Portofino's Italian Restaurant & Pizza — Restaurant in Ankeny

**Updating original 4 star review to 3 star review. We had portofinos a few months ago and the experience was great and therefore it deserved an overall 4. However after the first time, it has not been the same. My wife and I went another time and while I understand we went during a busy time the food took an excessive amount of time to be served to us. On top of that they usually give you bread to nibble on but not only did they forget tobring some to our table but they also forgot my wife's salad prior to receiving her entree. Again, it was the second time we went but the quality of food was great and didnt think it was worthy of leaving another review, mistakes happen and understanding it was during a busy time. Today 10/21/23 we decided to go again and definitely not remotely close to our first time. We waited about 25mins to be seated which was okay and not a big deal for us. We came in with our almost 2 year old daughter and we always want to order for her first as we all know we dont want crying kiddos in a restaurant. However unlike the second time bread was served within 5mins of being seated and luckily our daughter enjoyed it and kept her calm while her food arrived. We ordered a kids size pasta for her and we received a full adult size instead(first mistake). We also ordered an adult pasta and a personal pizza for us. Our waiter came over probably 10mins after our daughter got her pasta asking if everything was okay and my pizza was okay(second mistake) We told him we had yet to get my pizza and goes to the kitchen and brings it over. Immediately I see how dried up the pizza was as if it was sitting in a warmer for several minutes. I can tell it was dried up since the second time we went, that same pizza was super fresh, sauce and cheese was super shiny aka fresh. This was not even close to that. Anywho after bringing over the pizza he also asks my wife if everything is going well(third mistake) she still had yet to get her pasta. We were waiting a good 45mins for our food. While he was grabbing her pasta I bit into the pizza and yup, not the best. He came back over to give my wife her pasta and then he proceeds to ask me if the pizza was okay and I responded that it wasn't, it didnt taste fresh and it's very dried, told him that I've been here before and I've tasted much better delicious fresh pizza from here. He proceeds to say "Yeah, I kind of noticed it was dried up too"(forth mistake). In my head I am thinking, why go ahead and bring that to the table if you believe the pizza is dried up too?

I was very disappointed this time around and thats why I am updating my review. I am glad my wife enjoyed her pasta but i don't anticipate coming back here. Again, Saturday evening, I know its busy but to have this type of experience?

Portofinos I KNOW you...

In the area almost exactly a year, have taking in all the restaurants and this is my first review. Portofino’s- Seated immediately, great atmosphere. Free/fresh garlic bread, honestly I could have eaten just that and brought 4 more home! Fresh, hot, still steaming to our table food! Chicken and Shrimp Milanese-with so much to bring home easily one more meal. Kids baked zeti with meatballs, easily 2 portions for a younger kid, maybe another half portion came home for my 7 year old. Cannoli-AMAZING. Finally 2 fountain drinks. All for only $40.02 Everything was excellent! Some of the best food we have had! ”The world’s best cannoli and meatballs” from a 7 year old little girl. Personal observations and highlights for me if you made it this far! (I have many family members in the restaurant business even owning high end restaurants in Denver). Although they were assigned specific tables, I have never been to a restaurant where every server acknowledges every table and adresses a need as they walk by. Servers seating new guest, filling drinks of other tables, clearing other tables, the list goes on and on! All working together, I did not see many tasks being completed alone. I didn’t not get a drink from the bar but I noticed the bar tender did not just fill the order and let it sit for the server. He personally took the drinks to the table if he noticed the server was busy(also I assume there may have been servers under 21 honestly). The service I witnessed tonight really showed a family, locally owned business with great leadership. Clearly employees who are well cared for and love their job. Loved that it was packed but I did not hear the table to either side of me very much. My daughter and I had a conversation and played a game while waiting for food just fine. Enjoyed that there were babies to elderly all seated in the same area around the restaurant. Let’s be honest most places seat all the families together away from couples, ect. This did not appear to be the case here. Big groups to a single person all treated with the same excellent service. Definitely family friendly or a place for a nice date night! We will be back A LOT! Pizza is next! That was the plan for tonight but that quickly changed when we looked at the menu. Looking forward to the many years this family restaurant will be feeding my family and many others! A true...

The first experience I had was calling in a to go order. They told me 1 hour 15 minutes. I came to the store after the 1 hour 15 minutes and was told it wasn’t ready, it would be a little longer. Another hour later finally got my pizza. They were busy, just opened, stuff happens.... My second experience I tried to call in a order but they didn’t answer the phone so I stopped by on the way home to put in the order. They said 45 minutes, I agreed. I went in after 50 minutes and they said it wasn’t ready yet. I went out to my car and waited another 10 minutes and came back again. The lady that answers the phone went back to look to see if it was ready the third time I went in and said that it had not been started yet and it was going to be another 30 minutes. She asked if I wanted to speak to the owner and I said yes. The owner approached me and I told him what happened both experiences and that they forgot to put my order in again. He denied that they forgot and proceeded to explain to me how his ovens work, how pasta and pizza are made and how busy they are. He kept asking me if I wanted a drink I denied a drink. I told him I wanted to cancel my order and he said it was being worked on. I said I didn’t want to wait another 30 minutes and he said it probably wouldn’t be another 30 minutes. I told him to cancel and left. Mistakes happen not a big deal. They are still learning. They lost my business because the owner was not upfront with me, tell me they messed up and apologize. We had company waiting at the house for the food we ordered so that’s more disappointing. All other to go orders were ready and people left with their food while I was there waiting.

Update: Tried again at request of significant other. Got food on time, fresh, and was good. Owner took order call, and served me at pick up. He was apologetic for my previous experiences and provided rolls at no charge. I appreciate the owner acknowledging the previous situations and taking care of me. If your in the area give it a shot. Weekends are crazy busy and I believe workers are doing their best. Try on a weeknight if your looking...