La Brasa serves up wood-fired, globally inspired dishes in a sprawling, rustic bar-and-grill setting that's perfect for groups craving flavorful Mexican-tinged fare.
"Plan dinner around La Brasa’s essential carnitas tacos, but get there early for $1 oysters served with horseradish, mignonette, and cocktail sauce every day from 5 to 6 p.m." - Erika Adams
"Founded by owner and chef Daniel Bojorquez, Mexican-rooted restaurant La Brasa has been stoking the flames in East Somerville for a decade, consistently turning out excellent wood-fired meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes. However, the restaurant has leveled up recently with the addition of executive chef Jay Murray, an industry veteran who spent nearly 20 years at downtown Boston institution Grill 23 & Bar (another essential restaurant on this list). If you haven’t made a reservation yet, now’s the time." - Eater Staff
"Chef and owner Daniel Bojorquez, a native of Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora, fans the flames at La Brasa, a wood-fired, Mexican-rooted restaurant that pivots in tune with the New England seasons. The tortillas are made to order with fresh masa; no table is complete without at least one stack." - Nathan Tavares, Eater Staff
"Chef and owner Daniel Bojorquez grew up in Hermosillo, Mexico, and while his cuisine at the greenery-covered La Brasa isn’t strictly Mexican, the crispy cochinita tacos brings the best of the Yucatan to Boston. Tender pork brightened with achiote and citrus is tucked into made-to-order corn tortillas and served with salsa verde, cilantro, and onion." - Celina Colby, Eater Staff
"Here’s a fun fact you can use to impress a co-worker the next time there’s an awkward silence at the coffee machine: Somerville is the 16th densest city in America. With all those people and buildings in such a small area, it can be hard to find a restaurant that’s bigger than your apartment. But La Brasa in East Somerville is not only bigger than your apartment, it’s bigger than the apartment Tom Hanks had in Big that 10-year-old you surely thought you’d live in one day. There are plenty of tables available for walk-ins, and once you’re in this casual spot that sort of feels like a really big bar, you can enjoy farm-y stuff like roasted oysters, elote, or a coffee rubbed Ber." - dan secatore