Cinquecento

My girl friend and I came here fairly late on a Saturday night, around 9pm. Surprisingly the place wasn’t packed & we were seated in a corner. First of all, the food was excellent. We ordered the steam mussels app and the sauce was delicious. For our entrees, I ordered tagliatelle Bolognese and my friend ordered the potato gnocchi. Both had just the right amount of flavors. If this review was based on food alone, I’d give it a 5 stars.
SO the reason I’m giving this place 3 stars is because of the service. Our server was soooo slow and we felt like we were neglected in the corner. It took maybe a good 20 – 30 min before he finally came to take our order and (when we were done with our meal & my food had been packed up) to come give us our check. Also, when we went to the hostess stand to have our parking tickets validated, there was no one there. My friend & I stood there for maybe 5 minutes & no one came to acknowledge us even though I saw some of the servers hanging around look at us. My friend had to go over to one of the servers by the bar to tell them what we needed.
Would definitely come back but only if I was craving for the food.

I am glad that they took us here for wine tasting. This is our forth time and we really enjoy the food and the ambiance. Bruch is also pretty good too. Prices are a bit high but the food is good. They have a fix brunch menu on Saturdays (till 3) and Sundays (till 11) for around12 $

This review is for the private party room at Cinquecento. My company had a party for our employees and their spouses about a week ago. We were in the room off of the main entrance, which is a bit on the small side. We had 60 people squeeze in there and it actually worked out quite well. Our party planners worked with the event coordinator (Christina) and they said that she was great to work with and her staff did a great job making sure that our party was a success. The bar that’s in the room is tiny, but our bartenders (Chris & Gigi) did a great job. I know we made them work hard, but they went out of their way to make any drinks we asked for and the cocktails were perfect! The buffet had a lot of delicious food. I will be back to check out their dinner menu.

Came in for brunch for 4 people. Everything was delicious. We had the ricotta fritters to start. Between the group we had the zucchini frittata, bolognese, oilio spaghetti, polenta poached eggs and the ham and fried eggs. They did half portions of the pasta if you asked for it. I had the polenta and it was the best dish I’ve had in a long time! I was worried about the truffles but it was So amazingly balanced. One person in our party didn’t get her food with the rest of us. It wasn’t a huge deal, it eventually came out. However, our server went above and beyond. She comped us a chocolate cake and a pannacotta. Amazing. We were happy with our service and meal.

Disappointment doesn’t sum up the way I feel about our recent experience at Cinquecento. We returned because we had a great brunch a couple months ago, but it really seems like we dined at a completely different restaurant. I don’t honestly have the energy to review all of the abysmal details that we experienced tonight, but the service and operational deficiencies were the worst I have ever experienced. Apparently, according to the service staff, issues at this level have not happened before, but if I were you,
I would consider other restaurants before deciding on Cinquecento.

Came here Friday night at 6 pm without a reservation. They immediately turned us away saying they were completely booked and we’d either have to wait until 8:45 or try our seating at the bar. For some reason everybody at the bar decided to sit with 1 seat in between them so there wasn’t any space for my gf and I.
I was a little bewildered because the entire restaurant had open tables galore. I guess they were booked up for reservations… but they were empty for a pretty long time. As my gf and I were about to walk out the host tells us he can seat us but we have to leave the table at 8 pm. That’s cool, at least we get a table.
Our server was very accommodating. He saw that we were the type of people that was very decisive and a little bit of a rush so everything was brought out in prompt fashion.
My gf and I got the yellow tail crudo, oysters, veal milanese and to finish off panna cotta.
Yellow tail crudo was quite delicious. The market fish changes every day but the flavors were nicely layered. My problem with the dish? I think I paid like 20 bucs for 3 pieces of sashimi. The oysters were really good too. They have little lemon preserves inside of the oysters and the contrast of flavors was a good change.
I’ve never had veal before so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Overall, it was pretty good. The veal came out with mushrooms and another green… they described it as something else on the menu but it looked like just broccoli. I don’t feel as though the vegetables offered anything to the dish. The veal was pretty heavy and the vegetables didn’t really round it out that well. Still good though.
Finally, salted caramel panna cotta. Real delicious, one of the better panna cotta’s I’ve had. Still not better than the one I had at TW Food but still really good.
Good experience here, maybe not enough to get me back. I might come back and try some pasta. Thanks again for seating me without a reservation even though throughout our 40 minute meal I don’t think I saw more than 2 of the tables that were reserved have people seated at them.

Fabulous roasted artichokes! The mushrooms, the Brussels sprouts, and especially the roasted carrots and parsnips were delicious. The Panna cotta was great. The scallops came fully cooked but still delicious. The place was pretty loud and is a bit difficult to hear your dinner companions unless you were right next to him but the atmosphere was great and the food is worth the walk from wherever. Parking is $ 7 outside the restaurant.

I am a big fan of this place, especially their brunch. I like to come in the summer on Sundays when you can sit outside and then you can go hang out at SoWa afterwards. I have not had a bad thing here … honestly. The french toast is supreme with their own fresh made ricotta. I recently had a ricotta fritter and it was perfect — crispy outside, cooked on the inside and somehow still tasted light. Considering the location and quality of the brunch, the price point was perfect.
Dinner was fantastic too but I think I much prefer their brunch. Definitely make a reservation — we did not once and we were sadly disappointed by the wait.

Food is amazing (I got the ravioli) great service, great location, the ambience is nice and the restaurant was beautiful. Glad I stopped by here while I was in Boston. Recommend you bring your friends here!

This was my second time coming here and it was all because my first experience was simply amazing but after my second visit, I am not sure I will be returning here again.
After making our reservation for a Thursday night, as always, we were nicely greeted and seated within minutes. I would have to say that the service we received similar to last time was simply amazing. The food however was another story.
When dining here, clearly the ambiance, service and prices would make you think that the food should simply be as good as the rest. Not for us.
We left being unhappy and for the price, it was definitely not worth it.
I ordered what everyone raves about, the famous pasta Bolognese. I’m not sure if it was my luck but the taste was simply bland, boring and definitely not Ala dente like many would describe. The sauce was too watery for my liking. As for my girlfriends ½ roasted chicken, we were even more upset because we had tried this dish before and had loved it. This time however the chicken wasn’t fully cooked and my girlfriend left the rest of her food untouched. We really wanted to complain to our waiter about it but we knew it wasn’t his fault and we were also celebrating a birthday which was another reason we just accepted what they offered us.
As I said and will say again, we loved everything about this restaurant but the food let us down and since it was a special occasion for us, we left without saying anything and leaving unhappy.
After all, no one would like to spend $ 100-​$ 120 for two people and leave unsatisfied. It’s too bad because we really wanted to like this restaurant.

My brother and I held a party in Cinquencento’s private room on the first floor and worked with the event director, Christina. She was amazing, from answering my millions of questions, to remembering everything I asked for, to helping me set up & handling everything on the day of the party like a professional.
The food, service, and whole event was perfect. The staff we had was amazing too — they were friendly, quick to accommodate anything our guests asked for, and really a pleasure to work with. Super impressed with everything and would definitely hold another event there!

We went for Brunch at midday on a Sunday. We were seated right away, but it did take a while for our server to show up. The atmosphere was really nice. It was industrial, but managed not to feel cold. The light coming in from the front and back of the restaurant kept the place well lit. We were seated in an awkward area where waiters passed by often, but there was enough space so it worked out. There was a ton of seating in different little areas, so I imagine the feel could be significantly different depending on where you sit.
We ordered a couple of their cocktails. I got the Arancia Frizzante which was delicious. It has a very strong fruity flavor, so the alcohol was masked. I would definitely order it again, but probably only one at a time. My husband got the Bitter Hottie, which he thought did not have enough of a beer taste. The sriracha and bitters came through, so if you like that, it may be a good drink.
I had the eggs and parma cotto. It reminded me of cream chipped beef, but a little less salty. The spinach on the dish was negligible, which was a pleasant surprise for me. The cream was so delicious, I wanted to eat all of it. I managed to do just that by dipping the charred toast that came with the dish. The eggs were cooked well and the yolk added a distinct flavor to the dish that made it unique. My husband had the fennel sausage and provolone omelet. He thought it was just normal for an omelet and had a lot of mushrooms.
We overall had a very good time. My meal was more successful than my husband’s but there were other things on the menu that he wanted to try so he would go back again. I want to go again and try the ricotta fritters.

Bottom Line: I’m coming back to try the dinner menu!
We enjoyed Cinquecento almost entirely to ourselves on a Saturday afternoon at 2:45, just catching the tail end of the brunch menu. We had the pleasure of a corner booth, which is perfect for getting cozy with your honey without, god forbid, being judged as one of them «same-​side-​sitters.»
Neither of us were particularly enticed by the brunch prix fixe and both ended up getting pastas. I almost didn’t try the tagliatte alla bolognese because I had seen a review saying that it was «good, not great» but boy, am I glad I stuck with my guns – I thought it was pretty fantastic!
The bolognese was tomato-​y, meaty, hearty, sweet, savory, flavorful, delicious. The tagliatelle had the texture I was hoping for – tagliatelle in general is not super chewy but it had the right amount of bite to it. There was also a nice amount of nutty-​sharp-​parmesan-​cheesiness to the flavor profile.
My boyfriend ordered the carbonara and was a happy camper. I personally felt the carbonara was too firm and too peppery, but he loved it.
For me personally, the brunch menu was not the most exhilarating and lacked the wow-​I-​want-​everything factor, but luckily, the one thing I did want turned out super yummy.
I’m ready to come back for dinner!
[Update: 11/​23/​15] So I have since come back for dinner, in fact, I’ve returned so many times that the front of house recognized my boyfriend and I on our most recent visit. The only thing on the dinner menu that wow-​ed us as much as our original favorites – the bolognese (mine) and carbonara (his) – is the cream of mushroom soup (zuppa di funghi).
We also tried the gnocchi with braised wild boar and fettuccini al funghi e tartufi but both were just «meh» and we wouldn’t order them again.
A «pro» for dinner is that the complimentary bread is from Iggy’s, aka it’s yummy!
A «con» for dinner is that my same beloved bolognese jumps from $ 17.25 to $ 25.50 even though I confirmed with our waiter that it’s the same exact portion size! That’s pretty off-​putting because $ 8.25 is a significant price increase!
(The actual) Bottom line: I’m going to be so bold as to say that this is the best bolognese in Boston, but get it for brunch, not dinner!

I was visiting SOWA market on a Sunday when my husband, mom, and I were hungry and looking for a good place for lunch. My husband marched right in here, and although I was a bit hesitant because it looked expensive, it wasn’t actually too bad cost-​wise. They were only serving brunch, but I imagine for dinner it would be much more expensive.
Overall, I thought this was a nice restaurant for brunch, and our waiter was super friendly. We ordered from the pre-​fixe menu, which when it arrived was actually a very small portion and I was still hungry after eating here. The food was really tasty though, and I enjoyed my coffee, fig french toast, and italian fried dough thing. If you are really hungry, you would definitely get a bigger portion by ordering off of their regular menu. Luckily for me, I was able to get rid of my still hungry stomach with doughnuts from Union Square donuts at the market. Yum!
The décor is very sophisticated, young, hip, city chic. This would be a fun place to go for drinks and appetizers at night based on the atmosphere and prices.

Went here with a couple of friends to grab a bite to eat on a week night. The weather was great out and we had a reservation, so we were able to grab a table out on the patio.
To start off the meal, we decided to get an order of the carpaccio, burrata, and the famed bolognese.
The carpaccio was really fantastic and paired nicely with the parmigiano cheese and grilled bread. The portion was also a good size and was easily split among the three of us.
The burrata was also very good and was great to try with the pistachio butter, fennel, and fig. I wish they would have included some grilled bread with this dish, but it went well with the restaurant bread as well.
The favorite dish of the night had to be the bolognese. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce was so meaty and rich – it really hit the spot. It was a great dish to split between the three of us since it was so rich and is definitely one you should not pass up.
For our meals, we all decided to go with the chicken after hearing all the rave reviews from friends. The chicken was very moist and flavorful and had a nice spice to it. The kale and peppers also were quite tasty – needless to say, I cleaned my dish.
To finish the meal, we decided to split the tiramisu. It was a very classic preparation and though it wasn’t the best tiramisu I’ve ever had, it was a nice, sweet finish to a great meal.
Overall, we enjoyed a great dinner on the patio. The food was delicious and came out quickly and the service was very friendly. Definitely worth checking out for dinner in the South End.

I honestly expected better tasting food for all of the hype that’s been built up for this place. I went with a group of ladies for a birthday dinner and it was everyone’s first time there, so we were all excited. The service and ambiance were really great – I just wish the food were more on par.
Dear Cinquecento, I’d be willing to give you another try, but I need some space right now.

I’ve only had brunch here, but I enjoyed my food both times. They have a pretty good brunch prix fixe that comes with juice, tea/​coffee, ricotta fritter, and a choice of mail dish. I’ve had the omelette and it was nicely cooked, with fresh tasting ingredients. I also highly recommend their pastry basket because it comes with a lot of different breads and they all pretty good.
I like that they have a good spread of egg dishes, brunch foods, and even pasta if that’s what you’re craving. The seating is also open, with lots of light and space so it’s a nice atmosphere. The service is also really friendly and fast.
Only downside is that it’s not really convenient to get here — I always had to über. However, it’s close to SOWA market so it’s nice to walk around after. Also, it’s always been easy to make reservations via opentable so that’s also a plus!

Cinquecento provided a pleasant dining experience on a pleasant Saturday afternoon. My boyfriend and I sat outside and enjoyed the summer breeze while the staff seemed to be setting up for a large party. Even though they were busy, our host and waitress were both extremely attentive.
I was eyeing their prix frixe menu for awhile, but ultimately decided I wanted a hefty portion of carbs. My bucatini carbonara was good – the sauce thick and creamy, but it got a bit overwhelming towards the end of the meal. The peppercorn flavor came out well and the pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente, but I couldn’t finish the last couple of bites. My boyfriend enjoyed his italian panini, which came with a large arugula salad.
Prices for brunch were reasonable, even more so for the prix fixe. I would come back and order the prix fixe menu for another brunch outing, but would try a different pasta dish next time.

The restaurant is located in a less well-​traveled part of the South End, but the entrance and signage outside are very noticeable (and cute!).
I started with the kale salad which was good, if not slightly over-​dressed. I would generally prefer smaller than full entrée portions of pasta and was pleased that they do an appetizer size of pasta (all of them!) so I ordered the bucatini carbonara. The carbonara was a disappointment as the sauce pretty much had no flavor — the sauce was thin and mostly tasted like the water the pasta had been cooked in. The only saving grace was the pancetta which provided some flavor to the dish. I’m not a dessert person but I was so underwhelmed by the bucatini, I couldn’t end on that so we ordered the tiramisu. The tiramisu was a winner!
The tiramisu was the best thing I had, followed by the kale salad. They have an extensive menu of pastas and meats and I can only hope those other dishes are better than the bucatini I had.

Some places exceed in food, other places in drinks or service. This place did a number on all 3
Service: 5 stars
Our server Robert was great. He was friendly, personable and gave us great recommendations on our charcuterie which I’ll get into. Recommended a nice wine for our friend, and overall was perfectly pleasant, great on timing and seriously. Perfect. Hats off here
Food: 4 stars
I got the Crab Risotto $ 28.75 — which gave me mixed feelings. I loved the execution of the risotto itself, nice and creamy and starchy, well stirred in the execution of building flavors — a nice depth in that — but I couldn’t find the crab! I was hoping for some mouth– watering Maine crab, built into that risotto flavor and some nice chunks of deliciousness but it lacked there.
Partner got the Seabass — although a small plate it was done well. He never eats the skin, but it was so perfectly flakey and crispy that he even ate the skin. Mushrooms were a nice touch too
Charcuteri — prosciutto makes it so hard for me to give up eating pork. this one was really good and fresh. I also fully enjoyed the Pecorino Tartufo that Robert recommended — I could seriously eat that every day. Such a nice flavor, perfect to pair with prosciutto
Drinks
I got the Armonia since I’m a whiskey gal. Great flavor, and packed a little punch. I’m starting to notice some nice cocktails in Boston!
overall — I think this is a beautiful place for date night, night out with friends or even a group company dinner. Service was amazing, and I don’t find that you’ll be disappointed with the food.