Restaurant Recommendation - Boston (city hall, hotel, house)

[wktully]

I'll be in Boston this coming MON night and looking for either a great tapas place or very nice restaurant ($30-$40 entree OK) for dinner. Celebrating my husbands birthday - we are in our 50's. Staying at the Omni Parker House but OK to taxi it someplace. Thanks.

[lrfox]

I think Toro in the South End is the undisputed champ of Tapas in Boston. It's excellent.

I love the homey feel of Tres Gatos in Jamaica Plain as well.

Yvonne's is brand new and serves "social plates" in a speakeasy type atmosphere (the old Locke Ober space if you're familiar) and is wildly popular and highly regarded. I haven't been yet, but I look forward to trying. It's within walking distance of your hotel.

[wktully]

Thanks so much! Any suggestions on regular sit down dinner place as back up? $30-$40 entree OK. Someplace with a nice bar for pre dinner drinks?

[bostonguy1960]

Yes, as irfox said, it seems Toro would be a good choice, at least due to popularity.

It's a birthday, so maybe stroll gas-lit Beacon Hill for dinner. And the Christmas lights on the Common, the city's official Christmas tree and the Frog Pond ice skating (even simply to watch on the nearby Common) may be worth a stroll.

75 Chestnut seems a classic Beacon Hill brownstone on a gas-lantern side street, off busy Charles St. And I believe it has a bar.

(Is that the original owner from Cheers who opened it? I think 75 on Liberty Wharf in the Seaport is its newest spot...didn't even know that those 75s were even related until recently.)

Or maybe drinks at the Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons across the Public Garden before strolling to a Beacon Hill restaurant?

No. 9 Park, at the foot of the State House overlooking the holiday lights on the Common may be a good choice. Seems very petite and quaint, with a bar. Has been there for years, a Barbara Lynch restaurant (a successful local restaurateur).


Old City Hall across from the Parker House is very tastefully decorated at night ...just passed it last night.

[Parsec]

Toro does not take reservations and the wait is always an hour on the weekdays (even longer on the weekends). I'd make a reservation at Estragon right around the corner, then show up to Toro early to see how long the wait is. If you don't feel like waiting that long, then at least you'll have a table waiting for you at Estragon.

[Louisville Slugger]

I enjoyed Scollay Square last time I was there. It's right near the common too! Ice skating And it's a two minute walk from where you're staying.

[Parsec]

I missed that you were staying at the Omni. Try to get a room on the 3rd floor - that's the one with all sorts of paranormal activity. Also don't accept a room on the 14th floor. It takes forever to call an elevator and it's very noisy because the ballroom is right above it. My company has events there all the time, it's a nice hotel. Don't forget to try the boston cream pie while you're there because that's where it was invented.

[wktully]

So many great recommendations and other ideas for making the evening special! Thank you so much! I'm sure it will be a wonderful (and delicious!) time. I'll pass on the paranormal hotel room though! We are both scaredy cats!!