Superb food experience, I loved the range of dishes and the thoughtful homage to Portugal. The staff were very friendly and gave excellent drink recommendations. Parking in the area can be a bit tricky, so I highly recommend Ubering if possible. The restaurant itself is beautiful, with a great atmosphere and perfect spots for couples to take pictures. read more

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When you walk in you are greeted with a bright, lively but yet calming aesthetic. It is beautiful inside. The staffs are friendly and were very tentative. The food here is Portuguese-inspired so keep in mind by no means are they authentic. Dishes are tapa style. Staff recommend 2-3 dishes per person. I came here for dinner with a friend and this is what we ordered: Rose Tonico-- drink was light and refreshing, slightly fruity with a hint of zest. Portuguese Sweet Rolls--came with 4, light and fluffy. Reminded me of Texas Road House rolls with the sweet butter, delicious. Octopus Carpaccio--thinly sliced octopus topped with thinly shaved crispy potatoes and black olives. Very flavorful. My friend who is not a fan of octopus loves this dish. Shrimp Mozambique-- Very fresh and easy to eat. A must order in my book. Flavor was very balanced and flight, a summer dish indeed. Grilled mushrooms--some review said it was a "heavy" dish but I did not think so. Mushrooms were smokey with a kick of heat from the harissa. Spanish Mackerel--Would not recommend. Even when eaten with tomatoes, the fishiness cannot be masked. Suckling pig-- Very delicious and filling. A must order dish. The pork is very tender and falls apart easily into pulled pork texture. The crispy pig ears were indeed crispy, a bit too hard for me. Braised greens paired nicely with the pork. Pasteis de Nata-- Portuguese egg tart. A bit too charred on top. The crust is very flakey. I loved the dash of cinnamon on top. These tarts are perfect and not overly sweet. I would recommend this to end your meal. Overall thought: I would come here again. It is slightly pricey for the amount of food for example the shrimp was delicious but you are basically paying $18 for two shrimps since each shrimp is sliced in half. I say come here for special occasions and expect to spend around $100 per person. Food was fresh and delicious. read more

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Great food, even better service! Pretty modern design interior. Slightly noisy, but good vibe.

I've been here twice now and have really enjoyed both times! First, the ambiance and decor is incredible. Such a warm and trendy atmosphere with the lighting and furniture~ it's very inviting and upscale. Another thing to note that I didn't realize the first time was they have validated parking for $5 in the lot under the bridge nearby. Super convenient because parking around this area can be really tough depending on when you go. As for the food it's Portuguese tapas style, so small sharing plates. You have to start with the Portuguese sweet rolls~ really warm, soft, and delicious especially with the chamomile butter! The first time I came, we were a party of 6, and I believe they were able to add 2 more for us since it normally comes with only 4, which was really nice! Another dish I liked was the octopus carpaccio. The seasoning on the top added great flavor and a little crunchy texture that I enjoyed. We also got grilled mushrooms which I ordered the second time coming because they were just so flavorful. Everything we ordered was very tasty and I would definitely come back a third time! This is a perfect spot for a date night or a girls night dinner! Highly recommend! read more

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Baleia is harmonious blend of modern elegance and traditional Portuguese charm. The restaurant is decorated with soft lighting, rustic wood tables and a cozy atmosphere. The staff were welcoming and provided attentive service. We tried the Portuguese sweet rolls, octopus carpaccio, grilled mushrooms, puri puri chicken, and the orange flan. The sweet rolls were simple and accompanied by a chamomile butter. The octopus was tender and perfectly seasoned. The chicken was marinated in a puri puri sauce with crispy fries, however the fries were a bit too salty. The mushrooms were woody and hearty. The orange flan was a delightful way to end our meal. Also, you can get your parking voucher validated, so that parking will only cost $5 for up to three hours. Directions to the designated parking lot can be found online or on OpenTable when you make a reservation. read more

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Arrived on a beautiful summer night. Restaurant is genuinely arresting to look at. We happen to love Portuguese food. So were looking forward to it. Too bad the food was a letdown. We went with the chef's menu, figuring he'd know what's best. It started with rolls that were bizarrely coated with rock sugar. We scraped it off because it didn't work and was gross. Some boiled carrots came out that were like a new mom experimenting with making her own baby food. A dear thought. But just bland and not something I'd expect a restaurant to serve. We didn't feel compelled to finish it. They served a steak in some kind of dark brown sauce. It was completely bland, unsalted, and flavorless. Red meat is an indulgence, and it's kind of a waste to just pour some flavorless goop over it and call it a day. There were mussels in a tomato broth. Broth was good but the muscles were soft and gooey. Probably undercooked but certainly not that fresh. We left about half uneaten. The rub of prix fix is they consider desert a course. We knew that going in, and they served a chocolate cake that was just overly sweet with nothing else going on. Reminiscent of a donut bought from a gas station. Another dish left mostly uneaten. Wines were good, but they don't make those! For what ended up being pretty expensive for two people I have higher expectations. To be served up a bunch of misfires is disappointing. read more

Ok. Visited here shortly after they opened. Overall, its a very stunning restaurant with really good food and I'm looking forward to visiting again. I really enjoyed the octopus, sweet rolls, and the olive oil cake. My critique was that I told the bartender none of the drinks looked interesting to me and he said he would make me one, only to then end up making me a drink from the menu anyway. Which was a bummer. read more

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Right off the bat, the interior of the restaurant is stunning - a warm, inviting ambiance with an open view of the bustling kitchen and all its chefs hard at work. We started things off with the Portuguese Sweet Rolls, which are a must-order. The rolls are pillowy soft, delightfully chewy, and topped with a sprinkling of flaky salt that accentuated the floral sweetness of the airy, whipped chamomile butter. Something so simple had no right of tasting that good, and was easily a standout of the meal. The Octopus Carpaccio, on the other hand, received mixed opinions. While the thinly sliced octopus was tender, and the crispy potato crumbs added a nice textural contrast, the flavors didn't quite harmonize. The dish leaned too heavily on acidity and saltiness from the black olives and pimento aioli, overshadowing the octopus, which acted more as a neutral backdrop than the centerpiece. Next was the Braised Beef Check. The beef was visually impressive and flawlessly cooked, melting in your mouth with every bite. But flavor-wise, it felt too familiar, like a refined version of steak and mashed potatoes. It was good, but it lacked the "wow factor" we'd hoped for. The Shrimp Mozambique, while tasty, also left a lot to be desired. Shrimp served in a thick, buttery, garlic sauce - essentially a shrimp scampi but without the pasta. Seeing that it was also $19 for only two average-sized shrimps cut in half, I expected more from it. The Roasted Kabocha Squash, on the other hand, I genuinely enjoyed. The nuttiness of the squash paired well with the earthiness of the toasted pumpkin seeds and sage, and the dollops of queijo fresco cheese added delightful notes of richness to the dish. Finally, the mains. For the Duck Rice, we felt that it had too many elements that rendered it unbalanced in terms of flavor. The rice was too wet and overloaded with seasoning. The duck, while smokey and well-cooked, did not harmonize with the chouriço sausage, leaving the dish feeling overcomplicated. Thankfully, the Whole Roasted Fish did not suffer from that problem and was the perfect representation of "less is more." The fish was tender, delicate, and unworldly juicy, with its skin charred to a fantastic crisp. A drizzle of lemon alone elevated each bite, but the rich, savory anchovy sauce took it to another level. Finally, for dessert, we got the Sonhols - sugar coated fried dough with dulce de leche and apple caramel. It sounded like the perfect conclusion to our meal, until we realized after one bit it was raw... Overall, we gave Baleia a 7.6. While none of the dishes were inherently bad, several fell short of their potential, and none of the dishes delivered enough standout flavors to entice us back to explore the rest of the menu. read more

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We enjoyed an amazing meal at Baleia this past weekend - excellent food, very attentive service, and a welcoming space that was both comfortable and chic. We ordered the Explorador (a chef's choice pre-set menu) and were not disappointed. The portions were substantial while still maintaining their dignity, and plated beautifully. Some highlights included the harissa roasted carrots, which were shockingly memorable for a side dish, and the duck rice, which was hearty and spicy without leaving you feeling logy. The grilled pork chops were also a smash hit at the table, and I would definitely recommend the sweet rolls. The only thing missing from this extraordinary meal was a Portuguese egg tart! Also! I would be remiss if I failed to mention the Tinto de Verao Spritz. I really almost never drink alcohol (do not and have never liked the taste), but the Tinto de Verao far exceeded my order-a-drink-to-be-sociable expectations. Light and fruity without being too sweet. The Venn diagram of drinks my husband and I both enjoy is basically two separate circles, but we both ordered and loved this drink. The restaurant also very kindly accommodated my son's picky palette, and brought him a grilled cheese sandwich. I would recommend Baleia to anyone - it would be a great spot for a date, family meal, work dinner, girls' night (or guys' night!). read more

Food was yummy, drinks were fire and the decor was decoring. Perfect spot for a girls night read more

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Really cool interior design, cool tables and seats! Came here and tried a lot of the dishes with friends to share and the flavors were really unique. Every dish had something special. For starters we had The Portuguese sweet rolls: the bread was soft salty and the cream was not too sweet and it was smooth. One of the many dishes I liked The octopus was really unique as well in terms of the crunchiness on the top! Salt cod was came out nice and out the dipping sauce was okay. The grilled mushrooms is another dish that was a must get. The clams, piri poussin and the whole roasted black bass were all okay. I was surprised they brought out a whole bass. Drinks were good as well! Love the waitress checked on us multiple times Lastly I would get the natas for dessert to end the meal! read more

Wonderful experience dining at Baleia. We had booked an outdoor table but ut ended up being very windy and the staff accommodated a move indoors. Warm, friendly vibe inside. We shared plates from the sweet rolls, which were warm, soft and delicious to red gem salad, steamed clams, cod, and piri piri chicken. Everything was beautifully prepared. We had great service from Maggie and Rachel. For dessert we shared pastel de nata and sonhos. The sonhos were incredible-I will be dreaming of them. It was our anniversary and Rachel brought over some porto on the house to end our meal. Great, great service! read more

Baleia - Wine Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Food 4.0/5.0 Service 4.5/5.0 Value 3.5/5.0 Decor 4.0/5.0 Overall 4.0/5.0 Very nice tapas spot. Food was borderline 4.0/4.5, so feel a little bad about rounding down there. Service was very friendly. I'd go back. read more

I would give the food an 9 out of 10 and the ambience in 11 out of 10. Best olives I have ever tasted. It's been a month and I'm still thinking about the curried eggplant. The cabbage with white beans inspired me to eat more cabbage and never without . My only disappointment is that I asked, and apparently the olives are from the supermarket. Still a damn good olive. read more

Had such a lovely experience at Baleia! I'm here from LA and have not had great experiences dining in Boston so far, but this place was great! First off, the ambiance is fantastic. I love the lighting and decor is simple but pretty. Our waiter was great and attentive, and the front of house staff were all sweet. I had an accommodation request and they made it happen which I greatly appreciated. Lastly the food was delicious, came at a good pace and the portions were good. The drinks were also great! Overall a great place to dine, a place I'd look forward to coming back to next time I'm in town. read more

Food was good but they rushed the tasting menu. Brought out the first 5 plates basically all at once. Made the NYE dinner feel rushed and not particularly special. Liked the food though. read more

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Great new tapas style spot on the edge of the south end with a warm but modern aesthetic. The menu is ideal if you eat a lot of seafood and vegetables but there are some meat and poultry options as well. The tuna was simple and very fresh. Spanish mackerel was very well seasoned and flavorful but smaller portion of fish. The sardines were fun to try but if bones bother you skip it. The octopus carpaccio was delicious with a prominent smoky chipotle flavor. The cocktail menu was very creative with a lot of unique and unexpected ingredients. Service was very fast and all the staff were attentive and helpful. Definitely a place I would go back to to check out the rest of the menu. read more

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I dream about these rolls!!! They were so light and fluffy, the butter was so creamy, we legitimately ordered more after our meal and before dessert. As someone who never has had Portuguese food before, all the flavors were delicious and unique. The cabbage was a little bitter for my taste, but the pork belly with polenta was to die for. For dessert, I would recommend the sonhos. They're a little eggy and are what I think fried choux pastry would taste like as a donut. Our server was super helpful in guiding us through the menu and recommending certain dishes. Very lively atmosphere, a little dark, but a great choice for a nice birthday dinner or special event! read more

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Beautiful restaurant with friendly and attentive service. Food was good overall and of high quality, but nothing really knocked my socks off. Glad I tried it out though. PORTUGUESE SWEET ROLLS chamomile butter- served warm. subtle sweetness with a sprinkle of course sea salt on top creating a nice combination. Butter was nice and creamy, but the chamomile flavor was not very noticable. Still delicious! 4.5/5 MERGUEZ SAUSAGE- Decent. Spices gave the sausage good flavor, but was a bit on the mild side. I wish the sausage had a bit more snap to it too. Still good though 3.5/5 Sardines- three huge sardines. Very fresh, with that nice ocean flavor you want. 4/5 Suckling pig- perfectly cooked. A nice crunch on outside and perfectly juicy and tender on inside. Good natural flavor. I just wish they added a little something to it. Like a sauce or light seasoning to make it a bit more memorable. 4/5 Corn flan- highlight of the night. Sweet savory corn flavor perfect for the fall. It was so delicious, light, and refreshing. Candied almonds added a great texture. 5/5 Overall experience 4/5. read more

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I had an excellent experience here. Our table wasn't ready, but we started at the bar and had great drinks. They even brought us appetizers to start for the wait -- the service truly was impeccable. Everyone was so kind and helpful. The plates were great, we loved everything from the rolls, cheese plate, beef, duck rice. The octopus carpaccio was beautiful. They even threw in an extra dessert. Would definitely come back, a great new addition to the Boston food scene. read more

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So good!! Servers were all super friendly and attentive, food was unique and different (as someone who hasn't had a lot of Portuguese food before). My favorite dishes were the octopus carpaccio and the spanish mackerel! The salt cod bolinhos were also SO good but the sauce they came with felt kind of plain and didn't add much. The decor and ambiance was good and felt like a hip, cozy vibe. Would come back to try the rest of the menu and dessert! read more

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Portuguese inspires restaurant opened up last week from the Coda Group and it's exactly what you would expect; elegant interior, innovative tapas with Portuguese flavor and great service from the friendly and knowledgeable staff. We had a couple of drinks at the bar and check out their wine list (all from Portugal) before dinner. Got the yummy tequila cocktail suggested to us by the bartender and he was on point. It was so refreshing and delicious that I couldn't move on with wine. The food was great. A little bit of everything for everyone at the table. From the light red gem salad (with tons of Portuguese cheese) to the shrimp mozambique from the "lite bites". We had some heavier bites of grilled meaty mushrooms as well as the grilled sardines. Then the main course of the whole fish (black bass) and lamb shank. Everything was delicious. Dessert was a nice & light pastel de nata (egg tart) and some fried dough that comes with a caramel sauce as well as a chocolate wine sauce I think. Oh don't sleep on the sweet bread with that yummy butter! read more

Baleia - Wine Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Wow I loved baleia! I went here for an upscale dinner experience, and baleia did not disappoint. The interior was beautiful and service was good as well. I got a tonic cocktail that was pretty good to start. Then for two people we got bifana sliders (pork sliders on sweet rolls), 2 oysters, cauliflower, salt cod bolinhos (fish nuggets), and dessert. The food was all really good. Our dessert choice was sohnos (fried dough balls) and these stole the show! I'm so glad we left room for dessert. Overall great dinner experience. read more

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Love portuguese food so was really excited to try Baleia. While the ambience is romantic, elevated, and overall fantastic,and the service truly stellar, the food was lack luster... Paying upwards of 15 dollars for each dish, I really yearned for more flavor and to be wowed. We started with the tuna which I found to need more acidity. I did like the contrast addition of capers with the mix between seared and raw tuna slices though. The sweet rolls were soft but nothing to write home about. I thought needed more salt. Oysters were honestly not great- they also gave us one smaller oyster (seen in photo). Piri piri hot sauce overpowered oyster flavor but was great to be used on other dishes. Mushrooms dish had a deep flavor - reminiscent of indian food. To me felt a little heavy to be paired with thick sauce underneath. Shrimp was my FAVORITE dish- sauce was rich and decadent and paired nicely with the freshness of the shrimp. Piri Piri chicken was honestly a let down. Taste like Nandos chicken. Smokey in flavor but really nothing too specials. Fries heavily fried and more like chips - aioli sauce tasted more just like thick mayo and needed the hot sauce from before to cut through the fat. egg tart also just ok....we found tart shell to be chewy? maybe had too high expectations... that being said service was STELLAR. thank you to the team for being so kind during the meal and constantly checking up on the table. Truly carried the expiernce! Just wish more from the food... read more

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Excellent food. Easy parking. Great vibe. Kendall was our server - she was awesome. She deserves a raise! Rachel, the floor Manager was spot on helping us with the menu and getting us acquainted to the restaurant. I would highly recommend Baleia with no hesitation. read more

Baleia describes itself as a "Portuguese-inspired" restaurant. I describe it as as an excellent addition to the Boston restaurant scene with creative takes on Portuguese or Portuguese American classics combined with some great Portuguese inspired dishes. It all comes to together together in a great setting paired with the best Portuguese wine list I've seen in the US. Rundown on the food.... Must orders: - Salt Cod Bolinhos - I generally despise fried seafood, but as someone who has had a lot of variation croquetes bacalau (AKA pastéis de bacalhau/salt cod fritters), these are exceptional. - Shrimp Mozambique - great take on a classic dish you see at every Portuguese restaurant in the US - Piri Piri Chicken - anyone who loves Portuguese food has their favorite version of Piri Piri Chicken (Nando's FTW). Solid dish - Roasted Cauliflower - killer dish, queijo da serra & molho cru make it a must order - Whole Fish Worth trying: Bifana sliders, Octopus Carpaccio (easily most unique octopus dish I've had), Squid in Ink with Black Eyed Peas - not sure what part of Portugal this is inspired from but I love it. Dessert is a highlight. Save room. Pastéis de Nata, Soninhos (Portuguese doughnuts) and Chocolate cake are solid options, but the Madeira dessert wine selection is the best I've seen. Hopefully Baleia can do for Portuguese food what Toro did for Tapas or Neptune did for New England seafood 20 years food. Shoutout to Toni running FOH with top notch service and great wine recommendations. read more

We had a wonderful time at this restaurant. The service was phenomenal from the moment we walked in until we left. It has an upscale feel to it but a very relaxing atmosphere. We had a lot of questions about the wines and they were very knowledgeable in answering them and patient. Everything was delicious but our top favs were the duck rice, octopus carpaccio and the shrimp! We will definitely be back! read more

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Out of my week long trip, this was the best dining experience I've had in Boston. Our server Maggie was amazing, as was the entire staff assisting with service. The food was 10/10- cheers to the kitchen. read more

This place never disappoints! The dishes are always fresh, and the quality of the ingredients is outstanding. I love how consistent the service is every time. The staff is knowledgeable and always happy to suggest the best dishes for the day. read more

Incredible new spot! Ambiance really felt like I was in Portugal. Our waiter, Matt, was incredible - so attentive and kind. We started with the octopus carpaccio, tuna crudo, portuguese sweet rolls, the shrimp and the clams. The rolls were the best things i've ever had - we immediately ordered a second order. The octopus was delicious and the shrimp was as well. Our mains were the seared cod, the chicken and the suckling pig. We didn't love the cod or the pig especially for a steep price of almost $40 a plate. Appetizers were much better than mains so next time we will just do apps. desserts were great too! read more

Chef's choice option was spectacular in every way from portions to variety to taste. Staff was amazing ambience was beautiful

Came here for my birthday dinner and loved it! The decor is contemporary with a clean cut. The tables and seats were very comfortable. Great service with really good recommendations on the menu. Everything tasted good and fresh. The drinks were amazing and the prices were very impressive!! Definitely would come back for more drinks and try new items on the menu net time read more

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Solid food and service. I really like the ambience of the restaurant. Definitely a place you could go to celebrate a special occasion/ date night. My favorite dish was the Portuguese sweet rolls with chamomile butter, and the octopus carpaccio. Will definitely be back to try more on the menu. read more

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Food and service are amazing. Wonderful wine menu and knowledgeable staff about the list. Highly recommend

The ambience was great. Service and food was good. I was not impressed with the cataplana. The other items we ordered were good. Would return to try other items on the menu. read more

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From the first Baleia is exciting with a great vibe The staff is professional and friendly The food has an authentic Portuguese vibe with sophisticated offerings. The grilled sardines were crisp on the outside and moist on the inside. Well curated wines to go with all flavors on this enticing menu Worth many return trips read more

A great vibe inside. Great colors and clean. Not too bright or loud. The food was small plates style and came out very quick. Everything was very good, but more mild flavors than Spanish tapas style that I'm use to. Service was good and attentive. It is a new restaurant so they are working out some bumps but overall was great time. Make sure if you are parking in the validated parking lot that you are using lot 4, not 5 or else they cannot validate. The address on the website looked like it was for lot 5. read more

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The greeter was warm as she welcomed us in. We were sat in keeping with our reservation. We were super cared for for drinks and comfort. Food was next level. Each bite made me make sounds that bordered the inappropriate but, the flavors were stellar. We almost tried the whole menu. I recommend the Octopus Carpaccio. You would never think you were eating Octopus. It was tender and gently seasoned. The Salt Cod Bolinhos were flavor bombs for your face in the best way. For dessert, the Pao De Lo was like nothing I have ever eaten. I almost wept. My mother in law is Portuguese and she was blown away. Thanks to Baleia for making this a memorable experience. read more

Food was good, but not authentic. Place was very busy, so it took forever and the staff is overworked and inattentive. Felt rushed. Be sure to make reservations. read more

Food service ambiance The cod bolinhos The octopus tartare amazing And the Duck rice , a bit spicy but excellent computation of flavors Nice wine list pick a Douro from the bottom Of the list read more