Lake Mohawk Gourmet Review

Solid food, beautiful place. Service and front desk requires attention.

Normally 4 star food and service. Service was very good and also food however the ball was dropped with cuppachino like water and the end of a tirumuso a bit lacking with the marscupan. Hence the 3 stars this time. Hopefully a one off

Let's start with the waiting time- waited 1hr and 40min for table outside and at the end we sat inside. We were party of 5.... there was a big table outside that party of about 10ppl left but staff was not cleaning the table... when I asked the girl if we were getting that table she said that owner didn't want to split the table and wanted to keep it for big party.... they didn't take reservations outside - why wouldn't u sit 2 parties by the time a big one comes... I don't understand.... it was 30min before appetizers came... let's just say that the owner doesn't know what he's doing... he's loosing so much business... place it's set us so cheap... with Costco party tables really???? It's a shame that he doesn't know what he's doing and how the run the business

Enjoyed our meal at this long time establishment on Lake Mohawk, NJ. Appetizers were tasty and of adequate size to share for our party of four. I had the risotto for my main course which was disappointing. It was too hot to eat and too moist, plus it lacked flavor. This is still a BYOB restaurant. Service was good and the views of the lake are nice (but we dined at night so it didn't matter).

Been here previously and it was terrible, but wanted to be fair and give them another shot... We should not have. Took forever to get a table despite the almost completely empty dining room. The hostess was exceptionally rude. When we ordered, we got table appetizers and entrees, and asked the waitress which of two appetizers were better. When she told us her recommendation, we agreed to get it.... that s when the waiting started. Approximately 1 hour after ordering, our appetizer arrived with the other appetizer that we asked the waitress preference about. We told the server that brought it that we only ordered one of the appetizers. The waitress came over and was mad at us for sending away the other even though we didn t order it. At that point we just asked for the entrees to go since it had been over an hour since our order was placed... the waiting continued. Another 15 or 20 minutes later the entrees arrived in a to-go bag, but our waitress didn t come back around with the check (which you assume, if you asked for entrees to go, you needed to leave) for another 10 minutes. Finally she brought the check and made a grand presentation of the fact that she didn t charge for the appetizer. Nice gesture for the inconvenience, right? Wrong. She meant for the appetizer we didn t order, and didn t eat. Eventually, we are the food at home, and it was just ok. Absurdly overpriced for small portions. I honestly don t know how this place is still in business considering Tanti Baci is in the same immediate area and is at least 100 times better in terms of quality, quantity, price and service.

We have been coming here for years and have had a wonderful dinner every time . The food and service are excellent . Bring a bottle of wine and enjoy a fantastic meal with the most beautiful scenery and sunsets. Il Porto on the Lake Mohawk boardwalk is a hidden gem worth finding. If you time it right in the summer, you can watch the Lake Mohawk Ski hawks practicing.

The food was good, not great. Steak was a little small and just generally average. Seafood was a little better, but not by much. The atmosphere was very nice, intimate, but there are many other places in the area that are on the same level. I'd say it's worth trying once, but I'd try other places before going back again.

Good food, great spot, terrible service the whole night.

Imagine ... lake views beautiful small town feel very intimate out door seating right on the boardwalk candles flickering under the orange peach and pink sunset on a warm summer night your favorite champain or wine on ice fresh ice cold water and the most amazing breeze blowing off of the lake carrying the sweet summer scent with it only to meet you and your spouse as you enjoy a delicious meal that will become part of one of those good memories you will recall for decades to come with the love of your life.... this could be you!! In fact it will be you once you visit this gem!! Prices are reasonable presentation is fancy and your memories are priceless!!

Meh. Went here for Valentines Day. The view is nice, and staff were friendly (when they eventually came to us, which was understanding as V Day is busy). Bread was cold, which is not our preference. That s fine. Apps: I ve never been somewhere that serves bruschetta warm. While the flavor was great, I just didn t enjoy it warm. It made the toast quite soggy. On the other hand, we had the meatballs as well and they were fantastic including the sauce. I m Italian so I m pretty picky. Here s where we went down hill pretty fast: we both ordered steak. My husband ordered a dish they called a steak mohawk. It had literally a pile of mushrooms on top of it, way too much. The presentation of the dish was pretty poor. Each of our steaks came with a vegetable medley, which was covered in so much oil it was all over the place and leaking into the other items. I opted for a new dish they have called the coffee encrusted steak. Sounded interesting. It was not. The steak lacked flavor and was literally just a Mediocre quality New York strip covered in coffee grinds. We drove to Jefferson diner to have dessert.

A beautiful BYO restaurant with gorgeous lake views. We've never been disappointed with the food. The staff needs to have a little more consistence as some are more friendly and accommodating than others.

The scenery of the lake was very nice and the staff were very friendly. I had gone into il Porto expecting more of an Italian experience. The dishes to choose from are more like Italian fusion. Some examples are dishes that consist of veal and shrimp, a chicken rollatini which is served with mashed potatoes (not Italian) and the dish I had ordered is called chicken scarpariello. The chicken scarpariello sounded good but I believe the vegetables were jarred or frozen, the mushrooms were definitely from a jar and they didn t fit the profile of a $22 dish. The dish was edible but not phenomenal and definitely far from Italian standards. With a name like il Porto, I would expect Italian. This was my first and last visit.

Went to El Porto last night. Unfortunately for my friend and I (and several other tables), the
service was the worst. However, approximately, (4) tables made friends with each other.
We all commiserated together. A table of 3 elderly people were waiting forever for their food.
We received our food a half an hour prior to them .they were there first; Wow, these folks were mad and complained. The waitress-Sarah-stated 'some food takes longer to cook than other's ..THESE FOLKS ORDERED SCALLOPS WHICH TAKES MINUTES TO COOK. My friend and I had to wait forever ..for water everything took forever.

When the elderly folks left, upset, Sarah stated 'you can't please everyone'; all interjected 'there goes her tip'. Bad attitude.

Even acquiring a table was an issue. There was a vacant table outside and couples were being told
'half an hour'; it takes minutes to clear a table. (tables were not reserved at this time)
We finally sat ourselves down and then the table was cleared.

Lastly, the help does not smile .no one. Not even the manager inside; she seems angry.

I like the ambiance; however, signifiant improvement is required in order to make this a superior experience.

With this said ...

Over an hour for a wine glass which came hot from the dishwasher hour and a half to get soup

The food is very good and the place is too nice to impress your wife

We're here since 7:30pm reservations .. .. didn't eat until now 9:50pm .. owner very rude.. terrible

My wife and I have celebrated a couple anniversary dinners here. It's a nice place to sit outside in the summer, watch the boats on the lake and the people walking by at night. It's BYO which is always a plus. The food is good, the prices are not crazy and there are not too many places around you can sit and eat on the water. We'll be back again I'm sure.

Beautiful day, great meal, what more could you ask?!

One of my favorite go to places, The view from the deck is just breath taking especially for sunsets, the colorful skies are just awestruck! but when paired with the some great food makes it even more special. I had taken quite many people with me, and never had anyone been disappointed. Few of my places where i make sure, I go with a good appetite. I love the Chicken Rollatini and salads there.

One of my preferred places to eat. very good location, always clean, and fantastic service. Very good job!

We love this restaurant! The beautiful views and the steak giambatta always have me coming back for more. The staff are always accommodating. Perfect date spot or dinner with the family. Highly recommend!!

So went Saturday night for dinner...had reservations for 2 people at 6 PM. Hostess stand seemed flustered even though it was busy yet. Waited a few minutes and got seated. Entire order was taken by 6:10...apps came out 10 minutes later then entrees didn t come out until 7:35!!! Are you kidding??? We were told multiple times our food was coming but we kept waiting and waiting...there is NO excuse for this AT ALL...the manager took $8 off the bill which is just disrespectful and also said we had a few large tables to serve before you !!!! Well at least I know how I important my business is to you! I will never go again and btw I didn t even eat my steak but my dog loved it!!

Service excellent! Fodd good but portions used to be much bigger.

Excellent! PEI Mussels appetitzer featured tender medium-sized mussels in a properly spiced red sauce. Chicken Marsala entree gestured tender chicken in an excellent sauce. I would definitely return here.

Great view. poached Salmon salad was good. Greek bowl was not good. Dry . Small portion.

Went on Saturday night 9/5/2015. Waited for a table for 20 - 25 minutes. Still I am fine waiting for a table. Sat down and the waiter came over pretty quick. So far everything is going smooth. We order 3 meals and a eggplant rolatine app. Then it starts to go down hill. The table next to us gets their apps and some bread before us. We were seated before them. Not to mention they ordered at least 4 apps. The waiter walks by and says "yours will be out soon". We wait and wait. Now the waiter is just gone. We are starting to get mad now because it's going on an hour. We drank basically a whole bottle of wine waiting and were not even given bread. Still not app either. Looking around everyone has bread on their table but we were just forgotten. So I ask another waiter if he can get my horrible waiter and he says sure. He still doesn't come over after 10 minutes. I was so pissed off I was about to explode. So we just packed up and went next door to Casa Mia. Had the best experience and it's a pizza place. The waiter at Casa Mia should teach the waiter at Il Porto how to do his job. In fact it's too bad Casa Mia staff and all couldn't just switch locations with Il Porto. I will never go to Il Porto again they can count on that. The management at Il Porto should get off their asses and walk around a bit so they can see what's going on.

Great food in a food dessert. Not cheap, but worth the price.

I got a linguini seafood special. Very good.

Delicious food, almond crusted salmon was amazing. Love that you get one app free (for the table) on Wednesday with the purchase of an entree. Great way to share and not get too full. Save room for dessert, the tiramisu is a must.

I had the capellini pescatore and my bf had the half roasted chicken special. This is our annual fourth of July visit to lane mohawk, and the food was exceptionally good this year. Have been coming here for years, with rarely a complaint. A little pricey, but your paying for location as well. Delish!

DO NOT go here for food. The ingredients seemed fresh, like someone is spending money to run this restaurant, but the execution from the kitchen misses the mark entirely.

My girlfriend got a tricolor salad that came served in a bowl of oil and vinegar soup, and I got the poached pear salad which was some crumbled walnuts on top of blue cheese dressing, under which sat some dry greens and a few thin slices of poached pear (the pear was good, just not the star of the show, the glob of dressing was, clearly).

Then she had fish tacos and I got the burger. This is obviously our fault for not recognizing that these items do not belong on an Italian or Mediterranean menu. The fish in the taco was missing, mostly fried batter. And the burger was some weird buttery herb meatball with raw bacon on it.

Wonderful food and service!!!! Great fun today at Tamrin's baby shower with good friends!!

Disappointing new menu and atmosphere.used to be extra special.

A perfect burger
Gorgonzola prosciutto spinach
Perfect proportion of meat to bun
Cooked perfectly

The food is excellent. Fried Calamari, Mussles and Bruschetta were delicious and the portions were generous. Rigatoni Quatro Formagi with Chicken was outstanding!

The staff was friendly and quick but were not rushing us at all.

Will absolutely go back and recommend that you give it a try!

Food was not great but the service and atmosphere was

Delicious dinner. Everyone enjoyed. Staff was friendly efficient and followed all health and safety protocols for our outdoor dining enjoyment.

Worst service ever. It took us 2.5 hours including 30min to get the check for 2 people to eat a 3 course meal. Every time someone came to the table it was a different person. They never brought the soup we ordered even though apps took a long time.

Who puts Thyme in linguini and clams? They do, it was in everything and overpowered every dish. I will never go back. The only thing that was even remotely good was the tiramasu. Just avoid this place at all costs. Bad food, worse service!

Oh and they delivered a capuchino we never ordered and charged us for it. At least we weren't charged for the soup we never got.

Great under the current circumstances. This is a favorite place of ours and last night was no exception. Even though they had to adjust to a full outdoor dining environment with packed tables, the food was fabulous. Each course including our Caesar salad was great.

Good food and good wait staff, and BYOB. I had a very nice time

The owners are not nice people...

Update: Your response is a complete lie, but hey, keep lying to try to sell your restaurant brand... Maybe you should do some more digging if you think you've never met me.... According to many other reviews, apparently I'm not the only one who thought you were rude. You reply to all negative comments as if it's that person fault or as if it's spam. Have you ever heard of personal accountability or owning up to a mistake, perhaps listening to constructive criticism? Your response to all of the other negative comments already displays to others that you aren't very nice people..... Come on....

Very nice atmosphere and right on the boardwalk.
There is no way that Kroghs can get a 21 and 'Il Porto' gets a 17.
The food at 'Il Porto' is very good. There's nothing wrong with the food at Krogh's, but I get the nachos there. I go to 'Il Porto' for a real dinner.

The food was delicious however the service was poor. We were seated at a table where the sun was in my husband's eyes. We moved to another table. Our server said we couldn't have that table as it would seat 4 people. All tables but one were empty as everyone wanted to be inside out of the 90 degree heat. After telling us to move to other tables, I said no thanks, we can go elsewhere. At that point she gave in. I later realized that there were 3 stations on the boardwalk tables and she was trying to steer us to her station. I understand that a person has to make a living but it was a poor customer experience.

Food was ok but the service is pretty terrible. From placing the order to getting the check, everything was super slow.

Food is good. Service is terrible. I waited an hour for my food!

fantastic. thank you Lilly! food and service was amazing.

Good atmosphere and good food. We will be returning.

Great food, BYO restaurant! Ate outside in beautiful fall weather. Will definitely return !

Out of all the restaurants in the boardwalk area they really are the best. Great portions, service was excellent and declined a little towards the end. I understand they want to close but you shouldn't vacuum and rush your guests because it's closing time..But overall I'd go back.

Food was just okay, nice view. First Italian restaurant that I have ever been to that did not have olive oil on the table, and it didn't smell like garlic!

A new (to us) menu. Very, very good. A classic on the boardwalk in Sparta.

How can you beat the winning combination of fantastic food and a breath taking view. Parpadelle Bolognese was one of the best I ever had and the chicken rollitini right up there also in taste and quantity. You can't miss this fantastic Italisn restaurant on Lake Mohawk. Go!!

I love this place best place to have a food and dining and best coffee

The meal was great, the view of the lake and eating outside was wonderful, the portions are too small!

The food is amazing but it's a bit expensive but worth it

I ate here for the first time about a week ago and I must say everything was absolutely delicious! The Blackend Chicken special was so good, that I saved half for tomorrow and left room for dessert. All our food was amazing; appetizers right down to our cappuccinos and desserts. Service was great and it's BYOB which is a plus. If it wasn't down pouring, we would of had a great view of the boardwalk and lake. Will definitely be back soon :)

Food was okay, service wasnt awesome.

We ordered a few things that just didnt get to our table. Ever.

Kids asked for drinks, they didnt come.

We had a nice full table, every single person ordered dessert, waiter came back with all but one leaving one person to sit awkwardly while they ate. He did not even come back before the party was done eating so that person had to sit there with nothing. Shame, if the wait staff was better and there werent flies flying around the establishment it would have been a solid 5.

The interior and exterior are gorgeous. If it is too chilly they offer a fleece blanket. It is really a great atmosphere and is very cozy.

GREAT ITALIAN RESTAURANT!!! EXCELLENT SERVICE, BEAUTIFUL VIEWS, CAN'T GO WRONG HERE!!!

Wonderful location on boardwalk on Lake Mohawk. Portions were small but nice prepared. Good staff.

I went there for lunch on the boardwalk with my family to celebrate my wife's and my anniversary. They were serving a large group inside, so service was slow. As we waited under our shaded table we enjoyed conversation, the great view of Lake Mohawk, and passers-by walking dogs and toddlers on the boardwalk. When the food arrived it was wonderful! We shared a bruchetta appetizer that was just marvelous. I had the poached salmon salad as my main course, which was fresh and delicious. My grandson had an order of chicken fingers that could have fed two adults. I made a mistake by not bringing a bottle of champagne, as it is BYOB. Come and enjoy when you want great food with a view and you are not in a hurry!

Great good and friendly service. Beautiful view of the Lake!

Customer service is seriously lacking here! I always give places a second chance to get things right, but after having a less than optimal visit the second time around I felt compelled to tell anyone who reads this to instead visit one of the other wonderful nearby restaurants in downtown Sparta. It took 45 minutes to get a table (with reservations) and another 25 to get an appetizer. We ended up getting our entrees to go after waiting nearly an hour. There was no apology or attempt on the server, hostess or manager s part to make thing right. They obviously aren t concerned about me doing business with them, so I won t going forward and am making sure to share this experience so that others won t either. It s a shame too because they are in such a beautiful location.

Great little place. Reasonably priced food. Wonderful view of lake. Loved everything.

Great brunch. Loved the chalah French toast with cannoli cream.

Good food (from what i hear) unfriendly staff. We're not helpful about my food allergies, will not be returning

Great atmosphere with view of lake & boardwalk. The food has improved over the years and is definitely enjoyable.

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday, and even though it poured (We wanted to sit outside by the lake), it was still a really nice place. The restaurant is right on the water, so the views were great, they are a BYOB, so the food isn't super expensive, and everything we ordered was delicious. We can't wait to go back when it's nice out. Only problem: they don't take reservations! You'll probably have to wait.

Steak was not the best, but the sauce was amazing. The chicken was tender and flavorful. It was an adorable atmosphere with a scent of a good itallian family restaurant. There was a large party in our area and while they were the typical loud, did not detract from the overall wonderful feel. We shared a waitress with the larger table and she, along with the bussers, we're very attentive to everyone. She even chatted with us a little. It was the first time my husband and I got away in a long time and we will definitely come again for either another date or with our kids.

This place never fails to impress. They have awesome food for fair prices, there is no waiting time even when the spot is packed.