Depending on how far out of Boston itself you're willing to go, which in turn depends on what sort of transportation you'll have - Blue Ginger in Wellesley is outstanding. Only problem, aside from possibly location, is that your chances of getting a reservation this late are essentially zero.
For nice yet not too formal dining, I have also had great experiences with Union. Last time I was there, they were comfortably seating large groups. The food and service have been great every time I have gone.
I have had some of my best meals in Boston at Aujourd'hui & L'Espalier (and Oleana, but that's tiny), but I guess that I think that those are pretty amazingly $$ places. My vote for a nice dinner w/a large group would fall into the Union/Harvest type restaurants (haven't been to Harvest yet but have heard good things about it).
Thought of another one - I have always loved Ivy's (off the Common), and their downstairs (referred to as Cava Lounge) can be used for large groups. I would say that it falls into the Union price category.
When I was in law school, a number of the firms hosted offer dinners at Harvest. They have a nice private dining option, though I've had very mixed experiences at Harvest. Sometimes it is just so-so, but once I had the best duck breast I've had anywhere.
If you're looking at Harvard Square, I had a really lovely private dining experience at the basement in Sandrine's. It's more modestly priced than some of the other options you're looking at, but I remember being surprised at how good the food was because that's someplace we rarely went.
BTW you might consider Locke-Ober downtown for a more formal (and sublimely Bostonian) dinner---there are private dining rooms there for a group such as yours.
Legal Seafood is a Boston Institution and yes it is a chain now but good quality seafood...
Legal's has morphed / mutated into a bunch of shopping-mall restaurants from New England to Florida. Bright, noisy, crammed, and that dopey, pointless conceit of paying when you order: I never got it, and the food wasn't all that great. Dunkin Donuts is a better Boston institution.
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... that dopey, pointless conceit of paying when you order....
That policy, which I don't think ever was the policy at all of their locations, was abandoned years and years ago. They also used to have a policy of serving you whenever your food was ready, so that not everybody at the table necessarily would be served at the same time. That policy, too, long ago was abandoned.
That policy, which I don't think ever was the policy at all of their locations, was abandoned years and years ago. They also used to have a policy of serving you whenever your food was ready, so that not everybody at the table necessarily would be served at the same time. That policy, too, long ago was abandoned.
Thanks for the update; I stand corrected. Obviously it's been awhile since I set foot in one of their places... but I still have no interest.
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Owing to heightened security you must comply with any crazy fake "regulation" we make up. Thank you sir.
Another thought would be Upstairs on the Square if in Cambridge or Lydia Shire's new Scampo at the Liberty Hotel (old Charles Street jail). The bar there is great
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Another vote here for Grille 23, especially given the size of the group. An excellent local steakhouse that is not a national chain. Service is impeccable and food is delicious. Not even so pretentious that they will have the Sox on the TV at the upstairs bar (which you can see from tables).
Upstairs on the Square in Harvard is a good choice as well
Can't go wrong with Clio either. Also I'd give Davio's a mixed review.
Davide however on commercial street is an authentic Italian restaurant with the North End flavor but tucked away in a lower level with exceptional food that could accomodate your group.
I'd stay clear of Mistral (and sister restaurant) as they both have been cited many times over the last year for health food violations including rats in the kitchen .
This just is not true. You can search here and see that while both have been cited for minor violations, none involve rats or any other rodents. These are two of the best restaurants in the city, which I highly recommend.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blumie
This just is not true. You can search here and see that while both have been cited for minor violations, none involve rats or any other rodents. These are two of the best restaurants in the city, which I highly recommend.
I'm sorry, I was wrong and take back the rats / rodents comments (I'll edit my post too). But I was right in that they were cited for health violations at least over the past 3 years. HERE is an article from The Globe detailing some of what they have found at Mistral, Union Oyster House, The Federalist, etc. Mistral was cited for 3 violations this year, along some with from that article which were deemed "critical risk factor violations" and similar from the website you cited.
May not be rodents but certainly not somwhere I'd like to be eating.
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