Brooke C.

I had a nice diner here! I loved the ambiance in particular. The drinks were all very delicious and the food was solid. The duck was the standout dish for me. Focaccia and asparagus were good but nothing crazy. Great service here

Jennifer R.

I made a reservation to celebrate my partner's birthday. Upon arrival everything was great and the staff did a good job acknowledging the occasion. The host was very friendly and we were sat very quickly. We decided to go with the chef choice which was a small bite with 3 course meals. I got the vegetarian version and my partner the regular one. I thought it was a unique touch since we didn't know what we were going to eat. Overall all of the meals were quite tasty, felt fresh and warm. Where the experience felt short was the wait time in between meals. It took roughly 20-35mins which just killed the over all experience. Another thing, our server didn't check in often during those long waits to see if we needed drinks or anything else. The food was good, but the experience not so much. In terms of the ambiance, it felt very cozy and intimate because of the lights, beautiful view and it's also a small space. I asked if it's typical for long waits times and she mentioned because its a curated special option from the chef it usually takes a bit longer, but the response didn't feel authentic considering that we were getting served items that were on the menu, just in a smaller portion.

Chirag M.

Came here to say with my wife to celebrate my birthday. The views are great, the ambience is classy and upscale and the service is great. The cocktails were a bit underwhelming for a restaurant with a somewhat limited food menu. The menu does keep changing - we saw a bunch of dishes on the menu online, but those had changed when we dined. The food is pricey but spectacular. We loved the uni toast, the salmon crudo and the lobster rice entree. The lobster entree is pricey at $75 but the amount of lobster was very generous. Perfect to split between 2. We spent a little over $350 for the 2 of us (with 2 cocktails each) so certainly not cheap, but good for a celebratory occasion. I'll likely be back :)

Cali O.

Sigh. The service was great. The food was decent. But for a restaurant inside of the raffles hotel, my expectations were pretty high and unfortunately reality fell short. The standout dish we tried was the uni toast. The restaurant and the hotel were stunning, but the flavors of our entrees fell flat. I wanted to love everything but the dishes weren't complex. They weren't memorable. And due to the price and location, I have no desire to return. Sadly.

Winni Z.

This was a fantastic dining experience. The servers were attentive and friendly. The vibes were formal and private. The food was thoughtfully prepared and each dish had its own unique blend of flavors and texture. A few highlights: the bluefin tuna was refreshing and fun. The rice was pillowy and soft; the duck had the perfect texture, and it had a deep rich flavor. The desserts were also not too sweet. Would definitely recommend dining at Amar.

Ted K.

Went for afternoon tea. Lovely view on the 17th floor of the Raffles Hotel. Had the Silver needle Tea which was delicately but lovely. Also had the Lallier champagne because that's how I do. The scones were phenomenal. The gaviota strawberry entrement was my favorite dessert and the smoked salmon rosette my favorite savory. The service was attentive but not overbearing. Had a lovely time

Clark C.

Amazing place... the setting, the view, the food, the service. Located on the 17th floor of the new Raffles building (between Hancock tower and Back Bay train station), the restaurant has amazing views of Back Bay, South End, Charles River and Cambridge. The service is warm and attentive. The food is superb. They call it Portuguese but it's really just excellent contemporary dishes based on core proteins like lamb, lobster, halibut, beef and some excellent vegetarian dishes. Yes, it is expensive ($20-$30 apps; $40-$50 entrees; $20 cocktails). Don't go if you can't handle the cost. It is excellent but the place is run by humans so don't expect perfection. There are hiccups but they handle them smoothly. Fantastic place. Any of the negative reviews are from people who had bad luck or very unrealistic expectations.

Umama Q.

Upscale Mediterranean inspired restaurant that didn't disappoint! The Bouille base was phenomenal with a lot of seafood in it. My husband ordered the duck which was okay. 5 stars for the martini cart as it added to the upscale experience.

Holly K.

New Portuguese fusion restaurant inside the Raffles hotel, on the 17th floor. Ambiance of the restaurant is wonderful- it's clean, modern, and fancy. The space feels big (despite minimal tables), and the floor to ceiling windows give you a great view of the city. Service was friendly and welcoming, gave us great recommendations, and made us laugh several times. Service was the best part of this restaurant, 10/10. I did the Chef's tasting menu ($175), along with the wine pairing. I felt none of the 5 items "wowed" me. The chef used very traditional ingredients from Portugal, very CHEAP ingredients, that he definitely elevated; but at the end of the day, I didn't feel the meal was worth the price. Portion sizes were small, seasonings were lacking, and some of the textures and/or ingredients just felt off. Again though, the service with dinner was again phenomenal- keeping the table clean and switching out utensils between each course. We went during Christmastime too, so the restaurant, as well as the hotel, were beautifully decorated!! Everything felt very festive. The experience itself was nice (despite the food being overpriced and small portions), we enjoyed going to the Long Bar after, and the new speakeasy is finally open upstairs. Not sure why or how it took SO long to get a reservation.

Monica L.

This place is gorgeous!! It has a rly nice view of the prudential and the vibes inside are so fancy! The service is also so crazy, they wipe the table for you, clear utensils and plates in between every dish and refill water often. I said thank u so many times haha. For the food: The bread - it was actually so filling. The butter was so creamy, the olive oil was a nice cut against the savory flavors, and the salt felt tangier than usual salt. The bread itself was so soft inside and warm and yummy! It was a bit salty too. Despite the saltiness, this was prob the most fun and tastiest part of the meal for me! The octopus - it came with some rly yummy greens and vinegar-y firm beans. I actually rly liked both of those. The octopus itself wasn't as tender as expected, it was a bit rubbery chewy but still tasty. Also very savory dish Arroz con mariscos - like a soupy rice w seafood in it! It was very flavorful and the seafood was fresh and tender. There were plenty of mussels, clams, and shrimp - as well as one lobster claw. All the seafood tasted high quality and juicy! Finally pastel de nata - Portuguese egg tarts, disappointed that they didn't come out warm haha but they had nice chewy crust, w a really milky creamy rich egg filling. The filling was very sweet but balanced by a sprinkle of salt from the crust. Very nice dessert Takeaway - a beautiful place to dine for a special occasion! The food isn't super impressive in taste (in plating it's beautiful tho) but maybe we ordered wrong. And also for the experience and the vibes maybe worth a shot to try it out!

Melanie W.

Why is it hard to get a reservation? I made a reservation 30 days in advance on Thursday at 5:30 when they had just opened. By the time we finished dinner after 7 pm, there were still tables empty. We ordered: Uni toast (It is better to use California uni than Maine uni; it is sweeter and has a creamy taste) Scallop (it replaced the Portuguese carabinero shrimp; I was a little disappointed) Maitake mushrooms (it was a little salty, adding the kombu broth) Shellfish custard (it is better to eat it without the broth; it makes the custard too watery) Arroz De mariscos (similar to risottos but too broth in it) Pao de lo (sponge cake was soft and fluffy, not too sweet; their sorbet with honey taste) - recommend Pasties de nata (custard tart with cinnamon added on top; I wish it served hot or warm; not too sweet) - recommend The services are excellent, and I highly recommend their desserts.

Tony U.

Why I'll go back: One of the best service experiences I've had in Boston...ever You HAVE to order: the warm pole bean salad with peaches and sweet corn Tony's Tip: across the 17th floor lobby is the elegant Long Bar and Terrace. Arrive a half hour early (walk-in seating only) and enjoy a cocktail before dinner I have to admit I was not familiar with the venerable Raffles hotel brand, which dates back to the 19th century. It's having a bit of a renaissance, with recently opened locations in London and Boston. Convenient for us, as we live about a 20-minute walk from the Boston Back Bay location. On the advice of friends, we booked dinner for four at Amar, the new Portuguese-influenced restaurant from Michelin-star chef George Mendes (NY-based Aldea, also Portuguese cuisine). It did not disappoint. From the moment you enter the hotel, you are warmly greeted and then made to feel like someone special, even if you're there to just literally poke around. As the elevator opens after a quick trip to the 17th floor, another welcome awaits, followed by sensory overload as you exit into full view of the elegant winding staircase, a tranquil reading room to its left, and the swanky Long Bar, which has an outdoor lounge area with expansive views of the South End and beyond. It's worth arriving early to start your evening there. As for Amar, it is an intimate space, even with the high ceilings and large windows. About twenty tables, many with partial booth seating, were artistically situated throughout the dining room, and they accommodated various party sizes. The noise level is modest (thank you high ceilings) and spacing between tables provides plenty of privacy. Our service from beginning to end was nothing short of spectacular. The greeting, drink orders and turnaround, detailed walk-through of the menu, wine suggestions, spacing of courses, and idle chit-chat in between - all spot on and enhancing the meal at every turn. Speaking of which, the dishes themselves were absolutely delicious! Starters at our table were varied: carabinero shrimp, warm pole bean and sweet corn salad with peaches, salt cod croquettes. All were rich in flavor and reasonable in portion size. Two of us had the duck (accompanied by risotto mixed with braised duck leg and chorizo) while lobster and monkfish with littleneck clams rounded out the entrees. None of us could find fault with any of the mains, and this includes the prices, which I thought were refreshingly reasonable, especially after the sticker shock I've experienced elsewhere in my travels this year. My wife noted that it is very easy to screw up fish by overcooking it. At Amar, everything hit the mark. With bread to start and 1-2 drinks each, we got out of there for about $220 a couple, including tip. You'll be hard-pressed to experience a more affordable meal from a legit Michelin-star chef anywhere in the U.S. We will absolutely be back, and I'll take my own advice by arriving early enough to get the evening started right with a drink across the lobby.

Rosemary S.

Decor was gorgeous and the staff was exceptional. They checked up on us a lot, were very professional but also warm and friendly. Dirty martini and Pao cocktail were delicious. However for the price, the food was also just ok. The sourdough bread was probably the best thing we got. The sea bass was just ok, as was the bluefin tuna. For an upscale place with high prices for small portions, I expected a much more flavorful and complex dish. The asparagus was also quite bland. Again, the ambiance was excellent and the staff definitely improved the experience but overall the food was disappointing and not worth the price.