Iorio Restaurant

We stopped in without a reservation, got a great table, and chose the set three course harvest menu and accompanying wine pairings. Everything was so good! It made for a great date night. Yay!

Pros: creative delicious food, great service, romantic atmosphere

Cons: none

Posted 10/31/09

I am simple and to the point. Coming from a NYC Italian **** background cooking w/the best and power players on the Food Network back in the 90's I know what I am talking about.

You enter into a red rose basically. Nice art. Not frilly fancy. Smart, simple, clean w/a glow y ambiance.

Our food. The $2 bean antipasto was my fave, nice light dress and near and dear to me, garbanzos. The butternut squash spread and foccocia was heavenly, and less caloric than butter.

The vegetable lasagna was perfection. My friend had the ravioli of the day. I highly recommend this restaurant and the prices are very fair. Great for a 1st date i would think. Ciao all, come get a falafel too at fat Kitty Falafel!

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Pros: Great service, wonderful food.

Cons: None

Posted 10/21/09

Our favorite spot to eat in Portland when we visit! Great food and Service at Great Prices!

Pros: Great Service Great Chef Great Food

Cons: None

Posted 10/14/09

The smell when you arrive is yummy. The atmosphere is cool. The service was right on the money. Can't wait to impress all my friends and Family with this experience!

Pros: Food and Service superb

Cons: Wish I'd Known About It Sooner!

Posted 10/07/09

Any time it's my pic for fine Italian dinning Iorio's is first on the lists. Especially if I wish to chat softly instead of competing with the din of a noisy kitchen or a bustling bar. It always spic-n-span, wonderful servers, fine food and drink... None match for such reasonable prices. Try the Ravioli, or the fresh catch.

Pros: Terrific menu, easy location, and truly a comfortable atm

Cons: Small Bar...

Posted 09/23/09

First of all, I should have ate here a long time ago, GF or not. The wait staff and chef were so friendly and wonderful! I mentioned I was GF (knowing I would settle for a salad and wheatless entree), but they totally had a GF pasta handmade AND the best GF calamari. Chris, the chef, was gracious enough to make sure to let me know to call next time so he would have something GF prepared. I have had a hard time eating out at places and this was the best experience I've had since being GF 2 years ago! Amazing staff, great food and flourless chocolate cake... heaven....

Pros: Totally accomodating to GF peeps

Posted 06/25/09

This is the nicest restaurant in Portland in my opinion. Very romantic, superb food, very friendly, professional, and relaxed service. From start to finish a fantastic experience. Highly recommend as a date spot.

Pros: Food, Service, Ambience

Cons: None

Posted 04/29/09

Went there on Saturday for the first time. Although, we had reservations, we had to wait over an hour for our table. No fault of the restaurant, but due to campers that we thought would never leave! Anyway, at first I was annoyed and had come to the conclusion that it was going to be our first and LAST time there. But then they offered us wine on the house as we waited and then when we finally sat down they proceed to give us an appetizer on the house too. So even though the wait was terrible, our meal was amazing and the service was top notch.

Pros: food

Cons: campers

Posted 04/26/09

We went here last week for dinner with our 2 young kids. We ordered a kids spagetti and meatballs dish for them to share. The noodles lacked sauce and the meatballs were too spicy for my kids to eat. My husband's lamb ragout was pretty good but salty. I did like my fish dish but it didn't really fill me. But then again i am a big eater...in a thin body might I add. We ordered their calamari which is suppose to have been voted best calarmari in Portland by Oregonian. But it was just ok. I've tried many way better at other places. Overall we won't be back. The food, especially our kids meal just didn't do it for us.

Pros: Some good dishes.

Cons: Some bad-ok dishes.

Posted 04/22/09

We recently held a party in the ballroom above Iorio, and had Iorio cater the event. The attention to detail, menu, decor, and service was beyond perfect.

The people who own this restaurant truly care about serving others.

I heard they are celebrating their 3rd anniversary of business in December. Perhaps a congratulations is in order, from our town, Portland. Very few restaurants have made it past one year on the lower East Side.

Thank you for bringing your home and your love for cooking and serving others into the neighborhood!

The friends and family of Inner SE thank you Hilary and Chris!

Salut!
Very Grateful

Posted 12/02/08

My husband and I visited Iorio restaurant for our fourth wedding anniversary, and was pleased with how great our experience was! Upon arrival, we were given the best seat in the house! Our server was kind and up for small talk. She answered all our questions patiently. Our meals were great. Nothing beats home-made pasta! We couldn't have made a better choice for dinner that night!

Posted 09/05/08

While vacationing in Washington and visiting Portland, we happened upon Iorio's. It was not only a heart-warming experience because of the display of family history but a savoring, mouth-watering feast! In fact, during our 2 week stay, we visited Iorio's 3 times, sharing pretty much everything on the menu! My favorites were the gnocchi with pesto sauce, the Oregon cheese plate, the spinach pasta with lamb ragout. I also enjoyed the ravioli and the beet salad. Yummy! I have recommended this restaurant to my friends who have planned a trip to the Northwest coast.

The service was friendly and timely. We did not feel rushed and were truly enjoying the atmosphere of Iorio's. The very color of the walls was inviting. The family pictures, flowers, candles gave us a sense of home! What a sweet place! My mouth still waters as I think of our meals!

We met the chef, Christopher, whose smile warmed us. His talent for creating meals is outstanding. We also had an opportunity to meet Hilary, the owner, whose vision adds to the welcoming spirit of this fine restaurant. Thanks.

Posted 08/28/08

I get busy (as we all do) and it is a bit of a drive for me, so I find myself making excuses for a "take out" meal... but at least once a month I force myself out to some place inviting with great food. This is my spot when I want to avoid the abnoxious clatter of the mildly interesting spaces nail-kegg packed with 20-somethings.
Here the rooms conversations creat a cosmo atmosphere, the service seem invisable till you need something, and the food... is 5 star. I especially love the love the calamari,any of the ravioli, Pacific salmon, and those chocolate nirvana's!
A desert to you.... a date to me. One I especially enjoy in bed...

Pros: not nail-keg full of selfish 20 somethings

Cons: Tri-met buses are @ flight spead so watch yourself! The vacuum they create will knock you down.

Posted 08/26/08

We went on a Tuesday night and much like all the times before the food and atmosphere wassuperb. The menu choices are always fresh and seasonal. Had the Cod special, oh my...was wonderful. Quality service and quality food.

Pros: Service and Food

Posted 08/11/08

My husband and I found iorio on the Rewards Network dining list (bonus frequent flyer miles) and we're so glad we did. We recently relocated to PDX and were hoping to find an Italian restaurant just like this one - delicious, fresh food, nice atmosphere, great service, good wine & food selections. My favorite: a glass of prosecco and the lamb ragu pasta (sigh). There's often a large party celebrating something special at a long table in the center, which adds a festive atmosphere. (It's never loud or annoying.) Call ahead to be sure there will be a table available (or make a reservation in advance). Sitting at the small bar is a nice alternative, though the lights from the under-counter refrigerators can be a bit glaring.

Pros: Extremely fresh, delicious food, lovely atmosphere

Cons: It's not closer to my house ;)

Posted 06/30/08

Our server was very friendly and well educated on both the wine and food. Between the 6 of us, we had 5 different entrees and all where delicious. Tip: don't skip on the appetizers (calamari and cheese place where amazing!) or dessert (I highly suggest getting the platter and let the chef do what they do best).

Pros: Service, taste, cost/value

Cons: None

Posted 06/14/08

While visiting Portland last weekend with our son's family from Chicago we ate at Iorio. We were very pleased that we chose this restaurant because the menu's offerings and the quality of the wait staff. We started with the calimari, which Iorio was voted as best in the city, and it lives up to its reputation. I ordered the chefs special and was very pleased as it was cooked to perfection, and the presentation of the meal was done nicely. My wife ordered a pasta dish, as all the pasta is made fresh daily, and it pleases as such. We followed with the desert tray, and the flourless chocolate cake was superb. The cost to dine at Iorio is more than reasonable for the fare, and a rare find compared to Chicago restaurants of the same caliber. The portions were generous enough to please this fat Italian. I more than look forward to our next visit to Iorio.

Pros: Great Food and Staff

Cons: only one location

Posted 05/27/08

We've been going to iorio for 2 or so years now and it _was_ my favorite Italian restaurant. I've recommended it to a lot of friends and always make a point to bring out of town guests there. The homemade pasta is still good but the portions have gotten smaller, the prices have gone up quite a bite. We ordered the dinner portion of gnocchi and it wasn't any or much bigger than the starter version, just cost us more. Not to mention the complimentary bread and whitebean spread started along with homemade cookies they used to give you with your check have stopped. I really miss the cookies.

You folks have a good food and if you brought your prices back down and the portions back up you could easily become great again and go back on top as my favorite Italian restaurant. If I see posts where others say you have made these changes I'll come back, until then I'll be searching for a new favorite italian restaurant. Hope you win me back.

Pros: homemade pasta and sauces

Cons: prices gone up and portions down

Posted 05/16/08

I am trying to exactly understand why I did not fall in love with Iorio last night during my first visit.
The food was very good but was a bit dissapointed to see that no bread was served, wine came in a very short glass, and that service looked disorganized. I also think that the dining room setup is not optimized for couples; only one table next by the window seemed very attractive place to sit and enjoy a diner for two.
With the diversity of restaurants we have here in Portland, we are less than likely to spend another diner in this establishment. Lucy's table still owns my heart.

Posted 04/09/08

I've been to Iorio twice. First as a romantic date. Second as a business dinner. Same server both times, who was discreet the second time about the romantic date. Don't know who she is, but cute and blonde. Amazing food. Great ambiance. Great service. mpeccable customer service...I'm salivating just thinking about that. I highly recommend crossing the river for this place. I will return over and over.

Pros: Great service, food and ambiance. Parking.

Cons: NONE

Posted 03/26/08

I had avoided going to Iorio because I have two kids and it just looked too fancy for a family. But I saw on Citysearch that it made the top 10 for family friendly dining, so we decided to give it a go. Right off the bat I loved the place. The ambience was very comfortable and relaxed, yet very tasteful. The service was prompt and friendly.

They have kids' menus and crayons so the kids were kept busy. They DO have a changing table in the restroom, which sure is important if you have one in diapers! And I've been to several restaurants lately that don't have that available which surprises me. Maybe they'd prefer to avoid that type of customer?

We were there to splurge, so we had appetizers, drinks, dinner and dessert. The limoncello and their house Manhattan knocked my socks off - no scrimping on the booze there!

The cheese tray was ornate, substantial in size and variety and divine in taste, with things like candied walnuts, herbed chevre, blue cheese, beet salad, roasted garlic cloves, etc.

I had the oranic chicken breast and my husband had the catch of the day, while the kids dined on an enormous cheese pizza. Everything was just delicious.

We finished it off with their dessert platter which included cannelonis, little flourless chocolate cakes topped with cream gelato, and a fruit tart of some kind. There was plenty for the 4 of us, although I'm sure I could have finished it off myself...

The bill came to around $100 for the 4 of us after tip. The entire dining experience was about 1 1/2 hrs. I thouroughly enjoyed every bit of it and will return often!

Pros: food, location, service

Cons: hours open

Posted 03/13/08

My husband took me to Iorio for Valentine's and I was pleasantly surprised. The decor, the lighting, and the service was my ideal for a romantic night out. While we waited I ordered the Pomegranate martini and the alcohol to juice ratio was mixed with finesse.
The calamari was delicious. Not too greasy and not too salty. It was just right. They ran out of champagne by the time we ordered, but luckily the Proseco was a good back up. When I was thinking Italian, I wasn't expecting to have plates with such great presentation . I am curious as to see what their regular menu is like. I highly recommend Iorio for a romantic night out.

Pros: The ambience

Posted 02/28/08

My wife and I went to this restaurant for our anniversary. So far, this is the best Italian restaurant we have been to in town. They mesh classic Italian recipes with local ingredients to create a very unique dining experience. The setting was very intimate; a great location for a quiet, romantic dinner.

Posted 02/09/08

I took my husband here last week for a romantic dinner, and it was perfect. I made a 5:30 reservation. When we arrived the place was empty except for 2 people at the bar, and we were seated at the only window seat, which was absolutely great. We had plenty of attention since we were the only ones there for a little while so we looked through all our options and asked many questions. We like having a variety of food and we like to share, so our server helped us pick our dinner and made a great wine suggestion based on our tastes. I chose the 4-course menu and my husband added an appetizer and an entree. We started with cocktails and the calamari and my appetizer (can't remember exactly - it was chicken on a crispy bread). We wanted muscles but they were out. I don't remember my cocktail and honestly I'd go without it next time. The calamari was okay but nothing great in my opinion - the batter did not have much crispiness to it and the aioli and vinegar were good but... eh. The appetizer with my 4-course was awesome, though. I didn't really want to share with him :) We split my pesto gnocchi which was also moderately good (but we devoured). Then we received our entrees - he had chicken on a bed of cheesy polenta, and I had cod on a bed of potatoes. They were amazing. We like to eat out and my husband said he had had plenty of good dinners but this was the best he'd had in a long time. I have never heard him moan over his food like that! The combo of chicken and polenta was truly fantastic. I liked my cod but my potatoes were the best. We literally cleaned our plates. And then we finished with banana bread pudding (SO good) with a side of chocolate gelato.
We must've been there for two hours and after a while the place filled up. We loved our seat and realized it's good to get there early. Overall it felt very romatic - we had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We will be coming back soon, and we will be bringing friends and family.

Pros: Amazing fresh,local cuisine; service; parking; changing menu

Cons: Some cocktails... not much else

Posted 01/15/08

My boyfriend and I went to Iorio on a Saturday night with another couple and had a great experience. We were seated promptly without a reservation, and the server was polite and helpful. We ordered the cheese plate for an appetizer, and I have to say, it was the most magnificent and delicious cheese plate I've ever seen. It came not only with a variety of cheeses but also pesto spread, sliced olives, marinated bell peppers, marinated garlic, sliced beets, and walnuts. The plate was huge for the price of $10, and I honestly could have eaten just the cheese plate for dinner it was so good. I had to stop my boyfriend from actually licking the plate. The entrees took awhile to arrive, but they were very good. I ordered a salmon special which was served on top of a crab cous cous that was delicious. My boyfriend ordered the smoked salmon ravioli, which he also liked. My only complaint about the entrees was that they were fairly small for the price (mine was $20 and my boyfriend's was $16 and came with only 5 or 6 ravioli). Our server was very good about accommodating one member of our group who is allergic to cow's milk (but not goat milk), and she also really liked the entree that she ordered. Overall, I'd recommend Iorio for a nice night out, but probably not a special occasion or a romantic date. The atmosphere is noisy and echoey which doesn't make for quiet conversation.

Pros: Good service, excellent cheese plate

Cons: Noisy, entrees somewhat overpriced

Posted 12/15/07

Dear Chris,

I think that's your name, you came out to our table. I recently dined at your establishment with the highest expectations of organic cuisine, ambiance, and service. I was dissappointed by all three. I noticed almost immediately that the proclaimed house made pastas reeked of the well known Classic Foods purveyor. It was an instant turnoff. After the meal I was tasting your signature apple tart and I found an extremely long black hair embedded between the dessert and the plate. The server was surly and uncoothe and not sympathetic to my families needs. I will not be returning unless an apology is made to Me and my family.

Sincerely,

The Robin Steelin Family

Posted 12/09/07

My wife and I ate here while on a recent two-day trip to Portland.

My wife ordered the chef's prix fix menu, which came with special wines for the first and second course. I had the spicy saugage and tomato soup (dynamite!) and the seared duck breast (also fantastic).

My wife's first course was an exquisite pumpkin gnocchi in a brown butter sauce. The waitress brought out the wrong fish for my wife's second course. She apologised, and promised to return shortly with the right dish. After a few minutes, she came out with some delicious salmon.

At the end of the meal, we were shocked to see the bill: the restaurant had taken off a number of charges to compensate for the mistaken dish. In fact, they charged us about half of what they should have.

In short, the food and service couldn't have been better. I highly recommend Iorio.

Pros: great food and service

Cons: a bit noisy

Posted 10/08/07

My wife and I had a lovely evening at Iorio. We were there on a Wednesday night and they had some great live music (Will West). The fixed menu of the night was perfect and the wine we got was a nice match. The wine menu is small but the wines they do have seem to be well chosen. The whole experience made me feel like I did when I starting dating my wife in Portland 12 years ago. Looking forward to another romantic dinner at Iorio.

Pros: Food, Ambience, Service, Parking, Live music

Cons: Limited wine list

Posted 09/26/07

I like it - Local, Twists on Traditional fare, good service, and keen on minor details like asking for allergic reactions when taking a reservation. Good stuff, but the food needs to match... The antipasto and app's were very good but the entrees were average. The wine list is affordable (good), but not well selected...

Good restaurant, not what its raved to be on citysearch

Pros: Service

Cons: No Valet, Wine Selection

Posted 09/23/07

I went here for my birthday this year. My mother and I ordered the Chef's sampler- it is true to it's word in that you get samples only. But each sample got more delicious as we went along! It started with a spicy prawn ceasar salad- it was very good, but nothing extraordinary. Next was a pesto ravioli. This was absolutely delicious. However, I was really disappointed that they only gave me two raviolis. Come on! You need at least three!! It was so good I wanted to lick the bowl, but I didn't. Next was a wonderful grilled salmon on a bed of Israeli couscous and grilled vegetables. This was my absolute favorite. The piece of salmon was a decent size, slightly smaller than what would be an true serving. I wanted more couscous though. The whole thing was drizzled with balsamic vinagrette, and was wonderful. Dessert was slightly less wonderful- three little fried donuts (some francy French name I can't remember) drizzled with strawberry and chocolate sauce. They were very good, but not as good of a finish as I had expected.

My dad had a pasta dish I can't remember, and the beet salad. He LOVED both, and I think he left more satisfied than my mom and I because our portions were pretty small.

If I was the chef, I'd charge a few more dollars and give decent portion sizes. Other than that, it was INCREDIBLE. They even give you a little anise seed cookie at the end.

Pros: Delicious food

Cons: Service was unmemorable; Parking is a bit irritating on Hawthorne, but they do have a small lot

Posted 09/06/07

I read all the rave reviews so I decided to take a friend from Brazil to this restaurant. Oh! it was a mistake. Food was below average. Pasta was rubbery, pizza was tasteless, cookies were burnt, coffee was luke warm, service was ok, ambience so so. It was hardly crowded so calling ahead to reserve is a joke! At the end they did give us a complimentary dessert and let us stay until the restaurant closed without trying to hurry us. The staff was very friendly, but niceness cannot satisfy your appetite for good food.

Posted 07/31/07

My husband & I spent a delightful Saturday evening at Iorio recently. We were visiting Portland from out of town and selected Iorio based on the recommendations at this website. We were very happy with every aspect of our experience there. We were pleased to see that the wine list contained selections that would satisfy almost any palate and was not overwhelmingly large. The food was absolutely delicious. We decided to split the beet salad and were given generous portions for each of us. I had the organic chicken breast. The chicken was moist and tender throughout and the polenta was smooth and creamy. My husband had the duck, and from what I could tell, he was just as pleased with his entree. We did have some room for dessert, so we shared a cherry gelato. It was lovely, vanilla gelato studded with delicious cherries and served an a waffle type of cracker. From the time we entered to the time we left, the service was nothing less than attentive. We also had the chance to chat briefly with Chef Chris. Subsequent to that, Steven, a member of his staff came over and talked to us about other restaurants we might like in Portland, and even went so far as to make a reservation for us! The topper? The bill. For 2 mixed drinks, a bottle of wine, a salad, 2 entrees, a dessert and coffee, it was less than $100. Can't beat that! We will absolutely dine again at Iorio next time we're in town and will recommend it to everyone who has travel plans to Portland.

Posted 07/31/07

We are SO glad we didn't just go someplace else after u-turning a few times looking for the place. Hawthorne is crazy over there! When we walked in the hostess greeted us as if we were her sister and brother- in town for just one night. We were seated and immediately presented with the wine list (really affordable and well done, NOT cheap- but inexpensive wines) and menus. The waiter was awesome and led us through the menu and specials expertly. Wine sercive is perfect and the stemless glassware adds to the romantic touches of the place. FOOD is AMAZING. We had salmon that was the best I've ever had. Every single sauce and ingredient is inventive, fresh, and stunning. There is nothing on the menu that you've had before I bet. I left thinking that the food was not too filling and absolutely perfectly executed. It was the first time since moving to Portland that I didn't leave thinking, gee, I could have made something better at home. We stayed late and we NEVER rushed. Everyone in the dining room (staff) gave a quiet but personal goodbye as we were leaving. Wow. This place is fantastic....

Pros: Amazingly affordable. Good date spot

Cons: Damn one way Hawthorne :)

Posted 07/21/07

My husband and I chose Iorio for our anniversary based on the recommendations on this site. We were not disappointed! We dined on a weekday night and found the atmosphere romantic (cozy decor, not too busy) and service wonderful (attentive from beginning to end). And the food...so good! The foccacia with butternut squash spread was a great little starter. We had read great things about the gnocchi, so we started with that (it was served with a cream sauce on the day we visited) and both my husband and I chose the pork with polenta for our entree (it is a different dish than the osso bucco listed on the internet menu).
The gnocchi was so delicious. I could have made a meal of those little bites of heaven and been perfectly pleased! Another reviewer described the gnocchi by saying that it could "change lives". I agree. The portion was generous enough that it would easily satisfy if ordered as a main course. The pork, though not quite what we expected, was perfectly done and a delicious surprise--if it would have been described in detail my finicky husband may not have ordered it or would have requested alterations, but he ended up loving it, in spite of himself! The only "bad" thing about the experience was that we were too full to get dessert (but a group at another table ordered the dessert sampler and were obviously satisfied). Great choice for those seeking a hearty Northern Italian meal and for those who appreciate quality and creativity in their food. We will be repeat customers and recommend Iorio highly to our friends and family!

Posted 07/10/07

Absolutely wonderful mixture of flavors and textures. Everyone in my party was more than impressed with their dinners (definitely start with the tender calamari) and the attentive service. The only downfall was the noise level ... I was expecting a subdued ambiance that held up to the rating of being one of Portland's romantic dining spots, and instead got something more catering to the young date crowd with the piped in music a tad too loud for dinner conversation. Don't get me wrong - I will be returning time and time again, but now I know what to expect.

Pros: Service

Cons: Noise Level

Posted 07/07/07

Tried it for the first time last night after the positive reviews here and was not disappointed. We made a reservation earlier in the day and probably would recommend it for weekend nights (it was pretty busy). I was impressed that when he took the reservation he inquired about food allergies and special occasions.

When we got there, we were seated promptly. The space is modern and pleasant but not especially romantic, as another reviewer mentioned. The fresh warm focaccia bread and squash-garbanzo dip was an excellent starter. I had the chef special menu consisting of watercress salad (ok), a couple ravioli (perfectly cooked and delicious), salmon on celery-mashed potato (again, perfectly cooked) and gelato (ok). We also had the calamari, but this one I couldn't recommend. It's not bad (breading was light enough), but the calamari wasn't particularly tender and the cornmeal breading seemed to overpower it a bit. We also tried the organic greens with candied walnuts. The salad was pleasant enough on its own but nothing special; however, the goat-cheese tarts that were served on the side were an excellent surprise. Our second entree was the duck. Wow! Perfectly cooked and a nice pairing with the cherries. The second desert was the apple tart - very tasty with a light phyllo-like crust that wasn't overpowered by the small pieces of apple in a light sauce.

I think next time I wouldn't order the chef's menu and order ala carte instead. We'll definitely be going back to see if they can hold up to our, now substantial, expectations.

It seems like this place is a winner.

Posted 07/07/07

We found this place thru city search and we were not disappointed. Great food, great atmosphere and excellent service. We will definitely go back to this spot and will be recommending it to our friends.

Posted 07/05/07

I had read the reviews and was excited to try Iorio. We had to cancel reservations twice so I was a little worried that I would be disapointed due to anticipation. I couldn't have been more wrong! We arrived a little early for our reservation and were seated immediately. The ambience was inviting, an open dining room with just the right amount of tables so you don't feel cramped. Not too loud, and family friendly.

The food was divine! The toasted foccacia with organic squash and garbanzo bean puree topped with roasted garlic and shaved parm yummy. We ordered the Calamari with cornmeal crust, preserved lemon aioli and serrano chili vinegar. It was tender, warm and I loved the serrano chili vinegar for dipping - great combination of flavors.

I had the Beet salad with dolce gorgonzola - very well prepared and delightful tasting. My wife had the Iorio whole romaine leaf Caesar - simple and tasty. For dinner I had the Casarecci - Fresh hand-rolled pasta and Manila clams in a garlic cream sauce with kale and chili flake - the pasta was perfect and the clams were tasty - overall, not too heavy as cream sauce so often is. My wife ordered the Catch of the Day - smoked salmon and sea scallops over orecchiette pasta. Great tasting!

For dessert we had the flourless chocolate cake with crema gelato and the chef's special strawberry cake with strawberry gelato. Both were decadent!

Service was impeccable. Stephen was friendly, knew the menu and easily made recomendations for wine pairings. When Stephen was busy with another table, another server would step in and make sure our water was full, or clear a place setting before the next course.

Chris, the chef, and his wife visited our table and chatted with us - what a nice touch! Overall, our evening was a great experience! We never felt rushed. Chris, Hilary, Stephen and the rest of the staff made us feel welcomed and part of the family!

We will be back many times with all of our friends!

Pros: Service, Ambience, Food, Presentation, EVERYTHING!!!

Cons: I had to stop eating!

Posted 06/30/07

The food was good but not as everyone described it. I was looking for a great Italian dinner - it didn't quite meet my expectations. The service was great - the calamari was yummy and would recommend having that. Would I go back? Not any time soon.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Food was OK

Posted 05/27/07

Went to Iorio for my birthday. After reading reviews, I was excited to check it out. Was somewhat dissapointed....prices are not what is on website, service is ok, food is ok. Bread is awesome!

Pros: Ambiance

Cons: price, service

Posted 05/09/07

Iorio's floored me with their food! They really know what they're doing at this place. Tender calamari, pillow-soft gnocci, rich lamb pasta. My partner had the pork rib with quinoa and green beans and it was also divine. We shared a perfectly done salad and were stuffed by the time the cannolli arrived. Punctual, pleasant service too. Will we be back sooner than later and we're telling everyone to try it! One of Portland's best without a shadow of a doubt.

Pros: Food, service

Cons: None

Posted 04/29/07

We went here for the first time last Friday. The atmosphere is nice, however, I would not rate it "romantic". The tables are fairly close together. The chickpea salad and pumpkin spread where OUTSTANDING. We then ordered the gnocchi and it was even better. I believe these 3 items eclipsed the main entrees, unfortunately. My husband had the chef's choice (flat iron steak) and the portion was very small and he said it was "okay." I ordered the Lamb Ragout Tagliatelle. It was good, but not as good as the appetizer. The service was incredibly slow and disorganized. Our waiter couldn't even remember what we ordered at the end and I had to tell him. It seems that they could do well with another wait staff to seat, run credit cards, fill water, clear tables. They seemed very understaffed and they could turn tables over MUCH faster. We saw 3 people who were waiting - get up and leave. The tables were not being turned over in a timely matter. We asked for more bread twice and finally received it when we were almost done w/our entrees. I hope the administrative details don't sink this restaurant.

Pros: Appetizers

Cons: Service

Posted 04/22/07

From the moment we walked in, we had outstanding service. My husband and I sat at the bar while we were waiting for our table. It was so comfortable there, that after sharing a bottle of wine and some great gnochi and squash appetizers, we decided to finish our meal there. The roasted chicken was outstanding and the pasta tasted great and was fresh. We felt very pampered there and all of the staff was very attentive, while at the same time leaving us our space. I highly recommend it here and can't wait until we go back!

Posted 04/06/07

I took my wife to this place last Friday and we had an amazing time. The nochi, the spaghetti, the rib-eye were to die for... while our waitress was busy another waiter jumped in to get our cocktails going and custom made our drinks. Great romantic experience, gotta go!!!

Pros: Great food, great service, great wine, great cocktails... great experience

Cons: none

Posted 04/03/07

When we walked through the doors I wasn't sure if my toddler would be welcomed with open arms, but my fears were put to rest quickly. They have a small basket of toys and books for the youngsters to keep themselves busy, a kid's menu, and a fold-out changing table in the restroom. Beyond my amazement about the restaurant being kid-friendly, the food and the service were exceptional!! There was the foccacia with warm spread and then a garbanzo salad to nibble on. The most delectable gnocchi ever tasted - a person in my party who has been often to Italy said that these were the best she'd ever had. The Ragout of Lamb was complex and tasty, the Pan Seared Duck Breast was tender and paired well with cherries. However, I must say that the Eggplant and Goat Cheese left so much to be desired - order something else. The wine selections were average and we got a bottle for the table that was reasonably priced and very good. We all enjoyed the experience and we would definitely go back.

Posted 03/13/07

This relatively new restaurant on Hawthorne in SE Portland was recommended as a "romantic" restaurant by CitySearch. We arrived and were seated immediately at a candle lit table in a relatively small and quaint dining room. From beginning to end our meal was spectacular. From appetizers, including the herb gnocchi's and focaccia bread with squash/garlic puree, to my spectacular Osso Bucco and Judy's Lamb Ragout...my goodness, it just didn't stop. Chris, the chef, came by our table twice to welcome us and chat. No hurry whatsoever. Our salads were subtle and perfectly balanced--mine the whole leaf Romaine Caesar and Judy's the Beet Salad. The wine list is manageable with reasonably priced bottles. We took glasses of Chianti and were enchanted.
At the end of this scrumptious meal, I decided to look at the desert menu. My goodness, cookies and milk. What I didn't know was these cookies were cooked as I ordered them, three huge chocolate chips arriving at our table hot and gooey with a glass of ice cold milk. By this point it was clear that this was a restaurant that paid attention to the very smallest details. The coffee was lilly--just delicious.
I've written many review and have been searching for the best in Portland. Iorio's is it. Reasonable prices, terrific variety of creative appetizers, pasta and entrees to choose from, gorgeous plating and impeccable but comfortable service. We cannot recommend it highly enough. We will be back often enough to try everything on the menu. A romantic, charming and thoroughly delicious experience.

Pros: Every single element as close to perfect as you could want...even their own parking!

Cons: Not one single one.

Posted 03/01/07

The most complimenting salads and deserts of all the restaurants in town... they also poor a perfect scotch on the rocks. The Chef seems to go that extra mile to keep things fresh and new, without disappointing past memories. Mind you, I go there about 4 -5 times a year... I'd go more often but Italian isn't the only Cuisine I eat. I have been to others in town, but I dine alone or maybe with one other for the simple reason that I do not want to have to be distracted. It is warm, inviting, and as I said things others pay little attention to, are just as important here. A fine scotch in a glass that only such a drink deserves, the only salad with beets I've ever enjoyed completely, and deserts that never stop surprising me. These are things beyond the meal others seem to toss in by comparison.... it's the complete meal effort that keeps me returning. Oh and it doesn't hurt that from work/downtown it isn't clear out in Northwestern California.

Pros: ambience, service, attention to details, accessible from mid-town

Cons: It would be great if the city would allow awnings to extend out further from the building in this part of town.

Posted 02/28/07

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Posted 02/20/07

I had read the many reviews on City Search and decided to take my wife here. I was a little disappointed in the atmosphere. It is very nice and clean inside but I wish it was a little more romantic. We were seated at a table in the middle of the room and it was pretty loud inside. There are no dividers between any tables and there are no cozy little booths (which is my own definition of romantic). We had water poured for us and we looked over the menu for 10 minutes or so and were never approached by our waiter for any hints or guidance. We were not even sure who our waiter or waitress was going to be. Since no one was approaching us we stacked the menus up and placed them on the corner of the table as a hint that we were ready to order. Our waiter (Ryan) finally approached us and asked if we were ready or if we had any questions. I was kind of surprised that there was no greeting or introduction by him. My wife and I were a little skeptical about the restaurant at this point.

I ordered the chef's special with the glazed chicken and my wife ordered a pasta dish. Luckily this is where our experience started to change for the better. The appetizers were wonderful. The bread with the squash butter was very tasty. Ryan became more animated if you asked him questions and drew him out. He knew a lot about the food dishes and was pleasant once he started talking. The glazed chicken with polenta was spectacular, I have to say that was one of the best food dishes I have ever tasted. It was full of a blend of wonderful flavors. My wife's pasta was very good but not as good as my chicken:)

We will definitely return to Iorio's. I think it was a very good value for the quality of the food. Service was good as far as they took away the empty dishes right away and kept water glasses filled. It was just the initial feelings of being ignored and no welcoming to the restaurant or introduction by the waiter.

Pros: the food was spectacular

Cons: service

Posted 02/10/07