Sigh. Our family has always been big fans of Giacomo's but we went there over the weekend and had a very poor experience. The service was especially inept: inexperienced unsupervised server; multiple mistakes with our order; appetizers brought out at the same time as the main dishes; poor quality clams (my favorite thing to get there); bizarrely bad iced tea; mediocre calamari (something that has always been very good there). There were some dinners that were good as we remember them but the chaotic service really is a deal breaker. We will not be returning. read more

The food and ambiance were great. Our server was excellent . I would definitely return. We had veal and chicken parm , both were very tender and flavorful. The calamari was delicious and cooked to perfection! read more

Great service and great food. Our entire party loved their meals. The standout was the pumpkin pasta. I got the chicken Parmesan and it was a very hearty portion. Highly recommend. read more

Giacomo's had been recommended to us when we moved to Melrose but we were very disappointed. The food is very simple American Italian and it was loud and crowded with families, even in the later evening. The clam chowder was no better than what you get in a can from the grocery store (go to Cala's in Manchester-by-the-Sea if you want excellent clam chowder) and the scallops were breaded and baked. The third visit, I asked if they could pan sear the scallops and they did and they were excellent - why not have that on the menu?! It really seems like a great place to go if you have a big family with kids and enjoy American Italian food. There are far better options for a good authentic Italian meal with better ambiance if it is just a group of adults. read more

Excellent service, Great prices and the food was perfectly seasoned. Definitely will be returning soon. North End dining without the hassle of the North End. read more

Giacomo's - Linguini with clam sauce. - Italian Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

Really has gone down hill. Our house sauce was bland and watery. The problem with this location is the consistency which they do not have. My last experience there I left half of the food on the table . ( I have been a regular for the last 4 years ) afraid to say I won't be going back and or at least for quite some time. Quite disappointing. read more

Love Giacomo's. Have been to the other location in North end and loved it. This was just as good. Can't go wrong!!

Easy ordering and pickup experience. You call them up, give them an order, a name, and a card number and they give you a time estimate. Food was waiting at the side door host stand. I signed and was out in no time. We were in a marsala (chicken/veal) mood and these dishes didn't shine, but it's possible that we should have just ordered something else because everything else was great, including the bread and chop salad. It was filling, and dipping the meat in the sauce at the bottom helped, but I'll probably order something different for next time. read more

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I don't get the hype. I've ordered from here a couple of times. The first time was not bad. Good enough for me to go back a few years later, though not good enough for me to crave it or want to go back sooner. But last time the food was mediocre at best. I ordered the chicken piccata and it was super boring. I know that it isn't a flashy dish to start with, but done well it is fantastic and one of my favorites (the one in Italian Express Pizzeria in Eastie used to knock my socks off). My father ordered a lemony pasta with seafood and asparagus. It was terrible. Neither one of us liked it at all... It was actually embarrassing for me because my dad was visiting from down south and was hoping to get good Italian food while in the northeast. I figured that Giacomos was a classic and would give him what he wanted, but he could get better pasta closer to home that this... read more

So inconsistent unfortunately. Last time I was here, I swore this was my favorite restaurant - ordered the mussels and garlic bread to start - mussels were all facing upright, neat presentation and plenty of them. They were the best mussels I've had in a long time - I raved about them for weeks until I came back with a group to order them again - tonight they were loosely dumped in a bowl with literally HALF the amount than they gave just 2 weeks ago, and at least half of them were bad! - awful intense fishy odor and taste, and they shredded like chicken salad - I literally spit mine back into the bowl so I didn't get food poisoning!! I love seafood and I know when shellfish is spoiled. I even ordered the same white wine/garlic sauce and this time it tasted like pure butter and jarred minced garlic (jarlic). Mortified to recommend this to my group after raving about them only to have such an awful experience tonight. read more

My husband and I ordered take out and it was absolutely delicious. We had the pumpkin ravioli yummy. Will for sure be ordering take out again. read more

My husband cannot stop raving about the North end location. He says their butternut squash ravioli is truly one of the best dishes he has had We have family in Melrose and so naturally I thought we should give this location a try Went to make reservations and the earliest we could get in was 9pm, so reserve in advance if possible Our party has 4 adults and 3 children so we were subject to automatic gratuity, so if you have a large party go ahead and check (no pun intended) On to the ambiance...this place is nice and also very loud. They do have high chairs for little ones. There is a kids menu for under 12 with simple pasta dishes. Food: we ordered several dishes, portions are generous so you can certainly share. Of course we got the butternut squash ravioli and the frutti di mare. Kids got the ravioli and penne alfredo. read more

Hi Giacomo's of Melrose, I'm sad to say that your food does not compare to the delicious food at the North End and South End locations. I frequent the other locations and you guys are a complete let down. Maybe it was an off night in the kitchen. Totally understandable. However, if you're going to get better, you're going to have to learn how to take feedback, good or bad. The service was decent. I don't expect much for a sleepy suburb where most customers are just happy to be out for a nice meal. Our waitress was nice, but not very experienced. The food was...well, let's just say I feel embarrassed for you. Growing up with Italians and home cooked Italian food, the dishes you put out were downright lazy. The gnocchi was larger than they should be (and larger than your other locations), causing issues with texture and flavor. The mozzarella "sticks" were not bad. The fusilli was cooked well, but lacked flavor. Is there a salt shortage in Melrose? Your broccoli rabbe is the worst we've ever had. EVER. The tiramisu was good. At least we didn't end the meal on a terrible dish. I hope you guys can fix this. I plan to give you another shot because I have friends and family in the area. Fingers crossed that my night there was an off night. read more

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The name Giacomo's is infamous when talking to any true Bostonian. The first thing that comes to mind? The line that wraps around the north end location, even in cold weather months. Well thank God for the first suburban(There is another city version in the south end) location in the heart of Melrose. Surely you won't have to deal with crazy wait times, right? Wrong! The only different here is convenient parking and now you get to wait inside lol But I promise if you can get past the chaotic waiting area and onto a table, you are in for an absolute treat. Giacomo's is one of a gaziliion Italian options in the greater Boston area. I can't say for sure it's the best, but I have not encountered anything more authentic. One thing I realized in my travels to Italy is that great cooking is about simple, fresh, quality ingredients. And it's never more than a handful of ingredients if you actually ask the chef what's his secret. Giacomo's bring me back to that place. Calamari - is had my share of calamari(wife's fav) but this is easily the best I've ever had. Fresh, Crispy and not at all chewy. It's borderline melt in your mouth. Plus they also bread the peppers. How cool is that? Well if you don't like pepper, you might get a surprise kick, but I promise you'll survive. Fettuccine with salmon - again, fresh is the name of the game. The freshness of the fish is apparent and the Gorgonzola cream sauce is a nice touch. A light simple dish that hits all the right spots. Penne with chicken and shrimp - I won't even bother with a worthy explanation. Best pesto ever.... It should be noted, as hectic as the waiting/seating process is, the customer service does not at all suffer. The wait staff is on their game! The food comes out in no more than 10 minutes.... Giacomo's has won over a new devotee. read more

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Food is good. Service is good. Atmosphere ok. Bartending service could improve. Server requested a mocktail for a guest and she had no idea what she was meant. Server had to tell her what to do. A good bartender knows how to make a tasty drink without alcohol. A lot of people don't drink alcohol for many reasons. Bartender also gave me wrong wine. Her excuse was she couldn't read the label because there was not enough light.l, under the cabinet. read more

Lunch time best time, no wait everything came quick. If you don't know what to get, get the frutti di mare and you won't go wrong read more

Giacomo's - Potato gnocchi bolognese - Italian Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

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It was expensive take out, and for that I expect the quality to be the same as if it were in person. The mozzarella and marinara was great. My wife said the Marsala was "meh." The cream sauce for the fettuccini with peas was totally broken. As such it was just a greasy mess, hours later, I feel sick after eating it. Sorry Giacomo's, I appreciate these are tough times, but if I am going to spend close to $100, it needs to be right. I used to live in the south end and frequented Giacomo's. The Melrose one is not on the same level. You need to step it up. read more

I only ate here once but it was delicious, classic Italian food. We enjoyed our dinner. Nothing special about the look of the place.

Absolutely the best Italian restaurant every. I have eaten there 3 times every time is mouth watering. Meatballs are to die for! I was taught you can tell a good Italian restaurant by it's meatballs. Best I've ever had. Gnocchi was incredible! Raviolis are incredible, especially the squash raviolis! See the picture! Absolutely everything was delicious. Service was great! read more

Giacomo's - Meatball on the right. Gnocchi bolognese on the left. Both incredible. - Italian Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

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We've always loved Giacomo's, it's a solid restaurant choice. For years we patiently waited in line and huddled up in any available seat at the North End location. My husband and I now have a couple of kids and can't phantom the trek to Boston, search for North End parking, and waiting for an open table with two little ones in tow. Now comes Melrose with everything we need : easy parking in the back, ability to make reservations on Open Table, and all the great food we love. Our usual(more or less): fried calamari, butternut squash ravioli(the creamy mascarpone sauce is boss), pasta dish(usually one with seafood/frutti di mare). At this location we usually add the Italian chopped salad to the order. This time around we got the kids chicken cutlets and they ate portions from what we ate(calamari and pasta). Once we got our order in, they were super fast as well. Service was especially impressive given overall restaurants lately have been slower due to less staff. We were probably in and out in around an hour. read more

I've been to the one in North End which usually has a long line out front and it's a eat and scram kinda place because of how small it is. I didn't know there was a second Giacomos, if related to each other at all, but the one in Melrose takes reservations and you can use card. This location is much bigger and has full bar area. The service: My fiance and I came here for our anniversary. We made a reservation on the same day through Open Table as recommended by the host over the phone. We got seated as we got to the restaurant. It wasn't empty but it wasn't packed so it was a good capacity for smooth flow of service. The waitress was helpful and checked up on us often enough which was good. Our water glasses were frequently topped up. Our appetisers came out very very quickly and because we underestimated the serving size of the apps she held off from putting our main course till we were ready. The main course came at a reasonable time after finishing our appetisers then after we ordered dessert which came out quick as well. This all came to make the experience 5/5 But then here's where we started deducting points.. We felt rushed from the moment we sat down. Yes it was nice that we were being served quickly and we weren't going to think anything of it but here's what got to me: when the waitress brought our bill with our dessert and we didn't ask for the bill yet. Now that's fine and dandy but suppose I wanted another round of dessert or drinks - which we did. The restaurant wasn't packed there were many seats available so it couldn't have been a seating issue. We figured her shift was ending but didn't want to communicate that but then 5 seconds later she was serving the table right next to us who were just seated so it wasn't a shift end either. When she came to collect the receipt book my fiance stopped her and ordered a glass of wine. She brought his wine as well as the table next to us' drinks. She took the table next to us' entree order and as soon as she finished with them she whipped out the new bill out of her pocket to give us again without us asking for it. Clearly she or someone wanted us gone. This could have been a great experience if it didn't end the way it did. There were multiple tables of people who were there before us and left after us. Also, I was observing all night, the other tables were also taking their time drinking or eating and not a bill was given to any of those tables immediately after each round of drinks were ordered or when 2 tables near to us got their desserts. So what made us different? I don't want to play the race card and this'll be the first time I do in a review but my fiance was the only black guy in the restaurant- hard to miss - he's 6ft tall, skinny and well groomed. We were both dressed casually elegant while other people were dressed in hoodies or tshirts. The food: The appetisers are large for such a restaurant which we underestimated because we ordered 3 appetisers expecting small bites. We got the Small Fried Calamari, House Salad and Bruschetta. All 3 were fresh and tasty. Then we ordered the Grilled Beef Tenderloin and the Lobster Ravioli. Both were delicious. The steak was tender and juicy and the potato cake was like a fried mash potato which I really liked the greens were pretty simple which was fine since the potato and the steak had so much flavour already. The lobster ravioli was good too. You get 9 stuffed raviolis with lobster and a garlic cream sauce. The tiramisu as said by our waitress is their most popular dessert which I do agree! I should have brought an extra one home with me! I would have given 4 stars (I do 't give out 5 stars that easy) but our overall service brought it down. read more

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I discovered this spot recently and it has becoming my go-to when I'm craving pasta. I have ordered take out a couple of times and it is always ready within 15 minutes or so to be picked up. I also visited last weekend and sat in their indoor seating. The tables were spaced very far apart and the menus were accessible online, so contact was minimized. I ordered the calamari as an appetizer and linguine with clams for my main course. The calamari came in a huge portion and was amazing! The linguine also came with an impressive number of clams and was overall pretty good. The prices were all very doable compared to other Italian places. I was also very impressed with the speedy and attentive service. I had been nervous to go out due to COVID-19, but really enjoyed the entire experience! read more

Giacomo's - Linguine with clams - Italian Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

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Such mediocre food. Avoid it and go somewhere else. From the stale bread to the tasteless sauce, Italian can be so much better

You get a lot of food but it is really bland. It is also pretty noisy so the space was terrible for my parents.

This place was highly recommended. 7 if us dined on Sunday for an early dinner. They open at 4 and I'd made our reservation for 5. When we arrived every table was ful. Well,almost. Ours was waiting for us toward the back of the dining area. The host welcomed us and showed us to our table. Within minutes out server arrived with fresh bread and filled water glasses. He introduced himself and asked if we would like to order beverages. Most of us ordered glasses of wine. Perusing the menu which seemed different from what Id seen online there were several appetizing choices. I really wanted the baby spinach salad, but last minute switched to eggplant parmesan. Most of my fellow diners ordered seafood dishes. Everything, all 7 meals came out pretty much all at once which was great. And everyone seemed pleased. I don't know what it was, but I am not a fan of the sauce that came with my eggplant and side of pasta .. it tasted far too sweet for my liking. I did ask for some crushed red pepper which didn't change things all that much. The eggplant itself was done to perfection .... Now if it had a more flavorful sauce. Most had lots leftover and packed it up to take home. I chose not to. It didn't take much convincing for us to order dessert... I chose the lemoncello cake with white chocolate curls... And it was exactly what I needed after the sweet sauce issue. Perfect! I'm so glad I tried this place. The service was top notch. Next time & there will be one, I'm definitely going to have the salad read more

i always loved giacomos in the north end and it makes me so happy they have one in melrose. i love melrose. so i go in on a nice date on a friday night and all staff seemed pretty nice and pleasant everything was 10 out of 10 until suddenly....................they gave us dishes that were absolutely disguisting!!!!!!!!!!!!! all caked up of chocolate shit!! i nearly fell off my chair. then we get some drinks and food and it was really good very authentic and great. what i am about to say will sweep you right off your feet you better be sitting down. while we were eating and not finished............the bus boys and waitress asked us 10 times to take the plates away!!!!!!! im sitting there like are you fuckin dick'in me?? you are really rushing us to get out of here for what the place isnt slammed and i almost chewed their hands off from them trying to take the food out of my mouth!!!!!!!!! never going here again going home in disgust. has anyone ever heard of good hospitality anymore?!?!?!?! fuck this place read more

Best addition to Melrose ever! The bar is great...but get there early or you won't get a seat! Mikayla, Denise and Chelsey are great on the bar. Super personable and always working super hard. The tenderloin is to die for. I also love the broccoli rabe and the burrata. The chopped antipasto salad is another favorite. It easily feeds four people. You really need to try it. Prices are super reasonable. There is street parking as well as a lot in the back. Keep in mind they only open for dinner at four and don't take reservations so be prepared to wait. It's well worth it! Come hungry read more

Giacomo's - Italian Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

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A very solid Italian restaurant with a good location in downtown Melrose. We have been here a few times all with good results. The food is worth the (sometimes long) wait, but it is much easier to get a table here than at Giacomo's in the north end and the food is just as good! I thought the eggplant parm and chicken marsala, which I had on previous visits were excellent. The fettuccine with prosciutto and peas from tonight (pictures here) was good but a little less flavorful than I was hoping for. That said, we loved the fried mozzarella appetizer, the chicken parm, and the service. An all around good place. read more

Giacomo's - Fettuccini with prosciutto and peas; added chicken - Italian Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

This is the first time visiting their Melrose location, it is a lot bigger than the north end and back bay locations and just as busy! The entrance is in the side ally and not on Main Street. We got there around 9pm on a Saturday and was told that there's a wait of 25 mins. But luckily for us, we got a table in 10 mins. For starters we ordered the fried calamari and the mussels in fra diavolo sauce. The calamari were one of the best I've ever head. It was crispy and tender at the same time! We ordered the small portion and it was huge, can't imagine how the big one would be like.!The mussels were extremely fresh and the sauce was flavorful, I only wish that it was spicier. For our entree, we had the half lobster, clams and mussels linguine with giacomo sauce (red sauce with a touch of bechamel). The sauce was tasty but I liked the fra diavolo sauce a lot better. The only things I would complain about would be the greasiness of the floor (I almost slipped) and the greasiness of the salt and pepper grinders and the bottles of Parmesan and hot pepper flakes. It felt a little gross to touch them. read more

Giacomo's - Small fried calamari - Italian Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

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Idk what the issue is but the last three times I've come here somethings been off- whether it's the food, the service or both. We've had several waitresses and they're forgetful at best, downright negligent at worst. The last two times we went and ordered they never brought bread, never refilled our waters, didn't check on us. This used to be one of my favorite restaurants but honestly I won't be going back. The food the last few times has been off. My partner ordered the veal parm and it was absolute mush and the side of pasta was a joke. Anyone can make parm at home and it would be better. They clearly pre fry all their parms and then just slather sauce and mozzarella on top and bake it. Even if they just tossed it into the fryer for 30 seconds my god- it would make such a difference. The calamari the last time was so over salted too. Do the cooks try anything before they send it out or they just wing it and pray? Come on guys. read more

They have an excellent set up for contact free pickup. Overall very similar to the Giacomo's in the north end read more

Giacomo's - Chicken Marsala - mediocre. I will definitely order from them again but probably a creamy pasta dish next time - Italian Near Me - Melrose, Massachusetts

My husband and I tried this place on a whim and it was a Friday night but we were able to get a table after not too long of a wait, the food is amazing! I had the butternut squash ravioli special and the pumpkin cheesecake, yum! read more

Bread was stale but came in handy when dipping the bland mussel broth. Mussels and fried calamari were good not great. Lemon linguini had very little flavor and linguini was so under cooked it was chewy. Scallops were small and the shrimp were overcooked. Others at the table had similar complaints. One of our other diners felt the fra diavolo sauce was lacking the zip that is expected. Not sure I'd do this restaurant again. read more

Takeout is awful. I have a relative who likes us to order takeout from Giacomo when we visit. I once ordered a caprese salad, and what I got was half pound of mozzarella cheese with 3 very thin slices of tomato. Not a salad at all... Yesterday I ordered a house salad, supposed to have various veggies mixed in. I got a bowl full of mesclun greens, and nothing else. I would have turned them both back if I was dining there. They clearly take advantage of takeout orders to cheat... read more

They kicked everyone out because of a power issue. You'd think they would have offered vouchers or even to pay for drinks but NOPE.

This was our first time here, but it won't be our last. We were quite impressed! Angela, our waitress, was super attentive and refreshingly genuine! My husband and I were engaged in conversation and I could see out of the corner of my eye that she was paying attention every step of the way. Her level of efficiency in "reading the room" was unparalleled. The drinks were heavily poured, and the apps and desserts were divine. All in all, 10/10 would recommend! read more

Had a party of 8 so we booked a reservation to avoid any hassles. When we got there we were told we would be seated in 10-15 minutes. That was annoying but we waited because we had three hungry kids. The hostess was completely unhelpful and we ended up waiting more than 30 minutes after our reservation time. When I checked in again she blamed me for making a same day reservation?! Then proceeded to tell me that the table hadn't even left yet. We didn't wait any longer and instead went to Strega. I won't be back. I would also note the place was sticky and humid. Food all over the floors. It wasn't a promising start to any meal. read more

I finally made it to Giacomos and I'm so happy I did. A friend and I went on a Tuesday night at 7. It was a full house and we waited a few minutes before being seated. It was on the darker side, but not so much that you can't see or read! The feeling was very cozy. The people at the bar seemed to be enjoying it. We were brought crusty bread which was good with the oil. We split the caprese salad (hard to mess up but delish and pretty presentation!) Entrees: butternut squash ravioli $16(delicious!) and my friend got a gnocchi dish with chicken $18 and she enjoyed it. I had a glass of Riesling and she had a glass of Pinot Grigio,$6 each. For dessert we split the fried banana cheesecake. Not at all what I expected but it was good! Ask for knives though!! $7.50 I believe. By the time we left around 9 it had largely cleared out. I can't wait to return because there were so many things on the menu I wanted to try! read more

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Booked for an outside table on OpenTable which was confirmed. Showed up ten minute before and was abruptly told "oh. We aren't doing outside today." (Partially cloudy. Mid 60s. No rain...and again, confirmed reservation.) Wish they would have had the courtesy to tell me in advance. ‍ read more

I would like to respond to the review made by Sandy D. As I happened to be dining there as well on the same evening. You posted " unfortunately Melissa doesn't have one ounce of class" Well from my observation you Sandy D. - Are the one with no class. This didn't go down the way you described- you were so annoyed that the busgirl accidentally spilled your drink, as if it were done deliberately. Melissa made you a new drink and also had the busgirl apologized to you for her error that "so inconvenienced you" We had Melissa as a waitress the same night, she was frazzled by your rude attitude after doing all she should have done to make you happy. Some people should really just stay home if they don't have the grace to understand that every server is out working hard to make a living- and you should be embarrassed writing that you left her no tip! You have no class. read more