Basta's Trattoria

05/18/09

Awesome Happy Hour and Super Fun Server

by s1225

My friend and I wandered into Basta's because we were walking down the street and wanted a drink (no preconceived notions) and the sign said Happy Hour All Day (really 5pm to close, but still cool). It was exceptional. Our waitress (can't remember her name, but she had bright red hair) was HILARIOUS. I don't know the last time I had service by someone who seemed to enjoy her work so much. The cocktails were delicious, fairly strong and moderately priced ($8). Didn't taste a ton of the food, but what I did have was really good (and cheap! $4 for the little eggplant, zucchini and mozzarella rice fritter and $2 for a huge plate of yam fries). Overall, our server really made an impact and I hope to be back for more soon!

• Pros: Cheap (and tasty!) happy hour, delicious drinks, fun server
• Cons: None that I found!

03/06/09

Thank you Forkfly! Thank you Bastas!

by bristolbear

I saw Basta's on Forkfly. They were promoting the braised wild boar with polenta and grilled radicchio for $10! I had never been there before but had to try it! It was in a great part of NW with on-site parking. It happened to be 1st Thursday so they were pretty busy, had live music. The staff was all very friendly, we were seated immediately. The food was perfect as was the atmosphere and my overall experience. I will definitely spread the word!

01/09/09

Cool people, good food, great value

by Kiddcassidy

This is a great locals spot. I've been to a bunch of restaurants since I moved here and Bastas really has a neighborhood feel. If you can catch it you may even see the bartenders change the music from jazzy classical to Bowie before they close. It's an upscale dinning experence in the back and on the porch (only on Friday and Sat) but the lounge plays old Hepburn movies and the Happy Hour is outstanding. And try the drinks! Ask any server or bartender to match a wine by the glass or what's good and you'll never be disappointed.

• Pros: happy hour, service
• Cons: old burger joint building, kinda cool though

01/03/09

Great happy hour menu, pizza, Italian wines and great crowd in the heart of the Pearl district

by Midge4673

Good crowd frequents this restaurant. All the wine by the glass are good and there is bottled wine available, which is well priced. I would like to see the wine selection by the glass swapped out more frequently as I have gone there for months now and see the same wines over and over, which there are 4 non-house wines that are always listed.

I typically sit at the bar and depending on the bartender, the service varies. I would like to be offered a glass of water when I sit at the bar. I can get tastes of wine beforehand. The owner seems to know the wine very well, much better than the staff. I would like to see the staff be able to recommend certain wines with foods as even the Italian Garden staff can do this.

It's located in a nice spot and has it's own parking which is a huge benefit in an area where off-street parking can be very difficult to find.

There are some new additions to the happy hour menu which I have not tried. I've tried the spagetti and meatballs ($5), chicken skewers with yam fries (only $3) and the ceasar salad ($4)...the wine is typically around $9, but $2 off during happy hour.

The owner is usually at the restaurant and converses with the regulars which is nice and adds a personal touch to the restaurant.

• Pros: ambiance, parking, customers, location, wine selection (all wines are good)
• Cons: bar staff sometimes could be more informed and attentive to customers

12/31/08

Awesome Lounge Menu and a Staff that rocks!

by Eduardo97205

The food at Bastas is prepared with care an I can honestly say that I have not ever had a bad meal there. One can pop in and have a simple item from the lounge menu or enjoy some of the more hearty meals served off the dining menu. The Cafe Bastas Cocktail is a must! The staff is polite but not in your face which makes it a good place to take a date. They know their stuff. From preparation of the dishes to wine pairings of the expansive Italian wine list. They are pros. It is no wonder this place is a NW institution.

• Pros: Interesting Specials such ad shaved Beef Tongue or Duck Confit
• Cons: It can get pretty crowded - get a reservation and be willing to hang out with a glass of wine while waiting

12/29/08

Happy Hour with the best unique special dishes in Portland.

by CaptainVespa

For many years I enjoyed the good food at Bastas. There are many items on the menu, from Pasta, Pizza, Meat and Cheese Plate, Hanger Steak etc. The recent changes to offer Happy Hour all day, which is served in the lounge only, has many added dishes. Next to the regular offered itmes there are one or two specials added on. A few month ago it was a 'house-made chicken sausage'.

The newly added items are 'macaroni and cheese', yes i know, it is a Ristorante italiano, but it is a great dish for the winter season. The added Raclette Cheese tops of the great taste.

Also, the second dish, the 'Lingua di Salmi' is a rare item to get here in Portland. The cow tongue is prepared right, served with red cabbage, presented nicely.

I really enjoy the little culinary dished offered by Bastas which are unique and available for a short time only. Keep it up, it is always a surprise what addition to find on the menu.

Great wine, great food, great staff.

• Pros: Specials, Parking in the back, outdoor seating in the front, service
• Cons: none

12/28/08

great Italian

by lsb123

This quaint italian bistro was surprisinly good.. The food was imaginative as it was good. with everything from pork tenderloins in a port & veal reduction to simple meatballs and spaghetti. All was top notch. The service was very good as well. The waitresses paid attention to every table and detail to enhance our dining experience. I would highly recommend this restaurant

• Pros: Food quality and portions. good value for the money
• Cons: None to be seen

10/05/08

Avoid this place, rude, stuck up service. The servers would rather be at home and should stay home.

by cm97034

Avoid this place at all costs if you think it is anything like Italy; warm, friendly and relaxed, it is NOT. They take themselves very seriously and are rude and stuck up. Went there last night. We were given the option of sitting in the lounge because we didn't have a reservation, this was fine with our group of 4. The server asked us to stand and wait while she cleaned the table and then she walked off while we stood waiting for her to clean the table. Dark haired girl with dark rimmed glasses. After a few minutes two of us sat down while the other two milled around feeling like idiots. The server returns and became all huffy because we sat, removed the glasses but left the cloth on the table. Five minutes pass so I wiped the table and put the cloth on the next empty table. The server then returns and starts wiping down the table. I told her "I have already wiped it down" to which she responds " Oh really and pointed to a tiny spot on the table." Really poor form and horribly rude!! By this time one of our party had managed to organize a table in the restaurant and so while we ordered a bottle of red wine, this seemed to somehow irritate the server even more than our presence. We moved to the table after a few minutes. The service and food in the restaurant was much better, but the evening had been ruined and none of the 4 of us would ever go back.

• Pros: Nice pasta dish.
• Cons: Small portions. Rude, rude staff.

03/11/08

Great food and staff

by sopdx

Simple, I've always had great food at Bastas and have always had great service. I've tried almost everything on the menu including appetizers and cannot think of anything I didn't like. Recently tried the brunch and loved it.

01/28/08

High quality and affordable

by Morgandl

I've been to Basta's several times over the years -- often in combination with a trip to Cinema 21, which is just two block down. I went there for dinner with my wife and 22-year old son last week, and all three of were very pleased with out dinners. In addition, when we told the waiter that we had less than an hour before our movie, he made sure that our appetizers and entrees arrived in good time without making us feel rushed.

Best dish we had was my son's "tuttomare" which included a Cioppino-like mix of seafood (including whole clams) in a red sauce, all baked in a deep dish under a pastry shell.