Caffe Mingo

Second time to Caffe Mingo. The first visit was excellent! Second time, a nightmare. Waited an extremely long time for a table and was told to go to Bar Mingo for drinks. The food was subpar and the hostess was a bit on the rude side. We were there for our 31st wedding anniversary. Don't think we will be back again. more

My wife and I have been coming to MIngo's for several years. The food is wonderful and the service good. I would especcially recommend their happy hour. Great food, great value. Best artisan pizza in Portland. more

My husband and I have been going to Caffe Mingo for 12 years and it's simply one of the best dining experiences around. Many of the servers have been there for years and they take the time to stop and talk and make you feel as though you are family without being intrusive. Very professional. The atmosphere is one that is not pretentious and it's energy is contagious. We feel like we are in a village in Italy. We love to sit at the bar. The food is fantastic. The flavors and menu items are authentic italian food - the food is so amazing - the dishes are not ladened with heavy sauces or starchs. The food is prepared simply and whole. Hands down our favorite place. The wait is worth it and Bar Mingo is next door and perfect for having a cocktail or two before indulging in a nice, full flavored bottle of wine. more

I have eaten at Mingo several times over the past few years. And have always thought the food was very good, the service friendly, and the vibe neighborhoody.\r But the last time, I was there having dinner at the bar, one of the servers went on a rant bashing another neighborhood restaurant to out-of-town guests. And the owner stood by, and watched him, without saying anything.\r It was totally unwarranted, and totally out of line. It ruined my appetite and I'm not sure when I'll go back. Pros: Good Italian Food Cons: Bad Vibe more

My wife and I have been coming to Caffe Mingo for years, and are always impressed with the wonderful food and stellar staff. However, on a recent Friday night visit to Caffe Mingo, the service left a little to be desired. The staff has always been very friendly and attentive, but on this visit, our waitress Rosy (?) seemed too preoccupied with sitting at the front door talking on her phone. Meanwhile, our wine glasses sat empty and we were not offered dessert. We felt like we were keeping her when she brought our bill, so we left and had dessert and wine elsewhere. We've always loved the laidback atmosphere at Caffe Mingo, but our waitress' attitude was borderline apathetic. We will always be loyal customers of Caffe Mingo and will still recommend the place to our friends, we just hope that next time the service meets the standards we are used to. Pros: Great food, relaxed environment Cons: Very busy, doesn't take reservations more

Awsome wine, found my new favorate barossa here. Food features northwest seasonal ingredients, and this place is a great place for a date. Just make sure you get reservations on the weekend. Pros: very good wine selection Cons: limited seating, bar mingo is next door though more

Ah, Cafe Mingo, some things never change. I dont usually take the time to write these sort of things, but there is something about this loud little restaurant that merits a moment of my time. I use to eat at Cafe mingo all of the time, but I had not eaten there in 2 years because of post baby chaos. My family and I were glad to sit at a wooden table in the back, and reminisce about the many great Mingo memories. We had to sit and wait 25 min next door at the new,mod Bar mingo, before we could be seated. The cocktail was yummy, but I was worried that maybe with all of this expansion something at our fav little cafe might have changed. Not true, Cafe Mingo was all that we fondly recalled....loud, busy, fun, and delicious. They even sent us out little scallop 'cruda' bites, just to make us really hungary! Cafe mingo is one of those little gems that seems to keep true to itself with simple yummy food. Our server made us laugh, and had us talking to the table across the way, while orchestrating a great meal, and recommended two bottles of vino that left us full, rosy cheeked, and happily sedated. A great sunday night We wont stay away so long next time! more

I had heard about Caffe Mingo from a variety of people as one of the places ""to go to"" in PDX for Italian food, so I was really looking forward to our experience there. The place is fairly small, so it's noisy when it's busy, that is to be expected. But it took a while for our server to come to our table to even greet us to start the evening, at least 15 minutes. Then when I selected our wines for our group (there were 6 of us) they were out of both of them. Slightly frustrated at this point I order a couple bottles of bubbly. They arrived another 15 minutes later, or so, and then we were able to place our dinner order. The appetizers were o.k., but I'd stay away from the gnocchi, it was more like a casserole than gnocchi. But the worst was the entrees. I had heard so much about the beef braised in Chianti, but the food was mostly bland and lacked texture. The waitress actually forgot to order one of the two orders of it we gave her (you'd think that 5 entrees for 6 people would seem odd to someone), but I got my food on time, and it was just lack luster. My buddy dish was the same when it finally arrived. My wife got a mixed seafood pasta in a light white wine cream sauce that was equally uninspired. Dessert wasn't bad, even though they were out of both dessert wines I ordered (imagine that), but not enough to make up for a meal I still can't believe we spent over $500, before gratuity (which the waitress somehow rationalized to include). Maybe it was just an off night, but it was really off. It'll be a while before I go back to give them a second chance. Pros: not much Cons: service was bad and food doesn't make up for it more

There's a reason this place has been around for a dozen years. Like being transported to a European bistro.... more

There's a reason this place has been around for a dozen years. Like being transported to a European bistro. Great wines by the glass. Salads, a goo... more

\r I was recently back in Portland after a year of living in LA. I eat out quite a bit, and rarely do I walk away with the notion that the service was perfect, but it was a rainy and packed Saturday night at Cafe Mingo where I had one of the best times in a restaurant in my life. My friend and I had a fantastic meal of a Lamb special, and crab pasta that was ridiculously good. The food was simple yet divine, the atmosphere loud and fun, and our server, Katie, was amazing. She paired a bottle of wine with our food, and everything was spot on and delicious . She was obviously very busy and she made every table feel at home in the packed front of the restaurant. This restaurant is fantastic, and most defineatly worth the wait. more

My friend and I stopped in for an early dinner Saturday night. The food (including acorn squash flan and incredible baked prunes with marscapone) was delicious, but the service was truly exquisite. I often find Portland service to be lackluster at best, but Katie at Caffe Mingo is an exception. She is knowledgeable yet easy going, friendly, and gives off a vibe that says she is genuinely happy to be there. She really made our experience fantastic. She knows her wine and food. Thanks, Katie! more

Don't get me wrong; everything (except for pizza) that comes out of their open kitchen is fabulous......but the salad and dessserts are exceptional! The greens are crisp and lightly flavored with their original dressing. The desserts are not overly sweet or too rich. They are also served in a right portion in a very simple manner. It a very sophisticated dining experience you can expect from this restaurant. Pros: whole dining experience Cons: crowded more

Everyone in Portland should go to Cafe Mingo at least once. it reminds me of NYC style crowded bistros. it is all class all the way, high priced but well worth it. You wait in line while people pass your drinks to you from the bar..fire-line style. You sit at community tables which is fun and they have some romantic ones but hey lets face it the place is tiny and the food is LARGE..go for the food learn to love the ambiance..it is great once in a while to get out of the safety of your big comfy booth. Pros: oozing style, fun and different great great food fabulous wine selection Cons: the wait time can be a while and if you are out in the rain it isnt very fun more

Caffe Mingo was a nice way to spend a romantic evening with my husband of seven years. I love Italian food - and I love the trio of Italian restaurants on this block. This was the first time we had ever been to Caffe Mingo, but it definitely will not be the last! more

Caffe Mingo is one of my favorite dining experiences so far here in Portland. The atmosphere is cozy, romantic, yet fairly casual, and the food is excellent. Their signature espresso braised beef and penne is strongly recommended, but everything I've had there so far has been outstanding. It's a small space, so you may want to make reservations. Pros: Excellent food, romantic atmosphere, relatively casual Cons: Make reservations more

For East Coast transplants Mingo fills our need for New York Italian both in their excellent presentation of food and with overall ambiance. \r \r Mingo is a small restaurant, big on service, quality and amazing tastes.\r \r The only comment less than exemplary is the lack of a full bar. They do, however, make up for their extensive wine list.\r \r If you lived on the East Coast and miss real Italian food...Mingo is your fix. Pros: Service, Food Quality, Price, Excellent Wine List Cons: Lack of a full service bar, Reservations for 6 or more only. more

This is the best italian in town. The olives that come before your meal are the best! In addition to the regular menu they always have great specials. The atmosphere is very pleasant, one of my favorite places in Portland. Pros: Olives, service, ambience Cons: Tough parking more

Perfect in every way! The olives are the best ever!! Bread and ... please try the capresse salad. You will say, WOW! The cheese is so right and then the entree: how can you say No to pasta and espresso???? All specials are sooooo good. Pros: the whole package Cons: waiting for a table more

World-class authentic Italian food, with a menu to suit all tastes. The wine list includes a range of Italy's finest. The Brunellos were excellent, and reasonably priced (for an expensive, good wine). The Brunello Montalcino 2001 was $65. I found the servings to be of a size typical of those offered in Europe, very adequate, and priced appropriately ($18 - $25). This is a quality operation, and one should expect prices that are commensurate. Those who report the ""servings too small and too expensive"" should probably stick with the all-you-can-eat buffets! Pros: great parking. Nice ambience with open garage doors on a summer evening. Friendly, prompt service. Excellent food and wine offerings. Cons: Access a little confusing with one way streets and less than optimal signage. more