Assaggio

04/25/09

a fine place for lunch

by whatisthis3 at Citysearch

When we arrived we were made extremely welcome. The bread and oil are excellent. The menu choices for lunch couldn't be better. We had dined here some twenty (!) years ago and loved it. We loved it today.

Our niece joined us after a bit and although we had to move to another table to accommodate three people, the servers were extremely courteous and lunch went on its merry way.

We had fine food and a wonderful time.

Thomas S. Green

Brunswick, ME

• Pros: excellent service, lovely food
• Cons: none

12/02/06

Closed without notice

by dparsons28 at Citysearch

I had a special event and made a reservation at this restaurant. I made the reservation about 4 days before and when I went to the restaurant for dinner with my 5 guests, the restaurant was CLOSED!!! Apparently, they had closed for "renovations." They never called to inform me of the change and I was left with my group, literally, out in the cold. What a terrible way to conduct a business!

09/30/06

In the North End, impressive Italian cuisine served in an atypical setting.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
Don't be surprised to find patrons looking toward the sky. In the tiny upstairs dining room, an impressive mural of the Zodiac signs shines down on tables. In the low-ceilinged basement, faux grapevines dangle dangerously close to the heads of taller diners. Both rooms are boisterous and prove to be more romantic on slower nights. Service, especially from the bar, is relaxed and sometimes excruciatingly slow.

The Food
Rather than drawing from a specific region of Italy, Assaggio's menu offers a range of pastas, meats and wood-grilled offerings. Appetizers rely on standard seafood (steamed mussels and calamari), while salads are hearty and more inventive than typical North End fare. Vitello francese (battered veal medallions in white wine lemon sauce), is delicate and lightly paired with a pile of potatoes and spinach. Seek out the signature Pollo all'Assaggio (chicken stuffed with proscuitto, eggplant, mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes). The impressive wine list boasts more than 200 sturdy choices.

06/18/06

Flavorful Italian fare in the North End

by alwaingo at Citysearch

Dining room was cozy and charming but not too cramped. Food was deelish and prepared wonderfully - our party of four loved all of the dishes we ordered (including pasta, beef and fish). Drinks were creative and wine list was more than adequate for us neophytes. Only gripe is the service was slow and it took forever to get our order placed. Otherwise, I recommend this hidden gem in the North End.

• Pros: Delicious and flavorful food
• Cons: Average service

03/26/06

Antipasto with tuna from a can!

by jaclynrosebrook at Citysearch

Although the service was decent and the wine fair, everthing about this restaurant was substandard and overpriced! The "trendy setting" was cramped, stuffy and sweltering with not enough class, creativity or kitsch to make it cozy or cool. The antipasto for two was similar to a McDonald's salade niçoise with tuna from a can, store-bought provolone and a couple of olives and tasteless tomatoes. The entrées were worse - the shrimp scampi was rubbery with watery tasteless linguini, the veal was ... well, we think it was veal ... was boiled and flavourless. Even the bread was slightly stale. All this for 100$ which included a tip and gull bottle of wine but no desert! What a nightmare! I should've known - I couldn't spot an Italian anywhere in the restaurant (perhaps at the bar), not even the kitchen.

• Cons: Overpriced, Substandard, Low Quality

02/07/06

Always a great dinner experience!

by act4 at Citysearch

I have been to this restaurant several times over the past couple of years with several different parties. This is always my choice for Italian whether I'm meeting a friend in town for dinner, or a group of friends are celebrating an event. While the bar area is small and you may wait for a table, the food is worth it! I've tried a variety of entrees and never been disappointed. The wine list is extensive. The ambiance is very cozy and I've always found the service to be pleasant.

• Pros: Great food, Value, Ambiance
• Cons: Small bar

02/22/05

North End gem

by theduke37 at Citysearch

One of the best non-fine dining North End restaurants. You can't compare it to Mamma Maria or Davide because it's not as expensive or formal, but Assaggio is one of the best places you can walk into. Each pasta dish I have had there has been well-crafted, seafood and vegetables are fresh and services is among the better you will get in the North End, even on busy nights.

05/20/03

Best Restaurant in the North End

by jennifer00 at Citysearch

I have been to a multitude of Italian restuarants in the North End in the past four years since moving to Boston. I have found Assaggio to be THE BEST. And everytime I bring a friend there for the first time, they agree. The food is delicious and perfectly cooked everytime. There is a wide array of choices and I am never less than amazed with the dish I have ordered. You have to try the fried calamari, stuffed mushrooms, and just about every entree they have to order. Staff is friendly and courteous, but since Assaggio is small, there will be some bumping into. Assaggio has great atmosphere, food, wine, dessert, and art. Most restaurants and cafes in the North End are disappointed, not Assaggio!

• Pros: Food, Ambience, Waiters/Waitresses
• Cons: NONE

09/04/02

Bland & boring bistro

by maibuns at Citysearch

Wine selection is good. Nice small cozy bistro. HOWEVER, food selection was uninventive, and lack of variety. Quite expensive for the food portion provided. Waitresses and hostess need attitude and charismatic improvement, they look like they were forced to work there.

• Pros: Nice wine selection
• Cons: Hostess & Waitress, Expensive, Uninventive