No Name Restaurant, Boston
 

I used to go to the No Name restaurant on the fish pier when I was a student. We got very good fresh fish and delicious chowder cheap.

I'd love to get the local's take on this place. Is it still good? If not, where would you go?

I haven't been for a while, but the last time I went it wasn't the same as it was decades ago. The review sites are an interesting read, they seem to get as many five star reviews as they do one star, and just about nothing in between.

However, the last time we went, probably four or five years ago, the chowder was still excellent.

They aren't so cheap anymore either (menupages has their menu). It was still good, but it was certainly not the value or quality it once was. If I was to go back I would just get a few bowls of the chowder and skip the rest.

It's turned into a bit of a "tourist bus mill" -- there's often a bus or two parked out front, and tables filled with folks on tours. However the food is still pretty good, and the views are nice, and it is cheaper than the rest of the seafood places on the waterfront. If you're lucky you can still get the little back room on the ground floor, and it feels like it did back in the 70's and 80's.

The fish chowder is still the standout, though.

I don't put too much stock in the review sites, they tend to be dominated by competitors with hotmail accounts. I'd like to hear directly from some FTers.

Heck, if FT isn't a travel review site, I don't know what is ;)

Out of my Element's review is pretty much spot-on. IOW, good luck getting a table. Ever. The waits are horrendously long. There's better restaurants that don't have a line stretching all the way down the stairs from the hostess stand.

If it's been a long time since you've been in that area, it's completely, and I mean completely transformed.

For a recommendation, right across the street form the pier is Legal Test Kitchen, an offshoot of Legal Seafood.

Gosh, I haven't waited there in years. Probably been there 6-7 times in the past 4 years. Upstairs was anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4 full, downstairs empty.

Of course I don't go at 6-7PM on a Saturday night . . . so YMMV.

I guess I'm just unlucky. I haven't eaten there in years because the couple of times I've went, the lines are as described above.

I've never experienced a wait there either. Was there in August on a weekend and walked right in with a group of 6. It's become a ritual of my Boston trips. Hard to beat the prices for 2 lobsters with sides for right around 40 bucks. I always follow it up with a short walk over to Drink for some after dinner cocktails.

You would be better off at any of the many other top quality seafood restaurants in Boston...hop over the bridge to the North End and go to Neptune Oyster.

What other seafood restaurants should I go to?

Nepture Oyster, Island Creek Oyster Bar, Atlantic Fish, and so on.

Really depends what you want. Lobster rolls? Raw oysters? Clam chowder?

The lobster BLT at B&G Oyster is one of the best sandwiches I've ever had, if not the best.

Clam Chowder!

The hot lobster roll at Neptune is, in my opinion, a must have. If you're going for one seafood meal for the trip, then realistically No Name shouldn't even be in the discussion. As I mentioned before I enjoy No Name as it serves a purpose. For me that is a place to get 2 whole lobsters some fried clams and a couple sides for 40 bucks in a no frills atmosphere. But it should never compared to the quality of a Neptune or B&G. If I had to skip out on No Name during a Boston trip I'd be ok with that. If I missed out in Neptune I'd be pretty upset.

If you're looking for a quick fix during the day I'd reccomend James Hook which is next door to the Intercotinental. Large lobster rolls for $14 with a generous amount of meat. They will also pack a container and buns separately in the event you want to take some home for others to enjoy.

Best clam chowder is probably still Legal Sea Foods.

Best lobster roll is Belle Isle, but there's no ambiance there (ok, a tiny bit, now that they moved and added beer and wine.