Umbria Prime specializes in corn-fed, 35-day dry-aged beef, fresh seafood, artisan Umbrian pastas and hearty side dishes.

(617) 892-4254

295 Franklin St (Broad Street)
Boston, MA 02110 42.35718 -71.052923

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Neighborhoods: Central, Downtown

UMBRIARISTORANTE.COM

Hours:

Lunch

Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm

Dinner

Mon-Fri 5:30pm-11:30

Saturday 5pm-11pm

Fri 11:30am-2am

Sat-Sun 5pm-2am

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 10.16.11

Category:

Restaurants, Bars & Pubs

Payment Methods:

American Express, Cash, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Late Night Dining, Romantic Dining, Special Occasion Dining, Fine Dining, Private Rooms, Business Dining, Date Spot, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene

Cuisine:

Steakhouse, Seafood, Italian

Smoking Permitted:

No

What People Are Saying About Umbria Prime

The Owner

Umbria Prime

Owner

Umbria Prime, known for its earthy, rich pasta dishes and brick oven cooking technique, is taking a stab at the steak business. Revamping its concept, the Frank DePasquale famed restaurant, will now offer a selection of a la carte corn-fed, 21-day, dry-aged beef, as well as seafood and traditional steakhouse side dishes. In true Italian tradition, each steak will be finished in a 1,200 degree brick oven leaving the perfect char.Located at 295 Franklin Street, Umbria Prime is situated in the heart of Boston?s Financial District, just steps away from the waterfront. With an ambience mirroring…

Provided by CityGrid

Read more from the owner

Featured Review

Linda Clark

Contributor

This steakhouse-cum-nightclub specializes in corn-fed, 21 day, dry-aged beef cooked in a brick oven; post-dinner, the lounge comes alive as the night creeps on. Umbria Prime’s hearty dishes celebrate the abundant dairy-rich cuisine of Italy’s central region, while also incorporating New England ingredients and traditions. The presentations of classically prepared fish, seafood and housemade pastas are worthy of a romantic outing or business dinner. The desserts tend also toward the classic: panna cotta, tiramisu, cannoli and a lesser-seen semifreddo cheesecake. Though the restaurant is…

Editor's Tips

When to Go:
Contact the restaurant to learn about its regional wine dinners.
Know Before You Go:
The ultra-chic nightclub and lounge opens at 10pm on weekends and carries a $15 cover charge.
ambiance
75.0% positive
  1. Seemed a bit pricey but rich decor warns you to expect as much.
  2. Warm atmosphere; brick walls, open kitchen, cozy and modern.
  3. The ambiance was less than appealing and the service was mediocre at best.
  4. Fresh pasta, upscale menu and atmosphere
  5. We got dressed up to the nines and headed to the restaurant excited for some great food, great atmosphere and what we had hoped to be a great experience.
  6. Service is average and the atmosphere is nice.
drinks
80.0% positive
  1. The bar seems a nice place for a drink, but I would not recommend.
  2. However, we got tasty wines by-the-glass.
  3. Everyone knows you order the house wine because its the polite way of ordering the least expensive selection.
  4. Poor wine selection for less than $50/bottle; lots of interesting stuff over $50.
  5. Due to the pricey entrees we passed on appetizers and chose a bottle of wine instead.
food quality
73.21000099182129% positive
  1. The dolci, too, were delicious.
  2. fresh pasta and hearty mushrooms.
  3. The food is phenomenal; from the hand-made pasta to the fat, juicy steaks and the only poached salmon I would ever consider eating, the food is way ahead of any competition.
  4. My husband had a seafood pasta dish that tasted too "fishy" which made us suspect it was not fresh seafood but it was one of the "so-called" specials for the evening.
  5. They serve a white bean dip with the bread that is fantastic!
  6. If service or food are important to you - I would not recommend Umbria for a private party.
  7. The pasta here is delicious.
  8. My boyfriend had the spinach soup which was nice and creamy with a really nice olive oil drizzled on top.
  9. Pretty good food, and eager, but erratic, service.
  10. The bread pudding was awful, over cooked and tasteless.
  11. The service is also excellent although some of the servers, fresh off the boat from Italy, have pretty strong accents--but isn't that part of the the charm?
  12. My friend and I wanted to enjoy a nice dinner somewhere authentic to the Boston area.
  13. Very overpriced for average at best food.
  14. Our food was nearly tasteless (or just bad flavor, take your pick).
  15. We got dressed up to the nines and headed to the restaurant excited for some great food, great atmosphere and what we had hoped to be a great experience.
  16. The rabe side dish was bitter.
  17. typically have either the eggplant and mozzarella dish or the market fresh salad to start.
  18. Several complaints: First, the food could not be more tasteless and boring, especially considering the price.
  19. Overall, the only true enjoyment of the evening was the company (okay I admit the bread was decent).
  20. Good collection of Italian dishes from Umbrian region of Italy.
  21. However, we got tasty wines by-the-glass.
  22. The food was really amazing.
  23. The open kitchen was nice as well, although after we recieved our food, I was convinced it is just for show.
  24. The soups are typically quite good.
  25. They are a really nice ending to a large meal and, I think, somewhat unique here in Boston.
  26. The bread on the table was stale and the tables are too close together.
  27. Fresh pasta, upscale menu and atmosphere
  28. The pizza was tasty, yet much too greasy.
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. Poor wine selection for less than $50/bottle; lots of interesting stuff over $50.
  2. Fresh pasta, upscale menu and atmosphere
  3. You'll also find an extensive vodka collection.
  4. Everyone knows you order the house wine because its the polite way of ordering the least expensive selection.
  5. We decided to order two prosciutto appetizers on the menu (I'm copying this from their menu to make a point later on) -- 1) the Involtini di Speck Tirolese, which was imported smoked prosciutto rolls; and 2) Prosciutti di Cantina & Scamorza, which was Ber
overall
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. The bar seems a nice place for a drink, but I would not recommend.
  2. Umbria Prime is a great place to go if you want to get beat up
  3. We came there to spend money and have a good time but these boys gave us a first and lasting impression of what a bad place Umbria is.
service
33.3299994468689% positive
  1. If service or food are important to you - I would not recommend Umbria for a private party.
  2. Even after complaining politely that this was misleading, the waiter was rude.
  3. Pretty good food, and eager, but erratic, service.
  4. Rude service -- Off My List For Good
  5. And the staff just sat around watching baseball on the big screen.
  6. The ambiance was less than appealing and the service was mediocre at best.
  7. was yelled at by one of the security guards and then - after I asked to speak with a manager - the manager was also very rude.
  8. The service is also excellent although some of the servers, fresh off the boat from Italy, have pretty strong accents--but isn't that part of the the charm?
  9. unadulterated rudeness from hostess and waiter -- poor service all around
value
50.0% positive
  1. Instead, I decided to compromise and just order an inexpensive glass of the house red.
  2. Very overpriced for average at best food.
  3. When we did finally receive our entrees the portions was amusing.
  4. We came there to spend money and have a good time but these boys gave us a first and lasting impression of what a bad place Umbria is.
  5. You dont get a whole lot on your plate for the huge price.
  6. Several complaints: First, the food could not be more tasteless and boring, especially considering the price.
  7. We also had an expensive appetizer that consisted of barely one serving!
  8. Everyone knows you order the house wine because its the polite way of ordering the least expensive selection.
  9. Seemed a bit pricey but rich decor warns you to expect as much.
  10. Due to the pricey entrees we passed on appetizers and chose a bottle of wine instead.
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. Service was extremely slow.
3 Star Rating: Average

04/13/11

Ehhh its ok

by Frankie02114 at Citysearch

This place was alright. The music was cool for the most part, the drinks were wicked expensive, and the club itself was kind of empty...

1 Star Rating: Poor

03/27/11

Stay away, go elsewhere!!!!!!!!

by John o at Citysearch

Over priced, unable to cook a steak in a steak house? This place will not be open for long!!!! The service was awful and the manager made no attempts to correct anything

1 Star Rating: Poor

10/18/09

serious safety issues

by annieflores at Citysearch

My girlfriends and I were looking for a new nightclub and I read in one of ads for Umbria they were a place for "mature,sophisticated" people. We called Mr Winter who works for the club to put ourselves on the guest list and we spoke with him atleast 2x that day and asked if we are on guest list do we have a cover charge and each time he answered no no cover charge if you arrive before 11:30 pm. We arrived at club at 11pm-$20 dollars to "valet" park our car and we went in club-we still waited in line for a few minutes even though the bouncer had already given us tickets for being on guest list. When we finally got inside we were told $10 cover charge that it did not matter that M. Winter promised us no cover. We payed that and then went in. You are shown up some very dark and I think dangerous stairsp-the bouncer at bottom of staircase shines a small light 1/2 way up stairs after that you are on your own. Club advertises 25 and over. There were no mature or sophisticated people in there-everyone looked underage(they do card so I am sure they are over 21-"barely") Club is very small and crowded on all floors and very very dark. Club has something like 5 floors-each accesible with one set of small stairs that do not accomodate people going up and down at same time-all I could think of was if there was a fire!! how would all these people safely exit this place. When we were leaving and went back down to 1st floor we noted that bouncer at that door letting several people in for free. We were then told to exit thru that door that leads to an alley. We could not even leave thru front door. All in all very very dissapointing expierience and has soured me on boston nightclubs especially those Mr Winters is involved with. $10.00 is really not much money but it is the principal that you told us no cover you did not say 1/2 the cover. There is a difference and we are intelligent females we know what we heard on phone. Also bathrooms were absolutely filthy and very very small-you have a nightclub that holds that many people then make the bathrooms bigger!!! Someone had vomited in ladies room and it was disgusting and while I did not stay at club long due to too many "young babies" in there I was there atleast an hour and in that hour BR was not cleaned and 2 girls went and told employees about the vomit. IF YOU ARE AN ADULT DO NOT GO TO THIS CLUB IT IS FOR 25 and younger not 25 and over as advertised.

  • Pros: none
  • Cons: safety
1 Star Rating: Poor

10/19/08

A HUGE let down!

by janetanne23 at Citysearch

My friend and I wanted to enjoy a nice dinner somewhere authentic to the Boston area. We asked our concierege to recommend a good Italian restaurant nearby. Seconds later we had reservations for 2 at Umbria. We got dressed up to the nines and headed to the restaurant excited for some great food, great atmosphere and what we had hoped to be a great experience. When we walked in the door we were somewhat greeted (for lack of a better word) and showed to our table. After several minutes our server finally approached our table to pour us some water then walked away. When he came back he asked us if we "even wanted to hear the specials" as though it was bother for him. We asked for a few moments to decide. By the time it took him to return to the table not only had we decided upon our appetizer but our entree as well. We got our mussels after waiting a ridiculously long time. Shortly thereafter 2 ladies were sat at the table next to us. They got their appetizers and entrees before we got our entree (which was pasta with shrimp...) I thought it was a little strange that they got their meals before we did, but decided not to make a big deal of it. We requested a dessert menu and continued to wait. Before we were given an opportunity to order dessert I noticed that our neighbors had received their check, had their wine bottle corked and were ready to exit. Needless to say, we were obviously at the bottom of our server's Priority list. There was an obvious push to sell us alcohol on 3 separate attempts and maybe because we didn't order any it effected the quality of service?? When it was all said and done the meal was average and overpriced. The ambiance was less than appealing and the service was mediocre at best. It seemed as though the only thing they were attentive to was hurrying us out the door as soon as we received our check.

  • Pros: Impressive wine list
  • Cons: Quality of service, food, and ambience
1 Star Rating: Poor

07/12/08

What a huge disappointment

by awilliams727 at Citysearch

It appalls me that this restaurant manages to maintain a 4.5 star rating. Several complaints: First, the food could not be more tasteless and boring, especially considering the price. It was below average-- I'd guarantee you'd be happier at Olive Garden. The "yams and Brussels sprout lasagna" that accompanied my bacon wrapped pork had a piece of something small, sharp, and clear in it. I took it out of my mouth only to find that it was the appearance and consistency of a finger nail. At first I thought, no matter, it's probably not a finger nail. Then I found several more in my next bite. I finally just stopped eating it since it was all ending up in my napkin anyway. While the sheer quantity dispelled my finger nail concern, one should never find something like that in their $34 entree. Second, my boyfriend's dish was so salty he could barely eat it. Third, I wasn't going to get wine because I just wasn't in the mood to drink enough to spend $10 on a glass. Instead, I decided to compromise and just order an inexpensive glass of the house red. Everyone knows you order the house wine because its the polite way of ordering the least expensive selection. Well, when the bill came, we were charged $15 for each glass of house --it ended up being more expensive than any glass listed on the wine list!! This is a tricky and cheap practice. Even after complaining politely that this was misleading, the waiter was rude. Lastly, I went on a Friday night expecting some kind of ambiance but it was dead. And the staff just sat around watching baseball on the big screen. Really romantic. Also, though we were only there at 8 pm (not clubbing time), there was some kind of non-stop stomping and loud banging going on upstairs that disrupted the entire dinner. Unfortunately, I would give this restaurant NO STARS if that were a possibility, even if it WASN'T expensive. If you are looking for food worth the price, go somewhere else. I'd recommend Florentine in the North End for starters.

The Details on Umbria Prime

Place Categories:

  • rude service
  • nearly tasteless food
  • nice atmosphere
  • recommend good italian restaurant
  • nice open kitchen
  • stale bread
  • nice dinner
  • cozy brick walls
  • pricey decor
  • nice place
  • not recommend place umbria
  • good vodka collection
  • pretty bad experience
  • not very good lamb
  • enjoy il panino
  • pricey entrees
  • authentic italian dining
  • really nice olive oil
  • fresh salad
  • very rude manager
  • rude waiter
  • tasty bytheglass
  • fresh pasta
  • nice spinach soup
  • not fresh seafood

As Seen In…

Message from Umbria Prime

  • 5 flrs dining & entertainment
  • Private Dining & Events
  • 2005 Best New Restaurant

Umbria Prime, known for its earthy, rich pasta dishes and brick oven cooking technique, is taking a stab at the steak business. Revamping its concept, the Frank DePasquale famed restaurant, will now offer a selection of a la carte corn-fed, 21-day, dry-aged beef, as well as seafood and traditional steakhouse side dishes. In true Italian tradition, each steak will be finished in a 1,200 degree brick oven leaving the perfect char.

Located at 295 Franklin Street, Umbria Prime is situated in the heart of Boston?s Financial District, just steps away from the waterfront. With an ambience mirroring that of an Italian Villa, the restaurant, surrounded by rustic brick walls, Italian marble and hardwood floors offer a romantic dinner setting and an inviting atmosphere for cocktails.

Umbria Prime
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