Desnuda cocina & bar

Had been meaning to try Desnuda after multiple friends had great things to say Finally got to visit and it absolutely loved it. Really enjoyed the unique Peruvian Japanese fusion, great drink menu, and service. Look forward to going back again soon.

Excellent service, the servers were very attentive and provided great recommendations for the food. We sat downstairs first and had a drink in the bar and then moved upstairs. The portions for the food were on the smaller side and worth sharing as a pair came out in portions of two.

Great food and great cocktails. Highly recommend the pork belly bao and salmon tiradito. Beautiful space and really cool vibe (though the music is maybe a little TOO rave-y for the vibe) and they could really use an extra bathroom considering there was a constant line.

Amazing vibes and atmosphere! We loved Felipe and Dillon at the bar. They were so welcoming and friendly. Sad to say the food was underwhelming.

We had so much fun here!! Cocktails are amazing. Food is great too! Please don’t miss their hidden gem in the basement!

I celebrated my birthday in this place and I had a blast. The food and atmosphere was amazing but the best was service. Our waiter and manager both were the nicest restaurant staff members I have encountered in long time. Food I cannot complaint about a single thing. Even Brussels sprouts were to die for. Cocktails were delicious. Happy to choose this place

Went out for drinks and was provided excellent service by both the hosts and the bartenders. Drinks were a little expensive but very well made and worth it. Everyone was super friendly and attentive. We had a great time and plan to come back again!

We had an absolutely wonderful experience at Desnuda. Well done to the whole team and especially manager Svenja (formerly of Ilona and Gigi’s). The design of the space is really special, both upstairs and downstairs. The music and overall vibe is great too. We loved our drinks. The Emerald Elixir was our favorite. Well balanced and unique. The food is primarily Peruvian /Japanese fusion small/mid size plates. Do not skip the Desnuda Civiche. It is special! We also loved the chicken baos, the lomo saltado, the miso cod, and everything we ordered. Our server Anna was helpful, informative and attentive. Congrats to the whole team. It is something unique in the neighborhood.

Amazing amazing restaurant!!! My favorite of my trip to Boston. Found it by chance while walking around and had a craving for ceviche. Firstly, the place is gorgeous. You can see they put a lot of work into every detail of the place. Even the bathroom was stunning. Perfect for drinks with friends or a date night. The waitstaff is super professional and the bartender is excellent. We ordered a bunch of plates and enjoyed every single one of them. We got the elites, acevichado roll, classic ceviche, and the salmon tiradito. The salmon was insane. The passionfruit dressing was tangy and sweet and a perfect addition to the salmon. The elote, had a bit too much mayo in my opinion, but presented beautifully and when you mix everything together came out really exceptional. The roll was unique with that leche de Tigre sauce, and the ceviche was traditional but done perfectly. I cannot rave enough about everything and I will definitely be back next time around!

Desnuda belongs to the same restaurant group as Kava - but totally different food. Here, it's more about a panoply of sundry tapas that span various cuisines. Probably a good spot to visit with friends as it also emanates a lively atmosphere both inside and out. Note that there is only one bathroom for the whole restaurant. Super friendly service. Really appreciate the attentiveness of the staff. Food was solid, as we got the yucca fries, lechuga salad, and tomato avocado salad. All were decent. The guacamole was more chips than guacamole...was hoping I could taste the jalapeño infusion but didn't detect it. Bao buns were solid.

Drinks, vibes/interior, and food were all very excellent! - Drink: Exquisite. Only thing stopping me from getting more is not wanting to pay another $18. I got the Dragon one and it was chef's kiss, even though I originally wanted the matcha one (they ran out of one of the ingredients). - Food: I got the classic ceviche and the sauce had a multidimensional flavor profile that was perfect for the soft, bouncy bites of fish. The elote had a lovely char taste to it. The churros had a nice crunch with a suprise cream filling on the inside. I do agree the menu was a bit confusing since it was both Latin and Asian-inspired. - Interior: Very cool! The downstairs level is a little too dark to the point it was hard to see in the restroom. Overall great place for date night or a hang out with friends!!

I decided to come here for my birthday because I was in the mood for ceviche. Upon further delving into the menu, it was a bit odd. It felt a little disjointed because there were Peruvian items and Asian inspired items, but not much fusion so it seemed like an odd concept. We each had a cocktail and they were both delicious. I had the beet cocktail with spicy pisco and I would definitely try it again. My boyfriend had the yellow tequila passion fruit cocktail--another winner. The food was good, but also felt a bit chaotic because the dishes didn't relate to each other. We started with elotes (they kindly cut it off the cob) and the duck bao special. Elotes are always delicious and the baos were my least favorite thing we ate. We followed it with tacos de puerco and the classic ceviche. Both were good but not standout enough for me to tell anyone they must come here. Our server was great and at one point there was a small issue that I pointed out just to let them know, not to be a jerk. I work in hospitality and am grateful when people point things out in a kind way. Their service recovery is noteworthy. I didn't expect anything and the manager came over, comped the item and brought us a (delicious) complimentary tres leches cake. The restaurant is aesthetic. The service is solid. And the food does the job, but I doubt I'd come back.

This has been on my want to try list for so long! I'm so glad I had the opportunity to visit, here's the breakdown of my experience! Firstly, the atmosphere and the decor is 100% beautiful. ethereal even. When you first enter your introduced to a gold plated ceiling and a beautiful bar to your left. Once you head downstairs to the vinyl room you get to experience a whole lot of red lighting and reminiscent 70s decor. When I tell you, this is exactly how I want my future house/bar area to be designed. Major props to the team behind their interior design! Now for the food and the drinks, the cost breakdown was $45 including tax and tip. I ordered an entrée and a drink. Chaufa: it's a Peruvian and Chinese inspired fried rice dish. I realize that the name sounds like "chow fan" or fried rice in Chinese. I would rate it a seven out of five it could use some more spice. I was hoping for that. A good portion of mushrooms and veggies. Very enjoyable. Garden of eden drink: my cocktail was strong in Yuzu, which is an Asian citrus fruit. So you can imagine the drink to be very acidic, fruity and sour. By the end of it, it did lack that punch, but that's probably because I drink slow and it got watered down. Overall, I would give it a three out of five stars. The decor is beautiful. However, the menu was lackluster for me. It wasn't promising for me to go back and try other options, but that's just my preference in food taste. The prices were on the more expensive end in comparison to other tapas or taco restaurants. But the Peruvian/Chinese inspired cuisine does make the experience interesting and worth it to try.

My husband and I went here our first night visiting Boston and we loved it. Service was great all around. Our waitress was just lovely and the hostess was great too. The fish tacos were some of the best I've had and the steak was great too. I had a matcha cocktail which was unique and delicious. The music and ambiance were great and I'm so glad we got to stop here on our first night. My only critique is that they need to serve more dipping sauce with the yucca fries.

Another beautiful spot in the (in my opinion) best neighborhood in Boston. Decor was the ideal mix of vintage and modern. The vibe was more intimate for a couple or small group. The beet the heat cocktail was well made though I wish the beet flavor was more prominent. The desnuda ceviche was great, in particular the somewhat spicy sauce it was in. The chili cucumbers were a lot less spicy than I typically expect from this dish. The tacos were a great value for taco Tuesday. The mix of ingredients was well thought out and the serving size more generous than a lot of taco places. The servers were attentive and friendly but a little confused and missed an order. That could easily just be a learning curve so I'm sure those kinks will be worked out. I would definitely come back again to try more of the menu.

Our experience as Desnuda exceeded expectations! We really enjoyed the Amarillo passion, the yucca fries, elotes, miso eggplant, lomo saltado, and the tres leches. Everything was delicious - of these, the elotes and the lomo saltado really stood out. The elotes was so flavorful and we appreciated that they serve it off the cob if requested. The lomo saltado was so tender, we only wish it were a bigger serving. We ended up finishing everything, which is rare for us and speaks to how good the food was. The menu is definitely more Latin inspired than Asian. Beautiful interior. Smaller than I expected, and the flow of the space is a little odd in that people stand in the area behind the bar which limits the path of the wait staff to the kitchen/ customers to the bathroom. The seats by the window can be a little cold, but they were kind enough to move us to a warmer table. Attentive service (and not at all disruptive in our experience as the other reviewers have mentioned). I look forward to the next time! If you're looking for a fun place for dinner, this is a great option, as well as any other restaurant in the Mazi group (Kava, Ilona are favorites too)

Beautiful space with an elegant, casual atmosphere (if not a little dark for my not-that-elderly eyes). The menu is mostly small plates but with enough larger dishes so satisfy those less interested in tapas-style dining. Everything was very tasty with bright, rich Latin and some inflected Asian flavors. Some dishes were more memorable than others; I especially liked the causas de pollo and the shredded chicken with rice. The dishes come as ready, which made it a little awkward at times when not sharing every dish among the whole table. Overall, an excellent meal - not quite rising to a place I would return again and again - but a great option, easily one of the best in the city, for elevated Latin cuisine!

Amazing vibes, delicious drinks, and great food! Came in on a Friday night and was blown away by the speakeasy vibes downstairs -- such a cool atmosphere. The service was absolutely top-notch from start to finish. We tried almost every drink on the menu (all incredible), and the bartenders really knew their craft. There was a live DJ setting the perfect mood, and we ended the night with a dessert that was out of this world. Our waitress, Lindsey, was phenomenal -- super attentive and her recommendations were spot-on. Everything she suggested was a hit. I would absolutely come back again. Can't recommend this place enough!!

A great addition to South End! The food is solid, drinks are tasty, and the service was lovely. They can be almost too attentive, but I'd rather that than the alternative. Our server was incredibly friendly and gave great recommendations. Very chill, dimly lit atmosphere, and I appreciate that the music isn't too loud. The portions are a little small relative to the cost but pretty in line with anywhere else in the city. It was difficult to get a reservation but worth it! Will definitely be back.

Best anniversary dinner ever. Gorgeous ambiance, kind service, and great food. Don't miss out on their downstairs speakeasy with a whole separate menu! The manager was so kind - thank you Desnuda team!

Desnuda is brand new and has had been busy every time we tried to go. We put in our names and waited nearly two hours for a table, but we're excited when we finally sat. It's a cool spot, a cute bar with a speakeasy type room in the basement. The drinks were very good for the most part. The wait staff were very, very, very attentive. You would take one sip of water and they would come over to fill your cup back up. They were constantly over our shoulders, but maybe that's just because it's new. The food was delicious, the chicken dish was so so good, but definitely very expensive for the portion sizes. Overall this place was good, not sure if we will be back, but definitely worth the try.

Came for dinner on a Friday night around 6p. Tables were full, but seats still available at the ground floor bar. Small plates concept, we got 6 to share between two of us, and it was probably too much already. Tuna tacos were good, two in a crispy shell; the two pork tacos were generously loaded. I found the miso eggplant to be slightly salty. The street corn can be served either on the cob, or taken off the cob - delightful if you can't be bothered to pick it up in your hands, haha. We had plans after, and did not get a chance to hang out in the speakeasy downstairs.

Been a few times as I live in the neighborhood. Love Kava so I figured this would be a good spot with a different flair. First visit was their first week open. Skewers were excellent. Seriously good, particularly the pork. The drinks were not. Very much felt like works in progress. Overly sweet or too much acid or both. And I was offered a mezcal Negroni like five times and didn't want it. Second visit was way worse. Sat in the downstairs "listening lounge" and it was loud, the tables comically small, and the same food was much worse. Drinks were equally bad as the first visit a few months before. Went to the bar once for just drinks and also bad. Oh well, another new place that put vibes and Instagram above food and drinks. Yet it's filled with wealthy 20 somethings getting hammered at all times, so it's working!

Great tapas and great atmosphere. The front windows were opened up so the ambiance was really nice. Good for a date night!

My BF shared Desnuda with me so we decided to give it a try last night. Note that they open their reservations at 10am the day before so be ready to be online right on time to book your reservation. Personally, I was online at 10 am Friday morning and secured an 830 pm Saturday table for two. As for Desnuda, you walk into gorgeous decor with fabulous ambience. We were greeted by Antonio. I've known him from other spots in Back Bay and the South End. Needless to say we got a very warm welcome and immediately felt right at home. We were 20 minutes early so we started with drinks in the upstairs bar area then moved to our table by the window. In nicer weather i.e. open windows, that table is likely a prime spot. We ordered small plates and a large one. They bring dishes out as they're ready. Up first was the elote. Many places serve but this was definitely one of the better versions. Next up were the bao buns. My BF had the pork belly and I did the duck version. The duck was not on the menu that night. It was a special and absolutely fabulous. We then had the Lomo Saltado. It too was delicious especially the sauce. Will say that it was not that large a serving so you should consider that when ordering. Finally, the tres leches dessert was a great way to finish our Desnuda dining and was absolutely delicious. Afterwards, we made our way downstairs to the speakeasy in the lower level. By then it was just about 10 pm and there was lots of energy with a great vibe. Can see this getting even better as the night wears on. Look forward to our next dining experience at Desnuda.

Love this place! Desnuda Cocina & Bar opened recently in the South End at the corner of Tremont & West Brookline Streets, formerly Whaling in Oklahoma. This intimate restaurant and cocktail bar features two levels including the main level with a small bar and tables & booths and the downstairs cozy lounge with another cocktail bar, tables and comfortable booths, dim ligjhting throughout, and neon lit stairs. I stopped Desnuda after the show for some light eats. I took a seat at the upstairs bar when I arrived and given food and drink menus. The fully stocked bar offers cocktails, beer, wine (by the glass or bottle), and sake. The food menu offers a selection of small plates, salads, and main plates at moderate high prices. The bartender was busy at work mixing various cocktails for customers sitting next to me. I was given a glass of water and decided on two plates including the Cod Miso ($14 plus tax) and the Tacos de Pescado ($14 plus tax). The small plates were nicely presented. The Cod Miso was chargrilled with a firm texture with pickled vegetable & miso sauce. The Tacos de Pescado (2) had thick tempura battered whitefish, pickled red cabbage, yuzu kosho mayo on soft blue corn tortillas. These eats were very good and enough for a light meal. The check was $29.96 with tax and before tip. Overall, I enjoyed my food and the atmosphere here seems fun. The downstairs lounge was very packed and every bar seat downstairs was occupied, as were most tables. This place is great to stop for a night out.

The only reason that this is a 2/5 instead of a 1/5 is because the servers knew it was a bad experience and made a small attempt to remedy it. We will not be coming back here. Excited to try a new spot, we went to south end to give Desnuda a try. After 20 minutes of sitting at our table, our server finally came to take our drink order. One of our four drinks was tasty, the rest were never something I'd expect to come out of a restaurant like this. The ambiance was nice, but we couldn't read the menu by only candle light. The guacamole was the best thing we had, and everything else was sub-par at best. The lomo saltado was only saltado - almost too salty to eat. While eating, the servers tried to take our half-finished plates 5+ times and we had to stop them. This all being said, the worst part of this experience was the downstairs. There is a listening bar downstairs that we asked if we could be on the list for, and over the course of our meal (1.5 hours), our server said he would ask and see if we could go. After this, they said to wait and we could go down to see it, so we had another drink waiting. After this, we paid our check with a generous tip considering the service and food and our server did not come back. We waived him down and he said we couldn't go down, and when we asked why, he got the manager who came and said they were at capacity. During this conversation, several people came up from downstairs which I pointed out and she said that we still could not go down. This was clearly some type of prejudice, which was incredibly uncomfortable. Whatever this restaurant is trying to be, it is not good food, the service is not good, and I do not recommend it.

Just discovered this spot even though they have been in business since November. Good start with hostess who was very friendly and let us choose our table by the window. Waitress recommended a very good heirloom tomato app and I also liked the ceviche , hearts of palm, yuca and duck confit arroz.

don't usually leave negative reviews, but our experience here was unacceptable and deeply disappointing. We were seated for lunch and asked our server if we could move to the bar once seats became available. He told us that would be fine and to keep an eye out for any openings. When two bar seats finally opened up, we moved over as discussed. However, almost immediately, we were confronted by a group of patrons who aggressively insisted the seats were theirs. Instead of Antonio, the GM stepping in to clarify the situation or offer support, our server and the staff stood by and allowed the other guests to intimidate us. We were essentially bullied out of the seats with no assistance from anyone working there. Not only was the situation uncomfortable, but it also felt like we were completely dismissed and disrespected. Clear communication and basic hospitality were missing. We left feeling upset and unwelcome. Restaurants should not only provide good food, but also a safe and respectful atmosphere for all guests. Sadly, this place failed on that front. I hope the management addresses these kinds of issues going forward.

Welcomed new addition to the South End. Great cocktails, really yummy tapas. Downstairs is more of a night club vibe, upstairs is more chill and relaxed. Downstairs bar is open later hours, upstairs stays open late enough!

Went on their opening night. From the start we were told that they don't take reservations so it was first come first serve, and that we only had 2 hours at our table. Which was fine. We sat and ordered drink. The drinks were ok, it's unfortunate that they're all premade, so you can't exclude or add anything if you have an allergy or preference. And their mocktails/soft drinks option was nonexistent. No juices or something simple for people that don't drink alcohol. The service was slow but the servers were overly attentive. A bit too much, but I figured it's their first night so, I get it. The food was ok! Nothing crazy. We checked out the downstairs area. It was cozy and could see myself going back for drinks. Overall, the experience was alright. Wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it though.

Came here for drinks.Awesome spot! Friendly service with a lively downstairs bar with good music and a nice drink selection.

For how hyped this place was I found the food and service to be very mid. The food was nothing special and small. The server forgot our second round of drinks and brought us the check without getting them or offering dessert. The same thing happened to the table next to us they clearly just want to get people in and out. The downstairs listening bar was very nice!

Great food drinks ambience and service!! Will be back next time I visit Boston for work

I have been here 3 times and enjoyed it each time. My only complaint is as a vegetarian the options are quite limited. My boyfriend really loves it so we have kept it in rotation as a date night spot. We prefer to walk in and sit at the bar which we usually have no trouble doing. We usually start off with the guacamole which is always delicious. We both love the passion fruit spicy margarita - we would come here for this alone since the ambiance is great! I usually just get the lechuga salad which is tasty. My boyfriend is a big fan of the tuna tacos, bao buns, and ceviche options! I have also tried the yuca fries which are a fun snack. I really wish they'd add a vegetarian bao bun or stir fry option. Based on their menu they seem to have all the means to do so, this would be a great inclusive option.

Veronica was AMAZING . We had dinner ( my two friends and I) and we learned about this place from folks at Ilona. This is an incredible place for great bites, amazing drinks and the BEST service . 10/10

Awful customer service. They were discriminative against my friends and I. We felt harassed. We were extremely disappointed by this restaurant and we will never return again!

Overall I found this restaurant to be so disorganized in every way. First off, great job on your Instagram marketing. You got me and my friends. However, when it came to making a reservation I felt like it was a job. Waking up early the day before to make the reservation for 7:30, we arrived and our table wasn't even ready until around 8. We had to stand in the way of foot traffic at an overcrowded bar with people bumping into us constantly. At first, our waitress did great but then disappeared halfway through our meal (straight up left the building--we literally watched her run off down the street!). It'd have been okay if she found coverage, but we were instead left without a waitress for around 10-20 minutes. Drinks were OK (and, to be fair, affordable), but the food was VERY subpar--not noteworthy or worth the $$. Last but not least, the downstairs listening bar is basically inaccessible to the general public--the person working the door for it came across as a snob. Would I come back or recommend this place? Hard no. It makes sense why a place like this has to rely on social media marketing to draw attention, acclaim, etc. My feedback to you... market this establishment as a bar or exclusive club--not a restaurant.

Horrible service. Never returning. Treated my friends unfairly and made personally offensive and crude comments.

Loved coming in after a day of work! Sat at the bar and had the best experience talking to Felipe the bartender. From the classic cocktails to the ones on their menu, we were not disappointed once! Try the yuca frita and the tuna tostada and pair it with a delicious cocktail! Also, best churros I've ever had! 11/10.

I really wanted to love this spot! The ambiance is great and the food was solid. However, the service made the experience pretty unpleasant. The staff hovered by our table all night and were constantly interrupting to refill water and move plates. We couldn't go for more than 5 minutes without one of several waiters coming by to move something on our table. As just one example, rather than stacking the empty plates, they took them away one at a time, which prolonged the interruptions. They also stood right behind our table waiting for us to finish plates or our drinks, which made us feel uncomfortable. I know that a small plates restaurant like this requires a lot of moving pieces, but the constant interruptions made it hard to talk to each other and made us feel very rushed. The staff even tried to clear our plates even when there was still food on them after we asked them not to. At one point the servers mistakenly placed down soy sauce and chopsticks (we didn't order anything that needed these) and then they made a big fuss of taking them back, even though we said we didn't mind them on the table. We also asked for water and were then charged for two bottles of fancy mineral water. I guess we should have specified tap water but I typically assume that's a given. Hopefully, the staff gets better at making it a smooth experience. I'm sure it'll be much better in a few months.

I'm super into vinyl, so I had to check out the listening bar downstairs. It was absolutely phenomenal! I got there around 5 and the bar was open seating. They were running on a playlist for a bit, but then after a while one of the owners started spinning records, and his selection was fantastic! Everything is gorgeous - the lights, the wallpaper, the ceiling, the banquette, everything. The drink list had one cocktail for every major spirit so there's something for everyone. Both cocktails we tried were balanced and delicious. Our server Lindsey was super sweet, knowledgable, and accommodating, so between her, the ambiance, and the drinks, this place can't be beat! I can't wait to come back soon to try the food!

Basement is a cool scene, pretty good bites and drinks but they're gonna make you pay for it.

The place is cozy really nice. Food is great the service is amazing Felipe makes the best drinks. Recommend 100%.

Stopped in with a few friends randomly for drinks and a bite. Was told they were booked but might be able to fit me in if I waited and had a drink. 1 nice G4 blanco neat later, they had a spot for us downstairs! Good strip steak meal and nice atmosphere for small group. I wouldn't go with more than 4 people though as the tables are fairly small. The downstairs speakers were also fairly loud and at times hard to hear my friend right next to me. I never asked for them to tune it down though, hence still a 5 star.

Been wanting to come here since it opened and my husband and I loved it! Highly recommend. Felipe was excellent behind the bar and the food was wonderful. I recommend the yuka and tuna tostada, and if you're a dessert person, the churros are the best I've ever had. The ambiance is beautiful, elegant and warm, and the service was 10/10!

I have to say the food and ambiance were great here. Definitely try the Causas de Pollo. The reason I'm rating my experience 3 stars instead of 4 or 5 is that my party of 4 was seated at a large, 8-person table. I am not sure why, because we only ever had 4 people on the reservation. We ordered plenty of small plates, large plates, drinks, and dessert. After 3 of us had just ordered after-dinner drinks, it was pretty evident that the waiter wanted us to leave, constantly circling the table. Finally the manager came over and stated that they needed the table for the next reservation. This is understandable since a larger party was waiting, but why were we seated at such a big table to begin with? This is the restaurant's error, not ours, and we felt our experience was rushed due to their mistake. When we inquired about going to the Speakeasy downstairs, we were told it was an hour or two wait. At the very least, if we were being rushed from our table, I'd think that we would be offered the chance to take our drinks downstairs. Management needs better training here - awful!