La Motta’s

Very good Italian food! Everything was wonderful. My faves… the chicken Parmesan, the pizza, & the tiramisu. Very attentive service & attractive décor. We really enjoyed our experience here. We’ll be back!

Went to this place after we got some pretty bad service at another place down the street! The place is pretty casual, great spot for date night with your partner or first encounters.
Food was well cooked and very filling! I had the Alfredo dish and it was tasty :)
We also had a wicked good dessert after dinner it was a flavorful warmed cookie on a skillet! It will definitely fulfill your sweet tooth!
Dancho heard our bad experience and gave us the awesome desert!
The only thing we ordered a whole bottle of wine but the my don’t put it in an ice bucket. Other than that it was a great night that started shitty!
Can wait to go back and try other things on the menu!

Wow what a great place!
I was told by a friend of mine in the restaurant biz that Jeff Gates, Matt Burns and Seth Woods had opened up a new place in the south end where the old Union Bar Grill used to be, I’ve enjoyed going to their other properties so I figured I’d get an old college buddy of mine and go check it out.
We walked in and I was immediately impressed with the attention to detail of the décor! I had to keep reminding myself this is a new place due to the décor being so old school with the tin ceilings, old photographs, and old school ceiling fans! Had a really welcoming feel to it!
I was greeted immediately and let them know I was a walk in looking for seating for two. I was told it would be a short wait as the place did seem very busy. The bartender must have over heard us and very graciously was able to arrange two seats at the busy bar. It was a cold night and we were feeling like a whiskey or a bourbon. The bartender said I make a heck of a Manhattan How bought one of those? I said sure why not. Now here’s where I knew we had a real guy. He asked would you like it shaken or stirred, on the rocks or straight up, and sweet, dry, or perfect! Ok those in the know, know the sweet Manhattan is usually but not always made with American or Canadian Rye whiskey and sweet vermouth, the dry has dry vermouth, and the perfect has equal parts both, (I’ve seen many a self proclaimed Mixologist stumble on that one) We both got stirred sweet manhattans and let me tell you they were exactly what the Dr. ordered! I addition to the drinks being great the showmanship during the creative process was excellent and appreciated!
The lovely Hostess came over and walked us to a window table. My thoughts on the dining area was that it well though out, lit properly, the heat/​ac were just right, in addition the noise level was what I would call a medium with a good hint of background music, and the aroma in the air was a cross between pancetta and garlic. All small points but things I tend to notice in the back of my head. So the stage was properly set.
The server was right there and had a friendly casual smile and feel to his demeanor. He made a couple great suggestions on the menu and wine list.
We got a medium priced Chianti which the server suggested I thin it was ⁵⁰⁄₆₀ bucks or so and for the life of me cant remember the name but was excellent and properly presented.
We ordered Deviled Eggs with Sicilian Tuna (huge hit !!!) and The Crostini Toscani (chicken liver pâté! also well received)
Then I got the Orecchiette with sweet Italian sausage, and my buddy got THE FRIED PORK CHOP!!!
Ok the Orecchiette pasta was perfectly cooked Al Dente. The flavor was sweet creamy and buttery with there being plenty of sausage for bit! Perfect dish for the cold evening.
My boys FRIED PORK CHOP!!! was awesome! Not only was the outside a crispy crunchy bacon like delight, the meat beneath was as juicy and flavorful as anything I’ve had anywhere! very very good dish!!!
We finished off with coffee and Tawny port!
Gotta tell you, this was about as good a restaurant experience as I’ve ever had here in Boston, and I highly recommend a visit. Since my first visit I have been back several times, and its become more and more popular so I definitely recommend getting a reservation and getting there a little early, (don’t worry about parking they have valet) I am sure the bartender will be able to make you a Manhattan to your liking while you wait for your table!

On the permanent resource list, La Motta —
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had wonderful ambience. With tin ceilings, antique lighting, booths, a nice bar and
room that can hold a private party this restaurant is worth the stop.
Prices are reasonable and service was helpful and friendly. Simple tasty cuisine.
We had the Crispy Brussels Sprouts Truffle Pecorino & Toasted Sesame appetizer that was very tasty @ $ 11.95. Then went on to a traditional meal of Chicken Parm @ $ 19.95. It was pounded very flat and nice and crispy with loads of cheese, linguine and of course a great red sauce. Tiramisu was also a very nice treat.

I’m pretty surprised at all the bad reviews as our experience was great. Although we didn’t have a full meal; only two drinks (wine and a fig Manhattan) and an app, (octopus, omg get this!) the experience was good enough to warrant a future trip back. When a new place opens we have a rule of trying the bar and then going back for a table to test things out. The host and bartenders were nice and knowledgeable and the décor looks fantastic. Go enjoy this welcome addition to the south end and Aquitaine Group!

First and foremost, Kenny is a consummate FOH employee. Eloquent, non-​intrusive, engaging, and knowledgeable of the rotating menu. Keep killing it, Kenny — your focus and professionalism took this experience to five-​star status.
Second, the atmosphere may be polarizing (based on other reviews), but I found it nothing but welcoming. Rustic (is that a mechanical ceiling fan? Yes, yes it is), busy, distressed and disheveled in the intentional design, the décor, sliding doors, lighting, split dining room — even the flatware — conveyed warmth and a welcoming come-​hitherto.
Third, the cocktails ($ 11 – 13) are mostly balanced classics with signature surprises. The Last Word features a bit of amaretto, the Manhattan is sweetened with fig purée, the Paloma sports a spot of cayenne. And yes, that IS house infused sriracha pickle brine in the Hot & Dirty vodka martini. Preggo wife gave two beaming thumbs up to her Spicy Pom Fizz mocktail, and the father-​in-​law enjoyed a heavy pour on his glass of red. Kudos to the bar and somm!
The best for last? I’ve eaten at every Aquitaine Group restaurant and I can say this experience nestles La Motta’s at the top of their charts. From the creamy, garlicky Baccala Mantecato and charred octopus with pickled red onions and soppresata to the final bites of sweet and salty chocolate Italian ice, almost every dish hit universal highs around the table. My Fettucini ($ 25) came loaded with braised duck, and deep Luxardo cherry cut by fermented mustard seed. Still a shade on the sweet side, the dish still sung (briefly; I devoured my entrée). Chef even accommodated her request for a half portion of the Wild Boar Bolognese, although at the rate that bad boy disappeared, the full portion could have been handled with aplomb.
Such a welcome addition to the South End, and still cruising under the radar — reservations only available on the website or by (gasp!) calling the restaurant!

A group of 6 of us met here for New Years Eve dinner. The ambience was really cozy, perfect for a chilly night. The cocktail list and wine list were interesting and the food was really good. The sides were especially memorable but we all got a variety of dishes (pizza, short rib, pasta) and we’re all equally satisfied. The portions were hearty and, best of all, everything was really reasonably priced. 6 meals, 2 appetizers, 3 bottles of wine and 3 cocktails came in at less than $ 50 per person, which was perfect for a celebratory dinner.

My fiancé and I came here a few days before Christmas to get dinner. We arrived early and were promptly seated at a nice table by the window. Our server, Matt (and another man he was training whose name I cannot remember) explained the wine special they were offering that night. It sounded delicious so we got the bottle, and were not disappointed! Having never been here before we asked for tips on what to order. I always trust the staff’s opinion at restaurants so we went with Matt’s recommendations.
To start off we got the crostini toscani, which was an absolute delight! If you like liver you will enjoy this. The taste of liver mixed with the jam was delicious. Next we had the deviled eggs. These were a nice twist on a childhood favorite of mine. We also had the Giarniniera, a mix of freshly pickled vegetables. My fiancé enjoyed this so much that I barely got a bite to try for myself! The fried mozzarella was creamy and breaded, we finished the entire plate!
For dinner my fiancé got the Chicken Picatta and I got the Wild Bore Bolognese. The Cornish hen was moist and the broccoli rabe was fantastic. The Bolognese was by far the best I have ever had! Hearing «wild bore» I was hesitant, but it came highly recommended so I gave it a shot, and boy am I glad that I did! The dish was so good that I told my fiancé I wanted more as a Christmas gift! I’m not kidding, you must try it!
For dessert we got the hazelnut skillet cookie. It was much larger than we expected, but was so delicious that we ate the entire thing!
We were so impressed with the food here that we ordered the La Motta pizza to go. More of a thin crust styled pizza, with soppersetta and red onion. This was a delicious pizza! It would be an ideal pizza to order with a few drinks to have a little something before a night out in the city (already planning to do this with some girls next time we go out!).
Overall we were highly impressed. The staff was not only friendly and attentive but also able to give great recommendations that left us full and happy! The head Chef and sous chef were seen walking throughout the restaurant checking on customers, which is always a pleasure to see. The atmosphere of the restaurant was relaxed yet romantic. If you’re looking for a new restaurant to try I highly recommend!

I was a longtime regular of Union (since day one) and was sad to see it close. It was time, don’t get me wrong, but it was still the end of a good era. I was anxiously awaiting the opening of La Motta and liked the concept I kept hearing about – big red sauce, Italian-​American style. AND… I have to say, it hasn’t disappointed. I have been a total of five times since they’ve opened and the food has been consistently great.
The good: They’ve listened to customer feedback and made adjustments (i.e. you need pasta with certain dishes instead of charging $ 17 extra to order it a la carte, the meatball trio isn’t working, etc.). Recently I tried the Veal Marsala – which was excellent, moist, flavorful, great mushrooms, etc. The Chicken Piccata and Chicken Parmesan are amazing. The lasagna has quickly become a fave. We were here recently with friends and it was their first time and they raved about the Trout while none of us were fans of the Orecchiette, which was too overpowered with spicy chili. The space looks great and they’ve done a nice job on lighting and renovating the restaurant. Very different vibe from Union with tons of wood, old school lighting, etc. and may walk the line a little closely to the old Vinny Testa’s décor – if you remember that, but it’s successful. It’s very intimate and feels smaller than Union. So far the staff has been very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu — great job.
The bad: I don’t love the cocktail menu. Relies too heavily on herbal infusions and spice and lacks some clean flavors. Heavy on the rum and tequila – not giving up my vodka just yet! I also think the bar is way too small and is a missed opportunity. The South End has a huge bar crowd and I always prefer to sit at the bar for dinner… which is challenging given the small bar and odd set-​up with the host stand killing a bar seat. Prices on the whole seem a little off. Some items seem like bargains ($ 19.95 for a huge portion of great Chicken Parm is a relative steal) and then the rustic lasagna is $ 24.95 – which seems like $ 2 too high.
Overall, I am big fan and well on my way to becoming a regular.

I’ll keep this short and sweet and as objective as possible.
The pizza was surprisingly good. Too bad I won’t be back to eat it again.
Bottom line: if you want to pay a bunch of money to get treated like crap, this is your joint. Otherwise, go someplace else.
We were meeting some people for a farewell dinner. Supposed to be about 8 – 12, ended up being 7 after two had to leave and few cant-​make it’s. They held the extra tables for a while before they said anything, which we appreciated. That said, once they did say something they were not very polite in asking and asked repeatedly. We did the best we could to accommodate and gave the tables back so we wouldn’t hold them up any longer. When we did the waiter was very snippy and rude about it.
I ordered a drink and it was terrible. I jokingly was talking about how places try to make an «old fashioned» fancy and the waiter came back, said the drinks were made wrong and basically snatched it from me. It’s awkward sending it back and I normally try to give it a minute and give it a chance before I make judgement. Didn’t have that chance.
You figure they’d remake it and bring it back? NOPE! The guy didn’t even offer to get something else. Didn’t say two words to me the rest of the night. And you know it was on the bill when we got it!!!
He was a grade-​A douchebag to us the rest of the dinner. You could tell he knew it too because he came around pouring water with a condescending look, obviously trying to salvage his tip. Sorry Chief, too late.
Want to hear the kicker?: when he handed us our receipt back after we paid, he told us «just so you know, gratuity isn’t included…» Then acts like he didn’t know I never got a remade drink. 5 min later comes back and literally SLAMS an old fashion in from of me, says something like «for the road» and walks off…
Dude was such a passive aggressive douche my wife was almost in tears as we left…
Come on! Seriously?

I actually had a very nice meal here. The Squid is basically the same one that they have at their sister restaurant and it was excellent. The chicken parm was very tasty. The only issue here is the prices. 24 for the chicken parm and for a small side of Penne I had to pay an extra 5.50. So we are talking 30 dollars alone just for the Parm and a side of Pasta.
I realize that they spent alot of money on the renovations but this is sadly just too pricey of a place to visit regularly. Over 100 for one person is just too much for a night out. I am used to paying 25 for Veal Parm in the North end but again this was Chicken parm.
Service was fine.

Went here with the boyfriend and a couple of friends before heading to a holiday party. We had a reservation so we were able to be seated right away. The place is actually pretty big and we were lucky enough to be seated at a corner booth.
We were hungry, but didn’t want to fill up too much before the party so the boyfriend and I decided to split a couple of items.
Chopped salad (4 stars): This was a pretty good dish with good flavor. My only gripe is that there was wayyyy too much cheese, especially compared to the amount of salami in the salad.
Meatballs: To be honest, these were probably the most disappointing part of the night, especially after reading so many good things about them on Unilocal.The spicy pork meatballs (2 stars) were easily my least favorite as they didn’t have much flavor besides the cayenne pepper spice. The lamb and mint meatballs (2.5 stars) were better, but not great either. The traditional (3 stars) are probably your best bet, but even so I was very underwhelmed.
Chicken parmesan (4 stars): This dish was actually quite large and was easily split between my boyfriend and I. The breading was light and the chicken was moist. The main downside to this dish is that it just comes a la carte, so any pasta must be ordered extra.
I tried a couple of drinks during the dinner, with my favorite being the blood orange margarita. Some inventive ideas, but not as ‘wow’ed as I was hoping.
Overall, this space looks great and the wait staff could not have been friendlier. That being said, the food just didn’t hit the high marks I have become accustomed to by restaurants in the South End. With the pricing where it’s at, I expected this place to really knock it out of the park. However, the food was just okay and the flavors were just not sophisticated enough to compete with other options for Italian in the city.

We arrived at 6:30, hoping it was early enough to get a seat at a table or bar without a reservation. The hostess told us she expected the next table wouldn’t be available until 9:30. Thinking that was absurb, we gave her a cell number and went next door for a drink. Sure enough, at 7:30, a table opened up and we went over to eat.
The waiter was very nice, but not very knowledgeable about the menu. My friend asked for a recommendation of red wine and the waiter just suggested the most expensive glass, and then suggested a white. So no help there.
We ordered the cauliflower to start and that was pretty good. I ordered eggplant parm and my friend ordered the spaghetti with red sauce and basil, no cheese. My eggplant came out and the waiter informed us that the pasta order didn’t make it to the kitchen, but would be ready shortly. The pasta came out after 5 minutes, WITH CHEESE. It was sent back and 7 minutes later, it arrived again. At this point, my eggplant was cold, which was fine, b/​c her spaghetti literally tasted like it was topped with Ragu. We sent all the food back and while the manager offered us new dishes, we declined and went to eat elsewhere.
Honestly, half the price, you can go to Anchovies and get eggplant parm WITH pasta and salad for half the price. La Motta’s eggplant comes with nothing.
This place has a lot of kinks to work out, including fixing the WAY overpriced lackluster food.

Ticky-​tacky faux Italian décor. Poorly seasoned bread crumb ladened meatballs. Pizza passable if served at a sports bar.
Cocktails were inventive and tasty.
This place will never make it. Don’t waste your time or money here.

I went to La Motta tonight with a group of friends for a girls’ catch up night. We had all read the reviews and were excited to see what new concept the Aquitaine Group had come up with.
The atmosphere is very warm and inviting from the moment you walk in. I love the design and vibe of La Motta. It feels very different than Union Bar and Grille — although I do think they kept the same ceiling.
We found the service to be very good and prompt. Our waitress and the entire wait staff were very attentive. In particular, our waitress was great at telling us how to navigate the menu and good items to order for a group to share.
Our food was very tasty. We had the fried mozzarella and zucchini fritti to start. The fried mozzarella was yummy; however the zucchini was sort of dull — and got cold kind of quickly! We then had a mixture of all three meatballs: beef, pork & veal, and lamb. The meatballs were filling and the sauce was especially scrumptious (great for dipping the bread). Under «family recipes» we had the chicken parmigiana and the spaghetti & marinara — split amongst the four of us.
I want to note that we were disappointed with the «fast food» type containers for parmigiana cheese and red pepper flakes. It made us feel like we were at a pizza place grabbing a slice versus a relatively nice, Italian restaurant.
Overall, a great new addition to the Aquitaine Group and the choice of restaurants in the South End.

I went to La Motta last night with a group of six. I’m giving La Motta three stars in part because of the beautiful, tasteful (and 1 $M plus) makeover of the former Union space. Unfortunately, food and service are not the quality you’d expect at these prices or from a restaurant operated by the Aquataine Group.
The conceit behind La Motta is that it pays homage to the Italian-​American home cooking of «mid-​Twentieth Century» Federal Hill, Providence or Arthur Ave. in the Bronx (that’s from La Motta’s website). However, this is 2015, so this is also the same menu you’d find today at an Italian restaurant on a highway outside of Des Moines. It’s many of the old «red-​sauce joint» stand-​bys, only with premium South End prices.
But OK. I knew all that going in, and I’m willing to pay good money for simple dishes done well in a good looking space with a good crowd (the place was packed on a Saturday night).
The first problem is the amateur and, at times, incompetent service. I had to ask our server to clear plates; bring silverware (I’m not making this up); and bring serving utensils for the five appetizers we were sharing. Food and drinks weren’t brought out at the proper times. In short, this just wasn’t the kind of service I expect for $ 85 a person.
Then I had the first-​time experience of not being sure what I had ordered, even after I had ordered it. There was a «Scampi Aglio Olio» pasta on the menu (although not on the online menu). Scampi is a sauce. Aglio olio is a different sauce. Beneath that description was a further description of the dish with shrimp ($ 25) and without ($ 17). We finally decided that the restaurant must be using «scampi» loosely to mean shrimp. The waiter confirmed that the two pastas were the same, except for the shrimp. I ordered it with shrimp.
When my «scampi aglio olio» arrived, I had to get half way through it — and share a taste with an experienced chef at the table — to determine that it was a scampi sauce, not an aglio olio. More precisely, it was a watered down, «attempted scampi.» (Apparently, the menu lists two completely different dishes, a scampi and an aglio olio, under one heading.
I discussed the confusion with a manger, who said they would address the issue).
The food generally ran from very good to just OK. I would recommend the chopped salad with wet peppers appetizer. We ordered each of the three types of meatballs — I tasted the lamb and the pork/​veal, and those were very good — certainly try those. The fried calamari and the zucchini fritti appetizers, on the other hand, were no better than OK. The spaghetti in my scampi was nicely al dente and the shrimp were tasty, despite the under-​whelming sauce.
Overall, if you’re looking for an impressive space with some buzz, La Motta has that. But the food and service aren’t up to the standard one expects at these prices. La Motta just opened, so I’m willing to give it another try in a few months.

I was so excited to check out La Motta last night and prove all the other reviewers wrong. I scoped out the menu earlier in the day and was so eager to wolf down some calamari, arancini, and broccoli raab. I’m sorry to say I was more disappointed than impressed. I really wanted to love this place, and if you’ve seen my other reviews, you know I’m not one to dish out less than 3 or 4 stars. To be fair, I think all of the disappointments can be addressed, and I hope to return to an improved La Motta.
I’ll start with the positives: The host kindly sat us at 7pm on a Friday even though we accidentally missed our reservation time by 45 minutes. The décor is inventive and cozy — it’s like the rustic interior of a country house. Our server, Kenny, was extraordinarily friendly and pleasant. On to the drinks and food: The sriracha infused pickle juice and vodka cocktail was delish (if you’re into spicy drinks like I am). The wine selection was lovely — we enjoyed 2 reds from Sicily. The broccoli raab had a good balance of salt, pepper, and garlic, if slightly oily (but great for bread dipping!) The arancini were classic and tasty, crunchy and creamy. The bread is delicious — it’s from Iggy’s, which never disappoints — though I would have thought they would make their own Italian bread in house.
Now for the less spectacular aspects of our evening: Not once, not twice, but THREE times the waitstaff came over with dishes we didn’t order. It’s certainly excusable when it happens once, but by the third time we we convinced the servers didn’t have their act together. There is zero signage for the bathrooms, which just seemed odd. Unisex bathrooms are a fine idea, but it seems the doors should be labeled somehow — otherwise they could be doors to a closet or part of the kitchen. On to the food: The meatball was described as «classic,» but really it was basic and boring. The calamari was super crispy, but there wasn’t a lot of substance inside all that crisp, and there was no lemon wedge to squeeze on top (instead a thin lemon slice was breaded and fried with the other whispy pieces of squid). The bean soup was totally yummy, but we needed a fork and knife to cut the greens. The cauliflower was just blah. I was especially excited about this dish from the menu description, but it was not crunchy (where were the hot crumbs?), and there was a pile of capers and raisins lining the bottom of the bowl instead of integrating with the cauliflower.
I don’t usually voice my complaints at a restaurant because I don’t usually have so much to complain about. However, I didn’t want to write this review without letting the staff know about our experience. I mentioned the issues with the service to our server, and he sent over a manager, who apologized and offered to send out some aperitivos and dessert. We declined the dessert offer but accepted the limoncello. He sent out a couple of cannoli despite our polite no thanks. We decided to try it out of courtesy, and I’m shocked and saddened to report that it was the worst cannoli I had ever had! The filling lacked flavor and had more of a gummy than creamy texture. The shell was also tasteless and not flaky or crunchy. I know that I’m spoiled by North End cannoli, but these really have a long way to go. It was a nice gesture by the manager, but. sigh.
I hope La Motta sorts out the kinks in their service and menu, and I have faith that they can. They have a solid restaurant concept with a lovely setting and a truly nice staff. I look forward to giving them another chance in a few months and hopefully updating this review with more positive things to say!

Couldn’t wait to get on Unilocal and give this place an awesome review! I had an awesome experience at La Motta! I sat at the bar and was waited on by Tessie! She was awesome! She has wonderful recommendations for food and let me taste a few of the wines before I chose the Primitivo! She encouraged me to get the meatballs and I am so glad I did!!! The cauliflower was awesome too!
It’s a cute spot and great ambiance! Can’t wait to go back!

Not sure what everyone is up in arms about. We ordered a couple of smaller items… octopus was great and meatballs were even better. Followed it up with a La Motta pizza. The pizza is good, but not up to par with their neighbors at Picco.
I’m happy to see another semi casual restaurant with a solid bar open in the hood.

This place is pretty great. Came here & was excited because its a new spot in South End and after 4 years in the neighborhood almost it is hard to find new, reasonably priced restaurants.
The good things are that its quiet, easy to get a reservation, and the booths are comfy.