After doing some research on Yelp, I found Carmelina's and made sure to make a reservation 2 weeks in advance. I'm so glad we did! Located in Little Italy, Carmelina's serves pasta dishes their way (aka no customizations). Our reservation was at opening, and there was already a line! If you don't have a reservation, it is highly recommended to come at opening to try your luck to walk-in - a pair of patrons luckily got in without one! The inside is small and seats up to 30 people. So people only get a 90-minute window to eat. We ordered way too much: - Crazy alfredo - this was a great dish with handmade pasta in a creamy spicy sauce. Our second favorite. - Rollati - probably my favorite dish that we ordered. Pistachio pesto cream, rolled pasta with mortadella and smooth cheese. This was super heavy, but tasted so good. - Sunday macaroni - this one wasn't our favorite, but was HUGE. Penne in a tomato-based sauce with sausage, meatball, and a braised short rib. Lotta meat, but the pasta was a little bland. Our meal also came with a little complementary bread and olive oil/vinegar action. The rolls were SO steamy, salty, YUM. Kinda wished we could have gotten more hehehe The total came to just under $100 which, considering the amount of leftovers we took home, was proportionate. Service was not too bad. We were thirsty-ass hos so our water jug was constantly filled. Note that Carmelina's does not serve dessert nor basic soda (no Coke, Sprite, etc.) and encourages patrons to visit the local bakery (Mike's or Bova's!) to get your sweet tooth satisfied.

Just got back from dinner here and can't stop thinking about it. My wife and I are in Boston for one night, and I kept hearing (online) that this was the place to go in the North End. We couldn't get a reservation (I checked about a month ago), but I decided to swing by anyway to see if they took walk-ins, and yes, after putting our name down and an hour wait, we were in. The atmosphere is really quite different from what I'd pictured in my head (I didn't check out photos ahead of time), and it's lively and light. People here are hanging out and having a good time, casually eating some great food. Even though the place is packed, it doesn't feel rushed in even the slightest. We sat at the bar by the kitchen, which was great, because we could see all the different dishes being made (they all look delicious). We started with a Caesar Salad, which was delicious with fresh-tasting, juicy Sicilian anchovies - so much different than the usual, cheap stuff, so flavorful and full of body. We followed this up with an order of the baby eggplant, which was in a tasty red sauce that didn't overwhelm the flavor of the little eggplant slices. While the appetizers were tasty, the pasta dishes we ordered were where things really took off. My wife ordered the Frutti di Mare, which was fresh and flavorful, like the sea but also full of al dente, juicy fish and pasta. It's everything you could want in a dish like this and didn't disappoint. I was torn between ordering the Crazy Alfredo (which, frankly, looked crazy) and the Tonno Siciliano, which seemed really special. On the waitress' recommendation, I went with the tuna, and I'm so glad I did. While the sushi-grade tuna is cooked rare, it still has that flaky, whole body feel to it - different than eating it as sushi, which is a quick, easy bite like butter, where the tooth just cuts through. This tuna had some real flake and bite to it, especially as it cooked with the hot pasta and sauce. The pistachio-based sauce was creamy and light, not overtaking the other flavors but bringing out their differences. Occasionally, a juicy burst of tomato explodes in your mouth. The fusilli is wound right, not the sharp spirals of most dry-cut pastas, but a thick piece of pasta that trapped the sauce in all the right ways. An al dente bite right next to the soft, meaty tuna. Desserts and coffee aren't offered, but after the feast we had, we wouldn't have had room, anyway.

Without a doubt. The most inventive and best food in the north end. Great service and delivery. No desserts but that's ok. Mikes and Cafe Pompeii across the street Reservations are a must but we found a couple who grabbed a table a bit later in the evening

Great quaint and hip, modern venue. Nice intimate seating. Only one bathroom at the top of the stairs, and the kitchen is next to the seating area. Can do family style, and portions accommodate such. Ordered the meatball appetizer, Sunday pasta, Chicken, Parmesan, and Crazy Alfredo. All were fantastic! My favorite, though, was the Crazy Alfredo. (If you are going to order the Sunday pasta, forego the meatball appetizer because you'll get plenty in this dish.) Staff were kind and attentive, and food was prompt. One of the best Italian restaurants I've been to...It even rivals Carmine's in NYC. Definitely do yourself a favor and eat here if you enjoy Italian food and are in the area.

Carmelina's is a place we kept hearing about and one where everyone seems to recommend we try if we are in Boston. We even walked by on a weeknight and were told they only take reservations. But we got lucky and were able to get an 8:30 pm reservation in a Thursday night. I personally think our waiter and the staff generally take the business for granted. They did not check up on us and neither did they look pleased when I asked for some more bread. They looked tired. But the food was great, though again not sure if it's worth all the hype. I had the chicken Parmesan and Kevin had the lobster ravioli. Both dishes were good and came served in a pan. The penne was pretty basic though it could have used some more cheese. My partner really enjoyed the lobster ravioli but felt like the sauce was a little on the spicier side. He was disappointed about how spicy it was but still thought the dish was solid. They gave very little bread (two pieces). The beet salad was a little small but the calamari was pretty generous. We were stuffed after our meal. There is a strict 90-minute policy for your meal here. The place is small with 12 tables or so and if there is a couple arguing like there was that night, you can hear it.

My wife and I had an awesome dinner at Carmelina's last week on our first night in Boston. They don't take reservations but we decided to try and walk in hoping a table was available. Luckily for us there was one for us to have dinner. The dining area is rather small and it was bustling. The food was hands down amazing!! I would say the Crazy Alfredo I ordered is in the top five pasta dishes I've ever had. When you hear Alfredo, you think of the typical heavy sauce but, this wasn't. It was delicious. It was seasoned nicely and the sauce complemented the chicken and sausage really well. The tuna appetizer was also really good. It was seared just right. My wife enjoyed her dinner which was the Spicy Shrimp appetizer. The food was so fresh and the pasta homemade. The service was top notch too. It was noisy here so this isn't one of your intimate places. Also, its located in the North End of town so parking is non existent. We took an Uber there and walked back to the hotel after. Definitely check this place out. Just be mindful to book way in advance. We got lucky that night walking in.

Overall: hands down the best place I've tried in the north end after 8 ish tries at other places. They are very no fuss business as usual kinda place but they get the job DONE. Food: risotto Milanese is what Mac n cheese would be if it existed in Italy. The saffron yellow, the creamy sauce without being too gooey and the perfectly softened to tender rice. I got the bolognese and it's downright solid. Good ratios of meat pasta and sauce, cooked al dente, not too rich but packed with flavor, the crème fraiche / ricotta not too heavy but light fluffy and airy. Ambience/Service/Decor: very funny but the waitress gave us my order too early so they brought it back and made another one cause I didn't touch it while waiting for my sisters pesto. Funny hiccup but super understanding. Everything else was super down to business, order, food, check, get out. They are nice but they have tables to seat and people to please.

Chicken Parm was absolutely incredible. Flavor is delicious and portions are HUGE! When back in Boston, this will be a stop for me!

I LOVE CARMELINA'S! Hands down, one of my favorite Italian spots in the North End. I usually go around lunch time, if I can, and am able to snag a table. Still, the wait is about an hour but their food is worth the wait. (like, actually!) All the dishes are super flavorful and honestly great portion sizes. I enjoy the spaghetti with littleneck clams, bolognese, and frutti di mare. SO SO GOOD! Highly recommend Carmelina's!

Best food in the North End. Had the Carbonara and the Bolognese from here both are insane.