Marliave

Went here with a corporate international group of 7. Oysters were fantastic, along with the escargot. Cocktails were original and professionally made. Entrees were fantastic and plated very well. Everyone walked away raving.

Found this place for happy hour oysters! I wanted to try some Northeastern oysters which I have heard was amazing. The oysters here were definitely wonderful and fresh! I ordered two dozens oysters which the price wasn’t too bad!
In addition, we ordered a tuna entrée to share which was so good! The lentils I thought the portion was big enough to share if you plan on ordering many small dishes. It’s definitely good enough for one person.
The service we had was wonderful which made the experience nice. I had a good time here and highly recommend you to check it out.

This place has half price oysters from 9 – 10 pm so we decided to stop by for a dozen or two. We ended up wolfing down 2 dozen oysters, some gnocchi and a chicken dish. Everything was amazing and the oysters were the best we had in Boston. Don’t sleep on this place and don’t sleep on those oysters!

Was here twice in the same day. We already had plans for dinner, but since it was so damned hot we ducked in early to grab drinks for a bit.
First order of business, the AC was pumping, which was awesome since it was over 90 and I’m too damned Irish for that sort of heat.
Drinks were awesome. Good selection of cocktails too. I’d say they had the best deal on really good oysters I had while in Boston. We split 18. Service on the first go around was iffy.
We came back for dinner and service was MUCH better. Food was generally great. Get the mac and cheese, skip the carpaccio. The Sunday Gravy was amazing, as was the rabbit. Amazingly, drinks were still amazing. Good beer selection too. Definitely could recommend this place.

Really enjoyed dinner last night.
The escargot, variety of clams, mussels, and tuna entrée was excellent. This made me miss my Paris home very much so.
Thanks to my sweet darling boyfriend for bringing me here.

I was in town to run the Boston Marathon and my husband took my friend and I here 2 days before for dinner. I am a vegan (I know I know. I’m sorry you guys shut up) and I was hoping to find something on the menu other then bread or salad, but typically at these v places it they don’t I can accodate myself without being an «ew it has butter though?» Kind of asshole…
The staff here were very nice about it. Nicer than any restaurant has been with me before. They were able to whip up the sweet potato ravioli (they made me aware the pasta is made with eggs) with olive oil. And it was mind blowing awesome.
I could just have ordered something without the meat, and been vegetarian– but with the Marathon right around the corner for me I didn’t want to take the chance to having my body suddenly having the task to digesting cheese… a complex food it’s not used to. That would be fun huh

Happy hour oysters from 4 – 6 pm and 9 – 10 pm daily! My cousin and I came here just a bit before 4pm. We chose inside seating but they have seating out on the patio. For happy hour, the oysters and clams are half off original price so it’s $ 1.50 per oyster and $ 1 per clam. Marliave has four different kinds of oysters and one type of clams. We decided to get two of each kind of oysters and then four of the little neck clams. It comes with cocktail sauce, prosecco, and lemons.
The oysters and clams are so good! My first time experiencing east coast oysters and I think it’s way better than west coast oysters. The oysters were sweet and the clams were big and meaty. The cocktail sauce was delicious. I didn’t know what the prosecco was but it had a white wine taste so I had assumed it was that and I was right. When I asked the waiter, he said the acidity helps unlocks the flavors of the oysters. We ordered some more oysters and clams again after our first round and this time, we just got the Duxbury oysters since that was our favorite.
This place might be a bit hard to find since it’s tucked away in one of the alleyways and you go up the outside stairs to head inside. They have a really nice single bathroom that reminds me of a quaint bed and breakfast bathroom.

I keep coming back because of the chocolate cake dessert and the salted caramel ice cream. Unfortunately we’ve continued to receive terrible service but fine, I give up, I still love the escargot and dessert.
We’ve also tried the trout (only okay) and the chicken. The chicken was quite delicious and came with risotto and mushrooms. It was so much better than the trout!
I’ve noticed that the upstairs service is better than downstairs but still hit or miss.

tl; dr: Marliave is always good. The service, the ambiance, the drink, the food.
If you don’t know it’s there, you could easily miss it, tucked as it is at the end of a dark deadend alley in the heart of downtown Boston. And while you’re not going to find street parking (I’m not giving up any secrets), there are several garages nearby, including the one beneath the Common, and it couldn’t be more convenient by public transportation, about a three minute walk to both Park Street and Downtown Crossing, and about ten minutes to South Station.
The ambiance is old school. Downstairs, as you enter, black and white tile floors, wrought iron balustrades, curved staircase, a marble bar top, comfy bar chairs, large comfortable *private* booths. There’s also a host stand, which is always staffed. The bartenders are excellent, always gracious and competent, and if need be, conversational. But they’ll also leave you alone. It’s not a cold clientele, either. Almost every time I’m there, someone strikes up conversation.
It can get busy but there’s always room because there are so many options. During the warmer months, for instance, they have additional seating on the street in front which functions like a patio. Service outside is as good as it is inside. Upstairs — also gorgeous — has two seating areas. One has a bar with seats as well as freestanding tables and booths. The other area, all tables, has large windows on two sides that open onto a view of nearby buildings, canyon-​like, which gives an atrium feel, all magical and warm. Because of the drop at the end of the alley, this room is actually three stories high so that you’re gazing at a charming slice of hidden Boston, a cityscape in miniature. Not quite the rooftops of Boston, but, oh, what a sight.
(Through a separate entrance, rumor has it there’s a speakeasy, but I’ve never been. Can’t seem to drag myself away from the elegance of the main bar.)
(The powder rooms, btw, are lovely.)
The drinks are amazing. The wine, the bourbons, the cocktails, all thoughtfully curated and carefully prepared and presented. The cocktail list is creative and extensive, with something for every taste. I’ve tried about half of them. Their Mint Julep (the «1875») is the best I’ve ever had, and I say that after extensive research in Lousiville, Kentucky, home of the Derby. My favorite, however, is The Professor, an exquisite version of the New York sour, served with a Luxardo cherry. (If an establishment uses anything but Luxardo, it’s a pretender.)
The food is even better. Or maybe just as good. The options are amazing. I’ve had friends agog at the menu — those who’ve spent time in France, those who long for Europe, those who just love good food. I’ve had most of the appetizers and several of the entrees: fork and knife Caesar, escargot, rarebits, mussels, beef carpaccio, insalata di mare, macaroni and cheese, all good. The Sunday gravy, the Reuben… I could go on. I’ve had the oysters and littlenecks, which, I’m told, they offer halfprice at certain times. Once in awhile, I haven’t been thrilled (the trout, for example), but as a rule the food is satisfying and flawlessly prepared and presented — those fancy lids are very cool!
My overwhelming favorite, however, is the brick chicken. The Brick Chicken! Chicken is usually the cheap, safe choice. Don’t know what to get? Get the chicken. Don’t understand the menu? get the chicken. In this case, however, the chicken is the star. It’s midpriced — $ 25, I think? — and served atop a bed of mushroom-​garlic risotto. My mouth is watering thinking about it. They sear the half chicken between the very hot bricks until the outside is crispy (and addictive) and the inside is moist and flavorful. Get the chicken. You will thank me.

Walking into Marliave, you instantly feel the authentic and historic feel. While I can’t quite pinpoint the era, it feels like you should be in a flapper dress or the men should be smoking cigars, or that you shouldn’t be on your cell phone. It is quiet and romantic. We had a party of 12 and were seated promptly upstairs. Later we found out we were seated in the «casual» room, which was probably wise since we were about to hit the clubs after.
Our server was very friendly and prompt. Cousin George was nice enough to buy us a bottle of wine, which was probably a bad idea and led to my inebriation. I got the famous «brick» chicken, which was extremely tasty and full of flavor. The risotto was creamy, and I don’t even like mushrooms but still ate it and really enjoyed it. Thus, if the mushrooms scare you, they aren’t noticeable. My friend also got the ravioli which I had part of, which was fresh and flavorful. Both meals were extremely tasty. I really enjoyed my meal, and would highly recommend coming here before a play, on a date night, or just to grab a drink.

Maybe the fact that they sat us at a table by the bar downstairs across from three loud f-​bomb dropping finance bozos without even offering the dining room (despite a reservation) and then getting the most miserable/​sullen waiter I’ve ever encountered dampened the experience. I found the atmosphere kind of sad and unwelcoming; it stuck out as the opposite of what I’d expected.
The stars are for the mac & cheese, which lives up to the hype, the good gin cocktails, and the dessert (I got the chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream).

White table cloths, interesting menu, light atmosphere. Lobster in the insalata, beautiful
This is a gem

Awesome!!! Usually I don’t like restaurant week and think it’s a rip off bc most places will makeup a new menu and put cheap crappy food on it. At Marliave you’re ordering off their regular menu and can get whatever you want! It was well worth it. I got the insalata di mare and it came with a chunky lobster tail, two big shrimp, calamari, and a crab claw. I also got the beef Wellington for my entrée and it was so good… Crispy yet buttery pastry shell. The steak was cooked a perfect medium rare. For dessert, I got the chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and loved it. I will definitely go back next time for restaurant week. I took away one star because I thought the service was subpar for an expensive restaurant.

Thank god for Dine Out Week, because this was hands down the best meal I’ve had at a restaurant in Boston. Granted, it was also the most expensive meal I’ve ever had, but it was worth every penny. Our waitress was incredibly friendly and quick to refill our water glasses whenever they emptied. Since it was Restaurant Week (and St. Patrick’s Day) I was expecting slow service and lots of waiting, but our food was delivered faster then I could have imagined!
My boyfriend and I ordered the Rarebits and Escargot to start; Steak Frites and Scallops as our mains; and the Chocolate Cake and Butterscotch Pudding for dessert. Everything. Was. PHENOMENAL. The Rarebits are a MUST for anyone that loves cheese and bacon; there’s no question about it. Oddly enough, the Escargot might have been my favourite dish of the night. I find escargot tasty, but it’s usually not my first choice. However, this particular one was so soft that it just melted into the bread along with the savoury sauce that it was cooked in. My Steak was cooked to perfection and cooked in a delicious seasoning that I wish I had in my kitchen at home. The fries it came with were also very good, but there were so many of them that I probably could have shared them with the table next to us. Thankfully «too much food» is not an issue for me! My boyfriend’s scallops were to die for, and literally melted in my mouth along with the sweet potato raviolis. Although I’m not usually a huge fan of wild mushrooms, they were cooked in a mysterious sauce that turned me into an instant fan of them. And last but not least — the dessert. The chef hit it out of the park with the chocolate cake and vanilla bean ice cream. Although it’s a fairly common occurrence on dessert menus, it’ll never get old.

Upon our arrival in Boston, first thing on the to-​do list was FOOD. We wanted something close to our hotel since it was pretty cold out (kind of snowing) and didn’t feel like walking and exploring. Marliave just so happened to be a block behind us, so without much consideration, we headed that way.
Sooooo happy we did! We got there about 3pm so the place was empty. It was kind of alarming at first, but apparently oyster happy hour didn’t start until 4pm so that was understandable.
There were three in our party and we opted to split several plates. Here’s what we chose:
OYSTERS — Served with regular cocktail sauce and some other sauce thing made out of Prosecco. I did not partake in the oysters but the other two did and they absolutely loved them. Said the prosecco was delicious on them. They are chefs, so I trust they are right.
MUSSELS — These were incredible! Was so fresh and they were swimming in this sinful parsley garlic broth that I could have just drank straight out of the pan. Holy moly! If you’re not into raw oysters, get this instead.
SLIDERS — You get three meatball sliders here. I did not eat this as I was more into the other items and getting full fast. The other two gents said they were good, although nothing could beat the oysters they just ate. Meatballs were pretty decent in size, though.
MACARONI & CHEESE — How could I not get this? It’s hand cut ziti and truffle oil — one of the best flavors on earth. Decadent, creamy, so incredibly delicious. Even my husband who doesn’t like the texture of stringy cheese enjoyed his carefully prepared bite. I could have eaten the whole bowl of them, but I was nice and shared.
BRUSSEL SPROUTS — Well these were little pieces of heaven. Roasted in bacon fat and 100% deliciousness. I was doing a little dance in my seat over these. The only drawback is they were whole, not sliced, so it was hard to stab them with a fork without them shooting across the table or onto the floor.
I got a cocktail as well, the Tres Curieux — a delicious mix of Gin, St. Germain (an elderflower liqueur), lime, grapefruit and prosecco. It was wonderful. A little tangy with a hint of sweet. Loved it.
We did not do dessert as we had dinner reservations coming up and wanted to make sure we kept room. But I’m sure dessert would have been amazing as well.
Definitely recommend this restaurant to locals and tourists alike. Fabulous food.

Came here for restaurant week with boyfriend, sister and sister’s bf.
We ordered two dozen oysters and two dozen little neck clams. The oysters were really good but the little neck clams, didn’t care for them. Ordered way too much since we wanted to take advantage of the half price deal but definitely regret it because now I don’t want to eat anymore oysters, ever.
For appetizers we ordered the escargot (comes with bread), meatball sliders, insalata di mare (comes with lobster tail, shrimps and squid), and beef carpaccio. My favorites were the escargot and the insalata di mare. The portion for that was huge! It’s like an entrée of its own.
For entrees, we ordered two beef wellingtons (the original price for that was $ 38 and that’s how much we’re paying for this three course meal!), seared tuna, and seared scallops. I didn’t get to try the scallop because I was too full from everything else but my boyfriend and sister’s bf loved it. Everything else was ok. I don’t know if it’s because I was too full or…
For dessert (of course we have a separate stomach for desserts) we got chocolate cake, chocolate truffles, butterscotch pudding, and salted caramel ice cream. My favorite was the chocolate cake and my least was the chocolate truffles.
Overall, I had a really nice dinner and good company. I’m glad I got to try this place at a more affordable price!

Came here tonight for RW with sister, her fiancé, and hubbie. We saw how impressive the menu was on Boston RW’s website and decided to double-​date at this place. We made reservations at 5pm to take advantage of their Happy hours for oysters and little neck clams! Ordered 2 dozens of each. Oysters are $ 1.50 a piece and Little neck clam $ 1.00 a piece. Both very fresh. For apps, main entrees, and desserts, we ordered one of everything that looked good on Unilocal. (see pictures)
We were seated on the second floor by the windows. Gorgeous view on a rainy day. Service was average. The waitress was a bit rude, to be honest. Hence minus 1 star. Ambience supposedly romantic, but somewhat noisy.
Appetizers: Escargot (Garlic, Shallots, Butter, Parsley, Cognac, Parmesan, Toasted bread), Sliders (Meatballs, Mozzarella, Tomato sauce, Toasted buns), Beef Carpaccio (Ribeye, Arugula, Aioli, Reggiano, Sea salt, Extra virgin olive oil), and Insalata Di Mare (Grilled lobster, Calamari, Shrimp, White beans, Peppers, Lemon).Portions for Apps during RW were huge! Love their escargot and insalata di mare appetizers!
Main entrees: Tuna (Pan seared rare, French lentils, Roasted brussels sprouts, Red wine reduction), 2 Wellingtons (Medium rare, Beef tenderloin, Wild mushrooms, Foie gras, Pastry crust, Red wine sauce), and Scallops (Pan Seared. Sweet Potato ravioli, Wild mushrooms, Sage, Pumpkin seeds). Scallops was amazingly fresh. The best entrée out of the rest. Wellington was eh. Very raw even asked for Medium well.
Desserts: Box of truffles, chocolate cake, pudding, and ice cream. Chocolate cake was the best!
If I was to do it again, I would order insalata di mare for app., scallop for main entrée, and chocolate cake for dessert. Their scallop dish was phenomenal!

Marliave is one of favorite dining spots in downtown Boston. If I ever have friends looking for a place to go to in downtown, I always recommend Marliave. The food is consistently good. Ambiance is great. The staff is very attentive — I am usually seated at the far side away from the wait staff station, but the staff is consistently checking on my table. Cocktails are great. Half off raw bar daily 4−6pm and 9−10pm (but be mindful half off oysters is still $ 1.50, not $ 1). Do I need to say more?
I dined here last night. Skipped the bread, it’s only ok. Started off with oysters, but do wish I ordered little neck clams as well. All their oysters are delivered from Island Creek Oyster, so you can rest easy that quality will be good. I tried escargot for the first time in life here yesterday, and their appetizer is completely delish. I’ve read reviews that is it too garlic-​y but I didn’t feel that way. Heavy on the butter though, but still excited to order it, as it is my new favorite app, the next time I dine here. I ordered the burger with truffle parmesan fries. The burger was only OK, juicy and cooked correctly to my requested medium rare — but nothing special. Their fries are great, but I would consider them more soggy than crispy. I’m a fan, but may not be for everyone. Lots of parmesan on the fries.
Side note: I’ve tried majority of their entrees, and the Beef Wellington is my favorite.

Came for restaurant week.
I started with the mac n cheese, then had trout and ice cream. The mac n cheese was huge and could have been a meal in itself. Delicious as well. If I were to come back I’d just get this (because of the size) and maybe ask for some veg to be added so I don’t feel as bad about just eating it. I then learned that I don’t like trout, and I’m going to assume it was just the fish I did not like and not the way the restaurant did it as everyone else thought their food was great. Lesson learned. They make their own ice cream and it was quite good – I had raspberry cheesecake as well as salted caramel. I always regret not getting something chocolate though, so I tried my friends chocolate cake and loved it.
Service was quick. For entrees they have everything come out with a cover and do a big reveal for everyone at once so that was fun.
I had a few cocktails and they were all great – they’ve got a lot of coctails and a lot of bitter ones on their menu but if you don’t want to read it all I’m sure the servers and bartenders can suggest something.

Oh OH OHHHHH, MARLIAVE! You are one of my favorite restaurants to dine at in Boston — and that’s only after one experience. My boyfriend’s family came up and we had a belated birthday dinner. I worked some Unilocal magic and found Marliave. This French-​Italian restaurants has a charming interior and dim interior. The bar drinks have quirky names and the food is simply fantastic. We ordered a whole mish-​mosh of different appetizers and entrees and NO ONE was dissatisfied … and there were 6 of us. That’s quite an impressive crew of happy campers with no complaints. Also, they’re very attentive to making sure your drink stays replenished — smart move — their drinks are yummy and the mixes are refreshing, different from other places and, plus, everybody knows drinks is where it all adds up $$$.
Almost would’ve come here for restaurant week about 2 weeks later if the boyfriend wasn’t all «We should try somewhere new» because in my head I was like «Buuuuut, it’s so good and there’s so many things to still try!“10/10 would recommend to anyone. Don’t second-​guess JUST GO.