Trattoria Pulcinella

Not sure why the rating is a 3 star. This restaurant is phenomenal. High quality Italian food with a great atmosphere. The owner, chef's, and staff are so kind. My girlfriend and I have gotten takeout and sat for dinner. The pesto gnocchi is to die for, and the tiramisu is amazing. Out of several Italian restaurants in the Cambridge area, this is up there at the top. Stop by and enjoy a fantastic meal with incredible service.

Gnocchi was good, but no shrimp would have been better than having just 2 shrimp in a $33 dish. They weren’t even jumbo, just a regular size…. I want to like this place, but it’s just not special enough for that kind of portioning.

Good service and family style Italian cozy resturant. Food is ok…. Not everything authentic but fairly good. Gnocchi were really good but risotto is too heavy and not with wild authentic Italian porcini, truffle qty is limited.

Celebrated one of my good friends birthdays here and we had a pleasant time. The interior is very warm and intimate. The expo kitchen is very small but adds to the intimate feel The menu is small and straight forward. They serve only beer and wine. As an appetizer I had the Octopus. I'm into grilled octopus and this one was more or less steamed with a tomato based sauce. A bit too chewy for my liking and the sauce did not provide enough flavor for me. As a main meal I had the Bolognese with a red wine, which I'll be honest, I forgot the name of it (sorry!) Regardless the wine tasted well and paired well with the Bolognese. The meal had some spice to it and it was flavorful. I would prefer some extra cheer on top next time. The gem of the night was the tiramisu. It was so good, I forgot to take a picture of it lol. An ok spot I do appreciate their intentions of providing authentic Italian cuisine and experience.

Amazing, adorable hole in the wall! Apparently they've been open for 24 years and I feel like I've driven by a million times and never knew it was there! A really attentive and sweet person attended to us and everything was delicious. It's a small menu, and I don't think it's posted anywhere, but they have a lot of good seafood, pasta, and meat dishes with a wine list. Highly recommended!

Amazing dinner and service. All the food was incredibly fresh and flavorful. This restaurant really deserves 5 stars for the food and incredible service!! True Italian food with a north end caliber chef!

Ok let me start off by saying I am not one to share a review…but this is completely necessary. Tonight was my first time dining here & I can’t wait to come back. The ambiance was beautiful…we sat outside and it’s such a nice area for outdoor seating. The staff is wonderful. And the food was AMAZING. This is hands down the best Italian restaurant I have ever been to. The arancini was to die for. So was the mozzarella (excuse me for not using the proper names from the menu!), the artichoke was delicious and when I say don’t walk, RUN and get the fried zucchini blossom while it’s still in season I MEAN IT. One of the most amazing things I’ve ever eaten!!! The risotto was so creamy and cooked to perfection. And the braised short rib with polenta was the perfect comfort dish. I know…this was a lot of food but we shared! I’m so glad I tried so many things on the menu and not one thing was mediocre. Oh..and please get the tiramisu! Everyone needs to try this hidden gem before it’s not so hidden anymore! I honestly can’t wait to come back and bring family and friends!

I cannot express how this is my favorite restaurant ever. The food is extremely fresh and i highly recommend trying their amazing desserts, especially the pistachio cake! Our server, I forgot her name, is an older woman with black hair, glasses, and an amazing loud personality that comes out vibrant, was marvelous. The menu is smaller than other restaurants, but is so much better. When first being seated you will be given a basket of bread with a side of oil oil and chilis, now this was so delicious. You cannot go wrong here! I cannot wait to come back.

My wife, our 4-year-old, and I chose this spot for a Valentine's Day dinner. Upon arrival, the restaurant was nearly empty, with only one occupied table. However, as the evening progressed, it became busier. The service was handled by one server and the owner/manager, who did a commendable job despite the increasing crowd. Despite its small size, the ambiance was pleasant. Parking may be a challenge, as it's primarily available on the side streets. We ordered three meals and three desserts, all of which were absolutely delicious. I have no complaints about the food; every dish exceeded our expectations. However, there was a bit of a wait for our food to arrive. The only downside I encountered was the cost. Our bill came to about $200 for three meals, three desserts, two sodas, and water (excluding tip). While the quality of the food was exceptional, the price gave me pause. Considering the cost, I might opt for a different dining experience, such as Palm Restaurant or Fogo de Chao.

Wow! I am so honored to have dined in this family business for 30 years! I was reading reviews on this restaurant, and had to come here for authentic Italian cuisine ! I was right the food was amazing and it had the home made touch to it! There is a historic element to this restaurant the owners knew Julia Child would come and dine at this restaurant back in the day! Maria, the owner is so welcoming and lovely. We ordered the Caprese salad with prosciutto, and had the Lobster Arrabbiata linguine and the frutti do Mare. For dessert we had the tiramisu and Spumoni. The food was delicious and the sauces were addicting. I am totally surprised that it was not crazy busy on a Saturday night maybe because people don't know the neighborhood enough. It's located in a nice neighborhood section in Cambridge and it's quite known in the area. All I have to say is if you want really good Italian food with the warm family love, this is a place you must come and visit. I will definitely come back here again!

The food is simply not good enough here to justify the prices. I've been to Pulcinella twice. Prior to my 1st visit I made Amatriciana for myself, and then ordered it at the restaurant. I liked my version better, which I can't recall ever happening before. On my 2nd visit I also thought that I could've made it at least as well myself. Additionally, I ordered a house salted that was extremely salty.

Years ago, I had a delicious meal with my uncle at Pulcinella. Then, I forgot about it until friends suggested we go there for dinner. It's cozy. The service is attentive. And timed correctly--not too fast, not too slow. Our meal was delicious. I had zucchini flowers with ricotta and spring vegetables ( appetizer). Though it was small, it was mighty in taste, and not greasy. All the main dishes were excellent, especially the lobster ravioli. Often, desserts are overly sweet and lack flavor. Not here. Pistachio cake, chocolate temptation, and lemon cake were light and yet satisfying. We'll be returning soon.

The parking is not great since it is street parking. The place looks like it would be a hole in the wall but it's so cute inside, only a few tables so you need a reservation for sure. The wine was very pricy, no bottles less than $52 which in my opinion the wine markup at restaurants has gotten so out of hand.... so unfortunately, we have made a rule to not tip 20% on the price of the wine especially if you are pouring it yourself during your meal and it's a twist off half the time now... so 5% new rule. The food is good, again a bit overpriced for what it is. The service was good nothing spectacular. It was nice to try but I don't think we'll be returning but again, it is good. Tasty food, good service. Everything is mediocre but the prices are just too high in my opinion for what it is.

Great food, great ambience, and great service. Family owned and run, what more could you ask for?

Amazing!! The best eggplant I have ever had! Maria and her amazing family continue to carry on a legacy and make you feel like you are one of their own! Their food is made with love! I can't wait to go back! Maureen and Michael Paladino

As good as the North End! A quiet, charming spot near Huron village. The food was outstanding quality and the service was friendly and charming. The ambiance felt rustic chic. Great wine as well!

Great food, great ambience, great service! A true food experience- just like I like it

Do not go to this restaurant. The meal I had was literally the worst I've had in the past ten years. I am not exaggerating. The chicken I was served was tough, tasted terrible, and was EXTREMELY low quality. The vegetables were also terrible. Bland. The cost? For two basic entries, a salad, and two waters? $78. I am not kidding. Plus a $15 tip. Do not come here. Do not think, "Wow, this is a cute place let's try it out!" You will be sorely disappointed. The positives about this place were that the waiter was nice and the atmosphere was good.

This exceptional restaurant has the charm of a small countryside trattoria, yet the culinary skill of a top restaurant...the service is impeccable!! I highly recommend this restaurant for an intimate amazing meal.

Long-time local favorite. Intimate setting, feels very much like an Italian trattoria. Recently reopened after being closed for renovation. With new kitchen (visible to diners), new chef and new menu, the food is even better.

I attend a 14 person dinner and the service was excellent and accommodating. The staff was happy to have us and extremely friendly. They special made chicken Alfredo for some of the guest. This was easily the most amazing, mouth watering and spectacular pasta I have had in my whole life. Get that chicken Alfredo. Salad was also great along with the free bread provided. The dessert and ot he r dishes were great as well. If I find myself in Boston again I will definitely be going back. Quite a quaint little gem.

PROS: - Besides the long wait for the food (see below), the service was good. The waiter refilled our water when needed and was very polite. - Great ambience. Good place for a date without worrying about it being overly crowded since it's a small, hole-in-the-wall kind of place which makes it even more endearing. CONS: - It took sooo long to get our food. The place was pretty busy by the time we started eating but we got there before the dinner rush. Not so sure as to why it took them 45 minutes to get the food out since we didn't order anything overly complicated. SPECIFICS: - Beef Ravioli = Delicious. I would order this again. The orange cream sauce was great and paired well with the beef filling. - Tripe Rigatoni = The trip was delicious and beautifully done. The flavor really soaked into it. The biggest problem was the pasta. It was undercooked and very very chewy. It stuck to my teeth, which was annoying. This was made worse by the fact that I had waited so long for my food only to have undercooked pasta. Instagram @bowtiebowie for more food adventures!

This is a mom and pop in the European style. If you want a fast meal go to olive garden. The owners are friendly to the point of being extended family during your dinner. They are kind and generous. I've generally had good to great meals and see dining here as being invited into someone's kitchen. It's quaint and quiet and perfect for enjoying quality time with family and friends. Is it a michelan 4 star resturant.. No.. But that's not what it's best at and not what it's not intended to be in my opinion and definitely not my reason for loving Trattoria Pulcinella.

Delicious!! We were visiting the area and were fortunate to find this gem. The food was amazing and exactly what we wanted. The seafood pasta was fresh and delicious. Highly recommend.

I wanted to be happy as it was recommended by friends and the place is pleasant enough to sit in. But, our meal was really NG-still hurting the next day as I write this- and the service was slow as molasses- all at a price you would expect to pay for an outstanding (good) meal. Pass.

Very disappointing for many reasons. The only thing good was the ambiance. I will absolutely not be back, I wish I could give 0 stars. 1. The service was awful. It seemed like they only had one server. He was not very nice, my mother asked for what was in the salad and told us it was just tomatoes, but it came out with cheese. When we went to send it back, he snapped back and said for us to read the menu before ordering, when we asked him what was on the salad and never said cheese. The food took over an hour 1/2 to come out. The server was also rough when picking up our plates as if he was annoyed. 2. The food was not good, I got the veal which was extremely tough, and honestly tasted like it was reheated . The veal was like a hockey puck it was so hard. There was barely anything on the plate as well, and the only thing that was tolerable was the carbonara. 3. The prices were absolutely outrageous for what we got served. The food was awful and there was barely anything on the plate. 4. The server never even asked us what drinks we want. When my mother asked for a Diet Coke he was nasty and said there is no soda. Waste of my time and money and will absolutely not be back.

I wanted to love this place. I really, truly did. It was a family favorite when I was a child, about 15 years ago. We booked a table for 3 for my mom's birthday celebration. Most importantly: there is no AC in this restaurant. They have a wall unit, but it doesn't blow any air. I saw that their thermostat read 86 degrees. My dad finally asked if there was a fan available, and the waiter grabbed one from the basement (why this wasn't already set up, I have no idea, especially since the waiter told us how he didn't want to be there either because of the heat). Based on other yelp reviews, we knew that we may have to wait a bit longer than customary for our meals. The appetizers came promptly, but we only ordered the salami dish and ceviche (dad LOVED the ceviche). However, we certainly weren't prepared for the 40 minute wait for pasta dishes. My bolognese was delicious, but my father's caccio e pepe and my mother's carbonara were the worst we've ever tasted. The items were not fresh and onions overwhelmed the dishes. The waiter was very kind and you could tell he was hustling his ass off. He treated us to complimentary champagne (to help "deal with the heat") and a round of Port post-dinner, once he learned that it was my mom's birthday. I'd love to see this place brought back to the standards of the early 2000s, especially since they're charging enough for their dishes to employ more than one chef and one server.

Amazing, adorable hole in the wall! We went on a Wednesday night and there were a lot of open tables, and it seem like the owner was attending to us. He was caring and sweet, and everything we had was delicious: the special barrata appetizer, octopus, and bolognese with some Chianti. Everything was delicious! They have a pretty small menu, but everything seems to be made with love.

This traditional italian is a hidden gem. It's a quiet, neighborhood restaurant with excellent food. We had the gnocchieti, zuppa de Pesci and pesto -- all were excellent. The tiramisu was also very good, and there is a small but decent wine selection. If you want a quiet place with moderate prices and great food, this is the place to go!

I have driven by Trattoria Pulcinella at least five hundred times. I finally gave it a try and I was pleasantly surprised. Once the waiter took our order, he recommended an excellent bottle of Sardinian red wine. For the first course we order stuffed artichokes, which didn't have a lot flavors. Entrees were much better. I order the pasta with salted cod and tomatoes. The sauce had a subtle fish flavor - I have had similar tasting sauces in the North End and Italy. Tomatoes were really sweet. It tasted very authentic and homemade. My wife had the vegetable lasagna, which was also very good. It wasn't loaded with cheese, so it wasn't really greasy. First vegetable lasagna I have had, when you could actually taste the vegetables. Trattoria Pulcinella is like a restaurant you might stumble into in Italy. It is quaint, authentic, and romantic, but definitely not a trendy gourmet restaurant. It is kind of dated (some might find traditional), but I thought that it added to the charm. Service was good and the prices were fair. I will be back.

Hubby and I booked a resi here for New Year's Eve. Wow were we surprised at the rustic authenticity of this restaurant! As another yelper put it, this is a good italian restaurant to visit outside of the northend. The service is remarkable and the food was reasonable priced and delicious! I would wonder that if anyone that did not like the food here is a big fan of Olive Garden or Bertiuccis? This is not americanized italian - this is real, almalfi coast italian, and I feel like you get that experience when you dine here!

I don't know what went wrong tonight but the dinner was so mediocre bordering on awful. The swordfish was thin and clearly came from a frozen packet. Trader Joe's has better. The lamb had a huge bone with very little meat on it and fatty. The chicken parmagiane had two thin cutlets, and no cheese, just tomato sauce. I don't know. But we won't be back that's for sure.

Super small space but gives an intimate, Italian family vibe. Food was amazing! I highly recommend the Barbera

A wonderful romantic spot to have a great Italian meal. The owner's daughter spent a while talking to us about the history of the restaurant. It felt as if we were in our own living room. The food was excellent - but I want to make one thing clear: That was the BEST TIRAMISU I've ever had in my life. And I've had a lot. A great place away from the hustle and bustle of the North End.

This passe establishment has been forgotten for a reason. A recent saturday night visit yielded a very nice glass of red wine and an amazing smoked buratta cheese surrounded by fresh greens and drizzled in olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a basil pesto sauce dripping. While the buratta and basil went supremely well, melting in ta bouche nicely, the rest of the plate was a categoric dissappointment. Tomatoe slices were far too cruncy and the creativity of greens with olive oil and balsamic was less than expected. Next, hold your breath"""...."............ The amazing braised rabbit, whole, served in a tomatoe ragout, was anything but amazing. The first bite of rabbit I put into my mouth was ice cold. Dinner ruined. What can you do at this point? I already know the food is reheated. There's no turning back, so painfully, I proceed to work my way through the medley of tomato, onion and garlic. Very painfully. Service was fine; atmosphere cute. No returns in my near future.

Ok, it's been very nearly a year since the last review, so I need to put in my two cents. I really really like this restaurant. It's true Italian, meaning not everything is drenched in olive oil and garlic. True story, I love Italian food but am allergic to garlic. Every time I eat here, they make me something delicious, flavorful and satisfying with no garlic. It's a scratch kitchen, so it's nice to know that I can order a dish from the menu and they'll fix it for me with no fuss. I say give them a try. You won't be disappointed.

My friends and I had delightful experience at this restaurant. We came on a Sunday evening, and the place was fairly empty. The waiter did suggest that we sit at a table by the window, which, as another reviewer pointed out, might be a tactic for attracting passersby, but he was entirely amenable when we opted to sit in the corner near the open kitchen. The open kitchen, by the way, is a classy touch. This place achieves the right tone in terms of ambiance and service. Quaint, warm, fairly upscale in appearance but casual in mood- indeed, like an authentic Italian trattoria. The music is pleasant, quiet, and uninvasive. The waiter, a man in his fifties or sixties, originally from Sicily, is friendly but unobtrusive. The owners never actually spoke to us directly but rather stayed in the kitchen; perhaps they realized that their sometimes peevish personalities (according to other reviewers) were discomfiting patrons and relegated socializing to the waiter(s). The food, though not exceptional, was very good (four Yelp stars) and authentically Southern Italian. This is definitely the most authentic Italian restaurant in Cambridge, if not one of the most in the greater Boston area. The wine selection is pretty good, and prices are relatively affordable compared to restaurants of comparable quality. In terms of desert: The tiramisu's pretty good, but not extraordinary, as one reviewer raves; the cappucino, however, is- surprisingly- exceptional. The only thing that irked me a little: When the waiter described the specials, he didn't quote the prices, and some of the dishes, of course, were the most expensive they offered; if you're interested in trying one of the specials, make a point to inquire about the price. A good place for a romantic dinner date, an evening of conversation with a small group of friends, or to bring a relative for a birthday. Not a good place to bring children, or for a raucous crowd.

We ate there, at the end of May, mid-week.... The service was HORRENDOUS. There was only one person taking care of the customers, so he was "outnumbered", for sure.... ...but that didnot justify his constipated attitude... He was way too slow, and then he was so rushed in his asking us what we wanted, it seemed like a sequel to John Belushi's surly "Samari Counterman", from Saturdaynight Live, ("Pepsi, no Coke!").. I have been going to restaurants for 45 years, and never had worse service. For the price, the food was not up to the measure, as compared to the French place, (T and W??), down Concord Avenue...

Made a reservation for 2 and they wouldn't seat us because they 'didn't know where to put us'. There were at least 8 open tables. We left and went somewhere else. Totally disappointing.

I am so glad that I finally tried this wonderful neighborhood trattoria. All the food, wine and service were perfect. This place deserves to be packed every night. The menu at Pulcinella changes frequently and showcases seasonal ingredients. The dishes were simple but prepared expertly with the flavors of the meat or fish really standing out. I had lamb kidney chops in an anchovy butter - perfect. Others in my party had a whole grilled sea bass and a veal chop milanese. Appetizers were also very good. All pasta dishes can be ordered as full or half portions although that is not indicated on the menu. The restaurant is family owned. The service was thus warm and attentive but not intrusive. The kitchen is open and its great to smell food as it cooks.

I wanted to love this place really, but the service stunk, the waiter acted like he was doing us a favor, and the food was...meh I've had better for less anywhere. We were seated when the restaurant was near empty. It took the waiter at least 5 minutes before he came by to fill our water and offer us a menu. After explaining the specials, he disappeared, re-appeared a minute later to only disappear again after we told him we'd need another minute. Maybe he was confused and thought we said we need 15 minutes of uninterrupted time because that's how long he was gone for. When he came back by we hurriedly ordered -- I went with the gnocchi with clams and shrimp in an arugula cream sauce and my friend had the shrimp with garlic and cherry tomatoes. So OK, don't call something a cream sauce if it's not. Call it a pesto or something else, but don't call it a cream sauce. Also I think one of the first steps in serving clams is to clean the clams so as to prevent a pile up of grainy bits of dirt and such. Just sayin' Oh and the shrimp with garlic and cherry tomatoes was exactly that -- 4 shrimp with some garlic and halved cherry tomatoes. No sauce, no pasta, nothing. I started scooping in my dirt tasting gnocchi so she could at least have something. Why didn't we complain, you might be thinking...well that is a great question. The reason we didn't complain is that our waiter once again disappeared for about 20 minutes. No water refill, no how-does-your-food-taste question, nothing. Ugh...so we sat there with our plates getting cold and finally gave up. When he came back by we asked for the check and waited another 15 minutes for it. The lack of service was actually terrible. The food was not well prepared or executed and the cost for what we got was just silly. Oh and a note to the chef who we were watching as we waited for our waiter to come with our check (open kitchen): We saw you sneeze into the saute pan that you were seasoning and we saw you wipe your nose with your hand and keep cooking.

Authentic Italian cuisine. Owner, Giovanni is very friendly. Food was very yummy! Will return !

It was just fine. The interior is cozy and nice and the server was very polite and helpful. They were out of the bottle of red wine we wanted and suggested a wonderful replacement. Unfortunately, the praise ends there. We were sat about 20 minutes after our reservation time and there really isn't anywhere to wait. It was raining outside so we sort of just awkwardly stood around and watched people eat. There were other tables open, but only one server who seemed to very busy trying to get around to all tables. The food was just meh at best. We tried the carbonara, bolognese and gnocchi. Pretty staple dishes at an Italian restaurant and no one was pleased. It wasn't terrible, just not very good. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit here again.

Best bowl of spaghetti ever!! Shrimp and calamari sauce. Amanda best waitress ever!!! Super atmosphere.

A friend suggested I try this local place. The food was mostly poor and overpriced. My entree which was broccoli and pasta was $21 and there was absolutely nothing remarkable about it. My husbands entree was abysmal. The chicken was so tough it was inedible and it was floating in a bath of red sauce that was definitely not homemade. The only redeeming part of the meal was an arancini which was pleasant and the bread. Overall-overpriced and mediocre.

We live right up the street and was excited to try it, so my husband, kids and myself stopped in, the place had one couple in it and they asked if we had resevations we said no but we were just in for a quick bite. SNOB is the only word to describe these people!!! they told us they were booked and couldn't take us..Literally there was no one there. And I tell you the way we were treated was horrible... bad taste in my mouth all around !!!

Such a great little spot and nice setting. We walked in on a Saturday evening to find it empty. It's so intimate we felt we couldn't leave. The hostess was nice but not professional--we could easily hear her phone call and an argument with the cooks about how long to boil beans. The salad was unimpressive--I've made far better at home. When the meal arrived, I asked my husband how his was--"good" he said and then immediately choked. He pulled a large piece (longer than two inches) of plastic wrapper from a sausage from his mouth. This was a first. My pasta was minutes away from al dente on the uncooked side lying in a lifeless pool of red sauce. By the time we left there were two other couples there. We live close by but will never go again unless a capable owner and great chef takes over.

If you want authentic Italian food, this is the place for you. Cozy, relaxing, romantic, and very Mediterranean. Located in Huron Village (Cambridge), this is like a mini trip to Italy. You really feel like you are in the Mediterranean. I was so stressed one day, hungry and ready to cry. I went there really late at night, there were only 2 other couples (middle age) sitting there, quietly. The owner (i am guessing) is so nice, he greets you with a genuine and warm smile (not fake ones like a lot of places). Food is like that too, genuine and warm. After a glass of very good red wine (we ordered half-bottle since we both had to work next day), my stress melted away. Staffs/chef were all speaking to each other in Italian too, it's really like an Italian oasis in Cambridge. If you are from Mediterranean region and miss home, try going there. I'm sure that it would feel like home there. We were the last customers, and the owner was the last one there still at the restaurant, because the other 2 left for home. Even then, he still offered dessert and coffee. I was just amazed. One thing to note though, they don't take American Express. When one of the older couple realized they don't take AmEx, they didn't have cash on them either. So they apologized and promised the owner, "I'm so sorry I promise to come back in half an hour!" The owner said, "Oh you don't have to, don't worry about it. Just come back sometime this week or next time you stop by." I was like, "That's so Mediterranean...." lol Oh, the old couple did come back in 30 minutes and paid, by the way. Con would be a parking situation (like everywhere else in Cambridge). It's surrounded by residential parking streets, with some meters. But there are more meters on Concord Ave. I went there just once, so I may have to go back for a fair opinion (hence for now, 4 stars) but if this experience holds true next time, I'll edit my review and give this place 5 stars.

On our way to a party thrown by a friend who lives across the street, the boy and I decided to stop by and say hi to the host/manager of the restaurant. It was a little past closing, and, in true Italian fashion, he kept trying to get us to eat (pasta, salad, desserts) and drink (espresso, wine, soda). Having just come from a late dinner, we declined, but found ourselves leaving with a take-out container of creme caramel. If I could sleep with one restaurant, this would be the one. Sorry, boyfriend.

This is an amazing authentic and accommodating neighborhood gem restaurant. I am reluctant to let the secret out but...so good.

I agree with the reviewer that said that Pulcinella Trattoria is a mixed bag. I have been there a couple times and had a nice dinner, but last night I went there and had possibly the worst dining experience of my life. We called in and asked if they had any availability for 2 at 8PM which they confirmed and said that we could sit on the patio. When we arrived, we were told that we could not sit on the patio because the people who had our table were still there. That was fine, but we quickly realized that they also had a very large party inside (about 15 people) and were seemingly very busy trying to handle that party. In retrospect, we should have realized this was going to be a disaster and left, but alas. We waited 20 minutes after we sat down before the waiter (who seemed to be the owner or at least the manager) even came over to give us bread and take our drink order. We ended up ordering an appetizer and two entrees. We did not get our appetizer until after 9PM (we arrived a few minutes before 8), and the waiter never apologized for the wait. We promptly complained that we had plans and that we needed to be served the main course soon. At 9:30 after not being served, we complained again to the waiter and told him that we had to leave since we had movie tickets. He argued with us a bit and said the food would be right out and that the large party was causing issues in the kitchen. Eventually when we got our food at 9:40, after about an hour and 45 minutes of waiting we had to rush to eat it since we were already late for our movie. I ended up telling the manager that he never should have taken our reservation since he clearly could not handle the crowd (other people were complaining as well), he scowled and said that next time we'll be treated better. Sorry, I used to enjoy this small trattoria in Huron Village, but there will certainly not be a next time. Pulcinella Trattoria is not worth the hassle, they clearly are very poorly managed and the food is not amazing. I highly recommend taking your business elsewhere.

Our family of five tried this restaurant in our neighborhood last night. This is my first YELP review, but I couldn't let go of our horrible experience without posting it. The restaurant interior is quite warm and cozy, but my positives stop there. This place is bad, really bad. I still can't believe it exists anywhere outside of Iowa or the like. Prices are consistent with serious restaurants, but the food could be found in a cafeteria--no exaggeration. I probably wouldn't bother to post this if the hostess/waitress/owner(?) hadn't shamelessly barraged us (and our kids) with up-selling. Not cool under any circumstances, but especially when the food is downright awful. There are many comparably priced restaurants (including Italian restaurants) in the Huron Village neighborhood and broader Cambridge with excellent food--trust me, stick with those.

After last night's visit, I told my husband no more. He likes the restaurant for it's wine list and coziness, but the food is mostly mediocre and last night's was no exception. While the carbonara still is wonderful, the appetizer I had was sooooo oversalted it was inedible (artichoke hearts). I had shared it with the table we all ate one and pushed the rest around. Secondly, I had the tortellini bolognese and I swear, that it was no better the supermarket tortellini and JAR sauce. The sauce was terrible! over sugared and BLAND. And the waiter never asked if we wanted Parmesan cheese on top. When asked what the desserts were, he said only 3 then proceeded to serve a different one (that we would have wanted) to an adjacent table 20 minutes later (so he couldn't have run out of it and should have told us about it). And as mentioned in previous reviews, there is only one waiter for the room and when he get busy and harried, I think that he has a tough time managing everything but that does the restaurant no favors.

We had a great meal here with our family and loved the atmosphere and ambience! We will definitely be back! The food and service were outstanding!

The wife and I stumbled across this place during one of our walks, tucked away from the main streets of Cambridge. The menu changes constantly. I've eaten here a few times now and all I can say is that anything you order is guaranteed to be outstanding. Whether the dish is simple or complicated ingredients-wise, it will be extremely fresh and flavorful (though other reviewers would seem to disagree).

This place is absolutely delish! Being half Italian and from NJ and also living in Rome for awhile, I can say that this food is as authentic as you can get in Massachusetts. Hearing Italian being spoken throughout the night between the servers and some of the patrons it felt like we were transported to a small trattoria in Italy. We had an amazing meal, everything was fresh and cooked to perfection. The service was very authentic well that we were not rushed and it takes a long time to get the check. If you are into making this a relaxed long meal then def try it out.

A lovely little old Italian restaurant that could be in Italy, or at least the North End. Beautifully prepared entrees and an excellent wine list. Great for a couple looking for a special dinner.

I've eaten at Pulcinella Trattoria twice - and both times were special occasions that they managed to make extra special. The food is good - but I think the atmosphere and the charm are the best things about this place. The first time I went, it was my fiancee's birthday and I went in to the restaurant earlier in the day to make a reservation, pre-order, request a special table and tell them what the occasion was. They were totally supportive of my scheme - and when we arrived that night, they had our table by the window all ready, poured the wine right away, said "Happy Birthday" and were very attentive and charming all night. Then at the end, they threw in their amazing tiramisu with a candle in it - on the house! The second time I went in I had my parents in town for my graduation - but we had neglected to make reservations anywhere for the night's dinner. Walking home from the ceremony with my gown still on, I stopped into Pulcinella to try to get reservations. I got them, and then when we arrived later that night - he gave us the royal treatment again, knowing that it was a special occasion for me just from my robe - including free dessert for all of us! The guy there - he must be the owner or something - is really a sweet guy. And my fiancee and I are now in love with this place. Every time I walk by, I look in, hoping it will be packed - but sadly, it's often sparsely filled in. I want them to do well! Everyone go and eat there IMMEDIATELY (and repeatedly)!!!!