Had brunch here on a Saturday in September on my first visit to Nantucket. I really really enjoyed the place. The Bloody Mary with bacon was a pleasant surprise. Had a better bloody elsewhere in town, but was still good for sure. Endless Summer Toast was perfection for early September: peaches, basil, ricotta, and honey on baguette. I have been making this at home but not as well as they did with wonderfully perfect peaches. Truffle fried were good but not amazing. Had something else too that was good but can't remember (I promise it was was good, just wasn't as different as the toast so I forgot. Sorry!) Very easy location with covered outdoor seating. Definitely worth your brunch time read more

The Boarding House - Endless summer toast. Totally memorable. - New American Near Me - Nantucket, Massachusetts

Thank you Thank you Thank you Chef for making me something special. The veggies were so tasty. They were not over powered by oil or spices. I could taste the asparagus on top of the roasted corn, fresh green beans and quartered tomatoes. Our waiter was attentive and nice. If he didn't know the answer he found out. Thank you again. read more

The Boarding House - New American Near Me - Nantucket, Massachusetts

Even with a completely revamped menu, I wasn't enthused. We went for brunch today, and our timing coincidentally coincided with that of the post-Ironman athletes. I've been many times and am usually meh about the food. I still feel the same. Today's (hot) crab dip to start was good. Can't really go wrong there. The lobster roll (that I shared) came with the same potato-type chips as the crab starter. The lobster roll (mayo-based) comes on a buttered (not enough) bun, topped with chives, and sprinkled (thankfully not overdone) with celery. Not enough for two people to really share. Bacon bloody Mary's are okay - not wonderful - and dinner is slowly improving. While the post-dinner on-table dancing is always fun, I won't be returning to eat anytime soon. read more

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This is going to sound shallow (and really that doesn't bother me too much), but they have a lot of attractive and attentive servers at this place. Yea... Shallow. Anyway, this is a spot that could easily become my winter brunch spot. Great service and delicious food. Got some pork tacos with a side of yummy rice. Wanted a Sam Adams Octoberfest, but they were out. Tried something called Omission. Can't say it was the best beer I've ever had, but it wasn't awful. I usually only review after I've gone for a second visit, but with 8 weeks left and a crazy work schedule, I wanted to get the review done. With such cute servers, I'll try to make a concerted effort though! read more

The Boarding House - Starting brunch off with a beer called Omission. A bit hoppy, but not bad. - New American Near Me - Nantucket, Massachusetts

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We have been twice - once for dinner during the summer, once for brunch today during Stroll. Neither time was service any good... today was 10+ minutes before approached by a server. At dinner, we waited a long time to be greeted and for food. My meal was good (not great), my wife didn't enjoy hers. That meal was disappointing, but we avoided a negative review. At brunch today, we waited 10-15 minutes for our server to come, at which point we were just asked "are you ready to order?" We did immediately, and waited over an hour for our food. At no time were we given an update other than "your food should be out soon" 30 minutes in. Several tables who ordered well after us, including a very large party, were served before us. When another waitress (not our primary waitress) asked how we were, we expressed our frustration. She offered an apology and said she wished there was more she could do. When the food finally came, we were underwhelmed. My wife's pulled pork wasn't good. The accompanying salad and pickles were inedible. My chicken and waffles were fine, but the chicken was slightly undercooked. We just got out of there as soon as we could. Normally, I give a restaurant a chance to fix whatever isn't right (and usually they do, but not in this case). Bottom line: bad service and average to poor food, all at a pretty lofty price. Expressed this directly to the staff and nothing was made right. Similar experience twice under very different circumstances. There are lots of other options on the island, and you should choose them. read more

Heaven... I'm in heaven, And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak. And I seem to find the happiness I seek, In every single dish The Boarding House does serve makes me squeak. Every item looks amazing on and off the brunch menu. We stopped by for Saturday brunch and were serve some amazingly spicy (secret is in the sauce) bloody marys. The menu looks so fantastic that we had a hard time deciding on what to order. It astounds me when a dish look and taste just as good on and off the menu, I had the special of the day, the grilled prawns while he ordered the lobster-eggs benedict. Both prawns and lobsters were fresh as can be and oh-so-juicilicious. We were so impress with our light brunch that we shared an order of their soufflé pancake served with vanilla bean butter, rose crème and fresh strawberries. Heaven on a fork is what it is. It was so good that he wanted to come back after dinner to order this plate. Delicious toasty crunchy edges with a mouth watering moist center. They also serve coffee in a cute french press that we did not order (would totally coincide with our bloody mary) and their warm brioche doughnuts with hot cocoa sauce looks very appealing. I know we'll head back to Nantucket just to sample more on the menu... AND for more of those soufflé pancakes; but this time... Imma get my own! read more

PROS - the food; CONS - the service and the price. Despite the delicious lobster mac and cheese and chicken/waffles, we found the service to be pretty unsatisfactory especially considering the price tag attached to the meal. We had a long wait for the waitress to arrive, and she was very "out of it," and unhelpful. The sommelier was nice, however, and the food was great. read more

The Boarding House is another one of Nantucket's best restaurant. Excellent outside seating, very cute bar area, and an inside dining area with rustic looking arches. As with most restaurants on an island, the fish is excellent and always fresh and this is no exception. I've only had the pleasure of eating here once but it was certainly a memorable visit and I plan to go back next time we're in town. Obviously the outside dining area is where you wanna be. If you can't get seating, don't be discouraged, the inside it's very cute and charming as well! It does have sort-of a semi-modern feel to it. The waitors are very helpful. I rarely ask waiters for advice on what to order (since my assumption is that they are going to tell me whatever is in the back that's getting old and needs to get rid off) but I was pleasantly surprised when the waitress recommended the fried oysters and they were deliciously tasty! I'm usually not much for warm/hot oysters, but this was a true exception and combination of accoutrement's that came with them was great together as well. For your main course, stick with fish. I had the halibut and it was beautifully dressed and tasted even better. I'm sure the steaks or chickens or whatever else is on the menu is great as well but I figure I'm on an island let's stick with fish is possible. Price-wise it's not too bad. It's less expensive (not cheap though) than it's sister restaurant, but the food is delicious still. read more

It's important to find the best spots when you visit a place the very first time. What you find are reviews from friends and family for places that are very ordinary. This place is great. Very, very good. Excellent wait staff with professional service. I had the halibut---tremendous. Fresh, delicious oysters, and the lobster fritters were excellent. Wine list is somewhat small, but full of great choices. Move this one up the board---this was our best meal on the island. read more

We just spent a weekend on Nantucket - November 2012. We did a lot of research on restaurants that were open during this off season. I think this is one of the gems. We tried to get in on Friday but they were booked up, so we made a res for Saturday night - party of 2 @ 7:30 - perfect. We arrived a little early, and our table was ready. Our server was very cool and low key. We took our time - tasty cocktails, yummy apps and eventually delicious dinners. The local scallops were fantastic and my partner had the pork chop, which was very well prepared with delicious sides. This basement, romantically lit, well decorated, yet relaxed spot might be slammed in the summer, but it makes for a quiet, cozy night this time of year. The owners have 2 other spots on the island - Corazon del Mar is closed - we REALLY wished it had been open. The other Pearl, which is above The Boarding House, which also looks great, is open right now. read more

Another Can't Miss Stop on ACK" The food is superb. The scene subdued but fun...until after the main dinner rush when the bar area turns into complete mayhem (in a good way). Along with Straight Wharf, probably my favorite bar in ACK read more

Great espresso martini but the food was nothing special this year, wouldn't recommend, not much flavor

Stopped at The Boarding House on our first night in Nantucket and I think it was a good start to our vacation. The food was good, and on-point with anything I've had in the city, although I found my entree to be a little too busy. The staff was friendly and didn't bat an eye at our toddler, and we were grateful for that. Really enjoyed the fries with harissa mayo and the drinks were also tasty. Portions are sized appropriately and if you order the lamb, you will definitely get your money's worth. Overall I really liked The Boarding House and would stop in again if I visit the island again. read more

We dropped in here since we needed dinner and it was close to our inn. We were able to be seated but the host did make it clear that he was squeezing us in. Ok, it is Restaurant Week on the Island and everyone is busy... So I suppose we were fortunate to find a table. The special Restaurant Week menu however was disappointing. Neither of us found anything that we really wanted. Plus, the "special" price included dessert - we don't normally order dessert. So we ordered from the regular menu. Funny that is ended up being about $20 less expensive than the "special"! The chicken was nice - juicy and with a nice flavor. The flank steak was tough. I always order sparkling water with my meal. Our server kept refilling my glass with still water... Even after several reminders... In summary - we weren't impressed. read more

The food is very average..... Try the booze it's delicious!! Our server was absolutely fantastic her name is/was Sarah and I would tell anyone to ask for her by name! read more

Our first meal on Nantucket was amazing! Great food, service and ambiance! Will be coming back!!

We stopped by here on whim because their outside area looks very pleasant and not at all busy at 5 pm. So we walked up to the hostesses standing outside who did not seem to hear us when we asked about an outdoor table for two. We asked again, and when one of them finally deigned to answer she offered us a table inside by the kitchen. We declined that ever-so-reluctant offer. So the food might be good, but after getting the bum's rush we won't be back. read more

YUMM!!!! Everything is great about this place, a weekly hangout....Even the brunch is superb... After dinner the bar becomes alive and keeps your buzz going The best chicken and desert on the island read more

My in-laws have had a time share on Nantucket for 40 years. They suggested The Boarding House as they have always been please with their cuisine We are visiting and took our family there last night for dinner. The appetizers were very good however the main courses were underwhelming. I had the halibut which was half the size of the Halibut my husband had the night before at a restaurant near the water. The fish was bland My husband and sister in law order the Chicken Milanese. It was over cooked. The only meal worth the money was my brother in laws lobster spaghetti. Dessert was also only fair and very small With all the competition on this island i would not recommend going here. read more

Had lunch here with my family in the middle of July. Overall, the service was slow and the food was underwhelming for the fairly high lunch prices. I ordered the ricotta cavatelli while others ordered a Caesar salad and the flat bread. We all agreed that the food was okay but nothing with great flavors or tastes. My pasta had a creamy sauce that was lacking the strong flavor that I expected. It also was lacking on meat which it said it had mixed in with the pasta. The highlight of the meal was probably the appetizers we ordered for the table. We got a serving of French fries, which were delicious and crispy. We ordered carrot hummus which had a unique yet fresh flavor. Wouldn't recommend this place due to the quality of food for the price. read more

Ripoff restaurant, decent bar The restaurant was the worst value I've ever seen. It was comical. The dinner special was a $35 scallop entrée, and literally contained THREE scallops, all of which were nothing great. My girlfriend had a steak that was almost exactly the size of her hand, and it didn't taste great. read more

Service was not the greatest. It was a busy Thursday before July 4th. But we were not attended to well. We barely saw our waitress and she didn't answer our questions well. Food was solid. I had a bad sore throat so my palette wasn't on point. But I would give it another chance. Vibe was cool. read more

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Had a lovely meal last night that began with an excellent glass of sauvignon blanc which made my heart go pitter patter with thoughts of summer grape fruit and freshly ground pepper. Next I moved onto the crispy fried oysters which were out of this world tasty. They came nestled in tender butter lettuce and were topped with a tasty sauce -- I seriously considered not sharing any with my boyfriend but in the end my sense of propriety won out. I had a perfectly cooked duck breast for my entree. It was seasoned well and coupled with a mixture of parsnip, dates and olives. Yum! Overall the service was excellent, our drinks remained filled, and the atmosphere was quite pretty. I was very grateful that we were given a cozy corner table as usually couples get stuck on "couple row" where you end up feeling like you've been forced to go on blind dates with 8 strangers because they were seated 4 inches away from you. I'll definitely be back! read more

Loved the new ceiling after the renovations from last year. Very polite and attentive staff. Appetizers were ok but the main dishes were very good. The big winner at our table was the Fisherman's Stew. Nice portion and very flavorful. Kids enjoyed the chicken and we had room to try some of the desserts which were good. Great vibe in the place and overall experience was nice. Worth the stop! read more

The rating is for the food. We had some drinks at the bar one night and dinner in the dining room downstairs another night. The bartenders are friendly and attentive and the crowd ranges from attractive young couples to fat guys in Red Sox attire... The food, however, is outstanding. It is the same price as 21 Federal, Summer House and other top places, but with no table cloths and a more relaxed feel especially if you eat on the street under the canopy with kids. My date said her swordfish was some of the best she ever had. My grilled lobster was excellent, but the mashed potatos it was served on while delicious were somewhat runny (but I quible). Fantastic Bartlett tomatoe (from local farm) and arugala salad to start was perfect for a summer night. Desert was cinnimon donuts dipped in chocolate (tasted just like it sounds). Service was ok, but they kind of spent a lot of time fawning over another table of regulars (they gave the waitress a bracelet!) while we just gave a 20% tip so I understand. read more

Bar review only... I think Thursday' nights are 80's music melt down nights but that didn't stop the bartenders mixing strong drinks or pulling in the wild drunk (but classy) patrons. A true Nantucket watering hole. Even the bartenders were doing shots... all night long! read more

The Boarding House - New American Near Me - Nantucket, Massachusetts

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Extremely nice and professional staff. Wish I could have tried everything on the menu! Cast iron cornbread was mouthwatering and I don't generally like sweet stuff. Absolutely loved the lobster pasta- nachos spot on- Bloody Mary amazing- wouldn't take kids- could be casual or fancy. read more

The food and service here are terrific. The hostesses are cordial, waiters have a sense of humor, and even the bussers are personable. I recommend the shishito peppers, tuna martini, and lobster spaghetti. The reviewers who complain about no bread: There's bread on the menu, buy some if it's so important. And those of you complaining about price: This is NANTUCKET. If you can't afford the price of dinner you don't belong here. The Boarding House is a fabulous place, call at 2 pm to get a table outside. Unlike the Nautilus, they actually answer their phones and accommodate you. read more

The Boarding House is Nantucket's version of "Cheers", where everybody knows your name and you're guaranteed to find a friend or two in the crowd. Beyond the consistently great food and service, the Boarding House has the most desirable patio and bar set-up, which is always packed with fun island partiers and unfortunate new-money wannabes. In the heat of the summer its best to arrive before 1030pm to avoid a line, unless you are fortunate enough to friend that works the door. My favorite place on the island. read more

The food here is generally good quality, well prepared although the portions are very small. I have stopped eating at the Boarding House, though, because the hosts are generally a bit rude and arrogant and the decor and ambiance are really lacking. No matter how far in advance I reserve, I am always invited to come in at 6PM or earlier and told nothing else is available. After much difficulty and sighing, they finally found a table for us on a fairly empty looking Wednesday night. But the downstairs is drab and cavernous, and the porch is fairly run-down with tacky American flags hanging off a worn looking roof. Neither option was inviting. not that we had a choice- they picked our table and squeezed us into a tight basement space. Even with the good food, I don't think it was a great overall experience. read more

The food here was wonderful! A lot of us had the chicken and it was great. Our waitress was very attentive to us and she went out of her way to accommodate us. We would definitely go again. read more

We always considered the Boarding House one of the best restaurants on Nantucket. The chicken under a brick and steak frites were second to none, but they changed their menu to an ultra fancy menu that comes off badly. The wait staff and bartenders are great, but the food leaves something to be desired. Hopefully, we can get back the great food that the Boarding House has always been famous for. read more

The one word for our dinner? Sad and maybe, miserly. Where are the place mats? Where are the nice, starched napkins? Where is the gleaming stemware? Sad. This is evening dinner service. Waitress seriously misprounced agnolotti & guanciale in announcing evening's special. And what is "prada" cheese which she reported was in this dish? In answer to what is /are carnitas, waitress replied it is "short ribs". Short ribs are a cut of beef and, I think, carnitas is a method of cooking meat which might then be served in a burrito or taco for example. But you aren't getting any help from our waitress on what this dish might look like should you order. Sad. We shared a Caesar salad and had to summon our waitress from her guzzling her water bottle amidst the massed wait and reception staff at the front of the restaurant to ask about share plates. We had mistakenly thought the tiny plates already on our table (placed to our left) were for bread. Nope, try Jenga-ing your Caesar salad onto this tiny dish - not at all easy. And where is the bread or olive oil for the table? Not a piece offered. Sad. Wish the owner would share some of her sour dough efforts with restaurant guests. Very small pour into very small glasses for our red wines. Sad. The lobster pasta had sufficient lobster ("we just 'upped' our lobster in this dish" our waitress told us) but the red sauce had no flavor /essence/flavor extraction of lobster/seafood at all. It tasted like a simple red sauce over pasta which was then studded/topped with lobster bits. It seemed like the dish was assembled in the easiest and shortest way. The spaghetti, was, lovely: really nice texture. The halibut was delcious - moist with a nicely seared crust. If I am being asked to spend $38+ dollars for a Nantucket entree, I am headed to Straight Wharf: the linens, the amuse bouche, the bread service, the knowledgeable & attentive wait staff envelope you in love. Not sad. Nice photos on Instagram for Boarding House, but a restaurant is in the hospitality business, not the photography business. And your reservationist's recorded message asks for the "amount" of people in a dining party. Unless you are measuring your guests by the pound, the correct word is "number" of people. And it would be helpful for your patrons if the restaurant had an actual human being ready at the phone for, at least, the hour before service is to begin to answer questions or to guide. But no, speak to our machine. Sad. read more

Overall this restaurant has a fantastic in town location, a lovely outdoor patio (with heating), a cozy bar and an even cozier downstairs restaurant. This past weekend during wine festival we went for a Saturday brunch. I had the veuve clicquot mimosa (is there any better way to mimosa?) with the avocado eggs Benedict ( sauce on the side - thought it a was a little too lemony) and of course a side of bacon extra crispy. They did not disappoint on the extra crispy or on the amount of crushed avocado. Pretty delicious. Server was nice and approachable. All around good lunch/brunch service. read more

Don't be fooled by the great menu. The food was very underwhelming. We had the lobster pasta that was dried out from the copious amount of bread crumbs and for some reason it was made with ramen noodles. As appetizers we had the octopus which was an incredibly small portion of octopus and mostly just potato purée. We had the "modern" eggplant parm which again had very modern breadcrumbs. The saving grace was the special of sirloin steak and avocado on toast. Our waiter was a disaster. Our three appetizers came out at different times. Almost 30min apart. The last two only after reminding the waiter of our complete order. He was carrying our bottle of wine around for 10min before he realized it was ours. He ended up charging us for the wrong, more expensive bottle of wine. Other patrons shared their misfortune with the waiter as well. It is utterly shocking that Boarding House has the same # of stars as Dune - it's significantly better, yet equally priced neighbor. read more

Best fried chicken on planet Earth. Deviled eggs are greatttt as well. Amazing

We had the Lobster Risotto, Hush Puppies, NY Strip and Fried Green Tomatoes. Everything was excellent. The food was prepared properly and delicious. Service was top notch. Highly recommend but make reservations early. read more

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We ate at the bar. Great atmosphere with friendly staff. My wife had the swordfish and I had avocado stuffed with crabmeat and fish soup, all excellent read more

I went to the Boarding House a few weeks ago during a 'girls outing" on the island. We went mid-afternoon so it wasn't too busy. We were able to get a table outside right away (it was an absolutely gorgeous day btw). I wish I could remember the name of our server. She was professional, knowledgeable, and very sweet. We were just looking for drinks and snacks since it was the middle of the day. They do not have a large "wine by the glass" list but the Pinot Grigio I had was quite possibly the best Pinto Grigio I had ever had in my entire existence on earth, as of yet. No joke. I ordered the cheese board and selected several french cheeses. The board also comes with pita crisps, figs and some type of pepper jelly. The cheese so soooo good. I've noticed over the years that a lot of restaurants are pretty skimpy on their cheese plates. This one actually filled the 3 of us up. The location is great for people watching, the restaurant itself is very quaint and has a homey feel to it. Our server was fantastic, and the wine and food were delicious. I would love to go back for dinner at some point. People really shouldn't complain about the prices. I really don't find the restaurant prices on Nantucket any higher than most casual dining spots in Boston. Also, most of the restaurants display their menus and prices outside the restaurant, so, if you don't like what you see...don't go in! read more

Ran in for a quick lunch before a boat ride. Wasn't expecting much but let me tell you, it was surprisingly delish. Sat at the bar and although the college aged bartender was a little clueless (forgot place mats, forgot silverware etc.) the food was good. Hub ordered the burger which was flavorful and juicy. I had the lobster sandwich which had enough lobster meat. Fries are to die for. Wish we didn't have to inhale our food and run. Knowing the Boarding House has good, pub food, I would go back in a heartbeat. read more