Locanda Portofino

(310) 394-2070

1110 Montana Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90403 34.03 -118.4978

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Neighborhoods: Wilshire Montana, West LA

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 2.08.12

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Carte Blanche, Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Outdoor Dining, Hidden Find, Lunch Spot, Notable Wine List

Cuisine:

Mexican, Italian

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Locanda Portofino

Featured Review

Mar Yvette

Contributor

In Short – Opened in 1995, this pricey Montana Avenue standby might have a front patio that shares space with a parking lot and dry cleaners, but it manages to pull off its rustic, romantic setting without a hitch. Maybe it's the candlelit interior that cast shadows over the dark wood accents and white tablecloths; maybe it's the waiters who wear starched shirts and ties; or maybe it's the Northern and Southern Italian dishes (enticingly listed on the menu in both Italian and English) made with farmers market produce, wild caught fish and free range meats. Whatever it is, this intimate…

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
An emphasis is placed on wine here, with hundreds of selections of Italian and California labels. Corkage is a whopping $40.
Parking:
There are several spots located directly in front of the restaurant. Otherwise, metered street parking is available.
Where to Sit:
The lure of al fresco dining can be tempting, especially in nice weather, but beware that you'll also be competing with possible exhaust fumes and/or bright headlights in your face at night!
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “The setting (except for the liquor store parking lot) is beautiful.”
  2. “For better service, better food, and a better dining experience, I'd recommend Spumoni (loud atomsphere, great prices) or Vincenzo's (small, romantic, a bit pricey but not too high on the $$'s).”
  3. “Very romantic, professional service ,original italian ambiance and food.”
  4. “Very cozy atmosphere.”
  5. “Great food, great service, extensive wine list and romantic setting.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “We just dined at the Penthouse (at the Huntley Hotel down the street) and had a far superior meal for less than $34 per dish (the bill ended up being quite a bit higher b/c we also had appetizers, wine, and dessert) and that place has a great "setting" as”
drinks
80.0% positive
  1. “We just dined at the Penthouse (at the Huntley Hotel down the street) and had a far superior meal for less than $34 per dish (the bill ended up being quite a bit higher b/c we also had appetizers, wine, and dessert) and that place has a great "setting" as”
  2. “Great food, great service, extensive wine list and romantic setting.”
  3. “The seating was very fast with reservation and the Italian wine we order was quite good as well.”
  4. “Many of the similar frustrations as other reviewers: Expensive house wine; don't tell you the price of the specials, which are very small and expensive; the smallest salad for the money; very rude waiter.”
  5. “And one of my favorite is certainly Locanda Portofino where I find professional stuff,a very wide menu and plenty of specials to choose from every time,and great quality of food besides a wine list very decent.”
food quality
73.8100004196167% positive
  1. “Great food, great service, extensive wine list and romantic setting.”
  2. “Many of the similar frustrations as other reviewers: Expensive house wine; don't tell you the price of the specials, which are very small and expensive; the smallest salad for the money; very rude waiter.”
  3. “And one of my favorite is certainly Locanda Portofino where I find professional stuff,a very wide menu and plenty of specials to choose from every time,and great quality of food besides a wine list very decent.”
  4. “We just dined at the Penthouse (at the Huntley Hotel down the street) and had a far superior meal for less than $34 per dish (the bill ended up being quite a bit higher b/c we also had appetizers, wine, and dessert) and that place has a great "setting" as”
  5. “The food was good (not great...)”
  6. “Very romantic, professional service ,original italian ambiance and food.”
  7. “Wine was $14 a glass, food was ok, service was the worst!”
  8. “Great setting, terrible (over-priced) food.”
  9. “For better service, better food, and a better dining experience, I'd recommend Spumoni (loud atomsphere, great prices) or Vincenzo's (small, romantic, a bit pricey but not too high on the $$'s).”
  10. “For excellent italian food in the neighborhood, I now go to Pecorino or La Botte.”
  11. “It is the best food I have ever had.”
  12. “The food and service was terrible.”
  13. “The food is consistently great.”
  14. “The food was really good but the experience.”
  15. “order a dish from the special menu as well - a pasta but unfortunately after waiting for 45 minutes have been informed that the pasta was sold out for the evening.”
  16. “good food, but too small and snotty”
  17. “Authentic Italian food.”
  18. “The olive oil with the bread was excellent.”
  19. “Great food, but BIG RIPOFF!”
  20. “Worst restaurant experience on Montana Ave. Terrible food, way over priced, rude wait staff.”
  21. “And his food is not nearly as delicious or as expensive.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “And one of my favorite is certainly Locanda Portofino where I find professional stuff,a very wide menu and plenty of specials to choose from every time,and great quality of food besides a wine list very decent.”
  2. “Great food, great service, extensive wine list and romantic setting.”
  3. “order a dish from the special menu as well - a pasta but unfortunately after waiting for 45 minutes have been informed that the pasta was sold out for the evening.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “After reading some of these negative reviews about my favorite restaurant in all of Los Angeles, I had to write in.”
return potential
0.0% positive
  1. “but due to the lousy service, I would never go back.”
service
43.33000183105469% positive
  1. “The waiter gave us a confused look when we said we didn't have a reservation (it was a Tuesday night and the restaurant was 1/3 full) but he still allowed us to sit on the front patio.”
  2. “Wine was $14 a glass, food was ok, service was the worst!”
  3. “Our rude waiter was nowhere to be found.”
  4. “was there with a date this past Saturday night and the service was horrible.”
  5. “If you want good service.”
  6. “Very romantic, professional service ,original italian ambiance and food.”
  7. “The service was a bit slow but it was otherwise a good evening.”
  8. “Worst restaurant experience on Montana Ave. Terrible food, way over priced, rude wait staff.”
  9. “The food and service was terrible.”
  10. “For better service, better food, and a better dining experience, I'd recommend Spumoni (loud atomsphere, great prices) or Vincenzo's (small, romantic, a bit pricey but not too high on the $$'s).”
  11. “Many of the similar frustrations as other reviewers: Expensive house wine; don't tell you the price of the specials, which are very small and expensive; the smallest salad for the money; very rude waiter.”
  12. “The manager's best offer was to knock $40 off the colossal bill.”
  13. “Great food, great service, extensive wine list and romantic setting.”
  14. “but due to the lousy service, I would never go back.”
  15. “Great service”
value
25.0% positive
  1. “Worst restaurant experience on Montana Ave. Terrible food, way over priced, rude wait staff.”
  2. “And his food is not nearly as delicious or as expensive.”
  3. “For better service, better food, and a better dining experience, I'd recommend Spumoni (loud atomsphere, great prices) or Vincenzo's (small, romantic, a bit pricey but not too high on the $$'s).”
  4. “Many of the similar frustrations as other reviewers: Expensive house wine; don't tell you the price of the specials, which are very small and expensive; the smallest salad for the money; very rude waiter.”
wait time
75.0% positive
  1. “The service was a bit slow but it was otherwise a good evening.”
  2. “order a dish from the special menu as well - a pasta but unfortunately after waiting for 45 minutes have been informed that the pasta was sold out for the evening.”
1 Star Rating: Poor

07/23/09

Arrogant, over-priced

by hsfrey

I live a block away, and I used to eat here weekly when it first opened. I was eventually driven away by the high prices, and the arrogance of the waiters and owners.

For excellent italian food in the neighborhood, I now go to Pecorino or La Botte.

  • Pros: Excellent food
  • Cons: Over-priced, terrible attitude
1 Star Rating: Poor

06/16/09

Lowlife Scam Artists -SKIP THIS PLACE

by mycb

I went to Portofino for an anniversary dinner with my girl. Waiter brought the wrong bottle of wine and charged us $200 for it!!!

My girl ordered the special lasagna that was the size of credit card and cost twice as much as anything on the menu AND it came out cold. She returned it to heat up and came back cold again. The other reviews are correct, these guys are straight up swindlers who will do anything to pry money from your wallet. Watch your back here, these guys will get you...and they'll look you straight in the eye as they do.

  • Pros: at least the bread wasn't stale
  • Cons: Waste of money, terrible service, Swindlers
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

09/22/08

A SECRET GEM IN LOS ANGELES - THE ABSOLUTE BEST ITALIAN FOOD IN LOS ANGELES

by simon1313

After reading some of these negative reviews about my favorite restaurant in all of Los Angeles, I had to write in. I have been going to Locanda Portofino for many years. It is the best food I have ever had. I have eaten probably at the most popular restaurants across the country and overseas. I take notice that this restaurant is so clean that you could eat off the floor. It is the cleanest restaurant which is very important and overlooked by many. If a restaurant and kitchen is in disarray, what do you think about how your food is prepared and served? And yes, portions are not gigantic. They are what a normal person should eat. This is not an Olive Garden. This is high quality food, and not a place for glutiny. Food and wine should be savored and enjoyed, not devoured in super-sized amounts. People get kicked out of Georgio's in the Palisades for complaining about things like this. And his food is not nearly as delicious or as expensive. Restaurants can have their off nights, of course, but this restaurant should not have these negative reviews. I know plenty of people who love coming to this restaurant and hopefully I can spread the word for more people to write in. Locanda Portofino has more regulars than I have seen in any restaurant. People have been going there for several years a few times a week. And the wines are beautiful and priced the way a well-kept restaurant would. Anyway, try the Penne Vodka (THE BEST) and for a different pasta, the Spaghetti Sea Urchin. This is the best kept secret in the LA restaurant world and I'm starting to see it mentioned in more magazines lately so something is on the rise.

  • Pros: Best food, ambience, great wine
1 Star Rating: Poor

07/29/08

Worst Experience in a Restaurant Ever

by luke88

1.Wines were not listed "by the glass". The waiter came over and I asked him if he had wines by the glass- he said yes. I asked him to show me, and he just said "what do you want, what we have changes all the time". I said cabernet- and he said "very well". Before I could stop him, he came back with the two glasses. I took a sip- and I'll be damned if it wasn't 2 Buck Chuck from Trader Joe's. We decided to let it go, and order our dinner.

2. My girl ordered pasta "alla checa" and I order linguine "positano" (linguine with shrimp and scallops). I took my first bite, and the shrimp and the scallops were overcooked, and on the COLD side. As I began "spooling" my next bite between my fork and spoon, I looked down to discover a HUGE STRAND OF HAIR in the food. I held up the candle to make sure my eyes were not deceiving me. Even my girl from across the table could see the black lock silhouetted against the candle light. The waiter came over, and when my girl told him what was wrong (I was mute in the act of trying not to be sick) he simply said "Oh, that happens sometimes." He took the dish away and disappeared. Then he reappeared and asked to speak to me privately. I thought he was going to apologize and comp our meals etc. I was flummoxed when he led me into the kitchen, pointed me to my dish of fish pasta and asked me to show him where the hair was!! I was in such a state of shock- I didn't know what to say. I quietly told him it was in there somewhere and didn't have the stomach to look for it. I turned around and walked out. I told my girlfriend that I could not stay one more minute in the place. I mean- to challenge one of your guests to "show you the hair" after he's only taken one bite, and then refused to eat it? We paid for the wine and her dish. Tally was as follows- 20 for her pasta, 28 for two glasses of "2 buck chuck". So, $48 dollars for this insulting experience with the worst food I have ever (not) had.

  • Pros: None
  • Cons: Service, Food
1 Star Rating: Poor

07/26/08

Worst Restaurant in Los Angeles - Avoid at all times

by matho

This restaurant must be the worst restaurant in LA I ever experienced. We went to dinner there on a Saturday night. The seating was very fast with reservation and the Italian wine we order was quite good as well.

We have been a party of 6 and 4 out of our party ordered an Italian sea bass. I order a dish from the special menu as well - a pasta but unfortunately after waiting for 45 minutes have been informed that the pasta was sold out for the evening. When our food arrived at the table we were served 2 sea basses instead of the 4. They brought one complete fish to the table and said they would prepare the others in the kitchen. When we got the fillet fish back at the we received only 4 1/2 fishes in total. We complained to the waiter that we only got 2 complete fish instead of 4. The waiter said this was normal as the owner would keep the other half (I assume this was supposed to be a joke but I didn't find this very funny at all). Once we got our bill we had been charged for 4 sea bass. When we complained to our waiter he never came back but send the owner back or at least the person that pretended to be the owner.

During our somewhat heated conversation the owner had called all of us incompetent and unaware of how a restaurant is supposed to be run. He was extremely rude and interrupted us many times during our conversation. I never had such an experience in a restaurant in the US before and thought I would share it with you. If I would be in Italy I wouldn't be surprised of such a service (the customer is always wrong) but it has been a quite unusual experience in California so I thought I would share this with you.

Apparently I will never go back to this restaurant.

  • Cons: Rudest Service / Owner of all restaurants in Los Angeles

The Details on Locanda Portofino

Place Categories:

  • best italian food
  • great service
  • great outdoor setting
  • terrible food
  • rude worst restaurant experience
  • romantic dinner
  • rude waiter
  • freshly baked desserts
  • professional original italian ambiance
  • quite good order
  • professional wide menu
  • cozy atmosphere
  • best offer
  • order dish
  • like felt
  • great quality
  • worst dining
  • best italian eatery
  • excellent olive oil
  • expensive house wine
  • great prices
  • good evening
  • worst restaurant
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