- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Al Dente Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
109 Salem St(between Bartlett Pl & Jerusalem Pl)
Boston, MA 02113
Neighborhood: North End
(617) 523-0990
- Nearest Transit:
-
N Washington St @ Thacher St (111, 89/93, 92, 93)
Haymarket Station - Outbound (Orange Line)
Haymarket Station - Inbound (Orange Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11:30 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
A wonderfully crafted 3-course menu for only $39! A wide & delicious selection of appetizers, entrees, and desserts from the regular menu.
171 reviews for Al Dente Restaurant
Review Highlights
-
"...and delicate and the vodka sauce was absolutely spot on." In 17 reviews -
"The food was delicious, especially the Lobster Ravioli." In 13 reviews -
"The homemade fusilli was amazing." In 5 reviews
Loading...
171 reviews in English
-
Review from Kristen F.
Boston, MA
5/7/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I came here for a celebratory dinner with my family after graduation and it could not have been much better. I made reservations through OpenTable but we ended up being about 20 min early and they had no problem seating all 7 of us before the reservation. Service was super friendly, almost everyone working in the restaurant came over to congratulate me and talk to the group.
As for food:
I had the Scallops and Shrimp a la Vodka and it was Amazing. It was tossed in with delicious homemade pasta and the portion was large enough for me to have FOUR meals! (and it was still fabulous the next day in the microwave). We had a bottle of malbec which i liked and was not to expensive (~$30).
Other notable dishes were the Pumpkin Raviolli which was a special and the only appropriately portioned dish at the table. And Eggplant Parm which is kind of a boring choice with all these options but was still well made.
At the end of the dinner the waitress brought over complementary homemade limoncello shots to celebrate!
And my dad says the best part was getting the bill because almost every dish was under $20. All in all a great meal in a fun and friendly setting! I will be back soon for more vodka sauce :)
ps. park in Parcel 7 across Surface road for less than 3 hours and it only costs ONE DOLLAR! -
Review from Michael R.
Boston, MA
5/13/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
I can't say I live in the North End, or even that I frequently dine there, but I can tell you this: if you're looking to save a few bucks but still get that talk-of-the-town Italian fix, then you definitely want to consider Al Dente.
It's not the best meal I've even had in the area, and there's nothing truly overwhelming about the place, but you're not going to leave disappointed. And by that I mean you'll be full and your pasta cravings will be sufficiently satisfied.
First, the waitstaff is accommodating and friendly. That was a nice surprise right off the bat. It felt like my party and I were in an Italian family kitchen -- fresh outta Italy.
Our meals were solid too, though not quite up at the level of similar North End eateries. But hey, they prices are cheaper, so you get what you pay for. But to save a few bucks and still get a solid meal is A-OK in my book.
For my meal, I had the Bruschetta and the Chicken Venensia. The Bruschetta was pretty average, just bread with a tomato-basil spread, nothing fancy about it. The Chicken Venensia was pretty solid as well, plus I can't complain about the massive portion size.
Pretty solid overall. Add this place to your list if you're a North End junky looking to save a few bucks but still get in some great authentic Italian carbo-loading. -
Review from Jessica B.
Boston, MA
4/23/2012
I went here based on many rave reviews I had heard from coworkers. Upon arrival I saw the specials board out front boasting Pumpkin Ravioli, which I ordered practically the moment I sat down. My husband ordered the chicken parmesan. The food was enjoyable, but I think you can do better in the North End for authentic Italian food.
Unfortunately the most memorable portion of the evening were the drinks. My husband, a whiskey enthusiast, ordered his usual manhattan. The waitress informed us that the only whiskey they had on the bar was Honey Jack Daniel's. He said he did want that in his drink, only if they had regular Jack Daniel's. She said she was sure they could find some. She came back with the drink and said they found some regular JD for him. When the waitress walked away my husband took a sip and knew right away that it was made with the Honey Jack that he specifically did not want. When she returned to ask how everything was my husband asked if Honey Jack was in his drink. The waitress giggled and said that in fact it was, as they were unable to located any Jack Daniel's, but she insisted that the drink was better this way.
The server not only ignored a request, but blatantly brought something that not wanted. We would not go back there again based on this incident. We would however, go to the restaurant next door, Benevento, which oddly enough is where the bar is housed for Al Dente, so all in all it's the same owners, but Benevento is a much better experience overall. -
Review from Harry T.
4/22/2012
A very good friend recommended this restaurant to me on my visit to Boston. He had been at the restaurant a short time before my planned vacation. He knew I wanted to hang out in the North End.
What can I say? If you have any friends that are of Italian descent, this restaurant is like going to their home for a dinner. Everything is so Italian and so wonderful. The veal, the chicken, the pasta. And if they have made the limoncello do get some and then ask for more.
My first visit here but it will not be my last. Andrea is the lady from the wait staff to ask for to handle your table. Place is small and you are packed in but don't let that stop you.
My fiancée and I were not from the neighborhood and not from Boston but even the regulars from the area treated us as friends. We enjoyed our meal and drinks and really did not want to leave. But we felt we needed to clear our table for some other lucky souls who wanted to get in.
The place is small, as stated, and there is not even a bar. But do make a visit if in Boston and if you live there I am sure this is a regular stop for some great Italian food and atmosphere.Listed in: Boston: Great Place to Break…
-
Review from Mike G.
New Albany, OH
5/26/2012
We heard this place was good and inexpensive - hit the mark on both. Decor and cleanliness can be improved, but service was awesome (Lisa may be the best waitress we've ever had) and food was tasty and fresh. The fusilli with arrabiatta sauce was perfect. Massive portions of everything so you may want to ask for half order if you don't want leftovers. Enjoy!
-
Review from S S.
Boston, MA
5/19/2012
We decided to try out this place for a late lunch. We ordered one appetizer - spinach crepe and two entrees - the veggie lasagna and the pumpkin ravioli. Their bread basket with the lovely aromatic olive oil was divine. The crepe was A-mazing and the entrees were decent too. The server was quite attentive and friendly..not something that you find easily in the restaurants at North end! Definitely worth a try!
-
Review from Russ D.
Pittsburgh, PA
5/18/2012
Probably my favorite restaurant in Boston overall. A must stop every time I'm in town for that deliciousness that is Chicken Venesia. Mouth watering just thinking about it. Service has been impeccable every time. Friendly, prompt. Place is everything you could ask for. Huge portions that even fill me, which doesn't happen when I eat out.
Perfect evening includes dinner here followed by Mike's Pastry for dessert and a relaxing stroll through the North End.
Runs off to search flights to Boston on JetBlue...... -
Review from Ann W.
Bethel Park, PA
4/13/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I would have given this 4 stars if the food had arrived hot. We had sausage cacciatore and a lasagna with eggplant (which was a special) and both were tasty, but I had to ask for the sausage dish to be reheated and if we hadn't already cut up the lasagna, I would have done the same for it.
The ceasar salad we started with was pretty mundane for $11.95--for that, I thought it would be made tableside or at least fresh. It was decent but had been refrigerated since earlier in the day.
The wine selection was pretty decent and pricing was surprisingly reasonable. -
Review from Rima C.
Somerville, MA
3/4/2012
I wish I could give Al Dente a better review, but 3 stars is absolutely the highest I can go.
We came here for my birthday this weekend as a group totaling 17 people. I'll start with the cons:
- The restaurant advertises being able to handle large groups. Although we had a reservation for a month and our party arrived early, we were left waiting 30 minutes in the cold *after* our reservation time. North End restaurants are small and I understand the need to accommodate smaller groups while a larger group waits, but....
- After all that waiting, my party didn't even get to sit together. Two tables, one behind the other, were what we got. Why didn't they give us the table beside us do that we could sit together? It didn't make sense.
- Bringing your own cake? Be careful. There's a $2.50 cutting fee per person! We asked if they would budge on this, and after some negotiating, they charged us a total of $25. To cut. A. Cake. We aren't argumentative, and we just wanted to have a nice time, so we thanked them for reducing the cost to $25 and went on with the meal.
- Food was just ok. The marinara was good, but the pasta was overcooked and the eggplant was flavorless. However, I think others in the party liked what they got. I can't speak for them.
The pros:
- Waitstaff was nice and attentive, save for the guy who kept saying "five more minutes" and who seated us away from each other.
- Food came out quickly. No long waits, even with a packed restaurant! This might explain the mushy pasta, though--I suspect it sits in hot water until people order it.
Most people wouldn't give this place 3 stars after all of this, but I really liked some of the waitstaff and understand that a large group is tricky. I just wish they wouldn't advertise large group accommodation on their site. -
Review from Thuy L.
Next to Giacomo's...this might be my 2nd favorite Italian spot in Boston. It's intimate and cozy (and they do what they can to get you in there). Our waitress was no-nonsense, hilarious, and super helpful. You in the mood for some Lasagna? You might want to think about bringing 3 of your friends to work at the portion and the GARGANTUAL meatball is definitely a plus. And you'll still take a doggy bag home. I had the pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sage sauce. I think I might have licked my plate clean. That sauce was amazing. If you want pizza, you order it with them and they just go next door and bring it over to you since the owner owns both the pizza shop and al dente.
My only suggestion is to make sure you make reservations. They only hold the reservations for 15 minutes and then they give it to the next person.
I cannot wait to go back. YUM! -
Review from H L.
Boston, MA
3/11/2012
My rating for this place is 3.5 out of 5.
We entered North End, with a list of places to visit, recommended by yelp,com.
As locals, going to North End expecting to eat like North Enders, was probably too much. But, this humble restaurant was good enough to invite us in at first. But the door guys were souless.
But, we were greeted by friendly older waitresses, who would recommend some authentic foods, I have not experienced before in this neighborhood.
The seating is quite tight and of typical low-key diner style. The big crowd sitting next to us, from NYC, wwa drunk and extremely loud. Their intimate conversation was transferred to the opposite sides, where we sat and many got upset to ear them, but the server did not notice how loud and vulgar the groups sounded to the rest of us.
The foods were interesting when they arrived hot. And, the portions were huge! Bigger than Cheese Cake Factory portions, which is quite big. And, at first the taste was just like wholesome homemade dinner plates.
But, when our stomachs got full halfway, they tasted just average.
So, hot and smaller portions would do better than the big cold plates in my opinion. We talked about "Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen nightmare's restaurant 101s." The huge portion is almost like a "give away" approach. We don't need to carry around the doggy bags. They should work on right ambience and the right food experience would be enough to entice us.
No bargain hunting was expected, especially with the authentic Italian foods. But, our experience was just a mediocre diner kind.
Nothing special. -
Review from Steve H.
Round Rock, TX
5/23/2012
When in the North End last week we really wanted to eat at Neptunes, but my wife was famished and we didn't want to wait an hour in the mid afternoon for a table. We started walking down the block to look for other options. Not being from this area we were overwhelmed by the Italian options. Price ranges varied with each establishment. And we were not looking for an expensive meal in the middle of the afternoon. Al Dente was our choice just due to the owner being outside on the street talking with people as they walked down the block. We were seated immediately. The menu was great from our standpoint. Being from Texas, our true Italian options are few. The meal was great, the portions were large. Don't miss the salad with the roasted figs on top. Exceptional. Since my dad has a fig tree, we will definitely try this as a salad option at home during fig season. We left pleased with our choice.
-
Review from Brian L.
Boston, MA
3/4/2012
I'm a woefully inexperienced Italian eater, so we hit up this place after a Celtics game after finding Giacomo's too crowded...
Brags (+): The first time I've ever had veal with my order of veal parmigiana. Pretty good I'd say, although eating just the penne with the sauce wasn't quite as satisfying as chowing down on cow; they give you a huge portion, too. Also, I loved the bread... it was soft, and they were eager to refill it. Speaking of which, very friendly wait staff that checked in on us a good number of times and served us nicely.
Beats (-): Pretty tight quarters, seating was a bit uncomfortable. Also perhaps not the classiest ambiance (see variance). Also the water cups are really tiny and mostly filled with ice, meaning I would finish a cup in about 5 seconds.
Variance (~): Lakers-Heat game on in the background. -
Review from dave r.
12/27/2011
Located right next to Bacco but with a much more modest sign, I attended this Italian eaterie with a swarm of gay men and a single, stalwart straight guy (who incidentally was the reason that we were here; he had been there a number of times before and was acquainted with the owner).
The table shared bruscetta and calamari. The meat-eaters were appreciative of the latter. I ended up using the spiced tomatoes from the former to add flavor to the grilled fig salad I ordered, of which I think there were maybe four (cold?) figs. The ravioli were fairly massive and quite tasty. Others at the table ordered different sauce-covered pastas and meats, all portions were large and all flavors were satisfactory (although somewhat straightforward).
Our server was a bit of a riot, definitely attentive and friendly. The owner made some overly descriptive comments about the assets of some potential lady conquests he had spied out for us, whom we directed to the friend responsible for us being there.
They were very generous with their limoncello-inspired spots, although considering the price of them, that seemed about right. The taste didn't suit me but everyone else at the table loved them.
In short, a solid experience that could be improved with less machismo and a more adventurous menu. -
Review from Alyssa F.
Cambridge, MA
3/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Plenty of room at the lunch hour, solid Italian. The overstuffed lobster ravioli in marinara cream sauce was sublime. I left food on my plate, a highly unusual occurrence, but there was just too much for me to finish.
-
Review from Robert C.
12/18/2011 1 photo
Al Dente is a good Italian restaurant that opens late. For appetizer, I recommend getting their Bruschetta ($7.95) - Garlic Bread, Olive Oil, Tomatoes & Basil. Their Bruschetta's great! Trust me, this is coming from a person who dislikes tomatoes lol...
For entree, I tried their Veal Parmigiana ($17.95) - Breaded cutlet enveloped with a light tomato sauce and baked with fresh mozzarella cheese. The veal tasted awesome; probably 1 of the best veal I've ever had. The portion's pretty big as well; this dish'll definitely fill you up.
Conclusion: If you're hungry late at night and don't know where to go, hit Al Dente. You won't be disappointed!!! -
Review from Sina E.
11/22/2011
There is no question that the North End will give you all the choices for Italian food. Well, you can't really go wrong when choosing this place. After a night of improv comedy, this was the perfect place to cure ones hunger.
The staff was friendly, and seated our big group right away. The portion sizes here are huge. I mean I came in hungry, but man, I had trouble finishing my dish. I had the Chicken Buona Bocca; the chicken was tender, sauce was creamy, and it was just a solid choice.
I also tasted the vodka sauce, and that was also a great choice. I recommend that you get it with the fettucini as the pasta choice, but can't really go wrong with the other choices.
The interior is a little small and cramped, but waitress was friendly and helpful. This place is a winner. -
Review from Tom H.
11/28/2011
Read some of the other reviews, as they also have salient comments. There were two of us, Monday night after a big holiday weekend. No wine, please, coffee. Coffee was a chore. Had lobster ravioli as an appetize; average. The sauce seemed leftover, and I could detect some added wine. The lobster was chewy, as were the shrimp that are in the dish.
The entre was linguini with white clam sauce. A specialty of this place is gluten-free pasta. I'll have to say that with a name like al dente, you would expect perfect pasta-- to the tooth is the literal translation. Not here. It was slightly overdone, but not soggy. There were added chopped clams, and perhaps seven-eight nice juicy ones. The clam broth was good and garlicky, but otherwise unremarkable. My associate had veal parmesan, and he said zero about it, and took some home for lunch leftovers.
There were no desserts. None. The bill, for two, was $58 without tip (I'm missing one appetizer in my description, a bowl of minestrone) that included two appetizers and two entres, and two cups of coffee. There is nothing superlative or even above average, but the staff is friendly. You probably won't be vastly disappointed, but you're very unlikely to rave about Al Dente. This is a trattoria..... and I've sadly found more flavor at chains. -
Review from Melissa S.
Salt Lake City, UT
11/22/2011
There's no excuse for eating here given the huge number of good Italian restaurants in the neighborhood. Just say no.
I was wavering between 1 star and 2 stars, but decided to go with 1 given that most other reviews have erred wildly on the side of too many stars.
First, let's talk about the noise. The "very loud" rating is no joke. This was one of the loudest places I've ever been in, to the point that conversation was impossible. I would not recommend it for children or older folks for that reason.
In fact, I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone at all, but that's because the food and service need work.
As another reviewer mentioned, the portions here are indeed massive. However, having giant portions of bad food is not a good thing. I would much rather have a modest portion of good food. To be fair, their food is far from the very worst I've ever had. My experience is that it was just edible enough to have enough bites so that we didn't walk away starving.
Their allegedly home-made pasta is a bad joke. I have no idea what the point of making your own pasta is if you're going to make it so poorly. I've had excellent fresh pasta at home and in many restaurants, and I've never had such thick and doughy ickiness.
We started with lobster ravioli. Sadly, the dough was extremely thick and unappetizing. My companion had the veal marsala, and I had the veal saltimbocca, and we both ordered the fusili. The pasta was still thick and doughy, and we were also dismayed that both dishes had the exact same sauce. I am not a professional chef, but it seemed lazy for both dishes to have the same exact sauce (which, by the way, was too salty).
Service was poor to mediocre.
My final complaint could also be seen as a back-handed compliment: they have no dessert menu, which seems like an odd choice, but in this case was a blessing because we could get out of there without even thinking about dessert. -
Review from D S.
Plantsville, CT
1/24/2012
We are from CT so we have nothing to gain from writing a bad review. We only make it to Boston about once a year. I had the Chicken Parm and it was terrible. Disgusting and gross! It was chewy and hard. I don't get it?! My hubby had the ravioli's with bolognese and he said the one's we buy at BJ's are better! I can't make this stuff up! My mom had the eggplant parm and she said it was terrible. Very surprised with this restaurant being in the North End how it could be so bad??? Good luck.
-
Review from Ashley H.
Updated - 9/16/2011
Took a group visiting Boston, we had a party of 8 and had wait about a half hour on a Tuesday for our table I had reserved. The other large party before us was lingering. I was irritated, but knew it'd be worth it.
Everyone in our group LOVED their food, service was great, and the bottles of wine affordable. This will be my go to place from now on to take out of towners. I have not been disappointed and this is by far my favorite place in the North End because of portion, price, service and ambiance. LOVE IT!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/17/2011
Had reservations on a Saturday night at 7:30. We got there early and they directed to the bar/pizza… Read more »
-
-
Review from Michael D.
Boston, MA
9/14/2011 8 photos
OH EM GEE, this place is PHENOMENAL. Came here after waiting an hour at giacomo's only to realize that we werent gonna get seated in time. Greeter in front was hilarious, made the time pass by really quickly.
What I LOVE about this place is that it's truly italian. The waiters, waitresses, and doorman were all yellin at each other and hugging and kissing and ahh! I felt just like family here. NOT TO MENTION the food was amazzinggg! They offer a butt ton of sauces, so you can customize your meal!
I got the tortellini carbonara (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) and my brother got the shrimps and scallops a la vodka (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). Tortellini was fresh and the carbonara sauce was CREAMY and TASTY although I wouldve preferred a little more pancetta... the shrimps and scallops were cooked to the perfect tenderness and served over perfectly-al dente fusili and vodka sauce to die for.
OH, and TRY THEIR PARMESAN. SUPER SHARP, SUPER INTENSE, and SUPER TASTY... I had to ask em for extra just so i could nibble on it on the side! -
Review from Aubrey O.
San Diego, CA
4/18/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Great little place in the North End. The only drawback was that is was the Boston Marathon weekend, so it was extremely busy and very loud. Overall, a great experience! Good food, excellent and attentive service staff. To finish it off, the re-enactment of Paul Revere riding down Salem street was a treat!!!
-
Review from Kate F.
9/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yummy!! A real normal, neighborhoody place ... nothing fancy about it, just good food.
Highly recommend sharing, especially at lunch ... our Shrimp and Scallop a la Vodka (which was SO good!) could easily feed 3 people. -
Review from Dhruv P.
8/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went to Boston last week being in North End, came upon Al Dente when looking up ratings on Yelp.
I ordered the Arabiata, which was probably the best Arabiata I've had. The sauce was spicy and flavorful and the chopped pepperoncini was a nice touch (Yep, I ate some... yum!)
With some friends, I was also able to try both the Vodka and the Pesto. Both were delicious and I would definitely recommend the Pesto dish. The basil was fresh and the oil was superb.
The ambiance is very familial and a great place to feel like you are in the Old World. Its cozy, warm and at times loud (but in a fun way) -
Review from Shendi X.
Boston, MA
10/20/2011
Words cannot describe my gastronomic pleasure at having taken an inaugural bite of last night's chicken marsala... I currently take a moment, if only to mentally relive such culinary delight!
The space is a bit small and cramped, considering, but don't let that be a deterrent to your experiencing an exceptionally well-prepared meal - and as with many restaurants in the North End, the waitstaff is both deeply invested, and pleasantly friendly. A win, for certain. -
Review from Kim Z.
Brookline, MA
2/15/2012
You could potentially be dining with the table next to you but I'd say cozy rather than small. The service all around was fantastic. Our waitress was extremely friendly and more like an Italian mother than an employee and our water glasses were never empty.
Overpriced? Not for the portion size. I had the delicious veal saltimbocca and took at least 1/2 of it home. The broccoli fritti appetizer was a bit on the bland side, but with just a dip in the provided marinara sauce, it greatly improved.
Despite being completely packed with people waiting outside, we were never rushed and fully enjoyed the experience. -
Review from Jeff F.
8/14/2011 Seated via OpenTable
- Great atmosphere (you have to like loud)
- Can only recommend coming here if you are having the lobster ravioli app or any homemade pasta -- menu is very hit or miss
- Garlic bread is crap
- Frutti di mare was terrible
Given the other options in the North End, I'd say pass on this one -
Review from Jon G.
Quincy, MA
9/15/2011
Really loved this place, and I'm generally wary of North End restaurants. (So many times we've been too hungry to wait at a place we know and end up getting a lousy meal at a nearby restaurant with an open table.)
The shrimp and scallops in vodka sauce, with fresh homemade pasta, was just phenomenal. Prices were fair, atmosphere is 100% Italian -- not fancy, but not dingy or anything either. Like the Billy Joel song really. Service was great, too.
If you're stuck in line at Giacomo's right now, try walking around the corner to this little gem. -
Review from Scott C.
Hamden, CT
2/3/2012
My favorite place in the North End. Great bruschetta and caesar salad. Really friendly. Been there about 8 times and never had a bad meal.
-
Review from Jenny S.
12/2/2011 4 photos
3.5 stars! my boyfriend is convinced this is one of the best restaurants on the north end WITHOUT THE HUUUGE wait! (its hidden towards the back away from the touristy main street)
food was good but not amazing:
---tortellini w/ carbonara sauce: INDULGENCE CENTRAL, its very rich w/ nice cubes of panchetta
---eggplant lasagna (one of the specials that night): the lasagna pasta was a bit soggy, not "al dente," but the MARINARA was really yummy & the one meatball was good too
---complimentary bread to start! ask them to make you the mix of parmesan, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic, & fresh basil for dipping! mmm grated pecorino parm
NOTE: specials of the day are given VERBALLY W/ PRICES too (no surprises here!) -
Review from Melissa F.
Boston, MA
12/20/2011
Hands down the best restaurant in the North End. Italian restaurants in that area are a dime a dozen, so it can be difficult to distinguish between the authentic ones and the tourist traps. Everything is made from scratch and is so fresh. It makes a HUGE difference. The place is small so I would recommend making a reservation. The service was excellent and best of all, we were able to take our time without being rushed.
-
Review from Rob C.
Medford, MA
9/18/2011
Was walking around the North End, and got a big craving for some good old fashioned red sauce & pasta Italian. Never been to this place before, just kind of stumbled upon it.
First, the waitress was very friendly, and after I asked if they had beer on tap, she offered to go next door to their sister restaurant to get me a draft beer, since they don't have them there...wow, thanks for the offer, but I just opted for a bottle.
Got a simple dish, bolognese with fusilli. The pasta tasted homemade fresh, and the sauce was absolutely amazing. It was exactly what I was craving, and seriously may have been the best pasta & sauce dish I've ever had. Just awesome, and big portion too.
Yes, it's a small place, and I can see how it could be loud on a weekend night like I read from some of the other reviews...but maybe none of these people complaining about the restaurant being loud have been to many places in the North End. If you're looking for something quaint & quiet, there's not a ton of places that fit that bill. -
Review from Ricky S.
Burlington, MA
8/22/2011
Just a block away from the famous Hannover st in North End, Al Dente is very standard compared to other big dogs along the Hannover street. There is nothing special about the food unless you are a huge fan of homemade pasta. My coworkers and I ordered veal saltimbocca, chicken cacciatore and veal valentino and none of them are especially memorable.
One good thing is that they have a decent wine list with good pricing on them. Other than that, this place is pretty much passable. -
Review from Amanda S.
11/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
it's no secret that your italian options in the north end are abundant. however, when you have an insider italian friend whose aunt lives in the north end and swears this place is second to her cooking, you've found yourself a spot.
the portions here are HUMASSIVE and satiating, right down to the very last bite.
we started with the fried calamari, which could be a meal in itself. crisp breading on the outside and succulent squid on the inside, this classic antipasto is sure to whet your appetite for the amazingness that's yet to come.
we also started with the eggplant rollatini, and the best way to describe it is..imagine eggplant cannolis with the creamiest ricotta. the sauce it sat in was ridiculously delicious, and we spent a good few minutes trying to sop up every bit of it with eggplant and bread.
i had the chicken umberto, which was the special of the day. i really have no words for it. it was a huge piece of flattened chicken, breaded and lightly fried, sitting atop spinach and a bed of penne in a light, brothy sauce. everything about it was incredible. also, who would've thought that plain pasta in a light sauce could be so..sumptuous? because it was. it was unlike any pasta i've ever had and yet..it was so simple.
my dining companion had the veal valentino and loved it. i had a bite, and it was tasty, but i'm just not a veal person.
expect to walk out of here feeling like your nonna wanted to take good care of you and made sure you had enough to eat. i got back to dc still full yet simultaneously hungry for more al dente..quite the predicament. but not really..i took my leftovers back with me! -
Review from Lauren V.
Boston, MA
10/4/2011
I love the North End and enjoy trying new restaurants - and this one is a gem!
The food was delish! The service wonderful! Prices extremely fair! Portions large!
Our waitress was a cute, older lady who was so friendly and down to earth. She was making jokes and had a great personality.
The homemade fussili was to die for. Three of us had it, just in different dishes/sauces. I got pesto alfredo and it was one of the best I have had.
The pumpkin ravioli was also enjoyed by someone in our party.
Can't say enough about this place. I don't have one complaint.
Recommend making reservations as it was quite filled, even on a Monday night.
We will definitely be returning! -
Review from Dana P.
Canton, MA
3/29/2012
My husband and I frequent the north end and this was our first time trying Al Dente. We were very pleased with our experience from start to finish! We arrived early for our reservation and they seated us right away. My husband and I wanted to share a bottle of red wine, being an avid white wine drinker I had a few questions for our waitress. Not only did she suggest a few wines I might like, she brought 4 bottles out and did a mini tasting with us so we would be sure to pick one we loved! My husband ordered the shrimp and scallop pasta and the homemade fusilli was out of this world good! I ordered the gnocchi and was also very pleased with my choice. Our forks were going back and forth between plates enjoying tastes of each others entrees. The portions are a great size!! As dinner was wrapping up our waitress brought us over some of her special homemade limoncello shots. They were absolutely amazing and a great way to wrap up a fantastic dinner! If you are looking for an intimate north end gem....Al Dente is it!!!! We will definitely be going back soon.
-
Review from Brigid M.
4/11/2011
What's a good place to eat before a concert/sports game/event at the Garden? Al Dente. Little known fact its translates as "bomb" in Italian.
Before attending a show by the legends Rod Stewart & Stevie Nicks (jealous?) my lil Buonomes and I trotted down the slim streets of the North End in quest of a legit pre-game meal. With the help of Yelp, Al Dente was our spot.
We came in an hour and a half before the concert's scheduled start and the place was starting to fill up with kindred fans. Picture jean tuxedos, flowing scarves, velvet and feathered hair-do's. It was awesome. We were seated promptly by a gentleman (ie baller in a leather jacket acting as host) and given italian bread & butter.
Our waitress, Angela, was superb. She seemed like a no-nonsense kind of gal who flawlessly attended pretty much the entire restaurant. We both ordered a glass of Riesling and split the caprese salad & gnocchi quattro formaggio. I highly recommend all of the above including sharing since portions are huge. The entire meal was delicious and just enough. At the end Angela, being too legit to quit, gave everyone a limoncello shot as a salut. Nice touch.
Grazie, Al Dente. Grazie. -
Review from Jamie G.
2/10/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Came here in October 2011 with a tourist friend who wanted to eat in the North End. I am very often not impressed with the North End and can usually find delicious italian food elsewhere at a cheaper price that's easier to get to. So to start with my experience here- it's very small inside. Our waitress is slow and does not give us good service. The basket of bread you get is horrible- dry, almost like day-old bread- not warm, soft, fresh baked like I would prefer. I had to ask for oil twice- and I really needed oil to make the bread edible. We ordered mussels marinara for appetizer- it was amazing! I had the Gnocchi al dente- it was decent/good, and tried some of my friend's Quattro formagio, which was okay. So as typical, I am not impressed with most of the food and for the price and difficulty getting to the North End, it's totally not worth it. But at least this place was cheaper than others in North End, so it's definitely an option to bring other tourist friends to!
-
Review from Cassondra S.
Huntsville, AL
8/7/2011
SO LOUD I ALMOST LEFT.
The atmosphere:
I would have left, but we had been waiting for an hour even though we had reservations. I thought this better be the best meal ever. We were there with friends who had been before and thought it was great, so I waited. I wish I had left. It was so loud it almost hurt my ears and the light from the big flat screen tv was off putting. They crammed about thirty tables into a room the size of most hotel rooms, and I was sandwiched in two inches from my table unable to move in any way.
The service: Our server was informative, friendly and very kind.
The food: NOT REAL ITALIAN- It was AMERICAN ITALIAN. In the North end in an Italian neighborhood, I expected food a little closer to what you get in Italy, but instead it was a sauce heavy, cheese laden American version of Italian, which had I known, I would not have waited to long standing in the street for. That being said, it was not bad. I had the sausage cacciatorre which had big chunks of peppers, garlic and sausage in it. It tasted good, but required you to slice each bite with a knife because it was in huge chunks, and I neglected to notice that is came on a big bed of giant curly noodles. The other guests had the lasagna which was a huge sauce/ cheese square and a seafood pasta with vodka sauce, which he said he enjoyed.
So, go there if you like American Italian and don't mind an extremely loud room.
Don't go if you want real Italian, are a big person, or prefer a quiet dining experience.
