Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Greater Boston

OpenTable

Updated March 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Greater Boston? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

BLEND

5.0

5 (89)

$30 and under

Gastro Pub

Dorchester

About the restaurant

Blend is a gastro pub that combines the aspects of great food, music, lights and entertainment all into one. Blend "blends" up that neighborhood gastro pub feel where everyone is welcome. Gay owned and Operated, come check us out!

DRAG BRUNCHES ARE 1ST AND 3RD SUNDAYS UNLESS OTHERWISE POSTED
instagram handle : blendboston

Please note when booking for a drag brunch to not choose outside. All drag brunches will be held inside.

TUESDAYS ~ Our Normal Dinning Room is closed for our local cornhole league, hightop bar tables are available but please keep in mind those tables are in the bar area and it will be busy!!!

Top review

Lola

Dined on Mar 2, 2025

This place is just wonderful ❤️ the staff is warm, inviting, and the food is delish....10,10,10 across the board 😀

dbar

4.9

4.9 (1485)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Dorchester

About the restaurant

dbar is a full service restaurant that seamlessly transforms into a nightclub and lounge as the night goes on. Formally an old school Irish pub filled with mahogany charm, dbar has been renovated into a hip chic hot spot. With warm glowing candles & long leather banquettes, dbar offers a casual and comfortable atmosphere that attracts clientele from Dorchester and surrounding areas. The unique and classy menu inspired by Executive Chef Christopher Coombs changes with the seasons and features the finest and freshest available ingredients throughout the New England area. Most of the menu takes a French twist, but also contains an assortment of comfort foods (such as our famous Veal & Pancetta Bolognaise) and old favorites (like our simple yet delicious Giannone Chicken Under a Brick.)

Top review

ElizabethVIP

Dined on Mar 4, 2025

It was a great night out for restaurant week! D-Bar never disappoints

The Nautilus - Nantucket

4.9

4.9 (103)

$50 and over

Pan-Asian

Nantucket

About the restaurant

Leading Nantucket’s thriving restaurant scene, The Nautilus (est. 2014) is an island staple built on the idea of a shared social experience. Founders Liam Mackey (food), Clinton Terry (drink) & Stephen Bowler’s (wine & business) island-mentality of being “serious about what we do, but not taking ourselves too seriously” perfectly sums up The Nautilus experience. The highly regarded culinary program is a sort of ‘New England coastal cuisine meets Asian & global haute street food’ vibe featuring small plates served tapas style, combined w/ larger group feasts (think Peking inspired duck). The culinary inspired cocktails draw on both seasonal & regional inspirations while the wine & sake list is recognized as a “Best Of” by Wine Spectator. Fueled by curated, energetic music, the stimulating yet neighborly atmosphere makes the new & unfamiliar feel comfortable & intimate, a philosophy that seamlessly ties the food, cocktails, wine & ambiance together to cr

Top review

KateVIP

Dined on Feb 8, 2025

Delicious as always! A few new items on the menu since the last time we were there that were delicious (eggplant, lettuce wraps). And of course the standards that we love (oyster tacos, blue crab fried rice) - they never disappoint. The almost naked and famous is the best drink anywhere! Great service, great atmosphere. Love this spot!!

Warehouse Kitchen + Sports Bar

4.8

4.8 (494)

$30 and under

American

Financial District

About the restaurant

The concept here is pretty simple. We like to watch sports. We like to drink great beer, fresh cocktails and delicious wine. We like to eat really good food made from scratch. We like relaxed atmospheres with friendly service & warm hospitality.
So, that is what we strive to offer here at Warehouse Boston – an upscale sports bar that offers great food & beverages in a relaxed atmosphere where you might wind up dancing after dinner or the big game.
Our fare is described as fresh, quality, bar food. We make food that we like to eat so we can assure that you’ll like it as well. We make things that go well with beer, cocktails and wine and utilize the freshest ingredients we can find. Our scratch kitchen has something to offer for everyone and our fabulous staff will ensure that all your dietary needs are met.
Warehouse is located at the intersection of the Financial District & Faneuil Hall, just steps from The Boston Aquarium and Boston Waterfront.

Top review

Stefan

Dined on Mar 12, 2025

There was an event happening at the Warehouse which is not uncommon. However, since my dinner reservation was for a business dinner, I wanted a table that was quiet and off to the side. Thankfully, the restaurant accommodated me and my guest, and we had a fantastic dinner with wonderful service. I would highly recommend the Warehouse for a casual dinner out, an event or a group get together.

The Ocean House Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (6049)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Dennis

About the restaurant

The Ocean House is opening for the 2025 season on April 9th. Reservations are available on a rolling 30 day basis. All reservations before 5PM in April will be offered a 3 course $59 fixed price menu. We look forward to serving you in 2025!

Welcome to The Ocean House, named one of the Top 100 Restaurants in America by OpenTable. Located on a pristine sand dune, our establishment offers breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, setting an unforgettable backdrop.
Our culinary philosophy blends the freshest New England seafood with Asian fusion inspiration, creating dishes that delight and inspire.
Please note, due to dining room design and fairness, we cannot honor requests for window tables but are committed to providing an exceptional experience at every seat.

We look forward to making your visit extraordinary, whether for a special occasion or a night of unparalleled dining.

Thank you for being our guest!

Top review

W. Paul

Dined on Nov 3, 2024

We love this restaurant and are so glad we got to have dinner the night before they are scheduled to close for the season.

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Popular dish

Filet Mignon

Popular dish

Gluten Free Brownie Sundae

Popular dish

Point Judith Calamari

Gustazo Cuban Kitchen & Bar - Cambridge

4.8

4.8 (853)

$31 to $50

Cuban

Cambridge

About the restaurant

We offer free parking behind the restaurant, the lot is open for our guests to park where you like, disregard all private signage. The lot is accessible via Hadley or Russell Streets.

Top review

Ellen

Dined 5 days ago

What a great find! Delicious food. Price is right. Ordered empanadas perfect. Pulpo was incredible tasty and the fish of the day one of the best dishes Ive ever had. Still thinking of the flank steak and grilled shrimp haha will def come back 💓. Tres leches dessert a bit too sweet, would be nice to adjust a bit on the sweetness.

Bluefins - Falmouth

4.8

4.8 (110)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Falmouth

About the restaurant

Bluefins Falmouth, has a focus on fresh, locally sourced seafood, coupled with inspiration from local Cape Cod farm ingredients. We aim to craft sushi and tempura dishes that both celebrate and showcase seafood in classically inspired Japanese methods and at the same time honoring traditional New England seafood cuisine.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 7 days ago

The Korean Ribs and Pad Thai are amazing. Our server Wendy, was very helpful on selections and provided us with great table service. Would highly recommend if you’re on Main Street in Falmouth to try it Rob

Offsuit

4.8

4.8 (198)

$31 to $50

Speakeasy

Leather District

About the restaurant

Offsuit is an intimate cocktail bar. We want everyone to enjoy the Offsuit experience; so visits are limited to 90 minutes. Reservations are only available for 7 days into the future.

Top review

PhunNiteOut

Dined on Mar 9, 2025

The food, the drinks and the ambiance all amazing. If you want a different dining experience this is the place!

Mestizo

4.7

4.7 (17)

$31 to $50

Mexican

Cambridge

About the restaurant

Mestizo brings modern Oaxacan food to Cambridge. Mestizo’s passionate spirit, vibrant food, and strong family roots will leave you with a memorable experience driven by a mix of old and new flavors. Influences will change from dish to dish with some distinctly driven by Oaxaca heritage, while others will have clearer origins in other Mexican or even Spanish regions.

This isn’t your typical Mexican restaurant but you will find some familiar dishes and flavors that will allow you to feel at home while still exploring something new and finding your NEXT favorite foods. Mestizo is about mixing and remixing flavors, ingredients, and cultures. It’s not about rigidly adhering to one particular place or time.

Top review

cassandraVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Excellent drinks and service but if you like your Mexican food with a kick ask for hot sauce.

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Experience

1/2-priced apps at halftime!

Experience

🌮 All-You-Can-Eat Tacos Sundays after 4 PM! 🌮

Pearl & Lime

4.6

4.6 (6)

$30 and under

Mexican

Quincy

About the restaurant

The Best spot to load up on tacos after a long day. Or have a crisp margarita made with fresh, hand squeezed lime juice. Or a cold beer. Or a shot of something you’ve never heard of.

a great place for celebrating: an anniversary, the weekend…Chuck Norris’s birthday!!

the neighborhood joint for when you don’t feel like doing dishes and you need to treat yourself. It’s your home away from home, and it’s your quick, convenient getaway.

But most importantly, Pearl & Lime is the place where all of our favorite people come together.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Mar 8, 2025

Was average quality. Salsa was a little too sweet and lacked the heat I enjoy. The birria sauce was very watery and lacked depth of flavor when you get a richer more oil sauce.

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