Cute Italian place that was very packed when we first got there. The pasta was like 4/5 in all 3 dishes that I tried. That's amore is very popular but I would say the bolognesse was muchhh better and flavorful. They also have a sister restaurant down the street called niko. If it's too packed but you really want Italian, that's a good option. read more

Strega - Bolognesse and that's amore - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I thought the food and drinks were good. I got "that amore" which is the only meal that is "made" table side in a cheese wheel. All they did was put the cooked pasta and sauce into the cheese wheel and mix it a little then take it out. Wasn't really much of a show. I would do it one time for the experience but I wouldn't order it again. read more

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Went for Restaurant week-knew it would be busy-we were reminded that we would only have 90 minutes for the meal, texted, called, and emailed this reminder. We ended up after 2 hours and requesting the check twice, getting an incorrect check. When we asked to remove the extra cocktail we were charged for, eyes rolled by the server. During the early part of the meal, at least 3 times, the music volume increased to beyond club level, so very loud (it was 6:15 pm) THEN...a crew of talented acapella singers started singing--they were very good....and also loud...and they went to EVERY TABLE and sang for about 20-25 minutes in all. We were literally screaming at each other to hear our conversation. When ordering, our party asked some questions about the menu-I was the one who knew what I wanted and asked for it decidedly. Appetizers came out and we shared and they were very good. The entrees came out--but instead of the one I asked for, they brought me something no one had ordered. And then looked at me as if I was wrong. They left that for us (wasn't very tasty at all), and after close to 15 minutes, my food came out. It was all very disappointing. I would not go back. So many other choices in the North End with warm service and terrific food. This is not one of the choices. read more

Food was OK, one dish, their special "that's amore" was served Ice cold. Mentioned it to the waiter, who brought it back 5 min later warmed up, but with none of the promised Parmesan it was known for. Our server was already behaving like his life was MISERABLE and was constantly MIA so it was pointless to try to hail him down as our food would have been cold by then Other notes: Loud club-like techno music blaring at 6pm on a Sunday evening Food was basic. Service was, quite frankly, inattentive at best. read more

So good, atmosphere is awesome, food is very well presented with phenomenal taste. Need to try brunch here next read more

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Atmosphere is great, music is loud. Perfect for brunch, good cocktails, and service. Only negative was that we had to wait 40 mins past our reservation time for our table to be ready. read more

Not sure if I just had brunch at a club or a restaurant. Food was decent, service was prompt but not the friendliest, music was loud enough for my watch to alert me to unsafe decibel levels. And for the love of god, if you're going to blare music at least pay the $10 for Spotify premium so we don't have to hear ads between the hearing damage tracks. read more

The food was very good and the service was great too. I had the chicken piccata and others at my table had the Bolognese. The food was very good, though the portions were a bit smaller than some of the other North End staples offer up and the Bolognese has been better at some other locations. All in all, a very solid meal and good service for the most part during the experience. read more

Hit and Miss. Going with the baseball analogy, see below... Hits: chicken parm, eggplant rollatini, marinara sauce, homemade ricotta Bunts: cocktails, bread Miss: overall atmosphere (very loud music, no cohesive vibe), rigatoni a la vodka (WAY too much vodka, so much so it tasted like straight alcohol. Was not very hot. Yes it's cool that it's prepared in a cheese wheel, no it is not worth it). Pretty expensive for a relatively mediocre experience. If they turned the music down, lowered the prices, and put three less shots in the "That's Amore" I would recommend this place. read more

Okay, sooo idk what it is but I went here for a birthday dinner on a Tuesday - and it was not what I expected at all (in a good way)! It seemed like it was everyone's birthday as it looked like every table had sparklers POPPING OFF!!! Generally, I think Boston is a sleepy town - there's no doubt about it when people are afraid to be stand out & be themselves. This was not the case for Strega - Strega brings its own energy that was refreshing but a bit overwhelming for an introvert like me. Outside looking in, the ambiance communicates high brow and "stuffy", but stepping in its like I'm transported to South Beach! I'm not sure if this is typical of Strega or it was just Gemini season with one too many Geminis under one roof channeling chaotic energy. Take note, if you order "That's Amore", there may be a scene where music is blasting tableside - which is surprising for the North End. I LOVED the fettucine strega - there was a harmonious balance of creamy goodness with pasta heaven. If anything, I recommend that. If you're lucky, you'll get to experience the heavenly chocolate dessert if its a birthday celebration. I'd go back and celebrate my birthday just for the dessert cause it was AMAZINGGG!!! *chefs kiss* read more

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

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As someone who works in the restaurant industry I always try to be patient and understanding when going to restaurants especially during COVID. This restaurant is probably the only restaurant I can think of where I would genuinely warn people from going. With a 7:45 reservation, we arrived early and were rudely told to come back at 7:45 because "can't you see we're busy". Then, we continue to wait almost 30 minutes to be sat and our server was not friendly and was extremely inattentive. The bread and oil was good, as well as the tenderloin pizza, but my friend got the ravioli and they were cold, bland, and not worth the money. We waited around for our check for far too long and our server never came so we had to ask someone else. I strongly advise from going here it is NOT worth the money. Try Carmelina's instead it is much better AND less expensive!! read more

Came here for brunch while visiting my college friend. Full disclosure; this is not a quiet place. The restaurant is small, they play loud dancing music and the waitresses and waiters are talkative. If you want a spot for a more low key brunch, I do not recommend. For us, this spot was perfect. The waitress was attentive and friendly. I started with a Bloody Mary. Then ordered an aperol spritz. Both were great. For brunch I got the Hangover Hash. The bolognese was incredible with so much flavor. The presentation of the dish was also done well. I recommend this place for a great time, great food and friendly service! read more

Bad place. We were seated in a super high traffic area with people constantly bumping into the table. Waiter was inattentive and never even refilled our water. Food was very bland, had to ask for salt & pepper. Over priced. Will not return. read more

I won't be talking about the food because it was amazing but the service left much to be desired. I went to this restaurant for the 1st and last time last night. We may not have been dressed extremely well but our wallets speak for themselves. We were greeted with strange looks upon arrival. Even though the restaurant was half empty and we made a reservation we were seated next to tne bathroom. We were never asked if we wanted drinks and had to ask the waiter after several minutes had passed if we could get one. Once we placed our order we were barely checked on throughout the meal (I wanted salt and pepper that I never got and extra napkins). Never was offered dessert or anything else and was handed the check prematurely. My last drink was also taken away before I could even finish it. Due to the lack of service I would no recommend. Even though the food was great there are plenty of other great places to eat in the north end. read more

Had a reservation for 8:30. The valet was letting his friends in before.peopel, who had reservations. Then, one of the hosts was letting in people before the people who had reservations. We weren't seated until after 9. Not ok!.we.were squished in a side table and just decided to get up and leave! Will not go back there again! read more

Do NOT I repeat do NOT come here if you want to book for a big party. Had a birthday brunch booked here for 1:45 and didn't get seated till after 3pm. It was chaotic and stressful in there too and no one knew what was going on or when our table would be ready. They then had us wait in the pizza place next door where they stuck about 2 other big groups. We finally sat down, ordered drinks and food and then our server gave us the check when we weren't even there for that long. It is not worth the wait even for the cool drink trees. read more

Small, crowded,but classy restaurant in the popular North end area of Boston. Party of four had an early dinner on a Thursday afternoon. There was no wait, but seating was very tight between tables. Seafood grill was the special which consisted of scallops, lobster, prawns, and whitefish with pasta. It was very good and enough to share. Bolognese and Veal parmigiana were good as well. Our server was friendly, attentive, and funny. This place can be a bit pricey. Three meals, four salads, three glasses of wine and two desserts totaled $213. read more

Strega - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

The food was incredibly average and The waiter was so rude. I absolutely expected more from a highly established restaurant. I'll start with the food, The Chicken Parm was mediocre, my local Bertuccis is just as good. I was also surprised to find that the bolognese had peas in it? I've never seen that before but nonetheless it was lacking a lot of flavor and was absurdly bland too. The only decent thing here was the pasta itself. The Noodles are definitely made fresh and were cooked perfectly. Now onto the service. Our waiter was so disrespectful, shoving alcohol menus in our face and his entire demeanor changed when My friend and I ordered waters and expressed that we didn't want drinks. The restaurant is small but we were given about two minutes to look at the menu before the man came back and stood beside us staring, he wasn't close enough to have been there too ask us if we needed anything or to take our orders he just stood and stared. When we were ready to order he cut both My friend's and My sentence order off. "Can I get the Chicke- " Then he interrupted "YUP YOU WANT CHICKEN PARM, What else". It was so incredibly Rude left a horrible impression on the restaurant. I wanted to love this place but they ruined a girls night out and made our dinner so uncomfortable. read more

Strega - Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Strega is a favorite of "mi familia" (see, this place will have you speaking Italian in no time!), and a frequent request for "parents are coming to town" dinners. Located on historic and bustling Hanover Street in Boston's North End, Strega has cemented itself as a staple restaurant, going strong since 2003. Owner Nick Varano is a frequent fixture in the Boston dining scene, and has expanded the Strega brand to other endeavors, including a steakhouse downtown and a new location of Strega in the Waterfront district. It's a hometown Boston joint that's as comfortable as the red sauce Italian staples that populate the menu, and has proved itself worthy of many return visits for the fantastic food and welcoming atmosphere. Every meal at Strega starts with a homemade artisanal bread basket and Italian olive oil for dipping. It can be easy to lose track of how much of this you're eating, especially when it's doused in the rich olive oil, but save room for the decadent delights of the main menu! The Crab and Avocado Salad is a great light start to your meal, with fresh crabmeat and creamy poppyseed aioli for dipping, but you can also go with the less healthful but so delicious Calamari, an Italian classic prepared masterfully, with tender calamari breaded and deep fried till it's light and crispy. Yum. Try any of the house made pasta specialties, like the Gnocchi Sorrentina, which are pillow soft pasta dumplings tossed in a creamy red sauce with fresh mozzarella, or the Fettucine Strega, which showcases a bounty of local seafood over fresh pasta and creamy sauce. If you want something even more hearty, try the slow cooked Short Ribs over Lobster and Butternut Squash Risotto. It's the perfect dish for winter, and is comforting and stick to your ribs tasty. Save room for dessert! You won't want to miss their light and airy Tiramisu, which rivals any of the bakeries in the neighborhood, or Ricotta Pie that rivals the one my Italian grandmother makes (shh, don't tell her!) As I said before, the service and atmosphere absolutely add to the high marks of this spot. Carlo, one of the waiters who has always been on when we've been here, remembers my family's usual orders and makes us feel at home when we're dining at Strega. They also play old mob movies like Goodfellas and The Godfather on the wall while you eat, which is a fun conversation starter and adds to the charm of this great North End spot! read more

Not worth the hype. I made reservations for Saturday dinner weeks in advance via open table. We arrived for our 630 pm reservation on time and checked in with hostess table. We weren't seated until 7pm. Drinks and dinner were good but can find better service in other places in the north end. Around 730pm I received a text that our table was ready. I replied that we were already seated. My husband asked waiter for another drink which never came. At 815 the Hostess came over and removed our plates felt like they were rushing us out. Received an email from Open table after 830 asking why we missed reservation. Maybe would try again but many better restaurants in north end. read more

Strega - Express martini - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Saturday night, table of 7 inside. Great seats and atmosphere. Full bar, great menu choices. We did a table side prepared penne ala vodka as an appetizer along with burrato mozzarella, ceasar salad and shrimp. Dined on stuffed veal chop, ravioli, shellfish with risotto, salmon, filet mignon and pasta bolognese. Our server was very attentive and a seasoned server. No room for dessert. Enjoy! read more

stay clear from this place. such a disappointment. Here's a run down: had to ask for bread and oil after 20mins, bathrooms were disgusting idk how such an establishment neglects cleanliness.. the worst of all was how all 7 of our entrees were cold.. not even lukewarm. As we all cut into the chicken parm the chicken,breading, and cheese fell apart in layers because of how cold it was. don't even get started on the pasta-- the pasta for the chicken parm was very al dente and our chicken limoncello's pasta had crunches to it. I've never experienced such an undercooking of pasta. I cannot believe an Italian restaurant like this can mess up pasta and serve entrees cold. Our waiter did not come over even once to check in-- nobody offered us fresh parm cheese, no drink refills (legit only 1 drink the whole meal), and never asked how the food was... We were left on our own after we ordered our meals. At the end of our meal we waited over 20mins for the check-- we eventually had to wave down the waiter because he continually walked past us without looking our way... of course he made sure to add in his 20% gratitude. To make matters even worse we came home to discover that we were overcharged on our bill!! They added on another Chicken Parm onto our bill...do not waste your time and money here. At the price point of this restaurant there are no excuses for this experience. Worst restaurant in the North End. Make your way to Bacco or Tresca for some real Italian hot food!! read more

Strega is the worst of the North End of Boston. While it's supposed to be fine, high end Italian dining, they only have well liquor for their drinks. The waiter said we could order a $14 martini but it had well vodka! What??!! I ordered the Sea Bass which was dry and over cooked and happened to be $48. The service was awful, an older waiter insulted my girlfriend. I could go on and on. Avoid this place like the plague! read more

Strega - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This seriously was the best tonight Carlo our server have been working there for 20+ years since it opened, he made our night! The food was mouthwatering so much flavor. Congrats to the chef, the wine selection we had was wonderful, and we celebrated our coworkers birthday, which was super fun, you guys really know how to treat everyone like family. Thank you for a wonderful night and great food. Great service will definitely be back. read more

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This is probably more a 3.5 but upped to a 4 because of the food. Freshly made, great flavors, beautifully presented and seriously good. The charcuterie was okay, as it is mostly salad and marinated red and yellow peppers with some meats and two cheeses. The bread was fantastic though. The gorgonzola and walnut stuffed fish wrapped in bacon were also good. I'd order those again. I enjoyed my lobster ravioli but did also try the sea bass, which was perfectly seasoned and cooked. Those were tough to compare but the sea bass was really, really good. And, that seafood soup (for lack of a better word) was a hit too. It's humungous and pretty. The atmosphere was okay but felt a little dated and not maintained. The servers were friendly enough but not that engaged. It felt as though they did enough to get by but nothing over and above (unfamiliar with wines and went by price, didn't check back as often for this type of restaurant, wouldn't put wine on a separate bill and then charged the wrong cards at the end anyhow). With that said, the food was really good. read more

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We wandered onto the North End hungry and without reservations. The planets aligned when we found Strega...full menu at the bar worked for us! Our meals were fresh and delicious, and the portion sizes were great too! read more

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Bolognese to an Italian restaurant is what sex is to a relationship: On average, it takes up 10% of your time but if it's not good, the relationship is dead. This Strega's bolognese with pappardelle made me climb up to the roof and scream like king of the jungle. I was nervous because their Waterfront branch sucked. But, like I pointed out in my review for that branch, it's a place where you go to get drunk and sleep with a lawyer. When will my colleagues learn that dirty-talking in Latin is not hot? "Yeah!! Dic semper fi, baby!" No, dude. As a result, fine dining is low on the list of priorities at the Waterfront Strega. Flavor is top priority in the North End Strega. There are a couple of indicators that are always reliable. First, it is owned by the same people that own Rina's Pizzeria, possibly the best pizza joint in the North End. Second, and like Rina's, there are actual Italians from Italy (not guys who grew up in Reading) working at Strega. These guys take pride in the details involved in the ritual of enjoying a good meal. I could tell because the old fella who took our order actually looked happy when I ordered my bolognese with pappardelle. It could be because my Italian pronunciation makes up for my shitty vocabulary. Or it could be because he knew how good the bolognese was. In either case, I almost never see servers get excited about food. Most servers react to orders like you asked them if you could sit on the table naked and eat with your feet. Our server goes, "Excellent" or "molto bene" or something that expressed great approval. That gave me some faith in my order because when people get excited about food, it's usually genuine. I'm not sure what that flavor is that makes a perfect bolognese but I know it when I taste it and this one had it. I'm sure freshness is a must but maybe it has something to do with the right kind of beef, the way the tomatoes are processed, and the way the veggies are sweated. Maybe there are veggies there that no one outside Avellino will even know about. Whatever it is, order that dish and anything else that involves tomato sauce. A restaurant that holds itself out as Italian, unless it specializes in Northern Italian, must have the pomodori down. It's the love. If you think I'm confusing the hedonism of food with pillow-denting, try eating a pastrami sandwich during foreplay. Find a way to operate the remote control while you're at it for the trifecta. You'll see. read more

Strega - The bolognese. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Birthday dinner for my daughter. Top notch service amazing flavors and perfect cook on the chicken Marsala and Limoncello. Appetizer was great and atmosphere was great with the windows pulled open and street active. Solid A from me. read more

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Made a reservation for a birthday dinner, was told that the party before had already paid and the staff was waiting for them to leave, and we waited for a hour past the reservation time despite the written communication in every reservation that there is a 90 minute cap. Hostess kept saying "we're doing everything we can," which was a lie They made us wait in the pizzeria next door and that they would come get us when the table was ready. Not once did they update us and we had to keep walking over for updates. read more

Strega is one of my favorite restaurants of all time. I've been hanging out at Strega for years. Love the food and Carlo and Gianno. Exceptional. So I haven't visited in some time, but when I arrived, it was the warmest welcome that really hit me. I've missed my old pals and the food was delicious per usual (thanks for bringing the red pepper flakes upon request). The place was all decked out for the New Year's celebration, overall a pimpy time. I'm so glad that me and my girl spent our first moments of 2020 at Strega North End :) Cheers read more

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too many rules, no dessert menu, overcrowded with tables back to back, service and food was just okay. i had the gnocchi and felt like it was too much sauce and not enough gnocchi. it was plated in a cast-iron skillet which i found odd. read more

Don't believe the hype! Strega disproves "you can't go wrong in the N. End. Service was good, waiter excellent but the food, mainly the entrees were poor. Chicken parm was tasteless as was the tomato sauce. The limoncello chicken also average. Prices are high & quality is low. Won't be back. read more

Now I've frequented many places in the North End however none better than Strega. This place is a real throw back to Nonna's cooking. In fact I really think Nonna is actually slaving away behind the back doors stirring the gravy. The urban legend is Strega is a Mafia establishment but I never saw Bruno or Joey "The Fish" hanging around just waiters serving wonderful fresh food. After a review of the menu and knowing its Sunday I confirmed with the waiter that Sunday Dinner was one of the specials for the evening, and by George it was. For those of you who don't know what Sunday Dinner is well do some research cause this is the only thing you should desire on a Sunday. Sunday Dinner Plate consists of softball sized meatball, sausage and beef simmered all day in gravy ( Italion gravy ) served over a heaping plate of rigatoni. The starter for my evening was the Arugula Salad with fresh grapefruit on top. Now a tad tart but very refreshing like you'd expect. I really enjoyed the pumpkin seeds in it. My special lady friend has ravioli and I assume was simply amazing cause it disappeared. In fact the only thing I hated were photos of Kim Kardashian and Marky Mark staring at me while I ate. But you now have all the information you need to know, so it's time to dine. read more

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Great job! Good food, great service. Environment was grown and mature. Bad part: lack diversity and that was SO APPARENT. read more

Strega - ANtiPasta Dish: Octopus. AMAZING . Good food. Bad part: Being a woman of color with my friend WE stuck out like sore thumbs. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Great food, great atmosphere, great service! Love this place. Get the octopus and whole branzino. read more

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My friends and I went to Strega on a Sunday afternoon for brunch to celebrate a few birthdays in our group. The drinks were so good and the tower was super pretty. The service was amazing- the only reason I am writing this post is because my friends and I all agreed this was some of the best service we've experienced. Our waitress made sure the birthday girls were taken care of! They had a live dj and the music was awesome. All the waitresses were super hype, the vibe was good. Lots of other birthdays were going on so the whole restaurant was continuously hype. read more

Strega - Pappardelle Bolognese and Donut Go drink. - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I came here for Restaurant Week/Dine Out Boston last winter and got the fettucine carbonara, calamari, and tiramisu. For $20, the portions were decently proportioned and fairly portioned. The fettucine carbonara was thick and covered in a good amount of cream (and optional parmesan cheese) for a filling entree. For appetizers, the calamari was crispy and served with a decent amount of tomato sauce. Not too much flavor but decent nonetheless. The coup de grace was tiramisu and made for a sweet end of the meal. The vibe of the restaurant has a very Italian vibe to it, with a bunch of random Italian movies playing on the tvs during the meal and the waiter also rolling with an Italian American accent, a very small but nice touch that exemplifies Strega's location in the North End. Worth a visit for sure. IG: Mood4foodeatery read more

Strega - Calamari - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This is a place to go to for an experience! It is a VIBE. It's like a nightclub meets brunch. We had so much fun with the great music blasting and tons of fun drink options. They do a great birthday celebration as well and it was a blast! read more

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Very disappointed! I booked a reservation for Friday night at the Hanover Street location for my son's 19th birthday. After receiving the text with all stipulations, we were excited none the less as I've dined at Strega many times. I was completely irritated when we were seated right next to the bathroom at such a small table. Both my children are 6'4. I asked if we could move and she said no, even though there were empty tables. The hostess and waiter acted as though he couldn't be bothered. My son ordered the Parmesan Wheel pasta which was the main reason we chose Strega. The waiter was in the middle of the restaurant and called over, I can't get the cart over to your table and called my son over to grab his plate from the middle of the restaurant?? It's not the type of service we expected from a high end restaurant. We decided to gave desert and coffee elsewhere. I'm sure you won't care about by complaints, but thought I'd write it non the less. Judging by the other reviews it seems as though I'm not the only one. read more

awful. we made reservations, and the first thing she tries to tell us is that we are wrong. then when she found it, and we wereeee right: no apologies, just "ok. this way." Then our server Patrick. What a douche. We get our waters and he immediately starts being like, "okay what else? you can't just have waters. a cocktail? juice? cold brew?". But no where near a suggestive way, more like *this bill is going to be tiny, come on, order more.* So i felt bad and got a cold brew. Skip it. It tasted like old dish water smells. Then we ordered. It was a solid 8 mins when our food arrived. So, this means they prep the food in advance - not made to ordered. No way a table of 5's food should be less than 18 mins to make fresh. I'll tag a picture of mine, but like comeeee on. $21.00 for a "salmon Benedict". The egg was completely boiled. No yolk whatsoever. No hollandaise sauce. All of this while we never saw the server again until he dropped the bill. I watched him get sassy with another female server. He was just extremely entitled. I've been a bartender / server for 15 years - we all have that one old man server or bartender who thinks he's gods best creation. It's annoying. So over all, we've been in boston for the weekend and this is the only bad experience we've had. Do not waste your money here, i've had better breakfast food at Ihop. The street is filled with gorgeous restaurants- try something else. read more

Strega - My hard boiled egg Benedict. With a hint of hollandaise sauce. $21.00 - Italian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts