I'm generously giving Buttercup two stars, because if it weren't for the bartender (Ariana), we probably would have gotten up and left. We arrived for a 6:30 reservation for our anniversary dinner on a Thursday night and promptly sat at a table for 2 in the bar area. After about 15 minutes, no one aside from the busboy with water glasses had come to our table. Three of the servers were running around like chickens with their heads cut off and everyone seemed very disorganized & disheveled. It seemed like no one was assigned to our section, but we did recognize that one of them was helping the tables on either side of us. I finally had enough and approached the bartender to see which server we were supposed to have. She profusely apologized, explained they were grossly understaffed, and came over to our table after she finished making drinks at the bar. I was so disappointed and distracted by the lack of organization and that comes down to poor management. Understandably, restaurants are short staffed these days and I am very empathetic to this. But, this was one of the worst dining experiences from a service perspective I've had in recent history. There didn't seem to be a floor manager in sight at all. We ordered the tuna poke for an appetizer, which was actually pretty good, but could be served with more crackers on the side. My husband ordered fish tacos and I had veggie risotto. The risotto was underwhelming, it was a pile of undercooked wax beans & ramps on top of overcooked Arborio rice. It seemed like there may have been goat cheese mixed in it, since the dish had some funk to it, which I am not a fan of. Fortunately, my husband gave me one of the 3 tacos, and it was very delicious. Not sure we'll be rushing back, but we really appreciated Ariana taking care of us and she handled herself like a true professional despite the circumstances. read more

Although their website says they do private events, I never received a response back from the restaurant, even after calling twice and speaking to an employee and sending an inquiry by email. Thought it was rude, so I don't plan to ever go to this restaurant. read more

Always a great meal at Buttercup! The cheese platter was a little weak for the price, but everything else was amazing! Very tasty and fresh! Great ambiance and service as well! read more

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My wife and I went to Buttercup for dinner on a Thursday evening and enjoyed ourselves tremendously. We had the Spicy Maine mussels, Arctic Char and Sweet Potato raviolis with two refined and well balanced cocktails. The meals were well presented, delicious to look at as well as to eat with decent but not large portions. Nice, subdued decor in touch with the Farm to Table theme, attentive and friendly service. Thursday was busy, strongly suggest making reservations especially on the weekend. read more

We were here for a private event. The atmosphere is inviting. You fell like you are in your own kitchen. The staff was welcoming and engaging. They service was excellent I had the bolognese and it was fabulous !!! Other dishes were the vegetable risotto and the spring chicken. All the dishes were delicious!! The brownie and butterscotch desserts were amazing like it came out of your families kitchen If you are in the neighborhood this is a must eat at !!!!! read more

I've been here several times and I am sorry to say it has changed and not for the better. The portions are terribly small for a really high price. The clams with pasta was a total of 4 clams and a small amount of pasta. Pasta isn't expensive. If you are going to be skimpy, at least don't leave me hungry. The fried chicken was terrible. The batter was bland and overcooked and it was 2 leg/thighs. It was served on a small bow type plate which made it really hard to eat. Nothing imaginative or flavorful. Nothing else on the plate. Again very pricey and we left hungry. My wife and I went home and made grilled cheese sandwiches we were so hungry. Dinner cost us $100. A real waste. read more

Good food and comfortable ambience. Would be great for a nice dinner out with friends. Rated it only 4 stars because it did not quite meet my expectations for a meal of that price, but I could see myself returning for a date night. read more

Buttercup - Bars Near Me - Natick, Massachusetts

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We have eaten at Buttercup a few times and was always delicious. We went early on a Saturday night (5 pm) and service was spotty at times. We had been given a gift card for our anniversary and when we went to pay was told we had to pay cash or use a credit card for the tip. We were baffled considering there was enough to pay for the entire meal plus tip. Have never experienced that before with a gift card. Another issue, ordered plain old brew ice tea. Had two additional refills and when the bill came it was $18 for ice tea! I was charged for $6 refills and was never told this. We love this restaurant and now question if we will ever go back. read more

Food is ok Very pricey Small portions Very noisy The mist outrageous thing they charged for "a kitchen appreciation fee" without telling or asking you. It just appears on your bill. read more

Nice offering in Natick. Would say experience was between a 3.5 and 4 star. Nice open space, friendly and attentive staff, and food was done and presented well. We tried halibut and the short rib entrees. Halibut was nice, very large portion, but somewhat lacking in flavor. The short rib with pasta was great, but after a while was somewhat one-note with meat and pasta. I found myself wishing there was some vegetable like peas or grilled heirloom carrots to break it up. I will go back for the dish, but will look for a side to help. Did not try dessert, but we saw a couple brownies walked by and, if we had the time, looked like a must try. Overall, recommend. Really good on all fronts, but nothing spectacular. Certainly the best offering in the neighborhood. I am sure we will make our way back when in the area. read more

Awesome food, service and location. The menu is well thought out and expertly prepared. A huge asset to downtown Natick.

This place is everything you hope for. Energetic atmosphere and friendly staff - and everything we've ever had is delicious. Can't go wrong with the fish tacos. read more

Ambiance was perfect, as they have a very well decorated interior. However, there's a few major issues here that need to be corrected ASAP before I will ever return. We started with the cornbread and charcuterie board appetizers. Both of which were pleasant, the cornbread more than the board, but I believe that my intense stomach pains were due to the brown meat that came with the board. Not sure but there's a good chance. We then waited 30 minutes from the time we received our appetizers until a waiter came back around to check on us (been done with the appetizers for at least 10 minutes). Fiancé ordered the halibut and I ordered the lamb shank.... BOOM in literally 5 minutes we had our entrees in front of us? Cold plates serving hot dishes? Lamb was maybe sitting in a crockpot all day? Halibut was tough and clearly reheated because no way it can be cooked fresh in 5 minutes? I just don't see how charging $35 per plate would not get us a fresh meal... I could have went to Whole Foods and got two TV dinners for a 1/16 of this price while still having the same satisfaction. Now I am home, struggling to fall asleep due to immense stomach pains :/ And I can't stop thinking about how we ordered sugar cookies and the butterscotch pudding. The cookies were bricks and the pudding was two spoonfuls of a sugary mess.... Very disappointing because we've wanted to try this place for a very long time and will not be going back for an even longer time. :/ read more

Buttercup offers a welcoming "farm to table" menu and dining space. Our server Joyce and other staff were attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. While menu options are somewhat limited, everything we chose was delicious and did not disappoint. Each appetizer and entree was prepared to order with fresh, local ingredients. The lamb sirloin was paired with fresh figs and complimenting flavors. Peach burrata was excellent in presentation and taste. We started with an order of the buttermilk cornbread drizzled with lavender honey - it paired surprisingly well with the grapefruit Negroni! This was our first time dining at Buttercup and we look toward to returning! read more

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I have worked in Natick for 10yrs and heard such good stuff about Buttercup...so I live in Natick now just a block away and was very excited to see what the buzz was about... WELP THE REVIEWS ARE ALL LIES AND DONE PROBABLY BY STAFF -arrogant -rude -no personable -I felt like I was being rushed and ignored at the same time... I sent and email to them and got not response... figured I'd try take out.....WELP I WAS WRONG AGAIN STILL RUDE ARROGANT AND IMPATIENT ..... if you want to be treated nicely DONT GOTO BUTTERCUP LPM read more

Great little restaurant. Lots of parking across the street. Fantastic staff. Attentive, funny, but not over bearing. Creative menu. Great salads, love the fish tacos. read more

A rant: First, as noted in many reviews, the food and service very good. No complaints at all (although I too, was told they were out of fried chicken - apparently this is common?). My complaint is small, almost unnoticeably so. By this I mean the 2% Kitchen Appreciation Fee. The dollar amount here is almost irrelevant. I think it added less than $3 to my bill. But in this age of 20% tips at every coffee shop that has a Toast system, it is a bridge too far for me. I mean, it is supposed to be to help allow the back of house staff to earn a living. OK, that is what a salary is, something restaurants have been doing for hundreds of year. All the sudden it is OK to foist this on the customers. No thanks. Honestly, raise prices by 2% Hell, raise them by 5%. Do what you have to do, just don't extort me. Also, it is a pretty cheesy way of taking fixed costs (back of house salary) and turning it into a variable cost: more customers equals more money for the staff, but if business slows down they get paid less. It does not seem like some grand plan to support workers as much as it does a way to avoid paying them appropriately. Any way you look at it, it is annoying. I am a tipper. 20% is the minimum. No problem. I even pay those Toast tips when I pick up a sandwich for lunch, albeit under protest. And it is weird that the front of the house way out earns the back of the house. But this is BS and it is not even a tip. It is a fee. I am all for paying staff well; a living wage or better. This is a crappy way to do it. Will it keep me away? Maybe. This ends my rant. read more

My husband and I had a nice meal here last week. A very welcome addition to Natick's otherwise pretty lackluster dinner scene. The scallop appetizer was very good. It does come with just one scallop. The sweet potato and corn base was a nice sweet contrast to the scallop and makes it enough food for a app. The fish tacos are definitely a winner, lots of fresh tangy flavor with a fried crunch on the fish. The server might tell you "it doesn't come with a side, most people get a side" but guys, it doesn't come with a side because it's already a lot of food!! I definitely didn't "need" a side, like they convinced me I did, but the bacon brussel sprouts were a decent choice. Great food, good service. I might say the service is a little too... Pushy? Like... Overly friendly? We're in New England, you really don't need to be thaaaaat nice to me haha. We'll be back! read more

Buttercup - Fish tacos at buttercup - Bars Near Me - Natick, Massachusetts

Extremely cute place and atmosphere, but making a Saturday reservation they didn't include the 90 minute time frame over the phone. A little disappointed in the charcuterie board, minimal cheese and extremely small portion for the price. Meals were amazing and very tasty. Service was good up until the ending. When you have a larger party and give a generous tip you wish for a more accommodating ending to the meal. The waitress came over and told us to leave. It felt very rushed and unwelcoming with the approach. read more

Buttercup - The shrimp fettuccini, which was delicious. - Bars Near Me - Natick, Massachusetts

Great little place in the middle of Natick. The food is very delicious and the menu is eclectic. I recommend Pappardelle pasta is one of the best. Definitely make reservations, this place is always packed as specially in the summer due to a very nice outdoor terrace. read more

So I went here with my wife for Dinner last Friday and it was a nice place. We ordered 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, a couple glasses of wine and a dessert. The bill came out to $185 (including tip) which I thought was pretty expensive for what is supposed to be a $$ restaurant according to yelp. I don't know if it's because of the "covid effect" but they were charging $14 for a glass of Pinot noir, and even charged $3 for bread which is usually on the house with any restaurant. Now if this place was in downtown Boston or Back-bay then the prices are expected but this place is in the burbs in Natick??? Anyway, the saving grace for me was the Beef Short Rib with Pappardelle pasta. It was amazing! Just wish they had given me a little more pasta with it. The apps were good but the desert was disappointing. We ordered the pear and apple cobbler which tasted as if the fruit was from a can. So main points here - place is overpriced for the location and $$ on yelp (again - COVID related?) and best dish by far (would come back just for this) is the Beef Short Rib pasta. Hope that helps! :) read more

Excellent flavor! Berthing was very complimentary and I appreciate the earthy notes. I would not recommend the salad as an entree, but makes a good, fresh greens starter. The lamb was 10 stars, so good. The soup made and a good entree and the cornbread was very enjoyable. Ambiance is quaint and cozy. A couple more entree options would be nice. Dessert was the perfect end. read more

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Come here for dinner with some coworkers and was impressed with how cute this restaurant is! They had some great holiday decorations and there was an overall cozy vibe upon walking in on a dark, rainy December evening. We had an early reservation as it apparently gets pretty crowded here, it also looked like the bar side of the restaurant was occupied by a holiday party. We were seated immediately and given the paper menus and book of drinks. I had already looked at the menu online and had a few options in mind before even sitting down. I loved that there were some great vegetarian dishes that aren't just a salad or quinoa and I was looking forward to seeing if they were offering a vegetarian risotto (which is listed on the online menu). I know the mushroom risotto is typically on the menu and there could potentially be an additional vegetarian risotto but that night there was not another. I ended up sticking with water to drink and ordering the cauliflower steak. Overall the food was delicious, I loved the greens that came under the cauliflower, it was pretty dense with oil so I would probably like it to be a little less bit I loved the roasted flavor of the cauliflower. We also all had some desserts in mind at the end of the night and without really meaning to, I housed an entire mini tray of cranberry apple crisp. It was warm, crispy, buttery and the icecream on top really hit the spot. Would definitely come back here, my only complaint was that the service was incredibly slow. We were ready to order relatively quickly for our meals and dessert and even without an appetizer or drink round we were here for about 2 hours which for some meals is ok but there was definitely a bit too much time waiting. I'm not sure if this is typical or if the employees were running a bit think due to the party on the other side. read more

Nice creative menu, however, not very clean inside. We sat at the kitchen view high tops. To our surprise we saw kitchen workers eating food without gloves then touching food items they were preparing for customers. Another kitchen worker used the back of her hand to wipe her running nose after sneezing... never washed her hands and then began making salads. I was horrified. Too earthy for my taste. I am a catering inspector and of course ServSafe Certified. So many rules were broken. . read more

Buttercup is such an incredible restaurant! Nestled in the middle of Natick this quaint little restaurant is an absolute treat. I ordered a litany of starters: charcuterie with cheese, peach and heirloom burrata, street corn, and a pear salad. Not a single starter disappointed. Everything was exactly what it needed to be. Let me quickly mention how fast the service was! We chose this place after navigating through Boston for a good place to eat. Every restaurant we went to had a wait of an hour or more.Because this restaurant is situated on the outskirts of Boston the wait was nominal at best. We found parking right outside, a much different experience than our prior search. Now, moving onto the main course.... I had to have the Lobster (lahbstah) risotto. Being so close to the ocean (unlike my landlocked home city of Pittsburgh). This dish was very good but a little lack luster. The lobster was quite a bit chewy. The flavors were all there but I couldn't get past the texture of the lobster. For dessert we had all the desserts available: tres leches, sorbet, and the apple peach crisp. The sorbets are really sweet, the apple crisp was warm and yummy and I will be back for that Tres leches cake. I highly recommend this place! read more

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Fantastic meal and fantastic staff! The food was fresh and delicious as well as filling. The desserts were all been great too. We always try something new and haven't be disappointed yet. Decor is comforting. Settle in, enjoy. read more

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We arrived early for our dinner reservation and were greeted warmly. We opted to sit at the bar for a drink prior to sitting for dinner. This place was hopping on a Tuesday night, I am happy to say. The bar tender was lovely and our drinks delicious! We sat for dinner and were promptly greeted by our server and a second server who took amazing care of us on a special night! The food was amazing! From the bread, to fried pickles, cheeses, fish tacos, short ribs, to an apple crisp for dessert anything was excellent in taste, quality, and presentation. The waiter checked in to assess the speed of the meal and if we had plans after dinner that would require things to be delivered to the table quickly, we were not in a rush and asked him to bring things out slowly. He accommodated us nicely, kept the drinks flowing, and took great care of us all evening! Natick needs a few classy, upscale, dress up, restaurants and this is one! This was definitely a wonderful experience and I look forward to our return. read more

Buttercup - Bars Near Me - Natick, Massachusetts

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I went to Buttercup in Natick on June 2nd, 2018. The ambiance was relaxed, yet country chic. It reminded me of an elevated version of my upbringing in Vermont. The menu is not extensive, but unique and varied enough. I had the Maine Halibut and my friend had the Beef Short Ribs. We also split the Wedge Salad, which the kitchen staff kindly served to us in separate bowls without us asking. The wedge salad was a bit different (in a refreshing way) than typical wedge salads and was not overpowering. I was worried that the halibut would be too dense/dry since I typically prefer cod or sea bass, but it was perfectly cooked. It was some of the best fish I have tasted. I also had a bite of my friend's Beef Short Ribs which were rich and delicious. I am happy to have a new, "understated upscale" restaurant (with cute outdoor seating!) to patronize in Natick! read more

Buttercup - Delightful Maine Halibut. - Bars Near Me - Natick, Massachusetts

2 stars because the entrees were excellent. The drinks, apps, and dessert were all very poor. The charcuterie was 3 tiny cubes of cheese. It said it came with honey and it was a piece of honeycomb the size of a thimble. The drinks were all watery and not very good. Desserts also were not good. Bread pudding was dry. They asked us to leave our table within minutes of finishing dessert for another reservation. At over $100/head I've never experienced that at a restaurant. I waitressed for years and that's not something I'd ever seen a restaurant do no matter how busy a night was. It's just rude. read more

You know that famous restaurant scene in "When Harry Met Sally?" That was me. For real though trying to control the food moans and utter bliss I was experiencing from every bite I took. Perfection was sought through the artistic rendition of culinary creativity and gratefully achieved. Both of my parents are chefs, my brother went to the Culinary Institute of America. I've eaten at the best restaurants in Paris and had many memorable dishes in many countries. I can't say I've EVER had an ENTIRE MEAL that made me forget my troubles and lose myself in every bite I took. This restaurant MADE their own cocktail sauce. It was so delectable, that for the first time in my life, I put cocktail sauce on every oyster and relished the experience. I've had a lot of oysters in my life. The CORNBREAD! OMG. Oh God I swear I'm not exaggerating. I bit into a piece with a smear of the ricotta spread and lavender honey and continued to try to control the noises of utter joy coming out of my body. I was so happy I remember thinking the world could end then and there and I'd be ok with that. The cornbread was perfectly moist without being cakey and still tasted like cornbread. The beets were heavenly. A mix of different types of beets over a generous spread of well whipped ricotta. So refreshing and ecstasy generating with each bite. I ordered the Tiger Shrimp Risotto with Poisson Sauce and Chili Flakes. I'm getting a tingle down my spine recalling every bite of this dish. It came in a warm dish hot off the stove. It's very easy to screw up risotto and shrimp. They didn't. The shrimp were plump and juicy, the risotto was cooked just right and the SAUCE. Oh I had my reservations about ordering risotto with a sauce but it was heavenly. I was full halfway through but I didn't care I kept eating. There was also fresh spinach which I loved. Oh God I'd eat that dish every day for the rest of my life. We also had the short rib which was so tender. The service was phenomenal. Eat here. Now. read more

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First time at Buttercup and won't be our last. Great experience. Service was first rate and food was fantastic. Cornbread appetizer, tuna and mussels were phenomenal. Short rib and bolognese entrees were delicious. Overall five star experience. read more

Incredible. Incredible. INCREDIBLE. My coworker and I come every other Thursday (due to travel). The service (thank you every time, Larry! You rock), the food, absolutely outstanding. Dora, the head chef, is a master of food art. We got a moment to speak with her tonight and what a pleasure to say the least. They have another restaurant in Needham, The Farmhouse, that you MUST check out! The combinations of flavor and presentation are UNMATCHED. We will continue to come every other Thursday, until they kick us out ;) the best place to unwind and relax. I'm so glad we came across this place, we are so in love! Thank you to everyone for the outstanding service and food! read more

We had 8 PM reservations this evening for Buttercup. It was clear the staff works as a strong team moving guests and dishes efficiently. The place was very busy, but the staff kept everything moving which was refreshing. The menu was fairly short but everything on it came out looking great. This was our first meal out in three months and our expectations were truly exceeded. Reservations are suggested, as they are unable to fully seat the dining area due to social distancing requirements. I had the softshell crab appetizer which was quite good, and the braised beef short ribs with homemade egg noodles that were excellent.My girlfriend had the mussels in green curry appetizer and the pan fried scallops which she thought were some of the best she's had in years. We shared the strawberry rhubarb crisp with vanilla ice cream for dessert and it was delightful. read more

We have been here twice so far and have enjoyed everything we have ordered. We are already familiar with their other restaurant, The Farmhouse in Needham, so our expectations were pretty high. On our first visit we shared the Charcuterie board and I had Fish Tacos which were very good. This past Saturday we shared the Beet and Goat Cheese salad and I had the Lobster Risotto. Buttercup is a much welcome addition to downtown Natick. read more

Buttercup - Lobster Risotto - Bars Near Me - Natick, Massachusetts

We've been dying to eat here ever since it opened and we finally got the chance. We specifically picked Tuesday night to avoid the large crowds that eat out on the weekends. Boy were we wrong. This place was slammed! Wall to wall people! The place was super noisy we could barely hear each other talk. The service was horrible and it took forever to get our food. The food was just ok. Not worth the $. We probably won't be back. read more

I have been four separate times and they have been fairly consistent with each visit. The service has always been very attentive which is nice but the food is very mediocre. The first time we went they had a hardy beef pasta meal that was incredible but that was since removed. Since then the other three visits I have had the halibut and truffle fries which has been alright each time. It certainly is not as good as the original pasta dish but there truly is nothing to complain about. Other than that it offers a nice open atmosphere that is not too loud and perfect for a date night spot! Overall I would recommend but I hope they one day bring that dish back! read more

We went to Buttercup on a recent Thursday night. It took a long time to get our food, but we made the best of it. The bathroom was dirty and only hope their kitchen is cleaner. read more

This is the second time my family gave Buttercup a chance. We made a reservation for our family of 4, several weeks in advance to celebrate a major work milestone. We arrived 15 minutes early to an empty restaurant and were seated next to a smelly toilet. I asked to be moved twice and was told they "were full and had no additional seating options." Interesting that the only Black family was seated next to their toilets. There was absolutely no reason why we couldn't be re-seated. Clearly very prejudiced staff and establishment and I won't be back! read more

Food is great and value priced for a local restaurant. Typically too busy on weekends so midweek eves have yielded good seating. Don't like the outside seating with the idling vehicles waiting for the four corners lights. So avoid rush hour and drive time dining. Otherwise a great local spot! read more

A double thumbs up to the crew at Buttercup in Natick. Wonderful dinner there last night. Cod fritters and bolognese were the highlights. Excellent service! One negative is that the patio is right on the street (a common and necessary thing these days, but still unpleasant). read more