Loved the fried calamari and black pasta. Food was excellent and staff was friendly and helpful. The space is small and cramped, and there may be a wait, but worth going to. Make sure to have cash! They don't have cards. read more

Not really a seafood person, but this is my spot. Small space with lots of surprises (don't let cash only be one of them). The only downside is that you walk out smelling like garlic so plan accordingly. read more

I had a black pasta puttenesca here two years ago that still haunts my dreams. The place is a storefront, very small and rather warm. There are no frills whatsoever, which is fine by me because they seem to put their attention on the food. Oh Boston, how I miss you. read more

I enjoyed this place a lot. I haven't made my way over to the North End too many times, and I don't particularly like to eat Italian a lot, but this place ranks highly with me. The fried calamari was the best that I have ever tasted! It was fresh and definitely not chewy, like I've had at most other places. I enjoyed my mussels marinara over linguine, which is served in the pan. The red sauce was delicious, and I would definitely recommend trying it on any of the dishes. Like everyone else says, it is small. In fact, it's probably the smallest restaurant I've ever eaten in. At the same time, it has a cozy feel, plus it's neat watching the chef prepare your meal. All-in-all, great place to eat and I plan on going back here! read more

The table turnover is quick and our waiter was attentive and friendly. The food is really fresh and there is a lot of use of garlic in every dish so you need to LOVE garlic (which I do!)....I would definitely go back here again, but next time with my wallet full of cash! p.s. I recommend the shrimp and scallops with linguine in a spicy red sauce *(I was a little disappointed in the fried calamari, the calamari pieces weren't "meaty" and it seemed a bit too fried/dry) read more

Came here over the weekend. It is very small (probably fits ~20 people max?), and it is very popular, so either go early and get in line and/or prepare to wait... for a long time. Thankfully, we got there early. Waited in line from 5:30, and about 30-40 minutes later, we were seated. It helped that a group of four ahead of us got impatient, and left. The other diners in the restaurants seemed an equal mix of locals and tourists. Kind of like our group -- 3 tourists, and 4 locals. So, again, this place is super-small. The kitchen is in the same room as the dining room. There were three employees -- the chef, the sous chef, and the waiter. There is no restroom here. You'll have to go across the street to some other restaurant (seems like they have an agreement with someone, so it won't be a big deal). I'd recommend the calamari, as well as the black squid ink pasta, and the shrimp linguine. Servings usually come in the pan that it's cooked in, so that's interesting. I like it b/c it makes me think I'm getting a sizeable portion. :) My friends shared the fra diavolo, which looked amazingly good. The food was delicious. The service was also very good. They do try to turn over the tables quickly, since the line literally lines up outside the door, but they aren't overbearing about it. Boston itself may be a terrible city (full disclosure --- I'm a New Yorker), but this place is a-ok in my book. read more

AMAZING!! My friend and I flew up to Boston during the week for a day, just to get away. We were searching for good seafood, and Yelp led me to this little hole-in-the-wall gem. Located in the North End of Boston (Orange or Green subway to Haymarket and a short walk after), this little gem is located right across the street from the infamous Mike's Pastry's (who doesn't walk out of North End without those little boxes?). We went on a Tuesday evening around 7pm. There was a short line (party of 6 and party of 2 ahead of us). This place is TINY. There is very little wiggle room once you're seated. My pregnant friend had trouble with one seat that backed to someone else who was also wedged in. While we were waiting outside for a table, everytime the door opened, you could smell the garlic sauce waft out, and it was heavenly. There are no bathrooms and it's cash only. The decor is shabby - front window was broken and the mirror on the back wall is cracked top to bottom. The kitchen area, dishwashing station, and wait station and 10 tables of 2 are crammed into an area that can't be more than 20 x 30 space or so. Paper placemats and plastic cups are used, and food is served in the skillet it's cooked in. Minimalistic and practical. We were lucky to be seated on the wall with the menu - and a bunch of awards and news stories through the years. We were able to read about the family, and see photos of the chef cooking in his younger years. After pouring over the menu in its entirety, the waitress came by and asked what she advised. She suggested a seafood pasta plate (not on the menu). It had a range of seafood on it, and we both ordered it - one in white sauce, and one in red. My skillet came with a lot of scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, squid. For $26, this was an incredible value. The clams and mussels were cooked perfectly, as they were open and plump, and not shriveled up and dried out as some places do. The red sauce was garlicky but not excessively so. It was well-balanced and delicious. I did not need to add any of the condiments on the table (vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese). I ate about half of my portion, and carried the rest out. My friend added Parm to her dish before I tried it, so I didn't try it without, but it was equally good as well. I disagree that this place is pricey (20-30 a plate), aortion sizes were huge (it was enough for 2 meals) and there was a TON of seafood in the meal. I had the leftovers for lunch today and I'm stuffed. The emphasis is clearly on the quality of the food and flavors here. The bread is purchased from a bakery on Pike street (the waitress referenced the name but I didn't remember it). We were fortunate to come here during the week, and avoid the major lines. Truth be told, I don't know if i'd come wait in line for 2 hours here to get a table, but I would definitely try if I were in town. As critical as the negatives above may seem, I'm ok with all of them (except the bathroom thing - but I don't think that's changing anytime soon) as the quality of food and the experience is amazing. Just don't come here looking for a classy cloth napkin type, and understand it's a hole with incredible food. I can't wait to try the calamari meatballs next time! read more

The Daily Catch - Seafood Pasta with red sauce (not on menu) - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I went here on a Sunday night back in October. There was a line at 4:30pm! it wasn't too bad of a wait, just a few people in front of us. The place is small - not good for big groups. Not a romantic type atmosphere either, i would say it's more of a place for about 4 people. not more than a party of 6. We had fried calamari as an appetizer, that was excellent. Most of their dishes came served in the frying pan, which is pretty cool i guess, as fresh as it gets. our table had: Black Pasta with Alfredo Sauce (appetizer order size) - i wouldn't recommend the entree size unless if you are sharing it. this is a very heavy dish because of the alfredo sauce, but it was so delicious! i'd recommend this. Black Pasta Aglio Olio - (ground calamari, olive oil, garlic, anchovy) - this was def differently and also very delicious. another recommended dish! Shrimp, Scallop, Brocolli in a White Wine Sauce - this was okay, i thought it was a little bland compared to the black pasta. This place is probably the place I would go to for the black pasta. Still by far the best. There seems to be a wait here, but it's worth the wait. Unfortunately this place is cash only, no credit cards, but they do take out! read more

Had a superb meal here. We ordered the meatballs to start and had the black ink pasta and the shrimp and scallops pasta for dinner. They were both decadent. Simple but extremely flavorful... definitely wonderful comfort food taken up a few notches. Wait was the only down side. But it's typical. One of my best meals in Boston. read more

Hot in the summer... no air conditioning... no bathroom. Good food, fun(ny) staff read more

Fellow Yelpers, I must admit that I was headed to Giacamo's in the North End that was just too long of a wait so my second choice was the Daily Catch. While I had to also wait for a table due to the small sizing of this establishment, I cannot stress to you HOW GOOD THE FOOD IS!!!!! My wife had the black squid pasta and I had my old mainstay, Linguini whith White Clams. They serve the dishes in the pans they are cooked in which is very cool in itself and both dishes were simply wonderful. I even admit to picking up the pan and sipping the broth as it was so good!!! Sam the Chef was oustanding while Erinilda was the gracious hostess and server. This team knows how to deliver quality food and at a great price. This is easily one of my favorite restaurants. read more

Loved their squid pasta, the one with Alfredo sauce is amazing. Keep coming back because of it :) And it was fun to see everything cooked. Really worth a visit and wait in the line. read more

We went for lunch on one the Hottest days of the Year. We had Calamari with Pasta I had the Black Pasta. The food was excellent and the service was bar none and friendly. Owned and by the same family for almost 40 years. It's a small place where you're basically eating in the kitchen but the people are friendly. Don't expect any thing fancy you won't find high dining but you find great food and great service. Prices are average for the location read more

The Daily Catch - Black Pasta with Calamari and Clams in Aglio Olio - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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After hitting the ICA on a date, we went for a little walk around the waterfront area and saw this place's sister down by the fort point channel. So I opted to get in the car and drive down to the original and I was very pleased with my decision. My date and I waited for about 20 mins or so, but the wait was worth it. Overall, this place is very good, almost to excellent. We picked up some side salads, shared the mussels app, and shared the black pasta Aglio Olio (Squid paste or something), excellent. It was legit the perfect meal. Add a couple beers, a glass of wine for my date and we left at around $66, which I thought was a great value for the quality we received. We secured a table by the front window, which added a nice people watching opportunity. This was especially great as it was nearing closing time for them and we got to watch all the fatty tourist hitting Mikes Pastry across Hanover. Great food + Entertainment on the street = a happy man. The place is tiny, just tiny, and only takes cash, so be forewarned. If you dont have cash, you might just have to wash the dishes, which ironically is in the same room as the kitchen and dining area. read more

Disclaimer: this is my first italian meal in Boston. We order the Clam casino- more please!!!! Thjnk we went an off night for their black pasta, the pasta was undercooked. If the texture was right, this would have been amazing!!!! Then again the place was empty, which I hear is abnormal. I would def go back and give it another try. The clam casino alone is worth it. read more

We will be going back to try the Lobster Fra Diavalo. My kids loved the mussels marinara with linguine and the home made squid ink pasta. The food was fresh and the open kitchen concept in this small 20 seater restaurant was a bonus to be able to watch the chef prepare his excellent dishes. I would recommend getting there early around 4 PM because the line never stopped forming outside and the average wait time from my experience is about 25 minutes. read more

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Recommend: Monkfish Marsala on a bed of pasta - creamy, buttery, and excellent marsala taste. Will definitely order this again. Calamari - like everyone else said, delicious, crispy, tender. I wished they served this with some kind of sauce though. Not a fan: Squid Ink Pasta - the ground meat with garlic had excellent flavor, but the consistency and hardness of the noodle threw me off. It was too... tough. There was too much chew to it. This place was TINY and the wait is always long. However, the service was fast and the food is delivered quickly. read more

Food is amazing. Place is too small. Only fits 20 people. Squid ink is very good and shrimp scampi is my favorite. read more

The Daily Catch - Mussles - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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We got there 6:30 when the line was still short! it went by pretty quickly, waited for 30 minutes for 3 people. I Ordered the squid ink pasta with calamarie and garlic and it was very delicious. Will definitely try again. read more

I visited Boston with my 3 friends on a hot summer day mid July and heard they sold Black Pasta and wanted to give it a try. For those of you that don't know, Black Pasta is pasta with squid ink. This restaurant has his ups and downs but because it had more cons than pros I am giving it a 3. Pros: friendly and fast service Cons: bread came out cold, does not offer any ice so my water was lukewarm, has no soda fountain (which btw the waitress did not inform us about) so all sodas were in a small (approximately) 6 oz glass bottle that cost $2.50 with no refills and no air conditioning when the restaurant is cramped and all seats are directly next to the hot stove, CASH ONLY! I personally did not like the black pasta but at least now I can say I've tried it. My friends liked it though so its more of a preference thing. I also got the combo (clams and calamari) red pasta which was good but I think Antico Forno's pasta thats down the street is much better. If it wasnt so hot and they provided other accommodations in place of having no ac I wouldve given it a 4 but no one wants to eat hot food on a hot day inside a hot restaurant with lukewarm water. read more

Nothing like a hole in the wall italian seafood restaurant in Boston. Cash only, but worth it. A very impressive seafood menu, was very hard to decide on what to eat. But went with their specialty, squid ink pasta over minced squid, loved all the garlic in the dish and impressive dish, served in the pan it was cooked in. Calamari deep fried small order appetizer was a good amount and filling. My wait was about 5 minutes, but heard it can easily get up to over an hour. Very tight seating, but that's what makes this place so special. read more

What can I say, this was a really great dinner. The ambience is what it is - it is intimate, the tables are crowded. Your water comes in a plastic cup. And yet - it is worth it. Worth it because the only reason you came there for was the food. The squid ink pasta with ground squid was incredible. The littlenecks were fresh and the broth was great. Go for the food and enjoy. Actually worth the hype and the line. read more

The Daily Catch - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Waited 45 minutes At 2 pm on a Saturday afternoon. Fried calamari was decent. Tasted like fried clams due to the bread ding. Tasty with the vinegar on the table. The lobster fradiavlo was crazy good and enough to for two people. Definitely recommend coming here at off times to eat. Yummy! read more

The Daily Catch - Lobster fradiavlo - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Came here on Black Friday and waited in like for about an hour for a party of 5. The location is very tight so expect to be crammed next to your neighbor. Nontheless, my table ordered Sicilian mussels, squid ink pasta with garlic and ground squid (3rd option) and the lobster pasta. The lobster pasta was absolutely delicious and I enjoyed scooping every bit of sauce with my mussel shells. The only thing is that it was a little spicy so one of my friends couldnt enjoy it. The menu should denote the heat. The squid ink pasta was a little too al dente but the taste was there. Mussels were good but not an absolute must get dish. I probably wouldn't go again if I had to wait an hour in line. read more

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So so so good! Looks small and questionable but it's incredible. Little neck clams and squid ink pasta are a must. I ended up here by accident because the wait at Neptune was ridonkulous and im so glad!!! Wish they shipped out of state orders. read more

The Daily Catch - Squid ink pasta with ground squid.one of the best things I've ever stuffed into my face! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Limited seating, small cozy restaurant, always end up waiting for about 1-1.5 hours before being seated... But the food is so so worth the wait! :) i have been to both the brookline and downtown boston location, and this place serves better food than the brookline place. I think some dishes here are not even offered at the brookline location. read more

The Daily Catch - Seafood squid-ink pasta - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I have been going there since he had several shops around the Boston area. If you are not patient, don't go. It's like eating in your grandmother's kitchen in Revere, East Boston, etc. My favorite is the stuffed squid. No one makes it at home anymore because it's such a pain in the ass. It's not for everyone but if you like seafood in a crowded, casual setting-this is the place. read more

Have been to this branch twice and their Seaport branch once. Pluses: - Amazing squid ink and other pasta dishes. Neutral: - Fried calamari was okay but not remarkable. Minuses: - LONG LINE. Would go again. read more

Enjoyed seared tuna with pasta - both were cooked to perfection ($25). The wait was long but I've come to expect that here. Half the fun is eating at one of the community tables and chatting with other guests. And the chef puts on quite a show. Mike's Pastry is conveniently located across the street if you leave room for dessert... read more

The Daily Catch - Seared tuna over pasta - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Great food, very fresh, nice atmosphere but also small and often times there's a line. The vongole pasta with clams is delicious but often the chef over salts it which is disappointing... overall food is great read more

Excellent food and a very safe experience, despite the small size of the restaurant. There were plastic dividers and the food was as good as ever! Get the calamari! read more

Superb!! This little place packs a big punch. If you want a superb meal in a setting where you can watch the chef do his magic while sipping on a nice Italian wine, then this is your place. No frills just great food. The handwritten menu on the wall is your guide and I suspect you will enjoy as much as we did. The black pasta with squid was incredible. Their steamed clams were super, finished up with a dunk of crusty bread in the broth and you'll be back just as I will be. read more

Enough reviews out there to explain the experience - it's cozy, unique casual. My 14 year old was admittedly skeptical given the tight quarters, "basic" surroundings and food being cooked right in front of you. But once she had her first bite of the calamari meatballs, she was hooked for the whole night! In the end the food was fresh and phenomenal. Go here now!! read more

This restaurant's waitress are so rude! The way that they treat customers like we owned them three million dollarsAnd it is too crowded and can only accommodate 20 people at most. I don't recommend to go here. The same price you spend, you can eat the same quality food but much better service read more

finally got a chance to eat here, cool concept of eating out of a pan food cook in, but wine out of a plastic cup, pasta not al dente, bland red sauce, squid meatballs werent very good, overall sort of a disappointment and thought the food could have tasted better. read more

Charming! As long as you know what you're walking in to, you'll have a great experience here (small, hole-in-the-wall, menu on the chalkboard, paper napkins and plastic wine glasses). Lots of garlic, losts of oil, lots of atmosphere, good food. Pastas served in the saute pans, cash only. read more

Ate here mid-afternoon 7/23. Was totally not prepared for how small this place is! I don't know how you would ever get in at peak times. The calamari is just incredible. You wouldn't think there is all that much to frying calamari. However, their calamari is hands down the best I've had. We ordered the black pasta puttanesca (Mushrooms, onions, peppers and anchovy butter) based on recommendation by a local. HOLY SMOKES!!! This was the best and most unusual dish I've had in a long, long time. My wife and I couldn't stop ourselves!!! We also had shrimp scampi. The "sauce" was just outrageous. We found ourselves dipping all the bread we could get our hands on in this stuff. WOW! No bathroom. No dessert. Cost 'em a star. Otherwise, this place is the real deal. And the smell in the place is just incredible. Can't wait to go back to Boston because of this place. read more

Hole in the wall treasure. We ended our short weekend in New England in Boston and thanks to yelp, happened across this nice find. Beware though... when I say hole in the wall, I mean hole in the wall. The restaurant seats probably at most 20. The kitchen is open... this just adds to the ambiance. You see the calamari going in, the squid ink pasta coming out and the smell.... delish! I recommend the Aglio Olio... the ground squid bits... the garlic flavor.... Yum... I'm still drooling as I'm"m typing this. We also had the broiled haddock, monk fish marsala and shrimp, scallops and broccoli linguine. The broiled haddock was tasty. It was coated in bread crumbs and broiled to perfection. Shrimp, scallops and broccoli linguine was linguine at it's best. The monk fish was good, but slightly sweeter than I was anticipating... nonetheless, the plate was still clean at the end of the meal. Save the bread to sop up the sauce in the end. Well worth the wait! read more

The dining room at the daily catch is basically the kitchen. The place is tiny, shabby and full of character. For a late lunch on a weekday, there were no lines, no waiting. We ordered a half dozen little necks to start and enjoyed the kitchen flare ups while we waited for the entrees. The broiled haddock at the DC is as good as it gets. The breadcrumb and Parmesan crust really makes it. My wife ordered the monk-fish Marsala which was stellar. Even my side of linguini with its simple white sauce was off the charts; perfectly al dente and savory. I can't wait to go back and try the black pasta with ground squid. The only downside is the fact that there is no bathroom for customers. They only accept cash, which is no problem because there are several ATMs nearby. read more

This place is very laid back and chill. Drinks are served in plastic cups (including wine). The menu is on a chalkboard. The kitchen area is open and not closed off from the cafe as are most places on the North End. The food was very good. The clams on a half shell were better than the oysters at Morton's Steak house (just to compare quality with price). I had 6 cherrystones and they were $8.95 - tremendous in size and taste! I also had the linguine with seafood in garlc and oil - cooked also very well and served in the pan off the stove. Its very small - i recommend calling ahead if you're more than 2 pple read more