I have tried this place a few times and have always been underwhelmed. I cannot really say that is has been bad, but neither can I say it has ever been good. The portions are really small and the eggplant rolitini I had was obviously over-microwaved. With all of the other good choices in the area, don't waste your time here.
(2)
Tara M.
Nice family restaurant - fun in the bar area, lively. More sedate in the back. Food is really good - all the pastas are homemade and the service is great. We live nearby and go about once a month.
(4)
Meredith F.
This restaurant is a staple for my family. The food is always delicious.
(5)
J S.
Keep away from the tables in the bar area if you're not ordering food! The wait staff will bark at you.
(2)
John B.
The food was unique and very well prepared. Drinks were awesome and Kim the bartender was fantastic. This is great hidden gem and highly recommend the trip.
(4)
Jen S.
The BEST chicken parm in the Boston area hands down. They pound the chicken breast and its lightly breaded with a delicious homemade red sauce and a side of homemade fusilli. I've never been disappointed by the food.
(5)
Rob G.
Very pleasantly surprised. Didn't know what to expect since I haven't heard much about it. Great quiet and down to earth atmosphere, good food and service, prices were definitely reasonable. I'd go back again for a date or with family.
(4)
James B.
I'll make this short and sweet.. We visit this eatery on occasion. Took a friend last night in from Germany. We dined at the bar and as always the service was great... Our entrees spectacular.
(4)
linda k.
No matter what i order, the food is delicious. They also make the best apple martini around. Service is also very good. I go few times a month, it's so good.
(5)
Maria S.
i have had decent dinners at Paradiso in the past but last Friday evening while dining with friends, the roof of my mouth was cut after biting into my salad. I pulled a sliver of glass from my mouth! Shocking! Our waitress called the owner, Connie who came to the table and barely apologized. she said they buy bagged lettuce so it could not have been their fault and do not allow glass in the kitchen. I do not call that an apology! it was an excuse! By the way, on the way out i saw the kitchen staff drinking from a glass in the kitchen. She did not charge for my dinner only but that was not nearly enough to compensate for a cut palate. I suggest Connie at least investigate, comp a glass of wine, maybe offer a dessert...I do not recommend Paradiso.
(1)
Tulani V.
Have been coming to Paradiso for the past couple of years and always order the same thing: ravioli. My hubby orders veal parmigiana with fusilli. We hadn't been since the remodel and decided to stop in for a quick dinner. Renovations were made and the lounge is now larger. We got our bread and were aghast that the hot rolls of days passed were replaced with cold sliced Italian bread. Needless to say we were afraid what would come out of the kitchen if the new bread was any indication. We were, however, pleasantly surprised as the same high quality homemade food was served. Nothing like home made pasta and sauce with crispy flat veal parmigiana as a compliment. Good was fabulous but the new bread is not pleasing!
(4)
Pamela C.
Excellent food, great chicken and veal, they need to update their wine menu, they should offer nicer wines, that is my big complaint, people that work there are nice.
(4)
C S.
2 words: CHICKEN PARM Had no idea the food at this place was so good. The chicken parm and side of homemade pasta is dynamite. Can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow and I don't eat leftovers. Cozy place with fun bar atmosphere.
(5)
Rosaleen D.
I have lived on the North Shore for almost 20 years, but I have never gone to this restaurant until last night! For a neighborhood Italian joint, 10 minutes from my house...I am excited! The service was very attentive and responsive. Having grown up in NY, there is a level of neighborhood Italian food that I have not been able to find here. There are restaurants that try to catch it here- but frankly- the food is not good. I had the mussels as an appetizer. They are prepared with tomato sauce and cannellini beans. The mussels were fresh, sauce was good...not sure about what the beans did for this dish. They didn't add or detract. House salad was fine- no iceberg, bad tomato, New England fare. The entree was veal tartuffo. It was prepared with a cream deduction and black truffles. The veal pounded VERY THIN...OMG...just like my friend's mothers made it in NY! I loved every reminiscent bite. Dessert- cannoli...perfect...crispy outside, light filling with a little bit of a citrus taste which was really well balanced. Overall- YAY...we have a new Italian place. I will say for a neighborhood restaurant it was a tad pricey...over $100 for two of us without tip and no wine.
(4)
Vicki S.
Recently renovated - done beautifully . Unfortunately the bar and waitstaff on Monday nights do not reflect the environment. Went back in on Thursday for dinner at the bar and the A team was awesome! Food was good and the service top notch.
(4)
J V.
I absolutely love Paradiso, the food is amazing, the staff are amazing, I can without a doubt say this is one of the top 5 Italian restaurants in the North Shore. I have been eating at Paradiso for about 3 years now; I was introduced to it by my uncle and aunt. The food here is absolutely amazing, I was told by one of the bar tenders that the owner uses all of his mothers family recipes and she grew up in Italy. I have never had a bad meal here. I judge an Italian restaurant on whether they know how to make Alla Matriciana, this place even has it on there menu, a dish that only true Italians typically know how to make. The drinks here are very good, the martinis will knock you on you azz, and they have a good wine list as well. The staff are all very friendly and knowledgeable, and the bartenders are all amazing to talk too. I defiantly think if you haven't eaten here and live North of Boston, you should get over to try this place, you will not be disappointed.
(4)
Michael C.
For the price, are you kidding? This place rocks. Homemade pasta, GREAT bartenders. Nice variety of traditional Italian, seafood, veal and chicken. Only ding is the steak. Never seems fresh, tends to be overcooked. Otherwise, perfect.
(5)
Michael F.
Since I was from out of town, I went here based upon previous yelp reviews. I was disappointed with my experience. They honored our reservations on time. The bread with dipping oil came out fast. The bread was fresh and the dipping oil was tasty. The variety of bread was nice as well. It went down hill from there. The service was very slow. Our poor waitress had to many other tables including some large parties. Not my fault they didn't have enough staff but we suffered because of it. It took a long time to see our waitress and she was apologetic. We ordered the cod puttanesca, the pescatore which was pasta with seafood in a spicy lobster sauce, and the rigatoni in a meat sauce. The salads that came with the meal were basic. The puttanesca dish was not spicy and very bland. It also was very soupy. Isn't a puttanesca dish spicy? My pasta with seafood dish didn't have any spice at all. There was a generous portion of fish in the meal. The rigatoni dish was fine. The portions were a good size. I couldn't give this three stars because it wasn't " A -OK"
(2)
Nikki A.
My husband and I go to The Paradiso periodically and when we do, we always have a great time. I must say, we sit on the bar side so the hubby has access to TV and it's fun just enjoying the lively atmosphere. The bartenders are phenomenal, Kim, especially. She keeps us smiling and is so friendly, outgoing and makes the BEST martinis around. I'm telling you, you will NOT find a better martini and I've tried martinis all around Swampscott and surrounding areas and by far, Kim's are THE BEST! The food is fabulous and portions are huge. I highly recommend this place to anyone. A must try! Sit at the bar and ask for Kim!
(5)
julee c.
If youwant to be treated poorly, then this is the place for you! I recently went into this establisment one evening and slipped on spilled water outside of the kitchen, I fell very hard and not one staff person asked if I was alright or offered to help. Someone did point out that they had been telling the staff to "clean up the water for an hour". At that point a woman came over with some "speedy dry" and threw it not only on the floor but all over my pants as well. When we asked for the manager and told her that I fell, her answer was "yeah, so". I never even got an apology. This woman claims to be the manager, but obviously does not even have the manners to pump gas. I have never been treated so poorly by a business, and I will never return!
(1)
Risotto Queen L.
This is the kind of restaurant I selfishly want to keep to myself but the fact that it was full and there was a wait on a Wednesday night makes me believe that the word is out! This fabulous restaurant is in an unlikely location. Directly across the street from the Swampscott commuter rail station and next door to Captain Pizza. Dinner can be eaten in the upscale bar area or in the dining room. We opted for a table in the bar as it was the first to open up. The bar had the Red Sox game playing on 4 TVs and conversation was lively but the noise level did not inhibit our ability to hear each other. A large selection of martinis and a decent wine list in the $25-$35 range including several by-the-glass choices allowed everyone in our party to find something they liked. On Tuesday and Wednesday nights they offer a $20 meal for 2 including a choice of 3 entrees with salad, dessert, and coffee. No wonder the place was full. We opted to order off the extensive menu which also offers nightly specials. A basket of rolls with a plate of olive oil dipping sauce was brought to the table while we tried mightily to read the menu in the dim light. The waitress was kind enough to offer us a pair of reading glasses which were unnecessary when the light from the TV was just right! We forgot all about the lighting, however, when the food started arriving. Two salads, one a Caesar and the other a mesclun salad were quite good with the dressings standing out. An appetizer of eggplant stuffed with ricotta, spinach, and pancetta with a pesto cream sauce was amazing. The moist pollo braciolettini (2 ample pieces of rolled chicken stuffed with spinach, fontina cheese, and wrapped in pancetta in a white wine sauce) was also excellent. The plate was bare except for the chicken and could have used a garnish or a few spears of asparagus. The dinner comes with a choice of the mesclun salad or pasta served on the side. An order of the Pollo Alle Prugne was outstanding. The dish consists of chicken breast meat pounded thin, prunes, shallots, and pancetta, in a brandy cream reduction sauce. It was heavenly but again the plate looked a bit lonely and could have used some kind of starch to soak up the amazing sauce. A dinner roll resolved that issue. The side of al dente ziti in a fresh tomato sauce was also enjoyable. Tasty cappucinos and a warm apple pastry with ice cream rounded out a wonderful meal. This is a terrific restaurant with a menu that includes italian favorites like Chicken parmigiana and ravioli but also adeptly cooks sophisticated offerings. I highly recommend it.
(4)
Kisbee B.
I love this place. I go every Tuesday night! Every Tuesday and Wednesday night they have a 2 for $20 deal which includes dinner and a side (usually pasta or salad) and dessert, and the food is so great every time! The waitstaff is friendly and prompt. I like sitting in the bar lounge area better than the back room where it seems like you need to be a little more dressed up. If you are looking for a quick bite, they also have a bar lounge menu which is super cheap smaller portions (pasta and meatballs, chicken fingers and french fries) and all of the bar lounge dinner items are under 10 dollars! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in the North Shore area. Addendum: Prices went up! It is now 2 for 24 dollars... still not bad!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Russ P.
I have tried this place a few times and have always been underwhelmed. I cannot really say that is has been bad, but neither can I say it has ever been good. The portions are really small and the eggplant rolitini I had was obviously over-microwaved. With all of the other good choices in the area, don't waste your time here.
(2)Tara M.
Nice family restaurant - fun in the bar area, lively. More sedate in the back. Food is really good - all the pastas are homemade and the service is great. We live nearby and go about once a month.
(4)Meredith F.
This restaurant is a staple for my family. The food is always delicious.
(5)J S.
Keep away from the tables in the bar area if you're not ordering food! The wait staff will bark at you.
(2)John B.
The food was unique and very well prepared. Drinks were awesome and Kim the bartender was fantastic. This is great hidden gem and highly recommend the trip.
(4)Jen S.
The BEST chicken parm in the Boston area hands down. They pound the chicken breast and its lightly breaded with a delicious homemade red sauce and a side of homemade fusilli. I've never been disappointed by the food.
(5)Rob G.
Very pleasantly surprised. Didn't know what to expect since I haven't heard much about it. Great quiet and down to earth atmosphere, good food and service, prices were definitely reasonable. I'd go back again for a date or with family.
(4)James B.
I'll make this short and sweet.. We visit this eatery on occasion. Took a friend last night in from Germany. We dined at the bar and as always the service was great... Our entrees spectacular.
(4)linda k.
No matter what i order, the food is delicious. They also make the best apple martini around. Service is also very good. I go few times a month, it's so good.
(5)Maria S.
i have had decent dinners at Paradiso in the past but last Friday evening while dining with friends, the roof of my mouth was cut after biting into my salad. I pulled a sliver of glass from my mouth! Shocking! Our waitress called the owner, Connie who came to the table and barely apologized. she said they buy bagged lettuce so it could not have been their fault and do not allow glass in the kitchen. I do not call that an apology! it was an excuse! By the way, on the way out i saw the kitchen staff drinking from a glass in the kitchen. She did not charge for my dinner only but that was not nearly enough to compensate for a cut palate. I suggest Connie at least investigate, comp a glass of wine, maybe offer a dessert...I do not recommend Paradiso.
(1)Tulani V.
Have been coming to Paradiso for the past couple of years and always order the same thing: ravioli. My hubby orders veal parmigiana with fusilli. We hadn't been since the remodel and decided to stop in for a quick dinner. Renovations were made and the lounge is now larger. We got our bread and were aghast that the hot rolls of days passed were replaced with cold sliced Italian bread. Needless to say we were afraid what would come out of the kitchen if the new bread was any indication. We were, however, pleasantly surprised as the same high quality homemade food was served. Nothing like home made pasta and sauce with crispy flat veal parmigiana as a compliment. Good was fabulous but the new bread is not pleasing!
(4)Pamela C.
Excellent food, great chicken and veal, they need to update their wine menu, they should offer nicer wines, that is my big complaint, people that work there are nice.
(4)C S.
2 words: CHICKEN PARM Had no idea the food at this place was so good. The chicken parm and side of homemade pasta is dynamite. Can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow and I don't eat leftovers. Cozy place with fun bar atmosphere.
(5)Rosaleen D.
I have lived on the North Shore for almost 20 years, but I have never gone to this restaurant until last night! For a neighborhood Italian joint, 10 minutes from my house...I am excited! The service was very attentive and responsive. Having grown up in NY, there is a level of neighborhood Italian food that I have not been able to find here. There are restaurants that try to catch it here- but frankly- the food is not good. I had the mussels as an appetizer. They are prepared with tomato sauce and cannellini beans. The mussels were fresh, sauce was good...not sure about what the beans did for this dish. They didn't add or detract. House salad was fine- no iceberg, bad tomato, New England fare. The entree was veal tartuffo. It was prepared with a cream deduction and black truffles. The veal pounded VERY THIN...OMG...just like my friend's mothers made it in NY! I loved every reminiscent bite. Dessert- cannoli...perfect...crispy outside, light filling with a little bit of a citrus taste which was really well balanced. Overall- YAY...we have a new Italian place. I will say for a neighborhood restaurant it was a tad pricey...over $100 for two of us without tip and no wine.
(4)Vicki S.
Recently renovated - done beautifully . Unfortunately the bar and waitstaff on Monday nights do not reflect the environment. Went back in on Thursday for dinner at the bar and the A team was awesome! Food was good and the service top notch.
(4)J V.
I absolutely love Paradiso, the food is amazing, the staff are amazing, I can without a doubt say this is one of the top 5 Italian restaurants in the North Shore. I have been eating at Paradiso for about 3 years now; I was introduced to it by my uncle and aunt. The food here is absolutely amazing, I was told by one of the bar tenders that the owner uses all of his mothers family recipes and she grew up in Italy. I have never had a bad meal here. I judge an Italian restaurant on whether they know how to make Alla Matriciana, this place even has it on there menu, a dish that only true Italians typically know how to make. The drinks here are very good, the martinis will knock you on you azz, and they have a good wine list as well. The staff are all very friendly and knowledgeable, and the bartenders are all amazing to talk too. I defiantly think if you haven't eaten here and live North of Boston, you should get over to try this place, you will not be disappointed.
(4)Michael C.
For the price, are you kidding? This place rocks. Homemade pasta, GREAT bartenders. Nice variety of traditional Italian, seafood, veal and chicken. Only ding is the steak. Never seems fresh, tends to be overcooked. Otherwise, perfect.
(5)Michael F.
Since I was from out of town, I went here based upon previous yelp reviews. I was disappointed with my experience. They honored our reservations on time. The bread with dipping oil came out fast. The bread was fresh and the dipping oil was tasty. The variety of bread was nice as well. It went down hill from there. The service was very slow. Our poor waitress had to many other tables including some large parties. Not my fault they didn't have enough staff but we suffered because of it. It took a long time to see our waitress and she was apologetic. We ordered the cod puttanesca, the pescatore which was pasta with seafood in a spicy lobster sauce, and the rigatoni in a meat sauce. The salads that came with the meal were basic. The puttanesca dish was not spicy and very bland. It also was very soupy. Isn't a puttanesca dish spicy? My pasta with seafood dish didn't have any spice at all. There was a generous portion of fish in the meal. The rigatoni dish was fine. The portions were a good size. I couldn't give this three stars because it wasn't " A -OK"
(2)Nikki A.
My husband and I go to The Paradiso periodically and when we do, we always have a great time. I must say, we sit on the bar side so the hubby has access to TV and it's fun just enjoying the lively atmosphere. The bartenders are phenomenal, Kim, especially. She keeps us smiling and is so friendly, outgoing and makes the BEST martinis around. I'm telling you, you will NOT find a better martini and I've tried martinis all around Swampscott and surrounding areas and by far, Kim's are THE BEST! The food is fabulous and portions are huge. I highly recommend this place to anyone. A must try! Sit at the bar and ask for Kim!
(5)julee c.
If youwant to be treated poorly, then this is the place for you! I recently went into this establisment one evening and slipped on spilled water outside of the kitchen, I fell very hard and not one staff person asked if I was alright or offered to help. Someone did point out that they had been telling the staff to "clean up the water for an hour". At that point a woman came over with some "speedy dry" and threw it not only on the floor but all over my pants as well. When we asked for the manager and told her that I fell, her answer was "yeah, so". I never even got an apology. This woman claims to be the manager, but obviously does not even have the manners to pump gas. I have never been treated so poorly by a business, and I will never return!
(1)Risotto Queen L.
This is the kind of restaurant I selfishly want to keep to myself but the fact that it was full and there was a wait on a Wednesday night makes me believe that the word is out! This fabulous restaurant is in an unlikely location. Directly across the street from the Swampscott commuter rail station and next door to Captain Pizza. Dinner can be eaten in the upscale bar area or in the dining room. We opted for a table in the bar as it was the first to open up. The bar had the Red Sox game playing on 4 TVs and conversation was lively but the noise level did not inhibit our ability to hear each other. A large selection of martinis and a decent wine list in the $25-$35 range including several by-the-glass choices allowed everyone in our party to find something they liked. On Tuesday and Wednesday nights they offer a $20 meal for 2 including a choice of 3 entrees with salad, dessert, and coffee. No wonder the place was full. We opted to order off the extensive menu which also offers nightly specials. A basket of rolls with a plate of olive oil dipping sauce was brought to the table while we tried mightily to read the menu in the dim light. The waitress was kind enough to offer us a pair of reading glasses which were unnecessary when the light from the TV was just right! We forgot all about the lighting, however, when the food started arriving. Two salads, one a Caesar and the other a mesclun salad were quite good with the dressings standing out. An appetizer of eggplant stuffed with ricotta, spinach, and pancetta with a pesto cream sauce was amazing. The moist pollo braciolettini (2 ample pieces of rolled chicken stuffed with spinach, fontina cheese, and wrapped in pancetta in a white wine sauce) was also excellent. The plate was bare except for the chicken and could have used a garnish or a few spears of asparagus. The dinner comes with a choice of the mesclun salad or pasta served on the side. An order of the Pollo Alle Prugne was outstanding. The dish consists of chicken breast meat pounded thin, prunes, shallots, and pancetta, in a brandy cream reduction sauce. It was heavenly but again the plate looked a bit lonely and could have used some kind of starch to soak up the amazing sauce. A dinner roll resolved that issue. The side of al dente ziti in a fresh tomato sauce was also enjoyable. Tasty cappucinos and a warm apple pastry with ice cream rounded out a wonderful meal. This is a terrific restaurant with a menu that includes italian favorites like Chicken parmigiana and ravioli but also adeptly cooks sophisticated offerings. I highly recommend it.
(4)Kisbee B.
I love this place. I go every Tuesday night! Every Tuesday and Wednesday night they have a 2 for $20 deal which includes dinner and a side (usually pasta or salad) and dessert, and the food is so great every time! The waitstaff is friendly and prompt. I like sitting in the bar lounge area better than the back room where it seems like you need to be a little more dressed up. If you are looking for a quick bite, they also have a bar lounge menu which is super cheap smaller portions (pasta and meatballs, chicken fingers and french fries) and all of the bar lounge dinner items are under 10 dollars! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in the North Shore area. Addendum: Prices went up! It is now 2 for 24 dollars... still not bad!
(4)