Porto's Party Store & Cake Gallery
Categories: Bakeries, Cuban, Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: Glendale315 N Brand Blvd
Glendale, CA 91203 (818) 956-5996
- Hours:
Mon 6:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Tue-Sat 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Sun 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot, Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: None
304 Reviews for Porto's Party Store & Cake Gallery
I had such high expectations for this place after reading all your reviews. But I was really disappointed with this place. Their cuban sandwiches were sad excuses,. The bread was dry, their roast pork was dry, not enough gooey melty cheese, not enough butter, not enough crunch and tartness from the pickles. I've had cuban sandwiches in the LES in NYC for half the price which were way tastier. Their iced cafe con leche was basically a shitty iced latte, not the kind I'm used to from Juicy Lucy's. Their guave and cheese pastry was decent, but did not dazzle. And the line inside was ridiculously long during their lunch hour. I think NYC definitely has the edge when it comes to Cuban cuisine. Sorry, but I don't think I'll be going back any time soon.
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I'm in love with Porto's cheese rolls. I think about them everyday, its unhealthy, I need help. Even when I'm exhausted after work, I'll drive an hr from downtown LA to Glendale then another 20 mins back to Pasadena just so I can get my doze of those yummy cheese rolls. Some of my other favorites are their flan, ny cheesecake, potato balls, and their famous guava cheese. YUM! *rubs tummy* I just wish they would label everything versus doing a half ass job at labeling some pastries and not some others. I hate being the annoying customer going "Whats this? What about that? And what's inside of this one?"
Nothing is perfect. I'm sure you can find much better Cuban fare somewhere else. But, give me a break. This place is still bombeezy. Why? Their pastries are very extensive in variety, and they all taste hella good and fresh. On top of that, it's pretty damn cheap for the quality you are receiving. For someone with a sweet tooth, this combination works well for me.
The pre-made cakes are fantastic, aesthetically and taste-wise. They look very upscale, and taste so too. On that note, the prices are extremely tame. A medium sized cake runs about 20 bucks. I haven't had the need to order one, but I'm sure the custom cakes are just as good if not better.
Don't be too put off by the lines because they work em pretty quickly. There's also about three different lines, people just don't realize it. The "beverage only" line is a lie, you can order food there too. But they won't tell you this, just figure it out yourself.
I'll admit that the Cuban sandwiches have been on a slow decline, and I'm not too sure why. But ask for extra pickles and that usually saves it. Other tasty sandwiches includes the Glendale Veggie and Italian sub.
Go to Cuba or NYC or wherever else where Cubans are abundant if you want the "soulful gritty" stuff. Otherwise, Porto's should hook you up just fine.
OMFG...AMAZING!! Not just the cakes/pastries, but the coffee too. It's all incredibly to-die-for.
I would drive all the way from SF for Porto's. Seriously.
In fact, Raffi's followed by Porto's is like a food lover's heaven. Try it one day. You'll thank me.
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If you live in Los Angeles the heart of Los Angeles and one day you wanted to the mall although there is alot of choices of where to shop. There is one mall you can think about which is Glendale Galleria or the new Americana @ Brand Grand Opening on May 2, 08. while going to these to places to shop, walk around and undwind. Since your around the Glendale neigborhood or for special occassions I would recommend Porto's Party Store & cake Gallery. I like there ball meat its shap is like a small ball its good and there pastry cake that has fruits around it you ca order for a b-day or special gatherings. Its so convient to Glendale Galleria and The Americana @ brand.
Wow, when was the last time I had a potato ball or a cheese roll?
I live in Long Beach now since I go to school there, but every so often I'll go back home in LA on the weekends. I haven't been to portos since... well, graduating from high school.
And oh, do I miss my cheese rolls. The crisp, flaky sweet crust, and the warm, oozing sweet cheese filling inside. I love 'em especially when they're warm from the oven.
Oohh.. I think I'll go tomorrow. I'll buy a cake for my mom for mother's day, but really, it's all for me and my rolls and balls.. I'm selfish, yes. But you know you'd do it too!
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I haven't actually been there myself, but my room mate brought home their guava and cheese pastry, and it was to die for. Every bite melted in my mouth, it's a delicious sweet treat that you will not be able to eat just one. I will definately stop in this place when I'm in LA (I live in SD).
I am not really that interested in food but Portos was the one restaurant that really made me say "Wow". They have the best pastries and cakes in the town and sandwiches are great too. The only downside to this place is that it is always crowded and they do not have enough seating.
If you haven't heard of Porto's and its amazing selection of cakes, pastries and Cuban delicacies, don't worry. You will. This legendary bakery is famous because it's delicious and affordable. Highlights: cheese rolls, the Parisian chocolate cake, pork sandwiches and croissants. Verdict: YUM.
Cheap yummy deliciousness! What more can you ask for?
For a party of 2, we only spent 15 bucks and even had leftovers (my fave)! Their cuban sandwich was definitely better than their pork sandwich, I like the meat pie better than the potato balls, and the fruit tarts are phenomenal. Next time, I'll be sure to buy more treats for home.
GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT
The potatoe balls are sooooo good with tapatio.
Pastries is so deliciousooooo,
Cakes are equally good,
Love the Croissant pastra-yummy sandwiches.
GO THERE NOW
just remember it is totally packed. ALWAYS---
I don't know what the big deal is. It's just a bakery.
I kid. I kid.
I know exactly what the big deal is. It's Porto's!! If you are ever in the Glendale area, it is imperative you visit here. Everyone (well, almost everyone) knows about Porto's. Heck, even my aunts in the bay area know about it! I suggest the Cuban sandwich, turkey/cheese croissant sandwich, feta sandwich, and the tuna salad sandwich. The bakery offers the BEST desserts. Try the guava and cheese strudel, meat pies, apple turnover, and spinach feta. The juices are good too. Yum!!
I used to eat here a lot when I worked in Glendale years ago. Really good stuff.
Out of all the bakeries I've been too, this has to be on the top of my list. Pastries are not my thing but when a friend took me here for desert, I understood why everyone loved this place. I ordered the cheese rolls and cheese danishes, both which didn't even make it to the end of the day.
The pastries there are made fresh with a variety of items to pick from. I look forward to visiting this bakery again to satisfy my sweet tooth. The service is excellent; the woman attending me was very helpful being my first time ordering there.
POTATO BALLS, POTATO BALLS, POTATO BALLS... I wish I lived back in LA at times with all the hidden gem food spots that the city has to offer. After raving about the Potato balls to my GF we finally made the special trip. Lets just say 15 potato balls are not enough. DO THEY SHIP THESE BAD BOYS??? Don't be scared of the long lines its worth the wait.
Summary:
I've heard about this place from a few people, but hadn't had a chance to try it out till recently. A couple blocks north of the Glendale Galleria on Brand Blvd, I had heard this bakery cafe gets very packed, but I had no idea it would get THIS packed! Stepping into this bakery, one might think was Macy's during Christmas.
Foodwise, this one of the most popular bakeries in Los Angeles, this place does not disappoint. Pastries, cakes, tarts, mousses, you name-- they got it. Lunch menu was also very pleasent consisting of various sandwhiches. Some suggestions would include their cuban sandwhich, pastrami sandwhich, and their potato balls. They're menu is pretty good in general-- fit for a light lunch that..well, leaves you some room for a delectable dessert!
There is not much more I can say, my tummy can only take so much desert at once-- I'll definitely have to make more frequent visits to try the rest of their dessert line!
Tips:
Like I mentioned earlier, this bakery gets VERY busy.. so give yourself a little time and patience.. or plan on visiting less busy times (ie, noon or breakfast) to minimize wait time. However, don't let that discourage you from visitng Porto's-- It's definitely worth it!
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Good price for good eats. But even though it is a good price I still buy a lot and end up spending $20 bucks still. The cheese rolls, potato balls, creme brule are very very popular, what isn't good with sugar, fat, cheese or potatoes? But the sandwiches and salads are very well portioned for the price, they come with delightful crispy banana chips that tastes like potato chips. But is it the best I've ever had? probably not.
I asked for someone for hot water to warm my baby's milk and they wanted me pay 75 cents! That is way outrageous! We brought like 50 people there, the least they could do is give me a some water.
Is this place overrated? yeah, probably had better bakery goodies at Diamond Bakery. The only reason it's popular is because it's not TOO sweet and it's fresh for a good price.
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Why does everyone know about this place but me?
I was lucky enough to have someone bring me some potato balls and cheese puffs.....they were "OUT OF THIS WORLD" delish. And when someone told me that they cost less than 2 bucks, the chinese in me ranked this place as a "destination eat".
They also told me there's a crazy but efficient line....but wait....
My friend once told me in order to have the PERFECT RELATIONSHIP, it's about waiting. For a woman, it's waiting for the RIGHT MAN. Then, perfect. And for a man, it's waiting for the RIGHT TIME. Bam! perfect relationship. Well, Porto is like that. You wait and wait and wait....but the reward is oh-so-satisfying!
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The cakes here are AMAZING. Beautiful as well as extremely delish.
The pastries should be illegal they are tasty.
The sandwhiches/hot food is GREAT
There is ALWAYS a huge line, but they are used to it and are VERY efficient about getting things done quickly and orderly. If you havent been here yet, you are certainly missing out.
My Recommendation::::
-BREAD PUDDING!
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I'm giving it four stars for now because i only had the Parisian Chocolate Cake (which was tasty...perfect amount of sweetness and wasn't over the top) but i need to try the fruit tarts (a must for me) before i make a final final decision.
but back to the cake...i am not that big a fan of chocolate cakes...i often find them overbearing and way too sweet and creamy but this cake had a good balance and was still very moist. i had like 3 slices in two days. this has got to stop.
The cakes are pretty and yummy!
With some of the cakes they use the same kind of delicious cream you can find in Japan called nama (say it like i spelled it!) cream. YUM!
I especially love their chocolate cakes.. its like they perform some magical voodoo on it. forreal....
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I find myself here pretty often - at least a few times a month. It's hard to stay away with its low prices, super fresh baked goods, and warm/friendly service. Here are some of my favorite items:
potato balls
Cuban sandwich
turkey melt
all natural green tea smoothie
Refugiado (guava and cream cheese strudel)
They have a variety of fresh baked breads/croissants, fancy desserts (like Chocolate Grand Marnier, Mango Mousse..) and other types of Cuban sandwiches too... yumyumyum. :)
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PORTOS....make sure i take some to friends when I have some cash and I remember that they love cake.
Our family gets our cake from here at every event...mainly the tres leches and the chocolate raspberry cake. Tres leches is sweet goodness that's all liquidy from the sponge cake soaking in...three milks. There's just something so pleasing in eating cake without having to chew. As for the chocorasp cake, it's just super chocolatey. I can't really say i taste the raspberry things, but at the same time, I don't have the cake in my mouth as I type...
Besides cakes...their cheese rolls (pasties with creme cheese) and potato balls (potato meat thing) are my favorite things to get there, but the guava pastries are fruity and sweet enough to be able to eat more than one. It's pretty crowded there most of the time, but since they opened the cafe, the line for food and everything has been moving at a comfortable pace. Good anything is worth waiting for anyway, patience is a virtue...all that.
If you're eating inside, the best time to go would be breakfast. Less people, and there are seats. Parking is not as tough because most people will not pick up cakes for dinner at 8 9 am.
If you don't live in Glendale, driving to Portos is something that I highly recommend. There aren't too many places that I feel are not worth driving more than 5 miles, but...Portos...PORTOS...is worth the drive.
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I've only been to this location a few times and it is always busy especially during lunch. My coworkers often stop by to grab some fresh baked goods in the morning. It is true that they are fresh and satisfies the burning hunger you may have in the morning. I especially like their potato balls, and meat pies. All in all it is a place I can rely on for a quick bite at reasonable prices.
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This is one of my favorite places to get a sandwich!! They are amazing here...Be sure to get their famous potato balls!!!!!!! There is always a huge line so be prepared to wait.
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When I think of Porto's I think of their yummy cheese rolls. Even if I'm stuffed to my limit, I can ALWAYS make room for a cheese roll! I've also tried their fruit cake which was different from any other fruit cake I've ever tried because the cream and fosting tasted light and not too heavy and overly sweet.
Steering away from the sweets, I also had their potato balls, which are like mashed potatoes rolled into balls, and they're pretty good. They also have good simple sandwiches and I had the potato sandwich which is just a sandwich with the potato balls and cheese, mustard and lettuce [hey, I can't get enough of those potato balls!]
This place gets pretty packed during the lunch time, of course, but the prices are pretty reasonable.
I've heard the hype about this place and wanted to check it out. I couldn't believe all the people and the place is pretty big and it is still packed with people on a Sunday at 3P. Everytime I come here, the place is packed.
I usually get the cuban style sandwiches like ham and cheese, but they also make a good grilled veggie sandwich. The pasteries aren't bad either.
I wish they would open a location on the Westside or in Orange County.....hint, hint :)
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Been going here since I was a kid and there was one narrow store front on Brand in G-dale. Ah...the good old days with Mom! Been loving the potato balls for all these years. Now, our dept at work orders the cakes for everyone's b-days, and the food for special lunches. Great - always. And very glad they rectified the payment situation.
If your diet instructs you to stay away from carbs, stay the hell away from this place. Better yet, run.....
Super good and reasonably priced bakery and sandwich place. I have family in the area so I always seem to making runs to get bread and pastries. I can't seem to drive by the place without getting a couple of mango empanadas to go.
The lines can definitely get long, but the seem to move pretty quick.
PS. They make great cakes too....
This isn't a 5 star pastry place based on just the quality of baked goods; however, for the price, it's a definite 5-star.
That being said, I love the meat pies and the cheesecake (very light and fluffy).
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I've been meaning to review this place. Oh how I wish they would open a Porto's in Orange County. The trek to Glendale is unbearable (yes, I'm spoiled and hate driving, anyone wanna take me again?). Went on a Sunday for early lunch, oops, big mistake. The line was out the door but the wait was well worth it. Had their cuban sammich and the potato balls, how dreamy. OOh and don't forget to go to the bakery for your sweet dining pleasure. Mango mouse and pies and brownies and cakes, oh my!
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One of my favorite spots to visit when I go back to LA. It is so wonderfully Cuban and there are so many tastey things to try. The bakery is delicious, lunch is great, coffee is awesome. I could use a meat pie right now!
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favorite bakery ever!!
i get all my cakes from here.....
ive been going to this bakery since the hs years.....
warning... it is extremely busy ... at all hours of the day...
but they did open up the cafe next door but its still pretty bad....
MUST HAVES:
pastries:
- cheese rolls (absolute favorite.... buy no less than a dozen)
- meat pies
- potato balls.... (yummmm itll give you bad breath though)
sandwiches:
- potato sandwich
- media noche
i havent tried the cuban sandwich but i heard thats pretty good
cakes:
i believed ive tried every single one of their cakes....
but favorite is the cappuccino mousse and the white cake :)
metered parking in the back.......
head-in parking only....
ive gotten a ticket for backing into a space... !!!!!!
make sure you got enough money in your meter
cus the parking ppl are sticklers
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3 visits in 3 weeks. BAD BAD BAD!!!
My cousin lives so close its so hard to avoid Portos. I know my family loves the cheese rolls but I am in LOVE with their Mango Mousse. Such a little ball of mango perfection!! I would love to host a dinner party and for dessert have a mango mousse ball of perfection on each plate. Its TO DIE for.
If you want some real food prior to dessert their Cubano sandwich comes with a side of plain plantains that is the perfect combo in your mouth. Portos you're amazing!
My recommendation: Cheese rolls! And tons of it!
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whether it's the one in glendale or the one in burbank.. i highly recommend this place to anyone. the pastries are beautiful, delicious, and don't cost as much as most beautifully presented pastries. their classic items are their potato balls and the cheese rolls. usually when a business makes a lot of money on something, the quality starts to suck.. but i feel like their quality is only getting better and better ! i also suggest the opera cake and the fruit tart. their sandwiches are tasty and have some good prices. take a friend, go alone... just GO! :)
This review is for Porto's "wedding cake gallery". I went with a friend to a tasting this morning (we had an appointment) and we still had to wait a good 20 minutes. Then one girl dropped a plate off in front of my friend which contained 4 miniscule pieces of cake and started to walk off without telling her what types of cake there were. When I got married the three places I chose asked me what I would like to try so that I could get an idea of which had the best fresh strawberries and cream - you know, compare apples to apples? Not this place...one was some black and red piece (still don't know what that was), one was white cake with strawberry filling (dry ass cake with jelly filling pretty much), one yellow cake with mocha filling and one yellow cake with custard filling.
I asked if these cakes were frozen first because the white cake was a little dry (to put it mildly) and she said "This one is a traditional American wedding cake. Dry." Um, whatever. They were giving my friend a hard time about the design she wanted too - pretty much just a ribbon and dots but they made it seem like it was really difficult. This place sucked...the only reason we decided to try it is because she is getting married close to there (in Burbank) and it got so many positive reviews. Maybe their food is good, but my kids tried their cookies and didn't like them (both the chocolate chip and sprinkles). THUMBS DOWN!!!
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Cheap, yummy pastries. A ridiculously expansive selection of sweets.
I'll add more later, but right now it's late, I'm hungry and the thought of potato balls, cheese rolls and ridiculously tasty sandwiches are dancing in my head and it's torture.
For now, I will just say that this place is possibly my favorite place to eat, period. Oh the sandwiches. Ohhhh, the potato balls.
Ok, that's it. I'm drooling on the keyboard. I have to go.
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I've had sandwiches, cakes, pastries, and catering from Porto's. Everyone at my work was obsesses with the potato balls, but my favorite was the blueberry muffins. Or the guava cheese rolls. Or maybe the chocolate cake. Also, you have to try the sugar-rolled, black-bean stuffed plantains.
Oh, and they do wedding cakes. My friend just ordered hers...I can't wait for her wedding!
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