| Restaurant | Location | Type | Food | Service | Atmosphere | Comments |
| 28 Degrees | Back Bay | General | 7 | 7 | 9 | Darkish, backlit bar, water-filled bathroom ceiling, ocean images projected on hanging shrouds, incredible martini selection, small-ish, tapas-like menu, clean/spare decor, very chic/modern, nightclubby feel, lots of black and dark brown, very young, hip, mixed gay/straight prof. crowd, most amazing, spa-like bathrooms in the city. |
| Addis Red Sea | Porter Square | Ethiopian | 6 | 5 | 6 | Cozy, a little plush, standard basket tables, very friendly, genuine, unpretentious, but incredibly slow service. |
| Amelia's | Teele Square | Italian | 6 | 5 | 6 | Comfortable, homey but not downscale, consistently good food. |
| Anthem | Downtown | General | 6 | 5 | 5 | Very high ceilings, all black tables, floor-ceiling windows along street on 3 sides, sleek, long bar, fairly high-end. |
| Antonia's | Davis Square | Italian | 6 | 7 | 8 | Tiny, upscale, small menu not terribly creative but passable, feels cozy (in a good way). |
| Appetito | Newton Center | Italian | 6 | 6 | 5 | Comfortable, small tables, some character but not a ton, so-so wine list. |
| Aquitaine | South End | French | 7 | 6 | 7 | Slightly generic, upscale-ish, well-executed but somehow hollow. |
| Artu | Beacon Hill | Italian | 6 | 5 | 6 | Very, very small, underground, rustic, very traditional, uncreative Italian menu, inattentive service. |
| Asgard, The | Central Square | General | 6 | 4 | 5 | Large, spacious, high-ceilinged pub-restaurant, lots of carved wood. |
| Asmara | Central Square | Ethiopian-Eritrean | 6 | 5 | 6 | Large menu, dessert menu (unusual for Ethiopian), decent wines, 5 or 6 tables with the traditional basket in the center, very friendly staff. |
| Atasca | Kendall Square | Portuguese | 8 | 7 | 6 | Small but not quiet, usually packed, authentic, good, interesting menu. |
| Aujourd'hui | Downtown | French | 7 | 8 | 9 | Imitation French chairs, grand flowing drapes, they pull your chair out for you - totally first-class, esp. in atmosphere, overlooks Boston Common, great place to impress someone. |
| Avila | Theater District | French-Mediterranean | 7 | 6 | 6 | Tall ceilings, spare, light-colored interior, crisp service, larger menu than many high-end restaurants. |
| Azure | Copley Square | General | 6 | 4 | 4 | Standard, totally unexciting but competent, lower upscale restaurant, connected to hotel, occasionally incredible dishes. |
| Bin 26 Enoteca | Beacon Hill | Italian | 7 | 5 | 6 | Very sleek and modern, sometimes inattentive service, large/original/fun wine menu, bad (loud) acoustics. |
| Blue Shirt Cafe | Davis Square | Lunch | 6 | 5 | 6 | Miniscule lunch place, informal (chalk-board-menu-like), fairly friendly. |
| Bombay Club | Harvard Square | Indian | 5 | 5 | 5 | On 2nd floor, floor-ceiling windows along 3 walls overlooking street, good feel, fairly informal. |
| Border Cafe | Harvard Square | Mexican-Cajun | 5 | 6 | 4 | Large, incredibly busy on weekends, largish Cajun/Mexican menu. |
| Bouchee | Back Bay | French | 7 | 8 | 8 | Incredible atmosphere, decor, feels like a movie set but not at all cheesy, amazing, very thorough service. |
| Buddha's Delight | Downtown | Vegetarian Asian | 5 | 5 | 4 | Crumbling, tenement-like entrance stairs, but tall, open windows along 2 sides with great views of street, friendly, earnest service, largish menu with same beef/chicken/shrimp/pork dishes, but with meat substitute. |
| Cactus Club | Back Bay | Mexican | 6 | 3 | 3 | Fairly generic, large, big TVs in bar, menus inside plastic, outdoor seating, infrequent service. |
| Cafe Barada | Mass Ave in Cambridge | Lebanese | 7 | 5 | 6 | Small, light, very simple, plain decor. |
| Cafe of India | Harvard Square | Indian | 6 | 5 | 5 | Average Indian food/service, great windows overlooking street (nice in warm weather). |
| Caliterra | Downtown | Italian-Californian | 6 | 6 | 6 | Clean, mediterranean decor, very interesting, bizarrely-shaped plates (even for a high-end restaurant), some dishes a little rich, some pretty bad wines on the low end of the wine list. |
| Cambridge Brewing Co. | Kendall Square | Brewpub | 6 | 4 | 4 | Standard, large brewpub, great beers, good selection, decent food, not esp. cozy. |
| Cambridge Common | Porter Square | General | 6 | 3 | 5 | Average pub food plus a little more, large, rotating beer selection, very busy and loud, nothing distinctive about atmosphere. |
| Central Kitchen | Central Square | General | 7 | 6 | 7 | Good wine list, creative menu, unpretentious service, smallish. |
| Charley's | Back Bay | General | 5 | 6 | 7 | Large, upscale old-time saloon decor, long but uncreative list of wines by the glass, tasty but really uncreative food, great, comfortable feel. |
| Chez Henri | Harvard Square | French | 8 | 6 | 6 | Mid-scalish, French-Cuban, smallish, creative menu, a little loud, not as much intimacy or character as other French restaurants around. |
| Chocho's | Porter Square | Japanese | 6 | 6 | 5 | Part of 'food court' of Japanese places, fairly small, everything reasonably well-done, great giant fish tank. |
| Christopher's | Porter Square | General | 5 | 6 | 5 | Middle-range, general American food. |
| Ciao Bella | Back Bay | Italian | 4 | 5 | 6 | Smallish, floor-ceiling windows looking out on Newbury St., feels a little like an upscale mall or downscale hotel restaurant, decent wine menu. |
| Clink | Charles-MGH | General-Tapas | 6 | 5 | 7 | Part of Liberty Hotel, in a former jail, brick walls and black bars everywhere, tall ceilings, floor-ceiling windows, few large entrees, lots of small plates, innovative menu, not a lot of traditional foods. |
| Club Cafe-209 Bistro | South End | General | 6 | 4 | 5 | Upscaley gay bar w/ screens and high ceilings, classy, comfortable feel, small/really low-quality wine menu. |
| Coolidge Corner Clubhouse | Brookline | Sports bar | 3 | 5 | 5 | Cozy, good layout/feel, more TVs than I've ever seen, possibly the world's largest menu. |
| Craigie St. Bistro | Harvard Square | French | 8 | 8 | 9 | Upscale, well-groomed, French, everything very well done but perhaps *too* professional, too little risk-taking. |
| Crossroads Irish Pub | Back Bay | Irish Pub | 6 | 4 | 3 | Pretty decent pub food on Newbury St., nothing special for feel/atmosphere or beer selection. |
| Cuchi Cuchi | East Cambridge | General, small plates | 7 | 6 | 8 | Over-the-top, gaudy, glamorous, eccentric, classy, hip, turn-of-century atmosphere, Tapas-like small plates. |
| Daedalus | Harvard Square | General | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 floors, packed in a bit tight, overworked service, more of a pickup joint for Harvard types. |
| Dali | West Somerville | Spanish | 8 | 6 | 7 | Moderately upscale tapas, slightly over the top on atmosphere/decoration, very crowded/noisy. |
| Dante | East Cambridge | Italian | 7 | 6 | 7 | Large, pricey, very sleek, austere decor, polished service, reasonably creative menu, great, large outdoor patio overlooking Charles. |
| Delux | South End | Pub | 7 | 6 | 5 | Small, informal bar with small, bizarrely exotic, well-done menu. |
| Diva | Davis Square | Indian | 6 | 4 | 6 | Large, Indian, mildly upscale, a little factory-like. |
| EVOO | Cambridge | General | 7 | 6 | 5 | Smallish, all in a single square room, standard white-tablecloth/black-chair upscale decor, somewhat creative menu. |
| East Coast Grill | Inman Square | General | 6 | 3 | 7 | Great Latin American brunch, very informal, tropical-ish feel, make-your-own Bloody Marys. |
| Eastern Standard | Kenmore Square | General | 7 | 7 | 8 | Great, covered outdoor patio right on sidewalk, feels like Paris, fairly large, creative menu. |
| Elephant Walk | Porter Square | Thai | 7 | 6 | 8 | Big on Asian decor, atmosphere, feels authentic. |
| Emmet's | Downtown | Pub | 6 | 5 | 6 | Comfortable, friendly, not huge, small menu, right next to Statehouse. |
| Excelsior | Downtown | General | 8 | 9 | 7 | Very upscale, sleek, diverse creative menu with all the upscale mainstays, everything done extremely well, just bordering on too much but not quite. |
| Fajitas and 'Ritas | Downtown | Mexican | 5 | 5 | 5 | Crowded, wacky/multi-colored decor, spotty service, entire paper towel rolls on each table, paper tableclothes, very average chips/salsa/margaritas, good fajitas. |
| Figs | Downtown | General | 7 | 6 | 5 | Small, a little cramped, small wine menu, large pizza selection but limited menu overall. |
| Finale | Harvard Square | Dessert | 6 | 5 | 3 | Visually beautiful desserts, substantial dessert wine and port menu, earnest service. |
| Flora | Arlington | General | 8 | 6 | 8 | Very tall ceilings, feels like an art museum, creative dishes. |
| Frank's Steakhouse | Mass Ave, Cambridge | General | 5 | 6 | 6 | Comfortable, VERY unhip, unsophisticated wine list, 16 dollar steaks, senior crowd. |
| Gandhi | Central Square | Indian | 3 | 4 | 4 | Small, simple, not much decor, totally forgettable food, horrible naan. |
| Gargoyle's | Davis Square | General | 7 | 5 | 5 | Dark, luxurious, mid-scale, somewhat creative menu, absolutely HORRENDOUS brunch, some of the worst service (in both attitude and timing) I've ever encountered anywhere...DO NOT GO TO SUNDAY BRUNCH. |
| Gaslight | South End | French | 7 | 6 | 7 | Large, old-fashioned French bistro decor (tile everywhere, small marble tables with no tablecloth), bistro menu (cheaper/simpler than high-end French), really loud, decent wines. |
| Golden Temple | Brookline | Chinese | 5 | 6 | 6 | Large, dramatic over-the-top architecture, good Chinese food. |
| Grafton Street | Harvard Square | General | 5 | 5 | 6 | Mid-scale, clean, almost Japanese decor, 1/2 pub, 1/2 grill. |
| Great Bay | Back Bay | Seafood | 7 | 6 | 7 | Tall ceilings, spacious, darker than average, sultry/cool atmosphere, creative menu. |
| Green Street Grill | Central Square | General | 6 | 5 | 4 | Bar/restaurant, not esp. interesting, attentive but not esp. experienced service, some interesting dishes. |
| Hamersley's Bistro | South End | General | 6 | 6 | 5 | Largish menu, very large dessert menu, light yellow/white undistinctive decor, a little tight on space (for such high ceilings). |
| Harvest | Harvard Square | General | 8 | 8 | 7 | Upscale, white tablecloth, feels large and a bit impersonal but very well-managed, waitstaff extremely professional, poised, food excellent, fairly creative. |
| Helmand | East Cambridge | Afghan | 6 | 4 | 4 | Uncomfortable, awkward lighting, uncoordinated service, lots of lamb on the menu. |
| Himalayan Spice | Arlington | Nepali-Indian | 5 | 5 | 7 | Sleek, modern decor, interesting menu. |
| House of Siam | South End | Thai | 7 | 3 | 6 | Great food, great decor, crazily inattentive service. |
| House of Tibet Kitchen | Teele Square | Tibetan | 8 | 8 | 9 | Very small, quiet, pretty authentic, great atmosphere, Buddhist monk background chanting. |
| Hungry I | Beacon Hill | French | 7 | 7 | 8 | Small, very cozy, intimate, romantic, charming patio, service poised but not pretentious. |
| Icarus | South End | General | 5 | 4 | 6 | Comfortable decor, lots of dark stained wood, forgetful service, somewhat creative though not adventurous menu. |
| Intrigue | Downtown Waterfront | General | 6 | 6 | 7 | Classy, classic, bright upscale hotel bistro, tons of great outdoor seating right on the water. |
| Ittyo | Porter Square | Japanese | 6 | 4 | 3 | Part of 'food court' of Japanese places, tiny (like 5 tables), totally basic and functional decor but decent food, so-so service. |
| Ivy | Downtown | Italian | 7 | 6 | 7 | Excellent Italian food, well-shaped space, comfortable decor, attentive though occasionally inexperienced service. |
| Joe Sent Me | West Somerville | Pub | 4 | 4 | 6 | Comfortable, average-size pub. |
| John Harvard's Brew House | Harvard Square | Pub | 4 | 4 | 6 | Large, spead-out but cozy, underground, pretty slow service, menu a bit larger than standard pub fare, pretty bad beer (flat, uninteresting). |
| Johnny D's | Davis Square | General | 6 | 4 | 6 | Solid food, great jazz brunch (food and feel), totally simple/not fancy, overall more about the music than the food. |
| Joshua Tree | Davis Square | Pub | 5 | 5 | 5 | Fairly generic but decent sports bar/restaurant, very dark/black styling, lots of great TV angles. |
| KO Prime | Downtown | General | 9 | 7 | 8 | Ultra-modern, almost Asian, steak house, near-perfect steaks, small dessert and dessert wine menu. |
| Kaya | Porter Square | Korean-Japanese | 4 | 3 | 8 | Great atmosphere with detailed, authentic-looking interior decoration/layout (though a bit bright), impersonal, hurried service. |
| Kelly's Diner | Ball Square | General | 5 | 5 | 8 | Large for a diner, lots of chrome, jukebox, great atmosphere. |
| Koreana | Inman Square | Korean | 6 | 7 | 6 | Largish, sleek, well-honed decor, grills inset in tables, polished service. |
| La Spina | Davis Square | Italian | 4 | 5 | 5 | Pretty standard dark wood bar, nice but not esp. upscale interior, pretty much average Italian everything. |
| La Verdad | Fenway | Mexican | 7 | 5 | 6 | Airy, informal, celebratory decor, tons of outdoor seating, smallish menu but not typical low-end Mexican ingredients. |
| La Voile | Back Bay | French | 7 | 6 | 7 | Small, intimate, streamlined, lots of wood, sailing theme, good service. |
| Legal Test Kitchen | Seaport District | Seafood | 7 | 5 | 5 | Comfortable, outdoor seating near water, good selection of seafood. |
| Lemon Thai | Highland Ave. in Somerville | Thai | 6 | 5 | 6 | Incredibly tiny, informal but cozy (not trashy), good-sized menu. |
| Les Zygomates | Downtown | French | 6 | 4 | 6 | Large-ish, tile or wood floors, white table cloths, French bistro feel, huge by-the-glass wine list, frequent live jazz, snooty or overly obsequious service. |
| Macchu Picchu | Union Square | Peruvian | 4 | 5 | 5 | Comfortable, fairly friendly, large menu, live music. |
| Mantra | Downtown | General | 6 | 5 | 7 | Super modern, almost over-the-top decor (turns into nightclub later). |
| Martsa | Davis Square | Tibetan | 5 | 5 | 6 | Somewhat non-descript, decent but not universally authentic food (some intruders from other Asian cuisine), middling service. |
| Match Burgers and Martinis | Back Bay | Club | 5 | 4 | 7 | Very chic, modern, dinner-clubby, spacious, more about the bar and the scene and being seen. |
| Metropolis Cafe | South End | General | 7 | 6 | 7 | Incredibly tiny, intimate, white tablecloth, well-run, high open windows facing street, great wine list. |
| Miel | Downtown | French | 8 | 8 | 7 | Ritzy, very French-restaurant decor (almost a little too much), really attentive service, Provencal-themed menu. |
| Mike's Restaurant | Davis Square | General | 6 | 2 | 5 | Pizza joint and more, big wide windows on street that open in warm weather, big TVs with perpetual Red Sox games, bizarrely unfriendly service. |
| Mistral | Back Bay | French | 8 | 8 | 7 | Incredibly tall ceilings, large-feeling space, classic white tablecloth, French food that's not too buttery, really classy, a little too crowded (too many tables). |
| Montien | Inman Square | Thai | 5 | 6 | 4 | Fairly sleek, modern but not futuristic, friendly, attentive service. |
| Montien | Theatre District | Thai | 7 | 3 | 5 | Good, unique food, but unfriendly, aloof service. |
| Mooo | Downtown | General | 7 | 6 | 6 | Upscale, modern steakhouse, spare, light-grey-themed decor, short-ish steak menu, very long wine list, somewhat impersonal service. |
| Moqueca | Inman Square | Brazilian | 6 | 5 | 5 | Tiny, informal, great, diverse menu, incredibly friendly staff. |
| Namaskar | Davis Square | Indian | 5 | 6 | 6 | Mildly upscale. |
| Neighborhood Restaurant | Union Square | General | 5 | 3 | 6 | Pleasant outdoor brunch space on patio covered with concord grape trellis, positively glacial, not esp. friendly service, decent brunch food. |
| O'Haras | Newton Highlands | Irish Pub | 6 | 5 | 6 | Large menu, half restaurant/half pub, cozy, neighborhoody decor, family photos on walls. |
| O'Naturals | Davis Square | General | 6 | 4 | 3 | Healthy fast food, feels like Starbucks with a real menu. |
| Ole | Inman Square | Mexican | 7 | 5 | 7 | Really good, unique food, a bit upscaley but still comfortable. |
| Oleana | Inman Square | Mediterranean | 8 | 7 | 7 | Very sleek design, you can tell a lot of thought went into it, great feel, creative menu. |
| Om | Harvard Square | General | 8 | 5 | 7 | Extremely hip and young, clean/modern decor, Tibetan Buddhist theme, really unique, daring food combos artfully presented. |
| Orinoco | South End | Venezuelan | 7 | 5 | 7 | Small, cozy, interesting decor with personality, small portions. |
| Orleans | Davis Square | General | 6 | 5 | 5 | Feels like a sports bar with good, general, American food. |
| Out of the Blue | Davis Square | Italian | 6 | 5 | 6 | Cozy, mid-scale, sea theme, competent, average-size menu but nothing too special. |
| Paramount | Downtown | General | 7 | 5 | 4 | Small, cozy, not esp. interesting decor, high-end-ish menu but mid-end-ish feel. |
| Parish Cafe | Back Bay | General | 6 | 5 | 5 | Fairly generic decor, great sandwich menu w/ sandwich recipes from great local chefs. |
| Passage to India | Porter Square | Indian | 4 | 4 | 5 | Cozy, simple, right on heart of Porter Square yet still quiet inside, totally average. |
| Patou | Belmont Center | Thai | 5 | 4 | 5 | Largeish, peaceful but very awkwardly shaped space, smallish menu for a Thai restaurant. |
| Petit Robert Bistro | Kenmore | French | 6 | 6 | 6 | Standard, not esp. creative French menu, small wine list, modest decor, in basement level of brownstone. |
| Pho Pasteur | Chinatown | Vietnamese | 5 | 4 | 5 | Typical Pho place, formica tables, plastic spoons, decent food. |
| Pierrot Bistro Francais | Downtown | French | 6 | 4 | 7 | Very tight, small French bistro next to Beacon Hill, somewhat attentive but spotty service, cozy atmosphere but sometimes a little too New-York-close. |
| Pigalle | Downtown | French | 9 | 8 | 7 | Small, low ceilings, white table cloths, intimate, small wine list, creative menu. |
| Prose | Arlington | General | 8 | 6 | 7 | Complete foodie place - very small, very small, creative menu, ridiculously simple but intentional, light-wood decor, family-like service. |
| Radius | Downtown | General | 8 | 8 | 6 | Service one notch above most 'high-end' places, entrees in mid-30s, great presentation, very long wine list. |
| Rami's | Brookline | Indian | 5 | 5 | 4 | Decent, attentive waitstaff, feels a bit too spacious at times. |
| Red House | Harvard Square | General | 5 | 5 | 5 | Average in just about everything, mid-scale, uninteresting space and menu, somewhat attentive service, small wine menu. |
| Redbone's | Davis Square | Barbecue | 8 | 6 | 6 | Authentic barbecue joint with southern feel, decent-size menu, totally downscale. |
| Rendezvous | Central Square | General | 7 | 7 | 6 | Light (big skylights), comfortable (not esp. trendy) decor, jazz in background, menu more creative than average, even for a high-end restaurant. |
| Renees Cafe | Teele Square | Brunch | 7 | 6 | 7 | Comfortable, small-ish, breakfast place. |
| Rialto | Harvard Square | General | 7 | 6 | 4 | Uninspired atmosphere bizarrely discordant with the great food, service a bit aloof even when not busy. |
| Ristorante Olivio | Arlington | Italian | 4 | 4 | 6 | Comfortable, homey, very standard Italian, not esp. creative menu, service a bit slow. |
| Ristorante Villa Francesca | North End | Italian | 6 | 6 | 7 | Comfortable, intimate but not too cramped, romantic lighting/decor. |
| Rosebud | Davis Square | General | 5 | 6 | 9 | Genuine diner comfort food in a real diner, all about atmosphere. |
| Royal East | East Cambridge | Chinese | 7 | 6 | 6 | Medium-size, very thorough, attentive service, Cantonese menu, great, comfortable feel. |
| Rustic Kitchen | Downtown | General | 5 | 5 | 5 | Pretty average in everything for a low-side upscale restaurant, pseudo-rustic decor, decent wine menu. |
| S and S | Inman Square | General | 6 | 5 | 5 | Very large, very simple, straightforward, clean, well-maintained decor, huge deli/brunch/general menu. |
| Sabor do Brasil | Somerville | Brazilian | 6 | 6 | 4 | Tiny, homey, decent food, Brazilian soap operas playing non-stop on an old-school TV. |
| Sabur | Teele Square | Mediterranean | 8 | 6 | 4 | Good menu, good brunch. |
| Sagra | Davis Square | Italian | 5 | 4 | 6 | Sleek, black vinyl seats, largish menu. |
| Salts | East Cambridge | General | 8 | 8 | 7 | Small, white tableclothes, black ladderback chairs, intimate, downplayed classic decor, very small menu, creative, foodie food, noticeably attentive service. |
| Sandrine's Bistro | Harvard Square | French | 9 | 8 | 7 | Upscale, French, perhaps more comfortable than pretentious. |
| Sasso | Copley Square | General | 6 | 6 | 5 | Very tall ceilings, clean, modern, a little sterile decor, inconsistently good food, really smooth, complete service. |
| Scollay Square | Downtown | General | 4 | 6 | 5 | Smallish, interesting, vertical space, uninspiring menu. |
| Sel de la Terre | Downtown | French | 7 | 4 | 6 | Classy pseudo-French-country decor, aloof, not esp. friendly service, good wine list and desserts, great outdoor seating. |
| Seoul Food | Porter Square | Korean | 7 | 7 | 6 | Small, totally lacking in pretension, cozy, motherly/attentive service, feels like home. |
| Siam House | Quincy Center | Thai | 4 | 5 | 5 | Very simple decor, uninteresting food, earnest service. |
| Sibling Rivalry | South End | General | 7 | 7 | 6 | Unique, a little confusing menu layout/theme, creative dishes, large space, good wine list. |
| Smile Thai | Harvard Square | Thai | 6 | 7 | 6 | Cozy, views from 2nd floor over parts of Harvard Sq, simple but complete Thai menu, very friendly, earnest service. |
| Soleil Cafe | Teele Square | Brunch | 5 | 3 | 6 | Average food for a breakfast place, very small, order at counter then they bring food to table. |
| Sonsie | Back Bay | General | 6 | 4 | 5 | Upscale, hip, polished, perhaps trying too hard in service, though great, well-presented food. |
| Sorellina | Back Bay | Italian | 8 | 8 | 7 | Very tall ceilings, white tablecloth/chairs/walls/decor, large wine list incl. by the glass, pricey, very upscale. |
| Sound Bites | Powderhouse Square | Brunch | 7 | 5 | 5 | Great brunch/breakfast place, small-ish, informal, comfortable. |
| Stephanie's On Newbury | Back Bay | General | 5 | 6 | 5 | Large, comfortable, mildly upscale, totally average, uninteresting food. |
| Sugar and Spice | Porter Square | Thai | 5 | 6 | 4 | Modern, almost space-like decor, Thai/pan-Asian, decent menu. |
| Taberna de Haro | Brookline | Spanish | 7 | 5 | 7 | Tiny tapas place on Beacon St., great feel, largish menu. |
| Taiwan Cafe | Chinatown | Chinese | 7 | 5 | 4 | Cozy, Taiwanese food. |
| Tamarind Bay | Harvard Square | Indian | 7 | 6 | 7 | Incredibly unpretentious (in contrast to many 'upscale' Indian restaurants) but attentive service, reasonable portions, cozy underground space. |
| Teatro | Downtown | Italian | 4 | 5 | 7 | Glitzy, theatre-like decor, tall ceilings, attentive service, everyone looking at each other. |
| The Blue Room | Kendall Square | General | 7 | 7 | 7 | Comfortable, underground, bricky feel, small menu, small but unique wine menu, overall bistro feel (vs. high-end, creative or fancy). |
| The Druid | Inman Square | Irish Pub | 6 | 5 | 7 | Small Irish pub with some style but not overwhelming, just above average in everything. |
| The Independent | Union Square | Pub | 6 | 5 | 6 | Comfortable, English-pubby feel, black wood interior, spotty menu but the good things are pretty good. |
| The Living Room | Downtown waterfront | General | 6 | 4 | 7 | Great patio in front, dark, lush, big sofas, slow service. |
| The Other Side Cafe | Back Bay | General | 5 | 5 | 6 | Uninteresting food, alt/bohemian coffee shop vibe, some cool, cozy corners. |
| Thirsty Scholar | Inman Square | Pub | 5 | 3 | 5 | Fairly cozy, standard pub, big TVs on walls, dark wood tables/chairs. |
| Tommy Doyle's | Kendall Square | Pub | 5 | 3 | 7 | Absolutely horrible service - inexperienced, unskilled, ridiculously slow in all aspects - cool, maze-like layout/atmosphere with lots of nooks/crannies. |
| Tommy Doyle's | Harvard Square | Pub | 6 | 4 | 6 | Irish pub with 3 levels, many TV screens, slightly above average feel (though not esp. Irish), trivia. |
| Top of the Hub | Back Bay | General | 7 | 7 | 8 | Classy, above-average food and service (without being too cloying) for a view restaurant, and actually tasteful (not cheesy, try-to-be-upscale) decor, crazy views of harbor and city. |
| Toro | South End | Tapas | 7 | 5 | 6 | Small-ish, long rough wood tables, very loud and always packed, long tapas menu, good wine list. |
| Trattoria di Monica | North End | Italian | 6 | 5 | 6 | Very, very small, white tablecloths, brick walls, comfortable, incredibly intimate, some great food, some inconsistently prepared food. |
| Troquet | Boston Common | French | 7 | 7 | 6 | Small, sleek, unadorned space, black chairs, white tablecloth, very large wine menu with a lot by the glass, elaborate menu. |
| Tullio's | North Quincy | Italian | 6 | 5 | 7 | Cozy, a little funky, super homey/comfortable atmosphere, multi-colored painted tables, classic Italian menu, big pizza menu. |
| Turner Fisheries | Copley Square | General-Seafood | 6 | 6 | 5 | Oddly inconsistent but overall good service, short, mediocre wine list, dark wood tables and 70s modern decor, not much personality, part of Westin hotel. |
| Union | South End | General | 7 | 7 | 7 | Upscale/hip, jet black leather seating, white tableclothes, slightly over-friendly servers, meat-heavy menu, decent wine list except by the glass. |
| Upstairs on the Square | Harvard Square | General | 4 | 5 | 6 | Cozy, small, pink decor, spotty food (bad coffee & bread, so-so appetizers), service young and not esp. poised. |
| Victoria's Diner | Dorchester | General | 6 | 6 | 5 | Diner, cozy, smallish, up-to-date decor, alternative feel, large diner/breakfast menu. |
| Vinalia | Downtown | General | 7 | 7 | 5 | Upscale, white-tablecloth, very modern decor, everything well-done if a little boring. |
| Wagamama | Harvard Sq. | Japanese | 4 | 3 | 6 | Cohesive, spare, disciplined aesthetic, long wood benches, inattentive service. |
| Z Square | Harvard Square | General | 6 | 5 | 2 | Tries to be upscaley but feels like a cafeteria (plastic-covered menus), atmosphere very confused, food ok. |
| Za | Arlington | Pizza | 7 | 6 | 5 | Wonderful, unique pizza, pleasant, undistinguished space with windows on Mass Ave. |