The Italian Joint

 

8

18

Heidi C.

Portland, OR

I picked up takeout from here once. Never again. The taste of the food reminded me of Chef Boyardee from a can. I have a couple of friends who really love this place so I should probably try again but I'm really hesitant.

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3

14

alexis c.

Portland, OR

The food was fine, not great, but not bad either. Maybe worth another try if I'm in the neighborhood, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back.

For a busy Sunday night, including a party of at least 10, the service was very good. I was a little worried about sitting outside and being forgotten, but our server was prompt and polite.

I had the "spicy" angel hair which was just sort of meh. It comes with feta (which melts into a gob by the second bite. i'm not saying it's a bad thing, but it is what it is..), kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, and sun dried tomatoes over angel hair with garlic and olive oil. I could have used a bit more work with spices and seasoning in terms of the pasta; I ended up eating all of the veggies and leaving a pile of pasta on the plate. I also had the small caesar which was quite big for a dinner salad. It was also quite garlic-y which was good at the time, bad after the second douse of Listerine. My girlfriend's stomach couldn't handle the garlic (she got the full order), but was happy with the tomato soup, which looked more like marinara sauce in a bowl than soup to me.

I was shocked to see $12 pasta on the menu as the review I read on here said this place was cheap, but that included a good sized caesar salad which made the price much more reasonable.

Overall it was a decent experience.

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Elite '08

53

78

Emily H.

Portland, OR

OK

Maybe I need to revisit, because it has been a few years... but The Italian Joint was host to one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had in Portland- maybe, everywhere

I go out a lot and it was seriously horrible and weird.

We needed to wait outside to be seated and were left waiting even after some tables opened up.

A few minutes later a waitress came and said "so, do you want to eat here or what?"

The correct answer would have been "no!"

Plus, the food was not that good

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0

15

Ana K.

Portland, OR

I skipped this place for months because it looked trashy and box-like from the outside, but it's actually super cozy inside.  The portions are enormous and the food is great (we had fettucini alfredo and the meat lasagna).  It's heavy and rich and you will more than likely have leftovers.  

As another reviewer mentioned, the carafe of house wine is cheap but decent and there are 4 glasses worth in there.  

The standout here, though, is the tomato soup. If you're on a budget, but want to eat out - this is the answer.  It's hearty as anything (my friend made fun of me for describing it as hearty, but there is no other word for it), and the entree size (even larger than the already generous appetizer that comes with your meal) will easily fill you up.  And at $4.50, served with a plate of Grand Central bread - I think it might be the cheapest and best dinner you can get in Portland.

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3

14

Eden C.

Portland, OR

i was very pleased with the warm atmosphere and the great food. i ordered spinach stuffed ravioli with alfredo, and a chunky tomatoe basil soup. IT WAS FABULOUS! go here!

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Elite '08

45

158

Jenny C.

Portland, OR

I love this neighborhood to begin with - so anything located here has instant potential for greatness in my book.  

But oh my starry eyed surprise...

Fantastic Italian food and a quaint atmosphere (seats about 25) that's uniquely Portland.  I had manicotti with a house salad that was great.  There is a happy hour menu for drinks and pasta - quite a few wines to choose from - and a variety of vegetarian options.  

Service was quick even though it was busy. I felt like I was at a dinner party at someone's home.  Very casual - it would be a cool place for a date or a stop while wondering the shops along Hawthorne.

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0

6

Thefuzzybee C.

Portland, OR

I dont go out to eat very often.  When I do, I want to be treated nicely, relax in a comfortable environment and eat great food.  Especially when the entrees average $14 and up.

Upon entering the Italian Joint, my friend and I sat ourselves and waited for a few minutes before anyone came over to greet us, give us menus, offer us drinks.    A few too many minutes, in my opinion - the restaurant is small and was not that crowded or busy for that to be acceptable.

The food was good. I will say that.  It wasnt great, it was good.   - The portion was somewhat dinky.  When I think Italian, I think massive doggy bag!

The server came back as minimally as she possibly could have.  

The people seated next to us werent finished eating their meals and went outside to have a smoke.  Simultainiously, the server was turning the Open sign to Closed when they came back in. She promptly said to them 'So...you want all of this boxed up?" -- they said "uhmm.... no. We are still eating."  (which was obvious, they still had 3/4 a bottle of wine as well.....I just thought that was too pushy and weird)

She did eventually come back to us and hand over the bill without offering dessert or coffee or anything else. It was a complete dismissal and it made me very angry.

One more thing that bugged me about the Italian Joint.....

Im not saying that you have to play Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra, or Pavarotti all of the time, but PLEASE DONT PLAY DUB-RAGGAE!  The dub was honestly the last straw.
very loud..... WAY too loud..... boring and sluggish..  COME ON!!!!!

I dont know what it is about Portland Bars and Restaurants playing this annoying crap,   Please stop!

So, I dropped almost a benjamin in this place, and I am never going back.

If you want crappy service and alright food, go ahead.

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Elite '08

24

122

Katie W.

Beaverton, OR

I was pretty impressed by this place. Admittedly, I'm not an Italian food expert, but I really liked the food here. My server picked out a wine for me after asking me some questions about flavors I liked and it was a great choice. It was an adorable little place too (though it definitely is small...) Good place for a date, for sure.

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13

71

Chris S.

Portland, OR

This tiny little Italian joint has big charm and great food.  The staff is warm and friendly and easy to talk to, and the atmosphere is great.

Not ideal for groups, but perfect for intimate friend dinners or a date.

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4

15

Emi P.

Portland, OR

Good food, good service - tight space. It's charming, true, but charming often just translates into tiny, which is as true here as anywhere. But the staff try to accommodate you as best they can, as quickly as they can. There are usually seats at the bar while you wait, or if you're dining alone, or just plain don't mind sitting up there to eat your meal.

Getting past that minor complaint, the food is great, and prices are reasonable. They don't give you as much food as I would expect for the price, but they give you plenty - it's just that I'm so used to huge portions from most other restaurants, that their near-normal, healthy portion sizes have started to look small in comparison.

I love the spinach and cheese ravioli, and they do the whole bread and oil/balsamic thing, too, which is great.

I would tend to stay away on busy weekend nights, or if you have a large party, which is going to be difficult to seat, and will engender spite from other customers who have to put up with your inevitable loudness, which is only as loud as it is because it is confined to such a small space. Plus you'll take up half the restaurant (literally) and further engender spite/hatred by taking up that seating for a good chunk of time.

Perfect place for a romantic date for two, or a nice dinner out with a friend, though.

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40

109

Brenna S.

Portland, OR

I have heard over and over again from friends what an amazing place this "Italian Joint" is. Come to find out, they were right. Although the restaurant itself is tiny (maybe 8 tables inside), the large portions of food they serve more than make up for it. They have a great selection of traditional Italian dishes, including a tasty Chicken Marsala, and each meal is served with bread and soup or salad of your choice. They also offer a list of traditional Italian desserts, which I did not have room to try, but the Tiramisu looked awfully delicious. But MOST IMPORTANTLY, Portland, I need to mention the HUGE carafes of  (very decent) house wine for only $9. Yes, you heard me correctly. This is not the place to go with a group, but perfect for an intimate dinner with a best friend or date. No reservations though, so get there really early, or way after dinner rush.

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Elite '08

48

128

Tabitha R.

Portland, OR

We stumbled on this "joint" one night after unsuccessfully visiting my friends cat in NW ... or finding a place to eat after ... and let me tell you ... DAMN glad we did.

It's a tiny - inconspicuous house looking place that seats probably about 20 total. The staff is one of those great ones that it seems have been there forever ... they know the "regulars" who belly up to the bar ... the food is outstanding ... and when hubby ordered the Manicotti (noodles, sauce and cheese right?) and received some kind of meat filled goodness (which he ate most of) ... and I had to say something ... they actually MADE him the right thing he ordered for him to take home for lunch the next day. LOVE THAT ...

Anywho -- not sure why I'm writing about them on Yelp! Fearful that others will discover their yummy goodness ... but can't help but share.

Mange!

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