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It was my last day in Boston and I wanted Italian for lunch, so my friends and I set out for Boston's "Little Italy". Tucked away on a side street, we found Trattoria Il Panino. We were seated right away outside in the covered patio where they had the heat lamps going (thank goodness). They brought out bottled water (without asking) and left us to look over the menu.
They have a pretty good selection of food, prices ranging from $13/15, all the way to $30. Now, I like Italian food.. a lot.. but I have a problem paying that much for pasta. For $30 I'd rather get a steak. Anyway, the waitress comes over.. a plump lady who was very friendly and helped us pick out what to order.. she suggested some specials.. the risotto with scallops, or these.. wide egg (?) noodles with bolognese sauce that she said was kind of like lasagna. I went with the noodles/lasagna thing.
They gave us bread and olive oil/balsamic vinegar while we waited for our meals. The bread of soft with a chewy crust, and very good. My dish came out and it was delicious!! Pasta perfectly cooked and the sauce was yummy! The portion was deceiving because I thought it looked small but I could barely finish it. I drink a lot of water when I eat and since we finished the first bottle of water, I asked for more.
So why the 3 stars if the food was so delicious? A number of reasons...
(1) The bottled water was $2.50 each, unbeknownst to us. No one asked if we would rather have bottled water or tap water.. we would have opted for tap.
(2) After the waitress delivered our food, she never came back. Another waiter/busboy got us the second bottle of water, and the check. We were waiting to pay for the check but our waitress was busy chatting up another table to notice us trying to catch her eye. Finally the waiter/busboy called her attention to us.
(3) Aforementioned delicious pasta cost $24!!!! I felt ripped off.. and used. It was good, but not $24 good. And since it wasn't on the menu, I had no idea it cost that much before I ordered. $15 would have been a more reasonable price.
Luckily I was in Boston on business and the meal was paid for by my company, but even with that said I was still throwing a fit at how expensive lunch was. I bet if we had walked around just a little longer, we would have found a cheaper place with food just as good.
Meh. The food was only okay here, pricing was way off. I really didn't like the fact that they made us wait up to 30 minutes outside in the freezing cold a few months ago. Finally, the waitress had no idea what wine to pair with which dish.
I shall never return. Too many other good places in the North End.
Yeah, no tap water. I was super dehydrated at the end of my meal because i was afraid to order more water. WTF. Also, i could make a better tomato sauce with my eyes closed. Totally flavorless. The bread is also meh. Too oily for dipping in olive oil. I hated the "ambiance" of this place also, it reminded me of some old crazy lady's basement filled with crazy lady uncomfortable chairs.
Do yourself a favor, go to trader joes and buy everything you need to make a better meal and stay home.
1. No tap water. They do not serve tap water. They refuse all requests for tap water. You must pay for water at Trattoria Il Panino.
2. The vaunted lobster ravioli contained shell fragments. In more than one person's portion at our table.
3. Server collected our payment and then returned to complain about her tip. Just no.
Yeah the tap water issue... it is unfortunate. the waitress told me it is dishwater so i need bottled. I asked "so your telling me my $30 plate of pasta is cooked in dishwater?" No sense of humor apparently. Food is always above average the gnocchi is great, the eggplant app is a must. Great place to go to lunch drink a bottle of wine and not go back to the office until 3. Must sit outside to enjoy yourself. they do not manage crowds very well, stay away on Saturday nights in the summer. Use the bathroom at Fiore around the corner... trust me.
This is a great, very reasonably priced spot that provides more authenticity and more of a homey feeling than the majority of modern spots on nearby Hanover Street.
I've been here a number of times, but opted in again on a visit to Boston where we were stuck trying to find dinner at 11 p.m. We were served quickly and efficiently with very reasonably priced pasta dishes.
I had been seated downstairs in the past, which was just OK. It had a lot better feel in the small upstairs dining room.
Both of our pasta dishes were perfect, and significantly less expensive than Hanover Street. Great selection of very reasonably priced wines, with decent by the glass selection, as well.
This probably isn't the place for that big date night. But if you're looking for a great homemade Italian meal in the North End, this is a great choice.
This restaurant used to have the best fettucine alfredo outside of Italy. It was even a little bit peppery - so, so good!
That was some years ago, and there has been a change in chefs since then. Anyway, the alfredo sauce is now your average sauce. It is good, but nothing compared to what it used to be.
A hint - ask to sit downstairs. It is cozier on the basement level, and quieter and cooler, especially in the summer, than on the first floor with the open kitchen.
How do you know you ate bad food? One hour later you are in your toilet.
NOt only was the food quality less than mediocre, the service was less than acceptable. I pointed out to the waitperson, the menu says, the octopus salad is made of celery root, and cherry tomato. Her response, they have not change the menu. In light of the pile of Olives I had stacked on the side of the plate. Second, the carpaccio, dry cured, needed olive oil to make it less dry. Did I eat it? No!. My glass of Rose was empty while she chatted with 2 of her co workers, certainly oblivous to her solo eating customer. All said in done a 70+ plus bill later, I left without a tip and giving a real nasty review at a place that would not stay open in San Francisco for more than 3 months. Moderat prices do not equal less than mediocre food and bad service. San Franciscans and fellow Bay Area people do not patronize Tratotoria Il Pnino in North End of Boston.
Ugh! My quest for the best in the North End continues, although a bit slower now that I dropped freakin $80 for 2 at this disappointing hole.
Lured by the reviews and the recent article in the Improper Bostonian about dining al fresco, we came here on a random Tuesday looking to try something new. After not being approached for many minutes, I had a feeling things were not going to be great. Unfortunately, I was right. Let's start with the service.
Q: "Can I have some water?"
A: "No. We don't have tap water"
.... .... ....
Yes, people, this is one of those places that thinks they are the shit, because lord knows tap water would degrade their image as upscale. Or, they're just depriving us of what our tax dollars pay for. Or, they're just stuck-up assholes. I'm banking on all 3. At first I refused, but I was so goddamn thirsty because I had gone for a run before dinner, that I had to fork over the f'ing $5 for a bottle of water.
Let me repeat. No. Free. Water. Strike One and Strike Two.
Q: "Do you have any specials?" (wondering why we haven't been told"
A: "(insert super fast mumbling in an Italian accent)" (followed by waiter tapping foot impatiently and then running away when we weren't ready to order)
... ... ......
Um, I feel bad that you're busy, but like, ask for help? And maybe recommend something, ANYthing? You already leave us parched and angry with the water situation, throw us a bone.
The interaction continues in the fashion for the remainder of the meal, the one saving grace of the waiter was that he switched out the bf's wine when the house cab he ordered tasted like red garbage.
And now the food. Gosh, where do I start. I got the risotto of the day, which they should really call "butter with flakes of risotto". Come on, I know things always taste better with butter, but this was another level. I felt like each bite was a direct pipeline from my fork to my arteries. There may have been flavor in there somewhere, but it was buried in butter and salt. Which is saying a lot from me. I used to eat sticks of butter as a child (really) and I dump tons of salt on everything now.
The bf didn't fare any better. He ordered a meat dish that came with no pasta. Aren't we at an Italian place? Shouldn't there be at least a dollop of spaghetti as a side dish? In any case, even the dish he ordered was abysmal, he described it as subpar and it looked pretty dry to me. Strike Three for the food.
The patio was okay, but it was so stressful to see everyone running around (having been a waitress for 8 years, I know how things can get, but the less your customers know that, the better). The fridge and messy waiter's station in the back of the patio de-class it that much more (but tap water, no, that would just make it much too pedestrian).
I will never be back here.
After making a 9:00 reservation on a Saturday night, my friend and I were seated at 9:30- I don't usually eat this late, but it seemed like a pretty long time to wait on a reservation. Also we had asked to be seated outdoors but they forgot and brought us down into the basement. Walking in there are a slew of pictures of famous celebrities on the wall who have visited the restaurant which is fun to look at!
I was really hungry so asked for them to bring some bread and they did. They just brought a little bit of very fresh olive oil and vinegar and they cut some slices of Italian bread right in front of us. It wasn't hot but it was so soft and fresh and perfect...I seriously would like to know if they make their own bread or if not where they get it from. I had the ziti arribiata which was good, but definitely not the best pasta I have had in the north end. The sauce good but didn't taste convincingly homemade- I feel that I could find a similar version in a jar. My friend got a seafood risotto and didn't enjoy it too much, I forget why.
Also another pet peeve of mine: NO FREE WATER. I hate when restaurants refuse to give you cold and plentiful tap water. It's not like there isn't a faucet in the kitchen! I know from travel that this is a European thing but still... it always throws me off a bit and annoys me because usually I just drink water. We paid for a bottle of mineral water but I wasn't happy about it.
Really good Italian. It's hard to go wrong in the North End, but it can happen. You can't go wrong here. I had a lovely meal on their patio here with a friend. Attentive staff, great wine list at a good price. Oh, but the food! There were so many specials the waiter told us about! We ordered a mushroom and truffle oil linguine because it sounded so good and my dad said it's always a good idea to order the special because it's called a special for a reason - and my, it was special! So good! We also ordered some sort of chicken that was also scrumptious. A great spot in the North End and for Italian in general.
With so many selection in the North End, you can never tell who's better. Well, we decided to check this one out and fortunately, we had a meal that was edible and really friendly service. I enjoyed the family atmosphere and the fast and quick service. I didn't think it was spectacular, but worth to go back to try other menu items.
solid italian fare with the bonus of alfresco dining! to me, boston's north end seems to be mostly dressier types looking for flash, but on a hot summer night i wanted some vino, fresh pesto, and a negroni for desert.
for a reasonable price i got a relaxed meal outside, watching the fancies stroll by while i had a fantastic meal. one star demerit for inability to provide negroni - that forced me to go elsewhere for my drink, which ended up costing me plenty!
Food was really good. I lived in Italy for quite some time, too. Dad had the butternut squash ravioli, mom had the amatrciana and I had the bolognese special. It was all really tasty but really expensive. We shared a caeser salad. Lunch for the three of us came to well over $100. Wouldn't recommend it if you are looking for Italian comfort food.
The only nice thing I have to say about Trattoria il Panino is that the patio is lovely to dine on, and the pesto sauce was pretty good. Otherwise, I was very underwhelmed. They seem to thrive off location and the rare North End patio dining experience. I went here with my husband and some friends. The waitress was not friendly, and they have some ridiculous rule that they can't serve tap water because the dishwashers need it...though I am pretty sure they need to have a sink for hand washing that could also be used to serve tap water. Sounds like a scheme to sell bottled water to me.
We ordered the calamari, which was good though maybe a little undercooked, and the bread was good. The real problem came when all but one of us received our meal because the missing meal landed on the wrong table, so they had to re-make our friend's meal, but they waited so long to tell us, the rest of our meals were cold by the time we got to eating them. My pasta was undercooked (I know what al dente is), and all they did to pacify us was give our deprived friend a free glass of wine. Her meal should have been free in my opinion!
So, I recommend skipping this place in favor of something equally pricey in hopes of better service!
I've had dinner at this restaurant with a co-worker a few days ago and all i can say is that the food was delicious, the ambiance was great and a great service from a hungarian waitress who made our night . I will go back and have the lobster dish with pasta she recommended whici i enjoyed very much . . .5 stars and thank you
So I typically don't review/care about the service at a restaurant so long as the food is good. But while the service at this place wasn't terrible and our server was really nice, two things really bothered me. 1) After waiting for a table for 20 minutes (totally fine), it took nearly 10 more minutes after we sat down for a server to come to our table (NOT fine--at least take our drink order!). 2) You can only order bottled water, wine, soda, etc, but NO plain old tap water. They don't serve tap water?!? WTF?!?
Food was decent. The three of us mainly ordered pasta. The Penne Arrabiata was OK but nothing special. The Fruitti di Mare (seafood pasta) was good--the homemade rigatoni pasta that came with this dish was quite tasty.
All in all, not a terrible experience, but the lack of tap water takes this place down a star.
I was a bit skeptical after reading some other Yelp reviews before dining at Il Panino tonight. I have to say... YUM!!!!!!!!!!!
We were a party of six, and we were seated pretty quickly. Although this review WILL be a food review, I do have to throw in that our waiter was sex on a stick. He had the most handsome accent, and I would have jumped him if I wasn't with my entire family. He was also quite the charmer. Talk about yum!!! I digress...
For appetizers, we had the Melenzane alla Parmigiana and Zucchini Flowers. The plates were completely clean before long. For the main course, I went with the butternut squash ravioli, dad had the veal saltimbacco, Mom and auntie had the veal special, and my sisters both had risotto. Again, I've never seen six people clean their plates clean with the table bread. We all sampled each others meals, and we all thought everything was fabulous. My mom doesn't even like butternut squash, but I made her try a bite of the ravioli- she really liked it!
Although I didn't pay the bill, I'm sure our whole meal wasn't cheap. Il Panino is a little pricey. However, unlike some places in the North End, you get wonderfully tasty food for the pretty penny at Il Panino.
Look, my last name is Giorgio. I'm Italian, yo. I gave this place 5 stars. Do you really need any more persuading? Go there!!
This place is one of those DePasquale ventures, so it's not cheap, but the service and quality are on par. You should know that they don't serve tap water; you have to pay for bottled flat. (I was miffed by that initially--isn't it against the law to refuse serving tap?)
I got the ragu. It was good, with homemade rigatoni, and thankfully not overly salty. The meat was well seasoned and juicy. Portions are European-sized (by that, I mean, not heaping American style). We were served complimentary limoncello sorbet as we paid the check. What was great was hearing Italian spoken by all waitstaff and other customers. Apparently we were the only non-Italian speakers in the place. If it's good enough for Italians, it's good enough for me!
This place reminded me of when I lived in Italy. This quaint restaurant has delicious and fresh food. Our server went out of her way to share specials with us and make both food and wine recommendations. They don't offer tap water, which is very European, but we are not in Europe, we're in the U.S.A. and I think tap water should be an option. And it's true, the place is very crowded, but for me, that adds to its charm. The pricing was a bit steep, but overall, I really enjoyed my experience here.
I'm giving them 2 stars for the bread they hand out before the meal (primarily to pass time while service sucks, I assume). Too bad that a whole loaf costs about $2.50 and we paid way more for our dinner. [The bread I think is Russo's rustic, for those of your wondering in the reviews below.]
I would have to agree with EVERYTHING Purvi said. Since we didn't get wine (which I assume is how they make their profit and also how they make their food taste acceptable), we didn't get much service either.
We had to pay for water (because they refuse to serve tap). I think they try to make it seem like they do this to be fancy and Italian (where tap water is not great), but I think it's actually a sick ploy to milk their customers for all their worth. I don't think many of their guests are return diners, instead I believe that they cater to tourists who were not likely to return to begin with (as my Italian friend says, they catch dummies -- unfortunately, they caught me too).
I had the lasagna, which came with a tomato + cream sauce (whoever does that in Italy, please tell me?!). The orange sauce was way too acidic (the art lies in balancing the flavors, so I guess that's a FAIL too) and sort of curdly. The pasta was overcooked and the meet in the lasagna was like sawdust. The portion was small (which is OK), but I've had better lasagna from convenience stores. Enough said.
The second dish at our table was Pasta Puttanesca, which came with the same cream-based orange sauce. The pasta was once again overcooked (forget it in the water for 15 minutes and it may still be harder than what we got). Its defining ingredient was Calamata olives and that's it. There were no anchovies to be seen. Very weird if you ask me.
I believe that our waiter was pretending to be Italian. He spoke English with an Italian accent, but he put the stress on the wrong syllables when he said the names of the dishes. As an Eastern European, I am going to go with Eastern European pretending to be Italian speaking English. Too bad. Once we ordered, he pretty much ignored us for the rest of the night until it was time for us to get the check (which alone took another 20 minutes).
When the group next to us asked about dessert, they were told that they had to get it from next door (the gelateria was also owned by the same people). We were quite done by that point.
Very disappointing, but in a way it's exactly what I expected in the North End -- pretend-Italian food, pretend-Italian waiters, bad service, and LOTS OF PEOPLE in these restaurants. Too bad that I was stupid enough to think that it could be different. The left-over bolognese I had in the fridge from last week tasted better... and cost like $3 to make.
The owner of this restaurant owns some 8 others in the North End (you'd never guess which ones; I just hope the food is better than at this location, which was the first in the series), so I'm going to say he's either an American mob boss or he's pretending to be Italian as well.
Oh well, sucks for me and my wallet.
I've been here the most out of all the other places here in the North End but it's not by choice. Lotta friends and family love this place. Sure, it's got history here, unlike a lot of the new up-and-comers you see down the street. The food is ok - usually pretty good. Sometimes it's not quite what you'd expect. Noisy - hot too - you're practically on top of the people cooking. I don't really like it here. Cramped. Loud.
Hmph....3 stars are for the food....and only the food. The restaurant is pretty and has a tempting menu, so we stopped by here for lunch the other day. The hostess walked by us twice before we had to stop her and ask to be seated. Upon seating, the waiter asked us what type of bottled water we wanted. I responded by saying tap water would be fine. He literally curled his lip and sneered and then came back with glasses of warm water. It was not a cool day, so this was clearly punishment for not wanting to spend another few dollars on a bottle of water.
Despite this, our food was very good. We shared the fried zucchini flowers, which were filled with a flavorful and light ricotta cheese. I also had the crespelle. The crepes were light and fluffy and the filling of ricotta and spinach was light and yummy. The sauce perfectly complemented the crespelles.
We declined dessert and I was dismayed that we did not get the free shots of limoncello that EVERY table around us received. I suppose we really got punished for that tap water request.
I came here for a friend's birthday dinner. The inside's a bit cramped, so we were spread across two tables, with ten or so of us at one and four isolated at the table next door, which was kind of sad (good thing we had a reservation). But it was a good experience anyway. We split a few appetizers amongst the group and they were all yummy.
For an entree I split a pesto tortellini with a friend. So good! And so glad we split it, otherwise I wouldn't have had room for the delicious tiramisu they brought out for the birthday girl!
I think I'd be happy with just about any Italian food so maybe my review isn't super valid but hey, it was good. And didn't break the bank!
Surreal experience: sitting on the patio watching as the hostess THROWS a chair across the patio in a fit of Mediterranean rage. If I had reviewed this place after my first visit, it would have gotten 4 stars.
We wanted to sit on the patio for lunch and the hostess told us that it would be about 25 minutes - she shooed us off to go down the street and see the Italian festival that was underway instead of waiting in front of the place. Ok, but when we got back, we had to wait another 45 minutes to be seated, all the while listening to the hostess tell us how bad the management was, freely dropping F-bombs as she complained about having to serve as a bouncer (what?) I was still willing to go with the flow at that point...
However, as we sat sipping wine, we watched as the hostess got into an altercation with the waiters and bus staff over a chair that was being used to "hold" a parking spot in front of the restaurant. Why, I don't know, my Italian is not so good - but she ended the argument by running over to the chair, hoisting it above her head, and launching it across the patio right in front of us. She was aiming for the bus boys.
The food was ok - the artichole app is very good but I agree with others that the pasta is just metza-metza.
Oh, and to top it off, it started to pour while we were on the patio, which pretty much put a stop to service. As we waited on the front stoop (being very careful not to block any other patrons) hoping for a slight break in the rain so we could make a run for it, the hostess from hell came up behind us and told us we could not wait there. I should have said something but truth be told I was afraid of her by that time. I'll never go back to Trattoria Il Panino and I recommend that you don't either, if you value civilization that is.
This is my go-to place in the North End. The place is cramped, so not ideal for large groups, but perfect for a date. I have never had bad service and the food is phenomenal.
I cannot recommend the carpaccio enough. It is DELICIOUS. I've had a variety of their pasta and specialty dishes and have never been disappointed. The veal dishes are particularly my favorite.
nice little italian restaurant. pasta and meats are good - not blow your mind stuff (at least not for the price) - but reliably solid. What it does have is that intimate (read: you can hear everyone's conversation!) feel to it that makes Italian places so much fun. also - check out some of the people in the photos on the walls!
i'll definitely go back, but more for a non-fine dining / fun with friends experience than because the food is so amazing.
Ate there last night - this place has been my absolute favorite joint in the North End for years, before I made some crazy decision to move out of Boston. I eat here whenever I am back in town because these people DEFINE gnocchi.
Ok, 5 stars for one dish? Seems a bit excessive.... but get it and you'll see. I agree that the service isn't so great - the table in front of us had to ask for more wine at least 3 times, maybe you shouldn't be drinking so much, lady - and I was stuck at the table right by the cooler and that meant constant staff rummaging behind me.
But the gnocchi. Makes it all worth it.
My gf had some awesome crepes stuffed with ricotta and spinach. It was different because a crepe at an Italian place, in the North End? They were, as crepes typically are, eggy and delicate and rich. We were both surprised at how good the dish was, but not good enough for me to trade half my gnocchi for it.
score! super delicious restaurant with an extensive menu for an italian place. it was very romantic and the food was delicious. i had the special butternut squash ravioli and it was amazing. i kinda wish it wasn't so amazing because i only had three left to take home and eat today. i also tried the octopus in tomato sauce appetizer. i personally would have liked a bit more of a bite to it. perhaps a bit more salt. but it was delicious nonetheless!
our server was excellent. really sweet guy who remembered their many many specials. however, the girl who was helping him, some blonde, was quite rude. when one member of my party ordered a bottle of wine she goes "are you sure you want that one?" with some disdain in her voice. then later when we wanted to use more than one card to put the bill on she goes "of course." clearly we are below you bitch. we get it. now go away!
the prices were a bit pricy. however, it's perfectly in line with the rest of the places in the north end which tends to be pricy.
the food was sufficiently amazing and our main waiter so good that i only take off one star for the blonde bitch.
Went here for dinner last night with a large group. We were seated in the basement, which got rather loud as the night wore on and lacked ambiance. The wine list was decent, but over priced. The service was less than spectacular--an appetizer we hadn't ordered showed up and the waiter wasn't even apologetic, while our appetizers took a while to materialize. We were given a choice of still or sparkling water, but the waiter refused to bring us tap water even after we requested it. Our entire party ordered pasta and most of us ordered specials. While we enjoyed the papardelle bolognese, the amount of meat was small given the $24 price. Overall for the price and level of service, there are much better restaurants in the North End.
I took my parents here one night and they loved it. The food was great, the wine was great and the service was great! I would definitely go back!
I read another 2-star review of this place and I agreed on every point.
-Not serving tap water sucks. We split a bottle water with half of our table and I was so thirsty the entire meal. The waitress didn't even say it was going to be bottled so I could chose between sparkling or plain. I also didn't taste some huge difference between tap and this supposed bottled water.
-Not having a lunch menu sucks. The host conned us past the steep prices by saying you could split plates... There wasn't one meal that could have been split. I barely had enough gnocchi for leftovers.
-Pretending my cousin is four sucks. He is 14 but small for his age and the waitress kept petting and coddling him. Anyone who goes out with kids knows that they don't like that especially when they are more than capable of ordering and choosing food.
-Not agreeing to move two front tables sucks.
-Doing it for the next party sucks even more. We were a party of 6 so we needed two tables but they wouldn't move the two in the front of the patio. We didn't mind until they did it for another party not five minutes later! It left a bad taste in my mouth the whole meal.
The food was decent (only reason they got 2 stars) but I've had much better for much less. I ordered the gnocchi which was good but not $16.95 good. We also ordered the scallop risotto, spicy pasta, and ravioli. Nothing was much to write home about.
The bread was delicious but the butter was just little pats. They also gave you little oil and balsamic but it wasn't that good. I went to dinner that night to Elephant Walk and I got real whipped butter which was much better.
The best part of the meal were the little shots of lemon sorbet to clear your palette. I would have paid for that instead of the water. I will never go back to this place when there are so many places with better food and better service.
The North End is a splendid place because it shows a nearly infinite variations on a single theme. There are over one hundred Italian restaurants and every one I've eaten at has been unique and memorable. Trattoria Il Panino is no exception, and though it's not one of my favorite places in the neighborhood, I am certain it is someone's.
I went with a friend for lunch and we sat outside in the shaded grotto next to the restaurant's main room. The service was spotty and not terribly friendly, and according to our waitress we had to have our water out of bottles (as opposed to regular tap water...which may be an illegal practice). Despite these impediments, we got our orders in and enjoyed the warm weather.
We started off with a stuffed artichoke, which was cooked nicely and filled out with a pancetta, cheese and bread crumb stuffing. We mopped out nearly every drop of the broth with the fresh bread on the table.
My friend ordered the risotto of the day (my sense is that this is their strength) and I got a four meat ragu. The risotto was just a touch too salty for my taste but the pancetta's bite and the rice's texture made up for it. My dish, which had a meatball, sausage, bragiole, and a short rib, was excellent but didn't come with pasta. Truly criminal that I had to order a side of rigatoni to go with the parade of meat.
The meal was more expensive than it should've been and the service was a bit wonky. But this is a North End Restaurant and, as such, you're going to get a good meal here. Then again, you can get a good meal anywhere there.
As Frank De Pasquale continues to take over the North End, it's nice to go back to where it all began. Just don't sit inside if you have any claustrophobic tendencies or don't enjoy eating in someone's basement. Go on a warm night and sit on the patio (beneath heat lamps - how novel), and enjoy some great Italian food. As others have mentioned, the servers are on a bit of an ego trip but the food is worth it (as are the aforementioned heat lamps - area restaurants take note). The pasta dishes are the highlight. They are homemade and perfectly al dente. Their pesto tastes fresh from the garden and my father in law nearly proposed to the bolognese (a special when we recently visited). Arguably a bit overpriced for what you get but Il Panino is one of the few mid-range North End spots to serve authentic Italian.
The service, in a word, 'Meh". The reviewer who stated that the specials were speed-spoken to you was dead on. The food was good, but not great. The bread was awesome! There were 12 in my party, I know we're not easy, but it was for a buddy's bachelor party dinner, and the place is loud, and the basement is stuffy. I've been to better, and had a better all around experience. The staff kind of gives the appearance that you should be thankful they're there. Gee, thanks. I wasn't impressed, and I can find another place, I'm sure, to eat great Italian in the North End. So can you!
Dorian and I came here on a sunny afternoon for some outdoor eating and drinking....it's like one of maybe three outdoor eating options within the North End that we saw near Hanover Street. They get points for that. however, not a lot of points are given for the fact that the outdoor furniture needs a good scrubbin', and they do indeed need to serve water, and not the bottled kind. We didn't bother asking, as we were too busy scoping out the wine list. The beer/wine was moderately over-priced, as was the food. I ordered the pesto pasta dish, and Dorian went with the gnocchi. Both were tasty, but for $16 a plate, I was pretty under whelmed.
The service was decent, and the music piped to the patio was a little on the loud side. Does it mean you're old when you'd rather have the sound of the bustling street instead of music? If so, then I am old.
I don't think we'll be back, but it was a fun afternoon regardless.
If yelp has 6 stars, I only give that to Trattoria Il Panino.
I think this italian restaurant is my favorite restaurant in Boston. -Great food, wonderful service and nice location.
My boyfriend and I often go there so there's a lot to talk about.
The flat-water in the bottle is great. I usually refuse to drink tap water so it was great offer for me to have the bottle. Taste better than anything else.
The wine, which we alway order for a bottle, is always great. So many to pick from the wine list too.
The food. Do I even need to talk about? They are fantastico :) Everything we order, I'm never disappointed. Always nice presentation and good reputation.
Servers are friendly and helpful. They have always smile on their face makes us very satisfied. I could afford to give them tips as much as they wish.
Lovely place. I went a couple days ago but I already would love to go back there again.
I have no idea how this place runs in the winter... the inside is tiny with hardly any tables. However, the adorable outdoor patio has about a dozen tables (although it's a little cramped). The food was delicious and although the service was a tad on the slow side, it was made up for when the loud, Italian hostess brought over a dessert for the birthday girl and got the whole patio to sing for her, followed by pouring wine straight from the bottle into her mouth.
I'll have to agree with John S. and say that I thought it a bit snotty and just plain weird when the waiter told us we could only have bottled water. Eh, small price to pay when your in the mood for a nice dinner in the North End.
It's OK. I've had delicious Bolognese and I've had greasy Bolognese. It really depends on the night you go. The service is pretty good, but the lines are too long and I'd much prefer to skip the hype and head to Trattoria Toscana near Fenway or Via Matta. This place is a bit of a tourist trap, but it usually gets the job done.
I guess you can say the food here is pretty good.. although what I ordered was not what I had expected. I went here with 8 friends, and everyone elses dish looked amazing. I definately had entree envy!!
I would definately get the seared tuna if I ever end up here again.
The service was very good, and the waiters were patient, seeings how all my friends seemed extra abnoxoius for some reason..
we had a reservation for 8:30, but didn't get seated till after 9:30. They were cool with us leaving to go to the bar on the corner and I us coming back.
The place is really small so understandable..
At the end of the meal, they brought us all a free round of Limoncello. Thanks!
Wednesday Night is Spaghetti…
Boston, MA
Introducing
Somerville, MA
Neighborhood: North End
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: North End
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: North End
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: North End
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Central Square
Category: Italian
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
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