Cantina Italiana — Restaurant in Boston

SO disappointed. Set up reservations SIX MONTHS in advance, because my friend has been obsessed with this place for nearly 40 years and we finally had the opportunity to go. Very, very let down.

While at the host stand, we were DYING to have one of the tables at the windows, as there were two. The best view and we were willing to wait for it. When we checked in, right on time, they were both occupied. Totally fine, we had to wait regardless. However, the 4-top was cashed out and made their way to leave. I immediately asked the hostess, with absolute joy and anticipation, “could we please have that table? We’d love the airy window”. Her response was, “no, that’s a table for 4 and you are only 2”.

😕🙁☹️😢

It changed my whole mood, as the disappointment washed over my eager excitement. I felt like I was being punished. I was anticipating spending several hundred dollars here regardless, which is what you’d expect in the North End. But with that comment… I should have known it would continue downhill.

When we were called to go inside, we were walked and walked and walked… to the very end of the restaurant inside, right by the kitchen. The table we were escorted to was atrocious and tiny, cramped between other larger tables. Felt like we were frowned upon as a smaller party.

When we expressed our disdain, the person escorting us offered us a booth nearby… bigger but not far from another problem… the kitchen.

I did not anticipate the heavy aroma of seafood, nor did I hope for the loud crashing and banging from the kitchen and the opening and closing of the doors. Definitely not the experience you hope for when planning to spend a pretty penny at a “nice place”.

I felt… out of place. Like we were not welcome, so we were shoved into a corner of the restaurant that could easily be forgotten. Something we had looked forward to for MONTHS was falling apart in front of us.

On a Friday night in the North End… we had a choice to make. So we made it. We both decided our money was better spent at a place that could accommodate a simple request and that felt at least a little welcoming. We explored and didn’t have too much luck for a bit… but then were pleasantly surprised by another restaurant.

I’m sooooo sad that Cantina Italiana has been around for SO long, maybe they’ve grown complacent in just seeking a good paycheck. Please remember that people go out to have an incredible experience, not to be roadblocked and not be in control of their own enjoyment.

Oh yeah, and Happy Anniversary to us! We CHOSE this place to celebrate a very important occasion to us, and it felt like you didn’t care at all. Thank god another restaurant came in clutch. Leaving this place and going somewhere else SAVED our night.

We’ll be back to the North End next year, but will NEVER step foot near your establishment ever again. Thank you for reminding us the value and quality of GOOD SERVICE by not supplying...

Despite living in Boston, I haven't spent much time in the North End, so I was glad to get to try out another spot. We walked the Freedom Trail, which goes through the heart of the North End, and circled back around to the restaurant a few hours later for dinner. We made a reservation ahead of time, which is generally recommended at sit-down restaurants in this neighborhood, particularly over the weekend - be sure to plan ahead, as there was a line both when we came in and when we left.

Like many Italian restaurants in the area, this is a classier, white-tablecloth type of establishment. It's more expensive than your typical casual dinner, and that was clear when our server recited the specials without even bothering to note the prices. They were brusquely professional - clearly well-versed in the menu and hit the Italian accent when pronouncing all of the "fancier" cheeses/wines/pastas - so all in all, the service was decently respectful... but not exactly friendly.

There was a basket of bread on the table to start us off. The bread was pretty hard, and the plates of plain olive oil to dip it in didn't make it much better, to be frank. We ordered a round of drinks, which came out pretty quickly and were quite good.

Across our group of 8, some of the dishes we ordered were the bombolotti alla vodka ($23), penne arrabiata ($23), pappardelle allo pesto genovese ($26), and lobster ravioli (special).

Most of the entrées came in large steel pans, which were an interesting but not unwelcome touch. They were actually larger (had more pasta) than I'd expected, but for the most part relatively plain and simple. For example, the bombolotti alla vodka (see picture) had generous sauce, but besides the light sprinkles of cheese and garnish, there wasn't much to it - someone who knows their way around a kitchen could probably make this at home. Overall the dish was pretty decent, but not particularly extraordinary.

I was pretty satisfied after dinner, but I just had to try dessert! We ordered the tiramisu to share. It was creamy and soft, and just okay. It didn't have a ladyfingers layer, which I think is my favorite part, so I'm still on the prowl for a great tiramisu in...

Me and my party of 12 just ate last night at cantina italiana for a birthday celebration having a prior reservation placed. Upon being seated, we were placed in the rear of the restaurant at a table which could not accommodate even 10 people comfortably. Two people needed to be seated at the direct corner of the table, with barely enough room to eat. To make it worse, those corner seats were at the intersection between the kitchen and the rest of the restaurant, with waiters and staff bumping into those sat there the entire time we waited for drinks. The person sitting there eventually left having been bumped into and after having a table carried over their head.

We politely expressed our discontent with our seating arrangement and were told by the lovely waitress we could be moved to another table once the party sitting there had left. The other party left and we were shortly told after there was another party coming in and we couldn’t be moved, however the food would be out quickly.

Having lost a person of the party and the discontent of being told we wouldn’t be moved, I asked to speak to the manager directly- his name is omar. Upon coming to the table, he immediately brought up how it was unfair we were requesting to be moved but had only ordered five meals at the time (take in mind, the meals are huge, we ordered drinks, and we had intentions of dessert) and did not deserve to be accommodated. The discussion became immediately tense thereafter knowing we wouldn’t be accommodated or even apologized to because it was about the money. We asked to pay for what we had eaten and decided that we would be leaving. At that point, the manager began to compromise and offered to move us. We declined and left the restaurant having paid for our drinks and the food was packed up for us, on the house.

We were disgusted at how this interaction was handled. Such a simple issue that could have been avoided by only accepting reservations for as many people that could be accommodated. The manager is money driven and extremely rude. Birthday dinner was ruined. Would never eat here again.

The food was 8.5/10 and waitresses were lovely, hence 1...