Portola Bistro

🍹 A Rare and Welcoming Daily Happy Hour One of the most appealing aspects of Portola Bistro is its consistency with scheduling. In an area where happy hour deals can be hard to come by—especially on weekends—this spot offers a daily happy hour from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. It is a fantastic feature that makes the bistro a reliable go-to for locals looking to unwind after work or meet up with friends on a Saturday afternoon. The value during these hours is quite good, featuring $8 cocktails and $5 beers, which is a significant draw given the upscale nature of Portola Valley. 🍸 Excellent Drink Quality and Atmosphere I was very impressed with the beverage program here. The drinks were good, balanced, and clearly prepared with quality spirits. Whether you are leaning toward a classic cocktail like an Old Fashioned or something more refreshing like their seasonal margaritas, the bar team knows what they are doing. The ambiance of the bistro also adds a lot to the experience; it has a warm, inviting, and slightly sophisticated feel that makes it perfect for a casual neighborhood hangout or a more structured date night. The seating is comfortable, and the overall vibe is very "Portola Valley"—relaxed yet refined. 🍟 Disappointing Food Quality: Greasy Fries While the liquid side of the menu was a success, the food was unfortunately a different story. Overall, the food was meh and didn't quite live up to the high standard set by the drinks and the setting. We were specifically disappointed with the fries, which felt overly greasy and heavy. Instead of being light and crispy, they seemed to have soaked up too much oil, which made them difficult to finish. When you’re at a bistro of this caliber, you expect the simple staples like fries to be executed perfectly, so this was a notable letdown. The rest of the food we tried was decent but largely forgettable, lacking the "wow" factor that would make me want to order a full dinner here. Happy Hour Staples: The menu features $10 bites like sliders and shishito peppers, which are great for sharing. Service: The staff was polite and attentive, keeping up with the happy hour rush effectively. Indoor & Outdoor Options: The heated patio is a big plus for those who want to enjoy the fresh air without getting too cold in the evenings. Convenient Location: Nestled in the Ladera Country Shopper, it’s an easy stop with plenty of parking. 👍 Final Verdict: Great for a Drink, Maybe Skip the Snacks I’m giving Portola Bistro 3 stars. I would absolutely come back for the daily happy hour and the excellent drinks, as that part of the experience is top-notch and provides great value for the area. However, until the food quality—especially the fry station—improves, I’ll likely stick to the bar menu rather than a full meal. If you are looking for a beautiful spot for a sunset cocktail, this is your place, but keep your expectations managed when it comes to the kitchen's output.

Delicious food and great atmosphere! I tried the Chicken Piccata and the Steak Tagliatelle at Portola Bistro, and both were incredible. The service was friendly and attentive without being overbearing, and the overall vibe of the restaurant felt warm and relaxed. Definitely a place I’d come back to and recommend to anyone looking for a great meal or celebrating a special occasion! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We were quite happy when Portola Bistro opened. In fact, we were the first guests to eat there for brunch when they eventually opened those hours. Things were quite lovely for several months. Not sure what has happened but the bottom has fallen out. The food is a mere shadow of last year. Photos are from "the good days" several months ago. The professional and friendly servers are gone; replaced by marginally trained staff that seems to have difficulty with basic requests in English. We brought guests and felt very badly about the experience. Second visit recently same outcome. We will not be going back.

2.8 stars We were excited because the beets salad and the crispy calamari were awesome! We could not wait for the entree. I had the salmon lentils and my friend had the fish special which was ahi tuna with sesame seeds, rice and carrots. The salmon was average for $40 - it’s not worth paying that much. They should not have used lentils but scallop potatoes instead. The sauce on the fish was wrong - when the dish is heavy the sauce should not be creamy but a vinaigrette sort of base dressing to cut the heaviness of the dish. Please change the salmon dish to: Broiled dill salmon with crispy edges and melt in your mouth centers - top with a medium creamy dill sauce. Pair it with broccoli potato patties sprinkle with crispy bacon bits. Please forget about the desert and go somewhere else. The tiramisu had a slight stale smell that my friend was too polite not to mentioned. The bread pudding tastes and looks like it’s been sitting there for weeks! Bread pudding should be fluffy like it just comes out of the oven ! The waitress was nice and attentive. The atmosphere was cozy. That’s all! If you want to charge so much for the food then you better be prepared to give us fresh ingredients and a really good meal. A sub standard meal for $200 if not worth it.

Had a fun evening at Portola Bistro. Went for Happy Hour then stayed for dinner. The drinks were very good and really enjoyed the food. Would order the scallop appetizer, the vegetable risotto again and the chocolate lava cake again. Definitely coming back to try other menu items. Great restaurant! Come see for yourself.

The seafood linguini at Portala Bistro was delicious. The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the seafood was fresh and flavorful, served in a light sauce that balanced the dish beautifully. Presentation and portion size were just right. The service was excellent — attentive and professional. Prices are also very reasonable for a restaurant at this level of fine dining. Definitely a dish I’d order again.

A friend and I had a leisurely lunch here to catch up. The clam chowder was excellent, with lots of clams, and the burger with fries was filling enough for me to take half home. The tiramisu was yummy too--we split that since my friend ate only half her risotto to which she had prawns added. The place was quiet, and we were never rushed. We plan to return to try more menu items since there’s something for everyone, whether a breakfast item like chicken and waffle or lunch item such as we had.

The restaurant is tucked away in the corner and has a really nice vibe. The food was great and the service was also good. The only negative thing was the wait time for the food to arrive. It took 45mins from the time we sat down and for our food to arrive. It was a really long wait and we were getting impatient. If they could improve their time, I would gladly give this place 5 ⭐️

Loved everything about this revamped spot!! Great friendly service, the warm Napa cabbage salad that takes me back to Town, the atmosphere!! A 10 out of 10 experience . No full bar yet Fyi,.... The pappardelle pasta may have been the best I ever had and the pizza was delicious as well !! Easy to access with plenty of parking and right off 280

I love the ambience of this place. The lighting is perfect. The server recommended the fried artichoke. They were flakey and crispy, fried to perfection, and definitely unusual, as I've never had that dish before. My fiancé ordered the halibut special with beet sauce and risotto. Presentation was awesome and the fish was juicy and tender. I ordered the ribeye steak with potatoes. I requested medium rare but it came out medium well. The server promptly took it back and had another one done for me. The 2nd one was perfect and great charred aroma from the grill. The potatoes were amazing with the crunchy top and bottom. We also ordered the bread pudding and it pudding was hot with cold ice cram on top for contrast. The wait staff was awesome! Very attentive and responsive. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

They replaced one overpriced, decent French Italian restaurant with another. There are so many things that could've been done with this amazing location, such as putting in something similar to State Street market in Los Altos. I just don't understand. This is such a hub for Portola Valley and Ladera and the opportunity is wasted on boomer food. If you do go, the lobster ravioli and fried artichoke are the highlights here.

Great service. Great food. Halibut is delicious. Definitely will go back again. Very nice atmosphere.

Being in Palo Alto for the evening, we quickly stumbled upon this restaurant while searching for restaurants in the area. The restaurant is located in a small strip plaza. The lighting and ambiance was nice, cozy, and quaint for a special occasion. On the menu, I appreciated the wide variety of more casual items like Salads and Pizza to more formal dishes like Steak and Salmon. They provide bread that was nicely heated and a spread. The French onion soup was a nice sized portion and great balance of flavors! The steak tartar was good, however, we wish it was accompanied by a few more pieces of bread to eat it with. The beef dish was delicious. The broth/soup was very beefy and full of flavor. The accompanying potato it was topped with was nicely presented, however, rather dry. The seafood pasta was made al dente and quite delicious! Overall, we were satisfied with our meal! Good service. Nice ambiance. Fair pricing. Great for special occasions- and they sing happy birthday too!

We made a reservation for 7 for a birthday dinner so didn't have a problem with getting seated. Would recommend to make a reservation because the place was full around after 6pm. Service: 3/5 Our server didn't really pay attention to our table as much and water didn't get refilled as often. They also didn't have bowls for soup... I also observed our server making faces while she was taking our orders. Ambiance: 4/5 It gave off a casual vibe for a $$$ place. Not sure why but the vibe just wasn't there to call it a proper restaurant. The chairs were also uncomfortable to sit on. Food: 3/5 Entrées were NOT big enough to be shared with others. Pricey for rather small servings but all the dishes we got were delicious. Appetizers: Calamari - Nothing to rave about. Scallops - They were done nicely but the sauce didn't go well with the scallops.. we also noticed that the sauce changed into a solid form very quickly. Fried artichokes - This was delicious. There were potatoes too. Everything was fried nicely yet still soft on the inside. French onion + pumpkin soup - I liked the pumpkin soup more as it was creamy and tasty. Entrées: Fishermen's chowder - I expected more seafood in this for a whooping $40+ Vegetarian risotto - This was so tasty and cooked perfectly. I only wished there was more vegetables other than few pieces of mushrooms and asparagus. Lobster ravioli - Dish of the night. You must get this. Filet mignon pizza - Thin crust! Overall, this pizza was delicious but the meat was overcooked so tough to chew.

I was disappointed by this spot that has been on my list for awhile. The ambiance was perfect but unfortunately everything else fell short. The food was only okay which was disappointing especially for the prices. The waiter was polite but offered no assistance in accommodating a food allergy. He offered no suggestions of entrees or guidance in what could be made to avoid the allergy. While the wait staff was polite they bordered on too absent and by the end we started to wonder where they were. Unfortunately, I won't be back for dinner again.

I share another reviewer's completely negative review of the $30 burger. Basically, all bun and very little beef. And poor quality at that. I'm giving the restaurant two stars because my daughter was satisfied with the pasta dish.

Our female server for our Saturday brunch along with the kitchen staff was the most courteous, professional , flexible and gracious. My beet salad (without beets, I don't like them) was modified perfectly. Thank you, chef! Lovely environment also. Tuna Tartare was delicious.

I somehow did not take a picture of the beet salad but that was my favorite dish. It was very thinly sliced beets and the components in the salad complemented wonderfully.

Have tried it for dinner twice. The remodeled space is very pretty but the lighting is harsh and overly bright, which doesn't create a cozy or romantic atmosphere. It's also noisy, making us feel like we were dining in a fast food restaurant. Service was slow and uneven both time and the food was good, but definitely not great. This location is convenient for me so I wish it was better. Won't be back for a while.

Pretty shocked at the positive reviews. Place is a no-go zone. Food mediocre to bad and way overpriced, service awkward and slow, no bar. $30 for a smallish burger with nothing but bun and patty? Ambiance is glaring--white tablecloths and super bright lights. It feels like if your friend who liked to cook tried to start a fancy restaurant.

I recently discovered this lovely light and airy hidden gem! Not too far from Palo Alto. My wife has a few food allergies that Max, our server was not only willing to accommodate but also knowledgeable enough to point out menu items that were available for her. I was astonished to not only receive our food in a timely fashion but how beautifully prepared my halibut was! We shared the market salad before hand and the blood orange sorbet after dinner. However we plan on returning with bigger appetites so I can food I don't have to share!

WOWZERS! The food was immaculate! Everything was beautifully presented and the service was so amazing! Max was amazing to me and was an amazing server! The restaurant itself is very cozy and feels nice to be in, with it being in front of a market with fresh produce and a great little coffee shop close by (like a few doors down). Anyhow, I had the holiday special filet mignon which was absolutely amazing, as well as the salted caramel gelato which was delicious! This is a must have experience you need to taste!

This restaurant was recommended to us by a friend! The food was absolutely fabulous! The grilled octopus is a must, it's super tender and flavorful! The Deviled eggs are sweet, savory and extremely creamy! The Beef Bourguignon is a very well made dish and the Lamb Pappardelle is out of this world! The Beet salad is a wonderful combo of crunchy, sweet and creamy all in one. Not to forget the dessert, the Mille Feuille is a perfectly balanced puffed pastry, but too sweet, and the berry compote adds the right amount of tartness, and the chocolate volcana is a rich and dense chocolate cake with a delicious vanilla gelato! The service was top notch! 10/10 would go again! Highly recommend!!

Food was done very well great service and ambience. Branzino was tasty, ribeye was large and the potatoes dauphinois were delicious. Lamb papardelle was tasty. Chocolate Lana cake was delicious.

I am gonna go with 4.5, but give a 5 here because the restaurant is new and the staff and food were both great. I do see opportunities to improve. We dined on Xmas night and the atmosphere was great. Great lighting and very nice white interior decor. One review said the lights were super bright - not sure from where this comes. Maybe during a lunch meal? Not sure, but lighting was great. Started with salad, great octopus appetizer, and broccoli soup of the day (delish). We had great lager on tap, and then great Côtes du Rhône wine. They serve really good wine by the glass (and price is right). Finally we had an incredible Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with Pappardelle (I think meat was lamb - yum!) and it came out piping hot. Nice! The halibut dish was good, but fish slightly overdone. Not tragic, but the octopus was cooked perfect. Maybe growing pains? Finally the opportunity - gotta remodel the bathroom. The restaurant had a great vibe, but going to the loo was like stepping into the YMCA toilet. Doesn't match the charm of the main restaurant. Easy fix with some capital $$$. New dining place is a great location and we will be back for sure. Dying to try the lamb pops and double cut pork chops!

Stumbled on this place, never knew it was here and why? It apparently just opened, and wow what a bam! I adore that this is a throwback to a more civilized way to dine, e.g. no industrial bricks with resounding echoic chamber of brick laden noise reverberated through the place, no deafening music piped through, no bottles clanging off the bar. Nope none of that. This is beautifully table cloth ridden place where we sat and could actually hear each other, what a fantastic experience this was. The service is phenomenal, very attentive and solicitous, they seemed to magically attune themselves to us and our needs. We got their beet and arugula salad, superbly fresh and they let the ingredients speak for themselves. Their friend chicken sandwich with a stunning aioli and potato wedges super good, chicken coated in a crispy batter on a fluffy pretzel bun. Their lamb ragu farfalle pasta seasoned in a robust and bold meaty satisfying sauce. The portions generous and that pasta dish easily could've fed six people. No joke. Their tiramisu awesome sponge cake layers with a dusting of cocoa, it seemed to have a layer of chocolate underneath, which I could've done without. The prices are more than great especially for the portions and quality of ingredients. Parking is a breeze because it's in an open air strip mall. They have a fantastic patio, which on a warm sunny day is the ticket.

I've had Sunday lunch/brunch twice. I like the new interior - it's lighter and more open with the removal of a bank of booths. Very attractive. The servers were all welcoming, professional and friendly. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is the food I had today. The first time I had the Eggs Royale, which was delicious. Today I ordered the "Fried French Toast." Before ordering I joked to my friend, "should I be concerned? Isn't all French toast fried?" And I was right - It was (I assume) deep fried and VERY oily. Between the oil in the bread and the mascarpone inside having melted, it was so unpleasantly oily that I couldn't (didn't want to) finish it. The chef really needs to rethink this dish.

Great experience! The staff were fast and friendly. I believe Lisa helped us and she was outstanding. We ordered the French beef stew, it was delicious! The calamari was perfect. But the pork belly was the best my wife and I have ever had! It was very decadent and soft but crunchy where it should be. The celery root purée made the dish over the top! Great job!

Tried this place for the first time over the weekend and everything was wonderful. Service is attentive and the staff are knowledgeable about the menu and especially the wines. My friend and I split the roasted beets salad, which was so delicious. I ordered the beef bourguignon as my main, the portion was generous and the beef was so tender. Would highly recommend this place for anyone in the mood for a variety of European dishes!

Incredible service, beautiful ambience and unforgettable meal. Highly recommend trying the beet salad, deviled eggs and scallops!

I've been to portola bistro 3 times now, and each visit exceeded our expectations! My husband and I went here for the first time on a date night and we were seated at a comfy banquette table. The ambience is just lovely, I felt so cozy with the dim lights and the light french background music. We were served by a different server each time we went, and the service was always impeccable. The food is just to die for, my favorite dish so far has been the pork belly and my husband loved their prosciutto and burrata thin crust pizza. The last time I went I ordered the pumpkin soup which was our servers' recommendation and it was truly the best soup I've had. I have a big sweet tooth so of course I ordered dessert, their lava cake was so gooey in the center and decadent. I'm happy to see this restaurant thriving because we need a good dinner spot in our area

I had a great time visiting Portola Bistro. The food was incredible, I had the crispy artichoke followed by the lobster ravioli while my guest tried the salmon. I would recommend both dishes to anyone. The service was very sharp and comforting, our server Max gave fantastic recommendations and wine pairings. They have done a great job with this new restaurant and I will be returning again soon!

Delicious food, large portions, and friendly service. The beet salad is really tasty, and my friend and I shared the House starter platter for two. Truly, it was enough for four, and very tasty and hearty. I didn't have enough room left for more than one piece of my pesto pizza, which is amazing. So happy to have the great place here, and we are looking forward to the Greek restaurant moving in next door. Thank you!

Food and atmosphere were great but service a little slow. You can tell they've just opened and are working to make some improvements. The portions are large, so you can easily share with others

Went for a casual business lunch a couple of weeks ago. The space is nice, bright, clean, so a nice upgrade from the previous Portola Kitchen. It was pretty quiet when we first arrived, so service was prompt and friendly. The menu is a bit odd for lunch, especially during the week - there are some brunch items (French toast), some nicer more expensive items, and relatively few salad options, which is a bit of an odd choice for a lunch menu. The food was good, not great, and as restaurant filled more for lunch, the service became very slow so it took us quite some time to get our check. Chalk it up to new restaurant processes getting worked out - I would go again, but I'm hoping they can refine their menu and service as they get more experience there.

I absolutely adore this restaurant, the staff is so friendly every time I go. I bring everyone I know here and the classy but inviting ambiance makes it perfect for date night, lunch with the girls, literally anything. I have several dietary restrictions and the manager, Lily, was so knowledgeable about the menu and she was the most patient, kind human ever. Usually I feel so bad asking extra questions about my dietary needs, but Lily made it not only feel like it wasn't a bother, but she made me feel so comfortable in conversation. The pork chop dish is one of my top favorite dishes of all time, it's so delicious. The service was impeccable throughout our whole meal and makes every visit memorable. Thank you to the staff of this slice of heaven!

Excellent service and food! A big improvement from previous restaurant in the same location. Glad they have reopened!

Very nice place for a quiet and elegant meal. Both small and large plates - scallops, seafood linguini - and beet salad were well prepared and presented - v tasty. Attentive service. A little pricey but that's expected in this zip code.

We ate at Portola Bistro for the first time and were very pleased with everything. The food the service and atmosphere. Our waiter was prompt and attentive. We loved that we were able to taste the champagne and wines before they poured a full glass. I would highly recommend this restaurant and we are looking forward to the full bar when they finalize the license!

"We had a wonderful experience at Portola bistro The food was delicious, with every dish prepared to perfection. The staff was attentive and friendly, ensuring we felt welcomed throughout our visit. The ambiance was cozy and inviting, making it the perfect spot for Private events, birthday parties Highly recommend and looking forward to our next visit!

I had high hopes and the menu looked good, but nothing we ordered was great. The scallops sounded good but the sauce really didn't work with them. Ahi tartare was fine. Deviled eggs were very truffle-y if you like that. Beef bourgignon wasn't very flavorful. Service was ok. I hope they improve - we're overdue for a great restaurant in this spot.

sad disaster replacement of a restaurant that was great before covid ... they basically painted the inside white to look " ultra regal " and forgot to actually have an amazing menu ... i mean my wife and i ordered two " gourmet " one vegetarian the other meat .... hOw too you get pizza wrong ? sadly this place is out of touch with what PV needs ... authentic farm fresh ... and this Bistro is not

We had a special occasion gathering with 17 of us for lunch in the patio. The food and service were perfect. We had a great time. Lily is awesome!