Portalia

The restaurant is nestled in a nice area in Astoria. There are a couple of places to hang out around Portalia. We had a party of 14 and they handled it very well. The food were great portions. Each dish had a unique Italian experience. I did not like the wine menu bc I am a California wine snob so when I ask the waitress if they had California wines the owner B-​lined over to me and suggested some domestic wines.

Drunch Review!
Came on a Sunday afternoon with reservation, but it wasn’t needed as the place wasn’t super packed. They have a lot of options for brunch entrees from typical eggs benny to what they’re known for — pasta. Our party of 7 got a wide variety of things and it seems like the more brunchy items are a smaller portion. I got eggs benny with crab cakes, they were good, but on the smaller side.
So to the more important topic — the unlimited drinks. For an additional $ 15, you can get unlimited bloody marys, mimosas, bellinis, or straight champagne with your entrée (or for $ 3 per drink). Specify before you order because they give you a gold rimmed champagne glass if you’re doing unlimited (we didn’t, so we had to call them over for refills in the beginning). It’s fun because they fill (often overfilling) your glass with the champagne and give you a small thing of orange/​peach juice for you to our yourself.
Service is great, our waiter was funny and on top of filling up our glasses. He even brought out another bloody mary for our friend when his glass was basically still full.

The food here is delicious and VERY filling. They usually have sports on at all times, but it’s still a very intimate place by design. Candles on every table and dimly lit. We got the Fried Calamari and two pasta dishes. Both of the pasta dishes were very hearty and well worth the $ 15. Wine selection was nice and the bar area seemed to fill up fast.
I would give this place 5 stars, but the service seemed just a little slow (maybe the food takes a while to cook). Some people were waiting up to 30 minutes for their entrée to come out.

Went twice a long time ago for brunch. Was a cute place, but not too impressed with food.
Decided to come back and try dinner, what a difference. The food was great! First time I had the chicken piccata and lentil soup, last time had the lasagna. Both were great.

To kick off the new year, our group of six came for Saturday brunch and have a bit of fun. Surprisingly, at 1130, the restaurant was still empty. We all arrived at different times but they let us sit at the table and wait for the rest of our party. No rush or dirty looks (but that makes sense since we’re the only ones there).
Brunch prices were fair, with prices ranging between $ 10-​$ 20 depending on the meal. You can add on the endless drinks for 2 hours option for $ 15, and they don’t force everyone at the table to add on the option. They let you switch between mimosas, champagne, bellinis, and bloody marys. No exaggeration, our glasses were NEVER empty. I’d drink perhaps a third of the glass and they would come top it off with champagne right away. Even as we got ready to leave, they offered us a few more glasses as we waited to finish paying the bill.
If you order champagne, they’ll give you peach syrup and orange juice on the side for you to make your own mix, if you do so please. The mimosa was surprisingly quite sour so getting the champagne is definitely a better choice so you can adjust to your own liking. The bloody mary was pretty delicious — slightly chunky with a lot of black pepper (not so fun biting into black pepper though so careful with that). It was a great way to end the meal (specifically, great way to cut the edge from drinking all that champagne). Unfortunately, despite all that we drank (can’t even count how many glasses since they kept refilling), the drinks were fairly weak so everyone left pretty sober.
As a side note, they serve Illy coffee for $ 3. It smelled delicious. So fragrant. Great pick me up as we waited for our food/​drinks.
There are a few pasta options on the brunch menu with pretty good portions. I had the pappardelle — homemade noodles in a creamy tomato sauce. It was like eating sliced non-​layered lasagna, or for you Asians, like eating chow fun in a tomato sauce. Good sauce, and the pasta is silky, but nothing to really rave about. Friend ordered the linguine, it looked and smelled delicious with quite a bit of clams in it. The taglioni also looked pretty amazing but didn’t get to try it.
Another friend had the salmon burger and raved about it. Even at well done, the burger looked very juicy. Comes with a side of fries as well. Their pancakes were also super fluffy and quite dense. One order of pancakes would fill you up without ordering anything else.
Friends also ordered the eggs benedict with crab cakes. This was unfortunately meh. Two eggs, two crab cakes, and some salad. Yes, that’s pretty typical for an order of eggs benedict, but it just was not filling enough compared to everyone else’s order. The crab cakes were also nothing to rave about.
Service though was good. Like I said, our glasses were never empty. At the beginning, our server had great charisma and really sold the food. Everything sounded delicious. Unfortunately, more people started coming in so his attention shifted away from us to accommodate the other tables (but he was the only waiter at that time so no judgment there). A good portion of the time, it was the busboys that were refilling our drinks. We were never rushed to finish our food (it did take a while to come out though) and never rushed to stop drinking.
Ambiance was great. Not ridiculously loud music, although a little odd choice of music (current top hits). A rustic homey feel/​décor. Bathrooms are down some stairs though. Not sure how safe that is if anyone does get drunk on the endless drinks.
TL;DR — go early for brunch, order champagne or bloody mary, get a burger or pasta.
3.5−4 because the food and drinks really aren’t all that special but they’re nothing to complain about. Service overall was good and we had a great experience there. Would definitely consider coming back again the next time we want local bottomless brunch.

We went for New Year’s Eve last night and it was soooo terrible!
We got there and the hostess said our table we be ready shortly and she recommend we go to the bar and have a drink because she just started drinking as well. We sat down at our table and about 5 – 10 minutes later we got water and another 5 – 10 minutes later our waiter came over and took our drink and prix fixe dinner orders. He went directly to the next table and didn’t write down our orders. It took about 20 minutes for our bottle of champagne (which he didn’t open at the table) and asked what our orders were again. After asking for a bucket of ice he took our bottle of champagne in the back and didn’t return with it, but instead put it next to the hostess stand and not our table.
It took over an hour for our appetizers to come out (a soup and a salad)…and the soup was cold. At this time, the table next to us asked about their entrees and the waiter kept saying, «Sorry it’s NYE! I hate this shit, hopefully another 5 minutes.» We waited another 30 – 45 minutes for our entrees and in the meantime 2 tables were served the wrong food, 3 tables were complaining and trying to get their checks and one table just completely walked out on the bill because they were waiting so long… this was just in the front area with 7 tables!
After being served the wrong desserts twice, we just asked for the check. We were appalled to see that an automatic gratuity was added! He generously gave himself a 20% tip! When I asked him why it was added because we were just a 2 top he replied, «Sorry it’s NYE!»

Fantastic bottomless brunch! The staff are so friendly and the food is delicious! I always have a good time when I come to Portalia!

It’s been a while since I’ve been here… not for any particular reason, but in the past I’ve always been very happy.
We came here for a birthday brunch. At first the staff seemed a little overwhelmed, but I have to say they recovered and handled it well. Bottomless mimosas/Bellini’s/ bloody mary’s for only $ 15 for 2 hours– I love the way they offer the bottomless– although Bloody Mary’s are made at the bar, the Mimosas/Bellini’s are a little unique– they constantly fill your glass with champagne and give you a small cup of either orange of peach juice. BEST IDEA EVER.
I had the shrimp dish which was pretty good. Nothing out of this world, but good. If we weren’t getting our buzz on we probably would’ve been pissed about the wait, but at least they had the mimosa’s coming!
We brought a cake, they sang happy birthday, and the staff, again, were very pleasant.
There’s just one little thing. As we were leaving, the waitress had to kill a roach in between our table and the table over… the poor girl at the other table almost screamed, but the waitress quickly handled it…
I don’t know what to say. The brunch is great, but the last little bit kinda freaked me and my boyfriend out… :(

One of the worst experiences ever! Besides the service that was horrible (i guess this is what happens if you hire your son, Lorenzo, as a waiter) the food was horrible! I came here with my best friend, and we ordered a pitch sangria ! since it was not on the menu, we asked how much would that be… We were told $ 20. Fine we said, very reasonable, right?
The bill comes, $ 27!!! Looool ! We got this as a reasonable mistake, thus my friend approached the waiter! Very difensive behaviour and went so far as to offend us ! «I said $ 28 he said»… What a jackass, ingorant human being! Never stepping back into that reataurant ever again! The owner, little daddy stayed there and just watches! Shame
Shame shame!!!

Love this place. Had a lot of meals by the window seat in the summer — which I enjoyed. The space is great, the service is awesome & the food is good.

Portalia surprised me. My first impression upon walking in for brunch was that this restaurant is a bit confused. They’re clearly going for a trendy atmosphere with warm wood tones everywhere and the huge bar being the main focal point, but the top 40 rap/R&B playlist seems to clash, as does the almost kitschy «Portalia» lettering hanging on the wall in front.
Usually these would have been red flags for me because in my own experience, restaurants’ identity crises tend to carry over into the cooking — but that wasn’t the case at Portalia! My date had the burger and though it fell apart halfway through, he said it was very good otherwise. The fries that came with were also really, really good. I had the linguine alla vongole which was huge with tons of clams — well priced at $ 16, too. I was stuffed by the end. Brunch drinks are $ 4 each or $ 15 for 2-​hr unlimited. If you like your Bloody Mary to be really tomatoey like I do, you’ll love how they make it here.

nicely decorated restaurant but the service was not the best and the music selection was horrible. We went for an early dinner and loud dance music was playing which is not what I would select at a trendy Italian restaurant.
We ordered the crostini which had a really nice flavor, I would have liked a touch more goat cheese on each crostini but the crostini had a nice flavor. We also ordered the meatballs which had a great marinara sauce but the meatballs were too tough. The polenta was very creamy and was really good, I wish they had more mushrooms and less truffle oil on the polenta dish. For entrees we ordered the eggplant parmigiana which I would not recommend and the gnocchi. The gnocchi was quite rich and I did enjoy it because of the rich grgonzola taste.
The food was good but I just wish the music was better and the service was more attentive. I would be interested in checking out other items on the menu but the bad music and service will probably keep me away.

3.5
The atmosphere and ambiance of Portalia are just great, it’s warm and welcoming with modern yet traditional décor. A great place to linger and enjoy some food and wine.
The staff is very friend and welcoming. Our server was professional and did his best to keep everyone happy. With that said I feel that the kitchen needs to work on their timing. 3 of our 5 appetizers came out together and the remaining 2 came out at least 5 minutes later. Our entrees came out in 3 waves and took way too long in between each wave. Dishes need to be served at the same time.
As for the food, it was quite good. Our table shared a variety of appetizers.
Crab cakes served with a salad and red pepper sauce. Nice crisp on the outside and loaded with tender crab on the inside, very enjoyable.
Grilled Calamari served with red onion, cannelini beans, green beans, tomatoes seasoned with olive oil and lemon. The calamari was tender and the ingredients worked well together, and while good it was a bit on the bland side.
Mussels in a white wine sauce were cooked well and had a hint of smoke to them.
Meatballs were tasty in a wonderful tomato sauce that was great for sopping up with some bread.
Poletna with mushrooms was my absolute favorite. Creamy polenta (which you almost never see) was decadent topped with mushrooms, it was all so savory and divine and fantastic. I would return just to eat this dish again.
Entrees were all good sized portions. The Fettuccine (which was actually linguine) with bolognese was comforting with great flavor. The skirt steak was delicious as was the pork chop.
Dessert we had the Affogato. A bowl of vanilla gelato with espresso poured over, if you like coffee and have never tried it, you need to. It’s scrumptious.
All in all it was a lovely meal and that we all enjoyed; if the flow of the food can be improved it would be a smart move to become great.

I couldn’t ask for a better place to enjoy my sisters birthday brunch. The business is family owned and they treat everyone with the utmost respect. The food was phenomenal and I enjoyed every bite. The unlimited drinks had me bouncing off the wall, very strong and tasty at the same time. If you are looking for a great place to host a brunch and or enjoy food on a Sunday, this Is the place to be. I plan to visit again and not only on a Sunday.
Thank you Portalia

Just amazing. Environment is like you’re in Brazil or Portugal the music gets you In the mood to dance and works up an appetite!!!
Food is simply upscale. Taste presentation is perfect !!! #foodporn. Love it!

I got the pasta with clams. So definitely is delicious food. The staff is awesome so kindly. Very comfortable to be with friends and also family.
They have a home made bread, so that is melted in your mouth warm tried with the olive oil.
Highest suggest

Table for 16! We made a reservation, therefore we were seated immediately. It wasn’t too busy on that Saturday night so I guess it was okay to reserve such a large table. Okay, being seated immediately made me happy but everything went downhill from there.
We ordered, I understand that since it’s a huge party, the food might take quite some time, BUT 1.5 hours?! HOW? What are you cooking up in there? The worst part was when they keep coming to us, saying «the food is going to come in 20 mins, 10 mins, ‘soon’.» Bringing my hopes up but smashing it down to the ground right afterwards. The food finally came; and it was warm, win! I ordered the veal scappolini. It was soooo salty. I had to wash every bite down with water. I didn’t even bother complaining because I was too hungry to wait for them to make another order. We waited 1.5 hours for our food but we finished everything within 15 mins — it was actually really funny to me. What a waste of time.
I do want to compliment the appetizers though. They came out so early on in the evening that sometimes I forget I ordered it. We ordered the calamari and crab cakes. Calamari was fried perfectly and the sauce was good. Crab cakes were amazing! So much crab meat and also prepared perfectly. Ahhhh, I should’ve just ordered the crab cakes as my entrée. The fries were really good too!
It’s very easy to find street parking around the area. We went on a Saturday night. Do try this place if you’re on a little date though! The lighting and décor is very nice. Although it may get loud once in awhile, it can be very romantic.

Awful. Meatball appetizer was burnt on the outside and raw on the inside. Pappardelle with tomato cream sauce looked delicious, ethereal almost in previous reviews, so I order it. Mine had so much mozzarella it was a gelatinous mess.
My wife had the Fazzoletti allo zafferano which, surprisingly, was very tasty. It was well seasoned, pasta was a bit overlooked but nothing that detracted from the plate.
I was really looking forward to a nice meal here but was severely disappointed. On a positive not the wait staff was exceptionally nice.

I went to Portalia with a group yesterday for a friend’s birthday. This was my second time dining at the restaurant and we had such a good time!
I thought it was nice that we were seated even though half of the group didn’t arrive until about 30 min later. We took advantage of the bottomless brunch special which was a choice of breakfast and lunch options and an additional $ 15 for unlimited drinks (bellinis, mimosas, or Bloody Mary’s). Entrees ranged from $ 10-​$ 15.
I had the French toast which was crusted with brown sugar, topped with powdered sugar, and finished with cinnamon. There were blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries on top to sweeten up the dish. I thought the meal was tasty but almost slightly burnt. I finished it anyway.
My friends all ordered different items from the brunch menu and everyone enjoyed their meals. The service was fantastic. We never had to look for the waitress and our drinks were always filled. The waitress was kind enough to send our dessert with candles for our friends’ birthday which made it extra special.
If you go you have to sit in the front by the open French windows or in the back where there is a nice sun view that makes you feel like you’re in a courtyard in Italy.
This place is great for groups. I will certainly be back.

This is a very good spot to go with friends. Most importantly, the staff is very friendly and accommodating, which definitly adds a star.
Last summer I came in with a great side-​walk-​sale find, which was a giant 5’x5’ frames photo… the staff found a place for me to set it while we ate :)
Yesterday was no exception, as we came in with 4 of 7 people in our party. It was for a double birthday brunch. They graciously sat us, with a promise the rest of our party would arrive :) The did and everyone was happy.
The waitress made sure all of our glasses were filled for the whole 2 hour brunch. (can I BOLD this?!)
However, there was a little disconnect when ordering. I asked for the Portalia, then was asked if I wanted the burger or the pizza. But the description was clearly of a salad, and nothing else on the brunch menu was called Portalia. Also, the Portalia (salad) called for avocado pesto dressing which I was really looking forward too. Nope, just a little oil and vinegar with a dash of seasonings and avocado ganished.
The Romain and mescaline salad also had some mescaline that should have clearly been thrown out.
To get a little more picky, I suppose if the walnuts were sugar roasted, the dish would have delivered more of a brunch flavor profile.
I will tell you this; despite having a few hiccups with my dish, the aptitude of the service will always bring me and friends back.
Everyone left happy :)