Boston restaurant recommendations?
 

We're going to be at a meeting in Boston next week. We'd like to eat at restaurants that offer regional cuisine. Any suggestions? <BR>Thanks!

Durgin Park at Faneuil Hall.

Henrietta's table at the Charles hotel.

Depends on what you mean by "regional cuisine". <BR> <BR>For great fish, try any of the several locations of Legal Sea Foods. <BR> <BR>Durgin-Park serves alleged re-creations of old-time Yankee dishes, in a novelty rowdy atmosphere. For real Yankee, try Union Oyster House, the oldest restaurant in Boston (and maybe in the US), near Quincy Marketplace.

Where are you staying? What kind of foods are your favorites?

Madeline - We're staying at the Doubletree Downtown Boston. Whenever we travel we try to find restaurants that are unique to the area - something you wouldn't find anywhere else because of the use of regional resources in the dishes. For instance, fried green tomatoes in the South, TexMex in Texas, ono in Hawaii, etc. Does that help?

Yes, that helps. If you don't mind going over to Cambridge, try the East Coast Grill--wonderful seafood but not cooked the usual way. There's also a wonderful Portuguese place or two in the Somerville area; ask your concierge.In Boston, our favorites are anything in the North End (Italian); and in the South End, Hammersley's and Aquataine. Henrietta's Table in the Charles is a good suggestion (it's also in Cambridge). Grill 23 is Back Bay is good for steak.

If you decide to go to Grill 23, don't eat for about 2 days beforehand, the portions are ENORMOUS!

Above are good suggestions. For "unique" try fire and Ice in Back Bay or Harvard Square. Try Elephant Walk at Porter Square. Walk down Newberry Street, several good Italian, also Capital Grille (best beef in Boston). <BR>Lots of good seafood. Legals is a mainstay. For "unique" try the No Name (On the Fish Pier). <BR>Enjoy.

I had a sublimely delicious meal at No. 9 Park (right next to the State House on Boston Common). Expensive but worth it!

<BR>One of the real New England specialties is Freshly made Ice Cream. Try Toscaninis', Christina's, or Herrell's in Cambridge.

When I am visiting boston I always check local forums for advice on where to eat: <BR>Try www.boston-online.com (The people on this forum are so helpful & respond real quick) <BR>Also try <BR>www.phamtomgourmet.com and go to the forums.

Sorry Paulie that this doesn't answer your question but would you mind making a short comment on the Downtown Doubletree when you return? I'm booked there in December and would love a comment or two. Thanks.

Let us all forget overpriced Legal Seafoods for a change. For great seafood that is affordable SkipJack's across from the John Hancock and across the street from the Trinity Church, it's a much better operation for half the cost. Oh yes, it's on Clarendon Street a block from the Hard Rock Cafe which is across from the best theatre in Boston, the Lyric Stage in the YMCA on the second floor..

Pauli - Madeline's got it right with all of her selections. I'm a Bostonian, and she picked all of our favorite places. Hamersley's will require ressies well in advance, as my Aquitaine. <BR> <BR>Beware of No. 9 Park. I had a miserable experience there, and of my friends who have been there, have not heard anything good about it. <BR> <BR>Skip Durgin Park - too touristy and the food is awful. <BR> <BR>To preview menus - check out www.foodline.com for Boston.

Why do all the people on Fodors.com feel that everybody can afford high end restaurants!! No matter what city, it always seems to be the most expensive and chi chi restaurants. Does it ever occur to anybody that somebody cannot afford the prices at Grill 23 or Hammersleys.

Parrot Mom: of course you are correct, but I was going on the assumptions(which one should never do, I know) that budget is not an issue on this trip as Pauli doesn't mention it; and that a little research will be done upon arrival about cuisine likes, dislikes, the desire or not to travel over to Cambridge, etc. That said, in re-reading the responses, there seems to be a pretty good range of prices at the places mentioned. <BR> <BR>I also might add that I agree with whomever said not to go to Durgin Park.

I have seen the No Name recommended many times over the years. I am from the Boton area, ate there once, and would never go back there or recommend it to anyone. Maybe they were just having an off day, but my husband and I are big seafood lovers and could not eat our meal. I also agree that Legal's is overpriced and overhyped. I have always had decent, but not outstanding, food there. I would go with the Union Oyster House.

One last thought Pauli...no tourists ever go to these places: <BR> <BR>Bob the Chefs - soul food in the South End of Boston. Has GREAT jazz on Saturday nights. They do take ressies, and have a web site if you search on it: www.bobthechefs.com <BR> <BR>Claremont Cafe - American cuisine. Very neighborhoody restaurant. Dinners are wonderful. They too take ressies. www.claremontcafe.com <BR> <BR>You won't ever find yourself walking past these places, but if you take a cab, you will be pleasantly surprised.

I used to eat regularly at Durgin-Park in the early '60s while working temporarily at Bethlehem Steel in Quincy. Went back on a nostalgic visit last year. The food and service were still as good as 40 years ago. The Indian pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert is wonderful.