Porta Via Palm Desert

Very cutesy, very demure, very mindful — that’s exactly what comes to mind when you step into this space. The beautiful grand doors make for a perfect photo op, as does the entrance area. We came for lunch and they were super friendly — and dog friendly! My dog Enzo loved it just as much as we did as he patiently waited for a fry to fall (see pics). We arrived right at opening and were seated quickly. They have a lovely bar and a great menu with a mix of American classics, pastas, sushi, seafood, and more. We ordered a burger with fries and a salad, and both were fresh and elevated. They use organic ingredients and offer vegan substitutions, which is always a plus. Would definitely recommend if you’re in Palm Desert.

Very busy on a Saturday night, but we were able to get a reservation and sat outside on the patio. It was much more pleasant than sitting inside due to the noise of many people talking. It was very loud and hard to hear while we sat inside, but once we were seated outside, it was a very nice experience. They bring bread to the table for free. Staff was attentive and very kind, they provided recommendations and assisted with food allergies. They offer a full bar menu with many yummy drinks. I ordered a Coke and received a cute glass Coke. Burger was cooked well and good. Definitely miss out on getting the skirt steak as that was very delicious. Highly recommend the Shishito peppers.

Came in for a drink at the bar, ended up ordering the lobster roll and 1/2 salad. The service is above and beyond - I forget his name but the blonde bartender was fantastic. Drink was super yummy (and STRONG). The lobster roll was divine - surprisingly light and refreshing as the lobster is not heated and not coated with tons of mayo (apparently this is an east coast thing, I can’t comment since I’m not from there but it was good!). My only suggestion is the chips could have been crispier as some didn’t have a crunch. You can order salads as a 1/2 order and I got the porto via which was yummy, but 15$ for a half salad should be a crime. Beautiful atmosphere.

With a soaring, airy, casual space that is decorated as a throwback to mid-century, every little detail is thought of here. The food is perfectly prepared and the menu is filled with updated classics. I would return for the lobster roll and housemade potato chips alone! Special requests are honored. Perfect example of customer care is seating areas for solo, pairs, groups and parties. AC and misters make indoor-outdoor seating pleasant at all times for everyone. Free parking lot in back.

We had such a great experience here! Walking in, it’s like a “tropical great Gatsby”. With green upholstery and tropical florals adorning the aisles and entry way with splashes of gold, wooden slats, and warm globe lighting. So chic! First impressions, we thought they may be “uppety”, but really are NOT. They are so friendly and welcoming here. Seemed very kid-friendly too! They made my son a “mini bolognese pasta”, which was perfect for him! Caesar salad and grilled calamari were good starters. The calamari were breaded so lightly and seasoned just right! The Caesar salad had just the right amount of dressing and topping and lettuce ratio. Main dishes were the rigatoni and sea bass. The rigatoni was good. Nothing too outrageous…it was just okay👌 the sea bass was cooked perfectly; flaky and moist!! The sauce was a tiche sweet, but the sea bass and bak choy balanced it out. We loved our visit here and would totally come back and recommend coming here when visiting Palm Springs!

Went here for dinner to celebrate a friend's birthday. The inside was packed and very noisy. Thankfully, we got a table outside which was very pleasant. The service was terrible, with the waiter making an appearance every 10 minutes or so. We had to ask for him twice. Nice selection on the menu, although at this price point I would have expected better quality. A $20 Caesar salad was an uninspired bunch of Romaine (worth about $4 max). My seabass was very good, but the portion was small, especially for $50. The pastas were unmemorable and, again, hardly worth the $28 price tag. Maybe this wouldn't have seemed so bad if I hadn't just had an amazing dinner at the LQ Resort main restaurant a week earlier, which for about the same price, outshined Porta Via in every way. Also, parking here was a pain.

Wonderful food and service. I had the halibut, my friend had the salmon and a cocktail. All perfectly done. Beautiful restaurant.

Note: I don't usually leave reviews... The food and ambience at Porta Via are outstanding, but it is the quality of the staff that has prompted me to submit a review. We had Sunday brunch at the recommendation of a friend. Everyone in our party enjoyed their entrees, and we greatly appreciated how accommodating the service was throughout the meal. We enjoyed our time so much that we made reservations to take friends there the following night. When we arrived and checked in we realized we’d inadvertently made the reservation at the LA (Calabasas) location (don’t make this mistake). The place was bustling, but the manager Tracy went out of her way both to make us feel better about our error and to find us a table (which took only a few minutes). Our meal was wonderful. This place has next-level service!

There is no way I could write anything eloquent enough to stroke the heartstrings of the owner/chef/staff as much as they deserve. It was a bit loud even while mostly empty to engage in romantic conversation. Fortunately. I pulled the wool over my wife's eyes long ago with my exaggerations. I went for the best. It was. The grilled lamb. Medium rare! I particularly liked the thickness the chef chose to prepare. It had a good variety of flavor, from the crisp crust down to the rare in the dead center. Dipping sauce and slice were a bit much for the delicate lamb flavor. But I'd still order it again And again And again. The best compliment. We will be back. Thank you.

The food is really good.The service is really good,and the food came very fast.I spilt my champagne and they gave me a new one for free. 100% recommended. The music is good and calm. Nice seating.Really good place to go. My sweet kids insisted on writing this review . They were very impressed

Decided to try something different and really liked Porta Via! Beautiful atmosphere although it got loud later. Our server was great. We had fantastic cocktails and started with a sushi roll (odd for an Italian place, but whatever), and the carpaccio. Then we had the spicy vodka rigatoni, the zucchini noodles with shrimp, and the short rib special. Everything was great except the zucchini dish (flavorless and overcooked enormous shrimp). Our server took it off the bill at the end because she said she saw I didn't eat most of it. That was really nice of her and we didn't expect it. We had some gelato (seemed like just ice cream and not actual gelato), the apple crumble, and the fresh berries for dessert. Would definitely return and would love to try more things!

I've been here a few times now for date nights are girls night out and loved it each time. The food is consistently good, as are the cocktails. I've come with both a reservation and without, and when I come without I add myself to the waitlist but always am able to snag a seat at the bar much sooner. A few favorites are: The Porta Via Salad. Light yet delicious, with a very tasty dressing Chilean Sea Bass w/ Bok Choy. Soo good. My husband and I usually get a bunch of things to share, and they asked us if we wanted them to split it in the back. We agreed, but it ended up being an extra $3 split charge on our bill. We can split it ourselves next time.. Sushi. Anything on the sushi menu is good. Keep in mind that this is sushi at a non-Japanese restaurant so it doesn't compare in terms of authenticity, but it's good for what it is. We always usually get one thing off the sushi menu Cali Cleanse Cocktail. All the cocktails are really good, but this one is my go-to. If cocktails could be "healthy", this is it.. cucumber and celery juice in a cocktail is so refreshing, I'm telling you! Shout-out to bartender Julian who makes an excellent espresso martini. Also fun to chat with when sitting at the bar. Parking is easy, there is a lot right behind the restaurant. Easily one of the best restaurants in the Coachella Valley, and probably the best restaurant on El Paseo. Highly recommend!

Great service good food and amazing atmosphere out server was very good she got our cocktails right away and was there with bread when we asked for it we had two pasta dishes, vodka, and Bolognese both Excellent the jalapeño sushi was OK. Seems like it was made earlier and put in the refrigerator all in a very good restaurant. You should definitely try the place.

We have a lovely dinner here with a large group of friends. They were able to easily accommodate our large group. Service was wonderful and everything I ordered was delicious. Plenty of street parking. I ordered the meat balls, beet salad and a few sushi rolls. I also had the apple crumble which was so good! Our server was great! The restaurant is designed beautifully. Will be back!

The ambiance of this restaurant is absolutely lovely. Located conveniently on El Paseo, the lovely staff at Porta Via gave us a comfortable table without a reservation. We ordered Fried Calamari, Rigatoni Bolognese, Herb-Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops, Tiramisu, and Vanilla Bean Gelato. My least favorite was the Rigatonia Bolognese, only because it had a spicy kick to it. I like spicy food, but I don't expect my Bolognese to be spicy. Regardless, it was a good dish! Everything else was wonderful. The Tiramisu was a lovely bookend to a pleasant meal. I will definitely be back to this pretty restaurant. UPDATE: We went back on New Year's Day to try more food, and it was another lovely experience!

So happy we stopped here for lunch! The vibes were exactly what we were looking for and the food was amazing! Simple, flavorful menu items, friendly staff and quick service. Excited to come back and visit other locations!

Spend the weekend out here for a quick getaway with the hubby and he lined up lots of places for food and drinks. We loved it here! The ambience was perfection. The green decor gave me 70's luxury vibes with a modern twist. I adore this about various hotels and restaurants out here--It feels like you're pulled back in time for a minute and all your cares are washed away with a lovely drink and delicious food. We had chilaquiles (my fave!) the green sauce was a tiny kick but no over powering or crazy spicy. The meatballs were bomb but that was for the hubby so I only had a bite. Drinks were ! We sat at the bar and our bartender was the best. I wish I remembered her name. She was so sweet, funny and friendly. Everyone loved her! Back to drinks. Get the cali cleanse. It goes down smooth and makes you feel healthy even if it's not. We will most definitely be making this a regular stop in the future! Thank you for a fabulous brunch!

Super cute and a vibey place for dinner. We did a girls trip and decided to have dinner here. The food was alright as they lacked a bit of flavor. The drinks were great though. The service was alright as well and maybe because we came later. The place was cute for photo opps.

TL;DR: such a jewel in the desert. Fun flashback decor paired with delicious food and strong drinks. Great service. No complaints. Will be back for sure. Ordered: - Porta Via salad (4/5): the butter lettuce was so good and truly made the salad what it was. Subbed for any other lettuce, the salad wouldn't have worked. - Kale and quinoa (5/5): YUM. Great texture, good flavor balance. Could crush 2 plates by myself - Parm Alaskan halibut (5/5 - MVP): Didn't think much of it when it was served but wow each bite was perfect. The crust was perfectly seared and the grilled asparagus was perfectly complemented by the sauce. - Funghi Papardelle (4/5): Really creamy sauce and lots of mushrooms to go with each bite. Would've preferred a little more acidic tastes to cut through the cream but all in all delicious Coming every time I'm in the area for sure Cheers, Porta Via!

I was staying at a hotel down the street (Hotel Paseo) and saw this place was nearby. Since it's still the "slow" season (October), I was able to snag a reservation an hour before, for Sunday brunch. To start, the atmosphere is lively and buzzing. A booth next to us had a group of girls celebrating a birthday, another had a bunch of young guys together for what appeared to be another celebratory event, but there are also plenty of two-some tables. I particularly liked the plethora of outdoor seating on the wrap around covered patio. Service to start was a little slow and sterile, which was surprising given the price point of some of their dishes (my lobster benedict was $38). Additionally, my husband's omelet came with a couple slices of untoasted baguette bread which felt like an afterthought. We also had to ask for butter and jam (it should be included as a condiment by default), which shows the restaurant lacks attention to detail for what they charge. I have no regrets as it was nice to try once but I likely won't be back anytime soon.

Exceptional service with a beautiful interior. It's a nice balance of upscale and elevated casual. We loved the open air concept which lets the main dining area bleed into the outside. Great California desert ambiance! Would highly recommend the fried calamari and the linguine vangole. The tuna tartar was good but not mind blowing. Looking for a beverage to start with? We highly recommend the pali spritz. Perfect drink for a warm evening! Top off the evening with the chocolate cake and ice cream. Topnotch.

I took my boyfriend to Porta Via for his birthday, overall it was good and wish I could give it 4 starts but there were a few things that prevented me from doing it. One the bread they brought out was hard and not that soft, that was disappointing. When they asked about water, we asked for regular/tap water. They brought a bottle of water which looked and tasted like regular water. When i got the bill, i was charge $9 for the bottle. If i would have known we would have returned it. The drinks were good. We got the rigatoni which was good and the skirt steak which was amazing but either the knife or plate wasn't great cause it was hard to cut. Overall cute vibes and good food but not sure I would return .

Great ambiance! We enjoyed setting outside in the booth. Service was great! Lovely evening and we would go back and would set at bar to have a drink! Didn't try the pasta but should have...

Came here for lunch and really enjoyed ourselves. As a group we ended up sharing the burrata, tuna tower, Cobb salad, and sautéed calamari (my fav) I also had the jalapeño tuna roll which was pretty tasty. The decor is very pretty so it's nice just being there. Our server was friendly and honestly answered questions about the menu items. I would come back :)

I had a close friend visiting from out of town and thought let's try this place out. The restaurant is beautiful unfortunately the food we ordered was bland and nothing that I couldn't get at any other restaurant here in the valley. My guest never got her food order because our server never put in her order. She was the first one to order her dinner too. I'd probably come just for drinks to enjoy the ambiance. But as for food, I'd personally eat elsewhere. I really hope they revamp their menu with flavorful exciting food that makes them stand out.

Lively place. Super noisy, so much that I gave up on the effort to speak to my 6 table mates. I don't like to yell during dinner Food is okay but it ain't all that. House salad was fine if a bit generic. Spicy jalapeño sushi roll was as advertised. Actually too spicy to taste anything else. The fish flavor completely overpowered. Wife's lobster roll was skimpy. She said the lobster was tasty. I think for $36 there should be more than the tablespoon worth in the bread. Typical overpriced wine list. We brought 2 bottles from home. $35 corkage per bottle. I enjoyed the basque cheesecake. I'm a palm desert visitor. This was my 1st (and only) meal here. For $120+ per person I'd rather eat elsewhere.

Food and service could improve Bland tasteless food and need to add some more enteee options

Beautiful restaurant with friendly staff and lovely craft cocktails. Their menu has a little something for everyone. We'll be back!

Went for lunch, a baby shower and it was beautiful! Service was great, ambiance was amazing and food was delicious!

Great place for lunch! Host was nice as well as our waitress. Enjoyed the jalepeno roll and bread service. The kale + quinoa salad was interesting, if you like fresh salads you'd enjoy it. My mocktail was great.

Food, service, and ambiance were equally amazing! We were seated promptly and employees were very attentive.

Food was great - however, I must remove two stars for a waiter who doesn't know what his job is - his job is to bring me the food that I ordered ! it's a simple task - but he couldn't handle it. I ordered an appetizer AND an entree. He totally blanked on bringing me the entree - and then offered nothing more than a "sorry" - rather than offer up a way to make it right or compensate for it - such as "how about a free desert" or something along those lines.

Really great food but our table had the worst lighting. We were a party of 7 seated at a long dining table in the back room. We could barely read the menu without our phone flashlights and could not see our food on the plates either! Note the pictures are taken with a flash! Hubby and I shared the Porta Via salad and there was plenty for the two portions. I could not resist the lobster roll but very pricey at $36! And the roll was quite small. The other meals ordered were well received. Corkage is $35 - beware! But they do have an incredible wine list! Nice restaurant when visiting friends but I would try something else next time food wise.

The vibes are the best here, beautifully decorated inside and serene outside. We appreciated that the outdoor area was heated and quiet, while the inside was a bit noisy for us. We really enjoyed the beef carpaccio and the grilled bread and arugula Parmesan salad it came with. The bread had some olive oil on it as well, so it was set apart from the sliced bread/butter that came out as well. We also had the hamachi and tuna sashimi apps. These were very good but the clear winner was the hamachi. Cheap chopsticks though for a pricey restaurant though! For entrees, we each had a pasta dish and we both honestly kind of regretted that decision. The pasta was al dente..too hard in our opinion, and the portions were small. The pasta dishes also do not come with a protein, which is ridiculous for how high they are priced. My husband's truffle mushroom pasta seemed a bit more interesting than my spicy vodka pasta but still nothing to write home about and not worth the price. We should've probably ordered a fish entree or maybe a steak. We would come back for the beef carpaccio and sashimis alone..but would get different entrees. Service was friendly and attentive though.

Porta via is the best meal I have had on el paseo. Their burrata deserves a Michelin star and their staff is gregarious and knowledgeable on everything from wine pairings to best shopping near by. Food comes out fast and hot and there is not a bad dish on the menu. My only 'suggestion' would be to skip the salads, they just are not the best thing(s) on the menu and with so much dressing don't waste the calories.The room, bar, and patio are a slice of intimacy and luxe on a busy shopping street. Highly recommended

Ordered a skirt steak, lobster roll and crab cakes (not pictured). The food and the service was excellent. I only learned about this restaurant through resy but glad we did. We were bummed to hear that this specific location didn't have breakfast but hopefully soon they will offer it at this location as well.

The restaurant went above and beyond to provide exceptional customer service, ensuring that I was well taken care of. The food was outstanding, and the contemporary atmosphere, along with the fantastic outdoor dining area, made the experience even more enjoyable.

We were in the mood for Italian food and saw Porta Via, which was near our destination in the El Paseo area. Reservations are advised, but the hostess found us a nice table outside on their patio. The patio has water misters that provide a nice reprise from the high temperature common to Palm Springs. Anjelica made certain the table selection was satisfactory, and she and the entire staff were extremely attentive to our needs and wants. Their Gazpacho Soup was a wonderful selection as an appetizer. It was hearty with a nice spicy kick to it. We chose the lunch entrées of Linguini Vongole and Chilean Seabass. Both were extremely quite delectable. Bread and butter were available upon request. If you like reverberating progressive jazz in the background, you have found your place. Food: 4.5 Service: 5 Ambiance: 2.75

This place has such cute feel when it comes to decor and lighting, perfect place for a romantic dinner or something celebratory with your girl friends. I've visited previously during the day and will say that the environment shifts in the evening, it was much louder than I would have enjoyed but maybe it was the location we sat in (booth near bar area?) Our server was very attentive and helpful with addressing any questions we had. I was interested in trying a signature cocktail, and she was able to quickly point me in the right direction with my preferences. Ordered the Palm 74 which was light, refreshing, and herbal! My boyfriend ordered their signature version of the old fashioned which was very well crafted. We ordered the Fried Calamari, Spaghetti&Meatballs, and Pappardelle ai Funghi. All were delicious, but I felt that the Calamari got cold too quickly due to plating choices. The calamari was served with a cocktail sauce that was a bit on the spicier side, which caught us by surprise. No complaints on that but a fair warning to those with a low spice tolerance! Meatballs were tender, and tomato sauce was delightfully bright and acidic. I felt that the pappardelle was a little bit overcooked, and was missing more Truffle flavor, but the mushrooms were delicious and plentiful.

Linguine Vongole: salty Spaghetti and Meatballs: it was ok. Not sure what it was missing but it's not a wow dish! Better than the linguine vongole. Linguine Vingole: too salty although the clams were fresh. Kale salad: good Ambience: best part is the meal. If it wasn't for the modern and ambience (we sat outside), I would have given this place 3 stars.

PROS: Beautiful restaurant and bar. Mid-century modern boho chic vibes. Great for groups, a girls' dinner, or a dinner date. Eclectic menu with quite the variety of offerings from pastas to seafood and steaks. CONS: Food was just meh. We ordered the tuna tower, and though the presentation was enticing, the execution of the dish was lacking. The tuna was definitely not rhe highest quality -- and I've traveled to Japan 3X and have had great tuna there and in LA, etc -- this was just whatever. Also, if you did not add the soy sauce, the tower or mixure itself, was very bland. We shared both the parmesan-crusted Alaskan halibut and grilled skirt steak with chimichurri with a side of mashed potatoes. Because they doused the beurre blanc (emulsified butter sauce) over the halibut, the "parmesan crust" was non-existent. When you read or hear the words, "parmesan crusted," you expect crispiness and at the very least some flavor of parmesan -- we got neither of that. The beurre blanc should have been served on the side or topped sparingly with the rest on the side. The grilled steak was overcooked -- we had asked for medium rare and received medium to medium well steak. We did not send it back as service was already very slow. The chimichurri was the best thing of the entire dish. Service from our female server was slow and inattentive. Drinks were OK. The old fashioneds aka "Older Brother" were a tad too sweet. Need to scale back on the demerara sugar. The Smoke Show, though refreshing, needed more mezcal as it was hardly noticeable. Would I come back here? No. Not when there are other reataurants on the scene to check out.

Food was delicious. Must get the stewed calamari. Also ordered mussels, beef carpaccio, fried calamari, Porta Via salad, hamachi crude, tuna tower, and zucchini and shrimp pasta. Service was +10 - attentive, friendly and helpful. Ambiance was beautiful. It fit the occasion, the start to my cousin's bachelorette weekend. Will have to tell all my friends to visit when they visit Palm Desert.

I've brought my best friend and MIL to this restaurant and appreciated each previous occasion. However, the aforementioned friend inquiry via phone call reservation for an indoor, padded seat, table preferably close to the bar. At first, I had mentioned that I would prefer a booth-like setup, but was told that "bigger parties are provided priority." Why do my friend and I arrive for dinner service and each booth supposedly reserved for "bigger parties" is given to parties of 2-3? The hostess had questioned my reservation, whether it was an indoor or outdoor tabletop/booth, but magically remembered details of my phone call reservation inquiry when her manager failed to apologize regarding her hostess' team for the poor seating arrangements for dinner service. It's a shame that an established restaurant at the front of a lucrative and affluent locale can't manage its dinner service with their L.A. transplants and bottle-blonde hostesses. It's also a shame that the manager had initially blamed my misconduct of setting a reservation not as "early" compared to the 2 people parties in booths reserved for "bigger reservations." But shoutout to Olive Garden in Palm Desert and the sweet old lady who had celebrated my BIRTHDAY with a sweet treat. Not that Porta Via could ever care it's your birthday dinner. Portal Via could never provide substantial customer service without charging you an added service tip so their transplant staff can actually upkeep their bottled blonde roots, gaslighting, and telling you that their service is a product of your failures contributing to a restaurant that is NOT MY PROBLEM TO RUN. To the hostess: what you ate, your leftovers were stuck in your teeth as you asked me if my reservation was indoor or outdoor. But magically you remembered the details of our phone inquiry when the manager grilled you about it. Hilarious. 10/10 do yourself a favor, LA has plenty of these classifications of contemporary restaurants. Live, Laugh, Love Status update: there's another customer not too long ago who had mentioned that the manager had publicly humiliated her friend for her BIRTHDAY DINNER regarding her private areas. With this in mind, the manager is evidently a birthday hater, don't go here if you really love your birthday!

Great food and awesome service with a smile. Very neat and cleanI highly recommend this place

Great esthetic and beautiful decor. The food was amazing and our server was very caring and attentive.

Absolutely beautiful environment. We had halibut and while it was good, the dish could have benefited greatly by an addition of a bit of potatoes. The parmesan crust on the fish was so tasty, but it was minimal. The whole dish was lacking in seasoning and flavor--just a bit bland. The potential is there.

This is a great place for a special dinner out. My husband and I had the butternut squash ravioli and the sea bass. Both were very delicious. Our server gave us great recommendations. Enjoyed sitting on the heated patio even though the evening cool. We will be back and will definitely recommend this place to others.

Excellent! Had a couple of bad experiences from other restaurants in the Area but Porta Via made it up with such a lovely experience. Service was top notch, our server was friendly and took extreme good care of us him and his co workers. Food was delicious, every plate we ordered "see pictures" was filled with flavors and portions were too generous. Was a busy Sunday night and the crowd were very elegant everyone having a good time, theme of the restaurant in my opinion was a very 80s vibe which was very cozy and relaxing. It was a great experience and would definitely be back once I'm back in town. Good job and highly highly recommended!!

Excellent service and excellent food. Our waitress gave us excellent recommendations which were superb. It's expensive but well worth it. It was my first time and for my husbands birthday, so very happy with selection.

Birthday brunch at this delicious spot. So glad I chose to celebrate here. Wait staff was so kind, friendly, knowledgeable and the establishment is stunning! I will definitely return for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner! Such a great spot in the desert.

A great place for a fine dinner. Great location, plenty of parking behind the restaurant. Excellent greeting and service from the moment you walk in. The food selections are great and reasonably priced. Servers are friendly and knowledgeable . Tiramisu for desert is a clear winner. What else can I say. Have a great time.

It was a super cute restaurant with great food - we didn't have reservations and they estimated 30 mins but they sat us in 15

Really beautiful spot! Love the decor, natural wood with a luxurious vibe! Food was lovely. Drinks good Tad loud. Gorgeous decor

WOW, what good meals we had. We were a party of 10 on a recent Friday night. After being seated promptly and courteously we ordered cocktails, each of which turned out to be delicious. The Heirloom tomato with burrata appetizer was very good. My adult son and I ordered the Grilled Skirt Steak entree; my daughter and son in law ordered the Brick Pressed Roasted Chicken and my wife ordered the Grilled King Salmon. I shared bites. My son and I agreed that the skirt steak was the best: tender, moist, flavorful and perfectly prepared. My wife loved her King Salmon and those who had the roast chicken said it was excellent. I agreed after sampling each. The cholate cake with berries was the best chocolate cake I've had in years! Finally, service was superior. Our waiter was especially kind by pointing out that the the bill already included the tip (have you ever added a generous tip only to realize later that the tip had already been included in the bill.....so you ended up tipping on the the top). I was so involved in the meal that I forgot to take pictures.

New favorite spot for dinner in Palm Desert! Great food, fun ambiance and the service was great! This was first time at Porta Via and I can't wait to go back.

It's the end of the tourist season and we were out for an evening stroll, and the sound of people enjoying themselves without the loud/pounding music drew our attention to Porta Via. Their goal is to be "a neighborhood restaurant with a world-class feel", and I think they are there. The vibe is uplifting without being hyped, the crowd was mellow but invigorated and the staff was efficient and knowledgeable without being stuffy or standoffish. Since we were without parental supervision we had; drinks, appetizer and dessert (a great way to end an evening stroll). As you can see we had our G&T, both ways: each was refreshing and poured well. The Tuna Tower, see pic, was a huge surprise. I can't get over fresh, fresh (yes, duplicate) raw tuna in the desert. Not only was there plenty but the variety of flavors were amazing. The various bites with either mango or avocado or cucumber, and add (or not) the serrano-chille dressing (which was relatively mild) provided an abundance of palate pleasing flavors. The side of tempura chips added a contrasting crunch to the otherwise soft textures. This is a great appetizer! We finished the evening with Tiramisu. This was a traditional presentation. It was creamy, had the requisite expresso flavor and the lady-finger pastry added sufficient support. It was quite good and the fruit was refreshing. This was one of our more memorable ways to end an evening stroll.

We were excited to try Porta Via. This place is gorgeous and we really wanted to like it. However, some of our dishes were extremely bland, specifically the tuna mango tower. No flavor at all. The mango was not it. Added no flavor. The tuna jalapeño roll, not spicy at all. The spicy Mayo gave it some flavor. Calamari was delish and so was the ahi tuna sashimi. Our drinks were good, we had a desert flower mix drink and a watermelon tamarin sour beer. The service was good. Was it worth what we paid, it was definitely not.