Bacco Ristorante & Bar

Bacco is my favorite spot in the North End and I have been to most over the years. The food is absolutely to die for. Pair that with an incredable atmosphere and it's really hard to beat. I have tried most things on the menu and have yet to dislike anything. They have a great wine list but I usually stay with the red. It's warm, cozy, and makes you feel like your part of the North End charm!!!

Pros: Friendly, Warm, Great Atmosphere

Posted 10/28/09

I just went back to Bacco for my 5th time this past Saturday night and have to say this is my favorite restaurant in Boston. Great spot in the North End and the restaurant is romantic, beautiful, warm and cozy. Great wine selection and service is good and polite, not the best in the world, but the real key is the food. Absolutley amazing and they are good portions with good prices. I keep reading people say it's expensive, well clearly they don't get out much because I could name 100 places in Boston that are far more expensive and not as good. Bacco has great specials each time I go, but the Butternut Squash or the Lobster Ravioli is increadable. I keep ordering one of the two each time I go. I can't bring myself to try more of the menu. I would highly recommend Bacco!

Pros: Food, Ambience, Wine, Location, Price, Everything!

Cons: None that I can think of.

Posted 01/25/09

We visited as tourists in Boston, but not as "fine dining virgins." It was a beautiful Monday evening and we wanted a really good restaurant with a full bar (surprisingly difficult to find in Boston - ask your concierge.) Bacco provided relaxed elegance. The windows (not really windows actually - no glass to be found) were open to the street and it was a wonderful city atmosphere. We were taken to the second floor and seated near an opening over the street, which was busy with foot traffic. I loved the setting and the atmosphere.

Our server was both pleasant and knowledgeable. We enjoyed a leisurely cocktail without any pressure. I ordered the evening's seafood puttanesca special with shrimp and mussels. It was excellent. The pasta was perfect and the shrimp were crisp and sweet. My husband ordered chicken marsala with asparagus and polenta from the regular menu. His chicken was fresh, tender and delicious. He reported the asparagus (a favorite of his) was perfectly prepared.

We both enjoyed our dinner thoroughly. The chef is clearly talented, ingredients are fresh and the wait staff knows what they are doing. The atmosphere is lovely, both of the neighborhood and the restaurant itself. We took a cab from and back to Cambridge for our dinner in the North End and had a wonderful experience. This is a lovely restaurant.

Posted 09/18/08

Bacco is my favorite restaurant since I moved to the North end. The atomosphere is amazing and romantic.
The staff are attentive and friendly. My fav. is the risotto del giorno, loaded with fresh seafood with tomato creme. I take all my friends and families there when they come visit. Sometimes they sent me complimentary tira misu after my meal, how can you beat that!!!

Pros: window seats

Posted 09/11/08

Wonderful Italian restaurant in the North End. Fabulous desserts and a great atmosphere in the bar!

Pros: Great location

Cons: Little loud

Posted 09/09/08

The food at Bacco is overrated, expensive, and comes in tiny portions. While I thought the garlic oil and hummus that comes with the table bread was delicious, the bread itself was stale and the food took over an hour to arrive at the table. My boyfriend ordered the carpaccio appetizer and the Mezzolune entree with two glasses of wine. We waited over an hour to receive our entree and despite the high prices, there was no apology for the incredibly slow service. Although I appreciated that they split the entree for us (we were sharing) and the food was decent, there was nothing that wowed us except the high prices.

Pros: ambiance, romatic, street parking is not by permit

Cons: price, service, food

Posted 09/07/08

My husband and I were in your restaurant on Sunday
evening and I just had to write and let you know what a wonderful time
we had. We were in town because of an appointment at Brigham & Women's
the next morning. As we were a little anxious about the appointment,
we really wanted to find a place where we could have a lovely meal and
a relaxing time without having to dress up. We were concerned about our
attire (shorts and shirts) but we were warmly welcomed by your
hostess. We sat at the two top right at the entrance and proceeded to
have an incredible evening. Appetizers, wine, entrees - everything was
just delicious. Our server, Katie, was very sweet and attentive
without being overly so and not once did we feel rushed to give up our
seats. The atmosphere was so inviting (especially with the open
windows and the sunlight on the buildings) that is was hard to believe
we weren't in Italy.

We will highly recommend Bacco to anyone visiting Boston and we hope to be able
to return again soon.

Pros: great window seats

Posted 08/26/08

The night did not start off well. We had an 8:30 reservation and didn't get seated until 9:30. We weren't offered complimentary drinks or apologies until I complained about the wait at a little past 9. Any quality restaurant would have tried to keep the experience as pleasant as possible by offering us drinks or seats at the bar prior to us getting upset. It was restaurant week, so it was no doubt busy. But the reservation manager did not plan appropriately for the crowd and the hostess' response to the unhappy customers was a poor display of customer service.

The bruschetta appetizer was nothing more than a slice of bread, a slice of cheese, and some tomatoes. I thought the presentation was poor and the taste mediocre. The caprese was average, but nothing I couldn't prepare at home. For dinner I ordered veal florentine, and the veal was overcooked and gnocchi was dry.

The only part of the cooking that was worth complimenting was the tiramasu, which was light and tasty.

Pros: dessert

Cons: customer service, reservations

Posted 08/24/08

Bacco Ristorante is a unique restaurant in the North End. The atmosphere is fun and romantic. The bar serves great cocktails and the food is even better. I love the carbonara and the butternut squash ravioli. i have never been disapointed with their service or any other aspect of the restaurant, if your looking for a great north end experience, you should definetly try Bacco on Salem st.!

Posted 08/21/08

I had the opportunity to wine and dine at Bacco the other night and was very impressed! The open windows and beautiful flowers present a very inviting look as you walk up to the restaurant. I saw a busy bar as soon as I entered but was happy to see the bartender clear off two seats as my date and I walked in. TJ was happy to recommend a nice glass of red wine to my date and for me a delicious Mai Tai made from 8yr old rums! We intended to sit at a table for dinner, but found the bar to be very comfortable. For dinner I had the Gnocchi and was happy I did. The dish had a hearty bolognese sauce and fresh mozzerella tossed on top. My date loved the Butternut squash ravioli made with a butter cream sauce! I will definitely return to visit the Bacco bar scene soon!!

Pros: Great bar, great food, great service

Cons: can be crowded

Posted 08/20/08

Went to Bacco on my friends recommendation after work. Started off at the bar with some Martinis and $5 appertizers special( from only 5-7pm). The bartenders were super friendly, TJ made us a burnt orange martini and a ginger Mojito. which was out of theis world. We also had some calamari and antipasto. Both were delish. Love the ambiance and the service. Checked out the dining room and got lots of windows seats, can't wait to try out dinners there.

Pros: beautiful window seats

Cons: can be crowded

Posted 08/19/08

I had the opportunity to eat at this restaurant with my family and loved it. I will absolutely dine there again and will tell others to eat there as well.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Parking

Posted 08/19/08

As someone new to Boston, I was hoping my first experience in the North End would be a good one. Bacco did NOT provide that. We were told by the hostess that the wait would be 35 minutes. An hour and a half later, after asking twice and being told "Only a few more minutes" we were finally seated upstairs. The tables are crammed together, which really wouldn't have bothered me if people, especially the waiters and waitresses, wouldn't have kept hitting my chair and knocking my purse off evertime they walked by.

After the waiter gave us our drinks, it took him 20 minutes to come over and take our food order. Maybe I should have ordered a specialty platter, but I thought I'd stick to the traditional chicken parmigiana. Big portion, subpar taste. I'm not the best cook, but I have made a better chicken parm than that! And for the pasta....it tasted like it had been frozen, thawed, and reheated. The next day, when I was eating the leftovers, my rooomate tried it and asked if I had opened a can of spaghetti. No joke.

On the plus side, my friend seemed to like the squash ravioli, no matter how small the portion...

Pros: Pretty setting from the outside

Cons: food, service, value

Posted 07/27/08

Mediocre at best. Calamari was rubbery, tough, and cold. Tasted as though it had been microwaved. Entrees were bland and unmemorable. Anyone with modicum of good taste for food will not enjoy Bacco.

Pros: location, large windows open on to st. good for summer dining

Cons: the food

Posted 07/15/08

I had a chance to go in there two weekends ago. As I was walking up I noticed its by far the best looking restaurant on Salem St. I ate at the bar and had jumbo shrimp scampi. WOW. The sauce was amazing and it was filling. It wasn't too little of a plate and not too large, it was just right.

My girlfriend told me to try the apple martini and the chocolate martini. Im not much a martini drinker but those were the best Ive ever had. I also like the big open air windows to the restaurant. It was a nice day out and brought a nice breeze in the restaurant. The bartenders were exceptional and always attentive.

If you want good Italian food, especially in a quieter part of town this is the place. Ive eaten at plenty of Italian restaurants and this one is right up there.

Pros: Great food, drinks, staff

Cons: Kinda tight downstairs but hey its the north end.

Posted 06/08/08

North end has so many restaurants, took me a year to try out all the place. So far my fav is Bacco, great bar with nice open windows. Very romantic for a date. i requested a window table, overlooking quincy market.
The place is a bit crowded but the food is exceptional. the risotto di giorno is the best dish. Lumps of lobster meat , shrimp and scallops. feel like being in Roma... I highly recommanded.
I would suggest book a table ahead of time. I noticed with the reservation in the north end, they still make you wait. Thank god they had a Bar with my favorite drink, keylime martini.

Pros: a bit crowded

Cons: great ambiance

Posted 03/28/08

I went there for Restaurant week on friday night, the place was very busy... I got the veal florentine with pumpkin gnocchi, the dish out of this world. I was impressed with the good food and the service consider they were packed. My family had the butternut squash and seafood scampi. Will definetly go back and revisted my favorite place now in the North end.

Posted 03/28/08

The food was ok but the way I was treated by the hostess ruined the dinner. I decided to try Bacco during restaurant week and made a reservation for 7:00 p.m. for 2. We show up at 7 and give our names, at that point we are handed the buzzer which will notify us when our table is ready. I asked the hostess how long it would be and she told me she had no idea. I then asked what the point of the reservation was and she told me "it was to reserve a spot. They have 260 reservations tonight so they won't know when I will be seated" It ended up being about a 20 minute wait but due to the rudeness of the hostess I probably won't be returning.

Pros: Martinis

Cons: Service

Posted 03/16/08

On a very rainy and miserable night for traveling, my wife and I really needed for the restaurant we chose to come through in a big way. Bacco did just that. From the delicious martinis to a most creative entree, Bacco's delivered just what we needed: an excellent meal. Our entree was the special of the night and it was a dish that included a good portion of salmon, sensational jumbo shrimp and lobster meat ravioli
with asparagus. It was to die for. Pricing is a little high but it was worth it. We sat overlooking a coozy north end corner. We'll go back again in a heart beat. After all, it's the second time around that tells you a better story.

Posted 03/12/08

Since moving to Boston ~6 months ago from San francisco i've had the pleasure of eating at Bacco several times. Bacco is a perfect sized restaurant with a great bar area downstairs that is perfect for enjoying dinner or apps and drinks with a date or friends and there are 2 hi def TV's (had to comment - sports guy)
The upstairs area is very classy and great for if the parents are in town or a more formal setting.

The food is always consistent and excellent. Presentation is also well done. My personal favorites are the
scallops puttanesca and the other seafood dishes are also very tasty. If I got a run in before I also have a cannoli! Awesome!

Service overall is also excellent - professional, timely , and most importantly, friendly.

I highly recommend Bacco and will be back again soon!

Posted 11/04/07

I took my friend to Bacco for her birthday and we had the best time.We love the atmosphere, staff were very friendly and accomodating. My friend had the best tira misu for her birthday. We had a nice window table overlook the north end. It was a spectacular evening.

Posted 11/04/07

A friend of mine had reccomeneded me to dine at Bocco. I was very pleased! The atmosphere was very sweet. Our server was quick and percise. She was very nice as well and always had a smile on her face. I wish I could remmember her name. The food was delicious and I will keep going back. I reccomend Bocco to any Italian food lover!

Pros: pleasant dining experience

Cons: in busy area

Posted 11/02/07

We were disappointed that we had chosen Bacco for a night out with so many other wonderful options in the North End. We waited 20 minutes for cocktails and the order was wrong. My ceasar salad was soggy and limp and had probably been tossed about 5 hours previous. The food was of a quality you would expect from a take-out lunch joint. We do not recommend this establishment.

Pros: location

Cons: food, service and everything else

Posted 10/26/07

My husband and I made a reservation for two last Friday. Upon arriving we were greeted with a smile and led to our table in the upstairs dining room, which was a more intimate romantic setting than the hip bar downstairs. The service was great and the food was better. I had the stoney island clam dish with spicy italian sausage served over a bed of linguini. It was FABULOUS. My husband had the chicken piccatta and he seemed very pleased with his meal as well. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at Bacco and recommend it to anyone else searching for a romantic dining environment.

Pros: make a reservation for a calmer evening!

Posted 06/27/07

Bacco Ristorante in the North End is a fabulous establishment. My mother and I have been there a few times and love the food, not to mention the ambiance and the service. Not only is the place beautifully decorated with a granite bar and large windows extending toward the ceiling, but the waitstaff and management are amazing. They really make you feel welcome and aim to please each customer. My mother had the lobster ravioli in a cherry tomato cream sauce, which I tasted and found to be quite a delicious plate and a perfect portion size. I had the vitello (veal) florentine with spinach and a pan-seared gnocchi, which was to die for. Even though I am not yet old enough to partake in the bar seen or drink alcoholic beverages, the downstairs bar seems to be a hotspot for cocktails after work and later on at night serving exotic drinks like mango martinis. I highly recommend this place to anyone whether dining with your parents or a beau because the food is great and the service is even better.

Posted 06/21/07

My boyfriend and I visited Bacco Ristorante last week for an intimate dinner for two in the upstairs dining room overlooking the North End. Our evening was great starting off with an espresso martini for me at the downstairs bar followed by some shrimp bruschetta appetizers before we were led upstairs. My boyfriend had the chicken saltimboca, which he said was delicious and I had the revered butternut squash ravioli, which was an unusual plate, but phenomenal. The service and management was great and greeted every customer with a smile. I would go back to Bacco any time because great food and great people makes for a great time.

Posted 06/21/07

Very Dissapointed, if you are visiting Boston, and have such a variety in the North End pass this place. The open window seating will lure you in, however aside from the great people watching, you will waste your perfect evening plans of a great Italian. The food is right of a box, and the tables lack S/P and oil. the bread was plain, and they offer a smashed refried bean paste as a spread. This also had no taste. The special is greatly over priced, and the you are charged the same for a side salad, as a regular salad. The salad is completely bare, only greens. The service was average and did not leave an impression, despite sitting the candle directly under the waitress, she never struck a match. Pass this place and head back to thge main drag for a good meal. This location will dissapoint you. Bar is too loud to sit downstairs, and they will not sit a couple upstairs (you must be a party of four). Boston has some great places to eat..this is not one of them, and they dont seem to care.

Pros: This would be a great bar!!

Cons: Overpriced entrees, poor imitation Italian

Posted 06/18/07

Very loud downstairs near the bar! Requested a window seat upstair and they refused as they only seat parties of 4 upstairs. Never saw anyone go upstairs the entire time I was there. Meal is started off with bland bread and tasteless bean paste. Do not put salt and pepper on the table. The candle on the table was never lit. Dirty knife put on the table. Ordered a side salad which costs as much as any other salad on the table and was lacking in flavor. The special was over priced and the food was not great. There is a large selection of Italian restaurants in the North End of Boston, and I'd suggest finding a different one to eat at.

Cons: Loud, pricey, food not great, no salt/pepper on table, not accomodating with seating request.

Posted 06/18/07

I've been there twice. The first time the hostess staff was very accommodating since we were late for our reservation on a busy weekend evening. I thought the food was just average. After going back a second time during the week when it was less crowded in the evening I thought the quality and the freshness of the food was much better.

Posted 06/13/07

The food was okay but I thought they did not use fresh ingredients in there food and the service was good.

Pros: wine

Cons: food

Posted 03/18/07

It has a great atmosphere, the wait was a little much, but understandable and the food was good.
Almost perfect, just need a better sense of time.

Posted 12/06/06

The food here is unbelieveable. My wife and I loved the ambience as well as the service...it was just overall an amazing experience.

Posted 11/03/06

Visiting Boston on a weekend and decided to try Bacco's for a martini. They have an attractive, long bar. The restaurant is very romantic and comfortable. The bartenders were attentive and charming. Steve made the best Cosmopolitan I've had in a long time. We decided to stay at the bar and have dinner. Everything was a treat, beginning with the bread. I had a bowl of minestrone soup. The broth was rich and tasty and the vegetables were fresh and al dente. Next was a spinach salad substituting with romaine lettuce (spinach scare) The citrus dressing was refreshing and light, and the amount of dressing was just as I requested. My boyfriend had the calamari and said it was crispy and light, not greasy. We shared the chicken marsala, and the sauce was like a fine wine reduction, not a heavy gravy that you get in some restaurants. We asked for extra vegetables and they were also cooked to perfection, al dente. We shared a delicious tiramasu and finished with cups of fresh and HOT coffee. We enjoyed this restaurant so much that I introduced myself to Vina, the manager, who was friendly, professional and eager to please. We were so taken with this restaurant that we went back the next night. Our waiter was attentive without making us feel rushed. Had almost the exact same dinner, except we tried the steak pizzaiola. The steak was very tender and cooked to order. Loved their sauce, and the pasta had to be homemade. We topped off dinner that night with the chocolate lava cake which was a melt-in-your-mouth desert. Made it a point to meet the owner on this night. I was impressed with the fact that the owner and manager were busy pitching in and cleaning tables and helping the wait staff. That signified great team work and a feeling that their customers are a top priority. We felt the prices were right on the money. This is a memorable restaurant that will be on my list of favorites and I will be dining there on my next trip to Boston.

Pros: Ambience, Martinis

Posted 10/25/06

I visit North End often and Bacco is my favorite restaurant.
From service to decor, I take all my dates there. sit by a table by the window, feel like being in Florence.
Butternut squash with sage cream sauce is out of this world.
chocolate martinis, dolce vita.

Pros: ambience

Posted 10/25/06

My boyfriend and I had our first date at Bacco.
Food is really good, I love the calamari, veal florentine and mango martini.
The bar is cozy and romantic. The bartenders are amazing. Servers are friendly.
I highly recommended it.

Posted 08/20/06

I recently met a brother and sister there on a Wed. evening. We enjoyed a couple of seafood dishes and the veal. Surprisingly, we were also offered a sampling of a new Zinfandel and plate of calamari. Our dining experience was greatly enhanced by Vina, who appeared to be both manager and hostess during this quiet evening....

Posted 11/11/05

My wife and I starting going to Bacco several months ago and we keep going back for "more" The ambiance is incredible with a magnificant mahogany bar which ovelooks the North End. During the warm weather the side doors are open to the ceiling and one feels like they are in a Roman restaurant. The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. The food is simply fantastic. We have tried most of the items on the menu and we can't wait to get back again.

Pros: romantic ambiance, fantastic food, great service

Cons: none

Posted 11/04/05

My wife and I ate here a while back - tried to anyway. We sat for 15 minutes with the staff buzzing by and not one stopped to even take a drink order. Out of shear irritation and amusement we sat another 5 to see if anyone might notice our obvious lack of refreshments. We left promptly thereafter, thirsty and very hungry and certainly never to return.

Posted 10/07/05

good location, ambiance is nice but food is just overrated and has nothing in common with italian cusine. don't recommenede this place. never go back

Posted 05/04/05

It's always hit or miss with Italian restaurants in the city. A friend was in town and we made a dinner reservation for 9:00pm on a Saturday. We didn't end up getting sat until almost 10pm; disappointing. However, the decor, ambiance and floor to ceiling windows were awesome. The calamari with peppers was very good. They had a good mix of traditional Italian dishes and unique dishes as well. The Butternut Squash Ravioli special was to die for. From then on I've been obsessed with this dish and have even tried to make it myself..not as good. The server was nice and the prices were decent. I would go back again....make sure you make reservations and ask for a table away from the front door!

Pros: Good Food

Cons: Long wait w/ Reserv.

Posted 04/02/05

BACCO is one of my favorite boston haunts. I went there in a large group when I graduated from college, and also for my boyfriend's birthday. Both times the staff was so friendly and accomadating. I'm a vegetarian and they handled my questions and requests with flair.

In the spring and summer, the huge open windows overlook a small north end street. It makes you feel like you're in Italy!

Posted 03/29/05

My husband and I celebrated our engagement at Bacco last year - and again this year! The food is delicious, the ambiance romantic and cozy, and the staff is always very friendly and accommodating. I recomment Bacco!

Pros: Great atmosphere, tasty food, nice bar

Posted 12/21/04

I had a wonderful time here. Wonderful ambiance, a bit loud in the dining room though. My lobster ravioli was too salty - calamari was good but a bit bland. I had higher hopes but still enjoyed the experience overall -

Pros: Ambiance, Romance, menu

Posted 09/07/04

With all the great dining in theNorth End, don't be fooled by this form-over-substance pusher. You will be rushed in and out to a menu of bland and ill-cooked food, waitresses who don't tell you that "specials" cost alomst twice as much, a wine list charging six times more than market and a general sense that after youve paid, you o longer are wanted in the retsaurant. This city, and this neighborhood, has so much better to offer.

Pros: nice room

Cons: , price-pushing, food

Posted 08/23/04

Recently my sister came to visit me in Boston for an extended weekend. For her last night in the city, we decided to cap the visit with dinner in the North End. After looking over storefront menus for about an hour, we settled on Bacco Ristorante for its cuisine and ambience (we wanted interesting high quality ingredients, vegetarian options, and a quiet atmosphere). We weren't disappointed!

We were promptly sat at a quiet table for two by the window, which was open to the street. We ordered the wild mushroom ravioli, the lobster ravioliand a bottle of merlot -- all were absolutely incredible!

The only drawbacks to the dinner were based on service. Although the service was not poor, it was unfriendly at times.

The food and ambience, however, made up where service was lacking. We had a wonderful evening, and I can't wait to return for a romantic date.

Pros: food quality, menu options, romantic ambience

Posted 06/02/04

Friendly staff, fantastic service, and excellent food all come to mind when I think of this North End beauty. The food was outstanding and the hostess never let us touch our own bottle of wine. She almost seemed to enjoy her job as she poured the vino. Now, that's amore...

Pros: Service, Food, Ambiance

Posted 05/13/04

I was impressed by the staff at Bacco and how they handled the wait with such efficiency on a Saturday noght. It's definitely worth the wait for the delicious food there! Will come back!

Pros: Food, Staff, Cocktails

Cons: Parking

Posted 10/07/03