Serafina - Boston Back Bay

Nice Italian spot, would recommend arancini.

This place is great. The food and the restaurant were great. The outside patio is very nice. The music is also good. They had a little trouble figureing out what I was talking about when I described a dish. But the food ended up being so good.

This was a fantastic find in a busy neighborhood. They seated us quickly and the food portions were suitable to a satisfying lunch. The space was super clean and with quick friendly service.

What a nice experience at Serafina! The food was delicious and the cocktails were yummy! We had the Pizza, pasta and salad and dessert. We will be back! Thank you Matthew abd Soloman for great service!

It was very loud and hot inside but we really enjoyed the food and drinks. The staff was friendly. We had a small problem with one of our desserts and the managers made it right immediately. Great customer service. Would love to return again.

Everything was delicious!!! Do yourself a favor and order several apps and share them amongst the table. So many great things to sample.

I had the salmon the first time I came here and it was amazing. I’ve been here twice and had the penne alla vodka the second time which wasn’t anything special, but I will definitely be coming back for this salmon! The staff is very nice and were very quick with bringing out our food.

The ambiance is trendy, the food is delicious and well priced, the staff are friendly, and the location is prime. Having peroni on tap is also a plus, definitely 10/10 would recommend!

Penne alla vodka, margherita pizza, and spinach ravioli were really excellent choices. The cacio e Pepe was disappointing though. Overall a good place on Newbury for some Italian food for a decent price!

Had a great brunch at Serafina Back Bay! We were seated right away with our reservation, and the entire staff was warm and welcoming. The food was delicious, and our server Antonio was outstanding—attentive, friendly, and made the experience even better. Highly recommend!

Pleasantly surprised from my visit this past weekend at Serafina Back Bay. We walked in without a reservation and were told that we’d have to vacate our table in 45 minutes to accommodate for reservations. While it was a little less time than I expected, I appreciated the fact that they were upfront and didn’t rush us after. Their cocktails were delicious and so was the pasta. This might just be me but I’ve not seen Farfalle pasta offered as much as I’d have liked but Serafina did. The pasta was scrumptious and they were accommodating of dietary restrictions. Pricing was on par with what you’d expect around Back Bay but not too egregious. We didn’t have time for dessert but maybe next time I will. Overall, a great spot for a late afternoon meal.

Can we talk about the red wine sangria at Serafina's?—WOW, it was delicious! I'm not sure what wine you use or what ingredients are in it, but I've yet to find anything that tops it. We stopped in for a late lunch on a surprisingly warm Saturday in March and enjoyed sitting in the outdoor patio area. The service was incredibly friendly too. I had the salad (not pictured) and mushroom risotto, which they kindly let me add an egg to for the brunch timeframe, and my fiancé had a burger. I loved the chill atmosphere amid the hustle and bustle of Newbury Street. Prices were typical considering the location and that we got several drinks. Definitely give it a try if you get the chance!

I had truffle ravioli. portion size is only for individual, like small, but the taste is very flavorful.

Excellent pasta w breaded chicken. Burger was unbelievable. Fun vibe too. Perfect bar seat. Good find.

Good find for moderately priced Italian food in Back Bay! The food was very good and the service was attentive. We will be back.

The food and service were both amazing! Our waitress made sure that we had everything we needed and checked on us throughout the meal. The food came out hot and tasted fantastic. We were glad we made a reservation for our larger group (5 people) because the space was small.

Incredible staff. Cocktails made to perfection. Delicious food. My only complaint - they’ve changed the music to wallpaper pop / house. PLEASE bring back the Sade, MJ, Daniel Caesar, Faith Evans; this was the perfect vibe for an evening out at Serafina.

Have had at least three really nice meals, both dinner and lunch here; staff is very friendly and service was fast without feeling like they are rushing you. Waiter even jumped up and carried my suitcase up the stairs for me when I was traveling. Food is very good, apps mains and drinks all great. A staple for me when I visit Boston

Antonio was a fantastic server, helping me make menu decisions and gave recommendations. I am so excited to return and try more things from the menu! I had the gnocchi di mamma and it was unbelievably delicious I loved that they had mocktails available too

Strolled in on a Sunday mid-afternoon. Had the bruschetta, pasta and tiramisu. The food was delicious. Everything was delicious. They also serve fresh bread with oil and vinegar for dipping.

Food was amazing! Service even better! Hostess on Feb 15th Evening was great, and so was the waitress!! Thanks!

Food was tasty, portions decent and the service is very good here. High prices but it’s in a very nice area of Boston.

Went here on Mother’s Day with a friend. We were kind of in a rush and asked the host if it was possible to dine and be out within an hour, even though the place looked pretty busy. They were super accommodating! We sat at the bar, ordered right away, and everything came out quickly. The food was pretty good, and the overall atmosphere was great

A good patio experience on Newbury with decent food. In Newbury's dining scene, the first thing that often comes to mind is overpriced food that doesn't always deliver on quality. On my recent visit to Serafina during open Newbury, I prepared myself for just that. Yet, the allure of the patio, accentuated by the soothing strains of live street music, beckoned me in. Once seated, the initial wait for service was a bit lengthy. Thankfully, my food came out quickly. I started off with the tuna tartare, and it was simple but good. With a pleasant flavor kick from sashimi mayo and a pairing with the creamy avocado purée, the dish was both refreshing and satisfying. However, Rigatoni alla Bolognese was a bit underwhelming. It was presented with a richly layered meat sauce – an irresistible blend of beef, veal, and pork – but the rigatoni was undercooked. Overall, Serafina offers a good, picturesque escape on Newbury. While the food did surpass my initial expectations, it still lacked in quality given the price. Nevertheless, a worthy pit stop if you’re looking for a good blend of ambiance and good food on Newbury without a reservation.

Great food at Sarafina! Just like the other locations. We had the truffle pizza, gnocchi with vodka sauce, and the prosciutto with mozzarella. Good food and good service with not a long wait. Truffle pizza is so rich in flavor here. Can’t wait to go back!

Serafina was a cute little find! It was very homey and pleasant. Their margarita was delicious as well as their arancini starter. As for their vodka penne pasta which was $28, was not up to my expectations. Tasted like pasta I could make. Appreciated the portion size and was enough to take home.

Nice italien branded restaurant in the Newbury street. Antipasti, pasta, pizzas and a few meat entrees on the menu but no noticeable fish. I found the food ok but most dish tasted like made from frozen ingredients. Smiling service but was a bit slow as we arrived towards the end (8:15 pm). The room is spacious with uplifting music atmosphere and the relatively young crowd (Newburry street!!) is reasonably loud.

This is a nice Italian place in Back Bay. Went there for dinner with friends and we shared a few dishes. The penne alla vodka is my favorite, simple yet rich in flavors. We also had the Al Funghi and VIP Margherita pizza. Both were good but needed more salt. I personally prefer the Al Funghi one. The waitress was nice and friendly but the service was slow.

The food was good. Had the lobster ravioli that actually had real lobster chunks in them. I do find the food a bit overpriced as well as their drinks. This restaurant is located below street level and is relatively small. Tables are pretty much right next to each other so it’s even hard to get up without disturbing your neighbor.

The service is very good can’t complain about it, but the food it is lacking I mean for what I paid I would expect something with more taste and more quality, I had a drink which was very good i enjoyed it! Atmosphere is very nice very well located!

This restaurant is a really cool place on Newbury street. The service was super nice and the food was really good. The only issue that I had was I asked for my pasta to have a particular sauce and they did not make it that way. Rather than coming back to me and discussing it with me, they simply brought me a different preparation than what I ordered. It was still good but not what I ordered. If you order exactly what's on the menu you will have an excellent experience.

I have tried burrata with prosciutto, Ravioli Al Tartufo Nero, and Tuna Ragu. Burrata and ravioli were really enjoyable, but ragu with tuna (served with tomato sauce) tasted bad. I have finished it with struggle. Perhaps tomato sauce and fish is just not a good combination? The service and ambiance was ok. The dishes were arriving somewhat faster than I would expect in a good restaurant.

Ate Sunday brunch outdoors. My order, the breakfast pizza, was ok but not spectacular, a bit too dry and dough forward. Service was slow. Still good experience because of the nice summer Sunday and Newbury Street was closed to cars.

The service at Serafina was good, but the food didn’t quite match the high prices. The dishes, including Burrata e Tomato, Pollo Alla Parmigiana, Tagilioni Alla Portofino Pasta, and Ravioli Alla Salvia, were decent, and the drinks like Espresso Martini, Pink Flamingo, and Serafina Sangria were enjoyable. However, the overall experience felt a bit overpriced for what was served.

Unfortunately the service was subpar the second we approached the host for a table. He was annoyed and gave off the impression that we did not belong there or could not afford eating there. He told us that there weren’t any tables available inside, even though the restaurant was almost empty. The server also demonstrated the same behavior and it made our experience uncomfortable. It’s unfortunate because the food is good, but the attitude of the host and server that afternoon (7/19/23) will scare off potential customers. Every client deserves to be treated equally and fairly.

Overpriced, small portions, and mediocre at best entries. Very uncountable chairs. Drinks were ok and service was adequate, but I would not recommend it.

Serafina Back Bay trades on familiarity and location, but the experience feels dated and largely indifferent to execution. The menu is expansive and predictable, offering Italian-American standards without much distinction. Pastas are serviceable but inconsistent, sauces skew heavy, and seasoning often lacks precision. Dishes arrive as expected—but rarely better than expected. There’s little sense of care or calibration, and the food reads more as product than craft. Service is polite but disengaged. Interactions feel transactional, pacing is uneven, and the dining room often appears understaffed during peak hours. Hospitality exists in theory, but follow-through is inconsistent. The room is busy and energetic, though more chaotic than convivial. Noise levels climb quickly, tables are tightly packed, and the atmosphere prioritizes volume over comfort. It feels designed for turnover, not experience. Verdict: Serafina Back Bay functions as a convenient, recognizable option rather than a destination. It delivers adequacy without distinction, leaning on brand familiarity instead of execution. Two stars—for location and predictability, not quality.

I live an hour outside of Boston, and I drive in every Saturday for dinner. I've made a bit of a hobby of it. For the last four years, I've been tracking down, researching and eating at the best restaurants in the city. Twenty grand later, I like to think I have an informed opinion. Clearly, some restaurants offer a higher-level experience than others. The elite can be found online - Boston Magazine's Top 50 is the gold standard. Having said that, great food is a subjective endeavor. A "best of the best" restaurant may not offer anything that appeals to me; it may knock you off your feet. I've learned a few things: truffles are delicious. They also get a bad rap. Truffles are a luxurious treat and they're not cheap. Restaurants sometimes advertise them to attract attention while dropping a couple of slivers no one could possibly taste. Beware of truffle oil - not for the discerning pallet. Some top notch restaurants offer truffle supplements. They shave it onto fresh pasta. Avoid this. Look for truffle infused into a sauce - much better. About a year ago, I had the good fortune of finding Sarafina. I've been to the Seaport location five or six times. My first dish was the same as my last dish and every plate in between. The Ravioli al Tartufo Nero - black truffle burrata ravioli in a creamy truffle sauce. Impressive. Very impressive. When they place it before you, the smell of truffle wafts. It's the real deal. The full truffle experience: that Silky(!) , earthy goodness. So you can imagine my supreme disappointment when I recently dined at the Back Bay location. The same ravoli are offered at both locations. The Back Bay menu drops the word "creamy" - curious. It's also two bucks cheaper. Thirty-sixth at the Seaport and 34 on Newbury Street. Otherwise, they're clearly advertising the as the same dish at both locations. When they placed it down before me, I immediately noted the difference. A lighter, watered-down sauce. Somewhat pasty. More befitting a hospital cafeteria than a Newbury Street restaurant. This wasn't a different rendition of a popular dish, it was a cheap knock-off. I blame myself for not sending it back and walking out, but once you finish it, your stuck with it. Then the bill came. $30. They ran out of truffle, or something, and instead of telling their guests - or eighty-sixing the dish - they dropped the price and hoped no one would notice. Sarafina's black truffle ravoli is the single best truffle experience in the city. It can go toe-to-toe with anything offered at Boston's most elite Italian eateries. But get it at the Fan Pier Boulevard location on the Seaport. Don't make the same mistake I did. This place is not worth your time. Take your money elsewhere.

We are here celebrating our anniversary. Had reservations. While the restaurant was pretty empty we were seated in the back right next to the restroom. They then seated another couple right next to us…a bit strange. Many tables available. We were with friends…we had to ask two times to turn the music down so that we didn’t have to yell across the table. A couple suggestions. Keep the music lower so that people can relax and enjoy conversation. Consider lowering the lights a bit to create a more intimate atmosphere. The food was tasty and good portions. Service was not amazing. Just nothing special. No recognition of our special evening. Just an okay evening.

Atrocious wannabe italian restaurant! Absolutely terrible food. Cross-contaminated food with pork! Service was bad as well where the person taking our order kept rolling her eyes for waiting on us, I hope she wasn't being racist. We were served food without plates, napkins or silverware! Other servers who brought us food and water were polite though. Never coming back to this over-rated and overpriced place.