Portofino Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar

Everything is perfect. The food is delicious. The survive is good. The place is nice. We enjoyed the time with old friends.

A marvelous dining experience in a family owned/operated Italian restaurant in Myrtle Beach. The service from the host to the servers was nothing short of excellent and friendly. The dishes were very well presented and the portions are very satisfying. As appetizers we had the zucchini fries and fried calamari & shrimp. For the mains we had the eggplant parmigiana, grouper with crab and fillet mignon with lamb and risotto. All were very well prepared, perfectly seasoned and above all extremely delicious. We also tried a variety of their Maestri Italian beer which was a pleasant surprise. I highly recommend the dining experience here. Don't miss out!

Portofino was outstanding! It was the authentic Italian meal we were looking for. We had the rigatoni bolognese, the salmon piccata, and a Caesar salad—all three were delicious along with the homemade focaccia, soup and Cabernet our server Nic recommended. If you’re looking for Italian food that actually tastes like it came from Italy, Portofino is 100% worth a visit. We’ll definitely be back!

I was in town for a work trip when I stumbled upon Portofino Italian Kitchen, and let me tell you, it was an absolute gem! This place has hands down the most delicious Italian cuisine I've ever had in my life. From the moment I walked in, the whole experience was simply delightful - the service was top-notch, the drinks were fantastic, and the food was out of this world. The signature lasagna was so flavorful, leaving me wanting more. And you know what? The food was so amazing that I couldn't resist coming back the very next day to taste it all over again. To my delight, the consistency in both the service and food quality was spot-on. What made my visit even more special was the chance to meet the owner and his lovely wife. They treated me like family, showing me genuine hospitality. Trust me, this is the absolute best spot for authentic Italian cuisine in Myrtle Beach. It's an experience you don't want to miss out on. I'm already counting down the days until my next visit, eager to try their other delectable dishes!

Found this quaint little place by word of mouth while we were visiting this past week. My wife got the lasagna, and I had to finish it because it was a pretty good size portion. The Veal Parm seemed overcooked (it was kinda hard to cut through even though it was pounded out thin)... I still highly recommend this place! The Ceasar salad alone was enough to write home about!!! Chilled plate, homemade Ceasar dressing was incredible!! You won't be disappointed here.

This was the best Italian food I have had in a long time. The place was beautiful and the waiter was phenomenal too! 5+ star 🌟 rating!!

Best restaurant experience we have discovered in the area! Everything we had was delicious - the meatballs, the sauce, the eggplant parm, and the short rib and risotto special. All off the charts! Even the creme brûlée couldn’t have been better! We sat at the bar and were served by their bartender, BJ. He was so personable and attentive! The owners, Ilma and Gio are the sweetest people with the highest attention to detail and set a very high standard for the quality they put out. I promise, you will not be disappointed. This is definitely our new go-to restaurant. We are so happy to have discovered Portofino!

We had an amazing dinner! The Chicken Parmesan and Chicken Marsala were nice portions and were excellent. Best red sauce I’ve ever had (we don’t like it to be sweet). The potato and leek soup was delicious and the limoncello cake was very light but full of flavor. If you like key lime pie martinis, get it- it’s perfect. Our server did a wonderful job, as well. Highly recommend!!!

This place was amazing!!! It deserves the 4.7 rating on all counts. Nic K was our server and he was a delight. The salmon piccata was… I still think about it sometimes. It was the best salmon I’ve ever had. The next time we visit Myrtle Beach, I’d love to go here again. Presumably they make food that emulates in its own way the authenticity of Italian food from Portofino. I’ve never been to Portofino, Italy, but if that’s true, my experience here gave me a very favorable impression of it.

Hands down the BEST Italian food I've had in a long time! We have been searching for an authentic Italian restaurant and our search is now over. Everything was absolutely delicious and our waiter was friendly and attentive. We started with the fried calamari and shrimp appetizer. The shrimp were crispy, sweet, and tender; some of the best shrimp I've had including local seafood restaurants. Lobster ravioli was flawless and topped with those amazing succulent shrimp and scallops that just melt in your mouth. My Dad loves lasagna as much as Garfield and he is tough to please when it comes to authentic lasagna...he said it was THE BEST lasagna he's ever had! My Mom had the grouper special, and she said the fish was flavorful and topped with a nice addition of sweet crabmeat. My hubby had the Chicken Portofina- lightly breaded thin chicken breasts topped with olives and served with broccolini, and silky garlic mashed potatoes. The chicken was so tender and the portion was huge. We ended our meal by taking home dessert- tiramisu and lemon cello cake; both were excellent. We will definitely return every time we come back to visit MB. Don't leave town before trying this place out!

What a hidden gem! From the call to make a reservation, the greeting when we arrived , the server and all the way to the farewell as we left! The food was phenomenal, fresh, delicious and homemade! I was glad I chose this place and enjoyed every minute! Thanks for making our trip great!

My only complaint about this restaurant is the damp smell upon entering - very strong and was a bad first impression for us. Otherwise, the service and food are fantastic. I would rank Portofino above any of the Italian restaurants in NMB. Quite a few choices for dinner, very flavorful and they have a wide assortment of desserts in a display case near the entrance. Updated 11/11/23 - damp smell has not gone away although it was raining this morning. As before the food was fantastic, in fact the Grouper Ligure was amazingly good. Tiramisu was good but I think their other dessert choices are better as I wouldn't order it again.

I’ll start with the service, outstanding. Emilio deserves a raise, no matter what you already pay him. Guy was personable and there for everything, while keeping a good steady pace to the meal. Food was really good, I couldn’t slow down for enough pictures but I can provide an overview: -Bruschetta was flavorful and crispy -Mussels were cooked perfect and in the best sauce. We kept having it with the table bread -Minestrone soup was awesome and the perfect serving size -Chicken and Artichoke was so flavorful and filling -Salmon seems to be a favorite and was for our table too -Eggplant was cooked the way we love it, baked and not deep fried (how it should be cooked). Don’t skip in it Im in Myrtle every few weeks and this was be a regular stop. Great new restaurant.

We had an amazing takeout dinner tonight! This restaurant is beautiful and has a stunning bar. We got there early and had a few cocktails while we waited for our takeout order and the drinks were so good! The owners are so nice too. My favorite Italian dish of all time is Eggplant Parmigiana. The eggplant parm they serve here is not greasy at all like some places, it’s delicately cooked in a way that retains the crispness of the edges of the eggplant while maintaining the soft delicious interior. I’ll admit - it’s been hard to find great eggplant parm, even good eggplant parm but Portofino’s eggplant was excellent! We were really in the mood for something traditional so we also got the spaghetti and meatballs, which again was excellent! Dishes come with soup or salad and we got both, the salad was crisp with a lovely Italian dressing. The soup today was lentil and was flavorful and fresh. They also included some homemade bread with the order (a nice surprise!). Next time, I definitely want to dine in and enjoy the full experience. While I was there I looked at the dessert case and I had to have a tiramisu to take with me too. It was really good! I want to try all of their desserts, especially the crème brule when I go back. P.S. they only do takeout from 5-6PM because of how busy they get!

Recommended by a friend to try this Portofino’s in Myrtle Beach, SC. Made reservations, and glad we did, as it was a full house. Our server was great & had been there since they opened just over a year ago. They bring out bread with dipping oil, nice touch. After we ordered our food & wine, had some bread, and enjoyed the scenery. Their place is a little loud, and for me, could use some sound baffles. Then the grouper came out - Grouper Tuscany, a special that day, slightly crusted on the outside & tender inside on a bed of noodles - wish I had more noodles! Then we shared the tiramisu, and glad we did, as it was a huge bowl! And very delicious. So just as my friend recommended to me, I’ll recommend to you - come & try this out. Stairs to enter, did not see ramp, so not ADA accessible. Parking was tight & glad a truck left when we were arriving, or I would have parked down the street.

We stopped in on a last minute whim. We were greeted by a lovely lady who poured our water and said our server will be right with us. Joe then came by and told us the specials and took a drink order. We ordered the meatball appetizer and it was quite tasty and came with three meatballs. Then we had the Tuscan white bean soup which was delicious and the Caesar salad which was delightful as well and not overly saturated which so many places do now. Oh the croutons were on point as well. The bread that came was a nice focacia style with an olive oil pesto for dipping. Entrées we had the Rigatoni Bolognese with pasta. Very very impressed with this dish. We would come back alone for this as you can tell the chef takes pride in this dish. The other dish was the chicken portofino. The flavors were good bit the chicken was overcooked so that was disappointing. Overall it was a great meal and we will return. For being a new restaurant not even open a year we were quite impressed.

It had good curb appeal to draw you in. The menu was very limited and a little on the average side. I would have liked to have seen more than two specialty dishes. We got a side of risotto, which was fantastic, as was the meatball appetizer. The homemade tiramisu was heavenly! The atmosphere reminded me of an upscale seafood restaurant Tastefully done. They had an excellent wine list . It's slightly on the expensive side but well worth it. We will definitely go back!

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at Portofino‘s while celebrating our 42nd wedding anniversary. The food was delicious and our waiter Joe was very attentive and personable. Even though we’ve lived in South Carolina for 42 years, we are originally from New Jersey and are used to having good Italian food. Portofino‘s is our new best Italian restaurant in Myrtle Beach.

Fantastic food. Great ambiance. Make a reservation.

The food here tasted like it came right out of my grandmother's kitchen. The spaghetti putinesca brought tears to my eyes. Not lying. It hit me in the feels, hard. Wife and I are locals and we absolutely love this place. Made every italian restaurant that we went to before it taste like pasta out of a can. Got reservations for tomorrow. I'll eat here till im dead.

Excellent experience dining at Portofino. We made a reservation and was promptly seated when we walked in. Our server, Cristian, came right over and filled our water glasses and introduced himself. He also brought us warm fresh bread and seasoned olive oil, which were delicious. We ordered an Alfredo pasta and the chicken parmigiana with spaghetti. Both entrees each came with a house salad or soup. The salads were a good starter. When the entrees came, we agreed that the Alfredo was phenomenal. The chicken parmigiana was fine, although we noted that the chicken was slightly overdone (possibly because it was thin), so the chicken was a bit rough. It was well seasoned though. Service was excellent and Cristian was attentive and friendly. Overall, we would definitely look to come back again, but may try something different other than the chicken parmigiana.

Beautiful restaurant! Delicious food! Spectacular service, although I'd prefer to read specials and desserts rather than to just hear them. Staff was quite mindful of allergy issues. Very nice place to eat.

Wow! Portofinos completely exceeded our expectations. The food was beyond exceptional, some of the freshest and most flavorful we've had in a long time. The entire staff, especially Brandon and BJ, were incredibly friendly and provided fantastic service. It's easy to see why they were named the "Diners Choice Award, Best Italian Restaurant in South Carolina 2025"! Highly recommend!

This was an amazing experience A breath of fresh air The food is 5 stars the service and atmosphere 5 stars The owner (Giovanni) is a professional experienced talented chef who reproduces the authentic Italian taste in every dish he prepares. I personally recommend this jewel of restaurant to anybody who wants the real Italian food.

Hidden Gem featuring genuine Italian food at reasonable prices. Discovered last year; returned again this year and was not disappointed. Wife is Gluten Free and they were very accommodating and she loved it. We had the Portofino chicken with shrimp. Excellent!

Went to Portofinos for a second time to have Christmas Eve dinner. It was amazing! I had the chicken piccata, husband had the Gorgonzola filet and my daughter had the spaghetti with meat sauce (daughter said it was better than mine and I actually have to agree lol). My family kept saying we’re going to make it our new family tradition.

I see why they are the best Italian Restaurant in SC. I was part of a group of 20 last night for dinner. Dave, our server was amazing.He was very personable and knowledgeable of the menu and cocktails. The food was amazing. Everyone in our group loved their meal. My meal started with a salad with their restaurant made Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing and their warm fresh focaccia. I ordered Veal Marsala and with garlic mash and asparagus. The veal was so tender with a very tasty Marsala. I paired my meal with Victoria Chianti. This meal will not be forgotten. I can’t wait to bring my husband back. Thanks Dave for making all of our first experience a positive one.

This white tablecloth restaurant serves really incredible authentic Italian food. The owner uses his mom and grandma’s recipes and did I say he comes from Italy? We’ve eaten there quite a few times and the food is always wonderful. They had a special a few weeks ago with clams, shrimp and muscles over homemade fettuccine that was spectacular and the wait staff is always very attentive.

Friendly, great food & atmosphere! We ordered lobster ravioli - EXCELLENT; Veal parmigiana - EXCELLENT; & a special, house made fettuccini with shrimp & clams in a scampi sauce - EXCELLENT! Best Italian we’ve had in a very long time! Don’t forget dessert - limoncello cake was EXCELLENT!

Outstanding restaurant. Some of the best Italian food I have had in Myrtle Beach area. Service was outstanding, if you go ask for Dave. PJ at the bar was very friendly and professional. The chef came out to thank us, we all said no, we need to thank you!

I’ve been coming to Myrtle beach for 44 years, and this place is one of my favorites. The owners are Italians who take pride in their restaurant. I’m always apprehensive about Italian restaurants because my 97 year old Sicilian grandma’s meatballs are amazing, and no one could come close until I went to this place. I have to be honest, their meatballs are better (sorry grandma)! Great atmosphere and awesome people. Bellissimo!

My wife and I haven't been to this restaurant since it was Vine Bistro, we met our friends here and boy were we surprised how much we enjoyed every aspect of the night. We enjoyed a drink at the well stocked and redesigned bar, very inviting. Then we sat our table for 4 and it was well spaced from surrounding tables. Our server was Nick and he was excellent, well versed in all aspects of customer care and to top it off it was equaled by the quality of the food prepared. We all enjoyed our meals and the experience, we'll definitely return for another course.....BRAVO Portofino !!

Amazing food and service. We saw Caprese Salad on the online menu but not the in-house menu and they were willing to make it for us anyway. I follow a low-carb diet and they were willing to work with me on it, which is a big ask in an Italian restaurant. The Salmon was phenomenal. My husband’s lasagna and bruschetta were wonderful and the pistachio cream cake he ordered was decadent and divine. Lorena was a delight! We will be back!!

10/10/25 visit with friends who live in the area while on vacation, we came here and were not disappointed. Some of the best food we’ve had a quite some time. Mussels Portofino app was AMAZING and the left over sauce was tremendous for dipping your bread. Mrs had the chicken artichokes and I had the grouper elba which was a special and added the tiger shrimp which was also fantastic. Inside was nice but not too loud. Service was good 8/10 and better than most restaurants these days and the food was tremendous 10/10. Can’t wait to go back and try more on our next trip to MB

​The restaurant had a very pleasant atmosphere with a nice ambiance, featuring classic white tablecloths. The service was good and the food was well-prepared. However, a few things fell short. The bread was unremarkable, and the soup portion was surprisingly small. The prices were quite high; for example, the grouper special was $52. A major disappointment was the portion sizes—we left still hungry and without the typical Italian restaurant leftovers for a second meal. The lack of cannolis was also a letdown. Given the high price point and small portions, we probably won't be returning.

Atmosphere was nice. Bar was nice. Service was so so. Was hard to get a drink because the bartender was never behind the bar. Our waiter said he would bring bread and 20 minutes later it finally came. The martini from the bar was not good when it got there. I will say the entrée were very good.

After reading all the reviews, we were incredibly disappointed in our experience. I ordered the Veal Saltimbocca and requested a substitution of the Parmesan Risotto for the pasta, which was happily accommodated. Turned out to be a great decision. The risotto was excellent. HOWEVER, the veal, not so good. I could only get down two bites. The sage was so overpowering. At first, I thought it must be me; maybe most others like it this way. So I didn't say anything. But when the waiter came over to wrap up our leftovers, it did come up. And before I could complete my sentence, the waiter said, "there was too much sage". He said that this has been a recent complaint that has been passed on to the kitchen. Yet they continue to serve it this way? The real clincher is that my meal was not comped, not even the dessert we ordered to go. No mention of sorry about that, please try us again. This was our first visit to Portfino's. We just moved to the area and are looking for good restaurants and a few to be our go-to's. This one isn't it. Perhaps consider stopping serving the Veal Saltimbocca until you adjust the recipe. I am still astonished at how there is a known issue, which I brought up, and nothing was done on the spot to resolve my unpleasant experience. SMH.

Went tonight, a Thursday night, 2 days before Valentine's Day for my husband's birthday. Have been wanting to try this place and with all the great reviews was looking forward to great food. Beforehand I had messaged the restaurant to ask if they had gluten-free pasta and got a reply that they did and to ask our server. When we sat down I asked the server and he said they had zucchini that was fried but it wasn't really like pasta. Pretty disappointing. Pretty much every restaurant has a gluten-free pasta these days. .The bread was like regular American white bread and was pretty crappy. Meatball appetizer was okay and not hot. Potato soup was good but also not hot. Our entrees were chicken saltimbocca and chicken piccata. Neither were hot. The saltimbocca was okay but piccata was not good. The chicken was so overcooked I had a hard time cutting it. The sauce was not very good and the ice cream scoop sized garlic mashed potatoes were cold and also not very good. I ate a few bites and left the rest. We are not ones to complain but we absolutely should have because the food and three glasses of wine. It was $112 before the tip. We won't be going back.

Ordered the special Tuna w/bucatini for dinner and instead of salad I had the potato leek soup. The soup was delicious, the entree was very disappointing had just about a handful of pasta with a generous serving of tuna. For an Italian restaurant the bread was in slices very thin and nothing that should be put on an Italian table. PLEASE. I can’t believe people LOVE this place. Thanks for a not so good dinner.

I took my wife for her birthday for a 7 o'clock reservation. Everything was great. We ordered wine and a soft drink. No appetizer we got a couple slices of bread and 2 salads which were excellent. The blue cheese dressing was excellent. We ordered the grouper on special. The wife order that It was really good but it was lukewarm. I ordered Lasagna with 2 meatballs. My meatballs were cold, so they brought me 2 new hot meatballs. And then my Lasagna was cold. Then, they brought me another Lasagna. At this point I was so hungry. I ate the meatballs which were to me average. And then the lasagna tasted like stouffers the sauce is sweet. I did not like it at all Manager was very respectful and the waitress was very nice. He did give me another glass of wine on the house, and he did take the Lasagna off and which I still had to pay $75. And which I had 2 slices of bread, a small salad and 2 meatballs is what I got to eat. And my wife got to eat her lukewarm meal.He asked me to give them another try.I'm probably going to decline that offer.I'm very disappointed especially for my wife's birthday