As Mayor Tom Menino gave his sentimental address at Faneuil Hall, announcing that he will not seek a sixth term, residents around Boston gathered to watch.

Menino said it was a new day when the city elected him – a mayor with Italian grandparents. That resonated at the Café Dello Sport in the North End, where customers watched on a big screen TV as the Mayor made his announcement.

“It’s good he retires, because the age and I think he’s not too well," said Armando Paolo. "He’s been an excellent mayor for Boston.”

Paolo lives in Arlington but lived in the North End for 17 years. He said he’s proud of Menino, the first Italian-American mayor in a city famous for its Irish politicians. Menino has served 20 years, 5 terms.

“What do I like about him?," Paolo asked. "He’s with the people, like you and I. He cares about the people, about the Church, about the area. And that’s what we want. I hope we’re going to get somebody like him.”

In his address, Menino mentioned the energy he gets from visiting neighborhoods. A 2009 Boston Globe poll found that 57 percent of Boston residents had, at some point, met Menino. In this café, only one person had never met him.

“He’s always around and he’s always accessible," said Habib Bensalah. "I think that’s a good thing."

Bensalah watched with a friend as Menino listed his proudest accomplishments: redeveloping the city’s waterfront, building a West Roxbury park, new libraries in Mattapan and Brighton, and bringing computers to classrooms. But Bensalah said Menino’s been mayor long enough. Lily Noble agrees.

“I think the city is filthy," Noble said. "Completely dirty. I’m disgusted when I walk through the city.”

Noble said while Menino prioritized clean ups in poorer neighborhoods, he’s neglected others.

“That whole Downtown Filene’s Basement project thing never happened," she said. "That was disappointing. I’d like to see that up and running."

There’s still time. Menino pointed out he still has nine months left in office. Residents like Said Haouichem, the barista at Café Dello Sport, said he just hopes to keep seeing the mayor around the neighborhood.

“He comes to the North End a lot," Haouichem said. "He has a lot of friends here in the North End. I love him. I love Thomas.”