Sadly this used to be my favorite North End restaurant. It's gotten progressively worse every time. The food has become incredibly bland. Every time it's a bit different. Sometimes the meal is actually very good, then sometimes it's just bad. The service is awful. You basically have to flag a server down constantly if you need something. They also just ignore your tables. The servers are also kind of rude to be honest. The ambience is a fun in the summer when the windows are open. It is incredibly tight & crowded though. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Had dinner here yesterday with my boyfriend before we caught the northern lights harbor cruise. The staff was super polite and accommodating getting us in and out to make our boat ride. I ordered an espresso martini and it was incredible. For mains I ordered the fusilli all's vodka which was 10/10 incredible. I kept eating after I was plenty full it was so goood. My bf ordered shrimp scampi which was so good and so filling. The restaurant view out the windows from our table was great as well and the vibe of the restaurant was super pleasant read more

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The staff was nice and the ambiance was great. The bruschetta to start was good but not worth it for the size. I got the swordfish and it was amazing. My son got the Chicken Parm and he really enjoyed it. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Swordfish was amazing!! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The ambiance is standard for a North End eatery. The food was very delicious - we had garlic bread, the ravioli di aragosta, and the linguine scampi paired with a new world bottle of their pinot noir. Service was really slow and inattentive, but this was my only time here so I can't speak to if that's the norm. I will definitely be back and hope to be reassured that wasn't the typical standard for service. If you're going on a weekend, you'll definitely want a reservation. I heard some people trying to get a table get told it was an hour and a half wait. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Ravioli di Aragosta front and center, with the Linguini Scampi in the back - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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*Bar Review* Awesome bar!!!!!! My regret was not trying the food! The barkeeps were all really cool guys! Jay O had their mule with a twist with a dark liquor and I had the classic Moscow mule. It was really good! We had quite a few drinks there. We had reservations at another restaurant which is why we didn't order any food. I saw the food orders and man they looked and smelled amazing here!!! read more

The Florentine Cafe - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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SO GOOD WE CAME BACK TWICE. We popped in after walking all over Boston completely starved and this place hit the spot. BEST LOBSTER RAVIOLIS, I promise you. The second time around I got the Salmon. Nothing disappointed. The food takes its time to come out but in the mean time enjoy the complimentary bread and a cocktail or glass of wine. The Christmas decor was beautiful and the old school classical tunes playing in the background made it a homey feel. Whether popping in for a meal or a drink, I can't recommend this place enough. We'll be back. read more

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Great espresso martinis! And good service. The ambience is good for a romantic dinner. Would recommend again.

This is usually our go-to spot for espresso martinis and brunch (which we already knew were really good), but we finally tried their regular menu for lunch and every item we ordered was fantastic. The bread they start off with was right out of the oven and tasted great with the olive oil. The highlights were the fritto misto, gnocchi vaccinara and lobster fra diavolo. The lobster that came with the pasta was a good size and all the seafood we ordered tasted really fresh. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

A great North End casual eatery that has open window dining in the summertime allowing you to people watch and enjoy the fresh air. I like the consistency of the restaurant for quality food and their pleasant staff. The burrata salad is so creamy and delicious. They seasonal will change what accompanies it like tomatoes now but other times of the year will feature figs which is my favorite. This salad is big enough to share with another person. The veal Marsala is one of my favorite dishes. The sauce is silky smooth and the veal is tender. They have good chicken or veal parmigiana as well that is pounded thin. The other pasta dishes are equally as good and their red sauce is tasty. My Dad was impressed with something as simple as their Linguine and Meatballs with Mom enjoying the scampi. As you can tell it is a place I go to from time to time. Overall a good relaxed atmosphere and traditional Italian American dishes at a reasonable price. This stays on my go to list of places to bring visitors when they come to Boston. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Veal Parmigiana With Linguine - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

On a peak Saturday night walked in without a researcher and the staff was too kind enough to understand it's a birthday and made a table ready for us in 20min! Kudos to that Wine option was perfect and food was tasty! We ordered the Burrata plate, Eggplant Parmigiana and it was pretty filling will get back again to taste their pasta dishes! read more

The Florentine Cafe - Burrata Contadina - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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You enter little Italy, the smell of garlic permeates the street. Friendly shop keepers, servers, and staff speaking Italian and switching to English without a beat. Arriving at the corner of The Florentine Cafe you see a restaurant with charm and character, a nice bar, open window seating, and friendly staff. We received a good wine recommendation and were anticipating a wonderful meal, hoping for the best yet in Boston. Alas, the character of the area did not continue to the food. I cook a lot at home, this was one of those meals that didn't make me feel like I couldn't do better. Ordered the bruschetta. What arrived was good, but small portion to share. Two small bread shards with some fresh veg and a nice cheese. Okay start. Ordered the breaded veal with penne pasta. The entree' came hot and looked great. Veal was nice and thin, good breading, cooked well, melted cheese and sauce dressed the top. Pasta on the side with good looking sauce and a nice portion. Cut in to the veal revealing a nice crunch. The admiration stopped there, average taste - I would attribute to lack of seasoning, needed at least some salt. What happened to the character? Tried the pasta but again, where is the Italian punch? Where is the lovely garlic flavor? Where is the balance of Italian flavors in the sauce? In the breading of the veal? Walked away feeling like I wished I was in my kitchen, had a jar of White Linen sauce from Costco and generic Italian bread crumbs from Fry's and could have more than replicated this meal, but with more flavor. Thanks for the lovely wine! read more

Service and food were both excellent And we loved the atmosphere can't wait to go back! read more

Such a great place. Large windows that look out at street and the server was very nice as was the food; fresh, hot and delicious! 2-27-23

We had CONFIRMED reservation that the host and manager refused to honor. The food smelled amazing, but the customer service stunk! #VERYRUDE So, we took our business to Trattoria II Panino instead. They were very full, but accommodated us immediately with a positive attitude and a smile. read more

The Florentine Cafe - A CONFIRMED reservation that the host and manager refused to honor. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Good food good service. Chicken park was excellent. Quaint atmosphere. With all the choices in area give this one a shot

This place is a little wild but CLASSIC! anytime i am in boston i get here as soon as i can. the bar is always busy buuutttt STEVE is the BEST bartender in the North End. He pays attention to every single detail and he is the ONLY reason i keep coming back. Find him and get an espresso martini!! Highly recommend!! read more

The Florentine Cafe - Espresso martini - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Good food. Quite empty when we went. Saw a lot of people are the bar instead. There was some stains on my napkin like it was used but I just waived it off that it was just stains they couldn't get off. My cup was also wet which I thought was strange. Got the lasagna and it was alright but extremely nutmeg-y. Quite overwhelming. Almost tasted sweet. The gnocchi on the other hand was SO GOOD. I would come back just for that. Focaccia was great too. Service was mediocre but saw him very interactive with other customers. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Spending a week per month in downtown Boston, I've made it my mission to visit each of the wonderful restaurants of the North End, each one more fabulous than the next. Though they each have their strengths, the food quality and taste stands out among all of them at The Florentine. Don't miss starting with the arugula salad with black and blueberries, sweet pecans in a raspberry vinaigrette to live for. No lobster ravioli can compare to the experience they gave me tonight. Was sorry at the end for no spoon was offered to lap up every drop of the crème sauce. If no one was looking, I might have licked the plate in public.. This one is not to miss. Great meatballs and ricotta.. read more

We stopped in here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon after having passed on our first choice due to the long wait. Don't be fooled by the ability to find an empty table here during busy times. Florentine may not be as trendy as some neighboring spots, but if you're looking for great food and service, this place is up to par. The Ravioli di Aragosta I had here was some of the best ravioli I've had anywhere - perfectly cooked pasta in a delicious cream sauce with generous portions of lobster in the filling and as a topping, at a cost comparable to a food truck lobster roll. My wife, a Caesar salad fanatic, proclaimed her shrimp Caesar among the best she'd ever had. (Yeah, I know the Caesar salad did not originate in Italy, but in my old age I've come to realize that good food is more important than authenticity.) read more

The Florentine Cafe - Ravioli di Aragosta - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This restaurant from the outside is very cute; the flowers lining the window seating make it stand out among the other restaurants around it. The interior design is very historic, almost transporting you to the early 20th century, with a corresponding music choice. I definitely loved the ambiance, despite the noise level, but the service was disappointing. We were seated directly behind the hostess, where the servers surprisingly often hovered around. Some seemed that they would rather talk the evening away than pay any attention to their tables. Despite noticeably having not been waited on, with menus still sitting on the table and having only water glasses filled, it took 15 minutes of waiting and a comment to the hostess before someone appeared at our table. We ordered the zucchini flowers to split and the two rigatoni pasta dishes as our mains. The zucchini flowers came fried and filled with a heavy cream sauce, making for a very heavy appetizer, which nearly filled me up before my pasta even came. The Rigatoni alla Nonna was good, the ratio of eggplant and tomato sauce was generous, although it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. I could probably make an equally as good, if not better one at home. My boyfriend was very disappointed in his Rigatoni Bolognese, saying the meat sauce was under-seasoned. I was very underwhelmed with this dinner choice. I'm glad to have tried it and now know I will be seeking out other dinner options next time I'm in North End. read more

There for lunch and had the shrimp fra diavalo sauce special order and hubby had the shrimp scampi. Both were delicious read more

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We were sweaty hot and needed water and lunch, so we went to the first place we came across. Service was a rough go, not going to lie, but the world is short staffed, so we have upped our patience game. The first server who helped us disappeared, but the second one was fine. He made good suggestions on what to see in Boston, etc. He's why this is a "three." That and the calamari, which was good (except for the bland sauce). Otherwise, I probably would have gone with a "two." The pasta is al dente and nice, but the sauces (all three our table had - marinara, vodka, and, saddest, Bolognese) lacked salt and seasoning in general. It was depressing. It was just meh for the price point. We will do our research next time. read more

Completely gone down hill in a year! Last year we went with our adult children and everyone loved their meals. My husband and I split a bolognese. This year... the price of the bolognese almost doubled and literally was 1/4 not a 1/2... a 1/4 of the portion size! And it wasn't even good. North end has gone down in general but Florentine takes the prize for the most expensive at a 1/4 portion size... 20 ziti to be correct. read more

Bustling spot on a corner across from St. Leonard's Church. My lobster ravioli was as light as can be and delectable. Dark wood paneling and open windows make it an appealing place for some Italian fare and people watching. read more

The Florentine Cafe - Lobster ravioli - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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10oz ipa poor and a Moscow mule - $27 Service was bad - bartender was inattentive and unfriendly - sorry boy, but looks aren't everything! Italy soccer game - they couldn't put it on the tv - THIS IS THE NORTH END YO! AND.....no tomato juice for a Bloody Mary! Bye bye now! read more

I love this restaurant as I've been there several times, however we went there for dinner last night,and the hostess was NOT welcoming at all! We had a reservation that was made in advance, and we received text confirmation with the reservation. We got there and asked for our reservation and she kept insisting that she doesn't see it, without offering even to check further or offer us to be seated. I showed her the text and she kept saying that there is no reservation, then I asked her to check by phone number (which is her job) then she found it after 5 minutes of giving us the unwelcoming attitude! The name was entered wrong in the system by whoever took reservation, but she did not show any interest or courtesy to have us there! We finally ended up having our table and the food was great and the service was awesome, yet not the unwelcoming hostess!! read more

Delicious food!! The staff was very nice and the service was great!! We didn't have to wait more than 2 minutes before our server came over. The only thing this place needs is some italian music haha! read more

The Florentine Cafe - Bruschetta and Caprese Salad - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Or first visit was not great the two hostess girls were rude but the bartenders made both our visits great! Delicious apps and cocktails their Bruschetta is delicious read more

The bartender Kelsey made the best espresso martini I've ever had. The food and drinks are what call you in, but the service is what gets you to stay! Thank you Kelsey!! read more

I came to Boston from LA this weekend and came across this at what looked like a cool bar to be at. Not crowded and had a table for 4 right by an open window. So we thought, perfect ! And when i went up to the guy to give my ID he was like. "were at capacity" which was not true. with a table right by the window. no "reserved" sign on it or anything. It was embarrassing, and made me feel bad as well. So I dont i just dont think establishments should be making you feel like this. I dont know what the true reason myself and my family was not let in. But i know it wasnt capacity. Terrible experience. Dont recommend Just keep walking to a place with kinder people. read more

Went here last weekend before a show. The place was recommended by a friend who lives in the area. We were seated at a table less than 5 feet away from the door and less than 2 feet away from the hostess stand. The hostess was continuously turning folks away who were asking to be seated but welcomed people who were asking to go to an already full bar. It became very loud, and before a while, people started crowding our table as we were trying to finish our meals. The food was OK. My Girlfriend got the Gnocchi which was good. I got the veal parm and while it had a nice crust, it tasted overly fried. Kind of like the frier oil hadn't been changed in a while. Overall. Kind of a disappointment. read more

Food was good. The place is beautiful but the service a little slow. A very young crowd.

We were seated downstairs at 7:45pm and after 15 minutes, a server dropped off waters without speaking and before we could ask to put in a drink order, he walked away. At the 20 minute mark, another server walked by and I was able to get his attention to ask if we could put in a drink order. He said "yeah sure, give me a minute" and rolled his eyes as he walked off. He then proceeded to walk by us several times without checking in. After 25 minutes, we were able to make eye contact with both servers to hopefully remind them that we still needed to order, but continued to be ignored. At 30 minutes, we gave up and left. Went to Umbria and had a drink within 10 minutes of being seated; the food (A5 wagu) was also phenomenal. I've been a long time patron of this restaurant, but the blatant disrespect that my girlfriend and I experienced is enough to make us eat elsewhere moving forward. read more

We wandered around the Northside and ended up here for dinner. What a wonderful surprise! The hostess said the only table open was downstairs, when we were expecting it to be open air to the street, but it was so intimate downstairs with so much ambiance! The food was excellent. My daughter loved the chicken Marsala and my husband the lobster ravioli. I had ordered the lasagna after discussing the "work" associated with the lobster fra diavolo, but our server came back extremely apologetic that they were out. The chef told her he would shell my lobster for me to take away the work. I am so glad for the shortage as it was spicy and AMAZING! Everything with the meal, atmosphere, and service was spot on helping us to feel immersed in this neighborhood with so much history. I cannot recommend it enough. Sadly, between the food and wine we had zero room left for dessert. read more

Hostess helped setup a table for us and got us in quickly. The waitress was amazing and made some great recommendations. Food was outstanding and we will definitely return for more! read more

Ahhh loved everything me and husband ordered! I got the fusilli chicken allá vodka and tiramisu and it was amazing!!!!! Can't wait to go back and get it again! read more

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Yesterday was my first time at Florentine. My visitors and I wanted pasta for lunch and we chose Florentine based on the menu pricing and the ambiance. Most pasta dishes were in the $14-$16 range (which we thought was great) and we were drawn to the airy, clean, open-air feel of the restaurant. Our server brought us delicious, fluffy bread with garlic olive oil. I ordered a couple glasses of Prosecco ($10 each) and the vongole (clam) linguine ($14). The pasta was al dente (like it should be) and came with a butter-garlic "white sauce". It had small clams and larger clams with the shells still on. I enjoyed the larger clams and I felt the smaller ones had an overpowering oceany flavor. One of my friends got the pasta carbonara which was great. However, I don't believe it was made in the traditional style I've seen in Italy...too much butter. Our server was lovely and very patient with us! I will definitely be back. read more

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My husband and I just happened to be walking by looking for a place to eat an early dinner as we were flying back to Chicago later that evening. We liked the look of the restaurant and spotted an open table by a window and thought we would chance it and see if we could possibly sit there. The lovely hostess was more than happy to seat us there. Sitting there at the window gave us an exciting view of Hanover St. and the masses of people walking by. Our waiter Stephen was extremely helpful in going over the entire menu. He listened to all our questions and gave us knowledgeable answers. I had saved enjoying lobster for my last day in Boston. The lobster gnocchi did not disappoint. The sauce was very lite and creamy. Stephen recommended the grilled swordfish laid on top of grilled broccolini with a green sauce which was amazing. I forgot to mention that we started the meal with garlic bread topped with melted mozzarella, so delicious, followed by a crisp Caesar salad. When we return to Boston, we will definitely be returning here and hope to get Stephen again! read more

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Had an absolutely horrible service experience here. We wanted to sit down at the bar for an espresso after lunch around the corner. We replaced a couple that had just got up and both just finished their espresso martinis. I asked the bartender for a double espresso and a water for my girlfriend. She proceeded to say that the espresso machine is down and that they only had cold brew. This may be the case, but the freshly finished espresso martinis still sitting in front of us gave me the impression that the bartender didn't want to waste her time with a check under $10. She then proceeded to tell my girlfriend in an extraordinarily condescending manner that the bar was only for drinks and that you were not allowed to just sit and order water. We left shortly after. I work in the hospitality industry and this was one of the most unwelcoming experiences I have ever had. I am always an advocate of giving a place a second chance, but feeling unwelcome in a restaurant that I chose to spend my money at is not my idea of a great time. read more

Went tonight with some friends..... for starters it was HOT as can be in here. We were dripping sweat, not a pleasant dining experience. Our server Roberto also was a bit pushy trying to have us order within 5 minutes of sitting down. However the food was delicious, I had the chicken parm huge portions, my friends had the penne alla vodka and also enjoyed that. But I wouldn't rush back due to the heat! Also pretty pricey in there. read more