Ostra

Phenomenal experience!I was visiting my sister in Boston for some girl time and we decided to have dinner at Ostra. It truly did not disappoint. We had oysters, king crab, hamachi crudo, and a Caesar salad as starters. For entrees, we had the lobster gnocchi and the crab risotto. Those two dishes were exceptional! I especially loved how they split the portions up into separate plates as we mentioned that we would be sharing both dishes. For drinks, we asked the manager for his recommendation on wine based on what we ordered. I forgot what he suggested but it was perfect. The one issue is that our server wasn't too attentive at the beginning (actually be was rude). He went to the two tables near us who were seated after us but not us. When he finally came to us, I called him out on it and he apologized but with no explanation.

Late post - stopped by before our play. The decor is elegant and understated, the dinnerware, glasses and cutlery allbeautiful and stylish. All your senses are engaged.The food was excellent- the oysters, snow pea salad, corn cavatelli and paella all outstanding. Topped off with affogato for dessert. Must do again.

Ambiance: ok let me start with the vibe of this place. It feels very upscale and elegant. It's a very beautiful place and felt very welcoming from the moment I got in.Food: okay, this is by far the star of the show. We ordered the risotto and branzino and they were both absolutely amazing. We also got complimentary tastings of the gnocchi which had truffle and it was my favorite dish (so it's a must). We also got oysters and really enjoyed the unicorn ones which were very flavorful and buttery. Drinks: I ordered an extra dirty martini with blue cheese olives and it's high on my list of places with good dirty martinis. My friend ordered a cocktail and she really enjoyed it. In addition, we got espresso martinis which were great. Service: we sat at the bar and our server was JJ. He was so knowledgeable about the food and drinks and gave us great recommendations. He was also just great to talk to and made us feel so comfortable. Overall, I'd come here again and can't recommend this place enough! Probably my favorite restaurant we went to during our trip to Boston.

My goodness! One of the most amazing dinners ever. First time visiting Boston and we were so happy we picked this spot. The service was great and every menu item selected did not disappoint.

One of the better experience I've had in Boston for fine dinning. I went with my friend and decided to explore the menu a little. We started with the oysters and carpaccio, which were very tasty. I enjoyed the citrus on the carpaccio and the oysters were meaty and sweet. We then split the paella which was smoky and rich in flavor. Definitely enough to feed 2 people comfortably. The servers were super attentive and walked us through the menu. The decor was definitely upper scale and wear something snazzy to fit in! (There were some people in shorts though)

Had dinner at Ostra which was a graduation celebration this past weekend. Just a hype n over priced. Food was ok n quantity was not a lot. If u want to pay for the name n location then try it. The staff was friendly n attentive. This was our first time n don't think we will return.Had the kale salad, snow pea salad n gnochetti for appetizers. They were tasty but small Portions specially the gnochetti. For entrees we had the monkfish, Branzino, paella n filet. Monkfish tasted good n so did the branzino. Paella was ok n a lilBurnt. Filet was good. No side dishes w entrees. If u want sides u have to order it. For desert we had the snow egg, chocolate torte n panna cotta. They were ok but small portions.

Top meal in Boston during our visit. Reservation was easy to get/modify. Ambiance was on point. Yummy drinks and food. One thing I especially like about this place is that they split the appetizer dishes into two for my husband and I...so we didn't have to cut everything in half as we share the appetizers (specially octopus and fish tartar--both were excellent).

Ate here again, 7 years later.What an Excellent dinner. Not cheap by any means, but service was top notch and the food/wine/cocktails were all delicious. I would not be surprised if this place is handed a Michelin star in the future.Go here for a special occasion - you will not be disappointed.

What a spectacular gem! We decided on Ostra before seeing a concert in Boston and it was fantastic! The decor and the service was stellar! The gin martinis we ordered were STRONG and did not disappoint! We shared three items: the arugula salad which was scrumptious. the seafood risotto which was the star of the evening and so flavorful and the seafood paella which I found very yummy but my husband wasn't much of a fan (minus one star) and then we had fun dessert that escapes me now but I know it had cotton candy on top! Every time we got up from the table a sever would fashion our napkin into various shapes! I would definitely come back! It's $$$$ but worth it!!!

After a thorough search for a high end Boston seafood specialist, we made our way to the back bay. Ostra completely delivers! The space is contemporary and spacious. There is a nice size bar/lounge area and an adjacent dining room, divided by the giant fish on ice display which is a nice touch. There is also a private room behind the bar area and on this night, there was an event going on so the place overall was hopping. We started with the hamachi crudo and grilled Spanish octopus. The kitchen, without prompting, split the octopus appetizer in two so we could share the dish. That was a lovely surprise. Both were incredibly tasty. The octopus was perfection, tender with a nice delicate char. The crudo was simply gorgeous and tasted as good as it looked. I had the monkfish saddle which was recommended by our server. To be honest, I was skeptical because this poor man's lobster is often overhyped and chewy. Tonight, though, I was blown away. The fish was cooked to perfection and floating in a scrumptious pool of mixed mushrooms and scallions. Although the menu describes a mushroom ragout, I would say it is an exquisite mushroom broth. Hubby had the grilled sea bream which was also delicious. In need of some greens, we did the broccolini with pine nuts along with the leafy greens and garlic. The veggie sides were really a highlight. And though the dessert menu looked enticing, we were sufficiently full and opted out. Two chilled caramel truffles arrived with our check and we devoured them. Ostra will not disappoint. The food and service are top notch. It's not inexpensive, but fabulous seafood never is. So glad my fellow yelpers helped me out in choosing this winner.