Special handcrafted Cocktails. This place was special with so much personality in the atmosphere and the bartenders. Skip the menu and let these bartenders craft something new for you! read more

Parla - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Average food and service, 2.5 stars. Yes, they were busy, but we were rushed out in 1 hour and 15 minutes. 1 drink each, apps and entrees. Small place so they need to churn the tables to be profitable I guess. My wife and daughter got their drinks and 15 minutes later we had to ask for mine. Never asked if we'd like another one. Waiter brought our check and I asked "Do you have coffee and desserts" and he said "Oh yeah, we have those". Not even "would you like some?" In response to the manager: We totally understand we're in a pandemic. You're a very small establishment and maybe you shouldn't have added so many extra tables out on the street if your staff is not capable of handling the volume. We actually arrived and checked in 10 minutes before our 7:30 reservation. Waited outside and people watched for until 7:45 when we were seated. No problem, it was a beautiful night. Check was delivered to our table before 9. Not once during our 1 hour and 15 minutes were we asked how it was, would we like another drink (yes, we would have!), or would we like coffee or dessert. Regardless, the food was average. Let me know if you'd like more details on the Risotto and Chicken Parm dinners. read more

I don't write negative reviews, but my friends who ate here with me were all so disappointed with Parla that they asked me to. i came for brunch in August 2016 and enjoyed the overall experience, enough to bring my friends visiting from out of town last weekend. This time, however, the experience was terrible. The food took about 30 - 40 mins to arrive and was cold. All of us had eggs that were overdone: I asked for sunny side up, which should have been simple to execute?? In addition to our grumpiness at the meals themselves, service was terrible. It seems they had 2 waitresses which could have been enough for 20ish seats, but they were slow and basically ignored us. We waited a full hour for the check, which is a waste of my time and theirs, as they had others waiting to get a seat. another table actually got up to get themselves water, which is a little embarrassing. Finally, we did get the check and they added a 21% service charge because our party was larger than 2 people?? what?? I've never seen that low a limit, and was upset at having to tip so high given how crappy the service was. or maybe that explains why the waitresses don't care, if they already know they'll have set gratuity... anyway, not worth it, ever again. read more

Parla - 21%?! for 4 people?? - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Made a reservation for Parla for a Friday night recently for 7:30pm for 3. We arrived a bit early and the host said "I am glad you got here early, I didn't know if I would have a table for you and I wanted to see if you would sit at the bar. Otherwise we have this two person table that we could squeeze to make work for 3, but it would only be an hour to an hour and a half dinner because I have other reservations coming in." When asked what the point of making the reservation was, he said "you make the reservation to make sure you get a table" but when asked why we did not have a table and we would have to sit at the bar, he said "that's just the way things are." Could not believe how rude someone could be to a customer, especially since he had a table set for 4 with 1 person sitting at it, and another table for 4 with 2 people eating at it. Poor planning and poor customer service, we left immediately. Will not be going back. Re: the business managers response Are you referring to the post-it note reservation system? We made that reservation 5 days in advance and the fact remains you said you would not have a table for us. Maybe you are struggling to explain the reservation system because you don't know how it works read more

This would be a one star review were it not for previous visits that slightly tip the scale favorably. During my most recent visit the bartender/manager completely soured my opinion of the place. He treated my entire party as a nuisance from the moment we walked in. It was a casual outing with a few friends visiting from out of town and I wanted to show them a decent spot for a cocktail or two in the north end. I'm not sure why we deserved the attitude and palpable contempt, but that's what we were served...with the exception of one woman in our party who he was clearly trying to flirt with--belting out a karaoke performance and all from behind the bar. I figured he was just having a bad day, but it appears several other reviewers have also taken note of this particular bartender's rude behavior to customers (And his demeaning rebuttals to their reviews further the point). All in all, the drinks aren't bad, but within the same price point there are plenty of other bars/lounges in the area offering quality drinks and atmosphere without getting treated like shit. read more

I am a North End native and will never stop talking about my terrible experience at this restaurant to anyone that asks me for a recommendation- and after reading all the responses from the manager on other Yelp reviews, that should speak for itself on the type of person he is. Terrible merely because of the SERVICE- specifically the MANAGER who's name is MATT. The overall ambiance of the restaurant, drinks, and food were great, but the service was absolutely horrendous. When we arrived to our reservation and ordered a bottle of wine and some apps the servers response was "so does this mean you aren't ordering entrees?" in a very cold tone- to which we responded yes, we are, we just wanted to enjoy our apps first. When my friend asked if one of the entrees was vegan, he ROLLED HIS EYES. How rude! After that, even after ordering entrees, our server, who also happened to be the manager (MATT) refused to come to our table. When we asked the other server to get him, he said: "yeah sorry he doesn't want to talk to you" Umm what?? Why would a MANGER say this? And what did we do? 3 girls who got together for an evening of catching up over dinner (who also happened to be from out of town and visiting me in Boston- I feel totally bad that this was their experience!). Completely ruined by this horrible, sad, angry of a person. We then did not tip, because TIPS = TO INSURE PROPER SERVICE. Which we clearly did not get and were treated so horribly. When he saw that we did not tip he kicked us out of the restaurant and told us to never return. I am always a 20% tipper, but this case was so bad I refused- and aside from that point, pretty sure it is not a requirement to tip and you can't kick someone out and ban them for that reason. I would love to find out who the owner is and explain how rude, arrogant, and terrible the management was, and for absolutely no reason at all. read more

I really would give this 4.5 stars if I could. Quaint little place with sneaky good food!! We sampled three starters; pork belly, polenta ad the burrata. The burrata was awesome, great flavor, fresh tomatoes. Loved it. Polenta was good as well. And the pork belly, really interesting dip with it, a lemon aioli I think. At first the lemon caught me off guard, but I ended up really liking how it contrasted the pork. Delicious. The drinks; we didn't roll the dice. I'm in my 50's, I want what I want. I had a nice Boston Cider, Bantam, which was very good. My friend simply asked the bartender to make her a sweeter drink with no gin or vodka, and he whipped up a drink she loved. Dinner; she said it was the best carbonara she's had, which includes her trip to Italy, so that says a lot. As for me, I'm a NY food snob, nobody does Italian like NY. HOWEVER, Parla was right there. A nice spin on Chicken Parm, not what I'm used to but still very good. Wish they'd put some more sauce on it, but I like a lot of it. They surely would have gotten it for me if I asked. I did ask for a white sauce on the pasta. They say it was Alfredo but it was lighter, and incredibly delicious!!! Next time I'm in Boston I'll be back. read more

One of my favorite bars in Boston, so far...it's in the north end and they serve food but we only stopped for an afternoon cocktail. I had the most delicious cider beer. Not too sweet. Not too dry. Just perfect. The space is small but the service was excellent. While enjoying drinks and talking w other patrons we spent some time reading the stories and such that we found in the menus (front and back) wow. What a fantastic experience. We loved every minute of our time at Parla and wish we would've had time to return. We will for sure go back when we return to Boston. A must in the north end. read more

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Great little pub type bar specializing in craft cocktails, beers, ciders, etc. They also serve a variety of foods that are more upscale dishes. We only drank, so I can't attest for the food. Atmosphere is quaint and comfortable. Small , but welcoming. Staff was extremely polite, helpful and knowledgeable. A "must try" if ur in this neighborhood. read more

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The dungeon game, fun game to start with, but gets boring as the drinks start to come in. Some of their drinks taste really interesting and unique, while the others are plain. Would love to see more options on the menu for food. In small bites: Tempura cauliflower was great. Brussel sprouts were okay. For dinner: They had a butternut squash pasta for specials that night which was great. The bruchetta was scattered and plain. A very small place, definitely take reservations before heading to this pleace. read more

Parla - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Whenever I travel, I always hunt out a place that truly sits above the rest in terms of cocktails and food. This place is that spot for Boston. The seared octopus was phenomenal- had the perfect texture and flavor. The drinks were amazing. The amount of care the bartender Christian puts in to making the perfect cocktail is appreciated and admired. Every restaurant should aspire to perform at this level. read more

Parla - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The north end is known for its incredible food and this place... does not belong. Food was awful tried multiple things and it was all terrible. The cocktails and service are the saving grace of this place read more

One of the best old fashioned I've ever had! And the dungeon master drink list is must try. For $14 you roll a 20-sided die and receive a drink from a secret menu. I rolled a 4 and received a delightful drink. Didn't eat dinner, but did get the beignets with house-made mascarpone, and they were delicious! read more

We stopped in while walking through the north end. There are only four seats at the bar but it is the best bar experience we have ever had. Phillip was an amazing bartender/host/artisan. the drinks were creative unusual well-prepared and he could not of been more delightful. We had a wonderful time and just watching him make all the craft cocktails was an entertainment into itself. There are Notebooks/menus at the bar where you can make diary entries. A hoot to look through. Would highly recommend this anytime! read more

Stopped here for cocktails after dinner on a Saturday night. It was busy but they had room for 2 at the bar. Played Dungeon Master where you Roll a 20 sided Die and you have to drink whatever the number is you roll. It was so much fun watching the different drinks being made. The bartender, who seemed more like a potions master, was captivating to watch. We absolutely loved it here. Drinks and atmosphere were amazing. Don't skip it. Also take time to look through the cocktail menu books. They were a creative space for many and it was easy to get lost in the art and stories. read more

Parla - Cocktail of a certain number that may not be revealed... - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Brunch review! My friends and I came here this past Saturday for my birthday brunch and we had an amazing time! Everything was wonderful from the ambience, the staff, the drink, and the food. Food: The food was absolutely amazing! We had seven people in our party and we all got a variety of foods-- the crackwhich, the good old skillet, omelettes, and the French toast. All of us loved our food and the portions were perfect for us. My friend was craving a biscuit and even though the kitchen was closing (or closed) they accommodated her which she really appreciated! One thing that was odd, but did not detract from anything hence the five stars, was that some of the metal utensils (like the metal straw for the drinks) had an extremely strong metal smell to it. It was just something we noticed. For my friends who were bothered by it, all they had to do was remove the straw from their drink and it was back to being awesome. Drinks: AMAZING! That's all i can say. We all loved their drinks and loved the "level up" gamification they added to their drink menu. My friends got me a shot of a "fireball equivalent" and it was soo good. A million times better than fireball and they also gave me this cute birthday shot with candle next to it :) Staff: The manager was a sweetheart and really made sure our group was taken care of. He answered all the questions we had about the drinks and struck up conversations with us as he passed by. The friendliness of him, along with the staff, really made the experience better! Also they accommodated our weird and probably annoying way to split the check haha thanks for that! Price: Yes the prices were on the expensive side BUT your getting great food/drinks/experience-- it is SO worth it. Will definitely be back!!! Thanks for an awesome birthday! read more

Fun and interesting cocktail bar! Great spot for whatever you're looking for - dinner, apps, or drinks. They've got a really unique liquor collection and offer flavor combinations to customize your own cocktail. Everything is fresh and delicious, and the atmosphere is on point. read more

I'll start off by saying the food, drinks and ambiance were excellent! Not one complaint. I'm only giving 3 stars because of the service. Our waitress (curly blonde hair) was exceptionally rude and unprofessional for such a nice restaurant. More than once she made rude remarks to our table to the point where she made us feel uncomfortable. I know we're not the only ones to feel this way as I've read similar reviews below. Hopefully management will address this employee. read more

Hanover's parlay in to Prohibition chic purveys polarizing tastes, one small plate at a time. KG was gung-ho about this spot since its opening, and booked a table via email two weeks in advance. When we arrived, there was no evidence of the reservation - a sure-fire disaster on a summer Saturday night. We started to dig out the paper trail, but were told we'd be have a table set. Score one for the staff! The interior is a Pinterest board to Boardwalk Empire: bubble light signage, barrel ends, industrial seating, backlit bottles. The extensive cocktail list had me salivating, and the comestibles - both small plates and entrees - featured new and novel twists. We adored the oxtail arancini ($7), and while my tentacle-averse better half didn't bite, I gleefully demolished the baby octopus salad ($13), a beautifully plated long set of merely halved, and mighty meaty cephalopods dressed in a miso marinade, with a citrusy yuzu gremolata, pickled radishes and a squid inky olive oil. The "oh god this is good" train kept chugging during my entree: a lamb leg fettuccine ($22) with toothy, handmade noodles, loads of well-seasoned protein and so much spring pea-ness, I thought it was boosting Viagra. See kids, that's called wordplay. Unfortunately, there were quite a number of missteps. The BarnBurner Old Fashioned ($12), a maple bacon infused bourbon sweetened by bacon fat simple and dashed with smoke bitters, was missing its promised candied bacon garnish (we were later told, "it's only served during brunch"), and had the taste and mouthfeel of oily maple syrup. The Manhattan Immigrant ($12) takes a wonderfully bottled High West pre-mixed Manhattan, and kicks it with hazelnut liqueur and mole bitters. It was more balanced, but watery and short poured even still. I did, however, enjoy the Bee Sting Julep ($10), copper mugged like a boss and based with a habanero honey whiskey. Be forewarned: there's serious heat if you order as is, and according to the Full Spice description on the receipt, you can request 'em to go easy on you. Baby. Despite having only five or six tables, we went incredibly long stretches without seeing our server (who doubled as a bartender). Dropping in after drinks or dishes are set is 101, and we didn't get a quality check til halfway through our entrees. Fine for me, but her somewhat bland, medium-rare hanger steak ($24) was plated deep purple and she didn't want to seek out the server a second time (first was when I asked to replace the BarnBurner) to get another minute on the fire, or a pinch of salt. The very wet burrata fritta and the rye/blackberry Sacco and Vanzetti were similarly middle of the road. Would I return? More than would, I will go back with fingers crossed this was a weird and untimely experience. Til then, the striking contrast in execution seats Parla at a promising three stars. read more

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Really cool place. Great drinks, great food and service. Love the laid back vibe and it doesn't feel stuffy like other restaurants/bars. The menu book is unique. I'd take the time to read some of the notes in there while you wait, some hilarious stuff in there. read more

It's small, select, sexy place with smashing food and drinks....and amazing service .. the ambience is unique and takes you to a different place, no matter where you came from read more

This is one of the most insane places I've ever been in my life. They have a WILD drink menu (as well as the bespoke cocktail option, which two of us did to great delight), and such a wonderful energy in what might be the smallest restaurant I've ever seen in America. We also all finished every bite of our dinners because it was so delicious, and our server was friendly & helpful. This is the kind of place with drinks so good the food could be trash, or vice versa, but both the food & drinks are to die for. read more

Parla - Lobster Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We had great service here. Appetizers were really fantastic, and the roll for a drink concept is fun if you're interested in it. Pastas were very good, but we felt like the appetizers stole the show a bit. Will definitely come back here. read more

We went late, after dinner, just for cocktails. Interesting and creative drinks, with warm and friendly service. read more

Parla - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Went for a wedding day brunch with a small groom party. Was amazing. They had a water glass that was perceptively funky and didn't help our hangover, it was funny! Bacon was awesome. Best brunch in the north end so far! I would go back and enjoy the service and food. read more

Was just there for brunch. Service was friendly and food was amazing. Drinks were good and they were able to make drinks on point when we told them preferences. Highly recommend for a break from the standard Italian places on Hanover. Definite hidden gem read more

Parla - Respect your elders with cantaloupe cucumber rosemary - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Parla, knocking it out of the park again! Before I go into detail, important update: Parla DOES take reservations now. Be sure to call ahead. I loved this place when I went a few months ago. After our return visit, I love it even more! I was pleasantly surprised to see how much the menu had changed. They still offered the oxtail aracini, a favorite, but nearly every other dish was new. Based on our last positive experience with Parla's pasta, we got the lamb fettuccini and the lobster ravioli. Both were to die for. If you like black truffle, get the ravioli-- I think that may have been the flavor that made the sauce so tasty. But, I suspect you can't go wrong with any of the choices. And! Cocktails! An awesome selection and everything tasted great. I had (two of) the Daisy Pusher. SO GOOD. If you're a gin drinker, you've got to try it. It was the best new cocktail I've had in awhile. My friend's twist on a Moscow mule was also great. The servers are also all really sweet, which makes the experience that much better. I can't wait to go back! read more

Parla - Daisy Pusher - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We spent 4 hours here today. We didnt rush, completely casual. Started out with Daniel as our waiter. Such a great guy! Very engaging! Shift change came and we got Stephan! So funny! Amazing service! My husband and I decided to do the Dungeon Master (incredibly unique idea that will have you coming back time and time again!) Our bartender was Phillip. Totally on point! Never left us wanting! We did the the octopus, lamb skewers, calamari and pork belly chips. The only one that wasnt quite tasty was the chips. Flavor was great but far too much grease for us! My bad! I'm sure it would be quite tasty for folks used to that level of fatty fried. All in all, I would recommend this place tenfold! read more

Want to know the type of environment Parla offers? Look no further than the retorts on the poor yelp reviews by the manager. This wannabe chic shanty in the north end offers the perfect combination of uncomfortably cramped seating & piggishly rude service. The demeanor of the Manager is that of an overwhelmed and panicked aggressive dullard. He, is the real star of the show. Along with your meal he'll be serving up a classless arrogance paired with a heaping portion of chivalries incompetence that will make the drive home the best part of your night. There are dozens of amazing places to eat in the north end and this isn't one of them. Not if you have any respect for yourself. Try the veal chop at Bricco and avoid furthering the existence of a shanty run by an absolute coward. P.S. This review was expressed in person prior to posting online. read more

My girlfriend and I ate here to celebrate our anniversary. The atmosphere was quaint and warming. The food was delicious and so were our espresso martinis. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone dining in the North end of Boston. read more

We've been to Lucca... We've been to Bricco..... We will go back to Parla. The boar meatballs were amazing, and the scallops to die for (dont be put off by the beets).... And then there are the drinks...... Arnold Palermo and a Latin Dame were both much more than could be experienced at any of the neighboring spots that we've been to. All in all an unbelievable experience. The service was as great as it needed to be. Not overbearing or pushy but definitely attentive. TY Ladies of Parla. We loved it! read more

Parla - Quaint speakyeasy! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Love this place! Came here for drinks on a Saturday and they were able to seat us quickly. We opted into the dungeon master game which was so fun! Unfortunately my drink was too spicy for me to handle so I ended up ordering another drink off the menu, but they do warn you that there's no crying or complaining when playing! My friend's drink was pretty good however. Once I got the pineapple hibiscus shrub cocktail I was happy--it was fruity and sweet! The menu is very quirky and creative, it was fun just to read the menu. I loved the atmosphere of the place, very intimate and dark. Our waiter was fun and made our experience here all the more interesting. Overall love this place and will definitely be back to continue playing dungeon master! read more

Parla - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I was really stuck between three and four stars, I consider customer service the most essential aspect of a restaurant and in Parla the attention and service was fabulous from everyone. The drinks were also fantastic along with the intimate feel of the place. There are some parts that I felt Parla kinda feel flat. When we ordered the salumi my date (from Venice btw) was disappointed in how thick the meat was sliced and also that it was paired with run in the mill mozzarella, the dish was craving some better cheeses. For my main dish I was again kinda disappointed, I had the Pappardelle with Lamb Ragù which had way too much lamb and not enough ragu. I had to order additional bread to finish the ragu, not only because it had a lot of lamb but the meat was too tough. Still the flavors were tasty! Finally the cannolis were good and the complementary cordials of limoncello was a nice touch. I am one not to complain about price but I do like to compare what we pay to other comparable restaurants in Boston and here again Parla doesn't meet the exceptionally high standard that is the competitive Boston restaurant scene. I think being located in a plethora of tourists on Hanover st perhaps impacts quality just a tad. it was a nice experience, but not a place that screams "we need to come back". read more

We feel somewhat embarrassed that it took us so long to finally make it here. We are not big fans of North End to begin with, but seeking good cocktail bars has always been our quest and knew this was one to check out. Much to our surprise - they only have a cordial license here (which required some Googling to educate ourselves what that even means.....) - so its doubly impressive what they accomplish here. Drinks are top notch - and we very much appreciate the effort put in to their impressive variety of shrubs and gastriques. We were pleasantly surprised by the very good food options and everything was quite tasty. We'll definitely make it back to try more! read more

The four star rating is only because in the winter months, they really need to figure out how to make it so the person sitting next to the door isn't freezing their ass off the entire meal. It wasn't totally a totally comfortable experience. However; it's hard to let that minor annoyance take away from how great this place is. Friendly staff, The food & drink were amazing and the atmosphere was great. I went with a group of people and we all got different things. No matter what you order you won't be disappointed. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time and if it's freezing, maybe specify you don't want to be near the door. We came for dinner but will be going back for their brunch soon! read more

Parla - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Walked in one weekend to grab drinks at a friend's recommendation and the cocktail menu is wild. We all opted for the Dungeon Master and left our drink order up to chance. You roll a 28 sided dice and every number corresponds to a different drink. The bartender warned us that this is a risky option and if we don't like our drink it's not his problem. However, it is a cool way to expand your horizons and discover something new. We didn't heed his warning and all of us ended up with drinks we never would have ordered! It was a cool experience to try and all of our drinks turned out good. Our bartender was awesome: he humored all of our questions about Parla and mixology while filling drink orders for the whole restaurant. read more

It pains me to write this about a small biz, but I have never had a meal so unbelievably bad. We went for brunch and were so excited! The waiter poured water in our glasses and then he noticed how dirty they were and brought us out new ones. The daylight showed just how dusty the shelves were (like clumps of dust). My cold brew tasted like mint + mixture of spices and when I asked for a cup of hot coffee instead they said I wasn't the first person this morning to say the cold brew was bad. The waffles seemed microwaved, the home fries were cold. The servers were really kind! I just strongly recommend avoiding this place for brunch. It was really bad. I've been here at night and the cocktails are incredible. read more

I'm all for fusion/modern Italian food, and I was initially excited to try out this spot. Unfortunately, I was left disappointed. I ordered the ramen. Yes, the ramen. Why? Because if you're going to stretch your menu, this is as far as it goes, and I better try it. Plenty of authentic Italian restaurants on this street, so clearly this is not where you go for that. The noodles were not even and had some dry spots. The broth was far too salty for any average diner. I also tried the seafood pasta dish. While it's not terrible, it's not amazing either. The decor of the restaurant is nice, the location is spot on, so I'll give them that. Otherwise, the food is mediocre. read more

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After having brunch with a friend, we stopped by to have drinks. We decided to roll the dice to decide our drink. Once we received our drinks, we were told that we had to pay for our drinks before ordering another round. Not thinking too much about it, we paid and ordered another round of drinks. Once our drinks made it to the table, we were told that the table was reserved for another party. We said that we would just finish our drinks and go. Another server came and asked us to "hurry up". We looked around and saw that no one was waiting to be seated and that there were three other clean, empty tables. We paid for the drinks and after picking up the tip a third waiter said that a party was waiting for the table. What is important to stress is that the drinks were not "shots," and the timing from the drinks being placed on the table and three different servers rushing us to consume our drink was less than 15 minutes. We left and there was a group of three people waiting to be seated. If each one of them sat at an individual table, there would still be no need for our table. Did I mention that we were the only people of color in attendance? read more

Parla - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Host was very rude. Needs to understand how to behave with customers regardless of who and where they come from. The second hostess also made comments about timing of or arrival despite of our heads up and moving our reservation ------ FYI, for any one reading this review I had much more pleasant experience at restaurant right across the street. ---- To Parla Your comments for our feedback speaks for your behavior and your attitude. If you are not mature enough to see the value of a feedback, no one can help you get better. Our ID card was the least of the issue. If that was the only problem I wouldn't take time to write a feedback about this. I have not written a comment for any other place I have visited and what do you think prompted me to write a feedback - my ID card ? " really - is that how grown up you are " read more