Portobello Restaurant West Hartford — Restaurant in West Hartford

My husband & I wanted to try something new seeing as though we were already in the area… we came across Portobello Restaurant & we were BLOWN away!

We started off being greeted kindly, attentively & our table was set for outdoors (which we had the option of choosing) Our server Steve was very patient, kind & even had small talk with us. We had a bottle of wine, small Caesar salad, chicken parm, stuffed shrimp & ended the night with the brownie lava cake… AMAZING! I’m a chicken parm fanatic & when I tell you I’ve never had one better than this.. please believe me!! The chicken was crispy on the outside but so juicy on the inside (not flattened or dry) & the sauce was just enough & not drowning my dish! My husband LOVES shrimp & said he could tell the stuffing was fresh & different than what he’s had at other restaurants. (He barely talked during his meal because he couldn’t get enough) The mashed potatoes on his plate which I even tried myself were housemade & buttery. The plates were just cared for & definitely so great! You can tell they pay attention to detail. The owner/chef came around asking all the tables how everything was going.. if we needed anything.. etc. We complimented him on such a beautifully run & tasteful establishment & had small talk with him. He’s a very well spoken & humble man who seems to be very hardworking! We felt like family because it wasn’t just a “hi & bye” conversation.. he deeply cares for his patrons! We are so grateful we ran across this gem.. we’ve been talking about the generous portion sizes, flavorful dishes & reasonable prices with our family all day. Definitely a 10/10 RECCOMMEND!!!! Can’t wait to go back & enjoy again! Thank you to our waiter Steve & all of the staff at Portobello! You are so very...

Stopped by Portobello with an out of town guest for dinner. The weather was nice and temperature pleasant so we chose to eat outside on the patio. The staff were quite happy to seat us outside, rather than the annoyance you get at some restaurants.

Throughout our meal the staff were attentive but without being intrusive or annoying. The appetizers, salad and meal were well spaced as well.

Dinner rolls for the table were brought out, with both butter and dipping oil. We started with the bruschetta for an appetizer. The scent as it was placed on the table was a warm up for the tasty treat. The bread was a refreshing combination of a slightly crusty bread with pleasantly chewy center. The tipping were generous, and clearly fresh ingredients. They were simply a delight to eat.

The salads came next, also with the freshest of ingredients. A nice portion and dressing on the side. A nice warm up the meal.

We order the Veal Alla Casa and Chicken Naolitana. Both of these meals were a treat for the taste buds. I can only imagine how delightful the other items on the menu are.

The Napolitana has a unique flavor, possibly the cognac sauce and some other seasonings. It is quite pleasant yet deficit to describe. If you are looking for something a little different than the typical Italian restaurant fare, this is worth exploring.

The Alla Cassa was wonderfully prepared as well. Tender and well seasoned.

With both you mouth will say you want more but your stomachache will be glad you stopped.

Parking is available on the street within a block or two.

Try Portobello for a wonderful meal and...

What an amazing gem of a place! We were a group of 6 and while we didn't have a reservation, they still sat us and took amazing care of us. Steve was our server and he most definitely deserves a raise + all the praise! He had other team members help and everyone was so nice. Steve was so patient especially given 6 people, each getting a cocktail + app + entree, and our indecisiveness because everything sounded SO GOOD. One in our group has a lactose allergy and Steve asked the chef for dairy-free options, which they were able to accommodate. It is obvious they know what they are doing here! Everything was so delicious. We had the arancini, calamari, bruschetta, and caprese salad for appetizers. Special shout-out to the calamari, which was lightly breaded, and that preparation is our favorite! The bread basket + housemade olive oil was amazing; I would buy it! For entrees, we had the mushroom ravioli, lobster ravioli, linguini and white clams, and giambotta pasta. The lobster and giambotta were the specials, and they made a dairy free giambotta. We all tried bites of each other's dishes and just wow, we were so happy with this meal! We also got cocktails (mule, negroni, dirty martini, and I forget the others). I'll be back! The pictures include half-eaten food so they don't look as pretty as the chef made them, but we ate too fast for pictures...