We have found this wonderful restaurant that is as good as any Italian restaurant in Boston. There was only one server and the place was full but it didn’t matter because the food and experience was outstanding as usual

We've been coming to this favorite place for years for authentic, dependably delicious Italian food in a cozy, relaxed setting. A neighborhood gem.

This restaurant, the food and staff/management were all absolutely fantastic. I came upon it by chance but by far the best all around dining experience I have ever had in Boston. A must for the food and service.

A nice, quiet little Italian joint with friendly service (the proprietor himself waited on us! since it was a very quiet night), delicious modern Italian style menu (recommended: lamb shank) and a good wine list. We'll definitely dine there again. Just plain excellent, in short.

A really nice local Italian restaurant. Knowledgeable and friendly staff. I had the veal chop with spinach and a side of pasta with garlic. Really good.

As usual, just perfect.

We had a nice table near the open kitchen, for a small b-day celebration. Food was delicious, waitstaff welcoming and attentive. Will definitely go back, especially as it is in one of my favorite Cambridge neighborhoods. A fine alternative to the North End, without the parking hassles.

Everything about this dining experience was fabulous!

A very special place. We've been there often, and will return as soon as possible.

Food and service were impeccable.

One of our favorite neighborhood spots. Food is always good. Service is familial. I would highly recommend it.

My wife and I shared a wonderful Valentine's Day dinner here, our first time at the restaurant. The food and wine were exquisite, and our server, Omar, was attentive and kind. The atmosphere is cozy and very comfortable. We won't wait another year to go back!

This is our go to neighborhood place. It has consistently excellent food and on weeknights it is quiet and relaxing. Last night, it was cold and icy and I asked if they had any soup. The waiter brought me the most delicious bowl of pureed vegetable soup and I was so delighted. It wasn't on the menu, but he was able to deliver! I also had the seafood casserole which I had had before. It was different this time, but still really good. The calamari that was in it was especially good. My husband had the chicken parmesan which looked delicious (he wouldn't share!) and our friend had clams with pasta that he said was also good. We had wine/beer and the tab came to $114 with tax and tip.

Great spot for a large birthday party. Very personal and nice experience.

An incredible disappointment! Last Saturday we had and early dinner there with a friend, three of us. The evening started out ok with a friendly server/host (owner?). From there it went downhill fast. We were likely the first customers and still they were out of two of their major entrees. Ok, but then we ordered and each of us was worse than the other. The Swordfish SPECIAL (I think it was around $25) looked like a thin slab of frozen swordfish (Trader Joe's has better) with a basic red sauce that wasn't too good. The Lamb on the bone was mostly bone with not much meat and a lot of fat. And finally the chicken parm was so basic: two thin chicken cutlets, red sauce and NO CHEESE! So the food was thoroughly mediocre/bad. Then the check came. Note: 3 people, no drinks: $140! I could easily accept the price if. If the food was good. I don't know what went wrong here. I see some very positive reviews for this place. But I see plenty who have had similar experiences to me. So maybe the positive ones are fake (friends of the owner) or they are just very inconsistent.

Great meal. All dishes were freshly made and very pleasant atmosphere in this small Italian restaurant. Our out of town guests really enjoyed it!

It was terribly overpriced for what you get. Two meals with a bad tasting glass of wine for a $100. We waited for our meal to be ready for one hour even though the restaurant was empty when we came.

The food at Trattoria Pulcinella was excellent. Combined with an aesthetic and pace of meal that resembles more of what you would get at an actual Italian restaurant, the entire experience of the meal is wonderful. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anybody looking for a slightly fancier Italian dinner that's very authentic.

A great find! Definitely will return. The specials of the day were all excellent. Linguine with clams and sausage was a bit dry.

Pulcinella is our go-to for family, friends, and business dinners. Always delicious, always accommodating. We send our customers there when they are looking for a place for a great dinner in the area, and no one is ever disappointed.

It's a mystery why this place is still open after so many years. True, it's one of the few quiet places in the area but that doesn't make up for its mediocre food and way over-priced wine list. The salume antipasto was just a bunch of sausage laid on a plate (and not much of it, either) in a haphazard way with no other goodies that one would expect from an antipasto. The warm spinach salad was ok but nothing special. Pretty bland. My husband had the roasted suckling pig porcetta that turned out to look and taste like a couple of ham slices from Star Market. That did come with some broccoli rabe which he said was tasty. My butternut squash ravioli in a sage butter sauce sounded good but was also bland. The pasta itself was well made - not too doughy. For 4 of us, our bill was way over $200 (before the tip!) and we didn't have dessert. We left feeling disappointed. The fact that the place was less than half full on a Saturday night should have been a warning sign. I will give credit to the server (owner?) who was very nice. Too bad this cozy quiet place was so disappointing.

This neighborhood Italian restaurant is a real gem. A friend recommended it to us when we were in the neighborhood and we still come back even though it is farther away now. The menu changes often, and always has some yummy twist. The owner waits on all the tables himself and is thoroughly professional. We are not tall people so we often split an appetizer, and there was no fuss about that. The split appetizer arrived on two plates. Desserts are also scrumptious and rotating. The ambience is wonderful - easy to talk to the people in your party, and seating is flexible for family groups of 8-10 or dates for two. Highly recommended for special family occasions or a date night. Definitely a favorite place of ours.

Love this place. Great neighborhood spot, food is great and such a sweet room.

A wonderful dining experience. Great food and personal service in a quiet cozy environment. Will definitely be going back.

Excellent food! Daughter and dad are the only servers so reservations need to wait but so worth it!

I took my team out for to dinner at Trattoria Pulcinella. The service and the food were excellent! Everyone really enjoyed their meal. Very cozy!

17 years between visits, and it's still amazing! Authentic Italian where the Owner waits tables.

Awesome service and the food is always prepared and served with style.
Mario is the most welcoming and gracious host.

The food is consistently excellent. The service is good. We were having a nice chat and enjoying our wine after our meal and the waiter didn't bother us. That was nice. It was very relaxing. The night we went, the restaurant was packed, which was nice. Still able to converse easily.

My friend and I decided to try this neighborhood spot. We were delighted. The food and ambiance were lovely--a touch of romance, yet relaxed. My clam linguine was delicious as was the chocolate mocha mousse! Our half bottle of Chianti was so good--we ordered more! Will definitely come back again!

An exceptional restaurant! Excellent cuisine: traditional Italian fare. Excellent service. This was my first visit, after reading about it on Open Table. It reminded me of the best of the Boston North End Italian restaurants and, decades ago when I was growing up in New York City , our special occasion Italian restaurant. Highly recommended.

Amazing and wonderful

I'm a regular here and this was another excellent meal. I really like this place,
but they are nearly a mile from Harvard Square and don;t get so many walk-ins.

Was a quaint place where one can enjoy a great meal out - You can take your time and enjoy each course - large wine selection and great taste of Italy. Would go back every time we are in the area.

Thank you so much for a lovely evening. We will be back soon!

Comfortable, quiet, neighborhood restaurant. A lovely dinner spot.

we loved the food! And the mom and pop atmosphere! I definitely recommend it to all!

My family's been going here for 22 years and it's been wonderful the entire time. The service is superb and the atmosphere is great. The food ranges from fantastic versions of American Italian food to extremely well done renditions of authentic Italian food.

We've been dining at Pulcinella for over ten years now and have not only never been disappointed but always very pleased with the service and the cuisine. The décor is also uplifting to the spirit while arriving and eating. Highly recommended

Super neighborhood find! Food was delicious and owner/food server was very hospitable and attentive.