Went here to celebrate my Partner and her twins birthday on the 23rd and our server was amazing. We've come here the past few years to celebrate their birthday and while we were all disappointed to see the make your own boils discontinued, our server and management that night were still able to make that night special. The highlight of the meal was the king crab, the delicious garlic noodles, and the squid inc fried rice We also had The lychee martini and these were so good and worth every penny. A little on the sweeter side. read more

GREAT brunch place!!! MUST-HAVE soufflé pancake. It takes a while so order it first with your drinks/apps. Check out their mocktails, too. Friendly service. A bit of a Nawlins vibe with the decor. Our party of 6 enjoyed all of the food. read more

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I passed by this place often and a friend decided to bring me here. Immediately I noticed the decor wasn't over done good vibes only down side it was a bit cold in the restaurant needs heat. Our server was friendly recommended good options from the drinks to the food. I first had the wings which were absolutely delicious definitely getting them again then I got the chowder fries which I was skeptical about but turned out to be a great choice by the server. Food is a little pricey but it is delicious. No major complaints definitely going back again. read more

2nd time here (but my first time having dinner) most of the things we ate were amazing . The garlic noodles are a must . The mushrooms were great and the beignets were sooo good . My drink was a custom drink suggested by our waitress which I must say was simply amazing and so accommodating. The octopus was overcooked and for the price I could have done without it . This is my first time having gumbo so I'm not sure what it's supposed to taste like but this version. Just tasted like rice cooked in an unseasoned tomato sauce that lacked much needed flavor . The puff pastry around it was great and it's saving grace . That being said I would come back here even if only for garlic noodles ( the best I've ever had ) but there are more things on the menu I would love to try . read more

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Wow, my coworkers and I really enjoyed this spot. We were only in town for a little while and found a great review on yelp. We were all in the mood for seafood and the pictures lured us in. The music was on point. The service was amazing and the food was to die for. The place is very unassuming from outside, but once you walk in, it's a beautiful ambience with a great vibe. They truly give you tons of seafood and it's worth the cost. We went on Thursday and thoroughly enjoyed their dollar raw oysters. I only wish I lived in Boston so I could frequent this place often. read more

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Living in the South End all my life, I've been blessed with so many unique restaurants nearby. We even have a seafood boil restaurant! Bootleg Special's seafood boil is amazing and the garlic noodle is a must! The drinks are super fun and the vibe, NOLA speakeasy. Love it. Yesterday was the first time I stopped by for brunch and it has to be Boston's best brunch spot! It is great for dates, girls outing, friends and family gatherings. Let's just say it can accommodate any occasion because it's such a fun and unique experience. I really enjoyed their brunch menu which include soufflé pancakes, bootleg Benedict, and brunch garlic noodles. They also have MANY gluten free options. I've also tried their newly launched menu item, the ConeNado and my favorite was the lobster clam chowder! Super fun and delicious! This is a must visit! read more

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We got there and they were gracious enough to accommodate us on a night when the was an event. The service was excellent and the proprietor came by the table to check in with us. The "Southern Low Country Boil" was great. The atmosphere is laid-back with a good mix of music. read more

PHENOMENAL! Let me type that one more time... PHENOMENAL! First off the service was SO GREAT. Like above and beyond. I'm almost positive our server's name was Denise (I apologize if I got that incorrect). Her customer service was the highlight of our day. The ambiance is dope. Lighting was chill. Music was chill. Just wish the AC was a little bit more chill, but that was not a problem. Cool artwork on the walls. Now the food. OMG sooooo Dee-LISH. I had the bootleg Benedict eggs. I can't put into words how good it was. I shared soufflé pancakes with my wife and that was amazing too. I highly HIGHLY recommend this spot! TWO THUMBS ALL THE WAY UP!!! read more

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Service: extremely slow. We got in and had to wait 12 min just to be greeted by the waitress. We quickly ordered after she arrived the mama sus big bag of crab. This came out at 8:02 Garlic noodles ; this was okay I have definitely had better. These were more saucy.. this came out at 7:57. We ordered at 7:18.. So if you plan to sit for long this is a good place. Overall the seafood I would give it a 3/5 Music and atmosphere was good. Got beignet and chocolate cake: both I would pass on. Low sweetness. read more

Bootleg Special - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I got dinner here recently with my husband. The decor is great and was a nice nod to New Orleans without being over the top. The waiter greeted us quickly and was friendly. Drinks were good, I opted for a Lychee Martini on my second round (not pictured) that was very good. I liked the sazerac more than the mojito. The grilled oysters were good, but not as good as the ones in New Orleans. Bao buns were good though the meat felt a little fatty. The garlic noodles were my favorite bite of the night. So tasty and not overpowering at all. We split the bootleg special and both enjoyed it, as well as split the bananas foster beignets and both enjoyed those. As far as why it's a 4 star and not a 5 ... drinks took a while to get to our table. Our server forgot we ordered another round, but also we couldn't get his attention to remind him until he had come to drop the check. It was slow for a Friday night, though seemed to be picking up as we were leaving. But for it being so slow, it felt like attention to detail could have been a little better. The bathroom needs some TLC as well. Overall a good bite, but would have loved just a little more. read more

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Amazing food and great service. The garlic noodles sang to my soul' Parking is a bit challenging, but the food is worth it. read more

Dinner took 3 hours because they ran out of beef and decided to give it to another table and not tell us for 40 minutes. Had to reorder something else. When the food came, it was really tasty. Our server did her best to accommodate, but it then took another 25-30 minutes to get the dessert that we had put the order in for when ordering the mains. We watched tables getting their meals and food much more promptly. Again, when it came out, it was good, but 3 hours for a meal we ordered all at once is wild. read more

Service- wonderful, attentive and friendly! Food- Unique Asian and southern food fusion! Loved the soft shell crab pasta and the beef pasta. The grilled oysters were yummy too. Great presentation! Ambience- lovely, dive-bar type, purple tones inside. From the outside, you would never expect to see what you see when you walk in! And that's one of the things that makes this restaurant special and a treat! read more

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We came here for the $1 oysters happy hour. And that's really all we had! It's pretty good and decently sized for $1 oysters. The ambiance is pretty nice too. There was some live music when we were there. Make sure to get a reservation! read more

Bootleg Special - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Visited Boston from NY & stumbled across this restaurant. I shared the menu with my friend and we decided to have her birthday brunch there on a Sunday. From the outside- the brick wall building doesn't seem like much but upon entering you will be teleported to a place of good vibes, good food & attentive service We were a group of 4 & decided to family style share 3 appetizers. The strawberry creme soufflé pancakes were delicious, the Brunch noodles topped with a runny egg & hangover fried rice were flavorful and shareable For entrees we got the lobster roll that came with a generous portion of fries , the shrimp n grits , a crawfish boil , snow crab leg with mussel boil + added veggies in their spicy house sauce ( I'm used to paying for seafood combos by the pound that comes with sides so was a bit shocked that the veggies were sold separately ) Overall everything was delicious & service was amazing . The portion size for the build ur own boil is shareable for 2-3 people 10/10 recommend read more

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I found this place by watching some YT videos for the must try restaurants when visiting Boston.....so, off we went. At first glance at the front entrance, we thought that G-Maps had messed up again as there was no way this little entrance could fit that big open space as seen in the pictures on Yelp. Ok, but the name of the restaurant was correct, and there was a menu posted beside the door, so we must have come to the right place......as we soon found out, yes, this was the right place. Upon entering, WoW! They fit this huge open space in that little entrance? That was our first surprise. Second, the place looked so cool on the inside, and what I would best describe as a converted warehouse with an eclectic decor theme, and with that club music booming, this place could definitely pass as a hip and cool night club. But no, it's a cool, fun, and interestingly decorated restaurant with plenty of tables and a very long bar. Unfortunately, this being our first time here, and having shown up just after opening hours at 4pm, we expected the place to have ample seating available at this hour. But no, the hostess informed us that they were fully booked, even though there was only one table occupied.....hmmm, ok. This hostess didn't seem very nice or friendly at all and just told us that if we wanted to have dinner here, we could sit at the bar......seeing we didn't have much of a choice after having walked all the way here, we agreed. Judging by the hostess's demenour, we started to get a bit nervous that perhaps we would be treated similarly by the other staff. However, our fears were quickly turned around as the bar tenders Nisa and Dave were so much nicer, very helpful in explaining the menu to us, and gave us great friendly service throughout our whole dinner experience. So, being seafood lovers....particualrly shellfish, and preferring a more simple preparation since we like to actually taste the freshness of the seafood, we went ahead and ordered Mama Sue's "Big Bowl of Crabs" and added an order of Jumbo Gulf Shrimp to it for an additional $25. With this came some drawn butter, but just out of curiosity, we asked if we could try a small sample of their spicy signature Bootleg sauce which Nisa gladly agreed to arrange. The BIG bowl of crabs and shrimp arrived in no time and was pretty darn impressive.....and thank goodness rubber gloves were provided as it would have been very tough keeping clean without them! Our only small disappointment was that the first batch of jumbo shrimp served was clearly overcooked and hard to peel. We called Nisa over and explained this situation to her, showed her the shrimp, and she agreed that they were overcooked and told us not to worry and that she wiould have the kitchen prepare up another fresh and properly cooked batch, which came out absolutely perfect the second time around.....plump, firm, juicy, peeled so easily.....and tasted so awesome with some drawn butter. The crabs were very good too.....tasted fresh, juicy, and plump. As for the sample of signature Bootleg sauce.....yup, it tasted really yummy, and went so great with the noodles! Unfortunately, I am not sure when we will be visiting Boston again, but for any locals or anyone visiting, this place is a definite must try......love the place's decor, ambiance, friendliness of the bartenders, and the quality of the seafood dishes. A definite fun dining experience overall. read more

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The restaurant is very spacious and have a vibrant atmosphere. I really enjoyed their colorful and unique art and decor. The staff was so friendly and very accommodating and quick to clear up empty plates. Had the opportunity to try their Thanksgiving set meals. First of all the seafood was so fresh and every dish was so flavorful. Their unlimited sides were also so delicious, especially the garlic noodle, Brussel sprout. If you do not have time to make a Thanksgiving meal and not craving the usual holiday dishes, you should definitely stop by on Thanksgiving day. They open at 4pm and still have their regular menu as well. read more

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Came here to end our overnight in Boston. Parking was super easy on street. Got there at 11 AM for brunch on Saturday. Had such a memorable meal. The strawberry and cream soufflé was amazing. The crab scallion pancake was phenomenal. The three pigs was fabulous. And the chowder was thick with bacon bits. I don't usually like thick chowder, but this was fantastic. The ambience is definitely eclectic. But it's warm inside. Our waitress was super knowledgeable and very accommodating and friendly. We will absolutely be back. read more

I love the decor, the seating space, service was on point for my boyfriend's birthday (very important because he flew in from Michigan) and it's his first birthday with me! He truly enjoyed the food and we had so much of it! 10 out of 10 for sure! read more

Bootleg Special - Lobster and grilled veggies - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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It's always less busy here than I expect. This is a great spot for a casual but fun group dinner or brunch. Seafood is a large portion of the menu but they have other options as well. Dark, New Orleans inspired decor is the theme. Not exactly like New Orleans but a fun vibe for sure. Plenty of drink options but I was surprised they had no spicy drinks (got a spicy marg off menu). Staff was very attentive, friendly, and service was fast. read more

Bootleg Special - Smashed Cucumber Salad - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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You might pass by this restaurant and think its an old, abandoned, and empty building but there is a little sign in front the door that indicates you are in the right place! Once you get inside you will be amazed at how big this place is. They got super high ceilings, a nice dark and relaxing vibe, and beautiful fun lights and wall decor all around. It is very dark inside but they do have table lights for you that makes the food look super aesthetic. Perfect lighting for photos haha Their small plate items are super unique and seem to be cajun,asian, and mexican fusion. - Fried Clam Wraps : 8/10 Super big pieces and it is nicely soft fried. Great seasoning but could use less mayo and the wraps were soooo teeny tiny they were barely wraps. I enjoyed this but I couldn't eat more than 1 piece bc there was so much mayo and no wrap - Easy Street Corn : 10/10 By far the best street corn I ever had. The mayo was nicely seasoned and it was so addicting! The ratio of mayo to corn was perfect as well. - Cajun Fried Rice - 10/10 The burst of flavor in this fried rice actually took me by surprise. I was shocked at how seasoned this was! Nice balance of salt and savoury. - The Bootleg Special seafood boil with Bootleg sauce - 8/10 Huge huge huge lobster that was fresh and super meaty. The lobster had so much meat in the head and tail. The shrimp, clams, and lobster were all perfectly cooked and easy to peel. I definitely think there could have been something more. Aside from the huge lobster everything else was very basic. The sauce was a little spicy and a little watery. I do approve of the massive amounts of minced garlic though. Our server was super friendly and very nice. She checked up on us frequently and provided great service. I also really enjoyed the big booth they reserved for us, made the whole experience very vibey and fun. Overall I had an amazing time with my friends here, the ambiance of this place really brings everything together. This place has one of the best ambiances where you get to have personal space all while being able to soak in and observe the positive energy of everyone else in here. read more

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Bootleg Special has a very cool vibe and some pretty delish eats! I've sat inside and outside- the inside has cool New Orleans speakeasy vibe with a long bar and big open dining room. They are famous for the seafood boil which I haven't ordered myself but tried a bite of someone else's and the flavor was great. I've really enjoyed their garlic noodles, Mac n'cheese with flavorful grilled shrimp, and some other tasty bites as well. Cocktails have been very good, staff nice though occasionally complacent as I have been there when it's slow. They have happy hour and late night food and oyster deals, and Thursday Jazz- seem to be running a lot of specials... It's a good date spot or group of friends brunch/dinner spot- plenty of photo ops. A place where you could dress decked out or casual, but it has been pretty slow the times I visited in the off hours. I say give it a try! read more

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Decent brunch spot! The soufflé pancakes are very tasty (I ordered the matcha pandan coconut one). They are light, fluffy and fragrant from the pandan. I love the crispy coconut bits on top, plays with the texture. The beignets were very dense inside. Maybe it would taste better if they were cut into quarters. One beignet was so hard to eat because it was like solid dough. I wouldn't order this again. Peach and cream crepes had a weird taste, I think it was from the amaretto. Really through the whole dish off for me. Bootleg Benedict was very tasty. Chunks of lobster and crab was a nice change from the regular Benedict. Service was good so that bumped it up a star. read more

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Whoa, my friends and I stumbled on this place for our Galentine's Day dinner, and we ed it!!! The ambiance is fantastic, service was incredible, and the food & cocktails, phenomenal! We had such a great experience!! Thanks :) read more

As a speakeasy fanatic, my first impression of this Bootleg Special standing on the outside of the restaurant was exciting. I saw the "Bootleg Special" sign, but I couldn't be sure I was opening the right door. When I did, I was wowed by the ambiance in front of me -- it was dark, yet lively. Food: Signature Garlic Noodles w/shrimp - 10/10. Packed with flavor (!!!) and a great carb to accompany one of the proteins that are smaller. Service: My friend and I were given the option of sitting at the bar, since we did not have a reservation. The bartenders were super friendly/personable and the food came out at a reasonable time after we put in our order. The bartender also gave me an honest recommendation about an item on the menu -- LOVED that! Ambiance: Spoke to it a bit earlier but this spot is a total vibe. *Really* great for a date night or an outing with a friend/group. There's def a distinct feeling of late night fun when you step into Bootleg Special at night. Idk if I can imagine it feeling the same during the daytime (I'll have to try that some other time). read more

Bootleg Special - Garlic Noodles - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Bad service. ( barely left 15% gratuity) The server wasn't attentive at all. Had to wait for a glass of beer for 30min and the food came out even before the drinks.. Server wasn't even apologetic. Ordered Spicy crab noodles, garlic noodles with shrimp, oysters, fried scallops, some tacos, and bok Choy ceasar salad Only Garlic noodle was good - just do a takeout. read more

Yes this place is pretty good! Very tasty food. Beer is good as well. The garlic buttered noodle shud be called CRACK NOODLES ITS THAT GOOD! Oysters are tasty as well. Orders the wings they are huge as well! Check this place out you might like it!! Ambiance was very clubbish/lounge very cool! read more

Bootleg Special - Garlic butter noodle that's all u guys get! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Good food fast service. It's a club kind of vibe. 7 to 11 PM they have half off specials. Order the fried shrimp po'boy! Best thing we ate this trip. So good we didn't even take a . Would come back. read more

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Bootleg special got it all: food, service and ambiance. Got here on a Thursday night and this place was packed. There was live band performing today. Lots of cocktail options. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

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The ambiance feels like you're in a fun club and the service is attentive. We loved the fried rice with squid ink, definitely coming back for that! Portions are generous, come hungry. The only thing I wouldnt get again was the surf and turf. It was ok. Seafood was delicious, shrimp and scallops were succulent. Steak wasn't seasoned well and a bit dry. The noodles drowned in salty sauce and not al dente. Other than that, I enjoyed everything else! read more

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I ordered the Lobster Bao and it did not disappoint! Perfect alternative to the larger lobster roll. I also had the Chowder Fries. Also quite delicious. My order was a to-go order, but the atmosphere was really nice. I loved the aesthetics. I would love to visit again and actually dine in on my next trip to Boston. read more

Very cute restaurant and bar. Food - 4/5 Double steak and bone marrow social plate 4/5 - The presentation was stunning. I love the look of the plate and it's definitely enough food for 2-3 people. Our steak was cooked a little more well that I would've liked and there wasn't much marrow in the bone. However, the overall dish was good and a great social plate. Beignets 3.5/5 - ordered the beignets ($9) with banana foster add-on (+$6) and chocolate and strawberry sauces on the side ($3/each). We had a side of ice cream too but not sure if that was part of the original order of just beignets. The beignets were not as fluffy and light as we hoped but the flavors of all the sauces were great. The total for this dessert set came out quite pricey with all those additions. Stick to the original if you don't need all the enhancements as they quickly add up. Drink - 5/5 We both ordered the Rosalita. Recommend for someone looking for a sweet, fruity tequila drink. One thing to note is that what they charged my credit card was about a dollar more than my total with tip... I know a dollar is not a huge difference but that's very concerning in case it were a larger difference. No other comment since I don't know the reason. read more

Bootleg Special - Social Platter - double steak and bone marrow - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The food was good! We were super happy about the boiler and how it tasted and I personally liked the squid ink a lot. The beignets weren't quite what we were expecting but we also haven't had enough beignets to know right from wrong. Our waitress was nice and friendly so great service. The ambiance was a little dark so if you have trouble reading menus in dark places, maybe take that into account but the vibe itself was really cool! read more

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Got a chance to finally try food & drinks at Bootleg. We sat the bar and bartender greeted us right away. I tried 5 types of drinks and two were surprises I asked the bartender make (Death by Coconut was refreshing). The restaurant is spacious with high ceiling. We didn't do seafood boil, we ordered different small dishes to try. Garlic noodles with shrimps was delish. read more

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2nd time came back to have brunch. Love it! Food is good. The service is decent and friendly. If you post your food photo to the social media , they will give you free dessert and it's delicious! 10mins walk away from my place so definitely will comeback for dinner and more. Just a small recommendation for the interior to have more lights, it's quite dark read more

Bootleg Special - Bootleg Benedict - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Don't be deceived by the outside! I loved the design of the interior, it felt very cozy but was spacious at the same time. We went for their weekend brunch. I really enjoyed my garlic noodles and the soufflé pancakes my partner got. The pancakes were so fluffy and tasted great with the strawberry syrup! Make sure to order these when you sit down as they take a while to get ready. Also make sure you make a reservation. I think some of the staff are still in training, and although there were empty tables they were denying them to people without reservations. Service was also a bit slow at times, but it gave us time to savor our food! read more

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First, the service was phenomenal. My waitress was attentive and nice. The restaurant was clean and I loved the vibe. Unfortunately that's the best this place can offer. I ordered the Lobster and Crab Gumbo, which is 45 dollars. A fair price except, the lobster and crab were simply sprinkled on top of my gumbo rather than cooked with it. The amount of seafood in my gumbo was sad. It was filled to the brim was sausage so it tasted like sausage more than anything. All the options for the gumbo include sausage so I imagine it's the same for those as well. Outside of the small amount of seafood, it tasted fine. Not the best gumbo in the world, but not the worst. Lastly my soda was flat, just to add a cherry on top. read more

Bootleg Special - Lobster and Crab Gumbo - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Delicious! Will definitely come back! Every time we are in Boston!! Such a nice place, service was great! Love the mimosa flight! read more

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Food is always good and the vibes were great. They actually brought a Dj the night we came. Our servers were always nice and when they gave us a extra dish due to some miscommunication, they were great on letting us have it for no extra charge. Always get the garlic noodles, and we shared one of the special bootleg special boils. Might skip out on the grilled oysters though read more

Bootleg Special - Garlic noodles - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Dinner has its own menu separate from brunch. I really enjoyed the variety of foods we ordered. Cajun fried rice and garlic noodles were extremely tasty. The squid ink rice was something we've had at other restaurants but bootleg special certainly put up a good fight. Food came out so fast which was appreciated and the server was quick to recommend a good cocktail. Would come again but next time I want to try the brunch! read more

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