A very good and civilized option if you are visiting the Gardner Museum. Attentive and pleasant service, and reasonably-priced for the quality of meal, etc. read more

My expectations for museum restaurants/cafes are pretty low. If I hadn't been visiting the museum with my mom, who has some mobility issues, I would have wandered elsewhere for food. The ambiance is quite pleasant; I don't mind that it's sleek and modern, even though that's very different from the main part of the museum. I had the fried zucchini blossoms as a starter. I understand the concept of small plates--but I was still expecting more than three blossoms. The accompanying dish of dipping sauce seemed ludicrous for such a tiny portion. Since my mom, brother and I had all ordered two dishes a piece, it made sense that our server decided to bring things to us in two courses--but when my mom and brother both ordered soups, it just didn't make sense that he brought my brother his soup in the first course and my mom her soup in the second course. The Moroccan mint green tea was a little bitter, as if the tea leaves had steeped too long. My polenta entrée with sautéed mushrooms was the bright spot of the meal for me, and the portion size was more reasonable (thought it still tipped towards the small side). Still, I was too disillusioned to even consider trying dessert. For a museum eatery, this is okay. But if you can, I strongly recommend dining outside of the museum. read more

Okay it's quite overpriced but then again it's a museum café and it's definitely worth it. After a very pleasant discovery of the Isabella Gardner Museum Cafe G is a nice place to stop at for an hour or so. The décor is completely different from the museum itself: it's modern and bright. I tried the peach cake along with a (huge!) glass of passion fruit sangria and it was just SO delicious. Ugh. Passion fruit sangria, you can't go wrong with the association of the two, seriously!! Service was top-notch as well, very caring and yet not too intrusive (one of my biggest gripes about service in the US to be honest: let me enjoy my food in peace!!) I'm pretty sure I'd come back to this place even if I'm not visiting the museum because I really enjoyed my time there. Oh and apparently they change the menu quite often so it's another reason to come back! read more

Art museum cafes are usually a pretty good bet for lunch after a long morning trudging from gallery to gallery. But the Gardner Cafe? Run away. Very fast. While my chicken salad was edible, it was hardly any different than something you'd find at Cosi. The menu was small and really boring. Considering the locale and the prices, you'd expect either a gourmet feast or a good, varied sandwich menu - instead this looks like a menu that a bunch of grannies would write for their garden party in 1981. Mostly bland and traditional. The part of the meal that really did it for me was the way they treated my 18-year-old brother. My father asked the waitress "what would you recommend?" She pointed at my brother and laughed, "For him? The plain spaghetti." My brother is no pizza-and-burgers kid - he's a more adventurous and sophisticated eater than I am. Belittling customers is no way to get repeat business. They certainly will never again get mine. read more

We've actually had a number of good experiences with museum restaurants - not all perfect but there does seem to be a trend of them trying to offer up-scale cuisine at reasonable prices. Cafe G was an exception even beyond that. It's set in the beautiful new atrium behind the ISG, with huge glass walls that give almost any table a great view. The food was excellent - it's a rotating menu built from what they get from local farms so my listing here probably won't be around in a week or two. But for the record, I had the pork ossobuco off their specials menu, which was very well prepared (ossobuco can be dry) and served on a bed of what looked like acini di pepe. My wife had the chicken salad. Both meals were excellent, but the star was the service. Our waiter was a bit overworked table-wise but others kept coming by to help out. We were never more than 5 minutes between check-ins, and enjoyed the meal straight through dessert. We'll definitely eat here again. read more

If you have lots of leisure time, here's my first tip: Buy ticket to museum, grab a pager for the cafe, and wander about the museum until you get paged. Wandering around will build up a healthy appetite for when the pager goes off and you go rushing back to the entrance, trying desperately to soothe the buzzing of the pager. I went on a random Wednesday around lunchtime, and it was still packed, so we waited for about an hour to be seated. The food was surprisingly delicious. I thought it would be like sandwiches or more typical "cafe" foods, but there was a nice selection of hearty meals. I ordered the daily flatbread which had sausages, mushroom, and spinach. Very crunchy, a little salty. My friend had the polenta with a cream sauce and mushrooms. It was soooo good. Highly recommended. I just wanted to reach over and steal more and more from her plate. The polenta was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Maybe it could have done with some more mushrooms, but I'm a mushroom fanatic. There was also a quiche on the menu that looked appetizing, so maybe next time. The cafe also has a lot of windows and sunlight (weather permitting), and has a view of the side of the museum/house. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience, and I will definitely be coming back! I also think they mentioned that the menu is seasonal, so it'll be fun to go back and try new dishes. read more

Cafe G - Polenta! - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Small menu that is selected carefully. Good for lunch and small groups. Beautiful lighting and wonderful service. They advertise that they try to source all ingredients locally - a nice touch for a cafe that is off the beaten path. Arrive around 11:30 for lunch or there will be a wait! Great for a date! read more

Stopped in for a lunch on the beautiful 90 degree day we had last week hoping to sit on the patio to eat only to find out they hadn't opened it yet. So I had to sit inside and they didn't even open the sliding doors to let in the fresh air. BOO! So minus my disappointment in the seating arrangements I had a great time. The food was absolutely great and came out lightning fast like under 5 minutes. I had the slowed braised beef served over a risotto cake with a red wine sauce. It was delicious and melt in your mouth soft. The wine selection looked interesting, but since it was a work day I had to skip it. I also skipped desert as I just wasn't feeling any of the selections for whatever reason. The service was fast and efficient which was nice. Be warned that the hostess had to fit me in as apparently you even need reservations for lunch most days. She gave me a little card and said even if I called ahead by like an hour it would usually be ok. So keep that in mind. read more

I'm so thankful that Cafe G exists in this neighborhood. The welcoming atmosphere is unique. It's a compliment to the Isabella Gardner Museum. The plates here have exclusive senses of artistry and passion. The presentation is beautiful and the taste is a treat for your taste buds. Their menu is in constant change and their specials are delicious. The taco for an appetizer is the right choice and the chicken salad is a favorite as well. I had my birthday lunch there and the staff prepared everything with excellence. Plus, the staff is mostly composed of artists and musicians. You have to let them sing you happy birthday, you won't regret it. I'd recommend it to everybody! Also, be sure to make a reservation so that you don't have to wait for long and also to take a look at the museum after your meal. read more

Best Menu in Boston ! Get the Duck Confité, a great red and finish with the cheese plate-- or take a plane to Paris -- that is all! read more

Great place for lunch. Started with a rose sangria infused with squeezed citrus fruits and a mint syrup. A summer beverage confection that was refreshing but the mint syrup kept throwing me off. Would prefer more citrus and maybe fresh mint instead. I chose the salmon special for the main course, and it was outstanding! Perfectly cooked, roasted exterior and succulent interior. Layered with edible flowers, on a bed of couscous and a drizzle of cherry reduction along the outside of the plate. Not overly filling, so had enough room for dessert. I tried the ginger ice cream and flourless chocolate cake. The ginger ice cream was coated in honey & jalapeño with candied ginger. Refreshing and unique. The cake was somewhat dry and the raspberry coulis was nice though not as tart as expected. Great ambiance. Friendly waitstaff with an attention to detail. read more

Cafe G - Salmon special - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

A bit pricey, but convenient after walking around awhile. Also good for a light lunch when you're going to go out for dinner that evening. I had the chicken salad, it was outstanding. Chicken salad can easily be a bad thing packed with the pieces of chicken that you don't want. I had it along with the house sourdough bread, which like all bread out on the east coast can be a meal in itself. I found the pumpkin latte a little too sweet, and I like sweet so if you don't it's probably not for you. All and all no complaints, service was fast, friendly and I didn't feel rushed. read more

Thumbs up! Magnificent location and solid food. Just maybe a little small but hey, I can deal with elbows. Spot on butternut squash soup with black truffle: thought it was just truffle oil but found big bits of summer truffles at the bottom of the bowl....kudos to them. The homemade pork terrine was delicious too and so was the whole grain mustard. We were also very pleased by the Brazilian fish stew. There is also this relaxed atmosphere that does not interfere at all with the museum and vice versa... I agree with other previous comments, this is just a lovely and delicious cafe' inside a museum, not a museum cafe'. And boy, what a museum. read more

I'd rate this as a 3, the food was good. The prices for the meals was OK, but it appeared to be at the cost of all else. The small tasting plates start at $5.00. The drinks are very high $3.50 for a cup of coffee, $9.00 for wine. The deserts are also very good but start at $7.00. We enjoyed our meal, we split a small plate, split a sandwich, split desert and had no drinks, but is this what a meal is about? But, also, the cafe is a total and disconcerting contrast to the museum itself. Modern, clean, tiny, rectilinear, shrine to food. There is no indication that this is the cafe for the Gardner museum. It has a book shelf full of vintage 1970s cookbooks. Not a single book on any artist in the museum. Not a single book on art. The Gardner building is about gardens and soft arches. The cafe is about grass, glass, plastic and aluminum. My lunch partner said that eating at Cafe G felt like being in a very upscale prison. I think that this is an apt description of Cafe G. A glassed-in enclosure looking out at the world from a remote and isolated space. read more

Decor is wonderful, and love love the beautiful food presentation.The Oyster Stew was exquisitely delicate. The wait staff are very attentive. A nice place to eat & relax after visiting the museum - I will visit again the next time I am in Boston! read more

Cafe G - Oyster Stew and Marinated Artichoke Hearts salad with roasted red pepper (background) - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Not a "cafe". Cafe suggests a place where one can eat, lounge, work, talk. It's a restaurant. And you cant take food out of the "cafe". Additionally, time here says 5p, staff says 4p. read more

We were so disappointed. We had expected a rather nice meal, particularly since the prices were not low. But the soup was too sweet, and the 2 entrees we had were not tasty. I couldn't even finish mine. Very surprising since other reviews had been good. read more

If I was just grading the quality of the food, I'd give the full five stars. It was delish! The waitstaff was also five stars: very professional, courteous, friendly, attentive, and prompt. I also very much like the new room - the chairs, the lighting, the colors, everything. However... the portions are so small, it's almost like a Candid Camera stunt. I ordered the clam chowder, it arrived in a gigantic bowl with maybe two tablespoons of soup in it... it just barely moistened the bottom of the bowl... plus a few oysters and two mini mini toast points... I also ordered the shrimp & gnocci dish, which came in a bowl about 4" across and when I dipped my spoon in it, I instantly hit bottom... "wha-?" There was about 1/4" deep of food in it! I felt under the bowl, it had a curved up underside, so the bowl looked deep from the outside but was actually very shallow. Gone in two slurps! (no, I didn't really slurp) My companion and I split a dessert - the cinammon buns - we asked how big it was and were told there were four... yes, there were four... of the teeniest tiniest little cinnamon sprinkled balls about the size of a quarter... With one glass of wine and one bottle of beer, and my companion's quiche, our bill came to the high sixties. It was all very tasty, but just so laughably small... thank God they gave us two slices of bread (cut in half so it looked like four) and some butter to start, we would have starved to death before the end of our museum tour! Do not dine here if you are on a budget, looking to curtail your expenses, or are just plain ol' sensible and frugal... there are a thousand other good places to eat in Boston that are far far less expensive! read more

It has that weird sour kitchen smell of inadequate sanitation and rotting produce... too fancy for subpar quality. Friendly staff and nice facility though. read more

Are you kidding me???? Here's the response I was given when I asked for a sandwich without the bread- " I'm sorry but everything is pre- made. " But our waiter noted they did have gluten free options- just not ones I could have! If you have additional allergies including being gluten free do not waste your time coming here! When I went to complain I got blank looks- no we're sorry or let us talk to the chef. In short absolutely no flexibility! I was there to visit the museum and wanted to enjoy lunch there but it just wasn't possible! If I could I would give zero stars- no customer service, no effort to even meet me half way. So if it's all premade then put a McDonald's in- this place is a little too pretentious for the average diner- aside from the fact that they don't even try to work with people like me who have serious allergies! read more

Lovely time lunching with friends. We started with an artichoke, chickpea and mint appetizer, and the chick pea fries. Yummy! I had a farro risotto that was delicious and filling. My wife enjoyed the chicken salad with pistachios. Dessert was a selection of cookies. The portions were a little precious (small) but the food and service were very good. read more

Surprisingly good food for a museum restaurant. Sit indoors or dine in the outdoor courtyard. The menu is creative and changes with the seasons, and the food is always good and beautifully presented. We visit the Gardner museum often and always stop at Cafe G for a quick lunch or dinner. Most recently we ordered the quiche, a flatbread pizza and a brisket sandwich. All three meals were really lovely, served with a nice spring salad on the side. Service was quick and efficient. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and very helpful, as one of our party has a nut allergy. We ordered two desserts to share, the lemon and strawberry pot with toasted merangue and the parsnip cake with rhubarb compote and nasturtium ice cream. They were gorgeous and to die for. If nothing else, stop in for coffee and dessert, you won't regret it! read more

My beloved and I dropped in for lunch mid-week. Such a pleasant surprise. Decor quite sleek and modern but tasteful combination of gold and silver tones that is somehow reminiscent of the rest of the museum. We had a window seat, looking out on a wintry courtyard. I had pan-seared salmon, she had cod cakes. Both were subtle and delicious, in particular the salmon was perfectly cooked and the flavors of the salad with the cod cakes was delightfully unusual. Desert was pumpkin bread pudding for her, pistachio and cardamom ice-cream for me. Again delicious. Plenty of food, we thought it an over-indulgence by the end, but worth it. Not so cheap but a special meal made by someone who knew what they were doing and cared about the result. Afterward we browsed the shop, where there are some stylish and unusual gifts. And then the museum. read more

Nice ambience for a busy museum café. Soup, salad, cod for main dish and dessert come to $45 (pre-tax/tip). Quality was good but rather pricey for lunch. The nasturtium cake was a masterpiece. read more

we took a friend visiting from out of town to this quaint cafe to celebrate her birthday over lunch. we had a reservation, but our out-of-town friends were a little late - lucky for us, the kind hostess told us not to worry and seated us once they arrived. the cafe is a small dining area just to the rear of the museum (with an outdoor courtyard we didn't get to enjoy because of weather - why does it rain here in the summertime?). we were invited to bring the baby in with stroller, but i opted to leave the stroller outside the gift shop and sling the baby so we could eat. i expected the cafe to be a bit more high-falutin', but felt very comfortable seated on a bench against a mirrored wall. the food was fantastic. i had the quiche, my bf ordered salmon (as did her bf) and birthday girl ordered flank steak salad. all of our plates were clean by the end of the meal. we broke down and ordered desserts: ginger ice cream and cookie, cheese platter with warm raisin bread, banana bread pudding, and their chocolate mousse cake -- all fabulous to eat and beautifully presented. i'm hesitant to give the place such a great review because i'm worried it will be crowded next time i try to dine there... this is a nice hidden gem to take out of town guests to -- we walked off our meals afterwards perusing the museum and falling in love with the rembrandt self portrait on the second floor. read more

In museum restaurants, the artistry rarely extends to the food, but Cafe G is an exception. A burrata appetizer and a special tartine appetizer were delicious, a quiche slightly boring by comparison. Desserts were unique and flavorful, though the flavor of the black-pepper ice cream was a little strong. All the dishes were beautifully plated and the atmosphere is bright, modern, and pleasant. It's not a bargain but compared to other museum restaurants in Boston the food and experience is worth the price. read more

I normally stay away from museum cafes because of overpriced food and overwhelming crowds. The cafe at the ISGM is a totally different experience. Nevermind that it's a museum cafe, it's just a lovely cafe. Quaint and cozy, my sister and grandmother dined here together. They had a lovely menu with a variety of interesting choices. We all ended up going with the pork and it was inventive and delicious. Such a great little spot I'd come to again and again. read more

Return? Unlikely, not because the food was bad but because the museum itself was underwhelming (and unwieldy/crowded to boot) Atmosphere (3) - Clean, modern Service (4) - Friendly Food (3) - quesadilla (4), soup (3 - shrimp) Cost = $34 before tax/tip read more

Very reliable, high quality food. Delicious staples (quiche, duck confit) and imaginative options (hummus gnocchi, which I still need to try). Open, bright, modern ambiance. Professional staff. Looking forward to going back! read more

OK, I have eaten in a lot of museum cafes. My mom is a museum fan and she loves getting a cup of tea or a bite on site, the refreshment helping her to extend her time in the galleries. Even in a tough field (SF MOMA, among others) Cafe G takes the prize. A light-filled space that seems to float amidst the green space in the front of the museum, the Renzo Piano-designed cafe is an extraordinary spot. But the food is the star. The chickpea "fries" that the waiter recommended were transcendent, even by the standards of a fried food lover. My barley salad was microscopic (alas) but the crunchy confection literally tasted like spring feels. Did I mention they bake their own bread! Tiny, earthy loaves with big holes that absorb what tastes like fancy organic butter and an epically crunchy crust. They have table service and limited capacity but definitely make Cafe G part of your visit to the museum -- or stop by just for the food. Entry to the museum isn't necessary to eat there. Wish it weren't so pricey. read more

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Absolutely one of the best kept secrets in Boston (promise not to tell!) The cafe has a rotating menu with an elegant and charming atmosphere. From the flat ware to the drink menu, it radiates casual elegance. Make sure to try the deserts, their bread pudding is the best I've ever had. When I want to impress someone or show a visiting friend a good time, an afternoon with lunch at the Gardener is where we go. I've been there several dozen times over the last five years and never been disappointed. I can't wait to go again! read more

Very nice little restaurant at the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum. I had a pork taco which was insane, a huge salad and a beer. The salad (Eva green's prosciutto salad) was really good, everything tasted very fresh. The service was excellent as well. It was a bit pricey, but well worth it. read more

Elegant, sit down cafe inside the museum. Overpriced, but I guess that's the price you pay for convenience for not having to leave the museum to find something to eat. Very attentive service. I got the lobster bisque and roasted cod. The lobster bisque was just okay. It had small chucks of lobster, but I think the bisque could have been a bit creamier since it more watery than I like. The presentation of the cod on a bed of corn and cherry tomatoes was nice. The cod was cooked perfectly and was delicious. They also had desserts, coffee, wine, beer, and other refreshments, so if you aren't too hungry you could come here to relax and have a snack or drink. read more

This one's a low three for a bad salmon cake - very fishy - but a great fish stew. The place is tiny tiny tiny and the wait can be long. The strategy seems to be check in, get your pager and walk the museum until you're buzzed. They get credit for working a bit harder than most museum cafes with a nice menu. read more

The food was decent but it was expensive even for a museum cafe. The outdoor seating area was nice for the fresh air, but the outdoor gardens are torn up at the moment (I mean that literally - there are almost no plants in the gardens, with spray-painted lines and cords running around them). My dining companion had parsnip soup, and a $6 price tag brought a surprisingly small bowl for the price. My companion reported that the soup was simple but decent. I had the quiche, with cheese (I can't remember what kind offhand), shallots and spinach. It was decent but didn't hold together well (even for a quiche) and the top of the crust was rather burnt. The plate had been extremely poorly arranged for a $13 meal - the "salad" that came with it (which turned out to literally just be mesclun greens with an oily vinaigrette) were arranged in such a way that the hot quiche was partially over them, causing some of them to wilt and bits of the quiche crust to become unpleasantly oily. The waitress responded to a request of water with an assumption of (an entire bottle of) sparkling water, and I'm sure she would have served that without my having asked for it if I hadn't caught her sneakily worded sentence and clarified that no, plain old water was fine. All in all I definitely didn't feel like the meal was worth the price tag and the attitude, and that the surprisingly limited, bland menu didn't give many options in the first place. read more

So good. Really enjoyed the shishito pepper appetizers and the cod. Lovely food and service. Plus the museum is gorgeous and excellent.

The museum's member services department got back to me in a timely manner to address my concerns and sent me a gift card to compensate. The chef/owner of Cafe G also emailed me an apology and offered to comp me on my next visit. Much appreciated. Cafe G, I forgive you. :) read more

I usually assume that a restaurant affiliated with a museum tends to have overpriced food. Cafe G has excellent service and good quality food. However, i wouldn't say it's a must try. The food is pretty standard rather than exceptional and innovative. read more

Excellent choice to top off a visit to the incredible Gardner Museum. Food was excellent & service was very good. What a treat to find such a nice restaurant with great food as a perfect compliment to this beautiful museum. Chose the polenta with the mushroom ragu. Polenta was crisp outside and creamy inside. Ragu was balanced and quite flavorful. Bread was a rustic classic and also delicious. Wine list was limited but had good variety and generous pours. Setting was quite modern without the frigid feel of stainless steel. Lots of natural light and space; two components I find missing in most of the restaurants I have been to so far. I had the good fortune to run into the owner when I was paying my departing compliments at the reception desk. I told him he and his staff were really doing things right. I've been in Boston for over a week and eaten at several different places for lunch with mixed results. My experience today was just about the best I've had to date. A gem. read more

Cafe G - New American Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I went with my mother to this café. It was very small, with cute décor and and an outdoor patio. Overall, I enjoyed the experience very much as it was cozy and personal sitting at our tiny table, but the food, well, read on. Please excuse the use of caps, but I am copying and pasting from their menu to be more accurate. Even though the prices are large, the plates I saw others eating from were tiny and I was hungry so I asked what out of the choices would be the more filling options. I was told the HOUSEMADE COUNTRY PORK PATE (pistachios, grain mustard and watercress), ORECHIETTE PASTA (Cape Cod clams, butter and parsley) or COD CAKE (toasted couscous and country olive salad). I opted for the pate. My mother opted for the GOLDEN RAISIN AND PISTACHIO CHICKEN SALAD (crème fraiche and steamed asparagus 15.00) They served us one roll each beforehand with a little cute tub of butter. It was good, but you only get ONE ROLL. They gave me the cod cake by accident and I sent it back - it looked unappetizing anyway. After I got my entrée, I wished I had not. The Entrees: The pate came and it was these two large slices of a hard formed pork bits similar to what head cheese looks like. I did not know that pate came in a hard version and I really wish I did not know. I cannot describe the taste because I think I am blocking it. It came with an insufficient number of crisps and I ended up eating the pate with just a bunch of mustard on it. Not worth the $13. My mother's dish which I tried was much better (the chicken salad), but the sauce surrounding the chicken had a strong raisin taste which was rather weird, but not unpleasant. My mother "saved" her roll for the salad to make herself a sandwich. Dessert: If I was to go here again, I would eat something - anything - else for lunch and just come here for the dessert. We got the chocolate mousse torte for $7. It was HEAVEN. And it was the only reasonably priced, generously portioned item that we received. It had layers of chocolate ganache, chocolate mousse, and chocolate cake. After we finished, I was seriously tempted to order a second one. It made up for the seriously disappointing lunch. The total came to over $60 including tax and tip - two small lunches that tasted strange, two cans of soda for $3.25 each, one slice of cake and one decaf coffee($3.50). Three stars for the atmosphere and the fact that this would be a great place to have an intimate conversation over coffee and dessert. 2 stars off because I would never, ever eat lunch here again. NEVER. read more