Isabella Restaurant

A cozy place with a nice atmosphere. Unfortunately, the food was a bit disappointing – the carbonara was completely average, and the lobster ravioli didn’t live up to its price. We could barely taste any lobster at all. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long for a table around 3 PM. Honestly, after reading so many great reviews, I was expecting something more.

Quaint little hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant that you should be looking up when you're in town. Warm and inviting staff and atmosphere with some outstanding Italian food. The gnocchi was insanely good and the daily special scallops risotto was amazing. And, surprisingly, the app of Bruschetta was a shock. So simple but just a flavor bomb of basil garlic and fresh tomatoes. Finish it off with Affogato: ice cream drowned in espresso. Yeah, that's what I thought and then I had it. Delicious! Go to Boston, eat at Isabella's!! Highly, HIGHLY Recommended!

Everything was delicious. We had lobster ravioli, the meatballs, calamari and literally the best affogato I’ve ever had. The 2 young people working the whole front of house were attentive, friendly and were really working hard. Thanks for the great hospitality.

Great service and food. Appetizers were good flavor wise. Could be better portion wise. Shrimp scampi is a pass way too sour from the lemon. Good cocktails. Would come again for all the other stuff.

Cute little hole in the wall restaurant. I do recommend making a reservation ahead of time. this general area is extremely busy. The service was pretty good the other lady was very attentive with the water. The food was pretty good too. excellent portions. the frutti di mare had plenty of fish which i can appreciate. it is well worth the price. The pasta carbonara was very creamy very delicious. The tiramisu is about as close as you can get to authentic italian tiramisu. very creamy well flavored.

We were welcomed as soon as we stepped in. The waiter was very attentive and friendly. Everything we ordered was delicious. The scallops especially, were cooked perfectly!

Great food! We got bolognese, salmon piccata and tiramisu and all of it was really delicious. Pretty environment but small and a little loud. Food was worth it!

Our server was so attentive and the service was super fast. We ordered the chicken parm, fried calamari, and pesto gnocchi, all of which were delicious, super big portions. The vanilla gelato was so good too. Complementary bread dipped in some oil is always amazing. It has a very nice classic Italian atmosphere. Overall Isabella Restaurant is a great place to go for a night out with your family.

The restaurant does not have a big dining room so if you are coming for dinner, you better make sure you have a reservation. We did and we saw more than half a dozen parties turned away who did not in an hours' time. Very nice ambiance with one side of the dining room a wine wall. The tables are close together, maybe 16 in all, so you're not going to have a real private meal. The kitchen area is small. We were greeted quickly and once our reservation was verified seated at our table. Water and bread with Olive Oil and Parmigiana cheese appeared quickly. A very friendly and professional wait staff explained the menu, their night specials and took our drink order. Limoncello Martini and Bellini were very good. We ordered the house salad with pears and cranberries, and it was enough for three of us to share. We then shared amongst the three of us a Penne Pasta with Chicken and Vodka Sauce entree and a Tagliatelle Fungi Pasta. Pasta for both cooked perfect and the sauces were delicious. Service was efficient except we had to ask for more water. While we would have liked to try their dessert menu we were completely satisfied already.

This is a very small, but romantic restaurant. My partner and I were seeking an authentic Italian spot and went to the "Little Italy" area. I'm not a local, so I'm not sure how authentic the area's restaurants are but the food was good. It could use more seasoning (not sure if thats a personal preference, but everything tastes fresh; yet bland). The service could use some work. Upon entering, a man rushes over to say 'hurry and close the door.' There's no host area when you enter, just people eating; the restaurant is a small room, with long glass windows, that fits about 10 tables. It's a bit confusing for people just aiming to walk-in or stop by for dinner. Rather than the employees running to close the door like we're being reprimanded at granny's to keep the door shut, I'd recommend a "reservations only" sign on the door or perhaps place a host outside to greet guests. It'd help with avoiding guests starting off on a negative note. For the rest of the evening, our waitress and service was fine.

Been experiencing string of disappointments w dining in North End of late. Met up w buddy at spur of moment and lucked out w no wait walk in dining. Wanted to get the branzino but the waiter stated the frutti di mare was better and "chef's favorite" so went w his suggestion. The dish was a lack luster disappointment the squid was under cooked and the overall dish was bland and lacking the seafood umami. The linguini was not al dente but might ad well giving the blandness of the sauce/broth. We also overheard table next to us complaining to the staff her salmon was fishy On the plus side my buddy said his chicken parm was perfect

We enjoyed this place in general. It gets very busy so be sure to make a reservation if possible. We made ours for 7:30 by calling the restaurant for 3 people. When we arrived there was a guy standing inside the door to whom we told we have a reservation and our name. He asked if we called and seemed a little caught off guard but seated us anyway. The service was good and the food was nice. I had the lamb ragu with (house made) tagliatelle, gnocchi (house made) and veal parm. I enjoyed the ragu- the lamb was flavorful and the pasta had a nice texture. The gnocchi was fluffy and the veal parm looked great. The restaurant itself was small and intimate, but felt comfortable. I did feel like I wish I had dressed slightly less casually but I don't think it was a necessity.

This was our last mail in Boston and we decided to go to the North End for Italian. We wander around looking at menus and decided on this place just us the square of the Catholic church. It looks pretty full but it did have a couple of empty tables so we stopped in. He asked if we had reservations, which of course, we did not. After two people compare their reservation list, they managed to squeeze us in in the corner. As I watch the door I saw them turning away parties, except for the few that looked out and came just at the right time that another party left. Apparently this place is very popular It's kind of small, although they managed to fit a lot of tables in there. Tables are covered with white tablecloths topped with white paper. On one wall just above the tables it is completely made of wine racks full of wine. The other walls were plain with just framed prints. The bathrooms are located at the bottom of steep stairs, so I would say this is not necessarily ADA friendly, but these are old buildings and most places probably are not. Our server came right away and brought water. She gave us a few minutes to look over the menu and we ordered: *Limoncello martinis *Calamari with cherry peppers *Veal parmigiana *Spaghetti with meatballs in arabiatta Everything was absolutely delicious. Did raviata was so delicious and chunky and spicy and the meatballs (four of them) were huge. In fact, All the portions were huge. I definitely recommend this place, but I also recommend a reservation, especially if you were going on a Sunday afternoon. I think there are a lot of the after church crowd and just plain tourists mixed in with the locals. This place definitely seems to be in demand.

The restaurant is super small so definitely grab a reservation otherwise you're not getting in. The entrance is set up kinda wonky and we weren't seated until our full party was in. Service was a little gruff, but we got what we ordered and that was good enough. The food - it was pretty good. But I don't think it was mindblowing or really that memorable. I think some of the other places I've tried around the North End were definitely better. My friend and I split a chicken Parm (really nice that they actually just split it into two plates for us on serving) We got the risotto special as an app along with meatballs and some other items. Overall, I liked having tried it once, but I'm not sure I'd come back despite all the rave reviews everyone else gave.

We went here on a Wednesday evening. It's a small restaurant with no outdoor seating. They do have fans in the ceiling. Open Table's earliest available table was 8 pm so we decided to see if there was a wait for walk in. They were able to seat us right away with no reservations at 5:30 but they were going to need the table by 7 pm. We usually don't have veal in California so plentiful as Boston. The veal parmesan and saltimbocca were very tender here and both dishes had a great flavor. The calamari was not overly chewy and the marinara sauce was good. Their gnocchi was home made and they had no ridges to hold the sauce. The gnocchi amatriciana had Italian pancetta, onions and San marzano tomatoes. Flavor was good and they did not get soggy by the end of the meal. The chocolate dish for dessert was just right for sharing and just enough for 3 to get a taste. We would come back if we were in the neighborhood.

This was a pretty good restaurant with some of our dishes being delicious and some being okay! We'd come back again if we were ever in Boston, though. The Linguine Frutti di Mari was amazing, and the gnocchi pesto was also really good! The spaghetti carbonara was good once we put some salt and some Parmesan on, but it was lacking flavor - as was the fettuccini Alfredo.

We were visiting Boston from California and were really looking forward to an Italian meal in the North end. Isabella Ristorante got great reviews on Yelp so we were excited to check it out. The ambience was just what you'd expect from a restaurant in Italy and the size of the restaurant was perfect. Our waiter was very nice and friendly. My daughter had Fettuccine Alfredo and it was absolutely perfect in every way possible. What a delight.

Delicious!! Amazing pasta. Tiramisu was wonderful Service was good. Reservation ahead of time

Isabella is a great place. Five of us ate here based on the Yelp reviews and we all had great meals. Our only down fall was our waiter was just average at best. We had to ask for everything from bread, drinks, refills and for him to clear the table. However this doesn't cloud the fact that the food was great and the ambiance was very close to eating in Italy. The prices ranged from $22 for pasta to $45 for the special of scallops over risotto. Isabella is a small place with wooden tables and you definitely need a reservation.

My wife had heard good things about them, and after eating there, I agree. My wife had the Tagliatelle Bolognese. She thought the sauce was great and the pasta was cooked perfect. I love gnocchi, so I tried the Gnocchi Amatriciana. The sauce was awesome! Great flavor. Both of the dishes were big portions, especially for the money, so we were full when we left. The staff did a great job answering questions and taking care of everyone, considering the lunch rush. The place is small, but it never got loud. Since it is small, it does seem cramped. It would be nice if they removed a table or two, especially the one immediately inside the door. I wish the drink menu would have included a Negroni, or some common cocktails for before dinner.

We wanted some traditional Italian food in the North End, at a reasonable price, and this place was recommended to us. It's small, so even on a week night you'll need a reservation. The food did not disappoint. It was everything you expect traditional Italian food to be, in the best possible way, meaning it was tasty, but not too heavy. Even the pasta sauce was bright and tangy. The bruschetta appetizer was a little different than we're used to: more garlic and less fresh basil. But it was still good. The bread was crispy on the edges (and nicely charred), but left a little soft in the center, which let the bread absorb some of the juices. For entrees, we had eggplant parmesan with penne and gnocchi amatriciana with pancetta. Both servings were plentiful and very good. I'd give this place 5 stars were it not for the service. Let's just say there was some attitude and leave it at that. Still, based on the food, we'd recommend Isabella to others visiting Boston and looking for a traditional Italian meal in "Little Italy".

I know my review is going to be a bit different as I am hopeful it was just a bad night. We started off with fried calamari and it was bland and lacking taste. My daughter had Penna ala Vodka with chicken and it was average. I had their Veal special and it was good but nothing to brag about. We also had a side of Broccoli Rabe and it was very undercooked. The place small and loud but that was fine. Won't rush back... Sorry

Service was great, food was great. Not the best gnocchi in the north end but a solid 9/10. Will go back!! Pesto was really nice and the burrata was delicious. We got a Chardonnay split 3 ways and that was also delicious. Bathroom is not handicap accessible and is down a flight of stairs.

Wow, what an experience! Isabella's is a small restaurant around the corner of Paul Revere's house. Inside there are a couple of tables with limited seating, so a reservation is recommended to ensure being seated. Our server, who served every table, was very knowledgeable of the menu and truly a great representation of the restaurant. Our table ordered a few of the appetizers - antipasto, meatballs, and calamari. I don't like seafood, but the calamari smelled amazing! I ordered the tagliatelle bolognese and it was incredible. Well cooked noodles withy meaty ragu sauce and a few spoonfuls of fresh Parmesan from the table. Absolutely perfect. We didn't order dessert, but I'm sure it wouldn't have disappointed. If you want to raise your expectations for Italian restaurants, visit Isabella's. A small but mighty restaurant whose food you'll never forget.

Visited Isabella's again today, this time with my family. Martin and his team took great care of us. The food was all great, from appetizers to dessert. Everyone was impressed with all aspects of Isabella's food and service. After I tasted the Tiramisu for dessert, I honestly believe it was the best I've ever eaten, and that sentiment was echoed by several others at the table. Some items we had eaten today were the Lobster Ravioli, Fried Calamari, Special Rolled Veal, Spaghetti Carbonara, and the Risotto with fish. Everyone at the table enjoyed their food and the attentive service from Martin. I am looking forward to returning again soon.

Can't wait until Yelp allows 1/2 stars because honestly - Isabella's is a 3.5. I have eaten at many North End restaurants - the North End is NOT where you'll find Boston's best Italian food. It is where you'll find the most iconic. And the North End in general is absolutely charming. So - when we visit Boston - we'll often bring our kiddos there so we can wander through the small streets and pretend we're back in Italy. Now - with all that being said - Isabella's is certainly one of the better North End restaurants. The restaurant is tiny. We had a window seat when you first walk in and pretty much sat on top of a two top next to each us. The waiter couldn't even stand between the tables but that's fine - not something new in the North End. We started with the sausage and cherry pepper app which was honestly better than I expected but could have used a few seconds under the broiler instead of just melted mozz on top. They were wonderful in offering just a kids sized spaghetti with marinara sauce for my 6 year old. My son LOVED his chicken broccoli Alfredo. I had the chicken risotto which was tasty. My husband got the chicken piccata which was alright but really nothing special. The bread they served at the start was dense and not as amazing as I'd wanted it to be. Nothing was bad. Nothing was exceptional. Everything was good. I'd come back!

Amazing service and food. We came into town to see family and Cold Play and had a great time at Isabella's. We had a reservation but we showed up 2 hours early and they were able to seat us right away even though they were very busy (we got very lucky). The cute space, a little small but they make it work. The walls are nicely decorated and it's got good ambiance. It was a hot day (85F and high humidity but the air conditioning was very welcome). The server was very attentive and helped a lot with questions and choices. The appetizers were awesome as are the wine choices. Everyone loved their meal and dessert. The chicken Marsala was pretty awesome (I had some of that). We will definitely be back.

This place has the BEST fried calamari appetizers and frutti di mare in North End! The wait staff were attentive and presented specials for the night. It's a great place for date night and feels intimate. I recommend making reservations because seating is very limited.

We stopped by Isabella around 5:45 P.M. on a Saturday after reading the Yelp! review. Martin, the Maitre'd met us at the door, and even though we didn't have a reservation, he said if we could wait just a bit, he would seat us in the window table. Within about 15-20 minutes, he had us seated in a two top right in the window next to the door. Our server was helpful and quick. He recommended a good wine and took our order: Spaghetti Arrabbiata with meatballs and Gnocchi Pesto. Our orders came out so quickly. We may have waited 5-10 minutes. The spaghetti arrabbiata was a perfect spicy flavor. The four meatballs were tasty and everything was piping hot. My wife loved her gnocchi. She found them to be fresh and light. The server told us all of the sauces and pastas are made in house. A wonderful experience. You usually need a reservation to eat here so don't be surprised if you are turned away without one, but if you get there early, you might have some luck getting in if you are nice to Martin and have some patience.

Stopped by here while traveling along the Freedom Trail. It's a smaller restaurant that was pretty empty during weekday lunch but service was great. Carbonara came out super quick and would definitely recommend as it was delicious.

The food was super fast to come out and sat down with a reservation easily. It's a smaller so having the reservation really helped because the restaurant is very busy. The decor is pretty standard but updated. The food was amazing. Best meal I had in Boston. The bread, drinks, and apps were all great. Then the pasta came and I was in heaven. We ordered a variety of pastas and they were all very delicious! Would definitely recommend!

Nice refined ambiance. Started with the calamari, was freshly fried but not that flavorful. Also had chicken Parmesan and Tagliatelle Bolognese. Both were ok but not particularly good or flavorful. The tagliatelle was a little overcooked. The vodka sauce was tasty but nothing exceptional. Prices were decent for downtown touristy area and service was good, and this is definitely a cute restaurant. However, I was expecting a lot more taste wise given the other reviews.

DO NOT BELIEVE THE YELP REVIEWS!!! if I ever doubted that place pay a service for yelp reviews, I'm 100% certain now. We got lasagna and the Linguini Frutti Di Mare, and it literally tasted their sauce was nothing more than tomato sauce out of a can. No garlic or onion or any seasoning. No salt. Their Caesar salad dressing was flavorless .... The bread was cold and stale. The Parmesan they put on the table was basically Kraft powder. Do not believe the yelp reviews! Unless they're all left by 1,000 people who have never had Italian food before, they are phony! The only good thing about it was the service.

3.5 stars! My significant other and I came tonight (Monday) with a 5 pm reservation. Upon walking in there were a couple of tables seated and we were seated immediately. It's a small space off Hanover, but we enjoyed the intimate atmosphere. We had bread with dipping oil, meatballs, fettuccine alfredo, and cheese ravioli. The bread was fresh but we prefer it to be warmed. The meatballs were excellent, great flavor and the sauce was delicious! Dipping the bread in the sauce was also scrumptious. My significant other said his alfredo was good, he said it was a little thinner than other alfredo sauces. He also said it lacked a bit of flavor, but despite these critiques he finished the whole plate. My ravioli was really good and fresh, but a little too al dente for my liking. Our waiter was great from the moment we walked in. He was friendly, professional, and attentive. I would definitely come back to try some other dishes!

This was our first visit to Isabella, and we'll definitely be back. We had reservations (which I strongly recommend) and were seated immediately by the warm and welcoming host, Martin. Having just returned from Bologna, we chose Bolognese dishes: Tagliatelle Bolognese and Tagliatelle Porcini plus two delicious reds: the chianti and montepulciano. Both dishes were excellent - albeit a bit different from what we had in Bologna (actually, every restaurant in Bologna makes Tagliatelle Bolognese differently which makes this dish so fun to order). For dessert, we shared a tiramisu (yum!!!) and as it was our anniversary, the server gave us two lemoncellos - which may have been better than any we had on the Amalfi coast! Our waiter was wonderful and helpful. The restaurant noise level is typical of those in the North End - a little crowded, but not so much that it's uncomfortable.

Friday night in the North End is perfection. Isabella's was absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend any fresh pasta dish. I started with their 1320 Sauvignon Blanc and the burrata appetizer. My main course was the Frutti di Mare. Everything is fresh pasta and cooked perfectly. The service is absolutely fantastic and they're North Street location. It's just a short walk over to Bova's for dessert. Save yourself the wait and do not forget to get reservations! There is definitely a line to get into this place.

We were the first ones in for lunch at this place. Overall, the service was average, a little distracted. The table bread was excellent. Shared the Burrata cheese plate and the Tagliatelle Bolognese. The cheese plate was OK. The Bolognese was delicious. The pasta taste homemade. It was a molto al dente. I actually prefer my pasta to be a little over al dente, but because it was homemade the bounce of the noodle really made up for it. The dish was delicious.

Yummy italian food in the north end at this cozy little restaurant. Be sure to make a reservation as they fill up. Good service a tad pricey but worth it. We ordered the arugula salad to share, the chicken penne with vodka sauce and the chicken piccata. Portions were generous and everything was delicious. Chicken was tender and flavorful and the pasta was perfectly cooked. Highly recommend Isabella!!

There's no shortage of options of great Italian food in the North End, and Isabella Ristorante is definitely part of what makes this area well renowned. A little off to the side of the main streets, the restaurant is a little tight on space but makes the most of it with a modern touch on a traditional Italian place. We started off with some scallops which were cooked decent but some of the smaller ones were very slightly overcooked. The entrees ordered were the Veal Parmesan, Lobster Ravioli, and the Frutti di Mare. All of them were quite flavorful and well executed dishes. So many options for Italian food in the North End but you won't be making a mistake coming here.

We were visiting the East Coast for a family event in Vermont, and had come to Boston on a Monday afternoon to fly to our home on the West Coast the following morning, staying near Logan. We wanted to take in some of the city (although we had been Boston before), but didn't want to drive too far, so the North End was appealing, a 15 minute drive from the Logan airport area. We did a search, and Isabella looked to be our kind of restaurant, with a menu that offered many appealing options (thank you, Yelp!). We were not disappointed! Isabella is a cozy venue, and its unassuming but comfortable interior reflects the restaurant's concentration on good food (rather than sophisticated decor). We were greeted by a gracious host and seated promptly (we did have a reservation). The service staff was efficient and friendly. A nice wine list complemented the many menu choices. I chose the linguini and little-neck clams, while my wife had the scampi appetizer. Both of us were pleased with our choices, and tab was absolutely reasonable. We agreed that if we were Boston residents, Isabella would be one of our regular go-tos.

Good place to eat! Get a reservation! My wife and I chose this place when on a recent trip to Boston. If you're going to be in Little Italy (North End) you have to eat Italian right? I had Veal and she chose Gnocchi. My veal was a skirt cut (think fajitas) rolled up with mozzarella and vegetables with whipped potatoes, steamed veggies and a balsamic reduction sauce. The sauce was fantastic, potatoes were very good. They must have made them with chicken broth because they required no seasoning. Veal was good, it had a bit more chew than I am used to with veal but the flavor was very good. My wife's Gnocchi had a garlic pesto sauce and she was happy with it. The place is very small as most are in that neighborhood and we were seated by the door in the front window, unfortunately we had to listen to the manager turn people away all night for not having a res and that is one of the reasons for the 4 stars. Service was fantastic, staff is very attentive but not bothersome. I will go back.

We had a terrific lunch at Isabella. While it is quite small, the good news is they take reservations. We started out with a nice bread basket, and some terrific burrata. For entrees, I had the fantastic penne with sausage and garlic. The sausage was cut into rounds and sauteed to a nice crisp. I love sausage pastas, and this was one of the best ones I've had. The rest of the group enjoyed their vodka penne, and the kid's alfredo and butter pastas. The only dish that wasn't a hit was the pasta primavera. The service was great also. I would definitely come back.

A truly great place for a meal. Small and quiet but not too cramped. The service was great. Our server was very helpful and very pleasant. The food was really innovative and d excellent. The burrata to start with cured meat was fantastic. My wife had mushroom ravioli and she loved it. My daughter had a lamb ragu that was very flavorful. I had a rolled veal special that was stuffed with veggies. It was amazing!! Give this place a try when you're next visiting the North End

We had a great experience at this spot. Service was fast (we had our toddler with us, so let them know we hoped to get in and out), and the food was delicious. The red sauce was perfect, and the special my husband tried (scallops) was wonderful. I wouldn't call it kid friendly (all glass, etc.) but they were nice to our toddler and offered a kid's sized pasta. Try to make a reservation if you can, because they were turning people away the entire time we were there even though it was early in the evening (430). Definitely recommend for good, legit Italian and a good atmosphere!

This restaurant is very small but cozy. The service was very average. But the food was outstanding. I had the veal and it was very tasty.

A really great spot off the beaten path. The restaurant is que small but full of great food and flavors. We stopped in for a lite lunch and were totally pleased. We had the antipasto and Italian sausage. Both appetizers were perfect! The antipasto was really good, my favorite bite was the bruschetta, so good! The Italian sausage was delightful, plenty of cheese and peppers-one word to describe the dish DELICIOUS! The service was excellent, very quick

What a cute intimate restaurant. It felt super "homey" and family owned. We got a reservation and I am really glad we did. They were constantly busy. They had a nice wine list and the food was fantastic. You could tell the pasta was made from scratch. Our server was very sweet and attentive. I just loved the vibe of the place. I placed our order below: Burrata- so yummy and you just can't go wrong. Caesar salad- nice and fresh. Special: porcini ravioli- I loved this and it was super decadent. Lasagna- bursting with meat and cheese. My husband said it was fantastic. The portions were so big we needed up taking the leftovers home and they were good the next day! I would recommend this restaurant for a very laid back, enjoyable dinner experience.

We were in North End craving pasta when Isabella's came up on Yelp, so we decided to give it a try! For 3 people, we ended up splitting 2 pastas and it was just the right amount. We went with the Tagliatelle Bolognese and Spaghetti Carbonara. The carbonara was just okay - would probably pass on this. The bolognese on the other hand was delicious! The tomato sauce was super rich in flavor and the pasta was made perfectly too. They give complimentary bread here which was also a plus! Seating was a bit tight here and we were basically back-to-back with the other tables. Service-wise, our food came out pretty quickly and our server was kind too!

We actually visited this restaurant twice and it's quite good. I wouldn't quite give it 5 stars and wish there was a decimal option since I'd rate it a 4.3-4.5. Across out two visits we had the linguine Vongole, Lobster Fra Diavolo, Risotto with Cod(pictured), Shrimp Scampii, and the Burrata appetizer to go with two glasses of wine(red). While all dishes were tasty, I also feel like a little something was missing with some.. The Lobster dish was very spicy(as expected) but the lobster was tiny with the tail a bit overcooked. The cod dish was yummy yet I felt like it could've benefited from a buttery sauce or any sauce really. The burrata could've also benefited from a bit more such as a drizzle of balsamic and/or more tomatoes. Lastly, the wine pour could be more generous for $13 a glass imho. There are a ton of Italian options in the area and this restaurant does the job in a pinch. Solid 4 stars from me

The food was pretty good. We had the meatball appetizer, which I thought was decent but not mindblowing. The table bread and oil were pretty gross; the bread wasn't good and the oil tasted like a bit like petroleum jelly (flavorless). I got the Chicken Penne Vodka, which I actually liked a lot; it's lighter than a lot of standard penne vodka dishes, which I appreciated. The chicken was also cooked really well, so it was juicy and flavorful instead of dry and tough. The Gnocchi Amatriciana was also pretty good, though not a traditional Amatriciana; it has onions and pancetta instead of just guanciale. It was ok indoors, though a bit cramped. Unfortunately our waiter was fairly passive aggressive and disingenuous, clearly not very happy they were there and dealing with people, which soured our experience. He also told us the wrong specials, which became apparent when another table ordered something I would have liked but did not know about. I probably would not come back, even though the dishes were tasty.

Cute place. Food was good not amazing. Found it weird that main dishes were served with mash potatoes not pasta. chicken picatta with mashed potatoes definitely different- potatoes were good. Stupidly paid with my debit card only thing I paid for that day and the next day the bank called and several fraudulent Draft King bets were made on my account. very disheartened.

We had a delicious lunch here today! We enjoyed a shrimp scampi and a frutta di mare over linguine. Both were expertly prepared and presented. Seafood is a specialty here. Isabellas is located on Prince Street. Look for the red awning. Since it is a block or two off Hanover Street, you don't get the relentless tourist traffic here. What you do get is wonderful Italian cuisine like you get in Italy, served in an intimate little restaurant, and you also get to enjoy their impeccable service. Highly recommend!

I ordered a lasagna which was pretty standard. My friend ordered the veal and said it was decent. What stole the show for us was the shrimp appetizer. That sauce is so addictive. Unfortunately, because it was so good, that's the only one for which I only have an empty plate picture.

Loved my experience here. I'd say the quality makes the food prices worth it. Isabella is a small restaurant that gets a lot of foot traffic so reservations make everything easier. They also validate parking at a garage by Boston Public Market for the duration of your meal which is super helpful if this area isn't easy to get to for you via transit. All the pastas served here are delicious. The tomato and cream sauces they make are light and flavorful. I think it's a good spot to bring out if town guests or a delicious night out to since it's a good opportunity to get some Boston Italian Food and explore the North End. Will definitely come back, it lived up to the hype for me.

I wish I had posted pictures but I ate it too fast. The service was amazing and the food was fresh and tasty. The Mrs., had the lasagna and I had their special. My goodness, what a treat. I think if you come from a part of the country where real Italian food is rare, this place is a must. I appreciate all the hard work.

First,off the bread is an excellent choice and if you mix the cheese with the olive oil it tastes out of this world.My meal was just amazing with the pink sauce and meatballs.Bruschetta is a have to get,everything is have to get (written by my 10 year old who is a tough critic)

The Penne all a Vodka with chicken was stellar. One of the best i've had. Great little spot in the North End. A little cramped and loud, but typical of this part of town. The food is worth the right quarters!!