Fantino: Authentic Italian Flavors & Cozy Vibes in Portland

somebody give these people an award. from start to finish had one of the best dining experiences ive ever had. the cocktails hit, the focaccia and patatas bravas were perfect, the ragu....wish i ordered three of them, and the stracciatella must have been from a gelateria in rome. sit at the bar and aaron will take care of you. cant wait for part 2 (joe & jackie <3)

This place is so amazing I am obsessed with it. Got the Comeback Baby cocktail, caesar salad, and vodka pasta and OH MY GOD. Had to get 2 cocktails because they were so good, and the vodka pasta was some of the best pasta I’ve EVER had. Plus the vibe & atmosphere is so cute and cozy. HIGHLY recommend to anyone in Portland; the vibes and food are incredible and the owner is so sweet he checked in on us and made sure everything is good. Will definitely be back!!!

Fantino is a breath of fresh air in Portland’s food scene. The charming decor, incredibly kind staff, and standout Italian staples make it an instant favorite. The martini, alla vodka and chicken Milanese are must-haves, and their seasonal dishes are always a treat. Can’t wait to go back!

Visiting Portland from Vancouver! Such a great atmosphere, so much detail in the art, Music, candles in the bathroom! Everything had great detail and that’s what I look for when dining! Not to mention the cocktails were great and food was amazing! Seriously the best pasta I’ve had (vodka pasta) we also had the breaded chicken and fresh bread !! 10/10

We stopped in for dinner on a Thursday night, it was packed! We anticipated having to wait based off previous reviews - for 2 people it was about 50 mins. We had a drink elsewhere and came back. It’s a small space, but the ambiance is very cool! I will say, it was hot inside but bearable. We had the Fantino salad and focaccia to share for apps. Everything was so fresh and delicious. It was really loud, a little hard to hear our server at times. For our main dishes we shared the mussels and the vongole pasta. This was the perfect amount of food for my husband and I. Again, everything was SO good and fresh. We will definitely be back again!

The Team at Fantino was amazing and made my partners birthday dinner a great experience. The service is always welcoming and made all of our guest feel at home. If you haven't ate at Fantino you are missing out. The cocktails elevate the experience with curations of high quality spirits and ingredients. The entire menu is delicious and the vibes are immaculate. We love this place and the whole crew is dope!

This place is cooking up some killer food amongst a quaint and lovely atmosphere. That said, be warned that without a reservation system, you are likely going to be waiting unless you come at the right time. My girlfriend and I came here for a celebratory dinner on Saturday and arrived just after 5pm when they opened. This wound up being just the right time as they were already more than half full but could still accommodate us as a party of two. The interior is not huge with maybe 10-12 tables and is definitely catered more towards a nice dinner date with only a few larger group options. The decor is charming and timeless, with some lovely bar seating, nice lighting, and fun art all with the horse motif. Service I will say was quite good. Everyone seemed attentive to us and it wasn’t just a one waiter per table type situation where you don’t see someone for 20 min. I will say the water glasses themselves are quite small which required ample fill-ups. But the team was on it and it never became a problem. Now to the food. Overall things were delicious with a couple standouts. The peach and burrata appetizer we had was fantastic with the hot honey and oil. Paired perfectly with the focaccia. Classic Caesar was also nice. The real star for me was the lemon bucatini pasta. Wow, at face value it appears to be a simple dish but the flavors were absolute perfect with the hint of lemon and creamy sauce. Could have had multiple bowls of that and would definitely order again. The pasta all vodka was good but not as much of a standout. The branzino too was tasty just a bit hard to eat with the bones and tapenade that adorned the fish. My gf loved it though and I know that’s typical for ordering a whole fish. Drinks were a solid cap to the night. All in all, really fun date night spot and would recommend to visit!