Alaine's Osteria - Palmetto Bay

All we can say is that this place is fantastic from the moment you walk in until you walk out. The hostesses are excellent and attentive, ensuring everything runs smoothly. The restaurant itself is beautifully designed and cozy. The menu is impressive, and the waitstaff are proactive in checking on their customers to make sure everything is perfect. I highly encourage anyone to give it a try, and it's best to call ahead a day or two in advance.

I understand that the economy has changed, and I'm willing to pay for good food and service, but I was shocked to learn of a new policy that charges for extra bread, especially after we ordered 2 bottles of wine, 4 entrees, and even upgraded a salad to Caesar for an additional fee. We probably would've ordered more wine if our waitress had bothered to pay us any attention. Gabriella, our waitress, spent more time at the computer just a few feet away than attending to our table. To add insult to injury, we were charged a sharing fee even though we ordered 4 entrees for the 4 of us. The timing of our meal was also off—two salads were brought out, followed immediately by two hot dishes, but they hadn't made the Caesar salad yet. When we mentioned that we hadn’t received the other salad, Gabriella said she would have the kitchen hold onto our food and "freshen" it before serving it again. Really? I made it clear that they needed to remake the meals, not just reheat them. She didn't seem pleased with that request, but what could I do? Overall, it was a disappointing experience. There was no ice bucket for the white wine, we never got another glass of wine after the first, I had to ask four times for water, we faced a sharing charge for one of the four meals, and were charged extra for more bread. The idea of "freshening" food was baffling. I spent $200 and did not feel it was worth it at all. I don't usually write negative reviews, and I hate to come off as bitter, but I was genuinely disappointed and a bit embarrassed. What should have been a joyous occasion turned into a frustrating one.

Alaine's is a charming and cozy restaurant ideal for intimate dining, serving handcrafted Italian cuisine. It’s likely one of the best, if not the top two, Italian restaurants in the South End. The only reason I'm not giving them a 5-star rating for atmosphere is that the air conditioning has been set to Arctic temperatures during my last few visits.

A bit of a long wait to sit but definitely worth it. We ordered (pictured): Parpadelle allá Bolognese, Meat Lasagna, Fettucine Alfredo; and for dessert: Limoncello, and Tiramisu Oh and the pear pasta was delicious!!!

My love took me tonight for my 55th tonight.. the ambiance is great, the open kitchen is very clean but a bit noisy, the Caprese app was outstanding! Shrimp were incredible, pasta is fresh made in-house which is 5 star! The use of seasonings was mild not overbearing at all and still allowed the flavors of your chosen entree to be enjoyed, but what made it memorable was the quality of the ingredients, The service was VERY good, staff is super friendly..a really nice locals spot for sure.. we will no doubt include this taste of Italy in our regular circle of spots for dinner!! You will not regret adding it to yours!