This was, to me, a very confusing restaurant. By design it aspire to be one of those tasting menu only, Michelin starred establishment, but both food and service struggled to reach that level of quality.
To be fair, it is very difficult to run a tasting menu with innovative dishes. Asta has some interesting ideas, but execution fell short. The two dishes that stood out to be above the rest was the soup with ox tongue slices and the (optional extra) foie gras in pho broth - and even then the pho broth was too light in texture to work as a sauce and too salty as a soup.
The other dishes were mostly disappointing. The Jerusalem artichoke was partially mushy. The beetroot was grainy, the orange foam was bitter, the mole sauce overwhelming for the beet that wasn’t sweet enough to balance.
The problem with the mackerel was its quality - it smelled fishy when it was placed in front of me, and again the fish was overcooked and mushy, not the oily tender meat would expect of a well cooked, good quality mackerel. Balance was also wrong. The yuzu broth, while not enough to cover the fishiness, was overpowering and like the orange foam, slightly bitter.
The bread appeared half way through the meal, yet wasn’t freshly baked (why not serve it earlier on then??). The butter was cold and solid, which is not acceptable at this price point and ambition.
Enough about the food. On to service.
The first problem is that there wasn’t a printed menu, and I had no idea how much the meal was supposed to cost, or what dishes (and how many) to expect, or how much the drinks pairing cost. I had to ask the staff, who gave me a number for the pairing that was slightly higher than what ended up on my bill.
Additionally, because there wasn’t a menu and the music was loud, it was difficult to figure out what the dish is supposed to be.
The staff should also be briefed better. Simple questions about the dishes like “how is that ox tongue cooked” shouldn’t need a trip to the kitchen to ask the chef.
One more slight problem was that while the staff were friendly enough to initiate some small talk, more often than not they did not have the patience to hear my reply and half way through my sentence I’d see their back as they walked away. Not the most pleasant feeling I’m afraid.
Wine service was also arbitrary. Some pours were huge, some tiny, with no bearing on the dish.
Overall the meal was a bit of a disappointment. I was a tourist to the city so either way I won’t be going back, but I left the restaurant feeling that they have ambition and some ideas, but fell short on execution or the ability to bring it all together. The balance of most of the dishes were just off. I understand that the chef spent a couple months working at the world famous Noma, but perhaps that was just enough to get some ideas. Perhaps, if this is a French bistro with simple, traditional dishes things would have worked much better.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
A A
Second time here. It was better than the first time around! We enjoyed many dishes but the venison and the dessert pasta with their wine pairings were big standouts. The music playlist is to die for as well! A great, special evening on a restaurant that felt a whole step above from our previous time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gabbie Kim
For about $470 for three people (without drinks), I’m not sure the experience fully justified the price. The restaurant itself is cute, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the staff is attentive. I also appreciated that the tasting menu included both a fish dish and a meat dish (venison).
Overall, the portions were quite small. The menu started with two tiny soups, then a vegetable course, beet course, fish, meat, and dessert. While nicely presented, there just wasn’t much food.
Flavor-wise, I wasn’t convinced that everything lived up to the price point.
The meal also ran about 2.5 hours, and we all felt pretty tired by the end.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Shauna Reyburn
Asta will always be the best of the best. Alex and Shish can do no wrong. Team Asta forever
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wayne Nanna
Great place for small plates. Great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jason Tribandis
The bill felt like getting my car towed three times.
Uninspired food. Needed: garlic, butter, and salt.
Vegetable heavy course that did minimal work to make the ingredients pop. Sloppy chunks of turnip, big dog food biscuit under lobster.
No heat or steam coming from the open kitchen. No pans getting hot. Little thought, little effort.
Should’ve known something was wrong when only one reservation slot was open, and it was dead inside.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 3
Olivia Peric
Unfortunately food was severely lacking in flavour. Paid $125 per person for only one protein course. Left hungry and disappointed. Expecting from vegetable dishes for there to be at least some incentive or creative touches however being served raw cucumber with little flavour was upsetting. Only upside was service from waitstaff. Definitely not worth the money.
Anton Nguyen
At $95 a person, this is a definite no-go. The taste of each dish is mostly lacking. There are some nice things (razor clam and wakame) but other things are severely lacking and underwhelming (blistered green onions). Also, the pacing is terribly slow, clocking in at almost 3 hours for 6 dishes.
It would also be great to have a door in between the toilet and the urinal in the men's bathroom.
Besides that, I think the vibe is good if you're into the unfinished brick wall aesthetic and Camberville-esque feel. I also found the staff to be very attentive.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Dan Sykora
The wine pairings were excellent, but for the price, the food was entirely uninspiring. For 6 courses, there was really only one protein course, and my wife and I left very hungry. The total bill ended up being over $500. It felt like we paid $500 to get wine drunk.
For a fine dining experience, I except some level of being ripped off, but this was egregious. I’d stay away unless you can get a deal.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Paula Machado
As a vegetarian, I missed more surprises in the tasting menu. The bread and butter after 5 food courses was unexpected
Always make a priority of coming here when in Boston. The service is excellent and they’ve come to add an even more personal touch as I’ve gone back again and again. Sitting at the counter viewing the kitchen is a must. You see all the action and gorgeous plating as it takes shape. Absolutely recommend the wine pairings. They are always interesting but also approachable, sophisticated but never intimidating or overwhelming. Also recommend opting in for the foie gras special when they have it. It changes with the seasons (as does the rest of the menu) and I’ve loved it every time. Overall a great experience and fabulous meal every time!
Allison Wrede
I wanted to express my appreciation to the staff and chefs at Asta. I had hoped to enjoy the delicious chefs testing menu with my family but I got an unexpected migraine. The chef made me some nice comfort food so I could still enjoy the experience with my family even though I was feeling terrible. It helped to salvage the night and felt nurturing!
Alejandra Sanchez
Tiny portions and mostly vegetables. The main fish and meat dishes were good but nothing worth remembering. For the price, it is not worth it.
The supplemental seared foie gras was excellent. Overall, this restaurant was fine but I’d recommend going next door for better food. However, the atmosphere at the restaurant was fun and modern.
piper williams
Great service, great wine. It wasn’t mind blowing, and I was excited for a WOW moment. Loved how veggie forward the meal was, the best dish was a rutabaga moment. My steak wasn’t hot enough I thought
Sabrina L
Best fine dining experience of my life. It was everything I had hoped for and more. From the service, to the music, to of course the food. I added the cheese plate. I loved watching the Chef(s) at work. It was the best way to spend our anniversary in Boston. So happy we booked reservations and got the last counter seats upon arrival. If you’re wanting a fun and always changing chef’s menu go to Asta. If I was local I’d be a regular. It was art on a plate and I didn’t want it to end.
This was, to me, a very confusing restaurant. By design it aspire to be one of those tasting menu only, Michelin starred establishment, but both food and service struggled to reach that level of quality.
To be fair, it is very difficult to run a tasting menu with innovative dishes. Asta has some interesting ideas, but execution fell short. The two dishes that stood out to be above the rest was the soup with ox tongue slices and the (optional extra) foie gras in pho broth - and even then the pho broth was too light in texture to work as a sauce and too salty as a soup.
The other dishes were mostly disappointing. The Jerusalem artichoke was partially mushy. The beetroot was grainy, the orange foam was bitter, the mole sauce overwhelming for the beet that wasn’t sweet enough to balance.
The problem with the mackerel was its quality - it smelled fishy when it was placed in front of me, and again the fish was overcooked and mushy, not the oily tender meat would expect of a well cooked, good quality mackerel. Balance was also wrong. The yuzu broth, while not enough to cover the fishiness, was overpowering and like the orange foam, slightly bitter.
The bread appeared half way through the meal, yet wasn’t freshly baked (why not serve it earlier on then??). The butter was cold and solid, which is not acceptable at this price point and ambition.
Enough about the food. On to service.
The first problem is that there wasn’t a printed menu, and I had no idea how much the meal was supposed to cost, or what dishes (and how many) to expect, or how much the drinks pairing cost. I had to ask the staff, who gave me a number for the pairing that was slightly higher than what ended up on my bill.
Additionally, because there wasn’t a menu and the music was loud, it was difficult to figure out what the dish is supposed to be.
The staff should also be briefed better. Simple questions about the dishes like “how is that ox tongue cooked” shouldn’t need a trip to the kitchen to ask the chef.
One more slight problem was that while the staff were friendly enough to initiate some small talk, more often than not they did not have the patience to hear my reply and half way through my sentence I’d see their back as they walked away. Not the most pleasant feeling I’m afraid.
Wine service was also arbitrary. Some pours were huge, some tiny, with no bearing on the dish.
Overall the meal was a bit of a disappointment. I was a tourist to the city so either way I won’t be going back, but I left the restaurant feeling that they have ambition and some ideas, but fell short on execution or the ability to bring it all together. The balance of most of the dishes were just off. I understand that the chef spent a couple months working at the world famous Noma, but perhaps that was just enough to get some ideas. Perhaps, if this is a French bistro with simple, traditional dishes things would have worked much better.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Second time here. It was better than the first time around! We enjoyed many dishes but the venison and the dessert pasta with their wine pairings were big standouts. The music playlist is to die for as well! A great, special evening on a restaurant that felt a whole step above from our previous time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
For about $470 for three people (without drinks), I’m not sure the experience fully justified the price. The restaurant itself is cute, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the staff is attentive. I also appreciated that the tasting menu included both a fish dish and a meat dish (venison).
Overall, the portions were quite small. The menu started with two tiny soups, then a vegetable course, beet course, fish, meat, and dessert. While nicely presented, there just wasn’t much food.
Flavor-wise, I wasn’t convinced that everything lived up to the price point.
The meal also ran about 2.5 hours, and we all felt pretty tired by the end.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Asta will always be the best of the best. Alex and Shish can do no wrong. Team Asta forever
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great place for small plates. Great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The bill felt like getting my car towed three times.
Uninspired food. Needed: garlic, butter, and salt.
Vegetable heavy course that did minimal work to make the ingredients pop. Sloppy chunks of turnip, big dog food biscuit under lobster.
No heat or steam coming from the open kitchen. No pans getting hot. Little thought, little effort.
Should’ve known something was wrong when only one reservation slot was open, and it was dead inside.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 3
Unfortunately food was severely lacking in flavour. Paid $125 per person for only one protein course. Left hungry and disappointed. Expecting from vegetable dishes for there to be at least some incentive or creative touches however being served raw cucumber with little flavour was upsetting. Only upside was service from waitstaff. Definitely not worth the money.
At $95 a person, this is a definite no-go. The taste of each dish is mostly lacking. There are some nice things (razor clam and wakame) but other things are severely lacking and underwhelming (blistered green onions). Also, the pacing is terribly slow, clocking in at almost 3 hours for 6 dishes.
It would also be great to have a door in between the toilet and the urinal in the men's bathroom.
Besides that, I think the vibe is good if you're into the unfinished brick wall aesthetic and Camberville-esque feel. I also found the staff to be very attentive.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
The wine pairings were excellent, but for the price, the food was entirely uninspiring. For 6 courses, there was really only one protein course, and my wife and I left very hungry. The total bill ended up being over $500. It felt like we paid $500 to get wine drunk.
For a fine dining experience, I except some level of being ripped off, but this was egregious. I’d stay away unless you can get a deal.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
As a vegetarian, I missed more surprises in the tasting menu. The bread and butter after 5 food courses was unexpected
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Always make a priority of coming here when in Boston. The service is excellent and they’ve come to add an even more personal touch as I’ve gone back again and again. Sitting at the counter viewing the kitchen is a must. You see all the action and gorgeous plating as it takes shape.
Absolutely recommend the wine pairings. They are always interesting but also approachable, sophisticated but never intimidating or overwhelming.
Also recommend opting in for the foie gras special when they have it. It changes with the seasons (as does the rest of the menu) and I’ve loved it every time.
Overall a great experience and fabulous meal every time!
I wanted to express my appreciation to the staff and chefs at Asta. I had hoped to enjoy the delicious chefs testing menu with my family but I got an unexpected migraine. The chef made me some nice comfort food so I could still enjoy the experience with my family even though I was feeling terrible. It helped to salvage the night and felt nurturing!
Tiny portions and mostly vegetables. The main fish and meat dishes were good but nothing worth remembering. For the price, it is not worth it.
The supplemental seared foie gras was excellent. Overall, this restaurant was fine but I’d recommend going next door for better food. However, the atmosphere at the restaurant was fun and modern.
Great service, great wine. It wasn’t mind blowing, and I was excited for a WOW moment. Loved how veggie forward the meal was, the best dish was a rutabaga moment. My steak wasn’t hot enough I thought
Best fine dining experience of my life. It was everything I had hoped for and more. From the service, to the music, to of course the food. I added the cheese plate. I loved watching the Chef(s) at work. It was the best way to spend our anniversary in Boston. So happy we booked reservations and got the last counter seats upon arrival. If you’re wanting a fun and always changing chef’s menu go to Asta. If I was local I’d be a regular. It was art on a plate and I didn’t want it to end.
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