Porcini

Hey Terence I was your sever for the evening, I was just wondering why you would not tell the whole story, is it because you dont want to look bad. I just wish you would have wrote, why I gave your money back. I told you that you were rude, I was not showing loyalty. I didnt want any extra money from you, you complained that you wanted to be compensated for something..(your bill was $100 for 4 people to come drink your wine and have great quality food. ""When the owner said no im sorry I cant compensate anything"" you started to attack, saying that your service was ok and you werent really happy. I could tell that you four couldnt be satisfied since you had to wait (which we honored your reservation, we can not ensure that the people who ate before you would be finished precisley at the time your reservation was.) and the loud group was upstairs seperated from the dining area, that was just some place for you to be able to sit and open your wine during your short wait. I felt that you were uneasy so I wanted to make your table feel as comfortable as I could I felt I put forth quality service to your table and you bashed me when you werent happy with not getting a discount because you had to wait for a reservation that was honored though we can not rush people. I gave your money soley because you and your tables comments. Also you know that the owner asked how your service was and he did apologize for the wait, I guess he didn't know you were holding a grudge. more

Porcini is our go-to place when we want romance and good food. We had one of our first dates here and will always hold a good place in our hearts. The waiters are friendly; the owner visible and warm. The food is fantastic. The portions are perfect. You leave feeling satisfied, not stuffed. The people who complained about having no doggy bags should go back to the Olive Garden. I highly recommend the seafood risotto, which is a special. The best I ever had. The closeness of the tables gives the ambience of sitting in someones living room. Very cozy. Heed my advice and go try Porcini yourself. It will become your go-to place too! Pros: Ambience, Romantic Cons: No reservations more

This is our first message. All four of us have experience in the restaurant/bar world. We had reservations for 9 PM and were escorted upstairs to wait. There was an INSANELY loud, raucous group of women, it felt like a club. The owner flirted with the women as they took promiscuous pictures of themselves. We could not converse amongst ourselves. It smelled like mold. We were told we would be seated at our table within minutes. After about a half an hour, we were seated in an unbelievably small, hot, crowded, loud dining room. We ordered four types of bruschetta, we got three. The ravioli that was supposed to contain arugula showed no real trace. No one asked how our meal was, no one apologized for the previous wait. No one offered us water. Upon receiving our check, we asked if it might be altered due to our unpleasant experience, and the owner/waiter/host became irate and ultimately told us not to come back. We did not want to stiff our main waitress on the tip, payed in full, and left an 18% tip, which she decided to refuse out of loyalty to this amazingly horrible restaurant and man. He reminded us all of a used car salesman. Pros: Location, BYO, good cannoli Cons: Owner/Host/Waiter, inability to hold a reservation, cramped space. more

I am completely surprised by all these negative reviews. After reading many of them, I am wondering if the critics might better find what they're looking for at an Olive Garden-esque establishment. I have been to Porcini a few times, most recently last month, and I've never experienced anything less than complete satisfaction. The owner is polite and genuinely interested in his customers' experience. The food is authentic Italian, made with fresh ingredients and prepared to perfection. I love that it is a BYOB and I have always found it to be quite romantic. \r \r If you are considering a visit, I suggest you leave the children behind. The restaurant is small (not a complaint!) and children create distractions that would probably be better accomodated somewhere else. Pros: great food, intimate setting, great service Cons: parking (hey-it's center city-what do you expect?), kids more

Don't waste your time and money! First of all, this restaurant is insanely small. The guests at the adjacent tables are no more than 12 inches away, and in our case it was less. The person at the end of our table had to keep his chair at an angle, otherwise he'd be in the lap of the woman seated behind him. We were kept waiting 20 minutes even though we had a reservation. They give you one tiny plate of olive oil (for a table of 5 people, in our case), which forces you to have a community oil plate.....during cold and flu season? I don't think so. Ditto for the dishes of grated parmesan, which are PASSED FROM TABLE TO TABLE. You don't get your own fresh dish for your table alone. The entrees themselves were unremarkable at best, and the servings are tiny. We felt cramped, rushed, a little grossed out, and were hungry later. I wouldn't go back there even if it were free. Cons: ludicrously small, noisy, unremarkable food more

The interior is cramped and plainly decorated, and with a group larger than 4 you can expect to wait quite a while. But with the consistently delicious food, varied menu and low prices, I will keep coming back over and over again. The waiters are very personable and come over to the table often, which some might find obtrusive, but I think it adds to the small, homey feel of the place. Pros: Fabulous food Cons: Cramped space more

My husband and I went for dinner tonight. The waiter/owner is fake and overly intrusive during the meal, constantly hovering in the small room. We should have left when he brought out 2 flat Coke's and 2 pieces of stale, dry, white bread. He rationed the portions of dipping oil- never leaving it on the table, but periodically stopping by and drizzling a few drops on the plate. After waiting interminably and eating the stale bread from starvation, the owner brought out the 2 measliest, absurdly small dishes of ordinary pasta slopped with ordinary tomoto sauce and a couple of shrimp. The prices were absurd. When a box of pasta costs 99 cents, $17 for tiny and ordinary pasta dishes in a cramped, ugly room is unacceptable. We will never go back. Pros: non Cons: bad service, stale food, EXPENSIVE more

Been back to Porcini recently and still enjoyed the fresh flavors and good Italian food. Thanks Pros: Inexpensive Cons: Parking, Too tight more

This is my favorite BYO in the rittenhouse area! The service is always warm and inviting. The food is excellent. The owners have gone out of their way to make special nights truly memorable. I have and will continue to recommend this restaurant to anyone! Pros: food, service, atmosphere Cons: can get loud, wait on the weekends more

Porcini delivered the most appalling service I have ever experienced, with rude staff & management. The menu was limited & unimaginative. All of this is packaged in a cramped, uncomfortable space. I would not reccommend Porcini to my worst enemy. Cons: Rude, Limited Menu, Microscopic Space more

Great warm and cozy atmosphere. However, the menu is somewhat 'typical' as in the bruscetta, insalata, pollos etc. Not much meat or seafood selections. I do think the food is very fresh and light - which is necessary in this city. more

I had the most surreal and offensive restaraunt experience at Porcini. After equestin 2 appetizers for dinner, the waiter refused. I expressed my dissatisfaction, then ordered an entree. Another waiter followed up with a combative response defending the policy. After saying that I did not wish to discuss the matter, we were asked to leave. I am a small girl who is often asked to speak up, and never would have imagined that I would ever be thrown out or a bar or restaraunt. We happily picked up our bottle of wine and went to a better BYO with good food, service, and adequate space. Porcini showed us nightmarish service, a limited menu (only 1 meat & 1 fish option), and cramped room where we were continutally bumped & unable to hear our own discussion. I would never advocate Porcini to any individual. Cons: , Cramped, Limited Menu more

We were promised a table after a 40 minute wait. 80+ minutes later we were seated by a fresh owner. 10 minutes later we were offered water. The menu is unimaginative--pasta and poultry except for specials--and the food is average. This was my first trip back in three years and it reminded my why I had not been back sooner--too loud, boring food, poor service, long wait. Bisto la Baia and Bistro la Viola, both of which take reservations have far superior menus and service. Cons: , average food more

We rented out the second floor for our rehearsal dinner, and LOVED it. The owner worked with us to serve a great, relaxing meal with lots of shared plates that was a great way to kick off our marriage. We go back for all our special occasions, and the owner is always sweet and attentive. I can't say enough good things about Porcini. Pros: inexpensive, excellent food more

this is a great place, especially on an off-night. The place is so crowded, you feel like you are sitting on the next table's lap. Pros: Food Cons: Cramped more

I was with a group of 24 people at Porcini's last week. We rented the entire second floor to celebrate a friend's birthday. The owner and his brother were very helpful in setting it up, helping pour drinks, etc. However, it got interesting... Our group was having a great time and switched seating after the appetizer in order to allow everyone to meet each other. The owner came out with the entrees and freaked out. When one of the ladies in our party told him not to worry, that we'd hand the dishes to the right people, he snapped at her and brought the room to silence. He did finally apologize an hour later, but he unnecessarily brought awkwardness to the party and he lost 24 people's business for good. more

Honestly, this tiny restaurant is the size of my old dorm room, But that doesn't change the fact the food prepared here is wonderful. While my girlfriend appreciated the numerous vegetarian/non-red-meat choices on the menu, I (a devout carnivore) dissappointedly chose the chicken pomodoro. My dissappointment over the lack of red meat on the menu was uncalled for, as it turned out. The chicken breasts were perfectly cooked and the exotic mushrooms added a unique flavor to the dish. All items on the menu are reasonably priced, save for the smallish cannolis. The owner is responsive and very knowlegable. A group of ~15 was celebrating a birthday while we were there, and they had perhaps 7 bottles of wine on the table... so, the reviewer's comment on being chased out for opening a 4th bottle leaves me suspicious of his story. Overall, very pleased with Porcini. Pros: wonderful food, enthusistic owner Cons: cramped / noisey more

My husband and I go to Porcini for every special event - it is our favorite Italian restaurant. I have never found the owner to be anything less than professional, charming, and engaging. He sets the tone for a great dining experience. We have moved to the NJ suburbs and we continue to go to Porcini whenever we want a meal we are guaranteed to enjoy. Pros: excellent food, great people/owners, reasonably priced Cons: no reservations more

Too noisy and a bit cramped. While the overall quality of the food was excellent, value is questionable. $6 for a caesar salad too small to share and $17 for spagetti and sausage is a bit steep. No one left with a doggy bag. By the way...parking is an issue. more

Eating the food at Porcini really reminds me of meals I ate in Italy. It is pretty authentic Italian. The kitchen relies on simple fresh ingredients prepared very well. Yes, the restaurant does not take reservations, it is extremely small, the tables are cramped, the decibel level is extremely high and you will get to know your dining neighbor quite well. If any of this bothers you, do not go. Personally, none of that bothers me if the food is good, and it is. Some of the reviewers mentioned the rudeness of the owner/host/waiter. I have been here 3 times and have never witnessed any of the described behavior. In fact, I thought he was quite pleasant and outgoing. Maybe he was having a really, really bad night when those other reviewers visited, although that doesn't excuse chasing a customer out of the restaurant! Pros: Authentic Italian, Good Value, BYOB Cons: Crowded and Small, Noisy, No reservation taken more