The Corner Room Italian Kitchen & Bar — Restaurant in Portland

I’ve been going to The Corner Room for a year since moving here, and it has been one of my favorite spots. The food is always fantastic, and the convenience of it being just across the street makes it a go-to for me. However, tonight was the first time I had a disappointing experience.

Upon arriving, I was greeted by a gentleman at the front who asked if we were dining in. I said yes, for two people, and he informed me they wouldn’t have a table until 8:30 PM. It was just before 7 PM, so I asked to be put on a waitlist, but he said they didn’t have one. Instead, he told us we could sit in the small seating area near the entry and they would let us know when a table opened up. That was perfectly fine with me.

As we waited, multiple other couples arrived. After about 20–30 minutes, the gentleman approached me and asked if we were waiting for the bar. I reminded him we were waiting for a table, as I had already stated twice before. Despite this, he continued seating other guests at the bar while seemingly forgetting about us. When I went up to clarify again, he suddenly changed our estimated seating time to 9:30 PM, even though he had originally said 8:30 PM. When I pointed this out, he hesitated and then corrected himself back to 8:30 PM, only to later insist that we would actually need to wait until 9:30 PM and that he couldn’t seat us at all. He mentioned he was confused and thought we wanted to sit at the bar & said there was a lot was going on. His attitude became increasingly passive-aggressive, and he avoided eye contact while dismissing my concerns.

At that point, we decided to leave and go to Via Veccia instead, where we were warmly welcomed and had a great dining experience.

This was truly disappointing, as I have never had a bad experience here before. The food and service at The Corner Room have always been excellent, and I will continue coming back, but I do believe the restaurant should ensure that the front-of-house staff is properly trained to handle guests professionally and efficiently. A more organized system and clearer communication would go a long way in preventing situations like this...

Wow, we walked into a smoke filled restaurant. Seemed concerning, so I had to mention it immediately at the host stand. They agreed that the restaurant was very smoky. I asked if that's why the doors were partially propped open, and they told me "yes". They didn't offer any explanation. I made the reservation several weeks ago, so I didn't want to leave. I assumed something caught fire in the kitchen and one the restaurant aired out it would be better. I was wrong. There must have been an issue with the exhaust and the air conditioning. It was cooler outside on a July evening and the smoke conditions kept getting worse! More than one table left and several patrons eyes were burning and tearing. So unfortunate. I highly doubt that they legally should have continued to seat tables and serve. Now, let's get on to the food. Fried squid was excellent. The aioli had no flavor but the marinara was delicious. Our entrees were terrible. My truffle mushroom pappardelle had zero truffle and the garlic was raw, meaning the dish was not edible. I had the entire LARGE bowl wrapped so I could try to take it home to salvage it. My daughter's dish had zero flavor. It was fish, calamari, mussles, and shrimp. There was no starch other than a single slice of garlic toast. The mussels were tiny, but not as tiny as the shrimp. We were actually laughing about it because it was embarrassing on behalf of the restaurant. We have photos to show that we are NOT exaggerating. Hopefully, you get a chuckle out of this as well. It may help you to understand what you are getting for the very large bill you will be served at the end. Her dish was $35 and it had nothing sustainable in the serving to justify that price. I was shocked that the server didn't ask why I hadn't touched my dinner. Seemed like a full dish would warrant some curiosity. Nope, she could care less. Very shocking. So many great restaurants surrounding this place, do not waste your time...

On our way out, I told our wonderful server: "Every bite, from the first to the last, was sheer perfection. Bravo." I meant every word I said. The Corner Room is an absolutely fantastic gem in the treasure chest of Portland's culinary scene. Having just finished a delightful sunset harbor cruise, my husband and I were looking for the perfect cap to the evening. We found it here. From our fried squid appetizer--which boasted perfectly crisp calamari paired with pizzaiola and aioli sauces for pleasurable al fresco dipping--to scrumptious, generous pasta entrees, world-class (and, might I add, HUGE) drinks and a blueberry stew-lemon semolina dessert that was to die for, The Corner Room more than delivered. I picked the bucatini with fresh lobster meat, corn, peppers and cream, and I savored every bite. My husband opted for the ravioli filled with cheeses and salumi offerings, and (having snuck a bite), I can say it was eyes-to-the-skies delicious. I'm already counting down the time until we're able to visit again. Our server and the hostess were also fantastic, offering us genuine tips and advice based on our palates, not just our wallet. He knew the food inside and out, and he was exceptionally gracious and attentive. We sat outside at one of the sidewalk tables, which was a marvelous choice; the ambiance was fantastic, a perfectly European side to the perfectly prepared food. Bravo to all at The Corner Room--you've made two die-hard fans with a single twist...