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
Steph R
So, this is my 4th time visiting this place, and honestly, I decided I'm not coming back here. Walked in, and it was like a ghost town – just two folks at the bar, and no action in the dining area. When I asked for bench seating, the waitress gave me attitude, blaming the owner's preferences. Not the warmest welcome.Then comes the fun part: ordering. Switching the pasta apparently costs an extra $4, and the waitress drops the bomb that the chef isn't a fan of substitutions. Mind you, the place is practically empty. Things got even weirder when the chef came out to eyeball us – major awkward vibes.Couldn't even finish my dinner, and that $4 upcharge for rigatoni felt like a slap in the face. Honestly, don't bother with this spot. There's a good reason why it's so deserted – save your money and find somewhere with better vibes, better service and better pasta. We literally left and drove toFox creek tavern to enjoy a dessert.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
Kevin R.
The owner can't cook. Even worse, he will get very sensitive and emotional when you don't like his terribly prepared food. The wait staff was great. I feel for them for having to work for a talentless hack who is also a mental midget. Terrible food. Terrible guy. I would avoid this place at all costs.
Michelle L.
I've been going to Zabaglione's for many years. We are friendly with the owner/chef and several of the staff. My fiance' and I frequent the restaurant A LOT! Food is very good. Service not so much. We went there Saturday, October 28, 2023. We sat at the bar as our usual. There were 2 other people at the bar as well and a few patrons at the tables. Christina was the bartender. We know her as well, we haven't seen each other in quite a while. All was good, we had a nice conversation with her and so forth. We ordered 2 appetizers. I piled up the dishes for her because that is what I do and I am a fellow bartender as well. She walks over and asked if we were ready to order and picked up the dishes and my fiance' said and I quote "when you get back we'll order." That's all he said. Well that must have pissed her off. When she came back, she was ignoring us and I said Christina we are ready to order and she says back "Well now I'm not because he's and ASSHOLE!" We were very confused because he didn't do anything. A couple of minutes go by and she comes over and I said, that was uncalled for, what did he do... Well it went downhill from there, with words exchanged back and forth between her and myself. We got the check and left and she said "I hope I never see your faces again". My fiance' and I were beside ourselves because we have no idea what set her off. He spoke to the owner and all he could say is well, I wasn't there to see what happened. Meanwhile, he came out of the kitchen and called her in the back and she wouldn't go and started talking in Greek. He never even came over to say hello, like he usually does.As a bartender, whether you like the customers or not, you serve them and walk away. You never call a customer an ASSHOLE! That would have called for immediate unemployment or suspension at any restaurant! NOPE - not here! We are still in disbelief, that this even happened. Not even an apology from the owner to my fiance'.
Karen G.
We visited last Saturday night (10/28/2023) for dinner at the bar and a few drinks. Unfortunately, the bartender MUST have been having a bad night. She actually yelled at the couple sitting next to us!! She called the man an "ASSHOLE". The owner did nothing! Who wants to go out and be treated like this?! Even if you don't like it... The customer is ALWAYS right! We certainly will not be back. We don't risk being the next to be treated so poorly by that bartender!
James Biskey
Great place for Italian cuisine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anne M.
Let me start by saying, after scrolling through some of these reviews, I find anyone who would leave a one star review for a restaurant at which they DID'T EAT, but solely had a negative interaction over the phone, with a saved table, etc - well, not my kind of people. I wish Yelp would allow me to filter out reviews centered around minutiae Now that we have that out of the way - my husband and I ended up here tonight unexpectedly and we are so glad that we did. My experience with the staff was the antithesis of what was described in some of the reviews - they were warm, attentive, accommodating and offered great advice. Bread service came promptly with a delicious red pepper infused oil and parmesan, and our drinks followed shortly thereafter (a glass of rose and beautifully dry Prosecco). We started with the grilled octopus and calamari - superb! Delicious char, cooked perfectly, and accompanied by a delicious light salad and toast with olive tapenade. Would absolutely order again!My husband ordered the lobster fra diavolo (and was aptly advised of the work associated with the dish - contrary to what was described by another reviewer). The seafood was cooked to perfect and the sauce had the perfect levels of spice, acidity and umami. He ate himself beyond the point of room for dessert, which is UNHEARD OF but the signs of a delicious dish.I had the veal saltimbocca and had every intention of wrapping up half the dish to bring home but.... I caved after five minutes and ate myself into oblivion. The sage, the richness of the veal, perfect saltiness of the prosciutto, tang of the fontina and white wine infused mushrooms were perfection. If I were forced to give one critique, the spaghetti might have been done every so slightly over my liking but in transparency my attentions were pretty exclusively on the veal anyway.All in all it was a stunning meal and wholly enjoyable. We are very glad we stumbled upon it and it is certainly at the top of our list next time we are in Ipswich.
Nick S.
Went back to this place after not having gone for 20 years. As a kid this used to be my favorite spot, and I was curious if the food still tasted the same. This visit did not disappoint. Keep in mind, traditional italian restaurants are not going to pamper you and make sure that all your life problems are resolved and that you feel like a king / queen upon leaving. This just isn't done in italy. It is however, done in america. This place will however give you a wonderful italian meal.We ordered the chicken broccoli ziti and the pasta with meatballs.Fresh pasta on both dishes, the meatballs are some of the best i've ever had. I've been to italy, eaten and cooked with natives, and I personally make a better meatball than most... I know.... but it's true... The bread was fresh, olive oil blend was strong, authentic, and flavorful. All food was fresh.We also got the special crabcake appetizer which was incredible. The plate had a bunch of different decorations, sauces, and olives to keep each bite interesting. Dishes were artfully decorated.Our server was incredibly anxious. So anxious that she could barely listen to any words we said. She did mess up on a few of our modifications and pasta choices but c'est la vie. Service nowadays just isn't great because so many are not motivated to work anymore. So i'm not going to ding a star for that, but it should be noted.Music was beautiful, and we left feeling happy and well fed. I'd say this restaurant alone is better than most if not all the restaurants in the North End area of boston so if you happen to be in the small town of ipswitch, stop in for a nice, authentic italian dinner. This place has been open for over 25 years and survived COVID, that says a lot.
Delicous. And the dessert was great! Friendly service.
Jen S.
Loved this place for years! Food is authentic and fresh. service is great! They also make a great dirty martini
Beebe Meyer
Easter dinner take out was exvellent!. Delicious food, generous portions and reasonable price. Thank you Mike and staff
Lindsey Athanasiou
I can't believe this place averages less than 4.5 stars. I have been to Zabaglione four times over the last two years and am consistently impressed with the food, ambiance, and service. At times they are understaffed and that is reflected in slower than normal service, but why would you want to rush your meal at a place like this? It is so cozy, comfortable, and delicious. I love the mushroom ravioli and lasagna while my husband is a big fan of the fra diavolo and chicken parm. It is a gem of an Italian restaurant on the North Shore. Highly recommend giving it a shot!
Erin C.
They are incredibly rude. Their food is supbar (not great) and horrible wine list. Do NOT recommend. The waitress reprimanded us for laughing. We walked out. Not worth their subpar food.
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
So, this is my 4th time visiting this place, and honestly, I decided I'm not coming back here. Walked in, and it was like a ghost town – just two folks at the bar, and no action in the dining area. When I asked for bench seating, the waitress gave me attitude, blaming the owner's preferences. Not the warmest welcome.Then comes the fun part: ordering. Switching the pasta apparently costs an extra $4, and the waitress drops the bomb that the chef isn't a fan of substitutions. Mind you, the place is practically empty. Things got even weirder when the chef came out to eyeball us – major awkward vibes.Couldn't even finish my dinner, and that $4 upcharge for rigatoni felt like a slap in the face. Honestly, don't bother with this spot. There's a good reason why it's so deserted – save your money and find somewhere with better vibes, better service and better pasta. We literally left and drove toFox creek tavern to enjoy a dessert.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
The owner can't cook. Even worse, he will get very sensitive and emotional when you don't like his terribly prepared food. The wait staff was great. I feel for them for having to work for a talentless hack who is also a mental midget. Terrible food. Terrible guy. I would avoid this place at all costs.
I've been going to Zabaglione's for many years. We are friendly with the owner/chef and several of the staff. My fiance' and I frequent the restaurant A LOT! Food is very good. Service not so much. We went there Saturday, October 28, 2023. We sat at the bar as our usual. There were 2 other people at the bar as well and a few patrons at the tables. Christina was the bartender. We know her as well, we haven't seen each other in quite a while. All was good, we had a nice conversation with her and so forth. We ordered 2 appetizers. I piled up the dishes for her because that is what I do and I am a fellow bartender as well. She walks over and asked if we were ready to order and picked up the dishes and my fiance' said and I quote "when you get back we'll order." That's all he said. Well that must have pissed her off. When she came back, she was ignoring us and I said Christina we are ready to order and she says back "Well now I'm not because he's and ASSHOLE!" We were very confused because he didn't do anything. A couple of minutes go by and she comes over and I said, that was uncalled for, what did he do... Well it went downhill from there, with words exchanged back and forth between her and myself. We got the check and left and she said "I hope I never see your faces again". My fiance' and I were beside ourselves because we have no idea what set her off. He spoke to the owner and all he could say is well, I wasn't there to see what happened. Meanwhile, he came out of the kitchen and called her in the back and she wouldn't go and started talking in Greek. He never even came over to say hello, like he usually does.As a bartender, whether you like the customers or not, you serve them and walk away. You never call a customer an ASSHOLE! That would have called for immediate unemployment or suspension at any restaurant! NOPE - not here! We are still in disbelief, that this even happened. Not even an apology from the owner to my fiance'.
We visited last Saturday night (10/28/2023) for dinner at the bar and a few drinks. Unfortunately, the bartender MUST have been having a bad night. She actually yelled at the couple sitting next to us!! She called the man an "ASSHOLE". The owner did nothing! Who wants to go out and be treated like this?! Even if you don't like it... The customer is ALWAYS right! We certainly will not be back. We don't risk being the next to be treated so poorly by that bartender!
Great place for Italian cuisine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Let me start by saying, after scrolling through some of these reviews, I find anyone who would leave a one star review for a restaurant at which they DID'T EAT, but solely had a negative interaction over the phone, with a saved table, etc - well, not my kind of people. I wish Yelp would allow me to filter out reviews centered around minutiae Now that we have that out of the way - my husband and I ended up here tonight unexpectedly and we are so glad that we did. My experience with the staff was the antithesis of what was described in some of the reviews - they were warm, attentive, accommodating and offered great advice. Bread service came promptly with a delicious red pepper infused oil and parmesan, and our drinks followed shortly thereafter (a glass of rose and beautifully dry Prosecco). We started with the grilled octopus and calamari - superb! Delicious char, cooked perfectly, and accompanied by a delicious light salad and toast with olive tapenade. Would absolutely order again!My husband ordered the lobster fra diavolo (and was aptly advised of the work associated with the dish - contrary to what was described by another reviewer). The seafood was cooked to perfect and the sauce had the perfect levels of spice, acidity and umami. He ate himself beyond the point of room for dessert, which is UNHEARD OF but the signs of a delicious dish.I had the veal saltimbocca and had every intention of wrapping up half the dish to bring home but.... I caved after five minutes and ate myself into oblivion. The sage, the richness of the veal, perfect saltiness of the prosciutto, tang of the fontina and white wine infused mushrooms were perfection. If I were forced to give one critique, the spaghetti might have been done every so slightly over my liking but in transparency my attentions were pretty exclusively on the veal anyway.All in all it was a stunning meal and wholly enjoyable. We are very glad we stumbled upon it and it is certainly at the top of our list next time we are in Ipswich.
Went back to this place after not having gone for 20 years. As a kid this used to be my favorite spot, and I was curious if the food still tasted the same. This visit did not disappoint. Keep in mind, traditional italian restaurants are not going to pamper you and make sure that all your life problems are resolved and that you feel like a king / queen upon leaving. This just isn't done in italy. It is however, done in america. This place will however give you a wonderful italian meal.We ordered the chicken broccoli ziti and the pasta with meatballs.Fresh pasta on both dishes, the meatballs are some of the best i've ever had. I've been to italy, eaten and cooked with natives, and I personally make a better meatball than most... I know.... but it's true... The bread was fresh, olive oil blend was strong, authentic, and flavorful. All food was fresh.We also got the special crabcake appetizer which was incredible. The plate had a bunch of different decorations, sauces, and olives to keep each bite interesting. Dishes were artfully decorated.Our server was incredibly anxious. So anxious that she could barely listen to any words we said. She did mess up on a few of our modifications and pasta choices but c'est la vie. Service nowadays just isn't great because so many are not motivated to work anymore. So i'm not going to ding a star for that, but it should be noted.Music was beautiful, and we left feeling happy and well fed. I'd say this restaurant alone is better than most if not all the restaurants in the North End area of boston so if you happen to be in the small town of ipswitch, stop in for a nice, authentic italian dinner. This place has been open for over 25 years and survived COVID, that says a lot.
The food is excellent and the staff professional.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Delicous. And the dessert was great! Friendly service.
Loved this place for years! Food is authentic and fresh. service is great! They also make a great dirty martini
Easter dinner take out was exvellent!. Delicious food, generous portions and reasonable price. Thank you Mike and staff
I can't believe this place averages less than 4.5 stars. I have been to Zabaglione four times over the last two years and am consistently impressed with the food, ambiance, and service. At times they are understaffed and that is reflected in slower than normal service, but why would you want to rush your meal at a place like this? It is so cozy, comfortable, and delicious. I love the mushroom ravioli and lasagna while my husband is a big fan of the fra diavolo and chicken parm. It is a gem of an Italian restaurant on the North Shore. Highly recommend giving it a shot!
They are incredibly rude. Their food is supbar (not great) and horrible wine list. Do NOT recommend. The waitress reprimanded us for laughing. We walked out. Not worth their subpar food.