Best Restaurants

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

Best Restaurants in Boston >

Best Italian Restaurants >

Best American Restaurants >

Best Seafood Restaurants >

Best Asian Restaurants >

Best Mexican Restaurants >

Best Japanese Restaurants >

Best French Restaurants >

Best Restaurants in Boston

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	$$$$	*4.7
The Capital Grille - Boston	Steakhouse	Back Bay	$$$$	*4.8
Uni	Contemporary Asian	Back Bay	$$$$	*$50
Taberna de Haro	Spanish	Brookline	$$$$	*4.6
The Nautilus - Boston Pier 4	Pan-Asian	Seaport	$$$$	*$50
Abe & Louie’s - Boston	Steakhouse	Back Bay	$$$$	*4.7
Atlantic Fish	Seafood	Back Bay	$$$$	*4.7
Zuma Boston	Japanese	Back Bay	$$$$	*4.8
Smith & Wollensky - Wellesley	Steakhouse	Wellesley	$$$$
Ruth's Chris Steak House - Boston	Steakhouse	Downtown Crossing	$$$$

Best Italian Restaurants in Boston

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	$$$
Tuscan Kitchen - Seaport	Italian	Seaport	$$$

Best American Restaurants in Boston

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

Best Seafood Restaurants in Boston

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

Best Steakhouses in Boston

Alma Gaucha	Brazilian Steakhouse	Seaport	$$	*4.7
Boston Chops - South End	Steakhouse	South End	$$$	*4.6
Ocean Prime - Boston Seaport	Steak	Seaport	$$$	*4.7
The Capital Grille - Boston	Steakhouse	Back Bay	$$$$	*4.8
Abe & Louie’s - Boston	Steakhouse	Back Bay	$$$$	*4.7
Smith & Wollensky - Wellesley	Steakhouse	Wellesley	$$$$
Ruth's Chris Steak House - Boston	Steakhouse	Downtown Crossing	$$$$

Best Asian Restaurants in Boston

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

Best Mexican Restaurants in Boston

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	$$

Best Japanese Restaurants in Boston

Douzo Modern Japanese Restaurant	Japanese	Back Bay	$$$	*4.8
Zuma Boston	Japanese	Back Bay	$$$$	*4.8

Best French Restaurants in Boston

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