This place is amazing. Nice cozy little restaurant with fantastic food and better atmosphere. Everything on the menu is great. They were even able to happily accommodate a large party, hosting an entire girls basketball team and parents. So happy to have a place like this in town.
Deborah Ferris
We walked into this empty restaurant with only one table occupied for dessert and coffee. A very mean, rude waitress told us that we were not welcome to stay just for dessert. I will never go back there again !!
John Tomlin
After waiting over an hour for our dinner to be served my wife asked the waitress if there was a problem with our order. A few minutes later the chef came out and demanded to know what the problem was. He and the waitress were belligerent in our opinion. When the food finally came out mine was cold and my wife's was over cooked. Don't bother with this overrated place.
Axel Ringwood
Zab's is Ipswich's best high-end restaurant. Date night is perfect here, classic Italian food and very comforting. Definitely a spot where you don't want to rush through dinner, just sit back and enjoy the atmosphere.
Joseph Carlucci
Best food around. Service is outstanding. Mike is the very best chef. Fresh food, always served hot, a diamond.
Jake Allen
Unfortunately, the negative reviews are correct here so be warned if you have a family that doesn't stick by the book. I'm not sure how the chef still has the place in business with the attitude he has inside the kitchen and out.
Debbie Jaferian
Kim is amazing server. Attentive and kind. The food is very fresh and delicious.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Chicken, Caesar Salad
Lauren R
The owner, Mike Zabaglione seriously has a personality disorder. He is a mean-spirited lunatic. I've seen it myself, heard it from others who have been there, and most of his staff are no picnic either! This guy is a lunatic. He screams, yells, berates his customers, and loudly, sometimes ordering them out. This happened several months back, but I'm just getting a chance to do this now. If he had one bad day, I wouldn't bother, but the reports are multiple episodes over the years. Even though not directed at me, I've witnessed the behavior and heard him yelling at people on more than one occasion.I have also heard from employees about infestations of roaches and vermin, so I believe it to be true. I truly do not understand how he has managed to stay open. My advice would be to steer clear of the chaos and unstable vibes you may encounter. That's your treat for hefty prices and questionable food sanitation practices. Spend your money where the owner is kind, appreciates your business, hires kind waitstaff who realize that they work on tips, serves fresh food that is always stored properly, and food that is prepared well on a consistent basis. This is one of the rudest restaurant owner's I've yet to come across. There are so many places you can spend your money. My opinion is that you can find much better Italian restaurants-not in Ipswich, but there are other excellent choices. ?
Wow. I can't even write a review ... so dill. Comatose state. Love.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Richard A
Has been a favorite of ours for 25 years, Mike is the best!
Dietary restrictions: Mike will personally cater to everyone's dietary needs and requests.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Veal Saltimbocca, Eggplant Parmigiana, Caesar Salad
Steffan Fatheringham
Most expensive dinner of our visit to Massachusetts, and somehow the worst.Appetizer of Octopus and Squid burned until it tasted of carbon was shrugged off as “flame cooked”, as if caramelization and charcoal was a foreign concept to me. That took about a half hour to come out.Entrees took about an hour and couldn’t tell if it was left under a hot lamp or was just that soggy and hard when plated.Had to get up and track down the server for any updates on the food and they seemed insulted or bewildered that we would bother to ask for service, like water or checking in. Even a regular was at a loss watching this unfold next to her.I honestly am not sure if it was racism/bias or distaste for kids, but I’ve felt more welcome in foreign countries than here. Got put into a corner, ignored, charged without a look at the check, and even the 10 year old noticed multiple tables seated well after us served before us.Hell, even some locals were giving my wife grief when the kids needed some air. Idk what the hell was going on with this place.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Anne Marie
Dined here recently for the first time, what a hidden gem. Nice cozy atmosphere, Food was top notch, delicious, and huge portions. Waitress was excellent, very friendly and knowledgable. Highly recommend this place if you want real authentic Italian food. We will definitely be back.
Owner needs counseling!! Scary experience!!
Great food and great service
This place is amazing. Nice cozy little restaurant with fantastic food and better atmosphere. Everything on the menu is great.
They were even able to happily accommodate a large party, hosting an entire girls basketball team and parents.
So happy to have a place like this in town.
We walked into this empty restaurant with only one table occupied for dessert and coffee. A very mean, rude waitress told us that we were not welcome to stay just for dessert. I will never go back there again !!
After waiting over an hour for our dinner to be served my wife asked the waitress if there was a problem with our order. A few minutes later the chef came out and demanded to know what the problem was. He and the waitress were belligerent in our opinion. When the food finally came out mine was cold and my wife's was over cooked. Don't bother with this overrated place.
Zab's is Ipswich's best high-end restaurant. Date night is perfect here, classic Italian food and very comforting. Definitely a spot where you don't want to rush through dinner, just sit back and enjoy the atmosphere.
Best food around. Service is outstanding. Mike is the very best chef. Fresh food, always served hot, a diamond.
Unfortunately, the negative reviews are correct here so be warned if you have a family that doesn't stick by the book. I'm not sure how the chef still has the place in business with the attitude he has inside the kitchen and out.
Kim is amazing server. Attentive and kind. The food is very fresh and delicious.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Stuffed Chicken, Caesar Salad
The owner, Mike Zabaglione seriously has a personality disorder. He is a mean-spirited lunatic. I've seen it myself, heard it from others who have been there, and most of his staff are no picnic either! This guy is a lunatic. He screams, yells, berates his customers, and loudly, sometimes ordering them out. This happened several months back, but I'm just getting a chance to do this now. If he had one bad day, I wouldn't bother, but the reports are multiple episodes over the years. Even though not directed at me, I've witnessed the behavior and heard him yelling at people on more than one occasion.I have also heard from employees about infestations of roaches and vermin, so I believe it to be true. I truly do not understand how he has managed to stay open. My advice would be to steer clear of the chaos and unstable vibes you may encounter. That's your treat for hefty prices and questionable food sanitation practices. Spend your money where the owner is kind, appreciates your business, hires kind waitstaff who realize that they work on tips, serves fresh food that is always stored properly, and food that is prepared well on a consistent basis. This is one of the rudest restaurant owner's I've yet to come across. There are so many places you can spend your money. My opinion is that you can find much better Italian restaurants-not in Ipswich, but there are other excellent choices. ?
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Wow. I can't even write a review ... so dill. Comatose state. Love.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Has been a favorite of ours for 25 years, Mike is the best!
Dietary restrictions: Mike will personally cater to everyone's dietary needs and requests.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Veal Saltimbocca, Eggplant Parmigiana, Caesar Salad
Most expensive dinner of our visit to Massachusetts, and somehow the worst.Appetizer of Octopus and Squid burned until it tasted of carbon was shrugged off as “flame cooked”, as if caramelization and charcoal was a foreign concept to me. That took about a half hour to come out.Entrees took about an hour and couldn’t tell if it was left under a hot lamp or was just that soggy and hard when plated.Had to get up and track down the server for any updates on the food and they seemed insulted or bewildered that we would bother to ask for service, like water or checking in. Even a regular was at a loss watching this unfold next to her.I honestly am not sure if it was racism/bias or distaste for kids, but I’ve felt more welcome in foreign countries than here. Got put into a corner, ignored, charged without a look at the check, and even the 10 year old noticed multiple tables seated well after us served before us.Hell, even some locals were giving my wife grief when the kids needed some air. Idk what the hell was going on with this place.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Dined here recently for the first time, what a hidden gem. Nice cozy atmosphere, Food was top notch, delicious, and huge portions. Waitress was excellent, very friendly and knowledgable. Highly recommend this place if you want real authentic Italian food. We will definitely be back.
Food and the desserts are wonderful.
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