I have been a huge fan of Sycamore since it opened. The other night we rented the entire restaurant for a private party and it could not have been more perfect. We had 30+ people and we did the dinner family style. We had the chance to revisit some favorites - blue fish pate, beignets, roasted carrots, warm gougers etc. and then made a few new favorites, one of which was the salmon with gribiche sauce and another was the rabbit meatballs with gnocchi. There were shrimp skewers with a green sirracha that totally rocked. Anyway, a good time was had by all - the food and the service were amazing. Just another reason that I love this place. read more

Amazing cuisine, creative cocktails, great service, wonderful setting. One of the best restaurants in the area, quite possibly THE best.

Ate here last night & I cannot WAIT to go back! Food was absolutely delicious, as was my cocktail (drank wine otherwise). My girlfriend and I met here to "do Christmas", since we live far from each other & met in the middle. So I drove 40 miles to get here, found street parking & my friend. The host & manager both greeted us & took care of our coats. Friendly & welcoming. Now, I must preface my next part of review by saying I eat out at least 4 times a week at EVERY kind of place. After we were seated at Sycamore, however, our service experience was pretty horrible. Food was beyond crazy yummy, as stated in most of these reviews, but our experience was ruined by our server. We never ASKED for anything, but every time he came to us, he made us feel like we were inconveniencing him. And, G*d forbid, we asked a question! He was ready to leave the table the second he had arrived. Toward the end of our meal the place filled up, but for most of our dinner he only had 3 tables. Each time we encountered him was more unpleasant. Never smiled, very brisk, no personality. I have NEVER stiffed a server, but last night we left 10%. We spoke with Holly, the new manager, and she was gracious & apologetic. Even comped us a drink. I just hope she talks to him. It was a real bummer. Won't keep me away! Gawd!!!...that chicken liver bruschetta!!! read more

Perfect food and drink every time. They may be the best restaurant in the Boston area that can highlight local/seasonal ingredients so well. Great staff, too. read more

Had to upgrade the rating. The new menu is killing it at every moment. Much love to the crew for doing it right front to back

I ordered the pasta with swordfish and it tasted fine except that one needed a microscope to locate the swordfish. The waiter assured me it was there by pointing to a tiny white fleck among the spaghetti strands. Just a heads up; if you expect to get anywhere near a half ounce of fish, it won't be in this dish. read more

Went to Sycamore for the first time and I was pleased that they are very accommodating to food allergies. I had the amazing gougères - choux pastry made of choux dough mixed with cheese! So delicious so we ordered another round. The food is always changing but leave room for dessert, their beignets are out of this world. The staff is great and everyone made an appearance to our table at least once to help. The host, bartender, every waiter, and the chef seem to work as a very cohesive unit to provide the best service possible to the guests. read more

An absolute surprise in newton. Great menu and fantastic staff. In its genre plays at a national level and certainly not defined by its association with JP/camb ten tables. read more

This place is cute and cozy. It's on the smaller side so reservation is definitely recommended. We had a 6:30 reservation and we were seated right on time. Our server was pretty good, he came to check on us immediately and took our drink orders. I ordered the spicy chorizo for my appetizer and the chorizo was delicious. My friend and I decided to share the Southern board for our main meal. We were so happy with our choice. It was delicious and we get to try different things, such as the pulled pork sliders, crab cakes, southern fried shrimp, smoke sausage and fried green tomatoes and okra. Every single one of them was delicious. My other friend ordered the Shrimp and Corn chowder and that was delicious too. I ordered the sweet corn crème brulee for dessert and wasn't sure if that would work but I was surprised that it was pretty tasty. The service and food were definitely spot on and I would definitely come back again and try the other food that looks interesting. read more

Sycamore - Southern board. Yummy!!! - New American Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

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Excellent food, a bit of a trip from Boston however worth it. The bar is well staffed and knowledgable, excellent with pairings for food as well. They make really nice food and have a great small restaurant environment. I very much loved the mousse, as well as the amazing chowder. read more

Went there at 9pm on a Friday for just apps & drinks and it was packed! The bartender was superb. PERFECT martini! Also had the Rock & Rye (their version of an Old Fashioned). Great drinks! We had the charcuterie plate, and the foie gras was very good with the other two spreads being ok. The complimentary bread was nice. Service was very good! Very attentive. We had a nice time. 5 stars for the drinks & service, 4 stars for the food & ambiance. read more

Fantastic neighborhood restaurant serving fresh, interesting food with a good selection of beers and wine. Service is top notch. We regularly visit Boston and stay nearby. This is the kind of place I wish we had back home. read more

The atmosphere here is quant and the service is impeccable. The food is above average, but incredibly small portions with inflated prices. My party and I literally burst out laughing when they brought us the "large" portion of agnolotti and it contained ~10 pieces of this tiny pasta ($22). We received a larger quantity of brussel sprouts as a side dish. I would recommend spending your money on better food elsewhere. read more

Since March, Sycamore has a special Monday late-night menu from 9pm to 11:30pm called "Big Trouble in Little Sycamore". They were featured in Boston Magazine's ramen calendar, so a friend and I ventured out to try this suburban ramen a few minutes from Newton Centre station on the D line. The decor and atmosphere is trendy, with those vintage-looking tungsten bulbs where you can see the filament glow burnt orange, and cookbooks lining the window between the restaurant and the kitchen. They were playing Star Wars Episode IV on the TV, on silent at the bar. The bar side was moderately loud and convivial; the restaurant side was more subdued and fitting for a meal. We ordered as appetizers the rice cakes (decent, but not memorable) and the sausage (incredibly juicy and succulent). We also got a half liter of the house red wine for $18, which seemed like an incredibly good deal. Finally, the long-awaited ramen came out, served inside with a soft-boiled egg, a head of bok choy, two soft and tender slices of pork, and a bit of kimchi. I cannot find anything to fault about the taste. The egg is really good (and next time I will ask for an extra egg). When you eat the pork fat in the ramen, close your eyes and let it rest on your tongue, chewing slowly. That is my decadent experience of the week. We left full but wanting more. And that's the mark of a good dish. I think the ramen is served until 10:30pm, and snacks up until 11:30pm - so be sure not to come too late. read more

House churned butter with rock salt for topping fresh baked crusty bread. The ragu pictured is excellent. House red is a Tempranillo. Buena Vista Social Club playing as background music. A good experience... read more

My sisters, mother and I went to Sycamore for a nice dinner and it was amazing. The atmosphere was pleasant. The food was delicious and the service was amazing. I would definitely recommend trying it but booking a reservation I think is your best bet. I will be back soon! read more

Glad to see restaurants of this caliber moving into the 'burbs. Got the fish board for 2 and it was fantastic. Halibut cooked to a perfect temp, simply seasoned. Just a perfect piece of fish. Grilled Octopus was so tender, a rare find. Tuna conserva, simple, perfect. Friendly staff to match great food. No need to drive to Cambridge or Somerville. read more

My husband and I recently celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary at Sycamore and we had a wonderful time. Everything from the ambiance to the food to the staff was perfect. It is clear that they take great pride in the front and back of the house and really want to make each visit memorable. Everything from the complimentary champagne to start the meal, to the perfectly cooked food (we had the ribs and the steak) made our trip to Sycamore an anniversary dinner we will not forget. read more

Another great meal at Sycamore! We were lucky to grab a 5:30 table on a Friday night at the last minute. We had the citrus salad with grilled avocado, pistachios, and black olive tapenade which was amazing. Then we had the fluke with vidalia onions and winter greens which was lovely, though I didn't taste the marcona almonds which were supposedly included. We had the bacon cheddar brussels sprouts (with duck fat!), which were rich and delicious, though a but heavy and some pieces of the bacon were tough. I keep going back to this place because they have interesting dishes, and even when they aren't total hits, they aren't misses either. read more

I've eaten many meals at many places, and I can honestly say that the best meal of my life was prepared at Sycamore. The first time I went, my girlfriend and I split the lamb board, we also had a few sends from the kitchen including pork belly and the chorizo. The pork belly was delicious, but the instant I tasted the chorizo my eyes filled with tears. I have not had a meal move me to tears and that was an experience. The lamb board that night was out of this world. Every flavor was fresh and distinct. Nothing seemed to get lost, it was all there and expertly prepared. At the end of the meal I stumbled back to the kitchen and told Dave that the food he made us that night made me feel like I was tasting food for the first time. read more

One of my favorite spots going, the team at Sycamore does food, drink and service how it should be - delicious and welcoming. Nothing has ever been a miss here, and when I was in Newton it was my salvation from moving to the 'burbs. That being said - they blow almost all of the cambridge/somerville/boston places out of the water. The boards are spectacular, the cocktail program tasty and thoughtful, and desserts are not to be forgotten. As I write this, I realize I need to get back there! read more

This is a very nice place to dine. We have been to this restaurant several times. They get it right each time. I would give a solid five stars for food, four stars for drinks and service. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Loved everything about this spot! The service was friendly and attentive! We started with some small bites and followed up with the little gem salad and the charred broccoli-both were wonderful! The pasta dishes were all so delicious as well. My favorite was the ravioli! We live a bit away from Sycamore, but would definitely travel there to make another visit. read more

perfect delicate English pea/ricotta ravioli...pork board w/ best chop ever, crunchy pigs ear salad, bratwurst (see pictures)

Lost our reservation. Didn't handle it well at all. Wait was to be 20 minutes and after over an hour had to leave. How does this happen in this age? I have to give this place a star in order to post. Sorry sycamore. read more

love the snacks and cocktail. Pork belly is amazing. and the lamb! just GO

My new favorite restaurant. We started with the soft shell crab and the strawberry salad and then had the pork board as the main meal. Delicious flavors and wonderful combinations. Dessert was the angel food cake and chocolate cake. Probably the best dessert I've had in a long time. For wine, I had a rosé from Lebanon. Truly unique and memorable. She enjoyed the blackboard red. We will be back. read more

One of the Best Small Local Restaurants that prepare excellent food with local ingredients in a suburban setting. Also excellent wine list and savory desserts. Open till 12 Midnight. It is unexpected find in Newton. Very casual but professional staff. read more

We had an excellent early Sunday dinner tonight. The highlight of the meal was actually soup! The spring parsnip soup was simply amazing--velvety smooth and topped with foie gras cream and crispy duck slivers. I would have had seconds if it were not for the other food we had ordered. Simply divine. Our cocktails were delicious too--we highly recommend the Pablo Honey. We finished our dinner off with beignet for dessert--compliments of the house for a minor glitch in an otherwise terrific meal. They were the fluffiest, lightest pillows of deliciousness. Yum. We will definitely be back for the great service (Tracy was our fab server) and to try the duck board, which we did not attempt this time. read more

Love this place - terrific, well trained and attentive service; creative menu with lots of unique combinations and fusions; and more importantly a fun atmosphere in a very cool, well designed / thought out interior space read more

Well done Sycamore! Great service, staff, drinks and food. We had a wonderful night and looking forward to coming back.

My husband and I went to Sycamore for the first time around 9:00pm on a Sunday night and the place was packed. I was impressed from the minute we walked in. I absolutely loved the decore and the fact that the staff was so welcoming and the atmosphere was so cozy. The waitress Tricia was very knowledgeable about the menu and their wine selection and she receommended a wine that went well with the delicious "duck board" that we ordered. It might have been the most expensive item on the menu but it was worth every penny! We started with osyters that were mouth watering. I had never had oysters without cocktail sauce but trust me they didn't need it. I was so impressed with the food I was sure I'd be disappointed if we left without trying their dessert so I ordered 2 different kinds. All I can say is this place was amazing and I'm looking forward to going back. read more

Everything was absolutely phenomenal. Had a reservation at 7:30. Good thing I did because the place was packed! We had oysters and the pig head for apps and monk fish and beirworst for entrees which there were no complaints about. Drinks were on point as well. Staff was friendly and attentive. I can't say enough about our visit. You will not be disappointed. read more

As a overly stubborn chef who is typically dissatisfied. Sycamore exceeded my expectations. Because the food is simple yet executed to perfection I can honestly say that it should be praised for its strait forward approach. Each dish exceeded my expectation. I was in Boston area for 1 week and are their two times. Must must Must must eat here. Oh yeah - cocktails are flawless too! read more

Another memorable dinner at Sycamore.Wild ramp falafel with carrot tzatziki was great,creamy,crunchy and tangy,pork chop was perfectly cooked and sausage,beer wurst,was just out of this world as always.Technically perfectly executed with friendly service. read more

They just got "Best of the West"...of Boston, that is. With Chef Dave Punch and Chef Lydia Reichert, biodynamic wine expert and GM Mr Zach Lieberman, and brilliant bar manager and general guru, Scott Shoer, this is one of my favorite contemporary bistro places to dine. The menu is farm fresh and constantly changing. It gets busy and often is booked up, so I recommend calling for a reservation for more than 2 people. Fantastic cocktail menu and desserts are not just beautifully plated, they are delicious. I hope you get a chance to check this place out. read more

One of the most amazing restaurant in Boston area. The selection of food is brilliant. Sitting at the bar with Scott is a joy. One of the best bartenders! The staff is amazing and very friendly, except the hos have a lot of attitude . He does not belong in that restaurant!!! read more

Great food! Have never had a bad experience at sycamore. Definitely recommend for all newtonians.

A friend took me to Sycamore for my birthday recently. I loved the Blues playing in the background... and not too loud, either, so that we could also talk and hear each other. The atmosphere has a woody feel, like a sycamore tree... kind of Oregony. The food was excellent. I had fish that was perfectly cooked and very fresh, as well as a delicious salad. The service was attentive but not intrusive. I've been talking about it to everyone I know and recommending it. I'm delighted to find a new restaurant to go to when in the Newton area. read more

Solid fresh food, good, albeit crowded atmosphere. Prices are outrageous. But go to Sycamore for the homemade cocktails. They are the best. Nice staff. Wish the prices were a little lower on entrees. It all adds up quickly. We have not eaten here for less than $120 for two people, no dessert. read more