06/27/09

Excellent dining experience

by lestrum

Sure it's spendy however one must do the homework ahead of time and find out if it's in the budget.

That said, the meal we had was well above average. My Double Cut Pork Chop with potatoes, smothered in a Bernaise type sauce was enough for two people, literally a mountain.

My companion's Penne was hefty and to the contrary she did end up demolishing all of it.

The tiramisu was perhaps the finest the city has to offer. The establishment has an excellent variety of desserts to choose from. There is an assortment of herbal teas, the brand name escapes me but not one you often see sold commercially. Very good..

I particularly enjoyed being seated adjacent to a book shelf type wine holder.. Though I didn't indulge, there was a fine array to choose from.

I"ve heard complaints about the waitstaff however the wait person was knowledgeable, personable, and offered objective advice.

• Pros: Nice ambience, above average food
• Cons: A bit spendy, for some can be a bit cramped

12/21/08

2 excellent visits in 2 years

by madflan

From the wine list through home-made pasta and all the way to desert, Ricardo's food and service were great. I will return and recommend it to others. It is one of the few places with a comfortable ambience that is good for a romantic evening or for a business lunch. 5-stars for sure.

• Pros: All
• Cons: none so far

11/06/08

Best Veal In Portland

by halfbottle

I've been dining here for the last 18 years or so, once or twice a year. The first time I went in my wife was out of town so I was alone with my two young daughters (3 and 5 yrs old) and the owner (his son manages it now) sat down with us and entertained the girls and complimented them on their table manners. At that point I was pretty much sold on the place. Then the food came, the girls had pasta dishes that were the best I've had since I was in Italy, I had a simply prepared veal dish (you know, white wine, capers,etc.) that was so incredibly good, melt in your mouth quality, that I have ordered veal every single time I've been back, except once when they had a boar special. The Italian wine selection is incredible with really great prices for a restaurant, markup is about twice retail, or a little less. Desserts are okay but not great, too many made off-site, and just not fresh enough, but I'm not a big fan of anything sweet. The bar is not too good, no selection in hard liquor and no after-dinner drinks, they would like you to buy a dessert wine. Unlike other reviews I've read here, I have ALWAYS had great service here, both on the patio and inside. It is not an inexpensive place but I have always walked away feeling like it was money well spent. To top it off the restaurant owns an Italian wines shop across the parking lot with truly GREAT wines. This review is making me hungry, I think I'll go call them and see what tonight's veal specials are!

• Pros: Great Veal
• Cons: Poor Bar

11/03/08

Closest thing I've found to dining in Italy.

by loveLO

Authentic, well prepared Italian food. Best lasagna I've found outside Italy. Well thought out and researched wine list - priced closer to retail than most restaurants (Retail shop across the parking lot). Knowledgeable wait staff. I'm there 2-3 times per year over many years. More often to the wine and espresso shops.

I think someone is planting negative reviews because I this ristorante would not be so successful if there were that many dissatisfied customers. We find it to be consistently excellent.

• Pros: transports you to Italy
• Cons: pace of the meal is as it is in Italy

09/04/08

Don't sit inside

by jandrmc

We love Riccardo's and have gone there for special occasions for several years. Today was a special occasion. We were sorely disappointed by the service. Maybe the staff didn't show up, but no one tried to remedy an irregular situation. We had never learned that sitting inside was a no no. No service. No heat. No water. No dessert. As usual the lasagne was mouth watering, but wilted today as well as the salad. We did learn from the host that sitting inside just doesn't get you service on a nice night. But now we know--the patio is really a room and there are heaters and it was warmer there than outside. So, maybe we will go back--maybe not. Not for a special occasion; it needs to be special when the wine is $15.00 a glass.

08/15/08

Inconsistent, but great menu and wine list

by pdxwinefood

We used to go to Riccardo's at least 2 times a month. Summers are wonderful out on the patio with a great bottle of wine and their innovative Italian (with PNW fresh ingredients) dishes.

*

However, we've had some very unsettling experiences there. It's either great (and it should be for two people you can expect to spend $200 minimum for 1 good bottle of wine, appetizer, 2 entrees, 1 dessert) or it can suffer, greatly. YES, service usually takes 2 hours for a wonderful meal, it's not slow, but European paced. If you want fast (poor) food, go to Olive Garden or Romano's.

*

The last time we went to Riccardo's we had a nice meal, but had to chase down the servers for water, bread, another bottle of wine and our check. We were served a side of attitude as well, which should never be an issue, as this place is well established and those of us in the neighborhood give them 80% of their steady business.

*

I do love their wine list (however, tends to be over priced , as for their $40 wines are found retail for $12...that is a giant mark-up), it's unique and they offer some Italian wines that no other place in Oregon can!! The cuisine is great most of the time, but as the service can be inconsistent, so can the food. The restaurant business is a funny thing. Service needs to be great and food consistent. And you remain on top!

*

I recommend, but with reservations. If you go on a good night (good serices/food) enjoy. If not, let management know, if they do nothing about it, then never go back.

*

We go because they are very close and we try to always support local business, when ever possible. However, if we continue to encounter inconsistencies, we would rather stay at home and know we can rely on our own devices.

• Pros: Wine list!, Authentic Italian cuisine, fresh NW produce/products
• Cons: Bit expensive for what you get, service-inconsistent.

06/30/08

Very Disappointed

by nhonzel1

As a former server I have plenty of insight into the ins and outs of waiting tables. I also am quite forgiving as I understand when servers get busy and overwhelmed. With this in mind I couldn't bring myself to think of enough excuses as to why the service was as bad as it was when I dined here recently. At first the service was great - we were seated and greeted promptly and informed of the featured items. Our server was very informative and knew the menu well. After the salads came it was all downhill from there. Our drinks were not delivered until we flagged down a busser and had him get them for us, twice. Then our server never came back to the table. Our food took over 40 minutes to get to the table. Our busser was outstanding - kept our waters refilled and plates cleared. He even boxed our take home items right away. Never did see our server until our table and the 3 tables next to us flagged him down asking for the check. One man was so mad he just reached right out and grabbed the server's arm to give him his credit card. The busser came over once again to offer us dessert menus but then no one came back to see if we wanted anything. We FINALLY got our check and paid. I am really surprised that no one, besides the busser of course, was helping our server. No other servers nor the owner of the restaurant were assisting this poor guy. I am sure plenty of people have a nice experience dining here but I would hesitate to return based upon what I saw.

• Pros: Extensive Wine List
• Cons: Way too Expensive, Parking Can Be a Nightmare, Service Needs Improvement

02/16/08

Very expensive dinner menue

by tube

If you can get out of here for a simple dinner for two for less than $100, you are doing great.

Two simple plates of pasta, a couple glasses of wine, and an appetizer will set you back at least that much.

Stooooopid.

C'mon. $11 for a glass of wine? $26 for a basic plate of pasta? (and it was greasy).

The service was good, the staff friendly, the food was ok.

What's with these prices? This is Lake O, not Toky O!

(yes, I just rolled my eyes!)

• Pros: Excellent outdoor patio dining, good service in my experience.
• Cons: Toooo expensive! It's not a 5 star place, but c'mon.... It's pasta.... In Portland.

01/30/08

from a servers point of view.

by sugarcookie70

For everyone who has bad things to say about service.... in certain cases, you may very well be right, however, if you're as rude as you're coming across in your reviews, it's no wonder you get crappy service. (Bet it happens in more places than one, right?)

As a long time server, if you treat your servers badly, don't expect to be treated well in return. Look around you, and take into account how busy your server is before you condemn them for being slow. There's a very good chance you aren't the only table they have.

An no, I don't work here.

01/02/08

Always amazing food and a wonderful alternative to Italian food in the Pearl

by mbw3811

Some of these reviews surprise me! Our family has dined at Riccardo's for many years and we love to eat at this small neighborhood place where the food is rich and flavorful. The servers are attentive but don't hover and Riccardo and Georgette greet guests warmly. In the summer the outdoor patio is divine! You won't find better Italian in the Pearl let alone LO. We've never had a problem with reservations either and if we don't have them, we wait for a table just like anyone else. A special treat is to buy seats at Riccardo's wine tasting dinners when you get to hear guest vintners from Italy and take your time with a four course meal. There is a reason Riccardo's has been around and busy for decades.

• Pros: Amazing food, great service
• Cons: Busy, best to make reservations