Hello Boston,
I'm a little bit of a quandary and i could use some help, there is a good chance i will be out to Boston towards the end of the month. A Girlfriend is getting hitched and i need to be able to take her and a few other girls (maybe even her mother) out to dinner. Here's the kicker, I've never been to Boston. I have no idea where to take anyone!!

This should be upscale, someplace where i can get in without a 3 month reservation, good food always helps and something appropriate for a handful of fun girls AND a refined mum. I will be staying in the downtown area... i think.

Help a girl out here Boston people! Petty please!

thanks!!
Jenny

Flemings is a favorite of mine.  There are a lot of great restaurants in town but the atmosphere at Flemings should make mum and the girls happy and the food is great. It's located just outside the theater district and has valet parking.

Lucca on Hanover Street for Italian
or
Lock-Ober on Winter Place for Fine Dining
or
Union Oyster House for Clam Chowder and raw bar.
last but not least for seafood -
33 Restaurant on Stanhope Street.

Welcome to Boston

For Steak

http://www.10best.com/Boston,MA/Restaurants/Steakhouses/index.html?businessID=59182

For Seafood

http://www.10best.com/Boston,MA/Restaurants/Seafood/

For Italian

http://www.10best.com/Boston,MA/Restaurants/Italian/

For Irish [none]  Teasing I'm of Irish decent

http://www.bostonirishpubs.com/bostonirishrestaurants/index.html

Try Zagat

http://www.zagat.com/Discuss/ForumTop.aspx?SNP=NB&GRPID=5&SCID=14

I really enjoyed dining at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in the "olde City Hall"

For an overall great time try Slyders Place

Enjoy

-- Modified on 1/10/2009 12:02:40 PM

Boston boasts a number of nice-but-not-overwhelming dining experiences. My favorite is Clio, who's chef just competed and won on Iron Chef. Elegant and innovative, but not terribly stuffy. While you don't have to get a res months in advance, a week in advance if its a weekend is a good idea. There are also the sister restaurants Toro (fun tapas, fun for you girls, not for mom) and KO Prime (a twist on a steakhouse, like Colichio's Craft).

Sel De La Terre is low-key provencal food that has wonderful food, but is low key. It's now in the Mandarin Oriental, so after mom is tired, you can go play in the newly fashionable M-Bar.

Next door to it is Boston's officially "Best" restaurant, "Le Espelier". Its certainly elegant and beautiful, but might be a little "much".

Amazing cocktails and great food at Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square. Often rated one of the finest cocktail restaurants in the country, serves great Bistro food.

If you're a real foodie, there is Ten Tables in JP. Hard to get into, but boasts regional cuisine and ingredients.

Along the same food-oriented line is the recently re-openned Craigie Street in Central Square. Now boasts a bar scene.

If oysters are your thing, B&G or Neptune are high-end (though tiny) oyster places with wonderful minerally white wines. In the neighborhood of b&g is the south end where, after dinner, you can wander into various bars with friends.

Others:
Persephone (local, sustainable ingredients)
Sorrelina (fun bar scene, but quiet dining)

Take a look at reviews for any of those restaurants. Or just go to chowhound and ask the same questions.

always wanted to go there and my favorite lady took me there for my birthday last year.  They have some nice small rooms upstairs which would probably be ideal for a gathering.  The wait staff is outstanding as well.

I agree that Fleming's is great. From your description, it doesn't sound like you want to go any lower on the scale than that---but if you're open to going higher, you might consider "tasting menu" restaurants like L'espalier, or No. 9 Park.

That can be a really fun experience, and it's what I'd recommend for an important occasion and a "refined mum" as long as you can afford it. If you can't, or if extravagance isn't your thing, then Fleming's is a great option. It is a chain, though, so if you'd prefer someplace with more local character, check out the menu at Hamersley's Bistro.

Davios - great steaks and northern Italian.

What Bob said, but, take mom home before dessert at Slyders.  If you want to avoid the city, traffic, parking, etc.; there are some lovely places not too far away.
Heck, centre st. in jamaica plain has about 20 ethnic places with everything from tekka maki to cheeseburgers, or so I've heard..
F

Thank you soooooo much everyone for the info/help (the PMs too!) I really, really appreciate it!

I've never been to Boston and so was at a total loss and a little hesitant about asking for help. Im so happy i did, you guys rock.  With all that great info i bet i can find the right place that will make everyone happy. I'm sure it will be just the kind of special night i want it to be.

Wow are you guys always this nice?

It was fabulous. Superb food, great atmosphere.

When I visited Boston I had put up a post asking about where to find the best steak in Boston. Several people suggested that I try Grill 23 and to ask for a seat upstairs.I did just that and was very pleased.
Hope you enjoy your visit as much as I did!

yes   and info is just for starters!!!

There are some extraodinarily nice folks here, both hobbyists and providers.  Of course, we have our share of others but all in all, a nice bunch.  
I hope you enjoy your time here.
Mixing pleasure with pleasure?

F

Scampo at the Liberty Hotel...the Liberty was converted from an old jail and is great fun...Scampo is awesome

I have to work out this dinner first, then check and see if i can be away from home a few extra days.

I will post a "hey im coming for more then diner" post if i am able to work it out to meet some new TER friends. I'll know this week i suspect.

xoxo
Jenny

In your own Twin Cities you have very decent dining! At least recently:

Meritage in downtown St.Paul is a fantastic bistro with local ingredients. Perfect French Wine list (lots of S.Rhone).

Also of note:
Heartland (local)
Blackbird (local)
Pazzaluna (italian)
112 (local new american)
20.21 (in the museum)
Solera (tapas with a mid-west edge)
Nick and Eddie (bistro)

Still, yes, Boston rocks for food. But MN isn't awful at all!

I'd say those are some fabulous looking apples you have there, but that would be an affront to the melon world.

--Moose

L'ESPALIER
774 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02199

They have recently moved to bottom of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.  Although I enjoyed the intimacy of the atmosphere at the old location, they have now added a new cool lounge.  Great place for a ladies night out.  The Prix Fixe Menu is a bargain.  Wine Mondays make for a great night out with friends.

Years ago you needed to make advance reservations, but with the state of the economy you'll be able to call same day for a table (except Friday or Saturday eve, although it is possible).

One of my desires is to take a cooking class at L'Espalier, but I'd settle for a winter pick me up of dinner with a favorite client friend.

Enjoy your time in Boston.  We have some wonderful eateries.

Kate

-- Modified on 1/12/2009 6:10:30 AM

I took a client friend there for his birthday a few weeks ago-it was awesome.

Concur.

Mare is a wonderful seafood restaurant with a surprisingly large menu for a restaurant of its size and elegance. It's very cozy and romantic with lots of hints of blue and shimmering lights. It's glass-surrounded to complete the "fishbowl" like feel of it (in a good way).

While in the North End and certainly has an "Italian" flair, the fish is pretty straight-forward (and pretty).

While its sustainable/organic fishing, don't let it fool you into thinking its "healthy". I'm fairly certain there's plenty of butter and fish-skin-rendered-fat to make you gain a few pounds.

Desserts there are not to be overlooked either.

Nearby is Neptune Oyster, also a great, romantic seafood place. I would honestly say these two places are my favorite seafood in town. Unless I'm in a "summer shack" mood.

I know I should really really love L'Espalier... and I do...

But I think its sister restaurant, Sel De La Terre, is such a better place. I know, I know. What a terrible thing to say? But sometimes, I feel the moniker of "best restaurant in Boston" makes L'Espalier try too hard. When you're a restaurant that's not looking to get that Michellin star, you can relax a bit and just ENJOY cooking, rather than being stressed out about it. And I feel that shows in the two restaurants.

Don't get me wrong, L'Espalier is great, but I feel that it tries too hard. If you want something similar, but less "in the spotlight", I think Meritage is the most overlooked "fine dining" spot in the city. With great harbor views, and a wine list that is huge but not daunting, and unique menu (no apps, 25 entrees that you can get in app or entree size that are all wine-paired), I think its a treat. If you haven't been, go. You'll be surprised.

I have avoided L'Espelier ever since it re-openned. I like its sister restaurant, Sel De La Terre, for its low-key vibe and Provencal flair.

But Kate's mention of it piqued my interest again.

So I went last night.

What a tremendous achievement. I know the chef, Frank, from some stuff and he was in the kitchen that night. The sommelier is a charming woman who I also know from life and so with two experts, I was ready.

The tasting menu ($185 per person) was about 14 2-bite courses and was extraordinarily filling. I was ready to raise the flag around the cheese course, but soldiered on through the chocolate. While each dish was exciting and fresh and beautifully plated, the Hebi (a hawaiian fish) served over a hot malaysian salt block and finished tableside with a miso broth was the best part.

Michellin-starred restaurants always stress me out because the staff is as on-edge to commit to perfection, but it was relaxed. Maybe because I sort of knew the staff, or maybe the new room is less cramped than the old one. The room is comfortable, like a modern living room, with big windows and good light. The wine cabinets are translucent so you can see some of the beautiful bottles they have.

I was shocked. It is really a magnificent, comfortable place and has moved away from formality into a more comfortable setting. The platings and ingredients alone are worth it. I put it up there with Clio, 11 Madison Park, Daniel and Providence (though certainly not OVER), with Alinea and French Laundry being the only restaurants in recent memory that topple it.

If you've got 4 hours to kill, a VERY empty stomach and a desire to try something memorable, try the new L'Espelier.