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
| Buttermilk & Bourbon | Southern | Back Bay | $$ | Exceptional |  |
| Trattoria Il Panino | Italian | North End | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Lincoln Tavern and Restaurant | American | South Boston | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Mistral - Boston | French | Back Bay | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Area Four Cambridge | Pizza Bar | Cambridge | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Serafina Seaport | Italian | Seaport | $$ | Exceptional | |
| 75 Chestnut | Contemporary American | Beacon Hill | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Bar Vlaha | Greek | Brookline | $$ | Exceptional | |
| The Capital Burger - Boston | Burgers | Back Bay | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Ma Maison | French | Beacon Hill | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Mooo SEAPORT | Steakhouse | South Boston | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Shy Bird - South Boston | American | South Boston | $$ | Exceptional | |
| State Street Provisions | American | Financial District | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar - South Boston | Mexican | South Boston | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Josephine | Italian | Somerville | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Moonshine 152 | American | South Boston | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Quattro | Italian | North End | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Night Shift - Lovejoy Wharf | Brewery | West End | $$ | Exceptional | |
| The Hourly Oyster House | Seafood | Cambridge | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Prairie Fire | American | Brookline | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Hunter's | Southern | South Boston | $$ | Exceptional | |
| The Maharaja | Indian | Cambridge | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Panza | Italian | North End | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Vinoteca di Monica | Italian | North End | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Bar' Cino Watertown | Unspecified | Watertown | $$ | Exceptional | |
| casarecce | Italian | North End | $$ | Exceptional | |
| South End Buttery | Contemporary American | South End | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Ristorante Saraceno | Italian | North End | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Massiminos Cucina Italiana | Italian | North End | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Oliveira's Steakhouse - Somerville | Brazilian Steakhouse | Somerville | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Nico | Italian | North End | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Fat Baby Sushi and Cocktails | Sushi | South Boston | $$ | Exceptional | |
| STREGA Italiano – Back Bay | Italian | Back Bay | $$ | Exceptional | |
| STREGA Italiano – Seaport | Italian | Seaport | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Tradesman - Charlestown | American | Charlestown | $$ | Exceptional | |
| Row 34 - Cambridge | Seafood | Cambridge | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Prima | Italian | Charlestown | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Beehive | American | South End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Mare | Italian | North End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Bistro du Midi | French | Back Bay | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Capo Restaurant | Italian | South Boston | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Bar 'Cino Brookline | Italian | Brookline | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| The Dubliner Irish Pub & Restaurant | Irish | Beacon Hill | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| The Daily Catch - Waterfront | Seafood | North End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| La Voile | French | Back Bay | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Alcove | American | West End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Ciao Roma | Italian | North End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Silver Dove Afternoon Tea | Afternoon Tea | Faneuil Hall | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Banyan Bar + Refuge | Asian | South End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Shore Leave | Sushi | South End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Tresca | Italian | North End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Lucca North End | Italian | North End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Aqua Pazza | Seafood | North End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| The Helmand Restaurant | Middle Eastern | Cambridge | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Krasi | Greek | Back Bay | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Arya Trattoria | Italian | North End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Contessa - Boston | Italian | Back Bay | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| The Lexington | American | Cambridge | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Toscano Harvard Square | Italian | West Cambridge | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Gyu-Kaku - Boston, MA | Brookline | Japanese | Brookline | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Isabella | Italian | North End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| The Florentine Cafe | Italian | North End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Oak Bistro | American | Cambridge | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Limani Grille - Seaport | Mediterranean | Seaport | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Mamma Maria | Italian | North End | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Rowes Wharf Sea Grille | Seafood | Financial District | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Gyu-Kaku - Boston, MA | South Bay | Japanese | South Boston | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Mahaniyom | Thai | Brookline | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| FuGaKyu Japanese Cuisine | Japanese | Brookline | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Oyster Bar by Puritan & Co. | Oyster Bar | Cambridge | $$$ | Exceptional | |
| Grill 23 & Bar | Steak | Back Bay | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| Toscano Restaurant | Italian | Beacon Hill | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| Abe & Louie’s - Boston | Steakhouse | Back Bay | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| Mooo BEACON HILL | Steak | Beacon Hill | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| The Nautilus Pier 4 | Pan-Asian | Seaport | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| Uni | Contemporary Asian | Back Bay | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| Deuxave | French | Back Bay | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| The Capital Grille - Boston | Steakhouse | Back Bay | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| Little Whale | Seafood | Back Bay | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| Omakase at Shore Leave | Sushi | South End | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| Boston Chops - Downtown Crossing | Steakhouse | Downtown Crossing | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse - Boston | Steakhouse | Seaport | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
| Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse - Back Bay Boston | Steakhouse | Back Bay | $$$$ | Exceptional | |
Trattoria Il Panino Italian North End $$ Exceptional Serafina Seaport Italian Seaport $$ Exceptional Josephine Italian Somerville $$ Exceptional Quattro Italian North End $$ Exceptional Panza Italian North End $$ Exceptional Vinoteca di Monica Italian North End $$ Exceptional casarecce Italian North End $$ Exceptional Ristorante Saraceno Italian North End $$ Exceptional Massiminos Cucina Italiana Italian North End $$ Exceptional Nico Italian North End $$ Exceptional STREGA Italiano – Back Bay Italian Back Bay $$ Exceptional STREGA Italiano – Seaport Italian Seaport $$ Exceptional Prima Italian Charlestown $$$ Exceptional Mare Italian North End $$$ Exceptional Capo Restaurant Italian South Boston $$$ Exceptional Bar 'Cino Brookline Italian Brookline $$$ Exceptional Ciao Roma Italian North End $$$ Exceptional Tresca Italian North End $$$ Exceptional Lucca North End Italian North End $$$ Exceptional Arya Trattoria Italian North End $$$ Exceptional Contessa - Boston Italian Back Bay $$$ Exceptional Toscano Harvard Square Italian West Cambridge $$$ Exceptional Isabella Italian North End $$$ Exceptional The Florentine Cafe Italian North End $$$ Exceptional Mamma Maria Italian North End $$$ Exceptional Toscano Restaurant Italian Beacon Hill $$$$ Exceptional
Lincoln Tavern and Restaurant American South Boston $$ Exceptional 75 Chestnut Contemporary American Beacon Hill $$ Exceptional Shy Bird - South Boston American South Boston $$ Exceptional State Street Provisions American Financial District $$ Exceptional Moonshine 152 American South Boston $$ Exceptional Prairie Fire American Brookline $$ Exceptional South End Buttery Contemporary American South End $$ Exceptional Tradesman - Charlestown American Charlestown $$ Exceptional Beehive American South End $$$ Exceptional Alcove American West End $$$ Exceptional The Lexington American Cambridge $$$ Exceptional Oak Bistro American Cambridge $$$ Exceptional
The Hourly Oyster House Seafood Cambridge $$ Exceptional Row 34 - Cambridge Seafood Cambridge $$$ Exceptional The Daily Catch - Waterfront Seafood North End $$$ Exceptional Aqua Pazza Seafood North End $$$ Exceptional Rowes Wharf Sea Grille Seafood Financial District $$$ Exceptional Little Whale Seafood Back Bay $$$$ Exceptional
Mooo SEAPORT Steakhouse South Boston $$ Exceptional Oliveira's Steakhouse - Somerville Brazilian Steakhouse Somerville $$ Exceptional Grill 23 & Bar Steak Back Bay $$$$ Exceptional Abe & Louie’s - Boston Steakhouse Back Bay $$$$ Exceptional Mooo BEACON HILL Steak Beacon Hill $$$$ Exceptional The Capital Grille - Boston Steakhouse Back Bay $$$$ Exceptional Boston Chops - Downtown Crossing Steakhouse Downtown Crossing $$$$ Exceptional Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse - Boston Steakhouse Seaport $$$$ Exceptional Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse - Back Bay Boston Steakhouse Back Bay $$$$ Exceptional
Banyan Bar + Refuge Asian South End $$$ Exceptional The Nautilus Pier 4 Pan-Asian Seaport $$$$ Exceptional Uni Contemporary Asian Back Bay $$$$ Exceptional
Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar - South Boston Mexican South Boston $$ Exceptional
Gyu-Kaku - Boston, MA | Brookline Japanese Brookline $$$ Exceptional Gyu-Kaku - Boston, MA | South Bay Japanese South Boston $$$ Exceptional FuGaKyu Japanese Cuisine Japanese Brookline $$$ Exceptional
Mistral - Boston French Back Bay $$ Exceptional Ma Maison French Beacon Hill $$ Exceptional Bistro du Midi French Back Bay $$$ Exceptional La Voile French Back Bay $$$ Exceptional Deuxave French Back Bay $$$$ Exceptional