Service | History | Salmon Service - Solid service from start to finish. Everyone was knowledgeable about the menu and comfortable answering questions or making recommendations. The staff clearly knows the food and the restaurant's history. Service was attentive and professional without feeling overly formal. History - One of the coolest parts of the experience. This is one of the oldest family-owned restaurants in Boston's North End, and that history is part of the atmosphere. The walls are filled with photos featuring a who's who of celebrities, athletes, politicians, and other notable visitors. It gives the restaurant an authenticity that's hard to recreate and makes it feel like a true neighborhood institution. Salmon - I went with the salmon, and it was a solid choice. The fish was cooked well, had good flavor, and the sides paired nicely with it. Nothing overly complicated--just a well-executed dish and a good option if you want something lighter than the traditional Italian choices. Pro tip: Parking is extremely limited. Give yourself extra time to find a garage or street parking, or take public transportation or a rideshare. Pro tip: Make a reservation. This place is popular and can be difficult to walk into during prime dinner hours. The bar only has about six seats, so there isn't much last-minute flexibility. read more

Strega - Salmon - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Condensed version: 7pm reservations made and confirmed on Open Table. Wife's birthday. We arrive at 7:00pm exactly Told by hostess (she was nice but VERY stressed), that they are running a little behind. We wait for 30 minutes plus (great people watching). Checked in w hostess. She said she was trying but running behind. At 7:35pm a waiter/manager comes out to the sidewalk and speaks with two groups (4 people and 2 people). People waiting on reservations outside are growing more impatient. 7:45pm, Group of 4 given a table ahead of another waiting party. Words of clear unhappiness exchanged between customer waiting with reservations and two young hostesses. One hostess say, "our manager told us to sit the other people first". At the same time (now 7:55pm), the same waiter/manager (tall, shaved head), sits the above party of 2 (friends/relatives, etc), that didn't reservations, and arrived much after us. Reminder, we had a 7pm reservation. The North End was packed, all restaurants within eye shot had outside lines. Note, my wife is in a walking boot w broken foot. At 8:10pm the hostess, clearly unhappy and embarrassed, offers us seats at the bar. We could not accept this offer as it was too crowded, and the bar seats would not have worked for my wife (no foot rest). I finally went across the street to Cantina Restaurant. I explained my current predicament and embassament (remember it was my wife's bday), quite loudly and expressively to the manager/owner. He was so gracious. He said, come over we will get you in. We went over to the Cantina restaurant, and were seated immediately (they were also packed). Our meal was amazing. Drinks were excellent. Staff was great. Note: Stega had the audacity to call at 8:20pm. Never going back....like, ever. To bad, their food is good, but not that good. Any thoughts Strega management/owners???????? Crickets... read more

Waiter was spewing BS about most things Should have seen the red flag that every table was open. Pasta was overcooked. Think they brought croutons instead of bread. The gnocchi was definitely from Costco. Wife thought the pasta was calamari and I thought she was gonna run. Menu boasts having a famous clientele. Apparently this is supported by the dozens of pictures with the owner and son on the wall with famous pictures .....but nearly every picture is not taken at the restaurant. Thanks for the laugh team! It was better than the comedy club! read more

Found this restaurant on TikTok. Very busy restaurant in the North End. Food was delicious and service was very good. We waited 10 minutes for our table. Seats are cramped but the place is small. They offer no dessert and no coffee. They want you to eat and leave. My gnocchi was not to my liking. It was swimming in sauce and hardly any gnocchi. I tried my husband's dish which was a special, Sunday dinner. The sauce was delicious. Overall it was ok. read more

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Came in on a beautiful summer evening and sat the bar (smaller bar, only 5-6 seats. Bartender was super friendly. I was going to order a chicken dish but he told me to go with the fettuccine Strega. The dish was great! Super filling. I loved the huge scallops on the dish and the seasoning on the shrimp. I could tell the pasta was homemade and the sauce was excellent! My MIL said this was her favorite spot in Boston, so I knew I had to give it a go. Great spot for date night or anniversary dinner! The staff and managers were very attentive! read more

Strega - Fettuccine Strega - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We had the best meal at Strega! Last week I traveled to Boston and I'm with someone who doesn't know the city. My coworker said, I trust your judgement. That's great because I have a cool spot in mind. We have no reservation and the hostess said not a problem sir. We were able to get a two top by the window. Very nice! I ordered a Super Tuscan and my co worker said I'd like to try that as well. The waiter brought over some homemade bread. No butter being served here because there is a quality olive oil on the table. The restaurant isn't a large space but it is very well designed with a nice size bar and tables that can be moved to adjust to the people in your dining party. Our wine comes to us and we start breaking bread. I notice a waiter, people are taking selfies with him?? I wave him over and we start talking. Somehow he's an instagram influencer, people who dine at Strega take a selfie with him? Very cool! Now, my entree comes to the table. It's the best I had in the city, Lobster Ravioli. The Ravioli filled with lobster meat and cheese, covered in tomato sauce and then the add lobster meat on top? What type of witchcraft is this?? Oh so sinfully good. Dessert? I passed, I grabbed a cannoli and then smoked a very expensive cigar down the block. Strega means witch in Italian. I can report only good things so Strega is a good witch! read more

Strega - 2009 Dantes, Super Tuscan IGT - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Like so many other reviewers, our reservation was not honored. It was for 6:45 and we were finally seated at 7:45, so expect a long wait even if you reserve a table. However the service is so quick it's like whiplash. We started with the meatball and calamari, which were brought out maybe 4 minutes after ordering- they must prepare appetizers well ahead of time. Both were delicious, no complaints. I had the fusilli con rabe for my main, which was good, but you could tell they must've added a stick of butter and a boatload of salt. Halfway through some opera singers appeared? Not sure why, but it was entertaining. Not sure if I'd return as there are a ton of other spots to check out in the area, without the ridiculous wait time. read more

Strega - Bolognese, Risotto Di Mare, Linguine Alle Vongole - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This place is great. Meatball is gigantic and tasty. Special scallop risotto was soooo good and scallops were large sized! The chicken Parmesan came with pasta and the chicken was huge too!!! Service was friendly and today they had a couple singers serenading the guests and it was so enjoyable and fun. Definitely a wonderful place to enjoy a group dinner or a date night read more

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I always walk past this restaurant and it always looks so fun and like such a cute girls night spot- especially in the summer! Unfortunately sometimes window shopping is the better option. This past winter my friends and I decided to give this place a try for girls night. It was a frigid night and one of our friends was running late- they wouldn't seat us till everyone was there. Not too uncommon, so we were fine with that. However it was probably 10 degrees and windy out...and we had to wait outside. Instead of letting us wait somewhere inside or by the bar, we had to wait in the awfully cold weather. Not a great start already. Once our friend got there, we got seated...right in the direct line of the door. We felt like we had to keep our jackets on the entire time. It would be nice if they had something to block the wind, or just don't have a table in that spot. So now on to the actual meal itself, our waiter came and we could not hear a word. I literally was yelling "WHAT?" over and over. The music is SO loud- you can't hear your waiter, let alone have a conversation on girls night! I ended up asking our waiter if they could reduce the volume and they did, but maybe by 1 notch. 2 of my friends ordered the gnocchi, and I ordered the paccheri di funghi. My dish was actually pretty good, I probably won't go back, but it's something I'll try to replicate. The truffle shined through nicely and I loved the addition of the hazelnuts. The gnocchi on the other hand was not good. My friends said they could have done better by going to Trader Joe's. I tried it and...it was just not what you would expect from a restaurant. There's plenty of other restaurants on Hanover st (and north end) with far better gnocchi. It was lacking flavor and really had no wow factor. It really did feel like something you could make at home in 5 minutes with Trader Joe's ingredients. TLDR: I wont be back. If you want to talk to your friends over dinner, this is not the place. If you want delicious food, this is also not the place. There's plenty of other restaurants on Hanover st and in north end that will blow your mind. read more

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We stopped in for drinks and appetizers. Both were delicious. We had good service and liked the street views from the bar area. read more

Strega - Apps - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Strega North End is one of those spots where you go to be seen. The food is OK, the room is nice, and they open all the windows so you feel like you are outside on a nice day, which is why we chose it. When we arrived for lunch the hostess cautioned us that there would be loud music soon, she could not say when, but said some find it too loud. The music at that point was already pretty loud but acceptable to us. The room had a few tables of young women who were enjoying the brunch menu. Think big trees of mimosa like drinks, etc... We had a couple of spritz cocktails which were delicious, followed by two appetizers. First, the famous Strega meatball, huge and very tasty we thought. The second was a whipped ricotta with honey, also very nice. We asked if it was served with bread, and our waitress said yes. It came with one small piece of toast. :-( We asked for some more bread and were told of course, but by the time it came we were almost done with our food. For our purposes on that particular day this met our needs and overall we enjoyed. I am not sure I would return for a big sit down meal. read more

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***From the time I booked STREGA NORTHEND, to the time we showed up, all aspects of this Mother's Day Event at Strega Northend went seamlessly, as EVERY visit does! Greeted at the door by "Rosie" with that wonderful smile and spectacular personality, followed by "service to the stars" by "Server To The Stars" Dave L., "DML716" on iGram. Every visit to Strega Northend & its sister "My Mothers Cutlets" right next-door w/ Michael Parma, NEVER disappoint! Food always 5 star, as well as Service & Ambiance! I would encourage EVERYONE from locals to tourists to book "The VARANO Experience", provided by Nick Verano & Family, along with the ACES on the floor! https://stregabynickvarano.com/ https://mymotherscutlets.com/ Grazie e che Dio vi benedica Doug & Deb C. read more

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Strega has been here a lonnnngggg time and it is still amazing. Ambiance is modern, but the way Italian designers do it so not cold, but warm. Service was amazing. Gianluca made us felt like we werr old friends strolling in for dinner instead of me, a Floridian returning to the Boston I went to school and my date, meeting me coming in from New York. Turns out Gianluca is Italian. The food is authentic Italian, not the checkerd cloth table American Italian counterpart. The octopus app really stood out. When in the North End, and you don't know where to go with all those restaurants, go here. read more

Went here with a group of 10 people for brunch. We came right when it opened so we did not have to wait to be seated for our reservation. Food: The French toast/waffle tower was delicious and reasonably priced. My cocktail was strong and enjoyable. Service: quick service and very attentive staff. Ambiance: The only reason this place is not getting 5 stars from me is because the music was WAY too loud. We were celebrating my friend's engagement and could barely talk to each other without yelling. We asked if they could turn it down and they did for a bit and then raised it up again. Would come here again for brunch if they fixed that issue. Overall, a great place to get brunch but be mindful of the music if you do go for brunch! read more

Strega - Menu - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The staff at Strega was very accommodating to us. They were very busy and we were running late and they still were able to seat us. The environment is loud but very fun. The food came out super quick, and was really good. I gave 4 stars for the salmon, it was okay I think I just expected more. It was pretty basic and I wouldn't really recommend it. My friend had the spicy alla vodka - prepared table side and that was amazing. The sauce was 10/10. My sister had the gnocchi and it was good pretty basic the sauce was amazing though. read more

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I went to a rocking brunch at Strega today. Loved the vibe and music! The French toast and mimosa were amazing! I'll return with my friends next time. Definitely book a reservation if you visit here too! read more

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You can always count on a fun time when you come to Strega! I've been here a few times and have never had a bad visit. It's loud and bustling, which is typical for a North End Italian joint. I love all of the food, but the vodka sauce pasta is out of this world. The calamari is also great. Great cocktail list as well! I've had David as my waiter each time I've been, and he is so personable and truly makes the experience! read more

Good food. Not great service. Very cramped. If you are looking to enjoy a conversation over dinner do not go here. Nice feel of the restaurant is ruined by playing really loud club music all night. Couldn't hear the waiter or anyone at my table... read more

Craving authentic Italian cuisine, look no further. Located in Boston's little Italy, Strega offers an immersive Italian experience from the moment you walk in the door. Look to your left, a wall capturing countless recognizable celebrities fun experiences, from their look alone you can tell you're at the right place. The food had a comforting, homemade taste, if I had to be honest I would say that this is some of the best Italian food Ive ever eaten. (Sorry mom and grandma) The service, utterly phenomenal we had a waiter by the name of Eddy, he was extremely friendly and aided us in having the best experience possible! If you're in Boston run to Strega! read more

A noise nightmare!!!!!! Never again!! And the management cares a bit What else can I say read more

I will preface this with the fact that even with a reservation, we had to wait about 30 mins for our table, but it was 100% worth the wait. I would wait an hour for the meal and service and atmosphere that Strega provided. The food was brought out in a timely fashion, but we never felt rushed. Gnocchi sorrentina in a hot skillet were soft and pillowy. The chicken limoncello was to die for, not too lemony, salty or oily, but perfectly balanced in flavors. The chicken was also done to perfection. The veal was delightful, and the salmon was the best salmon dinner we've ever had. This meal was so good that I didn't even think to take photos of anything for my review! The service was also phenomenal, we felt so attended to without being smothered. Would come back in a heartbeat!! read more

Had a wonderful dinner at Strega. This long-standing restaurant in Boston's North End has a reputation for its excellent food and service. I will say the service was slow, but the food was delicious. The sangria came in a very large portion, which we appreciated. I got the Paccheri Funghi- which was creamy (not overly creamy) and yummy. You could taste the mushrooms. read more

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This is the absolute worst restaurant in Boston!! Let's start with the fact that we made our reservation weeks in advance to celebrate my husband's birthday, expecting a special evening. Unfortunately, the experience was horrible from the moment we arrived. Despite having a reservation, we waited outside for nearly an hour before being seated. During that time, we were told twice by the hostess that as soon as people finished paying their bills, a table would be availabe and we would be seated - what a joke! Meanwhile, we watched as she and the manager repeatedly welcomed people they appeared to know into the restaurant who had arrived without reservations. When we were finally seated, we were placed next to a large group of fraternity-aged men. According to the restaurant's website, all members of a party must be present before being seated as they have a 90 minute turn-around policy, yet this group continually grew in number as individuals arrived separately. Throughout our meal they were extremely loud, with one member repeatedly shouting the F-bomb to his friends. The situation became so disruptive and uncomfortable my husband finally stood up and asked him to watch his language (since no member of the staff intervened). To make matters worse, an employee, without asking, leaned over the middle of our table between our family to take pictures of this group. This was intrusive and unprofessional and shocking to say the least. We chose Strega because of its reputation and expected attentive service and a pleasant dining atmosphere. Instead, we experienced a long wait despite our reservation, inconsistent enforcement of restaurant policies, disruptive behavior that staff failed to address, and poor professionalism from employees. The food was not great either -and definitely not worth the wait. What should have been a memorable birthday celebration became a frustrating and disappointing evening. We should have just walked away and found someplace else to eat. Based on this experience, we would NEVER recommend Strega to anyone!! read more

I wish this place advertised that they play mandatory club music during weekend brunch, because it was SO loud. It's apparently their "thing", so it would have been nice to include that somewhere on their menu or website for people to decide whether they want that type of experience or not. The food and service were good: I got the avocado toast, which was reasonably priced for the area, and had the cool experience of the server grating the egg onto the dish in front of me. The hostesses and servers were also friendly throughout, though I wish they could have told us upfront that loud music would begin playing halfway through our meal. Overall, I would not come back here for a chill, catch-up brunch, since it's hard to hear each other talk. If you want to feel the energy of a rave over brunch foods, though, this could be the place for you! read more

Strega - Avocado toast - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Food was amazing, had the veal chop parm and it couldn't have been better, it was very tender. We with friends whom also had great meals. Service was impeccable. We weren't crowded and noise was kept at a good level. A must try read more

This restaurant tells you if you do not arrive within 15 minutes of your reservation time, they will not honor your reservation. What about honoring the reservation when you arrive on time? We arrived 10 minutes before our reservation time. They told us two tables were opening up and it would be just a minute. An hour later, they were still telling us the same thing. They told us this information repeatedly and did not give us a table. What a horrible business model. The next day, we received an email saying they were so sorry we canceled our reservation. We did not cancel our reservation. We walked away after they did not honor the reservation. At 7:00 PM, they still had not given us a table for our 6:00 PM reservation. Never again will we dine at this restaurant. read more

Recommendation from a friend of mine that lived in the area. Stopped in for a nicer dinner while in the area with my girlfriend. Pretty cool vibe with Italian classic movies playing in the background (Casino, Goodfellas, The Godfather, etc). I made reservations for dinner and put in the comments that it was to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday. They didn't do anything to acknowledge which, honestly, was a bit disappointing. Even a "happy birthday" at the host stand would've been nice. We sat down and it took a bit for us to get water and to place our orders. I ordered the pollo parmigiana and a blueberry cocktail (I don't see it on the menu anymore). One thing I noticed that was a bit off putting was that they didn't have pricing for their cocktails. Not a huge deal but still something to note. We got out food at a reasonable time, but our drinks were left sitting at the bar. I flagged down one of the wait staff and they brought it over asap and apologized for the wait. My drink was a bit strong but once it started to dilute it was very good. The chicken parmigiana was really good, very tender chicken, fresh cheese and a solid pasta sauce in my opinion, the star of the show was the pasta served with it; perfectly cooked and not a typical linguini or spaghetti. My girlfriend ordered the vodka pasta, which was fantastic, and the blackberry limoncello which was also very good. Her food was also served out of a giant cheese wheel which we thought was pretty cool. Before we got the bill, our waiter dropped off some free dessert apologizing for the service. We didn't complain at all but did notice they were doing that for other customers too, so maybe it was an off night. All in all a good experience. With all the hiccups and it being a bit on the pricey side, we'd come back again. read more

Strega - Pollo parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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My husband and I were only in town for a few hours (drove down from visiting Salem) but knew we wanted Italian. I really wanted to experience the Parmesan cheese wheel pasta so we opted for here, as it was a spicy vodka sauce offered in the table side wheel. We made reservations for 6:45 on a Thursday evening and were seated right away. We sat near the back, which was probably one of the quieter spots in the restaurant. It was a very cool vibe; TV's playing old movies, beautiful chandeliers and just a fun spot - two walls boasted photos of what I assume was the owner with all kinds of celebrities! We ordered drinks and the meatball as an appetizer and it came out so fast & was served with a small side of ricotta which I really enjoyed! My drink, a berry limoncello, was very tasty & was not lacking any alcohol! The complimentary bread with their olive oil & balsamic glaze was SO good!! For our entrees, we both opted for the "That's Amore". Our server performed the wheel presentation, which honestly is all that I can say it was - for presentation. It was a little underwhelming (no torches etc) but the pasta was very good and the cheese itself was delicious! I was a little bummed there was no protein option with the dish - but it was beautiful saucy, not too spicy, creamy & the pasta itself was al dente (my husband said it was almost too "gummy", but I enjoyed the texture). We didn't opt for dessert or drinks after, but overall it was a great experience. read more

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I think Strega could be a good spot, but not really worth it. I had a 8:15 reservation, we waited almost an hour and were still waiting for our table. We ended up going next door, they had a table available, great food and wine, and still in the north end, so I don't think we missed out. Strega didn't bother reaching out to us which I thought was strange. They may have forgotten about us, didn't care, have poor table management or all the above. I give them an extra star though because they had a tv we could watch march madness on from the sidewalk window as we waited out in the cold rain read more

Amazing service and food, very god father centric , and great lobster pasta, menus and enjoyed a lot read more

Strega - Lobster vodka pasta, not too spiced too - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Me and a friend recently went to Strega. We had gnocchis, they were okay but swimming in sauce. There was a live opera singer who was VERY loud, it was hard to hear my friend talk. We had a reservation and didn't get to sat till 20 minutes after our reservation time. We waited forever to get out of there even to just get the check. I wouldn't say it was horrible but could definitely improve more. read more

It's hard to believe this used to be one of the "best" in the North End considering how low quality the food and service was. The pasta was just unpleasant. We barely made a dent in it. My friend and I both got the vodka rigatoni. I'm not sure how their other pasta dishes are, but this tasted like it came out of a jar. The truffle fries were good. The "sangria" gave me a headache. Very low effort. They gave us some trouble using InKind. They would not split our bill. No big deal. What really made the dining experience unenjoyable was seeing how poorly the host was being treated. Not sure of his name but the bald guy who seems to be leading the dining room was VERY VERY nasty to the host. This type of conflict should never be this obvious to customers. He also spits everywhere when he speaks... I'm not sure why this place has gone downhill from the glory days but they need to seriously reevaluate their staff and the food quality. read more

Went to this spot while in Boston for a work trip with a great big group. The waiter made great suggestions for the apps. Food was delicious and plentiful. Drinks were strong. This place had a very warm and authentic vibe to it. There was even a singer that strolled by the tables adding such ambiance and charm to the experience. The manager made us feel welcome. Even though we were a large group, service went off without a hitch. I will be back for sure. read more

Life is Short. F...it up. Family, Flavor, Friends Haven't wanted to check out this place for a long time at high expectations. Sitting down for dinner at this place was very loud and very crowded. I forget how small the restaurants are in the north end. Who is at the whip ricotta the calamari. The Bolognese, the Alfredo, pasta and much anticipated wheel of cheese pasta. All all the food was just mediocre. Unfortunately I had such high hopes. The pasta in the wheel of cheese was also very disappointment as they just did it with hot water instead of the liquor. It's supposed to be a show at a dinner that they bring over to your table but because the restaurant was so small we had to go to the other side of the restaurant just to watch him Scrape the cheese with spoons and hot water. I know the north end is known for spray, food and great flavors. I guess this time was an off night.. read more

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We were there for a birthday dinner, the food was amazing, our bartender brought us two glasses of wine vs a bottle that we had ordered but corrected it, I think because it's so loud in there he didn't hear us. They do a great birthday celebration if anyone in your party has a birthday. We will return! read more

Love this place! Everything about it was amazing. Good people, Good vibes, feels like family. read more

We had a pretty large group but had a reservation and still had to wait an hour to be seated, which was frustrating. The food was ok - I enjoyed the meatball but the that's amore pasta was pretty average and not that outstanding. We also got a few other apps which I thought were all just ok! Definitely more of a touristy spot - there's definitely better Italian elsewhere without such a long wait! read more

Strega - Meatball - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Came to Strega for a birthday dinner which we mentioned in the reservation. Not only was the birthday never acknowledged but our service was subpar at best. Our waiter seemed more concerned with telling the table next to us about all of the celebrities he's waited on than on asking if we needed another drink or checking in to see how we were liking our food. Food was tasty, but nothing I would go out of my way for. Would really only recommend this place if you're hoping to run into a Boston athlete or chance seeing an A-list celebrity while eating dinner. For food and service, there are far better places elsewhere in the North End of Boston at a much more reasonable price point! read more

Strega - Chicken parmigiana & pesto - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Food was to the moon . I had the lobster ravioli and she had a bolognese. We started with a charcuterie board . Highly recommended and make a reservation read more

The good is that we were immediately seated for our reservation. The bad was upon walking in we immediately noted the poor ambiance. It was loud and so crowded you were essentially rubbing elbows with the people at the table next to you. Online we had read about their "smart casual" dress code which was certainly NOT the case. People were there in jeans cutoffs and sports jerseys. The service was poor. We could barely hear our waiter and he only stopped by a few times. They brought us the wrong appetizer and I had to flag someone down to get it corrected. I had the Parmesan wheel pasta which the server threw together behind the table without making eye contact and while talking to another waiter the whole time. After plopping the pasta on the plate (he was clearly over his night) he bent over my dinner partner and across the table so my plate could be passed down to me instead of just bringing it around to me. Not quality service in any way. The food was mid. Whipped ricotta was ok but not well balanced. The "That's amore" was fine but nothing special, could have similar at Olive Garden. The noodles had clearly gotten cold and were barely warmed up by the cheese wheel preparation. Overall I would give it a 1/5 for ambiance 2/5 for service 3/5 for food read more