Ernesto's Italian Restaurant Reviews

Fresh food and big portions, great vibe and service. I had the veggie lasagna, had a nice salad bar.

Love this restaurant. Haven't been for a long time and was not disappointed. Still have the great salad bar, fantastic food and terrific service. Everything was great. Prices are not cheap but also not expensive. Really in line with other restaurants but much better food and service for the money.

This restaurant feels like Italian restaurants in America felt 40 years ago. Pictures of Italy on the walls and plenty of spaghetti meatballs if you want that. Now I am old and vegetarian I chose the eggplant parmesan with sautéed vegetables. It was very good. I took some home in a little box and it is, possibly, even better cold. The other person had seafood fettuccini and said it was likewise excellent. All washed down with a bottle of Merlot and preceded with garden salads, which had plenty of dark green romaine lettuce leaves, carrots, tomatoes etc. This is a lovely large dining room with cozy booths. If you like classic Italian food this is the place I would always recommend in the Portland area..

Excellent Food. My favorite is the Chicken Alfredo. The owners really care about their customers and always makes sure my guests and I are well taken care of when in. We host several Boy Scout events at their venue and we had about 20 unexpected people show up to one during the holidays with special food allergies as well that weren’t planned for. They hustled and accommodated very quickly which many restaurants wouldn’t have been able to do. Our buffet was constantly stocked and the service was amazing!

We decided to try Ernesto's because of its proximity to our daughter's home and the recos on Tripadvisor. We were not disappointed and we'll be back every time we visit Portland. Big menu, great service, no issues. Buon appetito!

The meals are always consistently good at Ernesto's. We were all hungry for salads and found many different and interesting salads to end a perfect day of activity. I really liked the Top Sirloin steak salad. The steak for cooked just as I requested and very plentiful. We had a small pizza to share and really made the meal complete.

Last night we went out to Ernesto's for my birthday. I was wanting Canneloni and Ernesto's was the only Italian restaurant that I could find it on the menu. Since it was our first time there we were a little skeptical, but I can say that we were thoroughly full and satisfied when we left. For our appetizer we chose the Antipasto Plate. When it came the plate was loaded with meats, cheese and vegetable including salami, prosciutto, pepperoni, olive, carrots and mushrooms provolone. All for just $7.95. Definitely a good bargain. The meals came with our choice of salad and they were crisp and delicious. Next, the much anticipated Canneloni came and it was so delicious with the perfect ratio of meat to cheese and sauce. We were all happy with our main courses. Then because it was my birthday, we got dessert and boy did we. The lemon tiramisu was heavenly and just melted in my mouth. I can't finish without singing the praises of our server, Kaishia. Professional, friendly and efficient. There was not one negative thing that I could say about Ernesto's. Just try it yourself.

The new owner greeted us upon entry and personally found us a booth. He explained the hot Buffet and cold salad bar. We had meatballs, Italian sausages, pot roast, sautéed vegetables, pasta, panini, and salad bar between us all. A very reasonably priced lunch for all you can eat! The owner was seen going from table to table ensuring good service and guest satisfaction. The owner is in the store carries a lot of weight with us.

Tough review. The spaghetti ravioli combo plate was simply not good. It was water logged and the pasta was ruined because of it and the sauce was highly diluted. The cannelloni was very solid. Rich in flavor. I got the full size dish would be interesting to see what the smaller portion is. The bread was ok. The highlight of the meal really was the service. Our server was busy and working her butt off but did a great job with the level of service she provided. We did NOT ask her to take the dish off our bill but simply to give the cooks some feedback. She came back with the bill and had gotten the dish removed. Very thankful for that.

Went with a large group of friends. The staff was kind and promp, but not pushy. Everyone loved their meal. I am.not a fan of most seafood pasta as n it is usually over fishy. A perfect balance of seafood and white sauce. You could taste each ingredient!!

If you want good Italian food and a nice atmosphere, Ernesto's is the place. The staff was very nice.

Comfortable and cozy restaurant serving competent traditional red sauce Italian. Next I'll try the pizza which I hear is very good.

I especially like there fresh salads, hard to find these days. My wife and I have been going there for 10 plus years and find it to be one of our go to places. Haven't hard their

I have submitted over 40 reviews and have yet to give an "Excellent" to any restaurant . . .until now. Last night we had a wonderful meal at Ernesto's. The sauteed mushrooms in Marsala wine sauce as an appetizer was soo good, served with foccia bread.I had a spaghetti with an assortment of seafood is a fantastic sauce. Very good. My wife got her usual Veal Marsala, which was also well received. And if possible, leave room for dessert, as they have a lemon tiramasu.that is delicious. I had a three level chocolate Ice cream cake. Wow. But try the lemon tiramasu, it's different and good. And the service was extraordinary as well. They were quite busy when we went. Reservations are suggested but not necessary as we were seated after only a 10 minute wait. As I said, the service was excellent but the thing that put the service over the top was the after dinner service. We ordered more than we could eat. Our server boxed all of our food in separate containers, keeping trhe cold separate from the warm meals.with a small zip lock bag of ice to keep the two deserts cold until we got home. (another To Do suggestion, as there was a lot of food we couldn't finishand it was too good to leave. Very impressive outing.

Nice place. Good service. Nothing foodie or "Portlandia" about it -- just good solid Italian food. My standard is Caesar salad -- This one was terrific. My husband's standard is "is the pasta overcooked?" -- Answer: NO, the pasta was perfect. And our server was very sweet about doing an off-menu request for him. We will definitely go back for more.

We are always very pleased with whatever we order, because everything is very delicious. This trip was for dinner, and we've also enjoyed their lunch buffets that have a different main course each week day.

Great bread and good spaghetti. Friendly staff. First time for dinner. We will be back. We have been there for lunch multiple times.

My wife and I had never been to Ernesto's, so we figured it was time to head on in. Now, this review might upset some of the die hard fans of Ernesto's, but I am not going to be apologetic. As someone who grew up an Italian American, studied Italian cuisine, cooked it as a Chef for many years, and someone who has travelled throughout Italy, I'm picky when it comes to Italian food. We ordered their Margarita Pizza...that's my first pickiness. A Margarita is a Mexican cocktail made with tequila. A Margherita Pizza on the other hand is a pizza made with olive oil, diced roma tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and parmesan cheese. This pizza had a red sauce base, provolone cheese (a much tougher cheese than mozzarella when cooked) , thick sliced romas that were placed on the pizza cold which chills the pizza down to room temperature long before it's time, fresh basil and parmesan cheese. No garlic. The crust was tough, and too thick. A tough dough can be fine in a thinner crust, but when you have to struggle with a fork to cut the pizza? Honestly, I wasn't impressed with the pizza, and that's a shame. The restaurant has a nice, warm, comfortable dining area, but the pizza turned us off. One of the things I always demanded of my waitstaff is that they know the food they are serving. To the waiter that I overheard telling a customer that "Tiramisu is an Italian American dessert...." No, no it's not....it's origins, while somewhat cloudy, are purely Italian, and most likely from Venice. There is nothing American about the dish. We may go back for pasta sometime, some of them looked good, if not a little over priced. With so many other restaurants out there, we may not go back. Since Ernesto's has been around for 25+ years, it's clear that it is a restaurant of choice for many people. There are also a lot of people out there that think jarred Ragu is a great spaghetti sauce choice. I'm just saying.....

Have been going here for over twenty years. Food is not your new trendy Italian, but all your old favorites are here. What brings us back is the wonderful salad bar (hard to find anymore). Decor is schmaltsy Italian, but very cozy, especially in winter. You will have a very nice meal and a warm greeting at a reasonable price.

Italian?? i think not

We have been to Ernesto's 3 or 4 times, both alone and with friends. Every time our food has been outstanding, the restaurant clean and the server attentive. This visit was on a Thursday and we had the lunch buffet and although the restaurant was a bit crowded our server, Heather, was friendly and came back to our table numerous times to check on our meal and drinks. The buffet has a salad area as well as separate hot food table. The selection of hot foods is not huge but more than adequate and very good. Hot foods included carved roast beef, barbecued pork, mashed potatoes, pasta, and green beans with onions. There are three sauces for the pasta... Pomadoro, Alfredo, and meat sauce. Once I tasted the Pomadoro I was sold. It is flavorful, chunky, lightly seasoned and is great on their foccacia bread. The desserts looked pretty good, but we have always been too full to try them.

Hubby and I have eaten here many times. It's a go to place for lunch-they have a great buffet and it's fresh and very reasonable! Dinner, as always, for us is superb! I would highly recommend and take family and friends there!

This was just what we were in the mood for - an old-fashioned, checked-table-cloth kind of place with traditional food, a good class of Chianti, and friendly service. Every neighborhood should have one of these, a family-owned place you can count on. We were from far, far out of town and literally chose Ernesto's off the Internet but we got exactly what we wanted. Highly recommended.

A classic family owned family friendly Italian restaurant that is a fixture in the Raleigh Hills area. Matter of fact people come from all over Portland to Ernesto's... it's that good. Can't really recommend anything in particular because everything is so good. They also have an excellent happy hour in the bar with some very tasty, smaller portion, yummy eats! Try it, you'll love it!

This is a traditional family-style Italian restaurant -- there is nothing new wave about it. They do a great job with their lasagne, spaghetti carbonara, and the like. The staff is always attentive and cheerful. The wine list prices are a tad high compared to the food menu, and quite a while ago they stopped offering house wines by the pitcher or half pitcher -- too bad. We have also had a couple of holiday brunches here. Excellent for the price.

Wow awesome restaurant. Pretty inside, friendly service, prompt service, awesome salad bar. I'll be back to try other dishes. My friend loves this restaurant. So do I.

My wife took us to Ernesto's for our 33 year anniversary and she picked a good one! First off, don't let the location fool you. Located in the corner of a strip mall, it might not stand out, but park it and head inside! We arrived right at the lunch/dinner change over but were seated right away by Mark, the manager. Starting out with calamari, which was excellent, we opted for a bottle of wine as well. Our main courses, Seafood Fettuccine and Pasta Classico were served after we had finished our appetizer. Both were plated well, hot and really good. I highly recommend Ernesto's all around for excellent Italian food, service and atmosphere.

This is a great restaurant. Warm inviting and great food. My husband and I stopped in for dinner on the way downtown to see a Broadway show. We arrived during the early bird specials. WOW! Big Tastes for Little money. I had the steak tips with mushrooms and on Mushroom ravioli. It was rich and satisfying. The meal came with a caesar salad and Focaccia bread all for 10 dollars again WOW! My husband had the Ernesto"s trio, chicken parm, cannelloni and lasagna with a chicken pesto soup and Focaccia bread..both meals were terrific and both under 10. The waitress was attentive, the owner stopped by to see how the food and service was. We will go again. Manga!

Ernestos has been in the area for a few decades and has quite the following, but I am not sure why. We were very disappointed in the dishes we ordered. The red sauce tasted like it came out of a jar and the white wine sauce on the Scampi Pasta was flat--no subtle garlic flavors. A good Italian restaurant should provide freshly grated Parmesan cheese, but the stuff tasted like Kraft. It has been 10 years since we have eaten at Ernestos, and I don't believe we will return.

Been here many times and we are always pleased. The food is wonderful, and the folks here are great. Also a very good wine list and a fine bar, so go and enjoy.

I really, really want to give this restaurant a great rating. It's local, it's friendly, the service is great. Our family of five went for dinner. I had pizza and salad, others had modest bowls of pasta, my youngest qualifies for the children's menu. We did not order alcohol, dessert or even sodas, and the bill came to $98. That's excessive, and we probably won't be back.

We were impressed! Even on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, they hit the high points perfectly. Here is the run down: Meeting & Seating: Over the top friendly! We felt very welcome. The restaurant was quiet. It was easy to talk at a normal tone of voice and be heard. Service: Our server contacted us immediately. Her service was flawless. She was at our table frequently to help with refills. She insured our wine, drink and dinner orders were prepared correctly. The food: They have a good wine list (about medium size in number of offerings). Their bread is very addicting. Their minestrone soup is quite rich and full of ingredients. The spaghetti and sauces were a home run. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the meat sauce was spicy (just) enough to satisfy most adults and children. We wish this place was in Boise (or Ontario). :-)

I eat here at least every month or so when visiting my Dad...and I know he eats here more often than that! Nice atmosphere and friendly staff...they make you feel like family!! A nice variety of entrees, including pizza...and even a salad bar. For a really great deal, come for their early bird specials.

Great italian restaurant. I am italian and the food was very good and close to what you would eat at home if you are a southern italian. The prices were reasonable and you can order family style which we did. The Caesar salad is much better than the garden salad the sausage and meatballs were superior to the ravioli and chicken. The desserts we the Tiramasu and molten lave cake. All were great but the lemon Tiramasu won. The hostess were very friendly. Our waiter we had needed a little more experience. .. we will definitely be back.

This is okay Italian food. We had lasagna. Portion was nice. Sauce is spicy but good. The noodles are thick. I'd prefer thin homemade style noodles. The dinner comes with a salad which was good. The odd thing is the bread. It is a focaccia with a spice blend on top. Again, just my preference but, I'd rather have a good crusty loaf of Italian bread and butter.

We stopped by with a group to enjoy the Friday buffet. Everything was tasty and the service was courteous and efficient. The buffet was a bit limited with a nice salad bar, one fish dish, spaghetti, and lasagna. A little more variety would improve the meal tremendously. If there were desserts they were not in evidence. All in all, an OK place to eat, but certainly not a destination by any means..

We were excited, to be meeting friends. But, not sure what is going on, when you find lipstick on your water glass, the table top unwashed, which was sticky and covered with bread crumbs. Since you were the first guests of the day, you wonder... We ordered two salads with different dressings were brought to the table. Both dressings were thin like soup, with no flavor. When the pastas were delivered, mine was cool, while hubby's was bubbling hot. Dessert, my salted caramel cake had an off flavor, like it had been in the refrigerator uncovered, and picked up the taste of something else. Garlic? The Ice creams were fine. Needless to say it's going to be a long while till we go back. Cheers

This place could make a killing on just their pizzas alone, and yet they offer a huge array of dishes that are proportioned to feed an army. Such good food at such reasonable prices makes you wonder why other places charge so much. Wonderful place for family dining, and with newly remodeled banquet halls that seat up to 200 you can bring all your friends too!

I was able to reserve a semi private room for a family dinner on a Friday night. Everyone was so accommodating from making the reservation on the previous Wednesday to our wonderful waitress. There were 10 of us and we started with all the appetizers and proceeded to order 3 large pizzas. OMG way too much food. We took home almost a full pizza. Since I had not been there before, I had no idea how large their large really is. It was nice to be able to visit with my children it was not too loud. I enjoyed the way the restaurant is decorated and there was plenty of free parking at the site. This was a totally wonderful experience.

We went to this place for dinner having been here in the past and again, it did not disappoint. We were promptly seated and the waitress (Anne?) waited on us. We placed our drink and food order and the drinks were served in short order. I ordered a calzone along with a cup of clam chowder and she ordered the Fettuccine Alla Pollo which had floured medallions of chicken breast sauteed in a cream sauce and garlic. Both meals were full of flavor and plentiful in portion so along with the great service from our waitress (Anne?) we will be back, hopefully sooner than later. (NOTE) I held a surprise party at this restaurant several years ago and the Ernesto's staff went out of their way to make sure it was a success. Even with preparing meals for a large group, the quality and quantity of the meals did not change and everyone came away very impressed.

A co-worker mentioned Ernesto's to me. I travel past this restaurant every morning on the bus, but had never even noticed that it was there. Joy and I went there for a late Valentine's dinner. The atmosphere was very Italian, with murals and decor from that romantic country. We split the cake for dessert. It was very rich -- I doubt I could have eaten the entire piece by myself. The portions are large; I brought half of my dinner home to have for lunch the next day. We'll be back!

We were treated to a wonderful Italian dinner at Ernesto’s. Here is the rundown. Greeting and seating... The staff at this restaurant is very welcoming and friendly. In our case, we were greeted and seated quickly. Service: was consistently excellent The food: some of the best spaghetti with meat sauce that we ever ate. The focaccia bread slices are quite addicting. There is balsamic vinegar and olive oil on the table for dipping. The Italian sausage link was spiced nicely and had lots of taste. And finally, the minestrone soup was very good. They had a very good wine list.

I go to Ernesto's each month for a local business association networking meeting. Their wait staff is amazing for such a large group. I truly enjoy their huge Calzone and usually enough to take home for lunch the next day.

Our first visit and it will not be the last. This fun restaurant in SW Portland is a find. The menu is fairly vast, with many past, fish, chicken, and beef options. The pizzas we saw come out at the neighbors table looked terrific. I order the veal parm and my wife the chicken marsala. Both dishes were delicious. She had clam chowder that was very tasty and I had the ceasar salad which was crisp and fresh and tasty. We liked the homemade foccacia bread. Betheny our server was first rate.

this was a great experience dining here, everything was 5 stars, the service, the meal, the appetizer, the menu layout, the cleanliness, the atmosphere and/or decor (inside the bar lounge area is where I was) the promptness of food getting to your table, friendliness and knowledge of staff, all of it.I couldn't think of one thing wrong at all.I highly recommend.I will definitely come back here.

I had driven by the sign a few times and decided to try it...Glad we did. The chicken cacciatore and the fettuccine verde Alla polo were both delicious. And we had enough for leftovers for a second meal. The table bread was also great. Service was great as they refilled my water a few times.

Dinner with friends where we each selected a different dish - and all were excellent. One of the guests said "this is our new favorite Italian Restaurant." Dishes tend to be "well" salted, so if you have issues with salt be sure to ask the server if prep can be done with less salt. Service was attentive without being pushy or obvious, and on a Tuesday night there were more tables empty than diners to fill them, so we made our dinner a leisurely one which seemed to be fine with the server. The happy hour is another matter. The menu in the bar shows how much off the drink is, not the net price after the amount is taken off. For example, our wine (house white wine) was $3 off the regular price during happy hour. One would expect then a very reasonable price for the glass of wine - maybe $4. But this is the "gotcha" because the regular price is $9 per glass of house wine, they "lower" the price to $6, which for the same thing at Olive Garden is $4 at Happy Hour. I won't let the subterfuge of the bar happy hour menu detract from the food or service - just be sure to ask for the net price on any drinks you might order from the happy hour menu.

We have eaten here a number of times. Once with a large group where we had a buffet. That was great. We have gone back 2 other times. The salad bar is fabulous. One meal I had was the evening special. It was expensive and not that good. I should have asked for the price. We have had the calzone and pizza as well. These were good.

My husband and I eat here about two times a month whenever we crave old fashioned, Italian food. Their classic items such as Lasagne and Eggplant Parmesan are delicious, and filling. We also enjoy the chicken or veal scallopini, and the chicken cacciatore. I actually love their entree size salads over their traditional pasta meals. The Mediterranean Salad is excellent. With each entree you can have a Caesar Salad, or a trip through their great salad bar, or a cup of soup. Their pizza is large enough for a family of four. For dessert, they have an excellent Tiramisu. My husband has literally tasted Tiramisu in over 50 restaurants, but always prefers Ernestos! I like their Lemon Tiramisu. My only criticism is that we would prefer having garlic bread instead of the Focaccia bread they serve. The wait staff is always friendly too. They have several large rooms for parties. Ernestos is a local staple in the Portand restaurant scene. It is great for families too.

See my review from December, 2012. I still eat here every few months when visiting my Dad. It's one of our favorite local restaurants! The service is excellent, and the atmosphere is warm & welcoming. I've never had anything that wasn't excellent. The have a wonderful salad bar, the pasta entrees are excellent, and the pizza's very good. Come for the "early bird specials"...I highly recommend it!

An inviting restaurant, with many options. If you are there for lunch you can either order off the menu or you can have their lunch buffet. The buffet offers many choices, including the salad bar.

This is the 3rd time we had done take out. They pack well and food quality is not compromised. They have appropriate containers for all dishes. Tiramisu is yummy. They even have ruffino wines. Sounds Italian, looks Italian, tastes italian.

Ernesto's is good classic Italian food, lots of favorites, chicken parm, lasagna, ravioli, spaghetti, alfredo etc. Comes with soup and salad (nice and crisp), and large portion entrees. Definitely not low cal but oh so worth it.

This is our favorite Italian restaurant. Service is always top notch, food is authentic Italian & every dish is yummy! Great atmosphere. Not expensive :-) I would not hesitate to my New York family to this restaurant.

As a longtime Ernesto’s customer of both dine in and take out, meals, I’ve come to the decision that I won’t be returning. Tonight’s take out order of a spaghetti (qt.) and meatballs was just plain disappointing. The meatballs had a dry and mealy texture. The quart of spaghetti with meat sauce was very short on pasta, mostly it was just sauce. What happened? For $25, it simply was not worth it. Sad.

Keisha, think I spelled it right, was wonderful. We had so much fun chatting with her about what to order, she had tried most everything. Loved the Seafood piccata, Carol had the chicken mushroom dish and I can't remember the name. But, I got a bite and it was heavenly. Picked up the salted caramel cake to take home to hubby. He was delighted, he also got half of the piccata because I couldn't finish it. It wasn't a busy night, but one older lady with glasses (manager?) kept stopping by, asking if we needed anything else. 3 times in less than 10 minutes. We were catching up as we can't really talk with our mouths full. We both got very uncomfortable, as she wasn't smiling and sort of hovering. So we left, that was the only negative about our visit. Cheers

We really love this place. They have really good food and reasonable prices. One of us usually gets the Lasagna and the others always want some of it. The pizzas are really filling! We have recently preferred thin crust but this thick crust and the toppings are too good to pass up. This is the only place I have had or even seen Lemon Tiramisu. It is soooo good and refreshing. We can't stop eating it. Everything we have had here has been excellent. We have not been to a better Italian Restaurant that does it all well yet, in this area. It is hard to try something else when you have such success with where you are going. The one complaint was the last time we were here, it was near closing and the waitress disappearred! We had to go hunt her down to get our check to leave.

My wife and I have eaten at Ernesto's Italian Restaurant for many years. We continue to return to the restaurant because of the really good food and reasonable prices. Booths or tables are available. The atmosphere is cozy with an Italian flair. The Michael's salad is particularly good especially when served with the focaccia bread. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar are available tableside as is grated parmesan. The portions lean toward the larger side and we've never had a dish we had to return since we started visiting this restaurant years ago. For a nice evening out of good Italian dining, we would recommend Ernesto's. A full bar is available.

I love these throw back Italian restaurants, where everything you expect to find is on the regular menu. The bar offers a great happy hour; and the salad bar is great.

Ernesto's has been my "go to" neighborhood restaurant for at least the past 20 years. I've been going to Ernesto's for even longer than that, but about 22 years ago I moved into a home just down the street., so now when I have an occasion, or just don't feel like cooking one evening, it's so simple to pop in to Ernesto's! It's a great place to bring your family and it's also just right for a dinner for two. I nearly always have either the veal or the chicken in either piccata or marsala sauce. Yum Yum. This last visit on December 10th, I had one of the house specialities which is lasagna, and it was very good. My husband had the veal marsala and enjoyed it very much. The house salad at Ernesto's contains more than just lettuce and is always interesting, plus they provide a nice basket of bread and replenish the bread anytime you want. Ernesto's isn't fancy, it's just a great neighborhood Italian restaurant and I hope I get to visit there and enjoy the food and great service and value for another 20 years.

This Italian restaurant has been here for 30 years but it was my first visit. I had driven by many times but missed it as it sits back off of Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway with only a small shared sign out front. Upon entry one is greeted with the feeling you have stepped into an old restaurant in Tuscany. The restaurant is huge with two dining areas, three banquet rooms, and a bar. The menu is very extensive. It takes a while to read through it. The large portions of pasta can be served with tennis ball size meatballs. There is a salad bar. Full bar. Large wine list. One can order food to go and buy a bottle of wine to take out with it. This would be a great place for banquets.

Had a great birthday dinner for my wife there last night! I tried the seafood piccata, which was awesome, and she had the carbonara, that was also very good! Friendly service from the moment we walked in, til we left. We will be back!

I want to thank Chris for setting up a section in the restaurant for the ladies from the Assistance League of Greater Portland to enjoy a happy with dinner. The service was great, nice atmosphere and the pizzas were delicious. We will be back.

Inexpensive lunch buffet with good salad bar and several tasty entree choices. Always good minestrone soup, spaghetti with at least 3 sauces and tasty mixed vegetables. Lots of customers means good food! Try them.

We have been going here for many years, and their food is always great. When our office was in the area we would go there weekly for lunch (especially for their Italian roast beef YUM). Everything has always been good and the people are also very nice, even after not going there for over 6 months they still remembered us when we can in again.

I had never been to Ernesto's before. Way bigger inside than it's strip mall facade would indicate. I confess that Italian is not usually on my radar for eating out. We had a gift certificate which is why we ended up here. I thought portions were a little on the small side. I ordered Chicken Parmigiana which was tasty enough. I thought it was kind of weird that a small dish of pasta with marinara sauce came on the side, but I guess it is what it is. As I don't have a lot of Italian places to compare I am giving it a 4 stars. It deserves more than three.

First visit as friends recommended we meet there. Friendly host. Friendly and helpful waitress. The wine list had good choices for a fair price. Friend told me this place serves the best combination pizza. It was good but not best ever though pizza is a matter of taste. My wife had a pasta dish with shrimp and olives and garlic: Too much shrimp to finish. Our friends both had chicken piccata which was a healthy portion. They enjoyed it. Salads were fine. Desserts looked good but I passed.

We held my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary dinner at Ernesto's last February. The staff was wonderful to work with and very accommodating. We had the food served family style and it worked out very well. The room size was perfect for the 50+ guests (we even had a little space where those who wanted to could dance). We were able to show a video and bring our own music to highlight the evening. I highly recommend Ernesto's is you're looking for an affordable and enjoyable place for a special celebration. The restaurant itself is very homey, decorated with an Italian flair, and the bar while somewhat small, reminds me of a place you would expect Frank Sinatra and the boys to hang out..

We had dinner at Ernesto's after not having been there for quite some time, and found the food to be as good as we remembered. I had the chicken piccata and husband had the baked rigatoni, and both were quite delicious. Our server was great as was our hostess. The atmosphere is nice, too, as one can "almost" feel like it's in Italy that a meal is being enjoyed!

We've been getting all our pizza from here for the last 2 years. About 2 months ago we ordered a take out pie and it was not the quality that has been the norm. Very disappointed, it's hard to locate a good pizza. Today we decided to stop in for a birthday late lunch, giving them another chance. They were kind enough to send me a BOGO birthday email. We were sat by a woman, looked over the menu found no veal which is what I wanted. Sat for about 10 minutes till a waiter came by. I asked about the veal he said he could probably do it. I asked if it would be possible to use my birthday email, said he had to find out. Never came back. We left. I think he might have been the only one on tables and the woman who sat us didn't seem to be helping him at all. I don't know if he didn't really want to wait on us because I had a BOGO but that's ashame because I use to be a server and we are very good with gratuity. I hope you can get your restaurant together because now this is 2 strikes in a row.

Great food, atmosphere, and wonderful bar. Perfect for family groups or couples, special occasions attended to efficiently. Accommodating to groups, children, elders. The food is homestyle, southern Italian, and bonus: spumoni ice cream for dessert!

Group of 16. Came in physically to set this up weeks ago. Acting like it is our fault. Not very pleasant about it.

Maybe I've just had enough lasagne in my life to not get excited about anyone's. Fine atmosphere but typical, adequate service, fine good, just common, nothing special.

Last time here I rated Ernesto's as excellent. We had a wonderful experience. Could not have been better. Food, dessert, service. But our latest visit was a very good experience, but no cigar. The meatballs were OK. Somehow I expected more oomph to them The sauce was very good but I was looking for more. The place is great. Good decor, good service though a little longer wait for service as they were full and there was a 'To Go' customer before us, so that was a little wait. Had the Veal Piccata. Excellent Sauce. Skipped dessert but the Chianti Reserve is a good choice.

With 3 adults we thought one pizza might not do it, so we ordered two. The pizzas were much bigger than anticipated and we took quite a bit home. The toppings were extremely generous on the Michelangelo and the combination pizzas - and I'd recommend both. We were catching up with family members over dinner and wound up staying a couple of hours - we never felt pushed to move along and give up the table for others, which was really nice. Wait staff attentive, but not overly so. We'd go back.

Delicious pizza and salad and a view “of the world”. Here celebrating our high school reunion, their spacious banquet room was perfect for this.

This time we had a pizza to go and we weren't disappointed. We ordered pepperoni, meatball & black olive. Their crust is delicious and the pizza is so tasty. The sauce is not too spicy or overpowering - just a complement to the toppings. Really great Italian.

We used to frequent this restaurant years ago and it was great then, However, we moved out of the area and years later, when we returned...they had moved too! Great location, very nicely decorated inside. The staff was so kind and helpful. My hubby had spaghetti & meatballs and I had the lasagna. Both meals were great, but my lasagna was outstanding!! We're so glad that we found Ernesto's again! It will be one of our "go to's" for delicious comfort food! We cannot wait to go back!!!

Been years since we’ve been back here, but so glad we came back. Great pizza, great atmosphere, great service. This is the perfect spot for families to gather. To top it off (that’s a pizza pun), the total tab was refreshingly “fair”. When you’ve got a group of 6 to 9 (depending on who’s available), the bill can get really big, really fast. Ernesto’s is a great value.

Romantic atmosphere, quiet and warm with friendly staff. Delicious gluten free options! I had the garlic Parmesan sauce over gluten free penne pasta and a meatball. Delicious. He had the pests over spaghetti with sausage. Delicious! Will be back!

Simply the best Italian restaurant in Portland. Great atmosphere, quick and friendly service, and the food is absolutely amazing. It can get a little on the pricey side, but the menu is well balanced with plenty for every budget. And don't even get me started on the pizza. Ernesto's combination pizza is the best pizza I have ever had. 5 Stars!

As a person who tries to support local businesses this place is a major letdown. They obviously could care less about their customers and not care about making money. I ordered a small pepperoni pizza via Uber Eats to PICKUP at 7pm. At 620pm they cancelled my order with no explanation. This is the second out of three times they pulled this. Totally unprofessional. I will not be doing business with your restaurant anymore since I work hard for my money. If you don't want to use the apps due to whatever reason then don't offer the option. With all the choices we have in restaurants and competition why eat here.

I grew up in Ontario, CA eating Vince's Spaghetti, and absolutely love their sauce to the point that I have to get my "Vince's fix" whenever I travel to So. Cal. -- Ernesto's meat sauce tastes like Vince's!!! I no longer feel a need to go to So. Cal. to get fantastic spaghetti, but Ernesto's is even better because they cook the pasta right - not overcooked like most Italian restaurants seem to do. Ernesto's is now my new favorite Italian restaurant! I can hardly wait to go back and try the pizza and lasagne. The service was excellent, the ambiance was relaxed, the decor is very Italian, and the Tiramisu is outstanding. We will be going to Ernesto's again, and again.