Marco

Recommends

drock69

Joined 8 years ago

Best The North End has to offer. I recent visited Marco and the food was amazing. We started out with the figs wrapped in prosciutto stuffed with blue cheese it was highly recomended. The bolognese is amazing the best in Boston hands down. The Cavatelli was fresh and full of flavor. I will be back for more. I can't understand some of the reviews. This place was a delight.

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Northendsonny

Joined 5 years ago

An average experience. I want to love this place, I really do. I love the atmosphere and feel the service is great. There was a mistake with our order and the waiter took care of it without any of what I perceive to be the typical North End negativity that I have experienced at many restaurants in the area. My friends and I enjoyed the zucchini blossom appetizer and the ricotta/mozzarella fritters which came in a tasty tomato sauce. We loved the homemade foccacia. Our salads were good, kinda lame dressing, but okay. I had the salad with baby asparagus, white beans, arugula and she had arugula with bacon and pecrino. Nothing was wrong with the salads, but they were kinda forgettable. We ordered a half order of 2 different pastas: one was the orechiette with shrimp (overcooked shrimp) and a chicken and penne in a carbonara-style sauce. Both of us felt the pastas were okay, but nothing we would order again. The portions were generous and I wanted to love them, but we both thought they were just okay. Why do so many restaurants not have salt and pepper on tables anymore, by the way? I can't help feeling it's as if the chef thinks the food is seasoned so perfectly that salt and pepper are not needed. People have different palates and I don't like having to ask for salt and pepper. Maybe it's just me...anyway, Marco was okay. I had been there once before and had the steak, which was really tasty and cooked perfectly. We had pasta with bolognese sauce that time too which I thought was good. However, this time 2 people with us had the bolognese and were not crazy about it. One of the people with us loved the homemade sausage.

Doesn't Recommend

jonminkonorthend

Joined 5 years ago

Bad service and below average food for the price. I am a long time resident of Boston and now a resident of the North End and I have to say it is rare that I am very disappointed to the point of being upset with a restaurant. The main issues I had were service and the quality of food. The recommended appetizer was heavy and bland. (cheese fritters). We arrived at 4:45 and our entree came at about 5:45. That is my girlfriends entree came at 5:45, there was a mistake in the kitchen and my entree came at 6:05. I had the pleasure of watching her eat as I drank our bottle of wine I waited for the food. No attempt was made to apologies or even explain the mistake. The dish was then overcooked. I have news for Marco -- Go to Il Panino and try the Ossobuco, then try your own braised veal shank and let me know what you think. My girlfriend was also served and charged for the large order of her meal when she had ordered the small portion. I find it hard to believe that Marco will last more than a few years in such a competitive environment as the North end. I for one will not be going back.

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anine

Joined 7 years ago

Cozy and great add to North End. Marco is a cozy and small restaurant in the North End. It serves Italian food, but not traditionally Italian, and the restaurant has a nice style of modern decor and romantic tables, with a nice fireplace, and brick walls. We greatly enjoyed wine priced $35 a bottle, and the entrees were tasty, not the best there is in the North End, but very good.

Marco is a great add to the North End?s traditionally Italian eateries, and I will definitely go back.

Recommends

markojulian

Joined 6 years ago

Even the pepperoni is special. This restaurant, like others have stated, is like a speakeasy- hidden away on the second story along Hannover Street. Its pretty much across the street from Mike's Pastry- look for their admittedly small sign and go up the stairs.

The atmosphere is perfect for both bringing a date AND for going with a group of friends. You could also bring the family for Sunday dinner, and not spend your mortgage payment on it.

The real reason to come here is the food. I swear to god, every little part of the meal is made special. Get a pepperoni pizza, and try the pepperoni- that's how it is supposed to taste. Also, definitely get the Cod Cheeks appetizer. I know, it sounds kind of scary- eating the cheeks of something- but its very much like fried calamari. Its prepared immaculately. The orchiette (hopefully I spelled it right) is pasta hats with sausage- again, awesome. The sausage has a good homemade taste. The caprese uses buffalo mozzarella, and is a great complement to the meal. The Chef's name is Matt Abdoo, and I would venture to say he could make dirt into a tasty dish.

They make menu changes and have specials, so you will do well to keep going back for new things.

I have since moved to Miami, and I haven't found a place like this down here. When I travel through Boston, I will be back for sure.

Oh- last time I was there they had a ginger sorbet. It was awesome- and I made a little invention. You get the Biscottis too, and you spread the ginger sorbet between them and make a gourmet ice cream sandwich. That was seriously good.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

One of the city's most acclaimed chefs sets up shop in the North End.. In Short
Chef Marc Orfaly aims to replicate the success of Pigalle, his award-winning Theatre District restaurant, with this rustic Italian bistro. Located on bustling Hanover Street, Marco's brick walls and hardwood floors lend a casual vibe, and there's a diminutive bar for solo diners. The menu of upscale comfort fare includes a house-cured salumi plate, savory chicken cacciatore with pancetta, and fresh linguine with clams.

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stjohn

Joined 7 years ago

questionable. can one trust someone that has given a horrible or amazing review to this restaurant while they have not commented on any other? I think marco is great!!

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joeysmith1275

Joined 7 years ago

The Place To Be In The North End. Look no further if you want amazing food, fantastic wine, and phenomenal service. I cannot understand any negative reviews this establishment has received. Honestly I have lived in Boston for quite awhile and also traveled to some of the most revered areas for classic Italian cuisine including Little Italy in New York and spent some time traveling Italy itself and the most amazing dining experience you could have throughout Boston is Marco. There is nothing comparable. When you enter this rustic Italian gem, make sure that you are hungry for incredible food, matching wines, and knowledgable/caring/incredible service. The awesome part is that you won't have to break the bank to do it. The only reason to miss this place is because you are foolish and cannot find it. There is something genuine about a place that you can only get to through description. This is the speakeasy of Italian dining in Boston and if you take the time to find it, I couldn't imagine you being disappointed. Try anything on the menu and leave content. Ask the advice of the servers and you will be mesmerized by both the quality and friendliness of your dining experience. No matter who you are and your necessities/qualifications for dining out, Marco is the place to be.

Recommends

elind

Joined 7 years ago

It cannot get any better!. This wonderful restaurant served me the best meal I have ever had! Pasta dishes are wonderful, there are creative salads appropriate for the season and the appetizers will leave you mesmerized. Best of all the wine; great Italian reds and whites that go perfectly with your meal. Ask the servers, they know what they are talking about! The service in general is wonderful and to top it all, the ambience is the most perfect blend of cozy, sophisticated and friendly. Eating at Marco makes you feel like you are in on the most glorious secret.

Doesn't Recommend

ilovehalle

Joined 7 years ago

I guess here, the customer is never right. I was not impressed with the service at Marco's. I ordered my pasta and got the wrong dish. I politely told my waiter that I didn't order it. He insisted that I did, yelled at me, and made me feel like a complete moron. With a huff, he asked me what I did order, and I told him, then he continued to tell me that I didn't order it, that I ordered what was in front of me. I was appauled and I told him just to forget it that I would just like it wrapped up since I could not eat it since it had tomatoes and meat on it. After all that he brought me what I originally ordered. I never had a worse dining experience.