Appetito

Sat. 10/5/13: starting off missing one server, the remaining pair of servers were stressed and frazzled.... more

Sat. 10/5/13: starting off missing one server, the remaining pair of servers were stressed and frazzled. After a long wait, we (two) were finally s... more

well, the calamari appetizer was over batter dipped, and still it the calamari was way overcooked, ya know, rubbery. But, the 'special' steak my husband loved. I had pasta with eggplant, goat cheese, basil, garlic, passed on the italian bacon... a little 'heavy'... but good. I felt like I was in the North End over 30 years ago... lots of activity... but most of us had the Groupon $25 for $55. It's pricey if you have an appetizer. Got a kick out of the waitress Kate. took a while, but was reminded everything was made fresh on the spot. Worth a trip. more

The pricing is fair for the quality- it's well worth it! We were greeted immideately at the door by our waitress who was very kind and even offered to take our coats. She immediately brought us waters and bread with most delicious sauce- I think she said it was a tomato basil bean paste? It was phenomenal. She told us exactly what was in it and how it was made. She was extremely knowledgable about all the items on the menu as well as the specials. We asked her about everything and she always gave a thorough answer. Even when we didn't ask a question, she'd give an extensive response about what we said- she was very pleasant. Our food took a little longer than usual but it was worth the wait! The presentation was simply artful. Our entrees looked great and they tasted better than they looked. All around a great experience. I went here with an online certificate and after the certificate and gratuity, I ended up spending $30 for 2 people. I will be sure to go back and would recommend anyone to come here! But I do recommend following my rule of thumb: never order pasta when you go out. Pasta is the cheapest to make and it's always WAY overpriced. Go for the no pasta entrees. Although here, my friend did have a pasta entree and it was delicious as well. more

The food here leaves a lot to be desired. We ordered the calamari appetizer which was super rubbery and tasted like it was fried in over-used oil. For entrees we had the eggplant parm which was okay however they charge you close to $20 and don't even give you pasta (have you heard of eggplant parm without pasta??). We also had the carbonara with lobster that was swimming in sauce and the lobster was terrible- it tasted fishy and chewy. Pros: easy parking Cons: really bad food more

My Aunt suggested this place and we were excited to try it. We're always on the lookout for exceptional places to add to our collection. We went this past Sunday evening and were not impressed. The waitress got my Aunt's drink right on the third attempt. She then read off a litany of items they were out of. Fair enough, you probably don't get many deliveries on a Sunday. 3 of us ordered the Seafood Risotto. We were intrigued because the menu said I think 'charred' lobster, and we really wanted to experience that. The fourth ordered Frutti di mare. When the meals showed up not one of us had any lobster in their dish. There were 3 shrimp and 2 scallops, along with 2 pieces of asparagus and a smattering of red pepper. We invited the waitress back and asked where the lobster was, she said they were out of lobster and had given us an extra shrimp. Hmm. No apologies. No offer to replace. In what universe is one shrimp equal to lobster? :*). Had we known, we would have ordered something else. It was our server's responsibility to notify us when we ordered that item. Also, there were 3 other occupied tables at the time we were there, approx. 8 pm. Not busy at all. Our server was absent more than she was there, she was also very difficult to understand. She was more attentive during dessert and coffee but unfortunately the damage was already done. When we left, the last table to do so, no one acknowledged our departure, nobody said goodnight, it was truly odd. My husband and I are foodies, we eat out 2 or more times per week, but unfortunately this place will not be on our regulars list. more

Delicious food, even though it arrived a little bit cold - it was easy to heat up and super yummy! They even included some complimentary bread and sauce. more

Visited Appetito a few weeks ago with a friend for dinner and will definitely be back. The food was extremely good, but the service was slow. The waiter was very nice and after warming up to us started joking around, but it did take a long time to get our drinks, meal, and extremely long to get our check. We were one of the first customers to walk in for the evening and we got our initial drinks quickly but once the tables all filled up we didn't see much of anyone. I will go back and will absolutely get the bruscetta again...it's to die for! Just make sure to go with someone you like talking with and be in for a longer than usual evening. Pros: Food, Location Cons: Slow service more

This restaurant has gone way down hill. The service was horrible, the waitstaff was sloppy and disinterested. The menus were dirty, the tables were sticky and the food was bland. I was so disappointed. Cons: everything more

One of the worst brunches?ever. Cons: Terrible service more

It's 6pm on a Thursday and we're in Appetito for an early dinner. The room is cramped and noisy. The table small and the server completely charm-free. If that wasn't enough, the server opens with a list of what they don't have that evening. Shrimp, veal, lamb, fruit, and several other basics. This sounds like a restaurant that is either managed incompetently or going out of business soon. Pros: Sorry, I found none. Cons: Perfunctory service. Truly awful, overpriced food. Cramped and noisy. more

I went to Appetito recently for brunch because I had gotten a $25 gift certificate to the restaurant years ago. On the gift certificate there is no veribage about what kind of food you had to order to use it, or the amount of food you had to buy, etc. so I went in for a Sunday brunch. I presented the gift certificate to the waitress at the end of the meal and she immediately gave me attitude and said that I could not use it on brunch and that stipulations of the gift certifiate were mentioned on the website. Since I had gotten it as a gift I had not visited the Appetito website. She called the manager over and his attitude and demeanor was even worse. Even the other guests in the restaurant were shocked at how rude he was. In the end he did not honor the gift certificate and was not in the slightest even apologetic. My experience at the restaurant ruined my day, and even two weeks later, I am still fired up. I would never, ever recommend this restaurant to anyone. more

It's small and cute and quaint. Feels extremely homey. Was odd when we walked in because no one greeted us... more

It's small and cute and quaint. Feels extremely homey. Was odd when we walked in because no one greeted us for about 5-10 minutes? We were wonderi... more

Had one of the best, tastiest, and most memorable meals here. It was a couple of years ago, so I can't offer too many details...but the fact I can remember it says something. We had the lamb shank and it was ""off the hook"" to quote our funny waitress. The service was great, the place was cozy, and like I said, the food is excellent (the kind of meal you remember years down the line!). I hope things haven't changed (although we went some time ago, it is possible things aren't as they were for our experience). Pros: excellent food and service Cons: can be crowded more

We went here for Sunday brunch and got some attitude from the waitress who sat us. If it was because she had no one in her section and was about to go home, she was out of luck bc the place got really crowded around 1 PM. The food was really great- especially anything w/ the focaccia bread. My dish did come out missing something that had been included on the menu, which I thought a bit strange. Our service in particular was pretty bad (she even forgot to return my card to me after she ran it), but I saw other waitresses who were more on the ball, and they helped with our table as well. Prices were really fair, especially considering how wonderful the food was. A great place for brunch or lunch! Pros: food, prices Cons: service more

We went there on a Sat night (11/5/2005) with no reservations and were seated in less than 5 minutes. the place IS cramped, the menu IS Italian, but isn't that what drives the hordes to the North End? I picked the pork Chops with banana and date chutney. It was AMAZING. Overall our dining experience was good enough for me to go there again, if we ever plan to eat in the area. We weren't handed a dessert menu, and the waitress (helpful, btw) recited the dessert list :-) I had the creme brule (sp?). Loved it but for the fact that it was garnished with shredded coconut. Definitely worth more than one visit. I'll try a weekend brunch the next time. Pros: Good food, Ambience, Location in Newton Cons: A Bit too cozy more

tried this place, thinking of italian, but was mediterranean, good food. tried some chicken variety with mashed potatoes and salad. will try again this place even though I have no opinion. Got free coke for my honesty :-) as it was not charged in the bill. Pros: newton center, lots of parking more

I've driven by this place a hundred times but never went. Tonight, a friend and I decided to give it a try. The caesar salad is lovely...crisp and garlicky. The calamari was tough, but well seasoned. We had a seafood pasta that was okay, and that chef was able to alter the sauce for my companion who did not eat tomatoes. The service was terrible, and the noise level was over the top. Even for a Saturday night. When asked if the music could be turned down (we were seated directly under the speaker) the waitress said she would, but we still couldn't hear her when ordering the specials. It's nice, and certainly a decent find outside of Boston, but don't go for a romantic date! Pros: Good food, Close Parking Cons: Very small, seating cramped, very loud more

I went to school near appetito and was pleasantly surprised to find this place. I had always gone into the north end during the big dig and it was a nightmare. This place has good food, and surprisingly good brunch! I have never had a problem with the service. It is very cute inside as well Pros: good food, reasonable prices, parking more