn't the worst part. It was SO SALTY as to be inedible. I ate one piece and threw away the rest. Worst pizza ever. SO disappointed. I gave it 2 stars because at least it had lots of toppings. Too bad I couldn't eat it. read more

Love, love, love Portofino's!! Love the staff, love the food! We go weekly! We have come to judge everyone else's red sauce by Portofino's! read more

We came here on an internet search when we stopped in Waco for the night. We love Italian and saw this was a family owned restaurant and not a chain. We walked in the Front door and the place was packed. That was a good sign. The owners wife greeted us and found us a table. While we were dining we saw this place change over tables. When we left it was still packed. We started with a bottle of Chianti. This place still have table quality wines for under $30 a bottle. Haven't seen that in years. We also got the bruschetta. It was fresh and tasted very good. I ordered the veal piccata and my partner had the lasagna. The veal had a rich piccata sauce loaded with capers. The veal was so tender I cut it with a fork. It was one of the best veal piccata I have had. My partner had the lasagna. It was obvious this was make from scratch and the sauce was so fresh and full of fresh herbs. I tried the sauce and it was very delicious. I am a salter, but neither of these dishes needed enhancement. The bread was baked daily at the restaurant and I ordered the garlic olive oil. I prefer olive oil over butter. Fresh chopped garlic. I had a cannoli for dessert. They do not make their own desserts, but get them from a bakery. The cannoli matched the quality of the food the restaurant prepares. Another note. The owners wife who greeted us also never stopped. She also bussed tables and supported her staff in any way possible. What great leadership! She stopped by our table to check on us. I shared my praises with her for the food and her service. Employees looked happy to be working. Who would not want to work in a place where the owner works side by side with you. I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant whether you live in Waco or just passing through. read more

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We just waited half an hour for service. Others getting waited on, etc We just walked out and no one noticed. No idea how the food is. read more

Our family mutually agreed upon Portofino's for my 71st birthday, knowing we'd get great authentic Italian food. What I didn't expect was the complementary cannoli with candle and Happy Birthday by the entire staff, including the AlbaniaIn owners. He seemed upset. We took leftovers, but it was just because servings were ample. We tried every dessert and very much enjoyed them. I know you will enjoy the package at Portofino's, family run, authentic Italian food, awesome atmosphere, very reasonably priced. read more

Best Italian food in town! Authentic and so good! The service and environment was also very good. 10/10

We were here with a group. I had the manicotti. It tasted good, but it was nothing to write home about. There was an excessive amount of sauce on mine and on my colleagues ravioli. The cheesy bread was delicious for sure Our service was decent read more

Small restaurant in the downtown area. I saw families and xcouples both. Food was great and the service was good also. Prices qwre a little higher but once you eat you'll know why. read more

Our server John was very attentive and knowledgeable. Our food was amazing. I had the lobster ravioli with shrimp and lemon white wine garlic sauce, my fiancé had the shrimp piccata. Nothing left on the plate!!! Will be requesting him when we come back. Great job read more

Old-school family-run Italian restaurant with rich, decadent food. Heavy, delicious, and satisfying. Athletes love to carbo-load here. read more

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The place is very clean, the staff friendly and very attentive. Our food came out quick and was hot (not a fan of places where your food is just warm). The server continued to check on us and make sure everything was good. Omg the bread was amazing! Everything was delicious! This was our fist time here at the restaurant and first time in Waco. Definitely want to eat here again before we leave. read more

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I love this restaurant! The staff is so nice. The food is delicious! Some of the best pasta. The Nona's Trio is amazing. The setting is very inviting and very friendly service. If you're in Waco, you have to try the gem. read more

Portofino's - Enjoying the outside dining experience with my son! - Pizza Near Me - Waco, Texas

absolutely delicious dinner and the wait staff was so attentive! we will definitely be going back again! read more

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"Portofino's Authentic Italian Restaurant"? Since when did a handful of small, microwaved mozzarella sticks that cost $8 become authentic Italian? Denny's literally has tastier cheese sticks-and that's not even their speciality. The food here was terrible; the quality was disappointing, and in lieu, the taste was unappetizing. The entree portions and restaurant aesthetic seemed to be the only things here that were decent. I really thought Baris on Valley Mills was bad, but at least their prices reflect low quality, unlike the $17 for the Nona's Trio. I would've been better going to Olive Garden, where the service and food would be much better, with prices that actually seemed justifiable. Summary: Bad, overpriced food. Don't go here. read more

Portofino's - Leftover of the 6 Piece Fried Mozzarella Cheese Sticks - Pizza Near Me - Waco, Texas

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The service here was absolutely exceptional! Abby was an absolute beast at her job. She was an excellent server! Will be coming back again!!! Thanks Abby!! Also the Cesar is A MUST!!! read more

Portofino's - Spaghetti and Meatballs - Pizza Near Me - Waco, Texas

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Went here when visiting our Baylor bear! This is the best Italian food I've ever had and service was amazing!

My daughter & I tried this little gem when we visited Waco for our Mother Daughter trip & we were blown away by the quality of the food. Below is our food pics. We had a Caesar salad, garlic oil dip, bread & Pasta. We can't wait to return. read more

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We recently rediscovered Portofinos because Italian food in Waco is hard. It's either fussy or tasteless. The food is good. Service is always good. read more

Quaint place and conveniently right across from the Hippodrome....we went in at almost at closing time which we usually do not do....staff was very accommodating....I had the Joe's garden special and my wife had the chicken parmigiana....both were excellent! Waiter was super nice....wish I could remember his name but he was previously from the Killeen area...polite young man. read more

We ordered spaghetti with sausage And we immediately thought the same thing, this tastes like detergent. The marinara tased sour, our guess was that it was old. The service was fine, but a long wait time to get the food. The interior of the building was very dirty. Would not recommend. read more

We had concert tickets for the Hippodrome and decided to enjoy dinner somewhere downtown. This was across from the venue and we got a parking space right in front of Portofino's. They were very busy and still were able to seat us within 15 minutes. Our waitress was great ! Our meals were fantastic and we enjoyed a PERFECT casual evening out. We will definitely be back. read more

Portofino's - Busy place ! - Pizza Near Me - Waco, Texas

Everything was delicious! The wine, the fresh bread rolls, the pasta, the service. 5 out of 5! Yes, we visited from out of town. No, we had no idea what we were walking into. But I'm glad we did it. My moscato was sweet, light, and complimented our food perfectly. My dish was Nona's Trio: a sampler plate that consisted of Alfredo, Lasagna, and Chicken Parm. It was delicious. I must let everyone know they should try this place out when they happen to be in Waco. read more

Portofino's - Nona's Trio: Alfredo, Lasagna, Chicken Parmigiana - Pizza Near Me - Waco, Texas

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Super nice people and staff. Food is great, prices are fair. They took care of me with a simple to go order. I will def be back.

Such a cute little Italian restaurant, with nice lighting and very vibey music playing in the background. The pastas is very good and it's never too crowded or busy while we're there eating. A very under-rated place to check out if your craving Italian! read more

We had reservations at a different restaurant that were canceled by the restaurant due to a leak of some kind, so we had to find a new place to dine and decided to go to Portofino's since it was walking distance from our hotel. We were very happy with our experience at Portofino's. The food tasted great, and the prices were reasonable. I recommend this place for anyone wanting authentic Italian food that's delicious. read more