Giacomo's Restaurant

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yellowfad

Joined 9 years ago

Good Food, Loud!. I really enjoyed the food here. You can't beat the prices, even for the wine. I had made a reservation for 6 people at 7:00 on a Saturday but forgot and thought it was at 7:30. The host was so accommodating in finding us a table even though my name had already been crossed off the reservation list for a no-show. This is a tiny restaurant so the noise level is really high and everyone was shouting. It's also pretty dark. Our waiter was a relaxed sarcastic guy who made us laugh. The food is delicious. I would definitely go back, just with a smaller group.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

The South End's most popular spot for classic Italian fare.. The Scene
Countless patrons consider Giacomo's a second home, regularly bringing in family and friends to feast on large plates of antipasto and classic pasta dishes. Tables are almost always in demand; reservations are essential on weekends. With a slightly larger dining room and a mostly local clientele, visitors can expect a more relaxed environment here than at the restaurant's North End location. Still, on busy nights, prepare for obtrusive noise levels and harried service.

The Food
Every night is pasta night here. The kitchen keeps things simple, allowing diners to create their own entrees by choosing one each from a list of seafoods, sauces and pastas (try the shrimp and scallops in pesto over linguine). Diners with heartier appetites can turn to large, thick steaks or seared salmon filets. For dessert, share a creamy tartuffo or some devilish tiramisu. Prices are reasonable, given the menu's consistently high quality.

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cicii3

Joined 8 years ago

Best Ravioli in Boston. If you only go their for their butternut squash ravioli (with marscapone cream and asaparagus) it is well worth the meal. Also excellent were the veal marsala, chicken parm, and my favorite, linguine with mussels and clams in Giacomos sauce.....Its my new favorite, I hope to become a regular!

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bmbass

Joined 8 years ago

Fantastic!. When I moved to the South End, I was delighted to find that Giacommo's had a location there! There is nothing that I have experienced in Boston that beats their food for the price. I can't believe how relatively inexpensive delicious food can be...maybe other restaurants in the area need a lesson! The restaurant is small, but that just means you have to make reservations, or go before 7 PM on the weekends. Most of the servers are top-notch, especially Alex. I can see how other reviewers have mentioned poor service, as I have seen examples of that type of behavior from one server...I will stress that that isn't the norm though. I will echo the review of the mozerella app, truly outstanding! If you are looking for a charming restaurant where both the food and bill will put a smile on your face, then Giacommo's is your place!

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piecetrip

Joined 8 years ago

bad service. The food was okay but the service was pretty bad considering so few tables in the restaurant. I may have been expecting too much, but it wasn't bad, but nothing too good. Recommend to try once.

Doesn't Recommend

gladgirls33

Joined 9 years ago

HORRIBLE RUDE SERVICE.POOR QUALITY FOOD.. The last time I was here (four years ago), I recalled that the food and experience was great. But this time, the whole experience was awful. We (3 people) arrived at 5:45 PM on a weekday with 3 open tables available but were seated at the bar with no explanation. 2 groups came in after us, were seated at the open tables and even served before us. Again no explanation was given from the host. Our waiter, the bartender, was impossible to get a hold of and no one checked on us after we got our food. We barely were able to get water served to us. My chicken parm was gamey beyond belief to the point where I couldn't even eat it. The entire experience could have been salvaged, had the host come over just once to ask us how we were doing. Sadly, we won't be returning.

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samir_sanghani

Joined 9 years ago

Great food - even for vegetarians. They have about 3 sumptuous dishes for veggies... gnochi, pumpkin ravioli, and a cheese tortollini. All are excellent... nice large portions (but not overwhelming like Maggiano's). A little pricy, but not more than its worth!

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califsunlover

Joined 9 years ago

Favorite. Although this is a very small, cramped restaurant, the charm and coziness redeems it for lack of space. The menu is simple, yet varied enough for all tastes. My favorites tend to be the good variety of appetizers. The best and a must to try: Fried Mozzarella. I have not been able to find a place that prepares it better. The fried calamari is also good, but best to share.

The service can be hit or miss depending upon your individual server. This is at the top of my must-go-to-list when I get the chance to visit Boston. Wish I lived in the city to partake of this restaurant on a regular basis.

Doesn't Recommend

mike688

Joined 10 years ago

Endless waits. How long will it take restaurants in Boston to learn the following lesson: DO NOT BOOK MORE RESERVATIONS THAN YOU CAN SEAT. On one of the coldest nights of the year, Giacomo's overbooked and forced multiple groups (including ours) to wait in their cold entryway more than 15 minutes past their reservations. One group was told they would not get their 9pm table until at least 9:30. WE MUST STOP PATRONIZING RESTAURANTS THAT DON'T CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTMOMERS.

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husker

Joined 10 years ago

Giacomos--What More Coulda You Want?. My boyfriend and I dined at this wonderful restaurant last night. I agree with another user, who wrote that the chicken parmesan was the best in the city (and for 12 dollars!) Though we had to eat at the bar (we'll make a reservation next time),our service and the atmosphere were top notch. We were so happy to find a decent Italian place close to our home on the Back Bay/South End border. The service is great, food is delicious, and atmosphere everything you would expect from a cozy neighborhood Italian restaurant!