- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Rino's Place
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
258 Saratoga St(between Brooks St & Putnam St)
Boston, MA 02128
Neighbourhood: East Boston
(617) 567-7412
- Nearest Transit:
-
Bennington St @ Putnam St (120)
Bennington St @ Putnam St (120)
Bennington St @ Prescott St (120)
- Hours:
Mon 4 pm - 9 pm
Tue-Thu 11 am - 9 pm
Fri 11 am - 10 pm
Sat 3 pm - 10 pm
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- 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:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
215 reviews for Rino's Place
Review Highlights
-
"Try their homemade pasta and seafood dishes." In 14 reviews -
"The frutti di mare and pork tenderloin were oustanding." In 3 reviews -
"Chicken parm the size of your head." In 15 reviews
Loading...
215 reviews in English
-
Review from Jenn H.
San Francisco, CA
5/14/2012
The type of place where you close your eyes after every bite that tastes good. Meaning you basically eat with your eyes closed.
Came all the way from the opposite coast for the lobster ravioli... I'd do it again.
Thank you Rino :) -
Review from Catherine M.
Boston, MA
5/19/2012
Not worth the wait. Person at front desk was extremely rude. Steak was ordered medium but was served well done and loaded with fat
I can't believe we weren't seated until after 9 even though we put reservations in at 5.
We were seated with about four other couples who were half in the bag because they were drinking at bar across the street who are same owners as restaurant.
The raves are mostly based on people who are going into eat drunk. Even fast food taste good when you are loaded. Hostess needs a personality transplant. Pretentious overall. -
Review from Bill N.
Long Beach, CA
5/14/2012
I don't know if it's a Boston thing, but I've been here for a week and I'm tired of servers rolling their eyes at me! Out of all the restaurants I've been too in this area, this place was the worst! The servers suck!
Ordered the Lobster ravioli, chicken and broccoli Alfredo, shrimp scallop and lobster pasta, and fried calamari and wild boar sausage for apps. Ravioli was great! Would order that 100x's over again! Alfredo was surprisingly good! They have a really good Alfredo sauce. Seafood pasta was meh. Calamari had a nice garlic flavor to it and the peppers were a nice touch. Sausage was pretty good...I'd order that again.
Could've been a 4 or even a 5 if the servers didn't suck balls so hard! -
Review from Abby B.
Cambridge, MA
5/24/2012
I've eaten here twice and both times were fantastic. Wonderful staff, wonderful food. Can't go wrong with the homemade pasta and the lobster ravioli. Yum. Great prices, huge portions (I suggest splitting your dish with at least 1 other person!).
Parking is no problem as you don't need a permit to park in the area. They take reservations for parties of 6 or more, no less. They will let you leave your name on the list and give you a call when your table is ready. I haven't waited more than 15 mins for a table. Go on a Wednesday or Thursday night to avoid the crowds. I wouldn't wait for hours to eat at Rino's, or any other place, really. -
Review from David G.
MA
5/21/2012
It's about the food stupid!
I have to be honest, even though I'm relatively local...I had no idea this place existed until seeing it on 3D a few months ago. I've been to many of the North End's most popular Italian restaurants and the food at Rino's can compete with any of them.
Visited on a Sat night in May and not surprisingly we waited about 2h 15m. The wait is ridiculous but if you've got time it's worth the wait. We put in our name on the reservation list, left our cell # and were directed across the street to the cafe which ironically is also owned by Rino's :). Had a few drinks and an app there and after about 1.5 hrs checked in a couple of times with the hostess at Rino's to see how our reservation was coming along. Finally, our number was up and we were seated.
We started with the fried calamari and it was yummy. Nice light batter and not too greasy. A good sized salad comes with the entrees; we had our's with the house dressing which was very good. For the main course my wife and I had the Lobster Ravioli which was as good as advertised. The portions were huge...we seriously could've split this entree. Gigantic raviolis stuffed with lobster/cheese and topped with a sherry cream sauce and chunks of lobster. You can just tell that everything was made to order and from scratch...it was delicious. Our other party member got some eggplant and smoked mozz appetizer for dinner and thought it was good but did make a comment that it was on the salty side. (with all the good looking dishes they have on the menu I have no idea why she ordered an app for dinner).
Now to the service. Note: if being treated like a king/queen is important to you then avoid this place. Rino's is all about the food....not the service. If you have a big ego and expect to be sucked up to and called sir then this is not the place for you. If that is what you are looking for then you should go Strega or Davio's...not Rino's. Again...it's about the food stupid.
I think you get the idea...great food, excellent value, and below avg. service....my kind of place. -
Review from Jesse B.
Newton, MA
Updated - 5/13/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Since i already reviewed them once (gave them 5 stars) i feel it is only fair to update after a bad experience. I went in for lunch, alone. Salad was over dressed. Ordered the buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto appetizer, it was ok, overly salty, olive oil was overwhelming the flavor of the cheese and prosciutto. Chicken Parm entree was dry, over cooked, cheese was visibly burnt, this piece of chicken should never have been plated and this 2 star review is the result. Homemade ravioli was good. I attempted to take my leftovers with me and waitress brought my bill but neglected to bring my leftovers. In all seriousness I have had better chicken parm and service at the Olive Garden (not to compare Rino's to the Olive Garden).
Is Rino's celebrity status going to their head?? Are locals being seated before the tourist?1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/23/2011
I waited 3 hours 17 minutes for a table last Saturday night, i timed it with my watch since I was… Read more »
-
-
Review from Cris L.
Allston, MA
5/9/2012
This isn't your typical restaurant. Where else do you arrive at 5, put your name in for a table for two, give your phone number, and go down the street to a bar for the 2.5-3 hours it takes to get your table?
The place is tiny but the food is legit good. The lobster ravioli is simply amazing. The food is reasonably priced for the quality. Overall, you can't go wrong here. But for one small detail....
Can't you just take reservations? I don't want to run back simply because of how long the wait is. Please? -
Review from Greg K.
Fullerton, CA
4/21/2012
My favorite restaurant in the world!! I travel a lot on business and experience a lot of wonderful restaurants across the country plus personal travel across the globe and Rino's Place is the place to be!! Although I live near Los Angeles, the staff knows who I am. Often called a, "pain in the ass" for the waitresses try to get me to try new dishes but I always debate back to my favorite dish, that just melts in your mouth, the Lobster Ravioli. Order this dish and you will immediately understand why it is their signature, not to mention, it will be love at first bite!!
I usually began with the Mozzarella Balls and the Lemon Cello Shimp which is absolutely amazing!! These two apps will leave you salivating for more!!
Nevertheless, Rino's has a selection of mostly Italian wines to pare well with any choice!!
HIGHLY RECOMMED, just don't get in front of me in line!! -
Review from Aubrey B.
Chicago, IL
5/16/2012
I was traveling to Boston for work and was on my own for dinner. I found this place through Diners, Drive-ins & Dives. And I have to say...it was fantastic!! I got there a bit on the later side (8:50 pm...they stop seating at 9:00 pm) because my Garmin had trouble navigating near the airport. But the hostess was super nice & seated me right away. I ordered the lobster ravioli and it was the B-E-S-T lobster ravioli E-V-E-R!! I would definitely come back here again.
I saw the other reviews about some of the servers - my server was awesome. The bus-girl seemed to have a bit of an attitude, but it was also closing time & they were packed, so maybe it was just one of those days.
Great job, Rino's Place!! I hope to visit again soon. -
Review from Melaina C.
Winter Park, FL
5/10/2012
No..the homemade..extremely fresh food is not overrated. It is just as good as it looks on triple D. Yes, it will take longer than most places...that's because it is being made fresh. Yes, you will have a wait..could be 2 hours..that's bc they have 10 tables. If u know all of this in advance..u will be less annoyed. The service could be better...but honestly it wasn't terrible. The food over powers any crappy service.
Chicken and eggplant parm...delish. Eggplant in basil pesto cream sauce delish..lobster rav..delish. Upgrade the pasta to a side of the homemade pasta..it is worth the $5 and it will come with a salad. The portions are huge..don't be cheap! I upgraded to the fresh gnocchi and it was to die for. So light..so fluffy. The sauce is fantastic. Ordered tiramisu for dessert...excellent!
Go there! -
Review from Chuckie T.
Boston, MA
4/24/2012
What's to be said. This place is the real deal. Makes the North End look like it's being run by Chef Boyardee - not saying much as the NE has been in decline for quite a while.
Anyway, the only real issue is coming back. Managed to get 6 people to agree to go, so we secured a reservation. Not going to wait in line for 3hrs, so this may be a one and done. Tragic. The bar they own across the street is nice - so that helps. -
Review from Rick R.
Haverhill, MA
Updated - 5/14/2012
WHY DID YELP REMOVE MY ORIGINAL COMMENT??????
I attempted to have dinner at Rino's 2 months ago and it was an absolutely terrible experience. I was told that we were 3rd on their waiting list and the wait would be very short. We ended up waiting 90 minutes before we realized they were seating people from a second 'reservation' waiting list, and locals too, before the list our name was on. We got so tired of being lied to we left without eating.
I left a very detailed comment on YELP explaining how we were manipulated and how the focus at Rino's is to get you to go across the street to their cafe while you wait. I even got an email response from Anna Dicenso, the owner of Rino's, trying to talk her way out of why they seat people from two different waiting lists. They lie, lie, lie about how long the wait will be so you don't leave.
Today I thought I'd read the comments again and saw that my comment had been removed. That was back in March. Back then there were MANY negative comments about Rino's and their lying, manipulative management but I see they have all been removed too. And now, all you see on here is mostly positive comments about Rino's.
Does YELP have some incentive to have only positive comments posted about a restaurant??? That certainly seems to be the case here, otherwise why was mine, and many other comments removed???
If you go to Rino's be aware that they'll direct you to their cafe across the street and look you right in the eyes and lie about how long he wait will be!!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/19/2012
Like so many people, we saw Rino's on triple D. On TV it looked great...a small intimate atmosphere… Read more »
-
-
Review from tinna h.
3/29/2012
Their homemade pasta is SOOO GOOD. The portions are huge, so you really get your money's worth. They don't skimp on the seafood when it comes to any of those dishes! There is a wait on a Friday night, so get in early and put your name down!
This was a great recommendation from our friend graceypoo, and if I'm in Boston again, guess where I'm filling up on amazing food? -
Review from Julie B.
3/27/2012 3 photos
I had very high expectations for Rino's and it *almost* lived up to the hype.
I thought that coming in late on a Tuesday night would save us the wait, but I was wrong. We ended up having about a 45-60 minute wait and were sent to a pub down the street to wait. About an hour later the hostess called us and told us to come back over. The restaurant is really small -- about 10-12 tables. The bathroom is actually in the kitchen, and there's definitely no room to be standing around dilly dallying.
Our server was...interesting. I think this is the kind of place where everyone knows each other, so the waitstaff is less "how may I help you?" and more "whaddaya want?" His jokes and nudging started out funny, but eventually it got a little weird and just too much.
We started off with some wine and bread, and then together ordered:
- Stuffed mushrooms - I liked them but others weren't too big of fans
- Mellezane ripieno (similar to eggplant rollatini) - I thought this was fantastic -- it came out piping hot and super cheesy)
- Frutti di mare - this was a shellfish lover's dream. It was packed with mussels, clams, scallops etc. The homemade fettuccine was delicious and plentiful.
- Lobster ravioli - not my favorite -- VERY rich and lots of lobster, but too overpowering for me. If I had ordered it I wouldn't have been able to eat more than 2 pieces.
- Rino's special - I didn't try this but my friend seemed to like it. This came with pasta and 3 types of meat -- an insane amount of food.
All the entrees came with decent sized house salads beforehand. The entrees were gigantic and we really just had ordered far too much food. I was so full when I left, but on the upside, was eating leftovers all week.
Overall I really did like Rino's. It wasn't the best Italian I've ever had but it was certainly worth the trip to East Boston. -
Review from Doan Q.
Randolph, MA
3/27/2012
Rino's is a victim of their own greatness. They were featured on Triple D and now people are flocking there. Hey, I'm one of them. It only has 10-12 tables. I like it that way. You just have to be strategic about when you go. Enough of my ranting to those negative reviewers though.
Rino's has to be the best Italian food I have had outside of Italy. I went last year for my Birthday and my bf and I can not stop talking about it. The arrancini balls were tasty. They oozed with cheese but weren't too salty.The pasta is homemade and you can taste the freshness. They also do a great job on their sauces. We clearly had to get Rino's Special and Lobster Ravioli. We're very glad we did too. Rino's does Italian right. Can't wait to go back! -
Review from B R.
Boston, MA
5/2/2012
Wow. Wow. WOW. It's all been said by others but deserves more praise. It's small, it's casual. It's a neighborhood kind of place....and it's insanely, I mean INSANELY good. Veal Bracioletini is like an italian sub wrapped in veal grilled with a marsala sauce. We had a larger group so were able to have a reservation. First time for everyone and we were able to taste all the dishes everyone ordered. Everything was beyond expectations. Flavorful, perfectly cooked. We will be back.
-
Review from Jenny S.
Cambridge, MA
4/19/2012
It's been a while since I last ate at Rino's, and I can't believe how busy they've gotten. The food is still good, but it's just not worth the wait. Our party of three waited two and a half hours to get seated! And one more thing, the pasta may be fresh, but the desserts are not.
-
Review from Khanh V.
Boston, MA
Boston is known for great Italian food. So naturally I took my out of town friends to North End! When we got there, parking was insane so I immediately searched Yelp for help! Alternatively, I found Rino's Place! It's in a secluded neighborhood away from North End but well worth the trek. It's small but has a cozy, rustic feel.
The homemade pasta was the best thing I've ever ate! All of their pastas are homemade, unlike most restaurants that only have a select a few. I now understand what it means when people say it's not about the sauce! The linguine with clams and eggplant parmigiana with penne pasta were FANTASTIC!! The portions are huge, but they do not let you share. My other friend ordered the veal which he thought was not great.
The service, on the other hand, was lacking. When we first walked in, there was not a wait but no one approached or welcomed us. We ended up standing at the door awkwardly until we approached the waitress. Once we sat down, we were given one menu for three people. After we ordered, we realized, after glancing at the next table, we were not introduced or given the menu with the specials. The waitress had a separate hand written menu with at least 15 items that were not on the standard menu.
Overall I loved the food at Rino's. I've tried several Italian restaurants through out Boston to find great homemade pasta and have not found any as comparable! This place is a must try if you are in Boston, but don't expect the service to be anymore than unwelcoming. -
Review from Kat T.
Boston, MA
2/26/2012
I usually do not write reviews, relegated to just reading others' posts. But, my terrible experience last night compelled me to prepare those that seek out this restaurant based on undeserved reviews and advertisements on the Food Network.
Truth be told, this does feel like your mom and pop neighborhood home-cooked Italian eatery, but the food is just as good as suggested. Maybe it was magnified by the huge hype and endless hours of waiting, multiplied by the rudeness of the lady in control of the list, but the food was just not that amazing.
The Lobster Ravioli was too heavy and a bit too salty. Albeit, there were large chunks of lobster but two raviolis later I could not eat any more and not because of being full. The ravioli skins were also too thick and hard to chew probably from making them so large to contain all the lobster filling.
Next, the chicken parmesan was pretty good. But, nothing mind blowing. It was good but in the time waiting I could have flown to Italy for a much better meal.
As a warning be prepared to possibly not even get a seat until the kitchen is almost closed because of their need to seat reservations first. And, these can slip in at any time even if they call in last minute. For us, we made the trek to sign our name before 5 pm and were told we would have seating between 7-8pm. However, calling around subsequent times in a 2-hour period the numbers of parties before us had not changed and we were not seated until almost 10 pm, told repeatedly that a new reservation had come in. They may need to rethink their system of seating customers.
In summary, this place is just not worth the wait and probably not worth take-out either. I have had much better food and service. -
Review from Elizabeth K.
Boston, MA
2/21/2012
Food was DELIGHTFUL. Customer Service - eh.
This place is constantly PACKED. I read the reviews, I saw the Diner's Drive-Ins and Dive's episode and knew this was just the place to take my mother for her birthday. We are both big fans of Italian food and wait or not we were going to eat here!
We showed up at 5 pm and took the last table, everyone else had over a half an hour wait after we arrived. The food was FANTASTIC. It was delightful. To die for. Order the lobster raviolis.
The server just didn't care. Didn't ask us questions, didn't check on us didn't even ask us how the food was. And when he wanted to know if we were interested in dessert and we said no just the check please, he brought us the dessert menu.
Im bummed the service wasn't great. The food I would go back for, just won't expect the friendly attention I expected. -
Review from Rebecca F.
Salisbury, MD
3/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
2nd stop on our Diners Drive-ins and Dives trip to Boston! I had a VERY HARD TIME rating this place. It shines in the kitchen department, but they really need to fire at least some of their wait staff.
Rino's is very small -- they can only seat 12-15 tables. They do not take reservations except for parties over 6. Now that they're famous, they are busier than ever. Do not expect an easy time getting in. We arrived at about 8:15, and were seated around 9:30. Rino's is supposed to close at 9, so we felt lucky to get in. I think we were the last party to be seated. We started eating around 10ish.
First of all, the food: If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. We had the famous lobster ravioli, and I fear I will never be able to eat lobster ravioli anywhere else. Each big homemade ravioli was stuffed full of sizable lobster chunks and cheese. The sauce also had large lobster chunks in it. All told, there had to be about 1/4 to 1/3 pound of lobster on my plate, which is amazing in and of itself, especially for the price! We looked around at what everyone else was eating, and everything looked amazing. Huge portions, too. My advice: don't get any appetizers unless you plan to take most of your entree home. You'll probably take some home anyway; even though we tried very hard to eat all of our ravioli, there was just no way. Dessert was out of the question.
Now for the service: BAD. The service deserves 2 stars, and that might even be a bit too kind. I should be fair: the hostess who took our name and got us on the list was nice enough, but I've had better waitresses pretty much everywhere else -- even in bad restaurants. When our name was called, we were shown our table, but I couldn't sit down across from my husband as I wanted. Why? Because our waitress was standing where the chair was, and she was talking to her gal pals at the next table. This is a small place, so it's not like she didn't know I was there. I stood there for a while, thinking "she'll be done in a minute". But no.... I felt kinda stupid standing there, so I ended up sitting next to my husband, which was fine. The waitress came to serve us, and she was kind enough when she had a moment to talk to us, but neglected to refill our drinks as needed and check in on us. She spent quite a lot of time at the next table talking to her friends. I don't know if it was because we were the last people seated and they wanted to get out of there (we were not the last people to leave), or what. The point is that our waitress seemed like she could care less. I've noticed that other reviewers feel the same way about the service. Perhaps they think that because they're famous and business is booming, service doesn't matter? It's sad, because the food is awesome. We are not gutsy enough to leave bad tips (we left the minimum 15%), but perhaps others will follow the advice of a friend of mine and "Leave 'em 5 cents so that they get the message!".
Other notes: If you are wheelchair-bound, you will likely not be able to eat here. Only a few steps into the restaurant, but the restroom is small and it's tough to navigate through the kitchen to get there.
There is a bar across the street where you can wait for your table. I think it's owned by the same people.Listed in: Diners Drive-ins and Dives…
-
Review from Tina C.
Petaluma, CA
4/4/2012
I'd rate four stars for food and zero for the wait.
We prepared ourselves for a very long wait, but 3.5 hours? Those lobster ravs were certainly delicious, but I don't think any food is worth a half day of sitting around waiting for someone to call your name.
The only place in the neighborhood to wait, across the street, is also owned by the Rino's owners. So guess what? It's packed full of people spending loads of money on drinks and pizza while they wait for hours to be seated across the street. Nice for them! Some people were actually staggering drunk by the time their names were called for dinner.
In any case, the servers in both locations were very nice and sympathetic (all the ones we talked to said there's no way in hell they'd wait that long for a table), and the food was wonderful. But I'd never do it again.
If you can, call in for takeout! -
Review from joanne g.
Salem, NH
Updated - 3/8/2012
Rino's has fantastic service, food and portions. Yelp is completely right on this one.
I had to give them another try, and they are 5+ stars.
Hint..they are always very nice when you call to see if there is a line.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
4/1/2011
Can YELP change their rating to make it a 10 star scale? Because that is what I want to rate… Read more »
-
-
Review from Sarah D.
ROSLINDALE, MA
4/21/2012
Heard about Rino's on Phantom Gourmet, and I cant say how glad I am that I happened to be watching that day. The Lobster Ravioli was probably the best meal of my life. Everything is imported from Italy. It is amazing, On the downside they don't take reservations for parties of 2 and we had to wait over an hour, it was still worth it. I just recommend going with a group (and reservations), or going EARLY. You will not regret it.
-
Review from Aaron J.
Jersey City, NJ
3/26/2012
Food is not worth the wait - and they will seat 50 locals and townies before you, so you must get there very early and wait for them, but again, its not worth the wait to say you've eatin at this place thats been on TV.
The hostess says you're X in line, and then 2 hours later you've moved 3 spots on the list but you're at the bar across the street (which they own too...) and you've seen plenty of people come in and come out...something is not right there.
The way they deal with their success could be their downfall eventually... -
Review from Jason N.
Warwick, RI
Updated - 4/8/2012
Like many we caught this place on Triple D and my fiance said we need to trip up to Boston to check this place out! We finally made it up with a surprise dinner for her birthday. Was it worth the 50 mile drive, yes.
I'm giving this place 4 stars and not 5 for a few simple reasons and here they are:
Hostess - No personality and seemed like she could careless to be there. (H: How Many? - Us: 2 H: Right here, menu slam.) A simple, Welcome to Rino's, how many tonight ? would have saved her from being in this review but you know what I was there for the food not her.
Now on to the food.
Wild Mushroom Raviolli -- Amazing I still want more the next day and will return just for a plate of those!
Calamari - The batter was very well done, golden, crispy, light, my fiance loves calamari and said it was wonderful. I on the other hand like it enough to have a few pieces and my issue with it was it was thick cut rings and a bit chewy. Not saying it was bad I just like thin cut calamari.
Pollo Parm - My fiance had the chicken parm plate, the sauce was good, the chicken was pounded out tender and juicy, I found the breading to be a bit much but she swore by it. Now I thought this place had homemade pasta but the ziti with her plate really didn't seem to be homemade. ( a small disappointment) otherwise she said it was great!
Pollo Saltinboca - Oh I loved my plate and can't wait to dig into some leftovers, the chicken cheese and prosciutto was a pefect combo to have that rich but semi salty taste, the marsala wine sauce was lite and mixed perfect. Once again the pasta wasn't homemade and the mushrooms I swear were canned. I love mushrooms and if this plate had some fresh baby crimini it would have been perfect.
Other notes:
The Waitress Cheryl, was very nice.
The table next to us had a lobster plate, it was made for 4 people I swear. (huge)
We got there at 3 pm on a Saturday and every table filled up with in the first 15 mins, then it seemed to die down for an hour or so. ( We grabbed the last open table) I'm sure come dinner hour there was a line again.
I've ead others having an issue with the wash room being in the kitchen, we both used it and we both kind of liked it, yes different but it was cool to see the otherside of this place, the owner/chef calling out orders and the cooks creating plates.
All in all would I go back,Yes. More often if it was closer.
The Bill wasn't bad either, 4 drinks ( Wine), 2 apps, 2 dinner plates = $82.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/19/2012
Boston Yelpers familiar with this end of Btown, please check out my list and help me with a few Q's… Read more »
-
-
Review from Amy M.
Hingham, MA
2/21/2012
We went today to Rino's. A Tuesday. We took the train, not a bad walk from Wood Island Station. We arrived around 3 pm. Walked right in. When we left around 4ish, there was a small wait, but nothing crazy. We heard the waitress tell another table Thursday - Friday it can be a 3 hour wait.
The food - We went on an empty stomach and had a late lunch/early dinner. I went with lobster ravioli's based on all the reviews and the Diners, Drive Ins and Dives episode. So, so good. Totally worth it and the reviews are right! We also had the Chicken Parm - very tender and well hammered out. We had Brucshetta and Arancini for apps. The Bruschetta was very good, we had to try it, but would not necessarily get it next time, as there is other stuff to try on the menu. The Arancini was AWESOME! Could have had it as a meal! Best I have had since my grandmother passed away. With all that food, there was leftovers and no room for dessert - which was a bummer, since they all looked good.
Service - A couple of people have posted the service wasn't good. Ours was just fine. The waitress was attentive enough, water glasses were consistently filled and she checked in enough, without being annoying. I think people have to remember the food is FIVE star, but at he end of the day the restaurant is considered a "Diner, Drive in or Dive." It is not suppose to be considered a FIVE STAR restaurant, with the bells and whistles of service...it does have FIVE STAR food.
I will say towards the end of our meal, when a wait began, no one in the restaurant felt rushed to finish and leave. A single top was taking up a four-top for an hour and he was treated with the same care as any other customer in there. -
Review from Headerz K.
New Milford, CT
3/18/2012
Be ready for 3.5 hour of your worst dining experience.
After all the positive review we decided to give it a try.
First off there's about 10 tables in the entire restaurant in a run down neighborhood.
We got to the restaurant about 7:15, put our name down and was told we are 18TH on the list. Only takes reservations for party of 6+.
Went across the street which is supposedly owned by the same owner. Ordered few cocktails and appetizers(shrimp scampi w/ goat cheese bruschetta and margherita pizza w/ hot sauce) by far the best meal of the night.
After 2 hr wait we were finally called to come in.
We realized that we were skipped on the list for a few regulars.
We sat down ordered an eggplant layer = fried bread crumb and mozzeralla(taste bad as it sounds) which came out 40 min after we sat. Keep in mind we were the last group of customers to be seated.
The waitress had a nasty attitude asking us what's with the blank looks did you not order this? If I hadn't been there with the other guests she would've had the eggplant shoved down her hunchback neck. Meanwhile she's all smiles with the locals and regulars. She even put their order before ours cause we ordered before the next table and yet we waited about 20min after there entree came out.
Seem like everyone hyped the lobster ravioli but it was the worst dish.
Let me just say after almost 3hrs of waiting i was pretty pist off to find out the ravioli and the frutti di mare was rock hard and undercooked. Rino's special and al forno was so bland that we used half the red pepper flakes.
The portion were huge so it was a never ending plate no matter how much we ate.
We didn't bother to take our left over to go. It was that bad.
Maybe food was based on neighborhood taste but clearly Boston nor Rino's know what authentic italian is about.
Bottom line: YOU WERE WARNED DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS DOWNHILL ESTABLISHMENT -
Review from Barry R.
Revere, MA
1/12/2012
WORTH THE WAIT & WORTHY OF PRAISE
Rino's is a small neighborhood Italian joint in East Boston, MA. I was searching "hidden gems" online, and all links pointed towards Rino's. Among the reviews was the suggestion of the best lobster ravioli I'll ever try. That was enough for me.
Arriving on a Tuesday at about 7:45pm, we were told the wait would be about 45 minutes. The hostess sent us to a nearby pub for a drink, which we did. By the time an hour had gone by, we were seated. They stop seating at 9pm (Tuesday - Thursday, 10pm other nights), but then stay open until everyone is fed. Nobody is rushed out the door to turn over tables quicker.
The menu has a LOT of options. The staff's T-shirts and a huge signed poster on the wall soon made it clear that this gem was no longer hidden... it had been featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives.
One friend ordered veal marsala, another ordered rack of lamb, and I went with the lobster ravioli. In fairness, it was easily the best lobster ravioli I'd ever had worldwide. Just the best in Massachusetts or Maine (we are lobster folks, ya know) would have been praise enough, but these really were the best I've ever had. No lack of lobster, and the pasta was perfect. Great sauce.
My veal marsala companion could only rave. My rack of lamb pal spends more time in Rome than home in MA. He is incapable of complimenting anyone's Italian food in the USA, but he cleaned that plate better than a dog could have licked it.
I would gladly return to try their Lemoncello Shrimp, and a variety of other items. Next month, they open a place across the street called BEFORE AND AFTER. So, walking a few blocks down to the pub to await a table will no longer be neccesary, and it seems one can move across the street for dessert as well.
They WILL take reservations for parties of 6 and more. But for others, you can't call to be put on the waiting list. You have to show up in person and put your name down. They will then call when the table is ready, and give you 10 minutes to return, if you are outside, or at their new spot across the street from pre-supper drinks. -
Review from Vincent P.
Boston, MA
3/11/2012
Love this place, get the ravioli (any kind... but Lobster is the best!)
Very small so call ahead or just eat a snack before you go -
Review from Brett N.
1/13/2012 1 photo
Why 4 stars? Because it was worth the thorough inconvenience it took for us to get to Rino's.
--- --- ---
I had a tough decision.
And I made the wrong one.
I had the gnocchi, because I had never even heard of it before and was feeling adventurous.
The runner-up to my decision was the Lobster Ravioli. My friend ordered said Ravioli. I tried it.
Whoops, that's a mistake you don't forget about, even 6 months later.
That being said, my Gnocchi was solid and the other two in our party enjoyed their meals...but that Lobster Ravioli was ridiculous.
Rino's opened its doors at 11, but our flight landed in Boston at 9. By the time we grabbed our bags, took a train and walked through East Boston with all of our luggage, it was only about 10. So we camped out and waited for an hour because we heard that it got crowded pretty quickly.
By 11, there were only two others waiting to get in so I assumed that it must have just been a slow day. However, before we even had our food, every single seat was taken and there was a wait.
I guess when you're on DDD, it's pretty decent for business! -
Review from Hiro T.
Boston, MA
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
One word...RIDICULOUS!!! But, in a good way, in terms of food. I ordered the lobster ravioli that came highly recommended by another fellow Yelper. The dish was amazing. First off, there is literally a cube of lobster in EACH ravioli. I'm talking pieces so big you wonder how they fit them into the ravioli wrapper. But, the dish gets better because there are lobster chunks in the sauce as well. That's right, lobster covered in the creamy deliciousness that is the perfect compliment to this amazing dish. The portion was also very large, and would normally, I believe, feed two people. The other dishes on the menu also looked incredibly delicious.
Did also have the calamari, but unfortunately had the order for carry-out, so the calamari was a little soggy upon arrival at the final destination. The calamari did have some good seasoning, but was a fairly average dish.
As stated above, we had the food for carry-out, but even finding a parking spot just to run in and pick up the food was a hassle. The restaurant itself is very small and cozy, but again it is VERY SMALL. There was no room for us to stand even to pick up our orders. The location is somewhat T accessible, but is on the blue line. The four star rating comes not from the food, but more from the location and the interior set up of the restaurant.
Overall thoughts: If you come to Boston, or live here for a few years, (yeah, you know who you are...students) and don't come to RIno's, you've just made the biggest mistake of your life. Everyone should eat this food AT LEAST once! -
Review from Wendy L.
Boston, MA
I saw this place on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and decided to try it. There was only 1 table available at 3:30pm on a weekday when we arrived so we were pretty dam lucky to get seated immediately. The server handed us two menus, one looked standard and the other one had about 30+ dishes scribbled on a piece of paper.
We ordered the Calamari and Stuffed Mushrooms with Crab for appetizers. For our entrees we got the Rino's Special and the Lobster Ravioli. I wish they typed up the scribbled menu because it was kind of hard to read but thank god we found those Stuffed Mushrooms with Crab because they were SO GOOD. Definitely my favorite dish here.
Here is the run down on the food:
Calamari- I didn't find this very special, I've had better at other Italian restaurants
Stuffed Mushrooms - so flavorful and the breadcrumbs on top added some crunch to it (see picture)
Rino's Special - The veal was extremely tender but the white sauce was not as flavorful as I thought
Lobster Ravioli - This is definitely the best I've had, the raviolis were stuffed with chunks of lobster with extra chunks of lobster in the sauce
This place really gives you generous portions for the price. $17 for that lobster ravioli??? That would have been at least $30 in the North End. It's really cheap for the quality and the amount of food they give you. We had leftovers enough for another meal! Parking was free on the street and the service was great. -
Review from Eric F.
Wow...I can't remember the last time I left a delicious meal with over half my entree remaining! 4.5 stars rounded up without hesitation for some outstanding Italian food that came VERY generously portioned =D
My bro and I made the trek out from the South End and the stars must've been in perfect alignment b/c we caught every train with a sub-60 second wait. Funny enough, most of the aforementioned dishes from fellow Yelpers are off the specials list and we began with half orders of the Shrimp Limoncello and Wild Mushroom Ravioli. The former turned out to be the one small miss of the meal as the sauce was bland and the three shrimp were far overdone. For a moment, they tasted as if they'd been sitting around for a while, but the chef's passion for food seems far too strong to let such a thing happen so he has the benefit of the doubt here. The ravioli was very tasty though - firm, al dente casings opening up to fresh, earthy flavors within.
On mains, we trusted good ol' Guy to lead us in the right direction so we opted for the Lobster Ravioli and Rino's Special. Before I get to the crustacean'ed pasta dish, I'll say that the special was most delicious. Classic Italian flavors characterized by EVOO and a healthy dose of cream and butter. All the meats were very tender (you almost don't even need a knife), the wild mushrooms were fantastic and the homemade pappardelle had excellent texture.
Now the lobster ravioli...this is seriously a one-of-a-kind dish. $25 for the most hugemongous ravioli you'll ever encounter stuffed full of and surrounded in sauce by every last ounce of flesh (literally) squeezed out of a 1.25-1.5 lb lobster! It goes without saying that the quality:cost is through the roof and reaching for the stars. It's also more than enough for two meals unless you've been starving yourself all day in preparation ;)
Desserts came in the form of Tiramisu and Coppa Spagnola, both pretty good though complete afterthoughts compared to the apps and mains.
In terms of logistics, one just needs to plan accordingly and be aware that Rino's works similarly to comparable Italian hotspots like Giacomo's and Neptune Oyster. We were seated within 10 min around 5 pm on a Tuesday night and things were still totally manageable (ie. no crazy lines out the door, etc.) by the time we left around 7 pm. If you must come during prime hours, do your research and have a plan so you won't have to whine about 2-3 hour waits. I'll also add that the staff is great and comes without the brashness often seen at places in the North End.
After all is said and done, Rino's is def a must-visit and pretty easy to get to being just a short walk from the Blue line. Buon appetito =D -
Review from Rebecca G.
Bronx, NY
3/3/2012
We have been dying to try Rinos after seeing it on triple D. We invited our friends & went last week-end. If you like huge portions then this is for you. But I have to say the food is sort of bland & very sloppy. Way too much sauce. The lobster ravioli was just ok. Looked better on TV. We were very disappointed.
Also we parked around the corner & I have never seen so much litter on a street. When we were walking back to the car we saw and smelled a skunk. It was disgusting. Never thought we would see a skunk on a city street. Do not think I would return. -
Review from Anne W.
3/1/2012
After a few weeks of anticipation.. I finally made it to Rino's on a snowy night in Boston. This place is true to the word of what everybody says... it is small.. you'll probably wait forever.. in fact, we waited two hours before we got our table... putting our name in at 5 pm. There is no bar at this spot. I have no idea why other reviews say there is.. it's a small spot. Not only that.. the bathroom is found through the kitchen. So.. you get a look into the place... it is slippery as they wash dishes right there.
The wait service was friendly. I actually liked it... they teased our group as we had an English girl in our group.. and I did not think they rushed us at all.
On to the main event.. the food:
Steamed mussels and clams: Really delicious... they use a lot of butter and garlic in the sauce and is heavenly. You probably will end up getting bread to mop this up...
Free bread on the table: Meh.. it wasn't bad.. it wasn't good. Just standard.
Stuffed mushrooms: They are small mushroom caps.. it was good to share amongst a table. I didn't think they were phenomenal. Very.. seafoody tasting... and a lot of butter. Good thing I only ate half.
Eggplant App: This is topped with pesto.. so if you don't like, beware... I think it was on par with what the stuffed mushrooms were like. Not out of this world but definitely the half portion could serve the six of us.
Fruitti de mare: I thought this dish was phenomenal! The pasta was al dente... with a lot of seafood flavor. Loved the amount of shellfish in this dish. Amazingly delicious.
Lobster Ravioli: I'm going to be honest.. it was good.. but I was not in love with this dish. The ravioli is quite big.. and there are pieces of lobster in the sauce... but I guess I am not a big fan of all the cheese in ravioli. It was good though.
Fettucini Alfredo: This was really good... loved how al dente the dish was... And the alfredo sauce was thick.
I didn't try anything else.. but yes.. portions are large. We all took food home.
I would go again.. but only if I go at 5 pm for a table. I hate being starved out without a bar around...Listed in: Where to Go in Boston...
-
Review from Ty H.
Augusta, ME
2/22/2012
I've probably been to Rino's five times. It's the best Italian spot in Boston without even a question. The North End, in it's entirety, should kneel at the feet of whomever runs this fabulous establish and falate him for his greatness, because they're all bitches to this pimp of the kitchen. In terms of Italian food, the food tastes like it was cooked by the culinary hand of God himself. I can't explain it better than that.
I've had half the stuff on the menu there. Everything is awesome. But nothings fussy. Everything's like five ingredients, max. but everything is fresher than all get out. they respect the food, and they respect the flavors, and the heritage of what they do. This is a proud family doing fantastic food the way it should be done. It does things to your soul. You can taste the love they put into it. Everything is home made, including the pasta. You will NEVER, EVER get a single piece of pasta that is overcooked- perfect al dente, EVERY time. You'll never get an off flavored clam, an overly rare meatball, a spot of cheese on your rigatoni that isn't perfectly melted, slightly brown, but never burnt. They churn out plate after plate of absolutely perfect, simple, Italian food, time and time again. it's a casual joint- come as you are. But you can tell, these people know they're absolutely boss at what they do, but they have no pretense about it. the food speaks for itself, and it is simply the best Italian in Boston. Every dish exits the kitchen dead on perfect. If Gordon Ramsay worked there, he'd be fucking silent, That level of perfect.
Don't let the tunnel scare you. make the trek to Eastie and partake in this religious food experience. These people take pride in making some spectacular authentic Italian food, and that pride, and those fresh ingredients, and that love, , that family bond, is immediately evident after the first bite of any given dish on their menu. It's nothing short of superb. And it's cheap. My girlfriend and I ate 3 courses with booze for $51 bucks not including tip. You'll NEVER find food that good for that cheap anywhere. Make this a destination. if you're a religious foodie, this is your fucking Mecca. Church, preach, tabernacle. Take your ass to the promised land, and I'll show you heaven.
Since Zimmern and Bourdain have made their cameos, the chances of getting a walk in table are about the same of winning the Powerball. Reservations at this point are an absolute necessity since there press blew up, but they don't cop a hint of tude despite this. However, without a res, rest assured you'll have forty parties in front of you from opening till close. Do not disregard this advice. if you take anything i say seriously, take that seriously. make a reservation But I'd camp in a tent on a sidewalk to eat here again. It's casual yet romantic, almost homey. It's a bit loud. But the food man. For every shortcoming it has, of which there are few, after your first bite, you're just going to exclaim, "Fuck it, this was worth it." -
Review from Kevin M.
Travis, TX
3/14/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Always great. The servings are very big so be hungry. The last time I was there we had six people so I had the antipasto for the first time. It was awesome.
-
Review from Stephanie C.
Los Angeles, CA
11/18/2011
I would eat here everyday for the rest of my life if I lived in Boston. Really! Rino's Place has the best Chicken Parmesan I've ever had. The chicken was breaded and flavored to perfection, the marinara sauce was homemade the spaghetti al dente. Great dish to try if you're looking for something familiar and comforting. But now let's talk about a dish that will take you to drool city and back again with every single bite. The Lobster Ravioli. Yes! The Lobster Ravioli. Chunks of fresh lobster meat mixed with ricotta cheese and encased in fresh, homemade pasta, covered in a cream sauce with even more chunks of lobster meat! This is the dish I dream of and still talk about a month after my trip to Boston.
The only negative thing is the wait. I think my fiance and I waited outside for about an hour, no biggie, but there really isn't a place to sit except the curb. However, all can be fixed if you call ahead for reservations. In short, if you're going to Boston eat here, and if you're in Boston eat here now lol!
- Brownie Out -
Review from Lannie K.
Boston, MA
11/12/2011
Friday night. Arrival: 6 pm. 12 parties ahead. (middle tables mysteriously empty the entire evening)
Gave up at 7 pm.
Got the phone call that the table was ready at 8:23 pm.
By that time, we went down the street, gorged on Brazilian BBQ at Oliveira's, and FINISHED our meal.
Though I'm sure the food may have been worth the wait and trek, I wouldn't know.
Maybe next time, Rino's...maybe your lunch hours are better.
