Kingfish Hall

(617) 523-8862

1 S Market St Ste 188
Boston, MA 02109 42.3597 -71.0555

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Neighborhoods: Central, Downtown

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 12.22.09

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Travelers Check

Restaurant Special Features:

Outdoor Dining, People Watching, Lunch Spot, Date Spot, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List

Cuisine:

Chowder, New American, Seafood

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Kingfish Hall

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – In contrast to the area's serious seafood chains, where muted, nautically-themed dining rooms allow the spotlight to fall on the fish, Kingfish Hall's interior could pass for Disney. From the yawning raw bar's disco lights to a unique "fish dancer" grill, most aspects of the restaurant's colorful, dual-level interior defy convention. Diners looking for a more relaxed experience escape to the sunny outdoor patio, where harried servers deliver $10 house drinks from the stylish bar. – – The Food – As one would expect from a high-end restaurant in the city's…

Editor's Tips

Parking:
Head to the garage at 75 State St.--the restaurant's validation stamp is good for $2 off the total.
Save Money:
Budget-minded diners are wise to make do with a bowl of creamy lobster bisque and a starter like zesty fried calamari.
ambiance
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. “think the space and the ambience is great.”
  2. “The interior was fun and unique, and the service was average to slightly above average.”
  3. “This place has it all, great fish and a wonderfully upbeat atmosphere.”
  4. “We like the atmosphere, but there are better choices in the area.”
  5. “Tina, who works the bar on week days and Saturday nights, is the best - Food is great, atmosphere, etc.”
  6. “Great food but awful atmosphere for price”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “The maple glazed salmon, the mixed green salad, and the white chocolate bread pudding made for an incredibly tasty meal.”
  2. “And trust me, you won't want dessert - the portions are HUGE!”
  3. “The staff assisted me with a special surprise -- elegant white chocolate apricot mousse dessert with a candle.”
drinks
87.5% positive
  1. “The bartender, Tina, was very attentive and suggested a great white wine for me to try, which I loved.”
  2. “Good wine selection to accompany an interesting menu with an Asian flair.”
  3. “The waitstaff has always been very helpful, be it a drink recomendation or filling up your water.”
  4. “The food is quite pricey, as a 3-course meal WITHOUT drinks will set you back around $50 per person.”
  5. “had to flag down a waiter to order a glass of wine.”
  6. “hosted a private dinner in King Fish Hall's beautiful private dining room (complete with it's own bar).”
  7. “Cocktails are good; dont be afraid to ask your server for a strong drink.”
  8. “Tina, who works the bar on week days and Saturday nights, is the best - Food is great, atmosphere, etc.”
food quality
82.95000076293945% positive
  1. “Four of us went to Kingfish Hall for lunch today and were disappointed by the clam chowder, which has been excellent in the past.”
  2. “The food was really wonderful.”
  3. “Very overpriced, slow unattentive wait staff, food was your typical tourist fare-Would not repeat experience”
  4. “The food was good, but none of the four apps we tried were exceptional.”
  5. “The staff is attentive and knowledgeable (great oysters and selection) and the food is great with a great and ever changing menu of specials.”
  6. “had the worst meal of my life last night.”
  7. “We have eaten there several times and have loved the food.”
  8. “ordered the burger which was good just for the fries that were kind of greasy.”
  9. “The maple glazed salmon, the mixed green salad, and the white chocolate bread pudding made for an incredibly tasty meal.”
  10. “We started our meal with a terrific grilled calamari appetizer; a great alternative to the more common fried version.”
  11. “Some of the best fish anywhere”
  12. “The food did not taste fresh and everything besides the salad was overly salty (perhaps to cover for the lack of real flavor) and the service was poor.”
  13. “Great food but awful atmosphere for price”
  14. “We loved the sushi appetizers: great presentation and better taste.”
  15. “As far as the food, they had a good selection of oysters (4 east coast 1 west coast) which were tasty.”
  16. “Made it hard to decide what to get :-) Our waitress was friendly and kept checking on us throughout the meal.”
  17. “Nothing tasted fresh.”
  18. “The lobster roll was good, but only contained claw meat.”
  19. “My dish was served with an excellent creamy tomato polenta.”
  20. “Good fresh ingredients but too much of some type of seasoning on everything (butter, oil, pepper, whatever it was).”
  21. “The food tasted great but the service was poor.”
  22. “Disappointing clam chowder”
  23. “love the tuna tartar which is spicy and quite unique with firm and fresh tuna chopped on top of a rice and seaweed platform.”
  24. “This is by far my husband's and my favorite place to go when we want to just relax, catch up and have excellent seafood.”
  25. “Fantastic people watching as you enjoy an elegant meal.”
  26. “Always a nice meal”
  27. “When I asked our waitress if possible to just order a burger off the menu, she replied, rather condescendingly, "No”
  28. “Food is delicious, although it is a pretty wild menu.”
  29. “dont mind paying a high price for wonderful food.”
  30. “could not believe it, the waiter smelled of BO and was wearing a dirty shirt, the tables did not have table clothes(its needed) but they used white cotton towels to clean off the plates before they deliver your food.”
  31. “Hardly an apology was given to us- and we still had to pay full price for this terrible meal.”
  32. “The Fish was delicious, but the portion was TINY!”
  33. “We've never had a bad meal, we always ask for the same waitress and our experience each time is superb.”
  34. “My other favorite is the swordfish steak served over a tomato polenta, absolutely delicious though the potato wedges were a bit overdone.”
  35. “The place is nice and the food excellent”
  36. “Wonderful meal”
  37. “This place has it all, great fish and a wonderfully upbeat atmosphere.”
  38. “Everyone's meal was fabulous (Swordfish, Yellowfin Tuna, Cod, & Mahi Mahi).”
  39. “started out with the clam chowder, which was delicious and finished with a ceasar salad.”
  40. “We stopped for lunch because it seemed a little more upscale than the rest of the mix of chains and fast food in the area and we were looking for some good seafood.”
  41. “The food is outstanding and the service was impeccible!”
  42. “Anything from tasting fresh!”
  43. “The food is quite pricey, as a 3-course meal WITHOUT drinks will set you back around $50 per person.”
  44. “The flipside is that the food is beyond fantastic!”
menu variety
87.5% positive
  1. “Good wine selection to accompany an interesting menu with an Asian flair.”
  2. “Food is delicious, although it is a pretty wild menu.”
  3. “We like the atmosphere, but there are better choices in the area.”
  4. “When I asked our waitress if possible to just order a burger off the menu, she replied, rather condescendingly, "No”
  5. “The staff is attentive and knowledgeable (great oysters and selection) and the food is great with a great and ever changing menu of specials.”
  6. “As far as the food, they had a good selection of oysters (4 east coast 1 west coast) which were tasty.”
  7. “The dinner options were limited and the prices were expensive.”
  8. “Despite the unique architecture and design of the restaurant, the menu is a hodge podge of New England/Asian/Electic that doesn't work.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “I've always enjoyed dining at Figs and figured that Kingfish Hall would be a great place to enjoy a nice summer lunch.”
service
76.1899995803833% positive
  1. “Good Seafood but expensive and spotty service”
  2. “The staff assisted me with a special surprise -- elegant white chocolate apricot mousse dessert with a candle.”
  3. “When I asked our waitress if possible to just order a burger off the menu, she replied, rather condescendingly, "No”
  4. “The staff is attentive and knowledgeable (great oysters and selection) and the food is great with a great and ever changing menu of specials.”
  5. “The bartender, Tina, was very attentive and suggested a great white wine for me to try, which I loved.”
  6. “The food is outstanding and the service was impeccible!”
  7. “We've never had a bad meal, we always ask for the same waitress and our experience each time is superb.”
  8. “Made it hard to decide what to get :-) Our waitress was friendly and kept checking on us throughout the meal.”
  9. “Fantastic people watching as you enjoy an elegant meal.”
  10. “When it came time for the bill, I was hesitant to even leave a tip since our waitress was both terrible and rude, but I was persuaded by my date to leave the minimum (and in this case, generous) 15 percent tip.”
  11. “had to flag down a waiter to order a glass of wine.”
  12. “The interior was fun and unique, and the service was average to slightly above average.”
  13. “The food did not taste fresh and everything besides the salad was overly salty (perhaps to cover for the lack of real flavor) and the service was poor.”
  14. “Nice treat without a cheesy "happy birthday" song from the entire staff like some other places do.”
  15. “Cocktails are good; dont be afraid to ask your server for a strong drink.”
  16. “We had a great time at Kingfish thanks to our wonderful server, Mary.”
  17. “could not believe it, the waiter smelled of BO and was wearing a dirty shirt, the tables did not have table clothes(its needed) but they used white cotton towels to clean off the plates before they deliver your food.”
  18. “Everyone was really friendly.”
  19. “Attention to service makes a big difference in a diner's experience.”
  20. “The food tasted great but the service was poor.”
  21. “Very overpriced, slow unattentive wait staff, food was your typical tourist fare-Would not repeat experience”
value
26.91999912261963% positive
  1. “dont mind paying a high price for wonderful food.”
  2. “The dinner options were limited and the prices were expensive.”
  3. “The food is quite pricey, as a 3-course meal WITHOUT drinks will set you back around $50 per person.”
  4. “Very overpriced, slow unattentive wait staff, food was your typical tourist fare-Would not repeat experience”
  5. “Good Seafood but expensive and spotty service”
  6. “got the Tuna 2 Ways and it was the best I ever had and the portion was huge.”
  7. “When it came time for the bill, I was hesitant to even leave a tip since our waitress was both terrible and rude, but I was persuaded by my date to leave the minimum (and in this case, generous) 15 percent tip.”
  8. “Appetizers were a bit overpriced for the portions.”
  9. “Way overpriced for what you get.”
  10. “And trust me, you won't want dessert - the portions are HUGE!”
  11. “Hardly an apology was given to us- and we still had to pay full price for this terrible meal.”
  12. “Drinks are WAY overpriced.”
  13. “Great food but awful atmosphere for price”
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. “Very overpriced, slow unattentive wait staff, food was your typical tourist fare-Would not repeat experience”
3 Star Rating: Average

03/07/09

Good Seafood but expensive and spotty service

by tackle71

We stopped for lunch because it seemed a little more upscale than the rest of the mix of chains and fast food in the area and we were looking for some good seafood. We got there about 2:00 and were seated immediately. Service was spotty and they did not appear to have enough staff for the number of tables. As far as the food, they had a good selection of oysters (4 east coast 1 west coast) which were tasty. My wife had the lobster roll which was good but not great and I had the Thai Bouillabaisse which was very good but seemed to too many carrots. Overall the food was 4 star but the service was only 3 star so I would give it a 3.5 if that was possible.

  • Pros: Good selection of oysters
  • Cons: Iffy service for the price
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/06/08

GREAT BAR SERVICE

by erin1011

I had lunch at Kingfish yesterday and it was wonderful. The bartender, Tina, was very attentive and suggested a great white wine for me to try, which I loved. She was also able to answer all my questions about the menu. I started out with the clam chowder, which was delicious and finished with a ceasar salad. The portions were just right for lunch. Tina checked in with me several times to see how my food and wine was. The bar was relatively busy for a Wednesday afternoon around 12:30, but I noticed that Tina did a great job attending to all the guests. I'll definitely be back!

  • Pros: Service
3 Star Rating: Average

10/16/08

Avoid the bar (ghost bartender)

by restaurantzagat

I went here on a Saturday ( a couple weeks ago) to get luch and had to wait for the missing bartender to take my order ( sure she was pretty busy doing her nails!!!) ordered the burger which was good just for the fries that were kind of greasy.

Upbeat decor and a little bit smoky from the open grill. service very inattentive (the bartender keeps disappearing every 5 min.) not very professional looking with those tattoos.

  • Cons: Service
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

05/04/08

Fabulous! Amazing Calamari and Entrees

by pamelaxnc

Visited KingFish Friday night with an out of town guest- I enjoy trying restaurants by famous chefs (this one is by Todd English) but unfortunately it seems they often don't live up to the hype. This was NOT the case at Kingfish. Everything was fantastic. The food, the service, the location, the atmosphere. I had the Cod: Atlantic Cod, Pumpkin Silk, Caramelized Onion Tart, Bacon Brussels Spout Salad,Pomegranate Vinaigrette & Toasted Pepitas...$27.95- My guest had the swordfish: Swordfish, Sweet Shrimp Chestnut Risotto, Cavolo Nero, Crispy Pancetta, Chestnut Puree & Orange Segments...$29.95 and we shared the Calamari, which was some of the best I've had... We were too full to try dessert, but definitely would on another visit. I eat in restaurants A LOT b/c of my job, and am a quintissential "fussy diner" and KINGFISH Hall was one of the best dinners I have had in a WHILE. I can't wait to try more of Todd English's restaurants!

  • Pros: Amazing food, lot's to do in the area
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/25/08

Always a nice meal

by stylcec

The place is nice and the food excellent . The tuna tartar is the best ....not talking about the tuna steak ! Everything is really good and inventive . Desserts are very good too . I just love it : go and enjoy !

Plus in the summer you can eat outside with cool music .

  • Pros: food ,staff ,location , very clean bathroom, ambience
  • Cons: well ...none !

The Details on Kingfish Hall

Place Categories:

  • great food
  • incredibly tasty elegant meal
  • poor service
  • really good everything
  • never bad dining experience
  • quite pricey hot food
  • great fish
  • delicious clam chowder
  • full price
  • love tuna tartar
  • good lobster roll
  • great menu
  • just order burger
  • excellent seafood
  • outstanding bar service
  • great space
  • great oysters
  • not recommend restaurant
  • attentive staff
  • worst meal
  • bad experience
  • good ingredients
  • great place
  • rude waitress
  • fun interior
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