When looking for an exceptional Boston waterfront dining experience, you will find many options. You may be looking for an upscale dining spot to celebrate an anniversary or graduation or a more casual and laid back cafe where you can enjoy the view as you dine with your family after the Saturday afternoon soccer game. The restaurants in Boston have something to fit almost every dining preference. Here’s a list of the 10 best Boston restaurants on the water.
1. Mastro’s Ocean Club: Mastro’s is part of a large family of sophisticated classic steakhouses and ocean club seafood restaurants in the United States. There is an upscale dress code that is strictly enforced. You and your family (dressed in your Sunday best) will enjoy beautiful views on the water as you dine on jalapeño tuna sashimi, wagyu tomahawk chops, lobster mashed potatoes, and white cheddar mac & cheese.
2. Nautilus Pier 4: The Nautilus Pier 4 is one of the newest restaurants in the heart of the seaport. This restaurant is a little more laid back and welcomes walk-ins most of the time. Outdoor seating on the patio is a comfortable option along with rooms to host private dinners, a refined and comfortable dining room, and a space called the “chef’s room” that boasts a casual Tokyo street bar vibe. Here you will enjoy a chilled octopus salad, charcoal prawns, and a Peking inspired whole roasted duck. “Boo Ya!”
3. Boston Sail Loft: The Boston Sail Loft will welcome you with open arms after the soccer game. Come as you are. Located on the water at 80 Atlantic Avenue you and your family will enjoy the casual atmosphere and views of the harbor as you dine on seafood, chicken, burgers, and clam chowder. This Boston landmark has been a local and tourist favorite since 1984. The clam chowder has been awarded the “Best of Boston” from Boston Magazine in 2018 and 2019 and the restaurant has been featured on the Today Show. They even ship their chowder nationwide…a perfect holiday treat for your friends and loved ones on the Atlantic or Pacific.
4. Joe’s Waterfront: For another family friendly dining experience including an outdoor patio or plush upstairs lounge you’ll want to make a reservation at Joe’s Waterfront. The restaurant won the “Most Scenic Views 2022” Diner’s Choice Award. You’ll be soaking up the view at 100 Atlantic Avenue (just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Boston Sail Loft) as you dine on roasted tomato soup, honey chicken salad, steaks, ribs, and lobster rolls. The kid's menu offers a classic fare of grilled cheese, chicken tenders, and burgers…with a choice of french fries or broccoli on the side (a welcome choice for health-conscious children or their parents).
5. Rowes Wharf Sea Grille: Offering live music and seafood on a waterside patio, Rowes Wharf Sea Grille is definitely worth a visit. The restaurant, located in the Boston Harbor Hotel, has received rave reviews for its seafood and patio dining from Zagat, The Boston Globe, and The Boston Herald. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and serving afternoon tea all adds up to a dining experience you won’t want to miss. Dinner entrées include king crab mac and cheese, Georges Bank scallops, and Faroe Islands salmon.
6. Chart House Boston: A short walk from the New England Aquarium along the harbor at 60 Long Wharf sits Chart House Boston. The restaurant is part of a family of high end steak and seafood restaurants. The Chart House
Boston boasts the best prime rib Boston has to offer! You can enjoy the prime rib, Boston cod, king salmon, mahi, or lobster stuffed Boston scrod as you gaze on the water to watch all the passing ships or perhaps the 4th of July celebration on the harbor in all its glory.
7. The Barking Crab: A short walk from the Boston Children’s Museum will land you on the perfect casual outdoor dining spot. You will enjoy fish & chips, lobster rolls, and fish tacos on picnic tables with beautiful views of Boston Harbor. The restaurant opened in 1994 as an outdoor summer spot and has since expanded its operation to include the adjoining Neptune Lobster and Seafood Market for a year round dining experience.
8. Yankee Lobster Company: A counter service spot with patio seats for views of the harbor, this is a minimalist’s dream for fresh seafood and live lobsters. The Yankee Lobster Company has its roots in a family of fishermen from Augusta, Italy who sought their fortunes in America in 1898 in the commercial fishing industry. After several decades of fishing from George’s Bank to the Gulf of Alaska, the family focused on lobster, crabs, and fish in the Boston Harbor in the 1920s. In the mid 1940s, the family decided to focus exclusively on lobster fishing and the rest is history! Your lobster roll, 2lb or 3lb steam lobster served with coleslaw, corn & butter all come with a free side of history. “The one roll to rule them all!”
9. Woods Hill Pier 4: Owner Kristin Canty and Chef Charlie Foster offer meals with nutrient rich and sustainable ingredients at Woods Hill Pier 4. Kristin opened her first restaurant, The Farm at Woods Hill in New Hampshire, in 2013. Her first restaurant’s commitment to careful attention to every element of an ingredient, farm to plate, has served as the benchmark when opening the Woods Hill Pier 4 and Adelita restaurants. At Woods Hill Pier 4 you will be enjoying Pier 4 caviar service, crispy Woods Hill Farm pork belly, bucatini all amatriciana pasta, and butter poached lobster for two. This is a dining experience of a lifetime…with a view of the harbor.
10. Chickadee: Serving beer, wine, and cocktails at 4:00 pm and dinner at 5:00 pm Chickadee is a New England born and Mediterranean inspired slice of creative culinary heaven. Located in the Innovation and Design Building, the restaurant opened in 2018 and quickly received honors as a James Beard award semifinalist, Boston Globe’s restaurant of the year, and one of Boston magazine’s 50 best restaurants in 2019. You could enjoy a snack of foie gras terrine, smoked sea trout dip…a small plate of octopus alentejana…or a heartwarming large plate of crispy fried chicken with warm farro salad, cheddar biscuits, and honey butter.
With all the delicious and inviting waterfront dining opportunities awaiting you and your family along the Boston Harbor you very well may consider becoming a permanent resident. Contact Remmes & Company to help you find your new home and enjoy the exceptional Boston culinary landscape every week!