Came to Esmai's for an early dinner with my boyfriend and sat on the outdoor rooftop (we made a…read morereservation). The Highlights: Blush Hour cocktail & Shrimp baos: Easily a 10/10! Absolute must-trys. Calamari: Pretty good, but the sauce really made the dish. The Misses: The Pasta (2/10): Neither of us enjoyed this. The sauce was very watery and lacked flavor--it seemed like it relied on meat juices for flavor, but it just didn't work. Smash Burger: Just an average burger. Hard to mess up, but nothing to write home about. Vibe & Service: The rooftop ambience was nice with staff playing music on a speaker. Wait-staff were very attentive! A huge plus was the owner coming out to check on tables and joke around with guests! Note on space: Upstairs indoor seating seems okay for private events (there was a bridal shower happening while we were there), and downstairs has a classic sit-down/bar feel. Verdict: Total came out to $171 (including tip) for 4 drinks, calamari, baos, pasta, and a burger. If we return, we'd definitely stick to drinks, shrimp baos, and hanging out downstairs!

Another place that I have passed in Coolidge corner a bunch of times when I'm in the area. Esmai's…read morequietly opened up a year or two ago and I was always wondering what was inside. From just looking inside it looks like a very nice American bar and restaurant. For a space in Coolidge corner, it is definitely one of the biggest restaurants in the area since FuGakyu is closed (The OG ). It has two floors as well as a patio space they recently opened. This is an asian fusion restaurant with more emphasis on the americanized side if that makes sense? The patio area was so nice especially once it cools down in the evening with a nice view of brookline. The staff were great at bringing everything and making the food and drinks the focus rather than themselves. The menu is kind of small but mighty with a lot of delicious options. You can choose from salad to a ban mih to pasta to curry to a Hawaiian dish,loco moco! The drinks, though pretty small in size, are all really interesting combos. I got the extra 99 which had scallion, oolong and szechuan pepper infused oil. It was such an interesting savory taste.. One of my friends said it reminded her of the smell of ramen.The Loco moco was delicious. I'm not sure why I thought it would be a burger but it essentially was but just swap the buns for rice. I'm not a fan of egg but it was perfectly balanced with the egg and beef patty. They do have a couple of GF options YAY but apart from the two entree items on their brunch menu it's essentially veggies, fruit and salad. The brunch menu looks delicious so I would definitely come back to try it out. $$ Food 8 Atmosphere 8 Service 7 Loco Moco Extra 99 Blush hour Chateau spritz Summer thyme You can sip with is

Great vibes here! Went here to play chess and loved the ambiance. It was $10 to play and then they…read morehad snacks and coffee/tea for purchase.

Was looking for late night milkshakes and happened to stumble upon this place, a board game cafe!…read more Didn't know what to expect coming in, but quickly learned you basically pay to play unlimited games. Since you do have to pay a game fee, I suggest making a night out of it to get your moneys worth. They have all the board games you can imagine, and then some...card games, two player games, etc. Everything is categorized so you can navigate pretty easily. They even have a suggestions board if like us, you don't know what to play. We came pretty late so only stayed a little over an hour...but we got our milkshakes so it was worth it. Actual place is open late some nights but they seem to stop serving food/drinks beforehand, so keep that in mind. Honestly we had fun and this is a chill way to spend a night out.

I came here on a Sunday afternoon to have a drink and do a bit of work. The ambience is super cute…read morewith quiet and calm music playing. Their displays care charming and handwritten, giving the vibe of a mom and pop coffee shop. Which... I think they are! Not a chain as far as I can tell. When I went up to the counter, it took a moment to get service because the clerk was texting, but she put down her phone within a few seconds to take care of our order. Unfortunately, frequent table maintenance doesn't happen often here, so our table required a bit of TLC. And while it's not the staff's fault, the two people eating at the table next to us left quite a mess on the seat and table. However, the staff quickly took care of it when asked. My iced coffee with one pump of chocolate was delicious, but most of the chocolate pooled on the bottom because it wasn't stirred properly when made, meaning I had to do most of the work myself. Overall, I love the vibe of this place, but a few tweaks could make the food and service truly exceptional!

Shall we just kick back and enjoy life. What's not to love…read moreas we find ourselves?! What's not to love ? Let's find some love? Will you aid me ? Let the joys of another day be yours. Are you looking for "just coffee"'! Perhaps some tea or juice it can be started here. This basic idea of coffee and tea with great eats in a nutshell. Looking for that special place to study or get life into the right place. Here we go . Let's get everything into place mentally . After a great cup of coffee we are off to reality. Now the food hits in . Try the chicken sandwich it's delicious . Needing that place to work or study. Are we meeting up with friends or family to celebrate that next best thing. This is the place to be . Love and light carry us to the next best thing. We need the joys of coffee and all its glory to perk us to perfection . Either iced or hot the coffee comes from a great press and it's endless. I can feel its effects right now. Let's work out the life expectancy and cycle of joy. Thank you to the staff for making our lives more meaningful and engaging.

The milk drinking chocolate is out of this world. Smooth, creamy, delish!!!…read more The first time I had it, I joked that I'd be back in 5 minutes for a second cup. Ha! No joke. I came right back. Dear Mr. or Mrs. LA Burdick, please send a location to LA!

When I visited my kid in Cambridge during my spring break, the conversation somehow turned to LA…read moreBurdick. And since I've never visited one before, I was all in. Coming here ended up being exactly what we needed: a warm, cozy spot and a really solid cup of hot chocolate. L.A. has a comfortable setup with a small dine-in area- and, it wasn't even busy when we came here which made it even nicer. There's a whole section for chocolate truffles filled with interesting sounding flavors- I'll come back to this in a second. There's an island in the middle stocked with gift items and other treats and the ordering counter has pastries and sweets. Out croissant was perfect for sharing and filled nicely with Nutella. While everything looked great, the chocolate truffles didn't quite hit the mark for me. I know the gourmet truffles I'm used and these aren't it for me..... that's just me. These didn't feel as rich or substantial in flavor as I was expecting. But listen....I'll come back with my kid ASAP for a hot chocolate!

Wow! This place is a hidden gem. They offer an incredible variety of fresh, high-quality options. I…read moreloved that they had both savory and sweet selections, so there's something for everyone. There's also a cute seating area if you want to enjoy your food there, and the convenient 15-minute parking right outside makes stopping by super easy if you're driving. I'll definitely be back!

What a great bakery to stop by in Coolidge Corner. There was constantly people popping in and out…read moreso you can tell it's a crowd favorite. I came here with 2 friends to work from home and we had a great time! I can attest it's a solid spot to WFH. They have one large (more communal) table which is where we sat, as well as a handful for 2 seaters for folks to either sit alone or across from a friend. Clearly a lot of people come here to WFH, but you can't blame them. The WiFi is free and we didn't experience any disruptions, there's great lighting in addition to the natural light from their floor to ceiling glass walls, and the music is so good here. They were playing all 2010s indie, pop, and alternative hits. We all loved it. I ordered a decaf iced latte with Carmel and it was delicious! A bit on the pricey side, but it is what it is. :) My friends got a sandwich and also tried their coffee and really liked it too. We will be back!

My partner and I shared an almond croissant -…read more TASTE: 4/5 - good combo of sweet and buttery TEXTURE: 5/5 - crisp, flaky crust and the dough inside was extra soft and fluffy. Twas very enjoyable PRICE: 4/5 - paid $6 SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - satisfied our post-lunch dessert craving SERVICE: 4/5 - walked in at 1:30pm on a Sunday and a couple folks were seated. The croissant was brought to our table in 5min ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - mostly bare inside w a few tables/seats PARKING: 4/5 - got a street spot near Harvard St x Foster St

Unfortunately permanently closed over the holidays as the owners sold it on Dec. 30th, 2025. They…read morewill focus on their original shop in Merrimack NH. But was excellent when they were around.

Cute small coffee shop with fresh pastries, say less!…read more Popped into this coffee shop recommended and visited frequently by my cousin, and I can see why! It was a breeze getting in and placing an order mid morning but there wasn't any seating available. We were on the move for the day so didn't stop us! Got a strawberry matcha and it was delicious. The perfect balance to enjoy a sweet but tart drink! It can be hit or miss with matcha and I was a hit. Went back twice while visiting this past weekend!

B&S is busy as ever and the new counter staff are working hard. Both the cashier and barista…read moremanaged to process a 10persom wait line with efficiency. What an improvement over the Summer staff. The entryway line is still a mass of confusion. But settles itself with no staff directions to step aside or firm a line. Maybe gives them a break with the ordering customers shuffling with waiting ones. Really the only thing that needs improvement are the coffee lid fitting the cups. Their purchase of cheap hot cup lids is a constant problem. You can't walk 20feet without liquid oozing out of some misfit edge. No matter how many times you remove and replace the cover, it leaks out the side of the cup. Like a drip in a kitchen sink faucet that needs a washer. Always a mess and hand wash after.

I am a coffee addict and a seasoned Brookliner, so I was super excited to try Clear Flour. First…read moreoff, the service was exceptional, and it was refreshing to see a cafe that operates efficiently; where all employees genuinely care about each other and the functionality of the business. Everybody was working together and had a great attitude. My friend and I ordered the seasonal Blueberry Pancake iced latte, and it was pretty good! It had a strong blueberry flavor, and tasted more like a blueberry milkshake rather than espresso, but it was still really good! I would love to try their other flavors sometime. We sat outside since it was a nice summer day outside and enjoyed the views of Brookline's greenery. I will be back!

I LOVE this place!! I feel so insanely fortunate that my office is within walking distance because…read moreit truly is my favorite part of the day. Everyone is kind, makes incredible recommendations, answers questions, and moves quickly. I LOVE the Bahn Mi sandwich (such a random incredible thing) and their seasonal lattes are always exceptional. I could drink their dirty chai lattes every day. Yes - be prepared there may be a line but I will give my business to them over a major chain ANY time! Such an incredible gem of a local business!

Japonaise is a super cute Asian bakery…read more They have a variety of traditional Asian breads, and you can customize the filling as well.

A great place to check out on Beacon Street! They have incredible bakery items with super cute…read morepastries and cakes! Everything seems to be delicious and is absolutely worth checking out if in the area!

Cute smoothie bowl / dessert place with seating. We got the açaí overload which was quite good-…read moredense, not too sweet (they were out of agave which was fine by us). Love the fun colors and vibe of the store. The person at the cash register wasn't super friendly but it was just fine. Hit the spot.

Came here for the first time last night and was pleasantly surprised. They had a special discounted…read moreacai bowl that my friends enjoyed, but I opted for the Blue Lagoon bowl. It had fresh blueberries and was super filling. The service is friendly and the space is bright and clean, making Bare Blends a good stop for some nutritious and yummy bowls and smoothies!