Contessa is a beautiful restaurant started by one of the most well known restaurant groups. I went here two years ago and had an incredibly experience and have had the opportunity to dine at Carbone in NYC which was equally amazing. I decided to go back to Contessa the other night for a late dinner and booked a 9:45 reservation. One thing to note is that I thought the kitchen would close at 11 but it apparently closes at 10 but it doesn't say this anywhere online. I was sat at a small table for two in a row of a bunch of tiny tables squished together. Thankfully I was on the end because otherwise you literally cannot get out from the table because the tables are so close. I feel like the views here are amazing but if you aren't close to a window it is very crammed. The first thing that got my attention was our server. I don't know why but our server never introduced himself, never asked how we were doing, and was overall really weird and cold. We got drinks and then ordered oysters to start because we weren't ready for the other food, but he told us we don't have much time to make a decision on food because the kitchen was closing soon. The way he said it was quite rude and I feel like if we showed up right before the kitchen closed he should have mentioned that to us. The oysters were fine but the sauce was a bit overwhelming and I wish it had come on the side. I do love the bread, cheese and olives that they serve to every table. I wouldn't get the oysters here they were okay. We ordered the rigatoni carbonara and the spicy lobster capellini. I have had the carbonara before and it's amazing and the lobster pasta was really good and tasted just how I would expect. The sauce was tomatoey and the flavors were great. If you are a huge lobster lover they really skimp on the lobster there's like 10 little bits in it for $47. The drinks here are great especially if you like espresso martinis. They are dark with the right amount of sweetness and reminded me of Carbone's espresso martini. Thankfully dessert was still available once the kitchen closed because I vividly remember how good their tiramisu/boston crème pie style dessert was and it was just as amazing. It comes with a lady finger but I wish it came with an extra one. It's such a creamy and decadent but still not too heavy dessert and I am so glad I could get it. Going back to our server, his name was Kevin E. which I saw on the receipt at the end of the night. The last time I went here my server was so friendly and nice and it felt like I was in a high end restaurant. I hate to be this person but my server was not nice and felt kind of rude and did not feel like I was in a nice restaurant. If you're spending almost $200 on a dinner for two I feel like the service should be top tier and it just wasn't. The only time he seemed friendly was when he was giving us the check. He really did not deserve the 18% tip we left (normally I would do 20 but it was terrible service). It was also strange because another table came after us and ordered food so the kitchen closing thing just felt kind of off. I would love to dine at Contessa again because the food here is really amazing on top of the nighttime views. Unfortunately though my experience this time was ruined by the server. If I came again I would specifically request to not have him because he made my experience uncomfortable and does not have what it takes to work in a more fine dining restaurant.
Kelly D.
This was the worst restaurant experience of my life. Manager Bill is rude and belligerent. I'm still in shock over how unprofessional his behavior was. You couldn't pay me to go back there. It is clear customer experience is NOT a priority for Contessa.
Robin H.
So many friends recommended Contessa that we had to fit it in to our short Boston stay. We opted for breakfast there and loved it! The space is stunning, from the gorgeous view over the Public Gardens to the beautiful tiled floor. We felt pampered as the service is good but not rushed and the food was delicious. One friend said her avocado toast was the best she'd ever had. The tomatoes tasted like summer tomatoes and it's only April. I had the frittata with pesto and avocado which was a treat. Creamy avocado sliced over an egg white frittata with just the right amount of pesto. Great way to start the day!
Rylee F.
Came here for brunch and was pleasantly surprised! It's very bright and open and has lots of nature lighting. Plus great view of the city. So because of it that I wasn't expecting much from the food. But it was very good! Very pricey (entrees around $22 & sides are $15 each) but delicious. Everything was cooked well and had great flavor.
Jaslean A.
Our waiter Daniel was AMAZING!!! We came here as our first stop on our Boston weekend and we were thrilled we came! The service was incredible. Daniel made us feel so welcome and went out of his way to make a list of his favorite places in the city for us to visit! The iced coffee and Benedict hit the spot! The vibes and aesthetic are beautiful here! This place is a MUST in Boston! Great brunch scenery!
Deshika B.
My god, I don't think I've ever had a better experience at any restaurant ever in my whole life! The waitstaff was phenomenal, and made sure I was well taken care of! The restaurant was immaculately decorated, and the views from the rooftop were to die for! Although pricey, my food was worth every single dollar. I would've paid twice as much for my pasta. Even the bread basket (which included fresh baked bread, an assortment of olives, and cheeses drizzled in balsamic vinaigrette). I was so relaxed, comfortable, and felt like I could have stayed there eating and drinking all day! Can't wait to come back!
V N.
Food: their menu is very minimal so there's not a whole ton, but it's rather small portions with simple ingredients but rich flavors. It's nothing over the top but I really did enjoy my Bolognese. Service: Dan was really nice and he had such a great presentation and letting us know what's on the menu and treating my friend on her birthday. Other staff was also attentive as well. Ambiance: it's a rooftop restaurant with very bright natural lighting and I highly recommend going during brunch hour or even a nightly time when you can see all the skyscraper and towers. Location accommodation: it's located inside hotel where you can possibly valet or even side park on Newberry Street. I highly recommend getting a reservation as this place gets booked in advance for two weeks.
Amisha S.
One of the best dinings experiences I have ever had. I loved the vibe, the decor, and the ambiance. The views are just breathtaking. The food was pretty good, but it's the overall experience that really made the night! The service was truly exceptional. They kept our glasses full and gave great recommendations! A wonderful place to celebrate!
Andrew F.
Very good Italian food. Did it blow my socks off? No but that's ok. We got everything from the calamari to multiple pastas to the squash carpaccio to the veal Milanese. The scene was kind of weird but maybe that's just Boston. Lot of short king nerds. The space was beautiful. The staff overall were very friendly. The food came out almost too quick. I would come back again.
Kaitlena C.
Everything was pretty cool except for the fake plants in a green house restaurant. If I'm going to be paying that much money i expect a real bush in my face.
Food 10/10 ambiance 10/10. Pricey but soo delicious. Service 10/10. Would highly recommend fora date night, or just small get together.
Kim P
Beautiful restaurant. Really subpar food. They’re getting away with a lot on atmosphere. Wait staff is great. Gamification of reservations. Good times open up day of, but you can only change times until noon and you can’t call anyone to make or change reservations. It’s all online.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 3
Nick Puleio
This is my first and only food review that I have ever made and that’s telling you something. Went here for Easter brunch, the size of the portions were incredibly lacking, our waiter barely checked in on us and seemed like he was trying to rush us. Not only that but the food was incredibly tasteless. I would rather go to the 99, atleast there food has taste.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Saul O.
We gather here for a birthday party, as we enter you'll be delighted on the art and pictures hanging on the wall, as we proceed to ask for our reservation, we were sat on the very first table, where it was extremely crowded, I've ask politely if we could be moved to a quieter seating area, however the staff is not Welcoming, just a bit cold of an attitude. Anyhow we Order many items on the menu, to which we were recommended, our waiter was changed by a different person because he apparently had to go home even though we saw him waiting on other tables the entire time we were there, (confused) I can only say the place looks nice but what's really nice is the view, the food was a 3 star. Our new waiter 5 star ( forgot he's name but all I remember he's from El Salvador, we order the Ribeye Tagliata with potatoes, wasn't impressed for $79 + 15 for Rosemary potatoes which were delighted, everything else was mediocre, good Drinks not going to lie, and the best part is the WATER, so if you order Sparkling water you can't share it with anybody because if you do they will be charged $8 and you will be charged $8 (again I was confused) basically nobody can drink your Sparkling water but you, but you can share everything else ! it's a one and done for me and my friends, but I do still like to say come in for your own personal experience.
Iris H.
Ambiance: the location is great- you'll get a nice view of the city (if you are lucky to get a nice table and not the one located in the entrance where all you see is the ppl coming in and out) We came here for a friend's birthday and since we've only heard good things about this place we were excited to check it out but after visiting I can't say I agree. Service: the host was ok welcoming us but really I did not felt welcome and our first waiter was not a little rude, aggressive and unfriendly to the point where he just refused to serve us anymore. The new waiter came in explaining that he needed to take over our table because our previous server had to go home lol- (while we kept seeing him serving other tables the whole time we were there). Our second server was nice and friendly. Food: the appetizers are better than the actual entrees - and honestly the quality of the food, amount of food served does not really justify the price. The drinks are good but I don't think the appetizers and drinks can convince me to comeback.
Contessa is a beautiful restaurant started by one of the most well known restaurant groups. I went here two years ago and had an incredibly experience and have had the opportunity to dine at Carbone in NYC which was equally amazing. I decided to go back to Contessa the other night for a late dinner and booked a 9:45 reservation. One thing to note is that I thought the kitchen would close at 11 but it apparently closes at 10 but it doesn't say this anywhere online. I was sat at a small table for two in a row of a bunch of tiny tables squished together. Thankfully I was on the end because otherwise you literally cannot get out from the table because the tables are so close. I feel like the views here are amazing but if you aren't close to a window it is very crammed. The first thing that got my attention was our server. I don't know why but our server never introduced himself, never asked how we were doing, and was overall really weird and cold. We got drinks and then ordered oysters to start because we weren't ready for the other food, but he told us we don't have much time to make a decision on food because the kitchen was closing soon. The way he said it was quite rude and I feel like if we showed up right before the kitchen closed he should have mentioned that to us. The oysters were fine but the sauce was a bit overwhelming and I wish it had come on the side. I do love the bread, cheese and olives that they serve to every table. I wouldn't get the oysters here they were okay. We ordered the rigatoni carbonara and the spicy lobster capellini. I have had the carbonara before and it's amazing and the lobster pasta was really good and tasted just how I would expect. The sauce was tomatoey and the flavors were great. If you are a huge lobster lover they really skimp on the lobster there's like 10 little bits in it for $47. The drinks here are great especially if you like espresso martinis. They are dark with the right amount of sweetness and reminded me of Carbone's espresso martini. Thankfully dessert was still available once the kitchen closed because I vividly remember how good their tiramisu/boston crème pie style dessert was and it was just as amazing. It comes with a lady finger but I wish it came with an extra one. It's such a creamy and decadent but still not too heavy dessert and I am so glad I could get it. Going back to our server, his name was Kevin E. which I saw on the receipt at the end of the night. The last time I went here my server was so friendly and nice and it felt like I was in a high end restaurant. I hate to be this person but my server was not nice and felt kind of rude and did not feel like I was in a nice restaurant. If you're spending almost $200 on a dinner for two I feel like the service should be top tier and it just wasn't. The only time he seemed friendly was when he was giving us the check. He really did not deserve the 18% tip we left (normally I would do 20 but it was terrible service). It was also strange because another table came after us and ordered food so the kitchen closing thing just felt kind of off. I would love to dine at Contessa again because the food here is really amazing on top of the nighttime views. Unfortunately though my experience this time was ruined by the server. If I came again I would specifically request to not have him because he made my experience uncomfortable and does not have what it takes to work in a more fine dining restaurant.
This was the worst restaurant experience of my life. Manager Bill is rude and belligerent. I'm still in shock over how unprofessional his behavior was. You couldn't pay me to go back there. It is clear customer experience is NOT a priority for Contessa.
So many friends recommended Contessa that we had to fit it in to our short Boston stay. We opted for breakfast there and loved it! The space is stunning, from the gorgeous view over the Public Gardens to the beautiful tiled floor. We felt pampered as the service is good but not rushed and the food was delicious. One friend said her avocado toast was the best she'd ever had. The tomatoes tasted like summer tomatoes and it's only April. I had the frittata with pesto and avocado which was a treat. Creamy avocado sliced over an egg white frittata with just the right amount of pesto. Great way to start the day!
Came here for brunch and was pleasantly surprised! It's very bright and open and has lots of nature lighting. Plus great view of the city. So because of it that I wasn't expecting much from the food. But it was very good! Very pricey (entrees around $22 & sides are $15 each) but delicious. Everything was cooked well and had great flavor.
Our waiter Daniel was AMAZING!!! We came here as our first stop on our Boston weekend and we were thrilled we came! The service was incredible. Daniel made us feel so welcome and went out of his way to make a list of his favorite places in the city for us to visit! The iced coffee and Benedict hit the spot! The vibes and aesthetic are beautiful here! This place is a MUST in Boston! Great brunch scenery!
My god, I don't think I've ever had a better experience at any restaurant ever in my whole life! The waitstaff was phenomenal, and made sure I was well taken care of! The restaurant was immaculately decorated, and the views from the rooftop were to die for! Although pricey, my food was worth every single dollar. I would've paid twice as much for my pasta. Even the bread basket (which included fresh baked bread, an assortment of olives, and cheeses drizzled in balsamic vinaigrette). I was so relaxed, comfortable, and felt like I could have stayed there eating and drinking all day! Can't wait to come back!
Food: their menu is very minimal so there's not a whole ton, but it's rather small portions with simple ingredients but rich flavors. It's nothing over the top but I really did enjoy my Bolognese. Service: Dan was really nice and he had such a great presentation and letting us know what's on the menu and treating my friend on her birthday. Other staff was also attentive as well. Ambiance: it's a rooftop restaurant with very bright natural lighting and I highly recommend going during brunch hour or even a nightly time when you can see all the skyscraper and towers. Location accommodation: it's located inside hotel where you can possibly valet or even side park on Newberry Street. I highly recommend getting a reservation as this place gets booked in advance for two weeks.
One of the best dinings experiences I have ever had. I loved the vibe, the decor, and the ambiance. The views are just breathtaking. The food was pretty good, but it's the overall experience that really made the night! The service was truly exceptional. They kept our glasses full and gave great recommendations! A wonderful place to celebrate!
Very good Italian food. Did it blow my socks off? No but that's ok. We got everything from the calamari to multiple pastas to the squash carpaccio to the veal Milanese. The scene was kind of weird but maybe that's just Boston. Lot of short king nerds. The space was beautiful. The staff overall were very friendly. The food came out almost too quick. I would come back again.
Everything was pretty cool except for the fake plants in a green house restaurant. If I'm going to be paying that much money i expect a real bush in my face.
Restaurantji Recommends
Food 10/10 ambiance 10/10. Pricey but soo delicious. Service 10/10. Would highly recommend fora date night, or just small get together.
Beautiful restaurant. Really subpar food. They’re getting away with a lot on atmosphere. Wait staff is great. Gamification of reservations. Good times open up day of, but you can only change times until noon and you can’t call anyone to make or change reservations. It’s all online.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 3
This is my first and only food review that I have ever made and that’s telling you something. Went here for Easter brunch, the size of the portions were incredibly lacking, our waiter barely checked in on us and seemed like he was trying to rush us. Not only that but the food was incredibly tasteless. I would rather go to the 99, atleast there food has taste.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
We gather here for a birthday party, as we enter you'll be delighted on the art and pictures hanging on the wall, as we proceed to ask for our reservation, we were sat on the very first table, where it was extremely crowded, I've ask politely if we could be moved to a quieter seating area, however the staff is not Welcoming, just a bit cold of an attitude. Anyhow we Order many items on the menu, to which we were recommended, our waiter was changed by a different person because he apparently had to go home even though we saw him waiting on other tables the entire time we were there, (confused) I can only say the place looks nice but what's really nice is the view, the food was a 3 star. Our new waiter 5 star ( forgot he's name but all I remember he's from El Salvador, we order the Ribeye Tagliata with potatoes, wasn't impressed for $79 + 15 for Rosemary potatoes which were delighted, everything else was mediocre, good Drinks not going to lie, and the best part is the WATER, so if you order Sparkling water you can't share it with anybody because if you do they will be charged $8 and you will be charged $8 (again I was confused) basically nobody can drink your Sparkling water but you, but you can share everything else ! it's a one and done for me and my friends, but I do still like to say come in for your own personal experience.
Ambiance: the location is great- you'll get a nice view of the city (if you are lucky to get a nice table and not the one located in the entrance where all you see is the ppl coming in and out) We came here for a friend's birthday and since we've only heard good things about this place we were excited to check it out but after visiting I can't say I agree. Service: the host was ok welcoming us but really I did not felt welcome and our first waiter was not a little rude, aggressive and unfriendly to the point where he just refused to serve us anymore. The new waiter came in explaining that he needed to take over our table because our previous server had to go home lol- (while we kept seeing him serving other tables the whole time we were there). Our second server was nice and friendly. Food: the appetizers are better than the actual entrees - and honestly the quality of the food, amount of food served does not really justify the price. The drinks are good but I don't think the appetizers and drinks can convince me to comeback.