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Legal Sea Foods
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
5 Cambridge CtrSte 1
Cambridge, MA 02142
Neighborhood: Kendall Square/MIT
(617) 864-3400
- Nearest Transit:
-
Main St @ Kendall Station - Red Line (64, 68, 85, CT2)
Kendall/mit Station - Inbound (Red Line)
Kendall/mit Station - Outbound (Red Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 7 am - 10 pm
Fri 7 am - 11 pm
Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
187 reviews for Legal Sea Foods
Review Highlights
"Legal's has by far and away the best clam chowder."
(in 43 reviews)
"...Seaport, Burlington, and Kendall Square location is by far..."
(in 7 reviews)
"If you are visiting Boston, I would recommend trying..."
(in 45 reviews)
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187 reviews in English
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Review from Victoria M.
Houston, TX
1/6/2012 1 photo
After visiting the MIT Museum, we made a pit stop at Legal Sea Foods.
With a beer and some wine we ordered the Treasures of the Reef (small) which included smoked salmon, oysters, clams, shrimp cocktail, mussels, and lobster along with mignonette, cocktail sauce, and jalapeno relish. Awesome!
We've only ever been to the bar here and had raw preparations, so I can't say much about the dining room or other foods. The seafood is extremely fresh and other people's dishes passing by smelled delicious. Will have to try something else next time! -
Review from Paula A.
Medford, MA
9/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sum-what disappointed in my latest visit to Legal's:
-Service was mediocre & slow; especially annoying b/c it was late afternoon & empty.
- We sat at the bar & waited to order drinks, waited to receive drinks & when we tried to pay the bill - there were 3 staff members congregated at the other end of the bar, who had zero interest in running our card so we scrambled to find cash.
-also real disappointed in the wedge salad (one of my favorite things in the world), it was drowned in dressing, they don't use blue-cheese either, it was a very tangy vinaigrette w/ tiny specs of blue-cheese. not a fan.
while i realize out-of-towners LOVE legals, & they do have some good dishes, there are a ton of other places i prefer to go for seafood. -
Review from Shawn T.
Cambridge, MA
1/16/2012
Do you like to gamble? If so, this is the Legal Sea Food location for you. Like a Vegas casino, great convenient location/parking, pretty shiny modern decor with decent drinks, but let's get down to the food....
Ready to play? Here are the house odds:
Of the main dishes (out of 6) the two orders of Lobster Fra Diavolo were overcooked or had sat under the heat-lamp waiting for way too long. The lobster had started to go stringy and the very over-sauced pasta was starting to get gummy by the time it got to the table. At $37 order, you get a large serving, but it wasn't good for a third that price. We would have sent them back but we had a fussy toddler with us and didn't want to wait for them to redo the dishes. 33% chance of crapping out (hopefully not literally).
The Shrimp Stuffed Trout special was a clear winner with perfectly cooked fish, tender bay shrimp with a nice hint of bacon, and a surprisingly good succotash on the side: 16% chance of winning.
The other three dishes were adequate. We'll generously call that a 50% chance of a push.
Went with 6 people at 5pm on Monday and the restaurant was completely not busy with servers just hanging out talking amongst themselves. Service was very friendly but slow and inattentive--we had to keep reminding them for refills, more rolls.
With the automatic 18% gratuity, it was $240. The Legal Seafood House took us to the cleaners and (always) wins. There's SO much inconsistency at Legal now, the deck feels stacked and they're always raising the table stakes. Never again. -
Review from lisa g.
Brookline, MA
11/27/2011
i loved the bartender, i wish he worked somewhere else so i could have drinks and great food with him. the pros of my lunch were him and the hot, soft bread!!
my calamari appetizer was drenched in oil. it was wet, and tiny. teeny tiny portion. and there were no tentacles. i got sad. i ordered the steamed clams, which usually over flow in the bucket they are served in. my bucket was maybe half full. and that is just absurd for the $16 they charge. (chestnut hill served a very fair, large portion that piles up above the bucket rim) so i said something, and then the manager brought me five more steamed clams. i won't be going back there. in fact, i drove all the way to salem, to finz for delicious giant portions of steamers and calamari (with tentacles!) -
Review from John K.
Arlington, MA
7/24/2011
It's a good restaurant, but overrated and rather overpriced. Someday, we can only hope, they'll get over themselves and adopt prices proportionate to what they serve.
The Black Sheep in the Kendall Hotel across the street is a slightly less costly alternative. -
Review from Elizabeth B.
Brookline, MA
6/26/2011
Wow, just wow.
For everyone who's unimpressed with Legals, or their service, or anything, I have the solution for you: TAKE-OUT.
I needed a steak (don't judge me) and no one was interested in joining me. So I called, and 15 minutes later I was eating the best filet mignon of my life (which may have had to do with just how much I wanted a steak at the moment), with a plastic fork and knife in a styrofoam container in the Food Court.
Don't judge me.
The filet mignon was like butter. I could cut it with plastic, and it almost melted in my mouth.
Also, to-go clam chowder: the best.
Legals, I am majorly impressed with your take-out service, and will certainly splurge for a repeat. Steak to-go! I'm still floored. Amazing. -
Review from Bill Y.
Cohasset, MA
1/13/2012
I don't know how much this contributes since others seem to have pretty well hit the mark on this experience. Was there last night. Service was no better than average with courses being rushed a bit and food not hot. I was a booster for many years but perhaps they are losing their edge. As things stand, I'd seek another place. Too bad.
-
Review from Ken M.
Hartford, CT
12/18/2011
I went to Legal Sea Foods last night after getting off the bus from the Cambridgeside Mall. This was my first experience with Legal. I was turned off by the wine menu. I only drink red wine and when ordering fish I only order pinot noir. They had only one pinot noir on the menu by the glass, and it definitely wasn't one of my favorites. They did have a few that I liked, but I wasn't about to buy a bottle, so I stuck with water w/lemon. I looked through their menu and ordered the Tuna sashimi; it was served with a small amount of seaweed salad, ginger and a wasabi cream sauce. The tuna wasn't spectacular; I would say that it was the cut that lies just about the dark black red that has to thrown away. Edible but not great. For my entree I picked the Fisherman's Stew and that was a winner that provided a good mixture of seafood and sausages. It saved the day, because I was on the verge of giving it a two star rating until I had the fisherman's stew.
-
Review from David W.
7/29/2011
Come here for clam chowder and lobster at least once just to say you've been.
Otherwise, the food is way overly priced.....=/ -
Review from Milanes M.
Boston, MA
7/4/2011
I have never been to a Legal Sea Foods before and decided to start off here. We were seated right away and the restaurant is very spacey. The staff is very nice however, the food did take a while to get to our table. The waiter continued to forget whether or not we had asked for bread (who doesn't want to start off with bread) and did not bother to follow up with us and ask if the food was any good. I'm sure he was stressed out and I can be understanding but we felt as though he placed us in a corner and forgot we were behind the big fish tank.
Food was great otherwise ! -
Review from Annie B.
Boston, MA
6/21/2011
You know what you're getting.
Try the crab cake and seared ahi tuna apps. -
Review from Marko M.
4/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Legal Sea Foods! I was sooo excited to come back to your restaurant after first trying it about 5 years ago. I was glad to learn that you are opened for breakfast, but saddened to read the menu where you only have the basic fare of food!
I ordered the bagel with salmon lox. It was the typical bagel (white or wheat) served with a few slices of salmon, a slice of tomato, and capers. My friends at the table ordered the oatmeal with fresh fruit and LOVED it!
I was dissapointed that they didn't have the clam chowder ready or served during breakfast hours! I gotta come back for that!
My best part of the meal were the servers who were very friendly and patient! -
Review from Michael D.
Boston, MA
7/4/2011 1 photo
Reviews just for the clam chowder. Having heard so much about the clam chowder at legal sea foods, I HAD to try it.
Overall, It was GOOD, but definitely think it's a little overhyped. The consistency was a little watery (just how i like it) and It was creamy, but not too the point where you couldn't finish a whole bowl of it. MAYBE it was just my bowl, but it was FILLED with potatoes and BARELY any clams. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, but I was a little disappointed. I could see how people could like it, but honestly, in my limited time in boston, I've tried quite a few different chowdahs, and you guys really should try the chowdah at Anthem. My god it tastes like God's sweat. -
Review from Kimberly E.
Austin, TX
This is the place to go if you are in the mood for delicious east coast seafood. I went with a work colleague, she was craving lobster and we needed a drink to unwind from our busy day. Being that neither of us are from Boston we asked the hotel concierge to point us n the right direction. It seems like everyone who's been or lived in Boston knows about Legal Seafood. It came recommended to me by a friend who visited Boston as well.
For starters, the place is very fancy-schmancy. When you walk in you start to feel like everyone in there has an IQ of genius proportions. Being from Texas, its not the atmosphere I'm accustomed to. OH WELL, I can hang with the MIT & Harvard nerds if needed.
They had a great wine selection, I was able to find lots of tasty beverages that piqued my interest. We settled on a Gewurztraminer and it was incredibly tasty. I noticed they had a soft-shell crab appetizer (MY FAVE) and we quickly devoured it once it was brought out to the table. I will say the waitress we had was very nice and attentive. She quickly brought out our food, drinks and check when we requested it. She was knowledgeable but not stuck up. It place was pretty loud for a 'nice' restaurant however, it also was very busy. We had a nice little booth where my friend and I sat and talked for hours.
The entrees we ordered were good, but the wine and crab were the best part of the meal. My friend said her crab was so-so, I didn't try it.
If you go, I doubt you'll be disappointed. It just depends on whether you are in the mood for something a bit more sophisticated or if you are after some local flair. -
Review from Chris M.
5/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Oh Legal in Kendall, you try to be swank, and fun, and such. Sure you have a monopoly being one of the very few restaurants and bars in the area.
It's a Legal, nothing really super special about their menu, you know what you will get. Usually can provide seating for large parties rather quickly.
The service here has never been super fast, which is good if you want a leisurely meal, bad if you want to get / get out.
No surprises, no punches pulled. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Honolulu, HI
Word on the street was all tourists who comes to visit Boston must try the food here.
Clam chowder- was decent. Maybe it wasn't the good batch?
The raw oysters are very fresh here.
Burgers- One type only..completely understandable the restaurant is not called Legal "burgers".
A friend ordered the pasta with shrimp and mushrooms. It was very tasty!
I'm the kind of person who would just a restaurant with a menu chalkboard over a well put restaurant. If you are visiting Boston, I would recommend trying everything. City is beautiful enjoy it all!
Aloha from Hawaii- we have good seafood too -
Review from Andrew R.
5/20/2011
A solid 3. No more. No less.
The food is pricey, sure. A tip for those who don't want to spend much: get a cup or bowl of soup and enjoy that with the complimentary bread (which is pretty good). Might set you back $7 at most. You'll be all set for the night, guaranteed.
As with any place that serves lobster, sometimes it's just fun watching those around you try to suck out every last morsel of meat. Entertainment for hours. -
Review from chris c.
Waipahu, HI
3/30/2011
I was in Boston for business last week and was pointed towards Legal Sea Foods. I have heard mixed reviews about Legal Sea Foods in general, and they were mostly good.
I was in a group of 5 people and arrived at the restaurant near MIT in Cambridge. You can easily tell we were from out of town. We walked in and were led to our table.
Our server explained the specials for the day while we were looking over the menu. At one point, he paused and condecendingly said "I know it's a lot to process...". I know we're in the MIT area where the most genius of people are, but don't assume we're dumb, right off the bat. After ordering, the appetizers arrived shorty after, but that was gone quick. We waited another 20 minutes for the entrees to arrive. The service was slow.
The food was decent at best. The Crispy Calamari was anything but. It felt like it was flash fried. The clam chowder was also served quick, but it was good. Not the best I've had in New England. I ordered the Crab Roll and was sorely disappointed. The serving size wasn't anywhere enough to make me full. The roll it was served on was hard as a rock, and cold. My friend who had the shrimp pasta said the best part of it was the shrimp. The pasta and the sauce was passable. One person in the party ordered the chicken sandwich (at a seafood restaurant... LOL), and they mentioned that the grilled chicken sandwich from McDonald's was better. The only thing that looked really appetizing was seeing a neighboring table's burger that they ordered.
Food = 2/5
Staff = 1/5
Price = 2/5 -
Review from P. K.
North Reading, MA
11/12/2011
Let me first say that my significant other and I have been to many Legal Sea Foods restaurants and have ordered many different dishes. The food is always excellent and the service usually good as well.
The short version:
1. They got my order wrong (ordered entree sauce on the side but it came with it on).
2. They tried to charge us $10 more for a dinner entree instead of a lunch entree.
3. They gave my husband a NON-GLUTEN-FREE lunch, despite the fact that the waitress acknowledged the allergy and even asked if he wanted the special gluten-free rolls.
The details:
We had never been to this location. Please note that there was hardly anyone else in the restaurant so none of the below complaints can be blamed on the servers/cooks being too busy (not that that's an excuse to begin with, but I digress). Here we go:
1. My husband ordered a gluten-free dish (off the special gluten-free menu). The waitress knew about the gluten allergy, and even asked if he wanted the special gluten-free rolls. I ordered my dish and specifically asked for the sauce for the entree on the side. The waitress acknowledged my request. When my meal came, the sauce was on it. They were nice about it and re-made my food. Had that been the only shenanigan--and since they were apologetic--I could have just let it go.
2. When we got our bill, instead of being charged for 2 lunch dishes we were charged for one lunch and one dinner entree, a difference of about $10 including tax. We almost missed it, so I shudder to think how often this happens to people. The only reason we DID catch it is that we come to Legal Sea Foods often enough that we know that you get one side with a lunch entree and two with a dinner entree (my husband got just one). We brought it to the attention of our server, who mumbled something about "not seeing it in the system when she tried to enter it into the computer" so she substituted it for something else. She switched the charges and we paid our bill (with a small tip) and left.
3. Several hours later, my husband is in incredible pain and discomfort. He KNOWS when he has eaten gluten. There's no mistaking the symptoms. He didn't eat anything in between Legal Sea Foods and now, and knowing the symptoms all too well it had to have been the food at Legal Sea Foods. Looking back, the stupidity makes sense: the waitress didn't see my husband's order in the computer system so she "substituted it" for something else. This "substitution" was probably not a gluten-free dish and got sent to the cook as-is (non-gluten-free).
We have never had such a horrendous experience at Legal Sea Foods. We will NEVER go back to this location and do not recommend it to ANYONE.
Lesson? TRAIN YOUR EMPLOYEES!!! Food allergies are not to be taken lightly, and customers deserve to get an accurate bill. We give this company lots of business and always leave high tips (with this one exception, obviously, in which I should have left a NEGATIVE tip).
Stay away. Seriously. -
Review from Suz G.
Cambridge, MA
4/26/2011
OK, I experienced something strange at Legal Seafoods. Not gonna lie.
First, I must note, I went to Legal Seafoods for a work event in the bleak culinary wasteland that is Kendall Square. There aren't many options in the area, and this place is probably one of the best around by default. I should also say, I'm a vegetarian so I just don't belong here. I knew this going in.
I was dining as part of an "event" so there was a fixed menu. I ordered the one vegetarian item (I think I was the only one in the party who did). When mine came out it was presented in a way I've never seen before. The food was stuffed into a Chinese take-out container, then turned over on the plate. They brought it out as such, then made a show of unveiling the food by pulling the take-out container off as the stir fry slopped out onto my plate. It was.....interesting.
It looked like a) they got take out from the Chinese place behind Legal Seafoods or b) they needed some way to jazz up the rather unsavory, colorless dish.
The stir fry was 75% cabbage, 20% soggy mushrooms, 4% rice, and 1% tofu. Never had anything quite like it!
On the bright side, the rolls are really good! And, everyone else seemed to enjoy their seafood. Vegetarians should simply go elsewhere or fill up on rolls! -
Review from josh j.
11/25/2011
Never really been a huge fan of chains, but Legal is atypical. It's good, consistent, and fairly priced. Clam Chowder = CHOWDA! It was creamy and so full of clam goodnes. The lobster bake was one large tasty portion of the East Coast, well priced too. Legal is legit. I wonder if JFK ever ventured here, when not at Union Oyster House or at Marilyn's.
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Review from Clare F.
Boston, MA
7/13/2011
I have had 3 separate good experiences at this particular Legal Sea Foods.
My company does lunch or dinner there every few months to celebrate various milestones. Every time we go there we all have a fantastic meal. We are seated promptly. The servers go out of their way to make sure our dining experience is positive.
We have a few people who keep kosher, and for the most part Legal is able to accommodate their needs. In order to cook kosher food in a non-kosher oven, one must wrap the food twice in aluminum foil (wrap the food in one piece, take another piece, and wrap the first parcel in that). The food must REMAIN in the foil until it gets to the table and is in front of the person who will eat it. They got this right the first time I went with my company, wrong the second time (they did not charge us and were incredibly apologetic). The third time they remembered us and were once again very accommodating.
I also had a few questions about the preparation of my scallops (which were amazing) and they went out of their way to make sure that all of my food was ok for me to eat. -
Review from A C.
Boston, MA
7/9/2011
A-OK
We have been here multiple times, and visit this Legal Seafood branch whenever we need a fix for our seafood cravings.
The clam chowder is consistently good and tasty.
The quality of food varies. Sometimes, the same dish can taste delicious on some days but "alright" on others. Overall, the baseline quality is good. I have not had a bad dish that I had to return.
The cod and grilled shrimps are are favorites and usually taste good. The baked clams are also good. I have tried the Cioppino fish stew and found it bland but what lacks in taste is made up in portion (if you are hungry that day). I have tasted better grilled scallops elsewhere.
There is no lot parking. Street parking is usually available and won't cost an arm and a leg as when you are in Boston. It's also by the Charles, MIT and Central Square, near the train station and the salt-and-pepper bridge, so you won't have to walk far to find something to do afterward. -
Review from four f.
Oakland, CA
9/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is terrible. The fish tastes old and the meals are poorly put together. It's like the Cheesecake Factory of Seafood, basically.
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Review from Michelle S.
Brookline, MA
10/28/2010 2 Check-ins Here
OK, yeah, I know...reviews about chains that attract tourists are kinda useless. However, a couple of my former colleagues are in Cambridge for business and this restaurant is near their hotel. I originally convinced them (for my own shellfish reasons....OMG, I'm so funny, I played on the word "selfish!" :/) to go to Neptune Oyster--but we went here because we wanted to watch the Giants play in the opening World Series game.
I'm not going to waste my time reviewing the food. It tastes the same at other Legal Seafoods and there are about as many Legals in Boston as there are Dunkin' Donuts (btw, I originally showed up at the wrong Legals location in Harvard Square before I eventually showed up here). But if you must know, I got the lobster...my broke-ass grad student self puts a monthly lobster in the budget. Though my colleagues paid...which means I get TWO lobsters this month!
We sat at the bar and the bartender was very attentive and accomodating. He even let us stay and watch the game long after they closed the restaurant because we were obviously Bay Area folks.
Additionally, and this is probably only useful or interesting if you're from California, the restrooms have toilet seat covers. That's a rarity on the East Coast.
And if that's not useful enough, this location is a stone's throw from the Kendall Square T stop.
Go Giants!Listed in: Lobstah and Chowdah
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Review from Mike S.
Madison, WI
9/25/2011
I've done take out from this place many times while on business trips in Cambridge. I only get two things...because they're awesome. Crab cakes with LUMP crab... And the crazy good lobster roll. The side dishes are always just OK-ish. Seems a bit overpriced relative to other places, but always a sure bet for a delicious meal.
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Review from J T.
Indianapolis, IN
10/25/2010
I've been visiting Legal Sea Food for years, but mostly in DC and Philadelphia and even New Jersey. Today one of my special treats was to go to a Legal SF in the city where it all started around 1951.
I usually get some variation of just a few items: fish and chips, soft shell crab sandwich and perhaps some of their famous chowder - which deserves its reputation. Always the coleslaw.
While the decor and service level varies from location to location, the quality of the food and the various combinations of sea food, french fries, close slaw and beer is perfectly balanced and always consistent.
Today it was fish and chips (lots of malt vinegar) and a local microbrew. I sat at the bar, ate my food, drank my drink, watched the news and enjoyed my late lunch.
Legal Seafood is one of my favorite fish places - anywhere. This location had no issues and was in Cambridge, therefore...5 stars bestowed. -
Review from Amy B.
1/16/2011
I've eaten here several times over the years, and am struggling to articulate how I feel about it. The food at Legal is good, for sure. The ingredients are fresh and well-prepared. However, the food is not very interesting, particularly for this price point (around $25 per entree). Moreover, at least in my most recent experience, the service is mediocre.
Let me provide some details. I ate here with my parents last night. My dad and I ordered the special crab-stuffed sole, while my mother had tuna prepared rare. Each dish came with a choice of two sides; the options were heavy on the carbs (3 types of rice, 2 types of potatoes) and light on the vegetables (broccoli with cheese, jalapeno cheddar polenta). My mom and I both opted to replace one of our sides with a Caesar salad, while my dad also ordered a Caesar to start. We shared crab dip as an appetizer.
As the description of what we ordered might suggest, Legal Seafoods offers mostly old-fashioned New England classics. And that's fine! These dishes are classics for a reason! But Legal's decor and positioning seem in contrast to this menu.
All of our food was good and prepared as we ordered it. My issue is really that for $25, I would have liked to have seen some creative plating instead of each item plopped onto a plain white plate. I would have liked bolder seasoning, so I didn't have to ask the waitress to bring salt and pepper shakers. I would have liked a few options on the menu that sounded adventurous.
The one place where there was a little culinary creativity, it was not wanted. My mother ordered Boston cream pie from the dessert menu. When it arrived, it looked like no Boston cream pie we've ever seen--an attractive cylinder of a cake with alternating chocolate and white layers. It had a thick, cheesecake-like consistency. The chocolate overwhelmed the flavors of the dessert, so there was no real custard flavor. While the dessert was tasty, it was not very much like Boston cream pie.
As I mentioned before, the service was also spotty last night. Our booth was difficult for the waitress to access because she had to weave through other diners to get to us (this made for equal fun when we wanted to use the restroom). Entrees arrived while we were still eating our salads. My dessert beverage arrived after my parents had finished their desserts, and I ended up leaving some of it behind because I didn't feel like I had the luxury of sipping once the bill had been paid.
I think Legal remains a good choice for certain types of occasions. This location has accommodated business meetings for me in the past--it's quiet enough to hear conversation at a large table, and the food is reliable. It's also probably a great choice to go with people who aren't adventurous eaters but want to experience Boston seafood. I just don't see myself coming here very often when there are so many more interesting choices in the area. -
Review from Daniel S.
Peachtree City, GA
4/18/2011
I went out with a friend to Legal Sea Foods this past weekend while I was in Boston. I certainly enjoyed my food, but I don't know that I'd go back (even if my company pays for it again). I noticed someone else has mentioned having trouble figuring out how to rate it. If my meal was a good bit cheaper; sure! I'd love to give them 5 stars if the price was lower.
Honestly, the seafood was tasty, but the portions seemed off. The presentation was a mess, so I didn't really feel like I was eating a $26 dinner. I know that's not a lot to some people, but it surely isn't cheap.
I might have rated them at 4-stars if the sides were better. My jalapeno polenta was kind of dry and had this tough skin on the top of it. I asked my server if I was supposed to eat that, and she told me it was a brulee of sorts. I'm not quite sure why they would feel the need to make part of it inedible, but I guess that's just my opinion (as are all my reviews, haha). The broccoli had some odd cheese sauce on it that wasn't very flavorful...kind of like velveeta or something.
My server was friendly and attentive, and as I mentioned, my seafood was tasty. I ordered the Woodfire grill platter which had 3 types of fish, shrimp and scallops. It was a lot of variety, but I probably would have been happier with one larger cut of fish and some shrimp and scallops. It was kind of strange getting a couple bites of a lot of different things.
I don't know that I'd go back, and I certainly don't plan on heading back on my own dime. -
Review from Kay D.
12/13/2010
I came here for dinner while I was in town for a job interview, since my hosts were wanting to give me a taste of Boston. I had eaten here before (at another location), but I played along.
I wasn't super hungry, so I ordered a Caesar salad with grilled shrimp. This was good and got the job done, but was nothing to get too excited about. Their shrimp are always perfectly prepared and taste obviously fresh.
Another of our party got the yellow curry something-or-other and it looked a lot more delicious than what I had (and smelled amazing!). I would probably try this next time.
This location is part of a large chain, and it seems to be a pleasant and reliable place to go with co-workers or whatnot to have some seafood and drinks. It's a very warm and relaxed atmosphere with food that is pretty good, but at a not-so-great value. If I lived in the area I could see myself tiring of this place quite quickly, but it gets the job done! -
Review from Old Coot L.
Danville, CA
8/21/2010
Mrs Coot and I had a real hankering for lobster for lunch and decided on the Kendall Square location of Legal Sea Foods across the street from the fabulous Kendall Hotel. I'm not a fan of chain restaurants and I was not disappointed today. I really wanted a stuffed lobster, but the only lobster on the menu was a lobster roll. Correct me, but this is Boston right? And the only lobster at a seafood restaurant is a roll?
I needed a lobster fix, so ordered the roll. This was 11:00 AM on a Friday and we were the first, and for a while, the only people in the place and it took almost an hour to be served. How long does it take to put dry shredded lobster in a toasted roll?
Mrs Coot had scrod with cracker crumbs. When I asked her how it was, she said it was "nothing to write home about".
Enough said. We've been to several Legal locations and have been equally disappointed with each. When will I learn.... ? -
Review from Sara S.
Medford, MA
4/8/2011
I had a hard time deciding how many stars to give Legal Seafood, because it's not that the food is bad. It's actually pretty good, but I also think it's overpriced. I've been twice (once to the Prudential Center location, and once to the Kendall Square location), and both times, it's been good but not remarkable, and in my opinion not worth the prices.
Last night (at the Kendall Square location) I had a bowl of the clam chowder and the tortilla, apple and goat cheese salad with grilled scallops. The clam chowder was delicious, although it was so filling I wasn't able to eat much of my salad. (That's not a bad thing, just worth mentioning.) The rolls were also absolutely delicious; I don't normally write about the bread in restaurants unless it's really exceptional, but these were. Warm, with a slightly yeasty flavor--with a little butter, absolutely perfect.
The salad was good, but it didn't come with the avocado that was listed on the menu--they were apologetic and brought me a side of avocado. My cousin ordered the lobster, and when it came it was a weird shade of gray. The waitress took it back, and it turned out that the chef hadn't brushed it with butter, which apparently keeps lobsters from turning gray.
For dessert, I ordered the single profiterole, which was easily large enough for two people to share. The ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce were all delicious, but the pastry itself was cold and dry--pretty disappointing.
In general, I think there are better seafood restaurants in Boston that don't charge such an exorbitant price. -
Review from Chris A.
Despite being a chain, this location still provided a 5 star experience. Ever since landing in Boston, my mom has been wanting to try a Legal Sea Foods because you have to try it once while you're in town. After exploring the MIT campus, we decided to eat at this location before heading to ICA for free Target Thursdays. My mom had eyed this on the walk from the T station to campus.
We got seated right away and the host who sat us waited for us to put all our stuff down and get comfortable before laying the menus down on the table. Our server was this cute, older woman named Dot. She would be a cool grandma. Dot provided fantastic service and made sure we got what we wanted.
Since everyone has talked about the clam chowder here and the fact that it's been served traditionally at the President's inaugural lunch or dinner, we had to try it. We had one order, and Dot had it split for us without having us to request it. I love it when you get service like that, they just anticipate it and do it. This was one of the better clam chowders I've had overall with large clam pieces inside.
For the entrees, my mom and I decided to split two dishes. She ordered the 1.25-1.5 lb lobster dinner and I ordered one of the specials of the day, which was fresh halibut. The lobster was great, which nice, juicy, meaty pieces that we could dip in butter sauce. Each of us got a claw, and we split the tail. Nom nom nom. The halibut was prepared by being sauteed with fresh lemon. I like my fish simple, but still so good. The fish was tender and not overly firm, because halibut can get kind of firm if overcooked. We also each got two sides, so both us ordered the baked potato and sauteed spinach with garlic. Mother like son :) Their baked potato was also pretty awesome the way they stuffed it. The bacon and chives were embedded into the melted jack cheese that covered the potato.... very cohesive and delicious. I hate it when you run out of the added toppings before you finish all the potato, but this was not the case here.
Just another note on the service... the lobster crackers and bibs were brought out without having to request it. Also, extra lemon for the seafood was brought out, and even at the end the moist towelettes with fresh lemon to clean our hands was provided without having to ask. I hope other Legal Sea Foods provide this quality of service, but I have a new bias for this location. -
Review from Barbara A.
East Watertown, MA
5/17/2011
I would go here with my family before the fire way back when - when it was a small family run joint where you shared tables with everyone else. So there is a nostalgic vibe going on for me. The clam chowder is still pretty darn good, I have to admit it. BUT, you lose me at the fish and chips. They were bland/tastless. The service was also so-so. When I asked for a wine recommendation, I got nothing but a wishy-washy "you know everyone has their own tastes so ... " Why am I paying this much for average seafood?
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Review from Cynthia H.
Los Angeles, CA
2/4/2011
On my first night in Boston, my friend and I had dinner at the Kendall Square Legal Sea Foods. I had New England clam chowder, followed by a crab cake with salad (the appetizer portion). The clam chowder was awesome: creamy, flavorful, and with plenty of tasty chunks. My crab cake was also good, if more mustardy than I was expected. The crab meat was very tender, and the strong mustard sauce ended up complementing the salad pretty well. My friend ordered the cioppino, which was a heaping bowl of zesty broth, plenty of mussels, clams, some octopus (or was it squid?) and shrimp, some lobster, and garlic toast. Very satisfying.
I couldn't resist dessert, especially when I inquired and was told that the key lime pie was more tart than sweet. Indeed, it was a great balance of rich, tart, and sweet. Interestingly, it was served as a single-serving (more like two servings) round tart, instead of a slice of a larger pie.
I'm aware that Legal Sea Foods is a chain restaurant and kind of touristy, but the atmosphere and food were both perfect for a just-got-off-the-plane meal. Service was very friendly, which is always a plus. -
Review from Lisa K.
6/2/2011
I remember going to a Legal Sea Foods years ago and finding it quite mediocre, so I was lukewarm about returning when a friend said we should meet there for lunch. Well maybe I just ordered wrong last time, because I thought our meals were spot-on this time. I only tried the fish - the arctic char was better than the salmon, but both were great grilled/broiled. The former was from the "catch of the day" part of the menu, and I'd prefer that they'd knock down the price just a little and only have it come with one side. BUT I was very impressed that the broccoli was perfectly steamed and not overcooked. I might have preferred cheese rather than cheese sauce on it, but it was fine. I got the latter in a caesar salad, which I felt a bit ridiculous doing, but it was the only way to get fish and salad. The salad was surprisingly excellent, with crisp romaine in nicely-sized chunks, a handful of substantial croutons, and a very flavorful dressing which I enjoyed on the side.
The only thing holding it back for me is the price. Ok, I get that quality seafood is going to cost me - that's fine. But I feel like a decent part of the price is the atmosphere and appearance, which I could deal with being a bit less fancy (it's still fine for casual diners but there were clearly plenty of business lunches going on). ALSO, I asked for the half caesar salad with salmon - I wasn't sure if that was an option, from the menu, but I was charged for the full without the waiter mentioning anything. That would have been fine, I just would have liked to have known while ordering. -
Review from Erik O.
Boston, MA
12/19/2010 1 Check-in Here
Great seafood, but its expensive.
the drinks on the other hand, are very reasonably priced. -
Review from Michael E.
Dallas, TX
10/25/2010
So, I am not sure what the deal is with Legal. One is good while another sucks. Same fare, but sure the locations are different with different chefs. The variation between locations should NOT be that great. I never have been able to understand why they cannot seem to either hire good chefs at all sites or at least train them the same.
The Cambridge location is toward the end of the scale. I have gone twice in the last month, thinking the first bad experience was a fluke. It wasn't. For the second time, my fish was way overcooked (first time tuna, second time salmon). Even the woman sitting next to me sent her calamari back for being dry and used up. I mean, I like Legal at the Wharf. I like it in Burlington. Not here. I am done going back for another attempt.
Service? Well, the wait staff is pretty good. Friendly and helpful. Can't say the same for the hostesses. OK, so I am by myself since I am on the road for business. But stop trying to shove me in the back corner wedge in between a planter and a wall with 1.5 inches of arm room. The cold shoulder and the ambivalence that you are showing is not good. I am sorry I am bothering you miss 22yo, but I am trying to give you business. On an expense account nevertheless. I doubt your buddy the student from MIT that you gave the large booth to will throw down as much. -
Review from Hussam B.
Cambridge, MA
11/9/2011
This is another example of a lousy American food chain. I have been here a couple of times for business dinners and lunches only because it is walking distance from MIT and I don't know of any better reasonably priced restaurant in the area that serves decent food. I had the wild salmon which was simply grilled and came with a lemon. Sounds great but as soon as i tasted it I can tell it was frozen for a long time. Why can't they serve fresh wild salmon if they are charging $30 for it?! I had a side of sauteed spinach which was tasteless and french fries which was terrible. I will ask for our business dinners to be somewhere else next time. The two good things I had here are their bread and their water.
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Review from Tiffany Z.
Berkeley, CA
4/12/2010
Well, let's just say that If I had to nominate one restaurant for Worst Restaurant in the Boston/Cambridge area, this particular Legal Sea Foods very quickly comes to mind, especially given the price point -- it's not a high end restaurant, but it certainly isn't inexpensive (~$25 entrees). Unfortunately, I've been here half a dozen times (almost always on the receiving end of an all expenses paid 'work lunch').
So what do I have against such a successful seafood chain?
Let's start with service (at least during dinner hours), which can be summarized in one word: non-existent. Long waits. No one checking up on you. Being served cold clam chowder(!). I'm a fairly patient person especially if there's good conversation to be had so if I have to get up three times during my meal because neither my nor any other server can be found for long stretches of time, that's not a good sign. It's especially sad if all of this occurred on my 'i'll give them a second chance' visit after an initial poor service experience on a much busier night.
Food presentation -- look at the pictures; not very impressive. But, my absolute favorite (sarcasm) has to be the Vegetarian Box. Really...who came up with this idea? I'm certainly not going to judge a seafood restaurant by the quality of its vegetarian dishes, but the presentation of this dish was certainly memorable :) Imagine this: the server comes over with what looks like a Chinese take-out box. Your curiosity is peaked. He then proceeds to literally dump the contents of said box onto your dining companion's plate. Did he really just do that? Are you really going to shell out $18 for what looks like a carryout order of stir-fried veggies from the Chinese restaurant down the street? It certainly made the 7/8 seafood eaters feel a little more guilty about bringing the vegetarian here. On the plus side, it made my tasteless, lukewarm salmon *look* a lot more appetizing.
So, what am I trying to say? The seafood isn't great (maybe if you get something breaded and deep-fried to the point where the quality of what's inside really doesn't matter, you'd have better luck?), the service is awful, and the presentation is pretty mediocre. You be the judge.
