Hotel restaurants have come a long way in recent years. Gone are the heydays when they used to be simply a place to churn out forgettable dishes to feed the masses. Today, the coveted restaurant spaces have morphed into trend setting spots where visitors and locals alike come to enjoy a memorable dinner. Here’s a look at eight of Boston’s best spots worthy of your next visit.
UNI At The Eliot Hotel
Photo Credit: UNI
You might not expect to find an impeccable sushi restaurant tucked inside a Back Bay hotel, but UNI delivers some of the city’s best Japanese cuisine. Go with a group and order up a bunch of small plates like the raw Scottish langostine, smoked Hamachi tartare or their famed UNI spoon,(an delicate presentation of Osetra caviar, quail egg yolk and yuzu). UNI offers an incredible offering of makimono, nigari and sashimi from James Beard award-winning Ken Oringer that are best paired with a sip from their impressive sake program. Late night diners love the specialty ramen menu available Fridays and Saturdays.
370A Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215; Website
Bar Boulud at Mandarin Oriental Boston
Photo Credit: Bar Boulud
Chef Daniel Boulud‘s French favorite is also one of Boston’s best hotel restaurants. Tucked inside the Mandarin Oriental in Back Bay, the patio here is abuzz during the summer months for its alfresco scene while the main dining room comes alive at night with hungry diners seeking brasserie fare.  Start by sharing their signature charcuterie board filled with pates, terrines and sliced meats. (An artisanal cheese board is also available). For main events, don’t miss their famed red wine braised coq au vin dish or classic steak frites.
776 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199; Website
Mooo Restaurant at XV Beacon
Photo Credit: Mooo Restaurant
One of Boston’s best steakhouses is really located inside a hotel. That’s just what you will be saying after a visit to Mooo. This Beacon Hill staple with a funky name housed in the stylish boutique XV Beacon offers one of Boston’s best high end luxury dining experiences. Take, for example, their signature starter meatball appetizer – they take the dish to a new level with a mouthwatering combination of dry aged ribeye and sirloin. If you’re looking for something on the lighter side, try the Israeli Osetra caviar – with 30 grams, it’s large enough to share, but you won’t want to. Move along to the six-ounce Japanese A5 Wagyu sirloin, 22-ounce bone-in ribeye or 16-ounce dry aged sirloin for an experience you won’t soon forget.
15 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108; Website
OAK Long Bar + Kitchen At Fairmont Copley Plaza
Photo Credit: OAK Long Bar + Kitchen
Belly up to the shimmering coppertop bar at this chic Copley Square favorite and try one of their famous handcrafted cocktails like the spicy Samurai Sunrise, sweet Lion Fighter or savory Beekeeper. We love their selection of untraditional shared starters like the hearth roasted lobster, olive oil poached lobster and lamb meatballs. Larger plates include pan seared local swordfish, their famous Oak burger and Georges Bank scallops. There is patio seating during the warmer months and a late night menu is also available for guests looking for a nightcap.
138 St. James Street, Boston, MA 02116; Website
Artisan Bistro at The Ritz-Carlton
Photo Credit: Artisan Bistro
We love the casual chic vibe at this European style bistro tucked inside the Ritz-Carlton. Whether you come for a fried egg sunrise sandwich for breakfast, stop in for a truffle mushroom flatbread for lunch or come here to linger over a glass of wine and a filet mignon with smoked sweetbreads for dinner, the hotel restaurant is a daily favorite of many local business people. If you come for lunch or dinner, be sure to save some room for a sweet finale like the vanilla cheesecake, molten chocolate cake or caramel churros.
10 Avery Street, Boston, MA 02111; Website
The Gallery at W Boston
Photo Credit: W Boston
Whether you have booked a weekend getaway or are simply just looking for a place to go for some pre- or post theater dining, The Gallery is one of the best newcomers to the hotel restaurant scene. Located in the heart of the Theatre District and just steps from Chinatown and Downtown Crossing, the floor-to-ceiling glass walls offer some of the city’s best people watching views directly from your cozy table. There are some unexpected finds on the dinner menu here like the Puebla street corn, Seventh Star squash blossoms and coconut milk chicken. Save some room for the candied pecan cannolis or sweet corn butter cake served with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream.
100 Stuart Street, Boston, MA 02116; Website
Meritage Restaurant + Wine Bar at Boston Harbor Hotel
Photo Credit: Meritage
Chef Daniel Bruce’s crown jewel restaurant located in the Boston Harbor Hotel shines brightly over Rowes Wharf. The standout waterfront restaurant has been a favorite of locals for its fresh seafood, farm-to-table and vineyard-to-table dishes paired up with their impressive wine selections. After all, this is where the Boston Wine Festival all began. If you come for dinner, the ever-changing prix fixe menus here include offerings like pan roasted foie gras, Atlantic halibut and Brandt prime sirloin. Be sure to also keep an eye out for the many wine dinners they host here throughout the year.
70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, MA 02110; Website
Scampo at Liberty Hotel
Photo Credit: Scampo
Pizza, pasta, a cheese board and haute dishes like seared duck breast served with foie gras, fresh cherries and celery root soufflé are the name of the game at Scampo. The focus here is on simply prepared Italian fare (think spaghetti aglio e olio, spaghetti cacio e pepe or the spiced up spaghetti with cracklings and hot pepper perhaps?) Did we mention there is a mozzarella bar here? Celebrity chef Lydia Shire‘s signature restaurant located inside a former prison-turned-hotel also offers a weekend brunch featuring a lobster and chive omelet or eggs Benedict.
215 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114; Website
