Espo's Trattoria - Portland

UPDATE 08/04/18. I have to change my review. At some point between my last review and this one I've had the pleasure of having Veronica as my server. She is AMAZING! We eat at Espo's at least twice a month and always request Veronica if she's working. Luckily she usually is. She is a gem and has redeemed my faith in customer service at Espo's. The food is excellent and so is Veronica. Hang on to her! We went on a Saturday night and they were very busy. We were told a 35min wait which was fine. Apparently you can call ahead to get your name on the wait list. One party was not there when their name was called so they moved to the next name on the list. Ten minutes later the missing party shows up. By now we had been waiting over 35min. Instead of putting the person's name at the end of the list, they gave them the next table! Unfair to those of us who had been standing there waiting for our table. We finally were seated. When the waitress brought the bread we placed our order(2 of us). She eventually brought our drinks and salads. Long after we were done we still had no meals and no sight of our server. Other people that were seated after us were already eating their meals. I finally asked another server who had been very attentive to her tables to send our server. When she eventually arrived she brought our food. At that point I asked for to go boxes and our check not knowing how long it would be before she'd be back. By the time she came to get the check we were done eating, packed leftovers and still had to wait. I have always loved Espos. It was an unfortunate experience. The food was excellent and staff pleasant however, for some reason, we were invisible.

I tried Espo’s for the first time on Mother’s Day, 2018 with family. The food was outstanding. I ordered the Antipasto salad with house Italian dressing and it was the best Antipasto I’ve ever had. Absolutely outstanding, and far too much to eat at one sitting. Since I live in Paris, ME it was a bonus to have enough salad for an another meal today. My brother ordered spaghetti and meatballs, and the meatballs were the size of softballs. He was very happy with what he ordered. My mother and father both opted for Shrimp Scampi, but Mom had the white sauce and Dad went for the marinara version. I tasted both and they were both excellent, but I’d probably order the marinara version. I’m extremely picky about tomato sauce, which is why I don’t order it in unfamiliar restaurants. 9 times out of 10 I would have regretted it but in the case of Espo’s, I’ll be ordering it the next time I visit. Both of my parents also opted for the fresh spinach instead of pasta. I think that was an amazing option! I’d highly recommend Espo’s. I know there are a lot of excellent restaurants in Portland, but this one isn’t “downtown,” so parking is free and the restaurant is easy to access from the turnpike, Rt. 1 or interstate. Service was very good, and beverages were kept topped off without having to ask for refills. Our server was very, very good.

Espo's Trattoria is amazing. I find myself there quite often, the food and service never cease to amaze me. Friendly staff that work their butts off only to bring you great food (at affordable prices). Mr. Esposito himself has been there when I've eaten, and it is always great to see an owner so connected to their business. If I had to recommend a dish, the cheese or meat ravioli will make your taste buds tingle and really connect you to the Italian culture. Its amazing food. Its amazing service. If you love Italian THIS is the place to go. Hey, they've got the biggest balls in town.

Had a superb dinner tonight with Veronica as our server! I had heard of the famous meatball had Espo’s on my list to visit in Portland. The night before Beach to Beacon, my friend I came in in very casual running clothes were worried we may be underdressed. Veronica all the other staff made us feel right at home! On top of that, a kitchen situation caused the chicken from the chicken parm to come out late, we were treated to a free dessert! I had initially thought Espo’s may be a little pricey for dinner, but honestly it was the perfect price for above beyond service food!

FANTASTIC experience! Our waiter, Robert, attended to our every need, keeping our glasses full and recommending menu items, suggesting the made from scratch foods first. We started with soft, fresh focaccia bread, then the fried broccoli appetizer. Our meals, chicken carbonara and chicken fra diovolo, came with side salads the homemade Caesar dressing was to die for! The pasta sauces were sophisticated and delivered layers of amazing flavor. (Even though I am still full from the meal, I am craving the marinara sauce! I am so glad we stumbled upon this family owned restaurant. We had a truly delicious meal and we can't wait to go back!