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I came to Massimo with high expectations. Food was just ok. The Tuscan soup ($12) was not fresh at all. The short rib gnocchi ($38) was highly recommended but the gnocchi was overcooked and mushy that was shocking for an Italian restaurant... the short rib was tender but lacked a lot of flavor but I can say it was tender. I also had a $9 mocktail which was made very well! The aesthetic is kinda cheap looking. Bright orange chairs outside and uncoordinated decor inside. The bartender was sweet but the hostess was rude and staff were complaining by the bar area about patrons and new workers which was so unprofessional. I wouldn't return.
Came for our anniversary and this was the most lovely experience. At least 5 different staff members took a moment to check in or wish us a happy anniversary. Our server Alli was so attentive and kind; I have nothing but nice things to say! Such a special experience - and the food and drinks were obviously delicious. We had less-than-ideal service for our anniversary last year elsewhere, so we're extra thankful for everything that went right this time - thank you to all the staff!
If you eat gluten free this is a dream. Almost more choices than you know what to do with. Service was fabulous and food was all reasonably paced and delicious. Notice that while front entrance is accessible, there is a second floor and unsure if there is an elevator so if accessibility is a concern I would suggest mentioning it when you make a reservation. Reservations not required but I would highly recommend.
My family and I visited Il Massimo during our recent trip to Providence after seeing so many positive reviews on Yelp and social media. The restaurant had a lively atmosphere when we arrived. Most of the tables were occupied, but it never felt overcrowded. We had a reservation and were seated immediately. Our server greeted us promptly, took our drink orders, and gave us plenty of time to look over the menu. I ordered the Italian Old Fashioned, which was excellent, well-balanced, not too sweet, and with just the right amount of strength. My wife ordered the sangria, but she found it much sweeter than she expected. For dinner, my youngest son ordered the ravioli and really enjoyed it. My oldest, who is a very picky eater, ordered the short rib gnocchi and finished the entire dish in record time, which says a lot. My wife had the bard gnocchi and thought it was just okay; she didn't finish it. I ordered the scallops over risotto, and while it was prepared well, I found it to be just average. To end the meal, we shared the cannoli trio, which was easily the highlight of the evening. Our favorite was the candied orange cannoli, which had a great balance of flavors. Overall, I really liked the restaurant's beautiful space and inviting atmosphere. While the service was friendly and the cocktails were excellent, I found the food to be good but not particularly memorable. I'd come back for the ambiance and drinks, but I was hoping for a little more from the entrées.
Visiting Providence and stumbled upon this Italian gem. I understood that Federal Hill is known for its Italian restaurants and we searched for a place that had a good crowd. Massimo's has street parking or valet. They also take reservations. We came on a Monday and chose to order from their prix fixe menu. They also have a great à la carte menu. Our dinner came with focaccia and olives, a glass of house wine, an appetizer, entree, and dessert for $38/pp. Portions were smaller than the à la carte dishes but enough for us. Between my husband and I, we ordered the caprese salad and meatballs appetizers, sliced strip steak with mashed potatoes and mushrooms, a fettuccine with asparagus and prosciutto with cream sauce, and dessert was the pannecotta and cannoli. Pasta was freshly made and al dente, steak was tender and flavorful. We loved everything. My only complaint that for a large restaurant, bathroom was small. Only one unit per gender.
Saturday night. Be sure to have a reservation! Gets very crowded, noisy; conversation can be difficult. The staff is very amiable, unrushed for them, meaning unrushed for you. Lots of indoor dining spaces, Street side too, although that is much compromised by heavy traffic in the street and lots of activity at the Valet parking station. Be sure to have cash to tip the Valet. Now the food. Excellent. Among a table of 4 we had 2 appetizers and 4 entrees, all tasty, good -sized and well presented. We sampled among ourselves. All liked the Eggplant Parmesan especially. Go for the food; accept the bustle vibes.
massimo is a pretty good italian spot. i would recommend making a reservation beforehand. i went on a weekend for dinner. it was delicious. i had a really good time. there aren't a lot of vegetarian options. keep that in mind if you have any dietary restrictions. i enjoyed my meal. it definitely met my expectations. it's a little on the pricier side/ it's reasonable for the area and worth checking out. parking was a little difficult. i had to park a few streets away, i'd recommend planning a little extra time for that beforehand.
First off, our server was extremely attentive and kind. He checked in on us the perfect amount balancing giving us space and time to enjoy our meal, while ensuring all our needs were met. The ambiance is clean, vibrant, and welcoming. The food overall was solid. One star docked because my pasta was over-salted in which I had to scrape the excess sauce on the noodles toward the end. The guanciale paired with pecorino romano is bound to be on the saltier side, but I think the pasta could have been unsalted to balance it out a bit more. That said, the guanciale and pasta were delicious, perfectly cooked. You can tell they use quality, simple ingredients! Their 3-course presto lunch for $24 is a hard to beat deal; however, I may venture out to their regular menu next time. Yes--there will likely be another time!
This place gets busy! I was in the area for a gluten-free festival, did some shopping, and of course ended up hungry. I was originally planning to go to Pane e Vino, but nothing was available until 8:30--and I was definitely not waiting that long. Thankfully, the owner kindly recommended their sister restaurant and even called ahead to check availability. They had three seats at the bar, so my friends and I rushed over. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. They offer an extensive gluten-free menu, though they do note that cross-contamination is possible--which made me a bit nervous, but I decided to give it a try. I started with a mocktail, which was delicious. They also served made-to-order gluten-free bread--it reminded me of cloud bread (very egg-based), but it was warm and tasty. I had the Insalate Tricolore, which I loved for its bitter and salty balance. For my main, I ordered the bolognese--so good! Very filling... honestly, it might put you straight into a food coma. Overall, a great experience with really good food. I'd definitely go back!
If I could give this place 100 stars, I would. Our server was amazing and recommended great drinks and great food. And the food literally melts in your mouth. If I could eat here everyday I would. Only complaint is that the valet guy was very rude
Bread was warm and delicious. Shrimp risotto was good- texture of of rice was spot on, shrimp was large and fresh. My only slight complaint, which may be personal taste, was it could use a little more salt. Waitresses were friendly and attentive, including the front desk staff on the phone. Not a dressy spot, decor is nice including art work and wooden wine boxes. Music was relaxing and not too loud. I gave 4 stars just because I've had better food. Not that it was bad. Just a little pricy.
It's always a gamble on a road trip when you have to calculate where you'll be at lunchtime, search for restaurants just off the highway, and pick one based on high ratings. Finding Massimo Ristorante was the equivalent of drawing an inside straight flush. Their $24 three-course lunch could have been a bust, but it was an offer we couldn't refuse. What a winner! We started with a complimentary basket of good focaccia, served with olives and olive oil. For the first course, we had the ribollita and Caesar salad--both quite good. For our mains, we chose the Risotto di Gamberi and Spaghettoni alla Carbonara. Both were excellent, with the carbonara ranking among the best I've had anywhere in the U.S. or Italy. The cannolo and tiramisu were both very good as well. Overall, this was an amazingly solid three-course meal for just $24. And special credit to our waitress, Angelina, who was friendly and immediately earned our respect when I asked whether I should order the chicken parm or the carbonara. Without hesitation, she said, "The carbonara! You can get parm anywhere." She was 100% correct.
We had an excellent dining experience. Stopped in for lunch and we were so glad to do so. Our lunch started with the charcuterie board which was outstanding. It contained three different types of Italian cured meats, two types of cheeses, pickled veggies, red peppers and walnuts. For my lunch entree I had the lasagna. The lasagna was absolutely delicious. The sauce, meat and pasta was really good, probably one of the top three best lasagnas I have eaten. For dessert we had the bread pudding, it was not my choice but it was ok.
2 years ago
2 years ago
UNBELIEVABLE. we came in for my wife's birthday. i swear, like - top 5 dinning experiences in my life. super mindful service - allergy aware - and the food - is exceptional. our waitress allie was an absolute doll - made wonderful recommendations, was spot on about every dish. NOT to be missed - the artichokes with pistachios - legit best artichokes i have ever had. and the cannoli - swoon. we cannot wait to come back!!! read more
1 year ago
Service was exceptional in this beautiful slice of Italy carved out on the Hill. Sit above the street, inside with an outside feel, or on the sidewalk ~ but go hungry & with time to spare! The GF gnocchi is to die for! Save room for the chocolate gelato (shhhh...it's df but NO one will know!) & be certain to order an orangecello with it read more
The restaurant has a nice ambiance and valet parking in the front. They were very attentive to the fact we were there for a birthday, which was great. The food was good, but the service was a bit off. For one, our server wouldn't fire our entrees until we were completely done with our appetizer (the pizza). I was gradually eating it and was wondering why our entrees hadn't come out yet, and basically she came over to ask if we wanted a box, and we said no that we'll munch on it, assuming we might come back to it after or during entrees (and then that's what made me realized that the food wasn't going to come out until we were done with the pizza when it had been another 15 minutes and we were the only table eating). So we basically ate an entire pizza before our pastas came out. The pastas were good but it's difficult to appreciate it when my gut is already full with pizza. Just FYI you can order half portions of most pastas - I ordered half of the nero, which came out to around $26. It was plenty of food for a half portion. The artichokes were interesting - I didn't think the sauces or pistachios added much, but I really like artichokes just steamed too. The trio of cannolis is pretty small and just okay- the tiramisu is better and is the same price. Our server was also not very attentive, and I agree with other reviews that the cold focaccia and oil isn't very pleasant. It would make a huge difference if it was warmed up. read more
Came here with the family for Sunday brunch. The included valet was convenient, and the seating area is nice. They immediately serve fresh warm focaccia bread, might be the best I've ever had. I had the crab benedict. It was incredible, with a nice poached egg, and amazing crab cakes. My wife had the French toast which was also incredible. The kids entrees are pricey, but portions could feed adults, and the "chicken fingers" are actually a sliced up fresh made breaded chicken filet (as opposed to a frozen chicken finger), although I'm not sure my son fully appreciated it :) But he did appreciate the gelato Sunday for dessert. read more
6 months ago
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1 year ago
Stumbled upon this restaurant for lunch on a Saturday. Immediately upon arriving, we were seated for lunch. There were both indoor and outdoor seating options (beautiful weather). The restaurant had a fun and welcoming atmosphere! Right after being sat, our waitress was prepared with water. Shortly after, she came back with hot bread and olive oil. We ordered off of the lunch menu: chicken parm sandwich and gnocchi alla forno w/salad and tiramisu. The gnocchi arrived blistering hot (hot I like food) and very flavorful. Overall a positive dining experience here read more
2 years ago
Food was so delicious. Service was amazing. I ate my meal so slowly so that I would have it to enjoy longer. Bread was dense and soft and so good. read more
11 months ago
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Nathan H.
Hey Vyzera, thank you for your glowing review of Oudly! He is…
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My friends and I came to this restaurant to celebrate a birthday. We had reservations for a table upstairs. It is a pretty restaurant and the staff accommodated when we added an extra person. Parking on this street on a weekend weeknight was not practical, so we all pulled into a parking lot. I don't think it was pricey. For appetizers, we shared the carpaccio di Manzo (4/5), calamari fritti (4/5), and burrata (4/5). I wish the burrata dish came with something to pair with like thin slices of bread. We ended using the free bread that was offered to eat with the burrata. For our entrees, we ordered anatra (cured duck confit) which was delicious - I thought the raviolis paired well with it. Spaghetti al Nero con Aragosta (black squid ink spaghetti with lobster (4/5) and Spaghetti ai Frutti di Mare (gulf shrimp, sea scallops, mussels, baby clams, octopus with spaghetti pasta) (4.5/5). I never wanted to say stop when the server was grating cheese on top of our pasta dishes. We paired our meal with yummy cocktails and wine of course. The staff was kind enough to bring out the cake and sing Happy Birthday to my friend. They provided us with plates and utensils for the cake as well. Overall, I enjoyed the semi-fancy ambiance, food was good, friendly staff, I would visit again if I was in the area and craving for Italian. read more
3 years ago
Wasn't a fan of adding the tomato sauce to their seafood pasta. The typical seafood pasta in Italy would not be made this way--- the whole idea behind it is to keep the flavor of the fish as the main part of the dish, but the tomato sauce greatly overpowers it. As with most " Italian" restaurants on federal hill, this one has definitely been Americanized. Also way too expensive for my likings, especially for dishes I can cook better on my own. read more
1 year ago
Delicious food and amazing service! I had the salmon with glazed carrots and brussels- so good!! We also started with oysters and their fresh bread!! read more
I would have to say the highlight of my Rhode Island trip was dining at Massimo Restaurant. After reading about the restaurant and the chefs passion for homemade Italian dishes, my choice was simple. I arrive without a reservation. Not a problem sir, I'm seated close to the open window. The fall weather is perfect, it adds to my dining experience. I started with the calamari fritti. Don't let this dish fool you. It may look unassuming but it brings a little heat. Very very enjoyable, the calamari is cooked perfectly. As I order a second glass of Italian wine, the main course comes to me, Fettuccine with Shrimp. The homemade Fettuccine is mixed with an incredible sauce. Now add fresh shrimp? Oh my. Massimo Restaurant is not a typical red sauce joint. The chef is creating elegant and contemporary Italian dishes. At this point, I'm packed. My waiter tells me. I can't leave without trying the Homemade Tiramisu. How can I refuse? This dish is something my grandmother would have made. It was a terrific ending to an amazing meal. I Highly recommend Massimo Restaurant. Great Italian food in the heart of Providence. read more
Absolutely our favorite Italian restaurant in Providence! We came in based on a recommendation from my sister, who said it is her favorite, and it does not disappoint! We actually have come twice in the last month already! Our first visit was the week of Valentine's Day so they had some specials, of which we partook. The burrata salad to start was refreshing and the fresh bread is wonderful. We split the short rib gnocchi and duck anatra for our main course. Both were fabulous! The Anatra was like nothing I've ever had before, the sweet ravioli was a perfect pair with the savory duck! I am glad that we split that dish however, the novelty and deliciousness of the dish would have gotten to be a bit tired by the end of the whole plate. The gnocchi and short rib was so good, we had to stop ourselves from scarfing it down too quickly. For our last course, we got the special ref velvet lava cake and a tiramisu. My goodness. That lava cake. SO GOOD! The tiramisu was also great, we ended up taking that home because we ordered too much wonderful food. Our first visit we sat downstairs, near the window and it was the perfect seat. The downstairs has very intimate lighting and feels very cozy. Our waiter was outstanding, I wish I remembered his name because he deserves a shout out for being so fabulous. Our second visit, we sat upstairs which is much more spacious and a more casual vibe. We made a spontaneous decision to get dinner around 8:30 on a Sunday. I started with an espresso martini (so good!) and got the Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa (can't wait to get it again!). We finished the meal with a slice of olive oil cake with vanilla gelato. Our second visit was just as delicious as our first! read more
Valet parking, was quick easy and prompt. Service was excellent- food came paced well, waiter anticipated our needs without asking Ambiance- excellent decor, beautiful rooms, quiet environment not too loud Food was delicious - we all had different meals at our party of 7 and all were absolutely delicious. Highly recommend read more
1 year ago
Updating my review ------------------------------ I really wanted to like this place and came back during restaurant week. Like I mentioned about the beef carpaccio, it's the reason why I gave it another shot. Fortunately for my wallet, the food was delicious! Yay! The fried potato balls was so satisfying. My entree was such a huge portion that I had lunch for the next two days lol. Our Hot N Dirty Martinis were Perfect! However, my espresso martini was a bit too sweet. I'm happy we returned. read more
In from out of town and followed the advice of my fellow Yelpers. Was a little on the late side so we got take out. Called in the order, was repeated back multiple times, and nearly perfect. All double wrapped in plastic wrap. No spills when transporting and everything pretty hot when it got to the hotel. Inside during pick-up looks nice. Bustling. Would love to go back some time and sit and enjoy it all. Had a Caesar salad and some mixed greens one to start. The dressing I think is homemade on both. I didn't care for the dressing and the salads were fresh but sad. Not much going on for toppings and maybe a little different with dine in. For entrees we had the spaghetti, meatballs and Buratti, the mussels app, and the gluten free chicken parm. I really enjoyed the spaghetti and meatballs. My daughter and wife loved the mussels and chicken, but neither particularly loved their sauces. For dessert we tried the flourless chocolate cake and the cannoli trio. Both were good but the cannoli had a candied lemon rind on top that was a great way to end the meal. This experience is more a 3, but take out is tough and we still enjoyed everything. Rounding up towards the night we get to enjoy the full restaurant experience. read more
8 months ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
Me and a group of friends came in the other night for an Italian dinner. Our waiter Nathan was the best! Very nice and attentive. We could've kept eating the bread and been happy. My carbonara was ok. My husband wasn't impressed with the chicken parm. Our friend enjoyed his gnocchi but everyone else was on the same page. Excellent ambiance and drinks but overall ok food. read more
1 year ago
Came based on yelp reviews. Food & service were great! I had the braised short rib gnocchi & spinach salad with pancetta. read more
When you live in NJ, you generally know good Italian food. The Federal Hill section of Providence rivals the best of NJ. It had been quite a few years since I've been to the Hill, but dinner this past Friday at Massimo was one of my favorite dining experiences. First off, when I made the reservation on Open Table, I noted it was our anniversary. The restaurant had a nice sign on the table congratulating us. Nice touch! We sat at a nice table on the 2nd floor overlooking the street. Great ambiance! Our food was amazing! We started off by sharing the Caprese salad which was a special. The Buffalo mozzarella, thin sliced prosciutto, and tomatoes were excellent! My entree was Fusilli with meatballs. Served with a creamy burrata, it was outstanding! My wife had Fettuccine Bolognese and loved it just as much. For dessert, the warm chocolate lava cake served with vanilla gelato was perfect! If you're anywhere in Rhode Island (it's a small state), make the trip to Massimo! I wish we lived closer to get back soon! read more
3 years ago
Came here with high hopes after reading many raving reviews claiming this is the best Italian restaurant in Providence, but was disappointed by the underwhelming food! Ambiance and service were both more casual than expected. Women's bathroom had a distracting strong smell coming from the oil diffuser that was the opposite of pleasant. Overall the food was underwhelming, and the purple rain cocktail I tried was an overly sweet and severely water down purple punch! Fried smelt appetizer was the best dish of the night Pork chop was such a thick generous cut, however it was slightly over done, and the pan fried gnocchi below was tough and dry, soft and pillowy gnocchi would have provided the dish some much needed balance. read more
Federal Hill. My hubby's favorite place to eat because he's from RI. His fave pizza joint is around the corner, but I suggested this place instead. SCORE! We arrived at 11:30am and the place was almost full! Thankfully we had reservations. We were a little early, so we went to the bar for a couple Bloodies, and our table was ready minutes after we ordered, so the bartender brought them to our table. I ordered the scrambled eggs with truffle and a cheese that I don't recall, and hubby ordered the short rib hash. I've never had scrambled eggs so light and flavorful. Usually they are bouncing around on my plate and lack flavor. Hubby said his hash was really good. He ate half my bread to scoop up every last bit! Staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. We will definitely be back! read more
2 years ago
Wanted to love this place, as the reviews ahead of time were so great, but we left disappointed with the food. The positives (all 5 stars) were the service, authentic, old-school Italian ambiance, free valet parking, variety of the menu, and portion sizes. The negatives were the taste of the dishes--very standard, unimpressive, American-Italian food, nothing remotely close to what you would find in Italy, although they looked good--and the bathroom, which had a very sticky floor which was kind of gross. I wouldn't go back. read more
I was hopeful based on all the positive reviews and pictures. Actual experience? Did not live up to any of the reviews (except the woman who said she was also fooled by the rave reviews -- if you're reading this we should be friends!). We ordered the baby artichoke "salad". I'm not sure I would call that a salad. Or baby artichokes. In any case, they lacked flavor. That's the best thing I can say about those. For dinner we had the fusilli with meatballs and burrata. Everything about this dish was uninspired. The meatballs weren't good. They could have used some garlic and other such flavoring. The burrata was... weird. It had the consistency of a balloon. I couldn't cut through it. It opened up and liquidy cheese came out. The pasta was cooked ok but the sauce was pretty blah too. Even with crushed red pepper it was lacking any sort of kick. I wanted to like this place so much. But we won't be back. read more
4 years ago
What a great experience! First of all, even though we had made advance reservations, my friend and I decided to sit at the bar instead. The bartender (I don't recall his name) was really great, super friendly and helpful but also gave us our space to catch up. We took advantage of the Happy Hour special of half price appetizers at the bar. We ordered 4 items from the appetizers menu to share and it was SO MUCH FOOD. We started with the octopus which was outstanding. The octopus itself was cooked perfectly, and the beans and their sauce were luscious and a bit spicy. 10/10 We also had the eggplant melanzane and the meatballs, which we had served together. It almost felt like an entire meal, and they really went so perfectly together. We finished with the fig and prosciutto pizza which we each only ate one piece and took the rest home as leftovers lol. It was also very delicious and a substantial portion. Along with our cocktails, our meal was extremely satisfying, and was exceptionally reasonable given the Happy Hour pricing! I would 100% come back to Massimo with or without taking advantage of that deal. The food was great and the staff was lovely! read more
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More info about Massimo Restaurant
134 Atwells Ave
Providence, RI 02903
Federal Hill
Directions
(401) 273-0650
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Visit Website
http://massimori.com
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Ask the Community - Massimo Restaurant
Is the 3 course menu option the only lunch menu?
I m not sure, but they are SO accommodating and lovely and the food is GOOD, you will love it!
Is there a parking lot nearby to park at? I do not like valet parking for several reasons.
Street parking is limited and can be hard to come by depending on the time of day. Unfortunately, the only lot nearby is our valet lot.
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