IL Capriccio — Restaurant in Waltham

Staff was very nice. Service was attentive. It’s a wide open space on the dining side that is nice for maximizing tables, a couple dividers in the area with 3 less tables would make it feel a bit more intimate and provide a higher end feel. Unfortunately, the food was overall underwhelming.

Scallops were just slightly overcooked, but plated well and good overall flavor. This started the meal on a positive note.

Risotto with lobster, Conch and Roasted Corn was utterly disappointing. Plating was poor- simply in a bowl. A Very small amount of Lobster was provided. Regardless it clearly wasn’t made fresh and was rubbery. Additionally, there was too much conch (rubbery as well) used as a filler which overpowered the flavor combination. Lastly the corn was not roasted so they missed out on an important flavor needed for this dish.

Potato Parmigiano Gnocchi Bolognese was plated with slightly more care so presentation was good. The Gnocchi was a bit larger than would be traditional so it wasn’t cooked even throughout but still not bad. The bolognese was a decent flavor, but again, it didn’t taste freshly made. This dish would pass at any locally eatery, but not at a mid to upper level restaurant.

Beet, Goat Cheese, Mache, Toased Hazelnuts, Balsamic Reduction. The golden beets were cut nice and had great flavor. The red beets were cut too thick. The hazelnuts were not toasted so it lacked the nutty flavor this dish would usually have. But, it’s a simple dish that works even when elements are missed.

Suggestions; Freshly made food should be top priority. Use fresh lobster; drop the conch and char the corn and make this a great dish. Cut the gnocchi down about 1/3 less in size for a better cook. Make the Bolognese fresh. Toast the hazelnuts.

Desert was great. Warm Chocolate Budino. We weren’t sure the salted caramel and mint ice cream was going to work. But, surprisingly, it did. The mint ice cream was made with fresh mint and it stood...

My husband and I have always loved coming to Il Capriccio but last night we were really blown away by our incredible experience. We joined seven of our good friends to celebrate my husband’s birthday - I was the terrible guest who called at least three times in advance during the week to change the number of guests as folks confirmed and then dropped out. Instead of being annoyed at me, or curt on the phone, the gentleman I spoke with was kind and compassionate and really made it clear that they were happy to have us. We arrived to find that we essentially had been given a private room for our meal down the right side corridor - everything is always beautiful appointed there and this room was no different. The staff, as always, we kind, efficient and incredibly knowledgeable. If good service from people who not only know how to make you feel well taken care of, but from people who also genuinely understand the food and know what they’re talking about matters to you, this is the place to be. Jan, the sommelier, delivered, per usual. She is fantastic at what she does should NEVER be missed on a visit. She opened a beautiful Sauternes for my husband to try and quickly half of the table ordered glasses as well after listening to her explain the process behind the wine and the reason she chose the specific label. Jan has always been one of the highlights at Il Capriccio and consistently delivers crisp and insightful recommendations without making guests feel as though they need to be “snooty” about wine in order to enjoy it.

A huge thank you again to the entire staff from the original greeters at the host stand, to our waitstaff, the chefs and dishwashers. We love coming to...

2025: We went to il Capriccio for my husband's 70th birthday. We hadn't been there since they changed locations. There are a couple main dining rooms, which are very homey, and a couple small dining rooms for small groups. The food was exceptional as always. The service top notch. They change menus monthly, with some items staying on perpetually. (The porcini dish was taken off the menu a couple times over the years, and customers complained so much that they put it back on - never to be removed again.)

My husband had the tuna tartar for his appetizer and the carbonara (with a poached egg on top) as a main. Our friend had the porcini souffle for the appetizer and the duck for her entre. I had the porcini souffle and the halibut. All dishes were excellent. It is always a 5-star experience.

2018: We don't go to il Capriccio very often simply because it is a fairly expensive restaurant. It is always a huge treat when we go. We look forward to it all week. The service is excellent. The wine selection extensive. The staff wine recommendations are always good to fall back on if the huge wine list is too daunting. The food is always perfect. Some of our favorites: porcini souffle (they've taken it off the menu a couple times but always have to put it back on because people complain so much); tuna tartar with warm homemade potato chips; gravlax with white anchovies; carbonara with a poached egg on top; the lamb and duck are always great; the chicken schinitzel; and a chocolate budino molten cake for desert. Five...