Esmai’s

We came here for breakfast after a lot of other local breakfast places had an hour wait and were very satisfied. Great food and quantity for the price. The service was quick and was not too crowded. Water was crisp and lightly chilled.

Enjoyed a lovely brunch here upstairs on the patio this past Sunday. Esmai’s is officially in my top five favorite restaurants in Boston! This place is such a hidden gem. It’s nice to see them have grown from being the little cafe on the corner to now being the expanded, fancy restaurant. Can’t wait to come back when the weather is nice and enjoy the patio again! 🥰

Pretty please mention on the menu that the chicken & waffles comes with WINGS! For $18 I would hope these were the best but I am extremely unhappy. While I understand this is an Asian fusion restaurant these were 100% disappointing. Nothing about these say fusion chicken & waffles. Ours came EXTREMELY charred, and no one likes to speak up when they’re unhappy with their food.

Absolutely loved my experience here! I had the creme brulee espresso martini which was to die for. One of the best espresso martinis I’ve had in Boston! After for appetizers we enjoyed the fried okra. I never see fried okra at restaurants so i was extremely excited! I loved it and loved my Bahn Mi entree even more. The inside is beautiful, lots of natural light and on nice days the open windows are amazing. I can’t wait to bring my friends back here!

Wonderful, eclectic, and creative food and drinks! A delightful set of familiar French, British, and Vietnamese, but all with a bit of a twist. They have different menu items for lunch, dinner, and weekends, so it is worth checking out multiple times. We were very impressed with the Imaginative dishes with excellent presentation and flavor. Staff are super friendly. We highly recommend the bao, bone marrow bahn mi, beef wellington, and even the fries were excellent! For the (sweet) coffee lover, the egg coffee is a must try. Can't wait to try out the other menus! Lunch menu has amazing butter egg on fluffy milk bread sandwiches!

This is a hidden gem of Coolidge Corner/Brookline. The atmosphere is welcoming and comfortable. The menu is tastefully done, focusing on doing things delicious, not offering everything under the sun. The menu has something for everyone, beef, chicken, seafood and vegan. I had the lemongrass chicken skewers and they were outstanding! The craft cocktail, also a rec’d of my server, was outstanding: Spice Cooler, rum based with a really beautiful pineapple mint. Definitely coming here again!

We came here for brunch on a Saturday. Between the 6 of us we tried 4 or 5 different coffees and it was all bland and had 0 taste, with the exception of pistachio which tasted artificial. I had the chicken and waffle, albeit the taste was fine, there were chicken hair on every single piece. I told the wait staff and it seemed like she didnt think it was a big deal. I will not return.

My 2 girlfriends and I came to Esmai's Cafe for a girls' catchup on a Tuesday night at 6PM. Reservations were easy to make online. Meter parking was plentiful nearby. We were seated right away. I remember this place as Hops n' Scotch and honestly, I think they really improved the space! The ambience was nicer, more posh, and the decor was super cute. The service was quick, helpful, and very nice. We were checked in with often and made sure we were happy with the food. The menu of drinks and food were really interesting! We got the: - Spill the Tea mocktail - the rose tea was very subtle but tasty and aromatic, it was really pleasant and came in a pretty glass - Hot Egg Coffee - VERY sweet (which I LOVE) it might be too sweet for some... but personally I LOVED the first sip which was sugar overload heaven XD - Cold Egg Coffee (yes we got both!) - tasted great, almost like a bubble tea without the boba, the Vietnamese coffee is strong and sweet, which I like - Banh Mi + Bone Marrow - a must get! this Vietnamese charcuterie board was very creative and DELISH!!! I loved the pate with the bone marrow on top of the toast - the bone marrow was melt in my mouth deliciousness, and then I made a separate toast with the pate, cold cuts and pickled veggies. this app was a winner for me - Mini Beef Wellington - this was SO GOOD!!! Since there were 3 of us, we each got 1 mini beef wellington and the meat inside was so surprisingly tender!! And then the outside pastry was nice and flaky, and I kept wanting more and more of the sauce - this honestly was my favorite dish of the night - Escargot - this was good and some of the pieces were nice and plump but I did prefer the other two apps above - Grilled Octopus - I thought the octopus was very tasty and moist, the poached Asian pear salad was a nice addition - Lemongrass Chicken Salad - the salad is pretty standard, but actually the lemongrass chicken was very juicy and flavorful - Smoked Fried Rice - this was my friend's favorite dish, she really liked the smokiness of it, and I thought the fried shrimp egg roll was so creative - Loco Moco - this was SO TASTY!!!! every component of this dish was good and balanced everything else, from the Japanese hamburger and its mushroom gravy sauce over the rice, the yolk oozing out of the fried egg on top, then cutting a piece of the spam on the side and then the macaroni salad and carrots and finishing with some fruit - this was my favorite entree and my 2nd fave dish after the Mini Beef Wellington - Creme Brulee - this was so yummy and not too sweet, the right creaminess and so easy to eat, we finished it easily - Matcha Lava Cake - SUPER DECADENT and again, I have a MAJOR sweet tooth, so I LOOOOOOVED this lava cake! It was oozing and the sauce with the cake and a bit of strawberry were PERFECT... and then you discover the matcha and it's a nice surprise! I was in chocolate heaven ^__^ Portions were really perfect for our party of 3 but we got waaayyyyyyy too much and we were STUFFED. We had to box the rest of the fried rice and loco moco. I recommend finishing the bone marrow right away though since when it cools down, it'll gel up. Even if you're full, I'd say make room for dessert. If you're a dessert fan, both the matcha lava cake and creme brulee were worth it! But if you only had to choose one and you DO have a sweet tooth, I'd recommend getting the lava cake :) All in all, a VERY successful and delicious night out with my friends. We were never rushed and it wasn't very crowded (albeit it was a Tuesday night), so we were able to chat for a while and really enjoy our food and drinks. I would definitely come back and bring more friends, try out their creative cocktails next time, or maybe even come for a date night ;) I highly recommend trying Esmai's! I also love that the owner chef is a woman and brings her culture in to the food and menu. You can feel the love and care that was put in to designing everything, from the decor to food. Please support them!

I came here for a date night as I've seen great reviews about the drinks and the food here. I made a reservation for 6 on a Friday night - it was initially quiet inside but began to fill up more once we were seated. The interior was clean and modern. Our server was very welcoming and able to provide us with great insights into the menu. The cocktails were refreshing and tasty. I ordered a 'Spill the Tea' with gin and my husband ordered the matcha colada. I'd love to come back and try more out! As for food, we ordered the mini beef wellington, the banh mi & bone marrow, the curry chicken, and the loco moco. I loved the variety of dishes on the menu and was super impressed by the execution of all of them. They were very flavorful and cooked to perfection, with the mini beef wellington having crispy puff pastry and the bone marrow very tender. Overall, I was impressed by Esmai's creativity and would love to come back to try out more of the menu.

I love the rooftop brunch here! They don't take reservations for rooftop seating but they are responsive on their phones so I'd recommend calling ahead to confirm that the roof is open and whatnot. For brunch I got a green tea, soufle pancake, and milkbread sandwich. The sandwich had egg ham cheese and avocado. Everything was delightful. The pancakes were picturesque also. This is such a cute spot and I could definitely see myself coming back!

I came for a late weekend brunch around 1pm and did not have any problems getting a table for 2. They had a pretty big cocktail menu but I decided to try their coffee instead. I got a medium iced pandan cold foam coffee ($6). The pandan cold foam was vibrantly green, but I unfortunately didn't really taste any pandan flavor. The cold foam mostly just tasted like cream. I also noticed that the coffee was not super strong, so I would recommend getting a large if you are looking for more caffeine. I tried the OG banh mi ($12). It had crispy and fragrant bread and a thick spread of pate. I liked how it was served a little warm which helped all of the flavors mix together better. I noticed that they source their milk bread locally from Japonaise cafe down the street-- I'd love to try some of their egg sandwiches next time.

Creative dishes and roomy tables make this a perfect spot for dates, double dates, and groups. They serve good coffee and cocktails, and are open for lunch and dinner. I really enjoyed the Extra 99, which is one of the few savory cocktails I truly enjoy. The szechuan pepper infused oil is subtle, but pulls together flavors that make for a delicious drink. They have Loco Moco on the menu! I don't know of another place that serves this Hawaiian breakfast plate, but I find their mushroom gravy with rice and patty to be so addictive I kept eating more despite being full. I also like making my own banh mi, using bone marrow feels so indulgent. The smoked fried rice will surround your table with aroma, and comes through each with each bite. Everything is executed properly and the servers are nice, so it makes sense that my friends have also approved of this recommendation.

The restaurant is really nice inside and they just opened a rooftop bar which I'm excited about! I got the burger and it was alright, definitely could've been bigger given the price but the fries were good! Some reason they use really tiny cups for the water but the service was really good. I think the restaurant has a really interesting menu and would go again but order something different!

I came here on a Saturday evening to specifically try the Banh Mi & Bone Marrow because it sounded interesting. We were seated right away in the upstairs portion of the restaurant, but for some reason we were sat at a table for two right in between two other occupied tables when the rest of the upstairs was entirely empty. It did seem strange to be so close to two other couples on either side of us when the rest of the floor was empty, but I was grateful that we were able to order the Banh Mi & Bone Marrow without being pressured to order other dishes since the other meals didn't seem as interesting for us. The food did come quickly and the service was good other than the seating arrangement though! Banh Mi & Bone Marrow ($18) - This was a really interesting dish - I'm used to having banh mi in a sandwich format, but this was in a plate kind of formatted like a charcuterie board. It was actually easier to eat the dish in this form rather than as a sandwich since a lot of banh mi bread ends up being overly crispy - for this dish, you could take a slice of baguette and spoon on the pate, bone marrow, and then add the cold cuts and pickled vegetables. I will say that it wasn't overly filling - it was probably the same amount of ingredients as a small banh mi and it costs $18 so I'm not sure I'd get it again, but it was definitely worth the experience of eating banh mi "deconstructed" if you will. The bone marrow was also a nice addition that added value and it added a nice fattiness to the bites. All in all, I love that this restaurant reimagined what a banh mi could be, and the price tag wasn't too out there for a version with some extra fancy ingredients. Well done!

I can only speak about my brunch experience at Esmai's but what a pleasant surprise! Located just around the corner from Coolidge, this restaurant has a big space (upstairs and downstairs!) and charming ambience throughout. The servers were literally the sweetest and even surprised us at the end of our meal with a complimentary macarons as we were celebrating 3 birthdays that day. The menu is what I was looking for in brunch place-- I was getting a bit tired of the regular old, let's be honest, elevated diner food options, but at Esmai's they have the classics with an Asian twist! With a full cocktail menu (and lots of fun mocktails too if you don't want to drink!) this is my new go-to place for group brunches.

Came by for brunch on Saturday. Easy to make a reservation online morning of, and they did not look remote full so probably could've walked in as well. They do have two floors of seating so restaurant is fairly large. Personally I thought the brunch menus looked better than the dinner menu, and there were plenty of options to accommodate different dietary preferences. The milk toast sandwiches were heavier than expected, but very tasty and the bread itself was a little sweet though the rest of the sandwich was savory. Would skip the coffee here though, tasted very watery.

Checked out this new cafe recently for lunch on a weekday. There's plenty of street parking nearby, and we were promptly seated. We started off with the truffle tots, which were delicious! The truffle aioli was creamy and not overly heavy - would highly recommend this dish. The OG Banh Mi came with a generous portion of bread, meat and fresh veggies. Not mind-blowingly amazing but a solid banh mi. The chicken karaage milk bread was interesting and tasty, with fluffy buttered milk bread and eggs contrasting against the crispy chicken karaage. Overall, we loved the decor and ambiance of the dining room, attentive service, and generous portions of each dish.

We stopped by with a group for brunch and tried a Banh Mi, soufflé pancakes, croissant sandwich, and milk bread sandwiches. Everything was great! Standouts were the Vietnamese coffee and truffle fries. Our server was great and the chef's partner also kindly stopped by to introduce us to the place and the menu (the croissants are made in house and the milk bread is from neighboring Japonaise bakery).

Yummy! I had high expectations before dining at Esmai's and my expectations were met! I think they describe their cuisine as Vietnamese and French fusion, but they include several other Asian cuisines so it's a mash of many worlds! I was also pleasantly surprised that they had an upstairs dining area that had a different vibe than the lower floor. The Banh Mi and the katsu bao were delicious! What a great decision! The pampanelle pasta was quite filling and hearty with generous a serving of braised beef. All in all, everything ordered was a success!

Nothing is really special about this place.. the food is so so and the service is really slow.

What a cute restaurant with delicious food at great prices. I went for weekend lunch and got the OG bahn mi, which was a generously sized sandwich for $10. The flavors were savory, well-balanced, and just so delicious! The service was also pretty attentive, as there only seemed to be four tables in our area. I would definitely come back to get the OG bahn mi again or to try their other bahn mi or weekend lunch options!

Esmai's cafe will now be one of my top brunch recommendations! This cute restaurant has the sweetest staff and delicious Asian fusion brunch dishes. To my surprise, it was easy to make a Sunday brunch res online. I loved the Ioco moco - deliciously savory and flavorful. The milkbread toast was fantastic - both sweet and savory with the chicken karage (was yummy but a bit heavy) and I loved that bread was from another local bakery Japonaise. I can't wait to come back to try for dinner and cocktails sometime!

Recently opened in the former Hops and Scotch. Menu consisted of some small bites along with some entrees. Mixed menu of Euro-Asian items with some good cocktails and nice selection of beer on tap. Food and service was excellent since they weren't that crowded on Mother's Day. Servers quite attentive and food came pretty quickly. Started off with some Wagyu sliders that was med rare; Brussels sprouts that was nicely charred with some leaves extra crispy with bacon bits; followed by lobsters in a Chinese "milk bread". All of the above delicious but the lobster roll really tasty. We ordered some entrees as well with beef Wellington with a side of slightly spicy Viet stew that had just the right kick. The beef NOT overcooked despite wrapped in pastry. The server recommended the curry chicken and that, too, was delicious in its coconut creamy sauce served with some baguette slices. All in all, a great welcome to Coolidge Corner with this excellent addition. Staff told me the upstairs will be used for tea service on weekends so definitely have to come back and try that.

Came here for brunch a few weeks ago and can't wait to go back! Esmai's is not your ordinary American brunch place, it has so many unique Asian brunch dishes. Karage chicken milk bread sandwich- Absolutely delicious! The chicken was juicy and hot with a nice light crispy outside. The flavor was super yummy. The egg was light and fluffy. The milk bread was also yummy. I would definitely get this again! Fries- crispy and hot with the perfect fry and seasoning. Even when the fries for cold at the end of the they were still crispy and yummy Soufflé pancakes- they were small and weren't as fluffy as other soufflé pancakes I've had before. They were okay. We tried the pandan and plain with fruit. The pancakes were the same but they came with different syrups. Lavender Vietnamese coffee- yummy!! Nice strong flavors. There are many other unique drink flavors and other food items like loco moco that I would want to try next.

The puff cakes are smooth and delicious. Other entrees for brunch were very good. Corn beef hash homemade. Eggs delicately cooked. Coffee outstanding. Noisy atmosphere

I'm not much of a brunch person but I was intrigued by the interesting menu items at Esmai's. I'm so glad I tried it -- everything was delicious and executed very well. This is my new favorite brunch spot in the area. The brick toast ($12, weekend only) was the best version of brick toast I've ever had. Perfectly crunchy and caramelized exterior, pillowy interior, and bursting with flavor. It comes with syrup but it's not necessary. I would absolutely get this again. The karaage on milk toast ($14) was very interesting -- fluffy scrambled eggs, cheese, and fried chicken in a lightly caramelized fluffy milk toast sandwich. I wish there was less cheese and more savory flavor on the chicken, but otherwise it was quite tasty. The OG banh mi ($10) was delicious -- lots of fresh crunchy vegetables, tasty sauce, and plenty of Vietnamese cold cuts. The bread also had great texture. Good deal, too! I also got the salted toffee latte ($6) which was very yummy and sweet. The prices here are very reasonable and the food is delicious and unique. What's not to love? Overall this was a very pleasant brunch experience and I'll definitely be back to try more of the menu. Would recommend making a reservation -- while there were a lot of openings for Sunday brunch a couple of days prior, when we got there all of the tables seemed reserved.

We had an enjoyable lunch/brunch there. My souffle was great. My husband's loco moco was middling- the meat party was tough. Two ban mi sandwiches our guests preferred were reported to be great. Service was great! Overall, a pretty good experience.

The food was just incredibly mediocre. The drinks were boring and overpriced. They have a nice location and set up but we had the mushrooms which were over breaded and you could only taste the breading. And we had two kinds of fried rice and it was basically rice with frozen things in it.

My 2 girlfriends and I came to Esmai's Cafe for a girls' night / catchup on a Tuesday night at 6PM. Reservations were easy to make online in advance. Meter parking was plentiful nearby and meters stopped at 8PM. We were seated right away. I remember this place as Hops n' Scotch and honestly, I think they really improved the space! The ambience was nicer, more posh, and the decor was super cute - I loved the pretty trees and cute booths and chairs. The service was quick, helpful, and very nice. We were checked in with often and made sure we were happy with the food and service. The menu was neat and the offerings of drinks and food were really interesting! We got the: - Spill the Tea mocktail - the rose tea was very subtle but tasty and aromatic, it was really pleasant and came in a pretty glass - Hot Egg Coffee - VERY sweet (which I LOVE) but might be too sweet for some, be sure to mix it well and then it's not as sweet... but personally I LOVED the first sip which was sugar overload heaven XD - Cold Egg Coffee (yes we got both!) - tasted great, almost like a bubble tea without the boba, the Vietnamese coffee is strong and it is very sweet, which I like - Banh Mi + Bone Marrow - a must get! this Vietnamese charcuterie board was very creative and DELISH!!! I loved the chicken pate with the bone marrow on top of the toast - the bone marrow was melt in my mouth deliciousness, and then I made a separate toast with the pate, cold cuts and pickled veggies. I love banh mi and bone marrow and pate, so this app was a winner for me - Mini Beef Wellington - this was SO GOOD!!! Since there were 3 of us, we each got 1 mini beef wellington and the meat inside was so surprisingly tender!! And then the outside pastry was nice and flaky, and I kept wanting more and more of the sauce - this honestly was my favorite dish of the night, would have happily ordered another one - Escargot - this was good and some of the pieces were nice and plump but I did prefer the other two apps above, if you had to prioritize and only get 2 apps - Grilled Octopus - I thought the octopus was very tasty and moist, the poached Asian pear salad was a nice addition - Lemongrass Chicken Salad - the salad is pretty standard, but actually the lemongrass chicken was very juicy and flavorful - Smoked Fried Rice - this was my friend's favorite dish, she really liked the smokiness of it, and I thought the fried shrimp egg roll was so creative and fun - Loco Moco - this was SO TASTY!!!! we were glad that we ended up getting it even though we thought we were too full... every component of this dish was good and balanced everything else, from the Japanese hamburger and its mushroom gravy sauce over the rice, the yolk oozing out of the fried egg on top, then cutting a piece of the spam on the side and then the macaroni salad and carrots and finishing with some fruit - this was my favorite entree and my 2nd fave dish after the Mini Beef Wellington - Creme Brulee - this was so yummy and not too sweet, the right creaminess and so easy to eat, we finished it easily - Matcha Lava Cake - SUPER DECADENT and again, I have a MAJOR sweet tooth, so I LOOOOOOVED this lava cake! It was oozing and the sauce with the cake and a bit of strawberry were PERFECT... and then you discover the matcha and it's a nice surprise! We weren't actually able to finish this at dinner, but I took it home and a little while later, I added more fruit and devoured it all, savoring each chocolate-y heavenly bite ^__^ Portions were really perfect for our party of 3 but we got waaayyyyyyy too much and we were STUFFED. We had to box the rest of the fried rice and loco moco. I recommend finishing the bone marrow right away though since when it cools down, it'll gel up. Even if you're full, I'd say make room for dessert. If you're a dessert fan, both the matcha lava cake and creme brulee were worth it! But if you only had to choose one and you DO have a sweet tooth, I'd recommend getting the lava cake :) All in all, a VERY successful and delicious night out with my friends. We were never rushed and it wasn't very crowded (albeit it was a Tuesday night), so we were able to chat for a while and really enjoy our food and drinks. I would definitely come back and bring more friends, try out their creative cocktails next time, or maybe even come for a date night ;) I highly recommend trying Esmai's! I also love that the owner chef is a woman and brings her culture in to the food and menu. You can feel the love and care that was put in to designing everything, from the decor to food. Please support them!

We came in around 6 it wasn't busy and we were seated quickly! Really nice ambiance and super filling meal! I got the loco moco never tried which is a rice topped with a hamburger gravy and egg! I also got shishito peppers but was tok full from the main meal to eat many!

Such a luxurious culinary experience. Everything is delicious and creative. The escargot has a dash of pesto flavor, the noodles range from Italian to Vietnamese - and all taste so fresh. The owner came out to greet us and his passion for his craft was really endearing. You can taste/feel how much effort they put into the place, and how much of a global influence they (literally) bring to the table. Must visit!

We went on a Sunday when the brunch menu was ending but before they started the dinner menu. The waitress gave us brunch menus. I got a Lemon Grass Chicken Bahn Mi. It was truly awful. The baguette was nice but chicken was reheated to complete dryness with absolutely no flavor. There was a tiny bit of cabbage or coleslaw on it. I tasted no lemon grass or any other flavor. I needed mayonaise or anything to make it less dry. Tasted nothing like asian food. My friend got the Lemon Grass Chicken Rice plate. It was a chicken leg quarter that he said just tasted like dry chicken with absolutely no seasoning and plain white rice. Nothing like lemon grass. This is a nice looking restaurant. The staff was okay, but not around when I needed mayonaise or anything. The creme brulette martini my other friend got was very good. Come here for a drink but don't eat the food. I think they served us yesterday's reheated leftovers. Complete waste of money.

A delightful surprise. Wandered in on a whim and had a lovely dinner. Their green papaya salad was a treat. Nice quiet spot at Coolidge Corner. Will be back.

Went there for my girlfriend's birthday and it could not have been better. The beef wellington slider thingies were great

Good food and cocktails, apparently has a roof deck that is opening soon. The lobster Rangoon and mini beef Wellington is my favorite.

Tucked inside a small corner, Esmai's is unsuspecting on the outside but calm, cozy, and warm on the inside. Their Asian-inspired brunch menu has everything from bahn mi to rice bowls to French toast, each with a small twist. We ordered the souffle pancakes, french toast stuffed with ube cheese ganache, and loco moco--a japanese hamburger with mushroom gravy, fried egg, and spam. The souffle pancakes were light, but slightly overpriced IMO, and the loco moco was savory, filling, and delicious. The French toast though was the star of the show, with a crispy cornflake outer coating and a silky smooth ube filling. My only complaint was the drinks, which were watered down and didn't hold a candle to the food. Wish I lived in Boston so I could come here and try the rest of the menu.

Food was amazing. Great service, chill ambience and the food is well prepared and unique.

We've been here a couple times now and the food, service, and overall experience has been fantastic! The food was absolutely delicious and we are looking forward to coming again so we can try some other items on the menu. We did tea time with our daughters and they had so much fun and enjoyed the food too. Glad to have them in the neighborhood!

Excellent for breakfast!! 5 stars. So so for dinner. 2 stars. The breakfast milk toast and bahn mi are perfection. Absolutely scrumptious. The bahn mi and jap chae wannabe noodle dish at night needs some work. Noodles should not be like mush and clump together. Serve the breakfast bahn mi at night please and thank you! Nice and thoughtful service.

Bahn Mi tasted soooo good but the bread is really hard to eat, after first half my mouth actually hurt lol beautiful inside, great coffee, orange juice amazing. Fresh fruit :) server was super sweet

Get the OG banh mi. Delicious, so much meat, such a good value too! Milk bread with egg and fried chicken and pancakes also delicious (though the latter feels a little overpriced). Vietnamese coffee was fine, pretty standard. Overall, delicious food, so glad they reopened, will be back!

Drinks are strong and tasty. Appetizers are the star. Highly recommend! We had the circle table under the stairs which was a little awkward and rickety - no big deal though.

My husband and I had dinner at Esmai over the weekend and can't wait to go back! The place has a genuinely warm and welcoming vibe. The chef as well as her husband checked in with us over the course of the evening to be sure we were enjoying ourselves. The food is excellent, as good as what you'd find at a high-end restaurant but without the pretense or expense. We shared the shishito peppers, papaya salad, octopus, pappardelle, and Vietnamese eggrolls. The creative fusion of flavors really worked, unlike in some places where it can be jarring. Great bar, too! We had some amaro from a well-rounded selection of options. Cocktails were very tempting, too!

We had a very nice dinner there. Service was pleasant and attentive. The front windows opened to the sidewalk which gave the room a nice airy feel. Prices were reasonable. The shrimp crêpes in particular were excellent and unique... both the taste and presentation. We're glad to welcome them to the Coolidge Corner neighborhood and plan to return.

Was HOOKED on the mini lobster bites in milk bread... why is it SO good?! I personally love truffle fries, so those were on point! I'm also super happy about the menu for kids. It makes life a lot easier to just find a place where my entire can frequent in the neighborhood. Would come back again!

This place is absolutely delicious! I think I've had everything on their menu at this point, and I love it all. My faves are the Loco Moco, the sea bass, the pasta,...honestly everything is great. The staff is friendly, the setting is relaxed and stylish. So happy to have Esmai's in Coolidge Corner!

What a great addition to Coolidge Corner! Our family had a wonderful time here for dinner. First of all, they have a good kid's menu which makes things easier for sure. Our son enjoyed the chicken bites plate which came with fries and fruit. My daughter ordered from the adult menu - the mussels with roasted tomato sauce were a hit! She also had the street corn with the sauces on the side - they were very accommodating. My vegetarian mom who also dislikes mushrooms was able to get a riff on the fried rice that she was very happy with. The rest of us shared a bunch of small plates - the shishito peppers, the three skewers, the Brussels sprouts with bacon, the lemongrass chicken salad. Everything was prepared really well though I only managed a photo of the Brussels. For drinks we had an old fashioned (a trifle sweet), an Impromptu Rendezvous with tequila added and El Verde (really good and refreshing). Got to really call out the service! The waitress was really helpful and answered all our questions after consulting with the chef. At one point he came out as well to talk to us about my mom's dish which I appreciated. Also came out to check if it was good later. My only quibble is with the tables - a bit rickety and mismatched in heights which makes it tougher with large groups or with kids. Highly recommended!!

Had a family get together last night and chose Esmai's as it was so convenient off the green line and we wanted to try something new. The owners and staff were incredible ...their vision and hard work shined through as each dish (you can go small plates to entrees) did not disappoint! Dining upstairs was a treat ...a relaxing environment where we did not have to shout to be heard with each other. Watch for this one growing as the food selections & staff will please all...!

We had our friend's birthday celebration at Esmai's last night. Came a bit earlier for our dinner reservation - the kitchen was still closed. We've been offered bar menu. Everything we've ordered was very delicious - fried brussel sprouts, truffle fries, Vietnamese egg rolls and Fried Karage Chicken. We asked if could order our entrees before the kitchen is open, and they said we could. David, the owner came to take our orders. He was very friendly and welcoming. We've ordered 3 entrees, and David brought us to try the 4th one on the house - he just wanted us to try the best dishes in his restaurant. Smoked fried rice and Lobster Rigate were out of these world. Loco Moco and Beef Wellington were also delicious, though beef was a bit too salty to our liking. But we are used to undersalted dishes, I must say. David also added an extra mini Beef Wellington, so we can share easily (there are 3 in the portion, and there were 4 of us). Overall, we had a great experience - felt very welcomed, and the food was delicious. We will be definitely back, to try out other dishes on the menu, and Sunday High Tea.