Porta Via

We actually wanted to eat down the street but it was too packed. This place seemed clean. There was hair in my ahi tuna poke! Disgusting :/​I showed the worker and I guess he got to scared to let our waitress know about it. However, we had absolutely no problem paying for it. Sometimes, it’s more of the principal vs anything else. On a positive note the stir fry was good. It wasn’t as crowded as other restaurants in this area. Must mean something.

It was a good experience to just walk around and try it without looking for any reviews, great people here food is good too but I think I should come again and try more dishes.

Great food and excellent service. I highly recommend the kale salad with salmon. I go there all the time for lunch and I feel like the salad gets better each time I go. Sitting at the bar is also great. Saul is usually at the bar and he’s the man.

The good:
Server was great and food was good! Ginger-​Orange chicken stir fry was amazing. Not Italian food, but delicious nonetheless. My friends had the ravioli and enjoyed. Grapefruit margaritas a must! Our server was so sweet and brought over cookies for my friends birthday. Brussels sprouts good too.
The weird:
They let in a flower salesperson who came to the table offering single roses to our table. Ummm… This is Beverly Hills and when I’m paying BH prices for an entrée, I don’t want a street vendor selling to me. I don’t live in BH so maybe that’s BH culture? Maybe not? I’m perplexed by this as you can tell.

To the rude employee behind the counter chatting away (talking to Bryce): I get it. You feel entitled to something greater than taking my card to pay for my lunch. But next time you drop my card and then my bill on the countertop and ignore me so you can flirt with each other, do it with someone else. You deserve a bag of sh*t at your front door.

Recently had lunch here on a Saturday. We ordered the chop salad and tuna salad. Both tasted really fresh and had a lot of flavoring. Service was good and staff was friendly. Even when we were finished with our food we just sat there and talked and didn’t feel like they were rushing us to leave which is a big plus.
Try it out if you are in the area shopping in Beverly Hills.

Happy New Year! Went here this early afternoon with my wife and two people were rude to us. Last one said they had no white sugar that we asked for and rudely pointed at the table stating, «This is it!» When I told my wife, let’s go! We went to Il Fornaio and enjoyed our afternoon.

Awesome spot for breakfast and people watching any day of the week. Love their yogurt bowl with berries!

I initially had a bad taste about this place but after dealing with Ryan I skipped out tasting nothing but Bar flowers and other good stuff.
Location:
Porta Via is located on Canon Drive in between Brighton Way and S Santa Monica Blvd. If you want a better visual landmark it is also right across the street from Wolfgang Puck.
Parking:
if you are lucky depending on what time you come you may be able to find street parking on Canon Drive or Brighton Way. If not you can always park at the parking structure underground. After 6pm it’s a flat rate of $ 5 and it stays open till 12−1am. In the day time I believe you get 2 hours free parking so that should help ease your mind a little bit.
Porta Via: (update has been edited!!)
So after speaking with the GM he Invited me to come back to the venue and I was pleasantly surprised with everything. Granted I had no issue with Porta Via other than that small incident but now it’s definitely on my top 5 places to hit up when I want a night out in BH. He made sure
To make the best bar flower… oh shucks honey you didn’t have to do that! I found out that Ryan Hill (GM) actually manages the wine lists and the cocktails. Good job Ryan!!! I’m really impressed that Porta Via has a GM who not only is talented in the art of mixology but knows how to run the front house. My friends and I were definitely happy with the service, drinks and vibes.
Unilocal 100 Challenge ³⁵⁄₁₀₀

Love the outdoor seating, especially in the fall. I ordered the salmon dish which was delicious. The salmon was cooked to perfection. The cocktail I first got wasn’t that great, but the Moscato I had as an alternative was beyond amazing. The service was wonderful. Our waiter, Octavio, is a big reason as to why I will refer friends here. Best service in Beverly Hills so far.

Some of the best eggs Benedict I’ve had. Great patio seating. The orange juice was really really freshly squeezed. The service was impeccable. Our server Joe was perfect and accommodating. Skip the Farm, the Blvd, Nate n’Al’s or anywhere else in the vicinity for Sunday brunch. This is the place to be.

So bummed that I came here for breakfast. This place is so mediocre for breakfast.
I wish I had just done lunch or dinner because breakfast here is for those who want the worst service, rudeness and not what you order.
They don’t have anything gluten free (bread, pancakes) except eggs and that too they manage to mess up.
If you want rude service and mediocre food — this is the place for you. I wish I didn’t waste my limited tummy space.

Porta Via has been one of my favorite BH restaurants for a while now. So, it’s with sadness that I give it 2 stars. Those stars do not reflect the food and wine, however. Rather they are because of an isolated incident that occurred last Friday night.
I was having dinner with a friend and ordered a glass of wine and the orange ginger chicken stir fry. About halfway through my meal, I bit into something hard. At first, I thought it was glass. When I got it out of my mouth, I realized that it wasn’t glass, but it most definitely SHOULD NOT have been in my food.
My best guess is that it was a piece of cast iron from the pan that my stir fry was made in. Anyhow, when our server came over, I showed it to him and he took it back to the chef and they remade my food. I sat patiently waiting for the manager to come out, or even for my server to come back and give me an update, but it didn’t happen. On top of that, when they brought out my remade food, a good runner brought it out.
I’m in the food service industry, so I have to admit, I was pretty shocked! Finally, the manager came out and asked how dinner was. I realized immediately that no one had told him what happened and this was just a stroke of dumb luck!
Holy crap! No one told the restaurant manager that a patron bit into A PIECE OF CAST IRON???
So, I told him. Gave him the whole rundown. In the meantime, my friend’s water glass has not been refilled and I asked for another glass of wine 15 minutes ago.
Eventually that gets taken care of and our bill comes. Our server comes over and puts his hand on my shoulder (so inappropriately weird) and tells me that they took care of one of my glasses of wine.
What!!! A $ 12 glass of wine comp? For eating cast iron? I mean, if I was one of these LA litigious f*ckers, this place would be shut down or at least under new management before the sun rose the next day.
I mean, I’ve given away free food at my place for far less of a transgression and the staff acted like they did me a favor by comping a glass of wine. I thought about going back and talking to the manager, but I’m not all about that complaint life. I wasn’t trying to get something for free.
I just needed them to know that the way the situation was handled from bottom to top was SUPER unprofessional and in mega poor taste. I’m so disappointed because I love Porta Via. I love the food. I love the atmosphere. But after this incident, I can’t go back. I can’t patronize a place that doesn’t treat their customers well. Bummer!

I have been here a couple of times, very nice place, food is great, service is very good, very quiet place just how I like it.

They make a darn good salad and they don’t skimp on the good stuff. I enjoyed the chopped salad. I met a friend here mid-​week for lunch and as busy as they were everything was still on track. When I am in the area I will return.

I work in Beverly Hills and this is one of my go to lunch places.
Their fish is always fantastic. The last time I had a sea bass with a minute sauce and cous cous on the side. I had to stop my self from licking the plate. They do a John Dory which is fantastic — crispy salted skin with the flesh perfectly cooked. The John Dory comes with several huge asparagus.
If you’re in the mood for meat, they do a wonderful steak frites with skirt steak. The steak has a mildly spicy rub. The fries are perfect for soaking up the juices.
I saw one review which said that they had bad service and a bad attitude. I think only the Unilocaler had a bad attitude. The staff is very nice. I often eat by myself at the bar. They always offer me some free, homemade cookies, after my meal. They’re attentive and friendly. Yes, much of the staff is beautiful, but that doesn’t translate into bad attitude.
Porta Via isn’t cheap. The fish or steak frites entrees are more than $ 20 so this isn’t an everyday lunch (unless you spend more on food than I do). Still, I’d rather pay $ 10 more and eat here than go to the Chipotle down the block. I’ve never had a bad meal here.

If you want a really bad experience with entitled aloof acting waiters who can barely crack a smile you have come to the right place
The first thing you notice is that neither the waiters or hosts reallly smile — strange — the place is pretty full at lunch — things arent so bad — if you only knew who they work for you would understand —
Anyways so you sit down and order food — the food comes — $ 16 dollars for a hamburger — thats fine you are in beverly hills — its all about the location and its a fun location — dont expect anything special — for that you need to pay more — 16 in bev hills is like 7 dollars in sherman oaks — anyways — its all about the atmosphere — like first class service — anyways —
A bit later the burger comes — no condiments, no sauce, and a tiny shot glass of ketchup — its fine — its a burger — its just lunch — so you ask for more ketchup — you dont get any more — you ask again — it doesnt come again
You tell the nice upper class persian ladies discussing vacation on the Turkish coast, that service is bad here — they tell you service is usually better — -
You tell the host you never got ketchup — twice — it comes a bit later — the sassy manager comes by — you complain — he comps your lunch — whatever — i would have paid for a good service and average burger — after you leave he tells the customers — that he is glad he just got rid of you —
Instead of telling you the waiter screwed up — he says the waiter has worked here for a long time — FDR WORKED THERE FOR A LONG TIME TOO — too long of a time — somehow tenure now equals competence — it doesnt —
Anyways — kind of a bummer lunch — should have had italian —

In spite of my intense dislike of Beverly Hills, I must say Porta Via impressed me as a laid-​back and affordable place to drink.
My 25^th high school reunion was in the back room by the bar last night and I was stunned to learn my large, strong, and excellent Ketel One martini was just 12 dollars (and not at Happy Hour).
I can’t think of a Ketel One that big for 12 anywhere I drink in LA, New York or Santa Barbara.
Bartenders are friendly as are the hosts.
No one ate so I can’t speak to the food, but it’s nice to know that you can drink affordably anywhere in Beverly Hills, much less on Canon Drive.
Of course I got a parking ticket because in the Palisades, Santa Monica and Westwood, we don’t have a two-​tiered system.
It’s one hour till 6PM and three hours from 6 – 9. The signs form a triangle and I was so happy to get to BH from the Palisades at 7PM in just 20 minutes, I didn’t pay close enough attention.
I would never go to Beverly Hills for the express purpose of eating or drinking here, but if in the area and in the mood for a martini I would absolutely return.
The wallpaper is hilarious and the bathroom has a nice area to vape illegally. I do that whenever possible to protest the outrageous and inane e-​cig regulations. Beverly Hills nearly banned the SALE of e-​cigs in the city limits but there are enough pro-​business folks to regard that as an unreasonable encroachment, the sort of commie nonsense you see in the People’s Republic of Santa Monica.
The usage ban passed but the more restrictive regulations did not.

Came here with my boyfriend yesterday to have dinner before our show.
We usual go to Mastros but decided to try this place.
So glad we did. The service was good, about average. All pleasant and polite. Not disappointing.
The mango poke was SO GOOD the blend of favors was excellent. I had the lamb, it was wonderful I’m not sure what the seasoning was but it was delicious
My boyfriend had the blackened chicken and Caesar salad also very good
For dessert we tried the butterscotch pudding that was ok… I wasn’t a fan of the consistency but the salted caramel ice cream was to die for.
Over all a good experience and we will defiantly be coming back. I’m excited to try the whole menu.

I came here with a friend for the first time for Sunday brunch with high hopes and hungry stomachs. Sadly, I left feeling quite disappointed with my meal experience.
We both ordered the 2+2+2, and I got mine with the sausage, an omelet, and french toast. The omelet was cooked rather dry, and was bland and boring in texture and flavor. The french toast I got was just completely disappointing. Although presented well, the actual french toast was hard and unsatisfying. It tasted like a sweet croûton, and even when drenched in maple syrup, it was still incredibly hard to the bite. Definitely not a fan of the way they make their french toast here, and the only reason I opted for that was because the waiter recommended it to me. The sausage was good, but wasn’t good enough to save the overall meal.
The service here was spotty at best, and it was difficult at times to flag down a waiter if we needed more water. They could also be a bit more friendly, and a smile every now and then wouldn’t hurt.
Their facilities also need to be maintained better. Their restroom was disgusting, and I thought that a restaurant like this would hold their cleanliness to a higher standard.
I’m not sure what it’s like here for their lunch or dinner, but I was extremely dissatisfied with my brunch here.