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State (Blue, Orange)
Government Center (Blue, Green)
Downtown Crossing (Orange, Silver, Red)
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
"The lobster roll didn't last a minute against my friend and me, standing under a random building awning in the rain. Just enough mayo to…" read more »
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Came here with several friends, and had an excellent time. The service was solid, the fish was extremely tasty. I had the halibut. The asparagus served with that dish was also quite good, although I thought it was perhaps a bit over-seasoned.
The atmosphere was pleasant, too: The relaxed but colorful decor, the wide windows, the open wood grill with whole fish turning on spits.
The patio was crowded, but the interior was pretty empty. Inside by an open window is a great alternative if you want the fresh air but not so much of the crowds and noise.
Eh. This is the definition of a place I'd love to give 2.5 stars. I was meeting up with an old friend and her SO, and of course Faneuil Hall is an easy place to meet up in Boston. She asked me, being the visitor, what I wanted to eat. I replied, "I don't care, as long as I get seafood and beer."
We initially thought to go to Legal Seafood, but Kingfish Hall happened to be on the way so we thought we'd try it out, as none of us had been here, and you know, Todd English. On the one hand, we were seated promptly (yay for a recession?) and the service was quite good. The food, on the other hand, was another story.
The menu has a definite Asian hint to the items, although there are definitely some standard New England type dishes (clam chowder, anyone?). Ingredients were top notch, and the presentations were beautiful. Unfortunately, all three of us received seafood that ranged from slightly overcooked to rubbery. It's as if the kitchen just wasn't paying attention to what they were doing. I had a taster trio which included a half of a lobster tail, some shrimp, and striped bass. The striped bass was actually pretty good, just barely overdone. The lobster and the shrimp, however, were another story. The flavors were good, but the texture was rubbery and chewy - definitely overcooked shellfish. My friends' dishes were the same way.
Service was fantastic - attentive, helpful, and unobtrusive, so I can't fault them there. That's why I'd like to give them an extra half star. However, the food was just so-so. I'm willing to believe that we caught them on an off night, but for those prices, there shouldn't be off nights.
I've been going here for years and just keep going back. Yes, it's filled with baseball cap wearing tourists, but Todd English knows how to do seafood in a way that stands out in the best seafood town in the East. So go there, nod to the folks in Orioles caps and Cardinals shirts, and eat yourself a good meal.
The ambiance is... strong. Crazy colors, rocks hanging from the railings, and the din of a hundred folks on two levels coming and going. But if you settle into your table and let yourself become part of that noise, you'll feel oddly at home.
The service has always been solid, bordering on great. Valentine's Day, lunch on a weekend, dinner on a Friday night. The water glasses are always full regardless.
My most recent trip netted me a lobster roll, delicious even by Boston standards, with a side of crunchy cole slaw and nicely done baked beans. Oh, and Old Bay potato chips. Yes ma'am.
Kingfish looks touristy and sits in the middle of a touristy area. But if you find yourself there, go in and order boldly. You'll enjoy it.
I went to Kingfish Hall last night. Normally this wouldn't be my choice due to the location. I hate tourist traps and generally anything around these areas suck IMO.
The menu was extensive and I like that hey now have sashimi (although it was a little pricey). I settled on one of the daily fish specials, the mahi mahi, no frills, just a nice piece of fish with fresh salad and a vegetable side. I really enjoyed my meal and the fish was cooked correctly.
Others at the table ordered the Thai bouillabaisse, mussels, and steak. All looked amazing and everyone was talking about how good their meal was.
The service was also attentive. I will definitely go back when I have friends in town who are looking for a good fish place.
Such a tourist standard so I thought I wouldn't be wowed but boy was I wrong.
Our waitress was friendly and super attentive, which I did not expect.
The restaurant itself is nicely decorated, open, airy, and very pleasant.
For lunch I got the grilled chicken wrap which came with cole slaw (some of the best I have ever had), potato chips (delicious and crispy), and the wrap itself was very flavorful, the avocado dressing was seriously yummy.
Very nice! Take out of towners here, they will love it!
I've waited a while to write this review, but here goes...
I work right by Faneuil Hall, so I'm a frequent visitor. The first time I went, it was excellent (this was over a year or so ago). It could've been that I went with my boss, so service was better... Since then, I've gone with my friends. To set things straight, we're in no way loud or obnoxious. I'm 25, I've gotten past my teenage years... There's nothing that really merits bad service to a younger-looking crowd.
The ambiance is pretty nice. The decor is colorful, and the upstairs has booths that look like clam/scallop shells!
The last few times I went, we had to ask for a server to come over maybe 3 times (for each of the times I went). We did not get water or asked beverage orders. We did not get bread. When we finally got the server's attention, we noticed that he/she would walk around, talk with other wait staff - basically take his/her time before putting our orders in. I don't know for other people, but when I usually go to a restaurant, I'm hungry and I want to be served!
I must admit though, that every time the main server comes by, we are greeted with a smile. However, I've had to ask some of the bus boys for water or a straw, or whatever else multiple times before getting it.
The food is pretty good. For the price you pay, it's decent, but really, the experience ruins it. If paired with excellent service, I would probably enjoy the food a lot more. I really enjoy all the dishes I've had - Tuna, lobster grilled cheese, soup, salmon, brouillabaisse...
Well, in conclusion, I will probably end of going back anyway due to the proximity to my office. And as a heads up to all who want to go here, at least you can get a discount from http://restaurant.com certificates and open table points. You will have to tip you server by the full amount of the bill at 18% though (even if you think that they don't deserve it).
This was our oyster/clam feast. Seated by the big boiler they have, my girlfriend V and I had ourselves a healthy serving of shellfish. You know what they say about oysters, right?!
I kicked it down with a hefenweizen and we were off to do more damage around the area. A pricey place, but delicious if you have the money to spend.
Went to Kingfish Hall during Restaurant week back in March but never wrote the review. Food was excellent as were the prices thanks to the Restaurant week specials. The only downside here is that it was a very chilly day and we were seated very near the door so it was a little chilly to say the least but the food more than made up for the cold.
The lobster bisque is a must have and the clam chowder is yummy too.
Will definitely come back on a future trip to Boston
I've been here a dozen time so I guess I really do like it.
Nice space, wide open. Good raw bar and really most of the fish dishes are excellent. If you don't mid the calories, the free rolls are tasty, sweet and filling. While the food is good portions aren't really that large. A negative is that it can be really touristy
I've been here twice and it seems to me that the servers (at least the men) are a little strange. I can quite tell what it is about them, but they have an odd air about them that makes me a little uncomfortable. That said, the fish dishes are pretty good and the key lime pie is awesome. The sangria glasses are huge and that's good, since they charge $9 or something for them. I may or may not go back, there are so many, many seafood choices in Boston.
We came to this place on the recommendation of a colleague, not realizing this was one of Todd English's places (don't think that would have mattered either way though).
We came here during restaurant week and had a really good meal. Everything was exquisite. The service was good as well as the wine list. I especially liked the clam chowder.
It can get a little noisy at times, but not too bad. If eating in there in the winter, don't let yourself be seated in the middle section of the downstairs dining room... that cross-draft from the main doors will freeze your pitooty off!!!
The place does get busy, so try to get a reservation if you can. Glad we came. Definitely plan on returning.
I ate here last summer while visiting Boston, and had lunch on the patio. My GF had the lobster & fontina grilled cheese sandwich, with tomato soup. The sandwich was rich and delicious, and had a decent amount of lobster in it. The soup was OK but a little too thick. I had the swordfish sandwich, which was juicy and tasty. The portions were just right, and we were full but not stuffed at the end. For lunch, the prices are slightly on the high side but still reasonable, given the location, decor, and portion sizes. The dinner menu is predictably pricier though.
The patio in the summer is a great place to enjoy the weather and people-watch the crowds around Fanuel Hall.
There was a good selection for the raw bar, and I had my first oyster shooter there.
Seafood gumbo was smoky and had a nice kick to it - I think I enjoyed it more than I normally would since it was freezing. The seared tuna was seasoned well and fresh. The best part of the meal was the rolls - soft, warm, buttery, sweet, salty, all in one. The Thai Bouillabaisse was a little awkward for the combination of flavors. The size of the lobster bake was pretty decent.
Everything was super fresh, but it's kind of expensive, due to the combination of Todd English and Faneuil Hall.
Excellent spot for a business lunch. We sat upstairs and there were enough people so you felt "alone" and that your conversation was not heard by everyone. Service is very good (almost annoying), and the food is OUTSTANDING. We spent a few hours here and it was enjoyable. I have done a business lunch in the past here and will continue to do so.
Please see my blog for more details and reviews.
Our server was Steven. Phone number is 617-523-8862
2 Arnold Palmer 7.00 (strange I was charged for 2 when i had the only one)
1 ice tea 2.95
2 clam chowder 13.90 (excellent)
1 mahi 14.95 (this was mine and it was great)
1 fried clams 15.50
Total - 57.02
Gotta love Todd, but his Kingfish Hall is LESS THAN REVOLUTIONARY in the hub bub of the tourist run marketplace. Being an ol' neighbor of his, I have been dining at Olive's (his best) since it was in the original Charlestown spot, now a Fig's with awesome pizza, way back when. In fact, I ate there a few nights before this outing. As usual it rocked! This was to show an out of towner the great Quincy Market, thinking Todd English would do perfect New England seafood. But I do not think he was in the kitchen there that night!
We were greeted by a teenage hostess who was indifferent, and did not allow us to climb upstairs past the seas of seemingly floating faux fish, as they were closing in an hour. So we ate in the amusing bar area. More about the decor later.
We meet a very nice, informative waitress with a heavy Brit accent, and started with a potent house made Sangria and a California Pinot Noir. The menu went from traditional in a New England kind of way, which is great, to Asian influenced, in a far away kind of way. Really basic bread of hot yeast rolls was served with top quality butter. We chose a tomato mozzarella dish to start, which sported a nice drizzle of balsamic syrup glaze, and it satisfied.
At this time, I started to take in the creative and funky area. For a really old place, they respected its rustic wooden ways and went for an underwater fantasy. Where was my mermaid outfit? The raw bar had mirrors to watch the shucking. The next bar had a beautiful blue sea of an aquarium to the ceiling behind it by the many flat screens sporting the Red Sox game. The stair rails had wrought iron currents dotted with river rocks, glowing in the light. The chairs are covered with old fashioned linen slipcovers, with fish tales on them. The few booths were shaped like giant white clam shells, surrounding dark wood tables. And the flotilla of fish hanging from upstairs definitely made you feel like you were on the ocean floor. The different lighting fixtures reminded me of sea urchins. But the dust on the dried old tired dried flower arrangement, and on the stair case ironwork and focal wall up the landing, made me want to run for allergy pills. Please clean up after yourselves!
My out of town friend had a lobster roll. One would expect spectacular from this caliber restaurant. Instead, the crustacean meat was tough in spots, and had a just regular toss of mayo and lemon. It was served in a hot dog shaped brioche, a nice upgraded touch to the standard. The coleslaw was mediocre, but the warm potato chips were excellent, and spiced with Old Bay Seasoning. Yum! This dish is better bought at Captain Frosty's in Dennis, on Cape Cod. Leave it to the pros.
My wasabi crusted tuna entree which sounded special, was very disappointing. Not only were there only three tiny chunks on top of pea shoots, with sticky rice, but they were overcooked beyond recognition. In all fairness to the chef, I did ask to prepare the tuna medium rare, thinking it would be a steak, for the price of $28. But the chunks were less in size than a normal app somewhere else. It was cooked to smithereens, brown in color with no red to be seen, with no hot wasabi coming through to save the day. It was so chewy I decided to pass after trouble swallowing. I told the waitress about this, who reminded me that was how I ordered it, and was pleasant, but did not offer an alternative, much to my chagrin, after I inquired why the chef did not pay attention to the cooking of it. I had to speak to another server about it, and at that point, I asked to for a manager to let them know. She said she heard about the quality from the server, and immediately offered to remove it from the bill which was appreciated. At that point, we were very done, and the place was closing soon. So we went off to the restroom. This place was a mess. It smelled, and there were plumbing problems leaking onto the sink floor area. I was happy to escape. And off we went.
I won't return, with or with tourists. There are so many other good seafood restaurants to chose from, like Captain Frosty's. Order the Little Sailor plate and you will be happy like a clam. Sorry, Dennis L. from August 5th , you should have gone to Legal's. I could have followed.
I enjoy the atmosphere here and the location is right in the heart of Boston. The Todd English take on seafood is pretty cool but be ready to have dishes that are unlike the usual tourist clam chowder and fish and chips. The food is definitely not for everyone because of the different spices and sauces used. But, I do enjoy something that is different so I would have to give King Fish a recommendation of somewhere differnt to go on a weekend night.
I visited in the mid-afternoon on Valentine's Day for a quick snack. The upstairs was closed, but when I went up there looking for the bathroom, there were several tables eating... weird, huh?
So I sat downstairs at the bar. I got the clam chowder and hubby got a beer. The chowder tasted nice although on the watery side. It was served with these puffed up hard (stale?) oyster crackers, which didn't add any interest. The overall feel of the restau is nice with lots of open overhead space and pretty beads hanging from the ceiling. Even for a late lunch, it was pretty expensive and the other menu items were on the smaller side. It was a little disappointing.
I shoulda read the Yelp reviews before we took my mom here for lunch during her Christmas visit to Boston. Kingfish Hall must be the red-headed stepchild of the Todd English restaurants, because all of our food was underseasoned and just not really imaginative. The clam chowder was ok, and the desserts were actually pretty good. But my grilled salmon was fishy and NOT deliciously smokily grilled, and my mom's salad dressing had little to no flavor (not sure how they pulled that off). Also lacking flavor were her grilled shrimp on a bed of greens, tomatoes, and foccaia bread.
I guess Todd thought he could plunk down a restaurant in Fanueil Hall and it would be fine no matter if the food actually lived up to his name or not. Or maybe that's not how it started, but that's how it seems to have ended up. I'm not sure when the last time Todd actually visited this restaurant was, but I know that I won't come back.
I was in Boston for a meeting and met a friend at Kingfish. I have been there before but it was a few years ago.
I had the swordfish which was on a "cake" of spinach and had a cob of corn accompanying it. The swordfish was devine as was the spinach. The corn was awkward as you had to pick it up to eat it.
My friend had the hallibut special which she proclaimed to be very good.
We both had the Ruffino Ducale Chianti which is offered by the glass. It was a very good accompaniment to the meal.
I read the reviews and should have known better, but come on it's a Todd English restaurant!
Actually the menu is quite interesting, good fish selections but....
I phoned to make a reservation - no problem. However, when our party of 3 arrived at the hostess station on the patio and I told them we had a reservation the girl told us..."Oh, you'll have to go inside"...whatever happened to - "Welcom, Great, what is your name, let me take of this for you..."....so we ambled inside only to find an empty hostess station there, where a few minutes later one of the girls from the hostess station outside made it to the hostess inside only to handle the reservation - bizarre!
Interesting restaurant, kind of nice inside....big long bar with some flat screen TV's where you can eat and enjoy a game. Dining room downstairs is not huge, but ok, there is also a dining room upstairs as well as the patio at Faniuel Hall (I decided not to eat on the patio because it seemed all the tables were severely lopsided due to uneven paved street). The dining room has an odd mix of regular tables and 'bar height' tables....we were asked if we want a high table or a low one....we opted for a low one.
Dancing fish on skewers over an open flame are eye-catching - no doubt.
Service was attentive but not over the top.
The air conditioning in the lower dining room is great if you are a polar bear - have they ever adjusted the airflow so it doesn't blast their customers????
The shrimp cocktail was one of the weakest I've ever had. It promised bloody mary cocktail sauce with lots of horseradish.....what arrived were 4 tired shrimp and a very, very small amount of catsup with a dot of horseradish.....very, very disappointing.
My guest ordered Dancing fish but was disappointed....too much marinade making a simply grilled fish too complex. It was an odd mix of grilled (but no charring) and steamed fish.....they need to decide are we going to grill the fish over the flame or let is steam in it's own juices. She said she would not recommend it.
My other guest ordered striped bass which was good. I ordered the grilled salmon which was good, but the napa cabbage roll was tough and not very tasty...filled with carrots, but not much else....I would order something different IF I ever go back. Besides, the AC was so friggin' cold it made my food cold and tasteless.
All in all the place seemed tired. Hostesses were lame. Entry was 'littered' with flyers, etc. for tourists - not a clean look. The ceiling over the grill/bar had more dust hanging from it that I don't think anyone ever took a broom or vacuum to it.
Very, very disappointing for a Todd English restaurant. I think he needs to visit with a very critical eye and clean it up, slap the staff into shape and make it memorable not a forgettable experience as it was for us.
Excellent chowder if you dont like a lot of clams in it, which was fine with me....like the flavor but not a big clam person.
Service was TERRIBLE, even my 10 year old son commented on the bad service! I mentioned something to the hostess and she really didnt see to care too much whether I thought the service was good or not. That alone has me never wanting to go back. I'll make my own chowder!
Strip the "Anotha Todd English joint" from the pictorial signage and its spot in Faneuil to find an automatic, suit-swarmed lunch locale fit for a king? More like a manor lord. Or the serf head. Ok, manor lord's second daughter who is current unbetrothed because the girl is just plain fuggles. I mean Carrot Top fuggles.
We woke the host from his standing nap and requested a table for two. He slurred something about being full and said it'd be maybe um 10 minutes? "Sounds perfect" we gleefully replied dreaming of celebrity chef vittles parading down our gullets in 600 seconds' time. We also did a dance. The kind suburban parents do when they're kid scores the game winner. Yknow, the Cabbage Patch/Running Man disaster. Anyway, we were excited.
After jotting down Liz's last name with an irreverent disregard for vowels (thy r vrrtd nyhw), we were sat moments later. The inside is cold and dark, or maybe light and airy, possibly sexy with a satined oak finish. I've no clue as the sunny skies demanded an outdoor table. Wire chairs on a cobblestone walk make for a rousing game of "let's guess how many sugar packets will keep the seat level!" I sat with the fire hydrant at my back, praying nobody would burn a PopTart nearby.
Our server seemed distracted, perhaps longing for noodles at Wagamama or a paper hat from Dick's with "Booger Picker" written in Sharpie. She wore a hectic smile and had a pleasant demeanor, although we didn't have napkins or silver through the barbaric rolls and butter course. That's what the backs of ties are for, no? No.
Liz ordered an incredible INCREDIBLE tomato soup ($7), served in a mini cast iron crock pot with croutons and butter. Very flavorful and surprisingly appropriate for a summer's day. Not for a Summer's Eve though. Please don't make THAT mistake. She also scored a Watermelon Salad ($13), which plated well, but she didn't offer any. Fine. Didn't ask.
I tasted the Seafood Skewer ($16), a sampling of swordfish, shrimp, scallop and chorizo, grilled and settle on a discus of shitake rice, sauteed pea greens and napa cabbage. A cursive T of sticky soy to glaze. While fresh and rightfully simple in flavor, the nuggets were slightly overcooked - especially the scallop and chorizo.
Oh Todd, man cannot feast on fame alone. Lose the red carpet foxtrot and start doing what your title entails: ensuring absolute perfection in your kitchens. Cause here, it ain't.
I wanted to give it a try even though it is situated in the tourist mecca ( Fanueil Hall - although there are some good eats there).
The layout downstairs is poor - tall tops and low right at the entry that folks who want to dine upstairs have to negotiate. people end up knocking into your chairs. Noise level high even though it was not packed on election night. Prices are fare but I was not pleased with the food. i ordered sushi rice with salmon skewer on top. the sushi rice was a brown heap with pea tendrils on top the salmon was fine but had a thick kind of Chinese sauce - the dish suffered from an identity crisis and was poor quality. further the food came out alarmingly fast - this is never a good sign. BF's mussels were fine. The martini he ordered however had rubbery!!!!???? olives in it ewwww. Really just not worth it - even the raw stuff looked a bit sketchy. sorry Todd.
I came here with a colleague from Japan for lunch and her first question was whether or not a Kingfish is an actual fish.
I was unsure, but wagered that if there is a king crab, then there HAD to be an actual kingfish and not just a rendered poisson with a crown.
Thanks to the power of google, and a cached shmuck in some midwestern town, I realized there is such a ~*~*~MaJeStiC BeAsT~*~**~**()$#(* in existence!
I am such a knowledgeable host.
I thought Kingfish would be a great locale for a business luncheon because:
-its only a horse manure/lye coated alley away -puts Mr. Yuck sticker on wall-
-All the times I have been here for sea life, it has been amazing(land faring steak dinner one night was sub par)
-Provides a better atmosphere/menu options/service than the nearby Legal Seafoods
-For a country known for its rawfish prowess, I thought it would be best to show introduce my overseas colleague to cooked fish bludgeoned over a firepit instead.
I made reservations for six people, and was alerted last minute to the high-profile employees in attendance.
-pulls suit jacket out from file cabinet-
-dusts-
-"irons" with hand-
I was a bit quaky when we arrived because I realized I had not specified a preferred seating area and prayed we were not put inside a screaming baby.
The heavens must have been shinning upon me, because we got a clam shaped corner booth in the upstairs corner. Some of my guests had difficulty entering/exiting the booth due to velor skirt-snagging seats which were treacherous to slide across. That's why I'm a KD Lang roughntumble pants girl myself...for occasions when I may slide across clingy things...you never know.
The decor in the eatery has some eclectic touches like the fishing wire nets strung with beads, and decoupaged walls, but it is not overwhelming or hokey. I have also eaten at the rawbar downstairs(YES. To the tuna tartare!) which sits in front of a large aquarium where you can pick out which fish best fits your personality. I unfortunately have been here with a few monkfish in my day, but at least there is a lot of action to look at while down on the main floor.
Our waitress was a familiar face from the North End, and she was actually an old neighbor whose window was across the courtyard from me...so we definitely are aware of whateachotherlooklikenakedanywayyyyyyy ..the menu is laid out out with appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, and select (mostly fish) entrees. The specials of the day in the center of the menu are generally amazing and what I go with, so make sure to keep an eye out for those.
The special on this day, was a shrimp, watermelon, feta, and bacon salad with pear tomatoes and baby greens for this babygirl. I also had to accompany the dish with a clam chowder with bacon. The chowder came out immediately, and I felt mildly ashamed for being THAT gai. I might as well have been eating a Big Mac and fries outside the barred windows of Oliver Twist's orphanage. The clams were in their shells in the soup, making it a bit awkward to scoop out and the oyster crackers were the size of boulders. Just pray no one asks you your thoughts on inflation concerns in the market while your face is all crackerpuss. Overall, in my global survey of chowders, this one was OK..mid grade...a bit of a thin chowder with a somewhat chewy texture to the clams.
The salad on the other hand was rave worthy with everything prepared beautifully and everyone elses dishes impressed, both for artistry and taste. My table neighbor, somewhere between cashing in on their 401k and tar pits, said that the fish skewers were one of the best meals they(GENDERNEUTRAL) had ever had.
And for dessert, my old neighbor hooked us up with a platter of Boston Cream pie, and keylime pie with macaroons and strawberries. FINALLY, I know someone useful!..I'm so over my other useless deskhound friends, its going to be solely restaurant industry folk from here on out.
20something, F, seeks nsa* waiter M/F/T 4 friendship/babality.
The desserts were both amazing, and the keylime pie went over well with my Japanese colleague who is used to more tart desserts as opposed to sweet.
^-^ Precious SUPER-KAWAII Anecdote ^-^:
When asked what she would like us to bring over to the Tokyo office as a present(ie:gold, jewels, Keanu Reeves cardboard cutout) she said:
"CRANBERRIES!!!!!!!!!!!"
We will bring her a bog.
*Don't look at me like that! You know craigslist abbreviations too!
Unlike other expensive restaurants, Kingfish is worth every cent.
The outdoor seating is set back from the surrounding throngs of tourists (think ample distance from Cheers), but still close enough to people-watch. And living up to the Todd English name, the food/drink was incredible.
At some point between our oysters and the Wood Grilled Swordfish, it began to pour. Prepared for the inclemental weather, our waitress quickly and smoothly transferred us and our meals to a brand new, entirely open room, complete with roaring fireplace. (It should be noted that the decor inside is, for lack of a better word, awesome). For dessert, my boyfriend and I perused the menu for something to share- per usual, I skimmed for the words "banana" or "coconut"; he, for "bread pudding" or "creme brulee." Seems Mr. English shared similar tastes, as we ended our meal with the Banana-Coconut Creme Brulee. Mmm. Only other must-have was the sugar-rimmed pomegranate martini.
Still have to take a star away, though, seeing as they took $200 plus of ours.
One of the worst meals my wife and I ever had. Hers was so disgusting, she had to get up and leave in the middle of the meal. Will never go back until there's 100% turnover in the kitchen staff. Many better choices exist in the area. We're not anti-Todd English...Olives was great.
Bon Fire was one of my most pleasant dining (lunching?), and King Fish did not disappoint to my expectations.
I came here after a friend mentioned that they had the best calamari in town (which sadly it wasnt) so the lunch started out a bit disappointed but didn't last long after I got my entre Grilled Seafood Skewer Swordfish, Sweet Shrimp, Scallop & Chorizo, Shitake Rice, Sautéed Pea Tendrils,
Napa Cabbage & Sticky Soy...$15.75
Which I think its the best meal I've had in a while that didn't leave me feeling gluttous & over eaten (although I'm sure it had its fair share of fat & calories). What amazed me most was the rice, since usually I end up not eating it when there's no taste.
Definitely a must stop if you're in the area and feel like spending a little bit more than usual for a pleasant seafood dinner.
Todd English's reputation is dying, I think. What was once Kingfish Hall, Figs, and Olives in the perfect locations: Quincy Market, Charles Street, and Charlestown, respectively, is now moving toward ... Airports?? Good for airports, bad for T.E.
Kingfish, unlike Legals, provides curious patrons to try seafood in a new-concept way. There's a hint of Asian influence and very few standard seafood offerings. All served at a high price.
ATMOSPHERE
Anyway, Kingfish Hall, offers refuge from the crowds of Quincy Market and the heat of the food court by being an overpriced (so not many tourists opt for spending on the fam) air-conditioned establishment that happens to serve a ridiculous(ly good) selection of OYSTERS displayed behind the curved bar and near the open steamer/grill.
LUNCH
I treated myself to lunch today. Ordered only three oysters: two from Maine and one Kumamoto from WA. The Mainers from $2.75 but the WA were $3!! WA harvests very small oysters with a clean sweetness, but I opted for the Mainers, meaty, but not briny, and enormous! just the way I like them.
I also ordered the lobster tail salad. Boy, what an $18.95 disappointment. I see that there's lobster in it but what the heck is the salad all about? Sure fancy greens are a nice departure from romaine or iceberg, but come on, brighten it up with more than just shaves of red onion, cucumber strings, and basically just lemon juice. Make me happy I just dropped under $20 for a SALAD.
BEER
I was happy to find great local, summer beers on tap. I enjoyed my Nantucket Cisco Sankaty (kind of like a Stella), perfectly refreshing. They also had the Unfiltered Offering of Harpoon, and ... I'm drawing a blank.
I thought the Oyster guy was awesome (he snuck me an extra very mini Kumamoto for free) even though he didn't understand a word I was saying. Hopefully, my request to give him half the tip went through...
The service was shotty. I was also sitting next to the service station so when I leaned back my head knocked on some plates the server was holding. I had to do part of their job for them when our food came out - reorganize the table so he can fit the dish in. He was literally standing there waiting for us to create space on the table so he can put the plate down.
At first I was wondering why the cherrystones and littlenecks were the same price. When it came out, it made sense. they were the tiny cherrystones. They didn't taste that great either. We also had 2 types of oysters which I thought one was OK and the other wasn't that great. I can't remember the names of them tho.
The fries were good but could use a little more salt. The fried calamari sucked. The sauce that it was tossed in was just tasteless. As for the crabcake, it looked like sheit, but it actually wasn't bad at all.
We sat out in the patio. The table was slanty, and the chairs were hard to maneuver around.
Kingfish Hall is very decent. I was a bit surprised that it didn't live up to my high expectations being a Todd English establishment, but oh well.
During the summer months, the outdoor seating area is a great place to people watch seeing that it is smack dab in the middle of Faneuil Hall. And the hosts and servers are all very friendly so props for that. (Does anyone say that anymore?)
The food and drinks are good, but not overly delectable as I had anticipated. We ordered Peel & Eat Shrimp, Tuna Tartar, Calamari and Fries. Peel & Eat. If only it were that simple. I have never had such a difficult time peeling shrimp and have never seen such dirty shrimp. It was gross but in the end, I had gobs of veins and dirt in my nails. My friend and I took to washing the shrimp off in his water glass. About halfway through the order I just gave up. And it came with way too little sauce. The Tuna Tartar was pretty good, but I have definitely had better. (Come on, this is Boston!) Calamari was pretty much excellent and we wolfed it down within a few minutes...err seconds between the two of us. (As soon as the plate descended, so did the silence.) The fries were tasty and filling.
Also, the Sangria was delicious. Highly recommended.
My suggestion? Order a few apps and some drinks on a summer day in the outdoor seating area.
The raw bar here is as good as any in the city. If there is one consistent theme at this restaurant it is fresh ingredients. After the raw bar I am partial to the fish stews and the wood grilled fish here. For dinner or a business lunch I think the second floor seating is better. At lunch I like sitting at the bar or smaller tables near the bar.
* My favorite here is the Thai Bouillabaisse, I'm also a fan the Seafood Gumbo, and Thai Noodles (not authentic but tasty)
* Impressive wine list
* The do tend to hire rather pretentious hostess and bar staff.
* Yes it is on the expensive side, but they do get the quality fish and the rent at this location must be outrageous.
Ok, so what I found out is that Kingfish Hall for dinner, is effing lame. However for lunch, it's effing incredible. We got one of the apps that was on special that was heirloom tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, and crostini's with an olive tapenade and everything drizzled with olive oil and a really nice balsamic, it was incredible, the heirlooms tasted so fresh and sweet (because they're in season, go figure) and it was just delicious, then I had one of the specials that was a teriyaki mahi with shaved pea shoots, sushi rice, and a spicy aioli and oh my GOD! The fish was perfectly cooked and the spicy aioli was like crack. It was so damn good. So in closing you should totally go for lunch one day when the prices are a little more reasonable and the food for whatever reason tastes wayyy better. Seriously though, if you go for dinner I'm going to go as far as saying you should knock two stars off this review, it's just not worth it.
Yes, Kingfish can be extremely expensive if you don't navigate the menu....lucky for me I'm frugal and could see ways to eat at this nicely decorated restaurant without breaking the bank. First, order water - who needs the expensive wines when you have food that is flavored well. I had the wood grilled shrimp over basmati rice with stir fried vegetables for my meal [$15][. I can definetely see someone eating just clam chowder with the free bread for lunch for an even cheaper option. If you want to splurge share a $10 order of calamari (it's all rings, no pepper or fillers with a slighlty spicy sauce) =. - Your bill will be $15 - $20 pp if you don't get all the extras. The atmosphere is worth the needed menu navigation and dining cut backs.
I see a couple of different reviews on here, those from tourists and those for locals. I think for tourists, this place would be pretty good. Good location and a nice selection of various types of seafood (fish over a wood fire, raw bar, boiled dinner, etc). It might be expensive for them, but fresh seafood should be expensive, otherwise, it's usually pretty gross.
As somebody who lives in the area though, there are a lot of others restaurants I would pick before this place. The food is just okay, quite frankly, always seems a little under seasoned for my taste. That plus tourists are obviously annoying (although I welcome you to spend money in Boston).
Raw bar selection is a little small for me. Had some decent oysters here, but would have liked more selection.
The atmosphere is okay. They have a fish tank behind the bar, but unfortunately, looks like just over grown goldfish. I would expect a little more.
By far, not my favorite Todd English restaurant.
So a few of my friends were taking a road trip up to Boston as a way of celebrating one's engagement. The culmination of the trip was to be a seafood dinner at Kingfish Hall, banking on good seafood from a renown chef.
We ordered a large amount of food...clam chowder (1 clam inside. one.) and peel & eat shrimp for an appetizer (not bad, but not amazing). As for food, the 6 of us had: the dancing fish special (yellowtail snapper), the simply fish (mahi mahi), the crispy lobster, the sea bass, prosciutto-wrapped tuna, and the surf&turf.
dancing fish: not bad, the presentation was amazing but the fish didn't astound.
simply fish: probably one of the best dishes amongst the group.
crispy lobster: fine, although the scallion pancake was doughy & chewy and kinda gross (but the dipping sauce wasn't bad)
sea bass: one of the better dishes, although the sun-dried tomatoes were really salty
prosciutto-wrapped tuna: very good, imo, my friend didn't really like the saltiness of the prosciutto.
surf&turf: standard. nothing that you couldn't get at any other restaurant.
high point for me: glass of Dr. Loosen Reisling. delicious.
in the end, we finished the meal and all unanimously agreed that the meal could be summed up in 3 words: "we expected more." (also in the running was "is that it?")
the service was good though.
(July/ 2007)
Couldn't have been in a more better location!
The best Clam Chowder's I've ever had! Unfortunately, it was here that I've experience the worst tuna tartare I've ever had. There was too much going on-- tuna, seaweed, rice, etc. An awful combination. Something seriously went wrong here. But do come here for the chowder. It's the best! We also had the grilled cheese with lobster sandwich served with a side of homemade tomato soup-- its good.
Best seafood in town. Better than Legal Seafood. I had the lobster roll, which btw was not as good as Mary's Fish Camp, but was served in a unique way that I have never had before.
First off, the lobster roll came wrapped in 2 huge scallion pita bread rolls. Fresh lobster was peeking out from all 4 ends, wrapped in a delcious layering of bacon, tomato, lettuce, and pita bread. It was served with a mini glass pitcher of garlic butter (yum!!) and garlic chips.
Even the bread rolls were a little bit different, they came with a layered honey glaze on top that made it extra declious with butter.
I would definitely recommend Kingfish for those traveling to Boston. It's a great place to bring clients. Sit at the bar if there is a long wait for a table - you get to watch them handle fresh fish, live lobsters, and cook mussels and oysters right in front of you.
We were told the bar is first come first serve so we sat down but it look a while for us to flag a waiter down to give us menus. I know I can be an impatient New Yorker, but I don't think I should have to wait 10 min for a menu. If I had to wait another 5, I was going to leave. We started with oysters which were fresh and really good. I had the lobster roll which was cheaper than the whole lobster. Is that normal? Isn't there more work involved in a lobster roll with roughly the same amount of meat (minus the green stuff)? The roll was good but there was a little too much mayo. It hit the spot. It came with coleslaw which was average and homemade chips which were crunchy and pretty good. My date had the bouillabaisse which wasn't that great in my opinion. He didn't think it was that great either because the seafood wasn't fresh. I thought there was too much cream in it. It killed the seafood flavor which is the highlight of the dish. It came with fragrant coconut rice. This place is a tourist trap. The food is underwhelming for the price. I almost forgot. They gave us "sushi rolls" as an amuse bouche which were just atrocious. The rice was mushed down on to the seaweed that it had this dense texture. For sushi, you should still be able to see the grains of rice.
Wow, some harsh ratings here. Sure, food here isn't perfect, but I thought is was pretty nice. This was my favorite place to take out of town guests for two reasons (1) Experience Faneuil Hall atmosphere and (2) I liked to come here when I didn't have to pick up the bill. It was good alternative to Legal Seafoods.
This place gets really busy, so plan accordingly. There are lots of places in the area to kill time while you wait.
I was a bit let down by my experience at Kingfish--it is supposed to be one of the top seafood restaurants in Boston, but I'd take the Barking Crab or even Legal over it any day.
Our waitress was extremely nice, taking a moment to chat with us before taking our drink orders. Their martini's are out of control--the pomegranate was killer, as was their caramel apple. The downfall was the price--$12 each! I don't think I'll ever get over the shock of paying that much for such a small drink.
By the time we ordered, it seemed like they were running out of food--one of my friends had to order three times before they had enough of something! I had the Parmesan mashed potatoes (which needed more Parmesan) and the "Tour of Clams," which was somewhat of a letdown. The featured clams were delicious, but the polenta was lacking (there was about a quarter-size amount total on my plate), and the steamer shells were broken and empty. The polenta was the whole reason why I chose the meal, so I was very sad to only have a bite or two. They also served a clam flatbread, which was yummy on the outside because of the bread's crispiness, but disgusting in the middle (the clams made the bread all soggy). Some friends had some lobster, and both said it was extremely yummy.
All in all, I don't think it's worth the price for what you get. While the service was great, I feel like the food was sub par (and yes, I know I'm a bit of a food snob, but still...soggy flatbread is not okay!)
Something to note: They will charge you if you bring your own cake in--something that was not mentioned when we made the reservation and mentioned it to the hostess. Alas, it was a disappointing bill at the end of the night!
$4 Well Drinks
Neighborhood: Waterfront
Bargain Specials
Boston, MA
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: North End
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Charlestown
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: North End
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: South End
Category: Seafood
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