Vinny's is a sub shop by day (great) and an Italian restaurant by night (amazing). I am reviewing the night restaurant part,. The restaurant is small and somewhat casual. The service is efficient, kind and knowledgeable. Well, the service could distinguish the restaurant by itself, it is the food that is most distinguished. I've been coming to this restaurant for many years and have never had a bad experience, but if it's possible, it's actually gotten better. You are starting off with beverage order and basket of wonderful bread that can be either buttered or dipped in a wonderful EVOO. I chose table chef, taking the EVOO with Parmesan, hot pepper and salt. As for the menu, there is so many options, both appetizers, and entrées. Something to consider is the portions are beyond generous. The only problem that causes is the food is so good you just don't wanna stop eating. I started with the pasta Alforno. You can almost call it a vegetarian lasagna. It is a huge pasta and vegetables formed into a square and covered with their extraordinary marinara. It was one of the best things I have ever eaten. My Wife had the ravioli which were large and stuffed with cheese. She was only able to leave one and a half raviolis because she couldn't stop eating. She truly enjoyed that more than just about anything I've seen her eat, my daughter had the homemade gnocchi. She liked it to her grandmother's and said it was the best she had had in a restaurant. My stealing a bite confirmed that. The prices are very reasonable and the experience is unforgettable. Vinny's is the best Italian restaurant in Boston area. Period
Dee D.
if your American you are going to love vinny's, Italians....NO WAY. the tripe was good, my friend had stuffed calamari, extremely salty. the waitress destroyed the entire experience. she was rude and rude.....there is no need to ever visit Vinny's again, why pay for rudeness, and they should close for a few days and sanitize the entire restaurant
Danny K.
Everything is good. Service was very nice. Also I like the atmosphere of the dining area.
Seth Schorr
The food was very good but the ambience was atrocious.
I love Vinny's! My last meal there was not great though! I often get the Calamari salad and it was different, not as good. My friend got the homemade fusilli with sausage, it had NO SAUCE or oil (ordered olive oil) and was flavorless. I'll probably not return but am sad because this used to be the best place. The service was excellent.
Joan Liu
A wonderful, delicious experience as always. With Vinny's in my neighborhood, it's hard to ever want to go to anywhere in the North End. It's so convenient to walk to dinner.A friend who also lives in the neighborhood and only ever gets takeout from here is thinking about leaving our neighborhood so we took a walk to Vinny's this past Saturday for dinner to try to show him what he'll miss if he moves. The place was busy, the server/bartender was friendly, and the food was delicious.I got my usual: grilled lobster special.Parking: Somerville permit parking is widely available, Broadway has meters.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Homemade Pasta
Debra Hahn
A staple of Sullivan Square. Charming place serving some of the best Italian dinners.
PS
Authentic recipes. Nice portions. Great menu selection. Fair prices. We had good service. Food was delicious. Parking was on street and not great but we found a spot after a few passes.. Place is small so make reservations. My only real complaint was not with rhe restaurant at all. It is with the city of Somerville. Multiple drunks were laying on the sidewalk near the package store as we walked by to get to the restaurant.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Homemade Tiramisu, Chicken Parmesan, Rabbit, Homemade Pasta
Becca M.
I love this place. It feels so family centered and local even with all the hype they've been getting. Small spot in the back of an unassuming store front The food is always to die for. The lemon chicken is always my go to but I have branched out with the lasagna and the salmon pasta recently and both were also incredible. Service always makes you feel like you're part of the family.
TommyW
My Wife and I love Vinny's! If I have one complaint its that there is ALWAYS a huge birthday party no matter what day we go on, but I guess if 365 people love your restaraunt enough to have thier birthdays there, thats not nessacerily a bad thing, haha.
Another great time! Vinny's never disappoints! The drinks, food and friendly service are impeccable! We love it here!
Jaclyn
The best Italian in the state! Grew up driving from Worcester to go here :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
SorryB
I am sorry to say that I wrote a review about linguini and clams that were not hot enough... yadda-yadda--poor me. I'm over it now and feel bad that I wrote the that review and wish to set the record straight right now...My family and I go to Vinny's all the time and enjoy everything about it every time we go to be quite honest. We love the place and the food and the service. We went back there tonight and everyones food was awesome and my linguini and clams were piping hot and the best I've ever eaten anywhere. Sorry Vinny! You guys are all awesome and you do a great job! See you again soon!
Joanne S.
Antipasto was underwelming, but tasty enough. (Didn't like the few little rolls of meat/cheese that looked like they came from grocery store deli tray.) Pasta sauce/gravy was watery and tasteless. Pasta was a bit overcooked (i.e. not 'al dente'). We were never served any bread which is odd for any Italian restaurant. (Even if is was, I see that it's served with butter! It's my red flag to leave any Italian restaurant that serves their bread with butter instead of olive oil.) I had the Chicken Bracciole and it was more like a lightly stuffed chicken breast than a real Sicilian bracciole (flattened meat). My husband's Chicken Marsala looked/tasted exactly the same only with mushrooms. Atmosphere and decor is nice, people and staff are friendly ... hence the extra star rating. I/We don't need to go back there.
Alyssa Cipolla
A few years ago when we moved to the area my husband got hooked on their Jack Daniel's slice- and I must agree it was delicious! Had tried some other slices as well -they were average but nothing spectacular. When they posted they were renovating I thought it just a coverup and they were out of business. My husband kept telling me to wait and see and I am glad he was right! They reopened better than before! All slices we have had so far have been delicious and flavorful. Even tried a vegan upside slice because they were out of traditional and even that was tasty!
Vinny's is a sub shop by day (great) and an Italian restaurant by night (amazing). I am reviewing the night restaurant part,. The restaurant is small and somewhat casual. The service is efficient, kind and knowledgeable. Well, the service could distinguish the restaurant by itself, it is the food that is most distinguished. I've been coming to this restaurant for many years and have never had a bad experience, but if it's possible, it's actually gotten better. You are starting off with beverage order and basket of wonderful bread that can be either buttered or dipped in a wonderful EVOO. I chose table chef, taking the EVOO with Parmesan, hot pepper and salt. As for the menu, there is so many options, both appetizers, and entrées. Something to consider is the portions are beyond generous. The only problem that causes is the food is so good you just don't wanna stop eating. I started with the pasta Alforno. You can almost call it a vegetarian lasagna. It is a huge pasta and vegetables formed into a square and covered with their extraordinary marinara. It was one of the best things I have ever eaten. My Wife had the ravioli which were large and stuffed with cheese. She was only able to leave one and a half raviolis because she couldn't stop eating. She truly enjoyed that more than just about anything I've seen her eat, my daughter had the homemade gnocchi. She liked it to her grandmother's and said it was the best she had had in a restaurant. My stealing a bite confirmed that. The prices are very reasonable and the experience is unforgettable. Vinny's is the best Italian restaurant in Boston area. Period
if your American you are going to love vinny's, Italians....NO WAY. the tripe was good, my friend had stuffed calamari, extremely salty. the waitress destroyed the entire experience. she was rude and rude.....there is no need to ever visit Vinny's again, why pay for rudeness, and they should close for a few days and sanitize the entire restaurant
Everything is good. Service was very nice. Also I like the atmosphere of the dining area.
The food was very good but the ambience was atrocious.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Veal Chop, Chicken Parmesan, Meatball, Gnocchi, Italian, Rabbit
I love Vinny's! My last meal there was not great though! I often get the Calamari salad and it was different, not as good. My friend got the homemade fusilli with sausage, it had NO SAUCE or oil (ordered olive oil) and was flavorless. I'll probably not return but am sad because this used to be the best place. The service was excellent.
A wonderful, delicious experience as always. With Vinny's in my neighborhood, it's hard to ever want to go to anywhere in the North End. It's so convenient to walk to dinner.A friend who also lives in the neighborhood and only ever gets takeout from here is thinking about leaving our neighborhood so we took a walk to Vinny's this past Saturday for dinner to try to show him what he'll miss if he moves. The place was busy, the server/bartender was friendly, and the food was delicious.I got my usual: grilled lobster special.Parking: Somerville permit parking is widely available, Broadway has meters.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Homemade Pasta
A staple of Sullivan Square. Charming place serving some of the best Italian dinners.
Authentic recipes. Nice portions. Great menu selection. Fair prices. We had good service. Food was delicious. Parking was on street and not great but we found a spot after a few passes.. Place is small so make reservations. My only real complaint was not with rhe restaurant at all. It is with the city of Somerville. Multiple drunks were laying on the sidewalk near the package store as we walked by to get to the restaurant.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Homemade Tiramisu, Chicken Parmesan, Rabbit, Homemade Pasta
I love this place. It feels so family centered and local even with all the hype they've been getting. Small spot in the back of an unassuming store front The food is always to die for. The lemon chicken is always my go to but I have branched out with the lasagna and the salmon pasta recently and both were also incredible. Service always makes you feel like you're part of the family.
My Wife and I love Vinny's! If I have one complaint its that there is ALWAYS a huge birthday party no matter what day we go on, but I guess if 365 people love your restaraunt enough to have thier birthdays there, thats not nessacerily a bad thing, haha.
Restaurantji Recommends
Another great time! Vinny's never disappoints! The drinks, food and friendly service are impeccable! We love it here!
The best Italian in the state! Grew up driving from Worcester to go here :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I am sorry to say that I wrote a review about linguini and clams that were not hot enough... yadda-yadda--poor me. I'm over it now and feel bad that I wrote the that review and wish to set the record straight right now...My family and I go to Vinny's all the time and enjoy everything about it every time we go to be quite honest. We love the place and the food and the service. We went back there tonight and everyones food was awesome and my linguini and clams were piping hot and the best I've ever eaten anywhere. Sorry Vinny! You guys are all awesome and you do a great job! See you again soon!
Antipasto was underwelming, but tasty enough. (Didn't like the few little rolls of meat/cheese that looked like they came from grocery store deli tray.) Pasta sauce/gravy was watery and tasteless. Pasta was a bit overcooked (i.e. not 'al dente'). We were never served any bread which is odd for any Italian restaurant. (Even if is was, I see that it's served with butter! It's my red flag to leave any Italian restaurant that serves their bread with butter instead of olive oil.) I had the Chicken Bracciole and it was more like a lightly stuffed chicken breast than a real Sicilian bracciole (flattened meat). My husband's Chicken Marsala looked/tasted exactly the same only with mushrooms. Atmosphere and decor is nice, people and staff are friendly ... hence the extra star rating. I/We don't need to go back there.
A few years ago when we moved to the area my husband got hooked on their Jack Daniel's slice- and I must agree it was delicious! Had tried some other slices as well -they were average but nothing spectacular. When they posted they were renovating I thought it just a coverup and they were out of business. My husband kept telling me to wait and see and I am glad he was right! They reopened better than before! All slices we have had so far have been delicious and flavorful. Even tried a vegan upside slice because they were out of traditional and even that was tasty!