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Ristorante Massimo, Portsmouth, NH

Ristorante Massimo

4.8
4.8
2840 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 13 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Romantic
  • Charming
Please Note: Online Reservations are for our Main indoor dining room ONLY. Please call us directly for WIne Bar options at 603.436.4000. We reserve the right to charge $20.00 per person cancelation fee, please call us by 12:00p.m.. the day of your reservation to avoid possible cancelation fees.~~~~~~ Nestled like a hidden jewel in historic downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Massimo's warmly lit brick and stone grotto walls, fresh flowers and oil paintings of magnificent Italian landscapes transports guests to Florence, Rome and Venice. Guests relax in a richly appointed atmosphere beneath mahogany-beamed ceilings and private parties unwind in their own intimate dining room. Ristorante Massimo offers authentic dishes from all regions of Italy. From innovative concepts to timeless Italian favorites, our executive chef creates each dish with a distinctive, refined touch as found in some of the world's most celebrated restaurants. **limited dining room availability offered online**

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (603) 436-4000
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Jethro Loichle
  • Private party facilities
    Please Note: limited seating during the next few month - Ristorante Massimo is the perfect setting for celebrating a special occasion or hosting a corporate event. Here guests can enjoy customized menus, an intimate setting and impeccable service. Our elegant private dining room can accommodate up to 20 guests and special arrangements can be made for larger groups. State-of-the-art audiovisual equipment is available. We look forward to taking personal care of every detail of your entertaining needs.
  • Area
    Portsmouth
  • Cross Street
    State Street
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Entertainment
    Our staff!
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wine

What 2,840 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • New Hampshire

    Best Food

  • New Hampshire

    Best Ambience

  • New Hampshire

    Best Value

  • New Hampshire

    Great for fine wines

  • New Hampshire

    Romantic

  • New Hampshire

    Good for special occasions

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Best Food

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Best Ambience

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Best Value

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Great for fine wines

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Romantic

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Ristorante Massimo offers a "wonderful dining experience" with "exceptional service" and "delicious Italian cuisine," set in an "authentic and romantic atmosphere." Guests rave about the attentive staff, led by the hospitable Massimo himself, who ensures each visit is memorable. Ideal for special occasions, this Portsmouth gem is a must-visit.

2,840 Reviews
  1. WILLIAM

    VIP

    Charleston

    14 reviews

    2.0

    14 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 1
    Man, I hate this. Look at my other reviews and you’ll see I don’t blast a restaurant very often. First, I will say the food was great. Apps, main courses and deserts were all excellent. Food wise, best so far in Portsmouth. Now, for the negative…. We had a 6:30 reservation. Finally seated at almost 7 pm. Not a huge deal, but did make us miss a comedy show we had booked. If that was it, would have still been a 5 star review. But, my wife had a small wad of hair while she dined. We figured it had to be her entree as it couldn’t be the wine. But alas, upon further inspection, there was also a hair in my wine glass. We finally surmised it had to come from the decanter. No way it was in a $160 bottle of wine. The waitress was great and immediately apologized. Massimo himself came by and asked what would make it right? I told him we obviously weren’t going to finish the wine and he offered a glass of wine and my wife got an espresso martini with our desert. Obviously at this point, we weren’t making a big deal out of it - we even ordered desert! I figured no way they’d charge for the wine (we drank probably 60% of it before the hair was discovered) and the complimentary wine & martini were enough for us. Then the bill comes - and the waitress says “Massimo gave you a discount on the wine.” It was a 20% discount on the bottle…. I told her I’d be glad to pay for the “complimentary” drinks but there was no way I’d pay for that bottle in any amount. In the end, she went back to Massimo and when the check came back, the wine was removed but he did take the liberty of charging for the 2 complimentary drinks. Very short sighted and a horrible way to do business. I guess he figured since we were out of towners we’d never be back, so why not stick it to us as much as possible. Shame, as it would have otherwise been the best meal we’ve had in Portsmouth. I can guarantee I’ll never be back at Massimo if I’m here again. Can’t support a business owner who thinks this is ok.

    1 person found this helpful

  2. Christine

    New York City

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely amazing from start to finish! Will return!

    Is this helpful?

  3. William

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Exceptional food and service. True Italian cuisine.

    Is this helpful?

  4. William

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing anniversary dinner. Sat in our favorite booth and had a delicious meal.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Leah

    Greater Boston

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Quaint atmosphere, professional staff and delicious food.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Steve

    VIP

    Greater Boston

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was our first time dining here. Top notch experience. The food was amazing. The ambiance was charming. And the staff was the friendliest and most attentive of any restaurant I have ever been to. We will be back often!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Wendy

    Greater Boston

    9 reviews

    3.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Service excellent; some dishes excellent, some dishes blah…

    1 person found this helpful

  8. Paul

    Greater Boston

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 22 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous experience! Food was amazing. We did have one large group next to us that was very loud, but fortunately they did leave before our meals arrived. Wonderful atmosphere and excellent staff.

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  9. Victoria

    Richmond

    16 reviews

    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on 22 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service impeccable! Presentation beautiful! Ambiance like restaurants in Rome!Romantic venue for a special dinner!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Mark

    VIP

    Greater Boston

    18 reviews

    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on 21 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What’s not to love? We brought our adult daughters along for our annual anniversary/holiday dinner, and they only added to the validation of how amazing this restaurant truly is. One pescatarian, one vegan, both satisfied and smiling! Chef made a custom vegan dish just for us, and it was fabulous. Great drinks, wine, appetizers… love sitting in the bar, too!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Ristorante Massimo is rated 4.8 stars by 2840 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 13 times today
Google Map for Ristorante Massimo

59 Penhallow Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    State Street
  • Area
    Portsmouth
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:30 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Jethro Loichle
  • Entertainment
    Our staff!
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wine
  • Phone number
    (603) 436-4000
  • Private party facilities
    Please Note: limited seating during the next few month - Ristorante Massimo is the perfect setting for celebrating a special occasion or hosting a corporate event. Here guests can enjoy customized menus, an intimate setting and impeccable service. Our elegant private dining room can accommodate up to 20 guests and special arrangements can be made for larger groups. State-of-the-art audiovisual equipment is available. We look forward to taking personal care of every detail of your entertaining needs.
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