Grotto

The food is delicious and the place is cozy and romantic. I came here with my boyfriend for Valentines Day and it was the perfect spot for date night. They have a ton of wine options and a few cocktails and beers to choose from. They serve complimentary bread and oil for the table which I liked and have a nice menu. My boyfriend and I shared the arugula salad with prosciutto to start and it was fantastic. For my entrée I had the chicken parm while my boyfriend had the fra diavolo. The red sauce used on the chicken parm was to die for. It was light, sweet and extremely tasty. The chicken was nicely cut and light which I enjoyed. The portion was perfect size. I am not a huge seafood lover but my boyfriend was impressed with his fra diavolo and the portion was just right.
We ended the night with two limoncello and panna cotta. The panna cotta was rich and creamy just enough to share to satisfy our sweet tooth.
There is one waiter for about 20 tables so the service is not speedy but that’s not something you should want at this type of place. You do not want to feel rushed because you are splurging a bit when you choose to eat here. That said, things do take time so if you are impatient and like things quickly you may not like this place as much as others.
It’s a cozy spot. If you like GOOD Italian food and are looking for a romantic night out, this is the perfect place.

We went to Grotto a while ago for a romantic dinner.
Food was fine, but it didn’t blow me away.
Good ambiance.
3+ stars

The Cavatelle! Perfect portion of ricotta cheese with pancetta and mushrooms… just decadent. Oh and the Cioccolato is everything you need.

I originally intended to do the $ 35 prix-​fixe option, but my day didn’t end up going that way. Service here was great, the complimentary bread and olive oil was good. I had the primi cavatelle with mushrooms, peas, pancetta, parmesan, and cream served as an entrée — it was a delicious plate of pasta and I was very happy with it. I also got to try a little bit of the salmon, which was good. The ambiance at Grotto is divine. I went with a group of 6 friends, but this would be the perfect place for an intimate dinner for two. Would definitely go back if in the Boston area again!

If you ever been to Italy, then you know that most of dishes served here are not really «authentic» (spaghetti with meatballs, chicken Parmesan. Sorry guys but these are not Italian), but this place is great for some affordable, good comfort food, nice wine and friendly service.

PROS:
Nice, cozy, romantic atmosphere
Delicious Fonduta Appetizer
Pleasant service
Original presentation of the spinach beet salad
Kind of random but my friend liked the fact that the server asked if he wanted a bigger glass for his double espresso so that the liquor could fit in, often times places give you a tiny cup with not enough room.
There was a very nice presentation of the lobster on the Fra Diavolo and the taste of the lobster was buttery and delectable.
CONS:
Whenever I go out for a nice meal I always get a Dirty Martini and they were out of vodka with the exception of vanilla flavored.
The bathroom wasn’t what I expected for such a high end restaurant. The toilet seat was in dire need of replacement.
ON THE FENCE:
My friend got the Osso Buco and thought it wasn’t bad, however he feels it was a little dry although it did fall right off the bone.
The panna cotta was not bad either but a little on the sugary side. He had it recently somewhere else with a more yogurty/​gelatinous texture which he prefers.

Food was average, they tried to seat us by the kitchen entrance, not bad if you are on beacon hill, otherwise walk to the north end

The food was definitely good and the pre fixe is a good deal.
The reviews about the Garlic Soup («Zuppa» on the menu) are very true. It’s a cream soup almost like a wild mushroom with medium to mild garlic tones.
My lady friend had the scallops which were tastey. I had the chicken parmigiano which had a very cool display. It was pretty good as well.
I was a little disappointed with my banana bread pudding because it actually was banana bread with ice cream on top. But it was gushy and warm which was what I was looking for.

Amazing food and vibe! Italian fare that will make you giddy and comatose! Everything about this place is warm and cozy. The appetizers we tried in the group were the soup, the mussels, the calamari salad and the sausage. all of which were generous portions and absolutely delicious. Next came the entrees, the crab ravioli — light and perfect, the gnocci with shortribs — very heavy, you have to be famished to be able to finish a portion; and the meatballs — generous portion and they are right about the tomato sauce, it is to kill for. The third course was again all comfort food, bread pudding, chocolate cake and panna cotta. those were just the perfect endings for that food coma that will inevitably wrap you up following the meal.
We are very happy customers!

Nothing special. More like an easy neighborhood restaurant than somewhere to go out of your way for.
Also, the place was almost empty when we arrived for an early dinner before a concert. They gave us the worst seat in the house. Asked if we could sit elsewhere, they said no. More than half the place was empty when we left.

The food is fine. Some of their dishes are incredibly, like the crab ravioli, some are not so consistently good, like the gnocchi, which I’ve had on 3 occasions and the quality has fluctuated quite a bit. I highly recommend the crab ravioli, though.
The service is not great, is very slow, and is quite disjointed. It’s quite slow and the quarters are very cramped. I had to for balsamic 3 times to 3 different servers, and it took a really long time for finally some balsamic to arrive, only to be an aged balsamic that’s much sweeter than normal, acidic balsamic. Some people like this stuff, I need acid in my food, however. Also, the tables themselves don’t have salt or pepper, so you have to ask, and sometimes it takes a really long time.
Anyways, the food can be quite good depending on what you get, so come if you have a lot of time on your hands.

Such an amazing hidden gem! ³⁵⁄₄₀ bucks for a three course meal and the food is so good. It’s on a side street in beacon hill and slightly underground. There arent a ton of tables and the dim lighting make for a super romantic date night. I got the duck and it was a delicious combo of sweet and savory.

Tonight was one of those nights you just want to Netflix and chill, and there is nothing like some short rib gnocchi that doesn’t speak that language.
I live about 5 blocks from Grotto in Beacon Hill and it is either your quintessential date night spot or the perfect place to call and pick up from for the local crowd. The dishes have a perfect northern Italian rustic flare to them and I find it hard to miss here.
Tonight’s order:
Short rib gnocchi (9.4÷10)
Bolognese (8.3÷10)

The food was very good, although I wasn’t blown away. Maybe the abundance of great Italian food in the area has made me a little harder to impress in that aspect. I give this place 4 stars for the adorable romantic ambiance. It is a small, cozy restaurant, full of intimate tables for two and lots of candles. Great date spot; the food won’t disappoint, and the vibe is very intimate.

Went here with the boyfriend to celebrate his birthday. This place scored high on the romantic scale so I thought we would give it a try. The place is pretty small so I made sure to make a reservation and we were seated right away.
After perusing the menu, we both opted for the prix fixe menus.
First course:
Fonduta (4 stars): This dish was pretty good. It definitely scored high on the «fun» scale but I wish they had provided more items to dip in the cheese.
Cavatelle (5 stars): We really enjoyed this dish as the sauce was quite tasty and the noodles were cooked perfectly.
Second course:
Gnocchi (5 stars): This was probably my favorite dish of the night as the meat was so tender and flavorful and the gnocchi was cooked well. The dish is pretty filling so don’t fill up too much on the bread in the beginning.
Anatra (3 stars): This was the most disappointing dish. After reading so many rave reviews of this dish, I found the stuffed breast part of the dish to be nearly inedible. It was so hard to cut through and really lacked any memorable flavor. The leg that they served on top was pretty tasty, as was the potato, and the dish was quite large.
Dessert course:
Cioccolato (5 stars): This was the best dessert of the night as the cake was very moist and the ice cream scoop was large. The center had just enough softness to it to really make it enjoyable.
Budino (3 stars): This dish was also pretty disappointing. The cake itself was delicious, but the ice cream had an oddly herbal node to it (maybe it was super burnt caramel?) and it really ruined the dish.
Overall, the ambiance here was great (though a large group was a bit loud the entire time) and the service was friendly enough. The food came in large quantities and was priced quite reasonably. They definitely had some great dishes, but they were overshadowed by a few disappointing dishes.

This restaurant is hidden away down below the street sidewalk. The entire restaurant probably seats a maximum of 30 people but it is very welcoming and romantic (dark with candles on the tables). They offer a pretty decent Italian wine selection (maybe 20 — 30 bottles to choose from).
Grotto offers a menu where you pick an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $ 35 — $ 40 per person.
My wife and I split two meals:
— Fundata app: Steak, Mushroom, and Fondue cheese. Great presentation. Overall ⁷⁄₁₀
— Cavatelli: Incredible pasta appetizer with flavorful cheese sauce and Italian sausage. My favorite food of the evening! Overall ⁹⁄₁₀
— Spaghetti and Meatball: Large serving size. Great flavor. Overall ⁸⁄₁₀
— Chicken Parm: Mid sized serving size. Really unique take on this dish. Overall ⁸⁄₁₀
— Chocolate Lava Cake and Ice Cream: Incredible! Overall ⁹⁄₁₀
— Banana Bread Pudding: Really good, moist, flavorful Overall ⁸⁄₁₀
Overall, everything was great. The ambiance was terrific for date night. The service was slow at times, but overall just fine.

So I was pumped about celebrating a night out at grotto. We went for restaurant week and planned what we were going to eat a few days before even showing up
For the appetizer we got the crab ravioli and pancetta with sausage. It was bomb! So good and by far the best part of the meal.
The entrée however, was a huge disappointment. First, they brought the wrong dish (I ordered duck and they gave me spaghetti and meatballs). When I told the waiter, he signaled the manager over who asked if everything was okay. I explained and their response was basically «the spaghetti is fantastic but I suppose I could go back to the kitchen and cook you the duck.» It made me feel like I was inconveniencing them! From that point on, our table was virtually ignored and there was zero customer service or any offer to rectify their mistake.
I never leave bad reviews and am in no means a picky eater. I thought the atmosphere of grotto was incredible and had high hopes for this place. However, my experience was a thorough disappointment and I would not recommend this to others.

I went into a euphoric state while eating the scallops.
The lobster linguini is also very good.
The olive oil served on the table is the best I have ever had. They store their olives and oil together which gives the olive oil a great flavor.
Atmosphere of the restaurant is also very cool.

I was a little disappointed that Grotto never made it in the Thrillest’s «Best Italian outside the North End» rankings. HUGE shocker to me. If someone told me to pick any Italian spot in Boston, this would be the spot!
This underground, cozy restaurant is perfect for dates… and it’s affordable too. 3 course prix fixe menu with rather generous portions? Can’t beat that! Don’t forget the complimentary fluffy bread and olive oil plate as well.
I went with the Fonduta ($ 2 supplement), Spaghetti with the homemade pasta used in the Bolognese dish, and Budino. The Fonduta is definitely my favorite course on the menu. Their blend of cheeses and perfectly cooked steak & mushrooms literally melts in your mouth. The main course was pretty good. However, I might have to side with mom’s cooking instead. Def should’ve went for the Bolognese. The Budino was fantastic as well.
Our waiter was phenomenal and provided some top notch service. I will dock off some points though since my dessert came out with the wrong ice cream.

I enjoy food of all kinds and make time to try as many restaurants as I can. I have had some amazing meals and can confidently say that the meal I had at Grotto was one of the best. I’m a big fan of duck, so that tends to be my go-​to whenever I see it on a menu. The duck I had at Grotto melted in my mouth and had so much flavor. Mind you I have had some fantastic duck and this was up there with the best of them. The service was attentive, but not overly on top of you, a perfect mix. I also appreciate a good cocktail and the ones we had at Grotto were expertly done. Thank you for a lovely meal, I will definitely be back.

MY FAVORITE.
When I was a student at Suffolk, whenever my mom use to come visit. this was our GO. TO spot. I feel like it’s my secret gem! I can’t express how absolutely adorable this place is. It is a tiny restaurant, you walked down a few steps to get to. like its in a basement. You feel like you are in Italy. everyone is always raving about the North End and how that is ‘little Italy’ but the Grotto trumps them all. The food is so authentic, the atmosphere is beautiful. If you want true, delicious, authentic italian cuisine. you gottttta try this place. PLEASE.
GO. GO. GO.

One word: Gnocchi!
I came here with a big party for lunch and they accommodated with us even though their restaurant is small.
I got the mussels for appetizer and gnocchi for my entrée. The mussels were made with a white wine sauce that has the perfect acidity level. The sauce was light and it didn’t overpower the natural flavors of the mussels. The only problem I had with the dish was there was not enough mussels! And the gnocchi that I got was the best gnocchi I’ve ever had. The flour to potato ratio for the gnocchi was spot on. The gnocchi wasn’t too doughy or mushy. It was light and fluffy. And OMG the short ribs were amazeballs! The meat was so soft and tender that it just melted in my mouth. It definitely paired well with the gnocchi.
My friend tried the risotto and she said that it was good and simple, but she wished there was a protein element to it to enhance the flavor of the dish.
I tried a little bit of the panna cotta and I thought it was too citrusy. Usually panna cottas are creamy and light but the panna cotta tasted a little grainy for some reason. Also it was a little too sour for my liking.
The service was alright. They were attentive and the service was relatively fast considering we had over 15 people. I definitely recommend trying the gnocchi here!