The Best American Restaurants in Boston, Massachusetts

If you want tradition, get it here. Located in one of the oldest parts of the city, Union Oyster House dates back to 1826, making it the oldest seafood restaurant in the US. It’s also a designated National Historic Landmark. The building is still the same pre-Revolutionary War edifice built more than 250 years ago, and the interior is decorated with 18th-century American memorabilia. It’s perhaps one of the most loved and locally tolerated parts of the Faneuil Market area. There’s even a Kennedy Booth that JFK allegedly preferred to sit at when frequenting the restaurant. Expect to find a whole range of seafood, classic clam chowder, slow-roasted black beans in clay pots and, of course, Sam Adams beer on tap.

Mooo Restaurant is a high-end steakhouse located in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood. Make a reservation and try out their fresh seafood dishes, the Creekstone Farms pepper-crusted prime sirloin au poivre, or one of their impressive filet mignons. You can also have a private dining experience in their sophisticated wine cellar. As you’d expect, Mooo’s wine list is top-notch, with over 325 labels from all over the world.

Meritage Restaurant pairs fine wines with delicious meals. Chef Daniel Bruce sources unique ingredients and flavors from vineyards around the globe for his vineyard-to-table concept. The restaurant is located at Rowe’s Wharf and offers stunning views of the harbor, making it a perfect destination for a romantic dinner. Enjoy wine that complements your seafood, duck, or tenderloin entrées, all cooked with olive oil sourced from a different vineyard each month.

Canary Square is Jamaica Plain’s best place for outdoor eats. With both sheltered and unsheltered outdoor seating, this is a great place to come enjoy delicious re-imaginings of classic American food. This restaurant makes fantastic sandwiches and burgers, but be sure to try the mac and cheese with bacon and truffle oil as an essential side dish.

Comfortably set away in an alleyway beset by hanging flowers and overhead festival lights, the outdoor seating at Russell House Tavern offers an intimacy rare in urban restaurants. With a great view of Harvard Square, this restaurant dishes up some of the best contemporary American cuisine in the city. With small plates galore, look to split the steak tartare and pork trio with your carnivore buddy, and watch the world go by from one of the best vantage points in Boston.

The Smoke Shop, located in Kendall Square, Cambridge’s trendy tech hub near the campus of M.I.T., is a go-to joint for Southern barbecue. With four TVs hooked to surround sound audio, you’ll be able to see and hear every second of the game. Plus, there’s a pool with prizes during each quarter of the game to make it even more exciting. You’ll have to buy tickets to attend, so be sure to take advantage of either the $29 dining room seats or the $49 bar seats. If you’ve got a large group, you can book the owner’s box package, which includes private TVs and a chef’s special spread, all for $79 per person.