Aqua Pazza is an okay choice for Italian in Boston. Vibe: it's a tiny restaurant with tables close together and an unassuming feel. There are plenty of wait staff and barely any room for them to stand away from the tables. Food: they started us off with complimentary bread and pesto and my dining companions and I shared the Burrata which was delicious. I would definitely order that again. We also ordered Gnocchi, wild boar Pappardelle, and the chicken parmigiana. We all tried about of each other's dishes and all came to the same conclusion- the wild boar was the best of the 3 entrees and was quite good. Next up the chicken parmigiana- it was okay- a classic, middle of the road chicken parmigiana. Last, the gnocchi- I really wanted to like this. It was not good. None of us liked it. It was VERY smoky and almost tart. I also thought it was slightly pricey for what we were getting. Service: Our server was attentive but his accent was so think it was challenging at times to understand and not overly friendly. read more

Aqua Pazza - Bread and pesto - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Hands down the best Italian food I have ever had, coming from someone who grew up eating Italian food frequently in an Italian family. We were in Little Italy and the wait for most places was about 2 hours. We came across this place and were able to be seated immediately. There was no need for a reservation and we finally weren't turned away. We got to sit by the window and enjoyed some drinks. They were out of many beers since it was so busy. The service was incredible and everyone who worked here was actually Italian - all of the servers and waitresses spoke Italian and/or were from Italy. The food was incredible - best gnocchi I have ever had. It was an expensive dinner but it was just what we were looking for. I would gladly go back here thanks to the warmth and hospitality that everyone who worked here showed us. For a hustle and bustle tourist trap, this place was a refreshing authentic place that was down to earth and an enjoyable atmosphere for us all! read more

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Service was IMPECCABLE. Food was DELECTABLE. So incredibly enjoyable. I highly recommend if your looking for fresh lobster and don't want to settle for a lobster roll. The lobster had this delicious smokey flavor I couldn't get enough of. Yummm.... read more

Aqua Pazza - Lobster a la Diablo, special of the house. AMAZING! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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There's good reason why this is a 4.5 restaurant. Food is incredible - everything from the bread and the pesto sauce that accompanies it - to the linguini and clams dish that I had. Service was impeccable as well. Would definitely return if I'm ever back in the area. read more

Excellent oysters, octopus, bread, and wine--plus great service from Wilfred. Tried a few wines and all nicely paired. Oh and the tiramisu is actually prepared at the table, which I'd never seen done before--really cool touch. Thank you! read more

Aqua Pazza - Tiramisu prepared at the table. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Poor service. Every one in my group already arrived. However, they make us to wait for 25 minutes and set the other group who had a 15 minute later reservation first. Also, they are a party of six and only five came. Because the receptionist and the group members were talking in Spanish, however we do understand what they're saying. VERY DISAPPOINTED. read more

Stumbled across the little gem and so glad we did. Ivan, our server provided exceptional service making great suggestions and very attentive. The braised octopus was outstanding and the 7 Spice brick chicken was one of the most moist and tender dishes I've ever had. Highly recommend this cozy and inviting restaurant. read more

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Very solid Italian in the North End. We stopped by on July 4th and opted to get takeout vs dine in, which turned out to be quite solid. The portions here are definitely European vs American and meant to serve one. We ordered at the counter and got our food in about 15 minutes after walking around the North End. The seating inside looks pretty comfortable and they have plenty of outdoor seating complemented by heat lamps. The staff were pretty helpful and friendly even in the midst of the hectic crowds of a holiday, and made sure that we got our food (and extra bread) quickly when we arrived for pickup. Some highlights: 1. Aqua pazza: The fish of the day was Halibut braised in a light broth with clams, mussels, tomatoes, and diced fingerling potatoes. The tomato and clam-based broth was savory, light, and just bursting with umami. I used the bred to soak up every last drop. 2. Spaghetti vongole: Very solid clam pasta with plenty of fresh clams sauced with al dente spaghetti in a light garlic, chitarrine, and wine sauce. This was light yet bursting with flavor. Usually I prefer a linguine with my clam pasta but was very pleasantly surprised by the spaghetti. 3. Seafood risotto: Perfectly cooked al dente arborio rice in a tomato-based broth with halibut, calamari, and a langoustine. This was robust yet still light and the calamari was perfectly tender and with a nice bounce. Overall, a solid option for Italian and seafood in the North End that won't leave you in a food coma. Every dish was flavorful without feeling the least bit heavy. We will definitely be back next time we are in Boston to eat in! read more

Girls night in.... A new mom amongst us with soy/dairy allergies. She called restaurant for guidance and not only was the hostess prompt in getting the chef to speak to her, but the chef went over and above to create something for her, including fresh baked bread especially for her! When we told them we were ordering via door dash they took our name to ensure we got the right allergy-friendly meal as part of our door dash order. As for the food - it was absolutely delicious. For vegetarians I strongly recommend the eggplant parmigiana (deceptively small portion) and the zucchini fries (nothing like I've ever had - so good!). read more

Had a reservation for 8, they sat a couple with no reservations ahead of my party of 4 a and we ended up leaving by 8:30 as we did not see the possibility of getting seated anytime soon Would not recommend as reservations are not honored read more

The food here was amazing. Excellent bar service. Cute little restaurant at a great location on the freedom trail. The owners were sitting at the bar with us and got us drinks. Thank you so much!! I've never had smelts before, but these were delicious. I ate the whole thing - head to tail. Crispy and delicious with the accompanying sauce. The salmon poke was very interesting. It wasn't my favorite dish of the night, but the chunks of fish was delicious. It was mixed with grapes, which I didn't care for. The orata was perfect. No bones, perfectly cooked, great sauce. Loved the artichokes too. It was a pretty big portion, but I am grateful because it was so good!! I would love to come back here and try more dishes. read more

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Recently paid a visit here with the fam on Mother's Day and overall, it was pretty decent. I didn't know at the time that this was the old Mare spot for those who are familiar. Ambiance was intimate with sleek and modern accents and surprisingly, it wasn't packed for such a huge dining holiday at 7pm. Now onto the good stuff. Per our usual, we went nuts ordering and why the heck not? It's Mother's Day! We showered our table with orders of the Seafood Tower, Bruschetta Trio, crab cakes, salmon crudo, wagyu meatballs, octopus, seafood arancini and caci arancini. Out of the above, I'd recommend all besides the crab cakes as it had a little too much breading for my personal liking. Raw bar was fresh and nicely chilled, octopus was flavorful and tender and we all enjoyed the crispy arancini balls of goodness (both the seafood and the pepper varieties). Our dinners were a bit of a mix. I had quite the long exchange with the owner/chef since my mom wanted something that resembled a Seafood Fra Diavolo which they didn't offer on the menu that night but they ended up whipping something fabulous and it was the most delicious dish of the night. Aqua Pazza - If you happen to be reading this post, please consider putting it on your menu so all these other folks can taste the awesomeness that was in that dish. My seafood risotto was also a gorgeous sight to behold and equally lived up to expectations. The only dish that fell a little short (per my brother and hubby who both ordered it) was the Whole Pig Bolognese entree. Both remarked that it was on the bland side but they aren't complainers and made do with it as is. When we finished, the server surprised us with 2 complimentary desserts for the moms - Nice touch! All in all, it was a wonderful spot to celebrate a relaxing family din din in the North End :) Parking tip: You can get a validation for the Parcel 7 garage but you will have to go to Bricco (sister restaurant) to get it stamped. read more

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Very nice, white linen tablecloth restaurant tucked away in the North End, away from the bustling Main Street. My friend and I ordered the Spaghetti Vongole and Lobster Pillows (both really delicious in their own way!). Portions are smaller than what you would usually find in the North End so it's good to order your own entree. The restaurant is part of the Despaquale group, which owns other North End institutions like Bricco, Mare, and Trattoria Il Panino. I think I still prefer the aforementioned restaurants overall, but I would definitely recommend Aqua Pazza for a date night or a night out with family! read more

Aqua Pazza - Homemade Spaghetti Vongole - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Came here for the $33 prix fixe dinner menu for Dine Out Boston. The restaurant actually feels like a home, complete with a little welcoming area and a fireplace. Even the restrooms feel like they are part of someone's well-kept house. It is a small space, and pretty good for dates. We were quickly seated, and it looks like even without a reservation there wouldn't have been a long wait. Great service, too! ~~APPETIZERS~~ Bruschetta Trio: Smoked salmon tasted amazing!! The English peas were tiny and crispy, nice additions to the texture. The dill also added great accents to the flavor of the salmon. Delivered on some very crispy, fresh-tasting bread. ~~FIRST COURSE~~ Pork Belly: Absolutely incredibly dish. The pork belly was some of the richest I have ever tasted, and it was as if it had been slow cooked for hours upon hours. It melted upon contact with my tongue. For something so rich and so fatty, they did an expert job of tempering this so that the fat was not overwhelming. The dish is nicely balanced with apple slices and arugula, finely pairing fresh/crisp with rich/savory. A masterful course. ~~SECOND COURSE~~ Whole Pig Bolognese: This pasta was some of the best I have had. The fresh pappardelle had a nice spring to its chew. This was topped with some shaved cheese (I think parmesan?) and delicious ground pork to create a fantastic pasta dish. Wagyu Burger: VERY big burger; great value for the portion size. Although the beef is wagyu, I couldn't really tell the difference in quality for the meat (the meat was still undoubtedly good, though). The jam was a LITTLE overwhelming; they could cut back on that a bit. Overall, I think the Bolognese was the best. Fantastic restaurant! I would definitely come back here again. read more

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My husband and I tried Aqua Pazza for the first time this weekend. As a vegetarian, I was a little worried it might smell fishy, but it didn't. I tried the eggplant parm, which was pretty good, and not deep fried (possibly the same from sister restaurant Quattro), and pasta nerano (zucchini sauce). It was a bit peppery and maybe would have tasted more like zucchini in season. My husband enjoyed the meatballs with ricotta as well as lobster pillows (ravioli). We also tried the tiramisu made table side. It's a whole spectacle with very good vanilla bean mascarpone cream, but I'd like it better if it had time to set and get cold. I did find the restaurant to be quite loud, but our service was really good! read more

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It was okay... obviously going on a Saturday night when it's packed is not such a good idea. I made reservations on open table and when I walked in there were no tables. 5 minutes later a huge crowd comes in and still no tables. My boyfriend and I found some seats at the bar and sat there. Like many places in the north end, it's small and packed. The staff and guests kept smashing against me. The bartender didn't tell us the specials they had and we heard it from the waitress right next to us telling her customers. We Ended up getting the special and it was okay. The oysters were yummy and the Tatarstan outstanding. Entrées were mediocre the pasta didn't taste fresh, hard and meh . Not planning a trip there anytime soon. read more

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Stopped here for lunch one random day in May. It was so good. The ricotta here is so light and delicious, and the pasta is really well made. It didn't take too long- but there also wasn't really anybody else there. Since we went in May we sat outside and it was just generally a great place. A little pricey but worth it. read more

Amazing! Just had dinner here with my wife for Valentine's Day, the service was great and food came out fast. Not to mention extremely fresh. read more

Went to Aqua Pazza for a birthday tonight and have been a few times before. Service, food, drinks, and atmosphere were all incredible. The staff was attentive and did a birthday celebration for dessert. The appetizers were good portions which I find is rare, the entres were just what we wanted, and drinks were strong. Would recommend. read more

Coming to Aqua Pazza for Dine Out Boston was one of the best decisions I made of 2018. $33 for three AMAZING courses & my friend and I shared everything so it was a total win-win. I honestly have no complaints about a single dish I tried. Favorites? Scallop ceviche, charred octopus, salmon crudo (it's served on this tasty English pea purée with a horseradish cucumber side - all out of this world when combined in a bite). Whole pig bolognese, crab carbonara, & seafood arancini also unreal. We finished our meal with a panzanella salad (not included in Dine Out prefixe). They have friendly service (we got a free dessert wine with the panzanella!) and also bomb cocktails. I got a dope Rose prosecco with white peach foam cocktail! I'm curious to see if they change up their menu if they participate in Dine Out during the summer/next winter or keep it the same - either way 10/10 highly recommend dinner and drinks at Aqua Pazza! read more

Absolutely amazing experience and meal. They were able to seat our party of 7 with no reservation or wait. They accept credit cards. Everything on our plates was delicious, fresh, and authentic. Standouts were wild boar pasta and lobster pillows! read more

Gorgeous food by gorgeous people for people who are gorgeous but may have forgotten to dress up and look like sweaty messes. Where to begin? The space is bright, clean and cool. All staff look like Mediterranean movie stars. It was also over 90 degrees. Sweat sploshed from my scalp and neck. These kind angels gave me water and understood my confusion from heat exhaustion. I'm not going to lie: this place is expensive. Is the expense worth it? YES. Massachusetts, Massachusetting again, has different grades of liquor licenses (who knew), so I couldn't order my normal hot weather cocktail, and went with their delicious Negroni cocktail. Delightful! Oysters we enjoyed: Aunt Dotty (melt in your mouth), Duxbury (Old Reliable), and First Encounter (loved the champagne finish). Oh, Baby! Fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with ricotta and served with slices of fried zucchini. It's vegetables, therefore healthy, and absolutely the stuff of Gods. Had been craving calamari and these beautiful people over-delivered. The most tooth friendly and buttery rings I've ever encountered. Included a bit of shrimp and scallop - also divine. Didn't find any of the peppers (would have been nice, unfried on the side). Served with a refreshing tartar sauce that had a citrus bite. (I know it's summer but would have like the option of a marinara...I'm old.) Ooooh! Do not overlook the table BREAD! Perfect. Hard crust, spongy loaf. Gorgeous pesto drinking sauce...I mean, dipping sauce. Cannot wait to visit for dinner. Fabulous and elegant. Mangiare! read more

A solid 4+ star restaurant. This is a relatively small restaurant with bar seating on the edge of the dining room. A smallish menu though diverse; the quality of the food was very good. We shared the Arugula salad, which was great quantity and fresh greens for only $11. The battered and fried smelts appetizer wad a little over battered, yet served very hot, right from the kitchen was especially appreciated. $6 for 5-6 smelts are a great value. It came with a melted butter sauce and a remoulade. The branzino, $29, was cut up into pieces with the skin still on both sides. My whole black bass, $38, was stuffed with citrus and fennel. Both delicious. Wine choices by the glass was a little limited. Service was attentive. read more

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Just had an amazing meal here on our Boston trip. Everything was exceptional. The Caesar was probably the best I've ever had in a restaurant. Creamy burrata like I had in Italy. Our table had Carpaccio, Shrimp cocktail, Short Ribs with dreamy polenta, Lobster Pillows, Eggplant Parm and Shrimp Scampi. You can't go wrong here. Terrific service. Can't wait to come back with my guy to try the oysters. read more

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Man the portions here are very small so if you have a big appetite, you will be hungry after. Tuna crudo was super thinly sliced, lacking flavor. We did love the squash blossoms! The short rib was the only thing I say worth coming here for! Interesting choice to go with polenta but it works! we also had gnocci which wasn't too bad either! Service was outstanding 5/5! read more

Absolutely FANTASTIC! Food, drinks, service and atmosphere were all superb. Elias was our server for the evening and truly went above and beyond to make sure that our experience exceeded expectations. At first I was worried that it would be a little stuffy or pretentious because both the food and ambiance were exuded sophistication but within minutes, we were made to feel right at home. We also had a 5 year old and a 6 year old with us and they too had a great time. Thank you to the entire staff for making us feel so welcome. read more

I loved the wild boar pappardelle! It was so good. The service was great as well as the food. I'll be back! read more

Aqua Pazza - Wild boar pappardelle! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Everything was absolutely perfect. The service, food, and ambiance could not have been better. Both the chicken parmigiana and short ribs were perfect. The portions were large and delicious. read more

Dishes were delicious. Make a reservation because it's a popular spot! So many flavors in the homemade pasta entrees. My favorite was the Chicken Parmagania and Meatballs with Ricotta! Recommend getting the calamari for starters. My date had the Pappardelle Pasta dish with Wild Boar. Come hungry!!! read more

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Amazing food and drinks. Offered a complimentary 'shot' of a chocolate amaro with the check that was fabulous. The service was great as everyone pitched in to help with the full restaurant. I would absolutely go back. read more

OMG this place is SO GOOD. Came here after reading good reviews when searching for a Restaurant Week place for dinner, and was totally impressed. The ambiance sort of reminds me of Saltie Girl, but a little dimmer and more romantic. We sat at the bar and the bartender was AWESOME -- gave us great drink recommendations and was super friendly. Everything we ate was plated artistically and the quality of the food was superb -- very fresh with flavors that complimented each other. Our favs were the salt cod bruschetta, salmon crudo, and the whole pig bolognese. Overall a great experience and I'm so glad I found this gem through restaurant week! read more

This place is amazing! Our group went for a fun Sunday night out at Aqua Pazza and it definitely did not disappoint. We started out sharing multiple appetizers and began with the meatballs, charcuterie, and octopus. Everything was prepared perfectly. We then tried a bunch of oysters, Alaskan king crab, and shrimp cocktail. The shrimp was quite possibly the biggest shrimp I have ever seen! All the seafood was of high quality and prepared perfectly. For dinner, I had the risotto of the day which ended up being seafood risotto. All the seafood in the risotto did not disappoint and everything was prepared perfectly! My husband had the Cacio e Pepe dish which I was able to sneak a few bites of which was amazing as well. My friends had Lobster Pillows, Spaghetti Vongole, and the Manicotti and they all enjoyed their meals as well. The cocktails are also top notch. Between our table, we had the Bellini, Aqua cosmo, and espresso martini. All the drinks were amazing but the espresso martini was my favorite. Try it with caution as it was dangerously good ;) I can't say enough nice things about this restaurant. The food, drinks, and wait staff all contributed to our amazing evening. We had so much fun and will definitely be back in the future! read more

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Epic dining experience last night! While the food was excellent, the kindness, attentiveness, and genuine warmth of the entire staff sets this restaurant apart. What an amazing team! To Sydney (the hostess), Jesus (our waiter), the manager (sorry, I forgot your name), and the entire kitchen staff, thank you for an amazing dining experience. One we will never forget! Saluti! - Ricardo read more

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We had an ok experience. The food wasn't BAD. The service wasn't BAD. But can only rate middle of the road based on the fact that this is a higher end place in a neighborhood chock full of great Italian restaurants! I had homemade spaghetti which was ok, but not very flavorful overall. Small portion. Good selection of gluten-free choices for wife but she chose the 1/2 lobster, which was undercooked (not inedible, but not great). Son had the chicken which he enjoyed. We sat outside which was nice. Service was ok, but we really wanted a refill on our sodas as there was probably only 4 ounces of liquid in our ice packed glasses. Didn't get the refills until we were paying the bill and shouldn't have been surprised that we paid $4 each for that second round. Ugh. Eaten at some great restaurants in the area which I'd return to. This is not one of them. read more

The "Almost Wedding Day" Our daughter & her fiancé were supposed to be married last Friday but Covid19 caused a months-long postponement. We decided to celebrate the "almost wedding day" at AQUAPAZZA. Wow, did we make the right choice! The food was OUTSTANDING, even in a neighborhood known for great dining. The service from Jiovanni G was excellent, friendly and professional. After hearing what we we celebrating, JG teamed up with owner/manager Ciro to provide a couple surprises to help make the night extra special. Thank you Ciro, Jiovanni and the rest of the team at AQUAPAZZA - our new favorite restaurant in the North End! read more

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Everyone was super friendly, and the manager helped us go over the menu. He recommended the special dish which was the monkfish and it was phenomenal. Atmosphere is nice and the food came out in a very timely manner. All around amazing spot. Highly recommend. read more

The vibe outside is a lot more casual than inside! Inside is very very classy. Outside is a little more fun... so obviously that's where we sat. We started with the calamari. I love how it has scallops, shrimp, and the normal calamari. That's an awesome touch. The sauce it comes in is one of the best things I've ever tasted. It was delicious. For my meal I got the manicotti. It was so good but WOW was there a lot of cheese in there. The homemade pasta is undefeated. My boyfriend got the cacio e pepe. It was good! A perfect Italian sized portion which you don't usually see around here. Very delicious food and amazing staff that made the experience great. read more

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We came here tonight. The food was incredible, service was incredible but the wait time in between food order is the reason why this restaurant didn't get a 5 star rating. We ordered: -Crab cakes (5 stars) must order but 2 crab cakes per order -zucchini three ways (4 stars) -carbonara (5 stars) -spaghetti with clams (5 stars) -orata- grilled fish (5 stars) -scallops (5 stars) The service was great. I asked our server what the highlights of the menu were and he definitely delivered. Through our service I think the only fault was how long it took for the kitchen to deliver the food! It left us very hungry-which I guess was good because we were hungry for each meal. But we were TOO hungry-you know? I think if the mela in between wait time was cut by 10 minute it would be more effective. We definitely will be back though. Great atmosphere- worth a visit!! read more

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Wonderful spot for date night! The small cozy space with windows aplenty and candles on the tables really sets you up for a pleasant evening. The service was great and the food spectacular! My favorite was the oxtail pasta, which was very flavorful and enough to share. The seafood tower was also great! For dessert, the coconut tiramisu is a must- it comes in a cute Mason jar and is dauntingly big, but then vanishes so quickly! Overall, the place is a bit pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for, I'd come back again! read more

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I was in Boston on a business trip and came upon Aqua Pazza via the Yelp app. It's a small place lined with beautiful floor to ceiling windows. It was a Thursday night about 6:30 and the place was packed so I found myself a seat at the bar and was so lucky that I did. The bartender (I want to say his name was Rodney?) was an absolute pleasure and that's probably an understatement. He knew the menu up and down. He asked me what kind of mood I was in and what I liked and made recommendations based on that. (I asked him to help me out not being sure what I was really hungry for). For starters I got the Eggplant Parmesan. If there is eggplant parm on a menu anywhere, I'm getting it. Let me tell you something - I would get on a plane and fly back to Boston just to eat this eggplant again. Dead serious. It was off the hook. I debated ordering another for my meal but was eager to try something else on the menu. I had the pomodoro and again, on the mark and amazing. Saddened that I had no room for dessert, the bartender recommended an after dinner liqueur. That's never been my thing but since he'd been on mark for everything else, I figured "hey, what the heck". It was amazing! This guy is on fire and was all about making me happy. I would absolutely come back for this whole experience again but this time bring my family. read more

Aqua Pazza - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts