Ordered chicken marsala, the chicken comes with a bone in it, which the waitress did not share nor was it on rhe menu as bone in. It was also very tough and the mushrooms were extra large and tough and the prosciutto looked like a piece of bacon not cute up and to top it off the sauce was flat! This is the worst meal and I've never written a bad review in my life.. when we brought it to the waiters attention as our waitress completed her shift, he said the waitress should have told you there was a bone in it yet did not offer to compensate us or even suggest a free drink or dessert I will never return to this restaurant . read more

BEST CARBONARA IN THE WORLD! I haven't stopped talking about it! The drinks and service was amazing anyway but this carbonara is a must try! read more

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Sorry no pics on this one but great news is we went family style so I tried many things so an even better tasting opinion for you. First, the Caesar salad is the best version I think I've ever had (exceptional) . The whole table said the same. The meatballs were tender and tasty (very good). The veal Marsala that was panchetta crusted (special the night we were there) was my absolute favorite (exceptional). I'd go back for just the veal and Caesar. The frutti di mare was just good, was more like tons of mussels with squid ink pasta pasta vs. a true frutti but the sauce and pasta were good but not what I expected and not good enough for being so off with all the other seafood. (good). The pappaedelle bolognese sounded great but was quite flat. Everyone's least favorite (ok). We got desserts too and they were limited choices but good enough and a nice last share with the group (good). Very generous pours on the martini's and quite tasty too, definitely worth considering (great). We liked the vibe so four star overall. Good service and we had fun so what else do you want? read more

We were disappointed with our meal. The food may have been good at one point in time but our meal was definitely lacking in flavor. We could tell that the pasta was cooked without salt in the water and it's hard to come back from that in Italian cooking. The pasta dish we ordered also stated that it was spicy and we didn't taste any spice at all. The bar area isn't big but it is lively. If you are looking for a true italian meal and you want a mom and pop feel then definitely don't come here. read more

the food was amazing. portions just big enough for leftovers or not if you really want to go for it. the drinks were awesome. surprisingly the margaritas were the best! especially the peach and mango. the strawberry basil martini tasted a bit cough syrupy. but some of us liked it. everything was to die for. read more

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Detouring off the main street of the North End, Trattoria Di Monica is a gem. Open kitchen is nice to see and hear (how many trays and pans do you really have to clatter?) what's going on as the food is prepared. For starters, we shared the "Involtini" which is a baked prosciutto and provolone over tomato slices and roasted red peppers. Plated very nicely and a good appetizer. I chose the "Braciolettini di Vitello" for main course. Roasted veal stuffed with cheese and wrapped in prosciutto, basil and garlic and served on top of a spinach fettuccine in a plum tomato sauce. A serious portion and delicious. No dessert for us tonight. Stuffed! read more

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I absolutely loved my experience at Monica's! The appetizers were so good especially the antipasto and mussels. The chicken parm and the fettuccine all'aragosta were amazing too! Also, their tiramisu was to die for. The inside is super cute and cozy too. The only complaint is that we weren't too crazy over our drinks but I'm sure that's just based on my preference! Overall, would totally come back again. read more

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If I could give 0 stars I would. A few of my girlfriends and I went to Monica's on Saturday night. I've been many times before and the food has always been delicious. My friend got her meal and went to put red pepper flakes on top and the cap fell off and left red pepper flakes all over her dish. The server asked if she wanted to "scrape it off" and she said no, she'd like a new dish since it was no longer edible. The head chef/owner, Pat Mendoza, was working in the kitchen and clearly in a terrible mood (screaming at his entire staff all night). We received a new dish and it looked like they had forgotten to drain the water from the pasta - it was disgusting. I asked to speak to the manager and the chef screamed from the kitchen and said "I can f**K off and get the f**k out if I'm not happy with the meal". I was so taken aback - he then came out from the kitchen and started screaming at me and again saying "baby girl, if you don't f**king like my food you can leave (and was doing the FU gesture with his hand). The whole restaurant went silent and just kept saying "get the f**k out of here - I've had a terrible day - I don't care if you don't like the f**kin food." I'm a 35 y/o female, 5'4" and was left trembling by a man who towered over me and continually screamed and pointed in my face. I was also with a friend who was pregnant and terrified. We all eventually left because we felt scared for our safey. The servers were all very kind but clearly terrified of him as well (we left the server a cash tip and didn't pay for the meal). Don't give this guy your business - not worth it. read more

Went by with a group of 6 friends for dinner and I've got to say, they're doing the best they can during CoVID-19 with all of the restrictions! Although I did not have a reservation on a busy weeknight where many restaurants did not allow walk-in diners for dinner, the owner here was more than accommodating. There was outdoor and indoor dining, you can ask for your preference. We ordered season autumn drinks like the pumpkin martini, apple cider sangria - all of which were delicious. The food was prompt and delicious, highly recommend the calamari! My favorite dessert in our table was the tiramisu. Prices for food and drinks were average for what you can expect at a modern Italian restaurant ($15-30 per item). Waitress could've been more attentive as it did take us about 35 mins to ask for the bill, but otherwise just a lovely owner and restaurant with delicious food. Recommend for a cute date night or night out with friends! read more

Ok so the ambiance and service is great. Love the decor for the holidays. But the food was disappointing. Charged me $30 for spaghetti and meatballs. Then $38 for the special " Frutti de Mare" and there was no shrimp or scallops? all mussels and calamari. The pasta and sauce was ok. Not sure this is the Monica's I remember. Over priced and mediocre. Sorry guys, really hope you can step things up. read more

I was visiting Boston with my boyfriend and wanted to check out an Italian restaurant so we went to Monica's Trattoria and overall we had a good experience. We started with some drinks. I got an espresso martini and my boyfriend got the strawberry basil martini and both were delicious. We got calamari for an appetizer which was really good. For dinner I got the bistecca alfedo, which I will be dreaming about forever. It was soooo delicious!!! The steak had amazing flavor and the pasta with the alfredo sauce was perfection. I'd go back just for this pasta dish. My boyfriend got the spicy parmigiana alla vodka which was average. I've had better penne vodka and chicken parm many other places. The sauce was more of a spicy tomato than a vodka in my opinion. We wouldn't order this again. Overall a really good experience, I'd definitely come back here! read more

Not good - accidentally booked this Monica's instead of the other one. Big mistake, pasta was watery and service was poor.

Excellent quality freshly sliced cold cuts, mozzarella and daily specials are superb! Owner is out temporarily but when he's in his warm, welcoming and knowledgeable personality and attitude is super customer friendly. Two sides to either order and go or sit, relax and enjoy your meal. read more

Our waitress was amazing but the wait for our food was awful. We were a group of 4 with a reservation. They sat us right down but it took the waitress over 20 mins to finally come over to our table. Then we waited over 1.5 hours for our apps and dinner. We ended up leaving without eating dinner because we had a comedy show to go to that we couldn't be late for. Very disappointed that they did not comp our drinks for the horribly slow service. Will not be going back read more

Intrigued by the Mercato expanding into restaurants but I'd say this is a very average foray for a restaurant in the North End. Got Arancini and Caprese Salad - both of these were pretty actually. Arancini is crisp and inside moist and cheesy delight; the caprese is a good ratio of mozz to tomatoes to prosciutto! They don't skimp on the prosciutto which is nice. The Boy got Carbonara which was disappointing although photogenic. It is on the drier side of carbonaras I've had in Boston - a little too much cheese and not enough creamy buttery carb sauce read more

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Everything was wonderful, the food, the service and the ambiance. It was recommended to me by a couple of locals. I was so glad I listened to them. read more

We simply loved the food. It was a very good experience with lovely waiters and staff. Place is kind of small and we felt crunched, specially coming out of physical distancing so recently. We had pasta specially prepared for my wife who's participating at the Boston Marathon. Fully recommend read more

Monica's Trattoria - Frutti di mare - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Needed some lunch before I headed to Logan Airport today. I remembered Monica's deli so I made my way into the North End and tabbed a seat at the adjacent restaurant. I love tiny intimate restaurants that have limited seating when I dines Monica's was perfect. Steak Tip sandwich was on my mind so I wasted no time ordering. Chopped steak sizzled to medium smothered in provolone, just the way I love it. The baguette was fresh so it created the perfect meal. Without amazing bread a sandwich isn't a sandwich, you know what I mean. Now I ordered from lunch menu but had an opportunity to view a dinner menu and as Arnold would say "I'll Be Back" to terminate some pasta in the. Ear future. You'll find the decor interesting with images of deceased celebrity's and music personalities. If your lucky you'll get the only window seat viewing the street. Enjoy and let Frank know what you think. read more

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A really nice find on a beautiful Saturday afternoon for lunch. Our first time to the north end, service at nearby restaurants was highly questionable given the present Covid restrictions and all the major difficulties local business have had. That wasn't the case here. The service was splendid from the very beginning, as soon as we set foot inside the restaurant. The staff was super accommodating, provided valuable insights and options for what they could offer and what they were prepared to adjust on their menu. The wine was just delicious, we trusted our server for both glasses and both white and red were incredible. And this food very nicely with the first course (which they had kindly adapted for us] of a ham and cheese plate for one, adorned with tangy pickles, olives, and a deliciously soft and accordion-like and fresh from the bakers hand bread, accompanied by a white bean and parsley dip. The carpaccio pasta also was very very good indeed, there perhaps was a little more dough than carpaccio flavor, but the presentation and the sauce and the dressing was excellent. We also had vegan eggplant dish that basically went without the Parmesan, which abounded in rich tomato sauce. We also had grilled variety of mushrooms and onions, including around four different types of mushrooms, something so simple yet absolutely absorbing Definitely too full to try any desserts, and a total plus of sitting outside I'm watching Boston's north end pass us by, happy days indeed. read more

horrible service. we waited 2 hours with a 7 year old for our food while tables all around us got theirs. We had to walk out and they charged us for the drinks and apps. horrible. I have previously loved this place but their expansion sank them. Do NOT go here for dinner. horrible. read more

I had really high hopes for this place since Monica's sub shop right across the street is a 10/10 but this place didn't really do it for me. Here's why: -it was HOT in there, it was way beyond 90 degrees inside the restaurant. They had one door open with no AC in sight. This made for a torturous time eating a hot meal. -the food was subpar, there were mostly red sauce dishes and the Cesar salad came in a hot bowl making the lettuce warm and wilted. My boyfriend got the vodka pasta and it was very spicy it lacked creaminess to simmer the bite. I got the ravioli and it was alright, nothing special. -it was LOUD. This restaurant took me back to my clubbing days where you had to scream in someone's ear to be heard. My ears were ringing that night and my throat was sore from shouting. I know they switch out the menu with the seasons so I would be willing to try again once the weather cools down. read more

The food was delicious. Rolls and papers under the table and large loud party of 6 Out of Control. You should care about all your customers Save your $175 per couple and go somewhere else read more

Where do I begin - management is unprofessional and rude. We came in after making reservations and it took an hour for us to receive our appetizers and 2 hours for Our main entrees. To top this off we were automatically charged a 20% gratuity for horribly slow service and a 3% credit card service fee. Nothing was done to accommodate this experience- no comps and when we said we didn't want to leave that large of a tip we were told nothing could be done. The manager AMANDA was unapologetic, condescending and very unprofessional. Servers were trying their best but are clearly underworked and not given support from management to provide good customer service. Monica's Trattoria - do better. read more

I can't believe I've never rated this place. OH THOSE FRIED ARTICHOKES! The pasta, perfectly prepared. The service, the wine. Our Server was as delightful as the food she brought - carpaccio, fried artichokes, seafood in a black squid ink pasta. Her hispanic heritage peppered with flawless Italian. Exquisite food, sitting outside and people watching. Long and slow lunch. And loved every minute of it! read more

This used to be my go-to spot back in the day when I lived in Boston. They have remodeled and it is very nice and more spacious with a lovely bar offering more possibilities to sit. The food was good but I recalled it being excellent, not sure if that was nostalgia for days gone past. The nice thing about this restaurant is that it is off the beaten path a little and not right on the busy main street. I loved Monica. When I lived in the north end I'd stop into the take-out shop across the streets. She was always so nice and packed up a delicious dinner for me to carry home. read more

Monica's Trattoria - Homemade mushroom ravioli - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The food took a while considering there wasn't that many people but it didn't disappoint and the portions were substantially big as well.

Horrible experience tonight. Apparently they had one cook working which is unlucky and not the main reason for this review. - No transparency or communication when we sat down that food will be delayed when they knew they were understaffed in the kitchen. - No offers of additional bread while we waited. - Management was no where to be seen to communicate issues or to offer any empathy. - Maybe an offer for a free glass of wine for waiting close to 2 hours? Or anything really. - Continues to seat people knowing there is a bottleneck I 100% blame management/owners. Even as an out of town guest or local, wouldn't recommend this place. Take your business elsewhere. read more

I've loved this restaurant since I moved down the street from them 5 years ago. It was a super cute, but very small restaurant. They offered dishes such as sweet potato gnocchi with sausage and broccoli rabe, as well as the classics like eggplant parmigiana. They recently went through a renovation (within the last year), and now it feels much more up to date. I introduced my family to the restaurant after the renovation, and it's now their favorite restaurant in the city. Perfect for date night, a family dinner, or night out with friends. No matter the occasion - this is my favorite Italian restaurant in Boston. read more

Monica's Trattoria - Eggplant parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Just as good as ever, we sat inside but you can also choose to sit outdoors. Try an espresso martini for dessert! Say hi to head chef Bennie, and owner Frank. Thanks guys for the great meals & memories. read more

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TLDR: Check your bill! Price gouged. Monica's used to be our 'go-to' place in the North End - the one we always take our out of town guests to and recommend to visitors.The food is still delicious but we had a negative experience two weeks ago. Party of 4 adults and 5 children. We knew going in there was no "kids' menu" so when we arrived we asked our server if it was possible to make kids' portions of plain pasta and marinara on the side. She went to go check with the kitchen, came back and said yes - we can do that for you. Great, until the bill came..... We were charged the same (full-price) for the kids' meals as the adults. We asked why and the server said they were not kid sized meals. (For example, Monica's charged us $30 for plain pasta and sauce for a 4 year old.) Um, that's why we asked about the possibility of children's meals (and portions.) OUCH. We spent close to $500 for the meal and won't be back. read more

I adored the chicken parmesan alla vodka. The spicy kick was a unique and scrumptious touch. Garlic bread was amazing, too, but I wish there was more of it. Meatballs were good. Haven't had much luck with Boston restaurants, but this place would be a standout anywhere. Can't wait to come back. read more

Underwhelming. Nothing about the food was bad, but not exceptionally good either. My veal parmigiana was extremely spicy. Wasn't sure if I missed that on the menu, but double checked after the fact and it said nothing at all about being spicy. $17 small drinks was a bit much also. In the end I didn't feel it was worth the money, I likely won't be back read more

In Boston's North end it had an above-casual to upscale feel. We sat in their quaint bar. The bartender was really friendly. She was very engaging with everyone at the bar. Our drinks were excellent! There was one turn off and it was the two small children running through the bar and climbing in and out of the open window near us. We assume the were children of an owner as they were also going behind the bar. I appreciate a family environment, but it didn't seem appropriate. Next time we would probably sit in the dining room. read more

Monica's Trattoria - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This place was great! Trendy, great food, music & ambience was on point! Kids loved it too... Great for our first post-COVID dining experience. read more

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Went last night and never been more disappointed. The bar was blaring rap music and lacked the north end experience. In addition, the staff was incredibly rude and waitress seemed drunk. They also told us to hurry up or we would have to gather our things and bring our food into restaurant because street was closing. The way staff and hostess approached us was awful and unprofessional, after spending 400.00 dollars. DO NOT eat here. read more

I've been here 2 times & the ambiance of the restaurant is not great. The only thing I extremely dislike about this place is how the owners/chefs talk to their workers. The kitchen is connected to the restaurant so you can see everything being made but you can also hear the chefs screaming obscenities at their workers. From curse words in English & Spanish it makes you feel for those just trying to do their jobs. They also refer to several of their workers as "negro" which is inappropriate. A majority of their workers are female & they chefs also refer to them as "baby" or "women" which is frankly inappropriate aswell. The food here is spectacular but I won't return because being seated so close to the kitchen & hearing the screaming just ruins your dinner. read more

I absolutely adore the North End (say this in whatever slightly snobby accent you'd like). Seriously. It's my favorite. My Italian grandpa I think would be really pleased if he ever got to visit here. The whole thing is some sort of Italian Main Street made by Disney. Anyway we got a reservation here on the night of my best friend's graduation. We settled on this place for many reasons, one being that they had sweet potato gnocchi. And that's exactly what I ordered! Perfect squishiness. We also ordered the ricotta balls (sub fancy name here) which were equally delicious. This place was seriously tiny in general (and missing candles?) and had the world's smallest closet of a bathroom, but it was enchanting (insert snobby voice again here). read more

Monica's Trattoria - Sweet potato gnocchi! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Made a reservation for my mother and I, the hostess Nicole was very sweet. The chef at this place is incredible, every dish on their menu is delectable! I highly recommend it. I wish I had pictures but I don't ever use my phone at the dinner table when I'm with my mother. So you'll have to check the place out for yourselves. Ciao -B read more

Serving staff was extremely rude and unhelpful. We walked in, saw a table eating a pizza, and when we asked about the location of it on the menu was condescendingly told "we must have the wrong Monica's". Then after ordering multiple apps, entrees, and rounds of drinks, as I took the last sip of my drink we were told that we needed to leave so other parties could be seated (AS I was finishing my $15 martini). Our server kept asking us if we wanted to order more drinks etc (and we did) and she never once told us about a time limit on our table. We would have happily accommodated but wasn't told this even as we ordered our second round. Just didn't appreciate being rushed when other tables were there before us and were not asked to do the same. There was also only 1 party of 3 waiting for a table, it's not like there was a line out the door. We spent a great deal of money there, tipped 20% (even after all of this, we love and appreciate our restaurant workers!) and the serving staff was still extremely rude. Honestly don't waste your time - the food was good, but there are way better places overall in the north end. Love, A long time Boston resident who will never be returning. read more

Everything was delicious! The server was top notch as well, very attentive and friendly.