(617) 227-3434

37 Bowdoin St
Boston, MA 02114 42.3606 -71.063

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: Back Bay, Beacon Hill

GROTTORESTAURANT.COM

Hours:

Monday To Friday From 11:30 AM To 03:00 PM Saturday To Sunday From 05:00 PM To 10:00 PM

Price:

$$$

Last updated 8.16.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Travelers Check

Restaurant Special Features:

Romantic Dining, Quiet, Hidden Find

Cuisine:

Traditional American, Italian

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Grotto

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – This subterranean dining room, within shouting distance of the State House, provides one of Beacon Hill's most intimate dining options. Filibustering politicos make up much of the lunch crowd, while casually dressed couples feed an early-evening rush. Exposed brick walls display a selection of local art, all of it for sale. Gregarious, jeans-clad waitresses ferry food and drink from the rear kitchen, including selections from a user-friendly wine list. – – The Food – Grotto's straightforward menu includes inventive spins on familiar Italian favorites.…

Editor's Tips

Save Time:
Like most restaurants in the area, Grotto does its best business on weekdays: Reservations are strongly recommended.
Save Money:
When imbibing, stick to the wine and beer list; house cocktails are nothing special, and aren't large enough to warrant their hefty price tags.
Parking:
While there are plenty of metered spaces in front of the restaurant, be sure to read all area signs carefully; many of those spaces become resident-only parking after 6pm.
Where to Sit:
Avoid sitting near the back corner, which is the only way in and out of the kitchen (thus ensuring a constant flurry of activity in front of your table).
ambiance
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. “Excellent food, excellent service, and very romantic location makes for one of the best places in the city.”
  2. “The atmosphere at this basement location is still romantic and chic.”
  3. “If you want great food at a reasonable price, and can live without a full service bar and cutting edge decor then this is your place.”
  4. “Amazing food, inviting atmosphere”
  5. “They have an absolutely amazing prix-fixe menu, so we each decided upon our dinners and sat back to enjoy the ambiance.”
  6. “The atmosphere is great, too - it's garden-level space is made cosy and inviting with warm lighting and colors.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “The molten chocolate cake is a decadent dessert, and their coffee list (served in individual french presses) is ubsurdly excellent (I recommend the Kona).”
  2. “The bread pudding itself was a bit too dense for me (a little reminiscent of a hockey puck, but it had a good flavor) but the caramel ice cream was on par with the fondue.”
  3. “would definately recommend the bread pudding with hazenut ice cream, yum!”
  4. “The desserts were just ok but everything else was great.”
drinks
87.5% positive
  1. “The service was great, only confusing thing, a separate drink waitress.”
  2. “If you want great food at a reasonable price, and can live without a full service bar and cutting edge decor then this is your place.”
  3. “First, we ordered a nice bottle of wine right after we sat down.”
  4. “The molten chocolate cake is a decadent dessert, and their coffee list (served in individual french presses) is ubsurdly excellent (I recommend the Kona).”
food quality
84.5199966430664% positive
  1. “Everything we ordered was delicious!”
  2. “It's sad because the food is so good.”
  3. “would definately recommend the bread pudding with hazenut ice cream, yum!”
  4. “order the beef tenderloin.”
  5. “The food is truly delectable - our favorites have been the gnocci, the butternut squash ravioli, the truffle pasta, and the scallops in pumpkin risotto.”
  6. “And you don't have to wait until restaurant week to enjoy their three course meal because”
  7. “Amazing food, inviting atmosphere”
  8. “Grotto has some the best red sauce this side of Italy.”
  9. “The gnocchi and short ribs are also delicious along with the sweet potato ravioli appetizer.”
  10. “The second course was chicken parmesan with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and cheese manicotti.”
  11. “enjoyed the gnocchis though I probably would I have loved to pair them with the steak instead.”
  12. “The Italian food here is as good, (or better) than any place in the North End and you don't have to put up with the crowded and loud North End.”
  13. “Deliscious food, poor service”
  14. “If you want great food at a reasonable price, and can live without a full service bar and cutting edge decor then this is your place.”
  15. “Very gracious place, the food was expensive but fresh, and wonderful.”
  16. “The dishes were very tasty.”
  17. “The bread pudding itself was a bit too dense for me (a little reminiscent of a hockey puck, but it had a good flavor) but the caramel ice cream was on par with the fondue.”
  18. “The food is incredible, however was very disappointed with this service.”
  19. “Excellent food, reasonably priced”
  20. “The Montepulciano was divine and mellow, and went beautifully with the meal.”
  21. “At one room it can get loud, but the decore is excellent, and I would recommend this over many of the more popular North End locales, if just for the inventiveness of the dishes.”
  22. “Not only we were ignored by the wait staff, but the food was awful.”
  23. “Excellent food, excellent service, and very romantic location makes for one of the best places in the city.”
  24. “Bad food, bad service”
  25. “Don't go there if you want a nice waiter, delicious food or a reasonable bill.”
  26. “Our meals were delicious!”
  27. “The food was really great - the beef tenderloin with the risotto was absolutely wonderful (although I ordered it medium and it was definitely medium rare) and the banana bread pudding was divine.”
  28. “Each time it was cooked to perfection, and was the best dish at the table.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “They have an absolutely amazing prix-fixe menu, so we each decided upon our dinners and sat back to enjoy the ambiance.”
overall
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. “great place”
  2. “great first date place or a place to go to meet a friend after work.”
  3. “The Italian food here is as good, (or better) than any place in the North End and you don't have to put up with the crowded and loud North End.”
  4. “If you want great food at a reasonable price, and can live without a full service bar and cutting edge decor then this is your place.”
  5. “If you want the best spaghetti and meatballs in Boston this is the place (sounds boring I know).”
  6. “Definitely recommended as one of the best Italian influenced restaurant outside of the North End.”
service
53.5699987411499% positive
  1. “The service was good - unobtrusive yet we had everything we needed in a timely manner.”
  2. “The service was great, only confusing thing, a separate drink waitress.”
  3. “Bad food, bad service”
  4. “Deliscious food, poor service”
  5. “If you want great food at a reasonable price, and can live without a full service bar and cutting edge decor then this is your place.”
  6. “Don't go there if you want a nice waiter, delicious food or a reasonable bill.”
  7. “What tarnished a truly enjoyable experience was our waiter.”
  8. “Many restaurants are busy throughout the year so I don't qualify the fact that it was RW as a free pass for poor service.”
  9. “There's no reasoning for bad service.”
  10. “The food is incredible, however was very disappointed with this service.”
  11. “He was very gruff and unfriendly, but it appeared as though all the other servers were attentive.”
  12. “Excellent food, excellent service, and very romantic location makes for one of the best places in the city.”
  13. “Not only we were ignored by the wait staff, but the food was awful.”
  14. “was very apprehensive about going to Grotto after reading some of the reviews here saying the service was awful.”
value
79.16999816894531% positive
  1. “Very gracious place, the food was expensive but fresh, and wonderful.”
  2. “The prices are also reasonable.”
  3. “delectable, amazing, and worth savoring.”
  4. “If you want great food at a reasonable price, and can live without a full service bar and cutting edge decor then this is your place.”
2 Star Rating: Below Average

06/02/09

Where is the service?

by italian4ever at Citysearch

It's sad because the food is so good. Went there couple of weeks ago for the first time but will not return.

  • Pros: Great food
  • Cons: horrible service
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/29/08

Romantic and elegant!

by loftladycheryl at Citysearch

My boyfriend and I recently tried this place, and we cannot wait to go back! The food was to die for!! The waitstaff was helpful and efficient. Our meals were delicious! A great first date place or a place to go to meet a friend after work. It's dark and elegant inside. About 20 or fewer tables. Check it out!

  • Cons: parking
4 Star Rating: Recommended

06/29/08

Cozy, intimate dining!

by califsunlover at Citysearch

Been a few years now since I've been here. Don't want to rush anything you know.

Great, intimate, cozy and romantic restaurant. Seats only about 40 or so folks.

We got super lucky (since we arrived early) and got the best table in the place, far left corner as you enter. Not too many great tables though. Either in foot traffic path, next to the front door or the entrance to the kitchen.

Food was excellent all the way around. We had 2 different appetizers we split, 2 different entres which we shared. We also spilt a dessert which was deee-licious!

Flavorful, decent portions and great presentation.

Service was efficient, although not overly great.

www.grottoresta...

Pros: Romantic, intimate, food!

Cons: Only a couple of good tables in the joint.

  • Pros: Romantic, great tasting food!
  • Cons: Place is small, only a couple of really good tables
4 Star Rating: Recommended

05/19/08

I will come to Grotto whenever I am in Boston!

by TheTripChick at Citysearch

I was fiending for Italian and we hadn't yet found a good spot in Boston. After reading several reviews, we decided to try Grotto. BEST. DECISION. EVER.

We descended the stairs and walked in, and I was surrounded by a wall of amazing, delectable scents wafting through the air. If Grotto were in my neighborhood, I would be here each and every night. No, I am not exaggerating. We were seated and opened the menu, and they had Montepulciano by the glass...I was completely smitten. They have an absolutely amazing prix-fixe menu, so we each decided upon our dinners and sat back to enjoy the ambiance.

The Montepulciano was divine and mellow, and went beautifully with the meal. The first course arrived: fontina cheese fondue accompanied by beef tenderloin, aged balsamic, truffle oil, and portobello mushrooms. I dove into absolute cheese bliss and had to convince myself not to lick the fondue bowl at the end.

The second course was chicken parmesan with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and cheese manicotti. It was quite delicious, but not knock-your-socks-off like the fondue. I ended up taking half of it back to our hotel and we enjoyed it for breakfast the next morning.

Dessert was banana bread pudding with caramel ice cream and walnuts. The bread pudding itself was a bit too dense for me (a little reminiscent of a hockey puck, but it had a good flavor) but the caramel ice cream was on par with the fondue....delectable, amazing, and worth savoring. I can't wait to get back to Boston to return to Grotto!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

09/03/07

Great Italian influence by the state house

by glunardi at Citysearch

Three of us jumped in a cab from the office and chose to go there on a limp without prior reservation or anything. It was 9:30pm and we quickly call them. Their kitchen was closing at 10pm that day.

They took care of us. Certainly we were the last ones (us 3 and a 'souris'). The dishes were very tasty. We ordered the gnocchis with steak tips and Gorgonzola, the duck (wrapped in bacon) and the tenderloin. All three were very tasty. The steak quality was quick good and went well with the risotto. The duck was sophisticated and well dressed. I enjoyed the gnocchis though I probably would I have loved to pair them with the steak instead.

Definitely recommended as one of the best Italian influenced restaurant outside of the North End.

  • Pros: Tasty food, Friendly staff
  • Cons: Cleanliness, Kitchen closes at 10pm

The Details on Grotto

Place Categories:

  • excellent italian food
  • bad service
  • great first date place
  • inviting atmosphere
  • delectable savoring
  • loud decore
  • delectable scents
  • awful food
  • great experience
  • divine montepulciano
  • full room
  • very tasty dish
  • helpful waitstaff
  • reasonable price
  • delicious gnocchi
  • great everything
  • divine banana bread pudding
  • wonderful red sauce
  • best spaghetti
  • amazing cavatelle
  • delicious short ribs
  • recommend kona
  • nice waiter
  • warm lighting
  • absolutely wonderful beef tenderloin
Advertisement

Featured In

Recent Reviews In Boston

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Lucky Strike Lanes

145 Ipswich St, Boston, MA

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Sugar Heaven

218 Newbury St, Boston, MA

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Clover Dewey Square

Summer St & Atlantic Ave, Boston, MA

4 Star Rating: Recommended

My Thai Vegan Cafe

3 Beach St, Boston, MA

Advertisement