Il Molo

I really enjoyed the food. Best oysters I've ever had and the mini lobster rolls where amazing. I liked it so much I went back the next night. My only complaint is the bar service. I had the same bartender on both nights and I noticed all the local people around me where offered bread. I was never offered bread on both nights I went. Kinda weird but that's my only complaint.

It's a high end restaurant, but the food is definitely worth it. Our waiter was wonderful, very attentive, and was intimately familiar with the menu which definitely adds to the experience. They also have an interesting drink selection, so definitely check that out. I will say, however, the dessert was super disappointing. The coconut cake was average at best....

Il Molo was phenomenal in every respect. The service was professional, efficient, and friendly. Our waiter, Adam, was absolutely amazing. I had the clam chowder soup as an appetizer and followed it with the stuffed trout. My friends had the pasta arrabiata and the fish and chips. All of the dishes were cooked to perfection. I definitely recommend this place and will come back in my next visit to Boston.

Can't say enough good things about this restaurant. Awesome location, great seafood, great wine/beer list, delicious cocktails. I got scallops over saffron risotto. If you're on the fence about this place, definitely try it. You will not be a disappointed.

Was visit for business and this restaurant literally was the highlight of the trip. Seafood was incredibly fresh, wonderful menu, and the waitstaff top notch. Living in Cincinnati we do get the kinda seafood Boston does and this restaurant didnt disappoint. I would say it pricey, but that suggests you paid more then what you feel you got, and I had no problem with it.

When you first walk in you’ll notice the decor is absolutely on point. They’ve worked hard to create a spacious and intimate feeling environment inside is what is fundamentally not a giant space. The soft lighting, thoughtful fixtures, comfortable and practical furniture and other high end touches really work. We enjoyed clam chowder, Calamari done in an light breading with an Asian style chili sauce. Both dishes were delicious and fresh. For mains we stepped into a fisherman’s stew style risotto which included cod, salmon, shrimp, clams, muscles, and octopus in an oily and delicious sauce. the salmon and Brussels did not disappoint my companion. To cap the evening we enjoyed some house made Cannolis which were sweet without being indelicate. Wonderful for a date night. I recommend Il Molo very highly

accommodating and friendly staff. efficient and quick, but not at the expense of experience. excellent food, good portion sizes.

The decor was really nice and the food was really tasty. The service was pretty quick and attentive. I had the tuna crudo and the scallops with risotto. I would definitely eat both again. Also the homemade fusilli was excellent. 👍👍

Such a good italian/seafood destination! Came for dinner to meet up with some friends in the area and was surprised I had never heard of it while living in Boston for 6 years for school. It's a little separated from the rest of the North End and has a slightly more modern and sea-themed feel/decor. Don't let the seashells and starfish fool you though, you still get amazing quality pasta and italian flavors! Prix fixe menu: $32 for 3 courses, and you get a lot of food! I took home leftovers. I had the grilled lamb skewers, the lasagna, and the rum cake (as they were sadly all out of the gelato and the cannoli that night). The lamb was cooked really well, the lasagna was super flavorful and cheesy, and the cake was moist and delicious! Oysters: not pictured, but we went for a selection of 3 total, one of each variety they had that day. They came with lemon, tabasco, and two sauces-one of them was raspberry flavored which was kind of fun! Swordfish: really really good! The cook on the fish was perfect and it had a good crispiness on the outside. Definitely worth it and the quality you would expect with the Boston Harbor basically right outside.

Wow. Can't say enough about this restaurant !! In the North End it can be extremely difficult to find parking for dinner, especially when a restaurant doesn't have valet, but luckily there are 2 parking lots a block away from the restaurant for $20ish depending on how long you stay. Everything was great from the hostest to the food! There was actually breathing room between the tables unlike a lot of the restaurants in the North End. Our waitress was awesome. I forget her name, but she was so amicable and personable. The food was amazing. We loved everything we ordered, and both agreed the fried rangoon was the best we've ever had before. The only downside was we wished the bread in the beginning were at least a little bit warmed up. It was cold when it got to our table, but that's not worth losing a star over. Anyways just do yourself a favor and make a reservation to eat here!

Dinner with colleagues this evening, we were a little concerned about the basement setup as we walked in but it all got better when we were seated at a nice table with comfy seats and white table cloth. The young lady who served us was pleasant and smiling the entire time. The filet looked great, served with fries. I've never seen a steak plated like this - bone-in and served vertically. A good cut but not nearly enough meat on there for a full meal. Filet cut, so there's that. I chose the seafood stew and it was excellent. A large portion of salmon, shrimps, scallops, clams, mussels and underneath, a huge hunk of crab still in the shell. All of that served on top of a tomato risotto that somehow didn't splash everywhere. Very tasty and enjoyable, though ending with the crab and having to crack it after it was covered in tomato-ey juiciness was odd. A very nice meal and thoroughly enjoyed. Not quite perfect but very, very good.

Good service by Adam. Spaghetti clams light and flavorful. Scallops risotto well seasoned. Fresh oyster and clams good. Mini lobster rolls didn't have the freshly shackled flavor or texture of bouncy crispness. Black truffle butter complimentary with bread a big plus! Clam chowder had too much potatoes.

Let me start off by saying that I whimpered a little when I wasn't one of the Elites who got to partake in Il Molo's exclusive Yelp event last year. *Cue the violins* But as they say, good (or in this case, great!) things come to those who are patient. Fast forward to Sept 2017, I finally found myself dining here for a surprise engagement party and nothing was spared. Now, let's get on to the food! Per our usual, we engulfed our tables with an entire menu's worth of apps x 2. It's hard to choose only a few favorites but if you're stuck, you can't go wrong with the octopus, lobster crab cakes or the shellfish tower. The carnivores in our party also salivated over the steak tartare. The octopus had a nice mesquite flavoring but it was also the most softest piece of octopus I've ever had. This is coming from someone who had grilled octopus every other day when in Greece. The crab cakes were super fresh and had a very generous crab to breading ratio and finally, for the indecisive, the shellfish tower is a must. The raw bar was exquisite and the crudo of the day was exceptional which happened to be salmon that day; Great mix with a little bit of everything. The calamari and the mussels were solid choices but more traditionally prepared. For entrees, I had the pleasure of indulging in the swordfish, the daily pasta with lobster, mushrooms and truffle butter and the il Molo Polo. All tasted wonderful and were prepared perfectly. I highly recommend the swordfish for something lighter. It was so moist, not dry and stringy as it can sometimes be when it gets overcooked and the daily pasta with lobster over the Il Molo Polo for those that aren't afraid of a little carb coma after. Promise you it will be well worth it! All in all, it was a perfect evening. The food was superb and the service team was engaging, friendly and helpful. As a seafood aficionado, I'll admit, I can sometimes be a pesky pescatarian but my experience at Il Molo that night brought a smile on my face that lasted for days and dayssss.

The service and food was fantastic. Our server had great recommendations for wine that both my husband and I loved. The mussels were beautiful done with a great broth that made us ask for a second round of bread to sop it up. We then split an order of linguini and clams that was perfectly seasoned with al dente pasta. I would return here in a second!

Awesome experience here. Lovely fruity olive oil with crusty bread to start, tasty lobster rangoon with nice chunks of lobster in it, and beautiful main dishes. The only negative was the bar tender- who was not nice. The waitress and hostess were over the top helpful and attentive though. I got the pasta arrabbiata with mussels and octopus, and my friend got a fish dish which had salsa and lobster in top. They make the pasta there and the seafood is extremely fresh.

I want to give this place 5 stars, but I don't think I ordered the right food. So many locals frequent this restaurant, and they all recommended me to get the cod, but my stubborn self got the lobster pie and I regret it. Service at the bar was fantastic. Got a really great drink with Frangelico (wish I can remember the name). Clam chowder was delicious. Lobster pie was very good with huge chunks of lobster, but the flavor wasn't quite there and I did not like that the "pie crust" is just crackers on top. I saw others get the cod and it looked fantastic. Would love to come back and try that instead.

Came here with my best friend for a special dinner and I was beyond satisfied with the food! We made a reservation on yelp on a Saturday night at 8pm. Upon arrival we were seated immediately. Waiter was funny and a little awkward but was very helpful when asked questions about ordering and portion sizes. We decided to share everything and got a hot tower, a lobster pasta, and salad. The hot tower was so much fun!! And everything was delicious. The oysters Rockefeller were so creamy and addictive and the mussels were fat & juicy. Lobster pasta was also really good, possibly up there with island creek oyster bar's! The salad, pasta, and hot tower was the perfect amount of food for two small ladies who are big eaters. Highly recommend coming here on a spontaneous weekend night dinner as the tables are relatively easy to reserve.

Service was excellent and the food was delicious! We started off with a Tomato and Burrata Salad followed by the Oysters Rockefeller. Both prepared excellently.it was my first time ordering Oysters Rockefeller so I have nothing to compare it against but this was probably one of my favorite dishes of the night. The salt and pepper calamari was probably one of the best that I've had however the chopped lettuce garnish on the bottom of the plate made the bottom few just a tad soggy, but still tasty overall. Our main course were the Seafood Stew and the Bolognese which pretty much sums up the concept of the restaurant of tip toeing the line of a seafood/Italian restaurant. The Bolognese was perfectly al dente and all the meats they use were grass fed organic I believe. That's a big plus in my book. We unfortunately had to end dinner early to go to another appointment in the night and took a portion of the food to go. Later on in the evening when my wife and I were hungry and dug into the leftovers, it was as delicious as we remembered.

Love the place so much. We had deal for $1 oyster and it was awesome. We also ordered shrimp cocktail and mussel. Those were high quality fresh and very tasty. Service was excellent , beautiful inside bar and dining area. Perfect for date night.

Came here yesterday for lunch with my fellow foodie BFF BostonBestEats X. It was both of our first times here and it did not disappoint. Walking into the restaurant I was amazed by how Posh it looked. From the outside you wouldn't be able to tell how trendy and elegant it is inside. We took a seat at the bar and was greeted by the bartender (I think his name was Luke) We tried a few samples of the wine to see which one we would be pairing with our oysters. I went with the sparkling Rose (forgot the name) & my friend went with the Chenin Blanc. We ordered a dozen oysters (Half Indian Cave & Half Spearpoint) They were pretty decent sized oysters and tasted very fresh and delicious. We put in an order for the lobster roll to share & the pasta with bolognese sauce to share as well. The lobster roll came out split for us already (2 mini lobster rolls, it was so cute) It was so warm and tasty. The bolognese sauce for the pasta was very flavorful and the meat was tender. We ordered some cocktails off the menu to end our lunch. Mine was tequila based and it tasted every refreshing. I really enjoyed the meal and the experience. I would love to come back again for dinner since the lunch menu is limited to only a few dishes.

We booked this restaurant for our friend's engagement dinner with close family and friends (about 24ppl, including young children). The managers were prompt and responsive via email throughout the planning process. They didn't require a minimum or a preselect menu unlike many other restaurants. They gave us the private dining room and made the room work for our party. The staff was friendly and patient. We practically ordered most items off the menu. Items such as the following: raw bar, octopus, beef tartare, calamari, fried clams, crabcakes....and that was just the appetizer round. Dinner entrees ranged from steak, scallops, seafood stew and shrimp pasta. All the dishes were generous portions and flavorful. We ordered a custom cake (red velvet...though we got the coconut) via the restaurant. The managers spoke highly of their pastry chef and we confirm. The cake was super moist and flavorful. Only little disappointment was that they had one high chair in the whole restaurant (no booster seat either). We had a few young children with us. Overall, great seafood restaurant at a reasonable price.

Choosing which place to eat can be overwhelming while walking around in BeanTown. All of them looked good! This was an accidental discovery. As I'm walking...I see this place and walk pass it. Only because it looked like it wasn't opened. I double back and notice that the restaurant is downstairs. And open! Voilà ! I walk down, gentleman greets me, asked if I wanted high-top or regular table. Opted for regular. I don't like my feet dangling so high above the ground. Makes me nervous. (Anyone know a good skydiving place? Would like to check that off the book at some point) I tell you place is NICE! Decor was cool. Seats were nice and comfy. Our server was taking the helm for the first time, but he was spot on. Occasional help from the person that was there to help. If needed. Wine list is great! I had 2013 Barolo. Which was excellent, btw. Reasonably priced too. Food was fantastic !! Ambience was great! Perfect for those date nights or for casual gatherings! Place was empty when I sat down, but quickly realised it was getting packed. I also eat my supper super early. Not like 3:30, but more like 5:45. If you're walking around and cannot decide between a penne w/ vodka sauce or spaghetti w/ meatballs...maybe you should check this spot out! Oh, and the gentleman who greeted me (not sure if he was the owner) walks around and asks everyone if everything is ok and if they're enjoying their meal. How cool is that?

il Molo is a great choice if you are looking for excellent food and superior service! The decor is modern and white and the waiter was excellent! The truffle butter that is served with the complimentary bread is so good that I had to stop myself from inhaling it all and asking for more! For dinner, I had the daily pasta which has Maine lobster, mushrooms, and truffle butter. It was so tasty and a great flavor combination. My only slight criticism (and why it's 4 stars instead of 5) is that the lobster tail was slightly over cooked and a little tough. Overall, an excellent choice and I look forward to eating here again!

My first brush with Il Molo was for a Yelp Elite event. I had such a fabulous time that I decided to return to celebrate my birthday here, and I can't wait to go back again! I love the vibe there- a little "fancy" but not uppity. Gorgeous and beachy (think mermaid lounge) but not nautical. Fabulous! The food is great as well. I would highly recommend each dish I've tried, including the oysters, Charred Spanish Octopus, New England Cod Loin, Daily Pasta (Maine Lobster + mushrooms + Truffle Butter) and Pan Seared Diver Scallops. Beautiful presentation and super flavorful. Our server and the bartenders were wonderful, too. I was thrilled to receive couple birthday cocktails on the house! Thanks for a great night, Il Molo... I'll be back.

Fantastic location. Wonderful food. Great service. Had the special crudo of the day....salmon tartare over avocado. It was incredible. Light and refreshing after a long week of heavy meals elsewhere. The shishito peppers were great as was the wine. Had a salad with carmelized shallots. Yum!!!! And, the burrata and tomato salad with basil was a winner. Looking forward to our return trip after Christmas. The restaurant had the feel of a neighborhood spot.

I took a group of 13 to IL Molo. We shared 12 dishes and asked to have them served 4 at a time. The first 4 came out barely warm. After complaining the next 8 were nice and hot. The bread we were originally served tasted like it had been sliced long ago as the exposed surfaces were stale. After complaining, we received delicious fresh bread for the rest of the mesl 3 of our dishes contained lobster but all I found were the claw tips. When asked, they admitted 2 only had the tips but said that the lobster pie had tail meat but I couldn't find any. The scallops were delicious as well as the spaghetti and clams and lobster pie. The seafood stew was plentiful and tasty except for the tough lobster claw tips. When I have lobster at home, the tips go to my dog. It seems that more and more restaurants only serve claws which leads me to believe they are not cooking whole lobsters but just buying pre-cooked claws which are most likely far less expensive than tails. (This is my hypothesis and not a verified fact for Il Molo.) The service was good and our party overall liked our meals.

ME: Time to review my il Molo dining experience on Yelp! INNER ME: Don't write a review. No one needs to know how great the food and service were. Good reviews = longer wait times, sold-out popular dishes, and annoying food snobs with their cameras (oh wait, that's me). Almost caved in and listened to evil Jamie, but decided il Molo deserves some Yelp lovin'. Brought the fam here for my husband's birthday recently. We were seated in the back semi-private dining room. Decor was classy nautical but not overly fancy. Though the restaurant was located on the basement level and it was frigid outside, il Molo had the heat blasting at the right temp and everyone was springing back to life from the depressing winter blues. We shared a bunch of apps: clam chowders (with FRIED CLAM garnish, wow), oysters Rockefeller (cheesy goodness and plump meat), charred Spanish octopus (tender and not too chewy), the sardines special (well-seasoned), and the fried clams (as good as Tony's down in Quincy, which is saying a lot!). Everything was excellent and we were so ready for the main courses. For entrees, we had three orders of the baked stuffed 2-pound lobster special (market price: $65). HOLY LOBSTER!! This dish was incredibly buttery, herby, meaty, and absolutely delish!! The claw meat was especially good with its natural lobster flavor and didn't really need to be dipped in the accompanying melted butter (I still drenched mine because I'm a fatty). The lobsters even had tomalley and roe in them! Only true lobster fans would understand my excitement of this weird substance. We also tried the whole branzino, seared scallops over apple risotto, chicken cutlet, and the lobster fra diavolo pasta. All great dishes and big portions, but did not make my top faves in Boston. Our server was a sweetheart and provided impeccable service for the most part. We brought our own cake and the staff gladly provided dessert plates, silverware, and a birthday candle! She did misquote us on the market price of the lobster special ($60 vs. $65 on the bill), which didn't change our minds about ordering, just caught my eye since that's an extra $15 for the three orders. The bottle of Riesling was also higher than the price listed on the drink menu. Hmm, maybe they need to update their menu pricing? FYI - 20% automatic gratuity for large parties. Overall, a lovely restaurant choice for family dinners, dinner dates, seafood adventure, etc. They also had a nice bar area. Since it's located in the North End waterfront area (short walk from Faneuil hall shops), parking can be challenging. Recommend taking an Uber or paying for parking - there are two public lots within walking distance on Commercial St for $17 and $20 during dinner time.

I saw a picture of the stuffed lobster on IG and had to come check this place out. Somewhat of an interesting location that is not quite North End. The decor is white, clean and modern, the chairs are pretty cushy. The service was fine but didn't feel the most welcoming ever. They were much more attentive to a table next to us who obviously knew the chef here. To start: Spanish octopus - This was a giant of an octopus leg. At first I was slightly worried about the texture. But honestly, it was the best cooked octopus I've had in a long long time. Despite being large, it was very tender but still maintains a little chew. The char on the outside was also fantastic. Scallop crudo - The crudo offering changes on a daily basis. The scallops tasted very fresh and the all different types of sauce on and around them played together nicely. To share: 2lb stuffed baked lobster - Definitely enough for 2 people unless you're starving or didn't order appetizers. That lobster was bursting at the seams with stuffing which was perfectly crispy on top. Somehow they also managed to keep the lobster meat amazingly tender at the same time despite the baking (taste similar to a boiled version) which I think was the most impressive part. To end: Coconut cake - I actually rarely order cake out, more a souffle or mousse type of gal. But this cake was seriously moist and the coconut flavor was just powerful enough. My husband barely let me get a bite in =) Overall, a very nice restaurant serving up some amazing food. The prices are definitely high but I think it was worth it!

Probably a 3.5 for me, but rounding down because Il Molo didn't nearly live up to the hype. The space is pretty cool, especially the bar area, but its like a dungeon down there so best save your visit until the winter IMO. Shared the lobster crab cakes and the charred octopus as starters. The former was fine, nothing to write home about, not much lobster flavor. The latter was much better and rather delicious; the tentacles were cooked to perfection. I had the diver scallops as an entree, which disappointed a bit. I obviously wasn't expecting a large portion, but about half of the scallops I was given were on the smaller side (when you think diver sea scallops). The "saffron" risotto had zero saffron flavor at all, so if it wasn't labeled on the menu, i wouldn't have had a clue it was in the dish. And again, there wasn't much lobster flavor in the crema. Our waiter was a bit odd, which normally I don't notice, but he stood out. Also, the beverage program was a bit overpriced. Overall it wasn't a bad experience, I just wouldn't run back to spend my ducketts.

My first full meal at il Molo (I've been before for drinks & apps at Yelp Event), was superb. The restaurant is tucked away in the North End. It's an underground space, but the decor is extremely tasteful and welcoming, kinda feels like you are under the sea, which is suiting for this Italian seafood restaurant. We came in at 10pm with a huge group and both the wait and kitchen staff were so accommodating and patient. Started off with 24 oysters, which il Molo discounted for us because they were the last from the day. Even so, they were possibly the best oysters I've ever had, so silky in taste and in texture. I ordered the "Daily Pasta" which was lobster and mushroom with truffle butter ($28). It was.. I just don't really know how to put it into words.. It was orgasmic. (Too much? Any other word would fall short!!) The noodles, mushrooms, and lobster were perfectly cooked and seasoned. I wouldn't have changed a thing. My boyfriend got the Grilled Lobster ($45) said it was delicious. The rest of our crew sampled the Linguine and Clams ($24), the Seared Scallops ($29) among other dishes. Good reviews all around. The food was fantastic, and the staff couldn't have been friendlier even though we definitely pushed their closing time to the limits. It's a winner!

The first time I came to Il Molo was for a Yelp Event, but unfortunately I came late and didn't get to try any of the seafood apps which everyone said was amazing. So naturally I had to come back being such a seafood aficionado. I missed the restaurant biking over since it doesn't stand out from the outside besides the main door, and then the restaurant is all in the basement. Which probably doesn't sound appealing at first, but the atmosphere with the white and blue designs instantly gives a coastal vibe and you forget you're technically underground. In our party of two, we split the fried ipswich clams, then got a scallop special entree and the swordfish entrees. Maybe I'm weak for fried food in general, but those clams were superb and even between the two of us sharing the dish I almost got full. Almost. The swordfish was cooked perfectly and paired nicely with the pesto sauce, but maybe a cous cous or pilaf would accompany it well to add another texture vs the green veggies and kales that accompanied the fish. My scallop dish was definitely worth the price with a large amount of mushroom risotto and six large scallops. I wish the scallops were seared a bit more, but the overall sweet flavor of the entire dish was incredible. I loved our waitress as well! Super friendly, explained the specials well, wasn't annoyed at us taking tons of food pics, she was great! Would definitely come again for a nice seafood dinner.

A great new Italian themed restaurant in the North End. More energetic, more modern than the stodgy old fashioned Italian eateries in the area. Looks like restaurants look like in Italy today! :) The food is solid, pastas are truly Italian (Arrabbiata is to die for, and bolognese is great too), Scallops with Saffron risotto was great too. You have to try the coconut cake and the tiramisu here as well! You'll say "tiramisu really"? Yes, tiramisu, try their version. Will be coming back...

The staff was friendly and the food was good. I had the lobster crab cakes, which were excellent. My wife had an octopus pasta, which was good but the octopus was a little over charred and mostly was dominated by the burnt taste. We had coconut cream cake for dessert that was very good. The restaurant is small but had a good atmosphere. Service was a little slow but not unbearable.

Wonderful experience in every aspect. Warm genuine welcome at the door, intimate and comfortable setting, informed, helpful and sophisticated service and not an ounce of pretense. Every dish a wow. Lobster Rangoon a unique hit, my wife's fettuccini (pasta of the day) with mushrooms and truffle butter is now on her all-time great list and even made a strict carnivore reach over with his fork. While I usually love a good bolognese because of the meat flavor and seasoning, this dish exceeded my expectation as the pasta was every bit as much of the blow-away. Drinks were outstanding. The total enjoyment and satisfaction made for far more a romantic Valentines Day evening than any room full of balloons and glitter on the table.

Welcome Il Molo! Truly amazing new edition to the North End. Fresh seafood, pasta, etc. Killer cocktail menu as well. Honestly, there aren't enough definitions of the word PRAISE.

Magnificent in every area, Food was stunning. Recommended wines were wonderful. Waiter was excellent. Loved the intimacy of the lower level space. Should be ten stars

this is by far the worst meal I've had in Boston, ever..,I'm sorry!! I loved the setup, location and decor. Service was attentive and the prices were good. Now, on to the food. The grilled octopus was delicious. The best thing we had there. The cod, clams and chard dish was gross. The cod was well cooked, but had no seasoning at all. The chard was not flavorful and sat in a broth that was watery and cold. They said there was chorizo in the dish, but I got maybe one piece. My friend ordered the salmon with Brussels. The Brussels were undercooked and under seasoned. The salmon suffered the same fate! They also blackened the skin on the salmon so much that it was burned and almost inedible. We ordered coffee at the end of the evening and were told that they didn't have any sugar at all in the restaurant. Odd.

Best dinner ever Oysters, swordfish, scallops, shrimp and salmon. Unbelievable. Thank you Anekalia! Your service was out of this world, so nice meeting you and thank you for taking care of my family. My girlfriend and I live in the north end and steps away from here so trust me I've ate at every north end restaurant. Nothing comes close to Il Molo in any category. If there's a fish or food you haven't tried get it here because it's going to be cooked to perfection. I wish we have time to come more then just major occasions.

Amazing food and service in a modern atmosphere! We decided to try something new and took out of town guests here for dinner on a Thursday night. This is definitely a restaurant where you can hear each other compared to other crowded & loud places in the north end. Everything we ordered was delicious - Clam chowder, hot seafood tower, scallops risotto, daily pasta (with tons of lobster in it!) Prices are on the high end (you get what you pay for!) and this is a great spot for celebrations or date night.

Amazing food. The best oysters in Boston. The best lobster pie in New England. Cocktails have room for improvement but Il Molo makes up for it with an extensive fantastic wine list. Is definitely a hidden gem right off the main track of the north end. A must dine!

This is the epitome of a 5 star restaurant. I have to admit I was skeptical at first. The restaurant is in the basement level of a building and about a 5 minute walk away from the busy hub of North End restaurants on Hanover St. When I walked in, I felt like I was under the sea. The restaurant gave off a cool yet sophisticated vibe, with light that cast an ocean blue hue in some areas. Our server, Adam, was attentive, pleasant and calm. I couldn't have asked for better service. The food was excellent. One of the best we've ever had. 2 people in our party ordered the daily pasta with lobster, mushrooms and truffle butter. I had a little taste of this dish. If they have this on the menu, GET THIS. You can taste that the pasta is freshly made. The truffle butter, mushrooms and all of the flavors come together very nicely. You can taste the freshness of the the lobster tail. I ordered the spaghetti with clams with white wine garlic sauce. The clams and sauce had layers of flavor and the pasta tasted fresh. I considered knocking down a star though, because I can taste some sand/grit from the clams. For now, I'm leaving my rating at 5 stars because everything else was so good. There is no kid's menu but they were able to accommodate with variations of adult dishes to make it kid friendly and size appropriate. We ordered a chicken cutlet and a pasta with bolognese sauce. The chicken cutlet was perfectly breaded and fried. Even though it was the thinnest chicken cutlet I've seen, it was not at all dried out. The portion size was very large and could easily feed an adult. My daughter who doesn't usually like meat, shared some of this and loved it. The spaghetti with bolognese sauce was very flavorful too. The sauce is thick and delicious. My daughter, who is very particular about pasta sauces and what's in it, raved about this dish. The portion size was generous for a kid's portion and was enough for me to have a taste. The bread, unfortunately was cold. It had good texture though and the delicious truffle butter makes up for any of its shortcomings. This place was all around excellent: service, ambience, food. It was pricey but reasonable for what you get.

Absolutely excellent. The atmosphere is modern elegance with a splash of nautical. A decent sized restaurant (two rooms) but still very cozy. We ordered the clam chowder to start. I happen to love clam chowder so I tend to be critical. (Among my favorites are Boston Chowdas bread bowl and Legal Seafoods.) Theirs is a solid execution. Not too decadent but still very satisfying. Fresh clams, smaller cubed potatoes, seasoning on the mark. Noting it's a starter their blend is pretty perfect, anything heavier would be too filling and ruin your appetite for the main. If you're on the fence, it's worth ordering. To follow my guy had the linguine with clam sauce and I ordered the whole branzino fish. Pasta was home made, fresh and cooked al dente. Clams were fresh but modest in portion. Nice light broth which was a tad shy on seasoning but still very good. The branzino itself was gorgeous (see pic). Stuffed with rosemary and lemon and artfully grilled. A very mild, light eating, FRESH (as in just caught) fish. While cooked perfectly it did lack seasoning for my taste. That said, I understand and respect the chefs call for mild infusion. Sprinkle a little salt and ask for a lemon on the side to further enhance. It was served on a bed of potatoes. They were fine just not my first choice to pair with fish. Authentic Italian style but too heavy for me - would have preferred rice but again no dings - to each their own. For our side we had the broccoli rabe and beans which was delicious. Great side. On to my personal highlight, the service. For me, food comes first but service is a close second. The staff can make or break the experience. Here, they make it. We had Gregory as our server. He was welcoming, knowledgeable, attentive and engaging. Everything you hope for. Truly elevated our dining experience. On the bar side we had the privilege of chatting with JP while waiting for our ride. Absolute delight. We lived in Boston 6 + years and this night out (now visiting) reminded me how much I truly loved (and miss) my time here. The people are just solid. Thanks to the whole crew for an awesome night out. & JP, if you happen to read this - that bottle will adorn my kitchen (thx again :) All in all, go and ENJOY! You won't be disappointed.

Across from Union Wharf in Boston. We had wonderful service by Andrea and the selections are reasonably priced for a large tourist city. Large portion size for the delicious spinach salad as well as the pasta dishes. Expect to take home leftovers if you want room for homemade desserts!!

Came on a Friday night, with a reservation for 2. The meal got off to a disappointing start, with a 20 minute wait after being seated before first contact with our server. At about the 15 minute mark, the host came by and offered to take a drink order and provided water. Eventually our server came, and she was very friendly though, apologized, and said the restaurant had just gotten slammed in the past half hour, probably because of all the college graduations this weekend. While the wait was a disappointment, the food was not. I had the chopped salad, which was very good though I was surprised it was called a "chopped" salad since the lettuce pieces seemed of normal size. Normally I think of a chopped salad as very finely chopped ingredients. But it was tasty. I had the whole branzino for dinner, which was great. It was atop a bed of sauteed spinach with a ton of garlic, which is great by me. My dining companion had oysters rockefeller and I think a bolognase pasta, which he said was very good. We ordered a bottle of red wine with dinner. When we asked some questions about the character of various wines, the waitress acknowledged when she didn't know an answer, and offered to ask the bartender (which she did). I thought this was exactly the right way to handle things, and better than just making up an answer, which people do sometimes. For dessert we had the tiramisu. The waitress said that normally they make their own tiramisu, but tonight it is from Modern bakery, on Hanover. This was fine by me, and it was really excellent. I would be happy to return, and hopefully won't do it on a night where the dinner rush is so hectic!

I was very excited to try il Molo. We left Maine pretty early to board the train so I hadn't eaten prior to leaving. After our mile walk from the train station I was more than ready to try a delicious dish from what appeared to be a very cute and swanky establishment. We walked down the stairs and saw two gentlemen inside. We pulled on the door and it was locked. We stared at the two gentlemen inside and one looked down while the other looked at us and talked to the other man. The restaurant should've been opened at least an hour by this point. I knocked on the window; they stared at the floor. So why the 1 star? Because we stood there waiting for one of the individuals inside to acknowledge us and they didn't which is completely rude. If you were having issues you could've walked over and told us that. Inside you stood inside and did absolutely nothing while we remained on the outside confused and wondering why you were ignoring us. Shame on you.

I think this place was pretty good for their oysters. The service was pretty good, even though our server seemed a bit out of it. They definitely work as a team in their Restaurant. When our server was missing, the manager came by to ask us if we wanted another glass of wine. My husband ordered the bone in filet mignon , which was excellent. He normally doesn't like a lean steak, but that was his only choice at this place and he loved it. I liked their east-coast oysters and grilled octopus.

Went to this place for dinner on a Thursday night after reading some good reviews on the food and was not disappointed. We started dinner off with the complimentary bread and truffle butter which was to die for and ordered the grilled octupus as an app. Unfortunately, I did not take a photo, but the dish was beautifully presented and also delicious. I think it may be the best octupus dish in Boston--it was cooked just right and pairing it with rabe, chickpeas, and chorizo was an interesting and well done twist. For an entree I had the Swordfish which was served with a Puttanesca sauce and it was incredible. Also prepared just right. My friend got the Barramundi which came with some root vegetables and quinoa and it was good, but was not my favorite. We also had the garlic spinach as a side. A few additional things to note: the menu on the website was different than the menu in the restaurant and they did not have halibut when we arrived (the waiter explained there has been a shortage lately according to their supplier) and ran out of the swordfish shortly after I ordered my dish (apparently it's one of the more popular ones). Overall, we enjoyed our experience and would definitely go again!

Anything lower than 5 stars for this restaurant is so wrong. Like really wrong. I haven't reviewed restaurants in a while but since I already wrote a review in instagram I am just going to copy and paste it here: So I had to post about my favorite place in all of Boston (hubby agrees) and that is Il Molo. It's truly a HIDDEN gem (literally and figuratively) because it's in the North End but away from Hanover Street and below the sidewalk (not common in North End). It's also not a tourist trap but a place where the locals go. Considering how amazing the food was I'm surprised that there wasn't more people in the restaurant. Every dish from the appetizers to the dessert (even the free bread and truffle butter they give you) was amazing. But let's just start off the truffle butter people. There really were slices of truffle in that butter!!! It was so good that we must've asked for more bread at least 3 times. The bread is apparently from Iggy Azalea's bread shop in Cambridge. Anyhow...the lobster cake they had was amazing. Huge lumps of lobster meat served basically with crack sauce (it was that good). But seriously the best any sort of seafood cake that I've ever had. Beet salad while simple was also delicious and perfectly balanced. The real stars of the night were the ammmmazing pasta dishes. Forget any of the Italian restaurants on Hanover (yes I said that but it's true), Il Molo had the best pasta. HANDS DOWN. They had the perfect balance of perfectly cooked homemade pasta and delicious sauces. The linguine with clams had slices of garlic versus traditional crushed garlic so that the garlic complimented the flavors of the clam and pasta with a touch of wine. The seafood pasta also had the same ammmmazing homemade pasta but with a beautiful tomatoey-brothy-seafoody deliciousness sauce (excuse all the grammatical and spelling errors and made up words ) but seriously it was THAT good. I was full but I finished the whole dish. No noodle was safe. We also had a cioppino that was chock full of seafood - all perfectly cooked with a broth that was full of flavor. I can't believe the amount of seafood they fit into one bowl! And finally the desserts. The key lime pie didn't stand a chance against my kids. It lasted maybe 30 seconds before it was gobbled up. Best key lime pie ever. Kudos to the amazing chef at Il Molo. You blew the socks off us picky Californians! Finally - the service was incredible. Especially for Boston because most places are rude. We were treated extremely well considering we were underdressed and dragged in 3 kids 7 and under with us. All in all a perfect way for us to end our trip in Boston. 5 stars all around for Il Molo. Knocking off stars for service is just silly in Boston when you consider that most places will barely say hello to you when you walk in the door. The service was good even by Californian standards. The waitress didn't even bat an eye when we kept asking for more bread!

Great service and great food. It was so nice to make a reservation on yelp Loved the mini lobster rolls

I went in a group of 4 to Il Molo on Sunday night. It was fairly crowded when we arrived but we were seated right away. The decor is absolutely gorgeous. It was very modern but also felt home-y. It was a relatively tight space but I think that allowed for a more intimate experience. The wait staff were very helpful and welcoming. The portions are generous and plated beautifully. I had the lobster pot pie which was buttery, flavorful and had generous helpings of lobster. My sister had the daily homemade pasta with truffle oil and mushrooms. There was a variety of foods to choose from on the menu without being over whelming. There is a huge wine selection and the cocktails were delicious. We'll definitely be back!

Arrived to Boston late and found this restaurant was open until late. We enjoyed every dish. Started with raw oyster and there was a variety to choose from. Had the pasta and seafood and the seafood stew both incredibly tasty. Great service, good drinks. Overall a very nice dinner.

I've been here a couple of times now. Not sure if I'm more impressed with the food or the fact that they converted a basement into a welcoming space. Here's the rundown: - Octopus (A+) - Somehow a miss the first time but they remade it. Easily top 5 octopus dishes in Boston right now - Bucatini w/ Octopus (A+) - easily one of the best dishes I've had in a long time. Need to get this off the special menu and on the permanent menu - Fried Clams (A) - Coconut Cake (A) - Prawns a la Plancha (A) - Grilled Swordfish (A-) - Tagliatelle Bolognese (A) - Mini Lobster sliders (B+) - Great for kids - Tuna a la Plancha (B-) - Grilled Corn (C) - Branzino (B+) - Mahi Mahi (B+) - Crudo - hit or miss - Burrata - good but pass next time - Cod - Miss, pass

This is an abridged review as my daughter was struggling with jet lag so only had one course. The main, though, diver scallops was excellent. 5 or 6 very large scallops on a bed of risotto. The scallops were caramelized perfectly, and were quite large. The risotto had a nice, creamy consistency. For only one course, it was quite slow but the food still earned 5 stars.

One of the best meals I have had this year! In Bostons North End you either have amazing or disappointing, and this is AmaZIng! Apps were perfect... delicious and a very nice presentation. Mains simple but on point and large portions! The best I've ever had seafood pasta was more seafood than pasta with a lobster tail! Fairly priced, very nice staff and a good wine list. If you find yourself lost in the north end this is a must!

This place is just awesome! Tried it for the first time tonight and everything was perfect, the bread and butter they bring out is delicious and our clams casino appetizer was out of this world. I ordered the Miso Glazed Salmon over the Brussels sprouts and it was truly amazing. The salmon was cooked perfectly, the miso glaze was delicious and not too sweet and there was some homemade pesto on the dish that created a really good bite when you dragged the Brussels sprouts through it. My mom got the Frutti de Mare special with clams, mussels,shrimp, lobster and octopus over fusilli tossed in an arrabiata (spicy marinara) sauce and it was delicious as well! The service was also impeccable. Definitely will be coming back

The food at il Molo is top notch, and the waiter we had was very nice. I have been here once before and raved about every bit of the experience, so this time- my boyfriend and I decided to bring friends! The decor at il Molo is modern, it's not like most of the North End Restaurant scene which is part of the desire. Once you go inside, and downstairs - the bar area is welcoming and large. There are two back dining areas that seat plenty of guests and keep the noise down to a minimum outside of the bar. The reason this rating is a 4 is because i would give it a 3.5 truly. After having an 8:30 PM reservation, which was re-confirmed and we arrived 15 minutes early for, we ended up being told the table was "not quite ready yet" and to grab a drink while we wait. This wait turned into an hour long wait, to which NOTHING WAS DONE FOR US IN RETURN. Not only did I check in with the hostess a couple times for an update- she was unable to offer any sort of a time frame until we were already a half hour into our wait. At this point I did have a bit of attitude, but tried to remain patiently calm. Once we were finally seated we shared the fried calamari, grilled octopus, and then had the daily pasta, stuffed lobster and scallops throughout the table. While I was annoyed by the wait- i tried not to let it hinder my foodie experience. The food is excellent, and I would certainly recommend it based on that- but I cannot recommend the customer service, or timeliness of this restaurant just yet. If I return, I will hopefully have a better overall experience like I did the first time here.

I ate at il Molo recently with my sister. When walking down the steps to the basement, I had my doubts. But the place was warm and well-decorated. It was a slow night so we got a two-top without anyone close and ordered. Their Super Tuscan wine by-the-glass was the first pleasant surprise - so full-bodied and delicious. We split a good-enough Caesar Salad. For the main course, we shared both the Daily Pasta w/mushrooms and lobster and the Divers Scallops on saffron risotto. Both dishes were delicious enough to plan a repeat visit to eat them again. Our server was very nice and leveled our table for us upon request in the middle of our meal. I'll definitely re-visit at some point.