Boston

Tucked away on a side street near South Station, O Ya is devilishly hard to find, but that hasn't stopped local foodies from discovering it and raving about the swoon-worthy sushi. — Michelin Guide

If you can, secure a table here on the blissful, wisteria-laden patio, where you can linger over Mediterranean-fused lamb steak with fava-bean moussaka. — Rough Guide

Raising the (oyster) bar to new heights. — Bon Appétit

The menu may read adventurous, but it never disappoints. The nasi goreng alone will have you coming back for more. — On the Grid

Displaying all the brick-and-wood rusticity of its progenitors, it contains an open kitchen turning out Spanish tidbits, authentic in spirit as well as in their ingredients. — Gayot

It looks like all the other beef barns: high ceilings, marble columns, white tablecloths and white-jacket clad waiters, lawyers and brokers whooping it up with trophy wives over trophy wines. — Time Out

No. 9 Park’s refined kitchen offers a menu of classic country fare from southern France and Italy, but Lynch really shines in her signature dishes. Chef’s tasting menu available. — Where

Down a cobbled brick passageway in the heart of Harvard Square you'll find this sophisticated shrine to New England cuisine. — Fodor's

Classic burger joint across from the Yard. — Not For Tourists

The oldest restaurant in Boston jumped on the 19th-century oyster craze long before any other raw bars in the city even existed. — Travel + Leisure

With Clio, Ken Oringer developed a reputation for groundbreaking creativity---at wallet-crumpling prices. — Gayot

Geographically, this raucous restaurant is in Somerville, but in spirit it's on a Southern back road. — Frommer's

Although it is open all year, this Fort Point Channel restaurant is best in summer, when diners can sit outdoors at picnic tables and wield heavy stones to crush lobster and crab shells. — DK Eyewitness

This “sleek” Fort Point sibling to Island Creek Oyster Bar “hits all the right notes” with “fresh”, “crisp”, “beautifully prepared” seafood. — Zagat

Chef Peter Davis ensures that this place is one of the city’s best farm-to-table restaurants. — Where

Rustic, wood-fired pizza and the like. — Not For Tourists

'Bivalves', reads a hand-shaped sign on the gate, pointing you towards Barbara Lynch's diminutive, understated oyster bar. — Time Out

There are lots of nice restaurants in Boston, but not many where you feel like you actually have to dress up to walk in the door. — BlackBook