Denicolas Restaurant

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CLOSED NOW - Opens at 4:00pm

We used to go to De Nicolas but hadn't been for quite a few years until about a week a ago. The food was terrible..nothing like it used to be. The bread they serve before the meal was stale & tasteless (had hard pats of butter in foil accompany it). The main dishes were luke warm & were below standard for what it used to be & for what should come out of what used to be one of the best Italian Restaurants in Portland. I would definitely stick with Pastinis, Nonna Emilias, Nicolas Restaurant, etc.....

So where do i begin.....



We had reserved their "banquit room" one month before my friends baby shower. We searched the place by location, and being the closest pizza place with a party room, we booked it. We even visited the resturant a week before to check it out. The room was complete with wood panneling, an ugle mural from the late 80's, flimsy chairs from close to the same time era, and not well lit or heated. We laughed about it at the time and decided to be optimistic about the occasion rather than the location.



SO TODAY:



We arrived with mommy to be, presents, cake, decorations, the works. The first thing we saw was the owner who had to unlock the door to let us in at 4:00pm Keep in mind that I arrived with three women in their mid twenties and a first time mommy who is due any day now. Im sure we were sterotyped for our age.



So first the owner made it a big deal for us to use the back door closest to the car to haul in our baby gear. Before we could even start decorating she started NOT by complimenting or congradulating the mommy but by asking us how many people we were expecting. Our group size had shrunk since we made the reservation-like most ofen do. She did not appreciate this and showed it well.

ROLLED HER EYES, TALKED ABOUT IT TO OTHER WORKERS IN THE NEXT ROOM WHERE WE COULD EASIALLY HEAR, SAID TO US SHE WISHED WE WOULD HAVE TOLD HER EARLIER B/C THEY ALSO HAD A LARGE GROUP COMING THAT COULD HAVE USED THIS ROOM. ECT..

At the time we heard her talking about us we deceided to close the doors deviding the room. To keep the happy atmosphere in and the bad out. At which point she returned concerningly asking if this was a "surprise party!?" When we said no, she said "oh, then it would be good if we could leave these doors open".



If this other groups event was so important they should have booked earlier! What concern of mine is someone elses resurvation?! We were there to celebrate a new baby, we had planned games, and gifts, and cake-the works.

After such lame service from the start we decided we were DONE HERE....



The waitress(who was the only nice person here and probably deserves a better job) came to take our order. Once we informed her of our dissapointment she tried to apologize for the owners behavior, stating that shes had a "Really bad day". After she left the crazy biotch comes back AGAIN. At this point we were done seeing her face. She tried to act sorry, but only made things worse for mommy to be who felt totally disrespected. This was also when she said "Oh, i didnt know you were the mom!"



Shortly after this we left with a to-go pizza only to tip the waitress. Did i mention in the short time we were there someone else was also complaining about the service. I was so amazed at the level of service from the owner who should be top notch with friendlyness.



OVERALL: HORRRIBLE SERVICE

OLD, UGLY BUILDING

FOOD-NOTHING SPECIAL.

If it were not for my friends tollerance(mommy) for the horrible service, i would have snapped. They are lucky I was not the pregnant one. OH, there would have been quite a scene.....

I am from New Jersey.... This is just like the Italian food I used to have back home!!!!!! Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!! This is my favorite restaurant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is an excellent restaurant. The food is wonderful. Even though I live on the west side of town now, I occasionally make the trip across the river to eat here.

Go in for some great food, especially the pizza.

denicolasitaliandining.com