2 /5 Mark Leslie: We visited Porto Vino based on strong reviews, hoping to find a good spot for business dinners. The atmosphere and service were excellent (5 stars each), but the food was just okay (3 stars). When our server asked how things were, I said exactly that: "the service is great, the ambience is great, the food is eh, ok."
Within minutes, someone—who never identified themselves as manager, chef, or owner—approached our table with a confrontational tone. He defensively pointed out that wed "eaten it all" (I hadnt eaten since 9am and wasnt going to waste food I intended to pay for). When I tried offering constructive feedback, he became increasingly combative and insisted on giving us a discount we didnt want. When we declined and said we were just sharing our thoughts, he asked us to leave.
My companion started recording the interaction, accidentally knocked over a glass, left $100 for his portion, and we exited. This person apologized to another table as we left—but never to us.
Ive never experienced such an aggressive response to mild criticism. A simple "thank you for the feedback" would have sufficed. Instead, what could have been a 4-star review became a one-star experience. We wont be returning to Porto Vino or their sister restaurant, Sansonina.
