Grassa

You need to get in line and order first. The server will bring the food to you. Make sure to grab some plates, water, and cups. Self service. Their garlic bread is very good. Their pastas are little salty so when you place an order, maybe you can ask them to put less salt.

My boyfriend and I ate here while staying in Portland this week. The restaurant has a fun, casual vibe, with counter service, several long shared tables, and some smaller booths. Service was fairly quick. My boyfriend had the pork belly mac and cheese, and I had the potato tortellini. Both dishes were very rich and flavourful. We also shared a couple of pieces of garlic bread.

If you ever want Italian food in Portland that is always consistently good, simple ingredients, with great flavor - come to this restaurant. There are a few locations in Portland, which makes it extra convenient to acquire. I've always been greeted by extra friendly staff that are happy to accommodate any situation you may bring them. Take out is really easy, and the food holds up pretty well for an extended time. The presentation of homemade pasta in front of you is icing on the cake.

Yes yes and yes!! The fact that on my first day visiting Portland I went back to Grassa twice is crazy!! The pork belly Mac and cheese was otherworldly. I enjoyed sitting at the pasta bar watching them was so pleasant! The Italian soda, YESPLS. A must when I go back to visit!

Came alone and sat the bar. I hadn’t been there before and was pleasantly surprised about the communal seating options as well. Loved the lighting and the plants. Had the pappardelle with truffle and cracked black pepper. My pasta was a little softer than I would’ve liked, but the sauce taste was alright. I quickly mixed it up because there were definitely flakes or salt concentrated at the top. Have to give the kitchen staff props for whipping up handmade pasta in such quick tempo. I’m happy to come and try more things soon.

Pasta was ok, garlic bread was good . The server was cool. My bf said the Becca buratta was weird. Not for everybody lol Clean and fast food ! Service Looks like a cafe and spacious

Insanely good food to be a chain (local PDX). This is my 2nd Grassa visit but first at this location and it's just as great as the first time. Great service, delicious food and a well maintained property. A must visit!

I highly recommend this Italian restaurant. If you want to real pasta in Portland, you would better to visit here. The food was amazing and service was good.

This spot is truly so cool! I love that it is casual - ordering at the door before you sit - but such high-quality pasta and food! I went with some friends, so was able to try a bit of every dish - but the truffle pappardelle and the burrata were huge hits! But honestly, every dish we tried - from the carbonara to the rigatoni - were exceptional. Food came out quickly, hot and fresh, and we were able to linger a bit without feeling rushed out!

Solid fast casual fresh pasta spot in downtown Portland. You order and pay at the front and then seat yourself. They will bring your order to your table and clear the plates away. There's some booths, large shared tables, and some counter seating. I tried the rigatoni with pork sugo and the fusilli with vodka sauce and sausage. Both were good and the pasta itself was pretty tasty. Overall, I liked the fusilli more. The vodka sauce had a ton of flavor and the fusilli was larger than the normal boxed pasta which was fun.

What a great discovery! The price point, serving size, and taste is such a good deal for what you're getting here. I love that they also have one at the airport. Be mindful that the pasta here is cooked al dente so the noodles are slightly chewier. The flavor is still really good so I don't mind how the pasta is cooked. The carbonara is so creamy. It's such a good and simple dish that you won't be disappointed in. We also got the blackberry lemonade. Probably one of the best lemonade I've had, it doesn't taste artificial and has a great balance of sweet and tart.

Upon entering, no one greeted me so I was confused whether I sit down or order at the bar. Eventually I just waited and ordered at the bar and got a number and chose any open seating. It is self serve for water and utensils. The Mac and cheese with pork belly was phenomenal. The garlic bread was nice and toasted warm. The other dish had a slight truffle flavor and the added on pork belly was not seasoned the same as the Mac and cheese so it was slightly bland. The seating feels a bit off at the booth since I felt the table was too low for my posture compared to the other tables. Recommend if you're craving some pasta !

Great Garlic Bread, Good Pasta We stopped by Grassa and tried the black truffle pasta--it was really tasty, but honestly, the garlic bread stole the show. Hands down the best part of the meal! The customer service setup is different: you order at the counter, get a number, and then find your own table while they bring the food to you. It's efficient, but not super personal. The overall vibe of the place is okay--nothing amazing, but it gets the job done. Worth visiting if you're craving pasta, and definitely don't skip the garlic bread!

I like how Grassa was very clean and spacious. You order at the front and the food comes to your table, but you're in charge of getting your own water, utensils, etc. The spaghetti aglio olio was $10! It was very affordable and I enjoyed the baked breadcrumbs, garlic, and chili flakes. I wished I ordered extra toppings but I couldn't tell if you could add more sides like vegetables. Definitely a smaller portion, but I was content by the end of my meal.

Wanted to love it but honestly just okay. When visiting Portland Grassa popped up as one of the top restaurant recommendations. Staff was great but the meal did not standout. The restaurant feels like a "fast casual" spot. Once you enter the hostess takes your order, you get a number, and find a seat. Water is self serve at the table you choose and all of the glasses were extremely dirty. Food came out very fast and at first glance looks great. Rigatoni - handmade pasta is a plus but sauce had no flavor. The pork chunks were tender but again lacked flavor. Fusilli Alla Vodka - best dish out of the two but still lacked flavor. The sausage was a much better pairing but not something I'd order again. Unfortunately, this spot should be a skip on your Portland itinerary. Could be a decent spot for a quick bite but not a place I'd revisit.

Carbonara, garlic bread and a half bottle of Merlot. The wine was a gentle upsell from the cashier- "if you're going to have two glasses the 1/2 bottle is cheaper." The pasta was fantastic. Best I've had in a long long time. Nice work chef. House made (?) noodles, great crispy pancetta and a slightly lemony sauce. Very good. Garlic bread served in a paper sleeve fits their seat-yourself vibe: you order and pay at the door (tip before you eat/are served? Don't like) then you seat yourself at one of the high top communal tables or at one of three booths. The food is the high point. And maybe the cocktail menu. The music is too loud. Service is pretty scaled back...they bring food out, they take the plates away. No frills in this new business model...but why do I have to tip up front...what's that for? Service? I paid about $46 with a tip for a bowl of pasta, two glasses of wine and two pieces of garlic bread. I'd eat the pasta again in a heartbeat but I'd probably only come if someone else was paying.

Grassa is a well-established restaurant specializing in handmade pastas. It just so happened that I was in the area that day and decided to try Grassa for the first time. Needless to say, it was a phenomenal experience, and I returned twice afterward over the next couple of days. The carbonara is hands down the best I've had. Al-dente pasta with small crunchy pancetta bites and a sunny side egg cooked perfectly to bring it all together. Pros: Fast, friendly service. Reasonable prices with great portions. Cons: N/A

Location has huge windows and nice lighting. I went in the middle of the afternoon so there was only maybe one other diner, pretty calm and quiet inside. Pasta was great and flavorful!

I love coming to Grassa. The staff is always great and the service is pretty quick! But recently, I had the Radiatore, and wanted to come here to say it was soooooo good! The sweet and sour peppers were such a good addition to this pasta. I need to come get it again before this one is gone!

This is a must visit every time we visit Portland. You cannot beat these prices for these portions. Incredible. We ordered the pork belly Mac and cheese (WOW, a must order, the caesar salad (another wow, the lemon really takes it up a notch), the spaghetti aglio olio (another winner) and the carbonara (usually a party favorite but it was just alright for us). The service was prompt and there was a busy atmosphere but it wasn't too crowded. The kids loved the coloring pages too. We will definitely be back!

It was my first time here and I loved it. Not pictured (Caesar Salad, 5/5). The ambiance was amazing, lights dimmed but a great atmosphere to converse with those around you. Service is interesting, you order before eating but I feel like this has become the norm at many restaurants post pandemic.

Super cute lunch spot and space! Our food tasted delicious and we were happy with the kind service too :) Only thing was that it felt pricey for the portion but that might just be pasta nowadays. Thank you!!

Visited this PDX location when a concert at the Moda Center was postponed. Took a little bit to find parking, but it's Portland, and very near to Cheryl's on 12th so a very busy area. The inside is warm and cozy. Order at the cashier when you walk in and then choose a seat. The tables are like hightop lunch tables and a few booths over on one side and a bar. I sat at the bar since I was solo and the place had a good crowd onna Friday night. View of the kitchen was comforting. I had the rigatoni with Sunday pork ragu and a Caesar Salad. The salad was crisp and fresh with actual anchovies. I haven't had a salad like that since I was in Europe. The rigatoni was good and the ragu was flavorful, but it wasn't impressive enough for me to take the leftovers. Overall though, solid meal and I'd go back to try the meatballs and have another salad.

I grabbed a quick lunch here after walking and shopping around the Pearl District and it absolutely HIT. The homemade pasta was fresh, cooked perfectly al dente with some bite. Sit at the counter to watch the pasta machine go and see the chefs hard at work making tortellini! You'll order at the front counter and then grab a seat. I ordered the fusilli alla vodka and it was so good. Covered in a mountain of cheese, saucy, with some spicy sausage for a nice kick! Also had to try some garlic bread which was flawless. Service was really quick! There's also some outdoor seating which looks lovely for the summer. Would definitely return here on my next visit!

This quick service style Italian eatery is a known as a good stop for a fast bite. Food was served pretty quickly and I saw more going out the door in to-go bags than staying in the room. I had the Fusilli ala Vodka which I found surprisingly spicy, though I tend to have a solid tolerance, but could have stayed in the water for another minute or even two. Overall the experience was largely middling with nothing particularly good or interesting presenting itself during the visit. Admittedly it seemed neat to be tied to the taphouse next door so I might be tempted to give it another go if I'm out later.

What a delicious meal! We came here by recommendation of some friends who visited before us....and we loved it! You order at the register that you are greeted by up front. then find yourself a seat. We found a seat for three at about 6pm on a Saturday quiet easily at one of the high top communal tables. Your self-serve water, utensils and water are there for you to help yourself to. The food (salad and apps first, then the pastas) comes quickly and at a good pace. My son said their burrata was exceptionally good and all three of us enjoyed their Caesar salad. My husband devoured the clams and pasta dish (I forgot the name - but only a tad of sauce was left!), my sons vodka pasta dish was delicious and my rigatoni was great as well. I'd say the rigatoni was our third favorite of the group - but even then it was very, very good. We're only visiting for the weekend but my son asked to return tomorrow to eat here again!

This place is FIRE!!!!! Really appreciated Laura's help ordering. She was friendly and gave us great recommendations! Location is prime. Clean and nice! The food choices "pork belly, rigatoni, calamari and drinks" were amazing ! It was so good we had it again the next day but at a different location and it did not disappoint!

we ordered the pork belly mac and cheese, wedge salad, meatball starter, pappardelle, aglio e olio, cacio e pepe, and pizza hot pocket. the most flavorful dish out of everything we ordered was definitely the pork belly mac and cheese, but it's definitely on the heavier side. the pork is fatty, tender and bursting with a slightly sweet flavor. the wedge salad is a great addition, and if you'd like a milder, lighter pasta option i would recommend the algio e olio. the black truffle pappardelle is buttery but could use a bit more salt for seasoning. i believe the tomato based pasta dish in the photo is the radiatore, which was my personal favorite. the tomato sauce was perfectly acidic and the dollops of whipped ricotta spread throughout creamily cut through the tartness of tomato in the dish. service is fast and casual, and they have a connected bar that you can get beers from. the ambiance is very millennial-burger-joint coded if ykwim LOL. love it though i'm so upset i'm not local, this would definitely be a consistent craving if i was a portland local!

Went to Grassa for lunch and ordered the Carbonara (which I saw was the special on tjeir menu). The carbonara was excellent, the egg was runny, the pasta was firm, and everything went well together. The service was great and the ambiance of the restaurant was pretty nice. It is very spacious but not a lot of seating. I was sat down at the booth since I was with a group of people. The inside reminds me of a small cafe with an opened kitchen. You can see all of the pastas that they make everyday. Overall pretty good experience and highly recommended if you are in the mood for Italian for in Portland.

We didn't plan to come here but stumbled across it and decided to give it a try. My friends and I were excited to try their handmade pasta. We ordered the $15 Rigatoni Sunday Pork Ragu and the $9 meatballs. The interior was clean, and it wasn't busy at all since we went a little before 5 pm. After our food arrived, more people started to pour in. I thought the meatballs were just ok, but the Rigatoni was delicious! Overall, it was a great dining experience, and I would definitely come back to try their other pasta dishes!

My son, visiting from FL, decided he wanted italian. We were at the book store and ended up walking a couple of blocks to Grassa. Cute little place with a bustling vibe! More fast casual ham i was expecting, but a good selection overall. The way the menu is set up it appears that they change it frequently. I ordered something with bolognese which was great - meat was tender and the sauce was super flavorful! My son had the pork belly mac and cheese, which was also very good! we split a cesar salad. the lettuce was incredibly fresh and the right amount of dressing. Overall, it was enjoyable! I would certainly return. thumbs up on this one!

One of the BEST places I have ever eaten at. I'm not exaggerating. I was so impressed with the food, atmosphere and service (shout out to Laura at Olde town location and her mixologist skills!!). The food was perfection. I was on a work trip for 4 days and honestly wanted to do all 4 days eating this. I tried different plates every time I went. All were amazing. The one I ordered TWICE was the pork belly macaroni. So yourself a favor and DO IT!! Def give it a 10/10! Also again, Laura is a vibe!! She won't steer you wrong on food and drinks

What a tasty spot, I highly reccomend for an affordable meal! It threw me off a bit that you ordered at the counter, but getting to sit at a bar made it all worth it. Everyone in my party loved their dinner, with solid portions and great taste, what's not to love!

We ordered the carbonara, Caesar salad, and Frito misto. All were flavorful, with generous slices of anchovy on the salad and bacon in our pasta. The place was spacious and clean. Food was brought to the table by smiling servers after paying at the cash register.

Reliable and consistently good Italian pasta dishes. Great for groups or a catch up meal with friends. You order at the counter and they bring the food right out to you. Very casual, no fuss Italian dining. I recommend the Brussels sprouts, they're roasted and seasoned so well. I always lean towards the pesto dishes, but their Mac and cheese is known to be stellar.

I loved the truffle pappardelle here. The pasta just tasted so fresh and the sauce was delicious. I also ordered a side of garlic bread, this was good, but not super special. The prices here are pretty good for fresh pasta as well. I liked the pasta here so much, I picked up a rigatoni at the Grassa location at the airport a day later. The rigatoni was good, but I didn't like it as much as the pappardelle. I think it could have used more sauce and been a bit more flavorful.

Great, easy, fast, casual pasta place. The black truffle pappardelle was light with a nice smooth truffle flavor. Some of the pasta noodles were stuck together, though. I had to manually separate them; otherwise, the pasta wasn't as nice to bite into as it was very dense. The rigatoni was great, the bounce of the noodle and the sauce melded well with the pork. Just a note though that the pork was on the drier side.

It's a little weird that you pay before you sit down but it's probably because of dine and dashers in the downtown area. The food is absolutely delicious though. This is my second time coming to this location and the pork belly mac n cheese is still my favorite. Server was ok but not very social which is typical for Portland.

Unfortunately, I was not at all pleased with the food at Grassa. I ordered the Cacio e pepe pasta and it tasted rotten. I felt bad and tried to keep eating it, but I couldn't stomach another bite. I was grateful that the server understood and took back my plate. Instead, they allowed me to choose another item from the menu. I was in a rush and had to go so unfortunately I didn't order anything else. *Maybe if I had ordered something else it would've changed my mind. Although the staff was friendly, I don't think I could eat here again. I do credit them for making the pasta from scratch, that must be tedious.

Great service - staff was very sweet and guided us through the menu. Service was quick and efficient. The vibe of the place was lively during dinner. We enjoyed the pasta and salad very much - would definitely come back!

A-mazing!! The bite of the fresh pasta was nothing I've ever had. This made us feel like the other Italian restaurants was a waste of space when we could've just eaten here multiple times.

Came to Grassa and was able to get a seat in the booth inside! The food itself was great - I got a Fusilli Allá Vodka (8/10). Only thing is, I wish the pieces of sausage were smaller. Upon entering you are greeted and you pay first. From there you have a server that helps you out! Lastly, there is indoor and outdoor seating. Personally, really liked being inside! Thanks Grassa!

While visiting Portland for my wife's bday, we came here for our last night in Portland. It was reccomended to us by a friend. Tasty food options, great and quick service, very accommodating and the food was so so good. The only thing we didn't like, is seeing them pour leftover water back into the initial water carafe that they provided to customers poured out of. That was unsanitary and it made us no longer drink the water. However, I will not remove a star for that. Just not our preference.

I had pork belly Mac & cheese, and it tasted so gooood!!! The cream is not very heavy, and the pork is fried and crispy!! I also ordered a pineapple juice, but it also tasted so good unexpectedly!! The service is great; unfortunately when I visited, they didn't open the outdoor dining.

We were in search of some delicious house made pasta and grassa came up again and again on our search so we decided to stop by. Be AWARE this restaurant does not offer table service. It is not clear on the website that there is no table service. Not a dealbreaker for us but good to know before you come. There is a paid parking garage attached to this location and the evening/weekend rate is $8 flat. We ordered up front and picked a booth. When our drinks came out there was a fruit fly inside my drink and many fruit flys flying around us which was alarming as they were rolling out fresh pasta about 10 feet away from us... after gushing out the fruit fly the non alcoholic mojito was good, the blackberry lemonade was a pass. The pasta itself was very good, fresh and perfect texture. How they plates the food was beautiful. It was the sauces and flavor profiles that did not hit for either of us. There wasn't flavor and the flavor that was there was not cheesy goodness but watery. I wanted to love it here but $70 for a meal we only took a few bites of was a disappointment especially as we were celebrating our anniversary.

Had lunch here this past week while visiting family in Washington. the Pizza hot pocket was to die for. I definitely recommend this place! If I could give it 10 stars I would but I can only give it five.

Grassa is delicious and a staple pasta restaurant in PDX! I love their pesto pasta and the brown butter butternut squash pasta they do seasonally in the fall. I would love to try an all beef no pork lasagna or bolognese here! When that's on the menu, I'll come back to check out the service and ambiance!

Grassa definitely lives up to the hype! Been meaning to try this forever and finally did! Came in just before 5pm last Saturday and walked right up to order. Around 5:30pm definitely got busier but line moved fast as service is fast. We ordered the pasta alla chitarra which was so delicious. Loved the amount of hazelnut and ricotta in it. Also got the meatballs, garlic bread, and wedge salad. Wedge salad was much bigger than I expected and super yummy. Meatballs were delicious as well, though I do wish they were bigger. Garlic bread was fine, not anything special but perfect for dipping. Food came out quick as it was before the dinner rush. Definitely would come back again!

Meh. The meatballs were super salty, but tolerable. The garlic bread was okay. Fast casual set-up, but of course they expect a tip :)

Always a decent meal here. Casual dining here - Order at the door and grab a seat. Everything is good here - pasta, salads and drinks. I suspect some MSG here but still yummy

I Like Coming To Grassa Because There Food Is So Good And They Get Lot Of Reviews Because Of The Quality Of The Food And How There Food Is Excellent And You Get To Choose Different Pasta Choices.The Service Is Really Quick And When You Sit Down It Won't Be Long When Your Food Comes To Your Table And The Staff At Grassa Is Very Helpful And Friendly When You Are Picking Out Your Pasta Dishes.You Should Try Grassa And You Won't Be Disappointed In The Services Or The Food Because Lot Of People Come Here And They Have Different Locations You Can Go To And If You Are Looking For Good Italian Food Check Out Grassa.

"Meticulously crafted bowls of fresh pasta on the fly, paired with traditional and seasonal salads, delicious appetizers and tasty cocktails." We had a great dinner at Grassa. I was a bit skeptical about ordering at the front, however, we were able to get seated quite quickly given how small the dining area is. Overall, we enjoyed everything we ordered. I especially liked the pork belly mac n cheese - the pork was very flavorful and tender, and the mac and cheese was the perfect starch pairing. We also enjoyed the salad and wine we ordered. Would recommend.

This was honestly the best pasta place I've been to in my life. Yes this is a bold claim but hear me out. First, the price is so affordable; living in the Bay Area, I'm used to high prices for anything, so this was a breath of fresh air. There's also no sales tax, making it even cheaper. The pasta itself was super al dente. The cooks knew exactly how to prepare this, but my favorite was really the truffle sauce. The only thing really missing was some sort of protein - pretty much just pasta and sauce. Will come back anytime I'm back in Portland:

A super casual pasta place in DT. you order at the counter and then sit it a table where they'll bring your food. I really wanted to try the squid ink pasta since that seemed the best from other reviews, but when I went, it wasn't an option :c We got the fried Brussels sprouts to share, I had the clam gnocchi, and my friends tried the hazelnut pesto and pasta with red sauce and Italian sausage (lol forgive me. I don't remember the actual name) The Brussels sprouts were okay! They were a bit bitter, and the mustard sauce they added doesn't add much to the greens themselves. The pasta on the other hand... the clam gnocchi was so beautifully delicious. The gnocchi had been pan fried, so they had this nice crisp outside and fluffy potato-y inside. The clams didn't taste super fresh, but that's okay. The sauce was divine, would've been so good to have some bread just to sop up the extra sauce. The hazelnut pesto and pasta with red sauce were super good too. I especially liked the pesto - nutty, fresh, garlic-y. The red sauce was not as good, just plain tomato, but the pasta was cooked the best there, perfect amount of bite. Overall, super solid place! It's super casual and quick and the prices are super fair for the portion sizes!

This was my first time here and I think some factors may be involved as to my rating. I came here and ordered to go close to closing time (within an hour) we ordered the rigatoni and fusilli vodka pasta and ordered 2 orders of garlic bread (each order is 2 pieces) The rigatoni pasta was good! Nothing really negative to say about it. The fusilli pasta for some reason the noodles tasted like a bit not stale perse but felt like it was sitting out for awhile and didn't seem super fresh. The taste was good but nothing special The garlic bread was good, would have probably been better eaten in person, but overall a good meal, nothing super special. If I ever came back I'd want to come in person and dine in.

We enjoyed a casual and tasty dinner at Grassa's after a long travel day. The Fusilli Vodka pasta was a hit and the Rigatoni had the tastiest pork, the sauce was a bit sweet, not as rich as I like. The Brussels were excellent and we also enjoyed the Frito Misti but it was light on calamari which was a bit of surprise. Overall, a solid dinner in nice casual urban spot downtown.

Food was amazing!! Fresh pasta is great and sauces full of flavor!!! Definitely recommend if you love pasta!!