What happened to this place? I'd had some wonderful meals here, but hadn't been for a couple years. Went with another couple last night, and I was embarrassed for recommending it. The food was all mediocre. Even the calamari, which I'd remembered as sublime, was worse than average--limp, greasy, bland. Fried artichokes were pathetic. The main courses--tagliatelle with 9-hour ragu, eggplant parmesan, veal--were okay, but not exceptional. Even the chocolate gelato (icy) and biscotti (bland) were sub-par! On top of the disappointing food, the service ranged from impolite (hostess) to inefficient to the point of neglectful (server). Even the text reminders about the reservation had an unpleasant tone: "You're due at il Casale in 30 minutes." Good service from the support folks who brought out bread, water, food, however. Sad to see how this once-great restaurant has declined. I won't be going back. read more

The first time here years ago, the food was great, but I guess not great enough to come back more often. Tonight, mediocre. The 'crispy' calamari was anything but. It was soggy and mushy. Not good. I had the chicken marsala which was tasty but too much on the plate. The cut up jarred sun dried tomatoes were too much on this dish and really not needed. The shrimp pasta dish (gamberri???) was so bland. They also used this tiny shrimps mixed in with larger shrimp. Why??? Service was good. Did not like getting the bill with a 'kitchen' charge on there without being forwarned. It felt a bit sneaky? I do agree restaurant workers are awesome and deserve accolade, but not like that. So, mediocre food and very overpriced!!! read more

Excellent food great Patio dining. Good service And takeout service. The inside is a little loud

With only a few minor hiccups, Il Casale puts forth brilliant profiles that shot Dante ahead of his class from the inner walls of a firehouse-cum-rustic kitchenette. A long bar runs its course along the buzzing Western hemisphere of a single-room dining area, typically with nary a stool available. With a reservation, you'll likely be seated on the opposite side of a noise-muffling curtain, beneath a decorative orchard of plastic orange trees and soft light strands. A Midsummer Night's Dream, fully catered. The menu arrangement is typical: small plates, primi, secondi, thirditti, fourthopini, and so on... We opted for the burrata, calamaretti and gorgonzola sfizi ($6, squid an extra buck). Tentacles and rings in a salty batter, fried well and til tender and sided by a fried lemon wheel. Tasty, but truthfully, we probably could have eaten it anywhere. The candied pistachios gave a textural counterpart to the pleasant, slightly skeined burrata, while the gorgonzola emerged as the clear winner - buttery toast points kissed with the sharp cheese and sweetened by grappa-soaked raisins and raw pignoli nuts. Order three and call it a date. Ha! Entrees are not to be missed, filling the homestyle void that only a well-portioned plate of pasta can. My broken lasagna ($16, rotates daily) featured crimini mushrooms, a hearty broth and shredded skirt steak, surrounded by a swarm of al dente noodles. Just the right heft without being overly dense, and perfectly seasoned. An outstanding dish, that won both our hearts (she was lukewarm on the tagliatelle's Bolognese). Want a proper bourbon cocktail? Go Crusta. Brown stuff, Créole shrubb, cherry heering, lemon juice and orange bitters disappeared way too quickly. Service set a high standard on the whole, leaving us surprised when ordered drinks were forgotten on two occasions. It's a comfortable spot with solid food and a healthy buzz - definitely returning in the near future. read more

I first learned about Il Casale my visiting it's young sister restaurant in Lexington (where I work). I am there often, after work, for a bite to eat on the way home. On this night I took my date to the older sibling in Belmont largely because my fellow Yelper's rate it 4-stars (while the Lex sister is only 3 - although I rate it better than that). Anyway, I would have given the Belmont older sibling 4.5 stars if I could. My *only* complaint is that if you like eating at the bar (I prefer it) you should expect to be uncomfortable. There are way too many chairs crammed into the length of the bar, which would be fine is the avg. American was skinny as a rail), the barstool chair backs are at the wrong angle to make them any good for more than hanging your coat, and the distances and angles of the bar / foot rest / room for legs under the bar is off. We simply could not get comfortable. Okay. That said. Like I said above that is my only complaint. The food was outstanding. We shared the Buratta and Arincini appetizers followed by an order of the Chicken Parm (also shared). Everything was delicious, prepared perfectly, and served piping-hot from the kitchen. We found the wait staff and barkeeps to be friendly and helpful too. Looking forward to a return visit! read more

Menu hasn't changed in 10 years. Dined in house on 1/29//2021 ordered Pasta w/chicken in tomato sauce.... came to the table barely warm. My husband ordered a side of pasta w/tomato sauce, the sauce was definitely overcooked, barely warm and not bright and lively as a marinara should be. Stick with the appetizers and a cocktail; the arancini were delicious and the salads are very good. The rest of the menu is just Meh!! read more

Buongiorno, Principessa! Live in "Metro West" and don't feel like trekking aaallllll the way into the North End for a fabulous Italian meal? I mean, you have to think about the traffic and the parking, and the lack of parking, and the parking ticket you get from parking in the wrong place, and the reservations...bleh bleh bleh. Fret not, my faithful Yelpers! IL CASALE IS HERE! Yes, in Belmont lies Dante's new (*ish) restaurant in the totally cool, totally revamped, totally chic old firehouse. Superb interior, intimate lighting, and a wonderful staff - - - five stars, no question. I have had the privilege to attend work events here (so it's privately catered to our group - a'very nyyce), and the spread was incredible! Incredibly knowledgeable and friendly staff - all smiles, my darlings. Be sure to try: the risotto balls (I could eat these nonstop for the rest of time - crisp on the outside, warm and soft on the inside); fresh mozzarella; asparagus salad; THE MEATBALLS ARE BETTER THAN MY EX'S ITALIAN NANNA'S (no apologies will be made - I have spoken). And - the butternut squash ravioli? ...possibly my new "Last Meal Request." Just give me a big vat of them - I cannot even describe how smooth and sweet these morsels are...just go to Il Casale and order up a plate for yourself (and for me, while you're at it)...you'll understand. I'm always on the hunt for a great martini destination. Not just a place that knows how to shake (or stir, whatever) it up....but is unique and adventurous with their cocktail menu. The other day I tried two martinis that totally rocked my world: The Ibiscus, and Il Giornalista. The first is composed of: Hibiscus Tea, Simple Syrup, lime, Bombay Sapphire, Mint, and Basil (I know...basil? YES). The second is basically a whiskey/cherry martini - it'll kick you on your arse, but that didn't stop me from ordering a second! Make reservations for dinner, dress like the classy fox you are, and you will be sure to impress your dining companion. It's a steep bill - but I'm more than willing to splurge on this gem of Belmont! read more

Il Casale - Set up for a private party on 12/17/10. - Italian Near Me - Belmont, Massachusetts

Thoroughly enjoyed the atmopshere of the old firehouse.. Great location and parking was quite easy. The Servers were quite knowledgeable on their wines as well as being able to suggest great items off the menu. The food was good and portions just right. The exposed kitchen was nice to see and the openness added to the size without taking away from the quaintness. read more

Had a dinner for a first time at Casale. My first dish, the Cod Fish was not tasty at all. It was a plate full of oil and vegetables with a skid of cod Fish in the middle. The cod has no taste, it almost looked like a soup. I was really disappointed and only ate the cod and returned my plate. Then I order the Caviar and Salmon on pasta. This one was pretty good, exactly how I liked it. The dessert were fantastic, very rich! I would recommend that you come here on a "note busy night". I think they can do better when it's not too full. As I could see from my chair, there wasn't not enough chef in the kitchen, but a lot of waiters. Anyway.. I was not really amazed, plus they didn't offer us bread and olive oil while waiting for our dish, which is suppose to happen in an Italian restaurant. read more

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We just went here today for our three-year anniversary. Unfortunately, we should have chosen another place to celebrate. We had reservations specifying it was for an anniversary and were sat immediately. The place wasn't really busy when we arrived and a bit loud as it was a very open seating arrangement. The good part was that the tables were far enough away from each other so we couldn't hear other people's conversations. The waitress started out fairly quickly offering water and announcing the specials, and then she came back a few minutes later after being informed it was our anniversary and congratulated us and offered a half glass of prosecco on the house. The thought was nice (can't spring for a full glass...but I digress), but my wife is pregnant so we declined the offer. I ordered a negroni to start, and it was made perfectly, and then we shared the calamari as an appetizer, which was also really great. My wife ordered the gnocchi and I ordered the tagliatelle bolognese. Here's where things started to get a bit disappointing. They offer half and full portions and the waitress explained the half portion as being very small, so we both got the full portions. Both dishes were good, but not for the price. My wife's gnocchi was around 26 and mine was also 26. For that price, the food should be MUCH better than it was. I'm not saying it was bad, but nowhere near commanding that price level. Then we ordered dessert, which was a disappointment. It was the lemon olive oil torta with marscapone and strawberry compote. Not good. The waitress really recommended it but I've had better cake from market basket. Then came the time to wait, and wait, and wait, for our bill. The waitress was very busy, and the owner or kitchen manager (guy in a blue chef's coat) was standing around not really doing anything. He even looked over in our direction a few times, but nothing came of this. Finally, she came with our bill and I had my credit card ready to hand her, and she said she would be back. We waited about 5 minutes until I was frustrated, so I gave her cash instead, took my card, and we left. Had she been quicker during the service, she would have been given a better tip. So all in all: -It's decent food but not for the price. -Don't bother with dessert. -Don't go when it's busy or you will be forced to wait for too long. We won't be back. read more

From Belmont Hills to Italy in 7 minutes! Perfect place to eat during these times. Take a trip to Belmont and experience fine dining with out a parking ticket! read more

The food is world class and so is the service! I have never had a bad experience here. Best Italian food in Greater Boston, bar none. Try the Amatriciana pasta. It is a delight! Puts North End to shame. Fantastic brunch too! Try the eggs bene! read more

I would highly recommend Il Casale to anyone looking for delicious Italian food. Our server was great and the owner Dante's hospitality towards our party was exceptional. I would definitely come back. read more

I would give this restaurant 0 stars if I could. We visited this restaurant with a very regular customer, where not only was she treaten with blatant disregard, but the management handled the situation atrociously. I write this on behalf of our friend who is a seasoned customer along with her sister. We arrived at 6:30pm on a Friday, usually a packed time however on this Friday the restaurant was half full. Upon arriving, mistakes filled the air starting out with a failed cocktail request. After that, drinks--appetizers--and our entreés took exceedingly longer and longer to arrive (2 hours approximately). Not only were there exceedingly long wait times but there were mistakes within the order. It was only after asking for the whereabouts of our entreés that we will given attention. A new server unbenowest of us was selected as our waitress--a woman of middle-age who had an extremely horrid disposition. Throughout the night, the waitress's anger problems came to fruition, resulting in short responses and an overall aura of disrespect. Requests to fix our meals were completely ignored until we eventually had to talk to a manager. When we addressed the waitress's tone to the female manager on duty, she dismissed us completely and took the side of the waitress. Myself, my boyfriend and our friend all witnessed this behaviour, however, 3 objective views of the situation did not warrant causality from this abhorrent manager. She ensured that problems would be fixed, however, did not even come back to address the problems that occurred (we had asked for simple requests, but she did not follow through with filling them). Overall, the female manager was simply as bad as the waitress herself. Worse, for all the disrespect we received tonight, the waitress herself was too "proud" to even address us again. We received no apologies for the behaviour or mistakes of that night from the waitress. She could not own up to the fact she completely disrespected and embarrassed a customer who has been visiting Il Casale for many years and giving the restaurant a lot of money. Our friend knows the owner of the restaurant quite well, and is extremely perturbed by the behaviour. To me, it is extremely odd that you would treat a repeat customer who frequents your business with this much refusal to admit wrongdoings. Dining is an experience. It is not only the food that is crucial but, a pleasant dining environment is important at such an expensive place. However, be warned that if you go to Il Casale again and continue to fuel their business by repeat visits--you will be treaten with blatant disregard read more

Did outdoor dining with my family yesterday. Everything was delicious. Service was a bit perfunctory but honestly given covid and social distancing this was not something I was really concerned about. Kids licked their plates (or they would have if I hadn't stopped them). I had calamari and tagliatelle bolognese and both were delicious. And bit pricey, but a treat for us, so well worth it. read more

What happened?? I have only eaten here once before, about 7 years ago, and remembered liking it much more then. This time around the food was just "okay". My pasta dish was too salty and did not have very interesting flavors. I wasn't crazy about their "homemade" pasta either (unless I am just used to the boxed kind?!). I also felt the spinach salad lacked imagination. The bruschetta and bread were good, but overall the portions on everything were too small. (Perhaps they are trying to slim down America)... Aside from my food gripes, the atmosphere is beautiful. And the staff provided excellent service and were very friendly. But given the quality of our meal and the amount of money we spent, I left very disappointed. Just not worth it. read more

Really disappointing.. I get that it's the suburbs (I live in Belmont and grew up in Cambridge) I'm happy they saved the old fire station, but that's it for the positives. Food is either too salty or overcooked.and I like salt! If you're not a Townie or wearing a Rolex, forget getting attentive service.. Prices are absurd! They're not paying Harvard Square rents! Don't order seafood it's overdone and tough like it sat under the salamander.. Some pasta dishes are fine but not at that price.. It's funny how food can taste good when you're hungry but not even hunger can make up for blowing my eating out budget for the month. read more

Let me say, 3.5 stars for Il Casale is crazy! Without fail I have a great meal at this restaurant every time. Tonight, we enjoyed the arancini, fried calamari (best in Boston, if you ask me), kale Caesar salad, ricotta ravioli and squid ink spaghetti. The calamari has a wonderfully crispy coating and is really tender inside - perfetto! Back on a busy Friday night, the noise level can get a little high and the service slows somewhat, but the food was still great. And the prices really are not out of line for quality Italian, with half portion pastas around $14 and plenty substantial if you share a few appetizers and salad. read more

Dear Miss Bartender, I apologize that I dont know your name, but you and your awful service needs to be called out. I'm compelled to do so not only because of what you did, but also because I suspect the manager on duty didnt address the issue with you. I believe this because on the way out of the restaurant, I confronted you about the issue and you acted like you didnt know what I was talking about. Or maybe you were acting. You certainly did not hide the fact that you clearly didnt like waiting on me and my mother. Perhaps we were not the jet set, hip clients you would have preferred? I'm so sorry we didnt order some fabulous cocktail you most likely copped from another bartender or a glass of wine but that shouldn't matter. What does matter is that when I politely asked if someone could wipe down our table, your disregard and callous attitude towards us became evident and any restaurant cleanliness 101 you learned went out the door. I ask you, would you wipe down your bar with a someone's used linen napkin? I suspect you wouldn't. I also suspect you know better than that, thus I am writing this review and STILL wondering why anyone would do that? Yes, that's right to anyone who is reading this, the bartender of Il Casale Belmont didn't hesitate for one second after I asked if someone could clean the table to pick up my used dirty linen and drag it across our table in a few short swipes. Kind of defeats the purpose. Yes? By the way, they add a "sanitizing" upcharge to the bill if that's not insult to injury. All restaurant staff from a busser to a GM knows you dont do that. Unless you really dont like the customers your waiting on. Right? Even then, you don't. I cant say I have ever seen anyone do that. I was so shocked I called the Manager to tell him. I made it clear we were not looking for a free desert when I realized that he was going there- the go-to dessert freebie right out of the generic manager's playbook. What else could a manager do when confronted with the fact that his bartender attempted to ruin an evening for a mother and son that have been to Il Casale many times? I know. How about confronting your employee and telling them what they did was unacceptable and a downright crappy thing to do? That's exactly what I did on the way out and I was not disappointed by her rude, defensive reaction. Miss Bartender, I know you don't care about all this and you will serve many tables to the tune of 20% gratuity to your hearts content. But I saw your true colors. If I never eat again at Il Casale, it would be too soon. The food is not worth it. Oh but that's a completely separate rant I dont want to waste time with now but congratulations, Il Casale, you belong to the club of mediocre Italian restaurants guised as fine dining. read more

Treated myself to a lovely dinner here last night. Food is four - I nocked it down to three because of the service. Let's focus on the food! I started out with the burrata, so soft so creamy. Paired nicely with some pistachios too. Next time I will try the calamari - that looked heavenly. I also had the Arancini- these perfect balls of rice and cheese, I could have ate a bucket for my entree. Now my entree, I got the cut of the day. The steak was seasoned nicely and served with a nice bed of greens and parm. Don't deny yourself the potato fritters ! So overall the kitchen is rocking and you can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Plus it's an open kitchen so if something isn't right you can see/ smell it as they guys are working. The space itself has a great ambience, many options for seating including a patio. Oddly they even have seating in the bathroom- I don't know why they just do. So here it is my issue with the service. When I say at the bar a little after opening one bartender helped me wonderfully but then he got pulled to do the orders for the waitstaff. While the other bartender told me it was my fault for not asking what the special were- that it's not his job. His sassy cuteness didn't fair well with me or many other customers there. This guy very much focused on regulars or people he liked and that was frustrating. So next time I'll sit at a table and see- my suggestion only sit at the bar if you got a book to read! read more

Il Casale - This was the cut of the day (7/6/17) delicious! - Italian Near Me - Belmont, Massachusetts

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Had a delicious eggplant parm and meatballs. Park is not easy but place has a nice atmosphere.

'Not great'. I guess if you live in Belmont it's nice to have, but all in all the food isn't great. Serving tough veal makes me sad for the baby cow involved. It also isn't acceptable for the owner to be taking up a bar seat on a Friday night while a pregnant customer is waiting for a seat. It's further unacceptable when that owner is sitting at the bar eating off menu items that customers can't order. Lastly, don't tell me how to eat my food, we had to listen to our bartender give us a winded lesson on how to properly eat a chocolate dessert. For real? It's chocolate cake. At the end of the day the place survives due to lack of competition; it's an above grade suburban restaurant. read more

Finally go in and seated directly! Cause we made a reservation. We passed by several times on weekend and be told that people have to wait for 40min or more to have a table. They offer menu of Italian beer and desserts, taste good. We tried special grill black bass, and normal fresh pasta. Taste good but not excellent. Service is good, kindly got all dishes splitted for us. Will come back. read more

Looking for eggplant parmigiana like your Italian grandmother made? Here's your place. Good service too: not rushed, attentive and gracious. read more

We came to celebrate our daughter's graduation from college. We came in from out of state so I did not have much information to go on. I was not disappointed. It was delicious. The service was great. Very good wines. read more

Excellent dinner. Was in Belmont for work and this restaurant was recommended. So glad we chose this over the steak place we had also discussed. Il Casale had a great atmosphere, helpful waiter and delicious food. I ordered the cod special that was in a red sauce with fennel. I normally don't like fennel but thought I would give it a try - so glad I did! It was a flavorful dish and the cod was light and flakey. Also had a house salad a delicious chocolate mousse cake for dessert. My only criticism is that I wanted oil and vinegar for my salad and had to ask several times before I received it. Other than that the service was excellent (water glass constantly filled, knowledgeable waiter who made excellent recommendations). Wish this place was closer to home so that I could visit again! read more

Starts off with great ambiance and atmosphere- but in the end this is just overpriced food trying to do far more than it delivers. Every dish is a "take" on classic Italian courses - but end up being far less flavor for or unnecessarily complicated. The eggplant parm is topped with strange pesto looking greens, the chicken marsala consists of a dry chicken breast with oily brown sauce that bears little resemblance to that of reduced marsala wine. In order to hide the fact that the core ingredient of chicken marsala is missing - a saunteed spinach with again far too much oil tries to hide the components from which the dish gets its name. Overall the food is extremely mediocre, grossly overpriced, and the service is average at best. Save your money and head to the North End (or Cambridge!) for some good Italian food - as this is very much NOT what you are looking for. read more

On a Friday night, we were only able to get a 9 pm rese. The place was packed but we were greeted promptly by both bartenders and ordered drinks. They came quickly. The bar space was tight while we waited for our table. I asked for another table since the hostess showed us to one right by the door (its cold outside!). Appetizers: The salumi platter for 2 and the chicken liver crostini were the two best parts of the meal. I would suggest skipping the salt cod balls (bland, lukewarm) and the arancini (not what I hoped esp. since the arancini at Dante is great). Pasta: We ordered the carbonara and gnocchi, both half-orders but came out extremely small and lukewarm (that's twice). There was more plate than pasta. As for taste, the gnocchi was pillowy but overpowered by the lightly blanched veggies. The carbonara was pretty good but wasn't prepared with the traditional ingredients. Secondi: We were hoping for a knockout entree course after the apps and pasta, but were sadly disappointed with the vitello/ veal saltimboca and misto griglia/ grilled seafood plate. The portion sizes for both were laughable (yes, this is a trend at Il Casale and -you guessed it- they were lukewarm). The veal was undercooked and swimming in bland tomato sauce. The seafood plate was bland, needed seasoning, and some more seafood, less lettuce! Sides: You probably know already that they were lukewarm. Actually, our server informed us that the fagiolini/ green bean salad was served room temp. It came out cold...more like room temp in Alaska. The funghi/ mushrooms were very earthy, almost muddy in taste. Service: Hostesses greeted us promptly and accomodated our request for another table all before our 9 pm rese. The bar staff was friendly, prompt and attentive. Our server, Brandon, started off good but was less visible as the meal went on. When we informed him that the entrees were below par and disappointing he followed up with 20 questions, apologized (lukewarm), and asked if we wanted to see a dessert menu. When we declined dessert menu, he disappeared for several minutes... we assumed he went to inform a manager about our experience. When he returned with the check, my date was suprised that nothing was removed from the check. We didn't ask for anything to be removed, but its a nice gesture, esp. for a newer restaurant looking for regulars. To summarize: Most of the food was lukewarm...Strike One Portion size similar to tapas bar not Italian restaurant...Strike Two No management or staff tried to remedy our discontent with the meal...Strike Three We don't plan to go back. It was really disappointing that we shared our opinions about the meal with our server and a manager didn't approach us. It kind of seems like they just don't know how to handle service issues, or handle by avoiding. read more

I wanted to give them a little more time to work out the kinks since my first visit, but alas, nothing has changed and I left even a little hungry. Portions are ridiculously small and taste OK at best. The entrees, although nicely prepared look like child portions - such a disappointment! The waitress knew nothing about the entrees and when I asked her- what do you recommend, the salmon or the chicken, her response was: "Well, are you in a fish mood or a chicken mood?" Come on Il Casale, get on a level playing field with the "outstanding" Dante in Cambridge. I will say the bar and atmosphere is very nice, but lots of room for improvement with everything else! Oh, my favorite line of the night was when the waitress came over to the table with a quizzical look and asked, "Was everything OK tonight because you didn't include a gratuity?" We did make an error on the charge card and missed that, but it was handled in a very awkward fashion. I'm not giving up on you Il Casale. I love the location, the atmosphere and the friendly staff. I'm hoping for bigger and better things from you! I'll be back in a few months and hope to have more favorable things to say next time! read more

Really Yelp people? Four stars? Really??? I wanted to love Il Casale, I really did. I need a new higher end favorite place. The room is very nice, although on the louder side. I consider myself to have good hearing and I had to ask the waiter to repeat himself a few times. This is one of those "small plate" places that drive me batty. (And for the record, I don't need Cheesecake Factory size portions to be happy. I just want adult sized portions!) $7 for 10 rings of calamari and $7 for two small meatballs. I loved everything we ordered - I just wish there had been more of it! The portions for everything were teeny-tiny. The bread was doled out piece by piece. I was certainly not full when I left. The prices for what you get are outrageous. If money is no object and you aren't hungry, this is your place. read more

Dishes that are consistently good, and friendly and attentive service. Spacious and airy ambiance to boot. The crowd is a nice mix of first dates to Stepford wives gossiping over white wine to WASPy families that seem to suffer from a major bout of affluenza. We keep it simple when it comes to ordering - tomato bruschetta to start off, followed by basil pesto and bolognese for main courses, and end the evening with mango sorbet. There are plenty of wine and cocktails to choose from. Meals and drinks are pricey, but the owners of Il Casale know that the sleepy affluent suburbs have some inherited cash to burn. We really like Il Casale's sister restaurant Dante, and we're looking forward to Il Casale opening in Lexington Center in the near future. read more

I used to think of myself as the type that would never take pleasure in reading poor reviews of a place. Until now. Until Il Casale. Each poor review I see, I wring my hands together and I Montgomery Burns an "Exxxxxcccceellllent". I'm sorry, Il Casale, but it's hard to get a reservation, and this lady needs your fresh made pasta, crispy calamari with fried lemon wedges ( fried lemon- who knew?) and arugula salad with that tomato-ey bread stuff. I didn't know I needed that stuff 'till I had it. Keep it coming, Yelpers. Please. I'm hungry. read more

This is not a 4 star place. Maybe 3 at best but the service was so poor I had to give it 2 stars. This was my second time with the same waiter and honestly he needs to get trained or leave the food industry. He has no idea of time nor proper dining steps. Zero concept of wine pairing and the worst service recovery. We waited 15 min for bread then each course came out late while other tables that sat down after us were served. When asked for cheese to go on our hot pasta dishes he came back 15 later after doing everything else but his job. The food was ok nothing great and a tad over salted. Best part of the night was when there was a mistake on the bill and the server did not even apologize. He blamed it on a faulty computer system and took no ownership. Sad really some of my friends live this place but I do not know if I will come back. read more

The food is very good, but the way the menu is set up, the restaurant is steak-house expensive, which we were not expecting. The server warned us the appetizer portions were small (thanks for the warning, but shouldn't management just make them a bit more generous so the staff doesn;t have to apologize?), and that we should order 4 or 5 to share at $6 each. We ordered a couple of appetizers and some pasta dishes, and despite the waiter's promise that the kitchen was set up to pace a meal, it all came out together. Bread was really good, but the tray had 4 small slices for 4 people. It's bread, not gold! Entrees were good, although the pork chop was underdone, and was sent back. Sides are all ala carte at $6 each, and not really enough to share, and salads were around $12. We had no desire to see how tiny the desserts might be. Finally, and this is not excusable, the "cask aged specialty drink" was on the menu for $11, but we were charged $14 on the computer generated check. We brought it to the server's attention, and he took off the $3, but did not seem particularly embarassed or apologetic about it. Did not feel good about the meal, felt a bit ripped off, would not go back. read more

I came here with 3 others to celebrate a friends birthday. It was a memorable meal. I had previously dined at the chef's other restaurant, Dante, and loved it. The atmosphere is the complete opposite of Dante which is in a hotel by the water. Il Casale is in an old firehouse with exposed brick walls and rustic feel. We started at the bar for a drink while the table was being prepared. The bartender caught wind of a birthday and gave wishes. Even though were were eating at a table he went over the nights specials with us when we looked at the menu. I noticed some similarities between both menus. I am a huge fan of the arancini and had to have a repeat of it. We also got 2 versions of pates and the burrata mozzarella. Everything was outstanding. The arancini at Il Casale is in a marina sauce vs Dante which is drizzled with truffle honey. I also like how you can order a custom sized pasta portion. For someone like me who doesn't want a ginormous carb feast, this is a good value. I chose the fettuccine alfredo. This was out of this world. Clearly the best I've ever had. Very authentic, not the runny white sauce, it had a rich consistency against the home made pasta. It also had salmon pepperoni in it, which is smoked salmon. Other diners had the bolognese, gnocchi, and steak. Everyone cleaned their plates. For dessert we had the beignets and gelato. Both will satisfy your sweet tooth. The gelato was creatively infused with basil. Service was super, we were seated at the chefs table, steps away from the open kitchen. We were a bit indecisive and never felt rushed. She had good recommendations through the evening. Price point was moderate for entrees. I recommend starting with a bunch of Sfizi (small plates) to try the varied offerings and try some versions of the home made pasta. read more

So I was brought here for my birthday. And we wanted a fun meal, and to try something new As I often do then, instead of just getting a big meal, we tried LOTS of different things (almost like tapas style) well, first off, I like the restaurant. Parking sucks (park behind Macys), but the atmosphere is nice, it is always crowded (make reservations), and the decor is nice. All checks in my book We ended up ordering a lot of 'starters' - Pork meatballs - gorgonzola cheese bruschetta - tomato bruschetta - cheeses and jams - small order of gnocchi - burrata (another cheese thing) All the food was VERY good. And if the rest of a menu is like what we had, worth the trip back and back again One thing I liked a LOT,is on a lot of the meals, you can get a small/large portion for different price. Good for people that don't eat as much, and really good if you like getting a lot of things and trying them all (like we did) servings weren't huge, but big enough. Prices are a little high, but I think that is just relative. i think this same meal in the North End would have been considered 'inexpensive' All in all very good, and I would go back again If you are looking for something in the watertown/belmont area, make reservations and give it a try! read more

While I would normally not eat there (because of the three dollar signs next to its name on Yelp), I was very fortunate to have been treated to Il Casale by a friend because it was delicious! We both started off with a salad. I got the Kale Caesar salad sans anchovies ($12), and it was great - well-seasoned, delicious dressing. I then got the Tomato Basil pasta dish ($10 for a small/ $20 for the full dish) and it was amazing! It's written on the menu that "all pasta is made in house" and I don't doubt that for a second. It tasted fresh, and the texture was perfectly soft. The sauce on top was also incredibly tasty. To accompany our dishes, we shared a side of Broccoli Rabe ($8), which I did not much enjoy. It was slightly too bitter to me. That being said, if you are in the Belmont area and are willing to pay for a slightly expensive meal, I definitely recommend Il Casale! read more

Not my usual style of place, but they knocked our socks off. We had an out of town guest, who wanted italian on a Friday night. I called, got a time for nine o'clock, and it worked... beyond my wildest dreams. The wait staff was great. Beyond great. We ordered an appetizer, and stayed small when ordering the main dishes. The wine flowed, the bus staff was great, and we all loved our food. The little doughnuts with the chocolate are a fantastic closing. Noisy, yes. But when we left 90 minutes later, they were still busy. The bar is obviously a huge hit. GREAT. I'll be back to snack and sip, but at 5PM, and be gone before all the crowds attack this place. read more

First timer and will try it again. The cocktails were great - the food not so much. I really liked the space. We tried the cheese platter and it wasn't anything spectacular. I had the carbonara and my friend has the deconstructed lasagna - she was not a fan, saying that her dish was bland and the sausage was sparse. My carbonara tasted very familiar - creamy chicken ramen - weird! This was my first time having carbonara so I wasn't sure if that was typical - I thought it would be smoky and bacony. I will update once we check it out again. read more

My close friends and I had a lovely dining experience here on a Friday night. The decor is great - high tables, twiggy centerpieces, and neato music. It reminded me a lot of a favorite wine bar of mine in Chicago. We ordered a bunch of the little $5 appetizers and some booze and dug into the delicious bread and olive oil they leave at the table. For our main course my dining mates ordered the pork chop with some stewed eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini which was delish. On top of that, we ordered a few full sizes of the delicious pasta offerings. I was all about the 5 cheese ravioli with roasted peaches. My best friend ordered some delightful gnocchi in a pink sauce. So why only the 3 stars you're asking? Well, for one thing, our waitress did screw up my bestie's order and left her a half portion instead of a full. We weren't sure just whose order was screwed up until the bill came. Our waitress apologized for her mistake but instead of offering say, a free dessert, she just removed the pasta charge from the bill. Unfortch, my friend was still quite hungry! Oh well, nothing a little chocolate cake from home can't fix. Also, the prices are just a titch high for the portions. The quality of the food, however, was fabu. Really yummy and inventive. I'd go back and stick with the $5 small plates, which were itty bitty but probably the highlight of the meal, at least for me. read more