samschack

We have arranged the hotel for our stay in Boston this coming August and would like some advise on restaurants. We'll be there for 4 days and would like to dine at one or two nicer restaurants but also a couple ideas on moderate priced restaurants which would appeal to our younger travelers would be great too. My wife and myself will be traveling with our 16 yr. old daughter and 25 yr. old son. It's our first trip to Boston in many years so we are totally out of the loop as far as the culinary scene goes. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

ParrotMom

Try www.chowhound.com.. and check into the
Boston site.. they will tell you everything you need to know

samschack

Did some research and found two places of interest to us. One is a place called "Elephant Walk" and the other "Black Fin"----Has anyone had any experiences at either of these places?

Anonymous

"Elephant Walk" is my daughter's favorite special-occasion restaurant.

cigalechanta

Henriettas Kitchen'(Henreitta was the owner's pig in Martha's Vineyard, now, R.I.P.) in Harvard Square at the Charles Hotel (there's also a Legal Seafood opposite the HK)
Dali, a spanish tapo restaurant on the Cambridge/Somerville line is one of my favorites, lots of fun, friendly atmosphere, Orleander, in their garden in Cambridge for fusion high quality food, I would also stop at any cafe on Newbury or Boylston Street to people watch. Jasper's summer shack in the back bay off Boylston is another choice for me to bring a teen. Your daughter will love shopping downtown at H&M on washington st(as well as Filene''s basement) And Anthropolagie on Boylston, Urban outfitters in Boston/Cambridge, HV Sq. Your son has everything to to shop from Armani to gap.

Toms

Just returned from first time visit to Boston. Enjoyed the Legal Seafood Rest. and Union Oyster House. Seemed like many nice places near Faneuil Market Square. Lots of activity on Fri.& Sat evening.

cigalechanta

Yes even we, townies go there. We like to bike to the old Union Oyster house to sit at the bar for oysters where so many historical locals did.

Eva

We had really nice dinner at Sonsie a couple of months ago. Walked in without a reservation and were squeezed in but had great food and service on a very busy Saturday night. It was a couple of blocks from the Marriott in Back Bay.

cigalechanta

Eva, glad you enjoyed the food. It's a great people looking spot* that is undervalued for its food because of the trendy young crowd, * if you can get a front seat.

china_cat

Blackfin is a new steakhouse/seafood restaraunt opened in the space formerly occupied by Ambrosia, and owned and operated by Anthony Ambrose. I haven't tried it yet, but the review in the Boston Globe was quite good.

I ate at Elephant Walk in Brookline recently, and was really unimpressed. I think it has gone downhill in recent years. Its an interesting concept, its a French and Cambodian restaurant. The menu has both types of cuisine in separate categories. I've always eaten the Cambodian there, because I think you can get better French elsewhere. But I found the food kind of bland and uninteresting on my last visit.

For upscale type places, my recent favorites are Excelsior and Pigalle.

peggybauer

Have to agree that Elephant Walk has gone way downhill. It is unique, though. For casual Thai, I recommend Brown Sugar Cafe on Commonwealth Ave, just west of Boston University. They have another location in the Fenway, but it is smaller. Olives in Charlestown is great for a special occasion restaurant, great views of Boston, innovative, great desserts, more reasonable prices than many restaurants with comprable food. Ask for a table with Boston skyline view.

djkbooks

Faneuil Hall/Quincy Marketplace is chock full of restaurants of all sorts, along with an indoor food court (with only the odd "chain") offering everything imaginable and seating areas.

No Name is still a terrific destination for very casual waterside seafood.

Our favorite casual places in Back Bay are Stephanie's on Newbury (at Exeter) and the Parish Cafe (Boylston at Arlington) which has an amazing array of sandwiches (all "designed" by the top chefs in Boston). Both have tables outdoors.

A terrific place for brunch is Abe & Louie's (great for dinner, too, if you love wood grilled aged beef and are really, really hungry) where there's also a terrific outdoor seating area (Boylston at Fairfield, right across from the Prudential Center and where the Duck Tours depart).

Other good web resources for finding restaurants appealing to you are www.boston.citysearch.com and www.phantomgourmet.com.

Gekko

Just returned from Boston -- The Elephant Walk on Beacon Street is extraordinary (Friday night was my 2nd visit). As a New Yorker, I'm tough to impress, but the Elephant Walk offers great, unique food (French-Cambodian), excellent service, and a nice, hip-casual atmosphere in a fun residential area (the eastern edge of Brookline).

One can make reservations at the Elephant Walk via its website, www.elephantwalk.com

brie

There's a second Elephant Walk in Porter Sq., Cambridge (about 4 blocks north of the T stop). This is sort-of the original, as the original was in Union Sq. Somerville and moved to Porter Sq. We enjoy it both for quality (though it may not be as extraordinary as it was 10 years ago) and as a very unusual menu. Literally half the dishes are traditional French and half (non-French) Cambodian, so you can have an unusual mix in one meal (or at one table).

Jasper's Summer Shack in Back Bay is also the second location; the original is across the street from the Alewife T stop. This might be a fun place for a(n older) family.

I'd second several recommendations you've already gotten and add East Coast Grill and Jae's (and maybe Magnolia, but I haven't actually gotten there myself) in Inman Sq. as delicious and slightly unusual restaurants. I am also a big fan of S&S in Inman Sq (deli & diner fare and an awesome brunch), but the ambiance is less striking. Inman Sq. is not on the T, though, so it's a bus or cab or walk....Dali (tapas) is also wonderful but not T-able.

In the Harvard Sq area I love Rialto at the Charles Hotel (my personal vote for best restaurant in Boston) and was a big fan of Upstairs at the Pudding which has closed/morphed into Upstairs at the Sq (but I haven't been to the new place yet). These last two might be less unusual/more upscale than you want for this trip (comparable to Olives), though I'd go to either in a heartbeat.

Obviously, I'm a better informant on Cambridge than Boston

bowmangayl

Bay Tower has terrific food, service, and view of the harbor - tiered dining room and wall of windows. Legal Seafood was also wonderful, less pricey but excellent food.

ramona

You'll want to experience the North End - I highly recommend Luccas on Hanover Street. Ask for a table downstairs where it is quieter. Have eaten there several times and the food is wonderful.(This would be your "nicer" restaurant) At Quincy Market, there is Houstons which is moderate in price and decent food - nice decor but a large bar crowd on Friday nights.

ddubya

Regina's Pizza - North End...great stuff

ParrotMom

Please avoid No Name...we went back after an absence of several years and I can't believe how bad it was, really awful.. Try the Barking Crab.. and rather than Legals which is considered very overpriced try Skipjacks on Clarendon Street opposite the Trinity Church.. great food and reasonable prices..

ColletteRI

Had an anniversary dinner at Bay Tower this September ( we had gone their the weekend we got engaged). The view is terrific and I like the atmosphere but was sorely disappointed in the food and the service this time... nothing impressive about either and pretty pricey.

peggybauer

Sorry I have to take back what I said about Olives. Went there 2 nights ago, very disappointing.