Once a month my friends and I go to dinner & Target. Seriously, one shopping cart, three girls armed with a shopping list, fun! We try to eat somewhere different each time, preferably somewhere none of us have tried before. I generally use Yelp to help choose the location. Thank you Yelp for the reviews on Comella's! The lasagna was AMAZING, and I don't even like lasagna! I liked that they serve it with pasta (we chose ziti) so that it's not just a cheese overload. And the tomato sauce was so fresh and delicious. The sweet potato raviolis just melted in my mouth, and the plate of them was huge! Even better that you can pick your sauce for them (we went with the garlic and oil). Speaking of garlic, make sure you get an order of the garlic bread with your meal - yum! The portions are huge, we split two dishes between the three of us and still had leftovers (and one person was eating for two!). We liked it so much we were trying to figure out when we could go back, and that's totally against our dining rules. Sometimes though, rules are meant to be broken, right? read more

Whoa - how the heck have I not reviewed Comella's yet? Guess the time has come. I - LOVE - THIS - PLACE . I have had take-out here many times, and sampled many different items (generally though, its a Mess of some sort). I've never been disappointed in the food, the service, or the portions. The worst part of the experience is just choosing one thing over another. The latest score (last night, and its still on my mind) was 2 entrees - fresh beef raviolis and the eggplant parm w/ stuffed shells. From experience, I know that just one "single" is enough for 2 people, but its so hard to limit yourself to just one choice. Lets start with the rav's... Umm.. wow. That was the first time I'd had the ravioli, and I will be back. I WILL sample the squash, eggplant, asparagus, and lobster ones before long. There are probably a dozen different kinds, btw. The eggplant is a stacked brick of a masterpiece - layered with pasta, cheese, and breaded eggplant heaven. It was unlike any eggplant dish I've ever concocted or ordered - I could almost (ok, not really) go vegetarian for that dish, if I really had to. The stuffed shells were chock full o ricotta - definitely hard to not try and fit the whole damn shell in your face. And there was a nice layer of ziti in the dish too, just for kicks. Fantastic. Comella's t-o-m-a-t-o sauce most definitely does not compare to any jarred sauce I've tasted, by the way. The chicken parm, sausages, and meatballs are all top notch as well. Ordering is usually about a 10-15 minute wait, so you could call ahead. They have a nice HD TV in place now though if you choose to wait - and, as I observed last night, you could always get a glass of wine while you wait (that guy was a genius)! If money is tight, a "single" sized entree, with a salad, could easily feed two people for $15 - $20 and it'll be way better than most Italian restaurant meals. Parking is always a pain on Washington Street, but you can just turn up Highland Ave and park behind the bank. read more

I was visiting a friend that lives in Boston, and he brought me to Comella's for lunch.. Now being from New York AND 100% Italian I was a little skeptical at first.. It's a small place, but very clean... the choices of food are listed on the wall.. and there were SOO many different things to choose from. I was shocked at how reasonable the prices were too.. which also lead to some more skepticism... I mean, how good can Chicken Parm be for $10?!? I was SO very wrong. I ordered a safe choice and went with the Chicken Parm ... my friend ordered one of the "Mess" dishes- which they are known for. We sat down and waited about 10 minutes before our meal arrived. The portions were huge! I took one bite and fell in love! Everything was soo incredibly delicious!!! I was really surprised! When I go up to Boston to visit I will definitely make my friend take me back ~ If only they had a place like this in New York! Staff was friendly, portions are huge, reasonable prices, quick and absolutely delicious! read more

This is another example of how I wish yelp would allow half stars. I would definitely give 3.5 but it's not quite up to 4 stars in my opinion. My husband and I went for lunch last weekend when we were craving something other than pizza. The selection at Comella's is vast, with lots of homemade pastas and classic Italian-American choices. We waited a while at the front counter for someone to notice us and we placed our order and sat down. Two other groups came in an placed orders at the front as well. My husband and I ordered two pasta dishes (more about that in a bit) and the two other groups has pasta and sandwiches - I noticed this because BOTH groups got their food before us. Anyways, I ordered the goat cheese ravioli with pesto sauce and my husband ordered the gnocchi with tomato sauce. We were asked when we placed our orders if we wanted cheese on top and, honestly, who is going to say no to that? My raviolis were really good but it was interesting because they had roasted red peppers combined with the goat cheese filling. Now, for me this is not a big deal at all because I LOVE roasted red peppers but I could see someone like my husband ordering them and being absolutely appalled. I even asked the girl if these were the correct raviolis and she said they were. Although I really did like the raviolis, I was NOT a fan of the pesto. It's hard to describe - it was almost a pool of oil in the bottom of the bowl with rough cut basil on top. My husband's meal, though, was pretty impressive. The sauce was fantastic, I kept stealing off his plate. The garlic bread was also warm and yummy. We are definitely going to go back again. The pastas themselves were delicious, but I'm not going to get the pesto again. Comella's was a great deviation from our normal pizza on Saturdays routine. read more

Nice little place for calzones, pizza and the dish I ordered called a "mess" if I remember correctly. The mess is a bowl of pasta, very nice red sauce, mozzarella cheese and other ingredients depending which you order. The one I ordered had breaded chicken breast and meatballs. I was pleased with all the ingredients and I thought the price was fair. Pretty good sized serving too. It's a pretty small place, probably 6 tables. So carry out might be the way to go. I love calzones, so next time in the area I'm going to stop back in. read more

Delicious food at amazing prices, fast! I had an eggplant sub for dinner for $5.25. It was the best five bucks I've spent in a long time! The eggplant was soft but not mushy and not greasy. The sauce was delightful -- a perfect mix of sweet and spicy. Though, there's a small dining area, I took it to go. The staff was friendly. The only setback is no delivery service. But, for good food, cheap, and fast, I'll count my blessings! read more

Tim got a "mess" I got chicken parm - delicious!!! The service was incredibly friendly ... we just moved to the area and it felt like they were inviting us to be their new regulars. I had a great glass of wine, too (though it cost $6/glass which seemed high considering the surroundings). Can't wait to get take out from here on a chilly night. It's incredibly affordable! read more

A great little hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant! It's a small place with only a few tables to sit at if you want to eat there. Parking isn't great; you're limited to on-street parking or finding a lot behind the bank. 'casual environment' is an understatement. However, once you get beyond that, I think you'll be awesomely surprised! As I am a vegetarian, my ability to review italian restaurants is somewhat limited. They offer Italian 'Mess'es which my family has frequently enjoyed. What stands out to me, however, is their homemade fusilli. You might be thinking: "oh, that's the spiral pasta in the supormarket!" Not at the place! Their fusilli is a long noodle with a cross section of an 'S'. It's totally delicious! I am always very particular about pesto sauces as I don't like creamy sauces. Their pesto is a tightly packed oil-based sauce. It's very dense in basil-y goodness! More basil = more yummy! I've gotten the marinara sauces in the past, but not recently enough to detail beyond "delicious". Their dishes don't come standard with bread. However, you can get a slice of garlic bread as a side. The garlic bread is a 1" thick cross section of a loaf of bread. Think of this more as "two slices". If you get a half loaf, which they'll tell you is 4 slices, it will really be a hearty section of bread. It is delicious though! I've always liked packing pesto or marinara sauce onto the bread for extra flavour! In the past, they have offered military discounts. I forgot to ask about it the last time I was there. For a cheap, but awesome meal, I would definitely recommend! read more

I went to Comella's this week based on the previous reviews. They were right on the mark. Except for the date bit. A little cramped inside but good food choices, excellent service, and reasonable prices. Not much more you could ask for. read more

Great place for good, reasonably priced, Italian take-out. They make a really tasty red sauce and you definitely have to try the mess. The menu is quite extensive with choices/combinations of chicken, veal, shrimp, sausage, meatball, and veggies. I love everything I have tried! My favorite is probably the sausage because it is really fresh and has a nice kick to it. The meatballs are good and huge! I'm also a fan of their stuffed shells. I can't leave out the chicken and veal though; they slice the chicken and veal cutlets thin and pile them on. So GOOD! You'll find yourself wanting to eat the whole plate, but you'll most likely have enough for another meal. This is the perfect place when you're not in the mood to cook after a long day of work and you're craving something yummy, but don't want fast food or have to wait 20 minutes for a take-out order. There are some small tables with limited seating. It can definitely be a cute, romantic spot for a late dinner. They also serve wine. There is a new location in Wellesley near the Whole Foods on Washington Street. read more

I really like the concept of Comella's: a simple and small space with a huge variety of pasta dishes that don't cost an arm and a leg. The atmosphere feels very homey, and as a huge pasta lover, it's pretty hard to resist. I considered getting gnocchi, though I figured it's probably the packaged frozen kind, so instead opted for the sweet potato ravioli. The ravioli itself was so so good - the pasta was soft and thick (I can't vouch for it, but it seemed like it was handmade) and the filling was delicious, lightly spiced to bring out the best of the sweet potatoes. I like that you can choose which sauce to go with it, and I opted for the pesto instead of the standard marinara sauce that it usually comes with. I usually love pesto and while I did enjoy this one well enough, I also thought it was too salty and oily, so much that it kind of detracted from the taste of those delicious ravioli. If there is a next time, I think I'll opt for a different sauce. My mom had the eggplant mess, which I wasn't super impressed by - though we were told that it would include a variety of pastas as well as stuffed shells, it actually only had penne. Though I suppose if it changes day to day, it might be worth another try. I also ordered an Aranciata San Pellegrino which was totally warm. On the plus side, free WiFi! read more

Can't understand why this place has such high ratings, they microwave the food. Menu is good in theory, but in theory, communism works. It's italian food, but its mediocre quality, and just zapped together in the microwave real quick. read more

I am Italian (first generation American as a matter of fact). I make homemade pasta and sauce (pasta is a way of life). I love Comella's (especially the mess). All that being said I want to clarify a few things. NEVER by Gnocchi someplace like Comella's, go to a REAL restaurant like Fiorella's. Comella's is great for their mess (I always get one style or another - and it can feed me for DAYS), their meatballs (HUGE in size), and their 'classic' Italian/American items (eggplant or chicken parm., lasagna and subs). I have a few male friends that come up from Connecticut to visit and I always get Comella's. I could cook but why bother when their food is so good, fresh and hot? ONCE more I have never gone beyond the basics, I haven't even ventured into the ravioli's. Lots of good reviews on the ravioli's - but I repeat, stay away from the gnocchi. I make a good gnocchi, and I only eat them in restaurants down the North End or at Fiorella's. OH! I always do pick up.... AND if you are doing a group larger than 4 - you WILL need pick-up... I so wish they delivered... read more

We were turned off at our brief Comella's experience. First, when we called they said that they did not accept reservations, but not to worry because they wouldn't be busy and there were plenty of tables. I can only assume she had been joking, because the place had maybe ten tables total and all but two were taken. We asked the girl behind the counter if we could combine the two tables to accommodate the three of us - she said no problem. So, we combine them and start to sit down when one of the waiters rushes out and scolds us, proceeds to separate the tables, and rushes off without so much as suggesting what we should do. With no place to wait, we awkwardly stand around for a couple of minutes and then decide to head to Vecchia Roma, who welcomes us and provides a five-star meal. We won't be back to Comella's again, sorry! read more

First off, I have been to two Comella's, one in Westwood and one in Newton. Now this one that I am reviewing right now, in Newton, is tiny compared to the one in Westwood. On a busy day its just super crowded. Even if there were seats available, (there are only like three tables), I would not want to sit in and eat because you are just too close to the people getting takeout and the other people dining inside. It is such a small restaurant, that you could compare it to a small bedroom. Second, I think the food is not that bad. They could use a little less sauce in the mess meals, but all the meat is cooked nicely. The garlic bread is different than you would usually see. They slice a loaf in the middle and put garlic and butter in the middle. Its pretty good. The only things that you want to pay attention to are the size of the restaurant and then the food quality. Its not outstanding but not bad. read more

Seems to me an underserved market for takeout is places that give you a huge pile of good pasta, sauce, and if you want, meat. Stuff that you could cook, mostly, but don't want to. These places exist, of course, and are valuable, precisely because they never exist in quite the variety of pizza or Chinese places. So with a new day job comes new lunch options, and I was pretty psyched to find that Comella's was nearby, when wandering looking for what to eat. So i perused their sizable menu, and settled on pasta with white wine-cream-sauce type of stuff and broccoli and chicken. And it was tasty, if a little watery, and there was plenty of it. While i've had better, i'd go back plenty, except it came to like $13, which is kinda tough to do for lunch. Maybe i picked from the wrong side of the menu or something. The gold standard for a brick of cheap pasta was always Ravioli's further up the hill in Newton. The best takeout pasta is Blackjack in the Fens, which is better than a lot of restaurants, but spendy. Comella's is somewhere in between, but maybe i can do better the next time and improve their marks. read more

Calling Comella's a restaurant is like calling the hot food section at Stop and Shop a restaurant. You would actually do considerably better at the hot food section then at Comella's. The pasta is overcooked and bland their sauces are oily. They make A prosciutto sandwich that has prosciutto mozzarella and a lot of balsamic vinegar which is all you taste, not a glaze just vinegar. Their pizza is under cooked and flavorless. Their staff seems as though they are having a great time hanging out but have no interest in serving a customer. It is too bad because at one point this restaurant used to be very good and take a lot of pride in the food that they put out. This is absolutely not the case anymore save your money. read more

As a recent transplant from Maine, I was looking for a substitute for my former addiction- cheap, fast, Italian-style food. Comella's was first on my list. I never had to look anywhere else. My visitors have all found something to eat there, and they've all found it easily. No oven in the apartment, so the first stop was for lasagna. Thumbs up for that and the messes. I ate the cheese ravioli so quickly that I gave myself a stomach ache (and do not regret it for one second). Even my mother had no complaints about her sandwich or her salad, and she usually has a few words about any salad she doesn't make herself. I'm no expert and it's not fine dining, but when I can walk in, place an order, and walk out with said order in under 10 minutes and have everyone happy is a good place in my book. read more

I want to have a big party, just so I can order take-out from Comella's and impress everyone. This place ROCKS!!! Great little place in cool West Newton, and there is no better place for a quick meal before or after a movie next-door. I'm a huge fan of "the mess" since it leaves enough leftover for lunch the next day! read more

We've heard for ages about this "mess" that you get when you go to Comella's, and since we were driving up from RI back to Newton last night, and didn't feel like cooking, we figured we would give Comella's a try. I have to say, we weren't as impressed as everyone else on the list. I LOVE the idea of the 'mess' but not the execution. I was hoping that it would have more pasta in it, and less cheese in the sauce. I suppose it could have been the 'mess' that was made yesterday, but we weren't "wowed" by it. The value was definitely there. For the amount of food we got (mess, salad, garlic bread) we didn't spend a lot of moola. So in that regard, it was spot on. If I didn't feel like cooking, I probably wouldn't go back to Comella's as a first choice, there are too many other places in Newton that I would get take out from before Comella's. I will be trying it again, tho, because reviewers that I trust have given it 5 stars, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt. NOTE: parking behind CVS across the street is your best bet for this busy section of West Newton. read more

A decidedly neighborhood joint. Small cozy environment, high school kids taking your order, etc, etc. I was feeling something Italian that was lighter but full of fresh flavor, what I got was a "mess" that was more on the heavy comfort food side...tasty, but not quite the experience I expected. On a side note, no longer BYOB. I asked and the high school girl just pointed to the wine bottles, so I take that as no more BYOB. read more

I Had Comella's tonight for the first time after seeing it on the Phantom Gourmet. I am now a devoted fan of their meatballs. We walked into a small dining room (seating for about 16), with 2 tables for 2 set up outside. The decorations were nice with christmas lights strung over sparkling water bottles creating a light green glow. The left wall has a chalkboard menu and the right is dotted with black and white photos of who I assume are Gene Comella and his family. I ordered a Sam Adams Boston Lager with Aunt Issy's Mess and my date ordered a glass of pinot grigio with Nephew's mess and meatballs. Ok, so it was basically counter service, not a waitstaff. So we get our meals in less than 10 minutes and !SHOCK! I received Aunt Shirley's mess (just a plain mess with stuffed shells; no veggies, meatballs or sausage). After checking with the girl at the counter, she realized that she had misheard me and offered to add in the extra ingredients at no extra charge, I politely declined but this definitely won points with me. So the sauce is great, nice and savory with a hint of sweetness, not too salty and the spices let the tomato shine through. The ziti in my mess was a little overdone, but it actually worked well with the thickness of the sauce and the texture of the ricotta in the shells. On the other hand, my date's mess was GREAT!! The eggplant was nice and tender, but not oily like I've found most restaurants to do it. The sauce was (as previously mentioned) excellent and the meatballs.....fantastic. Really. They were soft but held their shape and were juicy but not underdone. The flavor was nice and beefy with just the right herbs and spices to create that "It's been homemade and simmering in sauce the whole day" taste. Try them, you won't regret it. The Wrap-up: Fast service, great food, great price. I will definitely be back for the meatballs....I'm serious about these things. read more

Comella's is a great take-out Italian restaurant. Orders are ready within 10-15 minutes for pick-up or eating in their table area. They also remember your phone number and name so you don't have to say your name more than once - yay personalized service! They offer hot and cold sandwiches, ravioli of many types (lobster, asparagus, sweet potato, goat cheese, and squash for example), many noodle and sauce combinations, lots of entrees (calamari parmesan, lasagna, stuffed shells), and a few desserts (tiramisu and canoli) which are tasty. They've also recently started serving beer and wine with meals, and offer lots of drinks including San Pellegrino orange (my favorite!) My favorites are their entrees with mess or ziti on the side, and any type of mess. So delicious and filling, and always different! A mess is a vegetarian tomato sauce base with included ingredients which vary day to day - veggies, shells, ziti, lasagne, battered fried eggplant, etc. You can order a mess as a side, or as a main dish you can order it with any type of meat or combination (meatballs, shrimp, sausage, etc) or wth veggies, lasagne, stuffed shells, etc. So good! A single portion fills anyone I've taken here absolutely to bursting, and would feed two easily. They have many portion sizes, so it would make a great place for a big family take-out order to share. They do automatically add cheese to the sauce, so if you want a lighter dish, tell them to hold the cheese :) It's a great place for a cheap, quick meal that fills you up with warmth on a wintry evening. The atmosphere is a bit lacking, but it's a takeout place - bring it home to have some more atmosphere if you like, but it's great for friendly talking over a meal. Try it out! read more

I've had their bright pink menu lurking in my house for the past couple months and FINALLY took the opportunity to grab takeout from there. I don't eat takeout often so when I do I want it to be great and it met my expectations! I got my go-to, which is Eggplant Parm, and after reading the reviews on here I got it with "mess" - totally loved the eggplant parm and liked the mess, next time I will try a "mess". Really delicious sauce, thinly sliced eggplant (the way I like it) piled high, the perfect amount of cheese and a portion big enough to last me for 2 hearty meals, or 3 regular meals (I ordered the single serving). I will definitely be back. Parking is tight on the weekends but spots open up quickly enough with some patience. read more

Can't give them 5 stars since I've only had one dish, but I can say that the chicken parm is definitely worth five stars. The sauce is fantastic and I assume they must use it in a number of their recipes. When we visit Wellesley again, I'm insisting on ordering from Comella's. read more

As an Italian I wouldn't really call this place good Italian food. It is a better fast food version of what you would get at Bertucci's or Olive Garden. It is just really good Italian comfort food. (Not that there is anything wrong with that.) I like their Marinara very sweet compared to some of the other places around here. The prices are reasonable and the portions are a really good size. it is a great place to swing by and order out from. Dining in is possible but the place is super tiny. My only complaint about the food was the lack of cheese on their Chicken Parm, they sprinkled some over the entire plate but not a covering on the Chicken Parm itself. read more

Any time I tell people that I live in Newton, they ask me if I've eaten at Comella's. Usually I smirk and admit that I had not. Well, this past weekend I've finally tried it and I am a fan! I am such a fan that I went two days in a row and plan to eat there again tomorrow for lunch. :) I am very critical when it comes to Italian food so I was definitely nervous about this tiny place on Washington. ESP when my food arrived at my table and the pasta was mixed into the sauce and the mozzarella cheese wasnt melted. However, once I mixed it all together and closed my eyes it was G-R-E-A-T. 4 stars for Comellas. read more

I am a coward. I was just too chicken to try "The Mess" but the meatball's and everything else I have tried was good. The place is very small with tables to have lunch or dinner. The menu above the counter takes some time to go through so take your time and do not be shy to ask questions. Like most areas in Newton/Waban parking in this area is hard to find especially on weekends. read more

Comella's is a favorite neighborhood haunt of mine and my husband's. We always share a single Grandpa's mess (supposed to feed one, but we can't finish it in one sitting between the two of us!), a garden salad with yummy dressing and optional gorgonzola cheese, and a half loaf of some of the best garlic bread I've ever had. For about $17, we eat very well, and have enough left over for one more meal (for one). The value is unbelievable. My only wish is that they accepted American Express. I agree with other reviewers on the meatballs - the sausage is also phenomenal. I also agree with those who recommended takeout over dining in, at least in the West Newton location. Actually - husband just walked in the door with our mess! Time to eat... read more

Though we loved this place at first, after ordering here 3 or 4 times over the last few weeks, we found the overall quality inconsistent. Pasta being over-cooked and mushy is a pet peeve of mine. The other problem I have is with the food being too heavy. I love pasta and red sauce, and I can pack away two platefuls if I want to....but if I eat to much Comella's I feel a little ill. I'm not sure if it's too much cheese or too much oil in the sauce....but something is not sitting well.... I can eat twice as much at Bertucci's or Paparazzi's and not get that feeling. So, I'm downgrading from 4 stars to 3 read more

Comellas always hits the spot. Their homemade fusilli is so so good and fresh. The sauce is amazing. I love their eggplant parm too. Don't know why rating is low. read more

Ordered from Uber eats and the pizza came absolutely raw. I took a bite and thought that the weird texture must be the cheese but it ended up being that the pizza dough wasn't cooked at all. I got refunded from Uber eats which was great but I have no idea how they could mess up cooking a simple pizza. read more

Avoid all Comella locations. A man identifying himself as the OWNER of Comella's refused to wear a mask in the West Newton store - at the height of a surge in COVID 19 cases. He then verbally accosted a customer who demanded he wear a mask AND then refused to sell the customer even though the customer had prepaid online. Arrogant OWNER and explains a lot about how we are all treated when we call any Comella locations. Thankfully the customer recorded the entire exchange. Can't wait to hear or see it on the internet read more

I didnt know what to get and was told by an employee what seemed to be a good fit for me based on what I asked for; sausage,meatballs & chicken with allot of garlic... And it was EXCELLENT read more

Comella's - the entrance to the restaurant - Italian Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

Yuck! the chicken parm sandwich was wet and nasty. We ordered pizza but got a calzone instead. They did not even offer to make us a new pizza or take the wrong calzone off the bill. The salad tastes like plastic bag and since it is all romaine lettuce - I am not eating it. They are surly and not friendly and the food sucks even for take out Never again! read more

Horrible. I ordered 1/2 bucket of cheese ravioli. I got maybe 15 cheese ravioli (that looked like it was previously frozen) with some pesto sauce and it cost for over $50. Highway robbery and not even good. read more

This teeny little restaurant will serve up a lot of food from an extensive menu. Tastes just like something from my Italian grandma's kitchen, AND it's pretty cheap! I don't go out for Italian very often because I'd generally rather just cook some for myself, but my boyfriend loves their eggplant parm (I think he likes it better than mine, grr...) so every once in a while I indulge him, and I never regret it. I'm a big fan of their various ravioli stylings, myself, which I can justify ordering because homemade ravioli is kind of a pain to produce. Total comfort food. read more

Oh man do I love this place. The Mess is a great "mystery" dish, especially if you're the type that digs extra-cheesey goodness in their pasta. I've also tried the fusili (homemade no less) and the sandwiches are pretty huge, especially if you go with the meatball/chicken combo. The portions are immense and the area's a bit crowded so grab your order to go. read more

I usually love The Mess, but sometimes the ratios are better than others. They also make great meatballs, sandwiches, fusilli...I've never been disappointed there. You can also get frozen messes to reheat later. Great value, great food and for a cheap price. My only wish is that they had more seating. It can get crowded. They have wine there now, so I'm not sure if it's BYOB anymore. Also, someone suggested parking behind the CVS -- don't do that!! It's a private lot! read more

I dont know how they stay in business, awful food and they are so cheap with the sauce!! Always pay for extra meat sauce but still it doesn't cover all the pasta. Just had their Italian sub and the meats were so dry and tasteless. Omg!! read more