An excellent find! Great handmade pastas and excellent secondi. I highly recommend the pasta tasting! We were lucky to arrive on a night when they were serving venison as a special. Truly amazing. The chef makes an effort to meet every one of his guests, giving the restaurant a great personal feel. Also, after paying for our meal, we received two $10 gift certificates to come back! I highly recommend Da Vinci for a truly enjoyable dining experience.
(5)
J D.
we must have been at the evil twin of the restaurant that has gotten all the great reviews here. we had an 8:30 reservation and arrived on time. the hostess told us to sit at the bar while they got our table ready. there were several empty tables - odd for a Saturday night - so we thought it would be a very short wait. Nearly half an hour later... the tables are still empty, they finally brought us to one of them. the food was awful. chain restaurant style foccacia bread. i had salmon, which was served on what tasted remarkably like the veggie burgers on Amtrak, but with peas in it. it was expensive enough to be a quite nice restaurant, but otherwise less than mediocre.
(2)
Melissa W.
This is our favorite restaurant. We have been there about 5 times and each time is better than the last. The service is stellar and the food is utterly amazing. The asparagus appetizer is so delicious I have to talk myself out of ordering 2. The rack of Lamb is my favorite but the then again everything is delicious. I love the fact Chef Peppinio ( sorry if misspelled )comes from the kitchen to great customers and always has a complimentary tasty tid bit ( last. Night was fried Risotto yummm!) Or a glass of moscato. Can't wait to go back
(5)
Julie N.
I giveth and I taketh away. A star is removed for inconsistency. Went back last night and the calamari salad was wilted, overdressed and the calamari was a bit fishy. My entree was good (Morel Mushroom Parpadalle) but just a touch too oily. Desert was delicious, though. The souffle is excellent. I still like this place but I am disappointed in the lack of consistency. Especially since my previous visit was so good!
(3)
Dara S.
I went to Da Vinci Ristorante on Thursday evening. I was with my boyfriend and we ate at the bar for our weekly date night. The bartender Dan made our experience even more wonderful....LOVED the cocktails! We were so impressed with the food ( i recommend the homemade potato gnocchi & the arancini)... The chef definitely knows what he is doing :) I will definitely be returning, if for nothing else because Dan took such great care of us.
(5)
Micah B.
Good, decent Italian food. Gnocchi was a little chewy, but not bad by any means. Bolognese was very flavorful. The spinach ravioli was bland. The blueberry gimlet was tasty. The pear crostada was good - not great...they should have ripened their pears longer or used an in-season fruit for more flavor. I ate at the bar and the bartender was very good.
(3)
Hussam B.
The food here is very good in general but they are overpriced. We had a 3 course meal for $50+tax+tips= around $65, and that is without wine. I would visit more often if their prices were more reasonable.
(3)
Christian H.
The chef is super friendly. The food that I had (the Pasta Sampler) was delicious. The place is pretty pricey and it was DEAD. It actually was a little alarming. I'm not sure WHY it was dead, because it was a pretty positive experience. The staff was capable and friendly and we had several delicious desserts shared among everyone at my table. Honestly the only drawback was the price -- but if you want to splurge, go for it. This is the perfect kind of place to do it. The renovation to the space turned out really beautifully as well. They did a wonderful job.
(4)
Jared M.
Incredible meal. Went with some family friends for a special occasion. A couple of us (myself included) got the five-course Chef's Tasting Menu. It was excellent -- asparagus wrapped in cheese and prosciutto, the highly recommended pasta sampler, codfish, beef and a delicious chocolate souffle with vanilla ice cream for dessert. My only complaint is that the presentation was unoriginal and that it seemed like all of the sauces for all of the main courses looked/tasted the same. What struck me most about this place, however, was the amazing service. The waitstaff was incredibly attentive, Peppino checked on us several times and even sent out extra pasta dishes for the people dining with us during our five-course meal so that they didn't have to stare at us eating in between their salads and main courses. This place really did things the right way.
(5)
Kimby K.
Love this place! I've been 4x in the last year, and we love it everytime. Wonderful food & service. The owner makes a point to walk around every time and make sure everyone's happy. Special place.
(5)
Sean D.
The decor is a bit much and our waiter was not friendly, informative or engaging upon our arrival. My wife had a very good salad for starters, but her minestrone soup was not much different from a canned version. I had the pasta sampling and was severely disappointed with the gummy gnocchi and chewy, rather tasteless homemade pasta. The saving grace to the meal, was the dessert trio - well most of it. The chocolate souffle was outstanding, but the gelato was not. We will not be going back, maybe it was just the dishes we had. In Boston, there are other great Italian restaurants and feel no need to give this one a second chance.
(2)
Meredith K.
ok the food and the chef are awesome! 5 stars for that.. martinis were tasty so 5 stars to the bar as well. decor and atmosphere are very nice. BUT 2 stars for service, which brings this review down to a 3. Why? UM if you advertise in the Boston Globe AND on the menu on the door of your restaurant that you are offering a $29 pre-fixe menu - don't bait and switch people and say oh well it's really $35 per person, not $29 even though we said it was in the globe and on the door right now. Now to me you honor the price that is on the door people open to walk into the restaurant! When the issue was raised with the waitress - she said the extra money goes to charity, but couldn't say which charity it went to. Then the manager comes over to explain that it's not to charity at all that it's $35 for the opentable "stimulus plan" that is happening this week. Not that it's a big difference in money, but if you offer a price on the door of your restaurant you shouldn't up the price when people sit down in your restaurant. Then refuse to honor the $29 price even when you confirm the newspaper and front door do say it's $29 - this detracts from the amazing work your chef is doing!
(3)
Jenna D.
Been 3 times. Love it. The owner is a sweetheart and truly cares about quality ingredients.
(5)
Dan S.
Had a wonderful dinner. The service from Spencer and his team was great. Well worth going to Da Vinci Ristorante
(5)
Scott R.
One of the most satisfying meals we've had in quite a while. We'd heard good things about Da Vinci, and Yelp certainly had quite the positive spin on it, so we decided to give it a shot. It was definitely worth it! At a lot of restaurants that we've been to, the appetizers wind up being the best part of the meal - the chef obviously gets bored after thinking up crazy starters. Not at Da Vinci. That's not to say that the appetizers were bad - they were delicious. We had the arancini and the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, both of which were great. But - the entrees were spectacular. I had the pasta sampler, which consisted of the gnocchi pomodoro, spinach ravioli, and fettuccine bolognese, and my wife had a whole portion of the fettuccine. Everything was fantastic, but the fettuccine was absolutely outstanding. The pasta was cooked to al dente perfection, the sauce was hearty but not overpowering, and it just hit the spot. Then we had a marvelously light and flavorful chocolate mousse for dessert. It's always nice when restaurants exceed expectations, and this one certainly did. I don't give 5 stars lightly, and this place earned it. An especially nice touch was the fact that the executive chef came out and walked around the dining room greeting every table, introducing himself, and talking about the food. I like that. Go here and eat - you won't regret it.
(5)
Jolene W.
I went to Da Vinci on a Friday night at 8 with no reservations and sat down right away (which was great for a friday night, probably not as great for the restaurant). We had been here before and once again we had a great meal. Both of our fish dishes were cooked perfectly with perfect sides to accompany the flavors. Service was great, atmosphere was quiet and enjoyable as well.
(4)
laury g.
Amazing! Did the 3 course prix fix with my husband....everything tasted so great! I had the pumpkin soup (currently craving more) bolognese and the apple Crostata. My husband had the arancini, bolognese and chocolate souflee. We loved all of it....get the bolognese spicy! Had great wine, great service and topped it off with a nutty Irishmen! If I ever go back to Boston, this place is on my list of places to go back to,
(5)
Lissa X.
Despite our server was nice but surely not the best, the whole experience in general was wonderful. The food is amazing and I love the interior.
(5)
William R.
I went here for Valentines Day with the girlfriend and had some amazing food. I would definitely recommend everyone giving it a shot and I will be going back soon!
(5)
Lindsey B.
Okay, so I am picky about my italian food and food in general! We had gone during restaurant week and had a great meal, so we decided to return with our phantom gourmet gift cards. We were seated in the middle of the restaurant (only downside is they don't have many cozy tables for 2), but they didn't seat anyone next to us. We started with the warm tomato and goat cheese salad and it was so good!! Also got the octopus salad, which was great as well. My fiance got the duck and I luckily had the swordfish. The waitress first said they didn't have any more, but she ran to the kitchen and secured me the last piece!! That was amazing. We also had some great glasses of wine (I had ordered my 2nd glass before dinner came out), dinner came out and no wine. I like my wine with dinner. Another waiter noticed, got the wine, and came back halfway through the meal and filled our glasses to the top! That is good service! We got the chocolate souffle for dessert and it was great as well...can't say enough about the food and service. Just be sure your phantom cards are the black ones. Ours were purple, no longer accepted, so we couldn't use them. The manager was apologetic and told us we just need to contact the company and they will replace them. We did and it was fine...just a more $$ dinner than we planned on, but so worth it. They also have a great bar area...
(5)
Meghan H.
Quite possibly my best Restaurant Week experience yet! Da Vinci offers their entire menu for Restaurant Week. Amazing! There are up-charges on a handful of items, but they are reasonable, and if you want to stick to the $33.10 price tag, there are still a ton of options. My choices were: Squash blossom for primi, the pasta taster for the secondi, and and the chocolate souffle for dessert. The squash blossom was so tasty - ricotta cheese filling on a bed of polenta - and so unique. The pasta taster allowed me to avoid really making a choice, which I always appreciate when it comes to food. (As a side note, while all three of the pastas were delicious, the Gnocchi al funghi really took home the prize. So good!) The souffle was also really good, but the only low-light of the meal came in this course - the "gelato" that the souffle (and a few other dishes) is served with is actually plain old ice cream. Given how legit Da Vinci was otherwise, I was surprised and disappointed about this, but I didn't have room to eat it anyway. My boyfriend got: mango bufala mozzarella for primi, the tagliatelle for secondi, and the mango panna cotta for dessert. He heartily endorses all of his selections, as well, although we ended up trading dessert choices and being happier. There is also a very nice wine list that offers a range of price options, but you can still get a good bottle of wine in the $30 range. Coolest unique trait of Da Vinci: the menus are backlit, so you can read them in the low lighting of the restaurant. Also, major props to the entirety of their waitstaff. Our waiter was great, but not hover-y. He took great care in describing our dishes as they were presented and gave excellent suggestions when we were torn on what to order. At one point, another waiter happened to be walking by very shortly after I had emptied my wine glass and he stopped to refill it for me, which was really appreciated because I'm often torn between wanting my wine and wanting to do the appropriate thing and wait to have it served. Wine served, etiquette dilemma gone! I strongly recommend Da Vinci, especially during Restaurant Week. If you can't make it during Restaurant Week, try to make it during their regular prix fixe menu times. Such a great deal for a high quality place!
(5)
Tracy C.
I had been here many years ago for restaurant week and had a good experience but for some reason hadn't been back even though the restaurant is fairly close to me. Then I stumbled upon a LivingSocial deal for 5 courses with wine pairings so decided to finally go back. Great decision. First, it was a great deal - $95/person for full servings and full pours. (The server commented there was another deal out there for $105 which is still a great deal IMO.) It sounds like the courses are chef's choice but our server said they try to customize based on your likes/dislikes or anything you definitely want to try on the menu (I specifically asked to try the pumpkin ravioli) . To summarize: 1st course-1 aracini, 1 healthy serving of mozz and tomato (prosecco), 2nd-swordfish with rice wine vinegar sauce and side salad of argula, corn, tomato, etc. (sauv. blanc), 3rd-small serving each of gnocchi bolognese and pumpkin ravioli with cream sauce (chianti), 4th-filet with potato cake and wilted spinach (cab), 5th-mini choc souffle with vanilla bean ice cream (moscato). Everything was fantastic, the service was great and Chef Peppino comes over to check on your table personally. When we were walking out he came and talked to us and we commented how full we were, especially since some tastings can be skimpy. He said he doesn't believe in someone coming for a tasting and then going home to their refrigerator. Well said! I would definitely go back. The stars were the arancini, the bolognese and the filet but everything was delicious (e.g. I am not a fish fan but ate most of my swordfish because it was that good.) I'm sure it helped because we were getting a "deal" but I still would try it again without.
(5)
Nina G.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Boston now! My hubby and I were there to celebrate our Anniversary and we were so impressed with everything. The restaurant is in a great location close to the Boston Common. There are plenty of parking spots close by but may be difficult to find an unoccupied one. They have a great valet service. The service was five star from start to finish, each staff member was wonderful and very pleasant. They menu is remarkable and unique. The fresh bread and white bean dip that arrives at the table just melts in your mouth. The arancini and mussels were delectable. Our second course was even better. The Masala Ravioli was the best pasta dish I've ever had and the haddock on the risotto cake was truly sublime! The chef is a friendly fellow who visits each table and you can taste the pride in his food, it's superb! Don't miss the chocolate souffle, it's divine. Da Vinci is worthy of 6 stars.
(5)
Molly K.
We came on a Thursday night and the place was not super busy. Service was good they were patient with us as we got busy talking rather than checking out the menu. The menus have lights in them when you open them which is super cool & a neat concept. The hummus dip that came with the bread was very good with a nice tang. We did the 3 course offering for $39 - size was the same but there were up charges on expensive options which seemed fair. I just was not that excited about the food. My husband got the 3 pastas and the gnocchi was awful not fluffy @ all. Veal chop was excellent but had too much sauce on the sides. Chocolate souffle was serviceable but not amazing. It was solid decent food but for the prices I was expecting more.
I've lived around the corner from this place forever and finally decided to try it. I've walked by there a few times and not seen anyone in there so I assumed it wasn't good -- wrong assumption! Very pleasantly surprised. Went on a Saturday night, and the place was pretty packed. When we went in, the hostess offered to take our coats which was a nice touch. Also clever -- the menus light up when you open them. I have probably been to about 1000 restaurants in my life and have never seen this before. I'll let you decide whether you think this is cheesy or cool -- I thought it was cool. Small but decent wine list with some reasonably priced stuff. I had the Osso Bucco with a Caesar salad to start. The Caesar was great, although it came with a deep-fried poached egg, which tasted ok, but it was a bizarre combo with the caesar. Oh well, at least now I've had a deep fried poached egg. The Osso Bucco was fantastic. It was made with pork instead of veal, which worked perfectly well, and came with an awesome saffron risotto with peas in it. The sauce it was in was fantastic -- dark wine sauce type of thing with some sweetness to it. The only thing I didn't like is that it came with broccoli rabe, which is absolutely vile stuff, but that's not their fault -- I should have remembered I hated broccoli rabe. The girl got the pasta sampler, which is an awesome idea that more restaurants should try. She loved all 3 pastas. Our waitress was attentive and friendly, and seemed genuinely interested in making sure we enjoyed ourselves. All in all a great meal at a very interesting place. I'll be back.
(4)
Tiffany C.
tasty food. went here for RW last week. super tasty drinks! not so tasty drink prices...but that's to be expected. my personal drink recommendation- the huckleberry lemonade, light and refreshing! had the fish (i forget what kind) in a garlic risotto with asparagus- mm mmm good.
(4)
Cheryl M.
Really great deal with the fixed price menu during the week. I am definitely an Italian Food Snob, and this was one of the best meals I've had out lately. Service was a bit slow, but the food was so good it didn't matter. Mussels appetizer was so good I could drink the rest of the broth right out of the bowl. I got the pasta sampler for my main course, which was really good, although now thinking back, I should have tried something else more fancy! My boyfriend got swordfish I think and it was really really good. And Peppino the chef/owner is amazing! Really nice guy and very friendly.
(5)
Brittney A.
I was debating between 2 and 3 but since we can't do halves I went with 2. This is because after reading all the review everything people raved about let us down. First off, while we waited 30 minutes for our table having a reservation, we got a drink at the bar. I understand the bar tender is busy because there was only 1 at the bar but when I ask for a glass of wine and I don't get it because by the time I get it the table is ready that's a problem. Next, the menus which are suppose to be this great thing because they light up are a heavy and huge pain in the rear. They are big awkward and almost to bright for such a dark restaurant. Great idea though but really they are at least 3 lbs and 2 feet tall. What also made up upset, was the service. Others say they had great service but please please when we sit down take our drink order!! We waited 15 minutes just to put in a cocktail order. We had to ask for the bread and it wasn't given to us til after we had our appetizers. Sadly the break was cold... literally cold like it was in the fridge. To go back to the appetizers, I hope yours not hungry when you order them. The portions for them were small, very small. We got the asparagus in prosciutto, very good though, but they was only 2 of them. As there was only 2 caprese, for a table of 6 that is not enough which when we asked the waiter he said it was. We literally each got a taste of each. Our meals were good, some were better then other, the sirloin was good along with the tenderloin. The chicken was nothing to write home about and the gnocchi was good but nothing stood out about it. All and all decent food but very much a disappointment because of all the other great yelp reviews.
(2)
Vivek S.
We decided to splurge a little bit before the arrival of our first baby and after some research, zoned in on La Campania and Da Vinci. Couldn't get a table at the former and hence chose the latter. Also figured that the reputation La Campania had earned over the years was due to chef Peppino who now runs Da Vinci. The food here was fantastic. The Arancini con mozarella was very yummy and the phyllo cup was a perfect accompaniment. The buffalo mozarella was also very tasty. I had the Il Volano wine which was prefect with the meal - just a tinge fruity and light unlike chianti. We ordered the pasta tasting and gnocchi for main course. The gnocchi was very tasty but a very one note dish. Perhaps a little more sauce could have livened it up. But I still think Trattoria Toscana's gnocchi is the best I've ever eaten. The butternut agnolotti was definitely the best thing we ate that night - sweet, savory and very refined. Finally, we got the souffle and tiramisu gelato. The souffle was out of this world, fantastic! It was so light that I could have had another one by myself. The gelato was good but not that interesting after a few spoons. The service was very good and chef Peppino typically seems to come over to each table after dinner to get a feel of your experience. Overall, a wonderful dinner and money/time well spent!
We went here on a Saturday night and it seemed pretty empty. The service was not on par with a restaurant in this price range. The server did not know the menu well and was not very attentive. The food was generally good. The arancini appetizer was tiny and not nearly as good as at other restaurants. The meals were pretty good although the butternut squash ravioli was very sweet - almost like a dessert. We did enjoy the spicy bolognese. Overall this restaurant is OK but there are better restaurants in this price range.
(3)
Gerald D.
Da Vinci is a new and highly original take on a classic Italian approach -- the family-feeling restaurant for the upscale crowd. The last time I had rigatoni bolognese this good was in Bologna. No kidding. The key is the reduction, where the aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, olive oil and beef are slowly reduced to a half-carmelized, rich sauce to be applied sparingly to al dente pasta and finished with a grate or two of a sharp parmesan or pecorino romano. Simple. The cardinal sins of rigatoni bolognese are too much tomato-heavy sauce, or weak and thin sauce, or ground beef instead of pork shoulder or beef shanks. And definitely no sugar to sweeten the gruel like you find in so many bottled versions of this classic --- *shudder* --- If you have only eaten runny tomato sauce with overcooked pasta, you are suffering from prison rations, my friend. Chef Peppino has done his homework, and is clearly in love with Italy, even though he was born in India. Perhaps *because* he was born in India. The man is brilliant. He gets it, right down to the old Italian tradition of the Padrone himself walking through the restaurant towards the end of every evening to greet the diners personally and inquire cordially whether the food met their expectations. This doesn't happen much in America, and when it does it's usually high-falutin', where you are meant to applaud the celebrity chef. Peppino, on the other hand, is true to the Italian way, and is genuinely vulnerable about whether his cooking was up to your standard. Of course, this is infinitely charming, because his cooking is sublime. It used to be true in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome that if you and the chef made a personal connection in conversation before dinner, he would be likely as not to serve you the choice piece of veal he was intending to cook for himself later on. Apocryphal or not, the point is that Italian dining is meant to be a personal experience, where actual feelings are exchanged between the chef and the diner. It's not play-acting. We have lost much of that quality in modern American urban restaurants. But let me be the first to applaud what Da Vinci is striving for here. American diners need to bring more of their hearts to the table before they fill their stomachs, and realize a good Italian meal at a restaurant is not primarily a commercial transaction, it's a relationship. Good for you, Peppino. In other news, the wine list is okay but should have more mid-level reds available, and greater variety by the glass. Parking without a valet in this neighborhood is impossible, or at least not worth your effort. Local lots are pricey and annoying. You can game it with the resident spaces but I'd warn against it. Park far away and walk if you can, that's what Italians do for the passagiatta.
(4)
Sandy J.
We were cared for with such attention to detail from the moment we arrived Saturday night. We were with a group of 20 helping a good friend celebrate her 50th birthday. Had a 5 course meal- food was exquisitely prepared. Impossible to say what I liked best ( however the ravioli stuffed with spinach & shrooms & topped with truffle oil mighty fine). All of it so good. We will be back for sure. Nice place to settle back & let someone else take care of your needs. PS- the glow in dark menus a nice touch!
(5)
Spencer N.
What a great place to kick off an AMAZING night. My friend and I decided to get dinner before the Dolly Parton concert(fabulous) and we stumbled across this place. Normally I stumble BY this place either to or from club cafe...so it was nice to actually check it out, in the daylight none the less. The interior is very very well done. Dark woods...nice lighting. Very Tuscan looking. Very nice. We ordered a bottle of wine which was recommended by our ADORABLE waitress and then split the arugula salad(so simple and SO good). The food is all prepared very simple but does not lack in flavor. I got the chicken with an orzo salad and my friend got the swordfish in a sun dried tomato pesto. It was so good! The wait staff is very very sweet and most seemed to be in their 20's, so we had lots of fun joking and talking with them. What really got me was that the chef, Peppino came out and talked to us and asked how everything was. Its the little things like that, that make a dining experience really great. Also, the 3 course menu at $29 is not a bad deal at all! I will totalllllly be back here to try that out. I saw the desserts and they looked good and fattening. Just my style
We met friends here for dinner on a Thursday night. Overall my experience was lackluster. Not awful, but not a place I would return or recommend. Frankly, I was surprised to see so many positive reviews. My husband and I both got the 3 course meal for $39. Typically a good value, but the meal was was not worth the price. I started with the scallop salad. Scallops were bay scallops - total bummer! I was expecting one really big scallop, or maybe two medium sized ones. Too much dressing on the arugula but the strawberries added some tart, which was nice. My husband's mussels (which were recommended) were disappointing - a little funny tasting and not enough broth. For entrees, I had the pasta tasting menu. It was all okay - but again, nothing that really stood out. The sauce on the gnocchi was my favorite. My husband got the veal chop - also, just okay. For desert, I got a trio of gelatos. The ricotta one was really nice. However, the "mint" was fake green color and the rosemary was.... well, about what you'd expect for rosemary flavored dessert. Service was spotty - lots of weird delays and servers were not familiar enough with the menu and ingredients.
(2)
Kweilyn C.
My husband and I went to Da Vinci last Saturday and it was fabulous. The food was outstanding. You wouldn't believe that a restaurant in the back bay/theater district area would make their own pasta, but my goodness do they really know how to do it right! The braised beef short rib pappardelle is out of this world. That perfectly braised beef absolutely melts into your mouth with the most lovely reduction (veal stock, herbs, red wine), and marries the al dente pappardelle perfectly. Need I say more? Oh yes, the service was impeccable. Our waitress was charming, attentive, sincere, and really down to earth. The food was amazing but she made our experience there memorable. It was also very nice to meet the chef (he is very friendly and took the time to come out and greet patrons, us included). All in all, it's just so hard to find a restaurant like this these days (especially in the heart of the city). Fabulous food and ambiance, combined with unpretentious but professional, knowledgeable service gives a gold star in my book.Thank you, Da Vinci! We'll see you very soon!
(5)
Gi G.
For my friend's 30th birthday, a bunch decided to surprise her with a fancy dinner at Da Vinci. Boy were we in for a surprise! I made reservations for 8:00pm on a Saturday night for 8. Two of my friends and I arrived a few minutes before 8pm and we checked in with the hostesses. They said the table was not ready and it will be a few more minutes so we waited outside. 15 minutes later I went to check again and this time the hostess said the table will be another few more minutes and then asked if the entire party have arrived to which I said no. then she mentioned that we cannot be seated until everyone arrives. She could have told me that when we arrived but she kept telling me that the table will be ready soon. At 8:30 a host came out to tell us that the table is ready and upon noticing that our entire party has not arrived he said "and you told your friends reservations were at 8pm??" It's uncalled for and VERY rude. It was very rude of him to mention that especially since we arrived at 8 and the table was not even ready yet. We then proceeded to our table and ordered some drinks. Another 15 minutes in the host came by AGAIN and said "so 8pm reservations huh?" He was very condescending and by that time I was pretty pissed off and was ready to walk out. We were very courteous the entire time and expected to be treated the same in return. After we sat down the restaurant wasn't very busy and there were several empty tables so I don't understand why he had to give us an attitude every time he came by. There are plenty of other restaurants in the area with better service and I don't have to put up with the "rushy" and rude service and staff. I definitely won't be going back again.
(1)
Bob M.
Dishes my sound plain, but they are anything but. Truly outstanding preparation and sauces. With every bite of the mussels appetizer, i was startled by their taste. Without doubt, this is the best mussels dish I've every had. As for my entree, Orchietto, it was also outstanding ... a comment also expressed by my companions about their fish and pasta. My only disappointment was the wine list ... on the expensive side with too many mediocre wines. Had I not prepared ahead of time, I would likely have picked a wine which would have negatively affected the experience. I considered deducting a star for the wine list, but couldn't. The food was soooo good!
(5)
Mcslimj B.
Terrific upscale Campanian cuisine near Park Square marred by top-heavy wine list and weak bartending. Devra First's review of Da Vinci in yesterday's Globe reminded me I hadn't posted about this place yet. Fans of the chef/owner's work as the longtime exec at Waltham's La Campania (among which I enthusiastically counted myself) will certainly like the food here: he's doing essentially the same upscale Neapolitan food he did there. Easily the nicest-looking design job yet on this space (fka Grillfish and Piattini the second): warm, inviting, a little plush but not stiff, with very comfy lounge seating in the bar area. Sorry to say the $12 cocktails are terrible: they really need to hire more of a pro with the shaker if they're going to charge those prices. Food is mostly terrific: superb house-made pastas in particular, like a swoony short-rib ravioili with a sauerbraten-like sauce, wicked. Very fine arancini, salads (love that pear "carpaccio"), and grilled meats. Pretty desserts, but don't be fooled: the so-called souffle is just another molten-center chocolate cake, yawn. Solid service: chef Peppino seems to visit everyone's table at some point, a nice touch. The one thing that really irks me (and shocks me that Devra's review failed to mention it) is the wine list. It's heavily Italian (no problem there), but hugely tilted toward high-end bottles. I'd estimate that of 60 reds, only six are under $50, another 24 between $50-$100, fully half over $100. That's ridiculous, and a big crimp in my desire to return for anything but an occasion dinner. I can get good cocktails elsewhere nearby, but I need a few more affordable reds before I can consider making this place part of my regular fine-dining rotation.
(3)
Kenny D.
Loved it it was our first time here we sat at the bar we started of with a ceased salad and fried calamari both were perfect then proceed to second course gnocchi Alforno you could tell a lot of love went in to this dish it was mouthwatering every last bite then for dessert we had the bartender make us chocolate. MArtinis I order this drink every where bit this one was the best Ive gotten in years can't wait to ce back next. Month with work .
(5)
Sarah D.
Decent Italian restaurant in the South End, very close to Park Square and the Theatre District. Overall our experience was good, the food was great and they were very attentive. My friends and I went here for New Year's Eve so we had a fixed price menu. Everything was delicious from the bread with olive oil and garlic paste to the tiramisu for desert. The interior was elegant and comfortable but not a tremendous amount of Da Vinci related effects. Hopefully they'll add more information to their website soon, it's kind of basic right now.
(4)
Annie K.
I would give this place a 3.5 stars. The ambiance was very nice and romantic The service was excellent--very pleasant I had the red sangria and it was very well made and delicious The reason the review is only 3.5 stars is because the food was not all that impressive. I had the butternut squash ravioli and my friend had the spinach gnocci. The ravioli was not very filled so you didn't really taste the filling at all--the nuts on top added very nice flavor though. But overall didn't really wow me. My friend liked the gnocci but wasn't impressed by it either. I guess we both just expected more out of this restaurant especially for the price--we just expected something to wow us more
(3)
Mike M.
We had a bizarre, kind of awesome dinner at Da Vinci that seemed like it was out of some wacky date hidden camera show. First - the food - if you gave me my food from Da Vinci in a styrofoam takeout box and had me eat them in my car, they would get 5 stars. Hands down - loved it much more than Via Matta. It was deeeeelicious! Everyone ate up on every course and left feeling very contently full. Highlights were definitely the scallop appetizer, the fusilli bolognese (which I ordered "spicy" and had a really complex deliciousness to the sauce), and the apple crostata desert which was like an amazing puff pastry apple pie. Having Chef Peppino stop by the table at the end of the night also made us feel special and added a nice touch to the end of the evening. The other aspects made us feel like we were in an episode of Punk'd and Ashton Kutcher was going to run in any moment to tell us the joke. Let's see: - my friend ordered a bottle of red wine, the waiter brought a bottle of WHITE from a different year, then argued with my friend about which one he had selected - a really bizzare move like 5 minutes after sitting down. Then they were out of the wine he really chose - weird. - a waiter dropped a fork covered in chocolate on my friend's leg and just kind of looked at him, didn't apologize and scurried away - the light up menus were suprising and kind of gimmicky. It's not that dark in there! There is no light on the wine list! - the manager came over in the middle of our conversation to show off this other gadget they have as a wine stopper to prevent spilling your bottle - who has ever done that? It was like those miracle carpet cleaners where they test it on your new white carpet - either way it was kind of weird. - finally - and not really Da Vinci's fault - the fire alarm went off for like 10 minutes in the middle of our meal. That sound will haunt my dreams. Like a million babies screaming on an airplane. It is hard to salvage a dinner after that. Even in light of all those things which made us feel Punk'd, the food is really, really good. We all really liked it - if I went back again and none of those things happened, I would think it was a 5 star restaurant - as is, it gets four stars.
(4)
Stephanie M.
Loved it and will be going back!
(4)
Greg K.
The short story: You will get food and service that is TOP NOTCH, but you will pay for it. At about $110 per person (incl. 20+% tip) for appetizers, dinner, drinks, bottle of wine and dessert - it was WELL WORTH IT. The longer story: Walk into Da Vinci and instantly fall in love with the room, the decor, the ambiance. Wonderful! Excited to get started. They started us off with some fresh bread and drinks. Already you could tell the service was going to be attentive, professional and enjoyable. Waiter (Spencer) was perfect. He offered up some Arancini Con Mozzarella on the house, just to try. It ROCKED and was a great gesture. I had the Beef Carpaccio appetizer and I absolutely enjoyed every bit of it. The little scoop of celery sorbet was a genius pairing. Very tasty dish and I highly recommend it. I had the pasta tasting for dinner. Rigatoni Bolognese was jaw-droppingly delicious, Masala Agnolatti was yet another amazing twist on a dish that clearly reflects Chef Peppino's heritage and creativity. Last on the plate was the Gnocchi Con Funghi - the gnocchi was cooked perfectly, but I did not like the sauce and flavor of the mushrooms... they weren't white-generic-button mushrooms, and I don't really care for the flavor of fancier types like cremini, etc... but if YOU do... I'm certain you'll enjoy it. Overall GREAT dish - I couldn't finish it all. We ordered a bottle of the La Spinetta, Barbera d'Asti "Ca' di Pian", which was spectacular with my meal. For dessert, I had the Peach Crostata and yet again: JAW DROPPINGLY DELICIOUS. As reported by many others, Chef Peppino came out and spent a few moments with us - it was mostly him saying "thank you, thank you, thank you" very graciously as we showered the poor guy with compliments. I am a bit of a restaurant snob. I am willing to pay a high price for a top-notch experience and Da Vinci did not disappoint at all. Some other reviews mention you can find just as good a meal in the north end for less money. If so, SOMEONE PLEASE MESSAGE ME, so I can try them out the next time we're there. Da Vinci is a must-do kind of restaurant. 5 stars from me.
(5)
Kim R.
Another Hidden Jewel with GREAT FOOD & SUPERB SERVICE!! Drinks are wonderful the ambiance is again with that wonderful candle glow not a loud place but relaxing! Classy place and everything made to order....another favorite restaurant of mine! The menus light up so very kool...just perfection right down to the menus!!
I was very impressed with Da Vinci. I will certainly be back. I went for a "celebration" dinner on a Friday night with my boyfriend. The location was convenient and we were able to find street parking. Upon entering we were graciously greeted by many people. I had a feeling it would be a great dinner and it was. We started with the Pesce Miso which was smoked salmon, poached shrimp, and calamari served with a cucumber salad. This was fantastic. It was so fresh and light for a summer evening. For my entree I got the Filetto Di Manzo which is an aged beef tenderloin with chianti sauce, potato gateaux and baby spinach. This steak was amazing. It was perfectly cooked and I really think it was the best steak I've ever had in my life! I sampled some of my boyfriends Annatra alla Peppino (Crispy duck leg confit) It was great. He couldn't stop raving about it. The wine selection was great. The server was super nice. We were both complemented as soon as we were seated and checked on several times through the meal. The chef was making his way around the restaurant greeting tables and introducing himself. He didn't make it over to us but it was a nice touch to see him reaching out like that. The atmosphere is cool. Very modern with high ceilings and dark floors but yet still sophisticated with busts and cool art. The lounge area looks especially comfy with big plush chairs and chaises. There is a nice sized outdoor dining area in front too. See you again soon Da Vinci!
(5)
R O.
Tried DaVinci's for the first time the other night. Wad pretty slow so no problem getting a table. Space is great, but a little bit cramped, would've loved to sit outside but denied by the rain. Wine selection was good, kinda limited by the glass. The menus are interesting when they light up when you open them, as for the selection, it was pretty good. We had the mussels, which were very good and Caesar salad which was good. For entrees we had the spinach ravioli which was awesome, very tasty, not too much sauce and quite filling. We also had the rigatoni bolognese which was really tasty, kind of a smoky flavor to it. Desserts looked good but we tapped out.. Out waiter, Chris was on point, attentive and had some good opinions on the food. We'll be going back.
(4)
Jennifer P.
With an attractive old world decor, this was a nice find. The prices are probably a bit beyond what they deserve, but the salads and entrees were beautiful, diverse (some Indian-Italian fusion options), and tasty. The service was great and the bread delicious. My only complaint was with the desserts - the panna cotta was dense and overly sweet and the 20 minute wait for the souffle wasn't really worth it. If you're in the area and looking for Italian, I'd recommend giving it a try.
(4)
Liz B.
Had an amazing dinner here last night... The ambiance was elegant but comfortable- nice, dim, ambient lighting would have made for a great date spot. My mom and I both had the $35, 3-course prix fixe menu, and thought the food was excellent and the value outstanding. Both the green salad with scallops and the mussels starters were phenomenal, and the fusilli main with sundried tomatoes, shrimp, and asparagus was to die for. (The cod main was also very good, but the least exciting to me of our dishes.) Our desserts were also both stand-outs; we had the chocolate souffle and the pear tarte. The chef-owner (Indian!) sent us a few freebie items/drinks in between courses, and came and chatted for a while- he's not only a talented chef, but a real sweetheart, too. Please check out his restaurant!
(5)
Whitney K.
I went to Da Vinci with my boss and some clients. While I live in Boston, everyone else was from out of town, so they left it up to me to chose dinner reservations. Well I can't even count the number of times my clients and boss complimented me on my decision to come to Da Vinci. The service was superb. Our waiter was very attentive and had very thoughtful recommendations- especially for wine (we had an excellent Chianti). The chef even came out to introduce himself. The food was incredible- we had a number of appetizers, including the scallops salad, the mussels, arancini, etc. I had halibut for dinner and the dessert sampler. My food was excellent and everyone else had nothing but positive things to say about their meal. Thanks Da Vinci for a great meal and making me look good in front of my boss and clients!
(5)
Bea B.
This was our second visit and we had a great experience both times. The food is very good and beautifully presented. The chef is extremely talented and creative but, happily, his food is not too "precious". The service was also excellent. Our waiter was spot on with his wine recommendations and the valet ran to a busier intersection to flag down a taxi. I highly recommend Da Vinci.
(4)
Elisa T.
Mixed feelings about Da Vinci. Tried it out during Restaurant Week, so I got the 3-course, $33.10 deal, but they always have a 3-course, $35.00 deal...so you could really come here anytime and have an extensive meal at a good price. I started off with their "signature" arrancini, which was a very small appetizer so I wouldn't share it with another person. It was good, but I have had better arrancini before. Then, I had the raved about "pasta tasting" which included gnocchi pomodoro, spinach ravioli, and fusilli bolognese. This was a great "comfort food" dish for me because I love pasta, however none of the pastas really jumped out at me as being outstanding, as compared to pasta dishes I have had elsewhere. However, if you are going to order pasta off the menu, I think this is the dish to get because you get to try a few things....I couldn't imagine a whole plate of any of the three pastas I tried. For dessert, I ordered the apple crostata (which was an extra $3, read the upcharges!)....this was a great dessert because it was light and sweet, not heavy and too filling. The decor seems to try and give a Romanesque feel, which is fun. The menus light up when you open them, something I've never seen before and really liked because it's typically hard to read menus in restaurants with dimmed lights. There is valet parking for $16, or street parking if you can find any. Even though I was under-impressed by my food, my boyfriend was very pleased with what he ordered, and I must say, I tried his dishes and they were very good. So it's all about what you order here....it's definitely not one of those restaurants where I could say that I bet everything on the menu is just great....but it's worth a shot if you like Italian food and are looking to eat it in Boston outside of the North End.
(3)
Teju P.
We met the owner Pepino at a BCAE class - he invited me and my friends over to his restaurant. The menu looked delicious, but we ended up with just drinks and dessert. I must say, you cannot go wrong with any of the dessert selection. It was so much fun to share and taste everyone's choices. The ambiance is very romantic and they even have a bar area. I highly recommend this place - Pepino has a lot of passion for italian food! He told us he is Italiano trained but of indian decent. Very interesting guy!!! Way better than any place in the North End.
(5)
Mike L.
Horrible food!! And Serivce!! Me and my GF went here on Jan 28 2011 on "Date night" and we ordered a bottle of wine/apps/2 entrees =$120. The Mussles (Apps) were bad and unfortunately I/we didnt know it until eating 5-6 of them. (We had stomach pains all night and my GF VOMMITTED IN THE AM!)I told the waitress that they were bad (Smelled Fishy/Tasted Fishy); I use to be a Chef for a few resturants so its really easy to tell when shellfish is bad! when the waitress came back she just told me that the Chef says they are fresh; she didn't even take them off our bill. The entree came and it was fair at best. Then at around 10:50 the waitstaff was just staring at us to leave... I have lived in boston for 12+ years and I will never go here; especially since there is 30 other resturants in walking distance from here.
(1)
A N.
Excellent food, nice ambiance, reasonable. Can't get better when comes to dining out.
(4)
Mark W.
I'm a fan... The pasta dishs are excellent. Get the pasta tasting menu.
(4)
Anissa K.
Started off the night with an organic salad which was decent, my husband had the scallop salad and it was delicious!! We shared the Artic Char and were thoroughly impressed. We encourage all to try this spot out!
(4)
Julie T.
I came here and truly thought that the food was overall forgettable. We all came here as a group of 10 or so and didn't really get the friendly service that many have told me about. The food was a-ok, but nothing really wowed me that night. Maybe I came on a bad night or maybe there was just so many of us that they were like: "Ah, whatever", but regardless, I feel like it was whatever. I'm sure I'd return if someone REALLY wanted to go, but I don't think anyone else was wowed so I don't really think I will be returning.
(2)
Katherine W.
We had dinner one recent Saturday night during a weekend visit. The reviews we had read led us to believe the food would be great , and the service good, though expensive. The setting is pleasant-rather dark, perhaps to enhance the experience of reading their LED-lit menu. I had a pasta medley and felt the 3 varieties presented were all very disappointing. The first, the tomato sauce could have been poured right out of a can, the second, a pumpkin ravioli , was too sweet with caramel coating, and third, a fungi gnocchi, was very bland but at least not too offensive as the first two. The garden salad was fair in portion. We were surprised that our server did not mention ahead of ordering that many of the desserts (souffles) would take extra prep time . Having brought that to our attention after we completed our entrees, she still did not return to take our dessert order for sometime. The chocolate souffle was nice. It was overall a disappointment unfortunately.
(2)
Gabe C.
An excellent find! Great handmade pastas and excellent secondi. I highly recommend the pasta tasting! We were lucky to arrive on a night when they were serving venison as a special. Truly amazing. The chef makes an effort to meet every one of his guests, giving the restaurant a great personal feel. Also, after paying for our meal, we received two $10 gift certificates to come back! I highly recommend Da Vinci for a truly enjoyable dining experience.
(5)
J D.
we must have been at the evil twin of the restaurant that has gotten all the great reviews here. we had an 8:30 reservation and arrived on time. the hostess told us to sit at the bar while they got our table ready. there were several empty tables - odd for a Saturday night - so we thought it would be a very short wait. Nearly half an hour later... the tables are still empty, they finally brought us to one of them. the food was awful. chain restaurant style foccacia bread. i had salmon, which was served on what tasted remarkably like the veggie burgers on Amtrak, but with peas in it. it was expensive enough to be a quite nice restaurant, but otherwise less than mediocre.
(2)
Melissa W.
This is our favorite restaurant. We have been there about 5 times and each time is better than the last. The service is stellar and the food is utterly amazing. The asparagus appetizer is so delicious I have to talk myself out of ordering 2. The rack of Lamb is my favorite but the then again everything is delicious. I love the fact Chef Peppinio ( sorry if misspelled )comes from the kitchen to great customers and always has a complimentary tasty tid bit ( last. Night was fried Risotto yummm!) Or a glass of moscato. Can't wait to go back
(5)
Julie N.
I giveth and I taketh away. A star is removed for inconsistency. Went back last night and the calamari salad was wilted, overdressed and the calamari was a bit fishy. My entree was good (Morel Mushroom Parpadalle) but just a touch too oily. Desert was delicious, though. The souffle is excellent. I still like this place but I am disappointed in the lack of consistency. Especially since my previous visit was so good!
(3)
Dara S.
I went to Da Vinci Ristorante on Thursday evening. I was with my boyfriend and we ate at the bar for our weekly date night. The bartender Dan made our experience even more wonderful....LOVED the cocktails! We were so impressed with the food ( i recommend the homemade potato gnocchi & the arancini)... The chef definitely knows what he is doing :) I will definitely be returning, if for nothing else because Dan took such great care of us.
(5)
Micah B.
Good, decent Italian food. Gnocchi was a little chewy, but not bad by any means. Bolognese was very flavorful. The spinach ravioli was bland. The blueberry gimlet was tasty. The pear crostada was good - not great...they should have ripened their pears longer or used an in-season fruit for more flavor. I ate at the bar and the bartender was very good.
(3)
Hussam B.
The food here is very good in general but they are overpriced. We had a 3 course meal for $50+tax+tips= around $65, and that is without wine. I would visit more often if their prices were more reasonable.
(3)
Gerald D.
Da Vinci is a new and highly original take on a classic Italian approach -- the family-feeling restaurant for the upscale crowd. The last time I had rigatoni bolognese this good was in Bologna. No kidding. The key is the reduction, where the aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, olive oil and beef are slowly reduced to a half-carmelized, rich sauce to be applied sparingly to al dente pasta and finished with a grate or two of a sharp parmesan or pecorino romano. Simple. The cardinal sins of rigatoni bolognese are too much tomato-heavy sauce, or weak and thin sauce, or ground beef instead of pork shoulder or beef shanks. And definitely no sugar to sweeten the gruel like you find in so many bottled versions of this classic --- *shudder* --- If you have only eaten runny tomato sauce with overcooked pasta, you are suffering from prison rations, my friend. Chef Peppino has done his homework, and is clearly in love with Italy, even though he was born in India. Perhaps *because* he was born in India. The man is brilliant. He gets it, right down to the old Italian tradition of the Padrone himself walking through the restaurant towards the end of every evening to greet the diners personally and inquire cordially whether the food met their expectations. This doesn't happen much in America, and when it does it's usually high-falutin', where you are meant to applaud the celebrity chef. Peppino, on the other hand, is true to the Italian way, and is genuinely vulnerable about whether his cooking was up to your standard. Of course, this is infinitely charming, because his cooking is sublime. It used to be true in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome that if you and the chef made a personal connection in conversation before dinner, he would be likely as not to serve you the choice piece of veal he was intending to cook for himself later on. Apocryphal or not, the point is that Italian dining is meant to be a personal experience, where actual feelings are exchanged between the chef and the diner. It's not play-acting. We have lost much of that quality in modern American urban restaurants. But let me be the first to applaud what Da Vinci is striving for here. American diners need to bring more of their hearts to the table before they fill their stomachs, and realize a good Italian meal at a restaurant is not primarily a commercial transaction, it's a relationship. Good for you, Peppino. In other news, the wine list is okay but should have more mid-level reds available, and greater variety by the glass. Parking without a valet in this neighborhood is impossible, or at least not worth your effort. Local lots are pricey and annoying. You can game it with the resident spaces but I'd warn against it. Park far away and walk if you can, that's what Italians do for the passagiatta.
(4)
Sandy J.
We were cared for with such attention to detail from the moment we arrived Saturday night. We were with a group of 20 helping a good friend celebrate her 50th birthday. Had a 5 course meal- food was exquisitely prepared. Impossible to say what I liked best ( however the ravioli stuffed with spinach & shrooms & topped with truffle oil mighty fine). All of it so good. We will be back for sure. Nice place to settle back & let someone else take care of your needs. PS- the glow in dark menus a nice touch!
(5)
Spencer N.
What a great place to kick off an AMAZING night. My friend and I decided to get dinner before the Dolly Parton concert(fabulous) and we stumbled across this place. Normally I stumble BY this place either to or from club cafe...so it was nice to actually check it out, in the daylight none the less. The interior is very very well done. Dark woods...nice lighting. Very Tuscan looking. Very nice. We ordered a bottle of wine which was recommended by our ADORABLE waitress and then split the arugula salad(so simple and SO good). The food is all prepared very simple but does not lack in flavor. I got the chicken with an orzo salad and my friend got the swordfish in a sun dried tomato pesto. It was so good! The wait staff is very very sweet and most seemed to be in their 20's, so we had lots of fun joking and talking with them. What really got me was that the chef, Peppino came out and talked to us and asked how everything was. Its the little things like that, that make a dining experience really great. Also, the 3 course menu at $29 is not a bad deal at all! I will totalllllly be back here to try that out. I saw the desserts and they looked good and fattening. Just my style
We met friends here for dinner on a Thursday night. Overall my experience was lackluster. Not awful, but not a place I would return or recommend. Frankly, I was surprised to see so many positive reviews. My husband and I both got the 3 course meal for $39. Typically a good value, but the meal was was not worth the price. I started with the scallop salad. Scallops were bay scallops - total bummer! I was expecting one really big scallop, or maybe two medium sized ones. Too much dressing on the arugula but the strawberries added some tart, which was nice. My husband's mussels (which were recommended) were disappointing - a little funny tasting and not enough broth. For entrees, I had the pasta tasting menu. It was all okay - but again, nothing that really stood out. The sauce on the gnocchi was my favorite. My husband got the veal chop - also, just okay. For desert, I got a trio of gelatos. The ricotta one was really nice. However, the "mint" was fake green color and the rosemary was.... well, about what you'd expect for rosemary flavored dessert. Service was spotty - lots of weird delays and servers were not familiar enough with the menu and ingredients.
(2)
Kweilyn C.
My husband and I went to Da Vinci last Saturday and it was fabulous. The food was outstanding. You wouldn't believe that a restaurant in the back bay/theater district area would make their own pasta, but my goodness do they really know how to do it right! The braised beef short rib pappardelle is out of this world. That perfectly braised beef absolutely melts into your mouth with the most lovely reduction (veal stock, herbs, red wine), and marries the al dente pappardelle perfectly. Need I say more? Oh yes, the service was impeccable. Our waitress was charming, attentive, sincere, and really down to earth. The food was amazing but she made our experience there memorable. It was also very nice to meet the chef (he is very friendly and took the time to come out and greet patrons, us included). All in all, it's just so hard to find a restaurant like this these days (especially in the heart of the city). Fabulous food and ambiance, combined with unpretentious but professional, knowledgeable service gives a gold star in my book.Thank you, Da Vinci! We'll see you very soon!
(5)
Gi G.
For my friend's 30th birthday, a bunch decided to surprise her with a fancy dinner at Da Vinci. Boy were we in for a surprise! I made reservations for 8:00pm on a Saturday night for 8. Two of my friends and I arrived a few minutes before 8pm and we checked in with the hostesses. They said the table was not ready and it will be a few more minutes so we waited outside. 15 minutes later I went to check again and this time the hostess said the table will be another few more minutes and then asked if the entire party have arrived to which I said no. then she mentioned that we cannot be seated until everyone arrives. She could have told me that when we arrived but she kept telling me that the table will be ready soon. At 8:30 a host came out to tell us that the table is ready and upon noticing that our entire party has not arrived he said "and you told your friends reservations were at 8pm??" It's uncalled for and VERY rude. It was very rude of him to mention that especially since we arrived at 8 and the table was not even ready yet. We then proceeded to our table and ordered some drinks. Another 15 minutes in the host came by AGAIN and said "so 8pm reservations huh?" He was very condescending and by that time I was pretty pissed off and was ready to walk out. We were very courteous the entire time and expected to be treated the same in return. After we sat down the restaurant wasn't very busy and there were several empty tables so I don't understand why he had to give us an attitude every time he came by. There are plenty of other restaurants in the area with better service and I don't have to put up with the "rushy" and rude service and staff. I definitely won't be going back again.
(1)
Mcslimj B.
Terrific upscale Campanian cuisine near Park Square marred by top-heavy wine list and weak bartending. Devra First's review of Da Vinci in yesterday's Globe reminded me I hadn't posted about this place yet. Fans of the chef/owner's work as the longtime exec at Waltham's La Campania (among which I enthusiastically counted myself) will certainly like the food here: he's doing essentially the same upscale Neapolitan food he did there. Easily the nicest-looking design job yet on this space (fka Grillfish and Piattini the second): warm, inviting, a little plush but not stiff, with very comfy lounge seating in the bar area. Sorry to say the $12 cocktails are terrible: they really need to hire more of a pro with the shaker if they're going to charge those prices. Food is mostly terrific: superb house-made pastas in particular, like a swoony short-rib ravioili with a sauerbraten-like sauce, wicked. Very fine arancini, salads (love that pear "carpaccio"), and grilled meats. Pretty desserts, but don't be fooled: the so-called souffle is just another molten-center chocolate cake, yawn. Solid service: chef Peppino seems to visit everyone's table at some point, a nice touch. The one thing that really irks me (and shocks me that Devra's review failed to mention it) is the wine list. It's heavily Italian (no problem there), but hugely tilted toward high-end bottles. I'd estimate that of 60 reds, only six are under $50, another 24 between $50-$100, fully half over $100. That's ridiculous, and a big crimp in my desire to return for anything but an occasion dinner. I can get good cocktails elsewhere nearby, but I need a few more affordable reds before I can consider making this place part of my regular fine-dining rotation.
(3)
Kenny D.
Loved it it was our first time here we sat at the bar we started of with a ceased salad and fried calamari both were perfect then proceed to second course gnocchi Alforno you could tell a lot of love went in to this dish it was mouthwatering every last bite then for dessert we had the bartender make us chocolate. MArtinis I order this drink every where bit this one was the best Ive gotten in years can't wait to ce back next. Month with work .
(5)
Sarah D.
Decent Italian restaurant in the South End, very close to Park Square and the Theatre District. Overall our experience was good, the food was great and they were very attentive. My friends and I went here for New Year's Eve so we had a fixed price menu. Everything was delicious from the bread with olive oil and garlic paste to the tiramisu for desert. The interior was elegant and comfortable but not a tremendous amount of Da Vinci related effects. Hopefully they'll add more information to their website soon, it's kind of basic right now.
(4)
Annie K.
I would give this place a 3.5 stars. The ambiance was very nice and romantic The service was excellent--very pleasant I had the red sangria and it was very well made and delicious The reason the review is only 3.5 stars is because the food was not all that impressive. I had the butternut squash ravioli and my friend had the spinach gnocci. The ravioli was not very filled so you didn't really taste the filling at all--the nuts on top added very nice flavor though. But overall didn't really wow me. My friend liked the gnocci but wasn't impressed by it either. I guess we both just expected more out of this restaurant especially for the price--we just expected something to wow us more
(3)
Mike M.
We had a bizarre, kind of awesome dinner at Da Vinci that seemed like it was out of some wacky date hidden camera show. First - the food - if you gave me my food from Da Vinci in a styrofoam takeout box and had me eat them in my car, they would get 5 stars. Hands down - loved it much more than Via Matta. It was deeeeelicious! Everyone ate up on every course and left feeling very contently full. Highlights were definitely the scallop appetizer, the fusilli bolognese (which I ordered "spicy" and had a really complex deliciousness to the sauce), and the apple crostata desert which was like an amazing puff pastry apple pie. Having Chef Peppino stop by the table at the end of the night also made us feel special and added a nice touch to the end of the evening. The other aspects made us feel like we were in an episode of Punk'd and Ashton Kutcher was going to run in any moment to tell us the joke. Let's see: - my friend ordered a bottle of red wine, the waiter brought a bottle of WHITE from a different year, then argued with my friend about which one he had selected - a really bizzare move like 5 minutes after sitting down. Then they were out of the wine he really chose - weird. - a waiter dropped a fork covered in chocolate on my friend's leg and just kind of looked at him, didn't apologize and scurried away - the light up menus were suprising and kind of gimmicky. It's not that dark in there! There is no light on the wine list! - the manager came over in the middle of our conversation to show off this other gadget they have as a wine stopper to prevent spilling your bottle - who has ever done that? It was like those miracle carpet cleaners where they test it on your new white carpet - either way it was kind of weird. - finally - and not really Da Vinci's fault - the fire alarm went off for like 10 minutes in the middle of our meal. That sound will haunt my dreams. Like a million babies screaming on an airplane. It is hard to salvage a dinner after that. Even in light of all those things which made us feel Punk'd, the food is really, really good. We all really liked it - if I went back again and none of those things happened, I would think it was a 5 star restaurant - as is, it gets four stars.
(4)
Stephanie M.
Loved it and will be going back!
(4)
Bob M.
Dishes my sound plain, but they are anything but. Truly outstanding preparation and sauces. With every bite of the mussels appetizer, i was startled by their taste. Without doubt, this is the best mussels dish I've every had. As for my entree, Orchietto, it was also outstanding ... a comment also expressed by my companions about their fish and pasta. My only disappointment was the wine list ... on the expensive side with too many mediocre wines. Had I not prepared ahead of time, I would likely have picked a wine which would have negatively affected the experience. I considered deducting a star for the wine list, but couldn't. The food was soooo good!
The short story: You will get food and service that is TOP NOTCH, but you will pay for it. At about $110 per person (incl. 20+% tip) for appetizers, dinner, drinks, bottle of wine and dessert - it was WELL WORTH IT. The longer story: Walk into Da Vinci and instantly fall in love with the room, the decor, the ambiance. Wonderful! Excited to get started. They started us off with some fresh bread and drinks. Already you could tell the service was going to be attentive, professional and enjoyable. Waiter (Spencer) was perfect. He offered up some Arancini Con Mozzarella on the house, just to try. It ROCKED and was a great gesture. I had the Beef Carpaccio appetizer and I absolutely enjoyed every bit of it. The little scoop of celery sorbet was a genius pairing. Very tasty dish and I highly recommend it. I had the pasta tasting for dinner. Rigatoni Bolognese was jaw-droppingly delicious, Masala Agnolatti was yet another amazing twist on a dish that clearly reflects Chef Peppino's heritage and creativity. Last on the plate was the Gnocchi Con Funghi - the gnocchi was cooked perfectly, but I did not like the sauce and flavor of the mushrooms... they weren't white-generic-button mushrooms, and I don't really care for the flavor of fancier types like cremini, etc... but if YOU do... I'm certain you'll enjoy it. Overall GREAT dish - I couldn't finish it all. We ordered a bottle of the La Spinetta, Barbera d'Asti "Ca' di Pian", which was spectacular with my meal. For dessert, I had the Peach Crostata and yet again: JAW DROPPINGLY DELICIOUS. As reported by many others, Chef Peppino came out and spent a few moments with us - it was mostly him saying "thank you, thank you, thank you" very graciously as we showered the poor guy with compliments. I am a bit of a restaurant snob. I am willing to pay a high price for a top-notch experience and Da Vinci did not disappoint at all. Some other reviews mention you can find just as good a meal in the north end for less money. If so, SOMEONE PLEASE MESSAGE ME, so I can try them out the next time we're there. Da Vinci is a must-do kind of restaurant. 5 stars from me.
(5)
Kim R.
Another Hidden Jewel with GREAT FOOD & SUPERB SERVICE!! Drinks are wonderful the ambiance is again with that wonderful candle glow not a loud place but relaxing! Classy place and everything made to order....another favorite restaurant of mine! The menus light up so very kool...just perfection right down to the menus!!
(5)
Cori K.
We went here on a Saturday night and it seemed pretty empty. The service was not on par with a restaurant in this price range. The server did not know the menu well and was not very attentive. The food was generally good. The arancini appetizer was tiny and not nearly as good as at other restaurants. The meals were pretty good although the butternut squash ravioli was very sweet - almost like a dessert. We did enjoy the spicy bolognese. Overall this restaurant is OK but there are better restaurants in this price range.
(3)
Julie R.
I was very impressed with Da Vinci. I will certainly be back. I went for a "celebration" dinner on a Friday night with my boyfriend. The location was convenient and we were able to find street parking. Upon entering we were graciously greeted by many people. I had a feeling it would be a great dinner and it was. We started with the Pesce Miso which was smoked salmon, poached shrimp, and calamari served with a cucumber salad. This was fantastic. It was so fresh and light for a summer evening. For my entree I got the Filetto Di Manzo which is an aged beef tenderloin with chianti sauce, potato gateaux and baby spinach. This steak was amazing. It was perfectly cooked and I really think it was the best steak I've ever had in my life! I sampled some of my boyfriends Annatra alla Peppino (Crispy duck leg confit) It was great. He couldn't stop raving about it. The wine selection was great. The server was super nice. We were both complemented as soon as we were seated and checked on several times through the meal. The chef was making his way around the restaurant greeting tables and introducing himself. He didn't make it over to us but it was a nice touch to see him reaching out like that. The atmosphere is cool. Very modern with high ceilings and dark floors but yet still sophisticated with busts and cool art. The lounge area looks especially comfy with big plush chairs and chaises. There is a nice sized outdoor dining area in front too. See you again soon Da Vinci!
(5)
R O.
Tried DaVinci's for the first time the other night. Wad pretty slow so no problem getting a table. Space is great, but a little bit cramped, would've loved to sit outside but denied by the rain. Wine selection was good, kinda limited by the glass. The menus are interesting when they light up when you open them, as for the selection, it was pretty good. We had the mussels, which were very good and Caesar salad which was good. For entrees we had the spinach ravioli which was awesome, very tasty, not too much sauce and quite filling. We also had the rigatoni bolognese which was really tasty, kind of a smoky flavor to it. Desserts looked good but we tapped out.. Out waiter, Chris was on point, attentive and had some good opinions on the food. We'll be going back.
(4)
Jennifer P.
With an attractive old world decor, this was a nice find. The prices are probably a bit beyond what they deserve, but the salads and entrees were beautiful, diverse (some Indian-Italian fusion options), and tasty. The service was great and the bread delicious. My only complaint was with the desserts - the panna cotta was dense and overly sweet and the 20 minute wait for the souffle wasn't really worth it. If you're in the area and looking for Italian, I'd recommend giving it a try.
(4)
Liz B.
Had an amazing dinner here last night... The ambiance was elegant but comfortable- nice, dim, ambient lighting would have made for a great date spot. My mom and I both had the $35, 3-course prix fixe menu, and thought the food was excellent and the value outstanding. Both the green salad with scallops and the mussels starters were phenomenal, and the fusilli main with sundried tomatoes, shrimp, and asparagus was to die for. (The cod main was also very good, but the least exciting to me of our dishes.) Our desserts were also both stand-outs; we had the chocolate souffle and the pear tarte. The chef-owner (Indian!) sent us a few freebie items/drinks in between courses, and came and chatted for a while- he's not only a talented chef, but a real sweetheart, too. Please check out his restaurant!
(5)
Whitney K.
I went to Da Vinci with my boss and some clients. While I live in Boston, everyone else was from out of town, so they left it up to me to chose dinner reservations. Well I can't even count the number of times my clients and boss complimented me on my decision to come to Da Vinci. The service was superb. Our waiter was very attentive and had very thoughtful recommendations- especially for wine (we had an excellent Chianti). The chef even came out to introduce himself. The food was incredible- we had a number of appetizers, including the scallops salad, the mussels, arancini, etc. I had halibut for dinner and the dessert sampler. My food was excellent and everyone else had nothing but positive things to say about their meal. Thanks Da Vinci for a great meal and making me look good in front of my boss and clients!
(5)
Bea B.
This was our second visit and we had a great experience both times. The food is very good and beautifully presented. The chef is extremely talented and creative but, happily, his food is not too "precious". The service was also excellent. Our waiter was spot on with his wine recommendations and the valet ran to a busier intersection to flag down a taxi. I highly recommend Da Vinci.
(4)
Elisa T.
Mixed feelings about Da Vinci. Tried it out during Restaurant Week, so I got the 3-course, $33.10 deal, but they always have a 3-course, $35.00 deal...so you could really come here anytime and have an extensive meal at a good price. I started off with their "signature" arrancini, which was a very small appetizer so I wouldn't share it with another person. It was good, but I have had better arrancini before. Then, I had the raved about "pasta tasting" which included gnocchi pomodoro, spinach ravioli, and fusilli bolognese. This was a great "comfort food" dish for me because I love pasta, however none of the pastas really jumped out at me as being outstanding, as compared to pasta dishes I have had elsewhere. However, if you are going to order pasta off the menu, I think this is the dish to get because you get to try a few things....I couldn't imagine a whole plate of any of the three pastas I tried. For dessert, I ordered the apple crostata (which was an extra $3, read the upcharges!)....this was a great dessert because it was light and sweet, not heavy and too filling. The decor seems to try and give a Romanesque feel, which is fun. The menus light up when you open them, something I've never seen before and really liked because it's typically hard to read menus in restaurants with dimmed lights. There is valet parking for $16, or street parking if you can find any. Even though I was under-impressed by my food, my boyfriend was very pleased with what he ordered, and I must say, I tried his dishes and they were very good. So it's all about what you order here....it's definitely not one of those restaurants where I could say that I bet everything on the menu is just great....but it's worth a shot if you like Italian food and are looking to eat it in Boston outside of the North End.
(3)
Teju P.
We met the owner Pepino at a BCAE class - he invited me and my friends over to his restaurant. The menu looked delicious, but we ended up with just drinks and dessert. I must say, you cannot go wrong with any of the dessert selection. It was so much fun to share and taste everyone's choices. The ambiance is very romantic and they even have a bar area. I highly recommend this place - Pepino has a lot of passion for italian food! He told us he is Italiano trained but of indian decent. Very interesting guy!!! Way better than any place in the North End.
(5)
Mike L.
Horrible food!! And Serivce!! Me and my GF went here on Jan 28 2011 on "Date night" and we ordered a bottle of wine/apps/2 entrees =$120. The Mussles (Apps) were bad and unfortunately I/we didnt know it until eating 5-6 of them. (We had stomach pains all night and my GF VOMMITTED IN THE AM!)I told the waitress that they were bad (Smelled Fishy/Tasted Fishy); I use to be a Chef for a few resturants so its really easy to tell when shellfish is bad! when the waitress came back she just told me that the Chef says they are fresh; she didn't even take them off our bill. The entree came and it was fair at best. Then at around 10:50 the waitstaff was just staring at us to leave... I have lived in boston for 12+ years and I will never go here; especially since there is 30 other resturants in walking distance from here.
(1)
A N.
Excellent food, nice ambiance, reasonable. Can't get better when comes to dining out.
(4)
Mark W.
I'm a fan... The pasta dishs are excellent. Get the pasta tasting menu.
(4)
Anissa K.
Started off the night with an organic salad which was decent, my husband had the scallop salad and it was delicious!! We shared the Artic Char and were thoroughly impressed. We encourage all to try this spot out!
(4)
Julie T.
I came here and truly thought that the food was overall forgettable. We all came here as a group of 10 or so and didn't really get the friendly service that many have told me about. The food was a-ok, but nothing really wowed me that night. Maybe I came on a bad night or maybe there was just so many of us that they were like: "Ah, whatever", but regardless, I feel like it was whatever. I'm sure I'd return if someone REALLY wanted to go, but I don't think anyone else was wowed so I don't really think I will be returning.
(2)
Katherine W.
We had dinner one recent Saturday night during a weekend visit. The reviews we had read led us to believe the food would be great , and the service good, though expensive. The setting is pleasant-rather dark, perhaps to enhance the experience of reading their LED-lit menu. I had a pasta medley and felt the 3 varieties presented were all very disappointing. The first, the tomato sauce could have been poured right out of a can, the second, a pumpkin ravioli , was too sweet with caramel coating, and third, a fungi gnocchi, was very bland but at least not too offensive as the first two. The garden salad was fair in portion. We were surprised that our server did not mention ahead of ordering that many of the desserts (souffles) would take extra prep time . Having brought that to our attention after we completed our entrees, she still did not return to take our dessert order for sometime. The chocolate souffle was nice. It was overall a disappointment unfortunately.
(2)
Jared M.
Incredible meal. Went with some family friends for a special occasion. A couple of us (myself included) got the five-course Chef's Tasting Menu. It was excellent -- asparagus wrapped in cheese and prosciutto, the highly recommended pasta sampler, codfish, beef and a delicious chocolate souffle with vanilla ice cream for dessert. My only complaint is that the presentation was unoriginal and that it seemed like all of the sauces for all of the main courses looked/tasted the same. What struck me most about this place, however, was the amazing service. The waitstaff was incredibly attentive, Peppino checked on us several times and even sent out extra pasta dishes for the people dining with us during our five-course meal so that they didn't have to stare at us eating in between their salads and main courses. This place really did things the right way.
(5)
Kimby K.
Love this place! I've been 4x in the last year, and we love it everytime. Wonderful food & service. The owner makes a point to walk around every time and make sure everyone's happy. Special place.
(5)
Sean D.
The decor is a bit much and our waiter was not friendly, informative or engaging upon our arrival. My wife had a very good salad for starters, but her minestrone soup was not much different from a canned version. I had the pasta sampling and was severely disappointed with the gummy gnocchi and chewy, rather tasteless homemade pasta. The saving grace to the meal, was the dessert trio - well most of it. The chocolate souffle was outstanding, but the gelato was not. We will not be going back, maybe it was just the dishes we had. In Boston, there are other great Italian restaurants and feel no need to give this one a second chance.
(2)
Meredith K.
ok the food and the chef are awesome! 5 stars for that.. martinis were tasty so 5 stars to the bar as well. decor and atmosphere are very nice. BUT 2 stars for service, which brings this review down to a 3. Why? UM if you advertise in the Boston Globe AND on the menu on the door of your restaurant that you are offering a $29 pre-fixe menu - don't bait and switch people and say oh well it's really $35 per person, not $29 even though we said it was in the globe and on the door right now. Now to me you honor the price that is on the door people open to walk into the restaurant! When the issue was raised with the waitress - she said the extra money goes to charity, but couldn't say which charity it went to. Then the manager comes over to explain that it's not to charity at all that it's $35 for the opentable "stimulus plan" that is happening this week. Not that it's a big difference in money, but if you offer a price on the door of your restaurant you shouldn't up the price when people sit down in your restaurant. Then refuse to honor the $29 price even when you confirm the newspaper and front door do say it's $29 - this detracts from the amazing work your chef is doing!
(3)
Jenna D.
Been 3 times. Love it. The owner is a sweetheart and truly cares about quality ingredients.
(5)
Dan S.
Had a wonderful dinner. The service from Spencer and his team was great. Well worth going to Da Vinci Ristorante
(5)
Scott R.
One of the most satisfying meals we've had in quite a while. We'd heard good things about Da Vinci, and Yelp certainly had quite the positive spin on it, so we decided to give it a shot. It was definitely worth it! At a lot of restaurants that we've been to, the appetizers wind up being the best part of the meal - the chef obviously gets bored after thinking up crazy starters. Not at Da Vinci. That's not to say that the appetizers were bad - they were delicious. We had the arancini and the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, both of which were great. But - the entrees were spectacular. I had the pasta sampler, which consisted of the gnocchi pomodoro, spinach ravioli, and fettuccine bolognese, and my wife had a whole portion of the fettuccine. Everything was fantastic, but the fettuccine was absolutely outstanding. The pasta was cooked to al dente perfection, the sauce was hearty but not overpowering, and it just hit the spot. Then we had a marvelously light and flavorful chocolate mousse for dessert. It's always nice when restaurants exceed expectations, and this one certainly did. I don't give 5 stars lightly, and this place earned it. An especially nice touch was the fact that the executive chef came out and walked around the dining room greeting every table, introducing himself, and talking about the food. I like that. Go here and eat - you won't regret it.
(5)
Jolene W.
I went to Da Vinci on a Friday night at 8 with no reservations and sat down right away (which was great for a friday night, probably not as great for the restaurant). We had been here before and once again we had a great meal. Both of our fish dishes were cooked perfectly with perfect sides to accompany the flavors. Service was great, atmosphere was quiet and enjoyable as well.
(4)
laury g.
Amazing! Did the 3 course prix fix with my husband....everything tasted so great! I had the pumpkin soup (currently craving more) bolognese and the apple Crostata. My husband had the arancini, bolognese and chocolate souflee. We loved all of it....get the bolognese spicy! Had great wine, great service and topped it off with a nutty Irishmen! If I ever go back to Boston, this place is on my list of places to go back to,
(5)
Lissa X.
Despite our server was nice but surely not the best, the whole experience in general was wonderful. The food is amazing and I love the interior.
(5)
William R.
I went here for Valentines Day with the girlfriend and had some amazing food. I would definitely recommend everyone giving it a shot and I will be going back soon!
(5)
Christian H.
The chef is super friendly. The food that I had (the Pasta Sampler) was delicious. The place is pretty pricey and it was DEAD. It actually was a little alarming. I'm not sure WHY it was dead, because it was a pretty positive experience. The staff was capable and friendly and we had several delicious desserts shared among everyone at my table. Honestly the only drawback was the price -- but if you want to splurge, go for it. This is the perfect kind of place to do it. The renovation to the space turned out really beautifully as well. They did a wonderful job.
(4)
Lindsey B.
Okay, so I am picky about my italian food and food in general! We had gone during restaurant week and had a great meal, so we decided to return with our phantom gourmet gift cards. We were seated in the middle of the restaurant (only downside is they don't have many cozy tables for 2), but they didn't seat anyone next to us. We started with the warm tomato and goat cheese salad and it was so good!! Also got the octopus salad, which was great as well. My fiance got the duck and I luckily had the swordfish. The waitress first said they didn't have any more, but she ran to the kitchen and secured me the last piece!! That was amazing. We also had some great glasses of wine (I had ordered my 2nd glass before dinner came out), dinner came out and no wine. I like my wine with dinner. Another waiter noticed, got the wine, and came back halfway through the meal and filled our glasses to the top! That is good service! We got the chocolate souffle for dessert and it was great as well...can't say enough about the food and service. Just be sure your phantom cards are the black ones. Ours were purple, no longer accepted, so we couldn't use them. The manager was apologetic and told us we just need to contact the company and they will replace them. We did and it was fine...just a more $$ dinner than we planned on, but so worth it. They also have a great bar area...
(5)
Meghan H.
Quite possibly my best Restaurant Week experience yet! Da Vinci offers their entire menu for Restaurant Week. Amazing! There are up-charges on a handful of items, but they are reasonable, and if you want to stick to the $33.10 price tag, there are still a ton of options. My choices were: Squash blossom for primi, the pasta taster for the secondi, and and the chocolate souffle for dessert. The squash blossom was so tasty - ricotta cheese filling on a bed of polenta - and so unique. The pasta taster allowed me to avoid really making a choice, which I always appreciate when it comes to food. (As a side note, while all three of the pastas were delicious, the Gnocchi al funghi really took home the prize. So good!) The souffle was also really good, but the only low-light of the meal came in this course - the "gelato" that the souffle (and a few other dishes) is served with is actually plain old ice cream. Given how legit Da Vinci was otherwise, I was surprised and disappointed about this, but I didn't have room to eat it anyway. My boyfriend got: mango bufala mozzarella for primi, the tagliatelle for secondi, and the mango panna cotta for dessert. He heartily endorses all of his selections, as well, although we ended up trading dessert choices and being happier. There is also a very nice wine list that offers a range of price options, but you can still get a good bottle of wine in the $30 range. Coolest unique trait of Da Vinci: the menus are backlit, so you can read them in the low lighting of the restaurant. Also, major props to the entirety of their waitstaff. Our waiter was great, but not hover-y. He took great care in describing our dishes as they were presented and gave excellent suggestions when we were torn on what to order. At one point, another waiter happened to be walking by very shortly after I had emptied my wine glass and he stopped to refill it for me, which was really appreciated because I'm often torn between wanting my wine and wanting to do the appropriate thing and wait to have it served. Wine served, etiquette dilemma gone! I strongly recommend Da Vinci, especially during Restaurant Week. If you can't make it during Restaurant Week, try to make it during their regular prix fixe menu times. Such a great deal for a high quality place!
(5)
Tracy C.
I had been here many years ago for restaurant week and had a good experience but for some reason hadn't been back even though the restaurant is fairly close to me. Then I stumbled upon a LivingSocial deal for 5 courses with wine pairings so decided to finally go back. Great decision. First, it was a great deal - $95/person for full servings and full pours. (The server commented there was another deal out there for $105 which is still a great deal IMO.) It sounds like the courses are chef's choice but our server said they try to customize based on your likes/dislikes or anything you definitely want to try on the menu (I specifically asked to try the pumpkin ravioli) . To summarize: 1st course-1 aracini, 1 healthy serving of mozz and tomato (prosecco), 2nd-swordfish with rice wine vinegar sauce and side salad of argula, corn, tomato, etc. (sauv. blanc), 3rd-small serving each of gnocchi bolognese and pumpkin ravioli with cream sauce (chianti), 4th-filet with potato cake and wilted spinach (cab), 5th-mini choc souffle with vanilla bean ice cream (moscato). Everything was fantastic, the service was great and Chef Peppino comes over to check on your table personally. When we were walking out he came and talked to us and we commented how full we were, especially since some tastings can be skimpy. He said he doesn't believe in someone coming for a tasting and then going home to their refrigerator. Well said! I would definitely go back. The stars were the arancini, the bolognese and the filet but everything was delicious (e.g. I am not a fish fan but ate most of my swordfish because it was that good.) I'm sure it helped because we were getting a "deal" but I still would try it again without.
(5)
Nina G.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Boston now! My hubby and I were there to celebrate our Anniversary and we were so impressed with everything. The restaurant is in a great location close to the Boston Common. There are plenty of parking spots close by but may be difficult to find an unoccupied one. They have a great valet service. The service was five star from start to finish, each staff member was wonderful and very pleasant. They menu is remarkable and unique. The fresh bread and white bean dip that arrives at the table just melts in your mouth. The arancini and mussels were delectable. Our second course was even better. The Masala Ravioli was the best pasta dish I've ever had and the haddock on the risotto cake was truly sublime! The chef is a friendly fellow who visits each table and you can taste the pride in his food, it's superb! Don't miss the chocolate souffle, it's divine. Da Vinci is worthy of 6 stars.
(5)
Molly K.
We came on a Thursday night and the place was not super busy. Service was good they were patient with us as we got busy talking rather than checking out the menu. The menus have lights in them when you open them which is super cool & a neat concept. The hummus dip that came with the bread was very good with a nice tang. We did the 3 course offering for $39 - size was the same but there were up charges on expensive options which seemed fair. I just was not that excited about the food. My husband got the 3 pastas and the gnocchi was awful not fluffy @ all. Veal chop was excellent but had too much sauce on the sides. Chocolate souffle was serviceable but not amazing. It was solid decent food but for the prices I was expecting more.
I've lived around the corner from this place forever and finally decided to try it. I've walked by there a few times and not seen anyone in there so I assumed it wasn't good -- wrong assumption! Very pleasantly surprised. Went on a Saturday night, and the place was pretty packed. When we went in, the hostess offered to take our coats which was a nice touch. Also clever -- the menus light up when you open them. I have probably been to about 1000 restaurants in my life and have never seen this before. I'll let you decide whether you think this is cheesy or cool -- I thought it was cool. Small but decent wine list with some reasonably priced stuff. I had the Osso Bucco with a Caesar salad to start. The Caesar was great, although it came with a deep-fried poached egg, which tasted ok, but it was a bizarre combo with the caesar. Oh well, at least now I've had a deep fried poached egg. The Osso Bucco was fantastic. It was made with pork instead of veal, which worked perfectly well, and came with an awesome saffron risotto with peas in it. The sauce it was in was fantastic -- dark wine sauce type of thing with some sweetness to it. The only thing I didn't like is that it came with broccoli rabe, which is absolutely vile stuff, but that's not their fault -- I should have remembered I hated broccoli rabe. The girl got the pasta sampler, which is an awesome idea that more restaurants should try. She loved all 3 pastas. Our waitress was attentive and friendly, and seemed genuinely interested in making sure we enjoyed ourselves. All in all a great meal at a very interesting place. I'll be back.
(4)
Tiffany C.
tasty food. went here for RW last week. super tasty drinks! not so tasty drink prices...but that's to be expected. my personal drink recommendation- the huckleberry lemonade, light and refreshing! had the fish (i forget what kind) in a garlic risotto with asparagus- mm mmm good.
(4)
Cheryl M.
Really great deal with the fixed price menu during the week. I am definitely an Italian Food Snob, and this was one of the best meals I've had out lately. Service was a bit slow, but the food was so good it didn't matter. Mussels appetizer was so good I could drink the rest of the broth right out of the bowl. I got the pasta sampler for my main course, which was really good, although now thinking back, I should have tried something else more fancy! My boyfriend got swordfish I think and it was really really good. And Peppino the chef/owner is amazing! Really nice guy and very friendly.
(5)
Brittney A.
I was debating between 2 and 3 but since we can't do halves I went with 2. This is because after reading all the review everything people raved about let us down. First off, while we waited 30 minutes for our table having a reservation, we got a drink at the bar. I understand the bar tender is busy because there was only 1 at the bar but when I ask for a glass of wine and I don't get it because by the time I get it the table is ready that's a problem. Next, the menus which are suppose to be this great thing because they light up are a heavy and huge pain in the rear. They are big awkward and almost to bright for such a dark restaurant. Great idea though but really they are at least 3 lbs and 2 feet tall. What also made up upset, was the service. Others say they had great service but please please when we sit down take our drink order!! We waited 15 minutes just to put in a cocktail order. We had to ask for the bread and it wasn't given to us til after we had our appetizers. Sadly the break was cold... literally cold like it was in the fridge. To go back to the appetizers, I hope yours not hungry when you order them. The portions for them were small, very small. We got the asparagus in prosciutto, very good though, but they was only 2 of them. As there was only 2 caprese, for a table of 6 that is not enough which when we asked the waiter he said it was. We literally each got a taste of each. Our meals were good, some were better then other, the sirloin was good along with the tenderloin. The chicken was nothing to write home about and the gnocchi was good but nothing stood out about it. All and all decent food but very much a disappointment because of all the other great yelp reviews.
(2)
Vivek S.
We decided to splurge a little bit before the arrival of our first baby and after some research, zoned in on La Campania and Da Vinci. Couldn't get a table at the former and hence chose the latter. Also figured that the reputation La Campania had earned over the years was due to chef Peppino who now runs Da Vinci. The food here was fantastic. The Arancini con mozarella was very yummy and the phyllo cup was a perfect accompaniment. The buffalo mozarella was also very tasty. I had the Il Volano wine which was prefect with the meal - just a tinge fruity and light unlike chianti. We ordered the pasta tasting and gnocchi for main course. The gnocchi was very tasty but a very one note dish. Perhaps a little more sauce could have livened it up. But I still think Trattoria Toscana's gnocchi is the best I've ever eaten. The butternut agnolotti was definitely the best thing we ate that night - sweet, savory and very refined. Finally, we got the souffle and tiramisu gelato. The souffle was out of this world, fantastic! It was so light that I could have had another one by myself. The gelato was good but not that interesting after a few spoons. The service was very good and chef Peppino typically seems to come over to each table after dinner to get a feel of your experience. Overall, a wonderful dinner and money/time well spent!
I've been to this restaurant several times and had good food so when planning my friends birthday we decided on Da Vinci when she said she wanted Italian. It was a disappointment. The food was good but the service was lousy and even worse they have NO CLUE how to handle a large crowd. I was in email contact when planning this event and even narrowed down the menu to simplify the process and NOT ONCE did they mention that their system is lacking and can not charge a few cards without creating chaos. They had to split it into different checks and on top of that they asked us for more money because when they split the bill they included too many items. Which didn't make sense to me when we already paid the mandatory 20% gratuity and then some to even out the bill. When mentioned that we NEVER had an issue when we dined elsewhere they said fine...we'll eat the cost of $5.88. Unbelievable. Then when we were leaving, my friend who was waiting for her husband holding her baby was stopped and told we short the bill. Which is appalling when we double checked serval times and it turns out they didn't know how to add and she had to put down her baby and recalculate for them and turns out we actually over paid the bill. Seriously disappointed. Terrible customer service and ruined the mood for my friends birthday.
I came with three friends for restaurant week last year, and it was AWESOME. Reasonable valet price, nice atmosphere, sat quickly, and we all loved our meals. I was so pleased to see that they have a $35 fixed menu all year long, so it's like restaurant week all the time! I started with the caesar salad with a fried poached egg. I was skeptical at first, but it was unreal. It immediately made my top 5 caesar salad list. All four of us had different pasta dishes, and all were delicious. I had pappardelle boscaiola (wild mushrooms, white truffle oil, parmesean cheese), and the ingredients complemented each other perfectly. Another friend had the butternut squash aglonotti, which was the perfect blend of sweet and savory. We all got the chocolate souffle for dessert, which was definitely worth the 20 minute baking time. HIGHLY recommended if you want a great Italian meal!
(5)
David H.
My wife & I had dinner at Da Vinci last evening, after not having been there for several years. We ordered off of the $35 fixed price menu and found the ambience, service, and food to be thoroughly enjoyable. The room is a bit more intimate than Via Matta, (which is down the street and an all-time favorite), the self-lit menus are a cool touch, and service is impeccable. Our two 'primi' were both warm - a very refined, delicate arancini and a 'Panzerotti egg & Sausage', which was a deep fried poached egg surrounded with small amounts of meat in a batter. Both were outstanding. Our entrees consisted of a pork osso bucco (very tasty and not as rich as the traditional veal), and a pasting tasting plate (spinach gnocchi, rigatoni Bolognese, and squash raviolis). I have to say that while delicious, the pasta plate seemed a bit overpriced at $30 if ordered a la carte. I also must say that I am a a real risotto snob, and that the saffron risotto served with the pork was the Real Deal. Dessert consisted of a chocolate souffle (traditional, excellent), and a 'Sugar Cane Rice Pudding', which is something of a misnomer. There is a bit of rice in the mix somewhere, but the overall impression is a bit like one of those fancy items you'd see on Bourdain's show at a molecular gastronomy joint. Creme brulee-like glaze over toasted almonds, with a dollop of vanilla gelato on the side. Good, but unexpected. The wine list is fairly deep in Italian regionals. We had an excellent modestly-priced Pinot from Venice - didn't even know they were produced in that region. We'll be back, but given the value we'll probably stick with the fixed price menu.
(4)
Melissa M.
We came by for a quick drink before finding a place to eat dinner. We ended up staying for four hours, while sitting at the bar, being treated like royalty and we ate some of the best dishes we've ever eaten IN OUR LIVES! Let me set the scene for you fine readers. Night. November. Very cold. Probably the first really really really quick let's sprint from the car to the restaurant because it's freaking freezing out kinda night. I had heard about Da Vinci Ristorante for about 2 years now. I remember reading an article in the Boston Globe about a chef of Indian descent who goes by the name, Peppino and cooks Italian cuisine. I also remember reading that the restaurant was co-owned by a woman named Wioletta, of Polish descent. Well, I'm a quarter Polish, the fiance is half Italian and we love to eat. I've always wanted to try Da Vinci, but sadly, my life has never led me to this place. Until that fateful night. We get a parking space about a half block away. We walk in the beautiful restaurant and are promptly greeted. We ask if we could sit at the bar and were kindly led to their great bar. We met the bartender, named Cengis -- who was the GREATEST bartender I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. He made my fiance a negroni and I had a glass of Nero d'Avola. It was a hearty pour and it was straight up comfort to my freezing bones. I was looking around the restaurant for Peppino, but I couldn't find him. I told Cengis that I was hoping he'd be in the restaurant that night and Cengis assured me that he would. He did not lie. About 10 minutes later in comes Peppino, just as I pictured. Tall, dark, and handsome! He has the most lovely personality and accent. He was so genuinely happy to see people enjoying his food. He got to work in the kitchen and came by to personally see how the food was. It was just like Peppino, PEFECT. I'll get to that now.... I was getting hungry and we looked at their menu. Would you believe they offer a 3 course menu for $33.09? Well, they do! YEAR ROUND!! You can sit at the table, or just sit at the bar. We have been back twice now and enjoy Da Vinci very much! We opted for their wonderful pasta tasting as an appetizer. It's very affordable and it comes with butternut squash agnolotti which is stuffed with Amaretto biscotti butternut squash and finished with a brown butter sage sauce. This is what I got for my meal on our second visit. The other pastas that come with the tasting are gnocchi pomodoro, ravioli short ribs, and fusilli bologonese. AMAZING!!! Then, for our meal I decided to get the 3 course dinner. I had the most uplifting and comforting bowl of pumpkin soup with Carribean potatoes, carrots, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. I want to swim in this stuff. DELICIOUS! My fiance got the crab cakes the other night, but the night of our first visit he got -- okay, I don't remember as I was so happy to be eating at Da Vinci and eating some great soup. I think he got the beef carpaccio and I'm almost positive he did. He said it was great. For our main courses, I got the pork shank. I never ever ever will order meat unless I am at a steak place but this meat spoke to me as it came with a juniper berry sauce. So delighful. It was accompanied with saffron risotto and broccoli rabe. The port wine apple juniper berry sauce was the icing on the cake, or the finish on the shank, if you will. I want to bathe in it!! My fiance chose the rack of lamb which is grilled and served with saffron risotto and sauteed asparagus and finished with veal demi glaze peppercorn sauce. And, for dessert I chose the crostata which takes about 15-18 minutes to bake and comes with fruit and a little ice cream. Absolutely. Fabulous. My fiance got the pumpkin spiced creme brulee, which is served with a homemade pumpkin cookie. You would think for all this food, we'd have to win the lottery to pay for it. No. You'd be wrong. Da Vinci is so affordable and the food is so delicious, awe-inspiring, homemade quality that you will just feel happy and full after eating here! Whew! Well, when we went back the other night, we were once again treated like royalty. Wioletta was working the door and she sat us in the dining room. She asked if we had been to Da Vinci before and when I enthusiastically answered, "YES!! We have!!", she smiled and the wait staff who previously chatted with us at the bar on our last visit all came by to say hi and tell us how great it was to see us. She sat us by their open kitchen. I love the open kitchen, you get to see all the action! Peppino was working and saw us and smiled and sent over an amuse bouche of mozzarella arancini. It was perfect. Peppino is perfect. Perfect is Da Vinci. I will come here forever now, and you should, too. This is my favorite place in Massachusetts.
(5)
N B.
Love it here! Nice Ambience, food is really good, and always consistent in taste,, Butternut squash ravioli YUM!
(5)
AJ M.
What a beautifully decorated environment and great service. Dessert tasting is a must!
(5)
Tina M.
The restaraunt is fairly small and so to get a good time you need to make your reservation a good two weeks out. We got here a bit early and enjoyed a drink at the bar before checking in with the hostess. We ordered from a large menu at a set price. I was immediately intrigues by the 'glow-in-the-dark-menus' LOVE IT! I was one of 'those people' who kept opening and closing mine! The menu options were great and the portions full size. I had the mussel appitizer which was easily enough for two people. Then I had the salmon entree which had the most wonderful sauce. The food has some indian flavors with a modern flair. For dessert I ordered the chocolate souffle (while normally I am not a ig fan of chocolate this came so highly recommended I had to try). I finished off the whole thing! Overall the atmosphere was a bit loud with romantic lighting and very good (but not excellent) service. The chef made rounds in the dining room to see how the patrons were enjoying food. A nice touch.
(4)
Mike G.
i like my meat bone-in. and the veal chop here is pretty darn good. but i woke up hungry for pork and recalled it being on the menu. my anticipated first bite of the roasted chop was...where's the pork(taste)! it was just one salty mess. i asked and was told by kitchen that the meat had been (over)brined. a few minutes later, chef Peppino came over to chat and i told him that my dinner was, well.....un-porky. chef said he welcomed feedbacks as it can only improve the kitchen then returned with a plate of assorted desserts for the table. nice save chef!
(3)
Rick P.
Nice Italian place with a little bit of an Indian twist. My chicken dish was incredible tender, very flavorful. My wife loved her Caesar salad. She'd probably give this place 5 stars.
If I could, I'd give four and a half stars. The entrees were five-star quality, but the appetizers and desserts weren't *quite* as good, and the service was slow. That said, the staff was friendly and helpful when they were at our table, and the co-owner/executive chef came by to chat and gave us some free dessert wine. There was also an issue with a third-party gift card which I think they could have handled better. We had a Phantom Gourmet gift card we wanted to use there. Just FYI, if you have one of their 'purple' gift cards from a few years back -- which say they are good for seven years! -- you have to exchange it for a newer 'black' card for most restaurants to take it now. I'd called the number on the back to make sure it was still good, but that automated system didn't mention anything about this problem. The *right* way to handle that would be to have some manual way for the restaurant to call in and get reimbursed, rather than rejecting the gift card. But I digress. Like I mentioned before, service was slow. Our waitress was friendly, and informative, and knew all about the menu and wines (and brought me samples of a couple different by-the-glass reds), but she seemed spread thin. They did bring us bread and water immediately after we were seated. Apps came reasonably fast once we had ordered, but the entrees and desserts took longer than expected. We ordered dessert with everything else, because they warn on the menu that several of the dessert items take 10-20 minutes to prepare. The runner that cleared the entree plates said something like "dessert will be right out", but then we sat there for another 15 minutes before they brought it out. What we got was hot; I'm guessing here was some mixup in the kitchen and they hadn't actually made it in advance. Appetizers were good but not exceptional. I got the 'pomodoro e mozzarella burrata' (i.e. caprese salad). Solid. Ingredients were very fresh. Had flash fried basil on top, which adds some texture. (Seen that done in a few places.) L. got the golden beet salad with goat cheese, pine nuts, micro greens, and some kind of vinegar dressing. She liked it, but thought the dressing could have been better. The entrees, however, blew us away. The waitress talked L. into ordering the pork tenderloin special, which had a gorgonzola-fig sauce and came with roasted potatoes and brocolli rabe. She LOVED it, which is especially surprising since she normally doesn't eat a lot of pork. The meat was moist and tender, and the sauce was amazing. The waitress said it used to be on the regular menu, but now it just shows up occasionally as a special. I got the spicy version of the fusilli bolognese. This was spectacular -- one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had, if not the best. The pasta is made in-house, and we both agreed that the only adjective to adequately describe it was "perfect". The bolognese was well-balanced, flavorful, and had just a hint of heat to it without it being overwhelming or throwing off the flavors. L. commented that she never had pasta that good when she visited Italy. Our waitress then showed up with two glasses of dessert wine, 'compliments of the chef'. I don't normally order dessert wine, but I'm not going to turn it down when it's free. For dessert we split the sampler, which came with a molten chocolate cake, pear crostada, and gelato (vanilla, cappuccino chip, and ginger), and was garnished with some fresh berries on the plate. These were good across the board. After dinner the chef came out and chatted with us (and several other tables) for a few minutes. Turns out he's Indian by way of Germany, and first learned Italian cooking from an expat Italian family in Germany. Interesting guy, even if he's a little hard to understand. :-)
(4)
Allison S.
Came here for Restaurant Week and was sure as hell not disappointed! Appetizer: The mussels. They were fabulous, and the broth at the bottom of the bowl was perfect for dipping my bread in. I also tried the arancini, which I would think about getting the next time I visit. Entree: The bolognese (non spicy). I've heard nothing but stellar reviews about Da Vinci's bolognese, and I completely agree. I also was able to try some of the gnocci from the pasta sampler (which I think is a great thing to have on a menu as an entree) and that was also delicious. Dessert: Chocolate souffle. Careful, it's hot! It's basically chocolate molten lava cake in a souffle dish. I wish I could have eaten more of it, but I was so full from everything else that I was going to start popping buttons if I continued. It came with vanilla ice cream in a small bowl next to the souffle dish and that helped cool the chocolate lava in my mouth and add to the richness and flavor. What put it over the edge for the 5 stars? Every person who ate at Da Vinci's that night got a small green package. I was dying to know what was in this package, and it turns out that it was a $10 gift certificate to come back with a homemade chocolate chip cookie. Seriously? Da Vinci, you have my heart!!!
(5)
Michael P.
Yep, I am fan. This is a good restaurant. I had the chance to go here with my girlfriend during restaurant week and we enjoyed the food, mostly. It wasn't the kind of blown away, out of this world food that you will feel led to believe when you look at the great italian decor, fancy light-up menus, and the big drink list. The food is good but for the price you can find much better restaurants. My girlfriend ordered the pasta sampler; and I assumed to her that it would not be anything special, it wasn't. Basic dish that was uninventive. Had a chance to meet the Chef and he is a great guy with some great dishes, unfortunately not all are so great. I ordered the braised short ribs, which they are known for, and that was great, that dish alone is worth the 4 stars, but that execution doesn't quite translate to the other dishes on the menu. The decor was fun and unique and it certainly gets you excited. The staff is very friendly with great service, no problems with that. Overall: I ordered the mussels app and the short-ribs, both were pretty great - it's all about what you order here. The drinks were so-so. Check it out if you find ourself wanting to leave the Northend, otherwise, stay where the Italians are.
(3)
Angela G.
I'll keep this brief - I held my rehearsal dinner at DaVinci, and four of 35 guests became ill the night before my wedding, and remained so through the day of my wedding. The guests that became ill had not eaten together (or even separately but at the same restaurant) prior to taking ill, which indicates that the problem originate at Da Vinci. One of the four guests was my mother, who is featured in a total of 1 photograph from my entire wedding. I'm lucky she made it at all. I spent a fair amount of my honeymoon in Europe being completely distressed about this, and communicating with management about it. They concluded that the food had been purchased fresh, and they followed their food safety procedures, so they were not willing to offer me anything except an invitation to return, with my mother (was that meant to be a sick joke???). We spent a total of $3,500 on the dinner, once tax and tip were included, and they weren't willing to refund anything. I pointed out that the guests were also not able to eat the food at the wedding that we had paid for, but they were absolutely steadfast that they would not compensate me for the problem they caused. (Not that it would change the horrible memories I have of my wedding day from this.) If you are looking for a group dining establishment, please don't go here. If you want to risk your own health, feel free, but absolutely don't put your friends or family in harms way by taking them to this establishment. (PS - the only other vendor that provided something that wasn't completely perfect relating to my wedding reimbursed me 100% without my even asking.) Oh, they also asked me to mention in my review that the service was really great, and I had a great time. (Not a joke.)
So I went hear last week and I was under impressed by food but I suppose I need to try it again. I ended up ordering a pasta dish with 3 different types of pasta fusili wiht pesto, gnocchi with mozzarella nd tomatoe, and spinach ravoli. The tasting menu normally comes with fusili with a bolognese but I do not eat beef so they substituted. I did not get an appetizer, which I am sort of bummed because I am sure I would have loved the scallop salad. My friend got the artic char with risotto which again was ok, but not amazing. I just expected a bit more as far as flavors, I was comparing this place to some of the North end's finest i.e. Lucca, Bricco, Mama Maria, or even Prezza, unfortunately I was underwhelmed. They do always have a 3-course, $35.00 deal, which I will have to give another try at some other night. I think it's a great idea given the economy to offer that so A+ for that ! The ambiance is really nice and the patio also is really cute, the menu even lights up because the place is dim lit! The wine list was also pretty reasonable and they offered to help for pairing our meals which was nice. Overall I thought this was mediocre but would definitely try it once more to see if my opinion will improve.
(3)
Andrew D.
We received gift certificates as a present recently and so we bundled up and headed into the city. We circled the block and found a great parking space .... that we later found out was residential parking and we rec'd a $40 parking ticket. So I reco the valet service or parking in a lot (there are three a very short walk away). We walked in and since we were early we were escorted to the bar and at 9pm were seated at a cozy table for two. We were treated like royalty over the next couple of hours. Our bar tab was transferred over from the bar and we ordered a bottle of Da Vinci red from 2003 that was recommended to us by Michael. We each ordered an appetizer (bufffalo mozzarella & beef carpaccio ) - both great. Then at the urging of our host we split the pasta sampler (3 types - gnocchi, pasta bolognese and butternut squash ravioli - each better than the next). For entrees we had the lamb and salmon and neither disappointed. For dessert (and don't ask us how we had the room for it) we had the sampler which had amazing flan, vanilla gelato and pumpkin creme brulee among others. When we were done the head chef came by and introduced himself. Everything was so great that we decided to hold onto the gift cards so it would force us to make the long trek back into the city again.
(5)
Caitlin C.
I came here for the Park Square Park Place Dine Around a couple nights ago. My friend won tickets, but unfortunately couldn't attend, so I went in her place. This was our second stop of the evening and to be honest, we'd never even heard of Da Vinci despite living in Boston for the past 6 years. We were pleasantly surprised. The decor is very romantic, with low lighting, and it'd be an excellent place to bring a date. I decided to go with the squash blossom filled with ricotta and served over a gorgonzola polenta. I'd always wanted to try zucchini blossoms, so this was a treat. It was delicately fried and very tasty. The polenta was a bit unexciting (but really when is polenta exciting?) and it had some tomato confit thing going on (didn't really like that). I paired it with a glass of Sangiovese. Jess had the grapefruit salad with fava beans, which she was satisfied with. Our server was quite pleasant, but a bit scattered.
(4)
Christine G.
Enjoyed a great dinner here on saturday with my cousin, his wife and my boyfriend. The restaurant is very pretty with a warm ambiance. The service was amazing. The hostess greeted us right away and we were seated with no wait. The chef/owner was up and about greeting all of the diners. He came to our table and was incredibly warm. For apps I had the prosciutto with asparagus which was wonderful. I tasted my bf's mussels which were very fresh and tasteful. As an entree I had the cod which was cooked perfectly but i did not enjoy the sauce that accompanied it too much. My bf had the rack of lamb which was delicious. They also have a great wine list of mainly italian wines. We were drinking a merlot/syrah blend which was amazing. The food was great but the service was spectacular. The place was not very crowded for a saturday night. If you're in the back bay area definitely try it out. Overall, a great dining experience.
(4)
Michael M.
I have been dining at Da Vinci for almost a year now and have never been disappointed by the food or the service... it is truly one of Boston's hidden gem's! The food at Da Vinci is better Italian than you will find in the North End's best eateries and can't be touched by any of the new establishments in the South End! It's all about the dining experience at Da Vinci - the food is exceptional, the service is impeccable and the atmosphere is relaxing and enjoyable for almost any occasion.... If I could give Da Vinci 6 stars I would! During my most recent trip to Da Vinci I decided to have the $35 3-course pre fixe menu. I started with the beet salad which was delicious as always. I followed with the Masala Agnolotti, a traditional Italian ravioli with an Indian flare - it was fantastic. It was a delicious combination that left me craving more when it was gone. For dessert I had the papaya cheesecake that, as it sounds, was delectable. Everything was perfectly proportioned and beautifully presented... All of this was of course accompanied by a fantastic bread basket with warm focaccia baked with sweet onions and olives -- make sure not to miss that. For the price - you cannot beat the quality, taste and quantity of food that you get at Da Vinci not to mention the top notch service and friendly atmosphere!
(5)
Sheri G.
My husband and I ate here last night for my birthday and had a very good meal. Da Vinci isn't in the league of the truly exceptional Boston restaurants, but the food is very tasty and well prepared. The plates are very nicely composed and the food looks as good as it tastes. The drinks were outstanding (possibly the best Sangria I've ever had) and the service was excellent. The waitstaff was very attentive, the food came out quickly, and the chef stopped by the table several times to check on us. The atmosphere was great; I liked the decor a lot. The bar was hopping, which added a lot of energy to the space, but also a lot of noise. When our waiter first came to the table and asked if we wanted anything to drink, I had to ask him to repeat himself. We were there late in the evening, and it did get quieter over the course of our meal. We had the arancini (fantastic!) and then the pasta sampler, which is the perfect way to try an assortment of the excellent homemade pastas. The spinach ravioli is outstanding, as is the mushroom pappardelle. My only suggestion for the restaurant is to improve their bread. According to the chef, it is made in-house, which is well-intentioned, but our basket offered an olive bread that didn't have good texture or flavor, with a limp crust to boot. The good news was, we didn't fill up on bread. But the chick pea puree that came with the bread was delicious and we wished we had something better to dip. Maybe it was just an off night. Also, they should keep their online menu more up to date. The chocolate souffle for dessert was sublime, and the chef sent out some sparkling wine on the house as a birthday gift, which was really just a lovely thing to do. We'll definitely go back.
(4)
Amy C.
Their chicken and beef tenderloin dishes were so tender you didn't even have to chew. They were very accommodating and the chef and general manager personally came over to meet and greet us. Spencer..the GM..was awesome. Funny and charming all in one, and so wasn't the chef. Our server knew his wines and liquor and they made us feel special. I would highly recommend this place!
(5)
Gary G.
Da Vinci located in the Back Bay is very good. It was a pleasant surprise. I thought it might just be okay, but it turned out to be great. We were greeted by very friendly staff and seated right away. The organic green salad with the fried goat cheese is very good. It is the perfect size salad to start your meal. You also start with bread and hummus. I got the roasted chicken for my meal that was served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. It was all very good. My wife got the butternut squash ravioli. It was outstanding. It melts in your mouth. The chef came over to greet us after our entrees were done. It was very nice of him as we were seated right by the kitchen. The table was great because we were able to see all the meals plated and served. Everything looked delicious. We ended our meal with the apple dessert. It was great take on a apple pie. They are having terrific restaurant specials for the month of March. They have extended restaurant week for the whole month. Lastly, when we ended our meal we received 2 $10 GC to go back!
(4)
Victoria B.
Chef Peppino is incredible. The food is not only delicious, it's artistic. He pairs the most unique foods together, and they are extremely fresh. My favorite dish is the mushroom and truffle oil gnocchi and my favorite appetizer is the ricotta stuffed squash blossoms. Recommended for any fancy night out.
(5)
John F.
My family went to DaVinci to celebrate a birthday and the whole evening was outstanding. We started with drinks in the bar area and the atmosphere was relaxed yet quietly elegant. The restaurant was visually a treat and the lighting set a very warm tone. Our server and the manager were wonderfully attentive throughout the evening and made well-appreciated recommendations for appetizers, the main course and wine choices. Our dinner, start to finish, was a series of taste celebrations and we all thoroughly enjoyed the entire meal. The scallops appetizer was an early highlight, and we actually ordered a second plate. The main courses were perfectly prepared from the tenderloin to the short ribs to the ravioli.All were shared. A delighful experience!!
(5)
Debbie M.
Fffffffffffffffabulous italian,,,omg. Just eat here!
(5)
Sarah M.
the place looks greatt,the food is ok nothing special,i ve had better Italian food.
(3)
Aisha L.
My Boyfriend took me out to eat at Da Vinci on Valentines day. This was our first time eating there. We walked in the door about 25 minutes early for our reservation and the hostess greeted us with a friendly smile, took our coats and instructed us to the bar to wait. We probably only waited 7 minutes and we were the ones that came in early. The hostess came over and told us our table was ready and she escorted us to a cute little table for two. She pulled our my chair for me and gave us both our menus. The first thing I noticed when I got to the table was that candle was not lit. This isnt a very big problem, but on Valentines day no less I would think that re lighting the candle would be an important thing to do before the hostess seats a table. We were greeted promptly by a busser/ back waiter, and offered water, he didnt light the candle or or take it away to bring a new one, so I mentioned to him that I would love to have it re lite, he was very prompt in a bringing a new candle ( I know I am obsessing about the candle, but I like romantic lighting). The waitress came over soon after, offered to answer any questions, get us a drink... I got a glass of the Riesling. since it was valentines day it was a set course menu, My guy is a vegetarian and the waitress gave him some delicious vegetarian alternatives. we love that!! Thank you for accommodating our dietary needs. Also our waitress informed us of the price of the meal which we were confused about because open table stated a different price (open table was printing wrong information) Open table had said that it was 3 courses for 45 and then at Da Vinci they said it was 4 courses for 59. We told her our confusion and that we had just wanted the three courses cause we had dessert at home, they honored the price mistake and said we could do the three courses, but to our delight they brought dessert anyways! A++++ for customer service! We got our first course (hadnt received bread yet, and had to ask for it half way through our 1st course, received it promptly after asking for it). It was AMAZING, the Mozzerella was the best I have tasted and that sauce was so good that I literally was sopping it up with the bread. (which by the way was worth the wait, the bread seems to be a fresh sage loaf with real bits of basil? or sage? in it, and it comes with a delicious olive oil and hummus) The Busser cleared our dishes and our dirty sliverware and said that he would be bringing us clean sets of cutlery. Our second course came and I didnt have a fork to eat it with, I asked the food runner for some utensils and he apologized and told the busser what we were missing and then he came right back with them. 2nd course was also amazing. Gnochi with a white truffle oil champagne sauce with mushrooms. Yum yum.... my guy doesnt like mushrooms so he had his Gnochi with a pomodoro sauce also Delicious. 3rd course... was also amazing, my salmon was cooked perfectly and my guy had a vegetarian masala ravioli (off of their regular menu) that he was thrilled about. Our waitress also refilled our bread when it was running low.. yum yum then dessert! Wow, A Raspberry cheese cake, a nutella stuffed fried ravioli, chocolate covered Strawberry's and a little co sip (shot) of a spiced warm hot chocolate. The presentation was beautiful, and delicious! So to Sum it up, Great food! Very friendly and helpful staff! I think our server was suburb and the busser was great too! loved the Hostess, everyone was doing their best to make sure we had a fantastic night. and we did! We will definitely come back and try their regular menu! Oh and also... Best Riesling I have ever had, ever! (The one they serve by the glass) Thank you!
(4)
neeta b.
The delicious Boston dining experience continued at Da Vinci Ristorante, a modern Italian restaurant in the Back Bay neighborhood. The most unique dish on the fall menu is the Indian Fusion Masala Ravioli. Its a simple pasta creation topped with masala flavored sauce that intrigued my taste buds. Part of the surprise was that I hadn't really experimented with Italian/indian fusion cuisines previously, and thought the concept was fun. And the taste didn't disappoint. The Rigatoni Bolognese was quite tasty too, though the pasta was just a bit dry. Topped off with a glass of red wine (the Valpolicella) and the Apple Crostata for dessert made for a sensational fall eating experience.
(4)
Tim A.
I had an absolutely wonderful meal on Saturday night at Da Vinci. Chef Peppino literally makes you feel like he's cooking especially for you. The Bolognese was among the best I've ever had and I've travelled extensively through Italy. We were treated to a beautiful dessert courtesy of the Chef and it was delightful. Warm apple tarts with drizzled caramel, small scoops of vanilla ice cream and a warm chocolate souflet. Truly a feast for any foodie. Tim
I hardly ever write reviews for restaurants I visit, but I totally felt compelled to write about Chef Peppino's Da Vinci Restaurant. The place is excellent from top to bottom, the food is amazing and the service is absolutely top notch. It was my first time visit and definitely not the last. Enjoy!
(5)
Layla L.
The wine, the food, the lighting, the ambiance, Bravo! Take your girlfriend there, she'll love it. :)
(4)
Ellie W.
We dropped $1200 here for a birthday dinner. And I don't think this was $1200 worth of savory goodness. Food snob I may be, but baller baller, make it rain, baller I am not. I'd like to think that like anything, any restaurant you go to, you want your bang for your buck. I feel pretty jipped. I will admit, the service is excellent (the chef even came out to thank us and ask us about the food at the end of dinner), the interior of the restaurant is beautiful, but I wasn't altogether very impressed with dinner. I had the arancini, crab tortellini with shrimp, and our table shared several plates of the dessert sampler: rhubarb pie, mango custard, and chocolate mousse. My crab tortellini was dry and somewhat underseasoned, lacking in flavor. The dessert plates were ok, but were surprisingly very basic, with nothing too notable in its flavoring or ingredients. I've had better arancini at hole in the wall spots in the north end. Overall, this isn't a place I would return to. Not because it's bad. Just that there isn't anything particularly great about it. Great service, great interior, but I need a little more than fancy wrapping paper if my wallet feels significantly thinner after leaving, ya know? At easily $100 minimum per person, you can find better (and less expensive) Italian food elsewhere. Giacomo's in the south end, or anywhere in the north end... Sorry, Da Vinci's. There will be no second date. And I probably won't even return your texts. #nogo
(2)
Julia G.
Oh my! Very fine food. Upscale, comfortable and delicious Italian! Not to miss! I had grilled halibut with arugula salad and broccoli rabe- OMG. Everything was fresh and tender. The food is clearly prepared with intention and care. Oh and always ask for Daniel!! He's lovely!
(4)
Bangie D.
I really wasn't blown away by this restaurant. I was very excited for this reservation. When we walked in, we were not greeted by the hostess already standing at the front, she was too wrapped up in looking at her computer screen. Another hostess walked up and greeted us. The one who was staring at the computer screen seemed very frazzled when she went to seat us, not very friendly for someone who is the first person you see coming into the restaurant. Honestly I thought the food was going to be a lot better than it was. The arancini was cut in half, I've never seen that before. I got the bolognese, "Boston's best", needless to say, I was expecting great things. I was really underwhelmed, it was under seasoned and just boring. My boyfriend got the gnocchi and it was pretty good, very simple, but good. The gelato was good but nothing exciting, just eating a scoop of vanilla ice cream basically. The service is definitely lacking. The server we had was attentive enough, but really didn't go above and beyond. We were sitting right in front of the bar area and most of the time servers were just standing around talking, even though there were plenty of tables in the restaurant. One person who works there was sitting at the bar drinking a glass of wine and then proceeded to go stand at the front when he was done. Drinking, on the clock, in front of guests.That is so unprofessional, the worst part is I'm not sure if that was a host or the actual manager. This place is not worth it, you can get better italian food for cheaper all around Boston!
(3)
Anonymous I.
Food, drinks, atmosphere were amazing!
(5)
Amanda L.
Great food! We wandered here after being told Giacomo's would be a two-hour wait (I didn't make reservations -- I fail). Anyway, we were seated immediately at Da Vinci. The restaurant wasn't full at around 8:30pm on Saturday, but it got somewhat packed during the hour or so we dined. I had a craving for pasta, so I opted for the rigatoni bolognese. I could tell the pasta was freshly made, and the bolognese sauce was so flavorful. I did order it spicy, and it wasn't spicy at all (I did see red pepper flakes though), but that did not detract from how good it tasted. Apparently this dish was rated the best by the Boston Globe? He ordered the beef tenderloin. The tenderloin was perfectly cooked at medium rare, and he nearly licked the plate clean. The "specialty" wine -- the Da Vinci riserva chianti 2007 -- was yummy and complemented our meals nicely. I wouldn't object to having a bottle or two around the house. Service was a bit slow, and our waitress was pretty awkward, but overall, a fine meal. Oh, we weren't dressed for dinner (most patrons were business casual), but we weren't turned away or anything. Next time, I wouldn't wear shorts...
Had a great time here. Was part of a large party for dinner. We had our 16 month old twins with us, and everyone was great with accommodating us an hour early so that the kids could eat before it got really late. They made smaller portions of pasta for the kids which were so nice, we - the grown ups - ended up eating most of it. Everything evened out, however, as the kids then proceeded to eat most of our mains of short rib and duck confit. The duck was delicious. Perfectly crispy. And the short rib was delicious too. A bit on the salty side but good. Can't say enough things about the service. We were anxious about taking the babies out for dinner at a high end restaurant, but everyone was great with the babies. The chef came out and hung out with them for a bit. And our server was easily one of the best we have ever had. Highly recommended
(5)
Dave L.
We ate here as a game-time decision on a Saturday night when plans changed and we had a great experience. While I'm skeptical of any place with a tourist trap name (and last minute Saturday night availability), Da Vinci delivered across the board. The stuffed proscuitto appetizer was excellent as a starter and the pasta bolognese was also very good, if not spectacular. However, this place gets five stars because the swordfish special was easily one of the 10 best pieces of fish I've had - my mouth is watering just thinking about it! The wine list was extensive and reasonably priced, and the service was attentive and friendly - really nothing bad to say. There are some unusual Indian-Italian dishes on the menu which seemed a bit incongruent to me, but they looked to be popular from what we saw. The chef-owner takes pride in his restaurant and it is reflected in all aspects of the experience there. Great option if you want a solid Italian meal downtown.
(5)
Stephanie D.
I went during restaurant week, so of course it was terribly busy, YET this place still found a way to serve to me the most super fantastic food I've had in.... the longest time. I had the Masala Ravioli. I nearly cried it was so good. And the red wine I had with it accented any hints of spice present in the dish. And the staff was unbelievable. Everyone is friendly and open. Attentive without being annoying. They really only hire the best of the best from chef to bartender to waiters. All in all, Top 10 in any book.
(5)
John D.
great setting and food and service
(5)
Jessica N.
I came here the night before the Boston Marathon. The food was tasty, service was good, great ambience, but I was really irritated by one thing. I chose a restaurant based on their dinner menu pricing...I saw pasta dishes were in the $20 range which was reasonable. Then, we show up, and SURPRISE there is a special Boston Marathon menu and pastas are all $30+ which is a little ridiculous if you ask me! Pastas have the highest mark-up of any menu item in a restaurant. A plain penne with red sauce was $28! Gnocchi with pesto was $32? With that said, you could tell all the pastas were made in house and they were delicious. All perfectly cooked and hearty. The restaurant didn't disappoint on that end!
(3)
Molly A.
I came here for my anniversary with my boyfriend and the experience went from bad to amazing. We had a reservation at 8:00 and we got there right on time. They told us to sit at the bar for a few minutes while they got it ready. Ten minutes later they said the people still hadn't left and just sit tight. For the next 20 minutes they kept coming back with limited excuses, even asking if we wanted to just come back another night. We got kind of mad, especially when they said they could set up a table in a random corner of the restaurant. But THEN...they completely turned it around. So at 8:30 we finally got seated (in the corner..which wasn't so terrible) and then the bartender came over and asked us what kind of special cocktails we would like (on the house). They brought us two huge appetizer samplings (also on the house) which were incredibly delicious. The arrancini was amazing and gooey and the caprese was very good (i usually think it's a pretty boring dish). Our entrees were incredible. My boyfriend had the indian ravioli which he loved and I had the bolognese. They are not kidding when they say "best of boston." The meat is so high quality you can tell, and it's really red wine-y and flavorful. Homemade pasta too. We split the chocolate souffle for dessert (tasty and nicely molten in the inside) and they wrote "Happy Anniversary" in caramel sauce which was very sweet. They also brought us vials of champagne (also on the house). The service was exceptional (after the initial hiccup) and the manager and waitstaff were extremely apologetic and seemed eager to make it up to us. The chef even came out to see how our meals were, which was very thoughtful. This place is the real deal and I will definitely be going back.
(5)
Joyce J.
Amazing dinner while I was in town with a friend. We decided on the 5 course chef's menu and we could not have been more happy! Between the crab ravioli, seared cod, homemade gnocchi, trio of appetizers and the amazing mini chocolate souffle with vanilla gelato, we were stuffed and feeling like we were winners! Loved this place...
(4)
Seth L.
Can't give enough praise to the masala ravioli, freshest pasta with a gentle south asian flavor. Spinach side was really fresh, and what can i say about the chocolate shuffle. Wouldn't call the place fun, but it was quiet enough for a nice conversation.
(4)
Jasper J.
Fantastic! A group of 6 of us came during restaurant week and the wait staff was very helpful and super kind. Our reservation was at 9:00 and we were sitting by 9:15. The short wait gave us time for a quick drink at the bar. Everyone at the table was ecstatic about their food. Soo good. Course 1: Everyone but myself got the caesar salad, I got the green salad, which was fresh and perfect. Course 2:Three of us got the Butternut Squash Agnolotti, Two got the Beef Tenderloin, and one person got the Gnochi Con Funghi. Course 3: I got the Apple Crostada, which was freaking great. The rest of the table got Chocolate Soufle and Chef's Sorbet. The restaurant is small'ish, but very high ceilings make it fee huge. Definitely give this place a try.
(5)
Troy M.
We unfortunately were not able to get a reservation for Valentine's Day, I waited too long, but went in the night after. We were very excited for their 5 course tasting menu and it certainly did not disappoint. All 5 courses were absolutely phenomenal, the wine was perfect, and service was impeccable. Also, although it was fancy, I did not feel out of place in jeans with a button down and tie, it was very nice, but not overwhelming like some restaurants. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a very nice upscale dinner.
(5)
Gregg S.
Ordered beef tenderloin which was great. Waiters were friendly and attentive. Just a little loud for my taste. I'm getting old I guess. But I like to be able to talk to people while out with them. Not overly, but just a little. all in all a great dining experience.
(4)
Jesse J.
Good ambiance, very trendy. A bit on the speedy side, but overall a good experience.
(4)
Jaimin A.
My Wife and i went there for our wedding anniversary and i'd say that we were treated to some of the most authentic Italian food outside Italy ! Chef Peppino, one of the owners and the head chef of the restaurant put in great effort and detail in preparing his food and that effort shows in the homemade bread, pasta and the dessert. We were also treated with an anniversary dessert sampler with a glass of champagne as a celebration of our anniversary ! The decor is very class with absolutely amazing staff. A great place to go for a romantic evening or to celebrate a special occasion !
(5)
Aaron G.
My meal here wasn't bad, but at this price point I'd expect better. The bad - Waiter was nice and funny, but waiters at upscale restaurants generally are a bit more reserved. It felt like he was third-wheeling a bit. - My cocktail seemed to be mostly water. - My "medium rare" steak was pretty solidly "medium well" - Back-lit menus are super tacky. The good - The ravioli marsala was pretty good. It's pretty tame for indian food, but it'd be interesting for less-adventurous eaters. - The pasta tasted homemmade. - Once your eyes have recovered from the visual assault of the menus, the lighting and ambiance is rather cozy. Not bad, but it's not tough to do better.
(2)
Joelle K.
My husband and I came here during restaurant week. The ambiance was excellent and the food was even better. We started with the arancini and squash blossom. Both were delicious, but I preferred the arancini. I had the pappardelle boacaiola and my husband had the rigatoni bolognese. I would highly recommend both.
(4)
C D.
Cant believe I havent reviewed this place yet, the food is amazing!! Better than most places in the North End, they accomplish GREAT Italian food without making it too heavy. A little mor on the expensive side but worth it. Whenever my boyfriend and I want to splurge on good Italian we head here!
My lady and I went here for our anniversary. It was fantastic. Our server was polite and attentive, while letting us have a romantic and private date. The food was delicious. We will likely make a tradition out of this.
(5)
Dj M.
Great dinner for all. Be aware that there is no kids menu, but the chef was good about making accommodations including making stuff that was not on the menu. For example, the chef made my son fettuccine Alfredo.
(5)
Sindhura S.
I've re-adjusted my rating from 2 stars to 4 stars after receiving a very kind letter from the manager of the restaurant that addressed our issues. I look forward to getting some more bucatini the next time I'm in Boston!
(4)
Megan M.
Went last night for restaurant week and had a great time. There were plenty of options on the menu to accommodate all tastes and diets (even gluten free options). We both started with the arancini, delicious. My friend thought it could have used a side or served with a sauce of some kind, but I liked it plain and cheesey. I had the salmon entree which was served over spinach and and risotto corn cake. The bisque type sauce was excellent, I just wish there was more. The salmon was cooked perfect and went really well with both sides. My friend got the steak which was good, nothing too special there. I got the pinor noir by the glass which was reasonably priced, smooth, and flavorful. We both finished with the chocolate mousse which was light, airy and delish. We were debating more drinks and went against it but our server brought us each a little glass of complimentary moscato, perfect touch to end the meal. The only thing I will note that I question- was that on open table I could only get a 5:30 reservation, but when we left at 7:00 there were still plenty of tables free. I would have preferred to come in a little later but didn't want to risk not having a res during restaurant week.
(4)
Chong C.
Never thought about going to this place but this restaurant week gave us abchance to be there. I started liking the atmosphere as soon as I stepped into the place. Elegant, cozy and pretty. Food was good. Appetizers were as great as they looked like, and dessert dishes were delicious. Main dishes were not as great as we expected but still werr tasty.
(4)
Rafal C.
Absolutely love the place. Best Italian cuisine in Boston without a doubt. Chef Peppino is a food artist and I am a big fan. Highly recommended.
My friends and I decided to come to Da Vinci for a restaurant week dinner because they had tons of options and were able to accommodate 6 of us on Thursday night. By the way, this menu is offered I believe for the entire month of March (and maybe longer?) for just $2 more. Great deal! We started off with 2 bottles of wine and were brought over delicious bread with olive oil and a hummus dip. We all ordered different dishes, and I decided to go with the mussels for my first course, the short rib tortelloni for the main course, and the chocolate souffle for dessert. Everything was presented absolutely beautifully! I was really surprised because for some reason I had expected Da Vinci to be more like a chain-type Italian restaurant. The mussels were cooked perfectly and I was only slightly embarrassed to be slurping up the rest of the delicious broth with my spoon. I had a bite of the fried poached egg that came with my friend's caesar salad and loved it as well. The short rib tortelloni looked more like ravioli and was topped with a deliciously sweet balsamic glaze. The sweetness of the sauce contrasted perfectly with the sharp, salty pecorino cheese that was melted on top. My friends ordered a few different dishes including the spinach gnocchi, rigatoni bolognese, and the sirloin. I tried just about everything and it was all good, but I was definitely happy with the choice I made. My friend ordered his bolognese spicy and they weren't kidding. He loved it, but it would have been way too much spice for me so be aware. This was my first time ever trying a souffle and it was soooo good. My only issue was that I burnt my fingers on the hot cup when trying to scoop it out...so be careful! The souffle looked so delicate and was chewy on the outside and gooey and moist inside. It came with a little bowl of vanilla ice cream and was topped with strawberries. A great way to end a great meal.
(5)
Julia B.
I was here last night for dinner. Very good. The service and overall atmosphere was great. I had a caesar salad, which had a deep fried egg and huge shavings of parmesan. Amazing! As an entree I had the mushroom parpadelli. Also delicious. Homemade pasta, and a creamy truffle sauce. For dessert I had a homemade Napoleon. The pastry was light and crispy, and the cream was perfect. I can honestly only say good things about this gem.
(4)
Duy L.
Came here on restaurant week with the family and was serviced very well. First, the a atmosphere is very cozy and warm, a livery lovely place to sit. Our waiter was very helpful and knowledgable. Our three course was great, generous portions and delicious. Overall a great place for a night out.
(4)
Janet S.
We had a private function for 30 at the restaurant and everything was spectacular! We will be back as regulars to this wonderful find. Highly recommend DaVinci for a romantic night out, girls night out or family dinner. Also nice bar for drinks and apps. I had not been to DaVinci before but called based on a recommendation from a friend. We are a big Italian family and pretty picky when it comes to great Italian food. The food is authentic and delicious with a creative flair. The setting is stunning with a modern twist. Everyone at the place was very attentive. From chef/owner Peppino, Manager Spencer, Bartender Dan and wonderful waitstaff - all incredible! Location is great on Columbus Ave - parking nearby or Valet.
Excellent Service. We started out with two glasses of red wine "Opula" it was light and without an aftertaste. We had the mussels for appetizer and the portion was big. The white wine broth was light with a hint of lemon and cherry tomatoes. For entree we had the Butternut Squash Agnolotti the brown butter sage sauce was SO yummy. This dish was outstanding. We loved it. I had the beef tenderloin the beef was so favorable and the sauce was so yummy Chianti veal demi glaze reduction was so good.. We shared the Chocolate Souffle it was so GOOD. It was my birthday and they give us each a glass of champagne for free. Thank you Da Vinci Ristorante for the wonderful meal!
(5)
Roma C.
I cant even explain how amazing this place was. They have superb service, an amazing wine list, great food, and ambiance. The mozzarella was the best mozzarella I have ever eaten. Melted right into my mouth! The food was great, such high quality ingredients and they have a great variety for vegetarians as well. I will definitely be coming back again soon!
Came to Da Vinci as part of Dine Out Boston so there was a limited menu available, but had great options to choose from. I started with the arancini, which were delicious, then had the best gnocchi I've ever had. Gnocchi is usually a very heavy meal but they somehow made them taste "lighter" so I didn't have the overstuffed feeling at the end. The restaurant itself is very nicely decorated and setup, without any over powering music. Great spot for a date.
(4)
Craig S.
Went in for fancy Fam dinner my little sis just got back from college so we wanted her to get a good home cooked meal (this is how we cook). We had many choices in our debate over best post Thanksgiving food Italian won and ultimately this was the right choice - everyone's meal was amazing. I got the tuna tartar special that was wrapped in julienned cucumbers - super interesting and refreshing. My little sis is a Carpaccio fiend and was disappointed they did not have it on the menu. The waiter said he would see what he could do, the chef not only made it for her he put together an amazing custom dish with lemon sorbet in the center of the beef accented with capers and other custom veggie crunchies - very impressive. All of the entrees were exceptional my steak was perfect and moms bolognaise were on point. The short rib tagetelle elevated the stakes and overall winner was the veal shank with mushroom risotto and crunchies - amazing wish I had ordered it. The service was great - I spilled my drink twice (heavy drinking day before = mess) and they just laughed about it. The chef came by our table to make sure we enjoyed everything ...twice. Great experience all around
(5)
Ron H.
My fiance and I decided to celebrate our anniversary at Da Vinci tonight per a glowing recommendation from a mutual friend of mine and Chef Peppino. It was our first time here and it was a night we'll never forget. The hostess was very kind and she took our coats and brought us into the beautiful warm dining room. We were greeted by Chef Peppino himself who is such a kind and genuine person. We hadn't even eaten yet and I could tell from our chat how much he cared for his patrons and his passion for cooking. Our server, Erlind, was a delight. He gave fantastic recommendations and had a great personality. The arancini was light and fluffy, but packed with melted cheesy goodness. Sea scallop appetizer was SO plump and tender, paired amazingly with a delicious creamy sauce and mushroom risotto. The gnocchi was like eating little potato pillows balanced perfectly with a rich creamy sauce and big juicy prawns. My duck was out of this world. Big thick moist slices of duck breast with a delicious spice, grilled and set on top of a light sweet citrus sauce, alongside a whole crispy dug leg confit set atop a bed of broccoli rabe and thin sliced potatoes. Apple crostata pastry was so light and flaky that all they give you is a spoon to eat it, no knife and fork necessary! The fresh berries and apples made it a great light dessert. Saving the most memorable for last, the chocolate souffle was the singlemost best dessert I've ever had in my life. As it says on the menu, it takes 20 minutes to prepare so make sure you tell your server in advance! This is a must-have. Incredibly rich chocolate flavor, yet soft and light in texture. Combine it with the creamy housemade vanilla gelato and you'll have died and gone to heaven. This is the best Italian restaurant in Boston and you will not be disappointed. I wish this place nothing but the best. Thank you for an amazing night!
(5)
Shana V.
My boyfriend and I took both of our parents here for his birthday. Everyone was blown away by the food. We started with fresh bread with basil olive oil and some sort of white bean dip or hummus. The pasta was incredibly fresh, and it's the first time I've seen a restaurant use all sirloin in their bolognese, which was delicious! Burrata was an amazing appetizer. As were the arancini (rice balls fried with cheese in the middle - yum!). I don't eat seafood, but everyone else thought the scallops were exceptional. Chicken parm was classically delicious. Half moon pasta with butternut squash was sweet delicious richness. Dessert was delightful (best vanilla gelato I've ever had). Excellent service. Had to wait even with our reservation because the party ahead of us lingered for almost an hour after finishing dessert. Ugh! The manager bought the table a round of drinks when my father asked for this. Wonderful atmosphere. Great night. Awesome for a special occasion or romantic dinner.
(5)
Charlotte M.
I love this restaurant. Indian and Italian are two of my favorite types of food, a fusion of that is just heaven in my book. I'm a vegetarian who prefers eating vegan, but when I go to this place, I'm fine with eating vegetarian. I love the 5 course vegetarian tasting menu, always a nice surprise! The chef is a dear, he is very sweet to come out and talk to almost every table, you don't see that at many places nowadays. The backlit menus are a cool feature. We were once given a free glass of Moscato at the end of our meal, such a nice touch, my boyfriend at the time had to drink both because I don't drink. I don't think he minded though, haha. Service has always been exceptional, and as a server myself, I am very sensitive to that.
Awesome restaurant. The food, service, and atmosphere are all great. I recommend the mussels and the sirloin meatballs. The bread they bring out comes with a chickpea spread that is delicious. They also offer wheat pasta as a substitute which is always good to see.
(5)
Chris C.
I'd give it a 3.5 overall (but am rounding up because you can't do 1/2 stars.) Interior: A little tacky in a suburban mcmansion kind of way. Feels dated and a little cluttered and what someone THINKS "classy eyetalian" looks like. It's not the place's best feature. 2 stars Service: Pretty good, friendly and not obtrusive. 4 stars Food: The food was suprisingly good - i think i was put off by the decor and expected the food to be only ok, and it was better than expected. The arancini appetizer i had was just OK (not crispy enough on the outside and a little TOO cheesy inside.) My entree was really REALLY good - obviously house-made papperdale with boneless shortrib ragout. Absolutely delicious, and up there with not-too-far away Erbluce's pasta with rabbit ragout. (at a much lower price point.) My dessert (pumpkind creme brulee) was very good, as well. My partner's chicken dish was just a bit dry, but the sauce was wonderful. 3.75 stars. The wine list, btw, has a relatively small selection by the glass, and most are a little overpriced. Note: the back lighted menus are ridiculous. They are too big (for a fairly small menu), much too heavy, and just add to the suburban tacky of the decor. It's not THAT dark that they are needed.
(4)
coco s.
Impeccable service and great tasty menu. Experienced the tenderloin cooked just the way I like it. Loved that the owner came to our table to give us a warm welcome and great appetizer to start us off. Highly recommend!
(5)
Helen D.
We went here for restaurant week. I was so underwhelmed with the food. The service and ambiance were nothing spectacular, just what you would expect for a restaurant of this type. The bread was cold but soft. The crust was a little too chewy for my taste. It came with a garlic butter which was very good. We had the squash and risotto balls for appetizers. Both were way too greasy and did not have much flavor. I've had much better risotto. We had the chicken and Indian ravioli. The chicken was definitely one of the better chickens I've had in terms of flavor and being moist but the asparagus and potatoes it came with were too greasy. I'm not sure what everyone is talking about with the Indian-Italian fusion. Their fusion does not work. It tasted like a college student made some late night ravioli and poured some Trader Joe's Indian frozen dinner sauce over it. We had chocolate mousse and mango custard for dessert. Both were very good but not the best of either I've ever had. So much better Italian in the North End.
(2)
Rachel G.
Do the 5 course pre fixe you will not be disappointed!! Went there last night wanting to experience a chef owned restaurant. Chef obviously puts love into every dish. Started a trio of anti-pasti with a risotto ball that knocked my socks off. The mozzarella was home made a melted in you mouth mmm mm! Pastas are all hand made and tender! On to the pan seared cod which was light and flavorful! Can't explain how the tender the filet was and I learned a new way to make mashed potatoes. Take mashhed potatoes form them, batter them then bake. AMAZING!!!! To finish it off we had chocolate soufle with mint vanilla gelato. Had to go back to hotel and stretch out after this truly fantastic meal!
I went to Da Vinci with some friends during Restaurant week. They had a good selection of items in their prix fixe menu. The food was delicious and the service was great. I'd highly recommend this place. There is ample street parking around the restaurant if you are lucky. The garage at 200 Stuart st takes validation from Da Vinci.
(4)
Sayjal p.
This italian eatery has kept it's consistency. We've gone several times over the last few years and it is hands down our favorite Italian place in Boston. If you have the room we suggest the chef's tasting menu! It was delicious and perfect, but unfortunately by the 4th course I didn't have enough room. The chef insisted that he bring it out so we could taste one bite of it and he would pack it for us. Chef Peppino truly cares about his food and his guests.
(5)
Sun J.
My friend told me about this place and I've wanted to try it since then. Indian-italian fusion, what??? It doesn't seem like it would work, but trust me it does. I had the Caesar salad to start and it had the most delicious dressing. Second course: ravioli masala, very interesting and different, but in a weird way it worked. The service was great, impeccable. Great ambiance, nice decor. A gem.
(5)
Nathan O.
All of the food was delicious! My girlfriend has Celiac Disease and has to be gluten free and they were incredibly helpful, most anything on the menu can be made gluten free. Aside from that, the spinach and ricotta ravioli with shrimp was scrumptious, as was the Veal Chop. The setting was quite romantic for our anniversary, the only issue was how loud it was. There were a few parties surrounding us and that didn't help, but overall it was a great experience.
(4)
Nitya D.
Woop woop! Love Da Vinci. Actually, so do my parents...and all of their friends. I went to DV for the first time a few years ago for a birthday dinner with my boif. I had told the waitress it was a bday dinner and that it would be so nice if they could bring out dessert with a candle. In addition to doing that, Chef Peppino himself came out with 2 glasses of champagne (on the house) and wished my boyfriend a happy birthday! Thanks dude! So, after speaking with Chef Peppino I learned about his Indian culinary experience - which explains the "Masala Ravioli" (this is by far my favorite item on the menu). Since I am Indian and therefore my parents are Indian I thought to myself "Cool, mom and dad would love this place and this chef! I'll bring them here for dinner sometime." And then I did. And my parents had the Masala Ravioli in addition to several other items on the menu - this was like 2 years ago so it was whatever was on the winter seasonal menu at the time. My parents liked this place so much that they actually catered a dinner from Da Vinci a couple of months later and all my parents' friends fell in love with the restaurant. Hey Da Vinci, you can thank me for the business by giving me extra sauce when I come for some ravioli next. (: Anyway, I really love this restaurant and I think it's doing a great job. But it seems from other reviews that the quality is subpar during Restaurant Week, which makes me sad because I think if a restaurant is truly a good one they shouldn't sacrifice quality for quantity during heavy volume periods like RW. Quick notes: excellent service w/ yummy but pricey food (expect to pay ~$50 pp without vino), easy location - quick walk from Back Bay T, and a charming and intimate atmosphere. Basically, don't go here on a first date with someone you met on OkCupid. Or do, because even if the person sucks you will have a fantastic meal.
(4)
Anne W.
Last night I went here with a friend to try this highly rated restaurant. I was amazed by the nice decor on the inside... professional service.. it was quite lovely. The only problem was the clubbing music they had playing in the background. They had a party there and I guess that was the type of music that was requested. Their menus have LED lights in them. The lighting is pretty dim (hence.. the romance).. so they were smart and installed LED lights. I was pleasantly surprised. I liked their 3 course prix fixe. I got that while my friend just got an entree. Delightful.. I started with the mussels which were pretty good. My glass of wine was nice as well... I think I got the Chianti. Unfortunately, the swapped my friend and my main course (he got the lamb chop and I got the pork chop). We were confused at first because I had requested all veggies and no potatoes. The pork chop was.. just okay. Often pork is not done well.. it was good at the first bite.. and then it was no longer juicy and more dry towards the middle. Dissapointing really... Dessert was good. Creme caramel which is really more of a flan. There were two of them so we could each have one. They said the cherries were out of season.. another dissapointment. It was still delicious though. Definitely would go again.. very romantic.. well minus the clubbing music... but I'll forgive them this time. I definitely will try for Restaurant Week.
This was a very, very pleasant surprise! Easy to get there. Parking meters, nearby garages and valet. The atmosphere is beautiful, cosy, great for a romantic rendezvous or meeting some friends for an upscale dinner. The food was marvelously prepared; small, artful, tasteful - I was very pleased. The service was friendly, attentive and unobtrusive. In fact, I'd go so far as to say this was an elegant dinner. The price didn't raise any eyebrows. I'd definitely go back here if we wanted Italian food. I had the scallops as a starter as well as the fig dish - in a word: FANTASTIC. It has a wonderful open kitchen so you can see the chefs at work. Rarely do I hand out 4 stars. This place is worth the extra star.
(4)
Nick W.
Took my CEO, his wife, a business partner, his wife and my girlfriend here on a snowy Tuesday night recently. I had been there once before but only to the bar so was eager to try the real deal. The first comment they made was the ambience and decor was just right - nice lighting, round table for 6, and the volume was vibrant but not too loud to have a conversation. The waitress also started us off with 2 bottles of wine but waited patiently for us to have opening conversation before bugging us on the menu. The dishes were excellent, especially all of the Raviolis that we ordered. Enjoyed the wine list, and the service was quite good as well. Lastly, the chef, Peppino, came out and introduced himself to our table at the end of the night for a final touch. CEO said it was the best meal he had in the 2 weeks he had been on the road so Bravo!
(5)
Kevin B.
Came for my mom's birthday - service, food, ambiance were all incredible. The waitress was so nice and made my mom feel special on her big day. They also gave us complimentary dessert wine. Homemade pasta too!
(5)
C. L.
I came to Da Vinci's for my graduation dinner with my family. I loved the food, but I felt the server was not attentive. He said he would be back to ask about desserts, but never came to check on us once the food came out (starting with the appetizer). We finished our main course, waiting for our server but never came. We decided not to order dessert and wanted our bill. There was no one to give us our bill until we flagged down a gentleman who looked like the manager. He was not friendly-- didn't ask if we enjoyed our meal or anything. Without a word, he went and got the bill and came back with our bill. Our server finally came back to ask us to sign the receipt. Other than the main waiter, the other servers (food runners?) were attentive and helpful. In sum, great food, but disappointed by the service from the main waiter and manager.
(3)
Jennifer D.
Winner winner chicken dinner! Lol A five star rating you ask...from me? Ummmm yes! My boyfriend did his research and found this restaurant, it was a surprise, I had heard of it but never tried myself. We arrived early, and they let us know that it might be a few minutes for "our table" but that we could be seated somewhere else (near the bar) and not recommended. We said that it was totally ok, the hostess (super friendly) escorted us to the table. The manager immediately came over and told us that this was not the table for us and just to wait a couple more minutes.... so thoughtful. We waited and within no time we are seated, and it was far more intimate (what my bf had requested whilst placing the reservation). I HAVE to say this. Everyone that works there was ridiculously accommodating and soooo nice. The ambiance was great, this place was packed! And now I know why. Soooo onto the food: I opted for the baby arugula salad, great presentation, and was plentiful, and I much loved the added ingredients as well, all components merried well against the "bite" of the arugula. The bf got the caesar and made me try a bite ....probably the best home made caesar dressing I've had in ages...two thumbs way up. Entrees: I got the lamb crusted with sun dried tomato infused bread crumbs and topped with a basil/pine nut pesto.....presentation = impeccable, it was cooked to pure perfection, melt in your mouth!...pesto = delish, the brocollini was also cooked perfectly, I'm not a potato fan, but the fingerlings were well prepared (the bf ate a lot of them lol). He got the bolognese with home made rigatoni (yummo)....I tried it and OMG it was soooo good....a nice and rich sauce which was ample, but not overpowering. They had freshly shaved parm on the top to finish it off. FINALLY a bolognese worth raving about. We opted to not have dessert, and they acknowledged that and then gave us a complimentary "dessert" moscato to end the evening....the entire experience was amazing and what a delightful surprise at the end. Do I recommend? YES!!!
(5)
Adam G.
My family came here after a graduation looking for a fine dining experience, and that is exactly what we got. Parking was a snap with valet service available. The ambience was perfect, with walls that remind you of a Tuscan villa, and menus that lit up for easy reading. From the olive infused bread, to the masala ravioli, the food was delicious and really hit upon a unique fusion of Italian and modern food. The service was A+, with a friendly attentive waiter who was always there if you had a question or needed a refill on your beverage. One of the best examples of fine dining in Boston, Da Vinci is an excellent choice for a delicious dinner.
I was excited about the menu at Da Vinci and even more excited to find out they had gluten free options. When I arrived, I asked my waitress what were the gluten free options. She said they could do practically anything, any of the pastas could be gluten free and most of the entrees as well. I was really excited about the gluten free pasta, so I choose the Orecchiette. When I placed my order the waitress then informed me the pasta will not be Orecchiette but a penne with the same sauce. I was still happy as a clam that was until she came back to tell me that the pasta would not have any sauce because they couldn't make that gluten free. When I was a little confused, she said they normally could but the chef was so busy he wouldn't do the gluten free sauce. So when I inquired about another pasta she said that same thing that I could get the pasta but without the sauce. Who wants pasta without sauce!?!? So I settled on the pork, easily gluten free right? WRONG. Again, the chef wouldn't make the sauce gluten free because he was too busy. I ended up getting the pork without the sauce, definitely not work $32. If you are gluten free, don't waste you time. I just don't understand why the restaurant would post all over their menu that they have gluten free options if they won't take the time to make them?
(1)
Janice K.
Lovely restaurant, ambiance for certain .... great for an intimate dinner, romance, special occasion, more. White linen table clothes, candles, floor/ceiling draperies, nice bar area but small .... clearly to only have a drink while you wait for your table. We visited during Restaurant week 2014. The Bolognese was fabulous and understandably acclaimed, chicken parmesan very good with homemade mozzarella but nothing to write home about. It is my understanding that all pasta is homemade. Tiramisu for dessert was probably the best that I've had. Service was efficient but could have been more prompt. It was very friendly, nonetheless. Wine list was lovely but pricey starting at $40 with only a few options and then increased significantly from there. Valet parking or there are many public parking garages around that would accommodate just as well. I would visit again after saving my pennies.
(4)
E W.
What a great find! I found this place purely by the reviews online. The BF and I needed a nice little night out so I made reservations. Because of the snow yesterday we were a bit late (15min) and the staff couldn't have been more courteous about it. Everything from the atmosphere to the food was great! We did the 3-course meal option for $39 and I am shocked....SHOCKED that you can get this quality of food for that price. The food is on par with some of the better restaurants in Boston. We routinely eat at higher/high end establishments and Da Vinci's just landed itself into our regular rotation. We both had pasta dishes, I cannot remember the full name of mine but it was with the broccoli and sausage in a white wine sauce....to die for! I have traveled extensively throughout Italy and their pasta is on par with the best I've had overseas. I have eaten at other Italian restaurants in Boston who claim to have homemade pasta....and they've all been, clearly, boxed pasta that couldn't possibly have been made on site. There is no doubt that the pasta was fresh and it was fantastic. The BF tried the ravioli that was a fusion of Masala....we were stunned how seamlessly and fantastic the fusion was. When I first heard the fusion options on the menu I was very skeptical.....it was executed with such balance that your mouth will be shocked that you haven't eaten something like it before! Go, you will not be disappointed. For those who claim the food is nothing to rave about......not to be rude, but their palates must not be used to al-dente pastas and fresh basil. The food is great, the value is fantastic, a great spot for any kind of dinner.
(4)
Lisa I.
The food here is delicious, and they used to offer a 3-course menu for ~$30, although I think the price has increased a bit. The pastas are homemade and delicious. My favorite is the gnocchi with mushrooms and truffle oil SOOOOO GOOD. The arancini is also a delicious way to start the meal. Delicious food, great service, upscale atmosphere. Da Vinci is a win in my book!
(4)
Bex M.
Huge party at Da Vinci. First walked in and we got "the look" from the staff and hostess. Now I'm not sure what "the look" really meant but I noticed it. 2nd thing I noticed was the bread. Either we were starving (which we were) or that the bread was sooo good (which it was). Are we supposed to share the bread and that hummus/oil spread? 3rd thing I noticed was the menu. It was neat! Go check it out for yourself, don't want to spoil the cool factor for you. 4th are the mussels. Hands down best mussels I've had. Super plump and delicious, must have been swimming in Evian water or something. 5th someone's cut of steak wasn't properly cooked but was delicious nonetheless. 6th my indian masala ravioli was amazing. Absolutely loved it. 7th someone's chicken dish was said to be pretty fab as well. I noticed this throughout the night that our waiter seemed to hate people but the other servers were on top of their game. So overall, food trumps service. p.s. They currently have a pre fixe for a really good price, but we weren't there in time for that but there are plenty of deals around to look before you go! p.p.s Remember to get your pass validated and it only works for a few hours. We missed it by a few minutes and had to pay full price.
(4)
Maddie C.
After now having dined at Da Vinci twice, I can honestly say it is one of my favroite restaurants in Boston. From the time you enter the restaurant till the time you leave, you are treated with care and fed royally. The atmosphere, the staff, and the food are all lovely! Both times we have started with the mussels. They are cooked just right with a delectable sauce that is perfect for dipping their amazing bread into as well. For main dishes, I have tried the Parardelle con Pistachio Pesto (a lovely twist on my favorite sauce), the Rigatoni Bolognese with GF pasta (an award winning classic), and the Gnocchi Pomodoro (quite the delight). I don't think you could go wrong with anything on the menu. I am always so full by the time it gets to dessert, but I am dying to try their Souffle. This place is wonderful and I can't wait to go back. Don't let the dim mood lighting turn you away because they have back lit menus - a fun suprise! Also this is a great place for people with Celiac's - there are so many GF options on the menu!
(5)
Chris C.
Chef Peppino is the best. He is so generous and friendly, and the man can cook. for appetizers we got the arancini and the pomodoro e mozzarella and man they were good. The cheese balls were super crispy and oozing with cheese it was amazing. And the Pomodoro E Mozzarella was flavorful and just perfect. For my main, I got the traditional chicken parm and this was one of the better chicken parms I've had, there was a perfect amount of breading on the chicken and there was sooooo much cheese. And last for dessert we got the Tiramisu and the apple crostata. The best tiramisu I've ever had. Awesome dinning experience.
My memory of this place is fading a little bit, but I do remember a few things. Service was very good, putting up with some...overly playful and perhaps slightly over served coworkers. And the menus are trick - flip them open and the light up. No more old people using cell phone flashes to read the menu, which I suppose is nice. As for the actual food, we ordered our way through a number of the appetizers, and I remember all as being good, however, after a few months, I can't remember any single one that jumps out in my mind. Perhaps that says something even if it's not specifically a recommendation for one appetizer or another. What I do remember is very good gnocchi. I subbed gnocchi in to another pasta dish (I think gnocchi bolognese instead of spaghetti bolognese), and then added their spicy meat sauce (instead of the normal meat sauce) and it was an excellent decision. The gnocchi were tender with a little tackiness in the middle, just what I like, and the sauce was great, with lots of strong tomato flavor, good browned beef, and some actual heat, enough to make me notice, and I'm used to eating pretty spicy food. I would totally get this again, and frankly, if I was living or working nearby regularly, I think I'd have a tough time breaking out of this rut. This is really a four based on the gnocchi. Definitely would not hesitate to return.
(4)
A1 M.
Service: 5/5, good Food: 2/5, poor Drinks: 3/5, fine Value: 2/5, poor Overall: mediocre Dinner for 4 on August 8. Reservation made on line honored, table available on time, special request accommodated. Drinks (2 Kirs, Cosmo, and Martini up) served in two tranches, the second tranche was served after our appetizers were brought to the table. Food orders: three prix fixes and one a la carte order, included: Appetizers: - Courgette blossom: stuffed with ricotta and served deep-fried. This dish was uder-seasoned but otherwise executed well. Good cauliflower-based sauce; 4 stars out of 5 - Arancino: Supposedly with burrata inside (not detected), was served overcooked and way too heavy on bread crumbs; 2 stars out of 5 - Roquette salad with parmesan shavings: Salad was fine. My parmesan shavings were shavings of the rind (rather than the expected cheese) of parm; 0 stars out of 5 because this is the defect that is easily controlled and indicates utter disregard for the quality of dishes served; - Mussels: excellent. Cooked right, excellent broth, done right: 5 stars out of 5. Pasta Course: - Gnocchi: flavorless pasta without a hint of potato, 0 stars out of 5; - Ravioli masala: good flavor, poor execution (overcooked);4 stars out of 5 - Penne Bolognese: pasta cooked rights, ragout is under-seasoned and lacks flavors; 3 stars out of 5; Main course: - Fish with nut crust - bland, lacks seasoning, and nut crust does not belong. 2 stars out of 5; - Filet mignon: felt overcooked yet pink inside - maybe previously frozen? 1 star out of 5; - Rack of lamb: cooked and seasoned right, but not trimmed and felt like it had sinew on the outside. Disregarding the sinew matter I generously give it 3 out of 5 stars. Assortment of desserts: - Ice cream - good vanilla flavor, served at right temperature, 5 stars out of 5; - Peach crostata - ok, but was served wet. Perhaps was sitting on the counter for a while? 3 stars out of 5 - Chocolate Souffle - good, a touch overcooked but not much in comparison with some of the rest of the dishes; 4 stars out of 5. Service was good; our water was attentive and professional. Food was bland and unimpressive.
(2)
Christina Y.
Came here for Boston restaurant week and it was absolutely an amazing experience. I loved everything we ordered and would come back here during the year for sure. The environment is super great but it was pretty loud when we went (probably because it was restaurant week on a Thursday night). But the food is hands down one of the best for Italian food. My friend got bolognese and I got the steak for the main entree. It was cooked to perfection and the sides were really good as well. After reading the reviews, we both got the arancini for appetizer. It was like a fancy mozerella ball and the flavor and crunch really make you want to eat 10 more of them. Desert we both got creme brule. It wasn't as crunchy on top as we wanted it to be, but the pairing with fruit was great! Could be better though if the sugar was a bit more caramelized. Overall, beautiful place, amazing dishes.
This was one of the best Italian Restaurants we have been to. The pasta dishes we had were outstanding. The food was hot... My glasses steamed up as I took the first bite..... This never happens in most restaurants! The rigatoni bolognese, spicy was to my husband's liking. The Orechetti pasta dish was perfect, tomato sauce with capers and olives, the salty briney flavor against the sweeter tomato was quite good. The chef came and sat down at our table and explained how they made this dish/pasta. The waitress was very knowledgable and helpful as we selected our dinner items. The support staff were quiet and attentive. I would highly recommend this place.
(5)
Emilia L.
So when you hear that a restaurant is Italian-Indian fusion, you have a bit of a "...huh" moment. But then you decide to go to this restaurant anyway and end up having the best meal! My fiance questioned me when I told him this was Italian-Indian fusion and NOT in the North End. To him, he figured any "legit" Italian joint would be in, well, the North End. But I kept my reservation here, and boy am I glad I did. It was one of the best meals we had in Boston all weekend, and we really didn't have a single bad meal. To start, I knew I wanted to get the arancini. We were warned that the plates were meant more for individuals, and that was true. The portion included three risotto balls. While this was an excellent dish, I was disappointed the overall portion was small. Not necessarily a bad thing, but considering the price, yes. For my entree, I chose the Tagliatelle alla Peppino, which was a house specialty, I believe. Homemade ribbons of pasta served with absolutely gigantic shrimp in a creamy white wine, mint and orange reduction. I'd never had anything like this before. It was possibly one of the best things I have ever tried. Ever. My fiance got the veal porterhouse, which he really enjoyed. We were stuffed, but I knew I wanted to try their desserts, as our server had done such a good job talking them up. We went for the chocolate souffle with vanilla gelato. We actually ordered this when we ordered our entrees, since there is a 20 minute baking time. It was light and rich at the same time, just amazingly delicious and so was the gelato. AHHH. From beginning to end, the meal was just perfection for my tastebuds. We left with stuffed bellies and tried to walk it off by exploring the Back Bay area a little more, despite the cold night chill settling in. Oh, one cool thing. Both the exterior and interior of the restaurant are pretty cool to look at, and the restaurant interior is rather dim. So what do they do? Their menus are backlit! I'd never seen anything like that before (pardon my ignorance!) i was amazed.
(5)
Lily H.
We went here for my boyfriend's bday. The waiter was nice, and the food was really good!
(5)
Stephanie H.
Service was excellent! David A. was our waiter and he was so kind and helpful. If you go here, you must get the Pomodoro e Mozzarella Burrata, it is amazing. They make their own fresh moz, and it melts in your mouth! My friend ordered the Indian Fusion Masala Ravioli and it was to die for. I ordered the Gnocchi Con Funghi, which as good but next time, I would get the Masala. We didn't have room for dessert unfortunately. All of their food is homemade. A definite must try for those looking for delicious Italian food with a twist.
(5)
Jacob M.
Went here based on the great reviews. I will agree the service is top notch, but I found the food to pretty bland. Not offensive, just...didn't taste like much. $75 for a drink, starter, main course, and coffee. Probably reasonable for a nice Boston restaurant, but too much for what I got.
(2)
Jenny E.
DaVinci's is the best. Fantastic food- great for all diets- vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free- you name it they can do it - deliciously. (Call in advance to give them a heads up for special diets and you will not be disappointed). Spencer and Chef Peppino will make any special evening unforgettable. My favorite restaurant in Boston.
Service is super slow and not very good. They take forever. Food is fine. Nothing special. And they didnt have enough menus for our table. They had to wait until others were done to give us more menus. Plus they had vacant seats. They should probably make enough menus for the number of people they can accommodate. So weird.
(3)
Joanne R.
I went to Da Vinci two days ago and I am still raving about their Rigatoni Bolognese!!! It was the BEST I've ever had!!! This was my first time dining at Da Vinci and I was impressed by how cozy an atmosphere it presented without being crowded. It was dimly lit but the menus illuminated upon opening, which I have never seen before and thought a fantastic idea. The wine/cocktail list was amazing and had wine selections for every budget. Even the bread was delicious, served with a chickpea puree as well as a basil olive oil. I started with the mozzarella burrata with vineripe tomatoes and basil. The burratta was so soft and silky, melts in your mouth. The tomatoes were so sweet. As I said prior, for my entree I had the "amazing" rigatoni bolognese. I highly recommend Da Vinci's and can't wait to go back to try other entrees!!
(4)
Ying X.
My boyfriend and I came here for Valentine's Day, during which they had a prix fixe 4-course menu. Everything on the menu tasted good, but most of the dishes weren't very memorable, and for $95 a person, I was expecting a bit more. In addition, we weren't completely impressed with the service. They didn't bother giving us a bread basket, which I'd been excited to try after reading some of the reviews, and their service was a bit slow, even for Valentine's Day, during which I expect to spend more time waiting. The only two foods that really stood out to me were the Arancini (from the Tasting Platter) and the Chocolate Ganache Cake (from the Dolci Mixed Platter). Everything else felt like something you could probably get at a much less expensive Italian restaurant. I'll give a shout out to the Beef Tenderloin, which I enjoyed because of the truffle sauce (but was otherwise not very remarkable). Before coming to dinner, I'd also looked at their regular menu, which sounded much more appealing than the prix fixe. I'm curious to see if my time here would be different on a non-holiday, but I'm not sure it's worth the cost or effort.
(3)
Brandon G.
The best authentic Italian food in Boston. Skip the North End, make your way directly to Columbus St. The service cannot be beat, the chef is remarkable. Try the veal, you will not be disappointed. I went here for the first time 5 days ago, and have already been back. A new goal in life for me is to become a regular here.
(5)
Ashley Z.
Romantic setting with solid, if not creative food that has been executed flawlessly. I came here multiple times before as it is a family favorite. This most recent Saturday we came for a graduation celebration dinner. At 9:30, the restaurant is packed with low murmuring sound throughout the place. Its a time to be merry! We were promptly seated and enjoyed the bread basket right away. It came with freshly baked sliced bread with a hummus dip and herbed olive oil. Delicious! The menu creatively has a backlight so you can actually read what you are ordering in the dimly lighted dinning room. We opted for the mussels as an appetizer and ribeye to share between two people. The portion are more than generous! The mussels are cooked to just the right level without becoming rubbery, and the sauce it came with (wine, garlic, butter) is decadent! We dipped our bread in the sauce again and again, and even opted to slurp it using a spoon from time to time. The steak (16th of glory) was covered in a red wine reduction sauce. Although typically not a fan of sauce on my steaks, I enjoyed this sauce as the slight tartness from the wine brings out the fat component in the steak. The accompanying roasted potatoes are so sweet and delicate its just a joy to pop them one after another in the mouth. The portion is so generous that even with 2 people sharing we couldn't finish the steak. Finally came the dessert. Although people raved about the chocolate souffle, I actually enjoyed the pear crostata - a perfect blend of buttery richness with the refreshing taste of fruit. The tiramisu, of course, is a standard and solid option. Highly recommend this place if you are seeking for comfort Italian food in an intimate setting!
(4)
Alexandra M.
Came here for restaurant week. They also had a deal for wine but ran out by the last Thursday--strange to me, how do you run out of a type of wine? Why not order more halfway though OR order more at the start. I had the arancini for a starter and it was great. I had never ordered it before and wish I had. They were cut in half and served with tomato which was perfect because it helped them cool and the tomato was a great complement. My friend had the cesear salad which was an interesting presentation of full leaves of romaine and had a fried poached egg on top. For an entree I had the Indian ravioli which was just as interesting as you'd expect. I don't know if I'd want it again, but it was good, especially the sauce on top. I tried my friends salmon which was like butter. The chocolate mousse was rich and the perfect amount. Service was great--we asked them how they made the poached fried egg and she went and found out that ti's a kitchen secret. She did forget which wines they had left, and gave us the wrong check the first time, so maybe a bit absent minded.
(4)
Joseph C.
We went for dinner after work during the week. The restaurant was very quiet and the server was very attentive at the beginning of the evening. As the evening went on, the service went downhill. After we were finished we would see the waiter doing a loop around the restaurant and talking with his coworkers but he never came close enough for us to get his attention. His English was a challenge too. Dessert and paying the bill took longer than entire rest of our meal. The food was average. The highlight was the burrata . Restaurant looked promising but the service not good at all.
(1)
Nicole H.
FRESH AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FOOD!! My husband and I are new to the Boston area and had heard great things about Da Vinci's. We dined with Da Vinci's on a Monday evening. It happened to be a little quiet, but made for a great date night! We started our meals with a couple appetizers; the Arancini Risotto balls that were perfectly crisped on the outside with a creamy cheesy risotto inside. Served with the fresh prosciutto, they were to die for! For dinner we split the Bolognese (saving room for dessert, as they are all homemade!) We decided to go with the "spicy" bolognese, which in all sense, is not that spicy. There is a reason why this bolognese is award winning... yum!! Lastly, dessert was a pear tart. Which be mindful, does take about 20 minutes considering it is made to order. It was delightful! Enough to share for two. AJ was our server and was extremely attentive without being overbearing. This is sometimes a hard quality to come across in the restaurant industry! After dinner was over, we were greeted with 2 glasses of Moscato in champagne flutes. What a great touch! Thanks, AJ! Can't wait for our next dining experience at Da Vinci's!
Great food, Great Atmosphere, Exceptional Service!! I went here with a friend to take advantage of restaurant week and honestly had the best night out in Boston that I've had in a very long time. The interior is beautiful with white table clothes and lit candles, creating a very romantic ambiance. The service was exceptional. Our waiter Rocco went above and beyond to make sure everything was to our liking and provided us with the best service!! The GM was also very attentive and wanted to make sure everything was to our liking.... truly VIP treatment! Things like this really make an experience and shows that they really do care about providing the best service to their customers. I highly recommend this place if you want an enjoyable night out in Boston. We will definitely be going back there very soon!
(5)
Brittany M.
I'm so disappointed about this place, I had been trying to go to this restaurant for the last three months and I finally decided to give it a try. Last Friday night My friend made a reservation trough open table at 10:30pm we were a group of 4 and we were very excited about having dinner there with a nice bottle of wine. This is what happens We get there at 10:35 due to parking issue and we presented ourselves with the host Me: hi, we are 5 minutes late for our reservation. Host: I Have no reservations on Open table and our kitchen closed at 10:00pm Me: We can show you the confirmation email we got from Open table( which we did) Host: ( looks at the screen) I have no reservation for you. Me: I don't mind leaving, we'll give the business to some other restaurant but pleaseee I know exactly how open table works and please do not lie to your customers. So DaVinci how dare you are..how can you lie to customers..even though when we got there they still had quiet number of people having dinner, if you just didn't want to take care of us, you should have called us and say "listen don't come all the way from Lexington because we had a slow night and we want to go home earlier tonight". That would have been perfect. When we walked away we see the hours of the business and realized that were the same hours that open table had. After we live we get a cancelation from the restaurant which means that the restaurant cancelled our reservation. Da Vinci has canceled your reservation for 2 on Friday, October 17, 2014. If you have questions about your canceled reservation, please contact Da Vinci at (617) 350-0007. We hope to see you on OpenTable soon! Sincerely, OpenTable Member Services OpenTable.com This is what I called a dishonest customer service. I understand that keeping the restaurant open for a party of 4 is not worth it but, next time have the decency of calling the customer and let them know what the heck you're doing because if we can make a reservation we expect to be served. And this is how you have lost 2 old customers and 2 new customers.
(1)
Erica Z.
Everything we ordered from the special appetizer tuna tartare to our entrees of the duck and lamb chop was spectacular. The chef, who we got to meet presented us with a beautiful mouth watering meal that we still dream about. The waiter was attentive and even moved our table of 4 around so we wouldn't feel crammed in the corner. We will be back as all around our dining experience was devine!
(5)
Salman A.
Whenever I am in Boston I make it a point to go to this particular restaurant and I have never been disappointed. The feel of the place, the friendliness of the staff and the quality of the food all contribute to a special evening. It is home away from home. It's that special.
(5)
Margarita B.
I came here for restaurant week with 2 girlfriends, and we had mixed reviews. Let's start with the ambiance - it's pretty dark when you walk in, lots of mood lighting. I felt like I was at a fancy restaurant, but there was no bar to wait while the full party arrived. At least we were given a table and never felt rushed. We got there around 630pm, and it was about half full. Around 730 the place was totally full. Now on to the food - we all had the arancini to start which was okay - presentation was great, arancini itself was decent. I was hoping for a bigger burst of flavor. My entree was bolognese because I feel like you can't go wrong with that. Again, decent but nothing to write home about. The pasta itself was a great texture, the sauce was what turned me off. My friend got the oriecchetti with broccoli rabe, which was pretty good, in came in a white sauce. My other friend got the ravioli and loved it. Dessert was great - we got the peach cobbler which was fantastic. Service was great too. I wish I could give the place a 3.5 star review because the food was decent - I wouldn't rush back but would come again to give it one more shot.
(3)
Matt O.
Excellent. My wife and I shared the scallop appetizer, and had duck and lamb chop entrees. All were wonderful, perfectly cooked, and exactly as expected. Service was great as well, though it was a snowy Saturday night after a busy holiday week, so it wasn't crowded. I would imagine service would have been similar if it were busier, as it was just the right amount of attention. Only thing that wasn't spot on was the house Chianti was rather mild, I liked it, just wasn't what I was looking for in a wine at $60/btl (we had it by the glass). My wife enjoyed it, for what its worth and she's probably a more discerning wine drinker than I, though she might have opted for something different on her second glass if more wines were available by the glass (not that I expect there to be). This didn't detract at all from the evening or the meal, I just mention it as its likely a popular choice of wine.
(5)
Rita A.
What can I say about this place - simply amazing! From the appetizers (seared scallop over mushroom risotto cake and burrata mozzerella) to the meals and dessert - everything was unreal. The service is impeccable and the place adorable . For my entree I got the braised short ribs over crispy polenta and broccoli rabe - so delicious ! My sisters got the parpadelli with truffle and the gnocchi with shrimp scampi - all amazing ! Highly recommend this restaurant.
My wife and I went here on new year's eve for their prix fixe 4 course meal ($95 each). The food was presented nicely but didn't taste right. The tallagione wasn't fresh and the lobster and shrimp ravioli were overcooked in a watery sauce. The service and wine were great but wouldn't recommend. Happy 2015!
(3)
Mel R.
Went here while in business. Food was flawless. Great ambiance, great service, great selection. Try the gelato sampler, it was a nice top off. menus light up when u open them, very cool.
Outstanding!!! Went here last night for my daughters 21st birthday. From the moment we walked in we were welcomed like we were family. Off to the bar for a drink before dinner and the bartender Dave was amazing. Made a special drink for my daughters" first cocktail"!! He was so personable,we felt like we had known him for years! From there we had Jimmy as our waiter, so nice...very attentive. The food was out of this world..we started with appetizers, arancini balls, fried calamari and the bur rata. There were 6 of us, we had the filet...the bolognase and the ravioli...everyone loved their meals. Topped the night off with the trio dessert and expresso martini's that Dave the bartender came to our table to pour them!!! Just can't say enough about this place..A+
An interesting Italian restaurant in Boston. Flavors were on point and the menu variety is definitely there. I would have liked to see more of the "Indian influence" that the restaurant often prides itself on, but I would like to point out one dish in particular that I thought was outstanding- the masala ravioli. The masala flavors are understated, but still subtle enough to be impactful. Really delicious, and it has definitely inspired me to want to play around with Italian Indian fusion. The arancini balls were also delicious, as was the burrata. Cute setting. The place could use some help with service (they forgot to bring us one dish, but we didn't bother bringing it up because we didn't get charged and we were too full from the rest of our dishes to even care). In the future, I hope to see more experimentation with Indian-Italian dishes in the form of new dishes or something. That's the only way I'd be coming back.
The manager wrote me a nice response, acknowledged that there was indeed a problem with the temperature and and apologized. I appreciate when management cares.
(3)
Sharon Z.
Elegant decor, central location and fine Italian foods that challenges the crown of North End. This is definitely a special occasion or a date night destination. We came here for an early Christmas eve dinner and was thoroughly impressed. The interior is softly lighted, with decors that brings you back a few hundred years, with the scholarly elegance of Da Vinci. The open kitchen offers a wide open view of the busy-ness of kitchen, typical of Italian style restaurants. For main dishes, my boyfriend ordered pappardelle with short ribs, a pasta dish with the exquisitely braised short rib, which falls off the bones and melts right into your taste buds. The sauce is relatively light but flavorful, a comforting dish with a touch of extra-ordinariness. I got the veal chop, the presentation is beautiful. The veal itself is extremely tender, the mushroom red wine reduction is flavorful but also brings out the natural flavors of the veal meat. The sliced potatoes and carrots complements the meat. For dessert we ordered the chocolate souffle that's been recommended by fellow yelpers, chocolate with a scoop of vanilla gelato. The crust of the souffle with a slight crunch and filled with warm chocolate, rich but not too sweet. Perfect. The restaurant is located at the heart of Boston, with close proximity to the theater district. They offer valet parking for $16 or validated parking at the Stuart Street for $10. Da Vinci is exactly what I expect for an fine dining Italian establishment. Exquisite decor, cozy atmosphere. From beginning to end, perfectly comforting, ordinary food that's made extraordinarily.
(4)
Sarah E.
Simply the best dining experience. Two dear friends took me to da Vinci's for my birthday. From the moment we walked into the restaurant, I felt like an honored guest. The service was unmatched. And the food was simply decadent. Chef Pepino and his staff put on a show. Each dish was magnificently prepared and served with amazing presentation. I loved the five-course tasting dinner. Our party was asked for our likes, dislikes and allergies and the kitchen prepared a delicious meal to our specifications. The gluten free pasta was a special treat for me! And it was amazing! I cannot wait to make a return visit! Thank you so much Chef Pepino and staff!
(5)
Suzanne C.
We dined here during restaurant week and ordered off the special menu. The atmosphere is very lively and fun, yet not too loud to converse. Our server, Derek was excellent - very professional and attentive. The bread with dip/oil was outstanding! We ordered the arancini and squash appetizers and both were excellent. Our entrees were ok, I was especially disappointed in the bolognese. It was simply ziti in a meat sauce. When I asked for fresh grated cheese, I was given powdered cheese in a bowl. We had the choc mousse and mango custard for dessert. I loved the mousse! The wine list is good and overall this was a very nice restaurant.
(4)
Kat T.
Disclaimer: Either my tolerance has gone down since the summer (when I could down 10 drinks in an hour and a half during the World Cup finals) or the drinks here are REALLY strong, but it must be noted that by the time the food got to the table I was already quite tipsy. But onward. I brought my boyfriend here as a celebration after he went through a particularly rigorous exam. Truthfully I expected to pay around 50 dollars because of their 35 dollar 3 course meal deal. HOWEVER, let it be noted that this deal does NOT apply after 6 pm on Fridays or Saturdays. As my reservation was at 8:30 (and my only qualm with this place was that I was seated at 9 when I was on a very tight schedule), the deal did not apply to my meal and I ended up paying 110 dollars instead. Damn my need to not appear cheap! But onward for real (to the food): Break Basket: Yes, I do care about my bread baskets, they are important starts to a good, mediocre, or bad meal. These were delicious. The bread was warm and yummy and the chickpea dipping sauce was so so good! The other sauce, the basil oil, was pretty much left untouched. Swordfish Steak: The one with pesto and an eggplant. If you like pesto (like I loove pesto) go for this! The texture of the fish was so tender and delicious. I also like grilled food and feeling healthy (fish is healthy, isn't it?) so this won in all respects. Seafood pasta: I'm sure there was some fancy name for this. My boyfriend had this, which I wasn't as much of a fan of. The texture of the noodles was either undercooked or intentionally very chewy. Meh. Unfortunately after entrees I was running late for my next event so I didn't get to try the pumpkin creme brulee. It's always the one that gets away that seems the sweetest. I'll be back!
(4)
Jan K.
Food was delicious, service was excellent -- the chef even took the time to meet us -- and the dining experience at large was one of the best of my life.
(5)
Bryan R.
Superb. I don't know how this flew under my radar for so long. I had absolutely never heard of it before it popped up on Yelp while looking for a place for a dinner the same night. First impressions were that the light-up menus are cool but a bit weird at a fine restaurant. The decor is very nice but maybe a bit overdone? Just seems like a lot of Italian restaurants go over the top with things to appeal to people who want to be reminded that they are in an Italian restaurant. Our waitress was a bit preoccupied at first and I was worried it might be that way the whole meal. Fortunately it seems like she was just busy with a large party that was finishing up because once she warmed up she was great to us. Secondary service was very good - water was filled frequently, two baskets of bread, and plates cleared quickly. The gf and I split their five course tasting menu and added an order of their beef carpaccio to fill it out. I would highly recommend this order to a couple on a date. The carpaccio is the best that I've had in Boston. So soft with just the right acidity and the celery sorbet is something I would eat a pint of if I could. The tasting portions are very good - there are no tiny bites to leave you wanting. The entree portions of beef tenderloin and arctic char were full plates and outstanding. The 3 desserts are just the right amount to fill out the night. Chef Peppino made a point to come to every table and say hi. It's funny how that can make the dinner feel just a bit more special. I like his take on the Italian cuisine. The statue of Ganesha overlooking the dining room, blended into the decor, is a subtle reminder of his distinctive roots.
*LOVE* the service at Da Vinci. I organized a dinner party for 20 people. The number of attendees was sort of a moving target -- people were joining at the last minute; others canceling, and Dariusz, the events manager, was unflappable -- he was great about last-minute changes, and about accommodating all of our special requests. Then, when we got there, the waiters, hostesses, and bartenders were just great, catering to our every need. A+++. I'd give the service 5 stars. The food was good, as well, though I'd give it 3.5 stars. Several of the menu items are indian-infused italian. A yummy and exciting twist on dishes that are typically quite familiar...they just weren't superbly-executed (though with groups that large, it's tough to nail every item). I'd absolutely return for drinks and apps (and maybe dessert), but mostly to enjoy the wonderful service. There's better food in Boston.
(4)
Nadine F.
We had reservations for 8:30, ended up arriving much earlier and were seated right away at 7pm. The service was excellent and everyone was very attentive and accommodating. Great ambience, nice decor, and the light-up menus are cool. We shared the Villa Pozzi wine which was reasonably priced and very good with our Italian dinner. The caesar salad was meh, just a romaine lettuce heart with an okay dressing drizzled over it, shaved parmigiano cheese and anchovies--overpriced for what it was and I wouldn't order it again. Other than that, everything was spot-on, so I wouldn't deduct a star just because of the appetizer. He got the rigatoni bolognese which was plentiful and tasty; I got the Indian fusion ravioli masala, which for me, as a lover of Italian and Indian foods, was the perfect blend of the two, interesting and delicious and different than anything I've ever had. We were asked about a couple desserts when our entrees were brought, because they take 20mins to prepare, and I thought this was smart because nobody wants to wait 20mins for their chocolate souffle after their dinner plates have been cleared. I opted for said souffle, and it was hot and melty, served with vanilla gelato and strawberry slices, so yummy! He got the gelato and said it was the best gelato he's had, and he gets gelato everywhere we go. I tried the three flavors and found them to be delicious as well. They brought over two complimentary glasses of Moscato, which was a nice touch. Overall, pricy if you get wine and dessert, but worth it for a special occasion or date night.
(5)
Derek T.
Everything was outstanding. Peppino knows how to make incredible pasta but the filet was very good. Very casual and friendly.
(5)
Diane H.
This place is very nicely decorated. The hostess was really nice. I made reservations on opentable, and everything went smoothly. Atmosphere is very pleasant. Fancy, white linen tableclothes, a little candle..Tables aren't THAT close..Got here at 6pm on a Monday, for Restaurant Week! But come by even when it isn't..its only $35 for a 3 course meal regularly! So our server was kinda awkward, but nice nonetheless, I ordered the Caesar Salad for appetizer, then the sirloin steak for the entre, and "souffle Al cioccolato" for dessert. They waited til I was finished with each before bringing the next. Very nice. I do wish my salad was chopped, but I ended up cutting them up by myself..The fried poach egg that came with it was DELICIOUS. My sorority sister loved the bread, I thought it was very different than my normal bread, so it wasn't as appealing to me. They give you olive oil..and hummas? Very fast at refilling my water...so that it NEVER ran out. Loved that. So my steak, medium rare, wish it was a little more rare, but it's fine. The potato gratin was delicious!!!! I loved it!! crispy on the outside and very soft on inside. The piece was so big!! I did not finish it all. My sister ordered the Crab Mezzeluna which is stuffed crab ravioli, I thought it was delicious but she didn't really like the seafood crab taste that normal crabs don't have? I thought it was fine. Dessert..my souffle was sooo good!! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. I saw the recommendations on yelp so I HAD to try it! The ice cream was good...the souffle tasted like a brownie..but better...the little bowl it came with was very hot, so proceed with caution! It was absolutely perfect. When I went to the restroom, I came back out and my napkin was folded, how lovely. The chef did in fact come out! I was surprised because I had no clue who was next to me! hahaha I would return to this place, great ambiance....amazing dessert..but I think I'll try something lighter than steak next time. :)
Gave this place a shot for restaurant week. It was very impressive. I typically dont seek out Italian restaurants because you can get most of whats on the menu anywhere. However, Chef Peppino has added a lot of flavor and variety to what would be considered traditional italian dishes. I would definitely classify this as a 'Modern Italian' restaurant. This is a great spot for a romantic date, or special occasion There is a very intimate ambiance. I would also recommend this place for all foodies. In addition to the food quality, I was very impressed with the service (Wayne was our server), as well as the plating. If there is one drawback at all to this place, it is a bit on the pricey side. A dinner for 2 with drinks will run you around over $100 most likely. Overall, I would recommend this place. I do plan on going back.
(5)
Marissa C.
We came here for restaurant week a few years ago and we've been huge fans ever since - Chef Peppino always makes a point to come over and say hello everytime we come in and usually has the waiter bring us a complimentary dessert wine (it's a nice touch to remember your loyal diners). As for the food, it's amazing - excellent flavors, fresh, high quality ingredients - we love the Italian/Indian fusion dishes like the masala ravioli. I'm a huge fan of the gnocchi dish. The desserts never dissapoint. We've brought many friends and family here over the years and everyone always raves about the food, the ambiance, service. It's never that busy when we're there and we always wonder why - this is seriously one of the best restaurants in Boston and I'm happy to be giving it 5 stars!
I was debating between a 3 and a 4 star review... So food... Appetizers, we came here as a group of 5 so had a few to try.. Arancini con Mozzarella - I thought it was very well prepared. Just the right amount of cheese and not too breaded. Prosciutto wrapped asparagus, was outstanding. Some olive oil, a good amount of prosciutto and and fresh asparagus. MHMMM.. Mussels, just ok I would say, nothing spectacular, as to me the sauce makes up a good portion of how good this dish could be, but they were good sized mussels. Beef Carpaccio, definitely not worth the $5 upcharge, as it was just ok. Entrees.. Beef Short Ribs. Very good! Tender, juicy, nice sauce.. Just outstanding. For my side dish I requested a side of gnocchi (I'm a big fan.) The gnocchi was below average. Not very soft, not much sauce of any kind, just kind of bla. The others in our party seemed to enjoy their meals, but nobody was falling off their chair in awe. Desserts... Crostata. MUST TRY. Light, not too sweet, perfectly prepared. Definitely worth the $3 upcharge. The service was just fine, except for like someone else on here mentioned we had the alarm go off for what seemed like an eternity (at least 10-15 minutes.) Does stuff likes this happen? Sure. However, nobody came over to apologize afterwards, that was somewhat of a turnoff. I was going to do my "complain bit", but my ears were hurting too much after and I just wanted to get out at that point. I must mention, prior to the alarm fiasco, the chef stopped by to see how we liked the food, agree with others on here, that was a nice touch. As far as ambiance, nice setting, different from the tiny places in the North End. Nice for groups and couples. Not too loud, a more relaxed setting I would say. The light up menus are gimmicky, but kinda cool. All in all some really good food which gets this place 4 stars.
(4)
Tahani R.
My favorite restaurant in Boston!! The owner/chef is wonderful, I love how he goes to every table to say hello & see how everything is. The food is Incredible!!! I ate the arancini, amazing, the bolognese is awesome & the short ribs are excellent!! The burrata is the best I ever had! I would go here once a week if my bank account was endless. Very romantic ambiance!
(5)
Kelley M.
I recently held a dinner for 20 people at Da Vinci Ristorante and the service and food was excellent! I appreciated how cooperative and responsive they were during the process of booking the event. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(4)
Greg N.
You know those people who wear designer clothes because they think that "designer" automatically translates to "better?" This is the restaurant equivilent of that. While I quite enjoyed most of my food, I was a bit turned off by the interior. Going for lavish and sumptuous interior, it came across more as "My Super Sweet 16." Back lit menus rope wrapped columns fake iron scrolls on the walls busts of dead people It was supposed to feel rich and opulent, but I just left feeling like it all fell off the back of a truck... The food was good. I REALLY enjoyed the value of the prix-fixe menu. I started with the caesar salad (easily the weakest of the three dishes. the fried egg on top was kinda gross), the half chicken (delicious, if slightly dry), and the apple crostada (yes please!). if this place would update the look of the interior and get rid of all the excess, it would be a knockout.
(4)
Ben W.
We were looking for a Saturday night dinner, and didnt have reservations (again). Everything was booked up for several hours, but we managed to get into Da Vinci with only about a 20min wait. Interior was nice with a large open dining area and an open kitchen. We managed to get seated right before 6pm, so we took advantage of the prixe fix option for $40/person. I started with the arancini which was deliciously fried and filled with mozzarella goodness. My wife had the mussels which i am generally not a fan of, but they had great flavor and the broth was tasty. I had the housemade fusili with bolognese for an entree. The fusili was al dente and the red sauce had a good taste as well. We also had the gnocchi with mushroom and spinach in a light truffle wine sauce. Loved it! The gnocchi was so tender and delicious. I was impressed! Dessert- Tiramisu, which was mediocre and the pumpkin creme brulee which was also mediocre and a bit too soupy in my opinion.
(4)
John I.
I had the most wonderful time at Da Vinci Ristorante. Conveniently, located in the Back Bay area the price fix menu is surely to please. I highly recommend the mussels served "Italian style". They were perfectly done and were oh so plump. They melted in your mouth and were truly a delight. The ravioli dishes were also so amazing. The fresh noodles were done to perfection and the fillings were fresh, flavorful and oh so good. The dessert (a chocolate lava) was to die for. What a perfect combination of foods at a very reasonable price. The ambiance was good, with dim lighting and comfortable chairs. Service was decent and quite knowledgeable. Breads were fresh and excellent. No shortage if desired. I highly recommend Da Vinici Ristorante. Enjoy Back Bay!
(5)
Julie N.
Update: We had our 30 person rehearsal dinner here over a year ago (wow - time flies) and I just realized I never updated my review. I need to reiterate that Da Vinci remains one of my favorite restaurants in Boston. From beginning to end, everything went perfectly. The space was gorgeous and well laid out and though there were other diners at the restaurant that evening, they made us feel like we were the only ones there. All of the food that was served was outstanding (our guests literally still rave about that meal) and I never once had to worry or stress during the night. It was an amazing experience and I couldn't thank the staff enough for making our night so wonderful. We're going back this month to celebrate the anniversary of our first date and I can't tell you how excited I am because I already know it's going to be a fantastic evening. Thank you guys!!
(5)
Jason S.
We went last Saturday night and aside from everyone loving the haddock, Cesar salad and bolognese, I had a terrific drink. Aptly named the "Spicy Daniel", it's tequila, cirachi, a little honey and A1, and it was absolutely amazing. Highly recommend both the restaurant and the drink. Service was excellent too.
(4)
Mike D.
This is a great restaurant that you really don't hear a lot about. The service was excellent. They actually cooked a specific sauce from scratch that I asked for and it tasted incredible. They also gave us free champagne at the end of the evening. This is the type of place that truly wants to earn the business of their clientele which I respect. I recommend you try it!!
(4)
J S.
Best gnocci in town! Chef Peppino greets every table personally, in between preparing such lovely food! Prices are reasonable and quality is always consistent! I dont see the point of going into the North End when Da Vinci has such great italian food!
(5)
Heidi W.
I want to thank Chef Peppino and crew for the most amazing dinner last night. My husband and I went to celebrate our wedding anniversary and they made it wonderful. We have a special place in our heart for Da Vinci as we came here when we got engaged. The 5 course chef tasting menu was breathtaking to experience. The flavors were amazing for each of the course. Words could not describe the explosion of flavor in the Prosciutto Wrapped Fig and the Cumin encrusted codfish served with a cherry tomato ginger sauce on a stuffed zucchini. I cannot find the right words to describe the lamb chop with a cumin, coriander and green apple glaze and what it did on my taste buds. We finished the night with a big tray of killer deserts with Happy Anniversary written in chocolate. Once again, we leave with satisfied taste buds and feeling like part of the Da Vinci family. Make it a point to visit and bask in the flavors.
(5)
Andy M.
Took my wife here for Valentine's Day - very impressed. Great food, great atmosphere, convenient valet parking, all around top notch.
(5)
Dan L.
DELICIOUS! Definetly not "family style". Was really looking forward to Chicken Parmasean, and although it was not on the menu the chef had no problem with the request and my buddy had the Grilled Chicken dish on the menu. Both of us after the first bite were impressed. Despite the wait of well over a half an hour from the time we ordered til we received our food, we would both visit Da Vinci's again. The food is worth the wait especially when they're willing to make you something that is not on the menu. Definetly not family style, pricey, and a little too romantic for two single dudes to go, but the food was great and would definetly go there on a date.
(4)
Colleen H.
Excellent wine list, and delicious entrees. The pasta sampler is kind of the best of both worlds..or in this case, three worlds of pasta! Sometimes you have a hard time deciding, so why not order all three? Brilliante! Now, this place isn't your regular North End spin-off of whatever someone thinks the public would like to see at an Italian-American restaurant, no no no. Instead, they change it up a bit. They take influences from all over and let it trickle into their menu items, which they change seasonally. Oh, how I love when people understand how important rotating menus are! My favorite part of the whole package would have to be the romantic atmosphere. It is absolutely the perfect place for a date! Oh...and if you want to dine fine on a budget, hit up their tasting deals. Three courses for $39 Monday - Thursday or before 6p on Friday and Saturday! Whoo hoo!
(4)
Tanvi D.
My husband and I went to Da Vinci for dinner on a Saturday.. We had reservations and were seated promptly. We requested a table outside on the patio and got it.. We went there mainly because they were still offering the Restaurant Week deal of 3 courses @ $33.10 and also because my husband loves Pannacotta. We started off with a glass of wine for myself and a glass of Sangria for my husband and some fresh bread with hummus and basil oil. For appetizers we both ordered their arancini, which was delicious and served on a bed of yummy greens. I got their Masala Agnolotti for my entree. My husband doesn't like mushrooms, so he asked if they could prepare the gnocci with tomato sauce, which they did.. YAY! .. Both the dishes were very good. The pesto for my agnolotti was prepared with curry leaves. We learned later from the chef that the pesto also had pistachios to dampen the strong taste of curry leaves. For dessert I ordered their dessert sampler and my husband got their (ofcourse) Pannacotta. My sampler came with chocolate souffle and a peach crostata with vanilla gelato.. YUMMY!! YUMMY!! And, we were stuffed!! We thought that it was a nice touch that Chef Peppino stopped by our table to talk to us and make sure that everything was OK. When he saw that we're Indians, he started talking to us in Hindi (he himself is Indian), which was also nice.. Regarding seating, since we requested a patio seat, they had to seat us near a big party of 12 (who were loud), so, when another table opened up on the patio away from them, the offered to seat us there which we happily accepted. Again a nice gesture by the wait staff. I do think that its a little expensive.. Plus, we ordered all the vegetarian dishes on the menu, so, not sure if we'd go again unless we wanted to eat the same stuff..
(4)
Joel R.
We have been to Da Vinci several times and have had two birthday celebrations there. Each time the experience has been outstanding. It's fun to start with lighted menus. The food is superb, from a delicious squash blossom,to perfectly al dente pasts pomodoro. We also had swordfish that was generous in size and topped with a very interesting cous cous with fresh tomatoes. The food just feels more creatively prepared than at other italian restauramts we go to in Boston. And, Chef Peppino goes from table to table warmly greeting his guests, exuding the enthusiasm of opening night every night. All in all, it was a special meal that we remember fondly.
(5)
Matt L.
Hands down my favorite restaurant in Boston. I have never had a bad meal here and I am always treated great by the staff. Chef Peppino is truly one of the nicest people you will meet and the man can cook! I have done everything from the 5-course tasting menu to just ordering appetizers at the bar. If you are new to the area or haven't tried this place, you have to get to Da Vincis.
(5)
Cindy W.
Came here last wknd to celebrate a friends birthday and had a fantastic time. For a party of 25 they were able to get everything right. Wine, apps, entrees and desserts was served ontime and delicious! The staff was very welcoming, helpful and very friendly. Their salmon was VERY fresh and protion was plentyful. The bf and I would love to come back on one of our date nights. I am a fan!!!
(4)
Elle C.
I think Boston has high standards for Italian food so it's tough to judge spots outside of the North End. We went because it was restaurant week and we had all been to the North End for dinner. It was really good, but it seems like a waste to take someone who is new to Boston to Da Vinci's as an example of Boston Italian food. That being said, it's a great place to take a date. Its a small place without being crowded, and dark without being a hole in the wall. It would be a fun place to sit outside on a nice night in the spring or summer. The food was amazing, and a great deal. It just seemed a little more "new age" then Italian in Boston normally is. If you are bored or want to impress, then go to Da Vinci's. They do a pre-fixed menu even when it isn't restaurant week and the light up menus were a huge hit with our table. I felt leaving full and only spent $55 for 3 courses and 2 glasses of wine.
(4)
Quentin R.
Chef Peppino creates the best food in the city. He is personable, a foodie genius, and very accommodating. Rocco, the general manager, is by far the best I have ever encountered. All around, this is one of the best restaurants I have EVER been. GO HERE NOW. SERIOUSLY.
I came here for dinner. The place is definitely romantic and classy, there is a candle on every table and the menu had backlight, which was really cool haha. I ordered the Pappardelle Veal Genovese, the veal was tender but the pasta itself wasn't anything that impressed me, I would say its decent pasta but not good enough for the price. The cocktail I got was Da Vinci, which was fruity and strong, very average drink in my opinion. All in all, its a very average italian restaurant for its price range and nothing that amazed me.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic, Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Gabe C.
An excellent find! Great handmade pastas and excellent secondi. I highly recommend the pasta tasting! We were lucky to arrive on a night when they were serving venison as a special. Truly amazing. The chef makes an effort to meet every one of his guests, giving the restaurant a great personal feel. Also, after paying for our meal, we received two $10 gift certificates to come back! I highly recommend Da Vinci for a truly enjoyable dining experience.
(5)J D.
we must have been at the evil twin of the restaurant that has gotten all the great reviews here. we had an 8:30 reservation and arrived on time. the hostess told us to sit at the bar while they got our table ready. there were several empty tables - odd for a Saturday night - so we thought it would be a very short wait. Nearly half an hour later... the tables are still empty, they finally brought us to one of them. the food was awful. chain restaurant style foccacia bread. i had salmon, which was served on what tasted remarkably like the veggie burgers on Amtrak, but with peas in it. it was expensive enough to be a quite nice restaurant, but otherwise less than mediocre.
(2)Melissa W.
This is our favorite restaurant. We have been there about 5 times and each time is better than the last. The service is stellar and the food is utterly amazing. The asparagus appetizer is so delicious I have to talk myself out of ordering 2. The rack of Lamb is my favorite but the then again everything is delicious. I love the fact Chef Peppinio ( sorry if misspelled )comes from the kitchen to great customers and always has a complimentary tasty tid bit ( last. Night was fried Risotto yummm!) Or a glass of moscato. Can't wait to go back
(5)Julie N.
I giveth and I taketh away. A star is removed for inconsistency. Went back last night and the calamari salad was wilted, overdressed and the calamari was a bit fishy. My entree was good (Morel Mushroom Parpadalle) but just a touch too oily. Desert was delicious, though. The souffle is excellent. I still like this place but I am disappointed in the lack of consistency. Especially since my previous visit was so good!
(3)Dara S.
I went to Da Vinci Ristorante on Thursday evening. I was with my boyfriend and we ate at the bar for our weekly date night. The bartender Dan made our experience even more wonderful....LOVED the cocktails! We were so impressed with the food ( i recommend the homemade potato gnocchi & the arancini)... The chef definitely knows what he is doing :) I will definitely be returning, if for nothing else because Dan took such great care of us.
(5)Micah B.
Good, decent Italian food. Gnocchi was a little chewy, but not bad by any means. Bolognese was very flavorful. The spinach ravioli was bland. The blueberry gimlet was tasty. The pear crostada was good - not great...they should have ripened their pears longer or used an in-season fruit for more flavor. I ate at the bar and the bartender was very good.
(3)Hussam B.
The food here is very good in general but they are overpriced. We had a 3 course meal for $50+tax+tips= around $65, and that is without wine. I would visit more often if their prices were more reasonable.
(3)Christian H.
The chef is super friendly. The food that I had (the Pasta Sampler) was delicious. The place is pretty pricey and it was DEAD. It actually was a little alarming. I'm not sure WHY it was dead, because it was a pretty positive experience. The staff was capable and friendly and we had several delicious desserts shared among everyone at my table. Honestly the only drawback was the price -- but if you want to splurge, go for it. This is the perfect kind of place to do it. The renovation to the space turned out really beautifully as well. They did a wonderful job.
(4)Jared M.
Incredible meal. Went with some family friends for a special occasion. A couple of us (myself included) got the five-course Chef's Tasting Menu. It was excellent -- asparagus wrapped in cheese and prosciutto, the highly recommended pasta sampler, codfish, beef and a delicious chocolate souffle with vanilla ice cream for dessert. My only complaint is that the presentation was unoriginal and that it seemed like all of the sauces for all of the main courses looked/tasted the same. What struck me most about this place, however, was the amazing service. The waitstaff was incredibly attentive, Peppino checked on us several times and even sent out extra pasta dishes for the people dining with us during our five-course meal so that they didn't have to stare at us eating in between their salads and main courses. This place really did things the right way.
(5)Kimby K.
Love this place! I've been 4x in the last year, and we love it everytime. Wonderful food & service. The owner makes a point to walk around every time and make sure everyone's happy. Special place.
(5)Sean D.
The decor is a bit much and our waiter was not friendly, informative or engaging upon our arrival. My wife had a very good salad for starters, but her minestrone soup was not much different from a canned version. I had the pasta sampling and was severely disappointed with the gummy gnocchi and chewy, rather tasteless homemade pasta. The saving grace to the meal, was the dessert trio - well most of it. The chocolate souffle was outstanding, but the gelato was not. We will not be going back, maybe it was just the dishes we had. In Boston, there are other great Italian restaurants and feel no need to give this one a second chance.
(2)Meredith K.
ok the food and the chef are awesome! 5 stars for that.. martinis were tasty so 5 stars to the bar as well. decor and atmosphere are very nice. BUT 2 stars for service, which brings this review down to a 3. Why? UM if you advertise in the Boston Globe AND on the menu on the door of your restaurant that you are offering a $29 pre-fixe menu - don't bait and switch people and say oh well it's really $35 per person, not $29 even though we said it was in the globe and on the door right now. Now to me you honor the price that is on the door people open to walk into the restaurant! When the issue was raised with the waitress - she said the extra money goes to charity, but couldn't say which charity it went to. Then the manager comes over to explain that it's not to charity at all that it's $35 for the opentable "stimulus plan" that is happening this week. Not that it's a big difference in money, but if you offer a price on the door of your restaurant you shouldn't up the price when people sit down in your restaurant. Then refuse to honor the $29 price even when you confirm the newspaper and front door do say it's $29 - this detracts from the amazing work your chef is doing!
(3)Jenna D.
Been 3 times. Love it. The owner is a sweetheart and truly cares about quality ingredients.
(5)Dan S.
Had a wonderful dinner. The service from Spencer and his team was great. Well worth going to Da Vinci Ristorante
(5)Scott R.
One of the most satisfying meals we've had in quite a while. We'd heard good things about Da Vinci, and Yelp certainly had quite the positive spin on it, so we decided to give it a shot. It was definitely worth it! At a lot of restaurants that we've been to, the appetizers wind up being the best part of the meal - the chef obviously gets bored after thinking up crazy starters. Not at Da Vinci. That's not to say that the appetizers were bad - they were delicious. We had the arancini and the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, both of which were great. But - the entrees were spectacular. I had the pasta sampler, which consisted of the gnocchi pomodoro, spinach ravioli, and fettuccine bolognese, and my wife had a whole portion of the fettuccine. Everything was fantastic, but the fettuccine was absolutely outstanding. The pasta was cooked to al dente perfection, the sauce was hearty but not overpowering, and it just hit the spot. Then we had a marvelously light and flavorful chocolate mousse for dessert. It's always nice when restaurants exceed expectations, and this one certainly did. I don't give 5 stars lightly, and this place earned it. An especially nice touch was the fact that the executive chef came out and walked around the dining room greeting every table, introducing himself, and talking about the food. I like that. Go here and eat - you won't regret it.
(5)Jolene W.
I went to Da Vinci on a Friday night at 8 with no reservations and sat down right away (which was great for a friday night, probably not as great for the restaurant). We had been here before and once again we had a great meal. Both of our fish dishes were cooked perfectly with perfect sides to accompany the flavors. Service was great, atmosphere was quiet and enjoyable as well.
(4)laury g.
Amazing! Did the 3 course prix fix with my husband....everything tasted so great! I had the pumpkin soup (currently craving more) bolognese and the apple Crostata. My husband had the arancini, bolognese and chocolate souflee. We loved all of it....get the bolognese spicy! Had great wine, great service and topped it off with a nutty Irishmen! If I ever go back to Boston, this place is on my list of places to go back to,
(5)Lissa X.
Despite our server was nice but surely not the best, the whole experience in general was wonderful. The food is amazing and I love the interior.
(5)William R.
I went here for Valentines Day with the girlfriend and had some amazing food. I would definitely recommend everyone giving it a shot and I will be going back soon!
(5)Lindsey B.
Okay, so I am picky about my italian food and food in general! We had gone during restaurant week and had a great meal, so we decided to return with our phantom gourmet gift cards. We were seated in the middle of the restaurant (only downside is they don't have many cozy tables for 2), but they didn't seat anyone next to us. We started with the warm tomato and goat cheese salad and it was so good!! Also got the octopus salad, which was great as well. My fiance got the duck and I luckily had the swordfish. The waitress first said they didn't have any more, but she ran to the kitchen and secured me the last piece!! That was amazing. We also had some great glasses of wine (I had ordered my 2nd glass before dinner came out), dinner came out and no wine. I like my wine with dinner. Another waiter noticed, got the wine, and came back halfway through the meal and filled our glasses to the top! That is good service! We got the chocolate souffle for dessert and it was great as well...can't say enough about the food and service. Just be sure your phantom cards are the black ones. Ours were purple, no longer accepted, so we couldn't use them. The manager was apologetic and told us we just need to contact the company and they will replace them. We did and it was fine...just a more $$ dinner than we planned on, but so worth it. They also have a great bar area...
(5)Meghan H.
Quite possibly my best Restaurant Week experience yet! Da Vinci offers their entire menu for Restaurant Week. Amazing! There are up-charges on a handful of items, but they are reasonable, and if you want to stick to the $33.10 price tag, there are still a ton of options. My choices were: Squash blossom for primi, the pasta taster for the secondi, and and the chocolate souffle for dessert. The squash blossom was so tasty - ricotta cheese filling on a bed of polenta - and so unique. The pasta taster allowed me to avoid really making a choice, which I always appreciate when it comes to food. (As a side note, while all three of the pastas were delicious, the Gnocchi al funghi really took home the prize. So good!) The souffle was also really good, but the only low-light of the meal came in this course - the "gelato" that the souffle (and a few other dishes) is served with is actually plain old ice cream. Given how legit Da Vinci was otherwise, I was surprised and disappointed about this, but I didn't have room to eat it anyway. My boyfriend got: mango bufala mozzarella for primi, the tagliatelle for secondi, and the mango panna cotta for dessert. He heartily endorses all of his selections, as well, although we ended up trading dessert choices and being happier. There is also a very nice wine list that offers a range of price options, but you can still get a good bottle of wine in the $30 range. Coolest unique trait of Da Vinci: the menus are backlit, so you can read them in the low lighting of the restaurant. Also, major props to the entirety of their waitstaff. Our waiter was great, but not hover-y. He took great care in describing our dishes as they were presented and gave excellent suggestions when we were torn on what to order. At one point, another waiter happened to be walking by very shortly after I had emptied my wine glass and he stopped to refill it for me, which was really appreciated because I'm often torn between wanting my wine and wanting to do the appropriate thing and wait to have it served. Wine served, etiquette dilemma gone! I strongly recommend Da Vinci, especially during Restaurant Week. If you can't make it during Restaurant Week, try to make it during their regular prix fixe menu times. Such a great deal for a high quality place!
(5)Tracy C.
I had been here many years ago for restaurant week and had a good experience but for some reason hadn't been back even though the restaurant is fairly close to me. Then I stumbled upon a LivingSocial deal for 5 courses with wine pairings so decided to finally go back. Great decision. First, it was a great deal - $95/person for full servings and full pours. (The server commented there was another deal out there for $105 which is still a great deal IMO.) It sounds like the courses are chef's choice but our server said they try to customize based on your likes/dislikes or anything you definitely want to try on the menu (I specifically asked to try the pumpkin ravioli) . To summarize: 1st course-1 aracini, 1 healthy serving of mozz and tomato (prosecco), 2nd-swordfish with rice wine vinegar sauce and side salad of argula, corn, tomato, etc. (sauv. blanc), 3rd-small serving each of gnocchi bolognese and pumpkin ravioli with cream sauce (chianti), 4th-filet with potato cake and wilted spinach (cab), 5th-mini choc souffle with vanilla bean ice cream (moscato). Everything was fantastic, the service was great and Chef Peppino comes over to check on your table personally. When we were walking out he came and talked to us and we commented how full we were, especially since some tastings can be skimpy. He said he doesn't believe in someone coming for a tasting and then going home to their refrigerator. Well said! I would definitely go back. The stars were the arancini, the bolognese and the filet but everything was delicious (e.g. I am not a fish fan but ate most of my swordfish because it was that good.) I'm sure it helped because we were getting a "deal" but I still would try it again without.
(5)Nina G.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Boston now! My hubby and I were there to celebrate our Anniversary and we were so impressed with everything. The restaurant is in a great location close to the Boston Common. There are plenty of parking spots close by but may be difficult to find an unoccupied one. They have a great valet service. The service was five star from start to finish, each staff member was wonderful and very pleasant. They menu is remarkable and unique. The fresh bread and white bean dip that arrives at the table just melts in your mouth. The arancini and mussels were delectable. Our second course was even better. The Masala Ravioli was the best pasta dish I've ever had and the haddock on the risotto cake was truly sublime! The chef is a friendly fellow who visits each table and you can taste the pride in his food, it's superb! Don't miss the chocolate souffle, it's divine. Da Vinci is worthy of 6 stars.
(5)Molly K.
We came on a Thursday night and the place was not super busy. Service was good they were patient with us as we got busy talking rather than checking out the menu. The menus have lights in them when you open them which is super cool & a neat concept. The hummus dip that came with the bread was very good with a nice tang. We did the 3 course offering for $39 - size was the same but there were up charges on expensive options which seemed fair. I just was not that excited about the food. My husband got the 3 pastas and the gnocchi was awful not fluffy @ all. Veal chop was excellent but had too much sauce on the sides. Chocolate souffle was serviceable but not amazing. It was solid decent food but for the prices I was expecting more.
(2)Ken K.
Absolutely fabulous restaurant! My wife selected this place for our Saturday night dinner. I had never heard of it before but after a little research I saw that the owner/chef was the head chef at La Campania in Waltham which I had heard from various friends was amazing. We both ordered the 3-course meal, with my wife having the Mussels and Lamb Chop and I had the crab cakes, duck and the chocolate soufflé. The food was amazing. The lamb chop was tender and delicious while my duck was perfect. The chocolate soufflé was to die for. Everything about the dining experience was first rate. Our waiter was very friendly and very attentive to our 21 month old son and the chef even came by our table with some ice cream for him. Our favorite restaurants in Boston have always been Mistral and Radius (and Abe and Louie's and a few North End spots) but Da Vinci's has joined that list.
(5)Mark H.
I've lived around the corner from this place forever and finally decided to try it. I've walked by there a few times and not seen anyone in there so I assumed it wasn't good -- wrong assumption! Very pleasantly surprised. Went on a Saturday night, and the place was pretty packed. When we went in, the hostess offered to take our coats which was a nice touch. Also clever -- the menus light up when you open them. I have probably been to about 1000 restaurants in my life and have never seen this before. I'll let you decide whether you think this is cheesy or cool -- I thought it was cool. Small but decent wine list with some reasonably priced stuff. I had the Osso Bucco with a Caesar salad to start. The Caesar was great, although it came with a deep-fried poached egg, which tasted ok, but it was a bizarre combo with the caesar. Oh well, at least now I've had a deep fried poached egg. The Osso Bucco was fantastic. It was made with pork instead of veal, which worked perfectly well, and came with an awesome saffron risotto with peas in it. The sauce it was in was fantastic -- dark wine sauce type of thing with some sweetness to it. The only thing I didn't like is that it came with broccoli rabe, which is absolutely vile stuff, but that's not their fault -- I should have remembered I hated broccoli rabe. The girl got the pasta sampler, which is an awesome idea that more restaurants should try. She loved all 3 pastas. Our waitress was attentive and friendly, and seemed genuinely interested in making sure we enjoyed ourselves. All in all a great meal at a very interesting place. I'll be back.
(4)Tiffany C.
tasty food. went here for RW last week. super tasty drinks! not so tasty drink prices...but that's to be expected. my personal drink recommendation- the huckleberry lemonade, light and refreshing! had the fish (i forget what kind) in a garlic risotto with asparagus- mm mmm good.
(4)Cheryl M.
Really great deal with the fixed price menu during the week. I am definitely an Italian Food Snob, and this was one of the best meals I've had out lately. Service was a bit slow, but the food was so good it didn't matter. Mussels appetizer was so good I could drink the rest of the broth right out of the bowl. I got the pasta sampler for my main course, which was really good, although now thinking back, I should have tried something else more fancy! My boyfriend got swordfish I think and it was really really good. And Peppino the chef/owner is amazing! Really nice guy and very friendly.
(5)Brittney A.
I was debating between 2 and 3 but since we can't do halves I went with 2. This is because after reading all the review everything people raved about let us down. First off, while we waited 30 minutes for our table having a reservation, we got a drink at the bar. I understand the bar tender is busy because there was only 1 at the bar but when I ask for a glass of wine and I don't get it because by the time I get it the table is ready that's a problem. Next, the menus which are suppose to be this great thing because they light up are a heavy and huge pain in the rear. They are big awkward and almost to bright for such a dark restaurant. Great idea though but really they are at least 3 lbs and 2 feet tall. What also made up upset, was the service. Others say they had great service but please please when we sit down take our drink order!! We waited 15 minutes just to put in a cocktail order. We had to ask for the bread and it wasn't given to us til after we had our appetizers. Sadly the break was cold... literally cold like it was in the fridge. To go back to the appetizers, I hope yours not hungry when you order them. The portions for them were small, very small. We got the asparagus in prosciutto, very good though, but they was only 2 of them. As there was only 2 caprese, for a table of 6 that is not enough which when we asked the waiter he said it was. We literally each got a taste of each. Our meals were good, some were better then other, the sirloin was good along with the tenderloin. The chicken was nothing to write home about and the gnocchi was good but nothing stood out about it. All and all decent food but very much a disappointment because of all the other great yelp reviews.
(2)Vivek S.
We decided to splurge a little bit before the arrival of our first baby and after some research, zoned in on La Campania and Da Vinci. Couldn't get a table at the former and hence chose the latter. Also figured that the reputation La Campania had earned over the years was due to chef Peppino who now runs Da Vinci. The food here was fantastic. The Arancini con mozarella was very yummy and the phyllo cup was a perfect accompaniment. The buffalo mozarella was also very tasty. I had the Il Volano wine which was prefect with the meal - just a tinge fruity and light unlike chianti. We ordered the pasta tasting and gnocchi for main course. The gnocchi was very tasty but a very one note dish. Perhaps a little more sauce could have livened it up. But I still think Trattoria Toscana's gnocchi is the best I've ever eaten. The butternut agnolotti was definitely the best thing we ate that night - sweet, savory and very refined. Finally, we got the souffle and tiramisu gelato. The souffle was out of this world, fantastic! It was so light that I could have had another one by myself. The gelato was good but not that interesting after a few spoons. The service was very good and chef Peppino typically seems to come over to each table after dinner to get a feel of your experience. Overall, a wonderful dinner and money/time well spent!
(5)Paul L.
My wife and I have eaten at Da Vinci on average about 3 times a month for the last year.Yes! It's that good! We have been to some great restaurants in Boston but we always return to Da Vinci for the unique combination of exemplary cooking, wonderful ambience and tremendous service. Chef Peppino creates unbelievable flavors and a style of Italian cooking that is not available anywhere else in Boston. The arancini is amazing, my wife loves the spinach gnocchi, the chocolate soufflé is incredible and, as for the Marsala Ravioli words cannot describe the wonderful 'India meets Italy' sensation! If you go Mon -Thurs the 3 course a la carte meal costs only $39, which must surely be the best value in Boston. It's always amazing to see the restaurant packed during Restaurant week and comparatively quiet in other weeks when it's only $6 more. Writing this has just made me book for Saturday evening - a great restaurant! Oh, and enjoy the only illuminated menus in Boston!
(5)Cori K.
We went here on a Saturday night and it seemed pretty empty. The service was not on par with a restaurant in this price range. The server did not know the menu well and was not very attentive. The food was generally good. The arancini appetizer was tiny and not nearly as good as at other restaurants. The meals were pretty good although the butternut squash ravioli was very sweet - almost like a dessert. We did enjoy the spicy bolognese. Overall this restaurant is OK but there are better restaurants in this price range.
(3)Gerald D.
Da Vinci is a new and highly original take on a classic Italian approach -- the family-feeling restaurant for the upscale crowd. The last time I had rigatoni bolognese this good was in Bologna. No kidding. The key is the reduction, where the aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, olive oil and beef are slowly reduced to a half-carmelized, rich sauce to be applied sparingly to al dente pasta and finished with a grate or two of a sharp parmesan or pecorino romano. Simple. The cardinal sins of rigatoni bolognese are too much tomato-heavy sauce, or weak and thin sauce, or ground beef instead of pork shoulder or beef shanks. And definitely no sugar to sweeten the gruel like you find in so many bottled versions of this classic --- *shudder* --- If you have only eaten runny tomato sauce with overcooked pasta, you are suffering from prison rations, my friend. Chef Peppino has done his homework, and is clearly in love with Italy, even though he was born in India. Perhaps *because* he was born in India. The man is brilliant. He gets it, right down to the old Italian tradition of the Padrone himself walking through the restaurant towards the end of every evening to greet the diners personally and inquire cordially whether the food met their expectations. This doesn't happen much in America, and when it does it's usually high-falutin', where you are meant to applaud the celebrity chef. Peppino, on the other hand, is true to the Italian way, and is genuinely vulnerable about whether his cooking was up to your standard. Of course, this is infinitely charming, because his cooking is sublime. It used to be true in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome that if you and the chef made a personal connection in conversation before dinner, he would be likely as not to serve you the choice piece of veal he was intending to cook for himself later on. Apocryphal or not, the point is that Italian dining is meant to be a personal experience, where actual feelings are exchanged between the chef and the diner. It's not play-acting. We have lost much of that quality in modern American urban restaurants. But let me be the first to applaud what Da Vinci is striving for here. American diners need to bring more of their hearts to the table before they fill their stomachs, and realize a good Italian meal at a restaurant is not primarily a commercial transaction, it's a relationship. Good for you, Peppino. In other news, the wine list is okay but should have more mid-level reds available, and greater variety by the glass. Parking without a valet in this neighborhood is impossible, or at least not worth your effort. Local lots are pricey and annoying. You can game it with the resident spaces but I'd warn against it. Park far away and walk if you can, that's what Italians do for the passagiatta.
(4)Sandy J.
We were cared for with such attention to detail from the moment we arrived Saturday night. We were with a group of 20 helping a good friend celebrate her 50th birthday. Had a 5 course meal- food was exquisitely prepared. Impossible to say what I liked best ( however the ravioli stuffed with spinach & shrooms & topped with truffle oil mighty fine). All of it so good. We will be back for sure. Nice place to settle back & let someone else take care of your needs. PS- the glow in dark menus a nice touch!
(5)Spencer N.
What a great place to kick off an AMAZING night. My friend and I decided to get dinner before the Dolly Parton concert(fabulous) and we stumbled across this place. Normally I stumble BY this place either to or from club cafe...so it was nice to actually check it out, in the daylight none the less. The interior is very very well done. Dark woods...nice lighting. Very Tuscan looking. Very nice. We ordered a bottle of wine which was recommended by our ADORABLE waitress and then split the arugula salad(so simple and SO good). The food is all prepared very simple but does not lack in flavor. I got the chicken with an orzo salad and my friend got the swordfish in a sun dried tomato pesto. It was so good! The wait staff is very very sweet and most seemed to be in their 20's, so we had lots of fun joking and talking with them. What really got me was that the chef, Peppino came out and talked to us and asked how everything was. Its the little things like that, that make a dining experience really great. Also, the 3 course menu at $29 is not a bad deal at all! I will totalllllly be back here to try that out. I saw the desserts and they looked good and fattening. Just my style
(4)Roger S.
Unsure what to expect based on the combination of Italian and Indian influences and our takeaway was that it didn't quite succeed. We had the Arancini Punjabi; very flavorful, but served lukewarm. Warm Tomato Salad was nice, but nothing out of the ordinary. The entrées Masala Ravioli and Short Rib Tortelloni were acceptable, but rather small servings with what appeared to be similar sauces, even though there are listed as:(veal demi glaze balsamic vinegar & cumin coriander tomato paste sauce). For dessert we had Vanilla Crème Caramel and Soufflé Al Cioccolato which we had were quite standard, even though the soufflé was their specialty. The Fontanafredda Barolo was excellent. Interior was pleasing and warm, although we were seated near the kitchen where the waitstaff congregated. As the evening went on they dimmed the lights, which then made sense of the illuminated menus...
(2)Julie M.
We met friends here for dinner on a Thursday night. Overall my experience was lackluster. Not awful, but not a place I would return or recommend. Frankly, I was surprised to see so many positive reviews. My husband and I both got the 3 course meal for $39. Typically a good value, but the meal was was not worth the price. I started with the scallop salad. Scallops were bay scallops - total bummer! I was expecting one really big scallop, or maybe two medium sized ones. Too much dressing on the arugula but the strawberries added some tart, which was nice. My husband's mussels (which were recommended) were disappointing - a little funny tasting and not enough broth. For entrees, I had the pasta tasting menu. It was all okay - but again, nothing that really stood out. The sauce on the gnocchi was my favorite. My husband got the veal chop - also, just okay. For desert, I got a trio of gelatos. The ricotta one was really nice. However, the "mint" was fake green color and the rosemary was.... well, about what you'd expect for rosemary flavored dessert. Service was spotty - lots of weird delays and servers were not familiar enough with the menu and ingredients.
(2)Kweilyn C.
My husband and I went to Da Vinci last Saturday and it was fabulous. The food was outstanding. You wouldn't believe that a restaurant in the back bay/theater district area would make their own pasta, but my goodness do they really know how to do it right! The braised beef short rib pappardelle is out of this world. That perfectly braised beef absolutely melts into your mouth with the most lovely reduction (veal stock, herbs, red wine), and marries the al dente pappardelle perfectly. Need I say more? Oh yes, the service was impeccable. Our waitress was charming, attentive, sincere, and really down to earth. The food was amazing but she made our experience there memorable. It was also very nice to meet the chef (he is very friendly and took the time to come out and greet patrons, us included). All in all, it's just so hard to find a restaurant like this these days (especially in the heart of the city). Fabulous food and ambiance, combined with unpretentious but professional, knowledgeable service gives a gold star in my book.Thank you, Da Vinci! We'll see you very soon!
(5)Gi G.
For my friend's 30th birthday, a bunch decided to surprise her with a fancy dinner at Da Vinci. Boy were we in for a surprise! I made reservations for 8:00pm on a Saturday night for 8. Two of my friends and I arrived a few minutes before 8pm and we checked in with the hostesses. They said the table was not ready and it will be a few more minutes so we waited outside. 15 minutes later I went to check again and this time the hostess said the table will be another few more minutes and then asked if the entire party have arrived to which I said no. then she mentioned that we cannot be seated until everyone arrives. She could have told me that when we arrived but she kept telling me that the table will be ready soon. At 8:30 a host came out to tell us that the table is ready and upon noticing that our entire party has not arrived he said "and you told your friends reservations were at 8pm??" It's uncalled for and VERY rude. It was very rude of him to mention that especially since we arrived at 8 and the table was not even ready yet. We then proceeded to our table and ordered some drinks. Another 15 minutes in the host came by AGAIN and said "so 8pm reservations huh?" He was very condescending and by that time I was pretty pissed off and was ready to walk out. We were very courteous the entire time and expected to be treated the same in return. After we sat down the restaurant wasn't very busy and there were several empty tables so I don't understand why he had to give us an attitude every time he came by. There are plenty of other restaurants in the area with better service and I don't have to put up with the "rushy" and rude service and staff. I definitely won't be going back again.
(1)Bob M.
Dishes my sound plain, but they are anything but. Truly outstanding preparation and sauces. With every bite of the mussels appetizer, i was startled by their taste. Without doubt, this is the best mussels dish I've every had. As for my entree, Orchietto, it was also outstanding ... a comment also expressed by my companions about their fish and pasta. My only disappointment was the wine list ... on the expensive side with too many mediocre wines. Had I not prepared ahead of time, I would likely have picked a wine which would have negatively affected the experience. I considered deducting a star for the wine list, but couldn't. The food was soooo good!
(5)Mcslimj B.
Terrific upscale Campanian cuisine near Park Square marred by top-heavy wine list and weak bartending. Devra First's review of Da Vinci in yesterday's Globe reminded me I hadn't posted about this place yet. Fans of the chef/owner's work as the longtime exec at Waltham's La Campania (among which I enthusiastically counted myself) will certainly like the food here: he's doing essentially the same upscale Neapolitan food he did there. Easily the nicest-looking design job yet on this space (fka Grillfish and Piattini the second): warm, inviting, a little plush but not stiff, with very comfy lounge seating in the bar area. Sorry to say the $12 cocktails are terrible: they really need to hire more of a pro with the shaker if they're going to charge those prices. Food is mostly terrific: superb house-made pastas in particular, like a swoony short-rib ravioili with a sauerbraten-like sauce, wicked. Very fine arancini, salads (love that pear "carpaccio"), and grilled meats. Pretty desserts, but don't be fooled: the so-called souffle is just another molten-center chocolate cake, yawn. Solid service: chef Peppino seems to visit everyone's table at some point, a nice touch. The one thing that really irks me (and shocks me that Devra's review failed to mention it) is the wine list. It's heavily Italian (no problem there), but hugely tilted toward high-end bottles. I'd estimate that of 60 reds, only six are under $50, another 24 between $50-$100, fully half over $100. That's ridiculous, and a big crimp in my desire to return for anything but an occasion dinner. I can get good cocktails elsewhere nearby, but I need a few more affordable reds before I can consider making this place part of my regular fine-dining rotation.
(3)Kenny D.
Loved it it was our first time here we sat at the bar we started of with a ceased salad and fried calamari both were perfect then proceed to second course gnocchi Alforno you could tell a lot of love went in to this dish it was mouthwatering every last bite then for dessert we had the bartender make us chocolate. MArtinis I order this drink every where bit this one was the best Ive gotten in years can't wait to ce back next. Month with work .
(5)Sarah D.
Decent Italian restaurant in the South End, very close to Park Square and the Theatre District. Overall our experience was good, the food was great and they were very attentive. My friends and I went here for New Year's Eve so we had a fixed price menu. Everything was delicious from the bread with olive oil and garlic paste to the tiramisu for desert. The interior was elegant and comfortable but not a tremendous amount of Da Vinci related effects. Hopefully they'll add more information to their website soon, it's kind of basic right now.
(4)Annie K.
I would give this place a 3.5 stars. The ambiance was very nice and romantic The service was excellent--very pleasant I had the red sangria and it was very well made and delicious The reason the review is only 3.5 stars is because the food was not all that impressive. I had the butternut squash ravioli and my friend had the spinach gnocci. The ravioli was not very filled so you didn't really taste the filling at all--the nuts on top added very nice flavor though. But overall didn't really wow me. My friend liked the gnocci but wasn't impressed by it either. I guess we both just expected more out of this restaurant especially for the price--we just expected something to wow us more
(3)Mike M.
We had a bizarre, kind of awesome dinner at Da Vinci that seemed like it was out of some wacky date hidden camera show. First - the food - if you gave me my food from Da Vinci in a styrofoam takeout box and had me eat them in my car, they would get 5 stars. Hands down - loved it much more than Via Matta. It was deeeeelicious! Everyone ate up on every course and left feeling very contently full. Highlights were definitely the scallop appetizer, the fusilli bolognese (which I ordered "spicy" and had a really complex deliciousness to the sauce), and the apple crostata desert which was like an amazing puff pastry apple pie. Having Chef Peppino stop by the table at the end of the night also made us feel special and added a nice touch to the end of the evening. The other aspects made us feel like we were in an episode of Punk'd and Ashton Kutcher was going to run in any moment to tell us the joke. Let's see: - my friend ordered a bottle of red wine, the waiter brought a bottle of WHITE from a different year, then argued with my friend about which one he had selected - a really bizzare move like 5 minutes after sitting down. Then they were out of the wine he really chose - weird. - a waiter dropped a fork covered in chocolate on my friend's leg and just kind of looked at him, didn't apologize and scurried away - the light up menus were suprising and kind of gimmicky. It's not that dark in there! There is no light on the wine list! - the manager came over in the middle of our conversation to show off this other gadget they have as a wine stopper to prevent spilling your bottle - who has ever done that? It was like those miracle carpet cleaners where they test it on your new white carpet - either way it was kind of weird. - finally - and not really Da Vinci's fault - the fire alarm went off for like 10 minutes in the middle of our meal. That sound will haunt my dreams. Like a million babies screaming on an airplane. It is hard to salvage a dinner after that. Even in light of all those things which made us feel Punk'd, the food is really, really good. We all really liked it - if I went back again and none of those things happened, I would think it was a 5 star restaurant - as is, it gets four stars.
(4)Stephanie M.
Loved it and will be going back!
(4)Greg K.
The short story: You will get food and service that is TOP NOTCH, but you will pay for it. At about $110 per person (incl. 20+% tip) for appetizers, dinner, drinks, bottle of wine and dessert - it was WELL WORTH IT. The longer story: Walk into Da Vinci and instantly fall in love with the room, the decor, the ambiance. Wonderful! Excited to get started. They started us off with some fresh bread and drinks. Already you could tell the service was going to be attentive, professional and enjoyable. Waiter (Spencer) was perfect. He offered up some Arancini Con Mozzarella on the house, just to try. It ROCKED and was a great gesture. I had the Beef Carpaccio appetizer and I absolutely enjoyed every bit of it. The little scoop of celery sorbet was a genius pairing. Very tasty dish and I highly recommend it. I had the pasta tasting for dinner. Rigatoni Bolognese was jaw-droppingly delicious, Masala Agnolatti was yet another amazing twist on a dish that clearly reflects Chef Peppino's heritage and creativity. Last on the plate was the Gnocchi Con Funghi - the gnocchi was cooked perfectly, but I did not like the sauce and flavor of the mushrooms... they weren't white-generic-button mushrooms, and I don't really care for the flavor of fancier types like cremini, etc... but if YOU do... I'm certain you'll enjoy it. Overall GREAT dish - I couldn't finish it all. We ordered a bottle of the La Spinetta, Barbera d'Asti "Ca' di Pian", which was spectacular with my meal. For dessert, I had the Peach Crostata and yet again: JAW DROPPINGLY DELICIOUS. As reported by many others, Chef Peppino came out and spent a few moments with us - it was mostly him saying "thank you, thank you, thank you" very graciously as we showered the poor guy with compliments. I am a bit of a restaurant snob. I am willing to pay a high price for a top-notch experience and Da Vinci did not disappoint at all. Some other reviews mention you can find just as good a meal in the north end for less money. If so, SOMEONE PLEASE MESSAGE ME, so I can try them out the next time we're there. Da Vinci is a must-do kind of restaurant. 5 stars from me.
(5)Kim R.
Another Hidden Jewel with GREAT FOOD & SUPERB SERVICE!! Drinks are wonderful the ambiance is again with that wonderful candle glow not a loud place but relaxing! Classy place and everything made to order....another favorite restaurant of mine! The menus light up so very kool...just perfection right down to the menus!!
(5)Daniel P.
another restaurant week escapade. surpassed all my expectations. friend cheese appetizer had delicious sauce, couldn't get enough of it, the Bolognese pasta was cooked perfectly with home made pasta and the sauce again to die for, and the chocolate soufflé (first one i've ever had) was just the best ending to it all. also tried a rather interesting bottle of red wine. i thought you could only find good italian food on the north end in boston, but this is a little treat back bay has to offer. also, the menu is super cool and the back of it lit up when you opened it up! wait staff and host was great too.
(5)Julie R.
I was very impressed with Da Vinci. I will certainly be back. I went for a "celebration" dinner on a Friday night with my boyfriend. The location was convenient and we were able to find street parking. Upon entering we were graciously greeted by many people. I had a feeling it would be a great dinner and it was. We started with the Pesce Miso which was smoked salmon, poached shrimp, and calamari served with a cucumber salad. This was fantastic. It was so fresh and light for a summer evening. For my entree I got the Filetto Di Manzo which is an aged beef tenderloin with chianti sauce, potato gateaux and baby spinach. This steak was amazing. It was perfectly cooked and I really think it was the best steak I've ever had in my life! I sampled some of my boyfriends Annatra alla Peppino (Crispy duck leg confit) It was great. He couldn't stop raving about it. The wine selection was great. The server was super nice. We were both complemented as soon as we were seated and checked on several times through the meal. The chef was making his way around the restaurant greeting tables and introducing himself. He didn't make it over to us but it was a nice touch to see him reaching out like that. The atmosphere is cool. Very modern with high ceilings and dark floors but yet still sophisticated with busts and cool art. The lounge area looks especially comfy with big plush chairs and chaises. There is a nice sized outdoor dining area in front too. See you again soon Da Vinci!
(5)R O.
Tried DaVinci's for the first time the other night. Wad pretty slow so no problem getting a table. Space is great, but a little bit cramped, would've loved to sit outside but denied by the rain. Wine selection was good, kinda limited by the glass. The menus are interesting when they light up when you open them, as for the selection, it was pretty good. We had the mussels, which were very good and Caesar salad which was good. For entrees we had the spinach ravioli which was awesome, very tasty, not too much sauce and quite filling. We also had the rigatoni bolognese which was really tasty, kind of a smoky flavor to it. Desserts looked good but we tapped out.. Out waiter, Chris was on point, attentive and had some good opinions on the food. We'll be going back.
(4)Jennifer P.
With an attractive old world decor, this was a nice find. The prices are probably a bit beyond what they deserve, but the salads and entrees were beautiful, diverse (some Indian-Italian fusion options), and tasty. The service was great and the bread delicious. My only complaint was with the desserts - the panna cotta was dense and overly sweet and the 20 minute wait for the souffle wasn't really worth it. If you're in the area and looking for Italian, I'd recommend giving it a try.
(4)Liz B.
Had an amazing dinner here last night... The ambiance was elegant but comfortable- nice, dim, ambient lighting would have made for a great date spot. My mom and I both had the $35, 3-course prix fixe menu, and thought the food was excellent and the value outstanding. Both the green salad with scallops and the mussels starters were phenomenal, and the fusilli main with sundried tomatoes, shrimp, and asparagus was to die for. (The cod main was also very good, but the least exciting to me of our dishes.) Our desserts were also both stand-outs; we had the chocolate souffle and the pear tarte. The chef-owner (Indian!) sent us a few freebie items/drinks in between courses, and came and chatted for a while- he's not only a talented chef, but a real sweetheart, too. Please check out his restaurant!
(5)Whitney K.
I went to Da Vinci with my boss and some clients. While I live in Boston, everyone else was from out of town, so they left it up to me to chose dinner reservations. Well I can't even count the number of times my clients and boss complimented me on my decision to come to Da Vinci. The service was superb. Our waiter was very attentive and had very thoughtful recommendations- especially for wine (we had an excellent Chianti). The chef even came out to introduce himself. The food was incredible- we had a number of appetizers, including the scallops salad, the mussels, arancini, etc. I had halibut for dinner and the dessert sampler. My food was excellent and everyone else had nothing but positive things to say about their meal. Thanks Da Vinci for a great meal and making me look good in front of my boss and clients!
(5)Bea B.
This was our second visit and we had a great experience both times. The food is very good and beautifully presented. The chef is extremely talented and creative but, happily, his food is not too "precious". The service was also excellent. Our waiter was spot on with his wine recommendations and the valet ran to a busier intersection to flag down a taxi. I highly recommend Da Vinci.
(4)Elisa T.
Mixed feelings about Da Vinci. Tried it out during Restaurant Week, so I got the 3-course, $33.10 deal, but they always have a 3-course, $35.00 deal...so you could really come here anytime and have an extensive meal at a good price. I started off with their "signature" arrancini, which was a very small appetizer so I wouldn't share it with another person. It was good, but I have had better arrancini before. Then, I had the raved about "pasta tasting" which included gnocchi pomodoro, spinach ravioli, and fusilli bolognese. This was a great "comfort food" dish for me because I love pasta, however none of the pastas really jumped out at me as being outstanding, as compared to pasta dishes I have had elsewhere. However, if you are going to order pasta off the menu, I think this is the dish to get because you get to try a few things....I couldn't imagine a whole plate of any of the three pastas I tried. For dessert, I ordered the apple crostata (which was an extra $3, read the upcharges!)....this was a great dessert because it was light and sweet, not heavy and too filling. The decor seems to try and give a Romanesque feel, which is fun. The menus light up when you open them, something I've never seen before and really liked because it's typically hard to read menus in restaurants with dimmed lights. There is valet parking for $16, or street parking if you can find any. Even though I was under-impressed by my food, my boyfriend was very pleased with what he ordered, and I must say, I tried his dishes and they were very good. So it's all about what you order here....it's definitely not one of those restaurants where I could say that I bet everything on the menu is just great....but it's worth a shot if you like Italian food and are looking to eat it in Boston outside of the North End.
(3)Teju P.
We met the owner Pepino at a BCAE class - he invited me and my friends over to his restaurant. The menu looked delicious, but we ended up with just drinks and dessert. I must say, you cannot go wrong with any of the dessert selection. It was so much fun to share and taste everyone's choices. The ambiance is very romantic and they even have a bar area. I highly recommend this place - Pepino has a lot of passion for italian food! He told us he is Italiano trained but of indian decent. Very interesting guy!!! Way better than any place in the North End.
(5)Mike L.
Horrible food!! And Serivce!! Me and my GF went here on Jan 28 2011 on "Date night" and we ordered a bottle of wine/apps/2 entrees =$120. The Mussles (Apps) were bad and unfortunately I/we didnt know it until eating 5-6 of them. (We had stomach pains all night and my GF VOMMITTED IN THE AM!)I told the waitress that they were bad (Smelled Fishy/Tasted Fishy); I use to be a Chef for a few resturants so its really easy to tell when shellfish is bad! when the waitress came back she just told me that the Chef says they are fresh; she didn't even take them off our bill. The entree came and it was fair at best. Then at around 10:50 the waitstaff was just staring at us to leave... I have lived in boston for 12+ years and I will never go here; especially since there is 30 other resturants in walking distance from here.
(1)A N.
Excellent food, nice ambiance, reasonable. Can't get better when comes to dining out.
(4)Mark W.
I'm a fan... The pasta dishs are excellent. Get the pasta tasting menu.
(4)Anissa K.
Started off the night with an organic salad which was decent, my husband had the scallop salad and it was delicious!! We shared the Artic Char and were thoroughly impressed. We encourage all to try this spot out!
(4)Julie T.
I came here and truly thought that the food was overall forgettable. We all came here as a group of 10 or so and didn't really get the friendly service that many have told me about. The food was a-ok, but nothing really wowed me that night. Maybe I came on a bad night or maybe there was just so many of us that they were like: "Ah, whatever", but regardless, I feel like it was whatever. I'm sure I'd return if someone REALLY wanted to go, but I don't think anyone else was wowed so I don't really think I will be returning.
(2)Katherine W.
We had dinner one recent Saturday night during a weekend visit. The reviews we had read led us to believe the food would be great , and the service good, though expensive. The setting is pleasant-rather dark, perhaps to enhance the experience of reading their LED-lit menu. I had a pasta medley and felt the 3 varieties presented were all very disappointing. The first, the tomato sauce could have been poured right out of a can, the second, a pumpkin ravioli , was too sweet with caramel coating, and third, a fungi gnocchi, was very bland but at least not too offensive as the first two. The garden salad was fair in portion. We were surprised that our server did not mention ahead of ordering that many of the desserts (souffles) would take extra prep time . Having brought that to our attention after we completed our entrees, she still did not return to take our dessert order for sometime. The chocolate souffle was nice. It was overall a disappointment unfortunately.
(2)Gabe C.
An excellent find! Great handmade pastas and excellent secondi. I highly recommend the pasta tasting! We were lucky to arrive on a night when they were serving venison as a special. Truly amazing. The chef makes an effort to meet every one of his guests, giving the restaurant a great personal feel. Also, after paying for our meal, we received two $10 gift certificates to come back! I highly recommend Da Vinci for a truly enjoyable dining experience.
(5)J D.
we must have been at the evil twin of the restaurant that has gotten all the great reviews here. we had an 8:30 reservation and arrived on time. the hostess told us to sit at the bar while they got our table ready. there were several empty tables - odd for a Saturday night - so we thought it would be a very short wait. Nearly half an hour later... the tables are still empty, they finally brought us to one of them. the food was awful. chain restaurant style foccacia bread. i had salmon, which was served on what tasted remarkably like the veggie burgers on Amtrak, but with peas in it. it was expensive enough to be a quite nice restaurant, but otherwise less than mediocre.
(2)Melissa W.
This is our favorite restaurant. We have been there about 5 times and each time is better than the last. The service is stellar and the food is utterly amazing. The asparagus appetizer is so delicious I have to talk myself out of ordering 2. The rack of Lamb is my favorite but the then again everything is delicious. I love the fact Chef Peppinio ( sorry if misspelled )comes from the kitchen to great customers and always has a complimentary tasty tid bit ( last. Night was fried Risotto yummm!) Or a glass of moscato. Can't wait to go back
(5)Julie N.
I giveth and I taketh away. A star is removed for inconsistency. Went back last night and the calamari salad was wilted, overdressed and the calamari was a bit fishy. My entree was good (Morel Mushroom Parpadalle) but just a touch too oily. Desert was delicious, though. The souffle is excellent. I still like this place but I am disappointed in the lack of consistency. Especially since my previous visit was so good!
(3)Dara S.
I went to Da Vinci Ristorante on Thursday evening. I was with my boyfriend and we ate at the bar for our weekly date night. The bartender Dan made our experience even more wonderful....LOVED the cocktails! We were so impressed with the food ( i recommend the homemade potato gnocchi & the arancini)... The chef definitely knows what he is doing :) I will definitely be returning, if for nothing else because Dan took such great care of us.
(5)Micah B.
Good, decent Italian food. Gnocchi was a little chewy, but not bad by any means. Bolognese was very flavorful. The spinach ravioli was bland. The blueberry gimlet was tasty. The pear crostada was good - not great...they should have ripened their pears longer or used an in-season fruit for more flavor. I ate at the bar and the bartender was very good.
(3)Hussam B.
The food here is very good in general but they are overpriced. We had a 3 course meal for $50+tax+tips= around $65, and that is without wine. I would visit more often if their prices were more reasonable.
(3)Gerald D.
Da Vinci is a new and highly original take on a classic Italian approach -- the family-feeling restaurant for the upscale crowd. The last time I had rigatoni bolognese this good was in Bologna. No kidding. The key is the reduction, where the aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, olive oil and beef are slowly reduced to a half-carmelized, rich sauce to be applied sparingly to al dente pasta and finished with a grate or two of a sharp parmesan or pecorino romano. Simple. The cardinal sins of rigatoni bolognese are too much tomato-heavy sauce, or weak and thin sauce, or ground beef instead of pork shoulder or beef shanks. And definitely no sugar to sweeten the gruel like you find in so many bottled versions of this classic --- *shudder* --- If you have only eaten runny tomato sauce with overcooked pasta, you are suffering from prison rations, my friend. Chef Peppino has done his homework, and is clearly in love with Italy, even though he was born in India. Perhaps *because* he was born in India. The man is brilliant. He gets it, right down to the old Italian tradition of the Padrone himself walking through the restaurant towards the end of every evening to greet the diners personally and inquire cordially whether the food met their expectations. This doesn't happen much in America, and when it does it's usually high-falutin', where you are meant to applaud the celebrity chef. Peppino, on the other hand, is true to the Italian way, and is genuinely vulnerable about whether his cooking was up to your standard. Of course, this is infinitely charming, because his cooking is sublime. It used to be true in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome that if you and the chef made a personal connection in conversation before dinner, he would be likely as not to serve you the choice piece of veal he was intending to cook for himself later on. Apocryphal or not, the point is that Italian dining is meant to be a personal experience, where actual feelings are exchanged between the chef and the diner. It's not play-acting. We have lost much of that quality in modern American urban restaurants. But let me be the first to applaud what Da Vinci is striving for here. American diners need to bring more of their hearts to the table before they fill their stomachs, and realize a good Italian meal at a restaurant is not primarily a commercial transaction, it's a relationship. Good for you, Peppino. In other news, the wine list is okay but should have more mid-level reds available, and greater variety by the glass. Parking without a valet in this neighborhood is impossible, or at least not worth your effort. Local lots are pricey and annoying. You can game it with the resident spaces but I'd warn against it. Park far away and walk if you can, that's what Italians do for the passagiatta.
(4)Sandy J.
We were cared for with such attention to detail from the moment we arrived Saturday night. We were with a group of 20 helping a good friend celebrate her 50th birthday. Had a 5 course meal- food was exquisitely prepared. Impossible to say what I liked best ( however the ravioli stuffed with spinach & shrooms & topped with truffle oil mighty fine). All of it so good. We will be back for sure. Nice place to settle back & let someone else take care of your needs. PS- the glow in dark menus a nice touch!
(5)Spencer N.
What a great place to kick off an AMAZING night. My friend and I decided to get dinner before the Dolly Parton concert(fabulous) and we stumbled across this place. Normally I stumble BY this place either to or from club cafe...so it was nice to actually check it out, in the daylight none the less. The interior is very very well done. Dark woods...nice lighting. Very Tuscan looking. Very nice. We ordered a bottle of wine which was recommended by our ADORABLE waitress and then split the arugula salad(so simple and SO good). The food is all prepared very simple but does not lack in flavor. I got the chicken with an orzo salad and my friend got the swordfish in a sun dried tomato pesto. It was so good! The wait staff is very very sweet and most seemed to be in their 20's, so we had lots of fun joking and talking with them. What really got me was that the chef, Peppino came out and talked to us and asked how everything was. Its the little things like that, that make a dining experience really great. Also, the 3 course menu at $29 is not a bad deal at all! I will totalllllly be back here to try that out. I saw the desserts and they looked good and fattening. Just my style
(4)Roger S.
Unsure what to expect based on the combination of Italian and Indian influences and our takeaway was that it didn't quite succeed. We had the Arancini Punjabi; very flavorful, but served lukewarm. Warm Tomato Salad was nice, but nothing out of the ordinary. The entrées Masala Ravioli and Short Rib Tortelloni were acceptable, but rather small servings with what appeared to be similar sauces, even though there are listed as:(veal demi glaze balsamic vinegar & cumin coriander tomato paste sauce). For dessert we had Vanilla Crème Caramel and Soufflé Al Cioccolato which we had were quite standard, even though the soufflé was their specialty. The Fontanafredda Barolo was excellent. Interior was pleasing and warm, although we were seated near the kitchen where the waitstaff congregated. As the evening went on they dimmed the lights, which then made sense of the illuminated menus...
(2)Julie M.
We met friends here for dinner on a Thursday night. Overall my experience was lackluster. Not awful, but not a place I would return or recommend. Frankly, I was surprised to see so many positive reviews. My husband and I both got the 3 course meal for $39. Typically a good value, but the meal was was not worth the price. I started with the scallop salad. Scallops were bay scallops - total bummer! I was expecting one really big scallop, or maybe two medium sized ones. Too much dressing on the arugula but the strawberries added some tart, which was nice. My husband's mussels (which were recommended) were disappointing - a little funny tasting and not enough broth. For entrees, I had the pasta tasting menu. It was all okay - but again, nothing that really stood out. The sauce on the gnocchi was my favorite. My husband got the veal chop - also, just okay. For desert, I got a trio of gelatos. The ricotta one was really nice. However, the "mint" was fake green color and the rosemary was.... well, about what you'd expect for rosemary flavored dessert. Service was spotty - lots of weird delays and servers were not familiar enough with the menu and ingredients.
(2)Kweilyn C.
My husband and I went to Da Vinci last Saturday and it was fabulous. The food was outstanding. You wouldn't believe that a restaurant in the back bay/theater district area would make their own pasta, but my goodness do they really know how to do it right! The braised beef short rib pappardelle is out of this world. That perfectly braised beef absolutely melts into your mouth with the most lovely reduction (veal stock, herbs, red wine), and marries the al dente pappardelle perfectly. Need I say more? Oh yes, the service was impeccable. Our waitress was charming, attentive, sincere, and really down to earth. The food was amazing but she made our experience there memorable. It was also very nice to meet the chef (he is very friendly and took the time to come out and greet patrons, us included). All in all, it's just so hard to find a restaurant like this these days (especially in the heart of the city). Fabulous food and ambiance, combined with unpretentious but professional, knowledgeable service gives a gold star in my book.Thank you, Da Vinci! We'll see you very soon!
(5)Gi G.
For my friend's 30th birthday, a bunch decided to surprise her with a fancy dinner at Da Vinci. Boy were we in for a surprise! I made reservations for 8:00pm on a Saturday night for 8. Two of my friends and I arrived a few minutes before 8pm and we checked in with the hostesses. They said the table was not ready and it will be a few more minutes so we waited outside. 15 minutes later I went to check again and this time the hostess said the table will be another few more minutes and then asked if the entire party have arrived to which I said no. then she mentioned that we cannot be seated until everyone arrives. She could have told me that when we arrived but she kept telling me that the table will be ready soon. At 8:30 a host came out to tell us that the table is ready and upon noticing that our entire party has not arrived he said "and you told your friends reservations were at 8pm??" It's uncalled for and VERY rude. It was very rude of him to mention that especially since we arrived at 8 and the table was not even ready yet. We then proceeded to our table and ordered some drinks. Another 15 minutes in the host came by AGAIN and said "so 8pm reservations huh?" He was very condescending and by that time I was pretty pissed off and was ready to walk out. We were very courteous the entire time and expected to be treated the same in return. After we sat down the restaurant wasn't very busy and there were several empty tables so I don't understand why he had to give us an attitude every time he came by. There are plenty of other restaurants in the area with better service and I don't have to put up with the "rushy" and rude service and staff. I definitely won't be going back again.
(1)Mcslimj B.
Terrific upscale Campanian cuisine near Park Square marred by top-heavy wine list and weak bartending. Devra First's review of Da Vinci in yesterday's Globe reminded me I hadn't posted about this place yet. Fans of the chef/owner's work as the longtime exec at Waltham's La Campania (among which I enthusiastically counted myself) will certainly like the food here: he's doing essentially the same upscale Neapolitan food he did there. Easily the nicest-looking design job yet on this space (fka Grillfish and Piattini the second): warm, inviting, a little plush but not stiff, with very comfy lounge seating in the bar area. Sorry to say the $12 cocktails are terrible: they really need to hire more of a pro with the shaker if they're going to charge those prices. Food is mostly terrific: superb house-made pastas in particular, like a swoony short-rib ravioili with a sauerbraten-like sauce, wicked. Very fine arancini, salads (love that pear "carpaccio"), and grilled meats. Pretty desserts, but don't be fooled: the so-called souffle is just another molten-center chocolate cake, yawn. Solid service: chef Peppino seems to visit everyone's table at some point, a nice touch. The one thing that really irks me (and shocks me that Devra's review failed to mention it) is the wine list. It's heavily Italian (no problem there), but hugely tilted toward high-end bottles. I'd estimate that of 60 reds, only six are under $50, another 24 between $50-$100, fully half over $100. That's ridiculous, and a big crimp in my desire to return for anything but an occasion dinner. I can get good cocktails elsewhere nearby, but I need a few more affordable reds before I can consider making this place part of my regular fine-dining rotation.
(3)Kenny D.
Loved it it was our first time here we sat at the bar we started of with a ceased salad and fried calamari both were perfect then proceed to second course gnocchi Alforno you could tell a lot of love went in to this dish it was mouthwatering every last bite then for dessert we had the bartender make us chocolate. MArtinis I order this drink every where bit this one was the best Ive gotten in years can't wait to ce back next. Month with work .
(5)Sarah D.
Decent Italian restaurant in the South End, very close to Park Square and the Theatre District. Overall our experience was good, the food was great and they were very attentive. My friends and I went here for New Year's Eve so we had a fixed price menu. Everything was delicious from the bread with olive oil and garlic paste to the tiramisu for desert. The interior was elegant and comfortable but not a tremendous amount of Da Vinci related effects. Hopefully they'll add more information to their website soon, it's kind of basic right now.
(4)Annie K.
I would give this place a 3.5 stars. The ambiance was very nice and romantic The service was excellent--very pleasant I had the red sangria and it was very well made and delicious The reason the review is only 3.5 stars is because the food was not all that impressive. I had the butternut squash ravioli and my friend had the spinach gnocci. The ravioli was not very filled so you didn't really taste the filling at all--the nuts on top added very nice flavor though. But overall didn't really wow me. My friend liked the gnocci but wasn't impressed by it either. I guess we both just expected more out of this restaurant especially for the price--we just expected something to wow us more
(3)Mike M.
We had a bizarre, kind of awesome dinner at Da Vinci that seemed like it was out of some wacky date hidden camera show. First - the food - if you gave me my food from Da Vinci in a styrofoam takeout box and had me eat them in my car, they would get 5 stars. Hands down - loved it much more than Via Matta. It was deeeeelicious! Everyone ate up on every course and left feeling very contently full. Highlights were definitely the scallop appetizer, the fusilli bolognese (which I ordered "spicy" and had a really complex deliciousness to the sauce), and the apple crostata desert which was like an amazing puff pastry apple pie. Having Chef Peppino stop by the table at the end of the night also made us feel special and added a nice touch to the end of the evening. The other aspects made us feel like we were in an episode of Punk'd and Ashton Kutcher was going to run in any moment to tell us the joke. Let's see: - my friend ordered a bottle of red wine, the waiter brought a bottle of WHITE from a different year, then argued with my friend about which one he had selected - a really bizzare move like 5 minutes after sitting down. Then they were out of the wine he really chose - weird. - a waiter dropped a fork covered in chocolate on my friend's leg and just kind of looked at him, didn't apologize and scurried away - the light up menus were suprising and kind of gimmicky. It's not that dark in there! There is no light on the wine list! - the manager came over in the middle of our conversation to show off this other gadget they have as a wine stopper to prevent spilling your bottle - who has ever done that? It was like those miracle carpet cleaners where they test it on your new white carpet - either way it was kind of weird. - finally - and not really Da Vinci's fault - the fire alarm went off for like 10 minutes in the middle of our meal. That sound will haunt my dreams. Like a million babies screaming on an airplane. It is hard to salvage a dinner after that. Even in light of all those things which made us feel Punk'd, the food is really, really good. We all really liked it - if I went back again and none of those things happened, I would think it was a 5 star restaurant - as is, it gets four stars.
(4)Stephanie M.
Loved it and will be going back!
(4)Bob M.
Dishes my sound plain, but they are anything but. Truly outstanding preparation and sauces. With every bite of the mussels appetizer, i was startled by their taste. Without doubt, this is the best mussels dish I've every had. As for my entree, Orchietto, it was also outstanding ... a comment also expressed by my companions about their fish and pasta. My only disappointment was the wine list ... on the expensive side with too many mediocre wines. Had I not prepared ahead of time, I would likely have picked a wine which would have negatively affected the experience. I considered deducting a star for the wine list, but couldn't. The food was soooo good!
(5)Daniel P.
another restaurant week escapade. surpassed all my expectations. friend cheese appetizer had delicious sauce, couldn't get enough of it, the Bolognese pasta was cooked perfectly with home made pasta and the sauce again to die for, and the chocolate soufflé (first one i've ever had) was just the best ending to it all. also tried a rather interesting bottle of red wine. i thought you could only find good italian food on the north end in boston, but this is a little treat back bay has to offer. also, the menu is super cool and the back of it lit up when you opened it up! wait staff and host was great too.
(5)Greg K.
The short story: You will get food and service that is TOP NOTCH, but you will pay for it. At about $110 per person (incl. 20+% tip) for appetizers, dinner, drinks, bottle of wine and dessert - it was WELL WORTH IT. The longer story: Walk into Da Vinci and instantly fall in love with the room, the decor, the ambiance. Wonderful! Excited to get started. They started us off with some fresh bread and drinks. Already you could tell the service was going to be attentive, professional and enjoyable. Waiter (Spencer) was perfect. He offered up some Arancini Con Mozzarella on the house, just to try. It ROCKED and was a great gesture. I had the Beef Carpaccio appetizer and I absolutely enjoyed every bit of it. The little scoop of celery sorbet was a genius pairing. Very tasty dish and I highly recommend it. I had the pasta tasting for dinner. Rigatoni Bolognese was jaw-droppingly delicious, Masala Agnolatti was yet another amazing twist on a dish that clearly reflects Chef Peppino's heritage and creativity. Last on the plate was the Gnocchi Con Funghi - the gnocchi was cooked perfectly, but I did not like the sauce and flavor of the mushrooms... they weren't white-generic-button mushrooms, and I don't really care for the flavor of fancier types like cremini, etc... but if YOU do... I'm certain you'll enjoy it. Overall GREAT dish - I couldn't finish it all. We ordered a bottle of the La Spinetta, Barbera d'Asti "Ca' di Pian", which was spectacular with my meal. For dessert, I had the Peach Crostata and yet again: JAW DROPPINGLY DELICIOUS. As reported by many others, Chef Peppino came out and spent a few moments with us - it was mostly him saying "thank you, thank you, thank you" very graciously as we showered the poor guy with compliments. I am a bit of a restaurant snob. I am willing to pay a high price for a top-notch experience and Da Vinci did not disappoint at all. Some other reviews mention you can find just as good a meal in the north end for less money. If so, SOMEONE PLEASE MESSAGE ME, so I can try them out the next time we're there. Da Vinci is a must-do kind of restaurant. 5 stars from me.
(5)Kim R.
Another Hidden Jewel with GREAT FOOD & SUPERB SERVICE!! Drinks are wonderful the ambiance is again with that wonderful candle glow not a loud place but relaxing! Classy place and everything made to order....another favorite restaurant of mine! The menus light up so very kool...just perfection right down to the menus!!
(5)Cori K.
We went here on a Saturday night and it seemed pretty empty. The service was not on par with a restaurant in this price range. The server did not know the menu well and was not very attentive. The food was generally good. The arancini appetizer was tiny and not nearly as good as at other restaurants. The meals were pretty good although the butternut squash ravioli was very sweet - almost like a dessert. We did enjoy the spicy bolognese. Overall this restaurant is OK but there are better restaurants in this price range.
(3)Julie R.
I was very impressed with Da Vinci. I will certainly be back. I went for a "celebration" dinner on a Friday night with my boyfriend. The location was convenient and we were able to find street parking. Upon entering we were graciously greeted by many people. I had a feeling it would be a great dinner and it was. We started with the Pesce Miso which was smoked salmon, poached shrimp, and calamari served with a cucumber salad. This was fantastic. It was so fresh and light for a summer evening. For my entree I got the Filetto Di Manzo which is an aged beef tenderloin with chianti sauce, potato gateaux and baby spinach. This steak was amazing. It was perfectly cooked and I really think it was the best steak I've ever had in my life! I sampled some of my boyfriends Annatra alla Peppino (Crispy duck leg confit) It was great. He couldn't stop raving about it. The wine selection was great. The server was super nice. We were both complemented as soon as we were seated and checked on several times through the meal. The chef was making his way around the restaurant greeting tables and introducing himself. He didn't make it over to us but it was a nice touch to see him reaching out like that. The atmosphere is cool. Very modern with high ceilings and dark floors but yet still sophisticated with busts and cool art. The lounge area looks especially comfy with big plush chairs and chaises. There is a nice sized outdoor dining area in front too. See you again soon Da Vinci!
(5)R O.
Tried DaVinci's for the first time the other night. Wad pretty slow so no problem getting a table. Space is great, but a little bit cramped, would've loved to sit outside but denied by the rain. Wine selection was good, kinda limited by the glass. The menus are interesting when they light up when you open them, as for the selection, it was pretty good. We had the mussels, which were very good and Caesar salad which was good. For entrees we had the spinach ravioli which was awesome, very tasty, not too much sauce and quite filling. We also had the rigatoni bolognese which was really tasty, kind of a smoky flavor to it. Desserts looked good but we tapped out.. Out waiter, Chris was on point, attentive and had some good opinions on the food. We'll be going back.
(4)Jennifer P.
With an attractive old world decor, this was a nice find. The prices are probably a bit beyond what they deserve, but the salads and entrees were beautiful, diverse (some Indian-Italian fusion options), and tasty. The service was great and the bread delicious. My only complaint was with the desserts - the panna cotta was dense and overly sweet and the 20 minute wait for the souffle wasn't really worth it. If you're in the area and looking for Italian, I'd recommend giving it a try.
(4)Liz B.
Had an amazing dinner here last night... The ambiance was elegant but comfortable- nice, dim, ambient lighting would have made for a great date spot. My mom and I both had the $35, 3-course prix fixe menu, and thought the food was excellent and the value outstanding. Both the green salad with scallops and the mussels starters were phenomenal, and the fusilli main with sundried tomatoes, shrimp, and asparagus was to die for. (The cod main was also very good, but the least exciting to me of our dishes.) Our desserts were also both stand-outs; we had the chocolate souffle and the pear tarte. The chef-owner (Indian!) sent us a few freebie items/drinks in between courses, and came and chatted for a while- he's not only a talented chef, but a real sweetheart, too. Please check out his restaurant!
(5)Whitney K.
I went to Da Vinci with my boss and some clients. While I live in Boston, everyone else was from out of town, so they left it up to me to chose dinner reservations. Well I can't even count the number of times my clients and boss complimented me on my decision to come to Da Vinci. The service was superb. Our waiter was very attentive and had very thoughtful recommendations- especially for wine (we had an excellent Chianti). The chef even came out to introduce himself. The food was incredible- we had a number of appetizers, including the scallops salad, the mussels, arancini, etc. I had halibut for dinner and the dessert sampler. My food was excellent and everyone else had nothing but positive things to say about their meal. Thanks Da Vinci for a great meal and making me look good in front of my boss and clients!
(5)Bea B.
This was our second visit and we had a great experience both times. The food is very good and beautifully presented. The chef is extremely talented and creative but, happily, his food is not too "precious". The service was also excellent. Our waiter was spot on with his wine recommendations and the valet ran to a busier intersection to flag down a taxi. I highly recommend Da Vinci.
(4)Elisa T.
Mixed feelings about Da Vinci. Tried it out during Restaurant Week, so I got the 3-course, $33.10 deal, but they always have a 3-course, $35.00 deal...so you could really come here anytime and have an extensive meal at a good price. I started off with their "signature" arrancini, which was a very small appetizer so I wouldn't share it with another person. It was good, but I have had better arrancini before. Then, I had the raved about "pasta tasting" which included gnocchi pomodoro, spinach ravioli, and fusilli bolognese. This was a great "comfort food" dish for me because I love pasta, however none of the pastas really jumped out at me as being outstanding, as compared to pasta dishes I have had elsewhere. However, if you are going to order pasta off the menu, I think this is the dish to get because you get to try a few things....I couldn't imagine a whole plate of any of the three pastas I tried. For dessert, I ordered the apple crostata (which was an extra $3, read the upcharges!)....this was a great dessert because it was light and sweet, not heavy and too filling. The decor seems to try and give a Romanesque feel, which is fun. The menus light up when you open them, something I've never seen before and really liked because it's typically hard to read menus in restaurants with dimmed lights. There is valet parking for $16, or street parking if you can find any. Even though I was under-impressed by my food, my boyfriend was very pleased with what he ordered, and I must say, I tried his dishes and they were very good. So it's all about what you order here....it's definitely not one of those restaurants where I could say that I bet everything on the menu is just great....but it's worth a shot if you like Italian food and are looking to eat it in Boston outside of the North End.
(3)Teju P.
We met the owner Pepino at a BCAE class - he invited me and my friends over to his restaurant. The menu looked delicious, but we ended up with just drinks and dessert. I must say, you cannot go wrong with any of the dessert selection. It was so much fun to share and taste everyone's choices. The ambiance is very romantic and they even have a bar area. I highly recommend this place - Pepino has a lot of passion for italian food! He told us he is Italiano trained but of indian decent. Very interesting guy!!! Way better than any place in the North End.
(5)Mike L.
Horrible food!! And Serivce!! Me and my GF went here on Jan 28 2011 on "Date night" and we ordered a bottle of wine/apps/2 entrees =$120. The Mussles (Apps) were bad and unfortunately I/we didnt know it until eating 5-6 of them. (We had stomach pains all night and my GF VOMMITTED IN THE AM!)I told the waitress that they were bad (Smelled Fishy/Tasted Fishy); I use to be a Chef for a few resturants so its really easy to tell when shellfish is bad! when the waitress came back she just told me that the Chef says they are fresh; she didn't even take them off our bill. The entree came and it was fair at best. Then at around 10:50 the waitstaff was just staring at us to leave... I have lived in boston for 12+ years and I will never go here; especially since there is 30 other resturants in walking distance from here.
(1)A N.
Excellent food, nice ambiance, reasonable. Can't get better when comes to dining out.
(4)Mark W.
I'm a fan... The pasta dishs are excellent. Get the pasta tasting menu.
(4)Anissa K.
Started off the night with an organic salad which was decent, my husband had the scallop salad and it was delicious!! We shared the Artic Char and were thoroughly impressed. We encourage all to try this spot out!
(4)Julie T.
I came here and truly thought that the food was overall forgettable. We all came here as a group of 10 or so and didn't really get the friendly service that many have told me about. The food was a-ok, but nothing really wowed me that night. Maybe I came on a bad night or maybe there was just so many of us that they were like: "Ah, whatever", but regardless, I feel like it was whatever. I'm sure I'd return if someone REALLY wanted to go, but I don't think anyone else was wowed so I don't really think I will be returning.
(2)Katherine W.
We had dinner one recent Saturday night during a weekend visit. The reviews we had read led us to believe the food would be great , and the service good, though expensive. The setting is pleasant-rather dark, perhaps to enhance the experience of reading their LED-lit menu. I had a pasta medley and felt the 3 varieties presented were all very disappointing. The first, the tomato sauce could have been poured right out of a can, the second, a pumpkin ravioli , was too sweet with caramel coating, and third, a fungi gnocchi, was very bland but at least not too offensive as the first two. The garden salad was fair in portion. We were surprised that our server did not mention ahead of ordering that many of the desserts (souffles) would take extra prep time . Having brought that to our attention after we completed our entrees, she still did not return to take our dessert order for sometime. The chocolate souffle was nice. It was overall a disappointment unfortunately.
(2)Jared M.
Incredible meal. Went with some family friends for a special occasion. A couple of us (myself included) got the five-course Chef's Tasting Menu. It was excellent -- asparagus wrapped in cheese and prosciutto, the highly recommended pasta sampler, codfish, beef and a delicious chocolate souffle with vanilla ice cream for dessert. My only complaint is that the presentation was unoriginal and that it seemed like all of the sauces for all of the main courses looked/tasted the same. What struck me most about this place, however, was the amazing service. The waitstaff was incredibly attentive, Peppino checked on us several times and even sent out extra pasta dishes for the people dining with us during our five-course meal so that they didn't have to stare at us eating in between their salads and main courses. This place really did things the right way.
(5)Kimby K.
Love this place! I've been 4x in the last year, and we love it everytime. Wonderful food & service. The owner makes a point to walk around every time and make sure everyone's happy. Special place.
(5)Sean D.
The decor is a bit much and our waiter was not friendly, informative or engaging upon our arrival. My wife had a very good salad for starters, but her minestrone soup was not much different from a canned version. I had the pasta sampling and was severely disappointed with the gummy gnocchi and chewy, rather tasteless homemade pasta. The saving grace to the meal, was the dessert trio - well most of it. The chocolate souffle was outstanding, but the gelato was not. We will not be going back, maybe it was just the dishes we had. In Boston, there are other great Italian restaurants and feel no need to give this one a second chance.
(2)Meredith K.
ok the food and the chef are awesome! 5 stars for that.. martinis were tasty so 5 stars to the bar as well. decor and atmosphere are very nice. BUT 2 stars for service, which brings this review down to a 3. Why? UM if you advertise in the Boston Globe AND on the menu on the door of your restaurant that you are offering a $29 pre-fixe menu - don't bait and switch people and say oh well it's really $35 per person, not $29 even though we said it was in the globe and on the door right now. Now to me you honor the price that is on the door people open to walk into the restaurant! When the issue was raised with the waitress - she said the extra money goes to charity, but couldn't say which charity it went to. Then the manager comes over to explain that it's not to charity at all that it's $35 for the opentable "stimulus plan" that is happening this week. Not that it's a big difference in money, but if you offer a price on the door of your restaurant you shouldn't up the price when people sit down in your restaurant. Then refuse to honor the $29 price even when you confirm the newspaper and front door do say it's $29 - this detracts from the amazing work your chef is doing!
(3)Jenna D.
Been 3 times. Love it. The owner is a sweetheart and truly cares about quality ingredients.
(5)Dan S.
Had a wonderful dinner. The service from Spencer and his team was great. Well worth going to Da Vinci Ristorante
(5)Scott R.
One of the most satisfying meals we've had in quite a while. We'd heard good things about Da Vinci, and Yelp certainly had quite the positive spin on it, so we decided to give it a shot. It was definitely worth it! At a lot of restaurants that we've been to, the appetizers wind up being the best part of the meal - the chef obviously gets bored after thinking up crazy starters. Not at Da Vinci. That's not to say that the appetizers were bad - they were delicious. We had the arancini and the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, both of which were great. But - the entrees were spectacular. I had the pasta sampler, which consisted of the gnocchi pomodoro, spinach ravioli, and fettuccine bolognese, and my wife had a whole portion of the fettuccine. Everything was fantastic, but the fettuccine was absolutely outstanding. The pasta was cooked to al dente perfection, the sauce was hearty but not overpowering, and it just hit the spot. Then we had a marvelously light and flavorful chocolate mousse for dessert. It's always nice when restaurants exceed expectations, and this one certainly did. I don't give 5 stars lightly, and this place earned it. An especially nice touch was the fact that the executive chef came out and walked around the dining room greeting every table, introducing himself, and talking about the food. I like that. Go here and eat - you won't regret it.
(5)Jolene W.
I went to Da Vinci on a Friday night at 8 with no reservations and sat down right away (which was great for a friday night, probably not as great for the restaurant). We had been here before and once again we had a great meal. Both of our fish dishes were cooked perfectly with perfect sides to accompany the flavors. Service was great, atmosphere was quiet and enjoyable as well.
(4)laury g.
Amazing! Did the 3 course prix fix with my husband....everything tasted so great! I had the pumpkin soup (currently craving more) bolognese and the apple Crostata. My husband had the arancini, bolognese and chocolate souflee. We loved all of it....get the bolognese spicy! Had great wine, great service and topped it off with a nutty Irishmen! If I ever go back to Boston, this place is on my list of places to go back to,
(5)Lissa X.
Despite our server was nice but surely not the best, the whole experience in general was wonderful. The food is amazing and I love the interior.
(5)William R.
I went here for Valentines Day with the girlfriend and had some amazing food. I would definitely recommend everyone giving it a shot and I will be going back soon!
(5)Christian H.
The chef is super friendly. The food that I had (the Pasta Sampler) was delicious. The place is pretty pricey and it was DEAD. It actually was a little alarming. I'm not sure WHY it was dead, because it was a pretty positive experience. The staff was capable and friendly and we had several delicious desserts shared among everyone at my table. Honestly the only drawback was the price -- but if you want to splurge, go for it. This is the perfect kind of place to do it. The renovation to the space turned out really beautifully as well. They did a wonderful job.
(4)Lindsey B.
Okay, so I am picky about my italian food and food in general! We had gone during restaurant week and had a great meal, so we decided to return with our phantom gourmet gift cards. We were seated in the middle of the restaurant (only downside is they don't have many cozy tables for 2), but they didn't seat anyone next to us. We started with the warm tomato and goat cheese salad and it was so good!! Also got the octopus salad, which was great as well. My fiance got the duck and I luckily had the swordfish. The waitress first said they didn't have any more, but she ran to the kitchen and secured me the last piece!! That was amazing. We also had some great glasses of wine (I had ordered my 2nd glass before dinner came out), dinner came out and no wine. I like my wine with dinner. Another waiter noticed, got the wine, and came back halfway through the meal and filled our glasses to the top! That is good service! We got the chocolate souffle for dessert and it was great as well...can't say enough about the food and service. Just be sure your phantom cards are the black ones. Ours were purple, no longer accepted, so we couldn't use them. The manager was apologetic and told us we just need to contact the company and they will replace them. We did and it was fine...just a more $$ dinner than we planned on, but so worth it. They also have a great bar area...
(5)Meghan H.
Quite possibly my best Restaurant Week experience yet! Da Vinci offers their entire menu for Restaurant Week. Amazing! There are up-charges on a handful of items, but they are reasonable, and if you want to stick to the $33.10 price tag, there are still a ton of options. My choices were: Squash blossom for primi, the pasta taster for the secondi, and and the chocolate souffle for dessert. The squash blossom was so tasty - ricotta cheese filling on a bed of polenta - and so unique. The pasta taster allowed me to avoid really making a choice, which I always appreciate when it comes to food. (As a side note, while all three of the pastas were delicious, the Gnocchi al funghi really took home the prize. So good!) The souffle was also really good, but the only low-light of the meal came in this course - the "gelato" that the souffle (and a few other dishes) is served with is actually plain old ice cream. Given how legit Da Vinci was otherwise, I was surprised and disappointed about this, but I didn't have room to eat it anyway. My boyfriend got: mango bufala mozzarella for primi, the tagliatelle for secondi, and the mango panna cotta for dessert. He heartily endorses all of his selections, as well, although we ended up trading dessert choices and being happier. There is also a very nice wine list that offers a range of price options, but you can still get a good bottle of wine in the $30 range. Coolest unique trait of Da Vinci: the menus are backlit, so you can read them in the low lighting of the restaurant. Also, major props to the entirety of their waitstaff. Our waiter was great, but not hover-y. He took great care in describing our dishes as they were presented and gave excellent suggestions when we were torn on what to order. At one point, another waiter happened to be walking by very shortly after I had emptied my wine glass and he stopped to refill it for me, which was really appreciated because I'm often torn between wanting my wine and wanting to do the appropriate thing and wait to have it served. Wine served, etiquette dilemma gone! I strongly recommend Da Vinci, especially during Restaurant Week. If you can't make it during Restaurant Week, try to make it during their regular prix fixe menu times. Such a great deal for a high quality place!
(5)Tracy C.
I had been here many years ago for restaurant week and had a good experience but for some reason hadn't been back even though the restaurant is fairly close to me. Then I stumbled upon a LivingSocial deal for 5 courses with wine pairings so decided to finally go back. Great decision. First, it was a great deal - $95/person for full servings and full pours. (The server commented there was another deal out there for $105 which is still a great deal IMO.) It sounds like the courses are chef's choice but our server said they try to customize based on your likes/dislikes or anything you definitely want to try on the menu (I specifically asked to try the pumpkin ravioli) . To summarize: 1st course-1 aracini, 1 healthy serving of mozz and tomato (prosecco), 2nd-swordfish with rice wine vinegar sauce and side salad of argula, corn, tomato, etc. (sauv. blanc), 3rd-small serving each of gnocchi bolognese and pumpkin ravioli with cream sauce (chianti), 4th-filet with potato cake and wilted spinach (cab), 5th-mini choc souffle with vanilla bean ice cream (moscato). Everything was fantastic, the service was great and Chef Peppino comes over to check on your table personally. When we were walking out he came and talked to us and we commented how full we were, especially since some tastings can be skimpy. He said he doesn't believe in someone coming for a tasting and then going home to their refrigerator. Well said! I would definitely go back. The stars were the arancini, the bolognese and the filet but everything was delicious (e.g. I am not a fish fan but ate most of my swordfish because it was that good.) I'm sure it helped because we were getting a "deal" but I still would try it again without.
(5)Nina G.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Boston now! My hubby and I were there to celebrate our Anniversary and we were so impressed with everything. The restaurant is in a great location close to the Boston Common. There are plenty of parking spots close by but may be difficult to find an unoccupied one. They have a great valet service. The service was five star from start to finish, each staff member was wonderful and very pleasant. They menu is remarkable and unique. The fresh bread and white bean dip that arrives at the table just melts in your mouth. The arancini and mussels were delectable. Our second course was even better. The Masala Ravioli was the best pasta dish I've ever had and the haddock on the risotto cake was truly sublime! The chef is a friendly fellow who visits each table and you can taste the pride in his food, it's superb! Don't miss the chocolate souffle, it's divine. Da Vinci is worthy of 6 stars.
(5)Molly K.
We came on a Thursday night and the place was not super busy. Service was good they were patient with us as we got busy talking rather than checking out the menu. The menus have lights in them when you open them which is super cool & a neat concept. The hummus dip that came with the bread was very good with a nice tang. We did the 3 course offering for $39 - size was the same but there were up charges on expensive options which seemed fair. I just was not that excited about the food. My husband got the 3 pastas and the gnocchi was awful not fluffy @ all. Veal chop was excellent but had too much sauce on the sides. Chocolate souffle was serviceable but not amazing. It was solid decent food but for the prices I was expecting more.
(2)Ken K.
Absolutely fabulous restaurant! My wife selected this place for our Saturday night dinner. I had never heard of it before but after a little research I saw that the owner/chef was the head chef at La Campania in Waltham which I had heard from various friends was amazing. We both ordered the 3-course meal, with my wife having the Mussels and Lamb Chop and I had the crab cakes, duck and the chocolate soufflé. The food was amazing. The lamb chop was tender and delicious while my duck was perfect. The chocolate soufflé was to die for. Everything about the dining experience was first rate. Our waiter was very friendly and very attentive to our 21 month old son and the chef even came by our table with some ice cream for him. Our favorite restaurants in Boston have always been Mistral and Radius (and Abe and Louie's and a few North End spots) but Da Vinci's has joined that list.
(5)Mark H.
I've lived around the corner from this place forever and finally decided to try it. I've walked by there a few times and not seen anyone in there so I assumed it wasn't good -- wrong assumption! Very pleasantly surprised. Went on a Saturday night, and the place was pretty packed. When we went in, the hostess offered to take our coats which was a nice touch. Also clever -- the menus light up when you open them. I have probably been to about 1000 restaurants in my life and have never seen this before. I'll let you decide whether you think this is cheesy or cool -- I thought it was cool. Small but decent wine list with some reasonably priced stuff. I had the Osso Bucco with a Caesar salad to start. The Caesar was great, although it came with a deep-fried poached egg, which tasted ok, but it was a bizarre combo with the caesar. Oh well, at least now I've had a deep fried poached egg. The Osso Bucco was fantastic. It was made with pork instead of veal, which worked perfectly well, and came with an awesome saffron risotto with peas in it. The sauce it was in was fantastic -- dark wine sauce type of thing with some sweetness to it. The only thing I didn't like is that it came with broccoli rabe, which is absolutely vile stuff, but that's not their fault -- I should have remembered I hated broccoli rabe. The girl got the pasta sampler, which is an awesome idea that more restaurants should try. She loved all 3 pastas. Our waitress was attentive and friendly, and seemed genuinely interested in making sure we enjoyed ourselves. All in all a great meal at a very interesting place. I'll be back.
(4)Tiffany C.
tasty food. went here for RW last week. super tasty drinks! not so tasty drink prices...but that's to be expected. my personal drink recommendation- the huckleberry lemonade, light and refreshing! had the fish (i forget what kind) in a garlic risotto with asparagus- mm mmm good.
(4)Cheryl M.
Really great deal with the fixed price menu during the week. I am definitely an Italian Food Snob, and this was one of the best meals I've had out lately. Service was a bit slow, but the food was so good it didn't matter. Mussels appetizer was so good I could drink the rest of the broth right out of the bowl. I got the pasta sampler for my main course, which was really good, although now thinking back, I should have tried something else more fancy! My boyfriend got swordfish I think and it was really really good. And Peppino the chef/owner is amazing! Really nice guy and very friendly.
(5)Brittney A.
I was debating between 2 and 3 but since we can't do halves I went with 2. This is because after reading all the review everything people raved about let us down. First off, while we waited 30 minutes for our table having a reservation, we got a drink at the bar. I understand the bar tender is busy because there was only 1 at the bar but when I ask for a glass of wine and I don't get it because by the time I get it the table is ready that's a problem. Next, the menus which are suppose to be this great thing because they light up are a heavy and huge pain in the rear. They are big awkward and almost to bright for such a dark restaurant. Great idea though but really they are at least 3 lbs and 2 feet tall. What also made up upset, was the service. Others say they had great service but please please when we sit down take our drink order!! We waited 15 minutes just to put in a cocktail order. We had to ask for the bread and it wasn't given to us til after we had our appetizers. Sadly the break was cold... literally cold like it was in the fridge. To go back to the appetizers, I hope yours not hungry when you order them. The portions for them were small, very small. We got the asparagus in prosciutto, very good though, but they was only 2 of them. As there was only 2 caprese, for a table of 6 that is not enough which when we asked the waiter he said it was. We literally each got a taste of each. Our meals were good, some were better then other, the sirloin was good along with the tenderloin. The chicken was nothing to write home about and the gnocchi was good but nothing stood out about it. All and all decent food but very much a disappointment because of all the other great yelp reviews.
(2)Vivek S.
We decided to splurge a little bit before the arrival of our first baby and after some research, zoned in on La Campania and Da Vinci. Couldn't get a table at the former and hence chose the latter. Also figured that the reputation La Campania had earned over the years was due to chef Peppino who now runs Da Vinci. The food here was fantastic. The Arancini con mozarella was very yummy and the phyllo cup was a perfect accompaniment. The buffalo mozarella was also very tasty. I had the Il Volano wine which was prefect with the meal - just a tinge fruity and light unlike chianti. We ordered the pasta tasting and gnocchi for main course. The gnocchi was very tasty but a very one note dish. Perhaps a little more sauce could have livened it up. But I still think Trattoria Toscana's gnocchi is the best I've ever eaten. The butternut agnolotti was definitely the best thing we ate that night - sweet, savory and very refined. Finally, we got the souffle and tiramisu gelato. The souffle was out of this world, fantastic! It was so light that I could have had another one by myself. The gelato was good but not that interesting after a few spoons. The service was very good and chef Peppino typically seems to come over to each table after dinner to get a feel of your experience. Overall, a wonderful dinner and money/time well spent!
(5)Paul L.
My wife and I have eaten at Da Vinci on average about 3 times a month for the last year.Yes! It's that good! We have been to some great restaurants in Boston but we always return to Da Vinci for the unique combination of exemplary cooking, wonderful ambience and tremendous service. Chef Peppino creates unbelievable flavors and a style of Italian cooking that is not available anywhere else in Boston. The arancini is amazing, my wife loves the spinach gnocchi, the chocolate soufflé is incredible and, as for the Marsala Ravioli words cannot describe the wonderful 'India meets Italy' sensation! If you go Mon -Thurs the 3 course a la carte meal costs only $39, which must surely be the best value in Boston. It's always amazing to see the restaurant packed during Restaurant week and comparatively quiet in other weeks when it's only $6 more. Writing this has just made me book for Saturday evening - a great restaurant! Oh, and enjoy the only illuminated menus in Boston!
(5)Melissa L.
I've been to this restaurant several times and had good food so when planning my friends birthday we decided on Da Vinci when she said she wanted Italian. It was a disappointment. The food was good but the service was lousy and even worse they have NO CLUE how to handle a large crowd. I was in email contact when planning this event and even narrowed down the menu to simplify the process and NOT ONCE did they mention that their system is lacking and can not charge a few cards without creating chaos. They had to split it into different checks and on top of that they asked us for more money because when they split the bill they included too many items. Which didn't make sense to me when we already paid the mandatory 20% gratuity and then some to even out the bill. When mentioned that we NEVER had an issue when we dined elsewhere they said fine...we'll eat the cost of $5.88. Unbelievable. Then when we were leaving, my friend who was waiting for her husband holding her baby was stopped and told we short the bill. Which is appalling when we double checked serval times and it turns out they didn't know how to add and she had to put down her baby and recalculate for them and turns out we actually over paid the bill. Seriously disappointed. Terrible customer service and ruined the mood for my friends birthday.
(3)Jamia G.
My husband and I had the most incredible dinner at Da Vinci last night. Feeling adventurous, we opted for the 5-course Chef's Tasting -- fantastic choice! Everything that came out of the kitchen was more delicious than the course before . . . and Peppino -- the Executive Chef (and one of the owners) was so generous with his time . . . accompanying each dish and describing it to us in detail. The finale was an incredible chocolate soufflé accompanied by homemade vanilla gelato. INSANELY GOOD. Peppino even brought us a glass of dessert wine to go with it. I wouldn't change a thing about the food or the service. The best night out we've had in ages and worth every penny.
(5)Melissa N.
I came with three friends for restaurant week last year, and it was AWESOME. Reasonable valet price, nice atmosphere, sat quickly, and we all loved our meals. I was so pleased to see that they have a $35 fixed menu all year long, so it's like restaurant week all the time! I started with the caesar salad with a fried poached egg. I was skeptical at first, but it was unreal. It immediately made my top 5 caesar salad list. All four of us had different pasta dishes, and all were delicious. I had pappardelle boscaiola (wild mushrooms, white truffle oil, parmesean cheese), and the ingredients complemented each other perfectly. Another friend had the butternut squash aglonotti, which was the perfect blend of sweet and savory. We all got the chocolate souffle for dessert, which was definitely worth the 20 minute baking time. HIGHLY recommended if you want a great Italian meal!
(5)David H.
My wife & I had dinner at Da Vinci last evening, after not having been there for several years. We ordered off of the $35 fixed price menu and found the ambience, service, and food to be thoroughly enjoyable. The room is a bit more intimate than Via Matta, (which is down the street and an all-time favorite), the self-lit menus are a cool touch, and service is impeccable. Our two 'primi' were both warm - a very refined, delicate arancini and a 'Panzerotti egg & Sausage', which was a deep fried poached egg surrounded with small amounts of meat in a batter. Both were outstanding. Our entrees consisted of a pork osso bucco (very tasty and not as rich as the traditional veal), and a pasting tasting plate (spinach gnocchi, rigatoni Bolognese, and squash raviolis). I have to say that while delicious, the pasta plate seemed a bit overpriced at $30 if ordered a la carte. I also must say that I am a a real risotto snob, and that the saffron risotto served with the pork was the Real Deal. Dessert consisted of a chocolate souffle (traditional, excellent), and a 'Sugar Cane Rice Pudding', which is something of a misnomer. There is a bit of rice in the mix somewhere, but the overall impression is a bit like one of those fancy items you'd see on Bourdain's show at a molecular gastronomy joint. Creme brulee-like glaze over toasted almonds, with a dollop of vanilla gelato on the side. Good, but unexpected. The wine list is fairly deep in Italian regionals. We had an excellent modestly-priced Pinot from Venice - didn't even know they were produced in that region. We'll be back, but given the value we'll probably stick with the fixed price menu.
(4)Melissa M.
We came by for a quick drink before finding a place to eat dinner. We ended up staying for four hours, while sitting at the bar, being treated like royalty and we ate some of the best dishes we've ever eaten IN OUR LIVES! Let me set the scene for you fine readers. Night. November. Very cold. Probably the first really really really quick let's sprint from the car to the restaurant because it's freaking freezing out kinda night. I had heard about Da Vinci Ristorante for about 2 years now. I remember reading an article in the Boston Globe about a chef of Indian descent who goes by the name, Peppino and cooks Italian cuisine. I also remember reading that the restaurant was co-owned by a woman named Wioletta, of Polish descent. Well, I'm a quarter Polish, the fiance is half Italian and we love to eat. I've always wanted to try Da Vinci, but sadly, my life has never led me to this place. Until that fateful night. We get a parking space about a half block away. We walk in the beautiful restaurant and are promptly greeted. We ask if we could sit at the bar and were kindly led to their great bar. We met the bartender, named Cengis -- who was the GREATEST bartender I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. He made my fiance a negroni and I had a glass of Nero d'Avola. It was a hearty pour and it was straight up comfort to my freezing bones. I was looking around the restaurant for Peppino, but I couldn't find him. I told Cengis that I was hoping he'd be in the restaurant that night and Cengis assured me that he would. He did not lie. About 10 minutes later in comes Peppino, just as I pictured. Tall, dark, and handsome! He has the most lovely personality and accent. He was so genuinely happy to see people enjoying his food. He got to work in the kitchen and came by to personally see how the food was. It was just like Peppino, PEFECT. I'll get to that now.... I was getting hungry and we looked at their menu. Would you believe they offer a 3 course menu for $33.09? Well, they do! YEAR ROUND!! You can sit at the table, or just sit at the bar. We have been back twice now and enjoy Da Vinci very much! We opted for their wonderful pasta tasting as an appetizer. It's very affordable and it comes with butternut squash agnolotti which is stuffed with Amaretto biscotti butternut squash and finished with a brown butter sage sauce. This is what I got for my meal on our second visit. The other pastas that come with the tasting are gnocchi pomodoro, ravioli short ribs, and fusilli bologonese. AMAZING!!! Then, for our meal I decided to get the 3 course dinner. I had the most uplifting and comforting bowl of pumpkin soup with Carribean potatoes, carrots, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. I want to swim in this stuff. DELICIOUS! My fiance got the crab cakes the other night, but the night of our first visit he got -- okay, I don't remember as I was so happy to be eating at Da Vinci and eating some great soup. I think he got the beef carpaccio and I'm almost positive he did. He said it was great. For our main courses, I got the pork shank. I never ever ever will order meat unless I am at a steak place but this meat spoke to me as it came with a juniper berry sauce. So delighful. It was accompanied with saffron risotto and broccoli rabe. The port wine apple juniper berry sauce was the icing on the cake, or the finish on the shank, if you will. I want to bathe in it!! My fiance chose the rack of lamb which is grilled and served with saffron risotto and sauteed asparagus and finished with veal demi glaze peppercorn sauce. And, for dessert I chose the crostata which takes about 15-18 minutes to bake and comes with fruit and a little ice cream. Absolutely. Fabulous. My fiance got the pumpkin spiced creme brulee, which is served with a homemade pumpkin cookie. You would think for all this food, we'd have to win the lottery to pay for it. No. You'd be wrong. Da Vinci is so affordable and the food is so delicious, awe-inspiring, homemade quality that you will just feel happy and full after eating here! Whew! Well, when we went back the other night, we were once again treated like royalty. Wioletta was working the door and she sat us in the dining room. She asked if we had been to Da Vinci before and when I enthusiastically answered, "YES!! We have!!", she smiled and the wait staff who previously chatted with us at the bar on our last visit all came by to say hi and tell us how great it was to see us. She sat us by their open kitchen. I love the open kitchen, you get to see all the action! Peppino was working and saw us and smiled and sent over an amuse bouche of mozzarella arancini. It was perfect. Peppino is perfect. Perfect is Da Vinci. I will come here forever now, and you should, too. This is my favorite place in Massachusetts.
(5)N B.
Love it here! Nice Ambience, food is really good, and always consistent in taste,, Butternut squash ravioli YUM!
(5)AJ M.
What a beautifully decorated environment and great service. Dessert tasting is a must!
(5)Tina M.
The restaraunt is fairly small and so to get a good time you need to make your reservation a good two weeks out. We got here a bit early and enjoyed a drink at the bar before checking in with the hostess. We ordered from a large menu at a set price. I was immediately intrigues by the 'glow-in-the-dark-menus' LOVE IT! I was one of 'those people' who kept opening and closing mine! The menu options were great and the portions full size. I had the mussel appitizer which was easily enough for two people. Then I had the salmon entree which had the most wonderful sauce. The food has some indian flavors with a modern flair. For dessert I ordered the chocolate souffle (while normally I am not a ig fan of chocolate this came so highly recommended I had to try). I finished off the whole thing! Overall the atmosphere was a bit loud with romantic lighting and very good (but not excellent) service. The chef made rounds in the dining room to see how the patrons were enjoying food. A nice touch.
(4)Mike G.
i like my meat bone-in. and the veal chop here is pretty darn good. but i woke up hungry for pork and recalled it being on the menu. my anticipated first bite of the roasted chop was...where's the pork(taste)! it was just one salty mess. i asked and was told by kitchen that the meat had been (over)brined. a few minutes later, chef Peppino came over to chat and i told him that my dinner was, well.....un-porky. chef said he welcomed feedbacks as it can only improve the kitchen then returned with a plate of assorted desserts for the table. nice save chef!
(3)Rick P.
Nice Italian place with a little bit of an Indian twist. My chicken dish was incredible tender, very flavorful. My wife loved her Caesar salad. She'd probably give this place 5 stars.
(4)Emily P.
I went there yesterday with a friend from NYC and he was pleased (scored!). I hate having kitchen smells on me, so I usually try to stay away from my chef. We were seated right by the open-kitchen but it was actually not too bad. The atmosphere is cozy and staff are really awesome. Chef is very sweet and last night he came to speak with each table in the restaurant. Food and wine are both good and definitely try Soufflé Al Cioccolato. It is just evilly amazing.
(4)Matt I.
If I could, I'd give four and a half stars. The entrees were five-star quality, but the appetizers and desserts weren't *quite* as good, and the service was slow. That said, the staff was friendly and helpful when they were at our table, and the co-owner/executive chef came by to chat and gave us some free dessert wine. There was also an issue with a third-party gift card which I think they could have handled better. We had a Phantom Gourmet gift card we wanted to use there. Just FYI, if you have one of their 'purple' gift cards from a few years back -- which say they are good for seven years! -- you have to exchange it for a newer 'black' card for most restaurants to take it now. I'd called the number on the back to make sure it was still good, but that automated system didn't mention anything about this problem. The *right* way to handle that would be to have some manual way for the restaurant to call in and get reimbursed, rather than rejecting the gift card. But I digress. Like I mentioned before, service was slow. Our waitress was friendly, and informative, and knew all about the menu and wines (and brought me samples of a couple different by-the-glass reds), but she seemed spread thin. They did bring us bread and water immediately after we were seated. Apps came reasonably fast once we had ordered, but the entrees and desserts took longer than expected. We ordered dessert with everything else, because they warn on the menu that several of the dessert items take 10-20 minutes to prepare. The runner that cleared the entree plates said something like "dessert will be right out", but then we sat there for another 15 minutes before they brought it out. What we got was hot; I'm guessing here was some mixup in the kitchen and they hadn't actually made it in advance. Appetizers were good but not exceptional. I got the 'pomodoro e mozzarella burrata' (i.e. caprese salad). Solid. Ingredients were very fresh. Had flash fried basil on top, which adds some texture. (Seen that done in a few places.) L. got the golden beet salad with goat cheese, pine nuts, micro greens, and some kind of vinegar dressing. She liked it, but thought the dressing could have been better. The entrees, however, blew us away. The waitress talked L. into ordering the pork tenderloin special, which had a gorgonzola-fig sauce and came with roasted potatoes and brocolli rabe. She LOVED it, which is especially surprising since she normally doesn't eat a lot of pork. The meat was moist and tender, and the sauce was amazing. The waitress said it used to be on the regular menu, but now it just shows up occasionally as a special. I got the spicy version of the fusilli bolognese. This was spectacular -- one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had, if not the best. The pasta is made in-house, and we both agreed that the only adjective to adequately describe it was "perfect". The bolognese was well-balanced, flavorful, and had just a hint of heat to it without it being overwhelming or throwing off the flavors. L. commented that she never had pasta that good when she visited Italy. Our waitress then showed up with two glasses of dessert wine, 'compliments of the chef'. I don't normally order dessert wine, but I'm not going to turn it down when it's free. For dessert we split the sampler, which came with a molten chocolate cake, pear crostada, and gelato (vanilla, cappuccino chip, and ginger), and was garnished with some fresh berries on the plate. These were good across the board. After dinner the chef came out and chatted with us (and several other tables) for a few minutes. Turns out he's Indian by way of Germany, and first learned Italian cooking from an expat Italian family in Germany. Interesting guy, even if he's a little hard to understand. :-)
(4)Allison S.
Came here for Restaurant Week and was sure as hell not disappointed! Appetizer: The mussels. They were fabulous, and the broth at the bottom of the bowl was perfect for dipping my bread in. I also tried the arancini, which I would think about getting the next time I visit. Entree: The bolognese (non spicy). I've heard nothing but stellar reviews about Da Vinci's bolognese, and I completely agree. I also was able to try some of the gnocci from the pasta sampler (which I think is a great thing to have on a menu as an entree) and that was also delicious. Dessert: Chocolate souffle. Careful, it's hot! It's basically chocolate molten lava cake in a souffle dish. I wish I could have eaten more of it, but I was so full from everything else that I was going to start popping buttons if I continued. It came with vanilla ice cream in a small bowl next to the souffle dish and that helped cool the chocolate lava in my mouth and add to the richness and flavor. What put it over the edge for the 5 stars? Every person who ate at Da Vinci's that night got a small green package. I was dying to know what was in this package, and it turns out that it was a $10 gift certificate to come back with a homemade chocolate chip cookie. Seriously? Da Vinci, you have my heart!!!
(5)Michael P.
Yep, I am fan. This is a good restaurant. I had the chance to go here with my girlfriend during restaurant week and we enjoyed the food, mostly. It wasn't the kind of blown away, out of this world food that you will feel led to believe when you look at the great italian decor, fancy light-up menus, and the big drink list. The food is good but for the price you can find much better restaurants. My girlfriend ordered the pasta sampler; and I assumed to her that it would not be anything special, it wasn't. Basic dish that was uninventive. Had a chance to meet the Chef and he is a great guy with some great dishes, unfortunately not all are so great. I ordered the braised short ribs, which they are known for, and that was great, that dish alone is worth the 4 stars, but that execution doesn't quite translate to the other dishes on the menu. The decor was fun and unique and it certainly gets you excited. The staff is very friendly with great service, no problems with that. Overall: I ordered the mussels app and the short-ribs, both were pretty great - it's all about what you order here. The drinks were so-so. Check it out if you find ourself wanting to leave the Northend, otherwise, stay where the Italians are.
(3)Angela G.
I'll keep this brief - I held my rehearsal dinner at DaVinci, and four of 35 guests became ill the night before my wedding, and remained so through the day of my wedding. The guests that became ill had not eaten together (or even separately but at the same restaurant) prior to taking ill, which indicates that the problem originate at Da Vinci. One of the four guests was my mother, who is featured in a total of 1 photograph from my entire wedding. I'm lucky she made it at all. I spent a fair amount of my honeymoon in Europe being completely distressed about this, and communicating with management about it. They concluded that the food had been purchased fresh, and they followed their food safety procedures, so they were not willing to offer me anything except an invitation to return, with my mother (was that meant to be a sick joke???). We spent a total of $3,500 on the dinner, once tax and tip were included, and they weren't willing to refund anything. I pointed out that the guests were also not able to eat the food at the wedding that we had paid for, but they were absolutely steadfast that they would not compensate me for the problem they caused. (Not that it would change the horrible memories I have of my wedding day from this.) If you are looking for a group dining establishment, please don't go here. If you want to risk your own health, feel free, but absolutely don't put your friends or family in harms way by taking them to this establishment. (PS - the only other vendor that provided something that wasn't completely perfect relating to my wedding reimbursed me 100% without my even asking.) Oh, they also asked me to mention in my review that the service was really great, and I had a great time. (Not a joke.)
(1)Erik D.
I am known amongst my friends for my dislike of American Italian cuisine. I can't stand most of the north end restaurant with the exception of the now defunct Trattoria a Scalinatella that had the most authentic Italian food this side of the pond IMHO. In any case, coming in, I expected another disney-style italian restaurant but I was wrong. Da Vinci is actually a gem. The ambiance is classy but not stuffy, the wait staff is great and the food is really quite good. Think Davio's but a little cheaper and without the soliti sospetti (usual suspects) at the bar, pestering the bartenders and with better food. I had the 'pomodoro e mozzarella di bufala' as an appetizer and it was like eating little clouds. The pasta tasting with squash ravioli, bolognese fusilli and gnoccis was a really nice portion and very very good. The only think I wasn't a fan of was the wine. I had a $15 glass of Spinetta was not worth the money and not really all that good. I'd try it out during the week and get the three course meal for $33, that seems to be a good deal. Our meal, sharing an appetizer, with 2 entrées, one sangria and a $15 glass of wine was $100.
(4)Sheila B.
So I went hear last week and I was under impressed by food but I suppose I need to try it again. I ended up ordering a pasta dish with 3 different types of pasta fusili wiht pesto, gnocchi with mozzarella nd tomatoe, and spinach ravoli. The tasting menu normally comes with fusili with a bolognese but I do not eat beef so they substituted. I did not get an appetizer, which I am sort of bummed because I am sure I would have loved the scallop salad. My friend got the artic char with risotto which again was ok, but not amazing. I just expected a bit more as far as flavors, I was comparing this place to some of the North end's finest i.e. Lucca, Bricco, Mama Maria, or even Prezza, unfortunately I was underwhelmed. They do always have a 3-course, $35.00 deal, which I will have to give another try at some other night. I think it's a great idea given the economy to offer that so A+ for that ! The ambiance is really nice and the patio also is really cute, the menu even lights up because the place is dim lit! The wine list was also pretty reasonable and they offered to help for pairing our meals which was nice. Overall I thought this was mediocre but would definitely try it once more to see if my opinion will improve.
(3)Andrew D.
We received gift certificates as a present recently and so we bundled up and headed into the city. We circled the block and found a great parking space .... that we later found out was residential parking and we rec'd a $40 parking ticket. So I reco the valet service or parking in a lot (there are three a very short walk away). We walked in and since we were early we were escorted to the bar and at 9pm were seated at a cozy table for two. We were treated like royalty over the next couple of hours. Our bar tab was transferred over from the bar and we ordered a bottle of Da Vinci red from 2003 that was recommended to us by Michael. We each ordered an appetizer (bufffalo mozzarella & beef carpaccio ) - both great. Then at the urging of our host we split the pasta sampler (3 types - gnocchi, pasta bolognese and butternut squash ravioli - each better than the next). For entrees we had the lamb and salmon and neither disappointed. For dessert (and don't ask us how we had the room for it) we had the sampler which had amazing flan, vanilla gelato and pumpkin creme brulee among others. When we were done the head chef came by and introduced himself. Everything was so great that we decided to hold onto the gift cards so it would force us to make the long trek back into the city again.
(5)Caitlin C.
I came here for the Park Square Park Place Dine Around a couple nights ago. My friend won tickets, but unfortunately couldn't attend, so I went in her place. This was our second stop of the evening and to be honest, we'd never even heard of Da Vinci despite living in Boston for the past 6 years. We were pleasantly surprised. The decor is very romantic, with low lighting, and it'd be an excellent place to bring a date. I decided to go with the squash blossom filled with ricotta and served over a gorgonzola polenta. I'd always wanted to try zucchini blossoms, so this was a treat. It was delicately fried and very tasty. The polenta was a bit unexciting (but really when is polenta exciting?) and it had some tomato confit thing going on (didn't really like that). I paired it with a glass of Sangiovese. Jess had the grapefruit salad with fava beans, which she was satisfied with. Our server was quite pleasant, but a bit scattered.
(4)Christine G.
Enjoyed a great dinner here on saturday with my cousin, his wife and my boyfriend. The restaurant is very pretty with a warm ambiance. The service was amazing. The hostess greeted us right away and we were seated with no wait. The chef/owner was up and about greeting all of the diners. He came to our table and was incredibly warm. For apps I had the prosciutto with asparagus which was wonderful. I tasted my bf's mussels which were very fresh and tasteful. As an entree I had the cod which was cooked perfectly but i did not enjoy the sauce that accompanied it too much. My bf had the rack of lamb which was delicious. They also have a great wine list of mainly italian wines. We were drinking a merlot/syrah blend which was amazing. The food was great but the service was spectacular. The place was not very crowded for a saturday night. If you're in the back bay area definitely try it out. Overall, a great dining experience.
(4)Michael M.
I have been dining at Da Vinci for almost a year now and have never been disappointed by the food or the service... it is truly one of Boston's hidden gem's! The food at Da Vinci is better Italian than you will find in the North End's best eateries and can't be touched by any of the new establishments in the South End! It's all about the dining experience at Da Vinci - the food is exceptional, the service is impeccable and the atmosphere is relaxing and enjoyable for almost any occasion.... If I could give Da Vinci 6 stars I would! During my most recent trip to Da Vinci I decided to have the $35 3-course pre fixe menu. I started with the beet salad which was delicious as always. I followed with the Masala Agnolotti, a traditional Italian ravioli with an Indian flare - it was fantastic. It was a delicious combination that left me craving more when it was gone. For dessert I had the papaya cheesecake that, as it sounds, was delectable. Everything was perfectly proportioned and beautifully presented... All of this was of course accompanied by a fantastic bread basket with warm focaccia baked with sweet onions and olives -- make sure not to miss that. For the price - you cannot beat the quality, taste and quantity of food that you get at Da Vinci not to mention the top notch service and friendly atmosphere!
(5)Sheri G.
My husband and I ate here last night for my birthday and had a very good meal. Da Vinci isn't in the league of the truly exceptional Boston restaurants, but the food is very tasty and well prepared. The plates are very nicely composed and the food looks as good as it tastes. The drinks were outstanding (possibly the best Sangria I've ever had) and the service was excellent. The waitstaff was very attentive, the food came out quickly, and the chef stopped by the table several times to check on us. The atmosphere was great; I liked the decor a lot. The bar was hopping, which added a lot of energy to the space, but also a lot of noise. When our waiter first came to the table and asked if we wanted anything to drink, I had to ask him to repeat himself. We were there late in the evening, and it did get quieter over the course of our meal. We had the arancini (fantastic!) and then the pasta sampler, which is the perfect way to try an assortment of the excellent homemade pastas. The spinach ravioli is outstanding, as is the mushroom pappardelle. My only suggestion for the restaurant is to improve their bread. According to the chef, it is made in-house, which is well-intentioned, but our basket offered an olive bread that didn't have good texture or flavor, with a limp crust to boot. The good news was, we didn't fill up on bread. But the chick pea puree that came with the bread was delicious and we wished we had something better to dip. Maybe it was just an off night. Also, they should keep their online menu more up to date. The chocolate souffle for dessert was sublime, and the chef sent out some sparkling wine on the house as a birthday gift, which was really just a lovely thing to do. We'll definitely go back.
(4)Amy C.
Their chicken and beef tenderloin dishes were so tender you didn't even have to chew. They were very accommodating and the chef and general manager personally came over to meet and greet us. Spencer..the GM..was awesome. Funny and charming all in one, and so wasn't the chef. Our server knew his wines and liquor and they made us feel special. I would highly recommend this place!
(5)Gary G.
Da Vinci located in the Back Bay is very good. It was a pleasant surprise. I thought it might just be okay, but it turned out to be great. We were greeted by very friendly staff and seated right away. The organic green salad with the fried goat cheese is very good. It is the perfect size salad to start your meal. You also start with bread and hummus. I got the roasted chicken for my meal that was served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. It was all very good. My wife got the butternut squash ravioli. It was outstanding. It melts in your mouth. The chef came over to greet us after our entrees were done. It was very nice of him as we were seated right by the kitchen. The table was great because we were able to see all the meals plated and served. Everything looked delicious. We ended our meal with the apple dessert. It was great take on a apple pie. They are having terrific restaurant specials for the month of March. They have extended restaurant week for the whole month. Lastly, when we ended our meal we received 2 $10 GC to go back!
(4)Victoria B.
Chef Peppino is incredible. The food is not only delicious, it's artistic. He pairs the most unique foods together, and they are extremely fresh. My favorite dish is the mushroom and truffle oil gnocchi and my favorite appetizer is the ricotta stuffed squash blossoms. Recommended for any fancy night out.
(5)John F.
My family went to DaVinci to celebrate a birthday and the whole evening was outstanding. We started with drinks in the bar area and the atmosphere was relaxed yet quietly elegant. The restaurant was visually a treat and the lighting set a very warm tone. Our server and the manager were wonderfully attentive throughout the evening and made well-appreciated recommendations for appetizers, the main course and wine choices. Our dinner, start to finish, was a series of taste celebrations and we all thoroughly enjoyed the entire meal. The scallops appetizer was an early highlight, and we actually ordered a second plate. The main courses were perfectly prepared from the tenderloin to the short ribs to the ravioli.All were shared. A delighful experience!!
(5)Debbie M.
Fffffffffffffffabulous italian,,,omg. Just eat here!
(5)Sarah M.
the place looks greatt,the food is ok nothing special,i ve had better Italian food.
(3)Aisha L.
My Boyfriend took me out to eat at Da Vinci on Valentines day. This was our first time eating there. We walked in the door about 25 minutes early for our reservation and the hostess greeted us with a friendly smile, took our coats and instructed us to the bar to wait. We probably only waited 7 minutes and we were the ones that came in early. The hostess came over and told us our table was ready and she escorted us to a cute little table for two. She pulled our my chair for me and gave us both our menus. The first thing I noticed when I got to the table was that candle was not lit. This isnt a very big problem, but on Valentines day no less I would think that re lighting the candle would be an important thing to do before the hostess seats a table. We were greeted promptly by a busser/ back waiter, and offered water, he didnt light the candle or or take it away to bring a new one, so I mentioned to him that I would love to have it re lite, he was very prompt in a bringing a new candle ( I know I am obsessing about the candle, but I like romantic lighting). The waitress came over soon after, offered to answer any questions, get us a drink... I got a glass of the Riesling. since it was valentines day it was a set course menu, My guy is a vegetarian and the waitress gave him some delicious vegetarian alternatives. we love that!! Thank you for accommodating our dietary needs. Also our waitress informed us of the price of the meal which we were confused about because open table stated a different price (open table was printing wrong information) Open table had said that it was 3 courses for 45 and then at Da Vinci they said it was 4 courses for 59. We told her our confusion and that we had just wanted the three courses cause we had dessert at home, they honored the price mistake and said we could do the three courses, but to our delight they brought dessert anyways! A++++ for customer service! We got our first course (hadnt received bread yet, and had to ask for it half way through our 1st course, received it promptly after asking for it). It was AMAZING, the Mozzerella was the best I have tasted and that sauce was so good that I literally was sopping it up with the bread. (which by the way was worth the wait, the bread seems to be a fresh sage loaf with real bits of basil? or sage? in it, and it comes with a delicious olive oil and hummus) The Busser cleared our dishes and our dirty sliverware and said that he would be bringing us clean sets of cutlery. Our second course came and I didnt have a fork to eat it with, I asked the food runner for some utensils and he apologized and told the busser what we were missing and then he came right back with them. 2nd course was also amazing. Gnochi with a white truffle oil champagne sauce with mushrooms. Yum yum.... my guy doesnt like mushrooms so he had his Gnochi with a pomodoro sauce also Delicious. 3rd course... was also amazing, my salmon was cooked perfectly and my guy had a vegetarian masala ravioli (off of their regular menu) that he was thrilled about. Our waitress also refilled our bread when it was running low.. yum yum then dessert! Wow, A Raspberry cheese cake, a nutella stuffed fried ravioli, chocolate covered Strawberry's and a little co sip (shot) of a spiced warm hot chocolate. The presentation was beautiful, and delicious! So to Sum it up, Great food! Very friendly and helpful staff! I think our server was suburb and the busser was great too! loved the Hostess, everyone was doing their best to make sure we had a fantastic night. and we did! We will definitely come back and try their regular menu! Oh and also... Best Riesling I have ever had, ever! (The one they serve by the glass) Thank you!
(4)neeta b.
The delicious Boston dining experience continued at Da Vinci Ristorante, a modern Italian restaurant in the Back Bay neighborhood. The most unique dish on the fall menu is the Indian Fusion Masala Ravioli. Its a simple pasta creation topped with masala flavored sauce that intrigued my taste buds. Part of the surprise was that I hadn't really experimented with Italian/indian fusion cuisines previously, and thought the concept was fun. And the taste didn't disappoint. The Rigatoni Bolognese was quite tasty too, though the pasta was just a bit dry. Topped off with a glass of red wine (the Valpolicella) and the Apple Crostata for dessert made for a sensational fall eating experience.
(4)Tim A.
I had an absolutely wonderful meal on Saturday night at Da Vinci. Chef Peppino literally makes you feel like he's cooking especially for you. The Bolognese was among the best I've ever had and I've travelled extensively through Italy. We were treated to a beautiful dessert courtesy of the Chef and it was delightful. Warm apple tarts with drizzled caramel, small scoops of vanilla ice cream and a warm chocolate souflet. Truly a feast for any foodie. Tim
(5)James A.
This place is amazing. After only one visit, it is now one of, if not our favorite restaurant in Boston. We ordered the 5-course tasting menu, Chef's choice, and all seven dishes (arancini and burrata appetizers, bolognese and mezzaluna pasta, swordfish, beef tenderloin, and chocolate soufflé) were exceptional as was the service. David was our waiter. He is responsive, knowledgeable, and a super salesman for the restaurant. The chef / owner also stopped by our table twice to ensure everything was OK. We spend ~4 months per year in Boston and, from now on, this will be our first choice for dinner when we have out-of-town visitors. We've eaten in at least 15 North End / Beacon Hill Italian restaurants, plus one in the South End, and none offer anywhere near the combined food quality, service, extensive menu, and atmosphere as Da Vinci.
(5)Rauny B.
I hardly ever write reviews for restaurants I visit, but I totally felt compelled to write about Chef Peppino's Da Vinci Restaurant. The place is excellent from top to bottom, the food is amazing and the service is absolutely top notch. It was my first time visit and definitely not the last. Enjoy!
(5)Layla L.
The wine, the food, the lighting, the ambiance, Bravo! Take your girlfriend there, she'll love it. :)
(4)Ellie W.
We dropped $1200 here for a birthday dinner. And I don't think this was $1200 worth of savory goodness. Food snob I may be, but baller baller, make it rain, baller I am not. I'd like to think that like anything, any restaurant you go to, you want your bang for your buck. I feel pretty jipped. I will admit, the service is excellent (the chef even came out to thank us and ask us about the food at the end of dinner), the interior of the restaurant is beautiful, but I wasn't altogether very impressed with dinner. I had the arancini, crab tortellini with shrimp, and our table shared several plates of the dessert sampler: rhubarb pie, mango custard, and chocolate mousse. My crab tortellini was dry and somewhat underseasoned, lacking in flavor. The dessert plates were ok, but were surprisingly very basic, with nothing too notable in its flavoring or ingredients. I've had better arancini at hole in the wall spots in the north end. Overall, this isn't a place I would return to. Not because it's bad. Just that there isn't anything particularly great about it. Great service, great interior, but I need a little more than fancy wrapping paper if my wallet feels significantly thinner after leaving, ya know? At easily $100 minimum per person, you can find better (and less expensive) Italian food elsewhere. Giacomo's in the south end, or anywhere in the north end... Sorry, Da Vinci's. There will be no second date. And I probably won't even return your texts. #nogo
(2)Julia G.
Oh my! Very fine food. Upscale, comfortable and delicious Italian! Not to miss! I had grilled halibut with arugula salad and broccoli rabe- OMG. Everything was fresh and tender. The food is clearly prepared with intention and care. Oh and always ask for Daniel!! He's lovely!
(4)Bangie D.
I really wasn't blown away by this restaurant. I was very excited for this reservation. When we walked in, we were not greeted by the hostess already standing at the front, she was too wrapped up in looking at her computer screen. Another hostess walked up and greeted us. The one who was staring at the computer screen seemed very frazzled when she went to seat us, not very friendly for someone who is the first person you see coming into the restaurant. Honestly I thought the food was going to be a lot better than it was. The arancini was cut in half, I've never seen that before. I got the bolognese, "Boston's best", needless to say, I was expecting great things. I was really underwhelmed, it was under seasoned and just boring. My boyfriend got the gnocchi and it was pretty good, very simple, but good. The gelato was good but nothing exciting, just eating a scoop of vanilla ice cream basically. The service is definitely lacking. The server we had was attentive enough, but really didn't go above and beyond. We were sitting right in front of the bar area and most of the time servers were just standing around talking, even though there were plenty of tables in the restaurant. One person who works there was sitting at the bar drinking a glass of wine and then proceeded to go stand at the front when he was done. Drinking, on the clock, in front of guests.That is so unprofessional, the worst part is I'm not sure if that was a host or the actual manager. This place is not worth it, you can get better italian food for cheaper all around Boston!
(3)Anonymous I.
Food, drinks, atmosphere were amazing!
(5)Amanda L.
Great food! We wandered here after being told Giacomo's would be a two-hour wait (I didn't make reservations -- I fail). Anyway, we were seated immediately at Da Vinci. The restaurant wasn't full at around 8:30pm on Saturday, but it got somewhat packed during the hour or so we dined. I had a craving for pasta, so I opted for the rigatoni bolognese. I could tell the pasta was freshly made, and the bolognese sauce was so flavorful. I did order it spicy, and it wasn't spicy at all (I did see red pepper flakes though), but that did not detract from how good it tasted. Apparently this dish was rated the best by the Boston Globe? He ordered the beef tenderloin. The tenderloin was perfectly cooked at medium rare, and he nearly licked the plate clean. The "specialty" wine -- the Da Vinci riserva chianti 2007 -- was yummy and complemented our meals nicely. I wouldn't object to having a bottle or two around the house. Service was a bit slow, and our waitress was pretty awkward, but overall, a fine meal. Oh, we weren't dressed for dinner (most patrons were business casual), but we weren't turned away or anything. Next time, I wouldn't wear shorts...
(4)Angie S.
As typical tourists, we were dressed casually when we came across the great reviews for Da Vinci on here and went in. We were slightly underdressed, but when we mentioned we heard about them from Yelp, they were very gracious and welcoming. We opted for the 3 course special for $35.00 and enjoyed the asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and the risotto and mozzarella balls for the aps and we both had the pasta tasting for our main course. We finished the meal with a lovely chocolate mouse and chocolate soufflé. It was a nice touch that the chef came to our table to introduce himself. Outstanding service and we were made to feel comfortable even if we were underdressed.
(5)L L.
Had a great time here. Was part of a large party for dinner. We had our 16 month old twins with us, and everyone was great with accommodating us an hour early so that the kids could eat before it got really late. They made smaller portions of pasta for the kids which were so nice, we - the grown ups - ended up eating most of it. Everything evened out, however, as the kids then proceeded to eat most of our mains of short rib and duck confit. The duck was delicious. Perfectly crispy. And the short rib was delicious too. A bit on the salty side but good. Can't say enough things about the service. We were anxious about taking the babies out for dinner at a high end restaurant, but everyone was great with the babies. The chef came out and hung out with them for a bit. And our server was easily one of the best we have ever had. Highly recommended
(5)Dave L.
We ate here as a game-time decision on a Saturday night when plans changed and we had a great experience. While I'm skeptical of any place with a tourist trap name (and last minute Saturday night availability), Da Vinci delivered across the board. The stuffed proscuitto appetizer was excellent as a starter and the pasta bolognese was also very good, if not spectacular. However, this place gets five stars because the swordfish special was easily one of the 10 best pieces of fish I've had - my mouth is watering just thinking about it! The wine list was extensive and reasonably priced, and the service was attentive and friendly - really nothing bad to say. There are some unusual Indian-Italian dishes on the menu which seemed a bit incongruent to me, but they looked to be popular from what we saw. The chef-owner takes pride in his restaurant and it is reflected in all aspects of the experience there. Great option if you want a solid Italian meal downtown.
(5)Stephanie D.
I went during restaurant week, so of course it was terribly busy, YET this place still found a way to serve to me the most super fantastic food I've had in.... the longest time. I had the Masala Ravioli. I nearly cried it was so good. And the red wine I had with it accented any hints of spice present in the dish. And the staff was unbelievable. Everyone is friendly and open. Attentive without being annoying. They really only hire the best of the best from chef to bartender to waiters. All in all, Top 10 in any book.
(5)John D.
great setting and food and service
(5)Jessica N.
I came here the night before the Boston Marathon. The food was tasty, service was good, great ambience, but I was really irritated by one thing. I chose a restaurant based on their dinner menu pricing...I saw pasta dishes were in the $20 range which was reasonable. Then, we show up, and SURPRISE there is a special Boston Marathon menu and pastas are all $30+ which is a little ridiculous if you ask me! Pastas have the highest mark-up of any menu item in a restaurant. A plain penne with red sauce was $28! Gnocchi with pesto was $32? With that said, you could tell all the pastas were made in house and they were delicious. All perfectly cooked and hearty. The restaurant didn't disappoint on that end!
(3)Molly A.
I came here for my anniversary with my boyfriend and the experience went from bad to amazing. We had a reservation at 8:00 and we got there right on time. They told us to sit at the bar for a few minutes while they got it ready. Ten minutes later they said the people still hadn't left and just sit tight. For the next 20 minutes they kept coming back with limited excuses, even asking if we wanted to just come back another night. We got kind of mad, especially when they said they could set up a table in a random corner of the restaurant. But THEN...they completely turned it around. So at 8:30 we finally got seated (in the corner..which wasn't so terrible) and then the bartender came over and asked us what kind of special cocktails we would like (on the house). They brought us two huge appetizer samplings (also on the house) which were incredibly delicious. The arrancini was amazing and gooey and the caprese was very good (i usually think it's a pretty boring dish). Our entrees were incredible. My boyfriend had the indian ravioli which he loved and I had the bolognese. They are not kidding when they say "best of boston." The meat is so high quality you can tell, and it's really red wine-y and flavorful. Homemade pasta too. We split the chocolate souffle for dessert (tasty and nicely molten in the inside) and they wrote "Happy Anniversary" in caramel sauce which was very sweet. They also brought us vials of champagne (also on the house). The service was exceptional (after the initial hiccup) and the manager and waitstaff were extremely apologetic and seemed eager to make it up to us. The chef even came out to see how our meals were, which was very thoughtful. This place is the real deal and I will definitely be going back.
(5)Joyce J.
Amazing dinner while I was in town with a friend. We decided on the 5 course chef's menu and we could not have been more happy! Between the crab ravioli, seared cod, homemade gnocchi, trio of appetizers and the amazing mini chocolate souffle with vanilla gelato, we were stuffed and feeling like we were winners! Loved this place...
(4)Seth L.
Can't give enough praise to the masala ravioli, freshest pasta with a gentle south asian flavor. Spinach side was really fresh, and what can i say about the chocolate shuffle. Wouldn't call the place fun, but it was quiet enough for a nice conversation.
(4)Jasper J.
Fantastic! A group of 6 of us came during restaurant week and the wait staff was very helpful and super kind. Our reservation was at 9:00 and we were sitting by 9:15. The short wait gave us time for a quick drink at the bar. Everyone at the table was ecstatic about their food. Soo good. Course 1: Everyone but myself got the caesar salad, I got the green salad, which was fresh and perfect. Course 2:Three of us got the Butternut Squash Agnolotti, Two got the Beef Tenderloin, and one person got the Gnochi Con Funghi. Course 3: I got the Apple Crostada, which was freaking great. The rest of the table got Chocolate Soufle and Chef's Sorbet. The restaurant is small'ish, but very high ceilings make it fee huge. Definitely give this place a try.
(5)Troy M.
We unfortunately were not able to get a reservation for Valentine's Day, I waited too long, but went in the night after. We were very excited for their 5 course tasting menu and it certainly did not disappoint. All 5 courses were absolutely phenomenal, the wine was perfect, and service was impeccable. Also, although it was fancy, I did not feel out of place in jeans with a button down and tie, it was very nice, but not overwhelming like some restaurants. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a very nice upscale dinner.
(5)Gregg S.
Ordered beef tenderloin which was great. Waiters were friendly and attentive. Just a little loud for my taste. I'm getting old I guess. But I like to be able to talk to people while out with them. Not overly, but just a little. all in all a great dining experience.
(4)Jesse J.
Good ambiance, very trendy. A bit on the speedy side, but overall a good experience.
(4)Jaimin A.
My Wife and i went there for our wedding anniversary and i'd say that we were treated to some of the most authentic Italian food outside Italy ! Chef Peppino, one of the owners and the head chef of the restaurant put in great effort and detail in preparing his food and that effort shows in the homemade bread, pasta and the dessert. We were also treated with an anniversary dessert sampler with a glass of champagne as a celebration of our anniversary ! The decor is very class with absolutely amazing staff. A great place to go for a romantic evening or to celebrate a special occasion !
(5)Aaron G.
My meal here wasn't bad, but at this price point I'd expect better. The bad - Waiter was nice and funny, but waiters at upscale restaurants generally are a bit more reserved. It felt like he was third-wheeling a bit. - My cocktail seemed to be mostly water. - My "medium rare" steak was pretty solidly "medium well" - Back-lit menus are super tacky. The good - The ravioli marsala was pretty good. It's pretty tame for indian food, but it'd be interesting for less-adventurous eaters. - The pasta tasted homemmade. - Once your eyes have recovered from the visual assault of the menus, the lighting and ambiance is rather cozy. Not bad, but it's not tough to do better.
(2)Joelle K.
My husband and I came here during restaurant week. The ambiance was excellent and the food was even better. We started with the arancini and squash blossom. Both were delicious, but I preferred the arancini. I had the pappardelle boacaiola and my husband had the rigatoni bolognese. I would highly recommend both.
(4)C D.
Cant believe I havent reviewed this place yet, the food is amazing!! Better than most places in the North End, they accomplish GREAT Italian food without making it too heavy. A little mor on the expensive side but worth it. Whenever my boyfriend and I want to splurge on good Italian we head here!
(5)Thomas S.
Great dinner here last night. Really doesn't look too impressive from the outside, but inside it's very well decorated and has a great ambiance. The staff were very attentive and polite. The food was outstanding. It's Italian with an Indian twist, really interesting combination of two great foods (although mostly Italian). It's very fairly price for what you get and we had tremendous deserts here as well! I had the Mozzarella Burrata Salad to start, Gnocchi fungi for my entrée then Tiramisu for desert - everything was delicious!
(5)nicholas w.
My lady and I went here for our anniversary. It was fantastic. Our server was polite and attentive, while letting us have a romantic and private date. The food was delicious. We will likely make a tradition out of this.
(5)Dj M.
Great dinner for all. Be aware that there is no kids menu, but the chef was good about making accommodations including making stuff that was not on the menu. For example, the chef made my son fettuccine Alfredo.
(5)Sindhura S.
I've re-adjusted my rating from 2 stars to 4 stars after receiving a very kind letter from the manager of the restaurant that addressed our issues. I look forward to getting some more bucatini the next time I'm in Boston!
(4)Megan M.
Went last night for restaurant week and had a great time. There were plenty of options on the menu to accommodate all tastes and diets (even gluten free options). We both started with the arancini, delicious. My friend thought it could have used a side or served with a sauce of some kind, but I liked it plain and cheesey. I had the salmon entree which was served over spinach and and risotto corn cake. The bisque type sauce was excellent, I just wish there was more. The salmon was cooked perfect and went really well with both sides. My friend got the steak which was good, nothing too special there. I got the pinor noir by the glass which was reasonably priced, smooth, and flavorful. We both finished with the chocolate mousse which was light, airy and delish. We were debating more drinks and went against it but our server brought us each a little glass of complimentary moscato, perfect touch to end the meal. The only thing I will note that I question- was that on open table I could only get a 5:30 reservation, but when we left at 7:00 there were still plenty of tables free. I would have preferred to come in a little later but didn't want to risk not having a res during restaurant week.
(4)Chong C.
Never thought about going to this place but this restaurant week gave us abchance to be there. I started liking the atmosphere as soon as I stepped into the place. Elegant, cozy and pretty. Food was good. Appetizers were as great as they looked like, and dessert dishes were delicious. Main dishes were not as great as we expected but still werr tasty.
(4)Rafal C.
Absolutely love the place. Best Italian cuisine in Boston without a doubt. Chef Peppino is a food artist and I am a big fan. Highly recommended.
(5)Vivian C.
One weekday evening I decided to stop by here on my own for a leisurely relatively light meal before my evening's activities. A bread basket containing two types of the carb arrived promptly along with olive oil and some nice cool hummus. I helped myself to this as I waited for someone to take my order. After a while, I was greeted with the inquiry as to whether I was ready to order or if I had any questions... both, I responded. I inquired as to the dessert sampler (Dessert Tasting $17 - A selection of house favorites including soufflé, apple crostata, pumpkin crème brulee and vanilla gelato - 20+ minute baking time) - what's the size difference in comparison to the individually plated sweets? Turns out everything is regular portioned except for the crostata which was half... that's reasonable, I thought. I ordered an appetizer - Scallop Salad $13 (Fried bay scallops served with a baby arugula salad, red onion, green apple and strawberries. Tossed in a yellow mustard vinaigrette.) - which I had enjoyed once previously. When asked if I would be ordering an entree, I mentioned that I was planning to eat light and to just have an appetizer and a dessert if that was okay. The salad arrived in short order - no more than 5 minutes - but was placed on the corner of the table by my elbow since I had earlier moved the bread plate into the space directly before me. It consisted of a sizeable pile of greens with 8 bay scallops evenly distributed. I was a little sad that they weren't the excellent sea scallops of before, but I hoped for the best as I started on the dish. The scallops were tender, but the fry job seemed unnecessary as I didn't notice any crispness to the sea creatures. The arugula, however, was much too dressed for my enjoyment. I had hoped to bring it to his attention, but instead of the all too quick return of the server inquiring as to my enjoyment of the meal notable at many of the nicer establishments, I ended up nursing the salad for nearly 20 minutes with taming bites of bread slathered with hummus before he returned to take my now empty plate. As I believe that businesses deserve the respect of direct communication with their customers, particularly about things that could be easily remedied if only they were told of it, I briefly mentioned to my server the overdressed nature of the salad so that he could make the kitchen aware of it. I also requested a refill of my now empty tea pot. When he returned with a fresh pot, he filled my empty cup - which was nice since this hadn't been done when the pot was initially brought over - and inquired as to whether I would like some coffee. Not being a coffee girl, I asked for the dessert menu. That's when we realized there had been a misunderstanding. He thought I had already ordered the Dessert Tasting, and so had already put in the order. I could see how he could have thought this, so I told him it was okay. He offered to change the order if I wished. When I declined in order to make things easier for the kitchen, he offered to take care of it, which was nice. When I repeated that it was okay, he reiterated himself as well. The sampler arrived not much more than 10 minutes later. The apple crostada was fruity warm crisp goodness. The pumpkin creme brulee was quite evident in its squash flavor. The chocolate souffle was baked in a Chinese tea cup, which really retained its heat so be careful about touching it - the souffle itself however was warm, cake-like on top, moister inside, and quite chocolatey all around. Everything was yum... till I came to the vanilla gelato, which was already melty on its surface upon arrival... and had unexpected and unpleasant crunchy ice crystals. I let the server know that the desserts were good, but that the gelato was icy, so that he could let the kitchen know that as well. I had initially entered Da Vinci all full of good feelings and in anticipation of a good meal, but sadly left feeling like I had been treated like a second class citizen - due to the slightly too long wait for my order to be taken (although I did try to view that as my not being hurried off as a solo diner), to no inquiry being made to see how I was enjoying my food during either course (which did not give me the chance to mention the overdressed salad while there was still time to rectify the situation), to the removal of my bread and hummus without express permission (I actually wasn't done with them). My server did redeem my experience a smidge though by taking care of the dessert I hadn't expressly ordered (thus the extra 3rd star), but given my depressed feelings as I made my way out of the restaurant, I will unfortunately not be in a hurry to come back anytime soon. (Despite the holiday party beyond the divider, at no time during my visit were all the tables occupied - else I would not have lingered.) *** FYI *** 3 - Course Dinner @ $39 per person Mon - Thur (all day) / Fri - Sat (before 6pm)
(3)Julie B.
My friends and I decided to come to Da Vinci for a restaurant week dinner because they had tons of options and were able to accommodate 6 of us on Thursday night. By the way, this menu is offered I believe for the entire month of March (and maybe longer?) for just $2 more. Great deal! We started off with 2 bottles of wine and were brought over delicious bread with olive oil and a hummus dip. We all ordered different dishes, and I decided to go with the mussels for my first course, the short rib tortelloni for the main course, and the chocolate souffle for dessert. Everything was presented absolutely beautifully! I was really surprised because for some reason I had expected Da Vinci to be more like a chain-type Italian restaurant. The mussels were cooked perfectly and I was only slightly embarrassed to be slurping up the rest of the delicious broth with my spoon. I had a bite of the fried poached egg that came with my friend's caesar salad and loved it as well. The short rib tortelloni looked more like ravioli and was topped with a deliciously sweet balsamic glaze. The sweetness of the sauce contrasted perfectly with the sharp, salty pecorino cheese that was melted on top. My friends ordered a few different dishes including the spinach gnocchi, rigatoni bolognese, and the sirloin. I tried just about everything and it was all good, but I was definitely happy with the choice I made. My friend ordered his bolognese spicy and they weren't kidding. He loved it, but it would have been way too much spice for me so be aware. This was my first time ever trying a souffle and it was soooo good. My only issue was that I burnt my fingers on the hot cup when trying to scoop it out...so be careful! The souffle looked so delicate and was chewy on the outside and gooey and moist inside. It came with a little bowl of vanilla ice cream and was topped with strawberries. A great way to end a great meal.
(5)Julia B.
I was here last night for dinner. Very good. The service and overall atmosphere was great. I had a caesar salad, which had a deep fried egg and huge shavings of parmesan. Amazing! As an entree I had the mushroom parpadelli. Also delicious. Homemade pasta, and a creamy truffle sauce. For dessert I had a homemade Napoleon. The pastry was light and crispy, and the cream was perfect. I can honestly only say good things about this gem.
(4)Duy L.
Came here on restaurant week with the family and was serviced very well. First, the a atmosphere is very cozy and warm, a livery lovely place to sit. Our waiter was very helpful and knowledgable. Our three course was great, generous portions and delicious. Overall a great place for a night out.
(4)Janet S.
We had a private function for 30 at the restaurant and everything was spectacular! We will be back as regulars to this wonderful find. Highly recommend DaVinci for a romantic night out, girls night out or family dinner. Also nice bar for drinks and apps. I had not been to DaVinci before but called based on a recommendation from a friend. We are a big Italian family and pretty picky when it comes to great Italian food. The food is authentic and delicious with a creative flair. The setting is stunning with a modern twist. Everyone at the place was very attentive. From chef/owner Peppino, Manager Spencer, Bartender Dan and wonderful waitstaff - all incredible! Location is great on Columbus Ave - parking nearby or Valet.
(5)Kiki P.
I went to Da Vinci during restaurant week. I must say I was disappointed in the service and food. I made reservations one week in advance for 7:00pm on a Friday night. The restaurant called me the day before my reservation and confirmed my 9:30pm reservation. I informed them that I had booked a 7:00pm reservation and they gave me a very difficult time. The restaurant did not even apologize for the mix-up. The least they could do was to provide a simple apology. I started off with the Beet salad with pine nuts, and mache. This salad was a bit too tangy for my taste. This could have been because I requested no goat cheese. The goat cheese may have balanced out the flavors. For dinner, I tried both the salmon and gnocchi. The salmon was supposedly "organic" but it did not taste completely fresh. It was served with an English pea cake and sautéed spinach. The cake had an Indian ethnic flavor and was very different. I would rate this dish a 5 out of 10. I did really enjoy the gnocchi. It tasted very fresh and authentic. It was served with sautéed wild mushrooms and white truffle oil which went really well with the pasta. I would rate this dish an 8 out of 10. For dessert, I had requested for my server to check to see if the chocolate mousse contained milk/cream. She stated she would check for me however she brought out the dessert anyway. Therefore I assumed it was dairy-free, but from my first bite, I could tell it was completely full of daily. It tasted like pure chocolate ice cream. This is where I was a bit disappointed in the service because I stated that I was lactose intolerant at the beginning of the meal. The server should have ensured my entire meal was dairy-free. At most high-end restaurants, I never seem to have an issue with this. Most upscale restaurants always take care of me and my dietary restriction. The restaurant did provide me a substitute dessert, a plate of berries. Overall, I would say this is an average restaurant, a solid three stars.
(3)Mabel N.
Excellent Service. We started out with two glasses of red wine "Opula" it was light and without an aftertaste. We had the mussels for appetizer and the portion was big. The white wine broth was light with a hint of lemon and cherry tomatoes. For entree we had the Butternut Squash Agnolotti the brown butter sage sauce was SO yummy. This dish was outstanding. We loved it. I had the beef tenderloin the beef was so favorable and the sauce was so yummy Chianti veal demi glaze reduction was so good.. We shared the Chocolate Souffle it was so GOOD. It was my birthday and they give us each a glass of champagne for free. Thank you Da Vinci Ristorante for the wonderful meal!
(5)Roma C.
I cant even explain how amazing this place was. They have superb service, an amazing wine list, great food, and ambiance. The mozzarella was the best mozzarella I have ever eaten. Melted right into my mouth! The food was great, such high quality ingredients and they have a great variety for vegetarians as well. I will definitely be coming back again soon!
(5)Angel M.
During the Renaissance, Leonardo Da Vinci would have consumed wine, cheese, olives, garlic, fish, capers, and other staples of the time. These classic flavors have traveled effortlessly from before his time throughout, to our modern times, and onto the plates of diners at Da Vinci. They came along with some amazing fusions, of course. The talented Chef Peppino has cross referenced multiple cultures and styles to orchestrate the menu. Located on Columbus Ave with outdoor seating available, my Boston Marathon volunteer team leader and I chose to collect the fresh air as it flowed in from the outside into the dining room and the bar. The décor, dark and passionate, is a tribute to an older time, one of dark wood, recessed lighting, book cases, white horses, and the most comfortable chairs I have ever sat in at a bar. (Repeat the last part of the last sentence and let it really sink in). Our bartender, fully versed on both the drink menu and the food, was able to guide us to appropriate choices. The Leonardo Sangria was Da-licious, as was a gin concoction in a martini glass. A second round was only minutes away. Torn between all the appealing appetizers; we moved on to the food... Pan seared scallops with an explosive salad coasted us through to the main course. There was no fuss or boloney in my exquisite Fusilli Bolognese and when ordered spicy had such a deep flavor to it, I am not sure I could order without that touch next time. What did my team leader eat? Oh right, she was there too, and you bet your Romans that we ate off of each other's plates. Her dreamy half-moon shaped pasta was stuffed with ingredients made for a demi god. The creamy fava bean sauce it was dressed in...couldn't have imagined to be better. The staff worked meticulously and functioned as a team throughout our evening. The music kept the flair of relaxed chic. LdV once said "art is never finished, only abandoned"; this seems to be a mantra here as food continues its evolution.
(5)Stephanie C.
Came to Da Vinci as part of Dine Out Boston so there was a limited menu available, but had great options to choose from. I started with the arancini, which were delicious, then had the best gnocchi I've ever had. Gnocchi is usually a very heavy meal but they somehow made them taste "lighter" so I didn't have the overstuffed feeling at the end. The restaurant itself is very nicely decorated and setup, without any over powering music. Great spot for a date.
(4)Craig S.
Went in for fancy Fam dinner my little sis just got back from college so we wanted her to get a good home cooked meal (this is how we cook). We had many choices in our debate over best post Thanksgiving food Italian won and ultimately this was the right choice - everyone's meal was amazing. I got the tuna tartar special that was wrapped in julienned cucumbers - super interesting and refreshing. My little sis is a Carpaccio fiend and was disappointed they did not have it on the menu. The waiter said he would see what he could do, the chef not only made it for her he put together an amazing custom dish with lemon sorbet in the center of the beef accented with capers and other custom veggie crunchies - very impressive. All of the entrees were exceptional my steak was perfect and moms bolognaise were on point. The short rib tagetelle elevated the stakes and overall winner was the veal shank with mushroom risotto and crunchies - amazing wish I had ordered it. The service was great - I spilled my drink twice (heavy drinking day before = mess) and they just laughed about it. The chef came by our table to make sure we enjoyed everything ...twice. Great experience all around
(5)Ron H.
My fiance and I decided to celebrate our anniversary at Da Vinci tonight per a glowing recommendation from a mutual friend of mine and Chef Peppino. It was our first time here and it was a night we'll never forget. The hostess was very kind and she took our coats and brought us into the beautiful warm dining room. We were greeted by Chef Peppino himself who is such a kind and genuine person. We hadn't even eaten yet and I could tell from our chat how much he cared for his patrons and his passion for cooking. Our server, Erlind, was a delight. He gave fantastic recommendations and had a great personality. The arancini was light and fluffy, but packed with melted cheesy goodness. Sea scallop appetizer was SO plump and tender, paired amazingly with a delicious creamy sauce and mushroom risotto. The gnocchi was like eating little potato pillows balanced perfectly with a rich creamy sauce and big juicy prawns. My duck was out of this world. Big thick moist slices of duck breast with a delicious spice, grilled and set on top of a light sweet citrus sauce, alongside a whole crispy dug leg confit set atop a bed of broccoli rabe and thin sliced potatoes. Apple crostata pastry was so light and flaky that all they give you is a spoon to eat it, no knife and fork necessary! The fresh berries and apples made it a great light dessert. Saving the most memorable for last, the chocolate souffle was the singlemost best dessert I've ever had in my life. As it says on the menu, it takes 20 minutes to prepare so make sure you tell your server in advance! This is a must-have. Incredibly rich chocolate flavor, yet soft and light in texture. Combine it with the creamy housemade vanilla gelato and you'll have died and gone to heaven. This is the best Italian restaurant in Boston and you will not be disappointed. I wish this place nothing but the best. Thank you for an amazing night!
(5)Shana V.
My boyfriend and I took both of our parents here for his birthday. Everyone was blown away by the food. We started with fresh bread with basil olive oil and some sort of white bean dip or hummus. The pasta was incredibly fresh, and it's the first time I've seen a restaurant use all sirloin in their bolognese, which was delicious! Burrata was an amazing appetizer. As were the arancini (rice balls fried with cheese in the middle - yum!). I don't eat seafood, but everyone else thought the scallops were exceptional. Chicken parm was classically delicious. Half moon pasta with butternut squash was sweet delicious richness. Dessert was delightful (best vanilla gelato I've ever had). Excellent service. Had to wait even with our reservation because the party ahead of us lingered for almost an hour after finishing dessert. Ugh! The manager bought the table a round of drinks when my father asked for this. Wonderful atmosphere. Great night. Awesome for a special occasion or romantic dinner.
(5)Charlotte M.
I love this restaurant. Indian and Italian are two of my favorite types of food, a fusion of that is just heaven in my book. I'm a vegetarian who prefers eating vegan, but when I go to this place, I'm fine with eating vegetarian. I love the 5 course vegetarian tasting menu, always a nice surprise! The chef is a dear, he is very sweet to come out and talk to almost every table, you don't see that at many places nowadays. The backlit menus are a cool feature. We were once given a free glass of Moscato at the end of our meal, such a nice touch, my boyfriend at the time had to drink both because I don't drink. I don't think he minded though, haha. Service has always been exceptional, and as a server myself, I am very sensitive to that.
(5)Dan M.
Alright so the myth in Boston is that if you want solid Italian food you have to go to the north end. Now for any carb lover like me you know that the north end is quite a hike especially when you are working downtown or in back bay. So I was walking around one day and saw this place as I was walking to the theater district side. Immediately knew it was Italian food and did a yelp search (which I regretted not doing earlier... not sure why I didn't). I see that this place actually received solid reviews so being the Italian food lover that I am; I immediately make a reservation for the next week to go with a friend to try this place out. The day comes and we walk on over to the restaurant from the Hancock Tower. I step inside and unfortunately the interior is pretty tacky to me. It seems they were trying too hard to make it like an old school Italian joint but again the décor shouldn't affect my yelp review. The service was actually solid. The waiters were attentive without being overbearing and were very helpful in offering suggestions on what to eat off the menu. So for our table we get the Rigatoni Bolognese and the Pappardelle with Short Ribs. The wait is not too bad and the food comes out pretty quickly. The Rigatoni Bolognese was great and had a nice spice to it so my friend was pleased. I loved my pappardelle with short ribs. The sauce was super light but man it was packed with flavor with the meat just perfectly melting in my mouth. The food was exactly what I would hope for in a nicer Italian joint. My one criticism is that the vino list seems limited and a lot of them seem overpriced. Oh also I had their specially concocted restaurant week menu last year and it was not that good so just stick with their original menu. All in all, this just proves that good Italian food can exist outside of the north end and quite frankly, I think this place actually offers much better value than a lot of the north end joints. Recommend you check it out.
(4)James D.
Awesome restaurant. The food, service, and atmosphere are all great. I recommend the mussels and the sirloin meatballs. The bread they bring out comes with a chickpea spread that is delicious. They also offer wheat pasta as a substitute which is always good to see.
(5)Chris C.
I'd give it a 3.5 overall (but am rounding up because you can't do 1/2 stars.) Interior: A little tacky in a suburban mcmansion kind of way. Feels dated and a little cluttered and what someone THINKS "classy eyetalian" looks like. It's not the place's best feature. 2 stars Service: Pretty good, friendly and not obtrusive. 4 stars Food: The food was suprisingly good - i think i was put off by the decor and expected the food to be only ok, and it was better than expected. The arancini appetizer i had was just OK (not crispy enough on the outside and a little TOO cheesy inside.) My entree was really REALLY good - obviously house-made papperdale with boneless shortrib ragout. Absolutely delicious, and up there with not-too-far away Erbluce's pasta with rabbit ragout. (at a much lower price point.) My dessert (pumpkind creme brulee) was very good, as well. My partner's chicken dish was just a bit dry, but the sauce was wonderful. 3.75 stars. The wine list, btw, has a relatively small selection by the glass, and most are a little overpriced. Note: the back lighted menus are ridiculous. They are too big (for a fairly small menu), much too heavy, and just add to the suburban tacky of the decor. It's not THAT dark that they are needed.
(4)coco s.
Impeccable service and great tasty menu. Experienced the tenderloin cooked just the way I like it. Loved that the owner came to our table to give us a warm welcome and great appetizer to start us off. Highly recommend!
(5)Helen D.
We went here for restaurant week. I was so underwhelmed with the food. The service and ambiance were nothing spectacular, just what you would expect for a restaurant of this type. The bread was cold but soft. The crust was a little too chewy for my taste. It came with a garlic butter which was very good. We had the squash and risotto balls for appetizers. Both were way too greasy and did not have much flavor. I've had much better risotto. We had the chicken and Indian ravioli. The chicken was definitely one of the better chickens I've had in terms of flavor and being moist but the asparagus and potatoes it came with were too greasy. I'm not sure what everyone is talking about with the Indian-Italian fusion. Their fusion does not work. It tasted like a college student made some late night ravioli and poured some Trader Joe's Indian frozen dinner sauce over it. We had chocolate mousse and mango custard for dessert. Both were very good but not the best of either I've ever had. So much better Italian in the North End.
(2)Rachel G.
Do the 5 course pre fixe you will not be disappointed!! Went there last night wanting to experience a chef owned restaurant. Chef obviously puts love into every dish. Started a trio of anti-pasti with a risotto ball that knocked my socks off. The mozzarella was home made a melted in you mouth mmm mm! Pastas are all hand made and tender! On to the pan seared cod which was light and flavorful! Can't explain how the tender the filet was and I learned a new way to make mashed potatoes. Take mashhed potatoes form them, batter them then bake. AMAZING!!!! To finish it off we had chocolate soufle with mint vanilla gelato. Had to go back to hotel and stretch out after this truly fantastic meal!
(5)Erikk P.
Friends of mine brought me here on Sept 11th for dinner .Atmosphere was dim lit quiet and elegant ,not noisy although it was only half full. We opted for the chef tasting menu some items were hit or miss ,my fave was dessert the chocolate Soufflé was rich ,smooth, and airy plus chocolate is never a bad choice imo. Service was non intrusive and professional, Thomas was on point .Chef Peppino greeted our table and genuinely wanted to know how everything was.Overall a pleasant night out with friends good food good wine, thank you Da Vinci.
(4)Travel S.
I went to Da Vinci with some friends during Restaurant week. They had a good selection of items in their prix fixe menu. The food was delicious and the service was great. I'd highly recommend this place. There is ample street parking around the restaurant if you are lucky. The garage at 200 Stuart st takes validation from Da Vinci.
(4)Sayjal p.
This italian eatery has kept it's consistency. We've gone several times over the last few years and it is hands down our favorite Italian place in Boston. If you have the room we suggest the chef's tasting menu! It was delicious and perfect, but unfortunately by the 4th course I didn't have enough room. The chef insisted that he bring it out so we could taste one bite of it and he would pack it for us. Chef Peppino truly cares about his food and his guests.
(5)Sun J.
My friend told me about this place and I've wanted to try it since then. Indian-italian fusion, what??? It doesn't seem like it would work, but trust me it does. I had the Caesar salad to start and it had the most delicious dressing. Second course: ravioli masala, very interesting and different, but in a weird way it worked. The service was great, impeccable. Great ambiance, nice decor. A gem.
(5)Nathan O.
All of the food was delicious! My girlfriend has Celiac Disease and has to be gluten free and they were incredibly helpful, most anything on the menu can be made gluten free. Aside from that, the spinach and ricotta ravioli with shrimp was scrumptious, as was the Veal Chop. The setting was quite romantic for our anniversary, the only issue was how loud it was. There were a few parties surrounding us and that didn't help, but overall it was a great experience.
(4)Nitya D.
Woop woop! Love Da Vinci. Actually, so do my parents...and all of their friends. I went to DV for the first time a few years ago for a birthday dinner with my boif. I had told the waitress it was a bday dinner and that it would be so nice if they could bring out dessert with a candle. In addition to doing that, Chef Peppino himself came out with 2 glasses of champagne (on the house) and wished my boyfriend a happy birthday! Thanks dude! So, after speaking with Chef Peppino I learned about his Indian culinary experience - which explains the "Masala Ravioli" (this is by far my favorite item on the menu). Since I am Indian and therefore my parents are Indian I thought to myself "Cool, mom and dad would love this place and this chef! I'll bring them here for dinner sometime." And then I did. And my parents had the Masala Ravioli in addition to several other items on the menu - this was like 2 years ago so it was whatever was on the winter seasonal menu at the time. My parents liked this place so much that they actually catered a dinner from Da Vinci a couple of months later and all my parents' friends fell in love with the restaurant. Hey Da Vinci, you can thank me for the business by giving me extra sauce when I come for some ravioli next. (: Anyway, I really love this restaurant and I think it's doing a great job. But it seems from other reviews that the quality is subpar during Restaurant Week, which makes me sad because I think if a restaurant is truly a good one they shouldn't sacrifice quality for quantity during heavy volume periods like RW. Quick notes: excellent service w/ yummy but pricey food (expect to pay ~$50 pp without vino), easy location - quick walk from Back Bay T, and a charming and intimate atmosphere. Basically, don't go here on a first date with someone you met on OkCupid. Or do, because even if the person sucks you will have a fantastic meal.
(4)Anne W.
Last night I went here with a friend to try this highly rated restaurant. I was amazed by the nice decor on the inside... professional service.. it was quite lovely. The only problem was the clubbing music they had playing in the background. They had a party there and I guess that was the type of music that was requested. Their menus have LED lights in them. The lighting is pretty dim (hence.. the romance).. so they were smart and installed LED lights. I was pleasantly surprised. I liked their 3 course prix fixe. I got that while my friend just got an entree. Delightful.. I started with the mussels which were pretty good. My glass of wine was nice as well... I think I got the Chianti. Unfortunately, the swapped my friend and my main course (he got the lamb chop and I got the pork chop). We were confused at first because I had requested all veggies and no potatoes. The pork chop was.. just okay. Often pork is not done well.. it was good at the first bite.. and then it was no longer juicy and more dry towards the middle. Dissapointing really... Dessert was good. Creme caramel which is really more of a flan. There were two of them so we could each have one. They said the cherries were out of season.. another dissapointment. It was still delicious though. Definitely would go again.. very romantic.. well minus the clubbing music... but I'll forgive them this time. I definitely will try for Restaurant Week.
(4)Zev X.
Skip the North End and have some Italian here! Had a great experience here.. I am not a huge fan of Italian but went here b/c a friend recommended it and I am glad that I did. The food was delicious!! We had the baby octopus salad, which was big enough for two-three people to share. The octopus was plentiful, lemony and very good. I had the New England Haddock served with lobster risotto cake and cherry tomato ragout. The haddock was cooked perfectly, the risotto cake was very moist and good, and the tomato ragout was very fresh and flavorful. My friends had the *Lamb Chops with basil & pine nut pesto cream sauce, roasted fingerling potatoes and sautéed broccoli rabe. I didn't try it but she said it was delicious and cleaned her plate. my other friend asked for the pasta trio - which was not on the menu bit offered when asked. She had a combo of : Gnocchi Pomodoro, Fusilli Bolognese (Housemade corkscrew pasta tossed in a slow cooked sauce of tomatoes, ground sirloin and red wine) and Pappardelle Boscaiola (Housemade ribbons of pasta tossed with a trio of seasonal mushrooms. Finished with a touch of truffle oil and shaved Ricotta Salatta cheese.) I tried all of the pasta dishes and they were awesome. They were all so fresh and light. My favorite was the gnocchi, which was lighter than any other gnocchi that i have ever had. Usually it is so dense and heavy. My friend loved the Pappardelle Boscaiola, the mushrooms and sauce were really good. For dessert we had the chocolate souffle. I wouldn't miss this. Cooked to perfection and big enough for two people to share. The waiter was friendly and attentive and the chef walked around the restaurant and spoke to everyone. The lit menus were a good touch for those who can't seem to read a menu in a dimly lit room. :)
(5)C R.
This was a very, very pleasant surprise! Easy to get there. Parking meters, nearby garages and valet. The atmosphere is beautiful, cosy, great for a romantic rendezvous or meeting some friends for an upscale dinner. The food was marvelously prepared; small, artful, tasteful - I was very pleased. The service was friendly, attentive and unobtrusive. In fact, I'd go so far as to say this was an elegant dinner. The price didn't raise any eyebrows. I'd definitely go back here if we wanted Italian food. I had the scallops as a starter as well as the fig dish - in a word: FANTASTIC. It has a wonderful open kitchen so you can see the chefs at work. Rarely do I hand out 4 stars. This place is worth the extra star.
(4)Nick W.
Took my CEO, his wife, a business partner, his wife and my girlfriend here on a snowy Tuesday night recently. I had been there once before but only to the bar so was eager to try the real deal. The first comment they made was the ambience and decor was just right - nice lighting, round table for 6, and the volume was vibrant but not too loud to have a conversation. The waitress also started us off with 2 bottles of wine but waited patiently for us to have opening conversation before bugging us on the menu. The dishes were excellent, especially all of the Raviolis that we ordered. Enjoyed the wine list, and the service was quite good as well. Lastly, the chef, Peppino, came out and introduced himself to our table at the end of the night for a final touch. CEO said it was the best meal he had in the 2 weeks he had been on the road so Bravo!
(5)Kevin B.
Came for my mom's birthday - service, food, ambiance were all incredible. The waitress was so nice and made my mom feel special on her big day. They also gave us complimentary dessert wine. Homemade pasta too!
(5)C. L.
I came to Da Vinci's for my graduation dinner with my family. I loved the food, but I felt the server was not attentive. He said he would be back to ask about desserts, but never came to check on us once the food came out (starting with the appetizer). We finished our main course, waiting for our server but never came. We decided not to order dessert and wanted our bill. There was no one to give us our bill until we flagged down a gentleman who looked like the manager. He was not friendly-- didn't ask if we enjoyed our meal or anything. Without a word, he went and got the bill and came back with our bill. Our server finally came back to ask us to sign the receipt. Other than the main waiter, the other servers (food runners?) were attentive and helpful. In sum, great food, but disappointed by the service from the main waiter and manager.
(3)Jennifer D.
Winner winner chicken dinner! Lol A five star rating you ask...from me? Ummmm yes! My boyfriend did his research and found this restaurant, it was a surprise, I had heard of it but never tried myself. We arrived early, and they let us know that it might be a few minutes for "our table" but that we could be seated somewhere else (near the bar) and not recommended. We said that it was totally ok, the hostess (super friendly) escorted us to the table. The manager immediately came over and told us that this was not the table for us and just to wait a couple more minutes.... so thoughtful. We waited and within no time we are seated, and it was far more intimate (what my bf had requested whilst placing the reservation). I HAVE to say this. Everyone that works there was ridiculously accommodating and soooo nice. The ambiance was great, this place was packed! And now I know why. Soooo onto the food: I opted for the baby arugula salad, great presentation, and was plentiful, and I much loved the added ingredients as well, all components merried well against the "bite" of the arugula. The bf got the caesar and made me try a bite ....probably the best home made caesar dressing I've had in ages...two thumbs way up. Entrees: I got the lamb crusted with sun dried tomato infused bread crumbs and topped with a basil/pine nut pesto.....presentation = impeccable, it was cooked to pure perfection, melt in your mouth!...pesto = delish, the brocollini was also cooked perfectly, I'm not a potato fan, but the fingerlings were well prepared (the bf ate a lot of them lol). He got the bolognese with home made rigatoni (yummo)....I tried it and OMG it was soooo good....a nice and rich sauce which was ample, but not overpowering. They had freshly shaved parm on the top to finish it off. FINALLY a bolognese worth raving about. We opted to not have dessert, and they acknowledged that and then gave us a complimentary "dessert" moscato to end the evening....the entire experience was amazing and what a delightful surprise at the end. Do I recommend? YES!!!
(5)Adam G.
My family came here after a graduation looking for a fine dining experience, and that is exactly what we got. Parking was a snap with valet service available. The ambience was perfect, with walls that remind you of a Tuscan villa, and menus that lit up for easy reading. From the olive infused bread, to the masala ravioli, the food was delicious and really hit upon a unique fusion of Italian and modern food. The service was A+, with a friendly attentive waiter who was always there if you had a question or needed a refill on your beverage. One of the best examples of fine dining in Boston, Da Vinci is an excellent choice for a delicious dinner.
(5)Stacey G.
A couple of weeks ago 3 of my girl friends and I went to Da Vinci for restaurant week. If you have never been out during restaurant week, you should - its a pre fixe menu of three courses. We were seated immediately upon arrival. When I sat down I opened my menu and yelped a little bit. Why? Well Da Vinci is very high tech and has a lit menu - when u open it, the light goes on... It provided a little shock factor, I liked it. I ordered arancini con mozzarella - im not sure how to explain it. It looked like a falafel but had cheese in the center and indian spices. The flavors were very bold and I've actually never had indian food before so this was very new to me, it was okay, not my favorite. For my entree, I ordered the salmon - it was an amazing presentation, stacked beautifully and cooked to perfection. For dessert, I ordered chocolate soufflé - which is my all time favorite dessert. After dinner, the restaurant was pretty quiet which was perfect because my friends and I stayed and chatted for a bit, more like an hour, and no one shooed us out or rushed us. They actually gave us complimentary dessert wine. ** I'm a food blogger, If you like my reviews check out my website: metropolitanfoodie.blogs…
(4)Eric G.
Food was very good but overall meal was slightly sub-par for the high priced, high quality restaurant they claim to be Pros: Muscle appetizer was best we have ever had (seriously) Order the chocolate soufflé ! Excellent! Salmon (Indian style) was very good Deep fried, poached egg with salad was unique and tasty Cons: remainder of ceaser salad was weak (way too much dressing despite asking for "light on the dressing") the Halibut was a bit dry ... We returned 2 hours later to have coffee at the bar and another soufflé ...service was lousy, we were ignored for awhile despite it not being too busy (too worried about emptying dishes from dishwasher than customers) $16 valet takes 20+ minutes to get car back Summary ---good experience, we had fun and we would go back but it's a bit overpriced for the service provided
(4)Katie D.
I was excited about the menu at Da Vinci and even more excited to find out they had gluten free options. When I arrived, I asked my waitress what were the gluten free options. She said they could do practically anything, any of the pastas could be gluten free and most of the entrees as well. I was really excited about the gluten free pasta, so I choose the Orecchiette. When I placed my order the waitress then informed me the pasta will not be Orecchiette but a penne with the same sauce. I was still happy as a clam that was until she came back to tell me that the pasta would not have any sauce because they couldn't make that gluten free. When I was a little confused, she said they normally could but the chef was so busy he wouldn't do the gluten free sauce. So when I inquired about another pasta she said that same thing that I could get the pasta but without the sauce. Who wants pasta without sauce!?!? So I settled on the pork, easily gluten free right? WRONG. Again, the chef wouldn't make the sauce gluten free because he was too busy. I ended up getting the pork without the sauce, definitely not work $32. If you are gluten free, don't waste you time. I just don't understand why the restaurant would post all over their menu that they have gluten free options if they won't take the time to make them?
(1)Janice K.
Lovely restaurant, ambiance for certain .... great for an intimate dinner, romance, special occasion, more. White linen table clothes, candles, floor/ceiling draperies, nice bar area but small .... clearly to only have a drink while you wait for your table. We visited during Restaurant week 2014. The Bolognese was fabulous and understandably acclaimed, chicken parmesan very good with homemade mozzarella but nothing to write home about. It is my understanding that all pasta is homemade. Tiramisu for dessert was probably the best that I've had. Service was efficient but could have been more prompt. It was very friendly, nonetheless. Wine list was lovely but pricey starting at $40 with only a few options and then increased significantly from there. Valet parking or there are many public parking garages around that would accommodate just as well. I would visit again after saving my pennies.
(4)E W.
What a great find! I found this place purely by the reviews online. The BF and I needed a nice little night out so I made reservations. Because of the snow yesterday we were a bit late (15min) and the staff couldn't have been more courteous about it. Everything from the atmosphere to the food was great! We did the 3-course meal option for $39 and I am shocked....SHOCKED that you can get this quality of food for that price. The food is on par with some of the better restaurants in Boston. We routinely eat at higher/high end establishments and Da Vinci's just landed itself into our regular rotation. We both had pasta dishes, I cannot remember the full name of mine but it was with the broccoli and sausage in a white wine sauce....to die for! I have traveled extensively throughout Italy and their pasta is on par with the best I've had overseas. I have eaten at other Italian restaurants in Boston who claim to have homemade pasta....and they've all been, clearly, boxed pasta that couldn't possibly have been made on site. There is no doubt that the pasta was fresh and it was fantastic. The BF tried the ravioli that was a fusion of Masala....we were stunned how seamlessly and fantastic the fusion was. When I first heard the fusion options on the menu I was very skeptical.....it was executed with such balance that your mouth will be shocked that you haven't eaten something like it before! Go, you will not be disappointed. For those who claim the food is nothing to rave about......not to be rude, but their palates must not be used to al-dente pastas and fresh basil. The food is great, the value is fantastic, a great spot for any kind of dinner.
(4)Lisa I.
The food here is delicious, and they used to offer a 3-course menu for ~$30, although I think the price has increased a bit. The pastas are homemade and delicious. My favorite is the gnocchi with mushrooms and truffle oil SOOOOO GOOD. The arancini is also a delicious way to start the meal. Delicious food, great service, upscale atmosphere. Da Vinci is a win in my book!
(4)Bex M.
Huge party at Da Vinci. First walked in and we got "the look" from the staff and hostess. Now I'm not sure what "the look" really meant but I noticed it. 2nd thing I noticed was the bread. Either we were starving (which we were) or that the bread was sooo good (which it was). Are we supposed to share the bread and that hummus/oil spread? 3rd thing I noticed was the menu. It was neat! Go check it out for yourself, don't want to spoil the cool factor for you. 4th are the mussels. Hands down best mussels I've had. Super plump and delicious, must have been swimming in Evian water or something. 5th someone's cut of steak wasn't properly cooked but was delicious nonetheless. 6th my indian masala ravioli was amazing. Absolutely loved it. 7th someone's chicken dish was said to be pretty fab as well. I noticed this throughout the night that our waiter seemed to hate people but the other servers were on top of their game. So overall, food trumps service. p.s. They currently have a pre fixe for a really good price, but we weren't there in time for that but there are plenty of deals around to look before you go! p.p.s Remember to get your pass validated and it only works for a few hours. We missed it by a few minutes and had to pay full price.
(4)Maddie C.
After now having dined at Da Vinci twice, I can honestly say it is one of my favroite restaurants in Boston. From the time you enter the restaurant till the time you leave, you are treated with care and fed royally. The atmosphere, the staff, and the food are all lovely! Both times we have started with the mussels. They are cooked just right with a delectable sauce that is perfect for dipping their amazing bread into as well. For main dishes, I have tried the Parardelle con Pistachio Pesto (a lovely twist on my favorite sauce), the Rigatoni Bolognese with GF pasta (an award winning classic), and the Gnocchi Pomodoro (quite the delight). I don't think you could go wrong with anything on the menu. I am always so full by the time it gets to dessert, but I am dying to try their Souffle. This place is wonderful and I can't wait to go back. Don't let the dim mood lighting turn you away because they have back lit menus - a fun suprise! Also this is a great place for people with Celiac's - there are so many GF options on the menu!
(5)Chris C.
Chef Peppino is the best. He is so generous and friendly, and the man can cook. for appetizers we got the arancini and the pomodoro e mozzarella and man they were good. The cheese balls were super crispy and oozing with cheese it was amazing. And the Pomodoro E Mozzarella was flavorful and just perfect. For my main, I got the traditional chicken parm and this was one of the better chicken parms I've had, there was a perfect amount of breading on the chicken and there was sooooo much cheese. And last for dessert we got the Tiramisu and the apple crostata. The best tiramisu I've ever had. Awesome dinning experience.
(5)Jacqueline C.
Solid four stars. Our party of 4 came for the restaurant week menu and all the food we ordered were delish. Hostess was always smiling and willing to help out. Appetizer: *Caesar salad with anchovies--don't really know how to rate a salad dish, but the anchovies do add a special taste to the Caesar salad. They go well together and it is served with a whole leaf. *Pomodoro y mozerella-- fresh. I also like the sauce that goes with it. *Arancini(fried rice ball with cheese inside)-- best appetizer among all. It's fried so it can't go wrong ..but the stuffing and the crust were so in sync. Yum yum! *insalata di rucola-- baby arugula salad. The salad dressing with this salad makes the bitter taste of arugula so much better. Love it. Entrée: *Sirloin--I recommend it cooked medium rare. One friend asked for medium and the other medium rare. The medium one was only very slightly pink inside, but the medium rare one was fully light pink in the inside without looking rare at all! Sirloin was very tender--and juicy too. *rigatoni bolognese--- was awarded best of boston; however I'm not a big fan of it. The tomamto sauce is indeed pretty intense. Doesn't taste like regular tomamto sauce at all. Taste is overpowering.(in a good way tho) *orechiette con salsiccia- my personal favorite! Love the texture of little eat pasta. The sauce is very good and special! I brought leftover sauce back home for another meal. Dessert: A little disappointed-- gelato tastes like ice cream. Creme brûlée is okay if you don't compare with other restaurants; too sweet.. Love the chocolate mousse We had a great experience overall. Service was pretty slow between our entree and our desserts.
(4)Andrew T.
My memory of this place is fading a little bit, but I do remember a few things. Service was very good, putting up with some...overly playful and perhaps slightly over served coworkers. And the menus are trick - flip them open and the light up. No more old people using cell phone flashes to read the menu, which I suppose is nice. As for the actual food, we ordered our way through a number of the appetizers, and I remember all as being good, however, after a few months, I can't remember any single one that jumps out in my mind. Perhaps that says something even if it's not specifically a recommendation for one appetizer or another. What I do remember is very good gnocchi. I subbed gnocchi in to another pasta dish (I think gnocchi bolognese instead of spaghetti bolognese), and then added their spicy meat sauce (instead of the normal meat sauce) and it was an excellent decision. The gnocchi were tender with a little tackiness in the middle, just what I like, and the sauce was great, with lots of strong tomato flavor, good browned beef, and some actual heat, enough to make me notice, and I'm used to eating pretty spicy food. I would totally get this again, and frankly, if I was living or working nearby regularly, I think I'd have a tough time breaking out of this rut. This is really a four based on the gnocchi. Definitely would not hesitate to return.
(4)A1 M.
Service: 5/5, good Food: 2/5, poor Drinks: 3/5, fine Value: 2/5, poor Overall: mediocre Dinner for 4 on August 8. Reservation made on line honored, table available on time, special request accommodated. Drinks (2 Kirs, Cosmo, and Martini up) served in two tranches, the second tranche was served after our appetizers were brought to the table. Food orders: three prix fixes and one a la carte order, included: Appetizers: - Courgette blossom: stuffed with ricotta and served deep-fried. This dish was uder-seasoned but otherwise executed well. Good cauliflower-based sauce; 4 stars out of 5 - Arancino: Supposedly with burrata inside (not detected), was served overcooked and way too heavy on bread crumbs; 2 stars out of 5 - Roquette salad with parmesan shavings: Salad was fine. My parmesan shavings were shavings of the rind (rather than the expected cheese) of parm; 0 stars out of 5 because this is the defect that is easily controlled and indicates utter disregard for the quality of dishes served; - Mussels: excellent. Cooked right, excellent broth, done right: 5 stars out of 5. Pasta Course: - Gnocchi: flavorless pasta without a hint of potato, 0 stars out of 5; - Ravioli masala: good flavor, poor execution (overcooked);4 stars out of 5 - Penne Bolognese: pasta cooked rights, ragout is under-seasoned and lacks flavors; 3 stars out of 5; Main course: - Fish with nut crust - bland, lacks seasoning, and nut crust does not belong. 2 stars out of 5; - Filet mignon: felt overcooked yet pink inside - maybe previously frozen? 1 star out of 5; - Rack of lamb: cooked and seasoned right, but not trimmed and felt like it had sinew on the outside. Disregarding the sinew matter I generously give it 3 out of 5 stars. Assortment of desserts: - Ice cream - good vanilla flavor, served at right temperature, 5 stars out of 5; - Peach crostata - ok, but was served wet. Perhaps was sitting on the counter for a while? 3 stars out of 5 - Chocolate Souffle - good, a touch overcooked but not much in comparison with some of the rest of the dishes; 4 stars out of 5. Service was good; our water was attentive and professional. Food was bland and unimpressive.
(2)Christina Y.
Came here for Boston restaurant week and it was absolutely an amazing experience. I loved everything we ordered and would come back here during the year for sure. The environment is super great but it was pretty loud when we went (probably because it was restaurant week on a Thursday night). But the food is hands down one of the best for Italian food. My friend got bolognese and I got the steak for the main entree. It was cooked to perfection and the sides were really good as well. After reading the reviews, we both got the arancini for appetizer. It was like a fancy mozerella ball and the flavor and crunch really make you want to eat 10 more of them. Desert we both got creme brule. It wasn't as crunchy on top as we wanted it to be, but the pairing with fruit was great! Could be better though if the sugar was a bit more caramelized. Overall, beautiful place, amazing dishes.
(5)Chris P.
Beautiful restaurant. Went here for dinner for my 23rd birthday and Dine Out Boston (but I treated my mom!). The waiter brought over a bowl of bread with olive oil and some unknown hummus looking (but not tasting) sides for dipping. For appetizers I ordered arancinis (rice balls stuffed with mozzarella and fried) and she got the Caesar salad (a long uncut piece of lettuce, anchovies, and a poached fried egg). Both were exquisite, but I thought the "salad" was more of a presentation piece than an actual salad. For entrées I ordered the gnocchi pomodoro (potato dumplings in tomato sauce with some mozzarella chunks on top) and she had the salmon which was served with string beans and small purple potato wedges. The salmon was okay, as was the gnocchi, but neither blew our minds. For drinks we got a variation of a lime Rickey (lime juice, soda water, syrup, cranberry juice) which were fantastic (at $3.50 a drink). For dessert I ordered the gelato and she had the crème brûlée. The gelato to me just tasted like Brigham's ice cream, but the crème brûlée was delicious! So creamy and crispy, with just a little fruit on top. I'd recommend getting the fruit on the side, so it doesn't make the crispy top all soggy. Would highly recommend the brûlée. Overall an enjoyable experience and I left full.
(4)Carol T.
This was one of the best Italian Restaurants we have been to. The pasta dishes we had were outstanding. The food was hot... My glasses steamed up as I took the first bite..... This never happens in most restaurants! The rigatoni bolognese, spicy was to my husband's liking. The Orechetti pasta dish was perfect, tomato sauce with capers and olives, the salty briney flavor against the sweeter tomato was quite good. The chef came and sat down at our table and explained how they made this dish/pasta. The waitress was very knowledgable and helpful as we selected our dinner items. The support staff were quiet and attentive. I would highly recommend this place.
(5)Emilia L.
So when you hear that a restaurant is Italian-Indian fusion, you have a bit of a "...huh" moment. But then you decide to go to this restaurant anyway and end up having the best meal! My fiance questioned me when I told him this was Italian-Indian fusion and NOT in the North End. To him, he figured any "legit" Italian joint would be in, well, the North End. But I kept my reservation here, and boy am I glad I did. It was one of the best meals we had in Boston all weekend, and we really didn't have a single bad meal. To start, I knew I wanted to get the arancini. We were warned that the plates were meant more for individuals, and that was true. The portion included three risotto balls. While this was an excellent dish, I was disappointed the overall portion was small. Not necessarily a bad thing, but considering the price, yes. For my entree, I chose the Tagliatelle alla Peppino, which was a house specialty, I believe. Homemade ribbons of pasta served with absolutely gigantic shrimp in a creamy white wine, mint and orange reduction. I'd never had anything like this before. It was possibly one of the best things I have ever tried. Ever. My fiance got the veal porterhouse, which he really enjoyed. We were stuffed, but I knew I wanted to try their desserts, as our server had done such a good job talking them up. We went for the chocolate souffle with vanilla gelato. We actually ordered this when we ordered our entrees, since there is a 20 minute baking time. It was light and rich at the same time, just amazingly delicious and so was the gelato. AHHH. From beginning to end, the meal was just perfection for my tastebuds. We left with stuffed bellies and tried to walk it off by exploring the Back Bay area a little more, despite the cold night chill settling in. Oh, one cool thing. Both the exterior and interior of the restaurant are pretty cool to look at, and the restaurant interior is rather dim. So what do they do? Their menus are backlit! I'd never seen anything like that before (pardon my ignorance!) i was amazed.
(5)Lily H.
We went here for my boyfriend's bday. The waiter was nice, and the food was really good!
(5)Stephanie H.
Service was excellent! David A. was our waiter and he was so kind and helpful. If you go here, you must get the Pomodoro e Mozzarella Burrata, it is amazing. They make their own fresh moz, and it melts in your mouth! My friend ordered the Indian Fusion Masala Ravioli and it was to die for. I ordered the Gnocchi Con Funghi, which as good but next time, I would get the Masala. We didn't have room for dessert unfortunately. All of their food is homemade. A definite must try for those looking for delicious Italian food with a twist.
(5)Jacob M.
Went here based on the great reviews. I will agree the service is top notch, but I found the food to pretty bland. Not offensive, just...didn't taste like much. $75 for a drink, starter, main course, and coffee. Probably reasonable for a nice Boston restaurant, but too much for what I got.
(2)Jenny E.
DaVinci's is the best. Fantastic food- great for all diets- vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free- you name it they can do it - deliciously. (Call in advance to give them a heads up for special diets and you will not be disappointed). Spencer and Chef Peppino will make any special evening unforgettable. My favorite restaurant in Boston.
(5)Don K.
Ok. So we've been coming here since it first opened 5 or 6 years ago and have always enjoyed every aspect, from the amazing drinks and wine to spectacular food and friendly service. We were celebrating my parents 50th anniversary so decided to book for a party of 11. Now, my nephews (11 & 10) and niece (6) are kind of picky eaters. The oldest nephew had the Rigatoni Bolognese and said it was the best meal ever and asked if they could go back every week! My other nephew polished off the tagliatelle Ina cream sauce and I thought he was going to order another! My niece is a pasta connoisseur and gobbled up a plate of spaghetti with pomodoro sauce. Pleasing these 3 isn't always easy, but, Chef, you did it! Now we ended up with only 6 adults and we all chose the tasting menu; 3 vegetarian and 3 w/meat. Every morsel was perfectly cooked and beautifully displayed. The waitress asked some questions to help Chef Peppino prepare our 5 (yes 5) courses. We started with arrancini, tomoatos w/ burrata with a small salad. Perfect! Next came pappardelle with pistachio pesto (seriously good) and gnocchi in pomodoro sauce. Our 3rd course was a perfectly seared scallop on a bed of creamy risotto. By this time we were getting full with 2 courses to go. The meat eaters had tender and juicy filet mignon and the vegetarians had a mushroom gratin with a hint of truffle oil. Everything was exquisite! If all that wasn't enough we all indulged ourselves on chocolate soufflé except my niece. She's opted for the 3 scoops of gelato: mango, blueberry, and moose tracks. Her favorite? Hands down the mango! Now, I know this is long.... Thank you to our server Kim H. for making an important night exquisite. Thank you, Chef for preparing an unforgettable meal. And thanks for remembering us! We'll see you soon!
(5)monica b.
Service is super slow and not very good. They take forever. Food is fine. Nothing special. And they didnt have enough menus for our table. They had to wait until others were done to give us more menus. Plus they had vacant seats. They should probably make enough menus for the number of people they can accommodate. So weird.
(3)Joanne R.
I went to Da Vinci two days ago and I am still raving about their Rigatoni Bolognese!!! It was the BEST I've ever had!!! This was my first time dining at Da Vinci and I was impressed by how cozy an atmosphere it presented without being crowded. It was dimly lit but the menus illuminated upon opening, which I have never seen before and thought a fantastic idea. The wine/cocktail list was amazing and had wine selections for every budget. Even the bread was delicious, served with a chickpea puree as well as a basil olive oil. I started with the mozzarella burrata with vineripe tomatoes and basil. The burratta was so soft and silky, melts in your mouth. The tomatoes were so sweet. As I said prior, for my entree I had the "amazing" rigatoni bolognese. I highly recommend Da Vinci's and can't wait to go back to try other entrees!!
(4)Ying X.
My boyfriend and I came here for Valentine's Day, during which they had a prix fixe 4-course menu. Everything on the menu tasted good, but most of the dishes weren't very memorable, and for $95 a person, I was expecting a bit more. In addition, we weren't completely impressed with the service. They didn't bother giving us a bread basket, which I'd been excited to try after reading some of the reviews, and their service was a bit slow, even for Valentine's Day, during which I expect to spend more time waiting. The only two foods that really stood out to me were the Arancini (from the Tasting Platter) and the Chocolate Ganache Cake (from the Dolci Mixed Platter). Everything else felt like something you could probably get at a much less expensive Italian restaurant. I'll give a shout out to the Beef Tenderloin, which I enjoyed because of the truffle sauce (but was otherwise not very remarkable). Before coming to dinner, I'd also looked at their regular menu, which sounded much more appealing than the prix fixe. I'm curious to see if my time here would be different on a non-holiday, but I'm not sure it's worth the cost or effort.
(3)Brandon G.
The best authentic Italian food in Boston. Skip the North End, make your way directly to Columbus St. The service cannot be beat, the chef is remarkable. Try the veal, you will not be disappointed. I went here for the first time 5 days ago, and have already been back. A new goal in life for me is to become a regular here.
(5)Ashley Z.
Romantic setting with solid, if not creative food that has been executed flawlessly. I came here multiple times before as it is a family favorite. This most recent Saturday we came for a graduation celebration dinner. At 9:30, the restaurant is packed with low murmuring sound throughout the place. Its a time to be merry! We were promptly seated and enjoyed the bread basket right away. It came with freshly baked sliced bread with a hummus dip and herbed olive oil. Delicious! The menu creatively has a backlight so you can actually read what you are ordering in the dimly lighted dinning room. We opted for the mussels as an appetizer and ribeye to share between two people. The portion are more than generous! The mussels are cooked to just the right level without becoming rubbery, and the sauce it came with (wine, garlic, butter) is decadent! We dipped our bread in the sauce again and again, and even opted to slurp it using a spoon from time to time. The steak (16th of glory) was covered in a red wine reduction sauce. Although typically not a fan of sauce on my steaks, I enjoyed this sauce as the slight tartness from the wine brings out the fat component in the steak. The accompanying roasted potatoes are so sweet and delicate its just a joy to pop them one after another in the mouth. The portion is so generous that even with 2 people sharing we couldn't finish the steak. Finally came the dessert. Although people raved about the chocolate souffle, I actually enjoyed the pear crostata - a perfect blend of buttery richness with the refreshing taste of fruit. The tiramisu, of course, is a standard and solid option. Highly recommend this place if you are seeking for comfort Italian food in an intimate setting!
(4)Alexandra M.
Came here for restaurant week. They also had a deal for wine but ran out by the last Thursday--strange to me, how do you run out of a type of wine? Why not order more halfway though OR order more at the start. I had the arancini for a starter and it was great. I had never ordered it before and wish I had. They were cut in half and served with tomato which was perfect because it helped them cool and the tomato was a great complement. My friend had the cesear salad which was an interesting presentation of full leaves of romaine and had a fried poached egg on top. For an entree I had the Indian ravioli which was just as interesting as you'd expect. I don't know if I'd want it again, but it was good, especially the sauce on top. I tried my friends salmon which was like butter. The chocolate mousse was rich and the perfect amount. Service was great--we asked them how they made the poached fried egg and she went and found out that ti's a kitchen secret. She did forget which wines they had left, and gave us the wrong check the first time, so maybe a bit absent minded.
(4)Joseph C.
We went for dinner after work during the week. The restaurant was very quiet and the server was very attentive at the beginning of the evening. As the evening went on, the service went downhill. After we were finished we would see the waiter doing a loop around the restaurant and talking with his coworkers but he never came close enough for us to get his attention. His English was a challenge too. Dessert and paying the bill took longer than entire rest of our meal. The food was average. The highlight was the burrata . Restaurant looked promising but the service not good at all.
(1)Nicole H.
FRESH AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FOOD!! My husband and I are new to the Boston area and had heard great things about Da Vinci's. We dined with Da Vinci's on a Monday evening. It happened to be a little quiet, but made for a great date night! We started our meals with a couple appetizers; the Arancini Risotto balls that were perfectly crisped on the outside with a creamy cheesy risotto inside. Served with the fresh prosciutto, they were to die for! For dinner we split the Bolognese (saving room for dessert, as they are all homemade!) We decided to go with the "spicy" bolognese, which in all sense, is not that spicy. There is a reason why this bolognese is award winning... yum!! Lastly, dessert was a pear tart. Which be mindful, does take about 20 minutes considering it is made to order. It was delightful! Enough to share for two. AJ was our server and was extremely attentive without being overbearing. This is sometimes a hard quality to come across in the restaurant industry! After dinner was over, we were greeted with 2 glasses of Moscato in champagne flutes. What a great touch! Thanks, AJ! Can't wait for our next dining experience at Da Vinci's!
(5)Lauren P.
Great food, great service, reasonably priced for what it was. Extensive wine list at varying price points ($30 - several hundred). We ordered a cheaper pino and it was great. Bread they brought was fantastic - the hummus like spread was to die for. We tried the rigatoni and the bolognese. Both were phenomenal. Finished with the chocolate soufflé. Atmosphere was nice, but definetely an older crowd. Good place for a quiet dinner with friends or family.
(5)randi r.
pretty setting, the pappardelle is so. amazing.
(5)V L.
Great food, Great Atmosphere, Exceptional Service!! I went here with a friend to take advantage of restaurant week and honestly had the best night out in Boston that I've had in a very long time. The interior is beautiful with white table clothes and lit candles, creating a very romantic ambiance. The service was exceptional. Our waiter Rocco went above and beyond to make sure everything was to our liking and provided us with the best service!! The GM was also very attentive and wanted to make sure everything was to our liking.... truly VIP treatment! Things like this really make an experience and shows that they really do care about providing the best service to their customers. I highly recommend this place if you want an enjoyable night out in Boston. We will definitely be going back there very soon!
(5)Brittany M.
I'm so disappointed about this place, I had been trying to go to this restaurant for the last three months and I finally decided to give it a try. Last Friday night My friend made a reservation trough open table at 10:30pm we were a group of 4 and we were very excited about having dinner there with a nice bottle of wine. This is what happens We get there at 10:35 due to parking issue and we presented ourselves with the host Me: hi, we are 5 minutes late for our reservation. Host: I Have no reservations on Open table and our kitchen closed at 10:00pm Me: We can show you the confirmation email we got from Open table( which we did) Host: ( looks at the screen) I have no reservation for you. Me: I don't mind leaving, we'll give the business to some other restaurant but pleaseee I know exactly how open table works and please do not lie to your customers. So DaVinci how dare you are..how can you lie to customers..even though when we got there they still had quiet number of people having dinner, if you just didn't want to take care of us, you should have called us and say "listen don't come all the way from Lexington because we had a slow night and we want to go home earlier tonight". That would have been perfect. When we walked away we see the hours of the business and realized that were the same hours that open table had. After we live we get a cancelation from the restaurant which means that the restaurant cancelled our reservation. Da Vinci has canceled your reservation for 2 on Friday, October 17, 2014. If you have questions about your canceled reservation, please contact Da Vinci at (617) 350-0007. We hope to see you on OpenTable soon! Sincerely, OpenTable Member Services OpenTable.com This is what I called a dishonest customer service. I understand that keeping the restaurant open for a party of 4 is not worth it but, next time have the decency of calling the customer and let them know what the heck you're doing because if we can make a reservation we expect to be served. And this is how you have lost 2 old customers and 2 new customers.
(1)Erica Z.
Everything we ordered from the special appetizer tuna tartare to our entrees of the duck and lamb chop was spectacular. The chef, who we got to meet presented us with a beautiful mouth watering meal that we still dream about. The waiter was attentive and even moved our table of 4 around so we wouldn't feel crammed in the corner. We will be back as all around our dining experience was devine!
(5)Salman A.
Whenever I am in Boston I make it a point to go to this particular restaurant and I have never been disappointed. The feel of the place, the friendliness of the staff and the quality of the food all contribute to a special evening. It is home away from home. It's that special.
(5)Margarita B.
I came here for restaurant week with 2 girlfriends, and we had mixed reviews. Let's start with the ambiance - it's pretty dark when you walk in, lots of mood lighting. I felt like I was at a fancy restaurant, but there was no bar to wait while the full party arrived. At least we were given a table and never felt rushed. We got there around 630pm, and it was about half full. Around 730 the place was totally full. Now on to the food - we all had the arancini to start which was okay - presentation was great, arancini itself was decent. I was hoping for a bigger burst of flavor. My entree was bolognese because I feel like you can't go wrong with that. Again, decent but nothing to write home about. The pasta itself was a great texture, the sauce was what turned me off. My friend got the oriecchetti with broccoli rabe, which was pretty good, in came in a white sauce. My other friend got the ravioli and loved it. Dessert was great - we got the peach cobbler which was fantastic. Service was great too. I wish I could give the place a 3.5 star review because the food was decent - I wouldn't rush back but would come again to give it one more shot.
(3)Matt O.
Excellent. My wife and I shared the scallop appetizer, and had duck and lamb chop entrees. All were wonderful, perfectly cooked, and exactly as expected. Service was great as well, though it was a snowy Saturday night after a busy holiday week, so it wasn't crowded. I would imagine service would have been similar if it were busier, as it was just the right amount of attention. Only thing that wasn't spot on was the house Chianti was rather mild, I liked it, just wasn't what I was looking for in a wine at $60/btl (we had it by the glass). My wife enjoyed it, for what its worth and she's probably a more discerning wine drinker than I, though she might have opted for something different on her second glass if more wines were available by the glass (not that I expect there to be). This didn't detract at all from the evening or the meal, I just mention it as its likely a popular choice of wine.
(5)Rita A.
What can I say about this place - simply amazing! From the appetizers (seared scallop over mushroom risotto cake and burrata mozzerella) to the meals and dessert - everything was unreal. The service is impeccable and the place adorable . For my entree I got the braised short ribs over crispy polenta and broccoli rabe - so delicious ! My sisters got the parpadelli with truffle and the gnocchi with shrimp scampi - all amazing ! Highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Patrick F.
Server AJ was amazing. Very personable and helpful. Risotto balls and soufflé were out of this world. My wife and I loved it!
(4)John D.
My wife and I went here on new year's eve for their prix fixe 4 course meal ($95 each). The food was presented nicely but didn't taste right. The tallagione wasn't fresh and the lobster and shrimp ravioli were overcooked in a watery sauce. The service and wine were great but wouldn't recommend. Happy 2015!
(3)Mel R.
Went here while in business. Food was flawless. Great ambiance, great service, great selection. Try the gelato sampler, it was a nice top off. menus light up when u open them, very cool.
(5)Mary F.
First time here. Supping with colleagues from work. Arugula salad with pecorino, arrancini (crazy good croquettes--fried risotto balls--shiver). I wanted to snatch my neighbor's arrancini and scuttle under the table and and gobble it down, but one of my dinner neighbors tonight is my boss....so, INSIDE my head I stared him down, brazenly snatched his arrancini off his plate as he started in surprise, and ran away cackling into this sweet Boston night, his and my arrancini in hand. Gawd. So delicately crispy outside and creamy cheese-y risotto inside. Still thinking about them now. My entree was a mid rare sirloin. My neighbor to my right smirked at me: "Seriously? You're in an Italian restaurant in BOSTON, and you order sirloin?" He had a point. A very good one but I was committed and his smirks only made me more committed--to NOT order something more traditionally Italian. Kind of stupid--I probably should have ordered the chicken parm, recommended by our charming waiter who had the most fetching Italian accent and who kept my wine glass just at the right level of never too full-never too empty with a delicious red from Montepulciano. Dessert was the most well-executed molten chocolate cake I've ever had. Freshly crisp shell and almost too hot interior, gooey chocolate-y. Not too sweet. Perfectly executed -- a charming lopsided appearance in its soufflé cup, accompanied by a single scoop of ice cream that played a contented second fiddle to the molten chocolate cake. Absolutely. Fantastic.
(5)Sheilah B.
Outstanding!!! Went here last night for my daughters 21st birthday. From the moment we walked in we were welcomed like we were family. Off to the bar for a drink before dinner and the bartender Dave was amazing. Made a special drink for my daughters" first cocktail"!! He was so personable,we felt like we had known him for years! From there we had Jimmy as our waiter, so nice...very attentive. The food was out of this world..we started with appetizers, arancini balls, fried calamari and the bur rata. There were 6 of us, we had the filet...the bolognase and the ravioli...everyone loved their meals. Topped the night off with the trio dessert and expresso martini's that Dave the bartender came to our table to pour them!!! Just can't say enough about this place..A+
(5)Chris H.
I have been to Da Vinci now on multiple occasions ranging from intimate dinners to large parties. After our birthday dinner last night for a dozen - I am compelled to write this review because it is truly one of the best restaurants in the city. No matter what the occasion - Chef Peppino and his Staff are always attentive and professional accommodating requests. We have had special requests for food, changing reservations and the like and never had an issue and always great options. The food - well that is the heart and soul of the experience. Well prepared and portioned, the chef takes time to be sure each and every dish is creative, fresh and expertly prepared. On this occasion last night, we had a trio of appetizers: mozzarella tomato salad - FRESH real soft and tasty- the prosciutto wrapped asparagus that was crunchy and the prosciutto melted in your mouth and the arancini - these nice sized risotto rice balls stuffed with mozzarella were a perfect start. For entrees the big hits were the classic Veal Porterhouse with a generous portion perfectly grilled and topped with a yummy Gorgonzola sauce. The other big hit was the bolognese (best of Boston) with homemade pasta with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano - just outstanding. The tenderloin was also a big hit rivaling anything from any steakhouse. Finally we had a few kids with us and the chicken parm was a hit and made special for one of our finicky patrons without cheese. We also had a couple of pastas to share for the table at the recommendation of our superb server (Rocco) and the combination of the outrageousness orchetti with sausage is perfectly balanced (some wanted this for the entire dinner!) and the gnocchi ... Again homemade potato dumplings with mushrooms and mozzarella and a hint of truffle oil. Wines paired perfectly with dinner and a good selection reasonably priced. The desert - only a few because the meals were soooo good. Shared what was a decadent rich chocolate soufflé served with vanilla ice cream, creme brûlée and good old fashioned ice cream. Perfect end to a memorable dinner. Thanks to Peppino and his entire team - a cut above and we will be coming back often!
(5)Roopa S.
An interesting Italian restaurant in Boston. Flavors were on point and the menu variety is definitely there. I would have liked to see more of the "Indian influence" that the restaurant often prides itself on, but I would like to point out one dish in particular that I thought was outstanding- the masala ravioli. The masala flavors are understated, but still subtle enough to be impactful. Really delicious, and it has definitely inspired me to want to play around with Italian Indian fusion. The arancini balls were also delicious, as was the burrata. Cute setting. The place could use some help with service (they forgot to bring us one dish, but we didn't bother bringing it up because we didn't get charged and we were too full from the rest of our dishes to even care). In the future, I hope to see more experimentation with Indian-Italian dishes in the form of new dishes or something. That's the only way I'd be coming back.
(4)Jillian W.
I came here with a group of friends during restaurant week and I loved every minute of it. If I had the time I would review all four of our orders but I'll just review what I ordered and my partner's since he's basically my "partner in crime" when it comes to trying different restaurants. First, I ordered the mussels for appetizer and it was delicious. It was actually because of this restaurant that I started eating mussels afterwards. The flavors were spot on, the perfect amount of spice in it, and even was well put together. For entrée, I ordered the gnocchi and it was decent as well. I actually got full really easily from it but that's to be expected. Finally, I ordered the chocolate souffle and it was amazing! The hot, melting chocolate souffle in the cup really complimented with the cold vanilla ice cream and I was totally in love with it. There's was nothing wrong with it at all. If I could, I would have ordered seconds. The waiter that we have was really nice and attentive and didn't mind that we asked a lot of questions. My partner ordered the same appetizer that I did and for entrée got the sirloin steak. The steak was a bit rare but when he asked to have it cooked a little more, the waiter had no problem taking it back. What was amazing and unexpected was the chef himself came out and served it to him at our table. He also waited to make sure that it was to his standard and it was. Seruously, how many restaurants you've been to that has the chef coming out to make sure that you like it. None for me obviously. So yes this place is worth trying and is recommended in my book and I'm the one usually picky about food. The only stars I would minus is for my friend, who was overall picky about the entire experience and didn't even like what he got. He took it out on the nice waiter and gave no tip (which we had to make up on his behalf). All I know is that we won't be going anywhere with him anymore so zero stars for him.. :p But going back to the restaurant, yes I would recommend going!
(5)Kal G.
The manager wrote me a nice response, acknowledged that there was indeed a problem with the temperature and and apologized. I appreciate when management cares.
(3)Sharon Z.
Elegant decor, central location and fine Italian foods that challenges the crown of North End. This is definitely a special occasion or a date night destination. We came here for an early Christmas eve dinner and was thoroughly impressed. The interior is softly lighted, with decors that brings you back a few hundred years, with the scholarly elegance of Da Vinci. The open kitchen offers a wide open view of the busy-ness of kitchen, typical of Italian style restaurants. For main dishes, my boyfriend ordered pappardelle with short ribs, a pasta dish with the exquisitely braised short rib, which falls off the bones and melts right into your taste buds. The sauce is relatively light but flavorful, a comforting dish with a touch of extra-ordinariness. I got the veal chop, the presentation is beautiful. The veal itself is extremely tender, the mushroom red wine reduction is flavorful but also brings out the natural flavors of the veal meat. The sliced potatoes and carrots complements the meat. For dessert we ordered the chocolate souffle that's been recommended by fellow yelpers, chocolate with a scoop of vanilla gelato. The crust of the souffle with a slight crunch and filled with warm chocolate, rich but not too sweet. Perfect. The restaurant is located at the heart of Boston, with close proximity to the theater district. They offer valet parking for $16 or validated parking at the Stuart Street for $10. Da Vinci is exactly what I expect for an fine dining Italian establishment. Exquisite decor, cozy atmosphere. From beginning to end, perfectly comforting, ordinary food that's made extraordinarily.
(4)Sarah E.
Simply the best dining experience. Two dear friends took me to da Vinci's for my birthday. From the moment we walked into the restaurant, I felt like an honored guest. The service was unmatched. And the food was simply decadent. Chef Pepino and his staff put on a show. Each dish was magnificently prepared and served with amazing presentation. I loved the five-course tasting dinner. Our party was asked for our likes, dislikes and allergies and the kitchen prepared a delicious meal to our specifications. The gluten free pasta was a special treat for me! And it was amazing! I cannot wait to make a return visit! Thank you so much Chef Pepino and staff!
(5)Suzanne C.
We dined here during restaurant week and ordered off the special menu. The atmosphere is very lively and fun, yet not too loud to converse. Our server, Derek was excellent - very professional and attentive. The bread with dip/oil was outstanding! We ordered the arancini and squash appetizers and both were excellent. Our entrees were ok, I was especially disappointed in the bolognese. It was simply ziti in a meat sauce. When I asked for fresh grated cheese, I was given powdered cheese in a bowl. We had the choc mousse and mango custard for dessert. I loved the mousse! The wine list is good and overall this was a very nice restaurant.
(4)Kat T.
Disclaimer: Either my tolerance has gone down since the summer (when I could down 10 drinks in an hour and a half during the World Cup finals) or the drinks here are REALLY strong, but it must be noted that by the time the food got to the table I was already quite tipsy. But onward. I brought my boyfriend here as a celebration after he went through a particularly rigorous exam. Truthfully I expected to pay around 50 dollars because of their 35 dollar 3 course meal deal. HOWEVER, let it be noted that this deal does NOT apply after 6 pm on Fridays or Saturdays. As my reservation was at 8:30 (and my only qualm with this place was that I was seated at 9 when I was on a very tight schedule), the deal did not apply to my meal and I ended up paying 110 dollars instead. Damn my need to not appear cheap! But onward for real (to the food): Break Basket: Yes, I do care about my bread baskets, they are important starts to a good, mediocre, or bad meal. These were delicious. The bread was warm and yummy and the chickpea dipping sauce was so so good! The other sauce, the basil oil, was pretty much left untouched. Swordfish Steak: The one with pesto and an eggplant. If you like pesto (like I loove pesto) go for this! The texture of the fish was so tender and delicious. I also like grilled food and feeling healthy (fish is healthy, isn't it?) so this won in all respects. Seafood pasta: I'm sure there was some fancy name for this. My boyfriend had this, which I wasn't as much of a fan of. The texture of the noodles was either undercooked or intentionally very chewy. Meh. Unfortunately after entrees I was running late for my next event so I didn't get to try the pumpkin creme brulee. It's always the one that gets away that seems the sweetest. I'll be back!
(4)Jan K.
Food was delicious, service was excellent -- the chef even took the time to meet us -- and the dining experience at large was one of the best of my life.
(5)Bryan R.
Superb. I don't know how this flew under my radar for so long. I had absolutely never heard of it before it popped up on Yelp while looking for a place for a dinner the same night. First impressions were that the light-up menus are cool but a bit weird at a fine restaurant. The decor is very nice but maybe a bit overdone? Just seems like a lot of Italian restaurants go over the top with things to appeal to people who want to be reminded that they are in an Italian restaurant. Our waitress was a bit preoccupied at first and I was worried it might be that way the whole meal. Fortunately it seems like she was just busy with a large party that was finishing up because once she warmed up she was great to us. Secondary service was very good - water was filled frequently, two baskets of bread, and plates cleared quickly. The gf and I split their five course tasting menu and added an order of their beef carpaccio to fill it out. I would highly recommend this order to a couple on a date. The carpaccio is the best that I've had in Boston. So soft with just the right acidity and the celery sorbet is something I would eat a pint of if I could. The tasting portions are very good - there are no tiny bites to leave you wanting. The entree portions of beef tenderloin and arctic char were full plates and outstanding. The 3 desserts are just the right amount to fill out the night. Chef Peppino made a point to come to every table and say hi. It's funny how that can make the dinner feel just a bit more special. I like his take on the Italian cuisine. The statue of Ganesha overlooking the dining room, blended into the decor, is a subtle reminder of his distinctive roots.
(5)K N.
Just because each entrée was over $20 doesn't mean it was amazing. Was the food good? Yes it was good but I didn't find value. The service was ok. I had to wave down the waiter. A good restaurant the waiter anticipates. A glass of wine, roasted chicken entrée and tip cost about $45. I will not be going back here.
(3)Beth H.
*LOVE* the service at Da Vinci. I organized a dinner party for 20 people. The number of attendees was sort of a moving target -- people were joining at the last minute; others canceling, and Dariusz, the events manager, was unflappable -- he was great about last-minute changes, and about accommodating all of our special requests. Then, when we got there, the waiters, hostesses, and bartenders were just great, catering to our every need. A+++. I'd give the service 5 stars. The food was good, as well, though I'd give it 3.5 stars. Several of the menu items are indian-infused italian. A yummy and exciting twist on dishes that are typically quite familiar...they just weren't superbly-executed (though with groups that large, it's tough to nail every item). I'd absolutely return for drinks and apps (and maybe dessert), but mostly to enjoy the wonderful service. There's better food in Boston.
(4)Nadine F.
We had reservations for 8:30, ended up arriving much earlier and were seated right away at 7pm. The service was excellent and everyone was very attentive and accommodating. Great ambience, nice decor, and the light-up menus are cool. We shared the Villa Pozzi wine which was reasonably priced and very good with our Italian dinner. The caesar salad was meh, just a romaine lettuce heart with an okay dressing drizzled over it, shaved parmigiano cheese and anchovies--overpriced for what it was and I wouldn't order it again. Other than that, everything was spot-on, so I wouldn't deduct a star just because of the appetizer. He got the rigatoni bolognese which was plentiful and tasty; I got the Indian fusion ravioli masala, which for me, as a lover of Italian and Indian foods, was the perfect blend of the two, interesting and delicious and different than anything I've ever had. We were asked about a couple desserts when our entrees were brought, because they take 20mins to prepare, and I thought this was smart because nobody wants to wait 20mins for their chocolate souffle after their dinner plates have been cleared. I opted for said souffle, and it was hot and melty, served with vanilla gelato and strawberry slices, so yummy! He got the gelato and said it was the best gelato he's had, and he gets gelato everywhere we go. I tried the three flavors and found them to be delicious as well. They brought over two complimentary glasses of Moscato, which was a nice touch. Overall, pricy if you get wine and dessert, but worth it for a special occasion or date night.
(5)Derek T.
Everything was outstanding. Peppino knows how to make incredible pasta but the filet was very good. Very casual and friendly.
(5)Diane H.
This place is very nicely decorated. The hostess was really nice. I made reservations on opentable, and everything went smoothly. Atmosphere is very pleasant. Fancy, white linen tableclothes, a little candle..Tables aren't THAT close..Got here at 6pm on a Monday, for Restaurant Week! But come by even when it isn't..its only $35 for a 3 course meal regularly! So our server was kinda awkward, but nice nonetheless, I ordered the Caesar Salad for appetizer, then the sirloin steak for the entre, and "souffle Al cioccolato" for dessert. They waited til I was finished with each before bringing the next. Very nice. I do wish my salad was chopped, but I ended up cutting them up by myself..The fried poach egg that came with it was DELICIOUS. My sorority sister loved the bread, I thought it was very different than my normal bread, so it wasn't as appealing to me. They give you olive oil..and hummas? Very fast at refilling my water...so that it NEVER ran out. Loved that. So my steak, medium rare, wish it was a little more rare, but it's fine. The potato gratin was delicious!!!! I loved it!! crispy on the outside and very soft on inside. The piece was so big!! I did not finish it all. My sister ordered the Crab Mezzeluna which is stuffed crab ravioli, I thought it was delicious but she didn't really like the seafood crab taste that normal crabs don't have? I thought it was fine. Dessert..my souffle was sooo good!! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. I saw the recommendations on yelp so I HAD to try it! The ice cream was good...the souffle tasted like a brownie..but better...the little bowl it came with was very hot, so proceed with caution! It was absolutely perfect. When I went to the restroom, I came back out and my napkin was folded, how lovely. The chef did in fact come out! I was surprised because I had no clue who was next to me! hahaha I would return to this place, great ambiance....amazing dessert..but I think I'll try something lighter than steak next time. :)
(4)Jamie F.
Before Da Vinci: Ehh... I'm not a huge fan of 'authentic Italian' cuisine - few 'meh' experiences in North End, and I've never been to Italy before... *sigh After Da Vinci: OMG, I love Italian food! I must rave about this on Yelp! Upon entering, I was immediately captivated by the warm and welcoming ambiance and grandeur décor. The spacious dining room was situated like an atrium of an ancient Roman house; high ceiling, tall columns, terra cotta colored walls, marble Roman statues and bronze busts. At the same time it felt elegant, classy, and romantic with clothed tables and candle lights. It's a decent-sized restaurant that can accommodate groups too (tables put together). My party of 8 sat by the open curtained windows. I started with a warm tomato salad, which was like a culinary explosion of flavors from the mildly tart tomatoes and pungent goat cheese. My steak was cooked perfectly and the side potato cake was delish; I thought the sauteed watercress was a bit salty and unusual for Italian food though. Oh, and I have DREAMS about the fluffy chocolate soufflé and creamy gelato! Sadly, a couple friends thought otherwise and felt it was overrated :( Other standouts were the huge mussels app, paper-thin beef carpaccio, warming pumpkin soup, and fall-off-the-bone pork shank. Not-so-favorites were the miniature crab cakes app and salmon entrée. Service was superb. The staff were gracious, friendly, and attentive. Both the chef and manager even came to greet us after dinner! We felt fabulous 8-) Just a note: prix fixe menu was $33, and not $29 advertised on hubeats.com or boston.com . Still, with such an extensive menu of praiseworthy food, it's the best prix fixe deal I've had in Boston! Warning: certain apps and entrees have an upcharge, which ends up resulting in a pricey dinner. Bookmark this restaurant for your next meal or special occasion!
(5)James M.
Gave this place a shot for restaurant week. It was very impressive. I typically dont seek out Italian restaurants because you can get most of whats on the menu anywhere. However, Chef Peppino has added a lot of flavor and variety to what would be considered traditional italian dishes. I would definitely classify this as a 'Modern Italian' restaurant. This is a great spot for a romantic date, or special occasion There is a very intimate ambiance. I would also recommend this place for all foodies. In addition to the food quality, I was very impressed with the service (Wayne was our server), as well as the plating. If there is one drawback at all to this place, it is a bit on the pricey side. A dinner for 2 with drinks will run you around over $100 most likely. Overall, I would recommend this place. I do plan on going back.
(5)Marissa C.
We came here for restaurant week a few years ago and we've been huge fans ever since - Chef Peppino always makes a point to come over and say hello everytime we come in and usually has the waiter bring us a complimentary dessert wine (it's a nice touch to remember your loyal diners). As for the food, it's amazing - excellent flavors, fresh, high quality ingredients - we love the Italian/Indian fusion dishes like the masala ravioli. I'm a huge fan of the gnocchi dish. The desserts never dissapoint. We've brought many friends and family here over the years and everyone always raves about the food, the ambiance, service. It's never that busy when we're there and we always wonder why - this is seriously one of the best restaurants in Boston and I'm happy to be giving it 5 stars!
(5)Eric S.
We tried this place based on all the great Yelp reviews and I must give love to my fellow Yelpers. We enjoyed thoroughly! The service was great, and Chef Peppito made his way around the restaurant, which was wonderful. Our waitress was smart, friendly, and helped answer our questions with definitive responses. My food was very rich and flavorful. I started with the vegetarian Minestrone, which was light and different thanks to not having a tomato-base. The butternut squash agnoletti were silky smooth and sweet, as was the rich, creamy (not low-fat!) sauce. I also had a side of perfect grilled asparagus, to get some veggies with my meal. We shared my hubby's chocolate soufflé, which was small but rich. I had the Da Vinci martini, which was good but not the best drink I've had. The menu is a very cool blend of Italian and Indian! The ambiance was nice but the music was a touch loud. I liked the menus that light-up, to help you see - so many people have to use their smart-phones to light the menus in dim restaurants these days... Areas that I think they can improve: It was a bit expensive, considering what we had. We all ordered the Prix Fix menu, one drink each, and one side, and it totaled about $65 each including tax and a nice tip. That price is fair, considering the quality of the food, service, location, and ambiance. However, both hubby and I left pretty hungry! I think if they kept the size of their current main-portion, and added some more veggies and sides to the plate, it'd be the perfect balance of value. And, the bread was only so-so, and my water ran dry a couple times. This place is PERFECT for a date - whether if you want to impress on the first date, or for a special anniversary or birthday. We'll definitely go back for something special.
(4)Michael B.
I was debating between a 3 and a 4 star review... So food... Appetizers, we came here as a group of 5 so had a few to try.. Arancini con Mozzarella - I thought it was very well prepared. Just the right amount of cheese and not too breaded. Prosciutto wrapped asparagus, was outstanding. Some olive oil, a good amount of prosciutto and and fresh asparagus. MHMMM.. Mussels, just ok I would say, nothing spectacular, as to me the sauce makes up a good portion of how good this dish could be, but they were good sized mussels. Beef Carpaccio, definitely not worth the $5 upcharge, as it was just ok. Entrees.. Beef Short Ribs. Very good! Tender, juicy, nice sauce.. Just outstanding. For my side dish I requested a side of gnocchi (I'm a big fan.) The gnocchi was below average. Not very soft, not much sauce of any kind, just kind of bla. The others in our party seemed to enjoy their meals, but nobody was falling off their chair in awe. Desserts... Crostata. MUST TRY. Light, not too sweet, perfectly prepared. Definitely worth the $3 upcharge. The service was just fine, except for like someone else on here mentioned we had the alarm go off for what seemed like an eternity (at least 10-15 minutes.) Does stuff likes this happen? Sure. However, nobody came over to apologize afterwards, that was somewhat of a turnoff. I was going to do my "complain bit", but my ears were hurting too much after and I just wanted to get out at that point. I must mention, prior to the alarm fiasco, the chef stopped by to see how we liked the food, agree with others on here, that was a nice touch. As far as ambiance, nice setting, different from the tiny places in the North End. Nice for groups and couples. Not too loud, a more relaxed setting I would say. The light up menus are gimmicky, but kinda cool. All in all some really good food which gets this place 4 stars.
(4)Tahani R.
My favorite restaurant in Boston!! The owner/chef is wonderful, I love how he goes to every table to say hello & see how everything is. The food is Incredible!!! I ate the arancini, amazing, the bolognese is awesome & the short ribs are excellent!! The burrata is the best I ever had! I would go here once a week if my bank account was endless. Very romantic ambiance!
(5)Kelley M.
I recently held a dinner for 20 people at Da Vinci Ristorante and the service and food was excellent! I appreciated how cooperative and responsive they were during the process of booking the event. I would recommend this place to anyone.
(4)Greg N.
You know those people who wear designer clothes because they think that "designer" automatically translates to "better?" This is the restaurant equivilent of that. While I quite enjoyed most of my food, I was a bit turned off by the interior. Going for lavish and sumptuous interior, it came across more as "My Super Sweet 16." Back lit menus rope wrapped columns fake iron scrolls on the walls busts of dead people It was supposed to feel rich and opulent, but I just left feeling like it all fell off the back of a truck... The food was good. I REALLY enjoyed the value of the prix-fixe menu. I started with the caesar salad (easily the weakest of the three dishes. the fried egg on top was kinda gross), the half chicken (delicious, if slightly dry), and the apple crostada (yes please!). if this place would update the look of the interior and get rid of all the excess, it would be a knockout.
(4)Ben W.
We were looking for a Saturday night dinner, and didnt have reservations (again). Everything was booked up for several hours, but we managed to get into Da Vinci with only about a 20min wait. Interior was nice with a large open dining area and an open kitchen. We managed to get seated right before 6pm, so we took advantage of the prixe fix option for $40/person. I started with the arancini which was deliciously fried and filled with mozzarella goodness. My wife had the mussels which i am generally not a fan of, but they had great flavor and the broth was tasty. I had the housemade fusili with bolognese for an entree. The fusili was al dente and the red sauce had a good taste as well. We also had the gnocchi with mushroom and spinach in a light truffle wine sauce. Loved it! The gnocchi was so tender and delicious. I was impressed! Dessert- Tiramisu, which was mediocre and the pumpkin creme brulee which was also mediocre and a bit too soupy in my opinion.
(4)John I.
I had the most wonderful time at Da Vinci Ristorante. Conveniently, located in the Back Bay area the price fix menu is surely to please. I highly recommend the mussels served "Italian style". They were perfectly done and were oh so plump. They melted in your mouth and were truly a delight. The ravioli dishes were also so amazing. The fresh noodles were done to perfection and the fillings were fresh, flavorful and oh so good. The dessert (a chocolate lava) was to die for. What a perfect combination of foods at a very reasonable price. The ambiance was good, with dim lighting and comfortable chairs. Service was decent and quite knowledgeable. Breads were fresh and excellent. No shortage if desired. I highly recommend Da Vinici Ristorante. Enjoy Back Bay!
(5)Julie N.
Update: We had our 30 person rehearsal dinner here over a year ago (wow - time flies) and I just realized I never updated my review. I need to reiterate that Da Vinci remains one of my favorite restaurants in Boston. From beginning to end, everything went perfectly. The space was gorgeous and well laid out and though there were other diners at the restaurant that evening, they made us feel like we were the only ones there. All of the food that was served was outstanding (our guests literally still rave about that meal) and I never once had to worry or stress during the night. It was an amazing experience and I couldn't thank the staff enough for making our night so wonderful. We're going back this month to celebrate the anniversary of our first date and I can't tell you how excited I am because I already know it's going to be a fantastic evening. Thank you guys!!
(5)Jason S.
We went last Saturday night and aside from everyone loving the haddock, Cesar salad and bolognese, I had a terrific drink. Aptly named the "Spicy Daniel", it's tequila, cirachi, a little honey and A1, and it was absolutely amazing. Highly recommend both the restaurant and the drink. Service was excellent too.
(4)Mike D.
This is a great restaurant that you really don't hear a lot about. The service was excellent. They actually cooked a specific sauce from scratch that I asked for and it tasted incredible. They also gave us free champagne at the end of the evening. This is the type of place that truly wants to earn the business of their clientele which I respect. I recommend you try it!!
(4)J S.
Best gnocci in town! Chef Peppino greets every table personally, in between preparing such lovely food! Prices are reasonable and quality is always consistent! I dont see the point of going into the North End when Da Vinci has such great italian food!
(5)Heidi W.
I want to thank Chef Peppino and crew for the most amazing dinner last night. My husband and I went to celebrate our wedding anniversary and they made it wonderful. We have a special place in our heart for Da Vinci as we came here when we got engaged. The 5 course chef tasting menu was breathtaking to experience. The flavors were amazing for each of the course. Words could not describe the explosion of flavor in the Prosciutto Wrapped Fig and the Cumin encrusted codfish served with a cherry tomato ginger sauce on a stuffed zucchini. I cannot find the right words to describe the lamb chop with a cumin, coriander and green apple glaze and what it did on my taste buds. We finished the night with a big tray of killer deserts with Happy Anniversary written in chocolate. Once again, we leave with satisfied taste buds and feeling like part of the Da Vinci family. Make it a point to visit and bask in the flavors.
(5)Andy M.
Took my wife here for Valentine's Day - very impressed. Great food, great atmosphere, convenient valet parking, all around top notch.
(5)Dan L.
DELICIOUS! Definetly not "family style". Was really looking forward to Chicken Parmasean, and although it was not on the menu the chef had no problem with the request and my buddy had the Grilled Chicken dish on the menu. Both of us after the first bite were impressed. Despite the wait of well over a half an hour from the time we ordered til we received our food, we would both visit Da Vinci's again. The food is worth the wait especially when they're willing to make you something that is not on the menu. Definetly not family style, pricey, and a little too romantic for two single dudes to go, but the food was great and would definetly go there on a date.
(4)Colleen H.
Excellent wine list, and delicious entrees. The pasta sampler is kind of the best of both worlds..or in this case, three worlds of pasta! Sometimes you have a hard time deciding, so why not order all three? Brilliante! Now, this place isn't your regular North End spin-off of whatever someone thinks the public would like to see at an Italian-American restaurant, no no no. Instead, they change it up a bit. They take influences from all over and let it trickle into their menu items, which they change seasonally. Oh, how I love when people understand how important rotating menus are! My favorite part of the whole package would have to be the romantic atmosphere. It is absolutely the perfect place for a date! Oh...and if you want to dine fine on a budget, hit up their tasting deals. Three courses for $39 Monday - Thursday or before 6p on Friday and Saturday! Whoo hoo!
(4)Tanvi D.
My husband and I went to Da Vinci for dinner on a Saturday.. We had reservations and were seated promptly. We requested a table outside on the patio and got it.. We went there mainly because they were still offering the Restaurant Week deal of 3 courses @ $33.10 and also because my husband loves Pannacotta. We started off with a glass of wine for myself and a glass of Sangria for my husband and some fresh bread with hummus and basil oil. For appetizers we both ordered their arancini, which was delicious and served on a bed of yummy greens. I got their Masala Agnolotti for my entree. My husband doesn't like mushrooms, so he asked if they could prepare the gnocci with tomato sauce, which they did.. YAY! .. Both the dishes were very good. The pesto for my agnolotti was prepared with curry leaves. We learned later from the chef that the pesto also had pistachios to dampen the strong taste of curry leaves. For dessert I ordered their dessert sampler and my husband got their (ofcourse) Pannacotta. My sampler came with chocolate souffle and a peach crostata with vanilla gelato.. YUMMY!! YUMMY!! And, we were stuffed!! We thought that it was a nice touch that Chef Peppino stopped by our table to talk to us and make sure that everything was OK. When he saw that we're Indians, he started talking to us in Hindi (he himself is Indian), which was also nice.. Regarding seating, since we requested a patio seat, they had to seat us near a big party of 12 (who were loud), so, when another table opened up on the patio away from them, the offered to seat us there which we happily accepted. Again a nice gesture by the wait staff. I do think that its a little expensive.. Plus, we ordered all the vegetarian dishes on the menu, so, not sure if we'd go again unless we wanted to eat the same stuff..
(4)Joel R.
We have been to Da Vinci several times and have had two birthday celebrations there. Each time the experience has been outstanding. It's fun to start with lighted menus. The food is superb, from a delicious squash blossom,to perfectly al dente pasts pomodoro. We also had swordfish that was generous in size and topped with a very interesting cous cous with fresh tomatoes. The food just feels more creatively prepared than at other italian restauramts we go to in Boston. And, Chef Peppino goes from table to table warmly greeting his guests, exuding the enthusiasm of opening night every night. All in all, it was a special meal that we remember fondly.
(5)Matt L.
Hands down my favorite restaurant in Boston. I have never had a bad meal here and I am always treated great by the staff. Chef Peppino is truly one of the nicest people you will meet and the man can cook! I have done everything from the 5-course tasting menu to just ordering appetizers at the bar. If you are new to the area or haven't tried this place, you have to get to Da Vincis.
(5)Cindy W.
Came here last wknd to celebrate a friends birthday and had a fantastic time. For a party of 25 they were able to get everything right. Wine, apps, entrees and desserts was served ontime and delicious! The staff was very welcoming, helpful and very friendly. Their salmon was VERY fresh and protion was plentyful. The bf and I would love to come back on one of our date nights. I am a fan!!!
(4)Elle C.
I think Boston has high standards for Italian food so it's tough to judge spots outside of the North End. We went because it was restaurant week and we had all been to the North End for dinner. It was really good, but it seems like a waste to take someone who is new to Boston to Da Vinci's as an example of Boston Italian food. That being said, it's a great place to take a date. Its a small place without being crowded, and dark without being a hole in the wall. It would be a fun place to sit outside on a nice night in the spring or summer. The food was amazing, and a great deal. It just seemed a little more "new age" then Italian in Boston normally is. If you are bored or want to impress, then go to Da Vinci's. They do a pre-fixed menu even when it isn't restaurant week and the light up menus were a huge hit with our table. I felt leaving full and only spent $55 for 3 courses and 2 glasses of wine.
(4)Quentin R.
Chef Peppino creates the best food in the city. He is personable, a foodie genius, and very accommodating. Rocco, the general manager, is by far the best I have ever encountered. All around, this is one of the best restaurants I have EVER been. GO HERE NOW. SERIOUSLY.
(5)Ruth A.
Wonderful dining experience! I loved the light up menus. A very ample wine list was a highlight, as was the sea bass special. The chocolate soufflé was a bit heavy but otherwise it was fabulous.
(4)Chenkai L.
I came here for dinner. The place is definitely romantic and classy, there is a candle on every table and the menu had backlight, which was really cool haha. I ordered the Pappardelle Veal Genovese, the veal was tender but the pasta itself wasn't anything that impressed me, I would say its decent pasta but not good enough for the price. The cocktail I got was Da Vinci, which was fruity and strong, very average drink in my opinion. All in all, its a very average italian restaurant for its price range and nothing that amazed me.
(3)