we will be coming to Boston and staying at the Sheraton. We are looking for some place casual to eat on the first night, in the back bay with a variety ( burgers, steak, pasta seafood) We are very casual so nothing fancy. I guess the second night we will eat at the North End, and on Sunday maybe Harvard square. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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Well responding to the words very casual, might I suggest the Pour House

http://www.pourhouseboston.com/index.htm

There's also Joe's American Bar near the Sheraton.

For Harvard Sq, Russell House Tavern is new and has received many rave reviews already. I'm dying to try it.

www.dailycatch.com

Joe's on Newbury is a good choice. They recently reopened in a new building and it's quite hapening with a busy bar scene. The food is solid.

Given the kind of broad-based food choice you're looking for (burgers, steak, pasta, seafood, and the phrases "nothing fancy" and "very casual" suggesting a low price point), it will be tough to truly find great food. You're talking Applebees or Bennigans or TGI Fridays territory here.

For the best such food of this type, I'd probably head to the South End, which is several blocks walk away, and go to Pop's or the Delux Cafe and Lounge. Have had good experiences at both in past.

For the places mentioned above thus far:

Both Joe's and Pour House mentioned above are bar food spots that are closer by where you're staying. Of the two, I'd probably pick the former -- you can certainly do worse on Newbury Street, for sure, and pay more to boot. My limited experience at Pour House suggests it's a place that gives out a lot of food cheap but not necessarily with any distinction. Daily Catch is a modest sized Italian seafood chain, but none are remotely within walking distance of the Sheraton.

Joe's Amrican Bar is a good choice and I'll add Charley's Eating and Drinking Saloon.

Here's a link to nearby restaurants on the Boylston and Newbury St. area near the hotel:

http://www.newbury-st.com/Boston/25/Restaurants

I haven't been to Dillon's but that is probably closest to the Sheraton.

My husband and I still like Stephanies on Newbury. It's been around awhile but it's still going strong. It's fairly casual and offers exactly what you are looking for.

http://www.stephaniesonnewbury.com/

Hooking onto this thread - are any of these restaurants within walking distance of the Intercontinental Hotel?

NGail, the IC is near Faneuil Hall, so there will be plenty of affordable options there. A bit farther (about 15-min walk) is North End, which has a gazillion number of restaurants to choose from.

If you walk the other direction towards Chinatown (about 15-min walk), there are tons of inexpensive Asian restaurants to choose from.

Finally, 2 of my favorite, cheap places to eat near the IC are:
1) Clover Food lab truck at Dewey Sq. It's a food truck, but there are plenty of benches and chairs nearby where you can sit. http://www.cloverfoodlab.com/?page_id=2248 I love their popovers offered during breakfast, as well as many of their lunch sandwiches.

2) James Hook for lobster roll. http://www.jameshooklobster.com/ It's right around the corner from IC. There are a few small tables inside the "store", and several picnic benches on the outside.

NGail,

The Intercontinental is on the waterfront--convenient to many restaurants but not walking distance to the above restaurants--all of them located near the Sheraton in Back Bay. You should post a new thread with your question.

From your hotel you can walk to the Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market area and also to the North End. Let us know what you're looking for.

Thanks yk and cw for your quick responses!
We're looking for someplace for dinner for the first night we're in town, near the IC, indoors (late October). There are 10 of us, so we'd need a place that takes reservations. We are kids, teens and adults, so nothing too fancy.
(BTW- James Hook sounds too good to miss - maybe when DH and I have some down-time!)

Sel de la Terre is not fancy, and they do have a kids menu. Take a look at their menu, you'll want the Long Wharf location:

http://www.seldelaterre.com/

Near Sel de la Terre and your hotel is a Legal Seafoods restaurant. Both of these restaurants are an easy walk and are right near the Aquarium.

They are moderately priced--if you want more casual, then near Faneuil Hall is probably the easiest near area to go to.

good call cw

NGail you might start your own thread and check out chowhound.com. The north end may be an option or Durgin Park for ok food with history or this chain down the street many find decent if not foodie

http://www.joesamerican.com/index.cf...245&cdid=10318

Me? I'd go with someplace in the Northend or Sel de la terre.

And you should check out flour bakery - love the blt and the egg sandwiches and the carrot cake rocks. really good stuff a short stroll away.

http://flourbakery.com/

Ohhh, and what a great hotel!!!

Joe's American Grill is a great idea, Little Wing.

NGail, it's about the same distance as anything would be in the Quincy Market area and I think they take reservations.

Thanks all for some good choices - Joe's American could certainly work (less pricey then Sel de la Terre, especially when feeding teenagers!)
I've also heard of Regina Pizzeria on Thatcher- don't know if they take reservations.
Now to take a look at chowhound.com.

Poking through chowhound.com brought up Antico Forno.
What do you think?
many thanks.

Antico Forno is my favorite restaurant in the North End. Love it, have for years. I hope the fact that one of my forum comments on it that ended up in Fodors Boston 2010 doesn't ruin it! ;-)

Try McGreevey's. The right location for you, good food and variety, fits your criteria, and it is filled w/Red Sox memorabilia. The location was a former saloon opened in 1894, owned by "Nuf Ced" McGreevey, that is said to be the birthplace of the Red Sox Nation. Very Boston kind of place, owned by the leader of the Dropkick Murphys, Ken Casey. Disclaimer: Ken is my husband's cousin, but that is not why I am recommending the restaurant- it fits your criteria perfectly and I like the place.

If it is a Red Sox home game night, watch out though. It gets busy.

http://www.mcgreevysboston.com/history.html

menu: http://www.mcgreevysboston.com/FullMenu2010.pdf