L’Espalier

Incredibly disappointing. We went out for my birthday and chose the prix fixe option. I’ve heard this place is known for great service. Instead, we had to ask several times for more bread and again for milk for my tea. Eventually one of the servers got me some milk as our actual waiter apparently couldn’t be bothered. If you are paying $ 100/​per person for a nice dinner, the service should be much better. The food was also only okay. My steak came out cold — perhaps they were holding it so that it would come out it with my husband’s entrée? Who knows, but it was still cold. Chocolate soufflé was delicious and the highlight of the meal. My husband got the «carrot cake» which was really weird, not tasty and didn’t really qualify as cake.

Finally paid a visit to the infamous L’Espalier, the crème de la crème of French restaurants, to celebrate a special occasion with my closest girlfriends. As expected, atmosphere was very formal and actually a bit too quiet for the likes of us but the service was exceptional nonetheless.
We all sprung for the 6 course Spring Degustation tasting with a few pescatarian substitutions on my end. They started our dinner off with a trio assortment of mini crackers. Pleasing presentation but nothing out of the ordinary taste-​wise. For the amuse bouche, we were served a bite size of raw fluke. The bubbles hid the ginger well so i wasn’t ready for the sudden little burst of tartness but it did the trick and cleaned our palates.

Then one by one, they rolled out the Grilled Lobster, Seared Scallops, Seared Halibut and the Wild Salmon for my next courses. The lobster and scallops were excellent, even if it was a bit on the skimpy side (size of about 1/3−½ a lobster tail and 2 smaller scallops). The halibut was a great cut of fish and very tender but the wild salmon was a bit too salty (both were about 2 ounces each). It actually reminded me of a smoked salmon type of saltiness. We also noticed that there were mushrooms present in each of our courses. Mushroom season maybe? Each of these dishes were very well executed but none had that «OMG, I just died and gone to foodie heaven» other-​worldliness. Perhaps having just recently experienced Bouillon Bilk in Montréal has set the bar even higher.
I also ended up having 4 pieces of bread when I realized that the tasting was nearing the end but my appetite was still ever-​present. The dessert series began with us sharing the Grand Fromage plate which had 6 different types of specialty cheeses served with honey and rhubarb on the side. I’d never tried honey with cheese and crackers but I have to say I really enjoyed it and I’m a fan. Thumbs up.
Following the cheeses, we were then served a pre-​dessert that was quite sweet, followed by the Raspberry filled profiterole with arugula sherbet and a surprise chocolate cake from our server. Then green tea and sweet butter macaroons before finally leaving. All were pretty sweet. Maybe a tad too sweet for me personally.
Overall, I rated this a 4 but really felt that it was a 3.5, upped to a 4 because of the flawless service. We had a pleasant experience but the quality to value ratio was a bit off. There wasn’t much food in the largest tasting offering and not one dish in particular knocked my socks off. With so many wonderful options for French food, I’d probably opt to try Menton, Mistral or visit Craigie On Main again before coming back.

If I had an endless stream of disposable income I would definitely be here more often… My SO and I decided to treat ourselves and celebrate one of our friends’ birthday at L’Espalier. We took the elevator the restaurant from the lobby and were seated at a round table with our attentive servers.
We picked the 5 course Winter Degustation and paired with 2 red wines. All of the food was exquisite in presentation and taste. I have never actually been to France so I don’t have the authenticity aspect to compare to. We were worried the courses wouldn’t be enough at first since the portions were small as expected with French cuisine, however by the 4^th course I was already starting to reach my limit. We also had our own birthday cake from Lady M just in case that they served.
On our way out we also received fresh baked madeleines from the kitchen! I am hoping that I can go back there sometime soon… as this is definitely a rare treat!

Came for the weekend afternoon tea service.
One of the best afternoon tea sets that I’ve had — Little red riding hood
Very upscale. Males in suits, females in pretty dresses.
Best Attentive Service. Wonderful experience. Look forward to returning =)

I love french cuisine. When Boston’s Restaurant week came around, I knew I had to put L’Espalier on the list and that is exactly what I did. Located in the heart of Boston in Copley Square, reservations were somewhat required. A doorman opens the door for you and it leads you to the host, then she tells you to take the elevator upstairs to the dining room. Once you get upstairs to the dining room, the atmosphere is beyond sophisticated and the view is pretty nice too. The waiters are extremely professional and friendly. Very poised and informative. I believe I ordered duck confit which was crispy, flavorful, and well seasoned and good in size. The décor was great as well. I have nothing negative to say about L’Espalier. It is a great place to definitely try and dine.

This is my husband’s and my favorite restaurant. It is very expensive but worth every penny. We went there three times, 1^st to try it out, 2 nd for the Naples Earthquake fundraising, and 3^rd hubby birthday. The food is beautiful and delicious. It is so good that it speaks for itself. The portion is perfect for me and my husband. We always have leftover since we dont each much but this perfect. We left the restaurant sastified but not too full. This is fancy, quiet place. The staff are well dresses and very attentive. After the meal, they give you a coupon for 20% off to go to lunch, which I will go soon one day.

We took our friends there as a celebratory dinner for their recent wedding. The ambience was perfect for a nice double date. We loved the amuse bouche, the appetizers and the dessert. Our dinner order was messed up and the bread basket was served late but the manager was good at fixing it. We felt that they cared to make us happy which is important. Great vibe– nice formal place for a birthday/​anniversary/​proposal sort of night.
We also went for their afternoon tea which was flawless! Def one of Boston’s gems.

Went to L’Espalier for my birthday on a Saturday night. The place is chic and romantic and the food was amazing!
You have the choice of a 3-​course A La Carte menu ($ 98), a 6-​course tasting menu ($ 128), and a Chef’s tasting menu (12 – 13 course for $ 208). We went with the 6-​course tasting with wine pairing.
1. Poached Maine lobster with shrimp dumplings
2. Foi gras with crisps
3. Halibut with black miso paste (it was so good!)
4. Rack of lamb with salad, carrot purée etc.
5. Cheese plate
6. Éclair with kumquat pastry cream
Everything served was delicious! The only reason why I am taking off one star is that some of the serving staff appeared to be under-​trained. Our server initially brought us the wrong menu (one with only vegetarian dishes) and our first course went to the wrong table (we were so hungry and had to wait for longer).
However, to compensate for the mistakes, the manager expanded the Cheese plate and offered us 7 different types of cheeses and also didn’t charge us for drinks. Overall, excellent food and environment, service needs a bit of improvement. Highly recommend for special occasions!

Frank McClelland’s L’espalier is known to be one of the best fine dining experiences in Boston. Several years ago, I celebrated my 21^st birthday here and most recently my family decided to celebrate my mother’s birthday at the restaurant. Overall, the food was great however the service provided was the most disappointing part of the entire experience and I was also not impressed with the ambiance. We decided to go with the 6 course tasting and all of the cuisine was exquisite until we reached the last course, dessert. I swear to you I am not exaggerating, we waited 60 minutes between course 5 and course 6. We ended up at L’espalier for 4 hours and the last hour was miserable. We asked our server what happened to our final course and he didn’t seem to care about it. He apologized and said there was probably some sort of mistake or maybe the soufflé was dropped. As we sat there anxiously watching the clock, we asked to speak the manager, who ended up being even more disingenuous than the server. My mother kindly and politely explained the current situation at hand and then there was an awkward silence for minutes as the manager had nothing to say to us. I could see in his eyes as he gazed at us with a loss of words, that all he wanted was for us to leave his restaurant and nothing else. He offered to take a few dollars off our bill for the dessert and then walked away.
At a highly prestigious restaurant like L’espalier, this type of arrogance and experience is simply unacceptable. If the wait staff and manager were actually sincere about the mistake, we would have been totally understanding as we know that mistakes do happen. However we feel like we were not treated with respect and I am astonished to see people in the service industry behaving in such a manner. After all of that waiting, we found the desserts themselves to be subpar. The only dessert that was delicious was the chocolate souflee however the lemon tart and the apple tarte were really not worth wasting empty sugar calories on.
I will admit that the rest of the food was simply extraordinaire. I am lactose intolerant and don’t eat red meat and they were able to accommodate my dietary restrictions very well. The only disappointment for me was when they swapped out the cheese plate with a fruit plate. I thought they would have had a nice fruit plate with berries and an assortment of fruits however they sliced one apple super thin, created a nice little decoration on the plate and called it a day. Can you believe that I was literally served one apple as my 5^th course. Is $ 120 for the 6 course tasting really worth it? You really better savor every bite of that $ 20 apple buddy!
Aside from my expensive apple, the rest of the dishes were certainly something to rave about. The first course was lobster with butternut squash juice, green pumpkin seeds, coconut and a fresh apple roll. The lobster was perfectly poached with a delicious butter flavor. The next course were scallops with honey nut squash, chestnut, brussel sprouts and orange-​raspberry jam. Again, the scallops were cooked to perfection and the sides were very unique and tasteful. The next course was the black pass with noodles, shiitake mushrooms and a black miso paste. The broth that the fish was served in and the black miso paste really made the dish. My final course was organic chicken served with mushrooms and vegetables and this was my favorite dish. The chicken was super-​moist and the gravy it was served with was scrumptious as can be. It was tasty but not too rich and creamy, with more of a delicate touch. I am still thinking about how amazing that chicken was and I am sad I can’t go back.
Overall, L’espalier has mastered several of their dishes. The most important part of any dish is that it is cooked perfectly because it is so easy to overcook and undercook and I truly believe that the chef has mastered that art at this restaurant. All of the sides are unique in their own way and complement the rest of the dishes very well. The pasty chef was done an excellent job with the chocolate souflee and it would be great if some of that work could be shown in the other desserts. As amazing as the food was at L’espalier, I was extremely disappointed in the service and with how I was treated. I wanted to return to try the 12 course chef’s tasting but unfortunately that is off the table now. As a matter of principle, I simply cannot provide any further business to L’espalier. I hope that you give them a shot and take notice to the service during your dining experience. I am curious to see if others have had a similar experience. Bön Appétit!

+ delicious, well plated food
+ attentive service
+beautiful ambiance
+ great for parties of all sizes, intimate to large groups (two rooms in the back for gatherings!)
— front door is a bit hidden, the place is on the 2^nd floor, so there’s only one door on the street and it’s next to a bank and their sign is silver and blends in with everything else at night… keep a sharp eye out!
— $$$$ but you get what you pay for!
Came here for a business dinner meeting with around 30 individuals and it was a pretty magical experience. Once you find the door, a man is ready and waiting to press the elevator to take you to the 2^nd floor where the restaurant is and from there you are greeted by a staff who will take your coats. You are then seated and you are immediately offered wine or beer of your choice. Once you are seated, a 5 course meal comes to you. We had a special menu with a few choices, I started with the lobster which was paired with some refreshing greens and had the cod as the main course, and while it was delicious, I believe the beef tender loin with beef tongue and mushrooms would’ve been a better choice. It was followed by a cheese platter and another course of small macaroons and a small cake. All this is paired with coffee or tea of your choice! The night ended with a small box with 2 pieces of chocolates for the journey. ah… I am already missing the beauty of every dish!
I wished I could remember all the names of everything I ate, but they were long and filled with accent marks! Basically you can’t go wrong!

This review is for the afternoon tea:
I wasn’t wowed by my experience here. I came with two friends for my birthday so I will admit I had high expectations. I agree with another reviewer who stated the experience was «sterile.» It’s a great way to describe it. Considering how much money you dish out, the tea and pastries are nothing special. I get the French cuisine, small portion, uppity business… but I wouldn’t exactly call anything I had «flavorful» except the incredibly sweet sugary chocolate cake. The service left something to be desired. The server didn’t explain the menu at all, and when we asked questions we were still quite confused. There’s no view, no interesting décor, no music, no relaxation… just a white, plain room. Boo.

Came here for business lunch… I really like the modern French here… Not too traditional which would be borderline boring and not too innovative that it lose the essence of the dishes
Amuse bouche
Bread with meaty cheese … So nice probably one of the best I hv ever had
Corn bread … Just fine
Appetizer. I got the lobster bisque which is probably the best bisque I have ever had … Plus for 45 dollar lunch, I also got caviar! Wow
Entrée I got the monkfish which is decent, it comes with (tiny) mussels
The dessert icecream especially the buttermilk is so delish

I love L’espalier! Their afternoon tea was such a treat. My sister and I lucked out grabbing a table near the window facing Boylston street. The staff is knowledge about each tea they serve. They even give you the option to purchase the loose tea (3 oz packages) to take home. The anniversary tea blend (Darjeeling, green tea, and jasmine) is my favorite! Their selection of tea sandwiches and pastries are beautifully presented and extremely filling. I will come back again!

L’Espalier elevates your dining experience from the very beginning. As you walk in you are greeted and advised that you must take an elevator to the third floor. There is even a seat in the elevator, if you are so inclined. Upon exiting, one walks into an area that can only be described as contemporary elegance.
Service was impeccable. From anecdotes to special requests, they had you covered. I absolutely loved the arugula financiers. I wanted more and who was I kidding, I asked for more. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know!
At L’Espalier, dinner is comprised of four different tasting menus. As I had been celebrating with way too many meals, we opted to do the three course prix fixe menu ($ 95).
To start, I enjoyed the Cavendish Farms quail breast with walnut polenta, West Coast morels with foie gras mousseline, roasted asparagus jus and caraway. I was introduced to quail while in Italy this summer and really enjoyed it. It was nice to see it on the menu as it is a more uncommon occurrence.
For my main, I had the Roasted Amish chicken with herb mousseline, chanterelles, Florida sweet corn, black garlic purée and black pepper jus. The poultry was so moist and delicious and the herb mousseline was a nice touch I’d never seen before.
The sweet goodbye was a Grand Marnier soufflé with crème anglaise and vanilla ice cream. If it wouldn’t have been inappropriate for the setting, I would’ve licked the ramekin. So effing good.

I was hugely impressed! I came with my friend for their Halloween afternoon tea. It was the Red Ridinghood tea in addition to a fun Tarot card reading. This place struck a perfect balance of a classy yet open atmosphere, a professional staff, yet a playfulness to the food and the Tarot concept (which was as professional as any other psychic reading I’ve tried).
The teas were delicious and complex, and the waiters were vigilant about refilling. The meal really won with the savory sandwiches. The mix of simple, classic afternoon tea flavors but updated to intrigue the taster was refreshing (smoked salmon with a dynamic set of herbs, a richly cooked chicken salad). I also liked the addition of traditional «fancy» ingredients (caviar, pâté, lobster) without being overly pretentious.
The pastries were good but maybe my main point of apprehension. Everything was one color palette (brown), and fairly heavy. I would have liked more variety to flavors and colors — such as including more fruits, berries, citruses, or light creams — as well as textures, like light chiffons, marzipan, or crisps. Also, I prefer to get the scones first as in a traditional afternoon tea, as those space out the breadiness /​sweetness, while also settling the stomach so we don’t devour the sandwiches too quickly from skipping a normal lunch.
However, that being said, this place has great potential. Of all the «nice» places in Boston, it fully delivers on its promise and atmosphere in a very natural, un-​forced way. I look forward to returning for a proper meal!

Does this place really even need another 5 star review?
It’s stellar.
The service is spot on. The staff is intelligent, attentive, friendly, and timely.
Go hungry… and wear loose clothes. You’re going to eat some spectacular food. Flavor explosions with every bite. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like. We got the Autumn Degustation.
For the foie gras course they gave us one of each of the foie gras dishes, the torchon and the roasted foie gras, and OH my gosh… the roasted foie gras was simply decadent. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It was so so good.
Suggestion to save some money… just get a bottle of wine instead of the wine pairing.
I honestly think it is worth the money. Clearly not an every day dining experience, but awesome.

The price tag is high but well worth every penny. My husband surprised me with dinner here at the chef’s table for my birthday, and it’s an experience I’ll never forget. From impeccable, welcoming (but not overbearing) service to beautifully constructed and delicious plates, L’Espalier takes fine dining to another level. The chef’s table allowed us to sit in the kitchen and observe the everyday happenings of a well-​run restaurant, and we even had the chance to chat with the chef and a few staff members. Although the environment is warm given we were close to the stoves and ovens, the waiter thoughtfully put a fan on nearby to keep us from heating up.
Standouts from the meal were definitely the proteins. I’ve never had such perfect melt-​in-​my-​mouth textured halibut! The scallop was also cooked to unparalleled tenderness in addition to the rack of lamb. I also enjoyed the rich flavor of the foie gras and watching how it’s prepared. This is also heaven for cheese lovers, as they provided a tasty selection of local and international cheeses. We left happily stuffed after attempting to finish the dessert board of soufflé, deconstructed smore, blueberry jelly roll, and chocolate cake. For a special occasion or if you just feel like treating yourself, book your reservation here for an amazing meal!

So, Michelin hasn’t made it to Boston, but I’m going to compare L’Espalier to the other 3 Star’d restaurants I’ve been to, it’s THAT kind of place.
First, we decided to do the Chef’s Tasting Journey while seated at the Chef’s table, located in the heart (and heat!) of the Kitchen. Women, dress lightly if you’re going to do this, it was warm, but omigosh so fascinating! We sat right in front of the protein cooking stations, to our left was the dessert station. The head chef Frank McClellan took time to come back and talk to us. Our waitress was a GEM.
All the normal players were here, I’m going to start with the only thing I didn’t like, then cover the things I loved.
What I didn’t like, was the bread. Look, I appreciate that you’re thinking outside the box and making me some actual Vegetarian/​Vegan bread. But there’s a reason bakeries don’t serve Vegan bread. Omigosh it was like eating hardtack. So. You lose out to my other fancy experiences. But! That was it!
Caviar course, served with a Sorbet?! A first.
A Foie Gras, seared, with apples and a CHURO! I kid you not, best preparation I’ve ever had.
A heavenly halibut, that was damn near ethereal. Yes please. (Bonus, I got to tell the young lad who cooked it, how AMAZING it was).
We had one «MEH» course, the Lobster. But don’t feel bad, Daniel’s, Per Se, Joel Roubochon’s, they all jacked up the lobster course. Maybe I don’t LIKE Lobster? I used to like it…
Desserts were your normal players, a perfect soufflé’, an okay apple dessert, and a s’mores complete with little campfire (surreal).
Oh! I forgot, on their cheese cart. Bunch of all stars from these years American Cheese Societies winners list. My absolute favorite, Foggy Morning. Superb.
Overall, this place deserves to be on the map with the best New York has to offer. Warm up your wallets, and get ready for a journey, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

I love that they are a fancy French restaurant that is also very vegetarian/​vegan friendly! Very hard to come by
The décor and service here are both top notch! I love the bright natural lighting and view in the room
The corn bisque was super flavorful yet light. Perfect as an app in the summer. We also tried the corn risotto w/​house made lamb sausage and lobster which was simply perfect. The swordfish came w/​a super delicate tasting miso butter that we loved! Only complaint is it was a little on the salty side. Perhaps my fave was the raspberry vinaigrette salad that came w/​roasted and candied beets topped with lime sorbet!!!
Tip: make reservations through reserve or open table for the 1000 point bonuses!
To check them out in a more affordable way, come for high tea or lunch (served everyday!!)

I love the adorable woman who greets you prior to being whisked upstairs (the hostess is always equally hospitable.)
It goes without saying the food is top notch and leaves little to be desired however the service. a tad too snooty for my taste.
It wasn’t until our server overheard us discussing the merits of Kant vs. Bentham/​Mills that he seemed to thaw a bit (again this is somewhat to be expected.)
I love everything about L’Espalier with exception to the previously mentioned.
They even created blue cheese stuffed olives for my extra dirty martinis (thoughtful.)

I came here with my fiancée for dinner on Saturday. We were late for our 6pm reservation, but I had called ahead to let them know, and they seemed pretty understanding. Just a note: this is a place where guys are all dressed up in dress shirts and/​or suits. We were seated right away, but we asked to be seated at a window instead, and the staff was quite accommodating (we got lucky and there happened to be a window table available).
For food, we ordered the Summer Degustation, which consists of 6 courses. Before the courses started, we had eclairs and also a tuna opener, which were tasty and palate opening. The first course was Maine lobster, which was buttery and flavorful. The sauce was delicious. The second course was foie gras. I’m not a fan of liver, and this was my first time having foie gras, but it was delicious and it came with rosemary bread and apricots whose sweetness balanced the slightly bitter flavor of the foie gras well. The third course was halibut, and it was tender, juicy, and flavorful as well. The fourth course was rack of lamb (medium rare), and it was absolutely delicious. It was also served with a piece of sausage, which was also very flavorful. The fifth course was a cheese sampler, with 5 types of cheeses arranged in order of strength, served with toasted sesame crisps and baguettes, as well as honey and strawberry jam. The cheeses were pungent and excellent, and the strawberry jam and honey were very sweet and provided a nice balance to the cheese. Before the sixth course, we had a berry palate cleanser, which consisted of mostly raspberry and blueberry derived items, including a sorbet. The lightness and sweetness of the berry dish really helped clear the palate of the strong cheese taste. Finally, the sixth course was the dessert (sorry I don’t really remember what the components were exactly). Regardless, it was delicious. After our meal, they provided five macaroons with the bill, and as we were heading into the elevator, another staff member gave us a couple of madeleines. Overall, the food was excellent, both in taste as well as presentation.
The service and environment were also top-​notch. We had our courses brought to us and removed efficiently, and silverware was replaced after each course. The servers were polite and even went to the trouble of walking us to the restroom. The ambiance was classy and elegant, and there were many tables but not a lot of people, which provided for a more intimate setting.