(617) 351-2500

327 Newbury St
Boston, MA 02115 42.3487 -71.0861

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: Back Bay, Back Bay West

sonsieboston.com

Hours:

Monday To Friday From 11:30 AM To 12:30 AM Saturday To Sunday From 11:00 AM To 12:30 AM

Price:

$$$

Last updated 11.27.11

Category:

Restaurants, Lounges, Bars & Pubs, Bars & Clubs

Payment Methods:

American Express, Travelers Check, Gift Certificate, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Bar & Pub Special Features:

Martinis

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Celeb Hangout, Lunch Spot, Date Spot, Romantic Dining, Brunch, Outdoor Dining, People Watching, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene

Cuisine:

Pizza, New American, Italian

Bar & Club Special Features:

After Work

Smoking Permitted:

No

What People Are Saying About Sonsie

Featured Review

Eric Grossman

Contributor

Club kids, Euro jet-setters and the genuinely famous head to the foot of Newbury Street to drink and dine among the masses. In warm weather, people-watching is in its prime, as the front windows open wide. For serious lounging, head downstairs to the swanky, intensely romantic wine bar. Sonsie's kitchen turns out surprisingly solid New American fare; starters include lemon garlic skillet-steamed mussels and salad with sheep's milk Camembert and vine-ripened tomatoes. Brick-oven pizzas prove perfect for sharing at the bar, and entrees hail from Italy (baked ricotta gnocchi) to Asia (Thai crispy…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
Weekend nights are extremely busy: Make reservations or expect to wait. Or enjoy the same menu and environment on weeknights, which are less crowded year-round.
The Extras:
The romantic downstairs lounge is open daily, except for Sundays, from 6pm to 1am.
ambiance
90.0% positive
  1. It's a nice ambience albeit a little dark.
  2. Very nice atmosphere
  3. will be going back to Sonsie often and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for great food in a fun and warm atmosphere.
  4. The food and service is great but it is the location that makes it.
  5. But, the atmosphere is nice.
  6. The food was good and the atmosphere decent, but still this was my last visit there.
  7. The atmosphere is nice, a place to have a nice meal, a drink, and a conversation, especially during the week when its less busy.
  8. The waiting is a tad slow but one hardly notices it because you're absorbed in the european ambiance, watching people walk by, and the loud music.
  9. really liked the scene, it was very hip and struck a balance between being classy and intimate, yet fun and exciting.
  10. Our waiter helped us choose wine that was good, not great and the scene was fun but not magical.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. thought the entire evening was a great experience from the martinis to the desserts!
  2. We finished with a strawberry filo dessert which was amazing.
  3. (Highly highly recommend the chocolate bread pudding.
drinks
91.66999816894531% positive
  1. Amazing young guy with a great knowledge of wines.
  2. The drinks are great.
  3. Our server was very knowledgeable about the food and wine menu and was extremely friendly and personable.
  4. Their food is fantastic, their waitstaff is quite good and their bartenders do a decent job at handling their almost always packed bar on the weekends.
  5. The waiter zipped by once or twice and didn't stand still for long enough for us to tell him that my wine was bad and that our oysters were warm and fishy.
  6. The entrees (thankfully) were very good; however the terrible service combined with a bad glass of wine and past-their-prime oysters means we'll never go there again.
  7. The atmosphere is nice, a place to have a nice meal, a drink, and a conversation, especially during the week when its less busy.
  8. He had me tasting thru interesting wines, and was very nice to talk to.
  9. The setting is beautiful and very intimate in the wine bar.
  10. was greeted by a very friendly attractive hostess who suggested I try the wine bar downstairs if I wanted a more relaxed setting.
  11. Our waitress just gave us the cold shoulder and warm beers.
  12. This was a pretty good place, I'm more a fan of their wine list than the food but to each his own.
  13. We had a few drinks at the bar while we waited for our table and the drinks were really great and the bartenders, maybe the best i've seen in a while.
  14. usually go to the upstairs bar and really enjoy the drinks, food, and of course the hot bartenders.
  15. Sonsie is a great place to have late night drinks and food.
  16. Our waiter helped us choose wine that was good, not great and the scene was fun but not magical.
food quality
88.45999717712402% positive
  1. where beautiful people people eat beautiful food
  2. Good food but slow service
  3. have been going to Sonsie since I moved to Boston 5 years ago and the service and food has always been consistently excellent.
  4. The best part of the night, each and every one at our table (Six of us) enjoyed our food soooo much, we couldn't speak during dinner as we were enjoying every morsel.
  5. (Highly highly recommend the chocolate bread pudding.
  6. The food is great, the service is great, the people watching is some of the best on Newbury, what more could you ask for!
  7. wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone, but if you're absolutely determined to try the food, perhaps you should inquire about take-out.
  8. We started with a crispy goat cheese salad which was the perfect size for sharing.
  9. Quick seating and a fantastic Cuban sandwich.
  10. The food was amazing but this could not serve as a saving grace in a place that was unwelcoming, rude and pretentious.
  11. great restaurant on the side of Newbury closest to Mass Ave. the food is absolutely delicious and can please just about everyone.
  12. The atmosphere is nice, a place to have a nice meal, a drink, and a conversation, especially during the week when its less busy.
  13. If you do not get there at a decent hour, forget about going~ when we sat down though, it was great, i especially like the mussels dish that they have on the menu!
  14. The food was good and the atmosphere decent, but still this was my last visit there.
  15. Our preoccupied and way too pretentious waitress = A bearable annoyance thanks to the food.
  16. It was good but not to my taste while everyone else liked their food.
  17. In conclusion, the food is great, but the service is awful.
  18. Their food is fantastic, their waitstaff is quite good and their bartenders do a decent job at handling their almost always packed bar on the weekends.
  19. Good food quality but too pretentious.
  20. The Pizza Margarita was very flavorful, but unfortunatly they brought it out at the same time as the salad so it got a little cold.
  21. So in short, good food, service leaves much to be desired.
  22. usually go to the upstairs bar and really enjoy the drinks, food, and of course the hot bartenders.
  23. Very good food
  24. I've been to Sonsie maybe three or four times with different people and the food here is always good.
  25. The food is superb; the seasonal menu items always far exceed my expectations and the menu classics (Spring Rolls, Mee Krob) are amazing.
  26. There was nothing bad about our meal, but for the most part, if I am spending the amount of money that I did here, I want food that wows me a little more.
  27. will be going back to Sonsie often and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for great food in a fun and warm atmosphere.
  28. This was a pretty good place, I'm more a fan of their wine list than the food but to each his own.
  29. Great food, poor service
  30. Our server was very knowledgeable about the food and wine menu and was extremely friendly and personable.
  31. ended up having an amazing seared salmon (asian style) and my friend had the most wonderful Duck ever.
  32. Good food
  33. She was a terror the entire evening, never checking-in to make sure that everything was satisfactory, asking for my boyfriend's orders first and serving him first as well (contrary to the etiquette of every nice restaurant that I have ever eaten in), and
  34. Every time I have eaten here, the meal has been fantastic from start to finish.
  35. Sonsie is a great place to have late night drinks and food.
  36. The food and service is great but it is the location that makes it.
  37. wouldn't elect to dine here of my own volition, but if you end up here, you will have a good meal.
  38. The staff was very friendly and efficent and the food was excellent.
  39. If you want want to sample the best french and american cuisine, catch up on the lastest in fashion , and observe the ultra beautiful in action check out Sonsie.
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. The food is superb; the seasonal menu items always far exceed my expectations and the menu classics (Spring Rolls, Mee Krob) are amazing.
  2. If you do not get there at a decent hour, forget about going~ when we sat down though, it was great, i especially like the mussels dish that they have on the menu!
  3. Rude clientele but great menu in a nice space
  4. Our server was very knowledgeable about the food and wine menu and was extremely friendly and personable.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. great restaurant on the side of Newbury closest to Mass Ave. the food is absolutely delicious and can please just about everyone.
  2. Situated on Newbury Street it's a great place to people watch.
  3. It is a great place to people watch and enjoy an afternoon with a friend.
  4. Sonsie is a great place to have late night drinks and food.
  5. She was a terror the entire evening, never checking-in to make sure that everything was satisfactory, asking for my boyfriend's orders first and serving him first as well (contrary to the etiquette of every nice restaurant that I have ever eaten in), and
  6. This was a pretty good place, I'm more a fan of their wine list than the food but to each his own.
  7. We made the mistake thinking that the cafe seating would be a nice place to people-watch, but we were wrong.
  8. If you're not one to mix in with the spotlight crowd, the red-room downstairs is a great place to hide out with a date, get bombed on martini's and pig-out on fabulous appetizers.
  9. The atmosphere is nice, a place to have a nice meal, a drink, and a conversation, especially during the week when its less busy.
return potential
50.0% positive
  1. The entrees (thankfully) were very good; however the terrible service combined with a bad glass of wine and past-their-prime oysters means we'll never go there again.
service
74.80999946594238% positive
  1. have been going to Sonsie since I moved to Boston 5 years ago and the service and food has always been consistently excellent.
  2. Our preoccupied and way too pretentious waitress = A bearable annoyance thanks to the food.
  3. We made the mistake thinking that the cafe seating would be a nice place to people-watch, but we were wrong.
  4. Our waitress just gave us the cold shoulder and warm beers.
  5. host with a rude attitude, fake tan and a bad silk tie = A poor start to the evening
  6. It is a great place to people watch and enjoy an afternoon with a friend.
  7. The service was good.
  8. When our table was ready we met the only friendly staff member we were lucky enough to interact with that evening, the woman who lead us to our table.
  9. Our waiter helped us choose wine that was good, not great and the scene was fun but not magical.
  10. I've read some reviews here about bad service that I never believed until last week.
  11. In conclusion, the food is great, but the service is awful.
  12. We had a few drinks at the bar while we waited for our table and the drinks were really great and the bartenders, maybe the best i've seen in a while.
  13. So in short, good food, service leaves much to be desired.
  14. usually go to the upstairs bar and really enjoy the drinks, food, and of course the hot bartenders.
  15. When we walked into Sonsie we were greeted by an amazing hostess who joked with my sorta father-in-law and who seemed genuinely happy to be there working on a holiday.
  16. The food is great, the service is great, the people watching is some of the best on Newbury, what more could you ask for!
  17. Good food but slow service
  18. The hostess was incredibley rude and would not seat us because we had someone (who wasn't even eating) joining us later.
  19. The service was excellent.
  20. The server was friendly, but his presence was scarce.
  21. The staff was very friendly and efficent and the food was excellent.
  22. peeked my head in and was suprised to see the room full of people having a great time.
  23. Her first rude gesture was when she checked our IDs.
  24. The entrees (thankfully) were very good; however the terrible service combined with a bad glass of wine and past-their-prime oysters means we'll never go there again.
  25. I've been to Sonsie maybe three or four times with different people and the food here is always good.
  26. was greeted by a very friendly attractive hostess who suggested I try the wine bar downstairs if I wanted a more relaxed setting.
  27. The server was this twerpy kid and the hostesses were rude.
  28. was somewhat wary due to reviews I'd read about the service, but the chef sounded so amazing so we decided to go anyway.
  29. Their food is fantastic, their waitstaff is quite good and their bartenders do a decent job at handling their almost always packed bar on the weekends.
  30. Great food, poor service
  31. The waiter zipped by once or twice and didn't stand still for long enough for us to tell him that my wine was bad and that our oysters were warm and fishy.
  32. The food and service is great but it is the location that makes it.
  33. was a bit upset as I was thinking of Tuna all day but when my server came to the table (I forgot her name) she eased my pain a bit telling me there was a seared Tuna appetizer that evening and then went on to make a couple of great recommendations.
  34. The service is usually pretty good and waitstaff are nice.
  35. First of all, the service from the hostess was very warm and inviting and even the waiter as well as the bus boy were so professional and friendly.
  36. We were very impressed with how the staff there turned a disappointment into a great evening in a blink of an eye.
  37. When we did sit, the service was friendly but a little slow.
  38. The food was amazing but this could not serve as a saving grace in a place that was unwelcoming, rude and pretentious.
  39. Our server was very knowledgeable about the food and wine menu and was extremely friendly and personable.
  40. The service was attentive but not stuffy like some upscale restaurants can be.
  41. where beautiful people people eat beautiful food
  42. The waiting is a tad slow but one hardly notices it because you're absorbed in the european ambiance, watching people walk by, and the loud music.
  43. Situated on Newbury Street it's a great place to people watch.
value
50.0% positive
  1. There was nothing bad about our meal, but for the most part, if I am spending the amount of money that I did here, I want food that wows me a little more.
  2. The turkey dinners were awesome and really inexpensive.
wait time
54.16999816894531% positive
  1. Good food but slow service
  2. The waiter zipped by once or twice and didn't stand still for long enough for us to tell him that my wine was bad and that our oysters were warm and fishy.
  3. The waiting is a tad slow but one hardly notices it because you're absorbed in the european ambiance, watching people walk by, and the loud music.
  4. When we did sit, the service was friendly but a little slow.
2 Star Rating: Below Average

10/05/10

Average, nothing more

by Hri at Citysearch

The food is average, the drinks are less-than average, the cost is above average. I know it's a popular spot, but really, I don't get Sonsie. I wouldn't spend my money here again.

3 Star Rating: Average

04/07/10

A little pricey, but you're paying for the atmosphere

by FreeFoodBoston , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch

I had a perfectly lovely time at Sonsie with two friends. Near Newbury St is never my first choice for dining, but Sonsie had been selected by a friend. I had the carrot soup. It was good, nothing phenomenal, but good. They both had pasta, one orecchiette, one gnocchi. I tasted them both. There was nothing bad about our meal, but for the most part, if I am spending the amount of money that I did here, I want food that wows me a little more. But, the atmosphere is nice. It's spacious inside. Our server was also very kind and attentive. I wouldn't elect to dine here of my own volition, but if you end up here, you will have a good meal.

  • Pros: Pasta and soup
  • Cons: It's not 5 star food
1 Star Rating: Poor

07/09/09

Terrible place for late night!

by Tiffany M at Citysearch

I normally like Sonsie, but late on a Friday night this place is HORRIBLE.

We made the mistake thinking that the cafe seating would be a nice place to people-watch, but we were wrong. The server was this twerpy kid and the hostesses were rude. The music playing was WAY TOO LOUD that we couldn't hear each other even though we were crammed together at a tiny little table. They tried to fit 4 of us at one! It was ridiculous. I was so upset, but happy to leave at the end of the night.

  • Pros: Great during regular lunch and dinner.
  • Cons: TERRIBLE afterwards.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

01/24/09

Best Service, Excellent Food, Amazing Scene

by abisou at Citysearch

I frequent restaurants in the city often and I must say that Sonsie is my favorite place. The food is superb; the seasonal menu items always far exceed my expectations and the menu classics (Spring Rolls, Mee Krob) are amazing.

The decor, the atmosphere, the people watching.... all exceptional.

The bartenders are probably one of the main reasons Sonsie is what it is. After the first time I went in there they knew my name, treated me as an old friend, and provided me with a feeling of comfort and service as if I was in there everyday. Hands down, the most exceptional bar service in the city.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

12/03/08

sonsie

by AnnaM11 at Citysearch

I am new to town and I have to say i had a wonderful time at Sonsie. Sonsie is a great place to have late night drinks and food. I went there with a gourp of friends and by the end of the night our group doubled. The service was good. i have to say though it was hard to get around, the bar area is too small, we had hover in order to find a cocktail table. If you do not get there at a decent hour, forget about going~ when we sat down though, it was great, i especially like the mussels dish that they have on the menu! I will definately be back there with my freinds

  • Pros: great atmosphere
  • Cons: to small

The Details on Sonsie

Place Categories:

  • great excellent food
  • great service
  • great first date restaurant
  • really great drinks
  • nice atmosphere
  • bad wine
  • really liked amazing scene
  • nice meal
  • very knowledgeable server
  • professional waiter
  • unacceptable nothing
  • really inexpensive turkey dinners
  • horrible place
  • quite good waitstaff
  • very intimate setting
  • warm oysters
  • not recommend restaurant
  • efficent staff
  • incredibley rude hostess
  • great evening
  • nice dinner
  • amazing attractive hostess
  • great classy place
  • professional inviting
  • nice experience
Advertisement

Featured In

Recent Reviews In Boston

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Lucky Strike Lanes

145 Ipswich St, Boston, MA

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Sugar Heaven

218 Newbury St, Boston, MA

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Clover Dewey Square

Summer St & Atlantic Ave, Boston, MA

4 Star Rating: Recommended

My Thai Vegan Cafe

3 Beach St, Boston, MA

Advertisement