Want the inside word on Boston's most happening local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp and SafeGraph, a dataset of commercial points of interest and their visitor patterns, to deduce which restaurants have been seeing especially high review volumes this month.
To find out who made the list, we first looked at Boston businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance. Then we analyzed foot traffic data from SafeGraph to validate the trends.
Read on to see which spots are riding a trend, right now.
Table
Open since 2019, this Italian spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Italian" on Yelp.
Citywide, Italian spots saw a median 1% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Table saw a 27% increase, with a slight upward trend from a 4.5-star rating a month ago to five stars today. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Table's review count increased by more than 1,000%.
What does this business focus on? "Table is like no other dining experience in the North End. Seated at communal hand-crafted tables, you'll enjoy a nine-course Italian meal without looking at a menu. You'll be greeted by friendly staff awaiting your arrival, and seated with strangers who will eventually become friends." — that's from its Yelp page.
It's not the only trending outlier in the Italian category: Domenic's has seen a 13.9% increase in reviews, and Tresca has seen a 3.1% bump.
Located at 445 Hanover St. (between Battery and Salutation streets) in the North End, Table offers burrata & prosciutto, truffle ricotta gnocchi, chicken Madeira and more.
Table is open from 7 p.m.–10 p.m. on Wednesday-Friday, 7 p.m.–11 p.m. on Saturday and 5 p.m.–8 p.m. on Sunday. (It's closed on Monday and Tuesday.)
Eddie V's Prime Seafood
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Back Bay's Eddie V's Prime Seafood, a franchise of the famous chain, the steakhouse and lounge, which offers seafood and more, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Seafood" on Yelp saw a median 1.1% increase in new reviews over the past month, Eddie V's Prime Seafood bagged a 25.6% increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a solid four-star rating.
Want to know more about this business? We found this in its Yelp history section: "Eddie V's charismatic vibe draws you in and holds you close, invites you to be seen, or sit back and just savor. The finest seafood and steaks. World-class wine and service. And live jazz in the V lounge. Seafood is what we're known for, but our specialty is excellence. Our intent: to prepare the finest meal you've ever had."
There's more that's trending on Boston's seafood scene: an outpost of the chain Bootleg Special has seen a 7% increase in reviews.
Open at 122 Belvidere St. since 2019, Eddie V's Prime Seafood offers jumbo lump crab cakes, Maine lobster bisque, filet mignon and more.
Eddie V's Prime Seafood is open from 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m. on Friday, 4 p.m.–11 p.m. on Saturday and 4 p.m.–9 p.m. on Sunday.
Backyard Betty's
South Boston's Backyard Betty's is also making waves. Open since 2018 at 170 W. Broadway (between B Street and Gardner Place), the popular New American spot has seen a 9.5% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.3% for all businesses tagged "American (New)" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Backyard Betty's review count increased by more than 330%.
Backyard Betty's offers warm cornbread skillets, smoked wings, roasted mushroom flatbreads and more. Over the past month, it's maintained a sound four-star rating among Yelpers.
Backyard Betty's is open from 4 p.m.–midnight on Monday-Wednesday, 4 p.m.–2 a.m. on Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m.–2 a.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.–midnight on Sunday.
Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar Back Bay
Back Bay's Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar Back Bay is the city's buzziest cocktail bar by the numbers.
The well-established lounge, cocktail bar and Mexican spot, which opened at 271 Dartmouth St. (between Boylston and Newbury streets) in 2010, increased its new review count by 0.9% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 1.5% for the Yelp category "Cocktail Bars." As for foot traffic, Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar Back Bay saw visits double over the past month, according to SafeGraph data.
Want more about the business's specialties in the words of the people behind it? "Serving playful, Mexican-inspired food & drink" — that's according to its Yelp page.
Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar Back Bay offers hot queso dip, steak sofrito quesadillas, hibachi shrimp and more.
Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar Back Bay is open from 4 p.m.–2 a.m. daily. According to SafeGraph, it usually gets busy at 6 p.m., 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., and on Saturdays and Fridays. If you’re planning your visit, you may want to try its slower periods on Sundays.
Bastille Kitchen
South Boston's popular Bastille Kitchen is currently on the upswing in the bar category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Bars" on Yelp saw a median 1.2% increase in new reviews over the past month, this bar and French spot increased its new reviews by 1.1% — and kept its rating consistent at four stars. Visits to Bastille Kitchen increased by more than 50% over the same time frame, according to SafeGraph's foot traffic data.
Want more about the business's specialties in the words of the people behind it? "With a French-inspired menu, we offer familiar Parisian brasserie favorites prepared with local ingredients and a "tip of the hat" to the history of our beloved Boston. Unpretentious hospitality, hand-crafted cocktails, and a welcoming & warm atmosphere make Bastille Kitchen perfect for anything from a simple after work dinner to a complete evening out." — that's according to its page on Yelp.
There's more abuzz in the world of Boston bars: Brandy Pete's has seen a 2.7% increase in reviews.
Open for business at 49 Melcher St. (between A and Necco streets) since 2014, Bastille Kitchen offers prime steak frites, duck a l'Orange, salmon provencal and more.
Bastille Kitchen is open from 4:30 p.m.–1 a.m. daily. According to SafeGraph, people tend to visit Bastille Kitchen on Tuesdays and Fridays, and it attracts a quarter of its total visitors over those two days, so go on Sundays if you want to avoid the rush.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
