Heard of Grassa before but I never gotten to try it until recently, some of my friends recommended the pork belly Mac and cheese. I usually try not to get Asian fusion at western cuisine establishments as it really could be a hit or miss. However, in this case they definitely nailed the pork belly. I could definitely see why my friends recommended this dish. It was a great blend and melted in my mouth! The place itself has a very clean atmosphere, and the cost of the pasta was like around $$! Anyways check the place out if your ever craving noodles! read more

Grassa - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Great pasta, lame salad. I ordered the Cherry Tomato Pomodoro and Caesar Salad. The pasta was delicious! I couldn't get enough of it. Great flavor and texture, but just a *touch* greasy. The salad however, was really disappointing. It came with these sad lemon slices that were cut so thin you couldn't actually get the lemon juice from them...and this salad really needed the acid because it had no flavor. The portion size was pretty small considering the $11 price tag. I added a healthy amount of salt + pepper + lemon juice which helped, but next time I'll just keep my $11 and stick with the pasta. 2* for the salad; 4* for the pasta. read more

Grassa - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Came here before hood to coast for some pre race fuel! Good: - Rigatoni with meat sauce was great and super cheap, loved the flavor - Easy and quick ordering process - Fancy upscale Italian vibe ambiance Bad - Took forever to get the food, waited about 30 min before food arrived Overall, I would come back but only if I had a lot of time to wait. read more

Got take out from here on a Friday night when I was craving pasta, and this really hit the spot! The carbonara was great, and the runny fried egg on top was perfect. My wife had the pork belly mac & cheese and this exceeded my expectations. I was expecting that scary orange cheddar cheese version, but it was actually quite lovely and mild in terms of cheese and the pork belly had a lovely sweet glaze. We also ordered the rigatoni with Sunday ragu for our child. This was kind of eh, nothing to write home about. The pasta was fine and the meat was tender, but the flavor was nothing special. My friends got the pesto, garlic bread, and brussels sprouts and seemed happy with their food. read more

Grassa - Carbonara in front (great), rigatoni w Sunday ragu in the back (good) - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We came in and ordered before other people around us and got our food last. The pasta for most of us was lukewarm or cold, the bread wasn't even toasted all the way. Yeah I get the place was busy but our food shouldn't be cold or lukewarm. I've been to other grassa locations and this one is far the worst one. I even tipped. read more

This hip and trendy, yet family friendly spot where you can find something for everyone! I loved the large portions and fast-casual atmosphere. Food was fresh and packed with flavor. We loved the rigatoni the most, but the fusilli was also incredible. Note that if you're sharing the fusilli with children, ask for less/no pepper flakes as it really did make the dish alot spicier. You can order wine by the glass, 375ml, or 750ml bottles. All options were reasonably priced. I ordered the Grassa Red (their house wine) and it was so easy to drink. There was a self-serve water and cutlery station. Children's crayons and coloring sheets were also available with Wu Tang and David Bowie designs. Cool! Plenty of seating styles spaced out throughout and outside. Service was friendly and accommodating. We picked a booth near the register, so that we could see a little action from the kitchen and salad station. I can't wait to come back to Grassa the next time I'm in the area. read more

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Food: Carbonara was fantastic. Rigatoni was fantastic. Fried Brussels sprouts were outstanding. Garlic bread was good. Pinot noir was good. Cesar salad was just OK. Service: Ordering at the counter was pretty quick. Food delivery speed was fine. I'm not a huge fan of counter service, but the staff did fine with executing it. Everyone was friendly. Atmosphere: Loud, especially in the back. Has the acoustics of a Chipotle. It was moderately busy, but we had no problem finding a table. We'd go back. Good eats. read more

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As soon as my friends and I walked in, we found the atmosphere very charming with its wood color wavelengths and warm lighting. The service was good and food arrived quickly. For the food itself, the pasta alla chitarra was packed with flavor! While Italian food tends to be a bit on the oily side for me, I basically inhaled this dish. The salty-savory chicken pancetta meatballs complemented the thick-fragrant noodles and creamy ricotta very well. Based on their menu options, the small menu has a variety of classics and unique options while also not being overwhelmingly large, which I really appreciated in helping me pick. read more

Grassa - Pasta Alla Chitarra - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

A great place to eat delicious pasta yet order quick at the counter. It's a great hybrid between counter ordered food yet feels like nice dining in at the seating area. I ordered the Aglio e olio, and I really enjoyed it! Nice garlic flavor, and theirs had a good little spice to it. I look forward eating here again sometime! read more

Grassa - Black Truffle Pappardelle - my friend ordered this and really liked it! It was what I almost ordered! - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I've been to Grassa several times now and it's a great fast casual place. It's super affordable place with amazing quality pasta. There are staple dishes but they are definitely known for their seasonal items too. This is a no brainer choice for taking out of town folks too! read more

Grassa - truffle parpadelle - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Location: I have been to other locations, and this place never disappoints. I like this location because there is more seating and it does not seem as busy as the others. Good: I always get the pork belly mac& cheese, but other people in my group got the spaghetti aglio olio, which had so much flavor! This might have to be my new go-to pasta spot. The prices are also very reasonable compared to other places in the area. Drinks: The only downside is that I ordered a class of wine to complete my meal, which was in the tiniest glass and was $15. Overall review: I will always continue to come back to this spot! So so good :) read more

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They "do not take reservations" yet did not allow us to sit at a certain table, and led people who ordered after us to sit there so we had to stay at bar top seating. Then a group came in and sat at a table with a sign that said "reserved" on it and got food immediately. Food is good but this was poor customer service. read more

My friend's that came here before have been telling me that when you go to Portland, Grassa is MUST try. I ended up getting take out from here and didn't get the opportunity to dine in. BUT, everything was still delicious! I ordered several pastas to try but the most notable ones were; Fusilli Alla Vodka- This was probably my favorite pasta out of all the ones we ordered. It had Italian sausage, crushed red peppers, and grana cheese. The grana gave it a very distinct yet aromatic flavor and really paired well with the vodka sauce. The sauce was perfectly rich and not too heavy. Rigatoni- This one would be my second favorite pasta that I had here. The Sunday pork ragu added a hearty element to the pasta itself. The flavor profile was very simple, yet elegant tasting and tasted very clean. read more

Went here with some friends. We each ordered something different, and everything was fantastic. The stand outs were the big rig and the garlic bread! Their pasta has great texture and the sauces are rich without being too heavy or overpowering. The Caesar salad is big enough to share and had great balance of ingredients. Our friends ordered the calamari which they said was great as well. The service was great and I really liked the overall atmosphere. They had indoor and outdoor seating and the ambiance was casual. I can't wait to go back and try other dishes! read more

Grassa - Big rig and garlic bread - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The music was so loud it was difficult to enjoy your food while eating an early Sunday dinner. We had been here for the Saturday early afternoon and everything was great. Little or no music was difference That's why we tried again. Food .past was excellent for almost everything. I would not recommend the spring shrimp dish however. They said it would be light, but with fried bread shrimp, it was not. I should have known that though. Sauted shrimp would have been much better for a summer dish Garlic bread very good. May try again, but only if music turned way down or off. It's amazing how that alone affects food experience. read more

absolutely love the handcrafted pasta here. i normally don't think much of pasta but this place is a must try. i had the chicken parm cannelloni! it's basically pasta shell stuffed with the bestttt n most tasty chicken parm i've had. went in on a friday night and there was no line! order as you enter, seat yourself and self serving water stations are available. service was great, happy customer after taking the workers recommendation. definitely will be coming back to portland just for this pasta dish! read more

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All I can say is this restaurant is GREAT!! from the food to the customer service. A MUST try.

Actually a great go-to pasta place with a rotating menu from time to time. We went and tried a bunch of item and I gotta say, the triangles were my favorite. Carbonara was also great and the Mac n cheese. The restaurant itself is very clean and spacious at the location I was on the east side. I'll be coming back to taste their other menu items! The price is also doable, but I would say it's not a lot and hard to get full off of 1 pasta dish. read more

Grassa - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I never get disappointed with the flavors coming out of Grassa. The pork belly mac & cheese is my absolute favorite! I love truffle, but my only gripe with their truffle is the small portion! the flavor is there though! The kids pasta is basic kids pasta, and our butter noodle loving daughter enjoys it. read more

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I love grassa, frequent often and typically get the classic adult Luke (spaghetti and meatballs). Sometimes dishes that have an oil base can be extremely heavy on the oil and would be better thinned with pasta water but overall everything is great! I was extremely disappointed in the minuscule serving size of the 10.00 roasted beets I ordered for take away. Ordered to share but it was so small not enough for two people. read more

Grassa - Extremely small portion of roasted beats for 10.00! It was delicious but, my opinion, a complete rip off!!! - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Loved my carbonara! All the dishes sounded amazing and I plan on returning! Dishes are made-to-order and you order at the counter. read more

Grassa - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

A well known local Italian restaurant in Portland area focusing on seasonal and fixed pasta offerings. Pasta always comes al dente and flavorful. Today I tried the black pepper and truffle pappardelle. It wasn't the flavors I naturally gravitate toward as it seems a bit too simple but the truffle flavor balanced with pepper, salt, and cheese was delicious. The beet ricotta appetizer was also amazing. Other members of my party ordered the meatballs, pesto/zucchini/hazelnut pasta, and Mac and cheese and everything was great. Only criticism was the long wait for our food. The staff was very nice. read more

Street parking a bit scarce. Interior very clean and spacious. Staff polite. Prices decent. Fast casual. Pasta well made! Had the saffron clams, spaghetti and meatballs and Caesar salad. The Caesar salad has some preserved lemons - nice twist. Worth checking read more

I ordered the misto frito. The quality is consistently great. However, it was online through DoorDash with an estimated wait time of 50-60 minutes. 15 minutes later, it was ready and so, my food was cold by the time I was able to pick it up, 30 minutes later. read more

This is where you go when you maybe want a reasonably priced pasta meal that's not just a huge chain (they have their place). I like some of the options they have like the beets and brussels sprouts because we do want veggies with our meals, but they definitely kick it up a notch over just a basic salad (although they do of course have salads too). There is plenty of variety between pastas and sauces to find something that you'll enjoy. We like to share a lot of our meals, so it's nice to be able to pick a couple and get different flavor profiles. The portions were ample for the price. Everything had a good flavor, so it's just personal preference really. This is a place we like to get pasta delivered from when we want a really good meal without going out (or cooking). read more

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Yum....just, yum! Grassa never gets it wrong. Everything is absolutely delicious and they are so stinking nice! I love it here. During lockdown we stopped several times but we were giddy the other day to see they are now doing outdoor seating! The Malfadine was legit and the Mexican Street Corn Tortelli I will have dreams about for a very long time.... The carbonara was the only thing I was just okay about. But, that doesn't mean it wasn't stollen and noshed on when I got home. At Grassa, ok is still far above most places best dishes. Mmm.....after writing this review, I know where I'm heading for lunch!!!!!! read more

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Great place for homemade pasta! Caesar salad was super well dressed and very flavorful. Cute ambiance and decor! read more

Grassa - Caesar Salad - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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My first time at this location was back in 2021 and I finally got the chance to come back to new items on the menu! We arrived on Sunday around 7:45PM to plenty of seating and barely a line. My go-to is usually the carbonara or pork belly mac & cheese but I wanted to try something new this time. We decided on the black truffle tagliatelle and fusilli alla vodka with the fritto misto and fried brussel sprouts. The pasta was brought out first and they took our ordering number. My boyfriend was confused as to why they took our number before all our food arrived but I gave her the benefit of the doubt and thought she just conveniently grabbed it while on the way to get the rest of the food. We were almost done with our pasta when I decided to flag her down and ask about the rest of our order. She seemed confused, went to check, and came back to let us know that for some reason it had been ready the whole time in a to-go container but they were going to remake it for us so it was fresh and hot. We found it a little odd that those two items were set for to-go but our pastas made it out to us? Nevertheless, the black truffle tagliatelle and fusilli alla vodka were so good!! I try to balance two pasta dishes with a red and a white sauce and these two definitely did the trick - we never got tired of either dish while switching back and forth. The amount of sausage in the fusilli alla vodka was very generous, even the second time I ordered it at another location. The brussel sprouts were good at first bite but we got sick of it real quick. The fritto misto was the most expensive and worst item, barely any calamari and a lot of crumbs. We would have enjoyed our meal more if we were able to switch bites between all four dishes but regardless I would not get the brussel sprouts or fritto misto again. read more

Can you go to Grassa and NOT order the pork belly mac and cheese? I thought so, but I stopped by today for an early dinner and didn't order the pork belly mac and cheese this time (shocker who am I). Let me tell you, I didn't miss it at all! The noodles were cooked to the perfect al dente, which provided a very enjoyable bite to it. If you're like me, and knly ever get the pork belly mac and cheese, I urge you to try something new! It will surprise you! Portions here are huge as well. I always have leftovers! Shrimp scampi (4/5): loved the tart lemon flavor this dish provided, and I really enjoyed the thicker noodle! Something that you don't typically see with a shrimp scampi dish. The tomatoes and pickled peppers also provided a nice acidity so it didn't taste too rich. The only thing I wasn't a big fan of was the breading on the shrimp. I would have much preferred regular grilled shrimp, but my boyfriend ate it all up! Carbonara (3.5/5): this was a pretty standard carbonara. The sauce was thick and creamy, flavored well, and the pancetta was crispy and delicious. The fried egg on top added a nice texture to the dish, although I prefer my carbonara without it. I've had better carbonara but I've also had worse, and I would definitely come back for this one. read more

Grassa - Shrimp scampi and carbonara - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I heard amazing things about this Italian place and had to check it out before going back up to Washington! Seeing that there were many locations to choose to go to, I'd say we made a good choice in checking it out! The location that my group and I went to was the one located in Buckman on SE Hawthorne Blvd. There's only street parking around the area that wasn't too bad to find. But walking in the hot hot sun was terrible LOL. I originally thought this place was an actual restaurant especially judging by some of the pics on Yelp (deceiving LOL), but it was a bit cafeteria styled where we had to go up to order and then we cleaned up after ourselves. The workers brought the food out to us though! My boyfriend and I both got an order and shared together. I chose the Cacio e Pepe which was their truffle butter pasta and my boyfriend chose the Pork Belly Mac & Cheese. We also got a side of the Grass Meatballs which came with three huge pieces. The pastas smelled soooo good, especially the truffle butter one. Omg. I couldn't wait to dig in! The pasta itself was al dente which was perfect for me! There was a strong flavor of truffle butter which kept me drooling. But I felt that the pasta was a little boring afterwards. I guess it was because there was only noodles in the entire dish with no vegetables or meat. Thankfully we had the meatballs! The meatballs were soooo good! I usually don't care for marinara but the way they seasoned the meatballs was delicious! The mac & cheese was super unique and delicious! It wasn't overly heavy like regular mac & cheese (thankfully) with the fresh cheese used to mix up the pasta. The pork belly was definitely a great addition to the dish. I felt that without this, the dish would have been meh after a few bites in. The pork belly was seasoned and marinated nicely with a sweetish flavor that balanced with the pasta. Delicious! My friend got the Chicken Parm Ravioli which looked SUPER tiny compared to what my boyfriend and I got. He basically inhaled his food within a few minutes before we would even get through 1/3 of ours LOL. He said he enjoyed his meal though! Great place for a nice pasta dish that won't break your wallet! The pasta noodles were really fresh and delicious, but I wish there was an option for some vegetable or meat add on to some of the dishes that didn't come with any. Seems like there were other dishes others had that weren't on the menu this time around. Hopefully I can try one of those dishes the next time I visit! read more

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Delicious dishes, could be perfect if on it had table service. This cuisine deserves more than counter service.

I'm not sure what has happened to Grassa. The few times I went to the one in NW, it was very good. The one on Hawthorne offered up a very disappointing experience starting with the fact their chopped salad had items in it that were not listed on the menu, and was missing several items that were listed on the menu. It wasn't even close to the description of the salad on the menu. When I inquired about this, the response was "yah - we don't include everything that is in something on the menu" - hmmmmm, isn't that the point of listing what is in a salad? So people can determine if they would like it or not? Will NOT be going back ever. read more

It's my own fault for not looking at the pictures of the inside but I thought based on the website design and the prices that this was a higher scaled Italian restaurant and it's just simply not. It's got a decent vibe inside but definitely for the office worker running out for a quick lunch or group of friends wanting to hang out on high top wooden chairs. In my most pompous voice, "having lived in Italy for over a year" this food would let the motherland down. My guy and I both got super greasy pasta. I was starving so I ate all of mine but he wasn't able to complete his. I ordered the black truffle one and he got the butternut squash one. Overall, it wasn't terrible but it wasn't amazing either. I've definitely had better Italian here in town for similar prices so avg rating. read more

I wish I could give this place ten stars. This is the best pasta place I have ever been to, and I am not exaggerating. For the quick and friendly service, reasonable price, and delicious food, this place is top tier. I ordered the carbonara and it came with a runny egg on top and some protein. The noodles were slightly thick and chewy. When I was walking into the restaurant, I could see the workers making different pasta from scratch. The pork belly mac and cheese was very flavorful. I also enjoyed the calamari because it had deep-fried lemons and other fish inside too. I would highly recommend coming here. There is plenty of seating inside and the ambiance is 10/10. read more

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You cannot go wrong with just the classic marinara. The noodles are so thick and good and the sauce is so fresh and perfect and delicious. They absolutely knocked this out of the park. I think it's the best I've ever had. I've tried some of their other more unique pastas, and they are pretty good, but this classic pasta right here is what they do best, in my opinion. It is also a fabulous DoorDash option because Pastor doesn't get all soggy on the way to be delivered. We ordered Grassa for a work lunch and it was fantastic. Fair warning, we did order at 11am right when they opened and the delivery time was 45min-1 hour, so def order ahead of time! read more

Grassa - Adult Marinara - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Enjoyed their downtown location and like this one more. Delicious pasta and apps. Excellent service. Great wine and beer selection. Clean food. Very tasty. Will come back. read more

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Grassa has been hands down one of my favorite places in Portland since they opened. It's such a pain getting to the DT/NW23rd area for me, but I still endure thru the pain and do it anyways bc of how much I love Grassa. Grassa has been my default restaurant when I can't decide on what to eat, or if I'm with a group of indecisive people, or when I'm entertaining guests from out of town. First off...I absolutely love the location and space. The layout is easily the best of all 3 locations. The vibe is familiar and similar but I love the ambiance here just slightly more. There is ample seating and booths here, which can be an issue at the other locations. For years whenever I didn't wanna make the trek downtown, I'd just stop short of crossing the bridge and just eat at the original Lardo location instead, which is also owned by the same people. But how that Grassa is here, they will be in my regular lunch rotation when I eat out. read more

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Never been here before. I had the Caesar salad and hot pocket. Great lunch! The Tajin lemonade was killer. If I lived in Portland and eat here all the time. read more

Very meh. This place is overrated. Food is bland, not a lot of flavor. Order at the counter but still expected to tip 20%. No menus on tables. Our whole party didn't feel great after the meal. One of our guest complained about stomach aches. We were pretty disappointed and underwhelmed. Especially for the price. It is not cheap. We spent $250 for 5 people and only 3 of us had a drink. Ended up leaving a good amount of food behind because no one was really into it. Won't be back. read more

04/06/2022: 4.0 out of 5 - I've been to this location several times now. I've also been to the downtown and the NW locations, as well. Of the three locations, I like this location more due to not having to wait too long while getting the same quality of food, and a bit better service. Just my humble opinion of comparing the locations. Although, it's been awhile but it would seem Grassa shares a common dilemma that many Portland eateries have. Prices of menu items increased with a slight drop in quality and/or quantity. I get it, but Grassa (like many other eateries in the area) can and should do better by its patrons. I am hopeful of Grassa, as I do enjoy the fresh pasta and the flavors that they created. And, I still feel that the Frito Misto is not the only best item on its menu, but the best tasting Calamari dish in all of Portland. If you ever get a chance, do try it once and decide for yourself. Enjoy! read more

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