Amazing! Service was top notch and food was delicious! We will be coming back. Bolognese was fantastic.

Amazing food! The staff is awesome. Small restaurant limited seating bit well w0rth waiting for reservations

Our favorite spot in the north end. Food is fresh, staff are engaging, and the place is perfect for date night, group dining or families.

I was truly transported back to Sicily, Italy from the amazing Pasta Dishes from Scratch that we ordered! The Hostess ( AZZURA ), who in fact came from Italy was super gracious and very accommodating to us! It's the First person you see that sets the tone of how your dining experience will bring! Thank you AZZURA! We had a high top table and we started with drinks, Sangria and Prosecco both very chilled and enjoyable! Our dinners arrived that our Chef Mike and our other Chef which I neglected to get his name made our handmade pasta dishes that made such an impression on us that it was like enjoying the Best Pasta Dish over looking the Mediterranean Sea! These two amazing Chefs are gastronomic geniuses! The presentation, as you can see by my photos was plated beautifully but it also tasted incredibly delicious! I know it's my opinion but I have had maybe thousands of Italian dishes in my life time in Italy and at home with my Two Italian born parents that eating here has been a huge treat! I know that the North End has some of the Best Italian Restaurants around, but it's this one that made me want to write about it! Thank you for my culinary experience! I WILL BE BACK!!!! read more

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Glad to get a reservation here as they can be hard to come by! Pros: Food has great portions and is delicious. We got the Bronx Tale, Bolognese and started with the Calamari. Bronx Tale- demolished my plate. So good from start to finish. Bolognese- really good and had it later that day for dinner. Calamari- good, but we wished we got a salad instead as it made the whole meal really heavy. Service was attentive and always there when we needed them. Cons: When they say it's a small cafe, it's super small. Like sharing a chair with your neighbor small. Not a particular way I would like to dine out. Would like a bit more space, but I'm glad I went. read more

Some restaurants serve great food. A few become part of your family's story. Eight years ago, we left Boston for Los Angeles. Of everything my daughter missed, there was one dish she talked about more than any other: the Penne Gorgonzola at Carmelina's. Not friends. Not the Red Sox. Not even Boston itself. The penne. We recently returned to work the Feast of Saint Joseph, and before we unpacked, before we did anything else, our first meal had to be at Carmelina's. The look on my daughter's face after that first bite was worth the trip. She ordered her long-awaited Penne Gorgonzola. I stuck with my longtime favorite, the Brasato. Then the friend we brought along ordered the Bolognese Fettuccine, and despite repeatedly calling it "bolo-ga-knees" and bleeding my ears, accidentally introduced me to my new favorite dish on the menu. The addition of whipped ricotta completely changes the bolognese, adding a richness I never knew it needed. We finished with limoncello, a very happy daughter, and the best kind of dinner bill... ...one paid by someone else. Is there a better ending? Eight years later, Carmelina's is still my favorite restaurant in Boston and comfortably sits among my top five restaurants anywhere in the country. read more

Carmelina's - The world's greatest Penne Gorganzola - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Carmelita's serves casual Sicilian food. The portions are big! The Sunday Macaroni has penne, beef rib, sausage, and meatballs. It comes with a giant dollop of ricotta which was a big excessive. It could easily serve two, maybe three, people. I thought the penne was a little overcooked (1 star off), but it was comforting. The Crazy Alfredo was very heavy, and I am not sure I liked the spiciness (1 star off). I thought the quality of the food was like that of cafeteria food, albeit good cafeteria food. The food seems overproduced and undercared for. Regarding the service, it was not attentive, likely because the restaurant was busy. Not only did it take awhile for our waiter to come by, when we asked for to-go boxes, the staff just threw them on our table on top of some spilled tomato sauce. I understand things can get busy, but they should have been more careful (or hygienic) to look at where they were setting down the boxes. We had to clean the table and our boxes before packing up. read more

Carmelina's - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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our local friend told us to keep our highly coveted reservation (that was made on a whim, we got lucky) and we were so pleased with the meal! if you get in right when they open it'll be the perfect timing for lunch. fyi, they do require one entree to be ordered per person so be prepared to eat a lot! the portions were enormous. if we didn't have to order one entree each we would have done way better sharing plates, but if you're local then it works out perfectly to save half for a second meal later. pasta options were great and everything was delicious. they're quick to serve you and get you in and out without rushing you as well. read more

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Amazing Italian food in an area with so many options. We tried the lobster ravioli and mushroom penne - both excellent rich & flavorful options. The serving was very generous and it was served piping hot and fresh. I'd definitely recommend making reservations as this place is so popular or be prepared for at least an hour wait! read more

Carmelina's - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This place takes the cake for best Italian meal I've had! It put me back at my grandmas table with the portions and flavor! The caprese was so fresh and tasty. Bright flavors from the pesto and burrata. The bread to dip came right out of the oven. The meatballs... again tasted exactly like my grandmothers. So tender and juicy. Packed with flavor. I got the Sunday macaroni, and this was spectacular. Hand-made penne, meatballs, sausage, and a beef rib. The rib was fork tender! The sauce had incredible depth of flavor, and the dollop of ricotta was the chef's kiss. There is a reason it's extremely hard to get a reservation - the food is that good. this place is on the Michelins guide, and rightfully so - it's incredible! read more

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Small business with excellent service and outstanding food. Reservations are hard to get and the wait to get a table equally difficult. The food speaks in taste and presentation. Staff is never hurried and super attentive. This small restaurant serves pasta in a special way. Highly recommend read more

Carmelina's - Caesar salad - simple and delicious - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We just happened to be walking past this place looking for anywhere to get lunch. We managed to have a 20 minute wait for it without a reservation. We ended up at the bar seating. Which gave us a front row to the kitchen. This place is tiny. It said on the menu they ask one entree per person. We considered just doing an app and an entree and asking if that would be okay. But went ahead and did the two entrees. The pistachio cream on the rollatini was amazing. I was happy to have extra bread to dip into it. I would have loved just to have that and plate full of pasta. The spaghetti like dish was also delicious two very different flavor profiles but equally good. It's a working environment and not a show as the cooks were frying and chopping while casually browsing on their phones. That is an observation more than a critique. They charged kitchen staff appreciation and food service charge. read more

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Definitely make a reservation here as it can get packed; it's rather cramped and small (enough room for maybe 30 people), and reservation grace periods are strict. Wait for walk-ins can be an hour or longer and despite making a reservation, we still needed to wait about 8 min for our table. I'd also recommend bringing a phone since their menu is QR based (online), and does not have photos of the food on it. Ordered the Crazy Alfredo, Wild Mushroom Penne, and the Exploding Little Neck Clams. The clams were fantastic- large, juicy, and succulent - and served with stewed tomatoes. The Crazy Alfredo is absolutely incredible. It's a little heavy handed on the cream sauce but it's delicious and hearty. Highly recommend it. I'd pass on the Mushroom Penne next time. It's flavorless compared to the Crazy Alfredo. Our server had the gruff New England charm and was friendly enough. Carmelina's DO take card. Prices are about $25-50 per entree. And they also have an expansive wine offering. Overall, great experience and I'd come back again! read more

Don't go unless you have reservations or are willing to wait at least 1/2 hr or more to be seated. Now the food was definitely not as we expected even though it was highly recommended! Keep in mind our orders were common dishes. The waiter and waitress were great, as they consistently asked us if we needed anything. Go try it for yourself and you can determine if the food is worth the expensive! read more

Carmelina's - Penne Gorgonzola, Chicken penne, the Bronx - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I always avoided it, thinking it was a tourist trap, but my visit yesterday completely changed my mind: very delicious Italian food in a casual setting. We had the tuna - pistachio pesto, pasta arbiatta , eggplant, and carpaccio. The tuna was very high quality (and the pasta it came with was delicious) and so was the carpaccio . l was not a fan of the arbiatta, bring too spicy for my taste. read more

Carmelina's - 2 dishes of tuna - both delicious, pasta arbiatta ( spicy! ), and eggplant. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Came here right as they opened without a reservation. We got lucky. They had a spot for us. I would definitely recommend a reservation. Kudos to the Carmelina's team for finding us a table. Service was impeccable and the ambiance is great. The food. Oh the food. It was delicious. It hit all the flavor notes you expect and it exceeds them. The fried calamari was delicious! Lightly breaded with lemon and salt. It was one of the better calamari's I have had. The Gorgonzola Penne was a blue cheese lovers dream. It was rich and tasty of Gorgonzola. It was balanced perfectly. If you like blue cheese...this is for you! The crazy Alfredo was delicious. The amount of meats combined into this crazy dish made it well....crazy. It hit all the notes you expect in an Alfredo and more with the meats. This place is phenomenal. I would return any time I am in the North End. Well done! read more

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Little bit of a wait to get in, but worth it. The lobster ravioli was rich and creamy. It had plenty of meat in it and had shrimp mixed in. The mussels had a spicy sauce that was perfect for bread dipping. It's small place but service is on point and the vibe is nice. read more

Carmelina's - Mussels Diablo - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Great find in Little Italy! Must have reservations as tables are limited. So delicious...we had the Chicken Parmesan, Bronx Tale and Bolognese. The serving were ginormous! read more

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We went to Carmelina's without a reservation and luckily scored two seats at the bar after a short wait. It's a small, cozy, and bustling spot--no more than about 50 seats, all close together, which adds to the energy. The moment you walk in, you're hit with the irresistible aroma of garlic and butter. It was so fun watching the two cooks working nonstop, sending out plate after plate of piping hot, fragrant dishes. Their signature littleneck clam appetizer was 1000% delicious--something I could happily eat again and again. The pastas were packed with flavor and cooked to the perfect al dente. read more

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Walking in, it's a small cozy spot that is dimly lit and feels warm and homey. The service was great, an extremely efficient. They are always quite busy so I recommend making a reservation, but it's worth the trip! We have a Caprimosa which was prosecco and limoncello- delicious and extremely refreshing! We split the Caesar salad- which was very fresh and light! ( topped with sardines) For dinner we had the Brasato- the meat fell off the bone like butter and it was an incredible pair with the risotto. We also split the gnocchi- which was incredibly tasty. The sauce was light and tasted freshly made.. and it was topped with the best ricotta I have ever had. ( and being Italian, I've had a lot ) They do not serve dessert, but encourage patrons to try the local pastry shops. read more

Carmelina's - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Genuinely never been. Couldn't get a reservation until next quarter. Everyone I've ever known that has been to Boston says this is the best Italian restaurant in the city. And honestly I think the high ratings here are part of the problem. Giving it a one star on the long shot that I ever get a chance to eat here. I hear it's incredible. read more

The food was amazing, thankful for a reservation. The portions were huge. Great find! read more

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Very Italian vibe and authentic Italian cuisine and service! The seafood and fresh and flavorful! The house bread and dipping sauce are amazing. So lucky to get a table during the weekday lunch time without reservation! Love the service we received. Thank y'all! read more

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I sat at the bar on a very busy Tuesday evening. Seating is limited and the ambiance is intimate. My server was awesome and chose all my food. Eggplant appetizer was flavorful with a wonderful tomato sauce. Short rib was incredibly tender. The risotto was a tad al dente for a risotto but cheesy - I did ask the server to pass along the message. Parking is non existent but the walk was beautiful. Definitely a must try. read more

Carmelina's - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The best part of our experience was that calamari. Oh my oh my it's a must. The Sunday pasta with trio of delicious meats was incredible. I can't speak enough about how good that meal is. Every meat had incredible depth of flavor and the sauce was absolutely delicious. The ambiance is great and service very quick given the time limit per table. For the not so great part....the carbonara. It was very oily and I feel like missing the creaminess of an egg yolk and cheese. It felt more like an oily cacio e pepe with a lot of thin pancetta or cut of bacon (and primarily only that bacon flavor). read more

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I asked the waiter between two items and he was very decisive. I went with his suggestion of the bolognese. It was huge. I don't think I ate 1/4 of it. The meat was savory, the pasta perfect, the sauce delicious, and the cool dollop of ricotta on top a perfect extra sending the flavor in the stratosphere. This place is really small so be prepared to wait. I didn't try wine or drinks. The atmosphere is very north end Boston. If you want a great run down do the north end food tour and you'll get a very local take on all these places. read more

Carmelina's - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Best restaurant in the North End. The pesto pasta is delicious. Great spot for a small group. Not a ton of seating. The service is fast and the meals were served in skillets read more

This was our first ever restaurant in the North End on our most recent trip to Boston. It is a tight space, as most of the city restaurants are so watch out for peak times. We ordered the Shrimp Scampi and the Frutti di Mare. The seafood pasta was delicious and full of flavor. I wanted to drink the remaining broth/sauce. The scampi, however, was a let down. It was full of water as if they did not fully drain the pasta. This diluted the flavor to almost nothing. It was basically watered down pasta and shrimp. I can see why this place has overall good reviews and we assume that the scampi was just a mis-fire this time. I would still recommend eating here. Service is also quick and friendly. read more

Carmelina's - Frutti Di Mare which was delicious! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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On this day, I proudly held the title of designated food finder for our team while traveling and Yelp always helps me find great spots so I chose Carmelina's after seeing all of your reviews and I have to say... I absolutely outdid myself. This place did not disappoint. The food tasted as good as it looked. We spent the day walking all over Boston, soaking in the charm, the history, and of course all the amazing foodie gems. Something about the city just felt magical. It actually reminded me of the book and movie It Ends with Us. Like everything truly is better in Boston. The ambience, the energy, the endless places to try... it was one of those days you just know you'll remember forever. Of course we had to end our day dining here and it did not disappoint. And that pasta? It was definitely memorable. It was buttery, creamy, rich, absolutely delicious. I can still taste it like it was yesterday. Definitely one for the books. read more

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My favorite spot during my visit to Boston. The food. The service. Everything 10/10. I wish I would have visited earlier in my trip so I could have stopped by twice. Since I had one shot at trying this place out, I went with the lobster ravioli.. It was so freaking good that I packed my leftovers and took them back to Houston with me to enjoy again. Definitely need reservations but lunch service is available which is a little easier to snag.. Will definitely stop by every Boston visit. read more

Carmelina's - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Food was really good and portions are huge! The pasta was cooked to perfection. Our chicken parm was nicely crispy on outside and tender and juicy inside. Our table for two was cozy and very close to the next tables. This was great for us, but if you're looking for a nice private table you'll have to look elsewhere. Service was amazing! Prices were very fair. Looking forward to the next time we can eat here! read more

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Last night we squeezed into Carmelina's and let me tell you... this place doesn't just serve dinner, it runs a full-on Italian production in about the size of your living room. No reservations, packed shoulder-to-shoulder, and somehow we were seated in about 20 minutes -- which in the North End feels like someone pulled a favor behind the scenes. We kicked things off with the meatballs and yeah... these weren't just "good," these were the kind that make you slow down mid-bite just to process what's happening. Rich sauce, perfectly tender -- no notes. I went with the arugula salad to balance things out -- fresh, bright, nicely dressed, just leaned a little heavy on the salt. Not a dealbreaker, just Boston reminding you it seasons with confidence. For the main event, the Bolognese came in hot and didn't miss. Deep, hearty, slow-cooked flavor that hits like it's been simmering since noon. My coworker went with the chicken parm -- classic, generous, and the kind of plate that shows up like it knows it's the star. The whole vibe? Tight space, loud energy, servers moving like it's organized chaos, and plates coming out like they mean business. Travelin' Broke approved -- proof that a small spot with big flavor doesn't need reservations, just patience and a solid appetite. read more

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Went here after work with some workmates and had a wonderful team dinner. They were very accommodating even though we all had out suitcases and backpacks to travel back home. Service was prompt and frequent and the ambiance was very nice. My Carbonara which is pictured was probably the best I've ever had. Loved it! read more

Carmelina's - Carbonara was fantastic! - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

It's a pain to get reservations here, but we finally made it! The bread game is strong- I love that it's served warm with a yummy oil/balsamic/garlic/herb mixture. I typically don't like bread and oil but liked this one a lot! The caprese salad wasn't my favorite - it's more of a tomato relish with olives in it. I like caprese salads that have a lot of fresh tomatoes. The bolognese was okay- the pasta was fresh and the sauce a little looser than I expected. I actually didn't like the extra ricotta on too because I felt it took away from the sauce. The pasta Gorgonzola was our favorite - it was well seasoned and the sauce was so good with a little bit of funk from the gorgonzola. Service was pretty sparse but I appreciated that the food came out pretty quickly and steaming out. read more

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This place was a nice little gem! Being in Boston, I realized the restaurants on this side are on the smaller side, but I loved that it was small and cozy, and could be good for date night, girls night, or solo dolo!! We were informed they closed at 10 when we walked in and if that was ok, and we of course said yes, bc we were all hungry, and ready to eat, and we like all types of food!! We were sat quickly, our sever Sean came to explain that they take the full order at once and they space it out based on the food we order. We all knew what we were feelin and ordered everything at once. We ordered an app, the calamari, get that!! It was delicious. And not the traditional fried like you think, great flavors. We also got some different dishes, the mushroom risotto, the cod with veggies, lobster ravioli with shrimp, carbonara, and a platter of short rib, sausage and meatballs! Short ribs so tender! I'd say I needed more salt for the meatball, but it was still super tender and a great bite! My fave was the carbonara! It felt authentic with the pancetta, parm, fresh noodles, so so good!! Would definitely eat again! Great place, they sell wine and beer, no full bar, but the Prosecco I had was nice and crisp and worked well with the carbonara! read more

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A local recommended Carmelina's as the best restaurant on Hanover St and he was so right. It was so cute inside. We absolutely loved it. It was some of the best Italian food that I've ever had outside of Italy. I absolutely loved my penne with Gorgonzola. It was a great recommendation from my server. I ate way too much because it was unbelievable. My husband loved his a Bronx tale. It had three giant delectable meatballs. My husband loved them because they were more breadcrumb forward and they reminded him of his grandmother's meatballs which was nice. The sausage and sauce was very good too. When we come back to Boston, we'll definitely be back. read more

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It's very difficult to get a reservation here especially on the weekends, so definitely book WAY ahead! We came in 2022 and were blown away by how delicious the pasta was. The Crazy Alfredo and Sunday Macaroni were both outstanding and I loved that they served the dishes in pans. However, we came back recently and were disappointed. Not sure if the chef changed or what happened, but every dish we ordered was very average. We got the Crazy Alfredo again (since it was our favorite from before), along with the Fruitti di Mare and fried calamari. There was no dipping sauce for the calamari, and the Crazy Alfredo didn't come in the pan anymore and tasted completely different. The overall vibe was off too - it used to be a cute date night spot but now feels like they're just trying to get you in and out to seat the next guests. Really sad because our first experience was so good! read more

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The small space offers an intimate dining experience where diners can watch their dishes come together from beginning to end. However, dinner reservations are extremely scarce; you have to book weeks or months in advance. read more

My daughter has a severe shellfish allergy, so eating at seafood-focused Italian restaurants can be stressful but usually there is something on the menu that she can have. Unfortunately, we've had experiences at other restaurants (not in Boston) where staff gave incorrect information--arguing with us that shrimp isn't shellfish or assuring us there was no shellfish, only for her to have an allergic reaction. Because of those experiences, she was understandably nervous about eating here. From the moment we mentioned her allergy, the staff at Carmelina's made her feel completely safe and comfortable. They took her allergy seriously, answered our questions with confidence, and even prepared her spaghetti in a separate pot to avoid cross-contamination. That level of care meant so much to our family and allowed her to actually relax and enjoy her meal. The food was fantastic, but the kindness was what truly set Carmelina's apart. We are incredibly grateful for the care they showed and would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Fantastic meal from start to finish, with just a few small service misses. We started with the calamari, which was perfectly cooked with a great spicy kick--easily one of the highlights of the night. The wine selection was also impressive, with plenty of great options. The meatballs were incredibly soft and flavorful, and they stood strong on their own. The starter bread came out warm and fresh, and it was actually really good--which matters, because way too many places cheap out on bread. This one didn't. For mains, everything was outstanding. The Sunday Macaroni is an absolute must-order: the beef rib falls right off the bone, and the generous dollop of ricotta completely makes the dish. The portion is massive--easily 2-3 meals. The chicken parm is also enormous, truly an over-the-top portion in the best way. The carbonara and the bolognese were both delicious--rich, well-balanced, and exactly what you want from classic Italian dishes. One small knock on service: for a smaller restaurant, the staff didn't come around very often, and grated cheese and black pepper weren't offered--which feels like a small but important touch, especially with pasta. To cap it off, there's a dessert café right across the street, which makes for a perfect post-dinner move. Overall, an excellent meal with massive portions and great flavors--just needs slightly more attentiveness to be truly perfect. read more

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