Parking (3/5) - If you're driving to Blue Ribbon, parking is a challenge, as it is with most areas in Boston. With permit parking in the surrounding neighborhoods, you have to be very attentive to the signs in the neighborhood to ensure you're not in a permit-only parking zone. If you have the ability to take public transportation, the Kenmore exit on the Green line will put you directly next to Blue Ribbon, which is a big win!
Reservations/Wait Time (4.8/5.0) - Reservations are definitely recommended, especially if you're planning to dine during the weekend. We were fortunate in the sense that we had no reservation on a Saturday night and still managed to get seated right away. We also arrived a little before 6 PM, which meant the restaurant was about 3/4 full and there were tables available.
Ambience (5/5) - great vibes in this spot. Dimly lit, great music and great decor gave it a high-end type vibe, but still mellow enough to enjoy a date night or casual dinner with friends.
Service (4.5/5) - Although we were seated in the back of the restaurant, we had good service. The server was very attentive and came by regularly to ensure we were being taken care of. Additional support came around to pick up dirty dishes quickly and even swapped out some of our plates and silverware with new, clean items, talk about attention to detail. Really, the one thing that stopped me from noting a 5/5 score was a minor detail that I noticed related to the service. I noticed that our server was very attentive to walk other tables through the menu, highlighting some of the key recommendations on the menu, while we did not get that same treatment.
Food (4.8/5) - As avid sushi lovers who were spoiled with amazing sushi in the LA sushi scene, Blue Ribbon, I would say exemplifies what good sushi is meant to be. The fish quality was amazing! Portions were a bit smaller than we're used to, as it relates to most sushi spots. A roll consisted of 6 pieces consistently, while other places we've visited have provided 8 pieces. Not a big deal, however, certainly requires you to order more food if your intent is to get full during your meal. We ordered the miso soup, which is fantastic as the miso paste comes separate and allows you to create your own flavor. The spicy edamame which delicious and definitely ranked up there in spicy. We ordered a few pieces of fish from the special menu (amberjack belly and salmon belly) while ordering albacore and yellowtail from the main menu. All delicious, and the rolls we ordered were fantastic as well. We capped our meal with the crispy rice which is a great way to actually start your meal.
Price (3/5) - granted, sushi prices have been going up across the board, but $9-10 for one piece of fish was a bit of sticker shock. Most places we've been to are charging $10-12 for two pieces of nigiri with the quality being somewhat similar. Our bill ended up being a little over $300 (tip included at 18%), and that included 2 sake glasses, 1 beer, a green tea, a miso soup, edamame, 9 pieces of nigiri sushi, 3 rolls, and the crispy rice.
Overall Rating - 4.18 out of 5.
The two big "P"s dropped the overall rating: parking and price. This score can be a bit higher if you decide to take the T vs driving in. I would say Blue Ribbon provides fantastic quality fish and a great ambiance; however, Boston offers plenty of other sushi spots that offer great fish for a much better price point.
I would recommend Blue Ribbon for special occasions or if you're looking for a great spot to enjoy with friends. read more