Yelpers: if you haven't gone yet, you need to go soon. This restaurant is in the phase where word of mouth hasn't yet spread through the Greater Boston Area. Mark my words, this place will be as crowded as Highland Kitchen within the next year, so make a trip now before it becomes a hassle. My brother and I started off with chicken wings served with mole. The wings were more like southern fried chicken than traditional pub fare chicken wings. As a sucker for all things Popeye's, naturally I loved the wings and felt that the mole and additional spices really complemented the dish well. We then had the hock fried rice. This dish was OK, but I wouldn't order it again. It wasn't anything like an Asian fried rice, but it just wasn't that memorable. We ended our meal with the rib roast cart. A warning to Yelpers on a budget: this is not a cheap option. At $4 an ounce ($64 a pound!!!), you are not escaping this course without a hole in your pocket. Regardless, this was certainly the highlight of the experience. Steak and similar meats have never been my food forte, so I will spare you an inadequate description of what made this so good. But let me assure all, I've been to the Capital Grille and Grille 23, and this dish exceeded both experiences. If there are any caveats to the review, it's that the service wasn't quite up to snuff. However, I'm willing to let this slide because our server was training a new staff member on an off night. High recommend! Give a try if you're in the Somerville area; you probably won't even need a reservation for quick seating on a week night. read more

Very hip restaurant. I came here with a group of 4 on a Friday night. Great spot to socialize with friends or dates. The ambiance was nice and trendy. We'll start with the awesome dishes: 1. Fire roasted steak. A server comes around with a cart and you decide how much you want. $3.85 per oz. I could eat this for the rest of my life. The outer layer was crispy and the puree sauce was perfect. We devoured 10 ounces within seconds. 2. Spicy thai chicken. Right amount of crispy skin and moist chicken meat. The lemongrass and basil were great compliments. 3. The pickled quail eggs. This was the first time I ever tried pickled eggs and it was amazing. Pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Other dishes: 1. The bass. La Brasa knows how to make crispy skin but they forgot about the fish scales!! It also was pretty bland. Could've used some more herbs or sauce. 2. Chorizo & potato quesadilla with squid. Kinda weird flavoring. 3. Mexican fried rice. Hyped up on yelp. I thought it tasted average. Didn't blow away my taste buds. 4. Roasted carrots in mole sauce. It was sweet and I personally didn't notice any spiciness. I would say this was an okay dish because I preferred the protein that La Brasa offered. =) I'd recommend this restaurant to foodies and people looking for a trendy atmosphere. It is pricey. The bill for a group of 4 was around $240. The service was good. All the staff were friendly. Parking wasn't too bad either. read more

We ordered the duck and it came out cold and unappetizing. The apps were also sub par and pricey. Save your money and got to one of the many other restaurants on broadway if you are in the area. The experience was so bad that it motivated me to sign up for yelp! read more

Update to my original review: While I originally rated this place 5 stars, I think it's more deserving of 4 overall given that quality service is inconsistent. Sometimes its great and other times it's bad. Since we live close by, I've now gone here for dinner several times and also for brunch twice on the weekend. Their food is always very good and deserves 4-5 stars. The brunch is great - perfectly spicy bloody Marys and several unique/ delicious breakfast dishes on the menu. The ambiance is also very chill - they always have good music playing (sometimes a little too loud for conversation) and the lighting is calming. Love the open kitchen area and well decorated bar. I like how once a month they have craft fairs on the weekends along with brunch. Below is my explanation about service (sorry for the length! It's hard to explain concisely - feel free to skip to the end if you just want the sum up). The last two times we went was for brunch, and I wasn't happy with the service. Having worked as a server for several years, I have pretty realistic expectations of quality service: if you spend the money to go out and have a pricey meal, your server should be professional, kind, and prompt (unless something crazy happens in the kitchen - which they should be transparent about). Yesterday our service can be summed up as awkward and inconsiderate. The main waitress ignored me twice when I motioned her over (mouthed we're ready) to take our orders without explanation - no "be right there" or "just a minute" just a look at me, then moved on without even a head nod. Awkward. We were starving and she was helping 2 other servers clean up a broken glass on an empty table - nobody was waiting to sit at the table - she really could have attended to us since 2 of her coworkers were handling it. Then there was a lot of waiting between each persons dish being served. Two of us got food, while the other two waited over 10 minutes for our pancakes. Despite having ordered all 4 meals at the same time, a different server (not the rude one) came out with two pancakes but then explained one was not for us. He was at least apologetic which I appreciate. But, This meant that one person at our table had no food for 20 minutes while everyone else had their food. The main server made no acknowledgement of this mishap - she just asked if we wanted more drinks- until I said that they should really try to get all the food out at once - it's torturous to have to wait like this (because I was trying to be polite and wait for my friend to get her food before I ate). She said she was sorry, but you could tell she wasn't - I had basically forced her to apologize. At that point I would have come out and explained what was happening and apologized to my table. At dinner it's tapas style so delayed food circuits are to be expected, but breakfast is a different ball game guys - everyone orders one dish and wants to eat together. Nobody wants to drool over their friends eating while they wait and sip their coffee, tummy grumbling on a Saturday morning. Anyway this review is already too long, so let me just cut it here: the main brunch server made our meal experience really awkward and unpleasant. The food was great, but I think we'll be going somewhere less convenient for brunch next time and just sticking with this place for dinner. Too bad though - really loved the brunch food! read more

Really love that there's a great new restaurant in this neighborhood. The food was so delicious. For the most part I think the prices were pretty decent on the main dishes. I'm not sure why another reviewer went on and on about the décor. I thought the interior was warm, cozy, but also felt like a place that you could have a night out with friends. Me and 3 of my girlfriends went for a birthday celebration and the restaurant felt very appropriate for that. We shared the fried dough app which wasn't at all what I was expecting in a good way. It was a thin fried dough topped with yummy sauce and veggies. We also ordered the pork belly and soba noodles, chicken and dumplings, hanger steak with grilled eggplant and celery root puree, and a side of the Mexican fried rice. Everyone was very happy with the meal. We wanted a dessert but the ones on the menu weren't quite enticing us so our server brought out a little piece of ducle de leche flan with a birthday candle. It was absolutely delicious. We'll definitely be going back here. read more

Ok but disappointing considering the price. Good service but the food was not exceptional. Some strikes against: charging $5 for a small portion of bread and extra for butter. We got the liver pate which was very good but came with too few pieces of bread. A whole flounder served bone in smothered in a sauce that had to be removed so I could flip the fish over to extract the large skeleton. Then, no where to put it. Removing the skeleton in the kitchen would have been a nice touch. read more

Really great experience. Ambience was nice and friendly and upscale without feeling pretentious. We ordered drinks (specialty gin beverage and a French 75). Very good. Our waitress was nice and knowledgable about the menu. We order a bunch of small plates and one main dish. It's definitely a communal dining experience- we shared everything. We got the pickled eggs, tacos carnitas, sweet potato and goat cheese, and another dish which I believe had sardines and balsamic in it but I can't remember the name. All was delicious- the tacos and sardine dish was my favorite. We also ordered the "bitter greens" dish. That was the only disappointment. We just thought it was kind of gross but everything else made up for it. Our main dish was the flounder. Delicious! Fell off the bone with barely any effort. And it was fun! Our meal was about $120 and considering how much food we got plus our drinks, that's very reasonable for an upscale dining experience. read more

I think this place is completely overhyped. The place itself looks pretty but the food is just ok and not really worth the money you're going to spend. read more

La Brasa - This oyster dish is my favorite but it's overpriced in my opinion and other dishes are just ok! - Mexican Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I am sitting at the bar starving. I am so hungry I decided to do my first yelp review literally in the place. Sat at the bar, service was stellar. Oysters were expensive for the area, but very good. Chicken and waffles were great but for an entree portion, it was tiny. Our entire party had different entrees and we are sitting here discussing where to go for second dinner. By the way, we aren't like big eaters... we aren't diner crowd people expecting a lot of food for super cheap. Bottom line: nice place... come here... but don't come famished. Double bottom line: My wife felt her portion was fine and says she would give this place 5 stars no doubt. Triple Bottom Line: The fancy drinks are visually pleasing. read more

This somerville eatery is amazing. The fried rice is one of the best things I have ever eaten. The crispy bits of rice mixed with the fresh veggies and flavors create an absolute party in your mouth! I also highly recommend the quinoa fritters and lamb kabobs. The no-bake cheese cake with roasted stone fruit is a must have! The service was also top notch! Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable about items on the menu and showed passion for the food. The rest of the staff remembered us from the last time we were there which gave the restaurant a welcoming, neighborhood feel. The decor is a mix between an old spanish small town restaurant and east village boutique bistro. I love the open kitchen and visible fire wood oven. Next time you are looking for a unique dinning experience and incredible food I highly recommend you give La Brasa a try. read more

My husband and I dined at La Brasa last night. We're new Somerville residents, so we're checking out the local eateries. We ended up walking into La Brasa last night around 6pm. The restaurant was empty. The hostess initially told us that there were no available tables and that we were welcome to sit at the bar. We were fine with that option, except that there were no seats at the bar. Well, there were 3, but when we went to sit there, the owner or someone came over and told us that those seats were the chef's table and we pretty much couldn't sit there. So then my husband went on open table and found a 6:15 reservation. We walked back over to the hostess and showed her. We ended up getting a table, and a pretty good one at that. Our server was fantastic. The food was also very, very good. We both ordered the pork chop and it was delicious. My husband had a beer that he really liked, and we ordered the flan for dessert. The flan was pretty much other worldly. My husband also had an espresso that he really liked. So, despite the rocky start, we really enjoyed the food. I'm taking off two stars though, for two reasons. 1. On yelp, this restaurant shows as two dollar signs. It's not. It's a solid 3 dollar sign restaurant. Not sure who defines that, but this restaurant is a little pricier than it looks. I don't have a problem with the price point as the food was worthy of it. It was just more expensive than I thought it was going to be. 2. La Brasa charges for bread. Then, they charge you additionally for toppings, including butter and/or olive oil. Come on. Seriously? We ended up paying $7 for bread with olive oil to dip it in. That's ridiculous. We thought it was insane upon seeing it on the menu, but decided to order it just in case is was something really fabulous. I will say that the bread was good. However, it's not really anything special. I've dined in plenty of restaurants with equal or better bread that I didn't have to pay extra for. Their menu is fairly small - they only had 3 main course choices last night, all of which were $28. There were probably 6 or 7 small plate options. Basically, what I'm trying to say here is that charging for bread is silly, non-standard, and fairly off-putting. I mean, a meal for 2 people with no appetizers, 2 meals, one dessert, one beer, and one espresso was nearly $100. At that price point (any any price point for that matter), charging for bread is sort of insulting. We will go back because the food was really good, but the bread thing kinda makes me not want to. read more

Cannot say enough good things about this place. From your first step in the door you notice the service is superb. Everyone from the front door staff to the waitstaff and management had exceeded my expectations. (Bring a former server my expectations are high!) the decor is gorgeous and the place has a warm and inviting feel. Love the rustic decor and the huge Windows that allow plenty of light. The brunch was out of this world delicious. The menu is minimalistic but expertly crafted. It's unbelievable. Don't be deterred by the limited options - whatever they do they do it right!!! Just had a rib eye hash with poached egg that was most definitely one of the best brunch dishes I've ever had !! Cannot wait to come back again - this will definitely be my go to spot!! I've come for dinner to and it was nothing short of amazing!!! Love this place ! read more

Went for brunch on Sunday. Quite empty the place. The food was alright but not impressive. Maybe it's why they don't promote it too much on the website. read more

This place has a great ambience and surprisingly not that loud given the high ceilings and industrial setting. We came in for a drink and snack. Served quickly which was nice. Had chicken liver pate - amazing - the ricotta and olives...maybe too much ricotta and not enough olives, and the octopus quesadilla. If your eyebrows raised in disbelief at that last food item, they should. I wouldn't recommend the quesadilla...but overall food and ambience was good. Bread was amazing. Servers seemed nice. Would definitely come back for dinner (although the wine was a bit pricy). PRO TIP: it clears out around 9:30 so great spot for a late dinner date. read more

While the food was delicious it is hard to get past the terrible taste our server left in our mouths. He was rude and completely unapologetic when things went wrong, blaming his colleagues for his mistakes. For starters he took forever to even come take our drink order then he brought out my drink and no one else's for nearly 20 mins without any reason for the wait. Then he took our order and notified us that they were short on one of the dishes and he'd find out if they were completely out and get back to us... Which he never did. We had to ask when our first round finally came if our order went through to find out it had not. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit again regardless of how good the food was because it was not an enjoyable dining experience. read more

What's not to love about Labrasa? The space is awesome with all the beautiful wood and the high open ceilings, a really cool bar, good music and we love how you can watch the chefs preparing your food. This was our first time here for dinner and we ordered quite a few things because we planned to share and couldn't decide on just one or two things. We started with the prime rib which was tender and had the most wonderful chimichurri sauce. I could have eaten a big bowl of that and been happy! Next we had the Swiss chard pie which had a perfectly poached egg on top and the braised lamb tongue with baby onions. Both dishes were very good. Next was the brisket with a BBQ sauce which was tender and delicious and the Mexican rice and carrots with mole sauce. Sooooo good. The staff was very friendly and attentive and we also liked how the dishes came out as they were prepared as they came out fresh and hot. The portions were spot on we're looking forward to bringing friends with us next time and trying some of the dishes we didn't get a chance to try and to get more of the ones we did try! read more

Came here during the East Broadway Foodie Crawl and tried the corn...soup? Not sure, it was corn, and had some liquid, mayo?, cilantro and was pretty good. Some of the corn still had the rind on the side of it, which I couldn't eat and wasn't nice. read more

Put me in the thoroughly unimpressed category. The food was fine, not great, not bad, but certainly nothing worthy of this price point. We had a fish dish (mostly fennel shreds and not well seasoned), chicken dish (the best of the bunch, but came cold), another pie type appetizer that was ok, and some carinatas tacos, which were decent. Again, all decent. Cocktails were fine, not mindblowing. Service was great. Vibe was great. But for $120 for 2... It needed to be something more to get me to go back. read more

It was ok. There was just not anything spectacular that we had. I went with a big group and we tried lots of things. Nothing stood out. I'm getting tired of the tapas trend. Everything just gets mixed up on your plate and all the flavors blend. Not to mention restaurants get a lot more money with people ordering three dishes per person. I'm excited about east Somerville getting new high end restaurants but was expecting a little more from this place. read more

The hubby and I dropped by to try this new eatery. We didn't have reservations. The hostess tried to seat the people in front of us to some hipster seating "think kids table small' they declined. When it was our turn I just shook my head. She gave in gracefully and placed us in front of the waiter station. Thanks! Now on to the food. The concept that day was small plates based on a pig they roasted. Yum! I ordered carnitas tacos that suffered from a lack of seasoning and a raw tortilla. My husband ordered beef chile that was outstanding. We both ordered crispy pork with smoked greens and mushrooms on a bed of creamy polenta. That was heaven. I would order that again. I see great potential. read more

Great and cute spot! Awesome atmosphere with dim lighting, our waitress Maryia was great she explained all the plates and gave her favorites. Good spot for sharing we only ordered from the snacks and small plates and were so shocked at how generous the potions were. Definitely recommend the mussels with white beans yum! And the empanadas and you have to have the carnitas tacos! Great drinks too! Good spot worth going to! Shout out to Emerson for taking over our table and being on fleek! read more

ambiance-- 4.5 stars! food--3 stars-- tacos were kinda dry, portions were small, sigh and chicken were both cooked well though. drinks-- 3 stars-- nothing really to write home about. I got the sangria which left a tequila-y taste in my mouth, not typical of any sangria let alone white. service 2.5 stars-- while our waiter "Shine" ( I think that's his name) was very friendly and welcoming, he was somewhat forgetful and wasn't too attentive when it came to expediting our food. we basically got our side dish after we had completed our entrees... not a fan. However, he was nice. I guess I might give it another try once they work out the kinks...but I can't promise anything. read more

SImply did not live up to the ratings and the hype. The food was alright but not mind blowing. And the service was somewhat disappointing. Our waitress didn't put in one of our orders so we were waiting quite a while before we realized she probably hadn't put it in. Also, we ordered the hangar steak and it was tough and overcooked. I should have known it wasn't going to be great when the waitress did not ask me how I would like the steak cooked! I told her the steak was tough for feedback, but I don't know if that message was relayed to the kitchen or not. In New York, had two things gone wrong like that (overcooked steak and a forgotten order), the staff would have been sure to comp at least one thing on the menu or throw in complementary dessert or something. Here there was no move to rectify the situation or improve on our dining experience. So... not impressed. Also, the cocktails were only ok. read more

I tried this place for dinner Friday night with the BF... The Food: SMALL portions. Don't get me wrong the food was delicious, but the entrees were the size of appetizers and didn't come with any sides. The beef on the rollaway cart was the only savior, and why we didn't leave starving, only hungry... Also, we got the "steak" and then tried the cart "roast" and both seemed to be served with the EXACT same sauces.... kinda boring. The salmon tartar was a highlight and the burnt veggies, were not what we were expecting... more like a beet and taro salad. The service: Fantastic, friendly, everything you look for (attentive without overbearing). Overall: I get what they're trying to do here. The vibe and atmosphere are great. But we both agreed that we got pretty poor value for the $$$. Perhaps the servers should have told us that an appetizer and entree each was not enough.. (even with the beef on the rollaway cart) Price for 2 semi hungry diners $115. read more

Some of the food was really good (pig tail and pork belly, Mexican rice) and some was okay (hanger steak, squid pancake). Also, I was a little disappointed when someone turned off the light while I was still in the bathroom, leaving me in a tricky situation. read more

Hosted my sister's baby shower here. Totally impressed with the service and food! From the start, Katelyn was always good about getting right back to me, helping out with questions and they were flexible enough to customize a beautiful menu and set up for us. Our server took care of everything, from helping with set up, to thinking of the details and they didn't rush us one bit. Everyone who was on the staff was so pleasant and helpful to me and the guests. They even played our playlist and helped us display the homemade cake. The Bloody Marys and mimosas were excellent- as was all the food, especially the French toast and steak and eggs. Definitely not your average brunch but for reasonable prices for a lovely venue. Would highly recommend la Brasa for hosting an event. read more

Three stars for upbeat staff, decent decor, interesting cocktails, and overall pretty tasty food. Now, the specifics. First impression on walking in, huge space but pleasantly busy for a random rainy Wednesday night. Everyone we interacted with as we sat was very nice and welcoming. We got our menus, and were told our server would be right with us. And we sat, and sat. While the gentleman who we presumed was to be our server visited every table around us, including clearing tables, then going back with a dessert menu, and then back with the check. Probably noticing our increasingly raising eyebrows, we were rescued by the guy who makes coffee (his description) who brought us drinks and answered our questions about the menu and generally turned our whole experience around. Then we got a new server and between Shawn and the coffee guy, fantastic service, so I'm glad our server never showed up. Next up. The food. We got a fried dough snack topped with roasted veggies at the enthusiastic recommendation of the coffee guy - delicious, maybe my favorite bite of the evening. A tomato salad with ricotta and Parmesan crumble - under salted. Thai fried chicken - amazing! Crunchy skin, juicy chicken, and a sweet and spicy sauce. And, a pastrami sandwich that was fantastic. They also had a cart that was being wheeled around with a rib roast by the ounce they carved table-side with chimichurri and jus. Very different, but we bit and it was very good. Dessert was ice cream with espresso sauce poured over it by our favorite coffee guy which was the perfect finish. Overall, a pretty good experience. Obviously still some kinks to work out. And maybe it was our selections, but we left looking at each other saying, I have no idea what just happened there; the food was overall pretty tasty, but what a random assortment of dishes. Tip: based on this and other reviews, they do chicken very well. read more

Think of every superlative and then create some new ones; that's what you'll need to do to adequately describe La Brasa... A few that come to mind are impeccable, spectacular, and perfect. The space is energetic, the food is amazing, the staff is passionate about what they're doing; each of them is warm, welcoming, and and very well-informed. Chef Daniel has created the example so many others should follow... read more

I'll preface this review by stating that I'm a vegan, and so I'm not critiquing the menu since I really don't have any options at La Brasa. My review is about the place and the bar. Decor is nice. Original, at least to me. The bar has weird butt-shaped seats that are probably very comfortable for whoever was the butt they molded to make them, but were not for me. Very friendly and personable bartender. The beer selection is modest, and there are no draft options. I sipped a bit of my friend's cocktail and it was quite nice. Prices are on the high side for the neighborhood. I was there on a weekday and it was quite crowded. I probably won't be going to this place often due to the nature of my diet, the fact that I'm a beer guy, and because of the prices. I'm disappointed, not with the place itself, but with the continued trend of higher-priced restaurants opening in Union Square and East Somerville. I'd like to see a few value-oriented options open, and hopefully there will be. read more

We decided to give this a try after months of just strolling past it every day. Big mistake waiting that long. Service is top notch and the food is even better. The menu is a bit intimidating, but once you try it you'll understand. Complex flavors and great wine pairings. Also, the atmosphere is perfect. Highly recommend. read more

I like that they have a menu that is on the smaller side. The fried rice and tacos were amazing! They are must gets. Skip the rib roast cart service...it turned out being rather expensive and their actual dishes are much much better. Get dessert else where...the tres leches and the other chocolate dessert we had was disappointing. Still I would come back here for the friend rice and tacos alone! read more

Beautiful decor. Service was really good. Asked for a tortilla as gluten free option for the brunch item I had (Moyete) and the waitress came back with a better solution - the chef created my own specialized spin-off dish with potatoes instead of toast. I appreciate their expertise instead of just throwing a tortilla under the eggy/cheese/chorizo goodness because it would have been a soggy mess. Hands down best bloody mary I've had. Creamy and refined! Will definitely return when I'm back in Boston. read more

This is one of the best restaurants in the state. The owner / chef is a real pro, and he has a super devoted, almost monastic kitchen staff fully dedicated to making the food something fierce. I've eaten pork tacos that made me wish I was hungry again. I've had dinner dates with multiple courses. I've even had the "moyete" brunch - an item I'd never eaten before and can't find anywhere else - and been pissed to learn they only serve brunch on Sundays. What can I say, this is the kind of restaurant that, I can only imagine, inspires cult followings. Here's to hoping this restaurant remains here for many years to come! read more

3.5 for food, 4 overall. The service was great. The music is also very good. The food ranged from really really delicious to pretty good to bad. The only dish that was bad was the lamb shank. totally bland. Bonchon fried chicken, skirt steak, and the swiss chard app were excellent. Taco app was alright. but for having been open a month, pretty impressed - it was crowded, service was spot on. Excited to try more. read more

Went for drinks but ended up ordering food. Good beer selection, very good cocktails. The decor and locale are excellent, Pretty good service, albeit it awkward. Downside is the food is comically overpriced, particularly for Somerville. They have chicken wings for $4.50 per wing. Want an order of 8 wings? That'll be $36. You can also get a sweet potato with goat cheese for $14. Weeeeeee! read more

Good food, but horrible customer service. I requested to make a slight change in my order and was specific on what I asked for, but somehow it got messed up. When I brought it to the managers attention he became upset and gave me my money back with aggression. He really handled that poorly. They will not receive my business ever again read more

The place is still new and needs time to find its groove. At the moment, the food, the vibe, the staff, and the menu are all meh. It's great that another hip joint opened up in East Somerville, but it'll be a while before La Brasa becomes a legit destination spot. I wish them luck. read more

Excellent food and great service! Thanks to the La Brasa staff for accommodating us, and our two toddlers on Friday. Everything was delicious and we really appreciated your efforts. We will be back soon for sure. The chicken dishes and the mexican rice dish were awesome. I can't wait to come back and try the flan for dessert. read more

Great food, casual but nice ambiance with a character. Not just tasty food, but unique too. So... If you want to enjoy great food and their special food n beer pairings, La Brasa is a must. read more

Before last night, I would have rated La Brasa 4-5 stars. Great ambiance and food was pretty good. After last night, im giving them 1-2 stars. The food was simply not good and it seems like they've gotten lazier. The "side" for my steak was basically potato sticks from the corner store and the steak itself was below average. The empanada was straight trash. On top of that, I'm writing this from the bathroom right now where I haven't been able to get up for an hour. The older menu was much more creative and was simply better tasting. All in all, I'm extremely disappointed. read more