How is Porta Nera restaurant rated?

Porta Nera

3.9

122 Reviews

$30 and under

Italian

Top Tags:

Dinner Only

Enjoy a great meal with fresh ingredients and a friendly staff. We are locally owned and family run. We take pride in providing all our guests with a comfortable place to enjoy a delicious meal. Contact us for our daily specials!

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(513) 771-0022
Website
http://www.portaneraitalian.com/
Payment options
Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
11525 Chester Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45246
Neighborhood
Sharonville
Cross street
Convention Center.
Parking details
Private Lot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 122 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

3.9

3.9 based on recent ratings

4Food
4.1Service
3.9Ambience
3.6Value

Noise • Moderate

122 Reviews

HB
HopeB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 12, 2023
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
Excellent food, service, location and feel of the restaurant ! We would go back again if on the area.
Is this helpful?
ED
ErinD
Cincinnati
5 reviews
vip
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 5, 2023
Overall3Food3Service3Ambience2
Just meh. Nothing about the interior has been changed since it was Vincenzo’s. It’s very expensive for what you get. Will probably not go back.
Porta NeraResponded on May 11, 2023
You mean besides the paint and completely different wall decor?
Is this helpful?
JM
JMAK
Cincinnati
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 29, 2023
Overall4Food4Service4Ambience5
Enjoyed open, bright busy atmosphere including accordion music. Food was good but would like to see expanded sea food selections on menu. Service was surprisingly god despite signage indicating staff shortages. Will come back for more!
Porta NeraResponded on May 11, 2023
Thank you
Is this helpful?
JT
JaneT
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 28, 2023
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience4
Compliments to our waiter He made some accommodations to the menu to suit one of our guests
Porta NeraResponded on May 11, 2023
Thank you and you are welcome!
Is this helpful?
WS
WilliamS
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on April 28, 2023
Overall2Food2Service3Ambience3
Chicken Picata was bland, they must have left out the lemon. Seven dollars for a small basket of bread is ridiculous. Husband's veal parm was good. They need more help. Long wait for dinner only two tables occupied when we arrived. We were the second table.
Porta NeraResponded on May 11, 2023
Thank you for supporting small business
Is this helpful?
JS
JimS
Cincinnati
16 reviews
4.0
16 reviews
Dined on April 22, 2023
Overall4Food3Service5Ambience5
Wish there had been more sauce on the chicken Alfredo dish. Wish they didn’t have to charge for bread and butter . Wine prices pretty fair.
Is this helpful?
SK
ScottK
Cincinnati
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 22, 2023
Overall2Food2Service2Ambience4
We remember this place as Vincenzo's. It looks similar, similar menu, but lots has changed. Meals come with nothing. No soup, salad or bread. Bread is extra. Portion size has shrunk as well as sauce for the the dishes. Typically my wife takes home half her meal, but this time nothing to take home. Server was okay, but did not know much about the wine or the beer. Did check on us, but that was about it.
1 person found this helpful
M
Mike
Cincinnati
16 reviews
2.0
16 reviews
Dined on April 22, 2023
Overall2Food3Service3Ambience3
We went early on a Saturday night with another couple and the place was quiet and we were sat right away. Unfortunately they were short-handed but as there were a few people dining at that time it did not impact our service. The coffee machine and the soda machine were broken but they did send somebody to a local store to get bottles of soda. I had the Penne alla vodka with sausage and it was pretty good. The highlight was the sausage which had great flavor and texture and there was plenty of it in the dish. One of us got the mushroom risotto which was also good. Unfortunately the other two both got the chicken parmesan which was very unremarkable. The chicken was tender but bland and the pasta was very light on sauce. While not a bad experience it was certainly not worth the price.
Porta NeraResponded on May 11, 2023
Thank you for leaving the exact same review in two different places. That's awesome. My staff, who depend on this restaurant to feed their families, really really appreciate it.
1 person found this helpful
t
tastyk
Cincinnati
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 5, 2023
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
We ordered the table fettuccine and it did not disappoint! It was delicious. I will order it again. Everything we ordered was delicious and the staff was friendly! Great choice for our dinner. Thank you!
Is this helpful?
DJ
DanielJ
Cincinnati
34 reviews
vip
1.0
34 reviews
Dined on April 1, 2023
Overall1Food1Service2Ambience2
Limited menu choices . Poor quality . Understaffed
Is this helpful?
DM
DanielM
Cincinnati
8 reviews
vip
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on March 31, 2023
Overall4Food5Service5Ambience4
Great food. Good Service. A little pricey & charging for bread and butter is a little overboard. Otherwise, a good experience.
Is this helpful?
m
mklmg
Cincinnati
10 reviews
3.0
10 reviews
Dined on March 25, 2023
Overall3Food3Service2Ambience2
let's talk food and pricing first. the menu is very limited and we thought the food was mediocre to good at best (the pasta alfredo made at the table was by far the best dish of the night), nothing special at all, and the prices were "OC" - over charge - for the food that we got. everything is ala carte - so for $23 all you get is pasta, nothing else (and the serving was small). bread and salad is an extra charge ($7 each). i ordered the eggplant parmesan (3 small rounds of eggplant) that came with spaghetti. i asked to substitute a side salad for the pasta and was told i would have to pay ($7) for a side salad. so, to have pasta alfredo with bread and a salad will run you $34!! our wait staff was doubling as the bartender (or was it the other way around?), so they got to us when they were not busy at the bar - and the bar was definitely the priority. the evening was disappointing all the way around. we will not be running back to eat here again.
Porta NeraResponded on March 28, 2023
Thanks, we are looking forward to it.
2 people found this helpful
DW
DanW
Columbus
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on March 25, 2023
Overall2Food2Service2Ambience2
May have just been an off night and may have been what we ordered, but thought the food was below average for the price. Service was lacking and overall ambience was not what we were hoping for at the price.
3 people found this helpful
S
Scott
Cincinnati
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on March 25, 2023
Overall3Food3Service4Ambience3
We had a party of 7, so we had several different entrees at the table. You have to order and pay for bread if you want it, so that was $14 or so for two baskets of bread. You get 6 standard fried mozzarella sticks in an order, so $20 for 12 fried mozzarella sticks that you can get for less than half the cost at any chain restaurant. Ouch! That’s honestly ridiculous! Entrees do not come with a salad, so none of us ordered salads since we were already spending over $30 per person without salads. The table side Fettuccini Alfredo was $23 plus $6 to add a chicken breast. The price is really high, but worse, the portion was so small it should be on the kids menu- seriously. Regan, the sever, did a good job, and the food was all pretty good. Our family probably won’t go there again simply because you can get twice as much food for half as much money at the most popular Italian chain restaurant, and the food is of similar quality at the less-expensive place. If we planned to pay this much for dinner again, we’d go to the nicer family-style Italian restaurant at Kenwood Towne Center. They have a better selection and you won’t leave hungry. This was worth trying once. The food was good, but it’s simply not a good value relative to other similar options in the area.
1 person found this helpful
JB
JanineB
Cincinnati
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on March 25, 2023
Overall2Food2Service2Ambience2
Very expensive for portion size. They charge for bread $7. Charge is $6 for a cup of extra dressing. Lasagna had little flavor, was burned on the bottom & was mostly noodles. Special entree was tableside alfredo. Cart was left out in the way of general traffic when not in use. Preparer did no wear gloves or clean hands from one serving to the next. Terrible value. Will not go back.
Porta NeraResponded on March 28, 2023
Thanks, we are looking forward to it. I would also like to add that I can see your bill, you were not charged $6 for "extra dressing".
1 person found this helpful
C
Cincygirl
Cincinnati
28 reviews
vip
4.0
28 reviews
Dined on March 24, 2023
Overall4Food5Service4Ambience5
Everything was fine but they forgot our salads. They were taken off the bill. Not sure about paying 7.00 for bread??
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Cincinnati
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 22, 2023
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
So excited for the new owners! Table side Alfredo was awesome! Even booked a huge family gathering for Easter weekend! Looking forward to going back!
Porta NeraResponded on March 28, 2023
Thank you!! Looking forward to see you again!
Is this helpful?
MW
MichelleW
Orlando
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 21, 2023
Overall4Food4Service5Ambience4
Our food was excellent and the service was great. We enjoyed the drinks and their clever names. The only thing that bothered me was paying $7 for the bread which is normally complimentary at an Italian restaurant. Had they been amazing, I would have been okay with it but the rolls were just okay.
Porta NeraResponded on March 28, 2023
Thank you.
Is this helpful?
d
deedee123
Cincinnati
243 reviews
vip
5.0
243 reviews
Dined on March 18, 2023
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
The food as well as the service were wonderful.
Porta NeraResponded on March 28, 2023
Thank you!
Is this helpful?
SK
SharonK
Cincinnati
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 18, 2023
Overall4Food4Service4Ambience3
Food was above average. Service was slow. Waiter did his best and was hustling the entire time but he just had too many tables to take care of. They desperately need to hire more staff.
Porta NeraResponded on March 28, 2023
Thank you for coming. And yes, we are trying desperately to hire staff.
Is this helpful?
WG
WendyG
Cincinnati
6 reviews
2.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 11, 2023
Overall2Food2Service2Ambience2
I really wanted to love this place. We had a 6pm reservation for 4. Ordered bread and cheesesticks. To say that we were wildly underwhelmed with the cheese sticks is an understatement. They were definitely of the frozen variety.Butter was hard as a rock for bread that was barely warm and had to pay for. Most Italian restaurants have complementary bread. I was expecting something outstanding. Food took an hour after ordering to arrive. For the price, I expected to be blown away, and I definitely was not. Even after all that, we were willing to bet the house on dessert. But that didn't happen because our server never came back to check until everyone was done eating for 15 minutes, and I was over it. I just wanted to pay and leave.
Porta NeraResponded on March 28, 2023
Wendy, Our bread is the very first item listed on our menu. If $7 is above your budget, don't order it. And yes, our cheesesticks are frozen, just as the cheesesticks you love somewhere else are also frozen. Because they have to be.
1 person found this helpful
P
Pete
Cincinnati
8 reviews
vip
3.0
8 reviews
Dined on March 11, 2023
Overall3Food3Service3Ambience2
Entrees were good. Cheese sticks were not. Looked like frozen. Paying $7 for 6 store bought ciabatta rolls not a good value. Every Italian restaurant I’ve ever been to does not charge for bread. Waitress not very friendly. Decor very outdated & doesn’t have the feel of an Italian restaurant. However, all 4 of us really liked our entrees. Very good sauce. Lasagne very good. Might go back but not for the bread or appetizers.
1 person found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
Cincinnati
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 11, 2023
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
Our new favorite restaurant for Alfredo!! Everything was wonderful but the Alfredo and noodles were amazing!
Porta NeraResponded on March 14, 2023
Thank you!
Is this helpful?
AW
AmberW
Cincinnati
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 10, 2023
Overall2Food1Service2Ambience4
Extremely high prices for very small portions of basic tasting food. No sides or salad included and you have to pay for bread and butter.
Porta NeraResponded on March 14, 2023
Amber, If you think our portions are small then I don't know what to tell you. We have never offered free salads or sides so im not sure where your expectation came from. Maybe try a buffet?
Is this helpful?
P
Pete
Cincinnati
20 reviews
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on March 7, 2023
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
Perfect in every way !! The Table Side Fettuccine Alfredo made personally by the Chef/Owner is a must have. Spaghetti and Meatballs is a cut above all others that I have ever tried. Porta Nera is what defines an Italian American Restaurant.
Porta NeraResponded on March 14, 2023
Thank you!
Is this helpful?
EJ
ErinJ
Chicago
4 reviews
vip
2.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2023
Overall2Food2Service1Ambience3
Service was the downfall here. The food could have been decent had it been served timely.
Porta NeraResponded on March 14, 2023
Erin, A party of six at 8pm on a busy saturday night being finished in an hour and 45 minutes is faster than industry standards. We make everything to order. Good food takes time. If you want your dinner out on a saturday night to be faster then go someplace where quality is sacrificed for speed.
1 person found this helpful
L
Lubanga
Cincinnati
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on March 4, 2023
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience3
Food was great. Loved the cheese wheel. Excellent service. Decent wine selection and dessert options. Definitely a place to revisit in future.
Porta NeraResponded on March 14, 2023
Thank you!
Is this helpful?
JL
JoeL
Cincinnati
4 reviews
vip
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on February 25, 2023
Overall3Food5Service1Ambience5
Strongly recommend this restaurant. If you go. Ask NOT to be seated in Jordan’s section. Horrible service!! I am consistently 25%-30% minimum tipper, was so bad I left 0. Watching other sections this was a Jordan issue and not the restaurant, I will go back!
Is this helpful?
EN
ErichN
Cincinnati
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 25, 2023
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience4
We went for our anniversary. The server was super friendly. The food was delicious. The owner took out picture in front of the fountain. They had someone playing the accordion live. It was a great night.
Is this helpful?
HF
HFugett
Cincinnati
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 24, 2023
Overall4Food4Service4Ambience4
Really enjoyed our meal. I would say the portion size vs price is a little high. But overall the food quality was good, and service was wonderful.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Cincinnati
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on February 19, 2023
Overall3Food4Service2Ambience3
Service was unattentive
Is this helpful?
RT
RobertT
Indiana
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on February 18, 2023
Overall3Food4Service2Ambience3
Food was good but it took 10 minutes once we were seated at the table for anyone to notice us. Didn't see her smile once. We will try other places before ever going back.
Is this helpful?
k
kgman
Cincinnati
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 14, 2023
Overall4Food3Service3Ambience5
Have been to this restaurant twice since it replaced Vincenzo's. The menu has fewer selections than the prior owners had. I think the prices are higher, and I don't think the experience is worth the added cost. I am waiting for the restaurant to mature a little more - add more selections to the menu (how about soup?) and take another look at pricing (additional cost for a basket of bread?)
Porta NeraResponded on February 17, 2023
Thank you for coming. Higher prices are the result of higher costs. Every restaurant is adjusting prices to cope with the current conditions.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Cincinnati
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on February 14, 2023
Overall1Food3Service1Ambience2
We came in for St. Valentine’s Day this week and were excited to try a new place. Overall, it was a less than fair experience. I felt that the price did not reflect the quality of the food. For instance, the bread and butter is $7, but the bread is seemingly frozen then thawed and reheated making it hard on the outside and difficult to eat. Along with the butter that was fresh out of a fridge and difficult to spread on the bread. Such a small detail, but it does make a difference. On top of that the service was unfortunately not much better. Our server was over sat and couldn’t take care of all of his tables effectively. I felt bad for them, but ultimately we didn’t receive much attention or much of any dialogue with them, which is more of a management issue. I hope the restaurant can at least get better bread. I know that would make a world of difference to the guests waiting on their entrees instead of gnawing on some chewy bread.
Porta NeraResponded on February 17, 2023
Thank you for supporting small business with your one star anonymous review. My employees, whose livelihoods depends on this restaurant, really appreciate it.
1 person found this helpful
BH
BenH
Cincinnati
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on February 14, 2023
Overall5Food5Service4Ambience5
Excellent night out for Italian with the family for Valentine's Day!
Porta NeraResponded on February 17, 2023
Thank you!
Is this helpful?
CS
CarlS
Cincinnati
120 reviews
vip
4.0
120 reviews
Dined on February 10, 2023
Overall4Food4Service4Ambience4
Food was very good. Service was good but the entree came out too quickly. It was Before we had finished our salads and appetizers.
Porta NeraResponded on February 17, 2023
Thank you!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Cincinnati
3 reviews
vip
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 4, 2023
Overall4Food4Service3Ambience4
The service was slow because a server called off, but we still enjoyed dining there. We ordered the bread with garlic butter, sausage and peppers, chicken piccata, and salmon. We enjoyed it all but the polenta and salmon were a bit bland. Everything else was nicely seasoned and tasty. We wanted to try the cannoli, but they were out. We'll definitely go back and try more dishes.
Porta NeraResponded on February 7, 2023
Thank you for coming. We apologize for your polenta and salmon. That's unacceptable. Reach out to us for a complimentary cannoli on your next visit.
Is this helpful?
SG
SidneyG
Cincinnati
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on February 4, 2023
Overall2Food2Service3Ambience4
Food was undercooked for multiple people at our table, not worth the price.
Porta NeraResponded on February 7, 2023
Sidney, I understand that you may be used to overcooked pastas from other restaurants, but we insist on serving perfectly al dente pasta here at Porta Nera. Thank you for coming.
Is this helpful?
j
jeffs
Cincinnati
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 4, 2023
Overall4Food4Service3Ambience3
Great food - we had the chicken parmesan, seafood risotto, and caesar salad, ending with a delicious cannoli. A couple of sticking points … The restaurant is very cold. I have seen others comment on this in the past. We kept our coats on. I would love for owners to give us an update. Also, $7 for bread is a bit ridiculous. I understand that it is ciabatta rolls and garlic butter, but it feels like one step away from charging for water.
Porta NeraResponded on February 7, 2023
Jeff, Thank you for coming and thank you for your feedback. Charging for bread and butter has become necessary and is very common these days. As for the heat, it has been fixed and the rest of our guests found the dining room very comfortable on the night you visited. I'm sorry you felt it was cold.
Is this helpful?
NS
NancyS
Cincinnati
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on February 4, 2023
Overall5Food5Service5Ambience5
The veal parmasean is the best we have ever had at any Italian restaurant.
Porta NeraResponded on February 7, 2023
Thank you!!
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Porta Nera is rated 3.9 stars by 122 OpenTable diners.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

11525 Chester Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45246

Additional information

Cross street
Convention Center.
Neighborhood
Sharonville
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Private Lot
Payment options
Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.portaneraitalian.com/
Phone number
(513) 771-0022