Great happening restaurant. The bronzino fish and flan were incredible. The duck legs and chicken liver mousse a bit too salty.

To give a bit of context to this review, I will say that I'm generally dissapointed with the Boston area restaurant scene. Creative cheap food barely exists and the mid-term restaurants like La Brasa have consistently left me feeling like I was better off cooking at hope and splurging on great wine for my guests. La Brasa is another spin on the all to familiar "community" table, family style trendy restaurants we have in the area (e.g. Kirkland Tap & Trotter, Alden & Harlow, and the list goes on and on and on). Some have been good, but most don't last (like the place La Brasa replaced). Server ws fine, perhaps slightly socially awkward, but it's Boston so that and bartenders that don't know how to chat up their patrons is expected. She asked if we had eaten there before and after saying no, she explained to us their, "shotgun" serving style...which I think is stupid. We ordered some raw oysters for apps, and a couple of glasses of red wine, which they only had three offering of by the glass so we each ordered something different. Oysters were oysters, we ate them straight up so no idea about that funky sauce they serve them with. Neither of us were impressed with our wine. Then we ordered a kale salad and the flounder and I asked for them to be brought out at the same time...she said no problem. Two minutes later we had the salad. It sat there and waited for the flounder. The flounder looked like it had been pan seated in the skillet it was served in with a mix of "latin" vegetables and some fishy meat that we joked were rats tails, because that's what they looked like. Whatever it was, it was fishy and mushy and I'm guessing it came from a can. The flounder was sitting in a pool of reduced stock and was mushy and under seasoned...I think it was an attempt at "a La Veracruzena style fish, but poorly executed. We were both very dissapointed. In summary, yet another twist on a generic template that doesn't deliver. OK, for those who like the new restaurant "scene" and don't know any better in terms of food. This place will not last...they never do. read more

Don't Bother....I walked into this place because I saw the review on the Phantom Gourmet. But when my wife and I got there it was more like a BAIT and SWITCH Ohh, sorry no Lobster, its out of season. Like what....OK what about the the sliced meat on the cart that goes table side. Ohh, Well that's in the oven. In the oven so long that it never came by! And we were there for at least 1hr. Servings are Anorexic and the food is way over priced. $9 for literally a cup & 1/2 of Mexican rice. $22 for a small piece of meat. Did not live up to the hype. We wasted $105...GM$ read more

Great food. Unique menu. Staff was excellent. Service quick. Cool music. Reasonable prices. Will come back for sure.

Went here for my boyfriends birthday awhile back and it was a terrific experience. It has a very hipster/fancy atmosphere. The waiters are all very friendly and the service was excellent. Our waiter gave us a drink (for my bf's birthday) and a dessert (flan) on the house! We ordered the spicy Mexican rice, a pulled pork sandwich, and another side dish (since we went the menu has changed). It seems like the menu changes pretty often which is refreshing although some dishes I would like to have again... read more

I had high expectations for La Brasa based on other reviews, and so after a few months my bf and i finally decided to check it out. Where do i start, we had reservations at 9pm, and we arrived at that time, the hostess was no where to be found for literally 6 minutes, when she finally arrived she stated our table isn't ready and it'll be about 15-20 minutes, which was a bit too much and i contemplated leaving at that time. However, we were there and i thought well maybe the food will be worth the wait. Our order wasn't taken until 9:45pm, the waitress came over and than vanished for a little while, the place was pretty loud and i could barely hear what she was saying. We ordered the asparagus for an appetizer, chicken and beef for main course. The asparagus was basic, nothing special, no flavor, the chicken was juicy and moist so that was good, but again flavorless, and the meat was a great disappointment, flavorless. I think this place needs a new spice rack, salt + pepper. The waitress didn't come by and ask how everything was, she only came by when it was time to clear the plates. overall very disappointed with the service and lack of flavor profile. Wont be coming back and wont recommend it to anyone. read more

Had dinner here tonight for my husband's birthday. We were a larger party, 8 people. Anna was our server and she was awesome; attentive, friendly, and answered all of our questions. All of the staff that came over were friendly. All in all everyone enjoyed the food. We ordered the chicken wings (friend chicken, great breading) the tacos (I didn't have any but the people who did thoroughly enjoyed them) the oysters (came with beets and were delicious), the chuletta (well seasoned, but we weren't asked how we wanted it cooked and it was cooked very rare, which not everyone liked), the roast beef (also served very rare with chimmichurri and good), the squid (was served cold and most of the people enjoyed them) , the cheese plate (everyone enjoyed it), and tons of drinks; we enjoyed the Pinot noir and the blue moon the best! I was disappointed with dessert; we only enjoyed the flan and the serving sizes were VERY small and they ran out of it. The tart and the special (breading pudding with avocado chocolate sauce) were not enjoyed by anyone at the table. The bill was about 85 per person with tax, drinks, and gratuity. It was open and relaxed atmosphere. A hidden gem!! read more

I pass by this building twice every weekday on my way to and from work. I had no idea what was going in there until the sign went up! As soon as I saw it, I started looking around online, and got very excited about the new restaurant. My husband and I went last night. The cocktail menu didn't appeal to me all that much for some reason, but I asked for a Bulleit rye Manhattan, and they made me a lovely one. My husband got the Slumbrew Flagraiser, which is always nice. I'm glad to see they're selling local beers. We split the cheese plate for an appetizer, and got one aged and one fresh cheese, both of which were delicious. I was a bit perturbed that it got to our table long before any plates or silverware, since tearing the bread made for a crumb cascade, but I figure the staff is still working on timing things like that. Our sides came out before our entrées, and boy did they make a good impression. We got the carrots with mole, which were amazing. There was a distinct fruity chile flavor to the mole, more than the gloppy chocolate flavor some of them have. The carrots were perfectly tender-crisp, their sweetness harmonizing perfectly with the mole. We also got the grilled onions with romesco sauce, also amazing. They were sweet and lightly charred, and the garlicky romesco sauce was a perfect accompaniment. Then, the server brought out a plate containing thin slices of raw fish with a few slices of fennel. It looked like an appetizer portion (maybe half a cup of food, all told). He didn't say what it was at first, and when I flagged him down to ask, told me it was the fluke (which I hadn't even seen on the menu). Turns out it was actually the sablefish tiratido I'd ordered. I'm pretty well versed in the language of food, but I hadn't heard of tiratido before, and I hadn't seen anything that indicated it would be raw. I just liked the sound of the accompaniments (black garlic mustard and uni vinaigrette). I was in the mood for GRILLED food, not raw, this evening. I did taste the dish, though, to give it a fair shot. It was actually somewhat bland. I saw slices of what looked like fried garlic, but nothing like a garlic mustard. The uni wasn't very noticeable. I felt like it needed a pop of acidity to really make it shine. The server was very polite, and brought me the grilled harissa chicken with Greek yogurt and broccolini instead. That was perfect. The dish was still on the small side (about an inch and a half wide strip from a large chicken breast, not a whole breast). That said, it was delicious, and enough to satisfy me with the appetizer and side. The harissa blackened slightly on the grill, and the cool creamy yogurt contrasted nicely with the spices. The chicken itself was moist and tender. The broccolini was, again, perfectly cooked, with the stems tender-crisp, and the florets slightly browned. My husband got the rib roast with cilantro chimichurri for an entrée. While he said the outside of it was a little overcooked, it was delicious, and the sauce was good enough to eat with a spoon. There are not yet any dessert options available, and due to my small entrée portion, I felt like I could have used one to round things out. I'm sure that would have been even more the case if I'd gone with the sablefish entrée! I'm used to fine dining portions, sure, but that fish was the kind of portion size that I'd expect to see in one course of a five-course tasting, not as one of two courses with a vegetable side. All in all, this place has only just opened, and while I feel like they need to get things a bit more coordinated--and maybe increase portion size a bit for some things--the flavors they produce are, for the most part, top notch. They treat vegetables with the respect they deserve, rather than as an afterthought. That alone gets a lot of respect from me. I am looking forward to seeing how they grow. read more

We went here with 7 people for a graduation celebration. I had made the reservation over 1 month in advance, yet our table was less than desirable. We were seated at a high top table near the bar. Those in our party seated on the outer side of the table kept getting banged by passing staff and guests. There were plenty of open tables and we should have asked to be switched. The food was good, but not great, and expensive, given the portion sizes. We had some bread and spreads, some starters and the roasted chicken and table side roast. The fried rice and roasted carrots stood out, but the roast was bland. The cocktails were very good. The service was pretty bad. We all felt rushed and I had to actually stop a waitress from taking my plate because I hadn't finished eating. Our main waitress never smiled once and looked annoyed most of the time, even when we tried to joke with her. They automatically added a 20% gratuity, which the menu said they might or might not do. This is fine, because I always tip 20%, but I couldn't help but feel that this was the reason our waitress felt that she didn't have to go out of her way. read more

Wonderful atmosphere, friendly service, amazing food and drink menu. Great date spot!

Great cocktails. Inventive menu. Delicious food. Great atmosphere. My favorite place in Somerville. Could use more desert choices though--I'd love to see what they do with chocolate. read more

What a great restaurant. Cool new location great menu and good strong drinks. Our server was very well versed in the menus The prices were fair. Food was very inventive and extremely tasty. Prices seemed very fair. A very pleasant night out. read more

Best new restaurant in town ... La Brasa keeps it simple, but very well done... Keep it up...

Had drinks and apps here on a Sunday evening. I was very impressed with everything about the restaurant. We had an excellent waiter who we asked to pick a drink for us. He choose a Somerville sour, a take on a whiskey sour. It was delish! We choose the bread service with chicken liver pate and radish butter along with the cheese plate. Everything was fresh and done very well. We finished with Pork tacos which were fantastic. All of the interactions with staff, from the hostess to the chef were very pleasant. Everyone is very knowledgeable and take time to make sure you are having a great dining experience. We will definitely be back to try the entrees next time. read more

More restaurants should do what La Brasa are doing very well. Fewer items on the menu, make them every single one of them insanely good - that way, there's a good chance you may end up ordering everything on the menu. Which is almost what we did. Terrific, spacious decor; terrific staff, by the way. Anyway, we started with a bang. Bread with chicken liver mousse and ashed butter. Yes, butter with ash on it - I asked, and the ash was made from charred vegetables. The flavor was subtle but you could definitely taste the definition of the ash. The chicken liver was wondefully balanced - not overpowering, not wimpy either. Then came a pair of carnitas tacos. Flavorful, but a tad too runny/soggy - it was fine, but I've probably had better. Then we had fried chicken wings with a mole sauce. This was probably the highlight of my entire meal. The wings were fried to perfection - with a good crunch and good flavor on its own. But when you topped it with the mole sauce with chopped raw onions and Mexican cheese, it was practically euphoric. Great, great stuff. And that hock fried rice that everyone's talking about? Believe the hype. Then we shared a whole flounder topped with tomatillos and mint. Again, just perfect in every way - we cleaned the bones. This was just a great experience overall. Can't wait for them to rotate that menu so we can try even more good stuff from La Brasa read more

Maybe I expected too much. But this was a very much of trying too hard. The food was ok, not outrageously tasty, it is tasty. Everything was kind of sour, we ate lentil hummus, eggplant, kale, fried rice, romaine lettuce and prime ribs. And dessert. None of them I felt like I can just eat this until I die. It is all ok. Not sure if I recommend or come back. read more

Amazing experience. Great food (t-bone, Mexican rice especially), great cocktails, great desert (flan) and great coffee. Cool space - lots of seating. read more

Everything was delicious. The mussels had a wonderful smokey garlicky broth that we had to order more bread to soak it up, so wouldn't leave any behind. The beets were wonderful as was the chicken. Only downside was the steak was slightly over cooked. No food left behind! We could see the kitchen from our table which was nice. read more

Came to Boston in December and was recommended this place by so many people. I had forgot the name of this place and meant to write a review! Absolutely the most amazing bacon, egg and cheese I have ever had in my life. I literally dream about this BEC back in NJ!! This was as a smaller portion than what I was used to, but was totally worth it. I HIGHLY recommend this little spot! read more

Arrived to an empty restaurant on Friday at 6pm. Staff started out to be nice and attentive. We ordered steak and lobster dinners among three of us. The lobster was under cooked and the waitress did not ask us how we wanted the steak cooked. It was too rare and full of gristle and fat. The drinks were good. It was obvious the staff wanted us out of the place after and hour even though there were several empty tables. They hovered over our table, the bus boy, the waitress, and even the hostess came over and stared at us, Many times. They would come over and refill our water glasses and glare and would slam the water bottle down on the table. It was uncomfortable to say the least. The bill, with a tip, was well over $200. To spend that much money I would expect better food and nicer service. When will we go back?.... that would be never. read more

We had such a wonderful time at La Brasa, I had to write a review. This is my first! Each dish was better than the last. The wait staff was absolutely wonderful. We were impressed that he asked us to describe the type of beer/wine we'd like and he'd bring us his selection. He was right each time! He also recommended that we eat family-style, ordering several small plates and several large. Everything was delicious and so creative. The brussel sprouts and mexican rice were my favorites. The atmosphere is fabulous, with the wood stove burning in the kitchen. It is the perfect level of noise for a fun time. Cannot rate it highly enough! read more

I absolutely love this place! In a saturated, copycat market, this place is a standout. The food is unique and delicious. The beer selection is fantastic. Above all, the service is amazing. read more

Three of us went to La Brasa on a Saturday Night. We had no reservation, but it was no problem. Everyone was so friendly. The food was "out of this world" .When you go, order as much food as you can eat. We ordered for the table, so we had brussel sprouts, burnt veggie salad, oysters, taco's, blue fish, and from the meat cart. If that wasn't enough, we then ordered, 3 desserts. They were amazing!! Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu, I loved the fact that we could see in the kitchen. Everyone was very friendly, the room is open, high ceilings, just a wonderful experience. Listen to me, make sure you go to La Brasa, you will not be disappointed. read more

This place is the best, we don't eat meat but the fish here is the bomb. We had a waiter Shyne he explained exactly what was in the food we ordered that's huge. The drinks and the menu are super inventive. I have not had a cocktail here I haven't loved. read more

Very limited menu - only 4 main courses the night I was there. The food is excellent--I had the swordfish and fried rice--but the portions are small for the price. Bartenders are skilled and service was good. If the prices were 15% less a 4 star rating would be appropriate. read more

First time there, husband and I had wood-roasted chicken, the duck and the long beans. Everything was cooked well and was tasty - some great underlying flavors. Chicken was moist. Duck cooked perfectly medium rare. The beans were amazing. Great cocktails, too. Service was good, but we were there early on a Sunday and the place was not too crowded. Definitely will go there again. Liked the atmosphere, although the seats are a bit hard. read more

I loved all the small bites and the larger ones as well. Everything was a little different and delicious. The space is spectacular. The entire meal was ruined by the "prime rib cut at the table" featured entree. The meat was RAW and the young lady was attempting to cut it with a large knife, no sharper than a butter knife. It was hard to look at. Will definitely return if I'm assured that the beef will actually be cooked. Someone in management isn't paying attention. read more

Got a table pretty quickly without a reservation. After that it went downhill from there. Ordered the Thai fried chicken. The chicken was cooked to a dry mass of flavorless meat. The guy pushing around the cart o' meat cheerfully visited the tables next to us not once but twice but never offered the option to our table of three. The rice dish tasted like Goya Spanish rice. Our waitress visited every now and then. The music was so loud we had to shout to be heard. Overall this place is lousy. read more

The food is SOOOOOO good and the place is funky and comfortable. So glad it opened in Somerville!!

Not a great experience. The server was very pushy regarding over ordering based on their "sharing concept", now we know why. Plates were exceptionally small for the high prices. Food was fair at best. Pleasant atmosphere inside but would not recommend or return based on overall dining experience for their prices. read more

So sad...I was very excited for this restaurant and convinced my friends to go with me last week. We had already had dinner but figured we'd stop by for drinks and dessert but that was a mistake. They only offered one dessert - pudding. Not a good start but we figured we'd go with the flow and ordered it. Let's just say the boxed Jello Brand pudding is leaps and bounds better and approx $5-$6 cheaper. Not to mention the pudding was that expensive for the tiniest cup ever. Don't waste your money. We also ordered a cheese plate. This is one of our favorite things to get around town but here it was just a pile of the same type of cheese with a few condiments - nothing special - pretty average and not that creative. Lastly we tried the drinks. One of my stars is for the taste of my drink, ahhh can't actually remember the name but I did enjoy it. However, the drink filled about an inch to two inches of the cup. I was shocked. They didn't even try to give an illusion of more substance by using a smaller cup or filling it with ice. Look I don't mind spending money on a good restaurant (actually after this we walked down the street and spent more money elsewhere). However, one of my biggest pet-peeves is spending money for tiny amounts for something that isn't all that special. I gave my other star because I loved the decor. This experience for me was sort of like smoke and mirrors - looks cool on the outside but when you get down to it doesn't hold up. That being said we didn't have dinner and it did just open so perhaps we'll wait a few months for them to work out the kinks, alter their sizing, and add a real dessert menu and then try it again. read more

I recently had the pleasure of going to La Brasa, and I am hooked !! I love the decor, and the way they have the tables set up. You have the choice of sitting at a separate table, for some privacy, or if you are not part of a large group requiring a large table, you can sit at a large table with other people, and meet new people. My friend and I decided to sit at a large table, met a bunch of people, had a blast, and now we plan on meeting up with our new friends soon. The staff was phenomenal, they could not do enough for us. I am a very picky eater, and our waitress must have gone back and forth to the cook 10 times, so that everything I asked for was prepared for my (picky) liking. The food was absolutely delicious, I enjoyed everything on my plate, and even tried some food from my friend's plate which I never thought I would like, and surprisingly really liked it. La Brasa has everything you can ask for, for a great night out. The atmosphere is very welcoming, friendly with the choice of privacy or meeting new people. The staff can not do enough to make your La Brasa night perfect and enjoyable. The food and drinks are outstanding. You should try and go early, because, for us, time flew by and before we knew it, it was closing time. I can not wait to go back . read more