My friend saw an instagram reel that featured this place and their secret "roll the dice" menu. After seeing that, we knew we had to check out this place during our trip to Boston. We showed up early evening on Sunday and were fortunate enough to snag a table. I rarely do cocktails but I couldn't not roll the dice. My friend rolled first and got something called "spicy bitch" and then I rolled and got "tomcats pajamas." We also ordered the meatballs to share. It was an exciting experience waiting to see what our drinks would be like. It did take a while for them to make the drinks. Mine was very strong and difficult for me to drink since I don't drink hard liquor much. However, it was still a fun experience and I was almost tempted to roll again. I'd certainly come back again if I'm in the area. read more

Parla - Tomcats pajamas - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The restaurant was so cute and great for the ambiance. Food was alright but drinks were great and staff was kind. read more

Parla - Menu - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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100% the place to go for breakfast and Brunch. On a recent visit to Boston I found Parla and had such a great time talking with the bartenders, other diners and enjoying the food. Also living a "Carnivore Diet" lifestyle it can be hard to find a heavy meat meal. Thanks to Ron Swanson you can literally get "all the bacon and eggs" they have at the time. read more

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Come for the drinks (Dungeon Master Dice) I passed by this place a few times when in the North End and once I found out about their 20-sided cocktail dice, I knew I had to try. The interior is awesome - I especially loved the wallpaper in the bathroom. I rolled the dice and got a drink called Tea Time in Burma which I really enjoyed! The food, however, was mediocre. We got the fried calamari, carbonara, and chicken parm to share. The carbonara tasted just like straight heavy cream and the chicken parm was lacking flavor and spices in the sauce. This place is great if you're going for drinks - I loved the surprise of not knowing what drink I rolled and the creativity around the cocktail menu. If you're just going for dinner, I think there are other better places in the North End. read more

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What a fantastic cocktail bar! My husband and I walked by randomly and decided to go in and sit at the bar. The bartender was lovely- I wish I had gotten her name. We each ordered from the Parla bible - a mule with raspberry and basil for me and a French 75 for him. Fabulous drinks! My husband then ordered an elderberry cocktail (something about respecting your elders, I think) with cucumber which so sooo delicious! I just loved the vibe and the cute little menu/bibles they had. Everyone has left little doodles or quotes behind and it was so fun to read. Come by here and see for yourself! read more

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Parla is an amazing speakeasy with a great style and vibe. The location is impeccable as you're right in the heart of north end surrounded by amazing restaurants and bakeries. If you're looking for good quality drinks I would say it's definitely worth the stop. And I'd recommend to sit at the bar to get a more personable experience. The baristas were fantastic and shared some insight while making their custom cocktails. It made our night a lot more interesting and entertaining! Take a close look at their menu as they do offer a spontaneous drink experience called the Dungeon Master...roll the dice and that number will determine the secret drink for you. They do make accommodations for those with any allergy restrictions before finalizing, but you can expect an absolute surprise. Afterwards they will hand you a card which stamps your drinks that were rolled to track them all. The goal...to become a Dungeon Master and to try all 20 secret drinks! A local mentioned this is a great spot for tourists or for those who live in the area, and i completely agree! Must try: Cojones De Abeja (Mezal and Habanero...it's absolutely perfect) Regal Fields (their version of a French 75) Dungeon Master (for custom drink) read more

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We ate here in August. Amazing food and service, just loved it. Had a great time. Second visit - not good at all. What happened to this place in four months??? Our experience: - Out of pork belly chips, and we only sat down at 7 pm. - Server brought the wrong beer for our friend. - Brussels sprouts were badly undercooked, extremely tough. We didn't know such terrible Brussels sprouts were even possible. - Server accidentally poured water into our friend's full glass of beer, took the beer glass away, then brought an empty glass, but not a new beer. The server couldn't bring a new beer on the house? - Chicken Parmesan - not good at all. - Chicken carbonara - really good, highlight of the meal. - Cannoli for dessert - contained almost no filling, definitely the lowlight of the meal. We will never return. read more

Me and two friends were lucky to sit at the bar and have a great conversation with Shaylee (hopefully we're spelling your name right girlie). Food was fast and delicious. Drinks were phenomenal (try the tequila espresso shot). The ambience was beautiful with the barrel wood decor. Small place, but lovely experience. read more

Parla - Drink menu - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Best place I've ever had a meal. Went with my partner and we can't wait to go back next time we're in town! Food- everything was SO well prepared! Lobster ravioli with shrimp all cooked perfectly, lamb skewers were amazing, crispy and soft polenta, loved every bite! People- we loved that the menu had a few reminders on how to treat staff (you know, like humans!). We've both worked in the service industry for years and it's refreshing to see a business that cares about their people. Inside- awesome use of space, small tables that can be moved together or apart, great music, dark but not difficult to see. Can't wait to try more next time! read more

Great for drinks and dinner. Dark mysterious atmosphere with a unique menu in the shape of the hobbit journal. Sat at the bar great service. read more

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Cool spot, awesome vibe and theming. We came to Parla for drinks and dessert. The beignets were a 11/10. Cannoli was okay. Got the bespoke cocktail (surprise) and the Respect your Elders cocktail. To die for! read more

Parla - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I hope the owner sees this. The past five negative reviews are all about the service from his waitstaff. Cut them free and you'll be on to something -- clearly, whatever waitress you have employed weekend nights is solely responsible for your dredged down reviews. We were entirely bummed -- we really wanted to try this place. We walked in around 6:30pm and were excited to see two open seats at the bar. That was short lived, as the waitress told us we could not sit there because she was moving one of her current tables to the bar once they finished their meal. I have never once been turned away from two open seats at a bar. Her attitude was enough to prevent us from ever trying this place again. Too bad, because the drinks and food looked delicious. If you're going to reserve bar seats, announce it on your website somewhere. And since the owner (or perhaps it's the waitress that is commented on above, since I'm not clear on how someone who WASN'T present would be able to objectively weigh in on the tone of an interaction) has so unprofessionally rebutted the Google review I left, I've decided to leave it here too. In fact, the snarky replies to reviewer comments are both a trend and a theme throughout other reviews. Zero accountability or ownership of any of the issues that patrons outline. I will make entirely sure that I spread word of this to every outlet possible, both online and in person, from the virtual mountaintops. I shudder to think of how they react when people send back food or comment negatively in person... or maybe the keyboard warrior persona takes precedence and they like to suppress their lash outs to internet review rebuttals. McDonald's has more business acumen. Avoid at ALL costs. Read all of the other review rebuttals all over the internet, the proof speaks for itself. Can't wait to see what they come back with this time! read more

GREAT bartender & great hostess! The manager Ashley was absolutely rude & made everyone's experience horrible. She was extremely disrespectful and out of line. I was going to rate this place a 10/10 until Ashley treated everyone around her like complete sh*t I will be contacting the owner. Save your time and money. Shaylee the bartender was amazing and knew her manager was unprofessional. Well everyone knew it. I never do this but I'm leaving this review so everyone is aware of the manager. read more

The restaurant is small and intimate. The brunch menu is really fun and and reasonably priced. That Good Good Skillet came out piping hot and everything came together nicely. The adult milkshake was surprisingly good. Would definitely come again! read more

Parla - That Good Good Skillet - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This place has been on my list since I moved back home. It didn't disappoint, the place is small but amazing! You gotta roll the dice and try drinks for the secret drink menu. I've got 18 more to roll!! read more

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Parla has an unique speakeasy vibe with great food and unusual drinks. The restaurant is quite small and intimate, so I'd recommend going with a party of 2-4. The kitchen and bar are a bit slow, so be prepared to chat with your dinner companions for a while as your drinks and food come out. Food came out hot (except for the pork belly chips) and had good sized portions for splitting. For food, my party of 2 ordered 4 apps and 1 main entree to split. It was a LOT of food and overall really good. I would recommend getting the burrata and arancini out of our order: - arancini (highly recommend!) - pork belly chips (only okay, just bacon bits) - patatas bravas (was just French fries but really good!) - burrata (very large portion and was delicious!) - lamb parpadelle (fresh pasta cooked with Al dente with small lamb chunks) For drinks, Parla's selling point is definitely the Dungeon Master where you can roll a dice and "collect" the 20 secret cocktails they offer. It made the dinner very fun and try different cocktails I would probably never order. Our server was very nice and would tell us a bit about each mystery cocktail that came out. read more

Parla - Drink from Dungeon Master list - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This place is so insane--it's my go to date spot! The food is so good (the house made pappardelle with lamb ragu and the fried Brussels are my favorite!) and the drinks are so creative. The dungeons and dragons-themed cocktail game is also super fun and unique. My friends and I have a running contest to see who will beat level 1 first! The menus also have blank pages for people to write their stories (about one another, why they're there, or anything at all). I think that adds to the setting as well, as it's exciting to read through. Overall, the service is A+, the food is A+, and the drinks are A+. Could not recommend more! read more

Parla - House Made Pappardelle with Lamb Ragu - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Really had an amazing time in Parla. Easily one of my newest favorite places in Boston, a true hidden gem. Exceptionally talented bartenders, and fun waitress staff. Food was outstanding, but cocktails were really out of this world! Ordered a few drinks off the menu and was blown away. Will definitely come back! 10 stars read more

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Great little restaurant with superb taste. I definitely think this is a must try. I would order the arancinis and apps and drinks. They have a unique style to the interior, and I think especially right now, they'd need more support during covid. read more

Great restaurant with a fun outdoor patio and a romantic indoor vibe. The drinks are particularly excellent, though the food is also good. But really, really these cocktails are GREAT. They have a cool mystery menu that you can only order off of if you roll a dice to pick which if the 20, which i highly recommend doing. The service is incredibly friendly--Phil is the absolutely best! This place can get pretty busy on popular days so I recommend making a reservation in advance; it is one of the gems of the North End. read more

Parla - Storefront - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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So I was invited to dinner with my colleagues during my stay in Boston. They invited me to dinner in Boston's North end, also known as Little Italy. As the Lyft driver drove down the tight streets packed with people, I could smell the delicious aroma of Italian food. We pull up to Parla and the outer facade reminded me of a small and quant bar. The weather was nice so they were able slide open the windows to allow the diners to eat Al fresco. It was great to eat with fresh air coming in to the dining area. The seating area was rather small...I think you could fit a max of 30 or so people to dine at any given time. We were greeted with menus which was also interesting. The reminded me of a journal book as they had blank sheets that allowed diners to write comments about their experience at the restaurant. On to the food... delicious! We started off with the grilled brussel sprouts which were tasty and had a perfect crisp on the outer shell. We also ordered the wild boar meatballs which had the perfect consistency and flavor. For entrees, we had the Maine lobster ravioli (YUM!), Chicken parmiagana and the Chicken Caronara. All delicious and tasty dishes. Lastly, the servers knew we were from out of town so they brought us free shots which they took along with us. I guess we left a good impression on them as they gave us free shots. Would definitely visit again read more

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You roll the dice to predict the drink you'll be getting! I got the spicy bitch and it was great. A super quaint and nice cocktail bar to check out! read more

Great drinks and great atmosphere. The bartender was also very friendly and gave us recommendations around Boston read more

Parla - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Showed up early (NO BIG DEAL), they kicked us out while waiting for our table ($40 per person cancellation fee) and refused to cancel our reservation for who knows what reason. We ubered from over 30 min away. Most of the staff is great but this curly waitress/hostess (apparently running the show) thinks she can treat paying customers (last time i was there my bill was $400+) with disrespect after kicking me out in 20 degree weather with a reservation and apparently canceling spot for no reason. - we agreed to go outside JUST to get our reservation cancelled once outside and told, "to find other dining". She gave away our reservation immediately... AWFUL server and not for the overall experience or cause or the "fun and different" bar they promote. I highly recommend going to ANYWHERE else that cares about the customers opinion and they apparently don't! read more

Food was average but i should never have found out. There were pornographic drawings in the menus along with slurs and politically incorrect epithets. I saw at least two people get up and leave because of it. I just don't get it. Drinks were good but who cares and does it really matter. Pornography in the menus. Nope. read more

YIKES! You've read about the cancellation policy, right? If not look into it. We made a reservation for drinks (missed that prefer walk-ins only for drinks) and when we sat down we apologized and told our server we didn't have the intention of eating there and what was the best way forward - order drinks or pay the $25 a person cancellation fee. Happy to do either, our mistake. She grabbed the manager who came over to tell us we would have to pay $40 a person on top of a drink order..... whaaaaat?! It didn't say that anywhere in the policies - don't worry she reviewed them in our face at our table - nothing there. So she threw our check down and told us she wouldn't charge us. Afterwards, the server basically attacked us and told us how she was a person too and that this was a minimum wage job? They then told us to leave and never come back. Bizarre! Really embarrassing for everyone involved. We were shocked UNTIL..... lol scroll this yelp page and look at how the manager responds to people. Obviously a culture issue there. read more

A friend brought me here as a local favorite bar. If anything, she knows something about me, I'm a huge nerd and their "Dungeon Master" drink list would be dangerously fun for me such that I would definitely become a regular. Roll a 20-sided die, you get a pre-selected, secret drink. $14, no give-backs, who knows what you'll get. The two we had were delicious. Settled on a smaller street, you can see foot traffic pass by as you embibe your food and beverage. We ordered a variety of small plates ranging from pork "chips" (deep fried cuts of pork belly, fried to a crisp, served with a brightly spiced aioli) to lamb skewers served with a fresh herb salad. The esthetic is classical speakeasy with some modern twists. The service was informed as the staff was limited, but that's fine considering the restaurant is fairly small. read more

Parla - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

What a fantastic and refreshingly modern place for cocktails, especially in a part of town that prides itself on old world traditions. This review is only for the cocktails, which deserve 6 out of 5 stars. The menu changes, and the bartenders are more than happy to pour you something special if you can't decide from the provided options. My friend and I tried several different drinks, and not a single one disappointed. All were unique and well-crafted. Definitely stop by if you are looking for a good drink in the North End, and don't necessarily want to pair it with too much Italian food in the process. read more

Cute place that takes reservations in a small space with great cocktails and a little more mediocre food - Parla has its share of hits and misses. Hits: cute space and reservations in the north end make it an attractive option. After deconvoluting a rather confusing menu, they have quite an extensive cocktail list. Not much of a cocktail person myself, I decided to try the sangria, which was deliciously flavored with lychee. My lobster ravioli was delicious, and came with hefty pieces of grilled shrimp. Cons: not really a con per say, but the appetizers weren't that exciting. The octopus was were tiny and mixed in with far more potatoes than octopus. I tried a friend's pappardelle, and it was okay, although not among the best that I've had (SRV, Giulia, Red hen in DC, etc) Overall cute place, particularly for drinks. Food wasn't really anything to come back for. read more

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Very small place!! Good food and drinks! The service was good! Cute menus. They did have the heat on BLAST tho

Came into town and had dinner and drinks at Parla to celebrate my friends bday and my bday, as were a few weeks off, and it did not disappoint! Food | Fried Brussels with lemon sauce (5/5) Seared Octopus with potatoes and arugula (4/5) Ricotta Fritters with balsamic glaze (3/5) Garlic spinach mezzelune ravioli (4/5) The only dish I could have done without was the ricotta fritter, I just felt like it was very doughy and chewy and was anticipating lighter and fluffier cheesy vibes. Otherwise, my friend and I loved all the dishes. Drinks | the highlight was 100% drinks here and we kinda went all out. My friend had 4 of the dungeon master drinks and I had 3 and like fate we rolled drinks that perfectly fit our vibes. Of my drinks, the most unique was "spicy bitch" which was SO HOT (and I'm a Louisiana/Texas girl). I forget the actual details, but it was like a jalapeño infused whiskey, with bitters and honey. So good! The next drink I got was the Dutch martini, and I had been hoping for that one! It gives pirate vibes, and I think it's named after the Flying Dutchman because you got a little octopus tentacle speared with a tiny hand (see photo). My least favorite of my drinks was the last one (because of science) which was a pistachio, iced tropical rum, drink. Still very good, but I definitely prefer a dry/less sweet beverage. Someone became a dungeon master (completed all 20 drinks!) while we were eating dinner and they had a cute announcement for them and speech. They said it took them five years, which is honestly a testament to this place, that they love coming 5 years later. There was a cute couple next to us that was on a date and asked us what we had rolled, so we started chatting with them and compared drinks. Eventually we were rooting each other on as we rolled the die to see what we got next, making the experience even more fun! Waitress | Sheila (sp?) was AMAZING. We rolled the dice 7 times and she knew every single drink like the back of her hand. When it came time to guess at some flavors, she was so fun with her hints and encouragement and then had the actual recipe memorized to perfection. I was just in awe because this is 20 extra drinks with very interesting recipes in addition to their extensive drink menu. She split our ravioli entree for us as well which was very thoughtful. Closing out the night, she brought us two little birthday shots, which was so sweet! We honestly just loved chatting with her too and highly recommend. All in all, this is a perfect spot for occasions, a casual night with friends, or a first date. It's got good food, great drinks, and entertainment--what else could you ever want?!? read more

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Ridiculous cancellation policy, unreasonable and rude staff. When you do go, drinks and food are overpriced for what they are, which is mediocre. If you're looking to get ripped off, go to Parla. But given the amount of awesome places in the North End for food and drinks, I would take your business elsewhere. Edit: in addition to the staff being rude, they will apparently lie to cover their poor behavior. You've been warned! read more

We had a Sunday dinner here. Cocktails were good, food was average. Writing the review more due to what happened at the table next to me. The waitress and staff were incredibly rude to a few guests that came in for a drink. So much so that they yelled at them and told them to never come back! We were shocked!!! We heard most of the conversation and the people seemed to be just asking questions about one of their policies. It was a bit jarring and made us feel incredibly uncomfortable. The drink was good but not worth being in that atmosphere!!! read more

While the twisted classic cocktails were fantastic, the bespoke cocktail I got was incredible. I asked the bartender to craft something to pair well with my lobster ravioli, and they made an incredible mezcal paloma-inspired drink that was perfectly sour and smoky. This quiet and unassuming joint is perfect for a date night, a solo dinner, or a small group. Would highly recommend for a good time! read more

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

Went for brunch with a friend during covid restrictions - it was good! Would want to come back when it's more firm in its direction. We had an outdoor brunch for 2 - food options are a great range, albeit most meat dishes have pork, which can be restricting for those with religious diet restrictions. They don't sub for turkey sausage/bacon, so I ended up doing steak as well as the sweet dishes. Food was 3/5, not the most seasoned or great in portion size. I did LOVE the drinks though! They came in cute and unique shaped glasses. Refreshing for a nice outdoor brunch. My reservation for which I can't rate it higher is that the service was sub par even though it was not busy when we went and there were only 2 other diners. It took quite some time to get the waitress' attention and even then, our bills were mixed up. We were charged on our card for another table's bill and I had to notice it and ask them about it, which they the. reversed. Just seems like that error shouldn't have been made since it wasn't particularly busy either! Ultimately, it's a good, solid breakfast spot. I'd love to try it again when indoor dining opens up! (: read more

Fun little cocktail bar for drinks and we got dinner here as well. They're known for their mystery drinks, literally rolling the dice on what you're drinking and guessing after. This is a cool concept I was excited for, but unless you like a variety of liquor, there's a good chance you drink something you would never order yourself which gets old after a few sips. I had a fireball-esque drink and it was decent but it stings knowing the mystery drink was actually more expensive than ordering a regular drink. The food was only okay especially for the area. I got pasta with red sauce and it was decent but nothing special. It's also very loud, dark, and packed to the brim, so not really a great date night spot but a good pregame with friends. Service was super friendly and prices reflect the monopoly on their gimmick. read more

We came here on a Tuesday night and we had a blast. Some of my friends did the dice roll for drinks, I have pretty specific tastes with alcohol and the bartender was able to make me a fantastic cocktail just based on my alcohol preferences. We can't wait to go back read more

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Visited the night before Thanksgiving with a friend. It was pretty busy and had a very cozy atmosphere. We each ordered two drinks and shared the seared octopus and the spaghetti con gamberi. The bartender was attentive and happy to answer questions and give recommendations. The espresso martini was 10/The seared octopus was 8/10 and the spaghetti con gamberi was 9/10. Highly recommend for the vibes! read more

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Think that Drink is a cool place for giving you a random drink by giving the bartender a taste profile is cool? Wait until you completely leave a drink to chance and yolo a 20 side dungeons and dragons style dice. You can probably order normal drinks here, but that's not what the cool kids do. There's another Parla in North station apparently too. The vibe here is really cool with all the RGB lights. I won't reveal too much about the drink I got, but it was really refreshing and surprisingly didn't have any ingredients I thought it had. The bartender will quickly explain the drink if it's not busy. If you accidentally roll the dice and get a number you got before, don't fret! You can reroll with no consequences. Good to go with a group and try a bunch of different drinks. read more

YUM. What a great spot for a date night!!! Be sure to get a reservation in advance. Romantic joint with fun cocktail combinations (bartender seemed a bit overwhelmed with crafting everything so drinks took a while, understandably). Lobster Ravioli was truly great, rich and flavorful. Chicken Parm was also nice, but nothing too exciting. read more