Piazza Italia

We went to this place last night on the recommendation of one of my Italian friends. I wish this place was a good as she said because I was really disappointed. We had reservations for 8:45 and arrived a little early. There was a line waiting for tables which confused me since we had to make reservations. We were waved forward to a super small table wedged between two other very small tables. I couldn't hear my husband talking to me over the conversations at the two tables not more than a foot away from us. It took them 10 minutes to get us a menu and the waiter practically threw it on our table. In the meantime, these 2 women walk in and tell the waiter they have reservations and they get a nice big table without strangers piled on top of them. I told one of the waitresses we had reservations and that I was confused as to why we got such a small table and her reply was that they needed to fill the small tables. What?!?! That makes no sense especially because there were small tables open when they sat the 2 women at the larger table. It took at least 1/2 hour to get a wine list and when our waiter finally came to take our order, not once did he look directly at us but kept looking around the room. He was rude and arrogant in his demeanor and attitude. Our food came out quickly, too quickly after the appetizer. The food was exceptionally good, nice portion size, al dente, hot and tasty. But when I asked to take my leftovers home, the older gentleman there took my plate and gave it to the guy behind the deli counter and I never saw it again. Long story short, if you want good pasta, these guys know pasta. You want to be treated like a lowlife, eat in the restaurant. It sucked. Pros: Good food Cons: TERRIBLE servers, crowded, bad attitude, hurried more

I ""heart"" Piazza Italia to my core. The food they put out is an expression of my very being. The fresh pasta, cheeses, meats....Oh my! Get ready to get your grub on if you are planning on eating as this hunble joint, as every single item on this menu will rock your socks off. Literally. The caprese salad is fresh from heaven and Gino's favorite can't I repeat, can not be missed. Pros: Delicious food, delectable wine, gorgous waiters= wonderful life Cons: You can't try everything in one visit. :( more

The service and the food was authentic and fun. Great food and wine. We sat outside on a funny fall day in the middle of the afternoon. So, no rush and lots of sunshine. One of the owner's sons was our server and he was wonderful. Really cared about the food and our experience. Lots of pride in ownership. more

Going to piazza Italia is like going to Italy. the food and the atmosphere make you want to be there permanently. i had the Gino's favorite and it is by far the best pasta dish i have ever had in my life. my guests were pleased and happy and specialy flurting with grandpa Alesandro. great experience and service with generosity. i would come back at any time and everyday if i can. more

We had heard a lot about Piazza Italia and were looking forward to eating there. I don't have the time to get into all of the details, but we were very unhappy with the restaurant overall.
Cons: poor service, overpriced mediocre food more

We first found Piazza Italia a few years ago when they were closing between lunch and dinner. We didn't realize they were closed and wandered in...true to their Italian heritage they weren't going to let us go hungry so Alesandro made us a sandwich and we sat and ate while they prepped for the evening crowd. We love this place, the food is great (the eggplant parm is to die for) and the owner and staff are friendly and real. It's like going with your Italian grade school friend to her grandma's for Sunday dinner. Pros: food, service and staff Cons: didn't find any more

We hadn't been in a long time & dropped in for a late lunch, mid week. It was fabulous. Amazing, simple, beautiful food. Great service. Wonderful Italian conversation in the background from patrons and staff alike. I brought my five year old son and he loved it, got to choose his own gelato from the case - with the help of our waiter. Mille grazie & a presto! Pros: amazing food Cons: a bit of a wait but worth it. more

I do not know what the other reviews encountered at this pathetic whole in the wall in the Pearl. Whoever thinks this is a gem tucked away in the Pearl needs to rethink or rewrite their review! This place is a joke! We ate dinner their evening, if you can even call it that. We waited a half hour for a server to greet or even acknowledge that their were customers waiting at the table. No wine list, nor did she ask us if we wanted anything to drink. The food was undercooked, and the pasta was terrible. After countless efforts to get our orders correct, a short man who seemed as if he has Napoleon's complex came out from the back with his chest all puffed out telling us that he is the owners son, and that this was a ""Family establishment"" and they do not serve classy people? So now the restaurant discriminates towards their customers? Rather, this guy threatened us further and becaome more aggressive. All we wanted was to have our order correct, rather fully cooked. No attempts to bring resolve or satisfy the customer. Rather we were asked to leave, and not come back. You got that right. Other customers who were waiting decided to leave after watching the interactions of the owner and his behavior. This place needs to take a lesson in customer service, culinary skills, and overall business ethics. Go take a class in all! Rude service...Terrible food...NO CLASS AT ALL!!! Cons: Everything more

What a great italian restaurant tucked away in the Pearl District! We decided to try this place with recommendations from a friend and were pleasantly pleased with everything here. Every day on our trip was cloudy except for our last day which was also the day we decided to go to Piazza Italia. The weather was so nice that we sat on their outside patio which had a quaint and cozy atmosphere. The service was a bit slow and the waiters seemed a bit distracted, but they were pretty busy. The food was great! My fiancee and I shared the caprese salad and pasta al pesto. The portions were a little small to split, but it was perfect for us because we had been eating like pigs the rest of our trip. The pesto sauce on the pasta was definately full of basil which was great because most are just full of oil. We were also looking for a nice clean un-oaked chardonnay and we were brought the tenuto di blasig italian chardonnay which was absolutely perfect. A harmonious balance of ripe fruit and slight butter. We also had the amaretto cheesecake which was lacking on the amaretto flavor, but was still delicous. And the price was pretty resonable especially since we split. We definatly want to go here again! Pros: great food, wine, atmosphere Cons: not too much more

Piazza Italia is just a couple of blocks from where we live and we've walked by it numerous times without even thinking of stopping. A few weeks ago we decided to give it a try on a Saturday night, but didn't have reservations so couldn't get in. Right away we knew this place was something special. We called the next day to make a reservation and nobody answered the phone, so we popped in and were able to be seated anyway. I wish we had discovered this place a long time ago! The Italian-speaking staff were fun to watch run around taking care of the customers, and really made the experience seem authentic and not stuffy at all. The food was very good and inexpensive. The menu is mostly no-frills pasta dishes, but everything tasted really fresh and expertly prepared. I haven't stopped craving the Linguine Squarciarella since! Pros: Excellent food, fresh pasta, fun atmosphere Cons: Reservations recommended most night. more

On a weekend get-a-way to Portland, we tried Piazza Italia. For 1/4 of the price we spent at El Gaucho the previous night we had a wonderful meal. Service was excellent, food quality, beyond our expectations. After a day touring the Willamette Valley we were a bit wined out, but the nice Sangeovese by the glass was perfect with our meal. My Bucatini amatriciana was fabulous as was my wife's papadella. Nice warm atmosphere, friendly staff. I'll be back."" more

From the time we stepped into this restaurant it exuded everything Italian. The lasagna was absolutely incredible. The meatballs are awesome! The service was excellent and it was a great experience. This is a must if living or visiting Portland. more

What a gem! Food is amazing, pasta is FRESH and owners are fabulous! This place is very busy and small too but definitely worth the wait! Pros: Too Many to List Cons: Parking may be an issue, small dining room, limited space while you're waiting for a table more

My husband and I were recommeded to go here by the concierge at our hotel. We are from Seattle and have both been to many authentic Italian restaurants, including several all over Italy. We both had the most amazing dishes: I had the pasta el pesto, and he the lasagna. The server recommended a great chianti and to top it off, the tiramisu was like butter. The entire bill was only $60 including an entire bottle of wine! The food was top notch, the service impeccable, and we can't wait to drive to Portland again just to eat here. If you are looking for a quiet dinner, this isn't the place. It is like being in Italy: loud, but fun! The whole experience was perfect. Everyone I saw eating their cleaned their plate. It is a must go, but make a reservation because it is a small place, but even if you have to wait, it is well worth it! more

A lazy Saturday walking around the Pearl, and we came across Piazza Italia. We live close by but not in the Pearl, so we are so happy we discovered it! Here in Portland, the words authentic Italian scare me away, as they usually are not, but this place is. It's not the Florence or Tuscany that most people experience, it is the small towns across Italy that are not concerned with ""glamour"" and the latest trends. It is small Italian neighborhoods in New York City and Chicago - family, food and fun! The food? Roman? Northern Italian? Who cares, its simple and good and you are transported from Portland to a real city Italian restaurant, not a Bon Appetite photocopy of one. So you have to wait? So it's loud? Gosh some people are spoiled and not much fun!! Go, have a good time, listen to people speak Italian, enjoy the music, and eat some great Italian and Italian American food!!!!! Pros: Fun, lively, good food, authentic more

good looking servers, wonderful staff. Pros: great food and great service Cons: Parking at night may be an issue on Fri or Sat more

i have been in the states for nearly two years (native italian), and piazza italia has been like a home to me from the first time i came to portland. it is a very real example of a typical italian trattoria; and like any restaurant (of any cuisine) it has its ups and downs regarding service and menu. more

Gino, Thanks for the wonderful food, and a great experience. It has been a long time since I have been home (Argentina or Italy) and you gave me a piece of that. The polenta I eat brought me to tears. It was like having my Mother in the kitchen. Pros: everything Cons: parking, but it is worth it! more

Just like a little piece of Italy! Great fun, food and atmosphere. Reminds me of the good old days in Europe, before the rules changed. Pros: Europian atmosphere Cons: parking more

I tried making reservations at least 3 times early in the week for that Friday. It was very hard to get someone on the phone to talk to me about reservations. First, the lady said they were too busy at the moment and I should call back; I did and they were still too busy so I had to leave my phone number so the manager could call me back. He did and I made my reservation for 8 people that Friday. We arrived on time and had to wait between 30-45 minutes to be seated because there were no available tables to sit us at. We had a wonderful meal, the food was delicious as always and the service was good. What drove me crazy was that we pretty much were asked to leave our table about 1 hour and 15 minutes after we sat down because another party was waiting for our table. One of the owners or servers was literally circling our table like a shark to make sure we were paying the bills fast and leaving. Pros: The food is delicious and having the servers and owners speak italian makes it incredible. The tiramisu is to die for! Cons: Horrible for large groups even if you make a reservation. You are expected to pretty much sit down, eat and get out more