On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Beacon Hill, DowntownBowdoin (Blue)
Government Center (Blue, Green)
Park Street (Green, Red)
Loading...
Nestled into Beacon Hill, Grotto intimate and cozy. It's the perfect place for sharing a good red wine and leaning close for conversations that shouldn't be overheard by others. The menu is just the right size and and has a wonderful three course option, which I have to recommend - it will definitely be too much food, but box the entree, devour the dessert and you'll manage. The only thing that bothers me about the menu is that I've been watching it for a few seasons now, and it hasn't changed much. My waiter only predicted changing one entree as we move toward the winter. Foods change seasonally, appetites change seasonally, I think menus should change seasonally too. However, maybe they're just sticking with the winners because everything I tried on the menu was perfectly delicious.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Romantic, cozy, intimate...I like to find restaurants that not only have great food, but also a dark and intimate setting.
Delicious. Get the steak tip, portabella, and fontina cheese fondue. Melts in your mouth.
Grotto is garden level, slightly hidden in between the buildings on Bowdoin Street, distinguished by a little string of white lights. The walls are dark, the paintings are life size, and there is a huge wine rack to drool over. The dining room may look small when you get there, but once you're seated, everyone else feels miles away. Or perhaps that's just too much red wine.
This is my all-time favorite place to eat and stare into my fiance's eyes.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Had dinner at Grotto, last nite . Enjoyed it emmensly and the atmosphere was cozy and relaxed. There dishes are diverse and satisfy multiple pallets
Despite the higher prices this restaurant is unpretentious. The restaurant is small, tables are very close together and the lighting is dim. I went with two girlfriends during the restaurant week prefixed menus and I would definitely return to try more dishes. The caprese salad was not very good because the tomatoes were tough and there was no seasoning at all, not even salt and peper, but my entree, the beef tenderloin with parmesan risotto and asparagus more than made up for the sub par appetizer. My friend said the beef melted in her mouth and the risotto was the best I have ever had. For dessert we ordered the warm melting chocolate cake and everyone loved it. I would return again just for another bite of chocolate cake! Service was well-timed and friendly.
A friend and I stopped in here after a few pints at the 21st and enjoyed ourselves immensely (last time I ate here it was the Cafe Istanbul). Walking down Bowdoin Street, we literally stumbled down into the Grotto. We drank a bottle of red wine and ate a nice dinner. It's a small restaurant, full of people, but it wasn't uncomfortable - it still managed to deliver intimacy - I hate when you go into these places and you are in everyone elses conversation (not so here). I would definitely suggest this as a nice "date" destination.
I can't tell you how many times I have passed by this restaurant and not even know it was there. That is until I made a reservation for RW. Luckily for us, they extended their RW menu through the end of August. The entrance is a little hard to find, just look for the steps going down to the basement. But don't let the exterior fool you. Upon entering, you can see the entire layout of the restaurant with its 15 tables. It is a VERY INTIMATE restaurant. Ambiance--not really! Cozy--FOR SURE! I loved it, great place for date night. I would definitely reccommend making reservations because walk-ins are almost impossible here.
As for the food--OMG!!!! I don't even know what their regular menu is like but their RW menu was DELICIOUS! So many options (which is rare for RW). I had the Fonduta as my app (beef tenderloin fondue with fontina cheese). This fondue was delicious, mouth watering with each bite. I wanted to ask for a spoon just so I could have the cheese. I think we asked the waitress to refill our bread basket 6 times so that we had something to dip into the cheese. It was absolutely amazing. We also had the mussels with white wine sauce and the caprese salad (tomatos and mozzarella). My friend said that the mozzarella seemed very fresh as if it were made that day. The mussels were really good, but then again, its mussels in white wine sauce. You can't go wrong with that.
For our entrees, I had the gnocci with braised short ribs and gorgonzola cheese. There really wasn't as much gorgonzola as I would have liked, but the portions were great. So much in fact that I took a doggie bag home. Our table also ordered the chicken parmesan, the scallop "ravioli", and the steak. Each one deserves a little description--so bear with me. The chicken parm was HUGE, two pieces of chicken on top of each other, covered in the right amount of cheese, breaded and fried without being too dry. The scallop "ravioli" was probably another favorite of the night. There were maybe 4 or 5 pan-seared scallops under this sheet of pasta, that resembles ravioli, but its not enclosed, therefore its an open ravioli with scallops. The steak was also very delicious, very tender and served with asparagus on the side.
Our servers were attentive refilling our drinks regularly. We ordered two pitchers of sangria, one of the white and one of the red and they were both equally amazing. The downfall is that since it is such a small restaurant, you have to walk through the kitchen to use their 1-person restroom. This isn't a big deal if you aren't drinking anything, but for me-drinking 2 pitchers of sangria made my bladder go a little crazy. My bf who isn't a big fan of sangria even liked it and drank the rest of my glass. All in all, this place was great. Intimate and cute. I will def be coming back!!!
I worked around the corner from Grotto for 5 years and went for a goodbye lunch with a colleague. What a dumbass I was. I missed out all those years!
Grotto is an intimate italian basement bistro. Service was good. My Pomodoro sandwich (sliced vine ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, pesto, extra virgin olive oil, and mixed greens) was exploding with flavor and the fresh baked ciabatta bread was the most delicious bread I've had in a long time.
Prices were reasonable, atmosphere is good, location is nice. Overall totally underrated. I need to go back to try dinner now!
This restaurant feels like its hidden, and that's because it is. It took us a good fifteen minutes to find it, but that was well worth it. This is a very small, high quality restaurant. The service was excellent, atmosphere was very calm and soothing, great for a date. As for the food, amazing. Everything was fresh and perfectly seasoned. Portions felt a little small for the price. Anyways, HIGHLY recommended if you're looking for a nice quiet place to dine in the Boston area.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
I went to Grotto for the first time for August Restaurant Week. I originally had a reservation for 5 people. When we got there they had set a table for 5 on a 4 top. Luckily we ended up with only 4 people and did not have to uncomfortably squish ourselves in this tiny setting. As most people know, the restaurant is very small, "intimate".
Overall, the food was excellent, but the service was absolutely dreadful. The waitress was trying to be pleasant, but she was the only server on duty, working 15 tables! To say the least, we did not get the level of attention we would have preferred. I also found it odd that there were these 3 individuals that were floating around helping serve beverages and run food... why wouldn't one or two of them jump in to help waiter??
We had to wait longer than usual to order our dinners. We were never asked if we wanted refreshers on our bread and beverages. We had to flag down the waitress to order dessert, to get our bill, and then again to actually pay. I also asked for extra marinara sauce for my chicken parm and never received it. I'm a sauce girl so that was a huge disappointment. However, the caprese salad and the melted chocolate cake was outstanding.
I would probably go here again, but be prepared to have a long drawn out leisurely meal. I'll ask for a bottle of wine next time, not just by the glass! And extra bread ahead of time!
Unfortunately I have to give a not so great score on the service alone. And unfortunately for servers, I base my tips on actual service and attentiveness, not just what is considered "acceptable". I think Grotto should keep that in mind and have their restaurant properly staffed, especially during Restaurant Week. It looks like other people have had great experiences, so I guess service issues are not a common occurance, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe next time I can give the place 5 stars.
Here's to next time....
I am so happy that this is a bit off the beaten path- as a result, it isnt too crowded or too expensive.
I think I have tried everything on the menu at this point-
Best appetizer: stuffed figs
Worst appetizer: Caprese salad
Best entree: Short rib gnocci (or scallops)
Worst entree: Spaghetti
Just went here with my husband for the first time tonight. Simply Amazing!! Everything was phenomenol from start to finish. The fontina fondue is a must for sure. The beef tenderloin with the risotta was to die for. My husband had the banana bread pudding and I had the blueberry crostatta, both excellent choices. We will definately be heading back there again. Great date place as the atmosphere is very small and cozy with soft music and all :) This is a definate must try!!! Enjoy,.
Very Delicious! I came here with a group of 6 people to celebrate a 30th birthday party. There are not many tables so we were seated in the middle at the longest one. We all got the 3 course fixed menu for $35 each. I started with:
Fontina cheese fondue, beef tenderloin, aged balsamic, truffle oil, portobello mushrooms. This was amazing!!!! My favorite course. The presentation was soo cute. The tenderloin and mushrooms were tender and juicy. The cheese fondue portion was generous. I even had some left to dip the bread in it.
For my entree I got:
Pan roasted diver scallops "ravioli", baby leeks, wild mushrooms, arugula, and mushroom jus. Yummm. Very creative presentation and scallops were perfect. The sheet of ravioli on top was neat.
I also sampled my boyfriends short ribs and gnocchi and they were fab.
For dessert I got the homemade cheesecake. WOW. The piece was gigantic and could of served the whole table. It was almost 6 inches high with a thick graham crust at the bottom. The filling was fluffy and not too sweet. Probably the best cheesecake I've ever had.
The service was good. The only thing I can complain about was that the AC was just not cutting it. It was a humid Saturday night and it was so hot in there. Everyone at the table was very uncomfortable. The server looked flustered in the heat going back and forth and said they are working on getting a new one. The other people in the party all raved about their food. It was the first time most of us had been there. With the AC problem to the side we all loved it and would go again.
Fontina cheese fondue with beef tenderloin, and aged balsamic, truffle oil, portobello Mushrooms. This is just one appetizer on their tasty menu.... need I say more?
Been a few years now since I've been here. Don't want to rush anything you know.
Great, intimate, cozy and romantic restaurant. Seats only about 40 or so folks.
We got super lucky (since we arrived early) and got the best table in the place, far left corner as you enter. Not too many great tables though. Either in foot traffic path, next to the front door or the entrance to the kitchen.
Food was excellent all the way around. We had 2 different appetizers we split, 2 different entres which we shared. We also spilt a dessert which was deee-licious!
Flavorful, decent portions and great presentation.
Service was efficient, although not overly great.
http://www.grottoresta.../
Pros: Romantic, intimate, food!
Cons: Only a couple of good tables in the joint.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
What a super cute and cozy place! Perfect for a date. But it's not easy to find (if you are me anyway), and there is no place to park that's close. We parked at a garage and had to walk a few blocks.
We came with friends one night and had such a tasty meal I've been itching to go back.....
the pasta and sauce of my meal were soo tasty and very filling - I had extra to bring home - I love that! Wine was also very good. And the Potato gnocchi, short ribs, mushrooms, and gorgonzola was amazing.. MMM I need to go back again soon.
If you cant fix it.....feature it.
Only a very creative chef can locate a great restaurant in a Beacon Hill basement and call the place "Grotto" and still maintain a straight face.
The menu is well structured with first course dishes costing $10 and second course dishes costing $20.
The Gnocchi with short ribs is incredible, the staff is sincerely friendly and the atmosphere is cozy....as a basement...er....grotto should be!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I went to Grotto during restaurant week after reading all the great reviews on Yelp. I was SO glad I did because this was the BEST meal I have had in Boston to date. We started with a bottle of Chianti which was reasonably priced and fantastic.
For appetizers, we ordered the crab ravioli and the cheese fondue with beef tenderloin. The ravioli so light it felt like you were eating air. But the cheese fondue was the one that was spectacular. We scraped up every little last bit of cheese with the bread.
For our entrees we ordered the potato gnocchi with short ribs and the bolognese. Both were perfectly cooked and delicious but the gnocchi had flavors that my mouth had never experienced. The gnocchi and the fondue are a must if you ever come here. We ended our meal with the chocolate cake and tiramisu. Both were good but can be skipped if you're full from your meal.
While the service was not great, the food more than made up for it. And at those prices, this is a place I will come back to over and over again.
P.S. If you're lazy like me and decide to drive here, make sure to check the street signs before you park. I was able to find a lot just up the hill from the restaurant for a flat fee of $10. Especially with the increases in parking ticket fees, not a bad idea to just pay the $10 and not worry about your car for the night.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (2)
I am always on time. Not for this reservation, however, and upon walking down into this cozy little space I feared the worst: public caning, forced exile, no lunch. Luckily, none were true. Even though my two friends were even later to arrive than I was (bitches), we still got our table. So it started off well...
Then the waiter came over and asked if we'd like any "soft drinks." My friend was getting aggravated that he assumed we were underage, but it turned out he just assumed that we didn't want to get wasted at 11:45 am. When he brought us our drinks there was a little mix-up (not entirely our fault). After that, he gave us serious attitude and basically disappeared, save for a few brief appearances in which he refused to make eye contact. Awkward and obnoxious. Minus one star.
We originally chose Grotto for their extensive RW menu and the fact that they included a brownie sundae as a dessert option. Unfortunately it didn't turn out so well.
For the first course I ordered one of my all-time favorites: baked figs with prosciutto and greens. It was edible of course, but not fantastic.
I ordered the ziti for my main dish. It was just okay- tasted strangely similar to when I make the same thing at home with frozen ingredients and Kraft grated cheese. So either I am an incredible chef or their dish was just mediocre. If you knew me at all you would realize the latter is true. Minus another star.
For dessert, all three of us ordered the brownie sundae (a no-brainer) and when they arrived only two had whipped cream and hot fudge, one was without. How can you serve one third of the table an incomplete sundae? That is just cruel. The whipped cream may not be the most crucial part of the dessert, but it is not easily forgotten. At least provide us with an explanation for this half naked ice cream sundae. For shame, Grotto. Also, the brownies tasted like stale Betty Crocker. Once again, I can do a better job myself. Minus one more star.
At first I was willing to excuse them for their mistakes. I realize that during Restaurant Week they are churning out these dishes without the same level of concern and attention that would normally be provided. However, they just screwed up too many times. RW or not, I am still paying for a great lunch and a great lunch I did not receive. Instead I got the equivalent of what I probably would have made at home, except with a snippy waiter and no god-damned whipped cream or hot fudge.
The Phantom of the Opera would find this a suitable haunt for entertaining dinner guests, amongst the shadows. A tawdry woman swirled in oils held court beneath chandelier prisms and exposed pipes covered in bloody red. The far wall, made up entirely of wine, had customers "bobbing and weaving" the wait staff as they leaned in to grab necessary vintages.
.
I'll document here that my appetizer special won "best first course ever." Duck meatballs with foie gras ravioli made this milestone easy to name. The decadence was only enhanced by the addition of cippolini onions and port wine reduction. Mussels and clams (fresh, fresh, fresh) had a subtle broth highlighting the seafood. Beet and goat cheese salad reminded me of a Chip-wich with a thick baseball of goat cheese between two hearty slices of beets.
For entrees, steak was served with a parmesan risotto that was so creamy, it resembled mashed potatoes. Butter= happiness. The lamb osso-bucco was tender and shredded easily, but didn't have much flavor. Neither did the large white beans served with it. The spaghetti and meatballs were worthy of ordering, but could never override my duck version. The pre-ordered, individual apple pie made us order when hungry and eat when full. The crust was a little heavy for my liking, but that didn't mean I left any on the plate.
Besides the food being stellar, there's something I like about a place where the worst seat in the house, a scrawny corner under heating duct, is somehow the most romantic.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I was fiending for Italian and we hadn't yet found a good spot in Boston. After reading several reviews, we decided to try Grotto. BEST. DECISION. EVER.
We descended the stairs and walked in, and I was hit by a wall of amazing, delectable scents wafting through the air. If Grotto were in my neighborhood, I would be here each and every night. No, I am not exaggerating. We were seated and opened the menu, and they had Montepulciano by the glass...I was completely smitten. They have an absolutely amazing prix-fixe menu, so we each decided upon our dinners and sat back to enjoy the ambiance.
The Montepulciano was divine and mellow, and went beautifully with the meal. The first course arrived: fontina cheese fondue accompanied by beef tenderloin, aged balsamic, truffle oil, and portobello mushrooms. I dove into absolute cheese bliss and had to convince myself not to lick the fondue bowl at the end.
The second course was chicken parmesan with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and cheese manicotti. It was quite delicious, but not knock-your-socks-off like the fondue. I ended up taking half of it back to our hotel and we enjoyed it for breakfast the next morning.
Dessert was banana bread pudding with caramel ice cream and walnuts. The bread pudding itself was a bit too dense for me (a little reminiscent of a hockey puck, but it had a good flavor) but the caramel ice cream was on par with the fondue....delectable, amazing, and worth savoring. I can't wait to get back to Boston to return to Grotto!
I chose this restaurant after seeing the menu listed on the restaurant week website.. everything sounded great. The menus itself is fabulous. The restaurant is tiny and a bit crowded but I loved the decor and the artwork. The food was delicious, I was there with 2 friends and we all really liked everything we got and the presentation was also very nice.
We ordered:
Beet & Goat Cheese Salad - Very Good
Pear & Prosciutto Salad - Good but too big
Cavatelle with Sausage - Nice smoky flavor
Beef Tenderloin - is what it is... risotto was a bit undercooked
Gnocchi with Short Ribs - Delish!!!
Banana Bread Pudding - Really good but again too big!
Warm Chocolate Cake - Yummy
Panna Cotta - Very nice.. Light & Nice Flavor
The only negative I can say is the cranky waitstaff... they all seemed so miserable! I'll definitely be back and I have already recommended to my friends and co-workers.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
I loved this place!! My wife and I don't go out for Valentine's to avoid the madness and + our anniversary is a week later. We went to Grotto last night and it was really good. I usaually avoid pre-fix menu's but this was real good and affordable. We both had the Crab ravioli and Bolognese pasta-medium portion, but super rich. She had Tiramisu and I had Banana Bread pudding-OMG Off the hook good!!! the roasted walnuts.....holy S#*t soooo good. The staff was awesome and real attentive and the atmosphere-super cozy.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Forget Disney World. When you eat the gnocchi with short ribs, mushrooms, and gorgonzola, Grotto is the "Happiest Place on Earth"!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (3)
I'm done giving three star reviews... a restaurant is either good or it's not. For me being "good" means your food is well worth the price you charge for it. Grotto would not qualify for this..
The Good:
- Cool vibe inside. Tight quarters, but has the speak easy feel of a lunge in Brooklyn
- The wait staff are great. Very friendly, attenttive, etc. etc
The Bad:
- The food is average. Crab ravioli.. average... Buffalo mozzarella salad is a bit above average. The spaghetti and meatballs blow.. they talk it up highlighting their "wonderful tomato sauce", but I can promise you their wonderful tomato sauce is average at best.... The sweet potato raviolii is propbably the best dish on the menu... I actually give that one two thumbs up.
- For the price, it's just not worth it. You'll come out of Grotto at $50/head (assuming you have a glass of wine) and you'll think of the 20 other restaurants that would have been more satisfying for the same price.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Overall I think Grotto is a nice restaurant. Went with s/o to celebrate birthday and the coziness, decor, and service were wonderful. The fondue appetizer was amazing. The entrees (chicken parm and spaghetti and meatball) were both quite good. The only complaint for both parties was the sauce used. Both of us prefer more standard marinara sauce but Grotto definitely gets an A for effort. Overall I would definitely eat there again and the ambiance is worth the experience alone.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
It is in a basement in beacon hill and they serve minced veal pasta. Why would anyone mince veal? Then, u can't tell the difference from regular beef....and that is the hardest pasta I ate in a restaurant. Will not go back....although, the waitress who served me was very very nice.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Not impressed with this place. I went here this week for restaurant week. I will say they had a good menu and selection. But what I ordered wasn't good. I is a cute spot but the food I got was heavily smoked and it didn't mention it on the menu. I tried to talk to the server and he wasn't responsive at all. They did have a great Pino Noir. I have waited a looong time to go here since it is always booked immediately on the restaurant week. I was unimpressed, esp for the cost. it is a tiny spot too, I'm sure it gets overly crowded very easily.
Fondue ap was delish
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
In the summer (and maybe at other times of the year; I don't know), they have a prix fixe menu....appetizer, dinner, and dessert for $35. This is an excellent value considering that the portion sizes are huge. Unlike a typical restaurant week menu, you can choose anything off of the menu. I had the spinach salad with beets and goat cheese....so delicious and large; it could have been a meal onto itself. The gnochhi is fantastic. The short ribs that are cooked with it are so tender and flavorful. My husband had the chicken parm, and it was far from your typical chicken parm....a big breast of chicken, beautifully prepared and stuffed with pesto maybe. The atmosphere is so cozy and intimate. It's a great place to go for something special or just a Saturday night out. When we were there last night, there was a group of ladies on what looked to be a girl's night out, a family celebrating a birthday, a couple who just engaged, and a few other couples. The service is a bit on the slow side, especially considering it's such a small place. Be careful with your wine selections...we got a half bottle of red zin for $31 and only got a litle more than a glass for each of us. We would have been better off ordering single glasses or getting a full bottle. Parking around Beacon Hill is tough, but on weekends Center Plaza Garage, which is just a short walk, is $13.
Fancy food that's affordable - great place to go once in a while. Super cozy atmosphere and but only OK wine selection. Their $35 prix fixe is a steal, but hard to finish as most of the food is super rich. We haven't had a problem with the service on our few visits, but we've never been when it's packed.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (2)
1. Creamy garlic soup with black truffle and parmesan. Served in a bowl so big that had I wanted to (and I am not ashamed to admit I entertained the idea) I could have shoved my face in and licked it clean. Be sure to sniff a spoonful and enjoy the heady scent of the truffle oil. Your nostrils will thank you.
2. Apple stuffed duck breast and crispy leg. Not sure how I felt about this. The crispy leg was good, but the apple stuffed duck breast was WEIRD. In fact, they made it into a gigantic sausage which reminded me of something I would rather not be thinking about when eating dinner. On the plus side, the dried cherries and creamy potatoes were tasty.
3. Panna cotta with raspberry sauce and lemon cookie. I don't eat panna cotta often and so may not be the best judge of this, but in my opinion Grotto's was too solid and not creamy enough. Also, the coffee is strong! I'd been feeling really sleepy but it re-energized me enough to allow me to read for class until midnight. So...yay?
Love the decor. It's underground and small, but they've done a good job with it, particularly mounting a giant mirror on one of the walls to make the place look bigger.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
I was really delighted with the meal I had at Grotto back in January. John and I were enjoying a late anniversary/early Valentine's Day meal and spent ages trying to decide where to go; we were really pleased to have ultimately settled on this choice.
The first and best thing is that they offer, year-round, a 3-course prix fixe menu at $35. This made a lovely indulgence fairly affordable. The location involves a short but pleasant walk up the Commons and past the State House, and is a cozy but not-too-crowded little nook with classy decoration and lighting. The waitstaff were great, very enthusiastic about the food and extremely helpful.
That food was perfection, for me. I ordered a spinach salad with beets, goat cheese, candied walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette. I am a beet fanatic and I've never had a better salad at any restaurant. I don't care much for nuts, nor raw spinach, nor raspberry dressings usually, but every bite was heavenly and I left nothing. The sweet potato ravioli, perfectly al dente, was a very sensible portion with wonderful nut, brown butter, herb and pomegranate accents. My dessert was a pile of heaven, banana bread pudding with homemade oh-my-god-it's-caramel ice cream. John was equally delighted with his fondue, chicken, and molten chocolate cake.
We are very excited to go back some day.
I went to lunch there over Restaurant Week. The food was good, though like Chance, I had the ziti with 3 grounds meats and I had a hard telling one from the other but the ziti was without lines (it's a texture thing for me) and I liked that.
I had the Beet & Goat Cheese Salad for my starter and it was good as was the Tiramisu for dessert.
The atmosphere is cozy, which was good on the cold, windy day that we went.
This place is so tucked away it's a wonder they chose this location in the first place; and yet, people keep coming, I'm assuming, because of word of mouth.
Grotto is a tiny, totally unpretentious decor and seating room, and the room doesn't buzz with voices but it's cozy without being quiet. It feels like everyone inside is having a good time and a good conversaion.
I did the RW menu with the calamari, bolognese, chocolate cake, and a bottle of Chianti at the table. Shaun is right, it'll run you a little over $50 a head.
Food was very, very rich but in that comforting, not greasy way. The bolongnese which smelled very strongly of lamb, which I suppose could be a good or bad thing depending on your preference.
I'm not sure where the allure lies in Grotto, because it didn't blow me out of the water, but I still kind of want to go back for a second try. Maybe it's because the whole damn menu sounds so good.
I think the happiest people at my table were the ones who ordered the duck. If hypotheticl round 2 were to happen, I think I'd go for short ribs and gnocchi or beef tenderloin
This was our choice for restaurant week this winter. I might put more pressure on restaurant week places to meet higher expectations, but our meals were just okay. It's a cute below-street-level space, warm and cozy feeling, and the hostess was very nice. Our waiter never introduced himself, just dropped off menus and came back a minute later to ask what we wanted. He seemed really rushed, though the room was barely half full at that point. After that, each course was brought out by a different waiter, who were all pleasant enough, and I normally don't mind the staff pitching in like that, but I'm a sucker for a friendly waiter who cares if you're enjoying your meal.
The soup was fine but got boring after a couple spoonfuls and the risotto was a little cold and kind of runny. The desserts were good, but not enough to leave us raving about the meal in the end. I'd heard good things, so I don't want to give up on Grotto yet... hopefully we'll go again sometime for their regular prix fixe menu to give them another chance.
This place is so delicious and so romantic that even though I was pissed off as hell at my girlfriend, dinner still tasted really good. That was the first time we came here. The spaghetti and meatballs were fantastic, the gnocchi with short ribs were awesome, but our desserts were bleh. The chocolate cake is overrated.
The second time we came here, we brought a buddy. We cleaned our plates. After eating all the steak tips and mushrooms that came with our fondue, I took a spoon and scooped mouthfuls of melted fontina cheese directly into my mouth. My garlic and black truffle soup was like Orgasm in a Bowl. We ordered a side of grilled asparagus, which they topped with large shavings of parmesan. My gf had the proscuitto salad, which was perfectly dressed.
Our entrees included the ricotta cavetelle appetizer (which was super creamy and tasty, as always), the proscuitto-wrapped, apple-stuffed duck breast with duck leg confit and potatoes au gratin (which was delicious, but not AS delicious as you are imagining, sad), and the sweet potato ravioli, which was just okay.
Still, Grotto gets 5 stars. When their dishes are good, they're mind-blowing. And their little basement space is cute.
People thought this was:
Useful (7)
Funny (6)
Cool (6)
We came here for our post-Valentine's dinner. I took the recommendation from fellow Yelpers and we were pleasantly surprised how wonderful a dinner this tiny, red velvet restaurant could churn up.
Situated in a basement, with a cosy, romantically lit atmosphere, we rushed in from the cold. We went with their prix fixe menu for $35.
He had:
Gorgonzola Fondue
Veal, lamb bolognese pasta
Panna Cotta
I had:
Crab Ravioli
Short Rib Gnocchi
Banana Bread Pudding
We were thoroughly satisfied. The Fondue was yummy, the Crab Ravioli could have been cooked a little longer. The Short Rib Gnocchi melts in your mouth. The Veal & Lamb bolognese was hearty and the Banana Bread Pudding was a rich and the Panna Cotta, according to J was very good.
All in all, we loved our little dinner. It was well-priced and we also had a good italian wine to go with our meal. Bellisimo!
Yum. The best Italian I've had outside of the North End. And the food wasn't bad either (bad joke). We went for Restaurant Week and felt that the chef offered us a full menu instead. The Cavatelle was out of this world - just the right mixture of cream, pancetta, sausage and peas. The duck was amazing. I even asked our waitress how they got the duck so tender - never asked a waitress about a tender duck before.
The tiramisu was good - but I'm a fluffy tiramisu kind-of-guy - not moist. For those moist fans out there, the tiramisu was excellent. But I digress.
The atmosphere was great. Red walls, piping, wine bottles everywhere. You feel as if you were in someone's basement. And you probably are. The young crowd (probably attributed to restaurant week) looked local - it was refreshing to get away from the tourist scene in the North End. Grotto is a keeper.
I forgot the wine bottle! Oh well. I guess I was having too much of a good time.
Upon arriving at Grotto, I realized I had been there, years ago, for lunch. Upon realizing that I became more excited as it had been a delicious lunch.
The restaurant was small and cozy, but I never felt like I was eating on top of the other patrons. The staff was friendly and very helpful, especially when trying to choose one of the delicious-sounding desserts.
Their fixed price menu had a lot of options, and any of them can be ordered a la carte as well. I started with the fondue, which was absolutely amazing. After running out of the steak, I used the bread to mop up the rest of the cheese, and was inclined to dip my fork and eat it that way. It was fantastic.
For my entre, I had the crispy pan roasted chicken, and it was just as delicious as the starter. Everything looked fantastic, and tasted even better. And unlike the restaurant in that Citi ad where the food is "elf-sized" portions, these were substantial.
The whole meal was well worth the price. My only complaint is the lack of mixed drinks and such things, but maybe that reflects more on me than the restaurant (I'm not much into wine). All in all, it was a fantastic dinner and I would go back again in a heartbeat!
I really wanted to love this place. It gave me some good reasons to. Was open, warm and welcoming at 9 p.m. on a Sunday.
The atmosphere is really cozy; perfect for catching up with a friend I rarely see. The wine list was nice. The prix fixe meal was a good deal.
The salad starter was really good (proscuitto in a salad is always a bonus). I got one of the signature dishes -- gnocchi and short ribs -- and it was just TOO rich. For me. I'm sure people love this dish so I can't fault them for this except, well, I didn't. Wish I'd had the spaghetti and meatballs. Oh well.
The banana bread pudding for dessert was also just OK. But the service was really nice. I'd likely go back and try something else, but I really didn't love my meal.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (2)
