Saltie Girl
Seafood restaurant · Back Bay
279 Dartmouth St, Boston, MA 02116
Highlights
Seafood towers, tinned fish, and lobster rolls are highlights
Seafood towers, tinned fish, and lobster rolls are highlights
"As one of the first spots in town to serve a tinned fish plate, Saltie Girl has long been ahead of the curve when it comes to seafood in Boston. But while their list of shelf-stable fish would put a prepper’s pantry to shame, they also keep enough caviar on hand to feed a ten-top of oligarchs. Start with the mini caviar roll stuffed with crème fraîche, or the irresistible caviar dip, also with crème fraîche and served with housemade potato chips. Of course there are seafood towers—three, depending on your appetite and bank account. The fried lobster and waffle topped with a sweet corn butter sounds like it was custom built for TikTok, but it’s so good you’ll wonder why lobster isn’t always paired with waffles. They also do New England basics really well, serving one of the best lobster rolls in Boston. While Saltie Girl has a perfectly lovely sunny dining room, the small windowless bar tucked just behind it feels like being on a yacht and, as such, is our favorite seat in the house." - tanya edwards, jonathan smith
"Saltie Girl and its various rooms can serve many purposes and many moods. You can grab a quick lobster roll at the charming maritime lunch counter, or the main dining room works if you use “brunch” as a verb and enjoy gold accents and the fantasy of eating inside a flamingo. The back bar is great for sipping a mezcal hibiscus cocktail in the dark. And while it’s possible to have a great traditional New England seafood meal here, Saltie Girl’s spiritual center feels more aligned with Sunday afternoon french toast fueled by its $75 mimosa bar. The many faces of Saltie Girl can feel disjointed, but the throughline connecting them all is quality seafood and one of the best lobster rolls in Boston, served with house-branded potato chips. There are seafood towers—three, depending on your appetite and bank account—as well as fried lobster and waffles topped with sweet corn butter that will put other waffles to shame. Come here with friends visiting from land-locked states or a group tired of the stereotypical Boston seafood offerings and you’ll likely find something to make everyone happy. Food Rundown Warm Spicy King Crab Roll The spicy (as in mayo) in the name should be your first tip that this isn’t a sandwich. The crab is tossed warm with Kewpie spicy mayo, rolled up in soft soy paper with avocado, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It might be the ideal nexus of heat and crunch, with just enough softness to round everything out. photo credit: Joe St. Pierre Secret Lobster Roll There are two lobster roll options on the menu at Saltie Girl—warm with white wine butter sauce, and cold with mayo. Order the warm one. There’s also a top-secret roll that you have to ask for specifically at least once in your life. The lobster is fried in a light, tempura-like batter and tossed in beurre blanc sauce before being piled into a warm buttered roll and served alongside branded sea salt chips (if you really like them, you can order them online). photo credit: Natalie Schaefer Ipswich Clams If you want to stay true to your Boston roots, get a basket of these beauties and crunch down on bellies and tentacles. House made tartar sauce and freshly harvested (off Ipswich, duh) clams level this dish up. photo credit: Joe St. Pierre Crab Toast A longtime Saltie Girl staple, this toast is made with francese bread and piled high with lump crab and avocado, then topped off with straciatella and a dusting of pistachios." - Tanya Edwards
"A spot known for seafood-forward charcuterie boards that feature tinned sardines and caviar alongside traditional accoutrements such as bread and pickled vegetables, presenting cured and preserved seafood as central components of composed seafood trays." - Adam H. Callaghan
"Saltie Girl in Boston has long been ahead of the curve when it comes to seafood. And while their regular lobster roll is great, served cold or hot with a white wine butter sauce, where they really level up is with their top-secret off-menu roll. The lobster is fried in a light, tempura-like batter and tossed in beurre blanc sauce before being piled into a warm buttered roll and served alongside housemade salt and vinegar chips. While Saltie Girl has a perfectly lovely sunny dining room, the small windowless bar that’s slightly hidden behind the big dining room feels like being on a yacht, and is the ideal place for a clandestine lobster roll mission." - carlo mantuano, anne cruz, team infatuation
"Saltie Girl has been an essential seafood stop on Newbury Street for nearly a decade. It delivers, whether you’re dipping in for a glass of wine and oysters after work or splurging on a seafood tower during a visit to town. Lobster comes in all sorts of fun dressings here, including lobster frites, lobster and waffles, and a crowd-favorite lobster roll that comes with a bag of Saltie Girl sea salt and vinegar potato chips." - Celina Colby
