Beautifully decorated and charming place. Food and service are great too
David Yize Wang
Soups are great. The two entrees we got were a little disappointing. The mussels wasn’t fresh, and the sauce in the short rib was a joke :)
Riri Smith
While the food was great, the service we received from one of the younger servers was unacceptable. She had a visible attitude throughout our visit, making us feel uncomfortable. Her hair was not tied back properly and ended up in our food. Her nails were extremely long, elaborately done, and appeared unclean, which raised sanitation concerns as she was handling our dishes. At one point, she even stuck her tongue out at me and my wife giving us dirty looks, which was shockingly unprofessional. The experience left a bad impression, despite the kitchen’s good work.”
Steve A
An Unforgettable Culinary Stop on Our Road Trip!
We stopped at Portabella in Carmel during our California road trip, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable meals of the journey. The cozy charm of the restaurant, combined with top-notch service and truly exceptional food, made for a fantastic experience.
We ordered a variety of dishes to share and each one was outstanding:
The seared scallops were perfectly caramelized on the outside, tender inside, and paired beautifully with a creamy risotto studded with sweet peas. The grilled lemon on the side was a great touch and elevated the whole plate.
The risotto itself could have been a meal on its own—creamy, rich, and full of flavor.
The portobello mushroom pasta was pure comfort food—earthy mushrooms, tender pasta ribbons, and a velvety cream sauce.
And not to forget the beet salad—fresh, colorful, and refreshing, with vibrant citrus and creamy goat cheese adding a lovely balance.
Everything was plated beautifully and cooked to perfection. We also appreciated the warm, welcoming service from the staff, who made us feel right at home.
If you're in Carmel or passing through, Portabella is an absolute must-visit. We’ll definitely be back!
Jacqueline Bogard
We were there on a weekday night with friends. Food was good, but service was lacking. The waiter took our order for 4 without writing anything down. Food was served out of order and without requested items. Not enough water poured either.
Bernard
We were impressed by the quality of the Staff and its attention to make sure we were satisfied! The meal was very good and my glass of Maison Latour Ardeche Chardonnay was delicious too!
alejandra sagastegui
The worst restaurant, very expensive and bad food, yellow arugula, bad service. I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT!!
Gabrielle
We have eaten there many times. The food was very good except for the lamb tenderloin which had little flavor. Service was excellent and it is a wonderful place especially the garden room
Marlo
The food was delicious! It is a cute place with a great outdoor area where people brought their dogs. It was busy so I would recommend having a reservation.
Marla
Wonderful as always! Staff is very attentive and food arrives quickly! Never disappoints! ☺️
Went back for the first time in 2 years and we were quite disappointed with the experience. Food was overcooked (rubbery chicken, soggy lobster raviloi and. hewy sand dabs). The bolognese was oddly weirdly heavy on nutmeg spice. Service was impersonal and sloppy. Just sad - we used to look forward to coming here whenever we visit Carmel
Tim
Whenever my wife and I come to Carmel we make a point to eat at Portabella. Always a great experience
Thais
We lived the restaurant and atmosphere. The staff was very attentive. We asked for an outdoor table and it was a little cold. They offered a blanket and made sure we were all comfortable. Food was great too! Highly recommend.
Barb
Very nice host and what seemed like the owner came to check in on us a couple times which we really appreciated. Food was 3/5..sand dabs were good and very fresh but my Swiss hard was not cooked at all. Not a restaurant locals go to but definitely more of a visitors spot.
Peter
Our experience at Portobello was a great one. The staff was very attentive and the food was very good. It seems to be a hit with visitors from elsewhere in the world, given the many tongues being spoken in the dining room. It's definitely worth a visit!
Beautifully decorated and charming place. Food and service are great too
Soups are great. The two entrees we got were a little disappointing. The mussels wasn’t fresh, and the sauce in the short rib was a joke :)
While the food was great, the service we received from one of the younger servers was unacceptable. She had a visible attitude throughout our visit, making us feel uncomfortable. Her hair was not tied back properly and ended up in our food. Her nails were extremely long, elaborately done, and appeared unclean, which raised sanitation concerns as she was handling our dishes. At one point, she even stuck her tongue out at me and my wife giving us dirty looks, which was shockingly unprofessional. The experience left a bad impression, despite the kitchen’s good work.”
An Unforgettable Culinary Stop on Our Road Trip!
We stopped at Portabella in Carmel during our California road trip, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable meals of the journey. The cozy charm of the restaurant, combined with top-notch service and truly exceptional food, made for a fantastic experience.
We ordered a variety of dishes to share and each one was outstanding:
The seared scallops were perfectly caramelized on the outside, tender inside, and paired beautifully with a creamy risotto studded with sweet peas. The grilled lemon on the side was a great touch and elevated the whole plate.
The risotto itself could have been a meal on its own—creamy, rich, and full of flavor.
The portobello mushroom pasta was pure comfort food—earthy mushrooms, tender pasta ribbons, and a velvety cream sauce.
And not to forget the beet salad—fresh, colorful, and refreshing, with vibrant citrus and creamy goat cheese adding a lovely balance.
Everything was plated beautifully and cooked to perfection. We also appreciated the warm, welcoming service from the staff, who made us feel right at home.
If you're in Carmel or passing through, Portabella is an absolute must-visit. We’ll definitely be back!
We were there on a weekday night with friends. Food was good, but service was lacking. The waiter took our order for 4 without writing anything down. Food was served out of order and without requested items. Not enough water poured either.
We were impressed by the quality of the Staff and its attention to make sure we were satisfied! The meal was very good and my glass of Maison Latour Ardeche Chardonnay was delicious too!
The worst restaurant, very expensive and bad food, yellow arugula, bad service. I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT!!
We have eaten there many times. The food was very good except for the lamb tenderloin which had little flavor. Service was excellent and it is a wonderful place especially the garden room
The food was delicious! It is a cute place with a great outdoor area where people brought their dogs. It was busy so I would recommend having a reservation.
Wonderful as always! Staff is very attentive and food arrives quickly! Never disappoints! ☺️
Restaurantji Recommends
Went back for the first time in 2 years and we were quite disappointed with the experience. Food was overcooked (rubbery chicken, soggy lobster raviloi and. hewy sand dabs). The bolognese was oddly weirdly heavy on nutmeg spice. Service was impersonal and sloppy. Just sad - we used to look forward to coming here whenever we visit Carmel
Whenever my wife and I come to Carmel we make a point to eat at Portabella. Always a great experience
We lived the restaurant and atmosphere. The staff was very attentive. We asked for an outdoor table and it was a little cold. They offered a blanket and made sure we were all comfortable. Food was great too! Highly recommend.
Very nice host and what seemed like the owner came to check in on us a couple times which we really appreciated. Food was 3/5..sand dabs were good and very fresh but my Swiss hard was not cooked at all. Not a restaurant locals go to but definitely more of a visitors spot.
Our experience at Portobello was a great one. The staff was very attentive and the food was very good. It seems to be a hit with visitors from elsewhere in the world, given the many tongues being spoken in the dining room. It's definitely worth a visit!
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