Any restaurant can tell you that the food and atmosphere is wonderful; we prefer to let our customers speak for themselves.

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May 2008

Our Bridal shower at Portofino was a success! Everything was left in my sisters hands to choose a place and she couldn't have made a better choice. My only concern was our sister Jeannie who owns and operates her own catering company in California and who just put on a spectacular wedding for her daughter. Jeannie sat next to me and you should have bugged our table, she gave your place a 5 Star rating. Your staff is commendable and catered to our every need. Dianne was particularly impressed with the bus boy's service. They are worth their weight in gold. We felt it was a fitting tribute to our brother and his wife and a memorable start to a wedding week of celebrations. The wine was just right.

Thank You,

Julie Landgraf

April 2008

Hi Joshua,
I just wanted to say ‘thank you’ to you and your staff for helping us to throw such a great party on Saturday! The event was a huge success! We had a great time and everything was wonderful! The service was very good and we would recommend Portofino to anyone wanting to throw a party.

Thanks so much again!

Nikki

August 1, 2007

To All of the Amazing Portofino Staff,
We can’t express to you enough how grateful we are for the fantastic experience you provided us with at our wedding on July 28th. Having our wedding at Portofino’s helped to create the fairytale day that we hoped it would be. Danny, along with Dino, Michelle, Gary and all of the rest of the staff made this day the best day of our lives. Every detail of the event was carried out so carefully and elegantly. All of the guests can’t stop talking about the gorgeous venue and phenomenal food. Our guests were treated respectfully and exceptionally. We have heard nothing but genuine compliments about how different and unique our wedding was and we owe a lot of gratitude to Portofino’s for going above and beyond to make this a day and night to remember. We can’t wait to come back and celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and any other night out for dinner with you. Thank you so much for helping to make our wedding a truly memorable event.

Sincerely,

Lana Jo & Brent Barringer

June 4, 2007

Hi Danny,
This note of appreciation is being sent to thank all at Portofino for a most pleasant evening on May 25th. Danny, the managing partner had worked with me to arrange a dinner for a group of senior citizens from St. Joseph Parish in Libertyville. He was sensitive to the needs of the group and developed a perfect menu at just our price point. A special commendation must go to Mark, our waiter for the evening. Mark was not only professional but also sensitive to the special needs of some of the guests that evening. His ability to ensure that all had a good experience was noticed by many who asked that I let Portofino know of his fine service.

A short piece about the lovely event, with special attention to the Tiramisu, will appear in the church bulletin on June 3rd.

Thank you. We look forward to a return visit.

Sincerely,

Mary Jane Dybas

May 15, 2007

Hi Danny,
We had a baby shower for my wife on Thursday at Portofino and everything was fantastic. First, the food was exceptional and we were especially excited to have leftovers so that I could keep enjoying it through the weekend.. Second, when my wife went into labor 6 weeks early, we called to reschedule the night before the original shower date and your response was "no problem"! How many restaurants would have been that understanding. Well, Mom and Baby are doing well and you'll definitely see a lot of our family at Portofino. Thank you again for everything, it was magnificent!

Jon and Tessa Kee (and Baby Payton!)

May 7, 2007

Hi Danny,
We wanted to let you know how great our affair was last weekend! Cathy and Mark were great as well as the rest of your staff. The food was fabulous - people are still raving to us about the whole thing. Thanks for making it just what we wanted it to be! We look forward to coming in soon!

Betsy and Bret Sher

May 4, 2007

Hi Danny,
We just had our annual spring luncheon at the Vernon Hills location and wanted to express our thanks on a job well done. Thank you Danny and staff for making the afternoon wonderful and the meal was delicious. Many of the attendees had never been there before, and I think you'll have many converts. The view along with the meal spoke for itself, and again, the staff was most accommodating.

Corinne Peters

April 12, 2007

Danny, Dino, Kathy:
You know your restaurant is my and Kenny Bartlett’s favorite…bar none. We have spent every anniversary (and lots of other times) with you, Dino and the staff. The food is always excellent, the atmosphere wonderful, and the service exemplary. We always look forward to spending time there (even if we argue occasionally). Just wanted to drop you a note to say “thank you” for keeping the fine dining experience alive in Vernon Hills!

Dawn Stone and Kenneth Bartlett

April 12, 2007

Hi Danny,
Again! Another outstanding event at Portofino Italian Bistro. Twice a year, our department of approximately 140 people gather for a reception the evening before an all day meeting in Lake Forest. I am pleased to say that I found Portofino and that this is the third reception we’ve held at their bistro. The service is outstanding. Danny takes care of everything for me from start to finish. Kathy, Deno, and all of the other staff are so professional. On top of all that, the food is fabulous. I can’t say enough about Portofino Italian Bistro except that we’ll be back in October by popular demand!!

Lori Meadows
Grainger

March 19, 2007

Hi Danny,
A quick e-note to thank you for the excellent service Portofino provided my family and other guests this past Saturday following the memorial service at McMurrough’s for my late in-laws, Mary and Bill Beck. As I told you when you and I met to plan this, my wife Mary and I chose Portofino because of the many truly fine dining experiences we’ve had at your establishment. The one our party of 16 or so enjoyed at your place on 3/10/07 measured up fully to our expectations. Special kudos to Cathie (Cathy?) for the superb job she did taking care of our group. Best Regards,

Rich
R.B. Charuhas
Captain, U.S. Navy (Ret.)

January 15, 2007

Daniel,
Most people come to you for happy occasions. We came to you for a luncheon after my mom’s funeral. You greeted me with a warm hug and the most personal service I could have imagined. I cannot tell you how much your attentive wait staff and warm surroundings meant to us. The food was superb, plentiful and appreciated. How can I thank you for your kind attention?

Sincerely,

Janan Hoke

December 19, 2006

Danny and Staff,
Thanks a million for everything you did to make our 2006 Holiday Party a success! The atmosphere, food and staff were spectacular. Everyone really had a great time, and everyone was buzzing about the party the next day.

Thanks for making my job a whole lot easier!!!

Thanks,

Judy Levine
Klein Tools, Inc.

December 11, 2006

Hi Danny,
Sunday, November 19, my daughter and her new husband, Jessica and Kent Vroman, celebrated their wedding in the Amalfi Coast Room. What a lovely venue! And what fabulous food! Mila, Michelle and their colleagues kept bringing more food, each as scrumptious as the last. We look forward to more meals at your fine establishment!

December 11, 2006

Danny,
I would like to thank you and your staff, Dino, Katrina and everyone else for doing a great job Saturday evening. The food, service and atmosphere were great. Happy holidays to you and your staff and we hope to see you again soon.

Thanks,

Dan Hastings
Coleman Cable, Inc.

November 13, 2006

Hi Danny,
On Nov. 12, 2006, I had a 50th surprise birthday party for my daughter, Terri Harris. The food was excellent and Scott & Michelle did an outstanding job. They were both on the spot when you needed anything and were courteous and friendly at the same time. Anytime I have another party I will certainly call Portofino. Thank you, Danny, for also being so nice.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Adele Berger

October 25, 2006

Hi Danny,
We recently held a sweet sixteen party for our daughter at Portofino. The room was transformed into a beautiful Italian setting. The staff couldn’t have been more attentive and accommodating. The food was beautifully served and the portions were overwhelming! This was the second time we have thrown a large party at Portofino and look forward to a reason to have another gathering!

Sincerely,

Julie Hamrin

October 18, 2006

Hi Danny,
I attended a Lithuanian party this past Saturday. I wanted to say that the food was unbelievable. The atmosphere could not have been any better. The service was great and the staff was really friendly. The Chef was the most amazing person with great talent. I have worked at and been to great restaurants, but this was one of the better places I have ever visited.

Sincerely,

Silvia

October 10, 2006

Hi Danny,
Back in July, my fiancée (now my wife) and I decided that we would host our wedding rehearsal dinner at Portofino. After visiting several restaurants in the area, we chose Portofino because of the way we were treated from the minute we walked in the door. Danny and his staff made us feel incredibly comfortable from the moment we arrived, even before they know we were thinking of bringing more than 30 people to the restaurant for our event. We were treated like VIPs from the very beginning, and they went out of their way to show us that we were in good hands.

We hosted the party in the main dining room of the restaurant and everything was even better than expected. We stopped by before our guests arrived, and the room was so beautiful that my wife had to hold back tears. Once the party started that evening, the service and the food proved to be second to none. Everyone in the wedding party commented on how great the food was and how classy the room looked and felt. We all left with full stomachs and big smiles. The wedding was beautiful, the rehearsal was fantastic, and we couldn’t have wished for anything better. It was before the event that Danny and his staff earned our business, but it was how they handled the event itself that guaranteed that we’ll come back again and again. We now call Portofino our favorite restaurant in Lake County, and that’s an honor that they earned 100%.

I want to extend a heart-felt thank you to everyone at Portofino for making our event so special.

Sincerely,

Matt Koch

October 6, 2006

Hi Danny,
BRAVO!! Another outstanding performance! The Grainger HR Department held a reception at Portofino on 10/3 for more than 100 people. The service was outstanding, the presentation of the buffet was gorgeous and the food was delicious. Thank you to Danny, Nikko, Kathy and all of the chefs and staff who made this event a success. By popular demand, we’ll be back in April!!

Sincerely,
Lori Meadows
Grainger

September 29, 2006

Hi Danny,
I attended a rehearsal dinner at Portofino last night and was impressed with every aspect from the food and ambience to the wait staff and overall attention to detail. There was more food then we could ever imagine and everything was incredible. Talking with the soon to be newlyweds, they had nothing but great things to say about the Portofino staff that helped plan the event. Danny and his staff were extremely accommodating and everything was just absolutely perfect. I highly recommend Portofino for any event and guarantee that you won’t be disappointed. Thanks again to everyone at Portofino, last night was a night that I’ll never forget.

Sincerely,
Tessa Kee

August 28, 2006

Hi Danny,
Friday my wife and I dined at your restaurant. The food was fabulous. The service was impeccable. We had a bottle of wine that I really need to find locally. Thanks!

Sincerely,
Michael Oehmke

August 15, 2006

Hi Danny,
Portofino (Danny, Michelle, and Kenny) did a great job in booking, planning and serving our rehearsal dinner on Friday, August 11, 2006 for our son's wedding. It was a wonderful experience from start to finish (and even after!). It was so important for us to make a lasting impression as hosts for our new family members and Portofino did the job in grand fashion. We received great comments from everyone on the food, the service, the ambience and the entire evening. Thank you all for a job well done!

Sincerely,
Barrie and Glen Hatzai

August 9, 2006

Dear Danny and Niko,

We want to sincerely thank you for helping to make out wedding reception a success. Your professionalism and attentiveness genuinely impressed us. Although there were a few minor glitches, you handled them so smoothly and effortlessly. Thank you for taking the actions to correct everything. You show a real concern for your customers and that level of customer service is difficult to find these days.

On that note, we feel 150% confident recommending Portofino to any of our friends and family for their next party/wedding. In addition to everyday dining, we are already talking about doing another party at Portofino next summer. We really wanted to let you know about all of the positives form our evening at Portofino. Feel free to post our comments too.

To start, the room setup was beautiful. Nice linens, glasses, china, and silverware. The tables looked very classy. Everyone raved about the view and we know a few of our guests stepped outside during the course of the evening to enjoy the patio. We’ve been to a lot of wedding/party venues before, and this one is truly spectacular!

As far as the food was concerned…OUT OF THIS WORLD DELICIOUS!!! We could go on and on about how great it was. Each and every guest has complimented us on the meal. From what we’ve heard, they were even asking the wait staff for recipes! We can’t think of a better compliment. In our opinion, food is the primary focal point at a wedding dinner party, and Portofino was absolutely fantastic. Your cooks and wait staff did a phenomenal job with the preparation as well as the timing and presenting of each course.

Lastly, you were so accommodating to all of your guests. If they asked, they received. The service was really wonderful. All of our friends and family really felt taken care of and we know they had the best time. At the end of the night, people were walking out saying it was “the best wedding they had ever been to.”

All in all we were very happy. Portofino and the management did a stellar job! Yes, there were a few minor issues, but you were very effective in correcting the problem. Before our next party we can make a few adjustments to ensure that everything runs according to plan. We would even be willing to pre-pay ahead of time (food and drink package) to eliminate fussing with the bill at the end of the night.

We sincerely thank you for a wonderful dinner and evening. If there is anything we can do to be of assistance or if you would like additional feedback simply give us a call. We look forward to dining with you in the future, and we’ll be in touch in regards to a 2007 summer party. Thank you again and see you soon!

Warmest Wishes,
Jillian and Terry Smith

August 8, 2006

Hi Danny,
What a beautiful restaurant! My husband and I were very pleased with our experience at Portofino. Our wedding reception went very smoothly, our guests couldn’t stop talking about the delicious food, and everyone left with smiles on their faces. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for a quality dining experience at an elegant venue. We can’t wait to plan our next party here (and neither can our friends and family)!!

Thank you for everything,

August 5, 2006

Hi Danny,
We just had a wonderful time with a wedding celebration we held there on August 5th. The food was wonderful and the spirits were wonderful as well. The service was excellent and we will plan future events at this restaurant. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for great food and excellent ambiance.

July 13, 2006

Hi Danny,
Thank you very much for a wonderful evening. We had our rehearsal dinner here and it was exquisite. Michelle and Alissa were courteous and prompt and the food was plentiful and delicious. You were great covering all the details and I would highly recommend your restaurant and staff to anyone. Thank you once again for a wonderful evening.

Gordon Gladstone

June 20, 2006

Dear Danny,
Thank you for making our rehearsal dinner on May 4th such a wonderful event. Our guests could not stop raving about your food and we could not have been happier with the service and atmosphere. We look forward to eating with you again soon!

Sincerely

Heather & Jason

June 5, 2006

Hi Danny,
Your restaurant is fabulous. Excellent food and excellent wait staff. I took my boyfriend there for dinner a few weeks ago and he still raves about it. He says it was the best meal he's had out in 5 years! Thanks Portofino.

Chris Domanski

April 14, 2006
To: Corporate Office

On Monday, March 10, 2006, I held a reception for the HR Department at Grainger at Portofino Italian Bistro in Vernon Hills. This reception consisted of 120-150 people from 5:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. I worked very closely with General Manager, Danny Legatos prior to the reception as well as the day of the reception. Nick Makropoulos also played a major role in the success of the evening. Danny, Nick and all of the staff made sure the buffet was set to perfection and that all of the guests were treated with the highest level of hospitality.

I could list many ways Danny, Nick, the hostess, the bartender, and the wait staff went above and beyond to make this reception a success, but an even better way than listing examples is to let you know that at the beginning of our meeting on the next day, the Senior Vice President of Human Resources thanked me for hosting the reception at Portofino Italian Bistro and asked if everyone had a good time. At that point, there were about 200 people in the room and those who attended applauded and even whistled!! That says enough for me! Job well done!

As an Executive Assistant, it is always a challenge to plan events such as this, but I can honestly tell you that Danny and Nick took the stress out of the evening for me so I could enjoy myself as well. On top of the service, the food was superb. I guess the only way I can honestly thank you is by sending you business from Grainger. I have already talked to several people and will continue to spread the good word around Grainger about Portofino Italian Bistro.

With Sincere thanks,

Lori Meadows
Senior Executive Assistant, Human Resources
Grainger

October 28, 2005

To: Danny Legatos (Manager)

Thank you so much for treating our friends so nicely last night at dinner. They are Opa regulars and loved Portofino now that they tried it.

Can you please e-mail or fax the contract back with your approving signature, regarding 1/28/06. Please add notes verifying 2 appetizers, 2 salads, 2 pasta, 2 main courses plus desert. Thanks so much.

Debra Schueler

Dear Danny and Nick,

Just a note of thanks for making our annual Girl Scout Recognition Dinner a success. The atmosphere and food were superb. Also the attentiveness of Kathleen and Dino was over the top! We thank you ever so much! We’ll definitely consider Portofino for this event again next year.

…Thank you!

Maira Morris
Event Chair
Leader Troop 905
Libertyville

Hi Danny,
I hosted a Baby Shower for my daughter at Portofino in Vernon Hills, IL yesterday. I just wanted to say that we all had a wonderful time. The service was excellent, the food was delicious and the atmosphere was beautiful. Thank you for a wonderful time.

Hi Danny,
I just want to thank the staff for a lovely evening last night. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. The wait staff didn’t rush us and was very knowledgeable. The food and wine were wonderful, as usual. We truly enjoy dining at Portofino. It seems that each time we go, we love it more and more. Thanks for being a consistently great restaurant.

Hi Danny,
My company had a holiday lunch at Portofino in Vernon Hills on December 9th and Danny, Kathy and the entire staff were excellent. They handled a last minute addition of 12 people, as well as all of the little things that come up with a group this size, in stride. Thanks again to Danny and the Portofino staff!

Hi Danny,
We had our wedding at Portofino last Sunday, October 16th. I wanted to let you know that EVERYTHING EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTATIONS, which is extremely rare these days. The set-up, service, food was all outstanding! Our thanks to Danny Legatos and the entire staff of Portofino who helped with out special occasion.

Sincerely,

Geoff Ginnis & Renee Lynn