i dont know if half of these reviews are robot generated.. but here is a real review. The atmosphere of this place is nice, its on the smaller end of most Italian restaurants.. but most Italian restaurants in the area are small. My family went on a friday night which was packed and loud, so i thought that was a good sign meaning the food was good, I was wrong. The waiters and staffs are what I gave the stars for. They were friendly and didn't hesitate to make recommendations which I liked. The food there I would care less for. The steak and veal chops were just average at best. The seafood spaghetti and fettuccine alfredo were bland (seafood) and salty (fettuccine). The steak and veal chops were done well, but it took them over 40 minutes to prepare the meal. You go to a restaurant and end up waiting an hour to get a decent meal is a no go for me. On top of that, the steak was a size of a child's heart and overpriced $25-30, with sides of diced carrots and potatoes. It was an okay experience for me and my family. Would I go there again? Probably not, but it was decent for an italian restuarant that wasnt in the city of philadelphia. read more

I had heard so many good things about this restaurant couldn't wait to go. BUT! I ordered lobster tail and the horrible fishy smell when served to me was overwhelming! It was clearly old and NOT fresh the only thing fresh was the pushy waiter who made lude comments while telling us over and over to leave him a good tip. not worth the trip to this part of town! stay away! read more

Great diamond in the rough, the rough being Delco with respect to restaurants. Best BYOB I've been to in a while. We try to go often. Food is impeccable, service is uncanny! There is outside seating for a nice night, and accommodations for medium size parties can be made. Highly recommended! read more

This has ALWAYS been my favorite place for Italian food! I usually go with my whole family and they treat us like gold, which I believe is partially because my father is very Italian and clicks well with the staff. The fried mozzarella is unbelievable! And the chicken parmesan is my absolute favorite. I never skip dessert at Portobello's because the coppa spagnola is incredible; vanilla gelato with black cherries. However, I recently went without my parents for the first time, with my boyfriend (we are 21 and 23 and probably look even younger). It was blatantly obvious that the servers were treating us very differently than the "older" "adults" around us. The staff was not attentive (though they were to everyone around us). They brought us the check without mentioning dessert, and we had heard them offer dessert menus to every table around us. They were not personable, smiley, and cheerful with us as they were with the "adults." It's disappointing because we are paying customers just like anyone else, very polite and always tip more than 20%. We felt unwelcomed and like we were being rushed out. Otherwise, the food is incredible and the atmosphere is nice. read more

For someone that is grossed out by mushrooms in general I was a little thrown off by the name at first. My friend brought me here or I probably would have never came. I will come again though. The food was fantastic. I had ravioli and my friend had a spaghetti. It was fairly priced and the staff was very nice. It took a while for the food to come, but it was very busy so I guess that is to be expected, especially at a smaller, non corportate place like this. read more

Food was fine but I have never had my fork taken out of my hand before while eating and my plate scraped into a box. Did I mention I was still eating! Silly me, I left a generous tip. That was very rude and I wish I had handled it at the time but was taken so aback, was in disbelief. There were empty tables and no one waiting to be seated. We will not be returning and will tell our story to others. read more

Good restaurants are hard to find in Southeast Delaware County, especially Italian restaurants. While being within close proximity to South Philly and Media is great, it's still nice to find a cozy, authentic, Italian BYO just a few minutes away from home. We'd heard about Portobello Cafe for years, and finally had a chance to try it, and it did not disappoint. The food was fantastic, from one of the best versions of Veal Saltimbocca we've ever had, to a Veal Chop Milanese that was well oversized, delicately fried, and covered in a perfectly dressed salad of arugula, radicchio, tomato and red onion. They had a variety of specials as well, and when our table couldn't decide on dessert, they brought us out a sampling that included their tiramisu, chocolate cake, cannoli, and cream puffs. Dinner for 4 that included 3 appetizers, soup or salad for all, 4 entrees, a basket of house-made garlic bread, and dessert cost us around $210, pre-tip, which wasn't bad considering the portion sizes and quality. Look forward to going back again sooner than later. read more

First timer. I was told the mussels were very good. I ordered Mussels in white wine, it was very good. It ended there. The second round of garlic bread brought to the table was not toasted. The Caesar salad dressing is homemade but way too vinegary tasting. I had the Gnocchi which were store bought and over cooked but the sauce was almost inedible. The decor was like eating at my grandmothers house decades ago. Only thing missing was the plastic on the seating. The place seems to do well but I attribute that to the large portions and not the overall quality of the food. read more

Very poor service. ...waited to be seated for sometime...I saw few greeters just walk back n forth ..glanced and glanced back....would not recommend the place.. read more

Ate here on the recommendation. Appetizers, main dish and dessert were all a home run. What a gem. Generous portions and everything from the meat to the seafood was not under or over cooked. Service was great and setting is really nice. What you get what you pay for and we were not disappointed. Well worth the money and trip. read more

Food was average . Four of us had dinner table was tight. Bread - you have to be kidding there has to be a good bakery out that way order like the owners import it read more

We had our Christmas lunch there this past Monday; even though the sign said "Monday - Closed". My boss and owner of our company were very impressed with the food and ambiance and asked how I found this place. I told them that the online reviews were the key to my picking this place for our Christmas lunch and there was a lot of talk that we will be coming back. read more

Everything here is phenomenal. There isn't a bad thing to be said. Add in the fact that it's BYOB! Never had a bad meal here out of the 10+ I've had. This is one of my top 2 Italian restaurants. Definitely give Portobello a try. read more

This was my first time at Portabello Cafe, and I had a wonderful experience! Made reservations here because I wanted to try something new and that was relatively close to me. I would definitely recommend this place to others. It is mainly an Italian menu with pasta, meat, and fish options. They had at least 5 specials to tell me for the evening. I started with the one special which was a seafood salad. It came in either appetizer or main course size. The appetizer size was more than enough, and would have been sufficient for even the main course. Plenty of fresh tasting scallops, shrimp, and calamari within the salad. For dinner I got the fettuccine portabello , and it had a perfect mixture of the mushrooms, chicken, and pasta. The sauce was really good, and tasted great as a leftover. It is a smaller restaurant so if noise level is a concern for you, than this might not be the place. Reservations are definitely a good idea because the night I was there they had a few very large parties taking up most of the tables. And it is a BYOB! read more

We almost did not enter the restaurant after pulling into the parking lot, as we thought there may be a disconnect between the reviews and the actual place we were pulling up to. Thankfully, we ventured towards the front door and found an absolute oasis. The service was friendly and quick and the food was outstanding. We certainly would go out of my way to go back again when in the area. read more

Went for lunch while in town for work and did not disappoint. Agreed that parking can be confusing but it's worth it.

Fantastic dining experience. Decor was classic Italian and intimate. The food was exceptional and reasonably priced. I had the veal parm and my wife had the NY Strip on special. The veal was outstanding and the steak was probably one of the best I ever had. I brought a bottle of wine and hey provided an ice bucket and opened the bottle. I wish I had room for the dessert menu. I will definitely return. read more

Very good excellent service. Location is further down the street than the yelp directions and on the other side of the road.

Food was good, but staff was completely rude. Couldn't enjoy the food because I was so uncomfortable. Will never go again.

When my boyfriend and I started dating he would go on and on about his favorite restaurant portabellas. We went and I could see why he felt the way he did. The restaurant is run by like 3 guys who have thick Italian accents and know exactly what their doing. We brought our own wine and the food was rustic homemade and every bit italian. We love this place and it will be our regular spot for now on. read more

Very good food, more than ample portions and the most friendly professional servers you could ask for. All at reasonable prices at this BYO!

Loved this little find. Amazing food that tasted fresh and rich. Friendly staff that made us feel welcomed and unhurried, even walking in 30 minutes to closing. Highly recommend!! read more

We were thrilled to come across this tiny little neighborhood gem! Although you'd never know it based on the location, this is a great little restaurant where they make you feel like family. We had the calamari, ensalada caprese and shared the pork braciole special and gnocchi. We finished up by sharing a small plate of cannoli. Everything was absolutely excellent! Not to forget, it's BYOB too. I'm looking forward to going again and bringing friends. read more

Excellent place. Went for a business luncheon. Service was great, food was even better. Will definitely return.

Love these guys! Food is consistently great. Interesting specials. BYOB. Visit once and then add it to your list of places to go.

Portobello is a fantastic dining experience. They have THE BEST FOOD in Delaware County. This quaint BYOB restaurant offers italian cuisine, and some of the most well prepared Mediterranean fish we have ever had the pleasure of tasting. Trying their daily specials is a must. The staff will make you feel like you are back at Mom's house; they make you feel right at home. Visit often and try everything, you won't regret it! We have spent anniversaries, Valentines days, and countless other evenings with friends and family at Portobello, it is an experience you will not want to miss! Don't forget to leave room for desert; try their limoncello sorbet....your taste buds will thank you! This place deserves 10 outta 10 stars, a true hidden gem in Delaware County. read more

This restaurant is a real gem! Since I work within close proximity to this restaurant we have been there a number of times for work events. The food is great and the service is extremely attentive. I have brought clients here and they always rave about the local flavor! I recently met some girlfriends for dinner. The weather was great so we sat under the canopy and enjoyed the outside ambience. We all had the lobster fra diavolo. The serving was so generous I couldn't finish it --- took the rest home and had two more meals! Yummy! read more

I have been to Portobello at least a dozen times if not more in the past two years. It is truly the greatest find I could have been referred to. The staff make you feel so welcome, as if you are family over for Sunday dinner. Better yet they take the time to get to know the patrons who enter their restaurant and do everything in their power to present you with the best experience possible. Their food portions are plentiful and nothing on the menu deserves anything less than a five star review. I usually go with the specials, but it never hurts to have a backup off of their regular menu just in case. A fabulous spot, and I wish them nothing but many more years of success! read more

Fabulous place! My family just left the airport after a long travel day, and this restaurant looked good from the Yelp reviews. My husbands ribeye steak was the best we had ever had anywhere, and my fish was deboned table side, and outstanding. Salads were excellent, service wonderful - I just wish we had a restaurant like this back home is Los Angeles. Remember to bring in your own wine, they don't sell wine in the restaurant. read more

This resturant was Phenomenal! The server and staff were very nice and the food was Excellent. I will return.

Food is so good here and the owner is very friendly. Definitely an authentic Italian restaurant worth visiting!!

BYOB in classic Italian. Food was great, start to finish. App special to start, Capellini Gisela/Melanzane Parmigiana/Pollo Portobello for dinner with Tiramisu and Cheesecake to finish. All were great and bill for 3 was about $100. Def on the revisit list, felt like I was at home with the traditional Italian feel. read more

Our first visit and can't wait to go back. My husband, a chef, said it was the best lasagna he's ever had ! I am an eggplant Parmesan lover and feel the same way about Portobello's version....flavorful, moist and delicious. Extremely attentive wait service. Enjoyed a bottle of wine from home and the night was perfect! read more

What a wonderful find! After working in the Chester area for ten years, I finally ventured into Portobello Café with some colleagues on the recommendation of a close friend. So thankful that I did! The server(s) were attentive and funny, and the food was delicious & plenty. And the tiramisu................the best I have ever had! Will definitely go back! read more

One evening looking for a nice Italian restaurant for me and 4 of my friends I Made a reservation. upon arriving we were seated. From the start our waiter had what i would call a very condescending attitude. We took about 30 minutes to order. One reason was because we did not realize that it was a BYOB. I proceeded to run to a local wine store less than a block away which took about 15 minutes. The staff's displeasure in the time it took for us to order was very apparent in their rude demeanor. I might also add that their was a stocked bar at the other end from where we were seated. Filling the water glasses and bringing us some bread in a basket (unsolicited) they neglected to tell us that they charged 3.75 for this item. I have dined at plenty of upscale establishments in my time and never have seen such a thing. we ordered three soft shell crab dishes with pasta at 23 dollars a plate....a portobello pasta dish with chicken that was 14.75 and an side order that came to 17 and some change. so this comes to 108.25. (add one more bread basket) no drinks or deserts ordered. our bill came to 161.00. not realizing the gratuity was included in the bill we double tipped the waiter on a credit card. though it was our mistake, I feel it would of been a moral obligation for our waiter to kindly point that out as he had several opportunities to do so, instead choosing the path of a snake profiting on the honest mistake of one of their guests. at 108.00 giving a tip of 20 percent figuring about 22 dollars. this still leaves a 30 dollar discrepancy. the food was of the class of an olive garden type restaurant. the pasta and gnocci ( a dish that was returned and removed from the bill) was frozen..my friend who is as Italian as if he just stepped off the boat was so displeased with the gnocci he declined a replacement therefore he went without dinner this evening. it was not homemade as you would expect at a fine Italian eatery. my friend reported to me the next day she was back and forth to the bathroom the entire evening. to sum it up...substandard - poor attitude - over billed - over tipped - over rated - big time. 190.00 dollars for a ruined evening. yes that was a 30 dollar tip given over the 161.00 bill. this might give readers an idea of our character giving our displeasure with the entire experience read more