Trade is an awesome new restaurant and a great addition to downtown/seaport area. It's in a gorgeous building on Atlantic Ave and they did an amazing job with the inside. It has really high, exposed brick ceilings, tall windows surrounding the restaurant, and a really modern feel throughout. We headed to Trade for an early Saturday dinner before going to a comedy show. There were 7 of us which was good because the menu is catered towards sharing. They have small plates and flat breads (and entrees as well). We ordered some flat breads - the mushroom, fig, pesto, and arugula was amazing! We also got some other small plates that were all great. Favorites were the avocado chutney, fried dough with prosciutto, and potatoes. Our server, Kyle, was also fantastic. We told him we were on a bit of a time line to make the show and so he made sure to get everything out quickly. He also gave some great recommendations. I will definitely be back to Trade! read more

Nice place for lunch especially on weekends when the area is less packed. Generally folks who disliked this place had two basic issues: price or service. If you are price sensitive leave town; Boston restaurants for the most part have become increasingly expensive with little signs the trend will slow. As for service once the unemployment rate drops to around 5% you can unfortunately expect service issues as places scramble for talent. My take on Trade is: Food: All our dishes including the flat bread pizza were excellent. I thought they did an especially laudable job with the calamari and Brussels sprouts. I had a terrific mixed berry sorbet for dessert. A Atmosphere: Bright and light with plenty of room between tables. A Service: The service was good; not exceptional but sound. B+ Price: As expected a rather high for a simple lunch but "mirror mirror on the wall I am my father after all" so like my father before me I tend to relate prices back to 1982 and complain about why things cost so much today. B+ Overall a nice experience. read more

I found Trade to be very lackluster. The whole time I was there I was hoping to trade my table for one at Smith and Wollenksy. The waiter stated that the menu was centered around sharing. Only the burrata seemed to actually geared towards that ideal. I ordered the Trade Burger. This is a plate of fries with a small side of beef. Allegedly there was pancetta included. I couldn't tell. I did notice that my side of hamburger patty was exceptionally greasy. For 16 bucks I expect way better then that. I could have gone elsewhere and done way better. The saving grace was the oyster and lobster cocktail. I enjoyed that. Aside from the food I had a real issue with the atmosphere. It was dark to the point that the actual lights in the place might as well have been turned off. It's also noisy as hell. I could barely hear anyone sitting a foot away. If you aren't a drinker, and don't drink soda you are S.O.L. You are stuck with water. Only the booze is listed on the menu so good luck playing the guessing game trying to get what you want. I have a feeling the place would just be better suited to being a full blown Bar for yuppies. As a restaurant I can't imagine anyone dying to come back for overpriced food. They should forget about trying to be some overreaching eatery and turn on the lights. read more

Glad I made this visit in from NY. Surprised to see the lukewarm reviews here. Trade is great! I'm a big Jody Adams fan and not to mention used to work at her flagship Rialto. Needless to say, Rialto is quite different being rustic Italian fare. Trade sorta might emulate that through their flatbread and I dunno small plates Mediterranean tapa thing but this is really more new American, eclectic. Honestly my dish, the duck breast with scallion pancake and sautéed Chinese greens was clearly, Asian inspired. It was delicious- well seared duck both breast and leg, with two not too greasy mini pancakes and flavorful Chinese broccoli well sautéed. There were also pieces of mandarin oranges which cut through the fat of the duck nicely. Had a glass of cab to drink. Pretty standard. My friend ordered a few small plates: the pomegranate / tahini roasted eggplant small plate was really interesting and tasty, a raddichio salad (pecans, goat cheese), and Sarah's bread which made have taken home the night. Crusty, toasted almost thick Texas toast but it was some kind of wheat. Not to mention it came with the most delectable freshly whipped sweet butter. She had a glass of the Riesling which I think she liked. We shared the baked Alaska for dessert which was a delicious coconut meringue- crusty, great cookie like texture with a lemon sorbet inside. It's supposed to be flambéed at the table (aw that would have been fun) but they can't due to fire hazards. Service was good- on time, prompt work waters. We had a 830 reservation and almost closed down the restaurant on a Tuesday night. Thankfully they didn't kick us out :) also- a great space with trendy, open decor fitting for the developing seaport area. read more

Love this place!! Such a great addition to Boston! It's been #3 on my top places to try list.. and I'm happy I finally went! Atmosphere: gorgeous. It's modern, funky, and elegant. The high ceilings are really something special. Service: Spot on. No issues. Food: deeeelicious. It's definitely a menu from around the world. I recommend sharing and not doing entrees. They have a lot of great small bites (tapas styled) and the flat breads are heavenly. I definitely recommend the lamb sausage flat bread. Everything else I tried was really yummy as well, so I honestly don't think you can go wrong. As far as apps go, I really like the chicken meatballs - very pleasantly surprised. Drinks: The cocktail menu was fantastic! I had this tequila grapefruit concoction and it was sooooo good (and strong!) Extra tip: $5 dollars to park at the 280 congress st parking garage (validated at trade). Who knew?? read more

Trade is fun, fancy "enough" but still laid-back, high-quality food and great service. Best for evening drinks with appetizers or maybe a family dinner. Food - Love the flatbreads, though one complaint that they're a bit dry sometimes (very little sauce). The eggplant/lamb with yogurt drizzle is my fave. All of the side dishes have been fantastic - definitely a "twist" on everything versus the plain-old... their sauteed greens will be sure to make you finish your veggies! The baked rigatoni is amazing, and the portion is enough for two meals when you get it with a side. One miss - the seafood stew. It's thin, and the flavors of coconut, cilantro, jalapeno and lemongrass JUST DON'T GO. (Sorry.) Baked Alaska was light, sweet, and incredible. Service - super friendly and professional. Can be slow when it's really busy but generally to be commended. Drinks - expensive but good to sip on. in addition to the cocktails i'm a huge fan of the flavored (unsweetened) iced teas. Atmosphere - depends when you go. Can feel quiet and desolate around 5pm, but hustlin' and bustlin' at 8 on a Thursday. read more

It's easy to get lost in the aesthetics of Trade, a colorful swirl of beautiful spaces and beautiful faces, all looking to see and be seen, arrayed inside an old public works building with a groovy curved brick ceiling and a host of other industrial interior features. The acoustics make the loud music and the lively conversations reverberate in an occasionally deafening echo. The food was gorgeously presented as well, and our hungry foursome, eager to share and experiment, summoned a wide range of dishes allowing for a solid survey of the menu. First up was the roasted broccoli with harissa aioli and toasted hazelnut, a extravagant concoction so sweet and rich one dining companion likened it to a dessert. (Which didn't stop us from having an actual dessert...more on that below). Other offerings featuring a roasted vegetable didn't hold up as well: the sweet potato "fries" were too thick and not crisp or well-seasoned enough to be interesting, and the dukkah, cilantro and lemon aioli made for a colorful and intriguing plate but a generally bland taste. The Brussels Sprouts weren't cooked down enough, and the dusting of five-spice and gomashio didn't really light up our night. At the other end of the spectrum were the plump chicken meatballs with smoked corn, charred tomato vinaigrette and pine nuts, gourmet comfort food with a nice tangy finish. We also loved the creamy, nutty, and sweet composition of local burrata, toasted almonds, caramelized shallot and grape jam. The flatbread had a nice, evenly-textured crust and a delicious combination of bacon with goat cheese, squash and pecans, topped with a tangle of wilted greens to make it more interesting (and healthy). Trade's piece de resistance was the scrumptious dessert, a large scoop of ginger ice cream with a homemade brownie and chili-chocolate sauce. Good to the very last, nearly-melted, semi-spicy drop. read more

Hi, do you have a moment to talk about BAM just kidding, you thought I was a door-to-door evangelist, but actually you're reading a restaurant review on social media. How'd I pull off that illusion? Extensive prosthetics and years of formal dance training. Anyway, Trade is pretty baller and so are you for reading about it. If you're like me, and I know you are, you think everything is better when you add fire. That's why the pizza oven is the headlining band of Trade's flavorpalooza. Every perfectly crispy and chewy flatbread goes in there, as well as some of the entrees (baked ziti with lamb ragu, please be my Valentine) and even a dessert or two. It's right behind the bar, so forget the plebs who need a traditional table and grab a tall, comfy chair for maximum incendiary observation. Oh yeah, drinks! Every place in Boston is upping its game on the cocktail front, and Trade is no exception. Their list changes seasonally, and the Trust Your Bartender weekly, so go in during the winter for a Sweater Season and close your eyes. Now you are living in a Yankee Candle, so, you know, you're welcome. If beer is more your groove thang, then they've got an admirably non-self-serious list too. Definitely check out Trade, and while you're at it please read this brochure about how all of reality is a hallucination and we are starchildren BAM double fake! read more

I've been dying to try this place. Cocktails were delicious but the food was ok. The server was pleasant and attentive and got us to our show in time. We ordered a dozen oysters which came with sauces that didn't include cocktail sauce. I liked the spicy sauce and the champagne sauce either way. My red cooked duck was yummy with the flatbread that came with it. however it came in a bowl, which made it hard to cut into smaller pieces. I asked for a plate to help with that. My boyfriend got lobster pho. the broth was fabulous and tasted like lobster but i just didn't see lobster pho being offered/fitting in at Trade. maybe they were trying something different and fusing different cuisines? Definitely a place to go for drinks. read more

I came back for dinner with the ladies and got in line at the hostess desk. I watched people cut the line to drop off coats, and was seated after five minutes. There is a coat check, but it was not offered, so I kept my coat at my chair. Our server, Ryan, was awesome. He made our dinner entertaining, recommended a great wine, and was not pushy. We started with the avocado and the local cheese. The sauce on the avocado was nice, but I expected a creamy avocado spread, not slices on a plate with mango. The cheese was awesome, I highly recommend it, but it comes with three scant pieces of bread and they do not serve bread with dinner. My friend had the 4 cheese flatbread, which I liked better than my own dinner. My other friend and I each had the seafood stew, which is why I only gave Trade three stars. The "stew" was more of a soup, with a few pieces of shellfish and mushrooms, with vermicelli. The broth was bland and there was nothing to sop up the thin broth. It really needed an extra something...garlic and ginger perhaps, and more spice. The only spice came from pieces of hot pepper in the broth, so it was either bland or unbearably hot bites. Dessert was a play on baked Alaska with passionfruit and coconut sorbet inside. Very fun, but I missed the chocolate. Also, the bar had reserved signs everywhere. If I were to go back, it would be for cocktails, snacks and flatbreads at the bar as my stew was such a letdown. read more

We came on a Saturday and it was quiet and cozy. I adored the vintage-style lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling, and the intimate feeling of the dining spaces. We got the calamari, the shrimp, the scallion pancakes, and the mushroom/fig/gorgonzola flatbread. And I topped it off with an "easy fashion" cocktail (honey and bourbon are ALWAYS a win in my book). The calamari was delicious, the shrimp was probably the best seasoned I've had in the city (it had a spicy zing to it), and the flatbread was an interesting mix of textures and flavors. We demolished everything aside from the scallion pancakes (good, but worth skipping if you're deciding between something else on the apps menu). I would absolutely come back again (and maybe save room for dessert the second time around). I'm happy to know about Trade as an option in this area in addition to Lucky's, Blue Ginger, and Bastille. read more

I must confess... I only went there for drinks after work with my team...but it's a beautiful building and they make a proper cocktail. Also, I need their designer to do my bathrooms. I'd love to go back for dinner. read more

Despite being a Jody Adams restaurant, this would never be a place a would choose on my own. However, it's an easy default if you work in the financial district and don't want to venture very far from South Station. Service is always attentive which is why I'm giving this place 3 stars. The food is average at best - the burrata, hummus, and mozzarella flatbread were shared and they were all meh. There really aren't that many food options if you're just interested in grabbing a few apps and cocktails. The cocktails are good though. Between alcohol and location, I think it attracts a large Wellington crowd (eye roll). read more

Trade's location is perfect if you happen to be arriving in South Station and want to meet a friend who works near South Station for drinks. It is literally a 3-4 minute walk away. The dinner area doesn't open til 5:30, which is pretty silly, but you can always order a drink at the bar while you wait. My friend and I both had glasses of Cabernet which were slightly more than I'm use to paying, $11/glass, but it was delicious so it must have been good wine. Their menu appears small when you first glance at it, but it actually has a long selection of small plates, flat bread pizzas, and entrees to choose from that all appeared unique and were things I wanted to try. I was only there for a quick catch up with my friend, so I had the black bean enchiladas which were very good and quite filling for a "small plate"! My friend got the scallops which she said she liked very much. Overall this restaurant is in an exellent location and the next time I travel to Boston, I'd like to eat here again! read more

Trade's 3 star average is baffling. I get some people whining because of price or portions - that's fair game everywhere, but complaining that it's loud when it's packed.... Isn't that what happens in a packed bar? It gets loud? Table for Captain Obvious please... Better half and I rolled in on New Years for dinner and immediately pegged it as a regular spot in our rotation going forward. Trade wasn't perfect, but overall it was great. Rundown on the grub: - (A) Local burrata with quince-lemon jam: Burrata is what Buffalo Moz was 3 years ago - a staple on every app menu with zero originality. The jam really makes this creative and memorable - (A) Farro w/ squash, raisins & pecorino - makes no sense that it's this good - (A) Arugula w/ lemon, olive oil & Parmesan - fantastic salad - (A-) Baked Rigatoni - solid dish - (B) Scallop Ceviche - one of the two dishes I was disappointed with. Based on the reviews this dish is a source of price versus portion disdain - it should be pulled during menu revision. Average at best. - (B+) Grilled squid and fried tentacles with Borlotti beans and vinegar peppers. Order this every time I come in - (A) 4-Cheese Flatbread - awesome! do it - (C) Roasted squash side - meh...flavorless Somehow giving this place 4 out of 5 stars when 3 of the 5 dishes we had were average at best seems odd, but the service (Brian), the atmosphere and the fact that we are definitely coming back justifies 4 stars. A lot of potential here. read more

Summary: mediocre food and "interesting" service; it's hip and cool but nothing special, especially for the steep price. Basically, our friend who is very hip and trendy made a reservation here for a dinner reunion. But it is definitely not the kind of place I would've chosen myself. The music is loud and the food is mediocre at a high price. The drinks were definitely the highlight of our night, with thoughtfully crafted cocktails and well-chosen/well-priced beers and wines. But the rest of the night was only memorable because of the people we were with, not because of the restaurant experience. It was a challenge to talk and hear each other over the music, which only got louder as the night went on. The food was uneventful, though we ordered the "flat bread" / thin crust pizzas that were well-mentioned in the reviews. To be fair, we basically ordered the flat breads because nothing else on the menu seemed to warrant their respective prices. At the end of the night, our server brought out one of our drink orders with a candle stuck on a plate, shrugging, "I know you wanted something special for your friends' anniversary celebration, but you didn't order any dessert, so... this is the best I can do." Great. Way to ruin the "Happy Anniversary" surprise. We found out our friend had called multiple times to confirm they could do something special and this is what he got. :( By the way, we DID order dessert at the very end of our meal, so... the server really kinda goofed in his impatience. They couldn't even comp a cookie or something to put the poor candle on? Long story short, I would only recommend this as a place to get drinks and look cool (it's pretty dark, so everyone basically looks cool here). It's a hip scene, but not really a place to do serious eating. read more

The. worst. experience. ever. I went with a bunch of people, we ordered drinks, then ordered our food. The food all came, all but my friends meal. So of course no one wanted to start their meal until our friends arrived (we ordered it all at the same time so we expected it to be out right away) 20 minutes.. no exaggeration. We asked a few times where her food was and you could tell the waiter was avoiding us like the plague because he clearly forgot to put her meal in. Complained to the manager because it was absolutely obscene. She apologized, eventually the food came... we all finally ate but it was cold at that point. The food is nothing to rave about. Will not be back. read more

I absolutely love Trade and crave its food often! It is the perfect place to grab after work drinks or meet friends for dinner. The big urban brasserie located in a funky, beautifully renovated brick building in the Financial District serves eclectic food drawing influences "from around the world": marinated fluke with kaffir lime salt, nuts, and spices; pomegranate-glazed eggplant with capers, olives, and pine nuts; whole grilled lobster with pickled-artichoke aioli; and, buckwheat waffle with fried oyster. For dinner, I had the seared half chicken with burnt orange, dates, pistachios and quinoa ($24) and my boyfriend ordered two appetizers: roasted littlenecks with smoky chili-nut sauce and charred scallions ($11) and Wellfleet clam chowder with crispy pancetta ($11). We also had an order of the brussle sprouts with Aleppo pepper and nuts ($7). We devoured our food. It was beyond delicious. Everything was just so well seasoned and tasty. The dishes were filling, but all we wanted to do was to continue eating in order to experience all of the flavors on the plate! For dessert, we split Trade's baked Alaska. It was light and creamy. The perfect way to end a big meal. The only problem with Trade is the food is so good that I now want to go here all the time. Note: Trade will validate your parking if you park in the garage right next to Smith & Wollensky. You can't beat free parking! read more

I agree with many of the reviews posted. Briefly, food is very good, service is very bad. What's suprising to me is this is a consistent theme for reviews going back about a year, but the issue persists. I wouldn't go here again unless I had serious time to kill. read more

Amazing and fantastic food. Top notch with great service. If you don't go here and go somewhere else you'd be doing a big life mistake.

Good place for a work function, lunch or dinner - good food, nice decor, good drinks and attentive service. Nothing to complain about really! I'll be back as I have been once in a while - they have really good flat breads so get those for lunch and you'll enjoy! Love the drinks the bar prepares, you can ask for stuff off the menu and they'll make sure to satisfy your taste buds. read more

The place is great and I would go MANY MANY times, but they lack good plates for vegetarians. If you go with non-vegetarian friends you might feel jealous of their tasty options, while you can only order AMAZING flatbread or appetizers. read more

This review is only for drinks, since we didn't get to eat any of the food, but if you are in this area and want to grab a quick drink this place is a good option, especially if you want to feel a hair fancy while you do it too! It is upscale inside with some pretty cool light fixtures which I loved. They have lots of dinner tables, and then first come first serve bar area too. They have a decent beer selection including a special pretty things rotation since they know that brewery's owners which is always a good thing in my book. Cocktail wise they are $10-14 a piece and for that price I would much rather walk over to Drink a few blocks away, but they were okay, just nothing that amazing. The bar tender was super friendly and chatty though. So props to him! This place does stay open until 1am so I was curious about who would end up there until that late since the crowd overall seemed not like the late night crowd, but it obviously gets a decent amount of business! Our bar tender commutes in from arlington/lexington and loves working there and although this place has only been open a year or so, says he meets the best people there. read more

How did I not know about this place? Especially with a name like "Trade?" I was hanging out with my bestie on a Saturday night. Being East Boston dwellers, we tend to stick more toward the Aquarium end of the waterfront. In fact, plan A was to go hang out at the Landing for some outdoor cocktailing, but that plan was mercilessly thwarted by Mother Nature and her sick sense of humor. Really, 45 degrees and windy on a May night? So we walked (briskly) right to our dinner destination. Trade, located between Rowe's Wharf and South Station immediately struck me with its vibrant, energetic and welcoming vibe when I walked in, it just exudes "cool" with its post-industrial look complete with steel girder columns, exposed brick and massive fixtures. Being a Bostonian, a reverence to the past is stamped on my DNA, so I totally appreciated its balance of new and old. Cocktail wise, Trade has a well-stocked bar with some interesting signature cocktails, a pretty respectable beer and one of Boston's best bartenders behind it (Rob). Oh, did I ever tell you how I'm one of those people who'll follow bartenders from restaurant to restaurant like they are rock stars. Some people are foodies, I'm a drinkie. Really when you think about, it makes sense, what do you have before you even so much as nosh on an app? You got it. A cocktail. If the cocktails suck, you're already off on the wrong foot. But no worries there, I had a very well chilled dirty martini with Wire Works Gin (oh, such a delicious gin) with blue cheese olives that Rob stuffed on demand. Heaven. As I savored my brilliantly done cocktail, I scrutinized the menu and noticed right off that it is pretty diverse, bouncing from East to West with each dish. I kind of dig this approach. With all the wonderful global influences out there, it's nice to see them reflected in "American" cuisine. I also had the Scallion Pancake appetizer (or was it a side?). They were a bit dry, but OK overall. Truthfully though I'd probably stick with Kowloon or Asia Palace for something like if I was ever craving Scallion Pancakes next time. The dish that was positively beautiful was the skirt steak. Here's the thing, I'm usually not a fan of skirt steak since it's not my favorite cut of meat. It's hard to nail it on the tenderness factor, and I'm just the type of guy to exasperate the issue by wanting it medium-well to well-done. But for whatever reason I wanted a dead cow and didn't want to get the burger. Trade nailed it for the most part, it was a bit pinker than I wanted but it was extremely tender and flavorful. The steak sauce was probably the second most compelling feature, it had a bit of that traditional steak sauce taste and consistency with a burst of eastern spices. Yes, it's on the pricy side but it's the Boston and it's the Waterfront. Cheap eating got hauled away with the steel from Central Artery. All and all, I think it's a nice place and I'd love to come back. read more

I loved this place. We stopped in for a couple of drinks and I really loved the atmosphere. I wish I worked downtown so we could come by more often. We weren't going to get any food, but we decided to get some pizza as a snack. We just got a 4 cheese because it had arugula on it and I can't resist arugula! It was the perfect thing for a snack between two people. We also ended up getting some dessert which is great because they switch up seasonal desserts and we got some great ice cream with fruit. It was so delicious! I will be back! read more

Cool ambiance, creative and delicious food, but our waiter was down right weird... Came here for a girlfriend's birthday party with a total group of 6 on a really quiet Sunday night. We were all excited to try a new restaurant with a promising menu of share-able items and creative drinks. Both came to fruition, as everything we tried was phenomenal. Here are a few of our favorite dishes: grilled squid and fried tentacles, roasted littlenecks with romesco and grilled green onions brussels sprouts with Aleppo pepper, prosciutto and maple, and the flatbread with mushrooms and figs, gorgonzola, sage pesto and walnuts. The drink I ordered was also outstanding, although I can't recall the name of it. However, we had the most inattentive, awkward waiter ever. He didn't know how to answer our questions and a lot of his answers were, "I don't know, I've never tried it" or "not really." At one point, he said, "I tried it a long time ago and don't remember." It was like he was trying to "un-sell" the menu and all the items featured on it. At many points during the meal, our water glasses were empty and we had to ask him to refill them. And at another point during the meal, we were raving about the broth left over from the roasted littlenecks dish and we asked for bread to sop it up - pretty normal request. He said they were out of bread. Then, awkwardly about 20 minutes later after he had cleared the broth from the table, he came over with bread and said he'd been mistaken. Everything was great about our meal except for the service. I'd come back again, however, on hopes that we get someone else to serve us. This place seems like a great spot for after-work drinks and apps. read more

A 3.5 I would say, but I did have a good feeling about the place so I will round up...Overall, very inconsistent, with some things being amazing and some very mediocre I came here for a girl's night, and they were great about getting a table for 7 of us and having it set up by the time we arrived; we were seated promptly. Our waitress was very pleasant - she put up with our continuous chatting amongst ourselves which led to us having to ask her for more time as we finally took a look at the drink menu - and she didn't get annoyed when this happened for dinner as well. The atmosphere is hard to describe - it's kind of understated, I guess, but also somewhat elegant. It's a mixture of modern (the gigantic overhead lamps and fresh potted plants as the centerpiece) and romantic (low lighting and wooden accents), but there was also at least one family with a small child there and it didn't seem out of place either. It's difficult to come up with one word to describe the atmosphere. The drinks were fairly good, though of varying quality - I had a glass of riesling, which was neither great nor bad, just so-so. Three of us ended up getting a drink which I can't remember the name for, but was gin-based and fruity (and pink-colored) - that was delicious. Another friend had their version of a Moscow mule and found it fairly watered-down (too much ice and too little drink). We split 3 appetizers. The burrata (with local mozzarella and date puree) was delicious, the bread perfectly crispy and the mozzarella soft without being soggy. The fried dough was also very good, but extremely salty. The eggplant with pomegranite, which sounded amazing, unfortunately just did not work - it was soggy and the flavors were not good together, with the combination of acidity from the pomegranite and saltiness of the olives leaving a bad taste in my mouth. We also split a couple of flatbreads and the baked rigatoni with lamb. The baked rigatoni was incredible - the noodles were tender, the lamb was flavorful, and it was so good that we scooped out the extra sauce with the flatbread! Unfortunately, the ricotta flatbread was very disappointing - it was literally just some thin bread (haha flatbread, yes, I know) with some sliced cheese on top. The cheese was actually cool and not even melted. It looked like someone had heated up the dough and threw on some sliced prepackaged cheese! There was absolutely no flavor. If this had been the only thing I had eaten, I would have sent it back - but the lamb rigatoni was so good I didn't bother. If I come back, I would try the lamb flatbread - maybe that has more flavor. And of course dessert - again, widely variable. We split the ginger ice cream with chocolate and chili (AMAZING flavor, the sweet and spicy worked together perfectly - we all pretty much almost licked the bowl), the chocolate budino (the flavor was wonderful, very deep and strong chocolate, but the crisps it was served with seemed out of place, almost crackers instead of a dessert), and the chocolate cake with hazelnut frosting (very bland and disappointing - I did not even taste the hazelnut in the frosting). Overall - inconsistent. So why did I give it 4 stars, you ask? Because the things that were good were really incredible, and the good outweighed the not-good (this is a better term than the "bad") enough to make me say I would come back. I would just be very picky about what I got - I would definitely get the gin-based fruity drink, the burrata, the lamb rigatoni, and the ginger ice cream, and AVOID the eggplant, the ricotta flatbread, and the chocolate hazelnut cake. But that's just my personal preference. read more

I went with a friend to Trade the other night, and everything was spectacular. The service was excellent (our waitperson Matt was at the top of his game), and our meals were wonderful. The atmosphere is lively, even loud, and it worked to the restaurant's advantage. We shared the chicken meatballs, brussels sprouts, a grilled endive salad, and the Tagine Chicken. It was all wonderfully seasoned and beautifully presented. However, the Tagine Chicken was one of the most sublime entrées i've eaten in a long time. It was perfectly seasoned (and the hint of orange in it was an incredibly taste surprise). The chicken was cooked to perfection. Our desserts -- the hot chocloate and the ginger ice cream with a brownie -- were also great. In a season of having eaten very well, Trade stands at the very top. We will be back. And often. read more

South Boston's Trade offered a beautiful night out for us. It's a very nice place to bring a date, business partner or even the family if the kids have a sitter for the night. This trendy menu offers an abundance of fancy vegetables, done up just right and flatbreads galore. The menu's also full of sharable small plates, perfect for the table of 12 bachelorette party dolls next to us. This place is great for groups, it's big, it's beautiful, it's expensive, it's everything you'd expect from an awesome trendy restaurant in South Boston. The patio is romantic and beautiful, there seems to always be a buzz in the place, and oh yeah, the food is wicked good too. Eric Statzer read more

Q: What do savvy financiers, high fashionistas, flannel-donning hipsters, Waterfront / Seaport explorers, and I have in common? A: We hang out at Trade on Friday evenings to unwind. This particular evening was no different, save for the fact that we (the bf, my friend, an I) made dinner reservations to celebrate our good friend's wedding day. Trade has an intimate private dining room for special occasions such as this one, complete with opaque screens to prevent restaurant guests from gawking at the reception gathering dancing to a playlist of salsa beats and Macklemore. Since the reception dinner was limited to family members only, we reserved a table for our own dinner around late evening, expecting that we would join the post-reception crowd for drinks. Our three-course self-defined (and super delicious) meal included: Full-bodied bottle of red wine Appetizer: spicy piri piri shrimp Entrees: grilled Pineland Farm skirt steak, red-cooked duck breast, and chicken meatballs / pomegranate roasted eggplant / curry cauliflower - tapas style Desserts: chocolate cake with coffee ice cream, butterscotch pudding with oatmeal cookies, and apple strudel; paired with coffee, green tea, and lemon chamomile tea Patrick, the head waiter, stopped by our table to check how we were doing with our final course. He kindly offered a sip of aged port to go with the chocolate cake, on the house, as a demonstration of how to eat this dessert. How can you say no to that? Following dinner, we migrated over to the private dining room, which became the transfer point for guests as they arrived for post-reception fun. Two servers were tasked with showering the party with their undivided attention (i.e. our drink runners). What was another microbrew or two after a delectable dinner? Just before leaving the festivities, we validated our parking at 280 Congress Street - you can't beat $5 garage parking in the city! So what's the -1 star for? The drafty table we were seated at. Even the blasts of heat we occasionally felt from the ceiling vents weren't enough to overcome the chills experienced from people constantly coming in and leaving the restaurant. All in all, a solid dining location with excellent food and service, complete with private event services. read more

I had walked by and wanted to try this place for a while. Gwynn and I went after having some drinks with some bank examiners. On a Fri night at 8, we were seated right away (At the bar) but it was perfect. Appetizer: Local burrata with blood orange jam and crostini Meal: 4 cheese flatbread with tomato, basil and argula A little extra: Crispy potatoes with paprika and cumin Drink: Caberna (MA). Everything was delicious, to die for, and very fast. I would definitely go back to try some other things on the menu. The lady next to us, was alone, and awkwardly not eating or doing anything. We were hoping she had a great life.. read more

I'm a fan of Trade. There is a nice ambiance inside, with a big bar and plenty of table. I love that you can watch the chefs work, as they throw flatbreads into the wood oven. The flatbreads are delicious, i've had all of them. They updated and change up their menu based on the seasons. Finally, the cocktails. Made with care, delicious fresh ingredients, some of the best craft cocktails in the city. It's also conveniently located right by south station. read more

great dishes for sharing! my faves were the avocado w peanut sauce and the fig, mushroom, gorgonzola flatbread and the lamb sausage flatbread. So yummy! It is a 10 minute walk from my office so thinking about getting 1 of those flatbreads for a take out lunch 1 day this week! read more

I'll start of by saying if all I was reviewing was the food, Trade would get 4+ stars. Unfortunately that's not the case. My wife and I had a reservation and we arrived on time, but it tooks nearly 25 minutes to be seated. As an aside, as the hostess brought us to our seat, she asked if we were from out of town, leading me to believe they cater to tourists and people out on business dinners from the financial district. I told her no, we live in Boston and we were seated a nice table by the window. The waiter, while did his job, it felt like he couldn't care less if we were there or not. No engagement with us as customers, just business. As an app, we got the fig flatbread pizza, which was great. While we were eating it they brought another app, roasted baby brussel sprouts (very good), that we hadn't ordered. We told them we hadn't ordered it and the server said, it was on the house, which I assumed was a thank you for late reservation seating. When the bill arrived, they had charged us for the app we didn't order. My wife got the short rib, which was very good and I got the pork shoulder, which was excellent. For beer, I had the excellent Delirium Tremens and a "New Fashion" which was so sweet it was almost undrinkable. Others complained about the noise level, but I found it to be very reasonable compared to other places around town. If they could fix a few front of the house issues I would love to come back here, because back of the house has its part nailed. read more

Ambience: Mainstream Hip Service: Excellent Drinks: Pricey Food: Forgettable Clean and harmless, perfect for a business lunch. read more

Jody Adams - where have you been?? Trade is basically the more accessible and warm version of Rialto, which has excellent food but is really formal. Parked right outside of South Station, Trade was perfect for my 5-person family meal by the waterfront. I had the fluke carpaccio to start which was the perfect small bite to whet my appetite. I then had the salmon, which was over creamed spinach with bacon. To. Die. For. By the end, I didn't think I could do it, but the hot chocolate dish with homemade marshmallows was calling my name. Glad I listened. The one thing I will say that ranks at this place is your space. The tables are spread out enough and designed such that you don't feel like you're on top of the group next to you. Noise level is perfect for the group to hear each other. I will be back! read more

The food was quite good. We had the salmon with cranberry sauce and butternut squash fritters, which was a B+ kind of entree, but also three excellent small plates (tostada, chicken meatballs, bok choy) and two delicious desserts (chocolate decadence, a gingery mousse-type thing). By itself, the food would merit four stars. But the service was outstanding, deserving of every accolade. I've never been treated so well, not even at Radius or L'Espalier. I arrived with three bulky bags, as I was headed to South Station afterward. They smoothly assisted me with all my baggage and coat. Then they offered to put in a vase the flowers I had bought my friend for her birthday. Amazing. Throughout the meal they showed the perfect level of attention and courtesy: all the servers, especially Aaron, were friendly, unpretentious, and great at timing. At the end of the meal they brought out a surprise candle and special slab of chocolate on our dessert, plus an extra dessert on the house. What a perfect ending to a perfect experience. Thank you, staff of Trade! read more

Went to trade for the first time with two others on a random Monday night. The place seems like just another "New American" restaurant, but the cuisine is much more worldly, with many pronounced Asian and Mediterranean flavors. The ahi tuna was very tasty, with a savory sesame sauce. The chicken meatballs were good too, with big chunks of real tomato in the sauce. But the best small plate was the pork riblets--incredibly tender and full of flavor on top of a spicy kimchi slaw. In a nice gesture, they gave us some warm towelettes to wipe our hands. The red-cooked duck was juicy and delicious, with tender meat and a crunchy skin. If you like Peking duck, then you'll like this. The scallion pancakes and bok choy that came with the duck were also spot on, without any of the bitterness that sometimes comes with low-quality bok choy. We also got the lamb sausage flatbread, which was an entree portion of creative flavor combinations, including generous slices of Manchego cheese. One of the ingredients had some cumin (perhaps the yogurt?) which gave it a pleasant Middle-Eastern or Mediterranean herbal aroma. For dessert, we went all out and got the Baked Alaska. It's very clever that use the pizza oven to finish it. The meringue wasn't too heavy and the ice cream at the center was still icy cold. The portion is large enough for 2 or 3 people! All in all a great first meal at Trade. Looking forward to going back soon. read more

I had dinner at Trade last night and it was a phenomenal experience. The two words I would use to describe our experience would be refreshing and unique. We started at the bar for a liquid appetizer, and I was really impressed with the size of the bar area - it's spacious with bar seating and tables, but it's not cramped. The cocktail selection is really original and my drink, the "Infield Fly Rule," was delicious. Bar service was great, especially considering it was busy with an after work crowd. After our drinks we moved into the dining room, and the food was outstanding. We ordered a wide selection of appetizers including the ceviche, head-on shrimp, the avocado, the fried dough, and we also had an order of the roasted cauliflower (usually a side dish). We were really impressed by the unique preparation and flavors of the dishes. As different as the dishes were, everything seemed to have a flow to it and pair well with each other. The cauliflower was actually my favorite flavor of the night. For the main course we shared the lobster and the lamb sausage flat bread. The lobster was great, and, again, wonderfully prepared, but the flavor of the lamb sausage flat bread was out of this world. Keep in mind that the flat breads are not pizzas even though they may look like it. The two dishes, as different as they were, actually complemented each other very nicely. We even saved room for dessert and shared the baked alaska which was, no surprise, fantastic. Overall, it was an awesome dining experience. Our server was spot-on and had a great knowledge of the menu when we asked him questions about different ingredients. The atmosphere was energetic and almost had a New York bistro type feeling. I would highly recommend ordering several dishes to share in order to taste all the different flavors, but you won't be disappointed if you just want to come in for an appetizer and an entree. I've been saying for years that Boston needs more restaurants like this. So glad this place is here and I can't wait to come back and bring my friends. read more

I went to Trade tonight for a work function. We made a reservation and were there early in the evening. Our server was really attentive (but a little too risky with the water pouring--spilled a few times). They have a gluten-free menu. I had a glass of pinot that smelled a little sweet but tasted really good. For my meal I had two small plates, the chicken meatballs and the farro. Both were really good and were enough for a full meal. My coworkers shared a bunch of small plates that they seemed to enjoy. I didn't love the brussels sprouts. We ordered dessert, I had the chocolate cake which was good but not great. All in all, I'd go back to Trade. If you order two small plates for a meal it's fairly affordable. read more