Looking for Back Bay Restaurants?

Guide to restaurants in Back Bay, Boston

 

You’ll find plenty of excellent Back Bay restaurants in this fashionable Boston neighborhood, home to trendy Newbury Street, the Hynes Convention Center, Copley Center, Prudential Center, many historic sites, several colleges, and lots of lucky residents.

Whether you're looking for a quick bite or haute cuisine, an American bistro or ethnic food, glamorous dining atop a skyscraper or a cozy neighborhood spot, you'll find plenty of choices in among Back Bay restaurants.

Back Bay also offers some of the city's most romantic restaurants, a seafood restaurant designed to feel like a New England clam shack, burgers and fries in a bowling alley, and several top steakhouses.

Use my Back Bay Restaurant Guide to find the perfect dining choices for you.

 

Guide to Back Bay Restaurants

 

Back Bay is one of Boston's larger neighborhoods, stretching west from the Public Garden all the way to the Hynes Convention Center and Berklee College, where it meets the Fenway neighborhood.

Use my Back Bay Restaurant Guide to find convenient restaurant locations near the part of this beautiful neighbhorhood where you'll be. 

Money-saving tip:  Some of Boston's most expensive restaurants call Back Bay "home."  If their dinner prices make you blanch, consider going for lunch instead.  Menus may be similar to dinner, but much more affordable. 

And to try some of the top Back Bay restaurants without flattening your wallet during March and August, check out Restaurant Week in Boston.

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Abe and Louie's    $$$$ - American, Steakhouse

793 Boylston St; Green Line/Copley; 617-536-6300; www.abeandlouies.com

Prime steaks, huge portions, and a great wine list make award-winning Abe and Louie's one of the city's most popular steakhouses.  Cutting back on red meat?   Not to worry - have a fabulous swordfish steak here instead, or maybe the equally wonderful grilled shrimp.

B Good   $ - Burgers, American

131 Dartmouth St, between Columbus Ave and Stuart St; 617-424-5252
272 Newbury St; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-236-0440
137 Mass Ave, at Berklee College of Music; 617-236-5480

You can get burgers (meat and veggie), sandwiches, salads, and fries at these popular Back Bay restaurants that emphasize speed, freshness, flavor, and value.   Come here for tasty, affordable freshly made food.  Part of a small local chain.  The Newbury St location offers patio dining during good weather.

Bangkok Blue   $$ - Thai

651 Boylston St, right across from the Boston Public Library; Green Line/Copley; 617-266-1010; www.bkkblueboston.com

Huge menu - you can probably find every Thai dish imaginable here.    Curries and seafood dishes are particularly good.   I love their tropical drinks, especially the mango and passion fruit smoothie!   Considering Bangkok Blue's location in an expensive part of Back Bay, you’ll love the affordable prices.  Outdoor seating during warm weather.

Bhindi Bazaar Indian Cafe $$ - India

95 Mass Ave (near Newbury St; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-450-0660; www.bhindibazaar.com

Great Indian food in a great location.  This Back Bay restaurant next to the Hynes Convention Center features food from all regions of India, from Southern Indian dosas and curries to Northern Indian kormas, and everything in between.   Tandoor selections are especially yummy.  

Vegetarians will find plenty to enjoy here, too. The affordable prices (most dishes are under $15) lure lots of students and faculty from Berklee and other nearby schools.

Opt for the buffet, order from the menu, or get carryout.

Brasserie Jo $$$ - French

120 Huntington Ave, at the Colonnade Hotel; Green Line E/Prudential; 617-425-3240; www.brasseriejo.com

As its name implies, Brasserie Jo emulates a French bar/bistro, with favorites such as salade Nicoise, Alsace-style pizzas, steak frites, veal blanquette, and steamed mussels. In the spirit of bar food, you can also get a large selection of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, burgers, croques monsieurs, hotdogs, omelettes, and, ahem, canned sardines.   Do not miss the mousse chocolat!

Very nice wine list of mostly French selections plus lots of different beers and ales in the bar.

Cactus Club $$ - Pub Food

939 Boylston St; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-236-0200; www.bestmargaritas.com

The emphasis here is definitely on the margaritas . . . but the Tex-Mex bar food is actually quite good.   If you’re exhausted from shopping, imagine a big, frosty margarita and a bite to eat in a super-casual Back Bay restaurant . . . this is your place!  You can also enjoy the sandwiches, empanadas, and wraps.

Or let's say you’re in the mood for dessert and want to try something that you won’t find in perhaps any other Back Bay restaurant, order the cinnamon banana cheesecake, dulce de leche, or fried ice cream.

Cafe 47  $ breakfast and lunch, $$ dinner - American

47 Massachusetts Ave.; 617-536-1577; Green Line/Hynes Convention center; website

What a perfect location for this cozy neighborhood spot!  Cranberry red floors, exposed bricks, and banquette seating are a nice fit with the American comfort food. 

Start the day with eggs and ham on a bagel, oatmeal or Greek yogurt and fruit, or yummy baked treats - all for less than $4. 

Lunch features salads, sandwiches, and small or large pizzas - but way better than what you'll find in most casual eateries.  Try the Baja Shrimp Salad, with grilled shrimp, greens, pineapple, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and bacon with soy ginger dressing.  Or the Cuban Panini, with roasted pork loin, ham, onions, swiss, and mustard.

Dinner also offers many treats . . . salmon with roasted red pepper sauce on a bed of sauteed spinach . . . baked sausage alforno . . . creamy vegetable risotto.  For dessert, save room for the fried banana caramel cheesecake.

Add to all of this a nice wine list and homemade Sangria, and Cafe 47 may become your favorite place to dine.

Cafe Jaffa $$$ - Middle Eastern

48 Gloucester St, 617-536-0230; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; no website

You’ll enjoy superb Middle Eastern food in this cozy cafe tucked between Newbury and Boylston Streets. You can take a break from shopping and enjoy tasty stuffed grape leaves, kebabs, baba ganouj, and hummus.

Cafe Jaffa also does a brisk carryout business - and in fact, this is a great place to get picnic fixings . . . if you can ignore the yummy smells long enough to avoid eating your falafel wrap as you walk down the street.

Capital Grille $$$$ - American, Steakhouse

359 Newbury St; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-262-8900

If you order one of the delicious seafood appetizers - the shellfish platter or the smoked salmon from Maine - you may be tempted to order 1 or 2 more and call it a meal - but that would be a mistake. This favorite Back Bay restaurant balances top-quality beef with perfectly prepared fish and shellfish as main course options on its menu. And thanks to the interesting salad and vegetables at this popular Back Bay restaurant, vegetarians will also be happy. Everyone will enjoy the robust wine list.

Casa Romero $$$ - Mexican

30 Gloucester St (side entrance on the alley) between Newbury and Commonwealth Ave; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-536-4341; www.casaromero.com

You’ll find authentic Mexican food here (not Tex Mex) - and it’s mouthwatering!   Main course offerings include specialties like grilled shrimp with tomatillos and cilantro, stuffed squid with tomato and chipotle sauce, and chicken stuffed with nopalitos and cheese with mole poblano sauce. The carefully chosen wine list features selections from Spain and South America.

If you love real Mexican food, this Back Bay restaurant is a place you’ll want to visit more than once.   Great patio for warm-weather dining outdoors.

Chilli Duck $$ - Thai

829 Boylston, across from Prudential Center; Green Line E/Prudential; 617-236-5208

One of the best Back Bay restaurants for Thai cuisine - in fact, one of the best in the city.  Great curries, wonderful pineapple fried rice, nice touch with seafood. 

As a bonus - huge portions (you'll definitely take some home) and affordable prices.

City Table    $$$ - American classics

61 Exeter St; Orange Line/Back Bay; 617-933-4800; website

In this casual restaurant located at the Lenox Hotel, Chef Dennis Wilson serves contemporary versions of American classics (mac and cheese made with top-quality cheese, fondue, wonderful fish, risotto), emphasizing fresh and organic ingredients.  Breakfast and dinner served daily.  Or, make a meal from the wonderful appetizers.

Clio $$$$ - Sushi, International

370A Commonwealth Ave, at the Eliot Hotel; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-536-7200; www.cliorestaurant.com

Cottonwood Café   $$$ - Southwestern

222 Berkeley St (Copley Square); Green Line/Copley; 617-247-2225; www.cottonwoodboston.com

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse   $$$$ dinner - Italian

75 Arlington St, between Saint James and Stuart; Green Line/Arlington; phone 617-357-4810; www.davios.com

Davio’s innovative Northern Italian food and carefully chosen wine list will please meat lovers, fish lovers, and pasta lovers alike. And the vegetables at this popular Back Bay restaurant taste fabulous . . . the grilled asparagus and their spicy sauted escarole are among my personal favorites.  More about Davio's

Davio’s To Go  $ - Carryout

10 Saint James Galleria lobby (between Arlington and Berkeley Streets); 617-357-4810; www.davios.com

In a rush? You can stop by Davio’s To Go counter to get delicious muffins, bagels, salads, panini, soups, and pizza by the slice from To Go counter of one of Boston’s best Northern Italian restaurants. This is one of my favorite spots for a slice of deep-dish mozzarella cheese pizza or a chopped salad.  Plus, you get Davio's high quality at very affordable prices.

Fire + Ice   $$ - Mongolian BBQ

205 Berkeley (Park Square Building, between St James and Providence St); Green Line/Copley; 617-482-3473; www.fire-ice.com

Choose your own meat, seafood, tofu, veggies, sauces, and put them in a bowl.  Hand the bowl to a chef, who cooks the whole mixture on an open grill.  With large drinks, entertaining chefs, and lively crowd, Fire + Ice can be lots of fun. 

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar   $$$$ - Steakhouse

217 Stuart St; Green Line/Arlington; 617-292-0808; www.flemingssteakhouse.com

One of the best Boston steakhouses, with an excellent wine list.  Part of a national chain.

Grill 23 and Bar  $$$$ - American, Steakhouse, Seafood

161 Berkeley St; Green Line/Arlington; 617-542-2255; www.grill23.com

Another premier Boston steakhouse, Grill 23 specializes in prime, all-natural beef - although its grilled seafood offerings are also excellent. The menu looks extensive, but actually it's simple: if you want beef or lamb, decide which cut you fancy - and it will be cooked to your specifications. Seafood choices are also simple: large boiled Maine lobsters and large swordfish steaks.

Did I mention that portions at this popular Back Bay restaurant are huge? Be sure to come with a hearty appetite! Grill 23’s 1,000+ choice wine list may also contribute to a evening.

Hard Rock Café  $$$ - American

22-24 Clinton St, near Faneuil Hall; Blue Line/State; 617-424-7625; www.hardrock.com

Part of the international franchise, offering casual American cuisine and a well-stocked bar.

Haru  $$$ - Japanese

55 Huntington Ave (street level below the Shops at Prudential Center); Green Line E/Prudential; 617-536-0770; www.harusushi.com

Japanese food fans will love this spacious, stylish restaurant with its fabulous sushi bar, artwork by local artists, and Japanese garden. Even if you don’t love sushi or sashimi, you’ll find some great teriyaki, tempura, fish, and seafood options on the menu at this innovative Back Bay restaurant, part of a small Northeast chain.  Lots of interesting entree combinations, plus a sake and cocktail lounge.

India Samraat   $$ - Indian

51 Massachusetts Ave; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-247-0718; www.indiasamraat.com

Extensive menu and delicious food – popular with students and locals because of the affordable prices (mostly under $15). Considered one of the best Indian restaurants in this part of the Back Bay neighborhood.  Home-style cooking.

Joe’s American Bar and Grill   $$ - American

181 Newbury St, between Dartmouth and Exeter; Green Line/Copley; 617-536-4200; www.joesamerican.com

Convenient spot for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the heart of Back Bay. 

Kashmir $$ - Indian

279 Newbury St; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-536-1695; www.kashmirrestaurant.com

Another popular Indian restaurant - one of Back Bay's best.  Outdoor seating in warm weather.

Kings Restaurant   $$ - American, Pub Food

50 Dalton St; 617-266-2695; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-266-2695; www.kingsbackbay.com
21+ after 6pm

Kings Restaurant has surprising good food - considering that it’s part of a bowling alley!  Yes, you can actually bowl here!  Plus, King's Restaurant is close to Hynes Convention Center, and it's a great spot to duck into between meetings or presentations . . . especially if you and a couple of colleagues want to get a little exercise by little bowling.  It's also right around the corner from the Prudential Center entrance on Boylston Street.

Food choices include pizzas, wraps, salads, burgers, and even simple but delicious entrees. All of the food is freshly made daily on the premises. While you might not come to a bowling alley (Kings also has billiards and a full bar) just for the food, this casual but fun Back Bay restaurant prepares food good enough to stand on its own. My kids love, love, love the ice cream sandwiches - and so do I!

Needless to say, kids will clamor to come to this place (especially after you let them bowl) but it’s a lot of fun for everyone. Did I mention the 6 huge screens and too many TVs to count for watching sports events? Kings is a little off the usual Boston tourist path - but if your significant other has dragged you around to too many museums, historical sites, and culture, Kings could be the perfect antidote.

Laurel Grill and Bar $$ - American/International

142 Berkeley, Green Line/Arlington; 617-424-6711; www.laurelgrillandbar.com

Legal Sea Foods   $$$ - Seafood

3 Back Bay restaurant locations:
Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St; Green Line E/Prudential; 617-266-6800
Copley Place, 100 Huntington Ave; Orange Line/Back Bay; 617-266-7775
26 Park Plaza, in Park Square; Green Line/Arlington; 617-426-4444
www.legalseafoods.com

Even though Legal Sea Foods is no longer just a local seafood place, Bostonians still think of it that way.   For many folks, Legal tops the list of best seafood restaurants.

And this title is well-deserved.  Legal emphasizes the freshness and quality of its fish and shellfish, and has been a long-time supporter of environmental issues.

You’ll find a wide variety of seafood prepared in many different and delicious ways listed on its extensive menu - something for every taste.  The menu even includes a small “turf” section.  And my daughters rank Legal's children's menu as one of their top favorites. 

Back Bay is fortunate to have not just one, but three Legal Seafoods.  The ones in Copley and Pru Center are ideal when you're about to collapse after too much shopping, or a nice spot for a business lunch or dinner. 

The Park Plaza location is Legal’s flagship restaurant, and features an extensive wine cellar and private dining/tasting space.  Foreign-language (including Japanese) and gluten-free menus are also available.

L’Espalier    $$$$ - French

774 Boylston St, in the Mandarin Oriental Boston; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-262-3023; www.lespalier.com

The menus at this top-of-everyone's-list fabulous French restaurant change daily and seasonally but you can count on your meal here being a transcendent experience.  

Several prix-fixe menus, including a tasting menu, with and without wine pairings are offered.   And can you find a more beautiful restaurant in Back Bay - or for that matter, anywhere in Boston?

If you're planning to propose to someone, book a reservation here.  You won't be guaranteed of a "yes" - but the sublime surroundings and food will become part of your special memories if you get the answer you're hoping for.  And if you don't?  Well, you'll still have a great meal!

McCormick and Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant   $$$$ - Seafood, American

34 Columbus Ave, in Park Plaza Hotel; Green Line/Arlington; 617-482-3999; www.mccormickandschmicks.com

Men Tei Japanese Noodle Cafe   $ - Japanese

66 Hereford St between Newbury and Boylston, Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-425-0066; no website

You’ll find great Japanese soups, stir-fried noodles, rice bowls, and fried rice at this pleasant and unpretentious Back Bay restaurant. Side dishes such as seaweed salad, steamed dumplings, and tofu with spicy sauce round out the menu.This is one of my favorite Back Bay restaurants for a quick and healthy meal - love the seaweed ramen bowl full of fresh veggies!

Montien   $$ - Thai

63 Stuart St; Green Line/Boylston; 617-338-5600; www.montien-boston.com

Morton's    $$$$ - Steakhouse

1 Exeter Plaza (699 Boylston at Exeter); Green Line/Copley; 617-266-5858; www.mortons.com Oak Room $$$$ Steakhouse, American 138 St. James, at the Copley Plaza Hotel; Orange Line/Back Bay; 617-267-5300; www.theoakroom.com

Pairings $ - $$$ - Contemporary American - Small plates

50 Park Plaza; Green Line/Arlington/ 617-262-3473  website

With an emphasis on snacks (smaller than an appetizer) and small plates, you're encouraged to order an assortment of yummy dishes to share among the diners at your table.  But yummy selections like lobster corn dogs,  chestnuts and arugula, and Muscovy duck with figs, you may want to hoard everything for yourself. 

Located at the Park Plaza Hotel Boston.

Parish Cafe and Bar $$ - Sandwiches, Pub Food

361 Boylston St; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617- 247-4777; www.parishcafe.com

Although the Parish Cafe does have a full bar, the food is too good to be called bar food. The Parish’s claim to fame is its sandwiches. Each one is the creation of a well-known Boston chef - and they’re delicious.

You can also choose from a few simple but deliciously prepared entrees - mac and cheese, lo mein noodles (fabulously good - the creation of yet another Boston chef), chicken, pasta . . . and trust me, you need to save room for the white chocolate bread pudding. This Back Bay restaurant also offers outdoor dining during warm months.

Piattini Wine Cafe   $-$$    Italian

226 Newbury St; Green Line/Copley; 617-536-2020; website

Small plates of Italian specialties and excellent wine by the glass bring raves of approval to this affordable neighborhood spot on Newbury Street. 

More about Piattini

Skipjack’s Seafood Restaurants    $$$   Seafood

199 Clarendon St; Green Line/Copley; 617-536-3500; www.skipjacks.com

Sonsie $$$$ - International

327 Newbury St; Green Line E/Prudential; 617-351-2500; www.sonsieboston.com

Looking for a trendy, see-and-be-seen spot in Back Bay?   Sonsie is your place!  

The stylish red, black, and white interior, the glamorous tres chic bar, and French windows opening onto Newbury Street project a European flavor matched by the international menu. 

Sonsie feels glamorous at night, and during the day, spectacular light streams in through the large windows, giving you a "everything's right with the world" feeling.

Dinner options range from brick oven pizza . . . to herb polenta fritters with roasted artichokes and yellow tomatoes . . . to grilled duck breast with ruby plums and ginger . . . to steak au poivre. A full bar, downstairs Wine Room, a nice wine list, and music throughout the evening enhance the festive ambiance.

Stephanie’s on Newbury $$$ - American/International

190 Newbury St; Orange Line/Back Bay; 617-236-0990; www.stephaniesonnewbury.com

Stephanie’s sophisticated comfort food may be just what you want after a long day of sightseeing, shopping, and museum visits. Imagine lobster pot pie . . . pan roasted sea scallops with cheddar corn bread . . . a double-thick pork chop with barbeque sauce and roasted sweet potatoes. A nice wine list gives you lots of affordable options. A fireplace warms the dining room in cold months, and in the summer you can opt for sidewalk seating on Newbury Street and people-watch.

Summer Shack  $$$ - American, Seafood

50 Dalton St across from Hynes Auditorium, upstairs above Kings Bowling Alley; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-867-9955; www.summershackrestaurant.com

Jasper White's Summer Shack proves you don't have to leave the city in order to experience a real New England shore dinner. The food at this popular Back Bay restaurant has all the traditional clam shack favorites - boiled lobster, chowder, corn dogs, corn on the cob, grilled seafood, lobster rolls, the raw bar, bouillabaisse, fish and chips. The family-friendly atmosphere is fun, informal . . . and you can almost pretend that you're at the beach.

Top of the Hub $$$$ - Boston and New England specialties / contemporary American

Prudential Tower, 52nd floor, 800 Boylston St.; Green Line E/Prudential; 617-536-1775; www.topofthehub.net

Enjoy a panoramic view of the city with your delicious lunch or dinner at this wonderful Back Bay restaurant on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Building . . . or enjoy it from the lounge as to live jazz in the evenings.

More about Top of the Hub

Trident Booksellers and Cafe $ - $$ - American

338 Newbury St; Green Line/Hynes Convention Center; 617-267-8688; www.tridentbookscafe.com

Do you love books and good food? If so, Trident is a must! In addition to being the last independent bookstore in Boston Proper, it has some of the best home-style food in Back Bay. Although this popular Back Bay restaurant serves food and drinks from breakfast forward, you’ll find it a particularly good - and affordable - spot for dinner on Newbury St.

You’ll usually find such favorites as homemade meatloaf, homemade (yes, there’s a trend here) pumpkin and brie ravioli, and cassoulet with chicken and sausage slow-cooked with white beans, peppers, and onions on the regular menu, plus daily pasta and risotto specials. Plus, you can also enjoy the books!

Turner Fisheries $$$$ - Seafood

10 Huntington Ave, at Westin Copley Place Hotel; Orange Line/Back Bay; 617-424-7425; www.turnersboston.com

Via Matta –$$ lunch, $$$$ - dinner

79 Park Square; Green Line/Arlington; 617-422-0008; www.viamattarestaurant.com

Via Matta's Italian regional cuisine relies on fresh, top-quality veggies, meats, and fish creatively prepared. Innovative pastas. Menu changes daily at this very popular Back Bay restaurant in the Park Square area. . . tantalizing choices will cause you to want to eat too much, and return again and again. Separate bar menu. Very nice wine list.