**Dinner review only** I haven't reviewed anything in forever, but I will awaken my Yelp slumber for this place. I'm really glad I didn't check Yelp before coming- I usually skip anything below 4 stars, but the most important lesson is that sometimes Yelp is wrong. I can't possibly fathom how this place is less than that. I have tried a lot of restaurants all around the country (and especially around Boston) and was super impressed by this place. The service was good. The ambiance kicked ass without trying too hard. They have a patio (not always a given in Boston). Wine + cocktail menu was spot on. The dishes were innovative & delicious. I could see the complaint that the restaurant is a little on the pricey side, but welcome to Somerville my friends. My boyfriend got the oxtail tongue taco as an app, and loved it so much he chased down our waitress to get 2 more. I split the chicken wings & empanadas with a friend. Both had innovative twists (snails & poached eggs!) and it really worked for the dishes. I got a roast chicken & zucchini dish for my main that I gobbled every bite of. My friend was not stoked by her salmon dish which was laid on a giant pile of mint leaves (?!) so can't say I recommend that one... I am very wary of restaurants that try too hard and don't deliver. This place is not that. This place is great. I recommend ignoring the low review average and giving this place a go. read more

Excellent drinks and appetizers, pretty good food. I visited La Brasa recently for a birthday celebration. We ordered a few spreads for the table, and all of them were really good. I will say that I think they should bring more bread with the spreads - otherwise we have to keep asking for more. The drinks were the real stand out here. We all got two drinks each, and every one that I tried was excellent. The best one for me was "Ryan Gosling's Tears" - it is a tea based cocktail which includes some toasted pine nuts for flavor and texture. It's incredibly tasty and unique, and I would highly recommend it. I ordered the pork chop, which was very good. It's a little pricey for what it is, but it definitely had great flavor. I think it could have used some more sides to balance out the dish so you're not just eating straight meat. I would probably come again for drinks and appetizers, but maybe pass on dinner. read more

This place is a total gem; the menu is focused, the ambiance is welcoming, and the food is out of this world. Affordable, perfectly cooked steaks are always welcome, but throw in the "breads and spreads" section of this menu and you've got yourself a meal. Plenty of room for larger parties, too! read more

La Brasa - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I came here with a couple of family members. The menu is a little different from the last three times we came. There are more notes of Asian flavors. Everything was yummy. The quinoa empanada is quite complex, including a rich and spicy tomato based sauce and a soft poached egg on top! The whole flounder was very good, with a hint of a traditional Chinese whole fried fish, but a wood grilled version. Just one complaint: there was no mention of the chili sauce base for the grilled green salad with apples. It was more spicy than I liked. Overall, really good! Cocktails are fab! read more

La Brasa - Empanada! - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

LOVE La Brasa! Been coming here for years and the flan and carnitas tacos keep me coming back. They've updated the menu and the pizza is so good. It feels so nice in the restaurant and experiencing the atmosphere of the kitchen again. Since their space is large and spacious, it felt safe the entire time. Highly recommend! read more

La Brasa's cuisine is hard to describe and that's a great thing. People are always looking for that new flavor or something they haven't tried before. La Brasa has these people covered. It almost seems as the chef has scoured the globe to find different influences for his cooking. There's definitely some Mexican and Middle Eastern influences here as well as others. We worked our way through a good amount of the menu and were wowed by most dishes we had. The pork tacos (2 for 10$) are truly outstanding. Super tender pork with the most delicious salsa verde I've ever had. If you like tacos, you must try these! The collard green and quinoa pie is has some great flavor combinations and shouldn't be missed here. The rib roast cart service captivated the entire room when they came to our table first. No question everyone around us was going to order it as they couldn't stop staring. And it should be ordered, a great rub surrounds the outside and the red wine jus and chimichurri sauce pair so well with the meat. The specials push boundaries such as the house made hot dog (amazing) with fried oysters and bacon, and the mushroom couscous featuring a tasty broth and pickled ramps. The food is good and every sauce with each dish makes them great. The atmosphere (featuring mostly recycled materials but still somehow looked really cool), drinks and service were all very good. Definitely worth a visit, and then a repeat. Can't wait to go back! Keep pushing the envelope La Brasa! read more

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So I went... SOMERVILLE SOUR: 4 roses bourbon, lemon, sage, wine ($11)...nice, also had a nice rose BREAD: With ricotta and olives ($8)...nice, but the bread alone costs $3? TACO DE CARNITAS: With salsa verde, chile de arbol ($5 each)...nice, I would order again BRUSSELS SPROUTS: Wood oven roasted, peanut chile sauce, vegan ($10)...nice So it was nice. Actually, the space and outside sidewalk tables are very nice. Although the cool metal bar stools are a pain in the ass if you plan to have more than one drink. It's also a very short menu. But I would go again. However, I do have to wonder what planet all these "best of" list writers are inhabiting. Here's what the Eater New England's 38 Essential Restaurants list said: "WHAT: Live-fire dazzlement by culinary wunderkind Daniel Bojorquez, opened in 2014 in deepest Somerville's last frontier. WHY: Following an extended apprenticeship under local haute cuisine kingpin Frank McClelland, the Sonora-born (and Puebla-trained) chef brings all those disparate influences to bear on a high/low menu characterized by gutsy, vibrant, refined cooking. Charred-poblano onion fondue plays pillowy foil to crisp-skinned wood fire-roasted chicken. "Mexican Fried Rice" samples the best parts of arroz mexicano (bright, sofrito-driven flavor), Chinese fried rice (smoky wok hei), and Spanish paella (crispy socarrat). Plus, wherever you fall on the charge-for-bread debate, the transcendent fixins you get gratis for your measly few bucks -- gloriously viscous neon-green olive oil, dreamy smoke-kissed ash butter -- make one hell of a convincing case. -- Jolyon Helterman" Apparently you have to order only those dishes to understand why this is one of the 38 best restaurants in NE and places like Townsman or Moody's The Backroom are not. Or maybe you have to care more about the chef's pedigree. read more

High quality food and great drinks! I ordered the Braised Short Rib. Definitely recommended. read more

La Brasa - The entrance - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

In one word, La Brasa is COOL. It's got a huge, open dining area with friendly, welcoming staff that are a bit on the hipster edge, but awesome to say the least. They've got a great list of drinks -- definitely something for everyone -- and the staff is really helpful at finding something to make you happy. The food is neat. It's delicious, edgy, and satisfying. Portions are good sized and fairly priced. I love how open the kitchen is. If you're at the bar you can pretty much watch a live demonstration. I've been for late night eats and for brunch and was really happy with both. I'll be back! read more

La Brasa - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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My second time here. Love their $1 oysters every day. Would come here for oysters daily if I could. We also tried their tacos and tuna tostada which were pretty good. I'd be happy to visit again and try other things on the menu read more

I came here for the monthly Saturday brunch and farmers market. We knew they closed half the restaurant for vendors so we made a reservation in advance, however, when we arrived we were told we would have to wait an additional 20 minutes for our table which was a little frustrating. The food was good but the portions are a little small. We ordered a few dishes to share. The Mexican fried rice was really good and unique twist on a classic dish. The special for the say was corned beef hash, I would not recommend it was rather salty. The tostada was really good, there were a lot of layers to it and all the flavors blended really well; it was served cold but would have tasted better if it was warm. Lastly we ordered 2 of the chicken wings which were incredible. read more

What is this place? Mexican or Italian? This place has an identity crisis for sure! Had dinner last night with the family at "La brasa" the shop is cool as well as the ambiance We had the flautas as an starter ,and was by far the best thing that came out of that kitchen! They offered max of 4 dinner items on their menu - chicken , skirt steak at $32 a plate (lmao) and salmon and oh yes pizza . So we ordered the pizza and chicken , pizza was ok ,it taste like pre-made dough ,The chicken was dry served with polenta and broccoli rub and some sort of chili sauce and fresh corn tortillas. The star of this dish was the fresh corn tortillas overall the chicken dinner was very bitter the chili sauce and the broccoli did not go well together. I'm giving this place three stars and that's being generous, I had such high hopes for You La brasa!!! read more

Food, service, and drinks were excellent! Had the Mexican Street corn, ceviche, ribs, shrimp tostadas, heirloom corn tortillas! Outstanding!! read more

Love this spot for their 1$ oysters. Big and spacious with nice outdoor seating area. croquetas are one of my faves. Portions are big which are a big plus for me. Drinks look ok but I didn't have any when I went. Def a nice place for guests read more

Eh, just a huge disappointment. Wish I took my family somewhere better on graduation weekend. I wanted to try to wow them with some hipster food they don't usually have but this was just an expensive disappointment. Oysters were good but that's to be expected with a place in New England. The romaine salad with the tomato vinaigrette was pretty meh to me, it was really forgettable and just not good. But I'm not into salads in general, I'll admit it takes a really perfect salad to get me to eat a ton of salad. The special that night was prime rib and it was super super super disappointing. We all got like 3oz and mine was basically half fat. And I love fat on my meat but this was chewy and just... no. Gross. We also got the chicken dish and the chicken was ridiculously salty and the poblano onion fondue with it was super bland. So it's like you HAD to eat it together. Which I get for it to balance out, but the chicken was disgustingly salty honestly. Octopus quesadilla was just weird and I felt myself looking for some heat or acidity or just flavor. Anything really. It just looked sad and pale. Like unseasoned chicken. Desserts were better. The flan was just regular good flan, but the other one stood out. I can't remember exactly what was in it (I had a long eating vacation with my family) but it was like an olive oil cake type thing with yogurt and oranges and I think cherries. It was a tad dry but the yogurt as a pairing was unique and super yummy. Creamy but not too heavy after a meal. Still, we went to Bar Mezzana and Row 34 too and those meals were far better and from what I remember, actually cheaper. Seriously don't waste your stomach space and money here :( I wanted to like it so bad but I don't think I'd ever ever come back here. Plus side, my family liked the drinks! I'm not into cocktails so I wouldn't know. read more

La brasa has excellent curb appeal. When we walked inside it was beautiful with industrial design features. There is a great feel inside. I had the duck confit with mole sauce and it was absolutely delicious !!! I cannot wait to come in again and try more of their delicious items. The drinks were weak, that could be improved tremendously. read more

Excellent rainy Sunday brunch. The modern, clean design created the perfect ambience for my friends and I to attempt recovery after a late night out on the town. I had polenta-- thaaaa bomb! Being from the south I enjoy anything that is similar to grits, and this dish was executed perfectly! My friends enjoyed their meals too (too hungover to take photos or remember what they got). Waitstaff is very very nice and there to enhance your experience. Decently priced. Will go back :) read more

La Brasa - Cawfee - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Good restaurant. The food was very solid - we ordered 2 tacos, 1 quesadilla, the romaine salad, mexican fried rice, and the grilled skirt steak. My favorites were the steak, the fried rice, and the quesadilla - the taco was solid but on the expensive side, and the romaine salad took a ton of preparation to cut up. I love the ambiance of the place. It's massive, and beautifully decorated. It'd probably be a perfect place for a bigger dinner party; plus, that would help lower the cost of some of the dishes. The hospitality is great at this restaurant, and when our quesadilla was late coming out, they sent out a delicious fried rice. My only gripe is that the the value paid is not quite there, but I would definitely recommend for a large group. read more

Rather overpriced for subpar food. 4 baked clams for $14. mediocre. The burger, good but super salty and no veggies to balance. Salmon looked good but was tough. Served over totally raw watercress salad. No dressing of anykind. The service was just regular. Decent enough, our waitress was nice. The interior was really pretty. Our decorative airplant was dead though haha. Maybe better for light apps and drinks instead of dinner. read more

Does not come within even ICBM launching distance of living up to the hype. Poor food quality and service. It is a nice room, but that does not redeem the abysmally detached attitude that pervades the place. Food: Did a light graze with a friend. Green beans and Shiitake mushrooms - mushy, flavorless, overcooked green beans in greasy, goopy gravy (the mushrooms themselves were OK). Mexican fried rice - very small portion (especially considering the $10 price tag) of mostly rice and oil, with a few shreds of vegetable and mango, again pretty flavorless. Carnitas tacos - these were OK, but I could get these down the street at a taco place, without the fuss. Service: Corporate, condescending, and simultaneously indifferent (to us as individuals) and pushy (server tried to max us out on food volume and drinks, in an unhelpful and unfriendly way) It's clear that management/ownership is forcing their servers to "guide" customers through what is a very simple menu that needs very little help with interpretation. The server also interrupted our conversation multiple times, to ask if everything was OK. This was intrusive, to say the least. Note to management/ownership: - Make the food consistently more flavorful, properly cooked and healthy, so that there is some real value in eating at La Brasa - Train your servers to be genuine and considerate, not automatons, who really care about the customers, and not just serving the corporate objective of running up customers' tabs with minimal effort. You might not care about how I feel, but there are many, many better restaurants, and those will be the ones I frequent. read more

The restaurant was alright. From the start it turned out to be a so so experience. We had a reservation and they told us that we had to wait since they were full. While waiting at the bar, there were so many tables open and I even told the host that there was a table open. We were told that there was someone going to sit there.... after 20 minutes.... guess where we sat? The same table that I told them that was open for 20 minutes.... then came the food. Over priced food with little portions. We ordered the tacos and the meat looked like it wasn't even cooked properly... we also ordered the rice and it was alright. It did appear that they were in a rush as we still had half the rice left and someone came and asked if we were done with the rice... like really? read more

The service is great. The food is amazing. The El Narciso cocktail has a nice kick without being too spicy. I couldn't stop thinking about how great the food was, so I emailed the restaurant to ask some questions about the ingredients. The general manager replied quickly with detailed answers. read more

Thanks to Uber pool, it wasn't as much of a hike out here as I would have thought! Placed in a less gentrified, more local-Boston-feeling area of town, La Brasa is a spacious and laid-back dining option that delivers good food at a price that might feel a teensy bit high. The hostess was reading a novel at her stand (way to use your time well haha), but immediately noticed us walk in and promptly took us to an open table. The waitress was relaxed and friendly. We ordered the steak and eggs breakfast and the banana oven-baked pancake. Both were really enjoyable. We also had OJ and some coco chai tea that was served in a pot, so it made about two and a half cups. The environment is a rustic modern Southwestern vibe, not too loud and not too crowded. We had a gift card, so our meal felt like a steal. If we had payed full price, I think I would have felt it was a smidge expensive for what we got. read more

My 600th review! I love La Brasa. The food is amazing and the service is impeccable. I really like to try lots of different things, and the menu really allows for that. There was nothing I didn't like. I also love the support for local artists. One Sunday we went in and enjoyed brunch and browsed the vendors set up in the main dining room. I bought some fantastic prints and earrings, and there were snacks and antiques as well. Looking forward to another weekend market soon! read more

To be completely honest, this place was okay to say the least. I recently went to La Brasa this past weekend to celebrate a special occasion with my boyfriend. The ambience and feel of the place was average nothing really special stood out. The food in my opinion is over-priced considering the fact that the tacos and starters are only enough to feed one person and the same goes for "From the Wood Grill" section of the menu. It was very disappointing that the there are NO sides served at all! The place is very "hipster" in my opinion and the music being played in the background seemed like what you would hear at a bar not a restaurant. I am sorry to I don't think I would come here again. read more

I love Labrasa! The food, drinks, and atmosphere are exactly what I need some nights. We have been going in during the pandemic and the team has done an incredible job making everyone feel comfortable and safe!! read more

I took a friend to a birthday dinner here last night. The mango margarita was very tasty, the service was friendly, and the squash quesadilla was delicious and even healthy-tasting. They were happy to let us hang out at the table for quite a while. They even brought over a free drink for her birthday. The only thing I did not enjoy were the espresso martinis. We had them for dessert and they were oddly spicy and not enjoyable. Overall, the vibe and service were great and I would go back. read more

How have I not reviewed La Brasa yet? It's certainly become my a neighborhood favorite. And if I didn't live close by, I'd still make my way here, because it's awesome. We've been for dinner a number of times, and also for brunch too. I love a good brunch, and this is hands down the best brunch in the area in my book. Let's start with that. Lots of good brunch cocktail options, featuring my favorite: the bloody Maria! Also, amazing coffee. They take coffee seriously, and I appreciate it because you can't get REALLY good coffee at most breakfast places. I love that it's not just an afterthought. My go to is the eggs benedict, and the eggs benny with bentons ham is pretty perfect. Creamy light hollandaise sauce, runny eggs, chewy english muffin and thinned sliced salty cured ham. I think I'll have a hard time ordering anything else. I ordered a side of potatoes last week, and it was enough to share, but I opted not to share with my husband because I'm a jerk. They were perfectly crunchy/salty home fries, and came with a little jar of ketchup. If you like sweet brunch treat, or if you're easily swayed to order them for a brunch dessert like we are (good tip, Shyne!) get the brioche french toast with ricotta & bourbon-vanilla oranges. They are hands down the best french toast, sweet without being overwhelming. Also delicious things we're tried: the local oysters are huge and fresh, and I love a good mignonette, which La Brasa delivers. I ordered the barbecued beef brisket with charred green tomatillo barbeque sauce and enjoyed it. The brisket is also on the dinner menu. It was a large portion, and was great as leftovers in tacos. Jesse got the corned beef hash last week, and it was enjoyed thoroughly. The side of bacon is thick sliced decadence, and it's got a deliciously smoky flavor. Pro tip: buy some from the market and you can make your whole house smell that delicious for days, so much so that you'll walk in after work and wonder why your house smells like a camp fire. Maybe that's just me. The ambiance for bunch is great with some live music, and really, if you're waiting in line somewhere else, you're wasting your life on a (most likely) substandard brunch. Do yourself a favor and head here. There's no other brunch that will be better. Prices are reasonable, with eggs benny being $9, and you're getting something you can't make easily at home, which I can't say about a lot of the other brunches in Somerville. Onward to dinner! Appetizers I've tried were all good, I've enjoyed the artisanal cheese plate, the pickled eggs (both quail and chicken) and the pork shoulder tacos, and need to get on ordering the Benton ham. I've been twice, and both times we went sort of family style. Highlights were the la brasa fried chicken with escargot- brown butter vinaigrette, parsley & fresh horseradish, a hanger steak special (this was my favorite so far!), and the skirt steak marinated in soy with snap peas, baby lettuces, with salmon roe. Sides I've shared have all been great-the Mexican fried rice was really different and fun, if you love root veggies, the turnip special was delicious, the carrots in mole sauce are a fun option. Drinks are always changing and everything I've tried as been tasty and interesting. Desserts are fun and simple, and everything I've tried as been tasty. I've tried some chocolate pudding that was a special when they first opened, and look forward to trying the butterscotch pudding. I often go for the affogato, since I'm a sucker for both ice cream and espresso. I tried a bite of the three cheese cheesecake featured right now and it was smooth and delicious, with delicious stone fruit on top. The atmosphere is great, and I love the open kitchen and being able to see the grill. I love the details (tractor seats for bar stools, reclaimed wood on the walls and benches) is the service. The service is truly top notch, and the waitstaff is really focused on making sure you have a great dining experience. I can't think of a time when I've had nicer experiences, and the experiences on the same level are at places that are much more expensive and those generally tend to be less fun. I also love the use of local farms and products that they love, many of which you can buy at the market. Also, I love the market in general. There's great stuff you can buy that will help supplement if you don't want to go to the grocery store, like that amazing bacon, local milk products and cheeses, and fresh fruit. La Brasa: Welcome to East Somerville, we're so happy to have you! read more

La Brasa - Perfect brunch! - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Since learning of the arrival of this restaurant, I felt like there was a ton of anticipation (and expectations) that came along with it. Not only by me, but within the Boston dining community. Kind of like when Jackie Bradley Jr was coming up for his first year with the Sox. Hype that is hard to live up to. So, in stepping in on its first Friday night in existence, I walked in with those expectations for a late meal (~10 PM) to see if it could live up to the hype. I am happy to report that it indeed does live up to the hype and then some. You can smell the wood-fired goodness from outside as you approach the restaurant on Broadway. It is about a 10 minute walk from the Sullivan Square T stop, though some street parking is available as well. At the time of this review, there is a lot of road construction on Broadway, so I'd probably suggest walking from Sullivan or taking the bus. Enter the restaurant via the brightly colored mosaic of wood which frames the entrance. For a later dining hour, the place was still about 1/2 full and the bar area, which is quite sizable, was completely occupied. The hostess seated us with the drink menus and informed us that the server would follow up with the dinner menus. While we were seated, you couldn't help but notice the abundance of wood to create the space. The second extremely notable characteristic is the open kitchen, a bold move which I always appreciate. Given the grilled nature of the menu, I must commend them on the excellent ventilation, as the dining area gets merely a waft of it. The drink list included a handful of cocktails, a few wines by the glass, and a few beers. While a smaller drink selection, there is definitely something for everyone. I chose an Italian white wine that I rarely see on menus, Verdicchio. My dining companion chose one of the cocktails, settling on the Malmsey Cobbler. He raved about it and upon sampling it, the easiest way to describe it is a sangria made with Madeira wine. After getting a chance to review the menu, we asked about how the sizing of the plates worked, as the pricing suggested that they might be small plates. Our friendly server suggested that we each order and entree with the idea of sharing them and each order a side. We had already decided on one of their "snacks", so we ended up ordering two entrees, a vegetable side, and a snack. For us that was the perfect amount of food. For a snack, we started with the Benton's ham which came with a ginger chutney and toasts. The sweet and salty combination was divine. If you've never had a Benton's pig product, do yourself a favor and order it. The place puts out ridiculous stuff. For a vegetable side, we chose the Mexican fried rice, which came with spring beans, charred scallions, and radishes. Our server mentioned that our entrees and side may come out shotgun style --- when it is ready you will get it. Our rice came out first, but we saw both of our entrees arrive together a few minutes later. The Mexican fried rice, in a night of standouts, was for me my favorite item. The rice had a rich taste to it, the radishes had been mellowed out by cooking and the charred scallions added a nice smoky taste. For our mains, we both loved what we ordered. We sampled each others, but since we each liked our own dishes so much, the small plates they give you for sharing weren't really used. I ordered the harissa grilled chicken with Greek yogurt and broccolini. It was moist grilled chicken paired with a cool Greek yogurt that was spiked with mint. My fellow diner ordered the grilled black bass. It was a large piece of fish (head included), but again perfectly cooked and the skin had a great flavor to it. We left thinking what a wonderful addition to the neighborhood this was. I am certain that this place will be quite popular as people are aware it has opened. They do allow for reservations via their website. I suspect that will be the only way to secure a table. Either that or show up for a later meal as we did. Thank you for living up to the hype! I can't wait to go back! read more

La Brasa - Grilled black bass with some greens on the side. Excellent dish. - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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It's an automatic 5 star review when every first bite of food you have from each dish makes both you & your dining partner's eyes bug out of your heads. Literally - every single time. There is no denying that this place is hipster central in terms of ambience & service. The service is not bad - on the contrary, it's quite good. It's just...hipstery. From the jean-material full body aprons to the explanation of the "mission" behind the restaurant, it was self-indulgent and well done. The decor is undeniably beautiful. My friend who has lived in the east village for close to 10 years said she instantly felt like she was in Brooklyn. Many dishes simply sound weird. Like - really? I'm going to like that? But trust me - you will. And DO NOT skip the bread service. Ugh the bread was SO GOOD. The portions are perfect for sharing - we (2 people) got 1 snack, 1 vegetable, 1 medium plate, and 1 entree plate + bread service and two desserts, and I was stuffed by the end. That + 3 drinks = $110. Pretty damn reasonable for this quality and amount of food if you ask me. We ate, and completely devoured and loved every bite of: -La Brasa fried dough (I wish I was eating more of this right now) -Ceviche arctic char with buttermilk mustard seed dressing, vin & fennel (whaaaaaat) -Roasted carrots with mole & sesame (mole sauce on the spicy side, second best I've ever had - the first was in mexico) -Fire roasted hangar steak with diff root veggie chunks & purees spread around the plate, and bone marrow bread. BONE MARROW BREAD. It was like the best little butter savory cake...BONE MARROW CAKE...my head is spinning trying to translate the deliciousness of that little circle of food into words. Desserts - coconut tapioca w. ginger, and THE BEST FUCKING FLAN IN THE UNIVERSE. If you leave this place without eating it, you're an idiot, and I'm not sorry for saying so. If I had to criticize anything it would be that the location is a little out of the way, the bathrooms are about a half mile outside of the restaurant, and I thought the tapioca could have been more coconutty. Yes, those were my only issues, and I really don't give a crap about them. I will absolutely be back here (they say the menu changes ~weekly) and will be recommending it to many. Way to go Daniel & Frank. Now, gotta try L'Espalier... read more

I went to La Brasa for my birthday dinner with a couple of friends last weekend. I had never been, but I was drawn to the restaurants aesthetic and was tempted to check it out. I am glad that "I judged the book by its cover." All of the food was DELICIOUS. My favorite pick from my selections was the loaded sweet potato -- it was phenomenal the blending of flavors were exquisite. I am also a lover of flan and was pleased by the texture and taste of theirs. I will definitely be going back for more. read more

La Brasa - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I won't be returning. The food was too salty. Sent it back, came back still too salty. We were told it would be taken off the bill. It wasn't. Bad experience. Quite frankly everything about this place seemed like it was prepared with fashion and current trends in mind. This is not food by or for people who actually care about food. Plus the place is a good size, yet the tables were so close together that the girl behind me kept slamming her chair into mine and there was no room to excuse myself without asking someone at the next table to get up and let me through. In short this place from food to decor is set up to be trendy IMO. Unfinished driftwood-style walls and tables. Exposed ventilation shafts and pipes. Warehouse-style windows and lighting. Food over-salted, over-sugared, over-pureed, over-cheesed. Small portions. Basically this is a hipster trap to charge way too much for not good enough. The wait staff were nice. If you're reading this sorry for the shitty review. read more

I had no idea I was on a search, but alas I was. La Brasa is my new favorite restaurant in the Boston area. The entrees (meat) are out of this world. Just go. As soon as you can. read more

La Brasa - La Brasa - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

As someone who frequents La Brasa with the regularity I do, I'm a little embarrassed to have taken this long to write a proper review. My only explanation is that the consistent quality both of the market and restaurant make it all too easy to prioritize indulging in the experience over writing about it on the internet. But in the spirit of being better late than never, let me enumerate what keeps drawing me back to what I feel is one of the coolest new spots to have opened in Somerville this past year. Let's start with the market, a distinguishing feature of La Brasa. Though a little modest in selection - something I attribute to it being an emerging concept - the things they do carry I no longer pick up from the traditional grocery store. Why? Well for one, they do an excellent job of offering food that is locally sourced. Two, they are sometimes able to offer fresh and unique features crafted by the kitchen brigade, such as the made-in-house sausages. But moreover, by coupling a market with a restaurant, inventory is less likely to be wasted making it a fitful choice for the sustainability-minded. The market doesn't end here though, as they also feature some of the best coffee I've had in Boston. I roast and brew my own coffee at home and take the craft very seriously, all I can say is between the exclusive use of the beans from local roaster, Gracenote Coffee, and the highly capable team of baristas, La Brasa has me beat and I gladly accept the defeat. As for the food, all I can say is that I eat here for lunch all the time and they consistently hit the high mark. The carnitas tacos are a thing of culinary bliss. The potato and chorizo quesadilla topped with egg, exquisite. As for the dinner options and cocktail features of the restaurant, all I can say is that when I'm looking to share an impressive meal and experience with friends, La Brasa is a no-brainer destination. Every meal I've had has been of an impressive quality and it's not uncommon for friends of mine to pester me about going back after they've had their first meal here. They do a solid job of keeping the menu fresh while always staying true to classics. The roasted carrots in the mole sauce is a classic and the fire roasted steak, when available, always finds its way onto my plate. But what ties everything together for La Brasa, in my opinion, are the excellent people and the tasteful ambience. The staff is genuine, fun, and vested in your experience. The atmosphere is relaxed, open, and classy. In short, a progressive establishment that's not afraid to think outside the box and which excels in bridging together a variety of traits with creativity and poise. read more

My boyfriend and I had been dying to try this new spot since it first opened just down the street from his apartment. He surprised me on my birthday and brought me here for what we both expected would be a fabulous meal. The staff was kind enough to honor his request of a nice table, and they sat us in the corner with a nice view out the windows and of the kitchen. Our waitress was warm, sociable and easy to talk to. We ordered a bottle of wine and then proceeded to order a few plates before deciding on our main courses. There was a special of pork belly with soba noodles and charred cabbage so we ordered that along with the Mexican fried rice and pork tacos. Everything came out almost too fast and when we got down to eating it, everything was bland and under seasoned. None of the food had any distinct flavors that I can remember, and the rice was on the greasy side. The pork tacos had that bad "pork-y" sort of taste to them - the flavor pork should not actually have. The brisket was just okay, the sauce it was smothered in tasted like Chef Boyardee sauce and the best part of the pork sandwich was the bread. They gave us a free cheesecake to celebrate my birthday but that was also not very good. Overall, we were extremely disappointed and underwhelmed. We were hoping to love it here and become regulars. The food was just awful and had no flavor. The restaurant is nice inside and has potential, but the food will need major improvements. read more

We had dinner here Saturday night. My son made reservations for 8 but we ended up just 5. The server seemed to have a little attitude, not sure if it was because she was expecting more at the table or if that was her normal demeanor. It took a while to get our drink orders in, she kept wondering off. The same for our food order. When we did get our drinks they were week and mostly ice. The whole "good vibe" dining experience we like to have when we eat out was not there. Our Son and Daughter-in-law had eaten here before and kept telling us how good the food was so we focused on the menu and tried to pick out a few small dishes for the table. We ordered a few bread dishes and three of the butters/spreads to go with it. To our disappointment the bread was not much more than toasted hamburger buns and the butters were nothing special and way over priced for what they were. We ordered some pork tacos. They were small and the tortilla was soggy. The dozen oysters we ordered were blah, no cocktail sauce or crackers and were $3.00 each. We gave the outrageously priced chicken wings, at $4.00 each, a try. They were good but not $4.00 worth. The server went on and on about the dry aged T-bone steak, considering the small portions of the shared plates and the fact that my husband loves a good steak we decided to try it. We originally were going to order 2 T-bones but a few of our party decided to get the fried rice and the empanada so we decided one would be enough. The server said that it would serve 2-3 people and then said to our son "is the 28oz ok?" Without ever disclosing the MARKET PRICE. She said it so matter of fact that our son just said "yes. Mistake!!!! The steak came out looking much smaller than we expected. It was pre sliced into about 5-6 slices down the strip side. The 3 middle slices were about 1 1/2 " long, not even 1/2" wide and the steak was barely an inch thick. The end slices were smaller in length, down to just one bite size. There was just a small bite size piece on the tenderloin side of the T-bone that had not been cut away from the bone so my husband went to slice it off the bone and hit bone under the whole piece. So he took one of the middle slices and the two smaller ones next to it from the strip side. He had to ask for salt & pepper, none on the table. Once he got his seasoning he anticipated a great aged steak bite but he was sorely disappointed to bite into a mouthful of grizzle. He tried a few more bites and gave up leaving the rest on his plate. This all was a disappointing but the worst was yet to come, the check. When he got the check he asked everyone "what did we get 28 of ?" We were puzzled until my son and I remembered the server asking if the 28oz steak would be "ok". My husband then told us that that steak was $98.00. All of us were shocked. You can go to the best steak house anywhere and not spend that much, have white tablecloths, a professional server, wonderful ambiance and a great bread basket on the house. My husband loves good food and is not shy when it comes to paying for an expensive meal and leaving a very good tip. He never complains, even when he gets a mouthful of grizzle, but this was over the top. He got the servers attention and questioned her about the charge. She just replied, in her same attitude as before that, "that was the MARKET PRICE". So he asked her if she had a lot of customers complain about the outrageous charge or was it just us. Her reply was "yes, but that was what we ordered and that was what it cost". And "would we like to speak to the manager ? " by then we could see we were in a no win situation and speaking to the manager would only frustrate us more. We left and will never go back again !!!!!!! read more

Wicked quick review of Boston 5 of 5: As you would expect from its name, grilling is king at La Brasa. With food sourced from New England farms and purveyors, La Brasa aims "to produce a top-tier, casual culinary experience" that evokes happy feelings of dining with family and friends around a backyard BBQ or camp fire. OK, but my family never grilled food like this. Just burgers, wieners, and s'mores on a small hibachi. Here you get things like Long Island duck grilled to a perfect done-ness served with pickled maitake mushrooms, ramps, and black garlic. The little piece my wife was willing to share with me was delicious. My strip sirloin was served medium-rare as requested with a tlatlaquitepec mole, masa, broccolini, and charred onions. GOOD! I can't tell you what was in the mole, but it absolutely made the dish. After I had eaten the rather modest portion of meat (I wanted s'more), I was still mopping up the mole with the broccolini, and spooning it up with the masa so good it was. We tried the bread with ash butter, and romesco; and the Mexican fried rice as accompaniments. The "ash" in the ash butter is the leavings of grilled vegetables. Expecting a burnt, bitter taste, I could hardly detect the flavor it imparted to the butter. The robust romesco and Mexican fried rice were more to my liking. We'd come again to see what other creations chef/owner Daniel Bojorquez has conjured up. Aloha 'oe Beantown. It was fun. A hui hou. read more

Hoped for more. We ended up getting a reservation last minute on a Friday night. The restaurant was lively - lots of people and music rather loud. Loved the casual decor. We were a few minutes early but were seated right away. Menu was small. There were 2 in our party and we ordered 2 tacos, kale salad, smashed potatoes and sirloin. Decent quantity of food for us and we have hearty appetites. Loved the tacos and kale salad but was completely underwhelmed by the potatoes and sirloin, and they were pricy dishes. Potatoes lacked flavor and the although the sirloin was cooked perfectly I did not care for the seasonings. Drinks were ok but not memorable. Service was slow. We sat for a while waiting for our food and then all 4 dishes came within 5 minutes. I was also hoping to order a second drink but by the time the waiter returned all our food was gone and I was ready to leave. Unfortunately nothing on the dessert menu appealed. We might give it a second shot but we're not in a rush to return. Other great, less expensive spots in the area that we prefer. read more

I do feel a little guilty writing what will be a not-so-great review because La Brasa was kind enough to not charge us a penny for what was a terrible meal. I realize they didnt have to do this and it was very much appreciated. Let's start with the positives. First, the decor is beautiful. I love the earthy, organic feel of the space. I got the impression that the tables were made of reclaimed wood, which is both aesthetically pleasing, but also great for the environment. All in all its a really relaxing, comfortable, yet cool vibe. Another positive was the service. I thought it was fair and I could forgive our waitress for a few shortcomings given the fact the place is brand new. What really bothered me most, however, was the food. This was an overwhelmingly bad experience, I'm talking like half of a star quality. The only saving grace was the shaved ham and chutney plate that we had as an appetizer. The ham was incredibly salty, but the flavor was well balanced by the sweet notes of the chutney. My only request for this dish would be more crostini. After this appetizer the meal steadily declined in quality. We tried the special of the night, which was listed as "Wild Boar Sandwich." There was no description on the menu and the waitress didn't offer any details either. When the plate arrived it was a huge piece of greasy fried boar on a bun. The meat was so chewy that you had to gnaw on it just to get a bite. To add to that, the meat itself was completely void of flavor. I could not belive that this was the special of the night. The next dish we ordered was the lamb saddle. Oh wow. Just a horrific mess. There was one tiny piece of lamb tenderloin encased by a huge strip of grizzle, and I mean pure lamb fat. It was served over grains which were actually quite tasty, but for a 20 dollar dish? It just wasnt worth it. I think the presentation was creative, but the dish was sadly overwhelmed by poor preparation of what seems to be a difficult cut of meat. Just bad. I hope La Brasa gets its menu together and refines its dishes as I do love the atmosphere and would want to come back. I have read rave reviews about the drinks, but did not try any while at dinner. I think the food is just as important, if not more, than the beverages and man does it need some work. read more

La Brasa - grizzle around the lamb saddle - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Overpriced everything! Rude staff. Food... eh. AVOID. Should have known ....the place was almost empty on a Friday ngiht at 6pm.