Pre-show dinner in Boston?

October 27, 2006 7:51 AM

What would be a good restaurant for a pre-show dinner in Boston, near the Public Gardens? (There's more inside, unless you're my mother, in which case there isn't, so don't click.)

I'm taking my mother to a performance of the Blue Man Group in Boston next month, and would like to find a restaurant to take her for dinner before the show. Since the Blue Man Group's show is very much not a formal one, the restaurant shouldn't be too formal either. And since I don't have a ton of money, I'm looking for an average entree price of, say, $12-20.

To start things off, I've heard and seen good things about Ginza, but most of the reviews I've found are years old. Are they still as good as these reviews would lead me to believe?

(And as a footnote -- for a show that starts at 7:00, is it reasonable to start dinner at 5:00? That's hopefully being seated at 5, not getting in line for a table at 5.)

posted by CrayDrygu to food & drink (13 comments total)

For gawds sake mate, 5 pm eating, give your mum a bit of a break she isn't 6 years old. Why would you want to eat at 5pm? I know yanks eat early, but 5pm. Why not eat after the show and show a bit of East Coast sophistication. What about drinks with a few snacks before the show? After Blue Man she may say "No No No" and just head home and then you have got away with it. Then back at home she can explain to the neighbours you new odd cosmopolitan ways. I went out drinking with my mum recently and explained that eatin was chetin. In worked really well.
posted by priorpark17 at 8:19 AM on October 27, 2006

3 suggestions:
- Very close and very reasonable is the upscale Chinese "bistro" P.F. Chang's. It's a chain, but it's on the nicer side. It's on the corner of Park Plaza and Boylston Street.
- Close and at the high end of your range but lovely and delicious is Teatro. It's right on Tremont, across from the Public Gardens.
- A short walk but extremely reasonable and one of my Boston favorites is Silvertone, on Bromfield Street just off Tremont.

You should have no trouble getting in at 5 and making a 7pm curtain at any of these venues. (You'll have a much more difficult time finding a table after the show.)
posted by hsoltz at 8:26 AM on October 27, 2006

Montien is just down the street if you like Thai food.

If you want something more predictable and chainy, you can also find these nearby: Legal Sea Food, Maggiano's, California Pizza Kitchen
posted by cadge at 8:39 AM on October 27, 2006

In the same vein as priorpark17's notion -- instead of dinner, perhaps dessert and coffee or a drink after the show at Finale.

(they do also serve some light appetizer-style food if you really need something more than chocolate)
posted by briank at 8:47 AM on October 27, 2006

Ginza's definitely still good if you like Japanese food.

I'd second the recommendations above for PF Chang's (especially the lettuce wrap appetizer), Legal's (my favorites there are the filet mignon and the tortilla goat cheese salad), and CPK (which has a lot more than pizza, and all of it's tasty). The others I haven't been to, at least recently.

And though it's early, ya, you don't want to show up any later than 5:30 for dinner so you can leisurely head over to the theatre and still get there early. Doors open for Blue Man at something like 6:30, and there's already interesting stuff to look at and the stage is worth having time to stare at before the action really starts. You'll love the show, and I hope you're sitting in the wet seats.
posted by whatzit at 8:50 AM on October 27, 2006

Laurel has got to be one of the best values for your money in all of Boston. It's just a couple of blocks from the show. It's attractive, has nice white-tablecloth ambience, great food, and everything is very reasonably priced, right in your target range.

It's way better -- and a better value -- than any of those chains mentioned above.
posted by dseaton at 8:54 AM on October 27, 2006

(Blue Man runs until about 8:45, 9pm. This is Boston, man, not Buenos Aires - the restaurants up here already want to close at that time!)
posted by whatzit at 8:54 AM on October 27, 2006

Oh yes, seconding whatzit's suggestion to get to Blue Man a little early. There's definitely stuff to see.
posted by hsoltz at 8:55 AM on October 27, 2006

nthing the suggestion for P.F. Chang's. Great food, although it was very crowded when I ate there.
posted by muddgirl at 9:21 AM on October 27, 2006

Wow. Lots of great suggestions in the space of just an hour. This is why I love this site :) Oh, and to everyone who suggested a chain restaurant -- all good suggestions, but I do try to avoid large chains for special occasions in big cities.

@dseaton: Laurel looks like just the trick. Nice without being overly upscale, and reasonable prices too.

@briank: I'd forgotten all about Finale. That's an awesome idea! Right nearby as well.

I think I'm going to combine your suggestions with that of my boss (who's an awesome guy who I trust in these matters) and do both dinner before the show, follwed by dessert/drinks at Finale.
posted by CrayDrygu at 9:28 AM on October 27, 2006

How hungry will you be? Because if you skip/have a light lunch, you could be all set to get yer brot on at Jacob Wirth's!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:46 AM on October 27, 2006 [1 favorite has favorites]

I would strongly second Teatro. Their Spinach and Marscapone Ravioli are one of my favorite things to eat in Boston. And their Antipasto for two is a meal in itself and reasonable for a preshow meal.
posted by gregchttm at 11:59 AM on October 27, 2006

N+1!!! PF Changs is a great relative restaurant.

Jacob Wirth's has almost nothing to eat if you don't eat meat. But if that's the case, you should be going to Buddha's Delight anyway.
posted by nathancaswell at 3:51 PM on October 27, 2006