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My husband and I happened into Trattoria Il Panino around 10:50 p.m. on a Friday night just before they were ready to close. They welcomed us with open arms just like true Italians and served us without rushing. We had the octopus salad (superb), the beef carparccio and the eggplant pie ~ both delicious. An establishment that doesn't turn you away when they are ten minutes from closing and has delicious food is tops in my book.

We were excited to make reservations at a "4 1/2" star restaurant this Saturday night in Boston's North end for our little weekend getaway. The atmosphere was also rated 4 1/2 stars so we thought it was going to be an awesome relaxing evening. When we entered the restaurant and found that our seats were in a section that must be used for summer dining in an area with a large overhead door opening covered in plastic and heated by some kind of blower that alternately froze you or roasted you we should have left. But, hey, the food was supposed to be excellent so we stuck it out. My husband had the steak which was tough and fatty served with french fries. What is authentic Italian about that? I had a dish that featured four meats: a short rib, a meatball, and two others (I'm not going to waste my time any further by looking it up on the menu) all covered in the same tasteless red sauce. When I was finally able to catch a waiters eye, I asked for a side of pasta just to have something to eat and was brought a dish of microwave over heated penne in more of the tasteless red sauce. Needless to say we were not impressed by either the restaurant or the quality of the review that steered us to this disaster.

This weekend me and my friends decided to splurge on ourselves, and were recommended to go to Trattoria Il Panino (Side note, it is Zagat rated). It's easy to miss among the hubub of the North End, but you should definitely go out of your way to find it. First off you'll be greeted by the italian maitre d'/door guy, who says hello to regulars by their first name as we waited for a table (a reservation is HIGHLY recommended). Inside is like a rustic wine-cellar, and smelled so good we thought we were going to be charged for just breathing. Our waitress was bubbling with enthusiasm for the night's specials and for us being there, so much that we all ordered off the menu. Among the things we ordered were pumpkin squash ravioli, scallop risotto, and a giant succulent veal chop that came with brandy au jus sauce, polenta, greens, and scrumptious fontinella mushroom cheese crepes. This was by far the best meal I've had out in a long time, and though the entrees were a bit pricey (so was the wine), I would say its a perfect spot for a very (very very) special date or if you want to blow some dough on a meal you wont forget for a long while. Five stars.

We stumbled across this place and had a fantastic time. The food was very good, and the ingredients tasted very fresh. Very reasonably priced as well. The service was quite attentive. Overall, a great dining experience.

I love this place, I come here all the time with friends, and the food is always top notch. Sitting down below in the wine cellar-like atmosphere is awesome. The food and service are always a hit, it is a little pricey, but you pay for what you get, and you sure have a great time.