Excellent! Took my boyfriend here for his bday and used a groupon we had bought a while back. Great all around experience! The food, every single item we ordered, was cooked perfectly and combined unique flavors to make the perfect taste. Everything was fresh and perfect. The server was respectful and attentive but not over-attentive (which was nice...I don't like over-attentive servers who interupt conversations). My favorite part was at the end of the night, the Chef and owner came out to say hi and ask how our meal was. He was such a nice guy and it truly was a nice touch to the evening, I would caution on the prices though...in my opinion this is a 'special occasion" type place. But well worth it. read more

I'm not sure which restaurant the recent reviewers for Savino's went to, but it wasn't the one I was at. My experience was excellent. Perhaps there was a rift in the fabric of space and time. The dinner started with really, really good bread. The appetizers were excellent, my boursin polenta and my wife's scallops. The hanger steak entree was also terrific - the potatoes were a standout. The egg fettucini likewise was really good, cooked perfectly and very flavorful. Desserts continued the trend, all great. Service was excellent, although the kitchen was slow. Some would appreciate the languid pace, although I could see things really bogging down if the restaurant were full. The decor is pleasant, and there's plenty of street parking. Prices during restaurant week are modest, but they're not bad at other times. Try it when you're not in a hurry. Hopefully you'll be in the same parallel universe that we were. read more

Great food and drinks, but not so great atmosphere. We went there on a Boston Deal and sat at the bar. No one else was there. The bartender made a good drink, but he wasn't friendly, and it was all pretty mechanical. We stuck with the small plates which were excellent except the meatballs tasted weird and had a funny texture. The atmosphere and decor make it seem like a place I would bring my grandma on Mother's Day. It has white table clothes which just seem too formal. Pair that with the coral paint, and it gives it a kind of function room vibe and doesn't really make me want to run back there. Te next time I had a taste for tapas, I went to Soleo in Waltham instead. read more

We've been to Savino's for dinner a few times and absolutely love this neighborhood gem. What I really want to talk about is their new Tuesday-Saturday lunch menu. In mid-June, chef and owner Tom Cutrone started whipping up smaller and lighter options for fans of the restaurant's dinner menu looking for another option in the area. We stopped in this past Saturday at 12:30pm and had the restaurant completely to ourselves until we left, which was about 45-minutes before their lunch hours end. This is criminal! Our server was very nice and attentive to our needs, even though we were outside at the front of the restaurant, which can often be challenging for a server. We sat outside and enjoyed refreshing limonata drinks (try the pomegrante one!) and a delicious cheese plate before tucking into our meals. I had the grilled salmon over mixed greens with dill potato salad, which was out of this world. My fiance had the half panini and soup combination which looked delicious but included a couple of things I'm allergic to, so I didn't get to try them. Tom's presentation is delightful and the food cannot be beaten, at least not in the surrounding town of Belmont. I urge fans of Savino's dinner menu and anyone looking for a more upscale yet affordable lunch in the area to try it out, and soon! I really hope that the lunch will catch on; we'll definitely be back. read more

I've been to Savino's three times now. My fiance and I like it because we can walk there and can thus enjoy a few of Savino's good cocktails. Each time we go, the food is amazing. I think it's worth the price (once I ordered the fish special, which was pasta with lobster and shrimp and it was less than $30) and the service is always great. They don't rush us, they are quick to bring fresh drinks and they deliver a bread basket right away! I hope this place stays around since it's exceeded expectations! read more

We came here for lunch because we had a Nift certificate, and are so glad that we now know about Savino's, because it is somewhat tucked away. We stopped by in the middle of a heat wave, and the grilled salmon salad was perfect for me: satisfying but not at all heavy. My husband really liked his bolognese. We also enjoyed the dipping oil that came with the rolls - you could taste the high quality of olive oil. The server was attentive and friendly but not at all overbearing. The music (Italian jazz) was perfect for the atmosphere. It was a great date spot and would also be a nice place to take parents. Lunch prices were really good, we'll certainly be back for lunch. And maybe for dinner on special occasions. read more

Ideally I would give this 3.5 stars. I have been here twice in the past 2 months. The first time with a group of girls and I had the Roasted Chicken, my friends had the pasta. Which looked great by the way, I am just trying to eat less carbs. But of course the bread and dipping sauce was delicious. The second time I had the salmon and muscles appetizers, Both were delicious. My only main negative is I think the pricing is a little overpriced and agree with some others service was not as great ( slow) as I thought it would be. The first night was on a weekend. Again not too busy for a Saturday night. The 2nd night was a monday night and we were 1 of 3 tables so that night the service as pretty quick. Overall a good local restaurant. I wouldn't mid a few more "specials" and by that I mean pricing not the item on the menu. read more

Great place for a girls' night dinner. Everything that I ordered was well prepared and flavorful, including a divinely smooth and sweet version of a maple manhatten which brought this bourbon cocktail to new heights. Other menu items were stellar: the tilapia was a perfect mixture of tender and crispy and the rhubarb, and the ice cream dessert was a stylish remake of this homely comfort food. Our waiter was attentive, knowledgable, and courteous. The only drawback was the live music: it's a great idea and the ensemble's play list was spot on, but the space is just a little too small to accommodate this additional volume. We were seated right in front of the musicians, which made conversation somewhat difficult to hear while they were playing. read more

Savinos is our go-to restaurant when we want to stay local to Belmont. It has an excellent menu (that changes often enough to stay interesting), great tasting Italian food, and an atmosphere where you can actually talk with your dinner companions! Often Tom, the head chef and owner, stops by the table for a quick chat. This is a local gem. Give it a try! read more

4.5 to 5 stars based on two visits. The physical space is clean & pleasant, the chairs comfortable. It's reassuring to have a good (non-chain) restaurant where one can take guests and be assured of consistently delicious fare, without having to go downtown. The first time we went, it was an unplanned stop for a late supper. To our delight, there was a music combo. The staff was very welcoming although it was late, and the prettily presented food (I had flank steak with a yummy glaze) was excellent. A couple of months later we returned for luncheon with several more people. We shared tastes of salads, risotto, duck, salmon, and pasta bolognese, and everyone was pleased. We were headed to a birthday party so did not try the desserts, but will do so next time. read more

Wonderful ambiance. Tasteful decor that is warm and inviting. I came to Savino's after work one evening with a friend. The service was excellent and the wait staff very attentive. The Head Chef came out to greet us at our table and let us know that there's live jazz music every Thursday. I had the Pasta Special, Egg Linguini with mushrooms, chorizo sausage with a garlic cream sauce. The pasta was delicious! My friend order the Steak with roasted broccoli and mashed potatoes. I will definitely dine here again! read more

Great experience time and time again! Food is always delicious and never disappoints ! We always make sure to order the short rib and pappardelle pasta. Service always perfect ! Very confused about the negative reviews- do not let them influence you not to try this wonderful restaurant. read more

We ate there for a very romantic Valentine's Day dinner (which they fit us in for despite not having a reservation--very cool). It was awesome!!! I had some kind of rare tuna with 3 types of caviar for a starter, my bf had the vegetable tower. Both were great. For entrees, we had the tilapia and the salmon--both great. But I will never forget the dessert. It was some kind of custard flan. It was THE BEST custard flan I have ever had! Every bite was like eating a cloud, the kind of cloud that would be where an angel lives. read more

A delicious dinner was had the other night at Savinos. I'm giving only four stars right now as we dined there as part of an office party and were not given the full menu of choices. So the fiancee and I will have no choice but to return and check out the full array of marvelous culinary creations. What we had that night, however, was fabulous: filet mignon (nice, pink center), juicy turkey, yummy mixed veggies, roasted eggplant and potatoes, and marinated olives and mushrooms, and crisp green beans, among other items. The interior is sophisticated and chic, and its location is perfect in Cushing Square, right across the street from the fabulous new wine and gourmet food shop, The Spirited Gourmet. How convenient! We will definitely dine again at Savinos. read more

Book in advance. My husband and I had a Groupon and first tested our luck by attempting to snag a table on a Saturday night after a wine tasting at Spirited Gourmet. Impossible. Recently booked a few days in advance for a Saturday night. Prices are somewhat high (around $30/entree) but I'm not complaining because the portions are very generous! I ordered the lamb and my husband the pan roasted duck breast. I would liken the plates to what you'd get at your Grandma's on Thanksgiving or Christmas if your Grandma was a chef! High end comfort food with all the fixings. My juicy lamb came with herbed butternut polenta, braised tuscan kale, haricot verts, cranberry relish with a balsamic reduction. The wait staff was knowledgeable and attentive. The atmosphere was lovely with the kitchen open at the back and a bar in the middle. Apparently they have live jazz on Thursday evenings. It isn't one of the best restaurants I've been to but we were happy with our meals, the atmosphere and service! Bonus: They made using the Groupon a quick and easy affair! read more

What a wonderful neighborhood establishment. The hostess was extremely personable and remembered us from our last visit. We got to try out the new spring menu. We ordered the tilapia with cous cous and the cod with shrimp and dill mashed potatoes. Both were delicious and memorable. It has an open but cozy ambiance that feels high end. Definitely worth checking out Cushing Square for this gem. read more

First time I and my husband and I went to Savino's we were underwhelmed, since then Savino's has surpassed our expectations! Great selection on the menu and the specials. We had the Mixed Grill for antipasti, maybe a little over priced, but delicious. I had the seafood special of the day and my husband had the Porterhouse Veal Chop...both were excellent. To top it off we shared blueberry with peach crisp. Or waiter John was very pleasant also. Also the other stopped by to check on things. read more

My wife and I just got back from a Saturday evening at Savino's and were very pleased. In particular, the Restaurant Week menu was much more extensive than most and clearly an effort to showcase their food. Most appreciated. We had stayed away due to the other poor reviews, but we found no basis for them in our experience. The service was excellent -- easily equal to the best in Boston. Personable and attentive and everything correct. We liked the sangria, the salmon with saffron ragout, the chilled soup, and the pear almond tart. Presentation is excellent. Most restaurants, even at the top end, give little or no thought to their dipping oil -- Savino's provides a rosemary oil with a hint of chili and a dab of chick pea puree that is the best bread accompaniment I have had anywhere. It starts the meal off on a high note . . . The atmosphere was quiet and spacious and we liked the layout. The musical selection was pleasant, if a bit too eclectic -- they might want to stick with several items on a theme before switching. They have live music, but not on our night. It appears they will be changing the menu a bit for next week, so we plan to return. read more

I decided to give Savino's another few chances as indeed it's local and I want to be supportive of local businesses. In the time since I wrote my last review, I think it's made bi strides. The food has been consistently upgraded and the service has improved markedly over the years. I would say that it has nothing to envy from the South End restaurants in the area. If you are in the mood for trying something "off the beaten path", go to Savinos. It will surprise you and not disappoint. read more

I just love this place. The food is always amazing. Great service. Really interesting flavors. Comfortable seating and nice decor. A must go! read more

I was overcharged 30%, and despite several promises from the owner that the money would be refunded, nothing happened until I contacted my credit card company. Check your CC statements if you visit here. read more

New to the area and just ate at Savinos. Had a fantastic experience. All of the staff was so friendly and helpful, especially our server, Rico. The owner/head chef introduced himself at the end of our meal to make sure everything was to our liking. The place was immaculate and the food was exceptional! And Monday nights are a 3 course pasta special night for $28! Would highly recommend! read more

So, it's Friday afternoon. You've an event in Belmont that evening. Get on the Pike inbound to go to a restaurant you've never been to? And brave Exit 17 at that time to do this? As it turned out, Savinos on Common St in Belmont made this a very repeatable decision. Excellent food. Attentive service. Easy atmosphere. Just go. You don't have to wait for rush hour Friday either. Ren K. read more

Eh. . . This is in a great location right in the middle of Cushing Square. Walkable from the house and on the bus line. Pretty atmosphere and I really liked the unique built in table around the perimeter. But the menu is almost too high end for a neighborhood place. Friday night at 7 pm and the place was 2/3 empty. No pasta on the menu at all - we wanted Italian food and nothing traditional on the menu. Prices were very high. We had two entrees, one appetizer and one drink - there were three of us - and the bill was 100. None of us finished our meals because they just weren't that good. I was hoping some thing comfortable with good food that could become a regular Friday night thing. Seems like this is a missed opportunity in Cushing Square. Sadly we will keep looking. read more

Great service, music, and food. They have some unique ideas for food with the Italian Mediterranean fusion.

Prior to a friend treating me and my husband to dinner at this small, elegant restaurant near Cushing Square in Belmont, I had never heard of Savinos. Now that I have, I will make a point of going there whenever I want to enjoy a meal that is as good as or better than any I have had in Boston's "finer" restaurants, at a much more moderate price, and in a nicer atmosphere. Chef/Owner Thomas Cutrone clearly takes great pride in creating artfully seasoned, beautifully presented dishes, ensuring that every last dish on the menu, from the simplest salad to the most complicated preparations of meat, fish, vegetables or pasta, are as pleasing to the eye as to the palate. His artisanal cocktails and wine list are equally impressive and delicious. The waitstaff is attentive and helpful, but not intrusive; and best of all, diners can hear one another! The restaurant has been acoustically designed to insulate the conversations at adjacent tables from one another. A very special place to enjoy a night out! read more

Let me say, the restaurant is gorgeous, seating is comfortable and private- that's where the good ends and the bad begins. Wine and mussels were greet. The Bibb lettuce is not Bibb lettuce. The crab cake is a cod/crab cake. Food is slow in coming and there is a whole lot of drama. The reason for the Groupon is to bring you in but you won't go back. read more

Belmont's fine Italian restaurant, a great variety of pastas and vino. I mostly enjoy finding local friends there on a Friday night for fun conversation with vino. The owner is friendly and professional. Denise Patnod, Cambridge read more

Four of us had an assortment of dishes. The beet towers (shared) were tasty as were the lamb chops on an arugula salad. Another person had the shrimp appetizer, also good. The best dish was the duck breast (@ $ 30) which was delicious and perfectly cooked medium-rare. Wines by the glass were well priced. A pleasant dining room and an efficient waiter, made for a good evening. We were last here about two years ago, but intend to dine here more often. read more

Quite possibly the worst food I've had in 10+ years in Boston. The service was sub-par. Upon being seated, we opened the menu to see a continuation of Restaurant Week, which clearly stated would be ending on March 18th. Hmmm, it's March 19th, no? We asked the server if the regular menu was available also, and his response was "well it is now Restaurant Month....haha." I am not a fan of prix fixe, gimmicky menus and promotions, as I feel the quality of the food suffers and tends to be underwhelming. Unfortunately for Savino's, this seems to be their mantra. The food was borderline inedible. Had I not rode my bike 100mi and not eaten all day, I very likely would have pushed it away...bland, flavorless, and certainly not worth the exorbitant prices. We pulled out our Groupon towards the end of the meal, to which the server smarmily commented "I hope that's not a coupon. We can't accept that during Restaurant Week. If we did, surely the chef would not make any money on what is already such a good deal." Excuse me, what? Sorry Sparky, but the food was awful, the service even worse, and like the Yelper before me I likely should have left the Groupon on the table. Do yourself a favor and head to Il Casale in Belmont Center if you're looking for a remarkable food experience in Belmont - they won't disappoint you the way Savino's does. read more

AVOID. Tried Savino's Grill with a gift certificate this past Friday night. Given that it was a Friday night, I had an idea it would be a tad busier than usual, and was fine with this. I called ahead at about 5pm and asked if a party of 2 would need a reservation for 7-730pm time frame? The hostess said probably not, but just to be safe why don't we schedule 730pm? Agreed and arrived with 5 minutes to spare. After taking a cursory glance around I should have just left and come back another night. The manager was gabbing to a table - clearly he knew, and the hostess looked somewhere between 11 and 14 years old. The hostess found our names and went to grab menus to seat us while the manager suddenly needed something at the bar (right behind the host booth) and banged into us rushing past shouting sorry folks! without a look behind...was sat literally next to the open kitchen. If it was 85 and humid outside, it was 105 and humid inside. Approached by waitress who rattled off specials in her thick accent and took our drink order. Waited 10 minutes (I know what time we sat because of the reservation remember), they arrive. Ordered an appetizer entitled "Bean and pepper panini", which is actually 2 dry wasa type crackers with some mozz and some prosciutto served with a weird shredded lobster salad. It was tasty, small-ish and got to the table within 10 minutes. That's where the happy feelings ended. We ordered 2 entrees, and waited and waited and waited. I watched while the entire restaurant was served, finished meals and left. We discussed what time should we absolutely leave...watched an older couple get upset and actually leave without being served. The manager kept running around like a moron barking at everyone, and asking the kitchen for a cordless phone. He tried to upsell desserts..but never noticed there were tables sitting abandoned for a full NINETY minutes. He was supposed to be bartending that night, but I noticed most waiters tending bar themselves. Perhaps there was the reason for slow drink service. Our waitress was around for the duration of our ninety minute wait, waiting on others, running her own food..but never coming to replenish anything for us or tell us WTF was taking SO LONG. At the drop dead minute we gave them before leaving completely she saw our food come up in the window and sent it back herself to be cooked longer??!!! Insanity. She told us the duck needed to be cooked a few minutes longer and they only started the menu 2 days ago and things were really slow since then and she would get us another round (#2) for free for waiting. So we order it, and it takes another 10 minutes to arrive. Then the food finally arrives. It was good. Really good. But the shitty service, abandonment and high prices will ensure I will never return. The food just isn't THAT good. My parting thought was - go to any white linen restaurant in Boston and try that and see what happens. You'd be closed within months. read more

Way over priced for the quality you get. Food was flavorless. I'm a risotto fan and get it whenever I see it on the menu. Seriously, you're trying to pass white rice off as risotto? I will say that the pork tenderloin was cooked perfectly but had no flavor to it. The fish special with Israel Couscous in a tomato and leek sauce tasted like Chef Boyardee. My apologies to Chef Boyardee. Will never go here again. This is also a place you will not find a young or mixed crowd. Everyone there looked like they had face lifts and a stick stuck somewhere... Just not a place I'd like to spend my money or any meal time at. If you sort these reviews by date you will notice a trend in the direction the reviews are going. read more

Food is good yet limited menu and overpriced... AND THE SERVICE IS AWFUL! Walked in, asked for a table for two, got a SNORT in response and then were seated and left to wait for 20 minutes. The food didn't even make up for the experience of being treated like crap. This restaurant is super convenient but will not be returning regardless! read more

My girlfriend and I went to Savinos last weekend, mostly because we found a deal for a voucher. We made reservations and arrived at around 6:30. We were very hungry, and decided to order a cheese plate with wine to start. Before it arrived, (somewhere around 6:45) we put in our dinner order. Our cheese arrived and we waited. We had read in the menu that the food can take a while to cook, so we tried to be patient. 7:45 rolled around and our waitress assured us the food wouldn't be much longer. 8:00. A table seated after us gets their food. 8:15. Another table who showed up at the same time as us gets their bill and leaves. Us? Nothing. Finally, around 8:20 we get fed up. We tell the waitress that we are thinking about leaving if we don't get our dinner. Shortly thereafter, our food FINALLY shows up (if you're counting, roughly TWO HOURS after we showed up). My medium-cooked lamb chops (which I estimate took 4 minutes to cook) and my girlfriend's pasta (which probably took 12) were good. Not amazing. Even without the wait, I would likely have been underwhelmed. Worst of all, however, was not the wait, not the overpriced, unimpressive food, but the chef's response. He first goes to the party of 8 who was seated after us and received their full meal before us, then approaches our table. He apologizes for the wait by explaining that it was a busy night. When we complain that several tables were served before us, he waives it off as a problem getting orders into the kitchen. He offers us a post-dinner drink. Not a dessert. Not a comp on our food. An extra drink. I don't know if we were taken less seriously because we were some of the youngest people in the restaurant, but I seriously doubt any chef would be this dismissive of regular clientele. We will never go back to this restaurant and cannot in good conscious recommend it to anyone else. read more

I had an amazing appetizer, however the entree and salad were dreadful. I had pork with orzo as my entree, it was like a lead brick. The salad was worse. It did not taste fresh, rather it tasted as if it had been refrigerated for a while (which it probably had been). Also, the salad I ordered was supposed to have a vinaigrette dressing, the salad I got had something closer to ranch. When it was time for dessert, I was asked if I "would like to see the dessert cart" the "cart" turned out to be a plate with a few slices of cake on it. All in all, this is a sad attempt at being a gourmet restaurant, it is also a sad attempt at being a bar, and pretty much a sad attempt at everything. I do not feel that it is anything more than that; many attempts, no successes. If this were Cambridge or Boston, this business would have folded years ago. Alas, this is Belmont. Before thinking about coming here, ask yourself, "Do I want to spend around $100 (per person) on food that isn't great?" P.S. there is "outdoor seating" but that consists of 2 small round tables with 2 chairs each on the sidewalk. I don't think it counts. read more

Food ok, Desserts excellent, ambience ok, service - TERRIBLE. Our waiter was pompous at best. My husband and I ordered a pasta entree to be shared as an appetizer (and then of course ordered two entrees as well). Our waiter came out with one plate and a empty plate. i said is this a half portion and he said no, the whole thing. Oh! I said - I thought the kitchen would split this for us. Oh no he said - the kitchen IS TOO BUSY! I was floored. This has never happened to us and he didn't even bring us a spoon. Set a VERY bad tone for the dinner. And for 'just ok' food and a high-ish price point, we certainly won't go back. Why would anyone want to get treated like that??? read more

Recently a few business partners of mine who live around the Belmont area decided to give this place try. We had heard some talk about this place, and the owners struggle to really get the business going, and decided to go in, support local business. At first glance the restaurant was quaint and quiet. The decor was very minimal the open white space and the two-tone color setting, although the colors work nicely together, made the place desperate to look "chic" but drastically failed. It also doesn't help that the sign on the outside looks tattered, old and dirty. The food was at best, ok. We had difficulty trying to pick what to get, not because there were many options but lack there of. For primi, we ordered a red and white romaine (never had a cutting and eating a salad been so difficult from the full leaves of romaine to the extremely dry bread slices that were suppose to be crouton like), the spinach salad (over-cooked soggy greens) and the mixed green salad (this one is pretty difficult to mess up but somehow this place did-way over dressed). The wine menu is ok, but very minimal. For secondi, we had the basic roasted chicken (i have had better from Boston market- mashed potatoes were flavorless and had a weird consistancy), the tilapia (the side dishes were awful), the swordfish was basic, edible, even though it smelled a little fishy, and the coulette steak (bland sides that unfortunately did nothing to enhance the bare meat). Lastly, as I got up to use the bathroom (which was small and cramped) I happen to notice the bus boy cutting the bread for the bread baskets with his bare hands after just picking up ours and several other patrons dirty dishes and to make matters worse RECYCLING THE BREAD FROM OTHER TABLES!!!!! At this point we were so disgusted and let down by the quality this place attempts to exude and the unreasonable price of this "quality" we passed on desert. On a good note our waitress was very attentive and friendly, at least the staff was diverse, and it was nice to help out working college students from the area. read more

I've eaten here twice now and I haven't enjoyed either experience. The first time was for restaurant week, and the meal was "OK", but I didn't find anything very tasty. The second time was on my own, and the food was borderline bland. My friend got a watermelon soup with a scallop in it that sounded got, but that translated very, very weirdly. They get the second star because they have a great wine selection. But chances are, I'd only go back for the bar. read more

Wow. Is this the same restaurant I went to before that was great? Or did Savinos take the place of another restaurant? Super small, laughable portion sizes. Table of five and one small tablespoon of hummus. Asked for butter, one small pat for the entire table. The entrees were no better. Instead of a steak you get a couple slices of steak, minimal at best and robbery for the price. Instead of a duck breast you get a couple slices of duck. Four, maybe five, small, dry scallops. Ouch. Super loud in the back. Super small portions. Super embarrassed we brought friends who eat the world over to this place. Really embarrassed. And now kind of angry. I could go on but you get the idea. read more

we went for the first time last night and really liked it. the lay out of the place was really nice, the service was good and the food very good. what's up with not giving salt and pepper on the table? they came by and offered it but that seems silly..... and a few of the presentation things were a little over the top.....but very nice and enjoyable. oh, the bringing of samples of dessert and then standing there waiting for me to decide was annoying. why can't you write up a menu and then let me agonize over what to get privately? :-) read more