Lucca Back Bay

Recommends

26376

Joined 4 years ago

Lucca is great.. This location is just as good if not better than the North End location. The food is incredible and the staff is very accommodating. Try it if you haven't already.

Doesn't Recommend

Nancy D08

Joined 3 years ago

Pathetic Dining Experience. Eating at Lucca, Back Bay, was one of the worst dining experiences I have had to date in 30 years of living in Boston. From the pre-dinner cocktail to the main course, everything was consistently disappointing. I had the pomegranate martini, which was weak and wasn't chilled - it tasted like a juice box. The red wine I had with dinner was also very warm and tasted flat. The bread (foccacio and Italian) was doughy and dense -- supermarket Italian bread has more flavor.

It was served with a bland spread (believe it was made with chick peas) - basically no texture or taste.

Even the water was mediocre -- they offered still or sparkling, so we took the latter. Well, it too was flat and overly warm. We found out they make it at the restaurant with a special "machine". Seltzer from the soda gun would have been far better...

On to the appetizers. I had the Caesar salad ( modern style). It consisted of two tiny sections of Romaine hearts, not cut off from the stem. There was one piece of soapy tasting Parmesan cheese on top, with a pathetic strip of marinated red pepper with an anemic looking anchovy shoved to the side. The dressing was watery and bland -- it tasted like a bottled light dressing. My fiance had the bean soup. It was served in a large bowl that had a layer of oil on the bottom. Looked authentic, but then the waiter poured the small portion of soup on top -- a light yellow dollop of room temperature bean puree that looked like a Gerber baby vegetable, but had less taste.

And finally, the main course. We both had the rigatoni Bolognese, one of their signature dishes. Well, the sauce was decent, but the pasta and cheese on top were dry -- left under the heat lights too long I presume. We were not offered fresh grated cheese for the food, I suppose the dry mass on top of the dish was supposed to suffice.

All in all I would never go here again, and I suggest that Chef Anthony Mazzotta should check in on his Back Bay business soon...

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trentfarmer

Joined 5 years ago

Great place to entertain clients. I don't usually write reviews, however I thought Sasso deserved a special mention. I am in pharmaceutical sales and dine out with larger groups at least twice a week. Sasso has become my go to place to hold important events. The management are focused on making sure the evening goes smoothly so you can relax and entertain your clients. At other restaurants I am constantly leaving my seat to check on things. I think the staff at Sasso are exceptional. The food is always fantastic and presented perfectly. If you have an important event or dinner I would strongly suggest you try them out.

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wesley44

Joined 5 years ago

fantastic food and service. I have been to Sasso four times now. I am slowly working through the menu. The scallops over oxtail is my favorite followed closely by the duck over green garlic rissotto. The service on all visits has been very good attentive but not pushy. I would highly recommend Sasso

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Gerrish Lopez

Joined 6 years ago

Upscale Italian fare makes for a decadent dining experience near the Prudential Center.. Twenty foot windows offer stunning street views while Tuscan hues create an elegant ambiance, all inside the cavernous space that was once Blackfin Chop House and Ambrosia on Huntington. Couples sit at the swanky, candlelit bar in the lounge area while diners enjoy attentive service in the main dining room. Lucca's menu features a different region of Italy each season; highlights include a rabbit leg confit with polenta and wild mushrooms, ricotta pyramids with wild boar, and red snapper with whipped potatoes and haricot verts.

High Marks
"...real difference is the staff...friendly, know the menu, very cool. The best bartenders in Boston." (jissacson44, Citysearch user)

"...the bar has a good scene later because they serve until 2am..." (rammyone, Citysearch user)

"The flavor combinations were amazing and the service was great and not too stuffy...do yourself a favor and check out this hidden gem." (haciendagordo, Citysearch user)

Low Marks
"We had to wait 20 minutes to be seated after making a reservation ahead of time..." (brandoke, Citysearch user)

"...we found ourselves still lost in the cold, vast dining room." (330xidriver, Citysearch user)

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brandoke

Joined 5 years ago

Great experience....not so great experience..... I take business very seriously being a business owner myself. I stumbled into Sasso a month ago looking for a place to eat and was completely blown away. The atmosphere was modern but comfortable. The service was great and the food absolutely dynamite. Such a great experience i decided i wanted to go back for my birthday this past week. The experience wasn't as pleasant unfortunately. The service was poor...the waitress was MIA (missing in action) half the meal. My delicious rigatoni arrived cold , it had to be sent back as with the other person who got the rigatoni , and the portion was really small. When it came back warm...not hot... the food was dropped and the food runner took off....so now i'm left without cheese, as my warm food begins to get cold again. I waited for the phantom waitress to arrive but she never did ...so i had to get up and walk to the front desk to ask for cheese. Just crappy service. and we had to wait 20 minutes to be seated after making a reservation ahead of time. I do like the place. I know that all business can have an off moment.. but my Sasso buzz was definately annihilated after my second visit...i would recommend it....I'll go back but if i don't have an experience like the first one i had ,i'll never go back again.

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freewilly7

Joined 6 years ago

not my class. went for restaurant week; wouldn't have gone otherwise.

cocktail: didn't like that ginger (peach?) bellini. doesn't taste like anything. parisien martini, on the other hand, was delicious.

prima: risotto is good, w/the chopped pistachios and all. some didn't like it for being a bit on the chewy side, though.

secondo: i had the arctic char w/beluga lentils, it was alright. others had the beef short ribs but complained that it was too dry. it looked good and came w/a good portion, though.

dessert: johnny cake (which isn't really a cake) looked light and crisp. i had the chocolate bread pudding instead; it was nothing like a bread pudding. looked, felt, and tasted more like a brownie w/soaked walnut instead. too sweet, too. (note: in the rare occasion, i couldn't finish my dessert.) looked at their original dessert menu just now; can't help but wonder why none of those seemingly delicious items was offered.

waiter was friendly yet professional, service was great. impressed when witnessing the boss/manager stepping up to take people in at the reception--when it wasn't even very busy. decor and ambiance are nice and all, but when everything is accounted for, this place just isn't my cup of tea. food wasn't exceptional to make me go again, restaurant week or not. regular menu looks enticing in the antipasti and desserts sections; entrees, not so much.

:)

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query111

Joined 5 years ago

I have to eat at Sasso at least twice a month. If I don't eat at Sasso on a regular basis I get withdrawals the food is that good. Do yourself a favor and check out what I think is the best new restaurant to open in Boston for years

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sade22

Joined 5 years ago

Very very good meal. I don't usually write reviews however I thought Sasso deserved a special mention from start to finish everything was fantastic. I had the augula salad and the scallop dish presentation was great and the flavors were outstanding. The service was super attentive without being over the top. I think it is the best dining experience I have had in Boston for years.

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werkerbee

Joined 5 years ago

Great Restaurant. I live in the neighborhood and I think Sasso is a phenomenal addition. The food is some of the best I have had in the city.