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Up there with one of the best meals I've ever had. The steak was seasoned perfectly and cooked to perfection. One of the best steaks I've ever had. 24-oz Bone In Cowboy Ribeye. It truly blew away my expectations and was incredible. The espresso martini was superb. My wife got a pasta dish and loved it. Excellent place and I would highly recommend if you're in the area. Most restaurants get a line shortly after 5:00. So even though it was an early dinner we got there about 4:30.
The food here is so good!! Everything was so flavorful and perfect. The restaurant itself is pretty dark and noisy and crowded , but has a nice atmosphere. Their esprssso martini is supposedly quite famous and it was quite good! The pasta was also very delicious and the flavors married well. The crème brulee had a delicious fruity rich flavor to it-- so good! We were impressed and already thinking about our next trip back.
It was good but nothing blew me away. Pasta was a tad bit too al dente for my taste. Also the space was very small and felt cramped.
We just came in for drinks while in town from Chicago because we heard they made a great espresso martini. I'm not a martini guy but my wife loved it! Bartender was friendly and talkative. We need to try the food next time we are in town.
Bricco was awesome and accommodated our group of 8 for a last minute reservation on a Sunday night. The service and food were spectacular. We tried a bunch of different pastas and steaks and they were all wonderful. Will definitely be back the next time we are in Boston.
Honestly, service was excellent and food was good . Waiter Wolmar aka Bobo was great. He was very attentive regarding an allergy at our table and menu options. The food was really good. Only disappointment was the marinara sauce was bland and didn't taste homemade.
I went to Bricco with some friends during a short trip to Boston. We were seated upstairs and we started our meal with cocktails. I ordered the Espresso Martini, which I learned the restaurant is famous for and after tasting it I understand while. I want to put the disclaimer that I am allergic to nuts, so I didn't have it how the restaurant traditionally prepares it (using Amaretto) but it still tasted excellent. The Espresso Martini was perfectly balanced between bitter and sweet and the had the perfect amount of foam on top. For my meal I got the Shrimp pasta with Zucchini. The shrimp was tender and the noodles were cooked to a perfect al dente. The zucchini added a nice contrast to the rich tomato sauce and helped make the dish feel light even though it was a bowl of pasta. My only complaint that the restaurant is very dim especially upstairs. Some people at our table joked that they might need to use their phone flashlight to read the menu, so if you are someone who struggles to see in dimly lit places keep that in mind.
We were able to enjoy Bricco as part of a food tour. It was a fantastic experience. The staff was so friendly and welcoming to our group. We visited the counter service section. It was clean neat and organized. It was a smaller area, so the 15+ of us, had to take turns standing, looking at the counter offerings. I can't wait to return to purchase the fresh baked bread...Looked and smelled sooo good!!!
The building has 2 floors with bathrooms on both floors. The restaurant was dimly lit at night. They did give some complementary bread. I ordered the Farfalle Tartufate (lobster pasta with truffle) and Bricco's brodetto (variety of seafood) as they were recommended online. However they fell below my expectations. The lobster was overcooked so it was on the rubbery size. The pasta was undercooked and hard. The pasta portion size was tiny like an appetizer for the cost of $34 for 5-6 pieces of pasta. The swordfish in the brodetto was pretty hard and I found some sand in my clams. The salmon was also very expensive for the small portion size. For appetizers I did like how they wrapped the lemon in a net so the seeds wouldn't fall out. The mashed potatoes were also nice and creamy. The zucchini flowers were good but pretty expensive for just 2.
My first Dine Out Boston 2026 Winter visit: Bricco, awarded "Best Espresso Martini" in Best of Boston 2025. The award went to the cocktails; when it comes to dishes, while the portions were generous, the quality was relatively ordinary. Table Bread: The bread was a bit hard and prickly in mouth. Three sauces were served: cannellini purée was purely bean-flavor, light and understated; pesto had a rich nutty aroma and a subtle garlic aftertaste; roasted garlics were soft and delicate with a gentle garlic flavor. My personal favorite was the pesto--the most fragrant and layered. Meatballs: The meatballs were large, firm, and somewhat chewy, but not quite up to the claim of "Boston's best from certified Angus beef" on the menu. The tomato sauce was average. The ricotta's moist texture, light milky aroma, and the Parmigiano's firm texture and rich fermented aroma were the biggest pluses of the dish. The Crostini was excessively crumbly, jarring whether paired with the meatballs or used to clean the plate. Honestly, I was already feeling full by this point... Risotto: Best of the meal, 4.5 stars on its own. The tomato sauce was different from the meatballs; it was authentically Italian, with a crisp, refreshing acidity. Biting into the cherry tomatoes released a burst of flavor-- be careful, for those who can't handle sourness. The rice was perfectly cooked, firm yet tender, each grain separate. The seafood, including scallops, squid, shrimp, and salmon, was all very fresh, firm, and bouncy. It was the first time I'd seen salmon in risotto; thankfully, the fishy taste was well removed, otherwise, the combination with the tomatoes would have been a disaster. Blueberry Cheesecake: The blueberries were practically nonexistent. Think of it as a New York-style cheesecake topped with white chocolate. It was extremely thick and creamy, like ice cream, but also incredibly sweet, making my mouth and throat feeling smothered. I had to alternate between a bite of cake and a sip of ice water to barely finish it. P.S. The lighting was so dim I couldn't see the food at all. Holding a DSLR camera in one hand while using a light in the other was exhausting.
Honestly who doesn't love homemade pasta? Both of our pastas were fresh and tasted amazing. The burrata as a starter was perfect. I had a glass of barolo with dinner and finished off with the espresso martini, both great. Our server was very attentive and the ambiance was perfect for a date night. Would definitely come back when I return to Boston!
The arancini melts in my mouth. It was exquisite. The bread pudding was delicious too. I will return to try more main courses and wine in the future. Sit at the bar too. Service was excellent! Reasonably priced main meals too. I sometimes take their fresh bread, pasta and tomato sauce home.
Wonderful Italian food with cute staff and a vibrant North End atmosphere. The portions are a little bit on the smaller side for my liking, but the food is tasty and comes out quickly. It is not a messy but a rather fun endeavor. As someone who thoroughly enjoys Italian cuisine this is one I highly recommend, but also suggest getting here early because people fill up the joint quite quickly. Sorry that this review is shorter than most I write, but I think the food here speaks for itself in its quality.
Reviews are mixed. Many highlight the attentive and knowledgeable service, flavorful Italian food, and lively ambiance. The popular espresso martinis are also a draw.
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3 years ago
I sat at the bar and started with a glass of wine and ordered the ricotta pillows. They brought out bread and a trio of roasted garlic, pesto and then I think a bean trip of some sort. These were phenomenal. On the pasta, to be honest I was expecting something like gnocchi, but it was actually more of a ravioli. Flavors were good and I'm happy I ordered that. I'd get it again! Service was great at the bar and it was a quaint moody spot in the north end. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
10 months ago
Bricco has one of my favorite menus in the North End. There are so many fantastic options, from pasta, to meat, to seafood. The portions for the pasta dishes can be a bit small, but you'd be surprised how full you get! I had the ricotta pillows and they were fantastic. They are similar to a ravioli dressed with truffle butter, wild mushrooms, and the most delicious gnudi di ricotta garnish. I also highly recommend the Rare-Seared Ahi Tuna dish. It was fantastic. We were out with a group of 6 celebrating my boyfriends birthday, so our waitress brought out an amazing dessert sampler. I especially loved vanilla bean bread pudding with caramelized banana & vanilla gelato. read more
Had dinner reservations for a recent Saturday night. It's a cute restaurant, a bit dark but that was fine for me. Very noisy though so hard to carry a conversation with our group of 8. Also expensive. Our group ordered a bunch of different items which I now forget but I ordered a pasta dish (spaghetti & meatballs) while my hubby got the pork. Glad we tried but didn't wow us so won't be back. read more
Visited Boston during a business trip and was recommended by many to come to Bricco. Luckily they were able to squeeze us in without a reservation! Our waitress was nice, attentive, and patient with our indecisive group. So much we wanted to try, but she gave us some good recommendations. We started off with the beef carpaccio, polenta, and burrata. The polenta was delicious! Carpaccio is always solid. The burrata was a little boring. I went with the gnocchi and it was so good! Everyone's food looked delicious and everyone had a good time. Nice place to check out! read more
Besides the dirty plate they gave me for the appetizers, this was a good experience. The sangria was delicious, and the special for the day, shrimp and lobster risotto was excellently seasoned and scrumptious. I also enjoyed the banana bread pudding, perhaps the best I have eaten. They also give three sauces for the bread, a garlic oil, white bean paste and some green sauce that I can't recall the name but it was the best of the three. Quite excellent indeed! read more
11 months ago
Such a charming and well thought out restaurant! Wolmar served us and he was absolutely amazing. He brought us an amazing wine recommendation that we all loved. The pasta was incredible and very fresh. You could tell it was made in house that day. All of the dishes were complex simple. I can't say enough good things about this place, you have to try it! If you need a wine recommendation you know who to ask read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
Bricco was amazing! I was a little unsure looking at Google and Yelp reviews because there was so much variability in what people thought. My husband and some friends and I went on a weeknight. It was packed! In a good way, it felt very lively and like we had found a good spot. Three of us split a wonderful wine and we tried the eggplant bake for an appetizer. This was delicious, not too large or overwhelming ( a portion sufficient for two so we got two), and the eggplant was cooked well and not coated in thick cheese. For entrees we had the pappardelle and ricotta pillows, which I think were two great options given how different the dishes were from each other. The ricotta pillows are flavorful but light, and the Pappardelle is a smidge heavier and more savory (not too overbearing meat wise). Portions were not tiny but also not overbearing family style sizes. They were actually the appropriate portions for a meal which was great for us because we had room for dessert. We tried the chocolate cake and deconstructed tiramisu. Highly recommend the tiramisu as they put it together for you as the side of the table which was fun to watch. Must have been one of the best tiramisu we've had! It tasted so fresh and authentic. The chocolate cake was good but tiramisu was definitely the hit. Would I come back?! Yes. It's hard to find reliably good pasta in a fun environment, so I definitely recommend this spot in North End if you love pasta and wine! We really want to come back for the late night menu pizza! The service was good but the staff was definitely busy and we got the wrong check twice. The food quality made up for that. read more
2 years ago
The atmosphere is amazing, this is what the North End should be like ... kind of a fancier nicer restaurant on Hanover. Waiter was very nice and helpful. Oysters were delicious and fresh. Both my dining partner's lobster pasta and my truffle risotto were really well done, elegant and classy. I had a glass of the Amarone which was just OK. Overall, a wonderful experience. I wish I lived in Boston so I could go to these types of restaurants all the time ... read more
We had an epic meal tonight at Bricco in the North End. We lucked into getting a reservation on a warm night on a Sunday and were seated outside on Hanover street. Yes, the Bricco dining room is elegant and attractive but the experience of outdoor dining in the North End trumps any amount of polished wood and leather and celebrity photos. I had chosen Bricco based on some article about the top 5 espresso martinis in Boston with Bricco no. 1 but actually that $19 martini was just moca and amaretto with vodka and was pretty sweet and just okay. Luckily every single other thing we put in our mouths was mind blowing. The crispy Italian bread (complementary) was fresh and served with roasted garlic, pesto, and white bean spread. For apps, we ordered the eggplant parm, very well done, and the zucchini flowers were stuffed with truffled ricotta and deep fried, divine. The ricotta pillows were plump and velvety and exploding with truffle, same stuff as the zucchini flower filling). And the pasta of the day was a truffled risotto. We're big truffle fans. My wife ordered a glass of Feliz Creek 75 Cabernet which was so savory and well rounded that she soon whipped out her phone and ordered a case delivered to our house. In this case drinking-and-purchasing worked out well. The meal was a splurge ($170 with tip) but worth it. read more
2 years ago
Went to Bricco multiple times and they never cease to amaze us! The ossobuco was absolutely top notch! The margherita pizza, Duck, octopus were also delicious and the service was even better! Would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants fine Italian food, 100 stars read more
3 years ago
I finally tried Bricco for the first time after hearing from multiple people how it's the best Italian in the North End and I can see why -- my boyfriend and I ordered the gnocchi and pappardelle Al cinghiale, and it had to be the best of the best. The braised short rib in the pappardelle can seriously compete with the cinghiale I've eaten in Florence, Italy, it was unbelievable. Like the food, the atmosphere and service were also far from disappointing. There's 2 levels and we are upstairs, which is a bit quieter. I am so looking forward to my next meal here when I'm back in the North End. The cherry on top was that I was able to book the reservation using the Seated app, which gave me 13% back on our dinner! If you're unfamiliar with the app, you should check out Seated -- the app where you earn money back on every meal. Sign up and you'll get a $30 bonus after your first meal (and I'll get $30)! https://seated.app.link/dWZASJEoJ3 Use my code -- alyssa1012 read more
2 years ago
I was in Boston foe one night. Sat at the bar. The bartender was super efficient but distant. The free bread w roasted garlic and pesto was, by far, the highlight of my meal. The carpaccio didn't have a lot of meat and the lemon in the arugula almost completely overpowered the aged beef. The mussels were super tasty but, rather than providing some bread to stop up the broth (arguably the best part) it was accompanied by a thin slice of burnt toast. The gnocchi sorrento was excellent. I didn't find it great value. read more
11 months ago
2 years ago
The most delicious food! They don't have a kids menu but were accommodating to my kids with spaghetti and meatballs! Espresso martini was delish and service was awesome! read more
2 years ago
This was my first time in this restaurant and I am not big on Italian cuisine, however the food was really good. Our server was attentive and she explained all the options in an efficient way. Although we did not get bread until I asked for it. My dish (gnocchi) filled me up and it was tasty. The temperature of the plates were ideal - not too hot, not too cold - the crème brule was not crispy in the top, it was not as creamy as I was expecting but it was delicious. Our table was located on the second floor and its location was next to a busy section, which was a little tight. I really like the lighting which was not dark nor too bright, however I hope they rearrange the tables so it is not as crowed while you are eating read more
3 years ago
Great dinner in north end to take friends/family to in Boston. We had so much fun here with the windows open in the summer! Pasta is delicious and the zucchini flowers are a must. Espresso martinis are heavenly! read more
2 years ago
Great service, food and drinks were great. The ambiance was fun and energetic. Would recommend. read more
3 years ago
My friends and I decided to explore a new spot in the North End. We always walked past Bricco and it looked cozy, so we decided to try it out. We went on the weekend around 6:30 PM and it was pretty busy/packed. The chairs were a bit tight and close together, but it didn't bother us too much. The food at Bricco was great, with well-plated dishes and appropriate portion sizes. We opted for the Frittura Mista for our appetizer and I tried the Pappardelle al Cinghiale for my main. The pricing was within our expectations, comparable to other places we've visited in the North End. However, it took an unusually long time for the wait staff to take our order and serve our food. The wait time exceeded an hour from ordering to receiving our entrees, which was disappointing. In summary, if you're looking for a cozy atmosphere, tasty food, and don't mind a lengthy dining experience, Bricco could be a suitable choice. However, if prompt service is a priority to you, there might be better options in the North End worth exploring. read more
Bricco is the long-standing, celebrity-visited establishment that does everything okay but nothing great. Before you jump all over my review, hear me out. I did not have a bad dish or disliked any of my food during our visit. However, the hype that surround Bricco and its storied history left me a little underwhelmed. When you hear people say it's "THE BEST" I don't take that lightly. So let me share my thoughts with you. First, the atmosphere is awesome. So much dark wood, leather, and pictures of celebrities that have dined there... it's amazing in addition to seeing the wine on display. The staff is super helpful, friendly, and professional - you know this place has it's $h!t together as it a run like a well-oiled machine. Getting people in and out efficiently and all the food flying out of the kitchen. It's an impressive feat, really. The food like I said is well executed but none of it had the "WOW" factor I associate with "the best" food in Boston. I would say it is appropriate or above average for the price paid. The oysters were fresh and cold, the zucchini blossoms were crispy (not super oily), and the pasta dishes were good and flavorful with the pasta being cooked with just the right amount of "bite" - al dente. While I would return and dine there again, I will do so keeping my expectations aligned with my experience there. It's definitely an experience going to eat at Bricco, and while the food is good and I have no complaints there are better (and cheaper) restaurants in Boston's North End. You can't go wrong eating here, but I will not be touting it as the best in the North End and certainly not in the city. read more
I came here for Dinner Monday (12/27) and was surprised at how busy it was but they were able to seat us right away. This was the best meal on this trip to MA for me. The tom collins cocktail was not good though. All the food we got was delicious. We ordered the Octopus and the Beef Carpaccio appetizers. My aunt and I both loved the Farfalle Tartufate with lobster. They liked the Tiramisu but prefer a traditional one over the deconstructed version at this restaurant. Service was great. read more
2 years ago
We stumbled upon this bar walking in the North End looking for an Espresso Martini. We loved the atmosphere of sitting at the bar close to the outside area. The Espresso Martini was smooth but very rich and filling. We also were talked into trying the pistachio shot, and were pleasantly surprised how delicious it was! The perfect dessert shot if you are looking for one. The bartender was friendly and even gave us recommendations around town to try. Definitely recommend checking this place out! read more
My family came here once a couple years ago and remembered having a good time and decided to come back. Was pleased to find that the food was just as good as we recalled! We ordered the octopus as an appetizer, which was my favorite plate. All of our entrees were excellent-- absolutely wonderful food. Our waiter was also very nice and made sure we were taken care of. The reason that I'm giving four stars rather than five is just small things that made our dinner good rather than outstanding. Our reservation was at 7, we got there about 15 minutes early, and were waiting for a half hour to be seated. We also felt a bit rushed during dinner, as our appetizer and entrees came out pretty quickly. Ironically, the dessert took the longest time to come out! Other than that, Bricco is a fantastic restaurant, and one that I would be happy to come back to for any special occasion or nice dinner. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
This is a quaint little resturant! The service was great! The food was amazing, especially the eggplant!!! They were especially generous in providing a beautiful, tasty dessert to celebrate my husband's birthday! read more
Very lively atmosphere with a large wrap around bar! I heard their espresso martinis were delicious, but I ended up going with a cabernet since they had a good wine selection. The bread with trio dips was good. Service was good. I was quite disappointed with the tortelli pumpkin pasta...while the presentation was classy this was more expensive for the least amount of pasta I ate in the North End. I was hoping the taste of the tortelli pumpkin would at least be decadent, but the pumpkin wasn't smooth at all and the veggies on top were crunchy which really took away from the flavor balance; the dish could have really used some more sage. I wish I had gotten their gnocchetti sorrentina as that looked really good. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Dinner was fabulous and the service was amazing. This was a great dinner to celebrate with friends read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
More info about Bricco
241 Hanover St
Boston, MA 02113
North End
Directions
(617) 248-6800
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Visit Website
http://www.bricco.com/
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Ask the Community - Bricco
Is the only gluten free pasta option gnocchi? Or is there more?
I've had both. My prior visit I had gf pasta and this visit, gnocchi
Do you offer any gluten free options for pasta/pizza?
i don't think I ever saw any gluten free pizza or pasta options.
Is Bricco child friendly?
Not child friendly. They will seat you upstairs in no mans land where you cannot see or be seen.
Where is the closest and safest parking?
Go to haymaker parking garage it very safe and walking distance to Bricco
What type of attire is recommend?
You can be casual. I wore jeans and a nice blouse
Has anyone had gotten anything vegan at this place... do they make accommodations?
I do not know....but I would be surprised if they don't accommodate. Everything is made fresh and I have had them adjust dishes to my liking.
Are the appetizers big enough for a meal on their own?
Yes. The calamari is s nice portion for IVR it even two to share. Apps are great here!
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