Carmelina's in Boston

Prior to this review, I’ve only given two 5-star restaurant reviews. And this restaurant just changed that. I love this restaurant! Everything I had was perfectly prepared and seasoned. One of the best Italian restaurant in my book. It will be a must stop for me whenever I’m in Boston again.

This place was the best place I’ve ever been to. When I say the restaurant has the best customer service for an upscale place, they win hands down. I came all the way from Philly to see a friend in a Boston. I couldn’t get a reservation for the life of me that weekend. We asked the host at the door if we can get a table for 2 and instead of turning us away, he said he’s got a table but we gotta be out in 45 minutes and he let us sit and enjoy our meal! THE MEAL WAS AMAZING. the vibes of the restaurant was cozy and nice. I would come back here over and over again.

Good food overall but unfortunately no "wow effect". Clams were a little bit overcooked. Shrimps in garlic are delicious!

Delicious Italian pasta items. We tried their Sunday Macaroni, the Bolognaise, and the Frutti De Mare. We all agreed that the Sunday Macaroni was our favorite because the sausage and meatballs were fantastic!Highly recommend Carmelinas for their food.Also, reserve your table as early as possible (we did ours weeks in advancebecause the restaurant is small and very popular. Loud but friendly bar like atmosphere.

This was some of the best Italian food we have ever had. Everything is made fresh. They don’t take customizations, but honestly you don’t need them because their menu is crafted perfectly. We didn’t have a reservation and showed up right when they opened and lucked into a table. A definite must-eat— and make that reservation to ensure your seat!

4 of us girls came for lunch on vacation (we’re from South Carolinamade reservations about a month out. We ordered 4 dishes and a bottle of wine to share Ciro Bianco, which was great ($45/bottlefor food we ordered the Rollati (hands down unanimous favorite), Crazy Alfredo, Bolognese, and Carbonara. All were great but the bolognese was lacking some in flavor. Total tab for 4 lunch dishes and a bottle of wine plus tip was $186. Definitely worth the money and if I ever venture back to Boston I will surely return.

The food was absolutely amazing. Some of the best pasta my wife and I have had, the Carbonara was delicious. Caesar salad was also very good. Everything tasted very fresh and with the layout of the restaurant, you can see whats going on in the kitchen. Service was great as well, with everyone being nice. It is very busy, so Id recommend a reservation. Would 100% come here again.

A boutique restaurant. With big bold flavor! We were lucky to stumble upon it. I would highly recommend this restaurant time and time again.They get busy so you might want to come early!

Being able to eat outside is really nice. Waiter was very friendly and helpful explaining and suggesting different meals. I recommend the crazy Alfredo has two different sausages and its also spicy in a white sauce.

Incredible. We walked in and waited half an hour to get a great seat at the bar. We watched them make amazing food. Everything we ate was just perfect! Totally worth all the hype and the wait. So many places nearby to get a drink before dinner but I seriously recommend, don’t eat anything. Portions are plentiful and you’ll want to order multiple items. We got the bolognese with ricotta, the braised beef with risotto, and the caprese pesto salad. I’d recommend ALL of them.

Great Italian food and great seafood. The noodles were cooked to al dente. The staff was nice too. They offered bread for the mussel and shrimp tapas we ordered. Will definitely go there again.

Best pasta Ive ever had. If you like a really good pasta and you are in Boston,MA you HAVE to come here. If not, you didnt went to Boston!. Service, pasta dishes and everything is out of this world!

Amazing food, had the risotto for an appetizer cooked perfect. Main was a stuffed pork chop, was so good with spinach and smoked mozzarella in the middle it was fantastic! Nice staff and great portions for the price! Highly recommend!

This was AMAZING!!! 😍💓🤩 I cant even explain how good this was.. we had to order an extra plate of pasta just because it was soooooo good.... do yourself a favor and go...The service was a 100/10 and the food is in another level 💓

Came here alone and sat by the bar. No wait if you come solo otherwise I recommend making a reservation. Pasta was great with lots of seafood! Big portion for 30 bucks. Service could be nicer.

Absolutely amazing experience. The service was great! Ally was knowledgeable, gave great recommendations, and was fun to chat with as the night wound down. The food was just what I wanted, and so much more. The bolo was out of this world. We also got the rollati, rolled pasta with mortadella and pistachio cream, and OMG. Probably one of the coolest pasta dishes I’ve ever had. Delicious and different in the best way. I would highly recommend this amazing spot of anyone.

My personal best was Spicy Shrimp. Gnocchi and Crazy Alfredo tasted good as well.Don’t go there for the hype but rather for the authentic, fresh sauces served.P.s.: Go anticipating the restaurant to be crowded if you’re going there on a weekend. I couldn’t hear my date who sat right opposite on my table coz of the noise.

There are many Italian restaurants to choose from in the North End, but only one gets 5 stars in my opinion. The only place who does spaghetti with clams not only properly but without a doubt best I’ve ever had, perfect balance of flavors, no skimping on the clams. The perfectly curated wine list is small enough to not be overwhelming and the I was so over the moon about the bottle I selected that I took a photo of it. The dining area is small and intimate, indicative of a good kitchen (scaling up in volume tends to lower the quality). Be super nice to the host and you might get a table :)

Outdoor seating? CHECK.Accepts credit cards? CHECKFamily styled pasta & seafood dishes? CHECKWine & cocktails? CHECKcombined with fast and friendly service? This place is now my go-to Italian restaurant in the north end.

Absolutely amazing, we went here 7/29/22!! 5 STARS IN EVERYTHING - customer service, food, drinks. Our server was kind and very helpful.All the food was DELICIOUS, seasoned, great portions, and fresh. The food comes out pretty fast too.MUST HAVES cause they are so DELICIOUS - The crazy alfredo, spicy shrimp, garlic shrimp and gnocchiNeed to knows - Make reservations before or you will wait 30 plus minutes. The place is very tight and small.

The excitement was real when we scored a reservation to this acclaimed restaurant.For appetizers, we went with the ‘Garlic Shrimp In a Pan’. The shrimp came with a gorgeous buttery garlic sauce with a hint of lemon.For mains, we went with the crowd- favorite recommendation - ‘Crazy Alfredo’. It did not disappoint, quite true to its name, the unexpected spice added the craziness to the otherwise mellow Alfredo sauce. It comes with chicken, sausage and sun-dried tomatoes.Second main was the ‘Penne Gorgonzola’. Totally worth ordering, it’s the perfect pasta combination - tomato sauce with the punch of Gorgonzola cheese and spinach.PS. Portion sizes are fairly large so order accordingly!Safe to say, we left with satiated bellies and hearts and will be coming back soon!

We stopped someone on the street and asked where to eat. He showed my boyfriend a picture of Carmelinas Crazy Alfredo and he was sold. The restaurant is small and very busy even on a hot Tuesday afternoon. We sat inside and it was a surprisingly comfortable temperature considering almost the whole front of the restaurant was open. Not big on decor or ambiance during the day, but evenings may be different.The menu was outside on the wall or you could use a QR code. They brought ice water and bread with oil while we decided and kept the ice water full the entire time. We had the beef Carpaccio starter, the risotto shared starter, he had the Crazy Alfredo and I had the summer caprese.The servings were generous for lunch. Your pasta comes out in the pan they cooked it in so you get little frying pans. Salads, apps, and shareables came out on white plates. The noodles are thick and homemade, it seemed. The Alfredo sauce was a little smoky and spicy which was delicious. It wasnt smack-your-mama hot. The caprese salad was fresh and refreshing. The only concern I had was that the risotto description didnt say that it included onions and because of an allergy we couldnt share it, so if you have an allergy be sure to ask if. It was very good though, and the sharable size could be an entree for one determined person, but its meant to be shared.

Best meal I had when visiting Boston. 12 out of 10! Fresh homemade pastas served up in a skillet, giving you that real family meal vibe. Every single person on the staff was so friendly and accommodating. EAT HERE ASAP.

Fantastic food. Portions great! Service extremely good. Sat on the counter first available and in front of kitchen prep. Will definitely return! Short ribs and carbonara were fantastic

Really good food, but cold inside (in July with the windows open and AC running full-tiltand REALLY loud! Service was odd. (Not sure how else to describe it.We knew we had to order everything at once, but once we got our food, we never saw the server again. A food runner brought our food and practically ran away. It was a little insane in there.

This is a popular place with wonderful Southern Europe-feel indoor-outdoor eating. Sean, the manager is kind and attentive, and his team is impressive.You can’t go wrong with the smart variety on the menu. The Caprese salad was as fresh and vibrant as the unfiltered photo attached. Try the perfectly prepared Baked 4 Mushroom Rigatoni. A perfectly flavored creamy dish of al dente rigatoni with precise use of ingredients, you can savor the fusion of roasted garlic, smoked mozzarella, fresh basil and sage tossed with grilled chicken, and the added touch of crispy Sicilian bread crumbs - it’s the artist’s “tada” to the palette. Enjoy!

Got a wonderful meal of fresh made pasta on their sidewalk patio. The Sunday Macaroni entree is A LOT OF FOOD and a lot of meat. If you are getting this for one person you better be very hungry. But, oh that fresh pasta was so good. The staff was very attentive and we got our table relatively quickly for a busy night.

Service was good. We ate outside on a beautiful day. The food was delicious but we both asked for linguini and received spaghetti. Didnt bother to send it back because we didnt want to wait for them to re-cook it. Also, the first rolls we received were delicious but when we asked for additional rolls, there were too hard on the outside to eat.

As I was walking by this restaurant, I could smell the deliciousness from the open kitchen. I added my name to the waitlist, and was seated within 30 min at the bar. The service started off well, as the waitress quickly took my order but my meal took 45 minutes. I am a pretty patient person but what annoyed me the most was that a gentleman was seated beside me 10 min after my order was taken and he literally got his meal at least 15 min before I was served mine. I am pretty sure they either forgot to punch in my order or lost it. The worst part was that NOONE apologized or acknowledged this mix up. I ordered the bolognese and it was amazing. This could have been a 5* review but due to the lack of customer service, I will give this a 2*. It wasnt even busy by the time I sat down, it was a Wednesday at 2:30pm.

It took me four visits before I finally was able to get a seat at Carmelinas. The server took pity on me and made available a table. I had the salad and a Sunday Macaroni, which lives up to the hype. Lots of meatball, sausages, and pasta. Excellent service and ambiance.

Came here last week 05/31. We came earlier, a bit after 5 so were able to grab a seat inside. I do recommend booking a reservation online so you can get your preferred time. The food was amazing, we were recommend this place and I can see why. I paired the Sunday Macaroni with the Arugula Salad and a white wine. The Sunday Macaroni was great, short rib was so tender, and meatball and sausage were tasty as well. Best part the pasta was al dente. If I am ever back in town, I will be back.

It was probably one of the best Italian restaurants I’ve ever been to in the United States! Their calamari and Crazy Alfredo were phenomenal. It is a very busy restaurant, so be sure to make a reservation beforehand! Highly recommend!

Outstanding food! Im on a Michelin star food journey to NYC, and I do believe this will be my baseline guide for the upcoming restaurants. This is the kind of food that makes you want to slow down and enjoy!

Best Family Style Italian in Boston’s North End! Not even close. Bookings often go months in advance, so recommend planning in advance.

Great authentic Italian food. We sat at the bar which was perfect as it overlooks the kitchen as they prepare the meals. The Chicken Parmigiano was excellent. My son had the Crazy Alfredo which was also really good. Home made pasta and sauces. Reservations are recommended by the place and they are booked quick. Its April and their website says weekends are booked through August already. We did a walk in and lucked out with the bar seats.

This was recommended to us by a friend and Harvard grad. Food was absolutley fantastic! We had the garlic shrimp app, followed by the gnocchi and Sunday macaroni. Some of the best sausage Ive had! Paired with a great wine, so good! And the service was spot on. Great suggestions, would absolutely return.

We were seated quickly and the food was delicious! I had asked about vegan options, and our server was amazing. They were able to make a vegan spicy puttanesca without anchovies, and it was the best. Has a kick, but the flavors are great. Highly recommend!

The Penne Gorgonzola is probably the best pasta I’ve ever had. Everything tasted a amazing! Highly recommend. I will definitely be back.

This place is busy and tiny. We made reservations for 3:15 and still had to wait 30 minutes. It was funny because the moment we sat down, it died down a bit, then about half an hour it was packed again.Really good carbonara. The mushroom rigatoni was the big surprise. It was sooooo good. The seafood pasta was good and fresh but kinda bland after you eat the rigatoni.

To put is simply, this restaurant is utterly phenomenal. This is the best service I’ve probably ever received at a restaurant. The waiter, Anthony, was extremely accommodating and present to ensure a spectacular dining experience. But the food….WOW! It was abundantly clear that there was so much care put into crafting our dishes. I got the Bolognese and it was incredible! Homemade pasta, and delicious Short rip gravy. I also recommend the crazy Alfredo (personal favorite). Please go to this restaurant if you want one of the best dining experiences in the north end (just make sure you book way in advance because they are quite popular)!

Pastas were amazing - ingredients were fresh and the portion was generous. The staff was friendly and professional. Will definitely come back!

My boyfriend and I were craving Italian food after a hike in the afternoon. We decided to come to Carmelina’s and it was a great choice! We got two red sauce plates that were completely different in flavor (Bronx’s Tale and the tortellini). I couldn’t decide which one I liked more. Keep in mind the place is very busy in the evenings and a reservations is a must. It’s a small restaurant with an open kitchen.

Best food i’ve had in the north end. The crazy alfredo is a must. Sauce on the meatballs needs to be bottled and sold in stores. This place deserves the hype.

I was out on a mission to find an amazing spot that had shrimp pasta. Man, did it hit the spot and fulfill my craving. Loved the whole experience at Carmelinas. The staff was kind and attentive, prices were decent. The food was absolutely delicious. This is my new favorite spot in the North End. I had their Spicy Shrimp Pasta... so GOOD! Its normally an appetizer, but I asked if they could make it an entree and they did. I also love that they dont have desserts and invite you to have coffee and dessert at the other amazing places in the North End. Highly recommend Carmelinas if youre in the area!

If you want one of the best Italian dishes in the city, then book a reservation, order the Crazy Alfredo, enjoy, (thank me laterand then book your next reservation immediately after. Simply amazing and delicious.

I can’t tell you how excited I was to visit this restaurant. But unfortunately it fell short.Got there at noon for lunch (only opening to be had for reservations). It’s a quaint tight restaurant with incredible smells, friendly service and a small exposed kitchen.We started with the “highly lauded” bolognese to share. We got it, it was barely warm. Then to try it… it was good, but nothing great. The depth of the bolognese was missing. It was mild and lacked in flavor. The pasta was very slightly undercooked. It was dissapointing.On to the entrees.. my guest had the cod special, and I had a chicken item. My guests cod had a bone and was absolutely loaded with garlic .. and we are both garlic lovers, but it overwhelmed the dish.My chicken was actually a bit tough, which surprised me, but the flavor wasn’t bad.To say the least, we both walked out without saying much about the meals. I think we were both so dissapointed, and didn’t want to rain on the others parade, till the next day, and I blurted out loud , “now that I’ve processed the meal, I need to be honest, it wasn’t all that good”. In which my guest agreed, but didn’t want to say anything either. Overall, dissapointed, but so many incredible Italian restaurants to try in the future in the north end. Tip: head to Modern for their Cannolis. ❤️

Loved everything about this place! The food is beyond good, it’s ridiculously good!! Our server was great and made sure we were taken care of. If you can get reservations here, do it, you’ll thank me later 🙌🏻

We were here in 2017 and we’ve kept this place on a pedestal for 4 years. Im thrilled to say after finally getting a chance to come back it has surpassed our memories! Highly recommend sitting at one of the four seats by the bar so you can watch the process, and don’t forget to tip the cooks for the show!!

Great food, ordered two of their pastas and both dishes tasted really good. Make sure to try their crazy Alfredo.It is a very small space and getting reservations is hard, so plan in advance.

I came here after reading all the nice reviews and made a reservation for myself. The food was very good, in particular the roasted mushrooms, which were delicious and hands down my favorite dish. The mixture of the sauces with the smooth goat cheese was amazing. The gnocchis were good but nothing to rave about when compared to the mushroom appetizer. My biggest issue with this experience was the service. I felt rushed to order and finish my meal by both the hostess and the waitress, and the restaurant was not even full (they could have been way friendlier).