It was a mix of cozy with a modern touch. The staff where all so friendly and the food was fantastic. The calamari was amazing. Though it was very busy and at times loud I can't wait to go back. read more

Delicious pasta and fun cocktails. Went for Valentine's weekend and had a great experience.

AMAZING food! We came to this restaurant for restaurant week and got there a little to enjoy some $1 oysters at the bar before taking our reserved table for dinner. The hostess offered to seat us at our reserved table and allow us to still order $1 oyster at the table, such personable servers! Everything we ate was amazing and I really cannot wait to come back and try everything else on their menu. Could not recommend this restaurant more highly. read more

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Quite possibly my favorite restaurant in Boston. I've been here numerous times in the past year, and I have never had a bad time. In my experience, many restaurants excel at certain dining types (ie. drinks at the bar vs large groups) -- but Viale has shown to be great regardless of experience type. In the past year I've: - Popped in just for drinks with my girlfriend at the bar. - Had multiple date night dinners. - Took my GF and her mother out to lunch. - Hosted a larger dinner (10+) for family visiting from out of town. Viale and co. knocked it out of the park on every occasion. I can't tell you how nice it is to know you have a super solid restaurant you can recommend to people, or bring guests to, and be confident they will have a good time. ------------- Ok, moving on to recommendations! -- Favorite Cocktail -- * "Social Smoker" (bourbon, cynar, cacao, laphroig rinse) super smooth, delicious. You look classy drinking it, but it doesn't go down like jet fuel. -- Favorite Small Plates -- * "Viale Meatballs" -- These are delicious. Meatballs sounds like a thing that are good everywhere, but in my experience I've been let down by most places. Either they are bland, or the sauce is lackluster, but thankfully Viale knows what they are doing with these. They are smallish, so we usually get two orders. * "Salmon Crudo" -- I don't eat seafood. I would never have ordered this, but my cousin loves it and made me try a bite. To my surprise, I loved it! High quality salmon, right amount of spices(?), oil(?), butter(?) (I have no idea what exactly is in the dish, but I know I will always order it.) -- Favorite Lunch Large Plates -- * "Chicken Parm Sando" -- Simple chicken parm sandwich served with homemade potato chips. Growing up my favorite food was chicken parm, I ordered it everywhere. Although I've branched out since growing up, I still love a good chicken parm when I find one, and this one is very good. * "Salmon w/ Broccoli-Avocado Salad & Dill Yogurt" -- Admittedly, as I said before I don't order seafood usually, so this recommendation is based on everyone I know that has had this and raves about it. ..... and now: What I order every time I eat dinner here.... * * "POTATO GNOCCHI W/ WILD BOAR BOLOGNESE" * * I know I've hyped this place up a ton in this review, but this bolognese is incredible. I never thought I'd be saying that about wild boar (so if that makes you nervous, just know it just taste like super tender beef - at least in this preparation. Take the risk and order it.) Great...now I'm hungry...I should wrap up this review. ------------ In summary, you're most likely looking for a place to eat while reading this review...great news! You found it! read more

Viale was everything we could have wanted and more for a work dinner for 8 people. They were really accommodating when I called to make a reservation, and when we arrived we were seated on time. They have a very extensive wine list, as well as a full bar and cocktail list. Their menu had a bunch of interesting options - four flatbreads (I tried pesto, margherita, and sausage; all great), a bunch of small plates, some pastas, and some entrees. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share and I honestly loved them all. The flatbreads were probably my favorite; however I loved the pastas and entrees. The server was really helpful and attentive and I felt like he was really paying attention to our table and helping us to have a great night. Overall I really enjoyed Viale and I'd love to come back! read more

Great place for oyster happy hour! I highly recommend going for their $1 oyster happy hour and getting some other appetizers and entrees to split with a small group. read more

Great wine list and delicious pastas that are easy to share. There is something on the menu for everyone--we had a vegetarian in our group who left equally satisfied with our meal. Would definitely go back! read more

Stopped in for dinner while on business. Had happy hour oysters - good deal at a $1 a piece. They tasted good. Had the pappardelle alla zozzona - very good. Service was great throughout. read more

Very nice place for casual dinner. They also have a full bar if you just want to stay at the bar for some drinks and chats with friends. Not too loud if you want to have a conversation while eating as well. Just walked by around Cambridge to grab some drinks with some friends but places were mostly packed. Spotted this little restaurant in the corner and decided to go for it. We made a good decision to go in since it's really nice and cozy. I got two glasses of prosecco and my friend got like 3 types of cocktail drinks and we got the crab toast for appetizer. read more

I came back here again recently with another Gilt City voucher in hand, ready for another carb filled meal! I think it was a Sunday night in the snow storm, so there was barely anyone in here. Maybe they were short on waitstaff as well but the service was surprisingly slow for, well, how few guests there were. Fried Calamari Pizza - Which really should be an entree instead of an appetizer. Even though the pizza is super thin and crusty, after it's been loaded with crispy calamari on top, this is quite a substantial dish. This was the best dish of the meal and I could have even ended there as I was already full... Pimenton Fettucini - Sounded really good with lobster, lobster tomato sauce, saffron etc. While all the individual ingredients were fine, the dish overall came out quite bland IMO and the sauce was on the watery side. And while I don't expect beautiful presentation on this pasta, it's actually kinda ugly... Wild Boar Gnocchi - This was OK. The wild boar was very very tender. The sauce was very rich, if not on the salty side. The gnocchi itself was pillowy soft. But having the soft meat with the soft gnocchi, I really missed a some bite to the dish. I would have preferred the gnocchi to be cooked a bit less, maybe even seared would be great. Or put the wild boar over some al dente pasta instead. Overall, an average meal. I've had a better experience here before and know they have the potential for really good food. read more

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Their roast chicken dish was the best chicken I've ever had. calamari was also the best, lots of flavor. carbonara wast impressive but thats because i much prefer it without cream and this one was very creamy and too rich. read more

My wife's favorite spot in Boston area. Baby friendly space, very good food, and very nice cocktails. Consider this place to be italian tapas. Everything we had was delicious and the waitstaff was very attentive. I have been to this place twice, and I have not been disappointed. Quick tip, their oyster happy hour is amazing...but don't be a jerk and don't order 30 oysters. read more

Holy small-plates, Batman - this joynt is PRIME. Space is lovely, service is superb at the bar (where I dined a seule, as one does when dining alone), the menu is creative, and the kitchen delivers dividends on that creativity. I had a half-dozen Wellfleets - they had 'em for a BUCK EACH during happy hour! - and then enjoyed a dish of charred broccoli, along with gnocchi dressed in wild boar ragú. HOLY SCHNIKES, that was some good stuff, kids. The wild boar ragú is now on my Top 10 list - gotta find a recipe to recreate that stellar flavor. read more

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Viale is my #1 choice for Restaurant Week by a landslide, and consistently serves excellent dishes for every course. I think their strongest points are seafood (octopus is perfectly cooked, rainbow trout is juicy) and handmade pasta (that tagliatelle was divine!). And then their desserts (kumquat bread pudding and tiramisu) meet that level of excellence too! This is a really special restaurant and I'm very thankful to live near it! read more

Best restaurant week menu I've ever had! The arancini (fried rice balls with cheese) were creamy and flavorful. Each one was golden-brown and crispy outside, while bursting with cheesy, garlic flavor inside. The gnocchi were perfectly pillowy, and went well with the meat sauce. I knew I wanted to order this dish after seeing it's popularity among other Yelp reviews. It did not let me down! Finally, I ordered the chocolate brownie for dessert. Super decadent and topped with a sweet toffee ice cream. I could not finish because the brownie was so rich. Very satisfying, and definitely a good size for sharing. read more

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My wife and I had a $35/per person New Year's Eve takeout meal that involved fried chicken. It was fantastic. Came with mac and cheese and collard greens--the serving size was enough to feed four. They also made us a custom tiki cocktail to go. Viale made our quarantine New Year's into a food coma. 10/10 on value and taste. I hope they make it through 2021 intact because it's a great restaurant and apparently great for take out too! read more

So I have eaten here twice. The second time though, what a treat! First of all dollar oysters on Sunday. Yes, please. Meatball app was okay. Washed it down with Prosecco, my wife had a nice cocktail. I had a steak. Pretty good, enjoyed the glaze and the veggies too. Paired it with the Tuscan red very enjoyable meal. My wife had the octopus. Best octopus we've ever had (we always try the octopus and are very judgy about it.) Seriously. Very good. Highly recommend. Overall, really good meal. The first time we went wife had the pizza. Honestly wasn't memorable. I would have liked it traditional with a brick oven, but it felt more like a flatbread. If you go, go on a Sunday and try the sea food. read more

This place was amazing!! The pork Milanese was outstanding. The skirt steak and lobster tail specials were exceptional. The sauce paired with the lobster tail was amazing! read more

We keep coming back. Food is consistently great. Fried Artichoke, Saffron Arancini, Halibut crudo are great starters. We usually try the specials but homemade pasta is delicious, very solid pizza and steak frites. Oyster special and fixed price menu are incredible value. We've had extravagant meals that were half the price they should have been. Always good service. Casual, Cambridge atmosphere. One of our favorite places in Boston for several years running now. read more

Decent restaurant for brunch. Beautiful decor but food was average. My friend and I went around 11:30am on a Sunday. The restaurant wasn't very busy but service was slower than expected. Fried cauliflower ($9) - delicious! Only bad thing is that the mustard sauce on the bottom was extremely salty and took away from the cauliflower flavor Ham Benedict ($13) - not very good, focaccia bread was hard and dry Disappointed by the brunch but I hear they have $1 oyster happy hour 5-7 daily, will come back then! read more

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Fairly good brunch spot in Central Square. Overall: 4/5 Value: 4/5 Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 We came for Dine out Boston and they had a fabulous $20 lunch deal for appetizer, main and dessert. Usually their prices are a bit steep ($19 for the salmon and rigatoni pasta alone) so I'm putting value at 4/5 typically. We started with the duck liver mousse toast, which was incredibly rich and creamy, offset with the sweetness of the cranberry and crunchiness of the crispy toppings. The toast was a little hard so it was difficult to bite but overall it was good. The salmon was a generous portion, and wonderfully cooked with dill yogurt dressing. I wish the avocado and broccoli salad upon which the salmon sat was warm and cooked, rather than cold, but overall decent. The pasta was a surprisingly small portion in my opinion compared to what you'd get at Italian restaurants, but it was wonderfully rich and creamy, with delicious veal. The affogato dessert was alright, but the milk chocolate panna cotta was so delicious - incredibly rich and smooth but then hints of crunch from the sweet bits decorating the plate. A solid spot in central, although pricey usually. read more

Viale - Salmon - Italian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Love this place! I used to live in Cambridge so my husband and I use to frequent this place quite often, but now being a suburbanite, I don't get to attend as much as I would like anymore. However, the other day we were in Cambridge so got to go! It's just as good as I remember. I never seem to be disappointed when I go. Although, I believe they've changed their menu. Their pasta dishes seem to be limited, compared to the last time I was there. It only had a selection of four. It being an Italian restaurant I was hoping for more options. My husband and I split the beet salad, which we almost always get if it's on the menu. Love beets. Beets! Beets! Beets! I like the sprinkling of pistachios, which give a little crunch to a soft dish. Would have liked a little more yogurt, but overall it was delicious! For my entree, I had the Black Trumpet Tortellini. It was lovely. Lots of yummy mushrooms and favas in a light sauce. The tortellini was stuffed with an onion gremolata. Very tasty! I was hoping for a little cheese in the stuffing of my tortellini, but a fantastic dish without! My husband had the Pappardelle, which was a thick noodle in a light sauce with rabbit and carrots. That too was very good. While my review may have given personal suggestions, I find this place fantastic. I'm almost always going to have a suggestion or two! I definitely will be going again. read more

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5 stars for everything. I loved my coffee ... i asked for cream and their cream was frothed and made it extra tasty. Drinks were also delicious. I ordered the shrimp grits and that was so flavorful and texture was so buttery and creamy perfect. Also we wanted a nice ambiance for our gathering to celebrate a friend's wedding and we got just that. Staff is so friendly and professional. read more

The food was amazing start to finish! My friend and I shared the smoked beet salad. Delightful in every way! We were both being kind offering each other the very last beet. She let me win. Such a true friend!! Dinner we both ordered the Ricotta Cavatelli. The pasta dish with pesto, fava beans, cherry tomato. Luckily for me they have gluten free pasta and it is good. Not just a substitute but really very good. I have confirmation from my friend who ate her glutenous pasta and then tried mine. Love the atmosphere and simplicity of the decor. It was a lovely night out and the staff were amazing. I will definately be returning for another visit. read more

Portions are small and not filling. The entrees quality and size does not match how expensive it is.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: did you know Viale does a great brunch?!? We love this place for dinner. I think their pasta is some of the best in town (see my previous review for details). And now! Brunch!! I love that there isn't a line. By the time we are talking brunch, I'm starving and hangry and do not want to wait an hour for food. Nor do I want to go to places that have essentially become reservation only brunch spots (ahem, Luna). Viale is also a big space, so it can accommodate you and your whole #squad. There's a great selection of brunch cocktails, including classics like Bloody Mary. Their brunch menu includes staples and some creative interpretations. If you're feeling guilty about last night's indulgences, try the goat cheese and mushroom omelette with a side of greens. If all you need is to nurse that hangover, I'll recommend their majestic brunch burger, served on an English muffin with a fried egg and a side of the BEST French fries. I even took a picture. I never do that. I also had a cool flatbread there last weekend, sort of a twist on bagels and lox-- flatbread with cream cheese, lox, and cucumber. The prices aren't cheap, but in line with other restaurant brunches: $12-15 per entree. Go to viale! For dinner and for brunch! Great food, reasonable prices, no line. read more

Viale - The brunch burger. I cannot look at this photo without my mouth watering. - Italian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Viale was a lovely restaurant with a great staff and dishes that ranged from meh to very good. Viale is also the kind of small plate restaurant that you can find yourself ending up with a bill for $300 for four people without realizing what was happening. I have no beef with the small plate movement, in fact, at Viale the small plates are probably more medium. Large plates are ample dinners and the cocktail menu runs in the $11-$14 range. So I guess once people start ordering a few interesting small plates, some cocktails, a few salads and some mains, things can really add up. For that much money, would I have preferred to go somewhere else? Probably, yes. P.S. Parking is CRAZY difficult in this area, especially on a weekend night! read more

A wonderful reimagination of the prior restaurant that lived here for many years. Decidedly and unabashedly Italian, Viale does the basics very well. The oysters are fresh and shucked flawlessly. The drinks are cold and thick. Gnocchi in wild boar bolognese is rich, hearty and earthy. A veal oasis bucco arrives as a mammoth piece of meat. Seared nicely on the exterior, the meat is tender. The bone is seated upright on a red cabbage slaw with creamy polenta. The service is polite and efficient. Worth visiting regularly. read more

Viale - Italian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

4.5 stars - I loved it! Service was attentive, restaurant was spacious, and loved the food. It seemed slightly more Italian than Mediterranean (this is not a bad or good thing, just a feeling). For the pastas I recommend getting the half portions and trying more types - then you get to sample more things! Note that this place is not cheap. This is what we tried. Pork ragu - pork was tender, perfectly cooked, falling off the bone nicely, and very meaty, so it was good sharing it for three people. Very delicious. Lamb pasta - It wasn't called "pasta"I can't quite remember what the type of pasta was, but imagine flat large pasta pieces with many bits of delicious lamb and a slight creamy touch. Saffron fettuccine - fragrant, light and with plenty of seafood (squid, crabmeat), tomatoes, a garlic-ky more aglio olio type of taste (ie not a creamy base). Also tasted abit of the duck cappelletti, which was excellent. Well cooked duck stuffed in riavoli (my interpretation of what the dish was). Definitely looking forward to try more dishes.Hope the standard holds even as the restaurant gets more popular. read more

Viale - Pork ragu. Fantastic. - Italian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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On a lightly snowy evening, go ahead and take your significant other to Viale with or without a reservation. Viale won me over when they had seating availability at 6:45 PM in their bar area (high tops) on Valentine's Day of all nights (yeah, the storm may have had something to do with it. *shrug*) There was a special menu for the evening, but the regular menu was also available. Viale offers a nice mix of Italian/Mediterranean fare, small shareable plates, sides, homemade pastas, and larger dishes, including seafoods and hearty meats. Although the menu fits on a single page, the variety felt like enough to provide choice for its patrons. I ordered a little from the special menu and a little from the regular. Here's the 411. Special menu: Homemade tagilatelle, fresh shaved truffle, black trumpet mushrooms ($14). Jonah crab salad, meyer lemon, olives ($15). The tagliatelle was nicely prepared with a just-chewy bite to it. In this small plate, there was maybe a cup of pasta; enough to share several hearty bites with your partner, but with a richness that had us eating slowly so as to enjoy every bite. The jonah crab was SO yummy. Jonah crab is sweet and light and was complemented perfectly with the sweet lemon and salty olives. Melts in your mouth. Mmm!! Regular menu: Steelhead trout, mushroom risotto, grilled rapini ($24, i think..). Steelhead trout has the color and consistency of salmon: oily, pink, best when underdone. The skin is left on and impossibly crisp (so good). And although the risotto is a creamy companion, balsamic vinegars cut through the fat and make an excellent counterpart. Can't wait to go back and try the other fish dishes and pastas. Without a reservation. read more

Viale - Cute way to close the bill! - Italian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Should we try the replacement for Rendezvous? Sure, why not? Better yet, let's make it an impromptu birthday celebration! With ample metered parking, friendly and knowledgeable servers, and delectable dishes, the overall experience was made that much better. My friends and I visited on a brisk evening for our monthly ladies' night gathering after a very long day at work. Upon entering, we were greeted by no less than two hosts and several waiters; one of the hosts kindly guided us to our table by the window and left us under the care of the servers. We had brought in a cake as well; restaurant policy is that cakes can be brought in from other vendors, with a cutting fee charge of $2 per person. We started with small plates and appetizers: the Cheese Board, Antipasti Plate, Winter Salad, and Bone Marrow were all quite delectable. The blue cheese was a favorite, with the maple almonds and orange-brandied cranberries bringing out the tartness of the cheese. Tender beef tongue and the mustardy horseradish with prosciutto and parmesan-like cheese disappeared quickly, with the white bean puree topping off each meat. The escargot accompanying the bone marrow was a nice touch; one disappointment was the seasoning of the marrow - it was nearly flavorless, save for the black garlic and Thai basil juices underneath the bone. The winter salad was light and left us less guilt than if no vegetables had been eaten. Shared entrees included Steelhead Trout, Saffron Fettucini, and Duck Breast. The coloring and tenderness of the trout led us to believe it was salmon; the mushroom risotto and rapini it was served upon provided a texture and flavor contrast that made the entire dish delightful. We didn't expect such spice from the fettucini, but it was welcome with the wind chill we'd just endured. Chunks of lobster and squid cooked to perfection tossed with chili peppers to bring up the heat were devoured quickly. And the duck breast disappeared amongst the omnivores - the apple-currant mostarda atop medium-rare slices of duck was just enough to leave us happy and full. -1 star for a limited wine list. One would think that it would have a wider range of options than what we were offered, and more selections by the glass vs. the bottle. That's not to say the drinks weren't fantastic, however - half our bill was cocktails! We tried multiple glasses of The Eldridge (what smooth gin!), the Owl Farm (who knew tequila and beet juice would produce such complex flavors for a margarita?), The Ludlow (mmm, scotch), Off to the Races (a white rum lime rickey), and Easy Sunday Morning (love the blood orange flavor). Service was 5 stars; our server was keen on keeping our water and cocktail glasses full, and cleverly took our surreptitious cues to surprise the birthday girl with our cake. The other servers who brought dishes to us as they were ready were knowledgeable as well, as demonstrated with their explanations on the origin of the cheese and antipasti. You bet I'll be back! read more

Viale - Receipt Box - Italian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Amazing place and service - John, we love you lots. Thanks for a great celebration evening!

Came here for dinner with friends and it was great! I ordered the pappardelle for my main entree, the octopus as an appetizer, and the affrogato for dessert. The papardelle had great texture, was nice and chewy, and had lots of pine nuts and herbs. The octopus was also great - tender and slightly bitter from being charred. I really enjoyed the affrogato most, however, the espresso was great and there was a nice floral aftertaste. Would definitely come again with friends! read more

Viale - Octopus - Italian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Such a great place! Went here with a large group and they were super accommodating (even when we asked to make last minute changes). Good food, great vibes. read more

Fish was chewy, squash undercooked Beets were good Dessert was good Could be convinced to return to try pasta and pizza but meh read more

Nice location but seafood saffron entree was too heavy on the lemon juice and too light on the spices. Received one bland non-fresh breadstick to dip in mediocre unseasoned olive oil. Overall, just ok. Cannot recommend. read more

My friend brought a brunch for two GiltCity deal for Viale, an Italian restaurant in Central Square. I couldn't say no to the invitation because we all know how much I love Sunday brunch. Parking in the Central Square can be difficult. There is limited street parking and lots of businesses in the area. Generally I do find a spot but sometimes it comes with a little bit of a walk. It was a rainy Sunday so it wasn't fun walking 7 minutes from my parked car to the entrance. My friend parked at a near by lot and that too was a ~5 minute walk (FYI she described the lot as sketchy). I arrived to the restaurant a couple minutes late for our 1pm reservation and awkwardly just stood at the hostess table for 10 minutes waiting for the hostess. Other than that our service was stellar. When the hostess did arrive we were seated immediately and our server was attentive and helpful. I ordered the Squash Benedict. Eggs bennie is one of my go-to brunch dishes, so as a 'pseudo-veggietarian' I was excited for a vegetarian option. They do offer a pancetta version for all you meat eaters. Even though I missed the traditional eggs bennie, the squash was nice. The eggs and the hollandaise sauce are the star of the dish. My friend got the pork hash, a recommendation from our waitress, that she enjoyed. She described the pork as "sweet." Three stars because it was solid, but not super memorable. The location is far from me so I don't expect to be back. read more

Viale - Italian Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Great service, quick for a Saturday night too! Arancini and espresso martini were amazing!

Great food, friendly service! It was good for a group for a birthday. Good plates to share and devour yourself

Our favorite restaurant in Boston! Absolutely delicious food and cocktails - try the wild boar bolognese, but the best part is the service. The owners are hands down the best - they even make food for the homeless in their spare time. Just know if you eat here, you won't just be getting a delicious meal, you will be supporting an amazing business truly worthy of your patronage. read more