Vinny T's of Boston
Categories:
Restaurants, Italian Restaurants
Details:
$$, Business Dining, Dine At The Bar, Family Style Dining, Family-Friendly Dining, Group Dining, Outdoor Dining, People Watching, Private Rooms
Message from Vinny T's of Boston
Vinny T's of Boston celebrates great homemade Italian food with family and friends. But food is only part of the whole Vinny T's experience. Vinny T's of Boston is inspired by the neighborhood Italian restaurants found in Boston's North End, Manhattan's Little Italy and South Philly circa 1945. From the music to the black and white checkered tablecloths, guests cannot help but appreciate the restaurant's old-style ambience. Welcoming guests with open arms and attentive service, Vinny T's serves the comforting Italian specialties and favorites many have come to love. Enjoy robust food, including traditional items like homemade lasagna, veal marsala, and mussels fra diavolo, as well as signature items such as chicken carciofi, linguini frutti di mare, and penne alla vodka. Antipasti possibilities include golden fried calamari, homemade baked clams oreganata and bruschetta caprese.
Editorial by Citysearch
The SceneSo long as there are families in search of kid-approved Italian fare served family style, Vinny T's will remain profitable. Few patrons look up from their troughs of pasta to notice the faux Italian decor (checkered tablecloths, pictures of Italian-Americans icons like Frank Sinatra). Solo diners, a rare sight because of portion sizes, flock to the hospitable bar area where there's always a game on the TV. Pleasant servers try to maintain straight faces when delivering laughably large pasta platters.
The Food
As one might expect, the restaurant sacrifices quality in favor of quantity--expect too much pasta, not enough meat. Most items are available in two misleadingly titled sizes: "per uno" (enough for two people) and "per due" (enough for four). While decent steaks and chops are offered, most everyone wisely sticks with pasta dishes like lemony chicken piccata and rich lasagna. Desserts--try the creamy, reasonably authentic spumoni--are equally humongous.
Key Points
- Outdoor Patio Dining
- Takeout and Catering
- Free Valet Parking
The Inside Scoop
- Know Before You Go - Hit the restaurant's homepage to learn about wallet-friendly promotions and specials.
- Where to Sit - No matter when you visit, expect the dining room to be packed and noisy. Dine at the bar if you're looking to enjoy a quiet conversation.
- Save Money - At the end of a meal, diners get to play "Italian bingo." You might win a gift certificate worth $50 or $10.
Insider Pages Reviews for Vinny T's of Boston
I enjoyed my visit very much. One of the first restaurants I came to after moving to the city. The GM, Jose, stopped by and was very courteous.
I will come back here, but not often since every visit gives me enough food for 3 meals. I'll try and bring some family when they're in town.
Posted 05/02/08 | Report Abuse
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Even though its a chain, the food is quite good. Much better than Macaroni Grill or Olive Garden. Everything I've had has been tasty - Calamari Diavlo, Penne and Meat Sauce, Cavatelli and eggplant. It's not quite North End, but the next best thing. I've been to the downtown, Lexington and Brookline locales and they've all had the same high quality.
Posted 04/17/08 | Report Abuse
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this place has HUGE portions. you will want to take home everything and have it again the next night; the service is pretty good, no complaints. the food quality is decent. family dining style
Posted 01/29/08 | Report Abuse
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HUGE portions...they will tell you this upon arriving, but I thought I'd mention it again. The fetuccini alfredo is brilliant, and the half portion lasts me at least 2 days after I take it home. The wine is excellent, and the garlic and oil with bread at the beginning of the meal is the best part. The only unfortunate thing is how noisy it can get! You think it would be a great place to take your guy or gal on a quiet, romantic date, but I have been when you literally have to yell across the table to chat. Other than that, nice atmosphere, wonderful food, and not horrible prices for the portion and quality.
PROS: Good atmosphere, wonderful food
CONS: Can be noisy
Posted 08/16/05 | Report Abuse
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Latest reviews from Citysearch.
Will never go there again.
by mmllkk
7 of us went there for the marathon yesterday. I've never seen such a group of rude people before. 1st, they want to charge us $50 per person to sit on the patio. It's empty, no one is there. Then we are inside at the bar, and the front runners go by, so we walk out onto that patio to cheer them on. I hear Jose the manager, and another employee flipping out that they should charge us $35 dollars to walk out there and that the patio will go over capacity. Again the place is still empty. 1/2 the poeple out on patio are workers. So, we left and went on to another place up the street. Spent about $1K total there for the rest of the day. They charged zero to get out on the patio. I will never go to Vinny T's again.
Pros: Rude staff, Rude staff, Rude staff
Cons: There are none
Posted 04/21/08
they're too proud of their homemade pasta to provide whole wheat substitute
by freewilly7
love their rhode island calamari -- they do it w/a bit of sauce (it's slightly moist instead of fried dry) w/pickled chili peppers.
other than that, dishes are ordinary. had a little bit of a problem that they are too proud of their handmade pasta to offer whole wheat substitute. would still patronize when the stars align, but definitely not a crazed fan.
p.s. i heard they used to have lucky drawings and my colleague once won a free dinner. don't know if they still have that going on.
:)
Pros: family/kid-friendly
Cons: no whole wheat substitute for pasta
Posted 04/11/08
Don't bother ordering takeout
by pnkseashel
I called to order takeout and the man who answered told me they didn't offer takeout. When I asked why it said online that they offered takeout he took my order. When I showed up to pick up my food 35 minutes later, he hadn't even put my order in. When he turned around to put it in, I asked if he had ordered my food and he said yes, when I asked again, he said no and laughed in my face.
Don't bother ordering takeout, because it obviously isn't a priority for them.
Posted 11/02/07
Consistently good
by cbolek
This place always leaves you satisfied. The RI style Calamari is fantastic as is the Fried Mozarella. The Warm Tomato/Spinach/Goat Cheese Salad always hits the spot on a cold evening. The Chicken Marsala is the best I have ever had especially the day after as a leftover. Finish it off with a Chocolate Bomba, a piece of Chocolate Cake in a vanilla creme anglaise and they will have to take you out of there in a wheel borrow, but as one happy camper. The portions are generous to say the least. There are few better places to go out to eat with a large group in Boston, bar none.
Posted 04/17/07
Picky Italian eater
by bigc1962
I was impressed the first time I went, that I went the next night with a cleints that they could not believehow everything was, how friendly the staff were and the portion and priced. Awesone experience
Pros: Inexpensive, parking nearby, crowded
Posted 07/09/05
overall good experience
by jameshoskins1
As tourists to Boston in June, 2005, we tried as many restaurants as we could during our four day stay to the the Back Bay area for a medical conference. We also had our 4 year old twins in tow, so we were able to test the "family friendliness" of each place we dined. They were extremely friendly and accomodating at Vinny T's. The food was very good, but not the best we had on our trip.
Pros: location, street scene
Cons: not gourmet food
Posted 06/25/05
Great group menus
by cl_foodie
We went here to celebrate a birthday party and they have a wonderful group dining menu that gives you 2 appetizers, 3 entrees, and 2 desserts. Desserts are so good and there are so many to choose from. For appetizers, definitely get the fried calamari and the fried mozzarela.
Posted 03/17/05
Are You Hungry?
by tadawes
Vinny T's is definitely the place for Italian - especially if you are very hungry. The portions are huge (unnecessarily huge?) Nonetheless, the food was good, and you certainly leave ht eplace filled and satisfied. A good deal financially! Make a reservation (or if you are visiting, have your hotel concierge make one for you - it eliminates wait time).
Pros: cost, portions
Posted 01/14/05
Great food for a great deal!
by bostonj
Well I heard the portions were huge here and that was no joke. You could feed a family of four with some of the dishes. We had a great waiter who helped us with our selection and we departed the restaurant full and satisfied with food to spare. The food was delicious and the endless supply of bread and olive oil was excellent. I'll definately rate this place as a 10.
Pros: big portions, well-priced, excellent food
Posted 10/20/04
Bigger then your eyes.
by kinglink
This place has the biggest portions most people have seen. Most dishes won't be finished even by huge eaters. Try the Hot Anti Pasto, very filling for a group of 5 at only 18 bucks or so. It has tons of italian delicacies such as calamari, muscels, andolini sausage, and more. Definatly worth the money.
The Pasta is great. Quantity though reigns, though quality isn't worthless.
The size of the meats vary but almost everything is worth the price.
The desserts are great. Tiramisu is a personal favorite, they arn't huge but they are a good size.
Noise level can be a problem but not always.
Pros: Enormous Portions, Good desserts, Comfortable
Cons: , Quality isn't great
Posted 07/26/04
bang for the buck
by squire
Vinny T's is just O.K. Italian food, and lots of it. If quantity over quality is what you want then go to any VinnyT's and you will be happy. If you want real quality Italian in Boston go to the North End and pick a place! There are so many great places in the North end it's hard to single one out. They are all great. Once you're in the North end you can't really go wrong!
Pros: Cheap, Good for Kids
Cons: , the same old stuff!
Posted 04/06/04
Good times
by mej0411
While working in Boston I came upon this place by accident. But I was glad that this is where I wound up. The night I was there I had the Mussels Fla Diablo. I was a little conufused by the portion sizes on the menu. The plate they served was enormous. I enjoyed every bite of this spicy seafood treat. I would and have recomended this place to eanyone and everyone that I know that is heading to Beantown.
Cons: Parking
Posted 08/10/03
Best Ever
by graygeoff
I have to say this is my favorite restaurant of all time. I've made the 2 1/2 hour trip to get there several times...only to go there and head home again. Been in there on Saturday nights, with a waiter....Sunday nights, at the bar...and even weeknights. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!!! Very excited to see another location coming in Portland, Maine.
Pros: portions, service, atmosphere
Cons: too far away from me, :(
Posted 07/31/03
Worst service ever!!!
by pinkevil
We were told the wait would be 45 minutes. It was 1.5 hours. A couple that arrived half an hour after us was seated before us, and probably others also. After we were seated, there were empty tables around us and no one got seated there for a long time. The waitress was friendly at the beginning. We ordered spaghetti and lasagne. The lasagne was good, but the spaghetti were the worst I've ever had. I didn't eat the spaghetti, and told the waitress I didn't like it. That's when she started to have an attitude problem. She kept asking so many times why not, and just never was satisfied with my answers. Needless to say, she charged for the spaghetti anyway and only put it off the check after we complained about it. Because of this and the unjustified 1.5 hours wait, I'd never go back there!
Pros: big portions, inexpensive
Cons: service, not enough space, unorganized
Posted 11/15/02