Flora Restaurant

My family and I have been dining at flora for years and consider it our home away from home. We are always treated with open arms and friendly smiles. There is something for everyone on the menu. The food is consistently fresh and delicious. We can easily choose from salads and soups to smaller entrees or share a entree and dessert. We leave satisfied and content and are happy that we did not have to do the shopping or cooking or cleaning up. We are so happy to have flora in our lives. more

I've been to Flora twice. The first experience was fantastic. The food was creative, well-prepared with good quality ingredients, the server was very knowledgeable and helpful. I had the chestnut risotto with butternut squash, which was very nicely made. The second time was on Valentine's day weekend and the whole experience was reversed. First of all, the place was overbooked. We had a reservation but we still had to wait for more than half-an-hour for a table. This is something many restaurants in Boston area do and I find it absolutely unprofessional. We finally made it in. The food was acceptable, but nothing special. Parsnip soup came kind of cold, the truffle butter chicken was what you would get if you just take a piece of chicken, throw it in your oven for half an hour and drop a huge piece of butter on top. The service was slow, they made a mistake with our bill in the end and it took them about 10 minutes to correct it. But overall, the servers were really polite and nice and the speed of service was quite alright considering the volume. The restaurant has a nice ambiance. I am not sure how often this fluctuation in food quality happens, but it looks like you might get great food or something average, depending on the day. more

Dinner at Flora is always a treat. Located in an old bank building, the ceilings are high, the decor is upscale, great cocktail bar, and cheerful atmosphere. \r \r The food is just wonderful. Great menu, but most often I get the chicken (crazy, huh?) which is cooked to perfection with a crispy, well seasoned skin and unbelievably juicy meat. Also their summer gazpacho is always a treat and dessert is unfailingly yummy. The food at Flora is never fussy, always fresh and perfectly prepared. I can't recommend it more highly.\r \r I noticed a couple of reviews slamming the service, but honestly, I have been there many times and have never had that experience personally. My experience with the service has always been positive - charming, well informed, eager to talk about the menu and the wine list. \r \r Go. You won't be disappointed. more

This is a lovely place for a special dinner but it is also features a relaxed and friendly lounge with music on several weeknights. There is also a gallery of local artists work on display. I have had some wonderful dinners here, the smoked salmon salad is light and lovely to start your meal, they had an outstanding duck special the last time i was there, a striped bass with fresh vegetables is a menu standard that is simple and perfectly prepared, and for dessert they sometimes have a killer chocolate bread pudding—if they have it, get it!\r Chef/Owner Bob Sargent is a regular at the Arlington Farmers Market and his relationships with local farmers and suppliers is reflected in the fresh and season ingredients in his dishes. \r Pros: Beautiful dinning room, seasonal food, live music in lounge Cons: crowded on weekends more

My husband and I love Flora. It's our favorite restaurant in town. The food is divine and the service is outstanding. We have never been disappointed. Pros: Fresh, delicious meals, lovely atmoshpere, friendly service more

I have had a couple of meals here and have enjoyed them both. I have to say that it is definitely a choice for a special occasion or if someone else is paying . . . though pricey, Flora delivers on the quality & freshness of the ingredients. They put together a nice plate with creative well thought out flavors that are heightened by the freshness (as I have mentioned already) of the ingredients. Loved the lamb slider appetizer. The staff is professional, as one would hope it would be for a more pricey spot ( Flora's prices are high but are not exorbitant). Will go back again and again; I am sure. Pros: nice dishes, seasonal menus, great presentation Cons: too pricey for frequent dining more

This is a lovely restaurant for a special night out, or a romantic dinner. If you don't want to have a 3 course meal, you can order appetizers and desserts, or entree and drinks. The staff are knowledgable and warm - it feels like a neighborhood bar with MUCH better food. We go often. Pros: Fresh, creative but not foofy food more

Have had many lovely dinners there, Bob and Mary Joe always make us feel at home whenever, even if they are busy... Pros: lovely veg entires, esquisite meats/fish more

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT??? That would be the only explanation for the service we received last night. I was really looking forward to this dinner. We were having a night out celebrating a friends 35' th birthday. I had always wanted to try Flora . I had heard many positvie reviews from friends I respect. Well it just wasnt happening last night. We started the night ordering appetizers and drinks and told the waitress that we would order dinner whe the appetizers arrived. That was a mistake. Our appetizers arrived and our waitress dissappeared . After 15 minutes of sitting with our empty and dirty appetizer plates in front of us, our waitress reappeared, cleaned our dishes and took the order at the same time. Again seeming really rushed. Never once did she try to converse with the table or make any kind of connection at all. Drop the dishes off and run...It would be understandable( but not exceptable) if the restaurant was busy, but it wasnt..The waitress only had 2 other tables...which did not turn over for the night. \r Food was really quite good. Fresh and flavorful and would be worth a trip back, maybe many, But I personally have a problem going to a place where obviously they dont care about the ""service aspect"" of their business. We spent over $200 for a party of three and left the place feeling like we could have chosen a better place to celebrate a special night. Sorry to say, but we wont be going back Pros: great food, great setting Cons: AWFUL service more

We ate at Flora's last night and can heartily recommend the guyere pie, the arugula salads, the gingered sweet potatoes, and the macadamia nut pie. But the praise ends there. The waitress was dour and sour. At the same time she took our drink orders she asked if we were ready to order our entrees...I guess she was not happy top serve us! She then served me chardonnay when I'd ordered a cabernet--and instead of simply rectifying her mistake, she detailed how she was sure I'd asked for chardonnay. Pesky. For the rest of the meal she was civil, but not pleasant. I had been to Flora's before and thought highly of the restaurant but this waitress spoiled the whole experience for me. I doubt if I will return because of the waitress. It's all about presentation (good) and service (poor). Pros: Guyere pie Cons: waitress was barely civil more

The food is fine, but I have never received such shoddy treatment by a restaurant's staff. My fiance and I had a reservation, yet were seated at one of the worst tables in the place and were treated incredibly rudely and dismissively by the waitstaff all evening (watched other parties being seated after us and served first, not being told of the specials despite asking about them repeatedly, etc.). As a paying customer, I have never felt so unwelcome in my entire life. Don't go here. Pros: good food Cons: staff treats you like cr@p more

We have had three very good experiences at Flora. Such a nice interior, cozy bar area, fabulous vaulted ceilings in the main room. Servers are very friendly. We've tried several of the fish dishes and they were all excellent, had lovely appetizers, etc. What stands out most in my mind is a macadamia pie for dessert that was really, truly fantastic. I think this is a very charming place with consistently yummy food. Pros: interior, nice menu, easy parking more

My fiance and i tried Flora last night for my birthday and it was exceptional! I can hardly believe, looking at the reviews, that anyone could say anything bad about it. The butternut ghnocci was fantastic-with toasted hazlenuts to die for. I had the stuffed chicken, which sounds ho-hum, but was absolutely perfect-melted in my mouth. The black orchid martini was fab as well as the macadamia nut pie with a scoop of brown sugar banana ice cream-incredible. The ambiance was very romatic despite the vaulted ceilings. For a tuesday night they seemed quite busy. Overall we will definetly being going back here...many times. Their prices are also incredibly reasonable for the exceptional food. Pros: beautiful, exceptional food, highly recommended more

We enjoyed the appetizers, entrees, and desserts but some were a bit lacking. The arctic char with beets and parsnip/horseradish sauce was great. The ""spicy"" skate wing was good, but it was not in the least bit spicy, and the ingredients were too discrete. The apple blossom cocktail (I think it was called) was a hit. Pros: cocktails, not crowded, good food more

The restaurant is located at a convenient location on Mass Ave. It has its own parking lot. The inside is spacious, elegant, yet warm and comfortable. The wine is fantastic; try their Shiraz by glass. The main courses are between $20 to $25, reasonable. The game hen I had was tender and flavorful. The after meal dessert and espresso were also fantastic. The only flaw at the night is that the waiter was not very attentive. He left us several times for empty glasses and long wait to order next course. But overall it was a good experience and I will definitely go back. Pros: Location and Parking, Great food, Ambience more

This was one of the most elegant and delicious dining experiences I have had in a while. I will definitely be back. Cons: Expensive more

I hadn't been there since they expanded. Our party loved everything about the place. The food was excellent--not flashy, but the kind you want to eat, pristine and perfectly made. I'm kind of tired of eating chefs' science experiments at other restaurants. The service was incredible. Everyone there was friendly and efficient without a trace of attitude. The space is very comfortable and beautiful. I didn't find it loud, but then I enjoy a room of people having fun. I guess it depends upon the other guests who are there that night. Pros: friendly service, food, comfortable space Cons: parking a bit tight, no lunch more

I took my gf here for their special New Years Day lunch. The food was awesome! Our waiter was both very nice as well as well informed. The decor is great too - an old bank building with a high ceiling. It is on the pricey side, as you might expect, but we definitely got a lot for what we paid - only $16 each for a couple of delicious dishes with exotic ingredients (foie gras, goat cheese, and black truffle vinaigrette, among others). more

We go there a couple of times a month because we like the food. It's pretty expensive, but it's no use eating out unless you can have something especially good. Pros: good food Cons: parking, price more