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.

Absolutely by far the finest Italian cuisine in the area, staff is second to none. If you enjoy Italian food this is the place to go... you won’t go anywhere else after

This was the first time I had the pleasure of eating at Espo's. I was the last one to arrive for a party of seven. In the parking lot I had the pleasure of meeting Nicole and her children and had a brief conversation about her father, the patriots, and the fact that it was my first time at her restaurant. We were all seated in the large table behind the hostess station when I arrived and I was quickly served a delicious salad along with the rest of my family. We all loved the salad in the house dressing! Nicole and her kids had recommended I get either meat lasagna or the penne with vodka sauce. One of my daughters ordered the lasagna, and I got the penne (both were delicious). Soon after ordering, I went over to introduce myself to the owner and Nicole's husband Tom to say how lovely of a family he had. Soon after, two complementary appetizers came to our table. I don't think I've ever seen a bigger meatball in my life! Everyone loved their meal, loved our waitress, and were amazed by the size of the portions. We will definitely go back! Thank you Nicole, Tom and the staff of Espo's for a very lovely birthday celebration dinner!