Lucius brunch and fabulous service in a clean trendy atmosphere, Absolutely wonderful!

Always a delicious meal. Not overpriced. Friendly service. We there on a regular basis. My fave is the warm Buddha bowl.

This place has come on in leaps and bounds recently. I had a couple friends come here for brunch and they came back warning me to stay away and saying how bad their experience was... about a year later we decided to give it another go. I came here for a friend's 21st birthday and had a great time. The owner is Bentley University grad and when he saw we were all student age he asked if we were students there, when we said "yes, we're here celebrating a friend's 21st birthday" he promptly brought out a tray of shots on the house (there was 8 of us !) . As far as food, I ordered the braised short rib and I found the meat to be a little salty but the sauce was very decadent and the gnocchi was cooked perfectly. Everyone else seemed to really enjoy their food as well and it all looked so tasty. I will definitely be coming back here to explore more of the menu! BTW, the friends who originally did not like this place are now fans ! :) read more

The best restaurant in Waltham! The owner (Jeff) takes pride in his dishes and it shows! Impeccable dining, menu options that cater to every taste! Miranda is amazing! The Moody Street area has been elevated by this gem! read more

This used to be my brunch spot, but I don't think they care anymore. I live in Waltham, so this is a shame. My traditional Eggs Benedict came out cold. My husband's Bacon Hash Special was filled with chewy fat, which we are not interested in. He ordered a special (a no no in my book) as they don't have it down pat. When we first got there we sat at the bar. The bartender was nice, but took 20 minutes to even greet us and then gave us Bloody Mary forms to fill out with no pencils. After another 20 minutes we were able to ask for pencils and basic non alcohol drinks while filling out the Bloody Mary forms. It trickled down to the longest drink deprived starving brunch ever. It was also 1:30pm and not even that busy. Maybe the staff was hung over? The best staff member is this lovely African American man behind the bar. He is always smiling and welcoming. Unfortunately I don't think we will be back. It is too pricey for spotty food and inconsistent service. We will unfortunately be trucking it out to Framingham to this great brunch spot that is always welcoming and consistent. read more

I took my mother here for mother's day. We had been here once before. When I walked up to the hostess stand, there were four people behind and not one of them acknowledged me. They looked busy so after a couple minutes I asked if this is where I check in. Yes. I wait outside for over a half hour after my reservation time. No word. I then get a phone call from the restaurant asking if I just made a reservation . Seriously? We finally get seated in the back parking lot. Far from the bathroom. The only saving grace to this place was our waitress Sandy. Our food arrived after 2 1/2 hours. Mine was bland, my kids food burnt and my mother's was nothing to brag about. I've been in this industry for 30 years. One of the worst experiences I have ever had. read more

Really great food and atmosphere. I had the lamb hash Benedict and she had the chicken and waffles. Delicious!

I've been here three times, once for lunch, once for dinner, and once for brunch and it was amazing every time. High quality food and generous portions for the price. Outdoor seating available for people more comfortable with that read more

LOVE all the fresh, made-from-scratch menu items here! I picked up takeout for my mom and I, and my mom being a great chef herself is picky about restaurant meals. My mom expressed her delight with the high quality ingedients and expert method of cooking. She had the steak frites cooked perfectly to medium rare and scallops, and all the flavors came through so brightly and clean! I loved my Buddha bowl and fish tacos. The avocado was the perfect ripeness and the vegetables were so fresh and well prepared. The fish tacos are really flavorful and the perfect balance of crunch, soft tortilla and the perfect ratio of tangy toppings. Since the COVID-19 crisis began, I trust the staff here to keep my safety as top priority and I appreciate that they are meticulous about cleaning, sanitizing and contactless pick-up. The staff at Bistro 781 are really helpful and friendly. The last time I came here, I did not like my meal because it wasn't what I thought it would be (no fault of the restaurant). I was pleasantly surprised that the staff did not charge me for the menu item and apologized that I did not like it -- even though it was my misunderstanding of the menu and not the restaurant's fault. Then they offered to quickly cook me something else. Now THAT's what I call excellent customer service! My friend dining with me was so impressed, as am I. We will definitely continue to return again and again! :) read more

This place is such a great find! Very unassuming from the outside, you would never guess the delicious food that comes out of this casual spot! My boyfriend and I went for brunch, and Bistro 781 exceeded all of my expectations - first, I have a gluten allergy, and it's very hard for me to find places that do GF brunch or breakfast (besides the typical omelettes with a side of fruit). That being said, I was overwhelmed with the choices that I had! I could basically have anything I would've normally eaten before I was diagnosed. I decided on the eggs benedict - to die for! The hollandaise was great, and not too lemony-y. The gluten free english muffin was delicious also, and the eggs were poached to perfection. Being it was brunch, I had to order a Mimosa. Great proportion of OJ and champagne, but definitely not shy on the champagne. They also have a "make your own Bloody Mary" bar on the weekends! I'm not a huge fan of Bloody Marys, but this is a great spot for someone who is! I would love to come back again for dinner or lunch - the menu is both extensive and unique! read more

We were looking forward to this because we'd had a fun time here previously, what a shame their service and customer service let them down. Despite our table booking, upon arrival, they attempted to seat us at a high top in the bar. Surprised, we said "um, we want a table in the restaurant". Their response "we have reservations for those"??? We pointed out that we, too, had a reservation "well, says the hostess, they're a party of 15". I didn't say it, but my thought was "seriously, do I look like I care"? They did seat us in the restaurant, but clearly we didn't rate as our app took half an hour and dinner took a full hour to arrive". I do want to be clear, our waitress was very nice! The food was tasty, the cocktails were better than ordinary, but I can't rate them higher that that. Blah experience, blah plus for the meal. read more

The best burger and spinach artichoke dip I've ever had. Service is always excellent. Drink and beer selection is great.

Had the seafood rigatoni and my friend had the chicken fettuccine. Freshest pasta ever! Looking forward to coming back read more

Bistro781 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

I can't say enough great things about this restaurant. I went on a Sunday (New Year's Day) for a first date. I had made reservation and it was honored with no wait time. I told them I was meeting someone for a date and they wished me good luck and were very cute about it. The server we had gets an A+. Just the right amount of attention. The manager (they appeared to be a manager) checked in mid meal and thanked us. I had the crab cakes and the Shrimp and Grits off the brunch menu (I believe it was the brunch menu) and they were DELICIOUS. I work in the restaurant industry so I was super appreciative of the experience. Don't walk... run. Even the cold brew was fire. read more

What can I say. Ordered take out burger and paid on phone to avoid the hostess running to the back of the room while my food cooled. Hostess looked for my burger at the desk and then went to back of room to look for it. A nice customer who was also waiting pointed to a bag that had my name on it. I thanked her and took my meal. Now for the sad part: Normally crispy fries were greasy and soggy and medium rare burger (which they have managed before) was well done. Think i'll take a break from the Bistro and hope they get it together. read more

Been here a couple times. Nothing spectacular but works in a pinch. Atmosphere is ok but not great. Food is average overall.

had an amazing brunch here! I got the breakfast burrito... our waitress was so awesome ! I cant wait to come for dinner here

I contacted Bistro 781 for an event; a dinner for about 25 with a cocktail type hour prior. Not only did Jeff and his team made my vision come true, the staff was incredible. We had our drinks at the bar with appetizers and then moved over to a table on the other side of the partition for dinner. They were fully prepared for our group, and were willing to make any adjustments necessary when our numbers were less than planned. I can't thank Jeff and his team enough for all their help and wonderful service. Our office will be back! Thank you! read more

Always consistent! Great spot with a little something for any type of eater. Never disappointed. Tried the brunch for the first time, big thumbs up! Create you're own bloody is great. You almost wish more people were in there. But love the place all around! read more

See all

This is the best restaurant experience I've had in quite some time. From food to service to atmosphere, this place is a complete experience. We started with a couple of appetizers, crab cakes and empanadas. The crab cakes were moist with a crisp exterior and the seasoning was spot on. They rank right up there with some of the ones I've tasted at seafood restaurants in Cape Cod and Maine. I didn't try very much of the empanadas because I was trying to leave them for the non-seafood lovers at the table. From the couple of scraps I did try though, they were also very tasty. They have a beef filling and come with a flavorful, slightly sweet sauce, which lends a nice contrast to the empanada itself. Entrees were a difficult choice because there were so many enticing options. I asked our excellent waitress, Myranda, what she recommended. I opted for one of the specials, sausage stuffed chicken breast. It was served with diced potatoes, a dollop of thick yogurt sauce, and some peppers. The chicken was cooked perfectly and was nice and tender. The different components on the plate were well selected and meshed very well together. Considering how stuffed I was I normally wouldn't have considered dessert at this point, but the food was so good that I was too intrigued to pass it up. I ordered the strawberry cheesecake. It wasn't anything too out of the ordinary, but the strawberries were fresh and the consistency of the cheesecake was perfect. You can't ask for much more than that. Outside of the food, the place was a little loud when we first got there last Saturday night, but it quieted down quite a bit as it got a little later. The decor in the restaurant is modern and tasteful, and the service was exceptional. Our waitress, Myranda was fast, attentive and very friendly. This is the type of place you would expect to see in Boston, but instead it's conveniently located right on Moody St. in Waltham. Give it a try, I'm sure I will again. read more

Bistro781 - Salmon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

See all

Thank God for my healthy coworker -- we ordered for pick-up and we were so happy with our meals. When you order a Buddha bowl from a new restaurant, you never really know what to expect. Will it be jam-packed with calories, 3 services of grains, and way too many toppings? At Bistro781, you won't have to worry about that!! Perfect proportions, and incredibly tasty and filling. We can't wait for our next team luncheon -- delicious menu items! read more

American style restaurant. The burger is good for brunch. My son really likes the French fries. read more

Vegans beware - this place ain't it! Ordered avocado toast, home fries, quinoa burger, and iced soy latte. The avocado toast was on soft, sweet bread that wasn't even warm. Home fries were soggy and oily, not crispy at all. Quinoa burger came with cheese despite the ingredient not being listed on the menu. And for the soy latte, they ended up giving me iced coffee with the smallest amount of soy milk ever. A latte is supposed to be espresso, not coffee lol. Overall, huge waste of money and not worth the long wait. read more

What a great place. We were hunting for a breakfast place and came across the bistro781. At first we thought it was going to be a busy when the hostess asked us if we had reservations, we didn't but we're luck to get one of the last tables (recommend on the future to call ahead). It was a rainy day so that's probably what is keeping people at home but if this was a sunny day I'm sure we would have been out of luck or waiting in line. We went with a starter even though it was breakfast and got the little clams in a cognac lobster cream sauce. It was heavenly, the portion was just right because it was so good we ate it all and anymore would have left us too full for our meal. I got the eggs benedict with crab cake. Soooo good just the perfect balance of taste and the sauce was perfect. I didn't eat the entire Portuguese bread ass I was just too full. The potatoes that came with it were cut large and crispy on the outside like they should be. On other great thing was that everything was seasoned just right, I didn't have to ask for any salt. My husband got the duck hash and ate it all, he said it was perfect, and given the empty plate a testament to that. We both had coffee and good quality coffee. Our server Emily was really great, polite and was on top of everything. The place was clean and several other staff around to clear away plates promptly. read more

See all

Bistro 781 had excellent vegan options and service! We were impressed with the variety of choices (including a separate vegan menu you might have to ask for) and incredibly accommodating of making adjustments to non-vegan options. Three of us in our party had 3 different vegan meals. Each was fresh, tasty, and plentiful (quinoa burger, Buddha bowl, and stuffed squash). When we requested the addition of tofu on the Buddha bowl, there was no hesitation in responding with "yes!" Additionally, the cook shared with us the quinoa burger recipe when we asked about the spices in the burger. Our server, Amy, was excellent - informative, patient, friendly, and eager to please. We will return here often!! read more

My son and I love the food here! We always try new items and enjoy all of them. At time this restaurant can be a bit too loud.

Sandwiches here are TOP NOTCH. This is a must-visit when in Waltham. Get the Short Rib Cheese Melt and the Avocado Bacon sandwiches and Thank me later. The service here is also fantastic. Such a fun spot, I will certainly be back. read more

Bistro781 - Short Rib Melt - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

See all

4 of us had brunch at Bistro 781 yesterday. We sat at the bar, which is large and comfortable. The food, drinks and service were all AMAZING! I love the lively atmosphere and HUGE menu! We will definitely be back. read more

In from out of town. Upon arriving, it was a really nice atmosphere. Reading the menu, the selections were so interesting! I was thinking it's a little pricey, but when you get the food... totally worth it! My friend and I got a mushroom appetizer, delicious! We both got different types of tacos. Full of tasty flavor! Our waitress was perfectly delightful! I definitely want to recommend this place! Next time we visit, we'll be back, because there is so much more I want to try! read more

I am giving this a five star for the food. It's just a typical rumpus-ready bar-type dining place "atmosphere" -nothing special. I was impressed and surprised that the food was this good -nice plating and good-size portions and somewhat of a grass-roots menu. One dude in our group was vegan and they had a couple options for tree-hugger eaters. Not much to say other than peep it out if you're on Moody Street in 'Tham. read more

Bistro781 - Some vegan thing with a "schmear" on plate. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

See all

We decided to try this place because we received a nift card for 30$ and I am so happy that I found this place! The décor is very impressive, warm and cozy and the service was super friendly and welcoming. Elena was our server and was very attentive and helpful with our dinner choices. The dinner portions were generous which is always a plus when dining at a scratch kitchen. I got the steak frites which they cooked perfectly and my husband had the pasta Bolognese with home made fettucine! The beef empanada appetizer was to die for as well as the turtle cheesecake! All of the desserts are homemade! We will be back again. read more

Food was good. Live music in the front of the restaurant was really good. Good place for drinks and apps with friends.

I was in Boston for three months last summer and this was definitely one of my favorites if not favorite places to eat. The ambience is everything you want in a nice chill restaurant on a busy street. The drinks are excellent, but not to forget the reason I came so many times... The CLAMS!!!! Sorry the review is so late, but I am posting this now because I'm back in the area and I can't wait to see what the menu has in store for me this summer!!!!! read more

See all

I have been to 781 dozens of times and my friends and I comment every time that the food is amazing and we've never had a bad meal. Everything from the appetizers to entrées is creative and delicious. The menu is constantly being updated but there are a few favorites which always remain. One dollar oysters during happy hour on weeknights, and their brunch is out of this world. Do not miss the cinnamon bun skillet! I could probably eat two in one sitting, they're that good. The owner is incredibly nice and personable and makes a point to get to know regulars and say hello which is always a great touch. Glad this place is doing well, I will continue to go back for its great food and highly recommend others give it a try! read more

Fantastic menu and staff. I personally would not eat outside because it is t terribly inviting, but that's not really the restaurant's fault. They're doing the best they can with the space they were allotted. read more

One of our favorites on Moody Street! We first were able to taste their food at the Waltham Food, Wine, and Craft Beer Festival. The first few times trying to come here after didn't work out as they were closed and were having private events, but when we were finally able to try it out, we could tell it was worth the wait! All of their food is good, but the best would be anything with their short rib. It's tender and falls apart in your mouth. They use it in many different dishes and each time it's just good. They also have a great menu of drinks as well. Being on Moody Street, there's plenty of parking on each of the side roads. The space itself is decently sized for being on Moody Street. If you get there early enough, you shouldn't have to worry about a wait. read more

Great food and friendly staff! Stumbled upon this place when another down the street was booked. Great find for us and price is also reasonable so it's a win win! read more

My Dad and I ate here on a recent visit and both the food and service were superb. It was lovely to both eat safely and have the waitress understand my dietary issues and in fact make them seem ordinary and no hassle! Can't wait to return on my next visit! Thanks for a wonderful meal! read more

Pretty good food, but some of it does seem overpriced. You can tell they're going for a higher-end vibe to match their higher-end prices, but some of their decor kind of ruins it. We tried the Fried Calamari as an appetizer, and had the Oyster Burger and Shrimp and Grits as entrees. The menu seemed very creative and the dinner portions were generous. It was a little bit hard to get the attention of our server over the course of our dinner, and even to pay the check. Overall, it seems like a nice place for a date or a special occasion. read more

See all

Stopped in for $1 oysters ended up having a bunch of apps as well. All good!!! Mushroom gnocchi was awesome. Tons of porcini. Staff is top notch - friendly, attentive and professional. Great ambience as well. read more