Post 390

It's a good place to have seafood. However, I had a bad experience with their service. My waiter was serving a big party in the private room as well as my table. It took a long time to order and have my food served here. I wouldn't not go back. They have some great options of wine bottles. However, it's not worth the subpar level of service. I was offered some complimentary dessert for the poor service (from missing the side dishes orders and messing up the oysters) but I did not take it. I felt it was inappropriate to receive this item. I do appreciate it that they do have cab franc and their special was a whole sea bass.

I had the Lexington Brewery, Barrel Aged beer, Mixed Baby Lettuces for my appetizer, the Nantucket Sea Scallops for my main and the Frozen Margarita Pie for my dessert. Everything was fantastic and the service was equally as good. The flavors were exceptionally prominent and well balanced in everything I had. I can't get the risotto out of my head... Well done guys!

Cozy, good food, and great service. I really like the grilled octopus here. Banana pie was to die for. Coffee and desserts are awesome! Their salads are fresh, fun... somehow you finish the whole salad kind of salad. Try to sit by the fire place!

Great find. Lovely date night! Honestly would not have gone due to the price of the restaurant if not for a gift card. However we were pleasantly surprised to find that the amount of food was decent!! Took home leftovers! Their pork was delicious. The scallops tasted like bacon-crack, so savory. The crem brulee killed our stomachs... But we had to have it. We will be back!

We had our first anniversary dinner here. So good! The manager on duty moved us to a nicer table with a great view. My husband had the salmon which was a huge portion. I had the ribs with mashed potato instead of the fries. The food, staff, and atmosphere was superb.

Amazing brunch, large portions, attentive and polite service and a great atmosphere. Also has a very cozy fireplace. Tad pricey but worth the price for the quality. Some of the best food I have had in Boston! Highly recommended.

Wonderful, fresh food in a quiet atmosphere. We came in a large group and every dish was delicious. Save room for dessert!

Great place. Was quiet when we visited. Service was friendly and courteous and the breakfast on offer excellent with high quality raw materials

Ate dinner there and found the atmosphere welcoming and pleasant. Tim the manager was very accommodating on a very busy night. He was very informative about the types of oysters and added to our very pleasant experience. Our waitress Valarina was super. She was attentive without being intrusive. Absolutely loved her would highly recommend this restaurant.

As a passionate diner who truly values the hospitality and culinary delights of restaurants, I must say that this experience was truly exceptional. We had made a reservation for an early dinner, but as the rain began to fall, we arrived early, before our reservation was confirmed. In our haste, we hadn't checked the start time of dinner. When we approached the manager, who I believe was named Tim, we asked if we could still have the dinner menu. To our delight, he went to speak with the chef and went above and beyond to accommodate us. It was an incredible and wonderful gesture that made our experience even more memorable. The service was impeccable. Our server was incredibly polite, professional, and helpful. Despite being a bartender, he managed to check on us throughout the evening. As we were leaving, he stopped by to inquire about our satisfaction. This attention to detail and genuine care for our experience were truly commendable. The food was simply divine. The bread was great, but I still can't get over those Brussels sprouts. The sauce was rich and flavorful, the crunchiness was perfect, and the seasoning was spot on. For our second course, we had clam chowder and octopus. The chowder was creamy and thick, while the octopus was delicious. However, I would suggest grilling the octopus and serving it on top of the accompanying vegetables to enhance the flavors. Nevertheless, it was still a great dish. For our entrees, we had pasta and tuna. The tuna was cooked to perfection, and the only suggestion I would make is to serve the sauce on the side so that guests can add it to their liking. The cocktails were equally impressive. We had amaretto sour and gimlet, both of which were tasty and refreshing, especially on a rainy day in Boston. Overall, this restaurant was a great choice with even better ambiance. The excellent customer service and the even better food made it an unforgettable dining experience. Thank you for making our visit so special. Best regards, Srdan Dokovic

Really surprised by the experience we had here. Brought a large party (10) while on business in Boston. While the food was really good, everything else didn't live up to the price point of a restaurant like this. We were seated at a table entirely too small for 10 and everyone found it incredibly difficult to eat comfortably with plates on top of one another. 3 orders were brought out incorrectly throughout the dinner, which only added to the cramped quarters with corrected items coming out on top of entrees. Finally, the restroom I entered was a complete disaster. Toilet paper all over the floor, soap dripping all over the sink and adjacent areas. It was a surprise of an experience. I can't recommend The Banks to anyone looking for a premium dining experience in Back Bay. For a tab this size, they need to do much better.

Great experience here for Dine About Boston. The biggest reason for minus 1 star is I was disappointed that the dessert looked like very ordinary, like you could get at any ol restaurant, and it wasn't very tasty. But the hanger steak surprised me - I'm not usually a steak person and took the risk, but it was very enjoyable. I liked the airy space with lots of natural light and a view of Trinity Church in Copley Square.

Stopped by for a quick bite and sat at the bar. Great service and watched the basketball game. Had half a dozen oysters and the tuna. Both were on point but the tuna portion was on the small side. 90$ dinner with no booze.

3.5/5 We're from LA and went to The Banks for our second dinner in Boston. The space is nice, and lively but not too loud, which worked well with our 5 and 11-year-old daughters. Not many kids there, but still felt comfortable for families. We ordered: Clam chowder: 5/5 (best we had in Boston -tried 4 different places) Caviar spoon (not rating as my husband had it and it was his first time without reference. He hates salmon roe and enjoyed this. Described it as buttery and salty) Branzino:3.5/5 Lobster bake: 3.5/5 because we don't like chipotle flavor. If you do, you'll love it. Jalapeño cornbread with maple butter: 2/5 cornbread was dry and not flavorful. Parker bread comes on the house:5/5 The clam chowder was the standout. Best we've had so far in Boston (out of three places). Great balance of creamy and brothy with a slight smoky note from the pork belly. The Parker House bread was good but a little cold in the middle, and the jalapeño cornbread with maple butter wasn't worth ordering again. We were excited for the lobster bake as we loved the idea of mixed shellfish, potatoes, and chorizo, but it turned out to be really heavy on smoky chipotle flavor. If you're a chipotle fan, go for it; for us, it overpowered the seafood. Seafood was great quality. The branzino could have been better with a little salt. The tapenade type condiments on were ok. The fish did have a great crispy skin. The kids' burger was solid, but the kids' fish and chips were not worth ordering. Huge shoutout to Valeria, our waitress, who was amazing and made the overall experience very pleasant. Overall, it was fine. Although, it was the best clam chowder we had in Boston! I'd probably just go back for clam chowder and a drink.

During a recent trip to Boston, my brothers and I decided to go to the banks. It was restaurant we in Boston so we got to try their "dine out Boston" menu. I was the only person who choose from their main menu, which I has great options as well. I started with the Caesar salad and calamari. Both very good dishes. Caesar salad was exceptional and had the best place anchovies I've ever had (very fresh). The calamari really surprised me, it was a mixed between fried calamari, jalapeños, and zucchini, which was a combination I never knew I needed. For my main meal I tried the Bolognese. Everything was great our server Camilla did a great job hosting us as well.

We recently visited Boston to see the Titanic Artifacts exhibit and decided to have dinner nearby. The forecast called for a cold day with a mix of light snow and rain falling from the skies, so we wanted something a short walk away from The Castle at Park Plaza, the location for the Titanic exhibit. Consulting my "To Try" collection on Yelp, I found that The Banks Seafood & Steak fit our criteria and made a reservation. After stepping in from the cold, we checked in at the host station, where the staff warmly greeted us. The first thing that caught my attention was that the downstairs decor was plain and sparse. But we found it was also comfortable, and the gas fireplace in the center of the space was throwing off some needed warmth. (We didn't take the time to visit the upstairs portion of the restaurant.) We both felt like having seafood -- and did -- starting with the oysters. We decided to have two of the dozen we ordered with the optional caviar topping. I thought it was a great combination, but my partner found it too salty. We both enjoyed the ten remaining oysters. They were perfectly chilled and briny. My partner had the Branzino for the main course while I had Tuna Steak (rare). We both enjoyed our dishes very much. Oh. And the drinks were good, too. We'll be back.

Dine out Boston struck out again! Ok, so we normally take advantage of Dine out Boston every March. There are always great restaurants and low prices, but why do they fail every time? It is the influx of people? Is it that they just don't care? Who knows, but I think we may pass on dine out Boston in the future. We went to The Banks Seafood and Steak restaurant, and we were very excited, but eventually disappointed once again. It was our first time here, and although the restaurant has a beautiful ambiance, they need to improve their food and wine offerings. We were seated in the upstairs dining room, which had very low lighting--a feature I always enjoy, as it creates a romantic atmosphere. Our server approached us right away to ask for our water preferences. We then had a few minutes to choose our drinks. I ordered their Taittinger Champagne by the glass, which was quite expensive. When it arrived and I took a sip, it was awful. There were also no bubbles, which suggests to me that the bottle was not secured properly. They brought me another one. My husband also ordered a glass of wine, which was disappointing as well; I thought that was strange. For food, he got the Shrimp Ceviche and I ordered the Lobster Arancini. Mine was just ok. A little bit overcooked and hardly any lobster. The ceviche he ordered was not good or looked good at all. It was covered in some kind of sauce, and big uncooked pieces of Shrimp. He had them take it back. For entrees, he got the Flank Steak and I got the scallops. Although both dishes were decent, mine was very, very, salty. For dessert, they were out of the Creme Brulee, which I was very disappointed, so there was only one dessert for us to share and that was their Sticky Toffee Pudding. It was good. I was able to order some Sorbet with no extra charge. Banks, you could be better!

Great location and beautiful ambiance, 10/10 server was Leidy 2/10--Bread 2/10 --crab cake as an appetizer 8/10--and hot lobster roll 7/10 Overall, I'd give this restaurant a 6 out of 10

The quality of the food at The Banks is truly top notch. We were there, unfortunately, during a far-too-busy Harvard reunion night so you could tell the kitchen and staff were overworked, but they did their best. We did speak to the wait staff and they acknowledged the issue very gracefully and gifted us with additional wine and a lovely surprise for dessert. Before that, however, I devoured probably the best clam chowda I've ever had in my life. So light, flavorful, and creamy at the same time. The lobsta was prepared perfectly and accompanied with about two pounds each of creamy whipped potatoes. Wonderful experience in a beautiful setting. Just avoid Harvard nights. ;)

Delicious food & elegant atmosphere. This was a fantastic dinner. A little overpriced maybe, even for upscale dining. $32 for the small lobster tail appetizer was a bit much, but overall, it was a wonderful meal. I had the lobster ravioli, which strangely had mashed potatoes in the ravioli. I would not have ordered it if I had known that (carbs stuffed inside carbs is sort of overkill), but it was very good. Still, I think it would've been even better with ricotta maybe instead of the mashed potatoes, but I'm certainly no chef. Oh, but the very lightly fried lobster chunks on top were absolutely perfect! The bread was amazing. A little honey drizzle, then the salt kicks in -- BOOM, the perfect sweet/salty combo. I usually don't even eat the bread at restaurants because it seems unnecessary, but this bread is so worth it! She introduced herself, but I'm terrible at remembering names. The somm here was wonderful, knowledgeable, and friendly.

Nice restaurant with good ambience, but unfortunately the food was just so-so. Best dishes were the poached halibut with black caviar and creamy sauce, and grilled branzino (love those roasted beets). The Parker house rolls were also excellent. Reisling was great and the two cappuccinos that my friends had looked good too. Praline cheesecake was light but not super memorable. The octopus was just fine, but didn't think the fried potato croquette base was all that additive. The hiramasa crudo had some great accompanying sauces and flavors, and I was impressed by the coral shaped wafers (which turned out to be a bit stale, sadly), but I was looking for a cleaner taste to the fish itself. Service was attentive. All in all, it's a fine enough restaurant but wish the food was a bit better..

Good food pricey. Also slow service took us half hour to pay the bill Seafood boil was really good. Steak good but unevenly cooked. Would recommend Spanish octopus and clam chowder

3-course lunch for Dine Out Boston, which felt very worth at $36. Service was attentive given that the place was pretty empty. * Ceviche: fresh fish but the sweet potato chips were criminally stale * Lamb ravioli: I really liked the corn in this! The pasta itself was tasty but didn't blow me away * Chocolate hazelnut torte: this was the showstopper, so rich and delicious

Classy Classy Classy Went to the Banks for a family celebration. Every detail screams customer service. The entire staff work's together with the goal of providing their guest with a memorable evening. The restaurant itself beautiful almost in an old fashion way but it is definitely modern. I wasn't sure about the cocktail I ordered and our server said if I didn't like it, she'd make me another drink. Very kind. I had the friend of the devil and I loved it. We shared oysters, broccolini, Brussels sprouts. All enjoyed. Seafood was cooked to perfection and all the steak was prepared as ordered. The chef made me a vegetarian dish that was nourishing and delicious. The desserts were wonderful. Tasty and creative. Fun evening with wonderful ambiance, service and delicious food.

Love how the place was large and spacious; elegant with a touch of class. The bread for the table was amazing - fresh with a honey glaze. My favorite was the Maine Mussels, one of the best flavors on mussels I've ever had. Think because of that, the lobster bake was a bit anti-climactic although still good. The waitress and staff were attentive, they took care of our stroller without fuss and we had an enjoyable evening with our family.

I'm really hoping this place isn't sliding. I like to come here when I'm in town as it's tough to get decent seafood in my neck of the woods. As a solo mostly I like to sit at the bar. This time however, I felt like I was in the subway at rush hour (although the bar was pretty empty), pushing just to get recognized as a customer. I sat for a few minutes in a less than optimal spot and when a couple left, moved to right in front of the bartenders just to be noticed. They were more interested in talking between themselves than serving a single older person. Finally I was noticed and ordered a vodka martini. Quite nice (but not a challenging drink- I ordered it to be safe). Then I tried to wave someone down to ask about the oysters. It took me three tries. And they were walking back and forth right in front of me. When they paid attention i ordered half dozen. (3 of each type) They were so fresh and full of liquor. Unfortunately one type was full of grit so I couldn't drink the liquor. The other three were nice and clean. Oysters did not disappoint. But the service was so disturbing that I decided not to order the bronzino and left to have dinner elsewhere. I'm not afraid to spend a lot of money on dinner if it's good. But not here. Will have to check out other seafood places (not Atlantic fish company lol. A rip off and not even good).

Had brunch here this past Sunday around 1pm. The place was only about 30% full, so there was no reason for the disorganized service we received. We ordered the lobster hash, fried chicken sandwich, king crab (which was great), and the Ora King salmon. The salmon crudo was overwhelmed by unnecessary additions like figs and parmesan--it completely masked the fish, which should've been the star of the dish. The lobster hash came out without the corned beef, which is a key component of the dish, so I had to send it back. My wife's sandwich was just okay--bread was dry and underwhelming overall. The manager did come over to apologize for the kitchen's mistake, but after handing us the bill, he mentioned he had comped one drink. One drink? That's your move after serving an incomplete entrée? I had to ask him to take the lobster hash off the check, which should've been the automatic first step--not just a token drink comp. If you want to diffuse bad service, you take responsibility properly. Honestly, I'm still wondering how this guy became a manager

The Banks is good. Really good. Service is great and appetizers are compositionally well-thought-out and elegantly presented. Steaks are good, nothing brilliant, but I expect steaks to be hot and perfectly cooked for a restaurant to call itself a steakhouse, and I wasn't disappointed. Starter bread is unbelievable. The above is the normal review muck. This part of the review you have to read. Who ever makes the banana cream pie, take the recipe and start a banana cream pie restaurant. May that be the only food you serve. That banana cream pie is genuinely the best dessert dish I've ever had in my life. I wish I could have gone back in time to order it for all 3 courses. Good god.

Great service and experience! We came in last minute and they made it happen! Marshall is the goat!

Came here for the restaurant week special that ended today. What a delicious lunch meal it was! I had the ceviche, shrimp tacos, and strawberry crème brûlée. All three were delicious and I highly recommend them! The service was great and the overall restaurant has a super cool ambiance! When we are back in the area we will stop in again! Great place! Highly recommend!

I usually give Banks a 5-star rating and would have done so today but for the exceptionally long wait for a table for Sunday brunch when I had a reservation. I received a text saying my table was ready and I should head over, which I did. When I arrived, I was told (by the very nice hostess, so no shade on her or any of the staff) that there was no table available, and that folks were leaving and they would prepare the table once they were gone. Fifteen minutes or so later the table was ready. Part of the problem may be that the upstairs was not being used. I don't know when that policy was implemented because I was there in mid-January and sat upstairs. But that kind of wait is unacceptable when one has reservations, especially after receiving several texts to confirm my reservation and make sure I still planned to come. Aside from that, the experience once seated was up to the usual standards. Our server was excellent--polite and efficient without being too much of a presence. The food -- clam bellies and waffles for two of us, lemon pancakes for one -- was top notched, beautifully presented and delicious. I would return but too bad this experience was marred by the table wait. I hope Banks can get a better handle on seating in future.

Been to The Banks several times now for drinks, apps, n' brunch and have enjoyed each visit! Cozy yet elevated decor, dress casual or fancy (hotel bar vibe). The food has been excellent as well as cocktails + really nice servers each time I have visited. Do not miss dessert, staff tells me there's a dedicated pastry chef and it is evident in the decadent and fun menu items I've tried (espresso martini sundae, banana pudding). The veggie sides are some of the best I've had- brussel sprouts and broccoli rabe . I had my first taste of caviar here at their "Caviar happy hour" which was a surprising delight. I would recommend the Banks for a date spot, friends brunch, or solo drink!

We spent the weekend in Boston and came here for lunch on a Saturday. They were moderately busy and still serving their brunch menu at noon. Check in was great, the hostess and manager were both very engaging and provided a warm welcome. The fire place we sat next to provided nice warmth to help take the chill off from walking there. The menu was filled with great items that looked very appetizing, as did their wine list. They even have some very nice half bottles, which is what we opted for. Ultimately, at the manager's suggestion, I opted for their warm lobster roll, but first up was their clam chowder. My wife absolutely loved the clam chowder, so did I! But we disagree about which was best between here and Abe & Louie's, as I felt this one was amazing, but I felt that Abe & Louie's edged this one out - She disagreed! Either way, you can't go wrong with the clam chowder here, so get it!! The next course was their incredibly large and fresh shrimp cocktail, which came with their zesty cocktail sauce and tasty homemade hot sauce - This was truly a great experience! The lobster roll was made we meaty, fresh, sweet lobster and the brioche bun was made in-house and was outstanding! In fact, the whole sandwich was amazing! Save room for dessert! We opted for ice cream with their home made hot fudge and that fudge was incredible! We definitely enjoyed this visit and would highly recommend stopping in... we'll definitely be back!

Great service. Very nice ambiance. Clean restaurant. Good free bread with a fat ramekin of soft butter. Good clam chowder. Good happy hour tacos. Everything was salted properly. But I would have liked more seasoning for flavor. But it was also nice to enjoy the food without distraction of too much seasoning. I may visit again for dinner at some point in the future and try something different. The 100 day aged ribeye was tempting, maybe next time.

Very trendy interior. A very solid seafood restaurant. They have steak too, who come from grill 23, so a place for all pallets. Food was very solid overall and I will return 4/5 Fluke crude with passion fruit and strawberries. Fishing sauce with good acidity. The fluke was fresh and tender. But the sauce overpowered the fish 3.5/5 Clam chowder 4/5 wish there was a bit more clams, but very rich and flavorful overall. This would really but the spot in the winder Branzino 5/5 perfectly cooked, crispy skin. Anchovy butter added great umami flavor . Perfectly executed dish. Fregula and and peas created a nice texture and a nice mild flavor to compliment the dish.

Came for a dinner meeting. Nice ambiance and friendly staff. Problem was the food. Started with calamari, which was lukewarm, heavily fried, and served with a thick orange sauce. Ribeye steak was grilled properly (medium) but too fatty and covered with a glutinous brown gravy. Biggest disappointment was the vodka martini, which lacked olives because the restaurant had no pitted olives. Apparently, they received pitted green olives by mistake. The waitstaff put a lemon peel in as replacement without asking.

This place was average at best. Service was good. Calamari sauce had an overpowering Smokey flavor, sea bass was an anemic overdone filet, and praline cheesecake had a strong cinnamon taste. Overall would never go here again. Service was attentive and polite.

I've been here twice and have not had a bad meal. The fireplace is bomb (first floor). Second visit I dined upstairs (Me: "oh damn, there is a whole upstairs area!??"). Staff was great. * Dover Sole Meunière 5/5- I cannot tell you if it needs to be $70 or what makes it $70. What I can tell you is that it was the best sole I've had. * Ceviche 5/5 - very good. If it was customized to my taste, I'd add a little more of a spicy kick but the flavor profile was yum. The plantain chips were fresh and delicious. * Jumbo Scallops 5/5 - SO GOOD. * Branzino 4/5 - beautifully cooked. Perfect crisp on the skin. Great sauce. Downgraded to 4 only because it felt a tad under salted.

A decadent 2 story restaurant with multiple private rooms, a bar, floor to ceiling windows diagonally across overlooking the John Hancock Tower. Good location in the Copley/Prudential area. The design is very modern. The restaurant is a sister restaurant to Grill 23 and Bar, which is located down the street. We got seated upstairs and we started off with the New England Clam Chowder which came with bacon, which added a nice salt flavor. We also ordered some of the raw oysters, some were good and others were a little fishy. For the steak, it was delicious and seasoned well, a little overpriced as to be expected, but really good. The broccolini was crunchy and very filling as well.

I checked out The Banks for Boston Restaurant week! It was $55 per person deal that was 3 course meal! Appetizer, main , and dessert! The service was amazing we had a few servers helping us! This is definitely a cute date night or celebration dinner location!

This is a nice spot for lunch and dinner, not many people in for lunch which I like because I don't like overly crowded restaurants. They offered oysters which were great, not sure what type of oysters they were, but I loved them with the sauces. The lobster roll was probably their best I have ever had, they gave a side of the butter and dude I had to pour all of it for every bite. The lobster itself was a bit on the chewier side, but the butter made up for it. The fries were nice and crispy. I will say, I did order the mini lobster roll, but the waiter heard lobster roll, and it was a bummer when I saw the actual charge, but it ended up being the perfect amount for us. Just make sure to specify very clearly, I doubt the mini lobster roll is ordered as much in comparison to the actual full size one lol. The clam chowder was great.

I made a last minute reservation at Banks so I was seated right away. The server ignored me for about 10 minutes- I was alone so this happens a lot. I ordered a Kentucky mule and was surprised how much ice it had- overwhelmed the drink. I ordered the branzino but without the anchovy butter. The plate was drenched with orange sauce- it was tasty but a bit too much sauce. The fish was cooked well. Not too much else on the plate- surprising for a $42 entree. Bread was delish- warm and bit of honey on top. Overall it was good . Ambient noise was a bit loud, would recommend to turn the music down

Went last night for a Team dinner, was seated in the wine / private room at the top of the stairs. Great little space, Great location. Service was great, atmosphere was great, Speed of service & staff was even great. Menu was lacking slightly (consensus of the table) there was more than enough options, just felt like they were all super similar and all that we did order was DELICIOUS... But we all just felt that there could have been a bit more to pick from. The scallops were good, the Tower was great, all the seafood was fresh, Drinks were good. Nothing bad I can say just wasnt wow'ed to the point where Im telling the hubby we have to run right back!

Great lobster roll and food, service kind of slow but was a busy Saturday evening. The drinks are standard prices for Newbury.

Very attractive restaurant reasonable menu and good quality food. Had an enjoyable evening.

To start with I think that the pricing at this restaurant is actually good for a seafood place. We had the baked stuffed lobster, filet migon and a short rib burger. The short rib burger was really good, not overly seasoned. Just enough to let the flavor of the burger patty come through. The filet mignon was amazing, very tender. The mash potatoes that came with the lobster was under whelming. The stuffed lobster was ok, to be honest. Next time i would probably go with the steamed lobster. They server was amazing, oh and the ambience was absolutely beautiful.

I had the best fried calamari here! The service was top notch as well! It gives a very classy, upscale vibe. I would definitely come back and bring friends.

The clam chowder is great! They also have a good looking lobster roll. The interior is very beautiful and upscale, perfect for a corporate lunch in the area.

Beautiful atmosphere, nice wine, friendly service but, in my opinion not the best clam chowder. Enjoyed the Caesar a lot as well as the warm rolls with butter (which had flaky salt - making it perfection).

Came here for my birthday I love seafood so this was a no brainer. Loved the char on the octopus, and the salmon was perfectly cooked w the skin nice and crispy. For next time, I would skip the tuna tartare and depending on my food the uni squid ink pasta. Tasty in theory, but the sauce was a little thin for my liking. Clam chowder is great here, but I think you have to pay for the bread rolls :(

My family hosted my bridal shower at The Banks Fish House and it was nothing short of amazing! Erica couldn't have been more helpful during the planning process. She is very responsive and flexible --- we really enjoyed working with her. The shower was perfect in every way and a lot of that had to do with Banks! We rented the 'The City View' (one of their many event spaces) which is a beautiful room with floor-to-ceiling windows and views of Back Bay. We opted for the 2-course brunch and offered french toast, fried chicken sandwiches and lobster rolls as our entree selections. Almost everyone, including myself, ordered a lobster roll! The lobster rolls were delicious and FULL of lobster. Banks allowed us to bring a cake in as well as another dessert from our favorite bakery. We really appreciated that! The staff waiting on us during the shower were fabulous. Drink service was attentive and quick and they were great about checking in on me, which was so nice! We highly recommend hosting your event at Banks. The restaurant is beautiful, the food is delicious and the staff are fantastic! We couldn't have had a better experience and can't wait to come back in the future!

We wanted to finish up our visit with more lobster rolls and this place seemed like a good fit. We ordered the cold lobster rolls which were expensive ($50) but very good. Big chunky pieces of lobster with a hint of sweetness and minimal amount of vinegar flavor (which may be a local thing but we don't like it). The buns were a little too thick but nicely buttered and toasted on the outside - if it was half the thickness it would have been perfect. The fries were not great. Dry and a little overdue - I recommend sticking with chips. Overall it was good but too pricey so I'm not planning to revisit

We came here for a weekend brunch, no reservations, but we were able to be seated immediately. The ambiance was great with a fireplace, and beautiful floor to ceiling windows to people watch. Our main goal coming here was to try to the clam chowder -- we had heard amazing things and it was did not disappoint. We also had a fried oyster reuben which was honestly incredible, and a lobster roll which was good but not the best we've had in Boston. Cocktails were also 10/10 - I'd recommend the Violet Nights. The only minor critique is the timing of the food coming out. Our entrees came out before the starter clam chowder and then 5 minutes into our main course the chowder finally came out which then we had too much food on our table at once.. all in all though I'd recommend checking this place out.

For the love of brunch, run don't walk, and go grab yourself the lobster hash at The Banks Fish House! This is the most decadent yet well rounded brunch dish with rich and savory flavors that go perfectly together. We also enjoyed the chowder and oysters. The service was excellent and the ambiance was inviting with great natural light pouring through the windows of the restaurant. We sat downstairs at the bar and want to try sitting upstairs during our next visit!

My daughter and I, after a Sunday matinee at The Lyric Stage, were looking for some sustenance for the drive home. We usually head in the other direction, but this time we looked east on Stuart Street and there was a sign 'The Banks,' which piqued our interest. Not really planning on dinner, we sat at the first floor bar, perused the menu and decided to split a Caesar salad, a crab cake, and mussels. Excellent choices, all three, especially the crab cake. The mussel broth was a bit spicy for my taste, but that's on me. The menu made it perfectly clear what the ingredients are, and my daughter liked the dish a lot. My Campari and soda featured a generous pour of Campari.

Parking: typical parking situation in Boston. Plan ahead. Some 2h meter options. Ambiance: low key. Has an upstairs and downstairs. Food: Peruvian inspired dishes since I was told the chef is Peruvian. The ceviche was amazing! Also recommend trying the forager mushroom side dish! The sides are very shareable sized. Some meat and seafood options. Bread was offered with the meal. Service: amazing. Our waitress was very knowledgeable and made great recommendations.

Maybe we didn't order the right things but I've had better seafood elsewhere. Overcooked was the running theme of the night. I'm still on the hunt for an excellent lobster roll in the city. 1. Prime location right off I-90. We also nabbed a good parking deal off SpotHero in the garage right next to the restaurant. 2. In terms of food - the chowder was good and thick, with generous chunks of potato, but where was the clam? I couldn't taste any of it. The best part of the soup was the pillowy-perfect dinner roll that came on the side. We also got the calamari, which came with banana peppers and jalapeño, but the calamari itself could have used a good blot and had a whiff of stale oil. I got the cold lobster roll - plenty of lobster but the bun itself was not good at all. It's listed on the menu as a "brown butter bun." If you love butter, you might enjoy it - I thought the bread was extremely dry, with an overwhelming aftertaste of butter, and ended up just eating the lobster by itself. The best lobster bun by far has been Eventide's. Other people were similarly unenthused about their dishes. My aunt's swordfish was way overcooked, as were my cousin's lobster tail and the burgers. At this price point (about $270 for four people, before tax), everything could have been better. 3. Really good service, fancy decor. You could dress down in jeans and also come here for a special occasion.