Riccardo's Ristorante

we went here as guests of my parents. The courtyard was lovely, especially on a late summer night. The courtyard filled fast, and our service slowed waaaayyyy down. We had 'leisurely dining"" experiences before, but this was ridiculous. It would have been OK if the food was worth the wait, but it wasn't. The ""lemon butter sauce"" on my veal was cooled and thickened. My husband's food was cold. We had to flag our waiter down several times for more wine, to refill the bread basket, etc. All of the waiters were running around (literally!) like ants. They were out of tiramisu! What Italian restaurant runs out of a signature dessert at 8pm on a Saturday night??! Once dessert was served, we never saw our waiter again. My dad was not offered a second cup of coffee, nothing. The busboy brought our bill. It's true that the wine is fabulous and the list extensive. Maybe they should invest in more waiters and an extra chef. This was so disappointing. We'd eaten here years ago and it was delicious, a marvelous time. Something has really changed. We won't be back. more

We celebrated our anniversary here last night. It had been a couple years since we were here, despite it only being 1/2 mile from our home. It's so easy to bypass the long established places for the new hot spots. more

We have tried Riccardo's four or five times over the last year and the experience has been mixed. Given that dinner for two with wine is generally over $100 (and can even approach that for dinner for one with two glasses of nice wine and a full course), it is not a place we will continue to frequent despite the fact the place is very convenient to us and we were really trying to like it. Pros: Great wine list and outdoor seating Cons: Mediocre food more

Sure it's spendy however one must do the homework ahead of time and find out if it's in the budget. Pros: Nice ambience, above average food Cons: A bit spendy, for some can be a bit cramped more

From the wine list through home-made pasta and all the way to desert, Ricardo's food and service were great. I will return and recommend it to others. It is one of the few places with a comfortable ambience that is good for a romantic evening or for a business lunch. 5-stars for sure. Pros: All Cons: none so far more

I've been dining here for the last 18 years or so, once or twice a year. The first time I went in my wife was out of town so I was alone with my two young daughters (3 and 5 yrs old) and the owner (his son manages it now) sat down with us and entertained the girls and complimented them on their table manners. At that point I was pretty much sold on the place. Then the food came, the girls had pasta dishes that were the best I've had since I was in Italy, I had a simply prepared veal dish (you know, white wine, capers,etc.) that was so incredibly good, melt in your mouth quality, that I have ordered veal every single time I've been back, except once when they had a boar special. The Italian wine selection is incredible with really great prices for a restaurant, markup is about twice retail, or a little less. Desserts are okay but not great, too many made off-site, and just not fresh enough, but I'm not a big fan of anything sweet. The bar is not too good, no selection in hard liquor and no after-dinner drinks, they would like you to buy a dessert wine. Unlike other reviews I've read here, I have ALWAYS had great service here, both on the patio and inside. It is not an inexpensive place but I have always walked away feeling like it was money well spent. To top it off the restaurant owns an Italian wines shop across the parking lot with truly GREAT wines. This review is making me hungry, I think I'll go call them and see what tonight's veal specials are! Pros: Great Veal Cons: Poor Bar more

Authentic, well prepared Italian food. Best lasagna I've found outside Italy. Well thought out and researched wine list - priced closer to retail than most restaurants (Retail shop across the parking lot). Knowledgeable wait staff. I'm there 2-3 times per year over many years. More often to the wine and espresso shops. Pros: transports you to Italy Cons: pace of the meal is as it is in Italy more

We love Riccardo's and have gone there for special occasions for several years. Today was a special occasion. We were sorely disappointed by the service. Maybe the staff didn't show up, but no one tried to remedy an irregular situation. We had never learned that sitting inside was a no no. No service. No heat. No water. No dessert. As usual the lasagne was mouth watering, but wilted today as well as the salad. We did learn from the host that sitting inside just doesn't get you service on a nice night. But now we know--the patio is really a room and there are heaters and it was warmer there than outside. So, maybe we will go back--maybe not. Not for a special occasion; it needs to be special when the wine is $15.00 a glass. more

We used to go to Riccardo's at least 2 times a month. Summers are wonderful out on the patio with a great bottle of wine and their innovative Italian (with PNW fresh ingredients) dishes. Pros: Wine list!, Authentic Italian cuisine, fresh NW produce/products Cons: Bit expensive for what you get, service-inconsistent. more

As a former server I have plenty of insight into the ins and outs of waiting tables. I also am quite forgiving as I understand when servers get busy and overwhelmed. With this in mind I couldn't bring myself to think of enough excuses as to why the service was as bad as it was when I dined here recently. At first the service was great - we were seated and greeted promptly and informed of the featured items. Our server was very informative and knew the menu well. After the salads came it was all downhill from there. Our drinks were not delivered until we flagged down a busser and had him get them for us, twice. Then our server never came back to the table. Our food took over 40 minutes to get to the table. Our busser was outstanding - kept our waters refilled and plates cleared. He even boxed our take home items right away. Never did see our server until our table and the 3 tables next to us flagged him down asking for the check. One man was so mad he just reached right out and grabbed the server's arm to give him his credit card. The busser came over once again to offer us dessert menus but then no one came back to see if we wanted anything. We FINALLY got our check and paid. I am really surprised that no one, besides the busser of course, was helping our server. No other servers nor the owner of the restaurant were assisting this poor guy. I am sure plenty of people have a nice experience dining here but I would hesitate to return based upon what I saw. Pros: Extensive Wine List Cons: Way too Expensive, Parking Can Be a Nightmare, Service Needs Improvement more

If you can get out of here for a simple dinner for two for less than $100, you are doing great. Pros: Excellent outdoor patio dining, good service in my experience. Cons: Toooo expensive! It's not a 5 star place, but c'mon.... It's pasta.... In Portland. more

For everyone who has bad things to say about service.... in certain cases, you may very well be right, however, if you're as rude as you're coming across in your reviews, it's no wonder you get crappy service. (Bet it happens in more places than one, right?) more

Some of these reviews surprise me! Our family has dined at Riccardo's for many years and we love to eat at this small neighborhood place where the food is rich and flavorful. The servers are attentive but don't hover and Riccardo and Georgette greet guests warmly. In the summer the outdoor patio is divine! You won't find better Italian in the Pearl let alone LO. We've never had a problem with reservations either and if we don't have them, we wait for a table just like anyone else. A special treat is to buy seats at Riccardo's wine tasting dinners when you get to hear guest vintners from Italy and take your time with a four course meal. There is a reason Riccardo's has been around and busy for decades. Pros: Amazing food, great service Cons: Busy, best to make reservations more

I guess Citysearch ratings are for sale... I've noticed this place is spending a lot of money on a big push to get itself on the cover of LO dining publications and the like, even though few who live here have ever heard of it and its reviews are dismal. I'd seriously like to know why this stellar Citysearch rating persists after all these bad reviews... this is like an eBay seller with more than 50% negative feedback still sporting a 100 rating. Pros: Nice atmosphere Cons: Everything else more

A friend asked me to dinner tonight and chose Ricardo's. I came to read the reviews and find it interesting that people ""hate it"" or ""love it"". Something seems fishy. Kinda makes me think someone is planting positive review for the sake of business??? I have to say, after reading the negative reviews - I wish I could suggest another place to my friend. At the end of the night, I will either be convinced someone is planting positive reviews - or be awe struck at the coinsidence of the polar views on this restaurant. Pros: Seems fishy Cons: Seems real fishy more

I've been to Riccardo's many times and the food has always been excellent. The wine list (book) is fun to look at and most of the wines are quite affordable. Their lasagna, pasta bolognese, and penne arrabiata are all wonderful. I'm surprised to read the other reviews where people say they were treated rudely. Maybe only rude people are treated rudely. Riccardo's is awesome. Pros: Food - Service more

Although a previous experience, on a week day, was satisfactory, the recent one was not. If you wish to pay over $100 for two person, wait for 3 hours for the service and receive a portion of Saltiboca which had about 2 oz of veal and tasteless cheese and a withered sage leaf and allowed to dry, then this is the place for you. Pros: Nice place Cons: Bad service and worse food more

It appears that the greatest drawback about Riccardo's is the possibility that you might be seated next to one of the awfully cranky and sour people who have written reviews here. If you can avoid that, you'll have a lovely experience. The food is delicious, the wine list delightful, and the ambience delovely. Go on a summer evening, relax and smell the garden rosemary in the air. Unless you are a crab, you'll be more than satisfied. more

I absolutely love Riccardo's. Hands down, it is the best restaurant in Lake Oswego, and I have been to all of them, many times. Riccardo's food, wine selection and service has been consistently outstanding over time, which is why we always return. Organic, local, truly authentic Italian and Borello by the glass - what more can you ask for? Dine outside in the sumer time and you'll feel like you're in Italy... THE romantic Italian spot in the metro area, with Italian wines you won't find anywhere else. Pros: Local, organic food, romatic ambience, excellent and unmatched wine selection Cons: can be a wait more

I'm going to keep this short because I'd be ranting otherwise. I have always had negative experiences here. Mostly rude service. Don't try to customize anything, don't ask for a different sauce, don't ask for a side of sauce...and whatever you do DONT ASK FOR A SIDE OF BASIL! The rude waiter when asked for a salad up first brought it with the meal and the $90 bottle of wine at lunch time we ordered came after the meal was served. We didn't eat, made a point to pay, corked our wine and left and tried desperately not to make a scene as we left. Pros: ok food Cons: Rude & Conceded more