Portola Bistro — Restaurant in Palo Alto

2.8 stars

We were excited because the beets salad and the crispy calamari were awesome!

We could not wait for the entree. I had the salmon lentils and my friend had the fish special which was ahi tuna with sesame seeds, rice and carrots.

The salmon was average for $40 - it’s not worth paying that much. They should not have used lentils but scallop potatoes instead. The sauce on the fish was wrong - when the dish is heavy the sauce should not be creamy but a vinaigrette sort of base dressing to cut the heaviness of the dish.

Please change the salmon dish to: Broiled dill salmon with crispy edges and melt in your mouth centers - top with a medium creamy dill sauce. Pair it with broccoli potato patties sprinkle with crispy bacon bits.

Please forget about the desert and go somewhere else.

The tiramisu had a slight stale smell that my friend was too polite not to mentioned. The bread pudding tastes and looks like it’s been sitting there for weeks!

Bread pudding should be fluffy like it just comes out of the oven !

The waitress was nice and attentive. The atmosphere was cozy.

That’s all! If you want to charge so much for the food then you better be prepared to give us fresh ingredients and a really good meal. A sub standard meal for $200 if...

I wanted to stop by and share some fantastic feedback about this place. The owner, chef, manager, front host, and servers were all amazing. I want to express my sincere gratitude for all the hard work you put in tonight. You were all truly kind and genuine. I don't remember all of your names, but I do want to give a shout out to the owner, who was so sweet. A huge shout out to the servers: Lisa was our main server at the table, along with four others, of whom I only remember two names. My apologies for that. A special thanks to Mustafa and Vati. I really hope I spelled your names correctly. If not, I am truly sorry. Every one of these servers made our night wonderful and did their best to ensure everything ran smoothly at our table. Thank you all for everything. Lisa, the main server, was FABULOUS! She deserves all the credit for her positive energy and demeanor.

The FOOD, DRINKS, and everything that came to the table were AMAZING. The service was spectacular, and the food was delicious. COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF AND STAFF in the kitchen. I will definitely return as a fan and lover of your food and dining experience. THANK YOU KINDLY!

P.S. In case you can't recall, I was the man wearing the blue flowery...

Unfortunately, our experience at this restaurant was very disappointing. We were a group of ten adults and one toddler, and we tried nearly 10 different dishes. Sadly, not one of them stood out in a positive way — we actually left feeling hungry.

The food quality was subpar, and the flavors were lacking. The fried Branzino, priced at $40, was especially underwhelming — it was cooked in low-quality oil and served with poorly thought-out sides.

To make matters worse, the service was inattentive and unprofessional. The staff didn’t seem prepared to handle a group our size, and the overall hospitality left much to be desired.

In a time when many diners are seeking healthier options and higher-quality ingredients, this place completely missed the mark. Unfortunately, I won’t be giving it...