The foods and services were outstanding!! I had the leek and potatoes gratin dauphinios. OMMMG!! So delicious and I'm also getting the poached pear for dessert- a definite winner!!! read more

Sycamore - Potato+Leek Gratin - New American Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

See all

Not sure how we didn't know about this place sooner but it is one of the best restaurants in the western suburbs. Everything was perfect; service, food, ambiance.... The kale salad, the white bolognese and croquet apps were delicious. The steak frites and the chick paillard were both awesome as well. It wasn't the cheapest meal, but you def get what you pay for there. Can't wait to go back. read more

Omg what a great restaurant!! Squash salad & ceviche apps were sooo good! Swordfish entree was beyond the beyond! Albert our waiter was helpful about food & drink selections and very sweet. Friendly vibe all around. We will be back! read more

Sycamore is a cozy restaurant/bar in Newton with a nice warm ambiance and relatively open kitchen. It's menu changes frequently, reflecting what's fresh seasonally. I came with my family on a Saturday night and we were promptly seated and greeted by our waiter, Josh, who provided excellent service with a sense of humor throughout the night. To start, we ordered a few cocktails and I had the Smoke & Haze which was more or less a mildly sweet Negroni w/ whiskey. To start, we had the baby kale salad w/ apples, mimolette cheese, and garlicky dressing. The salad had a nice balance of flavors, with richness and creaminess coming form the dressing and cheese which complemented the crispness of the apple and freshness of the baby kale. For my main I had the swordfish which I'd highly recommend. The fish was moist and the herby roasted tomato butter proved the perfect savory condiment to a fresh piece of swordfish. While I was originally unsure about the beans which came with the swordfish, the broth accompanying the beans and the spinach had a nice depth of flavor that made them an excellent side. Also tried my mom's gnocchi and my dad's fideos. Gnocchi was definitely preferred; the chicken meatballs with that dish were probably the most flavorful chicken meatballs I've ever had! We had a few beignets for dessert which our waiter noted was the only item which consistently stays on the menu. They definitely lived up to their reputation, with a crisp sugary exterior and soft, gooey interior. Overall the attentive service and delicious food make Sycamore an easy 5-star restaurant for me! read more

See all

One word. OUTSTANDING. I stumbled upon this restaurant on Yelp while looking for a place to dine with family who live closer to the city. Decided to try it out for a date night first, so we made a reservation about a week ahead for this past Saturday. Everything was exceptional from start to finish. The staff were ALL wonderful- so attentive, cheerful, upbeat- made us feel extremely welcome and definitely added to the experience. We got the squash hummus and olives as a starter along with a cocktail each, followed by the whole wheat cassarecce with duck sausage. WOW. It was so good! We followed up with a second drink with our mains- I ordered the chicken and the boyfriend ordered the cod cakes, and we split a side of broccoli. All delicious. We finished with beignets for dessert and asked for dessert cocktails- the bartender/waiter asked for our preferences and made us each a custom coffee cocktail. It was like we were VIPs! In total we each tried 3 cocktails apiece and every one was great! The beignets were as good, if not better than, the ones we got when we were in New Orleans! Perfect. And the accompanying milk jam? Bonus deliciousness. All in all it was an awesome night and I highly recommend- will definitely be back with the family! read more

See all

Definitely a great experience every time we dine here. The service, attention to detail, engagement with staff...oh, and the food is quite spectacular. read more

Overall a very pleasant experience. Service was a little slow but the food was excellent. The steak dish was very good as was the chicken. All menu items are a La carte. Definitely plan on coming back. read more

Sangria was served in short glass. The strong fruitful taste was the best part of this drink. I had the steak and duck fat brussel sprouts as my main course and the side. The duck fat brussel sprouts was the best. They filtered out the grease, so that the sprouts were crispy and full delicious grease taste but not greasy at all! The steak was fair. The sweet "chocolate taste" sauce was creative. However the cabbage like stuff on the side was way too bitter which covers flavor of beef. The service was nice and professional. read more

See all

Food is amazing, specially their pizza it's new York style full of goodness. Highly recommended

The British breaded chops were so good. Highly recommend! The service was top notch. We came here for our anniversary and it did not disappoint. We will come back again. read more

It's good, a little more reliable than Farmstead next door, but the menu is dead conventional. Most of the items are on the heavy end in taste and caloric content, with little to refresh the palate. If you are a meat and potatoes person, you might enjoy Sycamore more than I do. It's just not very interesting. Clientele is on the older side of 50, which makes it, eh, less sexy read more

Our meal at Sycamore was spectacular. Creative dishes so well composed you can imagine the chef constantly tweaking to find the right mix of flavors and styles. read more

Sycamore - Pasta with crab - New American Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

See all

Was a little bit of a trek for us but so worth it! Walking in, you instantly feel embraced by the romantic candlelit ambiance and long earthy brick walls. Service was professional and attentive all night as we were never in need or want for anything. They even asked if I wanted an extra piece of bread right before our entrees came and all I could do is give them a dumbfounded look :) For starters, we ordered the Fried Soft Shell Crab special, Chicken Liver Bruschetta and the Grilled Squid. All three were quite appetizing but we agreed that the winner from that round went to the Grilled Squid. Super light but man, was it full of flavor! And the asparagus and greens only added to the great guilt-free feeling when eating it. Win-win-win. For entrees, we went with the Roasted Hake and the Lamb Ragu. The Hake fillet was cooked to perfection and flaked off the fork effortlessly. Loved the sauce it was served with and it had a nice crunchy pine nut/pistachios topping. Awesome. The Lamb Ragu received a thumbs up albeit it could've had just a wee bit more lamb. Overall, a very, very great pick and totally worth the travel to the suburbs to experience. So glad this place lived up to its reputation! read more

See all

We will never eat here again despite enjoying the food. The food is delicious and the servers are polite. But the management provides terrible service. read more

I went there with my dad for dinner. The food was excellent- interesting flavors, cooked perfectly. I had the brined pork chop, my dad had the octopus. Service was lovely, no pressure to leave even when it was crowded. I'll def be back! read more

We ordered the hummus, duck and fish. We loved all the dishes and the service was great. Highly recommended the fish. We felt safe and the seats are pretty far from each other and everyone was wearing masks. Definitely planning to visit again in summer and make use of their outdoor seating and yummy cocktails. read more

Sycamore - New American Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

Most restaurants are fine if you're hungry. Sycamore is always the most interesting, best tasting meal of any place I eat. You need to plan ahead for a reservation but it's well worth it. Only negative, the greeter at the front door is usually rude. Get past the greeter and you will be fine. Sitting at the bar for dinner is also a great experience read more

Dinner for 2. - Ambiance (5/5) Chic but very cozy. - Service (5/5) Scott behind the bar was amazing. Not only is he supremely gifted at making cocktails, he makes great conversation and turned the meal into an experience. By the way, I showed him a drink I really loved and the ingredients and he somehow managed to make it- so sad I live in California. - Bread (5/5) Nice thick, dense pieces of bread. - Penicillin Cocktail, $13 (5/5) A really refreshing, balanced drink. - Cobra Kai Cocktail, $13 (5/5) Lots of complex things going on. The ancho pierces through every so subtly. - Hirame Crudo, $16 (5/5) Really fresh cuts of fish and dressed beautifully. - Duck Board for Two, $68 (5/5) Brilliant idea to do this four-ways (plus duck fat taters). The duck leg confit was perfectly falling off the bone with crispy skin. The duck breast was a bit chewier than I like but still very flavorful. The sausage was a revelation. And the pot pie was so comforting- I could have eaten a bowl of this all on its own. - Beignets, $10 (5/5) Warm, doughy, slightly sweet treats. - Apple Crisp, $10 (3/5) This was the one semi-miss for me. The apple crisp was good, but the cheddar cheese ice cream was all sorts of wrong flavor for me. They mentioned they changed up the menu quite often, and seeing another version with wildflower honey ice cream makes me quite jealous. - Value (4/5) Very reasonable prices for the quality of the food. - Final Word Amazing presentation and flavors. Superb service. And a bartender so gifted he would turn me into an alcoholic. read more

Always delicious. Carefully prepared & served. Wine selection is also varied and very good.

Food was excellent but pricey. However, the evening was marred by the rudeness of the host. On arrival, I identified myself and said I knew I was very early for our reservation and that my colleague was also trying to arrive early in case anything opened up ahead of our reservation. I was told there wasn't an available table, which was fine, but when I asked if I could wait somewhere he replied, "well there's a bench outside" as if I were asking for some unreasonable accommodation. Also got a snippy response when I went back in to ask if they had WiFi. At the time of our reservation I started to go in just to let him know that my colleague had arrived, but before I could get through the door, the host (in a raised voice) says "I'M AWARE," again, as if I was the one being the jerk. Totally unnecessary attitude. The waitstaff was attentive and professional, and as stated above, food was excellent, but the host was plain rude. read more

This was a to go order. Had striped bass which was supposed to come with a squash puree. That was missing, and Sycamore doesn't answer their phone and also asks that you not leave a voicemail. Fish was well cooked, a bit too lightly seasoned for me, and, as I mentioned, I received 2/3 of a meal with no way to communicate that ... I mean you can't really open an order and inspect it in the restaurant. So, a pass for me even though this is supposeddly the best restaurant in Newton. If so, the bar is low. read more

Went for the fiance's birthday and loved it! Such a great atmosphere. Love all the contrasting textures and materials in their design. First off, the cocktails were creative and tasty. I started with the ribs (a special that night) which were delicious and fell right off the bone! We also did the asparagus caesar and it was super light, but lots of flavor. For my main dish I ordered the halibut on top of a bed of peas, pea shoots and pea pods. So so good! My mother in law got the pork special which she said was insanely tasty, but very fatty... the waitress was extremely polite and ended up taking it off the bill (which was not necessary but greatly appreciated!). Oh, and the desserts... whoa! The tiny birthday candle on a cork was a super sweet touch! Ultimately, we would go back ANY time! read more

See all

Some of the best food around, always changing the menu, always good food! Definitely great!

Incredible. Incredible service, incredible food, incredible cocktails, incredible atmosphere. Servers, bartenders and owner all down to earth and made dinner an especially wonderful experience. Highly recommend the pate, salads and beignets read more

From start to finish, just perfect! Definitely need RSVP, the restaurant isn't big. Upon entering, you'll see a small bar with several high chairs and probably two or three tables with high chairs on the left, to the right is the seated dining but very small. We started with the bluefish pate. Great with the crostini. There were bit and pieces of fish meat in the pate. Drinks: falerno! I got this because my friend got me hooked on mezcal. The Smokey wood aftertaste, like BBQ in my mouth but it's liquor. Ahhaha if that even make sense! The blend is just enough, not too strong. Tasted great with my entree. Duck board- I had to try this because of Yelp! Ohh yassss! I was not disappointed. I do not eat duck but boy was I blown away by this. The roasted duck was ah-mazzzing.. the skin was perfectly cook. It had the right amount of crisps. The confit was so smooth and flavorful.. remind me of a good piece of steak. The meatball was my last favorite but it was a good mix. The board was perfect for 2. Definitely a must try. I believe the board changes meat from time to time so call ahead if you want to know and plan on getting that. Dessert: beignets. So puffy and soft, I love it. I'm not sure what the dip was but it was delicious. I RSVP through OpenTable for my husband birthday and they gave him a cute little happy birthday sign. A nice little surprise to end the night! read more

Sycamore - New American Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

I want to start out by pointing out the positive. The food was excellent. I loved that the menu is so small as that is a reflection of the high qualify of their food. The ambiance was great, positive vibe, inviting place however the service was terrible. My husband and I were on a night out to meet a couple friends of ours. We were catching up as we had not seen each other in a while. An hour into our dinner after having ordered appetizers and alcoholic drinks we were approached at our table by a manager who never even looked us in the eyes, stating "I noticed you have not ordered entries yet, I need you to look at the menu because I have more people coming after you" - I must say we are foodies and go out a lot. We have been to many great restaurants both locally and internationally and I have to say we have never been treated this way. We felt it was very rude and we felt harassed to get out of the restaurant, really? is that how you treat your patrons? Just not good treatment, not professional and we will certainly never come back! read more

Great food. Great service and ambience. Really reasonable prices. All around a special and unique neighborhood spot.

Always fantastic- just the best in Newton. Reliable for all the years we have lived here.

Sycamore is excellent. We've been here twice and really enjoyed the food and the service offered. The first time we've tried the Tasting menu and what a delight! Our food consisted of both items on and off menu. The second time we ordered a la carte and the food we had were exquisite. I think one of the best features of Sycamore was that their menu reflected seasonal produces. It is one of the attracting features of Sycamore that I feel like that not everyone realized it. For me, it was like going to Farm-to-Table without the label. Services have been consistently good and we've been pleased with the wine. read more

I've only been here for drinks thus far, but this place is absolutely wonderful. Super small, loved the cozy/neighborhood feel. I had The Falerno, and in my opinion, it was the perfect drink. Can't wait to come back and have dinner here. The dinners that the folks next to at the bar were having looked delicious and they were raving about their meals! read more

Sycamore is one of my favorite restaurants in the Boston area! The atmosphere is so cozy and inviting. The restaurant is small, so you never feel overwhelmed and it doesn't get too loud. The drinks are amazing and the bread they bring out is to die for. The wait staff is very knowledgable and the kitchen cooks everything to perfection. The menu changes seasonally so there are always new things to try. read more

Obnoxious policy of requiring you to give them a credit card to make a reservation, and then charging $25 PER PERSON (so $100 for a rez for four) if you don't make it to your reservation, EVEN IF you call in advance to let them know you won't be able to make it because of circumstances beyond your control (like a doctor taking you an hour late). As if they couldn't/wouldn't use the table if you let them know ahead of time. Obnoxious. read more

I went here a few years ago and remembered having an excellent steak, so I decided to come back and see what else Sycamore has to offer. The entire experience was really incredible. We started off with the tuscan chicken liver pâté, which was one of the best I've ever had. It was so good I wish I had gotten more! For the entree, we couldn't resist getting the duck board, and we got tater tots on the side. The duck board was absolutely amazing. One of the cooks (or perhaps the chef, it wasn't totally clear) came out and served it to us and explained what each element of the dish was and how it was prepared, which was a really nice touch. Anyone who likes duck should absolutely get this. Not even a minute after we started eating, my significant other said this was one of the top 10 best meals he's ever had. The confit leg was my favorite; the meat just came right off the bone and tasted absolutely incredible. The roast duck breast was my significant other's favorite, and it was really good. It had some sort of fruit (mangoes maybe?) that complemented the duck extremely well. The cassoulet was also extremely good, and I liked the garlic sausage as well. It'll be hard for me to go back to sycamore without getting the duck board again! The tater tots are also a must-get. They're not like your average tater tots - they're long and rectangular. I don't know how they did it, but the potato on the inside was extremely light and fluffy. The best tater tots I've ever had! read more

See all

I gave it a 4/5 since the service felt rushed and cold. That said, the pasta was the highlight of the night! Some of the most original recipes I've ever tried. I had the chicken, very very disappointing...the chicken was a 10/10 however the beans over kales was grainy. That's said, over it was an awesome experience. I would go back pasta and vino! read more

See all

I've been to Sycamore twice now, and both visits have left me stunned. The "Syc Picks" menu option is a must, Sycamore's version of a $59 tasting menu comprised of 3 appetizers, a pasta course, a generous main dish, and dessert, all generously portioned and frankly a downright steal. Both dinners provided wildly different meals, highlighting a mixture of seasonal, local ingredients and bold, inventive flavors. More recently, I was wowed by fried Pufferfish tails, carrot spaghettini with smoked trout and roe, and roasted leg of lamb, all wonderful on their own but together simply sublime. A review of Sycamore also wouldn't be complete without mention of their selection of natural wines, still somewhat of a rarity in the area and a cause to be celebrated. Our waiter was both incredibly kind and knowledgeable about the wine selection, bringing out a couple of perfect pairings (and a little bit of insight about 'carbonic maceration' for good measure). Newton is a bit far to get to from Boston, but in my mind this is as good as it gets here. A must-visit. read more

Delicious meal at Sycamore in Newton. The beef kofte with halloumi fries was incredible. We also loveddd the smoked bluefish paté. Our server Josh was funny and informative. We were celebrating our birthdays and anniversary and they made it special. read more

See all

Incredible food, drinks, and atmosphere, but even better service. Every dish I have had here has been amazing. Every drink is delicately crafted to my liking. The bartender, Scott, has great taste and creates unbelievable cocktails-- especially his twist on a Negroni. The hostess, Lizzy, offers incredible service and genuinely enjoys getting to know guests. Overall, highly recommend for a nice dinner and drink. read more

See all

This place is always packed but we've managed to snag the high tables by the bar a few times by showing up right after work (between 5:30-5:45). Their menu changes a lot and they're always featuring really different, seasonal items. I recently had the soft shell crab sandwich, which had really crispy but thin breading that stayed attached to the crab pretty well as I ate it. The bread was a little dry and harder than I'd like, which made eating the sandwich a little trickier, but it was overall still good. The wild ramp spaghetti carbonara was spring-y but also creamy and rich, which is a good combination. The local arugula salad with crispy artichokes was a light way to start the meal. We had the best mashed potatoes in the winter, which I could have eaten by the bowlful. I also liked what I think was a short rib miso mafalde pasta dish, as well as a meatball appetizer, that were both pretty memorable. The endive salad we got came with too much blue cheese for my liking. Prior to that we really enjoyed one of their signature "boards," which comes with four items that are part of a particular theme, like seafood (the current spring one), veggies or a particular kind of meat. We tried the duck board, which featured a confit duck leg, perfectly cooked duck breast with cranberry sauce, phyllo stuffed with duck and sticky duck drumsticks -- all great representations of one of my favorite meats! Their desserts are pretty worthwhile too. Their donuts come out hot and fluffy, and their chocolate mousse cake came with mint chip ice cream that tasted like real mint -- not artificial at all! I find the appetizers come out really quickly but the mains can take a while. They don't rush you though, even when people are waiting, which is nice. Definitely a great neighborhood spot and I can't wait to see the next iteration of their menu! read more

See all

We were there once again this past week and they continue to live up to the high praise I gave them in my last review (with one exception). Bread is delivered by a waiter walking around with a tray of sliced bread which they grab a piece with tongs and place it on your bread plate. The bread is very good. So good in fact, I wanted a second slice. However, I was never offered another slice nor was there a waiter around at the time I really wanted it. This minor flaw does not lower my 5* rating, but is worth mentioning because it was the only thing that was not perfect. My wife and I split the "grilled Spanish octopus" appetizer and both thought it was the best octopus we have ever had. All four of us had the Berkshire Pork Board (for two). In the past I have seen reviews of other "boards" that were all good. They only have one "board" on the menu, so I assume they swap it out from time to time. It consists of four different items, all of which I really enjoyed. Some in our party were not thrilled with the "Crispy (pigs) Ears". I was happy the eat the extras. Dessert did not disappoint. Tables are few at Sycamore. I made a reservation a week in advance for a Thursday night and still could not get my preferred time. The wines are on the high price side. Our $70 bottle was not the cheapest wine on the list, but there were many more higher than there were lower. Dinner for 4 with wine, tax, and a good tip came to $283. Not what I normally spend, but fine for a special occasion. read more

best food great service meatball and gouda appetizer outstanding blue fish was so good I cannot wait to go back. when they have nantucket bay scallops its a must love this restaurant. Judi b. read more