Ostra Boston Review

Great food and friendly service
Fresh and tasty

the entrees were good but not great; it was very noisy

Simply stunning, elevated seafood. Loved the Halibut. The calamari, octopus, king crab risotto, truffle fries, and oysters were exception. Excellent service - simply delicious and wonderful surroundings.

Excellent service, food and atmosphere. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is due to high prices on the main courses. Definitely worth checking out though. The first course option - ricotta gnocchi with truffles, lobster and mushrooms is amazing. They also have an excellent pastry chef who makes delicious desserts.

Fantastic seafood restaurant in Boston. The salt crusted branzino is out of this world and worth the price tag. The wines are great both by the glass and by the bottle. The service is impeccable! I will definitely return when I me back to Boston!!!

Come here for a special occasion or a corporate sponsored dinner, and sit back and feel pampered! Sure, it's not gentle on the wallet, but the seafood is fresh and impeccably executed, with modernized and harmonious flavors (move over classic French butter & cream treatments) that won't leave you too weighed down. For an Instagram-worthy show stopper, order the Snow Egg dessert at the end!

Fine scene for delicious seafood. very savory. bring your appetite because portions are generous. mood here reminds me of colorado springs area.

Great place. Modern and Elegant atmosphere, great octopus and amazing salt crusted branzino!!

It's a very luxurious shop. The service is also perfect. I think it's perfect for a special dinner while traveling.

This is my first time here OMG!!! the food is amazing. Consistently good!! All the dishes were excellent!!!! Thankyou so much!!!!

This was a truly special experience. Everything we had vastly exceeded expectations. All of the seafood was the freshest I've ever had, and the combinations of flavors were very meticulously and artfully executed. If you don't mind spending a pretty penny, I would highly recommend trying this place.

Upscale dining, bar. Was not greeted when I walked in, server did not smile, once, even when we left. Group of 8 that are in the industry, and seemed as if we were bothering her. Busboy, back server pouring our water was more attentive.

Went here for a lovely dinner in the lounge area, though we have also eaten in the dining room on a few occasions. In general, the service and the food have both been great. The wine selection is expansive, and not overly focused on expensive wines, a lot of affordable options. The appetizers are varied and prepared well. We recently enjoyed the Spanish Octopus, Salmon Tartare, and Alaskan King Crab. We also tried the Sirloin Carpaccio. We've tried a few other appetizers and entrees previously. We have never been disappointed with a meal here, but have never been overly wowed either, it has always been "good." However, we are definitely going to come back and try the often raved about 2-person Branzino before making an ultimate decision.

Had several meals here. Very well executed food, although the menu didn t quite do it for me. 4.5 stars.

The seafood is so fresh and flavorful at Island Creek. The environment is busy and upscale casual. Our server was very skilled and keep the food paced nicely and was very informative.

Everything we had at ostra was just out of this world for appetizers we had the grilled octupus , ricotta gnocchetti, calamari , and the crispy native oysters and let me tell you everything was just phenomenal and out of this world it was super tasty and all cooked to perfection. For the main course i had the ribeye also cooked to perfection and in my opinion it was the best piece of steak i have ever had . Am still dreaming about this place and cant wait to go back again . Also the staff was super amazing and friendly did not feel rushed at all and i felt like i was very welcomed there 10/10

Exceptional and memorable evening! I don't post many reviews, but this was necessary. Ostra was EXCELLENT - from food to service to ambience, everything was incredible!! There is not one thing that I would improve upon, and will also note that our server was VERY knowledgeable on all fronts. Covid precautions were great, and the food was OFF THE CHARTS!!

Absolutely top notch across the board. A must go if you love seafood. We had oysters, caviar, octopus (might be the best ever), monkfish, and seafood stew. All of it was divine. The space is modern elegance, clean, white, and impeccable. The service from the hostess up to the GM was well done and professionally familial. I wish I had multiple stomachs so I could still be eating there.

There are four dining options: private room, dining room, lounge, and bar. Without reservations, the lounge is likely your best bet. Both the bar and lounge are first-come-first-serve. However, most people gravitate toward the bar it seems. The lounge has a nice, soft, live pianist. Neal tip: you will be told that walk-in reservations aren't allowed for the dining room, but if you are pleasant and well-dressed, ask the hostess if she can squeeze you in. It just might work.

Super nice food, service overwhelmed and not living up to expectations.

The salt crusted branzino was amazingly good, as well as everything else we had.

Had four apps to share between two people. Split a desert. Sharing is caring after all. Great food. Great service. The only downside is the main dining room can get very noisy.

Ambience is really good. Went here for a talk and food and service was great

Impeccable dining and wonderful wait staff. The food was incredible and just a great experience. They made us feel special and I'd recommend it to all our friends.

Absolutely wonderful service and delicious food. We had clams and fried oysters. They were divine!

So incredible, the staff is awesome. Food is delicious

One of my fav restaurants in boston. I love seafood and this is deff a great spot! The food is very fresh and delicious! The presentation is very nice as well, and the service is amazing! They check up on you frequently, clean up after each plate, and very polite and helpful. I highly recommend! Especially for date night or any celebration type event!! I think it is THE BEST in Boston. It is, high priced but HIGH, VERY HIGH QUALITY FOOD. The Lobster is for long, the best in Boston. I recomend the Octopus as an entry. A place to enjoy!

Food was amazing, reservation was 30 minutes late, service was a bit slow but worth the wait, plan on 2+ hours for dinner. Cost was a bit higher than expected. Overall a solid 4.5 stars.

Wow, wow, wow... Best seafood of my life. Gluten free options. Come hunger i highly recomend.

Great food and amazing service! Very high end atmosphere and dishes!

We stopped by and sat at the bar for an appetizer before a show. Everything was done right and thoughtfully. The bar tender was busy but still very attentive. The stuffed crab tortellini was an amazing appetizer! Will definitely be returning for dinner on my next trip to Boston.

"Love the food, but this location always seems to have slow service."

Can t possibly give this place less than five stars. Starting from the outstanding food quality to the impeccable service. This is a GO-TO.

Tasty, carefully prepared food beautifully presented. Great staff. Decent wine list. Really good.

Great food, phenomenal service. Try the grilled pulpo

This restaurant was the highlight of our five day trip to Boston. I have colleagues and friends from our Tokyo headquarters that I only see once per year. I deliberately waited to book this restaurant until our last evening together. They sure did not disappoint. I thought we were going to have an issue at first because we had two tables reserved that were not put together (i.e. they were next to each other but not touching each other). I asked the manager to move the two tables together, who gave me a confused look. She huddled with a couple of people and they promptly removed the dishes and flatware from one table, the second table closer to the first, and replated the table for us. From that point on, everything was fresh and clean and crisp.

The entire meal was noteworthy. Beginning with the appetizers, which were tasty and fresh. I ordered the monkfish for my main meal, and my friends ordered various other dishes. We ended up sampling each other's dishes. One was better than the next. While not the star of the meal, the desserts left a very appealing impression. The presentation was flawless and the attention to detail was apparent.

I actually commented to friend that, if I am fortunate to get married sometime, I plan to propose at this restaurant. It was an All-Star place and I definitely plan on returning! Thank you for making our last evening together so special!

Impeccable food, classy environment, extensive wine selection, Great service. All that came with a high price tag though.

Lovely dinner, great seafood. What means a lot is that the vegetable garnishes and salads(pea shoots and asparagus julienne) are exceptional, support and bring out the fresh flavours of the fish.

Awful service! Poor reflection on the W hotel! Don't go here!

High end place, food was great. Service was above and beyond!

Consistently well prepared food and very professional service

From the moment we crossed the threshold of this very fine establishment, we were made to feel like critically important customers. Our waitress, Margaret, was as warm as the bread that was quickly brought to the table. She was also very informative about the menu.
The food was, simply put, perfect. The bread, the littleneck clams, and the three-pound lobster that my guest and I asked to have spilt (it came beautifully laid-out on two plates)...perfect.
The autosphere is dressy yet relaxed. The manager, with whom I shared a congratulatory word about our waitress, was Clintonesque in his engagement in our conversation.
It is the rare restaurant that I simply can't wait to visit again...and Ostra is a rare restaurant.

Pricey but so very very worth it !! Anything from the sea will blow your mind

It is our first time dined at Osta and now we see why there are so many wonderful reviews. The service was outstanding, our servicer Katharine was very helpful. We ordered a much of first courses, they were well seasoned and cooked to perfection. The paella wasn't favourite at all. We found the seafood were over cooked. Yes Ostra is prices but worth it. We definitely will be back for more.

This is my favorite Boston restaurant and one of my favorite restaurants in the USA. They serve generous helpings of fresh, delicious seafood (the monkfish is to die for).

So so food. Pricey and not a great collection of drinks as well. Great service and staff tho

Simply the best restaurant in Boston for fine dining: everything is very fresh and so refined, and the beverage program is out of this world. I truly recommend.

Very top restaurant, delicious food, friendly service, and will not refuse us because we are dressed more casually.

Sea bass tartare was amazing! Also enjoyed the bread with the butter and olive oil (costs $9). Also enjoyed the sea scallops and brazino. The tartare and fish soup are shown with split size portions! Seafood tasted very fresh.

Amanda our server was awesome, she suggested great meal recommedation and was thorough and attentive.
The atmosphere and food was delightly.
Worth the dining experience.

Probably the best meal I have ever had. Every bite was perfectly crafted. I opted for the a la carte menu but will definitely get the omakase next time.

Excellent dining experience with a fantastic display of food as you walk in!

Easily one of the best seafood experiences in Boston. Best preparation of the Branzino I have ever seen.

Top quality upscale seafood restaurant in the heart of Boston. Great for groups or an intimate date.

Upscale seafood restaurant. Had the monkfish, which was very good. Friend had the filet which she said was delicious. Started with artisan cheese which was good but I expect options I never tasted before or something local. Wasn't blown away by the food for the prices, which is why 4 vs 5.

Great food and great service - they were very mindful of social distancing, and the staff members were extremely helpful.

First, Excellent service and Covid precautions. We dined indoors. The truffle fries and rhode island calamari were well done. The crab risotto was rich and a bit tangy. Tangy was a surprise and would be fine... Except that the spanish octopus and shishito peppers we also got were both much more sour/lemony than we would have liked, so lemon sour overpowered the other appetizers as well! We thought that detracted significantly from both dishes.

There were some tiny pieces of crab shell in the risotto and some straw like inedible pieces in the calamari. Didn't cause problems for me but just took the polish off the dishes.

We got the paella. A different style than we've ever had before. It was sweet and smoky. Not our favorite version, though the seafood was nicely done and not overcooked.

Lastly, had the lemon white chocolate panna cotta. Like the theme of the night, the lemon overpowered everything else. So sour! Otherwise, a beautifully presented dessert.

Servings were generous.

I would recommend the fries, calamari, crab risotto, and octopus if you asked them to put lemon on the side.

Great service, food taste average.The staffs are good too.

The sweet corn/fava bean succotash that came with the lobster was a pleasant surprise. OMG, the sea bass tartare with black truffle carpaccio (shaved on top of the tartare) has me drooling at the memory! Delicious local raw oysters to start, delectable blueberry tart with Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream to close

Fine Dining with Excellent service! My wife and I finally got a night out. The kids went to the sitter, let's go splurge. Ostra a top hit on a Google search for best seafood in Boston. Let's do it. Food was excellent with tons of fancy artistic looking dishes. Large selection of wines. Fancy cocktails like the "oyster martini". Honestly this is not usual thing for us. We had a tough with the menu. We didn't know what half the stuff on there was. One of the many staff members came over, spelled it all out for us. We decided to order a bunch of random things. They suggest splitting dishes. Again we both got a smaller portion of one. Enjoyed everything we had. Hight reccommend the "lobster gnocchi"! Oysters are top notch from different regions. I don't think I could've ordered anything I would've enjoyed. The chefs make everything work and taste awesome. Also kudos to the staff. I can't say enough on how good they treated us and made sure we had an excellent night out. 5

This is one of my favorite seafood restaurants in Boston. We had the kumamoto oysters from California which I was surprised they had because they are my favorite! Beef carpaccio was on point. The Alaskan crab risotto was very good a must try. The highlight of the night is my favorite dish... the salt crusted branzino. Anyone who goes there must get this dish!

Very good dinner in a fine restaurant with great atmosphere. Excellent fish dishes, good service and an overall nice ambiance

Good drinks / great food/flavors / ridiculous bread presentation but hey, it was good

My wife and I spent 3 days in Boston and for her birthday we decided to book Ostra based on the reviews. What an amazing experience! Food was absolutely fantastic, from starters to dessert everything was fresh, well prepared and greatly presented. I definitely recommend the lobster gnocchetti, to die for! You will pay for this quality and for the service, but it is worthing every penny!

Excellent service, very well presented and nice flavors
The wine was quite expensive

Absolutely everything was perfect. Best meal I've had in Boston, bar none.

Food is good, the experience is much much better than the food. The girls sort of treat me bad over the phone but when I arrive they were ok. Lots of asians and latinos. Kite a nice mixture also you need to make a reservation before going and expect it to be over 150$$$

My friend and I reserved Ostra for our 4-year anniversary dinner while in Boston sightseeing. The atmosphere was inviting, food was impeccable and service was outstanding! We started with a bottle of Prosecco, and I had a plate of oysters and he tried the Bucatini pasta. Our entrees consisted of the Paella and Grilled Arctic Char which were unbelievable in quality and taste. At this point we were extremely full and asked for our check. Our absolutely fantastic waitress (I feel terrible I can't remember her name but she is a beauty) came back with an ice cream for the two of us. I honestly can't say enough good things about this restaurant.

Amazing experience. Very romantic. Excellent service. The salt crusted branzino and the lobster gnocchi were incredible.

Exceptional food & Excellent service with all precautions being taken in regards to COVID. Have traveled from NYC to Boston just for the experience! Well worth it!

High quality seafood restaurant with a few hard-to-find options. A nice addition from the people who founded L'Andana, Moo, Sorellina, Teatro, etc.

We were overwhelmed the minute we entered the restaurant. The vibes were incredible the selection of seafood was wonderful & all cooked to perfection. The diners were dressed men wore jackets the lady's were dressed to the hilt. I felt I was dining in Boston in the sixtys. In my opinion it was as great as Prime Fish in Miami.