01/31/09

You'll regret going here !

by Foodiegirlie

HORRIBLE DINING EXPERIENCE. Not only did our food take an unusually long time to arrive but when it did, it was the wrong meal. When I informed the waitress, they took additional time in bringing me mine (she said they gave my meal to someone else who started to eat it). However, when they brought my dish (the fried fisherman's platter), they forgot the cole slaw. When I informed the waitress I was disappointed that they messed up my meal TWICE, she appeared to be apologetic. When my boyfriend asked for his meal (the wood grill assortment) to be packed, she threw out his fish and shrimp and packed him only a few fries. INCREDIBLY RUDE SERVICE! THE WORST DINING EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD IN BOSTON. I will NEVER return !

• Cons: service ! horrible !!!

A New England institution where diners don bibs and crack open lobsters with their bare hands.

by Contributor

In Short
With 30-plus outposts up and down the Eastern seaboard, this Cambridge-based chain reels in a seemingly endless supply of after-work professionals and tired tourists. The look varies somewhat from establishment to establishment but a casually nautical theme and a crowd as loud as the ocean's roar are fairly consistent. Signature dishes include clam chowder, wood-grilled swordfish, steamed clams, and 2-pound lobsters that can be ordered baked and stuffed with scallops and shrimp.

07/23/07

Very good, but overpriced

by dark1000

Legal Sea Food is very good, don't get me wrong. But it's not the best, or really second best either. Good size portions don 't make up for the high prices. Costs too much for too little. Still, I don't mind it. I wish they were a bit more creative with their offerings as well.

• Pros: Good service, ambience and food
• Cons: Food isn't overwhelming and it's overpriced

11/08/06

fairly good but overhyped

by liucipher

I've ordered takeout from here more than I've eaten, but I've done my fair share of both. Let me just say that Legal Seafoods does have some pretty good seafood. There's no way around it - it's good stuff. But it's not the BEST seafood, and for the prices + wait you'll have to endure, it's really not enough.

I like the ambience though. Relatively quiet.

10/30/06

Great food and wine!

by kdecost

This restaurant has great food and wine. The fish is always very good and you get a pretty good size portion. Even with reserevations though, you usually end up waiting for a while. It is good for both large groups and romantic dinners.

• Pros: Good food and wine
• Cons: Wait time, pricey

07/05/06

Does not live up to the hype

by evinza

As others here have said, this place is not what it's cracked up to be. Sure, the seafood is fresh, but it's pretty bland and tasteless -- little to no attempt is made to season the food or to do anything remotely creative to the dishes. Side dishes are pretty good, and I guess it's worth trying if you've never been, but in general, there are MUCH better options in and around Boston, especially for the money.

• Pros: friendly service, nice atmosphere, fresh seafood
• Cons: flavorless dishes at a price that's too high

06/26/05

pretty good!

by jameshoskins1

As tourists to Boston attending a medical conference in June, 2005, we tried as many restaurants as we could during our four day stay in the Back Bay area. We also had our 4 year old twins in tow, so we were able to test the "family friendliness" of each place we dined. The children loved the fish and chips, which I though were excellent. My lobster bisque soup was tasty, complemented well by the excellent bread. My wife had salmon or tuna, and she was pleased with her meal.

• Pros: excellent view

05/06/05

Average food with few suprises

by arrondee

I went to this restaurant last week and found the place really busy for a Sunday evening. There were no places left to sit at the bar, and I was told there would be about a 20 -30 minute wait ( you are given an electrical device which buzzes when you table is ready, and you can walk round the mall while you wait).

Sure enough I got my table after 20 minutes, the place was full but the waiter was helpful and attentive. I had a salad and then the swordfish that tasted really fresh. It came with a few fries and some green beans that were completely inedible ( they cost extra too) and some overdone carrots ( canned?) With a drink the meal was $40 and I was by no means full.

I found the place just average.

• Pros: fresh seafood, service
• Cons: portion size, poor vegetables

12/20/04

Great Seafood

by love food

Legals is great. The crabcake, wild salmon, lobster ravioli, oysters are the best. Living in San Francisco all my life I didn't think I would enjoy seafood in Boston but I am very impressed. This place puts Boston seafood on the map.

• Pros: Fresh

10/22/04

Illegal Sea Food

by tfromfl

DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!! This place is not that great. I live in Florida where I catch and eat fresh seafood year-round, trust me I know what I am talking about. We went to Legals on a Thursday night in October with a party of four. Each of us got a different item on the menu so we could sample various selections. Once we got our food we began to sample each dinner. After trying each of the four meals the entire table came to the same conclusion. Bland! The food was significantly lacking flavor! It was the first time in my life I actually lost my apetite eating seafood. Here is the low down: the ambiance- spectacular; the wait- none; price- average; staff- so-so; food- sub-par. When I return to Boston I will go elsewhere... Oh, one thing I DO recommend is the Luxury Martini Flight.

• Pros: Martini Flight, Ambiance