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Best pasta in nyc period. if u want REAL pasta then go to porsena. anyone who disagrees hasn't had nonna from rome make you a dish of love. this is the only place i can take my nonna in nyc bc it reminds her of her best friends trattoria. enough said. this place is the real deal. pasta is second course btw... so get the pork chop and you'll swoon.....you'll see...also panna cotta best ever, lightest airiest spoonfull of excellence.

Not home made pasta..totally ordinary..actually less than that..totally boring decor..dont bother..fine for a neighborhood rest but no more..what happened to the pasta savant? i could do as well

I enjoyed every moment of my experience at Porsena from the second we were greeted at the door to the minute we were graciously bid "Addio!". I hope that others who read these reviews realize that the people who whine about slow service, individual separate checks, diet cola, unlimited free bread & water and skim milk are missing the point of this wonderful place. You are being transported from NYC to a small authentic trattoria in Tuscany. You are enjoying handmade artisan pastas that take time to prepare, and are made to order, not cheap store-bought spaghetti with a jar of Ragu tomato sauce plopped on the top. If it hadn't been for the hustle and bustle of a busy weekend night in Manhattan, I would have forgotten where I was! The food was flavorful and robust, yet simple. It reminded me so much of Italy. The freshness of the ingredients and seasonings were superb. It was as if I were a guest in some Italian family home! If you would enjoy the things I have just described, then please do go to Porsena! If, however, you want to run your waitress into the ground with your excessive demands, get the pre-made food in seconds, have half decaf/half regular soy milk lattes with equal and have bottomless baskets of bread and diet sodas, there's a great Italian place in time square made just for you; it's called The Olive Garden. Kissing fussy patron's back-sides is their number one priority and food is somewhere near the bottom.

I have rarely come across a restaurant less accommodating than Porsena. Last night I met four friends for dinner. When seated, I asked for a diet soda, only to be told that they don't serve soda; the only choices are beer, wine or water. I attempted to order the chicken dish and asked to skip the pan drippings for diet reasons; I was told it couldn't be done. I ordered the fish and asked to skip the salsa verde topping; I was told it couldn't be done. I ordered cappucino with skim milk; I was told they don't offer skim milk. I asked for Sweet 'n Low or Equal; I was told that, astonishingly, they don't offer it?! When the bill arived, all four of us presented credit cards, only to be told that they only accept 2 cards per table, leaving us scrambling for cash. The food was fine but nothing special - certainly not special enough to justify the many things the restaurant "can't" do. Considering the many great restaurants in this city, those with good food and a strong desire to please, I can't think of a single reason to dine here!

I've been there twice; the first time I had the daily special salad and the pork chop. The salad was boring, but the pork chop was great. On my second visit I again went for the daily special salad (different than the first visit) and again it was bland. I went for the lasgana, which smelled great but lacked flavor.

I consider myself a pretty knowledgeable NYC foodie and I had a great, great meal here about a month ago. I thought the food was delicious, very creative, yet still comforting. Portions were filling. Waiter was charming. We got there early and sat at the high tables by the bar. Perhaps I would have noticed the service was a bit slow but we were too thrilled that we were allowed to breath between courses, enjoy the meal and company, despite the people waiting for tables at the door. A few weeks ago at another restaurant we tried to order dessert drinks but, after spending $$$, we were denied further service and had been ushered out the door. I've been sending people there ever since. I also appreciate that they take reservations for small parties.

Porsena is excellent in every way!!