Reviews for Porta Blu in Menlo Park, CA
Food all came out cold, seemed pre-made and barely even reheated (we had two of the flatbreads, the garlic fries, & the... charcuterie board). Cocktails were fine, but nothing to write home about, incredibly expensive. We were there from 5-7 and itwas basically empty which made for a very weird vibe. Would not recommend this place. Read more
While staying at the Hotel Nia we were spoiled by some of the hotel's restaurant staff, most especially Cristian. Cristian also... took the time to point out interesting details about the restaurant's design details that we'd likely have missed. Mostappreciated! Even if you're not in the hotel, this is a lovely unexpected Oasis for stopping in for a coffee or meal, on youown, with friends or colleagues. The gardens are well cared for, diverse and full of nature. Ignacio was gracious when talkingabout the gardens, then later making quick adjustments in our room. Though like many places, the staff are fairly new, they areclearly putting together a great team! You won't even notice your proximity to the freeway. Read more
Early Valentines Dinner - really nice outdoor eating area and beautiful indoor dining room - service was top notch- they offered... a prefixe Valentines Day dinner of 4 courses- we started with a couple of oysters with a cava mignonette- delish! We could havehad a dozen of the oysters! In addition to the vodka martinis that we had (with blue cheese stuffed olive option), the nice barmanager poured a complementary glass of sparking Lambrusco, which went well with the oysters and the Beet carpaccio with burrataand herb salad. My husband ordered seared duck breast for his entree and I ordered the flower crusted NY strip steak - bothwere good, but a bit unevenly cooked - I wanted medium rare and the steak was closer to medium on one end, but medium rare onthe other end. We ended the meal with a lovely chocolate opera cake. The setting is great, service wonderful - we would comeback! Read more
I was truly blown away with Porta Blu. Our server was a pro and led us to all the right places. I went with a salad made of... dandelions which was a new one for me. I after hearing about the whole chicken I had no other choice but to go for it. Who knewMariott's high end line could be so exquisite? Not me. Kaleb went for the vegetarian entrees and he seemed very pleased. Thedrinks are complex and hold their own. Definitely made for a the beginning of fun night. ** I review Good Places With GoodPeople. My opinions are honest, I can't control how Google May Manipulate My Words. Please Research & Check Yelp to Keep FromBeing Misled.** Read more
I had my wedding brunch reception in their private dining room. It was perfect. I had nothing to do but pre-select the... appetizers. We came in to sample some and settled on Baked Burrata and Dungeness Crab dip. It was a small affair of a dozenguests so the kitchen could handle the orders without limitations on the menu. All our guests enjoyed their dishes. With amplechoices my guests were very pleased. Although we brought our own sparkling wine and wine, they have a wonderful selection. Evencarry the sparkling wine we brought. Lovely spot with helpful staff. The decor was absolutely perfect back drop for the cake Imade too. Read more
If I could give Porta Blu more STARS I would. We went for our 25 th Anniversary and they treated us like royalty. The NIA... culture for taking pride in delivering caring service was evident as soon as we arrived. A blush of rose petals awaited us atour candle lit table with complimentary, sparkling champagne. The food was simply and artistically plated and full of deliciousflavors. The asthetic was both welcoming and romantic. Lighting- warm, music- acoustic guitar. To top all this off, there werepieces of thought provoking and whimsical art everywhere! Tucked in surprising places. As an artist and enthusiast myself, thismade our evening magic!! Read more
HAS POTENTIAL BUT NEEDS WORK - and we left hungry. Food was uneven. Corn soup special was excellent. Chicken Kabob well cooked... but small. Server failed to mention that the Ahi special was an appetizers - so I ordered it as my entrée. Bread could begood but was dry. Not stale, just dry. The restaurant itself is a really nice space and opens onto the outdoors. Soup and saladwere good portions. Seems like the chef can definitely cook, but they need to enhance the menu and sort out the portions. Theingredients they work with seemed to be very good quality. Has potential to be 4 or 5, but for now a 3. Read more
I have the meatball and arancini. Both super delicious and tasty. The ambience is pretty nice as well.