Boston’s Theater District in Downtown Boston may be small, but its abundance of Broadway shows, opera concerts, and ballets make it a significant cultural hub of the city. This is the definitive guide to the best theater district restaurants Boston for whether you’re looking for a bite pre-show, post-show, or are just in the area.
The theater district borders Boston’s Chinatown and Downtown Crossing. Given how compact Downtown Boston is, some of the spots on this list are a couple of blocks outside the theater district.
Best Theater District Restaurants Boston
French Quarter
Snugly located between the Citizens Bank Opera House and Paramount Theater, French Quarter is a New Orleans-inspired restaurant and cocktail bar. The dinner menu includes Southern staples like Creole Jambalaya, gumbo, and crawfish. Or, enjoy a Po’Boy, a fried shrimp sandwich, on their brunch menu.
The decor inside French Quarter is fun with tile floors, a bright blue bar top, and exposed brick walls.
545 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111 / frenchquarterboston.com
Happy Lamb Hot Pot
Especially in the chilly winter weather, Happy Lamb Hot Pot is one of my go-to Boston theater district restaurants. The Chinese hot pot restaurant has a diverse menu with an all-you-can-eat hot pot option.
For anyone who doesn’t know how hot pot works, your table has a communal pot of soup broth where you cook your ingredients. They also have a do-it-yourself sauce bar.
When you first arrive, you choose from their broths, with flavors ranging from their house marrow signature bone, spicy marrow, tomato marrow, and cabbage. Their meat plates are filling – I recommend the beef short plate and prime-aged lamb. You can also fill your soup with greens, mushrooms, fishcakes, and noodles.
693 Washington St, Boston, MA 02116 / happylambhotpot.com
Colette Wine Bistro
Colette is an elegant, French-inspired wine bistro for brunch or drinks. Start with a French onion soup. It’s slightly sweet from its caramelized onions, with savory notes from beef broth and wine. The steak frites are another staple dish – it is perfectly cooked skirt steak with crispy french fries.
The setting is comfortable with plenty of natural sunlight and sleek furnishing. There are giant plants throughout the space for a splash of greenery, a mishmash of different types of lounge chairs, and a bar area that is lit up bright pink in the evening.
140 Boylston St 1st Floor, Boston, MA 02116 / colette1924.com
Ruka Restobar
Of all the Asian fusion options in Boston, Ruka Restobar is one of the most unique. The menu combines ingredients, produce, and cooking techniques across Peruvian, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine. The diverse menu includes makimono sushi rolls, wok-fried rice, noodles, and vibrant and inventive cocktails.
The restaurant’s decor is contemporary and funky with dragon-wrapped pillars, rainbow-patterned ceilings, and an illuminated bar area.
505 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111 / rukarestobar.com
Boston Kitchen Pizza
For a quick and affordable slice of pizza, you can’t go wrong with this spot right at the edge of the theater district of Boston. They serve their pizza New York style, meaning the base layer is thin and foldable while the crust is thick and crispy. A regular cheese slice goes for $4 and a topping slice is $5, making it the perfect cheap eat option for the area. Some flavors include buffalo chicken, pepperoni, spinach and roasted garlic, and their rotating slice of the day. Each slice is fresh and flavor-packed without being overly greasy.
The pizza shop is counter service with some tables, chairs, and stool seating along the window.
Further Reading: 17+ Best Cheap Eats in Boston
Ostra
For a special pre-theater dinner, Ostra is a luxurious Mediterranean seafood restaurant. The menu draws influences from local and European varieties of seafood, and its light preparation highlights the natural and fresh flavors of each dish. Led by Chef and Owner Jamie Mammano and Executive Chef Mitchell Randall, their dinner menu is focused on the highest quality ingredients.
Ostra has a rotating menu to match the seafood seasonality, but some dishes to expect are their sea bass and yellowfin tuna tartare, oyster selection, and paella. For a heavier main, opt for a steak or an entire fish.
1 Charles St S, Boston, MA 02116 / ostraboston.com
Boston Chops Downtown
For an elevated dining experience, Boston Chops is a Boston staple with locations in the South End and Downtown. On their cultivated menu you can find premium cuts of steak, a raw bar, beef Wellington, and other chef-driven creations. Just about everything on the menu is excellent, but you can’t go wrong with their steak frites!
The interior of the restaurant is modern and sleek, with a business casual atmosphere. This is a good choice for an elevated restaurant if you only have one day in Boston.
52 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111 / bostonchops.com
Democracy Brewing
Located on a side street of Downtown Crossing, Democracy Brewing is a brewpub with an extensive beer selection. For those who can’t decide on which to choose, they have a flight for 4 five-ounce pours.
Democracy Brewing’s food menu is diverse, with salads, entrees like fish and chips, shrimp scampi, and sandwiches. They even have more unconventional bar items like sweet chili fried chicken bao buns and tacos.
My favorite dish at Democracy is their spicy buffalo cauliflower with ranch. It has a tangy spice and satisfying crunch to it. It’s a large serving, making it the perfect shareable plate.
35 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111 / democracybrewing.com
Double Chin
A great Asian fusion restaurant and possibly the best late-night spot on this theater district restaurants Boston list is Double Chin in Chinatown. Double Chin’s menu draws influences from Hong Kong and Chinese cuisine. Must-tries on their fusion menu include the “poutine your mouth” (poutine with waffle fries and “kimcheese”) mapo tofu nachos, and their Hong Kong “cube toast” dessert loaded with ice cream and other toppings.
Another draw of Double Chin is that they close late compared to its neighbors. On weekdays they close at 11PM, but on weekends they close at 4AM, making it perfect for anyone who’s out late.
86 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111 / doublechinbos.com
Shaking Crab
For seafood lovers, Shaking Crab should be at the top of your best theater district restaurants Boston list.
Every Monday to Wednesday from 4pm to 8pm, Shaking Crab has an all-you-can-eat seafood boil that includes premium meats like snow crab legs, crawfish, clams, mussels, and more. You can accompany your meal with sides like garlic noodles, clam chowder, and cajun fries.
The dining experience is highly interactive, where they put a bag of seafood boil over wax paper on the table for you to pull apart the meats. They provide you with a bib, gloves, and all the tools you need to pull apart the shells.
140 Boylston St 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02116 / shakingcrab.com
Pho Pasteur
The next spot on the best theater district restaurants Boston are just a few streets away in Boston’s Chinatown. Pho Pasteur is a bustling restaurant serving classic Vietnamese noodle dishes like pho, vermicelli bowls, rice plates, and more. This place is the perfect spot for a quick meal – there is always a constant rush of people. Service moves quickly and you’ll get your dish within minutes.
My go-to is the pho tai, a beef-broth noodle soup with tender thin-cut beef slices. The broth is rich without being greasy or oily.
682 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111 / phopasteur.com
Further Reading: The Best Boston Vietnamese Restaurants
Tora Ramen
Tora is one of my favorite Boston-area ramen shops conveniently located just a block from the Theater District. Their no-frills menu includes beer and sake, Japanese appetizers (get the kuro karaage, fried chicken in a black garlic batter!), and a selection of ramen.
I always go for the Tonkotsu ramen with a simple pork bone broth or their spicy miso ramen with butter. Another fan favorite is the black garlic tonkotsu ramen with torched pork belly, corn, nori, onions, and kaiwari. The noodles are perfectly al dente and absorb the broth flavor well.
Note: This is a no-frills, cash-only restaurant with limited seating. Every time I’ve been, however, it’s never been too busy and my group was seated fairly quickly!
99 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111 / toraboston.com
Maria’s Taqueria
Maria’s Taqueria is the perfect casual option for a quick bite in the downtown Boston area. Located just a street away from the theaters and nightclubs, the counter-service restaurant serves a variety of burritos, tacos, and quesadillas at low prices. I particularly love their birria tacos, which come in a set of 3 and are filled with beef birria, onions, tomatoes, and a side of consomme. The beef is tender and the shell is perfectly crispy.
226 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116 / mariastaqueriaboston.com
Yvonne’s
A New American restaurant and lounge on the theater district restaurants Boston list is Yvonne’s in Downtown Crossing. The inside of the restaurant is stunning — its dimly lit with illuminated bookshelves and portrait pictures across the walls, and chandeliers from the ceiling.
Yvonne’s globally-inspired menu draws influences from Europe, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. The restaurant aims to be a modern-day supper club, with shareable plates like flatbreads, chicken and quinoa meatballs, and kale and farro salads.
2 Winter Pl, Boston, MA 02108 / yvonnesboston.com
Jm Curley
For a lively bar that’s close to the T and has great American comfort food, Jm Curley is an easy and reliable option. You can’t go wrong with their wings, burgers, or hefty plates of buffalo mac and cheese. The bar is narrow and dimly lit, with liquor bottles lined against the wall. Given its rowdy and fun atmosphere, it’s a great spot for a bite and a drink with friends.
21 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111 / jmcurleyboston.com
Cafe Bonjour
For a great all-day breakfast, Cafe Bonjour near Downtown Crossing is a local favorite that prides itself on food that’s ethically grown and locally sourced. Their breakfast selection ranges from egg scramble sandwiches to avocado toast to shakshuka. You can’t go wrong with any of their breakfast plates. For sweets, I recommend crepes or stuffed French toast. Not in the mood for breakfast? Their lunch menu consists of burgers and salads.
The restaurant is cozy with its warm lighting from the bulbs hanging from the ceiling, open kitchen, and wood-furnished walls.
55 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111 / cafebonjourboston.com
Further Reading: Best Breakfast in Boston: 27 Spots
Honorable Mentions: Best Theater District Restaurants Boston
Nan Xiang Express: A great quick bite on this best theater district restaurants Boston guide is this casual Shanghainese spot in the heart of Chinatown. Nan Xiang is a spinoff of the Michelin-rated Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao in New York City. The Boston location has a menu centered around soup dumplings, noodles, and classic Dim Sum dumpling dishes. The atmosphere is super casual, with a self-service kiosk and no wait staff.
You can’t go wrong with any of the dumplings. They have traditional Shanghainese soup dumplings filled with steaming pork-bone broth soup and the option of pork, pork and shrimp, and pork and veggies. My absolute favorite dumpling dish to get, however, is the chili wontons with a peanut butter sauce.
Wrapping Up: Best Theater District Restaurants Boston
That concludes my local’s guide to the best theater district restaurants Boston! Once you’ve eaten your way through the neighborhood, find other top places to eat in Boston:
- 21 Best Vegan Restaurants in Boston
- Boston’s Best Bakery: 17 Pastry Shops
- Ultimate Foodie Boston Bucket List
Or, check out my Boston activity guides:
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