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Ratings for Port of Subs
10260 W Charleston Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89135
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If you have eaten at Port of Subs, please ADD a rating.
| Ratings | 1-10 Over All Rating: |   
8.6 |
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| Ambiance:
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8.3
| Total Times Rated = 10
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Service: |
8.2
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100%
0%
YES
Eat here again?
NO
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Food:
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9.1
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Value:
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9.1
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80%
20%
YES
Family Friendly?
NO
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Access:
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8.3
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Last rating added: 10/24/02 from 198.81.26.***
Latest comments about Port of Subs
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ADD your own comment.
Port of Subs - For Please Select
Month Visited: 03/04
For nearly half a century the Venetian Ristorante was Las Vegas' little piece of Italy, noted for its home-style cooking and frequented by everyone from the biggest stars to ordinary families.
Now the restaurant that was first located in downtown Las Vegas then moved to 3713 W. Sahara Ave. in a distinct building reminiscent of the famed city of canals is closed for good.
Entertainers Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were regulars. As a young attorney, Oscar Goodman took his wife and children there once a week to enjoy the famed veal dishes, homemade sausages and sauces and bread personally baked daily on site by co-owner Angie Ruvo.
When Angie's husband and business partner Lou Ruvo died in 1994, Angie, then 71, could not go on with the mom-and-pop eatery that in five decades had become a Las Vegas culinary landmark. The deal to sell the business and its good name was finalized with Thomas D'Antonio of Restaurant Enterprises in 1997.
"My heart just was not in it anymore after my husband died," Angie said. "Now my heart is just broken."
D'Antonion filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings that days before Thanksgiving closed the restaurant -- a closure that has left a bad taste in Angie Ruvo's mouth.
"All of those people who have been with the restaurant so many years were out of work for the holidays -- it is just so sad," Ruvo said.
Ruvo and other family members say the new owners failed to remain true to the family's recipes that called for fresh ingredients and, by closing, failed to keep a promise to provide employment to the longtime restaurant staff.
On Dec. 15 federal Bankruptcy Judge Linda Riegle signed an order to liquidate the restaurant inventory, including liquor, wine, beer and cigars, at an auction to be conducted by Las Vegas Auction, Inc., on a date to be set.
According to U.S. Bankruptcy Court papers filed in Las Vegas, Restaurant Enterprises listed $650,500 in assets -- including $500 in on-hand cash and nothing in the checking account -- and $2.28 million in debts for the Venetian operation.
"In retrospect, allowing the new owners to keep the name of the restaurant as part of the sale agreement was a terrible mistake," said Larry Ruvo, Angie's son, who owns Southern Wine and Spirits and at one time was an officer of the restaurant.
"The reason we did it was because Thomas said he would retain all of our employees if he could keep the name of the restaurant. So we agreed to that."
Although D'Antonio kept the old staff of waiters, bartenders, chefs and cooks on the payroll, he didn't always pay them, according to court records.
Among the debts listed in court papers are $56,613 in undisputed claimed wages and salaries for 20 employees and $47,081 in disputed claimed wages and salaries for five employees.
The business also owes $598,534 to the Internal Revenue Service, $9,237 to the Nevada State Department of Employment for unemployment benefits, $9,802 to the Department of Taxation, $30,000 to the Department of Labor and $11,438 to the city of Las Vegas for taxes, according to court documents.
More than a dozen food or liquor suppliers are listed as creditors and claim they are owed thousands of dollars, according to court documents.
How such a popular business could have fallen so far so quickly shocked the Ruvos but did not surprise them.
"For 42 years we served four generations quality food -- I made 300 rolls and 40 loaves of bread a day, and we made our own pizza dough" Angie said. "I got calls from my girls (waitresses) after we sold the restaurant telling me they had switched to frozen bread. I said, 'Oh no.'
"I also gave them (new owners) all of my old recipes. The recipes were then changed. People know quality when they taste it. I was not surprised this was coming. But that does not make me any less sad."
Angie Ruvo says she feels even worse for what happened because "people come up to me all the time and say 'Why -- WHY -- did you sell your restaurant that you had put your life into?' All I can tell them is that, on Feb. 1, I will be 80 years old. It was just time for me to retire."
Attempts to reach D'Antonio through his Las Vegas attorney, Bob Olson, were unsuccessful. However, in an interview earlier this month with Las Vegas Sun sister publication "In Business," Olson gave a different perspective to the restaurant's demise.
"The events of Sept. 11 really killed that business," Olson said, referring to the terrorist attacks that slowed travel and ushered in a period of a stagnant economy, especially in tourist destinations such as Las Vegas.
The Venetian's longtime waitress, Rose Crosato, who initially worked with Angie in the General Brock Hotel restaurant pantry in Ontario, Canada, in the early 1940s, shares her former employer's sadness over the demise of the Venetian.
"It's very disappointing, very upsetting -- all the hard work we did and now it is gone," said Crosato, who retired in 1996 after 37 years at the Venetian. "I have eaten there only once since (the Ruvos sold it). It was not the same.
"What I miss most about it was what a pleasure it was to serve the customers. I served children who many years later brought their children and their grandchildren to the restaurant. It was such a pleasant atmosphere."
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman echoed that sentiment.
"My son, Oscar Jr., came into town from New York recently and was shocked when we drove by the Venetian and saw it was out of business," Goodman said. "He started naming all of the waitresses who had served us.
"The Venetian had great pasta and the best pizza in town. And you would see the same people over and over again. You just had a great feeling going there. It's sad that it has become yet another part of old Las Vegas that is gone."
Angie and Lou Ruvo opened the Venetian in downtown Las Vegas in 1955. But it was a small building with room for just nine tables. So in 1966 they moved to the Sahara site.
The 5,000-square-foot restaurant was remodeled in 1978 and long had a brick facade resembling Old World Venice. The interior was subtly reminiscent of the stone interiors of early Italian monasteries. The atmosphere was European romantic. The food was tasty and, as Angie proudly proclaims, fresh.
"We used no frozen ingredients," she said. "We made 90 pounds of meatballs and 150 pounds of sausage a week. We put such care into our ingredients. You could taste the nutmeg in the lasagna."
Asked if she thinks another Venetian would one day operate on the site, Ruvo said she doubts it, given the depth to which the recent business sank.
"We were so stupid that we did not register the name in 1955," she said. "But who was to know then how successful we would be? Who was to know?"
<kpahonedge -at- yahoo.com> - Las Vegas NV USA - Added 03/25/04 - [68.224.46***]
11063
Port of Subs - For Dinner
 
Month Visited: 06/03
- Good Meal
The Venetian was an incredible place to eat. Outstanding food.
I made it a point to eat there every time I visited Vegas...
I was disturbed to read that it has closed, is this true? If so, does anybody know why? Seemed it had a large following and had been around for 40+ years, Just curious. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
<debojetski -at- hotmail.com> - USA - Added 03/02/04 - [209.76.6.***]
10841
Port of Subs - For Lunch
Month Visited: 02/03
- Good Meal
After seeing a show on the food network about the Venetian, we thought we would give it try. We were very impressed!!!! We started out with an appetizer, antipasta.It was HUGE!.There was enough there for 5 people. We then had the lunch specials for 5.99 I had the spaghetti and meatballs and my husband had fettacini w/olive oil and vegatables. Both were so big we couldn't finish them. We had cannoli for dessert. the best I've tasted. If yu get a chance, go there, you won't be dissappointed, It was GREAT!!!!!
<gtccarr -at- webtv.net> - Indianapolis IN USA - Added 02/14/03 - [209.240.198***]
6353
Port of Subs - For Dinner
Month Visited: 11/02
- Good Meal
I'm a local and visit monthly at least one of the best rated restaurants in
our town. Heard so much of The Venetian......had to visit it. My family of 4
had one of the absolutely finest Italian meals this side of the North End of
Boston. The service, ambiance and overall feeling was on an equal to any
Italian restaurant I've ever visited....anywhere. Value for money is
unequaled in this city. Will be back soon and often.
<tgoralski -at- lvcm.com> - Nnorth Las Vegas NV USA - Added 11/23/02 - [24.120.161.***]
5274
Port of Subs - For Dinner
Month Visited: 10/02
- Good Meal
This was an awesome experience. We saw an expose on the Travel Channel and had to search out "The Venetian" when in Las Vegas this week. The food was to die for. The waitress, waiter and even bus staff were fantastic. We met Pat Marita at the bar!. When there put away your menu and let the experienced Venetian staff take care of you. Chicken Parmesan, Shrimp Francaise..Yum! The salad dressing is so good you will want to dip the homemade bread in it! and the Tiramisu is the best we have ever had. Thank you for making our trip to Las Vegas anf my friends 50th birthday a trully wonderful experience! We will be back and will recommend The Venetian to everyone we know in New England..Thank You so much!
<PWILDE -at- ATTBI.COM> - Dover NH USA - Added 10/26/02 - [24.147.11***]
5019
Port of Subs - For Dinner
Month Visited: 08/02
- Good Meal
The meals here are excellant. The lobster was great and the Linguine with clam sause was one of the beast I ever had. We have eaten here about six times.
<hanmar1960 -at- aol.com> - Orland Park IL USA - Added 04/21/03 - [205.188.208***]
7178
Port of Subs - For Dinner
Month Visited: 05/02
- Good Meal
Visited the Venetian in May of last year. We arrived at 1:30am and had to wait for a table. It was worth it. The server was great, even at the late hour. I ordered the seafood pasta for $16.00. Pasta under shelled mussels, octopus, and shrimp. Anywhere else it would have cost at least $50. The desserts are to die for. I highly recommend the Venetian. If you wish to have a great meal for a great price, it is a must for you visit.
<dmharris -at- clarkston.com> - Moscow ID USA - Added 01/16/03 - [199.245.242.***]
6033
Port of Subs - For Lunch
Month Visited: 00/00
- Good Meal
After several years going to Vegas we FINALLY made it into this Vegas tradition for lunch. It's not necessarly that impressive of a restaurant but the value was unbeatable.
For $4.99 we recieved bread, salad, soft drink and main entree. For us the main entree was lasagna. The food was very good, service was fine, and the price was unbeatable.
If you have a rental car this one is worth a the short drive off the strip.
<dougp26364 -at- cs.com> - Wichta KS USA - Added 10/24/02 - [198.81.26.***]
5002
Port of Subs - For Dinner
Month Visited: 00/00
- Bad Meal
This was our second visit to Venetian, the last in August 02. The restaurant was packed and we got the last table available. It was during the MAGIC convention which is a busy time in Vegas, but the restaurant was not prepared. Our waitress apologized repeatedly as she was overloaded with tables and service was slow. When we were seated, the hostess said they were very busy and service would be slow due to a convention in town! Duh, these people need to look at the convention schedule and schedule accordingly. The food was just OK and not up to what we received in August. The travel channel needs to go back and follow up on this place.
<dsarault -at- adelphia.net> - Ligonier PA USA - Added 02/23/03 - [68.65.138.***]
6477
Comment Disclaimer: No attempt has been made to verify or assure the accuracy of the above comments.
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Last Updated: May 22 2008 03:59:11.
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