01/03/09

ummmm, ok???

by mangoswartz

I agree with previous review.....the host slapped down our cheap looking menus and hardly gave us a smile all night. The wine was ok but overpriced. There is definately better wine bars out there.

• Pros: good location
• Cons: unfriendly service

10/15/08

Vino Paradiso is Something Special

by rockems

We've been going to Vino Paradiso for over a year now, sometimes once a week, sometimes once a month.

What I love about Vino:

THE FOOD - fresh, local, organic, creative, delicious, perfectly priced. Chef Duncan has even hand picked the nettles he uses in spring dishes! His lamb is amazing. His hand made sausages are incredible. I want to eat his heirloom tomato/mozarella/basil/olive oil salad as my last meal. Last night we had a really, really good winter squash wrapped in speck. We've never had anything but excellent food, wine pairing and service. We love the food so much we hired the chef, Ian Duncan, to cater an outdoor summer grill party which was a resounding success.

THE WINE- An extensive menu with great, approachable descriptions to help us decide what we want. Tim Nishimoto, the owner/sommelier will tell us about the region, history, and flavors (sorry - I have no better word) of the wines we try. He's so down to earth, mellow and approachable that it's a fun experience. I hate the idea of snooty wine bars. Back in NYC, my fiance and I were at a snooty wine bar/restaurant where we'd asked the waiter to tell us a little about the two wines we were considering and he sneered "You wouldn't know the difference" before turning on his heel. He might have been right, but that's 180 degrees difference from the approach at Vino.

THE ATMOSPHERE - hip without being aware of it, relaxed without being too casual. Every month there is a different painter or painters' work displayed. We bought a painting by local artist Rebecca Shelly from Vino that now hangs in our living room. The owner is part of Pink Martini, one of Portland's most favorite local music groups so there's always good music on. Vino serves dinner until late - we rarely come in before 9 pm. All the staff are friendly, approachable and professional.

10/13/08

Great Wine Bar and Great Choices

by vinoloco

I've been frequenting this wine bar for a couple of years, it was the first wine bar I went to when I moved here. Consistency is always what I look for and that's why I keep coming back. Great attention to the wine list (variety, not just your northwest choices), always something new on the menu, sit at the bar and ask great questions of the team and get to learn about and taste fantastic wines. The food is good portions (not huge, not small) and complements the tasting. Bring friends and hang out in the back corner for some privacy or chill out after work. Love this place of all the wine bars in Portland.

• Pros: Variety of Wine from around the world
• Cons: Parking

10/06/08

Wonderful Experience

by ckh1969

Truly a wonderful experience! This is much more than a wine bar! We stopped by Vino Paradiso while waiting for another couple for dinner. We were so impressed with their dinner menu we changed our plans and stayed. The meal was awesome; we enjoyed strong Italian flavors in everything. My husband ordered the duck, it was prepared perfectly. I stuck with risotto and a wonderful Chardonnay. The most impressive part of the dinner was the bill. Completely reasonable and the service was extraordinary. I highly recommend Vino Paradiso over any other wine bar in town and better yet try the dinners. You won?t be disappointed.

• Pros: Price, Experience, Service, Flavors
• Cons: Parking...it's in the Pearl

10/17/07

So Disappointed

by mbreese1

Okay, I could understand the dismay if I showed 10 minutes before closing- but not two hours.

-The guy who tossed the menus did not speak a word and slunked away like an irritated 16 year old hostess at The Spaghetti Factory.

-The server made no small talk. (And no, he was not busy. There were 5 people in the whole place.)

-The $12 snack plate consisted of: 7 prosciutto-like slices of salami, 5 slightly-larger-than-stamp-sized slices of cheese, a teaspoon of chevre, 8 little pieces of bread, and 5 salted almonds.

-Wine pours were wussy and $10/pop.

-Nobody checked on us after we got our "food."

The place really has the potential, but I won't ever go back to see if they got the kinks out yet.

• Pros: Wine was great.
• Cons: Service stank, "food" was a joke.

08/28/07

I like it

by dcourey

Nice, quiet place with a good wine selection, nice ambience & friendly servers. Unlike other spots in the pearl, this place doesn't seem to attract all the doucheturds that wander around in the pearl most of the time so I'm loving it even more.

• Pros: Good wine selection. Reasonable prices. Nice ambience.

08/24/07

"The Best Day in My Life"

by garlicshrimp

I planned my husband's birthday party at Vino Paradiso. I talked with Tim and others about the menu and wine selection (I don't know much about wine, so I left it to the staff). Everything was perfect!!! The backroom was big enough for about 40 guests who showed up and the food was amazing (buffet style). They even got a birthday cake with his name and candles on. From the initial phone conversation to handling the final bill, everything was done professionally and with grace. The pricing was clear from the beginning, so there was no hidden charge and it stayed within the budget as well. My husband later told me that it was THE best day in his life. We had such a wonderful time and we owe it to the staff at Vino Paradiso.

• Pros: Staff, food, wine, ambience

12/23/06

Great wine tour

by karonflores

We had a winery tour organized by Timothy, and it was incredible. He took care of all the plannning, including lunch reservations, and we visited some wineries we wouldn't have otherwise. I highly recommend doing wine country this way - so relaxing to have a driver who knows where he's going! Very professional, reasonably priced, and so much fun!

• Pros: Wonderful service, great organization of a custom tour package

05/15/06

Best Wine Bar!

by kaddy

They have a really great selection of wines, in all price ranges. Their chef Matt cooks the most incredible food ever! They have monthly wine dinners that are a must to go to and very reasonably priced. Everyone that works there is so nice!! I try to tell everyone I know about this place. Love it!!

• Pros: staff, food, ambiance
• Cons: none

05/04/06

Fantastic Wine Bar!

by tpine77

My partner and I dropped in before seeing a film. We had the most amazing time! Our server was super friendly, and made a great recommendation on a bottle of wine that paired nicely with our meal. Our main course was delicious! The Kobe Beef and Pork Tenderloin are outstanding! Overall, we had a wonderful time and will return soon.

• Pros: Amazing food!, Friendly Bartenders, Live Music
• Cons: Not great for kids.