My family and I celebrated a birthday and two anniversaries at Ristorante Molise in Amesbury last night. We have been there many times, and once again, everything was outstanding--the food, service, and atmosphere. From the moment you walk in, the owner welcomes you with a warm smile that makes you feel like a special guest. She also came to our table during the meal to make sure everything was fine and spent a few minutes talking with us, which was a very nice touch. The prices are very reasonable, especially for the quality of the food and service. As we were leaving, the owner surprised us with a gift, which made our celebration even more special. I cannot say enough good things about Ristorante Molise. It is one of--if not my very favorite--restaurants. Thank you to the owner for her wonderful hospitality, excellent food, and great service. read more

I wish I could give them 10 stars ! Alisa, Antoinette & Angie -- they truly made us feel a part of their family. My family & I are on a cross country road trip, and so we've had the honor of visiting many restaurants along the way, from Los Angeles to Massachusetts & Ristorante Molise is most definitely our favorite. Right away we were greeted by our gracious host Alisa, in the front of house -- and despite being absolutely full (and for good reason!) Alisa found us a nice table within minutes. The decor is so inviting and has that warm authentic feeling of the Italian countryside. Once sat, Angie (our beautiful waitress) greeted us right away, bringing us plenty of bread as each basket was devoured, and made sure our every need was taken care of, and with such a level of attention that we never felt rushed or hurried in anyway -- just taken care of. Water glasses filled just as the bread basket. Antoinette is the artist in the kitchen, and everything from the salt on the table to the coffee was simply delicious. Truly. Our appetizer-- the calamari -- was to die for. I've had many calamari in the past and while all are good, the calamari from Ristorante Molise is of another class altogether; pure fantasy: it came with sauce that was out of this world, that soaked the otherwise crispy calamari -- like a slightly spicy & juicy tomato bisque, and with lemon slices (if you like, which we did). Then came our salads, and we have not been eating vegetables so much on our trip, so to finally decide on green vegetables and to have done so here was just a blessing of the highest order. I had their Caesar salad, my father their house salad and my mother decided on their soup de jour (Minestrone). All of us loved what we ordered; I hadn't had a creamy Caesar dressing like I had here at Ristorante Molise since I was a child -- it brought back so many memories. When our main courses came, I had their Fettuccine Bolognese (with their house meatballs), my mother had their Fettuccine in a clam & chicken broth sauce, with huge succulent prawns that was 'kissed the sky' good, and my father had their Haddock with penne Alfredo that knocked his socks off! My bolognese was soooo good. Each bite I took felt like heaven. Plus I had a delicious wine (from my neck of the country) that complimented my dish terrifically! The staff simply went above and beyond, it seemed, and as we were finishing, a nice couple came by and told us they come here all the time -- so I'm sure this is just how they are: hospitable, attentive, loving and I just can't say enough good things about this beautiful restaurant. A beautiful staff and a beautiful pair of wonderful sister owners that have the best restaurant in the whole country I dare say. Three Michelin Stars, I say, in my humble opinion. ...Until next time, and thank you for reading this incredibly long review! Buon appetito!! read more

Ristorante Molise - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Amesbury, Massachusetts

We absolutely love this restaurant! Food is fantastic and the service is great. Cute Italian restaurant vibe and atmosphere. We come here for our girls dinners, birthday dinners and double dates. Such a great place! Ohh and the Caesar salad is absolutely phenomenal read more

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Ristorante Molise deserves every bit of 5 stars! From start to finish, the experience was nothing short of perfect. The service is outstanding--professional, attentive, and they have a way of keeping the flow of food just right without ever making you feel rushed. The owner is incredibly friendly and went above and beyond to make our night feel extra special, which truly set the tone for the evening. The dining room itself is elegant and welcoming, with an open layout that makes the space feel lively and inviting. Because it's all open, it can get a little loud at times and make conversation harder to hear, but when we went toward the end of the night the atmosphere was quieter and even more enjoyable. The meal started with their bread--perfectly crunchy on the outside yet soft and fluffy inside, the kind you can't stop eating. The Calamari Fritti was hands down the best I've ever had: tender, melt-in-your-mouth, never rubbery, with a sauce that balanced savory richness and just the right amount of kick. Despite being fried, it felt light and satisfying, the ideal appetizer. For my entrée, I had the Ravioli di Aragosta, and I honestly can't praise it enough. The ravioli were generously sized and stuffed with flavorful lobster chunks--both inside and piled on top. Each bite was rich, savory, and carried that perfect seafood finish that lingered beautifully. Absolutely phenomenal. Drinks are another highlight--the bartender pours them strong and tasty, just the way I like them. And to top it all off, the desserts were gorgeous and paired perfectly with an espresso. I loved the thoughtful touch of including a rock candy stick, letting you stir in sweetness to taste or just enjoy as a little snack. All in all, Ristorante Molise checks every box: incredible food, warm hospitality, and those little details that make an evening memorable. I can't wait to come back! read more

Ristorante Molise - Lobster Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Amesbury, Massachusetts

Well- I used to work there! Antoinette is an amazing cook- but her true gift is hospitality! I mean beyond cooking! You may come as stranger, but you will leave as a friend! She taught me a LOT about Hospitality and food service when I graduated from Culinary school! And always supported me- even when I went to create my own business! You will never regret a dinner at the Molise. read more

Disappointed After Years of Being a Loyal Customer I've been coming to Ristorante Molise in Amesbury for years and usually enjoy the food and service, but our most recent visit was such a letdown that I felt compelled to share. Our server, Mellissa, was unfriendly and cold from the start. She seemed annoyed every time we needed something and couldn't keep track of who ordered what -- which led to mix-ups throughout the meal. Definitely not the welcoming service we've come to expect. We also informed the restaurant of a nut and seed allergy at our table. Despite that, our salad arrived with tomatoes and cucumbers, which both contain seeds -- clearly showing a lack of attention to detail. The food didn't make up for it either. The Pollo Molise was overly watery, and the Veal Eggplant Parm had barely any veal -- mostly just breading and sauce. We've had good experiences here in the past, but this visit really changed our opinion. Unfortunately, we won't be returning anytime soon. read more

Ristorante Molise - Italian Near Me - Amesbury, Massachusetts

A real staple of downtown. Great food, great service, nice for any occasion. Italian food doesn't get any better than Molise.

Hi, Eight of us went to Molise Friday night. Our server was Heidi. She was fantastic. The food was delicious as always. I would suggest getting the Antoinetta. If you like fish it's the best dish. The drinks and desserts are excellent. The owners and staff is always helpful. Thanks again for a wonderful evening. Debbie. read more

Food and place are great, people, too. But man, it is loud. We parked in the town lot and the walk down is lovely.

Food is always great! Service good too. Charming outdoor space too. Reservations are recommended to get a table at this popular eatery. read more

The food at Molise is as good as you'll get anywhere else. The service is excellent and I only wish they were open on Sunday. (Gravy Day!)

Top of the heap in fine and distinguished Italian Cuisine! Mangia!!! These sisters can cook! Just sit back and enjoy! Don't forget to leave room for dessert. Great atmosphere too! CIAO MANGIA!!! read more

An overall great experience. From the complimentary bread with a dipping dish with oil, chopped sweet red pepper, and capers with just a touch of heat. Started with the portebella mushrooms mushrooms char-grilled and filled with roasted peppers and spinach, baked with gorgonzola and a pesto basil cream sauce. Could have been an entree' by itself. Followed by a fresh garden salad beautifully plated. Mixed with a light, house made dressing of red wine vinegar and olive oil. I had the eggplant parmigiana and it's the best I've had outside of preparing it homemade. Lightly breaded, layered with marinara, Padano cheese and topped off with mozzarella. My wife had the chicken marsala sauteed in lemon marsala wine sauce and capers along with a generous side of house made angel hair pasta with a light white sauce with chopped mushrooms, sweet peppers, fresh parsely. She is an excellent, creative cook and raved about how good it was. The portions of everything were very generous and we ended up leaving with multiple containers of everthing but dessert. Our waitress Leah could not have been nicer. Friendly, attentive, sense of humor, knew the menu inside and out. Checked with us often enough but, not intrusively. For dessert she recommended the white chocolate bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla gelato and whipped cream. She confessed that it was her favorite and went so far as to admit taking an order home for herself and one for he mother! Warning: Don't order two of them!! We were seated away from the main dinning room in a cozy corner table. The noise level was acceptable for such a busy place with people out enjoying dinner. On the way out one of the founding sisters went out of her way calling out to us and coming over to say goodbye and thank us for coming. I told her it was our first time there and she said she knew that because she didn't recognize us. Apologize for the lengthly review but I wanted to share the outstanding night of our 38th anniversary. read more

We've been hearing good things about Ristorante Molise for some time now and finally made it there last week. It did not disappoint. The atmosphere is friendly and the owner greets you with a smile. The service, the food and the atmosphere is great. We will be back! read more

Outstanding Italian food that hasn't changed since these folks were running Antonetta's sub shop in Everett 40 years ago. I recognized a few faces and greatly appreciated the food read more

We heard a lot about this place so in all fairness is was hyped up. The verdict was it was "ok" which is not commensurate with the price. Our party tried pasta, piccata and seafood so I feel we got a good feel. The food was kinda bland. It wasn't bad but wasn't very flavorful. The staff was friendly and got us in on a Friday night. The atmosphere was nice and the location was primo. I'm bummed it wasn't better... read more

Recently had Ristorante Molise cater a gathering at our home. Everything was amazing! Food was delicious, beautifully prepared! The order, pick up, all perfect. Thank you! Will do again! read more

A gem!! A great dining experience. The food was well prepared, delicious, and the service was fantastic. Highly recommend!!

When we arrived there were several large parties with kids and it was loud. I asked one of the owners if we could be seated in a smaller room which also had a sliding door. They accommodated us with excellent service and as always the food was impeccable. We were with friends that we had not seen in a while so the conversation was great.....3 hours later we left. Thank you for being flexible and serving a great meal! Bob H read more

The service was wonderful. Parking is a bit hard to find but is possible. The ambiance is comfortable and the location is very nice in the old AMESBURY cooperative bank building. read more

wonderful authentic Italian food, always consistently great over the years! Great service, wonderful atmosphere, always the best! I would give them 10 stars if I could! read more

First of all, it was our 51st Anniversary and as always I always want to make sure we celebrate it, with an Exemplary Dinner, Ambiance, and good service. Like anyone would want. So I'm lucky, it's never a hard decision to make. Why? This is one of the best Italian restaurants I've had the pleasure of dining at in my life. It's remarkably and authentic, as if you were in Italy. The management and staff are always attentive to your needs, their processes, and attention to detail are for others to consider as Models on how to run a successful business ! When you have one of their special meals, all I can say is, you will know why! In closing, I love this place and will continue enjoying Ristorante Molise, until the good lord decides he needs me. I only hope he can direct me to a Mirror image of Ristorante Molise up in Heaven! read more

WE always liked this place , but this weekend we used them for a take cut trays catering. The owners were very helpful the choices werie great and when we brought food home and served to our family from NY, everyone loved it was delisious! Now they want me to brfng it to them when we come for a visit. Thank you Antoinette and Molise! I strongly recommend their cateing, you won't be dissapointed. read more

Review only needs one word. Fabulous. The food was unbelievable, the atmosphere elegant and casual at the same time. The service was excellent, with the exception of the time it tools to get drinks from the bar. I have Celiac, so generally Italian restaurants are a disappointment. I grew up eating fabulous Italian food and it is the one thing I miss most. Moline has an abundance of fresh gluten free entrees clearly marked on the menu, including appetizers. We ordered the Mozzarella con Pomodoro, in a year where the weather has been tough on field tomatoes, these were perfectly ripe, with a drizzle of balsamic that did not overpower. The mussels Cozze in Padella were tender and the white wine garlic and cream sauce enhanced the flavor without overpowering. The family had the Calamari Fritte, which they thoroughly enjoyed. With our appetizers, we enjoyed a wonderful, well balanced Sangria, with a light fruit flavor that was not overly sweet. My daughter enjoyed the peach martini (or two) which she thoroughly enjoyed. When our salads arrived, I thought, do I really want to eat this and risk being too full for dinner, but I could not stop at one bite. It was fresh and a perfect palate cleanser. Our entrees were nothing short of spectacular. I chose the Risotto San Marino, which was not overly heavy and perfectly balanced with the abundant scallops, lobster and shrimp. The lobster and scallops were tender, and the shrimp were crisp. My daughter and daughter in law enjoyed the Fresh Gnocchi with cream sauce which they both loved. My husband and son chose the Fruit di Mare and the Cioppino, both of which had an incredible amount of seafood all perfectly cooked, and presented. The only thing that would make this place better is it could be closer than two hours away. We were visiting the whale watch. We will definitely come back to enjoy the quaint village and the marvelous food at this restaurant. read more

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One of my absolute favorite Italian restaurants. If you want authentic Italian food, this is the go to. The service is always excellent. Its run by 2 sisters and you feel like family here. The best Italian food outside of Italy. We started with the eggplant rollatini. Perfectly cooked with roasted red peppers that add something to the flavor! Calamari is so good. A little spicy and lightly fried. Pesce Amalfi is a stuffed haddock with a light lemon cream sauce. Served with angel hair and the same sauce on the pasta. Stuffed veal chop is amazing. Chicken parm is juicy and tender. Red sauce is the perfect blend of flavors. There is nothing on this menu we haven't enjoyed. The menu has something for everyone. This is a must try. You wont be disappointed read more

Also been a customer for years. Went 2 weeks ago and both meals were not up to par. Veal saltimbocca was tasteless and hardly no veal. Same with the chix parm. My husband hated his dirty martini. Sent it back and wasn't much better 2nd time. Server was ok, but messed up orders & took long time to get our meals. We were disappointed and tried again last night with a friend. Server was not nice. Sat at table 5:30 got drinks by 6:15 ordered right away but after salad took about an hour to get our food and my friend's dish came out later. Server took a long time to come bk to check on us. Needed water had to ask. Food was just ok. I got stuffed Porto mushrooms. Tasted like mush and covered in "pesto sauce" that was basically soup! Same with the eggplant rollatini. My friends Martini was not good. Her chix dish tasteless. Then had to wait again for check. Took 3 hours total. Wish is ok for fine dining and good service, but this was anything but that! They clearly need more servers and chefs. The best server there is David! read more

Genuine Italian food served by Italian born people. As close to mom's cooking as one can get today.

Great food and service and atmosphere. Always looking for a good classic Italian restaurant and this checks all the boxes. read more

Best Italian food in the area! So happy I found this place. My go to is the pollo vodka pasta

Always delicious and consistent! Service is amazing! Highly recommend for any occasion! read more

Large, loud, welcoming. Very efficient service. Reasonably priced in comparison to like places. Roman artichokes were nicely grilled. Great eggplant rolled and stuffed with a beautiful sauce. Interesting take on veal dishes. read more

Recently moved to the area. Impressed with the reviews and being a solo diner I thought I would treat myself after shopping. When I entered, spoke to the hostess and mentioned that I wanted to be sit at the bar. She had me wait 5 minutes as she was sitting other people that arrived after I did. She asked me twice if I was by myself. Finally received permission to go to the bar, a woman stopped me on the very short walk and asked again "are you here by yourself". YES I AM. Sat at the very tiny bar and bartender asked the same question. Now, I am annoyed and replied "I have no friends today". ha ha. The bread is delicious! Ordered the seafood risotto and what an utter disappointment. The scallops and shrimp were inedible as they were undercooked. The risotto was also underdone. Bartender was aware and made no effort to help. So, if you are a solo dinner, think twice about dining at this establishment. read more

We have been to Molise a handful of times and we have enjoyed it every time. The food is terrific and the staff are awesome. Can't wait to go back. read more

Reservations needed as this spot is super popular. Portions are generous, prices are reasonable, wait staff is attentive and friendly. You will have leftovers and will look forward to eating them.... read more

We have been going for many years. We both love the food (large portions) and the service is always excellent.

Excellent excellent excellent! From the warm friendly welcome to the making me feel like I was the only person there when it was super busy to the magnificent quality of food, thank you read more

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My favorite restaurant. Every time we dine here, I struggle to narrow down my choices. I have a few favorites I order often, and once in a while I try something new. Always happy with whatever I choose, and leave full with leftovers to look forward to the next day. read more

This is one if not the best Italian restaurant in MA. Amazing environment, excellent service as well as the food. Hard to recommend something specific but for me the risotto is a must with the veal saltimboca. Highly recommended. read more

Went for early dinner Saturday. Food outstanding as usual. I had Fruite De Mare and it was the best I have ever had. A generous portion, filled with various seafood, and delicious. Everything here is phenomenal. Best Italian restaurant in the area by far read more

First time getting food here - ordered takeout because getting a reservation can take a couple of weeks. + the food was really good (chicken parm) - wrong pasta included for one of the dishes + salad was fresh - wrong dressing on both salads and it was on the salad, so inedible - they seemed to forget the appetizers ordered (and repeated back to me on the phone) + they didn't charge me for the apps So all in all - the negatives and positives balanced each other out. They were super busy, but getting the order correct should be par for the course. Food was average. read more