The mahogany bar serves the best martinis in town from an experienced lot of friendly bartenders and the brick-oven chums out eclectic pizzas and focaccia throughout the day.It is easy to relax at Sonsie and enjoy the classic music that reflects the ambience of the restaurant as day progresses into night. New at Sonsie, located on the lower level, the Wine Room is the perfect location to enjoy your favorite bottle of wine, cocktail, and sample the menu from Chef Bill Poirier. Open Monday thru Saturday from 6pm to 1 am. 2006 Best of Boston Award Winner. Part Parisian cafe, part elegant dining experience, Sonsie is an upscale hipster joint located, appropriately enough, on Newbury St. Sonsie sets off your pretension alarms from the moment you enter its dim, orange waiting area, complete with cushy sofas. The deep, fancy dining room allows parties to converse comfortably at mealtimes, while those just taking a shopping break for drinks or “lighter fare” crowd around oval tables in front of huge windows opening onto the street in warmer weather. The menu offers a few varieties of brick oven pizzas ($9-21), pasta ($15), and entrees including seared tuna ($25) and the American standard, a 16-oz. steak ($32). Save room for desserts like chocolate bread pudding ($8), and then enjoy unusual cocktails such as iced chai ($10.50) at the bar. Valet parking after 6pm. Entrees $17-32. Reservations recommended. Wireless internet. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard. Message from Sonsie New American dishes with late-night specials Award-winning chef International cuisine European lounge Sonsie celebrates being on Boston's famous Newbury Street serving top-notch International cuisine from award-winning Chef Bill Poirier. Sonsie boasts beautiful French doors that translate to an open sidewalk cafe in season, as well as a European lounge with deep leather chairs and sofas. Experienced and friendly bartenders serve the best martinis in town at the mahogany bar. Sip mango mojitos or pineapple-infused Finlandia martinis. The brick oven churns out eclectic pizzas and focaccia throughout the day. It is easy to relax at Sonsie and enjoy the classic music that reflects the ambience of the restaurant as day progresses into night. Chef Poirier's menu always introduces fresh flavors and brilliant food combinations. Signature dishes dot the menu as well as seasonal dishes splashed with nightly specials.

Tucked away on this bustling street, Bauer Wine and Spirits is your typical high-end liquor and wine store. A nice atmosphere vs. it's sometimes grundgy counterparts, Bauer's specializes in nice wines- seperated by region. The friendly staff give great wine advice, but the selection of alcohol is limited. Hours are: Mon-Sat: 10 AM-11 PM Sun: 12 Noon-8 PM

They call this restaurant "the place where chefs dine." Housed in the Eliot Hotel at the top of the Commonwealth Avenue mall, this Japanese-French restaurant really knows no bounds when it comes to imaginative food. From French and American classic cuisine, to a Asian twist with Oringer's affinity for the exotic (as seen in his sashimi bar, Uni) Clio is not to be missed. This quaint space makes the top lists of restaurants year after year, and Oringer is added to the list of the best chefs in the country as well. Clio offers private dining as well.

Named after famous boozer-poet Charles Bukowski, this laid-back bar literally has 99 bottles of beers on the wall ($3-8). Catering to non-conformists of all ages, the Bukowski Tavern invites students, musicians, and locals to sample all 99 types of beer and join the prestigious mug club—all members receive their own personal mug inscribed with the name of their favorite dead author. With imports from around the globe and a menu with fabulous descriptions of every brew's flavor and history, this is the perfect complement to your incomplete Harvard education. Enjoy off-the-wall beers with the relaxed, neighborhood crowd. Bukowski's also offers a good lunch and dinner menu (entrees $3.75-7.25) and a great weekday burger special ($1.69). Just make sure to bring cash, as they do not accept Credit Cards. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard. Cash-strapped students, take note: weekdays from noon to 8pm, plain burgers and hot dogs are $1.69 each (add a buck for cheese or fries).

Famous for its sangria, Tapeo is home to authentic Spanish food and European decor. Tapeo is Zagat-Rated. The tapas bar, with its killer selection of Spanish appetizers, offers a lively and adventurous atmosphere daily from 5:00- midnight. Tapeo Restaurant & Tapas Bar's Web site features a virtual tour. Click HERE for the Newbury Street restaurant's menu, with specialties ranging from Piedra (where the food is grilled on a stone from the Canary Islands) to their signature Pescado a la Sal (fresh fish baked in salt where the salt acts as a cooking agent which enhances the tenderness of the protein).

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Sister restaurant to Dali of Inman Square, Tapéo offers delectable tapas, meaty Spanish entrees, and sweet sangría in the heart of see-and-be-seen Boston. Although the menu changes seasonally, most of the more notable tapas ($5-7) like the baked goat cheese with tomato and basil, roast duckling with berry sauce, and saffron scallops are ubiquitous. Dishes are delivered with admirable alacrity, but lingering is requisite if you want to fully savor the luscious desserts like the chocolate tart ($5.50) and fruit-filled crêpes ($7.50). The real charm of Tapéo, however, lies in its 3 low-lit bodega-style eating areas, where small tables can become surprisingly intimate islands in the sea of bustling waitstaff and playful fellow diners.

Italian restaurant on Boylston. Vinny T's offers typical Italian fare includes pastas, pizzas, and Italian style entrees. Although good, Vinny T's isn't a front runner for a "place to go" for Italian (but who can blame it, it's competing with the North End). A great place for large parties(or friends) and consistent service, but by-pass it for dates or when you're trying to impress someone.

French style cooking in a cozy nook below a bed and breakfast in the Back Bay on Newbury Street. The warm colors give you a feel for the inventive menu. Rumored to be the child of a famous restaurant in Cannes, France- the chef has a high-profile reputation as well. The food is made with the best french ingredients, so expect a large bill. The restaurant is a "brasserie by cuisine and a bistro by atmosphere", serving Mediterranean style dishes in clean and authentic presentations. They also offer up their own takes on the French classics, such as steak or moules frites. french, restaurant, outdoor dining, wine list

Legal Sea Foods is a culinary classic on the east coast. A Boston-based chain Legal Sea Foods offers a variety of high quality sea food. The clam chowder has been served at the last seven presidential inaugurations. The food and service are consistently great. Located in the Prudential Building- Legal Sea Foods attracts the mall walker and the couple on a serious date. Expect lines, and try the chowder! Live jazz during Sunday Brunch.

This restaurant is located at the 52nd floor of the Prudential Center. It is one of Boston's finest dining destinations, the award-winning Top of the Hub features outstanding cuisine, impeccable service, and a sophisticated ambiance. Soaring 52 floors above the Back Bay, the restaurant and adjoining Skywalk Observatory offer guests a spectacular view of the Boston skyline from every table.
Top of the Hub's creative menus reflect a balance of New England dishes blended with contemporary cuisine influenced by the cooking styles of Asia and California. Selections strongly emphasize the freshest New England fish and shellfish available, including Boston lobsters, New England clam chowder, along with the highest quality beef, veal, lamb, chicken, and game that make up the changing, seasonal menus.

A tiny restaurant located on Mass Ave and Marlbourough Street, The Wine Cellar is a popular fondue and wine place. The owner is a vibrant wine enthusiast who loves educating on wine as much as he loves Boston. He is often found handing out wine cards on the street that depict wines and their vintage. Inside, there is a great full mural of Boston's garden. It was awarded by the Wine Spectator 2005 'Two Glasses' of Excellence for its extensive 600 plus wine list. Situated in the garden level of the building, The Wine Cellar is decorated to make you feel as though you're in Europe. The food is above average, but the presentation, fondue style, is really the draw for this place. The menu includes 9 cheese appetizers (roughly $20 each), then fondue meat plates ($20-$40), followed by chocolate fondue (roughly $20 each). There are over thirty fondues here. There is also a non-fondue menu, and features french style items. Indulgence for Two is an $88 dollar full menu meal that includes a cheese fondue, 4 menu items, and chocolate fondue. Mass Ave, where the restaurant is located, is a typical Boston thoroughfare: ridiculously busy with all sorts of one-way side roads, cow paths, and alleys that lead to nowhere. In other words, driving and parking around the restaurant is a challenge or an adventure, depending on the perspective. However, the restaurant reserves two spots right out front for its diners, so if you're dining and you're a little lucky, you can park directly in front of the restaurant.
Back Bay residents get 10% for being "locals". Ask about it....