Lorenzo's

Best Italian food in PDX? I think not! Food was good, black linguine with sea food and putanesca, the location in trendy Mississippi Ave is OK, and the facilities are quaint. They want me to believe the best Italian food in PDX should be eaten with cheap flatware from the wholesale house, and paper napkins? What don't they understand about the experience that includes the food, the wait staff, the ambiance, and the table settings? more

We had a wonderful dinner here. We began with the cheese fondue and it was excellent. Then my wife had the raviolo and I had the linguini, and we were unable to decide which of the three dishes we liked best, as all were very deliciously prepared. All in all it was a very good experience, kind staff and the bill was too easy to absorb for such excellent food! They need a photographer to re-shoot photos for their website, because it was far nicer in person than it looks on the site. We will hope to return soon. more

Stopped in as we were cruising the neighborhood for dinner and they had one empty table. My son ordered a side of the sausage ragu and it was fantastic! They make their own sausage and the spices were perfect. Our waiter was good and the other items we had -- a gnocci dish and a special orchetta with tuna --- were very nice. The torta with fruit for desert was not too sweet -- just right. more

We were drawn in by the atmosphere and tasty-looking menu. This seemed like my kind of Italian. I ordered the special: orriochette with garlic, spinach, and prosciutto. What I got was orriochette with garlic, broccoli rabe, and freaking BACON. It was very good, but it was swimming in oil and too salty, which made it impossible to finish. The wine was good, but I don't love the tiny glass. The whole experience might have been better if the staff cared more about their customers. As we waited and looked around for someone to 1, take our order, 2, ask how it was, 3 give us the check (this is all I ask of a server), we noticed people at all the other tables constantly looking around for help as well. Maybe we came on a rough night. I may come back and try again some time, because the food really has potential. Pros: moderate prices, potentially great menu Cons: very salty, aggressively mediocre waitstaff more

I love this place...wine is served in little juice glasses. They'll make any changes you want to the menu and it's all done with no fuss. A very comfortable, relaxing atmosphere and the food is very good. The red sauce is excellent! Pros: casual and good Cons: didn't find any more

Even though it was packed, we were able to wait comfortably and order drinks. The inimate atmosphere had character and also an open, relaxing feel. As it was our first time, another guest waiting let us know we were in for something good! A table opened before we knew it. The raviolo of the day was amazing, (Sweet potatoes, cheese, prosciutto, and fresh pasta - what a combination!) And the Basil dish with fresh noodle-like pasta and spicy sausage was very tasty. We savored every bite. The chianti was a perfect compliment to our meal and the bread helped us to dab away every last bit of sauce. We will definitely be back again, can't wait to try the next raviolo de giorno! :) Pros: fresh! affordable! unique combinations = delizioso Cons: none more

I just celebrated my anniversary with my honey at Lorenzo's. It was one of the places we went on our first few dates, so we decided to revisit it in honor of the occasion. It had been too long! The food was still fresh and more than reasonably priced. I had the black linguini, swimming in scallops and shrimp, and he had the Puttanesca, all sour capers and anchovies. The bread is rough, the olive oil sits on your table in a jug, and the candle burns bright in a red glass jar. I felt like we got the experience of a fancy meal without the pretension I don't care for. Our server, Maureen, was awesome. She was informed and attentive without being intrusive. The night we were there, it seemed as if they were down a staff member for some reason. But the server, busser, and bartender made sure we had every little thing we could possibly need. We love this place, and we're glad they are so successful. They deserve it! A hint... If a meal is too salty, send it back! Don't you think the chef would want to know? Pros: food, service, atmosphere Cons: absolutely none more

I've been to Lorenzo's in the past, and liked the food. My family were hoping to eat at Gravy, but it was closed. We thought we'd try Lorenzo's again. I ordered the dinner special--gnocchi with smoked salmon. It was delicious. However, another 's sauce was way too salty; the waitress explained that the gargonzola cheese is very salty so I guess others should be aware that this dish might not be to your liking. The biggest drawback to our dining experience was the group sitting next to us. So loud, so vulgur, so utterly annoying. After listening to a loud conversation regarding subjects that Citysearch won't allow me to include in this description, my husband finally asked them to quiet down. It appeared that everyone in the small restaurant were quite relieved when the group left, because other people actually started conversing themselves! Our server told us that the party were friends of the owner; too bad they don't care about the atmosphere in their friend's restaurant. There are plenty of bars in the neighborhood for loud, boorish, drunks. We'll think twice about visiting Lorenzo's again. Pros: nice servers, great gnocchi Cons: very salty, other diners more

My husband and I decided to try Lorenzo's on our date night last Friday, and we were blown away by this unpretentious, wonderfully romantic restaurant which had us feeling as though we were inside a small open air restaurant in what could have been any number of Italian cities. Based on some of the older reviews posted, it seems Lorenzo's is set up differently than it was a couple of years ago. It's now a sit down restaurant, and our service was incredible: attentive, unpretentious and educated on the menu and wines. The portions are not monstrous in size, but neither are they small; in fact I had leftovers, which I can't wait to eat for lunch! If you want a romantic night out or simply a relaxing family style Italian dinner with family and friends, I HIGHLY recommend you try Lorenzo's! Pros: Incredible Food, Great Service, Romantic Ambience Cons: None more

Lorenzo's is truly one of Portland's best Italian restaurants. The food is honest, simple, and fresh. Lorenzo cares deeply about your taste buds and truly wants you to eat well and enjoy yourself. These days you will find him back in the kitchen, cooking every dish, with the love and attention that you can see and taste in every plate. The salads are dressed to perfection, the pasta is toothy, and the sauces are fantastico. The restaurant itself has undergone a few changes for the better, growing up and into it's own. The deli style counter service has changed to full a full sit down service and the chalk board of specials is now given to you table side by a waiter, making the whole Lorenzo's experience more relaxed and yet, somehow, more formal. The addition of a full bar in the back, where the deli case used to be, is great for watching the action in the kitchen. The drink specials are straight forward and absolutely affordable. My lunch of an organic salad tossed in red wine vinaigrette, bread with oil and vinegar, a giant rustic raviolo of the day, and a glass of Montepulciano was perfect. The raviolo had roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions, prosciutto (added for $1 more), a silky cream sauce and fresh sage and toasted almonds. No kidding, all of this for $13.50! I was full, happy and relaxed and spent a little time just taking it all in on the big comfy couch. Besides the great food, no one seemed to mind that my son, 10 months old, was with me. In fact, you might say that Lorenzo's and Lorenzo himself are quite child friendly. I highly recommend the food here. Pros: Great prices, Delicious food more

The pasta was sub par and totally uninspired and WAY too salty. Servers were indifferent. We feel this is one of the least desirable restaurants on Mississippi Ave. Embience is so-so as wel. If you're on Mississippi, cross the street or walk a block or two to any number of fine restaurants. Pros: location near Mississippi Studios Cons: food,service,embience more

I am a born and raised Los Angeles native that tries any new restaurant that's deemed worthy by the professionals. I research Michelin rated restaurants before traveling to any city and will sometimes even plan a vacation around a hard-to-get reservation. I have made the food pilgrimage for both French Laundry and Per Se. I spent last week with my husband in Portland. I had so many incredible meals there that by the end of the week, I was completely blown away by the culinary culture of Portland. Most of the meals I had in the Portland restaurants far surpassed the uber cuisine meccas I have eaten at in New York City. One of my last meals in Portland was eaten at Lorenzo's on Mississippi. We just spotted it and went in. We started with a gorgeously simple, yet perfectly balanced, Antipasto della Casa flushed with a nice glass of Sangiovese. I ordered the pasta special, the Giant Rustic Raviolo. It was not giant in size, but massive in taste. The sauce was bright, a thin sheet of pasta perfectly blanketed over a a gauze of prosciutto, a layer of bubbling fresh cheese and glimmering emerald broccolini. Healthy, warming, delicious and memorable. I made my husband order the Basil Casarecci because it sounded so interesting; a homemade long and twisted noodle that folded into itself, embedded with fresh basil and bathed in an incredible spicy Italian sausage ragu with a touch of cream and spinach. This pasta was in a word, sublime. I basically wrenched the plate away from my husband and waxed poetic about every humming bite. Luckily, he's used to my food-induced dramatics. Next time I go to Portland to visit my in-laws, I am making the trek to Lorenzo's because his food is fantastic and he's a seriously talented chef who makes it all himself with careful attention and a true love for food and great results. I know all this because he told me so when I complimented him in the kitchen before I left. You MUST go there! Pros: Fantastic food and great prices. more

I didn't know what to expect when I walked in the door, but what a great surprise! the food is amazing! small portions but completely satisfying.I had some sort of odd pasta with a red meaty sauce that was very good. My boyfriend had a summersquash raveoli with this light cream sauce that was to die for! talk about melt in your mouth. Their zesty wines are served in tumblers and they have fresh hand made canolies on saturday. I can't wait to go back. Pros: fantastic sauces bring your taste buds to life. Cons: pricey wine list more

Not wanting to drive downtown for some Italian comfort food last night, my husband and I walked down to Lorenzo's on Mississippi to try it for the first time and were pleasantly surprised at the food and service. I had some funky long noodles that I had never heard of with a fabulous bolognese sauce with a touch of cream, and my husband had the black fettucine with prawns and scallops in a spicy red sauce. We shared a Caesar salad to start - the salad was nice ... the lemon anchovy dressing was heavy on the lemon so it was more citrus than i'm used to in a Caesar, but it was still tasty. The bread they bring to your table was also really good and they brought us some more to sop up the yummy sauces on our pasta. Service was friendly and attentive. We will definitely be back! Pros: Open-air seating, small and cozy, bolognese sauce is a must-have! Cons: Seemed to take a while to get our entrees, but it was worth the wait! more

Lorenzo's is a very nice, authentic resturant. I really like the daily special, because i can look forward to soemthing new every day. In my opinion the best dish is the Giant Rustic Ravioli, which is basically a large sheet of pasta with goodies inside. The sandwich selection is nice, with excellent vegetarian and meat sandwiches. They also have a very nice wine selection. The service is great. everyone is always cheerful and gracious. Lorenzo (the owner/founder) is there as a chef some of the week. PS. that picture is really old, they have since remodled!!! Pros: Food, wine selction, sandwiches, authenticity. Cons: no parking, construction across the street. more

New to town and not made of money, I stopped in here for a reasonably priced ($9) lunch combo and was pleasantly surprised. The owner said they had recently switched from counter to table service and it was great, the server was pleasant and the atmosphere relaxed. Be sure to hear the daily specials. I was really surprised to see hardly anyone there but the rain probably didn't help. I'll definitely be back (especially since they just put in a full bar!) for food and gelato! Pros: Great service and food Cons: Not open past 10 more

I really liked the food at Lorenzo's and I took my mom here for lunch since she was visiting from Italy and she liked it as well. Good lunch special with soup and pasta, not huge portions but big enough for an average person. They used to have a nice Italian conversation group meeting here but I'm not sure if it still takes place. Pros: sauces, homemade pasta, Italian ambience Cons: parking more

So often I have had over done foo-foo in Italian restaurants, not here. Lorenzo is a master at matching flavors without huge portions or complicated ideas. Each dish represents exactly what is stated. His salads are organic, fresh and perfect, the pasta is local !!, and rustic, the entrees(my favorite - the N.Y. Steak, on a bed of baby spinch, with roasted potatoes, topped with red sauce and fresh mozzarella) are magnificant! BRAVO !! Great cockails to boot! Thanks Pros: atmosphere, dessert, fresh pasta, hand made individual tiramisu Cons: not open Sunday more

What a surprise! Amazing soup, salad, apps, and dessert. We need to go back for more. Great atmosphere and staff. Very cozy. more

Lorenzo's is a nice little spot for a quick, light lunch. The "lunch combo" includes an organic green salad (just mixed greens with light oil & vinegar dressing), some good crusty bread, and a choice of pasta dish. The Baked Gonocci was delicious. There are no printed menus. The selections (regular on the chalkboard and specials on the whiteboard) are behind the counter, which is also where you place your order. If you're not familiar with Italian cuisine the menu can be a bit confusing. The staff was very friendly and willing to answer any questions. The ambiance is strictly "no big deal" but is as comfortable as your grandma's back porch. Dessert is an absolute must! Pros: friendly service, delicious pasta, dessert! Cons: smallish portions (at least at lunch), very plain salad more