I’m going to Boston next weekend (9/30-10/1) for my daughter’s 18th birthday. She’s a newly arrived college freshman. I’d like to take her to a nice restaurant Saturday night – somewhere downtown, around the Commons area. I’ll be staying at the Courtyard on Tremont and am looking for something in walking distance. Any suggestions for a place she might enjoy?
What kind of food do you like? Legal Seafoods, while a small chain, is Boston based and they do have some of the best seafood around and it isn’t exactly a cheap or unsophisticated place. That is where my parents always want to go and they are foodies. There is at least one location near there.
Other options are virtually limitless from Italian to Spanish to old wood steakhouses. I don’t know if you have ever spent much time in Boston but the downtown and Back Bay areas aren’t that big geographically. You could conceivably walk anywhere in the area depending on your time and energy but there are also plenty of cabs.
Style?
Price Range?
Personally I like Rock Bottom. It doubles as a micro brewery, so it makes it’s own beer. But the meals are very well done and the atmosphere is classy without the classy price. It always seems loud in there though for some reason.
Remember for dessert though, take a right out of the restaurant and follow around the corner of the block to go into Coldstones. One of the best ice cream places ever.
I like Legal Seafood, but the Union Oyster House has much better food & atmosphere IMO. The prices are comparable if I recall. If you go there, make reservations! It can get crowded, and since it’s the beginning of the school year, I’ll bet it’s even more crowded than usual. It’s near Fanueil Hall, which is a nice place to walk around, and it’s a nice peice of Boston history, as well. It’s the oldest restaurant in Boston, and the oldest continuously running restaurant in the US.
My absolute favorite place in the Boston area is The Sunset Grill & Tap, though that’s a bit outside the city. Easy to get to by train, though.
It’s an 18 year old so she is up for practically anything, though it can’t be too fancy because I doubt she packed any “dress” clothes in her many suitcases moving into the dorm. I’ve only been in that small area of Boston twice, for a day or two each time, so I’m a bit overwhelmed by all the optons.
bigbabysweets2000, we definitely love Rock Bottom – that is the standard place for us to eat (she loves the chicken mac & cheese). I wanted to find another spot we could explore. I’ll definitely look at Legal Seafood,and Union Oyster House. Thanks.
Khakis/a skirt and a nice shirt would be fine for Legals. I like the place a lot. My parents took me there right before I went off to school
No! Don’t go to Cold Stone Creamery! Sorry, but I must respectfully disagree with bigbabysweets2000. Even Ben & Jerry’s is better.
The Boston area has so many ice cream stores to choose from. There are several on Newbury Street, for example: there’s a J. P. Licks shop near Mass. Ave., an Emack & Bolio’s a few blocks further down Newbury St., closer to the Common, and even a Ben & Jerry’s. Of those three, my fave is J. P. Licks.
Sorry, no restaurant recommendations here. When I ate out, I usually didn’t do it anywhere downtown. There are places in Cambridge, Brookline, Somerville, Arlington, etc., that I’ve really liked (such as Helmand–an Afghan restaurant in Cambridge, or Elephant Walk–Cambodian-French fusion) but you’d have to travel. If I were going to be in downtown Boston, personally I’d probably go to the North End. Good Italian there.
Union Oyster House isn’t fancy either, even though the website looks like it might be. Jeans would be fine, or something a little nicer, but not fancy.
I actually don’t care for Legal Seafood at all. I think you do better with Boston Sail Loft. There’s also a good seafood place in Quincy Market, but the name is currently escaping me. It’s on the southeast corner (unless I have my directions confused). Anyone remember the name?
I also enjoy the Library Grill at the Hampshire House.
There are almost no restaurants in Boston that you have to dress up for.
I dated a girl who would drive 45 minutes just to get to Cold Stones, that’s how much she liked it. So to each their own I guess.