Bacco Ristorante & Bar

Great north end restaurant. Old in the style building, indifferent servers, great food. Almost Like Italy but not as old and not as indifferent. We had the veal saltimbocca and the lobster ravioli in vodka sauce with a house salad. Plenty of food. Delicious. And the veal came over 2 hidden cheese ravioli. Recommended

My ravioli two ways was unexpectedly excellent. Unexpectedly because after I came in my expectations were not high… indifferent hostess, wandering server who couldn’t answer questions, bartenders totally locked in on the girls at the bar. Would the food suck? Was this more of a restaurant that wants to be a bar that wants to be a singles bar? Great seating in the bar area along the windows. Didn’t get upstairs but I believe there are also seats sling the windows there too. The food was excellent. Big portions and reasonable prices.

I went to Bacco for Dine Out Boston 2025 and we got 3 courses for $46 which is a steal for what we ordered and how everything tasted! The seafood linguine was great, lots of seafood. It is a bit tight in the first floor and it was very busy that friday night so lots of people were trying to get through to get to the bar, but overall I enjoyed this meal. I would come back.

Stopped in for a quick bite before a late show. Insanely good meatballs, calamari and then our killer bartender Andrew recommended the artichoke app as well. Best thing we've ever eaten! Coming back ASAP!

We stopped by Bacco for a quick dinner and had a great experience. To start, we had the Caesar salad which had great flavor. For our mains, we had the chicken Parmesan and the seafood pasta special which was linguini with lobster, shrimp and scallops. Perfect sized portions (& enough for leftovers)!

It's hard to find a place that has better atmosphere. Downstairs is a nice rustic bar with some table and open air. Upstairs is very nice with flower and open air. There are very nice art pieces throughout the place. The people are great and the food was great. Nothing blew my mind about the food, but it was good! Perfect for a night out.

The best thing about this restaurant is the balcony-side seating. The second best thing is the calamari, it was our favorite from the 3 appetizers that we ordered (meatballs and bruschetta). Olive oil was delicious but we had to ask for it, bread+olive oil was not brought before we asked. Bread was delicious but too soft, no crispiness. The gnocchi was no special, too big of a portion (3/5) Chicken parm was good. Overall we did not get impressed by the menu, it was hard to choose main dishes. Sitting by the balcony was very nice, we went there around 7pm. It got super loud and noisy after that and even the balcony did not help. I would not go back to this place for their food, but maybe for the balcony.

We made a reservation for 5 adults and a baby, but when we arrived, we were seated at a table that could barely fit 4. Unfortunately, one person from our group had to go down to the bar and eat separately, which was really disappointing—especially since we had clearly mentioned our party size when booking. After expressing our frustration, the staff didn’t offer any compensation until we asked, which added to the headache. That said, the food was absolutely amazing—authentic, flavorful, and everyone finished their plates. The service was also spectacular; our server was attentive, kind, and made sure everything else went smoothly despite the seating issue. We’ll definitely be returning, but next time with a smaller group (2-4 people max). If you’re looking for an intimate, authentic Italian meal or a great date night spot, this place is perfect. Just not ideal for larger parties.

What a pleasant surprise this restaurant turned out to be. Just happened upon in walking down the street and decided to see if they had room for 5 of us. They happily seated us upstairs in a nice corner table that was large enough for us and very comfortable. The ambiance is cozy and warm. The service was fantastic all around being friendly and attentive. My son had the seasonal martini which looked and tasted great and I had the St. Germain spritz which was light and refreshing. All our meals were delicious with very generous portions. I had the calamari with pasta and fra diavolo sauce and the calamari was so tender. I loved it. No salads are included with the meals but you get bread and olive oil brought to the table and the bread was great. Overall loved this dinner and would go back again if I find myself in Boston again.

My boyfriend and I relocated to this area some time ago, and we've been on the lookout for an Italian restaurant that truly resonates with us. We are pleased to say that this establishment exceeded our expectations. The food was exceptional, with each dish impressing us with its flavors and presentation. Our only minor critique was that the chicken Parmesan could have benefited from a bit more sauce - an easy fix. The ambiance was charming, creating a cozy dining experience. While it was slightly warm inside, this seems to be a common feature among restaurants in the North End. The drinks were well-crafted and reasonably priced, adding to the overall positive experience. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking quality Italian cuisine in the area.

I came here with my wife and a few friends while in town for a conference and we had a good meal overall. We were seated upstairs, which provided a nice quiet atmosphere, but it was fairly chilly up there (and I usually don't get cold easily). Our service was good and our waiter was attentive. We started our meal with some olives and bread and the olives were great. We also tried their bruschetta, but it was the worst (and strangest) bruschetta that I've had as it had sweet corn on it, which just didn't work. Their current menu has a regular bruschetta, which is great and I'm glad that they still don't have that other one. I had gnocchi with spinach and that was delicious and my wife had mussels that she really liked as well, so we had a good meal overall. It's a nice restaurant overall and we'd recommend coming here.

Super cute ambiance - we were seating on the second floor next to the balcony out looking the street below. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. I got the arrabiata pasta which was very good but the portions are a bit small for the price. They provide bread and olive oil/vinegar which was delicious as well!

4 stars vs 3 stars? Unclear. Strictly, I'd give Bacco 3 for the food. Not memorable. Caesar overdressed with oily but unflavorable dressing, fried artichokes decent with lemony caper sauce, good bread. Mussels amalfi quite good, nice spicy red sauce. Everything is augmented though, we got a table on a warm Thursday night, nice staff, overlooking Parmenter, views of 5 story tenement brown stones, street scenes of a bicyclist carrying a Boston terrier on the way home, laughter echoing from the many other bars and restaurants nearby. There is no not good time to be had during dinner in the North end, so 4 stars it is.

Off of Hanover about one block. Got to sit upstairs in the window. Service was stellar and the ambiance felt like a small Italian house. It was on the noisy side but nothing too loud to carry on a conversation at our table. Menu had all the favorites with a few off the beaten path Italian dishes. The specials were delightful. Had ravioli two ways. Nice taste of seas for and a traditional sausage ravioli on one plate. Food was delightful. Prices were good. A little better pricing than the main strip of Hanover street. Would definitely come back here.

Husband and I had a good date night meal here at Bacco before a show. The food wasn't anything really special but the drinks were good. Our server pushed this review a little higher as he was excellent, quick and very friendly. The restaurant is fun, right in the middle of the north end. We would probably come back for drinks!

Absolutely beautiful! Food was amazing!! Chicken Parm, Butternut Ravioli, Chicken Piccata! All superb. Loved sitting and watching the street outside with the Italian atmosphere! Emily was lovely and so attentive!! Thank you for a great experience!

A must try!! Sit at the bar!! Andrew and Brian...what a team. Andrew only works once a month! That needs to change. The drinks were amazing. I'm a cosmo snob and Andrew's did not disappoint. The. Meatballs, shrimp scampi and calamari apps were yummy Keep it up!!!

Such a great place in the North End! Stumbled upon this place with my husband while visiting Boston and loved it! Dare I say the BEST espresso martini I've ever had and my husband had a drink the bartender recommended called Paper Plane and he loved it! We also got a tasting of a pistachio martini and oh my goodness that was delicious too! We came back the next night with friends and had the same exceptional service and experience! Definitely a staple to stop by and we will be back whenever we're in town!

I was here for late night drinks on a Saturday. Great spot for it! It easy to get a big table for our group right away. I dove right into an expresso martini. It was on point - great flavor and appropriate strength. The cocktail selection was fairly large so you will certainly find something you like. Also our waiter was cool and definitely enhanced our experience. Definitely recommend.

We eat in a lot of Italian restaurants including the North End. This place was very average. It's crowded with little space. Honestly the chicken parm was the worst we have ever had. It was all fry and little chicken. Go elsewhere!

Bacco was our Italian stop in the North End and sadly I would recommend checking other places out. While the food and wine list were probably similar to other Italian spots around, the execution just wasn't there. We were able to get a reservation but then got sat in the middle of the restaurant and the walk in's behind us got the second story window seat! I was expecting a slightly better treatment for taking the time to reserve our spot. We also had to ask for our complementary bread- make sure you get you yours! We had a couple glasses of wine, caesar salads (good but drenched in dressing- recommend asking for it on the side!), chicken parm and butternut squash ravioli. The biggest bummer was that the meals were not hot, but rather lukewarm as though they had been sitting.

One of my favorite spots in the north end! Caeser salad is one of the best I've ever had, the bread is soft and fresh and the chicken parm with vodka sauce is a MUST! Love the service and the energy here too!

It was my first time ever at Bacco. We came for restaurant week and the prices for dinner I believe was $42/49? I can't remember. The portions for the price and a 3 course meal was definitely worth it!! All three meals was definitely need to come back for more. We ordered as seen in the pictures... the restaurant was very very busy for the night. The owner I believe? He was very friendly and welcoming he checked us in right away when he saw us still waiting for our table after showing up right on time for our reservation thank you for that!!

After spending the day drowning ourselves in Aperol spritz's and cannolis we decided to stop into Bacco for dinner after walking past it. The menu sounded great to me and I had hoped for snagging a quaint table in front of one of the open windows (which we totally did). This place feels like the quintessential spot to go if you want great food and to be treated like family. Everyone was just so nice. SO NICE. We had more Aperol and sat for a bit just enjoying the people watching before we started with the bruschetta. No one rushed us despite the seating looking somewhat limited downstairs. The bruschetta was easily the best we've ever had outside of home (my wife is Italian so I'm spoiled). The portions on this appetizer are great for sharing. They have nightly specials which all sounded incredible. I'd already made up my mind of what I wanted just by looking at the menu outside and had to immediately abandon that meal for a special. I ordered a dueling ravioli dinner, with lobster and panchetta and a spicy red sauce that I was obsessed with. My wife got the mushroom ravioli. We shared everything and it was all so incredible. We couldn't finish it all and took it home with us and it reheated the next day beautifully. Just all around a wonderful date night and experience.

This review is mostly for drinks. We came in for drinks before going elsewhere for dinner, and we sat at the bar. The bartenders are friendly and attentive, and we got our drinks quickly. We ordered a variety from cocktails to their homemade white sangria (which has a strong peach flavor) and scotch pours (they only do scotch pours as far as I am aware). These pours were reasonably priced and fairly generous (looked like 1.5 or 2 oz.). My first drink, their North End Smash, was deceptive. It had such strong lemon and mint flavors that I couldn't taste the bourbon initially, and I thought maybe it was watered down. About 10 minutes of sipping later, it was very obvious the bourbon was there. My second drink, the Italian Stallion, is their take on a boulevardier, with a little extra Campari and some bitters. Even though we didn't order any food, we saw a lot of it delivered to others around us at tables and at the bar. The portions looked reasonable, and the aromas were mmm-good.

Would not recommend.. service was very slow and the food was very average. Ambiance was too loud.

Best Italian restaurant our family has ever had! We went twice while in Boston for a few days. So good!

Definitely will be coming back! The manager, Matteo, went above and beyond to accommodate my friends and I. Our server, Nicole, provided phenomenal service. She was not only beautiful, but attentive and intelligent with her knowledge of cocktails and the menu. After we finished dinner we went downstairs to the bar where the bartenders, Shane and Brian, made us the most delicious espresso martinis. Service: 10/10 Food: 10/10 Staff: 12/10 Definitely will be coming back!!

Service is good. Food is meh. Bread is Italian bread; not French. Which is fine, but it was stale. Gnocchi with ragu was okay.... But the sauce was kind of greasy and not flavorful.

Amazing food! We were on the second floor and we loved the lookout of the North End from our window table. The wait staff were lovely and attentive to our needs.

We have eaten here twice while in Boston and both times it was great. This is my son's favorite restaurant in the north end. The first time we sat upstairs and the second time downstairs by the bar with the outdoor window open. Both times the service was friendly and mostly punctual, the wine selection is spectacular (a little pricey, per standard Boston north end prices) and the food is awesome.

Not enough servers for how many clients the owners wish to serve. Seated right away and it took 30 minutes to place a drink order. We should have taken the queue and left then. But no, we hung in there and ordered. Wrong decision. Waiter placed wrong order and by the time I ate, my wife was finished. Would not recommend.

The North End is a favorite spot for dinner for us and we have tried several restaurants in the area. Truth be told we have tended to stick to one North End restaurant. Our regular now has a competitor, Bacco. We landed at Bacco on 4/27/24 and were seated at a delightful table with a birds eye view of Salem Street. The noise level in the restaurant allowed for us being able to hear each other which was very nice on a Saturday in spite of a crowded restaurant. Our waiter Stuart was fabulous, he suggested entrees and was very attentive and helpful without be a constant presence. The food was delicious and cooked perfectly. We had a veal and chicken entree. We hope to return soon especially when their window boxes are in bloom! Well done!

We went to Bacco for Boston restaurant week and because of the restaurant week (I'd like to repeat this again for what I am going to say next), I had known what I wanted to order!! I had the calamari here last year and it was soo good that I wanted to have it again!! My bf wanted chicken pam! He made reservation for us on a Sat night. It was smooth, no wait when we checked in. However, when we got in the restaurant, I noticed they only gave us the regular menu, not the Boston restaurant week menu like last year. I meant last year they gave us both menus, so that we had the option to choose to go with the Boston restaurant week menu or the regular menu I kindly asked the waitress and was told they participate in Boston restaurant week for all other days but SATURDAY. Wait, what?? All other days but Saturday? She said I could check back on the website. I mean we were already there. There was a little disappointment on my end!! Hate those little fine print to trap innocent customers like me!! However, this made me decide to go through the full menu to choose my dinner instead of the fixed menu on Boston restaurant week!!! We had calamari for appetizer, which was good!! My bf had chicken pam and I had the seafood fra diavolo!! It was average, not an epic meal!! Given this is an Italian restaurant, I tried tiramisu as well because some of the Yelp reviews said the tiramisu is to die for!! No, if you have ever tried tiramisu at Konditor Meister, that would really be the tiramisu to die for!! That was it for this year at Bacco!!! Will come back next year during Boston restaurant week and I will be sure to scan through all the fine print!!!

Ultimately, food was bland and service was below average. Definitely overpriced for what we experienced. Very disappointing. I couldn't believe how poor the food and service was way below average for the North End, Boston. Overpriced. Crappy food.

Nice outdoor dining experience. The server was very friendly and we enjoyed our dinner. The scallops in the seafood dish were delicious and sweet. My daughter approved of the homemade meatball appetizers. The chicken parm was tasty. We pretty much cleaned our plates. I highly recommend the pear Martini.

So delicious! Very casual and lots of seating by the open windows. Alberto was a very nice server. We had the seafood risotto and the seafood scampi and both were delicious! The arancini with lobster is a must have!!!

Best chicken Marsala I've ever had. Lovely atmosphere. All of the food was top notch. I'll be returning!

I'm beyond disappointed writing this review to depict the interaction I just had. I was visiting the great city of Boston and stopped by Bacco for a drink after the RedSox game. Mind you it was only 11pm on a Wednesday night, and the bar hours stated they were open until 2am. I stopped by with my partner and was told they were closed for the night. Down about the situation, we stood by the side of the entrance where we saw another couple welcomed with open arms. We then went back up to the front and relayed our frustration with the man at the entrance. He continued to tell us that they would close soon and did not seat us. I would also like to note that neither of us was intoxicated to the point where someone would expect this kind of response. I'm overall disappointed with my experience, but not surprised based on what I've heard from the Boston crowd. Racism is still present at this establishment.

Chicken parm was excellent, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Would have liked choice of pasta rather than spaghetti but that's me. Shrimp scampi very nice. Good wines by the glass. Cute atmosphere, loved the Xmas lights. Staff very nice. Tables were very close together would have liked a little more room to breathe. Recommend!

Always a good choice among many in the North End. Staff is attentive and helpful, food is outstanding

The food and the aura deserve five stars. I always order the frutti di mare made without garlic and it is amazing. Every piece of seafood in this dish is cooked to perfection. The restaurant itself has more of a modern feel to it than traditional Italian restaurants that I have been to Italy, but overall the experience here is enjoyable. I am only docking off one star because there was one time that I came here and tried to order the frutti di mare without garlic and our server told me that they could not accommodate that request. However, it was not until I told him that I had previously ordered it without garlic on a separate occasion did he tell me that they could prepare it without garlic. Minus one star for lacking consistency.

Walking up Salem St, at the intersection with Parmenter, the imposing building marked with BACCO welcomed us. The cheerful window boxes on the second floor sat atop the open windows of a bar area. We arrived 20 min earlier than the rest of the party and asked that we be seated for dinner in the bar. Always hate when Hostesses refuse to seat until entire party is present. We were seated immediately. BRIAN was our server and set the mood for a classy, dinner. Stepped aside, but noticed when a napkin was dropped, offering a fresh one ... the diner did t know his was on the floor until Brian offered a replacement. He described meal choices well. Each of us fully enjoyed the Caesar salad with anchovies, Veal Saltimbocca, Lobster ravioli, Clams and sausage Arribiata , and Mussels Amalfi. The veal was a bit salty ... But considering the ingredients, was not too salty. Two large cheese ravioli were the pillows beneath the veal, topped by three perfectly blanched asparagus spears. Brian kept the bread and olive oil coming ... especially for end of meal sopping up delicious juices. The bar was quite noisy pre dinner ... until the group of Bruins clothed fans left for the first home game. (Bruins won first home game). But, we never felt we could not have a pleasant conversation. We had a great time.

Decent restaurant and bar on a lovely corner in the North End. This place is 2 floors and the window walls can be open in the summer so you can dine along a quaint street the windows are lined with window flower boxes. Very cute! The first floor has a long bar that can about 20 or so. I came in solo and had the Fra Diavolo (which I try almost everywhere because I love pasta but only red spicy sauce and don't eat meat). It was average. Good portion size. Not as spicy as I'd like. The bar service was average too. Cute spot. Def try it out if you're in the neighborhood.

We had some of the best calamari and espresso martinis I've ever had here, just casually sitting at the bar! Unfortunately, we had dinner reservations elsewhere so we weren't able to try anything else but next time we are in Boston, we will definitely go here again if, for nothing else, the incredible espresso martinis!

I was terribly disappointed. I have been to this restaurant several times over the years. Tonight, does not compare. I was forced to sit at the bar because I chose to dine alone. The bartenders barely had time to take my order; thus, the service suffered. The calamari had a buffalo essence that I hardly believe to be Italian. The veal saltimbocca had no sage in it not did the accompanying ravioli. No need to return anytime soon.

Before we even walked in we were greeted with a big smile and warm welcome. That welcoming feeling continued throughout our time here! A friend and I made reservations for a Sunday at 430 p during Dine Out Boston. We were seated upstairs and our waitress Kally was wonderful, attentive and helpful. We opted for tap water for drinks so we could eat our calories and shared: Primi's: fried calamari with peppers and the Caesar salad Secondi: seafood (lobster, shrimp and scallops), chopped asparagus and artichoke over linguine and the gnocchi bolognese Dolci: two tiramisu's Complimentary crusty bread with a balsamic, herb & garlic dipping oil was also served. Calamari was lightly battered and fried= excellent! Caesar was good and hard to really mess up. Gnocchi's were pillowy soft and bolognese was flavorful. Seafood dish was good but shrimp (3) was slightly over cooked for our taste. There was only one very small piece of lobster about the size of my thumb from the claw and two medium scallops which were ok. It needed something to make the dish pop, maybe a little spice or an herb? I couldn't put my finger on it but felt it was just lacking something. We both got the tiramisu for dessert and they were fantastic. Light, perfect portion and not too sweet with the perfect amount of liquor. Overall, we were very pleased with our first dining experience. Just the friendliness of ALL of the staff here would have us return!!

Amazing food, great bartender! Feel good place to dine! Had the fried artichokes (divine!), veal saltimbocca (to die for!) and an unbelievable cocktail.

My daughter and I were able to be seated without a wait about 530 pm the Saturday of Marathon weekend. Very picturesque with a second floor table by the open windows overlooking the street. Quite busy in the bar downstairs. And that's when the weirdness began. Our waiter, Carlito or Carlos, did not offer drinks, only still or fizzy water. No appetizers discussed. I asked if salad was available - Caesar without anchovies. It came with anchovies. Our mains were good, but I feel like there were options available that weren't on the QR code menu, which is all we had offered to us, that may have been desirable (after reading some of the other Yelp reviews). A waiter at an adjacent table was engaging and my daughter overheard descriptions of apps and entree options, so I have to assume our waiter was an anomaly. I eventually asked for a glass of wine. For a $130 meal for 2, with a single glass of house wine, It was a strange and disappointing North End experience, but I would give it another go if I'm in the area and nothing else is available.

First of all, it's a tragedy that this isn't a five-star restaurant on Yelp! It's doesn't have the atmosphere of the fancy places (still quite nice) but the food is phenomenal! Every dish we got was unbelievable as evident in that we completely crushed each meal... See pics for proof! Every dish was bursting with flavor and left you wanted more, trust me, I tried everyone's except my nieces fiance which of course he wouldn't let me touch it lol nor would I ask... Nonetheless, this is an underrated place for the North end which I think is fantastic because it will be my new go to place and hopefully not get overbooked like the other places in the North end. Maybe I shouldn't want it to get a good rating because then I won't be able to get a reservation? In any case, go here you will not be disappointed!

Food was good nothing crazy special for this area. The Caesar salad was good but had to much cheese on it. The mozzarella and prosciutto was good as well. The ambience makes the restaurant, we sat on the second floor by the window and it was so nice and relaxing. Service was pretty fast as well.

Great vibes and ambiance. Relaxed atmosphere with an amazing selection of all spirits and wine. Bartenders are on point and very engaging. Matteo, the manager, treats and greets like family.

Came here for restaurant week and got a 3 course meal for $38! Great food and wonderful vibes! The staff here all have such fun personalities and one person even showed my friend magic tricks while she was waiting for us to arrive at the restaurant. Lots of good night life energy here!

We went to this bar on a Monday night while we waited for our restaurante reservation at a dif restaurant. I loved the ambience of Bacco! It was really nice out so they had the windows open. The bartender was really nice. I had the cucumber gimlet and it was to die for! Really well mixed and refreshing. My boyfriend loved this place so much that we went this week with his coworkers

This is hands-down one of the best Italian places you can go to. Had a cool little table upstairs, a little away from the crowds with a couple of their ginger beer cocktails, Southern Honey and Venetian Mule, both great, could always use a little more ginger beer but still great! For dinner I had their seafood medley consisting of scallops, shrimp, linguine pasta all lightly covered in pesto. Everything turned out great and the scallops were decent size too! Their other special looked great and was definitely a crap shoot whether to go for one or the other, Pan fried salmon over ravioli.

Always top notch Italian food here and never miss a chance to stop in when near Boston's North End. Frutti de mare is always my go to at this place and it's got a great blend of the different seafoods in the right balance. The upstairs seating is more quiet if you are on a date to impress and the downstairs is more bustle.

We were able to get reservations with one nights advance notice on a Friday which we were super excited to do. The meal was outstanding and the ambiance sitting next to the open air street was just an added bonus!