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Marco
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
253 Hanover St(between Board Aly & Parmenter St)
Boston, MA 02113
Neighbourhood: North End
(617) 742-1276
- Nearest Transit:
-
Haymarket Station - Outbound (Orange Line)
Haymarket Station - Inbound (Orange Line)
Congress St @ Haymarket Sta (191, 192, 193, 325, 326, 4, 92, 93)
- Hours:
Tue 5 pm - 9:30 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
120 reviews for Marco
Review Highlights
-
"The beet salad with goat cheese was fantastic." In 7 reviews -
"Excellent Italian wine list, food, and desserts." In 6 reviews -
"There's a $25 prix fixe menu from 5-7." In 4 reviews
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119 reviews in English
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Review from Melissa F.
Boston, MA
5/21/2012
So it seems my title of favorite restaurant in the North End keeps changing. Oh Marco you're my new numero uno.
Make sure you look out for the sign. It's your only indication of where the restaurant is since it's upstairs. I walked past it twice.
Came here for restaurant week so we didn't have the entire menu to choose from but more than enough options! Everything was amazing, but I HIGHLY recommend the ricotta and mozzarella fritters, and the house bolognese. The fritter are just goey and cheesy deliciousnes. But they're soft so its not quite like eating a mozzarella stick. I actually ended up eating the entire bowl of bolognese even though I was positive I would have left overs. Nope. They make their pasta fresh in house and man can you taste it.
I am anxiously waiting for my next visit, which in all honesty will be soon. Prices are comparable for what you get in the north end, but the food is fantastic, service is excellent and it's not wicked noisy since the place is small. -
Review from Allan S.
Wellesley, MA
5/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Outstanding cuisine. Had the Blue Cheese Stuffed Figs as an appetizer, Tagliatelle, and Veal Saltimbocca. Everything was outstanding. They made a mistake with my wife's drink order, replaced it promptly when we pointed out the mistake and comped us for wrong drink which turned out to be delicious.
Although they have a bar, it;s not a full bar and you will not find the tpycial bar ingredients (e.g. no plain vodka for a martini). However, their specialty drinks are amazing. Break out form the ordinary and try one - you will not be disappointed.
Finally, our server was amazing: Prompt, polite, attentive without hovering. We definitely will go back. -
Review from Lauren F.
Orange County, CA
4/23/2012
When husband and I recently lived in the North End, we ate at Marco more times than I can count! It was our go-to spot, at least once a month, but usually more. I can't eat gluten and dairy, which makes it very difficult to dine out, let alone at an Italian restaurant. This is not your average spot. The food is TO DIE FOR good and every time we went they made sure everything was gluten and dairy free for me.
A tip for gluten free peeps - make sure to call at least a day ahead to ask for some gluten free bread. You won't be able to tell it's gluten free, it's that good! Crispy crusted bread with a soft center, something gluten free breads lack. I could really go for some right now!
The owner and wait staff are very professional and have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome at their restaurant. We miss our Marco night's out! -
Review from J B.
Boston, MA
5/25/2012
I've been going here for a few years. I've always thought of it as my favorite restaurant in Boston. The decor is cute. The setting is intimate. And the fact it is hidden away on the second floor, makes you feel like you are in one of the few restaurants in Boston that the tourists won't find.
I've been here four times, but the most recent visit was using a Gilt coupon. The restautant wasn't very well set up for this, as I feel like certain things were off limits (they wouldn't give us an antipasto and a 2nd app, even though the coupon was good for 2 app, 2 entrees, 2 desserts). Specials were also off limits too.
I'm not a big fan of restaurants that offer promotions, and then put restrictions on them. It makes you feel cheap, even though you still might be spending $100 when it's all said and done.
App: Antipasto- Was excellent. Many tastes and delights. Features banana peppers with provolone and proscuitto!
Entrees: Cavetilli (the spicy sausage and pasta was devine). The red sauce was AMAZING. Also had some seafood entree (fruitta der mer type) that was a little bland.
Dessert: I once again feel like they were leaving something out because I had a coupon, but the lemon sorbet was perfectly light and the Tiramasu was phenomenal. I was lucky to steal two bites from my girlfriend.
Great experience. I thought about deducting a star for their awkwardness with the coupons, but I've enjoyed my three other meals here, so the 5 stars stay! -
Review from Rene C.
Over a 100 reviews and a lofty 4 1/2 star rating lured us here like a giant magnet. I made a 7:30 reservation for four and arrived right on time. Our host seated us next to (what I thought) the best table in the entire restaurant next to the window facing the street.
Our server came over soon after and asked us for our drink orders. We had worked a long day and I was ready for a cocktail and asked if they had Bulliet bourbon.
"No sir, we do not have that"
Ok, how about Makers Mark? Everyone has Makers.
"No sir, we only have Jim Beam Red Stag cherry flavored whiskey:
For real? Your only whiskey in the entire restaurant is flavored?
Ok, I won't rock the boat here and just go with the basil gimlet.
My gimlet was very good and refreshing, which in the end was the perfect drink on an unusually warm New England evening.
Oh, the food! I almost forgot!
My starter, the beet salad! I cannot believe I ordered the beet salad. It wasn't even a year ago when I proclaimed beets as the most awful food in the universe. Not anymore, I love them! And I have also discovered there are different colored beets! I cannot get enough of beets. Anywayyyyyy...The beet salad was excellent, mixed greens, gorgonzola and toasted hazelnuts all came together perfectly.
My main, the ravioli carbonara. I thought for $25 this dish was a complete miss. The presentation was the best part, however this dish was bland at best. I shared bites with my friends and we all thought the same thing. In fact out of four dishes, only one of enjoyed what they ordered (veal oso bucco).
Dessert scored! The tiramisu was one of the best I have had in quite some time.
Final Score.
Likes
Dining room
Service
Salads (ceasar and beet)
Dessert
Dislikes
Expensive for the quality (and quantity)
Full bar really isn't
I'll go 3 1/2 stars, but not a place I would ever return. -
Review from Michael H.
Boston, MA
3/14/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Bought the GILT dinner 3 courses for 2 for $50. It was a great deal. Food was good, we started with the shrimp app and beet salad. Shrimp was nothing special, beet salad was good. For main courses we had the bolognese which was delicious and the cavatelli which was good as well and had a nice level of spice. Finished with the tiramisu and gelato, again both good. Before we went I looked at the menu online and somehow the lobster dish was missing from the in house menu when we go there, assuming because they were running the GILT promotion. Seems like they are really banking on people buying drinks with the promotion because there is no way they can make money off of this deal. As an aside, the service was also very good and the atmosphere nice.
I would go back and pay full price. -
Review from Katie S.
Boston, MA
4/4/2012
This place is AMAZING. I came here with a friend for restaurant week (4 courses!!), and it was out first time there. Marco is truly a hidden gem on Hanover St. It's located upstairs from a coffee shop and right next to Modern Pastry. The view of the street is amazing (if you can, ask for a window seat!). I would 100% recommend getting a reservation at the space is pretty small/intimate.
The food - to die for. I had the fried calamari, which was lightly fried and had just the right amount of spice to it, followed by the caesar salad, which had huge slices of fresh parmigiano cheese on it. For my entree I had the cavatelli vongole which was more of a soup with pasta, clams, and sausage in it. The broth was, again, just the right amount of spicy. For dessert, I had the coffee/espresso gelatto which was so delicious and refreshing. My friend really liked everything that she had as well, and we can't wait to go back there to try some more things on the menu. -
Review from Bob D.
Nahant, MA
5/12/2012
Great italian--on second floor so away from the crowd in the middle of the North End. Riccotta stuffed squash blossoms are to die for. Try the basil gimlet--a great summer drink. Modern Pastry is next door--nice treats to take home
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Review from Garret S.
Boston, MA
4/13/2012
This restaurant has a super crowded feel/cozy, nice ambiance, and pretty good food (foccacia bread was amazing!) . I tried to be as objective as possible when writing this review, but the situation was poor, I think it flavored my rating. I had gotten a Gilt City groupon for $50 (included 2 apps, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts) and made reservations for the day after restaurant week.
When we arrived and were seated, we found out that, although restaurant week was over, they had continued the restaurant week menu (limited options of a 4 course meal instead of being able to choose). Our server said the deal was 1) we could pay $16 bucks extra to get the limited 4 course restaurant week deal, or 2) could pay full price now and come back later and use the Gilt City. We chose option 3, and left to use the Gilt City on the full menu.
As we were leaving Marco, the server had explained the situation to the manager who I overheard say, "What's wrong, they can't pay an extra $16?" I was bummed because 1) I felt cheap and 2) I was really looking forward to being able to choose from the entire menu.
End part 1
We came back to Marco a few weeks later and got the same server who mentioned that we looked familiar. I told him recounted what had happened when we went earlier. He proceeded to tell us how we should have stayed last time, and when I explained to him that I wanted to have the option of the full menu.
As he returned many times throughout our meal he kept pushing the issue, suggesting I try something other than a what I had ordered because it was so simple. Then he mentioned that what I had ordered was on the menu during restaurant week. I was turned off by his apparent lack of tactfulness or his outright inability to drop it.
Despite all that, the food was decent (although you can find better at Cantina Italiana or Trattoria di Monica) and nothing beats a night in the North End. -
Review from Sergei B.
Boston, MA
2/24/2012
The tagliatelle bolognese was divine. In fact it may have been the best Italian dish I've ever had, including what I've eaten in Italy.
The restaurant is small and can be hard to find, just look for the sign that's shown on their website also.
The service was very friendly and the drinks were strong (although my friend said the Old Fashioned was missing something, it still tasted good to me but I am not an expert). -
Review from SHOU LIN C.
Milpitas, CA
2/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
My buddy took me here and damn the food was absolutely delicious. The tagliatelle bolognese was amazing and you can tell the pasta was home made. The rigatoni con polpette di maial (w meatballs and tomato sauce) was really yummy as well although I'd definitely recommend the tagliatelle bolognese as their specialty dish.
Service was really good as well ! One star deducted as the Old Fashioned wasn't made quite right that night (and this is a drink I have regularly). Totally had a great time at that place and would totally go again! -
Review from Tim R.
1/20/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I was searching for a gluten-free-friendly restaurant (thanks for the pointers, Yelpers), and found Marco. The restaurant is in a very cute, intimate upstairs space, with a large fireplace and lots of small tables. We arrived 15 minutes early, and received profuse apologies from the host that our table wasn't ready. (That's fine mate, we're the ones who are early, it's not your fault!) He even sat us at the bar and comped us drinks for our earliness.
The meal consisted of delicious bread (both gluten-free and non) and very fresh oil, outstanding calamari with hot peppers, an excellent bottle of wine, and some great pasta dishes. -
Review from K M.
Boston, MA
5/21/2012 Seated via OpenTable
not as good as it used to be, not by a long shot. three tries with the new chef, still not the same.
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Review from Rachel S.
2/2/2012
If you have been to the North End before, before you even get to your dinner reservation, you know you are likely to be cramped in a tiny restaurant. Everything about the North End is cramped.
It's always wise to make a reservation. There was a group who raced in front of us to get to the host first, just to find that (haha) you have to wait because you don't have a reservation, and we do :::smirk::
We were a table of eight and at first they squished us into a corner, but as the evening went on and other tables opened up, they gave us another table and we were finally able to breathe. I give props that they did, at least, acknowledge our cozy sitting arrangement.
Many of their pasta dishes come in half and whole sizes, which can be nice for sharing. I considered ordering the sole but was scared away by the thought of a huge plate. We ordered a Caesar salad for the table, which I didn't try because it was simply covered in dressing and I'm not one for drinking my salad. You should just taste the dressing, not suck it down. They also gave us some amazing bread for the table. Yum.
I ordered the cavatelli alle vongole e salsiccia. The sausage was delicious and a little spicy (perfect) and there were about 4 clams in my half order. Otherwise, I felt like I could've made the cavatelli at home. I am a firm believer that you can go anywhere in the North End and get a good meal, because how can you really mess up pasta?
We order a liter of the house white wine (which they served at room temperature, and then we asked for ice) for 3 people to share ($28). We did the math: There are about 34 oz in a liter. A glass of wine is generally 6 oz. The liter should give you about 5.5 glasses of wine, which about $5 per glass. It wasn't the best, but satisfied us enough for the meal. -
Review from Jon D.
1/3/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I'm sorry to say I felt Marco was overrated. Nothing was bad by any means, but there was not a single thing that impressed me, either. After reading all the five-star reviews, I was really expecting an amazing experience. Service was good - they kept our reservation time, the maitre d' was friendly and casual, and our waitress was knowledgeable and efficient if not actually cheerful. My girlfriend and I loved the ambiance of this tiny upstairs restaurant; our table overlooked Hanover Street (which is always amusing to watch), right next to a fireplace filled with candles. Noise level was reasonable. And it just feels cool to bypass the ground floor restaurant and head upstairs to this hidden little place. Good marks for all that.
The food, however, was just okay. The focaccia was spongy and kind of dull. I ordered the tagliatelli alla bolognese, which was, again, just okay. The noodles were huge and not quite al dente, and the sauce was much creamier than I would have expected in a bolognese. My girlfriend had a half portion of the melanzane (eggplant) lasagne, liked it fine, but didn't finish it.
The total for one bottle of wine, one full-size pasta, and one half-size pasta was just about $100. I've certainly had far more-expensive food, and I've certainly had far less-memorable food, but probably not both in the same place. Overall, I'd say Marco is a good place for a date, as long as you're there to enjoy each other's company and aren't overly worried about getting the greatest Italian food you've ever had. We had a lot of fun and would probably go back again, with more realistic expectations. -
Review from Esther Z.
Somerville, MA
Used the gilt deal here, wished I had another! The app are yummy so is the homemade bread they brought out! I got the goat cheese and beet salad and he had the shrimp. For our meal we went for the veal. You don't even new the knife for that, it falls off the bone. I thought the veal could use a little more flavor, but the sauce made up for it. The highlight dessert was the cheesecake, even though the tiramisu was good. The mascarpone cheese on the cake was scrumptious. My advice is to make reservations. They turned tons of people away while we were there. I am considering going back and paying full price- it was that good.
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Review from Adam A.
Boston, MA
2/2/2012
This review is in regards to the Sunday Family Style Dinner.
Atmosphere and service are excellent. The place is veryyy small, even by North End standards, but this gives it a unique charm and intimacy. The decor and fireplace add to this romantic ambiance.
They start you out with home made foccacia which is packed with flavor. I tried the Calamari which was great since it was loaded with hot peppers (my favorite). Unfortunately, the entrees were lacking in flavor. The Mushroom ravioli and orecchiette with sausage were just ok and for the most part bland. For such a beautiful restaurant, the entrees should match the rest of the experience. -
Review from Leigh H.
Wakefield, MA
4/11/2012
This place was delicious, cozy and had excellent service. I had the beet salad and the chicken cacciatore. The flavors and presentation were unique for a classic dish. You should try it.
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Review from Paran Y.
hmmm.....where to go for Thanksgiving dinner and impress the visiting family?! Look no further. Marco was THE ideal place to take and impress people. It's cleverly concealed in the heart of North End on the second floor, away from all those tourists that follow the herds, touting the likes of Giacomo's or Daily Catch as options. Don't get me wrong, these are fantastic places...but Marco is different. It is a hidden gem it's purest form. Small, intimate...away from all the collegiate sweaters, hipsters, and those endless takeout Mike's Pastries containers.
Started with delectable calamari. No sauce. WHAT, no sauce you say?! Yes, yes I did. Reason? Doesn't need it. The mixture of spices and prosciutto ( YES, PROSCIUTTO!) was enough to impress my asian parents more than a 4.0 GPA ever could. The first test was passed.
what to order...what to order. The hell with it. TREAT. YO. SELF. Parents are in town, therefore I'm not even looking at those funny 2 digit numbers next to the entrees. I'm going all out and ordering the Ossobuco. Man oh man. I don't know why they gave me a knife. It literally just fell off the bone. I inhaled it in two minutes. INHALED it I tell you. Two minutes? Well worth it... (props if you got the reference).
Back to the family. My mom suffers from last bite syndrome. Its a terrible terrible disease that you should not wish on anyone. Any portion of food you put in front of her, she will eat all but the last bite. An oreo? Frosting covered crumbs will remain. 24oz steak? ONE BITE left. Severed human arm? A single phalange will be found on her plate. In short, Marco cured her. HALLELUJAH!! -
Review from Lauren R.
12/17/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
We were visiting Boston for the day and decided to make reservations here based on reviews. Best choice we could have made. The deciding factor for me was seeing that they did not serve fettucine alfredo - if an italian restaurant serves fettucine alfredo, that restaurant is probably not that good.
As others have said, this place is hidden upstairs. It is pretty tiny but very cute.
The bread and the caponata were a great start - I wish the caponata was hot but it was still really delicious. I had the arugula salad which was pretty big, but I polished it off. For my meal, I had the full order of the cavatelli with spinach, tomatoes, sausage and clams. So good. I was debating whether to get the half order or the full order and I decided on the full and ended up eating the entire bowl. The osso bucco with risotto was also a great choice.
Overall, a fantastic meal - I would recommend going here rather than all the other mainstream restaurants on and around Hanover Street. -
Review from Don W.
11/28/2011 4 photos
This is a hidden gem of a restaurant and it's a perfect example of why I Yelp.
Marco is a small restaurant on the second floor in the North End. The sign on the street is so small that I never noticed it before but the flavors and service are big. Three of us had so much food that we couldn't finish it. A large app, two large entrees, and a half liter of house wine filled the three of us for just under $100 plus tip. It wasn't loud or crowded, it was just a hidden little escape from the frenetic pace of the city, right on Hanover Street.
The closest we came to something going wrong was that one of the clams in the linguini was a bit chewy. Nothing else was wrong. Everything was clean, service was attentive, and food and wine were amazing. The only downside that I can think of is that the place doesn't seem to be handicapped accessible, unless there's an elevator in the back that I didn't see.
And the most fun part was that we went on Sunday when things are served family style. We're all pretty flexible so there was plenty to choose from on the menu and I wish we could have tried a few more dishes. I would have never found Marco without Yelp and this is why I give back so fanatically. -
Review from Sam R.
Boston, MA
1/9/2012
After being recommended by a friend, my boyfriend and I chose Marco, in the North End, for a pre-dinner appetizer/drink. I'm so happy that we did! The ambiance of the small 2nd floor Hanover Street restaurant was warm and romantic, with exposed brick, a fireplace, and candles lit everywhere.
We sat at the bar, where we received friendly and enthusiastic service. We tried a unique cocktail made with lime, mint, and basil, which was surprisingly refreshing. After stuffing ourselves with their amazing starter bread, we chose ricotta and mozzarella fritters as our appetizer. While it is hard to go wrong with fried cheese, I was more than satisfied with our choice which was cooked to perfection! I will definitely be back soon to try out their full menu.
For extra brownie points, after we left, one of the waiters chased after us with our bottle of wine, purchased earlier in the day, which we had accidentally left at the bar. Thanks Marco, we'll be back soon! -
Review from Linda C.
Cambridge, MA
3/20/2012
I went here with two families on an empty night. Dishes were tasty. Portions were small, but they had something for everybody. They had a nice flank steak dish, salads were yummy, but the chicken dishes could have been better. Would I go again? YES. But just with my beloved. Get the steak and stick to the salads. The bolognese dish is mighty fine too.
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Review from Larissa A.
Quincy, MA
9/25/2011 Seated via OpenTable
My brother was in town for the weekend and wanted to have dinner in the North End, he pick Marco.
Glad he did.
When we walked in we were thanked for being punctual and I can see why! This place is cozy with only about a dozen tables, but they are not so close that when you are enjoying your meal you feel crowded.
And enjoy our meal we did. Sundays is Family Style night. We ordered a large Caprese salad and four small entree places, they were GREAT about the food allergies of one of our party of four and allowed things to be tweaked a little to accommodate them (and also so we could share all 4 dishes). All the dishes where good. But my hands down favorite was the Eggplant Lasagna. No pasta, just thin layers of amazing fried eggplant with a delicious tomato sauce. I will come back just for this. The other dishes: Clams and Sausage(with gnocchi I think), Chicken Caccatore and Sausage with Peppers and Onions. All delicious, the standouts here were the sausage which was some of the best I have ever eaten and the polenta that the chicken was served over.
The service was some of the best I have ever had, friendly, helpful and pretty hilarious. Let us know portions and would not let us order too much/little and like I mentions before (but always is worth another mention) really great about our parties food allergies and let us know what things could not be changed to accommodate. Offered tips for my bro for his sightseeing adventures over the next few days which is always a nice bonus.
Due to the size of the restaurant I would 100% suggest making a reservation. I used Open Table here and had no problems. -
Review from Lisa O.
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Amazing. I love Restaurant Week and all the deliciousness it suggests, but often restaurants fall a little short during these specials. Not so with Marco. This second-floor restaurant isn't an obvious choice for the crowds wandering Hanover, which makes the experience that much more special.
I met some friends here last night, and it was a perfect experience. The drink special was a white peach and raspberry sangria that two of us ordered immediately, and the RW menu offered FOUR courses instead of the requisite three. And actually, if you want to count the incredible complimentary bread and eggplant caponata, that's FIVE courses. Wow.
All of our courses were yummy, and despite declarations that there was no way we'd be able to finish all the food, we made a pretty concerted effort. We each took home the bulk of our entrees. I've been trying to come up with the standouts of my meal, but I'm coming up with EVERYTHING. Surprisingly light ricotta and mozzarella fritters, an incredibly fresh caprese salad, housemade rigatoni and meatballs, and a dense flourless chocolate cake made this girl pretty happy. And it's noon the next day and I'm still full. Not too bad for $33.11!
Pro tip: Marco validates parking for the Parcel 7 Garage on New Sudbury St. I paid $3 for 3 hours. YEAH. -
Review from Ella B.
Los Olivos, CA
9/26/2011
We had a lovely dinner for my birthday here. But before the food review, a little about the ambiance, yes, as the other yelpers mentioned, it is a small space on the second floor above Cafe Paradiso and you have to go up a flight of stairs so the establishment isn't ADA friendly, actually, speaking of which, not sure how they skirt around it... but at any rate.. it was still a great evening.
We ordered the zucchini flowers, two pastas: the spicy sausage and the mushroom ravioli, and the veal. The zucchini and pastas were delicious! I personally was a little disappointed with the veal.
The zucchini flowers were stuffed with cheese and served with an arugula salad. The spicy sausage and clam pasta was in a tomato sauce. The ravioli was in a white sauce with mushrooms and peas, the flavors blended together perfectly.
We didn't get any bread or the tapenade that the other yelpers mentioned, but that was fine since we left stuffed.
The veal is floured and fried served with a variety of mushrooms. I personally thought it was a little too salty and I don't really like fried meat so I was a little disappointed.
All this food and 2 glasses of wine came to a total of $100.00. I thought it was pretty reasonable considering how full we left the restaurant.
Definitely not cheap, but the damage could have been worse! -
Review from Timothy B.
Boston, MA
10/7/2011
At first, walking in was a little intimidating because there was only a handful of tables. Unfortunately they were booked with reservations and we sat at the bar. It ended up being really cozy and I commented that it felt like I was sitting in someone's house. My wife and I got the house wine which was fine and she got the rigatoni with meatballs and I got the
Tagliatelle with bolognese. I intended to eat half but couldn't stop and ate the whole thing. We also got a special that had figs and Gorgonzola cheese which was really good. Overall, the place was great and I plan on going there again. My wife had more will power than I did and took half home with her. The waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable as well. -
Review from Elizabeth S.
Philadelphia, PA
9/21/2011
I had a really nice dinner at Marco last night with my boyfriend. The complementary bread/olive oil/eggplant tapenade were amazing. I could've made a meal just from that.
I wasn't familiar with most of the wines, but the waiter was able to recommend a delicious white.
We split the appetizer of the day: figs stuffed with bleu cheese and wrapped in prosciutto. They weren't the best I've ever had, but they were still pretty good....especially with the melted cheese in the middle :)
For dinner, I ordered the veal saltimbucco. The past couple of times I've ordered veal, I've been less than impressed, but I think it's because, well, maybe I just don't like veal. But, I have to say, the sauce was amazing as well as the mushrooms in the sauce. So, if I actually liked veal (my fault for assuming I did), I think it would've been amazing.
My boyfriend got rigatoni with pork meatballs, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
This was my first trip to Hanover Street, and I can't wait for my next. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others. -
Review from brian c.
Woburn, MA
3/1/2012
Came here Saturday night. Made my reservations via Open Table.
The place is small, but definitely cozy. A great place for a date.
If you have a gluten allergy, it does a fabulous job catering to you. I had the gluten-free calamari and it was great. When you make reservations and have a gluten allergy, be sure to mention that and they will make you bread.
I had the veal osso bucco and it was huge, not to mention delicious.
The waitstaff are all great.
I will say that they have a limited bar but that is my only gripe.
Highly recommended. -
Review from Esther P.
2/26/2012
I will admit the food was quite good. Both the pork meatballs and bruschetta with shrimp were delicious. The eggplant lasagne was good (but I expected more).
However- the food was ruined by our terrible service. To begin, we had a reservation but were seated 30 min late. We were basically an afterthought the entire time. No one asked us how our meals were at any point and when we asked for a fork we were ignored and had to get one ourselves from another table. The fact that our server was overly attentive to other tables and so inattentive to us was an insult. In everything he did, whether it was pouring water or giving us our food/bill, he would not even say a word to us. It was really strange. I even considered giving no tip (never have done that) but since the hostess and bartender were pretty friendly decided against it.
The food is good but with the number of other restaurants, I would not risk going there in light of the service. -
Review from Addison W.
San Antonio, TX
8/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I spent a few nights on Yelp before heading to Boston researching restaurants in the North End that had good reviews, but were also a little less touristy. Marco certainly fits the bill.
A few points before we get to the actual meal. First, I called four nights before going and made reservations for Sunday night. And boy was this a good decision. Marco is a SMALL RESTAURANT. It's got six to eight tables and the most a table can hold is four. You need to make a reservation. Also if you are planning on going on a Sunday, they serve a family style menu. It's very good, but be prepared to share.
Now to the food. We had a group of four and ordered just the right amount of food. We started off with a delicious chef's special appetizer: stuffed figs with mozzarella, prosciutto and balsamic vinegar. They were heavenly. We also had a caprese salad that was very good but not great.
Then we had our main entrees. We started with a rigatoni with a very good red sauce and pork meatballs. I usually don't like pork meatballs but these were very good. We also had a rather disappointing risotto with wild mushrooms. This dish did not have any flavor. It needed some spices or maybe some lemon. This cost Marco a star. We also split a plate of delicious fresh spinach. It had tons of flavor.
Overall, Marco is very good. We enjoyed our visit and it's definitely somewhere I would go back to. It's got great atmosphere and would be an awesome first date location. -
Review from Jerri S.
Boston, MA
4/2/2012
Having walked by Marco several times, we decided to give it a try. It is a very small but cozy. Great food and service. Will definitely go back. It is located above the Cafe Paradiso, there is a sign outside on the sidewalk.
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Review from Megan L.
The food was REALLY good...it had to be to make up for the wait. We waited I think 40 minutes past our 8pm reservation.
We were given prosecco while we waited which was nice, and when we finally got to our table, service was phenomenal.
I got the bolognese which was fantastic, and passed my Italian restaurant test with flying colors.
Not sure if I will return due to the failure to manage reservations, but if you don't mind waiting, definitely check it out. -
Review from Mario A.
San Jose, CA
3/25/2011
Lines around the block at other popular North End restaurants? For those looking for another option, you can hardly go wrong with Marco. First, the ambiance is quaint and cozy. Nestled upstairs, the restaurant features comfy tables in a cozy environment. We were lucky enough to score a seat by a window, allowing us to observe the happenings on Hanover Street while we dined. Here's a photo of our view: http://www.flickr.com/...
I enjoyed the Insalata Di Bietole Roasted Beets, which had the perfect mix of frisée, goat cheese, and beets. The hazelnut dressing was delicious, yet did not overpower the salad at all. Note: I am not a dressing person (typically order on the side, and prefer oil/balsamic combo) so those who love dressing-rich salads may find this one a little light in that department. Here's a photo: http://www.flickr.com/...
My wife is a huge fan of Caesar Salad, so she went with the Caesar Classico Parmigiano, Focaccia Croutons. This was easily among one of the best Caesar Salads I've ever had. Absolutely fabulous. Here's a photo: http://www.flickr.com/...
I chose the Orecchiette Alla Salsiccia with housemade sausage, broccoli rabe, and onion for my main entree. The pasta was well prepared, and the sausage had a very fresh and unique taste. All in all, I was quite pleased with the quality of the dish.
My wife went with a special, I believe it was a pork chop. I'll review with her an update my review accordingly.
As another reviewer pointed out, Marco offers a wonderful wine selection. Typically, I pick 1-2 wines from a wine list when dining out, then decide from there. At Marco I actually struggled to narrow down my selections. It's not that they have a large volume of wines to choose from, but the quality of wines on the list made the decision all the more difficult.
If you visit North End, I highly recommend you give Marco a visit. -
Review from Kimberley S.
Charlestown, MA
2/5/2011
Once, about 3 years ago, my boyfriend and I came here for dinner during restaurant week. I remember very little about the restaurant and couldn't tell you what we had. I remembered it being outstanding, but way out of my price range.
Fast forward to 2 months ago, when my parents told me they were coming to visit us for my birthday. They wanted a fine Italian meal in the North End. Although I had only eaten here once, and the meal was a distant memory, a part of me felt so strongly that I had to come back. I offered my father two excellent choices, and this is where we ended up.
I love Marco. It is small but very modernly decorated. I love the painted brick, the old fireplace, the steel pig on the wall. But all of that is very much overshadowed by the food and drink.
To drink, I wanted a Riesling. None by the glass, so I ordered a peach Bellini - just pureed peach and Prosecco. It tasted so beautifully fresh that I must admit I inhaled 3 by the end of my meal. My father got the strawberry cocktail that was full of strawberry seeds - a testament to its freshness.
The meal was lobster fra Diavolo. GOOD LORD. First of all, such soft pasta. Second of all, SO much lobster. Like, a lot of lobster. And a sauce that's subtly spicy at first but builds to a crescendo of flavor that left me panting at the end. Stepmom got the Orriechete that looked very fresh and Dad got the chicken cacciatore. No one spoke; too busy shoveling food into our mouths.
A very special occasion destination, and so wonderful. -
Review from Catherine L.
Framingham, MA
5/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Restaurant is located on the 2nd floor right above Cafe Paradiso. The ambiance was very cozy, especially with the fireplace against the wall.
We came here on a Tuesday evening but it was still quite busy. Started with the antipasto and the calamari as appetizers. By itself, the calamari ws bland. But dig around and you find fried prosciutto The intent of the dish is to eat them together I think and when you do, you won't be disappointed. Seriously, how can fried prosciutto ever be wrong?
The Antipasto was awesome. It was huge! There were stuffed peppers, sardines, tuna salad, prosciutto, salami, cheese, caper berries, etc. The list goes on. Every thing on this was delicious.
Marco offers half and full sizes for many of their entrees. The half sizes are actually plenty, especially if you had apps. I had the Cavatelli with little neck clams and sausage. The pasta was awesome! It really was cooked al dente and tasted fresh. The sauce and protein complimented each other really well. We also had the Vitello Veal. The lightly battered veal was okay. The star of this dish was really the mushrooms! They used oyster, crimini and more "exotic" mushrooms. The mushrooms absored the flavor of the marsala sauce so well. It was still good the next day.
For dessert, we had the blueberry sorbetto and the tiramisu. Both were very good.
The only downfall of the meal was the waitstaff. Don't get me wrong, they were really nice when we got a hold of one but they were hard to find! I think they only had 1 waiter and 2 busboys working and the restaurant was packed so service was a tad slow.
I would definitely return because the food is so yummy :) -
Review from M S.
Massapequa, NY
8/27/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Ate there on Monday of Restaurant Week. Cozy restaurant with attentive wait staff. Terrific cold antipasto, ample size servings. Tasty entrees. Yummy desserts!!! Only negative was the limited choice of beers (two).
Go and enjoy!! -
Review from Stephanie T.
San Ramon, CA
4/19/2011
authentic as it gets. The servers know the menu and are excellent.
Favorite selections below are not in Italiano:
fried cheese balls?! you cannot say no!
fried eggplant lasagne - heavenly
lobster bucatini - duh! -
Review from Josephine L.
Boston, MA
Updated - 3/10/2011
Came back here again because I completely forgot I had a voucher for this place, and this time split half portions of the orecchiette, bolognese and cavetelli with my boyfriend.
The orecchiette is still awesome, the bolognese is amazing and the cavetelli was spicy and a little bitter due to the clams. Not a fan of the cavetelli, but if you like bolognese that's got papery-thin, thick noodles and a soft, creamy, meat-filled (but not *meaty*) sauce, you'll love Marco's bolognese. It was a lot lighter than other bologneses I've had.Listed in: Date Night Dinner (under $50)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/18/2011
Marco is equal parts elegant and homey. There's polished dark wood and exposed brick to make you… Read more »
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Review from Chris N.
Needham Heights, MA
1/1/2012
Perfect! The small dining room (about ten tables) provided an intimate setting. Our group of four had one table with a slight wiggle and a member of the staff was alert and fixed it without any comment from us. The service was fantastic! Friendly and prompt and never let my water get low. The menu has many full or half size options which was perfect for the range of appetites at our table. All the pasta is homemade and we were all wowed with the simple elegance of the whole experience!
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