Great food—especially the garlic noodles, chicken wings and mussels. But the service should definitely be improved: two diners, on a Wednesday at 7:30pm in a mostly empty restaurant (literally only one table besides ours) shouldn’t be waiting 15mins for their finished plates to be cleaned. We witnessed the manager have a discussion with the staff about (what we assume) was spending too much time chatting, as they immediately disbanded. Had a whole conversation about the service industry (as folks who’ve worked in it) about how tough it is and ya know, as long as service is good, folks should be allowed to talk etc etc. Lo and behold, we would eat our words and spend the rest of the meal waiting around for someone to notice us. Table right next to ours had some sort of problem with their fries and we saw how great their service went. Didn’t want to kick up a fuss about waiting, but then proceeded to have to wait even longer for a waitress that didn’t check in with us and wasn’t attentive with our meal. Sucks to see such a cool place with good food be let down with poor service.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
Nicolina Nicolina
My favorite!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Megan Campbell
If you want incredible food paired with the warmest hospitality in Boston, Bootleg Special is the place to go. We ordered the Brussels, the gumbo, the Korean BBQ pasta, a seafood boil, and the beignets, and every dish was unforgettable. The flavors were bold, comforting, and absolutely delicious, but what truly made our visit exceptional was the level of care we received.
Tito, the bartender, made us feel like we were part of the Bootleg Special family from the moment we sat down. His recommendations were spot on, his humor kept us smiling, and his kindness made the entire experience feel personal and genuine. It was the kind of hospitality that goes beyond good service. It felt heartfelt and real.
This was our last meal in Boston, and Tito was the cherry on top. He turned a fantastic dinner into a meaningful memory that we will never forget. If you want outstanding seafood, creative dishes, and the kind of service that makes you feel welcomed and valued, you need to visit Bootleg Special and spend some time with Tito at the bar. This place is truly special.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brianna
I’m obsessed with this place I swear it never gets old (I go weekly no joke). The oysters are insane, the food is consistently amazing (literally never misses), and the drinks are delicious (highly recommend the lychee martini). The space has a nice vibe to it too with its warm lighting, hanging plants, cozy tables and that moody atmosphere that makes it feel like a hidden lounge. Big shoutout to Tito behind the bar because his energy and his humor really ties everything together and puts the cherry on top of an already lavish experience! Literally wouldn’t be the same without him. If you haven’t been yet, I suggest that you do!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Елена Кара
Great food, yummy drinks and fun atmosphere!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cajun Fried Rice, Garlic Noodles with Shrimp, The Bootleg Special, Truffle Beef Tataki, Crispy Chicken Wings
Autumn Pearl
Food was amazing, cocktails were great, service was excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stella Huang
Loved the shrimp grits here. It’s not a small portion at all, and the mix of spinach and cherry tomatoes makes it really tasty without feeling heavy. Shrimp were fresh and perfectly cooked.
The soufflé was huge, warm and super comforting, and the fresh strawberries on the side were a great match.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
HS Hyde Lee
What a nice meal!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Matt M
Staff was friendly. But the mojito had chunks of mint leaves.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 3
Matthew Dewar
I’d like to begin by saying that I had high expectations for this establishment given that it was shown on Phantom Gourmet. When I arrived it took a good 15-20 to even be greeted. Once greeted, I was given a drink just to be notified that the wrong drink was made and had to remake it. I ordered the grilled oysters and the shrimp po boy and the food was decent even thought the fries were soggy. I was more appalled by the service that was provided. One bartender was ok but there was another bartender that made it will known that he was gay. He was hitting on me and making inappropriate jokes such as calling me a Mormon and making fun of my facial hair. I also had to ask him to make a drink 4 times before I gave up because he would keep forgetting. There was also a lot of profanity and rudeness that came from that specific bartender and it made me quite uncomfortable. It would take something to get me to come back as I had high expectations and it missed the mark.
Oyster happy hour is a hidden blessing. More people should know about it!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Robert Fast
Went as they have $1 Happy Hour oysters only to find it was the wrong weekday for such. Had some anyway. Food very tasty & atmosphere comfortable/relaxed. Great service.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Wassim Ayass
A nice restaurant for a night out. The decor and space layout were nice. The service was friendly and the food was good. The chowder fries were okay but not the best creation for a poutine alternative. The pasta dish was a little bit salty. Overall a nice place to enjoy drinks and dinner.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Glenn Jones
First time visit. Very impressed. Food was exceptional. Service was great. And the vibe is on point. In fact, the look and feel and crowd may have been my favorite part. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brandon Aviles
What can I say about Bootleg Special? If you're visiting or even just live in Boston, you HAVE to stop by and see what this establishment is all about! From the staff, to the decor and even just the vibe overall - this is a place you will want to be. My friends and family had been recommending this place to me over the years and I finally carved the time out of my schedule to pop in and wow was I enlightened!! It's the only place I'll go for a lychee martini, just perfection 😍.
Great food—especially the garlic noodles, chicken wings and mussels. But the service should definitely be improved: two diners, on a Wednesday at 7:30pm in a mostly empty restaurant (literally only one table besides ours) shouldn’t be waiting 15mins for their finished plates to be cleaned. We witnessed the manager have a discussion with the staff about (what we assume) was spending too much time chatting, as they immediately disbanded. Had a whole conversation about the service industry (as folks who’ve worked in it) about how tough it is and ya know, as long as service is good, folks should be allowed to talk etc etc. Lo and behold, we would eat our words and spend the rest of the meal waiting around for someone to notice us. Table right next to ours had some sort of problem with their fries and we saw how great their service went. Didn’t want to kick up a fuss about waiting, but then proceeded to have to wait even longer for a waitress that didn’t check in with us and wasn’t attentive with our meal. Sucks to see such a cool place with good food be let down with poor service.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
My favorite!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If you want incredible food paired with the warmest hospitality in Boston, Bootleg Special is the place to go. We ordered the Brussels, the gumbo, the Korean BBQ pasta, a seafood boil, and the beignets, and every dish was unforgettable. The flavors were bold, comforting, and absolutely delicious, but what truly made our visit exceptional was the level of care we received.
Tito, the bartender, made us feel like we were part of the Bootleg Special family from the moment we sat down. His recommendations were spot on, his humor kept us smiling, and his kindness made the entire experience feel personal and genuine. It was the kind of hospitality that goes beyond good service. It felt heartfelt and real.
This was our last meal in Boston, and Tito was the cherry on top. He turned a fantastic dinner into a meaningful memory that we will never forget. If you want outstanding seafood, creative dishes, and the kind of service that makes you feel welcomed and valued, you need to visit Bootleg Special and spend some time with Tito at the bar. This place is truly special.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’m obsessed with this place I swear it never gets old (I go weekly no joke). The oysters are insane, the food is consistently amazing (literally never misses), and the drinks are delicious (highly recommend the lychee martini). The space has a nice vibe to it too with its warm lighting, hanging plants, cozy tables and that moody atmosphere that makes it feel like a hidden lounge. Big shoutout to Tito behind the bar because his energy and his humor really ties everything together and puts the cherry on top of an already lavish experience! Literally wouldn’t be the same without him. If you haven’t been yet, I suggest that you do!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food, yummy drinks and fun atmosphere!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cajun Fried Rice, Garlic Noodles with Shrimp, The Bootleg Special, Truffle Beef Tataki, Crispy Chicken Wings
Food was amazing, cocktails were great, service was excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loved the shrimp grits here. It’s not a small portion at all, and the mix of spinach and cherry tomatoes makes it really tasty without feeling heavy. Shrimp were fresh and perfectly cooked.
The soufflé was huge, warm and super comforting, and the fresh strawberries on the side were a great match.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What a nice meal!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Staff was friendly. But the mojito had chunks of mint leaves.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 3
I’d like to begin by saying that I had high expectations for this establishment given that it was shown on Phantom Gourmet. When I arrived it took a good 15-20 to even be greeted. Once greeted, I was given a drink just to be notified that the wrong drink was made and had to remake it. I ordered the grilled oysters and the shrimp po boy and the food was decent even thought the fries were soggy. I was more appalled by the service that was provided. One bartender was ok but there was another bartender that made it will known that he was gay. He was hitting on me and making inappropriate jokes such as calling me a Mormon and making fun of my facial hair. I also had to ask him to make a drink 4 times before I gave up because he would keep forgetting. There was also a lot of profanity and rudeness that came from that specific bartender and it made me quite uncomfortable. It would take something to get me to come back as I had high expectations and it missed the mark.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Oyster happy hour is a hidden blessing. More people should know about it!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went as they have $1 Happy Hour oysters only to find it was the wrong weekday for such. Had some anyway. Food very tasty & atmosphere comfortable/relaxed. Great service.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
A nice restaurant for a night out. The decor and space layout were nice. The service was friendly and the food was good. The chowder fries were okay but not the best creation for a poutine alternative. The pasta dish was a little bit salty. Overall a nice place to enjoy drinks and dinner.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
First time visit. Very impressed. Food was exceptional. Service was great. And the vibe is on point. In fact, the look and feel and crowd may have been my favorite part. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What can I say about Bootleg Special? If you're visiting or even just live in Boston, you HAVE to stop by and see what this establishment is all about! From the staff, to the decor and even just the vibe overall - this is a place you will want to be. My friends and family had been recommending this place to me over the years and I finally carved the time out of my schedule to pop in and wow was I enlightened!! It's the only place I'll go for a lychee martini, just perfection 😍.
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