Best Seafood in Boston: 8 Restaurants From Cheap Eats to Fine Dining

Boston is known as a seafood town and has a diverse range of restaurants to choose from. Finding the best seafood in Boston really depends on your budget and style. Maybe it’s a lobster roll before a Red Sox game or oysters by the water. Maybe it’s a special dinner in Back Bay. This guide covers eight Boston seafood restaurants, what to order at each, and details what kind of experience you can expect. My favorite is listed last, the Back Bay spot with super friendly bartenders and excellent cocktails.

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1. Best Seaport Seafood Restaurant in Boston: Row 34

Row 34 is a raw bar and seafood restaurant located in a converted warehouse in Fort Point. It’s the easy option if you’re staying at the Seaport and are craving a lobster roll and oysters. The lobster roll comes warm and buttered or creamy with mayonnaise and crème fraîche. For something smaller, try the crispy oyster slider. There’s a patio for warmer days, and Row 34 also has a second Boston location in Kenmore Square, which is handy if you’re staying closer to Fenway.

• What to Order: The warm buttered lobster roll, with a crispy oyster slider to start.
• Best If: You’re in the Seaport area and want a lobster roll and raw bar at lunch or dinner.
• Skip If: You want a cheaper lobster roll. Both versions here cost $49.

2. Best Casual Waterfront Seafood in Boston: The Barking Crab

The Barking Crab is an excellent casual spot on the water in the Seaport, right next to The Envoy on Fort Point Channel. It’s a New England clam shack, so the menu is built around crabs, lobsters, and day-boat fish. It’s not my top pick, but it makes a really great stop on a nice day to try some traditional Boston seafood. Plan it for a sunny lunch or an early dinner, and enjoy some chowder by the water.

• What to Order: Lobster or crab, since that’s what the menu is all about.
• Best If: It’s a nice day, you’re near the Seaport, and you want traditional Boston seafood by the water.
• Skip If: You want a polished dinner. This is a casual waterside seafood spot.

3. Best Classic New England Seafood in Back Bay: Atlantic Fish Company

Atlantic Fish Company is a classic Back Bay seafood restaurant on Boylston Street near Copley Square and the Prudential Center, open since 1978. It works well when you’re with a group, since the broad menu covers chowder, a raw bar, lobster rolls, and daily fresh catch like halibut, swordfish, and haddock. The clam chowder is the restaurant’s award-winning recipe, and you can get it in a bread bowl. For a group, the shellfish tower comes with lobster, oysters, shrimp, crab, and clams to share. There’s indoor and outdoor seating.

• What to Order: The clam chowder in a bread bowl, then the fresh catch of the day.
• Best If: You want a classic New England seafood dinner with something for everyone.
• Skip If: You’re after inventive cooking. The menu here is traditional New England seafood classics.

4. Best Oyster Bar in Back Bay: Select Oyster Bar

Select Oyster Bar by chef Michael Serpa is in a cozy Back Bay brownstone between Newbury and Boylston Streets. The cooking has Mediterranean influences, so expect crudo, a raw bar, and whole roasted fish. Crudo starts at $15, and the whole roasted sea bream is $38. There’s counter seating, which is great if you’re dining solo or as a pair, plus a patio.

• What to Order: A crudo or two, then the whole roasted sea bream.
• Best If: You want a smaller oyster bar with lighter, Mediterranean-style seafood.
• Skip If: You’re set on a lobster roll or more traditional Boston dishes.

5. Best Fine Dining Seafood in Boston: Ostra

Ostra is chef Jamie Mammano’s Mediterranean seafood restaurant, and it’s a great option for a special occasion. A popular dish is the whole salt-crusted branzino for two, which costs $150 and takes about 50 minutes, so order it as soon as you sit down. If you’d rather not commit to a whole fish, the hamachi crudo is $30. The dress code is business casual, and Ostra is near the Arlington stop on the Green Line.

• What to Order: The salt-crusted branzino for two.
• Best If: You’re celebrating and want a formal seafood dinner.
• Skip If: You want a casual meal.

6. Best Pre-Game Seafood Near Fenway Park: Eventide Fenway

Eventide Fenway is the Boston location of Eventide Oyster Co. from Portland, Maine. I love this one, and I’ve eaten at the original in Maine, where the lobster rolls and oysters were amazing. It’s close to Fenway Park, so it makes sense before a Red Sox game. There are booths and patio tables if you want to stay a while before heading to the park.

• What to Order: The brown butter lobster roll and a half dozen oysters.
• Best If: You’re headed to Fenway Park and want oysters and a lobster roll before the game.
• Skip If: You want an elegant dinner spot. The vibe is casual but the dishes are elevated.

7. Best North End Lobster Roll: Pauli’s

Pauli’s is a North End sandwich shop known for its giant lobster roll, the USS Lobstitution. Boston Magazine named it the Best Gigantic Lobster Roll in its 2026 Best of Boston list. It’s a casual lunch stop while you explore the North End, and the rest of the menu is oversized sandwiches and salads. If you can’t get to Boston, Pauli’s also ships lobster roll kits nationwide through Goldbelly.

• What to Order: The USS Lobstitution, split with someone.
• Best If: You’re exploring the North End and want a giant lobster roll for lunch.
• Skip If: You want a formal sit-down seafood dinner. This is a sandwich shop.

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8. My Favorite Seafood Restaurant in Boston: Saltie Girl

Saltie Girl is a Back Bay seafood restaurant known for its tinned fish, with a collection the restaurant calls one of the largest in the country. The menu also has oysters, caviar, fried lobster and waffles, and the lobster roll can be served warm or cold.

🏆 My Personal Pick

The whole experience at Saltie Girl was five stars. I sat at the bar and had the halibut collar, the clam chowder, and the salmon crudo with mango, and every dish was delicious. The bartender, Chris, was super friendly and made excellent cocktails. It’s a large space with multiple rooms, but it still books up fast, so you should definitely make a reservation. They have outdoor tables too if the weather is nice.

• What to Order: The lobster roll, clam chowder, and tinned fish.
• Best If: You want a seafood dinner in Back Bay with excellent cocktails at the bar.
• Skip If: You want an oversized lobster roll. Pauli’s is the stop for that.

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Best Seafood in Boston: What to Know Before You Go

A few things make it easier to pick a spot:

• Choose by neighborhood, since Row 34 and The Barking Crab are in the Seaport, Atlantic Fish Company, Select Oyster Bar, Ostra, and Saltie Girl are in Back Bay, Eventide is by Fenway Park, and Pauli’s is in the North End.
• Set your lobster roll budget, since prices on this list range from $22 at Eventide Fenway to $49 at Row 34.
• Reserve Saltie Girl ahead for dinner, since it books up fast even with multiple rooms.

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Boston Seafood Restaurants: FAQs

What is the best seafood restaurant in Boston?

My pick is Saltie Girl in Back Bay, for the food and the cocktails at the bar. For a lobster roll and oysters in the Seaport, go to Row 34. For a special occasion, book Ostra.

What are the best seafood restaurants in the Boston Seaport?

Row 34 in Fort Point is the best pick for a lobster roll and raw bar. The Barking Crab is a casual (but large) clam shack on Fort Point Channel, right next to The Envoy, and it’s a great stop on a nice day.

Where is the best seafood in Back Bay?

Back Bay is home to four of the spots on this list. Saltie Girl is my favorite, especially at the bar. Atlantic Fish Company is a classic choice with the widest menu. Select Oyster Bar is smaller, with crudo and whole fish. Ostra is the most formal, with a business casual environment and an amazing salt-crusted branzino for two.

How much does a lobster roll cost in Boston?

It depends on where you go. The brown butter lobster roll at Eventide Fenway costs about $22, and both lobster rolls at Row 34 cost $49. Pauli’s in the North End is known for its giant lobster roll, the USS Lobstitution.

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Where to Stay in Boston: My Top Picks

• citizenM Boston Back Bay is my favorite place to stay in Boston, with Bubble Bath, a champagne bar, on the roof. My wife and I love citizenM, and this one is on Newbury Street in the heart of everything.
• citizenM Boston North Station is my pick for a game at TD Garden. It’s often way cheaper than other hotels in the city with a great view and location, even if it isn’t the best in the city. It’s a great value-to-comfort ratio.
• Canopy by Hilton Boston Downtown is a trendy lifestyle hotel near Faneuil Hall, with free bikes for getting around the city.
• Hyatt Place Boston/Seaport District is the best option if you’re booking on points. Many rooms have harbor views, and breakfast is included.
• The Lenox Hotel is a great historic option. It’s a Back Bay hotel that opened in 1900 a short walk from Copley Square.

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🍪 Final Bite

The best seafood in Boston comes down to what you want and where you are. Here’s where to go:

• Book Row 34 for a lobster roll and oysters in the Seaport.
• Head to The Barking Crab on a nice day for casual seafood by the water.
• Order the clam chowder at Atlantic Fish Company.
• Try the crudo at Select Oyster Bar for a lighter meal in Back Bay.
• Reserve Ostra for a special occasion and try the salt-crusted branzino.
• Grab a brown butter lobster roll at Eventide Fenway before a Red Sox game.
• Split the USS Lobstitution at Pauli’s while you explore the North End.
• Book Saltie Girl, my favorite seafood restaurant in Boston, and get a seat at the bar.

Have a Boston seafood spot I should try on my next trip? Tell me in the comments.