Great family resturant. My family comes here for every occasion. I think they went up a little bit on their prices but that's the way the economy works. Very worth it though. They have good homemade meatballs and the best chicken Marsala everrrrrrr. And tiramisu!!! Get it all. read more

I've been going to La Scala since I was a little kid and it is without a doubt, my all-time favorite restaurant. I would put the red sauce on my cereal for god sake!! The staff is friendly and the prices are more than reasonable considerring the quality of the food and the size of the portions. My favorite is the Chicken Parm but close seconds are the Shrimp ala Mama (Shrimp w/ Mushrooms in a garlicy oily type sauce), Chicken Bona Boca, Veal & Eggplant Parm, and on the app menu, the Shrimp and Clams Napolitano. I've seen some folks complain about the cash only policy but I don't have a problem with it. They do it because they can! Its that good. Every restaurant owner in the world would prefer to avoid fees associated with credit card transactions and I think with the reasonable prices at La Scala, its really not too much to ask to hit the ATM before, or the one inside the restaurant. One last thing is the daytime menu. I call it daytime as opposed to lunch because I equate lunch with a reasonably small sized meal that doesn't put you in a food coma for the day! The prices are slightly cheaper and the menu and portions seem to be identical. We hit it up for an early Sunday meal from time to time. Also a good way to beat the crowds. Go here if you haven't already. read more

We went here for a Friday night date and were promptly seated. The bread they brought for the table was great and the drinks we ordered were also just right. I ordered the shrimp exquisito and it was not good. It tasted as though the brandy was not cooked off and I was straight up drinking a shot with my dinner. I moved the shrimps (only 5) to the smaller bread plate in hopes of getting them away from the brandy and then realized I needed to pull the shrimps out of the breading to eat them because it was just too much. The pasta on the side with red sauce tasted great as did my fiancé's meal so I would want to come back to try something else. But be warned - do not order the shrimp exquisito. read more

I've only ever had take-out from La Scala, but it's basically the same every time. Semi-good food, extremely overpriced, and it also seems to be cooked/prepared a little sloppily. Like someone else said, this place reminds me a lot of Nanina's, except Nanina's was fairly priced (and better, in my opinion). I usually get the Fettuccine Alfredo, but I regret doing so when I get home and start eating it. The pasta is always either overcooked or not cooked enough. Instead of having a nice, creamy sauce with great flavoring, they slather the pasta in this thin, buttery sauce and throw a heap of Parmesan cheese over it. The past time we got take-out from there, I opted for the Ziti with Chicken & Broccoli (only because they don't have Fettucini with Chicken... OK then). The past times I've gotten this, it's been pretty good despite another thin sauce, though this one seems to be derived from olive oil (and they LOAD the bottom of the take out container in it). This time, I got two pieces of white meat, about seven pieces of dark, fatty meat and two halves of a stump of broccoli. This is what I mean by sloppily prepared. For $16, you'd think that this dish would be a little better. I ate half of it and ended up tossing the other half. You can definitely find better Italian food... maybe even at Olive Garden. I don't hate the place, but I don't love it. read more

La Scala's is just alright...I've lived in Randolph my entire life. To be honest I'm not too sure what all the hype is. You wait minimum 45 minutes in a very crowded spot...either standing or at a packed bar then get packed in to a cramped restaurant to eat pasta. Salad is not free and you have to pay extra for it..which is just ridiculous. You're lucky if you find a place to park. It's like you just found a golden ticket in a bar of chocolate when you actually do find a spot..it's insane. They don't accept credit cards so don't even attempt to bring your ATM card. They do have pretty large portions that taste good. But, it's all pretty standard italian dishes you can find at any italian restaurant that has plenty of parking, takes credit cards and I don't have to wait an hour to sit down. I just never got all the hoopla. read more

My family loves La Scala. We have had many events there, they have catered events for us, and we probably go 1-2 times a month. I work downton and frequent the North End and La Scala is better than most of the places there, has parking, and is more affordable. Is cash only, but they have an ATM. Like anyplace service can be off or on depending on the night, but you can rest assured when the food arrives it'll make you feel like you're in an old Italian family. read more

I stopped in here last Saturday with my boyfriend around 4pm and we sat on the bar side. The restaurant itself was very clean and spacious. The waitress was very welcoming and full of knowledge. I ordered the eggplant parmigiana , the eggplant parmigiana was not cooked enough and the sauce was very greasy and tasted burnt. I was very disappointed because in the past this was my favorite restaurant to order eggplant parmigiana. read more

If you go in and just get a ceaser salad you will be extremely happy you did. It is old school yum. It has goooooooood cheesy garlicky creamy dressing and really nothing else matters. They get four stars because I am not wowed by everything else they do but very very happy with the food overall. The red sauce is good, the apps are good but not mind blowing. I got a mushroom chicken dish based on another yelper, they said don't get this dish unless you love mushrooms which I do so I did and it was good. Cash is king here as mentioned previously which yeah it is a pain but whatever. Huge portions, Randolph kind of stinks but overall great restaurant. Go and get the ceaser! read more

Recommendation: Get the Chicken Bona Boca. Delicious. I recently strayed from the Chicken Bona Boca and was very disappointed. I enjoy good veal and seafood dishes so it speaks volumes about the quality of the dish that a chicken meal beat out any other items on the menu! My boyfriend ordered the Eggplant/Veal Parmesan combo and was pleased with it but during a later outing, ordered a stuffed veal special and was very disappointed with it. I agree with other reviewers that consistency might be an issue. The waitress gave us a "tip" the last time we visited. You can get the addictive olive oil and garlic dipping sauce for your bread, upon request ONLY! Bad news is the bread is dry and bland. Nothing special. Some nice warm rolls would be a nicer touch. Wine list is okay. Very nice atmosphere, friendly waitstaff (one waitress in specific, i forget her name but she was very sweet). The renovations are beautiful (for anyone who remembers, La Scala use to be a TINY hole in the wall, basement restaurant) but I think they are more worried about aesthetics than consistent quality. read more

Food: not memorable.. came with a party of 6 who all ordered different plates.. I can't recall a single dish that I loved. Service: mediocre. I was quite surprise about my visit since my brother kept saying his friend raved about this place. But now that I've tried it myself, I'll probably head into Boston (Giacomo's!) the next time I'm craving Italian.. read more

I'm giving one star because it will not allow me to give zero. This has to be the NASTIEST food I've ever had. Who puts canned beans on a salad OR in a "nice" restaurant serves iceberg lettuce. And canned soup? Really? and since when is Shrimp Scampi in a red sauce. Oh yes- let me not forget the frozen gnochi. The only upside is the staff is friendly and nice. If you are not a foodie you might like this place. Even the gross food at MacDonalds is better than what I was served here- don't let me get started on the presentation- offensive. read more

We had our daughter's wedding shower there a few weeks ago. The waitresses were great, food delicious - everyone raved about it, the host, great as well. Everything went well. The only negative was there are some water stains in the celling, but really great overall experience. I would recommend this to anyone hosting a small time or just going out for dinner. read more

Went back to La Scala for dinner with the fam. and had the Pollo Valencia ($16.50)- very tender pieces of white meat chicken with mushrooms and artichoke in a marsala wine sauce. The meal was very good but I've found that all of the wine and scampi sauce dishes that I've had are just a bit too oily. It's tasty but that much oil seems a bit excessive. I also had two strong G&Ts and rounded out my night with a homemade cannoli that was very rich and tasty. As always the staff there is top notch. read more

We stopped here for dinner the other night because 1) we were in the area and 2) we didn't want to hit rush hour traffic on the way back to Boston. It was difficult to find a parking spot, but we finally snagged one, and were then greeted by the "WE DO NOT ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS" thing on the door. Ugh. Luckily we scrounged up enough cash to afford dinner, but normally we don't tend to carry much cash, so on any other day, we would have left and gone on to find another place. Really, this is 2009. What kind of restaurant doesn't take credit cards?! So anyways, no wine or anything for us, because we were on a strict budget due to the cash-only situation! We were coming from a funeral, so we were dressed up quite a bit, and I think they thought that meant we were going to be big spendahs or something. So they were like, "Oh yes, we have a lovely table in the corner just for you." That was nice, but they must have been disappointed by our meager order. Anyways, we were greeted with some fluffy bread and butter. The bread was good, but the butter was very cold and therefore difficult to spread. I prefer good olive oil with my bread anyways, so that was a little disappointing. Our waitress was incredibly helpful when asked about vegetarian options. She told us that their usual sauce is made from a meat base, and that the meat is just strained out after cooking, so to avoid that. The marinara sauce is totally veg-friendly, so I got the manicotti with marinara and the boy got the eggplant parm with marinara. Both of these were really really good. The sauce was delicious. The portions are also very generous, and we left with enough for another meal. We did save a little room for dessert, and the waitress gave us her recommendations for the best. We went for the homemade bread pudding. Holy rum! That was some serious rum! But really good. We got out of there for around $40. Would we go back? Well, the stars would have to align: 1) we'd have to be in the area, 2) we'd have to be hungry, and 3) we'd have to have cash. So the answer is possibly. read more

La Scalable is on the way home from work so I stop by every month or 2 for dinner. Everything I get is good and consistent. I like one of the bartenders so its worth going in for her. Whiskey pours are solid, good pour read more

La Scala Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Randolph, Massachusetts

See all

Friendly lovely atmosphere full of lots or neighborhood regulars. Caesar salad was delicious. Husband liked the minestrone. But veal Marsala was kind of strange. Decent prices and big portions. read more

Suburban restaurants usually receive a star for trying, because Major population centers like Providence and Boston seem to have the good food. Usually we will go to the suburbs to meet friends and have to ratchet down our expectations. This is not true at La Scala, which is the twin of Mother Annas of the North End. Italian food should not be difficult. The pasta is the same albeit different shapes. Garlic bread is well...bread with garlic The differentiator is the red sauce, which is placed over the sameness to make it unique. And Mother Scalas has great red sauce . If you like the artichokes, try Pollo Venezia...They also have other proprietary dishes worth trying as well 4-5 real urban stars for these folks read more

The food was good, but seriously...who doesn't take credit cards these days? read more

La Scala Restaurant - Homemade gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Randolph, Massachusetts

La Scala is a decent Italian restaurant. Not great, but good. On a typical Saturday night, expect a long wait. It is and will be very crowded. The restaurant has a legion of devoted followers. When my friends and I went this past Saturday night, the wait was only 35 minutes, but a snow storm was looming, so I would bet that had something to do with the short wait. Normally, I have waited well over an hour for this place. The bar is nice. Very comfortable chairs. Not a bad bar to have to wait out for a while if you can get a seat. I got chicken Margarita. It was tasty. A good sized portion. I brought a full half of it home. My friends had Shrimp Scampi, Seafood Medley and linguine Carbonara. Everyone was happy with their food choices. Not "this is to die for" happy, but pleased. The service was not fabulous. The waitress seemed very harried. She came over twice to tell us the specials, as if she totally forgot what she had done. We had to request things several times. Maybe she was having an off night, but the service should have been better at a fine dining establishment. Another thing... they present the check to you without a check folder. Just throw the slip of paper on the table. I thought that seemed a little tacky. White table cloths and candles and no check folder. Picky, maybe. But when a restaurant tries to be a fine dining establishment, they should go all the way. I have one other bone to pick... they charged us for refills on small glasses of soda. $2.25 for a small glass. Also, it's good to know ahead of time that they do not take credit cards. read more

La Scala is a nice Italian restaurant with pretty good food, but it has its pros and cons. It's always busy which is a good sign for any restaurant, but means there's always a pretty long wait. It's also CASH ONLY which I really hate. Beware, if you're like me and never have cash! The food is good, but not great. I've tried a few of the chicken dishes and a special - seafood fra diavolo - and of those I definitely preferred the seafood as the chicken dishes were BATHED in both butter and garlic. So they tasted great, but could not have been more unhealthy. Prices are reasonable but there are stupid little quirks like the fact that you get a choice of a salad or pasta with your dish, when typically Italian places would give you both. The ambiance here is very nice, especially in the lounge/bar area. The staff is also pretty friendly and I've always gotten good service. All in all, a pretty solid 3-star review. I'll be back, but not every week. read more

This place is cash only!! I wish I had known that before hand! Everything was so delicious. Not the cheapest place, but really good. I got the rack of lamb ($30) it was fantastic. Crab cakes were amazing. Everyone in my party was really happy with their meal. read more

Ordered take out only to find out when I got there that they only accept cash. There is a generic ATM on site that charges a fee. I should have been told this when I placed the order. They are avoiding the merchant fees that the credit card companies charge but don't mind the customer paying the ATM fee. Food was ok but the cash only policy offended me. read more

I've wanted to try La Scala forever. Driven by it a million times. Finally did last week. It was ok but not what I had hoped. It's your old school Italian that begins with plain bread, so-so wine and it doesn't get much better. Staff was great. Too many other places in the area that blow you away for the same price. read more

I've heard people speak very highly of La Scala, so when a friend suggested we go, I was excited. When pulling into the small parking lot I found myself surprised, as I had always imagined a much larger restaurant. Walking in I found the ambiance to be cozy and intimate. We went at 8:30pm on a Wednesday night; there was no wait. The waitress was friendly and attentive. I enjoyed their delicious authentic Italian bread, linguine with marinara, a few glasses of their burgundy house wine, and a cannolo, all for under $ 30, 20% tip included! The bread was delicious, the pasta tasted homemade (I'm Italian), the wine was of high quality for a house selection, and the cannolo was the final touch to a superb meal. While they do not accept debit/credit payments, which is usually a turnoff for me, they had a convenient ATM available inside with a very modest fee. Very impressed and will visit again! read more

Desert ice cream and fudge. Memorable warm, melted. Egg plant parm - huge- I added garlic and oil- very good Muscles in garlic and oil excellent Meat balls and sausage with pasta- good Large salads 2good pino noir wine (@)6.00) Total bill $79. Server Sue...excellent Back again tonight - 12/17-Sunday More if the same- good service, prices, food. read more

I feel like the place is over-hyped, I've had better Italian at Johnny Macaroni's in East Bridgewater, the North End, or Federal Hill. It's adequate American-Italian. I find it really odd a lot of the dishes don't come WITH the pasta, it's a side. I ordered chicken picatta and the chicken was unbreaded, the sauce over-buttery, and it was missing some of the salt and acid I associate with the dish. I think I saw three capers on the whole thing and I had to ask for a lemon to squeeze on top of it. The pasta was a side with red sauce, which was a little jarring. Red sauce is okay. Not a ton of flavor to it, your basic marinara. My mom's chicken parm looked better than my meal. The whole place could use a facelift, the back dining room felt like something out the 80s with wall to wall mirrors. Maybe Restaurant Impossible should come do a makeover! Also, who the heck doesn't take credit in 2014? The ATM on site is helpful but I don't like the fees and again . it's 2014. You expect a full-service restaurant to take credit/debit, especially when it's not a neighborhood dive or small business. I sound overly negative but it's really not that bad . . just. Okay. read more

Delicious food, great service and prices. Always consistent. Linguini with clams was amazing. Salads were good. Great drinks. Never disappoints!! read more

We were here recently for a small dinner party for around thirty people. We had a choice of four different meals. I selected the chicken parmesan, which wasn't bad. My husband and mother both had the shrimp scampi. Neither were very happy with it. It had a few small, overcooked, rubbery shrimp and was extremely bland. When the evening turned to a cash bar, the waitress started giving incorrect change and charging people odd amounts for drinks. If someone didn't mention it, I think they would have been shorted $10 on their change in one particular instance. Cash only here, and their onsite ATM ran out of cash on the Friday night we were there. The parking lot is extremely tiny. Food and service may be better if you aren't part of a large party, but I'm not sure if I want to find out. read more

This review is for ENTREES ONLY, as the service and calamari appetizer would put this review in the negative range (which is a bummer, because everyone except our server was extremely pleasant). DONTs: Calamari- no flavor; just gummy, fried calamari and the dipping sauce is (or what tasted like) cocktail sauce. House salad- wish I had taken a picture of this one- I could only laugh at this point, after receiving the wrong appetizer and being ignored by the waitress. I was not expecting this salad from an "authentic Italian restaurant" as it was just iceberg lettuce with some giant tomato slices and cold green beans from a can on top. DOs Lobster Bisque (cup, 5.50) - Whoa nelly this is the good stuff. After this (finally) got to the table, I forgot all about the negatives of this place. This is probably the best cup of lobster bisque I have ever had. Scallop Saute (15.95)- These were incredible, and I am currently eating the leftovers as I type this review. Where else can you get a plate of maybe ten scallops in a delicious buttery, maple-like sauce for 16 bucks?--certainly a flavor that I haven't found anywhere else and I will definitely be back for more of these. Linguine with Shrimp and Clams in white sauce (15.95)- after receiving the wrong entree (and wrong appetizer--I don't know why the server didn't write any of our order down; her excuse was that "every other table" ordered the food she had rung us up for) and sending back my scallops to keep warm until my date's order was corrected, we finally were able to sit down with our entrees. This dish was PERFECTLY seasoned and sauced and the shrimp and clams were of quality you'd find in some of the top North End restaurants. So, DESPITE all of the shortcomings of our evening, it was a beautiful night out and we are so happy to know that some of the best italian dishes in the city are right in our backyard. read more

Me and my friends went out for dinner, not wanting to drive to North End for Italian, so we came here instead. "Cash only" sign is posted on the store front. Ok... No problem. But the problem was that my dish was way too salty. I complained, but the waitress did not even offer me another dish, instead, she asked me if I wanted more bread. More bread? Very inventive, but that wasn't it. When we were paying "cash" for the bill, our waitress was actually waiting by the table to settle the transaction ... scary! But overall, the interior is classy and warm, other clients are nice, and my friend's dishes were very good. So 4 stars it is. read more

Great Italian food,great service! Limited wine choice for Chardonnay. The red Montepulciano was perfect with our meal. Highly recommend. No credit cards accepted. read more

Yummy food. Expensive-ish. And the tables are so close together and its dark. I couldn't really see my food (but the candles were a nice ambiance) and the food was darn good. So I will be returning. I love good food. This place has it. I hope to see you there... (bring a flashlight). read more

Food: Terrific. We had the Shrimp Exquisito, a veal dish, and the eggplant parm, all of which were fantastic. Service: Terrible... But it wasn't the server's fault. They carry pagers so the kitchen can alert them when the order is ready. Several tables around us sat and finished before we got our main course. The kitchen either didn't make our food, or they mistakenly gave it to another server. Some regulars told us that it is typically very good, so I'm willing to give it another shot, especially since the food was so delicious. Price: Great deal. It wasn't very expensive at all. Certainly a good bang for your buck! NOTE: CASH ONLY read more

Wonderful family owned restaurant. All the portions were very generous. The bread pudding dessert can easily be shared by 3 or 4 people and delicious! The only thing is that they do not accept credit cards. read more

Love this place, this is one of my favorite Italian restaraunts around. Great food, good quantity and friendly staff

At work, we got some takeout for our little christmas shindig. Everyone absolutely raved about how wonderful La Scala is and one of the guys of Sicilian heritiage said the sauce is second only to his grandmother's. A bold statement. I could only think back to a few years ago when I first tried them and the restaurant smelled like a nursing home and the wine was blah. But after trying it again I thought it was...meh, okay. The chicken parm was really good and the lasagna was tasty but sweet Jesus I've never seen such an oily sauce in all my life. And everything was over-cheesed (I am a cheese fiend and it was too much for me). I wouldn't NOT eat it again but I've def had better, I guess my coworkers don't get out very often. :o\ read more

Don't eat here. The food is inedible. "Salad"'consisted of iceberg lettuce, one wedge of tomato, one black olive, soggy canned green beans. The chicken parm was from frozen, was soggy, and tasted pretty revolting. It is only $11.50. So I suppose I should have known. But I'd rather pay double that and get something I could actually eat. The wait staff are charming. Too bad about what they serve... read more

Good staples, friendly service and decent prices keep La Scala busy most nights, especially the weekend so reservations are recommended, as is CASH, no credit cards accepted here which is fine. Eggplant starter received great praise from the ones that tried it, calamari was decent too although i was little surprised it was served with cocktail sauce and not marinara, garlic bread was also a winner. I highly recommend the chicken exquisito, delicious thinly pounded chicken breast sautéed with a little brandy topped with cheese, excellent. Pasta sides were plentiful as was the bread. Some folks tried the pork special and liked it, was called pork braciola but not rolled, so more like scaloppine, however the tomato sauce was pretty good that topped it off. Drinks were reasonable and service was outstanding, i say this as we were there during the winter storm Jonas and the place was very quiet, kudos to the staff for staying open and sticking it out! read more

La Scala Restaurant - Chicken exquisito was outstanding! - Italian Near Me - Randolph, Massachusetts

We love La Scala! The Homemade Gnocchi is incredible. The marinara that the Gnocchi is topped with is of exeptional quality. I can still smell and taste it. The other dish that we have tried is their Seafood Medley that they serve on top of Linguine. The seafood served is always fresh. The portion sizes are just right. The prices are decent for the quality. We are spoiled to have this place right next to home...saves us from having to go to the North End! Parking is at times difficult. read more

La Scala Restaurant - Alaskan Crab Legs Over Linguine - Italian Near Me - Randolph, Massachusetts

See all

Some friends of ours have been raving about LaScala for weeks, so we finally got in to try it. It was a Tuesday night so the place was relatively dead (plus for service, minus for any sort of atmosphere). We sat in the back on the dining room near the kitchen, which I found odd given how slow it was but whatever. The menu is huge and the waitress was prompt and friendly. We ordered a clam appetizer that was decent, but a bit overcooked. For dinner we both had a pasta (chicken parm for me, veal something for the man). The meal was good solid food with a yummy red sauce, portions not huge and not tiny either. We will be back to LaScala to try dining in the bar (which looked inviting) and because the man loves unfussy Italian food. But, it's nothing great compared to the amazing ambiance and inventive food that you can get at many places in the North End. I think that they actually own a place there...wonder if the menu is any different. And, big deal, CASH ONLY. read more