No Name Restaurant

(617) 338-7539

15 Fish Pier St W
Boston, MA 02210 42.3493 -71.0395

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Neighborhoods: South Boston, D Street / West Broadway

NONAMERESTAURANT.COM

Years in business

Established in 1917

Price:

$

Last updated 10.16.11

Category:

Restaurants, Seafood Markets

Payment Methods:

Check, American Express, Cash, Visa, Discover, MasterCard, Travelers Check

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Family-Friendly Dining, Waterfront Dining, Group Dining, Cheap Eats

Cuisine:

Chowder, Traditional American, Seafood

Smoking Permitted:

No

What People Are Saying About No Name Restaurant

Featured Review

Eric Grossman

Contributor

In Short – Befitting its name, this Seaport District eatery offers little by way of decor and ambiance, with only simple harbor views distracting diners from their lobsters and chowder. On any given day, hundreds of tourists and a smattering of local workers fill the No Name's sprawling dining room to be served by indifferent, yet competent, servers. The seafood, while fresh, is prepared minimally, with most items offered broiled, baked or fried. Fish like scrod and scallops, garnished simply with lemon and served with tartar sauce, scream for more flavor, but with prices this low it's…

Editor's Tips

When to Go:
Keep an eye on the neighboring Bank of America Pavillion's concert schedule--the area is a mess on event nights.
ambiance
69.6999979019165% positive
  1. Average food, plastic cups, unclean tables, a strange pitcher of water already on the table with no ice, terrible view of the harbor and just plain uneasy feeling of the place.
  2. The food was AWFUL and overpriced, the staff was slow and rude, and the ambiance was awful.
  3. Bad atmosphere.
  4. very cozy family type, great home-cooking restaurant that only serves the best for its "family
  5. So basically, for the way out of the way location, the myth of "good seafood cheap", take it from a "local", pass on the No Name.
  6. for a great meal with good atmosphere.
  7. Best meal, warm friendly atmosphere, hilarious waiters, prompt service, cheap prices
  8. Even the lack of atmosphere (read: charm) and nice wait staff couldn't save the place.
  9. anyone who gives this place a bad review probably is a snob and expects seafood to be loaded up with spices etc.... price was reasonable considering the location.
  10. If you want a great seafood meal without a fancy atmosphere, without $100 bottles of wine.
  11. yeah the decor was older but would you rather get really good fresh food or pretty looks but food you get sick on.
drinks
54.16999816894531% positive
  1. If you want a great seafood meal without a fancy atmosphere, without $100 bottles of wine.
  2. Beer and wine only, no full liquor licence.
  3. special order everything from wine to the combination plates.
  4. We recieved 2 full lobsters, scallops, shrimp, their famous (and delicious) chowder, fries, and drinks for half of what we paid the previous night.
food quality
73.70999813079834% positive
  1. Approach No Name with a positive attitude and be friendly with the staff, and you will not be disappointed if it is fresh seafood that you are looking for.
  2. visted this restaurant back in 94 and it provided great service and great food at cheap prices.
  3. Bad food, bad service, lacking in cleanliness equals just plain bad!
  4. Do not order the salad there!
  5. anyone who gives this place a bad review probably is a snob and expects seafood to be loaded up with spices etc.... price was reasonable considering the location.
  6. Seafood was fresh and hot.
  7. agree with the reviewer who said that all the positive advertizing/reviews in the world can't make up for the lack of quality and sheerly awful food.
  8. Everyone said that the food was decent and the service was sub par.
  9. have always loved the chowder, salmon and scallops at this place.
  10. Service was fast and efficient (we went early), but the food was, well average - and not hot at that.
  11. its right on a fishing pier so yes it will smell like seafood because the food is FRESH.
  12. No Name is cheap and has incredibly fresh fish.
  13. The staff was friendly and courteous and the food was so fresh it tasted like they pulled it right out of the ocean (which they probably did since it is right on the pier!
  14. The cooks here prefer to let the fresh seafood stand on it's own, No-Frills.
  15. She told me it was the best seafood chowder.
  16. know good seafood.
  17. don't know about you but for the quality of food they are offering, the no frills B-S, $65 bones for 2 heinkens and some really bad food is not my idea of cheap.
  18. great seafood restuarant for the down to earth people who will enjoy it
  19. The burger and fries were good.
  20. The seafood served in a Salty Dog, Nautical Dive is probably the best bargain you're going to find in Boston.
  21. We recieved 2 full lobsters, scallops, shrimp, their famous (and delicious) chowder, fries, and drinks for half of what we paid the previous night.
  22. Very good food.
  23. food was very fresh, very good.
  24. Average food, plastic cups, unclean tables, a strange pitcher of water already on the table with no ice, terrible view of the harbor and just plain uneasy feeling of the place.
  25. The price was too high for the service and bad food we received.
  26. Next time I go back there, I want to bring my friend who is a vegetarian and loves fish.
  27. Summary: Skip the No Name and find something better, do your research--- I can only recommend this place for a quick take-out if you're in a hurry for fast seafood.
  28. If you want highly seasoned and sauced food go waste your money at Legals, or Jimmy's or Pier 9 and leave this place to those who will appreciate eating out with friends to have some good ole hearty clams or lobster or scallops.
  29. Unfriendly Host / Hostess, terrible service, and bland food makes this the worst restaurant of All time.
  30. As a native New Englander I love fresh seafood and this is the freshest seafood I've ever had.
  31. Compared to other seafood places, their prices are quite reasonable.
  32. The main reason I keep going to the No Name is because the seafood is EXCELLENT!
  33. first went there numerous times 30 years ago, and the place was crowded, hot, dirty, waiters rude to the point of taking your plate away from you if they deemed that you spent too much eating, but God the food was good and cheap.
  34. The lobster was not well done the steak was awful and they didn't serve anything but water the waiter didn't even ask if there was anything else we could be assistied with.
  35. not 1 person enjoyed their food.
  36. We went there for the seafood alone, but we found our Greek waiter to be friendly and funny, and service was very fast.
  37. The fried scallops were good, the cole slaw can go and french fries nothing to write about.
  38. Unforgivable culinary problems like serving fish completely without seasoning.
  39. Even the best restaurants serve a bad meal once in a while.
  40. If you like to eat good food and feel good in a place.
  41. know my fish and this is great fish.
  42. Easily the worst meal I've ever had
  43. It turned out that the restaurant, situated on 15 Fish Pier in Boston, offers nothing but plenty of fresh seafood.
  44. think that was the most awful seafood restaruant I have ever seen or tried in my life.
  45. From the greeter who never even said "hello" and just said "Up Stairs" as she pointed with her finger, to the person who seated us yelling across the room "how many", to the dirty table and chairs, to the waiter who served the table next to us, to the gre
  46. love fresh seafood.
  47. have enjoyed the food at the No Name in general and the Fish Chowdah in particular, for over 20 years.
  48. The food was hot, not like some restaurants where by the time you get it, the food is warm at most.
  49. My meal was horrible!
  50. Unappealing, bland, not very fresh food.
  51. This is what we received LITERALLY on our plate - 2 scallops, 1 shrimp, 1 small palm sized dry piece of swordfish, 1 very small dry palm sized piece of scrod, and 1 small palm sized piece of salmon.
  52. Great seafood and fabulous chowder at great prices -- a new england staple
  53. To get really good seafood, you should travel outside the city, especially to the north shore (Ipswich clams, Maine lobster, Gloucester fisherman - notice a trend?)
  54. The lobster was overcooked, the side dish of shrimp and scallops was swimming in a horrible tartar sauce, and the corn tasted like it was first cooked in the 90's.
  55. If you are out looking for fresh fish and a great meal this is definitely the place to eat.
  56. The food is delicious.
  57. No Name for the bad food.
  58. can't ever remember a bad meal at the No Name.
  59. The chowder was warm and delicious, plenty filling.
  60. Great food prepared simply - perfectly done.
  61. This is some of the best fresh seafood around.
  62. The food was horrible.
  63. The dish looks simple but proves one thing: freshness is the best ingredient.
  64. The seafood platter was overly priced (like everything else) for what you got, the fish did not taste fresh, and did not have any taste to it.
  65. And when we finally opened the cold pizza, it wasn't even what we had ordered, and it was greasy, falling apart (because the bread was soggy), and it tasted bad.
  66. The food was AWFUL and overpriced, the staff was slow and rude, and the ambiance was awful.
  67. to boston it is the best food and u cant beet the price and the service i could not see anyone be sorry for going there if so they should try it again in my life time if it ever went up for sale i would pay cash for it and i would win and own it and i wou
  68. Great wait staff, the food is perfect, I mean who doesn't like sea food?
  69. think for the most part the staff was great but the food tastes bland and out of a box
  70. The seafood chowder was absolutely delicious and chock full of goodies.
  71. had a fried seafood platter (or something to the like) and all i got was a bunch of stale, chopped ends of so-called "seafood" which i can barely taste coz it's all smothered in that thick oily batter.
  72. love this place because of its character, its history, and its basic seafood without all the bells and whistles.
  73. for a great meal with good atmosphere.
  74. order ONE chowder soup, crab salad, seafood platter.
  75. Order it baked, fresh fish needs nothing else.
  76. Food was fresh out of some can perhaps.
  77. We got a lobster salad which was really bad
  78. Do not eat here unless you enjoy bad food.
  79. Best meal, warm friendly atmosphere, hilarious waiters, prompt service, cheap prices
  80. The shrimp was very fresh and the portion generous.
  81. We were recommended this restaurant by local people and it turned out to have horrible food and be way over priced.
  82. The food was cold and not fresh at all!
  83. yeah the decor was older but would you rather get really good fresh food or pretty looks but food you get sick on.
  84. Gross fried seafood, disgusting chowder, chalky french fries, a dirty dining room, and a staff that seems hygeine- as well as manners-impaired.
  85. So basically, for the way out of the way location, the myth of "good seafood cheap", take it from a "local", pass on the No Name.
  86. want to give the food back to No Name (by vomitting), so that I can get my appetite back and room for a decent meal.
  87. The food is at best mediocre, it is mostly fried but maybe it is my personaly taste.
  88. The scallops and scrod were delicious.
  89. This might be the most overrated seafood place in Boston.
  90. The soup was nothing special AT ALL, the salad did not look fresh and the crab was not that great either.
  91. Boston has some great seafood establishments, but this is not one of them!
  92. We were told that this was the best place for seafood in Boston.
  93. Although seemingly taking pride in their fresh food, the No Name Restaurant has absolutely no attitude at all.
  94. Traveling to Boston only occasionally, I cherish the opportunity for some great seafood.
  95. We went there for lunch on Sat, the food was not as good as people said it would be.
  96. The food is not highly seasoned, its just good ole great fried and broiled seafood with alot of just seafood taste.
  97. restaurant cannot survive for decades just based on it's past reputation alone, the No Name survives because of it's past, current and hopefully future reputation for excellent quality fresh seafood.
  98. Great seafood, simple, basic, served the same way for at least 30 years that I know of.
  99. The whiney critics that complain about the food at the "No Name" obviously do NOT appreciate good seafood.
  100. The seafood is always fresh and you can never go wrong with a lobster dinner for under $20!
  101. We had no preconceived notions other than that the seafood is very fresh, and we were not disappointed.
  102. The fish was good.
  103. The thing is: the salad is not fresh
  104. We made an adventure out of the evening by thinking we were 'wandering off the beaten path' a bit, but please don't be mistaken by the reviews of those who've apparently never had good seafood.
  105. Along came a small bread plate kiddie portion of fries, the cole slaw was at least a decent portion, but that was the bright spot (yawn).
  106. It is down to earth, friendly, the food is consistently excellent and the people that go there are down to earth.
  107. Next time, park there and walk somewhere else to enjoy your meal.
  108. The staff was friendly, the food was perfectly done and there was plently of it.
  109. If you want a great seafood meal without a fancy atmosphere, without $100 bottles of wine.
  110. The seafood chowder wasn't as good as expected, Quincy market is way better!
  111. Plus some of my friends work/ worked there and they're great people, but other than that, the food is better than perfect, that I don't even have a word for it.
  112. In a city with so much great seafood, I don't know how this place stays in business.
  113. He said this was the best place to eat fresh seafood at a great price and you can't go wrong with seafood anywhere in Boston.
  114. But, don't believe that is good seafood cheap.
  115. its just like home cooked real fresh food.
  116. Scallops and Scrod were off the wall fresh.
menu variety
0.0% positive
  1. On the menu, most of the entries seemed to be either fried or full meals in the $20 range.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. If you are out looking for fresh fish and a great meal this is definitely the place to eat.
  2. In a city with so much great seafood, I don't know how this place stays in business.
  3. If you like to eat good food and feel good in a place.
  4. Go in with a great attitude and you'll enjoy this place.
  5. very cozy family type, great home-cooking restaurant that only serves the best for its "family
  6. We were told that this was the best place for seafood in Boston.
  7. They're going on the past reputation of what used to be a great place.
  8. Even the lack of atmosphere (read: charm) and nice wait staff couldn't save the place.
  9. He said this was the best place to eat fresh seafood at a great price and you can't go wrong with seafood anywhere in Boston.
return potential
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. will not recommend this restaurant to anyone nor will I go back.
  2. The No Name is Unique and I will return.
  3. Next time I go back there, I want to bring my friend who is a vegetarian and loves fish.
service
54.49999809265137% positive
  1. Well it's 2002 and the service is not that great, except the wait staff will hard sell you out of ordering the broiled lobster - why?
  2. We went there for the seafood alone, but we found our Greek waiter to be friendly and funny, and service was very fast.
  3. Food was bland, service was poor.
  4. know people who enjoy eating there, but I recommend that you take out to avoid the unacceptable service there.
  5. We went there for lunch on Sat, the food was not as good as people said it would be.
  6. We were recommended this restaurant by local people and it turned out to have horrible food and be way over priced.
  7. first went there numerous times 30 years ago, and the place was crowded, hot, dirty, waiters rude to the point of taking your plate away from you if they deemed that you spent too much eating, but God the food was good and cheap.
  8. Even the lack of atmosphere (read: charm) and nice wait staff couldn't save the place.
  9. Unfriendly Host / Hostess, terrible service, and bland food makes this the worst restaurant of All time.
  10. Great wait staff, the food is perfect, I mean who doesn't like sea food?
  11. Everyone said that the food was decent and the service was sub par.
  12. Bad food, bad service, lacking in cleanliness equals just plain bad!
  13. The lobster was not well done the steak was awful and they didn't serve anything but water the waiter didn't even ask if there was anything else we could be assistied with.
  14. The price was too high for the service and bad food we received.
  15. it is definately the worst customer service I have ever had in my entire life.
  16. The staff was friendly and courteous and the food was so fresh it tasted like they pulled it right out of the ocean (which they probably did since it is right on the pier!
  17. Sadly I found out there are some people who are attempting to bad mouth the No Name for reasons that I specifically won't go into.
  18. Approach No Name with a positive attitude and be friendly with the staff, and you will not be disappointed if it is fresh seafood that you are looking for.
  19. The food was AWFUL and overpriced, the staff was slow and rude, and the ambiance was awful.
  20. waiters were friendly, kinda reminds me of the deli guys behind supermarket counters.
  21. Best meal, warm friendly atmosphere, hilarious waiters, prompt service, cheap prices
  22. It is down to earth, friendly, the food is consistently excellent and the people that go there are down to earth.
  23. think for the most part the staff was great but the food tastes bland and out of a box
  24. Gross fried seafood, disgusting chowder, chalky french fries, a dirty dining room, and a staff that seems hygeine- as well as manners-impaired.
  25. The staff was friendly, the food was perfectly done and there was plently of it.
  26. The service was awful.
  27. to boston it is the best food and u cant beet the price and the service i could not see anyone be sorry for going there if so they should try it again in my life time if it ever went up for sale i would pay cash for it and i would win and own it and i wou
  28. visted this restaurant back in 94 and it provided great service and great food at cheap prices.
  29. The service staff are generally quite nice and sometimes you get a real character.
  30. Food ok, service horrible
  31. To the No Name's credit though, the waitstaff was wonderful - a truly friendly bunch.
  32. The service is Horrible!
  33. From the greeter who never even said "hello" and just said "Up Stairs" as she pointed with her finger, to the person who seated us yelling across the room "how many", to the dirty table and chairs, to the waiter who served the table next to us, to the gre
  34. went recently on a Friday night and there were no lines waiting to get in, the waiter was fairly friendly, the place was clean, and the restrooms were actually from this century.
  35. Plus some of my friends work/ worked there and they're great people, but other than that, the food is better than perfect, that I don't even have a word for it.
  36. great seafood restuarant for the down to earth people who will enjoy it
  37. DOn't have a clue why so many people love this grease pit.
value
77.77999877929688% positive
  1. Not the worst restaurant in Boston but far from the top ten cheap eats!
  2. visted this restaurant back in 94 and it provided great service and great food at cheap prices.
  3. to boston it is the best food and u cant beet the price and the service i could not see anyone be sorry for going there if so they should try it again in my life time if it ever went up for sale i would pay cash for it and i would win and own it and i wou
  4. Best meal, warm friendly atmosphere, hilarious waiters, prompt service, cheap prices
  5. don't know about you but for the quality of food they are offering, the no frills B-S, $65 bones for 2 heinkens and some really bad food is not my idea of cheap.
  6. He said this was the best place to eat fresh seafood at a great price and you can't go wrong with seafood anywhere in Boston.
  7. No Name is cheap and has incredibly fresh fish.
  8. But, don't believe that is good seafood cheap.
  9. The shrimp was very fresh and the portion generous.
  10. The price was too high for the service and bad food we received.
  11. We were recommended this restaurant by local people and it turned out to have horrible food and be way over priced.
  12. The food was AWFUL and overpriced, the staff was slow and rude, and the ambiance was awful.
  13. So basically, for the way out of the way location, the myth of "good seafood cheap", take it from a "local", pass on the No Name.
  14. Compared to other seafood places, their prices are quite reasonable.
  15. first went there numerous times 30 years ago, and the place was crowded, hot, dirty, waiters rude to the point of taking your plate away from you if they deemed that you spent too much eating, but God the food was good and cheap.
  16. If you want highly seasoned and sauced food go waste your money at Legals, or Jimmy's or Pier 9 and leave this place to those who will appreciate eating out with friends to have some good ole hearty clams or lobster or scallops.
  17. anyone who gives this place a bad review probably is a snob and expects seafood to be loaded up with spices etc.... price was reasonable considering the location.
  18. Great seafood and fabulous chowder at great prices -- a new england staple
wait time
75.0% positive
  1. The No Name Restaurant is beautiful because of the simplicity and the way they have not changed for so long.
  2. This place was really great 10-15 years ago, but they've been resting on their laurels for far too long.
  3. Summary: Skip the No Name and find something better, do your research--- I can only recommend this place for a quick take-out if you're in a hurry for fast seafood.
  4. The food was AWFUL and overpriced, the staff was slow and rude, and the ambiance was awful.
1 Star Rating: Poor

12/28/11

The worst restaurant I've ever experienced!!!

by Gina Moore at Citysearch

My sister was in town and suggested we go to the NO Name restaurant as she hadn't been there since she moved out of Boston and bragged about how awesome the food and service was. Since I've never been I was looking forward to a nice meal and couldn't wait to check it out. Upon arrival we were told "go upstairs the downstairs area is closed". Okay...... on our way upstairs there was a very fowl odor that turned my stomach and I knew this was a bad idea. Why did we not go to Anthonys ??? We were greeted by the staff having lunch and was told to sit anywhere we wanted. Extremely UNWELCOMING and RUDE. Eventually a waiter came over and handed us our menus. My menu had grease stains on it and when I brought it to his attention he just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. The floor was filthy with napkins everywhere. After receiving cold and stale bread we ordered our meal praying it would be fine. My salmon was awful. Very slimmy and fatty. I had to argue to get a piece of corn with it as it ONLY COMES WITH THE LOBSTER!!! We had enough and paid our bill. Of course, as most people do, we went to the restroom before departing and it was just as dark and gloomy as the restaurant. The icing on the cake was that only one sink had water. This place should be on punked!!! DO NOT DINE AT THE NO NAME RESTAURANT!!! YOU'LL BE SORRY..........

1 Star Rating: Poor

08/23/11

No name , No return

by James Hui at Citysearch

We were there from New York at yesterday, I was thinking about Boston lobster is best than New York,but that make me feel bad , after I order the lobster at No Name.That was a "water lobster",that mean when you open that lobster , a lot of water will be come out from the lobster,that was a really bad feeling to me from No Name.

That seafood plate was bad too , don't feel that taste good.

Never think you will get the Good seafood at No Name.

The last thing,The order of steak is good for me,that still have one think that make me feel good !

2 Star Rating: Below Average

03/09/11

Basic Seafood - Interesting atmosphere

by gn100 at Citysearch

I have taken the family there many times. We always get the fried fish and chowder. The fish is just ok but the chowder is better. I would like to see it more clean.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/05/11

In the Mid '80s

by Joe from Iowa at Citysearch

I haven't been to 'No Name' in Boston since the mid '80s when I worked for Digital Equipment. Today my wife and I were watching 'The Best Places I've Eaten' on Travel Channel. My wife asked me of the best place I had eaten and "No Name" was the first and ONLY place I thought of. A bunch of us guys from DEC school would load up and drive in from the housing complex Digital rented for us engineers. I went there at least once every year when the company would send me to the Boston area for trainning.

1 Star Rating: Poor

02/26/11

Long Walk off Short Pier

by SuburbJack at Citysearch

In a city with so many great restaurants, how has this place hung on for so long? Let's cut to the chase...

Pros : Fish chowder, French fries, Friendly Waitstaff, Availability

Cons : Bland fried food, dry broiled fish, Found hair in coleslaw

Tourists beware...so many to chose from, you might want to take this one off the list.

The Details on No Name Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • fresh food
  • fresh broiled seafood
  • recommended place
  • great meal
  • horrible customer service
  • always loved seafood chowder
  • fresh fish
  • beautiful no name restaurant
  • very fast service
  • good fried scallops
  • love quality fresh seafood
  • great prices
  • very fresh shrimp
  • delicious baked scrod
  • rude staff
  • fairly friendly waiter
  • gross fried scrod
  • great many people
  • definately recommend no name
  • not recommend restaurant
  • rude seafood place
  • warm friendly atmosphere
  • bad food
  • friendly wait staff
  • no good lobster

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