My husband and I were in the neighborhood and needed a little bite to eat before heading home. Glad we found Porta as they have a nice weekend esthetic and a fun place for dinning or a social night out. It was INCREDIBLY busy. I'm not sure if there was a private event, but definitely on the weekend check in for a reservation. If you just walk in they may not have table seating in which you can try and grab a seat at the bar. That's what we did, and while it was crowded, overall it was fine and we got a couple seats and were able to order food at the bar. We had table bread and butter (bread is good, but not warmed, just a preference) We also had the Margherita pizza, cooked in a brick oven and the Cacio pepe. The pizza was fine, fresh and made to order. The Cacio was very tasty and would definitely order again. They offer a single and double serving. If that's your main and you don't order apps - get the double. If you have other food on the table the single should be enough. Overall positive experience and would pop in again.
Had my bridal shower at Porta Montclair, and it was such a fabulous experience. The pizza was hands down my favorite pizza! Service was amazing And they seriously went above and beyond! Brielle helped so much and she really worked with me! She was awesome!
I’ve visited Porta multiple times for different occasions: events, live music, late-night drinks, and casual dinners. The service can be hit or miss depending on how busy it is - a bit slower when the place is packed, but great when it’s less crowded. The wood fired pizza is decent, and I love the fun variety of options, but the crust can sometimes be a little floppy. What really stole the show during my most recent visit was the creamy tomato risotto - wow. It was absolutely delicious, with some of the most flavorful, juiciest, roasted tomatoes I’ve ever had. I’ll definitely be back for that dish and to keep exploring more of the menu.
We had a Masters Degree graduation celebration for our daughter at Porta in Montclair last Saturday. We wanted a location within walking distance to a NJ Transit Train Station because many of the guests were coming from NYC and Hoboken. Portas location is perfect for this. We had about 55 guests attending and unfortunately the upstairs larger venue was all ready booked for a wedding so we took a chance with the smaller downstairs Monk room. At first glance it appeared that it might be too small but Brielle convinced us that it would be fine for a cocktail type gathering. Well, she was right. The room worked great and once the curtain was closed separating it from the public dining area, it created a nice personal atmosphere. Brielle was hands on throught out the event despite managing the wedding upstairs also. She is a machine. Our two servers, Gia and Skyler were amazing. Both with geat personalities. They handled the serving and bartending with great efficiency as a team. Every pizza tray and small bite tray was replenished the minute they were empty and there was never an issue getting a beverage. Finally, the pizza is top shelf and we were very happy with the small bite options and quality. We would highly recommend Porta for an event such as ours or just to stop in for a pizza.
Food was generally very good but the portions seemed small for the prices. Had the Arancini appetizer which was delicious but it only came with 3 pieces. And then then Monday Gnocchi which is only served as a double was what I'd expect from a single portion. Lastly the side of bread we ordered wasn't fresh.
