In the heart of Boston's busy Seaport District, Aura Restaurant is located next to the lobby in the Seaport Hotel, across from the World Trade Center. The Seaport Hotel's 5-star rating alone made me assume that the food in this hotel was going to match its ranking; and I was right. This place really delivers on all important fronts--service, ambiance, and of course, flavor. We went here with a Gilt City voucher, and as a result we had to order from the pre-fix menu, not giving us a large variety to choose from--3 appetizers, 3 entrees, and 3 desserts to be exact. And because we got a glimpse at the full menu before seeing the pre-fix version, both Sandy and I were a little disappointed at the lack of choices. In addition, I peeped over at the table next to us and saw a beautiful lamb rack resting on a bed of gnocchi, drizzled with a luscious sauce and garnished with carrots and shiny green peas. As I began to wipe the dribble of drool forming at the corners of my mouth with my napkin, our server informed us that we had to order from the pre-fix menu as a stipulation to the Gilt City voucher. I must say I was rightfully disappointed! Note to self...DO NOT lock into a pre-fix menu when you want to "freely" explore all a restaurant has to offer. With our bubbles of lamb and other "main" features busted, we narrowed down our slim choices. Sandy had the house salad to start--simple and light baby greens with warm veggies and a honey vinaigrette. The only other options were the gazpacho or the tartar duo of salmon and tuna. I almost went with the gazpacho, but at the last minute decided on the tartar, and I'm glad I did because this appetizer alone was an exciting experience in itself. The flavor profiles are off the charts--from sweet to spicy, to tangy and savory--this dish hit all the elements. The most unique part of this dish, was experiencing both a heat and a cooling sensation at the same time; when I bit into the crispy crostini the tartar is served with, I immediately had a flash of heat from the chili in the salmon, and the cooling sensation came from the fact that it is served chilled topped with and avocado puree that instantly toned down the heat. The tuna tartar was not spicy, but the cilantro mixed into it made it cooler than the salmon, but with a fresh finish. The crunch from the crostini pared perfectly with the silky smooth texture of both the salmon and the tuna. For dinner, both Sandy and I had the black diamond skirt steak with field greens. It doesn't sound like much, but once again, Aura's chef delivered the flavor. Skirt steak can be tricky, as it's a pretty tough cut of meat, and doesn't always have the best marbling (which can leave little to no flavor in the meat). This steak was full of flavor. It was sweet and savory and it reminded me of Korean bul-go-ki seasoning. The field greens' mild bitterness, drizzled with a light vinaigrette, paired well with the robust flavors of the steak. For dessert, Sandy had nothing other than the crème brulee...but I won't give her a hard time for it this time, as she only had 2 other things to choose from, and I was getting one of them. I had the chocolate sabayon crunch cake, which, once again combined the elements of crunchy and smooth textures. The crunch came from the candied hazelnuts against the smooth, creamy texture of the cake. And Sandy's crème brulee (and she's had many!), was one of the best she and I had ever had. The service at Aura is stellar. Our server was a sweetheart; she was polite, attentive, and VERY gracious, so much so that she kept saying "thank you" after we thanked her for serving us! And in an attempt to make the experience as simple as possible for their guests, Aura automatically adds 18% gratuity to your bill so you don't have to bother with a tip. This is convenient, but for me, I like to leave at least 20%; especially when service is excellent, as it is at Aura. Parking is expensive, and there's really no way around that--it is Boston--but if you park in the Seaport Hotel /World Trade Center garage, get your ticket validated, and you'll only pay $11--pretty cheap by Boston standards. The only catch is you will need to leave the parking lot within 20 minutes from the time your ticket was stamped or you'll pay full price. There's also parking on the street, but the chances of getting a spot, especially on the weekend, are unlikely, so plan accordingly. I think it's quite obvious that our initial disappointment at the lack of variety quickly turned into an exciting culinary adventure by the time we were finished. I'm looking forward to coming back here and ordering from the regular menu, because if it's anything like the items on the pre-fix menu, I know that I'll be in for another even more delicious experience. read more

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The Aura was an attractive and pleasant place to have a family Thanksgiving dinner when our schedules and locations did not make it practicable for us to cook. It did not disappoint. The experience could give us only a hint of what a regular dining experience would be, so I offer these comments for what they are worth. The Aura's Thanksgiving buffet met but did not exceed our expectations. Neither the turkey nor the stuffing was as good as any of the cooks among us would have prepared, but these are items that are best home-made. The side dishes were all well-prepared and creatively seasoned. The sirloin and sole were very good. They also had a good assortment of breakfast items, all of which again were very good. The dessert table got the best reviews of all. We left satisfied with our meal. Were I looking for a fine dining experience in downtown Boston, the Aura would not likely make the short list. If circumstances took us to Boston again to dine out for Thanksgiving, I probably would look for another option, if nothing else for comparison. All that being said, we all enjoyed our meal. read more

We dined at Aura Restaurant for their Mother's Day Brunch, and I really enjoyed many aspects of my meal. Located at the Seaport Hotel, the ambiance and decor is very chic and clean. The brunch buffet included a breakfast section with French toast, pancakes, salmon cakes, quiche, yogurt parfaits, scrambled eggs, and homefries. The lunch section included Caesar and garden salads, chowder, a lox spread, and a couple casserole dishes. I thought the dessert table was lacking with the mini pastries, which included very mini pies, puffs, and cakes. There was also a chocolate fondue station with fruit available, but the number of little ones reaching their hands into the fruit and chocolate and...you know where that goes. Our morning cocktails were well-made, and the servers tried their best to have service run smoothly. A little expensive with the four of us sitting at $52/person, but I think my mother enjoyed it. read more

The breakfast buffet is solid in the sense that every basic item you'd expect is available (breads and pastries, scrambled eggs & eggs benedict, bacon & sausages, potatoes, rotating veggies, yogurt, fruit, etc.) The poached eggs are consistently good (e.g., runny yolks) and one morning there was poached bok choy which was fantastic (savory and tender). In terms of drawbacks, the main one is that the sausages (which come in both link and patty form) are very dry. These were definitely not quality sausages, which if you're a vegetarian doesn't matter, but if you aren't vegetarian and you're looking at ~$25 breakfast (inclusive of mandatory 18% service charge), it's hard to argue you will get enough value from eggs and yogurt alone. read more

First off, while the # of stars are low, I will compliment the wait staff as our waiter was very nice, lovely and courteous. So the low number of stars is no reflection on the service, but more so on everything else. The reason they even have 2 stars is because of our waiter, Chris. I was completely unimpressed and underwhelmed. Being a hotel restaurant near the water, I would have hoped it had windows that looked to the water or decor that gave a real ambiance. I felt like I was eating in a conference room. The lighting was ok, but no real environment or personality. As for the food, the only thing of note would be the gnocchi appetizer. It was delicious and probably could have been enough for the main dish. But I also split the filet with the truffle poached fried egg with my husband. I thought it was pretty lame. I think the whole truffle egg thing was a gimmick and while it wasn't BAD, it wasn't worth the money or the time. The steak also wasn't cooked to my liking. For dessert, our waiter brought out these white chocolate coconut balls which were a nice touch. But I doubt we would have gotten it if he weren't so nice. It was restaurant week and this was the only place we could get a reservation. My friends got stuff off the menu, which was completely boring and unimpressive in my opinion. I wouldn't go back. Not worth it. read more

My boyfriend and I chose this place to try for Restaurant week, because they seemed to have an interesting menu and several choices for each course. I read some unfavorable reviews before I went, especially regarding the service, so I felt inclined to post my experience. Overall the food was very good, not exceptional, but definitely satisfying for Restaurant week. The waiter was very nice, materializing whenever we seemed to finish a course or need a water refill. He asked us several times throughout our meal, in fact I believe once for each course, how we liked it and whether we needed anything, but without feeling bothersome. The check was hefty and I think I was possibly more satisfied with my dishes than my boyfriend, so this is not a 5 star place. Luckily, it does not pretend to be: hosting casually dressed hotel going tourists with the same courtesy as fancifully attired senior citizens. I probably wouldn't make the trek to this place again due to the prices and the location off the Silver Line, but I'm glad I tried it. read more

The Seaport Hotel public area is so tastefully decorated. The menus at their restaurants - The Aura and Tamo - bode well with creative combinations of ingredients. The food does not deliver the flavors of the menu descriptions. There's a disconnect between the person preparing the menu and the person preparing the food. We ate twice at the restaurants. I don't usually order pizza at fine dining establishments but was lured in by the creamed-corn-tarragon-lobster description. The nicely crisped crust bore way too much cheese, overwhelming the other ingredients, if they were there. We found no evidence of tarragon or creamed corn. The dish presented as a traditional cheese pizza with occasional chunks of lobster. 'Unremarkable' is the word that consistently describes our appetizers, entrees, and desserts, from tomato soup to skate to flan. The pork tenderloin was flavorless as were the potatoes that surrounded it. The one vegetarian entree - sweet pea ravioli - was colorful. We need to say something positive! The obligatory 18% service fee is not appreciated, especially for the performance of the unpolished, curt server. Sorry to say that the loveliness of the lobby does not carry over into the restaurant. read more

I made a restaurant-week reservation here for 3 -- a friend, my partner and myself. It was a Thursday night, and two of us were seated promptly in the fairly empty room while the third was finding a place to park. Our waiter was prompt and attentive, but in a way that made us both feel very rushed ("Would you like a drink from the bar? How about now? Now?"). Part of it was a language-barrier, but I also got the sense that this was the first nice restaurant she'd worked in. Her demeanor all night was closer to someone working in a busy greasy-spoon than in a half-empty "upscale" place. Food-wise, our results were mixed. I had the herbed waffles (w/ foie gras butter) and the pan-roasted scallops w/ roasted parsnips/carrots, champagne vanilla beurre blanc, and micro bulls blood. Both were very, VERY good. My friend also liked her choices (beet salad and the pork loin w/ kumquat compote). Unfortunately, my partner had to send his braised pork shank back because it was cold in the center. It had clearly been pre-cooked and just reheated, but not all the way through. Even after it came back the second time, it was still really tough. They tried to make it up to him by bringing him some clam chowder, but he doesn't like clams (wish they would have checked with him first). The waiter was awfully pushy about him taking it, too, which was awkward. We lingered over coffee and dessert (chocolate mousse for me, cheesecake for my friend) and they didn't seem to mind at all (which makes sense, since the place never got more than half-full). The check comes w/ a 20% gratuity automatically added, which was a surprise to us. They didn't bat an eye when we asked to put it on two cards, which was nice. All in all, it was decent, but I doubt we'll be back. And that's the whole point of Restaurant Week, right? read more

My husband and I recently visited Boston and had dinner at Aura with another couple. We didn't know what to expect, having only viewed their website, but their menu looked wonderful and we were looking forward to having dinner by the water. As other reviewers have mentioned, there is not a water view from the restaurant. That was not a major issue for us, although it would have been nice. We were seated very promptly, and then things started going downhill very rapidly. Our server was borderline abrupt with us, and very clearly tried to upsell us the entire meal. My husband wanted one type of wine, the server repeatedly tried to sell him another (more expensive) type - going as far as to bring that bottle to the table. Another member of our party wanted the entree off of the tasting menu, which the server told us would not be a problem. When I tried to order the same thing, I was told that they were out of it. If that is the case, then it's pretty poor restaurant management to run out of an entree at approximately 6:45 on a Saturday night. I expect, however, that instead it was another case of trying to increase our check. After the entrees were served, the server never bothered to check back to see if everything was ok. We finally had to flag down another staff member to refill our water glasses. I've worked in fine dining before. Although service is a major part of the experience, a lot of things can be overlooked with an excellent meal. Aura did not even give us that experience. The food was at best ok. With the quality of food and service, and the fact that there was an automatic 20% gratuity added to our bill, I would have a hard time reccommending this restaurant to anyone. read more

We came here after purchasing a Google Offer deal - $69 for a three-course dinner for 2 ($175 value). Great way to be introduced to new restaurants we have not been to. In our case this was not a good introduction, we did feel intentionally deceived. While food was great and service were fine, we did feel cheated as the deal we have purchased with $175 value was totally deceiving. There is absolutely no way with Aura's limited menue a dining couple can order a three course dinned up to that amount. We were not allowed to order lobster ?! (the most expensive item @ market value) and we do not eat meat. However even if you ordered the lamb @ $38 (the second highest priced item after lobster) plus the $15 appetizer and a $10 dessert for each of two people you would still stay far below the $175 value of the coupon. Did not feel like a fair proposition and left a bad "aftertaste" :( There are too many great restaurants in Boston, with great food, great service and great atmosphere - in this case unfortunately we will not be back. read more

It's my own fault for going to a hotel bar on a busy night to grab a quick drink. It's my own fault for wearing a t-shirt and sneakers into a wanna be fancy pants establishment. It's my own fault for liking the overpriced single malt scotch. It's my own fault for not being part of that asshole wedding party that was crowding 3/4 of the bar. It's my own fault for asking for more crappy bar snacks. It's my own fault for going to the mens room for a much needed moment on the throne and getting my pant legs soaked in a puddle of mystery water. It's my own fault for thinking that an automatic 20% gratuity is completely retarded. read more

Quite possibly one of the worst experiences I've ever had in all of Boston -- would give a lower rating if I could. A few of us ended up here for dinner one Saturday night as we were in the area for a convention. We sat down at our table and were immediately brought menus to peruse. After a few minutes, our waitress came and took our drink orders -- she was a bit brusque with our drink orders, but we figured, well, she's just doing her job. Our drinks arrived and they were fine... but it wasn't for another fifteen minutes before she came back to take our orders. As she took our orders, she showed the same, rushed, brusque demeanor that was present while taking our drink orders. After all was done, she told us that their kitchen was delayed a little, so we were brought some clam chowder to start while we waited. "Well, that's nice of them." We dove into our starters, eager for the food as it was getting a little later, and we were starved. About twenty minutes later, our appetizers arrived. Again, quite fervently, we devoured our appetizers. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. Forty-five minutes into the wait, we asked how much longer the entrees would take, since we now had been there for an hour and a half and still had not gotten our entrees. Her response: "I told you it would take a while. Our kitchen is backed up. To be honest with you, our chef just walked out of the kitchen and flipped over trays of food for the party and we had to remake everything. That's why we brought you the clam chowder. It'll probably be another twenty minutes." Now, we had assumed that when a restaurant says that their kitchen was "delayed a little" that this did not mean an hour and a half of waiting for your entree. On top of that, if your chef had walked out and flipped over a trays of food for a party, you might want to have a better back up plan than make ALL of your guests wait that long. At the very, very least, have the decency to be apologetic about it, instead of giving us a condescending response. A few of us were agitated. They left, and we called the waitress over to cancel their orders. She proceeds to tell us that our food will be coming out before the table behind us, and they arrived before us. "Well, lucky us" we sarcastically thought. Our meals came out -- kicker was -- possibly the most mediocre, overpriced food I have encountered in Boston. Wasn't even worth the wait. We finished our meals and she came back to check on us and chimed in with a lovely little quip: "An hour and a half is normal for Boston on a Saturday night!" Well, boy is she wrong considering all of us live in Boston and have yet to experience such waits without an apology at the least. Final pieces -- she got our bill wrong and charged us for one of the dishes that was cancelled. There was also an automatic 20% service charge (gratuity) which was a complete rip-off for the service, food, and attitude that we experienced. I had never had such an terrible experience in any food and drink establishment, including dive bars. Needless to say, I would never, EVER recommend anyone going there, nor will I ever consider stay at the Seaport hotel. Words can't express the disdain that's felt for this "restaurant." You're better off ordering pizza from Domino's -- at the very least, you'll get your food faster. read more

Crappy Mc. Crap-Crap. I'm so happy I wasn't the one who decided on this restaurant. If I had been, I might have had to kill myself out of sheer embarrassment. Place felt like I was in some cheap Best Western hotel restaurant, rather than on the Boston Waterfront. Restaurant Week menu was booooooring. For 1st course, I had the seared scallops with "risotto" cakes, which may have been the only saving grace of the entire dinner. But my scallops were non-existent, tiny little nothings. The risotto cakes were so-so. But the course was served with some mediocre, cheap wine that was way too sweet for the scallops. I won't even bore you with the rest of the meal. The scallops were the only thing worth mentioning. The quality of service was crap. OH, and they added 20% gratuity onto the bill for a 4-top!!! WTF! I guess they knew we wouldn't be tipping that much. read more

Aura is really good! I've been there a few times and the food and the service have always been wonderful. Also, the margarita is SO good. A great place! read more

We had made reservations here because of the location and the fact that it was supposed to be "upscale" which we thought was perfect for our group of 5 who were celebrating our friend getting married the following week. We had viewed the menu online and upon making our reservations let them know that someone in our party was a vegetarian and they said, no problem - I will let the chef know. We had early reservations and were the second table sat in the otherwise empty restaurant. The first thing we noticed was that the menu was not what we had seen online and there was no vegetarian option on the menu. When we asked our waitress she seemed annoyed and responded that "I suppose they could do some sort of pasta with vegetables and a tomato sauce or you can just have starters." She made it seem like we were putting them out and so we went to leave and speak to the hostess. The hostess informed us that there was an additional menu with more items and that there were certainly more items than pasta available for a vegetarian. Heading back to our table we now each had 2 menus to look at and our waitress seemed mad that we had spoken to the hostess. 15 minutes after arriving our waitress asked for our drink order and we requested a drink menu as this was the first time she stuck around long enough for us to ask her for anything. Again she seemed annoyed but brought us the menu and then came back a few minutes later to take our order and we did have our drinks in a couple minutes after. Another 20 minutes went by and she hadn't returned to our table to take our order so one of us tried to flag her down at which point she came over and rudely asked if there was something wrong with our drinks, we responded no but that we were ready to order. The waitress said okay, but walked away and took another table's order who had come in after us and then took our order. At this point we let her know that we had to leave in an hour for a previous engagement. She informed us that we should not order the chicken then because it takes 25 minutes to cook. We thanked her and ordered seafood dishes and one cheese pizza. 30 minutes later our waitress still had not returned to our table (and we had seen 3 chicken dishes come out for people who were seated after us and had different wait staff). Since we now only had 30 minutes until we had to leave one of our party approached the hostess again and a manager came over. He asked us what was the problem and we explained. He said he'd check on our order and then came back and said that ours was next and that our waitress had marked that we needed to leave at 7:15 (which at this point was in 15 minutes). We asked if the food would even be out in 15 minutes and he assured us it would and was not apologetic at all for our situation. (we were seated at 5:30 for dinner) We asked if we could get our bill since we needed to leave shortly and knew we couldn't rely on our waitress to be efficient and he got it for us. We were very disappointed that the manager didn't offer us any sort of discount or apology. We paid the bill before our food came out and gave it to the manager to take care of. Given the gratuity is a built in 20% we weren't very happy since our waitress did not deserve that much money for her very poor service. Our food came out at 7:05 and was lack luster at best. The seafood was very tasty and cooked well but the risotto was flavorless and mushy and the roasted potatoes were flavorless as well. The cheese pizza was of average quality. Our waitress brought out 2 of our 5 dishes and we never saw her again. Other waitstaff brought out 2 of the other dishes and then the manager brought out 1. We ate very quickly seeing as how by this point we were very hungry and needed to leave. We had to flag down the manager again to get a to go box for the pizza. The food was not worth the price and the service was not worth the 20%. There seemed to be other waitstaff who were much more attentive than our waitress. However, the manager did not make us feel welcome and everyone just seemed to be bothered by the fact that we were there. We will never go to this restaurant again nor recommend it. read more

I went to Aura during Restaurant Week this year and loved it. I really felt that it was some of the best food and wine I've ever had, anywhere. True, the decor isn't outstanding and it was very chilly in there the night I went, but those are the only negative things I have to say about it. The service was very friendly and prompt. I second Dan L.'s assertion that the steak and peaches was amazing! I had the sirloin while my boyfriend had the lamb, and both were delicious. The cherry tart with yogurt sherbet was lovely for dessert. If you're looking for delicious and creative cuisine (but not so creative that you wonder what you're eating), go to Aura. read more

Excellent service and they had some fun things served for Sunday brunch-- fresh honeycomb, smoked salmon, cheese blintz, and fresh orange juice. Ili was very attentive and paid attention to the details. I'd come back. read more

Went to Aura for dinner for restaurant week. The bread was delicious, which was a great start. Then came new england clam chowder. I give it a A for the chunkiness factor, but it was way underseasoned and pretty bland. The steak was pretty good, very juicy. The potatoes on the side, though, were boring and tasteless. For dinner we had profiteroles which were really good, but not good enough to save the dinner. The ambiance was terrible for a restaurant of that price, it felt like a takeout chinese food place. Even with restaurant week, this place was way way too expensive for what you get. Find a better alternative. read more

We (a party of four friends) went to Aura for Thanksgiving dinner this year. Nearly from the start, we realized we made a big mistake. My husband asked if we might have a table near the window (empty and set for four), and we were told that "those tables were reserved for large parties" - clearly not true. We were then escorted to a table in a back nook, near the waiters' service area. Tables were spaced so close together that the waitstaff could barely move between them. Our waiter was chatty to the point of intrusive (he'd joined in our conversations as if he was one of our party!), and every time you said "thanks" he responded with "no, thank you." Very odd. Analogous to dealing with a talkative cabbie at 6am! The food was bland and served buffet-style. Eggs Benedict were ice-cold.There was little to choose from for anyone who didn't eat turkey - the vegetables consisted of overcooked green beans and butternut squash mash. The cutlery was so dull you couldn't cut the turkey. The waiter forgot my husband's drink and had to be reminded All for $69 per person. To top it off, they automatically included an 18% tip in our bill - for a party of four? They should at least give you a heads up that this is their policy. It is especially grating considering it was a buffet and the service was poor! Net: there are far superior restaurants in Boston offering Thanksgiving repast for similar cost. Best go there! read more

This place is a real mixed bag. Some things (the food) are FANTASTIC. But the ambiance is next to nothing. Like you're sitting in the actual hotel lobby, not the hotel's restaurant. To their credit, I think they've tried to make it charming and many of the people working there (and there are quite a few) are solicitous and kind. But our server was dreadful - so concerned with getting our new silverware out he didn't seem to care that he interrupted me mid bite of bread. It was quite awkward and we both sort of stiffened up whenever he came by (he still got the silverware wrong, btw). And, while the place was pretty empty, we were seated beside another table with just one person. There were plenty of other more private tables. It was really weird. Thankfully the other patron left after 10 minutes or so and by the time the next people sat down next to us the restaurant had filled up enough that we were only sort of hearing every word of their conversation. But, oh, the food. It was so good. Aura is very expensive, too pricey for the less than classy atmosphere, but appropriate for the food. We had the restaurant week menu and the scallops were divine. The pork and berry galette were also quite nice. And then they gave us a $10 gift card to the Seaport (good for restaurant, bar, and spa) because we came during restaurant week. So, that was nice. But I'm not sure I'll eat here again. When you pay that much for exquisite food you want the whole package. And Aura doesn't deliver it. read more

I went to Aura the other night and had a nice assortment of some of the options on their menu, and all of them were very unique and delicious. First I had a purple potato soup which was excellent. After that I had some of the tofu dish, and a bit of the swordfish and scallop dishes. All were delicious, and I would definitely recommend this place if youre looking for some new flavors! read more

Came for restaurant week. Even with that value option I have had better food in other restaurants. We had the burrata as appetizer and that was the best part. From there everything was not good. We had tuna as entree and as dessert a cobbler. Not good at all. To be fair, service was good. read more

My fiance and I went to Aura to celebrate New Years Eve. After reading some of the reviews on this site, we were somewhat hesitate, but we decided to through caution to the wind and go to the restaurant anyway. The meal DEFINITELY passed our expectations. We had a drink before dinner in the hotel's bar, Tamo. The atmosphere was definitely more business than romantic, but the drink prices can't be beat. My fiance's Whiskey Sour was $5, and my glass of Pinot Noir (delicious!) was $8. Although we had arrived an hour earlier than our reservation at the restaurant, we went to Aura after finishing our drinks and they sat us immediately. The menu for New Year's was a $95/pp prixe fixe without the wine pairings. My fiance ordered the Young Green Salad for the first course, and I ordered the Parsnip Soup. The proportion of the salad was very large and extremely fresh, and my soup was creamy without being too heavy. For the second course, he got the Ricotta Gnocchi and I got the Lobster Mac-and-Cheese. The gnocchi was delicious although the portion size was small and left you wanting more. In direct contrast, the lobster mac-and-cheese was almost too heavy for a second course (I had to ask for half of mine to be wrapped up, because I was afraid I wouldn't have room for my meal!) Third course, he got the Steak and Eggs and I got the salmon. The salmon was good, but not very memorable, and although my fiance ordered his steak well-done, it came out more medium. We were both somewhat surprised that his fillet didn't come with any sauce, so when we asked for Bearnaise Sauce, we were told there would be a wait (but the whipped up a batch from scratch in under 2 minutes). Last course was a trio of desserts - chocolate mousse, cheesecake, and creme brulee. The desserts were just okay: the creme brulee was watery, the cheesecake seemed dry, and the chocolate in the mousse was too overpowering (even for THIS chocoholic!). The one thing that really stood out was the service. Our waiter was extremely attentive, professional and pleasant. He really helped to make our entire night very special. I think the ambiance of the restaurant was "nice" and very clean, but certainly not overwhelming. Overall, I would give Aura 4 stars out of 5. I thought the menu was much better than the reviews made it out to be, and although overall it seemed slightly overpriced for what was actually served, I would definitely go back during their regular dinner hour and order off their menu. read more

The service was great and the food was delicious but I can see why this place is not doing so well. The room was like a banquet hall in the basement of a nice hotel. All carpeting. What's the point of being near the seaport if you don't have a single window in the joint? And then the restaurant next door was bumping music and had outdoor seating and was half the price. The food was good but I'd head to the restaurant next door next time. Luckily I had a 50$ for 25$ coupon and it's a 1,000 point reservation. read more

I can only comment on the breakfast & desserts. I stayed at Seaport for a week and really enjoyed Aura's breakfast. I tried something new every day from muesli to oatmeal & everything in between. I would of loved to try the buffet however I don't eat that much in the morning. I also really liked their hot tea & fresh oj. As for desert, I tried the Pear Thyme crisp and was shocked it was cold. I was thinking it would be warm. read more

I came here for lunch with co-workers a couple times. We sat at the bar and the bartender's service was great. When we received our food we were all content as well. The food was above average but nothing extraordinary. I would go back again read more

Breakfast is always good right ? Wait until you try the buffet here excellent parfait and what about those hash browns. forget about it enjoy! So good. read more

Excellent breakfast buffet. A must when you come to the seaport area! Selection, quality food for the price. Service is excellent. See Mario one of the nicest waiters around. read more

Ate breakfast here while staying in the hotel. I was pleasantly surprised that the buffet was actually decent. The eggs were tasty and they had a number of healthy options available. It's a bit on the expensive side, but with the tea & juice included, it was better than selecting an item on the menu and ordering the rest on the side. Was a bit weird that they automatically included an 18% tip, but since I usually tip 20% or more, I suppose that it was OK. read more

Have to give this place very high marks. We were concerned about some of the less than stellar reviews but our experience was amazing. Restaurant was quiet which was a surprise for a sat night but it must cater to the weekly hotel crowd. Service was terrific as a result. Food was outstanding. Everything. Romaine salad was on the money. Wood grilled salmon was out of this world and the scallops were fantastic. Mushroom cavatelli with blue cheese was really tasty and the sides were wonderful - Brussel sprouts and truffle mashed. Even desserts were great. Worth a try for sure. read more

The waiter is nice so I gave one star to him. The chicken noodle soup on children's menu somehow fitted my daughter's taste on that particular moment so I gave the other star to that. Otherwise the food is horrible. Lobster is kind of overlooked but that's the least we worry at the table, because asparagus is severely burned, as well as the octopus. You are looking at some carcinogen right here. Overall it's a overpriced and unimpressive place. read more

It's was one of those times when the kitchen could not handle the orders and we waited far too long for our main course. However, kudos goes to Rohit Khanna the Operations Manager who kindly both offered his sincere apologies but also backed it up by picking up the meal for the five of us. When the food came it was excellent, but even if it was not, I would return to this place just based on how the situation was resolved. There is a saying that customer service starts when a problem occurs. Mr Khanna was a stand up guy in this situation and deserves the 3 stars for his actions read more

Asked what was best and was told the $24 lobster sandwich. It was ok, seemed like some filler was used the the bread could have been more soft. In addition, the bread to lobster ration was unfavorable so most bites I would taste the $.40 bread over the $23.60 lobster. Fries were very good. read more

Horrendous place. They force a 20% gratuity. The place looks like a typical hotel lounge. The menu was very limited. The portions were tiny and overpriced. I got 4 scallops with no side for $28. I do not recommend going to Aura. read more

Stopped by for a rush lunch and the staff was wonderful. Our order was put in promptly and our meal excellent. We both had the mixed grill and it was cooked to perfection. Ok, it came with arugula instead of the watercress as stated on the menu, but delicious. The decor is not exceptional but pleasant enough. I'll make a point of going back read more

They went beyond the call of duty producing great gluten free bread. The food was excellent and our waiter was fabulous even tho the tips are automatic. We will certainly go again. The bar food is also well done if u are too late for Aura. Could do without the screechy music,but it is a bar, I guess. Why can't they play classical music, or soft jazz? Who runs the music in all the hotel bars? Philly Marriott had mostly grey heads and the music was still very loud and screechy also! I'm just sayin! read more

Not bad, but I think they are confused about what they are really trying to be in a restaurant. The food is all across the map and their new menu just doesn't hold up. The service is very friendly; however, the atmosphere is not welcoming (it is set up more like a cold hotel lobby then a restaurant). If you do end up at Aura, try some of their staples (chowder, turkey club) and avoid some of their Asian inspired dishes. read more

Was staying in the Seaport Hotel, where this restaurant is located, and had the breakfast buffet. It's relatively expensive at $19.50 and the selection is limited; all in all the food was adequate, but not much more than that, for a relatively high-end hotel restaurant. (The bacon wasn't very crisp, for example.) The restaurant adds an automatic 18 percent service charge even for small parties. (So a buffet in which the waiter does exactly two things -- brings the coffee and checks to ask if everything's fine -- is considered as service-heavy as an elaborate meal; that's annoying.) It's not a big thing, but I'd rather see the actual cost, in full -- with a prominent explanation including a "service included" notice -- than this kind of practice. read more

Visited Aura with family recently. The brunch was great. They offer a very good selection. There is your normal fare(scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, etc...)which is very good. They also had a seafood cake benedict, two types of fritatta as well a very tasty chicken apple sausage. I thought that $21 for brunch in the seaport was reasonable. All in all, we thought Aura is a real good choice for breakfast in the seaport. read more

The food was tasty and what we were looking for - basic American bistro fare without any risky flavors for a birthday lunch. However (and this is a big however) the waiter was a nightmare. It took 20 minutes to get water and 20 minutes to order because he had to keep checking on whether they had what was on the menu. He was very intrusive and half-way through the meal started taunt my 8 yr-old nephew by calling him a girl, referring to him as "elizabeth" and asking him where he buys his dresses. This was supposed to be funny. Jerk. Don't risk it unless you want your waiter to pull up a chair and start doing insult comedy as part of your experience. Never again. read more