Caro Amico Italian Cafe

08/23/09

Great Food and Pizza

by DEAT

We have been there 30+ times since the late 70's and have never had a bad meal or service. The drinks are also always good. Parking can be tight on some nights and so is the seating in the main dining area. But overall the food is the reason to go there, and it's sister restaurant in NE PDX, Amalfi's on Fremont.

• Pros: Location
• Cons: Seating on main level

09/07/08

My favourite pizza

by zaminina

So many ways to build the perfect pizza...how many places have capers and salmon as topping options?

The ambience is cozy and warm, there is a great patio for summertime dining with a lovely view. So far, I'm addicted to the pizza, but one of these days, I'm going to branch out and try something else off the tempting menu.

Service is adequate; I can't complain, but I can't muster a cheer either. It was good enough. The food is what keeps me coming back.

• Pros: The food! The abmience and patio in the summer
• Cons: Service....was not bad but was not stellar.

12/26/07

Horribly overpriced!

by kmedas

We had passed the restaurant many times and finally decided to give it a try. As you walk in the front door, you immediately notice a musty odor reminiscent of a dirty house that could use a good cleaning. However, as you walk down the stairs you are greeted by delicious aromas coming from the kitchen. The dinning room and lounge are both cozy and comfy. The food, however is just incredibly expensive! I ordered a chopped salad to start my dinner ($10)...the menu promised lots of salami and cheeses over a mound of chopped greens. The salad had exactly four tiny cubes of cheese and one tiny piece of salami. Definitely not worth the price. We then ordered two small pizzas from the specialty pizza menu....while both pizzas were tasty, they were certainly NOT worth $15.75 A PIECE! Many PDX restaurants with equally good pizza barely charge that much for a large pizza! The entrees are also very expensive ($18 for Chicken Parmigiana)! Service was fairly attentive, but sketchy at best. If you want really good Pizza in Portland, Bellagio's or Pizza Schmizza is a better choice...if you want and Italian entree, go to Mama Mia's downtown for much better atmosphere and a substantially better value.

• Pros: Cozy and Comfy
• Cons: ridiculously high prices for the neighborhood!

08/25/07

Great food, great service!

by mitchellsgirl

I have recently started frequenting Caro Amico now that they are open for lunch and I love it! The food is always great and you get your money's worth. They have excellent specials and the setting is very cute. Excellent food and I always get excellent service when I go. Their lunch menu is extensive and is very reasonably priced. Check them out if you love italian food!

• Pros: Food, Service
• Cons: Nothing!

12/19/06

Terrible Service!

by coloradosooner

I used to live in PDX and go here, so on a recent trip had to check it out again. The service was horrible. Our food came out COLD, and had to be sent back for re-heating. We were put upstairs and forgotten. At one point, we hadn't seen our waitress in over 1/2 hour, and I had to go downstairs and find her. I couldn't believe how bad the service was, as I always loved the place.

• Pros: Historic
• Cons: Service

08/17/06

#1 Best Italian in Portland!!

by trgross

I can not express my absolute LOVE for Caro Amico's. My husband and I have been to nearly every restaurant in the Portland area and if you are looking for absolutely amazing Italian food, Caro Amico's is the spot. The servers are friendly and attentive and have great recommendations. If you see the Seafood Cannelloni on the specials menu, do NOT pass it up! Caro Amico's will remain TOP ITALIAN on our list!

• Pros: Wonderful food, friendly waitstaff, always consistent
• Cons: Only open for dinner

03/26/06

caro amico is a good friend of the noosh.

by thenoosh

caro amico is a personal favorite of one noosh. in fact, he's never had a bad meal or even anything close. every salad is delicious and each dish is hand crafted with precision (and a sprinkle of love). the service is fit for royalty and as king of food critics, the noosh can appreciate some of that, eh. the noosh reccomends dining in the bar for a slew of reasons, including a great TV for watching sports, more personal/chatty service, a "happy hour" menu that has smaller renditions of favorites from the full menu and who doesn't like being surrounded by so much booze. bring a wheelchair, because you are going to need to be rolled out post meal. good day.

• Pros: great service, amazing food, parking lot
• Cons: not open 24/7

07/15/05

A GREAT PLACE FOR KIDS AND LARGE GROUPS!!!!!!!!!

by jthom1149

On Sunday, July 10, we celebrated my son's 40th birthday with a group of 19, eight of whom were children. It was a marvelous experience!! Butch, the manager, had set up two booths with crayons and butcher paper to keep the children occupied while the adults visited. The staff interacted with the children and made sure that they had exactly what they wanted to eat. I I have also taken my grandchildren just for casual dining and have had no problem finding them something they wanted to eat. In fact....I have frequently taken a wheelchair bound grandson, for dinner (his favorite place to eat in all of Portland). The staff meets us at the side door and our dinners there have been most pleasant!! I give this place a #1 rating for children and our group experience was simply wonderful.

05/21/05

After 5 decades...they still do it right!

by pdxwineclub

UPDATE, original from 2005. Because our family has gone to Caro's for decades, it's sad to know they are not as good as they used to be. They have slipped a bit with food and service, I hope they improve because we have so many memories. Original posting from 2005: "My family were patrons of the old Caro Amico's and the new generation also finds Caro Amico fabulous. The pasta dishes are always consistent and flavorful. We also enjoy the friendly, courteous service. The place is certainly unpretentious, which makes a far more relaxing dining experience. Never had a complaint and recommend this place to all old world Italian fans! Dining on the patio or view seats is romantic with a great bottle of wine."

• Pros: cuisine, service, consistent
• Cons: parking at times

01/21/05

A Thousand Miles Away

by michelle sundholm

Absolutely the best pizza, even a thousand miles away!! My husband and I had a weekly routine in going to Caro Amico's when we lived in Portland. We just recently moved about a year ago and miss our favorite restaurant!! Every time we visit Portland, it's on the top of our list to go to. The pizza is perfect....thin and crispy crust...flavorful sauce with just the right seasonings and fresh toppings of your choice. My personal favorite is Stevie's Wonder with red sauce and then add fresh tomato!!! Yum...Definately a "Must Go To" Place