Abe & Louie's

793 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116 617-536-6300

Description: BACK BAY. This well-known, Back Bay restaurant corners the market when it comes to tasty steaks served in heaping portions. Generously cut and cooked to perfection, steaks include a succulent porterhouse or a tender filet mignon. Sides are just as abundant and leave no room for complaints. Salads and seafood options are available for vegetarians. The elegant interior is finely appointed with brass, mahogany, and marble accents.
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Atlantic Fish

761 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116 617-267-4000

Description: BACK BAY. A beloved part of the Boston scene since the late 1970s, Atlantic Fish sports an updated atmosphere these days ­ in other words, the original's galley look was traded in for a more polished scene of stained wood, pendant lights, coffered ceiling and crisp white linens. The menu, though hasn't changed all that much over the years (Hey, why mess with a good thing!), and Atlantic's kitchen continues to serve up timeless raw bar classics like shrimp cocktail, iced Littleneck clams and Blue Point oysters. Patio dining is available.
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B&G Oysters

550 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116 617-423-0550

Description: SOUTH END. A sleek, stylish raw bar? Thanks to owner Barbara Lynch (of No. 9 Park fame), that's just what B&G is. The sub-level space is subtly (that is, unpretentiously) contemporary, featuring blue and gray tiles, stainless steel elements, and an open kitchen. The raw bar eats are fronted by fresh local oysters, clams, scallops and shrimp. Meanwhile, creative main courses like bacon-wrapped cod, wild striped bass with squid puttanesca, and Italian fish stew are themselves superbly done. Patio dining is available during the warm seasons.
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Barking Crab

88 Sleeper St, Fort Point Landing, Boston, MA 02210 617-426-2722

Description: SEAPORT DISTRICT. Barking Crab doesn't do fancy presentation ­ meals are served on paper plates and eaten with plastic utensils ­ but great food needs no fancy trappings anyway. The place has a way with seafood, evidenced in the Barking Crab Cakes, famous fish and chips, herb-marinated swordfish, and seafood scampi over fettuccini. Outdoor dining and great views of the city skyline make the restaurant a fun spot for casual, relaxed meals.
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Brasserie Jo

120 Huntington Ave, Colonnade Boston Hotel, Boston, MA 02116 617-424-7000

Description: BACK BAY. Enjoy a French meal without ever leaving Boston ­ Brasserie Jo transports you to Alsace, France, with the very first bite. The menu focuses on "les fruits de mer" (seafood) and includes clams, shrimp, and lobster. Additional entrees include filet of skate, mussels Riesling, and sautéed sea scallops. Of course, landlubbers can enjoy classic dishes such as steak, chicken, and lamb. Nice wine list. Outdoor sidewalk dining available.
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Daily Catch

323 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113 617-523-8567

Description: NORTH END. With a logo of a squid painted on the front window, this restaurant makes no bones about their specialty--seafood! You'll love the calamari, their specialty. It's prepared Sicilian-style, and it's served over pasta, stuffed, or as a part of a salad. Black pasta puttanesca and clam linguine are among the other popular dishes. The decor is quite basic so don't come expecting to find a lot of charm or ambiance in the air!
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East Coast Grill & Raw Bar

1271 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139 617-491-6568

Description: CAMBRIDGE. East Coast Grill specializes in practically any kind of seafood imaginable. Main courses include cornmeal-crusted scallops, barbequed-pork ribs, and grilled spice-crusted Atlantic salmon. You'll also find an impressive raw bar over flowing with oysters, shrimp and crab claws. Meanwhile, the menu for Sunday brunch is also full of fantastic options, including corn bread-crusted French toast, smoked duck-stuffed tortilla rellenas, and Littleneck clams. Their legendary make-your-own-Bloody Mary bar alone is reason enough to reserve a table!
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Fugakyu

1280 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446 617-734-1268

Description: BROOKLINE. Fugakyu is an elegant sort of place that caters to a sushi loving crowd. The lovely interior features two special dining rooms that have interesting folding rice-paper screens for privacy and feature stone flooring and bubbling fountains. Regulars feast on plates of tempura, sushi, sashimi, and other traditional Japanese dishes. The green tea ice cream is a must-have meal finisher. Great cocktail lounge perfect for mixing with the upper crust.
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Ginza

16 Hudson St, Boston, MA 02111 617-338-2261

Description: CHINATOWN. Recognized as having some of Boston's freshest, tastiest sushi, this popular restaurant also serves until late in the night. Signature maki rolls are good enough to transform first-timers into regulars, and other Japanese dishes like yakiniku and nabemono-barbecue also prove satisfying. Waitresses decked out in traditional Japanese kimonos hurry about the room, making sure guests are accommodated.
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Grill 23 and Bar

161 Berkeley St, Boston, MA 02116 617-542-2255

Description: BACK BAY. Grill 23's striking, sophisticated interior features mahogany panels and white tablecloths, and its terrific food demands attention. The menu, which changes weekly, includes delicious New England clam chowder, swordfish, salmon, and lobster. Grill 23 is also famous for its preparation and presentation of beef. The extensive wine list boasts over 900 varieties, including rare Cabernets and Super Tuscans.
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Jumbo Seafood

5-9 Hudson St, Boston, MA 02111 617-542-2823

Description: CHINATOWN. Jumbo's keyword is "fresh," and the kitchen's ability to get seafood from tank to skillet in no time flat makes a noticeable difference in the quality of the cuisine. The Hong Kong-style menu boasts everything from standard favorites like shrimp to exotic dishes based around sea snails. Order fried calamari, or sample tofu with scallops, scallions, and black bean paste, and you're sure to walk away happy. Open late for folks seeking some Chinese for a midnight snack.
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KingFish Hall

188 Faneuil Hall Marketplace, SouthMarket Building, Boston, MA 02109 617-523-8862

Description: FINANCIAL DISTRICT. Owned by chef and restaurateur Todd English, this great seafood restaurant is awash in vivid color. Seafood comes from the kitchen steaming hot and tender, as you'll see after ordering crispy bass. Grilled quail satay is also delicious, and you'll find a notable bar scene and a well-selected wine list. In addition, KingFish hosts an exceptional Sunday brunch. Be warned, though, that noise levels can reach epic proportion when diners really pack the place. Smart casual dress. Reservations accepted.
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Legal Sea Foods

255 State St, Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02109 617-742-5300

Description: WATERFRONT. "If it isn't fresh, it isn't legal" is this restaurant's mantra and they pride themselves on offering only the freshest seafood available. Rich, creamy clam chowder is a specialty, and the raw bar fare enjoys its share of devotees. You'll also find wood-grilled swordfish, fried oysters, and a great cioppino. Daily and seasonal specials abound, and fresh Maine lobsters are cracked tableside on request. A Boston institution since 1968, Legal has seven locations in the immediate area alone, but the one at Long Wharf is particularly impressive, thanks to its outdoor dining area and awesome views of the harbor.
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McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant

34 Columbus Ave, Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, MA 02116 617-482-3999

Description: THEATRE DISTRICT. Crisply attired waiters and a huge printed menu underscore the upscale ambience of this classy restaurant. Seafood is flown in from Hawaii, British Columbia, and Florida, so you're assured the season's best. Dungeness crab is a work of art, oysters are plump and juicy, and clam chowder makes for a succulent treat.
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Neptune Oyster

63 Salem St, Boston, MA 02110 617-742-3474

Description: NORTH END. Intimate and old school cool, Neptune sports a pressed-tin ceiling, floor tiles and marble-topped tables. Located as it is on the North End, the restaurant probably doesn't shock first-timers with its Italian takes on fresh fish and seafood. That's not to say they don't leave impressed by Old Country classics like cioppino and more regionalized endeavors such lobster rolls. It's the raw bar, though, that truly sets this place apart, thanks to seasonal ditties like Ipswich clams (fried, of course) and a dozen or so varieties of oysters.
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Oceana Restaurant

296 State St, Boston Marriott Long Wharf, Boston, MA 02109 617-227-3838

Description: WATERFRONT. Stylish Oceana capitalizes on its marina-side location by offering outstanding views of the harbor. Take away the setting, though, and the place would still enjoy wide popular acclaim based on a robust fish and seafood selection that includes regional delicacies like New England bouillabaisse and crab-crusted Georges Bank cod. Even if a sit-down affair isn't on the slate, Oceana's raw bar specialties, like Panama Bay Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and fresh-shucked oysters, are worth checking out.
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Skipjack's

199 Clarendon St, Boston, MA 02116 617-536-3500

Description: BACK BAY. This seafood restaurant, which features an underwater-themed decor, is great for a full meal or a light seafood treat. Skipjack's has a reputable raw bar, and you can order light fare at the full bar, including clams and oysters on the half shell. With over 33 types of fish and shellfish to choose from, you're sure to find a dish to delight you. Skipjack's is famous for its lemon, soy, and spice marinade, and Hawaiian mahi mahi is always an excellent choice.
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Summer Shack

50 Dalton St, above Kings Bowling Alley, Boston, MA 02115 617-867-9955

Description: BACK BAY. Nothing preempts a game at Fenway quite like a stopover at the Back Bay edition of Jasper White's Summer Shack family, where the mood is proverbially light-hearted and the raw bar case never seems to suffer from a shortage of fresh oysters, clams, shrimp and lobsters (heck, it holds somewhere in the neighborhood of 4-K shellfish!) If seafood isn't your bag, their versatile menu also lists burgers, corn dogs, fried chicken and even meatloaf. Designed to look like a modern version of a roadside shack, the space gets packed, especially during the summer. Priority seating available.
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Turner Fisheries

10 Huntington Ave, Westin Copley Place, Boston, MA 02116 617-424-7425

Description: BACK BAY. Cozy Turner Fisheries is known for clam chowder and an excellent raw bar, and its menu offers some of the best seafood options in town. Start with the popular smoked bluefish appetizer or a cup of lobster bisque; then dive into baked sole, tuna carpaccio, or freshwater prawns. In a hurry? Head for the oyster bar, which offers hearty meals for folks on the run.
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Union Oyster House

41 Union St, Boston, MA 02108 617-227-2750

Description: FINANCIAL DISTRICT. Established in 1826, this casual establishment is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the US and consists of a dark, pub-like dining room, oyster bar, restaurant, and drink bar. John F. Kennedy had a favorite booth here while practicing law in his early days, and you can now reserve it for parties of five or six. The place is said to serve the best clam chowder in New England, along with fresh seafood and excellent Bloody Marys. Oysters are delicious, and diners may choose to sit in cozy booths and order from the menu or find a perch at the popular raw bar.
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