Excellent service!!! I celebrated my birthday with 17 people and the food was excellent. Natalia was our waitress and she was fabulous! Our drinks , our appetizers, dinner all accurate and very patient with our large party. This place  is my new favorite ! The popular drinks at my table were the Diva and Mango martini! I had the scallops with beet risotto and it was divine!
Review Source:At here last night after doing some research about restaurants near Logan Airport. Â I had a 5:15 pickup and didnt want to drive home to the burbs at rush hour and i knew my other half would be hungry after a 6 hour flight home. Â So, we decided to eat in order to let the traffic clear out!
Arrived on a Thursday night at about 530. Â Ample parking in the back lot but it was definitely full when we left 2 hours later.
Our waitress was Natalia. Â She was excellent. Â We also were paid a visit near the end of the meal from either the owner or manager to see how our meal was. Â She too was very nice.
We started with the lamb lollipops, the salami board for 2, and the pear/goat cheese salad. Â The lamb was exquisite, and really could be an entree as it was 4 chops. Â The meats on the salami board were excellent, but my only complaint is that it only came with 2 tiny cubes of parmesan - more cheese would have been ideal.
For entrees we had the haddock special and the scallops. Â Excellent on both. Â The scallops came with a delicious risotto.
We had a cozy booth in a corner and the ambience was great. Â The website and reviews here indicated that it was "casual" but it seemed fancier than that to me (which i didnt mind). Â My other half had jeans on from the flight - if we go back again he def wouldnt wear jeans. Â
The prices were a tad high - but the food was obviously cooked and prepared to order. Â We dropped about $150 for the two of us but $50 or so of that was cocktails. Â We didnt order desserts so i cant comment on those.
Other half has another trip next month with a rush hour pickup. Â Im pretty certain we will be returning for another meal here!!!
My first visit to this restaurant, loved the warm feel of the place, graciously welcomed by all , the menu is limited, but our selections were absolutely delicious and the serving size was plenty, our selection of the house wine was just okay. But that was our choice, I can,t say enough about our server Erica and the hostess, we definitely will go back , a true gem
Review Source:stopped in for some apps and drinks, had a $20.00 certificate. Â the apps were very good and platter of nice cold cuts and a proscuitto and brie flatbread, wine was fine too. Â The waitress was pleasand and seemed knowledgeable about the menu.
The fun starts with the check, she brought it the first time and didn't take the $20.00 off for the certificate, I called it to her attention and she returned with the check, with only $10.00 off, I called this to her attention, and she went to her manager who was sitting at the bar and they discussed it aloud, and finally the manager agreed the certificate was worth $20.00 off. Â the check comes back and I realize I have been overchrged for the wine, I send the check back and she corrects it for the 3rd time, and we pay the check and leave. Â THEN we realize on the way home that instead of charging us $12.00 for to proscuitto and brie flatbread, they charged us 15.99!!! Â funny all 4 errors were in their favor.........
so, in a nutshell, it started out very nice, but the whole thing with the check put a major damper on our experience and left a really bad taste in our mouths.
Ecco, Ecco, Ecco...it pains me to give you 2 stars. Before I delve too far into criticism, I would like to first point out the positive:
1. Your martini selection has, and always will be, amazing. I regularly have the BEST cocktails at Ecco.
2. I agree with another poster, the staff is young and sweet. Not exactly on the ball at times, but they try!
Ok. Now for the tough part:
1. Since the management transition, we have found the entree options to be lacking in quality and significantly over-priced. My fiancé and I had the stuffed flank steak special the other night. It was practically raw in the center and was probably the most bland meal I've ever paid around $25 for.
2. We were shocked when we asked for more bread with our entree and our server said it would be an additional $1.50! Honestly, our bill was $80, $96 after tip...you can't give us a few more slices of bread gratis?????? It's rather sad to charge customers for "bread refills" if your entrees are in the $20-$30 range. This turned us off so much so that we didn't get a second round of cocktails.
My advice...improve the quality of these costly entrees. We're happy to pay the price, but only if it's WORTH it.
Secondly, don't charge your customers for bread refills. It's just tacky!
Something has changed...appetizers are still good but entrées are lacking.  The (very young) staff honestly tries but can never seem to get service quite right.  I'm writing this after four trips in the last few months, so this is not a flip change in opinion.  I can't go back here when there are too many other restaurants to choose from.
Review Source:It makes me sad to only give Ecco two stars because it used to be awesome but over the past 6 months or so, it's gone way downhill. Â They made disastrous changes to the menu, getting rid of some of the best dishes (I used to go there just to get the amazing shortrib shumai) and adding overly complicated, confusing new options. Â For example, they took a simple, delicious caprese salad and added a fried tomato and chunks of hard bread. Â Why??? Â It's really a bummer because its right near our house so we used to go all the time but now we feel the same way we used to feel about 303 Cafe - you want to support the local places but you don't want to suffer a disappointing dining experience. Â The service also seems to have taken a hit... as did the bartending. They screw up our drinks ever time we go and we used to love this place for the cocktails. Â All in all, it's very disappointing. They should bring back the food that made this place popular - the hibachi salmon, the Thai half chicken... And for gods sake, the shortrib shumai. Â Why would you take something off the menu that you know people love??? Â I hope they can step it up because we're sad to have lost a viable option in eastie and I know most people agree.
Review Source:Ecco has missed the mark on each visit, and I've been four times. Â Signs that a restaurant is not what's it cracked up to be: Â (1) overcooked pork chops.... I mean seriously, pork chops? Â Talk about a basic staple food. Â I shouldn't have to hack into them with my steak knife. Â Yuk! Â (2) Â overcooked pork belly... I mean, seriously, overcooked pork belly? Â If you're going to do such a fancy appetizer, you better know how to do it right. Â If it tastes like something that has been cured for months, then you've missed the mark. Â (3) Â rodents... I mean, seriously, hire an exterminator. Â A member of my party was shocked to see a rodent scurry across the restaurant floor... double yuk! Â
Ecco has no identity up front and no talent in back. Â It tries too hard to be what it is most certainly not. Â The service may be friendly, but Ecco's myriad other failings make it a weak choice, even for E. Boston.
3.5 stars. Â The ambiance and drinks were really good and our waiter was very helpful. I thought the food was overpriced for what it was and I didn't love anything I tried. Â I got the three tacos entree and none of the meat was seasoned at all. Â The tacos were pretty small (which I expected), but it's totally not worth the $17 price tag. Â I tried some of the truffle fries, which were really light on truffle flavor, which was kind of disappointing.
This does seem like one more of the upscale restaurants in Eastie, so I could see myself coming back for a martini, but I may just stick with appetizers next time.
FINALLY a new staff and SUPER FRIENDLY MANAGER!!!! You go DIANA! We needed you @ Ecco. This place is finally great! Great location, great new menu, great atmosphere, free parking, and BEST OF ALL? FRIENDLY STAFF!!!
After a long week at work I met with friends to have a couple of drinks and some appetizers. The bartenders are all NEW! Super friendly. A few minutes after I arrived, I was greeted by the manager. Such a sweet and friendly Colombian lady. Just what this place needed. As good as it gets!
I will definitely go back to Ecco frequently. Not so much before with their unfriendly staff. One star staff. This is now a FANTASTIC place  with a 5 stars staff :)
The servers at this place are really nice! I always have a smile on my face when interacting with them. The drinks are great, and the french fries are by far my favorite in the city. Something about that truffle oil, I guess. The only downside is there are no vegetarian/vegan options on the menu, and I know what you are thinking- you just said they have french fries. French fries are not a meal, they are a snack. If they had some sort of veg taco, sandwich, or veggie burger I would come here more often.
Review Source:I haven't been to Ecco in a few months. It was getting kind of boring - same menu, same look. The owners have since put in a new manager and there are already some well-needed changes. 1) Beer Menu; including microbrews 2) Updated menu, to include flat breads, not just huge entrees and 3) They finally peeled off the dark tint from the windows so it doesn't look so "sketch". The new manager also said Ecco will be serving brunch soon and adding in some beer taps. East Boston needs this! Looking fwd to my next time there.
Review Source:I love everything I've eaten here for the most part, but there are a few important corners being cut at the bar. I frequent this place now and keep waiting for them to offer a few home style classics that they can improvise/improve on, many eclectic and trendy dishes, but nothing that you CRAVE on a Monday-Wednesday night
Home style favorites would keep me eating and drinking (with friends) much longer, rather than dining alone with my developed palette. Seems as though they have an identity crisis..
My suggestion? Add a pissah meatloaf @ $18, or a Shepherds pie at $16, or a fisherman's stew, beef stew, at $15... You'd bring the upper middle in, and stop confusing them with your  overachieving menu..
Hello Ecco Managemen & Owners,....Thank you for the recent excellant experience!! Â Â I would like to compliment both Luis and Diana on their hospitality and understanding of what a customer expects and truly appreciates when they visit a restaurant!!!!!! I relunctantly reentered Ecco expecting the same routine of both bar and management staff ignoring accountable customers (I have high end restaurant experience myself to boot!!) ....I have had some terrible experiences in Ecco without getting into any exorbetant detail...... I refused to enter).......fortunately this seems like an unfortunate thing of the past!........ Good for you......youve finally hired competant staff that cares and it shows as QUICKLY as staff that doesnt! Thanks again for the upgrade and as a person who lives locally who will return in abundance.
Richard LaPorte Owner of LAPORTE MASONRY & WATERPROOFING
Ecco has taken a serious DIVE since their previous cook left them. This explains why they are offering Groupons to bring people back into their establishment. Their menu sounds way better than it actually tastes!
The food was very bland and horrible. I should have just whipped our plates back to the waitress as if they were Frisbees. I got the peppered tuna ($24.95) and it was not worth a dime. It was so tiny, tasteless, and left me unfulfilled. My husband and my mother both got the 14 oz steaks ($24.95 each ) and they BOTH said the meat was super tough and flavorless. Even the broccoli that came with their dishes was near its expiration date.
For appetizers we got a sweet and tangy Calamari -- and a 'sparsely there' carpaccio salad. The calamari was average and the carpaccio was a huge insult!
The very first time I came to Ecco over 2 years ago, I thought the food was fantastic. SO when my husband got the Groupon, I thought it was a GREAT place to take my mother. Boy, was it an awful choice! Now I understand why they try to lure in new customers with a coupon. The food is pathetic, the waitresses are clueless, and the overall experience was absolutely terrible.
All the reviews on here say the food is just average. Wish I had read those before...
So why settle for super mediocre food at high gourmet prices? They should just shut down. If you want advice from a previous quality control specialist, this is your warning. The quality of food at Ecco is horrendous.
I will never come back here or suggest this place to even my own enemy.
Just a whole lot of average.
Food was so-so. Â I can't stand when a food item is served to me that includes an integral item that was not mentioned on the menu. Â This occurred with the Short Ribs that I ordered. Â The ribs themselves were great, but a large component of the dish were these massive chunks of 'pickled" tomatoes. Â They were entirely separate from the "sweet and sour salad". Â 4-5 huge quarter slices of tomatoes which ruined an otherwise solid dish.
The other food I tried (calamari, lobster mac and cheese, and the chocolate cake dessert) were all average as well. Â The tomato thing irked me to no end.
I imagine the place being significantly better for drinks. Â The decor is hip/classic and the drinks looked solid.
I moved to East Boston last fall and quickly fell in love with Ecco! Â As other reviewers have mentioned, one of my first thoughts was "I can't believe this place is in East Boston!" Â It's very modern, clean, and a comfortable atmosphere. Â The martinis are refreshingly strong and well made, and my service has been prompt and pleasant each time. Â I'd suggest the chicken cacciatore if you're looking to leave extremely FULL... the polenta was so good it's almost addictive.
I'm looking to visit Ecco more often and would love it if they had a more comprehensive listing of "events" on their website (trivia, deals on food, etc.) Â One downside is that the last night I ate there it was a 1/2 price appetizers and the waitress forgot to tell us. Â If they promote the deals a little more, I think they'd have more regulars like myself checking-in. Â It's too pricey to visit all the time otherwise, but has a great bar for drinks.
I highly recommend checking it out if you're ever looking to try out something in a different location. Â East Boston really has some hidden gems and Ecco is the best I've found so far.
Update - 7/9/12 - from what I've been hearing lately, I've heard Ecco is not as stellar as it once was...I'm going to have to try it again in the near future - depending on my next experience, the rating may change...stay tuned...
My best friend in East Boston asked me if I wanted to come here for dinner when this place first opened, as he went here and he quite liked it. Â I, never one to turn down dinner out, said sure. Â I'm glad he did. Â This still remains one of my favorite places for a number of reasons.
One, I like the fact that it's something different in East Boston. Â I'll admit, East Boston has a bit of a rep, especially from people who don't live here (sidebar - I just read a review from "Shells C." who said "The location was creepy too. I am from the ghetto and this was too ghetto for me". Â Is Peabody really *that* bad?) Â But that all said, once you get in here, you'd *never* suspect you were in (gasp) East Boston (but c'mon, it's not *that* bad). Â There's a couple of okay places in the area (Jeveli's, it's okay but I find it a bit stale in a way), but this place really stands out. Â Ecco is chic in an area that isn't regarded like Boston proper.
Two, their drinks (specifically their martinis) are fun and adventurous! Â Try a couple of different ones. Â
Three, the food is really nice and delicious. Â Highlights - the warm spinach salad. Â Almost every time I go, my best friend and I split this - very very nice. Â Their Lobster and Grilled Corn Chowder - divine! Â Their seared sesame and pepper crusted rare tuna au poivre - Good God, it's wonderful - one of their best dishes IMO. Â I haven't tried them, but many of my friends love the Briased Short Ribs of Beef. Â For desert, I would recommend the Flourless Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake...that was nice. Â The Godvia Chocolate Mousse was no slouch, either.
One thing I would *really* like Ecco to do, is bring back their homemade ice cream. Â There was a switch of management and (I believe) chefs here - and Ecco used to do homemade ice cream the first couple of years they opened (really cool, adventurous flavors and pretty much all of them were good - in fact, I've suggested to some of the waiter/waitresses to bring those back with the hope they would pass it back to management. Â That would elevate this place another star. Â It really brought a nice, unique thing and it's a shame they don't do it anymore). Â I might just have to write a letter to management. Â
The only not satisfactory thing I've had here is their salmon dish. Â I love salmon, and this place does not have the best salmon dish. Â Their lobster mac and cheese is ok, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. Â Go to the Fat Cat in Quincy for the best Lobster Mac N Cheese (theirs is very very very good). Â Other than that, you're pretty safe in getting anything else. Â
The only other...possible critique I have this place - I don't know if I'm 100% confident of their ability to handle large groups of people (say about 8-10 people) - some people in my party (a few times) weren't completely satisfied with things, whether it be service or their dish - my meal was fine, and I was okay with the service, but perhaps they had noticed something I hadn't because I was into my meal or the conversation. Â That said, this is a great place to bring a 1st, 2nd, 3rd date. Â
Perhaps a bit pricey here, but as far as I'm concerned, worth it.  The décor, the atmosphere, the music, the food and the martinis warrant this place at the very least, one visit.  A bit hard to find if you're not from the area, but I will reiterate a tip someone else said on Yelp.  It's right around the area from Santarpio's - that seems easier to find for people. Â
Overall, well worth the effort - one of my favorite places to go for a nice, enjoyable dinner out.
I went here the other night with my boyfriend because we thought we would be adventurous and try a new place, not in Boston. We read the reviews on this place because we decided wanted a place that server Seafood Mac & Cheese.
Ecco was sooooooooooooooooo hard to find, we drove around and around (coming from Peabody) and couldn't find it and even our GPS couldn't register where we were. It would be helpful if Ecco owners would describe the location as being across the street from Santarpio's.
It was a Saturday night and there were only a total of 10 people in the restaurant, maybe 15. I was suprised.
I ordered the Seafood Mac & Cheese and the Short Ribs with Mashed Potatoes for my BF, he loved them but we both agreed that the mac and cheese had no taste and the lobster was bland. The best Seafood and Mac on the North Shore that I ever had was The Tides restaurant in Nahant but they stopped making it.
The drinks were ok, not too strong and the appetizer we had, a steak bruschetta was nasty with flank like steak and peppers with melted cheese on crusty bread.
I would not go back for food but the bar seemed nice and I would ask for my drinks to be made stronger. The location was creepy too. I am from the ghetto and this was too ghetto for me.
But for anyone looking for a place to go for New Years, if you don't mind the locale. They have a great (5 course) New Year's Eve menu for about $65 per person. I was impressed by the menu items...may be worth checking out.
"We should get a hotel room down by the airport so it's easier to get out in the morning."
My intrepid travel companion was aiming to get us closer to Logan so that our o-dark-thirty flight wasn't a half-hour's drive away in the morning. So, we trekked on down to East Boston and settled into a hotel surrounded by a huuge stretch of nothing.
"Dude, it's a wasteland. We gotta go scare up some grub."
So, we ended up Yelping up probably the nicest joint in Eastie. Ecco has a decent combo of assets - a) a parking lot, b) good service, c) good food, and d) not a bad selection of wine by the glass.
We managed to tuck into some pretty tasty grub, and my braised short ribs were really, really delicious. The dark wood, the dim lights, the modern bar, all of it indicating Ecco's trying to be upmarket in a market that's possibly on the rising edge of being able to support it. Good for them, and lucky for us we found 'em.
Ecco doesn't know what kind of place it wants to be. They try so hard to be trendy and homestyle Italian-y at the same time, but if you're gonna go trendy, you gotta go balls to the wall and whip up a stellar menu.
The decor is absolutely stunning, and you have a hard time believing you're in Eastie. REALLY hard time. Also believing that the owner of Santarps owns this joint.
The food - they recently changed their menu. I'd loved their Thai coconut soup, thought it a really fresh and unexpected item in a place like this, but it's nowhere to be found. The lobster mac&cheese I WANT to be delicious, and I continue to order it hoping they'll get it right.
My favorite cocktail WAS here - with hibiscus flower and champagne, but that's gone too. I guess it's impractical to buy and store candied hibiscus?! Figured. Quite tragic.
Bit on the pricey side for what you're getting. You're definitely paying for all the mood lighting and those sparkly bar countertops. I'd recommend this as a drinks and dessert place. The blood orange marg is exquisite, and the tiramisu is light and wonderful.
I am still shocked that this place is in East Boston. It was very modern, very clean and has a large parking lot behind it...although, Â a bit difficult to find the entrance to at night, but when you do its great.
The drinks were strong, the food was excellent and the service was pretty good. We had appetizers, a cheese board (choose something like 5 cheeses, all were good), antipasto (delish) and crab cakes that were good as well.
It was Saturday night when I went, packed but we were seated pretty quickly. I mean, we hung out at the bar for a bit but they were very accommodating since we didn't have a reservation and we were a good size group.
After months of wanting to try Ecco I finally made the trip out to Eastie to try it. It's nice becuase Ecco has its own parking lot too. The server was very friendly and the decor was really nice (especially for East Boston). Another not so hidden gem. Here is what we had:
Ahi Tuna Nachos - Simple dish of sushi grade raw tuna on top of won ton chips served with a side of seaweed.
Shortrib w/ mashed potatos - The sauce they use on the shortrib wasn't my favorite but the meat was delicous, no knife required to cut this meat. The mashed were also excellent
Lobster Mac'n'Cheese - My favorite dish of the evening. Very generous with the chunks of lobster. The full portion is big enough for two, I brought home leftovers
Caramel Creme Brulee - I iddn't really notice the caramel, but I love creme brulee and this was laso top notch.
+1 Ecco is easy to get to, and they have a parking lot.
-1 Showed up on time for our reservation, the place was not too busy, and they had not set up our table yet.
+1 They quickly accommodated our request to switch to a different table.
-1 They had put two tables together to make a bigger table, but the two tables were different sizes.
+1 VERY attentive and very sweet waitstaff.
Okay, sorry I'm done with that. Â Anyways, they took our drink orders very quickly and shortly brought us some delicious bread. Â The short-rib shumai dumplings were good, but kind of boring. Â The lamb app was good, Â but nothing special. Â The crabcakes and tuna nachos were really good. Â The entrees we tried at our table were the hanger steak, the stuffed chicken, the salmon, and the lobster corn chowder (under soups on the menu). Â The hanger steak was pleasant, but nothing to write home about. Â The chicken was really good, and came with yummy veggies. Â The salmon was good, on top of REALLY flavorful rice + veggies - not sure if the rice was supposed to be cold, but it was, and thought a little strange at our table. Â The soup was freakin' awesome.
I wouldn't recommend any of the desserts (we tried the oreo bread pudding - boring - the butterscotch creme brulee - not butterscotch in the least - and the cannoli - not very good. Â The cocktails however are yummy, and they have a good wine by the glass list.
Overall I wouldn't really recommend Ecco, but if someone told me they were going, I wouldn't NOT recommend it. Â Hence, 3 stars. Â It was A-Ok.
I cannot say enough great things about this place. First and foremost - it's in Eastie and let's be honest folks: there's not much in the area for after-work places or nightlife. Ecco looks like it should be in the Back Bay somewhere; the minute you walk in you forget you're practically under the Expressway. Nice lighting, Sinatra crooning, and the place has an overall sophistication that is so out of place for the area (but in a very good - and very welcomed - way).
I rarely wait for a table when I'm there and if I have to there's always room at the bar or the lounge area. The martinis are great (White Peach Bellini my favorite) and the food is so tasty (I believe the menus are seasonal). The Lobster Mac and Cheese is awesome, the Hibachi Salmon, and the Pasta of the Day are things to check out.
For those who rely on the blessed MBTA, it's equidistant from both the Airport and Maverick stops on the Blue Line (but I swear it's a quicker walk from Airport). Oh, and Ecco is also owned by the Santarpio's folks - an interesting little factoid if you didn't know.
I had heard so much about this place that I was afraid it wouldn't live up to my expectations...or my appetite for that matter. However, I was sooo wrong.
I went with a couple of my coworkers on a Friday around 4:30 and the place was pretty empty except for a few people seated at the bar. I loved the atmosphere and they played pretty good music.
We got a bottle of the house merlot, which was great for $26. As apps we ordered the fried cal & crab meat taquitos...delish! My friend and I both got the lobster mac & cheese (did not disappoint) and another friend got the chicken? (which he said was also delicious).
For desert I got the creme brulee...OUT OF THIS WORLD! I also got the cranberry martini...I wasn't crazy about it, but not a biggie, the food and service overshadowed this minor flop.
I'm very excited to see such a great place in East Boston...this is a must try!
After eating and imbibing at Ecco several times over the course of the last seven months, tonight marks the last time I will ever give Ecco my business.
With the idea of trying something new in mind but wanting to stay in after a long day of walking around and enjoying the Sunday weather, we sought out Rino's, Scup's and Off The Boat, all of which are not open on Sunday evenings. Ecco was open and consistent in food quality, so we decided to phone in an order for pick up. After a short conversation, we were given a 20 minute wait time for our food.
Giving them a bit more time, we walked over to Ecco in 30 minutes and approached the bartender to ask for our order. Apparently the bar doesn't handle to go orders, so we had to flag down a waitress. The first waitress had no idea what we were talking about, so she went off to find someone else. After a few minutes, a second waitress came out and asked what we had ordered, so she could double check. Not a good sign. After a few more minutes, a third waitress came out and said it would be just five more minutes. My boyfriend, clearly annoyed at this point, asked if they had forgotten to put the order in when he called and were they just starting to prepare it now? The third waitress told us, and I quote, "No, no...the chicken takes a really long time to cook because it's like, a whole 1/2 of a chicken."
Say what? Let's rewind. On the phone you said 20 minutes. We got there in 30 minutes. Waiting in the restaurant was about another ten minutes. So you have a chicken dish on the menu that takes over 45 minutes to cook?
The first two waitresses came back out from the kitchen and we flagged them down. We, again, asked if they had forgotten to put the order in and one of them said she didn't know because she didn't take the order and the other said, "Let me check." We mentioned what the third waitress said about the chicken, and how we were quoted 20 minutes when we called, and all we got in return, from anyone, was, "I didn't take your order, so I really don't know."
Although no one took responsibility for actually writing the order down and putting into the computer, one of waitresses came out and said they were removing one of the entrees off of the bill, and that she was sorry.
There was about 10 people in the entire restaurant when we arrived. They were not slammed. Not even remotely busy. They forgot our order. And straight-up lied to our faces about forgetting it, making up some rubbish about the chicken taking a long time to cook. Hardly anyone apologized and they attempted to sweep it under the rug by lowering the price of our bill. By now, being open last September, you should have all the service kinks worked out. Or at least have the staff trained not to lie to customers.
At least we had dinner. The light at the end of the tunnel. Or not. The lobster mac & cheese was luke warm. The sea bass was in soaking in a liquid, presumably from the coleslaw-like salad that it came with, with also in turn made the riceball that was underneath the bass completely soggy and mushy. None of these items were what was listed on the menu with the fish, which on it's own was rubbery and pretty flavorless.
From service to food, this was one of the most frustrating restaurant experiences I've had a in really long time.
We were lured out to East Boston on a tip that Ecco had extended their restaurant week menu through the 31st of March. Â The source: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FBostonUSA.com&s=58a24b39cc96f7db6854b0b50cfa7b31f85ed2a347051476316bac7da8a9d037" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://BostonUSA.com</a> restaurant week guide. Â When we arrived the daily specials for 3/28 also said they were still offering the restaurant week menu, but the server told us it was a misprint and that the website was also wrong. Â We were a little irritated by this but decided to give it a try anyway.
I'm glad we did.  Most of the food we had was very good, with the exception of the lobster mac & cheese which was bland and flavorless.  I had the eel/avocado sushi roll as an appetizer.  It was delicious and came out it  promptly.  We had the Ahi Tuna entree, Short Ribs, and Petite Fillet Oscar; we were all satisfied with our meals.  The Raspberry Mojito was fresh and tasty.  The Creme Brulee and Flourless Espresso Cake we the perfect finish to a satisfying meal.
The atmosphere was very nice, staff was pleasant. Â The restaurant and bar became busier as the night went on.
I had the veal. Â But don't tell anyone. Â I still have a little guilt, as if PETA is running after me with rock. Â Okay, what the heck, tell everyone! Â This place if fantastic.
The first time I went to Ecco was because I had heard about the lavender honey ice cream. Â It lived up to it's standards. Â I returned for food. Â Aside from the forementioned veal, we had the chicken which was also tender and juicy and served with excellent mac and cheese.
Everything is innovatively created, perfectly cooked and beautifully presented. Â Even the bread basket (a cigar case) was ultra delicious. Â It was "eat the whole basket (case)" good, but I refrained as I was meeting with the boyfriends mum for the first time and I didn't want to impress her with my usual enthusiasm for bread baskets.
YAY for a new hang out in Eastie.
Also really excited to have a REAL bar that I can take first dates too without having to apologize for, uhm, patron behavior....I fondly remember a first date at Kelly's Pub,where the gentleman grew distant and started staring past me until I realized that the patrons at the bar had started comparing their beer bellies sans shirt.
Classy. I know.
So this is fabulous. Martinis were great. Food was also good, but only had appetizers. Next step would be a a real entree.
Service at the bar a tad slow...but I think those are still growing pains.