Gino's

11/07/09

Not worth the money

by neatnix

My wife and I decided to try Gino's for dinner last night. First a half hour wait for a table turned into one and a half hours. Many people were seated that came after us. We sat at the bar, and had a couple of drinks, and as I said the bartender was a very pleasant young man. When we finally sat down, we were pretty hungry. The server was pretty indifferent, there was no bread basket to go with a salad ( you have to order it), and the food took forever to arrive even though it was almost 9:30, and the place was half empty. The food was so, so, but the service was uninspired. For the cost of the meal, there are plenty of better places. Will not eat there again.

• Pros: The bartender was good
• Cons: Slow service, high prices

08/13/09

If you like garlic GO!

by Billpdx

The only grains of salt needed at Gino's are when you are reading many of the one star reviews here on this site. I suspect many of those people would be much happier eating at the Olive Garden or Stanford's.

My wife and I just had a great dinner with some friends at Gino's. We had been 4 or 5 times before but our friends were new to the place. The wait for table was less than ten minutes and before we new it the waiter was bringing us samples of a couple different red wines for us to pick from. We split a caesar for four that was really meant for eight then we all had different pasta dishes. All four of us were very happy with our choices and bites of each were passed around the table. Our service was very casual. He was friendly and helpful when needed it but he also left us alone to enjoy our meal at our own pace and not feel rushed. All in all it was a really nice evening and we will go again soon.

• Pros: Good food, relaxed atmosphere, great seasonal specials.
• Cons: Mixed drinks are small weak and watery

07/24/09

Great dining experience

by Judypdx

This restaurant came very highly recommended by friends we trust, but we were concerned when we saw some negative reviews on City Search. But we tried it anyway and are glad that we did. The service was great and we enjoyed the ambience. The Caeser salad for two was ample for three, and it was excellent. Two of our party had the Grandma Jean's pasta and it couldn't be better. We also tried the vegetarian risotta and it was laden with fresh vegetables. The beer selection included several interesting choices. The servers were very knowledgeable about the beer and food. Overall, we recommend this charming spot in Sellwood. (Oh, by the way, we dine out regularly all over the city and have no connection to this restaurant.)

• Pros: Good service, good food, good portions, good beer selection
• Cons: seating could be more comfortable

06/08/09

Ooh la la late nite menu

by CSMobileUser

Fabulous.... recently added to their already delicious menu is late nite specials. Prices from$1.95 to $5.95. Item's including (my fave) caesar salad to grandma jeans and the mighty puttanesca. Enjoy !

04/20/09

Fantastic food and drink!

by SR227

Gino's has a fantastic menu and it's all good. I've been going there for years and have had a really great meal every time. I've been there as a member of a group of 5 or 6 several times and the service is always good.

Don't miss the Ceasar Salad and the seasonal dishes. Oh, and the grilled salmon is perfect every time!

• Pros: Muscle Pasta, Ceasar Salad, Wine, etc.
• Cons: Can be a bit of a wait for a table but worth it.

12/21/08

Elementary school food is superior

by heinaeats

The worst restaurant in this neighborhood and surrounding cities. First waiting for a table is not far off for waiting for the gas chamber. Secondly, when you actually sit in the filth ridden dining room they offer you nothing except for a water-downed drink or a so-called "great bottle of wine" which is marked up about a 1000%. Then the servers finally appear. They are like kids coming out of the bathroom at a party with a gazed look about them. And then finally the food arrives with a couple of pieces of stale hot bread, which you have to pay extra for, and my steak which was cooked not to my order was overdone being a blessing since cooking out the bacteria inside of it saved me. Then the bill arrives and the only thing that you have to say to yourself who is responsible for this injustice. Lets sum it up: water-downed drink $8.00, Bread $3.00, Steak $19.00. Now times that by 2. The wine which I found at the store for $12.00 was $39.00. The nausea medicine to get the food out of me $8.00. The total to go to gas chamber=$107.00 and missed my work the next day...

12/21/08

I agree, don't waste your money!!!

by chofu

Big Huge disapointment! In fact, i'm shocked Gino's is still up and running. We joined them on a Monday, celebrating a birthday party, The birthday wasn't awcknowleded at all. The food, to say the least was disgusting. The salmon says on the menu that it's cooked MR, which is exactly how my best friend ordered it, it came well done. The filet the birthday boy ordered was suppose to be Med, it came MW. My pasta had zero flavor and sat at the side of the table because i wouldn't eat it, but nobody came to ask me if there was a problem. Very poor. Probly the worst experience i've had in portland for sometime. I would never go back. I agree with one of the other reviews also, it's dirty. They definitely need to shut down and do a clean on the place. And get a new kitchen crew in there's lots of cooks, and a Chef??? looking for jobs right now.

• Pros: unfortunetely none!!
• Cons: Tons, unfriendly staff, no personality, poor food, cold and drafty, dirty, too pricey

11/26/08

Not Worth It!!!

by deuce11

$1.95 for bread?? Need I say more? This is in a place where you can spend $25 for an entree alone. How cheap can you get with your customers? The bread that we had to order and pay for then arrived at the same time as the entrees which had 2 slices of bread accompanying it. There were no apologies from the waiter who told us "well, now you have more". Thanks. There was no soup available that night, and no Jack Daniels for a drink at the bar. This place is very overpriced. If I am going to pay this much for pasta, then it should be amazing. I won't be back.

08/14/08

I do recommend but be prepared. Finally get the truth here-no need to read some of the other lies

by angsgirl

I am absolutely positive that some of the reviews of this place are either friends of the owners or family. While it is true that the food is very good, I would have given the food and the building 5 stars if it wasnt for the fact I feel so very let down by the lack of personality this place has.

First off, kid friendly?! Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha! That was a good one!! The joke was on us!! Doesnt kid friendly mean they have some sort of kids menu, maybe a morsel of bread at the table to put in their mouths, crackers, something?? How about a server that responds to your worries of the fact your child may not eat that, can we have it plain, can we work on something? No? So, for all of you parents out there that saw "kid Friendly," disregard it. The staff looked at them like they were lepers.

Bad managemant, bad service, bad manners, understaffed, little insects on the walls, watched hostess pick up "Ick" off of the floor and then serve food without washing. GROSS!!!!! Great food, best Ceasar I have ever had. Salmon, chicken perfect, pasta choices minimal and then they ran out of 3 items. Expensive for the service. Do not spend special occasion here. The response we got when we told the sweaty server it was our anniversary was "Oh." That made the evening very special. I recommend as long as you are looking for a good quickie meal.

• Pros: Food, Wine List, Building is old and decorated cool
• Cons: parking, service, understaffed, feel rushed, overpriced, web site menu $$ misleading

07/02/08

Unpretentious, Rustic and Wonderful

by kitrimae

I live up the street from Gino's and it is one of my favorite neighborhood fine restuarants. Every time I visit (about once every two months) I have a delightful experience. From their large, rustic Italian dishes made from local and seasonal produce to their delicious, garlicky Ceasar salad, I've never once had a poor experience. Their servers are approachable without being overly friendly, and all are knowledgeable on the extensive wine list (although they could use more Oregon wines!) and the food preparation. It is not the largest restaurant in the world, which adds to the charm but sometimes makes it difficult to get a table, but I've never had to wait more than 20 minutes and I highly recommend sitting at the beautiful bar and enjoying a lemon drop while you wait (best in town, as far as I'm concerned).

For a simple and still satisfying meal for two people, I would recommend sharing a small Ceasar salad, getting a cheese plate each, and toasting with a glass or bottle of one of their dry Italian or Alsatian whites. Thanks, Gino's!

• Pros: Rustic, local food, great wine list, great neighborhood ambiance
• Cons: Small so it's hard to get a table on weekends