I didn't want to sit with a frozen meal tonight. There are a few good real restaurants in Ashland. The other place has a really crowded and awful parking lot with a train going by every so often. What to do? Erica's on front Street. I sat at the bar. It was early enough but even the bar area filled up quickly. I would find out later her name is Katie. She is one of the bartenders. We discussed beers but most are IPA s, not my favorite. But I settled on one, Wild squirrel. Citrus notes and delicious. Kat took my order for pizza. Like a flying saucer. I had the wild mushroom and goat cheese with basil leaves. Outstanding! The owner remembered me from previous visits and stopped by to chat. The service is fast and friendly. The food, my first time in the bar, was excellent. Ambient noise is not a distraction. Kat and I shook hands after an hour of good food and drink. read more

Decided to check out Erica's Ristorante last night for dinner and we were so pleasantly surprised-the food was excellent, the ambience was so cozy and the staff were superb (especially the bartender Emma)! We had the stuffed mushroom appetizer and baby back ribs-both were so delicious. Then the carbonara entree which was also delicious. Definitely will be back very soon and I highly recommend it. read more

Erica's never disappoints. I got my favorite eggplant stack and my dessert was a peppermint chocolate martini - server was friendly and attentive And everyone's meal was great. !! read more

Erica's is a great place to go for terrific service and food, not to mention the Old Fashions are out of this world. The menu selections are extensive and priced reasonably. I highly recommend this place for a romantic getaway or family get togethers. read more

Unfortunately, I've had a similar experience to many of the reviewers of Erica's. The owner is extremely rude and has zero respect for his paying guests. Routinely makes excuses so he can accommodate his friends. Scolds his staff loudly in front of the customers. I walked in one night with my girlfriend and we asked for a high top near the bar area. He said I couldn't sit at a high top because there was a waitlist. When I told him I was willing to wait and asked how many people were in front of me he said he didn't know. I confirmed with him I was willing to wait by the bar for a table to open up but he refused to put my name down or tell me how long I needed to wait. Needless to say, there were several open tables. Fast forward about a month. I remembered that there were reservations for the bar tables my previous visit so I decided to call. When I requested a seat in the front, he said they already filled the bar area for the entire night. Although there were several options in the bar area he still refused to sit us there. Until the owner gets out of his own way, I will not be back. read more

I love this restaurant and was so happy when I found out they had reopened after a few months due to Covid. I went around 6:30pm on a weekday and sat outside. The seating area was very nice next to the library and all the tables were spaced out for proper social distancing. The wait staff was so friendly and overall great to interact with. I went with my family and to start I had the red sangria and we had the crab croquets and the Grilled Nectarine Crostini with Goat Cheese & Honey appetizers(they were both specials so may not remain on the menu). They were absolutely phenomenal, so tasty. For dinner we all had the Tuscan Sirloin with whipped potato, Arugula, Wild Mushrooms & Truffle Oil. The meal was very good, I was especially a fan of the arugula with mushrooms and truffle oil and the potatoes where so creamy and delicious! Overall had a lovely meal and very enjoyable experience! Highly recommend if you want a bit more upscale food in town! read more

Erica's Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Ashland, Massachusetts

Just got back from Ericka's in Ashland. Food is always good, never had a bad meal there and have been going since they opened. Personal favs, pizza, risotto with shrimp and scallops, orecchiette with sausage, seafood fra diavolo and you won't find better cioppino anywhere. Steve at the bar is awesome as is all the wait staff including Sam. The owner is always present and customer friendly. We support Erica's because the food, service and atmosphere are excellent. Couldn't ask for a better eatery in your town./ Go there and enjoy!!! Ron and Sandy E, Ashland read more

The Good: Service was great The Ugly: No real selection of wine, Italian American cuisine in name only, lots of frozen ready to cook or pre cooked ingredients, nothing was fresh and I could care less about service if the food is uninspired. Did not finish my food would not recommend beyond Pizza and a Beer if you live in walking distance. read more

We had the NYE special dinner tonight and it was so good! Portions were perfectly sized, timing of all of the courses was great and service was excellent. The quality of food here is very high. read more

Such a delicious dinner tonight at Erica's Bourbon Baked Cod with potatoes, Brussels sprouts, squash, and red onions! The cod was PERFECTION! The veggies were wonderful and all combined so well! This was a special, I hope it shows up on the menu-I would order it every time! read more

We have been to Erica's 5 times now. Each time we have been there the service was prompt without being pushy. The gentleman at the Maître d' desk doesn't have a good bedside manner and is a little too surly to be in that position. He may be the owner other reviews have complained about. He really should be nicer to customers. The menu wasn't extensive which I believes means they cook what is on the menu really well instead of restaurants with 50 things in the menu. I love there lasagna and my wife loves the risotto. I have had other menu items but I have to admit I am addicted to their lasagna. I take home what I can't eat and it's even better the next day! The decor is a little dated and reminiscent of Kens steak house in Framingham. Good food, not great decor. They also make pizzas that I am going to try soon. BUT... It's a very nice family atmosphere and you can actually have a nice conversation without having to yell, unlike most anywhere else we have gone. The desserts are delicious and they have a nice choice of wines. There is a bar there which is always busy but I've never been in there. Very good local restaurant, very very good food and very nice relaxing atmosphere. Please replace the guy at the Maître d' desk!i read more

My family and I came here for dinner to celebrate. We got a couple appetizers including the flatbread that had figs, the cauliflower and some calamari. All were excellent and I could've eaten three times as much of it if there had not been so many people at my table LOL! I got the eggplant Parmesan for my main dish and the portion size was not too big not too small. I did end up having to take some home but that was because I personally prefer having leftovers. The eggplant was very tender and perfectly seasoned to my liking. I wish I lived in Massachusetts, because I would come back to this place with my husband. There aren't that many good restaurants in the Holliston and Ashland area, we are usually have to go all the way to Framingham or Natick, so this was a gem. I highly recommend!! read more

Food was good but the man at the host desk was incredibly rude. I had a reservation, and there were empty tables in the restaurant all night but I was given a hard time because they couldn't find my reservation. It was embarrassing! He could have handled the situation more appropriately. It ruined the night ! read more

Food is OK. Atmosphere is not that of a gourmet Italian restaurant. Beer list is sparse and devoid of the many local breweries. Prices reasonable. The best part of this restaurant is a bottle of olive oil at each table. Focaccia bread good but not fresh. Nice appetizer of fish cakes. Pasta dish of ravioli was good but not great. Lamb entree good but not great. Overall this Italian restaurant is a watered down version of what an Italian restaurant should be. read more

I have nothing but excellent things to say about this place. Great food, excellent service, best cocktails in town. The chicken Milanese is to die for. The desserts are even better. read more

Kitchen can't keep up with the volume. Waiting for my salad at 9:15. Got here at 8:15. Great atmosphere if they had ability to keep up with volume. Losing business due to poor turnover. Too bad, reminds me of Naked Fish. read more

We had dinner there 11/9/18. The appetizer - which had calamari and shrimp - was good. The dipping sauce was cold, however, and I think it would be better with spice. It seemed to be a creamy tomato pasta sauce. Dinner was fantastic. I had scallops and shrimp fettucini alfredo with a lot of broccoli and some mushrooms. It was superb. I wish I knew how they achieved the flavor- it could not possibly be improved upon. The seafood was cooked perfectly. My husband had the goat cheese ravioli, which was also apparently very good. Sadly, we were too full to try the desserts; I heard other patrons commenting on the superb key lime pie. Service was attentive without being overly-schmoozy. I would definitely return and recommend highly to others. read more

Erica's has amazing service and even better food! We are so happy to have authentic, delicious Italian food right down the street from our house! read more

Really enjoyed the food. Group of 4 so we had several things to try. Unfortunately service was not great. Very pleasant waitress just seemed overwhelmed and lots of waiting. Almost 20 minutes to get our drinks. Caesar salad and beer salad were great. Parmesan cauliflower was good (although thought they should have said it was deep fried). Eggplant stack was fantastic!!!! Could have used either sauce or something on the accompanying pasta. Veal Parm was fabulous. Best around! Risotto was awesome and salad w salmon was delicious and perfectly cooked. Cannot wait to go back and try other things (including pizza) Have been back twice since this review. Once ate in the bar area and service was fabulous. Ate last weekend in the dining room again and once again service was not good. 25 minutes to get salads and never saw server during dinner and a good 20 min after we had finished did she finally come over read more

Our favorite new spot is the bar at Erica's! Eat lightly because the desserts are amazing. They vary so if you're lucky they'll have the chocolate mousse or maybe the crime brûlée. read more

I wanted a quiet place to meet a friend who was in town with his family, and I picked Erica's based mostly on its Yelp reviews and its menu. I have to say, we were definitely not disappointed. The staff was attentive and polite and the food was delicious. No complaints at all, and I'd definitely come back here if I'm ever near Ashland at dinnertime. Give this place a try! read more

This is a great local restaurant! The food is amazing. We ordered the cauliflower as an appetizer and absolutely loved it. It came with a great dipping sauce and 6-8 large pieces of cauliflower in a tasty breading. For our meals we got the lasagna, the stacked eggplant, and the linguine with shrimp and scallops. All dishes were great and large portioned. read more

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Love this place. Entrees consistently very good to excellent. Had the carbonara last night. Excellent. Generous portions. Greg (bartender) does a fabulous job. Somehow me manages to remember our names and preferences. The place was packed hopping last night (sat 9/7). So happy for them that business is good. Keep it up! read more

Excellent food! We sat at the bar for dinner...for fast service this is not recommended. The bartender was fabulous. She was the only bartender on a Friday night. Even though it took a while for our food to come out, it wasn't her fault, she was juggling a lot of duties. Great atmosphere, delicious food, tasty drinks! We will definitely be back. I highly recommend the Primis appetizers, they are small, well priced and so tasty! read more

Owner is rude. I was not allowed to sit in the bar area and have a drink while I waited for my to go order.

This is NOT Italian (or as they say in "Aaash Land" " Eyetalian") - but a mere farce for a meal. They'd be better off call

Absolute hidden gem!!! Family owned and operated. I am not kidding you when I say this is one of the best chicken Parms I have ever had...I am full blooded Italian! So you know I know my food. Great date night spot! The staff are amazing...Boston quality food in the burbs. read more

Only giving 1 star cause you have too. We've given this restaurant a few chances and it always fails. Service stinks. Takes a long time to get served , Food, bill etc. Servers seem to be annoyed if you ask them to actually do something. Food is just ok. Honestly pizzas are best dishes and they should just do that. We left tonight and said remind ourselves to never come back ! read more

A friend told me about this place so my husband and I thought we'd try it since we like to support restaurants that are not chains. The food was good and the service was excellent. Our waitress was Pam and she was very knowledgeable and attentive. I had the special of the night which was risotto with shrimp and scallops. Very good. And my husband had the stacked eggplant dish which he said was good because it wasn't loaded down with too much cheese, which is the mistake many places make when serving eggplant. Overall, we were pleased to find a good restaurant nearby and we'll go back again soon. read more

I must say that I like many others who have shared their bad experiences am very disappointed. the owner seems to be very rude. i would rate this place as a glorified diner. our food was terrible and the place seems to be mismanaged as though nobody seems to be organized. the wait for our meal was extremely slow.I would not recommend going here. there are plenty of other well run establishments to spend your hard earned money than this place. read more

Erica's is a gem in Ashland center! My husband and I recently dined on a Friday night for our first date night since our son was born, so we were hoping for a great meal and Erica's did not disappoint. Our waitress, Sabrina, was super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We started with the baked goat cheese and the Tuscan ribs. Both were excellent, although I don't know what was "Tuscan" about the ribs. For our Entrees, I had the salmon special with corn coulis, corn salsa and roasted potatoes. It was absolutely delicious. The salmon was cooked perfectly. The potatoes were a tad over cooked and lacked a bit of flavor, but the rest of the dish was so good, I didn't mind. My husband got the (huge) pork shank with probably a pound of mashed potatoes & what was supposed to be asparagus, but it came with roasted zucchini instead, which he was a bit bummed about since asparagus is his fave, but he still raved about the entire dish. We ended the meal with their homemade crème brulee - yum! I was so surprised to see the negative reviews by others because we had a really wonderful night out at Erica's. Our bill was just over $100 and we each got two cocktails - super reasonable! Support a local family-owned business and give Erica's a try! read more

Wow! Had a fantastic dinner last night watching the Red Sox win! Perfectly grilled and perfectly seasoned grilled shrimp to start with a lovely touch of grilled lemons, it makes them so sweet! Sam was nice enough to accommodate my taste for a veal Milanese sandwich with arugula snd lemon butter, molto bene! The ice cold martini's gave us a good start. Great neighborhood gem, I'll be in every time I visit area, which is often. read more

Erica's Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Ashland, Massachusetts

I sitting home thinking of Friday nights dinner at Erica's. Unfortunately they're closed on Sunday. The dish I'm day dreaming about is the Cioppino. Erica's has it down, the best I've had anywhere. And I've had it everywhere! The sauce and seafood is perfect! Fresh Scallops, Shrimp, Muscles, and White fish in a delicious light red sauce. So good I could drink as an appetizer and I'm not kidding! My wife had the Salmon which was delicious moist and flaky. She opted for risotto that was delicious, tender and creamy. The cocktails before hand are always on point. That along with the nice selection of wines makes for a very enjoyable evening! On the way out the door, I suggested to the owner a gluten free pasta that is more durable than the one they are using. He said, I'll have it here tomorrow! How could he be more accommodating than that? Erica's is definitely one of our go to spots read more

Well, the food was fantastic, and that's the only reason this place is getting 3 stars. Because unfortunately, our service was really not good... I made a reservation for 6 for Mother's Day dinner, about 2 weeks prior to the day. They're not normally open on Sundays but were open special hours for the Mother's Day holiday. Our party arrived a few minutes before our reservation time, and were unpleasantly surprised to find that the only table they had available was a high-top in the bar area. The hostess and manager(?) were apologetic that they couldn't seat us in the dining room, but said that I hadn't specified if I wanted to be seated in the dining room or bar when I called and made the reservation, so they wouldn't hold a table specifically there for us. Well, this is a new place, and I'd never been here before, so how was I supposed to know that there were two sections? I really think the hostess, or whoever took down our reservation, should've asked if we had a preference if this is the case. Clearly, I was making a family reservation on Mother's Day, so... I would think this would be kind of obvious from a hospitality standpoint. The manager (again, guessing this is who this was) walked me through the dining room to show that they only had 4-seater booths available, and said he could split our party to be seated at those. No thank you, it was Mother's Day, again. Once we were seated in the bar area, it became clear that there was only one waitress for the entire section. I felt bad for the server, as she looked like she was going to cry almost every time she came to the table. But the run-down was that we had to flag down the server to take orders, we had to ask for extra silverware, one person didn't receive their soup, drinks and refills were forgotten, and an entree was completely forgotten and came out about 15 minutes after the rest. The manager and server were apologetic about mistakes, but I was slightly surprised that he didn't offer to comp any part of the meal. Like I said, everyone was happy with their food. However, this place definitely needs to get some of their service kinks worked out before we would consider returning. read more

Had dinner tonight with our family. Great place, great food. Posted some pictures, sorry I didn't post the soup (Italian sausage and bean) so good. Everything was really good, chicken Parmesan, ribs, meatballs. read more

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As an Ashland resident, I was really hopeful my first trip here would be excellent. Well, unfortunately I was disappointed. My wife and I took our two kids here on a Friday night. We went pretty early- got there around 5:15 and it was pretty quiet in there. One other table in the dining room and a moderately busy bar area. We had a very nice server who took great care of us. We had arancini as an appetizer. The plate had three golfball-sized rice balls. The portion size was about what a single person would eat for passed hors d'oeuvres at a wedding or dinner party, not what people would share at a restaurant. I'd expect double the portion for the price. Additionally, one of my 1.5 rice balls was still cool on the inside so the cheese wasn't melted. This was a theme for the rest of the meal. For entrees, the kids had kids' meals. I had the lasagna, which was not terrible but wasn't fantastic either. It was nice and cheesy, but the beef in it appeared to be cooked separately from the sauce on top, so it was essentially cooked ground beef with no (or very little) seasoning/flavor. My wife had chicken parm. Neither of our food was hot, which was kind of weird. They weren't freezing cold, but they were barely warm at best. My wife (who is not picky about food) commented that the sauce was very bland and that part of her chicken (although cooked) was cold. Overall, service was great but the food needed work. We live in Ashland so will likely give it another chance given that it's still new and we want to love it. It's not inexpensive by any means (bill was $80 before gratuity, but we had one cocktail on the bill), and we absolutely did not get what we pod for. We hope our next visit is a lot more tasty (and hot). read more

Never tried Erika's ..although we live in Ashland, so we gave it a go last night for takeout. I was pleasantly surprised!! I got the steak salad which was delicious with slices of steak and gorgonzola cheese. My husband got the Caesar salad which he said was excellent. We ordered my son Chicken bites off the kids menu and my husband and I were obsessed! We said we would order them for ourselves as an appetizer next time. We also got the kids spaghetti, which was a generous portion for a low price , came with a slice of bread too. We are thrilled to have discovered this place and will be back again read more

I went here last night with two friends. We went at 5:30 and the restaurant was practically empty. The outside looks like a tiny little old house and it looks like they don't have much room. Inside however, it is nice and bright and clean and modern and they have plenty of space. I read a lot of reviews before I went there that said the staff and owners were rude and unfriendly but that is not what I experienced. The staff was attentive and friendly and our waitress was absolutely wonderful. I cannot say that this was the best food I ever had but that does not mean that it was bad. The food was good and very reasonably priced. Yes I have had better but I still enjoyed my meal. I got the chicken with spinach and mushrooms and fontina. I had only two complaints. The potatoes were under done and the chicken was a little on the salty side. A friend of mine got the veal Parmesan and said that the veal was excellent his only complaint there was more pasta than meat and not enough sauce. They also have a drink, nonalcoholic, called a raspberry lime Ricky and they use fresh raspberry purée I have to tell you it was so good I ordered two. Truly delicious. We also got crème brûlée for dessert the presentation was wonderful the only problem was it was way too sweet. They put caramel on the bottom and that's just too much sugar in one dish. A little less sweet and it would be perfect. By the time we left the restaurant was full. I have to admit it was an extremely pleasant atmosphere. It is not particularly fancy but it is just so lovely and comforting and they played the nicest background music it was very relaxing. I cannot say that if I were to go out to dinner with friends again I would make this place my first choice. However, I would certainly go back if the opportunity happened to come up. And as a sidenote for anyone who might be curious the restaurant itself does not have a parking lot but there is an enormous public parking lot right across the street and parking is free. If you were thinking about trying this place and are not sure I would say ... give it a try overall I think you'll like it. read more

The food isn't great but greatly overpriced. Place smells mildewed. I know people that love this place but can't say I've ever had anything I've actually liked. The drinks are watered down. I'd like to see this small business survive but I'm not sure they will in the long run with the lackluster food. read more

Nice, cozy spot in Ashland. Tasty cocktails and meh food and service. Service was not great. Waited at least 15 minutes before being acknowledged by our server, Sabrina and it was not busy one bit. She did time the food accurately in regards to having enough time to eat our app before our dinners. She seemed uninterested in serving and was't so pleasant. We waited another 15 minutes before coming to pick up our credit card for payment. The food - I would not recommend their margarita pizza. It was terrible. Not enough cheese and had canned, diced tomatoes and chopped onions as the sauce. What kind of margarita pizza doesn't have fresh, sliced tomatoes? I felt like I was eating canned tomatoes and chopped onions on dough. The duck entree was OK. I probably wouldn't order it again as it didn't blow me away. The braised endives were a bit strange but the roasted pears were tasty. Arancini was delicious and so were the cocktails which were the redeeming part of the evening. read more