All of our main courses were delicious: lobster ravioli, sausage and ravioli, and piccata di pollo. The garlic bread was excellent and came with seasoned butter and a marinara sauce. The calamari was good but not the best I've ever had. The desserts looked great but we were too full to enjoy. The waiters were helpful in selecting our meals and wine. read more

PortoVino - Bar and restaurant view - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

The food was immaculate. All of it was prepared very well and tasted excellent. The ambience was also notable. Here are the major glaring issues. 1. When you make reservations a week or more in advance but then when you show up (party of 4) get sat in the bar, this is immediately a red flag and a big miss. 2. The guest of honor had to sit with no food because the waiter placed the wrong order for her food. 3. Waiter mentioned bread for the table, but it never came and we had to ask for it repeatedly. 4. Asked for the dessert menu twice and all other food came very quickly (NICE) but the dessert was the slowest. We will come back and try this place again. The food was sooo good. Hoping this info helps to relay the challenges we felt that caused this visit to fall short. read more

This place has passion! From the two brothers who own it, to the wait staff, to the atmosphere, to the food! I've been here more than a dozen times since it's opened and it never disappoints. Everything is super fresh and tastes out of this world. The sauteed calamari appetizer is to die for, so much so that I now have it served over angel hair pasta is an entree. I never would think to order a steak in an Italian restaurant, but my friend ordered one and the taste was phenomenal and cut like butter. Their wine selection is absolutely unbelievable! You must go!!! read more

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We made reservations for a Friday night dinner. The restaurant was packed and had a little out door patio seating. The interior decor was nice, like a rustic wine cellar look. They had nice chairs and a couch by a fireplace while we waiting briefly for our table. The host, staff and customer service was excellent. They were friendly, often checked on us and refilled our drinks frequently. We ordered the bruchetta for an appetizer and regret doing so after they served us the house bread. The bread was delicious. It's just we didn't need that many servings of bread. For our entrees we ordered the Halibut and the Pollo Saltimbucca. The Halibut tastes light, flavorful and great. The Polko Saltibucca was very heavy on the cream and cheese and the Giant melted peice of cheese on top of the Prosciutto and chicken tasted a bit strange. Probably will not be getting that again. They have a lot of trading italian dessert options. Overall, try to get a reservation, the ambiance was wonderful, customer service great and Halibut tasty. read more

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Beautiful inside, excellent service and great food. This a a great addition to the town of Des Moines. I highly recommend it!

Fine dining has arrived in Des Moines, Washington! Over the weekend my wife and I decided to treat ourselves to a night out and investigate the recently opened PortoVino Italian restaurant. We were blown away! The space that previously housed Lago Azul, then Origins, then Candice's Vietnamese Kitchen has undergone a dramatic transformation. Guests enter a reception lobby which is lined with bottles of wine - just a hint of the restaurant's emphasis on offering fine wine to go with excellent food. Patrons pass the cozy bar and a seating area next to a fireplace before entering the main dining room with its own "wine wall" holding about 800 (!) bottles of wine. That means some great choices for those of us who love good wine. The main dining area has the feeling of an old school steak house complete with subdued lighting, dark woods, and a surly wait staff. Well, "86" the surly wait staff; our servers at PortoVino were prompt, friendly, attentive, and ready with recommendations. Our main waiter, who was Italian, also politely endured the few words of his native language that I tried to speak. We started the evening with glasses of Chianti Classico, then split a salad and an appetizer before moving on to our main course. The Insalate Greca was a slight departure from a true Greek salad, which I can confirm from my time working at The Greek House in Burien. It had romaine lettuce, cucumbers, bell peppers, Kalamata olives, red onion, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, Feta cheese, and a vinaigrette dressing. A traditional Greek country salad does not have lettuce, but no matter. It was delicious! For our appetizer, we chose the Gamberoni Fiorentini: Large prawns sautéed in garlic and Florentine liquor, with spinach and tomatoes. The prawns were perfectly cooked: tender and juicy without a hint of the toughness that comes from cooking shrimp too long. Our main course, from the Primi section of the menu, was the Ravioli con Salsiccia: Sautéed peppers, red onions, spicy sausage, cilantro, and red sauce. Our server made sure we'd seen the word "spicy" and were OK with that, which was thoughtful but unnecessary as the sausage brought only a modest amount of zing to the party. We were too full to move on to the Secondi section, which offered four different chicken dishes, halibut, and filet mignon. Though the dessert tray was tempting, we finished the evening with a glass of Limoncello, which was the perfect tipple. Prices are a bit higher than other Italian restaurants but this is not your average "noodles-and-gravy" house. With its inviting interior and excellent food, PortoVino is a welcome addition to Des Moines' cuisine scene. We will definitely be back! read more

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We live in the South Sound and found out that PortoVino was finally opening this week. The three of us decided to go take a look at the newest restaurant in our area. We were warmly greeted when we walked in and sat promptly. The ambiance has changed significantly and was an incredible upgrade from the past. Warning this may end up being a long review... How it started...we were given the menus and given some time to peruse them. I looked at the wine list 1st, and I loved that they had several bottles of Brunello di Montalcino. I asked if they had a Rosso or Brunello open that I could get a glass of. I was told that it would need to be a whole bottle. I started to narrow down what I wanted... The waitress promptly came back with a wine she asked if I would like to taste. I did and she then informed me that she got the manager to let her pour a glass of the Rosso. I was very grateful. What great serive. We ordered an appetizer of Sautéed Calamari. My wife was worried that our 13yo would not like the the dish if it came in a sauce... There was no reason to worry as it came with a delicious blend of spices on a bed of spinach. The 13yo wants me to say that it was delicious and reminded him of Ramen...a favorite dish of his...lol, it was very delicious calamari cooked just enough to be tender. What a great start. Our mains came, the 13yo decided on Fettuccine Alfredo for the 1st time. It was the description of the ingredients that sold him...as Alfredo doesn't sound delicious. He said he still won't eat his school's Fettuccine Alfredo... My wife and I got the Ribeye special medium rare. What a great choice. The steak was cooked perfectly even if I like mine to be on the rarer side. The pasta and asparagus was delicious in an olive oil garlic and herbed sauce. I can see how the seasoning of the sauce would go well with the steak, but (and this is my only minor thing) I would've liked a bit more seasoning on the meat. The 13yo tried the steak and said that once he got through the sear, he really like the taste of the meat. The desserts. The 13yo got the lava cake as well...he's 13. Nothing against lava cake, delicious! But there was a canoli on the dessert tray. He said he only skipped the canoli as it was pistachio. He doesn't eat nuts. I got a very delicious Americano with the canoli. It was good, but my expectations were a little higher. Instead of the decadent, richness of the Ricotta and Marscapone that I crave, I got a light and airy filling that was delicious...just not wat I was expecting. Overall a great night with incredible service and a delicious meal. read more

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3rd visit since they opened. Reservation for 4, my wife and I and our daughter and grandson from Normandy Park. As before, the food was delicious and the service prompt and friendly. Two people ordered the lobster ravioli special and it was delicious but pricy at $55 each. The fettuccini puttanesca scampy had lots of large shrimp and a delicious spicy sauce. Our only complaint is that the restaurant is noisy, making conversation a bit of a challenge. read more

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I grabbed dinner with a friend here the other night and was absolutely blown away by our dining experience. We walked in without a reservation and were greeted and seated immediately. It took a few minutes for our server to come over, but once he did, he was very personable and attentive. Upon our server's recommendation, we ordered the fried calamari appetizer, the chicken parmigiana, and the lemon chicken dishes. The food came out extremely quickly and was fresh and flavorful. For dessert we ordered the lava cake and tiramisu which were both absolutely delicious. Portion sizes are extremely generous and we both ended up taking over half of our meals and the desserts home. The check was way lower than I expected as prices were extremely reasonable. The restaurant has a low-lit grown and sexy vibe that's great for a date night, a girl's night, or a special occasion. I will definitely be back! read more

Delicious and the ambiance was exceptional! Service was top notch as well. So happy to see this level of restaurant in Des Moines!!!!

A great Italian experience. The inside is so beautiful. There's a cozy seating area near fireplace in the bar area. Now, the food. You can feel the love in every bite. The attention to every detail from the moment you step in to the final awwww I'm stuff is a pure happiness! read more

Food was great, ambience was lovely, but the service was top tier. Definitely recommend read more

PortoVino - Cute Christmas decorations - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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Tonight, five of us went to dine at PortoVino. We had a variety of entrees and salads. Everything was delicious. The ambiance was very nice inside, but we chose to eat outside for the warmth of the sunshine and the view. Service was outstanding. read more

Good service and great food. The pasta was wonderful and we topped off the dinner with desserts for everyone.

Has to be the most outstanding service that I've ever experienced in Des Moines. They knew how to capture that market and they did so. Really nice ambience love the wine wall and the brick. It's a lovely setting. They have a marvelous wine menu, including many of their own label that their folks raise in Italian wine country and bring over just for us. It's their second restaurant and they have the formula down with a great set of appetizers and very satisfying homemade pastas, I always get the gnocchi read more

Absolutely delicious and excellent waiters. Wonderful ambiance that fits the theme perfectly. Great for a date night!

Authentic, delicious food in a beautiful setting. A lively place for a celebration or sumptuous Italian dinner featuring generous portions. The bread alone is to die for. The staff is attentive, yet not intrusive. Each dish is crafted by chefs who care and presented by wait staff who strive to make your dining experience special. read more

All I can say about this place is you need to try it!!!!! This place has amazing food and service. The service here is above and beyond, you never have to ask for anything. The wait staff are always on point ready to take care of your every request. We drove from Puyallup and plan on coming back soon. The place is clean and has cozy ambiance. Even the gentleman that refills the water cleaned off our table between dinner and dessert. Supremeo!!! read more

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This restaurant is phenomenal. The service is wonderful. The food is fabulous. The price is right. Drinks are epic wine is epic and the ambience is spectacular. This is become our favorite restaurant. read more

So relieved that I don't have to drive all the way to Renton or Bellevue to go to a fancy Italian restaurant. PortoVino brought it to Des Moines. The ambiance gave a modern, sophisticated, romantic vibe. You can tell that the space was thoughtfully designed/decorated. I sat at the bar and was helped by Emiliano. What a fantastic guy! He was attentive but not overbearing at all. The food was five stars all around. Typically, with seafood dishes, places tend to put about 3-5 pieces and call it a day, but not this Linguine di Mare. I had extra seafood after the pasta was done, so I just topped it on the bread with the marinara sauce. The PortoVino salad was delicious and fresh; perfect to have in the summer. And the Tiramisu.... my goodness.. the best Tiramisu I've had. Will definitely be back soon! read more

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Portovino is exactly what this neighborhood needed--an intimate, elegant Italian restaurant that brings a big city dining experience right to the heart of Des Moines, WA. From the moment we walked in, we were met with warm and attentive service. The hostess greeted us with genuine hospitality, and throughout the night, our busboy, isaac and server, Isaac were phenomenal (both were named Isaac). Isaac was incredibly knowledgeable when it came to pairing wines with our entrées, and the level of attentiveness from the entire staff was impressive. Our water glasses were never empty, yet their service was never intrusive--just perfectly timed. The ambience of the restaurant is stunning. The layout and design of the room made us forget we were even in Des Moines--it felt like we were tucked away in a cozy little spot in Italy. The lighting, spacing, and décor created a very personal, intimate atmosphere, and the use of the space was incredibly well thought out. As for the food, my girlfriend ordered the filet mignon and I had the Pollo al Saltimbocca. Both were cooked perfectly to temperature, and what stood out most was the restraint in seasoning--the dishes weren't overly salty, allowing the true flavors of the proteins and sauces to shine through. Each bite had depth and intention. I couldn't be happier that a place like Portovino has opened up in my neighborhood. It's rare to find a spot that nails service, ambience, and food so seamlessly. Des Moines has been waiting for something like this--and it truly delivers. Highly recommend. We'll absolutely be back. read more

New restaurant just opened this week. Right off the bat, it's extremely dark inside. Your eyes will adjust at some point but then when you leave you'll be blinded by the daylight. Maybe just go when the sun is already down. Next, it's insanely LOUD. I'm not sure if it's just the thickness of walls but, voices carry very hard. Felt like I was yelling to talk to with my table. The food was delicious though. Filet mignon, carbonara and the steamer clams were all great. No complaints on the food. Service was a bit slow and it took about 10 minutes to place our order after I mentioned we were ready to order. But I'm sure the service will sharpen up the longer they are open! Not sure about the darkness and loud volume, might be a design flaw. I may return once they get more situated. read more

Food was decent, I live right down the street, so always willing to try new stuff on the block. Few months ago it was a Vietnamese restaurant, and a few months before that, i think it was American cuisine.. and I'm sure this "Italian" place will go under before the end of the year. I think it's kinda shady that who ever owns this building or operation, they keep changing it up. I wouldn't mind when you open up again be a Mexican restaurant. I'm sure I'll see a sign outside soon that you're closed . read more

This was an excellent "special occasion" place. I was there for my birthday, and it didn't disappoint! I enjoyed a pasta de mare dish that had salmon, scallops, and mussels served in a "pink" sauce on the pasta that was our waiter's recommendation, and it was delicious! The setting was beautiful and quiet, and the service impeccable! Definitely a high quality, 'top of the line' restaurant for Des Moines. They included a chocolate torte for my birthday that made the meal so special! read more

We have been here a couple times now. Very good meals. Nice outdoor patio for when the weather is pleasant. Very cozy inside. The inside will be a really nice place to sit in the winter. read more

Got in with very fast seating. Very dark and beautiful decor. Close seating and louder if that matters to anyone! Amazing service with so much attention to detail and servers are all very put together. The bruschetta was so fresh and flavorful. Didn't order the fettuccine but gave grace since it was a weekend lol but it was pretty mediocre nothing special. read more

PortoVino - Shrimp fettuccine - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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PortoVino can be best summed up as unexpected. Rolling into the parking lot, it looks like any other place but when you walk inside, the atmosphere is that of a fine dining restaurant. Lots of dim lights and a lively atmosphere make you feel at home and excited for what's to come. However, it was quite loud. The menu was clear and concise and the food all looked great on paper. The bread that came was excellent with a tomato spread. For my entree, I ordered the carbonara and it was superb, creamy and cheesy with crispy pancetta just as it should be. My one complaint was the inclusion of zucchini. It is not traditional and also is not something I would say I fancy I must confess. Finally, the cannoli that we ordered was also quite nice. It was a nice savory treat to end off the night. A special thanks to our amazing waiter who gave a great explanation of everything. Overall a splendid restaurant. read more

PortoVino - The carbonara - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

Nice improvements to food and seating. Would love to see more handicap parking, but everything is moving in a positive direction!

The service is 11/10 Chris is fantastic, they really go above and beyond on service. Beautiful ambience as well. Portovino is a fantastic addition to a "thirsty for new restaurants" Des Moines. Cheers to you Porto vino I'll be back gratzie read more

PortoVino - Drinking fantastic wine at the gorg bar - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

I grew up in Des Moines and was visiting for Christmas. A friend suggested we try this place. The atmosphere was cozy, and the staff was great. I ordered the Linguine with Chicken and Lemon. It was delicious! I saved room for desert and ordered Tiramisu. It was nicely creamy and sweet. Overall, this is a great restaurant, and I can't wait to come back. read more

My husband I went last week! I was pleasantly surprised (and I'm a hard one to please with restaurants)! It's now my top 5 places to go. While prices may add up so does anything with this much class, beautiful/romantic ambiance, professional staff, spotless restaurants and mouth watering food. In fact so much so we're now going to dinner there tomorrow night with another couple. One of my favorite things is the tray of dessert they bring to your table...To die for! I'm over the moon in love with this place. And I will go as often as I possibly can and continue to sing its praises! read more

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By far the best Service and over all experience in DINING OUT we have ever had Food 5 star Temperature of food perfect Never had to ask for anything Wait staff and other staff went above and beyond. Raving 5 stars across the board Ambiance 5 star read more

The food was incredible! Loved it. Bread was the softest bread ever! My meal was so so so delicious. And they are on point with their service. We loved our meal. Thank you! read more

Traveling on Business, did a quick search for an Italian restaurant close to the hotel. So glad I did. The staff at Porto Vino are outstanding. Super attentive service and the Chef provided an outstanding meal. You gotta give this team a chance. Best, John H. read more

Thought I had already done a review...guess not. Wow! What a great night. Fabulous food, wine list, ambience & the service was impeccable. We're going through an intense Italian stage right now so finding this place was 5 miles from home, & hidden in Des Moines was manna from Heaven. Can't wait to return. read more

After a long day of flying, we took a chance on PortoVino and we were delighted with our choice. The interior is classy but also laidback and inviting. Our server was very attentive and helpful. All four of us had amazing entrees. Everything tasted fresh and was beautifully seasoned. We opted to skip any alcohol drinks after the long flight, but their wine selections were excellent. Would highly recommend for both locals and tourists. read more

It's so nice to have a great wine/Italian place in Des Moines. The food I have tried so far is great, with the Tiramisu being the best I've had. My favorite thing about PortoVino would have to be the wine - as they have an amazing selection of by the glass, and bottles of wine . Out of about 10 wine glasses tried so far, all of them have tasted great, and I am excited to try them all. The service and staff are great too and the most attentive that I've seen. All in all this is a great spot with superb wine, food, and ambience, and I'd be happy to return! read more

Location is close to home. The ambiance is great, service and food were excellent. Authentic Italian, no complaint coming back soon. Thank you! read more

PortoVino - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

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Tried this new restaurant on Friday. I had the Cesar salad, and steamers. My boyfriend had the Chicken Marsala, he loved it. We shared some bruschetta. Thought it was weird that we also got the included with meal bread. If we order bruschetta again, I'll be sure to decline more bread coming to the table for two people. The salad was good but when I asked for anchovies to be added I would have preferred they be chopped and tossed in, not just a few slices sitting on top but I will be mindful of that next time. I've had better steamers and the bruschetta was too balsamic-y for me but my boyfriend would have preferred more. The acoustics are not great. There was a large party over in the corner and the server had to speak very loudly to get their order because of how noisy it is! We'll try sitting in the bar next time. I recommend giving this place a chance. I'm definitely going to give it another one. read more

PortoVino - Italian Near Me - Des Moines, Washington

Maybe you take my review with a grain of salt as I lived in Italy and married an Italian so we are very critical of anyone claiming "authenic" Italian food. Good: I loved the atmosphere. It is dark, but they did a great job remodeling. It's beautiful, the bar too. Service was excellent. And the drinks were strong! Good wine list too though we didn't have any wine. Now to the critical part. The food was very good. Not authentic, it was catered to the American taste bud. But we are in America, so there you go. If you like Olive Garden, this place is 100 times better. But it is very saucy and way to salty. And there are extra ingredients you would never put in an italian dish. Bread was good. But was very similar to Safeways fresh "French" bread. And it was served with marinara. Not an italian thing. read more