Mooncusser
Seafood restaurant · Back Bay ·
Seasonal tasting menus with creative seafood & global dishes
Seasonal tasting menus with creative seafood & global dishes
"At Mooncusser, chef Carl Dooley elevates sturdy fish with inventive technique — the local swordfish confit turns the fish's richness up to luxurious levels and showcases why the restaurant has been a long-standing heavy hitter in Boston's seafood scene." - Todd Plummer
"Perched on a sleek second-story Back Bay dining room, this place is chef Carl Dooley’s love letter to New England seafood with a $125 tasting menu favoring creative, modern preparations like a bright yellow tomato gazpacho with royal red shrimp and habanero and a flavorful grilled swordfish adobo with pickled peppers and nectarines—intentionally skipping traditional lobster rolls and clam chowder in favor of fresh, forward-thinking coastal dishes that make dinner feel memorable and intimate." - Todd Plummer, Shannon McMahon
"Mooncusser is a fine-dining restaurant, but it’s far from the hushed, stuffy image that phrase can conjure up. The experimental tasting menu riffs off of New England ingredients without getting bogged down by the same old preparations, which makes it a fun, forward-thinking ride to buckle into for a night. If you like a particular dish, savor each bite, because chef Carl Dooley and his team rip up the menu and rewrite it every six weeks or so. Best for: Diners who want to try a fancy tasting menu but don’t want to get locked into a wallet-busting, all-night affair. Mooncusser’s menu includes a sampling of snacks, two main courses, and dessert for $120 per person." - Erika Adams
"I note that Mooncusser Fish House reads like a classic city restaurant rather than a beach shack: it offers tablecloth service, elegant preparations, and beautiful china, and the smoked scallop terrine — described as having a jouncy texture with the bottom half flecked with chives and the top embedded with chunks of scallop, served alongside house-made crackers — exemplifies the care given to the food." - Eater Staff
"Buzzy Mooncusser boasts a creative prix fixe tasting menu ($120) that changes on a seasonal basis, highlighting New England produce. Dinner kicks off with a few appetizers — perhaps a tuna crudo with blood orange citrus, olive, and a Peruvian causa with Jonah crab — and then diners can choose between two dishes for each of the three remaining courses. Of note, Mooncusser offers both a pre-dessert and a dessert course for an extra-sweet ending to your meal. Order a bottle from the impressive wine list, or spring for the optional wine pairing for $65." - Celina Colby