Boston has an amazing choice of restaurants of all types, and finding the best can be a challenge. Let’s have a look at what makes a great restaurant.
For most people, the quality of the food is the most important criteria for rating a restaurant, and rightfully so. No matter what type of food, from tacos to steaks, there is a proper way to prepare it, and customers notice. It all comes down to taste and texture—the ultimate test of a restaurant. Everything shows up in taste and texture (freshness of ingredients, kitchen efficiency, chef training, server speed, and much more).
The second-most important element is the overall customer experience. The quality of the team interaction, from greeter to server, has the highest impact on the customer experience. I have had many average meals where the team made all the difference. I left happy because I had a great personal interaction that was memorable and appreciated.
Other important elements affecting the customer experience are restaurant styling and decoration.
Value is important, but in a limited way. It has more to do with expectations. If you go to a top-notch restaurant for a birthday, your expectations are probably different than when you have an average meal in a regular restaurant. So value means that it should fit into the expectations of the customer.
From customer feedback, the following Boston restaurants have been rated the highest:
Best Restaurants
| Waypoint | Seafood | Cambridge | $$ | *4.6 | |
| Shy Bird - Kendall Square | Contemporary American | Cambridge | $$ | *4.7 | |
| Monument Restaurant & Tavern | American | Charlestown | $$ | *4.8 | |
| 75 Chestnut | Contemporary American | Beacon Hill | $$ | *4.7 | |
| Cosmica | Mexican | South End | $$ | *4.6 | |
| Maggiano's - Boston | Italian | Theater District | $$ | *4.7 | |
| Shy Bird - South Boston | American | South Boston | $$ | *4.8 | |
| Casa Romero | Mexican | Back Bay | $$ | *4.6 | |
| Black Lamb | American | South End | $$ | *4.8 | |
| The Bosworth | American | Downtown Crossing | $$ | *4.7 | |
| Alden and Harlow | American | Cambridge | $$ | *4.7 | |
| Shy Bird - Fenway | American | Fenway–Kenmore | $$ | *4.7 | |
| Trattoria Il Panino | Italian | North End | $$ | *4.6 | |
| Ma Maison | French | Beacon Hill | $$ | *4.8 | |
| Bab Al-Yemen Boston | Middle Eastern | Back Bay | $$ | *4.7 | |
| Fenway Johnnie's | American | Fenway–Kenmore | $$ | *4.7 | |
| Bambara Kitchen & Bar | American | Cambridge | $$ | *4.6 | |
| Catalyst Restaurant | Contemporary French / American | Cambridge | $$ | *4.6 | |
| Lincoln Tavern and Restaurant | American | South Boston | $$ | *4.7 | |
| Five Horses Tavern - South End | Contemporary American | South End | $$ | *4.6 | |
| Lucky Tiger | Asian | Charlestown | $$ | *4.7 | |
| Moxies - Boston Seaport | American | Seaport | $$ | *4.6 | |
| Alma Gaucha | Brazilian Steakhouse | Seaport | $$ | *4.7 | |
| MIDA - East Boston | Italian | East Boston | $$ | *4.6 | |
| Citrus & Salt | Contemporary Mexican | Seaport | $$ | *4.6 | |
| Emmet's Irish Pub and Restaurant | Irish | Beacon Hill | $$ | *4.6 | |
| Russell House Tavern | American | Cambridge | $$ | *4.6 | |
| La Fabrica Central | Latin American | Cambridge | $$ | | |
| Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar - South Boston | Mexican | South Boston | $$ | | |
| Mex Taqueria & Bar | Mexican | Cambridge | $$ | | |
| Antonio's Cucina Italiana | Italian | Beacon Hill | $$ | | |
| Assaggio | Italian | North End | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Aqua Pazza | Seafood | North End | $$$ | *4.8 | |
| Boston Chops - South End | Steakhouse | South End | $$$ | *4.6 | |
| Petit Robert Bistro Columbus Avenue | French | South End | $$$ | *4.6 | |
| Amber Road | American | Financial District | $$$ | *4.6 | |
| Oceanaire Seafood Room - Boston | Seafood | Financial District | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Amelia's Trattoria | Italian | Cambridge | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| The Dubliner Irish Pub & Restaurant | Irish | Beacon Hill | $$$ | *4.6 | |
| Earls Kitchen + Bar - Boston - Prudential Center | American | Back Bay | $$$ | *4.6 | |
| Locke Bar & Restaurant | American | Cambridge | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Ocean Prime - Boston Seaport | Steak | Seaport | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| The Helmand Restaurant | Middle Eastern | Cambridge | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Daniella's Ristorante - Peabody | Italian | Peabody | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Row 34 - Cambridge | Seafood | Cambridge | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Puritan & Company | Contemporary American | Cambridge | $$$ | *$31 | |
| Bar 'Cino Brookline | Italian | Brookline | $$$ | *4.8 | |
| Waverly Kitchen and Bar | American | Charlestown | $$$ | *4.9 | |
| Dovetail - Charlestown | American | Charlestown | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Metropolis Cafe | American | South End | $$$ | *4.8 | |
| La Voile | French | Back Bay | $$$ | *4.8 | |
| Row 34 - Kenmore Square | Boston | Seafood | Fenway–Kenmore | $$$ | *4.6 | |
| Harvest | Contemporary American | Cambridge | $$$ | *4.6 | |
| Little Donkey | Tapas / Small Plates | Cambridge | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Servia | Mediterranean | Financial District | $$$ | *4.8 | |
| Earls Kitchen + Bar - Assembly Row | American | Somerville | $$$ | *4.6 | |
| The Broadway | American | South Boston | $$$ | *4.6 | |
| Standard Italian | Contemporary Italian | Fenway–Kenmore | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Porto | Italian | Back Bay | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Beehive | American | South End | $$$ | *4.6 | |
| The Florentine Cafe | Italian | North End | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Publico | Contemporary American | South Boston | $$$ | *4.7 | |
| Monteverdi - Cambridge | Italian | Cambridge | $$$ | *4.6 | |
| Mistral - Boston | French | Back Bay | $$$ | *4.8 | |
| Douzo Modern Japanese Restaurant | Japanese | Back Bay | $$$ | *4.8 | |
| Dali | Spanish | Cambridge | $$$ | | |
| Geppetto | Italian | Cambridge | $$$ | | |
| Tuscan Kitchen - Seaport | Italian | Seaport | $$$ | | |
| Fuji At Ink Block | Asian | South End | $$$ | | |
| Toro | Tapas / Small Plates | South End | $$$ | | |
| Oishii Boston | Sushi | South End | $$$$ | *4.7 | |
| The Capital Grille - Boston | Steakhouse | Back Bay | $$$$ | *4.8 | |
| Uni | Contemporary Asian | Back Bay | $$$$ | *$50 | |
| Taberna de Haro | Spanish | Brookline | $$$$ | *4.6 | |
| The Nautilus - Boston Pier 4 | Pan-Asian | Seaport | $$$$ | *$50 | |
| Abe & Louie’s - Boston | Steakhouse | Back Bay | $$$$ | *4.7 | |
| Atlantic Fish | Seafood | Back Bay | $$$$ | *4.7 | |
| Zuma Boston | Japanese | Back Bay | $$$$ | *4.8 | |
| Smith & Wollensky - Wellesley | Steakhouse | Wellesley | $$$$ | | |
| Ruth's Chris Steak House - Boston | Steakhouse | Downtown Crossing | $$$$ | |
Maggiano's - Boston Italian Theater District $$ *4.7
Trattoria Il Panino Italian North End $$ *4.6
MIDA - East Boston Italian East Boston $$ *4.6
Antonio's Cucina Italiana Italian Beacon Hill $$
Assaggio Italian North End $$$ *4.7
Amelia's Trattoria Italian Cambridge $$$ *4.7
Daniella's Ristorante - Peabody Italian Peabody $$$ *4.7
Bar 'Cino Brookline Italian Brookline $$$ *4.8
Standard Italian Contemporary Italian Fenway–Kenmore $$$ *4.7
Porto Italian Back Bay $$$ *4.7
The Florentine Cafe Italian North End $$$ *4.7
Monteverdi - Cambridge Italian Cambridge $$$ *4.6
Geppetto Italian Cambridge $$$
Tuscan Kitchen - Seaport Italian Seaport $$$
Shy Bird - Kendall Square Contemporary American Cambridge $$ *4.7
Monument Restaurant & Tavern American Charlestown $$ *4.8
75 Chestnut Contemporary American Beacon Hill $$ *4.7
Shy Bird - South Boston American South Boston $$ *4.8
Black Lamb American South End $$ *4.8
The Bosworth American Downtown Crossing $$ *4.7
Alden and Harlow American Cambridge $$ *4.7
Shy Bird - Fenway American Fenway–Kenmore $$ *4.7
Fenway Johnnie's American Fenway–Kenmore $$ *4.7
Bambara Kitchen & Bar American Cambridge $$ *4.6
Catalyst Restaurant Contemporary French / American Cambridge $$ *4.6
Lincoln Tavern and Restaurant American South Boston $$ *4.7
Five Horses Tavern - South End Contemporary American South End $$ *4.6
Moxies - Boston Seaport American Seaport $$ *4.6
Russell House Tavern American Cambridge $$ *4.6
La Fabrica Central Latin American Cambridge $$
Amber Road American Financial District $$$ *4.6
Earls Kitchen + Bar - Boston - Prudential Center American Back Bay $$$ *4.6
Locke Bar & Restaurant American Cambridge $$$ *4.7
Puritan & Company Contemporary American Cambridge $$$ *$31
Waverly Kitchen and Bar American Charlestown $$$ *4.9
Dovetail - Charlestown American Charlestown $$$ *4.7
Metropolis Cafe American South End $$$ *4.8
Harvest Contemporary American Cambridge $$$ *4.6
Earls Kitchen + Bar - Assembly Row American Somerville $$$ *4.6
The Broadway American South Boston $$$ *4.6
Beehive American South End $$$ *4.6
Publico Contemporary American South Boston $$$ *4.7
Waypoint Seafood Cambridge $$ *4.6
Aqua Pazza Seafood North End $$$ *4.8
Oceanaire Seafood Room - Boston Seafood Financial District $$$ *4.7
Row 34 - Cambridge Seafood Cambridge $$$ *4.7
Row 34 - Kenmore Square | Boston Seafood Fenway–Kenmore $$$ *4.6
Atlantic Fish Seafood Back Bay $$$$ *4.7
Alma Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse Seaport $$ *4.7
Boston Chops - South End Steakhouse South End $$$ *4.6
Ocean Prime - Boston Seaport Steak Seaport $$$ *4.7
The Capital Grille - Boston Steakhouse Back Bay $$$$ *4.8
Abe & Louie’s - Boston Steakhouse Back Bay $$$$ *4.7
Smith & Wollensky - Wellesley Steakhouse Wellesley $$$$
Ruth's Chris Steak House - Boston Steakhouse Downtown Crossing $$$$
Lucky Tiger Asian Charlestown $$ *4.7
Fuji At Ink Block Asian South End $$$
Uni Contemporary Asian Back Bay $$$$ *$50
The Nautilus - Boston Pier 4 Pan-Asian Seaport $$$$ *$50
Cosmica Mexican South End $$ *4.6
Casa Romero Mexican Back Bay $$ *4.6
Citrus & Salt Contemporary Mexican Seaport $$ *4.6
Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar - South Boston Mexican South Boston $$
Mex Taqueria & Bar Mexican Cambridge $$
Douzo Modern Japanese Restaurant Japanese Back Bay $$$ *4.8
Zuma Boston Japanese Back Bay $$$$ *4.8
Ma Maison French Beacon Hill $$ *4.8
Catalyst Restaurant Contemporary French / American Cambridge $$ *4.6
Petit Robert Bistro Columbus Avenue French South End $$$ *4.6
La Voile French Back Bay $$$ *4.8
Mistral - Boston French Back Bay $$$ *4.8

