Get the tasting menu.The chef is incredibly talented.Wicked cool place with a great vibe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nightshade Caviar Service, Grilled Coconut Sticky Rice Pop
Courtney
This was one of the most amazing dining experiences I have ever had. It was all perfect. Atmosphere, service and food all perfect. There really is not much more to say. I felt like I was scamming them for how inexpensive it was. I want to come back here just for this.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Caitlin Cunningham
I’ve been lucky to go here twice, once to dine at the bar, and once with friends in the dining room. Both times, we indulged in the 14-course offering and wine pairing. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, the service is impeccable (group effort by so many kind and talented people), and the food is extraordinary. If Pearl is at the bar, be sure to get her insights into some wonderful beverages, including delicious non-alcoholic options that were just as good as the alcoholic ones.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Julie Dziki
Fantastic. Truly some of the best food I've ever had and the experience overall was nothing but pleasant from the moment we walked in the door. The service and hospitality was above and beyond anything I have experienced personally at a restaurant. Staff were warm, kind, professional, welcoming and their knowledge of the menu was excellent. We had the 14 course tasting menu and we will be back to try more. Thank you for a wonderful evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Duyen T.
Overall great and very creative but some dishes can use less salt
Maggie Shaffer
It was delicious and fun but I’m still hungry.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kimberly
I love fine dining, but nowadays there are a lot of places that market themselves as "fine dining" yet serve mediocre, expensive small plates. I am happy to say that Nightshade Noodle Bar is not one of those places and instead truly deserves the title. We had to make a reservation a month in advance, and it was well worth the wait.There are 7, 9, 12, 14, and 21 course options. 7-14 will supposedly fill you the same (the only difference is that you'll get to try more things in smaller portions), and 21 requires more preparation. We originally planned on 7 but decided on 9 after being enticed by the menu. This was the right call, as we were satisfied after 9 plates. You also get to request two dishes specifically.In order of most to least favorite (though, we enjoyed everything):- Marblehead urchin brûlée: There were good-sized chunks of uni, and the hollandaise was so creamy and buttery, which was balanced by the saltiness of the torched cinnamon.- Grilled coconut sticky rice pops: The presentation worked well, as the stick made it easy to dip and eat. The sticky rice was more like sushi or risotto rice, which was a nice variation from typical sticky rice. It was also /just/ sticky enough that it didn't get annoyingly stuck to your teeth afterward. The pork floss was fluffy and salty, and the coconut was lightly sweetened.- Crispy black cod: The outside of the cod was indeed crispy, but the inside melted in your mouth like wagyu. For my Viet folks, the sauce is nước màu, which is quite salty, so I think having some rice would have made this amazing dish even better.- Chilled Portuguese percebes: The taste was not bad (has a sweet ocean taste and the texture is like a lobster-clam mashup), but we enjoyed this dish more so for its unique experience, as we don't know where else we would ever get to try percebes, and it was fun de-shelling.- Claypot caramel foie gras: The foie gras had a nice bite on the outside but melted like the cod. Because the sauce tasted the same as that of the cod, we almost wish we got to try something else instead. Nevertheless, it was good.- Nightshade caviar service: The eggspuma dip was light, airy, and the perfect first dish to prep the palate. The caviar made the dish feel more luxurious, but tbh, the chips tasted fine with just the dip. In contrast to the luxurious caviar, the chips tasted like Lay's. Something that tasted more homemade or perhaps something slightly more elevated like bread would have made this dish better.- Dungeness crab: This dish had mixed reactions, but I liked it. The flavors were reminiscent of phở, and then you would get a truffle aftertaste. This dish could be a miss for you if you aren't able to dissociate the noodles from the famous soup dish that they are typically served in (phở). I just wish there were larger chunks of crab, as I was searching for that with every bite.- Salted chocolate mousse: Rich, thick, and salty. A dollop of whipped cream would have been a nice addition.- Kabocha squash bột chiên: Better than expected but the least memorable imo. It kind of tasted like tempura. I liked the sweet squash.We also tried a few drinks, which were all very good. I recommend the coconut margarita.The food alone was already a 5/5 for me, but we got exceptional service on top of that, especially from our bartender, Shayne (if anyone from the staff can reach out to me with her email, I'd love to send over the picture we took!).This is a place I would happily come back to, and I love that they keep track of what you order each time to cater a different experience on subsequent visits. Thank you, Nightshade Noodle Bar!Dietary restrictions: Items are served raw or undercooked or may contain raw or undercooked ingredients. The server should be informed beforehand if anyone in the party has a food allergy.Kid-friendliness: Not a good place for kids
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hollandaise
Ally Huang
Best tasting menu in the Greater Boston area! Unique fusions of flavors, great beverage pairings, and a super attentive and friendly staff. Definitely will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andy Fuentes
My wife and I went for a 9 courses tasting menu here last fall, after many weeks of anticipation. My wife is Vietnamese-American, and we were looking forward to trying Vietnamese inspired, elevated food. We really wanted to like the food, but to be honest, it was just insanely salty. I am not a picky eater - we cook a lot, and I eat anything and everything under the sun. I generally like my food on the saltier side, but never have I experienced something like this. We felt like the delicate balance that Vietnamese food usually presents was heavily disrupted, with one major overpowering presence: salt.We also ordered the roasted prawns and one of them came out partially raw, which was a disappointment. I think the bartender picked up on the fact we were not enjoying our meal, especially after the prawn incident, and graciously gave us two extra courses. At this point we just wanted out, but decided to give those a try, only to get more of the same. It truly was an odd experience, as everyone else around us seemed to be greatly enjoying the food. It really had me questioning if something was wrong with me.Also of note, they use dill EVERYWHERE. We joked that even the plants on the walls must have been dill. The majority of the dishes were garnished with dill. Dill isn't like some microgreen thats not ultra flavorful + is just there to looks pretty. It has a pretty standout/recognizable taste that really just did not belong in ALL the dishes. Especially for Vietnamese cuisine, where dill is used sparingly, maybe sometimes in fish dishes.In complete contrast to the food, the atmosphere was great, the bartender/service was great. They asked if we were there for an occasion, and upon hearing it was an anniversary, gave us a free special beverage. Overall, it really was a disappointment, as the food looks so beautiful, the service/atmosphere is great, but stops at that.
They need a infinity sign to put after the stars for this place. The staff that Chef Rachel and Alex have put together is phenomenal. They REMEMBERED me from my birthday dinner in April. Pearl at the bar is a legitimate joy in sharing with everyone sitting in front of her. I got to shake Chef's hand and tell her how wonderful her menu is. I ate uni--and LIKED IT. Because I can't have strawberries (allergy), Pearl whipped me up a palate cleanser drink that was made of literal stars and magic. The experience of this place is incredible. I willingly drive almost two hours to come here. It's worth the aggravation of Boston traffic. I can't wait to bring everyone I know to come and eat here. Long live Nightshade, long may she reign.tl;dr: Michelin level restaurant in Lynn. Get there. Pronto.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kabocha Squash Bot Chien, Charred Broccoli, Salted Chocolate Mousse, Bone Marrow Bahn MI, Nightshade Caviar Service
Andra Stroe
One of the best meals I've ever had!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nelson White
super unique food - especially textures that i’ve never had before. crispy duck tongue and chinese broccoli were my favorites. service was killer with some sips of madeira on the house
Deniz Satik
Most of the courses we had were genuinely delicious, but a few (the oysters, barnacles, fried fish) came off as pretentious and weren't tasty. The atmosphere itself was honestly very loud, cramped and uncomfortable.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 5
Meghan Collins
Just arrived home from yet another stellar dining experience at Nightshade. I agree with a previous review that there should be an asterisk after the star rating, because 5 doesn't do it justice. I've never been disappointed here, and i'm always blown away by the balance of unique flavors. The attention to detail with both the food and service is unmatched. We celebrated by Dad's birthday tonight and the staff made it very special for him and the rest of our party of 3 - we received an additional course as a gift from Chef Rachel - amazing prawns in butter, Alex remembered us from previous visits which was a nice touch, and they gifted my dad a spice rub. We are indeed very lucky to have this team right here in Lynn!
We did the 12 course tasting menu and everything was incredible!! above and beyond for plating and for ingredients!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nightshade Caviar Service, Kusshi Oyster, Garlic Noodles, Grilled Coconut Sticky Rice Pop
Get the tasting menu.The chef is incredibly talented.Wicked cool place with a great vibe.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nightshade Caviar Service, Grilled Coconut Sticky Rice Pop
This was one of the most amazing dining experiences I have ever had. It was all perfect. Atmosphere, service and food all perfect. There really is not much more to say. I felt like I was scamming them for how inexpensive it was. I want to come back here just for this.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve been lucky to go here twice, once to dine at the bar, and once with friends in the dining room. Both times, we indulged in the 14-course offering and wine pairing. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, the service is impeccable (group effort by so many kind and talented people), and the food is extraordinary. If Pearl is at the bar, be sure to get her insights into some wonderful beverages, including delicious non-alcoholic options that were just as good as the alcoholic ones.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fantastic. Truly some of the best food I've ever had and the experience overall was nothing but pleasant from the moment we walked in the door. The service and hospitality was above and beyond anything I have experienced personally at a restaurant. Staff were warm, kind, professional, welcoming and their knowledge of the menu was excellent. We had the 14 course tasting menu and we will be back to try more. Thank you for a wonderful evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Overall great and very creative but some dishes can use less salt
It was delicious and fun but I’m still hungry.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I love fine dining, but nowadays there are a lot of places that market themselves as "fine dining" yet serve mediocre, expensive small plates. I am happy to say that Nightshade Noodle Bar is not one of those places and instead truly deserves the title. We had to make a reservation a month in advance, and it was well worth the wait.There are 7, 9, 12, 14, and 21 course options. 7-14 will supposedly fill you the same (the only difference is that you'll get to try more things in smaller portions), and 21 requires more preparation. We originally planned on 7 but decided on 9 after being enticed by the menu. This was the right call, as we were satisfied after 9 plates. You also get to request two dishes specifically.In order of most to least favorite (though, we enjoyed everything):- Marblehead urchin brûlée: There were good-sized chunks of uni, and the hollandaise was so creamy and buttery, which was balanced by the saltiness of the torched cinnamon.- Grilled coconut sticky rice pops: The presentation worked well, as the stick made it easy to dip and eat. The sticky rice was more like sushi or risotto rice, which was a nice variation from typical sticky rice. It was also /just/ sticky enough that it didn't get annoyingly stuck to your teeth afterward. The pork floss was fluffy and salty, and the coconut was lightly sweetened.- Crispy black cod: The outside of the cod was indeed crispy, but the inside melted in your mouth like wagyu. For my Viet folks, the sauce is nước màu, which is quite salty, so I think having some rice would have made this amazing dish even better.- Chilled Portuguese percebes: The taste was not bad (has a sweet ocean taste and the texture is like a lobster-clam mashup), but we enjoyed this dish more so for its unique experience, as we don't know where else we would ever get to try percebes, and it was fun de-shelling.- Claypot caramel foie gras: The foie gras had a nice bite on the outside but melted like the cod. Because the sauce tasted the same as that of the cod, we almost wish we got to try something else instead. Nevertheless, it was good.- Nightshade caviar service: The eggspuma dip was light, airy, and the perfect first dish to prep the palate. The caviar made the dish feel more luxurious, but tbh, the chips tasted fine with just the dip. In contrast to the luxurious caviar, the chips tasted like Lay's. Something that tasted more homemade or perhaps something slightly more elevated like bread would have made this dish better.- Dungeness crab: This dish had mixed reactions, but I liked it. The flavors were reminiscent of phở, and then you would get a truffle aftertaste. This dish could be a miss for you if you aren't able to dissociate the noodles from the famous soup dish that they are typically served in (phở). I just wish there were larger chunks of crab, as I was searching for that with every bite.- Salted chocolate mousse: Rich, thick, and salty. A dollop of whipped cream would have been a nice addition.- Kabocha squash bột chiên: Better than expected but the least memorable imo. It kind of tasted like tempura. I liked the sweet squash.We also tried a few drinks, which were all very good. I recommend the coconut margarita.The food alone was already a 5/5 for me, but we got exceptional service on top of that, especially from our bartender, Shayne (if anyone from the staff can reach out to me with her email, I'd love to send over the picture we took!).This is a place I would happily come back to, and I love that they keep track of what you order each time to cater a different experience on subsequent visits. Thank you, Nightshade Noodle Bar!Dietary restrictions: Items are served raw or undercooked or may contain raw or undercooked ingredients. The server should be informed beforehand if anyone in the party has a food allergy.Kid-friendliness: Not a good place for kids
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hollandaise
Best tasting menu in the Greater Boston area! Unique fusions of flavors, great beverage pairings, and a super attentive and friendly staff. Definitely will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My wife and I went for a 9 courses tasting menu here last fall, after many weeks of anticipation. My wife is Vietnamese-American, and we were looking forward to trying Vietnamese inspired, elevated food. We really wanted to like the food, but to be honest, it was just insanely salty. I am not a picky eater - we cook a lot, and I eat anything and everything under the sun. I generally like my food on the saltier side, but never have I experienced something like this. We felt like the delicate balance that Vietnamese food usually presents was heavily disrupted, with one major overpowering presence: salt.We also ordered the roasted prawns and one of them came out partially raw, which was a disappointment. I think the bartender picked up on the fact we were not enjoying our meal, especially after the prawn incident, and graciously gave us two extra courses. At this point we just wanted out, but decided to give those a try, only to get more of the same. It truly was an odd experience, as everyone else around us seemed to be greatly enjoying the food. It really had me questioning if something was wrong with me.Also of note, they use dill EVERYWHERE. We joked that even the plants on the walls must have been dill. The majority of the dishes were garnished with dill. Dill isn't like some microgreen thats not ultra flavorful + is just there to looks pretty. It has a pretty standout/recognizable taste that really just did not belong in ALL the dishes. Especially for Vietnamese cuisine, where dill is used sparingly, maybe sometimes in fish dishes.In complete contrast to the food, the atmosphere was great, the bartender/service was great. They asked if we were there for an occasion, and upon hearing it was an anniversary, gave us a free special beverage. Overall, it really was a disappointment, as the food looks so beautiful, the service/atmosphere is great, but stops at that.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
They need a infinity sign to put after the stars for this place. The staff that Chef Rachel and Alex have put together is phenomenal. They REMEMBERED me from my birthday dinner in April. Pearl at the bar is a legitimate joy in sharing with everyone sitting in front of her. I got to shake Chef's hand and tell her how wonderful her menu is. I ate uni--and LIKED IT. Because I can't have strawberries (allergy), Pearl whipped me up a palate cleanser drink that was made of literal stars and magic. The experience of this place is incredible. I willingly drive almost two hours to come here. It's worth the aggravation of Boston traffic. I can't wait to bring everyone I know to come and eat here. Long live Nightshade, long may she reign.tl;dr: Michelin level restaurant in Lynn. Get there. Pronto.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kabocha Squash Bot Chien, Charred Broccoli, Salted Chocolate Mousse, Bone Marrow Bahn MI, Nightshade Caviar Service
One of the best meals I've ever had!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
super unique food - especially textures that i’ve never had before. crispy duck tongue and chinese broccoli were my favorites. service was killer with some sips of madeira on the house
Most of the courses we had were genuinely delicious, but a few (the oysters, barnacles, fried fish) came off as pretentious and weren't tasty. The atmosphere itself was honestly very loud, cramped and uncomfortable.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 5
Just arrived home from yet another stellar dining experience at Nightshade. I agree with a previous review that there should be an asterisk after the star rating, because 5 doesn't do it justice. I've never been disappointed here, and i'm always blown away by the balance of unique flavors. The attention to detail with both the food and service is unmatched. We celebrated by Dad's birthday tonight and the staff made it very special for him and the rest of our party of 3 - we received an additional course as a gift from Chef Rachel - amazing prawns in butter, Alex remembered us from previous visits which was a nice touch, and they gifted my dad a spice rub. We are indeed very lucky to have this team right here in Lynn!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5