Salts Restaurant

I went here on a date and this was seriously the best meal I've had in all my years in Boston. The farm egg appetizer dish was extremely creative and delicious, and the free range chicken ballotine entree was absolutely the most tender chicken I have ever tasted. The lemon souffle tart dessert was rich and gave you a little bit of everything. I highly recommend it. I thought the portion sizes were reasonable. The restaurant itself is small, but you still have enough privacy for an intimate conversation. The waitstaff are attentive without being oppressive, and are quite knowledgeable about the wines and menu. The location leaves a bit to be desired. It's certainly not dangerous, but it's not in a romantic or quaint neighborhood where you'd stroll around for kicks. You could, however, take a short half-mile walk over to the Charles River for a nice night time stroll. Pros: Incredible food and service Cons: location more

Ordered chef's tasting menu for 2 people: Excellent balance of flavors, attention to detail, presentation, timing, quantity, description by waiter, accustomed to your likes/dislikes.\r \r We are considered foodies by friends and family and try not to go to the same places too much, so we have been to many. This was ""our best meal in Boston"" and that says a TON! Pros: Food quality, service, wine list, romantic atmosphere Cons: Nothing more

I went to Salts for my anniversary, and I was very disappointed. I had heard so many good things about the restaurant and I really wanted to like it. The ambiance of the restaurant is very nice and romantic, but when it comes down to it, the most important thing is the food. We started with the hamachi was alright and then I ordered the beef and by boyfriend ordered the chicken. The portions of the food were a bit small, but were managable. Ironically, the thing that most of the food (and even the butter with the bread) was missing was, well, salt! I feel like if you're going to name your restaurant after salt, your food should be pretty damn well seasoned. Otherwise, you're silly. What was even more hilarious was that the restaurant was so pretentious about their food that they didn't even have salt/pepper on the table-- isn't that crazy? But that wasn't even the worst part of the meal. It was probably when I bit into an organic oyster mushroom and found a lovely amount of dirt in my mouth..yum.. It was actually kinda funny when the waiter didn't believe that I had dirt in my mouth, because after he had cleared our plates and returned to our table, I put out my clean, white napkin on the table with a huge spot of dirt on it.. that he had to touch and clear away. Overall, Salts did not live up to my expectations of having a night of delicious food. I would avoid this place at all costs. Pros: romantic ambience Cons: badly seasoned food.. mouth full of dirt? more

This is one of the best meals in Boston. The atmosphere leaves a bit to be desired, but Boston is generally lacking everywhere in that respect. I highly recommend it. Pros: Great food. Great service. Cons: Interior needs refreshing. more

Amazing food, and this means a lot coming from a picky eater like me. Absolutely loved it! I am looking forward to a next visit. Pros: food, ambience Cons: cost more

I really feel badly by saying it was a disappointment. The service was excellent and the ambiance was great. However, I felt that the food was not as great as its reputation. My clams were over-cooked. The steak lacked taste and salt (and I am not the salty type). Both my husband and I thought the steak was chewy, as well. Nevertheless, the desserts were amazing. I knew from previous reviews that the portions were small, so please keep that in mind if you do visit the restaurant. At the end of the day, the food wasn't horrible but it wasn't outrageous either. I think there are other places that do a better job. My sister worked at Craigie Street, and to the defense of this restaurant, she suggested that perhaps the chef wasn't there that night. I guess we will never know, but I don't think I will return. Pros: reserved parking lot down the street, amiable servers, cozy atmosphere Cons: food quality more

I was extremely impressed - the staff were lovely and helpful, but not obtrusive, each dish, though small (which I like) was delicious. The spring vegetables were perfectly done, matched amazingly with my wine, and the black bass special was so good I ate the skin. I had the lemon souffle tart with meyer lemon curd - also fabulous. I walked out pleasantly full, not in pain, despite nearly licking my various plates. Pros: quiet, exquisite food Cons: short list of wines by the glass, small portions more

I don't think my review can do the food at Salts justice. our biggest mistake was filling up on appetizers and the signature duck for two, leaving not enough room for the amazing dessert menu. a pear and mache salad was beautifully presented, and the duck was phenomenal, perfectly cooked and served with a delicious sauce. the vegetable accompaniment was great too, however there were too few vegetables for the amount of meat and stuffing. the mango tart, with thai basil sorbet was one of the best desserts I've had. highly recommended, this restaurant is a great find, even if the prices make it a special occasion experience. Pros: desserts, service, ambiance Cons: pricey more

I don't know why the other reviewers gave this place such great reviews. The portions are so small they would be appetizers at any other restaurant - think 80s pretentious cuisine. We were very disappointed and so hungry when we left that we went to another restaurant. The taste of the food was ok, not very remarkable - and definitely not worth the cost! Do not go here unless you want to pay a lot of money for a little bit of unremarkable food. more

...because the food exceptionally well prepared. My husband and I opted for the 5 course chef's menu which featuerd a nice balance between meat and seafood, as well as different twists on food -- an amuse bouche of a mini tagine of couscous with lamb contrasted nicely with the Asian-style hamachi appetizer and the classic French preparation of the chicken ballotine. It really showcased how talented the chef was. The cozy atmosphere was warm and inviting and the service was stellar -- not hovering, but friendly and attentive. All in all, a superb experience. I'm really looking forward to coming back and trying the signature duck entree. Pros: wonderful food, good portions, attentive service Cons: parking can be tough more

Very pleasant staff and servers, very pleasant ambience and the food is marvellous. Very creative and inventive french cuisine and excellent quality of meats/fish/herbs etc made the dining experience very enjoyable indeed. Finally, parking is not an issue and you can take the T (between central and Charles stop on the Red Line). Anything on the menu is very tasty and you will not regret eating here (unless you are a BBQ steak and potatoes kind of person). Pros: Excellent food, Pleasant Staff, Romantic and Quiet Cons: $$$ more

My husband and I enjoyed everything about our dining experience at Salts. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, the service was great, but mostly the food was outstanding. I had the pear and chevre sald for an appetizer, and my husband had the Hamachi, both were delicious. We had their signature dish duck for two as a main course and it was outstanding. I had the apricot tart with the lemon pot de creme and an apricot sorbet, and my husband had the cheeses for desert. All were great. more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the Boston area. The atmosphere is wonderful and the servers and owners are extremely friendly and helpful. The food is amazing, as is the wine list. I'll definitely be back many times! Pros: Romantic, Outstanding food, Great service more

This is the best restaurant in the area!!! The restaurant is owned by a husband and wife team the wife runs the dining room and the husband is the chef. We have gone for the last 3 or 4 years for our anniversary and love the restaurant and the wonderful attention from the waitstaff and the owners! The food is wonderful and we can't wait to go back again! Rob & Deb Pros: ambience, staff more