Fratelli Ristorante & Bar

An excellent experience all around. My boyfriend and I wanted a romantic dinner (it was our first night in weeks with no kids!) and we weren't disappointed. I like the taper candles at each table, with wax dripping down the metal candleholders. I was not at all put off by the circuitous entrance to the restaurant. Many reviewers seemed annoyed by the long hallway leading to a rather ambiguous entrance right by the kitchen. But I liked it, it gave the place more of a secluded, hidden feeling, and in my opinion it can't hurt for the kitchen to be in full view. In fact, the friendly chefs wished us a good night as we left! Some words about service: absolutely attentive the entire night. Our needs were anticipated, from the second helping of bread and olive oil that appeared without our asking, to the waitress offering to get me a second glass of wine just as I finished the first. Food was delivered promptly but was not rushed, empty plates were removed right away (allowing us to hold hands over the table, very nice). Everyone's attitude was friendly and relaxed. The place started to fill up over the course of our dinner, and the service did not become any less attentive when things were busier. OK, now to the food: no disappointments. Even the bread and olive oil were delicious and high quality. The salad was dressed well, the pear was ripe, the bacon could have been warm, that is all I would have changed about the salad. His pasta and chicken entree was flavorful; I tried a bite of pasta without chicken and the chicken flavor was really infused throughout the whole dish. The portion was big enough that he couldn't finish it, despite his very healthy appetite! The fish special I ordered (cod?) was delicate in texture, cooked properly, with a rustic flavor of the stewed veggies and beans served with it. The house white wine I drank was decent if not mind blowing, and his Tanqueray and tonic was suitably strong. I am sure we'll be back soon. Pros: Romantic, attentive service, good food Cons: Pearl location means finding parking more

I just moved back to Portland after living in Rome and this restaurant satisfied my craving for some good real italian food. the waiter was really cool but the busboy was a totally rude! oh well. good food and interesting menu. more

I almost missed the restaurant despite parking my car right in front of it. There were no signs above it, just a small foldable sign on the sidewalk. Accessing the entrance required an interesting walk down a long corridor where you finally chance upon the entrance. The sight that greeted me upon entering was the kitchen. Not so appealing a sight, in my opinion. Once you get past all that though, the ambience was actually very romantic. Definitely a very good datespot with soft light from candles and very few tables in a very intimate setting. However, the strength of Fratelli lies in its food which worked well to impressed me and my very amiable dining partner. The bruchette with shaved beef, mascarpone and truffle oil was simply to die for and the chicken liver mousse crostini with pickled vegetables readily brought me out of my retirement from eating any liver-based dishes (no thanks to some very horrid store bought pate... oh, the nightmares... the horrors). My entree was superb, wild boar loin and braised leg with cabbage and a balsamic grape reduction. The loin was just medium rare and juicy and the braised leg was melt in your mouth delicious. I could tell I had a winner of an entree when my dining companion couldn't keep his fork off my plate! The night ended with an equally stunning dessert whose name slip my mind. But it was gorgeous end to a wonderful night of dining. Point to note: The wait staff started the night slightly distracted but service gradually improved as the night went on. I also found them slightly on the pretentious side. But I was tremendously impressed by our server's knowledge of wine recommendations for our dinner. Oh, and my water glass never got filled after we paid the bill. Pros: bruschette with shaved beef, mascarpone and truffle oil, chicken liver mousse crostini with pickled vegetables Cons: Distracted wait staff, the kitchen right at the entrance more

recently went to Fratelli to try out another Italian restaurant in PDX and was more than a little let down. The space is great and gives off a nice Italian vibe, but atmosphere can't make up for bad food. Granted, my wife and I only had antipasti, bruschette and a couple of pastas. In any case we were both glad that we hadn't ordered any entrees and strayed further into an expensive culinary mess. Bruschette w/ shaved beef, mascarpone and truffle oil- GREASY, beef tasted old and gristly. Fried heirloom broccoli- burnt, under-seasoned, lemon asiago "fondue" was a broken pool of GREASE once again. On top of both of these was more XVOO. Pappardelle w/ kale, chestnuts, pancetta- Kale was chewy, bitter the result of being cooked improperly. The pasta was cooked well, but was lost in a sea of unreduced, unseasoned cream. Poorly thought out dish. Lasagna della nonna- Possibly one of the worst lasagnas I've had. Dry, grainy meat, slopped together between pasta then garnished with 1/2 a cup of orange grease. Pasta should be a main showcase of a restaurants skills. Not here. I am in the industry and I would have been embarrassed if I recommended this place to friends and they actually went. Now I know better. Pros: ambience Cons: FOOD, FOOD, oh yeah more

I had a chance to checkout Fratelli on a cold/rainy Sunday night. Unlike Le Piegon, Fratelli wasn't packed. The ambience is dim lit, quiet, and very 1:1-i.e. romantic. My date was totally platonic. ;( Back to the restaurant. :) The service was so-so. The "water-boy" or bus-boy was more attentive than the waitress, sadly. The highlights were: The accomplished marathoner across the table (of course), her Boar Strip Lion, the Bruschetta with Beef, and the Chicken Liver Mousse, & Entree Sides. The lowlights: Bit salty ensalata with pancetta, slightly tough Leg of Lamb, and waitress attentiveness. Lastly, I like the hallway and the bread! Pros: Sunday Dinner Seating, Romantic-ness, Bread & Water Service Cons: Waitress Attentiveness, Salty Salad, Too Quiet...Shhh! more

Love, love, love!! Great food, great service, great atmosphere. It is a place everyone should give a try...you will end up loving it and wanting more! Pros: Polenta, Rock Fish, Beet Salad Cons: N/A more

Rockfish, Rockfish, Rockfish! You need to try it!!!!!!!! Amazing setting and wonderful service. I have never had anything "fair" or less on the menu. All is good here. Pros: ambience, tables, setting Cons: small. parking more

This location is small so on weekends I'd recommend reservations. The atmosphere is charming and the food is inspired. The menu changes regularly and there are set menus for special nights like Valentine's. They also have an awesome wine selection. The culinary skills in the kitchen are outstanding! Pros: romantic candlelit dinner; great wine selection Cons: only open for dinner; limited seating more

Where to begin! Different but great way of entering a restaurant, friendly and heplful staff, we had a 7.30 resevation and where seated promptly. The food is great and simple in presentation. The wines (all Italian) are at that same level,and if you're not sure ask for recommendations from the waitstaff, the're spot on. And the atmosphere is casual and comfortable. Very reasonable priced. We will be back!!! Pros: price, ambience, food quality and quantity Cons: n/a more

Where to start - anywhere but here! The service (if you could call it that) was at a level of a train wreck - you don't believe your eyes but find it impossible to look away for fear you may actually miss a "thank you". Snooty waiters who ignored us and the table next to us as well, poor seating and food that must have been scrapped out of the gutter - that would be a fair start and for us it went downhill after all that. I've never seen such poor cuisine and service hyped up by anyone - surely standards can't have fallen that low! Tiny portions, pungent wine, more fat than meat and enough salt to preserve fish. Romantic reminder of Italy? Caeser would turn over in his grave just to get away. If you must recommend this place do so for your enemies, not your friends. Pros: Are you kidding??? Cons: Food, service, ambience - all terrrible. By far the worst place I've ever been to. more

A partner in my office highly recommended the place so a few nights ago my husband and I decided to give it a try. It was a Tuesday and as we live in the Pearl, we did not think necessary to make reservations. The place was half empty at 5:30, yet when we arrived we were told there were no tables available. We were then seated at the table right by the door. The server neglected us from the beginning. We were not given the wine menu; while the server recited the specials, he felt compelled to add the price just in case it would be out of our budget, and so on. The food was below average. My husband's ravioli were swimming in a tasteless soupy broth and my fish was just plain bad. We were finished eating when another person walked over to our table and rudely asked us why we were not drinking wine. I told him that it was because they never offered us the list nor asked us if we would like any. He brought the list with the desert menu. Needless to say we will never be back. I have eaten at pretty much every restaurant in the Pearl and many other areas and this was by far the worst. If you want real Italian food without the attitude just go down the street to Piazza Italia. more

From the moment you walk down the mysterious entryway, you know you are in for a treat! Where do I start?...First off, the varieties of wines are not only plentiful, but also inexpensive to boot. Our server was knowledgeable, and it was obvious she loved food. It was recommended to try some kind-of-a shaved beef bruschetta to start, and it was one of the most delectable appetizers I have ever experienced! Our Wepler farm salad was to die for, and the the steak I had was not only a solid portion; it was premium steakhouse quality at a much reduced price. Two appetizers, one salad, two main courses, and a bottle of wine for just under 100 bucks? You can't beat it with a stick! We loved the place and will be returning soon. Pros: Very Chill Cons: Crowded more

Given all the reviews touting Fratelli as a romantic spot to take one's lady/man, I thought it would be an ideal destination for a very special occasion. I can't help but warn against the frittata, as ours was drowning in olive oil. Our main course did not disappoint, although my fish portion was on the small side. Is it romantic? No. Well, I should qualify that - if your idea of romantic is sparsely decorated lofts/warehouses, minimalism in general, casually dressed waiters, and indie music (rather than, say, Italian music), this may be the place you've been looking for. The entrance at the end of a long hallway, right next to the (half-open) kitchen and the restrooms. We turned around when we saw the kitchen, thinking that we'd missed the "front" door. Who needs a front door, anyway? Much more economical this way, I suppose. In summary, if you're looking for a hip, slightly romantic place with small portions of quality food for dinner, Fratelli should fit the bill. If you're hoping for a hopelessly romantic night, do yourself a favor and leave Fratelli out of your plans. Would I go back? Sure, but I would not, under any circumstances, wait for a table. Pros: Excellent service, tasty food, friendly waitstaff Cons: Surprisingly unromantic, small portions more

Fratelli lives up to its reputation for great food. However, we walked in at around 10:00 pm and felt lucky to find someone to seat us. The waiters were scrambling, but never seem to notice we were there. After waiting for 20 minutes to get our drink order in, we were promptly told the "kitchen is about to close" [i.e. hurry up, I want to go home] -- the rest of the time, the waiter could not focus and it was clear he worried more about it being a Friday night and what he was doing that evening. The long and the short.... food well worth it...especially with your special "other" --- just don't go there near closing time...you'll know it! Pros: Food Cons: Late evening service more

For celebrating a quiet Valentine's Day or any day for that matter, Fratelli's is the place. trendy, quiet, romantic, everything was very personal. The meal took some time (about 2 hrs) for 3 courses, but it didn't seem to take that long. The risotto is amazing as well as the pasta. Its great! Pros: Food, Ambiance more

We happend upon Fratelli after having a quick appetizer at very noisy OBA!. Sitting at the bar we got a chance to chat with the super friendly bartender and learn all about the evolution of the restaurant. We ordered the Shaved Beef Bruschetta and the Polenta with Wild Mushrooms. I'm not sure I've tasted anything so delicious outside Italy. Too bad we weren't hungry enough to go on eating. The layout of the restaurant is really conducive to hushed romantic conversations and googly eyes. Don't miss it! Pros: quiet, food, ambiance more

My husband and I have eaten here a few times now...and we love it. Polenta with mushrooms yum and the salads are very good and the service is friendly and prompt. We will keep coming back. more

My boyfriend and I always go to a spa and end up at some romantic restaurant afterward. The last spa we went to recommended Fratelli - and it was so perfect. After spending the day getting massaged we ended up huddled and cuddled in a perfect, dark, sexy, Italian get away. The food was perfect for our evening the wine sumptuous! Fratelli is definitely one of my favorites from now on! Pros: Dark and sexy, Intimate, Somewhat hidden more

Enjoyed another wonderul dinner at Fratelli last week. I've bee eating here for over five years and have had some of the most wonderful dinning experiences. The food is kept simple with only a few ingredients and amazing flavors. The dinning room is very dark and lit mostly by candles. The service is informed but not haughty. They also have put in a lovely bar recently which allows for single dinnig or no reservation dinning on busier nights. One thing I will say, if your idea of Italian food is pasta with red sauce you should look to someplace else. This is authetic Italian food prepared the way one would eat in Italy, not "Little Italy". Pros: fantastic food, great service, ambience Cons: getting more and more more

Food portions are quite small, and although the food was good, it certainly wasn't great or mouth-watering. Our smart waiter was explaining one of the specials, which had "ground mushrooms" in it... "and they're called ground mushrooms because they grow in the ground..." (Do mushrooms normally grow in trees?) We all had to bite our tongues to keep from laughing at his intelligent explanation. Dessert was good, and the setting is pretty & intimate, but it certainly isn't a place that I'll be heartbroken if I never visit again. Pros: Intimate, Ambient Setting, Good Dessert Cons: Small portions, Snooty service, Expensive more