We rode our bikes into town one nice Saturday, and were in the mood for pasta. This restaurant is a little too fancy for bike clothes, but my husband was in nice jeans and shirt, and I was in a sporty skirt. There were others in jeans but I would rather be better dressed next time. While not over-priced, they do expect you to get an appetizer (to share), soup or salad, and entree. Loved the bread and basil oil which, and they brought butter upon request. We got the crab cakes appetizer and spinach salad with strawberries, both excellent. I got the lasagna - I rarely like restaurant lasagna, but I was in the mood, and this time I loved it. My husband enjoyed the spaghetti and meatballs. Took home half the lasagna. We'd go again for sure.

The ambience is very nice, tastefully decorated and overlooks the historic area. When we dined there it was very quiet, that's nice. The food was mediocre at best. Its a case where the managment and chef got together to get the highest price for the ratio of ingredients for each dish. In other words I didn't feel I was getting expensive ingredients in my food. The menu is arranged as a tiered catagories and you are encouraged by the waiter to order from each category, thus getting smaller portions with carefully chosen ingredients which I felt would get the restaurant the most profit for what they put in the dish....One salad I would never arder again was the signature Portalli salad, a small clump of mixed greens, a spiced pear half, about 5 pecans or walnuts, paper thin slices of celery and goat cheese. The dressing was bland and the entire salad was drenched in it to the point where the greens were limp. We didn.t opt for dessert as we had children who were getting antsy. I will say that the staff knew the menu well, were very accomodating but the food needs flavor and more attention.

The service is rude, slow, and non-customer friendly. Customers are not the priority, turning over tables is. The food is average at best and quite expensive for the quality and quantity. The place needs a serious remodeling, it smells of mold, the tables are crowded together, and you can barely move around the place.

I went there this past week for my birthday. Great atmosphere, fabulous food and drinks! Great service. I was seated next to a door that people kept trying to open from the entranceway so I kept getting hit by it which was quite obnoxious, couldn't they put a sign on the other side? There was a a youger gentleman who seemed to be a back-waiter and was walking around with a water pitcher and he somehow never saw my empty glass but he refilled all others' glasses quickly! Despite these small quams I may have, it was such an enjoyable experience and I most defintely look forward to returning!

First time to Portalli's, wish we would have gone sooner! Food was exceptional, consider taking recommendations from the very knowledgeable staff. Prices are within range of other high end restaurants in Columbia and Baltimore. Exceptional staff and service.