I came for my friend birthday as my two favorite foods are Lobster and pasta. I am bringing everyone I know here now as I will be their hero. The chicken parm was off the charts and they give you enough for two meals!
Had a wonderful evening here! It was close to where we were staying and is understated from the outside. Atmosphere is lively and authentic.
Food was delicious and the serves were really big. We shared bolognese and veal volstana.
Would love to go back and suggest it to anyone in the area.
So when you see a place that has this high a rating you wonder if it's a bit overhyped. It's not - this place is flat out awesome.
It's small and located in the middle of a residential area on a street corner. You probably wouldn't give it a second glance if you drive by, and it would be your loss.
Inside it's small and cozy - I imagine it's difficult to get a table on a weekend.
The staff was very nice - helpful and attentive. Kitchen service was excellent - didn't have much of a wait.
The food is amazing - I had pasta al forno and it was incredible. Portions are huge - I'm a big eater and didn't come close to finishing.
It excellent value too - about $35 for dinner and a couple of beers. Too good to pass up really. I wish I could stumble into such excellent meals every time out.
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First of all, is it worth the wait? NO
We got there at 8pm while visiting Boston and without knowing anything about the restaurant the day before and there was 15 people already waiting more than an hour freezing outside, so we thought, why not? Should be worth it and we had a good time chatting while waiting with other customers. After waiting for exactly 2 hours, we finally got a table while trying not to have such a high expectation due to the long wait.
I had the lobster ravioli and I have to say that it was pretty good, specially the sauce with fresh pieces of lobster on top of the ravioli and both the food and the plate arrived very worm to the table so thumbs up for that; but it had to much pepper, something that for a chef is as serious as putting too much salt, it's hard to fix when already served.
We also had the gnocchi and unfortunately I must say it had too much flour given that they didn't melt in your mouth and were gummy, and stick to your teeth.
Definitively, they do not pretend to be good on desserts since the Menu was quite reduced on that and none of them convinced us to try them.
Finally, I was very disappointed with the wine Menu; we tried two Italian wines from Toscana and they were awful, I even returned the first one since its taste was very metallic...conclusion, pricy and bad quality selection of wines except maybe for the Malbec For Ever Young.
The wait of 2 hours or more perhaps it is worth it for a Michelin starred restaurant, but not for this one. I am sure there are other Italian restaurants in Boston that won't make you wait that much and are much better in pasta, wines, desserts and service.
When visiting landmark restaurants in major cities, I try my best and temper expectations. Everything I have heard and read about Rino’s in East Boston was that it was fantastic. Here is a picture above of the street corner where it is located. What you don’t see here are strip malls, huge parking lots, and flashy signs and lights. It’s just your small neighborhood diner that has only about 10 tables in it. Stepping into Rino’s you won’t see glitzy, commercial decoration, elaborate seating and tables, or a large bar area filled with ornate glasses. What you will see is a dining area just big enough to sit a few dozen people, and a restroom you have to go through the kitchen and just past the dish washer to reach. This is the type of place of legends. They don’t let any of the glitz and glamour do the talking for them. What they do is offer you some of the best Italian food I personally have ever had, with service to boot.
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Heard this place had been on Diners, Drive ins and Dives, but had missed that episode, so on our one night in Boston, we decided to try it. We were 15 on the waiting list! Ugh, but we were told we could wait at their bar, aka holding place, across the street, which we did and we made fast friends with some other people who were behind us on the list. The wait lasted about 1 1/2 hours, but it was well worth the wait. It's a small, quaint place with friendly waiters and a hostess, who actually walked across the street to get us and escort us back to the restaurant. Since we couldn't decide what to order and since we were STARVING by that point, we ordered TWO appetizers: bruschetta and Grand Marnier shrimp. The bruschetta was great, but the shrimp were incredible! They may have been one of the best things I've ever eaten! We should have gotten the full order. The half only had three shrimp, but ooooh that sauce! I had the lobster ravioli, which was tender pasta stuffed full of lobster meat, covered with a wonderful tomato cream sauce. Since mine came with a salad, too, I could only eat about half of my dinner, so I got a to-go box and had the rest the next night. My husband got the linguini with shrimp, chicken and veal and he loved his, too! You might want to consider ordering an appetizer and one meal and splitting it because the portions are HUGE! Our bill with two glasses of wine came to $85 and it was worth every penny!
You don't have to fly to Italy to have food as good! This is the real deal done fresh and by lovingly by hand and from scratch! All I can say is i honestly can't imagine anything getting any better !! Truly food fit for the Gods and us mere mortals!
Handmade pasta? Ofcourse!. What more can I say that the reviews haven't? The food here is great, it's fresh, it'll leave you craving more yet totally stuffed until then. Try the gnocchi :)
Amazing Food/Atmosphere. Our group had Bruschetta to start, amazing flavors with fresh tomatoes and herbs on really good bread. For entrees we had the lobster ravioli and the house cheese ravioli. Both were excellent and huge servings and came with salads. I had to take half of my entree home. Definitely a lot of repeat customers in this place, half the diners were greeted by name when they came in the door. Small, about 10 tables, but well worth the wait for the food.
Just stumbled Into this wonderful place. The seafood special was outstanding! Servie was spot on and the portions were HUGE! Try it, you won't be disappointed.
Lobster Ravioli to Die For. We went to eat dinner in the evening and found a one-hour wait; gave up and came back the next noon for lunch, when the hostess said they were less crowded. Got a table immediately, and had lobster ravioli. Amazingly good; six large ravioli in a plate with quantities of lobster chunks both in the ravioli and in the sauce. It would have been worth the one-hour wait the night before!
Longest wait I've ever had, but well worth it! Not as pricey as I expected which was an added bonus!
Best in Boston!. If you're looking for an OUT OF THIS WORLD food experience, then get over to Rino's! Tony is genius! Everything is perfect! Get there early tho, only reservations for tables for 6 or more.
Baby octopus, the mozzarella wrapped in bruchetta, the lemoncello shrimp, lobster ravioli! Amazing, definitely worth the ride to east Boston!
Absolutely unreal. Had the arugula salad with shrimp, pumpkin ravioli with brown butter, lobster ravioli, and calamari pasta. Everything was perfect and in huge portions. The lobster ravioli are a must try. Definitely falls in the top 3 Italian recipes I've been to. Authentic and delicious
We visited that dive because of the show diners drive-inns and dives and we were delighted with the food. We are foodies and this is one of the best restaurant we've been at (considering the quality of the food and the price). We had the pesto eggplant (half portion), the octopus and New Zealand mussels(half portion) and shared a lobster ravioli dish. All that for $31. Unbeatable. Our favorite dish was the pesto eggplant, very rich and tasty!! It's a 10/10.
Going back for sure. Reasonable prices for Boston. Came from Western Mass with my family. My husband had been dying to try this place he had seen on DDD. Got the mussels and little necks as an app. The sauce was very tasty and the bread soaked in the sauce was delicious. However some of the little necks and mussels were sandy and we had a handful that had not opened. The mushroom ravoli's were amazing! Very fresh and tasty! Salads were fresh but I wasn't crazy about the house dressing. The fettuccine Alfredo we got the kids was out of this world! Great portion and the Alfredo sauce was the best I ever had. Lobster ravoli was the show stealer for sure! The sauce and huge chunks of lobster was amazing! The ravoli's were cooked to perfection! Only let down was we waited 45 minutes and were sat at 830pm. Felt rushed with apps , salad and dinner being served on top of eachother. We will be back though!
Huge portions. Awesome value. Best lamb dish I've ever had.
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Least kept secret in East Boston. Ok so we live Montreal and admit love to cook, so during the cold winter months, there we were watching the food channel.. America's best dives/diners/driveins...for some reason this one stuck, mainly cause we often vacation in Vacationland (Maine) soooo, off we went! got there and had to wait about 2 hours (at Kelly's, are they in cahoots or what?) seedy neighbourhood, so try not to get lost while walking as we did.
Was it worth the drive and the wait? YOU BET! never had such good Italian, and we live in a restaurant city! as I can't eat shellfish I had the veal marsala with lemon as a main, to start, we shared these amazing bocconcini's stuffed with ricotta, soooo delicious! and a bruschetta, just figured, you can usually judge a place by it's staples, so they didn't let me down...but like so many, by the time our main course arrived we were already nearly stuffed, another test!! husband had the cannelloni stuffed with seafood, you can read the other reviews for what's in them...he ate ONE, that was it! it's sooo sad not to eat everything, but they were nice enough to give us a 'doggy' bag to take home... :) It may not be gournet cooking (yeah!!) we would go back in a flash, but getting lost and nearly running out of gas and taking over 15 hours to get back to Maine, might deter us...take a GPS to find this and get out of Boston alive!!!! what a maze!
I'm going back but may have to wait a year and a few hours! Kelly's btw, it a blast from the past, the owner and bartenders all have noses pointing in various locations, due apparently to misspent youths in the boxing rings of New England and Canada ;)
Outrageous. Drove in from Amherst to go here. We got there at about 4 and there was an hour wait. No biggie, go to Kelly's a couple blocks away and have a drink while you wait. We walked back just shy of an hour and sat down soon after. Ordered the Calamari which is fried and served with a light chili pepper sauce. Huge order. Not to spicy. Perfect. Outrageous good. Then onto Stuffed Mushrooms which were also phenomenal. We were full by now from the monster portions, but onto the main courses that we were already committed to! Lobster Ravioli and Seafood Canelloni. Humongous portions of some of the best food We've ever had. the ravioli had chunks of perfectly tender lobster in the sauce and the raviolis. Lobster, shrimp and scallops were in the canelloni in large amounts. This restaurant is worth the wait. Worth the drive. Just get one appetizer and one entree for every two people. You'll save money and be able to walk after.
Favorite Place. I love Rino's just wish I could get there more!! Since the reviews they are jammed packed but worth the wait. I have eaten there for 10 years and have never been disappointed, the food is excellent. The staff are very friendly.
Perfection. From the moment we walked in the door to his cozy restaurant I felt like in was walking into my Italian grandmothers kitchen. The food was phenomenal. Fresh ingredients, cooked to perfection, which left explosion after explosion of the most mouth watering tastes you can ever think of. The service from our waitress Lucia was like having my best friend serve me. She was funny, helpful, and everything was done to perfection. This is the best Italian restaurant iv ever been too.
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Unbelievable. When you hear a place hyped and overhyped, and showcased on every mass market television food show as the best thing since the Second Coming, you have a tendency to doubt it could really be that good.
Well, it is. Period. It is worth the insane wait (call ahead for a table if you're a local). Our wait on a Monday night was just over an hour. The dining room is small and pretty in a rustic way. The service, contrary to what another reviewer has said, was a little gruff at first but very friendly by the end of the meal and the food was truly the best in the city.
The lobster fritters were enormous hunks of tempura dipped lobster meat served in a honey-balsamic glaze similar but cheaper and better than the ones at Terramia in the North End. (this place is owned by the same family, which also owns a fabulous Neapolitan place called Antico Forno).
Be aware, there are TWO distinct menus. The plastic bound, type-written one is filled with Italian-American red sauce classics whereas the other is exclusively pure Italian, and is scrawled in nearly illegible handwriting on a tattered sheet of paper and changes nightly. So if your idea of Italian food is veal parm on a mountain of spaghetti you'll be very happy. But if you've been to Italy and are craving wild mushrooms in a peppercorn brandy sauce tossed with handrolled pappardelle or fusilli, you'll also be happy. Prices on everything are quite low, about half of what you pay in the North End, with portion sizes that are enormous.
The wine list is upscale but has numerous budget options as well. The beer list is quite small and consists largely of American garbage beers plus an Italian Moretti.
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Entrees live up to the hype. Like many of the reviewers here, I heard about Rino's on DDD and waited several months before a family trip to Boston gave us the opportunity to check out Rino's. There were only three of us, so I called at about 5:45pm to be put on the call-ahead list. We were seated about 7pm. Perfect.
I could not decide whether or not to step out my Italian-food "comfort" zone and try something new or simply rely on the standards that I know and love so I could judge the food against what I know I like.
We started with a great bottle of Brunello di Montalcino and an order of calamari. While the calamari was good, it was not great, and we would probably not order it again. Though the breading was tasty, overall the dish was a bit greasy and the flavor of the banana peppers overwhelmed some of the flavor of the squid. The dish was not served with the tomato sauce and I did not think to ask for it for some reason. Likewise, there was nothing exciting about the Caesar salad. The rustic italian bread was very good, however.
After speaking to our waiter (Dickie, who has been there for 14 years and provided us with great service) I opted for the chicken parmigiana at his recommendation. (I was leaning towards the pork tenderloin, but really wanted the red sauce) I am glad I chose this. It was fantastic...in fact, the best I have ever had. I know it may be tough to qualify this dish as a "best" but the sauce was fresh, the chicken incredibly tender, the portion was large and the overall flavor was simply incredible.
My wife and son both had the lobster ravioli, and it did not disappoint. In fact, if (when) I go back to Rino's, I may actually stick to a simple pasta dish. The side dish of linguini I had with my chicken was far and away the best pasta I have ever had. Clearly it was homemade, was perfectly cooked, tasted incredible and was covered in the perfect amount of sauce. It was so good that my wife and son were eating from my pasta dish despite having amazing meals of their own!
Rino's only offers beer and wine (very nice selection, not overpriced) so we would not be able to have a Sambuca with dessert, so we opted to go somewhere in the North End once we got back to our hotel.
Overall, I would definitely recommend Rino's. We've now been to five different highly recommended (by both friends and reviews) Italian restaurants in Boston and Rino's is the only one that I would strongly recommend. All the food was freshly prepared and the service was excellent.
Best Italian food in Boston. We had to wait outside for an hour, in the rain, to get a table, but...the food was outstanding.
By far the best meal we had while in Boston and for a great price too.
Just don't expect an easy experience in getting a table. They told us they would call us when a table was ready, but never did. A couple leaving ended up telling us there were spots open (very nice of them to do btw.)
Wow. This place was talked up by everyone I know who has been there. Few times does a place live upto that kind of hype but damn, this place did. I will be going back again and again. It was worth the wait and worth the borderline tolerable service.
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OFF DA HOOK!. We made a trip to Boston for the sole purpose of dining at Rino's and another restaurant, after we saw them both on different episodes of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Rino's was the first priority, and we were not let down. My wife and I arrived later than expected, because my cousin and his wife arrived late from CT, and his gps drove us crazy. When we finally got there @7:30 pm there was already a two hour wait. The hostess asked if I wanted to wait. I told her that I flew in from Texas, so YEAH! No problem. She directed us to a pub around the corner, where we could have some drinks while we waited for the phone call announcing our table was ready. I have to admit, I did call after and hour and a half just to make sure we weren't forgotten, and we weren't, and right on schedule - near the two hour mark, we were called back to the restaurant. We were seated promptly and got to down to business.
Four of us worked on one basket of bread, one appetizer, 4 main entrees, 2 pasta sides, 2 desserts, wine, beer and coffee, and we took some home. The portions are HUGE!
The shrimp limoncello was fantastic. Being a limoncello fan, I was worried if the lemon might overpower the shrimp - NOT. It was perfect - just enough to let you know it was there in that wonderful cream sauce. My wife had the lobster ravioli, which she had been craving since the show, and she loved it, and - OMG - it should be illegal to have that much ravioli on one plate. I had the pollo parmiggianna. I was so impressed that a longtime, widely served favorite of mine, could be prepared that perfectly. My cousin had the Rino's special. WOW! Just WOW! It was a huge pile of chicken, veal, shrimp and mushrooms with a great brown sauce. His wife had the pollo carrozella. The butter sage sauce was exquisite and she loved the addition of the fried mozzarella with the chicken. Our pasta dishes were served as sides. I had originally asked for full servings (I was determined to be a glutton, since I wouldn't be eating here again anytime soon), but our waitress - who was fantastic - talked me out of it and into sides, saying only "trust me", so I did. Thank goodness. Like everything else, the side portions were huge. We shared the gnocchi and the rigatoni matriciana. I'm a big gnocchi fan and this was the best I had ever had. These were not your average little semi scalloped looking gnocchi. These were gnocchi on steroids, and they were sooooo good, but the matriciana blew us all away. It is a little different than similar versions I have had, and we all attributed it to the sauce. It was out of this world. We were stuffed. Too stuffed to think about dessert, but since everything else was so good, we didn't want to miss an opportunity at sweet bliss, so we ordered the tiramisu and the almond amaretto cake. The tiramisu was good - way above average, but we DEVOURED the almond amaretto cake. It was a big slice, but I think if you had put a cookie sheet sized slice in front of us, we wouldn't have left, until it was gone - it was that good.
We bought some T-shirts, tipped well on a surprisingly bargain sized check - considering how happy we were, and immediately started calculating when we could come back. Thanks to Tony and the entire staff. I travel internationally for business. I've eaten at some of the best restaurants around the world. Rino's has moved to the top of my list.
This place is absolutely amazing. The lamb chops, lobster ravioli, halibut, and chicken parm are all simply incredible. By far the best meal I've had this year. TIP: Resevations are only for parties of 6+.
Awesome! Very small, so get there early. They do offer take out. Homemade pasta. Very good. I got shrimp, scallop,& lobster tail with fettucini. I ate about 1/3. Huge portions. Cost was $28. Not bad. Highly recommend!
...the best Italian food I have ever had, without question. I could easily see going there once a week to try something new. The menu is huge, the prices are very cheap, and the food is out of this world. Go there and you will not regret it.
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Food-wise, it seems that people travel to East Boston for two reasons: Santarpio's and Rino's Place. They've both been institutions in what is called Eastie (Rino's Place has been around for about 25 years). The wait at Rino's Place can get so long that they opened a bar/cafe across the street called Prima E Dopo (which means Before and After) that they suggest people go while waiting. I purposefully came at an odd hour, around 3:30pm to avoid both the lunch and dinner crowds. I got seated immediately but the restaurant was still more than half full. Layered eggplant with mozzarella and creamy pesto sauce. You can order half or a full order. The half is already plenty and is only $6. Eggplant parmigiana is one of my favorite comfort food and I knew I was going to like this variation since I love pesto. I was right and I had to stop myself from devouring the entire thing since I still had another dish coming. I came for this: the housemade ravioli filled with ricotta cheese. This dish is nominated for Best Pasta for the upcoming Chowzter North American awards . (A similar dish but stuffed with both lobster and ricotta has been featured on Food Network). I was surprised by the size of the ravioli when it came. They were gigantic! They were soft in the middle and al dente around the folded edges. But the key to this pasta is really the herb ricotta cheese it's stuffed with. The ricotta was fresh and the texture was amazing. Light as a cloud, a slight tanginess, smooth. Perfect with the classic tomato sauce. This pasta really highlights the ricotta, but I still want to come back and try the lobster ravioli next time! Since I'm at such a classic Italian gem, I of course had to order one of my favorite desserts, tiramisu! Again, a generous portion of a well executed classic. I can see why Rino's Place still attracts so much attention after more than two decades. Don't want to wait in line? They take reservations if you have more than 6 people in your party. Otherwise, do
I’m from Texas. Was fortunate enough to get to visit this fine establishment for dinner before I went back home.
Bottom line…we don’t have Italian food like this in Texas. Period. So I can’t really compare it to anything.
But everything about this place is awesome and unique. It’s not just the food. It’s the culture, work ethic, and authenticity.
If I had to compare it to Texas BBQ, it’s the Snows BBQ of Italian food in Massachusetts. And if you really know anything about BBQ, you know I’m basically saying it’s the real deal.
Just go here. Everything you've seen and read are true, legit the BEST pasta I've had in Boston. The food is amazing, service fantastic, ambiance homey and relaxed, location slightly out of Boston but well worth it, and the prices are amazing for the amount of quality food you get. Truly a 10/10 and would recommend!
Wow! What an intimate eating experience. We had to wait about 20 minutes outside. No reservations are taken. It is worth it. POWER THROUGH. The food here is amazing. Pillow like gnocchi. The sauce was not overly sweet. The anacini was crisp on the outside stuffed inside with peas. The chicken parmigiano served with choice of pasta. My friend selected ziti. The chicken cutlet was pounder out to almost cover the whole plate. It was lightly fried. The butter lemon sauce on the other chicken dish served with mushrooms over linguini was epic. The bill came to $145.00 with tip. Plus a glass of wine, an iced tea, and a ginger ale. Water Pitchers on table. Oh only about 10 tables. But push out of your mind....the Food was A M A Z I N G ....I ubered here...parking is hard...
Love love love!!! Always amazing food so much of it, staff is amazing and they have the best atmosphere. You never mind the wait because the food is worth every min waiting. We love it here as does my family.
Great place!! Their food is excellent, I went here to celebrate my sister's 75th birthday. The place is small but they were very kind to accommodate our party of 16. I had the bolognese while others had the lobster ravioli . The servers were friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was friendly and enjoyable. Thank you, Rino's Place and your patrons, for your patience. You are all great!!! Definitely recommend this place.
Calamari and steamed mussels appetizers were delicious! Pasta was thicker than expected and red sauce wasn’t too tasty - little watery, but overall really good spot.
I really didn't think I would leave a review for this place because it'd just get lost in a sea of great reviews, but I have to. This was maybe the best meal I've ever had in my life. The place is quaint. The staff makes you feel like you're a regular at your local diner. And then the food is just frickin phenomenal. My fiance and I both ordered specials, which change daily but if they have beef short rib with risotto and walnut roasted pork tenderloin with prune sauce get those meals. They're out of this dang world.
Going to Rino's is like going to Nonna's house for Sunday dinner. I feel like I'm family. Outstanding food. If you're looking for haute cuisine, look elsewhere. If you're looking for rustic and authentic Italian food, and you have a good appetite (or love bringing some home for lunch the next day), then definitely try Rino's.
Exactly my favorite kind of place. Amazing food in very relaxed and friendly setting. My favorite meal in a long while.
Me and my wife had a fantastic time here. The food phenomenal, the service, fabulous, and the restaurant was beautiful.
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This is the 4th time over the last few years we’ve been able to make it to Rino’s and it is always 100% worth it. This is by far one of our top/favorite restaurants. My now husband brought me there for their famous lobster ravioli (no other place will ever compare). We have tried a few other meals and they’ve all been delicious. It’s the homemade pasta for sure that makes it perfection. We always order take out for the next day since we live far away. The portions are huge (can’t split) but we always share and bring home. This most recent time I got cappuccino and dessert and that was worth it too 👍🏼 If you can, go try them out!
Ps. The location is not the best, as it is in the middle of a neighborhood with limited parking. Expect to circle around a few times to find parking (remember, you’re in a city). We always get there before 3 to wait or except to be waitlisted when you get there. If you have no patience don’t bother, but please be patient because it’s welllllll worth the wait. Love them!
This is a must try if you are in Boston. Everything was perfect. I was a little nervous reading the reviews that we would have to wait a long time to get seated but we only waited for 20 minutes before they called us. The pasta and the bolognese sauce is amazing and the portions are huge. The octopus was to die for. The deserts so good. And the service was excellent. I want to go back to try other plates on the menu! This is a must go!
Tiny neighborhood Italian restaurant. Huge portions—biggest I’ve ever had. And because of that, and the high quality food, it’s the best value in town! Hand-made pasta!! Fresh, delicious, and beautiful meals!! Good service. Parking is on the street and super challenging to find, even at 4:00 pm on a weeknight. Who cares. It’s WORTH it! Go to Rino’s!
Went back for dinner to this amazing place!! Authentic Italian food! Home made pasta, Italian beer and/or wine excellent service! All the staff are very friendly. They do not take reservations so you may have to wait… but it is worth it. Highly recommended
Great food and great experience for us as visitors from out of town. Not only were the staff members welcoming and helpful, but so were the neighbors we encountered as we waited to be seated and wandered the neighborhood. The staff t-shirts made us laugh, visiting the bathroom in the kitchen was worth the trip (!), and the food was excellent!
Parking is on the street in the neighborhood, so be prepared to circle a while looking for a space. Portions are enormous and no splitting, so be prepared for that too.
Should you and I both live to a billion, and every other soul on earth perish, I would relish the chance to break bread on the ruins of Rino's, always, forever, for as long as this planet shall rotate.
We don’t live close so it’s always a special treat when we get to Rino’s. Huge portions of delicious food in a cozy atmosphere
Cassondra Satcher-Mitchell
+5
The food was excellent. We traveled all the way from Jacksonville, Florida to try the Lobster Ravioli and it was well worth the flight. We also had the Gnocchi and the 1/2 order of the Fried Calamari, shrimp and scallops as well as a plethora of desserts.
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