19 upscale rooms in Boston, editor-picked. occasion rooms in Boston — destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Boston food.
Neptune Oyster ★ 4.9
north-end · 63 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113
Neptune Oyster on Salem Street has run the city's defining raw bar in Boston since 2004. 42 seats, no reservations, Gulf of Maine lobster roll on a buttered split-top bun.
Tip: Put your name on the iPad at 16:30, walk to a bar, and return when they text. The 20:00 wait can run 90 minutes.
Neptune Oyster ★ 4.9
north-end · 63 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113
Neptune Oyster on Salem Street runs the city's defining raw bar in Boston's North End since 2004. 42 seats, no reservations, hot-buttered lobster roll the dish that draws the line.
Tip: Put your name on the iPad at 16:30. The wait at 18:30 runs 90 minutes; weekday lunch is the easy seat.
Oleana ★ 4.8
cambridge · 134 Hampshire St, Cambridge, MA 02139
Ana Sortun's Inman Square room has run an Eastern Mediterranean kitchen in Cambridge since 2001. Turkish, Syrian and Lebanese plates from Siena Farms produce, a Beard Award since 2005.
Tip: The garden patio in summer is one of Cambridge's best outdoor seats. Books out three weeks ahead in season.
Sarma ★ 4.8
somerville · 249 Pearl St, Somerville, MA 02145
Cassie Piuma and Ana Sortun's meze room on Pearl Street in Somerville has run Turkish-style small plates since 2013. Surprise plates from the kitchen, James Beard finalist 2024.
Tip: Order the chef's choice tasting; the kitchen will send the best of the night unprompted.
Coppa ★ 4.6
south-end · 253 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118
Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette's Italian enoteca on Shawmut Avenue runs house-made charcuterie and Roman pastas in Boston's South End since 2009. Natural-wine list, 36 seats.
Tip: The marble counter is the better solo seat. Walk in at 17:00 for the easy table.
Row 34 ★ 4.6
seaport-fort-point · 383 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210
Row 34 on Congress Street has run the Fort Point oyster room in Boston since 2013. Named for row 34 in Duxbury Bay, the bivalve list runs 20 East Coast varieties daily.
Tip: The bar runs the same menu without the reservation lead time, and Tuesday nights are the easy walk-in seat at the counter.
Cafe Sushi ★ 4.6
cambridge · 1105 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138
Brothers Kenshi and Seizi Imura run Cafe Sushi on Mass Ave near Harvard Square in Cambridge since 1984. A James Beard finalist sushi counter; in-person dining returned December 2025.
Tip: Twelve counter seats only; book on Tock 30 days ahead. Take-out bento boxes are the off-menu deal at lunch.
Row 34 ★ 4.6
seaport-fort-point · 383 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210
Row 34 on Congress Street has run the Fort Point oyster room in Boston since 2013. Named for row 34 in Duxbury Bay; 20 East Coast oyster varieties daily; Boston Magazine Best Seafood 2025.
Tip: The bar runs the same menu without the reservation lead time. Tuesday nights walk in easily.
Carmelina's ★ 4.5
north-end · 307 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113
Damien DiPaola named Carmelina's after his mother and runs it on Hanover Street as a regional Italian kitchen in Boston since 2012. Sicilian and Roman pastas, family-style portions.
Tip: Reservations open four weeks ahead on OpenTable. The bar is the easier walk-in seat at 17:30 weekdays.
Krasi ★ 4.5
back-bay · 48 Gloucester St, Boston, MA 02115
Demetri Tsolakis's Krasi on Gloucester Street has poured the country's largest all-Greek wine list in Boston's Back Bay since 2020. Regional Greek mezze, charcoal-grilled lamb and fish.
Tip: Reservations open four weeks out on OpenTable. The bar serves the full menu for solo diners.
Toro ★ 4.5
south-end · 1704 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118
Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette's Spanish tapas room on Washington Street has run the South End's small-plate template in Boston since 2005. Catalan and Basque hot and cold plates.
Tip: Walk-in only for dinner. Get to the bar at 17:00 to skip the 90-minute wait that builds by 19:00.
Carmelina's ★ 4.5
north-end · 307 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113
Damien DiPaola's Carmelina's on Hanover Street has run regional Italian in Boston's North End since 2012. Reservations available, family-style sharing, all-Italian wine list under $80.
Tip: OpenTable bookings four weeks ahead. Sunday lunch family gravy at 13:00 is the easy seat.
Saltie Girl ★ 4.4
back-bay · 279 Dartmouth St, Boston, MA 02116
Kathy Sidell's Back Bay seafood room on Dartmouth Street has run the tinned-fish-and-crudo agenda in Boston since 2016. Caviar service, lobster rolls and a rose-heavy list.
Tip: The window counter is the easier walk-in seat at 17:30. Brunch books two weeks out on weekends.
Eastern Standard ★ 4.4
kenmore-fenway · 771 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02215
Garrett Harker's Eastern Standard reopened in the Bower complex on Beacon Street in 2023, recovering the Kenmore Square brasserie template Boston lost in 2020. Cocktail programme, all-day menu.
Tip: Pre-Sox-game dinner books out by 17:30. Late-night service runs to midnight on weekends.
Saltie Girl ★ 4.4
back-bay · 279 Dartmouth St, Boston, MA 02116
Kathy Sidell's Saltie Girl on Dartmouth Street runs tinned fish, crudo and lobster rolls in Boston's Back Bay since 2016. Caviar service, a 300-bottle list heavy on rose and Champagne.
Tip: The window counter is the walk-in seat. Brunch books two weeks out on Saturdays.
Yvonne's ★ 4.3
beacon-hill · 2 Winter Place, Boston, MA 02108
Yvonne's reopened the historic Locke-Ober space on Winter Place in Downtown Boston in 2015 as a modern supper club. Globe-trotting menu, late-night kitchen until 23:00.
Tip: Find the unmarked door inside the Yvonne's hair salon entrance. The library room is the quiet seat.
Yvonne's ★ 4.3
beacon-hill · 2 Winter Place, Boston, MA 02108
Yvonne's reopened the historic Locke-Ober space on Winter Place in Downtown Boston in 2015 as a modern supper club. Late-night supper kitchen until 23:00, library and main dining rooms.
Tip: The unmarked door is inside a fake wig shop. The library room is the quiet seat.
Union Oyster House ★ 4.2
north-end · 41 Union St, Boston, MA 02108
Union Oyster House on Union Street has shucked oysters in Boston since 1826, the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the United States. Daniel Webster's seat is still at the bar.
Tip: Skip the dining-room tables and sit at the historic raw bar. The bar is the original 1826 plank.
Legal Sea Foods Long Wharf ★ 4.0
north-end · 255 State St, Boston, MA 02109
Legal Sea Foods on Long Wharf, near the New England Aquarium in Boston, has anchored the chain's flagship since 1968. Boston clam chowder, the recipe served at every presidential inauguration.
Tip: Lunch with a harbor-side window is the best seat. The raw bar runs daily until 22:00.