L'Espalier--RELOCATED

(617) 262-3023

30 Gloucester St
Boston, MA 02115 42.34956 -71.084319

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Neighborhoods: Back Bay, Back Bay West

LESPALIER.COM

Years in business

Established in 1978

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 2.19.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Travelers Check, Gift Certificate, Diners Club, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Celeb Hangout, Romantic Dining, Special Occasion Dining, Fine Dining, Historic Setting, People Watching, Business Dining, Online Reservations, Group Dining, Notable Wine List, Prix Fixe Menu

Cuisine:

French, New American

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About L'Espalier--RELOCATED

Featured Review

Christine Liu

Contributor

One of Boston's most storied establishments for immaculate, no-holds-barred high-end dining at its former location on Gloucester Street, L'Espalier mesmerizes diners anew in its second location in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Chef Frank McClelland ringeads everything from "seasonal degustations" to prix-fixe lunches, all sporting fresh and luxurious local ingredients. The cheese program, led by Louis Risoli, is unparalleled in the city and is not to be missed be anyone who can remotely tolerate lactose. The lounge-like, cushy-chaired salon is an ideal perch to look out onto the street with a…

Editor's Tips

When to Go:
Contact the restaurant to learn about its weekly "Wine Monday" and monthly "Cheese Tuesday" schedules. Both novices and experts enjoy the events, which focus on a particular season, region or varietal.
Know Before You Go:
Everyone at a table must agree on either a la carte or degustation menus, but tasting-menu diners are free to substitute courses from the standard menu.
Parking:
With area parking scarce, the majority of patrons use the restaurant's valet service ($17).
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “The overall atmosphere is romantic, clean and relaxing.”
  2. “Granted, it's a nice hotel, but there is something to be said for the ambiance of the current location.”
  3. “Just one thing- the noise level to TOO low, so low that you can hear what the next table is saying, which takes away the whole romantic exprience.”
  4. “Yes the food is superb, but the ambiance is another story.”
  5. “They have all the right things (i.e. romantic place, good food, etc.), but no spirit to pull it off.”
  6. “Excellent food, service and decor.”
  7. “The decor is wonderful, and the setting is perfect for that special evening.”
  8. “The ambience is classically elegant and the noise level is the extremely low.”
  9. “From the staff to the food to the ambiance, I have only wonderful and delicious memories here.”
  10. “To top it all, the ambiance lends to a most romantic evening.”
  11. “From the warm reception, to the elegant decor, to the gracious service, to the magnificent preparations, beautifully presented (incredibly appealing menu, too), all nicely paced.”
  12. “From the quiet, romantic dining room to the perfectly-executed service to the adventurous yet incredible dishes, I give L'Espalier a 10+/10.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “We substituted the chocolate souffle for dessert - excellent, and the black pepper ice cream accompaniment was simply amazing.”
  2. “The accompaniments to the cheese course were wonderful, and the souffle I had for dessert was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.”
  3. “The wine was fabulous, the cheese, heavenly and the desert, divine.”
drinks
81.82000160217285% positive
  1. “The service was perfect - we were given a small plate of cheeses and port wine "just to try it out and taste it”
  2. “The wine list was amazing, the vintage collection was great, but very expensive ($400/bottle).”
  3. “Each course was fantastic, as were the wine pairings.”
  4. “The cheeses were wonderful [a terrific Tasmanian and sublime Spannish were included] but no wine was designated.”
  5. “Not knowing too, too much about wine, we could not speak to the wine list beyond that it was extensive (and expensive), though the wine we did have was quite good.”
  6. “The waitstaff was attentive and polite, and even brought us some wine to sample over the course of the evening with no charge.”
  7. “The wine was fabulous, the cheese, heavenly and the desert, divine.”
  8. “The white wine for the 2nd course, a single piece of seared tuna, was also an inferior house brand.”
  9. “While the service was attentive, attention to detail was lacking, inferior wines were served (at a cost of $75), food presentation was uninspired and unimpressive.”
  10. “We started with cocktails, which were excellent -- I had the French Kiss Martini.”
  11. “You get a great meal, taste fantastic wines, and learn a little something too.”
food quality
88.57000350952148% positive
  1. “The food was good, not splendid.”
  2. “Above and beyond service, excellent food”
  3. “The chef strives to provide new and creativity dishes based on fresh ingredients.”
  4. “The food was excellent, but really it was Nicholas's level of service and personal touch that will make this restaurant experience memorable for a long time.”
  5. “had long heard good things about L'Espalier but had yet to go there, in part because I do not love French food.”
  6. “Having been here a few times I would say - while the food is first rate, and the service attentive on slow nights.”
  7. “From the quiet, romantic dining room to the perfectly-executed service to the adventurous yet incredible dishes, I give L'Espalier a 10+/10.”
  8. “The food there is perfect.”
  9. “For the people who appreciate good food, this restaurant worths a visit.”
  10. “I've never had a more amazing meal than at L'espalier.”
  11. “We had the vidalia onion soup and the salmon, both incredible.”
  12. “From the staff to the food to the ambiance, I have only wonderful and delicious memories here.”
  13. “Veggies were fresh and perfectly seasoned.”
  14. “The food is perfection, the waiters are knowledgeable and attentive, and the dining rooms are absolutely beautiful.”
  15. “The potato leek soup had tremendous depth of flavor, the butter-poached lobster was cooked just perfectly and complimented beautifully by the crispy prosciutto & pineapple.”
  16. “The accompaniments to the cheese course were wonderful, and the souffle I had for dessert was melt-in-your-mouth delicious.”
  17. “Our meal there just might have been the best they have ever had.”
  18. “We know what a good food and a good restaurant mean.”
  19. “We spent close to $300.00 for a very mediocre meal.”
  20. “They have all the right things (i.e. romantic place, good food, etc.), but no spirit to pull it off.”
  21. “The greatest disappointment was the food: although the ingredients were outstanding, the execution and flavors were dull.”
  22. “You get a great meal, taste fantastic wines, and learn a little something too.”
  23. “L'Espalier lived up to our expectations with its original, modern French cuisine, beautiful dining room and fantastic service.”
  24. “The salmon was cooked absolutely perfectly, with a delicious crust on the exterior and tender, mouth-pleasing interior.”
  25. “As far as the food goes, it was nothing short of amazing and it was obvious that astonishing amounts of effort went into making every detail of every dish absolutely perfect.”
  26. “Excellent food, service and decor.”
  27. “Not only was the food not good, it was not edible.”
  28. “The food is delicious.”
  29. “Music is unnecessary if you are with the right company and enjoying superb food.”
  30. “While the service was attentive, attention to detail was lacking, inferior wines were served (at a cost of $75), food presentation was uninspired and unimpressive.”
  31. “had the best meal I've ever had in Boston at L'Espalier.”
  32. “The lamb was extraordinarily tender and flavorful, and the scallop ceviche had incredible complex flavors.”
  33. “Yes the food is superb, but the ambiance is another story.”
  34. “The "rack" of lamb (one small chop) was, however, very flavorful and perfectly prepared.”
  35. “Excellent Experience but a bit pricey :-) The food was scrumptious; delicate flavors with a unique presentation.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Not knowing too, too much about wine, we could not speak to the wine list beyond that it was extensive (and expensive), though the wine we did have was quite good.”
  2. “Great vegetarian degustation menu”
  3. “From the warm reception, to the elegant decor, to the gracious service, to the magnificent preparations, beautifully presented (incredibly appealing menu, too), all nicely paced.”
overall
50.0% positive
  1. “Was a good restaurant, not a great restaurant.”
service
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “L'Espalier lived up to our expectations with its original, modern French cuisine, beautiful dining room and fantastic service.”
  2. “The service was excellent as well.”
  3. “Excellent food, service and decor.”
  4. “The waiter was rude, seemingly talking down to us; he got our meals mixed up (okay at Applebee's, but not at a "5-diamond" restaurant.”
  5. “While the service was attentive, attention to detail was lacking, inferior wines were served (at a cost of $75), food presentation was uninspired and unimpressive.”
  6. “can say that being dirty martini faithfuls, the bartender poured us some of the best we've ever had.”
  7. “From the warm reception, to the elegant decor, to the gracious service, to the magnificent preparations, beautifully presented (incredibly appealing menu, too), all nicely paced.”
  8. “The service was perfect - we were given a small plate of cheeses and port wine "just to try it out and taste it”
  9. “From the quiet, romantic dining room to the perfectly-executed service to the adventurous yet incredible dishes, I give L'Espalier a 10+/10.”
  10. “The food was excellent, but really it was Nicholas's level of service and personal touch that will make this restaurant experience memorable for a long time.”
  11. “In this uncomfortable position, we considered leaving (we're both students), but I mentioned to Nicholas, our waiter, our situation, and he said he would love to be able to work something out.”
  12. “The service is impeccable (from roll server on up).”
  13. “For the people who appreciate good food, this restaurant worths a visit.”
  14. “Wait staff very friendly and made us feel at home.”
  15. “Having been here a few times I would say - while the food is first rate, and the service attentive on slow nights.”
  16. “As someone who resides in London and is fortunate enough to travel throughout Europe, I was looking forward to my French dining experience combined with American warm hospitality and customer service.”
  17. “The waitstaff was attentive and polite, and even brought us some wine to sample over the course of the evening with no charge.”
  18. “The food is perfection, the waiters are knowledgeable and attentive, and the dining rooms are absolutely beautiful.”
  19. “The service was truly impeccable - our head waiter was extraordinarily attentive, very knowledgeable, yet wasn't too "stiff", as you might expect (he genuinely seemed to enjoy having us there).”
  20. “From the staff to the food to the ambiance, I have only wonderful and delicious memories here.”
  21. “We would recommend this restaurant to people who like to get dressed up, spend gobs of money, and desperately want to achieve high society stature.”
  22. “The staff were all vey helpful and friendly.”
  23. “Above and beyond service, excellent food”
  24. “Service was good and waiting staff attentive.”
value
90.0% positive
  1. “Not knowing too, too much about wine, we could not speak to the wine list beyond that it was extensive (and expensive), though the wine we did have was quite good.”
  2. “Dinner portions were appropriate (we like small portions).”
  3. “The wine list was amazing, the vintage collection was great, but very expensive ($400/bottle).”
  4. “Excellent Experience but a bit pricey :-) The food was scrumptious; delicate flavors with a unique presentation.”
  5. “We would recommend this restaurant to people who like to get dressed up, spend gobs of money, and desperately want to achieve high society stature.”
wait time
37.5% positive
  1. “The food was excellent, but really it was Nicholas's level of service and personal touch that will make this restaurant experience memorable for a long time.”
  2. “had long heard good things about L'Espalier but had yet to go there, in part because I do not love French food.”
  3. “Yes, the pace was slow and there was no music.”
  4. “Having been here a few times I would say - while the food is first rate, and the service attentive on slow nights.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/22/09

Above and beyond service, excellent food

by tswilkinson at Citysearch

My girlfriend and I went went to L'Espalier for Restaurant Week. We had to change our reservation from Friday to Saturday - however, we did not realize that they did not do Restaurant Week on Saturday nights! In this uncomfortable position, we considered leaving (we're both students), but I mentioned to Nicholas, our waiter, our situation, and he said he would love to be able to work something out. He disappeared while we considered our options from the menu, but decided it wasn't worth it to bring it down to our price range. When he came back, however, he had spoken with the chefs and had arranged for us to select from the Restaurant Week menu! We were so relieved to have been spared the awkwardness of our misunderstanding, and the food was well worth it.

We had the vidalia onion soup and the salmon, both incredible. The salmon was cooked absolutely perfectly, with a delicious crust on the exterior and tender, mouth-pleasing interior. We substituted the chocolate souffle for dessert - excellent, and the black pepper ice cream accompaniment was simply amazing.

The food was excellent, but really it was Nicholas's level of service and personal touch that will make this restaurant experience memorable for a long time.

  • Pros: Impeccable and accommodating service, delicious menu items
  • Cons: Expensive
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/16/09

Nothing short of Amazing

by cfdelaune at Citysearch

L'Espalier lived up to our expectations with its original, modern French cuisine, beautiful dining room and fantastic service. As far as the food goes, it was nothing short of amazing and it was obvious that astonishing amounts of effort went into making every detail of every dish absolutely perfect. Not knowing too, too much about wine, we could not speak to the wine list beyond that it was extensive (and expensive), though the wine we did have was quite good. I can say that being dirty martini faithfuls, the bartender poured us some of the best we've ever had. Just one more thing that speaks to the overall level of excellence.

All around, it is everything you would expect from a restaurant of this caliber and while I would not call it the best I have ever been to, it is certainly in the conversation. By far the best I have been to in Boston.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/08/08

Death By L'Espalier!

by lmyerburg at Citysearch

Hands down best restaurant I've been to in Boston. Every single detail was absolutely perfect. From the staff to the food to the ambiance, I have only wonderful and delicious memories here. The first time we went was the night my fiance proposed. The staff was waiting for us and brought us to this delightful little table by the window. There is such an understated elegance there! While I consider myself a foodie-in-training, I have to admit that I don't know a whole lot about wine. Still, both the waiter and the sommelier were so caring and considerate and not at all snobby or pretentious. And though I was almost too excited from the proposal to eat, we had a magical night there.

The second time we went there was when my parents came to visit from Miami. As true foodies, I wanted them to experience L'Espalier and truly enjoy all it has to offer. They were beside themselves! Our meal there just might have been the best they have ever had. The food was unbelievable. And, once again, the staff was superb. Not realizing that they would be going to such an elegant restaurant, my parents did not pack proper clothing but we called and asked and they were very welcoming and accomidating. It was a night that we will always remember and often talk about.

I believe that there are few places like L'Espalier. Yes, it's very expensive but if you want to celebrate a special night, you will not be disappointed here. The absolute best!

I'm sad that they are moving into a big hotel chain. Granted, it's a nice hotel, but there is something to be said for the ambiance of the current location. It feels like eating at home. Are you sure, L'Espalier???

  • Pros: Just about everything...
  • Cons: The move to Mandarin Oriental???
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

09/19/07

Phenomenal meal, phenomenal service

by kakraig at Citysearch

I had long heard good things about L'Espalier but had yet to go there, in part because I do not love French food. We started with cocktails, which were excellent -- I had the French Kiss Martini. We then ordered the vegetarian tasting menu with wine pairings. Each course was fantastic, as were the wine pairings. My husband is a meat eater, so I was surprised that he enjoyed it as much as he did. The service was excellent as well. This was definitely one of the best meals I've eaten.

  • Pros: Great food, great service
  • Cons: Pricy (but worth it)
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/18/07

Best restaurant in Boston, bar none

by bmagnolia at Citysearch

Anyone who tells you this place isn't absolutely fantastic has no taste. The food is perfection, the waiters are knowledgeable and attentive, and the dining rooms are absolutely beautiful. You will leave feeling like a king (or queen). Make sure to try a cheese plate - they have excellent cheeses, and the watier will be able to tell you all about them, which is really neat. Wine Monday is also not to be missed. Eric, their self-proclamed "cork dork" is unpretentious but really knows his stuff. You get a great meal, taste fantastic wines, and learn a little something too.

  • Pros: Geez. Just about everything.
  • Cons: Quite expensive (but worth it).

The Details on L'Espalier--RELOCATED

Place Categories:

  • good food
  • excellent customer service
  • recommend restaurant
  • best meal
  • quite good wine
  • wonderful memories
  • wonderful decor
  • rude waiters
  • very pleasent table host
  • very pleasent jeffery
  • memorable restaurant experience
  • beautiful dining room
  • romantic place
  • romantic overall atmosphere
  • helpful vey
  • polite waitstaff
  • wonderful cheeses
  • great vintage collection
  • not disappoint lespalier
  • outstanding ingredients
  • perfectly prepared rack
  • melt-in-your-mouth delicious chocolate souffle
  • perfectly seasoned veggies
  • dirty jacket
  • crispy pineapple

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