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Pomodoro
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
319 Hanover St(between Bennet St & Fleet St)
Boston, MA 02113
Neighborhood: North End
(617) 367-4348
- Nearest Transit:
-
Commercial St @ Fleet St (4)
Commercial St @ Battery St (4)
Atlantic Ave @ Commercial Wharf (4)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 5 pm - 11 pm
Sat-Sun 12 pm - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
308 reviews for Pomodoro
Review Highlights
"And the seafood fra diavolo exceeded expectations."
(in 35 reviews)
"The free tiramisu was a pleasant surprise in the end."
(in 22 reviews)
"Tasted freshly baked and the olive oil is fantastic."
(in 55 reviews)
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308 reviews in English
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Review from George M.
Boston, MA
1/5/2012
A little background: I lived in the North End for a summer, and have vacationed all over Italy multiple times. Food and I get along.
The review: One of the best dining experiences I have ever had, not to say that there weren't some negatives. Firstly, the place is tiny... My girlfriend and I were seated next to the bathroom and next to the kitchen. This kind of irked me, and it didn't help that the stools were too low for me (I'm 6'4''). But, by the time our wonderful servers brought out the bread and olive oil, I had found a cozy medium kinda crammed up against the chair behind me. But, one bite into the bread and I was a sucker for this place. I full on got a man crush on both the male and female waiter, all the kitchen staff (who I could kinda see) and the rest of the people in the restaurant: the olive oil was an effing love potion. It was an emerald green, and I think it was glowing.
If the olive oil was a love potion, the antipasto was some sort of food viagra. Fried artichokes (never had it, will forever scoff at unfried artichokes from now on), Calamari ceviche style (I didn't know calamari could even come close to tender), most unique olives I've ever had, salad, some alright homefries which my girl loved, and some parmagiano shaved off a cheese wheel in heaven. I am currently getting sentimental/nostalgic over this.
Around this time our waitress brought us some free champagne (for new years), about 5 minutes before she brought me a free refill on my beer (just for fun). They even tried to pour us more champagne at the end of our meal, but there was just no room.
For the main course, my girlfriend had the musssels marinara. They were the most delicious mussels she has had, and the most delicious I can remember having. My entree was something something Fra Diablo. The waitress recommended when I asked, and I was not disappointed. Everything was cooked perfectly. Had mussels, clams, some sort of fish, and calamari (that was still somehow somewhat tender). All spectacular.
At the end of the our meal we were brought free tiramisu. Talk about a happy ending! Subtle! But seriously, best tiramisu I've ever had. Actually, I wouldn't even call it a tiramisu. It was more like a tiramisu flavored mousse trifle with chunks of dark chocolate in it. Just awesome.
After our table was cleared, the waiters just let us hang and reflect on what just happened. Kind of like a one night stand without getting shooed out of the bed in the morning. I wish I had brought more money so I could have tipped more (didn't know it was cash only!).
While being escorted (the 6 feet) to the door, I wanted to ask, "so, uh, can I call you?" -
Review from Ashley C.
Chicago, IL
1/22/2012
4.5 stars. We came here for some good Italian food and this did not disappoint.
The place is very small and the tables are a bit close together. I'd recommend making reservations. The tables are also very close to one another. Because we were spread out between tables that night, it was a very romantic spot. It was a little dark with candles and was very intimate. However, I could easily see it being a different experience if it was filled to capacity.
Service was good but just missing something to be excellent We were sat in the little corner, which was nice but may have meant that we were overlooked a little bit. Our waitress was very friendly and knew her bottles of wine well.
We had calamari as an appetizer (which they comped) which was tasty and very generous. The seafood fra diavolo was tasty. It was a mix of clams, mussels, shrimp, and some whitefish in a slightly spicy tomato broth served with linguine. The seafood and the pasta were cooked perfectly. The portions were also generous, but manageable. They also brought dessert- tiramisu - on them which I love, but I am not a huge fan of tiramisu to begin with. I had a few bites, but I felt bad about wasting dessert (instead: went across the street to Mike's).
Overall, good Italian food and good service. I would definitely recommend this place and come back. -
Review from Kelly H.
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
the menu looks expensive... but then get this... you get dessert and appetizers along with your entree... yea i know! the food is good and the prawns are jumbo!
this is such a cute little place!! -
Review from Camille R.
Somerville, MA
2/1/2012
With all the Italian food options in the North End I feel like Pomodoro never gets the recognition it deserves. It has a funky lay out: deli to the right with one or two greasy looking Italians (no offense, it's cute) and fine dining atmophere to the left with a handful of quiet suit and ties at the bar. The crowds usually older North End type folks. The food is soooooooo good! Shrimp scampi, lobster fra diavolo, and calamari are the usuals here for me!
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Review from Andria L.
Cambridge, MA
2/5/2012
Amazing service with excelling food and wine. Small quaint atomosphere with dim yet appealing lighting and art. Ambiance ranges from romantic to casual dining. The seafood fra diavolo was beyond amazing! Calamari was fantastic! They also brought out free apps and deserts for us free of charge! Not a complaint on this end with fabulous wine to join. Win win.
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Review from Nina B.
Boston, MA
2/11/2012
I visited here with a friend on a Thursday night and the place was full. It's very small and intimate, perfect for a close date, so I recommend making reservations before. The service was efficient and their suggestions were great. The meals were very fresh and came out in good time. I have a few dietary restrictions that they were VERY accommodating about, they had no problems making my meal without certain ingredients. They also brought us complimentary appetizers and Tiramisu to pair with our entrees and were very sensitive to my allergies. This was a great experience and I have recommended it to all of my friends!
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Review from Chris D.
Salt Lake City, UT
1/2/2012
New Years Eve and this is one of the few restaurant in the North End that will take reservations. My girlfriend and I were visiting from out of town and wanted to check out what the famous Italian dining scene in the North End and Pomodoro did not disappoint. We did our due diligence and arrived with CASH for dinner and knew about the small bathroom and uncomfortable wicker bar stools. Once you see the size of the dining room, you may understand why these inconveniences are there. If I'm a restaurant owner and I need to turn a dining room this small 3 or 4 times a night, I don't want to make it too comfortable. The atmosphere is cozy, but if you don't have a bench seat, you will have a stiff back by the end of your meal.
The service was smooth, with only 2 dining room employees that both doubled as host and server. We were serve bread with olives sitting in a bowl of olive oil when we were seated. Both were delicious. We ordered a bottle of wine from a reasonably priced list were given a complimentary Calamari. The appetizer was lightly breaded, crispy, and the calamari tender; all perfectly executed. The aioli was light and not overwhelming in flavor. We had the impression that the free appetizer is a great way to space the diner from the entree's cook time. Many diners ordered the antipasto appetizer (which looked amazing), but this would have prooved too much food for us.
For entrees, my girlfriend ordered the tiger shrimp with linguine and I ordered the Seafood Fra Diavolo. Her entree was great, but with a light creamy wine sauce, probably better paired with a dry white wine rather than the dry bottle of red we ordered. The fra diovolo is a must if you are looking for fresh seafood. I RARELY order a seafood pasta with a red sauce, but when executed with this level of freshness and spice, it's arguably the best pasta I've ever had.
The diner concluded with the complimentary Tiramisu and it was consistent with the rest of our fare; delicious, and not overdone.
At the end of our meal we were stuffed and still got out of there spending under 90 dollars (including the bottle of wine).
A must if you are in the north end. DONT FORGET YOUR CASH. -
Review from Erik J.
North Andover, MA
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great food. Great service. Nuff said. 4 visits on this review - more of the same great stuff.
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Review from Matt F.
Vernon, CT
1/26/2012
One of the first restaurants I've been to in the North End. Small and cozy inside. The chicken carbonara was absolutely delicious. On top of this, complimentary tiramasu is provided with the meals which was a delightful surprise. Place doesn't take card, so be sure to bring cash. Head over to Mike's Pastries across the street for a canoli or coffee afterwards if you've still got an appetite for sweets or need a little dose of caffeine. The place exceeded my expectations and I'd definitely eat here again in the future.
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Review from Emily M.
Northville, MI
12/31/2011
After reading the reviews and drooling over the photos, we decided to try our luck Christmas Eve. As others noted, this place is tiny! We nabbed two seats facing the front window, which made it feel a lot less cramped, though it was a bit of a struggle getting settled in.
The Service:
We felt for their price points, the service definitely needs improvement. Although the restaurant was filled, its just not that big. I expected more attention and personality from the 2 waitresses. We had to wait awhile, and eventually flag a waitress down to have our order taken, refill beverages and even get the check. We might've gotten lost in the corner, as it seemed we were the only table with this problem.
The Food:
We started off with the steamed mussel appetizer which was great!
For entrees, we ordered the seafood fra diavolo and the linguini with clams. The fra diavolo was delicious, piled with a mountain of perfectly cooked seafood. I know the sauce is supposed to be spicy, but I felt the spice was a bit too much and somewhat killed the natural seafood flavours.
At first, they brought the linguini with shrimp instead of clams. There was no problem sending the plate back, however it came back too quickly. As opposed to the fra diavolo, there were only 2 clams on top and the rest were already out of the shell. We looked at another table with the same dish, and most of her clams were in the shell. We're pretty sure they just took the shrimp out of the pasta and mixed in some clams. A bit disappointing, but still tasty. The pasta tasted homemade and was perfectly cooked.
Overall we enjoyed the food, however for the price, the service and atmosphere left something to be desired. -
Review from Jie D.
Waltham, MA
1/27/2012
I went there with three friends. We waited for almost one hour! The food is really good and they gave free appetizers and desserts!
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Review from Hunter E.
Brookline, MA
2/4/2012
Pretty good food, closer than the North End. A little overpriced and the waiter was an asshole.
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Review from Linda H.
Boston, MA
12/3/2011
I've been here a total of 3 times, and I LOVE this place.
The restaurant itself is very small and cozy. The is often only one female server who is kind, attentive, and dead-set on providing customers with a great dining experience.
The rolls with olive oil and olives are a great start to the meal. 2 out of the 3 times, we were then brought a free calamari appetizer! The calamari is lightly fried and served with a marinara and a creamy aioli. Delightful! The pasta dishes are very good and affordable. My boyfriend tried an amazing balsamic chicken dish with an olive risotto. Oh divine. Following dinner, everyone is given a complimentary tiramisu. yum. On one occasion, the wonderful server top up our glasses of wine for free and brought us an extra dessert of cookies.
Great food, great service. I highly recommend! -
Review from Sara C.
Boston, MA
12/13/2011
I've been here twice, and both times the food was AMAZING. Considering the very high quality of the food and being located in the North End on Hanover, this place is also quite a bargain.
We ended up having to wait 30 minutes past our reservations, because the party before us paid their bill and then just sat there for 40 minutes! Though the late table was no fault of their own, the restaurant ended up compensating our table with a free calamari appetizer, free ceasar salads and free glasses of wine! It more than made up for the wait. -
Review from Saba N.
11/7/2011
One of my best friends has been raving about this place for months.. and I finally manned up and went last night with the bf for our anniversary *cue the cheesey lovey music.*
It was the PERFECT restaurant!
Now, I'm not a huge north end girl.. I find that sometimes you get ripped off for not-so-authentic Italian food... but from start to finish, this was fantastic.
Atmosphere - SO cute and romantic. It's tiny, maybe.. 8 tables? It's the epitome of a hole in the wall. The lighting is dark, the decorations are minimal.. it's just so romantic. I fell in love as soon as we walked in. Reservations are definitely recommended... it was packed on a Sunday night!
Service - WOW. best service I've had in a long time. So spot on. I couldn't have asked for a better waitress.
Food - equally WOW worthy. The bread and olive oil (w/ olives, just for that extra pazazz) were perfect. The wine selection was small, but very reasonably priced (many options for less than 36 a bottle!) The antipasto is unbelievable. Probably the star of the meal. So much food and for such a great price! I'm dreaming about the fried artichokes and potatoes. The entrees (we both ordered seafood w/ pasta) were cooked perfectly as well. There was SO much seafood on my plate! Pomodoro does not skimp out.. I felt like I was in the ocean!
To top off our already awesome meal, they brought out two pieces of tiramisu on the house. Don't mind if I do! And, it wasn't some crappy free dessert they were giving out... it was by far, the best Tiramisu I've ever had.
Overall, I loved it. It was the perfect spot. The only thing to worry about is parking (commuters beware). And, it's cash only!! I think I'll try the brookline location next time for that reason! -
Review from jun k.
11/6/2011
Got reservations for 1 for my cousin, sis, and I for a Saturday late lunch.
We had to wait a few extra minutes (no big deal), but for that, the server gave us a free calamari appetizer, which was very sweet.
This was just the beginning of great service.
Starts with hot crusty bread and AMAZING olive oil and olives.
The calamari was crispy and large with a hot marinara dip and a cold garlic aioli.
Sister got tiger shrimp with linguini that she CLEANED UP.
Cousin got the seafood fra diavolo.. and she cleaned that up too.
I got the Cod with linguini.. and by then I was really full from the bread+calamari so I only finished half. Loved the HUGE chunks of tomato, the yummy sauce, and the perfectly cooked fish. The pasta was al dente.
I took the rest of my lunch to go, and dude, it tasted great cold for dinner. I think *that* was impressive.
The after-meal tiramisu is a little dry, but it's a nice added treat.
Mainly pretty ambience but honestly, that stuffed pheasant bird peeking out at me from the wines has got to go. kinda creeped me out.
Also, CASH ONLY!.
Lastly, it's not family friendly. A family of 4 (2 kids) came in and they were kindly turned away saying that the tables were reserved. The tables weren't reserved- I saw soem couples coming in later and they were seated right away. Kinda messed.
Definitely a fun place to go for an intimate lunch or dinner setting. Right across from Mike's. Right by the Freedom Trail. It is really good! But I'm not sure if it's "WooHoo As Good As It Gets!" . -
Review from John O.
Waltham, MA
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Small, intimate, delicious! Those are the three words that best describe my experience at Pomodoro. When I say small I mean tiny! Reservations are a must. They only seat about 8 tables in the entire restaurant, but the place is totally worth it! My seafood fra diavolo was perfect. The seafood was cooked to perfection and the pasta was amazing. I will definitely be back!
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Review from Callan C.
11/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Delicious and relatively affordable Italian. You start off with some warm bread and rich olive oil and olives. We ended up getting an appetizer plate with a bunch of cold salads, meats and cheeses. Somehow they were able to make cold green beans taste phenomenal. I was happy with the shrimp fra diavolo and would get it again in a heartbeat. The service was also great. Though it'll cost you some cash, I felt like the food and ambiance was a pretty good value.
There were some minor negatives. The place is small and you will have to wait for awhile without a reservation. The restroom is kind of like an airplane restroom and even has a folding door. You are basically doing your business right next to a couple of people eating dinner. -
Review from James B.
Boston, MA
10/25/2011
I really tried to think of something wrong with my meal here -- all I came up with was that they don't grate the parmesan cheese fresh at your table, but that's probably because the seating area is way too tight for the servers to do that.
Everything else was great to excellent -- rolls, olive oil (best ever), a reasonably priced $30 bottle of wine, chicken carbonara, seafood fra diavolo, tiramisu (on the house), the space (packed but comfortable). and the service.
It's cash only and tiny - I counted eight tables in about a 20' by 20' space. Avoid if you're claustrophobic, but I can't think of a decent meal I had in the North End where I wasn't elbow-to-elbow with the guy at the next table. -
Review from Candy W.
Boston, MA
10/18/2011
Wow Seafood fra diavolo!! It's definitely one of the BEST pasta dishes I've ever had. It comes with mussels, clams, salmon and shrimps on linguine. The fra diavolo here is a thinner sauce, almost resembling a broth, and its packed with the most incredible seafood flavors! The sauce has a little spicy kick that completely puts this dish over the top. It's a must try!
The antipasto is quite interesting. It has an eclectic mix of appetizers including grilled calamari, tomato stuffed with tuna, fried artichokes and more.
The free tiramisu is definitely icing on the cake to an amazing meal!!
I'm giving this a 4 star because I wasn't crazy about the bread - although the olives soaked in olive oil were quite tasty! -
Review from Christina M.
Mountain View, CA
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Everything about my experience here was bordering on the divine.
Their wild mushroom ragu pasta is probably the greatest pasta dish I've EVER had, and believe me, I've sampled my share of high-end pasta.
The portions are good, the service is friendly, the place is cramped but it *doesn't matter*. And you can watch the action at Mike's from out the window.
Skip the Giacomo's hype. This place is all you need, and it's lots easier to get in. The flavor and expertise is solid and evident. I'll always come back next time I'm in Boston. -
Review from SukMon C.
New York, NY
10/21/2011 4 photos
3.5 stars.
There was no wait at Pomodoro on a Thursday night around 7pm so we decided to give it a shot, and I was not disappointed. Free tiramisu?! Who wouldn't come here?! Unfortunately, my friend and bf were not as satisfied.
The tiger shrimp with linguini in white sauce is amazing. The pasta tastes fresh and the sauce is light and flavorful. The shrimp are big but slightly overcooked. The star of the show is undoubted the pasta. My friend who ordered the tiger shrimp and salted cod agreed. His entree came with bow tie pasta, which he said tasted amazing. However, he did not like salted cod, and there wasn't enough pasta in his dish to make him like it more.
My bf's salmon was decent but the arugula salad was horrendous. It was so salty, you could literally taste the salt grains in it. I really don't understand how they can mess up something as simple as a salad.
If I based my review entirely on my meal, I would rate it four stars, but I tried the arugula and it seemed a little ridiculous to mess something like that up. Oh, and the bathroom is literally designed like one you'd find on a plane, but get this: it's even smaller. They nevertheless tried to make it as comfortable as possible, and it was actually really clean and nice inside, so props for that! -
Review from Tommy D.
Long Beach, CA
9/18/2011
Fantastic LITTLE place in the North End...servers were very sweet and attentive and the food was great! I had the waitress choose my dish, and she brought out a seafood over linguini elegantly paired with my wine. My wife had the cod and it was done to perfection. We started with steamed muscles in a light saffron sauce...We used the spoons and bread to soak up every drop.
The downsides: yes it is VERY small and a bit on the warm side, but that adds to the charm. Other downside...I only have a few nights here and I want to eat there again! -
Review from Leslie P.
Chicago, IL
10/12/2011
Pomodoro is your classic North End spot - good Italian/Sicilian food, tiny and crowded atmosphere, cash only, slightly overpriced, however....drum roll...they take reservations!
A group of us went for dinner after work on a Tuesday night and had no problems getting a reservation for 7 of us at 8:00. That alone will bring me back.
Highlights included the steamed mussels, fried calamari, chicken marsala, and the complimentary tiramisu. I'm a huge fan of tiramisu, and this is the real deal. They also brought us a round of complimentary Caesar salads, which were very good, and it was a nice gesture for the group.
The lowlight for me was the bread. I'm pretty surprised to be saying that, but it's just okay. It's good to skip it anyway, but still kind of strange to have mediocre bread at an Italian restaurant.
Everyone in our group enjoyed our meals, and we were split between rating the place good versus very good or excellent. I would say it's just good. -
Review from Annmarie L.
Arlington, MA
9/26/2011
NB: cash only!
This little restaurant is an amazing gem! The food is amazing, with great portion sizes and plenty of seafood choices. The only thing I could see lacking menu-wise is there were no meat dishes, and only two chicken; the rest were all seafood. But this was perfect for me!
The wine list was a bit pricey, $$$ considering the $$ of the menu. But it is the North End, so that's to be expected.
The decor was sparse but comfortable, with wine cork walls, tomatoes drawn on the wall, and pub height seating. While this is great for people watching out the front wall of windows, I can see the stools being uncomfortable for an elderly clientele.
Reservations are highly recommended; I overheard several parties being turned away because the restaurant was booked through the rest of the night.
All in all, I definitely recommend this place. -
Review from Meagan F.
Boston, MA
10/12/2011
The food here is truly decadent. Antipasti with fried artichokes, cheese, and amazing olives. Carbonara which is creamy and melts in your mouth. Incredible seafood options, from mussels to fish, perfectly prepared every time. Free scrumptious tiramisu. The chefs here truly know how to put together a refined meal.
My only complaint is the terrible seating. Yes, the restaurant is charming in its teeny-tiny size. But the stools by the window and the cramped seating gave both me and my fiance a backache by the end of our meal. Even though there are limited seats, the service was definitely too slow, and our waitress seemed to lose track of us crunched into the far corner of the window.
Even so, the food is so excellent that we will be back. Maybe just with our own chairs. -
Review from Eazmg C.
Chicago, IL
1/16/2012
very small and intimate. the owner is very generous, we had to wait for 20 minutes and were given free glasses of wine, also we were given a free tiramisu to conclude the tasty meal. we would definitely go back.
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Review from Teresa L.
7/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
This could be my favorite restaurant in Boston, and next time I come back I will be eating here again.
It's a TINY restaurant that only seats approximately 10 tables, MAX. Whoever leaves = whoever enters next. However the place is cozy and dark. It's light by candles at night. Romantic.
We made reservations and showed up early. Since we were early we had to wait, but it wasn't a big deal to my party. The staff felt bad for our wait so they provided gratuitous plates of calamari as appetizers. Bonus star!
I ordered the fish stew (zuppa di pesce) ... because I'm in Boston and I want seafood. The entree was DELICIOUS, reasonably priced at $22 and large enough so I could take it home as leftovers! Bonus star!
The service was excellent and the waitstaff was attentive. We didn't order wine (no one judged us for that) but our glasses were always filled with water. Did I mention that our waiter was pretty cute? Two bonus stars!
At the end of the night we were given gratuitous desserts of tiramisu. Bonus star!
I'm giving this restaurant 5 stars. Try this place, you won't regret it! -
Review from Sarah P.
Downtown, Boston, MA
12/15/2011
Excellent service. Very small venue - maybe 7 tables. Free salad and tirimisu. Bread was not very good. Food was decent. Overall recommend due to the cool unique atmosphere and great service.
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Review from Dessa R.
7/17/2011
Most people probably dine here for a romantic date. Not me. I chose Pomodoro for a sibling dinner, for one of those rare nights when the planets aligned and all three of us ended up in the same city. Among several star-eyed couples on dates, we did the things siblings do best-- we complained about our parents and ridiculed one another.
I opted for the shrimp scampi, which was (for lack of a better term) perfetto! Fresh made pasta bathed in a light garlicky sauce and blanketed in tender shrimp-- simple and delectable. My brother and sister both really enjoyed their dishes as well.
Don't feel shut out from delicious and dim restaurants just because the lover is out of town-- take your siblings, friends, crush, colleagues... just GO. You are in for a most excellent night on the North End, caro. -
Review from Frank W.
Cambridge, MA
9/20/2011
Bottom Line: Incredibly delicious Italian food in a tiny spot in the bustling North End.
I haven't had Italian food in quite a while (like.. real Italian food) so my brother and I decided we would go somewhere awesome for my birthday dinner. Enter Yelp. Then enter Pomodoro.
Thankfully we decided to go on a Sunday night because this place is absolutely tiny. We put in our names and were seated exceedingly kindly by our waitress in about 15 minutes. I would HIGHLY SUGGEST a reservation (they do take them) on busy nights. Or you might just end up eating all your calories at Mike's across the road.
They sat us at a dimly lit table and immediately brought us water/bread/olives (delicious olives). I might note that it was that type of lighting that was very intimate, and with the restaurant being so small it was definitely quiet enough to have a romantic evening. Granted, my brother and I probably cracked all that up with our racious quoting of Family Guy (sorry about it guys.. it's just what we do).
Our bottle of wine was great and at less that $40, didn't hurt us too bad in the wallet. The waitress split our Arugula salad (delicious) in two without asking, which was fantastic and gave us something to nibble at besides the bread while we waited for our dinner to arrive. When we finished she cleared all the plates and they brought out the actual APPROPRIATE SILVERWARE for each dish we had ordered. I don't think i've ever had someone pay that much attention to detail.
Awesome dinner. Spectacular. Great presentation, food was hot with fresh ingredients that you could really tell because the tastes all popped. My brother got the Fra Diavolo which had a nice kick to it and lots of seafood. I opted for the Seared chicken which was surprisingly NOT dense (I had imagined a creamy Marsala type dish and was very happy that wasn't the case). Fresh pasta (though not extremely flavorful), chicken done very well and the sweet marsala popped.
Throughout the meal our water was always full, our wine was refilled, but we never felt like they were watching over us. And they weren't pushing us like Giacomo's. While this place is small, they apparently want you to stay to enjoy it as well (yesssssss).
At the end of the meal the free tiramisu was great. And it gave us time to skip over to the bank to grab some cash, as this place is cash only.
Obviously I can't go here every night. If I did i'd be beyond obese. I'd be MORBIDLY obese. Tear. And i'd also be poor. But for the occasional treat, Pomodoro has my number. Call when you can! -
Review from Leah R.
Springfield, MA
6/25/2011
Pomodoro is one of the much better Italian restaurants in the North End of Boston, and has develop into the better Italian restaurant in Brookline Villiage. It features a great choice of drinks and reasonable wine list (all $20-30 and the house wines are excellent). It is romantic enough for a initial date or anniversary and has superb food. Try the calamari, the risotto and salmon are amazing, the pasta is excellent, as are the other dishes. I've been visiting both locations for the last six years and have never been disappointed.
It is cash only, and I would strongly advise making a reservation (or wait an hour). Roughly $35-50 per person with alcohol. -
Review from Al P.
Collingswood, NJ
1/17/2012
While in Boston to visit some family, I had one of my worst hotel experiences ever and one of my most pleasant dining experiences all in the same weekend. Pomodoro was simply superb. Our food was damn near perfect, and the service was absolutely perfect. Very intimate, romantic ambiance that was just what we needed! We will be back, please don't change! I ordered the veal and my wife the salt cod and tiger shrimp. Calamari for app, and tiramisu for dessert. Anyone reading this, I recommend copying our order.
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Review from Courtney M.
Boston, MA
10/26/2011
There are plenty of positive reviews about this place, so I don't want to overdo it, but really, Pomodoro is fantastic! Romantic and cozy atmosphere, friendly and attentive service, and wonderful and fresh food. We used to go to Giacomo's because it was also very good, but after trying Pomodoro, being able to make a reservation, friendlier service, and having better food there, we prefer Pomodoro over the numerous other Italian restaurants in the North End. Excellent choice for date night or with a couple of friends. The chicken carbonara, chicken marsala with pappardelle, and veal are tasty options. Buon appetito!
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Review from Mick ..
Boston, MA
11/5/2011
Went here due to the high rating on Yelp -
What you should know? Cash only and expensive -
The pasta costs the same as their meat entrees -
Not expecting this we ordered a nice Montepulciano at a very good price -
Then we ordered and shared a Caesar Salad & a Rigatoni White Bean Pasta - Which we hate doing, but didn't have the cash for a real dinner with apps, wine & entrees.
I guess I was expecting more, but my Rigatoni, Arugula, tomato, white bean pasta was $23 and tasted like something I could make at home.
The place is charming and the service fine. We did share and they split the courses for us and the portions were perfect. I would venture on to something different, unless you are looking for ok food at a really high price.
And yes (as mentioned previously)- at these prices, freshly grated parmesan should be a given. Not something that has been from one table to another. -
Review from Chris C.
San Francisco, CA
10/29/2011
Disappointing and overhyped. There needs to be a sign outside saying CASH ONLY like all cheap Chinatown eateries. What is the owner thinking; who routinely carries $70+ of cash?
Shrimp overcooked, pasta was nothing special, seafood was decently fresh, free tiramisu is not enough to make me come back to this restaurant. Too little space to enjoy the experience.
The kicker was having to run two blocks in the cold to get cash to pay for mediocre food.
Ruined the rest of the night. -
Review from Keith M.
Long Beach, CA
7/13/2011
I had the arugula salad - excellent - and the claims in white sauce - very nice. I was by myself and sat at a window seat, which was great for people watching.
The service was perfect. The waiter anticipated my needs without peppering with questions.
Only negative is cash only. -
Review from Chrystina Z.
Washington, DC
6/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
So quaint and perfectly situated across from Mike's Pastries. I love the cozy space, as it feels like I'm dining in someone's kitchen (their napkins are a nice touch). Service was impeccable and the food is outstanding. They start you off with freshly warmed bread rolls and homemade olive oil. I ordered the PEI mussels in marinara. As delicious as this was, I preferred the clams in white sauce (hello butter!) Both linguine pastas are slightly al dente as they should be, and come with freshly grated romano. The end is marked with a heavenly slice of tiramisu delicately soaked with alcohol and lady fingers (best I've had).
Perfect meal on a perfect street in Boston. -
Review from Joo L.
Irvine, CA
8/24/2011
Decor/Location: Pomodoro is an extremely small, slightly claustrophobic restaurant, but it is located in the heart of the North End (right across the street from Mike's Pastry). We happened to get there at the perfect time (on a Thursday at 6:30pm) because we snagged the last available table for 3. Right after we were seated, there was a long wait for an open table with hoards of people waiting outside the tiny restaurant.
Food: The food was delicious. Not the best pasta I've ever had, but definitely noteworthy. We ordered their regular tomato sauce pasta (very simple but I couldn't find anything wrong with it), their salmon (it was ooo-kay), and their mushroom ragu pasta (this was the winner of the night...extremely flavorful and rich). By the way, they initially set you up with some bread and a bowl of olives. They gave some free tiramisu to finish the night.
Service: Nothing wrong with the service here. Very quiet and helpful servers.
As we were walking out of the restaurant, I overheard a woman waiting for a table say, "This place is great. We just ate here yesterday, and we're here again." Probably not the best place for big groups (the biggest party they can seat is probably 6). -
Review from Erica K.
6/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
F'ing Yum! Seriously. I should stop my review right there.
This story was movie like...so my husband and I are in Pomodoro's, we get our food, take our first bite (ironically enough, at the same exact time), look at each other like we saw something weird, about three seconds of heavy starring and awkwardness, finally he say's, "five stars." Right then I wanted to whip out my phone and start Yelping but I couldn't because I couldn't stop eating. I couldn't believe that up until that point my life had been filled with fake linguine. What the hell was I eating? I honestly think I would have eaten that pasta with someone else's booger in it.
