663151 Wed Oct 28 17:37:45 -0700 2009 8 12 Boston Area 0 5138867 I used to go to this place in the seventies and was thinking of going back to have lunch for old time sake. Has anyone been recently? Wed Oct 28 17:37:45 -0700 2009 11079 chuck s 1 5139257 I accompany my father there once in a while, it's probably been six months since my last visit. I'm sure you would find very little has changed in the last 30 years, the decor is exactly as I remember it from my childhood. Basic red-sauce Italian, nothing special but no complaints either, and the pizza is pretty good. Wed Oct 28 20:22:48 -0700 2009 5138867 1120032 sacrelicious 1 5148532 I went there for the first time on Friday night, having lived in the area for about seven years. I am really glad I went - this is the type of place totally frozen in time in almost every way (including price, and possibly some of the patrons at the bar). It's like a trip back to the seventies, when red sauce was the only type of Italian food you could get. It's also much bigger on the inside than I thought. I thought the pizza was actually among the best I've had anywhere recently. Nothing fancy, but a good "New York Style" crust. I had one with sausage and hot cherry peppers and it was amazingly good. And 9 bucks for a large!! I also tried the lasagne, which was very heavy on the meat, and quite good. For a giant plate of it, I think it cost $11. I am definitely adding it to the rotation. Mon Nov 02 06:19:10 -0800 2009 5138867 23376 nsenada 2 5148559 Here's a picture of the pizza (minus one slice) Mon Nov 02 06:32:26 -0800 2009 5148532 23376 nsenada 2 5148707 Thanks for the review - a real hidden gem that does not get enough love on these pages. Mon Nov 02 07:32:16 -0800 2009 5148532 11172 Bob Dobalina 1 5153791 Yes - it is one of the few truly family friendly places left in the Newton/Needham area. The back room is great for people with little kids or people looking for a beer after work. Plenty of space, decent food, for an honest price. I do wish they would be a bit more creative, and a bit more homemade- but they do a decent job for a family run operation This is a far cry from fine dining.. but it works for us right now. Tue Nov 03 18:36:54 -0800 2009 5138867 16849 cheesehead in recovery 2 5154487 If I had known it was as good as it was for the price, I would have been eating here with the family quite a bit. I liked their pizza better than anywhere in Needham, and the other stuff was very good, too. Wed Nov 04 06:03:14 -0800 2009 5153791 23376 nsenada 1 5154694 Virgillio's... in Chowhound? As a former sink-rat used to say 'Stomp me into a mud puddle and walk me dry!' Someone above me said it best re: Frozen in time. I'm pretty sure the only thing that has changed is the smokers go outside. Perfect dark bar on a screaming hot day, cold beers, simple drinks. The food is what it was in the 70's. I think - they might be cash only. Wed Nov 04 07:24:03 -0800 2009 5138867 51849 okra 2 5154792 I think you're right on the cash only, but considering a large meal for three with beer was $35 with tip, you don't need much. I do think their pizza is really great, whether or not using homemade dough or sauce, certainly better than Pacini's (which really should be a lot better than it is), Stone Hearth (which I just plain don't like - somehow they suck all the flavor out of their ingredients), and Bertucci's. Cowlick's and Sweet Tomatoes might be slightly better, but it's about double the price (and no beer). Wed Nov 04 07:55:22 -0800 2009 5154694 23376 nsenada