oh. em. gee. best pasta i've ever had in my life…read more i was looking online for an italian restaurant and this came up multiple times. first off, the interior is gorgeous, plush green seats and antique style. we ordered their special items of the night: lobster risotto and the vodka veal. genuinely the best risotto i've ever had. the people online were not lying when they said their vodka rigatoni was the best. it was indeed very very delicious. even though all of us were full from the pasta, we still had to get tiramisu. it was a perfect way to end the meal. our server was great and attentive, thank you for a wonderful meal.

7/5/26: I stopped by Gigi for lunch around 1 PM on a Sunday, and surprisingly the restaurant was…read morealmost empty. My guess is that this is more of an evening destination where people come for cocktails and the atmosphere rather than lunch. We ordered a Diet Coke, the Scampi appetizer, Carbonara, and the Rigatoni Alla Vodka. The scampi was easily the best part of the meal. It was flavorful, cooked well, and made for a nice appetizer to start things off. Unfortunately, the pastas didn't quite meet expectations, especially considering the price. The Rigatoni Alla Vodka was $28, but the pasta wasn't cooked al dente and felt overdone. The Carbonara, also $28, was disappointing as the eggs had curdled and the dish ended up being much oilier than I expected. At $18, the scampi was enjoyable, but overall I don't think the food justified the price point. One bright spot was the service. Our waitress was incredibly kind, checked in on us frequently, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. The restaurant itself is beautiful and has a very aesthetic design. I can definitely see why it's popular on social media. There is also outdoor seating, which I imagine would be a nice option on a warm summer evening. One thing I did notice, though, is how closely the tables are spaced together. Since the restaurant was mostly empty during our visit it wasn't an issue, but I could see it feeling crowded and fairly loud once the dining room fills up. I was honestly surprised by the meal because Gigi is part of the Mazi Restaurant Group, and I've really enjoyed some of their other concepts, especially Kava Neo-Taverna. Based on this experience, though, I think there are plenty of Italian restaurants in Boston that offer better food and better value for the same price. Overall, I'd give Gigi 3/5 stars. The service and atmosphere were both strong, but the food didn't live up to the pricing. If I came back, it would probably be for drinks, appetizers, and the ambiance rather than a full Italian dinner.

Carmelina's was one of the highlights of my visit to the North End. The atmosphere was cozy and…read morewelcoming, and the staff made us feel right at home. I had the homemade pasta, and it was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. You can tell a lot of care goes into every dish. The portions were generous, and even though it was busy, the service stayed attentive throughout the meal. I can definitely see why this place is so popular, and I'll be back the next time I'm in Boston.

Food is AMAZING!!! The food quality never disappoints Our favorite place in The North End.read more

You might accidentally walk past this cute Italian ristorante...and you would regret it. I walked…read morearound the area for a while before settling at a table by the window in Giacomo's. I was quickly greeted and informed that they were cash-only dining. But fret not, for just inside the doorway is a perfectly placed ATM. It took only a few seconds for me to pinpoint the exact item on the menu that my stomach was craving and my eyes fixed upon...Antipasto for an appetiser and chicken Marsala for the entree. The antipasto dish arrived very quickly and was a beautiful layout. Of course I desired to save some room for the entree but ended up eating about 3/4 of the appetiser before it arrived. The chicken marsala was absolutely perfect, still steaming on the plate as she placed it before me. I told myself I would only eat half the dish and take the rest back to my hotel for snacking later. However, my taste buds are not allow me to stop feasting on this Italian delicacy. If you're ever in the area, don't worry about the other Italian restaurants in the downtown, although I am sure that they are well and good, but Giacomo's is well worth your consideration. My only regret is that I only have one more night here to try another one of their delectable dishes.

Let me get the one negative I have about this place out of the way - NO AC!…read moreIf you happen to want to try Giacomo's, make sure it isn't humid or overwhelming hot like how it was for my family and I, otherwise you will be suffocating. I felt horrible for the chefs in the back and the staff who were working amidst the flames in that heat for hours, wow. However... given the circumstance and the appropriate weather, Giacomo's might just be one of the most scenic and atmospheric spots in all of Boston's Little Italy in the North End. I can promise you, if you're looking for good quality Italian food with no fillers in portioning or shortcuts in meal quality and preparation - Giacomo's is for you. Some of the best bites of food I've had in recent memory from any place I've been to period! The joint and the staff have such class and professionalism, it's an experience all to itself. I will be back next time to sample more of their delicious and famous seasonal menu items and wine pairings. Cash only spot as of right now and I'm unsure if they plan on changing it, so be mindful of that.

Great food, good service, surprisingly affordable as well. I had the mushroom ravioli special and I…read morethought it was fantastic.

Isabella's is truly one of those special restaurants that you don't just visit--you remember…read more From the moment you walk in, you can tell how much pride and passion goes into everything. Martin, the owner, is quite honestly one of the hardest-working restaurateurs I know. His dedication to his restaurant, his customers, and the quality of the food is evident in every detail. And the food? Absolutely exceptional. Everything was incredibly fresh, beautifully prepared, and bursting with flavor. The chicken literally melted in my mouth--it was so tender, juicy, and delicious. Every bite was perfection. You can taste the quality and freshness in every dish. The atmosphere, the service, the food, and the attention to detail all came together to make an absolutely wonderful experience. If you're in Boston's North End and looking for an incredible meal, Isabella's is a must. I can't recommend it highly enough. Martin and his team have created something truly special, and I can't wait to go back!

Thought that I was gonna get pasta, but decided to settle for sandwiches instead and it ended up…read morebeing a great decision! The pesto chicken sandwich is absolutely delicious-- from the focaccia bread being heavily seasoned to the chicken being juicy and crunchy at the same time, with the pesto, bring a great taste to the table overall, I absolutely loved this sandwich. The meatball Panini was also delicious if you are a meatball fan! Service was good. I just wish that it was a little bit more attentive at times as we waited a little longer to have gotten our check. I will come back here again to try more of their dishes and to try some of their drinks as well!

I wanted to love this restaurant - the service was so friendly and attentive. This may have been…read morethe particular dishes I chose , but unfortunately, the food was just okay I ordered the shrimp scampi and Brussels sprouts. The sprouts had too much balsamic reduction on it which was cloying, and the garlic aioli didn't have a distinctive taste. Together it was too much sauce and the sprouts were generally overcooked, the mushy texture that makes people dislike them. The shrimp was cooked perfectly but the seasoning was on the bland side and too little sauce. It did have a nice brightness on the lemon and butter. The pasta had good texture (freshly made), but not enough flavor. The place was quite busy on a Monday night, but I don't think I'll return.

Amazing food. I also loved the ambience. It was reminiscent of the Mediterranean…read more The plates, plating, and serving ware were tastefully chosen. The service fast attentive and friendly. I'd definitely be back when on vacation again. The orange honey cake was mind blowing

Lovely ambience..perfect for a date night. We were seated indoors and realised it was too loud so…read morewe requested to be seated on the patio. We got the Tiropita rolls 5/5: the best of the lot. Crispy on the outside and doughy and cheesy on the inside. The Greek honey butter and olives were perfect! The butter was light and airy Tzatziki trio 3.5/5: the dips were great, especially the corn one and the beetroot one, even if a little bland Skopiteniki 3/5: the shell was good but the stuffing was okay..almost forgettable. The dish was also too dry. The wine was great! The server had us try a couple and helped us pick. My partner's wine was delayed so they took off the wine charges on our final bill.

Wow! This kitchen is on fire! We were happy to find Mida open on the 4th of July! We were in Boston…read morefor a week and had some excellent food and this was our favorite restaurant of the trip. The service was amazing from the kitchen. We had a food party and shared all items. Pizza, fritto misto, braised beef on cauliflower puree ( no picture it was so good I forgot) Caesar salad and meatballs (also forgot to shoot a picture). Food was absolutely amazing. One note that I would normally score down on service when I order a drink before dinner I should at least get the drink and be able to consume it before all the food comes! Mida missed an opportunity here in timing the food and lost some liquor sales as a result. We gave this feedback to our server. Food was totally worth it and the vibe of the space was nice. Thanks Mida for a greata meala!

Moody, classy interior that's perfect for a night out !…read more Spacious with plenty of seating (had no trouble making a last minute reservation) and great service all-around. Ordered the sausage pizza and mushroom pappardelle. 10/10 pizza--crispy crust with spicy peppers that balance out the sausages. Not to mention, most of the pizzas had reasonable prices for this area. Pasta was very mild (great if you're looking for a 'butter noodle' vibe) but personally wish it had more flavor. Highly recommend overall and would be a great choice for groups !

Back in July 2020, I returned to SRV and decided to try the Arsenale tasting menu, a chef-curated,…read moremulti-course shared experience. Since it was summertime, we were able to sit outside in the courtyard out back. I had been to SRV before and had no idea this space was even there. It was tucked away, relaxed, and a great setting for dinner. I was pleased with just about everything that came to the table. There was one dish that simply wasn't doing it for us, but we didn't complain or ask for anything different. Then something happened that really stood out. The chef came out herself and mentioned that she noticed we barely touched that particular dish. She asked if she could send us something else instead. Sure enough, she did. That immediately took the service to another level. We never had to say a word. She noticed, cared enough to ask, and made sure we left happy. Looking back on this July 2020 visit, the food was creative, the courtyard was a nice surprise, but that level of attention from the chef is what I remember most. It turned a great dinner into a memorable one.

Was excited to try SRV for the first time! The food was good, the servers were attentive, and the…read morerestaurant is beautiful inside. The one major issue we had was the timing with food. It was insanely slow. The starters were a little slow to come out, but nothing unusual. The entree, however, took probably close to 40 minutes to come out. We had so much time in between courses, by the time we go our food I was ready to leave. I also want to note that this was a Monday, they had a decent dinner rush, but it wasn't slammed. I have never experienced such slow timing with food before. I also work in the service industry, so it's a bummer to have to leave this review, but I was in genuine disbelief at how long it took. I understand things happen and maybe this was just a one-off thing, I hope it was! I wanted to get coffee and dessert but was so over it by the time we got our dinner, I didn't want to risk how much longer it would take. Unfortunately, because of how slow the service was and how long we were left there waiting, it made the dinner experience unenjoyable. Totally was not our servers fault! She and the whole staff were great, and everyone was so kind and friendly. Hoping to give this place another try one day. Definitely want to try their dessert if I decide to give them another chance.

My coworkers and I had an amazing experience at The Salty Pig in Boston!…read more From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was lively and inviting. You can immediately tell this place takes pride in what they do, especially when you see the chefs in action. Watching them work with the freshly made dough and expertly handle the pizza oven added such a fun and authentic touch to the experience. The food was absolutely incredible. The pizza was hands down one of the best we've had--perfectly crisp crust, fresh ingredients, and full of flavor in every bite. We also ordered the cucumber salad, which was refreshing, light, and the perfect complement to the richness of the pizza. Everything about our visit felt thoughtfully done, from the quality of the food to the energy of the space. If you're in Boston and looking for a spot with amazing pizza, fresh ingredients, and a great vibe, The Salty Pig is a must-visit. We'll definitely be back! We had just arrived to Boston and we were starving so I didn't take photos.

I was originally going to give them a 3 but my family was right it's more of a 3.5 and I should…read moreround it to a 4. The reason is the service was so slow. There were seating inside and outside. Inside was a lot larger than it looks. But they were understaffed and our waitress was running between both areas. When we could get her attention she was incredibly polite and professional but she could only do so much. After we ordered it too over 20 minutes for a proscutto cotto sandwich and two Margherita pizzas to come out. She was kind enough to ask them to add an egg to the sandwich which is usually added to a pizza. The sandwich was basically a fancy ham sandwich which was still pretty good. The egg elevated it in my opinion. The pizzas were also good, chewy dough, fresh ingredients, and not too charred. Then we looked for her to get the check. It took another 20 minutes before we could leave. The process just took too long.

Great food, lovely ambiance, and awesome waitress! Perfect GNO or date night spot…read more I really liked both of the entrees we ordered. - - The lasagna was a hearty, comforting bite. Adding short rib as the protein gave the classic dish a unique but welcome twist. I was a fan! - The rock shrimp carbonara was al dente (and made with bucatini!!) and covered in the perfect amount of creamy sauce. No notes there. Also huge shout out to our waitress (who we unfortunately did not get the name of). She helped us pick a delicious wine, and made our night a bit more entertaining.

Was excited to try this place because of all the reviews but I have to admit I'm confused…read more The highlights of our night were our server Daniel, their olive oil, and the deconstructed, wacky tiramisu. Daniel was super friendly, checked on us a lot, and offered a lot of suggestions including a red wine that is now my boyfriend's favorite. The free bread they give you came with some of the best olive oil I've ever eaten. Lastly, The tiramisu is not like any I've tried before but I honestly really liked it. It was super fresh and the espresso they pour over it is delicious. The rest of the food was meh. -North Shore Fritto Misto: 4/5, average squid:pepper ratio, fried well so they were not too chewy, great sauce. -Foccacia: 3/5, fluffy and soft but pretty boring unless you dip it in your pasta sauce. -Lasagna: boyfriend 4/5, me 2.5/5. I thought it was really salty and all I could taste was rib, no other components. Important to note though this was not my entree and I only had a few bites. -Bolognese: 1/5, the pasta cooked so well gave this a point otherwise the sauce was super thin, there was like no meat, and all I could taste were scallions.