THE PORTOFINO RESTAURANT, Arlington - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews

Menu

Mains

Asparagus and sliced tomato Salad -

over greens with champagne vinaigrette

$9.95

Tonno Crudo -

Sushi-grade sliced tuna with lemon and orange, capers and extra virgin olive oil

$11.95

New England Clam Chowder

Crackers

$10.95

Soft Shell Crabs Portofino -

2 Jumbo Soft-Shell Crabs breaded and deep fried with white wine lemon sauce

$30.95

Salmone Mediterranea -

Broiled fillet of Atlantic salmon garnished with a jumbo shrimp and mussels in a white wine, lemon, and garlic sauce

$28.95

Vitello Primavera -

Veal Scaloppini layered with prosciutto and chicken tenderloin sautéed in white wine sauce

$25.95

Is this restaurant good for lunch?

Yes

No

Unsure

Details

Manage this business?

About

Welcome to fine dining in Crystal City! The Portofino Restaurant was opened in 1970 as a family owned and operated Italian restaurant. They brought to Crystal City, fine Northern Italian Cuisine. Through the next three decades, Sergio and his wife Pilar welcomed thousands of guests to their award-winning restaurant. In 1993, three generations of Micheli chefs joined forces as their son Richard, a recent graduate of the famed Culinary Institute of America, began his work at the Portofino

CUISINES

Italian, Northern-Italian

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Drinks

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available

Contribute

Write a review Upload a photo Ask a question

4.0

405 reviews

Excellent

211

Very good

105

Average

57

Poor

21

Terrible

11

SwimCap

Brentwood3 contributions

Joyful evening

Dec 2020 • none

The Portofino Restaurant provided my parents, spouse, and me a reason to celebrate during this time that often feels isolating. I had called the day before our dinner to see if I could pick up four Portofino pollos and desserts to bring to Mom and Dads’. I wanted to pick up as soon as the restaurant opened. When I arrived, I was greeted by name as my order was being boxed. My parents were early patrons, probably first visiting Portofino the year it opened. My father cannot leave home due to long-term illness. As soon as we told him what we were having for dinner, his smile made his feelings clear. We enjoyed a delicious dinner, and a bit of nostalgia. Grateful.

Written December 13, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

hbhakh

Roanoke2282 contributions

Good, not great

Jul 2021 • none

I had dinner with colleagues at Portofino while staying in the area. The food was good, the bread was excellent. My salmon entrée was well prepared and tasty. I had ricotta cheesecake for dessert.....it was still frozen in the middle. First, I don't find it acceptable that a restaurant at this level would serve frozen dessert. The fact that they didn't properly defrost is even worse. Service was somewhat slow.

Written August 14, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ric B

Weatherford451 contributions

Very Nice Italian Restaurant

Feb 2020 • friends

This is an upscale restaurant with excellent Italian food. The food is authentic Northern Italy, not just spaghetti and lasagna. There are many choices to suite your likes. The wait staff is excellent, and they take a team approach. For example, our water glasses were kept full by three different staff. We ate early, about 6PM, so the restaurant wasn’t crowded. It was by the time we left. If you are driving, there is a small parking area behind the restaurant.

Written February 28, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LuAnn D

Clarksville6 contributions

Will Come Back

Oct 2021 • none

My sister and I came to Portofino based on a suggestion from the Marriott. Arrived at opening, 5 p.m. without a reservation. We were promptly seated by the owner/manager and throughout the meal the staff was very attentive. My sister said the pasta with clams was the best she'd had in over 30 years and my meal was excellent as well. It is definitely on the list to return when we are in the area again.

Written October 19, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mrjason5

Pittsburgh20 contributions

Good Italian food in Arlington Va.

Oct 2022 • couples

Excellent food. I had the stuffed chicken breast and my spouse had the pasta with mushrooms in a cream sauce. Service was prompt. Prices were moderate. Wine by the glass was too expensive but the beers were reasonably priced.

Written October 16, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Peggy S

Saint Helena Island403 contributions

MUST visit!

Mar 2022 • couples

Absolutely amazing food! Went 3/24/2022 without reservation (would suggest getting one though) and seated within 15/20 minutes. Tried the “Italian Margarita” because it sounded interesting substituting amaretto for triple sec and it was wonderful! Husband had Caesar salad and lasagna and thoroughly enjoyed. I opted to try 2 appetizer size pasta dishes (generous portions) because I couldn’t decide. Settled on eggplant and second dish was fettuccini Alfredo with scallops. OMG …. Eggplant was a spin off of the lasagna / not heavily fried like you usually have / and the fettuccini Alfredo was one of the best I’ve ever had. The sauce was a true Alfredo - very creamy, but light and not overwhelming. I refused to leave until I could finish every bite! Wish I’d had room for dessert because what I saw looked so yummy, but maybe next time. Would DEFINITELY recommend your trying this!

Written March 25, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paula C

New Hampshire91 contributions

Welcoming and very accommodating for huge family gathering.

Sep 2021 • none

Our family, a group of 18 from around the country, gathered after a military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. The staff payed attention to every last detail and made us feel at home. The food was plentiful, bread was homemade, and our glasses were never empty!

Written October 10, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SteelBeach

Arlington202 contributions

Wonderful Birthday Dinner

Oct 2020 • none

Sat outside on a beautiful evening. Greeted warmly by the owner and had a great dinner (Chicken Pillar and Carbnara). The staff was attentive and appreciative and we were very comfortable in the environment. They have heaters and blankets for when the weather gets cooler - and we will certainly go back. Please support our local restaurants and business.

Written October 18, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LStaff

Baltimore26 contributions

Fabulous

Jun 2020 • couples

Outdoor seating! We so enjoyed our visit to Portofino. We couldn’t have felt more welcome at such an odd time to find full service dining. The patio was lovely, service impeccable, wine was lush, and my soft shell crab entree was the best I’ve had in years! My husband had the lamb chops and the sauce was amazing. We shared a salad and cream of crab soup, also so tasty. Ended up meeting Chef/owner. You can tell he misses serving up great food in person. Wow. When we are in town that’s where we are dining. Oh and tonight was half price bottle night, bonus!

Written May 31, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mark K

Staten Island192 contributions

Dinner in Arlington

Aug 2022 • none

After a long day of sightseeing in DC we were looking forward to a nice relaxing, no rush sit-down dinner, and that's just what we had at Portofino. Just a short walk from our hotel (the Hampton Inn, see my review) We were seated right away and there were some open tables but they filled up pretty quickly. We did make a reservation the day before for 6pm and by the time we left the place was full, so plan accordingly. The dinner menu had plenty of choices and there was also a daily specials menu. I read the reviews, both the good ones and the bad ones and I'm not too sure why the bad ones were bad. There were 3 of us for dinner. Myself, my wife and our daughter. We all ordered different dishes. I had the Cioppino, a seafood dish that was very good. My wife had Pollo Portofino, a chicken dish and according to her was delicious, and my daughter had the Linguine Monte e Mare, which she said was very good. The portion sizes were just right for us, not too big or too small. It left us room for desserts which were also very good. Pricewise, it might be a tad high but not unreasonable. However, the wine and drink prices did seem a lot higher then expected. The restaurant itself is not very fancy and may be a little dated but it is nice enough and the wait staff were fine and friendly enough. I would definitely eat here again.

Written August 24, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GerryBaron06

Spring City1171 contributions

Enjoyable meal

Sep 2021 • business

Had dinner here with colleagues. The meal and service were great. The bread was perfect - soft inside with a hard crust. Our meals consisted of Caesar Salad, Scampi Fra Diavola, Risotto Aragosta, and a Ravioli special. Everyone liked their meal. For dessert we had Tiramisu, Limoncello Tartufo and Torta Ricotta. We had a bottle of Roccia delle Macie Famiglia Zingarello Chianti Classico.

Written September 22, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BlakelyManor

3 contributions

Put Portofino restaurant in Crystal City on your ‘Must Visit’ list.

Mar 2023 • couples

Old school Italian restaurant that does everything right. Portofino is a charming restaurant in Crystal City that serves excellent homemade pasta. We ordered the Bucatini alla Carbonara and the Orechiette Quattro Funghi and both were done to perfection.

Written March 10, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nomad

Lakewood Ranch286 contributions

Mediocre in every respect

May 2024 • business

This is a large restaurant with ample seating and an old school vibe. It’s a comfortable (somewhat empty) old eatery hinting at potential greatness but ultimately delivering far short of one’s high expectations. While we were greeted by a very courteous host, table service was certainly not as smooth and attentive as it could have been given the light crowd. Bread was fresh baked and was quite nice. Cocktails were mediocre. Calamari was lightly breaded, very chewy, and served with what appeared to be a small dish of thousand island dressing. The caprese salad had what we considered to be fairly conservative pieces of mozzarella. The lasagna bolognese was very soft (not al dente), and, having sampled had many other lasagnas over that past few years, my impression was that this, while edible, lacked a lot of flavor and distinction. Their version of Tiramisu was presented in an odd composition that did not match most examples of many tiramisu’s that we have had in the past and the flavor and delicacy were lacking. Prices were moderately high. We consider this experience to be one of the most mediocre that we have had in several years.

Written May 9, 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Scot Gal

Wilmore164 contributions

Delightful and authentic

Mar 2022 • family

This was a wonderful find! After a long Saturday we called and were able to be accommodated for dinner. It is family owned (two generations) and you can tell. The food was amazing! We had minestrone soup and Caprese salads to start. Classic fettuccine Alfredo, a gnocchi dish, a ravioli dish in sage butter sauce, and a seafood dish. Two of our party are gluten free and that was accommodated! For dessert we had pistachio crème brûlée, a lemon gelato/limoncello dish and a spumoni bomba. Oh my. SO good. We were almost the last to leave and staff were so friendly. They have their own parking in back which is a bonus.

Written March 27, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Arlene Z

Tampa74 contributions

Don’t miss northern Italian in Arlington

Jul 2024 • couples

Fabulous northern Italian food in Arlington. Open since 1970, manages to feel upscale and casual at the same time. Service and selection are amazing. Try the calamari appetizer, it’s really special. Lovely Caesar salads, some of the best bread with olive oil ever, and lovely veal with light cream sauce and mushrooms over fettuccine. The servers, who act as a team, are apparently like family - they move seamlessly and courteously, serving some of the best food we’ve had in a while. The driveway leading to the back parking lot is easy to miss - but street parking is tough, so it’s worth the search.

Written July 26, 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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The Portofino Restaurant

THE PORTOFINO RESTAURANT, Arlington - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor