You gotta love this place. Kinda old school "Johnnys" only easier to get into! Went on a whim the other evening and loved it all. The deeply local Italianos frequent this place. Love that. The decor screams Italy . The bartender knows how to make a mean Vesper, the waitstaff are super pros, they make their own pasta... what else can I say? We kinda opened and almost closed Mario's the other day. Had a great meal. No apps or salads but our pasta dishes were wonderful and the Spumoni was yum! Looking forward to next time! read more

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After working now, my wife and I decided to go out before dinner and have a 'non-aversary' dinner. It's why we go out and celebrate and have a nice dinner but for no particular reason. It's been a couple years since we came here and I was in the mood for some steamed clams and they have some really good clams. We called head and made sure that they were not busy and a girl on the phone said they were not. So we showed up. We were sat within five minutes... didn't go so well after that. After sitting for about 10 minutes, we watched a couple of servers taking care of the tables all around us. No one greeted us. I finally flagged down a busser and asked if he knew who our waiter was. He said he did and would send a waiter over. After a couple of minutes, a waiter came over and introduced himself as Tyler. I immediately ordered some cocktails and an appetizer. He asked if we knew what we wanted for dinner and we did so we gave him our dinner order also. The table next to us ordered some cocktails and a different server. Brought the drinks within five minutes. We sat for about 10 minutes and I was thinking it's not so busy. There are six or seven empty tables, I wonder why it's taking long. Tyler came back and told us that they were out of steamed clams. I told him that's why we actually came here, but it's OK. Just please bring us the alcohol as drinks are a priority. Took 15 more minutes for our drinks. Next problem...wife's drink was wrong. Waiter never returned to check on us. I sent the busser to get the waiter. Waiter came back and said he was going to check on the food and I told him to please fix the drink. 50 minutes have passed, one drink and no food. Now I have to tell you. The food was perfect. My wife loved her ravioli. My veal was tender, and the sauce was delicious. Only problem we have now is: we never saw our waiter again. We finished our drinks, ate the whole dinner, sat for about 15 minutes after dinner...no waiter... we asked for the check and paid online. 1. Server never came back to check on the food. 2. Server never asked us if we wanted more cocktails or if the cocktails were good. 3. Server never offer us dessert. 4. Server completely neglected us It's not acceptable. read more

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Portofino's for as many times as I've been there, I don't recall ever reviewing them. It makes for a great dining experience when in want of some Italian eatery. The restaurant is spacious, the ambiance is your usual ambiance of restaurant hustle and bustle with guest talking, enjoying their food. Tonight Fritzie W. and I would go to celebrate a friend's birthday along with our youngest, and this evening didn't entirely disappoint. With a change in waiters, we got Tyler who was positive and engaging. The ladies may cite he was slightly forgetful on things like utensils and slow to draw on side quests, but overall, courteous which made for a positive experience. Around the table I had the Linguine Corleone a dish with sautéed chicken, shrimp, spinach, artichoke carts, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil, our youngest would have their Risotto Fruitti Mi Maré with Arborio rice and assorted seafood, our guest their birthday would have a deliciously prepared Steak (I had a piece, don't judge me) and Fritzie W. had a Veal Marsala. It wasn't too gamy or salty, but tender and wonderful to eat. Each dish had their highs, each boasting a wonderful and heady flavor. We might have went a tad overboard on the cheese but, you get the picture that by the end of the meal it enhanced the flavor some. Side note: their Goat cheese salad is delicious, fresh, flavorful. For dessert we enjoyed what appeared to be lady fingers covered in an espresso type liqueur, but the Fritzie and company cited the presentation wasn't as enticing as the meal. Did we finish eating it though? Yes. Yes, we did. Overall a good meal, with good service and smiles all around. It of course ends up being the little things that would make things better in terms of service, like getting utensils, having bread presentation that I won't knit-pick on too much, but I will say, you'll notice when it's forgotten or you'd have to ask for something. This is a tremendous spot for a weekend meal, special events and when you want tried and true flavors that for the most part hit almost every high note. Give them a try, see what you think. read more

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What a Fabulous Restaurant!!! From the time we arrived until our departure, everything was "Perfect "! Excellent Service!! Excellent Drinks!!! Excellent Appetizers !!! Excellent Meal!!! Excellent Dessert!!! A Wonderful Family Environment!!! Please try it! You will Love it!!! read more

Mario's Portofino - Mario's Portifino's Delightful Celebration! - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

We had a wonderful dinner here. The seafood salad was fantastic and very generous with the salmon and large prawns. While the venue offers a nice, comfortable vibe, the stellar service truly stole the show. It is incredibly refreshing to find a place that still prioritizes great hospitality. Will definitely return! read more

The service was friendly enough. Interior was clean and comfortable. The food was just..eh. We had bread, garlic bread, pasta, and halibut. Nothing stood out as being particularly good and worth the money. We will not return. read more

Mario's Portofino - Halibut - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

What a difference a good server makes! On our first visit to Mario's, we were impressed with the food, but had the worst service we've ever encountered in Reno. But the food was good enough to go back and try again. This time our server was Tyler, and we had an excellent experience with him. So we'll definitely be back! The only reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of five was that my husband asked for a substitution in his dish (he doesn't like calamari and asked for a couple of shrimp in place of the calamari in a pasta dish) and they charged him $12 for the substitution without telling him in advance. That was an unpleasant surprise. read more

Great find on a quick trip to Reno. House made pasta, great wine selection and an old school ambiance. read more

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Excellent desserts. Very very good yummy food, we've been here for over 6 years. Really recommend this place read more

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The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. The staff was friendly and very attentive. The food was amazing!! We had the pancetta wrapped prawns for an appetizer- amazing! And a corkscrew pasta dish with a cream sauce and the stuff pork chop was out of this world. Tender and an amazing flavor! read more

Mario's Portofino - Fusilli Alla Nina - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Mario's is a fantastic Italian restaurant. The vibes are cool with the feeling this place has a lot of regulars that makes it feel they're doing it right. The Hostess was great as you walk in greets you professionally which is a great sign to your dinning experience. The server was great, we had a party of 6 and we had a great time with his professionalism and recommendations. The kitchen and crew do a great job with the menu, Homemade sauces and pastas done to perfection! Highly recommend becoming a regular here! read more

Mario's Portofino - Vintage Ferrari Outside Mario's! Totally Ol' Skool Italian American Vibes! - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Went to dinner after the big snow and we got in with no reservations! We sat in the back with another table who were pretty noisy but we could hear ourselves talk. So the acoustics are good here. Hubby and I got the specials. I had halibut with prawns and hubby had steak Diane. Both were very good! No doggy bags! We've here before and every time we have great food and great service, highly recommend this place! read more

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Food was delish. Flavors were excellent and all dishes came out piping hot we had a table for 9. Added two settings with no problem. Two of us dad the linquini fruti de mare. The dish was fulll of mussels, clams, scallops, and two large jumbo shrimps. The sauce was a red seafood marinara sauce.Linquini was cooked perfectly. Bread was warm and served with olive oil and balsamic. Service staff was very accomodating and efficient. They tended to all our needs. The table ordered 7 different dishes and every loved what they ordered, from salad to pastas. The interior decor at Marios Portofinos is classic upscale Italian. We highly recommend Marios Portofinomfor your next special dining occassion. We celebrated Father's Day there. read more

I cannot believe that I didn't review this magnificent restaurant in Reno NV. At first I was a bit concerned about the location, but once you entered, you're truly transformed to an authentic Italian dining experience and ambience. The food and service are absolutely SUPURB! Giuseppe was amazing and has the most wonderful singing voice! The local diners are very friendly. Again, the food- amazing! We had traditional Alfredo. Don't miss the amazing deserts. Five stars all the way. Can't wait to return this summer. read more

Mario Portofino is a nice little surprise tucked into a Midtown strip mall. From the outside, it doesn't look like much, but inside it's cozy, dimly lit, and has a classic, old-school Italian vibe. The place feels quiet and relaxed, perfect for date night or catching up with friends. Service was solid throughout our visit, attentive without being overbearing, and everything came out hot and in good time. We ordered the linguine frutti di mare, the rack of lamb, and the steak & the truffle fries. Everything was flavorful and well-prepared. The seafood pasta was especially good, with plenty of fresh clams, mussels, and shrimp in a garlicky white wine sauce. The lamb was cooked just right, and the steak had a nice crust on it. Truffle fries were a fun side--crispy and super aromatic. It's a comfortable spot with good food and service, and the big parking lot is a plus. I'd definitely come back. read more

Absolutely amazing Italian food has been going down in this location for many years, Yes, we occasionally stop in for a dinner after doing something else in Midtown, but I would also absolutely recommend this place for an upscale treat of a lunch or dinner The service is multiperson and tight, and we were never left alone for long and in a very good way Good old school, Italian restaurant service, not bottle of red bottle of white candles in the wine bottles cheesiness read more

I took my boss and team of 12 for dinner. Everyone enjoyed their meals it was incredibly good food.

Do to a disability I have a hard time sitting in restaurants so my husband picked up some manicotti for me for mothers day. There was almost no sauce, and what there was had no flavor, the Ricotta cheese was dried out and the bread was dried out. I really expected a better meal from this establishment. read more

My husband finally asked me on a date night and this is where he chose as we've never been and we were next door last week. Cute cozy little entrance. Nice bar. Definitely old school staple it seemed upon entering the main dining room. Holiday decor hanging from the ceiling. Our burrata appetizer was delicious, although one of the apples had a bit of a burned taste instead of the grilled taste the other ones had. I am recently gluten free and learning it. So happy to have a gluten free pasta option because I miss it. I tweaked my dish adding sausage and mushrooms but no sauce other than olive oil or a little wine sauce or butter. Not sure what they ended up using but I was pleased with my dish. Hubs had the halibut special that came with two prawns and he added two more (8$). He liked it but would most likely choose something more gluttonous next time. Of note food was a bit slow to come out. My lemon drop I had high expectations due to the ingredients listed but it fell short of them but was still good. Service was nice and she double checked with me about my order which was appreciated. They give you what I assume is freshly baked sourdough bread (which apparently GF people can sometimes have....) I kept it to one bite and it was heavenly and might even be worth a tummy ache next time. We would return mostly because I can get gluten free options here that tasted good! read more

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Great food, great service! Wait staff aren't pushy, you have ample time to peruse their menu. Anything you order is delicious. Raviolis are amazing! Signature cheesecake is delightful. Lots of drink choices and mocktails. Don't pass up on this place. read more

We really wanted to find something to love about this place, but the whole experience was just a bit well...meh. It was kinda average food and service pretending to be fancy. The waiter was nice enough once we chatted him out of his shell, but really kinda stiff. The ambiance was nice. Maybe the food would have been better if the server had been more enthusiastic, but maybe not. We were kinda reminded why it had been about 20 years since the last time we were there. Sorry Mario. read more

Always a solid choice for traditional Italian food. We came here to celebrate my mom's promotion. GO MOM! Started with a martini. I would have preferred it to be more chilled, but still good. We then had the calamari and appetizer for 2 that we all shared. The calamari was cooked perfectly and had great flavor. For my main, I went off script and got the Mediterranean manicotti. Delicious and simple. Not too heavy read more

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Highly recommend this place for a great experience. Old school Italian place. Great service well priced wine and excellent food. I had chicken piccata and it was great. Like the decor and the service. Bar area is really cool. read more

Very disappointed because I've really liked the food in the past. I had penne with sausage, and I thought the taste was off. My wife had gnocchi which was mushy. Service was pretty slow, apparently they were training someone new in the kitchen. read more

I ordered delivery today; I received my veal piccata and unfortunately it was not good. The veal was dry and tough, the sauce was super watery and very sour, the vegetables undercooked and raw. Very disappointed after paying what I did vs. what I got. read more

Mario's Portofino - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

We came here for dinner with a group of 10. I have to say it was pretty busy for a Wednesday night and we basically closed the place with the exception of two folks at the bar. Our server was fantastic and very accommodating. All the food came out in a good amount of time and was delicious. We were pretty hungry since it was a late dinner so needless to say I didn't get pics of the food, but we will be back so expect more pics at some point. They offered two great fish specials too which was nice. A few of us got the halibut special; other orders were veal parmigiana, calamari steak, polenta, calamari (appetizer), and salmon. Everything was delicious. We even had a lil dessert. Tiramisu, vanilla ice cream, raspberry sorbet, and spumoni. FYI - the sorbet, ice cream, and spumoni come in big sundae type dishes so expect more than a scoop and save room. The seating was great and the decor was lovely. Looking forward to going back again. read more

Mario's Portofino - Main dining and there is a side room off to the left that has more tables/booth seating - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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I have been to Mario's several times in the last 10 years. I had veal piccata - 5 stars. My partner had Calamari steak - 2 stars. The 'cream orange sauce' had a strong, unpleasant vinegar taste. The water they put on the table was awful. It reminded me of Sunnyvale, CA, where they inject water into the bedrock and then draw it out of the water table several miles away. Zero stars. They were crowded and the service was slow one hour after opening on a Saturday. I voiced my complaints to the manager. I think I will go to La Cucina next time. read more

Definitely NOT gluten free friendly. I made a reservation for a group of 10 and I asked before I confirmed if they had any gluten free options because my sister has celiac disease. I also asked about cross contamination in which they told me they're good about and cook their gluten free items in a separate area. When we first walked in, the host was very friendly. Everything after that went down hill, I'm not sure if the server was new but, she was not the best. We probably asked for bread at least three separate times since we had a toddler in a group and wanted to feed right away. Before we ordered, we told the server that my sister has celiac and is very sensitive to gluten. She told us that they had gluten free pasta available but, when we asked about the sauce (this should have been our first RED flag) she stated she was unsure which ones are gluten free and should just pick whatever we wanted and she'll let the cook knows. Our food took about an hour to get there, my order which was the veal piccata and my sisters gluten free pasta took another 15-20 minutes after everyone got their food. By the time the group was done eating, we got our food. After 3 bites of her gluten free pasta, we noticed a noodle strand which was NOT gluten free. Long story short, server never even really apologized, probably came back to us one more after that. I had to find her just so we could get our check. Overall, I gave it a two because the food was good but, everything else was awful. I was disappointed because I really love this place and always recommend it to people. ***My sister ended up getting sick that night. read more

I want to start by saying that my review should not stop you from trying Mario's. I hadn't been since I got active on Yelp again and I wanted to be able to post with photos. We have had prior, positive experiences which is why we went last night. That being said, it's unfortunate that last night was the night. All went smoothly with making the reservation. I had a request to be on the wall which was confirmed via email. We arrived on time and there was no note of this. The restaurant was not busy at 5pm, maybe 3-4 tables seated at that point and we were still seated at a booth as previously promised after a quick stroll through the restaurant offering us other tables. This was probably the warning we didn't heed. Short Version, we left at 6:46pm hungry and running late for our show. When we were seated, we were told our server was new and it might be a minute. We had two hours so it was fine. Ordering went smoothly, she read the specials was really nice and professional. Because of my colitis, I tweaked my order but she noted my restrictions - no onions, bell peppers, tomato (including sauce) and no chili flakes. We ordered at 5:15, the artichoke soup which was divine and the Pollo Portofinto with gorgonzola sauce instead of aurora sauce, pesto on my side and comfirmed the mixed had no onions or peppers. My friend ordered Gnocchi with gorgenzola sauce. The place was getting busy. I ate my soup and we watched table after table receive and finish their food. The people behind us when we arrived, were having dessert and coffee and we still didn't have our food. I went outside at 6:06pm and told her to go ahead and serve it if I wasn't there. No food when I returned. I went to the podium and told her we didn't have our food and she went back to check on it. We are pretty certain that since she said she watched them make it, that they lost our order and didn't want to tell us. We were brought food at 6:21 and they definitely rushed it. At first, my concern was there was both bell pepper and onion all over the veggies and leaking into the food. We were going to eat it anyway but asked for boxes because we knew we had to leave soon (I was just going to eat what hadn't touched the veg) but it was just plain awful. We pointed out that it was not hot to the hostess and she said she watched them make it. I took one bite of chicken and it had no flavor. No seasoning, no salt, nothing. It tasted like chalk and couldn't even swallow it. Same with the gnocchi, no flavor and not cooked. it was cold and doughy and again, no flavor. Pesto was just flour, cream and all I could taste was flour and parsley. The hostess said she was going to discount the check but we couldn't even eat the food. So we were charged for the soup and martini and offered no compensation. We would have been happy to be offered two bowls of soup because we still had to eat, no time to remake anything but after over an hour and a half, we left hungry and went to McDonald's. I emailed about my experience late last night and have yet to get a reply. I'm hoping to at least get some sort of an apology because this is not the Mario's we know and love and we certainly did not get one last night. I will update my review when I have something new to add. read more

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What a great place. Good food and great service. We will be back. The food is fresh and welcoming. The staff is attentive yet relaxed.

We had a reservation for Valentine's Day, and even though it was packed, service was amazing, the food came out fast, and it still felt very cozy and personal. The food was all amazing! I was shocked when the bill came because it was impressively low for such a nice night out. This place is a gem and definitely a new staple for us. read more

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Pro's: That old-time restaurant feel that I love. Con's: Can be inconsistent Go back?: Regularly More... On this night, they NAILED the osso bucco. It was fantastic. The apple gorgonzola salad was terrific, too. A yummy Manhattan cocktail started the night with their delicious fried calamari. Then I moved to wine and they have very nice selections for by-the-glass. I enjoyed this dinner immensely. One bit that was a bit off-putting...my friend temporarily lost her glasses. In searching for them, I turned on my flashlight on my phone to look under the table....ewwwwww! Yike! It's bad under there...wish they would look after better cleaning under this wall/booth table. read more

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We walked into this place on a Friday evening around 5:30 pm and were seated right away, which should have been a good sign, but it was downhill from there. As soon as we walked in, the restaurant had a faint musty smell, which wasn't ideal but didn't seem like a dealbreaker at the time. At our table, I noticed a small dish with pre-poured olive oil and balsamic vinegar just sitting there. It seemed odd, especially because I couldn't help but wonder how long it had been there. Not a great first impression. The crowd here was... interesting. The place was almost exclusively full of people well over the age of 60, which was fine, but it made me feel like we were in a time warp. As the evening went on, the vibe just felt off. Then there was the root beer--definitely not the usual brands like Mug or A&W. Whatever they were serving was flat and tasted strange. The food didn't improve things either. The veggies were soggy, which made me think everything had been microwaved. And for dessert, I found a blonde hair in my ice cream. Both my husband and I have black hair, so it was definitely not ours. I didn't even bother saying anything because at that point, I knew I wasn't coming back. To top it all off, they gave us another table's bill, which was about $100 more than ours. They did correct it, but it just added to the whole lackluster experience. Honestly, I'd rather eat at Olive Garden next time. This place didn't leave a good impression, and we won't be back. read more

Had Linguine Vongole, artichoke soup and red wine, over 60, very expensive but oh, so worth it., last night. My friend had the fusilli and everything was Mmmm sooo gooda. I love this place. read more

Mario's Portofino - Linguine Alle Vongole - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

THE COCONUT CHEESE CAKE. I can't say enough about it I go there sometimes just to get it as a little treat. The steak hits every time, every time. The chicken Marsala is bus and everything goes with the Cesar salad. The drinks are good shout out paul shout out Mario . The service is always friendly. It gives cute date spot with the lighting. read more

This place has a great atmosphere. Our server was great. The food can out hot and was delicious. We would definitely go back.

This is what you get for trying somewhere new. Found this under my sausage. I was told sorry for the inconvenience as I threw up the three bites of food I took. Gross and bad customer service. read more

Mario's Portofino - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

We met a couple of friends out tonight. They picked Portofinos and it did not disappoint. I had the steak with truffle fries. So good. Our friends raved about the mushroom ravioli and the Orange Roughy special read more

Mario's Portofino - Steak with truffle fries - Italian Near Me - Reno, Nevada

My hubby and I absolutely LOVE this Italian restaurant. The food is always delicious and the staff is amazing. We love to sit at the bar. It's so friendly and a great atmosphere. I have yet to try anything that's not great. I highly recommend the Steamed Clams and Espresso Martini. read more

One of our favorite restaurants in Reno. Food and service are top notch. Bar is friendly with Mario serving drinks or ask Liz for a private table if you want a more private conversation Don't forget to try the lemoncello and coconut cheesecake- to die for ! read more