I was a solo traveler in Boston and this was literally my first stop after the hotel. I had a reservation and the staff seated me quickly and were very kind. There's a mom and pop Italian feel to the whole place that was very charming. I was seated on their lower level where there was oldies music playing and a fun energy. The meal comes with cheesey bread but I got the garlic bread as an appetizer, it was good for what it was. The lobster ravioli was amazing and I actually used some of my garlic bread to soak up some extra sauce. Would go again on my next trip to Boston! read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Lobster Ravioli and Garlic Bread - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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What went well you ask? Everything. From the moment I sat down and was provided with their house bread flavored with herbs and garlic to licking the vodka sauce off of my plate at the end of my meal. No one gets chicken parm for the noodles, but GOD, here it is plate licking good. Subbing the marinara sauce for the vodka sauce was one of the most insanely delicious things I have ever chosen to do. I have lived in Boston for 4 years and have religiously stated that Bella Verona was my favorite Italian restaurant but Tony & Elaine's knocked it out of the water. If I could eat here everyday I would, genuinely. My mouth is water writing this review only moments after finishing my plate. - Emma Unsure of where to meet my girlfriend and her friend, I was delighted to find us at a hole-in-the-wall. I felt like I was at home if only home was in Italy, and Nonna was the one bringing out the food. - Bradley It was the perfect meal. Gnocchi is my favorite type of pasta, so when I saw it on the menu I knew I had to try her. Perfectly soft & paired with the vodka sauce--immaculate. The arancini was also worth calling my mom after. Our server knew what to recommend and I could have trusted him with my life. I'm ready to name my first born either Tony or Elaine. - Ryley read more

Food ordered: apps: Garlic cheesy bread, Bolognese, Chicken Parmesan x2, Gnocchi with Sausage, Chicken Caesar Salad. The Chicken in the chicken parm was TO DIE FOR. The texture and flavor was the best I've had. Fresh pasta was amazing all around. I'd eat 10 pieces of the garlic bread too. Pros: FLAVORS (see above YUM). Inside was super cute and decorated so home style/mom and pops, service was good not stand out, but definitely a sweet team there. Cons: A bit tight for any groups over 5 ppl, and amidst the heat wave this week the AC and fans were def not cutting it. That's all! SO UNDERRATED read more

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Went here yesterday with high hopes, but was pretty disappointed. The food was, well... mediocre. I ordered the lasagna and it was stodgy. Wife had the chicken parm. Said the chicken was good but the pasta was, as other reviewers complain, undercooked. Not Al dente, I know the difference. I like Al dente, this was undercooked. Otherwise the ambience was fine. Tight and loud but had a certain charm. Old school checkered vinyl tablecloths, strings of lights, etc. The service was good, polite and efficient. It is a shame but I can't ever see myself returning here. read more

Your classic Mom and Pop! Making a choice in the north end for Italian isn't easy but I am a firm believer in small menus=food quality and the sure met those guidelines. For the table we started with the classic Cesare and calamari. The salad was standard but the calamari was perfectly cooked, lightly battered with your classic marinara you can't beat. For entrees we enjoyed the chicken parm with vodka sauce as well as the shrimp scampi. Both delicious but the rigatoni was more over el dente than usual. The bread had great flavor but you can definitely tell it had been sitting out due to the stiffness. The spot was packed and we witnessed first hand if you have no reservations you're out of luck! Ambiance feels like your Nona's house on a Sunday night! Outside seating would have been great to avoid the loud noise inside but they would benefit from outdoor heaters! read more

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We had a reservation for the outdoor patio on a Friday night. Once checking in, we were seated right away. The patio is super cute! After debating what to get, I finally decided on the rigatoni alla vodka and my boyfriend got the chicken Parmesan. We both enjoyed our food. The chicken was crispy and had lots of flavor. The vodka pasta was also great! read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Outside courtyard - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Tony & Elaine's was a delicious, authentic Italian meal. Starting with homemade bread and calamari, finishing with shrimp scampi and Rigatoni all vodka. Everything was incredible. read more

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Forget the Lobster Rolls. Tony & Elaine's is the wayyy. I stopped by on a wayy too cold sunday evening for this Texas girl and it really hit the spot. The spot -- super casual two story but small dining areas with a no frills style. (make a reservation since the space is fairly small) The food - I had the Caesar salad and rigatoni alla vodka with a chicken cutlet.. sooo freaking good and enough for two people. I will be thinking about that meal for awhile. :) read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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While the ambiance is fun feeling like a mix of traditional local spot & dive bar, the food was so obviously reheated. My chicken parm was the driest thing I've ever had and tasted like yesterday's food. Everyone's pasta was extremely undercooked so that it was still crunchy. Service was also lack listed. Never got water refilled or questioned on how our meal was. We saw her once to take the order, one to drop it off and once to pay. No other interaction at all. There are far better spots so take your business elsewhere. read more

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Authentic Italian mom and pop with incredible chicken parm and penne Alla vodka. In the heart of the north end you get the full experience with the red and white checkered table cloth and homey decor. Small and perfect. read more

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This was honestly the most underwhelming restaurant I've experienced in the north end. I've heard many people rave about Tony and Elaine's and say it's THE most authentic restaurant to go to when visiting north end, but our experience was very disappointing. We were seated outside and the ambiance was lovely with the colder weather and beautiful lighting. The patio area was spacious and cozy, and it gave us a great first impression of the restaurant. The service was ... interesting. The hosts were not the most welcoming and the service in general was rather slow. I usually do not mind if service is slow since it can get busy, but we felt our table was just neglected and that our waitress took too long to come around to us in general. We waited almost 30 minutes for our entrees after the appetizers were served. The food was, again, pretty underwhelming. We ordered the calamari and the meatballs for appetizers and then my boyfriend got the cacio e pepe for his pasta while I got the shrimp scampi. The calamari had a light crisp and the marinara sauce was sweet and yummy, but the dish was extremely lukewarm and was half squid and half pickled peppers. Meatballs were good, nothing to write home about. The appetizers were also pretty cold. The plating of the pastas was sloppy and looked like they just threw it all together without much care. The cacio e pepe portion was absolutely tiny and it was gone within 3 bites. The shrimp scampi was good, but my pasta was pretty undercooked and too chewy. The sauce was nice and flavorful though, just which it was more lemony. Overall, the combination of the service and the food and the hype of this restaurant did not leave me and my boyfriend satisfied. Unfortunately, we don't plan on coming back as the experience was very subpar. read more

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Tony & Elaine's lives up to their positive reputation! Tucked away on a quiet bock on Washington Street, is a colorful and warm setting for home-cooked Italian. Our server was kind took care of numerous tables with such efficiency that we all felt like we were the only ones there. We loved the lasagna and chicken Marsala so much that we expected to spot Nonna in the kitchen. The space is compact, but I wouldn't want it any different. It brings strangers together and makes them part of the Tony & Elaine's extended family. Come join the family. read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This is a small place with limited seating. We ordered chicken Parmesan and shrimp scampi. They brought out complimentary bread and oil. The bread had good flavor but was burned on the bottom so it wasn't great. The pasta is AL DENTE meaning it's harder. In my case, I like my pasta done but definitely not mushy so this was a little harder than I prefer. The sauce was good and so was the chicken. The shrimp scampi noodles were also al dente. We both rated our dishes a 3. The service was ok. Nothing special but not bad either. read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Classic old school Italian! The meatballs are so tender they break apart and melt in your mouth. The house bread has a slight garlic and rosemary flavor that matches great with the marinara sauce. The Caesar salad has a slight spice to it but is complimented by the sharpness of Parmesan. With perfectly al dente noodles and a creamy vodka sauce, you have to add the crispy chicken cutlet to the rigatoni, a perfect pairing. Restaurant is so cute with old school decorations and friendly and attentive staff. read more

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PSA: Any of the restaurants around North End you HAVE to make reservation. Thankfully, the hostess here let us walk-in and let us know we just had to finish our meal in 1.5hrs for the next booking. That was more than enough time and we were so glad we were able to get in. Food was good but nothing out of this world. The noodles felt "undercooked" but I understand that is the point of being "al dente" Nothing was bad or too salty. Flavors of things were great. You do get complimentary bread which was nice. The restaurant is pretty small. It is a literal hole-in-the-wall. read more

Picture this- you are here with two of your best friends before the Lorde concert??? Sitting on the lovely patio with twinkly lights and sharing bread, incredible house salad, amazing lasagna and vodka pasta. Life is a dream Service lowkey not great- felt like they actively disliked you, but that's showbiz baby and idc because I loved this places - red sauce JOINT - inside is an absolute vibe as well read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Lasagna Pasta alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Homemade food would change this place 100%. Don't look at the costs look at the ingredients and recipe. You got this. read more

After a meal here, I wonder if we just didn't order the right pasta dishes. We absolutely loved our appetizer, the mozzarella sticks (the cheese pull was divine), and the cannoli (subbed the pistachio for another chocolate chip because of an allergy), but we were underwhelmed by the pasta. Considering the price, the portion size, and the taste, we weren't wow'd by the pasta. If I were to rate purely based on the appetizer and cannoli I'd give it a 4/5 but because of the pasta, giving it a 3/5. read more

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Oh my god. Can we give 6 stars? We walked past this restaurant (it's very tucked away from the main north end streets) and knew we had to try it. We made a reservation for outside and went a few days later. The service was great- we got seated pretty quickly and the outside patio is a great space. It's in shade so the sun won't scorch you but you still get some fresh air. For the appetizer we got the calamari- I am very picky when it comes to calamari. I really do not like the texture. However, the one at Tony and Elaine's is outstanding! I think I might be converted into the hype. For our entrees I got the chicken Marsala, and my boyfriend got the bolognese. The food was amazing. I have been thinking about this meal since we went (over a month ago) and will probably continue thinking about it until we go again. The sauce for the chicken Marsala constantly makes my mouth water, it was so flavorful and absolutely perfect. No notes! The price is great especially for the portions (we had A LOT of leftovers). We didn't get dessert as we were so full but we will be back for sure. Highly recommend- skip hanover and go here instead! read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Great time there. Scampi and vodka sauce dish(my son's dish, forgot the name) was amazing read more

We chose to make reservations here after noticing they were on almost every list of best restaurants in the North End in Boston. I'm so glad we did! This place is not fancy. The table cloths are plastic red and white checkered, there is a red jar candle on each table, and there are pictures of everything from saints to corvettes on the wall. There are bottles of fiasco wine and cans of tomatoes everywhere. We were seated in the basement--an actual basement-- which was strung with colored lights. If was actually very charming. By the time we went to make a reservation, the only reservations were at 5:00 and 9:00, nothing in between. We arrived at exactly 5:00 and we're immediately seated in the basement, which I liked more than the first floor dining room. Our server was so good. It looked like he was taking care of the entire downstairs, with help from a couple of runners. He was in top of things, and offered some helpful suggestions. They brought a load of bread and olive oil to the table right away. The bread was brushed with butter and garlic and sliced for us. We ordered: *Bread with olive oil *April Spritz *Amaretto Spritz *Fried Calamari *Spaghetti with meatballs with marinara *Spaghetti with meatballs with Bolognese Everything was delish!!! The calamari was served with red sauce and fried with jalapenos (I think?) and cherry peppers. The peppers really made the calamari a step better than most. The meatballs were sooo good, and pretty big. Loved this place, loved the food! What a great find! read more

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This spot was pretty good. The menu was so basic that I was expected the most phenomenal takes on the basic dishes- but they were just fine. I got the chicken parm with vodka sauce but nothing to write home about. The lower level is very crammed but they out cute lights up at least read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Great food! Great environment! I would highly recommend this restaurant especially to carb load for the Boston Marathon! read more

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Service and ambiance are amazing. Prices are ok. Food is not great tho. Ordered chicken parm and it tasted microwaved.

We wanted some authentic Italian food while on a visit to Boston and a friend recommended this place. My favorite part of this spot is the outside patio with the twinkling lights. We we put in a reservation ahead of time and were seated immediately. We liked the range if plates and the reasonable prices. I really loved the Bolognese and Casear salad. The only reason why I didn't rate this place hire was our service was a bit slow. I would still come back here to try their food again on a less busy weekend night. read more

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The ambiance was amazing! The service, however, could have been better. Our server wasn't as attentive as I would have liked. Honestly, all the items on the menu were solidly average at best and were way too pricey for what they were worth. I have had more flavorful calamari elsewhere with better portions. The batter's seasoning didn't stand out for me. The caprese wasn't anything too special either. I have had creamier and fresher burrata elsewhere. My pasta was the orecchiette sausage and rabe. I couldn't appreciate the dish. The bitterness of the rabe wasn't offset by the sausage or the pasta or the sauce. The meatballs were also nothing special. All in all, I don't think I will be paying them a visit anytime soon. read more

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Some of the best chicken Marsala I've had. Fresh tasting pasta. Definitely get reservations we were stuck outside in the cold, but it was still worth it! read more

I was craving old school Italian food while staying in Boston's North End and found this spot close to the Courtyard Marriott where I was staying. I booked a reservation for 4:45pm on a Tuesday evening because that was the only time I could get a table inside rather than on the outdoor patio (it's that busy!). Really glad I snagged an indoor spot because the dining room is an adorable little space with red-checked table cloths, colorful string lights and cozy seating. My husband and I shared fried calamari and a caprese salad to start, both fresh, tasty and well-prepared. For entrees, I got the eggplant parm with marinara sauce and he got chicken parm but subbed in vodka sauce, which our server said was an excellent choice. My eggplant was a creamy, cheesy plate of pure comfort and his chicken was crisp yet tender with just enough of that savory vodka sauce but not swimming in it. As others have said, our pasta sides (in this case, penne) were a bit firm on the bite but I didn't mind. We each ordered a glass of their wine spritzer made with red wine and sunkist, which sounds odd but was actually super tasty. Our server was fine; not overly warm but responsive. Overall, Tony & Elaine's is a solid pick for home-style Italian American food in a welcoming setting. read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Indoor dining room upstairs at Tony and Elaine's - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

About as close to a quintessential east coast Italian restaurant aesthetic as you could ask for. No frills classic pasta dishes are the go to here. Not the most attentive service and I'm guessing they just have that liquor license that only allows beer and wine. Not a lot of healthy options so not going to be a regular spot for me but they do a few main dishes very well so you should go at least once. read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Inside - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

If you are in Boston even for one day, this is the place to eat! We got a tip to eat here from a local Bostonian. Thank you! We enjoyed the bread and olive oil. Not sure what brand they use, but it's delicious alone! The outdoor eating area is super cute with its light fixtures and red and white checkerboard tablecloths. Awesome place if you want a private party or date night. read more

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Very good Italian food in the north end! Simple and authentic, how it should be. We got the cheesy garlic bread, spaghetti & meatballs, & cacio e Pepe. The waiter said they are known for their spaghetti & meatballs and it did not disappoint. The meatballs were very flavorful & tender, and the pasta sauce was rich and flavorful as well. Our only critique was that the cacio e Pepe had alot of pepper, however it was still good. I will have to come back & try the short rib pasta next time! read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Garlic bread - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We had a table for 7 for dinner at the end of October. We knew we were booked for an outdoor table so we figured there would be heat lamps. Chilly night (cold and a little windy) but no luck on the lamps - boo. Food was okay. Smallish portions - especially for the pasta dishes which were all $25-$30 each. Boo. Service was good. Bottle of red for under $50 which was a nice surprise. But not enough to make up for a lackluster meal. Do not get the calamari app - terrible. Lasagna - one of my favorite meals - was very ho-hum and totally not enough to satisfy. My suggestion is find another place in the West End. There are better - but that's just my opinion. I will say this is the second time I've been to this restaurant - it had been a few years so we wanted to give it another try. Will not be back for a third time. read more

My party of three was able to get an Open Table reservation for the same day. This place is small but in a very cozy way, we sat in the lower level. I thought the table might be too small for a dinner but I was wrong: the staff knows very well how to manage table space for an amateur like me. And the food! I wish I could replicate the taste at home but that would be a fool's errand. This kitchen makes magic. If you are in North Boston, go eat here. read more

Decent baked gnocchi but nothing to write home about. Upgraded to vodka sauce, but it wasn't particularly memorable. Portion was a bit small. The patio was very nice, but the inside looked a bit dingy. read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Baked gnocchi with vodka sauce - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The food was great and authentic. The setting was super cozy and had a great vibe to it! While the service was a bit slow, it was totally understandable since the place was really crowded at the time I went. :) read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Chicken Marsala, and Spaghetti & Meatballs. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Eggplant parmigiana- tasty, served warm not hot, the presentation is bad with that pasta side thrown in there. Cannoli were good, shell was kind of hard. read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Great service, warm atmosphere, reminded me of my family growing up. Food was great portions were perfect! read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Downstairs - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Came here because of the great reviews and the place was very cute and cozy. I got the arancini and it was good but the baked gnocchi was a little too soft for my liking. The staff were super friendly and it definitely is a fun place but I had higher expectations for the food. read more

Tony & Elaine’s - Baked gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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We enjoyed eating outdoors at this establishment. Each table is served complimentary bread and ice water. The mozzarella sticks appetizer came with 5 pieces. The chicken parmigiana was large enough to split, as was the lasagna. No refills on soda. read more

Down a narrow staircase in Boston's North End, lies Tony and Elaine's. Their basement dining room channelling that classic red-sauce aesthetic - checkered tablecloths, Christmas lights strung across wooden beams, and a bathroom so tiny it could make a sardine claustrophobic. I couldn't help but continuously be reminded that everything about this place is oddly proportioned, strange, and underwhelming. The "award-winning" meatballs arrived first - though I suspect these awards were handed out at the same ceremony where I was named world's sexiest food reviewer for the third time this decade. They're small, unremarkable, and somehow managed to be both burnt and tender at the same time, a culinary contradiction that would be fascinating if it wasn't the appetizer to my dinner. The sauce, I'll give them this, has a certain homestyle comfort to it, the kind that reminds you of something good even when what you're eating isn't. The chicken parm - split between two people because we'd already demolished a small pizza at Regina's like proper North End tourists - arrived looking like it lost a fight with the broiler. The bottom was burnt with the kind of dedication typically reserved for witch trials. Our waiter, unfailingly polite but apparently in a dimension where drink refills don't exist, offers to have another entree made. But in this tiny basement kitchen where burning seems less like an accident and more like a part of their mission statement, I decline. The homemade mezzi rigatoni beneath is a cruel joke - not al dente, but undercooked in a way that makes you question if anyone in the kitchen has ever actually eaten pasta before. The bread, oddly enough, becomes the unexpected hero of this underground experience - crusty, well-seasoned, served with oil that it doesn't even need. I ate it plain because it was good enough to eat like that, not because it was the only properly cooked item in the place. At $50 for a soda, burnt meatballs, and a chicken parm that could double as a case study in carbonization, Tony and Elaine's represents something uniquely perplexing in the North End's Italian-American landscape. In a neighborhood filled with genuine culinary talent and historic restaurants, this basement-dwelling establishment felt like it's serving up a dining experience that's less "That's Amore" and more "That's Unfortunate." No, grazie. read more

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