Food is delicious... Ambiance is great and the service sucks. Hire more or new waitstaff
(2)
Aaqila A.
Great food. Great atmosphere. A little pricey, but it was worth it. Nice vibe.
(4)
Abbie M.
I was pleasantly surprised by Red Lantern. I heard it was a great spot to go out and have drinks, but was totally unfamiliar with the space or with the menu. Got a LivingSocial and decided to check it out! From the front it looks like a sketchy Asian place. They really need to work on that, because inside it is quite upscale with these incredibly tall ceilings with Asian/S&M iron lighting, full size Samurai warriors, and it's very cool. The waitress was a skilled saleswoman, highlighting the most expensive appetizers ($24 for 6 thin slices of beef/salmon cooked on a stone?) and entrees ($40 steak at an Asian place?) on the menu. She was the right amount of attentive, very knowledgeable, and had a good sense of humor. The menu was just redone and it's rather extensive (did I type extensive or expensive, because it is both.) We tried the Tik Tok chicken, the veggie fried rice, and my date got two sushi rolls. I don't eat sushi so I have no clue what she ordered. The chicken itself was quite good, and there was a lot of it, but for some reason while the sauce tasted good on the chicken I didn't like it on the broccoli or rice. The veggie fried rice was not your typical oily heavy fried rice, it was light with lots of veggies and there was a generous portion. She said her sushi was good, though I thought it looked on the small side. For drinks I got a coco-loco mai tai and she had Tanq and tonic. My drink tasted fine but was much smaller than I expected, however the Tanq and tonic was normal. They advertise a beer and wine special which changes daily/weekly, which is pretty awesome. Our total bill was $74, we had a deal for $60, so we made out all right in the end. The ambiance was fantastic and I would like to return for drinks, but probably not dinner.
(4)
Nicole S.
Every time I go here I am more and more blown away by the food and service. During our most recent visit the 3 of us enjoyed the following: Chicken Lettuce wraps ($14) Lobster Ragoons ($12) Fan Fried Pork Dumpkins ($12) Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls ($10) Shrimp Fried Rice ($14) Drunken Noodles ($22) Everything was very fresh and flavorful. The meal was staggered a bit so we could enjoy each dish at a nice pace as well as them being cooked right to order. I can't get enough of the Lobster Ragoons- just imagine crab rangoons but 100x better with fresh lobster. I typically find that noodles dishes are either dry and gummy or are very oily to keep the noodles seperated and easy to eat but it is not the case here. We ended up with plenty of food and had some of the fried rice and noodles to go. Valet does take a LONG time so don't forget to ask your server to call up your car while you finish dessert.
(4)
Odiddy K.
Place looks awesome. But it's Rat infested. As I'm eating my meal I spot 2 mice running around I tell the waitress she said it's normal because of the location. she had the nerve to say that they name the mice that is Stuart. Manager comes over says they are very sorry and will take care of the bill they took off the edamames off the bill $8 bucks off a $230 bill. Don't go there !!!!
(1)
Mark D.
I have mixed feelings about this place. First, the place is nicely arranged. Decorations are appropriate with the name of the restaurant and fit an Asian motif. The bar is especially nice. The bar also has nice drinks. And they make them nice and strong which fits the price which is average for a cocktail at a decent establishment (think $10 - $14). However be cautious as I was charged a higher price for my classic Mai Thai than the menu price ($12 instead of $11). It is possible this was an honest mistake as they have another Mai Thai available at the higher price. For starters we had salt and pepper calamari, dumplings and vegetable spring rolls. All dishes were plated well, however staff initially brought over the calamari and told us it contained shrimp. However the same plate came back after staff confirmed there was no shrimp in the dish. The spring rolls were average and over priced for what they were. The dumplings were tasty, but again over priced for what they were. The calamari was good and was the best of the three. For entrees I ordered the skirt steak. My dinner companions ordered a wok fried pork special. My skirt steak was plated well and had excellent taste. The pairing with a baked sweet potato was an odd choice but worked and provided some nice contrast to the soy, garlic and ginger sauce on the steak. The wok fried pork was returned to the kitchen because it was deep fried not wok fried. My dinner companions chose the other pork special a pork loin. The pork loin was dry. Management removed it from the bill after complaining it was inedible and agreed it looked dry. We also had the Wagyu fried rice. While tasty, I've had better fried rice in Chinatown that had more depth of flavor with less oil. Staff and service were generally lackluster. Staff appeared mostly apathetic. Gentlemen, I was told, were not allowed to wear any form of hat in the dining area, however being loud and obnoxious (think bachelorette party with 4 scorpion bowls and dozens of other drinks) is allowed and seemingly encouraged by the very scantily and sexually clad female staff (think corsettes). Kitchen staff delivering food and refilling drinks made numerous mistakes throughout the night from not knowing the dishes that were being delivered to topping off sparkling water with tap water. My overall impression is this place is mostly trying to live off of the hype. The food is tasty but the price being paid is for the atmosphere and nothing more. Good place to get a drink with a friend or two but there are better Asian restaurants in town albeit none with an interior as pretty as Red Lantern.
(2)
Danielle S.
Good spot for Asian fare in Back Bay, nice ambience and interior design. Had a collection of apps and rolls. All were quite good. Recommend the "naruto" roll and lettuce wraps. Portions are ok, but prices are high. $16 for a 5 piece roll is high, even for the area. Same for the wine. High prices, mediocre selection, and small pour. Overall tasty food, just not the best price to quality ratio.
(4)
David H.
I am giving this place four stars but not for the food which was very very overpriced and averagely presented....btw guys gyoza is steamed and then gently fried on one side only...duh!!!! But, the drinks menu is exciting and varied...and our waitress was enthusiastic and helpful. The four stars is for the setup and the decor. You could be in NYC at one of those hip happening places...except it is right here in this great city, and jammed with all the good looking people having a great time at the very cool bar. The lofted warehouse has been incredibly transformed with great furnishings and decor. This place will always draw the crowds and be a fun great evening out...just eat somewhere else...or bring your corporate card....which always has a way of easing the pain of paying exorbitant prices for pretty average plates of food.
(4)
Allan S.
Nouveau Asian fusion cuisine. Upscale & trendy. Nice bar with friendly, prompt, professional bartenders. The dining area is large and there is a private room for groups. I enjoyed watching the beautiful people walking by. As for the cuisine, its good. though far from traditional Asian, I was here for a business meal would definitely bring my wife if only to enjoy drinks & the vibe.
(4)
Blaire O.
The food was delicious and the service was excellent. My friend and I went on Friday night with a reservation and were promptly seated. First round of drinks, we had a Mai-tai and the red lotus. My second drink had orange muddled with champagne. It was alright but I really liked the red lotus. The Lettuce wraps were delicious! The waitress was helpful answering any questions as I have a shellfish allergy. Another friend had recommended that we get the Singapore noodles. It had a lot of shellfish in the dish. So I asked the waitress if we could substitute it with chicken. I appreciate her honesty of telling us that removing the shellfish would not make the dish as good. She offered other noodle suggestions. We ended up going with the classic chicken lomein. Before placing our order, the waitress asked how severe my shellfish allergy was in regards to cross contamination. The spicy tuna roll and the avocado/cucumber roll was delicious as well. For dessert, we split the chocolate mousse cake and had an espresso each. The cake was rich so we could not finish it. The fruit served with the cake was delicious. all the other servers were attentive as well. Only downside was the food is a little pricey. I would be back again for a splurge meal
(4)
Sean H.
This may come across a little cheesy but I'm ok with it. We always have a great meal at Red Lantern. But the food is only part of the reason we keep coming back. The staff is what sets them apart. The hosts are always friendly and warm. The wait staff are amazing and knowledgeable. Food comes out great, piping hot but also consistent. Management will always pop by and see how your meal is. They really know how to treat their customers. That's why it's my wife and I's favorite place to dine in the city.
(5)
Channa H.
My friend and I had dinner there Tuesday night and I would probably not go back again. We went after work and it wasn't crowded. The hostesses were pretty rude, didn't even bother to say hello or look at us as we were asked if we had a reservation for our party of two. The food was okay. We got lobster rangoons, shrimp fried rice (the best thing we got), stir-fried short ribs with broccoli and asparagus and soft shell crab sushi. All okay but I wouldn't rush back there to have dinner. The service wasn't very friendly and we felt rushed the entire time. Our server (said Tia on the receipt) did the typical filling waters and asking if things were okay but was completely emotionless, like she didn't want to be there. As someone who's been a server before, I know it puts a damper on your guests' experience when you give off that vibe. She seemed annoyed that we were there over an hour and would walk away before we could finish answering any questions she'd ask, like, if we'd like dessert and dropped the check without asking if my friend wanted another drink. Beautiful restaurant in a great location, lots of potential. But, I wish my first time there was better. Wouldn't go back unless someone twisted my arm and even then, I'd hope for a better server.
(2)
Delroy H.
This place was very nice. The food was excellent and the staff was friendly and knowledgable. I would certainly recommend it. I will be back soon.
(5)
M S.
The reason I am rating this restaurant a 1 star is because they cook their seemingly vegetarian options in the same oil as the non vegetarian options. This is a big problem and modern restaurants to adhere to better cooking standards. This essentially leaves stir fried vegetables as the only vegetarian entree choice.
(1)
Jessica F.
Heard awesome things about this place and the only thing I liked was the decor and ambiance of the place. Nothing really like that in Boston. The drink menu was pretty good too but when it came down to choosing a meal...I didn't see much on their that appealed to me. Im a big sushi eater and nothing popped out to me as amazing. A lot of it was fried or cooked fish. There are not a lot of dishes to choose from but be prepared to pay the price. My waitress was not too attending. I think she stopped at our table a total of 3 times. I understand it's busy, but hire more staff. Also, I have a sesame seed allergy, which is in a lot of Asian foods. She basically told me all I could it were the simple sushi rolls and everything else was cross contaminated with sesame oil. I'm sorry, but if you can take the time to cook something aside, you do not deserve my money. I've been to plenty of other Asian restaurants and they tell me what to stay away from specifically. Here, they did not want to put in the effort. I don't think I will be coming back.
(1)
Shea R.
This place has a very nice ambiance as soon as you walk in. The waiter was not too friendly and was only right to the point. There were a few people from our party running late and they told us that we needed to be out by a certain time because there was another reservation at our table after ours. Here's what I tried: Ronin roll not bad but the fish felt a little too soggy for my taste. Chicken fried rice tasted a little burnt and I'm pretty sure the takeout spot on a random corner tastes better. Edamame was actually really good especially with the sauce it comes with. Dumplings were nothing special, not memorable at all. The tuna tar tar was really good and went well with the rice I ordered
(3)
Ellen H.
How have I not written a review of Red Lantern yet?! I LOOOOVE this place. Find it pretty easy to make reservations on OpenTable and have never had a problem with a reservation. Like another reviewer said, this place is like Buddakan in NYC, which is all the more reason to love it. It's dark, sexy, upscale, but not pretentious. Service is always excellent. I have only once been disappointed with my food and it was my own fault because I didn't realize "smokey" sushi was literally going to come with a glass jar over it holding the SMOKE inside. It was like eating a fireplace. Lesson learned! That said, EVERY other meal I have had here has been absolutely delicious. Fresh, fun maki combinations. Good appetizers, and honestly - the prices aren't bad for what it is. You'll pay $15 for a specialty roll in a suburb so it's more than reasonable at Red Lantern. The fried rice and noodle portions are generous. Drinks are phenomenal and well-priced. My boyfriend and I tend to make a night out of it when we come here and we never feel rushed, even though it's a busy place. I am going to try to have my birthday dinner here, I love it so much. Yay Red Lantern!
(5)
Mahee F.
Great bar with a cool asian theme but also a great place to sit down for dinner
(3)
Amir K.
The rice dishes and noodle dishes are enough for at least two. The food is great but the ambiance is even better. A must see in the Back Bay/ South End.
(5)
James A.
Good ambiance, good food. Service was satisfactory. Portions were proper. Would recommend if you get a chance
(4)
Rachel S.
^^ That one star right there. That's a gift. I have been to Red Lantern countless times, for birthdays, date nights, and the like. Generally, the food is decent (few standouts are the duck buns and the rock shrimp appetizer) yet the service is notoriously deplorable. Hostesses are inexperienced and unfriendly and the staff is not much better. On one occasion, our entire meal came backwards - entrees, then sushi, then appetizers - with a mere "whoops! so sorry!" from our waitress. "K," Red Lantern, "K".... So why even go back, you ask? Truth be told, I live just around the corner and the music and atmosphere of the restaurant is a great backdrop for a birthday celebration, date night, or girls night out (as long as your group isn't on a budget or a bunch of foodies). The music resembles the kinda beats a back up DJ puts on in a club prior to midnight when the real DJ comes on. Parents, you've been warned... I had been meaning to give Red Lantern's unlimited sushi night a go because, lezzbehonest, decent "all you can eat" sushi night is something you read about only in culinary fairy-tales. So, a group of 6 of us banded together last night and headed over to Red Lantern. We were sat (when our full party arrived) at a large circular table in the central part of the restaurant. Immediately after sitting, one of my friends was complaining that the ceiling/pipes above him was dripping condensation right into his lap. Not a huge deal, but since there was an empty exactly same sized table right next to us, we figured we'd ask to be moved. When we asked our waitress to switch tables, she looked at us like we were insane. Not only did she not offer to move us to the other table, but she fought us when we suggested it. She said another reservation would be taking the table (um, we had a reservation too...?) and there was "nothing she could do about it." FYI - I've been a waitresss and the first rule of waitressing is that you NEVER throw your hands up at a customer and say there is nothing you can do. Moving along... In an effort to make our waitress's life easier, we asked if it would be possible to get separate checks/allow couples to have their own checks. Again, that look of utmost confusion and disgust from our waitress. "We can only accept 4 cards," she began to repeat over and over. Okay, you're annoying, but w/e. Let's talk about the food. "NO," is the phrase that comes to mind. Red Lantern offers a selection of pretty basic rolls as part of their unlimited menu (no surprise here). I started with the "rock & roll" which is essentially rock shrimp tempura on a cali roll and the spicy salmon roll. Well, the shrimp tempura was cold as if it had been pre-made circa 4pm when service started and was DRENCHED in a spicy mayo. The same overdose of spicy mayo covered my spicy salmon roll. Honestly it could have been spicy shark fin maki and I wouldn't have known - I couldn't taste the salmon AT ALL. With our fingers crossed, we all decided to order our second round of sushi. Here's where it really gets good... We literally had to flag down our waitress after almost 20 mins between rounds. Our table was joking about how making us wait is probably a tactic used by the restaurant to make you more full faster... I'm not convinced this is entirely wrong. Second round came and I thought I'd steer clear of anything "spicy" related so I opted for the plain California roll and the Idaho (sweet potato) roll. The California roll was the winner of the evening which is straight up down right pathetic-city. How can you do an vegetable filled roll wrong? You can service the normally warm sweet potato filling icy cold. * Sad Face * We had all had enough and were ready to get going so we started looking around for our waitress to bring the bill. She was nowhere to be found. More waiting ensued until we finally grabbed a manager and asked for the bill. Our waitress came back, annoyed, and chirped, "Sorry. Didn't realize you guys were finished." The napkins in our plates definitely did not give this girl a large enough hint, apparently. Finally, we pay the check and GTFO of there. Needless to say, I will never be returning to Red Lantern nor will anyone that sat in my party last night. I'm confident that I can find another establishment to overcharge and under serve me that doesn't leave my stomach gargling with discomfort.
(1)
Caro D.
Visited on a Wednesday night and was crowded. Ambiance was vibrant. Lili, the waitress, was very nice. Shared the rib-eye bulgogi, lobster and bacon brown fried rice, and baby bok choy with my husband. All dishes were abundant and with plenty of flavor. Special mention to the delicious wood grilled meat. Overall a pleasant experience. The only downside was the level of the volume of the ambiance music. Personally a bit loud for my taste.
(4)
Courtney S.
This place is so disappointing. Came here for girls night. Drinks are a little overpriced and not very good. Beer selection lacking. Wait staff super rude and not very attentive. Felt like we were putting him out when we asked for anything. Would not return here and will tell others who ask about my poor experience
(2)
Chirag P.
Went here twice within 4 days for receptions. It really is a cool place, awesome decor and great food. The orange glazed chicken skewers were amazing and so was the sushi roll with kobe beef in/on it. Can't remember exactly what that was called. One of the servers was just pure entertainment... dancing to the house music and truly enjoying his work... which made this place that much cooler, since all the staff seemed sincerely amused to be working there. I can't speak to the price, since i was a guest at the work reception, so drinks and food were free.
(5)
Karen B.
The ambiance is deceiving here- it looks impressive from the outside, but the food is bland and the service is terrible. I came with a large party, reserved a lounge area table, and it took 45 minutes for our server to bring the first round of drinks. The restaurant was not full and the bar was not crowded. The server, who admitted to being new, got annoyed when a few peoole chose to visit the bar for additional rounds. Sorry, but 18 of us are thirsty. Don't get the chicken fried rice- boring and oily. Lettuce wraps come with a gooey dish of meat, I think; it was mostly peanuts. The server took an order for drinks, then dropped the check without adding the final order...then came back 30 minutes later looking for more money, without the last drink order having arrived. Very unprofessional. I wouldn't come back or recommend it to others. I expected much more...
(1)
Rozzie M.
Who serves sushi with one piece if ginger? Who serves sushi with out spy sauce? Who serves Asian apps of any kind not to mention and entire app platter without dipping sauce? Red Lantern. That's who. Pu Pu platter comes "pre-sauced" and is as skimpy with precious sauces as they are with the ginger in the sushi. Please explain what is with that choice. Sauce is too messy? Too expensive? Please!!!! Won't be back. Evah.
(2)
Megan Y.
Red Lantern is an amazing place to start a night out downtown! It feels like the closest restaurant/lounge to Tao in Vegas (without the naked women dancing). Love it: - the rock shrimp seriously rocks! It's so delicious and a must order. Portions are small so be prepared to order more! - Tik tok chicken is awesome and great to share. Serves as a good base for a big drinking night! - Hot rock is fun and tasty! Beef and salmon are both good - drink menu is extensive and fun! I started with the geisha -- great if you love sweet drinks with champagne Hate it: - would not reorder the chicken fried rice or chicken lettuce wraps as they were not memorable
(4)
K F.
Overpriced drinks and decent food. Sushi was the best part. The atmosphere is fun but it's not worth it if you're going just for dinner. One thing that really bugged me were the fortune cookies - advertisements. Photo included. Service was nothing special.
(3)
Samantha I.
3.5 stars. I came in with 3 friends on Sunday night for drinks and dinner, and we had a great time! We sat in the lounge type area and it was very comfortable and our waitress was great. The appetizers that we got were delicious- rock shrimp & lobster Rangoon. The noodle dishes we got were good, but basic (Singapore street noodles & chicken lo mein). I thought they could have been better and more flavorful. For cocktails, I recommend the coconut Mai tai (I did not like their red sangria).
(4)
Phil O.
Per request from the server, I ordered the Wagyu Ribeye, which was just terrible. And it was $44! I had them prepare me another one with the correct temperature, but it was still a tough piece of flavorless meat. I doused the steak in salt and pepper, but it was pointless. I might not ever come back here for the food. Our peking raviolis were botched as well (overcooked- burnt on the bottom). It's too bad, because my first food experience here was incredibly better.
(2)
Silvia V.
Red Lantern is a perfect spot for a girls' night outing. The decor is cool. Love the zen Buddhas and the splashes of red. I've been to the restaurant twice so far. The first time I had drinks and a few apps at the bar and the second time I had a sit-down dinner with friends. The drinks are too sweet for my taste. I had their Classic Mai Tai as well as their Lychee Martini, both super sweet. Their food is much better than the drinks. Gyoza, Duck Buns, Tuna Tartare, Calamari Crunchy are all great appetizers. I also recommend Crunchy Maki, Spicy Tuna Maki and Spicy Salmon Maki. And for dessert a Chocolate Macadamia Nut Tart, it's sooo good. Our waitress was awesome, she was very attentive and very nice. I think her name was Lilly.
(4)
Nick F.
Right before I graduated from a local college, I took a girl here for a date because we both wanted to try the $20 all you can eat. Anyway- I would highly recommend it. The $20 unlimited deal is kept to a few types of rolls but each were delicious and easily repeated. We also had some fun exploring the drink options which were also extremely delicious- especially their drink served in a coconut. I cant wait to get back to Boston and eat here again!
(4)
Mary M.
Guess how much a Markers Mark Manhattan here costs. Only $32! What a steal!
(3)
Maggie N.
Great atmosphere for a night out on the town. Sushi unique and tastey!
(5)
Michael M.
When I went to the Red Lantern I was a guest of a group of friends, so I didn't pay for a thing. I can't really talk about the prices. They were highly successful people who like to show it, so I imagine they spent some serious coin that night. The crowd was cool, the ambiance for a Friday night was full out lounge in effect. A really great place for conversation amoung friends. So why would I give the "Red Lantern" 5 stars? "The Singapore Street Noodles" are phenomenal! 4.999999 of those stars go to these tasty magical exhibits of culinary mastery. When the Streets meet Singapore a tasty infusion of various meats, spices and noddles emerge. This ill begotten son of two distinct linages, will captivate your taste buds and expand your horizons. At the end of the night and at the bottom of the bowl you'll leave with more questions then answers... Why am I here? Is there a life after death? Where exactly is Singapore? Last but not least, what in the world is in these noddles?
(5)
Ann P.
Arrived after the Bruins game. It was hopping at 10 PM. EDM pumps up the volume, hip and trendy beautiful people mingle with older crowds. Efficient friendly service, sweet pretty hostesses, a really cool creative drink menu and tasty food. The in spot for a late night nosh and drink sesh. Really dark and cozy and romantic in a different sort of way. Fun!!
(4)
Lisa N.
Loved it! Just know, this isn't an unpretentious hole in the wall, or an intimate neighborhood haunt, and it's Asian fusion. And expensive (but portions are huge, we had plenty--too much for 2, and my hubby can eat!). If you've been to Hakkasan or Buddakhan in NYC, it's similar in style and menu. But IMHO, much better. We tried: --special of smoked char su egg rolls --crispy rice bites with blackened tuna --pan fried peking ravioli (least favorite, rather than just the bottom fried, the entire dumpling seemed deep-fried, chili sauce was too sweet) --Tik Tok chicken (similar to a General Gau's, but better) --Rib eye bulgogi style (awesome, Korean marinade, gochujang sauce, kim chi) --baby bok choy with garlic chips Everything was freshly prepared and served hot. Almost docked a star as the drinks are pricey and didn't seem that potent.
(5)
Karen C.
When trying to decide on where to have dinner in Boston my friend gave a few suggestions and after looking at menus I was most intrigued by Red Lantern. I loved the space as soon as we walked in - a little funky, a little modern, and a lot bigger than I was expecting. We started with cocktails - I am a sucker for anything with ginger beer so naturally I had to get that one! Started with the spring rolls, which were tasty, but for $10 a laughable portion. Maybe I was just hungry from running a half marathon earlier in the day though. Singapore street noodles were out of this world and I am happy to say the portion on these was more than sufficient. I wish I'd been able to take home the leftovers but we were in a hotel without a mini fridge. Our server was attentive but it probably helped being St. Patrick's Day so most people were not at Asian restaurants :) I'd come back.
(4)
M. M.
Celebrated my sisters 40th birthday here. The waitstaff was great. She knew the menu well, guided us on selections and was attentive. The food was outstanding. Atmosphere lively and a bit loud. Great for group gathering. Will visit again!
(5)
Samita S.
The Red lantern sushi roll is probably one of the best sushi rolls I've ever had!! It was perfect!! Get that specifically and you won't be missing out!!
(5)
K A.
Red Lantern was just okay. We had a groupon, and so went as a group and ordered A LOT of food. The rice and noodle dishes are pricey, large, and only of average quality. The sushi was barely average, but the drinks were good. Overall, the food was pricey, not nearly as flavorful as authentic Asian food, and lacked the quality usually associated with the price. I would characterize the atmosphere as "hip" and the kind of place you might go before you head out clubbing for the night. Ladies, be sure to wear your heels.
(2)
Bill A.
Why on god's earth is this place 3.5 stars? Went with my wife food was amazing! She ordered Beef w/ Lomein and I ordered sweet and sour chicken and both dishes arrived steaming hot. We also did the lobster Rangoon for and appetizer which is pretty good. Portions are huge we could have shared one dish.
(5)
Michael C.
An Asian Fusion restaurant that appears to do it all. We sat at the open kitchen bar, we were so close to the kitchen and head chef I felt like we could have jumped in and helped. In my opinion they are the best seats in the house. With the head chef literally at arms length we were able to see so many dishes being made and got loads of good recommendations and a few samples. Great decor, friendly staff, attractive patrons. This place would definitely go into the Bond or Liberty Hotel category of places. Here is what we had: Mai Tai - Stronger than sweet. On the smaller size. It makes the $44 scorpion bowl seem like a value. Shanghai Street Sangria - Red Lanterns' version of sangria made with Plum Sake. I prefer the traditional stuff but it was still good. Blueberry Yuzu Drop - It's almost like a blueberry cosmo, my favorite of the cocktails. Spicy Lettuce Wraps - Pretty much what you would expect if you've had them at P.F Chang's except they do have a spicy kick Fresh Lo Mein Noodles - Standard Lo Mein dish but very good Terriyaki Noodle Steak - Almost the same as the Lo Mein dish but topped off with amazingly tender pieces of steak. Pork Ribs - Your typical chinese spare ribs, the meat was much less fatty than your typical asian restaurant. Sushi - (Lobster Roll, Geisha Nights, Ronin Roll) - The Sushi was top notch. The Ronin and Geisha were the best. Duck Buns - One of the meal highlights, they are almost like a duck taco. Delicious, a little sweet and a little spicy. Calamari - The flavors of the calamari and sauce were great, the sauce did make it slightly soggy though. Mashed Potato Sticks - Another highlight, corndog sized fried mashed potatoes with a dipping sauce consisting of a Japanese steak sauce and a Japanese mayonnaise. Wagyu Beef Fried Rice - Solid dish, could I taste the difference of the Wagyu beef? probably not but it was still good. Lobster Whipped Potatoes - Good for mashed potatoes but with the lobsters practically blended and the side costing $12 there are better options on the menu for the money. Lobster Crab Rangoon - 4 mini lobster crab rangoons, if you like the traditional crab version you'll be please with this. Chinese Bacon Tenderloin - Perfectly cooked at medium rare, perfectly seasoned, came with the lobster mashed potatoes. Chocolate Ginger Cake - Interestingly enough the head chef said he couldn't recommend any of the desserts, we still ordered the cake for the birthday girl. It was good but I would not get it again. Appreciated the chef's honesty.
(5)
Bill K.
Met friends for a great night and actually had one - despite the restaurant, a cavernous place but appealing open layout. Drinks were good, service was fine, it's just that the food was terrible. Really. Terrible. Kebabs were dry - at least the chicken ones, and everything, absolutely everything was salted beyond the point where we could them. We literally picked at everything that was served and let them take the better part of the meal back to the dumpster. Piece of advice: Get a chef.
(2)
C D.
Took the wife here for New Year's Eve dinner. Overall, just ok. Atmosphere: really upscale set up with cool fusion music. Although the website said there was valet parking, there was none. Parking garage end of the block. Hostess would not give my wife the corner table while I was parking, although there was no one there. Drinks: tried the lychee martini; good flavor, but would be much better with the real lychee fruit rather than the standard cherry. Apps: had the hot rock, excellent. Great presentation and high quality cuts of beef and salmon. Wine: good selection, our Malbec was good at $42/bottle Entrees: Just ok. The busted lobster had great taste and presentation, but several of the pieces were actually cold; as if the dish was pre-made, refrigerated, and heated up, but not evenly. Same for my wife's short rib; several cold pieces of meat, and the meat tasted like it was cooked yesterday. Would go there again for drinks and apps.
(3)
Daanish N.
The best steak I've had in Boston so far. Will come back again.
(5)
G K.
This was a really nice place to hang out. the atmosphere is great. Service was OK...could be a bit friendlier..but still good. Food was very tasty..but a bit too salty for almost everything we had. I'll go back to hang out and even for large parties.
(4)
Fred M.
We enjoyed our dinner very much, however the service was not up to snuff and the acoustics of the room made conversation challenging. The PuPu platter is a nice way to get a sense of the quality and variety of the menu. Perfect for 2, not quite enough for 4. Duck buns were very tasty without the usual overpowering hoisin sauce. We enjoyed the drunken noodles, the char sui fried rice and the tik tok chicken. Each had a variety of subtle complementary tastes going on. With better service and dialing down the noise, it wouldn't be a stretch to give the Red Lantern five stars.
(4)
Sean M.
TL;DR good food but somewhat pricey, sub par service mars experience. I don't know if it was amateur night last night but the Red Lantern was actually an embarrassing recommendation for dinner with out of town visitors. I had picked it because I remembered that their tuna tartar is amongst the best in the city and indeed mine was good, but perhaps not as great as my memory. A restaurant with food & drinks at this price point should have a service to match, particularly on a relatively quiet weekday evening. It did not. We were left waiting around to be seated when there were about half a dozen tables available that might have accommodated us and which never filled up. Multiple requests to be seated for dinner were ignored right up until the point where we were about to give up and leave; the bar does not know how to close a tab properly; we overheard someone behind the bar advising the bar bat to keeping looking down to avoid customers asking him for a drink; the staff does not know what is on the menu; overpriced red wine was poured over an inch of ice & water into my water glass; different members of the party were served at different times (leading me to suspect an item had been forgotten).. etc. Sure we all got our meal in the end and it was fine, but there are a lot of places in the city that have good food and that also know how to deliver a smooth professional service and not annoy their customers. At this point I would recommend any one of them over RL who have irritated me enough to write this infrequent review. Perhaps it relies on being crowded and when it is not, the cracks show.
(2)
Sara M.
This place is very cool and posh inside, which was unexpected judging from the awkward location down a random alley/street. We came with another couple and ordered hot sake, as well as a fish bowl to start. Our server was great at first and quite attentive. The ambiance was enjoyable and I was all set to get smashed. The vodka based fish bowl was delicious and packed more of a punch than it tasted, but the sake may have had to do with that too. I had the hot and sour soup, which was an interesting take on it but decently tasty. The duck bun was only so-so and I have had better for much less money in Chinatown. I was very excited to try the lobster and bacon fried rice because it sounded amazing. It wasn't the fried rice with soy sauce - almost more Vietnamese style and there was very little lobster. Our server had disappeared at this point and we had to remind her twice about our drinks. The frustrating part was she acted like it was the first time we ordered them instead of apologizing. I would come back for drinks and maybe small plates. The food is too expensive for the quality and the service was not good. The drinks were quite tasty though.
(3)
Jamie H.
red lantern is a really cool space with great food and drinks, but it is fairly expensive. the high celing lends it to be a very interesting space, and it sets up very well for large group events. the sushi is really good, as the rolls are creatively put together and always taste fresh. however, i do have to admit it can be tough to stomach the cost of some of the specialty rolls afterward (or while ordering)! i also really enjoyed the spring rolls and chicken skewers. the drinks are also very good, and strong! i tried the lychee martini, and one was enough to give me a very solid buzz. it was $14, but worth the cost. it was sweet, tangy, and i would advise savoring it and drinking it slowly. i also had a few of the wine selections, which were all very nice. red lantern would be a perfect place for a romantic dinner. it's also a great option for work events, if you have the budget to back it.
(4)
Harry C.
Pricey. But good food. The service is what's terrible. A dinner should never take 3 and a half hours with the waitress checking on us 4 times in total. Two of those times one of us had to get up and ask for someone to get her. A whole night basically gone because dinner took so long.
(2)
vinny o.
The staff in this place is so unpolished it makes me cringe. This place is more like a girls or guys gone wild type of place. Been there 3 times and every single time I've been there, it's seems people are outta control drunk. SCREAMING obscenities and such. Manager walks around like a hard guy and has the girls do his dirty work. Save your money and go ANYWHERE else. Ugh
(1)
Bill K.
I'm familiar with BNEG's other venues and gave this a try while meeting up with a friend who was in town from Colorado. As usual, the decor is great (same with their other venues) and the prices are relatively high. Service was standard and the food wasn't out of this world but relatively good. Definitely a great after work spot or to take a date.
(4)
Steve B.
We went for a stroll and ended up at Red Lantern. The sushi is good and fresh but slightly under-portioned for the cost. We had the drunken noodles which weren't so great...only because we're huge drunken noodles fans and are always accustomed to and expect wide flat noodles with this dish and this riff on the dish came with very thin noodles. If that style is your preference then go for it. The taste was just fine, but the unexpected texture due to the noodle style knocked it down a few notches for us. We also had the sliced chicken which was delicious and came in a great cream sauce with veggies. However we did have to send it back because the chicken was undercooked. Service was great and had no problem replacing the dish but it did take some time so it threw off the timing with our other shared entree. Great venue, awesome decoration and friendly staff. Overall an above average experience.
(3)
Jason F.
Visited with the fiance for date night and thought...Nice restaurant. Great ambiance and good music for the young/hip crowd although it became noisy at times. The food was tasty but had me thinking of my next gym workout session since it tasted oh so not good for me. Our appetizers were delivered very quickly which we liked, but our waiter (who was quite friendly) pretty much disappeared when it came time for our main entree. I think we waited for about 20-30 min before our entrees arrived. He apologized but the damage was done. The entrees are delicious and are HUGE portions so we definitely had to take most of it to go! We might go back again soon to try a few more menu items but save up! This restaurant is not for the frugal pockets!
(3)
Amy K.
Fantastic everything! New favorite place. Pricey but so worth it. We each got a cocktail, the Drunken Samurai and some Rose Sake drink, an order of the tempura broccoli, And for dinner The Red Dragon sushi and Tik Tok chicken and everything was to die for. Service was great and excellent atmosphere. Good for date nights and a fun time with friends. But save the $19 on valet and park in the garage right next door for $10.
(5)
Chili P.
Been a couple of times. Went with a party of 8 hostess was put out when we came in and asked to show us where table was. Brought a birthday cake for one of the people in party. Out bill was 500 but the charger Us 24 dollars to serve our cake to us. The service here is terrible and staff acts as they are doing you a favor. Food is good.
(2)
Cassandra M.
This is a good place to go for a girl's night out. The ambiance is fun, you can get dressed up, the food is good, and the drinks are strong. You can't go wrong if you get their sangria or scorpion bowls. For a table of four, we ordered two appetizers (spicy lettuce wraps and crispy vegetable rolls) and two entrees (tik tok chicken and chicken lo mein) and it was more than enough for everyone. Our server was great. He checked up on us often, he offered great suggestions, and he was friendly. This place would be five stars if the entree portions and prices were a bit smaller.
(4)
Anne W.
I haven't been in this area in a while as when I think Back Bay.. I think Boylston Street where Towne, Back Bay Social Club, etc. are... I forgot I had gone to a club on this street years ago. First off.. parking is a huge pain in this area. If you come here.. take a cab, plan to valet, or park in the maze of a parking garage across the street. 3.5 Stars overall.. I appreciated my experience here. I wasn't sure what to expect of this place because the pics on yelp do not do it justice. This place is Asian fusion.. trendy.. with a mix of old/young people. We had a dinner here and they were able to accomodate us well. We got a great table in the back of the restaurant. Decor is great.. it is trendy. It has a nice bar and lounge area... Downfall.. single bathroom for both guys and girls for the entire restaurant. WHAT? Makes no sense... you will find yourself standing in line which is a non-plus. So while I was in line.. was hit on by some balding guys in the lounge area. Gross. The food was better than expected. It's a better version of PF Chang's here but more expensive. We tried a series of things here. Appetizers: Lettuce wraps (I actually didn't like this that much.. too saucy for me) and dumplings (tasted just like a fried dumpling would taste like)... Drinks: Not too tasty in my opinion. I tried the Mai Tai.. yucky. It was booze filled. Also tried the Red Lantern Tea.. gross. Noodles: Singaporean Noodles was interesting.. very oily. The better one was the Drunken Noodles but watch out for those peppers. Kung Pao Lamb: Interesting although not too yummy... large portion for the cost so I guess that's good Fried Rice: Sea Scallops... it was okay but I don't think it was a fav of the table. Sushi: We got a tuna roll which was middle of the road. I did like the service.. the waitress was awesome. She even pointed out how the tip was already included for our table that big. Easy to book on Open Table...
(3)
Jess H.
I would say the Red Lantern is highly underrated. I had known about it for years, coming to the Back Bay area often, but never stepped inside. Last night, my boyfriend and I split the boneless spare ribs, lobster and bacon fried rice, and the surf and turf with filet mignon and lobster tails. The food was excellent! While the prices were very expensive, the quality of ingredients and well-made dishes made up for it. Yes, you can get cheap Chinese food anywhere, but it won't be of the same quality. The filet was well-flavored and very tender, the fried rice was very fresh and perfectly cooked, and the spare ribs were the best Chinese spare ribs we ever had. Plus the atmosphere in here is great. So I definitely recommend and will be back!
(5)
Bhavika P.
Good Asian food nd wonderful ambience. On a costlier end so good to go on special occassions. We were a group of 8 people and ordered edamame, three types of sushi, 2 fried rice and noodles. New style california and ronin roll sushis were amazing. Tik tok chicken is good if you have a sweet tooth. If you dont want anything fancy veg fried rice is good to go. Really large quanties and we couldnt finish it all. 1 entree is more than sufficient for 2 people. Would be good to go with a booking in advance else long wait expected.
(4)
Dr. Tyler C.
Great restaurant with great food. The atmosphere is nice, however, the music is way to loud. The music is club like. I really like this place if the music wasn't so loud. Food is yummy!!!!
(4)
Brittany E.
Fabulous place for a birthday dinner or sexy date night. Our hostess was accommodating to relocate us when we requested a booth instead of a table. Every person in the staff was aware that it was my birthday and made sure to mention it. Very kind of them. As for the food, we got the lobster rangoons, rock shrimp tempura, the ronin roll, and the red dragon roll. All highly recommended. Especially the ronin roll - it was a surprise to me as I'm not usually a cream cheese in your sushi fan BUT this was out of control. Lobster rangoons were sweet and silky. Best rangoon I've ever had. The rock shrimp tempura was an impulse decision, but I'm so glad we did. The macadamia nuts mixed with the crispy shrimp were highlighted by a wonderful sauce. We'll be telling all of our friends about Red Lantern. If you're choosing between Empire and Red Lantern, go here. Our waiter, Kyle Y, was very accommodating, kind, and went above and beyond to make us happy. The Rose Petal Saketini was one of the best cocktails I've had, but I'm partial to Saint Germain. Highly recommended!!
(5)
Ryan N.
Went here for restaurant week with a new friend I made from California. Our server, Eric, was wonderful! He recommended some dishes off the restaurant week menu which my friend and I enjoyed immensely. For apps: Tempura Rock Shrimp Rolls that were bursting with flavor from the spicy mayo. Pepper Steak Buns with various topics that were also delicious. Main course: Singapore Street Noodles in abundance and Wood Grilled Salmon. Dessert: Coconut Milk Creme Caramel which was much too sweet for my personal tastes and Pineapple and Watermelon Granita which was actually my favorite part of the meal. It was like shave ice but with watermelon and it was a light and refreshing way to end our meal. It was so delicious that even though we were stuffed, we made room to polish off this dish. We also got a free lobster Rangoon appetizer and another free mini pitcher of sake during dinner. It was a very nice gesture from our server and the chef. The decor was lovely as well - very much a date-like vibe for dinner hours with mood lighting accented with bright reds.
(4)
Linda U.
When here for dinner last week and was very pleasantly surprised. The ambience was lovely, the food was delicious, and the Service was what you would expect from a high-end restaurant. Definitely try their sushi, and I highly recommend the tuna tartare appetizer. Drinks were interesting and yummy. If you can sit in DJs section, he's a fantastic waiter. He took the time to explain some of the dishes, and make great recommendations. Will definitely be back, and highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Amanda A.
Red Lantern......What can I say about this place. Well. A lot. The restaurant itself is so aesthetically appealing. The high ceilings and open concept create such a wonderful ambience, and the decor is just perfect. It has such a sexy vibe, it's the perfect place to go on a date. I especially love the open kitchen and watching the chefs work. The food is unbelievable. Do yourself a favor and order the crunchy roll! I also love the noodles here, the duck buns.... basically anything I have ever ordered. The place is always busy- so look into making a reservation if you are running on a schedule.
(5)
LeeAnn T.
First, I love the feel of the bar! Its gorgeous and dare I say a little sexy. I would definitely go here to have drinks. I actually came for dinner with a Travelzoo voucher (yes, I like to save $) but will be back for the bar in the near future.... Drinks: For cocktails, I had the Sangria which was just fine. I'm slightly picky about cocktails and I thought this was a little boring but that is probably my fault for ordering it, because it was sangria....which isn't that exciting. My boyfriend had the Dragon Fire, which was SO GOOD. If you like spicy drinks, its the one to get. I thought the cocktail menu was pretty good and would return here for drinks in the future. Food: We ordered 2 sushi rolls as appetizers, the Creamy Lobster was a clear winner. I ordered the Singapore Street noodles and they were delicious. They were a nice mix of noodles, veggies, and different meats in an extremely large serving. My boyfriend ordered the Grilled Platter, which had a nice assortment of items, but all of them were extremely smoky. Don't get me wrong, i love grilled food, but this was slightly reminiscent of campfire food....just not what we were expecting. You can also smell the smoke as soon as you walk in the door...maybe switch to a tastier wood? Service: One of the most pleasant surprises of the trip was our server. She was amazing and extremely helpful. I would say she was the main reason this was such an enjoyable trip. The manager also stopped by our table to check in with us, which is always a nice gesture. Kids: I didn't bring my kids, but I did notice a baby at the table beside us was very happy in her high chair and the waitress was wonderful with her. So even though i am always leery of bringing my kids to decent places in the city, they seem welcome here. Yay! Price: Drinks are priced well, food seems a little pricey for what it is, entrees especially. You can still eat here for a reasonable amount though. So get going already and try it out.
(4)
Drew M.
It is rare that anyone gets 5 stars, however, this restaurant is the exception! From the outside, it is a cute little place, then you open the door and are swept into a HUGE beautiful place! The decor is modern, asian, fun, luxurious. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable. The food is INCREDIBLE!!!! There were 3 of us, and between our food allergies, dislikes, and pickiness, we knew we would be a nightmare for our server. Wrong! She was graceful and recommended dishes that could be altered to our tastes. They all came out perfect!! Portions were huge, and they were so delicious! This has to be one of the best asian restaurants I have ever eaten at, and one of the best restaurants period!
(5)
Wayne F.
Total attitude... Went to Zocalo (right next door for a GREAT meal and drinks). Our party (4) decided to have a night cap at Red Lantern.. We walked in and sat down... when our sever came... the first thing she said was "do you want to cash out now?" and we hadn't even ordered.... We had a couple rounds... they say that they are open till 2... It was midnight... She couldn't have clear the table fast enough but wouldn't ask if we wanted another... kept asking me if I wanted to pay the bill. I finally told her that I would pay when I was ready to leave.... I left no tip... I really felt like I was taking 2 seats on a crowded bus...
(1)
Ashley D.
*The Yelp 100 Challenge How have I not written a review on this place yet?!?? Well to be honest I love it here! Overall I first visited here with a few friends from college and word late night for drinks on a Saturday night. The place was crowded around 9:30/10 PM and we stayed in the bar section which is dark yet lively, has good music, loud as expected but had enough lighting to suffice. The cocktail list is great with a little bit of everything for everyone, the bar section has enough lounge seating, and the bar is long in terms of reaching the depth of the room creating a decent flow yet it could use some work in terms the lounge seating arrangement leading into the bar as its hard to get in and out of the seating to get to the ladies room or to the bar if needed. Also when its crowded I noticed people standing close to the entrance/vestibule which I'm sure if a pain. As for menu, the menu is great! Ive tried a little bit of everything from the lettuce wraps, to the pu pu platter to birthday desserts as I've visited for birthdays and other special occasions. The prices are a bit steep but that is to be expected due to the neighborhood and establishment. The staff caters well to groups and was very pleasant on all occasions. The only staff problem I have is getting drinks at the bar if I am not sitting in the dining area. Once evening my card fell out of my wallet while walking back to others as I was holding a round of drinks and THANK GOD someone saw it fall and gave it back to me. I have only walked in and have yet to schedule a reservation via open table but definitely will before my next visit. Parking is limited on the street so its best to park at back bay station (I usually print coupons ahead of time!)
(5)
Roxana F.
I've heard really good things about this place and once you get here you can tell why. This place is GORGEOUS. Totally unassuming from outside, but once you step inside it's like you've been transported somewhere. +2 points for awesome decor and setup. I went here on a Sunday night for a date and it was pretty dead...picked up around the end of my dinner but still pretty empty, although this is a HUGE place so I'm sure it could have well been a good number of people just in a huge space. We sat at the bar and the bartender was really nice and attentive. +1 point We ordered a good amount of sushi and some drinks. The reason I'm not giving this place four or five stars is the food. It's not that the sushi was bad...it was decent, it seemed fresh, and there was a good amount of it...but it was nothing SPECIAL. Nothing which made me think, "people definitely come back here for the food." Their prices are...decent, on the verge of high for what you get. Nothing that made me go WHOA this is awesome. It's the atmosphere and the decor which make this place what it is...It's definitely a cool place, especially for a first date, and I will probably come back to try their other offerings.
(3)
Reinne T.
I always had the best of times here. I came here on three different occasions and ate almost same dishes every time and it was still super creative every time the food came in. I love love, did I say love? their spicy drink infused with a mixture of chilli that has its own divine kick to it...it is addictive. They also had a dish that came in smoked with the coal and the smoke was still in the dish when the cover was removed. Omg yums!!!! Did I tell you how exquisitely this place was decorated with all the statues and artistic furniture. This place can get expensive. I always keep an eye on dels on living social group on and travel zoo to have a taste of this place. A must try!
(5)
Kyle W.
Atmosphere is 5 stars. Food is 4 stars. Drinks 2 star. They taste good but very weak. Service 2 Stars You definitely know you're in a trendy spot from the moment you walk in and see the hostess with a mean entitled look on her face. After a brief interaction with a grown up cast member from toddlers and tiaras you get moved from the front entrance to your table. A fake, lazy and slow waiter then comes to your table to take your drink order. I might as well of ordered water but i got a $44 dollar scorpion bowl and split it with my friend. Don't get me wrong I love me some kool-aid but i don't usually pay $44 for it. Then the food comes which is surprisingly good. The atmosphere is definitely different and a nice change from all the other places in Boston but the service and drinks are just not on the same level.
(3)
Anastacia S.
Maybe in Boston this is awesome but I thought it was 'eh' to 'okay'. Visitng a friend she insisted we come here, I was a little less then impressed. The food was good, the food was actually probably the best part about the restaurant. The drinks were alright, nothing mind blowing or original, and the attitude of the bar staff leads me to believe that yes, this is a big deal in Boston - this point was missed by me because it reminded me more of a kitchy place in Times Square then the sleek operation it was trying to be. This is clearly a popular spot, but is it worth it? Not at all. Everything about Red Lantern is mediocre. It is good for large groups though and I could see doing a birthday dinner or bachelor/bachlorette party here (we actually saw both during out visit).
(3)
Sam M.
I've been in the place before and my second time was for food and drinks after a day of shopping on Newbury St. with my girlfriend. The layout is Asian chic with lots of reads and golds; you may want to dress it up a tad beyond casual after 7 or 8pm when it seems that most of the people started to come into the bar and lounge area. T The valet and host staff was friendly upon entering. We sat at the bar for a early dinner because we were told that all table were reserved. I didn't make a big deal, but several tables were open the whole time I was there that we or other patrons could have taken. So I'm not so sure if they were being truthful because it seemed everyone was getting a very vague story. Our bartenders and servers were attentive which we liked. The lobster rangoons, calamari and tuna tempura roll was expertly presented and made. The food had well balanced flavors and textures. Be careful eating at the bar because the plated are long and rectangular which can make it inconvenient if you're eating at the bar or tight space. The sushi rolls were reasonably priced but at $11-$20, the appetizers were probably prices anywhere from $2-$5 more than they should have been in my opinion for what you get. The food was good but not that good to warrant that price. My Drunken Samurai martini tasted good but also felt like it had no alcohol whatsoever. It was like I drank an upscale pear juice. The sweetness of the drink should have been balanced out by the spirits. The $11-$12 martinis are in line price-wise for what you can find in Boston or any classy place for that matter. Overall, it's not a bad place, but I think I'd just come for drinks and to lounge instead the next time I'm there.
(3)
Melissa P.
Our own little Boston Buddakan. I've been here a few times for dinner and recently celebrated my birthday here with some friends. The service is always lousy. The kind where you wait almost 15 minutes for a first introduction to your server, another few minutes for water, and then you desperately try to reach out to servers as they walk past you because you know you won't be seeing them again for a while. A few of my friends even complained about the old up sell here: Our server informed them that *everyone* in our party was ordering appetizers, which was not the case, but they felt pressured into ordering more. What the heck, Red Lantern? But, setting the unprofessional and off-putting service aside, the food is actually good (stand outs: the rock shrimp tempura app and wood grilled sea bass entree). And the atmosphere is fun (think lively girls night out or celebratory cocktail-dominated meal). And the decor is dramatic (picture flattering lighting and reclining Buddhas perched on every inch of surface area). And remember that open kitchen layout from when Bertucci's was in this space? It's still there, which somehow keeps Red Lantern grounded. So, what can I say, I like it here. As for my friends who ordered more than they wanted, they like it too. It's no Buddakan, but here in Boston, I feel lucky to have this place.
(3)
Daphnee D.
WARNING this is going to be a long review I do apologize, but for your convenience I have provided a brief synopsis first, and you can choose to continue to read about this horrid experience. -Location Good location parking garage adjacent to establishment $10. Free parking on clarendon st if available -Environment Great decor. Good music, nice ambiance, loud, clean. -Food mediocre and small portions for the pricing, like we could of went to fridays, been able to cut our cake and not have to make reservations a week in advance. -Customer service Poor, unprofessional, nonchalant attitudes towards concerns I went to red lantern on a saturday night with my gfs to celebrate their birthdays. On arrival they were nice and courteous. We brought a cake that they tried to make me pay three dollars a plate to cut it at the table because they serve dessert. (Ehhh) understandable I guess, I refused so they held onto the cake for me which was nice i guess. We get to our table and our IDs get checked by the waitress. THEN the manager who's a real peace of art comes and ask for our IDs again. So of course we ask why and instead of a normal explanation she has an attitude 'we have the right to check twice, but lady it's the third time. She could of just said you guys look young we've been having trouble with fake IDs lately and that would be fine but she wanted to be boss lady and disrespectful. It was very embarrassing. It went down hill from there. They messed up our orders not once not twice THREE times. Tried to over charge us and the managers manager was a douche who really needs to work on his empathy. And fyi we weren't the only ones complaining.I will not return to red lantern and you shouldn't either. Don't believe the hype from these other reviewers. This place gets a D!
(1)
Karlis B.
Red Lantern has style. You walk into a large space with exposed brick and wood beams, Buddha statues and plenty of red lanterns hanging from the ceiling. (I'm also convinced they pump incense into the place as every now and again you get a fleeting whiff of something... tranquil.) It's a scene, but the quality of the food gives this place some substance. (And personally I'm happy for a restaurant that warrants a dress and heels. Sometimes you want to be lady.) The cocktail list is extensive and creative. I had a couple before drinking from the table scorpion bowl. - Rose Petal Saketini (Grey Goose, St. Germaine, Ozeki Sake, Rose Water): on the sweet side for my taste, but still a well crafted drink. - Sumo (Hendricks, Fresh Basil, Grapefruit, Sparkling Rose): refreshing and less sweet! Definitely my favorite of the night. - Yin and Yang scorpion bowls: The Yang bowl is much sweeter than the Yin bowl. Both still taste like juice so, as always with scorpion bowls, be careful. For dinner we went family style and tried almost everything on the menu. - Pupu platter ($60 for large): totally awesome assortment of skewers, Rangoons and shrimp. Ideally I would just have this (small order, though) and some cocktails. - Hot and sour soup ($7): to die for. A thick, hearty stew of tofu and mushrooms that is not to be missed. It's filling and one of the cheaper items on the menu, so go for it. - Beef Tenderloin Fried Rice ($15): what struck me most about the rice (and noodles) is that it wasn't the least bit oily...which means you could just keep eating and eating with reckless abandon. - Singapore Street Noodles ($22): A mess of light noodles with shrimp and veggies. Reminded me a lot of yakisoba. - Sides: bok choy and carrots with bean sprouts. I would go with the bok choy if you feel the need to break up your meal with something green and healthy. We also sampled the sushi, but I can not remember what kinds. They were beautifully presented and tasted great, but I preferred the entrees. Red Lantern goes on my short list of places to visit with my fiance when we want to feel swanky or my girls when we just want to have fun.
(4)
Mansi W.
We had a great time here. Everything we ordered was awesome!
(4)
Mary B.
Cool looking place with good sushi but overpriced for your typical asian fusion restaurant.
(3)
Caroline V.
I visited Red Lantern for dinner on New Years Eve with a group of 9 people and it was the perfect spot! I had been to its sister restaurant Empire before but this was my first time here. The ambience was perfect for NYE - interesting Asian inspired decor and great music. The food was delicious and our waiter made some great suggestions when asked. I'd highly recommend for a group as most of the dishes are meant to be shared. The more people you go with, the more options you have to try!
(4)
Shocka N.
Looking for late night Asian and visiting Boston. Found this place is near our hotel. Bartender was very nice and helpful. Had duck buns, fresh chicken lo mein and Apple Rangoon. Delicious! On pricier end but $$$ on Yelp prepped us. Music is loudish "clubbing" music even though it is Wednesday. Would return on another visit and recommend to others.
(4)
Heidi C.
I recently went to Red Lantern with a large party to celebrate a friend's ordination. Leading up to the reservation, I was coordinating a dinner for 17-18 people. Red Lantern generally requires parties over 16 to be considered a private event with a set menu, pricing minimums etc. While it took multiple efforts at times to get my phone calls returned, they were overall great to work with. Because our reservation was a Sunday evening, they allowed us to simply be considered a large party as we were only a couple people over their usual number. Cue: Sunday night Enter the space and you instantly feel 100x trendier. Almost yielding the appearance of converted industrial or loft space, the restaurant is incredible inside. The interior design is gorgeous and kept all of us so engaged we were delayed in ordering drinks. It has a trendy, hip, upscale vibe with a metallic, semi-open kitchen. Our table ordered an assortment of appetizers, drinks, sushi rolls, and a couple of more formal entrees. Everything was beautiful and overall delicious. I had the Rock Roll (their variation on a spicy shrimp tempura), spicy tuna, and an appetizer of Peking Ravioli (a playful take on dumplings). I also had a couple of cocktails from the menu. Everything was delicious and well prepared. Presentation was in keeping with the beautiful aesthetics. Portion sizes are good, although in some cases a little on the small side for the price. Service: Overall they did well managing such a large party. I did however think service was kind of slow given that we were the only major party in the restaurant, and it was pretty quiet on a Sunday evening. There were only a few glitches. We had an appetizer come to the table that no one ordered that we later had to ask to have removed from the bill. Similarly, multiple of us didn't order a second or third round of cocktails, but they showed up anyway. The wait staff said they wouldn't charge us as it was their error, and they were correct. Unfortunately, there wasn't really a way for us to easily split checks, so we ended up paying mostly with cards. Everyone's bills appeared to come out accurately in the end. We ended up paying around $55.00 plus tip for 2 sushi rolls, 1 cocktail and 1 non-alcoholic drink, and an appetizer, which was a little spendy but not terrible. NOTE: Cocktails are where they really pad their profit. Drink prices are spendy. If you can avoid spending a ton on pricey cocktails, it's worth it to pay more for the food which is high quality. Red Lantern is definitely a little pricey, but part of what you pay for is the experience. I'd recommend it for a special occasion dinner. But be prepared to spend a little time.
(4)
Wendy S.
The restaurant itself is stunningly gorgeous. The food that I had was so good - the duck roll and the shrimp fried rice. Both were spectacular and the rice was such a large portion that I had a full meal the following day. They have a great drink and wine menu and the service was on point. It is very conveniently located across the street from the Back Bay T Station, which was perfect for me since I live in Rhode Island but commute to Boston for work.
(4)
Megan A.
Love. Atmosphere/vibe is very LA/Vegas, which is hard to find in Boston. I had a couple of sushi rolls which were fresh and yummy, Sapporo, and the duck buns. Definitely get the buns- amazing. Highly recommend it!!
(5)
Rachel K.
Came here last night for dinner for a bachelorette party. First impressions of this place = A + Cool outdoor signage, even cooler indoor decor. This place looks amazing, and I doubt anyone wouldn't attest to that. It's so different looking than any other restaurant, and much larger than most as well. Seems like a place best fit for groups, not a 2 person dinner (though I'm sure you could, but you'd be one of the few). We had phenomenal, and I mean PHENOMENAL service. A++ for service. Our waiter (wish I could remember his name to give him some cred.) was awesome. He knew we were on a timeline to get to our next destination and he made it happen. He was quick, great with recommendations, and attentive. Management stopped by a few times to see how we were doing, which is what most restaurants should do but few actually do. Food came out FAST, as did drinks...which was surprising for how busy it was & for having a big table. The food was pretty good; we got a smorgasbord of everything. Love when you can get both sushi (and importantly, unique sushi rolls) and typical asian food all in one place. Loved loved loved the duck egg rolls and the fried green beans (seriously, try them!!). The drinks, and drink selection, were great. I highly enjoyed my Bamboo juices....though maybe next time will stick to a less sweet drink choice for a full night of Bachelorette-party drinking (not feeling so hot today...but that is my fault & totally beside the point!). I can't wait for a fun occasion for an excuse to come back with a big group. So much fun!
(4)
Jess L.
The ambiance is the best part of this place. There are Buddhas everywhere. It feels like Vegas. The drinks are fabulous. The food is homemade chinese food and its really salty. The sushi is good, but overpriced.
(3)
Anna M.
I ate at the Red Lantern for the first time last week. The restaurant has an awesome vibe, very trendy. It was a Tuesday night so I did the unlimited sushi for $25.00. I loved the first two rolls, though the next two I ordered were awful (can't remember the names). Overall I think the Red Lantern is an awesome place to grab a drink with your friends but the food is mediocre and over priced.
(4)
Alisa S.
I liked the decor & layout of this place. It was very Buddhist contemporary. Boyfriend and I shared everything and enjoyed it all. We had the Tuna Tartare for our appetizer. It was yummy and bigger than expected. For our main course we had the Duck Buns, Uni, Lobster & Bacon Fried Rice (plenty of lobster in it and we had a lot of leftovers), and a Tokyo Lobster Roll.
(4)
Susan Z.
Delicious, but some items are definitely over-priced (pu-pu platter, for instance -- rangoons were definitely mostly cream). The portions for individual entrees are pretty big - my boyfriend and I ended up splitting the bbq pork fried rice and it was enough for the two of us (note: we had ordered the pu-pu platter with the rest of our group). Decor and music make it extremely trendy - good for everything from a night out with friends to a date. You can see the kitchen and it just feels like there's a lot of space. Wouldn't be surprised if it was secretly converted into a nightclub after the kitchen closes...
(4)
Becky F.
Hot damn this place is big and sort of swanky. Amazingly enough I had some serious trouble locating it, but that might have been due to my own directional incapability and the heat wave that was passing through Boston and left me in a daze. (Disclaimer: It really isn't that hard to find as they have big red letters spelling out their name. And a big red lantern. Yeah...it's just me.) I decided to go for the duck buns (YUM) and the tuna tartare appetizer. The tuna tartare came in a large round bowl (similar to what their noodle dishes are served in). It was good but, at best, difficult for me to work in, and would have been inconvenient or near impossible to easily eat from if ordered as an appetizer for the table. The duck buns though...delightful. Friends ordered a noodle dish (massive -- three meals at least) and some sushi (got thumbs up). Side note: the bathrooms are located downstairs and back through some hallways. I felt like I could have gotten lost it was such a hike. Thank God there were a million tea lights to guide my way. (How is that not a fire hazard?)
(4)
Rachel S.
My rating is really 3.5 stars. I liked this place as a one-time, celebratory visit with friends. I would not likely return often or ever become a "regular" here. We walked in to the Red Lantern with Dance Club house music playing. Dim lighting, a vast space with contemporary Asian decoration. It is definitely fun and a little pretentious-- the novelty is great. Four of us shared a scorpion bowl- $44. It seems like a lot of money but this bowl pretty much sustained us for the entire meal. At the end of the meal, I looked at the drink list, every drink was about $12, so this price actually makes sense when considered with other items. I asked the waiter what the strongest drink was-- he said "bamboo juice." He was right-- whoa. The meal was good but not amazing. We had a variety of appetizers and some fried rice and a spicy tuna roll and California roll. I didn't really look at the food menu and let everyone else order. The spicy tuna roll was good, but then again, after a scorpion bowl, everything tastes good. :)
(4)
Michelle B.
I don't think I'm cool enough for Red Lantern, but I want to be. (That's not true. I'm pretty fantastic already.) But seriously, this place is SUPER swanky. Big, oversized booths, dramatic decorations, and a big airy space make for a very impressive looking restaurant/lounge. The food that I tried was pretty good, as were the drinks. My one quibble with this place is that the pricing seems... off. I feel like I'm partially paying for all of their fancy decorations and not just the food on my plate. I was pretty taken aback by a bowl of Singapore Street Noodles running $25. They were good, but they ARE still just noodles. Similarly, the drinks were good, but felt a bit on the higher end of the pricing spectrum. Service was efficient, if not overly friendly. However, I did arrive there after already having imbibed a few drinks elsewhere, soooo that may not have been the staff's issue.
(3)
Amanda M.
Would have been 5 stars but the drink prices were astronomical! Place is gorgeous, super hip, lots of pretty people at the bar, strong drinks, great sushi. Perfect date night or get together spot for late 20s early 30s crowd or older- not too many youngins which I loved! Loved the mood lighting and lounge music, and had great attentive wait service. Thanks for a fun night out!
(4)
TinoX T.
Nice Place,Loved the Music.
(4)
Erica E.
Red Lantern is a GREAT place to come with a group of friends. The atmosphere is 5 stars and the food is almost always perfection. Once in a while I will find the food lacking a tiny bit, but when I say something to the waiter they always find a way to bring me something different or new. Things you have to try: 1) Chicken Lettuce wraps- Great flavor. Sometimes a little dry, but if you get them on a good night, you're going to love them! 2)Duck Buns- OMG, best thing on the menu hands down. I don't eat duck, like ever, but these are absolutely to die for. My friend got them once and made me try a bite. I ended up ordering another order! I get them everytime I go. 3) Tik Tok Chicken- A cripsy general tso type dish. SO delicious. The sushi is also incredible. I've had every roll on the menu and loved them all except for the roll with a scalop. It tastes burnt.
(4)
Liz B.
I bought a voucher on travelzoo giving us $116 of food for $58 so that was an amazing deal. I thought the food was really great. We had some sushi which was terrific, spring roll and lemongrass dumplings as appetizers, and shared a bulgoki for dinner. Everything was excellent - the bulgoki was really spicy - this was not mentioned in the menu. We also had the coconut pineapple bread pudding for dessert and it was wonderful! I had the coconut mai tai cocktail and I would not recommend it. My husband had the blueberry sangria which he liked. The decor is really great and although I didn't go to the bar it seemed like it would be fun. Our waitress was very good. Valet parking was $19. Expensive but typical for this area.
(4)
Andrew L.
Been here quite a few times, consistently good food but had a very unpleasant experience last time. I walked in on a Friday at 6pm and the dining room was completely empty except for maybe 3 tables. I was told I could eat in the lounge but they were fully committed and couldn't give me a table.... So I'm supposed to assume all 40 parties and going to be on time for their reservation? I'm sorry but I work in customer service and that's not how you run a business well. Absolutely no personal touch, no effort, and I don't plan on returning. Every restaurant manager in Boston should compare their staff to the staff at Eastern Standard, and ask themselves how they can strive to replicate the experience.
(3)
Nikhil D.
I really enjoyed Red Lantern! My boyfriend and I got a Gilt City deal for the place and had an amazing experience. First off, the space is amazing. Really well designed, soaring ceilings, tons of seating, great bar, views of the kitchen. I really can't complain much about the way it looked. Secondly, the food is GREAT. From looking at some of the less enthusiastic reviews, I guess there are a few dishes on the menu that are just so-so/inedible but I can't say I had any of those. The standout for us? The Tuna Tartare. It was fantastic. One of the best I've had. The sauce it comes with really elevates the dish to a whole new level! Finally, the service was fine. I found our waiter just attentive enough. I don't like being asked how my meal is going 14 times or getting my water filled when I've had 3 sips. I was satisfied with it. I'd suggest going, even if its just for the tuna tartare.
(4)
Cj L.
Food was amazing highly recommend this place! Ordered sushi it was super fresh, and there drunken noodles were unbelievable!
(5)
Yasa E.
I get cravings for red lantern like whoaaa The food is seriously amazing I've tried about half the menu and loved it every time. The pu pu platter is the perfect combination of apps. Love the lettuce wraps (and I hated lettuce wraps because of pf changs but now I'm a fan, thanks to red lantern). The lobster rangoons are so delicious. Love the noodles. Fried rice is pretty good. The big drinks are steep, price wise, but good for 5 people. I've been here for several occasions and I just love the place. The atmosphere is great, it's gorgeously decorated and huge. My bf and I really liked the kitchen "bar". It's pretty entertaining and we get to sit side by side :) Service has been a little inconsistent. Had an unbelievable server for my friend's bday dinner a couple of months ago. It was a table of 8 girls and we were very well taken care of. Then came here with my bf and didn't have very good service. Overall, 4-4.5 stars. Perfect for any size group or occasion. One of my favorite places in the city
(4)
Eric S.
I'm not sure I'm adding anything than what people have already said - but I will say these were my thoughts prior to reading anyone else's on here. 1) the decor is neat, sort of in a "if this were a John Woo movie, keep an eye out for doves flying in slow motion, because this place is about to get trashed" sort of way - much more thought out than most places 2) the food is pretty good, but not amazing - better than PF Changs (I loved the spare ribs, but they were a bit dry - at least not fatty - great flavor, the steak noodles were quite good too - had a few rangoons/dumplings, all good - wish they had soup dumplings) The cocktails are decent, but more towards the "girly" side (think Singapore Sling, literally on the menu, and pretty much every one of the "martinis"). For me, it is a bit too much of a scene (or wannabe scene) though. The wait staff (at least by the bar) wear boobs heavy corsets, so if you are a dude and haven't seen boobs in a long time - enjoy! By 8pm on a weekend, the scene stuff starts, and accelerates into the night. Get there earlier if you are more interested in the food. (the scene is similar to The Liberty - old dudes, euro-trash, and 20-something girls in cocktail dresses and heels looking a bit like they want a sugar daddy - but not actually good music or drinks, just... well, the scene) Not sure if it is always like this, or just Sat evenings, but there is techno music playing in the dining area - seems odd to be eating your spare ribs to UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ and no dance floor anywhere even close. The place is dressy, but you don't need a suit (you would be fine in a suit) - I was in jeans and a sport coat and that was fine.
(4)
Christina S.
Completely overpriced for mediocre food and an atmosphere that looks worn. Its like a glorified PF Changs. The drinks at an average of $14 were premade and not very good, which is inexcusable for the price. The sushi was drowning in some obnoxious white sauce and the main courses were super oily and salty and the dessert was unimpressive. Its not worth it. Trust me. Save your $$$ and go someplace that actually takes pride in their food.
(1)
Elaine C.
This place is a great place to eat Asian food if you are not too crazy about the originality. They are close enough and still tasty. Open kitchen with exceptional drink menu. Large portion and will definitely have left over. Since this place have a powerful kitchen hood install, you clothes and hair will never smell. A little pricey consider their Asian menu is easy cooking.. Always pack so make a reservation.
Love the atmosphere and decor. Perfect for date night! The waitress was attentive and the food was served promptly. The Lobster Rangoons and Duck Buns are to die for.
(5)
sasha h.
Red Lantern is one of the best places in Boston for big groups. I've gone there on multiple occasions and always had a great time. I've both hosted private parties taking up the whole venue and gone multiple times for dinner. They really cater well to groups and will take care of your table. This is a pretty good place for a bachelorette party dinner as well. Ambiance is always lively, great music and they usually have a young, trendy crowd. The decor is well done, very asian fusion. My favorite dish is the Miso Sea Bass but most of the rolls and wood grilled items are quite good. The food will not blow your mind but it is good and pretty consistent.
(4)
Cliff H.
Models. Buddhas. Fire. Brick mills meet stone sanctuary. Your offspring? Bartenders who sideline as models for Maxim or GQ. This is place is serious. If you can appreciate how an old brick factory building can be transformed into a modern sanctuary of pensive Buddhas and statuary you deserve to stop by RL at least once in your Beantown career. Admittedly the food's mediocre, drinks the usual eastern variety, and the prices nothing to sneeze at, but the upscale ambiance and sheer vertical scale of this place is amazing in itself. A great place to bring an out of town friend to impress them with what Boston restaurants are not generally like. Reservations recommended, especially for groups larger than 6. Bar gets jammed anywhere close to prime times and you can wait a bit longer than you like for larger group seating, but your reward is a lot of people dressed well and sipping colorful cocktails and fire-blazen food. And yes, red lanterns. Lots.
(4)
Krassi P.
Red Lantern is the perfect mix of bar, restaurant, and lounge. The vibe, staff, and food are great. One of my favorites for Asian dining! A bit pricey but considering the service and quality I would say it is fair. TIP: You can charge your cell phone near the bathrooms downstairs.
(5)
Tamar A.
I was treated to Red Lantern via an extraordinarily generous free tasting for potential event-planning folks. I am therefore about to sound like an asshole. We were taken into the private room, plied with delicious free cocktail shots and bottomless wine glasses and treated like corporate queens. My first impressions were of sheer awe: the ambiance is stunning. Draped lanterns, dim red and gold lighting, tastefully arranged buddhas, strung thai shells--a faux-Asian paradise a mere stone's throw from Back Bay station. The service was impeccable and the hosts were equal parts gracious and flirtatious, but good. Then the food came out. We started with the tempura beans, pork spareribs, lobster rangoon, and kalbi beef skewers. Though the rangoon a little runny and the beef gave new meaning to "chewing the fat", the dishes were overall as yummy as Americanized Chinese appetizers are always and forever. Were they worth $8-12 per dish, however? Not as such. The meal consisted of the Tik Tok chicken, Singapore street noodles, and the beef, broccoli, and asparagus. You know those commercials with the lazy yuppie couple who can't be bothered to go out for Chinese, so they get the brand with the animated panda bear in the frozen food aisle? Imagine if those meals cost $22 a package. Truly disappointing faux-Asian for the same price as a whole bag of take-out from Dragon Garden. Red Lantern, I appreciate your style, but your business model is seriously flawed. You know what's not faux-Asian? Chinatown. It's a stop away and one-third the price. Your customers are paying to reimburse several Pier One Imports' worth of red satin gauze and an interior designer's wherewithal to artfully hang it. Treat yourself to the Sriracha cocktail, feel like a baller, and then come meet me at Gourmet Dumpling House.
(2)
Doug J.
(score 1-100) 84. Great place for drinks or food. Very high quality, it is pricey but it's the back bay and you are not going to find anything quite like Red Lantern in this part of the city. Food is Asian Fusion and very high quality. Flavorful dishes and many healthy choices. The presentation is excellent which is missed in so many restaurants in Boston. I always feel satisfied after a meal at Red Lantern. The atmosphere is upscale and modern with lots of energy. If you have ever been to any of the Buddakans in the country it is very similar. Great place for group birthdays or if you want to impress a girl on a first date. Conclusion: Great place to start a night out with your friends or end the night.
(4)
Danielle C.
Five stars for everything. Amazing food. Get the Peking ravioli. Strong drinks. Super friendly wait staff. Great vibes and atmosphere. Very lgbt friendly too! I haven't had a single item here I didn't like. The Rock Roll was too spicy for me but I still love the flavor. We always go back to the Peking ravioli app when we come. The avocado salad is great to share but too much avocado for one person.
(5)
Kate L.
A BIG fan. 1. Most fun, talkative, friendly clientelle - everyone mingles with everyone. great pick up spot - older 30s crowd. 2. Ambiance So cool. Very NYC 3. First experience w food. SO GOOD. Got the skewers (beef and chicken) with tamarind dipping sauce - out of this world flavorful and very moist. Beef was not fatty or gamey at all! Then got lobster rangoons and practically licked the plate. The yummiest thing I have had in awhile. 4. Portions are a little small but overall a 10!
(5)
Sarah C.
I came here with no expectation. Upon entering, I saw the hostess and she totally ignored me. The place was empty when I was there (Monday night @ 8pm) so she wasn't busy serving other guests. Maybe the place was too dark to see me? Anyway, I invited myself into the restaurant. I sat at the bar and I asked for their $7 monday night snacks menu. This place is pricey so if you dont want to empty your wallet, I suggest coming in on a Monday night just to give it a try. I ordered the pineapple bacon fried rice, spicy salmon roll and spicy tuna bites. A lot of reviewers weren't pleased with the food but i loved them! The rice was just right (and not oily at all, a major plus!); both the tuna and salmon bites were flavorful (and great presentation too, I didn't want to eat the tuna roll haha!). I also ordered the avacado salad from their regular menu and boy was it tiny! It was good, with citrus-y flavor. It's a great salad for the summer. I would def go back and try their big plates now since I've sampled their food. This place lost a star due to unfriendly staff. Great ambiance and if you want to impress someone, take him/her here. The lounge area is cool FYI - restaurant week is now through end of next week and red lantern is participating. Go to their facebook page to check out their restaurant week menu.
(3)
Nilo F.
The bouncer here is the biggest loser I've ever met like you bounce a Chinese food restaurant get out of my face with that pretentious smirk I hate you.
(1)
Hina K.
I loved the Ambiance. We had a great meal there, sushi and pad thai was awesome. We went there on the new year's eve and they offered us complimentary champaign too bad we don't drink :) I would definitely go back
(4)
Marissa P.
Fun atmosphere, kind of a rip off on a trendy NYC Asian fusion lounge/restaurant (See taorestaurant.com and/or buddakan.com ), but with sub-par food. Somewhat of a corny establishment, very over the top and tacky, with what my friend called a "titty bar", where the girls are hired to walk around in these ridiculous looking corsets, showing off the twins, but have absolutely no idea how to craft a cocktail. I sent back my first cocktail - the grass fed mule - because it was just disgusting. My second one wasn't much better but I drank it. We also ordered tuna tartar, which was covered in soy sauce. A good tuna tartar may have a bit of sauce, but the tuna should stand out. With this dish, all you could taste was soy sauce. Not good at all. We also had some beef/chicken skewers, which were fine. You can't really go wrong there. Then, we had the lettuce wraps, which were the worst. The chicken was just a really gross texture. The lettuce wraps at PF Changs and Cheesecake Factory are far better and cost less. None of us would return. Its only redeeming quality is the cool space.
(2)
Terence B.
I went to Red Lantern for New Years Eve and unexpectedly had a great time. The food was great and the service, while a little slow, was good. NYE is a busy night so she gets a pass. My party of 8 shared a few apps. Unfortunately I did not order any of the apps so I can not tell you what they were other than GOOD! My entree stole the show. It was so good I was actually sad I shared it with the table. I had the Miso Sea Bass and while I admit I am a fan of Sea Bass, I can honestly say this was a different experience for me. I highly recommend it and I highly recommend this place. I plan on going back soon.
(4)
Jeff G.
I had huge expectations of this place and was so excited to come here that I dragged my friend to join me. 5 star ambiance is correct....everything else is a pretty much a glorified PF Changs. Price- 1 star off for the outrageous prices that dont line up with portions or quality of food Food- I wish i took a picture of the sushi because it was rolled by an 8 yr old missing rice on the ends and loosely formed, presentation was awful. we also ordered spring rolls that tasted terrible and had no flavor whatsoever. Our main entree was a sweet and sour chicken that was put in some type of tomato sauce which seemed odd and we really weren't impressed. Drinks - I admit they were strong, but some of them came out in tiki glasses which I thought to be a bit corny considering its Asian flavors and not Polynesian. Overall once you get over the initial wow of the decor, this place will eventually fade out due to over-gorging price margins and lack of taste.
(3)
Jamie F.
When the big, bad, Bruins celebrated their NHL championship at Foxwoods, their SOs were at Red Lantern (a good sign about the atmosphere for large parties). So, my posse and I dined here for our collegiate reunion last month. Loved the huge space and stunning decor. The crowd was dressy and diverse. It felt like a part of NYC was transplanted into Back Bay Boston. The bar area was actually more like a club lounge than a restaurant lounge with female servers struttin' around in hoe uniform. Dinner started off on a good note. My Shanghai Street Sangria, made with plum sake, was light and well balanced even though the name didn't make sense (Shanghai Street is in *Hong Kong* and sake is *Japanese* rice wine). Our table enjoyed tasty apps that arrived at lightning speed: Lobster rangoons (4 for $12) - dollops of lobster cream cheese wrapped in crispy fried wontons. The lobster flavor was mild but enough that I can taste it. Duck buns (2 for $8) - steamed white taco-shaped buns stuffed with shredded hoisin-flavored duck meat and mirin pickle slices. An interesting and delicious twist on traditional Peking duck buns (filled with crispy duck skin and scallion instead). Unfortunately, Japanese cuisine was not Red Lantern's strong point. Imagine an episode of Chopped. Mystery ingredients include elephant plum, burdock, and lipstick chile (wtf is right). The contestant is Red Lantern's sushi chef. His creations are dragon, smoking lantern, geisha night, and tuna tempura specialty rolls. *Taste: distasteful (flavors did not blend well together at all) *Creativity: OK effort (I liked the fried exterior of tuna tempura roll) *Presentation: lacking (pink soy wrap was unique but very loose... and what's up with the high rice-to-fish ratio?) *Final decision: chopped Service also needed improvement, i.e. timing was off, an order was made wrong (this was comped), the busser was awkward, and our waitress was MIA at times. All understandable since it was the third weekend of opening *except* for my friend's glass of dirty water (there was a small onion slice floating in it). Shouldn't cleanliness come easy to new restaurants? For now, I can only suggest to visit the lounge for cocktails just to experience the trendy atmosphere.
(3)
Christina Z.
My new favorite people-watching location in Boston. I doubt anywhere else could you find Cougars with super-toned arms, sugar daddies (Jerron W. is absolutely right), buxom waitresses (corsets and all), model bartenders, old men in polos, and sleazy Latin American pimps, two of whom sat on the back of our chairs in the cocktail lounge. This used to be a Bertucci's, and you can still see the exposed brick! High high ceilings, exposed pipes (must be a B to heat in the winter), P.F. Changs-esque decor. The red lanterns and parasols hanging from the ceiling add a nice touch. Sometimes I'm a sucker for faux. It felt a twinge New-Yorkey, but the crowd was definitely catch-all Boston. We walk in around 7:30, and it's empty, but we are told that all the tables have been booked for reservations. OK, full menu at the bar, check. How strange is that? ALL the tables booked? The place is gigantic, the size of a factory. We find some cozy chairs with a table at the lounge. A cocktail waitress with boobs pushed up to her neck plops down water (after we had to ask- mind you, this is the HOTTEST day of the year, a record 109 degrees, of course I want to stay hydrated), and we try to order a scorpion bowl. She replies "I'm not your waitress." BAD. This is BAD. You do not say this to customers. You smile and pass the order on to their waitress. Ugh. Tacky, didn't the orientation teach manners? I mean, I know your brains are being deprived of oxygen because of your Dominatrix-like costume, but please. Be nice! So they have two scorpion bowls. Yin and Yang. One has 151, and the other is delicious. At $44, we were not taking chances with 151. Problem being, it's mostly ICE. And my major gripe, where is the alcohol?! I couldn't taste an ounce. It was delicious, but so is sugar water! And also, from where we were sitting (low), the straws didn't reach. They brought out our food in a record 3 minutes. Suspicious. Edamame was solid (with some yummy sauce), mashed potato sticks were delicious, but how could they not be, philly roll was yummy except with maybe a touch too much cream cheese, yellowtail and scallion was also solid, and then... The Geisha Nights was the most delicious piece of sushi I have ever put in my mouth. 5 pieces, hamachi, plum, chili, and some pink soy, whatever the hell that is. Spicy, sweet, a full-bodied sushi flavor. Yum. It was a bold move, and I'm glad I made it. They are big pieces, wasabified and gingerfied, they bowled me over. I wish I took a pic because the presentation was gorgeous! After dinner drinks: orange blossom thing actually contained liquor, the bamboo juice was good but you could have made it in college, then my ew tranquility tea. Green tea vodka, peach, milk.... I love boba, and these tapioca balls were CRUNCHY. What is that?! I could barely choke them down. Bad form, Red Lantern. Our waitress kept making faux pas that would make me cringe. Shoving over our scorpion bowl to plunk down our soy sauce {which was just Kikkoman}, taking our drinks before they were DONE. NO! And in general giving us blank stares when we ordered something. Okay, we are near the bar, but please, again, be nice, not overly fake-nice and rude sometimes. I'll be back, but I'll sit next to the sushi artists.
Don't waste your time going to this restaurant. A dinner for two people took almost 3 hours and we were one of the first tables in the restaurant. My first cocktail was undrinkable and I had to send it back. The other cocktails were fine but totally unbalanced. The food was all over the map and dishes came without main ingredients (e.g. Veggie fried rice with little to no veggies). The portions were enormous but overpriced for the same food you can get in any neighborhood Chinese takeout. The server could have made up for the kitchen's inconsistencies but instead had a bad attitude. Finally our dessert was dry and tasteless. When we asked for it to be wrapped up they gave it to us without its integral sauce which made the dish. Overall, I had a terrible experience and I would never go back or recommend this to anyone who likes real Asian food.1.5 stars.
(1)
Brittany M.
I don't usually write a review unless a place is either bad or ridiculously good. This place is amazing. Some of the best sushi I have ever had in Boston. We got the lobster ragoons which were creamy and delicious. We also got the torched Toro roll, black widow, and ronin roll. My favorite was the torched toro it practically melted in my mouth. The servicewas excellent. They were prompt and polite and we're not disruptive. Definitely will come back here and try the duck!
(5)
Mindy L.
I loved this place. I loved the food so much, I'm even willing to overlook the fact that the front of the house seemed very confused by the fact that our party of 11 wanted to be seated at one table forever and it took them an hour to figure out a solution. Also of note, it was 5:45 and the place was virtiually empty. That said...the food and waitstaff was so good, I'm ok with it. Drinks: Fortune Cookie - A+. Brilliant coconut and chocolate flavors with a real fortune cookie topper. Singapore Sling - A+. It tastes like juice. It's dangerous. Angelique Pinot Noir - $9.00 a glass - liquid velvet. Food: Lobster Rangoon - silky, sweet and absolutely delicious. Tempure Fried Green Beans were awesome. The trio of dipping sauces were delicious. For my main course, I got the Beef, Asparagus and Broccoli. It was aboslutely, 100% perfection. I am so used to the overcooked slabs of beef you get in chinese takeout. These were soft, not at all chewy, packed with flavor. The broccoli soaked up all the yummy sauce and provided very flavorful bites - so flavorful that the people surrounding me at the table helped eat every single piece of it off the plate! Definitely will be back - great for small groups and large parties!
(5)
Josephine L.
Atmosphere: Industrial meets Asian. Think exposed wood beams, cement and pipes interspersed with Buddhist statues and giant red paper lanterns. Food: I somehow managed to not pay for any of the food I had here (thank you friends). The sushi was not so great--rice was too hard and dry and the fillings didn't feel fresh. The dumplings were okay and I liked that they used the less-traditional green vegetable skins. The chicken fried rice was abundant but extremely bland. It needed serious seasoning. Clientele: A mixture of families (yes families--with kids and everything), suits, young, hot suits who give you "the eye", girlfriends out for a night and most are dressed pretty nicely Service: Surprisingly attentive even when things are busy, friendly for the most part though there were some moments when brusqueness came into play.
(4)
Shantel S.
We went at 6:15 on a Wednesday for dinner and it was pretty dead. The bar/lounge area looked really fun, but the music was so loud there's no way you'd be able to hear each other. The music spilled into the restaurant making it feel like a club, which was really annoying. It's easy to spend a lot.
The company I work for recently had their Holiday Party here. I was really taken back by the space. Absoluetely beautoful. The staff were extra attentive and I was overall impressed. They had passed appetizers to which I thought were good. I will certainly be back to try for lunch or dinner!
(3)
Sarah A.
Stopped in here for drinks last week after work to celebrate a friend's birthday. The atmosphere is great. I love the red lanterns hanging from the ceiling, the Buddha statues all over the place and the lamps of naked women holding lampshades. I just had a beer at the bar, so I can't comment on the cocktails and food offerings, but everyone in our group seemed please with their beer, wine and cocktails. The bartender was friendly and efficient. There is your typical seating at the bar as well as some nice comfy, leather lounges and couches and a few tables between the bar and the dining area. I was really looking forward to seeing all the cougars and sugar daddies mentioned in the previous reviews, but maybe we were there too early for them. I peaced out around 7:45. I'll definitely be back to check this place out again for drinks. The food menu kind of freaked me out... $16 for some Chinese noodles? But, you have to love the atmosphere. Also, note bene, men with an appreciation for very thin women...all the cocktail waitresses are sizes 0s wearing super tight black corsets that do wonders to amplify their, ahem, assets. According to my friend, this place is populated predominately with men later in the evening. I can see why.
(4)
Bonita Y.
My dining experience at Red Lantern can be summed up in this simple analogy: He's a very handsome man (maybe even to the level of Christian Grey), but with no substance....so be prepared for utter disappointment! Considering that it used to be a Bertucci's, the decor is amazing (and yes, it has a very Tao/Vegas feel). Grab a table with you BFFs (just make sure to RSVP ahead of time as it gets wicked packed) or hang out at the bar/lounge. Service: Exceptional! We asked the hostess to change our table of six to a lounge/sofa. Also, our waiter allowed us to take our time to order (we ended up staying two and a half hours) and gave us good suggestions. Drinks: Go ahead, order the ying or yan scorpion bowl. No one will judge since you're in an upscale location and not at Hong Kong lounge/nightclub during your college days. The cocktail and martini list just looks fun...I ordered the rose petal saketini, but somehow it was more bitter than I expected. Food: Asian fusion. Gawd, this restaurant should be shut down because it is serving mediocre entrees. For a steak tip lo mien, its $24 and cooked in a sweet sauce. My ancestors in China/Hong Kong are turning over their grave because its just bad and uninspiring. Their highlights are the apps and sushi. The duck buns need to have the crispy duck skin...not pulled duck meat, which makes the bun soggy. Red Lantern's saving grace was its service, drinks, and app/sushi. The main entrees need a lot of rework, hence the three stars (that is me being generous because it is a crime that their entrees are just so mediocre!)
(3)
Mac D.
First time long time here. I've been to Red Lantern twice, once in the restaurant and once at the bar. Restaurant experience: Ying/Yang Drink bowl - really sweet, but lots of liquor. Good to share. Noodle dishes are great, Tyler the manager gave us an appetiver sampler of Rock Shrimp, Rangoons (both great) and spring rolls. The main courses were delicious too, especially sushi. Second trip, sat a the bar. Waitresses aren't that great. Sushi was good, but was given something I didn't want and she wouldn't take the drink off the bill even though I didnt drink it and she took it away. Would go back for the food, but bartenders should leave their egos at the door.
(3)
Travis D.
Were it just for the ambiance when we first arrived, I would have had no problem giving Red Lantern 4-5 stars. The illusion wore off quickly after that though. The food here is average AT BEST, and incredibly over-priced for what it is. The drinks were only "ok" too. My favorite dish of the night was the lettuce wraps, and sadly I was the only one at my table to enjoy them. I read the reviews on Yelp beforehand, but we decided to give Red Lantern a try based on a review on Chronical - I know why, now, they're broadcasting experts and not restaurateurs. While we didn't have an issue with our own footwear, their prohibition of "flip flops" or "sandals" is a bit ridiculous given the food and otherwise casual attire with girls in ripped jeans/cutoffs, guys looking like they just came off the beach, etc. This place holds itself in much higher regard than it's food or service dictate. Speaking of the service, our server was nice enough, but clueless about table service. We probably would have had another round of drinks, if not two (to make the dinner go down more easily!), and dessert had she been more attentive. Instead, we couldn't wait to get out of there to get to another one of our old favorites, The Market at the W Hotel. Trust me folks - this place isn't worth your time or effort.
(1)
Manny M.
I've been eager to visit this new restaurant since it opened last year. Other reviews have indicated that it's got great atmosphere, food and service. All of which were so on-point! The staff really made us feel welcome and were attentive throughout our night there. Our server made some great suggestions and even other staff who stopped in to check were helpful without being pushy.The food had such flavor and I also enjoyed some of the complimentary samples sent to our table which made me want to order them the next time I'm there. This is going to be one of my new favorite haunts!
(5)
Stephanie M.
I just moved to NYC from Boston and have been a little spoiled by the thousands of unique, trendy, chic, high end feeling lounges and restaurants that Boston is only beginning to dabble in. So when I came back to visit some friends, they suggested we go to Red Lantern to see if it was up to my new standards. I was amazed at the beautiful decor, the high ceilings, the laid back music at just the right volume, the pretty people, the fabulous food (The skirt steak was AMAZING!) and the overall feel that I got when I was hanging out in this place. I will definitely make this my new spot to meet at when I come home to see the girls!
(5)
Sean L.
Went for Boston Restaurant Week and had the selections from the restaurant week menu (golden chicken, singaporean noodles, and beef noodles). The ambiance is fantastic and beautiful, but the entrees aren't that great (comparable to a glorified arrangement of panda express food). Most are fairly Americanized. The appetizers are fantastic -- had the pupu platter, which gives a great selection of different appetizers. Overall things are a bit pricey (~$30+ / plate), but the entrees are of similar caliber and taste to Panda Express. However, the portions are huge.
(2)
Saba N.
Had a good ol' fashioned girls night at Red Lantern this past weekend... and there's a lot of things I liked and one thing I didn't like about the place. Likes: Atmosphere: it's really gorgeous, trendy, and new york esque (think Tao). I love the big open space, and it's perfect for a fun night out w/ friends or a sexy date. A+ Service: our waitress was fantastic and super sweet. We were a large party of indecisive girls - and she was so patient. She also got us a complimentary scorpion bowl (which are AMAZING and a great value)... just because she liked us so much (and the bacardi rep was at the restaurant). I mean, we were running an $500+ tab so I'm sure she would have liked us no matter what.. but still, pretty nice gesture. Drinks: fantastic. A little pricey, but given the area and atmosphere.. not surprising. We were all raving about our cocktails - so I don't think you can go wrong. As mentioned above, the scorpion bowl is HUGE and fun for large groups. There was 7 of us and we had a tough time drinking it all. At $44, it's a good deal. It's very sweet though, so I would only order if you were in a large party. Dislikes: Food: it was just so... mediocre. We had the plum salsa with guac (special) - and it was pretty lackluster. The guac was so spicy that I found it to be inedible. I love spicy food... but it was gross and kind of destroyed my palate.The lettuce wraps were very pf changs esque... nothing to write home about, either. It was also SO hot that it was clear it was just microwaved or something. And while the lobster portion was HUGE and flavorful.. every piece of lobster we ate was filled with shells. Not very appetizing. All in all - I'd definitely come back for a second chance - but it will just be for sushi and cocktails.
(3)
Julie N.
Would definitely go back. Lobster rangoons, boneless spareribs, torched tuna maki and special Big Papi maki were fantastic. Drinks were great, as was service. Music was bass thumping ridiculously loud. Banana peanut butter dessert was dry, dense like a brick and maybe one of the worst desserts I've had. The peanut butter ice cream alone would have been a much better option, as it was great.
(4)
Lindsay B.
I went here for dinner on Saturday and it was really good! They have a Gluten Free menu and carry GF soy sauce :) The food was really good, but they don't tell you what they are modifying to make your meal gluten free. I was disappointed when my sushi roll came out and had a roasted red tomato on top instead of the spicy sauce. The ambiance was great and I highly recommend going there with a large group.
(4)
Steve S.
Red Lantern is a newish Pan Asian restaurant..Pan Asian means part Chinese, part Japanese and part Thai plus other Asian cuisines The place is drop dead georgous with a huge and extensive buldout of a giant bar, hibachi and sushi center in the back along with a restaurant for a couple of hundred or so. Its like a toned down Tao The food, however, needs some help. Had the grilled chicken dish, but there was nothing pan-Asian about the white sauce over rather overcooked vegetables and a huge bed of white rice...There was nothing really great about my friends food either Red Lantern: You may want to be seen here, but be full before you arrive
(3)
John L.
Wonderful Asian-themed decor filled with Buddhas and lanterns. Extremely creative rolls, but for a price. Check out my full review with helpful photos here: asushiatedpress.com/red-… Red Lantern is a new trendy Asian-themed venue hidden on Stanhope St in Back Bay. The restaurant is quite large and definitely utilizes the entire space by filling it with numerous lanterns, stone Buddha statues, and endless amounts of red throughout the venue. Deluxe Sushi Plate - Spicy Tuna Roll, Red Head Roll, 8 Piece Nigiri, Two Shrimp Tempura Hand Rolls Great deal for the price. Nice variety of rolls. Red Head Roll was slightly messy to eat. The Shrimp Tempura Rolls just seemed a little bland and maybe not as interesting as all the other rolls. Dragons Roll (salmon) - Salmon wrapped around Burdock & Crabstick Fresh root taste from the Burdock with the fresh Salmon made for a tasty roll. Geisha Nights Roll - Hamachi, Elephant Plum, Lipstick Chile, Pink Soy Wrap One of the more unique rolls I've ever had... Check out my full review on this roll here: asushiatedpress.com/geis…
(4)
Kristen D.
This review is for the bar only. Went in w a gf around 9 last night and was lucky enough to snag 2 seats at the bar. They have a very interesting cocktail list, and it was hard to decide which I wanted to try first. I had the drunken samurai (pear martini, my favorite one), the Dragon fire (perfect amount of spice) and the Blueberry lemon drop martini (my least favorite). My friend had the bamboo juice and the red locust. The bamboo juice tasted strong, the red locust was Ok, but a little too much pineapple for my liking. The drinks are pricey ($13-$14) and not very strong. Normally, I am rocked after 2 martini's. I had 3 and was only slightly buzzed. When I'm spending $40 on 3 drinks, I expect to be stumbling out of the place! My friend ordered the lobster rangoons (4 in an order), I didn't try them, but she said they were good, although she could not taste any lobster in them. Overall, it was a cool ambiance and I would go there to grab a drink, not sure if I'd try the food based on other reviews and the price. Kind of seemed like they were an upscale version of PF Changs.
(3)
Sandy D.
LOVE RL!! It's my fave resto to bring my out-of-town guests. We always have a great time, no matter how large our party is. The fried rice is addicting and even though my fave roll is no longer on the menu, they'll still make it when I ask. The service is great. They really make sure you have a good time.
(5)
Julie G.
So I came here twice...once for drinks at the bar on a Saturday night and the other time for dinner and drinks on a weeknight. The time I came for drinks only, the bar was super crowded and I almost felt as if I were on an episode of Millionaire Matchmaker. The bar was filled with wealthy older men and young hot women with Ferraris and Lambos being valet parked outside. The drinks were on the strong side and were decent. Ever since that first night there, I was dying to try the food. One Thursday night after a Pilates class, a friend and I decided to stop by and instantly I noticed that it was a lot less crowded. We found a table near the bar and ordered duck buns, the crispy bliss roll and lobster and bacon fried rice. Everything was simple delectable, especially the duck buns. I also had a red lotus martini which was delicious! I'm dying to come back here again!! The food definitely deserves 5 stars but the scene at the bar made me take one star away.
(4)
Santiago A.
Just went for the first time last night. At first it look like one of these pretentious all "cool" places that are all about the looks and the overly priced food. But once on the table we realized that it was comfortable and the music was at a nice enough level for us to comfortably talk. The decor is cool and you can see the kitchen which is always fun. Also every one was very nice. The cocktails are good and original though a little sweet, but that just means to try another cocktail next time. We had the Duck Roll and was amazing. The sushi was also very original and tasty, we had the Ronin Roll that would just melt with the right amount of spice on it. Then we had the Chow Fun noodle bowl and again it was great. We shared those 3 things among 2 people and where very satisfied so the price was very manageable.
(4)
Heath M.
My attitude toward the Red Lantern largely depends on what I'm doing there. Is it a dinner thing or a drink and nibbly thing? As a drink and nibbly place it's probably one of the coolest places to hang out in the neighborhood. If you put aside the fact the place is visually stunning. It stops short of the middle-American tackyness of PF Changs (thank Buddha). It's also quite comfortable; the front area is filled with cozy inviting couches and coffee tables for your post-work sip & b*tch session (don't judge, it's cathartic). It's sort of like hanging out in the living room of an eccentric Hong Kong importer or something. The cocktails are quite well-mixed, adeptly handling the basics along with some more exotic offerings (I would skip the Scorpion Bowls, you can get better ones at Hong Kong...the dive on the Waterfront, not the actual city). The appetizers are delovely with upscaled versions of a lot of your take-out favorites from beef and chicken skewers to pork dumplings. For this, it's five stars, hands down. As a place for dinner I have a slightly different attitude. The entree selection is a bit small, though there's an impressive sushi selection if you're into that sort of thing (which I'm not). When it comes down to it, it lacks enough variety. I think I'd rather hit up Chinatown and get better, more authentic food at a lower price (with more options). For whatever reason, the bistro treatment doesn't work when you have the real deal so nearby, and this place does get pricey and all you're really paying for is an experience. It begs the question, how worthwhile is presentation when you can get better food with a bit less of a strain on your wallet? For that, I give it three stars. Bottom line, whether I'd recommend this place depends on what you intend to do here. You should at least come for some cocktails and great service, but if you were with me, I might try to convince you to take a walk to get the main course.
(4)
Joe P.
I booked a reservation with Open Table for 9:30pm. We showed up on time but was told I'd have to wait 15 minutes as some tables just opened up. We sat outside of the hostess station waiting to be called but it never happened. I waited 35 minutes then went back in to see what happened and was never given an adequate reason. WOULD NEVER GO HERE AGAIN AND WILL NEVER REFER ANYONE HERE.
(1)
Steve P.
This place has some of the best sushi in town. I went here for my birthday and one of my friends bought the biggest scorpion bowl I have ever scene in my life. The waiter was attentive and a nice guy. The food was on time and was amazing.
(5)
Vivi L.
We came here on Saturday night and the place is pretty empty for Saturday night which I was surprised about. We ordered a bunch of sushi, appetizers and dishes to share. The sushi was good but the appetizers and dishes were just OK. Our server was very attentive and friendly which we love. We first inquired to book it for a private party for 25 people and I couldn't believe that they require a $6000 minimum charges for private party. I thought that was a little steep for 25 people. I don't even think that we could spend that much in food between 25 of us. Given how empty the place was, they could have just let us booked the general area and not charged us minimum. We ended up canceling the dinner party and just came with a smaller group of people.
(3)
Laura S.
I went to dinner here on Friday. At first the menu looked a little weird and I didn't know what to pick. My friends and I shared the lettuce wraps (too spicy) and the spareribs (amazing!!) as appetizers. I got the coco-loco Mai tai to drink and it was delicious- I definitely recommend it if you like coconut rum. For dinner we shared a sushi roll with cream cheese (I forgot the name) but it was delicious! It melted in my mouth. We also shared the veggie fried rice (ok) and the chicken lo mein (delicious). I'm giving this place 4 stars due to the quality of service and atmosphere and the drinks and some food. It's definitely pricey, at least for me, so I'm not sure if I'd go back. If I did I'd just order the spare ribs and sushi with a coco loco Mai tai until I couldn't eat anymore.
(4)
Lorraine S.
Great vibe fantastic people high quality of food and delicious drinks! Best place hands down, great place to go w a bog group or a couple friends
(5)
Dela B.
Absolutely amazing. From the very first step I took through the door, I seemed to have been transported to a different world. Decor reminded me of a sexy, modern version of the Forbidden Palace mixed with the youthful yet classy vibe of a Las Vegas lounge. Food was fantastic, drinks were exotic, strong, and delicious. Red Lantern took Asian food and made it sexy. Service was perfect--attentive yet not overbearing. Our server made excellent recommendations and really made it a night for us to just sit back comfortably on the couch and unwind from a stressful week. Food highlight: The chocolate tart is out of this world. Chocolate shortbread crust, topped with a layer of caramel, a layer of chocolate, a scoop of cardamon ice cream, and sprinkled with caramelized macadamia nuts... I'm both regretful and glad that I decided to share it. All in all, Red Lantern's a great place to be if you're looking for a night out to unwind, relax, and have fun all at the same time. I'll definitely be back. :)
(5)
Melanie M.
Came here for drinks. Very nice ambiance. The drinks were just too sweet for my taste. Will probably just get a glass of wine if I go again. It was a fun place to just hang out and will probably go back again.
(3)
Jason M.
PF Changesque
(2)
Melissa D.
This restaurant is perfect to have those ideal dinner then party the night away type of places. Red Lantern is located in Back Bay with the Tao feeling of Vegas inside. The restaurant inside is huge. We came here for dinner after a long day of drinking. I know, we did the reverse! Wasn't a fan of the hostesses but a HUGE #1 Fan of our server! We loved him so much we told the manager our positive feedback. Top sever performances I have had in awhile! So back to the menu, they have Asian Fusion style foods and your standard sushi menu with special rolls. My girlfriends shared large plates of Fried Rice, Chicken and Spring Rolls. Good and happy with it. I had 2 rolls of spicy salmon and their new california roll - I went simple, since we were just drinking for 3 hours! Speaking of drinking, of course, to be in an Asian fusion restaurant, you have to have the Tiki Drinks! I always defer to Mai Tai's. It was glorious, not overpowering and it packs a punch 20 minutes later! I know it gets very busy here in the evenings, we have tried coming here for a night out twice and always had to wait in line to no avail, getting in. Overall, nice visit, Boston excuse of high prices but I would still recommend.
(3)
Mariana S.
Went to Red Lantern with a friend last week for dinner and I must say I was disappointed. The restaurant is gorgeous. It has a very modern edge. Ambiance is great. Had a few geisha martinis and they were great. (If you like sweet) We got a few apps and they were good. Sushi wasn't anything special. Would recommend this place to meet some friends for drinks but not so much the food.
(3)
Mike M.
Great service and food. I used a TravelZoo deal which was $59 for $115. I had the Surf and Surf and Dragon Fire martini which were excellent. Nice ambiance with moderate noise. It's Located in Downtown Boston a must visit for Asian Fusion.
(4)
Alina R.
Beautifully decorated and everything on the menu is prepared with so much flavor and creativity. Loved the shrimp shumai, drunken noodles, and short ribs! Yum
(5)
Kimberly V.
Sunday dinner for 2 My gf and I was greeted instantly as we walked in, no reservation, no wait (we got lucky) it was a pretty quite night. Ambience: great atmosphere. It's intimate, cozy, I especially enjoy the decor very much. My gf on the other hand loved their playlist. Service: our waitress and bartender was very knowledgable and attentive, the wait for food wasn't as long as we expected it to be but again it was a pretty quite night. Food & Drinks: Bulgogi Baos- I've had a lot of Baos and this one in particular was one of the best I've had. I love how they toasted the Baos it gives it a nice crunch and prevent it from getting soggy. Must try. Pupu platter- great for sharing, comes with Rangoon, chicken and beef skewer, spring rolls, rock shrimp, and char Sui. I didn't expected much from this plate but the rock shrimp and char Sui defiantly stands out from everything else. If you love shrimp mayo, the rock shrimp is just for you. The char Sui has the perfect texture, melt in your mouth goodness. As for everything else, don't expect too much from the rangoon and spring rolls. Shrimp fried rice- not a fan, it's a typical fried rice dish. A bit bland for my taste, I wouldn't order this again. Only order if you have a salty dish to pair it with. White Sangria- great drink, not your typical white sangria. I love their take on it. Very balance, must try. Overall review: 4/5 parking is difficult to find (street parking), pretty pricey for what your paying for.
(4)
Sooz X.
Dear Red Lantern, I'll break this down for you in good, bad and ugly stars: Good: +1 Star for Service: My bar server was attentive, helpful, polite and gave me a free sample of whatever that huge on fire tiki drink was. Thanks for that. She was also very chitty-chatty despite being busy. She did no wrong. + 1/2 Star for decor: Okay, so the decor was stimulating, dark and sorta lounge rat-ish. Busy place (Tuesday??) but it had a trendy, loud music vibe. I mean, I like clubs, they're cool... +1/2 Star drink strength: Yep, I'm going to go with that was a lot of alcohol. Grass fed mule? Cute, strong...but on to the bad... Bad: -1 Star for drink wtf it was: That was pretty much a moscow mule. I couldn't taste any lemon grass. Too much ginger beer, didn't need the note of lime. Tiki glass was cute but limited redeeming quality. -1 Star for the other bartender: Dude, don't think I didn't see you spinning my to-go box of noodles over while you packaged it. That was awkward to think that I was going to have whipped singapore noodle delight there shortly if you wouldn't stop with your nervous spin-fest while talking to the other server. Speaking of... Ugly: -1 Star for food quality/tastiness: Maybe I just got a bad batch. Maybe this was not their best plate. Maybe the food actually sucks. I ordered the Singapore street noodles and they were bland as a slice of white bread with a glass of milk. Come on, 26$ for an oversized portion of rice noodles with some meat and veggies? Ponzu sauce? Siracha??? Anything? I felt embarrassed taking 3/4 of them back to my hotel. I hate wasting food but the dumpster was in clear view of the patio diners next door. That being said. . .I'm not ungrateful for the food/dining experience but I expected more than bland noodles and an adequate drink for $40. BTW, nice red lanterns. They could be a harbinger of better food elsewhere? Sincerely, Sooz
(2)
Chase S.
Interesting dishes with lots of flair but fairly expensive compared to neighboring restaurants with more refinement. Full array of drinks with experiences from awful to awesome. Great service by our waiter but chaotic hostess and seating experience. Drinks: The Tiki drinks were on display during our stay. It was quite an array with some true to form and others a ways off from the originals with awkward tastes. I'd stay away from anything with creme de menthe as their teaspoon must be everyone else's quarter of a cup. That being said, their classic and original drinks were very inventive and well done. Quite the night and day experience. Food: The funnest dishes seem to be a lot of sushi specials. We had quite a few and generally enjoyed their take on the sushi fusion genre. The price per roll made me feel I was in O-Ya, however. Ronin, Spicy Yellowtail, and Rock Roll were highlights for us. The white miso soup was generous and had plenty of umami. The duck buns were no momofuku but quite good with just enough sweet to go with the savory. The tofu buns were very underwhelming and needed some of my duck bun hoisin sauce for my companion and myself to finish them off. The buns themselves were very well done with a near perfect doughy sticky-fluffiness going on. The lo mein was fairly good but a mistake to order, as the appetizers were much larger than expected, especially the buns, and we took most of it home. Dessert was impossible as we'd ordered so much food. Our server was very accommodating and when we couldn't finish one of our Tiki mint-bombs, we replaced it with something of equivalent value without charge. The hostesses were having serious trouble that night, however. They seemed to be scrambling a bit and when we requested a seat with our backs to a wall, we repeated the request twice to their bewilderment, and then found ourselves seated in an open space right next to a large cocktail hour hosting standing room event when there were plenty of seats next to the wall that went unfilled for the hour and a half we were there. The atmosphere is definitely for the fun-loving going out crowd who is adventurous in both drink and food. The dishes are generally well done with some being very good but the price for our time dinner came out to $150 when generally for two people in the area with similar amounts of food and one drink each without dessert would run $100. Return? I think it's a fun place with great decor that I'd probably come back for drinks and a small bite. It could be fun to come with a large group and order a few dishes but I'd also worry the check could get very steep very quick when I'd rather due that at more typical $$$$ labeled restaurants.
(3)
Kristen M.
Wow!! This place was incredible and I would recommend it to any sushi lovers even though the menu is not limited only to sushi! They have a great variety of noodles and entrees for anyone not wanting raw. I was there for a bachelorette and it was perfect, the service was great and they even gave us some champagne on the house for our celebration! I would definitely go back!!!
(5)
Nicole B.
Red Lantern is that perfect all-occasion spot. Come for drinks, come for food, come with friends, come with colleagues...you really can't go wrong. The space itself is a complete refreshing change from typical Boston venues: it's huge, with high ceilings, plenty of space and a more high-end feel without being pretentious or stuffy. You're never crowded and you can truly enjoy yourself. There's a bar and lounge type area, and several tables with great views of the kitchen and your fellow stylish diners. I personally think it's a great location and venue to go for a bite to eat and a cocktail before heading out in Back Bay or downtown. The food and drinks are all very well crafted and generously served. The cocktails are strong and creative. The food is delicious. I've had the "rock roll" shrimp sushi roll, scallion pancake and yummy dumpling appetizers, as well as sampled the Singapore Street Noodles, which - I kid you not - are served in what appears to be an enormous serving bowl. For $26 it can easily feed a table of four, with leftovers. Not exaggerating here. It was almost comedic - my friend who ordered it was filled to the brim, yet the noodles look like they'd barely been touched when she was done. They were very delicious, but make sure you have a way to bring home the leftovers. My only pain at Red Lantern was on one occasion of the three I've been - the waiter could have used a lot of help. He took ages to come around and get drink orders, then food orders, then water refills, then finally the check. It look literally 25-30 minutes to flag him down to request the check, and another 15 for him to come get it once we'd submitted out card. He couldn't answer a few menu questions and seemed really disengaged the entire time. I'll chock it up to bad luck, since the first two times I've been were great.
(5)
Rachel P.
Red Lantern is a fun night out and a delicious meal! It's pretty pricey but the portions are pretty big. I love the Singapore Street Noodles! The sushi is good too and great dumplings. It's a great menu so it's always hard to decide what to order, and the prices add up fast if you want some apps and an entree. It's a great place for a big group to share some dishes. Service is ok...I've had some inconsistent experiences but overall it's been pretty good. The hostesses can be a little snooty in terms of telling you there's no table available when the restaurant is half empty. It's good to make a reservation for that reason. I also love the scorpion bowls! They're not stingy on the alcohol either, and taste great. I do wish they had outdoor seating here. It's the only restaurant on that block that doesn't.
(4)
Jacqueline C.
I have mixed feeling for this restaurant. On the one hand, food was great. Our group of 8 enjoyed every dish. Restaurant design was impressive. On the other hand, service was aokay. It was slow, and I felt that servers are not very knowledgeable about the food/things in general. We ordered too much food, but our waitress never really informed us the amount of food we ordered, nor repeated what we ordered. Furthermore, she even suggested a big size food platter which we eventually had to cancel. We tried to cancel at least like 3 entrees, but couldn't as the chef already started the cooking. Don't order lobster here , you can get it at any Chinese restaurant. Do get the lobster fried rice, sushi, watermelon drink, Peking duck. Won't go wrong with any dish. We arrived at 9 and got out at around 12am. What did we do during the 3 hours?-- ordered food, waiting, ate food, waiting, our cake came, blow candles, waiting, cakes divided, ate cake, bill came without any waiting.
(4)
Clare F.
The boy and I passed Red Lantern a few weeks ago, as it was in the last stages of renovation and decoration. "That place looks pretty cool." Fast forward to his birthday. This much-hyped restaurant was reviewed everywhere and featured in Boston's Daily Candy, so he chose it for the group night out. I called Thursday and was able to get reservations for six and five (we were eleven all together). I specifically requested tables next to each other. When we were ready to be seated, the hosts split up, and it became clear that we would not be sat together. I would not have minded so much if the man I spoke with had assured me my request would be possible. So I politely told the manager and he said they would see what they could do. The group waited another half hour (by that time it was almost an hour after our reservation time so it was a good thing the dudes enjoyed the drinks and were able to take over a portion of the bar). I went to the host desk and asked about the table. They said that they had to open the private dining room to accommodate our group and allow for more room that night, so they had needed time to set it up. If we were ready and closed out at the bar, they would be able to seat us within a few minutes. Great. Just TELL me that. Yes, it looked as though we were enjoying ourselves at the bar (and we were), but an update would have been nice. The one sour note of the evening. On to the food and drinks. I had a Singapore sling and then considered how quickly I consumed it and how little it tasted like anything alcoholic. Absolutely delicious, but I wouldn't recommend pounding multiple Slings. I switched to my usual St. Germaine cocktail, which never fails to impress as long as the bartender knows how to make a drink not on the menu. The group of 11 ordered SEVERAL appetizers for the table. Apps are a little small and we had to get a few orders of some things for people who didn't get a taste of something. The lobster rangoon and tempura fried green beans were definitely standouts. The rangoon was HEAVENLY and I seriously considered ordering a plate all for myself for my main dish. The fried green beans came with three different sauces - herb, sweet and spicey. Herb was refreshing. Sweet was what I was most interested in (originally I thought I had to choose, but it came with all three). Spicy was a Siracha infused mayo. It only had a small bit of zing, which was great for me because I have a low tolerance for spice, but if others are looking for additional bite they may want to request hot sauce for the table. Everyone at the table loved their main dishes. Three of us got the fried rice which, after looking at some of the prices on the menu, is the steal of the restaurant. The portions were huuuuuuuuuge and delightful. Rice fried in sesame oil with veggies and your choice of protein (I got scallop.) Between apps and cocktails already in our bellies, no one was able to finish their fried rice. Another person raved about the beef with broccoli, saying that one has come to expect beef in that dish to be tough, but hers was mouthwatering and tender. The waiter was uncomplainingly able to deal with cash and several credit cards. The decor was unbelievable. High ceilings, exposed brick and beams, hardwood floor and paper lanterns (red, obviously) hanging from the ceiling. Bar bathrooms were onesies with larger facilities down stairs. Since this was Red Lantern's first weekend I would love to return in a month or so to see how the place has progressed. Upon returning I will likely sit at the bar if there is room and eat lobster rangoon to my heart's content.
(4)
Colleen H.
Ugh, I wanted to give this place 3.5 stars, but It won't let me. Definately more that 3, but a teeny bit shy of 4, but I'l be generous. I really like the atmosphere here. Went here with 3 girlfirend, and the bar was a great spot to mingle. Food--alright--nothing truely amazing, but I'm likely to go back, so maybe it needs a second chance. We had an amazing waiter, very attentive all night, and you know how ladies at dinner can be, 4 hours, lot's of drinks, it can go on and on. But we were more than generous with him. I liked that we didn't feel rushed at all, evne though I know they were busy and had people waiting. Maybe next time I'll just go for the bar, but either way, this place is getting a few more visits from me.
(4)
Sara Z.
I would go there again in a heart beat! Loved everything about it...the food, the atmosphere, the waiters! :)
(5)
Aga S.
Red Lantern... what can I write about this beautiful, hip, Back Bay restaurant/lounge? I have been to Red Lantern countless times; I have gone there for drinks, appetizers, dinner and birthday parties and I have yet to be disappointed. The ambiance takes your breath away; the high ceilings, beautiful bar, tasteful statues of Buddha and other orient-inspired decorations take you on a journey to the Far East. The music played at Red Lantern does not quite match the oriental theme, still it creates a very vibrant and trendy atmosphere - for a second you may even feel as you just walked into a trendy eatery in New York or Hong Kong. Managers and remaining staff are always very friendly and accommodating. In terms of food and drinks, there are plenty of really great menu items to choose from. From cocktail list I highly recommend you try the Dragon Fire (if you like cocktails with a spicy kick); if you are looking for something more fruity, try the Bamboo Juice, Mai Tai or the Shanghai Street Sangria. If you are looking for a snack, try the Duck Buns or Spicy Lettuce Wraps. If you are looking for something more filling - try the Chilean Sea Bass entree - it's delicious!
(4)
Wesley C.
great atmosphere, vibe, and SERVICE. But the food is........ i dont know what it is? the fresh roll and the calamari are some of the worst i ever had. rice noodle and dumplings are just rice noodle and dumplings not thing special. if u are going to charge $18 and $12 for rice noodle and dumplings they better be more than ordinary. wine list is very over priced and the cocktails needs some adjustments. this joint certainly has the prudential to be the tao of vegas, or the buddahkkan of new york. it just needs a lot of polish on it's cuisine.
(3)
HC F.
Top Knotch Cocktails- I am surprised people complain about the prices- I think it is reasonable- You get what you pay for. Great food! Great Portions! Awesome date night experiance also attended a private party - the service was great and the cocktails flowed!!!
(4)
Alz S.
Although the ambiance here was fun, the service was mediocre and the menu was misleading. I expected that by ordering "Drunken Noodles," I would receive exactly that: those wide flat noodles that are spicy and normally fantastic. Instead, I received thinner noodles that were not spicy at all. As an "Asian fusion" restaurant they should take greater care to not mislead drunken noodle enthusiasts. I will not be returning here.
(1)
Chris H.
First of all, this is a very trendy looking restaurant/lounge. For the prices that they charge, I expected a better meal than what we had. My wife and I went here last night for dinner after purchasing a Travelzoo deal for dinner. It was a Monday night after work so obviously the restaurant is empty besides a couple of other tables. We started off with drinks and they were both good. We started off with the chicken wrap, it was ok, nothing to write home about. We also ordered the crunchy roll, spicy tuna roll and the rock shrimp roll for sushi and an order of the bulgogi. Lets start off with the sushi. The spicy tuna roll has to be the worse spicy tuna roll I have ever eaten and I've been to cheap sushi restaurants that was better than this. The crunchy roll however was delicious. The fatty salmon was smooth and buttery. The rock shrimp roll was mediocre. So now onto the bulgogi if you can even call it bulgogi. Instead of thinly sliced beef, we received slabs and chunks of beef. The coloring on the beef looked suspect so we didn't bother eating it. Parts of it were gray and purplish and it looked like it was cooked from old beef that sat out. The waiter stopped by after we were done eating and noticed that the "bulgogi" was untouched and we told him that it didn't look right. Since this was a Travelzoo deal he wasn't unable to take it off the bill but offered us desert which we declined. For a restaurant that wants to charge hefty prices for entrees, they should at least serve some edible food. Oh yeah, I totally forgot to mention that the kimchee that came with the bulgogi was the worst kimchee ever. It was dry and had no flavor at all. No brininess or spiciness at all. How can you mess up kimchee? I don't think I'll ever go back to Red Lantern or Empire for food. If I ever go back, I would only go there for drinks and that is highly unlikely as well. I left disappointed, I could have spent that $100 elsewhere and enjoy a better meal.
(2)
Whiterock R.
good service and great food. Considering we were with a toddler on a friday night. Little bit too dark. Hard to see the food. Reason we went there was because it was raining and we quickly had to get in somewhere.
(3)
Patricia B.
Loved the decor. For all the wait staff running around service was a bit slow. Delish food! Only order the lettuce wrap app if you like spicy food
(4)
Matthew T.
Over priced and the food is not very good. This was the first restaurant we ate at after moving to Boston and we were very excited to go there because the reviews we read seemed mostly positive and our friends who took us there raved. The menu is creative, but that isn't enough if the food isn't delicious. We each got an appi and a main and my wife and I just were not impressed with the flavors. It seems like they are trying too hard to make dishes that are complex Chinese fusion in style and are instead creating confused plates that miss the mark. I love Chinese food and I love gourmet food but this place does not mesh the two cuisines/styles. Unfortunately, the bottom line is that Red Lantern does not live up to its hype. If I'm gonna spend 100+ per person on dinner, I expect more from a restaurant. On a positive point, the service was very good and the restaurant is nicely decorated.
(2)
Tanya C.
Awesome! Very friendly staff. Amazing food and cocktails. We went in with out a reservation and they totally went above and beyond to accomodate us. The decor is Fab! We will def be back again and again! .
(5)
Nuala G.
UPDATE TO THE BELOW REVIEW: My friend contacted the manager regarding the extra tip and he was super nice. Apologized profusely and said that the wait staff are supposed to let customers know when the tip is already included in the bill. She was credited back the extra $80 to her card. For this I have moved my rating to 4 stars! I came here for dinner with a few co-workers. We had made the reservation for 10 people at 5:45pm. We arrived a little late (around 5:55pm), and only had a party of 7 (not 10). In any case the place was dead. The hostess told us to maybe get a drink at the bar as she would have to re-set the table (it took them forever). They were putting us in the corner of the restaurant away from everything else when a friend stepped up and asked if we could sit in the main area of the restaurant (as the decor is so nice). They gave us a huge round table that was way too big for us. In any case we stuck with it. They have a good selection of drinks. I drink beer but my friends had cocktails. A few ordered the scorpion bowl which is for 4 people. They said it was a little too sweet. For apps we ordered egg rolls, lettuce wraps, and lobster rangoons (all were delish). I found they didn't have a good variety for entree's. They had plenty of sushi to order but expensive. I ended up getting the scallop fried rice which was really good (but pretty much a big bowl of carbs). There wasn't much else on the menu that appealed to me. Now this is why I only gave 3 stars. The bill came and it was $350. One girl in our party put it on her credit card. Now I understand when there are groups of 8 or more they automatically add 20% tip. We only had 5 people for dinner (as the other 2 only stayed for a drink then left). My friend added an extra $80 on the tab (not noticing 20% was already on the bill). The waiter didn't say a thing. She only realized this after she had left the restaurant. I told her to call the manager and ask to have the $80 put back on her card. Not sure if she has or not. I was very turned off by this. I think this is a dishonest waiter!! PS. In the past at other restaurants I have made the same mistake and the waitress was so quick to tell me it was already covered.
(4)
Mils K.
love the decor and ambience. we weren't' planning to eat there, but rather just start off with drinks then head elsewhere. well, ended up eating here and found it pretty good. the $7 plates on Mondays are a good deal. there signature cocktails are tasty. we had one with siracha. it paired well with the fried rice. wine list just ok sushi was fresh. i think this place is idea for groups. loved the dim lighting, loungey feel with an asian theme.
(3)
Glutenfree G.
Great place for drinks and dancing. Not the usual college crowd. Mostly 24+ and professionals.
(4)
Jeremy B.
Everything was amazing! Great service!
(5)
Aga K.
Soooo my company had a Xmas party there recently and I finally had an opportunity to try maaaaany exciting appetizers and sushi. First I need to mention that service was more than pleasant, very attentive and courteous ! Appetizers kept coming in many forms shapes and flavours...here I have to give A+ to a duck app which was given out in Asian spoons and was a hit on that cold December night. Crab Rangoon was fresh crunchy and very fresh! Finally originally served sushi ... Well my limit is usually 8 rolls but I think I set the new record these evening and had about 12!!!! No regrets tho!
(4)
Annie L.
I took my parents here the day after Thanksgiving to take a break from turkey. The room is stylish and impressive, with a sleek design and fashionable staff. We started off with the lobster rangoon and lettuce wraps. The lobster rangoon were great(but I am an admitted rangoon freak...I will always order them if they're an option on the menu), but pricey for little discernible lobster. The lettuce wraps were tasty and plentiful for an app. My father and I both got the surf and turf, which is an 8 oz filet and lobster tail. Very tasty and cooked medium rare as requested. My boyfriend got the bacon-wrapped filet which came out much more medium rare than the requested medium well, but he didn't want to send it back. The lobster mashed potatoes were very tasty. My mom got the hoisin sliced chicken, which was a huge portion, and she found it delicious (after admitting she only really ever gets sweet and sour chicken). We didn't try the sushi at all, but it seemed interesting. It was a fun scene, and I would likely return. We didn't try the scorpion bowls we saw going by, but we were happy with the bottle of wine we had.
(4)
David G.
I have to agree with most people on this site.....its quite a spectacle. Food is amazing, if the service is slightly sub par, but that is to be expected at any new "scene" venue. Pricy, but this is again expected. Reservations are difficult, so call ahead. In general, Id definately go again.
(4)
Lala L.
Great ambiance. Great food. Awesome strong drinks. I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Lauren M.
I'd say this is the best restaurant in Boston! Walking in, you feel more like you're in Vegas, New York, or some place in Asia. The high ceilings, huge Buddah statues, and abundant red lanterns create a sexy, swanky vibe. The music is kind of trancey, or a deeper house music. The crowd is one of the best looking in the city, whether you're dining with large groups or chilling at the bar. The food is absolutely exceptional; my boyfriend is a commercial fisherman and he says this is some of the best fish he's tasted. Whether you're going for drinks (try the drink that they light on fire), appetizers (the sushi, once again, is top-knotch), or just looking for a spin on your traditional asian cuisine, you won't be disappointed here. I've been several times, and have never been disappointed. For as good as the food, drinks, and overall atmosphere of this place provide, you'll be pleasantly surprised when you see your bill. I would have paid even more; it is just that good! Make reservations well in advance to ensure seating.
(5)
Sharon B.
I love this place. The decor is great and I dig the atmosphere for a chill dinner/drinks place. We started off at the bar for drinks and I had a great Geisha martini. We had a reservation and our friends were a little late but they still sat us as soon as they got in. The group of us tried a handful of different apps - the green bean tempura is delicious with 3 dipping sauces, the rock bottom shrimp basically a bang bang shrimp dish is AMAZING, I would come here just to get that. We also tried the lobster rangoon which was also delicious. Sushi was really good. For entrees the table got some rice and noodle dishes which were ok - apps/sushi/drinks seemed to be a lot better though. I'll be back!
(5)
Zyna P.
I came here last night for my sister's birthday. We bought plenty of drinks & sushi. Our bartendress did an awesome job by serving us until closing. The sushi cost more than I usually pay but overall it was delicious. I figured a night out in BOSTON with a 5 STAR atmosphere made the prices reasonable. Niemitz Design Group Inc did an excellent job on designing the place. I hope the owner can expand this location by adding a dance floor because there were times that we wanted more room to dance to the music so badly. Definitely would love to come back for drinks.
(4)
Cindy K.
Red Lantern has potential. The decor and atmosphere are fun and up tempo, definitely a bit of a buzz in the air. Service was excellent, timely but not intrusive. Only problem is the food is really not very good and it is very expensive -- a poor combination. I have been there twice now and I really want to like the place because it is fun, but the food is really substandard. Had the lobster ran goons on both visits and they are good, though you only get 4 for $14. Also tried the lettuce cups. They are hard to eat since everyone needs to make their own. Lettuce was all torn to shred before anyone could effectively make a cup out of it and everyone has handling the food extensively. Not ideal. The pork mixture was tasty but very soupy. Boneless spareribs came highly recommended by our server and were incredibly overlook and had zero flavor -- dry as a bone. The sushi was ok at best. One in our group had two basic rolls (spicy tuna with cucumber) and they were small but otherwise fine. I had the "pressed sushi" with smoked salmon and mango. This was terrible. It is a very dense square block consisting almost entirely of rice with a single piece of smoked salmon in the idle. MIT had some chopped mango on top. I could not eat it at all, completely flavorless and definitely not worth the money. This place could be terrific -- they have it all going for them. Interesting menu, great decor, focus on good service. They just need to improve the quality of the food. If they do, I will gladly be back!
(2)
Shaye S.
the food in here is authentic and delicious! although our party have figured out it is actually more alike a lounge than a typical restaurant. the waiter in our table was extremely helpful and we enjoyed the meal here even though is was pricey. Definitely go with friends, the light here is dim and the atmosphere is very chill.
(4)
Vanna V.
My boyfriend and I went to Red Lantern for date night. The atmosphere was really cool, the Asian food was fantastic the staff was friendly and enjoyable. Highly recommended!
(5)
David I.
This is one of the best asian fusion restaurants I have ever eaten at. The service was great and the food was even better. The crunchy roll and lobster rangoon are must-trys. The trendy atmosphere and chic decor makes this restaurant one of Boston's best. I would highly recommend coming here for dinner or even just for a drink at the bar.
(5)
Cristina L.
I've been to Red Lantern twice so far in the last month and expect I will be returning soon. I had drinks at the bar with friends one night and dinner with my husband on another. It has a really trendy atmosphere with a good mix of people. Overall good feeling when entering with very helpful hostesses. I did not expect such a good crowd being that it is hidden so well but the bar side was comfortably filled with people. It was easy to get drinks and they were actually good. Dinner was exceptional. We had the Wood Fired Skewers and an assortment of rolls for an appetizer, both very good. I had the Lo Mein and my husband has the Mongolian Steak. Mine was excellent, but my husbands was a little under cooked. He wanted medium rare but it came out a little rare. Not a huge deal considering he loved it. Either way, I would definitely recommend this place no matter what the occasion.
(4)
Christine P.
I'm a total fan of Red Lantern. I went here with 3 girlfriends for my birthday and loved it. We sat in the lounge area and had drinks before sitting for dinner. Unfortunately the only reservation they had was for 5:30pm. When we sat, the hostess sat us up on the other level which was a little less appealing than the main floor. I am not usually picky and hate to complain but I did ask to be moved to a different table, it just seemed "more fun" on the main floor where the kitchen was. They couldn't accommodate that but it didn't deter the evening. Our waitress let us know the portions were big and shareable but we were hungry and ordered 2 apps, 2 plates of sushi and we all got a noodle dish. I got the Singapore Street which was $25 (maybe a bit pricey for noodles) but delicious and totally could have been split. They weren't what I expected which was the wide flat noodles, but instead more spaghetti like. But delish. The sushi was awesome. I could have just eaten that, it was really good. For dessert we got the Japanese donuts which are like bignese (not sure how to spell that) and AWESOME! The dipping sauce was fantastic, they were sooo good. I would definitely go back there, it seemed like a good place. Oh and I had friends in town and was trying to think of a great place to go and everyone loved the ambiance. For all the food and drinks and dessert it ended up being about $60 per person which I thought was completely reasonable for Boston.
I found my new favorite spot. RED LANTERN. I was there for the first night the kitchen and staff were serving guests. The room is amazing. As I walked through the large tall wood doors, the tall ceilings, and Asian decor caught my eye. There is seating both at the bar as well as at small tables with comfortable wrapped couches. The appetizers and martinis were delicious. I had the Sumo Express and loved it. The sushi, lettuce wraps, and lobster rangoons were amazing. A great room with the open kitchen in the center with a wok stations. You can see the entire room from almost every seat in the restaurant. The staff were all very warm and attentive. I can't wait to go back and karaoke downstairs...
(5)
Floranne P.
Went on a Tuesday night, 9:30 with a Gilt City Coupon. Lot's of people there for a late week night and very cool music playing in the back ground. Atmosphere reminded me of Tao at the Venetian in Vegas - very chic. We ordered the Singapore Street Noodles for $22 which came in a giant bowl and the 3 of us could barely finish what was the most fragrant but at the same time delicate noodles ever! Next came the sushi: the Crunchy Roll from salmon and crab with some crispy panko. It was so great, my friend went back the next night. We ended up not using the coupon so we could expense it and come back soon. Really memorable and fabulous place!
(5)
Kate H.
I had a really fun dinner here a couple of weeks ago with two friends. Our server was a little goofy but really helpful & attentive, and the menu was really creative & different. The drinks were awesome, the food was good - not the best sushi that I've had but really good - and the place just has a fun, energetic vibe. I will totally go back.
Red lantern offers an interesting mix of sushi and other Asian foods. The food always tastes great, and its always a challenge to decide what to order. They offer large portions which make up for the cost, and and have very good service. They have become a very popular spot, so need to make reservations way in advance for groups over 4 people. They also have a bar scene, although I would not recommend it to someone in their 20's. There isnt a good mingling/ chatting space, and is often filled with men my dad's age... who will still try to get your number.
(3)
Jeff M.
Keeping up with the notion that Boston is behind with trends, the city finally got an uber trendy Asian fusion restaurant years after cities like Philadelphia and NYC did; ie Buddakan or Tao. As you can imagine the space is beautiful. The food on the other hand was pretty average. No stand outs, but nothing terrible. This is not a top dining destination for me but if I was in the area I would only hesitate slightly to go back. Red Lantern is more the type of place to bring a friend from out of town who is more into the scene than the food itself.
(3)
Tracy T.
For being one of those new, trendy, sushi YEAH! places, it was actually pretty good. Pretty DAMN good. Again, I had a groupon (crafty lil' buggers, eh?). Ended up spending more cause, well, you save so much with the groupon, so why not order a bottle of $50 sake! or two. Anyways. The food was stellar, the service was just as good. Our waiter had an extremely extensive knowledge of sake which I proceeded to apologetically tune out and think about dragons. We ordered our usual 5 rolls and they were so decadent and pleasing to the mouth buds I had to stop. And drink more sake, then eat more. The rolls were so carefully made and the mixture of different fish and sauces were so expertly crafted, you wouldn't really expect it at such a trendy place such as this. I would definitely recommend coming here for a group sushi night, if that exists outside of LA.
(4)
Melody V.
Terrible manager and horrific service. Don't come here. I had a safety related incident at this location and no one ever resolved the issue. Also the wait was over two hours...
(1)
Ben W.
I have now been to Red Lantern 3 times, and to sum it up the atmosphere is better than the food. If you really want some good asian fusion type food go somewhere else, but if you want a swanky cool ambiance and impressive date spot then head to red lantern. Sure the food was good enough, the appetizers seem to be more favorable than the entrees personally, but I wasnt that blown away by the food. Cocktails, appetizers, and a cool interior decor are the reasons to come here
(3)
Jenn C.
Meh pretty much covers it for me. Went with a fun group of ladies, not much on the menu that isn't fishy or nutty so not many options for me. The decor is fun but noise levels that will burst your ear drums.
(2)
M C.
Came here with my friends for what was suppose to be a fun reunion I'll admit the atmosphere was really nice and trendy. And the bubble tea was delicious. The appetizer I ended up getting was good as well (lobster rangoon) the part that really ruined my visit was the inconsidered manager and their chef's lack of ability to cook a medium steak I ordered the mongolian streak to be done in medium. The first time it came out, it was cooked well done. I returned it and the 2nd steak was on the medium well side (if not well done). At this point, everyone at my table was half way through their dinners and I was losing my appetite because I was eating off of my friend's plates. The manager comes out and says that the steak was done right the 2nd time around and that I probably couldn't see the steak well because of the dimly lit atmosphere. First off, I went to Flemings the night before and their atmosphere was as dim or even more dim than Red Lantern - And they cooked their steak just fine. Anyways, after the rude manager...I ordered a small appetizer (duck buns) bc I was pretty annoyed at that point. The restaurant did not comp me for my appetizer or anything. The server was really nice and apologetic throughout the entire meal, but the managerial staff could def use some PR courses. Very disappointed in their service. Was satisfied with all their other dishes except the Mongolian Steak.
(1)
Cat S.
Red Lantern ...the elusive Saturday night reservation. Why are you always booked until 11pm? Why do I even want to go back, knowing that I didn't love the food the first time? The real draw for me here is the ambiance - I'm a big fan of Shrine (same owners) to begin with and Red Lantern has good music, chic Asian-inspired decor, and a really sophisticated, trendy atmosphere. We need more places in Boston like this! The food - It wasn't bad...but it wasn't great either. And for the price, and the atmosphere, it could and should be a lot better. Step it up, Red Lantern! My friends got the more Chinese-inspired dishes and I stuck to sushi. It just wasn't memorable. The drinks were good, the service was friendly and prompt, and it looked like there was a really fun bar scene. I'll definitely be back - but probably just for drinks.
(3)
Big S.
Good place overall. For an asian fusion restaurant they do have some clubby music. But the food and service was great. Our waiter was awesome, made some nice recommendations and was really nice. the portions are pretty big, even for big eaters which is always a plus at an expensive restaurant. We have the rice tuna roll which was awesome, the GF drunken noodles which were very very good and the lobster/bacon fried rice. Will be going back, especially with the living social deals. If they got rid of the music, its an easy 5 stars.
(4)
Mindy R.
Came here with a friend of mine for dinner. After recommendations we made reservations which seemed kind of pointless because there was a wait anyway. The place looked pretty empty, yet we still had to wait about 25 minutes for a reservations. While waiting we were able to have over priced sugary cocktails at the bar. Once we were sat we thought things would get better, but the server was very hit or miss every time she visited the table. Sometimes she'd be right in and helpful, the next time she was aloof and forgetful. As said before, I have some major allergies (fruits and shellfish) and she had no idea what I was able to eat or not on the menu. I ended up with beef and chicken skewers and lo mien. We had one drink at the bar, one at the table and the reason for this wasn't how strong/not strong they were but rather the fact that it just took sooooo long to get them. The food was decent. It tasted less greasy than usual lo mien, and the portions were definitely large. Too bad my friend and I couldn't share because we didn't know the ingredients in her food. Probably wouldn't go back here, but worth going once just to check out yourself.
(2)
Erin W.
At least an hour wait for a table on Saturday evenings, call ahead/reserve or be prepared to hang out at the bar for awhile.
(3)
Aboud Y.
Have to say..the food is excellent, the drinks are good, and its a fun atmosphere (gorgeous space). I'd definitely go back. I tried truffled toro, tempura-style smelt, duck buns, and a spicy tuna roll which were all great. The lobster rangoons not so much.
(4)
Paul C.
This was a great place with a really cool atmosphere. They actually did a good job of giving a Chinese feel (with regards to the decor) in a trendy atmosphere. Also, music was the right volume - which is key. Table service was slow, but their attention to detail was very good. Everything was good: dirty martini, hot & sour soup, shrimp, and sushi.
(4)
Bonnie L.
Made reservations here for 6PM on a Friday night after buying a LivingSocial deal ($30 for $60). The atmosphere the restaurant was an attempt to be kind of artsy. They use statues of Chinese Gods/Angels as decorations around the wall. I was kind of on the edge with that. It was like displaying Hercules and Zeus as decorations to me. In the middle of the ceiling they did have multiple red lanterns which did look nice. The natural light that came in when it was still bright made the place look very nice. Enough about decorations. Food time! I ordered the famous Duck Buns as everyone mentioned and it was good, but i say way overpriced(2 pieces for $10!). I've tried this before at another place & was taken back how they have jalapeño & pickles in it at Red Lantern. It's not a bad mix but it was very interesting with the spicy Jalapeño, sour pickle, and sweet hoi san sauce on the duck. For Entree, I ordered the Rib Eye Bulgogi & my companion ordered the Surf n Turf. The bulgogi wasn't what i expected it to be at all (since i always order it at Korean restaurants). It was cooked in what seemed like BBQ sauce. It came with a little cup of KimChee and rice. When my food arrived, it was not steamy hot, just warm. It kinda gave me the impression of it being precooked already. My entree came before my companion and we waited for his. After about a few minutes the Surf n Turf still hasn't arrived yet. And about 5 minutes later, the server came and said he thought we were sharing both so he js brought the food as they were ready. So we waited about 5 more minutes & it still hasn't arrived so we asked someone to check on it. It was then the manager came with a plate of fried shu mai saying there was a mis-communication of how the food was served and people do family style so servers served as food are ready. After an additional 2-4 minutes the second entree finally came & it was steaming hot. The surf n turf came with a steak & a lobster tail. I definitely recommend this entree! The steak was so juicy and the lobster was cooked and flavored well! Overall i was satisfied with the duck bun & loved the surf n turf. My entree, not too crazy about( mostly because it wasnt served when it was hot & the meat was a bit burnt). It is pretty pricy here but if you get a deal( like livingSocial!), then I'd say give it a go! I would probably return here to dine in the future if there was some sort of deal.
(3)
Aaron M.
The number one place I take friends when they visit Boston. Its my favorite place. Great food and service.
(5)
Tricia P.
The only reason why Red Lantern receives an additional star is due to the decor. It's beautiful and relaxing.... until you start eating the food. I mean, the decor can only take you so far, right? I ate here when they first opened and the food was horrific. How badly can you screw up noodles?! This is what I had to ask our server. I decided to give them another chance, however, this time, just got take out. I had two orders for brown rice, amongst other things, and I should've known what was coming after opening and tasting the brown rice. The brown rice was mushy and disgusting-- I can't believe they had the nerve to sell it for $3 each. Their cocktails are also too sweet.
(2)
Ryan B.
I've been to Red Lantern twice now. The first time was with a group of friends for drinks, and then I returned last night for dinner. When my friends and I went late-night (around 10PM) we were informed there was a required food spending minimum for each person in the party (and we weren't hungry) so we were forced to squeeze in near the bar. I returned last night with a date for dinner. The food was very good - the rock shrimp appetizer was amazing, and the sauce that comes with the edamame was a nice touch. We ordered some sushi and fried rice to share - the fried rice was delicious, not too greasy but had lots of meat and just tasted amazing. The lobster specialty role was also great (it better be given its $25 price tag) and the other two roles were about average. I was unimpressed with the drinks. The waitress recommended a couple, which we tried, and I ventured onto the drink menu myself to try a specialty martini. The drinks were definitely tolerable, but not memorable. Service was slow, overall. We found ourselves waiting for drink refills on occasion. The worst part of the night was when the waitress came to clean up our table, picked up my soy sauce, and spilled it all over my new dress shirt - like ALL OVER me. I remained patient, but was disappointed that the restaurant did nothing to compensate me for that (would have been nice to see something comped, get a free dessert, etc). Bill for two was $170, which included two drinks each and the food already listed. Pros- food, decor Cons - drinks, service, pricey
(3)
Coco K.
If you ever want to be transported out of Boston into a swanky, sexy, stylish place then Red Lantern is your ticket. I don't know what it is, must be the awesome ginormous buddha, glowing-red lighting, and the scantily clad waitresses that takes you out of that usual Boston vibe, but Red Lantern pulled it off, and their drinks and food are quite delicious as well. The first time I came here I just had cocktails. I went with a great grapefruit martini along with a monster scorpion bowl for the table. Both were delis without being overly sweet. Although the next day's hangover was not so fun. From what I've tried of the food I was very impressed. Their pork dumplings are delish as well as their various sushi rolls. However the highlight of my dining experience here was their "dim sum" brunch on Sundays. It's not the normal style of dim sum (you actually order from the menu), but everything we tried was outstanding. The scallion pancakes were my favorite! To wash it all down I had an excellent, perfectly spicy Wasabi Bloody Mary. I highly suggest checking out their not-so-dim-sum dim sum brunch!
(4)
Mark W.
We were a party of 10 on a Saturday night with reservation, which are a must because this place on the weekends can get really busy. The lounge area was super busy. The food came out really fast and was good to really good. The large scorpion bowl was just ok it was a really weak drink. The service was excellent and the decor is great. They have valet parking. Enjoy!
(4)
stephanie c.
Red Lantern...walk in and have your breath taken away by the ambiance. I am all about the ambiance-and with this...they hit it right on the spot. Gorgeous decor, not cheesy, very well done, detailed, with an intimate exotic and sophisticated flair. So un-Boston like...I almost thought I was in California, New York...or even Vegas. Very well done and cheers for moving in the right direction for Boston's nightlife. Very new trendy spot, so on a weeknight...lots of young professionals out for after-work dinner and drinks. Weekend nights...slammed. Completely packed with a great mature and classy crowd. Delicious drinks, tasty menu. Bartenders were very attentive. However, my dining experience with the servers were a tad lacking. Asking for recommendations on the menu or clarifications of specific key ingredients led to lost confused looks and nervous smiles. Hmm, might need to work on that a bit. Food was for the most part very tasty. Being asian however, I'm never eager to spend a significant amount on asian cuisine. It is a pricey money, tasty...but pricey. I hope the crowd and trend continues...we need to move in a more modern sophisticated and different direction for our nightlife. Myself? I'm more likely to stop by or a drink and some appetizers than a full on expensive Asian dinner course.
(4)
Mark F.
I really like the space. Very cool. Food was decent...not amazing, but definitely different in a good way. They had some very unique sushi options and the ingredients were fresh and of high quality. Lettuce wraps were a little messy, but tasted good. Pork dumplings were good, but served a little cold. Tuna Tartare was fantastic. Fiance got the surf and turf...Filet and lobster tail. Steak was good...lobster tail was overcooked and was a little fishy tasting. I ordered various Maki Rolls all of which were decent. So while we did enjoy most everything, we didn't walk away wow'd. That being said I'll probably go again and try some other dishes and update my review. A little on the pricey side for what it was, seating (at least where we were) was a little cramped. Don't go near an open flame while drinking one of their Mai Tai's ;).
(3)
Edward D.
The food was great. Cocktails were as to be expected at such a restaurant...watered down, uninspired, and an "asian" twist of some pretty standard drinks. Manager comped us after our food came out late, which was very nice of him. Overall, the food was great but overpriced and trying to hard to be trendy and not focusing on the quality of the meal itself. Definitely a fun place to take a group if you just want a few apps and are interested in sharing a "fish bowl". Worth a visit.
(3)
Suzanne I.
Had my third dinner this summer here and enjoyed every visit . Last week I brought a group of friends in town from Italy and they loved it too. The food was delicious and I love the decor.
(5)
Chris F.
Red Lantern is a good looking place and has a nice vibe but pretty much utterly fails in every other category. I had a reservation for 12 people made a week in advance for my girlfriend's birthday. Talked to the hostess the day of to confirm the reservation and make sure everything was good to go for her big day. When we arrived they literally tried to seat us at one of the bar lounge areas that could only seat 6 people, at best. WTF. I had just spoken to them not 6 hours prior. Complete amateur bush league type stuff. Needless to say the night was less than spectacular for all parties involved, we had to take turns sitting to eat and everyone standing was pretty much in the way of the food runners. We still had a great night with friends but that was in spite of Red Lantern, not because of it. The Manager was apologetic enough and threw us a couple appetizers but for the most part she acted like she didn't care about our situation. I would never recommend to anyone to have a large group event there, save your money and go someplace better. Drinks were tasty, food is on par with PF Changs.
(2)
Jenna K.
This place is seriously awesome I don't get the reviews. Not only that but every time I go it's literally an hour wait and the place is massive. Yes it can be noisy but honestly what restaurant that big isn't? The atmosphere is really cool with different rooms and themes. The food is fresh and fantastic. The rangoon is my jam. I would eat here everyday if I could I love it that much!
(5)
Craig S.
Last time I was here it sucked prob because I was staying away from their fun cocktails. This was worse then PF Changs. The Chicken dish was dry and boring the wontons were bland and uninspired. I could make better Chinese and I have no idea how to cook it. The scene still was pretty cool and I do love the waitresses bodice outfits. However, when you are sober this place looses a lot of its appeal.
(2)
Lulu A.
What a scene. The food is pretty good, although if you like sushi walk another block to Douzo. The Scorpion Bowl is rather gross and sugary, however the wine selection is decent and I have not had a bad dirty martini here! The group that goes is the old Towne crew of 2010 (where I used to work) so I spend less time here, but the strip of bars that Stanhope is collecting is actually a fun time... so I'm sure I'll be back...
(3)
Beth H.
Ummm everything was oh so bland!! I have to admit that the atmosphere, decor and overall ambiance was nice. However, for the price and the food I was getting I would rather go to pf changs or chinatown. lettuce wrap had no flavor and a giant glop of hoisen sauce right from the bottle as dipping sauce. hot and sour soup was hot but was not sour at all. It was a waste of $150 for a dinner that lasted 2hrs and I left so unsatisfied I will not come back.
(1)
H. Q.
I really wanted to like this place because I was captivated by how beautiful the decor was... with all the lanterns and Buddha statues, it made this Asian girl feel right at home. lol We went there a few days ago, for two of my best friends' birthday; we had about 16 - 18 people with us... possibly the largest table in the restaurant. I got there with one of the birthday friends and our boyfriends a little later than the rest of our friends, so they had ordered drinks and some appetizers before we got there. When we sat down, a couple of orders of the duck buns came right away. We're not sure who ordered them, but I would say that was the only thing we liked eating. Very sad about that.... =( The duck buns had very tender meat and the bun itself was very soft. However, I would say, they are a little overpriced. AT LEAST no one ordered the Char Sui Pork ribs for $12. I guess since I'm Asian, I know how little it cost to make that, and the quality of meat of Char Sui is what we Asians eat when we're broke! I mean, we ordered few sushi rolls too. Not sure what rolls my friend ordered, but I order the lobster roll, the squid roll and the Seattle roll. I was hoping at least the sushi would have been decent/good, but it was pretty disappointing. The rice was lacking in vinegar flavor, and it was super hard! At least the rolls did not fall apart when we picked them up, but damn, nothing sucks more about sushi if the rice is hard. It was definitely undercooked rice. I mean, the lobster in the lobster roll wasn't bad, and it was real lobster (the tail was there). The squid roll was bland, and the seattle roll was not memorable. The drinks were pretty good at the place. We had 3 scorpion bowls, martinis, shots of sake, and beers. I enjoyed the Yang scorpion bowl very much, and also the 88 martini and the blueberry yuzu drop. The service was good, our waitress did not seem overwhelmed by our large group. We spent a little over $1,000 there, and no one raved about the food. I would say go there for the atmosphere = GREAT! Service = Attentive! Food = Ehhhh.... Overall, I would say I'll go back for drinks and the duck buns. I don't think I will ever pay more than 10 bucks for a plate of fried rice or noodles since it cost less than $5 to make.
(2)
Max L.
Had been looking forward to coming here after a co-worker had given it the thumbs up, now I know why. The place looks Great! You will love the vibe and way it is decorated, and Danielle our server was Fantastic. Started with the Fried beans (green beans, with three dipping options), and Pork Gyoza's, they were great, DEFINITELY try the beans, you will be hooked (thank you Ms. Italia :). Mother in Law got the surf and turf, My Lady got the Broken Lobster, and myself the Mongolian Steak. The Ladies loved their dishes, Mom had to help with the broken lobster because the wife was overwhelmed, they enjoyed them very much, and finished them off. My steak was good, but also the reason why the Red Lantern only gets 4 stars from me. We live in a society where some of us come up shorter than others, in this case, I have an allergy to shellfish, I had to swap the sweet potato fries for jasmine rice because they are made in the same utensil that they cook some of the seafood... Really!! I am not that much of a pain, so swapping for the rice was no big deal, but darn it... Hate to see if I had a gluten allergy... Moving on, the Yang scorpion bowl was very nice. Later the Ladies had a Cosmo, and Red Lotus, and were pleased. Finished off with the Creme Brulee, and I had the Bananas' (sorry, I forgot the name), and were very happy. So head on down to the Red Lantern and enjoy, you won't be disappointed (well, maybe slightly). But we will definitely be heading back.
(4)
Stephanie D.
Oh my god. My friend went here for drinks, my boyfriend said he heard about it. We went for dinner. We showed up without a reservation and were told that they didn't have ANYTHING available until 9 pm. It was 8:40. We were somewhat confused by why a 20 minute wait was such an issue. They invited us to sit in the lounge for drinks while we waited for our table. The drinks were decent, nothing spectacular. The cocktail waitress seemed to really want us to order dinner at the tiny little cocktail table. Someone came over to us and said "So you're having dinner here, right?" Both of us were immediately defensive after telling 3 people we were only having drinks while we waited for a table. After we said no, she lead us to the table. The worst had yet to come once we sat down for dinner. My boyfriend and I decided we'd try a sushi roll as an appetizer. We ordered the geisha nights sushi. We've had sushi at a bunch of Japanese restaurants from picking it up at Whole Foods. This was worse than something you would pick up in a food store. The rice was so thick! There was barely any fish. The pink wrap tasted so bitter, like near inedible. There seemed to be a strange type of fruit or something in there too. Totally disgusting. Immediately my boyfriend and I knew we were going to have a disappointing dinner. The sake was decent. I ordered Singapore Street Noodles and my boyfriend had beef with broccoli and asparagus. Both of our meals were so damn salty, both of us were chugging water. I don't know if it was a strategy to encourage people to drink more, but it made me so sick! The shrimp in my meal was 100% frozen. The most interesting point made by my boyfriend was that his entree was beef with broccolini... much cheaper than asparagus. So trashy of you, Red Lantern! Overall, I would NEVER give that place another dime. The waiter was nice, but he still wasn't great. Nothing to convince me that this could be a cocktail-only location. The girls at the front were rude. The food sucked. The drinks were mediocre. I think people that love this place are fooled by the decor, the novelty of being in a trendy Japanese restaurant, and it's newness. If you're the type of person that doesn't care about throwing down a good amount of cash for an overpriced, MSG loaded meal and because it's a new spot in Boston, this is your place. I don't think it will last, unless people who don't appreciate good Japanese food continue returning because they're getting loaded off their drinks. Whatever Red Lantern. Over you.
(1)
Tara T.
Came here for RW, and when I walked in - not a single Asian person in sight, only white people in business jackets. Not a great sign for an Asian restaurant. Food was mediocre. Singapore street noodles were tasty, but I could have gotten the exact same thing in Chinatown for $10 cheaper. The tik tok chicken was essentially the Americanized sweet and sour chicken dish - except crappy takeout places do it better. Plus, the waiter forgot my tea and in general took a long time to get our orders, deliver our requests, etc. Two stars, and I wouldn't go back.
(2)
Lauren P.
Ho-hum.. Red lantern has a decent ambiance (sort of a watered down NY style Tao or Buddha Bar) but that's all to report. Average cocktails and average food yet $$$ prices make this an all round meh experience. The only bonus is the portion sizes are huge - our leftovers lasted us for 2 meals!
(3)
Sereia C.
Still a solid 5 stars for ambiance, music, crowd, drinks. The food and service minus one star. Update as follows... So this time I noticed some more cool details in this joint as I look around. The custom black and red rug with huge cherry blossoms...the many naked women lamps with all the acupuncture holes all over their bodies...the wooden heads hanging out by themselves on shelving in the private room...those, combined with all the obvious sh*t, like the millions of red lanterns hanging down from the super high ceiling, the huge buddah faces, the long granite bar, the huge dark wooden beams and exposed brick...combined all make for an amazing atmosphere! I love the music. Kind of loungy, electro-chill mixed with upbeat grooves. It reminds me of the CD I bought from Tao in Vegas recently. The crowd...where have all these tall, well dressed, straight men been hiding up until now?????????????????? In the words of Forrest Gump: That's all I got to say about that. The drinks: Between my friends and I, we killed the drink menu. We had: Grass Fed Mule: Lemongrass infused Grey Goose, lime, ginger beer 88: Ketel Oranje, ginger cognac, Prosecco Drunken Samurai: Moonstone pear sake, Amaretto, lemon Rose Petal Saketini (my favorite): Grey Goose, St. Germain, sake, rose water Blueberry-Yuzu Drop: Stoli Bluberi, Citros, shocu, yuzu syrup, blueberry bubbly Mai Tai: Bacardi 8, Orgeat, orange Curaco, pineapple, Myers Dark Sumo Summer: Hendricks, fresh basil, grapefruit, sparkling rose The drinks were all made with lovin' and there definitely was a party in our mouths with every sip. Okay...so...here are my gripes.... That lovin' that the drinks are made with...I feel like the bartenders need to school the chefs, so those warm fuzzies can be put in the food. We placed our order...a half dozen oysters for an appetizer, and 3 different red lantern rolls. We also put a drink order in at the same time. Really, within about 2.5 minutes...maybe even less...we got our first roll. A minute later, another roll, brought by another waiter. 45 seconds after that, a different waiter brought another. Where are our drinks? Where's our appetizer??? The rolls were not super impressive. It was very obvious they made a Costco amount of rolls all at once, so they could bang them out of the kitchen to your table in record speed. On one of our rolls we got one of the sushi upgrades: lobster dynamite...which is supposed to be a lobster mixture on top of the sushi. It was piled high on a few pieces, and hardly any on other pieces. It was not worth the extra $6 for the quality. I didn't appreciate the rushed way the food seemed to be made, as well as the rushed feeling with waiters hustling our food. I definitely would have appreciated the normal...drinks first, then appetizer...then...10 minutes after the appetizer...rest of the order. Come to think of it...the waiter hustled us too. He came over 3 times to see if we were ready to order, when we weren't taking a considerably long time to parooze the menu. I will be back again. I really want to give you 5 stars, Red Lantern, but I just can't yet. Hopefully, one day, I can tell you me love you long time. We're just not at that point in our relationship yet.
(4)
Julie R.
I wanted to like this place more. I was so excited to try it out. A new hip place to eat sushi and sip drinks always works for me. I like they have opentable for reservations. When booking one for 2 people, the opentable made it looked like it was sold out all night, when we arrived at 7:45, nearly 3/4 of the restaurant was empty on a Friday night. They really should free up up all time slots cause they clearly have the seats. The kitchen and sushi bar are open, we opted to sit there to catch the action. Our server, while nice, was new and not versed on the menu. We wanted some variety, we went with two specialty sushi rolls, duck buns, and smoked pork ribs. The kitchen had an excess of workers ready to hit a ticket that came in. I know they are still figuring out the new place, it just looked like too many people with not enough to do. The duck buns came out very fast. They were tasty with plentiful meat and good to share with 2 people. The spareribs came next, they were just OK. Real sticky and the meat was full of cartilage. I've had better from a chinese takeout. The Dragon sushi roll was lacking. For a $15 roll, you expect something grand. It was small, loose and missing crabstick and burdock as mentioned on the menu. On the other hand, the $11 Rainbow roll was more substantial. The sushi prices should really be rethought, its $4-6 per EACH piece of nigiri. It doesn't make any sense when you can get a rainbow roll for $11 and have a roll and 6 pieces of fish on top. During our eating time our server was nonexistent. Our drinks sat there unfilled for 45 minutes. Water got refilled but no one offered on the alcohol. When he did come around and asked about the food, I mentioned how the dragon sushi roll was incomplete. He just said ok sorry. Then he came back with some cards to fill out to write down our complaints. It wasn't about filling out a long card, it was just a simple complaint. We got the bill and there was no consideration for the incomplete roll. I didn't expect it anyways. Our server was immature for handling feedback and we just paid and left. The food is overpriced. Quality was so-so. I just loved the atmosphere though. I will return when they get their bearings going and hope for improvement.
(3)
Cristina P.
Awesome awesome decor, great atmosphere, delicious food! A little hard to find on Stanhope, but if you take the orange line to Back Bay, its somewhat accross the street! Bathrooms- there are 2, one downstairs and one upstairs. I've only been to the one upstairs (its a one person bathroom) clean, well stocked. Bar - tons of seating, comfy atmosphere, great selection of drinks! Attire - Can be both dressy or casual, perfect for after work parites, don't feel too overdressed like most places in Boston!
(5)
Daniel T.
Very nice ambiance. Hostest was rude on the phone but the waiter was very pleasant. Food was decent but reminded me of PF changs. It wasn't worth the expense in my opinion. Scorpion bowl was huge but was mostly ice and fruit juice. Update to original review: I am upping the restaurant to 4 stars from 3. The more I come the more I like the food. Great for gatherings and larger parties very accommodating for my friends bachelor party. Great food good drinks although I do the the scorpion bowl is still mostly ice lol. Much better food than PF changs
(4)
Nancy M.
Incredibly noisy. Not music but a thumping bass that makes conversation impossible. Good food but inattentive service. Would NEVER go back.
(1)
Caroline D.
Valentines night was my first time here and i truly enjoyed dining here, i was a little upset that we did not get seated for our 9pm reservations. we got seated at 940. there were no parties waiting to be seated before us or while we were waiting to be seated after we arrived. The hostess seemed to be more into chit-chatting & laughing & talking about her personal issues with another co-worker while we waited & i personally did not want to hear her dirty laundry - or that she wishes she had the night off & did not want to be working. i loved the decor & the ambience & the style of the whole restaurant. they have a coat check down stairs, and the restrooms are located down stairs (my bf is in a wheelchair so that wasn't very handicap accessible for us & i had to go check our coats). The restrooms seemed a bit dark & dirty - paper towels and water all over the counter sink and floors. The waitress was very nice. She was quick & informative of the menu items. She made sure our waters were full and asked us if we wanted another drink when the glass was close to empty. She made sure our food was good and that we enjoyed our meal. we ordered lobster rangoons (after much rave from friends who have dined here & after watching the review on Phantom Gourmet) there were 4 in the order and they came out hot and tasty (not THE BEST rangoons ive had but they were very good. ) We also ordered beef lo mein & the rock shrimp. we were not too hungry & we did not want to stuff ourselves with no room for dessert. Everything was delicious & we did wrap the left over food. Unfortunately we did not get dessert - i did not find anything on the menu that appealed to me at the moment so i decided not to order something i might not enjoy or want. all in all this place was excellent & i would go back.
(4)
Me B. M.
Red Lantern sets Chinese cuisine in America back about 40 years. It has flavorless and gloppy versions of dishes you can get anywhere. Sushi had undercooked, dry rice. Pork dumplings were soft and rubbery and in a weird thick sauce. The calamari was sopping in grease. The noodles in the beef noodle dish were overcooked to paste. The one highlight was that the beef was good quality and cooked very nicely, both in the noodle dish and the skewers. The surprise elements in the noodle dish, a sudden burst of ginger, mint, or bitter green was fun and flavorful. It just seemed like other elements like the noodles or the sushi rice were throwaways. And those should be incredibly easy. Service was absent and/or confused. And the "ambiance" was a bit much and caricaturish, but perhaps my interpretation of it all was tinged by the bad food experience.
(2)
Jerry B.
Observation: There are a lot of "sugar daddies" here. I came here to have drinks and chit-chat with a friend and I could not help but notice, all the sugar daddies hitting on 20 something's wearing tight tight dresses. I should have worn a hoochie dress, I could have had a sugar daddy! Damn. Overall, this place is beautiful. The drinks were amazing! I cannot wait to try the food! (update coming soon)
I took my fiancee here for a belated engagement dinner. By belated, I mean one week before the wedding. We had always noticed the sign for Red Lantern while we were out, and had talked about going someday. I made reservations for 6:15 and made sure to come hungry. The dining room is really stunning, and I don't use that word often outside of Martin Scorcese movies or Tasers. There is a more intimate private dining area, but we were seated by the window, which was nice enough anyway. Our server was very pleasant and we decided to start off with some warm sake. I've never really been a sake fan, always finding that it tasted like a combination of vermouth and bleach-soaked socks. I don't know if it was the brand or the heat, but I really enjoyed it this time around, and drinking it was downright relaxing. For appetizers, we ordered Lobster Rangoons, Mashed Potato Sticks, and grilled asparagus. The Lobster Rangoons were really delicious, my fiancee and I made quick work of them. While four didn't seem like enough at the time, I think it was better that the number was limited. It increased my appreciation of them rather than allowing me to gorge on them and get burned out on an otherwise delicious treat. And brother, trust me, I could have done some serious gorging. Next were the Mashed Potato Sticks. Crispy, breaded, and fried logs of mashed potato. Really delicious, filling, and rich, with this sweet gingery sauce on the side (I had originally thought it was some kind of gravy with butter in the middle, but that might have been the image they were going for). Grilled asparagus was simple and good, with butter and garlic and lime slices on the side. At this point, we upgraded to martinis. I'm a big fan of spice, so I got the Dragon Fire, made with Sriracha. Loved it, had two just for the combination of sweet and spicy. My girl had the Sumo, made with basil and grapefruit. For entrees, I had the wood grilled sea bass and my fiancee had the Surf and Turf, a bacon-wrapped steak with grilled lobster tail. I loved mine. The fish was tender, juicy, and retained the flavor of the grill. The Japanese eggplant that came with it was also good. It was grilled, making the outside skin of it crunchy. Normally, I can't stand eggplant skin, but this method of preparation made me more than tolerant. All of this was served on a bed of ginger bok choy with jasmine rice. The Surf and Turf was the subject of rave reviews (in the repeated form of "Oh God, so good.") from my lady. Although the bacon on the outside was burned beyond desirable crispiness, the tenderness of the meat left that as a very minor complaint. The lobster tail was grilled, smoky, and flavorful. I was invited to have a few bites and can verify, very tasty. All this was served with some nicely cooked Chinese broccoli. Though we were offered a dessert that only caught my eye for including the term "fried doughnuts", we were way too full and satisfied to continue, and threw in the towel. On the way out, a hostess was nice enough to take a picture of us and we were photobombed by a rambunctious five-year-old. Excellent food, tasty drinks, friendly service, beautiful ambiance (I would suggest trying to get a seat in the main dining room for the full experience or in the private dining room), and music at reasonable volume. I can't ask for more than that. Price wasn't bad, entrees were in the $30-40 range, but well worth a fine dining experience with a loved one. Can't wait to come back!
(5)
Mike G.
high style pan-asian comes to Boston. sexy brick & beams with loads of orientalia reminds of Spice Market and menu a la Buddakan (NYC). eat these (all shareable): mongolian skirt steak w/ sweet taters-tenderlicious. and pineapple bread pudding w/ butter almond gelato-if on menu just get it. don't eat (yet): singapore street noodles xo sauce greasy, bland. a selection from the house 'special' rolls was not. but it's early days, hope these are tweaked to bestseller-dom. still and all, a good showing for barely a week open. props to our server and Michael W. for service over & above. Red Lantern certainly fits the entertainment cum dining bill (with the coolest club music in the city).
(4)
Diana F.
Overpriced mediocre food. Drinks are decent, at best. Came here with a girlfriend to celebrate my birthday... $175 for two people later for noodles and "meh" food. Wouldn't return for dinner. Would maybe consider going back for just cocktails, as it seemed to get really busy and bustling near the bar towards the end of the night.
(2)
Stephen R.
If only Yelp would allow more stars for atmosphere; this is such an amazing space, and is really one of the most impressive dining rooms in the city. As I wander about and sample more of what Boston has to offer, I have to admit my prior 5 star review was a bit slanted due to my love of the room itself. While perfectly fine in quality, our 3rd and 4th visits here make me realize the food may not necessarily be 5 star worthy. Some dishes at our last visit were a little heavy on the salt, and just lacked that special punch. The skewers appetizer are highly recommended; miso sea bass was great but too heavy with the miso paste - it overwhelmed a nice piece of fish that was otherwise cooked superbly. Pass on the sushi for some of the other dishes instead - I'm not certain the sushi is special enough here. The noodle entrees are impressive and chock full of nice fresh ingredients. On the positive side, we were sent a lovely side dish complement of the chef for a new side dish they were testing. While I may not have rated 5 stars, the fact that we've been back here several times speaks for itself.
(4)
Marco B.
Yes the food is MSG loaded! Thanks for that! Travel Asia and you'll see that that's actually used.... The experience was great - and I emphasize on "experience" as ambiance, food and service were well balanced. Arrival and seating was perhaps the weakest part of the evening. Gave the power to the sushi chef to concoct my dinner and was not disappointed. Good music not to loud and a slightly more casual crowd than you would find at Tao NYC or LAS or even Budabar. Waiter Dylan was fun and attentive and made my night as a sole business traveler enjoyable... Bravo considering Red Lantern is only two month into the game!
(5)
Jillian T.
Lots of Hollywood Inspired Asian Furniture and women in bustiers make this a great place for businessmen to bring out of town clients. The food was ok, the crowd fun to stare at, and you couldn't help but think of the Craft as you watched the hostess seat people in her Vampira like attire. Don't let your waiter order your food for you though or your tab can easily climb past $200
(3)
Jenna H.
I have dined at red lantern twice now in the past couple months, and have fallen in love. My favorite food here is the lobster rangoon app - it is delightful! To my pleasant surprise they actually provide a copy of the recipe on the way out the door. I have not tried to replicate this great morsel, but someday. The decor and ambiance is great, perfect for a sensuous night out with a lover, or group of girls to catch up on gossip. It can get a bit loud here - so may not be the best first date place. Unless you find yourself on a blind date that you don't care to know more about:) I love the noodles here - I have had the Singapore and drunken. Warning* Do not eat the red thin dry pepper they put as garnish... I did, what a mistake. yikes, good thing our waiter brought me a glass of milk - it was touch and go there for awhile.. The smoking lantern roll is a sight to see - it comes covered and yes smoking. All the sushi I have had here is quite tasty. Drinks are all fabulous, from the scorpion bowl to the Singapore sling. This is definitely one of my new favorite spots in Boston, can't wait to keep coming back!
(4)
Nicholas W.
I recently held a birthday party for my wife here with about 14 people. We got there a bit early, had a few drinks at the bar and enjoyed the lounge atmosphere. The overall decor of the restaurant is great. Boston needs something a bit different and this is heading in the right direction. I love steak houses and sports bars as much as the next guy but something like Red Lantern's 25 foot ceilings and modern loungey feel was a welcome addition. The food and drinks were great and service was consistent throughout the night even with 14 of us. I was impressed with the managers attentiveness after a piece of the old ceiling actually fell onto the table. He brought us some apps and a round of drinks at the end of the night. I plan on going here again for dinner and drinks in the near future and definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something a bit different in Boston!
(4)
Jason M.
Recently went to Red Lantern... other then having to wait about 10 minutes, despite having a reservation, It was an excellent experience... The place is a bit on the louder side, with music playing and just being a busy/hang out place in addition to a restaurant. But once we sat down, it wasnt difficult to have table conversation. The service was fantastic. Our waitress was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Was quick to refresh our glasses and clear our plates. The food also came out pretty quickly... didnt have to wait long for any of it. Speaking of the food, it was outstanding. The prices are certainly a bit higher, but not over priced at all given the quality, creativity, and flavor of the dishes. We started out with a special house maki roll with yellowfin tuna that was outstanding as well as the woodfire skewers(kobi beef and chicken) which were also delicious... the meat melted in your mouth. For entrees I had the miso glazed seabass, which was perfectly cooked and seasoned. it didnt take long for me to clear my plate. My friend had the skirt steak with sweet noodles, which was also fantastic. Everything we ate was well worth the cost, got to us quickly, and was extremely flavorful. It would definitely recommend red lantern, my only suggestion would be to maybe get there early or grab a reservation, as seating seems to be their only snag.
(5)
Hilary D.
A few single girlfriends and I heard a rumor that Red Lantern is a great place to find tall, hot guys, so we decided to see for ourselves. The person who said that must have been 4'11 with poor eyesight, because that wasn't our experience, but that being said, we had a great time at Red Lantern! The crowd seemed to be a mix of mostly 1) girls who can smell money like sharks smell blood, and 2) 35+ men with money seeking the company of 25-and-under women who can smell money like sharks smell blood. Not my people. However, not wanting to mingle with other patrons didn't stop us from having a great evening. Great space - the lounge area was crowded, but we weren't bumping into people. Very friendly, attentive bartenders. We ordered a round of the flaming shots advertised on the menu - they taste like warm boozy summer fruit. Me likey. The music is just right - good beats, not so loud that you're forced to shout. Interesting decor! I can't comment on the food because we were only there for the bar scene, but we had a good time. I wouldn't make Red Lantern a home away from home, but if I felt like getting dressed up, it would be an option.
(4)
Joey C.
Came here for a pre-opening, invite only, VIP party. Can't comment on the pricing because EVERYTHING was free!!! But I can comment on the food, decor, drinks and the bathrooms. The restaurant itself is FLABULOUS. A great dining room plus private rooms off the back and an amazing bar with flat screens and ambiant lighting. The hot and sour soup was not so good. It did not enough sour but the ingredients were fresh and overall it was still tasty. The sushi was just perfect and I really liked the chicken lo mein. There was also some charred beef being passed around which was pretty good too. Guess that's the trouble of not ordering our food and to sit there for a tasting. We also had some lil dessert spoons which I'm not sure what there were but I just know it was delicious. I think one was an almond jello with fresh fruits and the other was a chocolate cake of some sort which my friends really enjoyed. The bartenders have heavy elbows which is great for me and my professional drinking buddies. As for the restrooms, they have a set off to the side of the bar and some hidden, VIP if you will, downstairs :D All in all, I would definitely go back. I think having a private party in one of the exclusive rooms would be fun. It reminds me a little of Shrine @ MGM/Foxwoods - probably because they're related :)
(4)
Jackie S.
I am kind of surprised about all the bad reviews on here. Yes, we made a reservation and no the table wasn't ready for us but we only waited 10 min so it wasn't unreasonable. Next- we tried 3 different sakes- the best was the unfiltered creamy milk one. It was awesome! $8 bucks is alot for a shot, but I wasn't paying so I am taking price out of my rating completely. The pear and peace ones were OK. We got the special tuna sushi and whoa it was amazing. We also got the meat sticks. The beef ones were so tender they melted in your mouth. Real good. My friend got the sea bass which he ate every last drop of. I got the beef and sweet noodle dish. It was a huge portion and it was full of perfectly cooked veggies and a decent amount of meat. It's loud in here, but that's the lounge-ish type of vibe. I had a good time, service was good, and my food was delicious.
(4)
Kelley M.
I went here with some coworkers after work. We arrived around 5:30pm with a party of 6. Since the place was empty we asked to sit at a nicer table than the original table they were going to seat us in. Now normally I am not one to complain but considering it was a Tuesday and it was not even 6pm yet, you would think that it would not have been complicated to move us. So about 15 minutes we sit down and they seat us in a great location. I am not sure what took them so long but once we were seated I was glad we waited. OK, that is the only thing bad I have to say about the place.... Now for the good stuff.... The decor and the waitstaff was beautiful. I felt like I was in NYC or at Tao in Vegas. Being in the large group I got to taste a lot of different entrees and they were all really good. I even took my hubby home some chicken fried rice, which he devoured. All in all I really liked this place and it seems like it would be a good after dinner destination place for drinks as well. Boston needed a restaurant like this!
(4)
Brianna C.
Lobster rangoon is amazing! We also got the duck buns, they were pretty good. We got two rolls of sushi, can't remember the names but one had spicy tuna with cream cheese and avocado, the other had sea bass tempura with a pineapple salsa on it. Both very very good! Excellent drink menu and cool vibe. I definitely want to go back and try some other things on the menu.
(5)
Baking M.
Red Lantern has recently filled the vacant space where Bertucci's once was. The new Asian and sushi restaurant is next to Zocalo on Stanhope (formerly STIX). I would characterize the restaurant is a wannabe Tao or Buddakan in NYC or an upscale pricier P.F. Changs. The ambiance is industrial Asian, very zen and fun. The patrons were a mix of families, professionals, suits and casually dressed couples. The entrance has large wooden doors, buddhas and stone statues and red fixtures. I loved the bar with high ceilings and glowing red lanterns. They remind me of Hoi An, in Vietnam with lanterns hanging throughout the town. We had: Shanghai Street Sangria (Plum Sake, Lillet Rouge, Bacardi Dragonberry, Ciroc Red Berry) $10 Spicy Tuna and Spicy Yellowtail $7 each The fresh spicy rolls had the spicy mayo sauce dolloped on top of the roll, versus within the fish which was a nice surprise. Beef Broccoli and Asparagus $24 Sesame short rib, asparagus, american and chinese broccoli What is described as sesame short rib was really just tender slices of beef. The beef and broccoli was tasty, but you could get the same dish (maybe with lower quality meat) for $8 in Chinatown. We received a complimentary chocolate cake was a nice birthday surprise for my friend. There was a wasabi flavored mouse and a luscious ice cream. Overall, the service was very thorough, attentive and the food was tasty, however expensive.
(3)
Jess C.
Everyone at my table agreed, this place is trying to be straight outta Vegas! The cocktail waitresses strut around in matching corsets, the presentation is very flashy, and the decor is over the top. I actually love how high the ceilings are how big this place feels. The menu is quite varied, they've got sushi, noodles, chicken and steak skewers, lobster rangoons...the list goes on and on. This is a good place to go with a big group for that reason. For drinks, we ordered one of the scorpion bowls, the Yang. We were a party of 6 and this was enough for everyone to get a taste from the many straws that come with this.
(4)
Krista D.
After hearing about this place, I really wanted to love it... But some things left a little to be desired. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and the service was great, but after hearing all the hype about the food, we were a little disappointed. We got the lobster rangoons since we had been hearing about them for a while, and we also got a few sushi rolls and some fried rice. The rangoons were good, but we couldn't really taste the lobster. They were mostly cream cheese. The sushi was beautifully presented, and good, but it wasn't something I'd drive back to Boston to get. The star was the fried rice. It really was delicious, but I think we were both hoping that the fried rice wouldn't be the number one thing we ate. If I was ever around Red Lantern again, I'd probably stop in for a drink at the beautiful bar, but I wouldn't go out of my way to order any food.
(3)
M L.
Really wanted to like it but food was disappointing, especially for the upscale price. Street noodles would have been excellent if they were less salty, same for the stir fried short ribs. The pork dumplings were overpowered by their sauce and the tuna tartare was weighed down by mayonnaise. All of the ingredients seemed fresh and the dishes could have been great if it weren't for the heavy hand of the chef who didn't trust the ingredients enough to let them shine on their own. Ten years ago I would've rated the cocktails much higher. Drink's were generously poured, but not of the high quality and precision that most upscale restaurants have taken their cocktail menus over the past few years. The service was too attentive and felt intrusive. On four occasions the waiter came to pour our bottled water after we'd taken a single sip. Dinner conversation was constantly being interrupted by bottled water service and repeated questions as to whether I was almost done with my cocktail? would I like another? had I decided on another drink yet? is my wife enjoying her cocktail? does she think its too sweet? etc. Clearly they are focused on good service, so perhaps on a busier night the service level would be just right, but when it wasn't very busy, they simply overdid it.
(2)
Ricky R.
yeah yeah yeah the decor is so awesome. Really though, it's super nice. The sushi... Meehhh it's average at best. This is coming from the Sushi King ROZAY!!! Great place to take a date and impress for sure. The atompshere is so cool I'd def come back again. No crab rangoons but they have lobster rangoons (FYI).. Avg roll is $15 I'd say.. Take advantage of the valet parking so you don't have to look or pay for a garage parking. Oh yeah, the waitresses are pretty hot here too. Just saying ROZAY!!
(3)
Keesh J.
I came here for a close friend of mines birthday dinner. I got the shrimp tempura maki rolls, they were good and tasted fresh. What really captivated me about this place was the decor. It was dim light and had Asian sculptures all around.
(3)
sean h.
Red Lantern is good, not great. The positives are that the decor is really cool as you it's like you're looking at the underbelly of warehouse with the exposed piping, the high windows and the eclectic lanterns making it look like a tripped-out Japanese temple on halloween. The sushi is good, but it doesn't have a personalized menu feel to it as some better sushi places. The menu is too large and they are trying to do too many things with the menu - just simplify! The drinks are overpriced (which is normal for that area), but potent enough for you to have a good time without having to order too many. The only real negative is that I've been there 3 times now (once we the wait was too long and we were turned away), and I always feel like the hostess and waitstaff is doing me a favor to show up. Everyone is cordial, but with an attitude, more New York-ish of a feel than the rest of Boston. If you can deal with the waitstaff it should be a good night out, but probably not a place you will go to all the time.
(4)
Courtney H.
My friend and I had been trying to get a double date for a while and we figured this would be perfect for us all. However, we didn't realize all their reservations would be booked and that when you walked in you couldn't sit in the dining room at all! But it wasn't a problem because we got lucky enough to get a booth in the bar area. The food was so tasty. We loved pretty much everything we got! The tempura beans, the lobster rangoons, the different kinds of sushi (and I normally don't like sushi!) and the fried rice. The only reason I can't give 5 stars was because we also ordered some chicken and it we finished eating all the other food before it came out. So we had to cancel it. Part of me wishes I could have tried it but then I was also super full. I definitely want to go back but probably during a weeknight when it's not quite so crowded.
(4)
Max M.
Made birthday reservations. When we got there, they sat us next to where the waitstaff come in and out. Needless to say, we asked to be moved. The restaurant was so dark, people had to use their phones to look at the menu. The music was blaring. We couldn't speak to each other. It was 530 not 10:00. The food was average. We ordered the tik tok chicken. It was so sweet we couldn't eat it. They also put the rice on the bottom of the bowl so it too was sopped with disgustingly sweet sauce. (I have a sweet tooth and it was gross.). Overpriced sub par!
(2)
Regan C.
I have actually been here twice. The first time I was catching up with a couple friends over sushi and drinks, and the second time I was in a large group with a bunch of different dishes being passed around. Both experiences were awesome. 1st visit: Ordered the Sumo. YUM. If you like gin, you will probably like this drink. For food, I got the Crispy Bliss and the Crunchy Roll. The crispy bliss was slightly better, but both pretty good. The service was not very attentive, and I had to ask twice to get some more water. 2nd visit: We ordered both Yin and Yang scorpion bowls. Delish, but very fruity. We had the Duck Buns (I was a duck bun virigin before this, what the hell was I thinking?), edamame, some fried rice, spring rolls, the works. It was all very yummy, but the duck buns were the obvious stand-outs. Our server was incredibly nice even when 10 credit cards were thrown on the bill at the end of the night. I can see going back to this place for a drink, or even food again. So 3 stars for the first visit, and 5 for the second.
(4)
C B.
Great new place, fun with good atmosphere. We had dinner early on Sat. night, and will be back. Sampled appetizers in lieu of entrees, all were excellent with the exception of the lettuce wraps (which they removed from our bill without our asking). My absolute favorite was the lobster ran goon...better than any crab version I've ever had. Service was attentive without overwhelming. Rick, our server was great. The revamped decor is attractive; think Asia meets industrial with warmth. The acupuncture mannequin lamps are awesome (although made me happy to have not carted one back from china as I almost did last year). Don't hesitate to try this place -- it is a very welcome addition to the neighborhood.
(5)
Sarah F.
Came here for the start of my Thursday girls' night as tons of people from my work had already checked it out. My friend and I just got drinks at the bar as I had tried to reserve dinner for two but it seemed to be sold out on OpenTable. I know they only put in the inventory they want to sell on OpenTable, but I was a little disappointed that the entire dining area was empty except maybe one or two tables - definitely expected a little more energy. Either way we both loved the decor and our bartender Hailey was great! She recommended amazing drinks (my fav was the Drunken Samurai) and when our order of Kalamari came very late she definitely took care of us and resolved the issue instantly. Some might have let that dampen their night but we had a great time and will definitely be back to try more food and drinks!
(4)
Sara C.
Visited Red Lantern shortly after its opening. The interior is chic and sexy, with Asian-inspired accents, colored in deep reds and dark browns. The restaurant has plenty of seating (although it does fill up on weekend nights) and the bar is accompanied by a lounge area with several couches and short tables. Dinner was tasteful (although a bit expensive for the portion sizes - competitive to nearby restaurants however). Try the pork wontons, spicy tuna roll, and the miso glazed sea bass. For drinks Red Lantern offers an extensive Sake menu, scorpion bowls (for 4!), and unique cocktail mixes, and draft beers.
(4)
Liz R.
Such an underwhelming experience considering all the hype! It's a pretty place, but the food was so bad, we couldn't even eat one item we ordered (the lettuce wraps, which tasted like gross chicken broth), and we had to argue with our waitress to get it taken off the bill. (It was, finally.) I've been having PTSD burps all morning from the food. Not a fan, and it gets 2 stars instead of 1 because of the decor. You built a beautiful restaurant--now focus on the food!!!
(2)
Curtis H.
Hello all!. I was just at The Red Lantern last night and had a great time hanging out with a good good friend of mine who needed to catch up. I must say, I love the space and texture of the restaurant and lounge. The manager Jeff Menzer was amazing with the wine selection and history. His passion made me fall in love with what I was sipping. The service is great, Food is delicious. The Red Lantern dares to dream and servse it to you asian style... There is always something new on the menu. If you are ever in town you should try it out.. I bet you would want to make this your new home lounge and restaurant.
(4)
Alyssa T.
I came here for the first time the other night for dinner out with some friends. The first thing I thought when I walked in was "this place looks really cool" The ambiance is really going on, and even though it was only 6:30 on a Friday the bar was already hoping. For dinner we got some edamame (dipping sauce was delish) and I ordered the duck buns, which were amazing. The duck was delicious and tender and moist, and the hoisin sauce on them was really good. If you like duck I definitely recommend them! I also tried the special sushi roll for the night, an himachi tempura roll. I wasn't a huge fan, the fish tasted really fishy (and I'm a huge fish lover!) so it kind of ruined it for me. I'm still giving Red Lantern 4 stars though because I'm not really a sushi fan, I try to like it, and I really want to love it, but sometimes it just doesn't do it for me. If it wasn't for the really fishy taste, I would have liked this roll. The rice was also a little hard, so I think it had been sitting out for a while. The drinks were also good, with the exception of the sangria which tasted medicinal. I had the dragon fire martini which was really good, it has a bit of sirachi in it so it had a nice kick, If you like a little bit of heat I definitely recommend it! Our waiter was also fantastic, he had a good sense of humor which added to the night. depending on what you get it can get a bit pricey, especially if you get a couple cocktails (they start at like 10 bucks!)
(4)
Joseph L.
I went to Red Lantern for dinner with a few friends this past weekend, and had a truly excellent experience. The waitstaff was very attentive, and provided excellent vegetarian options for me as it was a Friday during Lent. Upon meeting the manager, we had a lovely discussion about dessert wines of Italy and South Africa. His willingness to take a few minutes to discuss his restaurant's offerings with my party was very refreshing. Based on these things, I would recommend Red Lantern to anyone looking to have dinner in a very upscale Asian establishment.
(5)
Andrew W.
Best ambiance around and great food!! Definitely have to stop in, even if it's just for a drink.
(5)
Katie V.
Amazing decor and ambiance, very unique feel to the place. The food was very good as well!
(4)
C D.
Cute spot for after work dinner and/or drinks. The decor reminds me of Lolita but with an Asian flair. The sushi rolls were pretty good(although with douzo around the corner Id probably always opt to go there) and the drinks were OK,I like the drinks better at empire but the service seems to be a bit better here.
(4)
Desiree V.
Food was great and the menu is thoughtful. It's a bit pricey on the drinks, but it was worth the price. I really enjoyed the environment and the decor. A great place to meet for a large dinner or to bring out of town guests.
(5)
Jen C.
Went to Red Lantern for dinner and drinks and it definitely met my expectations! Great atmosphere, great sushi and the cocktails were amazing! I will definitely come here again!
(4)
John F.
When I first walked into Red Lantern, I was amazed by the ambience and the atmosphere. The space is beautifully decorated, and the area where I sat (the loungey area next to the bar), was super comfortable. The food was delicious! My friends and I split the lobster roll, the crunchy roll (salmon, avocado, and I can't remember what else), an order of edamame, and an order of the vegetable fried rice. Everything was very good, not phenomenal, but still very good. We really enjoyed the sauce that came with the edamame and the rice was great too. The service matched the quality of the space and the food. Our waitress (Erin) was really helpful recommending sushi rolls (she recommended the crunchy roll and I'm really happy she did). Overall, I highly recommend Red Lantern as a great place to go with friends. Reservations on a weekend are a MUST, especially with a large group. The bar/lounge are open seating, first-come, first-served, so it can get a little uncomfortable when people are hovering over you so they can grab your table when you're almost done. Regardless, definitely give it a try.
(5)
Clara L.
The decent sized bar was pretty busy on Saturday night and adding our group filled it up. The drinks were good and the art and decorations on the walls kept me interested. The rest of the restaurant was pretty full for almost 11 pm. I would definitely like to try their food the next time I'm out there.
(3)
Xavier M.
Singapore noodles are amazing. Great atmosphere
(4)
Neil A.
Not a very big bar, but it does get a good crowd 30+ year olds
(3)
Sabina M.
Food was excellent. Love the ambiance. Love the decor. Location is tucked away and a little hard to find so be sure you have it mapped out before heading out. Waitress was very polite and friendly but a bit slow. We had to continuously flag her down when we could find her. She was very busy. We went on a Sunday night and had reservations around 7 pm. The place was busy. I would highly recommend this place. Food was delicious and appetizer and entree portions were large. The only portion that seemed small was the avocado salad. Great place to eat. I highly recommend it.
(5)
R. M.
This place is delightful! It caught me by surprise because I generally don't like the South End. The crowd, on a Tuesday night, seemed mainly young urban professionals, predominantly white and predominantly in their 20s and 30s. The music is also kind of loud and the place kind dimly lit. Maybe trying a little too hard to be hip? A great deal of fun for some people, I know, but not really my kind of place for a nice after work meal with a close friend and conversation. BUT the food is good, the service is impeccable and the prices are not as devastating as you might imagine! The food is flavorful and surprisingly simple cooking using traditional Asian ingredients and cooking techniques. I expected outlandish culinary nonsense ("Let's stuff shrimp inside a cantaloupe and call it Buddha's Belly!") but actually got a good satisfying non-traditional Chinese dinner. (At this point, you can probably tell that i did not choose this restaurant; my dinner companion did. I'm glad she dragged me there!) The servers and staff deserve a mention, too. Friendly, but not obtrusive. My friend and I were also most certainly the most casually dressed people there at that time but we were treated respectfully. All in all a great experience.
(5)
G b.
LOVE this place!!! From the delicious sushi, to the exquisite drinks, I enjoy going back to Red Lantern without hesitation every time. Try the bubble tea with pearls, it's unique
(5)
Joe C.
We had dinner here on New Year's Eve. We sat at the kitchen table, so we were able to watch the crew in action. The service was first rate and the food was wonderful. The Restaurant has a very cool buzz and looks great too. I would recommend this place for a special event or to celebrate an important date. They also have on Tuesday nights all you can eat sushi - mostly rolls for only $25.00 worth checking out as well.
(4)
Kerri C.
Finally got a chance to check out Red Lantern last week, and it definitely lived up to the hype! I sat at the bar for a few drinks and snacks, and was very impressed. I loved the layout of the restaurant, and was obsessed with the music selection. My bartender, Alycia, was friendly, attentive and was always aware of when my glass was empty. There is nothing worse than a bartender who keeps you waiting for a drink, so I was very happy with my service. The mai tais were delicious, and next time I definitely plan on trying some of their other signature drinks. As far as food- I tried the crab rangoons, which were a bit different than your generic local Chinese take - out shop, but in a much better way. I would definitely get them again! I can't wait to try out more of their menu during my next visit, as Alycia had some great suggestions to try out.
(5)
Kim F.
Visited this restaurant about 2 weeks ago in search of good sushi in Boston. Avocado and crab salad was tasty. The 3 sushi rolls that my son ordered were average - not even as good as the grocery store Philly roll.
(2)
Sam N.
The Tuna Rice bites are the best thing on the menu! They also have a whole gluten free menu which helps me out a lot. It turns into a really cool lounge at night and the drinks are great
(5)
Amanda L.
I've been to Red Lantern a few times and it's great for large groups. The ambiance is amazing. Red Lantern is nestled between Back Bay Station and Bay Village and is in an old building with exposed brick and beams. It is dimly lit with red lighting with audible music - a great place for loud conversation. Food and drink are fine - a little pricey. I don't think I've had anything that has knocked my socks off but overall the quality of product is okay and nothing has really offended me. If you're looking for suggestions then I guess I would recommend the Rock Shrimp Tempura to start and the broken down California Roll for sushi with a spicy tuna roll or Idaho maki. If you're looking for great sushi then head to the other side of Back Bay Station to visit Douzo, but if you're looking for a scene then Red Lantern is your place.
(3)
Rachel M.
Love the vibe of this place! First time I got the miso glazed sea-bass, it was to die for, 2nd time I was disappointed. Can't go wrong with the Tunatartare! And I love their rose martinis, light and fresh!
(4)
Kaveh Z.
The place has a very nice ambiance and the food is good too. I really like their Sake Sangria. Had many of their foods and liked them all.
(4)
Nikhil P.
FUN. You come in here and you feel 1000x cooler. I thought I was Vince Carter, or Bruno Mars, or some asian pop star when I entered. I might have even seen these cool people around me, but I didn't even notice, because I was equally cool when I went in. The drinks are delicious -- like really, really delicious. I can't even remember all that we got at our table, but there was something with Sriracha sauce (my last memory of a Sriracha-sauce drink was a "Prairie Fire" that I had on my 19th birthday which made me shit Sriracha sauce for the next 24hrs... this wasn't like that), a Mai-Tai, something with pineapple, and other things that were just so, so good. For food, we got the duck buns: as good as everything you read about these in the other reviews... and a sushi boat that was huge, generously portioned, and had a great selection for a group of 6 full-sized hungry adult people. Added bonus? For our friend's birthday, there was no dorky happy birthday song, but there was a mochi cake with a little "Happy Birthday" spelled out on shortbread cookie. Oh, the love. Other perks? The decor was very hip, big crowd of people, very noisy, very upbeat. You'd probably need to wait for a while if you didn't have a reservation (hint: get a reservation), but for what you get when you enter there are definitely worse sins in life. Very asian fusion, awesome for groups, perfectly young and trendy, and oodles of fun.
(4)
Chris W.
Amazing! Went here for the first time last night, had reservations and got right in when we arrived. Place was VERY busy on a Saturday night. The service was amazing, the drinks were incredible and the food was top notch. A little pricey, but well worth it! Most of the plates can feed at least two people so share away! Highly recommend! Will be back for sure.
(5)
Alexis B.
We arrived at 5:15 yesterday to an EMPTY restaurant. Literally we were the first ones on the dining floor. The snippy hostess informed us that we couldn't sit at a table (we were a party of 2) because they had a ton of reservations tonight. I was like super confused but we had Groupon thing so we said sure. Our waitress was strange. I asked her some questions and she wouldn't really answer them. We were also pretty sure she was on drugs. (Not in a mean way, but seriously she was not sober). So anyway we sat in an empty restaurant at the bar and had a decent meal. The food was fine, EXTREMELY over priced for what it was. We had edamame, 4 sushi rolls, 2 drinks, and a side vegetable and it was $100. By the time we left the place was still not filled. I was annoyed so I mentioned something to a passing manager. He literally said "I'm not going to bullshit you, we have 250 reservations tonight. I'm not feeding you any lines." Okkkk sir... still not what I was asking. I told him we wouldn't be returning, he didn't seem to care. It was a weird weird place. Everything just seemed like it was trying too hard. Don't waste your hard earned money.
(2)
Mike T.
Red lantern is a nice addition to Boston's asian food offerings. The interior is very cool and is reason enough for a visit even if just for a drink. On occasion, when the place gets very busy, this place can feel a bit like both staff and patrons are taking the scene a little too seriously. Sushi Tuesday is a pretty good deal and Red Lantern can be good for out of town guests looking for a more contemporary feel in Boston.
(4)
Mr. O.
Mr. O is back! Red lantern is a pleasant surprise for those who want great food and good drinks. The beef skewers are amazing and the Mongolian steak is delicious. The martinis are smooth and while this place gets crowded, it is worth it! It is under the radar, but I assure you it is better than many top end places in the city! Mr. O out!
(4)
J. A.
We decided to order 4 appetizers to share between the 2 of us as our dinner, so we can try a little of everything. The waiter was very helpful in suggesting their most popular dishes, and everything we ate was delicious. He was spot-on with everything, and we enjoyed every morsel. We would go back for more, if we only lived closer. Open one or two restaurants on Long Island, please!
(4)
Scott B.
Excellent service with knowledgeable wait staff. Must visit, especially on a quiet Sunday evening!
(5)
Paul W.
Came here last night for the Unlimited Sushi they offer on Tuesday. I'm a bigger fan of the quality of sushi at it's sister venue Empire, but it's still great. The decor at Red Lantern is some of the best in the city, overall great experience every time I've been here. Get the Yakuza sashimi platter.
(4)
Rebecca H.
I have been to Red Lantern once before and enjoyed a week day dinner at the sushi bar with a friend. It was a Saturday night however, that I came in with family and was told there would be an hour an a half wait without a reservation or we could "eat at the bar." Problem is, there is a regular bar and a sushi bar, and the hostess seemed to not want to give me straightforward answers whether we would be having our dinner here or somewhere else tonight. Luckily, four seats opened up at the sushi bar and we greedily sat at the counter. We were told after a few minutes by an employee that these seats were reserved and we could only eat at the "actual bar." I then explained that I had sat there before when I had been here, and he went back to the hostess desk to see what he could do for a table for us. In a matter of minutes, we were sitting at a table with a free appetizer and getting served. I asked if he was manager and he replied with his name and gave me his card, telling us that he would take care of us any time we came in. That is the right way to take care of your customers - Thank you Dan. The food was also to perfection as expected.
(5)
Di L.
I came here with a vaguely Asian companion in the hope of doing something vaguely Asian to celebrate the Harvest Festival, and this place certainly delivered on that. From the minute I opened those red double doors,I felt like I was stepping into some middle-aged Orientalist's wet dream (raise the red lantern much?). Not that that was a bad thing. Actually, the most trauma I suffered from the decor was due to the giant boddhisattva statues lurking in every corner. Having those guys watch you gorge yourself on pork belly buns and Singapore slings is the Buddhist equivalent of a giant mural of Jesus on the ceiling above your bed. Ambiance aside, it's a standard-to-decent fusion gastropub: spacious, friendly bar staff, tasty cocktails, overpriced but mediocre fasian food. I recommend their $7 small bites menu, which was flavorful, inventive and adequately portioned. Also, really nice napkins in the bathroom.
(4)
Jonathan S.
Not bad. This place has probably one of the biggest selection of asian style drinks in drinks outside of Chinatown. Though they seem to be heavily based on Singapore including references to Santosa. The $12 mai tai I ordered could have definitely been stronger. It tasted a bit watered down and I was hesitant to try other cocktails. I think I have had stronger Mai Tai's while flying. The service is excellent. Even though we didn't have a reservation as it was very busy the hostess did their best to convert a lounge table into a dinning table. Surprisingly the wait staff are very attentive even when busy. The food was ok at least for my personal tastes it was a bit to Americanized Chinese food. Though it was nice to see them bring some traditional fried rices on the menu; such as the Chinese sausage and a interesting twist to fried rice such as bacon style. On a side note the tuna tar tar did not have a lot tuna and was cucumber heavy. The sushi selection again is heavily fusion based and the flying fish roe seemed to be not of the highest quality. I wish they had nigiri because they did have toro fusion roles. The role and dishes we're well presented and although some appetizers had a steep price for this level of restaurant the $18 calamari appetizer was large portion similar to most items.
(3)
Aman S.
This place reminds me of TAO in NYC. Great vibe, ambience and music. The sushi and drinks are very good as well. The service was top notch. I would go back here again.
(5)
Erin K.
Loved it here! We made a reservation the morning to eat here before a comedy show at Foxwoods. Arriving a little early, we had a drink at the bar before being seating. My husband had a beer and I had the Grass Fed Mule (lemongrass infused vodka and ginger beer), which was delicious. Their beer selection leaves a little to be desired, but they have an extensive and interesting cocktail menu. Once seated, we started with the spicy edemame, which was coated with a chili sauce. Put a delicious twist on regular edemame. For our entrees, I had vegetable fried rice and a cucumber roll and my husband had Singapore style Street noodles and salmon sushi. We both really enjoyed our entrees (my husband cleared his plate). The only complaint I have is the lack of many vegetarian options on the menu, most Asian restaurants include quite a few. Despite that, we would definitely return if we're ever back at Foxwoods.
(4)
Justin C.
I genuinely enjoyed this place with a couple colleagues as we bantered about typical work sh*t. Stunned not only by Eden's striking personality, her delivery was executed without compromise. We had the Ronin Roll, duck buns, and (best of all) the scallion pancakes. If it were possible to match Eden's warming personality, it would be with those God damn pancakes. Great service and great food. The staples of a fine establishment.
(5)
Joelle K.
We had our New Years Eve dinner at Red Lantern last night. Our waiter was awesome and very attentive to our large group. It is important to note that all of the entrees are very large and are meant to be shared. I didn't realize this as the only other time we came was for restaurant week and the portions were much smaller. As a result, we ordered way too much food. Each entree is good for 2-3 people. On the flip side, the appetizers are quite small. We had the lobster rangoons, veggie spring rolls and tuna tartar. Everything was delicious! I could have eaten nothing but the lobster rangoons and gone home happy. I ordered the Singapore street noodles for my entree, and found them to be delicious. I also tried the shrimp lo mein, scallop fried rice and ronin roll. Everything was yummy. The shrimp lo mein is probably the best that I have had. All in all, we had an awesome time at Red Lantern and I can't wait to go back!
(4)
nicole p.
I felt like I walked into what a Cheesecake factory would look like in Asia but slightly more upscale. Everything was just too much. Enough with the statuary at every possible open spot! But, I can overcome bad decor with good drinks and good food. Cocktail I got (I can't remember the name of it because the name totally didn't match the cocktail) was so good I had two of them. And at the prices of the cocktails, that's saying a lot. But, the food is, too put it politely, was so not good and at the prices of the food, it's doubly not good. We had 7 very different dishes from all parts of the menu and we shared all of the them. I did not want more than the few bites I took of any of them. Every dish was either flavorless or salty. So the drink would have been 4 stars but since woman can't live on drink alone, I have to bring down the rating.
(2)
Audrey C.
Pros: nice ambience (great for a date night or a girls night), fun cocktails, nice decor, lots of space for large parties. HUGE portions (I don't know if this is a pro?) Cons: food is ok. It's basically fancified chinese-american food. I ordered the chicken lettuce wrap and boneless spare ribs (char siu). Spare ribs were a bit dry, the salad it was on was a bit too acidic. The chicken lettuce wrap was not bad, but if they had told me how large it was for an app size, I would have just gone with that! We also ordered the pu pu platter - kinda fun, had a little flame going on. But again, just regular chinese american food on nicer/fun plating. My friend got the maki set for dinner and ended up spending the whole night in the bathroom. Someone else got the singapore noodles - it was huge! Everything was just a bit too salty. All in all...it was fine. I'd go back for the drinks maybe, but don't think I'd eat there.
(2)
Kadin L.
This is an overdue review. I went here with my friend on New Years Eve for dinner. The decor is very nice, however, it's too dark inside! Our server was very attentive and knowledgable. I had a small Grill Platter (char sui, bulgogi, chicken, skirt steak, and veggies). I loved the char sui, super delicious, probably the best I've ever had. Everything else was up to par. My friend had the Tik Tok Chicken bowl. The portion is really great here. The Tiki Tok Chicken probably had like 20lbs worth of food. I would definitely come back again!
(4)
Rishabh D.
Went here for a friends birthday, and we're too late to get a cake, but thanks to our innovative server, we got a good substitute for the cake. Being a fine dining, the service was very pleasing, and the food was delicious. Only problem was the amount of time the food took to come, it took longer than we had anticipated.
(4)
Sandra M.
They have the best sushi I've ever had. The tuna is like nothing I've had before, creamy. They have gluten free soy sauce and a limited gluten free menu (but at least they have one! I've asked for items not on the menu and they will happily make them). I recommend the spicy tuna, crispy "rice bites" and the gluten free fried rice (lobster, shrimp, and chicken have all been great). My brother would recommend the Ronin roll. They lose a star bc it's always so busy and even after making a reservation you can find yourself waiting for your table. It's also expensive.
(4)
Jenny G.
"Mehhhh" is what comes to mind when asked about Red Lantern. Came here on a Friday night for drinks by the bar. Tried for Brahmin next door but it was too cold and the line too long. So my friend and I stepped into RL instead. Drinks are alright, but certainly overpriced. I've been here in the past for food as well, and I'd have to give it that same rating - ok, but overpriced. They're lucky with their location and large restaurant space. Maybe I'm biased, but this place's decor (Buddhas and Buddhist goddessses, everywhere, lots of them. Also, red, everywhere, lots of it) seemed like it was trying too hard to be Asian fusion and 'sexy,' with the red glow eminating from all around (and not every asian face...hehe). There were so many Buddhas and goddess statues/figurines/pictures, that it seemed borderline offensive. Those really belong in temples and home for praying, not in a desperately unhip, happens to be downwind of a super hopping bar so that they get its spillage, venue.
(3)
Mystery M.
I've been eyeing this place up for a while and finally got the chance to visit via a Gilt City groupon. Pros: Decor is out of this world. Very modern, industrial classic. One of my faves in Boston. Service: Dave was extremely prompt. Food was immediate. Incredible server that enhanced the experience. Drinks: Fun menu of interesting drinks. Sushi: The roll I had (Ronin) was very fresh and tasty Noodles: Singapore Noodle- very robust portion. Average flavouring. Eye Candy- Plenty of pretty people of all ages Cons: Even with the groupon I find this place expensive (though not unreasonable). Drinks ($12-$14), Noodles ($12-20), Sush ($14-25). Food quality was good and this is a great place to impress a date. Neat decor. Fun menu to order from. Neutral foods that aren't too intimidating for you unadventurous Bostonians. And a great environment. Kind of like Tao in Las Vegas, but done right. Just be prepared to pay $100-$140 for a meal that might not fully dazzle your palate, but the experience will. Priced right with a Groupon. Maybe a little too dear for me otherwise, but the decor and experience might make it worth it. Update: Went back again (see, Groupons do work if your establishment is worth it), and it was just as good as the first time.
(5)
Kenneth F.
Absolutely great great great decor. The entire restaurant is well thought out with the look and feel that they were going for. Statues everywhere, lighting, seating, etc, all make you feel you are in the middle of some Asian excavation underway (or for me I had a strange reminder of Tao in Vegas ....ah good memories there) The food didn't do it for me though. Came for a work event where we were served hors d'oeuvres, plus sit-down dinner. While the appetizers were really great, I thought the sit-down menu paled in comparison and suffered both due to the flavors and the portion control: - hors d'oeuvre 1: duck spoon in hoi-sin sauce: very good texture, and lots of flavor packed all into one spoon! Enjoyed. - hors d'oeuvre 2: tuna roll: Very good balance of flavors, I enjoy the use of the sweeter thicker soy sauce as a sauce - hors d'oeuvre 3: vegetable roll: who am i kidding, I'm not a vegetarian kind of guy - hors d'oeuvre 4: pork shu mai : not bad, a bit soggy but good size! - appetizer 1: spicy tuna roll: forgot the name but it was a whole roll - liked the crunchy aspect of it but man was it spicy! They need to calm the sriracha in that tuna - I liked the heat but several coworkers might have been getting a bit spiced out - appetizer 2: hot and sour soup: an easy dish to make and maybe they wanted to add a twist to it, but man was it sour...like taking the dish to a whole new level and not one I enjoyed. - main entree: Miso glazed sea bass: This entree was fantastic. I love me some miso glazed sea bass, but it was served over a bed of chow mein noodles which lacked in flavor and probably could have fed a family of 4. Noodles seemed unnecessary and entire table left at least half or 3/4 of their entree untouched - dessert: Chocolate cake: Really don't know what this was. Usually the dessert wraps up the meal and is like a nice finishing touch. This monster chocolate dessert was like a layered cake with hardened chocolate around it with some almond ice cream on top. My coworkers and I were a bit dumbfounded. Ate about 1/4 of it and couldn't go further. I think to polish the place off and truly make it a memorable experience, the food needs to be altered somewhat. A really great decor is only half the equation. I would fix a few of the flavors in the kitchen or stay away from some of them, and also work on portion control to make it a much more enjoyable meal.
(3)
X M.
nice place with coupon, otherwise expensive~~~
(4)
Francine G.
Entering into Red Lantern is like entering a different society. Soaring ceilings are filled with gigantic red lanterns and Buddhas are everywhere. The open kitchen gives entertainment too, but can't compete with the people-watching as groups collect on the cozy couches and also the bar scene heats up as the night goes on. Fortunately the food matches the ambiance. We began using the spicy lettuce wrap, crispy bass roll and also the tuna sashimi, and all had been excellent for sharing. Portions are big, and beautifully presented. The smoking lantern roll we saw at another table was a remarkable site - presented under a clear dome filled with smoke, the dome was lifted as well as the smoke cleared to reveal the sushi roll.
(5)
Kenny B.
One of the most unique dining experiences in a long time. Great food, knowledgeable staff, unique flavors and top notch ambiance. Can't wait to return when we are back in Boston.
(5)
Elise P.
Went here around 8pm on a Friday night with 2 friends without any reservations and it was PACKED. They told us it would be a 2 hour wait for a table so we put our names in and went to the bar. I had no idea what a "see and be seen" type of place it is. Definitely has a swanky feel with a lot of middle-aged men hitting on younger women. We got our seats stolen at the bar by a couple--lesson learned you have to be aggressive here. The cocktails were pricey but unique and very tasty. Also, very strong, especially on an empty stomach that is a long way off from getting a table and being fed properly. Finally 2 seats opened at the bar, and we took turns rotating the seats. Ordered a few sushi roles and split the Singapore noodles. It may have partially been the booze talking but the three of us could not stop talking about the noodles, and almost licked the bowl clean. DELICIOUS. By the time we finished eating it was around 11:30--no one had come to check on us at the bar or offered us a table. Not sure what happened there, but we didn't get annoyed by it until we were leaving and we had had a great meal and great drinks, so we got over it pretty quickly. If you're planning to eat here definitely make reservations ahead of time. If you want to just go out for a few drinks to a restaurant with a bar that has a club-like vibe, this is your place. Get ready to see a lot of short, tight dresses and high heels!
(4)
Robert C.
This place is insane, loved it!! Good atmosphere, great drinks, great food. Much props to the staff for making it a good night for my wife and I, we're definately hitting this spot up again with friends and family next time!
(5)
Sid V.
This review is based on several visits to Red Lantern. The place is cool. Very cool. It has an open, spacious feel, with soaring ceilings and exposed brick and beams. The lighting is just right, nice and dim but one can read the menu. Their sound system is excellent, and the music is groovy and loud, but not too loud. The waitresses and the female bartenders wear corsets, and every female staff member at Red Lantern is smoking hot. Smoking. Hot! I don't mean "kinda hot," I mean burning, scorching, searing hot. I almost want to call the fire department to come down there and put these hotties OUT! Other reviews have glossed over this, so let me be clear: these chicks are HOTTT!!! The food has been consistently very good, though you are paying a bit of a premium for the scene. Here is the key: you need to visit Red Lantern on Sunday through Wednesday. On those nights, you can really enjoy the restaurant. Thursday nights are borderline. Stay the hell out of there on Friday and Saturday nights, unless you enjoy wall-to-wall douchebags who wear too much cologne and who spend way too much time looking in the mirror to see if they look cool. They don't.
(4)
Lydia H.
The first time I went here, I had the Hot & Sour Soup at my friend's recommendation, and it was excellent. Delicious, with lots of tofu and veggies-- a meal in itself. The second time, I tried the Sliced Chicken (hoisin and yogurt marinade, coconut green curry vegetables), and it was a bit heavier than I was hoping it would be-- too much creamy yogurt and curry sauce. The third time, I went back to the Hot & Sour Soup and also had the Chopped Salad. The salad dressing, unfortunately, was a bit flavorless, so I felt like I was just eating a pile of lettuce with some chopped vegetables thrown in. So, I guess I'll stick with the Hot & Sour Soup. And maybe a Flaming Shot or two.
(3)
Jacqueline C.
Went to dinner here last night with my husband and another couple and really liked it! Of course, it helps when you hear that famous people flock to the place and then Bob Kraft sits at the table next to you...but I digress. Very cool ambiance and the food was really good. Not really, really good - but really good. We had gotten some tips ahead of time which proved to be true and which I will share with you: go heavy on the apps, they are amazing. Especially the lobster rangoon, the rock shrimp and the duck buns. The sushi is also really good - really good. But the apps are amazing. The server was nice, a tad strange, but nice. When I questioned him on ordering a mai tai or one of their signature drinks he reminded me you can get a mai tai anywhere. Got it. I followed the advice in ordering for dinner and stayed away from anything I could get at the local Chinese restaurant. The most memorable and highly praised sushi pieces were the Ronin and the tuna tempura. I also ordered one of their signature cocktails (in lieu of that mai tai) which was uber sweet and a non-event. I'm not a sake fan so I am not sure what other direction i could have gone for this dinner but the food was fabulous and it just didn't turn into one of those nights where I accidentally drank too much because the drinks were so scrumptious. I would definitely go back here. Super for girls night out, dinner with friends or even a work dinner.
(4)
Carlos V.
Went on a Saturday Night and this Bar was packed! The drinks were strong, tons of beautiful people (including my date!)... You just can't help to really enjoy the atmosphere!
(4)
Jennifer Y.
I went here for a friends bday party a group of like 10 people. We had table near bar. Ultra modern, great sushi, a must have for big groups the Yin & Yang scorpion bowls. They are humungous cocktail glasses one infused w rum the other w vodka. Loved the atmosphere. The music was a nice fusion of blends, more uptempo as night progresses, a restaurant for all age groups over 21. Only one downfall is if u get table by bar expect people from bar to try to sit or lean on your cushiony leather seating area. Bar gets overly crowded as 75% of place is seated. Decor is facinating !
(5)
J. N.
Second time here, both times were great. Highly recommend the duck buns (first time having them - yum), rock shrimp tempura is awesome, enjoyed the sushi but pass on the chicken lettuce wraps. Great cocktails, super vibe at the bar later on. It's definitely a bit of a scene but very fun on a Saturday night.
(4)
Liz K.
Went on a Tuesday night for drinks. There were no seats left at the bar but we got one of those cozy leather sofas nearby. The waitress was very nice and attentive. Everything is brand new in here and the ceilings are very high, making the space even bigger. However, there was only a one-person bathroom? I don't get it.
(4)
K C.
We went to Red Lantern tonight to redeem a Travelzoo voucher that included 2 cocktails and $88 worth of food. We arrived about 10 minutes before our reservation and were seated immediately. Our server, Jarrett, stopped by right away to greet us and bring us our menus. He came back just a couple of minutes later with water and to walk us through the menus. He made some fantastic recommendations and we followed almost all of them (in fact the best things we had - the lobster rangoon, the black widow and green tea tuna rolls, and the shrimp yakiudon noodles - were all ordered at his recommendation). Everything was very prompt - our drinks arrived within a few minutes (the lychee martini is DELICIOUS), the appetizers shortly after that, and even though we ordered our noodles and sushi at the same time, Jarrett staggered them perfectly so we were just finishing our sushi rolls when the noodles arrived. We had a great experience - fantastic food, tasty drinks, and exemplary service, With or without another voucher, I'm quite sure we'll return.
(4)
Lizzie E.
LOVE Red Lantern. Great atmosphere, great food, great service. I've been here before, but last Friday I went here for a nice dinner with a few friends I hadn't seen in awhile. We had a wonderful evening catching up, a lovely dinner, and a DELICIOUS scorpion bowl! Our waiter was quick with recommendations and very personable. Overall, it set the perfect tone for the rest of our evening. It's nice to do something classy for once.
(4)
Diana O.
This is a great place to go and have a good time. The food was delicious. It was my first time at Red Lantern and it was a great experience. The waitress gave us good suggestions on what was good there. Overall great service, nice atmosphere, and friendly staff. I would deffinatly go back!
(5)
Molly K.
I have to say that I had to downgrade the stars because the seating was awful. We had made a reservation and we were seated very promptly but at a table that was more like a bar table then one to sit down and eat dinner. There were 2 seats on a low bench and 2 very high chairs that you could not pull up to the table as there was no space under the table to put your legs. I am petite and I ended up with a horrible back ache. It was an awful awkward position to be forced to eat in what would have been an enjoyable meal. We did some shared plates and the highlights was the drunken noodle dish which unlike other versions came with a thin vermicelli type of noddle - easily the favorite dish of the table. Sea bass was good and a chicken curry dish. Not so exciting was the calamari and a crunchy tuna roll. Drinks were a bit weak and not super big either...with a normal Boston charge. I would recommend based on the food but make sure you ask for a normal table!
(2)
meghan c.
Food was good and a nice ambiance but at the end of the meal I felt like I had overpaid for pf changs. I like pf changs, I just dont like paying extra for pf changs in a different restaurant
(3)
Kaitlyn J.
Overpriced food that hasn't hit the right balance in "fusion". For example, the rock shrimp tempura tastes too heavy, even without the sauce. The food just isn't that good, which is too bad, because there is so much potential! The drinks are your standard trendy drinks, including scorpion bowls. Attracts your usual trendy crowd.
(2)
Alison H.
Tried Red Lantern with 4 friends for a birthday dinner last night. I split my review into service and food since I had polar opposite experiences with the two areas. SERVICE We had a reservation for 7:30 and myself and one other person arrived early and checked in with the hosts. The rest of our party arrived on time and yet 7:30 came and went with no service. We stood in the bar waiting, staring at several open tables that would fit us. People walked in and were taken right to their tables and still we stood. We checked in with the hostess a few times and were told 5 minutes each time. When we were finally seated closer to 8, I asked the hostess to please send a manager over. No manager. My friend passed the host stand later in the evening and again requested that a manager be sent over. No manager. Finally, we asked our server at the end of our meal and a manager materialized. The birthday girl explained our experience and the manager apologized, brought us over dessert wine and some desserts and once again apologized. Ever notice you get free dessert when you don't want it? They attempted to make up for it but it didn't feel sincere and frankly, I'd rather just get proper service to start with than showy desserts to make up for it. FOOD They were very accommodating in making a vegetarian version of the drunken noodles for me and it was delicious and just spicy enough. Everyone else really enjoyed their dishes including the street noodles, veggie fried rice and sushi. I had the lantern tea for a drink and it was good, a little sweet but I probably should have paid more attention to the ingredients. The martinis and cocktails were not super strong so not sure if they're deceptive or cheap on the booze. Overall, had a 'meh' experience. It is a great atmosphere inside and the decor is interesting but the pretentiousness of some of the staff just shoots the place in the foot. Frankly, it's like PF Chang's snobby cousin.
(3)
Y. H.
Used my GiltCity coupon last night and had a surprisingly great meal. I usually balk at trendy asian restaurants with subpar food (compared to Chinatown) and inflated prices, but Red Lantern does not disappoint. Decor is amazing - nothing like it in Boston - and food portions were all very big. We enjoyed our signature cocktail (orange blossom), the singapore noodles (very good and huge!), crunchy roll, and chinese doughnuts (amazing!). The hostesses were not too friendly, but our waitress was great. Pretty pricey, so good thing I had the coupon, but worth another trip, especially for a girls night!
(4)
Libby L.
1st time - went here for a b-day dinner. Atmosphere, apps and sushi were awesome but the hot entrees and service were terrible. 3 of my friends had the Wagyu Beef - TERRIBLE - tastes and looks like leather. If you're interested in Meat - try Capital Grille or Smith & Wollensky's at the Seaport - better for the $$$$$. 44-Dollars are you NUTS :( :( I had one of the fish entree - very small portion for the price and the taste was overpowered by the sauce - plain GROSS!!!...
(2)
Jonathan D.
The cocktails were excellent, especially the ginger one. The steak and noodle dish was a bit hard to eat. My wife went with the lobster and it tasted good but wasnt exactly lazy lobster as advertised. It was a ton of food though. The lettuce wraps were fine as an app. We preferred the beans.
(3)
Laura G.
I had been eying the opening of Red Lantern and awaiting its arrival for some time. When the time came to finally check it out, I was beyond excited. The interior is definitely amazing. Trendy, sleek, whatever you want to call it. Boston definitely needs more places like this. It's sort of like our version of Tao in NYC. My friends agreed it might be cool to have small dance space to amp up the nightlife appeal since it is open til 2am anyways. Walked in around 10pm on a Friday night, no wait for a table for three. Score. There were a bunch of girls milling around the host station, all wearing a bit too much make up and exuding a bit of an attitude. Not really the way you want to be greeted. There was definitely not a need for that many bodies at a host stand with no wait, either. Anyway, I finally meet up with my friends and we sit down. About 15 minutes goes by and no sign of a server. Finally after about twenty minutes go by, someone casually drops by and asks us if we want drinks. Yea we do. We order their version of the scorpion bowl which is a whopping $44 dollars before tax. The drink arrives, and comes in what looks like a giant flower vase, with three straws. We each take a sip. Weak. As in tastes like all juice. I've had scorpion bowls before. They're for people who want to get shitty. They're not for those who want a fruity ass drink with little to no alcohol. When the server comes back to take our food order, we inquire about the $44 beverage that seemingly has no booze in it. He tells us, and this is a direct quote, that "if we can taste the alcohol in it, then that means there is something wrong with the drink and that the bartenders made it incorrectly". I still fail to comprehend this concept. A drink should taste like a drink, nevermind a scorpion bowl which should taste like fuckery in a glass. I couldn't understand why this server didn't think alcoholic beverages shouldn't taste as such. He didn't really offer any remedy to the situation, so we were disappointed to say the least. He kind of stood at our table awkwardly after this conversation happened and wasn't sure if he should stay or go. The whole vibe was strange. All I know is this scorpion bowl barely had three tiny girls with low tolerances tipsy by the end of our meal. We order. One of my friends was a vegetarian and had an extremely hard time finding something on the menu that would work for her. We asked if they serve tofu to substitute for meat. They said no. What kind of Asian restaurant has no tofu? However, in all honesty, I really have no sympathy for vegetarians so she made due and that was not the restaurant's fault. We ordered the lo mein, tik tok chicken, fried rice and one appetizer that is escaping me at the moment. We asked for it all to come out together. The food arrives. Separately. Nevertheless, we are starving and begin eating. The food was pretty good, nothing spectacular. A step above your standard Chinese fare, and probably a step below what you'd find in Chinatown. And it is not cheap. The beef lo mein cost $18. I am accustomed to Boston prices and am always willing to pay more for better quality, but I found this place to be a bit overpriced for what you get. One of my major pet peeves is when a server will fail to come by once the food comes out and ask you if you need anything or inquire if everything was prepared properly. Not once did he come by to check in. Finally we receive the check. The bill was split between two cards, and my friend left explicit direction to pay the remainder of the balance of the check in cash. This verbiage was chosen for a reason. She did not say "the bill is all set" or "keep the change" or anything of that nature. We get the bill back, and instead of receiving $10 in change that should have happened, apparently he assumed this was part of his tip and took it. Under no circumstances is this considered ok. As a server, you don't just assume that the money leftover is your tip and pocket it. That's basically stealing. Plus, the service was awful so I don't know why he was assuming that was part of the tip. We go to the manager and explain the situation. He was nice enough, and got the money back from the server. He also explained that our server happened to be one of their "star servers". In the back of my mind I was thinking what a shame. He wasn't friendly, in fact he was downright socially awkward, didn't listen to our ordering instructions, made no attempt to work with us when we weren't happy with what came out, and then stole money on top of it all. The manager didn't make any attempt to comp anything, but he did apologize. I was surprised that with a new restaurant and a new clientele that he did not do more to rectify the situation. All in all, this place is pretty on the outside and gets style points and not much else. hopefully they get it together.
(2)
Cee L.
I would give Red Lantern a 3.5 if I could. First and foremost, the decor is stunning and it has nice ambiance. I came here for dinner last week. We arrived 15 mins early for our 10:15 reservation, and we didn't get seated until closer to 10:45pm. The place was packed with people at the bar and people kept coming and going. At one point we saw James Beluschi from According to Jim. We had a clear view of the dining room and we saw a couple of empty tables, but we still didn't get seated until later. Not really sure why, but moving on to the food: I ordered the Terriyaki Noodle Steak, and my friends ordered the Coconut Curry Chicken, Half Baked and Crunchy Roll. We all split Duck Buns, which were amazing. I think those were the best part of our meal. Succulent juicy pieces of duck and they were quite tasty. My terriyaki noodle steak was okay - there were good amounts of tender steak, but it wasn't anything special. I was not wowed by it. The terriyaki sauce with the noodles tasted a little too sweet, sort of like something you would eat at a fast food place like Panda Express...which was kind of disappointing. The Coconut curry dish was alright, nothing to write home about. The sushi was actually pretty good . Our waitress sort of disappeared halfway through the meal, and it took a while to find her. Overall it was a decent experience, but I don't think it lived up to our expectations.
(3)
Pierce D.
The lobster rangoon was amazing, as were the spring rolls. However, the Tic Tok Chicken tasted like battered chicken covered in ketchup. It was obviously not ketchup, but it tasted like it. Thoroughly disappointing considering how great the apps were.
(3)
S. M. S.
Didn't eat, just had drinks and loved the place--EXCEPT FOR THE F*CKING TV IN THE BAR! "If you want to be the Buddakan of Boston--YOU CAN'T HAVE THE TV ON!" And if someone wants to watch the Sox that bad they should just stay home...
(2)
Elizabeth M.
My 18 year old daughter recommended this restaurant because she had been here for a birthday party. We came for Mothers Day and it was fabulous! The atmosphere is wonderful! This is the old Bertucci building with high ceilings and lots of lanterns. There is a great bar area so my husband and I will be back for a date night night. The food was fabulous! They told us that since our calamari was late to arrive at the table ( did not even notice that it was late), they would not charge us for the appetizer. They then brought another calamari app for free and they brought us a free entree even though the service was great! What a great evening. This restaurant is right off the Mass Pike so an easy ride home from metro west. Oh yes, David Ortiz was also there.
(5)
Hussam B.
If you want a place with a nice atmosphere and you aren't picky with food. then this is a place to visit. My review is based on the food which is average or even below average. We were a party of 7 and we all ordered and shared our dishes. Non of the dishes i tried were good. That is why I gave this place 1 star.
(1)
Willy L.
Wanted to love it- but food is really only mediocre at best. Service and drinks were fine and decore was nice. Would not go back.
(2)
Anik M.
The service, ambiance and food were excellent.
(4)
Thuy L.
PROS: Decor, great space, good cocktails, yummy appetizers, friendly staff, bartenders, music CONS: Food, slow service, price, noise The food is completely overpriced and the service is SOOOOO SLLLOOOWWW!!! I made reservations at 6pm based on everyone's advice here in order to make an event at 7:30pm. The reservations had to be altered a little to add another friend. There were sooo many tables open, it was like I could have played musical chairs with the whole restaurant. Instead of telling us to wait in the bar until they figured out what to do or where to seat us, the host/hostess had us waiting in the atria for about 10-15 minutes without even a glance at us. Needless to say, after waiting to be seated despite the number of open tables, the amount of time it took to get the food out, and the bill, I didn't make the event. We didn't get out of there until 8:45pm. YIKES, almost 3 hours for a couple of small plates and sushi. If you are planning on going to an event or meeting someone after dinner, plan 2-3 hours for dinner. The food is completely overpriced more so than P.F. Chang's and is completely mediocre. $22 for some Singapre street noodles, really? I think PF Chang's is way better and is only $13. My friends and I started off with the duck bun and the pork spare ribs. These are definitely worth trying, the pork ribs were pretty tasty. We also ordered some sushi: dressed hamachi, the tuna tempura roll, and the smoking lantern. Boy, I wish we just stuck with the appetizers. The dressed hamachi was really "fishy" and the waiter and the manager claimed that that was how it was supposed to taste. I've definitely had hamachi MANY MANY times before. They were very accommodating and took it off our bill and gave us a pineapple dessert on the house. The tuna tempura roll was a little chewy and lacked flavor, meanwhile the smoking lantern comes out with a bowl filled with smoke. It literally tasted like someone took a hit from a joint, and let the smoke billow on top of the sushi. Neither of these were my favorite. I will admit that their Suma cocktail was probably their only saving grace.
(2)
Alicia C.
This place is like a really hot guy/girl that is incredibly boring. You want to like him/her because they are so beautiful, but there is no substance. I should caveat this review by saying that I absolutely love Asian food, especially Thai, so my standards are high. Red Lantern reminds me of Tao (NYC taorestaurant.com ) My advice is to order apps (dumplings were good) and sushi. Don't bother with the street noodles (ugh, so bland) and the tik tok chicken (bland and not crispy enough). Also - I am from NYC and I found the prices to be high for the quality of the food. Great sake list though.
(2)
Tahani R.
Very cool place, love the decor & the food was incredible! Our server was very attentive. Pricey, but worth every penny, I ate the filet mignon with bok choy, my meal was beyond great, the filet was cooked perfectly.
(5)
D. M.
I'm a huge fan of their fried rice menu. It's cheap, good and the portions are huge! The drinks are excellent as well!
(4)
Jen B.
I took my 20 year old here for her birthday. She loved the food and the atmosphere was great. It feels very "Vegas Style" to us (everything is big and open). It was nice to be able to see everyone working in the open kitchen and the chef check every dish before it was sent out to the table. Our waitress was fun and very accommodating.
(4)
George T.
Nice decor, decent drinks, bad food, bad service. When we got there we were told that the sushi bar sitting is first come first serve, then we were asked to wait at the bar and were assured that as soon as the sits open up the hostess will let us know and we'll be sited. Well.. within an hour I watched from the bar as multiple sits opened up and occupied by the people who just walked in, but not once we were approached by any of the hostesses even through during that hour I reminded them twice that we are still waiting. We ended up eating at the lounge area and the food was a big disappointment. We still go to RL for drinks, but after eating there on three different occasions finally decided that the food is consistently bad.
(2)
Andrea P.
This was the first place I went out to eat when I first moved to Boston. It is a great place for a group of people or a birthday party. It reminded me of a trendy version of PF Changs except the food was not as great...however, I would recommend this place to anyone visiting Boston or if you just want a fun night out with a group of friends. The service was amazing and I would rate the food 3.5 out of 5. Over all great restaurant! :)
(4)
Benjamin P.
Red Lantern needs to turn down the music and turn up the food. While the overall ambiance was interesting, yelling over the music to speak to your fellow diners became annoying. The menu and food seemed Disney-like, showy and aspirational but not quite as impressive as hoped. The tuna served in the sushi was not fresh. The sparerib dish was missing flavor and basically beef with broccoli anywhere else. Chow fun was surprisingly good as was the striped bass, but maybe because everything else was so unimpressive. The only "hot" thing about this restaurant was the very cute busboy who at least added something interesting to this otherwise quotidian repast.
(2)
Chris T.
Really cool space although it slightly reminded me of an upscale PF Changs. The food was excellent. I highly recommend the Lobster Dumplings. Really nice drink menu. The Grass Fed Mule was tasty and refreshing (and strong). Definitely worth checking out if you are thinking about it.
(4)
Stephen E.
The crunchy roll was the best plate of sushi I have ever had and the person I was with agreed. Was the perfect temperature, taste and texture. I know its rude to look at other peoples food but I couldnt help myself when we went here because everything looked so good. Make sure you call in for a reservation. Cant wait to go back.
(5)
Jennifer J.
Went back last night for my first meal. I ate with my bf at the bar so not 100% dining experience. I live in the South End and he lives in the Back Bay so Red Lantern is nicely located for us to meet, and the bar really feels nice, and adult. We split a couple of appetizers. The gyoza were great and the lobster rangoons were addictive. After that we had some chicken fried rice and split a steak. The rice was clean and really flavorful. I could eat it everyday. The steak was good but honestly I wanted the whole fish but my bf is not a fish eater. The steak was tasty but again not my style. The service at the bar was friendly and efficient, and the space has a cool vibe. The crowd was very good looking and well dressed. Even my steak eating bf commented that the crowd was very good looking. I am having dinner on Saturday night with 9 of my girlfriends so more to follow.
(5)
Adam F.
I'm surprised I haven't written a review for Red Lantern. My girlfriend and I had our first date here last year, so maybe I was just so smitten that I couldn't be distracted to write a review. The first time we went, it was perfect. We split the Grill Platter which was a $70 grilled meat and veggie platter (#paleo) and laughed the night away drinking strange cocktails made with Sriracha and lychee fruit. We just went last night for a birthday dinner with a large group and it was great, just like the first time. The valet driver was the nicest and most professional valet driver I've ever had. He was well spoken and well dressed. Pretty much everywhere else you go, it's either a college bro or somebody with a neck tattoo and you wonder if you'll ever see your car again. The gentleman at Red Lantern was awesome. I want to be his friend. We had a reservation for 7:30 on a Friday and they were ready for the party on time. We had multiple servers attending to us, so water glasses and cocktails remained full at all times. Appetizers were Edamame, Crab Rangoon, and Chicken Skewers. I like how the Crab Rangoons are served in a Chinese take-out container. Really nice touch. For my main course I had a bunch of maki rolls - Spicy Tuna, Philly, Shrimp Tempura, and the special "Red Dragon" roll. The 3 regular rolls were great, not sure what made the Red Dragon roll worth $18, so perhaps stick to the regular under $10 rolls. My only suggestion would be to present the rolls on 1 large dish instead of 4 small dishes. Plating is a big part of the overall experience at a higher-end restaurant, so I didn't want to feel like I was eating 4 different appetizers. It also didn't look that good on my Instagram. The atmosphere is really sexy with deep house music playing at a reasonably loud volume (which I don't mind). I think it's a 4-star restaurant for sure. For the price, I wouldn't say the food blew me away, but it's certainly very good. I'd recommend for a date or a birthday celebration. I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)
Melody A.
Wow - the atmosphere in this place is great! Definitely a place to take your friends to for a night out. They have a couple of lounge seating spots you can reserve for your group which makes the environment really fun. I went on a Saturday night and there was a lot of people but we made a reservation for two, maybe an hour before we arrived and didn't have to wait too long. One thing my bf and I really liked was the music - it was a mix of hip hop songs from like the 90s/2000s... like B2K lol. Really takes you back! The food's a little pricey and I thought it wasn't bad... Nothing to rave about but they do have a fun menu, especially their large drink menus for sharing. I ordered a pad thai as my main entree and thought it was too liquidy. But again, great atmosphere - I'd return and try something else. Oh and they do have all you eat sushi on Monday nights for 25$ :)
(4)
Alise K.
We had Reservations and waited at the bar for ten minutes. The place was 3/4 full, which was good for a Monday night. After settling up at the bar we were escorted to our table. Our waitress was great. And the bus guys were always right there with the water and clearing the plates. Here's a sampling of what we ate. Rock shrimp (omg by far the best thing. ) lobster rangoons, good but where was the lobster? Crunchy tuna roll, yum. Dinner was huge bowl of vegetable fried rice ( very few veggies but tasty) and the smallest plate. Sampling of thin sliced steak, boneless poerk ribs, chicken, Korean BBQ and grilled zucchini We liked it. The restaurant had a fun vibe and we will be back
(4)
Robyn B.
I've been here a few times, once for dinner then two other times for drinks at the bar. The drinks are definitely the highlight--nice selection of cocktails. The red sangria is great, and the scorpion bowls are goooooood (and very strong, be careful). The food is okay, nothing special. We ordered a noodle dish, sushi, and stir-fried vegetables. It was all good, albeit too salty for my liking. Standard Asian fusion with a lot of unique dishes/flavors, but it's lacking that extra 'something' that would make me want to come back. The decor is beautiful though! Feels very fancy and has a Manhattan-esque vibe. Definitely trying to be hip and trendy, maybe a little too hard... this is reflected in the attitudes of the hostesses, who refuse to smile and seem to give off a pretentious vibe. But really, it's P.F. Chang's with better drinks and higher prices.
(3)
Juliana C.
**PRIVATE EVENT REVIEW** My company rented out Red Lantern for our holiday party in January, and it was a flawlessly executed evening. Staff were on point, delivering drool worthy rangoons, shrimp toast, noodles, and chicken skewers at what seemed like an every-two-minutes frequency. Open bar service was quick and friendly. In addition to passed apps there were two stations heaped high with dumplings, sushi and shumai that never seemed to run out. I was in heaven. The ambiance -- sleek fixtures, low lighting, candles sprinkled throughout the restaurant -- combined with a DJ who transitioned from mingle-friendly lounge music to danceable 90s hits once people were ready to hit the floor -- made for the perfect balance of grown-up and fun. The location is wonderfully accessible, and convenient to boot; once it was time to leave, the party simply moved one space over to The Brahmin. I highly recommend Red Lantern for big groups and private parties.
(5)
Ryan B.
Great service, I believe my waitress was a young lady named Molly. Very professional with devastating good looks. I'd go back
(5)
Sylvia P.
Stopped for dinner and enjoyed the Tuesday all you can eat sushi for $25. Its a pretty sweet deal although you don't try any of the special rolls. The tuna tempura and rock roll were delicious. However the spicy salmon and spicy tuna were very disappointing the texture was different and it was warm. Another Downside you can't doggy bag your leftovers :( I'd definitely go back to try their special rolls or enjoy their Tuesday special.
(3)
Pete H.
This is an interesting place. I love the manly oversized leather furniture in the lounge area. The food was good but you should order dishes with an intent to share, the portions are huge. The servers were friendly and engaging without being overbearing or appearing annoyed. It was a little pricey but not a bad choice if you want to go a little upscale without the snob factor.
(3)
Brandon S.
I've been here a few times now, for drinks, dinners and two private events. Of all those, I'd recommend stopping in for a drink and maybe an appetizer while on your way somewhere else. The food is decent fare, but the overall experience runs from passable, which is where I think many higher reviews come from, to just plain awful, which I prefer not to support with my money. My experience two nights ago highlights a lot of this. I popped in 5 minutes late for a reservation, and was told my table wasn't ready, so I could "go to the bar area" and "check back in later". Uh, what? It's my responsibility to keep walking back over to see if my table is ready? When there are what seem to be 4 hostesses just hanging out behind the counter? Ok, that's fine. No apologizing for the inconvenience, and just cold dead stares from the other hostesses and zero emotion from the one I'm talking to. I guess they're going for the hip, apathetic model thing? Well, it comes off as unprofessional and snooty service. Check in 10 minutes later. Same routine of complete disinterest, and the table still isn't ready. 10 more minutes pass by the bar, and it's starting to get annoying. This time the same girl mentions that they could text me when my table is ready. What? You waited for me to come to you 3 times now to mention this? Great. 35 minutes after our reservation, my guest decides to walk over to ask again and the hostess coldly states "the text just went out." No enthusiasm, no apologies, no further instruction. Just hostility for bothering them from their standing around doing nothing. So, we finally end up at our reserved table, 40 minutes after we've arrived, and are asked by 3 different people what kind of water we would like. Our server was pretty quiet but quick. It's hard to complain about that, but I think you're used to getting some recommendations and a little more lively interaction. That said, his timing for when to reappear at our table was perfect, so we were otherwise very satisfied. As for the actual meals, we started off with the shrimp shu mai and the eel & avocado maki. The maki was actually really enjoyable, but the shu mai was sort of boring. For dinner, I had the surf & turf, rare, and my guest had the mongolian skirt steak, medium. The filet was a good cut and prepared really well. The lobster felt like it was missing something, which really brought the whole plate down. The skirt steak was also very enjoyable, although we found the sweet potatoes on the side to be the highlight of the actual dish. For desert we tried the pineapple bread pudding, which came with a scoop of coconut ice cream on top. The bread pudding was above expectation, though nowhere near the best I've had. The pineapples complemented it well, but there was a discordant note with the ice cream. It felt very much like a separate dish altogether. So, if you're lucky your only interaction with the hostesses will be to get immediately seated. However, if you don't want to potentially deal with high-school level attitudes on your way to a 3-star meal, I'd say move along.
(2)
Joichi I.
Decor and ambience are kind of "young and funky" and feels a bit like Disneyland. The food was surprisingly good. They used Chinese rice for the Chinese food and proper sushi rice for the sushi. Even though it was the typical "Japanese tacked onto a Chinese menu" deal, the sushi was properly good and better than most of the sushi available in Boston. All of the staff were really pleasant and helpful, for instance explaining that the portions of the entrees where very large, etc. Other notable thing was properly "al dente" edamame.
(4)
Stephanie K.
Red Lantern is delicious and very cool place to dine in Boston. It's your cliche trendy cool modern Asian restaurant with a night club flair. The ambiance is very cool but feels like your typical big restaurant in NY. The bar area is to the side of the main dinning room. It's a really trendy bar to to hang out at and get some great cocktails. It has a loungey feel to it. The cocktail menu is really extensive and interesting as well. They even have some drinks that light on fire. It's quit the experience. We sat at a huge round table in the middle of the restaurant. We had a group of 8 people and it was perfect and spacious. We started with pretend sake bombs. Pretend - because they wouldn't let us do the traditional sake bomb with chop sticks and banging. Lame but whatever. The food was delicious and somewhat memorable. We had lettuce wraps, lobster rangon, sushi, singapore noodles, and kung pao chicken. Everything was tasty but definitely over priced. I wasn't offended by the prices because it was expected for this kind of restaurant. My only legitimate complaint was the service. Our waiter was pretty lame and unprofessional. I expected quality service for a trendy, expensive restaurant. He was barely available when we needed him. Was MIA unless he was taking our order and put up a little hissy fit when we wanted to split the checks. Still worth checking out if you like sushi and asian food. Good quality food and cool scene!
(4)
Dawn H.
***REVIEW ONLY ON BARTENDER SERVICE/DRINKS*** I stumbled upon this place while looking for a place to hang out while waiting for a friend. I was not hungry at the time but as I stepped through the door... OH MY GOODNESS... yummy filled the air. The layout is awesome. Large crowds? Definitely. Anyway, I went to the bar to chill out. The bartenders (mainly female) were attractive and could make decent drinks! The few people who ended up sitting next to me ranged from a clearly already drinking male who claimed to have been dating on of the hottest bartenders at Red Lantern but she was upset at him (mind you she barely noticed him) and a couple who celebrated a birthday with one of those shots where they light on fire! Wow. I would like to come here again for the food. The pictures look amazing!
(4)
J T.
We came in one late afternoon after a Red Sox game, and were surprised by how quiet it was, but realized that it was probably because the restaurant attracts more of a night crowd. However, our service was phenomenal! We were served "rice bites" on the house, but liked them so much we decided to order more afterwards. We ordered the lobster fried rice and some sushi. The XO sauce that comes with the rice was outstanding, and the sushi was amazing. The ninja role was delicious. Also, the service was great. Really nice atmosphere, too. It was nice to come into a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere after being in the hot sun at a game all day. I can't wait to come back!
(5)
Ryan R.
Went here with a friend to check out the $25 all-you-can-eat deal on Tuesday nights. We found a place at the bar so we decided to sit there for our meal as well. We started off with a carafe of sangria, which for the amount I thought was a bit overpriced ($39), but it had decent flavor. For our rolls, we ended up getting 8 plates. I have to admit that this sushi was decent, but it wasn't near the top in terms of many other places that I have gotten sushi at, even in the Boston area. My favorites were probably the tuna tempura roll and the rock shrimp roll, and my least favorite was definitely the spicy tuna. The service here is friendly, the food is served quickly, and the atmosphere is great. I was a little let down by food, but like that they offer the all-you-can-eat option. Overall, a great little place in the South End, perfect for a group or date night out.
(4)
Alex B.
Come alone and have a drink at the bar; come with a friend and have a drink at the bar; take a date and have a dark setting with some trendy music, fashionable cocktails, and innovative dishes; come with a group of 8-10 and sit one of their roundtables and enjoy quality group conversation; or lastly stumble in here drunk late-night (post Friday work drinks at Brahmin) and enjoy the full menu to your belly's delight. Just make sure you have a reservation on the weekends or plan on coming in late-night or else you will bust. Clearly, Red Lantern is a viable solution for many of those social situations you find yourself in. It is lounge meets Asian fusion restaurant. I have always had fun wait staff and bartenders and even the hostesses are nice as they have hooked me up with storage for my bags (apartment is 2 blocks away but sometimes I cant wait after getting in from my flights). I can safely say, RL has become my goto in Boston. This is certainly a place you come to pay for the atmosphere as well as very good food. I would say 4.5 but I will round up since I am very much so a regular. Food Recs: 1)Sushi Boat for a large group (go for the big one - delicious and cost effective) 2) Lobster Rangoon 3) Duck Buns 4) Unlimited AYCE sushi on Tuesday (see you there) 5) Rock Shrimp 6) Spicy Edamame 7) Rock Roll 8) Torched Spicy Toro Roll Drink Recs: 1) They have drink bowls but have only got when already blacked out 2) Mai Tai 3) Dragon Fire (Get extra Sriracha!!!) Bonus Recs: See if you can play a game with yourself in here and count the number of Buddha statues / paintings. Good luck!
(5)
David C.
Was Red Lantern disappointing? Yes. Did I know it was going to be? I think so, but because I had a Living Social deal, I was willing to give it a shot. The verdict? Generic Chinese food from your local takeout joint (you know, the one you only go to cause it's 1am, you're drunk, and nothing else is open) dressed up ever so slightly and priced like the fine-dining Back Bay restaurant that it so desperately wants to be. Of all the things I tried (the PuPu platter, some bao, and a couple maki rolls), I'd say get the duck buns, but that would involve coming here...which you shouldn't. Skip the pomp and pretense and head over to Myers and Chang in the South End instead.
(2)
Laura K.
Very much improved in recent years since opening. Singapore street noodles are like crack - they are so good, you can't stop eating them. But I wonder if it's because they're good or its the same effect as just eating Chinese food in general... Almost everything I have had has been good, though not spectacular nor anything impressive. The cocktails are still pretty bad. Just get your standard rather than ordering one off the menu.
(3)
Fiona H.
Came here for restaurant week earlier today. I didn't make a reservation but the hostess seated my party right away which was great! My waiter jay? Or jazz? I forget but I'm sure it began with a J, anyways, he was great. He was super organized and brought our ordered in at the same time and the right time! Excellent and attentive service! This place would get a 5 star but the food wasn't fit to my liking. I did enjoy the sushi and baos a lot but the dumplings and dessert were a bit disappointing. Dumplings were things you can buy at any supermarket with a sweet glaze. Dessert was a small portion. I got the emperors moose and it was alright. The best part was the crunchy pearls. I will definitely come back but probably sit at the bar and have some sushi
(4)
Rena P.
The place: trendy The lighting: dark The atmosphere: hip The food: descent For a place that appeared to be the latest in whatever trendy restaurant was sweeping Boston, I found myself dining here twice (as it was the restaurant across the street from my hotel AND open late). I can honestly say that nothing particular stood out to me about it. The food was good. I have excellent company. Loved the decor. What set this place to 5-star status, for me, was a completely random experience the second time I visited. The executive chef walked around talking to the diners. He "happened" to come to our table first and it ended up being one of my best conversations in years. To be able to sit down and discuss food and restaurants and the culinary arts in general is such a rare and exciting experience, that I would go back just for the possibility that it might happen again. I highly recommend Red Lantern. And if you happen to stop in, ask for the executive chef. Tell him Rena from Chicago says hello.
(5)
Ryan W.
If you're looking for a "trendy" spot to go in the Back Bay for sushi, then this is probably your best option. I've been here twice now, so I feel like I've got a good handle on things. This is the sister restaurant to Empire and one thing they share in common is that everything from wine/drinks to the rolls/entree's is a little more expensive than your standard sushi place. For some reason I felt the vibe was a little better at Empire than Red Lantern. Each time my wife and I have come here (both times on Sunday night) we are seated in this row of two seater table/booths which are right next to other tables with people when the restaurant is half full. I hate being cramped and I hate listening in on other people's conversations and that's how I felt here. The sushi rolls at this place are 4 stars good. The Chirashi Naruto is our favorite since it comes with lots of salmon, tuna and yellowtail wrapped in cucumber instead of rice. If you are doing low carb, this is your roll. The maki rolls are all OK. The star of the show as far as I'm concerned were Lobster Buns. For $16 you get two gourmet buns stuffed with a decent amount of lobster. The buns are actually the highlight. They are buttered, slightly sweet and a little toasted. Mmmm delicious. The lobster salad was a good amount of meat and not too much mayo, but it could have used a little more scallion/onion or some kind of spice to give it a little kick. We had a few entrees here and didn't feel like it was a good value or even a good execution of the dish. My wife had the sea bass and it was a little over salted and it was just OK. Nothing to go crazy over. I saw a guy get a rib-eye and it looked awesome. I had to ask and he said it was really good, so take that into consideration. If you're looking to fill up and not break the bank, then get the street noodles. They are all tasty and you can split them with someone else or make a meal of it.
(4)
Stephanie T.
I have always enjoyed my experience at Red Lantern. The drinks are strong and there are a ton of funky options to try, I'm disappointed they got rid of their variety of large bowls, but I know they can be a hassle. The food is pretty standard Asian fusion variety, but its cooked and flavored well. The all you can eat sushi on Tuesday nights is a great value if you can eat more than 3 rolls. The atmosphere gets more lounge/club like after 9pm on weekends which can be fun, but gets a little loud to actually carry on a conversation.
(4)
Elfego S.
This place is amazing, the food was incredible very very fresh on how they prepared it. Probably the best shrimp fried rice I have ever had in my life, big cut pieces of shrimp not that small stuff from your local Asian restaurant. Just really good sushi all around, well worth the price and all really reasonable. The specials are a little pricy but so worth the try. Even the simple ones are cheap and so delicious. The food is worth the 5 stars the only downside is that the wait staff was a little slow. Don't know if that is regular for them but I hope that will be a different story when I cone back.
(5)
Rebecca C.
The all you can eat sushi on Tuesday for 25 Is a great deal. The drinks are pretty but not amazing. This is the spot you take a date and know you'll get laid after or go with a group of male coworkers to stare at pretty girls in a uniform that makes them look busty. Honestly I don't care if I come back or not. It wasn't an amazing time here. Everything looks beautiful because everything else is subpar. Yeah you're not missing out here.
(3)
Emily S.
I went with a friend last week, mostly because of Restaurant Week (which I guess is now called Dine Out Boston). It's kind of dark inside the restaurant. It's also kind of loud but not so loud that you need to shout to have a conversation. The loudness is probably mostly due to the fact that Red Lantern's capacity is pretty large. The food is pretty good, although in my opinion, it does fall into the category of "Americanized Asian food". For my main course, I got the sushi platter. Have I had better sushi at other places? Definitely. Was it nonetheless yummy? Yes! The tik tok chicken bowl my friend got was quite large, and she said it was great too. Service was decent, although a bit slow at times. There was a slight mishap that lead to a little bit of confusion, when our desserts were accidentally delivered to the table next to ours, but that didn't detract too much from the overall experience. Would I ordinarily visit this place when it's not restaurant week? Probably not.
(3)
Philip J.
We went on a Saturday night, and it was packed with people. I ordered Surf & Turf which was pricey but very very good. The waiter was excellent and was patient with us as we looked over the extensive menu. The friends I was with also enjoyed but we're not totally satisfied with the portions served. I would definitely go back again, just not right away due to the pricey meals. Parking can be difficult, but valet parking is available at a price.
(4)
Carrie Y.
I'm still dreaming about those rice cakes and lobster rangoons. YUM! Came here on a Friday night. Loved the atmosphere, super friendly waitress, and really a great vibe all around. Drinks: -Lychee Martini- I've had better (Douzo makes the best I've had) -Grapefruit basil something martini- Lets just say its a acquired taste -Their version of a Manhattan- Not bad, strong, but it has a twist. Food: -Lobster Rangoons- Must get -Rice Cake- I'm not a fan of rice cakes, but OMG I would order 4 orders of these if i could. Must get!!! Between they chewy, savory, spicy, and punch of flavor, they are to die for. - Waygu Fried Rice- I've never had $20 fried rice, so I had to to order it, the waygu was tasty, but i can't say I would order it again. - Black Widow- Sweet and tasty, order if you like sweet potatoes - Red Dragon-Fresh, but I would pass on this Dessert: - Chocolate Cake Mousse- I would pass on this, it was pretty dry for a cake/mousse. I just ate the strawberries and ice cream that came with it.
(5)
Lily S.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the decor here. Red Lantern embodies my vision of restaurant comfort and atmosphere. This is the kind of place where you can enjoy a first or fiftieth date, come in for cocktails with the girls in your too short too tight sparkly dress, or just pop in for a quick drink in your business casual attire after work to admire the scantily clad bartenders. Those corsets...I mean ladies you look good but ouch....how do you breathe?? That being said, I found the food, while overall enjoyable, nothing special, and factoring in the price--just OK. I also found it hard to pick something that felt healthy. Outside of the sashimi, everything seemed to be fried and greased up--which, mind you, is OK, but the combo of bad for you, bad for your wallet, and the Brahmin being next door, will probably keep me from becoming a regular. All in all, I had a lovely evening with a good friend, enjoyed a couple of absolutely delicious lychee martinis, but the price tag (even after factoring in my $80 (?) Gilt deal) left much to be desired.
(3)
Jeyashri S.
This place is incredible. Came here with a large group for a friend's birthday and I honestly want to celebrate every birthday here now. It is the most perfect spot for any occasion and with any group - you can't go wrong with this place. Asian fusion was fantastic and portions were huge and the menu has a great variety of noodles, rice and seafood dishes and everything is very well made and the arrangement of the food itself seems to have a lot of thought put into it. The music was amazing as well, and we found out that the owners of the now closed down club Estate actually own Red Lantern itself so the playlist produced all the right vibes for the occassion. Layout of the place is great and they have this fun lounge-like setup that seated our entire group. Cannot rave enough about this place, deserves 5 stars and more.
(5)
Jay T.
Great place. Went after a Sox game, late Saturday afternoon. Although not busy, service was A+. Crispy rice bites were outstanding. Great sushi. Lobster fried rice was great, although note: it is a big bowl of pieces of lobster in shell, small bowl of white rice on the side with a smaller bowl of reduced seafood sauce. Very good. Would go back.
(4)
Hannah P.
Cocktails-Okay--strong enough but nothing unique, however, tasty. Food-the boneless spare ribs were great and had a nice glaze, not overly sweet. Noodles with seared beef were fine as well. Not a huge noodle fan but the steak was cooked very nicely(medium rare). The Toro roll was excellent and I would gladly reorder it. Dessert was lack luster. Menu said chocolate mousse but what arrived was a dry chocolate cake of sorts. Accompaniments of fresh cream and homemade strawberry ice cream were good though. Our server was very nice and fairly attentive but having read reviews before we went, it was clear that is not typical. Most of the staff were hanging out and socializing and we saw the expeditor continue to clean plates with his fingers (no Bueno). The vibe is much more of a late night bite or pregame lounge kinda thing before a club. Bartenders and random girls on the floor have a whole lotta cleavage going on and we found it particularly amusing as the 15 yr old boys with their parents dining next to us prob thought it was the best place they had ever been.
(4)
Katy M.
4 for the food, 2 for the price. The food ranges from great to just okay. For example, the Kobe beef skewers and Peking raviolis were scrumptious. We got chicken lettuce wraps, as they are a favorite at other restaurants, and were disappointed by how small the lettuce was and how soggy the filling was. I was disappointed that the buns weren't actually bao buns, but rather more of a pita, but they were still good. The chicken fried rice was good, but nothing special. The ambiance is cool and mature; this is definitely a place for weekend tapas and drinks. HOWEVER, weekend tapas and drinks should never be this pricy. While we enjoyed our meal, the prices were out of this world for food that can be found much cheaper (and just as good) in Chinatown. However, if you are a sushi fan, the $25 for unlimited sushi on Tuesday nights is a good deal.
(3)
Tammy T.
Just like any usual Asian restaurant but pricey as heck. The restaurant is beautiful, but it is a tad bit too dark for my liking. I went for my close friend's birthday not too long ago, and I was excited to give it a try. My friend and I decided to share something on the sharing category, we decided to get the beef... I cannot recall what it was exactly called and a sushi roll. We wanted to try something we've never had before for sushi and that was the biggest disappointment we have ever had, it wasn't like any typical roll, I believe it was wrapped in cucumber(?) With salmon. As for the beef, it didn't taste any different from a regular Asian restaurant and we received ONE small bowl of rice.. Big portion of meat with a small bowl of rice when it's a sharing dish.. Interesting. I wouldn't go back here again, but I can cross it off my list now.
(3)
Gia S.
I went in with an open mind despite the poor reviews, however I have to agree with some of what people are writing. The decor is pretty fantastic, the service is average, the bar is fantastic, and the food is maybe a step above P.F. Changs-- maybe. I ordered sushi and had it sent back as it was served slightly warm and had a very unpleasant rotten taste.. my boyfriend ordered orange chicken. That was decent, but absolutely nothing special, especially for the price. Like I said, think somewhere around P.F. Changs food. I would go here if you have a big party, and are looking to hang out in a kind of hip atmosphere, eating american-chinese food.
(3)
Kevin L.
The one star is far too generous. I had the worst experience at Red Lantern with three friends on a not a busy evening. We arrived, got sat, waited for a good ten minutes prior to a waiter acknowledge us and was gone for a while. Once he brought us our drinks, he disappeared for another ten minutes. He came back, took our orders with such a bad attitude as if we were not worthy to be waited on. It took about 30 minutes for the food to come out. And the water dripping from the ceiling was not pleasant. My food was extremely soggy to the point that it was inedible. I kept looking for the waiter and tried to get his attention so I can reorder my food. Finally, he showed up, I explained that my rice was completely soaked in the sauce to the point that it looks like I ordered soup. It took about 20 minutes before someone else brought me the replacement. At this point everyone else at the table had finished their dish. Other than the bad tasting food and bad service, the strangest thing was the floor manager was giving the waiter a back rub at the bar in front of customers. Unless you enjoy wasting your money on less than take out quality Chinese food and bad service, I would not recommend this place. Needless to say, we will never return to this restaurant. There are too many great Asian restaurants in Boston with a much better service.
(1)
Diane H.
The ambiance is great, i loved the music, host/servers were really nice. no seating was available w/o reservations for 8pm on friday :( so we hung out at the lounge, no wait, got a table right away. We tried the duck buns (good), lobster rangoon (good), and the rock roll (not so good, the tempura shrimp was not crispy, it was tasted like it was fried when the restaurant opened and just kinda left sitting out to sell, YUCK). My drink was good, the summer margherita, and my bf's wine was okay. Our bill was over about almost 100$! YIKES. The food came out fairly quickly, so i don't know if i shoulda been worried... i think we will be back just to check out apps, but no sushi again. It coulda been a club in here! Dark and loud music...nice place to have a late dinner before your late night begins!
(3)
Ngan T.
Not bad! I had really low expectations coming in because someone told me Red Lantern was Empire but out of style. Considering I think Empire has a generally pretentious crowd with semi-decent food (but overpriced!), I was expecting a terrible experience at Red Lantern. We came here on a Monday night, about an hour late to meet some friends. THis was around 9pm. The restaurant had a few occupied tables and a warm atmosphere. It was a while before the waiter checked up to catch us up on drinks, but those came out pretty fast. The two scorpion bowls we ordered were mostly ice, but the fire in the bowls as they came out was certainly interesting! The trick is to put them out asap or you lose the precious alcohols!! We ordered both pu pu platters. I thoroughly enjoyed both and their creative presentations (LOVED the shrimp portion) Our waiter was friendly but also hard to find. I wouldn't mind coming here again, but it probably won't be my first option.
(3)
Alexa R.
I had the Rock Roll sushi amazing!! Calamari a bit spicy, for drinks I got the fortune cookie delicious. I defiantly will come here again.
(4)
Zack C.
This place is pricey, but you get your money's worth. Drinks are very strong, and portions are very large. They use the freshest ingredients I have ever tasted in Asian cuisine. So much flavor, so good, will definitely be returning!
(5)
Shayna Y.
Overall: great place to get some drinks and food before heading out for the night - however food is heavy! Atmosphere outweighs food here! Likes: - fun, inventive drink menu - distinct atmosphere - socially vibrant - gluten free menu - hot rock with waygu beef and salmon was delicious and fun (however kind of expensive for portion $24) - bulgogi beef had great flavor and came with delicious hot sauce, beef portion was pretty small - chirashi roll was pretty fresh, but I was expecting more spice Gripes: - chicken fried rice and chicken lettuce wraps were bland
(3)
Lily P.
Meh....good drinks, really sub-par food. Everything tastes blah and is overpriced. My friend and I ordered a ton of food and literally nothing stuck out as good. The service was absurd. Our waitress was miserable. I actually felt like we spent all night trying to get her attention, it was confusing. It was as though she was ignoring us on purpose. Overall, Red Lantern has a cool vibe and good (but expensive) drinks, but I would definitely not recommend eating here.
(1)
David L.
Fantastic night at the Red Lantern! The food was great, sushi awesomeness all the way. The boat of booze was impressive too. Our waitress made the night, she was super friendly and helpful. Highly recommend this place for a date night or just drinks.
(5)
Peter W.
This review is only for the bar. I've been here may times with friends and enjoy the drinks, food, service, and atmosphere. Somehow we've lucked out and have been able to get seats at the bar most of the times. We've had appetizers including the beef skewers, pot stickers, and spicy fried squid. They are served pretty quickly which helps to keep the food nice and hot. The drinks are well made and a good size. The bartenders are friendly and attractive. The decor is cool with asian themes - look up to see mini stone statues and small paper lanterns. For a place this big, it is kind of weird that the bathrooms are limited to one user each.
(4)
Armani T.
Hands down, one of my favorite spots in Boston. Big Night Entertainment never dissapoints me. It's trendy, young, fun, upscale and I've never had a bad experience the numerous amount of times I've been here. Every server that's tended me during my visits are always professional, fun and attentive. It's the perfect spot for a night out for drinks, a first date, or just dinner. It's a unique dining experience.
(5)
Ann S.
Service was exceptional from entering to leaving. We sat at the bar and got to witness the culinary wonders up close. The food was fresh, tasty, and made with quality ingredients. The highlight of my visit was meeting the executive chef who was very interpersonal and engaging. For desert, we had the pineapple bread pudding and it was absolutely the best bread pudding I've had at an eatery -- I wish I had some to go!!! It was a great experience and I am looking forward to my next visit!
(5)
Noria M.
Went here on a recent Sunday night, soon after it opened. It's a beautiful, dramatic space, with tons of -- you guessed it -- red lanterns hanging from the rafters. It was like Shanghai circa 1940 with modern influences (like the huge open kitchen). Great drink menu --I actually had the bartender mix me something that was non-alcoholic and it was insanely delicious and made me miss alcohol not one bit. The food was very good, highlights were the dumplings, fried edamame, lobster rangoon, avocado salad and peking duck. I would come back with my girlfriends for a night on the town, it's the kind of place you go when you want to have fun (really great music, and sexy ambiance) and share a bunch of plates. The place also has a cool bar that I did not hang out at, but I would.
(4)
d m.
The decor is well done, the lighting designer deserves kudos. Service was ok, but my place setting had no utensils and no one noticed. That was forgiveable. But the food was a dissapointment. Got two things: the lobster rangoon which were very good, and the calamari which was terrible. It was giant pieces of fried squid with no seasoning, no sauce, no nothing. The only other thing on the plate were pieces of raw ginger and slices of scorching hot raw peppers. If I had put a fork full of that in my mouth I would have been literally injured. Pretty bad dish.
(2)
John D.
WOW!!!!! A fabulous new addition to Boston's restaurant scene. Dined on Thursday evening with a friend and entered one of the most beautiful, dramatic dining / lounge spaces in Boston. Whomever designed the space deserves an award, so gorgeous! We ordered a variety of appetizers and LOVED every dish we ordered. The avacado/crab salad was amazing served with a relish of red caviar. The fried pork dumplings were delicious and cooked perfectly crisp and floating on a pond of soy/ginger/scallion. Wanted to lick the plate! We also tried the pork buns that were stuffed with incredibly delicious shredded pork infused with just the right amount of savory and sweet seasonings. We also had the pork spareribs that are served off the bone and beautiully seasoned and perfectly cooked. Just to get off the pig, we also orderd an entree of glazed noodles served with strips of steak that was so delicious! We were so full we had one bite each and a coin toss for the take home container. Lastly, we had the pineapple bread pudding served with coconut ice cream. YUMMMMM!! Lovely evening, wonderful service, and a vibrant diverse crowd. You will LOVE The Red Lantern.
(5)
Jane S.
god, this place is so offensive since hanging a red lantern is a sign of prostitution in china i have to point out that noone is calling a bar Whorehouse and filling it full of Jesus statues it is just really inappropriate to fill a bar with statues of the Buddha i was just speechless- we turned and walked out after 5 minutes
(1)
Shiva M.
Nice decor which fails to cover up mediocre and overpriced food. Appetizers are yummy, but main entrees are nothing impressive. Does not live up to the hype. P.F. Chang's is just as good and a better value.
(2)
Sarah R.
Hosted my birthday dinner here in their private dining room on a Monday night. Kerry, my contact person was super easy to deal with throughout the whole process of booking the event. She responded almost instantly to all of my emails and explained everything very clearly. No questions were left unanswered and I was pleased that the night went exactly as expected. There were 20 of us for dinner and the private dining room was perfect. I chose to seat everyone at a long table, though was able to choose other options. We had 2-3 waiters, and one contact person for the event, which was great. The room was too warm and they adjusted the temp right away. For food, we started with vegetable spring rolls, chicken lettuce wraps, and fried beans. The spring rolls were awesome! I could have eaten those alone all night, the sauce was great. The lettuce wraps were just ok. The sauce tasted a little weird, but if you added the extra brown sauce it ws good. The fried beans totally lacked in flavor unless you used the dipping sauce, which only one out of the three was good. Then we had salad, which was good, pretty standard. For entrees we had pork fried rice and the tik tok chicken. The rice was good, nothing spectacular, but I definitely ate my share. The tik tok chicken was delishhhh. It was nice and crispy, good white meat chicken, and the orangey sauce was yummy. Overall, great experience, and will come back to try the regular menu.
(4)
Shilpa S.
Right.. Well my review is based upon my high expectations due to all the great things I heard about this place. For months I was told how comparable it is to Tao, its "upscale" crowd and nice ambiance. Although the interior is relatively nice- suspended lanterns, buddha statues etc. the venue is mainly comprised of a large dining area. The bar has limited space and can accommodate only so many people. Consequently, the line was stagnant from 930 onwards since the bar was PACKED. My friend had arrived at that time and ended up waiting an hour to be admitted. (Though I got there 915 and was in 2 mins later.) Perhaps the initial hype will quell and with that less wait. To their credit- the drinks were well made and strong. The dining scene looked cool and we will come back for the food as it looked great. To my dismay though- although the venue touts an ethnic theme- the place itself lacks diversity, and is pretty stuffy. Stanhope St.- once known for the international crowd has now become very WASP-y.
(3)
Special E.
My first disclaimer is that I rarely eat asian style foods so I cannot comment on the merits of the food per se. That said, I haven't found many dining rooms and lounges that match the ambience of the Red Lantern. Simply put, it is cool. Beautiful people hang out in beautiful surroundings and that's what you'll find here. I dined with my two college aged children and they didn't look at their cell phone at all during the evening until just before I paid the bill (my barometer for keeping their interest) They people watched and commented on the background music and the decor. Our server was very attentive and had some good recommendations. I'll leave the actual food reviews to others for the reason mentioned above but I will be back. It would be an excellent location for large groups...business or celebratory.
I've been here a handful of times, either with one other person or with a huge group. Each time I've left somewhat dissatisfied...which is definitely not okay considering the prices. I haven't paid for a Red Lantern meal yet, and that's the only reason why I've gone back! Everything is just...okay for a lack of a better word, from the noodles/rice/sushi/etc. etc., even their signature appetizers (pupu platter and the hot rock)! I would say the standouts would be the lobster rangoons and several of their desserts, which includes the pumpkin holes and the banana mud cake. The atmosphere and design undoubtedly outweighs the food...so come here to check at least that out! Side note: Service within the restaurant is good, but valet takes an absurdly long time! Aaaaand my quest for the perfect Asian Fusion restaurant continues :P
(3)
ana y.
I had the stir fried short rib, the restaurant was dark and I could not see the color of the broccoli. I doggie bag the food to go and I got home and opened the box the broccoli was yellow and the food was spoiled the next day.
(2)
Renuka V.
4 of us walked there for dinner after having oysters+beer@Skipjack's nearby on MemorialDayMonday. Had 2 rounds each of cocktails (all delicious - and surprisingly not too sweet at all!) and for food, ordered the whole Peking duck which was enough for 4 of us (we all ate a lot too!). And yep - the duck was delicious! Had a Gilt voucher so food was 50% off. Extra star is for the gorgeous decor - never seen so many Buddha statues in one space( and i've been to many Buddha-themed rests. in SouthEastAsia amongst others!) AND loved the exposed brick wall as well as super high warehouse-like ceilings. Went to various spots in Boston during my week there and this was unlike any other rest. I saw there!Service was fantastic too even though place was almost full when we got there around 9pm. A must go.
(5)
Wini P.
Yummy place, but wicked expensive. We had 2 drinks and three appetizers and the bill was $86.00. Molly, our food server was amazing.
(2)
Tony S.
Red Lantern reminds me of Tao in NY and Vegas, sans the giant Buddha in the middle of the room. I absolutely love the ambience, decor, and service of the place (except maybe 1 or 2 of the many hostesses, who, on all three visits I've made, appear to have forced smiles that look like constipation grimaces). I'm not a huge drinker, so I'm probably not the best critic on booze, as I've only had one of their cocktails, which was some ginger-ale-ish alcoholic concoction named after some Mongolian general. But, I CAN comment on the food and service. The service (at least after you get past the consipated hostesses) is 5-star all the way. I've had two sit-down dinners here, with parties of 6 or more, and was served once by Kai, and another time by Tim. Both are awesome, conveying professionalism, hospitality, and sincerity. I also noticed what I think was the manager, who constantly flitted around the place like a quality control agent from some obscure culinary department of the CIA...... (which is my way of saying he looked like he was really keeping the place in check. A PLUS!). Now the food..... hmmm... mixed feelings here. So let's start with the Must Haves.... 1) Duck Buns. Incredible. Like pulled pork, the meat was shredded succulence of yumaliciousness. 2) Avocado Salad. AMAZING. I have never had anything like this anywhere else, and has a phenom mixture of texture and flavor. Not a single guest at my dinners disagreed. More importantly, when I brought one of these as take-out to my mother (of the Asian Sisterhood of All-knowing Tongues), she gave full approval. 3) Teriyaki Noodle Steak. Being from both Hawaii and California, I didn't think I'd find anything interesting here, until a friend ordered it and offered a bite (her mistake, as I wouldn't stop until I got to bite #10.... or was it 14?). Great consistency of the noodles, and was not over-whelmingly sweet (which is normally the case when they fuse teriyaki sauce with rice or noodles). Definitely going to be a regular on my dinner list when I return with family or friends. .... and now... the On-The-Fence items: A) Lobster mashed potatoes. Tasty? Yes. Good? Yes. GREAT and OUT OF THIS WORLD?... No. Nothing spectacular here, especially if you're a mashed potato connaisser, but it is definitely tasty. If you have a table of 4 or more, at least one of you should order it and share with the rest. B) Smoking Lantern. This was a sushi roll that I put in my '*WTF*' files. Described as a smoked tuna (I think it was tuna) on packed rice, 2 people at my table swore by it, two thought it was interesting, and two of us hated it. Personally, I thought it tasted literally like motor oil (which I licked as a child, so this is a legit reference). However, to be fair, a friend said that one of the ingredients, juniper (which also apparently goes into making gin), has a unique flavor that can make some people gag (and hence the diesel flavor..... and I also hate the taste of gin). And now, the ARE YOU KIDDING items: i) Tuna Tempura Roll. covered with spicey eel sauce, I was expecting LA-style expertise, but alas, it was packed with too much rice that took away from any of the flavor, was too hard from the wrong tempura batter, and quite frankly, a slight disappointment. I don't hate it.... just don't like it enough to order it again unless they fix it. ii) Shrimp Sashimi. This was what I'll call the Jaguar built with Yugo engineering, Saab styling, and Chevy Handling. It LOOKED cool, but tasted like cold metal, smelled like a cold storage carcass, and left all 6 diners so disappointed that we'll likely never drive again. TERRIBAD!!!! It was drenched in a cucumber gazpacho that was...... strangely enough... WAAAAY too cucumbery, such that it tasted artificial..... sorta like astro turf. (At least our waiter was kind enough to take this off our bill.) Final verdict? I WANT to love this place. Great atmosphere, interesting pick-up crowd (sort of like a fresh Sonsie), awesome service, with 3, maybe 4 great dishes.... If they can up the plus count on good dishes, I'll upgrade my rating to 5 stars. Still, if you haven't been, definitely worth a first visit.
(4)
Jen D.
This was an incredible experience: watching the chefs work their magic, feeling as though 10 different people were waiting on us who genuinely wanted us to enjoy ourselves and tasting high-quality, creative dishes. I can't wait to go back! Perfect for dates, girls' night, parties and business dinners.
(5)
Nicole M.
We had a great time at red lantern!!! Although we had to wait a little for our reservations the manager more than made up for it! We got a free round of drinks (party of 8) he really was super sweet!! We actually came back after a freezing bar crawl and he gave us all a shot and got us into brahmin next door. The food was yummy I got the crunchy salmon roll but I tried my friends teriyaki steak and it was great! Actual steak! The waiter was super friendly and our meals came out fast! We will definitely go back!! Thank you again for a wonderful evening.
(5)
Chris L.
Just hit up this trendy, restaurant/lounge last night for a reservation at 8 pm. Place was hopping with the after work crowd and hip crowds. Even when we left at 9:30 there was still a crowded vibes to the place but the place is cavernous. Big open kitchen, comfortable half moon cushions in the lounge and a large bar tucked off to the side. I think they have a downstairs too but not sure. Typical Buddha/Eastern decor with red (go figure, with a name like Red Lantern) lighting everywhere. Seating and tables were comfortable although a little close for my comfort. The music was pretty loud though and mostly uptempo dub and house....I would have chosen something a little more Zen. I like Skrillex and all just not during my meal. I went on Yelp before visiting and got some recommendations on food choices so I won't be too adventurous here but both my wife and I were very pleased with the quality of the food. We had the lobster rangoon and duck buns for apps. Both were delicious with the rangoon sitting atop a sticky sweet sauce and the steamed duck buns accompanied by a hoisin sauce and some mighty spicy red peppers and pickles. The duck was shredded and served taco style inside the bun. For sushi, we ordered a crunchy roll with had cooked salmon plus so other stuff inside/on top and got an order of BBQ eel and salmon nigiri. The sushi was well prepared and very tender. Melt in your mouth quality! If it wouldn't be such a shit show, i might even consider hitting up the $25 unlimited sushi on Tuesday nights. We ordered the Tik Tok Chicken for our main course and got a big big bowl of perfectly tender chicken drenched in a sweet sauce with very few veggies and a nice mound of rice. We each could only each a small plate but I thought it was great; my wife found it a little too spicy (there is some ginger tucked in there somewhere). We went home with a nice container of it....hello lunch! The drinks we ordered were good (Bamboo Juice and Red Devil) but a little too fruity. Didn't get too much alcohol burn in there. Maybe that's good but I like to know I am drinking something. Service was excellent and our server was friendly. We didn't get any dessert but got some nice chocolate drizzled red velvet fortune cookies (with the same fortune though...WTF!) with the check. Which brings me to why it is only 4 stars....cost. The bill for us was $110 without tip. Pretty pricey for two people I feel like but I am glad we got to experience this restaurant. When I first heard about it (way back when), I was thinking that a place like it wouldn't last too long in Boston but I am glad it has. An enjoyable evening all around.
(4)
Lynn J.
YES...It's very similar to Buddakan.com in NYC, but, since we don't have one in Boston, we have this. THE DRINKS: Extremely reasonable for the Back Bay, featuring Grey Goose house specialty cocktails for ONLY $11! THE FOOD: Asian Fusion house specialties served at large, private tables, or a room length, communal one. They also offer a sushi bar with few bar stools you can reserve. THE CROWD: The bar crowd is a 20 something mix of upscale college kids and clubbers drinking their way over to The Brahmin night club, located conveniently two doors down. THE DEAL: FOOD: Order the "Lettuce Wraps" appetizer for ONLY $12. It comes with a PINT OF FILLING and lots of lettuce, satisfying the munchies of me and my 2 girlfriends! DRINK: Order the FISH BOWL SIZED "Scorpion Bowl" for $44. It looks to be about 6 cups o' cocktails...HUGE!
(4)
eliza b.
I am a fan! Work in Copley Square and this is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Very elegant surroundings, pleasant staff, drinks are unique & delicious. Delcious Asian influenced appetizers, noodle dishes, sushi. A little pricey; but a fun evening was had by all!
(4)
Jennifer M.
Was at Red Lantern again for a going away party and the staff and kitchen hit it out of the park! Apps and cocktails were amazing, sushi super fresh, the drinks delicious, the staff super attentive, and the management was totally hands on serving trays of food. keep up the great work!
(5)
Helen B.
Beautiful restaurant. I always liked it when it was Bertucci's but now it is so beautiful and cool. I went with a friend who is vegan (sort of) and we ordered all very low-cal seafood items, mostly appetizers, that were very good, very enjoyable. The waiter was very good and pleasant (which I have not experienced in a long time). I want to go back with a large group - seems like it would be fun.
(4)
J F.
great ambiance....good food! Great place for a group. Def will be back!
(4)
Carolyn B.
Big Night Entertainment Group knocks it out of the park again! I was fortunate enough to attend the pre opening event and completely fell in love. With venues like Shrine, Scorpion Bar, the Estate, and High Rollers, the bar was set high. Red Lantern exceeded my expectations. Red Lantern has filled a void in the Boston restauraunt scene. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Gerald G.
Had on eo the best dining experience last night, a place with very cool energy. The type of eatery that the South End/ Back Bay has needed for so long. The owner hit it perfect.
(5)
Stephen R.
If only Yelp would allow more stars for atmosphere; this is such an amazing space, and is really one of the most impressive dining rooms in the city. As I wander about and sample more of what Boston has to offer, I have to admit my prior 5 star review was a bit slanted due to my love of the room itself. While perfectly fine in quality, our 3rd and 4th visits here make me realize the food may not necessarily be 5 star worthy. Some dishes at our last visit were a little heavy on the salt, and just lacked that special punch. The skewers appetizer are highly recommended; miso sea bass was great but too heavy with the miso paste - it overwhelmed a nice piece of fish that was otherwise cooked superbly. Pass on the sushi for some of the other dishes instead - I'm not certain the sushi is special enough here. The noodle entrees are impressive and chock full of nice fresh ingredients. On the positive side, we were sent a lovely side dish complement of the chef for a new side dish they were testing. While I may not have rated 5 stars, the fact that we've been back here several times speaks for itself.
(4)
Marco B.
Yes the food is MSG loaded! Thanks for that! Travel Asia and you'll see that that's actually used.... The experience was great - and I emphasize on "experience" as ambiance, food and service were well balanced. Arrival and seating was perhaps the weakest part of the evening. Gave the power to the sushi chef to concoct my dinner and was not disappointed. Good music not to loud and a slightly more casual crowd than you would find at Tao NYC or LAS or even Budabar. Waiter Dylan was fun and attentive and made my night as a sole business traveler enjoyable... Bravo considering Red Lantern is only two month into the game!
(5)
Jillian T.
Lots of Hollywood Inspired Asian Furniture and women in bustiers make this a great place for businessmen to bring out of town clients. The food was ok, the crowd fun to stare at, and you couldn't help but think of the Craft as you watched the hostess seat people in her Vampira like attire. Don't let your waiter order your food for you though or your tab can easily climb past $200
(3)
Jenna H.
I have dined at red lantern twice now in the past couple months, and have fallen in love. My favorite food here is the lobster rangoon app - it is delightful! To my pleasant surprise they actually provide a copy of the recipe on the way out the door. I have not tried to replicate this great morsel, but someday. The decor and ambiance is great, perfect for a sensuous night out with a lover, or group of girls to catch up on gossip. It can get a bit loud here - so may not be the best first date place. Unless you find yourself on a blind date that you don't care to know more about:) I love the noodles here - I have had the Singapore and drunken. Warning* Do not eat the red thin dry pepper they put as garnish... I did, what a mistake. yikes, good thing our waiter brought me a glass of milk - it was touch and go there for awhile.. The smoking lantern roll is a sight to see - it comes covered and yes smoking. All the sushi I have had here is quite tasty. Drinks are all fabulous, from the scorpion bowl to the Singapore sling. This is definitely one of my new favorite spots in Boston, can't wait to keep coming back!
(4)
Nicholas W.
I recently held a birthday party for my wife here with about 14 people. We got there a bit early, had a few drinks at the bar and enjoyed the lounge atmosphere. The overall decor of the restaurant is great. Boston needs something a bit different and this is heading in the right direction. I love steak houses and sports bars as much as the next guy but something like Red Lantern's 25 foot ceilings and modern loungey feel was a welcome addition. The food and drinks were great and service was consistent throughout the night even with 14 of us. I was impressed with the managers attentiveness after a piece of the old ceiling actually fell onto the table. He brought us some apps and a round of drinks at the end of the night. I plan on going here again for dinner and drinks in the near future and definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something a bit different in Boston!
(4)
Jason M.
Recently went to Red Lantern... other then having to wait about 10 minutes, despite having a reservation, It was an excellent experience... The place is a bit on the louder side, with music playing and just being a busy/hang out place in addition to a restaurant. But once we sat down, it wasnt difficult to have table conversation. The service was fantastic. Our waitress was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Was quick to refresh our glasses and clear our plates. The food also came out pretty quickly... didnt have to wait long for any of it. Speaking of the food, it was outstanding. The prices are certainly a bit higher, but not over priced at all given the quality, creativity, and flavor of the dishes. We started out with a special house maki roll with yellowfin tuna that was outstanding as well as the woodfire skewers(kobi beef and chicken) which were also delicious... the meat melted in your mouth. For entrees I had the miso glazed seabass, which was perfectly cooked and seasoned. it didnt take long for me to clear my plate. My friend had the skirt steak with sweet noodles, which was also fantastic. Everything we ate was well worth the cost, got to us quickly, and was extremely flavorful. It would definitely recommend red lantern, my only suggestion would be to maybe get there early or grab a reservation, as seating seems to be their only snag.
(5)
Hilary D.
A few single girlfriends and I heard a rumor that Red Lantern is a great place to find tall, hot guys, so we decided to see for ourselves. The person who said that must have been 4'11 with poor eyesight, because that wasn't our experience, but that being said, we had a great time at Red Lantern! The crowd seemed to be a mix of mostly 1) girls who can smell money like sharks smell blood, and 2) 35+ men with money seeking the company of 25-and-under women who can smell money like sharks smell blood. Not my people. However, not wanting to mingle with other patrons didn't stop us from having a great evening. Great space - the lounge area was crowded, but we weren't bumping into people. Very friendly, attentive bartenders. We ordered a round of the flaming shots advertised on the menu - they taste like warm boozy summer fruit. Me likey. The music is just right - good beats, not so loud that you're forced to shout. Interesting decor! I can't comment on the food because we were only there for the bar scene, but we had a good time. I wouldn't make Red Lantern a home away from home, but if I felt like getting dressed up, it would be an option.
(4)
Joey C.
Came here for a pre-opening, invite only, VIP party. Can't comment on the pricing because EVERYTHING was free!!! But I can comment on the food, decor, drinks and the bathrooms. The restaurant itself is FLABULOUS. A great dining room plus private rooms off the back and an amazing bar with flat screens and ambiant lighting. The hot and sour soup was not so good. It did not enough sour but the ingredients were fresh and overall it was still tasty. The sushi was just perfect and I really liked the chicken lo mein. There was also some charred beef being passed around which was pretty good too. Guess that's the trouble of not ordering our food and to sit there for a tasting. We also had some lil dessert spoons which I'm not sure what there were but I just know it was delicious. I think one was an almond jello with fresh fruits and the other was a chocolate cake of some sort which my friends really enjoyed. The bartenders have heavy elbows which is great for me and my professional drinking buddies. As for the restrooms, they have a set off to the side of the bar and some hidden, VIP if you will, downstairs :D All in all, I would definitely go back. I think having a private party in one of the exclusive rooms would be fun. It reminds me a little of Shrine @ MGM/Foxwoods - probably because they're related :)
(4)
Jackie S.
I am kind of surprised about all the bad reviews on here. Yes, we made a reservation and no the table wasn't ready for us but we only waited 10 min so it wasn't unreasonable. Next- we tried 3 different sakes- the best was the unfiltered creamy milk one. It was awesome! $8 bucks is alot for a shot, but I wasn't paying so I am taking price out of my rating completely. The pear and peace ones were OK. We got the special tuna sushi and whoa it was amazing. We also got the meat sticks. The beef ones were so tender they melted in your mouth. Real good. My friend got the sea bass which he ate every last drop of. I got the beef and sweet noodle dish. It was a huge portion and it was full of perfectly cooked veggies and a decent amount of meat. It's loud in here, but that's the lounge-ish type of vibe. I had a good time, service was good, and my food was delicious.
(4)
Kelley M.
I went here with some coworkers after work. We arrived around 5:30pm with a party of 6. Since the place was empty we asked to sit at a nicer table than the original table they were going to seat us in. Now normally I am not one to complain but considering it was a Tuesday and it was not even 6pm yet, you would think that it would not have been complicated to move us. So about 15 minutes we sit down and they seat us in a great location. I am not sure what took them so long but once we were seated I was glad we waited. OK, that is the only thing bad I have to say about the place.... Now for the good stuff.... The decor and the waitstaff was beautiful. I felt like I was in NYC or at Tao in Vegas. Being in the large group I got to taste a lot of different entrees and they were all really good. I even took my hubby home some chicken fried rice, which he devoured. All in all I really liked this place and it seems like it would be a good after dinner destination place for drinks as well. Boston needed a restaurant like this!
(4)
Brianna C.
Lobster rangoon is amazing! We also got the duck buns, they were pretty good. We got two rolls of sushi, can't remember the names but one had spicy tuna with cream cheese and avocado, the other had sea bass tempura with a pineapple salsa on it. Both very very good! Excellent drink menu and cool vibe. I definitely want to go back and try some other things on the menu.
(5)
Baking M.
Red Lantern has recently filled the vacant space where Bertucci's once was. The new Asian and sushi restaurant is next to Zocalo on Stanhope (formerly STIX). I would characterize the restaurant is a wannabe Tao or Buddakan in NYC or an upscale pricier P.F. Changs. The ambiance is industrial Asian, very zen and fun. The patrons were a mix of families, professionals, suits and casually dressed couples. The entrance has large wooden doors, buddhas and stone statues and red fixtures. I loved the bar with high ceilings and glowing red lanterns. They remind me of Hoi An, in Vietnam with lanterns hanging throughout the town. We had: Shanghai Street Sangria (Plum Sake, Lillet Rouge, Bacardi Dragonberry, Ciroc Red Berry) $10 Spicy Tuna and Spicy Yellowtail $7 each The fresh spicy rolls had the spicy mayo sauce dolloped on top of the roll, versus within the fish which was a nice surprise. Beef Broccoli and Asparagus $24 Sesame short rib, asparagus, american and chinese broccoli What is described as sesame short rib was really just tender slices of beef. The beef and broccoli was tasty, but you could get the same dish (maybe with lower quality meat) for $8 in Chinatown. We received a complimentary chocolate cake was a nice birthday surprise for my friend. There was a wasabi flavored mouse and a luscious ice cream. Overall, the service was very thorough, attentive and the food was tasty, however expensive.
(3)
Jess C.
Everyone at my table agreed, this place is trying to be straight outta Vegas! The cocktail waitresses strut around in matching corsets, the presentation is very flashy, and the decor is over the top. I actually love how high the ceilings are how big this place feels. The menu is quite varied, they've got sushi, noodles, chicken and steak skewers, lobster rangoons...the list goes on and on. This is a good place to go with a big group for that reason. For drinks, we ordered one of the scorpion bowls, the Yang. We were a party of 6 and this was enough for everyone to get a taste from the many straws that come with this.
(4)
Daniel T.
Very nice ambiance. Hostest was rude on the phone but the waiter was very pleasant. Food was decent but reminded me of PF changs. It wasn't worth the expense in my opinion. Scorpion bowl was huge but was mostly ice and fruit juice. Update to original review: I am upping the restaurant to 4 stars from 3. The more I come the more I like the food. Great for gatherings and larger parties very accommodating for my friends bachelor party. Great food good drinks although I do the the scorpion bowl is still mostly ice lol. Much better food than PF changs
(4)
Kyle W.
Atmosphere is 5 stars. Food is 4 stars. Drinks 2 star. They taste good but very weak. Service 2 Stars You definitely know you're in a trendy spot from the moment you walk in and see the hostess with a mean entitled look on her face. After a brief interaction with a grown up cast member from toddlers and tiaras you get moved from the front entrance to your table. A fake, lazy and slow waiter then comes to your table to take your drink order. I might as well of ordered water but i got a $44 dollar scorpion bowl and split it with my friend. Don't get me wrong I love me some kool-aid but i don't usually pay $44 for it. Then the food comes which is surprisingly good. The atmosphere is definitely different and a nice change from all the other places in Boston but the service and drinks are just not on the same level.
(3)
Anastacia S.
Maybe in Boston this is awesome but I thought it was 'eh' to 'okay'. Visitng a friend she insisted we come here, I was a little less then impressed. The food was good, the food was actually probably the best part about the restaurant. The drinks were alright, nothing mind blowing or original, and the attitude of the bar staff leads me to believe that yes, this is a big deal in Boston - this point was missed by me because it reminded me more of a kitchy place in Times Square then the sleek operation it was trying to be. This is clearly a popular spot, but is it worth it? Not at all. Everything about Red Lantern is mediocre. It is good for large groups though and I could see doing a birthday dinner or bachelor/bachlorette party here (we actually saw both during out visit).
(3)
Sam M.
I've been in the place before and my second time was for food and drinks after a day of shopping on Newbury St. with my girlfriend. The layout is Asian chic with lots of reads and golds; you may want to dress it up a tad beyond casual after 7 or 8pm when it seems that most of the people started to come into the bar and lounge area. T The valet and host staff was friendly upon entering. We sat at the bar for a early dinner because we were told that all table were reserved. I didn't make a big deal, but several tables were open the whole time I was there that we or other patrons could have taken. So I'm not so sure if they were being truthful because it seemed everyone was getting a very vague story. Our bartenders and servers were attentive which we liked. The lobster rangoons, calamari and tuna tempura roll was expertly presented and made. The food had well balanced flavors and textures. Be careful eating at the bar because the plated are long and rectangular which can make it inconvenient if you're eating at the bar or tight space. The sushi rolls were reasonably priced but at $11-$20, the appetizers were probably prices anywhere from $2-$5 more than they should have been in my opinion for what you get. The food was good but not that good to warrant that price. My Drunken Samurai martini tasted good but also felt like it had no alcohol whatsoever. It was like I drank an upscale pear juice. The sweetness of the drink should have been balanced out by the spirits. The $11-$12 martinis are in line price-wise for what you can find in Boston or any classy place for that matter. Overall, it's not a bad place, but I think I'd just come for drinks and to lounge instead the next time I'm there.
(3)
Melissa P.
Our own little Boston Buddakan. I've been here a few times for dinner and recently celebrated my birthday here with some friends. The service is always lousy. The kind where you wait almost 15 minutes for a first introduction to your server, another few minutes for water, and then you desperately try to reach out to servers as they walk past you because you know you won't be seeing them again for a while. A few of my friends even complained about the old up sell here: Our server informed them that *everyone* in our party was ordering appetizers, which was not the case, but they felt pressured into ordering more. What the heck, Red Lantern? But, setting the unprofessional and off-putting service aside, the food is actually good (stand outs: the rock shrimp tempura app and wood grilled sea bass entree). And the atmosphere is fun (think lively girls night out or celebratory cocktail-dominated meal). And the decor is dramatic (picture flattering lighting and reclining Buddhas perched on every inch of surface area). And remember that open kitchen layout from when Bertucci's was in this space? It's still there, which somehow keeps Red Lantern grounded. So, what can I say, I like it here. As for my friends who ordered more than they wanted, they like it too. It's no Buddakan, but here in Boston, I feel lucky to have this place.
(3)
Daphnee D.
WARNING this is going to be a long review I do apologize, but for your convenience I have provided a brief synopsis first, and you can choose to continue to read about this horrid experience. -Location Good location parking garage adjacent to establishment $10. Free parking on clarendon st if available -Environment Great decor. Good music, nice ambiance, loud, clean. -Food mediocre and small portions for the pricing, like we could of went to fridays, been able to cut our cake and not have to make reservations a week in advance. -Customer service Poor, unprofessional, nonchalant attitudes towards concerns I went to red lantern on a saturday night with my gfs to celebrate their birthdays. On arrival they were nice and courteous. We brought a cake that they tried to make me pay three dollars a plate to cut it at the table because they serve dessert. (Ehhh) understandable I guess, I refused so they held onto the cake for me which was nice i guess. We get to our table and our IDs get checked by the waitress. THEN the manager who's a real peace of art comes and ask for our IDs again. So of course we ask why and instead of a normal explanation she has an attitude 'we have the right to check twice, but lady it's the third time. She could of just said you guys look young we've been having trouble with fake IDs lately and that would be fine but she wanted to be boss lady and disrespectful. It was very embarrassing. It went down hill from there. They messed up our orders not once not twice THREE times. Tried to over charge us and the managers manager was a douche who really needs to work on his empathy. And fyi we weren't the only ones complaining.I will not return to red lantern and you shouldn't either. Don't believe the hype from these other reviewers. This place gets a D!
(1)
Karlis B.
Red Lantern has style. You walk into a large space with exposed brick and wood beams, Buddha statues and plenty of red lanterns hanging from the ceiling. (I'm also convinced they pump incense into the place as every now and again you get a fleeting whiff of something... tranquil.) It's a scene, but the quality of the food gives this place some substance. (And personally I'm happy for a restaurant that warrants a dress and heels. Sometimes you want to be lady.) The cocktail list is extensive and creative. I had a couple before drinking from the table scorpion bowl. - Rose Petal Saketini (Grey Goose, St. Germaine, Ozeki Sake, Rose Water): on the sweet side for my taste, but still a well crafted drink. - Sumo (Hendricks, Fresh Basil, Grapefruit, Sparkling Rose): refreshing and less sweet! Definitely my favorite of the night. - Yin and Yang scorpion bowls: The Yang bowl is much sweeter than the Yin bowl. Both still taste like juice so, as always with scorpion bowls, be careful. For dinner we went family style and tried almost everything on the menu. - Pupu platter ($60 for large): totally awesome assortment of skewers, Rangoons and shrimp. Ideally I would just have this (small order, though) and some cocktails. - Hot and sour soup ($7): to die for. A thick, hearty stew of tofu and mushrooms that is not to be missed. It's filling and one of the cheaper items on the menu, so go for it. - Beef Tenderloin Fried Rice ($15): what struck me most about the rice (and noodles) is that it wasn't the least bit oily...which means you could just keep eating and eating with reckless abandon. - Singapore Street Noodles ($22): A mess of light noodles with shrimp and veggies. Reminded me a lot of yakisoba. - Sides: bok choy and carrots with bean sprouts. I would go with the bok choy if you feel the need to break up your meal with something green and healthy. We also sampled the sushi, but I can not remember what kinds. They were beautifully presented and tasted great, but I preferred the entrees. Red Lantern goes on my short list of places to visit with my fiance when we want to feel swanky or my girls when we just want to have fun.
(4)
Mansi W.
We had a great time here. Everything we ordered was awesome!
(4)
Mary B.
Cool looking place with good sushi but overpriced for your typical asian fusion restaurant.
(3)
Caroline V.
I visited Red Lantern for dinner on New Years Eve with a group of 9 people and it was the perfect spot! I had been to its sister restaurant Empire before but this was my first time here. The ambience was perfect for NYE - interesting Asian inspired decor and great music. The food was delicious and our waiter made some great suggestions when asked. I'd highly recommend for a group as most of the dishes are meant to be shared. The more people you go with, the more options you have to try!
(4)
Shocka N.
Looking for late night Asian and visiting Boston. Found this place is near our hotel. Bartender was very nice and helpful. Had duck buns, fresh chicken lo mein and Apple Rangoon. Delicious! On pricier end but $$$ on Yelp prepped us. Music is loudish "clubbing" music even though it is Wednesday. Would return on another visit and recommend to others.
(4)
Heidi C.
I recently went to Red Lantern with a large party to celebrate a friend's ordination. Leading up to the reservation, I was coordinating a dinner for 17-18 people. Red Lantern generally requires parties over 16 to be considered a private event with a set menu, pricing minimums etc. While it took multiple efforts at times to get my phone calls returned, they were overall great to work with. Because our reservation was a Sunday evening, they allowed us to simply be considered a large party as we were only a couple people over their usual number. Cue: Sunday night Enter the space and you instantly feel 100x trendier. Almost yielding the appearance of converted industrial or loft space, the restaurant is incredible inside. The interior design is gorgeous and kept all of us so engaged we were delayed in ordering drinks. It has a trendy, hip, upscale vibe with a metallic, semi-open kitchen. Our table ordered an assortment of appetizers, drinks, sushi rolls, and a couple of more formal entrees. Everything was beautiful and overall delicious. I had the Rock Roll (their variation on a spicy shrimp tempura), spicy tuna, and an appetizer of Peking Ravioli (a playful take on dumplings). I also had a couple of cocktails from the menu. Everything was delicious and well prepared. Presentation was in keeping with the beautiful aesthetics. Portion sizes are good, although in some cases a little on the small side for the price. Service: Overall they did well managing such a large party. I did however think service was kind of slow given that we were the only major party in the restaurant, and it was pretty quiet on a Sunday evening. There were only a few glitches. We had an appetizer come to the table that no one ordered that we later had to ask to have removed from the bill. Similarly, multiple of us didn't order a second or third round of cocktails, but they showed up anyway. The wait staff said they wouldn't charge us as it was their error, and they were correct. Unfortunately, there wasn't really a way for us to easily split checks, so we ended up paying mostly with cards. Everyone's bills appeared to come out accurately in the end. We ended up paying around $55.00 plus tip for 2 sushi rolls, 1 cocktail and 1 non-alcoholic drink, and an appetizer, which was a little spendy but not terrible. NOTE: Cocktails are where they really pad their profit. Drink prices are spendy. If you can avoid spending a ton on pricey cocktails, it's worth it to pay more for the food which is high quality. Red Lantern is definitely a little pricey, but part of what you pay for is the experience. I'd recommend it for a special occasion dinner. But be prepared to spend a little time.
(4)
Bhavika P.
Good Asian food nd wonderful ambience. On a costlier end so good to go on special occassions. We were a group of 8 people and ordered edamame, three types of sushi, 2 fried rice and noodles. New style california and ronin roll sushis were amazing. Tik tok chicken is good if you have a sweet tooth. If you dont want anything fancy veg fried rice is good to go. Really large quanties and we couldnt finish it all. 1 entree is more than sufficient for 2 people. Would be good to go with a booking in advance else long wait expected.
(4)
Dr. Tyler C.
Great restaurant with great food. The atmosphere is nice, however, the music is way to loud. The music is club like. I really like this place if the music wasn't so loud. Food is yummy!!!!
(4)
Rachel K.
Came here last night for dinner for a bachelorette party. First impressions of this place = A + Cool outdoor signage, even cooler indoor decor. This place looks amazing, and I doubt anyone wouldn't attest to that. It's so different looking than any other restaurant, and much larger than most as well. Seems like a place best fit for groups, not a 2 person dinner (though I'm sure you could, but you'd be one of the few). We had phenomenal, and I mean PHENOMENAL service. A++ for service. Our waiter (wish I could remember his name to give him some cred.) was awesome. He knew we were on a timeline to get to our next destination and he made it happen. He was quick, great with recommendations, and attentive. Management stopped by a few times to see how we were doing, which is what most restaurants should do but few actually do. Food came out FAST, as did drinks...which was surprising for how busy it was & for having a big table. The food was pretty good; we got a smorgasbord of everything. Love when you can get both sushi (and importantly, unique sushi rolls) and typical asian food all in one place. Loved loved loved the duck egg rolls and the fried green beans (seriously, try them!!). The drinks, and drink selection, were great. I highly enjoyed my Bamboo juices....though maybe next time will stick to a less sweet drink choice for a full night of Bachelorette-party drinking (not feeling so hot today...but that is my fault & totally beside the point!). I can't wait for a fun occasion for an excuse to come back with a big group. So much fun!
(4)
Jess L.
The ambiance is the best part of this place. There are Buddhas everywhere. It feels like Vegas. The drinks are fabulous. The food is homemade chinese food and its really salty. The sushi is good, but overpriced.
(3)
Anna M.
I ate at the Red Lantern for the first time last week. The restaurant has an awesome vibe, very trendy. It was a Tuesday night so I did the unlimited sushi for $25.00. I loved the first two rolls, though the next two I ordered were awful (can't remember the names). Overall I think the Red Lantern is an awesome place to grab a drink with your friends but the food is mediocre and over priced.
(4)
Alisa S.
I liked the decor & layout of this place. It was very Buddhist contemporary. Boyfriend and I shared everything and enjoyed it all. We had the Tuna Tartare for our appetizer. It was yummy and bigger than expected. For our main course we had the Duck Buns, Uni, Lobster & Bacon Fried Rice (plenty of lobster in it and we had a lot of leftovers), and a Tokyo Lobster Roll.
(4)
Reinne T.
I always had the best of times here. I came here on three different occasions and ate almost same dishes every time and it was still super creative every time the food came in. I love love, did I say love? their spicy drink infused with a mixture of chilli that has its own divine kick to it...it is addictive. They also had a dish that came in smoked with the coal and the smoke was still in the dish when the cover was removed. Omg yums!!!! Did I tell you how exquisitely this place was decorated with all the statues and artistic furniture. This place can get expensive. I always keep an eye on dels on living social group on and travel zoo to have a taste of this place. A must try!
(5)
Yasa E.
I get cravings for red lantern like whoaaa The food is seriously amazing I've tried about half the menu and loved it every time. The pu pu platter is the perfect combination of apps. Love the lettuce wraps (and I hated lettuce wraps because of pf changs but now I'm a fan, thanks to red lantern). The lobster rangoons are so delicious. Love the noodles. Fried rice is pretty good. The big drinks are steep, price wise, but good for 5 people. I've been here for several occasions and I just love the place. The atmosphere is great, it's gorgeously decorated and huge. My bf and I really liked the kitchen "bar". It's pretty entertaining and we get to sit side by side :) Service has been a little inconsistent. Had an unbelievable server for my friend's bday dinner a couple of months ago. It was a table of 8 girls and we were very well taken care of. Then came here with my bf and didn't have very good service. Overall, 4-4.5 stars. Perfect for any size group or occasion. One of my favorite places in the city
(4)
Eric S.
I'm not sure I'm adding anything than what people have already said - but I will say these were my thoughts prior to reading anyone else's on here. 1) the decor is neat, sort of in a "if this were a John Woo movie, keep an eye out for doves flying in slow motion, because this place is about to get trashed" sort of way - much more thought out than most places 2) the food is pretty good, but not amazing - better than PF Changs (I loved the spare ribs, but they were a bit dry - at least not fatty - great flavor, the steak noodles were quite good too - had a few rangoons/dumplings, all good - wish they had soup dumplings) The cocktails are decent, but more towards the "girly" side (think Singapore Sling, literally on the menu, and pretty much every one of the "martinis"). For me, it is a bit too much of a scene (or wannabe scene) though. The wait staff (at least by the bar) wear boobs heavy corsets, so if you are a dude and haven't seen boobs in a long time - enjoy! By 8pm on a weekend, the scene stuff starts, and accelerates into the night. Get there earlier if you are more interested in the food. (the scene is similar to The Liberty - old dudes, euro-trash, and 20-something girls in cocktail dresses and heels looking a bit like they want a sugar daddy - but not actually good music or drinks, just... well, the scene) Not sure if it is always like this, or just Sat evenings, but there is techno music playing in the dining area - seems odd to be eating your spare ribs to UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ and no dance floor anywhere even close. The place is dressy, but you don't need a suit (you would be fine in a suit) - I was in jeans and a sport coat and that was fine.
(4)
Christina S.
Completely overpriced for mediocre food and an atmosphere that looks worn. Its like a glorified PF Changs. The drinks at an average of $14 were premade and not very good, which is inexcusable for the price. The sushi was drowning in some obnoxious white sauce and the main courses were super oily and salty and the dessert was unimpressive. Its not worth it. Trust me. Save your $$$ and go someplace that actually takes pride in their food.
(1)
Elaine C.
This place is a great place to eat Asian food if you are not too crazy about the originality. They are close enough and still tasty. Open kitchen with exceptional drink menu. Large portion and will definitely have left over. Since this place have a powerful kitchen hood install, you clothes and hair will never smell. A little pricey consider their Asian menu is easy cooking.. Always pack so make a reservation.
Love the atmosphere and decor. Perfect for date night! The waitress was attentive and the food was served promptly. The Lobster Rangoons and Duck Buns are to die for.
(5)
sasha h.
Red Lantern is one of the best places in Boston for big groups. I've gone there on multiple occasions and always had a great time. I've both hosted private parties taking up the whole venue and gone multiple times for dinner. They really cater well to groups and will take care of your table. This is a pretty good place for a bachelorette party dinner as well. Ambiance is always lively, great music and they usually have a young, trendy crowd. The decor is well done, very asian fusion. My favorite dish is the Miso Sea Bass but most of the rolls and wood grilled items are quite good. The food will not blow your mind but it is good and pretty consistent.
(4)
Cliff H.
Models. Buddhas. Fire. Brick mills meet stone sanctuary. Your offspring? Bartenders who sideline as models for Maxim or GQ. This is place is serious. If you can appreciate how an old brick factory building can be transformed into a modern sanctuary of pensive Buddhas and statuary you deserve to stop by RL at least once in your Beantown career. Admittedly the food's mediocre, drinks the usual eastern variety, and the prices nothing to sneeze at, but the upscale ambiance and sheer vertical scale of this place is amazing in itself. A great place to bring an out of town friend to impress them with what Boston restaurants are not generally like. Reservations recommended, especially for groups larger than 6. Bar gets jammed anywhere close to prime times and you can wait a bit longer than you like for larger group seating, but your reward is a lot of people dressed well and sipping colorful cocktails and fire-blazen food. And yes, red lanterns. Lots.
(4)
Krassi P.
Red Lantern is the perfect mix of bar, restaurant, and lounge. The vibe, staff, and food are great. One of my favorites for Asian dining! A bit pricey but considering the service and quality I would say it is fair. TIP: You can charge your cell phone near the bathrooms downstairs.
(5)
Tamar A.
I was treated to Red Lantern via an extraordinarily generous free tasting for potential event-planning folks. I am therefore about to sound like an asshole. We were taken into the private room, plied with delicious free cocktail shots and bottomless wine glasses and treated like corporate queens. My first impressions were of sheer awe: the ambiance is stunning. Draped lanterns, dim red and gold lighting, tastefully arranged buddhas, strung thai shells--a faux-Asian paradise a mere stone's throw from Back Bay station. The service was impeccable and the hosts were equal parts gracious and flirtatious, but good. Then the food came out. We started with the tempura beans, pork spareribs, lobster rangoon, and kalbi beef skewers. Though the rangoon a little runny and the beef gave new meaning to "chewing the fat", the dishes were overall as yummy as Americanized Chinese appetizers are always and forever. Were they worth $8-12 per dish, however? Not as such. The meal consisted of the Tik Tok chicken, Singapore street noodles, and the beef, broccoli, and asparagus. You know those commercials with the lazy yuppie couple who can't be bothered to go out for Chinese, so they get the brand with the animated panda bear in the frozen food aisle? Imagine if those meals cost $22 a package. Truly disappointing faux-Asian for the same price as a whole bag of take-out from Dragon Garden. Red Lantern, I appreciate your style, but your business model is seriously flawed. You know what's not faux-Asian? Chinatown. It's a stop away and one-third the price. Your customers are paying to reimburse several Pier One Imports' worth of red satin gauze and an interior designer's wherewithal to artfully hang it. Treat yourself to the Sriracha cocktail, feel like a baller, and then come meet me at Gourmet Dumpling House.
(2)
Doug J.
(score 1-100) 84. Great place for drinks or food. Very high quality, it is pricey but it's the back bay and you are not going to find anything quite like Red Lantern in this part of the city. Food is Asian Fusion and very high quality. Flavorful dishes and many healthy choices. The presentation is excellent which is missed in so many restaurants in Boston. I always feel satisfied after a meal at Red Lantern. The atmosphere is upscale and modern with lots of energy. If you have ever been to any of the Buddakans in the country it is very similar. Great place for group birthdays or if you want to impress a girl on a first date. Conclusion: Great place to start a night out with your friends or end the night.
(4)
Danielle C.
Five stars for everything. Amazing food. Get the Peking ravioli. Strong drinks. Super friendly wait staff. Great vibes and atmosphere. Very lgbt friendly too! I haven't had a single item here I didn't like. The Rock Roll was too spicy for me but I still love the flavor. We always go back to the Peking ravioli app when we come. The avocado salad is great to share but too much avocado for one person.
(5)
Kate L.
A BIG fan. 1. Most fun, talkative, friendly clientelle - everyone mingles with everyone. great pick up spot - older 30s crowd. 2. Ambiance So cool. Very NYC 3. First experience w food. SO GOOD. Got the skewers (beef and chicken) with tamarind dipping sauce - out of this world flavorful and very moist. Beef was not fatty or gamey at all! Then got lobster rangoons and practically licked the plate. The yummiest thing I have had in awhile. 4. Portions are a little small but overall a 10!
(5)
Sarah C.
I came here with no expectation. Upon entering, I saw the hostess and she totally ignored me. The place was empty when I was there (Monday night @ 8pm) so she wasn't busy serving other guests. Maybe the place was too dark to see me? Anyway, I invited myself into the restaurant. I sat at the bar and I asked for their $7 monday night snacks menu. This place is pricey so if you dont want to empty your wallet, I suggest coming in on a Monday night just to give it a try. I ordered the pineapple bacon fried rice, spicy salmon roll and spicy tuna bites. A lot of reviewers weren't pleased with the food but i loved them! The rice was just right (and not oily at all, a major plus!); both the tuna and salmon bites were flavorful (and great presentation too, I didn't want to eat the tuna roll haha!). I also ordered the avacado salad from their regular menu and boy was it tiny! It was good, with citrus-y flavor. It's a great salad for the summer. I would def go back and try their big plates now since I've sampled their food. This place lost a star due to unfriendly staff. Great ambiance and if you want to impress someone, take him/her here. The lounge area is cool FYI - restaurant week is now through end of next week and red lantern is participating. Go to their facebook page to check out their restaurant week menu.
(3)
Nilo F.
The bouncer here is the biggest loser I've ever met like you bounce a Chinese food restaurant get out of my face with that pretentious smirk I hate you.
(1)
Hina K.
I loved the Ambiance. We had a great meal there, sushi and pad thai was awesome. We went there on the new year's eve and they offered us complimentary champaign too bad we don't drink :) I would definitely go back
(4)
Marissa P.
Fun atmosphere, kind of a rip off on a trendy NYC Asian fusion lounge/restaurant (See taorestaurant.com and/or buddakan.com ), but with sub-par food. Somewhat of a corny establishment, very over the top and tacky, with what my friend called a "titty bar", where the girls are hired to walk around in these ridiculous looking corsets, showing off the twins, but have absolutely no idea how to craft a cocktail. I sent back my first cocktail - the grass fed mule - because it was just disgusting. My second one wasn't much better but I drank it. We also ordered tuna tartar, which was covered in soy sauce. A good tuna tartar may have a bit of sauce, but the tuna should stand out. With this dish, all you could taste was soy sauce. Not good at all. We also had some beef/chicken skewers, which were fine. You can't really go wrong there. Then, we had the lettuce wraps, which were the worst. The chicken was just a really gross texture. The lettuce wraps at PF Changs and Cheesecake Factory are far better and cost less. None of us would return. Its only redeeming quality is the cool space.
(2)
Terence B.
I went to Red Lantern for New Years Eve and unexpectedly had a great time. The food was great and the service, while a little slow, was good. NYE is a busy night so she gets a pass. My party of 8 shared a few apps. Unfortunately I did not order any of the apps so I can not tell you what they were other than GOOD! My entree stole the show. It was so good I was actually sad I shared it with the table. I had the Miso Sea Bass and while I admit I am a fan of Sea Bass, I can honestly say this was a different experience for me. I highly recommend it and I highly recommend this place. I plan on going back soon.
(4)
Jeff G.
I had huge expectations of this place and was so excited to come here that I dragged my friend to join me. 5 star ambiance is correct....everything else is a pretty much a glorified PF Changs. Price- 1 star off for the outrageous prices that dont line up with portions or quality of food Food- I wish i took a picture of the sushi because it was rolled by an 8 yr old missing rice on the ends and loosely formed, presentation was awful. we also ordered spring rolls that tasted terrible and had no flavor whatsoever. Our main entree was a sweet and sour chicken that was put in some type of tomato sauce which seemed odd and we really weren't impressed. Drinks - I admit they were strong, but some of them came out in tiki glasses which I thought to be a bit corny considering its Asian flavors and not Polynesian. Overall once you get over the initial wow of the decor, this place will eventually fade out due to over-gorging price margins and lack of taste.
(3)
Jamie F.
When the big, bad, Bruins celebrated their NHL championship at Foxwoods, their SOs were at Red Lantern (a good sign about the atmosphere for large parties). So, my posse and I dined here for our collegiate reunion last month. Loved the huge space and stunning decor. The crowd was dressy and diverse. It felt like a part of NYC was transplanted into Back Bay Boston. The bar area was actually more like a club lounge than a restaurant lounge with female servers struttin' around in hoe uniform. Dinner started off on a good note. My Shanghai Street Sangria, made with plum sake, was light and well balanced even though the name didn't make sense (Shanghai Street is in *Hong Kong* and sake is *Japanese* rice wine). Our table enjoyed tasty apps that arrived at lightning speed: Lobster rangoons (4 for $12) - dollops of lobster cream cheese wrapped in crispy fried wontons. The lobster flavor was mild but enough that I can taste it. Duck buns (2 for $8) - steamed white taco-shaped buns stuffed with shredded hoisin-flavored duck meat and mirin pickle slices. An interesting and delicious twist on traditional Peking duck buns (filled with crispy duck skin and scallion instead). Unfortunately, Japanese cuisine was not Red Lantern's strong point. Imagine an episode of Chopped. Mystery ingredients include elephant plum, burdock, and lipstick chile (wtf is right). The contestant is Red Lantern's sushi chef. His creations are dragon, smoking lantern, geisha night, and tuna tempura specialty rolls. *Taste: distasteful (flavors did not blend well together at all) *Creativity: OK effort (I liked the fried exterior of tuna tempura roll) *Presentation: lacking (pink soy wrap was unique but very loose... and what's up with the high rice-to-fish ratio?) *Final decision: chopped Service also needed improvement, i.e. timing was off, an order was made wrong (this was comped), the busser was awkward, and our waitress was MIA at times. All understandable since it was the third weekend of opening *except* for my friend's glass of dirty water (there was a small onion slice floating in it). Shouldn't cleanliness come easy to new restaurants? For now, I can only suggest to visit the lounge for cocktails just to experience the trendy atmosphere.
(3)
Christina Z.
My new favorite people-watching location in Boston. I doubt anywhere else could you find Cougars with super-toned arms, sugar daddies (Jerron W. is absolutely right), buxom waitresses (corsets and all), model bartenders, old men in polos, and sleazy Latin American pimps, two of whom sat on the back of our chairs in the cocktail lounge. This used to be a Bertucci's, and you can still see the exposed brick! High high ceilings, exposed pipes (must be a B to heat in the winter), P.F. Changs-esque decor. The red lanterns and parasols hanging from the ceiling add a nice touch. Sometimes I'm a sucker for faux. It felt a twinge New-Yorkey, but the crowd was definitely catch-all Boston. We walk in around 7:30, and it's empty, but we are told that all the tables have been booked for reservations. OK, full menu at the bar, check. How strange is that? ALL the tables booked? The place is gigantic, the size of a factory. We find some cozy chairs with a table at the lounge. A cocktail waitress with boobs pushed up to her neck plops down water (after we had to ask- mind you, this is the HOTTEST day of the year, a record 109 degrees, of course I want to stay hydrated), and we try to order a scorpion bowl. She replies "I'm not your waitress." BAD. This is BAD. You do not say this to customers. You smile and pass the order on to their waitress. Ugh. Tacky, didn't the orientation teach manners? I mean, I know your brains are being deprived of oxygen because of your Dominatrix-like costume, but please. Be nice! So they have two scorpion bowls. Yin and Yang. One has 151, and the other is delicious. At $44, we were not taking chances with 151. Problem being, it's mostly ICE. And my major gripe, where is the alcohol?! I couldn't taste an ounce. It was delicious, but so is sugar water! And also, from where we were sitting (low), the straws didn't reach. They brought out our food in a record 3 minutes. Suspicious. Edamame was solid (with some yummy sauce), mashed potato sticks were delicious, but how could they not be, philly roll was yummy except with maybe a touch too much cream cheese, yellowtail and scallion was also solid, and then... The Geisha Nights was the most delicious piece of sushi I have ever put in my mouth. 5 pieces, hamachi, plum, chili, and some pink soy, whatever the hell that is. Spicy, sweet, a full-bodied sushi flavor. Yum. It was a bold move, and I'm glad I made it. They are big pieces, wasabified and gingerfied, they bowled me over. I wish I took a pic because the presentation was gorgeous! After dinner drinks: orange blossom thing actually contained liquor, the bamboo juice was good but you could have made it in college, then my ew tranquility tea. Green tea vodka, peach, milk.... I love boba, and these tapioca balls were CRUNCHY. What is that?! I could barely choke them down. Bad form, Red Lantern. Our waitress kept making faux pas that would make me cringe. Shoving over our scorpion bowl to plunk down our soy sauce {which was just Kikkoman}, taking our drinks before they were DONE. NO! And in general giving us blank stares when we ordered something. Okay, we are near the bar, but please, again, be nice, not overly fake-nice and rude sometimes. I'll be back, but I'll sit next to the sushi artists.
Don't waste your time going to this restaurant. A dinner for two people took almost 3 hours and we were one of the first tables in the restaurant. My first cocktail was undrinkable and I had to send it back. The other cocktails were fine but totally unbalanced. The food was all over the map and dishes came without main ingredients (e.g. Veggie fried rice with little to no veggies). The portions were enormous but overpriced for the same food you can get in any neighborhood Chinese takeout. The server could have made up for the kitchen's inconsistencies but instead had a bad attitude. Finally our dessert was dry and tasteless. When we asked for it to be wrapped up they gave it to us without its integral sauce which made the dish. Overall, I had a terrible experience and I would never go back or recommend this to anyone who likes real Asian food.1.5 stars.
(1)
Brittany M.
I don't usually write a review unless a place is either bad or ridiculously good. This place is amazing. Some of the best sushi I have ever had in Boston. We got the lobster ragoons which were creamy and delicious. We also got the torched Toro roll, black widow, and ronin roll. My favorite was the torched toro it practically melted in my mouth. The servicewas excellent. They were prompt and polite and we're not disruptive. Definitely will come back here and try the duck!
(5)
Mindy L.
I loved this place. I loved the food so much, I'm even willing to overlook the fact that the front of the house seemed very confused by the fact that our party of 11 wanted to be seated at one table forever and it took them an hour to figure out a solution. Also of note, it was 5:45 and the place was virtiually empty. That said...the food and waitstaff was so good, I'm ok with it. Drinks: Fortune Cookie - A+. Brilliant coconut and chocolate flavors with a real fortune cookie topper. Singapore Sling - A+. It tastes like juice. It's dangerous. Angelique Pinot Noir - $9.00 a glass - liquid velvet. Food: Lobster Rangoon - silky, sweet and absolutely delicious. Tempure Fried Green Beans were awesome. The trio of dipping sauces were delicious. For my main course, I got the Beef, Asparagus and Broccoli. It was aboslutely, 100% perfection. I am so used to the overcooked slabs of beef you get in chinese takeout. These were soft, not at all chewy, packed with flavor. The broccoli soaked up all the yummy sauce and provided very flavorful bites - so flavorful that the people surrounding me at the table helped eat every single piece of it off the plate! Definitely will be back - great for small groups and large parties!
(5)
Josephine L.
Atmosphere: Industrial meets Asian. Think exposed wood beams, cement and pipes interspersed with Buddhist statues and giant red paper lanterns. Food: I somehow managed to not pay for any of the food I had here (thank you friends). The sushi was not so great--rice was too hard and dry and the fillings didn't feel fresh. The dumplings were okay and I liked that they used the less-traditional green vegetable skins. The chicken fried rice was abundant but extremely bland. It needed serious seasoning. Clientele: A mixture of families (yes families--with kids and everything), suits, young, hot suits who give you "the eye", girlfriends out for a night and most are dressed pretty nicely Service: Surprisingly attentive even when things are busy, friendly for the most part though there were some moments when brusqueness came into play.
(4)
Shantel S.
We went at 6:15 on a Wednesday for dinner and it was pretty dead. The bar/lounge area looked really fun, but the music was so loud there's no way you'd be able to hear each other. The music spilled into the restaurant making it feel like a club, which was really annoying. It's easy to spend a lot.
The company I work for recently had their Holiday Party here. I was really taken back by the space. Absoluetely beautoful. The staff were extra attentive and I was overall impressed. They had passed appetizers to which I thought were good. I will certainly be back to try for lunch or dinner!
(3)
Sarah A.
Stopped in here for drinks last week after work to celebrate a friend's birthday. The atmosphere is great. I love the red lanterns hanging from the ceiling, the Buddha statues all over the place and the lamps of naked women holding lampshades. I just had a beer at the bar, so I can't comment on the cocktails and food offerings, but everyone in our group seemed please with their beer, wine and cocktails. The bartender was friendly and efficient. There is your typical seating at the bar as well as some nice comfy, leather lounges and couches and a few tables between the bar and the dining area. I was really looking forward to seeing all the cougars and sugar daddies mentioned in the previous reviews, but maybe we were there too early for them. I peaced out around 7:45. I'll definitely be back to check this place out again for drinks. The food menu kind of freaked me out... $16 for some Chinese noodles? But, you have to love the atmosphere. Also, note bene, men with an appreciation for very thin women...all the cocktail waitresses are sizes 0s wearing super tight black corsets that do wonders to amplify their, ahem, assets. According to my friend, this place is populated predominately with men later in the evening. I can see why.
(4)
Bonita Y.
My dining experience at Red Lantern can be summed up in this simple analogy: He's a very handsome man (maybe even to the level of Christian Grey), but with no substance....so be prepared for utter disappointment! Considering that it used to be a Bertucci's, the decor is amazing (and yes, it has a very Tao/Vegas feel). Grab a table with you BFFs (just make sure to RSVP ahead of time as it gets wicked packed) or hang out at the bar/lounge. Service: Exceptional! We asked the hostess to change our table of six to a lounge/sofa. Also, our waiter allowed us to take our time to order (we ended up staying two and a half hours) and gave us good suggestions. Drinks: Go ahead, order the ying or yan scorpion bowl. No one will judge since you're in an upscale location and not at Hong Kong lounge/nightclub during your college days. The cocktail and martini list just looks fun...I ordered the rose petal saketini, but somehow it was more bitter than I expected. Food: Asian fusion. Gawd, this restaurant should be shut down because it is serving mediocre entrees. For a steak tip lo mien, its $24 and cooked in a sweet sauce. My ancestors in China/Hong Kong are turning over their grave because its just bad and uninspiring. Their highlights are the apps and sushi. The duck buns need to have the crispy duck skin...not pulled duck meat, which makes the bun soggy. Red Lantern's saving grace was its service, drinks, and app/sushi. The main entrees need a lot of rework, hence the three stars (that is me being generous because it is a crime that their entrees are just so mediocre!)
(3)
Mac D.
First time long time here. I've been to Red Lantern twice, once in the restaurant and once at the bar. Restaurant experience: Ying/Yang Drink bowl - really sweet, but lots of liquor. Good to share. Noodle dishes are great, Tyler the manager gave us an appetiver sampler of Rock Shrimp, Rangoons (both great) and spring rolls. The main courses were delicious too, especially sushi. Second trip, sat a the bar. Waitresses aren't that great. Sushi was good, but was given something I didn't want and she wouldn't take the drink off the bill even though I didnt drink it and she took it away. Would go back for the food, but bartenders should leave their egos at the door.
(3)
Travis D.
Were it just for the ambiance when we first arrived, I would have had no problem giving Red Lantern 4-5 stars. The illusion wore off quickly after that though. The food here is average AT BEST, and incredibly over-priced for what it is. The drinks were only "ok" too. My favorite dish of the night was the lettuce wraps, and sadly I was the only one at my table to enjoy them. I read the reviews on Yelp beforehand, but we decided to give Red Lantern a try based on a review on Chronical - I know why, now, they're broadcasting experts and not restaurateurs. While we didn't have an issue with our own footwear, their prohibition of "flip flops" or "sandals" is a bit ridiculous given the food and otherwise casual attire with girls in ripped jeans/cutoffs, guys looking like they just came off the beach, etc. This place holds itself in much higher regard than it's food or service dictate. Speaking of the service, our server was nice enough, but clueless about table service. We probably would have had another round of drinks, if not two (to make the dinner go down more easily!), and dessert had she been more attentive. Instead, we couldn't wait to get out of there to get to another one of our old favorites, The Market at the W Hotel. Trust me folks - this place isn't worth your time or effort.
(1)
Manny M.
I've been eager to visit this new restaurant since it opened last year. Other reviews have indicated that it's got great atmosphere, food and service. All of which were so on-point! The staff really made us feel welcome and were attentive throughout our night there. Our server made some great suggestions and even other staff who stopped in to check were helpful without being pushy.The food had such flavor and I also enjoyed some of the complimentary samples sent to our table which made me want to order them the next time I'm there. This is going to be one of my new favorite haunts!
(5)
Stephanie M.
I just moved to NYC from Boston and have been a little spoiled by the thousands of unique, trendy, chic, high end feeling lounges and restaurants that Boston is only beginning to dabble in. So when I came back to visit some friends, they suggested we go to Red Lantern to see if it was up to my new standards. I was amazed at the beautiful decor, the high ceilings, the laid back music at just the right volume, the pretty people, the fabulous food (The skirt steak was AMAZING!) and the overall feel that I got when I was hanging out in this place. I will definitely make this my new spot to meet at when I come home to see the girls!
(5)
Sean L.
Went for Boston Restaurant Week and had the selections from the restaurant week menu (golden chicken, singaporean noodles, and beef noodles). The ambiance is fantastic and beautiful, but the entrees aren't that great (comparable to a glorified arrangement of panda express food). Most are fairly Americanized. The appetizers are fantastic -- had the pupu platter, which gives a great selection of different appetizers. Overall things are a bit pricey (~$30+ / plate), but the entrees are of similar caliber and taste to Panda Express. However, the portions are huge.
(2)
Saba N.
Had a good ol' fashioned girls night at Red Lantern this past weekend... and there's a lot of things I liked and one thing I didn't like about the place. Likes: Atmosphere: it's really gorgeous, trendy, and new york esque (think Tao). I love the big open space, and it's perfect for a fun night out w/ friends or a sexy date. A+ Service: our waitress was fantastic and super sweet. We were a large party of indecisive girls - and she was so patient. She also got us a complimentary scorpion bowl (which are AMAZING and a great value)... just because she liked us so much (and the bacardi rep was at the restaurant). I mean, we were running an $500+ tab so I'm sure she would have liked us no matter what.. but still, pretty nice gesture. Drinks: fantastic. A little pricey, but given the area and atmosphere.. not surprising. We were all raving about our cocktails - so I don't think you can go wrong. As mentioned above, the scorpion bowl is HUGE and fun for large groups. There was 7 of us and we had a tough time drinking it all. At $44, it's a good deal. It's very sweet though, so I would only order if you were in a large party. Dislikes: Food: it was just so... mediocre. We had the plum salsa with guac (special) - and it was pretty lackluster. The guac was so spicy that I found it to be inedible. I love spicy food... but it was gross and kind of destroyed my palate.The lettuce wraps were very pf changs esque... nothing to write home about, either. It was also SO hot that it was clear it was just microwaved or something. And while the lobster portion was HUGE and flavorful.. every piece of lobster we ate was filled with shells. Not very appetizing. All in all - I'd definitely come back for a second chance - but it will just be for sushi and cocktails.
(3)
Julie N.
Would definitely go back. Lobster rangoons, boneless spareribs, torched tuna maki and special Big Papi maki were fantastic. Drinks were great, as was service. Music was bass thumping ridiculously loud. Banana peanut butter dessert was dry, dense like a brick and maybe one of the worst desserts I've had. The peanut butter ice cream alone would have been a much better option, as it was great.
(4)
Lindsay B.
I went here for dinner on Saturday and it was really good! They have a Gluten Free menu and carry GF soy sauce :) The food was really good, but they don't tell you what they are modifying to make your meal gluten free. I was disappointed when my sushi roll came out and had a roasted red tomato on top instead of the spicy sauce. The ambiance was great and I highly recommend going there with a large group.
(4)
Steve S.
Red Lantern is a newish Pan Asian restaurant..Pan Asian means part Chinese, part Japanese and part Thai plus other Asian cuisines The place is drop dead georgous with a huge and extensive buldout of a giant bar, hibachi and sushi center in the back along with a restaurant for a couple of hundred or so. Its like a toned down Tao The food, however, needs some help. Had the grilled chicken dish, but there was nothing pan-Asian about the white sauce over rather overcooked vegetables and a huge bed of white rice...There was nothing really great about my friends food either Red Lantern: You may want to be seen here, but be full before you arrive
(3)
Jennifer L.
Food is delicious... Ambiance is great and the service sucks. Hire more or new waitstaff
(2)
John L.
Wonderful Asian-themed decor filled with Buddhas and lanterns. Extremely creative rolls, but for a price. Check out my full review with helpful photos here: asushiatedpress.com/red-… Red Lantern is a new trendy Asian-themed venue hidden on Stanhope St in Back Bay. The restaurant is quite large and definitely utilizes the entire space by filling it with numerous lanterns, stone Buddha statues, and endless amounts of red throughout the venue. Deluxe Sushi Plate - Spicy Tuna Roll, Red Head Roll, 8 Piece Nigiri, Two Shrimp Tempura Hand Rolls Great deal for the price. Nice variety of rolls. Red Head Roll was slightly messy to eat. The Shrimp Tempura Rolls just seemed a little bland and maybe not as interesting as all the other rolls. Dragons Roll (salmon) - Salmon wrapped around Burdock & Crabstick Fresh root taste from the Burdock with the fresh Salmon made for a tasty roll. Geisha Nights Roll - Hamachi, Elephant Plum, Lipstick Chile, Pink Soy Wrap One of the more unique rolls I've ever had... Check out my full review on this roll here: asushiatedpress.com/geis…
(4)
Kristen D.
This review is for the bar only. Went in w a gf around 9 last night and was lucky enough to snag 2 seats at the bar. They have a very interesting cocktail list, and it was hard to decide which I wanted to try first. I had the drunken samurai (pear martini, my favorite one), the Dragon fire (perfect amount of spice) and the Blueberry lemon drop martini (my least favorite). My friend had the bamboo juice and the red locust. The bamboo juice tasted strong, the red locust was Ok, but a little too much pineapple for my liking. The drinks are pricey ($13-$14) and not very strong. Normally, I am rocked after 2 martini's. I had 3 and was only slightly buzzed. When I'm spending $40 on 3 drinks, I expect to be stumbling out of the place! My friend ordered the lobster rangoons (4 in an order), I didn't try them, but she said they were good, although she could not taste any lobster in them. Overall, it was a cool ambiance and I would go there to grab a drink, not sure if I'd try the food based on other reviews and the price. Kind of seemed like they were an upscale version of PF Changs.
(3)
Sandy D.
LOVE RL!! It's my fave resto to bring my out-of-town guests. We always have a great time, no matter how large our party is. The fried rice is addicting and even though my fave roll is no longer on the menu, they'll still make it when I ask. The service is great. They really make sure you have a good time.
(5)
Julie G.
So I came here twice...once for drinks at the bar on a Saturday night and the other time for dinner and drinks on a weeknight. The time I came for drinks only, the bar was super crowded and I almost felt as if I were on an episode of Millionaire Matchmaker. The bar was filled with wealthy older men and young hot women with Ferraris and Lambos being valet parked outside. The drinks were on the strong side and were decent. Ever since that first night there, I was dying to try the food. One Thursday night after a Pilates class, a friend and I decided to stop by and instantly I noticed that it was a lot less crowded. We found a table near the bar and ordered duck buns, the crispy bliss roll and lobster and bacon fried rice. Everything was simple delectable, especially the duck buns. I also had a red lotus martini which was delicious! I'm dying to come back here again!! The food definitely deserves 5 stars but the scene at the bar made me take one star away.
(4)
Santiago A.
Just went for the first time last night. At first it look like one of these pretentious all "cool" places that are all about the looks and the overly priced food. But once on the table we realized that it was comfortable and the music was at a nice enough level for us to comfortably talk. The decor is cool and you can see the kitchen which is always fun. Also every one was very nice. The cocktails are good and original though a little sweet, but that just means to try another cocktail next time. We had the Duck Roll and was amazing. The sushi was also very original and tasty, we had the Ronin Roll that would just melt with the right amount of spice on it. Then we had the Chow Fun noodle bowl and again it was great. We shared those 3 things among 2 people and where very satisfied so the price was very manageable.
(4)
Heath M.
My attitude toward the Red Lantern largely depends on what I'm doing there. Is it a dinner thing or a drink and nibbly thing? As a drink and nibbly place it's probably one of the coolest places to hang out in the neighborhood. If you put aside the fact the place is visually stunning. It stops short of the middle-American tackyness of PF Changs (thank Buddha). It's also quite comfortable; the front area is filled with cozy inviting couches and coffee tables for your post-work sip & b*tch session (don't judge, it's cathartic). It's sort of like hanging out in the living room of an eccentric Hong Kong importer or something. The cocktails are quite well-mixed, adeptly handling the basics along with some more exotic offerings (I would skip the Scorpion Bowls, you can get better ones at Hong Kong...the dive on the Waterfront, not the actual city). The appetizers are delovely with upscaled versions of a lot of your take-out favorites from beef and chicken skewers to pork dumplings. For this, it's five stars, hands down. As a place for dinner I have a slightly different attitude. The entree selection is a bit small, though there's an impressive sushi selection if you're into that sort of thing (which I'm not). When it comes down to it, it lacks enough variety. I think I'd rather hit up Chinatown and get better, more authentic food at a lower price (with more options). For whatever reason, the bistro treatment doesn't work when you have the real deal so nearby, and this place does get pricey and all you're really paying for is an experience. It begs the question, how worthwhile is presentation when you can get better food with a bit less of a strain on your wallet? For that, I give it three stars. Bottom line, whether I'd recommend this place depends on what you intend to do here. You should at least come for some cocktails and great service, but if you were with me, I might try to convince you to take a walk to get the main course.
(4)
Joe P.
I booked a reservation with Open Table for 9:30pm. We showed up on time but was told I'd have to wait 15 minutes as some tables just opened up. We sat outside of the hostess station waiting to be called but it never happened. I waited 35 minutes then went back in to see what happened and was never given an adequate reason. WOULD NEVER GO HERE AGAIN AND WILL NEVER REFER ANYONE HERE.
(1)
Becky F.
Hot damn this place is big and sort of swanky. Amazingly enough I had some serious trouble locating it, but that might have been due to my own directional incapability and the heat wave that was passing through Boston and left me in a daze. (Disclaimer: It really isn't that hard to find as they have big red letters spelling out their name. And a big red lantern. Yeah...it's just me.) I decided to go for the duck buns (YUM) and the tuna tartare appetizer. The tuna tartare came in a large round bowl (similar to what their noodle dishes are served in). It was good but, at best, difficult for me to work in, and would have been inconvenient or near impossible to easily eat from if ordered as an appetizer for the table. The duck buns though...delightful. Friends ordered a noodle dish (massive -- three meals at least) and some sushi (got thumbs up). Side note: the bathrooms are located downstairs and back through some hallways. I felt like I could have gotten lost it was such a hike. Thank God there were a million tea lights to guide my way. (How is that not a fire hazard?)
(4)
Rachel S.
My rating is really 3.5 stars. I liked this place as a one-time, celebratory visit with friends. I would not likely return often or ever become a "regular" here. We walked in to the Red Lantern with Dance Club house music playing. Dim lighting, a vast space with contemporary Asian decoration. It is definitely fun and a little pretentious-- the novelty is great. Four of us shared a scorpion bowl- $44. It seems like a lot of money but this bowl pretty much sustained us for the entire meal. At the end of the meal, I looked at the drink list, every drink was about $12, so this price actually makes sense when considered with other items. I asked the waiter what the strongest drink was-- he said "bamboo juice." He was right-- whoa. The meal was good but not amazing. We had a variety of appetizers and some fried rice and a spicy tuna roll and California roll. I didn't really look at the food menu and let everyone else order. The spicy tuna roll was good, but then again, after a scorpion bowl, everything tastes good. :)
(4)
Michelle B.
I don't think I'm cool enough for Red Lantern, but I want to be. (That's not true. I'm pretty fantastic already.) But seriously, this place is SUPER swanky. Big, oversized booths, dramatic decorations, and a big airy space make for a very impressive looking restaurant/lounge. The food that I tried was pretty good, as were the drinks. My one quibble with this place is that the pricing seems... off. I feel like I'm partially paying for all of their fancy decorations and not just the food on my plate. I was pretty taken aback by a bowl of Singapore Street Noodles running $25. They were good, but they ARE still just noodles. Similarly, the drinks were good, but felt a bit on the higher end of the pricing spectrum. Service was efficient, if not overly friendly. However, I did arrive there after already having imbibed a few drinks elsewhere, soooo that may not have been the staff's issue.
(3)
Amanda M.
Would have been 5 stars but the drink prices were astronomical! Place is gorgeous, super hip, lots of pretty people at the bar, strong drinks, great sushi. Perfect date night or get together spot for late 20s early 30s crowd or older- not too many youngins which I loved! Loved the mood lighting and lounge music, and had great attentive wait service. Thanks for a fun night out!
(4)
TinoX T.
Nice Place,Loved the Music.
(4)
Erica E.
Red Lantern is a GREAT place to come with a group of friends. The atmosphere is 5 stars and the food is almost always perfection. Once in a while I will find the food lacking a tiny bit, but when I say something to the waiter they always find a way to bring me something different or new. Things you have to try: 1) Chicken Lettuce wraps- Great flavor. Sometimes a little dry, but if you get them on a good night, you're going to love them! 2)Duck Buns- OMG, best thing on the menu hands down. I don't eat duck, like ever, but these are absolutely to die for. My friend got them once and made me try a bite. I ended up ordering another order! I get them everytime I go. 3) Tik Tok Chicken- A cripsy general tso type dish. SO delicious. The sushi is also incredible. I've had every roll on the menu and loved them all except for the roll with a scalop. It tastes burnt.
(4)
Liz B.
I bought a voucher on travelzoo giving us $116 of food for $58 so that was an amazing deal. I thought the food was really great. We had some sushi which was terrific, spring roll and lemongrass dumplings as appetizers, and shared a bulgoki for dinner. Everything was excellent - the bulgoki was really spicy - this was not mentioned in the menu. We also had the coconut pineapple bread pudding for dessert and it was wonderful! I had the coconut mai tai cocktail and I would not recommend it. My husband had the blueberry sangria which he liked. The decor is really great and although I didn't go to the bar it seemed like it would be fun. Our waitress was very good. Valet parking was $19. Expensive but typical for this area.
(4)
Andrew L.
Been here quite a few times, consistently good food but had a very unpleasant experience last time. I walked in on a Friday at 6pm and the dining room was completely empty except for maybe 3 tables. I was told I could eat in the lounge but they were fully committed and couldn't give me a table.... So I'm supposed to assume all 40 parties and going to be on time for their reservation? I'm sorry but I work in customer service and that's not how you run a business well. Absolutely no personal touch, no effort, and I don't plan on returning. Every restaurant manager in Boston should compare their staff to the staff at Eastern Standard, and ask themselves how they can strive to replicate the experience.
(3)
Nikhil D.
I really enjoyed Red Lantern! My boyfriend and I got a Gilt City deal for the place and had an amazing experience. First off, the space is amazing. Really well designed, soaring ceilings, tons of seating, great bar, views of the kitchen. I really can't complain much about the way it looked. Secondly, the food is GREAT. From looking at some of the less enthusiastic reviews, I guess there are a few dishes on the menu that are just so-so/inedible but I can't say I had any of those. The standout for us? The Tuna Tartare. It was fantastic. One of the best I've had. The sauce it comes with really elevates the dish to a whole new level! Finally, the service was fine. I found our waiter just attentive enough. I don't like being asked how my meal is going 14 times or getting my water filled when I've had 3 sips. I was satisfied with it. I'd suggest going, even if its just for the tuna tartare.
(4)
Cj L.
Food was amazing highly recommend this place! Ordered sushi it was super fresh, and there drunken noodles were unbelievable!
(5)
Tracy T.
For being one of those new, trendy, sushi YEAH! places, it was actually pretty good. Pretty DAMN good. Again, I had a groupon (crafty lil' buggers, eh?). Ended up spending more cause, well, you save so much with the groupon, so why not order a bottle of $50 sake! or two. Anyways. The food was stellar, the service was just as good. Our waiter had an extremely extensive knowledge of sake which I proceeded to apologetically tune out and think about dragons. We ordered our usual 5 rolls and they were so decadent and pleasing to the mouth buds I had to stop. And drink more sake, then eat more. The rolls were so carefully made and the mixture of different fish and sauces were so expertly crafted, you wouldn't really expect it at such a trendy place such as this. I would definitely recommend coming here for a group sushi night, if that exists outside of LA.
(4)
Melody V.
Terrible manager and horrific service. Don't come here. I had a safety related incident at this location and no one ever resolved the issue. Also the wait was over two hours...
(1)
Ben W.
I have now been to Red Lantern 3 times, and to sum it up the atmosphere is better than the food. If you really want some good asian fusion type food go somewhere else, but if you want a swanky cool ambiance and impressive date spot then head to red lantern. Sure the food was good enough, the appetizers seem to be more favorable than the entrees personally, but I wasnt that blown away by the food. Cocktails, appetizers, and a cool interior decor are the reasons to come here
(3)
Jenn C.
Meh pretty much covers it for me. Went with a fun group of ladies, not much on the menu that isn't fishy or nutty so not many options for me. The decor is fun but noise levels that will burst your ear drums.
(2)
M C.
Came here with my friends for what was suppose to be a fun reunion I'll admit the atmosphere was really nice and trendy. And the bubble tea was delicious. The appetizer I ended up getting was good as well (lobster rangoon) the part that really ruined my visit was the inconsidered manager and their chef's lack of ability to cook a medium steak I ordered the mongolian streak to be done in medium. The first time it came out, it was cooked well done. I returned it and the 2nd steak was on the medium well side (if not well done). At this point, everyone at my table was half way through their dinners and I was losing my appetite because I was eating off of my friend's plates. The manager comes out and says that the steak was done right the 2nd time around and that I probably couldn't see the steak well because of the dimly lit atmosphere. First off, I went to Flemings the night before and their atmosphere was as dim or even more dim than Red Lantern - And they cooked their steak just fine. Anyways, after the rude manager...I ordered a small appetizer (duck buns) bc I was pretty annoyed at that point. The restaurant did not comp me for my appetizer or anything. The server was really nice and apologetic throughout the entire meal, but the managerial staff could def use some PR courses. Very disappointed in their service. Was satisfied with all their other dishes except the Mongolian Steak.
(1)
Cat S.
Red Lantern ...the elusive Saturday night reservation. Why are you always booked until 11pm? Why do I even want to go back, knowing that I didn't love the food the first time? The real draw for me here is the ambiance - I'm a big fan of Shrine (same owners) to begin with and Red Lantern has good music, chic Asian-inspired decor, and a really sophisticated, trendy atmosphere. We need more places in Boston like this! The food - It wasn't bad...but it wasn't great either. And for the price, and the atmosphere, it could and should be a lot better. Step it up, Red Lantern! My friends got the more Chinese-inspired dishes and I stuck to sushi. It just wasn't memorable. The drinks were good, the service was friendly and prompt, and it looked like there was a really fun bar scene. I'll definitely be back - but probably just for drinks.
(3)
Big S.
Good place overall. For an asian fusion restaurant they do have some clubby music. But the food and service was great. Our waiter was awesome, made some nice recommendations and was really nice. the portions are pretty big, even for big eaters which is always a plus at an expensive restaurant. We have the rice tuna roll which was awesome, the GF drunken noodles which were very very good and the lobster/bacon fried rice. Will be going back, especially with the living social deals. If they got rid of the music, its an easy 5 stars.
(4)
Mindy R.
Came here with a friend of mine for dinner. After recommendations we made reservations which seemed kind of pointless because there was a wait anyway. The place looked pretty empty, yet we still had to wait about 25 minutes for a reservations. While waiting we were able to have over priced sugary cocktails at the bar. Once we were sat we thought things would get better, but the server was very hit or miss every time she visited the table. Sometimes she'd be right in and helpful, the next time she was aloof and forgetful. As said before, I have some major allergies (fruits and shellfish) and she had no idea what I was able to eat or not on the menu. I ended up with beef and chicken skewers and lo mien. We had one drink at the bar, one at the table and the reason for this wasn't how strong/not strong they were but rather the fact that it just took sooooo long to get them. The food was decent. It tasted less greasy than usual lo mien, and the portions were definitely large. Too bad my friend and I couldn't share because we didn't know the ingredients in her food. Probably wouldn't go back here, but worth going once just to check out yourself.
(2)
Erin W.
At least an hour wait for a table on Saturday evenings, call ahead/reserve or be prepared to hang out at the bar for awhile.
(3)
Aboud Y.
Have to say..the food is excellent, the drinks are good, and its a fun atmosphere (gorgeous space). I'd definitely go back. I tried truffled toro, tempura-style smelt, duck buns, and a spicy tuna roll which were all great. The lobster rangoons not so much.
(4)
Paul C.
This was a great place with a really cool atmosphere. They actually did a good job of giving a Chinese feel (with regards to the decor) in a trendy atmosphere. Also, music was the right volume - which is key. Table service was slow, but their attention to detail was very good. Everything was good: dirty martini, hot & sour soup, shrimp, and sushi.
(4)
Bonnie L.
Made reservations here for 6PM on a Friday night after buying a LivingSocial deal ($30 for $60). The atmosphere the restaurant was an attempt to be kind of artsy. They use statues of Chinese Gods/Angels as decorations around the wall. I was kind of on the edge with that. It was like displaying Hercules and Zeus as decorations to me. In the middle of the ceiling they did have multiple red lanterns which did look nice. The natural light that came in when it was still bright made the place look very nice. Enough about decorations. Food time! I ordered the famous Duck Buns as everyone mentioned and it was good, but i say way overpriced(2 pieces for $10!). I've tried this before at another place & was taken back how they have jalapeño & pickles in it at Red Lantern. It's not a bad mix but it was very interesting with the spicy Jalapeño, sour pickle, and sweet hoi san sauce on the duck. For Entree, I ordered the Rib Eye Bulgogi & my companion ordered the Surf n Turf. The bulgogi wasn't what i expected it to be at all (since i always order it at Korean restaurants). It was cooked in what seemed like BBQ sauce. It came with a little cup of KimChee and rice. When my food arrived, it was not steamy hot, just warm. It kinda gave me the impression of it being precooked already. My entree came before my companion and we waited for his. After about a few minutes the Surf n Turf still hasn't arrived yet. And about 5 minutes later, the server came and said he thought we were sharing both so he js brought the food as they were ready. So we waited about 5 more minutes & it still hasn't arrived so we asked someone to check on it. It was then the manager came with a plate of fried shu mai saying there was a mis-communication of how the food was served and people do family style so servers served as food are ready. After an additional 2-4 minutes the second entree finally came & it was steaming hot. The surf n turf came with a steak & a lobster tail. I definitely recommend this entree! The steak was so juicy and the lobster was cooked and flavored well! Overall i was satisfied with the duck bun & loved the surf n turf. My entree, not too crazy about( mostly because it wasnt served when it was hot & the meat was a bit burnt). It is pretty pricy here but if you get a deal( like livingSocial!), then I'd say give it a go! I would probably return here to dine in the future if there was some sort of deal.
(3)
Aaron M.
The number one place I take friends when they visit Boston. Its my favorite place. Great food and service.
(5)
Lulu A.
What a scene. The food is pretty good, although if you like sushi walk another block to Douzo. The Scorpion Bowl is rather gross and sugary, however the wine selection is decent and I have not had a bad dirty martini here! The group that goes is the old Towne crew of 2010 (where I used to work) so I spend less time here, but the strip of bars that Stanhope is collecting is actually a fun time... so I'm sure I'll be back...
(3)
Ryan B.
I've been to Red Lantern twice now. The first time was with a group of friends for drinks, and then I returned last night for dinner. When my friends and I went late-night (around 10PM) we were informed there was a required food spending minimum for each person in the party (and we weren't hungry) so we were forced to squeeze in near the bar. I returned last night with a date for dinner. The food was very good - the rock shrimp appetizer was amazing, and the sauce that comes with the edamame was a nice touch. We ordered some sushi and fried rice to share - the fried rice was delicious, not too greasy but had lots of meat and just tasted amazing. The lobster specialty role was also great (it better be given its $25 price tag) and the other two roles were about average. I was unimpressed with the drinks. The waitress recommended a couple, which we tried, and I ventured onto the drink menu myself to try a specialty martini. The drinks were definitely tolerable, but not memorable. Service was slow, overall. We found ourselves waiting for drink refills on occasion. The worst part of the night was when the waitress came to clean up our table, picked up my soy sauce, and spilled it all over my new dress shirt - like ALL OVER me. I remained patient, but was disappointed that the restaurant did nothing to compensate me for that (would have been nice to see something comped, get a free dessert, etc). Bill for two was $170, which included two drinks each and the food already listed. Pros- food, decor Cons - drinks, service, pricey
(3)
Coco K.
If you ever want to be transported out of Boston into a swanky, sexy, stylish place then Red Lantern is your ticket. I don't know what it is, must be the awesome ginormous buddha, glowing-red lighting, and the scantily clad waitresses that takes you out of that usual Boston vibe, but Red Lantern pulled it off, and their drinks and food are quite delicious as well. The first time I came here I just had cocktails. I went with a great grapefruit martini along with a monster scorpion bowl for the table. Both were delis without being overly sweet. Although the next day's hangover was not so fun. From what I've tried of the food I was very impressed. Their pork dumplings are delish as well as their various sushi rolls. However the highlight of my dining experience here was their "dim sum" brunch on Sundays. It's not the normal style of dim sum (you actually order from the menu), but everything we tried was outstanding. The scallion pancakes were my favorite! To wash it all down I had an excellent, perfectly spicy Wasabi Bloody Mary. I highly suggest checking out their not-so-dim-sum dim sum brunch!
(4)
Megan A.
Love. Atmosphere/vibe is very LA/Vegas, which is hard to find in Boston. I had a couple of sushi rolls which were fresh and yummy, Sapporo, and the duck buns. Definitely get the buns- amazing. Highly recommend it!!
(5)
Chili P.
Been a couple of times. Went with a party of 8 hostess was put out when we came in and asked to show us where table was. Brought a birthday cake for one of the people in party. Out bill was 500 but the charger Us 24 dollars to serve our cake to us. The service here is terrible and staff acts as they are doing you a favor. Food is good.
(2)
stephanie c.
Red Lantern...walk in and have your breath taken away by the ambiance. I am all about the ambiance-and with this...they hit it right on the spot. Gorgeous decor, not cheesy, very well done, detailed, with an intimate exotic and sophisticated flair. So un-Boston like...I almost thought I was in California, New York...or even Vegas. Very well done and cheers for moving in the right direction for Boston's nightlife. Very new trendy spot, so on a weeknight...lots of young professionals out for after-work dinner and drinks. Weekend nights...slammed. Completely packed with a great mature and classy crowd. Delicious drinks, tasty menu. Bartenders were very attentive. However, my dining experience with the servers were a tad lacking. Asking for recommendations on the menu or clarifications of specific key ingredients led to lost confused looks and nervous smiles. Hmm, might need to work on that a bit. Food was for the most part very tasty. Being asian however, I'm never eager to spend a significant amount on asian cuisine. It is a pricey money, tasty...but pricey. I hope the crowd and trend continues...we need to move in a more modern sophisticated and different direction for our nightlife. Myself? I'm more likely to stop by or a drink and some appetizers than a full on expensive Asian dinner course.
(4)
Mark F.
I really like the space. Very cool. Food was decent...not amazing, but definitely different in a good way. They had some very unique sushi options and the ingredients were fresh and of high quality. Lettuce wraps were a little messy, but tasted good. Pork dumplings were good, but served a little cold. Tuna Tartare was fantastic. Fiance got the surf and turf...Filet and lobster tail. Steak was good...lobster tail was overcooked and was a little fishy tasting. I ordered various Maki Rolls all of which were decent. So while we did enjoy most everything, we didn't walk away wow'd. That being said I'll probably go again and try some other dishes and update my review. A little on the pricey side for what it was, seating (at least where we were) was a little cramped. Don't go near an open flame while drinking one of their Mai Tai's ;).
(3)
Edward D.
The food was great. Cocktails were as to be expected at such a restaurant...watered down, uninspired, and an "asian" twist of some pretty standard drinks. Manager comped us after our food came out late, which was very nice of him. Overall, the food was great but overpriced and trying to hard to be trendy and not focusing on the quality of the meal itself. Definitely a fun place to take a group if you just want a few apps and are interested in sharing a "fish bowl". Worth a visit.
(3)
Suzanne I.
Had my third dinner this summer here and enjoyed every visit . Last week I brought a group of friends in town from Italy and they loved it too. The food was delicious and I love the decor.
(5)
Chris F.
Red Lantern is a good looking place and has a nice vibe but pretty much utterly fails in every other category. I had a reservation for 12 people made a week in advance for my girlfriend's birthday. Talked to the hostess the day of to confirm the reservation and make sure everything was good to go for her big day. When we arrived they literally tried to seat us at one of the bar lounge areas that could only seat 6 people, at best. WTF. I had just spoken to them not 6 hours prior. Complete amateur bush league type stuff. Needless to say the night was less than spectacular for all parties involved, we had to take turns sitting to eat and everyone standing was pretty much in the way of the food runners. We still had a great night with friends but that was in spite of Red Lantern, not because of it. The Manager was apologetic enough and threw us a couple appetizers but for the most part she acted like she didn't care about our situation. I would never recommend to anyone to have a large group event there, save your money and go someplace better. Drinks were tasty, food is on par with PF Changs.
(2)
Jenna K.
This place is seriously awesome I don't get the reviews. Not only that but every time I go it's literally an hour wait and the place is massive. Yes it can be noisy but honestly what restaurant that big isn't? The atmosphere is really cool with different rooms and themes. The food is fresh and fantastic. The rangoon is my jam. I would eat here everyday if I could I love it that much!
(5)
Craig S.
Last time I was here it sucked prob because I was staying away from their fun cocktails. This was worse then PF Changs. The Chicken dish was dry and boring the wontons were bland and uninspired. I could make better Chinese and I have no idea how to cook it. The scene still was pretty cool and I do love the waitresses bodice outfits. However, when you are sober this place looses a lot of its appeal.
(2)
Susan Z.
Delicious, but some items are definitely over-priced (pu-pu platter, for instance -- rangoons were definitely mostly cream). The portions for individual entrees are pretty big - my boyfriend and I ended up splitting the bbq pork fried rice and it was enough for the two of us (note: we had ordered the pu-pu platter with the rest of our group). Decor and music make it extremely trendy - good for everything from a night out with friends to a date. You can see the kitchen and it just feels like there's a lot of space. Wouldn't be surprised if it was secretly converted into a nightclub after the kitchen closes...
(4)
Bill K.
I'm familiar with BNEG's other venues and gave this a try while meeting up with a friend who was in town from Colorado. As usual, the decor is great (same with their other venues) and the prices are relatively high. Service was standard and the food wasn't out of this world but relatively good. Definitely a great after work spot or to take a date.
(4)
Wendy S.
The restaurant itself is stunningly gorgeous. The food that I had was so good - the duck roll and the shrimp fried rice. Both were spectacular and the rice was such a large portion that I had a full meal the following day. They have a great drink and wine menu and the service was on point. It is very conveniently located across the street from the Back Bay T Station, which was perfect for me since I live in Rhode Island but commute to Boston for work.
(4)
H. Q.
I really wanted to like this place because I was captivated by how beautiful the decor was... with all the lanterns and Buddha statues, it made this Asian girl feel right at home. lol We went there a few days ago, for two of my best friends' birthday; we had about 16 - 18 people with us... possibly the largest table in the restaurant. I got there with one of the birthday friends and our boyfriends a little later than the rest of our friends, so they had ordered drinks and some appetizers before we got there. When we sat down, a couple of orders of the duck buns came right away. We're not sure who ordered them, but I would say that was the only thing we liked eating. Very sad about that.... =( The duck buns had very tender meat and the bun itself was very soft. However, I would say, they are a little overpriced. AT LEAST no one ordered the Char Sui Pork ribs for $12. I guess since I'm Asian, I know how little it cost to make that, and the quality of meat of Char Sui is what we Asians eat when we're broke! I mean, we ordered few sushi rolls too. Not sure what rolls my friend ordered, but I order the lobster roll, the squid roll and the Seattle roll. I was hoping at least the sushi would have been decent/good, but it was pretty disappointing. The rice was lacking in vinegar flavor, and it was super hard! At least the rolls did not fall apart when we picked them up, but damn, nothing sucks more about sushi if the rice is hard. It was definitely undercooked rice. I mean, the lobster in the lobster roll wasn't bad, and it was real lobster (the tail was there). The squid roll was bland, and the seattle roll was not memorable. The drinks were pretty good at the place. We had 3 scorpion bowls, martinis, shots of sake, and beers. I enjoyed the Yang scorpion bowl very much, and also the 88 martini and the blueberry yuzu drop. The service was good, our waitress did not seem overwhelmed by our large group. We spent a little over $1,000 there, and no one raved about the food. I would say go there for the atmosphere = GREAT! Service = Attentive! Food = Ehhhh.... Overall, I would say I'll go back for drinks and the duck buns. I don't think I will ever pay more than 10 bucks for a plate of fried rice or noodles since it cost less than $5 to make.
(2)
Max L.
Had been looking forward to coming here after a co-worker had given it the thumbs up, now I know why. The place looks Great! You will love the vibe and way it is decorated, and Danielle our server was Fantastic. Started with the Fried beans (green beans, with three dipping options), and Pork Gyoza's, they were great, DEFINITELY try the beans, you will be hooked (thank you Ms. Italia :). Mother in Law got the surf and turf, My Lady got the Broken Lobster, and myself the Mongolian Steak. The Ladies loved their dishes, Mom had to help with the broken lobster because the wife was overwhelmed, they enjoyed them very much, and finished them off. My steak was good, but also the reason why the Red Lantern only gets 4 stars from me. We live in a society where some of us come up shorter than others, in this case, I have an allergy to shellfish, I had to swap the sweet potato fries for jasmine rice because they are made in the same utensil that they cook some of the seafood... Really!! I am not that much of a pain, so swapping for the rice was no big deal, but darn it... Hate to see if I had a gluten allergy... Moving on, the Yang scorpion bowl was very nice. Later the Ladies had a Cosmo, and Red Lotus, and were pleased. Finished off with the Creme Brulee, and I had the Bananas' (sorry, I forgot the name), and were very happy. So head on down to the Red Lantern and enjoy, you won't be disappointed (well, maybe slightly). But we will definitely be heading back.
(4)
Stephanie D.
Oh my god. My friend went here for drinks, my boyfriend said he heard about it. We went for dinner. We showed up without a reservation and were told that they didn't have ANYTHING available until 9 pm. It was 8:40. We were somewhat confused by why a 20 minute wait was such an issue. They invited us to sit in the lounge for drinks while we waited for our table. The drinks were decent, nothing spectacular. The cocktail waitress seemed to really want us to order dinner at the tiny little cocktail table. Someone came over to us and said "So you're having dinner here, right?" Both of us were immediately defensive after telling 3 people we were only having drinks while we waited for a table. After we said no, she lead us to the table. The worst had yet to come once we sat down for dinner. My boyfriend and I decided we'd try a sushi roll as an appetizer. We ordered the geisha nights sushi. We've had sushi at a bunch of Japanese restaurants from picking it up at Whole Foods. This was worse than something you would pick up in a food store. The rice was so thick! There was barely any fish. The pink wrap tasted so bitter, like near inedible. There seemed to be a strange type of fruit or something in there too. Totally disgusting. Immediately my boyfriend and I knew we were going to have a disappointing dinner. The sake was decent. I ordered Singapore Street Noodles and my boyfriend had beef with broccoli and asparagus. Both of our meals were so damn salty, both of us were chugging water. I don't know if it was a strategy to encourage people to drink more, but it made me so sick! The shrimp in my meal was 100% frozen. The most interesting point made by my boyfriend was that his entree was beef with broccolini... much cheaper than asparagus. So trashy of you, Red Lantern! Overall, I would NEVER give that place another dime. The waiter was nice, but he still wasn't great. Nothing to convince me that this could be a cocktail-only location. The girls at the front were rude. The food sucked. The drinks were mediocre. I think people that love this place are fooled by the decor, the novelty of being in a trendy Japanese restaurant, and it's newness. If you're the type of person that doesn't care about throwing down a good amount of cash for an overpriced, MSG loaded meal and because it's a new spot in Boston, this is your place. I don't think it will last, unless people who don't appreciate good Japanese food continue returning because they're getting loaded off their drinks. Whatever Red Lantern. Over you.
(1)
Tara T.
Came here for RW, and when I walked in - not a single Asian person in sight, only white people in business jackets. Not a great sign for an Asian restaurant. Food was mediocre. Singapore street noodles were tasty, but I could have gotten the exact same thing in Chinatown for $10 cheaper. The tik tok chicken was essentially the Americanized sweet and sour chicken dish - except crappy takeout places do it better. Plus, the waiter forgot my tea and in general took a long time to get our orders, deliver our requests, etc. Two stars, and I wouldn't go back.
(2)
Lauren P.
Ho-hum.. Red lantern has a decent ambiance (sort of a watered down NY style Tao or Buddha Bar) but that's all to report. Average cocktails and average food yet $$$ prices make this an all round meh experience. The only bonus is the portion sizes are huge - our leftovers lasted us for 2 meals!
(3)
Sereia C.
Still a solid 5 stars for ambiance, music, crowd, drinks. The food and service minus one star. Update as follows... So this time I noticed some more cool details in this joint as I look around. The custom black and red rug with huge cherry blossoms...the many naked women lamps with all the acupuncture holes all over their bodies...the wooden heads hanging out by themselves on shelving in the private room...those, combined with all the obvious sh*t, like the millions of red lanterns hanging down from the super high ceiling, the huge buddah faces, the long granite bar, the huge dark wooden beams and exposed brick...combined all make for an amazing atmosphere! I love the music. Kind of loungy, electro-chill mixed with upbeat grooves. It reminds me of the CD I bought from Tao in Vegas recently. The crowd...where have all these tall, well dressed, straight men been hiding up until now?????????????????? In the words of Forrest Gump: That's all I got to say about that. The drinks: Between my friends and I, we killed the drink menu. We had: Grass Fed Mule: Lemongrass infused Grey Goose, lime, ginger beer 88: Ketel Oranje, ginger cognac, Prosecco Drunken Samurai: Moonstone pear sake, Amaretto, lemon Rose Petal Saketini (my favorite): Grey Goose, St. Germain, sake, rose water Blueberry-Yuzu Drop: Stoli Bluberi, Citros, shocu, yuzu syrup, blueberry bubbly Mai Tai: Bacardi 8, Orgeat, orange Curaco, pineapple, Myers Dark Sumo Summer: Hendricks, fresh basil, grapefruit, sparkling rose The drinks were all made with lovin' and there definitely was a party in our mouths with every sip. Okay...so...here are my gripes.... That lovin' that the drinks are made with...I feel like the bartenders need to school the chefs, so those warm fuzzies can be put in the food. We placed our order...a half dozen oysters for an appetizer, and 3 different red lantern rolls. We also put a drink order in at the same time. Really, within about 2.5 minutes...maybe even less...we got our first roll. A minute later, another roll, brought by another waiter. 45 seconds after that, a different waiter brought another. Where are our drinks? Where's our appetizer??? The rolls were not super impressive. It was very obvious they made a Costco amount of rolls all at once, so they could bang them out of the kitchen to your table in record speed. On one of our rolls we got one of the sushi upgrades: lobster dynamite...which is supposed to be a lobster mixture on top of the sushi. It was piled high on a few pieces, and hardly any on other pieces. It was not worth the extra $6 for the quality. I didn't appreciate the rushed way the food seemed to be made, as well as the rushed feeling with waiters hustling our food. I definitely would have appreciated the normal...drinks first, then appetizer...then...10 minutes after the appetizer...rest of the order. Come to think of it...the waiter hustled us too. He came over 3 times to see if we were ready to order, when we weren't taking a considerably long time to parooze the menu. I will be back again. I really want to give you 5 stars, Red Lantern, but I just can't yet. Hopefully, one day, I can tell you me love you long time. We're just not at that point in our relationship yet.
(4)
Julie R.
I wanted to like this place more. I was so excited to try it out. A new hip place to eat sushi and sip drinks always works for me. I like they have opentable for reservations. When booking one for 2 people, the opentable made it looked like it was sold out all night, when we arrived at 7:45, nearly 3/4 of the restaurant was empty on a Friday night. They really should free up up all time slots cause they clearly have the seats. The kitchen and sushi bar are open, we opted to sit there to catch the action. Our server, while nice, was new and not versed on the menu. We wanted some variety, we went with two specialty sushi rolls, duck buns, and smoked pork ribs. The kitchen had an excess of workers ready to hit a ticket that came in. I know they are still figuring out the new place, it just looked like too many people with not enough to do. The duck buns came out very fast. They were tasty with plentiful meat and good to share with 2 people. The spareribs came next, they were just OK. Real sticky and the meat was full of cartilage. I've had better from a chinese takeout. The Dragon sushi roll was lacking. For a $15 roll, you expect something grand. It was small, loose and missing crabstick and burdock as mentioned on the menu. On the other hand, the $11 Rainbow roll was more substantial. The sushi prices should really be rethought, its $4-6 per EACH piece of nigiri. It doesn't make any sense when you can get a rainbow roll for $11 and have a roll and 6 pieces of fish on top. During our eating time our server was nonexistent. Our drinks sat there unfilled for 45 minutes. Water got refilled but no one offered on the alcohol. When he did come around and asked about the food, I mentioned how the dragon sushi roll was incomplete. He just said ok sorry. Then he came back with some cards to fill out to write down our complaints. It wasn't about filling out a long card, it was just a simple complaint. We got the bill and there was no consideration for the incomplete roll. I didn't expect it anyways. Our server was immature for handling feedback and we just paid and left. The food is overpriced. Quality was so-so. I just loved the atmosphere though. I will return when they get their bearings going and hope for improvement.
(3)
Cristina P.
Awesome awesome decor, great atmosphere, delicious food! A little hard to find on Stanhope, but if you take the orange line to Back Bay, its somewhat accross the street! Bathrooms- there are 2, one downstairs and one upstairs. I've only been to the one upstairs (its a one person bathroom) clean, well stocked. Bar - tons of seating, comfy atmosphere, great selection of drinks! Attire - Can be both dressy or casual, perfect for after work parites, don't feel too overdressed like most places in Boston!
(5)
Liz K.
Went on a Tuesday night for drinks. There were no seats left at the bar but we got one of those cozy leather sofas nearby. The waitress was very nice and attentive. Everything is brand new in here and the ceilings are very high, making the space even bigger. However, there was only a one-person bathroom? I don't get it.
(4)
Caroline D.
Valentines night was my first time here and i truly enjoyed dining here, i was a little upset that we did not get seated for our 9pm reservations. we got seated at 940. there were no parties waiting to be seated before us or while we were waiting to be seated after we arrived. The hostess seemed to be more into chit-chatting & laughing & talking about her personal issues with another co-worker while we waited & i personally did not want to hear her dirty laundry - or that she wishes she had the night off & did not want to be working. i loved the decor & the ambience & the style of the whole restaurant. they have a coat check down stairs, and the restrooms are located down stairs (my bf is in a wheelchair so that wasn't very handicap accessible for us & i had to go check our coats). The restrooms seemed a bit dark & dirty - paper towels and water all over the counter sink and floors. The waitress was very nice. She was quick & informative of the menu items. She made sure our waters were full and asked us if we wanted another drink when the glass was close to empty. She made sure our food was good and that we enjoyed our meal. we ordered lobster rangoons (after much rave from friends who have dined here & after watching the review on Phantom Gourmet) there were 4 in the order and they came out hot and tasty (not THE BEST rangoons ive had but they were very good. ) We also ordered beef lo mein & the rock shrimp. we were not too hungry & we did not want to stuff ourselves with no room for dessert. Everything was delicious & we did wrap the left over food. Unfortunately we did not get dessert - i did not find anything on the menu that appealed to me at the moment so i decided not to order something i might not enjoy or want. all in all this place was excellent & i would go back.
(4)
Me B. M.
Red Lantern sets Chinese cuisine in America back about 40 years. It has flavorless and gloppy versions of dishes you can get anywhere. Sushi had undercooked, dry rice. Pork dumplings were soft and rubbery and in a weird thick sauce. The calamari was sopping in grease. The noodles in the beef noodle dish were overcooked to paste. The one highlight was that the beef was good quality and cooked very nicely, both in the noodle dish and the skewers. The surprise elements in the noodle dish, a sudden burst of ginger, mint, or bitter green was fun and flavorful. It just seemed like other elements like the noodles or the sushi rice were throwaways. And those should be incredibly easy. Service was absent and/or confused. And the "ambiance" was a bit much and caricaturish, but perhaps my interpretation of it all was tinged by the bad food experience.
(2)
Jerry B.
Observation: There are a lot of "sugar daddies" here. I came here to have drinks and chit-chat with a friend and I could not help but notice, all the sugar daddies hitting on 20 something's wearing tight tight dresses. I should have worn a hoochie dress, I could have had a sugar daddy! Damn. Overall, this place is beautiful. The drinks were amazing! I cannot wait to try the food! (update coming soon)
This place has some of the best sushi in town. I went here for my birthday and one of my friends bought the biggest scorpion bowl I have ever scene in my life. The waiter was attentive and a nice guy. The food was on time and was amazing.
(5)
Vivi L.
We came here on Saturday night and the place is pretty empty for Saturday night which I was surprised about. We ordered a bunch of sushi, appetizers and dishes to share. The sushi was good but the appetizers and dishes were just OK. Our server was very attentive and friendly which we love. We first inquired to book it for a private party for 25 people and I couldn't believe that they require a $6000 minimum charges for private party. I thought that was a little steep for 25 people. I don't even think that we could spend that much in food between 25 of us. Given how empty the place was, they could have just let us booked the general area and not charged us minimum. We ended up canceling the dinner party and just came with a smaller group of people.
(3)
Laura S.
I went to dinner here on Friday. At first the menu looked a little weird and I didn't know what to pick. My friends and I shared the lettuce wraps (too spicy) and the spareribs (amazing!!) as appetizers. I got the coco-loco Mai tai to drink and it was delicious- I definitely recommend it if you like coconut rum. For dinner we shared a sushi roll with cream cheese (I forgot the name) but it was delicious! It melted in my mouth. We also shared the veggie fried rice (ok) and the chicken lo mein (delicious). I'm giving this place 4 stars due to the quality of service and atmosphere and the drinks and some food. It's definitely pricey, at least for me, so I'm not sure if I'd go back. If I did I'd just order the spare ribs and sushi with a coco loco Mai tai until I couldn't eat anymore.
(4)
Lorraine S.
Great vibe fantastic people high quality of food and delicious drinks! Best place hands down, great place to go w a bog group or a couple friends
(5)
Dela B.
Absolutely amazing. From the very first step I took through the door, I seemed to have been transported to a different world. Decor reminded me of a sexy, modern version of the Forbidden Palace mixed with the youthful yet classy vibe of a Las Vegas lounge. Food was fantastic, drinks were exotic, strong, and delicious. Red Lantern took Asian food and made it sexy. Service was perfect--attentive yet not overbearing. Our server made excellent recommendations and really made it a night for us to just sit back comfortably on the couch and unwind from a stressful week. Food highlight: The chocolate tart is out of this world. Chocolate shortbread crust, topped with a layer of caramel, a layer of chocolate, a scoop of cardamon ice cream, and sprinkled with caramelized macadamia nuts... I'm both regretful and glad that I decided to share it. All in all, Red Lantern's a great place to be if you're looking for a night out to unwind, relax, and have fun all at the same time. I'll definitely be back. :)
(5)
Melanie M.
Came here for drinks. Very nice ambiance. The drinks were just too sweet for my taste. Will probably just get a glass of wine if I go again. It was a fun place to just hang out and will probably go back again.
(3)
Jason M.
PF Changesque
(2)
Melissa D.
This restaurant is perfect to have those ideal dinner then party the night away type of places. Red Lantern is located in Back Bay with the Tao feeling of Vegas inside. The restaurant inside is huge. We came here for dinner after a long day of drinking. I know, we did the reverse! Wasn't a fan of the hostesses but a HUGE #1 Fan of our server! We loved him so much we told the manager our positive feedback. Top sever performances I have had in awhile! So back to the menu, they have Asian Fusion style foods and your standard sushi menu with special rolls. My girlfriends shared large plates of Fried Rice, Chicken and Spring Rolls. Good and happy with it. I had 2 rolls of spicy salmon and their new california roll - I went simple, since we were just drinking for 3 hours! Speaking of drinking, of course, to be in an Asian fusion restaurant, you have to have the Tiki Drinks! I always defer to Mai Tai's. It was glorious, not overpowering and it packs a punch 20 minutes later! I know it gets very busy here in the evenings, we have tried coming here for a night out twice and always had to wait in line to no avail, getting in. Overall, nice visit, Boston excuse of high prices but I would still recommend.
(3)
Mariana S.
Went to Red Lantern with a friend last week for dinner and I must say I was disappointed. The restaurant is gorgeous. It has a very modern edge. Ambiance is great. Had a few geisha martinis and they were great. (If you like sweet) We got a few apps and they were good. Sushi wasn't anything special. Would recommend this place to meet some friends for drinks but not so much the food.
(3)
Beth H.
Ummm everything was oh so bland!! I have to admit that the atmosphere, decor and overall ambiance was nice. However, for the price and the food I was getting I would rather go to pf changs or chinatown. lettuce wrap had no flavor and a giant glop of hoisen sauce right from the bottle as dipping sauce. hot and sour soup was hot but was not sour at all. It was a waste of $150 for a dinner that lasted 2hrs and I left so unsatisfied I will not come back.
(1)
Mike G.
high style pan-asian comes to Boston. sexy brick & beams with loads of orientalia reminds of Spice Market and menu a la Buddakan (NYC). eat these (all shareable): mongolian skirt steak w/ sweet taters-tenderlicious. and pineapple bread pudding w/ butter almond gelato-if on menu just get it. don't eat (yet): singapore street noodles xo sauce greasy, bland. a selection from the house 'special' rolls was not. but it's early days, hope these are tweaked to bestseller-dom. still and all, a good showing for barely a week open. props to our server and Michael W. for service over & above. Red Lantern certainly fits the entertainment cum dining bill (with the coolest club music in the city).
(4)
Diana F.
Overpriced mediocre food. Drinks are decent, at best. Came here with a girlfriend to celebrate my birthday... $175 for two people later for noodles and "meh" food. Wouldn't return for dinner. Would maybe consider going back for just cocktails, as it seemed to get really busy and bustling near the bar towards the end of the night.
(2)
Alex P.
I took my fiancee here for a belated engagement dinner. By belated, I mean one week before the wedding. We had always noticed the sign for Red Lantern while we were out, and had talked about going someday. I made reservations for 6:15 and made sure to come hungry. The dining room is really stunning, and I don't use that word often outside of Martin Scorcese movies or Tasers. There is a more intimate private dining area, but we were seated by the window, which was nice enough anyway. Our server was very pleasant and we decided to start off with some warm sake. I've never really been a sake fan, always finding that it tasted like a combination of vermouth and bleach-soaked socks. I don't know if it was the brand or the heat, but I really enjoyed it this time around, and drinking it was downright relaxing. For appetizers, we ordered Lobster Rangoons, Mashed Potato Sticks, and grilled asparagus. The Lobster Rangoons were really delicious, my fiancee and I made quick work of them. While four didn't seem like enough at the time, I think it was better that the number was limited. It increased my appreciation of them rather than allowing me to gorge on them and get burned out on an otherwise delicious treat. And brother, trust me, I could have done some serious gorging. Next were the Mashed Potato Sticks. Crispy, breaded, and fried logs of mashed potato. Really delicious, filling, and rich, with this sweet gingery sauce on the side (I had originally thought it was some kind of gravy with butter in the middle, but that might have been the image they were going for). Grilled asparagus was simple and good, with butter and garlic and lime slices on the side. At this point, we upgraded to martinis. I'm a big fan of spice, so I got the Dragon Fire, made with Sriracha. Loved it, had two just for the combination of sweet and spicy. My girl had the Sumo, made with basil and grapefruit. For entrees, I had the wood grilled sea bass and my fiancee had the Surf and Turf, a bacon-wrapped steak with grilled lobster tail. I loved mine. The fish was tender, juicy, and retained the flavor of the grill. The Japanese eggplant that came with it was also good. It was grilled, making the outside skin of it crunchy. Normally, I can't stand eggplant skin, but this method of preparation made me more than tolerant. All of this was served on a bed of ginger bok choy with jasmine rice. The Surf and Turf was the subject of rave reviews (in the repeated form of "Oh God, so good.") from my lady. Although the bacon on the outside was burned beyond desirable crispiness, the tenderness of the meat left that as a very minor complaint. The lobster tail was grilled, smoky, and flavorful. I was invited to have a few bites and can verify, very tasty. All this was served with some nicely cooked Chinese broccoli. Though we were offered a dessert that only caught my eye for including the term "fried doughnuts", we were way too full and satisfied to continue, and threw in the towel. On the way out, a hostess was nice enough to take a picture of us and we were photobombed by a rambunctious five-year-old. Excellent food, tasty drinks, friendly service, beautiful ambiance (I would suggest trying to get a seat in the main dining room for the full experience or in the private dining room), and music at reasonable volume. I can't ask for more than that. Price wasn't bad, entrees were in the $30-40 range, but well worth a fine dining experience with a loved one. Can't wait to come back!
(5)
Kimberly V.
Sunday dinner for 2 My gf and I was greeted instantly as we walked in, no reservation, no wait (we got lucky) it was a pretty quite night. Ambience: great atmosphere. It's intimate, cozy, I especially enjoy the decor very much. My gf on the other hand loved their playlist. Service: our waitress and bartender was very knowledgable and attentive, the wait for food wasn't as long as we expected it to be but again it was a pretty quite night. Food & Drinks: Bulgogi Baos- I've had a lot of Baos and this one in particular was one of the best I've had. I love how they toasted the Baos it gives it a nice crunch and prevent it from getting soggy. Must try. Pupu platter- great for sharing, comes with Rangoon, chicken and beef skewer, spring rolls, rock shrimp, and char Sui. I didn't expected much from this plate but the rock shrimp and char Sui defiantly stands out from everything else. If you love shrimp mayo, the rock shrimp is just for you. The char Sui has the perfect texture, melt in your mouth goodness. As for everything else, don't expect too much from the rangoon and spring rolls. Shrimp fried rice- not a fan, it's a typical fried rice dish. A bit bland for my taste, I wouldn't order this again. Only order if you have a salty dish to pair it with. White Sangria- great drink, not your typical white sangria. I love their take on it. Very balance, must try. Overall review: 4/5 parking is difficult to find (street parking), pretty pricey for what your paying for.
(4)
Joichi I.
Decor and ambience are kind of "young and funky" and feels a bit like Disneyland. The food was surprisingly good. They used Chinese rice for the Chinese food and proper sushi rice for the sushi. Even though it was the typical "Japanese tacked onto a Chinese menu" deal, the sushi was properly good and better than most of the sushi available in Boston. All of the staff were really pleasant and helpful, for instance explaining that the portions of the entrees where very large, etc. Other notable thing was properly "al dente" edamame.
(4)
Chase S.
Interesting dishes with lots of flair but fairly expensive compared to neighboring restaurants with more refinement. Full array of drinks with experiences from awful to awesome. Great service by our waiter but chaotic hostess and seating experience. Drinks: The Tiki drinks were on display during our stay. It was quite an array with some true to form and others a ways off from the originals with awkward tastes. I'd stay away from anything with creme de menthe as their teaspoon must be everyone else's quarter of a cup. That being said, their classic and original drinks were very inventive and well done. Quite the night and day experience. Food: The funnest dishes seem to be a lot of sushi specials. We had quite a few and generally enjoyed their take on the sushi fusion genre. The price per roll made me feel I was in O-Ya, however. Ronin, Spicy Yellowtail, and Rock Roll were highlights for us. The white miso soup was generous and had plenty of umami. The duck buns were no momofuku but quite good with just enough sweet to go with the savory. The tofu buns were very underwhelming and needed some of my duck bun hoisin sauce for my companion and myself to finish them off. The buns themselves were very well done with a near perfect doughy sticky-fluffiness going on. The lo mein was fairly good but a mistake to order, as the appetizers were much larger than expected, especially the buns, and we took most of it home. Dessert was impossible as we'd ordered so much food. Our server was very accommodating and when we couldn't finish one of our Tiki mint-bombs, we replaced it with something of equivalent value without charge. The hostesses were having serious trouble that night, however. They seemed to be scrambling a bit and when we requested a seat with our backs to a wall, we repeated the request twice to their bewilderment, and then found ourselves seated in an open space right next to a large cocktail hour hosting standing room event when there were plenty of seats next to the wall that went unfilled for the hour and a half we were there. The atmosphere is definitely for the fun-loving going out crowd who is adventurous in both drink and food. The dishes are generally well done with some being very good but the price for our time dinner came out to $150 when generally for two people in the area with similar amounts of food and one drink each without dessert would run $100. Return? I think it's a fun place with great decor that I'd probably come back for drinks and a small bite. It could be fun to come with a large group and order a few dishes but I'd also worry the check could get very steep very quick when I'd rather due that at more typical $$$$ labeled restaurants.
(3)
Stephanie T.
I have always enjoyed my experience at Red Lantern. The drinks are strong and there are a ton of funky options to try, I'm disappointed they got rid of their variety of large bowls, but I know they can be a hassle. The food is pretty standard Asian fusion variety, but its cooked and flavored well. The all you can eat sushi on Tuesday nights is a great value if you can eat more than 3 rolls. The atmosphere gets more lounge/club like after 9pm on weekends which can be fun, but gets a little loud to actually carry on a conversation.
(4)
Sooz X.
Dear Red Lantern, I'll break this down for you in good, bad and ugly stars: Good: +1 Star for Service: My bar server was attentive, helpful, polite and gave me a free sample of whatever that huge on fire tiki drink was. Thanks for that. She was also very chitty-chatty despite being busy. She did no wrong. + 1/2 Star for decor: Okay, so the decor was stimulating, dark and sorta lounge rat-ish. Busy place (Tuesday??) but it had a trendy, loud music vibe. I mean, I like clubs, they're cool... +1/2 Star drink strength: Yep, I'm going to go with that was a lot of alcohol. Grass fed mule? Cute, strong...but on to the bad... Bad: -1 Star for drink wtf it was: That was pretty much a moscow mule. I couldn't taste any lemon grass. Too much ginger beer, didn't need the note of lime. Tiki glass was cute but limited redeeming quality. -1 Star for the other bartender: Dude, don't think I didn't see you spinning my to-go box of noodles over while you packaged it. That was awkward to think that I was going to have whipped singapore noodle delight there shortly if you wouldn't stop with your nervous spin-fest while talking to the other server. Speaking of... Ugly: -1 Star for food quality/tastiness: Maybe I just got a bad batch. Maybe this was not their best plate. Maybe the food actually sucks. I ordered the Singapore street noodles and they were bland as a slice of white bread with a glass of milk. Come on, 26$ for an oversized portion of rice noodles with some meat and veggies? Ponzu sauce? Siracha??? Anything? I felt embarrassed taking 3/4 of them back to my hotel. I hate wasting food but the dumpster was in clear view of the patio diners next door. That being said. . .I'm not ungrateful for the food/dining experience but I expected more than bland noodles and an adequate drink for $40. BTW, nice red lanterns. They could be a harbinger of better food elsewhere? Sincerely, Sooz
(2)
Nicole B.
Red Lantern is that perfect all-occasion spot. Come for drinks, come for food, come with friends, come with colleagues...you really can't go wrong. The space itself is a complete refreshing change from typical Boston venues: it's huge, with high ceilings, plenty of space and a more high-end feel without being pretentious or stuffy. You're never crowded and you can truly enjoy yourself. There's a bar and lounge type area, and several tables with great views of the kitchen and your fellow stylish diners. I personally think it's a great location and venue to go for a bite to eat and a cocktail before heading out in Back Bay or downtown. The food and drinks are all very well crafted and generously served. The cocktails are strong and creative. The food is delicious. I've had the "rock roll" shrimp sushi roll, scallion pancake and yummy dumpling appetizers, as well as sampled the Singapore Street Noodles, which - I kid you not - are served in what appears to be an enormous serving bowl. For $26 it can easily feed a table of four, with leftovers. Not exaggerating here. It was almost comedic - my friend who ordered it was filled to the brim, yet the noodles look like they'd barely been touched when she was done. They were very delicious, but make sure you have a way to bring home the leftovers. My only pain at Red Lantern was on one occasion of the three I've been - the waiter could have used a lot of help. He took ages to come around and get drink orders, then food orders, then water refills, then finally the check. It look literally 25-30 minutes to flag him down to request the check, and another 15 for him to come get it once we'd submitted out card. He couldn't answer a few menu questions and seemed really disengaged the entire time. I'll chock it up to bad luck, since the first two times I've been were great.
(5)
Adam F.
I'm surprised I haven't written a review for Red Lantern. My girlfriend and I had our first date here last year, so maybe I was just so smitten that I couldn't be distracted to write a review. The first time we went, it was perfect. We split the Grill Platter which was a $70 grilled meat and veggie platter (#paleo) and laughed the night away drinking strange cocktails made with Sriracha and lychee fruit. We just went last night for a birthday dinner with a large group and it was great, just like the first time. The valet driver was the nicest and most professional valet driver I've ever had. He was well spoken and well dressed. Pretty much everywhere else you go, it's either a college bro or somebody with a neck tattoo and you wonder if you'll ever see your car again. The gentleman at Red Lantern was awesome. I want to be his friend. We had a reservation for 7:30 on a Friday and they were ready for the party on time. We had multiple servers attending to us, so water glasses and cocktails remained full at all times. Appetizers were Edamame, Crab Rangoon, and Chicken Skewers. I like how the Crab Rangoons are served in a Chinese take-out container. Really nice touch. For my main course I had a bunch of maki rolls - Spicy Tuna, Philly, Shrimp Tempura, and the special "Red Dragon" roll. The 3 regular rolls were great, not sure what made the Red Dragon roll worth $18, so perhaps stick to the regular under $10 rolls. My only suggestion would be to present the rolls on 1 large dish instead of 4 small dishes. Plating is a big part of the overall experience at a higher-end restaurant, so I didn't want to feel like I was eating 4 different appetizers. It also didn't look that good on my Instagram. The atmosphere is really sexy with deep house music playing at a reasonably loud volume (which I don't mind). I think it's a 4-star restaurant for sure. For the price, I wouldn't say the food blew me away, but it's certainly very good. I'd recommend for a date or a birthday celebration. I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)
Melody A.
Wow - the atmosphere in this place is great! Definitely a place to take your friends to for a night out. They have a couple of lounge seating spots you can reserve for your group which makes the environment really fun. I went on a Saturday night and there was a lot of people but we made a reservation for two, maybe an hour before we arrived and didn't have to wait too long. One thing my bf and I really liked was the music - it was a mix of hip hop songs from like the 90s/2000s... like B2K lol. Really takes you back! The food's a little pricey and I thought it wasn't bad... Nothing to rave about but they do have a fun menu, especially their large drink menus for sharing. I ordered a pad thai as my main entree and thought it was too liquidy. But again, great atmosphere - I'd return and try something else. Oh and they do have all you eat sushi on Monday nights for 25$ :)
(4)
Rebecca C.
The all you can eat sushi on Tuesday for 25 Is a great deal. The drinks are pretty but not amazing. This is the spot you take a date and know you'll get laid after or go with a group of male coworkers to stare at pretty girls in a uniform that makes them look busty. Honestly I don't care if I come back or not. It wasn't an amazing time here. Everything looks beautiful because everything else is subpar. Yeah you're not missing out here.
(3)
Rachel P.
Red Lantern is a fun night out and a delicious meal! It's pretty pricey but the portions are pretty big. I love the Singapore Street Noodles! The sushi is good too and great dumplings. It's a great menu so it's always hard to decide what to order, and the prices add up fast if you want some apps and an entree. It's a great place for a big group to share some dishes. Service is ok...I've had some inconsistent experiences but overall it's been pretty good. The hostesses can be a little snooty in terms of telling you there's no table available when the restaurant is half empty. It's good to make a reservation for that reason. I also love the scorpion bowls! They're not stingy on the alcohol either, and taste great. I do wish they had outdoor seating here. It's the only restaurant on that block that doesn't.
(4)
Jacqueline C.
I have mixed feeling for this restaurant. On the one hand, food was great. Our group of 8 enjoyed every dish. Restaurant design was impressive. On the other hand, service was aokay. It was slow, and I felt that servers are not very knowledgeable about the food/things in general. We ordered too much food, but our waitress never really informed us the amount of food we ordered, nor repeated what we ordered. Furthermore, she even suggested a big size food platter which we eventually had to cancel. We tried to cancel at least like 3 entrees, but couldn't as the chef already started the cooking. Don't order lobster here , you can get it at any Chinese restaurant. Do get the lobster fried rice, sushi, watermelon drink, Peking duck. Won't go wrong with any dish. We arrived at 9 and got out at around 12am. What did we do during the 3 hours?-- ordered food, waiting, ate food, waiting, our cake came, blow candles, waiting, cakes divided, ate cake, bill came without any waiting.
(4)
Kristen M.
Wow!! This place was incredible and I would recommend it to any sushi lovers even though the menu is not limited only to sushi! They have a great variety of noodles and entrees for anyone not wanting raw. I was there for a bachelorette and it was perfect, the service was great and they even gave us some champagne on the house for our celebration! I would definitely go back!!!
(5)
Robyn B.
I've been here a few times, once for dinner then two other times for drinks at the bar. The drinks are definitely the highlight--nice selection of cocktails. The red sangria is great, and the scorpion bowls are goooooood (and very strong, be careful). The food is okay, nothing special. We ordered a noodle dish, sushi, and stir-fried vegetables. It was all good, albeit too salty for my liking. Standard Asian fusion with a lot of unique dishes/flavors, but it's lacking that extra 'something' that would make me want to come back. The decor is beautiful though! Feels very fancy and has a Manhattan-esque vibe. Definitely trying to be hip and trendy, maybe a little too hard... this is reflected in the attitudes of the hostesses, who refuse to smile and seem to give off a pretentious vibe. But really, it's P.F. Chang's with better drinks and higher prices.
(3)
Brandon S.
I've been here a few times now, for drinks, dinners and two private events. Of all those, I'd recommend stopping in for a drink and maybe an appetizer while on your way somewhere else. The food is decent fare, but the overall experience runs from passable, which is where I think many higher reviews come from, to just plain awful, which I prefer not to support with my money. My experience two nights ago highlights a lot of this. I popped in 5 minutes late for a reservation, and was told my table wasn't ready, so I could "go to the bar area" and "check back in later". Uh, what? It's my responsibility to keep walking back over to see if my table is ready? When there are what seem to be 4 hostesses just hanging out behind the counter? Ok, that's fine. No apologizing for the inconvenience, and just cold dead stares from the other hostesses and zero emotion from the one I'm talking to. I guess they're going for the hip, apathetic model thing? Well, it comes off as unprofessional and snooty service. Check in 10 minutes later. Same routine of complete disinterest, and the table still isn't ready. 10 more minutes pass by the bar, and it's starting to get annoying. This time the same girl mentions that they could text me when my table is ready. What? You waited for me to come to you 3 times now to mention this? Great. 35 minutes after our reservation, my guest decides to walk over to ask again and the hostess coldly states "the text just went out." No enthusiasm, no apologies, no further instruction. Just hostility for bothering them from their standing around doing nothing. So, we finally end up at our reserved table, 40 minutes after we've arrived, and are asked by 3 different people what kind of water we would like. Our server was pretty quiet but quick. It's hard to complain about that, but I think you're used to getting some recommendations and a little more lively interaction. That said, his timing for when to reappear at our table was perfect, so we were otherwise very satisfied. As for the actual meals, we started off with the shrimp shu mai and the eel & avocado maki. The maki was actually really enjoyable, but the shu mai was sort of boring. For dinner, I had the surf & turf, rare, and my guest had the mongolian skirt steak, medium. The filet was a good cut and prepared really well. The lobster felt like it was missing something, which really brought the whole plate down. The skirt steak was also very enjoyable, although we found the sweet potatoes on the side to be the highlight of the actual dish. For desert we tried the pineapple bread pudding, which came with a scoop of coconut ice cream on top. The bread pudding was above expectation, though nowhere near the best I've had. The pineapples complemented it well, but there was a discordant note with the ice cream. It felt very much like a separate dish altogether. So, if you're lucky your only interaction with the hostesses will be to get immediately seated. However, if you don't want to potentially deal with high-school level attitudes on your way to a 3-star meal, I'd say move along.
(2)
Lily P.
Meh....good drinks, really sub-par food. Everything tastes blah and is overpriced. My friend and I ordered a ton of food and literally nothing stuck out as good. The service was absurd. Our waitress was miserable. I actually felt like we spent all night trying to get her attention, it was confusing. It was as though she was ignoring us on purpose. Overall, Red Lantern has a cool vibe and good (but expensive) drinks, but I would definitely not recommend eating here.
(1)
Juliana C.
**PRIVATE EVENT REVIEW** My company rented out Red Lantern for our holiday party in January, and it was a flawlessly executed evening. Staff were on point, delivering drool worthy rangoons, shrimp toast, noodles, and chicken skewers at what seemed like an every-two-minutes frequency. Open bar service was quick and friendly. In addition to passed apps there were two stations heaped high with dumplings, sushi and shumai that never seemed to run out. I was in heaven. The ambiance -- sleek fixtures, low lighting, candles sprinkled throughout the restaurant -- combined with a DJ who transitioned from mingle-friendly lounge music to danceable 90s hits once people were ready to hit the floor -- made for the perfect balance of grown-up and fun. The location is wonderfully accessible, and convenient to boot; once it was time to leave, the party simply moved one space over to The Brahmin. I highly recommend Red Lantern for big groups and private parties.
(5)
Ryan B.
Great service, I believe my waitress was a young lady named Molly. Very professional with devastating good looks. I'd go back
(5)
Sylvia P.
Stopped for dinner and enjoyed the Tuesday all you can eat sushi for $25. Its a pretty sweet deal although you don't try any of the special rolls. The tuna tempura and rock roll were delicious. However the spicy salmon and spicy tuna were very disappointing the texture was different and it was warm. Another Downside you can't doggy bag your leftovers :( I'd definitely go back to try their special rolls or enjoy their Tuesday special.
(3)
Pete H.
This is an interesting place. I love the manly oversized leather furniture in the lounge area. The food was good but you should order dishes with an intent to share, the portions are huge. The servers were friendly and engaging without being overbearing or appearing annoyed. It was a little pricey but not a bad choice if you want to go a little upscale without the snob factor.
(3)
Alise K.
We had Reservations and waited at the bar for ten minutes. The place was 3/4 full, which was good for a Monday night. After settling up at the bar we were escorted to our table. Our waitress was great. And the bus guys were always right there with the water and clearing the plates. Here's a sampling of what we ate. Rock shrimp (omg by far the best thing. ) lobster rangoons, good but where was the lobster? Crunchy tuna roll, yum. Dinner was huge bowl of vegetable fried rice ( very few veggies but tasty) and the smallest plate. Sampling of thin sliced steak, boneless poerk ribs, chicken, Korean BBQ and grilled zucchini We liked it. The restaurant had a fun vibe and we will be back
(4)
Elfego S.
This place is amazing, the food was incredible very very fresh on how they prepared it. Probably the best shrimp fried rice I have ever had in my life, big cut pieces of shrimp not that small stuff from your local Asian restaurant. Just really good sushi all around, well worth the price and all really reasonable. The specials are a little pricy but so worth the try. Even the simple ones are cheap and so delicious. The food is worth the 5 stars the only downside is that the wait staff was a little slow. Don't know if that is regular for them but I hope that will be a different story when I cone back.
(5)
Stephanie K.
Red Lantern is delicious and very cool place to dine in Boston. It's your cliche trendy cool modern Asian restaurant with a night club flair. The ambiance is very cool but feels like your typical big restaurant in NY. The bar area is to the side of the main dinning room. It's a really trendy bar to to hang out at and get some great cocktails. It has a loungey feel to it. The cocktail menu is really extensive and interesting as well. They even have some drinks that light on fire. It's quit the experience. We sat at a huge round table in the middle of the restaurant. We had a group of 8 people and it was perfect and spacious. We started with pretend sake bombs. Pretend - because they wouldn't let us do the traditional sake bomb with chop sticks and banging. Lame but whatever. The food was delicious and somewhat memorable. We had lettuce wraps, lobster rangon, sushi, singapore noodles, and kung pao chicken. Everything was tasty but definitely over priced. I wasn't offended by the prices because it was expected for this kind of restaurant. My only legitimate complaint was the service. Our waiter was pretty lame and unprofessional. I expected quality service for a trendy, expensive restaurant. He was barely available when we needed him. Was MIA unless he was taking our order and put up a little hissy fit when we wanted to split the checks. Still worth checking out if you like sushi and asian food. Good quality food and cool scene!
(4)
Dawn H.
***REVIEW ONLY ON BARTENDER SERVICE/DRINKS*** I stumbled upon this place while looking for a place to hang out while waiting for a friend. I was not hungry at the time but as I stepped through the door... OH MY GOODNESS... yummy filled the air. The layout is awesome. Large crowds? Definitely. Anyway, I went to the bar to chill out. The bartenders (mainly female) were attractive and could make decent drinks! The few people who ended up sitting next to me ranged from a clearly already drinking male who claimed to have been dating on of the hottest bartenders at Red Lantern but she was upset at him (mind you she barely noticed him) and a couple who celebrated a birthday with one of those shots where they light on fire! Wow. I would like to come here again for the food. The pictures look amazing!
(4)
J T.
We came in one late afternoon after a Red Sox game, and were surprised by how quiet it was, but realized that it was probably because the restaurant attracts more of a night crowd. However, our service was phenomenal! We were served "rice bites" on the house, but liked them so much we decided to order more afterwards. We ordered the lobster fried rice and some sushi. The XO sauce that comes with the rice was outstanding, and the sushi was amazing. The ninja role was delicious. Also, the service was great. Really nice atmosphere, too. It was nice to come into a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere after being in the hot sun at a game all day. I can't wait to come back!
(5)
Ryan R.
Went here with a friend to check out the $25 all-you-can-eat deal on Tuesday nights. We found a place at the bar so we decided to sit there for our meal as well. We started off with a carafe of sangria, which for the amount I thought was a bit overpriced ($39), but it had decent flavor. For our rolls, we ended up getting 8 plates. I have to admit that this sushi was decent, but it wasn't near the top in terms of many other places that I have gotten sushi at, even in the Boston area. My favorites were probably the tuna tempura roll and the rock shrimp roll, and my least favorite was definitely the spicy tuna. The service here is friendly, the food is served quickly, and the atmosphere is great. I was a little let down by food, but like that they offer the all-you-can-eat option. Overall, a great little place in the South End, perfect for a group or date night out.
(4)
Alex B.
Come alone and have a drink at the bar; come with a friend and have a drink at the bar; take a date and have a dark setting with some trendy music, fashionable cocktails, and innovative dishes; come with a group of 8-10 and sit one of their roundtables and enjoy quality group conversation; or lastly stumble in here drunk late-night (post Friday work drinks at Brahmin) and enjoy the full menu to your belly's delight. Just make sure you have a reservation on the weekends or plan on coming in late-night or else you will bust. Clearly, Red Lantern is a viable solution for many of those social situations you find yourself in. It is lounge meets Asian fusion restaurant. I have always had fun wait staff and bartenders and even the hostesses are nice as they have hooked me up with storage for my bags (apartment is 2 blocks away but sometimes I cant wait after getting in from my flights). I can safely say, RL has become my goto in Boston. This is certainly a place you come to pay for the atmosphere as well as very good food. I would say 4.5 but I will round up since I am very much so a regular. Food Recs: 1)Sushi Boat for a large group (go for the big one - delicious and cost effective) 2) Lobster Rangoon 3) Duck Buns 4) Unlimited AYCE sushi on Tuesday (see you there) 5) Rock Shrimp 6) Spicy Edamame 7) Rock Roll 8) Torched Spicy Toro Roll Drink Recs: 1) They have drink bowls but have only got when already blacked out 2) Mai Tai 3) Dragon Fire (Get extra Sriracha!!!) Bonus Recs: See if you can play a game with yourself in here and count the number of Buddha statues / paintings. Good luck!
(5)
David C.
Was Red Lantern disappointing? Yes. Did I know it was going to be? I think so, but because I had a Living Social deal, I was willing to give it a shot. The verdict? Generic Chinese food from your local takeout joint (you know, the one you only go to cause it's 1am, you're drunk, and nothing else is open) dressed up ever so slightly and priced like the fine-dining Back Bay restaurant that it so desperately wants to be. Of all the things I tried (the PuPu platter, some bao, and a couple maki rolls), I'd say get the duck buns, but that would involve coming here...which you shouldn't. Skip the pomp and pretense and head over to Myers and Chang in the South End instead.
(2)
Laura K.
Very much improved in recent years since opening. Singapore street noodles are like crack - they are so good, you can't stop eating them. But I wonder if it's because they're good or its the same effect as just eating Chinese food in general... Almost everything I have had has been good, though not spectacular nor anything impressive. The cocktails are still pretty bad. Just get your standard rather than ordering one off the menu.
(3)
Fiona H.
Came here for restaurant week earlier today. I didn't make a reservation but the hostess seated my party right away which was great! My waiter jay? Or jazz? I forget but I'm sure it began with a J, anyways, he was great. He was super organized and brought our ordered in at the same time and the right time! Excellent and attentive service! This place would get a 5 star but the food wasn't fit to my liking. I did enjoy the sushi and baos a lot but the dumplings and dessert were a bit disappointing. Dumplings were things you can buy at any supermarket with a sweet glaze. Dessert was a small portion. I got the emperors moose and it was alright. The best part was the crunchy pearls. I will definitely come back but probably sit at the bar and have some sushi
(4)
Rena P.
The place: trendy The lighting: dark The atmosphere: hip The food: descent For a place that appeared to be the latest in whatever trendy restaurant was sweeping Boston, I found myself dining here twice (as it was the restaurant across the street from my hotel AND open late). I can honestly say that nothing particular stood out to me about it. The food was good. I have excellent company. Loved the decor. What set this place to 5-star status, for me, was a completely random experience the second time I visited. The executive chef walked around talking to the diners. He "happened" to come to our table first and it ended up being one of my best conversations in years. To be able to sit down and discuss food and restaurants and the culinary arts in general is such a rare and exciting experience, that I would go back just for the possibility that it might happen again. I highly recommend Red Lantern. And if you happen to stop in, ask for the executive chef. Tell him Rena from Chicago says hello.
(5)
Ryan W.
If you're looking for a "trendy" spot to go in the Back Bay for sushi, then this is probably your best option. I've been here twice now, so I feel like I've got a good handle on things. This is the sister restaurant to Empire and one thing they share in common is that everything from wine/drinks to the rolls/entree's is a little more expensive than your standard sushi place. For some reason I felt the vibe was a little better at Empire than Red Lantern. Each time my wife and I have come here (both times on Sunday night) we are seated in this row of two seater table/booths which are right next to other tables with people when the restaurant is half full. I hate being cramped and I hate listening in on other people's conversations and that's how I felt here. The sushi rolls at this place are 4 stars good. The Chirashi Naruto is our favorite since it comes with lots of salmon, tuna and yellowtail wrapped in cucumber instead of rice. If you are doing low carb, this is your roll. The maki rolls are all OK. The star of the show as far as I'm concerned were Lobster Buns. For $16 you get two gourmet buns stuffed with a decent amount of lobster. The buns are actually the highlight. They are buttered, slightly sweet and a little toasted. Mmmm delicious. The lobster salad was a good amount of meat and not too much mayo, but it could have used a little more scallion/onion or some kind of spice to give it a little kick. We had a few entrees here and didn't feel like it was a good value or even a good execution of the dish. My wife had the sea bass and it was a little over salted and it was just OK. Nothing to go crazy over. I saw a guy get a rib-eye and it looked awesome. I had to ask and he said it was really good, so take that into consideration. If you're looking to fill up and not break the bank, then get the street noodles. They are all tasty and you can split them with someone else or make a meal of it.
(4)
Diane H.
The ambiance is great, i loved the music, host/servers were really nice. no seating was available w/o reservations for 8pm on friday :( so we hung out at the lounge, no wait, got a table right away. We tried the duck buns (good), lobster rangoon (good), and the rock roll (not so good, the tempura shrimp was not crispy, it was tasted like it was fried when the restaurant opened and just kinda left sitting out to sell, YUCK). My drink was good, the summer margherita, and my bf's wine was okay. Our bill was over about almost 100$! YIKES. The food came out fairly quickly, so i don't know if i shoulda been worried... i think we will be back just to check out apps, but no sushi again. It coulda been a club in here! Dark and loud music...nice place to have a late dinner before your late night begins!
(3)
Ngan T.
Not bad! I had really low expectations coming in because someone told me Red Lantern was Empire but out of style. Considering I think Empire has a generally pretentious crowd with semi-decent food (but overpriced!), I was expecting a terrible experience at Red Lantern. We came here on a Monday night, about an hour late to meet some friends. THis was around 9pm. The restaurant had a few occupied tables and a warm atmosphere. It was a while before the waiter checked up to catch us up on drinks, but those came out pretty fast. The two scorpion bowls we ordered were mostly ice, but the fire in the bowls as they came out was certainly interesting! The trick is to put them out asap or you lose the precious alcohols!! We ordered both pu pu platters. I thoroughly enjoyed both and their creative presentations (LOVED the shrimp portion) Our waiter was friendly but also hard to find. I wouldn't mind coming here again, but it probably won't be my first option.
(3)
Alexa R.
I had the Rock Roll sushi amazing!! Calamari a bit spicy, for drinks I got the fortune cookie delicious. I defiantly will come here again.
(4)
Gia S.
I went in with an open mind despite the poor reviews, however I have to agree with some of what people are writing. The decor is pretty fantastic, the service is average, the bar is fantastic, and the food is maybe a step above P.F. Changs-- maybe. I ordered sushi and had it sent back as it was served slightly warm and had a very unpleasant rotten taste.. my boyfriend ordered orange chicken. That was decent, but absolutely nothing special, especially for the price. Like I said, think somewhere around P.F. Changs food. I would go here if you have a big party, and are looking to hang out in a kind of hip atmosphere, eating american-chinese food.
(3)
Zack C.
This place is pricey, but you get your money's worth. Drinks are very strong, and portions are very large. They use the freshest ingredients I have ever tasted in Asian cuisine. So much flavor, so good, will definitely be returning!
(5)
Shayna Y.
Overall: great place to get some drinks and food before heading out for the night - however food is heavy! Atmosphere outweighs food here! Likes: - fun, inventive drink menu - distinct atmosphere - socially vibrant - gluten free menu - hot rock with waygu beef and salmon was delicious and fun (however kind of expensive for portion $24) - bulgogi beef had great flavor and came with delicious hot sauce, beef portion was pretty small - chirashi roll was pretty fresh, but I was expecting more spice Gripes: - chicken fried rice and chicken lettuce wraps were bland
(3)
David L.
Fantastic night at the Red Lantern! The food was great, sushi awesomeness all the way. The boat of booze was impressive too. Our waitress made the night, she was super friendly and helpful. Highly recommend this place for a date night or just drinks.
(5)
Peter W.
This review is only for the bar. I've been here may times with friends and enjoy the drinks, food, service, and atmosphere. Somehow we've lucked out and have been able to get seats at the bar most of the times. We've had appetizers including the beef skewers, pot stickers, and spicy fried squid. They are served pretty quickly which helps to keep the food nice and hot. The drinks are well made and a good size. The bartenders are friendly and attractive. The decor is cool with asian themes - look up to see mini stone statues and small paper lanterns. For a place this big, it is kind of weird that the bathrooms are limited to one user each.
(4)
R. M.
This place is delightful! It caught me by surprise because I generally don't like the South End. The crowd, on a Tuesday night, seemed mainly young urban professionals, predominantly white and predominantly in their 20s and 30s. The music is also kind of loud and the place kind dimly lit. Maybe trying a little too hard to be hip? A great deal of fun for some people, I know, but not really my kind of place for a nice after work meal with a close friend and conversation. BUT the food is good, the service is impeccable and the prices are not as devastating as you might imagine! The food is flavorful and surprisingly simple cooking using traditional Asian ingredients and cooking techniques. I expected outlandish culinary nonsense ("Let's stuff shrimp inside a cantaloupe and call it Buddha's Belly!") but actually got a good satisfying non-traditional Chinese dinner. (At this point, you can probably tell that i did not choose this restaurant; my dinner companion did. I'm glad she dragged me there!) The servers and staff deserve a mention, too. Friendly, but not obtrusive. My friend and I were also most certainly the most casually dressed people there at that time but we were treated respectfully. All in all a great experience.
(5)
G b.
LOVE this place!!! From the delicious sushi, to the exquisite drinks, I enjoy going back to Red Lantern without hesitation every time. Try the bubble tea with pearls, it's unique
(5)
Joe C.
We had dinner here on New Year's Eve. We sat at the kitchen table, so we were able to watch the crew in action. The service was first rate and the food was wonderful. The Restaurant has a very cool buzz and looks great too. I would recommend this place for a special event or to celebrate an important date. They also have on Tuesday nights all you can eat sushi - mostly rolls for only $25.00 worth checking out as well.
(4)
Kerri C.
Finally got a chance to check out Red Lantern last week, and it definitely lived up to the hype! I sat at the bar for a few drinks and snacks, and was very impressed. I loved the layout of the restaurant, and was obsessed with the music selection. My bartender, Alycia, was friendly, attentive and was always aware of when my glass was empty. There is nothing worse than a bartender who keeps you waiting for a drink, so I was very happy with my service. The mai tais were delicious, and next time I definitely plan on trying some of their other signature drinks. As far as food- I tried the crab rangoons, which were a bit different than your generic local Chinese take - out shop, but in a much better way. I would definitely get them again! I can't wait to try out more of their menu during my next visit, as Alycia had some great suggestions to try out.
(5)
Amanda L.
I've been to Red Lantern a few times and it's great for large groups. The ambiance is amazing. Red Lantern is nestled between Back Bay Station and Bay Village and is in an old building with exposed brick and beams. It is dimly lit with red lighting with audible music - a great place for loud conversation. Food and drink are fine - a little pricey. I don't think I've had anything that has knocked my socks off but overall the quality of product is okay and nothing has really offended me. If you're looking for suggestions then I guess I would recommend the Rock Shrimp Tempura to start and the broken down California Roll for sushi with a spicy tuna roll or Idaho maki. If you're looking for great sushi then head to the other side of Back Bay Station to visit Douzo, but if you're looking for a scene then Red Lantern is your place.
(3)
Rachel M.
Love the vibe of this place! First time I got the miso glazed sea-bass, it was to die for, 2nd time I was disappointed. Can't go wrong with the Tunatartare! And I love their rose martinis, light and fresh!
(4)
Kaveh Z.
The place has a very nice ambiance and the food is good too. I really like their Sake Sangria. Had many of their foods and liked them all.
(4)
Nikhil P.
FUN. You come in here and you feel 1000x cooler. I thought I was Vince Carter, or Bruno Mars, or some asian pop star when I entered. I might have even seen these cool people around me, but I didn't even notice, because I was equally cool when I went in. The drinks are delicious -- like really, really delicious. I can't even remember all that we got at our table, but there was something with Sriracha sauce (my last memory of a Sriracha-sauce drink was a "Prairie Fire" that I had on my 19th birthday which made me shit Sriracha sauce for the next 24hrs... this wasn't like that), a Mai-Tai, something with pineapple, and other things that were just so, so good. For food, we got the duck buns: as good as everything you read about these in the other reviews... and a sushi boat that was huge, generously portioned, and had a great selection for a group of 6 full-sized hungry adult people. Added bonus? For our friend's birthday, there was no dorky happy birthday song, but there was a mochi cake with a little "Happy Birthday" spelled out on shortbread cookie. Oh, the love. Other perks? The decor was very hip, big crowd of people, very noisy, very upbeat. You'd probably need to wait for a while if you didn't have a reservation (hint: get a reservation), but for what you get when you enter there are definitely worse sins in life. Very asian fusion, awesome for groups, perfectly young and trendy, and oodles of fun.
(4)
Alexis B.
We arrived at 5:15 yesterday to an EMPTY restaurant. Literally we were the first ones on the dining floor. The snippy hostess informed us that we couldn't sit at a table (we were a party of 2) because they had a ton of reservations tonight. I was like super confused but we had Groupon thing so we said sure. Our waitress was strange. I asked her some questions and she wouldn't really answer them. We were also pretty sure she was on drugs. (Not in a mean way, but seriously she was not sober). So anyway we sat in an empty restaurant at the bar and had a decent meal. The food was fine, EXTREMELY over priced for what it was. We had edamame, 4 sushi rolls, 2 drinks, and a side vegetable and it was $100. By the time we left the place was still not filled. I was annoyed so I mentioned something to a passing manager. He literally said "I'm not going to bullshit you, we have 250 reservations tonight. I'm not feeding you any lines." Okkkk sir... still not what I was asking. I told him we wouldn't be returning, he didn't seem to care. It was a weird weird place. Everything just seemed like it was trying too hard. Don't waste your hard earned money.
(2)
Mike T.
Red lantern is a nice addition to Boston's asian food offerings. The interior is very cool and is reason enough for a visit even if just for a drink. On occasion, when the place gets very busy, this place can feel a bit like both staff and patrons are taking the scene a little too seriously. Sushi Tuesday is a pretty good deal and Red Lantern can be good for out of town guests looking for a more contemporary feel in Boston.
(4)
Mr. O.
Mr. O is back! Red lantern is a pleasant surprise for those who want great food and good drinks. The beef skewers are amazing and the Mongolian steak is delicious. The martinis are smooth and while this place gets crowded, it is worth it! It is under the radar, but I assure you it is better than many top end places in the city! Mr. O out!
(4)
J. A.
We decided to order 4 appetizers to share between the 2 of us as our dinner, so we can try a little of everything. The waiter was very helpful in suggesting their most popular dishes, and everything we ate was delicious. He was spot-on with everything, and we enjoyed every morsel. We would go back for more, if we only lived closer. Open one or two restaurants on Long Island, please!
(4)
Scott B.
Excellent service with knowledgeable wait staff. Must visit, especially on a quiet Sunday evening!
(5)
Paul W.
Came here last night for the Unlimited Sushi they offer on Tuesday. I'm a bigger fan of the quality of sushi at it's sister venue Empire, but it's still great. The decor at Red Lantern is some of the best in the city, overall great experience every time I've been here. Get the Yakuza sashimi platter.
(4)
Rebecca H.
I have been to Red Lantern once before and enjoyed a week day dinner at the sushi bar with a friend. It was a Saturday night however, that I came in with family and was told there would be an hour an a half wait without a reservation or we could "eat at the bar." Problem is, there is a regular bar and a sushi bar, and the hostess seemed to not want to give me straightforward answers whether we would be having our dinner here or somewhere else tonight. Luckily, four seats opened up at the sushi bar and we greedily sat at the counter. We were told after a few minutes by an employee that these seats were reserved and we could only eat at the "actual bar." I then explained that I had sat there before when I had been here, and he went back to the hostess desk to see what he could do for a table for us. In a matter of minutes, we were sitting at a table with a free appetizer and getting served. I asked if he was manager and he replied with his name and gave me his card, telling us that he would take care of us any time we came in. That is the right way to take care of your customers - Thank you Dan. The food was also to perfection as expected.
(5)
Di L.
I came here with a vaguely Asian companion in the hope of doing something vaguely Asian to celebrate the Harvest Festival, and this place certainly delivered on that. From the minute I opened those red double doors,I felt like I was stepping into some middle-aged Orientalist's wet dream (raise the red lantern much?). Not that that was a bad thing. Actually, the most trauma I suffered from the decor was due to the giant boddhisattva statues lurking in every corner. Having those guys watch you gorge yourself on pork belly buns and Singapore slings is the Buddhist equivalent of a giant mural of Jesus on the ceiling above your bed. Ambiance aside, it's a standard-to-decent fusion gastropub: spacious, friendly bar staff, tasty cocktails, overpriced but mediocre fasian food. I recommend their $7 small bites menu, which was flavorful, inventive and adequately portioned. Also, really nice napkins in the bathroom.
(4)
Jonathan S.
Not bad. This place has probably one of the biggest selection of asian style drinks in drinks outside of Chinatown. Though they seem to be heavily based on Singapore including references to Santosa. The $12 mai tai I ordered could have definitely been stronger. It tasted a bit watered down and I was hesitant to try other cocktails. I think I have had stronger Mai Tai's while flying. The service is excellent. Even though we didn't have a reservation as it was very busy the hostess did their best to convert a lounge table into a dinning table. Surprisingly the wait staff are very attentive even when busy. The food was ok at least for my personal tastes it was a bit to Americanized Chinese food. Though it was nice to see them bring some traditional fried rices on the menu; such as the Chinese sausage and a interesting twist to fried rice such as bacon style. On a side note the tuna tar tar did not have a lot tuna and was cucumber heavy. The sushi selection again is heavily fusion based and the flying fish roe seemed to be not of the highest quality. I wish they had nigiri because they did have toro fusion roles. The role and dishes we're well presented and although some appetizers had a steep price for this level of restaurant the $18 calamari appetizer was large portion similar to most items.
(3)
Aman S.
This place reminds me of TAO in NYC. Great vibe, ambience and music. The sushi and drinks are very good as well. The service was top notch. I would go back here again.
(5)
Chris W.
Amazing! Went here for the first time last night, had reservations and got right in when we arrived. Place was VERY busy on a Saturday night. The service was amazing, the drinks were incredible and the food was top notch. A little pricey, but well worth it! Most of the plates can feed at least two people so share away! Highly recommend! Will be back for sure.
(5)
Erin K.
Loved it here! We made a reservation the morning to eat here before a comedy show at Foxwoods. Arriving a little early, we had a drink at the bar before being seating. My husband had a beer and I had the Grass Fed Mule (lemongrass infused vodka and ginger beer), which was delicious. Their beer selection leaves a little to be desired, but they have an extensive and interesting cocktail menu. Once seated, we started with the spicy edemame, which was coated with a chili sauce. Put a delicious twist on regular edemame. For our entrees, I had vegetable fried rice and a cucumber roll and my husband had Singapore style Street noodles and salmon sushi. We both really enjoyed our entrees (my husband cleared his plate). The only complaint I have is the lack of many vegetarian options on the menu, most Asian restaurants include quite a few. Despite that, we would definitely return if we're ever back at Foxwoods.
(4)
Justin C.
I genuinely enjoyed this place with a couple colleagues as we bantered about typical work sh*t. Stunned not only by Eden's striking personality, her delivery was executed without compromise. We had the Ronin Roll, duck buns, and (best of all) the scallion pancakes. If it were possible to match Eden's warming personality, it would be with those God damn pancakes. Great service and great food. The staples of a fine establishment.
(5)
Joelle K.
We had our New Years Eve dinner at Red Lantern last night. Our waiter was awesome and very attentive to our large group. It is important to note that all of the entrees are very large and are meant to be shared. I didn't realize this as the only other time we came was for restaurant week and the portions were much smaller. As a result, we ordered way too much food. Each entree is good for 2-3 people. On the flip side, the appetizers are quite small. We had the lobster rangoons, veggie spring rolls and tuna tartar. Everything was delicious! I could have eaten nothing but the lobster rangoons and gone home happy. I ordered the Singapore street noodles for my entree, and found them to be delicious. I also tried the shrimp lo mein, scallop fried rice and ronin roll. Everything was yummy. The shrimp lo mein is probably the best that I have had. All in all, we had an awesome time at Red Lantern and I can't wait to go back!
(4)
Armani T.
Hands down, one of my favorite spots in Boston. Big Night Entertainment never dissapoints me. It's trendy, young, fun, upscale and I've never had a bad experience the numerous amount of times I've been here. Every server that's tended me during my visits are always professional, fun and attentive. It's the perfect spot for a night out for drinks, a first date, or just dinner. It's a unique dining experience.
(5)
nicole p.
I felt like I walked into what a Cheesecake factory would look like in Asia but slightly more upscale. Everything was just too much. Enough with the statuary at every possible open spot! But, I can overcome bad decor with good drinks and good food. Cocktail I got (I can't remember the name of it because the name totally didn't match the cocktail) was so good I had two of them. And at the prices of the cocktails, that's saying a lot. But, the food is, too put it politely, was so not good and at the prices of the food, it's doubly not good. We had 7 very different dishes from all parts of the menu and we shared all of the them. I did not want more than the few bites I took of any of them. Every dish was either flavorless or salty. So the drink would have been 4 stars but since woman can't live on drink alone, I have to bring down the rating.
(2)
Audrey C.
Pros: nice ambience (great for a date night or a girls night), fun cocktails, nice decor, lots of space for large parties. HUGE portions (I don't know if this is a pro?) Cons: food is ok. It's basically fancified chinese-american food. I ordered the chicken lettuce wrap and boneless spare ribs (char siu). Spare ribs were a bit dry, the salad it was on was a bit too acidic. The chicken lettuce wrap was not bad, but if they had told me how large it was for an app size, I would have just gone with that! We also ordered the pu pu platter - kinda fun, had a little flame going on. But again, just regular chinese american food on nicer/fun plating. My friend got the maki set for dinner and ended up spending the whole night in the bathroom. Someone else got the singapore noodles - it was huge! Everything was just a bit too salty. All in all...it was fine. I'd go back for the drinks maybe, but don't think I'd eat there.
(2)
Kadin L.
This is an overdue review. I went here with my friend on New Years Eve for dinner. The decor is very nice, however, it's too dark inside! Our server was very attentive and knowledgable. I had a small Grill Platter (char sui, bulgogi, chicken, skirt steak, and veggies). I loved the char sui, super delicious, probably the best I've ever had. Everything else was up to par. My friend had the Tik Tok Chicken bowl. The portion is really great here. The Tiki Tok Chicken probably had like 20lbs worth of food. I would definitely come back again!
(4)
Rishabh D.
Went here for a friends birthday, and we're too late to get a cake, but thanks to our innovative server, we got a good substitute for the cake. Being a fine dining, the service was very pleasing, and the food was delicious. Only problem was the amount of time the food took to come, it took longer than we had anticipated.
(4)
Sandra M.
They have the best sushi I've ever had. The tuna is like nothing I've had before, creamy. They have gluten free soy sauce and a limited gluten free menu (but at least they have one! I've asked for items not on the menu and they will happily make them). I recommend the spicy tuna, crispy "rice bites" and the gluten free fried rice (lobster, shrimp, and chicken have all been great). My brother would recommend the Ronin roll. They lose a star bc it's always so busy and even after making a reservation you can find yourself waiting for your table. It's also expensive.
(4)
Jenny G.
"Mehhhh" is what comes to mind when asked about Red Lantern. Came here on a Friday night for drinks by the bar. Tried for Brahmin next door but it was too cold and the line too long. So my friend and I stepped into RL instead. Drinks are alright, but certainly overpriced. I've been here in the past for food as well, and I'd have to give it that same rating - ok, but overpriced. They're lucky with their location and large restaurant space. Maybe I'm biased, but this place's decor (Buddhas and Buddhist goddessses, everywhere, lots of them. Also, red, everywhere, lots of it) seemed like it was trying too hard to be Asian fusion and 'sexy,' with the red glow eminating from all around (and not every asian face...hehe). There were so many Buddhas and goddess statues/figurines/pictures, that it seemed borderline offensive. Those really belong in temples and home for praying, not in a desperately unhip, happens to be downwind of a super hopping bar so that they get its spillage, venue.
(3)
Abbie M.
I was pleasantly surprised by Red Lantern. I heard it was a great spot to go out and have drinks, but was totally unfamiliar with the space or with the menu. Got a LivingSocial and decided to check it out! From the front it looks like a sketchy Asian place. They really need to work on that, because inside it is quite upscale with these incredibly tall ceilings with Asian/S&M iron lighting, full size Samurai warriors, and it's very cool. The waitress was a skilled saleswoman, highlighting the most expensive appetizers ($24 for 6 thin slices of beef/salmon cooked on a stone?) and entrees ($40 steak at an Asian place?) on the menu. She was the right amount of attentive, very knowledgeable, and had a good sense of humor. The menu was just redone and it's rather extensive (did I type extensive or expensive, because it is both.) We tried the Tik Tok chicken, the veggie fried rice, and my date got two sushi rolls. I don't eat sushi so I have no clue what she ordered. The chicken itself was quite good, and there was a lot of it, but for some reason while the sauce tasted good on the chicken I didn't like it on the broccoli or rice. The veggie fried rice was not your typical oily heavy fried rice, it was light with lots of veggies and there was a generous portion. She said her sushi was good, though I thought it looked on the small side. For drinks I got a coco-loco mai tai and she had Tanq and tonic. My drink tasted fine but was much smaller than I expected, however the Tanq and tonic was normal. They advertise a beer and wine special which changes daily/weekly, which is pretty awesome. Our total bill was $74, we had a deal for $60, so we made out all right in the end. The ambiance was fantastic and I would like to return for drinks, but probably not dinner.
(4)
Ann S.
Service was exceptional from entering to leaving. We sat at the bar and got to witness the culinary wonders up close. The food was fresh, tasty, and made with quality ingredients. The highlight of my visit was meeting the executive chef who was very interpersonal and engaging. For desert, we had the pineapple bread pudding and it was absolutely the best bread pudding I've had at an eatery -- I wish I had some to go!!! It was a great experience and I am looking forward to my next visit!
(5)
Mark D.
I have mixed feelings about this place. First, the place is nicely arranged. Decorations are appropriate with the name of the restaurant and fit an Asian motif. The bar is especially nice. The bar also has nice drinks. And they make them nice and strong which fits the price which is average for a cocktail at a decent establishment (think $10 - $14). However be cautious as I was charged a higher price for my classic Mai Thai than the menu price ($12 instead of $11). It is possible this was an honest mistake as they have another Mai Thai available at the higher price. For starters we had salt and pepper calamari, dumplings and vegetable spring rolls. All dishes were plated well, however staff initially brought over the calamari and told us it contained shrimp. However the same plate came back after staff confirmed there was no shrimp in the dish. The spring rolls were average and over priced for what they were. The dumplings were tasty, but again over priced for what they were. The calamari was good and was the best of the three. For entrees I ordered the skirt steak. My dinner companions ordered a wok fried pork special. My skirt steak was plated well and had excellent taste. The pairing with a baked sweet potato was an odd choice but worked and provided some nice contrast to the soy, garlic and ginger sauce on the steak. The wok fried pork was returned to the kitchen because it was deep fried not wok fried. My dinner companions chose the other pork special a pork loin. The pork loin was dry. Management removed it from the bill after complaining it was inedible and agreed it looked dry. We also had the Wagyu fried rice. While tasty, I've had better fried rice in Chinatown that had more depth of flavor with less oil. Staff and service were generally lackluster. Staff appeared mostly apathetic. Gentlemen, I was told, were not allowed to wear any form of hat in the dining area, however being loud and obnoxious (think bachelorette party with 4 scorpion bowls and dozens of other drinks) is allowed and seemingly encouraged by the very scantily and sexually clad female staff (think corsettes). Kitchen staff delivering food and refilling drinks made numerous mistakes throughout the night from not knowing the dishes that were being delivered to topping off sparkling water with tap water. My overall impression is this place is mostly trying to live off of the hype. The food is tasty but the price being paid is for the atmosphere and nothing more. Good place to get a drink with a friend or two but there are better Asian restaurants in town albeit none with an interior as pretty as Red Lantern.
(2)
Danielle S.
Good spot for Asian fare in Back Bay, nice ambience and interior design. Had a collection of apps and rolls. All were quite good. Recommend the "naruto" roll and lettuce wraps. Portions are ok, but prices are high. $16 for a 5 piece roll is high, even for the area. Same for the wine. High prices, mediocre selection, and small pour. Overall tasty food, just not the best price to quality ratio.
(4)
Emily S.
I went with a friend last week, mostly because of Restaurant Week (which I guess is now called Dine Out Boston). It's kind of dark inside the restaurant. It's also kind of loud but not so loud that you need to shout to have a conversation. The loudness is probably mostly due to the fact that Red Lantern's capacity is pretty large. The food is pretty good, although in my opinion, it does fall into the category of "Americanized Asian food". For my main course, I got the sushi platter. Have I had better sushi at other places? Definitely. Was it nonetheless yummy? Yes! The tik tok chicken bowl my friend got was quite large, and she said it was great too. Service was decent, although a bit slow at times. There was a slight mishap that lead to a little bit of confusion, when our desserts were accidentally delivered to the table next to ours, but that didn't detract too much from the overall experience. Would I ordinarily visit this place when it's not restaurant week? Probably not.
(3)
Philip J.
We went on a Saturday night, and it was packed with people. I ordered Surf & Turf which was pricey but very very good. The waiter was excellent and was patient with us as we looked over the extensive menu. The friends I was with also enjoyed but we're not totally satisfied with the portions served. I would definitely go back again, just not right away due to the pricey meals. Parking can be difficult, but valet parking is available at a price.
(4)
Carrie Y.
I'm still dreaming about those rice cakes and lobster rangoons. YUM! Came here on a Friday night. Loved the atmosphere, super friendly waitress, and really a great vibe all around. Drinks: -Lychee Martini- I've had better (Douzo makes the best I've had) -Grapefruit basil something martini- Lets just say its a acquired taste -Their version of a Manhattan- Not bad, strong, but it has a twist. Food: -Lobster Rangoons- Must get -Rice Cake- I'm not a fan of rice cakes, but OMG I would order 4 orders of these if i could. Must get!!! Between they chewy, savory, spicy, and punch of flavor, they are to die for. - Waygu Fried Rice- I've never had $20 fried rice, so I had to to order it, the waygu was tasty, but i can't say I would order it again. - Black Widow- Sweet and tasty, order if you like sweet potatoes - Red Dragon-Fresh, but I would pass on this Dessert: - Chocolate Cake Mousse- I would pass on this, it was pretty dry for a cake/mousse. I just ate the strawberries and ice cream that came with it.
(5)
Lily S.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the decor here. Red Lantern embodies my vision of restaurant comfort and atmosphere. This is the kind of place where you can enjoy a first or fiftieth date, come in for cocktails with the girls in your too short too tight sparkly dress, or just pop in for a quick drink in your business casual attire after work to admire the scantily clad bartenders. Those corsets...I mean ladies you look good but ouch....how do you breathe?? That being said, I found the food, while overall enjoyable, nothing special, and factoring in the price--just OK. I also found it hard to pick something that felt healthy. Outside of the sashimi, everything seemed to be fried and greased up--which, mind you, is OK, but the combo of bad for you, bad for your wallet, and the Brahmin being next door, will probably keep me from becoming a regular. All in all, I had a lovely evening with a good friend, enjoyed a couple of absolutely delicious lychee martinis, but the price tag (even after factoring in my $80 (?) Gilt deal) left much to be desired.
(3)
Jeyashri S.
This place is incredible. Came here with a large group for a friend's birthday and I honestly want to celebrate every birthday here now. It is the most perfect spot for any occasion and with any group - you can't go wrong with this place. Asian fusion was fantastic and portions were huge and the menu has a great variety of noodles, rice and seafood dishes and everything is very well made and the arrangement of the food itself seems to have a lot of thought put into it. The music was amazing as well, and we found out that the owners of the now closed down club Estate actually own Red Lantern itself so the playlist produced all the right vibes for the occassion. Layout of the place is great and they have this fun lounge-like setup that seated our entire group. Cannot rave enough about this place, deserves 5 stars and more.
(5)
Jay T.
Great place. Went after a Sox game, late Saturday afternoon. Although not busy, service was A+. Crispy rice bites were outstanding. Great sushi. Lobster fried rice was great, although note: it is a big bowl of pieces of lobster in shell, small bowl of white rice on the side with a smaller bowl of reduced seafood sauce. Very good. Would go back.
(4)
Hannah P.
Cocktails-Okay--strong enough but nothing unique, however, tasty. Food-the boneless spare ribs were great and had a nice glaze, not overly sweet. Noodles with seared beef were fine as well. Not a huge noodle fan but the steak was cooked very nicely(medium rare). The Toro roll was excellent and I would gladly reorder it. Dessert was lack luster. Menu said chocolate mousse but what arrived was a dry chocolate cake of sorts. Accompaniments of fresh cream and homemade strawberry ice cream were good though. Our server was very nice and fairly attentive but having read reviews before we went, it was clear that is not typical. Most of the staff were hanging out and socializing and we saw the expeditor continue to clean plates with his fingers (no Bueno). The vibe is much more of a late night bite or pregame lounge kinda thing before a club. Bartenders and random girls on the floor have a whole lotta cleavage going on and we found it particularly amusing as the 15 yr old boys with their parents dining next to us prob thought it was the best place they had ever been.
(4)
Katy M.
4 for the food, 2 for the price. The food ranges from great to just okay. For example, the Kobe beef skewers and Peking raviolis were scrumptious. We got chicken lettuce wraps, as they are a favorite at other restaurants, and were disappointed by how small the lettuce was and how soggy the filling was. I was disappointed that the buns weren't actually bao buns, but rather more of a pita, but they were still good. The chicken fried rice was good, but nothing special. The ambiance is cool and mature; this is definitely a place for weekend tapas and drinks. HOWEVER, weekend tapas and drinks should never be this pricy. While we enjoyed our meal, the prices were out of this world for food that can be found much cheaper (and just as good) in Chinatown. However, if you are a sushi fan, the $25 for unlimited sushi on Tuesday nights is a good deal.
(3)
Tammy T.
Just like any usual Asian restaurant but pricey as heck. The restaurant is beautiful, but it is a tad bit too dark for my liking. I went for my close friend's birthday not too long ago, and I was excited to give it a try. My friend and I decided to share something on the sharing category, we decided to get the beef... I cannot recall what it was exactly called and a sushi roll. We wanted to try something we've never had before for sushi and that was the biggest disappointment we have ever had, it wasn't like any typical roll, I believe it was wrapped in cucumber(?) With salmon. As for the beef, it didn't taste any different from a regular Asian restaurant and we received ONE small bowl of rice.. Big portion of meat with a small bowl of rice when it's a sharing dish.. Interesting. I wouldn't go back here again, but I can cross it off my list now.
(3)
Kevin L.
The one star is far too generous. I had the worst experience at Red Lantern with three friends on a not a busy evening. We arrived, got sat, waited for a good ten minutes prior to a waiter acknowledge us and was gone for a while. Once he brought us our drinks, he disappeared for another ten minutes. He came back, took our orders with such a bad attitude as if we were not worthy to be waited on. It took about 30 minutes for the food to come out. And the water dripping from the ceiling was not pleasant. My food was extremely soggy to the point that it was inedible. I kept looking for the waiter and tried to get his attention so I can reorder my food. Finally, he showed up, I explained that my rice was completely soaked in the sauce to the point that it looks like I ordered soup. It took about 20 minutes before someone else brought me the replacement. At this point everyone else at the table had finished their dish. Other than the bad tasting food and bad service, the strangest thing was the floor manager was giving the waiter a back rub at the bar in front of customers. Unless you enjoy wasting your money on less than take out quality Chinese food and bad service, I would not recommend this place. Needless to say, we will never return to this restaurant. There are too many great Asian restaurants in Boston with a much better service.
(1)
Nicole S.
Every time I go here I am more and more blown away by the food and service. During our most recent visit the 3 of us enjoyed the following: Chicken Lettuce wraps ($14) Lobster Ragoons ($12) Fan Fried Pork Dumpkins ($12) Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls ($10) Shrimp Fried Rice ($14) Drunken Noodles ($22) Everything was very fresh and flavorful. The meal was staggered a bit so we could enjoy each dish at a nice pace as well as them being cooked right to order. I can't get enough of the Lobster Ragoons- just imagine crab rangoons but 100x better with fresh lobster. I typically find that noodles dishes are either dry and gummy or are very oily to keep the noodles seperated and easy to eat but it is not the case here. We ended up with plenty of food and had some of the fried rice and noodles to go. Valet does take a LONG time so don't forget to ask your server to call up your car while you finish dessert.
(4)
Odiddy K.
Place looks awesome. But it's Rat infested. As I'm eating my meal I spot 2 mice running around I tell the waitress she said it's normal because of the location. she had the nerve to say that they name the mice that is Stuart. Manager comes over says they are very sorry and will take care of the bill they took off the edamames off the bill $8 bucks off a $230 bill. Don't go there !!!!
(1)
David H.
I am giving this place four stars but not for the food which was very very overpriced and averagely presented....btw guys gyoza is steamed and then gently fried on one side only...duh!!!! But, the drinks menu is exciting and varied...and our waitress was enthusiastic and helpful. The four stars is for the setup and the decor. You could be in NYC at one of those hip happening places...except it is right here in this great city, and jammed with all the good looking people having a great time at the very cool bar. The lofted warehouse has been incredibly transformed with great furnishings and decor. This place will always draw the crowds and be a fun great evening out...just eat somewhere else...or bring your corporate card....which always has a way of easing the pain of paying exorbitant prices for pretty average plates of food.
(4)
Allan S.
Nouveau Asian fusion cuisine. Upscale & trendy. Nice bar with friendly, prompt, professional bartenders. The dining area is large and there is a private room for groups. I enjoyed watching the beautiful people walking by. As for the cuisine, its good. though far from traditional Asian, I was here for a business meal would definitely bring my wife if only to enjoy drinks & the vibe.
(4)
Blaire O.
The food was delicious and the service was excellent. My friend and I went on Friday night with a reservation and were promptly seated. First round of drinks, we had a Mai-tai and the red lotus. My second drink had orange muddled with champagne. It was alright but I really liked the red lotus. The Lettuce wraps were delicious! The waitress was helpful answering any questions as I have a shellfish allergy. Another friend had recommended that we get the Singapore noodles. It had a lot of shellfish in the dish. So I asked the waitress if we could substitute it with chicken. I appreciate her honesty of telling us that removing the shellfish would not make the dish as good. She offered other noodle suggestions. We ended up going with the classic chicken lomein. Before placing our order, the waitress asked how severe my shellfish allergy was in regards to cross contamination. The spicy tuna roll and the avocado/cucumber roll was delicious as well. For dessert, we split the chocolate mousse cake and had an espresso each. The cake was rich so we could not finish it. The fruit served with the cake was delicious. all the other servers were attentive as well. Only downside was the food is a little pricey. I would be back again for a splurge meal
(4)
Sean H.
This may come across a little cheesy but I'm ok with it. We always have a great meal at Red Lantern. But the food is only part of the reason we keep coming back. The staff is what sets them apart. The hosts are always friendly and warm. The wait staff are amazing and knowledgeable. Food comes out great, piping hot but also consistent. Management will always pop by and see how your meal is. They really know how to treat their customers. That's why it's my wife and I's favorite place to dine in the city.
(5)
Channa H.
My friend and I had dinner there Tuesday night and I would probably not go back again. We went after work and it wasn't crowded. The hostesses were pretty rude, didn't even bother to say hello or look at us as we were asked if we had a reservation for our party of two. The food was okay. We got lobster rangoons, shrimp fried rice (the best thing we got), stir-fried short ribs with broccoli and asparagus and soft shell crab sushi. All okay but I wouldn't rush back there to have dinner. The service wasn't very friendly and we felt rushed the entire time. Our server (said Tia on the receipt) did the typical filling waters and asking if things were okay but was completely emotionless, like she didn't want to be there. As someone who's been a server before, I know it puts a damper on your guests' experience when you give off that vibe. She seemed annoyed that we were there over an hour and would walk away before we could finish answering any questions she'd ask, like, if we'd like dessert and dropped the check without asking if my friend wanted another drink. Beautiful restaurant in a great location, lots of potential. But, I wish my first time there was better. Wouldn't go back unless someone twisted my arm and even then, I'd hope for a better server.
(2)
Delroy H.
This place was very nice. The food was excellent and the staff was friendly and knowledgable. I would certainly recommend it. I will be back soon.
(5)
M S.
The reason I am rating this restaurant a 1 star is because they cook their seemingly vegetarian options in the same oil as the non vegetarian options. This is a big problem and modern restaurants to adhere to better cooking standards. This essentially leaves stir fried vegetables as the only vegetarian entree choice.
(1)
Jessica F.
Heard awesome things about this place and the only thing I liked was the decor and ambiance of the place. Nothing really like that in Boston. The drink menu was pretty good too but when it came down to choosing a meal...I didn't see much on their that appealed to me. Im a big sushi eater and nothing popped out to me as amazing. A lot of it was fried or cooked fish. There are not a lot of dishes to choose from but be prepared to pay the price. My waitress was not too attending. I think she stopped at our table a total of 3 times. I understand it's busy, but hire more staff. Also, I have a sesame seed allergy, which is in a lot of Asian foods. She basically told me all I could it were the simple sushi rolls and everything else was cross contaminated with sesame oil. I'm sorry, but if you can take the time to cook something aside, you do not deserve my money. I've been to plenty of other Asian restaurants and they tell me what to stay away from specifically. Here, they did not want to put in the effort. I don't think I will be coming back.
(1)
Shea R.
This place has a very nice ambiance as soon as you walk in. The waiter was not too friendly and was only right to the point. There were a few people from our party running late and they told us that we needed to be out by a certain time because there was another reservation at our table after ours. Here's what I tried: Ronin roll not bad but the fish felt a little too soggy for my taste. Chicken fried rice tasted a little burnt and I'm pretty sure the takeout spot on a random corner tastes better. Edamame was actually really good especially with the sauce it comes with. Dumplings were nothing special, not memorable at all. The tuna tar tar was really good and went well with the rice I ordered
(3)
Ellen H.
How have I not written a review of Red Lantern yet?! I LOOOOVE this place. Find it pretty easy to make reservations on OpenTable and have never had a problem with a reservation. Like another reviewer said, this place is like Buddakan in NYC, which is all the more reason to love it. It's dark, sexy, upscale, but not pretentious. Service is always excellent. I have only once been disappointed with my food and it was my own fault because I didn't realize "smokey" sushi was literally going to come with a glass jar over it holding the SMOKE inside. It was like eating a fireplace. Lesson learned! That said, EVERY other meal I have had here has been absolutely delicious. Fresh, fun maki combinations. Good appetizers, and honestly - the prices aren't bad for what it is. You'll pay $15 for a specialty roll in a suburb so it's more than reasonable at Red Lantern. The fried rice and noodle portions are generous. Drinks are phenomenal and well-priced. My boyfriend and I tend to make a night out of it when we come here and we never feel rushed, even though it's a busy place. I am going to try to have my birthday dinner here, I love it so much. Yay Red Lantern!
(5)
Mahee F.
Great bar with a cool asian theme but also a great place to sit down for dinner
(3)
Amir K.
The rice dishes and noodle dishes are enough for at least two. The food is great but the ambiance is even better. A must see in the Back Bay/ South End.
(5)
James A.
Good ambiance, good food. Service was satisfactory. Portions were proper. Would recommend if you get a chance
(4)
Rachel S.
^^ That one star right there. That's a gift. I have been to Red Lantern countless times, for birthdays, date nights, and the like. Generally, the food is decent (few standouts are the duck buns and the rock shrimp appetizer) yet the service is notoriously deplorable. Hostesses are inexperienced and unfriendly and the staff is not much better. On one occasion, our entire meal came backwards - entrees, then sushi, then appetizers - with a mere "whoops! so sorry!" from our waitress. "K," Red Lantern, "K".... So why even go back, you ask? Truth be told, I live just around the corner and the music and atmosphere of the restaurant is a great backdrop for a birthday celebration, date night, or girls night out (as long as your group isn't on a budget or a bunch of foodies). The music resembles the kinda beats a back up DJ puts on in a club prior to midnight when the real DJ comes on. Parents, you've been warned... I had been meaning to give Red Lantern's unlimited sushi night a go because, lezzbehonest, decent "all you can eat" sushi night is something you read about only in culinary fairy-tales. So, a group of 6 of us banded together last night and headed over to Red Lantern. We were sat (when our full party arrived) at a large circular table in the central part of the restaurant. Immediately after sitting, one of my friends was complaining that the ceiling/pipes above him was dripping condensation right into his lap. Not a huge deal, but since there was an empty exactly same sized table right next to us, we figured we'd ask to be moved. When we asked our waitress to switch tables, she looked at us like we were insane. Not only did she not offer to move us to the other table, but she fought us when we suggested it. She said another reservation would be taking the table (um, we had a reservation too...?) and there was "nothing she could do about it." FYI - I've been a waitresss and the first rule of waitressing is that you NEVER throw your hands up at a customer and say there is nothing you can do. Moving along... In an effort to make our waitress's life easier, we asked if it would be possible to get separate checks/allow couples to have their own checks. Again, that look of utmost confusion and disgust from our waitress. "We can only accept 4 cards," she began to repeat over and over. Okay, you're annoying, but w/e. Let's talk about the food. "NO," is the phrase that comes to mind. Red Lantern offers a selection of pretty basic rolls as part of their unlimited menu (no surprise here). I started with the "rock & roll" which is essentially rock shrimp tempura on a cali roll and the spicy salmon roll. Well, the shrimp tempura was cold as if it had been pre-made circa 4pm when service started and was DRENCHED in a spicy mayo. The same overdose of spicy mayo covered my spicy salmon roll. Honestly it could have been spicy shark fin maki and I wouldn't have known - I couldn't taste the salmon AT ALL. With our fingers crossed, we all decided to order our second round of sushi. Here's where it really gets good... We literally had to flag down our waitress after almost 20 mins between rounds. Our table was joking about how making us wait is probably a tactic used by the restaurant to make you more full faster... I'm not convinced this is entirely wrong. Second round came and I thought I'd steer clear of anything "spicy" related so I opted for the plain California roll and the Idaho (sweet potato) roll. The California roll was the winner of the evening which is straight up down right pathetic-city. How can you do an vegetable filled roll wrong? You can service the normally warm sweet potato filling icy cold. * Sad Face * We had all had enough and were ready to get going so we started looking around for our waitress to bring the bill. She was nowhere to be found. More waiting ensued until we finally grabbed a manager and asked for the bill. Our waitress came back, annoyed, and chirped, "Sorry. Didn't realize you guys were finished." The napkins in our plates definitely did not give this girl a large enough hint, apparently. Finally, we pay the check and GTFO of there. Needless to say, I will never be returning to Red Lantern nor will anyone that sat in my party last night. I'm confident that I can find another establishment to overcharge and under serve me that doesn't leave my stomach gargling with discomfort.
(1)
Caro D.
Visited on a Wednesday night and was crowded. Ambiance was vibrant. Lili, the waitress, was very nice. Shared the rib-eye bulgogi, lobster and bacon brown fried rice, and baby bok choy with my husband. All dishes were abundant and with plenty of flavor. Special mention to the delicious wood grilled meat. Overall a pleasant experience. The only downside was the level of the volume of the ambiance music. Personally a bit loud for my taste.
(4)
Courtney S.
This place is so disappointing. Came here for girls night. Drinks are a little overpriced and not very good. Beer selection lacking. Wait staff super rude and not very attentive. Felt like we were putting him out when we asked for anything. Would not return here and will tell others who ask about my poor experience
(2)
Chirag P.
Went here twice within 4 days for receptions. It really is a cool place, awesome decor and great food. The orange glazed chicken skewers were amazing and so was the sushi roll with kobe beef in/on it. Can't remember exactly what that was called. One of the servers was just pure entertainment... dancing to the house music and truly enjoying his work... which made this place that much cooler, since all the staff seemed sincerely amused to be working there. I can't speak to the price, since i was a guest at the work reception, so drinks and food were free.
(5)
Karen B.
The ambiance is deceiving here- it looks impressive from the outside, but the food is bland and the service is terrible. I came with a large party, reserved a lounge area table, and it took 45 minutes for our server to bring the first round of drinks. The restaurant was not full and the bar was not crowded. The server, who admitted to being new, got annoyed when a few peoole chose to visit the bar for additional rounds. Sorry, but 18 of us are thirsty. Don't get the chicken fried rice- boring and oily. Lettuce wraps come with a gooey dish of meat, I think; it was mostly peanuts. The server took an order for drinks, then dropped the check without adding the final order...then came back 30 minutes later looking for more money, without the last drink order having arrived. Very unprofessional. I wouldn't come back or recommend it to others. I expected much more...
(1)
Rozzie M.
Who serves sushi with one piece if ginger? Who serves sushi with out spy sauce? Who serves Asian apps of any kind not to mention and entire app platter without dipping sauce? Red Lantern. That's who. Pu Pu platter comes "pre-sauced" and is as skimpy with precious sauces as they are with the ginger in the sushi. Please explain what is with that choice. Sauce is too messy? Too expensive? Please!!!! Won't be back. Evah.
(2)
Megan Y.
Red Lantern is an amazing place to start a night out downtown! It feels like the closest restaurant/lounge to Tao in Vegas (without the naked women dancing). Love it: - the rock shrimp seriously rocks! It's so delicious and a must order. Portions are small so be prepared to order more! - Tik tok chicken is awesome and great to share. Serves as a good base for a big drinking night! - Hot rock is fun and tasty! Beef and salmon are both good - drink menu is extensive and fun! I started with the geisha -- great if you love sweet drinks with champagne Hate it: - would not reorder the chicken fried rice or chicken lettuce wraps as they were not memorable
(4)
K F.
Overpriced drinks and decent food. Sushi was the best part. The atmosphere is fun but it's not worth it if you're going just for dinner. One thing that really bugged me were the fortune cookies - advertisements. Photo included. Service was nothing special.
(3)
Samantha I.
3.5 stars. I came in with 3 friends on Sunday night for drinks and dinner, and we had a great time! We sat in the lounge type area and it was very comfortable and our waitress was great. The appetizers that we got were delicious- rock shrimp & lobster Rangoon. The noodle dishes we got were good, but basic (Singapore street noodles & chicken lo mein). I thought they could have been better and more flavorful. For cocktails, I recommend the coconut Mai tai (I did not like their red sangria).
(4)
Phil O.
Per request from the server, I ordered the Wagyu Ribeye, which was just terrible. And it was $44! I had them prepare me another one with the correct temperature, but it was still a tough piece of flavorless meat. I doused the steak in salt and pepper, but it was pointless. I might not ever come back here for the food. Our peking raviolis were botched as well (overcooked- burnt on the bottom). It's too bad, because my first food experience here was incredibly better.
(2)
Kim F.
Visited this restaurant about 2 weeks ago in search of good sushi in Boston. Avocado and crab salad was tasty. The 3 sushi rolls that my son ordered were average - not even as good as the grocery store Philly roll.
(2)
Sam N.
The Tuna Rice bites are the best thing on the menu! They also have a whole gluten free menu which helps me out a lot. It turns into a really cool lounge at night and the drinks are great
(5)
Silvia V.
Red Lantern is a perfect spot for a girls' night outing. The decor is cool. Love the zen Buddhas and the splashes of red. I've been to the restaurant twice so far. The first time I had drinks and a few apps at the bar and the second time I had a sit-down dinner with friends. The drinks are too sweet for my taste. I had their Classic Mai Tai as well as their Lychee Martini, both super sweet. Their food is much better than the drinks. Gyoza, Duck Buns, Tuna Tartare, Calamari Crunchy are all great appetizers. I also recommend Crunchy Maki, Spicy Tuna Maki and Spicy Salmon Maki. And for dessert a Chocolate Macadamia Nut Tart, it's sooo good. Our waitress was awesome, she was very attentive and very nice. I think her name was Lilly.
(4)
Nick F.
Right before I graduated from a local college, I took a girl here for a date because we both wanted to try the $20 all you can eat. Anyway- I would highly recommend it. The $20 unlimited deal is kept to a few types of rolls but each were delicious and easily repeated. We also had some fun exploring the drink options which were also extremely delicious- especially their drink served in a coconut. I cant wait to get back to Boston and eat here again!
(4)
Mary M.
Guess how much a Markers Mark Manhattan here costs. Only $32! What a steal!
(3)
Maggie N.
Great atmosphere for a night out on the town. Sushi unique and tastey!
(5)
Michael M.
When I went to the Red Lantern I was a guest of a group of friends, so I didn't pay for a thing. I can't really talk about the prices. They were highly successful people who like to show it, so I imagine they spent some serious coin that night. The crowd was cool, the ambiance for a Friday night was full out lounge in effect. A really great place for conversation amoung friends. So why would I give the "Red Lantern" 5 stars? "The Singapore Street Noodles" are phenomenal! 4.999999 of those stars go to these tasty magical exhibits of culinary mastery. When the Streets meet Singapore a tasty infusion of various meats, spices and noddles emerge. This ill begotten son of two distinct linages, will captivate your taste buds and expand your horizons. At the end of the night and at the bottom of the bowl you'll leave with more questions then answers... Why am I here? Is there a life after death? Where exactly is Singapore? Last but not least, what in the world is in these noddles?
(5)
Ann P.
Arrived after the Bruins game. It was hopping at 10 PM. EDM pumps up the volume, hip and trendy beautiful people mingle with older crowds. Efficient friendly service, sweet pretty hostesses, a really cool creative drink menu and tasty food. The in spot for a late night nosh and drink sesh. Really dark and cozy and romantic in a different sort of way. Fun!!
(4)
Lisa N.
Loved it! Just know, this isn't an unpretentious hole in the wall, or an intimate neighborhood haunt, and it's Asian fusion. And expensive (but portions are huge, we had plenty--too much for 2, and my hubby can eat!). If you've been to Hakkasan or Buddakhan in NYC, it's similar in style and menu. But IMHO, much better. We tried: --special of smoked char su egg rolls --crispy rice bites with blackened tuna --pan fried peking ravioli (least favorite, rather than just the bottom fried, the entire dumpling seemed deep-fried, chili sauce was too sweet) --Tik Tok chicken (similar to a General Gau's, but better) --Rib eye bulgogi style (awesome, Korean marinade, gochujang sauce, kim chi) --baby bok choy with garlic chips Everything was freshly prepared and served hot. Almost docked a star as the drinks are pricey and didn't seem that potent.
(5)
Karen C.
When trying to decide on where to have dinner in Boston my friend gave a few suggestions and after looking at menus I was most intrigued by Red Lantern. I loved the space as soon as we walked in - a little funky, a little modern, and a lot bigger than I was expecting. We started with cocktails - I am a sucker for anything with ginger beer so naturally I had to get that one! Started with the spring rolls, which were tasty, but for $10 a laughable portion. Maybe I was just hungry from running a half marathon earlier in the day though. Singapore street noodles were out of this world and I am happy to say the portion on these was more than sufficient. I wish I'd been able to take home the leftovers but we were in a hotel without a mini fridge. Our server was attentive but it probably helped being St. Patrick's Day so most people were not at Asian restaurants :) I'd come back.
(4)
M. M.
Celebrated my sisters 40th birthday here. The waitstaff was great. She knew the menu well, guided us on selections and was attentive. The food was outstanding. Atmosphere lively and a bit loud. Great for group gathering. Will visit again!
(5)
Samita S.
The Red lantern sushi roll is probably one of the best sushi rolls I've ever had!! It was perfect!! Get that specifically and you won't be missing out!!
(5)
K A.
Red Lantern was just okay. We had a groupon, and so went as a group and ordered A LOT of food. The rice and noodle dishes are pricey, large, and only of average quality. The sushi was barely average, but the drinks were good. Overall, the food was pricey, not nearly as flavorful as authentic Asian food, and lacked the quality usually associated with the price. I would characterize the atmosphere as "hip" and the kind of place you might go before you head out clubbing for the night. Ladies, be sure to wear your heels.
(2)
Bill A.
Why on god's earth is this place 3.5 stars? Went with my wife food was amazing! She ordered Beef w/ Lomein and I ordered sweet and sour chicken and both dishes arrived steaming hot. We also did the lobster Rangoon for and appetizer which is pretty good. Portions are huge we could have shared one dish.
(5)
Thu T.
I've been here a handful of times, either with one other person or with a huge group. Each time I've left somewhat dissatisfied...which is definitely not okay considering the prices. I haven't paid for a Red Lantern meal yet, and that's the only reason why I've gone back! Everything is just...okay for a lack of a better word, from the noodles/rice/sushi/etc. etc., even their signature appetizers (pupu platter and the hot rock)! I would say the standouts would be the lobster rangoons and several of their desserts, which includes the pumpkin holes and the banana mud cake. The atmosphere and design undoubtedly outweighs the food...so come here to check at least that out! Side note: Service within the restaurant is good, but valet takes an absurdly long time! Aaaaand my quest for the perfect Asian Fusion restaurant continues :P
(3)
ana y.
I had the stir fried short rib, the restaurant was dark and I could not see the color of the broccoli. I doggie bag the food to go and I got home and opened the box the broccoli was yellow and the food was spoiled the next day.
(2)
Renuka V.
4 of us walked there for dinner after having oysters+beer@Skipjack's nearby on MemorialDayMonday. Had 2 rounds each of cocktails (all delicious - and surprisingly not too sweet at all!) and for food, ordered the whole Peking duck which was enough for 4 of us (we all ate a lot too!). And yep - the duck was delicious! Had a Gilt voucher so food was 50% off. Extra star is for the gorgeous decor - never seen so many Buddha statues in one space( and i've been to many Buddha-themed rests. in SouthEastAsia amongst others!) AND loved the exposed brick wall as well as super high warehouse-like ceilings. Went to various spots in Boston during my week there and this was unlike any other rest. I saw there!Service was fantastic too even though place was almost full when we got there around 9pm. A must go.
(5)
Wini P.
Yummy place, but wicked expensive. We had 2 drinks and three appetizers and the bill was $86.00. Molly, our food server was amazing.
(2)
Tony S.
Red Lantern reminds me of Tao in NY and Vegas, sans the giant Buddha in the middle of the room. I absolutely love the ambience, decor, and service of the place (except maybe 1 or 2 of the many hostesses, who, on all three visits I've made, appear to have forced smiles that look like constipation grimaces). I'm not a huge drinker, so I'm probably not the best critic on booze, as I've only had one of their cocktails, which was some ginger-ale-ish alcoholic concoction named after some Mongolian general. But, I CAN comment on the food and service. The service (at least after you get past the consipated hostesses) is 5-star all the way. I've had two sit-down dinners here, with parties of 6 or more, and was served once by Kai, and another time by Tim. Both are awesome, conveying professionalism, hospitality, and sincerity. I also noticed what I think was the manager, who constantly flitted around the place like a quality control agent from some obscure culinary department of the CIA...... (which is my way of saying he looked like he was really keeping the place in check. A PLUS!). Now the food..... hmmm... mixed feelings here. So let's start with the Must Haves.... 1) Duck Buns. Incredible. Like pulled pork, the meat was shredded succulence of yumaliciousness. 2) Avocado Salad. AMAZING. I have never had anything like this anywhere else, and has a phenom mixture of texture and flavor. Not a single guest at my dinners disagreed. More importantly, when I brought one of these as take-out to my mother (of the Asian Sisterhood of All-knowing Tongues), she gave full approval. 3) Teriyaki Noodle Steak. Being from both Hawaii and California, I didn't think I'd find anything interesting here, until a friend ordered it and offered a bite (her mistake, as I wouldn't stop until I got to bite #10.... or was it 14?). Great consistency of the noodles, and was not over-whelmingly sweet (which is normally the case when they fuse teriyaki sauce with rice or noodles). Definitely going to be a regular on my dinner list when I return with family or friends. .... and now... the On-The-Fence items: A) Lobster mashed potatoes. Tasty? Yes. Good? Yes. GREAT and OUT OF THIS WORLD?... No. Nothing spectacular here, especially if you're a mashed potato connaisser, but it is definitely tasty. If you have a table of 4 or more, at least one of you should order it and share with the rest. B) Smoking Lantern. This was a sushi roll that I put in my '*WTF*' files. Described as a smoked tuna (I think it was tuna) on packed rice, 2 people at my table swore by it, two thought it was interesting, and two of us hated it. Personally, I thought it tasted literally like motor oil (which I licked as a child, so this is a legit reference). However, to be fair, a friend said that one of the ingredients, juniper (which also apparently goes into making gin), has a unique flavor that can make some people gag (and hence the diesel flavor..... and I also hate the taste of gin). And now, the ARE YOU KIDDING items: i) Tuna Tempura Roll. covered with spicey eel sauce, I was expecting LA-style expertise, but alas, it was packed with too much rice that took away from any of the flavor, was too hard from the wrong tempura batter, and quite frankly, a slight disappointment. I don't hate it.... just don't like it enough to order it again unless they fix it. ii) Shrimp Sashimi. This was what I'll call the Jaguar built with Yugo engineering, Saab styling, and Chevy Handling. It LOOKED cool, but tasted like cold metal, smelled like a cold storage carcass, and left all 6 diners so disappointed that we'll likely never drive again. TERRIBAD!!!! It was drenched in a cucumber gazpacho that was...... strangely enough... WAAAAY too cucumbery, such that it tasted artificial..... sorta like astro turf. (At least our waiter was kind enough to take this off our bill.) Final verdict? I WANT to love this place. Great atmosphere, interesting pick-up crowd (sort of like a fresh Sonsie), awesome service, with 3, maybe 4 great dishes.... If they can up the plus count on good dishes, I'll upgrade my rating to 5 stars. Still, if you haven't been, definitely worth a first visit.
(4)
Jen D.
This was an incredible experience: watching the chefs work their magic, feeling as though 10 different people were waiting on us who genuinely wanted us to enjoy ourselves and tasting high-quality, creative dishes. I can't wait to go back! Perfect for dates, girls' night, parties and business dinners.
(5)
Nicole M.
We had a great time at red lantern!!! Although we had to wait a little for our reservations the manager more than made up for it! We got a free round of drinks (party of 8) he really was super sweet!! We actually came back after a freezing bar crawl and he gave us all a shot and got us into brahmin next door. The food was yummy I got the crunchy salmon roll but I tried my friends teriyaki steak and it was great! Actual steak! The waiter was super friendly and our meals came out fast! We will definitely go back!! Thank you again for a wonderful evening.
(5)
Chris L.
Just hit up this trendy, restaurant/lounge last night for a reservation at 8 pm. Place was hopping with the after work crowd and hip crowds. Even when we left at 9:30 there was still a crowded vibes to the place but the place is cavernous. Big open kitchen, comfortable half moon cushions in the lounge and a large bar tucked off to the side. I think they have a downstairs too but not sure. Typical Buddha/Eastern decor with red (go figure, with a name like Red Lantern) lighting everywhere. Seating and tables were comfortable although a little close for my comfort. The music was pretty loud though and mostly uptempo dub and house....I would have chosen something a little more Zen. I like Skrillex and all just not during my meal. I went on Yelp before visiting and got some recommendations on food choices so I won't be too adventurous here but both my wife and I were very pleased with the quality of the food. We had the lobster rangoon and duck buns for apps. Both were delicious with the rangoon sitting atop a sticky sweet sauce and the steamed duck buns accompanied by a hoisin sauce and some mighty spicy red peppers and pickles. The duck was shredded and served taco style inside the bun. For sushi, we ordered a crunchy roll with had cooked salmon plus so other stuff inside/on top and got an order of BBQ eel and salmon nigiri. The sushi was well prepared and very tender. Melt in your mouth quality! If it wouldn't be such a shit show, i might even consider hitting up the $25 unlimited sushi on Tuesday nights. We ordered the Tik Tok Chicken for our main course and got a big big bowl of perfectly tender chicken drenched in a sweet sauce with very few veggies and a nice mound of rice. We each could only each a small plate but I thought it was great; my wife found it a little too spicy (there is some ginger tucked in there somewhere). We went home with a nice container of it....hello lunch! The drinks we ordered were good (Bamboo Juice and Red Devil) but a little too fruity. Didn't get too much alcohol burn in there. Maybe that's good but I like to know I am drinking something. Service was excellent and our server was friendly. We didn't get any dessert but got some nice chocolate drizzled red velvet fortune cookies (with the same fortune though...WTF!) with the check. Which brings me to why it is only 4 stars....cost. The bill for us was $110 without tip. Pretty pricey for two people I feel like but I am glad we got to experience this restaurant. When I first heard about it (way back when), I was thinking that a place like it wouldn't last too long in Boston but I am glad it has. An enjoyable evening all around.
(4)
Lynn J.
YES...It's very similar to Buddakan.com in NYC, but, since we don't have one in Boston, we have this. THE DRINKS: Extremely reasonable for the Back Bay, featuring Grey Goose house specialty cocktails for ONLY $11! THE FOOD: Asian Fusion house specialties served at large, private tables, or a room length, communal one. They also offer a sushi bar with few bar stools you can reserve. THE CROWD: The bar crowd is a 20 something mix of upscale college kids and clubbers drinking their way over to The Brahmin night club, located conveniently two doors down. THE DEAL: FOOD: Order the "Lettuce Wraps" appetizer for ONLY $12. It comes with a PINT OF FILLING and lots of lettuce, satisfying the munchies of me and my 2 girlfriends! DRINK: Order the FISH BOWL SIZED "Scorpion Bowl" for $44. It looks to be about 6 cups o' cocktails...HUGE!
(4)
Michael C.
An Asian Fusion restaurant that appears to do it all. We sat at the open kitchen bar, we were so close to the kitchen and head chef I felt like we could have jumped in and helped. In my opinion they are the best seats in the house. With the head chef literally at arms length we were able to see so many dishes being made and got loads of good recommendations and a few samples. Great decor, friendly staff, attractive patrons. This place would definitely go into the Bond or Liberty Hotel category of places. Here is what we had: Mai Tai - Stronger than sweet. On the smaller size. It makes the $44 scorpion bowl seem like a value. Shanghai Street Sangria - Red Lanterns' version of sangria made with Plum Sake. I prefer the traditional stuff but it was still good. Blueberry Yuzu Drop - It's almost like a blueberry cosmo, my favorite of the cocktails. Spicy Lettuce Wraps - Pretty much what you would expect if you've had them at P.F Chang's except they do have a spicy kick Fresh Lo Mein Noodles - Standard Lo Mein dish but very good Terriyaki Noodle Steak - Almost the same as the Lo Mein dish but topped off with amazingly tender pieces of steak. Pork Ribs - Your typical chinese spare ribs, the meat was much less fatty than your typical asian restaurant. Sushi - (Lobster Roll, Geisha Nights, Ronin Roll) - The Sushi was top notch. The Ronin and Geisha were the best. Duck Buns - One of the meal highlights, they are almost like a duck taco. Delicious, a little sweet and a little spicy. Calamari - The flavors of the calamari and sauce were great, the sauce did make it slightly soggy though. Mashed Potato Sticks - Another highlight, corndog sized fried mashed potatoes with a dipping sauce consisting of a Japanese steak sauce and a Japanese mayonnaise. Wagyu Beef Fried Rice - Solid dish, could I taste the difference of the Wagyu beef? probably not but it was still good. Lobster Whipped Potatoes - Good for mashed potatoes but with the lobsters practically blended and the side costing $12 there are better options on the menu for the money. Lobster Crab Rangoon - 4 mini lobster crab rangoons, if you like the traditional crab version you'll be please with this. Chinese Bacon Tenderloin - Perfectly cooked at medium rare, perfectly seasoned, came with the lobster mashed potatoes. Chocolate Ginger Cake - Interestingly enough the head chef said he couldn't recommend any of the desserts, we still ordered the cake for the birthday girl. It was good but I would not get it again. Appreciated the chef's honesty.
(5)
Bill K.
Met friends for a great night and actually had one - despite the restaurant, a cavernous place but appealing open layout. Drinks were good, service was fine, it's just that the food was terrible. Really. Terrible. Kebabs were dry - at least the chicken ones, and everything, absolutely everything was salted beyond the point where we could them. We literally picked at everything that was served and let them take the better part of the meal back to the dumpster. Piece of advice: Get a chef.
(2)
C D.
Took the wife here for New Year's Eve dinner. Overall, just ok. Atmosphere: really upscale set up with cool fusion music. Although the website said there was valet parking, there was none. Parking garage end of the block. Hostess would not give my wife the corner table while I was parking, although there was no one there. Drinks: tried the lychee martini; good flavor, but would be much better with the real lychee fruit rather than the standard cherry. Apps: had the hot rock, excellent. Great presentation and high quality cuts of beef and salmon. Wine: good selection, our Malbec was good at $42/bottle Entrees: Just ok. The busted lobster had great taste and presentation, but several of the pieces were actually cold; as if the dish was pre-made, refrigerated, and heated up, but not evenly. Same for my wife's short rib; several cold pieces of meat, and the meat tasted like it was cooked yesterday. Would go there again for drinks and apps.
(3)
Daanish N.
The best steak I've had in Boston so far. Will come back again.
(5)
G K.
This was a really nice place to hang out. the atmosphere is great. Service was OK...could be a bit friendlier..but still good. Food was very tasty..but a bit too salty for almost everything we had. I'll go back to hang out and even for large parties.
(4)
Fred M.
We enjoyed our dinner very much, however the service was not up to snuff and the acoustics of the room made conversation challenging. The PuPu platter is a nice way to get a sense of the quality and variety of the menu. Perfect for 2, not quite enough for 4. Duck buns were very tasty without the usual overpowering hoisin sauce. We enjoyed the drunken noodles, the char sui fried rice and the tik tok chicken. Each had a variety of subtle complementary tastes going on. With better service and dialing down the noise, it wouldn't be a stretch to give the Red Lantern five stars.
(4)
Sean M.
TL;DR good food but somewhat pricey, sub par service mars experience. I don't know if it was amateur night last night but the Red Lantern was actually an embarrassing recommendation for dinner with out of town visitors. I had picked it because I remembered that their tuna tartar is amongst the best in the city and indeed mine was good, but perhaps not as great as my memory. A restaurant with food & drinks at this price point should have a service to match, particularly on a relatively quiet weekday evening. It did not. We were left waiting around to be seated when there were about half a dozen tables available that might have accommodated us and which never filled up. Multiple requests to be seated for dinner were ignored right up until the point where we were about to give up and leave; the bar does not know how to close a tab properly; we overheard someone behind the bar advising the bar bat to keeping looking down to avoid customers asking him for a drink; the staff does not know what is on the menu; overpriced red wine was poured over an inch of ice & water into my water glass; different members of the party were served at different times (leading me to suspect an item had been forgotten).. etc. Sure we all got our meal in the end and it was fine, but there are a lot of places in the city that have good food and that also know how to deliver a smooth professional service and not annoy their customers. At this point I would recommend any one of them over RL who have irritated me enough to write this infrequent review. Perhaps it relies on being crowded and when it is not, the cracks show.
(2)
Sara M.
This place is very cool and posh inside, which was unexpected judging from the awkward location down a random alley/street. We came with another couple and ordered hot sake, as well as a fish bowl to start. Our server was great at first and quite attentive. The ambiance was enjoyable and I was all set to get smashed. The vodka based fish bowl was delicious and packed more of a punch than it tasted, but the sake may have had to do with that too. I had the hot and sour soup, which was an interesting take on it but decently tasty. The duck bun was only so-so and I have had better for much less money in Chinatown. I was very excited to try the lobster and bacon fried rice because it sounded amazing. It wasn't the fried rice with soy sauce - almost more Vietnamese style and there was very little lobster. Our server had disappeared at this point and we had to remind her twice about our drinks. The frustrating part was she acted like it was the first time we ordered them instead of apologizing. I would come back for drinks and maybe small plates. The food is too expensive for the quality and the service was not good. The drinks were quite tasty though.
(3)
Jamie H.
red lantern is a really cool space with great food and drinks, but it is fairly expensive. the high celing lends it to be a very interesting space, and it sets up very well for large group events. the sushi is really good, as the rolls are creatively put together and always taste fresh. however, i do have to admit it can be tough to stomach the cost of some of the specialty rolls afterward (or while ordering)! i also really enjoyed the spring rolls and chicken skewers. the drinks are also very good, and strong! i tried the lychee martini, and one was enough to give me a very solid buzz. it was $14, but worth the cost. it was sweet, tangy, and i would advise savoring it and drinking it slowly. i also had a few of the wine selections, which were all very nice. red lantern would be a perfect place for a romantic dinner. it's also a great option for work events, if you have the budget to back it.
(4)
Harry C.
Pricey. But good food. The service is what's terrible. A dinner should never take 3 and a half hours with the waitress checking on us 4 times in total. Two of those times one of us had to get up and ask for someone to get her. A whole night basically gone because dinner took so long.
(2)
vinny o.
The staff in this place is so unpolished it makes me cringe. This place is more like a girls or guys gone wild type of place. Been there 3 times and every single time I've been there, it's seems people are outta control drunk. SCREAMING obscenities and such. Manager walks around like a hard guy and has the girls do his dirty work. Save your money and go ANYWHERE else. Ugh
(1)
Linda U.
When here for dinner last week and was very pleasantly surprised. The ambience was lovely, the food was delicious, and the Service was what you would expect from a high-end restaurant. Definitely try their sushi, and I highly recommend the tuna tartare appetizer. Drinks were interesting and yummy. If you can sit in DJs section, he's a fantastic waiter. He took the time to explain some of the dishes, and make great recommendations. Will definitely be back, and highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Steve B.
We went for a stroll and ended up at Red Lantern. The sushi is good and fresh but slightly under-portioned for the cost. We had the drunken noodles which weren't so great...only because we're huge drunken noodles fans and are always accustomed to and expect wide flat noodles with this dish and this riff on the dish came with very thin noodles. If that style is your preference then go for it. The taste was just fine, but the unexpected texture due to the noodle style knocked it down a few notches for us. We also had the sliced chicken which was delicious and came in a great cream sauce with veggies. However we did have to send it back because the chicken was undercooked. Service was great and had no problem replacing the dish but it did take some time so it threw off the timing with our other shared entree. Great venue, awesome decoration and friendly staff. Overall an above average experience.
(3)
Jason F.
Visited with the fiance for date night and thought...Nice restaurant. Great ambiance and good music for the young/hip crowd although it became noisy at times. The food was tasty but had me thinking of my next gym workout session since it tasted oh so not good for me. Our appetizers were delivered very quickly which we liked, but our waiter (who was quite friendly) pretty much disappeared when it came time for our main entree. I think we waited for about 20-30 min before our entrees arrived. He apologized but the damage was done. The entrees are delicious and are HUGE portions so we definitely had to take most of it to go! We might go back again soon to try a few more menu items but save up! This restaurant is not for the frugal pockets!
(3)
Amy K.
Fantastic everything! New favorite place. Pricey but so worth it. We each got a cocktail, the Drunken Samurai and some Rose Sake drink, an order of the tempura broccoli, And for dinner The Red Dragon sushi and Tik Tok chicken and everything was to die for. Service was great and excellent atmosphere. Good for date nights and a fun time with friends. But save the $19 on valet and park in the garage right next door for $10.
(5)
Cami F.
Red lantern offers an interesting mix of sushi and other Asian foods. The food always tastes great, and its always a challenge to decide what to order. They offer large portions which make up for the cost, and and have very good service. They have become a very popular spot, so need to make reservations way in advance for groups over 4 people. They also have a bar scene, although I would not recommend it to someone in their 20's. There isnt a good mingling/ chatting space, and is often filled with men my dad's age... who will still try to get your number.
(3)
Jeff M.
Keeping up with the notion that Boston is behind with trends, the city finally got an uber trendy Asian fusion restaurant years after cities like Philadelphia and NYC did; ie Buddakan or Tao. As you can imagine the space is beautiful. The food on the other hand was pretty average. No stand outs, but nothing terrible. This is not a top dining destination for me but if I was in the area I would only hesitate slightly to go back. Red Lantern is more the type of place to bring a friend from out of town who is more into the scene than the food itself.
(3)
Anne W.
I haven't been in this area in a while as when I think Back Bay.. I think Boylston Street where Towne, Back Bay Social Club, etc. are... I forgot I had gone to a club on this street years ago. First off.. parking is a huge pain in this area. If you come here.. take a cab, plan to valet, or park in the maze of a parking garage across the street. 3.5 Stars overall.. I appreciated my experience here. I wasn't sure what to expect of this place because the pics on yelp do not do it justice. This place is Asian fusion.. trendy.. with a mix of old/young people. We had a dinner here and they were able to accomodate us well. We got a great table in the back of the restaurant. Decor is great.. it is trendy. It has a nice bar and lounge area... Downfall.. single bathroom for both guys and girls for the entire restaurant. WHAT? Makes no sense... you will find yourself standing in line which is a non-plus. So while I was in line.. was hit on by some balding guys in the lounge area. Gross. The food was better than expected. It's a better version of PF Chang's here but more expensive. We tried a series of things here. Appetizers: Lettuce wraps (I actually didn't like this that much.. too saucy for me) and dumplings (tasted just like a fried dumpling would taste like)... Drinks: Not too tasty in my opinion. I tried the Mai Tai.. yucky. It was booze filled. Also tried the Red Lantern Tea.. gross. Noodles: Singaporean Noodles was interesting.. very oily. The better one was the Drunken Noodles but watch out for those peppers. Kung Pao Lamb: Interesting although not too yummy... large portion for the cost so I guess that's good Fried Rice: Sea Scallops... it was okay but I don't think it was a fav of the table. Sushi: We got a tuna roll which was middle of the road. I did like the service.. the waitress was awesome. She even pointed out how the tip was already included for our table that big. Easy to book on Open Table...
(3)
Jess H.
I would say the Red Lantern is highly underrated. I had known about it for years, coming to the Back Bay area often, but never stepped inside. Last night, my boyfriend and I split the boneless spare ribs, lobster and bacon fried rice, and the surf and turf with filet mignon and lobster tails. The food was excellent! While the prices were very expensive, the quality of ingredients and well-made dishes made up for it. Yes, you can get cheap Chinese food anywhere, but it won't be of the same quality. The filet was well-flavored and very tender, the fried rice was very fresh and perfectly cooked, and the spare ribs were the best Chinese spare ribs we ever had. Plus the atmosphere in here is great. So I definitely recommend and will be back!
(5)
Mike M.
Great service and food. I used a TravelZoo deal which was $59 for $115. I had the Surf and Surf and Dragon Fire martini which were excellent. Nice ambiance with moderate noise. It's Located in Downtown Boston a must visit for Asian Fusion.
(4)
Alina R.
Beautifully decorated and everything on the menu is prepared with so much flavor and creativity. Loved the shrimp shumai, drunken noodles, and short ribs! Yum
(5)
Brittany E.
Fabulous place for a birthday dinner or sexy date night. Our hostess was accommodating to relocate us when we requested a booth instead of a table. Every person in the staff was aware that it was my birthday and made sure to mention it. Very kind of them. As for the food, we got the lobster rangoons, rock shrimp tempura, the ronin roll, and the red dragon roll. All highly recommended. Especially the ronin roll - it was a surprise to me as I'm not usually a cream cheese in your sushi fan BUT this was out of control. Lobster rangoons were sweet and silky. Best rangoon I've ever had. The rock shrimp tempura was an impulse decision, but I'm so glad we did. The macadamia nuts mixed with the crispy shrimp were highlighted by a wonderful sauce. We'll be telling all of our friends about Red Lantern. If you're choosing between Empire and Red Lantern, go here. Our waiter, Kyle Y, was very accommodating, kind, and went above and beyond to make us happy. The Rose Petal Saketini was one of the best cocktails I've had, but I'm partial to Saint Germain. Highly recommended!!
(5)
Ryan N.
Went here for restaurant week with a new friend I made from California. Our server, Eric, was wonderful! He recommended some dishes off the restaurant week menu which my friend and I enjoyed immensely. For apps: Tempura Rock Shrimp Rolls that were bursting with flavor from the spicy mayo. Pepper Steak Buns with various topics that were also delicious. Main course: Singapore Street Noodles in abundance and Wood Grilled Salmon. Dessert: Coconut Milk Creme Caramel which was much too sweet for my personal tastes and Pineapple and Watermelon Granita which was actually my favorite part of the meal. It was like shave ice but with watermelon and it was a light and refreshing way to end our meal. It was so delicious that even though we were stuffed, we made room to polish off this dish. We also got a free lobster Rangoon appetizer and another free mini pitcher of sake during dinner. It was a very nice gesture from our server and the chef. The decor was lovely as well - very much a date-like vibe for dinner hours with mood lighting accented with bright reds.
(4)
Cassandra M.
This is a good place to go for a girl's night out. The ambiance is fun, you can get dressed up, the food is good, and the drinks are strong. You can't go wrong if you get their sangria or scorpion bowls. For a table of four, we ordered two appetizers (spicy lettuce wraps and crispy vegetable rolls) and two entrees (tik tok chicken and chicken lo mein) and it was more than enough for everyone. Our server was great. He checked up on us often, he offered great suggestions, and he was friendly. This place would be five stars if the entree portions and prices were a bit smaller.
(4)
Mark W.
We were a party of 10 on a Saturday night with reservation, which are a must because this place on the weekends can get really busy. The lounge area was super busy. The food came out really fast and was good to really good. The large scorpion bowl was just ok it was a really weak drink. The service was excellent and the decor is great. They have valet parking. Enjoy!
(4)
LeeAnn T.
First, I love the feel of the bar! Its gorgeous and dare I say a little sexy. I would definitely go here to have drinks. I actually came for dinner with a Travelzoo voucher (yes, I like to save $) but will be back for the bar in the near future.... Drinks: For cocktails, I had the Sangria which was just fine. I'm slightly picky about cocktails and I thought this was a little boring but that is probably my fault for ordering it, because it was sangria....which isn't that exciting. My boyfriend had the Dragon Fire, which was SO GOOD. If you like spicy drinks, its the one to get. I thought the cocktail menu was pretty good and would return here for drinks in the future. Food: We ordered 2 sushi rolls as appetizers, the Creamy Lobster was a clear winner. I ordered the Singapore Street noodles and they were delicious. They were a nice mix of noodles, veggies, and different meats in an extremely large serving. My boyfriend ordered the Grilled Platter, which had a nice assortment of items, but all of them were extremely smoky. Don't get me wrong, i love grilled food, but this was slightly reminiscent of campfire food....just not what we were expecting. You can also smell the smoke as soon as you walk in the door...maybe switch to a tastier wood? Service: One of the most pleasant surprises of the trip was our server. She was amazing and extremely helpful. I would say she was the main reason this was such an enjoyable trip. The manager also stopped by our table to check in with us, which is always a nice gesture. Kids: I didn't bring my kids, but I did notice a baby at the table beside us was very happy in her high chair and the waitress was wonderful with her. So even though i am always leery of bringing my kids to decent places in the city, they seem welcome here. Yay! Price: Drinks are priced well, food seems a little pricey for what it is, entrees especially. You can still eat here for a reasonable amount though. So get going already and try it out.
(4)
Drew M.
It is rare that anyone gets 5 stars, however, this restaurant is the exception! From the outside, it is a cute little place, then you open the door and are swept into a HUGE beautiful place! The decor is modern, asian, fun, luxurious. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable. The food is INCREDIBLE!!!! There were 3 of us, and between our food allergies, dislikes, and pickiness, we knew we would be a nightmare for our server. Wrong! She was graceful and recommended dishes that could be altered to our tastes. They all came out perfect!! Portions were huge, and they were so delicious! This has to be one of the best asian restaurants I have ever eaten at, and one of the best restaurants period!
(5)
Wayne F.
Total attitude... Went to Zocalo (right next door for a GREAT meal and drinks). Our party (4) decided to have a night cap at Red Lantern.. We walked in and sat down... when our sever came... the first thing she said was "do you want to cash out now?" and we hadn't even ordered.... We had a couple rounds... they say that they are open till 2... It was midnight... She couldn't have clear the table fast enough but wouldn't ask if we wanted another... kept asking me if I wanted to pay the bill. I finally told her that I would pay when I was ready to leave.... I left no tip... I really felt like I was taking 2 seats on a crowded bus...
(1)
Ashley D.
*The Yelp 100 Challenge How have I not written a review on this place yet?!?? Well to be honest I love it here! Overall I first visited here with a few friends from college and word late night for drinks on a Saturday night. The place was crowded around 9:30/10 PM and we stayed in the bar section which is dark yet lively, has good music, loud as expected but had enough lighting to suffice. The cocktail list is great with a little bit of everything for everyone, the bar section has enough lounge seating, and the bar is long in terms of reaching the depth of the room creating a decent flow yet it could use some work in terms the lounge seating arrangement leading into the bar as its hard to get in and out of the seating to get to the ladies room or to the bar if needed. Also when its crowded I noticed people standing close to the entrance/vestibule which I'm sure if a pain. As for menu, the menu is great! Ive tried a little bit of everything from the lettuce wraps, to the pu pu platter to birthday desserts as I've visited for birthdays and other special occasions. The prices are a bit steep but that is to be expected due to the neighborhood and establishment. The staff caters well to groups and was very pleasant on all occasions. The only staff problem I have is getting drinks at the bar if I am not sitting in the dining area. Once evening my card fell out of my wallet while walking back to others as I was holding a round of drinks and THANK GOD someone saw it fall and gave it back to me. I have only walked in and have yet to schedule a reservation via open table but definitely will before my next visit. Parking is limited on the street so its best to park at back bay station (I usually print coupons ahead of time!)
(5)
Roxana F.
I've heard really good things about this place and once you get here you can tell why. This place is GORGEOUS. Totally unassuming from outside, but once you step inside it's like you've been transported somewhere. +2 points for awesome decor and setup. I went here on a Sunday night for a date and it was pretty dead...picked up around the end of my dinner but still pretty empty, although this is a HUGE place so I'm sure it could have well been a good number of people just in a huge space. We sat at the bar and the bartender was really nice and attentive. +1 point We ordered a good amount of sushi and some drinks. The reason I'm not giving this place four or five stars is the food. It's not that the sushi was bad...it was decent, it seemed fresh, and there was a good amount of it...but it was nothing SPECIAL. Nothing which made me think, "people definitely come back here for the food." Their prices are...decent, on the verge of high for what you get. Nothing that made me go WHOA this is awesome. It's the atmosphere and the decor which make this place what it is...It's definitely a cool place, especially for a first date, and I will probably come back to try their other offerings.
(3)
Amanda A.
Red Lantern......What can I say about this place. Well. A lot. The restaurant itself is so aesthetically appealing. The high ceilings and open concept create such a wonderful ambience, and the decor is just perfect. It has such a sexy vibe, it's the perfect place to go on a date. I especially love the open kitchen and watching the chefs work. The food is unbelievable. Do yourself a favor and order the crunchy roll! I also love the noodles here, the duck buns.... basically anything I have ever ordered. The place is always busy- so look into making a reservation if you are running on a schedule.
(5)
Nancy M.
Incredibly noisy. Not music but a thumping bass that makes conversation impossible. Good food but inattentive service. Would NEVER go back.
(1)
Tricia P.
The only reason why Red Lantern receives an additional star is due to the decor. It's beautiful and relaxing.... until you start eating the food. I mean, the decor can only take you so far, right? I ate here when they first opened and the food was horrific. How badly can you screw up noodles?! This is what I had to ask our server. I decided to give them another chance, however, this time, just got take out. I had two orders for brown rice, amongst other things, and I should've known what was coming after opening and tasting the brown rice. The brown rice was mushy and disgusting-- I can't believe they had the nerve to sell it for $3 each. Their cocktails are also too sweet.
(2)
Krista D.
After hearing about this place, I really wanted to love it... But some things left a little to be desired. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and the service was great, but after hearing all the hype about the food, we were a little disappointed. We got the lobster rangoons since we had been hearing about them for a while, and we also got a few sushi rolls and some fried rice. The rangoons were good, but we couldn't really taste the lobster. They were mostly cream cheese. The sushi was beautifully presented, and good, but it wasn't something I'd drive back to Boston to get. The star was the fried rice. It really was delicious, but I think we were both hoping that the fried rice wouldn't be the number one thing we ate. If I was ever around Red Lantern again, I'd probably stop in for a drink at the beautiful bar, but I wouldn't go out of my way to order any food.
(3)
M L.
Really wanted to like it but food was disappointing, especially for the upscale price. Street noodles would have been excellent if they were less salty, same for the stir fried short ribs. The pork dumplings were overpowered by their sauce and the tuna tartare was weighed down by mayonnaise. All of the ingredients seemed fresh and the dishes could have been great if it weren't for the heavy hand of the chef who didn't trust the ingredients enough to let them shine on their own. Ten years ago I would've rated the cocktails much higher. Drink's were generously poured, but not of the high quality and precision that most upscale restaurants have taken their cocktail menus over the past few years. The service was too attentive and felt intrusive. On four occasions the waiter came to pour our bottled water after we'd taken a single sip. Dinner conversation was constantly being interrupted by bottled water service and repeated questions as to whether I was almost done with my cocktail? would I like another? had I decided on another drink yet? is my wife enjoying her cocktail? does she think its too sweet? etc. Clearly they are focused on good service, so perhaps on a busier night the service level would be just right, but when it wasn't very busy, they simply overdid it.
(2)
Ricky R.
yeah yeah yeah the decor is so awesome. Really though, it's super nice. The sushi... Meehhh it's average at best. This is coming from the Sushi King ROZAY!!! Great place to take a date and impress for sure. The atompshere is so cool I'd def come back again. No crab rangoons but they have lobster rangoons (FYI).. Avg roll is $15 I'd say.. Take advantage of the valet parking so you don't have to look or pay for a garage parking. Oh yeah, the waitresses are pretty hot here too. Just saying ROZAY!!
(3)
Keesh J.
I came here for a close friend of mines birthday dinner. I got the shrimp tempura maki rolls, they were good and tasted fresh. What really captivated me about this place was the decor. It was dim light and had Asian sculptures all around.
(3)
sean h.
Red Lantern is good, not great. The positives are that the decor is really cool as you it's like you're looking at the underbelly of warehouse with the exposed piping, the high windows and the eclectic lanterns making it look like a tripped-out Japanese temple on halloween. The sushi is good, but it doesn't have a personalized menu feel to it as some better sushi places. The menu is too large and they are trying to do too many things with the menu - just simplify! The drinks are overpriced (which is normal for that area), but potent enough for you to have a good time without having to order too many. The only real negative is that I've been there 3 times now (once we the wait was too long and we were turned away), and I always feel like the hostess and waitstaff is doing me a favor to show up. Everyone is cordial, but with an attitude, more New York-ish of a feel than the rest of Boston. If you can deal with the waitstaff it should be a good night out, but probably not a place you will go to all the time.
(4)
Courtney H.
My friend and I had been trying to get a double date for a while and we figured this would be perfect for us all. However, we didn't realize all their reservations would be booked and that when you walked in you couldn't sit in the dining room at all! But it wasn't a problem because we got lucky enough to get a booth in the bar area. The food was so tasty. We loved pretty much everything we got! The tempura beans, the lobster rangoons, the different kinds of sushi (and I normally don't like sushi!) and the fried rice. The only reason I can't give 5 stars was because we also ordered some chicken and it we finished eating all the other food before it came out. So we had to cancel it. Part of me wishes I could have tried it but then I was also super full. I definitely want to go back but probably during a weeknight when it's not quite so crowded.
(4)
Max M.
Made birthday reservations. When we got there, they sat us next to where the waitstaff come in and out. Needless to say, we asked to be moved. The restaurant was so dark, people had to use their phones to look at the menu. The music was blaring. We couldn't speak to each other. It was 530 not 10:00. The food was average. We ordered the tik tok chicken. It was so sweet we couldn't eat it. They also put the rice on the bottom of the bowl so it too was sopped with disgustingly sweet sauce. (I have a sweet tooth and it was gross.). Overpriced sub par!
(2)
Regan C.
I have actually been here twice. The first time I was catching up with a couple friends over sushi and drinks, and the second time I was in a large group with a bunch of different dishes being passed around. Both experiences were awesome. 1st visit: Ordered the Sumo. YUM. If you like gin, you will probably like this drink. For food, I got the Crispy Bliss and the Crunchy Roll. The crispy bliss was slightly better, but both pretty good. The service was not very attentive, and I had to ask twice to get some more water. 2nd visit: We ordered both Yin and Yang scorpion bowls. Delish, but very fruity. We had the Duck Buns (I was a duck bun virigin before this, what the hell was I thinking?), edamame, some fried rice, spring rolls, the works. It was all very yummy, but the duck buns were the obvious stand-outs. Our server was incredibly nice even when 10 credit cards were thrown on the bill at the end of the night. I can see going back to this place for a drink, or even food again. So 3 stars for the first visit, and 5 for the second.
(4)
C B.
Great new place, fun with good atmosphere. We had dinner early on Sat. night, and will be back. Sampled appetizers in lieu of entrees, all were excellent with the exception of the lettuce wraps (which they removed from our bill without our asking). My absolute favorite was the lobster ran goon...better than any crab version I've ever had. Service was attentive without overwhelming. Rick, our server was great. The revamped decor is attractive; think Asia meets industrial with warmth. The acupuncture mannequin lamps are awesome (although made me happy to have not carted one back from china as I almost did last year). Don't hesitate to try this place -- it is a very welcome addition to the neighborhood.
(5)
Sarah F.
Came here for the start of my Thursday girls' night as tons of people from my work had already checked it out. My friend and I just got drinks at the bar as I had tried to reserve dinner for two but it seemed to be sold out on OpenTable. I know they only put in the inventory they want to sell on OpenTable, but I was a little disappointed that the entire dining area was empty except maybe one or two tables - definitely expected a little more energy. Either way we both loved the decor and our bartender Hailey was great! She recommended amazing drinks (my fav was the Drunken Samurai) and when our order of Kalamari came very late she definitely took care of us and resolved the issue instantly. Some might have let that dampen their night but we had a great time and will definitely be back to try more food and drinks!
(4)
Sara C.
Visited Red Lantern shortly after its opening. The interior is chic and sexy, with Asian-inspired accents, colored in deep reds and dark browns. The restaurant has plenty of seating (although it does fill up on weekend nights) and the bar is accompanied by a lounge area with several couches and short tables. Dinner was tasteful (although a bit expensive for the portion sizes - competitive to nearby restaurants however). Try the pork wontons, spicy tuna roll, and the miso glazed sea bass. For drinks Red Lantern offers an extensive Sake menu, scorpion bowls (for 4!), and unique cocktail mixes, and draft beers.
(4)
Liz R.
Such an underwhelming experience considering all the hype! It's a pretty place, but the food was so bad, we couldn't even eat one item we ordered (the lettuce wraps, which tasted like gross chicken broth), and we had to argue with our waitress to get it taken off the bill. (It was, finally.) I've been having PTSD burps all morning from the food. Not a fan, and it gets 2 stars instead of 1 because of the decor. You built a beautiful restaurant--now focus on the food!!!
(2)
Curtis H.
Hello all!. I was just at The Red Lantern last night and had a great time hanging out with a good good friend of mine who needed to catch up. I must say, I love the space and texture of the restaurant and lounge. The manager Jeff Menzer was amazing with the wine selection and history. His passion made me fall in love with what I was sipping. The service is great, Food is delicious. The Red Lantern dares to dream and servse it to you asian style... There is always something new on the menu. If you are ever in town you should try it out.. I bet you would want to make this your new home lounge and restaurant.
(4)
Alyssa T.
I came here for the first time the other night for dinner out with some friends. The first thing I thought when I walked in was "this place looks really cool" The ambiance is really going on, and even though it was only 6:30 on a Friday the bar was already hoping. For dinner we got some edamame (dipping sauce was delish) and I ordered the duck buns, which were amazing. The duck was delicious and tender and moist, and the hoisin sauce on them was really good. If you like duck I definitely recommend them! I also tried the special sushi roll for the night, an himachi tempura roll. I wasn't a huge fan, the fish tasted really fishy (and I'm a huge fish lover!) so it kind of ruined it for me. I'm still giving Red Lantern 4 stars though because I'm not really a sushi fan, I try to like it, and I really want to love it, but sometimes it just doesn't do it for me. If it wasn't for the really fishy taste, I would have liked this roll. The rice was also a little hard, so I think it had been sitting out for a while. The drinks were also good, with the exception of the sangria which tasted medicinal. I had the dragon fire martini which was really good, it has a bit of sirachi in it so it had a nice kick, If you like a little bit of heat I definitely recommend it! Our waiter was also fantastic, he had a good sense of humor which added to the night. depending on what you get it can get a bit pricey, especially if you get a couple cocktails (they start at like 10 bucks!)
(4)
Joseph L.
I went to Red Lantern for dinner with a few friends this past weekend, and had a truly excellent experience. The waitstaff was very attentive, and provided excellent vegetarian options for me as it was a Friday during Lent. Upon meeting the manager, we had a lovely discussion about dessert wines of Italy and South Africa. His willingness to take a few minutes to discuss his restaurant's offerings with my party was very refreshing. Based on these things, I would recommend Red Lantern to anyone looking to have dinner in a very upscale Asian establishment.
(5)
Andrew W.
Best ambiance around and great food!! Definitely have to stop in, even if it's just for a drink.
(5)
Katie V.
Amazing decor and ambiance, very unique feel to the place. The food was very good as well!
(4)
C D.
Cute spot for after work dinner and/or drinks. The decor reminds me of Lolita but with an Asian flair. The sushi rolls were pretty good(although with douzo around the corner Id probably always opt to go there) and the drinks were OK,I like the drinks better at empire but the service seems to be a bit better here.
(4)
Desiree V.
Food was great and the menu is thoughtful. It's a bit pricey on the drinks, but it was worth the price. I really enjoyed the environment and the decor. A great place to meet for a large dinner or to bring out of town guests.
(5)
Jen C.
Went to Red Lantern for dinner and drinks and it definitely met my expectations! Great atmosphere, great sushi and the cocktails were amazing! I will definitely come here again!
(4)
John F.
When I first walked into Red Lantern, I was amazed by the ambience and the atmosphere. The space is beautifully decorated, and the area where I sat (the loungey area next to the bar), was super comfortable. The food was delicious! My friends and I split the lobster roll, the crunchy roll (salmon, avocado, and I can't remember what else), an order of edamame, and an order of the vegetable fried rice. Everything was very good, not phenomenal, but still very good. We really enjoyed the sauce that came with the edamame and the rice was great too. The service matched the quality of the space and the food. Our waitress (Erin) was really helpful recommending sushi rolls (she recommended the crunchy roll and I'm really happy she did). Overall, I highly recommend Red Lantern as a great place to go with friends. Reservations on a weekend are a MUST, especially with a large group. The bar/lounge are open seating, first-come, first-served, so it can get a little uncomfortable when people are hovering over you so they can grab your table when you're almost done. Regardless, definitely give it a try.
(5)
Clara L.
The decent sized bar was pretty busy on Saturday night and adding our group filled it up. The drinks were good and the art and decorations on the walls kept me interested. The rest of the restaurant was pretty full for almost 11 pm. I would definitely like to try their food the next time I'm out there.
(3)
Xavier M.
Singapore noodles are amazing. Great atmosphere
(4)
Neil A.
Not a very big bar, but it does get a good crowd 30+ year olds
(3)
Sabina M.
Food was excellent. Love the ambiance. Love the decor. Location is tucked away and a little hard to find so be sure you have it mapped out before heading out. Waitress was very polite and friendly but a bit slow. We had to continuously flag her down when we could find her. She was very busy. We went on a Sunday night and had reservations around 7 pm. The place was busy. I would highly recommend this place. Food was delicious and appetizer and entree portions were large. The only portion that seemed small was the avocado salad. Great place to eat. I highly recommend it.
(5)
Mystery M.
I've been eyeing this place up for a while and finally got the chance to visit via a Gilt City groupon. Pros: Decor is out of this world. Very modern, industrial classic. One of my faves in Boston. Service: Dave was extremely prompt. Food was immediate. Incredible server that enhanced the experience. Drinks: Fun menu of interesting drinks. Sushi: The roll I had (Ronin) was very fresh and tasty Noodles: Singapore Noodle- very robust portion. Average flavouring. Eye Candy- Plenty of pretty people of all ages Cons: Even with the groupon I find this place expensive (though not unreasonable). Drinks ($12-$14), Noodles ($12-20), Sush ($14-25). Food quality was good and this is a great place to impress a date. Neat decor. Fun menu to order from. Neutral foods that aren't too intimidating for you unadventurous Bostonians. And a great environment. Kind of like Tao in Las Vegas, but done right. Just be prepared to pay $100-$140 for a meal that might not fully dazzle your palate, but the experience will. Priced right with a Groupon. Maybe a little too dear for me otherwise, but the decor and experience might make it worth it. Update: Went back again (see, Groupons do work if your establishment is worth it), and it was just as good as the first time.
(5)
Kenneth F.
Absolutely great great great decor. The entire restaurant is well thought out with the look and feel that they were going for. Statues everywhere, lighting, seating, etc, all make you feel you are in the middle of some Asian excavation underway (or for me I had a strange reminder of Tao in Vegas ....ah good memories there) The food didn't do it for me though. Came for a work event where we were served hors d'oeuvres, plus sit-down dinner. While the appetizers were really great, I thought the sit-down menu paled in comparison and suffered both due to the flavors and the portion control: - hors d'oeuvre 1: duck spoon in hoi-sin sauce: very good texture, and lots of flavor packed all into one spoon! Enjoyed. - hors d'oeuvre 2: tuna roll: Very good balance of flavors, I enjoy the use of the sweeter thicker soy sauce as a sauce - hors d'oeuvre 3: vegetable roll: who am i kidding, I'm not a vegetarian kind of guy - hors d'oeuvre 4: pork shu mai : not bad, a bit soggy but good size! - appetizer 1: spicy tuna roll: forgot the name but it was a whole roll - liked the crunchy aspect of it but man was it spicy! They need to calm the sriracha in that tuna - I liked the heat but several coworkers might have been getting a bit spiced out - appetizer 2: hot and sour soup: an easy dish to make and maybe they wanted to add a twist to it, but man was it sour...like taking the dish to a whole new level and not one I enjoyed. - main entree: Miso glazed sea bass: This entree was fantastic. I love me some miso glazed sea bass, but it was served over a bed of chow mein noodles which lacked in flavor and probably could have fed a family of 4. Noodles seemed unnecessary and entire table left at least half or 3/4 of their entree untouched - dessert: Chocolate cake: Really don't know what this was. Usually the dessert wraps up the meal and is like a nice finishing touch. This monster chocolate dessert was like a layered cake with hardened chocolate around it with some almond ice cream on top. My coworkers and I were a bit dumbfounded. Ate about 1/4 of it and couldn't go further. I think to polish the place off and truly make it a memorable experience, the food needs to be altered somewhat. A really great decor is only half the equation. I would fix a few of the flavors in the kitchen or stay away from some of them, and also work on portion control to make it a much more enjoyable meal.
(3)
X M.
nice place with coupon, otherwise expensive~~~
(4)
Francine G.
Entering into Red Lantern is like entering a different society. Soaring ceilings are filled with gigantic red lanterns and Buddhas are everywhere. The open kitchen gives entertainment too, but can't compete with the people-watching as groups collect on the cozy couches and also the bar scene heats up as the night goes on. Fortunately the food matches the ambiance. We began using the spicy lettuce wrap, crispy bass roll and also the tuna sashimi, and all had been excellent for sharing. Portions are big, and beautifully presented. The smoking lantern roll we saw at another table was a remarkable site - presented under a clear dome filled with smoke, the dome was lifted as well as the smoke cleared to reveal the sushi roll.
(5)
Kenny B.
One of the most unique dining experiences in a long time. Great food, knowledgeable staff, unique flavors and top notch ambiance. Can't wait to return when we are back in Boston.
(5)
Elise P.
Went here around 8pm on a Friday night with 2 friends without any reservations and it was PACKED. They told us it would be a 2 hour wait for a table so we put our names in and went to the bar. I had no idea what a "see and be seen" type of place it is. Definitely has a swanky feel with a lot of middle-aged men hitting on younger women. We got our seats stolen at the bar by a couple--lesson learned you have to be aggressive here. The cocktails were pricey but unique and very tasty. Also, very strong, especially on an empty stomach that is a long way off from getting a table and being fed properly. Finally 2 seats opened at the bar, and we took turns rotating the seats. Ordered a few sushi roles and split the Singapore noodles. It may have partially been the booze talking but the three of us could not stop talking about the noodles, and almost licked the bowl clean. DELICIOUS. By the time we finished eating it was around 11:30--no one had come to check on us at the bar or offered us a table. Not sure what happened there, but we didn't get annoyed by it until we were leaving and we had had a great meal and great drinks, so we got over it pretty quickly. If you're planning to eat here definitely make reservations ahead of time. If you want to just go out for a few drinks to a restaurant with a bar that has a club-like vibe, this is your place. Get ready to see a lot of short, tight dresses and high heels!
(4)
Robert C.
This place is insane, loved it!! Good atmosphere, great drinks, great food. Much props to the staff for making it a good night for my wife and I, we're definately hitting this spot up again with friends and family next time!
(5)
Sid V.
This review is based on several visits to Red Lantern. The place is cool. Very cool. It has an open, spacious feel, with soaring ceilings and exposed brick and beams. The lighting is just right, nice and dim but one can read the menu. Their sound system is excellent, and the music is groovy and loud, but not too loud. The waitresses and the female bartenders wear corsets, and every female staff member at Red Lantern is smoking hot. Smoking. Hot! I don't mean "kinda hot," I mean burning, scorching, searing hot. I almost want to call the fire department to come down there and put these hotties OUT! Other reviews have glossed over this, so let me be clear: these chicks are HOTTT!!! The food has been consistently very good, though you are paying a bit of a premium for the scene. Here is the key: you need to visit Red Lantern on Sunday through Wednesday. On those nights, you can really enjoy the restaurant. Thursday nights are borderline. Stay the hell out of there on Friday and Saturday nights, unless you enjoy wall-to-wall douchebags who wear too much cologne and who spend way too much time looking in the mirror to see if they look cool. They don't.
(4)
Lydia H.
The first time I went here, I had the Hot & Sour Soup at my friend's recommendation, and it was excellent. Delicious, with lots of tofu and veggies-- a meal in itself. The second time, I tried the Sliced Chicken (hoisin and yogurt marinade, coconut green curry vegetables), and it was a bit heavier than I was hoping it would be-- too much creamy yogurt and curry sauce. The third time, I went back to the Hot & Sour Soup and also had the Chopped Salad. The salad dressing, unfortunately, was a bit flavorless, so I felt like I was just eating a pile of lettuce with some chopped vegetables thrown in. So, I guess I'll stick with the Hot & Sour Soup. And maybe a Flaming Shot or two.
(3)
Jacqueline C.
Went to dinner here last night with my husband and another couple and really liked it! Of course, it helps when you hear that famous people flock to the place and then Bob Kraft sits at the table next to you...but I digress. Very cool ambiance and the food was really good. Not really, really good - but really good. We had gotten some tips ahead of time which proved to be true and which I will share with you: go heavy on the apps, they are amazing. Especially the lobster rangoon, the rock shrimp and the duck buns. The sushi is also really good - really good. But the apps are amazing. The server was nice, a tad strange, but nice. When I questioned him on ordering a mai tai or one of their signature drinks he reminded me you can get a mai tai anywhere. Got it. I followed the advice in ordering for dinner and stayed away from anything I could get at the local Chinese restaurant. The most memorable and highly praised sushi pieces were the Ronin and the tuna tempura. I also ordered one of their signature cocktails (in lieu of that mai tai) which was uber sweet and a non-event. I'm not a sake fan so I am not sure what other direction i could have gone for this dinner but the food was fabulous and it just didn't turn into one of those nights where I accidentally drank too much because the drinks were so scrumptious. I would definitely go back here. Super for girls night out, dinner with friends or even a work dinner.
(4)
Carlos V.
Went on a Saturday Night and this Bar was packed! The drinks were strong, tons of beautiful people (including my date!)... You just can't help to really enjoy the atmosphere!
(4)
Jennifer Y.
I went here for a friends bday party a group of like 10 people. We had table near bar. Ultra modern, great sushi, a must have for big groups the Yin & Yang scorpion bowls. They are humungous cocktail glasses one infused w rum the other w vodka. Loved the atmosphere. The music was a nice fusion of blends, more uptempo as night progresses, a restaurant for all age groups over 21. Only one downfall is if u get table by bar expect people from bar to try to sit or lean on your cushiony leather seating area. Bar gets overly crowded as 75% of place is seated. Decor is facinating !
(5)
J. N.
Second time here, both times were great. Highly recommend the duck buns (first time having them - yum), rock shrimp tempura is awesome, enjoyed the sushi but pass on the chicken lettuce wraps. Great cocktails, super vibe at the bar later on. It's definitely a bit of a scene but very fun on a Saturday night.
(4)
S. M. S.
Didn't eat, just had drinks and loved the place--EXCEPT FOR THE F*CKING TV IN THE BAR! "If you want to be the Buddakan of Boston--YOU CAN'T HAVE THE TV ON!" And if someone wants to watch the Sox that bad they should just stay home...
(2)
K C.
We went to Red Lantern tonight to redeem a Travelzoo voucher that included 2 cocktails and $88 worth of food. We arrived about 10 minutes before our reservation and were seated immediately. Our server, Jarrett, stopped by right away to greet us and bring us our menus. He came back just a couple of minutes later with water and to walk us through the menus. He made some fantastic recommendations and we followed almost all of them (in fact the best things we had - the lobster rangoon, the black widow and green tea tuna rolls, and the shrimp yakiudon noodles - were all ordered at his recommendation). Everything was very prompt - our drinks arrived within a few minutes (the lychee martini is DELICIOUS), the appetizers shortly after that, and even though we ordered our noodles and sushi at the same time, Jarrett staggered them perfectly so we were just finishing our sushi rolls when the noodles arrived. We had a great experience - fantastic food, tasty drinks, and exemplary service, With or without another voucher, I'm quite sure we'll return.
(4)
Lizzie E.
LOVE Red Lantern. Great atmosphere, great food, great service. I've been here before, but last Friday I went here for a nice dinner with a few friends I hadn't seen in awhile. We had a wonderful evening catching up, a lovely dinner, and a DELICIOUS scorpion bowl! Our waiter was quick with recommendations and very personable. Overall, it set the perfect tone for the rest of our evening. It's nice to do something classy for once.
(4)
Diana O.
This is a great place to go and have a good time. The food was delicious. It was my first time at Red Lantern and it was a great experience. The waitress gave us good suggestions on what was good there. Overall great service, nice atmosphere, and friendly staff. I would deffinatly go back!
(5)
Molly K.
I have to say that I had to downgrade the stars because the seating was awful. We had made a reservation and we were seated very promptly but at a table that was more like a bar table then one to sit down and eat dinner. There were 2 seats on a low bench and 2 very high chairs that you could not pull up to the table as there was no space under the table to put your legs. I am petite and I ended up with a horrible back ache. It was an awful awkward position to be forced to eat in what would have been an enjoyable meal. We did some shared plates and the highlights was the drunken noodle dish which unlike other versions came with a thin vermicelli type of noddle - easily the favorite dish of the table. Sea bass was good and a chicken curry dish. Not so exciting was the calamari and a crunchy tuna roll. Drinks were a bit weak and not super big either...with a normal Boston charge. I would recommend based on the food but make sure you ask for a normal table!
(2)
Kaitlyn J.
Overpriced food that hasn't hit the right balance in "fusion". For example, the rock shrimp tempura tastes too heavy, even without the sauce. The food just isn't that good, which is too bad, because there is so much potential! The drinks are your standard trendy drinks, including scorpion bowls. Attracts your usual trendy crowd.
(2)
Anik M.
The service, ambiance and food were excellent.
(4)
Aaqila A.
Great food. Great atmosphere. A little pricey, but it was worth it. Nice vibe.
(4)
Alison H.
Tried Red Lantern with 4 friends for a birthday dinner last night. I split my review into service and food since I had polar opposite experiences with the two areas. SERVICE We had a reservation for 7:30 and myself and one other person arrived early and checked in with the hosts. The rest of our party arrived on time and yet 7:30 came and went with no service. We stood in the bar waiting, staring at several open tables that would fit us. People walked in and were taken right to their tables and still we stood. We checked in with the hostess a few times and were told 5 minutes each time. When we were finally seated closer to 8, I asked the hostess to please send a manager over. No manager. My friend passed the host stand later in the evening and again requested that a manager be sent over. No manager. Finally, we asked our server at the end of our meal and a manager materialized. The birthday girl explained our experience and the manager apologized, brought us over dessert wine and some desserts and once again apologized. Ever notice you get free dessert when you don't want it? They attempted to make up for it but it didn't feel sincere and frankly, I'd rather just get proper service to start with than showy desserts to make up for it. FOOD They were very accommodating in making a vegetarian version of the drunken noodles for me and it was delicious and just spicy enough. Everyone else really enjoyed their dishes including the street noodles, veggie fried rice and sushi. I had the lantern tea for a drink and it was good, a little sweet but I probably should have paid more attention to the ingredients. The martinis and cocktails were not super strong so not sure if they're deceptive or cheap on the booze. Overall, had a 'meh' experience. It is a great atmosphere inside and the decor is interesting but the pretentiousness of some of the staff just shoots the place in the foot. Frankly, it's like PF Chang's snobby cousin.
(3)
Y. H.
Used my GiltCity coupon last night and had a surprisingly great meal. I usually balk at trendy asian restaurants with subpar food (compared to Chinatown) and inflated prices, but Red Lantern does not disappoint. Decor is amazing - nothing like it in Boston - and food portions were all very big. We enjoyed our signature cocktail (orange blossom), the singapore noodles (very good and huge!), crunchy roll, and chinese doughnuts (amazing!). The hostesses were not too friendly, but our waitress was great. Pretty pricey, so good thing I had the coupon, but worth another trip, especially for a girls night!
(4)
Libby L.
1st time - went here for a b-day dinner. Atmosphere, apps and sushi were awesome but the hot entrees and service were terrible. 3 of my friends had the Wagyu Beef - TERRIBLE - tastes and looks like leather. If you're interested in Meat - try Capital Grille or Smith & Wollensky's at the Seaport - better for the $$$$$. 44-Dollars are you NUTS :( :( I had one of the fish entree - very small portion for the price and the taste was overpowered by the sauce - plain GROSS!!!...
(2)
Jonathan D.
The cocktails were excellent, especially the ginger one. The steak and noodle dish was a bit hard to eat. My wife went with the lobster and it tasted good but wasnt exactly lazy lobster as advertised. It was a ton of food though. The lettuce wraps were fine as an app. We preferred the beans.
(3)
Laura G.
I had been eying the opening of Red Lantern and awaiting its arrival for some time. When the time came to finally check it out, I was beyond excited. The interior is definitely amazing. Trendy, sleek, whatever you want to call it. Boston definitely needs more places like this. It's sort of like our version of Tao in NYC. My friends agreed it might be cool to have small dance space to amp up the nightlife appeal since it is open til 2am anyways. Walked in around 10pm on a Friday night, no wait for a table for three. Score. There were a bunch of girls milling around the host station, all wearing a bit too much make up and exuding a bit of an attitude. Not really the way you want to be greeted. There was definitely not a need for that many bodies at a host stand with no wait, either. Anyway, I finally meet up with my friends and we sit down. About 15 minutes goes by and no sign of a server. Finally after about twenty minutes go by, someone casually drops by and asks us if we want drinks. Yea we do. We order their version of the scorpion bowl which is a whopping $44 dollars before tax. The drink arrives, and comes in what looks like a giant flower vase, with three straws. We each take a sip. Weak. As in tastes like all juice. I've had scorpion bowls before. They're for people who want to get shitty. They're not for those who want a fruity ass drink with little to no alcohol. When the server comes back to take our food order, we inquire about the $44 beverage that seemingly has no booze in it. He tells us, and this is a direct quote, that "if we can taste the alcohol in it, then that means there is something wrong with the drink and that the bartenders made it incorrectly". I still fail to comprehend this concept. A drink should taste like a drink, nevermind a scorpion bowl which should taste like fuckery in a glass. I couldn't understand why this server didn't think alcoholic beverages shouldn't taste as such. He didn't really offer any remedy to the situation, so we were disappointed to say the least. He kind of stood at our table awkwardly after this conversation happened and wasn't sure if he should stay or go. The whole vibe was strange. All I know is this scorpion bowl barely had three tiny girls with low tolerances tipsy by the end of our meal. We order. One of my friends was a vegetarian and had an extremely hard time finding something on the menu that would work for her. We asked if they serve tofu to substitute for meat. They said no. What kind of Asian restaurant has no tofu? However, in all honesty, I really have no sympathy for vegetarians so she made due and that was not the restaurant's fault. We ordered the lo mein, tik tok chicken, fried rice and one appetizer that is escaping me at the moment. We asked for it all to come out together. The food arrives. Separately. Nevertheless, we are starving and begin eating. The food was pretty good, nothing spectacular. A step above your standard Chinese fare, and probably a step below what you'd find in Chinatown. And it is not cheap. The beef lo mein cost $18. I am accustomed to Boston prices and am always willing to pay more for better quality, but I found this place to be a bit overpriced for what you get. One of my major pet peeves is when a server will fail to come by once the food comes out and ask you if you need anything or inquire if everything was prepared properly. Not once did he come by to check in. Finally we receive the check. The bill was split between two cards, and my friend left explicit direction to pay the remainder of the balance of the check in cash. This verbiage was chosen for a reason. She did not say "the bill is all set" or "keep the change" or anything of that nature. We get the bill back, and instead of receiving $10 in change that should have happened, apparently he assumed this was part of his tip and took it. Under no circumstances is this considered ok. As a server, you don't just assume that the money leftover is your tip and pocket it. That's basically stealing. Plus, the service was awful so I don't know why he was assuming that was part of the tip. We go to the manager and explain the situation. He was nice enough, and got the money back from the server. He also explained that our server happened to be one of their "star servers". In the back of my mind I was thinking what a shame. He wasn't friendly, in fact he was downright socially awkward, didn't listen to our ordering instructions, made no attempt to work with us when we weren't happy with what came out, and then stole money on top of it all. The manager didn't make any attempt to comp anything, but he did apologize. I was surprised that with a new restaurant and a new clientele that he did not do more to rectify the situation. All in all, this place is pretty on the outside and gets style points and not much else. hopefully they get it together.
(2)
Cee L.
I would give Red Lantern a 3.5 if I could. First and foremost, the decor is stunning and it has nice ambiance. I came here for dinner last week. We arrived 15 mins early for our 10:15 reservation, and we didn't get seated until closer to 10:45pm. The place was packed with people at the bar and people kept coming and going. At one point we saw James Beluschi from According to Jim. We had a clear view of the dining room and we saw a couple of empty tables, but we still didn't get seated until later. Not really sure why, but moving on to the food: I ordered the Terriyaki Noodle Steak, and my friends ordered the Coconut Curry Chicken, Half Baked and Crunchy Roll. We all split Duck Buns, which were amazing. I think those were the best part of our meal. Succulent juicy pieces of duck and they were quite tasty. My terriyaki noodle steak was okay - there were good amounts of tender steak, but it wasn't anything special. I was not wowed by it. The terriyaki sauce with the noodles tasted a little too sweet, sort of like something you would eat at a fast food place like Panda Express...which was kind of disappointing. The Coconut curry dish was alright, nothing to write home about. The sushi was actually pretty good . Our waitress sort of disappeared halfway through the meal, and it took a while to find her. Overall it was a decent experience, but I don't think it lived up to our expectations.
(3)
Pierce D.
The lobster rangoon was amazing, as were the spring rolls. However, the Tic Tok Chicken tasted like battered chicken covered in ketchup. It was obviously not ketchup, but it tasted like it. Thoroughly disappointing considering how great the apps were.
(3)
Elizabeth M.
My 18 year old daughter recommended this restaurant because she had been here for a birthday party. We came for Mothers Day and it was fabulous! The atmosphere is wonderful! This is the old Bertucci building with high ceilings and lots of lanterns. There is a great bar area so my husband and I will be back for a date night night. The food was fabulous! They told us that since our calamari was late to arrive at the table ( did not even notice that it was late), they would not charge us for the appetizer. They then brought another calamari app for free and they brought us a free entree even though the service was great! What a great evening. This restaurant is right off the Mass Pike so an easy ride home from metro west. Oh yes, David Ortiz was also there.
(5)
Hussam B.
If you want a place with a nice atmosphere and you aren't picky with food. then this is a place to visit. My review is based on the food which is average or even below average. We were a party of 7 and we all ordered and shared our dishes. Non of the dishes i tried were good. That is why I gave this place 1 star.
(1)
Willy L.
Wanted to love it- but food is really only mediocre at best. Service and drinks were fine and decore was nice. Would not go back.
(2)
meghan c.
Food was good and a nice ambiance but at the end of the meal I felt like I had overpaid for pf changs. I like pf changs, I just dont like paying extra for pf changs in a different restaurant
(3)
Thuy L.
PROS: Decor, great space, good cocktails, yummy appetizers, friendly staff, bartenders, music CONS: Food, slow service, price, noise The food is completely overpriced and the service is SOOOOO SLLLOOOWWW!!! I made reservations at 6pm based on everyone's advice here in order to make an event at 7:30pm. The reservations had to be altered a little to add another friend. There were sooo many tables open, it was like I could have played musical chairs with the whole restaurant. Instead of telling us to wait in the bar until they figured out what to do or where to seat us, the host/hostess had us waiting in the atria for about 10-15 minutes without even a glance at us. Needless to say, after waiting to be seated despite the number of open tables, the amount of time it took to get the food out, and the bill, I didn't make the event. We didn't get out of there until 8:45pm. YIKES, almost 3 hours for a couple of small plates and sushi. If you are planning on going to an event or meeting someone after dinner, plan 2-3 hours for dinner. The food is completely overpriced more so than P.F. Chang's and is completely mediocre. $22 for some Singapre street noodles, really? I think PF Chang's is way better and is only $13. My friends and I started off with the duck bun and the pork spare ribs. These are definitely worth trying, the pork ribs were pretty tasty. We also ordered some sushi: dressed hamachi, the tuna tempura roll, and the smoking lantern. Boy, I wish we just stuck with the appetizers. The dressed hamachi was really "fishy" and the waiter and the manager claimed that that was how it was supposed to taste. I've definitely had hamachi MANY MANY times before. They were very accommodating and took it off our bill and gave us a pineapple dessert on the house. The tuna tempura roll was a little chewy and lacked flavor, meanwhile the smoking lantern comes out with a bowl filled with smoke. It literally tasted like someone took a hit from a joint, and let the smoke billow on top of the sushi. Neither of these were my favorite. I will admit that their Suma cocktail was probably their only saving grace.
(2)
Alicia C.
This place is like a really hot guy/girl that is incredibly boring. You want to like him/her because they are so beautiful, but there is no substance. I should caveat this review by saying that I absolutely love Asian food, especially Thai, so my standards are high. Red Lantern reminds me of Tao (NYC taorestaurant.com ) My advice is to order apps (dumplings were good) and sushi. Don't bother with the street noodles (ugh, so bland) and the tik tok chicken (bland and not crispy enough). Also - I am from NYC and I found the prices to be high for the quality of the food. Great sake list though.
(2)
Tahani R.
Very cool place, love the decor & the food was incredible! Our server was very attentive. Pricey, but worth every penny, I ate the filet mignon with bok choy, my meal was beyond great, the filet was cooked perfectly.
(5)
D. M.
I'm a huge fan of their fried rice menu. It's cheap, good and the portions are huge! The drinks are excellent as well!
(4)
Jen B.
I took my 20 year old here for her birthday. She loved the food and the atmosphere was great. It feels very "Vegas Style" to us (everything is big and open). It was nice to be able to see everyone working in the open kitchen and the chef check every dish before it was sent out to the table. Our waitress was fun and very accommodating.
(4)
George T.
Nice decor, decent drinks, bad food, bad service. When we got there we were told that the sushi bar sitting is first come first serve, then we were asked to wait at the bar and were assured that as soon as the sits open up the hostess will let us know and we'll be sited. Well.. within an hour I watched from the bar as multiple sits opened up and occupied by the people who just walked in, but not once we were approached by any of the hostesses even through during that hour I reminded them twice that we are still waiting. We ended up eating at the lounge area and the food was a big disappointment. We still go to RL for drinks, but after eating there on three different occasions finally decided that the food is consistently bad.
(2)
Andrea P.
This was the first place I went out to eat when I first moved to Boston. It is a great place for a group of people or a birthday party. It reminded me of a trendy version of PF Changs except the food was not as great...however, I would recommend this place to anyone visiting Boston or if you just want a fun night out with a group of friends. The service was amazing and I would rate the food 3.5 out of 5. Over all great restaurant! :)
(4)
Benjamin P.
Red Lantern needs to turn down the music and turn up the food. While the overall ambiance was interesting, yelling over the music to speak to your fellow diners became annoying. The menu and food seemed Disney-like, showy and aspirational but not quite as impressive as hoped. The tuna served in the sushi was not fresh. The sparerib dish was missing flavor and basically beef with broccoli anywhere else. Chow fun was surprisingly good as was the striped bass, but maybe because everything else was so unimpressive. The only "hot" thing about this restaurant was the very cute busboy who at least added something interesting to this otherwise quotidian repast.
(2)
Chris T.
Really cool space although it slightly reminded me of an upscale PF Changs. The food was excellent. I highly recommend the Lobster Dumplings. Really nice drink menu. The Grass Fed Mule was tasty and refreshing (and strong). Definitely worth checking out if you are thinking about it.
(4)
Stephen E.
The crunchy roll was the best plate of sushi I have ever had and the person I was with agreed. Was the perfect temperature, taste and texture. I know its rude to look at other peoples food but I couldnt help myself when we went here because everything looked so good. Make sure you call in for a reservation. Cant wait to go back.
(5)
Jennifer J.
Went back last night for my first meal. I ate with my bf at the bar so not 100% dining experience. I live in the South End and he lives in the Back Bay so Red Lantern is nicely located for us to meet, and the bar really feels nice, and adult. We split a couple of appetizers. The gyoza were great and the lobster rangoons were addictive. After that we had some chicken fried rice and split a steak. The rice was clean and really flavorful. I could eat it everyday. The steak was good but honestly I wanted the whole fish but my bf is not a fish eater. The steak was tasty but again not my style. The service at the bar was friendly and efficient, and the space has a cool vibe. The crowd was very good looking and well dressed. Even my steak eating bf commented that the crowd was very good looking. I am having dinner on Saturday night with 9 of my girlfriends so more to follow.
(5)
Clare F.
The boy and I passed Red Lantern a few weeks ago, as it was in the last stages of renovation and decoration. "That place looks pretty cool." Fast forward to his birthday. This much-hyped restaurant was reviewed everywhere and featured in Boston's Daily Candy, so he chose it for the group night out. I called Thursday and was able to get reservations for six and five (we were eleven all together). I specifically requested tables next to each other. When we were ready to be seated, the hosts split up, and it became clear that we would not be sat together. I would not have minded so much if the man I spoke with had assured me my request would be possible. So I politely told the manager and he said they would see what they could do. The group waited another half hour (by that time it was almost an hour after our reservation time so it was a good thing the dudes enjoyed the drinks and were able to take over a portion of the bar). I went to the host desk and asked about the table. They said that they had to open the private dining room to accommodate our group and allow for more room that night, so they had needed time to set it up. If we were ready and closed out at the bar, they would be able to seat us within a few minutes. Great. Just TELL me that. Yes, it looked as though we were enjoying ourselves at the bar (and we were), but an update would have been nice. The one sour note of the evening. On to the food and drinks. I had a Singapore sling and then considered how quickly I consumed it and how little it tasted like anything alcoholic. Absolutely delicious, but I wouldn't recommend pounding multiple Slings. I switched to my usual St. Germaine cocktail, which never fails to impress as long as the bartender knows how to make a drink not on the menu. The group of 11 ordered SEVERAL appetizers for the table. Apps are a little small and we had to get a few orders of some things for people who didn't get a taste of something. The lobster rangoon and tempura fried green beans were definitely standouts. The rangoon was HEAVENLY and I seriously considered ordering a plate all for myself for my main dish. The fried green beans came with three different sauces - herb, sweet and spicey. Herb was refreshing. Sweet was what I was most interested in (originally I thought I had to choose, but it came with all three). Spicy was a Siracha infused mayo. It only had a small bit of zing, which was great for me because I have a low tolerance for spice, but if others are looking for additional bite they may want to request hot sauce for the table. Everyone at the table loved their main dishes. Three of us got the fried rice which, after looking at some of the prices on the menu, is the steal of the restaurant. The portions were huuuuuuuuuge and delightful. Rice fried in sesame oil with veggies and your choice of protein (I got scallop.) Between apps and cocktails already in our bellies, no one was able to finish their fried rice. Another person raved about the beef with broccoli, saying that one has come to expect beef in that dish to be tough, but hers was mouthwatering and tender. The waiter was uncomplainingly able to deal with cash and several credit cards. The decor was unbelievable. High ceilings, exposed brick and beams, hardwood floor and paper lanterns (red, obviously) hanging from the ceiling. Bar bathrooms were onesies with larger facilities down stairs. Since this was Red Lantern's first weekend I would love to return in a month or so to see how the place has progressed. Upon returning I will likely sit at the bar if there is room and eat lobster rangoon to my heart's content.
(4)
Colleen H.
Ugh, I wanted to give this place 3.5 stars, but It won't let me. Definately more that 3, but a teeny bit shy of 4, but I'l be generous. I really like the atmosphere here. Went here with 3 girlfirend, and the bar was a great spot to mingle. Food--alright--nothing truely amazing, but I'm likely to go back, so maybe it needs a second chance. We had an amazing waiter, very attentive all night, and you know how ladies at dinner can be, 4 hours, lot's of drinks, it can go on and on. But we were more than generous with him. I liked that we didn't feel rushed at all, evne though I know they were busy and had people waiting. Maybe next time I'll just go for the bar, but either way, this place is getting a few more visits from me.
(4)
Sara Z.
I would go there again in a heart beat! Loved everything about it...the food, the atmosphere, the waiters! :)
(5)
Aga S.
Red Lantern... what can I write about this beautiful, hip, Back Bay restaurant/lounge? I have been to Red Lantern countless times; I have gone there for drinks, appetizers, dinner and birthday parties and I have yet to be disappointed. The ambiance takes your breath away; the high ceilings, beautiful bar, tasteful statues of Buddha and other orient-inspired decorations take you on a journey to the Far East. The music played at Red Lantern does not quite match the oriental theme, still it creates a very vibrant and trendy atmosphere - for a second you may even feel as you just walked into a trendy eatery in New York or Hong Kong. Managers and remaining staff are always very friendly and accommodating. In terms of food and drinks, there are plenty of really great menu items to choose from. From cocktail list I highly recommend you try the Dragon Fire (if you like cocktails with a spicy kick); if you are looking for something more fruity, try the Bamboo Juice, Mai Tai or the Shanghai Street Sangria. If you are looking for a snack, try the Duck Buns or Spicy Lettuce Wraps. If you are looking for something more filling - try the Chilean Sea Bass entree - it's delicious!
(4)
David G.
I have to agree with most people on this site.....its quite a spectacle. Food is amazing, if the service is slightly sub par, but that is to be expected at any new "scene" venue. Pricy, but this is again expected. Reservations are difficult, so call ahead. In general, Id definately go again.
(4)
Lala L.
Great ambiance. Great food. Awesome strong drinks. I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Zyna P.
I came here last night for my sister's birthday. We bought plenty of drinks & sushi. Our bartendress did an awesome job by serving us until closing. The sushi cost more than I usually pay but overall it was delicious. I figured a night out in BOSTON with a 5 STAR atmosphere made the prices reasonable. Niemitz Design Group Inc did an excellent job on designing the place. I hope the owner can expand this location by adding a dance floor because there were times that we wanted more room to dance to the music so badly. Definitely would love to come back for drinks.
(4)
Lauren M.
I'd say this is the best restaurant in Boston! Walking in, you feel more like you're in Vegas, New York, or some place in Asia. The high ceilings, huge Buddah statues, and abundant red lanterns create a sexy, swanky vibe. The music is kind of trancey, or a deeper house music. The crowd is one of the best looking in the city, whether you're dining with large groups or chilling at the bar. The food is absolutely exceptional; my boyfriend is a commercial fisherman and he says this is some of the best fish he's tasted. Whether you're going for drinks (try the drink that they light on fire), appetizers (the sushi, once again, is top-knotch), or just looking for a spin on your traditional asian cuisine, you won't be disappointed here. I've been several times, and have never been disappointed. For as good as the food, drinks, and overall atmosphere of this place provide, you'll be pleasantly surprised when you see your bill. I would have paid even more; it is just that good! Make reservations well in advance to ensure seating.
(5)
Sharon B.
I love this place. The decor is great and I dig the atmosphere for a chill dinner/drinks place. We started off at the bar for drinks and I had a great Geisha martini. We had a reservation and our friends were a little late but they still sat us as soon as they got in. The group of us tried a handful of different apps - the green bean tempura is delicious with 3 dipping sauces, the rock bottom shrimp basically a bang bang shrimp dish is AMAZING, I would come here just to get that. We also tried the lobster rangoon which was also delicious. Sushi was really good. For entrees the table got some rice and noodle dishes which were ok - apps/sushi/drinks seemed to be a lot better though. I'll be back!
(5)
Whiterock R.
good service and great food. Considering we were with a toddler on a friday night. Little bit too dark. Hard to see the food. Reason we went there was because it was raining and we quickly had to get in somewhere.
(3)
Patricia B.
Loved the decor. For all the wait staff running around service was a bit slow. Delish food! Only order the lettuce wrap app if you like spicy food
(4)
Matthew T.
Over priced and the food is not very good. This was the first restaurant we ate at after moving to Boston and we were very excited to go there because the reviews we read seemed mostly positive and our friends who took us there raved. The menu is creative, but that isn't enough if the food isn't delicious. We each got an appi and a main and my wife and I just were not impressed with the flavors. It seems like they are trying too hard to make dishes that are complex Chinese fusion in style and are instead creating confused plates that miss the mark. I love Chinese food and I love gourmet food but this place does not mesh the two cuisines/styles. Unfortunately, the bottom line is that Red Lantern does not live up to its hype. If I'm gonna spend 100+ per person on dinner, I expect more from a restaurant. On a positive point, the service was very good and the restaurant is nicely decorated.
(2)
Tanya C.
Awesome! Very friendly staff. Amazing food and cocktails. We went in with out a reservation and they totally went above and beyond to accomodate us. The decor is Fab! We will def be back again and again! .
(5)
Cindy K.
Red Lantern has potential. The decor and atmosphere are fun and up tempo, definitely a bit of a buzz in the air. Service was excellent, timely but not intrusive. Only problem is the food is really not very good and it is very expensive -- a poor combination. I have been there twice now and I really want to like the place because it is fun, but the food is really substandard. Had the lobster ran goons on both visits and they are good, though you only get 4 for $14. Also tried the lettuce cups. They are hard to eat since everyone needs to make their own. Lettuce was all torn to shred before anyone could effectively make a cup out of it and everyone has handling the food extensively. Not ideal. The pork mixture was tasty but very soupy. Boneless spareribs came highly recommended by our server and were incredibly overlook and had zero flavor -- dry as a bone. The sushi was ok at best. One in our group had two basic rolls (spicy tuna with cucumber) and they were small but otherwise fine. I had the "pressed sushi" with smoked salmon and mango. This was terrible. It is a very dense square block consisting almost entirely of rice with a single piece of smoked salmon in the idle. MIT had some chopped mango on top. I could not eat it at all, completely flavorless and definitely not worth the money. This place could be terrific -- they have it all going for them. Interesting menu, great decor, focus on good service. They just need to improve the quality of the food. If they do, I will gladly be back!
(2)
Shaye S.
the food in here is authentic and delicious! although our party have figured out it is actually more alike a lounge than a typical restaurant. the waiter in our table was extremely helpful and we enjoyed the meal here even though is was pricey. Definitely go with friends, the light here is dim and the atmosphere is very chill.
(4)
Vanna V.
My boyfriend and I went to Red Lantern for date night. The atmosphere was really cool, the Asian food was fantastic the staff was friendly and enjoyable. Highly recommended!
(5)
David I.
This is one of the best asian fusion restaurants I have ever eaten at. The service was great and the food was even better. The crunchy roll and lobster rangoon are must-trys. The trendy atmosphere and chic decor makes this restaurant one of Boston's best. I would highly recommend coming here for dinner or even just for a drink at the bar.
(5)
Cristina L.
I've been to Red Lantern twice so far in the last month and expect I will be returning soon. I had drinks at the bar with friends one night and dinner with my husband on another. It has a really trendy atmosphere with a good mix of people. Overall good feeling when entering with very helpful hostesses. I did not expect such a good crowd being that it is hidden so well but the bar side was comfortably filled with people. It was easy to get drinks and they were actually good. Dinner was exceptional. We had the Wood Fired Skewers and an assortment of rolls for an appetizer, both very good. I had the Lo Mein and my husband has the Mongolian Steak. Mine was excellent, but my husbands was a little under cooked. He wanted medium rare but it came out a little rare. Not a huge deal considering he loved it. Either way, I would definitely recommend this place no matter what the occasion.
(4)
Christine P.
I'm a total fan of Red Lantern. I went here with 3 girlfriends for my birthday and loved it. We sat in the lounge area and had drinks before sitting for dinner. Unfortunately the only reservation they had was for 5:30pm. When we sat, the hostess sat us up on the other level which was a little less appealing than the main floor. I am not usually picky and hate to complain but I did ask to be moved to a different table, it just seemed "more fun" on the main floor where the kitchen was. They couldn't accommodate that but it didn't deter the evening. Our waitress let us know the portions were big and shareable but we were hungry and ordered 2 apps, 2 plates of sushi and we all got a noodle dish. I got the Singapore Street which was $25 (maybe a bit pricey for noodles) but delicious and totally could have been split. They weren't what I expected which was the wide flat noodles, but instead more spaghetti like. But delish. The sushi was awesome. I could have just eaten that, it was really good. For dessert we got the Japanese donuts which are like bignese (not sure how to spell that) and AWESOME! The dipping sauce was fantastic, they were sooo good. I would definitely go back there, it seemed like a good place. Oh and I had friends in town and was trying to think of a great place to go and everyone loved the ambiance. For all the food and drinks and dessert it ended up being about $60 per person which I thought was completely reasonable for Boston.
I found my new favorite spot. RED LANTERN. I was there for the first night the kitchen and staff were serving guests. The room is amazing. As I walked through the large tall wood doors, the tall ceilings, and Asian decor caught my eye. There is seating both at the bar as well as at small tables with comfortable wrapped couches. The appetizers and martinis were delicious. I had the Sumo Express and loved it. The sushi, lettuce wraps, and lobster rangoons were amazing. A great room with the open kitchen in the center with a wok stations. You can see the entire room from almost every seat in the restaurant. The staff were all very warm and attentive. I can't wait to go back and karaoke downstairs...
(5)
Floranne P.
Went on a Tuesday night, 9:30 with a Gilt City Coupon. Lot's of people there for a late week night and very cool music playing in the back ground. Atmosphere reminded me of Tao at the Venetian in Vegas - very chic. We ordered the Singapore Street Noodles for $22 which came in a giant bowl and the 3 of us could barely finish what was the most fragrant but at the same time delicate noodles ever! Next came the sushi: the Crunchy Roll from salmon and crab with some crispy panko. It was so great, my friend went back the next night. We ended up not using the coupon so we could expense it and come back soon. Really memorable and fabulous place!
(5)
Kate H.
I had a really fun dinner here a couple of weeks ago with two friends. Our server was a little goofy but really helpful & attentive, and the menu was really creative & different. The drinks were awesome, the food was good - not the best sushi that I've had but really good - and the place just has a fun, energetic vibe. I will totally go back.
Went here on a recent Sunday night, soon after it opened. It's a beautiful, dramatic space, with tons of -- you guessed it -- red lanterns hanging from the rafters. It was like Shanghai circa 1940 with modern influences (like the huge open kitchen). Great drink menu --I actually had the bartender mix me something that was non-alcoholic and it was insanely delicious and made me miss alcohol not one bit. The food was very good, highlights were the dumplings, fried edamame, lobster rangoon, avocado salad and peking duck. I would come back with my girlfriends for a night on the town, it's the kind of place you go when you want to have fun (really great music, and sexy ambiance) and share a bunch of plates. The place also has a cool bar that I did not hang out at, but I would.
(4)
d m.
The decor is well done, the lighting designer deserves kudos. Service was ok, but my place setting had no utensils and no one noticed. That was forgiveable. But the food was a dissapointment. Got two things: the lobster rangoon which were very good, and the calamari which was terrible. It was giant pieces of fried squid with no seasoning, no sauce, no nothing. The only other thing on the plate were pieces of raw ginger and slices of scorching hot raw peppers. If I had put a fork full of that in my mouth I would have been literally injured. Pretty bad dish.
(2)
John D.
WOW!!!!! A fabulous new addition to Boston's restaurant scene. Dined on Thursday evening with a friend and entered one of the most beautiful, dramatic dining / lounge spaces in Boston. Whomever designed the space deserves an award, so gorgeous! We ordered a variety of appetizers and LOVED every dish we ordered. The avacado/crab salad was amazing served with a relish of red caviar. The fried pork dumplings were delicious and cooked perfectly crisp and floating on a pond of soy/ginger/scallion. Wanted to lick the plate! We also tried the pork buns that were stuffed with incredibly delicious shredded pork infused with just the right amount of savory and sweet seasonings. We also had the pork spareribs that are served off the bone and beautiully seasoned and perfectly cooked. Just to get off the pig, we also orderd an entree of glazed noodles served with strips of steak that was so delicious! We were so full we had one bite each and a coin toss for the take home container. Lastly, we had the pineapple bread pudding served with coconut ice cream. YUMMMMM!! Lovely evening, wonderful service, and a vibrant diverse crowd. You will LOVE The Red Lantern.
(5)
Jane S.
god, this place is so offensive since hanging a red lantern is a sign of prostitution in china i have to point out that noone is calling a bar Whorehouse and filling it full of Jesus statues it is just really inappropriate to fill a bar with statues of the Buddha i was just speechless- we turned and walked out after 5 minutes
(1)
Shiva M.
Nice decor which fails to cover up mediocre and overpriced food. Appetizers are yummy, but main entrees are nothing impressive. Does not live up to the hype. P.F. Chang's is just as good and a better value.
(2)
Wesley C.
great atmosphere, vibe, and SERVICE. But the food is........ i dont know what it is? the fresh roll and the calamari are some of the worst i ever had. rice noodle and dumplings are just rice noodle and dumplings not thing special. if u are going to charge $18 and $12 for rice noodle and dumplings they better be more than ordinary. wine list is very over priced and the cocktails needs some adjustments. this joint certainly has the prudential to be the tao of vegas, or the buddahkkan of new york. it just needs a lot of polish on it's cuisine.
(3)
Sarah R.
Hosted my birthday dinner here in their private dining room on a Monday night. Kerry, my contact person was super easy to deal with throughout the whole process of booking the event. She responded almost instantly to all of my emails and explained everything very clearly. No questions were left unanswered and I was pleased that the night went exactly as expected. There were 20 of us for dinner and the private dining room was perfect. I chose to seat everyone at a long table, though was able to choose other options. We had 2-3 waiters, and one contact person for the event, which was great. The room was too warm and they adjusted the temp right away. For food, we started with vegetable spring rolls, chicken lettuce wraps, and fried beans. The spring rolls were awesome! I could have eaten those alone all night, the sauce was great. The lettuce wraps were just ok. The sauce tasted a little weird, but if you added the extra brown sauce it ws good. The fried beans totally lacked in flavor unless you used the dipping sauce, which only one out of the three was good. Then we had salad, which was good, pretty standard. For entrees we had pork fried rice and the tik tok chicken. The rice was good, nothing spectacular, but I definitely ate my share. The tik tok chicken was delishhhh. It was nice and crispy, good white meat chicken, and the orangey sauce was yummy. Overall, great experience, and will come back to try the regular menu.
(4)
Shilpa S.
Right.. Well my review is based upon my high expectations due to all the great things I heard about this place. For months I was told how comparable it is to Tao, its "upscale" crowd and nice ambiance. Although the interior is relatively nice- suspended lanterns, buddha statues etc. the venue is mainly comprised of a large dining area. The bar has limited space and can accommodate only so many people. Consequently, the line was stagnant from 930 onwards since the bar was PACKED. My friend had arrived at that time and ended up waiting an hour to be admitted. (Though I got there 915 and was in 2 mins later.) Perhaps the initial hype will quell and with that less wait. To their credit- the drinks were well made and strong. The dining scene looked cool and we will come back for the food as it looked great. To my dismay though- although the venue touts an ethnic theme- the place itself lacks diversity, and is pretty stuffy. Stanhope St.- once known for the international crowd has now become very WASP-y.
(3)
Special E.
My first disclaimer is that I rarely eat asian style foods so I cannot comment on the merits of the food per se. That said, I haven't found many dining rooms and lounges that match the ambience of the Red Lantern. Simply put, it is cool. Beautiful people hang out in beautiful surroundings and that's what you'll find here. I dined with my two college aged children and they didn't look at their cell phone at all during the evening until just before I paid the bill (my barometer for keeping their interest) They people watched and commented on the background music and the decor. Our server was very attentive and had some good recommendations. I'll leave the actual food reviews to others for the reason mentioned above but I will be back. It would be an excellent location for large groups...business or celebratory.
I am a fan! Work in Copley Square and this is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Very elegant surroundings, pleasant staff, drinks are unique & delicious. Delcious Asian influenced appetizers, noodle dishes, sushi. A little pricey; but a fun evening was had by all!
(4)
Jennifer M.
Was at Red Lantern again for a going away party and the staff and kitchen hit it out of the park! Apps and cocktails were amazing, sushi super fresh, the drinks delicious, the staff super attentive, and the management was totally hands on serving trays of food. keep up the great work!
(5)
Helen B.
Beautiful restaurant. I always liked it when it was Bertucci's but now it is so beautiful and cool. I went with a friend who is vegan (sort of) and we ordered all very low-cal seafood items, mostly appetizers, that were very good, very enjoyable. The waiter was very good and pleasant (which I have not experienced in a long time). I want to go back with a large group - seems like it would be fun.
(4)
J F.
great ambiance....good food! Great place for a group. Def will be back!
(4)
Carolyn B.
Big Night Entertainment Group knocks it out of the park again! I was fortunate enough to attend the pre opening event and completely fell in love. With venues like Shrine, Scorpion Bar, the Estate, and High Rollers, the bar was set high. Red Lantern exceeded my expectations. Red Lantern has filled a void in the Boston restauraunt scene. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Gerald G.
Had on eo the best dining experience last night, a place with very cool energy. The type of eatery that the South End/ Back Bay has needed for so long. The owner hit it perfect.
(5)
Chris H.
First of all, this is a very trendy looking restaurant/lounge. For the prices that they charge, I expected a better meal than what we had. My wife and I went here last night for dinner after purchasing a Travelzoo deal for dinner. It was a Monday night after work so obviously the restaurant is empty besides a couple of other tables. We started off with drinks and they were both good. We started off with the chicken wrap, it was ok, nothing to write home about. We also ordered the crunchy roll, spicy tuna roll and the rock shrimp roll for sushi and an order of the bulgogi. Lets start off with the sushi. The spicy tuna roll has to be the worse spicy tuna roll I have ever eaten and I've been to cheap sushi restaurants that was better than this. The crunchy roll however was delicious. The fatty salmon was smooth and buttery. The rock shrimp roll was mediocre. So now onto the bulgogi if you can even call it bulgogi. Instead of thinly sliced beef, we received slabs and chunks of beef. The coloring on the beef looked suspect so we didn't bother eating it. Parts of it were gray and purplish and it looked like it was cooked from old beef that sat out. The waiter stopped by after we were done eating and noticed that the "bulgogi" was untouched and we told him that it didn't look right. Since this was a Travelzoo deal he wasn't unable to take it off the bill but offered us desert which we declined. For a restaurant that wants to charge hefty prices for entrees, they should at least serve some edible food. Oh yeah, I totally forgot to mention that the kimchee that came with the bulgogi was the worst kimchee ever. It was dry and had no flavor at all. No brininess or spiciness at all. How can you mess up kimchee? I don't think I'll ever go back to Red Lantern or Empire for food. If I ever go back, I would only go there for drinks and that is highly unlikely as well. I left disappointed, I could have spent that $100 elsewhere and enjoy a better meal.
(2)
HC F.
Top Knotch Cocktails- I am surprised people complain about the prices- I think it is reasonable- You get what you pay for. Great food! Great Portions! Awesome date night experiance also attended a private party - the service was great and the cocktails flowed!!!
(4)
Alz S.
Although the ambiance here was fun, the service was mediocre and the menu was misleading. I expected that by ordering "Drunken Noodles," I would receive exactly that: those wide flat noodles that are spicy and normally fantastic. Instead, I received thinner noodles that were not spicy at all. As an "Asian fusion" restaurant they should take greater care to not mislead drunken noodle enthusiasts. I will not be returning here.
(1)
Nuala G.
UPDATE TO THE BELOW REVIEW: My friend contacted the manager regarding the extra tip and he was super nice. Apologized profusely and said that the wait staff are supposed to let customers know when the tip is already included in the bill. She was credited back the extra $80 to her card. For this I have moved my rating to 4 stars! I came here for dinner with a few co-workers. We had made the reservation for 10 people at 5:45pm. We arrived a little late (around 5:55pm), and only had a party of 7 (not 10). In any case the place was dead. The hostess told us to maybe get a drink at the bar as she would have to re-set the table (it took them forever). They were putting us in the corner of the restaurant away from everything else when a friend stepped up and asked if we could sit in the main area of the restaurant (as the decor is so nice). They gave us a huge round table that was way too big for us. In any case we stuck with it. They have a good selection of drinks. I drink beer but my friends had cocktails. A few ordered the scorpion bowl which is for 4 people. They said it was a little too sweet. For apps we ordered egg rolls, lettuce wraps, and lobster rangoons (all were delish). I found they didn't have a good variety for entree's. They had plenty of sushi to order but expensive. I ended up getting the scallop fried rice which was really good (but pretty much a big bowl of carbs). There wasn't much else on the menu that appealed to me. Now this is why I only gave 3 stars. The bill came and it was $350. One girl in our party put it on her credit card. Now I understand when there are groups of 8 or more they automatically add 20% tip. We only had 5 people for dinner (as the other 2 only stayed for a drink then left). My friend added an extra $80 on the tab (not noticing 20% was already on the bill). The waiter didn't say a thing. She only realized this after she had left the restaurant. I told her to call the manager and ask to have the $80 put back on her card. Not sure if she has or not. I was very turned off by this. I think this is a dishonest waiter!! PS. In the past at other restaurants I have made the same mistake and the waitress was so quick to tell me it was already covered.
(4)
Mils K.
love the decor and ambience. we weren't' planning to eat there, but rather just start off with drinks then head elsewhere. well, ended up eating here and found it pretty good. the $7 plates on Mondays are a good deal. there signature cocktails are tasty. we had one with siracha. it paired well with the fried rice. wine list just ok sushi was fresh. i think this place is idea for groups. loved the dim lighting, loungey feel with an asian theme.
(3)
Glutenfree G.
Great place for drinks and dancing. Not the usual college crowd. Mostly 24+ and professionals.
(4)
Jeremy B.
Everything was amazing! Great service!
(5)
Aga K.
Soooo my company had a Xmas party there recently and I finally had an opportunity to try maaaaany exciting appetizers and sushi. First I need to mention that service was more than pleasant, very attentive and courteous ! Appetizers kept coming in many forms shapes and flavours...here I have to give A+ to a duck app which was given out in Asian spoons and was a hit on that cold December night. Crab Rangoon was fresh crunchy and very fresh! Finally originally served sushi ... Well my limit is usually 8 rolls but I think I set the new record these evening and had about 12!!!! No regrets tho!
(4)
Annie L.
I took my parents here the day after Thanksgiving to take a break from turkey. The room is stylish and impressive, with a sleek design and fashionable staff. We started off with the lobster rangoon and lettuce wraps. The lobster rangoon were great(but I am an admitted rangoon freak...I will always order them if they're an option on the menu), but pricey for little discernible lobster. The lettuce wraps were tasty and plentiful for an app. My father and I both got the surf and turf, which is an 8 oz filet and lobster tail. Very tasty and cooked medium rare as requested. My boyfriend got the bacon-wrapped filet which came out much more medium rare than the requested medium well, but he didn't want to send it back. The lobster mashed potatoes were very tasty. My mom got the hoisin sliced chicken, which was a huge portion, and she found it delicious (after admitting she only really ever gets sweet and sour chicken). We didn't try the sushi at all, but it seemed interesting. It was a fun scene, and I would likely return. We didn't try the scorpion bowls we saw going by, but we were happy with the bottle of wine we had.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : Yes Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Jennifer L.
Food is delicious... Ambiance is great and the service sucks. Hire more or new waitstaff
(2)Aaqila A.
Great food. Great atmosphere. A little pricey, but it was worth it. Nice vibe.
(4)Abbie M.
I was pleasantly surprised by Red Lantern. I heard it was a great spot to go out and have drinks, but was totally unfamiliar with the space or with the menu. Got a LivingSocial and decided to check it out! From the front it looks like a sketchy Asian place. They really need to work on that, because inside it is quite upscale with these incredibly tall ceilings with Asian/S&M iron lighting, full size Samurai warriors, and it's very cool. The waitress was a skilled saleswoman, highlighting the most expensive appetizers ($24 for 6 thin slices of beef/salmon cooked on a stone?) and entrees ($40 steak at an Asian place?) on the menu. She was the right amount of attentive, very knowledgeable, and had a good sense of humor. The menu was just redone and it's rather extensive (did I type extensive or expensive, because it is both.) We tried the Tik Tok chicken, the veggie fried rice, and my date got two sushi rolls. I don't eat sushi so I have no clue what she ordered. The chicken itself was quite good, and there was a lot of it, but for some reason while the sauce tasted good on the chicken I didn't like it on the broccoli or rice. The veggie fried rice was not your typical oily heavy fried rice, it was light with lots of veggies and there was a generous portion. She said her sushi was good, though I thought it looked on the small side. For drinks I got a coco-loco mai tai and she had Tanq and tonic. My drink tasted fine but was much smaller than I expected, however the Tanq and tonic was normal. They advertise a beer and wine special which changes daily/weekly, which is pretty awesome. Our total bill was $74, we had a deal for $60, so we made out all right in the end. The ambiance was fantastic and I would like to return for drinks, but probably not dinner.
(4)Nicole S.
Every time I go here I am more and more blown away by the food and service. During our most recent visit the 3 of us enjoyed the following: Chicken Lettuce wraps ($14) Lobster Ragoons ($12) Fan Fried Pork Dumpkins ($12) Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls ($10) Shrimp Fried Rice ($14) Drunken Noodles ($22) Everything was very fresh and flavorful. The meal was staggered a bit so we could enjoy each dish at a nice pace as well as them being cooked right to order. I can't get enough of the Lobster Ragoons- just imagine crab rangoons but 100x better with fresh lobster. I typically find that noodles dishes are either dry and gummy or are very oily to keep the noodles seperated and easy to eat but it is not the case here. We ended up with plenty of food and had some of the fried rice and noodles to go. Valet does take a LONG time so don't forget to ask your server to call up your car while you finish dessert.
(4)Odiddy K.
Place looks awesome. But it's Rat infested. As I'm eating my meal I spot 2 mice running around I tell the waitress she said it's normal because of the location. she had the nerve to say that they name the mice that is Stuart. Manager comes over says they are very sorry and will take care of the bill they took off the edamames off the bill $8 bucks off a $230 bill. Don't go there !!!!
(1)Mark D.
I have mixed feelings about this place. First, the place is nicely arranged. Decorations are appropriate with the name of the restaurant and fit an Asian motif. The bar is especially nice. The bar also has nice drinks. And they make them nice and strong which fits the price which is average for a cocktail at a decent establishment (think $10 - $14). However be cautious as I was charged a higher price for my classic Mai Thai than the menu price ($12 instead of $11). It is possible this was an honest mistake as they have another Mai Thai available at the higher price. For starters we had salt and pepper calamari, dumplings and vegetable spring rolls. All dishes were plated well, however staff initially brought over the calamari and told us it contained shrimp. However the same plate came back after staff confirmed there was no shrimp in the dish. The spring rolls were average and over priced for what they were. The dumplings were tasty, but again over priced for what they were. The calamari was good and was the best of the three. For entrees I ordered the skirt steak. My dinner companions ordered a wok fried pork special. My skirt steak was plated well and had excellent taste. The pairing with a baked sweet potato was an odd choice but worked and provided some nice contrast to the soy, garlic and ginger sauce on the steak. The wok fried pork was returned to the kitchen because it was deep fried not wok fried. My dinner companions chose the other pork special a pork loin. The pork loin was dry. Management removed it from the bill after complaining it was inedible and agreed it looked dry. We also had the Wagyu fried rice. While tasty, I've had better fried rice in Chinatown that had more depth of flavor with less oil. Staff and service were generally lackluster. Staff appeared mostly apathetic. Gentlemen, I was told, were not allowed to wear any form of hat in the dining area, however being loud and obnoxious (think bachelorette party with 4 scorpion bowls and dozens of other drinks) is allowed and seemingly encouraged by the very scantily and sexually clad female staff (think corsettes). Kitchen staff delivering food and refilling drinks made numerous mistakes throughout the night from not knowing the dishes that were being delivered to topping off sparkling water with tap water. My overall impression is this place is mostly trying to live off of the hype. The food is tasty but the price being paid is for the atmosphere and nothing more. Good place to get a drink with a friend or two but there are better Asian restaurants in town albeit none with an interior as pretty as Red Lantern.
(2)Danielle S.
Good spot for Asian fare in Back Bay, nice ambience and interior design. Had a collection of apps and rolls. All were quite good. Recommend the "naruto" roll and lettuce wraps. Portions are ok, but prices are high. $16 for a 5 piece roll is high, even for the area. Same for the wine. High prices, mediocre selection, and small pour. Overall tasty food, just not the best price to quality ratio.
(4)David H.
I am giving this place four stars but not for the food which was very very overpriced and averagely presented....btw guys gyoza is steamed and then gently fried on one side only...duh!!!! But, the drinks menu is exciting and varied...and our waitress was enthusiastic and helpful. The four stars is for the setup and the decor. You could be in NYC at one of those hip happening places...except it is right here in this great city, and jammed with all the good looking people having a great time at the very cool bar. The lofted warehouse has been incredibly transformed with great furnishings and decor. This place will always draw the crowds and be a fun great evening out...just eat somewhere else...or bring your corporate card....which always has a way of easing the pain of paying exorbitant prices for pretty average plates of food.
(4)Allan S.
Nouveau Asian fusion cuisine. Upscale & trendy. Nice bar with friendly, prompt, professional bartenders. The dining area is large and there is a private room for groups. I enjoyed watching the beautiful people walking by. As for the cuisine, its good. though far from traditional Asian, I was here for a business meal would definitely bring my wife if only to enjoy drinks & the vibe.
(4)Blaire O.
The food was delicious and the service was excellent. My friend and I went on Friday night with a reservation and were promptly seated. First round of drinks, we had a Mai-tai and the red lotus. My second drink had orange muddled with champagne. It was alright but I really liked the red lotus. The Lettuce wraps were delicious! The waitress was helpful answering any questions as I have a shellfish allergy. Another friend had recommended that we get the Singapore noodles. It had a lot of shellfish in the dish. So I asked the waitress if we could substitute it with chicken. I appreciate her honesty of telling us that removing the shellfish would not make the dish as good. She offered other noodle suggestions. We ended up going with the classic chicken lomein. Before placing our order, the waitress asked how severe my shellfish allergy was in regards to cross contamination. The spicy tuna roll and the avocado/cucumber roll was delicious as well. For dessert, we split the chocolate mousse cake and had an espresso each. The cake was rich so we could not finish it. The fruit served with the cake was delicious. all the other servers were attentive as well. Only downside was the food is a little pricey. I would be back again for a splurge meal
(4)Sean H.
This may come across a little cheesy but I'm ok with it. We always have a great meal at Red Lantern. But the food is only part of the reason we keep coming back. The staff is what sets them apart. The hosts are always friendly and warm. The wait staff are amazing and knowledgeable. Food comes out great, piping hot but also consistent. Management will always pop by and see how your meal is. They really know how to treat their customers. That's why it's my wife and I's favorite place to dine in the city.
(5)Channa H.
My friend and I had dinner there Tuesday night and I would probably not go back again. We went after work and it wasn't crowded. The hostesses were pretty rude, didn't even bother to say hello or look at us as we were asked if we had a reservation for our party of two. The food was okay. We got lobster rangoons, shrimp fried rice (the best thing we got), stir-fried short ribs with broccoli and asparagus and soft shell crab sushi. All okay but I wouldn't rush back there to have dinner. The service wasn't very friendly and we felt rushed the entire time. Our server (said Tia on the receipt) did the typical filling waters and asking if things were okay but was completely emotionless, like she didn't want to be there. As someone who's been a server before, I know it puts a damper on your guests' experience when you give off that vibe. She seemed annoyed that we were there over an hour and would walk away before we could finish answering any questions she'd ask, like, if we'd like dessert and dropped the check without asking if my friend wanted another drink. Beautiful restaurant in a great location, lots of potential. But, I wish my first time there was better. Wouldn't go back unless someone twisted my arm and even then, I'd hope for a better server.
(2)Delroy H.
This place was very nice. The food was excellent and the staff was friendly and knowledgable. I would certainly recommend it. I will be back soon.
(5)M S.
The reason I am rating this restaurant a 1 star is because they cook their seemingly vegetarian options in the same oil as the non vegetarian options. This is a big problem and modern restaurants to adhere to better cooking standards. This essentially leaves stir fried vegetables as the only vegetarian entree choice.
(1)Jessica F.
Heard awesome things about this place and the only thing I liked was the decor and ambiance of the place. Nothing really like that in Boston. The drink menu was pretty good too but when it came down to choosing a meal...I didn't see much on their that appealed to me. Im a big sushi eater and nothing popped out to me as amazing. A lot of it was fried or cooked fish. There are not a lot of dishes to choose from but be prepared to pay the price. My waitress was not too attending. I think she stopped at our table a total of 3 times. I understand it's busy, but hire more staff. Also, I have a sesame seed allergy, which is in a lot of Asian foods. She basically told me all I could it were the simple sushi rolls and everything else was cross contaminated with sesame oil. I'm sorry, but if you can take the time to cook something aside, you do not deserve my money. I've been to plenty of other Asian restaurants and they tell me what to stay away from specifically. Here, they did not want to put in the effort. I don't think I will be coming back.
(1)Shea R.
This place has a very nice ambiance as soon as you walk in. The waiter was not too friendly and was only right to the point. There were a few people from our party running late and they told us that we needed to be out by a certain time because there was another reservation at our table after ours. Here's what I tried: Ronin roll not bad but the fish felt a little too soggy for my taste. Chicken fried rice tasted a little burnt and I'm pretty sure the takeout spot on a random corner tastes better. Edamame was actually really good especially with the sauce it comes with. Dumplings were nothing special, not memorable at all. The tuna tar tar was really good and went well with the rice I ordered
(3)Ellen H.
How have I not written a review of Red Lantern yet?! I LOOOOVE this place. Find it pretty easy to make reservations on OpenTable and have never had a problem with a reservation. Like another reviewer said, this place is like Buddakan in NYC, which is all the more reason to love it. It's dark, sexy, upscale, but not pretentious. Service is always excellent. I have only once been disappointed with my food and it was my own fault because I didn't realize "smokey" sushi was literally going to come with a glass jar over it holding the SMOKE inside. It was like eating a fireplace. Lesson learned! That said, EVERY other meal I have had here has been absolutely delicious. Fresh, fun maki combinations. Good appetizers, and honestly - the prices aren't bad for what it is. You'll pay $15 for a specialty roll in a suburb so it's more than reasonable at Red Lantern. The fried rice and noodle portions are generous. Drinks are phenomenal and well-priced. My boyfriend and I tend to make a night out of it when we come here and we never feel rushed, even though it's a busy place. I am going to try to have my birthday dinner here, I love it so much. Yay Red Lantern!
(5)Mahee F.
Great bar with a cool asian theme but also a great place to sit down for dinner
(3)Amir K.
The rice dishes and noodle dishes are enough for at least two. The food is great but the ambiance is even better. A must see in the Back Bay/ South End.
(5)James A.
Good ambiance, good food. Service was satisfactory. Portions were proper. Would recommend if you get a chance
(4)Rachel S.
^^ That one star right there. That's a gift. I have been to Red Lantern countless times, for birthdays, date nights, and the like. Generally, the food is decent (few standouts are the duck buns and the rock shrimp appetizer) yet the service is notoriously deplorable. Hostesses are inexperienced and unfriendly and the staff is not much better. On one occasion, our entire meal came backwards - entrees, then sushi, then appetizers - with a mere "whoops! so sorry!" from our waitress. "K," Red Lantern, "K".... So why even go back, you ask? Truth be told, I live just around the corner and the music and atmosphere of the restaurant is a great backdrop for a birthday celebration, date night, or girls night out (as long as your group isn't on a budget or a bunch of foodies). The music resembles the kinda beats a back up DJ puts on in a club prior to midnight when the real DJ comes on. Parents, you've been warned... I had been meaning to give Red Lantern's unlimited sushi night a go because, lezzbehonest, decent "all you can eat" sushi night is something you read about only in culinary fairy-tales. So, a group of 6 of us banded together last night and headed over to Red Lantern. We were sat (when our full party arrived) at a large circular table in the central part of the restaurant. Immediately after sitting, one of my friends was complaining that the ceiling/pipes above him was dripping condensation right into his lap. Not a huge deal, but since there was an empty exactly same sized table right next to us, we figured we'd ask to be moved. When we asked our waitress to switch tables, she looked at us like we were insane. Not only did she not offer to move us to the other table, but she fought us when we suggested it. She said another reservation would be taking the table (um, we had a reservation too...?) and there was "nothing she could do about it." FYI - I've been a waitresss and the first rule of waitressing is that you NEVER throw your hands up at a customer and say there is nothing you can do. Moving along... In an effort to make our waitress's life easier, we asked if it would be possible to get separate checks/allow couples to have their own checks. Again, that look of utmost confusion and disgust from our waitress. "We can only accept 4 cards," she began to repeat over and over. Okay, you're annoying, but w/e. Let's talk about the food. "NO," is the phrase that comes to mind. Red Lantern offers a selection of pretty basic rolls as part of their unlimited menu (no surprise here). I started with the "rock & roll" which is essentially rock shrimp tempura on a cali roll and the spicy salmon roll. Well, the shrimp tempura was cold as if it had been pre-made circa 4pm when service started and was DRENCHED in a spicy mayo. The same overdose of spicy mayo covered my spicy salmon roll. Honestly it could have been spicy shark fin maki and I wouldn't have known - I couldn't taste the salmon AT ALL. With our fingers crossed, we all decided to order our second round of sushi. Here's where it really gets good... We literally had to flag down our waitress after almost 20 mins between rounds. Our table was joking about how making us wait is probably a tactic used by the restaurant to make you more full faster... I'm not convinced this is entirely wrong. Second round came and I thought I'd steer clear of anything "spicy" related so I opted for the plain California roll and the Idaho (sweet potato) roll. The California roll was the winner of the evening which is straight up down right pathetic-city. How can you do an vegetable filled roll wrong? You can service the normally warm sweet potato filling icy cold. * Sad Face * We had all had enough and were ready to get going so we started looking around for our waitress to bring the bill. She was nowhere to be found. More waiting ensued until we finally grabbed a manager and asked for the bill. Our waitress came back, annoyed, and chirped, "Sorry. Didn't realize you guys were finished." The napkins in our plates definitely did not give this girl a large enough hint, apparently. Finally, we pay the check and GTFO of there. Needless to say, I will never be returning to Red Lantern nor will anyone that sat in my party last night. I'm confident that I can find another establishment to overcharge and under serve me that doesn't leave my stomach gargling with discomfort.
(1)Caro D.
Visited on a Wednesday night and was crowded. Ambiance was vibrant. Lili, the waitress, was very nice. Shared the rib-eye bulgogi, lobster and bacon brown fried rice, and baby bok choy with my husband. All dishes were abundant and with plenty of flavor. Special mention to the delicious wood grilled meat. Overall a pleasant experience. The only downside was the level of the volume of the ambiance music. Personally a bit loud for my taste.
(4)Courtney S.
This place is so disappointing. Came here for girls night. Drinks are a little overpriced and not very good. Beer selection lacking. Wait staff super rude and not very attentive. Felt like we were putting him out when we asked for anything. Would not return here and will tell others who ask about my poor experience
(2)Chirag P.
Went here twice within 4 days for receptions. It really is a cool place, awesome decor and great food. The orange glazed chicken skewers were amazing and so was the sushi roll with kobe beef in/on it. Can't remember exactly what that was called. One of the servers was just pure entertainment... dancing to the house music and truly enjoying his work... which made this place that much cooler, since all the staff seemed sincerely amused to be working there. I can't speak to the price, since i was a guest at the work reception, so drinks and food were free.
(5)Karen B.
The ambiance is deceiving here- it looks impressive from the outside, but the food is bland and the service is terrible. I came with a large party, reserved a lounge area table, and it took 45 minutes for our server to bring the first round of drinks. The restaurant was not full and the bar was not crowded. The server, who admitted to being new, got annoyed when a few peoole chose to visit the bar for additional rounds. Sorry, but 18 of us are thirsty. Don't get the chicken fried rice- boring and oily. Lettuce wraps come with a gooey dish of meat, I think; it was mostly peanuts. The server took an order for drinks, then dropped the check without adding the final order...then came back 30 minutes later looking for more money, without the last drink order having arrived. Very unprofessional. I wouldn't come back or recommend it to others. I expected much more...
(1)Rozzie M.
Who serves sushi with one piece if ginger? Who serves sushi with out spy sauce? Who serves Asian apps of any kind not to mention and entire app platter without dipping sauce? Red Lantern. That's who. Pu Pu platter comes "pre-sauced" and is as skimpy with precious sauces as they are with the ginger in the sushi. Please explain what is with that choice. Sauce is too messy? Too expensive? Please!!!! Won't be back. Evah.
(2)Megan Y.
Red Lantern is an amazing place to start a night out downtown! It feels like the closest restaurant/lounge to Tao in Vegas (without the naked women dancing). Love it: - the rock shrimp seriously rocks! It's so delicious and a must order. Portions are small so be prepared to order more! - Tik tok chicken is awesome and great to share. Serves as a good base for a big drinking night! - Hot rock is fun and tasty! Beef and salmon are both good - drink menu is extensive and fun! I started with the geisha -- great if you love sweet drinks with champagne Hate it: - would not reorder the chicken fried rice or chicken lettuce wraps as they were not memorable
(4)K F.
Overpriced drinks and decent food. Sushi was the best part. The atmosphere is fun but it's not worth it if you're going just for dinner. One thing that really bugged me were the fortune cookies - advertisements. Photo included. Service was nothing special.
(3)Samantha I.
3.5 stars. I came in with 3 friends on Sunday night for drinks and dinner, and we had a great time! We sat in the lounge type area and it was very comfortable and our waitress was great. The appetizers that we got were delicious- rock shrimp & lobster Rangoon. The noodle dishes we got were good, but basic (Singapore street noodles & chicken lo mein). I thought they could have been better and more flavorful. For cocktails, I recommend the coconut Mai tai (I did not like their red sangria).
(4)Phil O.
Per request from the server, I ordered the Wagyu Ribeye, which was just terrible. And it was $44! I had them prepare me another one with the correct temperature, but it was still a tough piece of flavorless meat. I doused the steak in salt and pepper, but it was pointless. I might not ever come back here for the food. Our peking raviolis were botched as well (overcooked- burnt on the bottom). It's too bad, because my first food experience here was incredibly better.
(2)Silvia V.
Red Lantern is a perfect spot for a girls' night outing. The decor is cool. Love the zen Buddhas and the splashes of red. I've been to the restaurant twice so far. The first time I had drinks and a few apps at the bar and the second time I had a sit-down dinner with friends. The drinks are too sweet for my taste. I had their Classic Mai Tai as well as their Lychee Martini, both super sweet. Their food is much better than the drinks. Gyoza, Duck Buns, Tuna Tartare, Calamari Crunchy are all great appetizers. I also recommend Crunchy Maki, Spicy Tuna Maki and Spicy Salmon Maki. And for dessert a Chocolate Macadamia Nut Tart, it's sooo good. Our waitress was awesome, she was very attentive and very nice. I think her name was Lilly.
(4)Nick F.
Right before I graduated from a local college, I took a girl here for a date because we both wanted to try the $20 all you can eat. Anyway- I would highly recommend it. The $20 unlimited deal is kept to a few types of rolls but each were delicious and easily repeated. We also had some fun exploring the drink options which were also extremely delicious- especially their drink served in a coconut. I cant wait to get back to Boston and eat here again!
(4)Mary M.
Guess how much a Markers Mark Manhattan here costs. Only $32! What a steal!
(3)Maggie N.
Great atmosphere for a night out on the town. Sushi unique and tastey!
(5)Michael M.
When I went to the Red Lantern I was a guest of a group of friends, so I didn't pay for a thing. I can't really talk about the prices. They were highly successful people who like to show it, so I imagine they spent some serious coin that night. The crowd was cool, the ambiance for a Friday night was full out lounge in effect. A really great place for conversation amoung friends. So why would I give the "Red Lantern" 5 stars? "The Singapore Street Noodles" are phenomenal! 4.999999 of those stars go to these tasty magical exhibits of culinary mastery. When the Streets meet Singapore a tasty infusion of various meats, spices and noddles emerge. This ill begotten son of two distinct linages, will captivate your taste buds and expand your horizons. At the end of the night and at the bottom of the bowl you'll leave with more questions then answers... Why am I here? Is there a life after death? Where exactly is Singapore? Last but not least, what in the world is in these noddles?
(5)Ann P.
Arrived after the Bruins game. It was hopping at 10 PM. EDM pumps up the volume, hip and trendy beautiful people mingle with older crowds. Efficient friendly service, sweet pretty hostesses, a really cool creative drink menu and tasty food. The in spot for a late night nosh and drink sesh. Really dark and cozy and romantic in a different sort of way. Fun!!
(4)Lisa N.
Loved it! Just know, this isn't an unpretentious hole in the wall, or an intimate neighborhood haunt, and it's Asian fusion. And expensive (but portions are huge, we had plenty--too much for 2, and my hubby can eat!). If you've been to Hakkasan or Buddakhan in NYC, it's similar in style and menu. But IMHO, much better. We tried: --special of smoked char su egg rolls --crispy rice bites with blackened tuna --pan fried peking ravioli (least favorite, rather than just the bottom fried, the entire dumpling seemed deep-fried, chili sauce was too sweet) --Tik Tok chicken (similar to a General Gau's, but better) --Rib eye bulgogi style (awesome, Korean marinade, gochujang sauce, kim chi) --baby bok choy with garlic chips Everything was freshly prepared and served hot. Almost docked a star as the drinks are pricey and didn't seem that potent.
(5)Karen C.
When trying to decide on where to have dinner in Boston my friend gave a few suggestions and after looking at menus I was most intrigued by Red Lantern. I loved the space as soon as we walked in - a little funky, a little modern, and a lot bigger than I was expecting. We started with cocktails - I am a sucker for anything with ginger beer so naturally I had to get that one! Started with the spring rolls, which were tasty, but for $10 a laughable portion. Maybe I was just hungry from running a half marathon earlier in the day though. Singapore street noodles were out of this world and I am happy to say the portion on these was more than sufficient. I wish I'd been able to take home the leftovers but we were in a hotel without a mini fridge. Our server was attentive but it probably helped being St. Patrick's Day so most people were not at Asian restaurants :) I'd come back.
(4)M. M.
Celebrated my sisters 40th birthday here. The waitstaff was great. She knew the menu well, guided us on selections and was attentive. The food was outstanding. Atmosphere lively and a bit loud. Great for group gathering. Will visit again!
(5)Samita S.
The Red lantern sushi roll is probably one of the best sushi rolls I've ever had!! It was perfect!! Get that specifically and you won't be missing out!!
(5)K A.
Red Lantern was just okay. We had a groupon, and so went as a group and ordered A LOT of food. The rice and noodle dishes are pricey, large, and only of average quality. The sushi was barely average, but the drinks were good. Overall, the food was pricey, not nearly as flavorful as authentic Asian food, and lacked the quality usually associated with the price. I would characterize the atmosphere as "hip" and the kind of place you might go before you head out clubbing for the night. Ladies, be sure to wear your heels.
(2)Bill A.
Why on god's earth is this place 3.5 stars? Went with my wife food was amazing! She ordered Beef w/ Lomein and I ordered sweet and sour chicken and both dishes arrived steaming hot. We also did the lobster Rangoon for and appetizer which is pretty good. Portions are huge we could have shared one dish.
(5)Michael C.
An Asian Fusion restaurant that appears to do it all. We sat at the open kitchen bar, we were so close to the kitchen and head chef I felt like we could have jumped in and helped. In my opinion they are the best seats in the house. With the head chef literally at arms length we were able to see so many dishes being made and got loads of good recommendations and a few samples. Great decor, friendly staff, attractive patrons. This place would definitely go into the Bond or Liberty Hotel category of places. Here is what we had: Mai Tai - Stronger than sweet. On the smaller size. It makes the $44 scorpion bowl seem like a value. Shanghai Street Sangria - Red Lanterns' version of sangria made with Plum Sake. I prefer the traditional stuff but it was still good. Blueberry Yuzu Drop - It's almost like a blueberry cosmo, my favorite of the cocktails. Spicy Lettuce Wraps - Pretty much what you would expect if you've had them at P.F Chang's except they do have a spicy kick Fresh Lo Mein Noodles - Standard Lo Mein dish but very good Terriyaki Noodle Steak - Almost the same as the Lo Mein dish but topped off with amazingly tender pieces of steak. Pork Ribs - Your typical chinese spare ribs, the meat was much less fatty than your typical asian restaurant. Sushi - (Lobster Roll, Geisha Nights, Ronin Roll) - The Sushi was top notch. The Ronin and Geisha were the best. Duck Buns - One of the meal highlights, they are almost like a duck taco. Delicious, a little sweet and a little spicy. Calamari - The flavors of the calamari and sauce were great, the sauce did make it slightly soggy though. Mashed Potato Sticks - Another highlight, corndog sized fried mashed potatoes with a dipping sauce consisting of a Japanese steak sauce and a Japanese mayonnaise. Wagyu Beef Fried Rice - Solid dish, could I taste the difference of the Wagyu beef? probably not but it was still good. Lobster Whipped Potatoes - Good for mashed potatoes but with the lobsters practically blended and the side costing $12 there are better options on the menu for the money. Lobster Crab Rangoon - 4 mini lobster crab rangoons, if you like the traditional crab version you'll be please with this. Chinese Bacon Tenderloin - Perfectly cooked at medium rare, perfectly seasoned, came with the lobster mashed potatoes. Chocolate Ginger Cake - Interestingly enough the head chef said he couldn't recommend any of the desserts, we still ordered the cake for the birthday girl. It was good but I would not get it again. Appreciated the chef's honesty.
(5)Bill K.
Met friends for a great night and actually had one - despite the restaurant, a cavernous place but appealing open layout. Drinks were good, service was fine, it's just that the food was terrible. Really. Terrible. Kebabs were dry - at least the chicken ones, and everything, absolutely everything was salted beyond the point where we could them. We literally picked at everything that was served and let them take the better part of the meal back to the dumpster. Piece of advice: Get a chef.
(2)C D.
Took the wife here for New Year's Eve dinner. Overall, just ok. Atmosphere: really upscale set up with cool fusion music. Although the website said there was valet parking, there was none. Parking garage end of the block. Hostess would not give my wife the corner table while I was parking, although there was no one there. Drinks: tried the lychee martini; good flavor, but would be much better with the real lychee fruit rather than the standard cherry. Apps: had the hot rock, excellent. Great presentation and high quality cuts of beef and salmon. Wine: good selection, our Malbec was good at $42/bottle Entrees: Just ok. The busted lobster had great taste and presentation, but several of the pieces were actually cold; as if the dish was pre-made, refrigerated, and heated up, but not evenly. Same for my wife's short rib; several cold pieces of meat, and the meat tasted like it was cooked yesterday. Would go there again for drinks and apps.
(3)Daanish N.
The best steak I've had in Boston so far. Will come back again.
(5)G K.
This was a really nice place to hang out. the atmosphere is great. Service was OK...could be a bit friendlier..but still good. Food was very tasty..but a bit too salty for almost everything we had. I'll go back to hang out and even for large parties.
(4)Fred M.
We enjoyed our dinner very much, however the service was not up to snuff and the acoustics of the room made conversation challenging. The PuPu platter is a nice way to get a sense of the quality and variety of the menu. Perfect for 2, not quite enough for 4. Duck buns were very tasty without the usual overpowering hoisin sauce. We enjoyed the drunken noodles, the char sui fried rice and the tik tok chicken. Each had a variety of subtle complementary tastes going on. With better service and dialing down the noise, it wouldn't be a stretch to give the Red Lantern five stars.
(4)Sean M.
TL;DR good food but somewhat pricey, sub par service mars experience. I don't know if it was amateur night last night but the Red Lantern was actually an embarrassing recommendation for dinner with out of town visitors. I had picked it because I remembered that their tuna tartar is amongst the best in the city and indeed mine was good, but perhaps not as great as my memory. A restaurant with food & drinks at this price point should have a service to match, particularly on a relatively quiet weekday evening. It did not. We were left waiting around to be seated when there were about half a dozen tables available that might have accommodated us and which never filled up. Multiple requests to be seated for dinner were ignored right up until the point where we were about to give up and leave; the bar does not know how to close a tab properly; we overheard someone behind the bar advising the bar bat to keeping looking down to avoid customers asking him for a drink; the staff does not know what is on the menu; overpriced red wine was poured over an inch of ice & water into my water glass; different members of the party were served at different times (leading me to suspect an item had been forgotten).. etc. Sure we all got our meal in the end and it was fine, but there are a lot of places in the city that have good food and that also know how to deliver a smooth professional service and not annoy their customers. At this point I would recommend any one of them over RL who have irritated me enough to write this infrequent review. Perhaps it relies on being crowded and when it is not, the cracks show.
(2)Sara M.
This place is very cool and posh inside, which was unexpected judging from the awkward location down a random alley/street. We came with another couple and ordered hot sake, as well as a fish bowl to start. Our server was great at first and quite attentive. The ambiance was enjoyable and I was all set to get smashed. The vodka based fish bowl was delicious and packed more of a punch than it tasted, but the sake may have had to do with that too. I had the hot and sour soup, which was an interesting take on it but decently tasty. The duck bun was only so-so and I have had better for much less money in Chinatown. I was very excited to try the lobster and bacon fried rice because it sounded amazing. It wasn't the fried rice with soy sauce - almost more Vietnamese style and there was very little lobster. Our server had disappeared at this point and we had to remind her twice about our drinks. The frustrating part was she acted like it was the first time we ordered them instead of apologizing. I would come back for drinks and maybe small plates. The food is too expensive for the quality and the service was not good. The drinks were quite tasty though.
(3)Jamie H.
red lantern is a really cool space with great food and drinks, but it is fairly expensive. the high celing lends it to be a very interesting space, and it sets up very well for large group events. the sushi is really good, as the rolls are creatively put together and always taste fresh. however, i do have to admit it can be tough to stomach the cost of some of the specialty rolls afterward (or while ordering)! i also really enjoyed the spring rolls and chicken skewers. the drinks are also very good, and strong! i tried the lychee martini, and one was enough to give me a very solid buzz. it was $14, but worth the cost. it was sweet, tangy, and i would advise savoring it and drinking it slowly. i also had a few of the wine selections, which were all very nice. red lantern would be a perfect place for a romantic dinner. it's also a great option for work events, if you have the budget to back it.
(4)Harry C.
Pricey. But good food. The service is what's terrible. A dinner should never take 3 and a half hours with the waitress checking on us 4 times in total. Two of those times one of us had to get up and ask for someone to get her. A whole night basically gone because dinner took so long.
(2)vinny o.
The staff in this place is so unpolished it makes me cringe. This place is more like a girls or guys gone wild type of place. Been there 3 times and every single time I've been there, it's seems people are outta control drunk. SCREAMING obscenities and such. Manager walks around like a hard guy and has the girls do his dirty work. Save your money and go ANYWHERE else. Ugh
(1)Bill K.
I'm familiar with BNEG's other venues and gave this a try while meeting up with a friend who was in town from Colorado. As usual, the decor is great (same with their other venues) and the prices are relatively high. Service was standard and the food wasn't out of this world but relatively good. Definitely a great after work spot or to take a date.
(4)Steve B.
We went for a stroll and ended up at Red Lantern. The sushi is good and fresh but slightly under-portioned for the cost. We had the drunken noodles which weren't so great...only because we're huge drunken noodles fans and are always accustomed to and expect wide flat noodles with this dish and this riff on the dish came with very thin noodles. If that style is your preference then go for it. The taste was just fine, but the unexpected texture due to the noodle style knocked it down a few notches for us. We also had the sliced chicken which was delicious and came in a great cream sauce with veggies. However we did have to send it back because the chicken was undercooked. Service was great and had no problem replacing the dish but it did take some time so it threw off the timing with our other shared entree. Great venue, awesome decoration and friendly staff. Overall an above average experience.
(3)Jason F.
Visited with the fiance for date night and thought...Nice restaurant. Great ambiance and good music for the young/hip crowd although it became noisy at times. The food was tasty but had me thinking of my next gym workout session since it tasted oh so not good for me. Our appetizers were delivered very quickly which we liked, but our waiter (who was quite friendly) pretty much disappeared when it came time for our main entree. I think we waited for about 20-30 min before our entrees arrived. He apologized but the damage was done. The entrees are delicious and are HUGE portions so we definitely had to take most of it to go! We might go back again soon to try a few more menu items but save up! This restaurant is not for the frugal pockets!
(3)Amy K.
Fantastic everything! New favorite place. Pricey but so worth it. We each got a cocktail, the Drunken Samurai and some Rose Sake drink, an order of the tempura broccoli, And for dinner The Red Dragon sushi and Tik Tok chicken and everything was to die for. Service was great and excellent atmosphere. Good for date nights and a fun time with friends. But save the $19 on valet and park in the garage right next door for $10.
(5)Chili P.
Been a couple of times. Went with a party of 8 hostess was put out when we came in and asked to show us where table was. Brought a birthday cake for one of the people in party. Out bill was 500 but the charger Us 24 dollars to serve our cake to us. The service here is terrible and staff acts as they are doing you a favor. Food is good.
(2)Cassandra M.
This is a good place to go for a girl's night out. The ambiance is fun, you can get dressed up, the food is good, and the drinks are strong. You can't go wrong if you get their sangria or scorpion bowls. For a table of four, we ordered two appetizers (spicy lettuce wraps and crispy vegetable rolls) and two entrees (tik tok chicken and chicken lo mein) and it was more than enough for everyone. Our server was great. He checked up on us often, he offered great suggestions, and he was friendly. This place would be five stars if the entree portions and prices were a bit smaller.
(4)Anne W.
I haven't been in this area in a while as when I think Back Bay.. I think Boylston Street where Towne, Back Bay Social Club, etc. are... I forgot I had gone to a club on this street years ago. First off.. parking is a huge pain in this area. If you come here.. take a cab, plan to valet, or park in the maze of a parking garage across the street. 3.5 Stars overall.. I appreciated my experience here. I wasn't sure what to expect of this place because the pics on yelp do not do it justice. This place is Asian fusion.. trendy.. with a mix of old/young people. We had a dinner here and they were able to accomodate us well. We got a great table in the back of the restaurant. Decor is great.. it is trendy. It has a nice bar and lounge area... Downfall.. single bathroom for both guys and girls for the entire restaurant. WHAT? Makes no sense... you will find yourself standing in line which is a non-plus. So while I was in line.. was hit on by some balding guys in the lounge area. Gross. The food was better than expected. It's a better version of PF Chang's here but more expensive. We tried a series of things here. Appetizers: Lettuce wraps (I actually didn't like this that much.. too saucy for me) and dumplings (tasted just like a fried dumpling would taste like)... Drinks: Not too tasty in my opinion. I tried the Mai Tai.. yucky. It was booze filled. Also tried the Red Lantern Tea.. gross. Noodles: Singaporean Noodles was interesting.. very oily. The better one was the Drunken Noodles but watch out for those peppers. Kung Pao Lamb: Interesting although not too yummy... large portion for the cost so I guess that's good Fried Rice: Sea Scallops... it was okay but I don't think it was a fav of the table. Sushi: We got a tuna roll which was middle of the road. I did like the service.. the waitress was awesome. She even pointed out how the tip was already included for our table that big. Easy to book on Open Table...
(3)Jess H.
I would say the Red Lantern is highly underrated. I had known about it for years, coming to the Back Bay area often, but never stepped inside. Last night, my boyfriend and I split the boneless spare ribs, lobster and bacon fried rice, and the surf and turf with filet mignon and lobster tails. The food was excellent! While the prices were very expensive, the quality of ingredients and well-made dishes made up for it. Yes, you can get cheap Chinese food anywhere, but it won't be of the same quality. The filet was well-flavored and very tender, the fried rice was very fresh and perfectly cooked, and the spare ribs were the best Chinese spare ribs we ever had. Plus the atmosphere in here is great. So I definitely recommend and will be back!
(5)Bhavika P.
Good Asian food nd wonderful ambience. On a costlier end so good to go on special occassions. We were a group of 8 people and ordered edamame, three types of sushi, 2 fried rice and noodles. New style california and ronin roll sushis were amazing. Tik tok chicken is good if you have a sweet tooth. If you dont want anything fancy veg fried rice is good to go. Really large quanties and we couldnt finish it all. 1 entree is more than sufficient for 2 people. Would be good to go with a booking in advance else long wait expected.
(4)Dr. Tyler C.
Great restaurant with great food. The atmosphere is nice, however, the music is way to loud. The music is club like. I really like this place if the music wasn't so loud. Food is yummy!!!!
(4)Brittany E.
Fabulous place for a birthday dinner or sexy date night. Our hostess was accommodating to relocate us when we requested a booth instead of a table. Every person in the staff was aware that it was my birthday and made sure to mention it. Very kind of them. As for the food, we got the lobster rangoons, rock shrimp tempura, the ronin roll, and the red dragon roll. All highly recommended. Especially the ronin roll - it was a surprise to me as I'm not usually a cream cheese in your sushi fan BUT this was out of control. Lobster rangoons were sweet and silky. Best rangoon I've ever had. The rock shrimp tempura was an impulse decision, but I'm so glad we did. The macadamia nuts mixed with the crispy shrimp were highlighted by a wonderful sauce. We'll be telling all of our friends about Red Lantern. If you're choosing between Empire and Red Lantern, go here. Our waiter, Kyle Y, was very accommodating, kind, and went above and beyond to make us happy. The Rose Petal Saketini was one of the best cocktails I've had, but I'm partial to Saint Germain. Highly recommended!!
(5)Ryan N.
Went here for restaurant week with a new friend I made from California. Our server, Eric, was wonderful! He recommended some dishes off the restaurant week menu which my friend and I enjoyed immensely. For apps: Tempura Rock Shrimp Rolls that were bursting with flavor from the spicy mayo. Pepper Steak Buns with various topics that were also delicious. Main course: Singapore Street Noodles in abundance and Wood Grilled Salmon. Dessert: Coconut Milk Creme Caramel which was much too sweet for my personal tastes and Pineapple and Watermelon Granita which was actually my favorite part of the meal. It was like shave ice but with watermelon and it was a light and refreshing way to end our meal. It was so delicious that even though we were stuffed, we made room to polish off this dish. We also got a free lobster Rangoon appetizer and another free mini pitcher of sake during dinner. It was a very nice gesture from our server and the chef. The decor was lovely as well - very much a date-like vibe for dinner hours with mood lighting accented with bright reds.
(4)Linda U.
When here for dinner last week and was very pleasantly surprised. The ambience was lovely, the food was delicious, and the Service was what you would expect from a high-end restaurant. Definitely try their sushi, and I highly recommend the tuna tartare appetizer. Drinks were interesting and yummy. If you can sit in DJs section, he's a fantastic waiter. He took the time to explain some of the dishes, and make great recommendations. Will definitely be back, and highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Amanda A.
Red Lantern......What can I say about this place. Well. A lot. The restaurant itself is so aesthetically appealing. The high ceilings and open concept create such a wonderful ambience, and the decor is just perfect. It has such a sexy vibe, it's the perfect place to go on a date. I especially love the open kitchen and watching the chefs work. The food is unbelievable. Do yourself a favor and order the crunchy roll! I also love the noodles here, the duck buns.... basically anything I have ever ordered. The place is always busy- so look into making a reservation if you are running on a schedule.
(5)LeeAnn T.
First, I love the feel of the bar! Its gorgeous and dare I say a little sexy. I would definitely go here to have drinks. I actually came for dinner with a Travelzoo voucher (yes, I like to save $) but will be back for the bar in the near future.... Drinks: For cocktails, I had the Sangria which was just fine. I'm slightly picky about cocktails and I thought this was a little boring but that is probably my fault for ordering it, because it was sangria....which isn't that exciting. My boyfriend had the Dragon Fire, which was SO GOOD. If you like spicy drinks, its the one to get. I thought the cocktail menu was pretty good and would return here for drinks in the future. Food: We ordered 2 sushi rolls as appetizers, the Creamy Lobster was a clear winner. I ordered the Singapore Street noodles and they were delicious. They were a nice mix of noodles, veggies, and different meats in an extremely large serving. My boyfriend ordered the Grilled Platter, which had a nice assortment of items, but all of them were extremely smoky. Don't get me wrong, i love grilled food, but this was slightly reminiscent of campfire food....just not what we were expecting. You can also smell the smoke as soon as you walk in the door...maybe switch to a tastier wood? Service: One of the most pleasant surprises of the trip was our server. She was amazing and extremely helpful. I would say she was the main reason this was such an enjoyable trip. The manager also stopped by our table to check in with us, which is always a nice gesture. Kids: I didn't bring my kids, but I did notice a baby at the table beside us was very happy in her high chair and the waitress was wonderful with her. So even though i am always leery of bringing my kids to decent places in the city, they seem welcome here. Yay! Price: Drinks are priced well, food seems a little pricey for what it is, entrees especially. You can still eat here for a reasonable amount though. So get going already and try it out.
(4)Drew M.
It is rare that anyone gets 5 stars, however, this restaurant is the exception! From the outside, it is a cute little place, then you open the door and are swept into a HUGE beautiful place! The decor is modern, asian, fun, luxurious. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable. The food is INCREDIBLE!!!! There were 3 of us, and between our food allergies, dislikes, and pickiness, we knew we would be a nightmare for our server. Wrong! She was graceful and recommended dishes that could be altered to our tastes. They all came out perfect!! Portions were huge, and they were so delicious! This has to be one of the best asian restaurants I have ever eaten at, and one of the best restaurants period!
(5)Wayne F.
Total attitude... Went to Zocalo (right next door for a GREAT meal and drinks). Our party (4) decided to have a night cap at Red Lantern.. We walked in and sat down... when our sever came... the first thing she said was "do you want to cash out now?" and we hadn't even ordered.... We had a couple rounds... they say that they are open till 2... It was midnight... She couldn't have clear the table fast enough but wouldn't ask if we wanted another... kept asking me if I wanted to pay the bill. I finally told her that I would pay when I was ready to leave.... I left no tip... I really felt like I was taking 2 seats on a crowded bus...
(1)Ashley D.
*The Yelp 100 Challenge How have I not written a review on this place yet?!?? Well to be honest I love it here! Overall I first visited here with a few friends from college and word late night for drinks on a Saturday night. The place was crowded around 9:30/10 PM and we stayed in the bar section which is dark yet lively, has good music, loud as expected but had enough lighting to suffice. The cocktail list is great with a little bit of everything for everyone, the bar section has enough lounge seating, and the bar is long in terms of reaching the depth of the room creating a decent flow yet it could use some work in terms the lounge seating arrangement leading into the bar as its hard to get in and out of the seating to get to the ladies room or to the bar if needed. Also when its crowded I noticed people standing close to the entrance/vestibule which I'm sure if a pain. As for menu, the menu is great! Ive tried a little bit of everything from the lettuce wraps, to the pu pu platter to birthday desserts as I've visited for birthdays and other special occasions. The prices are a bit steep but that is to be expected due to the neighborhood and establishment. The staff caters well to groups and was very pleasant on all occasions. The only staff problem I have is getting drinks at the bar if I am not sitting in the dining area. Once evening my card fell out of my wallet while walking back to others as I was holding a round of drinks and THANK GOD someone saw it fall and gave it back to me. I have only walked in and have yet to schedule a reservation via open table but definitely will before my next visit. Parking is limited on the street so its best to park at back bay station (I usually print coupons ahead of time!)
(5)Roxana F.
I've heard really good things about this place and once you get here you can tell why. This place is GORGEOUS. Totally unassuming from outside, but once you step inside it's like you've been transported somewhere. +2 points for awesome decor and setup. I went here on a Sunday night for a date and it was pretty dead...picked up around the end of my dinner but still pretty empty, although this is a HUGE place so I'm sure it could have well been a good number of people just in a huge space. We sat at the bar and the bartender was really nice and attentive. +1 point We ordered a good amount of sushi and some drinks. The reason I'm not giving this place four or five stars is the food. It's not that the sushi was bad...it was decent, it seemed fresh, and there was a good amount of it...but it was nothing SPECIAL. Nothing which made me think, "people definitely come back here for the food." Their prices are...decent, on the verge of high for what you get. Nothing that made me go WHOA this is awesome. It's the atmosphere and the decor which make this place what it is...It's definitely a cool place, especially for a first date, and I will probably come back to try their other offerings.
(3)Reinne T.
I always had the best of times here. I came here on three different occasions and ate almost same dishes every time and it was still super creative every time the food came in. I love love, did I say love? their spicy drink infused with a mixture of chilli that has its own divine kick to it...it is addictive. They also had a dish that came in smoked with the coal and the smoke was still in the dish when the cover was removed. Omg yums!!!! Did I tell you how exquisitely this place was decorated with all the statues and artistic furniture. This place can get expensive. I always keep an eye on dels on living social group on and travel zoo to have a taste of this place. A must try!
(5)Kyle W.
Atmosphere is 5 stars. Food is 4 stars. Drinks 2 star. They taste good but very weak. Service 2 Stars You definitely know you're in a trendy spot from the moment you walk in and see the hostess with a mean entitled look on her face. After a brief interaction with a grown up cast member from toddlers and tiaras you get moved from the front entrance to your table. A fake, lazy and slow waiter then comes to your table to take your drink order. I might as well of ordered water but i got a $44 dollar scorpion bowl and split it with my friend. Don't get me wrong I love me some kool-aid but i don't usually pay $44 for it. Then the food comes which is surprisingly good. The atmosphere is definitely different and a nice change from all the other places in Boston but the service and drinks are just not on the same level.
(3)Anastacia S.
Maybe in Boston this is awesome but I thought it was 'eh' to 'okay'. Visitng a friend she insisted we come here, I was a little less then impressed. The food was good, the food was actually probably the best part about the restaurant. The drinks were alright, nothing mind blowing or original, and the attitude of the bar staff leads me to believe that yes, this is a big deal in Boston - this point was missed by me because it reminded me more of a kitchy place in Times Square then the sleek operation it was trying to be. This is clearly a popular spot, but is it worth it? Not at all. Everything about Red Lantern is mediocre. It is good for large groups though and I could see doing a birthday dinner or bachelor/bachlorette party here (we actually saw both during out visit).
(3)Sam M.
I've been in the place before and my second time was for food and drinks after a day of shopping on Newbury St. with my girlfriend. The layout is Asian chic with lots of reads and golds; you may want to dress it up a tad beyond casual after 7 or 8pm when it seems that most of the people started to come into the bar and lounge area. T The valet and host staff was friendly upon entering. We sat at the bar for a early dinner because we were told that all table were reserved. I didn't make a big deal, but several tables were open the whole time I was there that we or other patrons could have taken. So I'm not so sure if they were being truthful because it seemed everyone was getting a very vague story. Our bartenders and servers were attentive which we liked. The lobster rangoons, calamari and tuna tempura roll was expertly presented and made. The food had well balanced flavors and textures. Be careful eating at the bar because the plated are long and rectangular which can make it inconvenient if you're eating at the bar or tight space. The sushi rolls were reasonably priced but at $11-$20, the appetizers were probably prices anywhere from $2-$5 more than they should have been in my opinion for what you get. The food was good but not that good to warrant that price. My Drunken Samurai martini tasted good but also felt like it had no alcohol whatsoever. It was like I drank an upscale pear juice. The sweetness of the drink should have been balanced out by the spirits. The $11-$12 martinis are in line price-wise for what you can find in Boston or any classy place for that matter. Overall, it's not a bad place, but I think I'd just come for drinks and to lounge instead the next time I'm there.
(3)Melissa P.
Our own little Boston Buddakan. I've been here a few times for dinner and recently celebrated my birthday here with some friends. The service is always lousy. The kind where you wait almost 15 minutes for a first introduction to your server, another few minutes for water, and then you desperately try to reach out to servers as they walk past you because you know you won't be seeing them again for a while. A few of my friends even complained about the old up sell here: Our server informed them that *everyone* in our party was ordering appetizers, which was not the case, but they felt pressured into ordering more. What the heck, Red Lantern? But, setting the unprofessional and off-putting service aside, the food is actually good (stand outs: the rock shrimp tempura app and wood grilled sea bass entree). And the atmosphere is fun (think lively girls night out or celebratory cocktail-dominated meal). And the decor is dramatic (picture flattering lighting and reclining Buddhas perched on every inch of surface area). And remember that open kitchen layout from when Bertucci's was in this space? It's still there, which somehow keeps Red Lantern grounded. So, what can I say, I like it here. As for my friends who ordered more than they wanted, they like it too. It's no Buddakan, but here in Boston, I feel lucky to have this place.
(3)Daphnee D.
WARNING this is going to be a long review I do apologize, but for your convenience I have provided a brief synopsis first, and you can choose to continue to read about this horrid experience. -Location Good location parking garage adjacent to establishment $10. Free parking on clarendon st if available -Environment Great decor. Good music, nice ambiance, loud, clean. -Food mediocre and small portions for the pricing, like we could of went to fridays, been able to cut our cake and not have to make reservations a week in advance. -Customer service Poor, unprofessional, nonchalant attitudes towards concerns I went to red lantern on a saturday night with my gfs to celebrate their birthdays. On arrival they were nice and courteous. We brought a cake that they tried to make me pay three dollars a plate to cut it at the table because they serve dessert. (Ehhh) understandable I guess, I refused so they held onto the cake for me which was nice i guess. We get to our table and our IDs get checked by the waitress. THEN the manager who's a real peace of art comes and ask for our IDs again. So of course we ask why and instead of a normal explanation she has an attitude 'we have the right to check twice, but lady it's the third time. She could of just said you guys look young we've been having trouble with fake IDs lately and that would be fine but she wanted to be boss lady and disrespectful. It was very embarrassing. It went down hill from there. They messed up our orders not once not twice THREE times. Tried to over charge us and the managers manager was a douche who really needs to work on his empathy. And fyi we weren't the only ones complaining.I will not return to red lantern and you shouldn't either. Don't believe the hype from these other reviewers. This place gets a D!
(1)Karlis B.
Red Lantern has style. You walk into a large space with exposed brick and wood beams, Buddha statues and plenty of red lanterns hanging from the ceiling. (I'm also convinced they pump incense into the place as every now and again you get a fleeting whiff of something... tranquil.) It's a scene, but the quality of the food gives this place some substance. (And personally I'm happy for a restaurant that warrants a dress and heels. Sometimes you want to be lady.) The cocktail list is extensive and creative. I had a couple before drinking from the table scorpion bowl. - Rose Petal Saketini (Grey Goose, St. Germaine, Ozeki Sake, Rose Water): on the sweet side for my taste, but still a well crafted drink. - Sumo (Hendricks, Fresh Basil, Grapefruit, Sparkling Rose): refreshing and less sweet! Definitely my favorite of the night. - Yin and Yang scorpion bowls: The Yang bowl is much sweeter than the Yin bowl. Both still taste like juice so, as always with scorpion bowls, be careful. For dinner we went family style and tried almost everything on the menu. - Pupu platter ($60 for large): totally awesome assortment of skewers, Rangoons and shrimp. Ideally I would just have this (small order, though) and some cocktails. - Hot and sour soup ($7): to die for. A thick, hearty stew of tofu and mushrooms that is not to be missed. It's filling and one of the cheaper items on the menu, so go for it. - Beef Tenderloin Fried Rice ($15): what struck me most about the rice (and noodles) is that it wasn't the least bit oily...which means you could just keep eating and eating with reckless abandon. - Singapore Street Noodles ($22): A mess of light noodles with shrimp and veggies. Reminded me a lot of yakisoba. - Sides: bok choy and carrots with bean sprouts. I would go with the bok choy if you feel the need to break up your meal with something green and healthy. We also sampled the sushi, but I can not remember what kinds. They were beautifully presented and tasted great, but I preferred the entrees. Red Lantern goes on my short list of places to visit with my fiance when we want to feel swanky or my girls when we just want to have fun.
(4)Mansi W.
We had a great time here. Everything we ordered was awesome!
(4)Mary B.
Cool looking place with good sushi but overpriced for your typical asian fusion restaurant.
(3)Caroline V.
I visited Red Lantern for dinner on New Years Eve with a group of 9 people and it was the perfect spot! I had been to its sister restaurant Empire before but this was my first time here. The ambience was perfect for NYE - interesting Asian inspired decor and great music. The food was delicious and our waiter made some great suggestions when asked. I'd highly recommend for a group as most of the dishes are meant to be shared. The more people you go with, the more options you have to try!
(4)Shocka N.
Looking for late night Asian and visiting Boston. Found this place is near our hotel. Bartender was very nice and helpful. Had duck buns, fresh chicken lo mein and Apple Rangoon. Delicious! On pricier end but $$$ on Yelp prepped us. Music is loudish "clubbing" music even though it is Wednesday. Would return on another visit and recommend to others.
(4)Heidi C.
I recently went to Red Lantern with a large party to celebrate a friend's ordination. Leading up to the reservation, I was coordinating a dinner for 17-18 people. Red Lantern generally requires parties over 16 to be considered a private event with a set menu, pricing minimums etc. While it took multiple efforts at times to get my phone calls returned, they were overall great to work with. Because our reservation was a Sunday evening, they allowed us to simply be considered a large party as we were only a couple people over their usual number. Cue: Sunday night Enter the space and you instantly feel 100x trendier. Almost yielding the appearance of converted industrial or loft space, the restaurant is incredible inside. The interior design is gorgeous and kept all of us so engaged we were delayed in ordering drinks. It has a trendy, hip, upscale vibe with a metallic, semi-open kitchen. Our table ordered an assortment of appetizers, drinks, sushi rolls, and a couple of more formal entrees. Everything was beautiful and overall delicious. I had the Rock Roll (their variation on a spicy shrimp tempura), spicy tuna, and an appetizer of Peking Ravioli (a playful take on dumplings). I also had a couple of cocktails from the menu. Everything was delicious and well prepared. Presentation was in keeping with the beautiful aesthetics. Portion sizes are good, although in some cases a little on the small side for the price. Service: Overall they did well managing such a large party. I did however think service was kind of slow given that we were the only major party in the restaurant, and it was pretty quiet on a Sunday evening. There were only a few glitches. We had an appetizer come to the table that no one ordered that we later had to ask to have removed from the bill. Similarly, multiple of us didn't order a second or third round of cocktails, but they showed up anyway. The wait staff said they wouldn't charge us as it was their error, and they were correct. Unfortunately, there wasn't really a way for us to easily split checks, so we ended up paying mostly with cards. Everyone's bills appeared to come out accurately in the end. We ended up paying around $55.00 plus tip for 2 sushi rolls, 1 cocktail and 1 non-alcoholic drink, and an appetizer, which was a little spendy but not terrible. NOTE: Cocktails are where they really pad their profit. Drink prices are spendy. If you can avoid spending a ton on pricey cocktails, it's worth it to pay more for the food which is high quality. Red Lantern is definitely a little pricey, but part of what you pay for is the experience. I'd recommend it for a special occasion dinner. But be prepared to spend a little time.
(4)Wendy S.
The restaurant itself is stunningly gorgeous. The food that I had was so good - the duck roll and the shrimp fried rice. Both were spectacular and the rice was such a large portion that I had a full meal the following day. They have a great drink and wine menu and the service was on point. It is very conveniently located across the street from the Back Bay T Station, which was perfect for me since I live in Rhode Island but commute to Boston for work.
(4)Megan A.
Love. Atmosphere/vibe is very LA/Vegas, which is hard to find in Boston. I had a couple of sushi rolls which were fresh and yummy, Sapporo, and the duck buns. Definitely get the buns- amazing. Highly recommend it!!
(5)Rachel K.
Came here last night for dinner for a bachelorette party. First impressions of this place = A + Cool outdoor signage, even cooler indoor decor. This place looks amazing, and I doubt anyone wouldn't attest to that. It's so different looking than any other restaurant, and much larger than most as well. Seems like a place best fit for groups, not a 2 person dinner (though I'm sure you could, but you'd be one of the few). We had phenomenal, and I mean PHENOMENAL service. A++ for service. Our waiter (wish I could remember his name to give him some cred.) was awesome. He knew we were on a timeline to get to our next destination and he made it happen. He was quick, great with recommendations, and attentive. Management stopped by a few times to see how we were doing, which is what most restaurants should do but few actually do. Food came out FAST, as did drinks...which was surprising for how busy it was & for having a big table. The food was pretty good; we got a smorgasbord of everything. Love when you can get both sushi (and importantly, unique sushi rolls) and typical asian food all in one place. Loved loved loved the duck egg rolls and the fried green beans (seriously, try them!!). The drinks, and drink selection, were great. I highly enjoyed my Bamboo juices....though maybe next time will stick to a less sweet drink choice for a full night of Bachelorette-party drinking (not feeling so hot today...but that is my fault & totally beside the point!). I can't wait for a fun occasion for an excuse to come back with a big group. So much fun!
(4)Jess L.
The ambiance is the best part of this place. There are Buddhas everywhere. It feels like Vegas. The drinks are fabulous. The food is homemade chinese food and its really salty. The sushi is good, but overpriced.
(3)Anna M.
I ate at the Red Lantern for the first time last week. The restaurant has an awesome vibe, very trendy. It was a Tuesday night so I did the unlimited sushi for $25.00. I loved the first two rolls, though the next two I ordered were awful (can't remember the names). Overall I think the Red Lantern is an awesome place to grab a drink with your friends but the food is mediocre and over priced.
(4)Alisa S.
I liked the decor & layout of this place. It was very Buddhist contemporary. Boyfriend and I shared everything and enjoyed it all. We had the Tuna Tartare for our appetizer. It was yummy and bigger than expected. For our main course we had the Duck Buns, Uni, Lobster & Bacon Fried Rice (plenty of lobster in it and we had a lot of leftovers), and a Tokyo Lobster Roll.
(4)Susan Z.
Delicious, but some items are definitely over-priced (pu-pu platter, for instance -- rangoons were definitely mostly cream). The portions for individual entrees are pretty big - my boyfriend and I ended up splitting the bbq pork fried rice and it was enough for the two of us (note: we had ordered the pu-pu platter with the rest of our group). Decor and music make it extremely trendy - good for everything from a night out with friends to a date. You can see the kitchen and it just feels like there's a lot of space. Wouldn't be surprised if it was secretly converted into a nightclub after the kitchen closes...
(4)Becky F.
Hot damn this place is big and sort of swanky. Amazingly enough I had some serious trouble locating it, but that might have been due to my own directional incapability and the heat wave that was passing through Boston and left me in a daze. (Disclaimer: It really isn't that hard to find as they have big red letters spelling out their name. And a big red lantern. Yeah...it's just me.) I decided to go for the duck buns (YUM) and the tuna tartare appetizer. The tuna tartare came in a large round bowl (similar to what their noodle dishes are served in). It was good but, at best, difficult for me to work in, and would have been inconvenient or near impossible to easily eat from if ordered as an appetizer for the table. The duck buns though...delightful. Friends ordered a noodle dish (massive -- three meals at least) and some sushi (got thumbs up). Side note: the bathrooms are located downstairs and back through some hallways. I felt like I could have gotten lost it was such a hike. Thank God there were a million tea lights to guide my way. (How is that not a fire hazard?)
(4)Rachel S.
My rating is really 3.5 stars. I liked this place as a one-time, celebratory visit with friends. I would not likely return often or ever become a "regular" here. We walked in to the Red Lantern with Dance Club house music playing. Dim lighting, a vast space with contemporary Asian decoration. It is definitely fun and a little pretentious-- the novelty is great. Four of us shared a scorpion bowl- $44. It seems like a lot of money but this bowl pretty much sustained us for the entire meal. At the end of the meal, I looked at the drink list, every drink was about $12, so this price actually makes sense when considered with other items. I asked the waiter what the strongest drink was-- he said "bamboo juice." He was right-- whoa. The meal was good but not amazing. We had a variety of appetizers and some fried rice and a spicy tuna roll and California roll. I didn't really look at the food menu and let everyone else order. The spicy tuna roll was good, but then again, after a scorpion bowl, everything tastes good. :)
(4)Michelle B.
I don't think I'm cool enough for Red Lantern, but I want to be. (That's not true. I'm pretty fantastic already.) But seriously, this place is SUPER swanky. Big, oversized booths, dramatic decorations, and a big airy space make for a very impressive looking restaurant/lounge. The food that I tried was pretty good, as were the drinks. My one quibble with this place is that the pricing seems... off. I feel like I'm partially paying for all of their fancy decorations and not just the food on my plate. I was pretty taken aback by a bowl of Singapore Street Noodles running $25. They were good, but they ARE still just noodles. Similarly, the drinks were good, but felt a bit on the higher end of the pricing spectrum. Service was efficient, if not overly friendly. However, I did arrive there after already having imbibed a few drinks elsewhere, soooo that may not have been the staff's issue.
(3)Amanda M.
Would have been 5 stars but the drink prices were astronomical! Place is gorgeous, super hip, lots of pretty people at the bar, strong drinks, great sushi. Perfect date night or get together spot for late 20s early 30s crowd or older- not too many youngins which I loved! Loved the mood lighting and lounge music, and had great attentive wait service. Thanks for a fun night out!
(4)TinoX T.
Nice Place,Loved the Music.
(4)Erica E.
Red Lantern is a GREAT place to come with a group of friends. The atmosphere is 5 stars and the food is almost always perfection. Once in a while I will find the food lacking a tiny bit, but when I say something to the waiter they always find a way to bring me something different or new. Things you have to try: 1) Chicken Lettuce wraps- Great flavor. Sometimes a little dry, but if you get them on a good night, you're going to love them! 2)Duck Buns- OMG, best thing on the menu hands down. I don't eat duck, like ever, but these are absolutely to die for. My friend got them once and made me try a bite. I ended up ordering another order! I get them everytime I go. 3) Tik Tok Chicken- A cripsy general tso type dish. SO delicious. The sushi is also incredible. I've had every roll on the menu and loved them all except for the roll with a scalop. It tastes burnt.
(4)Liz B.
I bought a voucher on travelzoo giving us $116 of food for $58 so that was an amazing deal. I thought the food was really great. We had some sushi which was terrific, spring roll and lemongrass dumplings as appetizers, and shared a bulgoki for dinner. Everything was excellent - the bulgoki was really spicy - this was not mentioned in the menu. We also had the coconut pineapple bread pudding for dessert and it was wonderful! I had the coconut mai tai cocktail and I would not recommend it. My husband had the blueberry sangria which he liked. The decor is really great and although I didn't go to the bar it seemed like it would be fun. Our waitress was very good. Valet parking was $19. Expensive but typical for this area.
(4)Andrew L.
Been here quite a few times, consistently good food but had a very unpleasant experience last time. I walked in on a Friday at 6pm and the dining room was completely empty except for maybe 3 tables. I was told I could eat in the lounge but they were fully committed and couldn't give me a table.... So I'm supposed to assume all 40 parties and going to be on time for their reservation? I'm sorry but I work in customer service and that's not how you run a business well. Absolutely no personal touch, no effort, and I don't plan on returning. Every restaurant manager in Boston should compare their staff to the staff at Eastern Standard, and ask themselves how they can strive to replicate the experience.
(3)Nikhil D.
I really enjoyed Red Lantern! My boyfriend and I got a Gilt City deal for the place and had an amazing experience. First off, the space is amazing. Really well designed, soaring ceilings, tons of seating, great bar, views of the kitchen. I really can't complain much about the way it looked. Secondly, the food is GREAT. From looking at some of the less enthusiastic reviews, I guess there are a few dishes on the menu that are just so-so/inedible but I can't say I had any of those. The standout for us? The Tuna Tartare. It was fantastic. One of the best I've had. The sauce it comes with really elevates the dish to a whole new level! Finally, the service was fine. I found our waiter just attentive enough. I don't like being asked how my meal is going 14 times or getting my water filled when I've had 3 sips. I was satisfied with it. I'd suggest going, even if its just for the tuna tartare.
(4)Cj L.
Food was amazing highly recommend this place! Ordered sushi it was super fresh, and there drunken noodles were unbelievable!
(5)Yasa E.
I get cravings for red lantern like whoaaa The food is seriously amazing I've tried about half the menu and loved it every time. The pu pu platter is the perfect combination of apps. Love the lettuce wraps (and I hated lettuce wraps because of pf changs but now I'm a fan, thanks to red lantern). The lobster rangoons are so delicious. Love the noodles. Fried rice is pretty good. The big drinks are steep, price wise, but good for 5 people. I've been here for several occasions and I just love the place. The atmosphere is great, it's gorgeously decorated and huge. My bf and I really liked the kitchen "bar". It's pretty entertaining and we get to sit side by side :) Service has been a little inconsistent. Had an unbelievable server for my friend's bday dinner a couple of months ago. It was a table of 8 girls and we were very well taken care of. Then came here with my bf and didn't have very good service. Overall, 4-4.5 stars. Perfect for any size group or occasion. One of my favorite places in the city
(4)Eric S.
I'm not sure I'm adding anything than what people have already said - but I will say these were my thoughts prior to reading anyone else's on here. 1) the decor is neat, sort of in a "if this were a John Woo movie, keep an eye out for doves flying in slow motion, because this place is about to get trashed" sort of way - much more thought out than most places 2) the food is pretty good, but not amazing - better than PF Changs (I loved the spare ribs, but they were a bit dry - at least not fatty - great flavor, the steak noodles were quite good too - had a few rangoons/dumplings, all good - wish they had soup dumplings) The cocktails are decent, but more towards the "girly" side (think Singapore Sling, literally on the menu, and pretty much every one of the "martinis"). For me, it is a bit too much of a scene (or wannabe scene) though. The wait staff (at least by the bar) wear boobs heavy corsets, so if you are a dude and haven't seen boobs in a long time - enjoy! By 8pm on a weekend, the scene stuff starts, and accelerates into the night. Get there earlier if you are more interested in the food. (the scene is similar to The Liberty - old dudes, euro-trash, and 20-something girls in cocktail dresses and heels looking a bit like they want a sugar daddy - but not actually good music or drinks, just... well, the scene) Not sure if it is always like this, or just Sat evenings, but there is techno music playing in the dining area - seems odd to be eating your spare ribs to UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ and no dance floor anywhere even close. The place is dressy, but you don't need a suit (you would be fine in a suit) - I was in jeans and a sport coat and that was fine.
(4)Christina S.
Completely overpriced for mediocre food and an atmosphere that looks worn. Its like a glorified PF Changs. The drinks at an average of $14 were premade and not very good, which is inexcusable for the price. The sushi was drowning in some obnoxious white sauce and the main courses were super oily and salty and the dessert was unimpressive. Its not worth it. Trust me. Save your $$$ and go someplace that actually takes pride in their food.
(1)Elaine C.
This place is a great place to eat Asian food if you are not too crazy about the originality. They are close enough and still tasty. Open kitchen with exceptional drink menu. Large portion and will definitely have left over. Since this place have a powerful kitchen hood install, you clothes and hair will never smell. A little pricey consider their Asian menu is easy cooking.. Always pack so make a reservation.
(4)K Renee O.
I had heard so much about this place, so I was super excited when I got an email deal. I went on a Friday and it was packed!! Even though we had a reservation, we still had to wait an additional 20 minutes, which was on the cusp of being too long. Despite that, I was happy to finally be there!! It looks super chic, the vibe is great - people are laughing and talking, and having a great time. I really liked it. Ever since I started eating cranberry crab rangoons from Thelonious Monkfish, I didn't think I would enjoy any else's rangoons, but I highly recommend the lobster rangoons.....every bite is delicious!! OMG! The drinks were good too, and so were our entrées. I do feel like it's a little pricey, but at the same time, I really enjoyed everything, so it's worth it!! I just wish I could afford to go more often.
(4)I J.
Love the atmosphere and decor. Perfect for date night! The waitress was attentive and the food was served promptly. The Lobster Rangoons and Duck Buns are to die for.
(5)sasha h.
Red Lantern is one of the best places in Boston for big groups. I've gone there on multiple occasions and always had a great time. I've both hosted private parties taking up the whole venue and gone multiple times for dinner. They really cater well to groups and will take care of your table. This is a pretty good place for a bachelorette party dinner as well. Ambiance is always lively, great music and they usually have a young, trendy crowd. The decor is well done, very asian fusion. My favorite dish is the Miso Sea Bass but most of the rolls and wood grilled items are quite good. The food will not blow your mind but it is good and pretty consistent.
(4)Cliff H.
Models. Buddhas. Fire. Brick mills meet stone sanctuary. Your offspring? Bartenders who sideline as models for Maxim or GQ. This is place is serious. If you can appreciate how an old brick factory building can be transformed into a modern sanctuary of pensive Buddhas and statuary you deserve to stop by RL at least once in your Beantown career. Admittedly the food's mediocre, drinks the usual eastern variety, and the prices nothing to sneeze at, but the upscale ambiance and sheer vertical scale of this place is amazing in itself. A great place to bring an out of town friend to impress them with what Boston restaurants are not generally like. Reservations recommended, especially for groups larger than 6. Bar gets jammed anywhere close to prime times and you can wait a bit longer than you like for larger group seating, but your reward is a lot of people dressed well and sipping colorful cocktails and fire-blazen food. And yes, red lanterns. Lots.
(4)Krassi P.
Red Lantern is the perfect mix of bar, restaurant, and lounge. The vibe, staff, and food are great. One of my favorites for Asian dining! A bit pricey but considering the service and quality I would say it is fair. TIP: You can charge your cell phone near the bathrooms downstairs.
(5)Tamar A.
I was treated to Red Lantern via an extraordinarily generous free tasting for potential event-planning folks. I am therefore about to sound like an asshole. We were taken into the private room, plied with delicious free cocktail shots and bottomless wine glasses and treated like corporate queens. My first impressions were of sheer awe: the ambiance is stunning. Draped lanterns, dim red and gold lighting, tastefully arranged buddhas, strung thai shells--a faux-Asian paradise a mere stone's throw from Back Bay station. The service was impeccable and the hosts were equal parts gracious and flirtatious, but good. Then the food came out. We started with the tempura beans, pork spareribs, lobster rangoon, and kalbi beef skewers. Though the rangoon a little runny and the beef gave new meaning to "chewing the fat", the dishes were overall as yummy as Americanized Chinese appetizers are always and forever. Were they worth $8-12 per dish, however? Not as such. The meal consisted of the Tik Tok chicken, Singapore street noodles, and the beef, broccoli, and asparagus. You know those commercials with the lazy yuppie couple who can't be bothered to go out for Chinese, so they get the brand with the animated panda bear in the frozen food aisle? Imagine if those meals cost $22 a package. Truly disappointing faux-Asian for the same price as a whole bag of take-out from Dragon Garden. Red Lantern, I appreciate your style, but your business model is seriously flawed. You know what's not faux-Asian? Chinatown. It's a stop away and one-third the price. Your customers are paying to reimburse several Pier One Imports' worth of red satin gauze and an interior designer's wherewithal to artfully hang it. Treat yourself to the Sriracha cocktail, feel like a baller, and then come meet me at Gourmet Dumpling House.
(2)Doug J.
(score 1-100) 84. Great place for drinks or food. Very high quality, it is pricey but it's the back bay and you are not going to find anything quite like Red Lantern in this part of the city. Food is Asian Fusion and very high quality. Flavorful dishes and many healthy choices. The presentation is excellent which is missed in so many restaurants in Boston. I always feel satisfied after a meal at Red Lantern. The atmosphere is upscale and modern with lots of energy. If you have ever been to any of the Buddakans in the country it is very similar. Great place for group birthdays or if you want to impress a girl on a first date. Conclusion: Great place to start a night out with your friends or end the night.
(4)Danielle C.
Five stars for everything. Amazing food. Get the Peking ravioli. Strong drinks. Super friendly wait staff. Great vibes and atmosphere. Very lgbt friendly too! I haven't had a single item here I didn't like. The Rock Roll was too spicy for me but I still love the flavor. We always go back to the Peking ravioli app when we come. The avocado salad is great to share but too much avocado for one person.
(5)Kate L.
A BIG fan. 1. Most fun, talkative, friendly clientelle - everyone mingles with everyone. great pick up spot - older 30s crowd. 2. Ambiance So cool. Very NYC 3. First experience w food. SO GOOD. Got the skewers (beef and chicken) with tamarind dipping sauce - out of this world flavorful and very moist. Beef was not fatty or gamey at all! Then got lobster rangoons and practically licked the plate. The yummiest thing I have had in awhile. 4. Portions are a little small but overall a 10!
(5)Sarah C.
I came here with no expectation. Upon entering, I saw the hostess and she totally ignored me. The place was empty when I was there (Monday night @ 8pm) so she wasn't busy serving other guests. Maybe the place was too dark to see me? Anyway, I invited myself into the restaurant. I sat at the bar and I asked for their $7 monday night snacks menu. This place is pricey so if you dont want to empty your wallet, I suggest coming in on a Monday night just to give it a try. I ordered the pineapple bacon fried rice, spicy salmon roll and spicy tuna bites. A lot of reviewers weren't pleased with the food but i loved them! The rice was just right (and not oily at all, a major plus!); both the tuna and salmon bites were flavorful (and great presentation too, I didn't want to eat the tuna roll haha!). I also ordered the avacado salad from their regular menu and boy was it tiny! It was good, with citrus-y flavor. It's a great salad for the summer. I would def go back and try their big plates now since I've sampled their food. This place lost a star due to unfriendly staff. Great ambiance and if you want to impress someone, take him/her here. The lounge area is cool FYI - restaurant week is now through end of next week and red lantern is participating. Go to their facebook page to check out their restaurant week menu.
(3)Nilo F.
The bouncer here is the biggest loser I've ever met like you bounce a Chinese food restaurant get out of my face with that pretentious smirk I hate you.
(1)Hina K.
I loved the Ambiance. We had a great meal there, sushi and pad thai was awesome. We went there on the new year's eve and they offered us complimentary champaign too bad we don't drink :) I would definitely go back
(4)Marissa P.
Fun atmosphere, kind of a rip off on a trendy NYC Asian fusion lounge/restaurant (See taorestaurant.com and/or buddakan.com ), but with sub-par food. Somewhat of a corny establishment, very over the top and tacky, with what my friend called a "titty bar", where the girls are hired to walk around in these ridiculous looking corsets, showing off the twins, but have absolutely no idea how to craft a cocktail. I sent back my first cocktail - the grass fed mule - because it was just disgusting. My second one wasn't much better but I drank it. We also ordered tuna tartar, which was covered in soy sauce. A good tuna tartar may have a bit of sauce, but the tuna should stand out. With this dish, all you could taste was soy sauce. Not good at all. We also had some beef/chicken skewers, which were fine. You can't really go wrong there. Then, we had the lettuce wraps, which were the worst. The chicken was just a really gross texture. The lettuce wraps at PF Changs and Cheesecake Factory are far better and cost less. None of us would return. Its only redeeming quality is the cool space.
(2)Terence B.
I went to Red Lantern for New Years Eve and unexpectedly had a great time. The food was great and the service, while a little slow, was good. NYE is a busy night so she gets a pass. My party of 8 shared a few apps. Unfortunately I did not order any of the apps so I can not tell you what they were other than GOOD! My entree stole the show. It was so good I was actually sad I shared it with the table. I had the Miso Sea Bass and while I admit I am a fan of Sea Bass, I can honestly say this was a different experience for me. I highly recommend it and I highly recommend this place. I plan on going back soon.
(4)Jeff G.
I had huge expectations of this place and was so excited to come here that I dragged my friend to join me. 5 star ambiance is correct....everything else is a pretty much a glorified PF Changs. Price- 1 star off for the outrageous prices that dont line up with portions or quality of food Food- I wish i took a picture of the sushi because it was rolled by an 8 yr old missing rice on the ends and loosely formed, presentation was awful. we also ordered spring rolls that tasted terrible and had no flavor whatsoever. Our main entree was a sweet and sour chicken that was put in some type of tomato sauce which seemed odd and we really weren't impressed. Drinks - I admit they were strong, but some of them came out in tiki glasses which I thought to be a bit corny considering its Asian flavors and not Polynesian. Overall once you get over the initial wow of the decor, this place will eventually fade out due to over-gorging price margins and lack of taste.
(3)Jamie F.
When the big, bad, Bruins celebrated their NHL championship at Foxwoods, their SOs were at Red Lantern (a good sign about the atmosphere for large parties). So, my posse and I dined here for our collegiate reunion last month. Loved the huge space and stunning decor. The crowd was dressy and diverse. It felt like a part of NYC was transplanted into Back Bay Boston. The bar area was actually more like a club lounge than a restaurant lounge with female servers struttin' around in hoe uniform. Dinner started off on a good note. My Shanghai Street Sangria, made with plum sake, was light and well balanced even though the name didn't make sense (Shanghai Street is in *Hong Kong* and sake is *Japanese* rice wine). Our table enjoyed tasty apps that arrived at lightning speed: Lobster rangoons (4 for $12) - dollops of lobster cream cheese wrapped in crispy fried wontons. The lobster flavor was mild but enough that I can taste it. Duck buns (2 for $8) - steamed white taco-shaped buns stuffed with shredded hoisin-flavored duck meat and mirin pickle slices. An interesting and delicious twist on traditional Peking duck buns (filled with crispy duck skin and scallion instead). Unfortunately, Japanese cuisine was not Red Lantern's strong point. Imagine an episode of Chopped. Mystery ingredients include elephant plum, burdock, and lipstick chile (wtf is right). The contestant is Red Lantern's sushi chef. His creations are dragon, smoking lantern, geisha night, and tuna tempura specialty rolls. *Taste: distasteful (flavors did not blend well together at all) *Creativity: OK effort (I liked the fried exterior of tuna tempura roll) *Presentation: lacking (pink soy wrap was unique but very loose... and what's up with the high rice-to-fish ratio?) *Final decision: chopped Service also needed improvement, i.e. timing was off, an order was made wrong (this was comped), the busser was awkward, and our waitress was MIA at times. All understandable since it was the third weekend of opening *except* for my friend's glass of dirty water (there was a small onion slice floating in it). Shouldn't cleanliness come easy to new restaurants? For now, I can only suggest to visit the lounge for cocktails just to experience the trendy atmosphere.
(3)Christina Z.
My new favorite people-watching location in Boston. I doubt anywhere else could you find Cougars with super-toned arms, sugar daddies (Jerron W. is absolutely right), buxom waitresses (corsets and all), model bartenders, old men in polos, and sleazy Latin American pimps, two of whom sat on the back of our chairs in the cocktail lounge. This used to be a Bertucci's, and you can still see the exposed brick! High high ceilings, exposed pipes (must be a B to heat in the winter), P.F. Changs-esque decor. The red lanterns and parasols hanging from the ceiling add a nice touch. Sometimes I'm a sucker for faux. It felt a twinge New-Yorkey, but the crowd was definitely catch-all Boston. We walk in around 7:30, and it's empty, but we are told that all the tables have been booked for reservations. OK, full menu at the bar, check. How strange is that? ALL the tables booked? The place is gigantic, the size of a factory. We find some cozy chairs with a table at the lounge. A cocktail waitress with boobs pushed up to her neck plops down water (after we had to ask- mind you, this is the HOTTEST day of the year, a record 109 degrees, of course I want to stay hydrated), and we try to order a scorpion bowl. She replies "I'm not your waitress." BAD. This is BAD. You do not say this to customers. You smile and pass the order on to their waitress. Ugh. Tacky, didn't the orientation teach manners? I mean, I know your brains are being deprived of oxygen because of your Dominatrix-like costume, but please. Be nice! So they have two scorpion bowls. Yin and Yang. One has 151, and the other is delicious. At $44, we were not taking chances with 151. Problem being, it's mostly ICE. And my major gripe, where is the alcohol?! I couldn't taste an ounce. It was delicious, but so is sugar water! And also, from where we were sitting (low), the straws didn't reach. They brought out our food in a record 3 minutes. Suspicious. Edamame was solid (with some yummy sauce), mashed potato sticks were delicious, but how could they not be, philly roll was yummy except with maybe a touch too much cream cheese, yellowtail and scallion was also solid, and then... The Geisha Nights was the most delicious piece of sushi I have ever put in my mouth. 5 pieces, hamachi, plum, chili, and some pink soy, whatever the hell that is. Spicy, sweet, a full-bodied sushi flavor. Yum. It was a bold move, and I'm glad I made it. They are big pieces, wasabified and gingerfied, they bowled me over. I wish I took a pic because the presentation was gorgeous! After dinner drinks: orange blossom thing actually contained liquor, the bamboo juice was good but you could have made it in college, then my ew tranquility tea. Green tea vodka, peach, milk.... I love boba, and these tapioca balls were CRUNCHY. What is that?! I could barely choke them down. Bad form, Red Lantern. Our waitress kept making faux pas that would make me cringe. Shoving over our scorpion bowl to plunk down our soy sauce {which was just Kikkoman}, taking our drinks before they were DONE. NO! And in general giving us blank stares when we ordered something. Okay, we are near the bar, but please, again, be nice, not overly fake-nice and rude sometimes. I'll be back, but I'll sit next to the sushi artists.
(3)Jonathan B.
I've developed a sort of love and hate relationship with Red Lantern. I have enjoyed all the food I've tried here but I wouldn't rank it amongst some of my got to spots for Asian cuisine. I hate to put it like this but I consider Red Lantern like a high end version of P.F. Chang's. Sort of a mash up of different cuisine without any real boom! I haven't had anything that I would absolutely eat again and again with the exception of the duck buns. I will be returning to this place at least a few more times before passing anymore judgment. The décor as other users have mentioned is quite nice but the music not so much. I don't care much for listening to the Beatport top ten while eating dinner. For now I will leave Red Lantern with a three star rating. Good food, friendly staff and nice décor. I just feel like something is missing from the overall experience. I would and will recommend this place to friends.
(3)jade g.
Don't waste your time going to this restaurant. A dinner for two people took almost 3 hours and we were one of the first tables in the restaurant. My first cocktail was undrinkable and I had to send it back. The other cocktails were fine but totally unbalanced. The food was all over the map and dishes came without main ingredients (e.g. Veggie fried rice with little to no veggies). The portions were enormous but overpriced for the same food you can get in any neighborhood Chinese takeout. The server could have made up for the kitchen's inconsistencies but instead had a bad attitude. Finally our dessert was dry and tasteless. When we asked for it to be wrapped up they gave it to us without its integral sauce which made the dish. Overall, I had a terrible experience and I would never go back or recommend this to anyone who likes real Asian food.1.5 stars.
(1)Brittany M.
I don't usually write a review unless a place is either bad or ridiculously good. This place is amazing. Some of the best sushi I have ever had in Boston. We got the lobster ragoons which were creamy and delicious. We also got the torched Toro roll, black widow, and ronin roll. My favorite was the torched toro it practically melted in my mouth. The servicewas excellent. They were prompt and polite and we're not disruptive. Definitely will come back here and try the duck!
(5)Mindy L.
I loved this place. I loved the food so much, I'm even willing to overlook the fact that the front of the house seemed very confused by the fact that our party of 11 wanted to be seated at one table forever and it took them an hour to figure out a solution. Also of note, it was 5:45 and the place was virtiually empty. That said...the food and waitstaff was so good, I'm ok with it. Drinks: Fortune Cookie - A+. Brilliant coconut and chocolate flavors with a real fortune cookie topper. Singapore Sling - A+. It tastes like juice. It's dangerous. Angelique Pinot Noir - $9.00 a glass - liquid velvet. Food: Lobster Rangoon - silky, sweet and absolutely delicious. Tempure Fried Green Beans were awesome. The trio of dipping sauces were delicious. For my main course, I got the Beef, Asparagus and Broccoli. It was aboslutely, 100% perfection. I am so used to the overcooked slabs of beef you get in chinese takeout. These were soft, not at all chewy, packed with flavor. The broccoli soaked up all the yummy sauce and provided very flavorful bites - so flavorful that the people surrounding me at the table helped eat every single piece of it off the plate! Definitely will be back - great for small groups and large parties!
(5)Josephine L.
Atmosphere: Industrial meets Asian. Think exposed wood beams, cement and pipes interspersed with Buddhist statues and giant red paper lanterns. Food: I somehow managed to not pay for any of the food I had here (thank you friends). The sushi was not so great--rice was too hard and dry and the fillings didn't feel fresh. The dumplings were okay and I liked that they used the less-traditional green vegetable skins. The chicken fried rice was abundant but extremely bland. It needed serious seasoning. Clientele: A mixture of families (yes families--with kids and everything), suits, young, hot suits who give you "the eye", girlfriends out for a night and most are dressed pretty nicely Service: Surprisingly attentive even when things are busy, friendly for the most part though there were some moments when brusqueness came into play.
(4)Shantel S.
We went at 6:15 on a Wednesday for dinner and it was pretty dead. The bar/lounge area looked really fun, but the music was so loud there's no way you'd be able to hear each other. The music spilled into the restaurant making it feel like a club, which was really annoying. It's easy to spend a lot.
(3)Cristina C.
It's been a week and I still feel teased, after walking into Red Lantern last Tuesday night for a Tuesday Tasting run by Boston Event Guide. Walking towards Stanhope Street I wasn't sure which building they had put this in because I haven't been over here in a few years; goodbye Bertuccis HELLO RED LANTERN! - The décor was fabulous, I am in love - The music, perfect beats (although they could have turned it down a smidge) - The lighting.. they're confused on this part, or maybe just I am. The bar was almost pitch black dark with "mood lights" and the dining area was very bright (also in part that the sun hadn't gone down yet, thank you windows!). - The Sunset Sangria or whatever it is, very good - The upstairs bar bathroom is one person bathroom but there is downstairs with multiple - Attentive staff and managment - For the event, Kettle One was a sponsor, hello Grey Dutchman. - The food..... waaah teased completely. While we got to see other people eating, we didn't eat that much and not by choice. What I did get a bite at, was delish. I felt like I could look and not touch. I want it. Right. Now. Please. I don't think the kitchen expected our sampling to go so quick, it was like hawks diving for food and they just couldn't keep up. I did some people watching (what I do best). The manager or owner, he did a lot of walking through with the staff throughout the restaurant and was really making sure things were going smoothly. I will definitely be back, I hope very soon and with the same girl I went with I am sure. We wanted everything, along with everyone else there but there just wasn't enough.
(4)Amber B.
The company I work for recently had their Holiday Party here. I was really taken back by the space. Absoluetely beautoful. The staff were extra attentive and I was overall impressed. They had passed appetizers to which I thought were good. I will certainly be back to try for lunch or dinner!
(3)Sarah A.
Stopped in here for drinks last week after work to celebrate a friend's birthday. The atmosphere is great. I love the red lanterns hanging from the ceiling, the Buddha statues all over the place and the lamps of naked women holding lampshades. I just had a beer at the bar, so I can't comment on the cocktails and food offerings, but everyone in our group seemed please with their beer, wine and cocktails. The bartender was friendly and efficient. There is your typical seating at the bar as well as some nice comfy, leather lounges and couches and a few tables between the bar and the dining area. I was really looking forward to seeing all the cougars and sugar daddies mentioned in the previous reviews, but maybe we were there too early for them. I peaced out around 7:45. I'll definitely be back to check this place out again for drinks. The food menu kind of freaked me out... $16 for some Chinese noodles? But, you have to love the atmosphere. Also, note bene, men with an appreciation for very thin women...all the cocktail waitresses are sizes 0s wearing super tight black corsets that do wonders to amplify their, ahem, assets. According to my friend, this place is populated predominately with men later in the evening. I can see why.
(4)Bonita Y.
My dining experience at Red Lantern can be summed up in this simple analogy: He's a very handsome man (maybe even to the level of Christian Grey), but with no substance....so be prepared for utter disappointment! Considering that it used to be a Bertucci's, the decor is amazing (and yes, it has a very Tao/Vegas feel). Grab a table with you BFFs (just make sure to RSVP ahead of time as it gets wicked packed) or hang out at the bar/lounge. Service: Exceptional! We asked the hostess to change our table of six to a lounge/sofa. Also, our waiter allowed us to take our time to order (we ended up staying two and a half hours) and gave us good suggestions. Drinks: Go ahead, order the ying or yan scorpion bowl. No one will judge since you're in an upscale location and not at Hong Kong lounge/nightclub during your college days. The cocktail and martini list just looks fun...I ordered the rose petal saketini, but somehow it was more bitter than I expected. Food: Asian fusion. Gawd, this restaurant should be shut down because it is serving mediocre entrees. For a steak tip lo mien, its $24 and cooked in a sweet sauce. My ancestors in China/Hong Kong are turning over their grave because its just bad and uninspiring. Their highlights are the apps and sushi. The duck buns need to have the crispy duck skin...not pulled duck meat, which makes the bun soggy. Red Lantern's saving grace was its service, drinks, and app/sushi. The main entrees need a lot of rework, hence the three stars (that is me being generous because it is a crime that their entrees are just so mediocre!)
(3)Mac D.
First time long time here. I've been to Red Lantern twice, once in the restaurant and once at the bar. Restaurant experience: Ying/Yang Drink bowl - really sweet, but lots of liquor. Good to share. Noodle dishes are great, Tyler the manager gave us an appetiver sampler of Rock Shrimp, Rangoons (both great) and spring rolls. The main courses were delicious too, especially sushi. Second trip, sat a the bar. Waitresses aren't that great. Sushi was good, but was given something I didn't want and she wouldn't take the drink off the bill even though I didnt drink it and she took it away. Would go back for the food, but bartenders should leave their egos at the door.
(3)Travis D.
Were it just for the ambiance when we first arrived, I would have had no problem giving Red Lantern 4-5 stars. The illusion wore off quickly after that though. The food here is average AT BEST, and incredibly over-priced for what it is. The drinks were only "ok" too. My favorite dish of the night was the lettuce wraps, and sadly I was the only one at my table to enjoy them. I read the reviews on Yelp beforehand, but we decided to give Red Lantern a try based on a review on Chronical - I know why, now, they're broadcasting experts and not restaurateurs. While we didn't have an issue with our own footwear, their prohibition of "flip flops" or "sandals" is a bit ridiculous given the food and otherwise casual attire with girls in ripped jeans/cutoffs, guys looking like they just came off the beach, etc. This place holds itself in much higher regard than it's food or service dictate. Speaking of the service, our server was nice enough, but clueless about table service. We probably would have had another round of drinks, if not two (to make the dinner go down more easily!), and dessert had she been more attentive. Instead, we couldn't wait to get out of there to get to another one of our old favorites, The Market at the W Hotel. Trust me folks - this place isn't worth your time or effort.
(1)Manny M.
I've been eager to visit this new restaurant since it opened last year. Other reviews have indicated that it's got great atmosphere, food and service. All of which were so on-point! The staff really made us feel welcome and were attentive throughout our night there. Our server made some great suggestions and even other staff who stopped in to check were helpful without being pushy.The food had such flavor and I also enjoyed some of the complimentary samples sent to our table which made me want to order them the next time I'm there. This is going to be one of my new favorite haunts!
(5)Stephanie M.
I just moved to NYC from Boston and have been a little spoiled by the thousands of unique, trendy, chic, high end feeling lounges and restaurants that Boston is only beginning to dabble in. So when I came back to visit some friends, they suggested we go to Red Lantern to see if it was up to my new standards. I was amazed at the beautiful decor, the high ceilings, the laid back music at just the right volume, the pretty people, the fabulous food (The skirt steak was AMAZING!) and the overall feel that I got when I was hanging out in this place. I will definitely make this my new spot to meet at when I come home to see the girls!
(5)Sean L.
Went for Boston Restaurant Week and had the selections from the restaurant week menu (golden chicken, singaporean noodles, and beef noodles). The ambiance is fantastic and beautiful, but the entrees aren't that great (comparable to a glorified arrangement of panda express food). Most are fairly Americanized. The appetizers are fantastic -- had the pupu platter, which gives a great selection of different appetizers. Overall things are a bit pricey (~$30+ / plate), but the entrees are of similar caliber and taste to Panda Express. However, the portions are huge.
(2)Saba N.
Had a good ol' fashioned girls night at Red Lantern this past weekend... and there's a lot of things I liked and one thing I didn't like about the place. Likes: Atmosphere: it's really gorgeous, trendy, and new york esque (think Tao). I love the big open space, and it's perfect for a fun night out w/ friends or a sexy date. A+ Service: our waitress was fantastic and super sweet. We were a large party of indecisive girls - and she was so patient. She also got us a complimentary scorpion bowl (which are AMAZING and a great value)... just because she liked us so much (and the bacardi rep was at the restaurant). I mean, we were running an $500+ tab so I'm sure she would have liked us no matter what.. but still, pretty nice gesture. Drinks: fantastic. A little pricey, but given the area and atmosphere.. not surprising. We were all raving about our cocktails - so I don't think you can go wrong. As mentioned above, the scorpion bowl is HUGE and fun for large groups. There was 7 of us and we had a tough time drinking it all. At $44, it's a good deal. It's very sweet though, so I would only order if you were in a large party. Dislikes: Food: it was just so... mediocre. We had the plum salsa with guac (special) - and it was pretty lackluster. The guac was so spicy that I found it to be inedible. I love spicy food... but it was gross and kind of destroyed my palate.The lettuce wraps were very pf changs esque... nothing to write home about, either. It was also SO hot that it was clear it was just microwaved or something. And while the lobster portion was HUGE and flavorful.. every piece of lobster we ate was filled with shells. Not very appetizing. All in all - I'd definitely come back for a second chance - but it will just be for sushi and cocktails.
(3)Julie N.
Would definitely go back. Lobster rangoons, boneless spareribs, torched tuna maki and special Big Papi maki were fantastic. Drinks were great, as was service. Music was bass thumping ridiculously loud. Banana peanut butter dessert was dry, dense like a brick and maybe one of the worst desserts I've had. The peanut butter ice cream alone would have been a much better option, as it was great.
(4)Lindsay B.
I went here for dinner on Saturday and it was really good! They have a Gluten Free menu and carry GF soy sauce :) The food was really good, but they don't tell you what they are modifying to make your meal gluten free. I was disappointed when my sushi roll came out and had a roasted red tomato on top instead of the spicy sauce. The ambiance was great and I highly recommend going there with a large group.
(4)Steve S.
Red Lantern is a newish Pan Asian restaurant..Pan Asian means part Chinese, part Japanese and part Thai plus other Asian cuisines The place is drop dead georgous with a huge and extensive buldout of a giant bar, hibachi and sushi center in the back along with a restaurant for a couple of hundred or so. Its like a toned down Tao The food, however, needs some help. Had the grilled chicken dish, but there was nothing pan-Asian about the white sauce over rather overcooked vegetables and a huge bed of white rice...There was nothing really great about my friends food either Red Lantern: You may want to be seen here, but be full before you arrive
(3)John L.
Wonderful Asian-themed decor filled with Buddhas and lanterns. Extremely creative rolls, but for a price. Check out my full review with helpful photos here: asushiatedpress.com/red-… Red Lantern is a new trendy Asian-themed venue hidden on Stanhope St in Back Bay. The restaurant is quite large and definitely utilizes the entire space by filling it with numerous lanterns, stone Buddha statues, and endless amounts of red throughout the venue. Deluxe Sushi Plate - Spicy Tuna Roll, Red Head Roll, 8 Piece Nigiri, Two Shrimp Tempura Hand Rolls Great deal for the price. Nice variety of rolls. Red Head Roll was slightly messy to eat. The Shrimp Tempura Rolls just seemed a little bland and maybe not as interesting as all the other rolls. Dragons Roll (salmon) - Salmon wrapped around Burdock & Crabstick Fresh root taste from the Burdock with the fresh Salmon made for a tasty roll. Geisha Nights Roll - Hamachi, Elephant Plum, Lipstick Chile, Pink Soy Wrap One of the more unique rolls I've ever had... Check out my full review on this roll here: asushiatedpress.com/geis…
(4)Kristen D.
This review is for the bar only. Went in w a gf around 9 last night and was lucky enough to snag 2 seats at the bar. They have a very interesting cocktail list, and it was hard to decide which I wanted to try first. I had the drunken samurai (pear martini, my favorite one), the Dragon fire (perfect amount of spice) and the Blueberry lemon drop martini (my least favorite). My friend had the bamboo juice and the red locust. The bamboo juice tasted strong, the red locust was Ok, but a little too much pineapple for my liking. The drinks are pricey ($13-$14) and not very strong. Normally, I am rocked after 2 martini's. I had 3 and was only slightly buzzed. When I'm spending $40 on 3 drinks, I expect to be stumbling out of the place! My friend ordered the lobster rangoons (4 in an order), I didn't try them, but she said they were good, although she could not taste any lobster in them. Overall, it was a cool ambiance and I would go there to grab a drink, not sure if I'd try the food based on other reviews and the price. Kind of seemed like they were an upscale version of PF Changs.
(3)Sandy D.
LOVE RL!! It's my fave resto to bring my out-of-town guests. We always have a great time, no matter how large our party is. The fried rice is addicting and even though my fave roll is no longer on the menu, they'll still make it when I ask. The service is great. They really make sure you have a good time.
(5)Julie G.
So I came here twice...once for drinks at the bar on a Saturday night and the other time for dinner and drinks on a weeknight. The time I came for drinks only, the bar was super crowded and I almost felt as if I were on an episode of Millionaire Matchmaker. The bar was filled with wealthy older men and young hot women with Ferraris and Lambos being valet parked outside. The drinks were on the strong side and were decent. Ever since that first night there, I was dying to try the food. One Thursday night after a Pilates class, a friend and I decided to stop by and instantly I noticed that it was a lot less crowded. We found a table near the bar and ordered duck buns, the crispy bliss roll and lobster and bacon fried rice. Everything was simple delectable, especially the duck buns. I also had a red lotus martini which was delicious! I'm dying to come back here again!! The food definitely deserves 5 stars but the scene at the bar made me take one star away.
(4)Santiago A.
Just went for the first time last night. At first it look like one of these pretentious all "cool" places that are all about the looks and the overly priced food. But once on the table we realized that it was comfortable and the music was at a nice enough level for us to comfortably talk. The decor is cool and you can see the kitchen which is always fun. Also every one was very nice. The cocktails are good and original though a little sweet, but that just means to try another cocktail next time. We had the Duck Roll and was amazing. The sushi was also very original and tasty, we had the Ronin Roll that would just melt with the right amount of spice on it. Then we had the Chow Fun noodle bowl and again it was great. We shared those 3 things among 2 people and where very satisfied so the price was very manageable.
(4)Heath M.
My attitude toward the Red Lantern largely depends on what I'm doing there. Is it a dinner thing or a drink and nibbly thing? As a drink and nibbly place it's probably one of the coolest places to hang out in the neighborhood. If you put aside the fact the place is visually stunning. It stops short of the middle-American tackyness of PF Changs (thank Buddha). It's also quite comfortable; the front area is filled with cozy inviting couches and coffee tables for your post-work sip & b*tch session (don't judge, it's cathartic). It's sort of like hanging out in the living room of an eccentric Hong Kong importer or something. The cocktails are quite well-mixed, adeptly handling the basics along with some more exotic offerings (I would skip the Scorpion Bowls, you can get better ones at Hong Kong...the dive on the Waterfront, not the actual city). The appetizers are delovely with upscaled versions of a lot of your take-out favorites from beef and chicken skewers to pork dumplings. For this, it's five stars, hands down. As a place for dinner I have a slightly different attitude. The entree selection is a bit small, though there's an impressive sushi selection if you're into that sort of thing (which I'm not). When it comes down to it, it lacks enough variety. I think I'd rather hit up Chinatown and get better, more authentic food at a lower price (with more options). For whatever reason, the bistro treatment doesn't work when you have the real deal so nearby, and this place does get pricey and all you're really paying for is an experience. It begs the question, how worthwhile is presentation when you can get better food with a bit less of a strain on your wallet? For that, I give it three stars. Bottom line, whether I'd recommend this place depends on what you intend to do here. You should at least come for some cocktails and great service, but if you were with me, I might try to convince you to take a walk to get the main course.
(4)Joe P.
I booked a reservation with Open Table for 9:30pm. We showed up on time but was told I'd have to wait 15 minutes as some tables just opened up. We sat outside of the hostess station waiting to be called but it never happened. I waited 35 minutes then went back in to see what happened and was never given an adequate reason. WOULD NEVER GO HERE AGAIN AND WILL NEVER REFER ANYONE HERE.
(1)Steve P.
This place has some of the best sushi in town. I went here for my birthday and one of my friends bought the biggest scorpion bowl I have ever scene in my life. The waiter was attentive and a nice guy. The food was on time and was amazing.
(5)Vivi L.
We came here on Saturday night and the place is pretty empty for Saturday night which I was surprised about. We ordered a bunch of sushi, appetizers and dishes to share. The sushi was good but the appetizers and dishes were just OK. Our server was very attentive and friendly which we love. We first inquired to book it for a private party for 25 people and I couldn't believe that they require a $6000 minimum charges for private party. I thought that was a little steep for 25 people. I don't even think that we could spend that much in food between 25 of us. Given how empty the place was, they could have just let us booked the general area and not charged us minimum. We ended up canceling the dinner party and just came with a smaller group of people.
(3)Laura S.
I went to dinner here on Friday. At first the menu looked a little weird and I didn't know what to pick. My friends and I shared the lettuce wraps (too spicy) and the spareribs (amazing!!) as appetizers. I got the coco-loco Mai tai to drink and it was delicious- I definitely recommend it if you like coconut rum. For dinner we shared a sushi roll with cream cheese (I forgot the name) but it was delicious! It melted in my mouth. We also shared the veggie fried rice (ok) and the chicken lo mein (delicious). I'm giving this place 4 stars due to the quality of service and atmosphere and the drinks and some food. It's definitely pricey, at least for me, so I'm not sure if I'd go back. If I did I'd just order the spare ribs and sushi with a coco loco Mai tai until I couldn't eat anymore.
(4)Lorraine S.
Great vibe fantastic people high quality of food and delicious drinks! Best place hands down, great place to go w a bog group or a couple friends
(5)Dela B.
Absolutely amazing. From the very first step I took through the door, I seemed to have been transported to a different world. Decor reminded me of a sexy, modern version of the Forbidden Palace mixed with the youthful yet classy vibe of a Las Vegas lounge. Food was fantastic, drinks were exotic, strong, and delicious. Red Lantern took Asian food and made it sexy. Service was perfect--attentive yet not overbearing. Our server made excellent recommendations and really made it a night for us to just sit back comfortably on the couch and unwind from a stressful week. Food highlight: The chocolate tart is out of this world. Chocolate shortbread crust, topped with a layer of caramel, a layer of chocolate, a scoop of cardamon ice cream, and sprinkled with caramelized macadamia nuts... I'm both regretful and glad that I decided to share it. All in all, Red Lantern's a great place to be if you're looking for a night out to unwind, relax, and have fun all at the same time. I'll definitely be back. :)
(5)Melanie M.
Came here for drinks. Very nice ambiance. The drinks were just too sweet for my taste. Will probably just get a glass of wine if I go again. It was a fun place to just hang out and will probably go back again.
(3)Jason M.
PF Changesque
(2)Melissa D.
This restaurant is perfect to have those ideal dinner then party the night away type of places. Red Lantern is located in Back Bay with the Tao feeling of Vegas inside. The restaurant inside is huge. We came here for dinner after a long day of drinking. I know, we did the reverse! Wasn't a fan of the hostesses but a HUGE #1 Fan of our server! We loved him so much we told the manager our positive feedback. Top sever performances I have had in awhile! So back to the menu, they have Asian Fusion style foods and your standard sushi menu with special rolls. My girlfriends shared large plates of Fried Rice, Chicken and Spring Rolls. Good and happy with it. I had 2 rolls of spicy salmon and their new california roll - I went simple, since we were just drinking for 3 hours! Speaking of drinking, of course, to be in an Asian fusion restaurant, you have to have the Tiki Drinks! I always defer to Mai Tai's. It was glorious, not overpowering and it packs a punch 20 minutes later! I know it gets very busy here in the evenings, we have tried coming here for a night out twice and always had to wait in line to no avail, getting in. Overall, nice visit, Boston excuse of high prices but I would still recommend.
(3)Mariana S.
Went to Red Lantern with a friend last week for dinner and I must say I was disappointed. The restaurant is gorgeous. It has a very modern edge. Ambiance is great. Had a few geisha martinis and they were great. (If you like sweet) We got a few apps and they were good. Sushi wasn't anything special. Would recommend this place to meet some friends for drinks but not so much the food.
(3)Mike M.
Great service and food. I used a TravelZoo deal which was $59 for $115. I had the Surf and Surf and Dragon Fire martini which were excellent. Nice ambiance with moderate noise. It's Located in Downtown Boston a must visit for Asian Fusion.
(4)Alina R.
Beautifully decorated and everything on the menu is prepared with so much flavor and creativity. Loved the shrimp shumai, drunken noodles, and short ribs! Yum
(5)Kimberly V.
Sunday dinner for 2 My gf and I was greeted instantly as we walked in, no reservation, no wait (we got lucky) it was a pretty quite night. Ambience: great atmosphere. It's intimate, cozy, I especially enjoy the decor very much. My gf on the other hand loved their playlist. Service: our waitress and bartender was very knowledgable and attentive, the wait for food wasn't as long as we expected it to be but again it was a pretty quite night. Food & Drinks: Bulgogi Baos- I've had a lot of Baos and this one in particular was one of the best I've had. I love how they toasted the Baos it gives it a nice crunch and prevent it from getting soggy. Must try. Pupu platter- great for sharing, comes with Rangoon, chicken and beef skewer, spring rolls, rock shrimp, and char Sui. I didn't expected much from this plate but the rock shrimp and char Sui defiantly stands out from everything else. If you love shrimp mayo, the rock shrimp is just for you. The char Sui has the perfect texture, melt in your mouth goodness. As for everything else, don't expect too much from the rangoon and spring rolls. Shrimp fried rice- not a fan, it's a typical fried rice dish. A bit bland for my taste, I wouldn't order this again. Only order if you have a salty dish to pair it with. White Sangria- great drink, not your typical white sangria. I love their take on it. Very balance, must try. Overall review: 4/5 parking is difficult to find (street parking), pretty pricey for what your paying for.
(4)Sooz X.
Dear Red Lantern, I'll break this down for you in good, bad and ugly stars: Good: +1 Star for Service: My bar server was attentive, helpful, polite and gave me a free sample of whatever that huge on fire tiki drink was. Thanks for that. She was also very chitty-chatty despite being busy. She did no wrong. + 1/2 Star for decor: Okay, so the decor was stimulating, dark and sorta lounge rat-ish. Busy place (Tuesday??) but it had a trendy, loud music vibe. I mean, I like clubs, they're cool... +1/2 Star drink strength: Yep, I'm going to go with that was a lot of alcohol. Grass fed mule? Cute, strong...but on to the bad... Bad: -1 Star for drink wtf it was: That was pretty much a moscow mule. I couldn't taste any lemon grass. Too much ginger beer, didn't need the note of lime. Tiki glass was cute but limited redeeming quality. -1 Star for the other bartender: Dude, don't think I didn't see you spinning my to-go box of noodles over while you packaged it. That was awkward to think that I was going to have whipped singapore noodle delight there shortly if you wouldn't stop with your nervous spin-fest while talking to the other server. Speaking of... Ugly: -1 Star for food quality/tastiness: Maybe I just got a bad batch. Maybe this was not their best plate. Maybe the food actually sucks. I ordered the Singapore street noodles and they were bland as a slice of white bread with a glass of milk. Come on, 26$ for an oversized portion of rice noodles with some meat and veggies? Ponzu sauce? Siracha??? Anything? I felt embarrassed taking 3/4 of them back to my hotel. I hate wasting food but the dumpster was in clear view of the patio diners next door. That being said. . .I'm not ungrateful for the food/dining experience but I expected more than bland noodles and an adequate drink for $40. BTW, nice red lanterns. They could be a harbinger of better food elsewhere? Sincerely, Sooz
(2)Chase S.
Interesting dishes with lots of flair but fairly expensive compared to neighboring restaurants with more refinement. Full array of drinks with experiences from awful to awesome. Great service by our waiter but chaotic hostess and seating experience. Drinks: The Tiki drinks were on display during our stay. It was quite an array with some true to form and others a ways off from the originals with awkward tastes. I'd stay away from anything with creme de menthe as their teaspoon must be everyone else's quarter of a cup. That being said, their classic and original drinks were very inventive and well done. Quite the night and day experience. Food: The funnest dishes seem to be a lot of sushi specials. We had quite a few and generally enjoyed their take on the sushi fusion genre. The price per roll made me feel I was in O-Ya, however. Ronin, Spicy Yellowtail, and Rock Roll were highlights for us. The white miso soup was generous and had plenty of umami. The duck buns were no momofuku but quite good with just enough sweet to go with the savory. The tofu buns were very underwhelming and needed some of my duck bun hoisin sauce for my companion and myself to finish them off. The buns themselves were very well done with a near perfect doughy sticky-fluffiness going on. The lo mein was fairly good but a mistake to order, as the appetizers were much larger than expected, especially the buns, and we took most of it home. Dessert was impossible as we'd ordered so much food. Our server was very accommodating and when we couldn't finish one of our Tiki mint-bombs, we replaced it with something of equivalent value without charge. The hostesses were having serious trouble that night, however. They seemed to be scrambling a bit and when we requested a seat with our backs to a wall, we repeated the request twice to their bewilderment, and then found ourselves seated in an open space right next to a large cocktail hour hosting standing room event when there were plenty of seats next to the wall that went unfilled for the hour and a half we were there. The atmosphere is definitely for the fun-loving going out crowd who is adventurous in both drink and food. The dishes are generally well done with some being very good but the price for our time dinner came out to $150 when generally for two people in the area with similar amounts of food and one drink each without dessert would run $100. Return? I think it's a fun place with great decor that I'd probably come back for drinks and a small bite. It could be fun to come with a large group and order a few dishes but I'd also worry the check could get very steep very quick when I'd rather due that at more typical $$$$ labeled restaurants.
(3)Kristen M.
Wow!! This place was incredible and I would recommend it to any sushi lovers even though the menu is not limited only to sushi! They have a great variety of noodles and entrees for anyone not wanting raw. I was there for a bachelorette and it was perfect, the service was great and they even gave us some champagne on the house for our celebration! I would definitely go back!!!
(5)Nicole B.
Red Lantern is that perfect all-occasion spot. Come for drinks, come for food, come with friends, come with colleagues...you really can't go wrong. The space itself is a complete refreshing change from typical Boston venues: it's huge, with high ceilings, plenty of space and a more high-end feel without being pretentious or stuffy. You're never crowded and you can truly enjoy yourself. There's a bar and lounge type area, and several tables with great views of the kitchen and your fellow stylish diners. I personally think it's a great location and venue to go for a bite to eat and a cocktail before heading out in Back Bay or downtown. The food and drinks are all very well crafted and generously served. The cocktails are strong and creative. The food is delicious. I've had the "rock roll" shrimp sushi roll, scallion pancake and yummy dumpling appetizers, as well as sampled the Singapore Street Noodles, which - I kid you not - are served in what appears to be an enormous serving bowl. For $26 it can easily feed a table of four, with leftovers. Not exaggerating here. It was almost comedic - my friend who ordered it was filled to the brim, yet the noodles look like they'd barely been touched when she was done. They were very delicious, but make sure you have a way to bring home the leftovers. My only pain at Red Lantern was on one occasion of the three I've been - the waiter could have used a lot of help. He took ages to come around and get drink orders, then food orders, then water refills, then finally the check. It look literally 25-30 minutes to flag him down to request the check, and another 15 for him to come get it once we'd submitted out card. He couldn't answer a few menu questions and seemed really disengaged the entire time. I'll chock it up to bad luck, since the first two times I've been were great.
(5)Rachel P.
Red Lantern is a fun night out and a delicious meal! It's pretty pricey but the portions are pretty big. I love the Singapore Street Noodles! The sushi is good too and great dumplings. It's a great menu so it's always hard to decide what to order, and the prices add up fast if you want some apps and an entree. It's a great place for a big group to share some dishes. Service is ok...I've had some inconsistent experiences but overall it's been pretty good. The hostesses can be a little snooty in terms of telling you there's no table available when the restaurant is half empty. It's good to make a reservation for that reason. I also love the scorpion bowls! They're not stingy on the alcohol either, and taste great. I do wish they had outdoor seating here. It's the only restaurant on that block that doesn't.
(4)Jacqueline C.
I have mixed feeling for this restaurant. On the one hand, food was great. Our group of 8 enjoyed every dish. Restaurant design was impressive. On the other hand, service was aokay. It was slow, and I felt that servers are not very knowledgeable about the food/things in general. We ordered too much food, but our waitress never really informed us the amount of food we ordered, nor repeated what we ordered. Furthermore, she even suggested a big size food platter which we eventually had to cancel. We tried to cancel at least like 3 entrees, but couldn't as the chef already started the cooking. Don't order lobster here , you can get it at any Chinese restaurant. Do get the lobster fried rice, sushi, watermelon drink, Peking duck. Won't go wrong with any dish. We arrived at 9 and got out at around 12am. What did we do during the 3 hours?-- ordered food, waiting, ate food, waiting, our cake came, blow candles, waiting, cakes divided, ate cake, bill came without any waiting.
(4)Clare F.
The boy and I passed Red Lantern a few weeks ago, as it was in the last stages of renovation and decoration. "That place looks pretty cool." Fast forward to his birthday. This much-hyped restaurant was reviewed everywhere and featured in Boston's Daily Candy, so he chose it for the group night out. I called Thursday and was able to get reservations for six and five (we were eleven all together). I specifically requested tables next to each other. When we were ready to be seated, the hosts split up, and it became clear that we would not be sat together. I would not have minded so much if the man I spoke with had assured me my request would be possible. So I politely told the manager and he said they would see what they could do. The group waited another half hour (by that time it was almost an hour after our reservation time so it was a good thing the dudes enjoyed the drinks and were able to take over a portion of the bar). I went to the host desk and asked about the table. They said that they had to open the private dining room to accommodate our group and allow for more room that night, so they had needed time to set it up. If we were ready and closed out at the bar, they would be able to seat us within a few minutes. Great. Just TELL me that. Yes, it looked as though we were enjoying ourselves at the bar (and we were), but an update would have been nice. The one sour note of the evening. On to the food and drinks. I had a Singapore sling and then considered how quickly I consumed it and how little it tasted like anything alcoholic. Absolutely delicious, but I wouldn't recommend pounding multiple Slings. I switched to my usual St. Germaine cocktail, which never fails to impress as long as the bartender knows how to make a drink not on the menu. The group of 11 ordered SEVERAL appetizers for the table. Apps are a little small and we had to get a few orders of some things for people who didn't get a taste of something. The lobster rangoon and tempura fried green beans were definitely standouts. The rangoon was HEAVENLY and I seriously considered ordering a plate all for myself for my main dish. The fried green beans came with three different sauces - herb, sweet and spicey. Herb was refreshing. Sweet was what I was most interested in (originally I thought I had to choose, but it came with all three). Spicy was a Siracha infused mayo. It only had a small bit of zing, which was great for me because I have a low tolerance for spice, but if others are looking for additional bite they may want to request hot sauce for the table. Everyone at the table loved their main dishes. Three of us got the fried rice which, after looking at some of the prices on the menu, is the steal of the restaurant. The portions were huuuuuuuuuge and delightful. Rice fried in sesame oil with veggies and your choice of protein (I got scallop.) Between apps and cocktails already in our bellies, no one was able to finish their fried rice. Another person raved about the beef with broccoli, saying that one has come to expect beef in that dish to be tough, but hers was mouthwatering and tender. The waiter was uncomplainingly able to deal with cash and several credit cards. The decor was unbelievable. High ceilings, exposed brick and beams, hardwood floor and paper lanterns (red, obviously) hanging from the ceiling. Bar bathrooms were onesies with larger facilities down stairs. Since this was Red Lantern's first weekend I would love to return in a month or so to see how the place has progressed. Upon returning I will likely sit at the bar if there is room and eat lobster rangoon to my heart's content.
(4)Colleen H.
Ugh, I wanted to give this place 3.5 stars, but It won't let me. Definately more that 3, but a teeny bit shy of 4, but I'l be generous. I really like the atmosphere here. Went here with 3 girlfirend, and the bar was a great spot to mingle. Food--alright--nothing truely amazing, but I'm likely to go back, so maybe it needs a second chance. We had an amazing waiter, very attentive all night, and you know how ladies at dinner can be, 4 hours, lot's of drinks, it can go on and on. But we were more than generous with him. I liked that we didn't feel rushed at all, evne though I know they were busy and had people waiting. Maybe next time I'll just go for the bar, but either way, this place is getting a few more visits from me.
(4)Sara Z.
I would go there again in a heart beat! Loved everything about it...the food, the atmosphere, the waiters! :)
(5)Aga S.
Red Lantern... what can I write about this beautiful, hip, Back Bay restaurant/lounge? I have been to Red Lantern countless times; I have gone there for drinks, appetizers, dinner and birthday parties and I have yet to be disappointed. The ambiance takes your breath away; the high ceilings, beautiful bar, tasteful statues of Buddha and other orient-inspired decorations take you on a journey to the Far East. The music played at Red Lantern does not quite match the oriental theme, still it creates a very vibrant and trendy atmosphere - for a second you may even feel as you just walked into a trendy eatery in New York or Hong Kong. Managers and remaining staff are always very friendly and accommodating. In terms of food and drinks, there are plenty of really great menu items to choose from. From cocktail list I highly recommend you try the Dragon Fire (if you like cocktails with a spicy kick); if you are looking for something more fruity, try the Bamboo Juice, Mai Tai or the Shanghai Street Sangria. If you are looking for a snack, try the Duck Buns or Spicy Lettuce Wraps. If you are looking for something more filling - try the Chilean Sea Bass entree - it's delicious!
(4)Wesley C.
great atmosphere, vibe, and SERVICE. But the food is........ i dont know what it is? the fresh roll and the calamari are some of the worst i ever had. rice noodle and dumplings are just rice noodle and dumplings not thing special. if u are going to charge $18 and $12 for rice noodle and dumplings they better be more than ordinary. wine list is very over priced and the cocktails needs some adjustments. this joint certainly has the prudential to be the tao of vegas, or the buddahkkan of new york. it just needs a lot of polish on it's cuisine.
(3)HC F.
Top Knotch Cocktails- I am surprised people complain about the prices- I think it is reasonable- You get what you pay for. Great food! Great Portions! Awesome date night experiance also attended a private party - the service was great and the cocktails flowed!!!
(4)Alz S.
Although the ambiance here was fun, the service was mediocre and the menu was misleading. I expected that by ordering "Drunken Noodles," I would receive exactly that: those wide flat noodles that are spicy and normally fantastic. Instead, I received thinner noodles that were not spicy at all. As an "Asian fusion" restaurant they should take greater care to not mislead drunken noodle enthusiasts. I will not be returning here.
(1)Chris H.
First of all, this is a very trendy looking restaurant/lounge. For the prices that they charge, I expected a better meal than what we had. My wife and I went here last night for dinner after purchasing a Travelzoo deal for dinner. It was a Monday night after work so obviously the restaurant is empty besides a couple of other tables. We started off with drinks and they were both good. We started off with the chicken wrap, it was ok, nothing to write home about. We also ordered the crunchy roll, spicy tuna roll and the rock shrimp roll for sushi and an order of the bulgogi. Lets start off with the sushi. The spicy tuna roll has to be the worse spicy tuna roll I have ever eaten and I've been to cheap sushi restaurants that was better than this. The crunchy roll however was delicious. The fatty salmon was smooth and buttery. The rock shrimp roll was mediocre. So now onto the bulgogi if you can even call it bulgogi. Instead of thinly sliced beef, we received slabs and chunks of beef. The coloring on the beef looked suspect so we didn't bother eating it. Parts of it were gray and purplish and it looked like it was cooked from old beef that sat out. The waiter stopped by after we were done eating and noticed that the "bulgogi" was untouched and we told him that it didn't look right. Since this was a Travelzoo deal he wasn't unable to take it off the bill but offered us desert which we declined. For a restaurant that wants to charge hefty prices for entrees, they should at least serve some edible food. Oh yeah, I totally forgot to mention that the kimchee that came with the bulgogi was the worst kimchee ever. It was dry and had no flavor at all. No brininess or spiciness at all. How can you mess up kimchee? I don't think I'll ever go back to Red Lantern or Empire for food. If I ever go back, I would only go there for drinks and that is highly unlikely as well. I left disappointed, I could have spent that $100 elsewhere and enjoy a better meal.
(2)Whiterock R.
good service and great food. Considering we were with a toddler on a friday night. Little bit too dark. Hard to see the food. Reason we went there was because it was raining and we quickly had to get in somewhere.
(3)Patricia B.
Loved the decor. For all the wait staff running around service was a bit slow. Delish food! Only order the lettuce wrap app if you like spicy food
(4)Matthew T.
Over priced and the food is not very good. This was the first restaurant we ate at after moving to Boston and we were very excited to go there because the reviews we read seemed mostly positive and our friends who took us there raved. The menu is creative, but that isn't enough if the food isn't delicious. We each got an appi and a main and my wife and I just were not impressed with the flavors. It seems like they are trying too hard to make dishes that are complex Chinese fusion in style and are instead creating confused plates that miss the mark. I love Chinese food and I love gourmet food but this place does not mesh the two cuisines/styles. Unfortunately, the bottom line is that Red Lantern does not live up to its hype. If I'm gonna spend 100+ per person on dinner, I expect more from a restaurant. On a positive point, the service was very good and the restaurant is nicely decorated.
(2)Tanya C.
Awesome! Very friendly staff. Amazing food and cocktails. We went in with out a reservation and they totally went above and beyond to accomodate us. The decor is Fab! We will def be back again and again! .
(5)Nuala G.
UPDATE TO THE BELOW REVIEW: My friend contacted the manager regarding the extra tip and he was super nice. Apologized profusely and said that the wait staff are supposed to let customers know when the tip is already included in the bill. She was credited back the extra $80 to her card. For this I have moved my rating to 4 stars! I came here for dinner with a few co-workers. We had made the reservation for 10 people at 5:45pm. We arrived a little late (around 5:55pm), and only had a party of 7 (not 10). In any case the place was dead. The hostess told us to maybe get a drink at the bar as she would have to re-set the table (it took them forever). They were putting us in the corner of the restaurant away from everything else when a friend stepped up and asked if we could sit in the main area of the restaurant (as the decor is so nice). They gave us a huge round table that was way too big for us. In any case we stuck with it. They have a good selection of drinks. I drink beer but my friends had cocktails. A few ordered the scorpion bowl which is for 4 people. They said it was a little too sweet. For apps we ordered egg rolls, lettuce wraps, and lobster rangoons (all were delish). I found they didn't have a good variety for entree's. They had plenty of sushi to order but expensive. I ended up getting the scallop fried rice which was really good (but pretty much a big bowl of carbs). There wasn't much else on the menu that appealed to me. Now this is why I only gave 3 stars. The bill came and it was $350. One girl in our party put it on her credit card. Now I understand when there are groups of 8 or more they automatically add 20% tip. We only had 5 people for dinner (as the other 2 only stayed for a drink then left). My friend added an extra $80 on the tab (not noticing 20% was already on the bill). The waiter didn't say a thing. She only realized this after she had left the restaurant. I told her to call the manager and ask to have the $80 put back on her card. Not sure if she has or not. I was very turned off by this. I think this is a dishonest waiter!! PS. In the past at other restaurants I have made the same mistake and the waitress was so quick to tell me it was already covered.
(4)Mils K.
love the decor and ambience. we weren't' planning to eat there, but rather just start off with drinks then head elsewhere. well, ended up eating here and found it pretty good. the $7 plates on Mondays are a good deal. there signature cocktails are tasty. we had one with siracha. it paired well with the fried rice. wine list just ok sushi was fresh. i think this place is idea for groups. loved the dim lighting, loungey feel with an asian theme.
(3)Glutenfree G.
Great place for drinks and dancing. Not the usual college crowd. Mostly 24+ and professionals.
(4)Jeremy B.
Everything was amazing! Great service!
(5)Aga K.
Soooo my company had a Xmas party there recently and I finally had an opportunity to try maaaaany exciting appetizers and sushi. First I need to mention that service was more than pleasant, very attentive and courteous ! Appetizers kept coming in many forms shapes and flavours...here I have to give A+ to a duck app which was given out in Asian spoons and was a hit on that cold December night. Crab Rangoon was fresh crunchy and very fresh! Finally originally served sushi ... Well my limit is usually 8 rolls but I think I set the new record these evening and had about 12!!!! No regrets tho!
(4)Annie L.
I took my parents here the day after Thanksgiving to take a break from turkey. The room is stylish and impressive, with a sleek design and fashionable staff. We started off with the lobster rangoon and lettuce wraps. The lobster rangoon were great(but I am an admitted rangoon freak...I will always order them if they're an option on the menu), but pricey for little discernible lobster. The lettuce wraps were tasty and plentiful for an app. My father and I both got the surf and turf, which is an 8 oz filet and lobster tail. Very tasty and cooked medium rare as requested. My boyfriend got the bacon-wrapped filet which came out much more medium rare than the requested medium well, but he didn't want to send it back. The lobster mashed potatoes were very tasty. My mom got the hoisin sliced chicken, which was a huge portion, and she found it delicious (after admitting she only really ever gets sweet and sour chicken). We didn't try the sushi at all, but it seemed interesting. It was a fun scene, and I would likely return. We didn't try the scorpion bowls we saw going by, but we were happy with the bottle of wine we had.
(4)David G.
I have to agree with most people on this site.....its quite a spectacle. Food is amazing, if the service is slightly sub par, but that is to be expected at any new "scene" venue. Pricy, but this is again expected. Reservations are difficult, so call ahead. In general, Id definately go again.
(4)Lala L.
Great ambiance. Great food. Awesome strong drinks. I'll definitely be back.
(4)Lauren M.
I'd say this is the best restaurant in Boston! Walking in, you feel more like you're in Vegas, New York, or some place in Asia. The high ceilings, huge Buddah statues, and abundant red lanterns create a sexy, swanky vibe. The music is kind of trancey, or a deeper house music. The crowd is one of the best looking in the city, whether you're dining with large groups or chilling at the bar. The food is absolutely exceptional; my boyfriend is a commercial fisherman and he says this is some of the best fish he's tasted. Whether you're going for drinks (try the drink that they light on fire), appetizers (the sushi, once again, is top-knotch), or just looking for a spin on your traditional asian cuisine, you won't be disappointed here. I've been several times, and have never been disappointed. For as good as the food, drinks, and overall atmosphere of this place provide, you'll be pleasantly surprised when you see your bill. I would have paid even more; it is just that good! Make reservations well in advance to ensure seating.
(5)Sharon B.
I love this place. The decor is great and I dig the atmosphere for a chill dinner/drinks place. We started off at the bar for drinks and I had a great Geisha martini. We had a reservation and our friends were a little late but they still sat us as soon as they got in. The group of us tried a handful of different apps - the green bean tempura is delicious with 3 dipping sauces, the rock bottom shrimp basically a bang bang shrimp dish is AMAZING, I would come here just to get that. We also tried the lobster rangoon which was also delicious. Sushi was really good. For entrees the table got some rice and noodle dishes which were ok - apps/sushi/drinks seemed to be a lot better though. I'll be back!
(5)Zyna P.
I came here last night for my sister's birthday. We bought plenty of drinks & sushi. Our bartendress did an awesome job by serving us until closing. The sushi cost more than I usually pay but overall it was delicious. I figured a night out in BOSTON with a 5 STAR atmosphere made the prices reasonable. Niemitz Design Group Inc did an excellent job on designing the place. I hope the owner can expand this location by adding a dance floor because there were times that we wanted more room to dance to the music so badly. Definitely would love to come back for drinks.
(4)Cindy K.
Red Lantern has potential. The decor and atmosphere are fun and up tempo, definitely a bit of a buzz in the air. Service was excellent, timely but not intrusive. Only problem is the food is really not very good and it is very expensive -- a poor combination. I have been there twice now and I really want to like the place because it is fun, but the food is really substandard. Had the lobster ran goons on both visits and they are good, though you only get 4 for $14. Also tried the lettuce cups. They are hard to eat since everyone needs to make their own. Lettuce was all torn to shred before anyone could effectively make a cup out of it and everyone has handling the food extensively. Not ideal. The pork mixture was tasty but very soupy. Boneless spareribs came highly recommended by our server and were incredibly overlook and had zero flavor -- dry as a bone. The sushi was ok at best. One in our group had two basic rolls (spicy tuna with cucumber) and they were small but otherwise fine. I had the "pressed sushi" with smoked salmon and mango. This was terrible. It is a very dense square block consisting almost entirely of rice with a single piece of smoked salmon in the idle. MIT had some chopped mango on top. I could not eat it at all, completely flavorless and definitely not worth the money. This place could be terrific -- they have it all going for them. Interesting menu, great decor, focus on good service. They just need to improve the quality of the food. If they do, I will gladly be back!
(2)Shaye S.
the food in here is authentic and delicious! although our party have figured out it is actually more alike a lounge than a typical restaurant. the waiter in our table was extremely helpful and we enjoyed the meal here even though is was pricey. Definitely go with friends, the light here is dim and the atmosphere is very chill.
(4)Vanna V.
My boyfriend and I went to Red Lantern for date night. The atmosphere was really cool, the Asian food was fantastic the staff was friendly and enjoyable. Highly recommended!
(5)David I.
This is one of the best asian fusion restaurants I have ever eaten at. The service was great and the food was even better. The crunchy roll and lobster rangoon are must-trys. The trendy atmosphere and chic decor makes this restaurant one of Boston's best. I would highly recommend coming here for dinner or even just for a drink at the bar.
(5)Cristina L.
I've been to Red Lantern twice so far in the last month and expect I will be returning soon. I had drinks at the bar with friends one night and dinner with my husband on another. It has a really trendy atmosphere with a good mix of people. Overall good feeling when entering with very helpful hostesses. I did not expect such a good crowd being that it is hidden so well but the bar side was comfortably filled with people. It was easy to get drinks and they were actually good. Dinner was exceptional. We had the Wood Fired Skewers and an assortment of rolls for an appetizer, both very good. I had the Lo Mein and my husband has the Mongolian Steak. Mine was excellent, but my husbands was a little under cooked. He wanted medium rare but it came out a little rare. Not a huge deal considering he loved it. Either way, I would definitely recommend this place no matter what the occasion.
(4)Christine P.
I'm a total fan of Red Lantern. I went here with 3 girlfriends for my birthday and loved it. We sat in the lounge area and had drinks before sitting for dinner. Unfortunately the only reservation they had was for 5:30pm. When we sat, the hostess sat us up on the other level which was a little less appealing than the main floor. I am not usually picky and hate to complain but I did ask to be moved to a different table, it just seemed "more fun" on the main floor where the kitchen was. They couldn't accommodate that but it didn't deter the evening. Our waitress let us know the portions were big and shareable but we were hungry and ordered 2 apps, 2 plates of sushi and we all got a noodle dish. I got the Singapore Street which was $25 (maybe a bit pricey for noodles) but delicious and totally could have been split. They weren't what I expected which was the wide flat noodles, but instead more spaghetti like. But delish. The sushi was awesome. I could have just eaten that, it was really good. For dessert we got the Japanese donuts which are like bignese (not sure how to spell that) and AWESOME! The dipping sauce was fantastic, they were sooo good. I would definitely go back there, it seemed like a good place. Oh and I had friends in town and was trying to think of a great place to go and everyone loved the ambiance. For all the food and drinks and dessert it ended up being about $60 per person which I thought was completely reasonable for Boston.
(4)Noemi G.
We had the lobster rangoons which were ok, nothing to brag about. The calamari was exquisite! Nice and crunchy and it it had this super tasty glaze on top that gave it just the right kick of spicy. For entrees we had the lobster rolls which were amazing! No need to dip in soy sauce as the glaze on top of the roll was delicious. My husband had the steak lo mein which he loved! I had a bite and agreed, the steak was well cooked and tasty. I ordered edamame but they never brought it, so the service could have been much more faster and efficient. We actually had two waiters for some reason but they would disappear for a really long time. For desert, the creme brûlée trio- very good! Since we were there for so long we missed our movie show time so we decided to hang out at the bar and watch game 5 celtics vs heat. I ordered a martini called Geysha and oh man it was delicious! The atmosphere was great and it was a great overall experience. Only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because of the slow waiters.
(4)Marnie S.
I found my new favorite spot. RED LANTERN. I was there for the first night the kitchen and staff were serving guests. The room is amazing. As I walked through the large tall wood doors, the tall ceilings, and Asian decor caught my eye. There is seating both at the bar as well as at small tables with comfortable wrapped couches. The appetizers and martinis were delicious. I had the Sumo Express and loved it. The sushi, lettuce wraps, and lobster rangoons were amazing. A great room with the open kitchen in the center with a wok stations. You can see the entire room from almost every seat in the restaurant. The staff were all very warm and attentive. I can't wait to go back and karaoke downstairs...
(5)Floranne P.
Went on a Tuesday night, 9:30 with a Gilt City Coupon. Lot's of people there for a late week night and very cool music playing in the back ground. Atmosphere reminded me of Tao at the Venetian in Vegas - very chic. We ordered the Singapore Street Noodles for $22 which came in a giant bowl and the 3 of us could barely finish what was the most fragrant but at the same time delicate noodles ever! Next came the sushi: the Crunchy Roll from salmon and crab with some crispy panko. It was so great, my friend went back the next night. We ended up not using the coupon so we could expense it and come back soon. Really memorable and fabulous place!
(5)Kate H.
I had a really fun dinner here a couple of weeks ago with two friends. Our server was a little goofy but really helpful & attentive, and the menu was really creative & different. The drinks were awesome, the food was good - not the best sushi that I've had but really good - and the place just has a fun, energetic vibe. I will totally go back.
(4)Michael S.
Went last night for first time and was very impressed with the space. They did a very nice job on the buildout. Was a little taken aback when they said there was no coat check this evening, it had dropped into the 30s and I was not sure why they would not just have it open. Regardless, we were seated at a great 4 top by the front windows and had a great view of dining room. We ordered a round of cocktails and began to look through menu. Drinks came and was a bit disappointed. No olives in the martini, no lime in the gimlet and no cherry in the Manhattan, also the straight up Manhattan was warm. Food came and it was delicious. We shared as a table and had the lobster Rangoon, rock shrimp, lettuce wraps, drunken noodles, chicken lo mein and a lobster roll. Someone at our table got a tuna and seaweed salad special as well. All was very good, but the service was nothing great. Or waitress was very nice and attentive, but the food runners and busses were not on same page, we had to ask for a couple of things we ordered a couple of times and as mentioned earlier, the bar tenders are not the best. For dessert the table had a pineapple bread pudding that was very good, crime brûlée trio that was average and a special chocolate bread pudding that was not good at all. Overall I am excited to go back. I would like to go to sushi bar and try more of their sushi, and I would not mind trying more of the dim sum, maybe for Sunday brunch.
(4)Cami F.
Red lantern offers an interesting mix of sushi and other Asian foods. The food always tastes great, and its always a challenge to decide what to order. They offer large portions which make up for the cost, and and have very good service. They have become a very popular spot, so need to make reservations way in advance for groups over 4 people. They also have a bar scene, although I would not recommend it to someone in their 20's. There isnt a good mingling/ chatting space, and is often filled with men my dad's age... who will still try to get your number.
(3)Jeff M.
Keeping up with the notion that Boston is behind with trends, the city finally got an uber trendy Asian fusion restaurant years after cities like Philadelphia and NYC did; ie Buddakan or Tao. As you can imagine the space is beautiful. The food on the other hand was pretty average. No stand outs, but nothing terrible. This is not a top dining destination for me but if I was in the area I would only hesitate slightly to go back. Red Lantern is more the type of place to bring a friend from out of town who is more into the scene than the food itself.
(3)Tracy T.
For being one of those new, trendy, sushi YEAH! places, it was actually pretty good. Pretty DAMN good. Again, I had a groupon (crafty lil' buggers, eh?). Ended up spending more cause, well, you save so much with the groupon, so why not order a bottle of $50 sake! or two. Anyways. The food was stellar, the service was just as good. Our waiter had an extremely extensive knowledge of sake which I proceeded to apologetically tune out and think about dragons. We ordered our usual 5 rolls and they were so decadent and pleasing to the mouth buds I had to stop. And drink more sake, then eat more. The rolls were so carefully made and the mixture of different fish and sauces were so expertly crafted, you wouldn't really expect it at such a trendy place such as this. I would definitely recommend coming here for a group sushi night, if that exists outside of LA.
(4)Melody V.
Terrible manager and horrific service. Don't come here. I had a safety related incident at this location and no one ever resolved the issue. Also the wait was over two hours...
(1)Ben W.
I have now been to Red Lantern 3 times, and to sum it up the atmosphere is better than the food. If you really want some good asian fusion type food go somewhere else, but if you want a swanky cool ambiance and impressive date spot then head to red lantern. Sure the food was good enough, the appetizers seem to be more favorable than the entrees personally, but I wasnt that blown away by the food. Cocktails, appetizers, and a cool interior decor are the reasons to come here
(3)Jenn C.
Meh pretty much covers it for me. Went with a fun group of ladies, not much on the menu that isn't fishy or nutty so not many options for me. The decor is fun but noise levels that will burst your ear drums.
(2)M C.
Came here with my friends for what was suppose to be a fun reunion I'll admit the atmosphere was really nice and trendy. And the bubble tea was delicious. The appetizer I ended up getting was good as well (lobster rangoon) the part that really ruined my visit was the inconsidered manager and their chef's lack of ability to cook a medium steak I ordered the mongolian streak to be done in medium. The first time it came out, it was cooked well done. I returned it and the 2nd steak was on the medium well side (if not well done). At this point, everyone at my table was half way through their dinners and I was losing my appetite because I was eating off of my friend's plates. The manager comes out and says that the steak was done right the 2nd time around and that I probably couldn't see the steak well because of the dimly lit atmosphere. First off, I went to Flemings the night before and their atmosphere was as dim or even more dim than Red Lantern - And they cooked their steak just fine. Anyways, after the rude manager...I ordered a small appetizer (duck buns) bc I was pretty annoyed at that point. The restaurant did not comp me for my appetizer or anything. The server was really nice and apologetic throughout the entire meal, but the managerial staff could def use some PR courses. Very disappointed in their service. Was satisfied with all their other dishes except the Mongolian Steak.
(1)Cat S.
Red Lantern ...the elusive Saturday night reservation. Why are you always booked until 11pm? Why do I even want to go back, knowing that I didn't love the food the first time? The real draw for me here is the ambiance - I'm a big fan of Shrine (same owners) to begin with and Red Lantern has good music, chic Asian-inspired decor, and a really sophisticated, trendy atmosphere. We need more places in Boston like this! The food - It wasn't bad...but it wasn't great either. And for the price, and the atmosphere, it could and should be a lot better. Step it up, Red Lantern! My friends got the more Chinese-inspired dishes and I stuck to sushi. It just wasn't memorable. The drinks were good, the service was friendly and prompt, and it looked like there was a really fun bar scene. I'll definitely be back - but probably just for drinks.
(3)Big S.
Good place overall. For an asian fusion restaurant they do have some clubby music. But the food and service was great. Our waiter was awesome, made some nice recommendations and was really nice. the portions are pretty big, even for big eaters which is always a plus at an expensive restaurant. We have the rice tuna roll which was awesome, the GF drunken noodles which were very very good and the lobster/bacon fried rice. Will be going back, especially with the living social deals. If they got rid of the music, its an easy 5 stars.
(4)Mindy R.
Came here with a friend of mine for dinner. After recommendations we made reservations which seemed kind of pointless because there was a wait anyway. The place looked pretty empty, yet we still had to wait about 25 minutes for a reservations. While waiting we were able to have over priced sugary cocktails at the bar. Once we were sat we thought things would get better, but the server was very hit or miss every time she visited the table. Sometimes she'd be right in and helpful, the next time she was aloof and forgetful. As said before, I have some major allergies (fruits and shellfish) and she had no idea what I was able to eat or not on the menu. I ended up with beef and chicken skewers and lo mien. We had one drink at the bar, one at the table and the reason for this wasn't how strong/not strong they were but rather the fact that it just took sooooo long to get them. The food was decent. It tasted less greasy than usual lo mien, and the portions were definitely large. Too bad my friend and I couldn't share because we didn't know the ingredients in her food. Probably wouldn't go back here, but worth going once just to check out yourself.
(2)Erin W.
At least an hour wait for a table on Saturday evenings, call ahead/reserve or be prepared to hang out at the bar for awhile.
(3)Aboud Y.
Have to say..the food is excellent, the drinks are good, and its a fun atmosphere (gorgeous space). I'd definitely go back. I tried truffled toro, tempura-style smelt, duck buns, and a spicy tuna roll which were all great. The lobster rangoons not so much.
(4)Paul C.
This was a great place with a really cool atmosphere. They actually did a good job of giving a Chinese feel (with regards to the decor) in a trendy atmosphere. Also, music was the right volume - which is key. Table service was slow, but their attention to detail was very good. Everything was good: dirty martini, hot & sour soup, shrimp, and sushi.
(4)Bonnie L.
Made reservations here for 6PM on a Friday night after buying a LivingSocial deal ($30 for $60). The atmosphere the restaurant was an attempt to be kind of artsy. They use statues of Chinese Gods/Angels as decorations around the wall. I was kind of on the edge with that. It was like displaying Hercules and Zeus as decorations to me. In the middle of the ceiling they did have multiple red lanterns which did look nice. The natural light that came in when it was still bright made the place look very nice. Enough about decorations. Food time! I ordered the famous Duck Buns as everyone mentioned and it was good, but i say way overpriced(2 pieces for $10!). I've tried this before at another place & was taken back how they have jalapeño & pickles in it at Red Lantern. It's not a bad mix but it was very interesting with the spicy Jalapeño, sour pickle, and sweet hoi san sauce on the duck. For Entree, I ordered the Rib Eye Bulgogi & my companion ordered the Surf n Turf. The bulgogi wasn't what i expected it to be at all (since i always order it at Korean restaurants). It was cooked in what seemed like BBQ sauce. It came with a little cup of KimChee and rice. When my food arrived, it was not steamy hot, just warm. It kinda gave me the impression of it being precooked already. My entree came before my companion and we waited for his. After about a few minutes the Surf n Turf still hasn't arrived yet. And about 5 minutes later, the server came and said he thought we were sharing both so he js brought the food as they were ready. So we waited about 5 more minutes & it still hasn't arrived so we asked someone to check on it. It was then the manager came with a plate of fried shu mai saying there was a mis-communication of how the food was served and people do family style so servers served as food are ready. After an additional 2-4 minutes the second entree finally came & it was steaming hot. The surf n turf came with a steak & a lobster tail. I definitely recommend this entree! The steak was so juicy and the lobster was cooked and flavored well! Overall i was satisfied with the duck bun & loved the surf n turf. My entree, not too crazy about( mostly because it wasnt served when it was hot & the meat was a bit burnt). It is pretty pricy here but if you get a deal( like livingSocial!), then I'd say give it a go! I would probably return here to dine in the future if there was some sort of deal.
(3)Aaron M.
The number one place I take friends when they visit Boston. Its my favorite place. Great food and service.
(5)Tricia P.
The only reason why Red Lantern receives an additional star is due to the decor. It's beautiful and relaxing.... until you start eating the food. I mean, the decor can only take you so far, right? I ate here when they first opened and the food was horrific. How badly can you screw up noodles?! This is what I had to ask our server. I decided to give them another chance, however, this time, just got take out. I had two orders for brown rice, amongst other things, and I should've known what was coming after opening and tasting the brown rice. The brown rice was mushy and disgusting-- I can't believe they had the nerve to sell it for $3 each. Their cocktails are also too sweet.
(2)Ryan B.
I've been to Red Lantern twice now. The first time was with a group of friends for drinks, and then I returned last night for dinner. When my friends and I went late-night (around 10PM) we were informed there was a required food spending minimum for each person in the party (and we weren't hungry) so we were forced to squeeze in near the bar. I returned last night with a date for dinner. The food was very good - the rock shrimp appetizer was amazing, and the sauce that comes with the edamame was a nice touch. We ordered some sushi and fried rice to share - the fried rice was delicious, not too greasy but had lots of meat and just tasted amazing. The lobster specialty role was also great (it better be given its $25 price tag) and the other two roles were about average. I was unimpressed with the drinks. The waitress recommended a couple, which we tried, and I ventured onto the drink menu myself to try a specialty martini. The drinks were definitely tolerable, but not memorable. Service was slow, overall. We found ourselves waiting for drink refills on occasion. The worst part of the night was when the waitress came to clean up our table, picked up my soy sauce, and spilled it all over my new dress shirt - like ALL OVER me. I remained patient, but was disappointed that the restaurant did nothing to compensate me for that (would have been nice to see something comped, get a free dessert, etc). Bill for two was $170, which included two drinks each and the food already listed. Pros- food, decor Cons - drinks, service, pricey
(3)Coco K.
If you ever want to be transported out of Boston into a swanky, sexy, stylish place then Red Lantern is your ticket. I don't know what it is, must be the awesome ginormous buddha, glowing-red lighting, and the scantily clad waitresses that takes you out of that usual Boston vibe, but Red Lantern pulled it off, and their drinks and food are quite delicious as well. The first time I came here I just had cocktails. I went with a great grapefruit martini along with a monster scorpion bowl for the table. Both were delis without being overly sweet. Although the next day's hangover was not so fun. From what I've tried of the food I was very impressed. Their pork dumplings are delish as well as their various sushi rolls. However the highlight of my dining experience here was their "dim sum" brunch on Sundays. It's not the normal style of dim sum (you actually order from the menu), but everything we tried was outstanding. The scallion pancakes were my favorite! To wash it all down I had an excellent, perfectly spicy Wasabi Bloody Mary. I highly suggest checking out their not-so-dim-sum dim sum brunch!
(4)Mark W.
We were a party of 10 on a Saturday night with reservation, which are a must because this place on the weekends can get really busy. The lounge area was super busy. The food came out really fast and was good to really good. The large scorpion bowl was just ok it was a really weak drink. The service was excellent and the decor is great. They have valet parking. Enjoy!
(4)stephanie c.
Red Lantern...walk in and have your breath taken away by the ambiance. I am all about the ambiance-and with this...they hit it right on the spot. Gorgeous decor, not cheesy, very well done, detailed, with an intimate exotic and sophisticated flair. So un-Boston like...I almost thought I was in California, New York...or even Vegas. Very well done and cheers for moving in the right direction for Boston's nightlife. Very new trendy spot, so on a weeknight...lots of young professionals out for after-work dinner and drinks. Weekend nights...slammed. Completely packed with a great mature and classy crowd. Delicious drinks, tasty menu. Bartenders were very attentive. However, my dining experience with the servers were a tad lacking. Asking for recommendations on the menu or clarifications of specific key ingredients led to lost confused looks and nervous smiles. Hmm, might need to work on that a bit. Food was for the most part very tasty. Being asian however, I'm never eager to spend a significant amount on asian cuisine. It is a pricey money, tasty...but pricey. I hope the crowd and trend continues...we need to move in a more modern sophisticated and different direction for our nightlife. Myself? I'm more likely to stop by or a drink and some appetizers than a full on expensive Asian dinner course.
(4)Mark F.
I really like the space. Very cool. Food was decent...not amazing, but definitely different in a good way. They had some very unique sushi options and the ingredients were fresh and of high quality. Lettuce wraps were a little messy, but tasted good. Pork dumplings were good, but served a little cold. Tuna Tartare was fantastic. Fiance got the surf and turf...Filet and lobster tail. Steak was good...lobster tail was overcooked and was a little fishy tasting. I ordered various Maki Rolls all of which were decent. So while we did enjoy most everything, we didn't walk away wow'd. That being said I'll probably go again and try some other dishes and update my review. A little on the pricey side for what it was, seating (at least where we were) was a little cramped. Don't go near an open flame while drinking one of their Mai Tai's ;).
(3)Edward D.
The food was great. Cocktails were as to be expected at such a restaurant...watered down, uninspired, and an "asian" twist of some pretty standard drinks. Manager comped us after our food came out late, which was very nice of him. Overall, the food was great but overpriced and trying to hard to be trendy and not focusing on the quality of the meal itself. Definitely a fun place to take a group if you just want a few apps and are interested in sharing a "fish bowl". Worth a visit.
(3)Suzanne I.
Had my third dinner this summer here and enjoyed every visit . Last week I brought a group of friends in town from Italy and they loved it too. The food was delicious and I love the decor.
(5)Chris F.
Red Lantern is a good looking place and has a nice vibe but pretty much utterly fails in every other category. I had a reservation for 12 people made a week in advance for my girlfriend's birthday. Talked to the hostess the day of to confirm the reservation and make sure everything was good to go for her big day. When we arrived they literally tried to seat us at one of the bar lounge areas that could only seat 6 people, at best. WTF. I had just spoken to them not 6 hours prior. Complete amateur bush league type stuff. Needless to say the night was less than spectacular for all parties involved, we had to take turns sitting to eat and everyone standing was pretty much in the way of the food runners. We still had a great night with friends but that was in spite of Red Lantern, not because of it. The Manager was apologetic enough and threw us a couple appetizers but for the most part she acted like she didn't care about our situation. I would never recommend to anyone to have a large group event there, save your money and go someplace better. Drinks were tasty, food is on par with PF Changs.
(2)Jenna K.
This place is seriously awesome I don't get the reviews. Not only that but every time I go it's literally an hour wait and the place is massive. Yes it can be noisy but honestly what restaurant that big isn't? The atmosphere is really cool with different rooms and themes. The food is fresh and fantastic. The rangoon is my jam. I would eat here everyday if I could I love it that much!
(5)Craig S.
Last time I was here it sucked prob because I was staying away from their fun cocktails. This was worse then PF Changs. The Chicken dish was dry and boring the wontons were bland and uninspired. I could make better Chinese and I have no idea how to cook it. The scene still was pretty cool and I do love the waitresses bodice outfits. However, when you are sober this place looses a lot of its appeal.
(2)Lulu A.
What a scene. The food is pretty good, although if you like sushi walk another block to Douzo. The Scorpion Bowl is rather gross and sugary, however the wine selection is decent and I have not had a bad dirty martini here! The group that goes is the old Towne crew of 2010 (where I used to work) so I spend less time here, but the strip of bars that Stanhope is collecting is actually a fun time... so I'm sure I'll be back...
(3)Beth H.
Ummm everything was oh so bland!! I have to admit that the atmosphere, decor and overall ambiance was nice. However, for the price and the food I was getting I would rather go to pf changs or chinatown. lettuce wrap had no flavor and a giant glop of hoisen sauce right from the bottle as dipping sauce. hot and sour soup was hot but was not sour at all. It was a waste of $150 for a dinner that lasted 2hrs and I left so unsatisfied I will not come back.
(1)H. Q.
I really wanted to like this place because I was captivated by how beautiful the decor was... with all the lanterns and Buddha statues, it made this Asian girl feel right at home. lol We went there a few days ago, for two of my best friends' birthday; we had about 16 - 18 people with us... possibly the largest table in the restaurant. I got there with one of the birthday friends and our boyfriends a little later than the rest of our friends, so they had ordered drinks and some appetizers before we got there. When we sat down, a couple of orders of the duck buns came right away. We're not sure who ordered them, but I would say that was the only thing we liked eating. Very sad about that.... =( The duck buns had very tender meat and the bun itself was very soft. However, I would say, they are a little overpriced. AT LEAST no one ordered the Char Sui Pork ribs for $12. I guess since I'm Asian, I know how little it cost to make that, and the quality of meat of Char Sui is what we Asians eat when we're broke! I mean, we ordered few sushi rolls too. Not sure what rolls my friend ordered, but I order the lobster roll, the squid roll and the Seattle roll. I was hoping at least the sushi would have been decent/good, but it was pretty disappointing. The rice was lacking in vinegar flavor, and it was super hard! At least the rolls did not fall apart when we picked them up, but damn, nothing sucks more about sushi if the rice is hard. It was definitely undercooked rice. I mean, the lobster in the lobster roll wasn't bad, and it was real lobster (the tail was there). The squid roll was bland, and the seattle roll was not memorable. The drinks were pretty good at the place. We had 3 scorpion bowls, martinis, shots of sake, and beers. I enjoyed the Yang scorpion bowl very much, and also the 88 martini and the blueberry yuzu drop. The service was good, our waitress did not seem overwhelmed by our large group. We spent a little over $1,000 there, and no one raved about the food. I would say go there for the atmosphere = GREAT! Service = Attentive! Food = Ehhhh.... Overall, I would say I'll go back for drinks and the duck buns. I don't think I will ever pay more than 10 bucks for a plate of fried rice or noodles since it cost less than $5 to make.
(2)Max L.
Had been looking forward to coming here after a co-worker had given it the thumbs up, now I know why. The place looks Great! You will love the vibe and way it is decorated, and Danielle our server was Fantastic. Started with the Fried beans (green beans, with three dipping options), and Pork Gyoza's, they were great, DEFINITELY try the beans, you will be hooked (thank you Ms. Italia :). Mother in Law got the surf and turf, My Lady got the Broken Lobster, and myself the Mongolian Steak. The Ladies loved their dishes, Mom had to help with the broken lobster because the wife was overwhelmed, they enjoyed them very much, and finished them off. My steak was good, but also the reason why the Red Lantern only gets 4 stars from me. We live in a society where some of us come up shorter than others, in this case, I have an allergy to shellfish, I had to swap the sweet potato fries for jasmine rice because they are made in the same utensil that they cook some of the seafood... Really!! I am not that much of a pain, so swapping for the rice was no big deal, but darn it... Hate to see if I had a gluten allergy... Moving on, the Yang scorpion bowl was very nice. Later the Ladies had a Cosmo, and Red Lotus, and were pleased. Finished off with the Creme Brulee, and I had the Bananas' (sorry, I forgot the name), and were very happy. So head on down to the Red Lantern and enjoy, you won't be disappointed (well, maybe slightly). But we will definitely be heading back.
(4)Stephanie D.
Oh my god. My friend went here for drinks, my boyfriend said he heard about it. We went for dinner. We showed up without a reservation and were told that they didn't have ANYTHING available until 9 pm. It was 8:40. We were somewhat confused by why a 20 minute wait was such an issue. They invited us to sit in the lounge for drinks while we waited for our table. The drinks were decent, nothing spectacular. The cocktail waitress seemed to really want us to order dinner at the tiny little cocktail table. Someone came over to us and said "So you're having dinner here, right?" Both of us were immediately defensive after telling 3 people we were only having drinks while we waited for a table. After we said no, she lead us to the table. The worst had yet to come once we sat down for dinner. My boyfriend and I decided we'd try a sushi roll as an appetizer. We ordered the geisha nights sushi. We've had sushi at a bunch of Japanese restaurants from picking it up at Whole Foods. This was worse than something you would pick up in a food store. The rice was so thick! There was barely any fish. The pink wrap tasted so bitter, like near inedible. There seemed to be a strange type of fruit or something in there too. Totally disgusting. Immediately my boyfriend and I knew we were going to have a disappointing dinner. The sake was decent. I ordered Singapore Street Noodles and my boyfriend had beef with broccoli and asparagus. Both of our meals were so damn salty, both of us were chugging water. I don't know if it was a strategy to encourage people to drink more, but it made me so sick! The shrimp in my meal was 100% frozen. The most interesting point made by my boyfriend was that his entree was beef with broccolini... much cheaper than asparagus. So trashy of you, Red Lantern! Overall, I would NEVER give that place another dime. The waiter was nice, but he still wasn't great. Nothing to convince me that this could be a cocktail-only location. The girls at the front were rude. The food sucked. The drinks were mediocre. I think people that love this place are fooled by the decor, the novelty of being in a trendy Japanese restaurant, and it's newness. If you're the type of person that doesn't care about throwing down a good amount of cash for an overpriced, MSG loaded meal and because it's a new spot in Boston, this is your place. I don't think it will last, unless people who don't appreciate good Japanese food continue returning because they're getting loaded off their drinks. Whatever Red Lantern. Over you.
(1)Tara T.
Came here for RW, and when I walked in - not a single Asian person in sight, only white people in business jackets. Not a great sign for an Asian restaurant. Food was mediocre. Singapore street noodles were tasty, but I could have gotten the exact same thing in Chinatown for $10 cheaper. The tik tok chicken was essentially the Americanized sweet and sour chicken dish - except crappy takeout places do it better. Plus, the waiter forgot my tea and in general took a long time to get our orders, deliver our requests, etc. Two stars, and I wouldn't go back.
(2)Lauren P.
Ho-hum.. Red lantern has a decent ambiance (sort of a watered down NY style Tao or Buddha Bar) but that's all to report. Average cocktails and average food yet $$$ prices make this an all round meh experience. The only bonus is the portion sizes are huge - our leftovers lasted us for 2 meals!
(3)Sereia C.
Still a solid 5 stars for ambiance, music, crowd, drinks. The food and service minus one star. Update as follows... So this time I noticed some more cool details in this joint as I look around. The custom black and red rug with huge cherry blossoms...the many naked women lamps with all the acupuncture holes all over their bodies...the wooden heads hanging out by themselves on shelving in the private room...those, combined with all the obvious sh*t, like the millions of red lanterns hanging down from the super high ceiling, the huge buddah faces, the long granite bar, the huge dark wooden beams and exposed brick...combined all make for an amazing atmosphere! I love the music. Kind of loungy, electro-chill mixed with upbeat grooves. It reminds me of the CD I bought from Tao in Vegas recently. The crowd...where have all these tall, well dressed, straight men been hiding up until now?????????????????? In the words of Forrest Gump: That's all I got to say about that. The drinks: Between my friends and I, we killed the drink menu. We had: Grass Fed Mule: Lemongrass infused Grey Goose, lime, ginger beer 88: Ketel Oranje, ginger cognac, Prosecco Drunken Samurai: Moonstone pear sake, Amaretto, lemon Rose Petal Saketini (my favorite): Grey Goose, St. Germain, sake, rose water Blueberry-Yuzu Drop: Stoli Bluberi, Citros, shocu, yuzu syrup, blueberry bubbly Mai Tai: Bacardi 8, Orgeat, orange Curaco, pineapple, Myers Dark Sumo Summer: Hendricks, fresh basil, grapefruit, sparkling rose The drinks were all made with lovin' and there definitely was a party in our mouths with every sip. Okay...so...here are my gripes.... That lovin' that the drinks are made with...I feel like the bartenders need to school the chefs, so those warm fuzzies can be put in the food. We placed our order...a half dozen oysters for an appetizer, and 3 different red lantern rolls. We also put a drink order in at the same time. Really, within about 2.5 minutes...maybe even less...we got our first roll. A minute later, another roll, brought by another waiter. 45 seconds after that, a different waiter brought another. Where are our drinks? Where's our appetizer??? The rolls were not super impressive. It was very obvious they made a Costco amount of rolls all at once, so they could bang them out of the kitchen to your table in record speed. On one of our rolls we got one of the sushi upgrades: lobster dynamite...which is supposed to be a lobster mixture on top of the sushi. It was piled high on a few pieces, and hardly any on other pieces. It was not worth the extra $6 for the quality. I didn't appreciate the rushed way the food seemed to be made, as well as the rushed feeling with waiters hustling our food. I definitely would have appreciated the normal...drinks first, then appetizer...then...10 minutes after the appetizer...rest of the order. Come to think of it...the waiter hustled us too. He came over 3 times to see if we were ready to order, when we weren't taking a considerably long time to parooze the menu. I will be back again. I really want to give you 5 stars, Red Lantern, but I just can't yet. Hopefully, one day, I can tell you me love you long time. We're just not at that point in our relationship yet.
(4)Julie R.
I wanted to like this place more. I was so excited to try it out. A new hip place to eat sushi and sip drinks always works for me. I like they have opentable for reservations. When booking one for 2 people, the opentable made it looked like it was sold out all night, when we arrived at 7:45, nearly 3/4 of the restaurant was empty on a Friday night. They really should free up up all time slots cause they clearly have the seats. The kitchen and sushi bar are open, we opted to sit there to catch the action. Our server, while nice, was new and not versed on the menu. We wanted some variety, we went with two specialty sushi rolls, duck buns, and smoked pork ribs. The kitchen had an excess of workers ready to hit a ticket that came in. I know they are still figuring out the new place, it just looked like too many people with not enough to do. The duck buns came out very fast. They were tasty with plentiful meat and good to share with 2 people. The spareribs came next, they were just OK. Real sticky and the meat was full of cartilage. I've had better from a chinese takeout. The Dragon sushi roll was lacking. For a $15 roll, you expect something grand. It was small, loose and missing crabstick and burdock as mentioned on the menu. On the other hand, the $11 Rainbow roll was more substantial. The sushi prices should really be rethought, its $4-6 per EACH piece of nigiri. It doesn't make any sense when you can get a rainbow roll for $11 and have a roll and 6 pieces of fish on top. During our eating time our server was nonexistent. Our drinks sat there unfilled for 45 minutes. Water got refilled but no one offered on the alcohol. When he did come around and asked about the food, I mentioned how the dragon sushi roll was incomplete. He just said ok sorry. Then he came back with some cards to fill out to write down our complaints. It wasn't about filling out a long card, it was just a simple complaint. We got the bill and there was no consideration for the incomplete roll. I didn't expect it anyways. Our server was immature for handling feedback and we just paid and left. The food is overpriced. Quality was so-so. I just loved the atmosphere though. I will return when they get their bearings going and hope for improvement.
(3)Cristina P.
Awesome awesome decor, great atmosphere, delicious food! A little hard to find on Stanhope, but if you take the orange line to Back Bay, its somewhat accross the street! Bathrooms- there are 2, one downstairs and one upstairs. I've only been to the one upstairs (its a one person bathroom) clean, well stocked. Bar - tons of seating, comfy atmosphere, great selection of drinks! Attire - Can be both dressy or casual, perfect for after work parites, don't feel too overdressed like most places in Boston!
(5)Daniel T.
Very nice ambiance. Hostest was rude on the phone but the waiter was very pleasant. Food was decent but reminded me of PF changs. It wasn't worth the expense in my opinion. Scorpion bowl was huge but was mostly ice and fruit juice. Update to original review: I am upping the restaurant to 4 stars from 3. The more I come the more I like the food. Great for gatherings and larger parties very accommodating for my friends bachelor party. Great food good drinks although I do the the scorpion bowl is still mostly ice lol. Much better food than PF changs
(4)Nancy M.
Incredibly noisy. Not music but a thumping bass that makes conversation impossible. Good food but inattentive service. Would NEVER go back.
(1)Caroline D.
Valentines night was my first time here and i truly enjoyed dining here, i was a little upset that we did not get seated for our 9pm reservations. we got seated at 940. there were no parties waiting to be seated before us or while we were waiting to be seated after we arrived. The hostess seemed to be more into chit-chatting & laughing & talking about her personal issues with another co-worker while we waited & i personally did not want to hear her dirty laundry - or that she wishes she had the night off & did not want to be working. i loved the decor & the ambience & the style of the whole restaurant. they have a coat check down stairs, and the restrooms are located down stairs (my bf is in a wheelchair so that wasn't very handicap accessible for us & i had to go check our coats). The restrooms seemed a bit dark & dirty - paper towels and water all over the counter sink and floors. The waitress was very nice. She was quick & informative of the menu items. She made sure our waters were full and asked us if we wanted another drink when the glass was close to empty. She made sure our food was good and that we enjoyed our meal. we ordered lobster rangoons (after much rave from friends who have dined here & after watching the review on Phantom Gourmet) there were 4 in the order and they came out hot and tasty (not THE BEST rangoons ive had but they were very good. ) We also ordered beef lo mein & the rock shrimp. we were not too hungry & we did not want to stuff ourselves with no room for dessert. Everything was delicious & we did wrap the left over food. Unfortunately we did not get dessert - i did not find anything on the menu that appealed to me at the moment so i decided not to order something i might not enjoy or want. all in all this place was excellent & i would go back.
(4)Me B. M.
Red Lantern sets Chinese cuisine in America back about 40 years. It has flavorless and gloppy versions of dishes you can get anywhere. Sushi had undercooked, dry rice. Pork dumplings were soft and rubbery and in a weird thick sauce. The calamari was sopping in grease. The noodles in the beef noodle dish were overcooked to paste. The one highlight was that the beef was good quality and cooked very nicely, both in the noodle dish and the skewers. The surprise elements in the noodle dish, a sudden burst of ginger, mint, or bitter green was fun and flavorful. It just seemed like other elements like the noodles or the sushi rice were throwaways. And those should be incredibly easy. Service was absent and/or confused. And the "ambiance" was a bit much and caricaturish, but perhaps my interpretation of it all was tinged by the bad food experience.
(2)Jerry B.
Observation: There are a lot of "sugar daddies" here. I came here to have drinks and chit-chat with a friend and I could not help but notice, all the sugar daddies hitting on 20 something's wearing tight tight dresses. I should have worn a hoochie dress, I could have had a sugar daddy! Damn. Overall, this place is beautiful. The drinks were amazing! I cannot wait to try the food! (update coming soon)
(4)Christie M.
Love Red Lantern... When you step inside you feel like you are in NYC. Beautiful décor, unique drinks, and yummy food.
(5)Alex P.
I took my fiancee here for a belated engagement dinner. By belated, I mean one week before the wedding. We had always noticed the sign for Red Lantern while we were out, and had talked about going someday. I made reservations for 6:15 and made sure to come hungry. The dining room is really stunning, and I don't use that word often outside of Martin Scorcese movies or Tasers. There is a more intimate private dining area, but we were seated by the window, which was nice enough anyway. Our server was very pleasant and we decided to start off with some warm sake. I've never really been a sake fan, always finding that it tasted like a combination of vermouth and bleach-soaked socks. I don't know if it was the brand or the heat, but I really enjoyed it this time around, and drinking it was downright relaxing. For appetizers, we ordered Lobster Rangoons, Mashed Potato Sticks, and grilled asparagus. The Lobster Rangoons were really delicious, my fiancee and I made quick work of them. While four didn't seem like enough at the time, I think it was better that the number was limited. It increased my appreciation of them rather than allowing me to gorge on them and get burned out on an otherwise delicious treat. And brother, trust me, I could have done some serious gorging. Next were the Mashed Potato Sticks. Crispy, breaded, and fried logs of mashed potato. Really delicious, filling, and rich, with this sweet gingery sauce on the side (I had originally thought it was some kind of gravy with butter in the middle, but that might have been the image they were going for). Grilled asparagus was simple and good, with butter and garlic and lime slices on the side. At this point, we upgraded to martinis. I'm a big fan of spice, so I got the Dragon Fire, made with Sriracha. Loved it, had two just for the combination of sweet and spicy. My girl had the Sumo, made with basil and grapefruit. For entrees, I had the wood grilled sea bass and my fiancee had the Surf and Turf, a bacon-wrapped steak with grilled lobster tail. I loved mine. The fish was tender, juicy, and retained the flavor of the grill. The Japanese eggplant that came with it was also good. It was grilled, making the outside skin of it crunchy. Normally, I can't stand eggplant skin, but this method of preparation made me more than tolerant. All of this was served on a bed of ginger bok choy with jasmine rice. The Surf and Turf was the subject of rave reviews (in the repeated form of "Oh God, so good.") from my lady. Although the bacon on the outside was burned beyond desirable crispiness, the tenderness of the meat left that as a very minor complaint. The lobster tail was grilled, smoky, and flavorful. I was invited to have a few bites and can verify, very tasty. All this was served with some nicely cooked Chinese broccoli. Though we were offered a dessert that only caught my eye for including the term "fried doughnuts", we were way too full and satisfied to continue, and threw in the towel. On the way out, a hostess was nice enough to take a picture of us and we were photobombed by a rambunctious five-year-old. Excellent food, tasty drinks, friendly service, beautiful ambiance (I would suggest trying to get a seat in the main dining room for the full experience or in the private dining room), and music at reasonable volume. I can't ask for more than that. Price wasn't bad, entrees were in the $30-40 range, but well worth a fine dining experience with a loved one. Can't wait to come back!
(5)Mike G.
high style pan-asian comes to Boston. sexy brick & beams with loads of orientalia reminds of Spice Market and menu a la Buddakan (NYC). eat these (all shareable): mongolian skirt steak w/ sweet taters-tenderlicious. and pineapple bread pudding w/ butter almond gelato-if on menu just get it. don't eat (yet): singapore street noodles xo sauce greasy, bland. a selection from the house 'special' rolls was not. but it's early days, hope these are tweaked to bestseller-dom. still and all, a good showing for barely a week open. props to our server and Michael W. for service over & above. Red Lantern certainly fits the entertainment cum dining bill (with the coolest club music in the city).
(4)Diana F.
Overpriced mediocre food. Drinks are decent, at best. Came here with a girlfriend to celebrate my birthday... $175 for two people later for noodles and "meh" food. Wouldn't return for dinner. Would maybe consider going back for just cocktails, as it seemed to get really busy and bustling near the bar towards the end of the night.
(2)Stephen R.
If only Yelp would allow more stars for atmosphere; this is such an amazing space, and is really one of the most impressive dining rooms in the city. As I wander about and sample more of what Boston has to offer, I have to admit my prior 5 star review was a bit slanted due to my love of the room itself. While perfectly fine in quality, our 3rd and 4th visits here make me realize the food may not necessarily be 5 star worthy. Some dishes at our last visit were a little heavy on the salt, and just lacked that special punch. The skewers appetizer are highly recommended; miso sea bass was great but too heavy with the miso paste - it overwhelmed a nice piece of fish that was otherwise cooked superbly. Pass on the sushi for some of the other dishes instead - I'm not certain the sushi is special enough here. The noodle entrees are impressive and chock full of nice fresh ingredients. On the positive side, we were sent a lovely side dish complement of the chef for a new side dish they were testing. While I may not have rated 5 stars, the fact that we've been back here several times speaks for itself.
(4)Marco B.
Yes the food is MSG loaded! Thanks for that! Travel Asia and you'll see that that's actually used.... The experience was great - and I emphasize on "experience" as ambiance, food and service were well balanced. Arrival and seating was perhaps the weakest part of the evening. Gave the power to the sushi chef to concoct my dinner and was not disappointed. Good music not to loud and a slightly more casual crowd than you would find at Tao NYC or LAS or even Budabar. Waiter Dylan was fun and attentive and made my night as a sole business traveler enjoyable... Bravo considering Red Lantern is only two month into the game!
(5)Jillian T.
Lots of Hollywood Inspired Asian Furniture and women in bustiers make this a great place for businessmen to bring out of town clients. The food was ok, the crowd fun to stare at, and you couldn't help but think of the Craft as you watched the hostess seat people in her Vampira like attire. Don't let your waiter order your food for you though or your tab can easily climb past $200
(3)Jenna H.
I have dined at red lantern twice now in the past couple months, and have fallen in love. My favorite food here is the lobster rangoon app - it is delightful! To my pleasant surprise they actually provide a copy of the recipe on the way out the door. I have not tried to replicate this great morsel, but someday. The decor and ambiance is great, perfect for a sensuous night out with a lover, or group of girls to catch up on gossip. It can get a bit loud here - so may not be the best first date place. Unless you find yourself on a blind date that you don't care to know more about:) I love the noodles here - I have had the Singapore and drunken. Warning* Do not eat the red thin dry pepper they put as garnish... I did, what a mistake. yikes, good thing our waiter brought me a glass of milk - it was touch and go there for awhile.. The smoking lantern roll is a sight to see - it comes covered and yes smoking. All the sushi I have had here is quite tasty. Drinks are all fabulous, from the scorpion bowl to the Singapore sling. This is definitely one of my new favorite spots in Boston, can't wait to keep coming back!
(4)Nicholas W.
I recently held a birthday party for my wife here with about 14 people. We got there a bit early, had a few drinks at the bar and enjoyed the lounge atmosphere. The overall decor of the restaurant is great. Boston needs something a bit different and this is heading in the right direction. I love steak houses and sports bars as much as the next guy but something like Red Lantern's 25 foot ceilings and modern loungey feel was a welcome addition. The food and drinks were great and service was consistent throughout the night even with 14 of us. I was impressed with the managers attentiveness after a piece of the old ceiling actually fell onto the table. He brought us some apps and a round of drinks at the end of the night. I plan on going here again for dinner and drinks in the near future and definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something a bit different in Boston!
(4)Jason M.
Recently went to Red Lantern... other then having to wait about 10 minutes, despite having a reservation, It was an excellent experience... The place is a bit on the louder side, with music playing and just being a busy/hang out place in addition to a restaurant. But once we sat down, it wasnt difficult to have table conversation. The service was fantastic. Our waitress was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Was quick to refresh our glasses and clear our plates. The food also came out pretty quickly... didnt have to wait long for any of it. Speaking of the food, it was outstanding. The prices are certainly a bit higher, but not over priced at all given the quality, creativity, and flavor of the dishes. We started out with a special house maki roll with yellowfin tuna that was outstanding as well as the woodfire skewers(kobi beef and chicken) which were also delicious... the meat melted in your mouth. For entrees I had the miso glazed seabass, which was perfectly cooked and seasoned. it didnt take long for me to clear my plate. My friend had the skirt steak with sweet noodles, which was also fantastic. Everything we ate was well worth the cost, got to us quickly, and was extremely flavorful. It would definitely recommend red lantern, my only suggestion would be to maybe get there early or grab a reservation, as seating seems to be their only snag.
(5)Hilary D.
A few single girlfriends and I heard a rumor that Red Lantern is a great place to find tall, hot guys, so we decided to see for ourselves. The person who said that must have been 4'11 with poor eyesight, because that wasn't our experience, but that being said, we had a great time at Red Lantern! The crowd seemed to be a mix of mostly 1) girls who can smell money like sharks smell blood, and 2) 35+ men with money seeking the company of 25-and-under women who can smell money like sharks smell blood. Not my people. However, not wanting to mingle with other patrons didn't stop us from having a great evening. Great space - the lounge area was crowded, but we weren't bumping into people. Very friendly, attentive bartenders. We ordered a round of the flaming shots advertised on the menu - they taste like warm boozy summer fruit. Me likey. The music is just right - good beats, not so loud that you're forced to shout. Interesting decor! I can't comment on the food because we were only there for the bar scene, but we had a good time. I wouldn't make Red Lantern a home away from home, but if I felt like getting dressed up, it would be an option.
(4)Joey C.
Came here for a pre-opening, invite only, VIP party. Can't comment on the pricing because EVERYTHING was free!!! But I can comment on the food, decor, drinks and the bathrooms. The restaurant itself is FLABULOUS. A great dining room plus private rooms off the back and an amazing bar with flat screens and ambiant lighting. The hot and sour soup was not so good. It did not enough sour but the ingredients were fresh and overall it was still tasty. The sushi was just perfect and I really liked the chicken lo mein. There was also some charred beef being passed around which was pretty good too. Guess that's the trouble of not ordering our food and to sit there for a tasting. We also had some lil dessert spoons which I'm not sure what there were but I just know it was delicious. I think one was an almond jello with fresh fruits and the other was a chocolate cake of some sort which my friends really enjoyed. The bartenders have heavy elbows which is great for me and my professional drinking buddies. As for the restrooms, they have a set off to the side of the bar and some hidden, VIP if you will, downstairs :D All in all, I would definitely go back. I think having a private party in one of the exclusive rooms would be fun. It reminds me a little of Shrine @ MGM/Foxwoods - probably because they're related :)
(4)Jackie S.
I am kind of surprised about all the bad reviews on here. Yes, we made a reservation and no the table wasn't ready for us but we only waited 10 min so it wasn't unreasonable. Next- we tried 3 different sakes- the best was the unfiltered creamy milk one. It was awesome! $8 bucks is alot for a shot, but I wasn't paying so I am taking price out of my rating completely. The pear and peace ones were OK. We got the special tuna sushi and whoa it was amazing. We also got the meat sticks. The beef ones were so tender they melted in your mouth. Real good. My friend got the sea bass which he ate every last drop of. I got the beef and sweet noodle dish. It was a huge portion and it was full of perfectly cooked veggies and a decent amount of meat. It's loud in here, but that's the lounge-ish type of vibe. I had a good time, service was good, and my food was delicious.
(4)Kelley M.
I went here with some coworkers after work. We arrived around 5:30pm with a party of 6. Since the place was empty we asked to sit at a nicer table than the original table they were going to seat us in. Now normally I am not one to complain but considering it was a Tuesday and it was not even 6pm yet, you would think that it would not have been complicated to move us. So about 15 minutes we sit down and they seat us in a great location. I am not sure what took them so long but once we were seated I was glad we waited. OK, that is the only thing bad I have to say about the place.... Now for the good stuff.... The decor and the waitstaff was beautiful. I felt like I was in NYC or at Tao in Vegas. Being in the large group I got to taste a lot of different entrees and they were all really good. I even took my hubby home some chicken fried rice, which he devoured. All in all I really liked this place and it seems like it would be a good after dinner destination place for drinks as well. Boston needed a restaurant like this!
(4)Brianna C.
Lobster rangoon is amazing! We also got the duck buns, they were pretty good. We got two rolls of sushi, can't remember the names but one had spicy tuna with cream cheese and avocado, the other had sea bass tempura with a pineapple salsa on it. Both very very good! Excellent drink menu and cool vibe. I definitely want to go back and try some other things on the menu.
(5)Baking M.
Red Lantern has recently filled the vacant space where Bertucci's once was. The new Asian and sushi restaurant is next to Zocalo on Stanhope (formerly STIX). I would characterize the restaurant is a wannabe Tao or Buddakan in NYC or an upscale pricier P.F. Changs. The ambiance is industrial Asian, very zen and fun. The patrons were a mix of families, professionals, suits and casually dressed couples. The entrance has large wooden doors, buddhas and stone statues and red fixtures. I loved the bar with high ceilings and glowing red lanterns. They remind me of Hoi An, in Vietnam with lanterns hanging throughout the town. We had: Shanghai Street Sangria (Plum Sake, Lillet Rouge, Bacardi Dragonberry, Ciroc Red Berry) $10 Spicy Tuna and Spicy Yellowtail $7 each The fresh spicy rolls had the spicy mayo sauce dolloped on top of the roll, versus within the fish which was a nice surprise. Beef Broccoli and Asparagus $24 Sesame short rib, asparagus, american and chinese broccoli What is described as sesame short rib was really just tender slices of beef. The beef and broccoli was tasty, but you could get the same dish (maybe with lower quality meat) for $8 in Chinatown. We received a complimentary chocolate cake was a nice birthday surprise for my friend. There was a wasabi flavored mouse and a luscious ice cream. Overall, the service was very thorough, attentive and the food was tasty, however expensive.
(3)Jess C.
Everyone at my table agreed, this place is trying to be straight outta Vegas! The cocktail waitresses strut around in matching corsets, the presentation is very flashy, and the decor is over the top. I actually love how high the ceilings are how big this place feels. The menu is quite varied, they've got sushi, noodles, chicken and steak skewers, lobster rangoons...the list goes on and on. This is a good place to go with a big group for that reason. For drinks, we ordered one of the scorpion bowls, the Yang. We were a party of 6 and this was enough for everyone to get a taste from the many straws that come with this.
(4)Krista D.
After hearing about this place, I really wanted to love it... But some things left a little to be desired. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and the service was great, but after hearing all the hype about the food, we were a little disappointed. We got the lobster rangoons since we had been hearing about them for a while, and we also got a few sushi rolls and some fried rice. The rangoons were good, but we couldn't really taste the lobster. They were mostly cream cheese. The sushi was beautifully presented, and good, but it wasn't something I'd drive back to Boston to get. The star was the fried rice. It really was delicious, but I think we were both hoping that the fried rice wouldn't be the number one thing we ate. If I was ever around Red Lantern again, I'd probably stop in for a drink at the beautiful bar, but I wouldn't go out of my way to order any food.
(3)M L.
Really wanted to like it but food was disappointing, especially for the upscale price. Street noodles would have been excellent if they were less salty, same for the stir fried short ribs. The pork dumplings were overpowered by their sauce and the tuna tartare was weighed down by mayonnaise. All of the ingredients seemed fresh and the dishes could have been great if it weren't for the heavy hand of the chef who didn't trust the ingredients enough to let them shine on their own. Ten years ago I would've rated the cocktails much higher. Drink's were generously poured, but not of the high quality and precision that most upscale restaurants have taken their cocktail menus over the past few years. The service was too attentive and felt intrusive. On four occasions the waiter came to pour our bottled water after we'd taken a single sip. Dinner conversation was constantly being interrupted by bottled water service and repeated questions as to whether I was almost done with my cocktail? would I like another? had I decided on another drink yet? is my wife enjoying her cocktail? does she think its too sweet? etc. Clearly they are focused on good service, so perhaps on a busier night the service level would be just right, but when it wasn't very busy, they simply overdid it.
(2)Ricky R.
yeah yeah yeah the decor is so awesome. Really though, it's super nice. The sushi... Meehhh it's average at best. This is coming from the Sushi King ROZAY!!! Great place to take a date and impress for sure. The atompshere is so cool I'd def come back again. No crab rangoons but they have lobster rangoons (FYI).. Avg roll is $15 I'd say.. Take advantage of the valet parking so you don't have to look or pay for a garage parking. Oh yeah, the waitresses are pretty hot here too. Just saying ROZAY!!
(3)Keesh J.
I came here for a close friend of mines birthday dinner. I got the shrimp tempura maki rolls, they were good and tasted fresh. What really captivated me about this place was the decor. It was dim light and had Asian sculptures all around.
(3)sean h.
Red Lantern is good, not great. The positives are that the decor is really cool as you it's like you're looking at the underbelly of warehouse with the exposed piping, the high windows and the eclectic lanterns making it look like a tripped-out Japanese temple on halloween. The sushi is good, but it doesn't have a personalized menu feel to it as some better sushi places. The menu is too large and they are trying to do too many things with the menu - just simplify! The drinks are overpriced (which is normal for that area), but potent enough for you to have a good time without having to order too many. The only real negative is that I've been there 3 times now (once we the wait was too long and we were turned away), and I always feel like the hostess and waitstaff is doing me a favor to show up. Everyone is cordial, but with an attitude, more New York-ish of a feel than the rest of Boston. If you can deal with the waitstaff it should be a good night out, but probably not a place you will go to all the time.
(4)Courtney H.
My friend and I had been trying to get a double date for a while and we figured this would be perfect for us all. However, we didn't realize all their reservations would be booked and that when you walked in you couldn't sit in the dining room at all! But it wasn't a problem because we got lucky enough to get a booth in the bar area. The food was so tasty. We loved pretty much everything we got! The tempura beans, the lobster rangoons, the different kinds of sushi (and I normally don't like sushi!) and the fried rice. The only reason I can't give 5 stars was because we also ordered some chicken and it we finished eating all the other food before it came out. So we had to cancel it. Part of me wishes I could have tried it but then I was also super full. I definitely want to go back but probably during a weeknight when it's not quite so crowded.
(4)Max M.
Made birthday reservations. When we got there, they sat us next to where the waitstaff come in and out. Needless to say, we asked to be moved. The restaurant was so dark, people had to use their phones to look at the menu. The music was blaring. We couldn't speak to each other. It was 530 not 10:00. The food was average. We ordered the tik tok chicken. It was so sweet we couldn't eat it. They also put the rice on the bottom of the bowl so it too was sopped with disgustingly sweet sauce. (I have a sweet tooth and it was gross.). Overpriced sub par!
(2)Regan C.
I have actually been here twice. The first time I was catching up with a couple friends over sushi and drinks, and the second time I was in a large group with a bunch of different dishes being passed around. Both experiences were awesome. 1st visit: Ordered the Sumo. YUM. If you like gin, you will probably like this drink. For food, I got the Crispy Bliss and the Crunchy Roll. The crispy bliss was slightly better, but both pretty good. The service was not very attentive, and I had to ask twice to get some more water. 2nd visit: We ordered both Yin and Yang scorpion bowls. Delish, but very fruity. We had the Duck Buns (I was a duck bun virigin before this, what the hell was I thinking?), edamame, some fried rice, spring rolls, the works. It was all very yummy, but the duck buns were the obvious stand-outs. Our server was incredibly nice even when 10 credit cards were thrown on the bill at the end of the night. I can see going back to this place for a drink, or even food again. So 3 stars for the first visit, and 5 for the second.
(4)C B.
Great new place, fun with good atmosphere. We had dinner early on Sat. night, and will be back. Sampled appetizers in lieu of entrees, all were excellent with the exception of the lettuce wraps (which they removed from our bill without our asking). My absolute favorite was the lobster ran goon...better than any crab version I've ever had. Service was attentive without overwhelming. Rick, our server was great. The revamped decor is attractive; think Asia meets industrial with warmth. The acupuncture mannequin lamps are awesome (although made me happy to have not carted one back from china as I almost did last year). Don't hesitate to try this place -- it is a very welcome addition to the neighborhood.
(5)Sarah F.
Came here for the start of my Thursday girls' night as tons of people from my work had already checked it out. My friend and I just got drinks at the bar as I had tried to reserve dinner for two but it seemed to be sold out on OpenTable. I know they only put in the inventory they want to sell on OpenTable, but I was a little disappointed that the entire dining area was empty except maybe one or two tables - definitely expected a little more energy. Either way we both loved the decor and our bartender Hailey was great! She recommended amazing drinks (my fav was the Drunken Samurai) and when our order of Kalamari came very late she definitely took care of us and resolved the issue instantly. Some might have let that dampen their night but we had a great time and will definitely be back to try more food and drinks!
(4)Sara C.
Visited Red Lantern shortly after its opening. The interior is chic and sexy, with Asian-inspired accents, colored in deep reds and dark browns. The restaurant has plenty of seating (although it does fill up on weekend nights) and the bar is accompanied by a lounge area with several couches and short tables. Dinner was tasteful (although a bit expensive for the portion sizes - competitive to nearby restaurants however). Try the pork wontons, spicy tuna roll, and the miso glazed sea bass. For drinks Red Lantern offers an extensive Sake menu, scorpion bowls (for 4!), and unique cocktail mixes, and draft beers.
(4)Liz R.
Such an underwhelming experience considering all the hype! It's a pretty place, but the food was so bad, we couldn't even eat one item we ordered (the lettuce wraps, which tasted like gross chicken broth), and we had to argue with our waitress to get it taken off the bill. (It was, finally.) I've been having PTSD burps all morning from the food. Not a fan, and it gets 2 stars instead of 1 because of the decor. You built a beautiful restaurant--now focus on the food!!!
(2)Curtis H.
Hello all!. I was just at The Red Lantern last night and had a great time hanging out with a good good friend of mine who needed to catch up. I must say, I love the space and texture of the restaurant and lounge. The manager Jeff Menzer was amazing with the wine selection and history. His passion made me fall in love with what I was sipping. The service is great, Food is delicious. The Red Lantern dares to dream and servse it to you asian style... There is always something new on the menu. If you are ever in town you should try it out.. I bet you would want to make this your new home lounge and restaurant.
(4)Alyssa T.
I came here for the first time the other night for dinner out with some friends. The first thing I thought when I walked in was "this place looks really cool" The ambiance is really going on, and even though it was only 6:30 on a Friday the bar was already hoping. For dinner we got some edamame (dipping sauce was delish) and I ordered the duck buns, which were amazing. The duck was delicious and tender and moist, and the hoisin sauce on them was really good. If you like duck I definitely recommend them! I also tried the special sushi roll for the night, an himachi tempura roll. I wasn't a huge fan, the fish tasted really fishy (and I'm a huge fish lover!) so it kind of ruined it for me. I'm still giving Red Lantern 4 stars though because I'm not really a sushi fan, I try to like it, and I really want to love it, but sometimes it just doesn't do it for me. If it wasn't for the really fishy taste, I would have liked this roll. The rice was also a little hard, so I think it had been sitting out for a while. The drinks were also good, with the exception of the sangria which tasted medicinal. I had the dragon fire martini which was really good, it has a bit of sirachi in it so it had a nice kick, If you like a little bit of heat I definitely recommend it! Our waiter was also fantastic, he had a good sense of humor which added to the night. depending on what you get it can get a bit pricey, especially if you get a couple cocktails (they start at like 10 bucks!)
(4)Joseph L.
I went to Red Lantern for dinner with a few friends this past weekend, and had a truly excellent experience. The waitstaff was very attentive, and provided excellent vegetarian options for me as it was a Friday during Lent. Upon meeting the manager, we had a lovely discussion about dessert wines of Italy and South Africa. His willingness to take a few minutes to discuss his restaurant's offerings with my party was very refreshing. Based on these things, I would recommend Red Lantern to anyone looking to have dinner in a very upscale Asian establishment.
(5)Andrew W.
Best ambiance around and great food!! Definitely have to stop in, even if it's just for a drink.
(5)Katie V.
Amazing decor and ambiance, very unique feel to the place. The food was very good as well!
(4)C D.
Cute spot for after work dinner and/or drinks. The decor reminds me of Lolita but with an Asian flair. The sushi rolls were pretty good(although with douzo around the corner Id probably always opt to go there) and the drinks were OK,I like the drinks better at empire but the service seems to be a bit better here.
(4)Desiree V.
Food was great and the menu is thoughtful. It's a bit pricey on the drinks, but it was worth the price. I really enjoyed the environment and the decor. A great place to meet for a large dinner or to bring out of town guests.
(5)Jen C.
Went to Red Lantern for dinner and drinks and it definitely met my expectations! Great atmosphere, great sushi and the cocktails were amazing! I will definitely come here again!
(4)John F.
When I first walked into Red Lantern, I was amazed by the ambience and the atmosphere. The space is beautifully decorated, and the area where I sat (the loungey area next to the bar), was super comfortable. The food was delicious! My friends and I split the lobster roll, the crunchy roll (salmon, avocado, and I can't remember what else), an order of edamame, and an order of the vegetable fried rice. Everything was very good, not phenomenal, but still very good. We really enjoyed the sauce that came with the edamame and the rice was great too. The service matched the quality of the space and the food. Our waitress (Erin) was really helpful recommending sushi rolls (she recommended the crunchy roll and I'm really happy she did). Overall, I highly recommend Red Lantern as a great place to go with friends. Reservations on a weekend are a MUST, especially with a large group. The bar/lounge are open seating, first-come, first-served, so it can get a little uncomfortable when people are hovering over you so they can grab your table when you're almost done. Regardless, definitely give it a try.
(5)Clara L.
The decent sized bar was pretty busy on Saturday night and adding our group filled it up. The drinks were good and the art and decorations on the walls kept me interested. The rest of the restaurant was pretty full for almost 11 pm. I would definitely like to try their food the next time I'm out there.
(3)Xavier M.
Singapore noodles are amazing. Great atmosphere
(4)Neil A.
Not a very big bar, but it does get a good crowd 30+ year olds
(3)Sabina M.
Food was excellent. Love the ambiance. Love the decor. Location is tucked away and a little hard to find so be sure you have it mapped out before heading out. Waitress was very polite and friendly but a bit slow. We had to continuously flag her down when we could find her. She was very busy. We went on a Sunday night and had reservations around 7 pm. The place was busy. I would highly recommend this place. Food was delicious and appetizer and entree portions were large. The only portion that seemed small was the avocado salad. Great place to eat. I highly recommend it.
(5)R. M.
This place is delightful! It caught me by surprise because I generally don't like the South End. The crowd, on a Tuesday night, seemed mainly young urban professionals, predominantly white and predominantly in their 20s and 30s. The music is also kind of loud and the place kind dimly lit. Maybe trying a little too hard to be hip? A great deal of fun for some people, I know, but not really my kind of place for a nice after work meal with a close friend and conversation. BUT the food is good, the service is impeccable and the prices are not as devastating as you might imagine! The food is flavorful and surprisingly simple cooking using traditional Asian ingredients and cooking techniques. I expected outlandish culinary nonsense ("Let's stuff shrimp inside a cantaloupe and call it Buddha's Belly!") but actually got a good satisfying non-traditional Chinese dinner. (At this point, you can probably tell that i did not choose this restaurant; my dinner companion did. I'm glad she dragged me there!) The servers and staff deserve a mention, too. Friendly, but not obtrusive. My friend and I were also most certainly the most casually dressed people there at that time but we were treated respectfully. All in all a great experience.
(5)G b.
LOVE this place!!! From the delicious sushi, to the exquisite drinks, I enjoy going back to Red Lantern without hesitation every time. Try the bubble tea with pearls, it's unique
(5)Joe C.
We had dinner here on New Year's Eve. We sat at the kitchen table, so we were able to watch the crew in action. The service was first rate and the food was wonderful. The Restaurant has a very cool buzz and looks great too. I would recommend this place for a special event or to celebrate an important date. They also have on Tuesday nights all you can eat sushi - mostly rolls for only $25.00 worth checking out as well.
(4)Kerri C.
Finally got a chance to check out Red Lantern last week, and it definitely lived up to the hype! I sat at the bar for a few drinks and snacks, and was very impressed. I loved the layout of the restaurant, and was obsessed with the music selection. My bartender, Alycia, was friendly, attentive and was always aware of when my glass was empty. There is nothing worse than a bartender who keeps you waiting for a drink, so I was very happy with my service. The mai tais were delicious, and next time I definitely plan on trying some of their other signature drinks. As far as food- I tried the crab rangoons, which were a bit different than your generic local Chinese take - out shop, but in a much better way. I would definitely get them again! I can't wait to try out more of their menu during my next visit, as Alycia had some great suggestions to try out.
(5)Kim F.
Visited this restaurant about 2 weeks ago in search of good sushi in Boston. Avocado and crab salad was tasty. The 3 sushi rolls that my son ordered were average - not even as good as the grocery store Philly roll.
(2)Sam N.
The Tuna Rice bites are the best thing on the menu! They also have a whole gluten free menu which helps me out a lot. It turns into a really cool lounge at night and the drinks are great
(5)Amanda L.
I've been to Red Lantern a few times and it's great for large groups. The ambiance is amazing. Red Lantern is nestled between Back Bay Station and Bay Village and is in an old building with exposed brick and beams. It is dimly lit with red lighting with audible music - a great place for loud conversation. Food and drink are fine - a little pricey. I don't think I've had anything that has knocked my socks off but overall the quality of product is okay and nothing has really offended me. If you're looking for suggestions then I guess I would recommend the Rock Shrimp Tempura to start and the broken down California Roll for sushi with a spicy tuna roll or Idaho maki. If you're looking for great sushi then head to the other side of Back Bay Station to visit Douzo, but if you're looking for a scene then Red Lantern is your place.
(3)Rachel M.
Love the vibe of this place! First time I got the miso glazed sea-bass, it was to die for, 2nd time I was disappointed. Can't go wrong with the Tunatartare! And I love their rose martinis, light and fresh!
(4)Kaveh Z.
The place has a very nice ambiance and the food is good too. I really like their Sake Sangria. Had many of their foods and liked them all.
(4)Nikhil P.
FUN. You come in here and you feel 1000x cooler. I thought I was Vince Carter, or Bruno Mars, or some asian pop star when I entered. I might have even seen these cool people around me, but I didn't even notice, because I was equally cool when I went in. The drinks are delicious -- like really, really delicious. I can't even remember all that we got at our table, but there was something with Sriracha sauce (my last memory of a Sriracha-sauce drink was a "Prairie Fire" that I had on my 19th birthday which made me shit Sriracha sauce for the next 24hrs... this wasn't like that), a Mai-Tai, something with pineapple, and other things that were just so, so good. For food, we got the duck buns: as good as everything you read about these in the other reviews... and a sushi boat that was huge, generously portioned, and had a great selection for a group of 6 full-sized hungry adult people. Added bonus? For our friend's birthday, there was no dorky happy birthday song, but there was a mochi cake with a little "Happy Birthday" spelled out on shortbread cookie. Oh, the love. Other perks? The decor was very hip, big crowd of people, very noisy, very upbeat. You'd probably need to wait for a while if you didn't have a reservation (hint: get a reservation), but for what you get when you enter there are definitely worse sins in life. Very asian fusion, awesome for groups, perfectly young and trendy, and oodles of fun.
(4)Chris W.
Amazing! Went here for the first time last night, had reservations and got right in when we arrived. Place was VERY busy on a Saturday night. The service was amazing, the drinks were incredible and the food was top notch. A little pricey, but well worth it! Most of the plates can feed at least two people so share away! Highly recommend! Will be back for sure.
(5)Alexis B.
We arrived at 5:15 yesterday to an EMPTY restaurant. Literally we were the first ones on the dining floor. The snippy hostess informed us that we couldn't sit at a table (we were a party of 2) because they had a ton of reservations tonight. I was like super confused but we had Groupon thing so we said sure. Our waitress was strange. I asked her some questions and she wouldn't really answer them. We were also pretty sure she was on drugs. (Not in a mean way, but seriously she was not sober). So anyway we sat in an empty restaurant at the bar and had a decent meal. The food was fine, EXTREMELY over priced for what it was. We had edamame, 4 sushi rolls, 2 drinks, and a side vegetable and it was $100. By the time we left the place was still not filled. I was annoyed so I mentioned something to a passing manager. He literally said "I'm not going to bullshit you, we have 250 reservations tonight. I'm not feeding you any lines." Okkkk sir... still not what I was asking. I told him we wouldn't be returning, he didn't seem to care. It was a weird weird place. Everything just seemed like it was trying too hard. Don't waste your hard earned money.
(2)Mike T.
Red lantern is a nice addition to Boston's asian food offerings. The interior is very cool and is reason enough for a visit even if just for a drink. On occasion, when the place gets very busy, this place can feel a bit like both staff and patrons are taking the scene a little too seriously. Sushi Tuesday is a pretty good deal and Red Lantern can be good for out of town guests looking for a more contemporary feel in Boston.
(4)Mr. O.
Mr. O is back! Red lantern is a pleasant surprise for those who want great food and good drinks. The beef skewers are amazing and the Mongolian steak is delicious. The martinis are smooth and while this place gets crowded, it is worth it! It is under the radar, but I assure you it is better than many top end places in the city! Mr. O out!
(4)J. A.
We decided to order 4 appetizers to share between the 2 of us as our dinner, so we can try a little of everything. The waiter was very helpful in suggesting their most popular dishes, and everything we ate was delicious. He was spot-on with everything, and we enjoyed every morsel. We would go back for more, if we only lived closer. Open one or two restaurants on Long Island, please!
(4)Scott B.
Excellent service with knowledgeable wait staff. Must visit, especially on a quiet Sunday evening!
(5)Paul W.
Came here last night for the Unlimited Sushi they offer on Tuesday. I'm a bigger fan of the quality of sushi at it's sister venue Empire, but it's still great. The decor at Red Lantern is some of the best in the city, overall great experience every time I've been here. Get the Yakuza sashimi platter.
(4)Rebecca H.
I have been to Red Lantern once before and enjoyed a week day dinner at the sushi bar with a friend. It was a Saturday night however, that I came in with family and was told there would be an hour an a half wait without a reservation or we could "eat at the bar." Problem is, there is a regular bar and a sushi bar, and the hostess seemed to not want to give me straightforward answers whether we would be having our dinner here or somewhere else tonight. Luckily, four seats opened up at the sushi bar and we greedily sat at the counter. We were told after a few minutes by an employee that these seats were reserved and we could only eat at the "actual bar." I then explained that I had sat there before when I had been here, and he went back to the hostess desk to see what he could do for a table for us. In a matter of minutes, we were sitting at a table with a free appetizer and getting served. I asked if he was manager and he replied with his name and gave me his card, telling us that he would take care of us any time we came in. That is the right way to take care of your customers - Thank you Dan. The food was also to perfection as expected.
(5)Di L.
I came here with a vaguely Asian companion in the hope of doing something vaguely Asian to celebrate the Harvest Festival, and this place certainly delivered on that. From the minute I opened those red double doors,I felt like I was stepping into some middle-aged Orientalist's wet dream (raise the red lantern much?). Not that that was a bad thing. Actually, the most trauma I suffered from the decor was due to the giant boddhisattva statues lurking in every corner. Having those guys watch you gorge yourself on pork belly buns and Singapore slings is the Buddhist equivalent of a giant mural of Jesus on the ceiling above your bed. Ambiance aside, it's a standard-to-decent fusion gastropub: spacious, friendly bar staff, tasty cocktails, overpriced but mediocre fasian food. I recommend their $7 small bites menu, which was flavorful, inventive and adequately portioned. Also, really nice napkins in the bathroom.
(4)Jonathan S.
Not bad. This place has probably one of the biggest selection of asian style drinks in drinks outside of Chinatown. Though they seem to be heavily based on Singapore including references to Santosa. The $12 mai tai I ordered could have definitely been stronger. It tasted a bit watered down and I was hesitant to try other cocktails. I think I have had stronger Mai Tai's while flying. The service is excellent. Even though we didn't have a reservation as it was very busy the hostess did their best to convert a lounge table into a dinning table. Surprisingly the wait staff are very attentive even when busy. The food was ok at least for my personal tastes it was a bit to Americanized Chinese food. Though it was nice to see them bring some traditional fried rices on the menu; such as the Chinese sausage and a interesting twist to fried rice such as bacon style. On a side note the tuna tar tar did not have a lot tuna and was cucumber heavy. The sushi selection again is heavily fusion based and the flying fish roe seemed to be not of the highest quality. I wish they had nigiri because they did have toro fusion roles. The role and dishes we're well presented and although some appetizers had a steep price for this level of restaurant the $18 calamari appetizer was large portion similar to most items.
(3)Aman S.
This place reminds me of TAO in NYC. Great vibe, ambience and music. The sushi and drinks are very good as well. The service was top notch. I would go back here again.
(5)Erin K.
Loved it here! We made a reservation the morning to eat here before a comedy show at Foxwoods. Arriving a little early, we had a drink at the bar before being seating. My husband had a beer and I had the Grass Fed Mule (lemongrass infused vodka and ginger beer), which was delicious. Their beer selection leaves a little to be desired, but they have an extensive and interesting cocktail menu. Once seated, we started with the spicy edemame, which was coated with a chili sauce. Put a delicious twist on regular edemame. For our entrees, I had vegetable fried rice and a cucumber roll and my husband had Singapore style Street noodles and salmon sushi. We both really enjoyed our entrees (my husband cleared his plate). The only complaint I have is the lack of many vegetarian options on the menu, most Asian restaurants include quite a few. Despite that, we would definitely return if we're ever back at Foxwoods.
(4)Justin C.
I genuinely enjoyed this place with a couple colleagues as we bantered about typical work sh*t. Stunned not only by Eden's striking personality, her delivery was executed without compromise. We had the Ronin Roll, duck buns, and (best of all) the scallion pancakes. If it were possible to match Eden's warming personality, it would be with those God damn pancakes. Great service and great food. The staples of a fine establishment.
(5)Joelle K.
We had our New Years Eve dinner at Red Lantern last night. Our waiter was awesome and very attentive to our large group. It is important to note that all of the entrees are very large and are meant to be shared. I didn't realize this as the only other time we came was for restaurant week and the portions were much smaller. As a result, we ordered way too much food. Each entree is good for 2-3 people. On the flip side, the appetizers are quite small. We had the lobster rangoons, veggie spring rolls and tuna tartar. Everything was delicious! I could have eaten nothing but the lobster rangoons and gone home happy. I ordered the Singapore street noodles for my entree, and found them to be delicious. I also tried the shrimp lo mein, scallop fried rice and ronin roll. Everything was yummy. The shrimp lo mein is probably the best that I have had. All in all, we had an awesome time at Red Lantern and I can't wait to go back!
(4)nicole p.
I felt like I walked into what a Cheesecake factory would look like in Asia but slightly more upscale. Everything was just too much. Enough with the statuary at every possible open spot! But, I can overcome bad decor with good drinks and good food. Cocktail I got (I can't remember the name of it because the name totally didn't match the cocktail) was so good I had two of them. And at the prices of the cocktails, that's saying a lot. But, the food is, too put it politely, was so not good and at the prices of the food, it's doubly not good. We had 7 very different dishes from all parts of the menu and we shared all of the them. I did not want more than the few bites I took of any of them. Every dish was either flavorless or salty. So the drink would have been 4 stars but since woman can't live on drink alone, I have to bring down the rating.
(2)Audrey C.
Pros: nice ambience (great for a date night or a girls night), fun cocktails, nice decor, lots of space for large parties. HUGE portions (I don't know if this is a pro?) Cons: food is ok. It's basically fancified chinese-american food. I ordered the chicken lettuce wrap and boneless spare ribs (char siu). Spare ribs were a bit dry, the salad it was on was a bit too acidic. The chicken lettuce wrap was not bad, but if they had told me how large it was for an app size, I would have just gone with that! We also ordered the pu pu platter - kinda fun, had a little flame going on. But again, just regular chinese american food on nicer/fun plating. My friend got the maki set for dinner and ended up spending the whole night in the bathroom. Someone else got the singapore noodles - it was huge! Everything was just a bit too salty. All in all...it was fine. I'd go back for the drinks maybe, but don't think I'd eat there.
(2)Kadin L.
This is an overdue review. I went here with my friend on New Years Eve for dinner. The decor is very nice, however, it's too dark inside! Our server was very attentive and knowledgable. I had a small Grill Platter (char sui, bulgogi, chicken, skirt steak, and veggies). I loved the char sui, super delicious, probably the best I've ever had. Everything else was up to par. My friend had the Tik Tok Chicken bowl. The portion is really great here. The Tiki Tok Chicken probably had like 20lbs worth of food. I would definitely come back again!
(4)Rishabh D.
Went here for a friends birthday, and we're too late to get a cake, but thanks to our innovative server, we got a good substitute for the cake. Being a fine dining, the service was very pleasing, and the food was delicious. Only problem was the amount of time the food took to come, it took longer than we had anticipated.
(4)Sandra M.
They have the best sushi I've ever had. The tuna is like nothing I've had before, creamy. They have gluten free soy sauce and a limited gluten free menu (but at least they have one! I've asked for items not on the menu and they will happily make them). I recommend the spicy tuna, crispy "rice bites" and the gluten free fried rice (lobster, shrimp, and chicken have all been great). My brother would recommend the Ronin roll. They lose a star bc it's always so busy and even after making a reservation you can find yourself waiting for your table. It's also expensive.
(4)Jenny G.
"Mehhhh" is what comes to mind when asked about Red Lantern. Came here on a Friday night for drinks by the bar. Tried for Brahmin next door but it was too cold and the line too long. So my friend and I stepped into RL instead. Drinks are alright, but certainly overpriced. I've been here in the past for food as well, and I'd have to give it that same rating - ok, but overpriced. They're lucky with their location and large restaurant space. Maybe I'm biased, but this place's decor (Buddhas and Buddhist goddessses, everywhere, lots of them. Also, red, everywhere, lots of it) seemed like it was trying too hard to be Asian fusion and 'sexy,' with the red glow eminating from all around (and not every asian face...hehe). There were so many Buddhas and goddess statues/figurines/pictures, that it seemed borderline offensive. Those really belong in temples and home for praying, not in a desperately unhip, happens to be downwind of a super hopping bar so that they get its spillage, venue.
(3)Mystery M.
I've been eyeing this place up for a while and finally got the chance to visit via a Gilt City groupon. Pros: Decor is out of this world. Very modern, industrial classic. One of my faves in Boston. Service: Dave was extremely prompt. Food was immediate. Incredible server that enhanced the experience. Drinks: Fun menu of interesting drinks. Sushi: The roll I had (Ronin) was very fresh and tasty Noodles: Singapore Noodle- very robust portion. Average flavouring. Eye Candy- Plenty of pretty people of all ages Cons: Even with the groupon I find this place expensive (though not unreasonable). Drinks ($12-$14), Noodles ($12-20), Sush ($14-25). Food quality was good and this is a great place to impress a date. Neat decor. Fun menu to order from. Neutral foods that aren't too intimidating for you unadventurous Bostonians. And a great environment. Kind of like Tao in Las Vegas, but done right. Just be prepared to pay $100-$140 for a meal that might not fully dazzle your palate, but the experience will. Priced right with a Groupon. Maybe a little too dear for me otherwise, but the decor and experience might make it worth it. Update: Went back again (see, Groupons do work if your establishment is worth it), and it was just as good as the first time.
(5)Kenneth F.
Absolutely great great great decor. The entire restaurant is well thought out with the look and feel that they were going for. Statues everywhere, lighting, seating, etc, all make you feel you are in the middle of some Asian excavation underway (or for me I had a strange reminder of Tao in Vegas ....ah good memories there) The food didn't do it for me though. Came for a work event where we were served hors d'oeuvres, plus sit-down dinner. While the appetizers were really great, I thought the sit-down menu paled in comparison and suffered both due to the flavors and the portion control: - hors d'oeuvre 1: duck spoon in hoi-sin sauce: very good texture, and lots of flavor packed all into one spoon! Enjoyed. - hors d'oeuvre 2: tuna roll: Very good balance of flavors, I enjoy the use of the sweeter thicker soy sauce as a sauce - hors d'oeuvre 3: vegetable roll: who am i kidding, I'm not a vegetarian kind of guy - hors d'oeuvre 4: pork shu mai : not bad, a bit soggy but good size! - appetizer 1: spicy tuna roll: forgot the name but it was a whole roll - liked the crunchy aspect of it but man was it spicy! They need to calm the sriracha in that tuna - I liked the heat but several coworkers might have been getting a bit spiced out - appetizer 2: hot and sour soup: an easy dish to make and maybe they wanted to add a twist to it, but man was it sour...like taking the dish to a whole new level and not one I enjoyed. - main entree: Miso glazed sea bass: This entree was fantastic. I love me some miso glazed sea bass, but it was served over a bed of chow mein noodles which lacked in flavor and probably could have fed a family of 4. Noodles seemed unnecessary and entire table left at least half or 3/4 of their entree untouched - dessert: Chocolate cake: Really don't know what this was. Usually the dessert wraps up the meal and is like a nice finishing touch. This monster chocolate dessert was like a layered cake with hardened chocolate around it with some almond ice cream on top. My coworkers and I were a bit dumbfounded. Ate about 1/4 of it and couldn't go further. I think to polish the place off and truly make it a memorable experience, the food needs to be altered somewhat. A really great decor is only half the equation. I would fix a few of the flavors in the kitchen or stay away from some of them, and also work on portion control to make it a much more enjoyable meal.
(3)X M.
nice place with coupon, otherwise expensive~~~
(4)Francine G.
Entering into Red Lantern is like entering a different society. Soaring ceilings are filled with gigantic red lanterns and Buddhas are everywhere. The open kitchen gives entertainment too, but can't compete with the people-watching as groups collect on the cozy couches and also the bar scene heats up as the night goes on. Fortunately the food matches the ambiance. We began using the spicy lettuce wrap, crispy bass roll and also the tuna sashimi, and all had been excellent for sharing. Portions are big, and beautifully presented. The smoking lantern roll we saw at another table was a remarkable site - presented under a clear dome filled with smoke, the dome was lifted as well as the smoke cleared to reveal the sushi roll.
(5)Kenny B.
One of the most unique dining experiences in a long time. Great food, knowledgeable staff, unique flavors and top notch ambiance. Can't wait to return when we are back in Boston.
(5)Elise P.
Went here around 8pm on a Friday night with 2 friends without any reservations and it was PACKED. They told us it would be a 2 hour wait for a table so we put our names in and went to the bar. I had no idea what a "see and be seen" type of place it is. Definitely has a swanky feel with a lot of middle-aged men hitting on younger women. We got our seats stolen at the bar by a couple--lesson learned you have to be aggressive here. The cocktails were pricey but unique and very tasty. Also, very strong, especially on an empty stomach that is a long way off from getting a table and being fed properly. Finally 2 seats opened at the bar, and we took turns rotating the seats. Ordered a few sushi roles and split the Singapore noodles. It may have partially been the booze talking but the three of us could not stop talking about the noodles, and almost licked the bowl clean. DELICIOUS. By the time we finished eating it was around 11:30--no one had come to check on us at the bar or offered us a table. Not sure what happened there, but we didn't get annoyed by it until we were leaving and we had had a great meal and great drinks, so we got over it pretty quickly. If you're planning to eat here definitely make reservations ahead of time. If you want to just go out for a few drinks to a restaurant with a bar that has a club-like vibe, this is your place. Get ready to see a lot of short, tight dresses and high heels!
(4)Robert C.
This place is insane, loved it!! Good atmosphere, great drinks, great food. Much props to the staff for making it a good night for my wife and I, we're definately hitting this spot up again with friends and family next time!
(5)Sid V.
This review is based on several visits to Red Lantern. The place is cool. Very cool. It has an open, spacious feel, with soaring ceilings and exposed brick and beams. The lighting is just right, nice and dim but one can read the menu. Their sound system is excellent, and the music is groovy and loud, but not too loud. The waitresses and the female bartenders wear corsets, and every female staff member at Red Lantern is smoking hot. Smoking. Hot! I don't mean "kinda hot," I mean burning, scorching, searing hot. I almost want to call the fire department to come down there and put these hotties OUT! Other reviews have glossed over this, so let me be clear: these chicks are HOTTT!!! The food has been consistently very good, though you are paying a bit of a premium for the scene. Here is the key: you need to visit Red Lantern on Sunday through Wednesday. On those nights, you can really enjoy the restaurant. Thursday nights are borderline. Stay the hell out of there on Friday and Saturday nights, unless you enjoy wall-to-wall douchebags who wear too much cologne and who spend way too much time looking in the mirror to see if they look cool. They don't.
(4)Lydia H.
The first time I went here, I had the Hot & Sour Soup at my friend's recommendation, and it was excellent. Delicious, with lots of tofu and veggies-- a meal in itself. The second time, I tried the Sliced Chicken (hoisin and yogurt marinade, coconut green curry vegetables), and it was a bit heavier than I was hoping it would be-- too much creamy yogurt and curry sauce. The third time, I went back to the Hot & Sour Soup and also had the Chopped Salad. The salad dressing, unfortunately, was a bit flavorless, so I felt like I was just eating a pile of lettuce with some chopped vegetables thrown in. So, I guess I'll stick with the Hot & Sour Soup. And maybe a Flaming Shot or two.
(3)Jacqueline C.
Went to dinner here last night with my husband and another couple and really liked it! Of course, it helps when you hear that famous people flock to the place and then Bob Kraft sits at the table next to you...but I digress. Very cool ambiance and the food was really good. Not really, really good - but really good. We had gotten some tips ahead of time which proved to be true and which I will share with you: go heavy on the apps, they are amazing. Especially the lobster rangoon, the rock shrimp and the duck buns. The sushi is also really good - really good. But the apps are amazing. The server was nice, a tad strange, but nice. When I questioned him on ordering a mai tai or one of their signature drinks he reminded me you can get a mai tai anywhere. Got it. I followed the advice in ordering for dinner and stayed away from anything I could get at the local Chinese restaurant. The most memorable and highly praised sushi pieces were the Ronin and the tuna tempura. I also ordered one of their signature cocktails (in lieu of that mai tai) which was uber sweet and a non-event. I'm not a sake fan so I am not sure what other direction i could have gone for this dinner but the food was fabulous and it just didn't turn into one of those nights where I accidentally drank too much because the drinks were so scrumptious. I would definitely go back here. Super for girls night out, dinner with friends or even a work dinner.
(4)Carlos V.
Went on a Saturday Night and this Bar was packed! The drinks were strong, tons of beautiful people (including my date!)... You just can't help to really enjoy the atmosphere!
(4)Jennifer Y.
I went here for a friends bday party a group of like 10 people. We had table near bar. Ultra modern, great sushi, a must have for big groups the Yin & Yang scorpion bowls. They are humungous cocktail glasses one infused w rum the other w vodka. Loved the atmosphere. The music was a nice fusion of blends, more uptempo as night progresses, a restaurant for all age groups over 21. Only one downfall is if u get table by bar expect people from bar to try to sit or lean on your cushiony leather seating area. Bar gets overly crowded as 75% of place is seated. Decor is facinating !
(5)J. N.
Second time here, both times were great. Highly recommend the duck buns (first time having them - yum), rock shrimp tempura is awesome, enjoyed the sushi but pass on the chicken lettuce wraps. Great cocktails, super vibe at the bar later on. It's definitely a bit of a scene but very fun on a Saturday night.
(4)Liz K.
Went on a Tuesday night for drinks. There were no seats left at the bar but we got one of those cozy leather sofas nearby. The waitress was very nice and attentive. Everything is brand new in here and the ceilings are very high, making the space even bigger. However, there was only a one-person bathroom? I don't get it.
(4)K C.
We went to Red Lantern tonight to redeem a Travelzoo voucher that included 2 cocktails and $88 worth of food. We arrived about 10 minutes before our reservation and were seated immediately. Our server, Jarrett, stopped by right away to greet us and bring us our menus. He came back just a couple of minutes later with water and to walk us through the menus. He made some fantastic recommendations and we followed almost all of them (in fact the best things we had - the lobster rangoon, the black widow and green tea tuna rolls, and the shrimp yakiudon noodles - were all ordered at his recommendation). Everything was very prompt - our drinks arrived within a few minutes (the lychee martini is DELICIOUS), the appetizers shortly after that, and even though we ordered our noodles and sushi at the same time, Jarrett staggered them perfectly so we were just finishing our sushi rolls when the noodles arrived. We had a great experience - fantastic food, tasty drinks, and exemplary service, With or without another voucher, I'm quite sure we'll return.
(4)Lizzie E.
LOVE Red Lantern. Great atmosphere, great food, great service. I've been here before, but last Friday I went here for a nice dinner with a few friends I hadn't seen in awhile. We had a wonderful evening catching up, a lovely dinner, and a DELICIOUS scorpion bowl! Our waiter was quick with recommendations and very personable. Overall, it set the perfect tone for the rest of our evening. It's nice to do something classy for once.
(4)Diana O.
This is a great place to go and have a good time. The food was delicious. It was my first time at Red Lantern and it was a great experience. The waitress gave us good suggestions on what was good there. Overall great service, nice atmosphere, and friendly staff. I would deffinatly go back!
(5)Molly K.
I have to say that I had to downgrade the stars because the seating was awful. We had made a reservation and we were seated very promptly but at a table that was more like a bar table then one to sit down and eat dinner. There were 2 seats on a low bench and 2 very high chairs that you could not pull up to the table as there was no space under the table to put your legs. I am petite and I ended up with a horrible back ache. It was an awful awkward position to be forced to eat in what would have been an enjoyable meal. We did some shared plates and the highlights was the drunken noodle dish which unlike other versions came with a thin vermicelli type of noddle - easily the favorite dish of the table. Sea bass was good and a chicken curry dish. Not so exciting was the calamari and a crunchy tuna roll. Drinks were a bit weak and not super big either...with a normal Boston charge. I would recommend based on the food but make sure you ask for a normal table!
(2)meghan c.
Food was good and a nice ambiance but at the end of the meal I felt like I had overpaid for pf changs. I like pf changs, I just dont like paying extra for pf changs in a different restaurant
(3)Kaitlyn J.
Overpriced food that hasn't hit the right balance in "fusion". For example, the rock shrimp tempura tastes too heavy, even without the sauce. The food just isn't that good, which is too bad, because there is so much potential! The drinks are your standard trendy drinks, including scorpion bowls. Attracts your usual trendy crowd.
(2)Alison H.
Tried Red Lantern with 4 friends for a birthday dinner last night. I split my review into service and food since I had polar opposite experiences with the two areas. SERVICE We had a reservation for 7:30 and myself and one other person arrived early and checked in with the hosts. The rest of our party arrived on time and yet 7:30 came and went with no service. We stood in the bar waiting, staring at several open tables that would fit us. People walked in and were taken right to their tables and still we stood. We checked in with the hostess a few times and were told 5 minutes each time. When we were finally seated closer to 8, I asked the hostess to please send a manager over. No manager. My friend passed the host stand later in the evening and again requested that a manager be sent over. No manager. Finally, we asked our server at the end of our meal and a manager materialized. The birthday girl explained our experience and the manager apologized, brought us over dessert wine and some desserts and once again apologized. Ever notice you get free dessert when you don't want it? They attempted to make up for it but it didn't feel sincere and frankly, I'd rather just get proper service to start with than showy desserts to make up for it. FOOD They were very accommodating in making a vegetarian version of the drunken noodles for me and it was delicious and just spicy enough. Everyone else really enjoyed their dishes including the street noodles, veggie fried rice and sushi. I had the lantern tea for a drink and it was good, a little sweet but I probably should have paid more attention to the ingredients. The martinis and cocktails were not super strong so not sure if they're deceptive or cheap on the booze. Overall, had a 'meh' experience. It is a great atmosphere inside and the decor is interesting but the pretentiousness of some of the staff just shoots the place in the foot. Frankly, it's like PF Chang's snobby cousin.
(3)Y. H.
Used my GiltCity coupon last night and had a surprisingly great meal. I usually balk at trendy asian restaurants with subpar food (compared to Chinatown) and inflated prices, but Red Lantern does not disappoint. Decor is amazing - nothing like it in Boston - and food portions were all very big. We enjoyed our signature cocktail (orange blossom), the singapore noodles (very good and huge!), crunchy roll, and chinese doughnuts (amazing!). The hostesses were not too friendly, but our waitress was great. Pretty pricey, so good thing I had the coupon, but worth another trip, especially for a girls night!
(4)Libby L.
1st time - went here for a b-day dinner. Atmosphere, apps and sushi were awesome but the hot entrees and service were terrible. 3 of my friends had the Wagyu Beef - TERRIBLE - tastes and looks like leather. If you're interested in Meat - try Capital Grille or Smith & Wollensky's at the Seaport - better for the $$$$$. 44-Dollars are you NUTS :( :( I had one of the fish entree - very small portion for the price and the taste was overpowered by the sauce - plain GROSS!!!...
(2)Jonathan D.
The cocktails were excellent, especially the ginger one. The steak and noodle dish was a bit hard to eat. My wife went with the lobster and it tasted good but wasnt exactly lazy lobster as advertised. It was a ton of food though. The lettuce wraps were fine as an app. We preferred the beans.
(3)Laura G.
I had been eying the opening of Red Lantern and awaiting its arrival for some time. When the time came to finally check it out, I was beyond excited. The interior is definitely amazing. Trendy, sleek, whatever you want to call it. Boston definitely needs more places like this. It's sort of like our version of Tao in NYC. My friends agreed it might be cool to have small dance space to amp up the nightlife appeal since it is open til 2am anyways. Walked in around 10pm on a Friday night, no wait for a table for three. Score. There were a bunch of girls milling around the host station, all wearing a bit too much make up and exuding a bit of an attitude. Not really the way you want to be greeted. There was definitely not a need for that many bodies at a host stand with no wait, either. Anyway, I finally meet up with my friends and we sit down. About 15 minutes goes by and no sign of a server. Finally after about twenty minutes go by, someone casually drops by and asks us if we want drinks. Yea we do. We order their version of the scorpion bowl which is a whopping $44 dollars before tax. The drink arrives, and comes in what looks like a giant flower vase, with three straws. We each take a sip. Weak. As in tastes like all juice. I've had scorpion bowls before. They're for people who want to get shitty. They're not for those who want a fruity ass drink with little to no alcohol. When the server comes back to take our food order, we inquire about the $44 beverage that seemingly has no booze in it. He tells us, and this is a direct quote, that "if we can taste the alcohol in it, then that means there is something wrong with the drink and that the bartenders made it incorrectly". I still fail to comprehend this concept. A drink should taste like a drink, nevermind a scorpion bowl which should taste like fuckery in a glass. I couldn't understand why this server didn't think alcoholic beverages shouldn't taste as such. He didn't really offer any remedy to the situation, so we were disappointed to say the least. He kind of stood at our table awkwardly after this conversation happened and wasn't sure if he should stay or go. The whole vibe was strange. All I know is this scorpion bowl barely had three tiny girls with low tolerances tipsy by the end of our meal. We order. One of my friends was a vegetarian and had an extremely hard time finding something on the menu that would work for her. We asked if they serve tofu to substitute for meat. They said no. What kind of Asian restaurant has no tofu? However, in all honesty, I really have no sympathy for vegetarians so she made due and that was not the restaurant's fault. We ordered the lo mein, tik tok chicken, fried rice and one appetizer that is escaping me at the moment. We asked for it all to come out together. The food arrives. Separately. Nevertheless, we are starving and begin eating. The food was pretty good, nothing spectacular. A step above your standard Chinese fare, and probably a step below what you'd find in Chinatown. And it is not cheap. The beef lo mein cost $18. I am accustomed to Boston prices and am always willing to pay more for better quality, but I found this place to be a bit overpriced for what you get. One of my major pet peeves is when a server will fail to come by once the food comes out and ask you if you need anything or inquire if everything was prepared properly. Not once did he come by to check in. Finally we receive the check. The bill was split between two cards, and my friend left explicit direction to pay the remainder of the balance of the check in cash. This verbiage was chosen for a reason. She did not say "the bill is all set" or "keep the change" or anything of that nature. We get the bill back, and instead of receiving $10 in change that should have happened, apparently he assumed this was part of his tip and took it. Under no circumstances is this considered ok. As a server, you don't just assume that the money leftover is your tip and pocket it. That's basically stealing. Plus, the service was awful so I don't know why he was assuming that was part of the tip. We go to the manager and explain the situation. He was nice enough, and got the money back from the server. He also explained that our server happened to be one of their "star servers". In the back of my mind I was thinking what a shame. He wasn't friendly, in fact he was downright socially awkward, didn't listen to our ordering instructions, made no attempt to work with us when we weren't happy with what came out, and then stole money on top of it all. The manager didn't make any attempt to comp anything, but he did apologize. I was surprised that with a new restaurant and a new clientele that he did not do more to rectify the situation. All in all, this place is pretty on the outside and gets style points and not much else. hopefully they get it together.
(2)Cee L.
I would give Red Lantern a 3.5 if I could. First and foremost, the decor is stunning and it has nice ambiance. I came here for dinner last week. We arrived 15 mins early for our 10:15 reservation, and we didn't get seated until closer to 10:45pm. The place was packed with people at the bar and people kept coming and going. At one point we saw James Beluschi from According to Jim. We had a clear view of the dining room and we saw a couple of empty tables, but we still didn't get seated until later. Not really sure why, but moving on to the food: I ordered the Terriyaki Noodle Steak, and my friends ordered the Coconut Curry Chicken, Half Baked and Crunchy Roll. We all split Duck Buns, which were amazing. I think those were the best part of our meal. Succulent juicy pieces of duck and they were quite tasty. My terriyaki noodle steak was okay - there were good amounts of tender steak, but it wasn't anything special. I was not wowed by it. The terriyaki sauce with the noodles tasted a little too sweet, sort of like something you would eat at a fast food place like Panda Express...which was kind of disappointing. The Coconut curry dish was alright, nothing to write home about. The sushi was actually pretty good . Our waitress sort of disappeared halfway through the meal, and it took a while to find her. Overall it was a decent experience, but I don't think it lived up to our expectations.
(3)Pierce D.
The lobster rangoon was amazing, as were the spring rolls. However, the Tic Tok Chicken tasted like battered chicken covered in ketchup. It was obviously not ketchup, but it tasted like it. Thoroughly disappointing considering how great the apps were.
(3)S. M. S.
Didn't eat, just had drinks and loved the place--EXCEPT FOR THE F*CKING TV IN THE BAR! "If you want to be the Buddakan of Boston--YOU CAN'T HAVE THE TV ON!" And if someone wants to watch the Sox that bad they should just stay home...
(2)Elizabeth M.
My 18 year old daughter recommended this restaurant because she had been here for a birthday party. We came for Mothers Day and it was fabulous! The atmosphere is wonderful! This is the old Bertucci building with high ceilings and lots of lanterns. There is a great bar area so my husband and I will be back for a date night night. The food was fabulous! They told us that since our calamari was late to arrive at the table ( did not even notice that it was late), they would not charge us for the appetizer. They then brought another calamari app for free and they brought us a free entree even though the service was great! What a great evening. This restaurant is right off the Mass Pike so an easy ride home from metro west. Oh yes, David Ortiz was also there.
(5)Hussam B.
If you want a place with a nice atmosphere and you aren't picky with food. then this is a place to visit. My review is based on the food which is average or even below average. We were a party of 7 and we all ordered and shared our dishes. Non of the dishes i tried were good. That is why I gave this place 1 star.
(1)Willy L.
Wanted to love it- but food is really only mediocre at best. Service and drinks were fine and decore was nice. Would not go back.
(2)Anik M.
The service, ambiance and food were excellent.
(4)Thuy L.
PROS: Decor, great space, good cocktails, yummy appetizers, friendly staff, bartenders, music CONS: Food, slow service, price, noise The food is completely overpriced and the service is SOOOOO SLLLOOOWWW!!! I made reservations at 6pm based on everyone's advice here in order to make an event at 7:30pm. The reservations had to be altered a little to add another friend. There were sooo many tables open, it was like I could have played musical chairs with the whole restaurant. Instead of telling us to wait in the bar until they figured out what to do or where to seat us, the host/hostess had us waiting in the atria for about 10-15 minutes without even a glance at us. Needless to say, after waiting to be seated despite the number of open tables, the amount of time it took to get the food out, and the bill, I didn't make the event. We didn't get out of there until 8:45pm. YIKES, almost 3 hours for a couple of small plates and sushi. If you are planning on going to an event or meeting someone after dinner, plan 2-3 hours for dinner. The food is completely overpriced more so than P.F. Chang's and is completely mediocre. $22 for some Singapre street noodles, really? I think PF Chang's is way better and is only $13. My friends and I started off with the duck bun and the pork spare ribs. These are definitely worth trying, the pork ribs were pretty tasty. We also ordered some sushi: dressed hamachi, the tuna tempura roll, and the smoking lantern. Boy, I wish we just stuck with the appetizers. The dressed hamachi was really "fishy" and the waiter and the manager claimed that that was how it was supposed to taste. I've definitely had hamachi MANY MANY times before. They were very accommodating and took it off our bill and gave us a pineapple dessert on the house. The tuna tempura roll was a little chewy and lacked flavor, meanwhile the smoking lantern comes out with a bowl filled with smoke. It literally tasted like someone took a hit from a joint, and let the smoke billow on top of the sushi. Neither of these were my favorite. I will admit that their Suma cocktail was probably their only saving grace.
(2)Alicia C.
This place is like a really hot guy/girl that is incredibly boring. You want to like him/her because they are so beautiful, but there is no substance. I should caveat this review by saying that I absolutely love Asian food, especially Thai, so my standards are high. Red Lantern reminds me of Tao (NYC taorestaurant.com ) My advice is to order apps (dumplings were good) and sushi. Don't bother with the street noodles (ugh, so bland) and the tik tok chicken (bland and not crispy enough). Also - I am from NYC and I found the prices to be high for the quality of the food. Great sake list though.
(2)Tahani R.
Very cool place, love the decor & the food was incredible! Our server was very attentive. Pricey, but worth every penny, I ate the filet mignon with bok choy, my meal was beyond great, the filet was cooked perfectly.
(5)D. M.
I'm a huge fan of their fried rice menu. It's cheap, good and the portions are huge! The drinks are excellent as well!
(4)Jen B.
I took my 20 year old here for her birthday. She loved the food and the atmosphere was great. It feels very "Vegas Style" to us (everything is big and open). It was nice to be able to see everyone working in the open kitchen and the chef check every dish before it was sent out to the table. Our waitress was fun and very accommodating.
(4)George T.
Nice decor, decent drinks, bad food, bad service. When we got there we were told that the sushi bar sitting is first come first serve, then we were asked to wait at the bar and were assured that as soon as the sits open up the hostess will let us know and we'll be sited. Well.. within an hour I watched from the bar as multiple sits opened up and occupied by the people who just walked in, but not once we were approached by any of the hostesses even through during that hour I reminded them twice that we are still waiting. We ended up eating at the lounge area and the food was a big disappointment. We still go to RL for drinks, but after eating there on three different occasions finally decided that the food is consistently bad.
(2)Andrea P.
This was the first place I went out to eat when I first moved to Boston. It is a great place for a group of people or a birthday party. It reminded me of a trendy version of PF Changs except the food was not as great...however, I would recommend this place to anyone visiting Boston or if you just want a fun night out with a group of friends. The service was amazing and I would rate the food 3.5 out of 5. Over all great restaurant! :)
(4)Benjamin P.
Red Lantern needs to turn down the music and turn up the food. While the overall ambiance was interesting, yelling over the music to speak to your fellow diners became annoying. The menu and food seemed Disney-like, showy and aspirational but not quite as impressive as hoped. The tuna served in the sushi was not fresh. The sparerib dish was missing flavor and basically beef with broccoli anywhere else. Chow fun was surprisingly good as was the striped bass, but maybe because everything else was so unimpressive. The only "hot" thing about this restaurant was the very cute busboy who at least added something interesting to this otherwise quotidian repast.
(2)Chris T.
Really cool space although it slightly reminded me of an upscale PF Changs. The food was excellent. I highly recommend the Lobster Dumplings. Really nice drink menu. The Grass Fed Mule was tasty and refreshing (and strong). Definitely worth checking out if you are thinking about it.
(4)Stephen E.
The crunchy roll was the best plate of sushi I have ever had and the person I was with agreed. Was the perfect temperature, taste and texture. I know its rude to look at other peoples food but I couldnt help myself when we went here because everything looked so good. Make sure you call in for a reservation. Cant wait to go back.
(5)Jennifer J.
Went back last night for my first meal. I ate with my bf at the bar so not 100% dining experience. I live in the South End and he lives in the Back Bay so Red Lantern is nicely located for us to meet, and the bar really feels nice, and adult. We split a couple of appetizers. The gyoza were great and the lobster rangoons were addictive. After that we had some chicken fried rice and split a steak. The rice was clean and really flavorful. I could eat it everyday. The steak was good but honestly I wanted the whole fish but my bf is not a fish eater. The steak was tasty but again not my style. The service at the bar was friendly and efficient, and the space has a cool vibe. The crowd was very good looking and well dressed. Even my steak eating bf commented that the crowd was very good looking. I am having dinner on Saturday night with 9 of my girlfriends so more to follow.
(5)Adam F.
I'm surprised I haven't written a review for Red Lantern. My girlfriend and I had our first date here last year, so maybe I was just so smitten that I couldn't be distracted to write a review. The first time we went, it was perfect. We split the Grill Platter which was a $70 grilled meat and veggie platter (#paleo) and laughed the night away drinking strange cocktails made with Sriracha and lychee fruit. We just went last night for a birthday dinner with a large group and it was great, just like the first time. The valet driver was the nicest and most professional valet driver I've ever had. He was well spoken and well dressed. Pretty much everywhere else you go, it's either a college bro or somebody with a neck tattoo and you wonder if you'll ever see your car again. The gentleman at Red Lantern was awesome. I want to be his friend. We had a reservation for 7:30 on a Friday and they were ready for the party on time. We had multiple servers attending to us, so water glasses and cocktails remained full at all times. Appetizers were Edamame, Crab Rangoon, and Chicken Skewers. I like how the Crab Rangoons are served in a Chinese take-out container. Really nice touch. For my main course I had a bunch of maki rolls - Spicy Tuna, Philly, Shrimp Tempura, and the special "Red Dragon" roll. The 3 regular rolls were great, not sure what made the Red Dragon roll worth $18, so perhaps stick to the regular under $10 rolls. My only suggestion would be to present the rolls on 1 large dish instead of 4 small dishes. Plating is a big part of the overall experience at a higher-end restaurant, so I didn't want to feel like I was eating 4 different appetizers. It also didn't look that good on my Instagram. The atmosphere is really sexy with deep house music playing at a reasonably loud volume (which I don't mind). I think it's a 4-star restaurant for sure. For the price, I wouldn't say the food blew me away, but it's certainly very good. I'd recommend for a date or a birthday celebration. I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)Melody A.
Wow - the atmosphere in this place is great! Definitely a place to take your friends to for a night out. They have a couple of lounge seating spots you can reserve for your group which makes the environment really fun. I went on a Saturday night and there was a lot of people but we made a reservation for two, maybe an hour before we arrived and didn't have to wait too long. One thing my bf and I really liked was the music - it was a mix of hip hop songs from like the 90s/2000s... like B2K lol. Really takes you back! The food's a little pricey and I thought it wasn't bad... Nothing to rave about but they do have a fun menu, especially their large drink menus for sharing. I ordered a pad thai as my main entree and thought it was too liquidy. But again, great atmosphere - I'd return and try something else. Oh and they do have all you eat sushi on Monday nights for 25$ :)
(4)Alise K.
We had Reservations and waited at the bar for ten minutes. The place was 3/4 full, which was good for a Monday night. After settling up at the bar we were escorted to our table. Our waitress was great. And the bus guys were always right there with the water and clearing the plates. Here's a sampling of what we ate. Rock shrimp (omg by far the best thing. ) lobster rangoons, good but where was the lobster? Crunchy tuna roll, yum. Dinner was huge bowl of vegetable fried rice ( very few veggies but tasty) and the smallest plate. Sampling of thin sliced steak, boneless poerk ribs, chicken, Korean BBQ and grilled zucchini We liked it. The restaurant had a fun vibe and we will be back
(4)Robyn B.
I've been here a few times, once for dinner then two other times for drinks at the bar. The drinks are definitely the highlight--nice selection of cocktails. The red sangria is great, and the scorpion bowls are goooooood (and very strong, be careful). The food is okay, nothing special. We ordered a noodle dish, sushi, and stir-fried vegetables. It was all good, albeit too salty for my liking. Standard Asian fusion with a lot of unique dishes/flavors, but it's lacking that extra 'something' that would make me want to come back. The decor is beautiful though! Feels very fancy and has a Manhattan-esque vibe. Definitely trying to be hip and trendy, maybe a little too hard... this is reflected in the attitudes of the hostesses, who refuse to smile and seem to give off a pretentious vibe. But really, it's P.F. Chang's with better drinks and higher prices.
(3)Juliana C.
**PRIVATE EVENT REVIEW** My company rented out Red Lantern for our holiday party in January, and it was a flawlessly executed evening. Staff were on point, delivering drool worthy rangoons, shrimp toast, noodles, and chicken skewers at what seemed like an every-two-minutes frequency. Open bar service was quick and friendly. In addition to passed apps there were two stations heaped high with dumplings, sushi and shumai that never seemed to run out. I was in heaven. The ambiance -- sleek fixtures, low lighting, candles sprinkled throughout the restaurant -- combined with a DJ who transitioned from mingle-friendly lounge music to danceable 90s hits once people were ready to hit the floor -- made for the perfect balance of grown-up and fun. The location is wonderfully accessible, and convenient to boot; once it was time to leave, the party simply moved one space over to The Brahmin. I highly recommend Red Lantern for big groups and private parties.
(5)Ryan B.
Great service, I believe my waitress was a young lady named Molly. Very professional with devastating good looks. I'd go back
(5)Sylvia P.
Stopped for dinner and enjoyed the Tuesday all you can eat sushi for $25. Its a pretty sweet deal although you don't try any of the special rolls. The tuna tempura and rock roll were delicious. However the spicy salmon and spicy tuna were very disappointing the texture was different and it was warm. Another Downside you can't doggy bag your leftovers :( I'd definitely go back to try their special rolls or enjoy their Tuesday special.
(3)Pete H.
This is an interesting place. I love the manly oversized leather furniture in the lounge area. The food was good but you should order dishes with an intent to share, the portions are huge. The servers were friendly and engaging without being overbearing or appearing annoyed. It was a little pricey but not a bad choice if you want to go a little upscale without the snob factor.
(3)Brandon S.
I've been here a few times now, for drinks, dinners and two private events. Of all those, I'd recommend stopping in for a drink and maybe an appetizer while on your way somewhere else. The food is decent fare, but the overall experience runs from passable, which is where I think many higher reviews come from, to just plain awful, which I prefer not to support with my money. My experience two nights ago highlights a lot of this. I popped in 5 minutes late for a reservation, and was told my table wasn't ready, so I could "go to the bar area" and "check back in later". Uh, what? It's my responsibility to keep walking back over to see if my table is ready? When there are what seem to be 4 hostesses just hanging out behind the counter? Ok, that's fine. No apologizing for the inconvenience, and just cold dead stares from the other hostesses and zero emotion from the one I'm talking to. I guess they're going for the hip, apathetic model thing? Well, it comes off as unprofessional and snooty service. Check in 10 minutes later. Same routine of complete disinterest, and the table still isn't ready. 10 more minutes pass by the bar, and it's starting to get annoying. This time the same girl mentions that they could text me when my table is ready. What? You waited for me to come to you 3 times now to mention this? Great. 35 minutes after our reservation, my guest decides to walk over to ask again and the hostess coldly states "the text just went out." No enthusiasm, no apologies, no further instruction. Just hostility for bothering them from their standing around doing nothing. So, we finally end up at our reserved table, 40 minutes after we've arrived, and are asked by 3 different people what kind of water we would like. Our server was pretty quiet but quick. It's hard to complain about that, but I think you're used to getting some recommendations and a little more lively interaction. That said, his timing for when to reappear at our table was perfect, so we were otherwise very satisfied. As for the actual meals, we started off with the shrimp shu mai and the eel & avocado maki. The maki was actually really enjoyable, but the shu mai was sort of boring. For dinner, I had the surf & turf, rare, and my guest had the mongolian skirt steak, medium. The filet was a good cut and prepared really well. The lobster felt like it was missing something, which really brought the whole plate down. The skirt steak was also very enjoyable, although we found the sweet potatoes on the side to be the highlight of the actual dish. For desert we tried the pineapple bread pudding, which came with a scoop of coconut ice cream on top. The bread pudding was above expectation, though nowhere near the best I've had. The pineapples complemented it well, but there was a discordant note with the ice cream. It felt very much like a separate dish altogether. So, if you're lucky your only interaction with the hostesses will be to get immediately seated. However, if you don't want to potentially deal with high-school level attitudes on your way to a 3-star meal, I'd say move along.
(2)Joichi I.
Decor and ambience are kind of "young and funky" and feels a bit like Disneyland. The food was surprisingly good. They used Chinese rice for the Chinese food and proper sushi rice for the sushi. Even though it was the typical "Japanese tacked onto a Chinese menu" deal, the sushi was properly good and better than most of the sushi available in Boston. All of the staff were really pleasant and helpful, for instance explaining that the portions of the entrees where very large, etc. Other notable thing was properly "al dente" edamame.
(4)Stephanie K.
Red Lantern is delicious and very cool place to dine in Boston. It's your cliche trendy cool modern Asian restaurant with a night club flair. The ambiance is very cool but feels like your typical big restaurant in NY. The bar area is to the side of the main dinning room. It's a really trendy bar to to hang out at and get some great cocktails. It has a loungey feel to it. The cocktail menu is really extensive and interesting as well. They even have some drinks that light on fire. It's quit the experience. We sat at a huge round table in the middle of the restaurant. We had a group of 8 people and it was perfect and spacious. We started with pretend sake bombs. Pretend - because they wouldn't let us do the traditional sake bomb with chop sticks and banging. Lame but whatever. The food was delicious and somewhat memorable. We had lettuce wraps, lobster rangon, sushi, singapore noodles, and kung pao chicken. Everything was tasty but definitely over priced. I wasn't offended by the prices because it was expected for this kind of restaurant. My only legitimate complaint was the service. Our waiter was pretty lame and unprofessional. I expected quality service for a trendy, expensive restaurant. He was barely available when we needed him. Was MIA unless he was taking our order and put up a little hissy fit when we wanted to split the checks. Still worth checking out if you like sushi and asian food. Good quality food and cool scene!
(4)Dawn H.
***REVIEW ONLY ON BARTENDER SERVICE/DRINKS*** I stumbled upon this place while looking for a place to hang out while waiting for a friend. I was not hungry at the time but as I stepped through the door... OH MY GOODNESS... yummy filled the air. The layout is awesome. Large crowds? Definitely. Anyway, I went to the bar to chill out. The bartenders (mainly female) were attractive and could make decent drinks! The few people who ended up sitting next to me ranged from a clearly already drinking male who claimed to have been dating on of the hottest bartenders at Red Lantern but she was upset at him (mind you she barely noticed him) and a couple who celebrated a birthday with one of those shots where they light on fire! Wow. I would like to come here again for the food. The pictures look amazing!
(4)J T.
We came in one late afternoon after a Red Sox game, and were surprised by how quiet it was, but realized that it was probably because the restaurant attracts more of a night crowd. However, our service was phenomenal! We were served "rice bites" on the house, but liked them so much we decided to order more afterwards. We ordered the lobster fried rice and some sushi. The XO sauce that comes with the rice was outstanding, and the sushi was amazing. The ninja role was delicious. Also, the service was great. Really nice atmosphere, too. It was nice to come into a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere after being in the hot sun at a game all day. I can't wait to come back!
(5)Ryan R.
Went here with a friend to check out the $25 all-you-can-eat deal on Tuesday nights. We found a place at the bar so we decided to sit there for our meal as well. We started off with a carafe of sangria, which for the amount I thought was a bit overpriced ($39), but it had decent flavor. For our rolls, we ended up getting 8 plates. I have to admit that this sushi was decent, but it wasn't near the top in terms of many other places that I have gotten sushi at, even in the Boston area. My favorites were probably the tuna tempura roll and the rock shrimp roll, and my least favorite was definitely the spicy tuna. The service here is friendly, the food is served quickly, and the atmosphere is great. I was a little let down by food, but like that they offer the all-you-can-eat option. Overall, a great little place in the South End, perfect for a group or date night out.
(4)Alex B.
Come alone and have a drink at the bar; come with a friend and have a drink at the bar; take a date and have a dark setting with some trendy music, fashionable cocktails, and innovative dishes; come with a group of 8-10 and sit one of their roundtables and enjoy quality group conversation; or lastly stumble in here drunk late-night (post Friday work drinks at Brahmin) and enjoy the full menu to your belly's delight. Just make sure you have a reservation on the weekends or plan on coming in late-night or else you will bust. Clearly, Red Lantern is a viable solution for many of those social situations you find yourself in. It is lounge meets Asian fusion restaurant. I have always had fun wait staff and bartenders and even the hostesses are nice as they have hooked me up with storage for my bags (apartment is 2 blocks away but sometimes I cant wait after getting in from my flights). I can safely say, RL has become my goto in Boston. This is certainly a place you come to pay for the atmosphere as well as very good food. I would say 4.5 but I will round up since I am very much so a regular. Food Recs: 1)Sushi Boat for a large group (go for the big one - delicious and cost effective) 2) Lobster Rangoon 3) Duck Buns 4) Unlimited AYCE sushi on Tuesday (see you there) 5) Rock Shrimp 6) Spicy Edamame 7) Rock Roll 8) Torched Spicy Toro Roll Drink Recs: 1) They have drink bowls but have only got when already blacked out 2) Mai Tai 3) Dragon Fire (Get extra Sriracha!!!) Bonus Recs: See if you can play a game with yourself in here and count the number of Buddha statues / paintings. Good luck!
(5)David C.
Was Red Lantern disappointing? Yes. Did I know it was going to be? I think so, but because I had a Living Social deal, I was willing to give it a shot. The verdict? Generic Chinese food from your local takeout joint (you know, the one you only go to cause it's 1am, you're drunk, and nothing else is open) dressed up ever so slightly and priced like the fine-dining Back Bay restaurant that it so desperately wants to be. Of all the things I tried (the PuPu platter, some bao, and a couple maki rolls), I'd say get the duck buns, but that would involve coming here...which you shouldn't. Skip the pomp and pretense and head over to Myers and Chang in the South End instead.
(2)Laura K.
Very much improved in recent years since opening. Singapore street noodles are like crack - they are so good, you can't stop eating them. But I wonder if it's because they're good or its the same effect as just eating Chinese food in general... Almost everything I have had has been good, though not spectacular nor anything impressive. The cocktails are still pretty bad. Just get your standard rather than ordering one off the menu.
(3)Fiona H.
Came here for restaurant week earlier today. I didn't make a reservation but the hostess seated my party right away which was great! My waiter jay? Or jazz? I forget but I'm sure it began with a J, anyways, he was great. He was super organized and brought our ordered in at the same time and the right time! Excellent and attentive service! This place would get a 5 star but the food wasn't fit to my liking. I did enjoy the sushi and baos a lot but the dumplings and dessert were a bit disappointing. Dumplings were things you can buy at any supermarket with a sweet glaze. Dessert was a small portion. I got the emperors moose and it was alright. The best part was the crunchy pearls. I will definitely come back but probably sit at the bar and have some sushi
(4)Rena P.
The place: trendy The lighting: dark The atmosphere: hip The food: descent For a place that appeared to be the latest in whatever trendy restaurant was sweeping Boston, I found myself dining here twice (as it was the restaurant across the street from my hotel AND open late). I can honestly say that nothing particular stood out to me about it. The food was good. I have excellent company. Loved the decor. What set this place to 5-star status, for me, was a completely random experience the second time I visited. The executive chef walked around talking to the diners. He "happened" to come to our table first and it ended up being one of my best conversations in years. To be able to sit down and discuss food and restaurants and the culinary arts in general is such a rare and exciting experience, that I would go back just for the possibility that it might happen again. I highly recommend Red Lantern. And if you happen to stop in, ask for the executive chef. Tell him Rena from Chicago says hello.
(5)Ryan W.
If you're looking for a "trendy" spot to go in the Back Bay for sushi, then this is probably your best option. I've been here twice now, so I feel like I've got a good handle on things. This is the sister restaurant to Empire and one thing they share in common is that everything from wine/drinks to the rolls/entree's is a little more expensive than your standard sushi place. For some reason I felt the vibe was a little better at Empire than Red Lantern. Each time my wife and I have come here (both times on Sunday night) we are seated in this row of two seater table/booths which are right next to other tables with people when the restaurant is half full. I hate being cramped and I hate listening in on other people's conversations and that's how I felt here. The sushi rolls at this place are 4 stars good. The Chirashi Naruto is our favorite since it comes with lots of salmon, tuna and yellowtail wrapped in cucumber instead of rice. If you are doing low carb, this is your roll. The maki rolls are all OK. The star of the show as far as I'm concerned were Lobster Buns. For $16 you get two gourmet buns stuffed with a decent amount of lobster. The buns are actually the highlight. They are buttered, slightly sweet and a little toasted. Mmmm delicious. The lobster salad was a good amount of meat and not too much mayo, but it could have used a little more scallion/onion or some kind of spice to give it a little kick. We had a few entrees here and didn't feel like it was a good value or even a good execution of the dish. My wife had the sea bass and it was a little over salted and it was just OK. Nothing to go crazy over. I saw a guy get a rib-eye and it looked awesome. I had to ask and he said it was really good, so take that into consideration. If you're looking to fill up and not break the bank, then get the street noodles. They are all tasty and you can split them with someone else or make a meal of it.
(4)Stephanie T.
I have always enjoyed my experience at Red Lantern. The drinks are strong and there are a ton of funky options to try, I'm disappointed they got rid of their variety of large bowls, but I know they can be a hassle. The food is pretty standard Asian fusion variety, but its cooked and flavored well. The all you can eat sushi on Tuesday nights is a great value if you can eat more than 3 rolls. The atmosphere gets more lounge/club like after 9pm on weekends which can be fun, but gets a little loud to actually carry on a conversation.
(4)Elfego S.
This place is amazing, the food was incredible very very fresh on how they prepared it. Probably the best shrimp fried rice I have ever had in my life, big cut pieces of shrimp not that small stuff from your local Asian restaurant. Just really good sushi all around, well worth the price and all really reasonable. The specials are a little pricy but so worth the try. Even the simple ones are cheap and so delicious. The food is worth the 5 stars the only downside is that the wait staff was a little slow. Don't know if that is regular for them but I hope that will be a different story when I cone back.
(5)Rebecca C.
The all you can eat sushi on Tuesday for 25 Is a great deal. The drinks are pretty but not amazing. This is the spot you take a date and know you'll get laid after or go with a group of male coworkers to stare at pretty girls in a uniform that makes them look busty. Honestly I don't care if I come back or not. It wasn't an amazing time here. Everything looks beautiful because everything else is subpar. Yeah you're not missing out here.
(3)Emily S.
I went with a friend last week, mostly because of Restaurant Week (which I guess is now called Dine Out Boston). It's kind of dark inside the restaurant. It's also kind of loud but not so loud that you need to shout to have a conversation. The loudness is probably mostly due to the fact that Red Lantern's capacity is pretty large. The food is pretty good, although in my opinion, it does fall into the category of "Americanized Asian food". For my main course, I got the sushi platter. Have I had better sushi at other places? Definitely. Was it nonetheless yummy? Yes! The tik tok chicken bowl my friend got was quite large, and she said it was great too. Service was decent, although a bit slow at times. There was a slight mishap that lead to a little bit of confusion, when our desserts were accidentally delivered to the table next to ours, but that didn't detract too much from the overall experience. Would I ordinarily visit this place when it's not restaurant week? Probably not.
(3)Philip J.
We went on a Saturday night, and it was packed with people. I ordered Surf & Turf which was pricey but very very good. The waiter was excellent and was patient with us as we looked over the extensive menu. The friends I was with also enjoyed but we're not totally satisfied with the portions served. I would definitely go back again, just not right away due to the pricey meals. Parking can be difficult, but valet parking is available at a price.
(4)Carrie Y.
I'm still dreaming about those rice cakes and lobster rangoons. YUM! Came here on a Friday night. Loved the atmosphere, super friendly waitress, and really a great vibe all around. Drinks: -Lychee Martini- I've had better (Douzo makes the best I've had) -Grapefruit basil something martini- Lets just say its a acquired taste -Their version of a Manhattan- Not bad, strong, but it has a twist. Food: -Lobster Rangoons- Must get -Rice Cake- I'm not a fan of rice cakes, but OMG I would order 4 orders of these if i could. Must get!!! Between they chewy, savory, spicy, and punch of flavor, they are to die for. - Waygu Fried Rice- I've never had $20 fried rice, so I had to to order it, the waygu was tasty, but i can't say I would order it again. - Black Widow- Sweet and tasty, order if you like sweet potatoes - Red Dragon-Fresh, but I would pass on this Dessert: - Chocolate Cake Mousse- I would pass on this, it was pretty dry for a cake/mousse. I just ate the strawberries and ice cream that came with it.
(5)Lily S.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the decor here. Red Lantern embodies my vision of restaurant comfort and atmosphere. This is the kind of place where you can enjoy a first or fiftieth date, come in for cocktails with the girls in your too short too tight sparkly dress, or just pop in for a quick drink in your business casual attire after work to admire the scantily clad bartenders. Those corsets...I mean ladies you look good but ouch....how do you breathe?? That being said, I found the food, while overall enjoyable, nothing special, and factoring in the price--just OK. I also found it hard to pick something that felt healthy. Outside of the sashimi, everything seemed to be fried and greased up--which, mind you, is OK, but the combo of bad for you, bad for your wallet, and the Brahmin being next door, will probably keep me from becoming a regular. All in all, I had a lovely evening with a good friend, enjoyed a couple of absolutely delicious lychee martinis, but the price tag (even after factoring in my $80 (?) Gilt deal) left much to be desired.
(3)Jeyashri S.
This place is incredible. Came here with a large group for a friend's birthday and I honestly want to celebrate every birthday here now. It is the most perfect spot for any occasion and with any group - you can't go wrong with this place. Asian fusion was fantastic and portions were huge and the menu has a great variety of noodles, rice and seafood dishes and everything is very well made and the arrangement of the food itself seems to have a lot of thought put into it. The music was amazing as well, and we found out that the owners of the now closed down club Estate actually own Red Lantern itself so the playlist produced all the right vibes for the occassion. Layout of the place is great and they have this fun lounge-like setup that seated our entire group. Cannot rave enough about this place, deserves 5 stars and more.
(5)Jay T.
Great place. Went after a Sox game, late Saturday afternoon. Although not busy, service was A+. Crispy rice bites were outstanding. Great sushi. Lobster fried rice was great, although note: it is a big bowl of pieces of lobster in shell, small bowl of white rice on the side with a smaller bowl of reduced seafood sauce. Very good. Would go back.
(4)Hannah P.
Cocktails-Okay--strong enough but nothing unique, however, tasty. Food-the boneless spare ribs were great and had a nice glaze, not overly sweet. Noodles with seared beef were fine as well. Not a huge noodle fan but the steak was cooked very nicely(medium rare). The Toro roll was excellent and I would gladly reorder it. Dessert was lack luster. Menu said chocolate mousse but what arrived was a dry chocolate cake of sorts. Accompaniments of fresh cream and homemade strawberry ice cream were good though. Our server was very nice and fairly attentive but having read reviews before we went, it was clear that is not typical. Most of the staff were hanging out and socializing and we saw the expeditor continue to clean plates with his fingers (no Bueno). The vibe is much more of a late night bite or pregame lounge kinda thing before a club. Bartenders and random girls on the floor have a whole lotta cleavage going on and we found it particularly amusing as the 15 yr old boys with their parents dining next to us prob thought it was the best place they had ever been.
(4)Katy M.
4 for the food, 2 for the price. The food ranges from great to just okay. For example, the Kobe beef skewers and Peking raviolis were scrumptious. We got chicken lettuce wraps, as they are a favorite at other restaurants, and were disappointed by how small the lettuce was and how soggy the filling was. I was disappointed that the buns weren't actually bao buns, but rather more of a pita, but they were still good. The chicken fried rice was good, but nothing special. The ambiance is cool and mature; this is definitely a place for weekend tapas and drinks. HOWEVER, weekend tapas and drinks should never be this pricy. While we enjoyed our meal, the prices were out of this world for food that can be found much cheaper (and just as good) in Chinatown. However, if you are a sushi fan, the $25 for unlimited sushi on Tuesday nights is a good deal.
(3)Tammy T.
Just like any usual Asian restaurant but pricey as heck. The restaurant is beautiful, but it is a tad bit too dark for my liking. I went for my close friend's birthday not too long ago, and I was excited to give it a try. My friend and I decided to share something on the sharing category, we decided to get the beef... I cannot recall what it was exactly called and a sushi roll. We wanted to try something we've never had before for sushi and that was the biggest disappointment we have ever had, it wasn't like any typical roll, I believe it was wrapped in cucumber(?) With salmon. As for the beef, it didn't taste any different from a regular Asian restaurant and we received ONE small bowl of rice.. Big portion of meat with a small bowl of rice when it's a sharing dish.. Interesting. I wouldn't go back here again, but I can cross it off my list now.
(3)Gia S.
I went in with an open mind despite the poor reviews, however I have to agree with some of what people are writing. The decor is pretty fantastic, the service is average, the bar is fantastic, and the food is maybe a step above P.F. Changs-- maybe. I ordered sushi and had it sent back as it was served slightly warm and had a very unpleasant rotten taste.. my boyfriend ordered orange chicken. That was decent, but absolutely nothing special, especially for the price. Like I said, think somewhere around P.F. Changs food. I would go here if you have a big party, and are looking to hang out in a kind of hip atmosphere, eating american-chinese food.
(3)Kevin L.
The one star is far too generous. I had the worst experience at Red Lantern with three friends on a not a busy evening. We arrived, got sat, waited for a good ten minutes prior to a waiter acknowledge us and was gone for a while. Once he brought us our drinks, he disappeared for another ten minutes. He came back, took our orders with such a bad attitude as if we were not worthy to be waited on. It took about 30 minutes for the food to come out. And the water dripping from the ceiling was not pleasant. My food was extremely soggy to the point that it was inedible. I kept looking for the waiter and tried to get his attention so I can reorder my food. Finally, he showed up, I explained that my rice was completely soaked in the sauce to the point that it looks like I ordered soup. It took about 20 minutes before someone else brought me the replacement. At this point everyone else at the table had finished their dish. Other than the bad tasting food and bad service, the strangest thing was the floor manager was giving the waiter a back rub at the bar in front of customers. Unless you enjoy wasting your money on less than take out quality Chinese food and bad service, I would not recommend this place. Needless to say, we will never return to this restaurant. There are too many great Asian restaurants in Boston with a much better service.
(1)Diane H.
The ambiance is great, i loved the music, host/servers were really nice. no seating was available w/o reservations for 8pm on friday :( so we hung out at the lounge, no wait, got a table right away. We tried the duck buns (good), lobster rangoon (good), and the rock roll (not so good, the tempura shrimp was not crispy, it was tasted like it was fried when the restaurant opened and just kinda left sitting out to sell, YUCK). My drink was good, the summer margherita, and my bf's wine was okay. Our bill was over about almost 100$! YIKES. The food came out fairly quickly, so i don't know if i shoulda been worried... i think we will be back just to check out apps, but no sushi again. It coulda been a club in here! Dark and loud music...nice place to have a late dinner before your late night begins!
(3)Ngan T.
Not bad! I had really low expectations coming in because someone told me Red Lantern was Empire but out of style. Considering I think Empire has a generally pretentious crowd with semi-decent food (but overpriced!), I was expecting a terrible experience at Red Lantern. We came here on a Monday night, about an hour late to meet some friends. THis was around 9pm. The restaurant had a few occupied tables and a warm atmosphere. It was a while before the waiter checked up to catch us up on drinks, but those came out pretty fast. The two scorpion bowls we ordered were mostly ice, but the fire in the bowls as they came out was certainly interesting! The trick is to put them out asap or you lose the precious alcohols!! We ordered both pu pu platters. I thoroughly enjoyed both and their creative presentations (LOVED the shrimp portion) Our waiter was friendly but also hard to find. I wouldn't mind coming here again, but it probably won't be my first option.
(3)Alexa R.
I had the Rock Roll sushi amazing!! Calamari a bit spicy, for drinks I got the fortune cookie delicious. I defiantly will come here again.
(4)Zack C.
This place is pricey, but you get your money's worth. Drinks are very strong, and portions are very large. They use the freshest ingredients I have ever tasted in Asian cuisine. So much flavor, so good, will definitely be returning!
(5)Shayna Y.
Overall: great place to get some drinks and food before heading out for the night - however food is heavy! Atmosphere outweighs food here! Likes: - fun, inventive drink menu - distinct atmosphere - socially vibrant - gluten free menu - hot rock with waygu beef and salmon was delicious and fun (however kind of expensive for portion $24) - bulgogi beef had great flavor and came with delicious hot sauce, beef portion was pretty small - chirashi roll was pretty fresh, but I was expecting more spice Gripes: - chicken fried rice and chicken lettuce wraps were bland
(3)Lily P.
Meh....good drinks, really sub-par food. Everything tastes blah and is overpriced. My friend and I ordered a ton of food and literally nothing stuck out as good. The service was absurd. Our waitress was miserable. I actually felt like we spent all night trying to get her attention, it was confusing. It was as though she was ignoring us on purpose. Overall, Red Lantern has a cool vibe and good (but expensive) drinks, but I would definitely not recommend eating here.
(1)David L.
Fantastic night at the Red Lantern! The food was great, sushi awesomeness all the way. The boat of booze was impressive too. Our waitress made the night, she was super friendly and helpful. Highly recommend this place for a date night or just drinks.
(5)Peter W.
This review is only for the bar. I've been here may times with friends and enjoy the drinks, food, service, and atmosphere. Somehow we've lucked out and have been able to get seats at the bar most of the times. We've had appetizers including the beef skewers, pot stickers, and spicy fried squid. They are served pretty quickly which helps to keep the food nice and hot. The drinks are well made and a good size. The bartenders are friendly and attractive. The decor is cool with asian themes - look up to see mini stone statues and small paper lanterns. For a place this big, it is kind of weird that the bathrooms are limited to one user each.
(4)Armani T.
Hands down, one of my favorite spots in Boston. Big Night Entertainment never dissapoints me. It's trendy, young, fun, upscale and I've never had a bad experience the numerous amount of times I've been here. Every server that's tended me during my visits are always professional, fun and attentive. It's the perfect spot for a night out for drinks, a first date, or just dinner. It's a unique dining experience.
(5)Ann S.
Service was exceptional from entering to leaving. We sat at the bar and got to witness the culinary wonders up close. The food was fresh, tasty, and made with quality ingredients. The highlight of my visit was meeting the executive chef who was very interpersonal and engaging. For desert, we had the pineapple bread pudding and it was absolutely the best bread pudding I've had at an eatery -- I wish I had some to go!!! It was a great experience and I am looking forward to my next visit!
(5)Noria M.
Went here on a recent Sunday night, soon after it opened. It's a beautiful, dramatic space, with tons of -- you guessed it -- red lanterns hanging from the rafters. It was like Shanghai circa 1940 with modern influences (like the huge open kitchen). Great drink menu --I actually had the bartender mix me something that was non-alcoholic and it was insanely delicious and made me miss alcohol not one bit. The food was very good, highlights were the dumplings, fried edamame, lobster rangoon, avocado salad and peking duck. I would come back with my girlfriends for a night on the town, it's the kind of place you go when you want to have fun (really great music, and sexy ambiance) and share a bunch of plates. The place also has a cool bar that I did not hang out at, but I would.
(4)d m.
The decor is well done, the lighting designer deserves kudos. Service was ok, but my place setting had no utensils and no one noticed. That was forgiveable. But the food was a dissapointment. Got two things: the lobster rangoon which were very good, and the calamari which was terrible. It was giant pieces of fried squid with no seasoning, no sauce, no nothing. The only other thing on the plate were pieces of raw ginger and slices of scorching hot raw peppers. If I had put a fork full of that in my mouth I would have been literally injured. Pretty bad dish.
(2)John D.
WOW!!!!! A fabulous new addition to Boston's restaurant scene. Dined on Thursday evening with a friend and entered one of the most beautiful, dramatic dining / lounge spaces in Boston. Whomever designed the space deserves an award, so gorgeous! We ordered a variety of appetizers and LOVED every dish we ordered. The avacado/crab salad was amazing served with a relish of red caviar. The fried pork dumplings were delicious and cooked perfectly crisp and floating on a pond of soy/ginger/scallion. Wanted to lick the plate! We also tried the pork buns that were stuffed with incredibly delicious shredded pork infused with just the right amount of savory and sweet seasonings. We also had the pork spareribs that are served off the bone and beautiully seasoned and perfectly cooked. Just to get off the pig, we also orderd an entree of glazed noodles served with strips of steak that was so delicious! We were so full we had one bite each and a coin toss for the take home container. Lastly, we had the pineapple bread pudding served with coconut ice cream. YUMMMMM!! Lovely evening, wonderful service, and a vibrant diverse crowd. You will LOVE The Red Lantern.
(5)Jane S.
god, this place is so offensive since hanging a red lantern is a sign of prostitution in china i have to point out that noone is calling a bar Whorehouse and filling it full of Jesus statues it is just really inappropriate to fill a bar with statues of the Buddha i was just speechless- we turned and walked out after 5 minutes
(1)Shiva M.
Nice decor which fails to cover up mediocre and overpriced food. Appetizers are yummy, but main entrees are nothing impressive. Does not live up to the hype. P.F. Chang's is just as good and a better value.
(2)Sarah R.
Hosted my birthday dinner here in their private dining room on a Monday night. Kerry, my contact person was super easy to deal with throughout the whole process of booking the event. She responded almost instantly to all of my emails and explained everything very clearly. No questions were left unanswered and I was pleased that the night went exactly as expected. There were 20 of us for dinner and the private dining room was perfect. I chose to seat everyone at a long table, though was able to choose other options. We had 2-3 waiters, and one contact person for the event, which was great. The room was too warm and they adjusted the temp right away. For food, we started with vegetable spring rolls, chicken lettuce wraps, and fried beans. The spring rolls were awesome! I could have eaten those alone all night, the sauce was great. The lettuce wraps were just ok. The sauce tasted a little weird, but if you added the extra brown sauce it ws good. The fried beans totally lacked in flavor unless you used the dipping sauce, which only one out of the three was good. Then we had salad, which was good, pretty standard. For entrees we had pork fried rice and the tik tok chicken. The rice was good, nothing spectacular, but I definitely ate my share. The tik tok chicken was delishhhh. It was nice and crispy, good white meat chicken, and the orangey sauce was yummy. Overall, great experience, and will come back to try the regular menu.
(4)Shilpa S.
Right.. Well my review is based upon my high expectations due to all the great things I heard about this place. For months I was told how comparable it is to Tao, its "upscale" crowd and nice ambiance. Although the interior is relatively nice- suspended lanterns, buddha statues etc. the venue is mainly comprised of a large dining area. The bar has limited space and can accommodate only so many people. Consequently, the line was stagnant from 930 onwards since the bar was PACKED. My friend had arrived at that time and ended up waiting an hour to be admitted. (Though I got there 915 and was in 2 mins later.) Perhaps the initial hype will quell and with that less wait. To their credit- the drinks were well made and strong. The dining scene looked cool and we will come back for the food as it looked great. To my dismay though- although the venue touts an ethnic theme- the place itself lacks diversity, and is pretty stuffy. Stanhope St.- once known for the international crowd has now become very WASP-y.
(3)Special E.
My first disclaimer is that I rarely eat asian style foods so I cannot comment on the merits of the food per se. That said, I haven't found many dining rooms and lounges that match the ambience of the Red Lantern. Simply put, it is cool. Beautiful people hang out in beautiful surroundings and that's what you'll find here. I dined with my two college aged children and they didn't look at their cell phone at all during the evening until just before I paid the bill (my barometer for keeping their interest) They people watched and commented on the background music and the decor. Our server was very attentive and had some good recommendations. I'll leave the actual food reviews to others for the reason mentioned above but I will be back. It would be an excellent location for large groups...business or celebratory.
(5)Jacki F.
I really enjoyed Red Lantern. I went this Saturday with a couple of my girl friends. Got there around 830, thankfully we made a reservation, because it was pretty busy. By the time we left there seemed to be a pretty long wait for a table. I really enjoyed the ambiance, with there exposed brick walls and asian/Buddha themed décor. It seems like a better, sexier version of PF Changs. I enjoyed the Shanghai Sangria, which I thought was delicious! Much better than the sangria you have at most places. Tastes less juicy and more like liquor and wine. For dinner we ordered four dishes and split them amongst the group of the four of us. The lo mein, fried rice and lettuce wraps were delicious and perfect for sharing. Much better than your average Chinese place, tasted fresher and less greasy. We also had the crispy vegetable rolls, which probably aren't made for sharing with more than 2 people as there are only 4 rolls and they are on the smaller side, but still incredibly tasty! Didn't have any room for desert, but I really want to try the tempura banana and the Asian place on crème brulee. I am also intrigued to try one of their scorpion bowls. Surprisingly the bill wasn't bad at all! With the 4 dishes we ordered and one drink each the bill was only 30 bucks each (including 20% tip). I would definitely go back again!
(4)Thu T.
I've been here a handful of times, either with one other person or with a huge group. Each time I've left somewhat dissatisfied...which is definitely not okay considering the prices. I haven't paid for a Red Lantern meal yet, and that's the only reason why I've gone back! Everything is just...okay for a lack of a better word, from the noodles/rice/sushi/etc. etc., even their signature appetizers (pupu platter and the hot rock)! I would say the standouts would be the lobster rangoons and several of their desserts, which includes the pumpkin holes and the banana mud cake. The atmosphere and design undoubtedly outweighs the food...so come here to check at least that out! Side note: Service within the restaurant is good, but valet takes an absurdly long time! Aaaaand my quest for the perfect Asian Fusion restaurant continues :P
(3)ana y.
I had the stir fried short rib, the restaurant was dark and I could not see the color of the broccoli. I doggie bag the food to go and I got home and opened the box the broccoli was yellow and the food was spoiled the next day.
(2)Renuka V.
4 of us walked there for dinner after having oysters+beer@Skipjack's nearby on MemorialDayMonday. Had 2 rounds each of cocktails (all delicious - and surprisingly not too sweet at all!) and for food, ordered the whole Peking duck which was enough for 4 of us (we all ate a lot too!). And yep - the duck was delicious! Had a Gilt voucher so food was 50% off. Extra star is for the gorgeous decor - never seen so many Buddha statues in one space( and i've been to many Buddha-themed rests. in SouthEastAsia amongst others!) AND loved the exposed brick wall as well as super high warehouse-like ceilings. Went to various spots in Boston during my week there and this was unlike any other rest. I saw there!Service was fantastic too even though place was almost full when we got there around 9pm. A must go.
(5)Wini P.
Yummy place, but wicked expensive. We had 2 drinks and three appetizers and the bill was $86.00. Molly, our food server was amazing.
(2)Tony S.
Red Lantern reminds me of Tao in NY and Vegas, sans the giant Buddha in the middle of the room. I absolutely love the ambience, decor, and service of the place (except maybe 1 or 2 of the many hostesses, who, on all three visits I've made, appear to have forced smiles that look like constipation grimaces). I'm not a huge drinker, so I'm probably not the best critic on booze, as I've only had one of their cocktails, which was some ginger-ale-ish alcoholic concoction named after some Mongolian general. But, I CAN comment on the food and service. The service (at least after you get past the consipated hostesses) is 5-star all the way. I've had two sit-down dinners here, with parties of 6 or more, and was served once by Kai, and another time by Tim. Both are awesome, conveying professionalism, hospitality, and sincerity. I also noticed what I think was the manager, who constantly flitted around the place like a quality control agent from some obscure culinary department of the CIA...... (which is my way of saying he looked like he was really keeping the place in check. A PLUS!). Now the food..... hmmm... mixed feelings here. So let's start with the Must Haves.... 1) Duck Buns. Incredible. Like pulled pork, the meat was shredded succulence of yumaliciousness. 2) Avocado Salad. AMAZING. I have never had anything like this anywhere else, and has a phenom mixture of texture and flavor. Not a single guest at my dinners disagreed. More importantly, when I brought one of these as take-out to my mother (of the Asian Sisterhood of All-knowing Tongues), she gave full approval. 3) Teriyaki Noodle Steak. Being from both Hawaii and California, I didn't think I'd find anything interesting here, until a friend ordered it and offered a bite (her mistake, as I wouldn't stop until I got to bite #10.... or was it 14?). Great consistency of the noodles, and was not over-whelmingly sweet (which is normally the case when they fuse teriyaki sauce with rice or noodles). Definitely going to be a regular on my dinner list when I return with family or friends. .... and now... the On-The-Fence items: A) Lobster mashed potatoes. Tasty? Yes. Good? Yes. GREAT and OUT OF THIS WORLD?... No. Nothing spectacular here, especially if you're a mashed potato connaisser, but it is definitely tasty. If you have a table of 4 or more, at least one of you should order it and share with the rest. B) Smoking Lantern. This was a sushi roll that I put in my '*WTF*' files. Described as a smoked tuna (I think it was tuna) on packed rice, 2 people at my table swore by it, two thought it was interesting, and two of us hated it. Personally, I thought it tasted literally like motor oil (which I licked as a child, so this is a legit reference). However, to be fair, a friend said that one of the ingredients, juniper (which also apparently goes into making gin), has a unique flavor that can make some people gag (and hence the diesel flavor..... and I also hate the taste of gin). And now, the ARE YOU KIDDING items: i) Tuna Tempura Roll. covered with spicey eel sauce, I was expecting LA-style expertise, but alas, it was packed with too much rice that took away from any of the flavor, was too hard from the wrong tempura batter, and quite frankly, a slight disappointment. I don't hate it.... just don't like it enough to order it again unless they fix it. ii) Shrimp Sashimi. This was what I'll call the Jaguar built with Yugo engineering, Saab styling, and Chevy Handling. It LOOKED cool, but tasted like cold metal, smelled like a cold storage carcass, and left all 6 diners so disappointed that we'll likely never drive again. TERRIBAD!!!! It was drenched in a cucumber gazpacho that was...... strangely enough... WAAAAY too cucumbery, such that it tasted artificial..... sorta like astro turf. (At least our waiter was kind enough to take this off our bill.) Final verdict? I WANT to love this place. Great atmosphere, interesting pick-up crowd (sort of like a fresh Sonsie), awesome service, with 3, maybe 4 great dishes.... If they can up the plus count on good dishes, I'll upgrade my rating to 5 stars. Still, if you haven't been, definitely worth a first visit.
(4)Jen D.
This was an incredible experience: watching the chefs work their magic, feeling as though 10 different people were waiting on us who genuinely wanted us to enjoy ourselves and tasting high-quality, creative dishes. I can't wait to go back! Perfect for dates, girls' night, parties and business dinners.
(5)Nicole M.
We had a great time at red lantern!!! Although we had to wait a little for our reservations the manager more than made up for it! We got a free round of drinks (party of 8) he really was super sweet!! We actually came back after a freezing bar crawl and he gave us all a shot and got us into brahmin next door. The food was yummy I got the crunchy salmon roll but I tried my friends teriyaki steak and it was great! Actual steak! The waiter was super friendly and our meals came out fast! We will definitely go back!! Thank you again for a wonderful evening.
(5)Chris L.
Just hit up this trendy, restaurant/lounge last night for a reservation at 8 pm. Place was hopping with the after work crowd and hip crowds. Even when we left at 9:30 there was still a crowded vibes to the place but the place is cavernous. Big open kitchen, comfortable half moon cushions in the lounge and a large bar tucked off to the side. I think they have a downstairs too but not sure. Typical Buddha/Eastern decor with red (go figure, with a name like Red Lantern) lighting everywhere. Seating and tables were comfortable although a little close for my comfort. The music was pretty loud though and mostly uptempo dub and house....I would have chosen something a little more Zen. I like Skrillex and all just not during my meal. I went on Yelp before visiting and got some recommendations on food choices so I won't be too adventurous here but both my wife and I were very pleased with the quality of the food. We had the lobster rangoon and duck buns for apps. Both were delicious with the rangoon sitting atop a sticky sweet sauce and the steamed duck buns accompanied by a hoisin sauce and some mighty spicy red peppers and pickles. The duck was shredded and served taco style inside the bun. For sushi, we ordered a crunchy roll with had cooked salmon plus so other stuff inside/on top and got an order of BBQ eel and salmon nigiri. The sushi was well prepared and very tender. Melt in your mouth quality! If it wouldn't be such a shit show, i might even consider hitting up the $25 unlimited sushi on Tuesday nights. We ordered the Tik Tok Chicken for our main course and got a big big bowl of perfectly tender chicken drenched in a sweet sauce with very few veggies and a nice mound of rice. We each could only each a small plate but I thought it was great; my wife found it a little too spicy (there is some ginger tucked in there somewhere). We went home with a nice container of it....hello lunch! The drinks we ordered were good (Bamboo Juice and Red Devil) but a little too fruity. Didn't get too much alcohol burn in there. Maybe that's good but I like to know I am drinking something. Service was excellent and our server was friendly. We didn't get any dessert but got some nice chocolate drizzled red velvet fortune cookies (with the same fortune though...WTF!) with the check. Which brings me to why it is only 4 stars....cost. The bill for us was $110 without tip. Pretty pricey for two people I feel like but I am glad we got to experience this restaurant. When I first heard about it (way back when), I was thinking that a place like it wouldn't last too long in Boston but I am glad it has. An enjoyable evening all around.
(4)Lynn J.
YES...It's very similar to Buddakan.com in NYC, but, since we don't have one in Boston, we have this. THE DRINKS: Extremely reasonable for the Back Bay, featuring Grey Goose house specialty cocktails for ONLY $11! THE FOOD: Asian Fusion house specialties served at large, private tables, or a room length, communal one. They also offer a sushi bar with few bar stools you can reserve. THE CROWD: The bar crowd is a 20 something mix of upscale college kids and clubbers drinking their way over to The Brahmin night club, located conveniently two doors down. THE DEAL: FOOD: Order the "Lettuce Wraps" appetizer for ONLY $12. It comes with a PINT OF FILLING and lots of lettuce, satisfying the munchies of me and my 2 girlfriends! DRINK: Order the FISH BOWL SIZED "Scorpion Bowl" for $44. It looks to be about 6 cups o' cocktails...HUGE!
(4)eliza b.
I am a fan! Work in Copley Square and this is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Very elegant surroundings, pleasant staff, drinks are unique & delicious. Delcious Asian influenced appetizers, noodle dishes, sushi. A little pricey; but a fun evening was had by all!
(4)Jennifer M.
Was at Red Lantern again for a going away party and the staff and kitchen hit it out of the park! Apps and cocktails were amazing, sushi super fresh, the drinks delicious, the staff super attentive, and the management was totally hands on serving trays of food. keep up the great work!
(5)Helen B.
Beautiful restaurant. I always liked it when it was Bertucci's but now it is so beautiful and cool. I went with a friend who is vegan (sort of) and we ordered all very low-cal seafood items, mostly appetizers, that were very good, very enjoyable. The waiter was very good and pleasant (which I have not experienced in a long time). I want to go back with a large group - seems like it would be fun.
(4)J F.
great ambiance....good food! Great place for a group. Def will be back!
(4)Carolyn B.
Big Night Entertainment Group knocks it out of the park again! I was fortunate enough to attend the pre opening event and completely fell in love. With venues like Shrine, Scorpion Bar, the Estate, and High Rollers, the bar was set high. Red Lantern exceeded my expectations. Red Lantern has filled a void in the Boston restauraunt scene. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Gerald G.
Had on eo the best dining experience last night, a place with very cool energy. The type of eatery that the South End/ Back Bay has needed for so long. The owner hit it perfect.
(5)Stephen R.
If only Yelp would allow more stars for atmosphere; this is such an amazing space, and is really one of the most impressive dining rooms in the city. As I wander about and sample more of what Boston has to offer, I have to admit my prior 5 star review was a bit slanted due to my love of the room itself. While perfectly fine in quality, our 3rd and 4th visits here make me realize the food may not necessarily be 5 star worthy. Some dishes at our last visit were a little heavy on the salt, and just lacked that special punch. The skewers appetizer are highly recommended; miso sea bass was great but too heavy with the miso paste - it overwhelmed a nice piece of fish that was otherwise cooked superbly. Pass on the sushi for some of the other dishes instead - I'm not certain the sushi is special enough here. The noodle entrees are impressive and chock full of nice fresh ingredients. On the positive side, we were sent a lovely side dish complement of the chef for a new side dish they were testing. While I may not have rated 5 stars, the fact that we've been back here several times speaks for itself.
(4)Marco B.
Yes the food is MSG loaded! Thanks for that! Travel Asia and you'll see that that's actually used.... The experience was great - and I emphasize on "experience" as ambiance, food and service were well balanced. Arrival and seating was perhaps the weakest part of the evening. Gave the power to the sushi chef to concoct my dinner and was not disappointed. Good music not to loud and a slightly more casual crowd than you would find at Tao NYC or LAS or even Budabar. Waiter Dylan was fun and attentive and made my night as a sole business traveler enjoyable... Bravo considering Red Lantern is only two month into the game!
(5)Jillian T.
Lots of Hollywood Inspired Asian Furniture and women in bustiers make this a great place for businessmen to bring out of town clients. The food was ok, the crowd fun to stare at, and you couldn't help but think of the Craft as you watched the hostess seat people in her Vampira like attire. Don't let your waiter order your food for you though or your tab can easily climb past $200
(3)Jenna H.
I have dined at red lantern twice now in the past couple months, and have fallen in love. My favorite food here is the lobster rangoon app - it is delightful! To my pleasant surprise they actually provide a copy of the recipe on the way out the door. I have not tried to replicate this great morsel, but someday. The decor and ambiance is great, perfect for a sensuous night out with a lover, or group of girls to catch up on gossip. It can get a bit loud here - so may not be the best first date place. Unless you find yourself on a blind date that you don't care to know more about:) I love the noodles here - I have had the Singapore and drunken. Warning* Do not eat the red thin dry pepper they put as garnish... I did, what a mistake. yikes, good thing our waiter brought me a glass of milk - it was touch and go there for awhile.. The smoking lantern roll is a sight to see - it comes covered and yes smoking. All the sushi I have had here is quite tasty. Drinks are all fabulous, from the scorpion bowl to the Singapore sling. This is definitely one of my new favorite spots in Boston, can't wait to keep coming back!
(4)Nicholas W.
I recently held a birthday party for my wife here with about 14 people. We got there a bit early, had a few drinks at the bar and enjoyed the lounge atmosphere. The overall decor of the restaurant is great. Boston needs something a bit different and this is heading in the right direction. I love steak houses and sports bars as much as the next guy but something like Red Lantern's 25 foot ceilings and modern loungey feel was a welcome addition. The food and drinks were great and service was consistent throughout the night even with 14 of us. I was impressed with the managers attentiveness after a piece of the old ceiling actually fell onto the table. He brought us some apps and a round of drinks at the end of the night. I plan on going here again for dinner and drinks in the near future and definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something a bit different in Boston!
(4)Jason M.
Recently went to Red Lantern... other then having to wait about 10 minutes, despite having a reservation, It was an excellent experience... The place is a bit on the louder side, with music playing and just being a busy/hang out place in addition to a restaurant. But once we sat down, it wasnt difficult to have table conversation. The service was fantastic. Our waitress was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Was quick to refresh our glasses and clear our plates. The food also came out pretty quickly... didnt have to wait long for any of it. Speaking of the food, it was outstanding. The prices are certainly a bit higher, but not over priced at all given the quality, creativity, and flavor of the dishes. We started out with a special house maki roll with yellowfin tuna that was outstanding as well as the woodfire skewers(kobi beef and chicken) which were also delicious... the meat melted in your mouth. For entrees I had the miso glazed seabass, which was perfectly cooked and seasoned. it didnt take long for me to clear my plate. My friend had the skirt steak with sweet noodles, which was also fantastic. Everything we ate was well worth the cost, got to us quickly, and was extremely flavorful. It would definitely recommend red lantern, my only suggestion would be to maybe get there early or grab a reservation, as seating seems to be their only snag.
(5)Hilary D.
A few single girlfriends and I heard a rumor that Red Lantern is a great place to find tall, hot guys, so we decided to see for ourselves. The person who said that must have been 4'11 with poor eyesight, because that wasn't our experience, but that being said, we had a great time at Red Lantern! The crowd seemed to be a mix of mostly 1) girls who can smell money like sharks smell blood, and 2) 35+ men with money seeking the company of 25-and-under women who can smell money like sharks smell blood. Not my people. However, not wanting to mingle with other patrons didn't stop us from having a great evening. Great space - the lounge area was crowded, but we weren't bumping into people. Very friendly, attentive bartenders. We ordered a round of the flaming shots advertised on the menu - they taste like warm boozy summer fruit. Me likey. The music is just right - good beats, not so loud that you're forced to shout. Interesting decor! I can't comment on the food because we were only there for the bar scene, but we had a good time. I wouldn't make Red Lantern a home away from home, but if I felt like getting dressed up, it would be an option.
(4)Joey C.
Came here for a pre-opening, invite only, VIP party. Can't comment on the pricing because EVERYTHING was free!!! But I can comment on the food, decor, drinks and the bathrooms. The restaurant itself is FLABULOUS. A great dining room plus private rooms off the back and an amazing bar with flat screens and ambiant lighting. The hot and sour soup was not so good. It did not enough sour but the ingredients were fresh and overall it was still tasty. The sushi was just perfect and I really liked the chicken lo mein. There was also some charred beef being passed around which was pretty good too. Guess that's the trouble of not ordering our food and to sit there for a tasting. We also had some lil dessert spoons which I'm not sure what there were but I just know it was delicious. I think one was an almond jello with fresh fruits and the other was a chocolate cake of some sort which my friends really enjoyed. The bartenders have heavy elbows which is great for me and my professional drinking buddies. As for the restrooms, they have a set off to the side of the bar and some hidden, VIP if you will, downstairs :D All in all, I would definitely go back. I think having a private party in one of the exclusive rooms would be fun. It reminds me a little of Shrine @ MGM/Foxwoods - probably because they're related :)
(4)Jackie S.
I am kind of surprised about all the bad reviews on here. Yes, we made a reservation and no the table wasn't ready for us but we only waited 10 min so it wasn't unreasonable. Next- we tried 3 different sakes- the best was the unfiltered creamy milk one. It was awesome! $8 bucks is alot for a shot, but I wasn't paying so I am taking price out of my rating completely. The pear and peace ones were OK. We got the special tuna sushi and whoa it was amazing. We also got the meat sticks. The beef ones were so tender they melted in your mouth. Real good. My friend got the sea bass which he ate every last drop of. I got the beef and sweet noodle dish. It was a huge portion and it was full of perfectly cooked veggies and a decent amount of meat. It's loud in here, but that's the lounge-ish type of vibe. I had a good time, service was good, and my food was delicious.
(4)Kelley M.
I went here with some coworkers after work. We arrived around 5:30pm with a party of 6. Since the place was empty we asked to sit at a nicer table than the original table they were going to seat us in. Now normally I am not one to complain but considering it was a Tuesday and it was not even 6pm yet, you would think that it would not have been complicated to move us. So about 15 minutes we sit down and they seat us in a great location. I am not sure what took them so long but once we were seated I was glad we waited. OK, that is the only thing bad I have to say about the place.... Now for the good stuff.... The decor and the waitstaff was beautiful. I felt like I was in NYC or at Tao in Vegas. Being in the large group I got to taste a lot of different entrees and they were all really good. I even took my hubby home some chicken fried rice, which he devoured. All in all I really liked this place and it seems like it would be a good after dinner destination place for drinks as well. Boston needed a restaurant like this!
(4)Brianna C.
Lobster rangoon is amazing! We also got the duck buns, they were pretty good. We got two rolls of sushi, can't remember the names but one had spicy tuna with cream cheese and avocado, the other had sea bass tempura with a pineapple salsa on it. Both very very good! Excellent drink menu and cool vibe. I definitely want to go back and try some other things on the menu.
(5)Baking M.
Red Lantern has recently filled the vacant space where Bertucci's once was. The new Asian and sushi restaurant is next to Zocalo on Stanhope (formerly STIX). I would characterize the restaurant is a wannabe Tao or Buddakan in NYC or an upscale pricier P.F. Changs. The ambiance is industrial Asian, very zen and fun. The patrons were a mix of families, professionals, suits and casually dressed couples. The entrance has large wooden doors, buddhas and stone statues and red fixtures. I loved the bar with high ceilings and glowing red lanterns. They remind me of Hoi An, in Vietnam with lanterns hanging throughout the town. We had: Shanghai Street Sangria (Plum Sake, Lillet Rouge, Bacardi Dragonberry, Ciroc Red Berry) $10 Spicy Tuna and Spicy Yellowtail $7 each The fresh spicy rolls had the spicy mayo sauce dolloped on top of the roll, versus within the fish which was a nice surprise. Beef Broccoli and Asparagus $24 Sesame short rib, asparagus, american and chinese broccoli What is described as sesame short rib was really just tender slices of beef. The beef and broccoli was tasty, but you could get the same dish (maybe with lower quality meat) for $8 in Chinatown. We received a complimentary chocolate cake was a nice birthday surprise for my friend. There was a wasabi flavored mouse and a luscious ice cream. Overall, the service was very thorough, attentive and the food was tasty, however expensive.
(3)Jess C.
Everyone at my table agreed, this place is trying to be straight outta Vegas! The cocktail waitresses strut around in matching corsets, the presentation is very flashy, and the decor is over the top. I actually love how high the ceilings are how big this place feels. The menu is quite varied, they've got sushi, noodles, chicken and steak skewers, lobster rangoons...the list goes on and on. This is a good place to go with a big group for that reason. For drinks, we ordered one of the scorpion bowls, the Yang. We were a party of 6 and this was enough for everyone to get a taste from the many straws that come with this.
(4)Daniel T.
Very nice ambiance. Hostest was rude on the phone but the waiter was very pleasant. Food was decent but reminded me of PF changs. It wasn't worth the expense in my opinion. Scorpion bowl was huge but was mostly ice and fruit juice. Update to original review: I am upping the restaurant to 4 stars from 3. The more I come the more I like the food. Great for gatherings and larger parties very accommodating for my friends bachelor party. Great food good drinks although I do the the scorpion bowl is still mostly ice lol. Much better food than PF changs
(4)Kyle W.
Atmosphere is 5 stars. Food is 4 stars. Drinks 2 star. They taste good but very weak. Service 2 Stars You definitely know you're in a trendy spot from the moment you walk in and see the hostess with a mean entitled look on her face. After a brief interaction with a grown up cast member from toddlers and tiaras you get moved from the front entrance to your table. A fake, lazy and slow waiter then comes to your table to take your drink order. I might as well of ordered water but i got a $44 dollar scorpion bowl and split it with my friend. Don't get me wrong I love me some kool-aid but i don't usually pay $44 for it. Then the food comes which is surprisingly good. The atmosphere is definitely different and a nice change from all the other places in Boston but the service and drinks are just not on the same level.
(3)Anastacia S.
Maybe in Boston this is awesome but I thought it was 'eh' to 'okay'. Visitng a friend she insisted we come here, I was a little less then impressed. The food was good, the food was actually probably the best part about the restaurant. The drinks were alright, nothing mind blowing or original, and the attitude of the bar staff leads me to believe that yes, this is a big deal in Boston - this point was missed by me because it reminded me more of a kitchy place in Times Square then the sleek operation it was trying to be. This is clearly a popular spot, but is it worth it? Not at all. Everything about Red Lantern is mediocre. It is good for large groups though and I could see doing a birthday dinner or bachelor/bachlorette party here (we actually saw both during out visit).
(3)Sam M.
I've been in the place before and my second time was for food and drinks after a day of shopping on Newbury St. with my girlfriend. The layout is Asian chic with lots of reads and golds; you may want to dress it up a tad beyond casual after 7 or 8pm when it seems that most of the people started to come into the bar and lounge area. T The valet and host staff was friendly upon entering. We sat at the bar for a early dinner because we were told that all table were reserved. I didn't make a big deal, but several tables were open the whole time I was there that we or other patrons could have taken. So I'm not so sure if they were being truthful because it seemed everyone was getting a very vague story. Our bartenders and servers were attentive which we liked. The lobster rangoons, calamari and tuna tempura roll was expertly presented and made. The food had well balanced flavors and textures. Be careful eating at the bar because the plated are long and rectangular which can make it inconvenient if you're eating at the bar or tight space. The sushi rolls were reasonably priced but at $11-$20, the appetizers were probably prices anywhere from $2-$5 more than they should have been in my opinion for what you get. The food was good but not that good to warrant that price. My Drunken Samurai martini tasted good but also felt like it had no alcohol whatsoever. It was like I drank an upscale pear juice. The sweetness of the drink should have been balanced out by the spirits. The $11-$12 martinis are in line price-wise for what you can find in Boston or any classy place for that matter. Overall, it's not a bad place, but I think I'd just come for drinks and to lounge instead the next time I'm there.
(3)Melissa P.
Our own little Boston Buddakan. I've been here a few times for dinner and recently celebrated my birthday here with some friends. The service is always lousy. The kind where you wait almost 15 minutes for a first introduction to your server, another few minutes for water, and then you desperately try to reach out to servers as they walk past you because you know you won't be seeing them again for a while. A few of my friends even complained about the old up sell here: Our server informed them that *everyone* in our party was ordering appetizers, which was not the case, but they felt pressured into ordering more. What the heck, Red Lantern? But, setting the unprofessional and off-putting service aside, the food is actually good (stand outs: the rock shrimp tempura app and wood grilled sea bass entree). And the atmosphere is fun (think lively girls night out or celebratory cocktail-dominated meal). And the decor is dramatic (picture flattering lighting and reclining Buddhas perched on every inch of surface area). And remember that open kitchen layout from when Bertucci's was in this space? It's still there, which somehow keeps Red Lantern grounded. So, what can I say, I like it here. As for my friends who ordered more than they wanted, they like it too. It's no Buddakan, but here in Boston, I feel lucky to have this place.
(3)Daphnee D.
WARNING this is going to be a long review I do apologize, but for your convenience I have provided a brief synopsis first, and you can choose to continue to read about this horrid experience. -Location Good location parking garage adjacent to establishment $10. Free parking on clarendon st if available -Environment Great decor. Good music, nice ambiance, loud, clean. -Food mediocre and small portions for the pricing, like we could of went to fridays, been able to cut our cake and not have to make reservations a week in advance. -Customer service Poor, unprofessional, nonchalant attitudes towards concerns I went to red lantern on a saturday night with my gfs to celebrate their birthdays. On arrival they were nice and courteous. We brought a cake that they tried to make me pay three dollars a plate to cut it at the table because they serve dessert. (Ehhh) understandable I guess, I refused so they held onto the cake for me which was nice i guess. We get to our table and our IDs get checked by the waitress. THEN the manager who's a real peace of art comes and ask for our IDs again. So of course we ask why and instead of a normal explanation she has an attitude 'we have the right to check twice, but lady it's the third time. She could of just said you guys look young we've been having trouble with fake IDs lately and that would be fine but she wanted to be boss lady and disrespectful. It was very embarrassing. It went down hill from there. They messed up our orders not once not twice THREE times. Tried to over charge us and the managers manager was a douche who really needs to work on his empathy. And fyi we weren't the only ones complaining.I will not return to red lantern and you shouldn't either. Don't believe the hype from these other reviewers. This place gets a D!
(1)Karlis B.
Red Lantern has style. You walk into a large space with exposed brick and wood beams, Buddha statues and plenty of red lanterns hanging from the ceiling. (I'm also convinced they pump incense into the place as every now and again you get a fleeting whiff of something... tranquil.) It's a scene, but the quality of the food gives this place some substance. (And personally I'm happy for a restaurant that warrants a dress and heels. Sometimes you want to be lady.) The cocktail list is extensive and creative. I had a couple before drinking from the table scorpion bowl. - Rose Petal Saketini (Grey Goose, St. Germaine, Ozeki Sake, Rose Water): on the sweet side for my taste, but still a well crafted drink. - Sumo (Hendricks, Fresh Basil, Grapefruit, Sparkling Rose): refreshing and less sweet! Definitely my favorite of the night. - Yin and Yang scorpion bowls: The Yang bowl is much sweeter than the Yin bowl. Both still taste like juice so, as always with scorpion bowls, be careful. For dinner we went family style and tried almost everything on the menu. - Pupu platter ($60 for large): totally awesome assortment of skewers, Rangoons and shrimp. Ideally I would just have this (small order, though) and some cocktails. - Hot and sour soup ($7): to die for. A thick, hearty stew of tofu and mushrooms that is not to be missed. It's filling and one of the cheaper items on the menu, so go for it. - Beef Tenderloin Fried Rice ($15): what struck me most about the rice (and noodles) is that it wasn't the least bit oily...which means you could just keep eating and eating with reckless abandon. - Singapore Street Noodles ($22): A mess of light noodles with shrimp and veggies. Reminded me a lot of yakisoba. - Sides: bok choy and carrots with bean sprouts. I would go with the bok choy if you feel the need to break up your meal with something green and healthy. We also sampled the sushi, but I can not remember what kinds. They were beautifully presented and tasted great, but I preferred the entrees. Red Lantern goes on my short list of places to visit with my fiance when we want to feel swanky or my girls when we just want to have fun.
(4)Mansi W.
We had a great time here. Everything we ordered was awesome!
(4)Mary B.
Cool looking place with good sushi but overpriced for your typical asian fusion restaurant.
(3)Caroline V.
I visited Red Lantern for dinner on New Years Eve with a group of 9 people and it was the perfect spot! I had been to its sister restaurant Empire before but this was my first time here. The ambience was perfect for NYE - interesting Asian inspired decor and great music. The food was delicious and our waiter made some great suggestions when asked. I'd highly recommend for a group as most of the dishes are meant to be shared. The more people you go with, the more options you have to try!
(4)Shocka N.
Looking for late night Asian and visiting Boston. Found this place is near our hotel. Bartender was very nice and helpful. Had duck buns, fresh chicken lo mein and Apple Rangoon. Delicious! On pricier end but $$$ on Yelp prepped us. Music is loudish "clubbing" music even though it is Wednesday. Would return on another visit and recommend to others.
(4)Heidi C.
I recently went to Red Lantern with a large party to celebrate a friend's ordination. Leading up to the reservation, I was coordinating a dinner for 17-18 people. Red Lantern generally requires parties over 16 to be considered a private event with a set menu, pricing minimums etc. While it took multiple efforts at times to get my phone calls returned, they were overall great to work with. Because our reservation was a Sunday evening, they allowed us to simply be considered a large party as we were only a couple people over their usual number. Cue: Sunday night Enter the space and you instantly feel 100x trendier. Almost yielding the appearance of converted industrial or loft space, the restaurant is incredible inside. The interior design is gorgeous and kept all of us so engaged we were delayed in ordering drinks. It has a trendy, hip, upscale vibe with a metallic, semi-open kitchen. Our table ordered an assortment of appetizers, drinks, sushi rolls, and a couple of more formal entrees. Everything was beautiful and overall delicious. I had the Rock Roll (their variation on a spicy shrimp tempura), spicy tuna, and an appetizer of Peking Ravioli (a playful take on dumplings). I also had a couple of cocktails from the menu. Everything was delicious and well prepared. Presentation was in keeping with the beautiful aesthetics. Portion sizes are good, although in some cases a little on the small side for the price. Service: Overall they did well managing such a large party. I did however think service was kind of slow given that we were the only major party in the restaurant, and it was pretty quiet on a Sunday evening. There were only a few glitches. We had an appetizer come to the table that no one ordered that we later had to ask to have removed from the bill. Similarly, multiple of us didn't order a second or third round of cocktails, but they showed up anyway. The wait staff said they wouldn't charge us as it was their error, and they were correct. Unfortunately, there wasn't really a way for us to easily split checks, so we ended up paying mostly with cards. Everyone's bills appeared to come out accurately in the end. We ended up paying around $55.00 plus tip for 2 sushi rolls, 1 cocktail and 1 non-alcoholic drink, and an appetizer, which was a little spendy but not terrible. NOTE: Cocktails are where they really pad their profit. Drink prices are spendy. If you can avoid spending a ton on pricey cocktails, it's worth it to pay more for the food which is high quality. Red Lantern is definitely a little pricey, but part of what you pay for is the experience. I'd recommend it for a special occasion dinner. But be prepared to spend a little time.
(4)Bhavika P.
Good Asian food nd wonderful ambience. On a costlier end so good to go on special occassions. We were a group of 8 people and ordered edamame, three types of sushi, 2 fried rice and noodles. New style california and ronin roll sushis were amazing. Tik tok chicken is good if you have a sweet tooth. If you dont want anything fancy veg fried rice is good to go. Really large quanties and we couldnt finish it all. 1 entree is more than sufficient for 2 people. Would be good to go with a booking in advance else long wait expected.
(4)Dr. Tyler C.
Great restaurant with great food. The atmosphere is nice, however, the music is way to loud. The music is club like. I really like this place if the music wasn't so loud. Food is yummy!!!!
(4)Rachel K.
Came here last night for dinner for a bachelorette party. First impressions of this place = A + Cool outdoor signage, even cooler indoor decor. This place looks amazing, and I doubt anyone wouldn't attest to that. It's so different looking than any other restaurant, and much larger than most as well. Seems like a place best fit for groups, not a 2 person dinner (though I'm sure you could, but you'd be one of the few). We had phenomenal, and I mean PHENOMENAL service. A++ for service. Our waiter (wish I could remember his name to give him some cred.) was awesome. He knew we were on a timeline to get to our next destination and he made it happen. He was quick, great with recommendations, and attentive. Management stopped by a few times to see how we were doing, which is what most restaurants should do but few actually do. Food came out FAST, as did drinks...which was surprising for how busy it was & for having a big table. The food was pretty good; we got a smorgasbord of everything. Love when you can get both sushi (and importantly, unique sushi rolls) and typical asian food all in one place. Loved loved loved the duck egg rolls and the fried green beans (seriously, try them!!). The drinks, and drink selection, were great. I highly enjoyed my Bamboo juices....though maybe next time will stick to a less sweet drink choice for a full night of Bachelorette-party drinking (not feeling so hot today...but that is my fault & totally beside the point!). I can't wait for a fun occasion for an excuse to come back with a big group. So much fun!
(4)Jess L.
The ambiance is the best part of this place. There are Buddhas everywhere. It feels like Vegas. The drinks are fabulous. The food is homemade chinese food and its really salty. The sushi is good, but overpriced.
(3)Anna M.
I ate at the Red Lantern for the first time last week. The restaurant has an awesome vibe, very trendy. It was a Tuesday night so I did the unlimited sushi for $25.00. I loved the first two rolls, though the next two I ordered were awful (can't remember the names). Overall I think the Red Lantern is an awesome place to grab a drink with your friends but the food is mediocre and over priced.
(4)Alisa S.
I liked the decor & layout of this place. It was very Buddhist contemporary. Boyfriend and I shared everything and enjoyed it all. We had the Tuna Tartare for our appetizer. It was yummy and bigger than expected. For our main course we had the Duck Buns, Uni, Lobster & Bacon Fried Rice (plenty of lobster in it and we had a lot of leftovers), and a Tokyo Lobster Roll.
(4)Reinne T.
I always had the best of times here. I came here on three different occasions and ate almost same dishes every time and it was still super creative every time the food came in. I love love, did I say love? their spicy drink infused with a mixture of chilli that has its own divine kick to it...it is addictive. They also had a dish that came in smoked with the coal and the smoke was still in the dish when the cover was removed. Omg yums!!!! Did I tell you how exquisitely this place was decorated with all the statues and artistic furniture. This place can get expensive. I always keep an eye on dels on living social group on and travel zoo to have a taste of this place. A must try!
(5)Yasa E.
I get cravings for red lantern like whoaaa The food is seriously amazing I've tried about half the menu and loved it every time. The pu pu platter is the perfect combination of apps. Love the lettuce wraps (and I hated lettuce wraps because of pf changs but now I'm a fan, thanks to red lantern). The lobster rangoons are so delicious. Love the noodles. Fried rice is pretty good. The big drinks are steep, price wise, but good for 5 people. I've been here for several occasions and I just love the place. The atmosphere is great, it's gorgeously decorated and huge. My bf and I really liked the kitchen "bar". It's pretty entertaining and we get to sit side by side :) Service has been a little inconsistent. Had an unbelievable server for my friend's bday dinner a couple of months ago. It was a table of 8 girls and we were very well taken care of. Then came here with my bf and didn't have very good service. Overall, 4-4.5 stars. Perfect for any size group or occasion. One of my favorite places in the city
(4)Eric S.
I'm not sure I'm adding anything than what people have already said - but I will say these were my thoughts prior to reading anyone else's on here. 1) the decor is neat, sort of in a "if this were a John Woo movie, keep an eye out for doves flying in slow motion, because this place is about to get trashed" sort of way - much more thought out than most places 2) the food is pretty good, but not amazing - better than PF Changs (I loved the spare ribs, but they were a bit dry - at least not fatty - great flavor, the steak noodles were quite good too - had a few rangoons/dumplings, all good - wish they had soup dumplings) The cocktails are decent, but more towards the "girly" side (think Singapore Sling, literally on the menu, and pretty much every one of the "martinis"). For me, it is a bit too much of a scene (or wannabe scene) though. The wait staff (at least by the bar) wear boobs heavy corsets, so if you are a dude and haven't seen boobs in a long time - enjoy! By 8pm on a weekend, the scene stuff starts, and accelerates into the night. Get there earlier if you are more interested in the food. (the scene is similar to The Liberty - old dudes, euro-trash, and 20-something girls in cocktail dresses and heels looking a bit like they want a sugar daddy - but not actually good music or drinks, just... well, the scene) Not sure if it is always like this, or just Sat evenings, but there is techno music playing in the dining area - seems odd to be eating your spare ribs to UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ UNTZ and no dance floor anywhere even close. The place is dressy, but you don't need a suit (you would be fine in a suit) - I was in jeans and a sport coat and that was fine.
(4)Christina S.
Completely overpriced for mediocre food and an atmosphere that looks worn. Its like a glorified PF Changs. The drinks at an average of $14 were premade and not very good, which is inexcusable for the price. The sushi was drowning in some obnoxious white sauce and the main courses were super oily and salty and the dessert was unimpressive. Its not worth it. Trust me. Save your $$$ and go someplace that actually takes pride in their food.
(1)Elaine C.
This place is a great place to eat Asian food if you are not too crazy about the originality. They are close enough and still tasty. Open kitchen with exceptional drink menu. Large portion and will definitely have left over. Since this place have a powerful kitchen hood install, you clothes and hair will never smell. A little pricey consider their Asian menu is easy cooking.. Always pack so make a reservation.
(4)K Renee O.
I had heard so much about this place, so I was super excited when I got an email deal. I went on a Friday and it was packed!! Even though we had a reservation, we still had to wait an additional 20 minutes, which was on the cusp of being too long. Despite that, I was happy to finally be there!! It looks super chic, the vibe is great - people are laughing and talking, and having a great time. I really liked it. Ever since I started eating cranberry crab rangoons from Thelonious Monkfish, I didn't think I would enjoy any else's rangoons, but I highly recommend the lobster rangoons.....every bite is delicious!! OMG! The drinks were good too, and so were our entrées. I do feel like it's a little pricey, but at the same time, I really enjoyed everything, so it's worth it!! I just wish I could afford to go more often.
(4)I J.
Love the atmosphere and decor. Perfect for date night! The waitress was attentive and the food was served promptly. The Lobster Rangoons and Duck Buns are to die for.
(5)sasha h.
Red Lantern is one of the best places in Boston for big groups. I've gone there on multiple occasions and always had a great time. I've both hosted private parties taking up the whole venue and gone multiple times for dinner. They really cater well to groups and will take care of your table. This is a pretty good place for a bachelorette party dinner as well. Ambiance is always lively, great music and they usually have a young, trendy crowd. The decor is well done, very asian fusion. My favorite dish is the Miso Sea Bass but most of the rolls and wood grilled items are quite good. The food will not blow your mind but it is good and pretty consistent.
(4)Cliff H.
Models. Buddhas. Fire. Brick mills meet stone sanctuary. Your offspring? Bartenders who sideline as models for Maxim or GQ. This is place is serious. If you can appreciate how an old brick factory building can be transformed into a modern sanctuary of pensive Buddhas and statuary you deserve to stop by RL at least once in your Beantown career. Admittedly the food's mediocre, drinks the usual eastern variety, and the prices nothing to sneeze at, but the upscale ambiance and sheer vertical scale of this place is amazing in itself. A great place to bring an out of town friend to impress them with what Boston restaurants are not generally like. Reservations recommended, especially for groups larger than 6. Bar gets jammed anywhere close to prime times and you can wait a bit longer than you like for larger group seating, but your reward is a lot of people dressed well and sipping colorful cocktails and fire-blazen food. And yes, red lanterns. Lots.
(4)Krassi P.
Red Lantern is the perfect mix of bar, restaurant, and lounge. The vibe, staff, and food are great. One of my favorites for Asian dining! A bit pricey but considering the service and quality I would say it is fair. TIP: You can charge your cell phone near the bathrooms downstairs.
(5)Tamar A.
I was treated to Red Lantern via an extraordinarily generous free tasting for potential event-planning folks. I am therefore about to sound like an asshole. We were taken into the private room, plied with delicious free cocktail shots and bottomless wine glasses and treated like corporate queens. My first impressions were of sheer awe: the ambiance is stunning. Draped lanterns, dim red and gold lighting, tastefully arranged buddhas, strung thai shells--a faux-Asian paradise a mere stone's throw from Back Bay station. The service was impeccable and the hosts were equal parts gracious and flirtatious, but good. Then the food came out. We started with the tempura beans, pork spareribs, lobster rangoon, and kalbi beef skewers. Though the rangoon a little runny and the beef gave new meaning to "chewing the fat", the dishes were overall as yummy as Americanized Chinese appetizers are always and forever. Were they worth $8-12 per dish, however? Not as such. The meal consisted of the Tik Tok chicken, Singapore street noodles, and the beef, broccoli, and asparagus. You know those commercials with the lazy yuppie couple who can't be bothered to go out for Chinese, so they get the brand with the animated panda bear in the frozen food aisle? Imagine if those meals cost $22 a package. Truly disappointing faux-Asian for the same price as a whole bag of take-out from Dragon Garden. Red Lantern, I appreciate your style, but your business model is seriously flawed. You know what's not faux-Asian? Chinatown. It's a stop away and one-third the price. Your customers are paying to reimburse several Pier One Imports' worth of red satin gauze and an interior designer's wherewithal to artfully hang it. Treat yourself to the Sriracha cocktail, feel like a baller, and then come meet me at Gourmet Dumpling House.
(2)Doug J.
(score 1-100) 84. Great place for drinks or food. Very high quality, it is pricey but it's the back bay and you are not going to find anything quite like Red Lantern in this part of the city. Food is Asian Fusion and very high quality. Flavorful dishes and many healthy choices. The presentation is excellent which is missed in so many restaurants in Boston. I always feel satisfied after a meal at Red Lantern. The atmosphere is upscale and modern with lots of energy. If you have ever been to any of the Buddakans in the country it is very similar. Great place for group birthdays or if you want to impress a girl on a first date. Conclusion: Great place to start a night out with your friends or end the night.
(4)Danielle C.
Five stars for everything. Amazing food. Get the Peking ravioli. Strong drinks. Super friendly wait staff. Great vibes and atmosphere. Very lgbt friendly too! I haven't had a single item here I didn't like. The Rock Roll was too spicy for me but I still love the flavor. We always go back to the Peking ravioli app when we come. The avocado salad is great to share but too much avocado for one person.
(5)Kate L.
A BIG fan. 1. Most fun, talkative, friendly clientelle - everyone mingles with everyone. great pick up spot - older 30s crowd. 2. Ambiance So cool. Very NYC 3. First experience w food. SO GOOD. Got the skewers (beef and chicken) with tamarind dipping sauce - out of this world flavorful and very moist. Beef was not fatty or gamey at all! Then got lobster rangoons and practically licked the plate. The yummiest thing I have had in awhile. 4. Portions are a little small but overall a 10!
(5)Sarah C.
I came here with no expectation. Upon entering, I saw the hostess and she totally ignored me. The place was empty when I was there (Monday night @ 8pm) so she wasn't busy serving other guests. Maybe the place was too dark to see me? Anyway, I invited myself into the restaurant. I sat at the bar and I asked for their $7 monday night snacks menu. This place is pricey so if you dont want to empty your wallet, I suggest coming in on a Monday night just to give it a try. I ordered the pineapple bacon fried rice, spicy salmon roll and spicy tuna bites. A lot of reviewers weren't pleased with the food but i loved them! The rice was just right (and not oily at all, a major plus!); both the tuna and salmon bites were flavorful (and great presentation too, I didn't want to eat the tuna roll haha!). I also ordered the avacado salad from their regular menu and boy was it tiny! It was good, with citrus-y flavor. It's a great salad for the summer. I would def go back and try their big plates now since I've sampled their food. This place lost a star due to unfriendly staff. Great ambiance and if you want to impress someone, take him/her here. The lounge area is cool FYI - restaurant week is now through end of next week and red lantern is participating. Go to their facebook page to check out their restaurant week menu.
(3)Nilo F.
The bouncer here is the biggest loser I've ever met like you bounce a Chinese food restaurant get out of my face with that pretentious smirk I hate you.
(1)Hina K.
I loved the Ambiance. We had a great meal there, sushi and pad thai was awesome. We went there on the new year's eve and they offered us complimentary champaign too bad we don't drink :) I would definitely go back
(4)Marissa P.
Fun atmosphere, kind of a rip off on a trendy NYC Asian fusion lounge/restaurant (See taorestaurant.com and/or buddakan.com ), but with sub-par food. Somewhat of a corny establishment, very over the top and tacky, with what my friend called a "titty bar", where the girls are hired to walk around in these ridiculous looking corsets, showing off the twins, but have absolutely no idea how to craft a cocktail. I sent back my first cocktail - the grass fed mule - because it was just disgusting. My second one wasn't much better but I drank it. We also ordered tuna tartar, which was covered in soy sauce. A good tuna tartar may have a bit of sauce, but the tuna should stand out. With this dish, all you could taste was soy sauce. Not good at all. We also had some beef/chicken skewers, which were fine. You can't really go wrong there. Then, we had the lettuce wraps, which were the worst. The chicken was just a really gross texture. The lettuce wraps at PF Changs and Cheesecake Factory are far better and cost less. None of us would return. Its only redeeming quality is the cool space.
(2)Terence B.
I went to Red Lantern for New Years Eve and unexpectedly had a great time. The food was great and the service, while a little slow, was good. NYE is a busy night so she gets a pass. My party of 8 shared a few apps. Unfortunately I did not order any of the apps so I can not tell you what they were other than GOOD! My entree stole the show. It was so good I was actually sad I shared it with the table. I had the Miso Sea Bass and while I admit I am a fan of Sea Bass, I can honestly say this was a different experience for me. I highly recommend it and I highly recommend this place. I plan on going back soon.
(4)Jeff G.
I had huge expectations of this place and was so excited to come here that I dragged my friend to join me. 5 star ambiance is correct....everything else is a pretty much a glorified PF Changs. Price- 1 star off for the outrageous prices that dont line up with portions or quality of food Food- I wish i took a picture of the sushi because it was rolled by an 8 yr old missing rice on the ends and loosely formed, presentation was awful. we also ordered spring rolls that tasted terrible and had no flavor whatsoever. Our main entree was a sweet and sour chicken that was put in some type of tomato sauce which seemed odd and we really weren't impressed. Drinks - I admit they were strong, but some of them came out in tiki glasses which I thought to be a bit corny considering its Asian flavors and not Polynesian. Overall once you get over the initial wow of the decor, this place will eventually fade out due to over-gorging price margins and lack of taste.
(3)Jamie F.
When the big, bad, Bruins celebrated their NHL championship at Foxwoods, their SOs were at Red Lantern (a good sign about the atmosphere for large parties). So, my posse and I dined here for our collegiate reunion last month. Loved the huge space and stunning decor. The crowd was dressy and diverse. It felt like a part of NYC was transplanted into Back Bay Boston. The bar area was actually more like a club lounge than a restaurant lounge with female servers struttin' around in hoe uniform. Dinner started off on a good note. My Shanghai Street Sangria, made with plum sake, was light and well balanced even though the name didn't make sense (Shanghai Street is in *Hong Kong* and sake is *Japanese* rice wine). Our table enjoyed tasty apps that arrived at lightning speed: Lobster rangoons (4 for $12) - dollops of lobster cream cheese wrapped in crispy fried wontons. The lobster flavor was mild but enough that I can taste it. Duck buns (2 for $8) - steamed white taco-shaped buns stuffed with shredded hoisin-flavored duck meat and mirin pickle slices. An interesting and delicious twist on traditional Peking duck buns (filled with crispy duck skin and scallion instead). Unfortunately, Japanese cuisine was not Red Lantern's strong point. Imagine an episode of Chopped. Mystery ingredients include elephant plum, burdock, and lipstick chile (wtf is right). The contestant is Red Lantern's sushi chef. His creations are dragon, smoking lantern, geisha night, and tuna tempura specialty rolls. *Taste: distasteful (flavors did not blend well together at all) *Creativity: OK effort (I liked the fried exterior of tuna tempura roll) *Presentation: lacking (pink soy wrap was unique but very loose... and what's up with the high rice-to-fish ratio?) *Final decision: chopped Service also needed improvement, i.e. timing was off, an order was made wrong (this was comped), the busser was awkward, and our waitress was MIA at times. All understandable since it was the third weekend of opening *except* for my friend's glass of dirty water (there was a small onion slice floating in it). Shouldn't cleanliness come easy to new restaurants? For now, I can only suggest to visit the lounge for cocktails just to experience the trendy atmosphere.
(3)Christina Z.
My new favorite people-watching location in Boston. I doubt anywhere else could you find Cougars with super-toned arms, sugar daddies (Jerron W. is absolutely right), buxom waitresses (corsets and all), model bartenders, old men in polos, and sleazy Latin American pimps, two of whom sat on the back of our chairs in the cocktail lounge. This used to be a Bertucci's, and you can still see the exposed brick! High high ceilings, exposed pipes (must be a B to heat in the winter), P.F. Changs-esque decor. The red lanterns and parasols hanging from the ceiling add a nice touch. Sometimes I'm a sucker for faux. It felt a twinge New-Yorkey, but the crowd was definitely catch-all Boston. We walk in around 7:30, and it's empty, but we are told that all the tables have been booked for reservations. OK, full menu at the bar, check. How strange is that? ALL the tables booked? The place is gigantic, the size of a factory. We find some cozy chairs with a table at the lounge. A cocktail waitress with boobs pushed up to her neck plops down water (after we had to ask- mind you, this is the HOTTEST day of the year, a record 109 degrees, of course I want to stay hydrated), and we try to order a scorpion bowl. She replies "I'm not your waitress." BAD. This is BAD. You do not say this to customers. You smile and pass the order on to their waitress. Ugh. Tacky, didn't the orientation teach manners? I mean, I know your brains are being deprived of oxygen because of your Dominatrix-like costume, but please. Be nice! So they have two scorpion bowls. Yin and Yang. One has 151, and the other is delicious. At $44, we were not taking chances with 151. Problem being, it's mostly ICE. And my major gripe, where is the alcohol?! I couldn't taste an ounce. It was delicious, but so is sugar water! And also, from where we were sitting (low), the straws didn't reach. They brought out our food in a record 3 minutes. Suspicious. Edamame was solid (with some yummy sauce), mashed potato sticks were delicious, but how could they not be, philly roll was yummy except with maybe a touch too much cream cheese, yellowtail and scallion was also solid, and then... The Geisha Nights was the most delicious piece of sushi I have ever put in my mouth. 5 pieces, hamachi, plum, chili, and some pink soy, whatever the hell that is. Spicy, sweet, a full-bodied sushi flavor. Yum. It was a bold move, and I'm glad I made it. They are big pieces, wasabified and gingerfied, they bowled me over. I wish I took a pic because the presentation was gorgeous! After dinner drinks: orange blossom thing actually contained liquor, the bamboo juice was good but you could have made it in college, then my ew tranquility tea. Green tea vodka, peach, milk.... I love boba, and these tapioca balls were CRUNCHY. What is that?! I could barely choke them down. Bad form, Red Lantern. Our waitress kept making faux pas that would make me cringe. Shoving over our scorpion bowl to plunk down our soy sauce {which was just Kikkoman}, taking our drinks before they were DONE. NO! And in general giving us blank stares when we ordered something. Okay, we are near the bar, but please, again, be nice, not overly fake-nice and rude sometimes. I'll be back, but I'll sit next to the sushi artists.
(3)Jonathan B.
I've developed a sort of love and hate relationship with Red Lantern. I have enjoyed all the food I've tried here but I wouldn't rank it amongst some of my got to spots for Asian cuisine. I hate to put it like this but I consider Red Lantern like a high end version of P.F. Chang's. Sort of a mash up of different cuisine without any real boom! I haven't had anything that I would absolutely eat again and again with the exception of the duck buns. I will be returning to this place at least a few more times before passing anymore judgment. The décor as other users have mentioned is quite nice but the music not so much. I don't care much for listening to the Beatport top ten while eating dinner. For now I will leave Red Lantern with a three star rating. Good food, friendly staff and nice décor. I just feel like something is missing from the overall experience. I would and will recommend this place to friends.
(3)jade g.
Don't waste your time going to this restaurant. A dinner for two people took almost 3 hours and we were one of the first tables in the restaurant. My first cocktail was undrinkable and I had to send it back. The other cocktails were fine but totally unbalanced. The food was all over the map and dishes came without main ingredients (e.g. Veggie fried rice with little to no veggies). The portions were enormous but overpriced for the same food you can get in any neighborhood Chinese takeout. The server could have made up for the kitchen's inconsistencies but instead had a bad attitude. Finally our dessert was dry and tasteless. When we asked for it to be wrapped up they gave it to us without its integral sauce which made the dish. Overall, I had a terrible experience and I would never go back or recommend this to anyone who likes real Asian food.1.5 stars.
(1)Brittany M.
I don't usually write a review unless a place is either bad or ridiculously good. This place is amazing. Some of the best sushi I have ever had in Boston. We got the lobster ragoons which were creamy and delicious. We also got the torched Toro roll, black widow, and ronin roll. My favorite was the torched toro it practically melted in my mouth. The servicewas excellent. They were prompt and polite and we're not disruptive. Definitely will come back here and try the duck!
(5)Mindy L.
I loved this place. I loved the food so much, I'm even willing to overlook the fact that the front of the house seemed very confused by the fact that our party of 11 wanted to be seated at one table forever and it took them an hour to figure out a solution. Also of note, it was 5:45 and the place was virtiually empty. That said...the food and waitstaff was so good, I'm ok with it. Drinks: Fortune Cookie - A+. Brilliant coconut and chocolate flavors with a real fortune cookie topper. Singapore Sling - A+. It tastes like juice. It's dangerous. Angelique Pinot Noir - $9.00 a glass - liquid velvet. Food: Lobster Rangoon - silky, sweet and absolutely delicious. Tempure Fried Green Beans were awesome. The trio of dipping sauces were delicious. For my main course, I got the Beef, Asparagus and Broccoli. It was aboslutely, 100% perfection. I am so used to the overcooked slabs of beef you get in chinese takeout. These were soft, not at all chewy, packed with flavor. The broccoli soaked up all the yummy sauce and provided very flavorful bites - so flavorful that the people surrounding me at the table helped eat every single piece of it off the plate! Definitely will be back - great for small groups and large parties!
(5)Josephine L.
Atmosphere: Industrial meets Asian. Think exposed wood beams, cement and pipes interspersed with Buddhist statues and giant red paper lanterns. Food: I somehow managed to not pay for any of the food I had here (thank you friends). The sushi was not so great--rice was too hard and dry and the fillings didn't feel fresh. The dumplings were okay and I liked that they used the less-traditional green vegetable skins. The chicken fried rice was abundant but extremely bland. It needed serious seasoning. Clientele: A mixture of families (yes families--with kids and everything), suits, young, hot suits who give you "the eye", girlfriends out for a night and most are dressed pretty nicely Service: Surprisingly attentive even when things are busy, friendly for the most part though there were some moments when brusqueness came into play.
(4)Shantel S.
We went at 6:15 on a Wednesday for dinner and it was pretty dead. The bar/lounge area looked really fun, but the music was so loud there's no way you'd be able to hear each other. The music spilled into the restaurant making it feel like a club, which was really annoying. It's easy to spend a lot.
(3)Cristina C.
It's been a week and I still feel teased, after walking into Red Lantern last Tuesday night for a Tuesday Tasting run by Boston Event Guide. Walking towards Stanhope Street I wasn't sure which building they had put this in because I haven't been over here in a few years; goodbye Bertuccis HELLO RED LANTERN! - The décor was fabulous, I am in love - The music, perfect beats (although they could have turned it down a smidge) - The lighting.. they're confused on this part, or maybe just I am. The bar was almost pitch black dark with "mood lights" and the dining area was very bright (also in part that the sun hadn't gone down yet, thank you windows!). - The Sunset Sangria or whatever it is, very good - The upstairs bar bathroom is one person bathroom but there is downstairs with multiple - Attentive staff and managment - For the event, Kettle One was a sponsor, hello Grey Dutchman. - The food..... waaah teased completely. While we got to see other people eating, we didn't eat that much and not by choice. What I did get a bite at, was delish. I felt like I could look and not touch. I want it. Right. Now. Please. I don't think the kitchen expected our sampling to go so quick, it was like hawks diving for food and they just couldn't keep up. I did some people watching (what I do best). The manager or owner, he did a lot of walking through with the staff throughout the restaurant and was really making sure things were going smoothly. I will definitely be back, I hope very soon and with the same girl I went with I am sure. We wanted everything, along with everyone else there but there just wasn't enough.
(4)Amber B.
The company I work for recently had their Holiday Party here. I was really taken back by the space. Absoluetely beautoful. The staff were extra attentive and I was overall impressed. They had passed appetizers to which I thought were good. I will certainly be back to try for lunch or dinner!
(3)Sarah A.
Stopped in here for drinks last week after work to celebrate a friend's birthday. The atmosphere is great. I love the red lanterns hanging from the ceiling, the Buddha statues all over the place and the lamps of naked women holding lampshades. I just had a beer at the bar, so I can't comment on the cocktails and food offerings, but everyone in our group seemed please with their beer, wine and cocktails. The bartender was friendly and efficient. There is your typical seating at the bar as well as some nice comfy, leather lounges and couches and a few tables between the bar and the dining area. I was really looking forward to seeing all the cougars and sugar daddies mentioned in the previous reviews, but maybe we were there too early for them. I peaced out around 7:45. I'll definitely be back to check this place out again for drinks. The food menu kind of freaked me out... $16 for some Chinese noodles? But, you have to love the atmosphere. Also, note bene, men with an appreciation for very thin women...all the cocktail waitresses are sizes 0s wearing super tight black corsets that do wonders to amplify their, ahem, assets. According to my friend, this place is populated predominately with men later in the evening. I can see why.
(4)Bonita Y.
My dining experience at Red Lantern can be summed up in this simple analogy: He's a very handsome man (maybe even to the level of Christian Grey), but with no substance....so be prepared for utter disappointment! Considering that it used to be a Bertucci's, the decor is amazing (and yes, it has a very Tao/Vegas feel). Grab a table with you BFFs (just make sure to RSVP ahead of time as it gets wicked packed) or hang out at the bar/lounge. Service: Exceptional! We asked the hostess to change our table of six to a lounge/sofa. Also, our waiter allowed us to take our time to order (we ended up staying two and a half hours) and gave us good suggestions. Drinks: Go ahead, order the ying or yan scorpion bowl. No one will judge since you're in an upscale location and not at Hong Kong lounge/nightclub during your college days. The cocktail and martini list just looks fun...I ordered the rose petal saketini, but somehow it was more bitter than I expected. Food: Asian fusion. Gawd, this restaurant should be shut down because it is serving mediocre entrees. For a steak tip lo mien, its $24 and cooked in a sweet sauce. My ancestors in China/Hong Kong are turning over their grave because its just bad and uninspiring. Their highlights are the apps and sushi. The duck buns need to have the crispy duck skin...not pulled duck meat, which makes the bun soggy. Red Lantern's saving grace was its service, drinks, and app/sushi. The main entrees need a lot of rework, hence the three stars (that is me being generous because it is a crime that their entrees are just so mediocre!)
(3)Mac D.
First time long time here. I've been to Red Lantern twice, once in the restaurant and once at the bar. Restaurant experience: Ying/Yang Drink bowl - really sweet, but lots of liquor. Good to share. Noodle dishes are great, Tyler the manager gave us an appetiver sampler of Rock Shrimp, Rangoons (both great) and spring rolls. The main courses were delicious too, especially sushi. Second trip, sat a the bar. Waitresses aren't that great. Sushi was good, but was given something I didn't want and she wouldn't take the drink off the bill even though I didnt drink it and she took it away. Would go back for the food, but bartenders should leave their egos at the door.
(3)Travis D.
Were it just for the ambiance when we first arrived, I would have had no problem giving Red Lantern 4-5 stars. The illusion wore off quickly after that though. The food here is average AT BEST, and incredibly over-priced for what it is. The drinks were only "ok" too. My favorite dish of the night was the lettuce wraps, and sadly I was the only one at my table to enjoy them. I read the reviews on Yelp beforehand, but we decided to give Red Lantern a try based on a review on Chronical - I know why, now, they're broadcasting experts and not restaurateurs. While we didn't have an issue with our own footwear, their prohibition of "flip flops" or "sandals" is a bit ridiculous given the food and otherwise casual attire with girls in ripped jeans/cutoffs, guys looking like they just came off the beach, etc. This place holds itself in much higher regard than it's food or service dictate. Speaking of the service, our server was nice enough, but clueless about table service. We probably would have had another round of drinks, if not two (to make the dinner go down more easily!), and dessert had she been more attentive. Instead, we couldn't wait to get out of there to get to another one of our old favorites, The Market at the W Hotel. Trust me folks - this place isn't worth your time or effort.
(1)Manny M.
I've been eager to visit this new restaurant since it opened last year. Other reviews have indicated that it's got great atmosphere, food and service. All of which were so on-point! The staff really made us feel welcome and were attentive throughout our night there. Our server made some great suggestions and even other staff who stopped in to check were helpful without being pushy.The food had such flavor and I also enjoyed some of the complimentary samples sent to our table which made me want to order them the next time I'm there. This is going to be one of my new favorite haunts!
(5)Stephanie M.
I just moved to NYC from Boston and have been a little spoiled by the thousands of unique, trendy, chic, high end feeling lounges and restaurants that Boston is only beginning to dabble in. So when I came back to visit some friends, they suggested we go to Red Lantern to see if it was up to my new standards. I was amazed at the beautiful decor, the high ceilings, the laid back music at just the right volume, the pretty people, the fabulous food (The skirt steak was AMAZING!) and the overall feel that I got when I was hanging out in this place. I will definitely make this my new spot to meet at when I come home to see the girls!
(5)Sean L.
Went for Boston Restaurant Week and had the selections from the restaurant week menu (golden chicken, singaporean noodles, and beef noodles). The ambiance is fantastic and beautiful, but the entrees aren't that great (comparable to a glorified arrangement of panda express food). Most are fairly Americanized. The appetizers are fantastic -- had the pupu platter, which gives a great selection of different appetizers. Overall things are a bit pricey (~$30+ / plate), but the entrees are of similar caliber and taste to Panda Express. However, the portions are huge.
(2)Saba N.
Had a good ol' fashioned girls night at Red Lantern this past weekend... and there's a lot of things I liked and one thing I didn't like about the place. Likes: Atmosphere: it's really gorgeous, trendy, and new york esque (think Tao). I love the big open space, and it's perfect for a fun night out w/ friends or a sexy date. A+ Service: our waitress was fantastic and super sweet. We were a large party of indecisive girls - and she was so patient. She also got us a complimentary scorpion bowl (which are AMAZING and a great value)... just because she liked us so much (and the bacardi rep was at the restaurant). I mean, we were running an $500+ tab so I'm sure she would have liked us no matter what.. but still, pretty nice gesture. Drinks: fantastic. A little pricey, but given the area and atmosphere.. not surprising. We were all raving about our cocktails - so I don't think you can go wrong. As mentioned above, the scorpion bowl is HUGE and fun for large groups. There was 7 of us and we had a tough time drinking it all. At $44, it's a good deal. It's very sweet though, so I would only order if you were in a large party. Dislikes: Food: it was just so... mediocre. We had the plum salsa with guac (special) - and it was pretty lackluster. The guac was so spicy that I found it to be inedible. I love spicy food... but it was gross and kind of destroyed my palate.The lettuce wraps were very pf changs esque... nothing to write home about, either. It was also SO hot that it was clear it was just microwaved or something. And while the lobster portion was HUGE and flavorful.. every piece of lobster we ate was filled with shells. Not very appetizing. All in all - I'd definitely come back for a second chance - but it will just be for sushi and cocktails.
(3)Julie N.
Would definitely go back. Lobster rangoons, boneless spareribs, torched tuna maki and special Big Papi maki were fantastic. Drinks were great, as was service. Music was bass thumping ridiculously loud. Banana peanut butter dessert was dry, dense like a brick and maybe one of the worst desserts I've had. The peanut butter ice cream alone would have been a much better option, as it was great.
(4)Lindsay B.
I went here for dinner on Saturday and it was really good! They have a Gluten Free menu and carry GF soy sauce :) The food was really good, but they don't tell you what they are modifying to make your meal gluten free. I was disappointed when my sushi roll came out and had a roasted red tomato on top instead of the spicy sauce. The ambiance was great and I highly recommend going there with a large group.
(4)Steve S.
Red Lantern is a newish Pan Asian restaurant..Pan Asian means part Chinese, part Japanese and part Thai plus other Asian cuisines The place is drop dead georgous with a huge and extensive buldout of a giant bar, hibachi and sushi center in the back along with a restaurant for a couple of hundred or so. Its like a toned down Tao The food, however, needs some help. Had the grilled chicken dish, but there was nothing pan-Asian about the white sauce over rather overcooked vegetables and a huge bed of white rice...There was nothing really great about my friends food either Red Lantern: You may want to be seen here, but be full before you arrive
(3)Jennifer L.
Food is delicious... Ambiance is great and the service sucks. Hire more or new waitstaff
(2)John L.
Wonderful Asian-themed decor filled with Buddhas and lanterns. Extremely creative rolls, but for a price. Check out my full review with helpful photos here: asushiatedpress.com/red-… Red Lantern is a new trendy Asian-themed venue hidden on Stanhope St in Back Bay. The restaurant is quite large and definitely utilizes the entire space by filling it with numerous lanterns, stone Buddha statues, and endless amounts of red throughout the venue. Deluxe Sushi Plate - Spicy Tuna Roll, Red Head Roll, 8 Piece Nigiri, Two Shrimp Tempura Hand Rolls Great deal for the price. Nice variety of rolls. Red Head Roll was slightly messy to eat. The Shrimp Tempura Rolls just seemed a little bland and maybe not as interesting as all the other rolls. Dragons Roll (salmon) - Salmon wrapped around Burdock & Crabstick Fresh root taste from the Burdock with the fresh Salmon made for a tasty roll. Geisha Nights Roll - Hamachi, Elephant Plum, Lipstick Chile, Pink Soy Wrap One of the more unique rolls I've ever had... Check out my full review on this roll here: asushiatedpress.com/geis…
(4)Kristen D.
This review is for the bar only. Went in w a gf around 9 last night and was lucky enough to snag 2 seats at the bar. They have a very interesting cocktail list, and it was hard to decide which I wanted to try first. I had the drunken samurai (pear martini, my favorite one), the Dragon fire (perfect amount of spice) and the Blueberry lemon drop martini (my least favorite). My friend had the bamboo juice and the red locust. The bamboo juice tasted strong, the red locust was Ok, but a little too much pineapple for my liking. The drinks are pricey ($13-$14) and not very strong. Normally, I am rocked after 2 martini's. I had 3 and was only slightly buzzed. When I'm spending $40 on 3 drinks, I expect to be stumbling out of the place! My friend ordered the lobster rangoons (4 in an order), I didn't try them, but she said they were good, although she could not taste any lobster in them. Overall, it was a cool ambiance and I would go there to grab a drink, not sure if I'd try the food based on other reviews and the price. Kind of seemed like they were an upscale version of PF Changs.
(3)Sandy D.
LOVE RL!! It's my fave resto to bring my out-of-town guests. We always have a great time, no matter how large our party is. The fried rice is addicting and even though my fave roll is no longer on the menu, they'll still make it when I ask. The service is great. They really make sure you have a good time.
(5)Julie G.
So I came here twice...once for drinks at the bar on a Saturday night and the other time for dinner and drinks on a weeknight. The time I came for drinks only, the bar was super crowded and I almost felt as if I were on an episode of Millionaire Matchmaker. The bar was filled with wealthy older men and young hot women with Ferraris and Lambos being valet parked outside. The drinks were on the strong side and were decent. Ever since that first night there, I was dying to try the food. One Thursday night after a Pilates class, a friend and I decided to stop by and instantly I noticed that it was a lot less crowded. We found a table near the bar and ordered duck buns, the crispy bliss roll and lobster and bacon fried rice. Everything was simple delectable, especially the duck buns. I also had a red lotus martini which was delicious! I'm dying to come back here again!! The food definitely deserves 5 stars but the scene at the bar made me take one star away.
(4)Santiago A.
Just went for the first time last night. At first it look like one of these pretentious all "cool" places that are all about the looks and the overly priced food. But once on the table we realized that it was comfortable and the music was at a nice enough level for us to comfortably talk. The decor is cool and you can see the kitchen which is always fun. Also every one was very nice. The cocktails are good and original though a little sweet, but that just means to try another cocktail next time. We had the Duck Roll and was amazing. The sushi was also very original and tasty, we had the Ronin Roll that would just melt with the right amount of spice on it. Then we had the Chow Fun noodle bowl and again it was great. We shared those 3 things among 2 people and where very satisfied so the price was very manageable.
(4)Heath M.
My attitude toward the Red Lantern largely depends on what I'm doing there. Is it a dinner thing or a drink and nibbly thing? As a drink and nibbly place it's probably one of the coolest places to hang out in the neighborhood. If you put aside the fact the place is visually stunning. It stops short of the middle-American tackyness of PF Changs (thank Buddha). It's also quite comfortable; the front area is filled with cozy inviting couches and coffee tables for your post-work sip & b*tch session (don't judge, it's cathartic). It's sort of like hanging out in the living room of an eccentric Hong Kong importer or something. The cocktails are quite well-mixed, adeptly handling the basics along with some more exotic offerings (I would skip the Scorpion Bowls, you can get better ones at Hong Kong...the dive on the Waterfront, not the actual city). The appetizers are delovely with upscaled versions of a lot of your take-out favorites from beef and chicken skewers to pork dumplings. For this, it's five stars, hands down. As a place for dinner I have a slightly different attitude. The entree selection is a bit small, though there's an impressive sushi selection if you're into that sort of thing (which I'm not). When it comes down to it, it lacks enough variety. I think I'd rather hit up Chinatown and get better, more authentic food at a lower price (with more options). For whatever reason, the bistro treatment doesn't work when you have the real deal so nearby, and this place does get pricey and all you're really paying for is an experience. It begs the question, how worthwhile is presentation when you can get better food with a bit less of a strain on your wallet? For that, I give it three stars. Bottom line, whether I'd recommend this place depends on what you intend to do here. You should at least come for some cocktails and great service, but if you were with me, I might try to convince you to take a walk to get the main course.
(4)Joe P.
I booked a reservation with Open Table for 9:30pm. We showed up on time but was told I'd have to wait 15 minutes as some tables just opened up. We sat outside of the hostess station waiting to be called but it never happened. I waited 35 minutes then went back in to see what happened and was never given an adequate reason. WOULD NEVER GO HERE AGAIN AND WILL NEVER REFER ANYONE HERE.
(1)Becky F.
Hot damn this place is big and sort of swanky. Amazingly enough I had some serious trouble locating it, but that might have been due to my own directional incapability and the heat wave that was passing through Boston and left me in a daze. (Disclaimer: It really isn't that hard to find as they have big red letters spelling out their name. And a big red lantern. Yeah...it's just me.) I decided to go for the duck buns (YUM) and the tuna tartare appetizer. The tuna tartare came in a large round bowl (similar to what their noodle dishes are served in). It was good but, at best, difficult for me to work in, and would have been inconvenient or near impossible to easily eat from if ordered as an appetizer for the table. The duck buns though...delightful. Friends ordered a noodle dish (massive -- three meals at least) and some sushi (got thumbs up). Side note: the bathrooms are located downstairs and back through some hallways. I felt like I could have gotten lost it was such a hike. Thank God there were a million tea lights to guide my way. (How is that not a fire hazard?)
(4)Rachel S.
My rating is really 3.5 stars. I liked this place as a one-time, celebratory visit with friends. I would not likely return often or ever become a "regular" here. We walked in to the Red Lantern with Dance Club house music playing. Dim lighting, a vast space with contemporary Asian decoration. It is definitely fun and a little pretentious-- the novelty is great. Four of us shared a scorpion bowl- $44. It seems like a lot of money but this bowl pretty much sustained us for the entire meal. At the end of the meal, I looked at the drink list, every drink was about $12, so this price actually makes sense when considered with other items. I asked the waiter what the strongest drink was-- he said "bamboo juice." He was right-- whoa. The meal was good but not amazing. We had a variety of appetizers and some fried rice and a spicy tuna roll and California roll. I didn't really look at the food menu and let everyone else order. The spicy tuna roll was good, but then again, after a scorpion bowl, everything tastes good. :)
(4)Michelle B.
I don't think I'm cool enough for Red Lantern, but I want to be. (That's not true. I'm pretty fantastic already.) But seriously, this place is SUPER swanky. Big, oversized booths, dramatic decorations, and a big airy space make for a very impressive looking restaurant/lounge. The food that I tried was pretty good, as were the drinks. My one quibble with this place is that the pricing seems... off. I feel like I'm partially paying for all of their fancy decorations and not just the food on my plate. I was pretty taken aback by a bowl of Singapore Street Noodles running $25. They were good, but they ARE still just noodles. Similarly, the drinks were good, but felt a bit on the higher end of the pricing spectrum. Service was efficient, if not overly friendly. However, I did arrive there after already having imbibed a few drinks elsewhere, soooo that may not have been the staff's issue.
(3)Amanda M.
Would have been 5 stars but the drink prices were astronomical! Place is gorgeous, super hip, lots of pretty people at the bar, strong drinks, great sushi. Perfect date night or get together spot for late 20s early 30s crowd or older- not too many youngins which I loved! Loved the mood lighting and lounge music, and had great attentive wait service. Thanks for a fun night out!
(4)TinoX T.
Nice Place,Loved the Music.
(4)Erica E.
Red Lantern is a GREAT place to come with a group of friends. The atmosphere is 5 stars and the food is almost always perfection. Once in a while I will find the food lacking a tiny bit, but when I say something to the waiter they always find a way to bring me something different or new. Things you have to try: 1) Chicken Lettuce wraps- Great flavor. Sometimes a little dry, but if you get them on a good night, you're going to love them! 2)Duck Buns- OMG, best thing on the menu hands down. I don't eat duck, like ever, but these are absolutely to die for. My friend got them once and made me try a bite. I ended up ordering another order! I get them everytime I go. 3) Tik Tok Chicken- A cripsy general tso type dish. SO delicious. The sushi is also incredible. I've had every roll on the menu and loved them all except for the roll with a scalop. It tastes burnt.
(4)Liz B.
I bought a voucher on travelzoo giving us $116 of food for $58 so that was an amazing deal. I thought the food was really great. We had some sushi which was terrific, spring roll and lemongrass dumplings as appetizers, and shared a bulgoki for dinner. Everything was excellent - the bulgoki was really spicy - this was not mentioned in the menu. We also had the coconut pineapple bread pudding for dessert and it was wonderful! I had the coconut mai tai cocktail and I would not recommend it. My husband had the blueberry sangria which he liked. The decor is really great and although I didn't go to the bar it seemed like it would be fun. Our waitress was very good. Valet parking was $19. Expensive but typical for this area.
(4)Andrew L.
Been here quite a few times, consistently good food but had a very unpleasant experience last time. I walked in on a Friday at 6pm and the dining room was completely empty except for maybe 3 tables. I was told I could eat in the lounge but they were fully committed and couldn't give me a table.... So I'm supposed to assume all 40 parties and going to be on time for their reservation? I'm sorry but I work in customer service and that's not how you run a business well. Absolutely no personal touch, no effort, and I don't plan on returning. Every restaurant manager in Boston should compare their staff to the staff at Eastern Standard, and ask themselves how they can strive to replicate the experience.
(3)Nikhil D.
I really enjoyed Red Lantern! My boyfriend and I got a Gilt City deal for the place and had an amazing experience. First off, the space is amazing. Really well designed, soaring ceilings, tons of seating, great bar, views of the kitchen. I really can't complain much about the way it looked. Secondly, the food is GREAT. From looking at some of the less enthusiastic reviews, I guess there are a few dishes on the menu that are just so-so/inedible but I can't say I had any of those. The standout for us? The Tuna Tartare. It was fantastic. One of the best I've had. The sauce it comes with really elevates the dish to a whole new level! Finally, the service was fine. I found our waiter just attentive enough. I don't like being asked how my meal is going 14 times or getting my water filled when I've had 3 sips. I was satisfied with it. I'd suggest going, even if its just for the tuna tartare.
(4)Cj L.
Food was amazing highly recommend this place! Ordered sushi it was super fresh, and there drunken noodles were unbelievable!
(5)Tracy T.
For being one of those new, trendy, sushi YEAH! places, it was actually pretty good. Pretty DAMN good. Again, I had a groupon (crafty lil' buggers, eh?). Ended up spending more cause, well, you save so much with the groupon, so why not order a bottle of $50 sake! or two. Anyways. The food was stellar, the service was just as good. Our waiter had an extremely extensive knowledge of sake which I proceeded to apologetically tune out and think about dragons. We ordered our usual 5 rolls and they were so decadent and pleasing to the mouth buds I had to stop. And drink more sake, then eat more. The rolls were so carefully made and the mixture of different fish and sauces were so expertly crafted, you wouldn't really expect it at such a trendy place such as this. I would definitely recommend coming here for a group sushi night, if that exists outside of LA.
(4)Melody V.
Terrible manager and horrific service. Don't come here. I had a safety related incident at this location and no one ever resolved the issue. Also the wait was over two hours...
(1)Ben W.
I have now been to Red Lantern 3 times, and to sum it up the atmosphere is better than the food. If you really want some good asian fusion type food go somewhere else, but if you want a swanky cool ambiance and impressive date spot then head to red lantern. Sure the food was good enough, the appetizers seem to be more favorable than the entrees personally, but I wasnt that blown away by the food. Cocktails, appetizers, and a cool interior decor are the reasons to come here
(3)Jenn C.
Meh pretty much covers it for me. Went with a fun group of ladies, not much on the menu that isn't fishy or nutty so not many options for me. The decor is fun but noise levels that will burst your ear drums.
(2)M C.
Came here with my friends for what was suppose to be a fun reunion I'll admit the atmosphere was really nice and trendy. And the bubble tea was delicious. The appetizer I ended up getting was good as well (lobster rangoon) the part that really ruined my visit was the inconsidered manager and their chef's lack of ability to cook a medium steak I ordered the mongolian streak to be done in medium. The first time it came out, it was cooked well done. I returned it and the 2nd steak was on the medium well side (if not well done). At this point, everyone at my table was half way through their dinners and I was losing my appetite because I was eating off of my friend's plates. The manager comes out and says that the steak was done right the 2nd time around and that I probably couldn't see the steak well because of the dimly lit atmosphere. First off, I went to Flemings the night before and their atmosphere was as dim or even more dim than Red Lantern - And they cooked their steak just fine. Anyways, after the rude manager...I ordered a small appetizer (duck buns) bc I was pretty annoyed at that point. The restaurant did not comp me for my appetizer or anything. The server was really nice and apologetic throughout the entire meal, but the managerial staff could def use some PR courses. Very disappointed in their service. Was satisfied with all their other dishes except the Mongolian Steak.
(1)Cat S.
Red Lantern ...the elusive Saturday night reservation. Why are you always booked until 11pm? Why do I even want to go back, knowing that I didn't love the food the first time? The real draw for me here is the ambiance - I'm a big fan of Shrine (same owners) to begin with and Red Lantern has good music, chic Asian-inspired decor, and a really sophisticated, trendy atmosphere. We need more places in Boston like this! The food - It wasn't bad...but it wasn't great either. And for the price, and the atmosphere, it could and should be a lot better. Step it up, Red Lantern! My friends got the more Chinese-inspired dishes and I stuck to sushi. It just wasn't memorable. The drinks were good, the service was friendly and prompt, and it looked like there was a really fun bar scene. I'll definitely be back - but probably just for drinks.
(3)Big S.
Good place overall. For an asian fusion restaurant they do have some clubby music. But the food and service was great. Our waiter was awesome, made some nice recommendations and was really nice. the portions are pretty big, even for big eaters which is always a plus at an expensive restaurant. We have the rice tuna roll which was awesome, the GF drunken noodles which were very very good and the lobster/bacon fried rice. Will be going back, especially with the living social deals. If they got rid of the music, its an easy 5 stars.
(4)Mindy R.
Came here with a friend of mine for dinner. After recommendations we made reservations which seemed kind of pointless because there was a wait anyway. The place looked pretty empty, yet we still had to wait about 25 minutes for a reservations. While waiting we were able to have over priced sugary cocktails at the bar. Once we were sat we thought things would get better, but the server was very hit or miss every time she visited the table. Sometimes she'd be right in and helpful, the next time she was aloof and forgetful. As said before, I have some major allergies (fruits and shellfish) and she had no idea what I was able to eat or not on the menu. I ended up with beef and chicken skewers and lo mien. We had one drink at the bar, one at the table and the reason for this wasn't how strong/not strong they were but rather the fact that it just took sooooo long to get them. The food was decent. It tasted less greasy than usual lo mien, and the portions were definitely large. Too bad my friend and I couldn't share because we didn't know the ingredients in her food. Probably wouldn't go back here, but worth going once just to check out yourself.
(2)Erin W.
At least an hour wait for a table on Saturday evenings, call ahead/reserve or be prepared to hang out at the bar for awhile.
(3)Aboud Y.
Have to say..the food is excellent, the drinks are good, and its a fun atmosphere (gorgeous space). I'd definitely go back. I tried truffled toro, tempura-style smelt, duck buns, and a spicy tuna roll which were all great. The lobster rangoons not so much.
(4)Paul C.
This was a great place with a really cool atmosphere. They actually did a good job of giving a Chinese feel (with regards to the decor) in a trendy atmosphere. Also, music was the right volume - which is key. Table service was slow, but their attention to detail was very good. Everything was good: dirty martini, hot & sour soup, shrimp, and sushi.
(4)Bonnie L.
Made reservations here for 6PM on a Friday night after buying a LivingSocial deal ($30 for $60). The atmosphere the restaurant was an attempt to be kind of artsy. They use statues of Chinese Gods/Angels as decorations around the wall. I was kind of on the edge with that. It was like displaying Hercules and Zeus as decorations to me. In the middle of the ceiling they did have multiple red lanterns which did look nice. The natural light that came in when it was still bright made the place look very nice. Enough about decorations. Food time! I ordered the famous Duck Buns as everyone mentioned and it was good, but i say way overpriced(2 pieces for $10!). I've tried this before at another place & was taken back how they have jalapeño & pickles in it at Red Lantern. It's not a bad mix but it was very interesting with the spicy Jalapeño, sour pickle, and sweet hoi san sauce on the duck. For Entree, I ordered the Rib Eye Bulgogi & my companion ordered the Surf n Turf. The bulgogi wasn't what i expected it to be at all (since i always order it at Korean restaurants). It was cooked in what seemed like BBQ sauce. It came with a little cup of KimChee and rice. When my food arrived, it was not steamy hot, just warm. It kinda gave me the impression of it being precooked already. My entree came before my companion and we waited for his. After about a few minutes the Surf n Turf still hasn't arrived yet. And about 5 minutes later, the server came and said he thought we were sharing both so he js brought the food as they were ready. So we waited about 5 more minutes & it still hasn't arrived so we asked someone to check on it. It was then the manager came with a plate of fried shu mai saying there was a mis-communication of how the food was served and people do family style so servers served as food are ready. After an additional 2-4 minutes the second entree finally came & it was steaming hot. The surf n turf came with a steak & a lobster tail. I definitely recommend this entree! The steak was so juicy and the lobster was cooked and flavored well! Overall i was satisfied with the duck bun & loved the surf n turf. My entree, not too crazy about( mostly because it wasnt served when it was hot & the meat was a bit burnt). It is pretty pricy here but if you get a deal( like livingSocial!), then I'd say give it a go! I would probably return here to dine in the future if there was some sort of deal.
(3)Aaron M.
The number one place I take friends when they visit Boston. Its my favorite place. Great food and service.
(5)Lulu A.
What a scene. The food is pretty good, although if you like sushi walk another block to Douzo. The Scorpion Bowl is rather gross and sugary, however the wine selection is decent and I have not had a bad dirty martini here! The group that goes is the old Towne crew of 2010 (where I used to work) so I spend less time here, but the strip of bars that Stanhope is collecting is actually a fun time... so I'm sure I'll be back...
(3)Ryan B.
I've been to Red Lantern twice now. The first time was with a group of friends for drinks, and then I returned last night for dinner. When my friends and I went late-night (around 10PM) we were informed there was a required food spending minimum for each person in the party (and we weren't hungry) so we were forced to squeeze in near the bar. I returned last night with a date for dinner. The food was very good - the rock shrimp appetizer was amazing, and the sauce that comes with the edamame was a nice touch. We ordered some sushi and fried rice to share - the fried rice was delicious, not too greasy but had lots of meat and just tasted amazing. The lobster specialty role was also great (it better be given its $25 price tag) and the other two roles were about average. I was unimpressed with the drinks. The waitress recommended a couple, which we tried, and I ventured onto the drink menu myself to try a specialty martini. The drinks were definitely tolerable, but not memorable. Service was slow, overall. We found ourselves waiting for drink refills on occasion. The worst part of the night was when the waitress came to clean up our table, picked up my soy sauce, and spilled it all over my new dress shirt - like ALL OVER me. I remained patient, but was disappointed that the restaurant did nothing to compensate me for that (would have been nice to see something comped, get a free dessert, etc). Bill for two was $170, which included two drinks each and the food already listed. Pros- food, decor Cons - drinks, service, pricey
(3)Coco K.
If you ever want to be transported out of Boston into a swanky, sexy, stylish place then Red Lantern is your ticket. I don't know what it is, must be the awesome ginormous buddha, glowing-red lighting, and the scantily clad waitresses that takes you out of that usual Boston vibe, but Red Lantern pulled it off, and their drinks and food are quite delicious as well. The first time I came here I just had cocktails. I went with a great grapefruit martini along with a monster scorpion bowl for the table. Both were delis without being overly sweet. Although the next day's hangover was not so fun. From what I've tried of the food I was very impressed. Their pork dumplings are delish as well as their various sushi rolls. However the highlight of my dining experience here was their "dim sum" brunch on Sundays. It's not the normal style of dim sum (you actually order from the menu), but everything we tried was outstanding. The scallion pancakes were my favorite! To wash it all down I had an excellent, perfectly spicy Wasabi Bloody Mary. I highly suggest checking out their not-so-dim-sum dim sum brunch!
(4)Megan A.
Love. Atmosphere/vibe is very LA/Vegas, which is hard to find in Boston. I had a couple of sushi rolls which were fresh and yummy, Sapporo, and the duck buns. Definitely get the buns- amazing. Highly recommend it!!
(5)Chili P.
Been a couple of times. Went with a party of 8 hostess was put out when we came in and asked to show us where table was. Brought a birthday cake for one of the people in party. Out bill was 500 but the charger Us 24 dollars to serve our cake to us. The service here is terrible and staff acts as they are doing you a favor. Food is good.
(2)stephanie c.
Red Lantern...walk in and have your breath taken away by the ambiance. I am all about the ambiance-and with this...they hit it right on the spot. Gorgeous decor, not cheesy, very well done, detailed, with an intimate exotic and sophisticated flair. So un-Boston like...I almost thought I was in California, New York...or even Vegas. Very well done and cheers for moving in the right direction for Boston's nightlife. Very new trendy spot, so on a weeknight...lots of young professionals out for after-work dinner and drinks. Weekend nights...slammed. Completely packed with a great mature and classy crowd. Delicious drinks, tasty menu. Bartenders were very attentive. However, my dining experience with the servers were a tad lacking. Asking for recommendations on the menu or clarifications of specific key ingredients led to lost confused looks and nervous smiles. Hmm, might need to work on that a bit. Food was for the most part very tasty. Being asian however, I'm never eager to spend a significant amount on asian cuisine. It is a pricey money, tasty...but pricey. I hope the crowd and trend continues...we need to move in a more modern sophisticated and different direction for our nightlife. Myself? I'm more likely to stop by or a drink and some appetizers than a full on expensive Asian dinner course.
(4)Mark F.
I really like the space. Very cool. Food was decent...not amazing, but definitely different in a good way. They had some very unique sushi options and the ingredients were fresh and of high quality. Lettuce wraps were a little messy, but tasted good. Pork dumplings were good, but served a little cold. Tuna Tartare was fantastic. Fiance got the surf and turf...Filet and lobster tail. Steak was good...lobster tail was overcooked and was a little fishy tasting. I ordered various Maki Rolls all of which were decent. So while we did enjoy most everything, we didn't walk away wow'd. That being said I'll probably go again and try some other dishes and update my review. A little on the pricey side for what it was, seating (at least where we were) was a little cramped. Don't go near an open flame while drinking one of their Mai Tai's ;).
(3)Edward D.
The food was great. Cocktails were as to be expected at such a restaurant...watered down, uninspired, and an "asian" twist of some pretty standard drinks. Manager comped us after our food came out late, which was very nice of him. Overall, the food was great but overpriced and trying to hard to be trendy and not focusing on the quality of the meal itself. Definitely a fun place to take a group if you just want a few apps and are interested in sharing a "fish bowl". Worth a visit.
(3)Suzanne I.
Had my third dinner this summer here and enjoyed every visit . Last week I brought a group of friends in town from Italy and they loved it too. The food was delicious and I love the decor.
(5)Chris F.
Red Lantern is a good looking place and has a nice vibe but pretty much utterly fails in every other category. I had a reservation for 12 people made a week in advance for my girlfriend's birthday. Talked to the hostess the day of to confirm the reservation and make sure everything was good to go for her big day. When we arrived they literally tried to seat us at one of the bar lounge areas that could only seat 6 people, at best. WTF. I had just spoken to them not 6 hours prior. Complete amateur bush league type stuff. Needless to say the night was less than spectacular for all parties involved, we had to take turns sitting to eat and everyone standing was pretty much in the way of the food runners. We still had a great night with friends but that was in spite of Red Lantern, not because of it. The Manager was apologetic enough and threw us a couple appetizers but for the most part she acted like she didn't care about our situation. I would never recommend to anyone to have a large group event there, save your money and go someplace better. Drinks were tasty, food is on par with PF Changs.
(2)Jenna K.
This place is seriously awesome I don't get the reviews. Not only that but every time I go it's literally an hour wait and the place is massive. Yes it can be noisy but honestly what restaurant that big isn't? The atmosphere is really cool with different rooms and themes. The food is fresh and fantastic. The rangoon is my jam. I would eat here everyday if I could I love it that much!
(5)Craig S.
Last time I was here it sucked prob because I was staying away from their fun cocktails. This was worse then PF Changs. The Chicken dish was dry and boring the wontons were bland and uninspired. I could make better Chinese and I have no idea how to cook it. The scene still was pretty cool and I do love the waitresses bodice outfits. However, when you are sober this place looses a lot of its appeal.
(2)Susan Z.
Delicious, but some items are definitely over-priced (pu-pu platter, for instance -- rangoons were definitely mostly cream). The portions for individual entrees are pretty big - my boyfriend and I ended up splitting the bbq pork fried rice and it was enough for the two of us (note: we had ordered the pu-pu platter with the rest of our group). Decor and music make it extremely trendy - good for everything from a night out with friends to a date. You can see the kitchen and it just feels like there's a lot of space. Wouldn't be surprised if it was secretly converted into a nightclub after the kitchen closes...
(4)Bill K.
I'm familiar with BNEG's other venues and gave this a try while meeting up with a friend who was in town from Colorado. As usual, the decor is great (same with their other venues) and the prices are relatively high. Service was standard and the food wasn't out of this world but relatively good. Definitely a great after work spot or to take a date.
(4)Wendy S.
The restaurant itself is stunningly gorgeous. The food that I had was so good - the duck roll and the shrimp fried rice. Both were spectacular and the rice was such a large portion that I had a full meal the following day. They have a great drink and wine menu and the service was on point. It is very conveniently located across the street from the Back Bay T Station, which was perfect for me since I live in Rhode Island but commute to Boston for work.
(4)H. Q.
I really wanted to like this place because I was captivated by how beautiful the decor was... with all the lanterns and Buddha statues, it made this Asian girl feel right at home. lol We went there a few days ago, for two of my best friends' birthday; we had about 16 - 18 people with us... possibly the largest table in the restaurant. I got there with one of the birthday friends and our boyfriends a little later than the rest of our friends, so they had ordered drinks and some appetizers before we got there. When we sat down, a couple of orders of the duck buns came right away. We're not sure who ordered them, but I would say that was the only thing we liked eating. Very sad about that.... =( The duck buns had very tender meat and the bun itself was very soft. However, I would say, they are a little overpriced. AT LEAST no one ordered the Char Sui Pork ribs for $12. I guess since I'm Asian, I know how little it cost to make that, and the quality of meat of Char Sui is what we Asians eat when we're broke! I mean, we ordered few sushi rolls too. Not sure what rolls my friend ordered, but I order the lobster roll, the squid roll and the Seattle roll. I was hoping at least the sushi would have been decent/good, but it was pretty disappointing. The rice was lacking in vinegar flavor, and it was super hard! At least the rolls did not fall apart when we picked them up, but damn, nothing sucks more about sushi if the rice is hard. It was definitely undercooked rice. I mean, the lobster in the lobster roll wasn't bad, and it was real lobster (the tail was there). The squid roll was bland, and the seattle roll was not memorable. The drinks were pretty good at the place. We had 3 scorpion bowls, martinis, shots of sake, and beers. I enjoyed the Yang scorpion bowl very much, and also the 88 martini and the blueberry yuzu drop. The service was good, our waitress did not seem overwhelmed by our large group. We spent a little over $1,000 there, and no one raved about the food. I would say go there for the atmosphere = GREAT! Service = Attentive! Food = Ehhhh.... Overall, I would say I'll go back for drinks and the duck buns. I don't think I will ever pay more than 10 bucks for a plate of fried rice or noodles since it cost less than $5 to make.
(2)Max L.
Had been looking forward to coming here after a co-worker had given it the thumbs up, now I know why. The place looks Great! You will love the vibe and way it is decorated, and Danielle our server was Fantastic. Started with the Fried beans (green beans, with three dipping options), and Pork Gyoza's, they were great, DEFINITELY try the beans, you will be hooked (thank you Ms. Italia :). Mother in Law got the surf and turf, My Lady got the Broken Lobster, and myself the Mongolian Steak. The Ladies loved their dishes, Mom had to help with the broken lobster because the wife was overwhelmed, they enjoyed them very much, and finished them off. My steak was good, but also the reason why the Red Lantern only gets 4 stars from me. We live in a society where some of us come up shorter than others, in this case, I have an allergy to shellfish, I had to swap the sweet potato fries for jasmine rice because they are made in the same utensil that they cook some of the seafood... Really!! I am not that much of a pain, so swapping for the rice was no big deal, but darn it... Hate to see if I had a gluten allergy... Moving on, the Yang scorpion bowl was very nice. Later the Ladies had a Cosmo, and Red Lotus, and were pleased. Finished off with the Creme Brulee, and I had the Bananas' (sorry, I forgot the name), and were very happy. So head on down to the Red Lantern and enjoy, you won't be disappointed (well, maybe slightly). But we will definitely be heading back.
(4)Stephanie D.
Oh my god. My friend went here for drinks, my boyfriend said he heard about it. We went for dinner. We showed up without a reservation and were told that they didn't have ANYTHING available until 9 pm. It was 8:40. We were somewhat confused by why a 20 minute wait was such an issue. They invited us to sit in the lounge for drinks while we waited for our table. The drinks were decent, nothing spectacular. The cocktail waitress seemed to really want us to order dinner at the tiny little cocktail table. Someone came over to us and said "So you're having dinner here, right?" Both of us were immediately defensive after telling 3 people we were only having drinks while we waited for a table. After we said no, she lead us to the table. The worst had yet to come once we sat down for dinner. My boyfriend and I decided we'd try a sushi roll as an appetizer. We ordered the geisha nights sushi. We've had sushi at a bunch of Japanese restaurants from picking it up at Whole Foods. This was worse than something you would pick up in a food store. The rice was so thick! There was barely any fish. The pink wrap tasted so bitter, like near inedible. There seemed to be a strange type of fruit or something in there too. Totally disgusting. Immediately my boyfriend and I knew we were going to have a disappointing dinner. The sake was decent. I ordered Singapore Street Noodles and my boyfriend had beef with broccoli and asparagus. Both of our meals were so damn salty, both of us were chugging water. I don't know if it was a strategy to encourage people to drink more, but it made me so sick! The shrimp in my meal was 100% frozen. The most interesting point made by my boyfriend was that his entree was beef with broccolini... much cheaper than asparagus. So trashy of you, Red Lantern! Overall, I would NEVER give that place another dime. The waiter was nice, but he still wasn't great. Nothing to convince me that this could be a cocktail-only location. The girls at the front were rude. The food sucked. The drinks were mediocre. I think people that love this place are fooled by the decor, the novelty of being in a trendy Japanese restaurant, and it's newness. If you're the type of person that doesn't care about throwing down a good amount of cash for an overpriced, MSG loaded meal and because it's a new spot in Boston, this is your place. I don't think it will last, unless people who don't appreciate good Japanese food continue returning because they're getting loaded off their drinks. Whatever Red Lantern. Over you.
(1)Tara T.
Came here for RW, and when I walked in - not a single Asian person in sight, only white people in business jackets. Not a great sign for an Asian restaurant. Food was mediocre. Singapore street noodles were tasty, but I could have gotten the exact same thing in Chinatown for $10 cheaper. The tik tok chicken was essentially the Americanized sweet and sour chicken dish - except crappy takeout places do it better. Plus, the waiter forgot my tea and in general took a long time to get our orders, deliver our requests, etc. Two stars, and I wouldn't go back.
(2)Lauren P.
Ho-hum.. Red lantern has a decent ambiance (sort of a watered down NY style Tao or Buddha Bar) but that's all to report. Average cocktails and average food yet $$$ prices make this an all round meh experience. The only bonus is the portion sizes are huge - our leftovers lasted us for 2 meals!
(3)Sereia C.
Still a solid 5 stars for ambiance, music, crowd, drinks. The food and service minus one star. Update as follows... So this time I noticed some more cool details in this joint as I look around. The custom black and red rug with huge cherry blossoms...the many naked women lamps with all the acupuncture holes all over their bodies...the wooden heads hanging out by themselves on shelving in the private room...those, combined with all the obvious sh*t, like the millions of red lanterns hanging down from the super high ceiling, the huge buddah faces, the long granite bar, the huge dark wooden beams and exposed brick...combined all make for an amazing atmosphere! I love the music. Kind of loungy, electro-chill mixed with upbeat grooves. It reminds me of the CD I bought from Tao in Vegas recently. The crowd...where have all these tall, well dressed, straight men been hiding up until now?????????????????? In the words of Forrest Gump: That's all I got to say about that. The drinks: Between my friends and I, we killed the drink menu. We had: Grass Fed Mule: Lemongrass infused Grey Goose, lime, ginger beer 88: Ketel Oranje, ginger cognac, Prosecco Drunken Samurai: Moonstone pear sake, Amaretto, lemon Rose Petal Saketini (my favorite): Grey Goose, St. Germain, sake, rose water Blueberry-Yuzu Drop: Stoli Bluberi, Citros, shocu, yuzu syrup, blueberry bubbly Mai Tai: Bacardi 8, Orgeat, orange Curaco, pineapple, Myers Dark Sumo Summer: Hendricks, fresh basil, grapefruit, sparkling rose The drinks were all made with lovin' and there definitely was a party in our mouths with every sip. Okay...so...here are my gripes.... That lovin' that the drinks are made with...I feel like the bartenders need to school the chefs, so those warm fuzzies can be put in the food. We placed our order...a half dozen oysters for an appetizer, and 3 different red lantern rolls. We also put a drink order in at the same time. Really, within about 2.5 minutes...maybe even less...we got our first roll. A minute later, another roll, brought by another waiter. 45 seconds after that, a different waiter brought another. Where are our drinks? Where's our appetizer??? The rolls were not super impressive. It was very obvious they made a Costco amount of rolls all at once, so they could bang them out of the kitchen to your table in record speed. On one of our rolls we got one of the sushi upgrades: lobster dynamite...which is supposed to be a lobster mixture on top of the sushi. It was piled high on a few pieces, and hardly any on other pieces. It was not worth the extra $6 for the quality. I didn't appreciate the rushed way the food seemed to be made, as well as the rushed feeling with waiters hustling our food. I definitely would have appreciated the normal...drinks first, then appetizer...then...10 minutes after the appetizer...rest of the order. Come to think of it...the waiter hustled us too. He came over 3 times to see if we were ready to order, when we weren't taking a considerably long time to parooze the menu. I will be back again. I really want to give you 5 stars, Red Lantern, but I just can't yet. Hopefully, one day, I can tell you me love you long time. We're just not at that point in our relationship yet.
(4)Julie R.
I wanted to like this place more. I was so excited to try it out. A new hip place to eat sushi and sip drinks always works for me. I like they have opentable for reservations. When booking one for 2 people, the opentable made it looked like it was sold out all night, when we arrived at 7:45, nearly 3/4 of the restaurant was empty on a Friday night. They really should free up up all time slots cause they clearly have the seats. The kitchen and sushi bar are open, we opted to sit there to catch the action. Our server, while nice, was new and not versed on the menu. We wanted some variety, we went with two specialty sushi rolls, duck buns, and smoked pork ribs. The kitchen had an excess of workers ready to hit a ticket that came in. I know they are still figuring out the new place, it just looked like too many people with not enough to do. The duck buns came out very fast. They were tasty with plentiful meat and good to share with 2 people. The spareribs came next, they were just OK. Real sticky and the meat was full of cartilage. I've had better from a chinese takeout. The Dragon sushi roll was lacking. For a $15 roll, you expect something grand. It was small, loose and missing crabstick and burdock as mentioned on the menu. On the other hand, the $11 Rainbow roll was more substantial. The sushi prices should really be rethought, its $4-6 per EACH piece of nigiri. It doesn't make any sense when you can get a rainbow roll for $11 and have a roll and 6 pieces of fish on top. During our eating time our server was nonexistent. Our drinks sat there unfilled for 45 minutes. Water got refilled but no one offered on the alcohol. When he did come around and asked about the food, I mentioned how the dragon sushi roll was incomplete. He just said ok sorry. Then he came back with some cards to fill out to write down our complaints. It wasn't about filling out a long card, it was just a simple complaint. We got the bill and there was no consideration for the incomplete roll. I didn't expect it anyways. Our server was immature for handling feedback and we just paid and left. The food is overpriced. Quality was so-so. I just loved the atmosphere though. I will return when they get their bearings going and hope for improvement.
(3)Cristina P.
Awesome awesome decor, great atmosphere, delicious food! A little hard to find on Stanhope, but if you take the orange line to Back Bay, its somewhat accross the street! Bathrooms- there are 2, one downstairs and one upstairs. I've only been to the one upstairs (its a one person bathroom) clean, well stocked. Bar - tons of seating, comfy atmosphere, great selection of drinks! Attire - Can be both dressy or casual, perfect for after work parites, don't feel too overdressed like most places in Boston!
(5)Liz K.
Went on a Tuesday night for drinks. There were no seats left at the bar but we got one of those cozy leather sofas nearby. The waitress was very nice and attentive. Everything is brand new in here and the ceilings are very high, making the space even bigger. However, there was only a one-person bathroom? I don't get it.
(4)Caroline D.
Valentines night was my first time here and i truly enjoyed dining here, i was a little upset that we did not get seated for our 9pm reservations. we got seated at 940. there were no parties waiting to be seated before us or while we were waiting to be seated after we arrived. The hostess seemed to be more into chit-chatting & laughing & talking about her personal issues with another co-worker while we waited & i personally did not want to hear her dirty laundry - or that she wishes she had the night off & did not want to be working. i loved the decor & the ambience & the style of the whole restaurant. they have a coat check down stairs, and the restrooms are located down stairs (my bf is in a wheelchair so that wasn't very handicap accessible for us & i had to go check our coats). The restrooms seemed a bit dark & dirty - paper towels and water all over the counter sink and floors. The waitress was very nice. She was quick & informative of the menu items. She made sure our waters were full and asked us if we wanted another drink when the glass was close to empty. She made sure our food was good and that we enjoyed our meal. we ordered lobster rangoons (after much rave from friends who have dined here & after watching the review on Phantom Gourmet) there were 4 in the order and they came out hot and tasty (not THE BEST rangoons ive had but they were very good. ) We also ordered beef lo mein & the rock shrimp. we were not too hungry & we did not want to stuff ourselves with no room for dessert. Everything was delicious & we did wrap the left over food. Unfortunately we did not get dessert - i did not find anything on the menu that appealed to me at the moment so i decided not to order something i might not enjoy or want. all in all this place was excellent & i would go back.
(4)Me B. M.
Red Lantern sets Chinese cuisine in America back about 40 years. It has flavorless and gloppy versions of dishes you can get anywhere. Sushi had undercooked, dry rice. Pork dumplings were soft and rubbery and in a weird thick sauce. The calamari was sopping in grease. The noodles in the beef noodle dish were overcooked to paste. The one highlight was that the beef was good quality and cooked very nicely, both in the noodle dish and the skewers. The surprise elements in the noodle dish, a sudden burst of ginger, mint, or bitter green was fun and flavorful. It just seemed like other elements like the noodles or the sushi rice were throwaways. And those should be incredibly easy. Service was absent and/or confused. And the "ambiance" was a bit much and caricaturish, but perhaps my interpretation of it all was tinged by the bad food experience.
(2)Jerry B.
Observation: There are a lot of "sugar daddies" here. I came here to have drinks and chit-chat with a friend and I could not help but notice, all the sugar daddies hitting on 20 something's wearing tight tight dresses. I should have worn a hoochie dress, I could have had a sugar daddy! Damn. Overall, this place is beautiful. The drinks were amazing! I cannot wait to try the food! (update coming soon)
(4)Christie M.
Love Red Lantern... When you step inside you feel like you are in NYC. Beautiful décor, unique drinks, and yummy food.
(5)Steve P.
This place has some of the best sushi in town. I went here for my birthday and one of my friends bought the biggest scorpion bowl I have ever scene in my life. The waiter was attentive and a nice guy. The food was on time and was amazing.
(5)Vivi L.
We came here on Saturday night and the place is pretty empty for Saturday night which I was surprised about. We ordered a bunch of sushi, appetizers and dishes to share. The sushi was good but the appetizers and dishes were just OK. Our server was very attentive and friendly which we love. We first inquired to book it for a private party for 25 people and I couldn't believe that they require a $6000 minimum charges for private party. I thought that was a little steep for 25 people. I don't even think that we could spend that much in food between 25 of us. Given how empty the place was, they could have just let us booked the general area and not charged us minimum. We ended up canceling the dinner party and just came with a smaller group of people.
(3)Laura S.
I went to dinner here on Friday. At first the menu looked a little weird and I didn't know what to pick. My friends and I shared the lettuce wraps (too spicy) and the spareribs (amazing!!) as appetizers. I got the coco-loco Mai tai to drink and it was delicious- I definitely recommend it if you like coconut rum. For dinner we shared a sushi roll with cream cheese (I forgot the name) but it was delicious! It melted in my mouth. We also shared the veggie fried rice (ok) and the chicken lo mein (delicious). I'm giving this place 4 stars due to the quality of service and atmosphere and the drinks and some food. It's definitely pricey, at least for me, so I'm not sure if I'd go back. If I did I'd just order the spare ribs and sushi with a coco loco Mai tai until I couldn't eat anymore.
(4)Lorraine S.
Great vibe fantastic people high quality of food and delicious drinks! Best place hands down, great place to go w a bog group or a couple friends
(5)Dela B.
Absolutely amazing. From the very first step I took through the door, I seemed to have been transported to a different world. Decor reminded me of a sexy, modern version of the Forbidden Palace mixed with the youthful yet classy vibe of a Las Vegas lounge. Food was fantastic, drinks were exotic, strong, and delicious. Red Lantern took Asian food and made it sexy. Service was perfect--attentive yet not overbearing. Our server made excellent recommendations and really made it a night for us to just sit back comfortably on the couch and unwind from a stressful week. Food highlight: The chocolate tart is out of this world. Chocolate shortbread crust, topped with a layer of caramel, a layer of chocolate, a scoop of cardamon ice cream, and sprinkled with caramelized macadamia nuts... I'm both regretful and glad that I decided to share it. All in all, Red Lantern's a great place to be if you're looking for a night out to unwind, relax, and have fun all at the same time. I'll definitely be back. :)
(5)Melanie M.
Came here for drinks. Very nice ambiance. The drinks were just too sweet for my taste. Will probably just get a glass of wine if I go again. It was a fun place to just hang out and will probably go back again.
(3)Jason M.
PF Changesque
(2)Melissa D.
This restaurant is perfect to have those ideal dinner then party the night away type of places. Red Lantern is located in Back Bay with the Tao feeling of Vegas inside. The restaurant inside is huge. We came here for dinner after a long day of drinking. I know, we did the reverse! Wasn't a fan of the hostesses but a HUGE #1 Fan of our server! We loved him so much we told the manager our positive feedback. Top sever performances I have had in awhile! So back to the menu, they have Asian Fusion style foods and your standard sushi menu with special rolls. My girlfriends shared large plates of Fried Rice, Chicken and Spring Rolls. Good and happy with it. I had 2 rolls of spicy salmon and their new california roll - I went simple, since we were just drinking for 3 hours! Speaking of drinking, of course, to be in an Asian fusion restaurant, you have to have the Tiki Drinks! I always defer to Mai Tai's. It was glorious, not overpowering and it packs a punch 20 minutes later! I know it gets very busy here in the evenings, we have tried coming here for a night out twice and always had to wait in line to no avail, getting in. Overall, nice visit, Boston excuse of high prices but I would still recommend.
(3)Mariana S.
Went to Red Lantern with a friend last week for dinner and I must say I was disappointed. The restaurant is gorgeous. It has a very modern edge. Ambiance is great. Had a few geisha martinis and they were great. (If you like sweet) We got a few apps and they were good. Sushi wasn't anything special. Would recommend this place to meet some friends for drinks but not so much the food.
(3)Beth H.
Ummm everything was oh so bland!! I have to admit that the atmosphere, decor and overall ambiance was nice. However, for the price and the food I was getting I would rather go to pf changs or chinatown. lettuce wrap had no flavor and a giant glop of hoisen sauce right from the bottle as dipping sauce. hot and sour soup was hot but was not sour at all. It was a waste of $150 for a dinner that lasted 2hrs and I left so unsatisfied I will not come back.
(1)Mike G.
high style pan-asian comes to Boston. sexy brick & beams with loads of orientalia reminds of Spice Market and menu a la Buddakan (NYC). eat these (all shareable): mongolian skirt steak w/ sweet taters-tenderlicious. and pineapple bread pudding w/ butter almond gelato-if on menu just get it. don't eat (yet): singapore street noodles xo sauce greasy, bland. a selection from the house 'special' rolls was not. but it's early days, hope these are tweaked to bestseller-dom. still and all, a good showing for barely a week open. props to our server and Michael W. for service over & above. Red Lantern certainly fits the entertainment cum dining bill (with the coolest club music in the city).
(4)Diana F.
Overpriced mediocre food. Drinks are decent, at best. Came here with a girlfriend to celebrate my birthday... $175 for two people later for noodles and "meh" food. Wouldn't return for dinner. Would maybe consider going back for just cocktails, as it seemed to get really busy and bustling near the bar towards the end of the night.
(2)Alex P.
I took my fiancee here for a belated engagement dinner. By belated, I mean one week before the wedding. We had always noticed the sign for Red Lantern while we were out, and had talked about going someday. I made reservations for 6:15 and made sure to come hungry. The dining room is really stunning, and I don't use that word often outside of Martin Scorcese movies or Tasers. There is a more intimate private dining area, but we were seated by the window, which was nice enough anyway. Our server was very pleasant and we decided to start off with some warm sake. I've never really been a sake fan, always finding that it tasted like a combination of vermouth and bleach-soaked socks. I don't know if it was the brand or the heat, but I really enjoyed it this time around, and drinking it was downright relaxing. For appetizers, we ordered Lobster Rangoons, Mashed Potato Sticks, and grilled asparagus. The Lobster Rangoons were really delicious, my fiancee and I made quick work of them. While four didn't seem like enough at the time, I think it was better that the number was limited. It increased my appreciation of them rather than allowing me to gorge on them and get burned out on an otherwise delicious treat. And brother, trust me, I could have done some serious gorging. Next were the Mashed Potato Sticks. Crispy, breaded, and fried logs of mashed potato. Really delicious, filling, and rich, with this sweet gingery sauce on the side (I had originally thought it was some kind of gravy with butter in the middle, but that might have been the image they were going for). Grilled asparagus was simple and good, with butter and garlic and lime slices on the side. At this point, we upgraded to martinis. I'm a big fan of spice, so I got the Dragon Fire, made with Sriracha. Loved it, had two just for the combination of sweet and spicy. My girl had the Sumo, made with basil and grapefruit. For entrees, I had the wood grilled sea bass and my fiancee had the Surf and Turf, a bacon-wrapped steak with grilled lobster tail. I loved mine. The fish was tender, juicy, and retained the flavor of the grill. The Japanese eggplant that came with it was also good. It was grilled, making the outside skin of it crunchy. Normally, I can't stand eggplant skin, but this method of preparation made me more than tolerant. All of this was served on a bed of ginger bok choy with jasmine rice. The Surf and Turf was the subject of rave reviews (in the repeated form of "Oh God, so good.") from my lady. Although the bacon on the outside was burned beyond desirable crispiness, the tenderness of the meat left that as a very minor complaint. The lobster tail was grilled, smoky, and flavorful. I was invited to have a few bites and can verify, very tasty. All this was served with some nicely cooked Chinese broccoli. Though we were offered a dessert that only caught my eye for including the term "fried doughnuts", we were way too full and satisfied to continue, and threw in the towel. On the way out, a hostess was nice enough to take a picture of us and we were photobombed by a rambunctious five-year-old. Excellent food, tasty drinks, friendly service, beautiful ambiance (I would suggest trying to get a seat in the main dining room for the full experience or in the private dining room), and music at reasonable volume. I can't ask for more than that. Price wasn't bad, entrees were in the $30-40 range, but well worth a fine dining experience with a loved one. Can't wait to come back!
(5)Kimberly V.
Sunday dinner for 2 My gf and I was greeted instantly as we walked in, no reservation, no wait (we got lucky) it was a pretty quite night. Ambience: great atmosphere. It's intimate, cozy, I especially enjoy the decor very much. My gf on the other hand loved their playlist. Service: our waitress and bartender was very knowledgable and attentive, the wait for food wasn't as long as we expected it to be but again it was a pretty quite night. Food & Drinks: Bulgogi Baos- I've had a lot of Baos and this one in particular was one of the best I've had. I love how they toasted the Baos it gives it a nice crunch and prevent it from getting soggy. Must try. Pupu platter- great for sharing, comes with Rangoon, chicken and beef skewer, spring rolls, rock shrimp, and char Sui. I didn't expected much from this plate but the rock shrimp and char Sui defiantly stands out from everything else. If you love shrimp mayo, the rock shrimp is just for you. The char Sui has the perfect texture, melt in your mouth goodness. As for everything else, don't expect too much from the rangoon and spring rolls. Shrimp fried rice- not a fan, it's a typical fried rice dish. A bit bland for my taste, I wouldn't order this again. Only order if you have a salty dish to pair it with. White Sangria- great drink, not your typical white sangria. I love their take on it. Very balance, must try. Overall review: 4/5 parking is difficult to find (street parking), pretty pricey for what your paying for.
(4)Joichi I.
Decor and ambience are kind of "young and funky" and feels a bit like Disneyland. The food was surprisingly good. They used Chinese rice for the Chinese food and proper sushi rice for the sushi. Even though it was the typical "Japanese tacked onto a Chinese menu" deal, the sushi was properly good and better than most of the sushi available in Boston. All of the staff were really pleasant and helpful, for instance explaining that the portions of the entrees where very large, etc. Other notable thing was properly "al dente" edamame.
(4)Chase S.
Interesting dishes with lots of flair but fairly expensive compared to neighboring restaurants with more refinement. Full array of drinks with experiences from awful to awesome. Great service by our waiter but chaotic hostess and seating experience. Drinks: The Tiki drinks were on display during our stay. It was quite an array with some true to form and others a ways off from the originals with awkward tastes. I'd stay away from anything with creme de menthe as their teaspoon must be everyone else's quarter of a cup. That being said, their classic and original drinks were very inventive and well done. Quite the night and day experience. Food: The funnest dishes seem to be a lot of sushi specials. We had quite a few and generally enjoyed their take on the sushi fusion genre. The price per roll made me feel I was in O-Ya, however. Ronin, Spicy Yellowtail, and Rock Roll were highlights for us. The white miso soup was generous and had plenty of umami. The duck buns were no momofuku but quite good with just enough sweet to go with the savory. The tofu buns were very underwhelming and needed some of my duck bun hoisin sauce for my companion and myself to finish them off. The buns themselves were very well done with a near perfect doughy sticky-fluffiness going on. The lo mein was fairly good but a mistake to order, as the appetizers were much larger than expected, especially the buns, and we took most of it home. Dessert was impossible as we'd ordered so much food. Our server was very accommodating and when we couldn't finish one of our Tiki mint-bombs, we replaced it with something of equivalent value without charge. The hostesses were having serious trouble that night, however. They seemed to be scrambling a bit and when we requested a seat with our backs to a wall, we repeated the request twice to their bewilderment, and then found ourselves seated in an open space right next to a large cocktail hour hosting standing room event when there were plenty of seats next to the wall that went unfilled for the hour and a half we were there. The atmosphere is definitely for the fun-loving going out crowd who is adventurous in both drink and food. The dishes are generally well done with some being very good but the price for our time dinner came out to $150 when generally for two people in the area with similar amounts of food and one drink each without dessert would run $100. Return? I think it's a fun place with great decor that I'd probably come back for drinks and a small bite. It could be fun to come with a large group and order a few dishes but I'd also worry the check could get very steep very quick when I'd rather due that at more typical $$$$ labeled restaurants.
(3)Stephanie T.
I have always enjoyed my experience at Red Lantern. The drinks are strong and there are a ton of funky options to try, I'm disappointed they got rid of their variety of large bowls, but I know they can be a hassle. The food is pretty standard Asian fusion variety, but its cooked and flavored well. The all you can eat sushi on Tuesday nights is a great value if you can eat more than 3 rolls. The atmosphere gets more lounge/club like after 9pm on weekends which can be fun, but gets a little loud to actually carry on a conversation.
(4)Sooz X.
Dear Red Lantern, I'll break this down for you in good, bad and ugly stars: Good: +1 Star for Service: My bar server was attentive, helpful, polite and gave me a free sample of whatever that huge on fire tiki drink was. Thanks for that. She was also very chitty-chatty despite being busy. She did no wrong. + 1/2 Star for decor: Okay, so the decor was stimulating, dark and sorta lounge rat-ish. Busy place (Tuesday??) but it had a trendy, loud music vibe. I mean, I like clubs, they're cool... +1/2 Star drink strength: Yep, I'm going to go with that was a lot of alcohol. Grass fed mule? Cute, strong...but on to the bad... Bad: -1 Star for drink wtf it was: That was pretty much a moscow mule. I couldn't taste any lemon grass. Too much ginger beer, didn't need the note of lime. Tiki glass was cute but limited redeeming quality. -1 Star for the other bartender: Dude, don't think I didn't see you spinning my to-go box of noodles over while you packaged it. That was awkward to think that I was going to have whipped singapore noodle delight there shortly if you wouldn't stop with your nervous spin-fest while talking to the other server. Speaking of... Ugly: -1 Star for food quality/tastiness: Maybe I just got a bad batch. Maybe this was not their best plate. Maybe the food actually sucks. I ordered the Singapore street noodles and they were bland as a slice of white bread with a glass of milk. Come on, 26$ for an oversized portion of rice noodles with some meat and veggies? Ponzu sauce? Siracha??? Anything? I felt embarrassed taking 3/4 of them back to my hotel. I hate wasting food but the dumpster was in clear view of the patio diners next door. That being said. . .I'm not ungrateful for the food/dining experience but I expected more than bland noodles and an adequate drink for $40. BTW, nice red lanterns. They could be a harbinger of better food elsewhere? Sincerely, Sooz
(2)Nicole B.
Red Lantern is that perfect all-occasion spot. Come for drinks, come for food, come with friends, come with colleagues...you really can't go wrong. The space itself is a complete refreshing change from typical Boston venues: it's huge, with high ceilings, plenty of space and a more high-end feel without being pretentious or stuffy. You're never crowded and you can truly enjoy yourself. There's a bar and lounge type area, and several tables with great views of the kitchen and your fellow stylish diners. I personally think it's a great location and venue to go for a bite to eat and a cocktail before heading out in Back Bay or downtown. The food and drinks are all very well crafted and generously served. The cocktails are strong and creative. The food is delicious. I've had the "rock roll" shrimp sushi roll, scallion pancake and yummy dumpling appetizers, as well as sampled the Singapore Street Noodles, which - I kid you not - are served in what appears to be an enormous serving bowl. For $26 it can easily feed a table of four, with leftovers. Not exaggerating here. It was almost comedic - my friend who ordered it was filled to the brim, yet the noodles look like they'd barely been touched when she was done. They were very delicious, but make sure you have a way to bring home the leftovers. My only pain at Red Lantern was on one occasion of the three I've been - the waiter could have used a lot of help. He took ages to come around and get drink orders, then food orders, then water refills, then finally the check. It look literally 25-30 minutes to flag him down to request the check, and another 15 for him to come get it once we'd submitted out card. He couldn't answer a few menu questions and seemed really disengaged the entire time. I'll chock it up to bad luck, since the first two times I've been were great.
(5)Adam F.
I'm surprised I haven't written a review for Red Lantern. My girlfriend and I had our first date here last year, so maybe I was just so smitten that I couldn't be distracted to write a review. The first time we went, it was perfect. We split the Grill Platter which was a $70 grilled meat and veggie platter (#paleo) and laughed the night away drinking strange cocktails made with Sriracha and lychee fruit. We just went last night for a birthday dinner with a large group and it was great, just like the first time. The valet driver was the nicest and most professional valet driver I've ever had. He was well spoken and well dressed. Pretty much everywhere else you go, it's either a college bro or somebody with a neck tattoo and you wonder if you'll ever see your car again. The gentleman at Red Lantern was awesome. I want to be his friend. We had a reservation for 7:30 on a Friday and they were ready for the party on time. We had multiple servers attending to us, so water glasses and cocktails remained full at all times. Appetizers were Edamame, Crab Rangoon, and Chicken Skewers. I like how the Crab Rangoons are served in a Chinese take-out container. Really nice touch. For my main course I had a bunch of maki rolls - Spicy Tuna, Philly, Shrimp Tempura, and the special "Red Dragon" roll. The 3 regular rolls were great, not sure what made the Red Dragon roll worth $18, so perhaps stick to the regular under $10 rolls. My only suggestion would be to present the rolls on 1 large dish instead of 4 small dishes. Plating is a big part of the overall experience at a higher-end restaurant, so I didn't want to feel like I was eating 4 different appetizers. It also didn't look that good on my Instagram. The atmosphere is really sexy with deep house music playing at a reasonably loud volume (which I don't mind). I think it's a 4-star restaurant for sure. For the price, I wouldn't say the food blew me away, but it's certainly very good. I'd recommend for a date or a birthday celebration. I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)Melody A.
Wow - the atmosphere in this place is great! Definitely a place to take your friends to for a night out. They have a couple of lounge seating spots you can reserve for your group which makes the environment really fun. I went on a Saturday night and there was a lot of people but we made a reservation for two, maybe an hour before we arrived and didn't have to wait too long. One thing my bf and I really liked was the music - it was a mix of hip hop songs from like the 90s/2000s... like B2K lol. Really takes you back! The food's a little pricey and I thought it wasn't bad... Nothing to rave about but they do have a fun menu, especially their large drink menus for sharing. I ordered a pad thai as my main entree and thought it was too liquidy. But again, great atmosphere - I'd return and try something else. Oh and they do have all you eat sushi on Monday nights for 25$ :)
(4)Rebecca C.
The all you can eat sushi on Tuesday for 25 Is a great deal. The drinks are pretty but not amazing. This is the spot you take a date and know you'll get laid after or go with a group of male coworkers to stare at pretty girls in a uniform that makes them look busty. Honestly I don't care if I come back or not. It wasn't an amazing time here. Everything looks beautiful because everything else is subpar. Yeah you're not missing out here.
(3)Rachel P.
Red Lantern is a fun night out and a delicious meal! It's pretty pricey but the portions are pretty big. I love the Singapore Street Noodles! The sushi is good too and great dumplings. It's a great menu so it's always hard to decide what to order, and the prices add up fast if you want some apps and an entree. It's a great place for a big group to share some dishes. Service is ok...I've had some inconsistent experiences but overall it's been pretty good. The hostesses can be a little snooty in terms of telling you there's no table available when the restaurant is half empty. It's good to make a reservation for that reason. I also love the scorpion bowls! They're not stingy on the alcohol either, and taste great. I do wish they had outdoor seating here. It's the only restaurant on that block that doesn't.
(4)Jacqueline C.
I have mixed feeling for this restaurant. On the one hand, food was great. Our group of 8 enjoyed every dish. Restaurant design was impressive. On the other hand, service was aokay. It was slow, and I felt that servers are not very knowledgeable about the food/things in general. We ordered too much food, but our waitress never really informed us the amount of food we ordered, nor repeated what we ordered. Furthermore, she even suggested a big size food platter which we eventually had to cancel. We tried to cancel at least like 3 entrees, but couldn't as the chef already started the cooking. Don't order lobster here , you can get it at any Chinese restaurant. Do get the lobster fried rice, sushi, watermelon drink, Peking duck. Won't go wrong with any dish. We arrived at 9 and got out at around 12am. What did we do during the 3 hours?-- ordered food, waiting, ate food, waiting, our cake came, blow candles, waiting, cakes divided, ate cake, bill came without any waiting.
(4)Kristen M.
Wow!! This place was incredible and I would recommend it to any sushi lovers even though the menu is not limited only to sushi! They have a great variety of noodles and entrees for anyone not wanting raw. I was there for a bachelorette and it was perfect, the service was great and they even gave us some champagne on the house for our celebration! I would definitely go back!!!
(5)Robyn B.
I've been here a few times, once for dinner then two other times for drinks at the bar. The drinks are definitely the highlight--nice selection of cocktails. The red sangria is great, and the scorpion bowls are goooooood (and very strong, be careful). The food is okay, nothing special. We ordered a noodle dish, sushi, and stir-fried vegetables. It was all good, albeit too salty for my liking. Standard Asian fusion with a lot of unique dishes/flavors, but it's lacking that extra 'something' that would make me want to come back. The decor is beautiful though! Feels very fancy and has a Manhattan-esque vibe. Definitely trying to be hip and trendy, maybe a little too hard... this is reflected in the attitudes of the hostesses, who refuse to smile and seem to give off a pretentious vibe. But really, it's P.F. Chang's with better drinks and higher prices.
(3)Brandon S.
I've been here a few times now, for drinks, dinners and two private events. Of all those, I'd recommend stopping in for a drink and maybe an appetizer while on your way somewhere else. The food is decent fare, but the overall experience runs from passable, which is where I think many higher reviews come from, to just plain awful, which I prefer not to support with my money. My experience two nights ago highlights a lot of this. I popped in 5 minutes late for a reservation, and was told my table wasn't ready, so I could "go to the bar area" and "check back in later". Uh, what? It's my responsibility to keep walking back over to see if my table is ready? When there are what seem to be 4 hostesses just hanging out behind the counter? Ok, that's fine. No apologizing for the inconvenience, and just cold dead stares from the other hostesses and zero emotion from the one I'm talking to. I guess they're going for the hip, apathetic model thing? Well, it comes off as unprofessional and snooty service. Check in 10 minutes later. Same routine of complete disinterest, and the table still isn't ready. 10 more minutes pass by the bar, and it's starting to get annoying. This time the same girl mentions that they could text me when my table is ready. What? You waited for me to come to you 3 times now to mention this? Great. 35 minutes after our reservation, my guest decides to walk over to ask again and the hostess coldly states "the text just went out." No enthusiasm, no apologies, no further instruction. Just hostility for bothering them from their standing around doing nothing. So, we finally end up at our reserved table, 40 minutes after we've arrived, and are asked by 3 different people what kind of water we would like. Our server was pretty quiet but quick. It's hard to complain about that, but I think you're used to getting some recommendations and a little more lively interaction. That said, his timing for when to reappear at our table was perfect, so we were otherwise very satisfied. As for the actual meals, we started off with the shrimp shu mai and the eel & avocado maki. The maki was actually really enjoyable, but the shu mai was sort of boring. For dinner, I had the surf & turf, rare, and my guest had the mongolian skirt steak, medium. The filet was a good cut and prepared really well. The lobster felt like it was missing something, which really brought the whole plate down. The skirt steak was also very enjoyable, although we found the sweet potatoes on the side to be the highlight of the actual dish. For desert we tried the pineapple bread pudding, which came with a scoop of coconut ice cream on top. The bread pudding was above expectation, though nowhere near the best I've had. The pineapples complemented it well, but there was a discordant note with the ice cream. It felt very much like a separate dish altogether. So, if you're lucky your only interaction with the hostesses will be to get immediately seated. However, if you don't want to potentially deal with high-school level attitudes on your way to a 3-star meal, I'd say move along.
(2)Lily P.
Meh....good drinks, really sub-par food. Everything tastes blah and is overpriced. My friend and I ordered a ton of food and literally nothing stuck out as good. The service was absurd. Our waitress was miserable. I actually felt like we spent all night trying to get her attention, it was confusing. It was as though she was ignoring us on purpose. Overall, Red Lantern has a cool vibe and good (but expensive) drinks, but I would definitely not recommend eating here.
(1)Juliana C.
**PRIVATE EVENT REVIEW** My company rented out Red Lantern for our holiday party in January, and it was a flawlessly executed evening. Staff were on point, delivering drool worthy rangoons, shrimp toast, noodles, and chicken skewers at what seemed like an every-two-minutes frequency. Open bar service was quick and friendly. In addition to passed apps there were two stations heaped high with dumplings, sushi and shumai that never seemed to run out. I was in heaven. The ambiance -- sleek fixtures, low lighting, candles sprinkled throughout the restaurant -- combined with a DJ who transitioned from mingle-friendly lounge music to danceable 90s hits once people were ready to hit the floor -- made for the perfect balance of grown-up and fun. The location is wonderfully accessible, and convenient to boot; once it was time to leave, the party simply moved one space over to The Brahmin. I highly recommend Red Lantern for big groups and private parties.
(5)Ryan B.
Great service, I believe my waitress was a young lady named Molly. Very professional with devastating good looks. I'd go back
(5)Sylvia P.
Stopped for dinner and enjoyed the Tuesday all you can eat sushi for $25. Its a pretty sweet deal although you don't try any of the special rolls. The tuna tempura and rock roll were delicious. However the spicy salmon and spicy tuna were very disappointing the texture was different and it was warm. Another Downside you can't doggy bag your leftovers :( I'd definitely go back to try their special rolls or enjoy their Tuesday special.
(3)Pete H.
This is an interesting place. I love the manly oversized leather furniture in the lounge area. The food was good but you should order dishes with an intent to share, the portions are huge. The servers were friendly and engaging without being overbearing or appearing annoyed. It was a little pricey but not a bad choice if you want to go a little upscale without the snob factor.
(3)Alise K.
We had Reservations and waited at the bar for ten minutes. The place was 3/4 full, which was good for a Monday night. After settling up at the bar we were escorted to our table. Our waitress was great. And the bus guys were always right there with the water and clearing the plates. Here's a sampling of what we ate. Rock shrimp (omg by far the best thing. ) lobster rangoons, good but where was the lobster? Crunchy tuna roll, yum. Dinner was huge bowl of vegetable fried rice ( very few veggies but tasty) and the smallest plate. Sampling of thin sliced steak, boneless poerk ribs, chicken, Korean BBQ and grilled zucchini We liked it. The restaurant had a fun vibe and we will be back
(4)Elfego S.
This place is amazing, the food was incredible very very fresh on how they prepared it. Probably the best shrimp fried rice I have ever had in my life, big cut pieces of shrimp not that small stuff from your local Asian restaurant. Just really good sushi all around, well worth the price and all really reasonable. The specials are a little pricy but so worth the try. Even the simple ones are cheap and so delicious. The food is worth the 5 stars the only downside is that the wait staff was a little slow. Don't know if that is regular for them but I hope that will be a different story when I cone back.
(5)Stephanie K.
Red Lantern is delicious and very cool place to dine in Boston. It's your cliche trendy cool modern Asian restaurant with a night club flair. The ambiance is very cool but feels like your typical big restaurant in NY. The bar area is to the side of the main dinning room. It's a really trendy bar to to hang out at and get some great cocktails. It has a loungey feel to it. The cocktail menu is really extensive and interesting as well. They even have some drinks that light on fire. It's quit the experience. We sat at a huge round table in the middle of the restaurant. We had a group of 8 people and it was perfect and spacious. We started with pretend sake bombs. Pretend - because they wouldn't let us do the traditional sake bomb with chop sticks and banging. Lame but whatever. The food was delicious and somewhat memorable. We had lettuce wraps, lobster rangon, sushi, singapore noodles, and kung pao chicken. Everything was tasty but definitely over priced. I wasn't offended by the prices because it was expected for this kind of restaurant. My only legitimate complaint was the service. Our waiter was pretty lame and unprofessional. I expected quality service for a trendy, expensive restaurant. He was barely available when we needed him. Was MIA unless he was taking our order and put up a little hissy fit when we wanted to split the checks. Still worth checking out if you like sushi and asian food. Good quality food and cool scene!
(4)Dawn H.
***REVIEW ONLY ON BARTENDER SERVICE/DRINKS*** I stumbled upon this place while looking for a place to hang out while waiting for a friend. I was not hungry at the time but as I stepped through the door... OH MY GOODNESS... yummy filled the air. The layout is awesome. Large crowds? Definitely. Anyway, I went to the bar to chill out. The bartenders (mainly female) were attractive and could make decent drinks! The few people who ended up sitting next to me ranged from a clearly already drinking male who claimed to have been dating on of the hottest bartenders at Red Lantern but she was upset at him (mind you she barely noticed him) and a couple who celebrated a birthday with one of those shots where they light on fire! Wow. I would like to come here again for the food. The pictures look amazing!
(4)J T.
We came in one late afternoon after a Red Sox game, and were surprised by how quiet it was, but realized that it was probably because the restaurant attracts more of a night crowd. However, our service was phenomenal! We were served "rice bites" on the house, but liked them so much we decided to order more afterwards. We ordered the lobster fried rice and some sushi. The XO sauce that comes with the rice was outstanding, and the sushi was amazing. The ninja role was delicious. Also, the service was great. Really nice atmosphere, too. It was nice to come into a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere after being in the hot sun at a game all day. I can't wait to come back!
(5)Ryan R.
Went here with a friend to check out the $25 all-you-can-eat deal on Tuesday nights. We found a place at the bar so we decided to sit there for our meal as well. We started off with a carafe of sangria, which for the amount I thought was a bit overpriced ($39), but it had decent flavor. For our rolls, we ended up getting 8 plates. I have to admit that this sushi was decent, but it wasn't near the top in terms of many other places that I have gotten sushi at, even in the Boston area. My favorites were probably the tuna tempura roll and the rock shrimp roll, and my least favorite was definitely the spicy tuna. The service here is friendly, the food is served quickly, and the atmosphere is great. I was a little let down by food, but like that they offer the all-you-can-eat option. Overall, a great little place in the South End, perfect for a group or date night out.
(4)Alex B.
Come alone and have a drink at the bar; come with a friend and have a drink at the bar; take a date and have a dark setting with some trendy music, fashionable cocktails, and innovative dishes; come with a group of 8-10 and sit one of their roundtables and enjoy quality group conversation; or lastly stumble in here drunk late-night (post Friday work drinks at Brahmin) and enjoy the full menu to your belly's delight. Just make sure you have a reservation on the weekends or plan on coming in late-night or else you will bust. Clearly, Red Lantern is a viable solution for many of those social situations you find yourself in. It is lounge meets Asian fusion restaurant. I have always had fun wait staff and bartenders and even the hostesses are nice as they have hooked me up with storage for my bags (apartment is 2 blocks away but sometimes I cant wait after getting in from my flights). I can safely say, RL has become my goto in Boston. This is certainly a place you come to pay for the atmosphere as well as very good food. I would say 4.5 but I will round up since I am very much so a regular. Food Recs: 1)Sushi Boat for a large group (go for the big one - delicious and cost effective) 2) Lobster Rangoon 3) Duck Buns 4) Unlimited AYCE sushi on Tuesday (see you there) 5) Rock Shrimp 6) Spicy Edamame 7) Rock Roll 8) Torched Spicy Toro Roll Drink Recs: 1) They have drink bowls but have only got when already blacked out 2) Mai Tai 3) Dragon Fire (Get extra Sriracha!!!) Bonus Recs: See if you can play a game with yourself in here and count the number of Buddha statues / paintings. Good luck!
(5)David C.
Was Red Lantern disappointing? Yes. Did I know it was going to be? I think so, but because I had a Living Social deal, I was willing to give it a shot. The verdict? Generic Chinese food from your local takeout joint (you know, the one you only go to cause it's 1am, you're drunk, and nothing else is open) dressed up ever so slightly and priced like the fine-dining Back Bay restaurant that it so desperately wants to be. Of all the things I tried (the PuPu platter, some bao, and a couple maki rolls), I'd say get the duck buns, but that would involve coming here...which you shouldn't. Skip the pomp and pretense and head over to Myers and Chang in the South End instead.
(2)Laura K.
Very much improved in recent years since opening. Singapore street noodles are like crack - they are so good, you can't stop eating them. But I wonder if it's because they're good or its the same effect as just eating Chinese food in general... Almost everything I have had has been good, though not spectacular nor anything impressive. The cocktails are still pretty bad. Just get your standard rather than ordering one off the menu.
(3)Fiona H.
Came here for restaurant week earlier today. I didn't make a reservation but the hostess seated my party right away which was great! My waiter jay? Or jazz? I forget but I'm sure it began with a J, anyways, he was great. He was super organized and brought our ordered in at the same time and the right time! Excellent and attentive service! This place would get a 5 star but the food wasn't fit to my liking. I did enjoy the sushi and baos a lot but the dumplings and dessert were a bit disappointing. Dumplings were things you can buy at any supermarket with a sweet glaze. Dessert was a small portion. I got the emperors moose and it was alright. The best part was the crunchy pearls. I will definitely come back but probably sit at the bar and have some sushi
(4)Rena P.
The place: trendy The lighting: dark The atmosphere: hip The food: descent For a place that appeared to be the latest in whatever trendy restaurant was sweeping Boston, I found myself dining here twice (as it was the restaurant across the street from my hotel AND open late). I can honestly say that nothing particular stood out to me about it. The food was good. I have excellent company. Loved the decor. What set this place to 5-star status, for me, was a completely random experience the second time I visited. The executive chef walked around talking to the diners. He "happened" to come to our table first and it ended up being one of my best conversations in years. To be able to sit down and discuss food and restaurants and the culinary arts in general is such a rare and exciting experience, that I would go back just for the possibility that it might happen again. I highly recommend Red Lantern. And if you happen to stop in, ask for the executive chef. Tell him Rena from Chicago says hello.
(5)Ryan W.
If you're looking for a "trendy" spot to go in the Back Bay for sushi, then this is probably your best option. I've been here twice now, so I feel like I've got a good handle on things. This is the sister restaurant to Empire and one thing they share in common is that everything from wine/drinks to the rolls/entree's is a little more expensive than your standard sushi place. For some reason I felt the vibe was a little better at Empire than Red Lantern. Each time my wife and I have come here (both times on Sunday night) we are seated in this row of two seater table/booths which are right next to other tables with people when the restaurant is half full. I hate being cramped and I hate listening in on other people's conversations and that's how I felt here. The sushi rolls at this place are 4 stars good. The Chirashi Naruto is our favorite since it comes with lots of salmon, tuna and yellowtail wrapped in cucumber instead of rice. If you are doing low carb, this is your roll. The maki rolls are all OK. The star of the show as far as I'm concerned were Lobster Buns. For $16 you get two gourmet buns stuffed with a decent amount of lobster. The buns are actually the highlight. They are buttered, slightly sweet and a little toasted. Mmmm delicious. The lobster salad was a good amount of meat and not too much mayo, but it could have used a little more scallion/onion or some kind of spice to give it a little kick. We had a few entrees here and didn't feel like it was a good value or even a good execution of the dish. My wife had the sea bass and it was a little over salted and it was just OK. Nothing to go crazy over. I saw a guy get a rib-eye and it looked awesome. I had to ask and he said it was really good, so take that into consideration. If you're looking to fill up and not break the bank, then get the street noodles. They are all tasty and you can split them with someone else or make a meal of it.
(4)Diane H.
The ambiance is great, i loved the music, host/servers were really nice. no seating was available w/o reservations for 8pm on friday :( so we hung out at the lounge, no wait, got a table right away. We tried the duck buns (good), lobster rangoon (good), and the rock roll (not so good, the tempura shrimp was not crispy, it was tasted like it was fried when the restaurant opened and just kinda left sitting out to sell, YUCK). My drink was good, the summer margherita, and my bf's wine was okay. Our bill was over about almost 100$! YIKES. The food came out fairly quickly, so i don't know if i shoulda been worried... i think we will be back just to check out apps, but no sushi again. It coulda been a club in here! Dark and loud music...nice place to have a late dinner before your late night begins!
(3)Ngan T.
Not bad! I had really low expectations coming in because someone told me Red Lantern was Empire but out of style. Considering I think Empire has a generally pretentious crowd with semi-decent food (but overpriced!), I was expecting a terrible experience at Red Lantern. We came here on a Monday night, about an hour late to meet some friends. THis was around 9pm. The restaurant had a few occupied tables and a warm atmosphere. It was a while before the waiter checked up to catch us up on drinks, but those came out pretty fast. The two scorpion bowls we ordered were mostly ice, but the fire in the bowls as they came out was certainly interesting! The trick is to put them out asap or you lose the precious alcohols!! We ordered both pu pu platters. I thoroughly enjoyed both and their creative presentations (LOVED the shrimp portion) Our waiter was friendly but also hard to find. I wouldn't mind coming here again, but it probably won't be my first option.
(3)Alexa R.
I had the Rock Roll sushi amazing!! Calamari a bit spicy, for drinks I got the fortune cookie delicious. I defiantly will come here again.
(4)Gia S.
I went in with an open mind despite the poor reviews, however I have to agree with some of what people are writing. The decor is pretty fantastic, the service is average, the bar is fantastic, and the food is maybe a step above P.F. Changs-- maybe. I ordered sushi and had it sent back as it was served slightly warm and had a very unpleasant rotten taste.. my boyfriend ordered orange chicken. That was decent, but absolutely nothing special, especially for the price. Like I said, think somewhere around P.F. Changs food. I would go here if you have a big party, and are looking to hang out in a kind of hip atmosphere, eating american-chinese food.
(3)Zack C.
This place is pricey, but you get your money's worth. Drinks are very strong, and portions are very large. They use the freshest ingredients I have ever tasted in Asian cuisine. So much flavor, so good, will definitely be returning!
(5)Shayna Y.
Overall: great place to get some drinks and food before heading out for the night - however food is heavy! Atmosphere outweighs food here! Likes: - fun, inventive drink menu - distinct atmosphere - socially vibrant - gluten free menu - hot rock with waygu beef and salmon was delicious and fun (however kind of expensive for portion $24) - bulgogi beef had great flavor and came with delicious hot sauce, beef portion was pretty small - chirashi roll was pretty fresh, but I was expecting more spice Gripes: - chicken fried rice and chicken lettuce wraps were bland
(3)David L.
Fantastic night at the Red Lantern! The food was great, sushi awesomeness all the way. The boat of booze was impressive too. Our waitress made the night, she was super friendly and helpful. Highly recommend this place for a date night or just drinks.
(5)Peter W.
This review is only for the bar. I've been here may times with friends and enjoy the drinks, food, service, and atmosphere. Somehow we've lucked out and have been able to get seats at the bar most of the times. We've had appetizers including the beef skewers, pot stickers, and spicy fried squid. They are served pretty quickly which helps to keep the food nice and hot. The drinks are well made and a good size. The bartenders are friendly and attractive. The decor is cool with asian themes - look up to see mini stone statues and small paper lanterns. For a place this big, it is kind of weird that the bathrooms are limited to one user each.
(4)R. M.
This place is delightful! It caught me by surprise because I generally don't like the South End. The crowd, on a Tuesday night, seemed mainly young urban professionals, predominantly white and predominantly in their 20s and 30s. The music is also kind of loud and the place kind dimly lit. Maybe trying a little too hard to be hip? A great deal of fun for some people, I know, but not really my kind of place for a nice after work meal with a close friend and conversation. BUT the food is good, the service is impeccable and the prices are not as devastating as you might imagine! The food is flavorful and surprisingly simple cooking using traditional Asian ingredients and cooking techniques. I expected outlandish culinary nonsense ("Let's stuff shrimp inside a cantaloupe and call it Buddha's Belly!") but actually got a good satisfying non-traditional Chinese dinner. (At this point, you can probably tell that i did not choose this restaurant; my dinner companion did. I'm glad she dragged me there!) The servers and staff deserve a mention, too. Friendly, but not obtrusive. My friend and I were also most certainly the most casually dressed people there at that time but we were treated respectfully. All in all a great experience.
(5)G b.
LOVE this place!!! From the delicious sushi, to the exquisite drinks, I enjoy going back to Red Lantern without hesitation every time. Try the bubble tea with pearls, it's unique
(5)Joe C.
We had dinner here on New Year's Eve. We sat at the kitchen table, so we were able to watch the crew in action. The service was first rate and the food was wonderful. The Restaurant has a very cool buzz and looks great too. I would recommend this place for a special event or to celebrate an important date. They also have on Tuesday nights all you can eat sushi - mostly rolls for only $25.00 worth checking out as well.
(4)Kerri C.
Finally got a chance to check out Red Lantern last week, and it definitely lived up to the hype! I sat at the bar for a few drinks and snacks, and was very impressed. I loved the layout of the restaurant, and was obsessed with the music selection. My bartender, Alycia, was friendly, attentive and was always aware of when my glass was empty. There is nothing worse than a bartender who keeps you waiting for a drink, so I was very happy with my service. The mai tais were delicious, and next time I definitely plan on trying some of their other signature drinks. As far as food- I tried the crab rangoons, which were a bit different than your generic local Chinese take - out shop, but in a much better way. I would definitely get them again! I can't wait to try out more of their menu during my next visit, as Alycia had some great suggestions to try out.
(5)Amanda L.
I've been to Red Lantern a few times and it's great for large groups. The ambiance is amazing. Red Lantern is nestled between Back Bay Station and Bay Village and is in an old building with exposed brick and beams. It is dimly lit with red lighting with audible music - a great place for loud conversation. Food and drink are fine - a little pricey. I don't think I've had anything that has knocked my socks off but overall the quality of product is okay and nothing has really offended me. If you're looking for suggestions then I guess I would recommend the Rock Shrimp Tempura to start and the broken down California Roll for sushi with a spicy tuna roll or Idaho maki. If you're looking for great sushi then head to the other side of Back Bay Station to visit Douzo, but if you're looking for a scene then Red Lantern is your place.
(3)Rachel M.
Love the vibe of this place! First time I got the miso glazed sea-bass, it was to die for, 2nd time I was disappointed. Can't go wrong with the Tunatartare! And I love their rose martinis, light and fresh!
(4)Kaveh Z.
The place has a very nice ambiance and the food is good too. I really like their Sake Sangria. Had many of their foods and liked them all.
(4)Nikhil P.
FUN. You come in here and you feel 1000x cooler. I thought I was Vince Carter, or Bruno Mars, or some asian pop star when I entered. I might have even seen these cool people around me, but I didn't even notice, because I was equally cool when I went in. The drinks are delicious -- like really, really delicious. I can't even remember all that we got at our table, but there was something with Sriracha sauce (my last memory of a Sriracha-sauce drink was a "Prairie Fire" that I had on my 19th birthday which made me shit Sriracha sauce for the next 24hrs... this wasn't like that), a Mai-Tai, something with pineapple, and other things that were just so, so good. For food, we got the duck buns: as good as everything you read about these in the other reviews... and a sushi boat that was huge, generously portioned, and had a great selection for a group of 6 full-sized hungry adult people. Added bonus? For our friend's birthday, there was no dorky happy birthday song, but there was a mochi cake with a little "Happy Birthday" spelled out on shortbread cookie. Oh, the love. Other perks? The decor was very hip, big crowd of people, very noisy, very upbeat. You'd probably need to wait for a while if you didn't have a reservation (hint: get a reservation), but for what you get when you enter there are definitely worse sins in life. Very asian fusion, awesome for groups, perfectly young and trendy, and oodles of fun.
(4)Alexis B.
We arrived at 5:15 yesterday to an EMPTY restaurant. Literally we were the first ones on the dining floor. The snippy hostess informed us that we couldn't sit at a table (we were a party of 2) because they had a ton of reservations tonight. I was like super confused but we had Groupon thing so we said sure. Our waitress was strange. I asked her some questions and she wouldn't really answer them. We were also pretty sure she was on drugs. (Not in a mean way, but seriously she was not sober). So anyway we sat in an empty restaurant at the bar and had a decent meal. The food was fine, EXTREMELY over priced for what it was. We had edamame, 4 sushi rolls, 2 drinks, and a side vegetable and it was $100. By the time we left the place was still not filled. I was annoyed so I mentioned something to a passing manager. He literally said "I'm not going to bullshit you, we have 250 reservations tonight. I'm not feeding you any lines." Okkkk sir... still not what I was asking. I told him we wouldn't be returning, he didn't seem to care. It was a weird weird place. Everything just seemed like it was trying too hard. Don't waste your hard earned money.
(2)Mike T.
Red lantern is a nice addition to Boston's asian food offerings. The interior is very cool and is reason enough for a visit even if just for a drink. On occasion, when the place gets very busy, this place can feel a bit like both staff and patrons are taking the scene a little too seriously. Sushi Tuesday is a pretty good deal and Red Lantern can be good for out of town guests looking for a more contemporary feel in Boston.
(4)Mr. O.
Mr. O is back! Red lantern is a pleasant surprise for those who want great food and good drinks. The beef skewers are amazing and the Mongolian steak is delicious. The martinis are smooth and while this place gets crowded, it is worth it! It is under the radar, but I assure you it is better than many top end places in the city! Mr. O out!
(4)J. A.
We decided to order 4 appetizers to share between the 2 of us as our dinner, so we can try a little of everything. The waiter was very helpful in suggesting their most popular dishes, and everything we ate was delicious. He was spot-on with everything, and we enjoyed every morsel. We would go back for more, if we only lived closer. Open one or two restaurants on Long Island, please!
(4)Scott B.
Excellent service with knowledgeable wait staff. Must visit, especially on a quiet Sunday evening!
(5)Paul W.
Came here last night for the Unlimited Sushi they offer on Tuesday. I'm a bigger fan of the quality of sushi at it's sister venue Empire, but it's still great. The decor at Red Lantern is some of the best in the city, overall great experience every time I've been here. Get the Yakuza sashimi platter.
(4)Rebecca H.
I have been to Red Lantern once before and enjoyed a week day dinner at the sushi bar with a friend. It was a Saturday night however, that I came in with family and was told there would be an hour an a half wait without a reservation or we could "eat at the bar." Problem is, there is a regular bar and a sushi bar, and the hostess seemed to not want to give me straightforward answers whether we would be having our dinner here or somewhere else tonight. Luckily, four seats opened up at the sushi bar and we greedily sat at the counter. We were told after a few minutes by an employee that these seats were reserved and we could only eat at the "actual bar." I then explained that I had sat there before when I had been here, and he went back to the hostess desk to see what he could do for a table for us. In a matter of minutes, we were sitting at a table with a free appetizer and getting served. I asked if he was manager and he replied with his name and gave me his card, telling us that he would take care of us any time we came in. That is the right way to take care of your customers - Thank you Dan. The food was also to perfection as expected.
(5)Di L.
I came here with a vaguely Asian companion in the hope of doing something vaguely Asian to celebrate the Harvest Festival, and this place certainly delivered on that. From the minute I opened those red double doors,I felt like I was stepping into some middle-aged Orientalist's wet dream (raise the red lantern much?). Not that that was a bad thing. Actually, the most trauma I suffered from the decor was due to the giant boddhisattva statues lurking in every corner. Having those guys watch you gorge yourself on pork belly buns and Singapore slings is the Buddhist equivalent of a giant mural of Jesus on the ceiling above your bed. Ambiance aside, it's a standard-to-decent fusion gastropub: spacious, friendly bar staff, tasty cocktails, overpriced but mediocre fasian food. I recommend their $7 small bites menu, which was flavorful, inventive and adequately portioned. Also, really nice napkins in the bathroom.
(4)Jonathan S.
Not bad. This place has probably one of the biggest selection of asian style drinks in drinks outside of Chinatown. Though they seem to be heavily based on Singapore including references to Santosa. The $12 mai tai I ordered could have definitely been stronger. It tasted a bit watered down and I was hesitant to try other cocktails. I think I have had stronger Mai Tai's while flying. The service is excellent. Even though we didn't have a reservation as it was very busy the hostess did their best to convert a lounge table into a dinning table. Surprisingly the wait staff are very attentive even when busy. The food was ok at least for my personal tastes it was a bit to Americanized Chinese food. Though it was nice to see them bring some traditional fried rices on the menu; such as the Chinese sausage and a interesting twist to fried rice such as bacon style. On a side note the tuna tar tar did not have a lot tuna and was cucumber heavy. The sushi selection again is heavily fusion based and the flying fish roe seemed to be not of the highest quality. I wish they had nigiri because they did have toro fusion roles. The role and dishes we're well presented and although some appetizers had a steep price for this level of restaurant the $18 calamari appetizer was large portion similar to most items.
(3)Aman S.
This place reminds me of TAO in NYC. Great vibe, ambience and music. The sushi and drinks are very good as well. The service was top notch. I would go back here again.
(5)Chris W.
Amazing! Went here for the first time last night, had reservations and got right in when we arrived. Place was VERY busy on a Saturday night. The service was amazing, the drinks were incredible and the food was top notch. A little pricey, but well worth it! Most of the plates can feed at least two people so share away! Highly recommend! Will be back for sure.
(5)Erin K.
Loved it here! We made a reservation the morning to eat here before a comedy show at Foxwoods. Arriving a little early, we had a drink at the bar before being seating. My husband had a beer and I had the Grass Fed Mule (lemongrass infused vodka and ginger beer), which was delicious. Their beer selection leaves a little to be desired, but they have an extensive and interesting cocktail menu. Once seated, we started with the spicy edemame, which was coated with a chili sauce. Put a delicious twist on regular edemame. For our entrees, I had vegetable fried rice and a cucumber roll and my husband had Singapore style Street noodles and salmon sushi. We both really enjoyed our entrees (my husband cleared his plate). The only complaint I have is the lack of many vegetarian options on the menu, most Asian restaurants include quite a few. Despite that, we would definitely return if we're ever back at Foxwoods.
(4)Justin C.
I genuinely enjoyed this place with a couple colleagues as we bantered about typical work sh*t. Stunned not only by Eden's striking personality, her delivery was executed without compromise. We had the Ronin Roll, duck buns, and (best of all) the scallion pancakes. If it were possible to match Eden's warming personality, it would be with those God damn pancakes. Great service and great food. The staples of a fine establishment.
(5)Joelle K.
We had our New Years Eve dinner at Red Lantern last night. Our waiter was awesome and very attentive to our large group. It is important to note that all of the entrees are very large and are meant to be shared. I didn't realize this as the only other time we came was for restaurant week and the portions were much smaller. As a result, we ordered way too much food. Each entree is good for 2-3 people. On the flip side, the appetizers are quite small. We had the lobster rangoons, veggie spring rolls and tuna tartar. Everything was delicious! I could have eaten nothing but the lobster rangoons and gone home happy. I ordered the Singapore street noodles for my entree, and found them to be delicious. I also tried the shrimp lo mein, scallop fried rice and ronin roll. Everything was yummy. The shrimp lo mein is probably the best that I have had. All in all, we had an awesome time at Red Lantern and I can't wait to go back!
(4)Armani T.
Hands down, one of my favorite spots in Boston. Big Night Entertainment never dissapoints me. It's trendy, young, fun, upscale and I've never had a bad experience the numerous amount of times I've been here. Every server that's tended me during my visits are always professional, fun and attentive. It's the perfect spot for a night out for drinks, a first date, or just dinner. It's a unique dining experience.
(5)nicole p.
I felt like I walked into what a Cheesecake factory would look like in Asia but slightly more upscale. Everything was just too much. Enough with the statuary at every possible open spot! But, I can overcome bad decor with good drinks and good food. Cocktail I got (I can't remember the name of it because the name totally didn't match the cocktail) was so good I had two of them. And at the prices of the cocktails, that's saying a lot. But, the food is, too put it politely, was so not good and at the prices of the food, it's doubly not good. We had 7 very different dishes from all parts of the menu and we shared all of the them. I did not want more than the few bites I took of any of them. Every dish was either flavorless or salty. So the drink would have been 4 stars but since woman can't live on drink alone, I have to bring down the rating.
(2)Audrey C.
Pros: nice ambience (great for a date night or a girls night), fun cocktails, nice decor, lots of space for large parties. HUGE portions (I don't know if this is a pro?) Cons: food is ok. It's basically fancified chinese-american food. I ordered the chicken lettuce wrap and boneless spare ribs (char siu). Spare ribs were a bit dry, the salad it was on was a bit too acidic. The chicken lettuce wrap was not bad, but if they had told me how large it was for an app size, I would have just gone with that! We also ordered the pu pu platter - kinda fun, had a little flame going on. But again, just regular chinese american food on nicer/fun plating. My friend got the maki set for dinner and ended up spending the whole night in the bathroom. Someone else got the singapore noodles - it was huge! Everything was just a bit too salty. All in all...it was fine. I'd go back for the drinks maybe, but don't think I'd eat there.
(2)Kadin L.
This is an overdue review. I went here with my friend on New Years Eve for dinner. The decor is very nice, however, it's too dark inside! Our server was very attentive and knowledgable. I had a small Grill Platter (char sui, bulgogi, chicken, skirt steak, and veggies). I loved the char sui, super delicious, probably the best I've ever had. Everything else was up to par. My friend had the Tik Tok Chicken bowl. The portion is really great here. The Tiki Tok Chicken probably had like 20lbs worth of food. I would definitely come back again!
(4)Rishabh D.
Went here for a friends birthday, and we're too late to get a cake, but thanks to our innovative server, we got a good substitute for the cake. Being a fine dining, the service was very pleasing, and the food was delicious. Only problem was the amount of time the food took to come, it took longer than we had anticipated.
(4)Sandra M.
They have the best sushi I've ever had. The tuna is like nothing I've had before, creamy. They have gluten free soy sauce and a limited gluten free menu (but at least they have one! I've asked for items not on the menu and they will happily make them). I recommend the spicy tuna, crispy "rice bites" and the gluten free fried rice (lobster, shrimp, and chicken have all been great). My brother would recommend the Ronin roll. They lose a star bc it's always so busy and even after making a reservation you can find yourself waiting for your table. It's also expensive.
(4)Jenny G.
"Mehhhh" is what comes to mind when asked about Red Lantern. Came here on a Friday night for drinks by the bar. Tried for Brahmin next door but it was too cold and the line too long. So my friend and I stepped into RL instead. Drinks are alright, but certainly overpriced. I've been here in the past for food as well, and I'd have to give it that same rating - ok, but overpriced. They're lucky with their location and large restaurant space. Maybe I'm biased, but this place's decor (Buddhas and Buddhist goddessses, everywhere, lots of them. Also, red, everywhere, lots of it) seemed like it was trying too hard to be Asian fusion and 'sexy,' with the red glow eminating from all around (and not every asian face...hehe). There were so many Buddhas and goddess statues/figurines/pictures, that it seemed borderline offensive. Those really belong in temples and home for praying, not in a desperately unhip, happens to be downwind of a super hopping bar so that they get its spillage, venue.
(3)Abbie M.
I was pleasantly surprised by Red Lantern. I heard it was a great spot to go out and have drinks, but was totally unfamiliar with the space or with the menu. Got a LivingSocial and decided to check it out! From the front it looks like a sketchy Asian place. They really need to work on that, because inside it is quite upscale with these incredibly tall ceilings with Asian/S&M iron lighting, full size Samurai warriors, and it's very cool. The waitress was a skilled saleswoman, highlighting the most expensive appetizers ($24 for 6 thin slices of beef/salmon cooked on a stone?) and entrees ($40 steak at an Asian place?) on the menu. She was the right amount of attentive, very knowledgeable, and had a good sense of humor. The menu was just redone and it's rather extensive (did I type extensive or expensive, because it is both.) We tried the Tik Tok chicken, the veggie fried rice, and my date got two sushi rolls. I don't eat sushi so I have no clue what she ordered. The chicken itself was quite good, and there was a lot of it, but for some reason while the sauce tasted good on the chicken I didn't like it on the broccoli or rice. The veggie fried rice was not your typical oily heavy fried rice, it was light with lots of veggies and there was a generous portion. She said her sushi was good, though I thought it looked on the small side. For drinks I got a coco-loco mai tai and she had Tanq and tonic. My drink tasted fine but was much smaller than I expected, however the Tanq and tonic was normal. They advertise a beer and wine special which changes daily/weekly, which is pretty awesome. Our total bill was $74, we had a deal for $60, so we made out all right in the end. The ambiance was fantastic and I would like to return for drinks, but probably not dinner.
(4)Ann S.
Service was exceptional from entering to leaving. We sat at the bar and got to witness the culinary wonders up close. The food was fresh, tasty, and made with quality ingredients. The highlight of my visit was meeting the executive chef who was very interpersonal and engaging. For desert, we had the pineapple bread pudding and it was absolutely the best bread pudding I've had at an eatery -- I wish I had some to go!!! It was a great experience and I am looking forward to my next visit!
(5)Mark D.
I have mixed feelings about this place. First, the place is nicely arranged. Decorations are appropriate with the name of the restaurant and fit an Asian motif. The bar is especially nice. The bar also has nice drinks. And they make them nice and strong which fits the price which is average for a cocktail at a decent establishment (think $10 - $14). However be cautious as I was charged a higher price for my classic Mai Thai than the menu price ($12 instead of $11). It is possible this was an honest mistake as they have another Mai Thai available at the higher price. For starters we had salt and pepper calamari, dumplings and vegetable spring rolls. All dishes were plated well, however staff initially brought over the calamari and told us it contained shrimp. However the same plate came back after staff confirmed there was no shrimp in the dish. The spring rolls were average and over priced for what they were. The dumplings were tasty, but again over priced for what they were. The calamari was good and was the best of the three. For entrees I ordered the skirt steak. My dinner companions ordered a wok fried pork special. My skirt steak was plated well and had excellent taste. The pairing with a baked sweet potato was an odd choice but worked and provided some nice contrast to the soy, garlic and ginger sauce on the steak. The wok fried pork was returned to the kitchen because it was deep fried not wok fried. My dinner companions chose the other pork special a pork loin. The pork loin was dry. Management removed it from the bill after complaining it was inedible and agreed it looked dry. We also had the Wagyu fried rice. While tasty, I've had better fried rice in Chinatown that had more depth of flavor with less oil. Staff and service were generally lackluster. Staff appeared mostly apathetic. Gentlemen, I was told, were not allowed to wear any form of hat in the dining area, however being loud and obnoxious (think bachelorette party with 4 scorpion bowls and dozens of other drinks) is allowed and seemingly encouraged by the very scantily and sexually clad female staff (think corsettes). Kitchen staff delivering food and refilling drinks made numerous mistakes throughout the night from not knowing the dishes that were being delivered to topping off sparkling water with tap water. My overall impression is this place is mostly trying to live off of the hype. The food is tasty but the price being paid is for the atmosphere and nothing more. Good place to get a drink with a friend or two but there are better Asian restaurants in town albeit none with an interior as pretty as Red Lantern.
(2)Danielle S.
Good spot for Asian fare in Back Bay, nice ambience and interior design. Had a collection of apps and rolls. All were quite good. Recommend the "naruto" roll and lettuce wraps. Portions are ok, but prices are high. $16 for a 5 piece roll is high, even for the area. Same for the wine. High prices, mediocre selection, and small pour. Overall tasty food, just not the best price to quality ratio.
(4)Emily S.
I went with a friend last week, mostly because of Restaurant Week (which I guess is now called Dine Out Boston). It's kind of dark inside the restaurant. It's also kind of loud but not so loud that you need to shout to have a conversation. The loudness is probably mostly due to the fact that Red Lantern's capacity is pretty large. The food is pretty good, although in my opinion, it does fall into the category of "Americanized Asian food". For my main course, I got the sushi platter. Have I had better sushi at other places? Definitely. Was it nonetheless yummy? Yes! The tik tok chicken bowl my friend got was quite large, and she said it was great too. Service was decent, although a bit slow at times. There was a slight mishap that lead to a little bit of confusion, when our desserts were accidentally delivered to the table next to ours, but that didn't detract too much from the overall experience. Would I ordinarily visit this place when it's not restaurant week? Probably not.
(3)Philip J.
We went on a Saturday night, and it was packed with people. I ordered Surf & Turf which was pricey but very very good. The waiter was excellent and was patient with us as we looked over the extensive menu. The friends I was with also enjoyed but we're not totally satisfied with the portions served. I would definitely go back again, just not right away due to the pricey meals. Parking can be difficult, but valet parking is available at a price.
(4)Carrie Y.
I'm still dreaming about those rice cakes and lobster rangoons. YUM! Came here on a Friday night. Loved the atmosphere, super friendly waitress, and really a great vibe all around. Drinks: -Lychee Martini- I've had better (Douzo makes the best I've had) -Grapefruit basil something martini- Lets just say its a acquired taste -Their version of a Manhattan- Not bad, strong, but it has a twist. Food: -Lobster Rangoons- Must get -Rice Cake- I'm not a fan of rice cakes, but OMG I would order 4 orders of these if i could. Must get!!! Between they chewy, savory, spicy, and punch of flavor, they are to die for. - Waygu Fried Rice- I've never had $20 fried rice, so I had to to order it, the waygu was tasty, but i can't say I would order it again. - Black Widow- Sweet and tasty, order if you like sweet potatoes - Red Dragon-Fresh, but I would pass on this Dessert: - Chocolate Cake Mousse- I would pass on this, it was pretty dry for a cake/mousse. I just ate the strawberries and ice cream that came with it.
(5)Lily S.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the decor here. Red Lantern embodies my vision of restaurant comfort and atmosphere. This is the kind of place where you can enjoy a first or fiftieth date, come in for cocktails with the girls in your too short too tight sparkly dress, or just pop in for a quick drink in your business casual attire after work to admire the scantily clad bartenders. Those corsets...I mean ladies you look good but ouch....how do you breathe?? That being said, I found the food, while overall enjoyable, nothing special, and factoring in the price--just OK. I also found it hard to pick something that felt healthy. Outside of the sashimi, everything seemed to be fried and greased up--which, mind you, is OK, but the combo of bad for you, bad for your wallet, and the Brahmin being next door, will probably keep me from becoming a regular. All in all, I had a lovely evening with a good friend, enjoyed a couple of absolutely delicious lychee martinis, but the price tag (even after factoring in my $80 (?) Gilt deal) left much to be desired.
(3)Jeyashri S.
This place is incredible. Came here with a large group for a friend's birthday and I honestly want to celebrate every birthday here now. It is the most perfect spot for any occasion and with any group - you can't go wrong with this place. Asian fusion was fantastic and portions were huge and the menu has a great variety of noodles, rice and seafood dishes and everything is very well made and the arrangement of the food itself seems to have a lot of thought put into it. The music was amazing as well, and we found out that the owners of the now closed down club Estate actually own Red Lantern itself so the playlist produced all the right vibes for the occassion. Layout of the place is great and they have this fun lounge-like setup that seated our entire group. Cannot rave enough about this place, deserves 5 stars and more.
(5)Jay T.
Great place. Went after a Sox game, late Saturday afternoon. Although not busy, service was A+. Crispy rice bites were outstanding. Great sushi. Lobster fried rice was great, although note: it is a big bowl of pieces of lobster in shell, small bowl of white rice on the side with a smaller bowl of reduced seafood sauce. Very good. Would go back.
(4)Hannah P.
Cocktails-Okay--strong enough but nothing unique, however, tasty. Food-the boneless spare ribs were great and had a nice glaze, not overly sweet. Noodles with seared beef were fine as well. Not a huge noodle fan but the steak was cooked very nicely(medium rare). The Toro roll was excellent and I would gladly reorder it. Dessert was lack luster. Menu said chocolate mousse but what arrived was a dry chocolate cake of sorts. Accompaniments of fresh cream and homemade strawberry ice cream were good though. Our server was very nice and fairly attentive but having read reviews before we went, it was clear that is not typical. Most of the staff were hanging out and socializing and we saw the expeditor continue to clean plates with his fingers (no Bueno). The vibe is much more of a late night bite or pregame lounge kinda thing before a club. Bartenders and random girls on the floor have a whole lotta cleavage going on and we found it particularly amusing as the 15 yr old boys with their parents dining next to us prob thought it was the best place they had ever been.
(4)Katy M.
4 for the food, 2 for the price. The food ranges from great to just okay. For example, the Kobe beef skewers and Peking raviolis were scrumptious. We got chicken lettuce wraps, as they are a favorite at other restaurants, and were disappointed by how small the lettuce was and how soggy the filling was. I was disappointed that the buns weren't actually bao buns, but rather more of a pita, but they were still good. The chicken fried rice was good, but nothing special. The ambiance is cool and mature; this is definitely a place for weekend tapas and drinks. HOWEVER, weekend tapas and drinks should never be this pricy. While we enjoyed our meal, the prices were out of this world for food that can be found much cheaper (and just as good) in Chinatown. However, if you are a sushi fan, the $25 for unlimited sushi on Tuesday nights is a good deal.
(3)Tammy T.
Just like any usual Asian restaurant but pricey as heck. The restaurant is beautiful, but it is a tad bit too dark for my liking. I went for my close friend's birthday not too long ago, and I was excited to give it a try. My friend and I decided to share something on the sharing category, we decided to get the beef... I cannot recall what it was exactly called and a sushi roll. We wanted to try something we've never had before for sushi and that was the biggest disappointment we have ever had, it wasn't like any typical roll, I believe it was wrapped in cucumber(?) With salmon. As for the beef, it didn't taste any different from a regular Asian restaurant and we received ONE small bowl of rice.. Big portion of meat with a small bowl of rice when it's a sharing dish.. Interesting. I wouldn't go back here again, but I can cross it off my list now.
(3)Kevin L.
The one star is far too generous. I had the worst experience at Red Lantern with three friends on a not a busy evening. We arrived, got sat, waited for a good ten minutes prior to a waiter acknowledge us and was gone for a while. Once he brought us our drinks, he disappeared for another ten minutes. He came back, took our orders with such a bad attitude as if we were not worthy to be waited on. It took about 30 minutes for the food to come out. And the water dripping from the ceiling was not pleasant. My food was extremely soggy to the point that it was inedible. I kept looking for the waiter and tried to get his attention so I can reorder my food. Finally, he showed up, I explained that my rice was completely soaked in the sauce to the point that it looks like I ordered soup. It took about 20 minutes before someone else brought me the replacement. At this point everyone else at the table had finished their dish. Other than the bad tasting food and bad service, the strangest thing was the floor manager was giving the waiter a back rub at the bar in front of customers. Unless you enjoy wasting your money on less than take out quality Chinese food and bad service, I would not recommend this place. Needless to say, we will never return to this restaurant. There are too many great Asian restaurants in Boston with a much better service.
(1)Nicole S.
Every time I go here I am more and more blown away by the food and service. During our most recent visit the 3 of us enjoyed the following: Chicken Lettuce wraps ($14) Lobster Ragoons ($12) Fan Fried Pork Dumpkins ($12) Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls ($10) Shrimp Fried Rice ($14) Drunken Noodles ($22) Everything was very fresh and flavorful. The meal was staggered a bit so we could enjoy each dish at a nice pace as well as them being cooked right to order. I can't get enough of the Lobster Ragoons- just imagine crab rangoons but 100x better with fresh lobster. I typically find that noodles dishes are either dry and gummy or are very oily to keep the noodles seperated and easy to eat but it is not the case here. We ended up with plenty of food and had some of the fried rice and noodles to go. Valet does take a LONG time so don't forget to ask your server to call up your car while you finish dessert.
(4)Odiddy K.
Place looks awesome. But it's Rat infested. As I'm eating my meal I spot 2 mice running around I tell the waitress she said it's normal because of the location. she had the nerve to say that they name the mice that is Stuart. Manager comes over says they are very sorry and will take care of the bill they took off the edamames off the bill $8 bucks off a $230 bill. Don't go there !!!!
(1)David H.
I am giving this place four stars but not for the food which was very very overpriced and averagely presented....btw guys gyoza is steamed and then gently fried on one side only...duh!!!! But, the drinks menu is exciting and varied...and our waitress was enthusiastic and helpful. The four stars is for the setup and the decor. You could be in NYC at one of those hip happening places...except it is right here in this great city, and jammed with all the good looking people having a great time at the very cool bar. The lofted warehouse has been incredibly transformed with great furnishings and decor. This place will always draw the crowds and be a fun great evening out...just eat somewhere else...or bring your corporate card....which always has a way of easing the pain of paying exorbitant prices for pretty average plates of food.
(4)Allan S.
Nouveau Asian fusion cuisine. Upscale & trendy. Nice bar with friendly, prompt, professional bartenders. The dining area is large and there is a private room for groups. I enjoyed watching the beautiful people walking by. As for the cuisine, its good. though far from traditional Asian, I was here for a business meal would definitely bring my wife if only to enjoy drinks & the vibe.
(4)Blaire O.
The food was delicious and the service was excellent. My friend and I went on Friday night with a reservation and were promptly seated. First round of drinks, we had a Mai-tai and the red lotus. My second drink had orange muddled with champagne. It was alright but I really liked the red lotus. The Lettuce wraps were delicious! The waitress was helpful answering any questions as I have a shellfish allergy. Another friend had recommended that we get the Singapore noodles. It had a lot of shellfish in the dish. So I asked the waitress if we could substitute it with chicken. I appreciate her honesty of telling us that removing the shellfish would not make the dish as good. She offered other noodle suggestions. We ended up going with the classic chicken lomein. Before placing our order, the waitress asked how severe my shellfish allergy was in regards to cross contamination. The spicy tuna roll and the avocado/cucumber roll was delicious as well. For dessert, we split the chocolate mousse cake and had an espresso each. The cake was rich so we could not finish it. The fruit served with the cake was delicious. all the other servers were attentive as well. Only downside was the food is a little pricey. I would be back again for a splurge meal
(4)Sean H.
This may come across a little cheesy but I'm ok with it. We always have a great meal at Red Lantern. But the food is only part of the reason we keep coming back. The staff is what sets them apart. The hosts are always friendly and warm. The wait staff are amazing and knowledgeable. Food comes out great, piping hot but also consistent. Management will always pop by and see how your meal is. They really know how to treat their customers. That's why it's my wife and I's favorite place to dine in the city.
(5)Channa H.
My friend and I had dinner there Tuesday night and I would probably not go back again. We went after work and it wasn't crowded. The hostesses were pretty rude, didn't even bother to say hello or look at us as we were asked if we had a reservation for our party of two. The food was okay. We got lobster rangoons, shrimp fried rice (the best thing we got), stir-fried short ribs with broccoli and asparagus and soft shell crab sushi. All okay but I wouldn't rush back there to have dinner. The service wasn't very friendly and we felt rushed the entire time. Our server (said Tia on the receipt) did the typical filling waters and asking if things were okay but was completely emotionless, like she didn't want to be there. As someone who's been a server before, I know it puts a damper on your guests' experience when you give off that vibe. She seemed annoyed that we were there over an hour and would walk away before we could finish answering any questions she'd ask, like, if we'd like dessert and dropped the check without asking if my friend wanted another drink. Beautiful restaurant in a great location, lots of potential. But, I wish my first time there was better. Wouldn't go back unless someone twisted my arm and even then, I'd hope for a better server.
(2)Delroy H.
This place was very nice. The food was excellent and the staff was friendly and knowledgable. I would certainly recommend it. I will be back soon.
(5)M S.
The reason I am rating this restaurant a 1 star is because they cook their seemingly vegetarian options in the same oil as the non vegetarian options. This is a big problem and modern restaurants to adhere to better cooking standards. This essentially leaves stir fried vegetables as the only vegetarian entree choice.
(1)Jessica F.
Heard awesome things about this place and the only thing I liked was the decor and ambiance of the place. Nothing really like that in Boston. The drink menu was pretty good too but when it came down to choosing a meal...I didn't see much on their that appealed to me. Im a big sushi eater and nothing popped out to me as amazing. A lot of it was fried or cooked fish. There are not a lot of dishes to choose from but be prepared to pay the price. My waitress was not too attending. I think she stopped at our table a total of 3 times. I understand it's busy, but hire more staff. Also, I have a sesame seed allergy, which is in a lot of Asian foods. She basically told me all I could it were the simple sushi rolls and everything else was cross contaminated with sesame oil. I'm sorry, but if you can take the time to cook something aside, you do not deserve my money. I've been to plenty of other Asian restaurants and they tell me what to stay away from specifically. Here, they did not want to put in the effort. I don't think I will be coming back.
(1)Shea R.
This place has a very nice ambiance as soon as you walk in. The waiter was not too friendly and was only right to the point. There were a few people from our party running late and they told us that we needed to be out by a certain time because there was another reservation at our table after ours. Here's what I tried: Ronin roll not bad but the fish felt a little too soggy for my taste. Chicken fried rice tasted a little burnt and I'm pretty sure the takeout spot on a random corner tastes better. Edamame was actually really good especially with the sauce it comes with. Dumplings were nothing special, not memorable at all. The tuna tar tar was really good and went well with the rice I ordered
(3)Ellen H.
How have I not written a review of Red Lantern yet?! I LOOOOVE this place. Find it pretty easy to make reservations on OpenTable and have never had a problem with a reservation. Like another reviewer said, this place is like Buddakan in NYC, which is all the more reason to love it. It's dark, sexy, upscale, but not pretentious. Service is always excellent. I have only once been disappointed with my food and it was my own fault because I didn't realize "smokey" sushi was literally going to come with a glass jar over it holding the SMOKE inside. It was like eating a fireplace. Lesson learned! That said, EVERY other meal I have had here has been absolutely delicious. Fresh, fun maki combinations. Good appetizers, and honestly - the prices aren't bad for what it is. You'll pay $15 for a specialty roll in a suburb so it's more than reasonable at Red Lantern. The fried rice and noodle portions are generous. Drinks are phenomenal and well-priced. My boyfriend and I tend to make a night out of it when we come here and we never feel rushed, even though it's a busy place. I am going to try to have my birthday dinner here, I love it so much. Yay Red Lantern!
(5)Mahee F.
Great bar with a cool asian theme but also a great place to sit down for dinner
(3)Amir K.
The rice dishes and noodle dishes are enough for at least two. The food is great but the ambiance is even better. A must see in the Back Bay/ South End.
(5)James A.
Good ambiance, good food. Service was satisfactory. Portions were proper. Would recommend if you get a chance
(4)Rachel S.
^^ That one star right there. That's a gift. I have been to Red Lantern countless times, for birthdays, date nights, and the like. Generally, the food is decent (few standouts are the duck buns and the rock shrimp appetizer) yet the service is notoriously deplorable. Hostesses are inexperienced and unfriendly and the staff is not much better. On one occasion, our entire meal came backwards - entrees, then sushi, then appetizers - with a mere "whoops! so sorry!" from our waitress. "K," Red Lantern, "K".... So why even go back, you ask? Truth be told, I live just around the corner and the music and atmosphere of the restaurant is a great backdrop for a birthday celebration, date night, or girls night out (as long as your group isn't on a budget or a bunch of foodies). The music resembles the kinda beats a back up DJ puts on in a club prior to midnight when the real DJ comes on. Parents, you've been warned... I had been meaning to give Red Lantern's unlimited sushi night a go because, lezzbehonest, decent "all you can eat" sushi night is something you read about only in culinary fairy-tales. So, a group of 6 of us banded together last night and headed over to Red Lantern. We were sat (when our full party arrived) at a large circular table in the central part of the restaurant. Immediately after sitting, one of my friends was complaining that the ceiling/pipes above him was dripping condensation right into his lap. Not a huge deal, but since there was an empty exactly same sized table right next to us, we figured we'd ask to be moved. When we asked our waitress to switch tables, she looked at us like we were insane. Not only did she not offer to move us to the other table, but she fought us when we suggested it. She said another reservation would be taking the table (um, we had a reservation too...?) and there was "nothing she could do about it." FYI - I've been a waitresss and the first rule of waitressing is that you NEVER throw your hands up at a customer and say there is nothing you can do. Moving along... In an effort to make our waitress's life easier, we asked if it would be possible to get separate checks/allow couples to have their own checks. Again, that look of utmost confusion and disgust from our waitress. "We can only accept 4 cards," she began to repeat over and over. Okay, you're annoying, but w/e. Let's talk about the food. "NO," is the phrase that comes to mind. Red Lantern offers a selection of pretty basic rolls as part of their unlimited menu (no surprise here). I started with the "rock & roll" which is essentially rock shrimp tempura on a cali roll and the spicy salmon roll. Well, the shrimp tempura was cold as if it had been pre-made circa 4pm when service started and was DRENCHED in a spicy mayo. The same overdose of spicy mayo covered my spicy salmon roll. Honestly it could have been spicy shark fin maki and I wouldn't have known - I couldn't taste the salmon AT ALL. With our fingers crossed, we all decided to order our second round of sushi. Here's where it really gets good... We literally had to flag down our waitress after almost 20 mins between rounds. Our table was joking about how making us wait is probably a tactic used by the restaurant to make you more full faster... I'm not convinced this is entirely wrong. Second round came and I thought I'd steer clear of anything "spicy" related so I opted for the plain California roll and the Idaho (sweet potato) roll. The California roll was the winner of the evening which is straight up down right pathetic-city. How can you do an vegetable filled roll wrong? You can service the normally warm sweet potato filling icy cold. * Sad Face * We had all had enough and were ready to get going so we started looking around for our waitress to bring the bill. She was nowhere to be found. More waiting ensued until we finally grabbed a manager and asked for the bill. Our waitress came back, annoyed, and chirped, "Sorry. Didn't realize you guys were finished." The napkins in our plates definitely did not give this girl a large enough hint, apparently. Finally, we pay the check and GTFO of there. Needless to say, I will never be returning to Red Lantern nor will anyone that sat in my party last night. I'm confident that I can find another establishment to overcharge and under serve me that doesn't leave my stomach gargling with discomfort.
(1)Caro D.
Visited on a Wednesday night and was crowded. Ambiance was vibrant. Lili, the waitress, was very nice. Shared the rib-eye bulgogi, lobster and bacon brown fried rice, and baby bok choy with my husband. All dishes were abundant and with plenty of flavor. Special mention to the delicious wood grilled meat. Overall a pleasant experience. The only downside was the level of the volume of the ambiance music. Personally a bit loud for my taste.
(4)Courtney S.
This place is so disappointing. Came here for girls night. Drinks are a little overpriced and not very good. Beer selection lacking. Wait staff super rude and not very attentive. Felt like we were putting him out when we asked for anything. Would not return here and will tell others who ask about my poor experience
(2)Chirag P.
Went here twice within 4 days for receptions. It really is a cool place, awesome decor and great food. The orange glazed chicken skewers were amazing and so was the sushi roll with kobe beef in/on it. Can't remember exactly what that was called. One of the servers was just pure entertainment... dancing to the house music and truly enjoying his work... which made this place that much cooler, since all the staff seemed sincerely amused to be working there. I can't speak to the price, since i was a guest at the work reception, so drinks and food were free.
(5)Karen B.
The ambiance is deceiving here- it looks impressive from the outside, but the food is bland and the service is terrible. I came with a large party, reserved a lounge area table, and it took 45 minutes for our server to bring the first round of drinks. The restaurant was not full and the bar was not crowded. The server, who admitted to being new, got annoyed when a few peoole chose to visit the bar for additional rounds. Sorry, but 18 of us are thirsty. Don't get the chicken fried rice- boring and oily. Lettuce wraps come with a gooey dish of meat, I think; it was mostly peanuts. The server took an order for drinks, then dropped the check without adding the final order...then came back 30 minutes later looking for more money, without the last drink order having arrived. Very unprofessional. I wouldn't come back or recommend it to others. I expected much more...
(1)Rozzie M.
Who serves sushi with one piece if ginger? Who serves sushi with out spy sauce? Who serves Asian apps of any kind not to mention and entire app platter without dipping sauce? Red Lantern. That's who. Pu Pu platter comes "pre-sauced" and is as skimpy with precious sauces as they are with the ginger in the sushi. Please explain what is with that choice. Sauce is too messy? Too expensive? Please!!!! Won't be back. Evah.
(2)Megan Y.
Red Lantern is an amazing place to start a night out downtown! It feels like the closest restaurant/lounge to Tao in Vegas (without the naked women dancing). Love it: - the rock shrimp seriously rocks! It's so delicious and a must order. Portions are small so be prepared to order more! - Tik tok chicken is awesome and great to share. Serves as a good base for a big drinking night! - Hot rock is fun and tasty! Beef and salmon are both good - drink menu is extensive and fun! I started with the geisha -- great if you love sweet drinks with champagne Hate it: - would not reorder the chicken fried rice or chicken lettuce wraps as they were not memorable
(4)K F.
Overpriced drinks and decent food. Sushi was the best part. The atmosphere is fun but it's not worth it if you're going just for dinner. One thing that really bugged me were the fortune cookies - advertisements. Photo included. Service was nothing special.
(3)Samantha I.
3.5 stars. I came in with 3 friends on Sunday night for drinks and dinner, and we had a great time! We sat in the lounge type area and it was very comfortable and our waitress was great. The appetizers that we got were delicious- rock shrimp & lobster Rangoon. The noodle dishes we got were good, but basic (Singapore street noodles & chicken lo mein). I thought they could have been better and more flavorful. For cocktails, I recommend the coconut Mai tai (I did not like their red sangria).
(4)Phil O.
Per request from the server, I ordered the Wagyu Ribeye, which was just terrible. And it was $44! I had them prepare me another one with the correct temperature, but it was still a tough piece of flavorless meat. I doused the steak in salt and pepper, but it was pointless. I might not ever come back here for the food. Our peking raviolis were botched as well (overcooked- burnt on the bottom). It's too bad, because my first food experience here was incredibly better.
(2)Kim F.
Visited this restaurant about 2 weeks ago in search of good sushi in Boston. Avocado and crab salad was tasty. The 3 sushi rolls that my son ordered were average - not even as good as the grocery store Philly roll.
(2)Sam N.
The Tuna Rice bites are the best thing on the menu! They also have a whole gluten free menu which helps me out a lot. It turns into a really cool lounge at night and the drinks are great
(5)Silvia V.
Red Lantern is a perfect spot for a girls' night outing. The decor is cool. Love the zen Buddhas and the splashes of red. I've been to the restaurant twice so far. The first time I had drinks and a few apps at the bar and the second time I had a sit-down dinner with friends. The drinks are too sweet for my taste. I had their Classic Mai Tai as well as their Lychee Martini, both super sweet. Their food is much better than the drinks. Gyoza, Duck Buns, Tuna Tartare, Calamari Crunchy are all great appetizers. I also recommend Crunchy Maki, Spicy Tuna Maki and Spicy Salmon Maki. And for dessert a Chocolate Macadamia Nut Tart, it's sooo good. Our waitress was awesome, she was very attentive and very nice. I think her name was Lilly.
(4)Nick F.
Right before I graduated from a local college, I took a girl here for a date because we both wanted to try the $20 all you can eat. Anyway- I would highly recommend it. The $20 unlimited deal is kept to a few types of rolls but each were delicious and easily repeated. We also had some fun exploring the drink options which were also extremely delicious- especially their drink served in a coconut. I cant wait to get back to Boston and eat here again!
(4)Mary M.
Guess how much a Markers Mark Manhattan here costs. Only $32! What a steal!
(3)Maggie N.
Great atmosphere for a night out on the town. Sushi unique and tastey!
(5)Michael M.
When I went to the Red Lantern I was a guest of a group of friends, so I didn't pay for a thing. I can't really talk about the prices. They were highly successful people who like to show it, so I imagine they spent some serious coin that night. The crowd was cool, the ambiance for a Friday night was full out lounge in effect. A really great place for conversation amoung friends. So why would I give the "Red Lantern" 5 stars? "The Singapore Street Noodles" are phenomenal! 4.999999 of those stars go to these tasty magical exhibits of culinary mastery. When the Streets meet Singapore a tasty infusion of various meats, spices and noddles emerge. This ill begotten son of two distinct linages, will captivate your taste buds and expand your horizons. At the end of the night and at the bottom of the bowl you'll leave with more questions then answers... Why am I here? Is there a life after death? Where exactly is Singapore? Last but not least, what in the world is in these noddles?
(5)Ann P.
Arrived after the Bruins game. It was hopping at 10 PM. EDM pumps up the volume, hip and trendy beautiful people mingle with older crowds. Efficient friendly service, sweet pretty hostesses, a really cool creative drink menu and tasty food. The in spot for a late night nosh and drink sesh. Really dark and cozy and romantic in a different sort of way. Fun!!
(4)Lisa N.
Loved it! Just know, this isn't an unpretentious hole in the wall, or an intimate neighborhood haunt, and it's Asian fusion. And expensive (but portions are huge, we had plenty--too much for 2, and my hubby can eat!). If you've been to Hakkasan or Buddakhan in NYC, it's similar in style and menu. But IMHO, much better. We tried: --special of smoked char su egg rolls --crispy rice bites with blackened tuna --pan fried peking ravioli (least favorite, rather than just the bottom fried, the entire dumpling seemed deep-fried, chili sauce was too sweet) --Tik Tok chicken (similar to a General Gau's, but better) --Rib eye bulgogi style (awesome, Korean marinade, gochujang sauce, kim chi) --baby bok choy with garlic chips Everything was freshly prepared and served hot. Almost docked a star as the drinks are pricey and didn't seem that potent.
(5)Karen C.
When trying to decide on where to have dinner in Boston my friend gave a few suggestions and after looking at menus I was most intrigued by Red Lantern. I loved the space as soon as we walked in - a little funky, a little modern, and a lot bigger than I was expecting. We started with cocktails - I am a sucker for anything with ginger beer so naturally I had to get that one! Started with the spring rolls, which were tasty, but for $10 a laughable portion. Maybe I was just hungry from running a half marathon earlier in the day though. Singapore street noodles were out of this world and I am happy to say the portion on these was more than sufficient. I wish I'd been able to take home the leftovers but we were in a hotel without a mini fridge. Our server was attentive but it probably helped being St. Patrick's Day so most people were not at Asian restaurants :) I'd come back.
(4)M. M.
Celebrated my sisters 40th birthday here. The waitstaff was great. She knew the menu well, guided us on selections and was attentive. The food was outstanding. Atmosphere lively and a bit loud. Great for group gathering. Will visit again!
(5)Samita S.
The Red lantern sushi roll is probably one of the best sushi rolls I've ever had!! It was perfect!! Get that specifically and you won't be missing out!!
(5)K A.
Red Lantern was just okay. We had a groupon, and so went as a group and ordered A LOT of food. The rice and noodle dishes are pricey, large, and only of average quality. The sushi was barely average, but the drinks were good. Overall, the food was pricey, not nearly as flavorful as authentic Asian food, and lacked the quality usually associated with the price. I would characterize the atmosphere as "hip" and the kind of place you might go before you head out clubbing for the night. Ladies, be sure to wear your heels.
(2)Bill A.
Why on god's earth is this place 3.5 stars? Went with my wife food was amazing! She ordered Beef w/ Lomein and I ordered sweet and sour chicken and both dishes arrived steaming hot. We also did the lobster Rangoon for and appetizer which is pretty good. Portions are huge we could have shared one dish.
(5)Thu T.
I've been here a handful of times, either with one other person or with a huge group. Each time I've left somewhat dissatisfied...which is definitely not okay considering the prices. I haven't paid for a Red Lantern meal yet, and that's the only reason why I've gone back! Everything is just...okay for a lack of a better word, from the noodles/rice/sushi/etc. etc., even their signature appetizers (pupu platter and the hot rock)! I would say the standouts would be the lobster rangoons and several of their desserts, which includes the pumpkin holes and the banana mud cake. The atmosphere and design undoubtedly outweighs the food...so come here to check at least that out! Side note: Service within the restaurant is good, but valet takes an absurdly long time! Aaaaand my quest for the perfect Asian Fusion restaurant continues :P
(3)ana y.
I had the stir fried short rib, the restaurant was dark and I could not see the color of the broccoli. I doggie bag the food to go and I got home and opened the box the broccoli was yellow and the food was spoiled the next day.
(2)Renuka V.
4 of us walked there for dinner after having oysters+beer@Skipjack's nearby on MemorialDayMonday. Had 2 rounds each of cocktails (all delicious - and surprisingly not too sweet at all!) and for food, ordered the whole Peking duck which was enough for 4 of us (we all ate a lot too!). And yep - the duck was delicious! Had a Gilt voucher so food was 50% off. Extra star is for the gorgeous decor - never seen so many Buddha statues in one space( and i've been to many Buddha-themed rests. in SouthEastAsia amongst others!) AND loved the exposed brick wall as well as super high warehouse-like ceilings. Went to various spots in Boston during my week there and this was unlike any other rest. I saw there!Service was fantastic too even though place was almost full when we got there around 9pm. A must go.
(5)Wini P.
Yummy place, but wicked expensive. We had 2 drinks and three appetizers and the bill was $86.00. Molly, our food server was amazing.
(2)Tony S.
Red Lantern reminds me of Tao in NY and Vegas, sans the giant Buddha in the middle of the room. I absolutely love the ambience, decor, and service of the place (except maybe 1 or 2 of the many hostesses, who, on all three visits I've made, appear to have forced smiles that look like constipation grimaces). I'm not a huge drinker, so I'm probably not the best critic on booze, as I've only had one of their cocktails, which was some ginger-ale-ish alcoholic concoction named after some Mongolian general. But, I CAN comment on the food and service. The service (at least after you get past the consipated hostesses) is 5-star all the way. I've had two sit-down dinners here, with parties of 6 or more, and was served once by Kai, and another time by Tim. Both are awesome, conveying professionalism, hospitality, and sincerity. I also noticed what I think was the manager, who constantly flitted around the place like a quality control agent from some obscure culinary department of the CIA...... (which is my way of saying he looked like he was really keeping the place in check. A PLUS!). Now the food..... hmmm... mixed feelings here. So let's start with the Must Haves.... 1) Duck Buns. Incredible. Like pulled pork, the meat was shredded succulence of yumaliciousness. 2) Avocado Salad. AMAZING. I have never had anything like this anywhere else, and has a phenom mixture of texture and flavor. Not a single guest at my dinners disagreed. More importantly, when I brought one of these as take-out to my mother (of the Asian Sisterhood of All-knowing Tongues), she gave full approval. 3) Teriyaki Noodle Steak. Being from both Hawaii and California, I didn't think I'd find anything interesting here, until a friend ordered it and offered a bite (her mistake, as I wouldn't stop until I got to bite #10.... or was it 14?). Great consistency of the noodles, and was not over-whelmingly sweet (which is normally the case when they fuse teriyaki sauce with rice or noodles). Definitely going to be a regular on my dinner list when I return with family or friends. .... and now... the On-The-Fence items: A) Lobster mashed potatoes. Tasty? Yes. Good? Yes. GREAT and OUT OF THIS WORLD?... No. Nothing spectacular here, especially if you're a mashed potato connaisser, but it is definitely tasty. If you have a table of 4 or more, at least one of you should order it and share with the rest. B) Smoking Lantern. This was a sushi roll that I put in my '*WTF*' files. Described as a smoked tuna (I think it was tuna) on packed rice, 2 people at my table swore by it, two thought it was interesting, and two of us hated it. Personally, I thought it tasted literally like motor oil (which I licked as a child, so this is a legit reference). However, to be fair, a friend said that one of the ingredients, juniper (which also apparently goes into making gin), has a unique flavor that can make some people gag (and hence the diesel flavor..... and I also hate the taste of gin). And now, the ARE YOU KIDDING items: i) Tuna Tempura Roll. covered with spicey eel sauce, I was expecting LA-style expertise, but alas, it was packed with too much rice that took away from any of the flavor, was too hard from the wrong tempura batter, and quite frankly, a slight disappointment. I don't hate it.... just don't like it enough to order it again unless they fix it. ii) Shrimp Sashimi. This was what I'll call the Jaguar built with Yugo engineering, Saab styling, and Chevy Handling. It LOOKED cool, but tasted like cold metal, smelled like a cold storage carcass, and left all 6 diners so disappointed that we'll likely never drive again. TERRIBAD!!!! It was drenched in a cucumber gazpacho that was...... strangely enough... WAAAAY too cucumbery, such that it tasted artificial..... sorta like astro turf. (At least our waiter was kind enough to take this off our bill.) Final verdict? I WANT to love this place. Great atmosphere, interesting pick-up crowd (sort of like a fresh Sonsie), awesome service, with 3, maybe 4 great dishes.... If they can up the plus count on good dishes, I'll upgrade my rating to 5 stars. Still, if you haven't been, definitely worth a first visit.
(4)Jen D.
This was an incredible experience: watching the chefs work their magic, feeling as though 10 different people were waiting on us who genuinely wanted us to enjoy ourselves and tasting high-quality, creative dishes. I can't wait to go back! Perfect for dates, girls' night, parties and business dinners.
(5)Nicole M.
We had a great time at red lantern!!! Although we had to wait a little for our reservations the manager more than made up for it! We got a free round of drinks (party of 8) he really was super sweet!! We actually came back after a freezing bar crawl and he gave us all a shot and got us into brahmin next door. The food was yummy I got the crunchy salmon roll but I tried my friends teriyaki steak and it was great! Actual steak! The waiter was super friendly and our meals came out fast! We will definitely go back!! Thank you again for a wonderful evening.
(5)Chris L.
Just hit up this trendy, restaurant/lounge last night for a reservation at 8 pm. Place was hopping with the after work crowd and hip crowds. Even when we left at 9:30 there was still a crowded vibes to the place but the place is cavernous. Big open kitchen, comfortable half moon cushions in the lounge and a large bar tucked off to the side. I think they have a downstairs too but not sure. Typical Buddha/Eastern decor with red (go figure, with a name like Red Lantern) lighting everywhere. Seating and tables were comfortable although a little close for my comfort. The music was pretty loud though and mostly uptempo dub and house....I would have chosen something a little more Zen. I like Skrillex and all just not during my meal. I went on Yelp before visiting and got some recommendations on food choices so I won't be too adventurous here but both my wife and I were very pleased with the quality of the food. We had the lobster rangoon and duck buns for apps. Both were delicious with the rangoon sitting atop a sticky sweet sauce and the steamed duck buns accompanied by a hoisin sauce and some mighty spicy red peppers and pickles. The duck was shredded and served taco style inside the bun. For sushi, we ordered a crunchy roll with had cooked salmon plus so other stuff inside/on top and got an order of BBQ eel and salmon nigiri. The sushi was well prepared and very tender. Melt in your mouth quality! If it wouldn't be such a shit show, i might even consider hitting up the $25 unlimited sushi on Tuesday nights. We ordered the Tik Tok Chicken for our main course and got a big big bowl of perfectly tender chicken drenched in a sweet sauce with very few veggies and a nice mound of rice. We each could only each a small plate but I thought it was great; my wife found it a little too spicy (there is some ginger tucked in there somewhere). We went home with a nice container of it....hello lunch! The drinks we ordered were good (Bamboo Juice and Red Devil) but a little too fruity. Didn't get too much alcohol burn in there. Maybe that's good but I like to know I am drinking something. Service was excellent and our server was friendly. We didn't get any dessert but got some nice chocolate drizzled red velvet fortune cookies (with the same fortune though...WTF!) with the check. Which brings me to why it is only 4 stars....cost. The bill for us was $110 without tip. Pretty pricey for two people I feel like but I am glad we got to experience this restaurant. When I first heard about it (way back when), I was thinking that a place like it wouldn't last too long in Boston but I am glad it has. An enjoyable evening all around.
(4)Lynn J.
YES...It's very similar to Buddakan.com in NYC, but, since we don't have one in Boston, we have this. THE DRINKS: Extremely reasonable for the Back Bay, featuring Grey Goose house specialty cocktails for ONLY $11! THE FOOD: Asian Fusion house specialties served at large, private tables, or a room length, communal one. They also offer a sushi bar with few bar stools you can reserve. THE CROWD: The bar crowd is a 20 something mix of upscale college kids and clubbers drinking their way over to The Brahmin night club, located conveniently two doors down. THE DEAL: FOOD: Order the "Lettuce Wraps" appetizer for ONLY $12. It comes with a PINT OF FILLING and lots of lettuce, satisfying the munchies of me and my 2 girlfriends! DRINK: Order the FISH BOWL SIZED "Scorpion Bowl" for $44. It looks to be about 6 cups o' cocktails...HUGE!
(4)Michael C.
An Asian Fusion restaurant that appears to do it all. We sat at the open kitchen bar, we were so close to the kitchen and head chef I felt like we could have jumped in and helped. In my opinion they are the best seats in the house. With the head chef literally at arms length we were able to see so many dishes being made and got loads of good recommendations and a few samples. Great decor, friendly staff, attractive patrons. This place would definitely go into the Bond or Liberty Hotel category of places. Here is what we had: Mai Tai - Stronger than sweet. On the smaller size. It makes the $44 scorpion bowl seem like a value. Shanghai Street Sangria - Red Lanterns' version of sangria made with Plum Sake. I prefer the traditional stuff but it was still good. Blueberry Yuzu Drop - It's almost like a blueberry cosmo, my favorite of the cocktails. Spicy Lettuce Wraps - Pretty much what you would expect if you've had them at P.F Chang's except they do have a spicy kick Fresh Lo Mein Noodles - Standard Lo Mein dish but very good Terriyaki Noodle Steak - Almost the same as the Lo Mein dish but topped off with amazingly tender pieces of steak. Pork Ribs - Your typical chinese spare ribs, the meat was much less fatty than your typical asian restaurant. Sushi - (Lobster Roll, Geisha Nights, Ronin Roll) - The Sushi was top notch. The Ronin and Geisha were the best. Duck Buns - One of the meal highlights, they are almost like a duck taco. Delicious, a little sweet and a little spicy. Calamari - The flavors of the calamari and sauce were great, the sauce did make it slightly soggy though. Mashed Potato Sticks - Another highlight, corndog sized fried mashed potatoes with a dipping sauce consisting of a Japanese steak sauce and a Japanese mayonnaise. Wagyu Beef Fried Rice - Solid dish, could I taste the difference of the Wagyu beef? probably not but it was still good. Lobster Whipped Potatoes - Good for mashed potatoes but with the lobsters practically blended and the side costing $12 there are better options on the menu for the money. Lobster Crab Rangoon - 4 mini lobster crab rangoons, if you like the traditional crab version you'll be please with this. Chinese Bacon Tenderloin - Perfectly cooked at medium rare, perfectly seasoned, came with the lobster mashed potatoes. Chocolate Ginger Cake - Interestingly enough the head chef said he couldn't recommend any of the desserts, we still ordered the cake for the birthday girl. It was good but I would not get it again. Appreciated the chef's honesty.
(5)Bill K.
Met friends for a great night and actually had one - despite the restaurant, a cavernous place but appealing open layout. Drinks were good, service was fine, it's just that the food was terrible. Really. Terrible. Kebabs were dry - at least the chicken ones, and everything, absolutely everything was salted beyond the point where we could them. We literally picked at everything that was served and let them take the better part of the meal back to the dumpster. Piece of advice: Get a chef.
(2)C D.
Took the wife here for New Year's Eve dinner. Overall, just ok. Atmosphere: really upscale set up with cool fusion music. Although the website said there was valet parking, there was none. Parking garage end of the block. Hostess would not give my wife the corner table while I was parking, although there was no one there. Drinks: tried the lychee martini; good flavor, but would be much better with the real lychee fruit rather than the standard cherry. Apps: had the hot rock, excellent. Great presentation and high quality cuts of beef and salmon. Wine: good selection, our Malbec was good at $42/bottle Entrees: Just ok. The busted lobster had great taste and presentation, but several of the pieces were actually cold; as if the dish was pre-made, refrigerated, and heated up, but not evenly. Same for my wife's short rib; several cold pieces of meat, and the meat tasted like it was cooked yesterday. Would go there again for drinks and apps.
(3)Daanish N.
The best steak I've had in Boston so far. Will come back again.
(5)G K.
This was a really nice place to hang out. the atmosphere is great. Service was OK...could be a bit friendlier..but still good. Food was very tasty..but a bit too salty for almost everything we had. I'll go back to hang out and even for large parties.
(4)Fred M.
We enjoyed our dinner very much, however the service was not up to snuff and the acoustics of the room made conversation challenging. The PuPu platter is a nice way to get a sense of the quality and variety of the menu. Perfect for 2, not quite enough for 4. Duck buns were very tasty without the usual overpowering hoisin sauce. We enjoyed the drunken noodles, the char sui fried rice and the tik tok chicken. Each had a variety of subtle complementary tastes going on. With better service and dialing down the noise, it wouldn't be a stretch to give the Red Lantern five stars.
(4)Sean M.
TL;DR good food but somewhat pricey, sub par service mars experience. I don't know if it was amateur night last night but the Red Lantern was actually an embarrassing recommendation for dinner with out of town visitors. I had picked it because I remembered that their tuna tartar is amongst the best in the city and indeed mine was good, but perhaps not as great as my memory. A restaurant with food & drinks at this price point should have a service to match, particularly on a relatively quiet weekday evening. It did not. We were left waiting around to be seated when there were about half a dozen tables available that might have accommodated us and which never filled up. Multiple requests to be seated for dinner were ignored right up until the point where we were about to give up and leave; the bar does not know how to close a tab properly; we overheard someone behind the bar advising the bar bat to keeping looking down to avoid customers asking him for a drink; the staff does not know what is on the menu; overpriced red wine was poured over an inch of ice & water into my water glass; different members of the party were served at different times (leading me to suspect an item had been forgotten).. etc. Sure we all got our meal in the end and it was fine, but there are a lot of places in the city that have good food and that also know how to deliver a smooth professional service and not annoy their customers. At this point I would recommend any one of them over RL who have irritated me enough to write this infrequent review. Perhaps it relies on being crowded and when it is not, the cracks show.
(2)Sara M.
This place is very cool and posh inside, which was unexpected judging from the awkward location down a random alley/street. We came with another couple and ordered hot sake, as well as a fish bowl to start. Our server was great at first and quite attentive. The ambiance was enjoyable and I was all set to get smashed. The vodka based fish bowl was delicious and packed more of a punch than it tasted, but the sake may have had to do with that too. I had the hot and sour soup, which was an interesting take on it but decently tasty. The duck bun was only so-so and I have had better for much less money in Chinatown. I was very excited to try the lobster and bacon fried rice because it sounded amazing. It wasn't the fried rice with soy sauce - almost more Vietnamese style and there was very little lobster. Our server had disappeared at this point and we had to remind her twice about our drinks. The frustrating part was she acted like it was the first time we ordered them instead of apologizing. I would come back for drinks and maybe small plates. The food is too expensive for the quality and the service was not good. The drinks were quite tasty though.
(3)Jamie H.
red lantern is a really cool space with great food and drinks, but it is fairly expensive. the high celing lends it to be a very interesting space, and it sets up very well for large group events. the sushi is really good, as the rolls are creatively put together and always taste fresh. however, i do have to admit it can be tough to stomach the cost of some of the specialty rolls afterward (or while ordering)! i also really enjoyed the spring rolls and chicken skewers. the drinks are also very good, and strong! i tried the lychee martini, and one was enough to give me a very solid buzz. it was $14, but worth the cost. it was sweet, tangy, and i would advise savoring it and drinking it slowly. i also had a few of the wine selections, which were all very nice. red lantern would be a perfect place for a romantic dinner. it's also a great option for work events, if you have the budget to back it.
(4)Harry C.
Pricey. But good food. The service is what's terrible. A dinner should never take 3 and a half hours with the waitress checking on us 4 times in total. Two of those times one of us had to get up and ask for someone to get her. A whole night basically gone because dinner took so long.
(2)vinny o.
The staff in this place is so unpolished it makes me cringe. This place is more like a girls or guys gone wild type of place. Been there 3 times and every single time I've been there, it's seems people are outta control drunk. SCREAMING obscenities and such. Manager walks around like a hard guy and has the girls do his dirty work. Save your money and go ANYWHERE else. Ugh
(1)Linda U.
When here for dinner last week and was very pleasantly surprised. The ambience was lovely, the food was delicious, and the Service was what you would expect from a high-end restaurant. Definitely try their sushi, and I highly recommend the tuna tartare appetizer. Drinks were interesting and yummy. If you can sit in DJs section, he's a fantastic waiter. He took the time to explain some of the dishes, and make great recommendations. Will definitely be back, and highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)Steve B.
We went for a stroll and ended up at Red Lantern. The sushi is good and fresh but slightly under-portioned for the cost. We had the drunken noodles which weren't so great...only because we're huge drunken noodles fans and are always accustomed to and expect wide flat noodles with this dish and this riff on the dish came with very thin noodles. If that style is your preference then go for it. The taste was just fine, but the unexpected texture due to the noodle style knocked it down a few notches for us. We also had the sliced chicken which was delicious and came in a great cream sauce with veggies. However we did have to send it back because the chicken was undercooked. Service was great and had no problem replacing the dish but it did take some time so it threw off the timing with our other shared entree. Great venue, awesome decoration and friendly staff. Overall an above average experience.
(3)Jason F.
Visited with the fiance for date night and thought...Nice restaurant. Great ambiance and good music for the young/hip crowd although it became noisy at times. The food was tasty but had me thinking of my next gym workout session since it tasted oh so not good for me. Our appetizers were delivered very quickly which we liked, but our waiter (who was quite friendly) pretty much disappeared when it came time for our main entree. I think we waited for about 20-30 min before our entrees arrived. He apologized but the damage was done. The entrees are delicious and are HUGE portions so we definitely had to take most of it to go! We might go back again soon to try a few more menu items but save up! This restaurant is not for the frugal pockets!
(3)Amy K.
Fantastic everything! New favorite place. Pricey but so worth it. We each got a cocktail, the Drunken Samurai and some Rose Sake drink, an order of the tempura broccoli, And for dinner The Red Dragon sushi and Tik Tok chicken and everything was to die for. Service was great and excellent atmosphere. Good for date nights and a fun time with friends. But save the $19 on valet and park in the garage right next door for $10.
(5)Cami F.
Red lantern offers an interesting mix of sushi and other Asian foods. The food always tastes great, and its always a challenge to decide what to order. They offer large portions which make up for the cost, and and have very good service. They have become a very popular spot, so need to make reservations way in advance for groups over 4 people. They also have a bar scene, although I would not recommend it to someone in their 20's. There isnt a good mingling/ chatting space, and is often filled with men my dad's age... who will still try to get your number.
(3)Jeff M.
Keeping up with the notion that Boston is behind with trends, the city finally got an uber trendy Asian fusion restaurant years after cities like Philadelphia and NYC did; ie Buddakan or Tao. As you can imagine the space is beautiful. The food on the other hand was pretty average. No stand outs, but nothing terrible. This is not a top dining destination for me but if I was in the area I would only hesitate slightly to go back. Red Lantern is more the type of place to bring a friend from out of town who is more into the scene than the food itself.
(3)Anne W.
I haven't been in this area in a while as when I think Back Bay.. I think Boylston Street where Towne, Back Bay Social Club, etc. are... I forgot I had gone to a club on this street years ago. First off.. parking is a huge pain in this area. If you come here.. take a cab, plan to valet, or park in the maze of a parking garage across the street. 3.5 Stars overall.. I appreciated my experience here. I wasn't sure what to expect of this place because the pics on yelp do not do it justice. This place is Asian fusion.. trendy.. with a mix of old/young people. We had a dinner here and they were able to accomodate us well. We got a great table in the back of the restaurant. Decor is great.. it is trendy. It has a nice bar and lounge area... Downfall.. single bathroom for both guys and girls for the entire restaurant. WHAT? Makes no sense... you will find yourself standing in line which is a non-plus. So while I was in line.. was hit on by some balding guys in the lounge area. Gross. The food was better than expected. It's a better version of PF Chang's here but more expensive. We tried a series of things here. Appetizers: Lettuce wraps (I actually didn't like this that much.. too saucy for me) and dumplings (tasted just like a fried dumpling would taste like)... Drinks: Not too tasty in my opinion. I tried the Mai Tai.. yucky. It was booze filled. Also tried the Red Lantern Tea.. gross. Noodles: Singaporean Noodles was interesting.. very oily. The better one was the Drunken Noodles but watch out for those peppers. Kung Pao Lamb: Interesting although not too yummy... large portion for the cost so I guess that's good Fried Rice: Sea Scallops... it was okay but I don't think it was a fav of the table. Sushi: We got a tuna roll which was middle of the road. I did like the service.. the waitress was awesome. She even pointed out how the tip was already included for our table that big. Easy to book on Open Table...
(3)Jess H.
I would say the Red Lantern is highly underrated. I had known about it for years, coming to the Back Bay area often, but never stepped inside. Last night, my boyfriend and I split the boneless spare ribs, lobster and bacon fried rice, and the surf and turf with filet mignon and lobster tails. The food was excellent! While the prices were very expensive, the quality of ingredients and well-made dishes made up for it. Yes, you can get cheap Chinese food anywhere, but it won't be of the same quality. The filet was well-flavored and very tender, the fried rice was very fresh and perfectly cooked, and the spare ribs were the best Chinese spare ribs we ever had. Plus the atmosphere in here is great. So I definitely recommend and will be back!
(5)Mike M.
Great service and food. I used a TravelZoo deal which was $59 for $115. I had the Surf and Surf and Dragon Fire martini which were excellent. Nice ambiance with moderate noise. It's Located in Downtown Boston a must visit for Asian Fusion.
(4)Alina R.
Beautifully decorated and everything on the menu is prepared with so much flavor and creativity. Loved the shrimp shumai, drunken noodles, and short ribs! Yum
(5)Brittany E.
Fabulous place for a birthday dinner or sexy date night. Our hostess was accommodating to relocate us when we requested a booth instead of a table. Every person in the staff was aware that it was my birthday and made sure to mention it. Very kind of them. As for the food, we got the lobster rangoons, rock shrimp tempura, the ronin roll, and the red dragon roll. All highly recommended. Especially the ronin roll - it was a surprise to me as I'm not usually a cream cheese in your sushi fan BUT this was out of control. Lobster rangoons were sweet and silky. Best rangoon I've ever had. The rock shrimp tempura was an impulse decision, but I'm so glad we did. The macadamia nuts mixed with the crispy shrimp were highlighted by a wonderful sauce. We'll be telling all of our friends about Red Lantern. If you're choosing between Empire and Red Lantern, go here. Our waiter, Kyle Y, was very accommodating, kind, and went above and beyond to make us happy. The Rose Petal Saketini was one of the best cocktails I've had, but I'm partial to Saint Germain. Highly recommended!!
(5)Ryan N.
Went here for restaurant week with a new friend I made from California. Our server, Eric, was wonderful! He recommended some dishes off the restaurant week menu which my friend and I enjoyed immensely. For apps: Tempura Rock Shrimp Rolls that were bursting with flavor from the spicy mayo. Pepper Steak Buns with various topics that were also delicious. Main course: Singapore Street Noodles in abundance and Wood Grilled Salmon. Dessert: Coconut Milk Creme Caramel which was much too sweet for my personal tastes and Pineapple and Watermelon Granita which was actually my favorite part of the meal. It was like shave ice but with watermelon and it was a light and refreshing way to end our meal. It was so delicious that even though we were stuffed, we made room to polish off this dish. We also got a free lobster Rangoon appetizer and another free mini pitcher of sake during dinner. It was a very nice gesture from our server and the chef. The decor was lovely as well - very much a date-like vibe for dinner hours with mood lighting accented with bright reds.
(4)Cassandra M.
This is a good place to go for a girl's night out. The ambiance is fun, you can get dressed up, the food is good, and the drinks are strong. You can't go wrong if you get their sangria or scorpion bowls. For a table of four, we ordered two appetizers (spicy lettuce wraps and crispy vegetable rolls) and two entrees (tik tok chicken and chicken lo mein) and it was more than enough for everyone. Our server was great. He checked up on us often, he offered great suggestions, and he was friendly. This place would be five stars if the entree portions and prices were a bit smaller.
(4)Mark W.
We were a party of 10 on a Saturday night with reservation, which are a must because this place on the weekends can get really busy. The lounge area was super busy. The food came out really fast and was good to really good. The large scorpion bowl was just ok it was a really weak drink. The service was excellent and the decor is great. They have valet parking. Enjoy!
(4)LeeAnn T.
First, I love the feel of the bar! Its gorgeous and dare I say a little sexy. I would definitely go here to have drinks. I actually came for dinner with a Travelzoo voucher (yes, I like to save $) but will be back for the bar in the near future.... Drinks: For cocktails, I had the Sangria which was just fine. I'm slightly picky about cocktails and I thought this was a little boring but that is probably my fault for ordering it, because it was sangria....which isn't that exciting. My boyfriend had the Dragon Fire, which was SO GOOD. If you like spicy drinks, its the one to get. I thought the cocktail menu was pretty good and would return here for drinks in the future. Food: We ordered 2 sushi rolls as appetizers, the Creamy Lobster was a clear winner. I ordered the Singapore Street noodles and they were delicious. They were a nice mix of noodles, veggies, and different meats in an extremely large serving. My boyfriend ordered the Grilled Platter, which had a nice assortment of items, but all of them were extremely smoky. Don't get me wrong, i love grilled food, but this was slightly reminiscent of campfire food....just not what we were expecting. You can also smell the smoke as soon as you walk in the door...maybe switch to a tastier wood? Service: One of the most pleasant surprises of the trip was our server. She was amazing and extremely helpful. I would say she was the main reason this was such an enjoyable trip. The manager also stopped by our table to check in with us, which is always a nice gesture. Kids: I didn't bring my kids, but I did notice a baby at the table beside us was very happy in her high chair and the waitress was wonderful with her. So even though i am always leery of bringing my kids to decent places in the city, they seem welcome here. Yay! Price: Drinks are priced well, food seems a little pricey for what it is, entrees especially. You can still eat here for a reasonable amount though. So get going already and try it out.
(4)Drew M.
It is rare that anyone gets 5 stars, however, this restaurant is the exception! From the outside, it is a cute little place, then you open the door and are swept into a HUGE beautiful place! The decor is modern, asian, fun, luxurious. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable. The food is INCREDIBLE!!!! There were 3 of us, and between our food allergies, dislikes, and pickiness, we knew we would be a nightmare for our server. Wrong! She was graceful and recommended dishes that could be altered to our tastes. They all came out perfect!! Portions were huge, and they were so delicious! This has to be one of the best asian restaurants I have ever eaten at, and one of the best restaurants period!
(5)Wayne F.
Total attitude... Went to Zocalo (right next door for a GREAT meal and drinks). Our party (4) decided to have a night cap at Red Lantern.. We walked in and sat down... when our sever came... the first thing she said was "do you want to cash out now?" and we hadn't even ordered.... We had a couple rounds... they say that they are open till 2... It was midnight... She couldn't have clear the table fast enough but wouldn't ask if we wanted another... kept asking me if I wanted to pay the bill. I finally told her that I would pay when I was ready to leave.... I left no tip... I really felt like I was taking 2 seats on a crowded bus...
(1)Ashley D.
*The Yelp 100 Challenge How have I not written a review on this place yet?!?? Well to be honest I love it here! Overall I first visited here with a few friends from college and word late night for drinks on a Saturday night. The place was crowded around 9:30/10 PM and we stayed in the bar section which is dark yet lively, has good music, loud as expected but had enough lighting to suffice. The cocktail list is great with a little bit of everything for everyone, the bar section has enough lounge seating, and the bar is long in terms of reaching the depth of the room creating a decent flow yet it could use some work in terms the lounge seating arrangement leading into the bar as its hard to get in and out of the seating to get to the ladies room or to the bar if needed. Also when its crowded I noticed people standing close to the entrance/vestibule which I'm sure if a pain. As for menu, the menu is great! Ive tried a little bit of everything from the lettuce wraps, to the pu pu platter to birthday desserts as I've visited for birthdays and other special occasions. The prices are a bit steep but that is to be expected due to the neighborhood and establishment. The staff caters well to groups and was very pleasant on all occasions. The only staff problem I have is getting drinks at the bar if I am not sitting in the dining area. Once evening my card fell out of my wallet while walking back to others as I was holding a round of drinks and THANK GOD someone saw it fall and gave it back to me. I have only walked in and have yet to schedule a reservation via open table but definitely will before my next visit. Parking is limited on the street so its best to park at back bay station (I usually print coupons ahead of time!)
(5)Roxana F.
I've heard really good things about this place and once you get here you can tell why. This place is GORGEOUS. Totally unassuming from outside, but once you step inside it's like you've been transported somewhere. +2 points for awesome decor and setup. I went here on a Sunday night for a date and it was pretty dead...picked up around the end of my dinner but still pretty empty, although this is a HUGE place so I'm sure it could have well been a good number of people just in a huge space. We sat at the bar and the bartender was really nice and attentive. +1 point We ordered a good amount of sushi and some drinks. The reason I'm not giving this place four or five stars is the food. It's not that the sushi was bad...it was decent, it seemed fresh, and there was a good amount of it...but it was nothing SPECIAL. Nothing which made me think, "people definitely come back here for the food." Their prices are...decent, on the verge of high for what you get. Nothing that made me go WHOA this is awesome. It's the atmosphere and the decor which make this place what it is...It's definitely a cool place, especially for a first date, and I will probably come back to try their other offerings.
(3)Amanda A.
Red Lantern......What can I say about this place. Well. A lot. The restaurant itself is so aesthetically appealing. The high ceilings and open concept create such a wonderful ambience, and the decor is just perfect. It has such a sexy vibe, it's the perfect place to go on a date. I especially love the open kitchen and watching the chefs work. The food is unbelievable. Do yourself a favor and order the crunchy roll! I also love the noodles here, the duck buns.... basically anything I have ever ordered. The place is always busy- so look into making a reservation if you are running on a schedule.
(5)Nancy M.
Incredibly noisy. Not music but a thumping bass that makes conversation impossible. Good food but inattentive service. Would NEVER go back.
(1)Tricia P.
The only reason why Red Lantern receives an additional star is due to the decor. It's beautiful and relaxing.... until you start eating the food. I mean, the decor can only take you so far, right? I ate here when they first opened and the food was horrific. How badly can you screw up noodles?! This is what I had to ask our server. I decided to give them another chance, however, this time, just got take out. I had two orders for brown rice, amongst other things, and I should've known what was coming after opening and tasting the brown rice. The brown rice was mushy and disgusting-- I can't believe they had the nerve to sell it for $3 each. Their cocktails are also too sweet.
(2)Krista D.
After hearing about this place, I really wanted to love it... But some things left a little to be desired. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and the service was great, but after hearing all the hype about the food, we were a little disappointed. We got the lobster rangoons since we had been hearing about them for a while, and we also got a few sushi rolls and some fried rice. The rangoons were good, but we couldn't really taste the lobster. They were mostly cream cheese. The sushi was beautifully presented, and good, but it wasn't something I'd drive back to Boston to get. The star was the fried rice. It really was delicious, but I think we were both hoping that the fried rice wouldn't be the number one thing we ate. If I was ever around Red Lantern again, I'd probably stop in for a drink at the beautiful bar, but I wouldn't go out of my way to order any food.
(3)M L.
Really wanted to like it but food was disappointing, especially for the upscale price. Street noodles would have been excellent if they were less salty, same for the stir fried short ribs. The pork dumplings were overpowered by their sauce and the tuna tartare was weighed down by mayonnaise. All of the ingredients seemed fresh and the dishes could have been great if it weren't for the heavy hand of the chef who didn't trust the ingredients enough to let them shine on their own. Ten years ago I would've rated the cocktails much higher. Drink's were generously poured, but not of the high quality and precision that most upscale restaurants have taken their cocktail menus over the past few years. The service was too attentive and felt intrusive. On four occasions the waiter came to pour our bottled water after we'd taken a single sip. Dinner conversation was constantly being interrupted by bottled water service and repeated questions as to whether I was almost done with my cocktail? would I like another? had I decided on another drink yet? is my wife enjoying her cocktail? does she think its too sweet? etc. Clearly they are focused on good service, so perhaps on a busier night the service level would be just right, but when it wasn't very busy, they simply overdid it.
(2)Ricky R.
yeah yeah yeah the decor is so awesome. Really though, it's super nice. The sushi... Meehhh it's average at best. This is coming from the Sushi King ROZAY!!! Great place to take a date and impress for sure. The atompshere is so cool I'd def come back again. No crab rangoons but they have lobster rangoons (FYI).. Avg roll is $15 I'd say.. Take advantage of the valet parking so you don't have to look or pay for a garage parking. Oh yeah, the waitresses are pretty hot here too. Just saying ROZAY!!
(3)Keesh J.
I came here for a close friend of mines birthday dinner. I got the shrimp tempura maki rolls, they were good and tasted fresh. What really captivated me about this place was the decor. It was dim light and had Asian sculptures all around.
(3)sean h.
Red Lantern is good, not great. The positives are that the decor is really cool as you it's like you're looking at the underbelly of warehouse with the exposed piping, the high windows and the eclectic lanterns making it look like a tripped-out Japanese temple on halloween. The sushi is good, but it doesn't have a personalized menu feel to it as some better sushi places. The menu is too large and they are trying to do too many things with the menu - just simplify! The drinks are overpriced (which is normal for that area), but potent enough for you to have a good time without having to order too many. The only real negative is that I've been there 3 times now (once we the wait was too long and we were turned away), and I always feel like the hostess and waitstaff is doing me a favor to show up. Everyone is cordial, but with an attitude, more New York-ish of a feel than the rest of Boston. If you can deal with the waitstaff it should be a good night out, but probably not a place you will go to all the time.
(4)Courtney H.
My friend and I had been trying to get a double date for a while and we figured this would be perfect for us all. However, we didn't realize all their reservations would be booked and that when you walked in you couldn't sit in the dining room at all! But it wasn't a problem because we got lucky enough to get a booth in the bar area. The food was so tasty. We loved pretty much everything we got! The tempura beans, the lobster rangoons, the different kinds of sushi (and I normally don't like sushi!) and the fried rice. The only reason I can't give 5 stars was because we also ordered some chicken and it we finished eating all the other food before it came out. So we had to cancel it. Part of me wishes I could have tried it but then I was also super full. I definitely want to go back but probably during a weeknight when it's not quite so crowded.
(4)Max M.
Made birthday reservations. When we got there, they sat us next to where the waitstaff come in and out. Needless to say, we asked to be moved. The restaurant was so dark, people had to use their phones to look at the menu. The music was blaring. We couldn't speak to each other. It was 530 not 10:00. The food was average. We ordered the tik tok chicken. It was so sweet we couldn't eat it. They also put the rice on the bottom of the bowl so it too was sopped with disgustingly sweet sauce. (I have a sweet tooth and it was gross.). Overpriced sub par!
(2)Regan C.
I have actually been here twice. The first time I was catching up with a couple friends over sushi and drinks, and the second time I was in a large group with a bunch of different dishes being passed around. Both experiences were awesome. 1st visit: Ordered the Sumo. YUM. If you like gin, you will probably like this drink. For food, I got the Crispy Bliss and the Crunchy Roll. The crispy bliss was slightly better, but both pretty good. The service was not very attentive, and I had to ask twice to get some more water. 2nd visit: We ordered both Yin and Yang scorpion bowls. Delish, but very fruity. We had the Duck Buns (I was a duck bun virigin before this, what the hell was I thinking?), edamame, some fried rice, spring rolls, the works. It was all very yummy, but the duck buns were the obvious stand-outs. Our server was incredibly nice even when 10 credit cards were thrown on the bill at the end of the night. I can see going back to this place for a drink, or even food again. So 3 stars for the first visit, and 5 for the second.
(4)C B.
Great new place, fun with good atmosphere. We had dinner early on Sat. night, and will be back. Sampled appetizers in lieu of entrees, all were excellent with the exception of the lettuce wraps (which they removed from our bill without our asking). My absolute favorite was the lobster ran goon...better than any crab version I've ever had. Service was attentive without overwhelming. Rick, our server was great. The revamped decor is attractive; think Asia meets industrial with warmth. The acupuncture mannequin lamps are awesome (although made me happy to have not carted one back from china as I almost did last year). Don't hesitate to try this place -- it is a very welcome addition to the neighborhood.
(5)Sarah F.
Came here for the start of my Thursday girls' night as tons of people from my work had already checked it out. My friend and I just got drinks at the bar as I had tried to reserve dinner for two but it seemed to be sold out on OpenTable. I know they only put in the inventory they want to sell on OpenTable, but I was a little disappointed that the entire dining area was empty except maybe one or two tables - definitely expected a little more energy. Either way we both loved the decor and our bartender Hailey was great! She recommended amazing drinks (my fav was the Drunken Samurai) and when our order of Kalamari came very late she definitely took care of us and resolved the issue instantly. Some might have let that dampen their night but we had a great time and will definitely be back to try more food and drinks!
(4)Sara C.
Visited Red Lantern shortly after its opening. The interior is chic and sexy, with Asian-inspired accents, colored in deep reds and dark browns. The restaurant has plenty of seating (although it does fill up on weekend nights) and the bar is accompanied by a lounge area with several couches and short tables. Dinner was tasteful (although a bit expensive for the portion sizes - competitive to nearby restaurants however). Try the pork wontons, spicy tuna roll, and the miso glazed sea bass. For drinks Red Lantern offers an extensive Sake menu, scorpion bowls (for 4!), and unique cocktail mixes, and draft beers.
(4)Liz R.
Such an underwhelming experience considering all the hype! It's a pretty place, but the food was so bad, we couldn't even eat one item we ordered (the lettuce wraps, which tasted like gross chicken broth), and we had to argue with our waitress to get it taken off the bill. (It was, finally.) I've been having PTSD burps all morning from the food. Not a fan, and it gets 2 stars instead of 1 because of the decor. You built a beautiful restaurant--now focus on the food!!!
(2)Curtis H.
Hello all!. I was just at The Red Lantern last night and had a great time hanging out with a good good friend of mine who needed to catch up. I must say, I love the space and texture of the restaurant and lounge. The manager Jeff Menzer was amazing with the wine selection and history. His passion made me fall in love with what I was sipping. The service is great, Food is delicious. The Red Lantern dares to dream and servse it to you asian style... There is always something new on the menu. If you are ever in town you should try it out.. I bet you would want to make this your new home lounge and restaurant.
(4)Alyssa T.
I came here for the first time the other night for dinner out with some friends. The first thing I thought when I walked in was "this place looks really cool" The ambiance is really going on, and even though it was only 6:30 on a Friday the bar was already hoping. For dinner we got some edamame (dipping sauce was delish) and I ordered the duck buns, which were amazing. The duck was delicious and tender and moist, and the hoisin sauce on them was really good. If you like duck I definitely recommend them! I also tried the special sushi roll for the night, an himachi tempura roll. I wasn't a huge fan, the fish tasted really fishy (and I'm a huge fish lover!) so it kind of ruined it for me. I'm still giving Red Lantern 4 stars though because I'm not really a sushi fan, I try to like it, and I really want to love it, but sometimes it just doesn't do it for me. If it wasn't for the really fishy taste, I would have liked this roll. The rice was also a little hard, so I think it had been sitting out for a while. The drinks were also good, with the exception of the sangria which tasted medicinal. I had the dragon fire martini which was really good, it has a bit of sirachi in it so it had a nice kick, If you like a little bit of heat I definitely recommend it! Our waiter was also fantastic, he had a good sense of humor which added to the night. depending on what you get it can get a bit pricey, especially if you get a couple cocktails (they start at like 10 bucks!)
(4)Joseph L.
I went to Red Lantern for dinner with a few friends this past weekend, and had a truly excellent experience. The waitstaff was very attentive, and provided excellent vegetarian options for me as it was a Friday during Lent. Upon meeting the manager, we had a lovely discussion about dessert wines of Italy and South Africa. His willingness to take a few minutes to discuss his restaurant's offerings with my party was very refreshing. Based on these things, I would recommend Red Lantern to anyone looking to have dinner in a very upscale Asian establishment.
(5)Andrew W.
Best ambiance around and great food!! Definitely have to stop in, even if it's just for a drink.
(5)Katie V.
Amazing decor and ambiance, very unique feel to the place. The food was very good as well!
(4)C D.
Cute spot for after work dinner and/or drinks. The decor reminds me of Lolita but with an Asian flair. The sushi rolls were pretty good(although with douzo around the corner Id probably always opt to go there) and the drinks were OK,I like the drinks better at empire but the service seems to be a bit better here.
(4)Desiree V.
Food was great and the menu is thoughtful. It's a bit pricey on the drinks, but it was worth the price. I really enjoyed the environment and the decor. A great place to meet for a large dinner or to bring out of town guests.
(5)Jen C.
Went to Red Lantern for dinner and drinks and it definitely met my expectations! Great atmosphere, great sushi and the cocktails were amazing! I will definitely come here again!
(4)John F.
When I first walked into Red Lantern, I was amazed by the ambience and the atmosphere. The space is beautifully decorated, and the area where I sat (the loungey area next to the bar), was super comfortable. The food was delicious! My friends and I split the lobster roll, the crunchy roll (salmon, avocado, and I can't remember what else), an order of edamame, and an order of the vegetable fried rice. Everything was very good, not phenomenal, but still very good. We really enjoyed the sauce that came with the edamame and the rice was great too. The service matched the quality of the space and the food. Our waitress (Erin) was really helpful recommending sushi rolls (she recommended the crunchy roll and I'm really happy she did). Overall, I highly recommend Red Lantern as a great place to go with friends. Reservations on a weekend are a MUST, especially with a large group. The bar/lounge are open seating, first-come, first-served, so it can get a little uncomfortable when people are hovering over you so they can grab your table when you're almost done. Regardless, definitely give it a try.
(5)Clara L.
The decent sized bar was pretty busy on Saturday night and adding our group filled it up. The drinks were good and the art and decorations on the walls kept me interested. The rest of the restaurant was pretty full for almost 11 pm. I would definitely like to try their food the next time I'm out there.
(3)Xavier M.
Singapore noodles are amazing. Great atmosphere
(4)Neil A.
Not a very big bar, but it does get a good crowd 30+ year olds
(3)Sabina M.
Food was excellent. Love the ambiance. Love the decor. Location is tucked away and a little hard to find so be sure you have it mapped out before heading out. Waitress was very polite and friendly but a bit slow. We had to continuously flag her down when we could find her. She was very busy. We went on a Sunday night and had reservations around 7 pm. The place was busy. I would highly recommend this place. Food was delicious and appetizer and entree portions were large. The only portion that seemed small was the avocado salad. Great place to eat. I highly recommend it.
(5)Mystery M.
I've been eyeing this place up for a while and finally got the chance to visit via a Gilt City groupon. Pros: Decor is out of this world. Very modern, industrial classic. One of my faves in Boston. Service: Dave was extremely prompt. Food was immediate. Incredible server that enhanced the experience. Drinks: Fun menu of interesting drinks. Sushi: The roll I had (Ronin) was very fresh and tasty Noodles: Singapore Noodle- very robust portion. Average flavouring. Eye Candy- Plenty of pretty people of all ages Cons: Even with the groupon I find this place expensive (though not unreasonable). Drinks ($12-$14), Noodles ($12-20), Sush ($14-25). Food quality was good and this is a great place to impress a date. Neat decor. Fun menu to order from. Neutral foods that aren't too intimidating for you unadventurous Bostonians. And a great environment. Kind of like Tao in Las Vegas, but done right. Just be prepared to pay $100-$140 for a meal that might not fully dazzle your palate, but the experience will. Priced right with a Groupon. Maybe a little too dear for me otherwise, but the decor and experience might make it worth it. Update: Went back again (see, Groupons do work if your establishment is worth it), and it was just as good as the first time.
(5)Kenneth F.
Absolutely great great great decor. The entire restaurant is well thought out with the look and feel that they were going for. Statues everywhere, lighting, seating, etc, all make you feel you are in the middle of some Asian excavation underway (or for me I had a strange reminder of Tao in Vegas ....ah good memories there) The food didn't do it for me though. Came for a work event where we were served hors d'oeuvres, plus sit-down dinner. While the appetizers were really great, I thought the sit-down menu paled in comparison and suffered both due to the flavors and the portion control: - hors d'oeuvre 1: duck spoon in hoi-sin sauce: very good texture, and lots of flavor packed all into one spoon! Enjoyed. - hors d'oeuvre 2: tuna roll: Very good balance of flavors, I enjoy the use of the sweeter thicker soy sauce as a sauce - hors d'oeuvre 3: vegetable roll: who am i kidding, I'm not a vegetarian kind of guy - hors d'oeuvre 4: pork shu mai : not bad, a bit soggy but good size! - appetizer 1: spicy tuna roll: forgot the name but it was a whole roll - liked the crunchy aspect of it but man was it spicy! They need to calm the sriracha in that tuna - I liked the heat but several coworkers might have been getting a bit spiced out - appetizer 2: hot and sour soup: an easy dish to make and maybe they wanted to add a twist to it, but man was it sour...like taking the dish to a whole new level and not one I enjoyed. - main entree: Miso glazed sea bass: This entree was fantastic. I love me some miso glazed sea bass, but it was served over a bed of chow mein noodles which lacked in flavor and probably could have fed a family of 4. Noodles seemed unnecessary and entire table left at least half or 3/4 of their entree untouched - dessert: Chocolate cake: Really don't know what this was. Usually the dessert wraps up the meal and is like a nice finishing touch. This monster chocolate dessert was like a layered cake with hardened chocolate around it with some almond ice cream on top. My coworkers and I were a bit dumbfounded. Ate about 1/4 of it and couldn't go further. I think to polish the place off and truly make it a memorable experience, the food needs to be altered somewhat. A really great decor is only half the equation. I would fix a few of the flavors in the kitchen or stay away from some of them, and also work on portion control to make it a much more enjoyable meal.
(3)X M.
nice place with coupon, otherwise expensive~~~
(4)Francine G.
Entering into Red Lantern is like entering a different society. Soaring ceilings are filled with gigantic red lanterns and Buddhas are everywhere. The open kitchen gives entertainment too, but can't compete with the people-watching as groups collect on the cozy couches and also the bar scene heats up as the night goes on. Fortunately the food matches the ambiance. We began using the spicy lettuce wrap, crispy bass roll and also the tuna sashimi, and all had been excellent for sharing. Portions are big, and beautifully presented. The smoking lantern roll we saw at another table was a remarkable site - presented under a clear dome filled with smoke, the dome was lifted as well as the smoke cleared to reveal the sushi roll.
(5)Kenny B.
One of the most unique dining experiences in a long time. Great food, knowledgeable staff, unique flavors and top notch ambiance. Can't wait to return when we are back in Boston.
(5)Elise P.
Went here around 8pm on a Friday night with 2 friends without any reservations and it was PACKED. They told us it would be a 2 hour wait for a table so we put our names in and went to the bar. I had no idea what a "see and be seen" type of place it is. Definitely has a swanky feel with a lot of middle-aged men hitting on younger women. We got our seats stolen at the bar by a couple--lesson learned you have to be aggressive here. The cocktails were pricey but unique and very tasty. Also, very strong, especially on an empty stomach that is a long way off from getting a table and being fed properly. Finally 2 seats opened at the bar, and we took turns rotating the seats. Ordered a few sushi roles and split the Singapore noodles. It may have partially been the booze talking but the three of us could not stop talking about the noodles, and almost licked the bowl clean. DELICIOUS. By the time we finished eating it was around 11:30--no one had come to check on us at the bar or offered us a table. Not sure what happened there, but we didn't get annoyed by it until we were leaving and we had had a great meal and great drinks, so we got over it pretty quickly. If you're planning to eat here definitely make reservations ahead of time. If you want to just go out for a few drinks to a restaurant with a bar that has a club-like vibe, this is your place. Get ready to see a lot of short, tight dresses and high heels!
(4)Robert C.
This place is insane, loved it!! Good atmosphere, great drinks, great food. Much props to the staff for making it a good night for my wife and I, we're definately hitting this spot up again with friends and family next time!
(5)Sid V.
This review is based on several visits to Red Lantern. The place is cool. Very cool. It has an open, spacious feel, with soaring ceilings and exposed brick and beams. The lighting is just right, nice and dim but one can read the menu. Their sound system is excellent, and the music is groovy and loud, but not too loud. The waitresses and the female bartenders wear corsets, and every female staff member at Red Lantern is smoking hot. Smoking. Hot! I don't mean "kinda hot," I mean burning, scorching, searing hot. I almost want to call the fire department to come down there and put these hotties OUT! Other reviews have glossed over this, so let me be clear: these chicks are HOTTT!!! The food has been consistently very good, though you are paying a bit of a premium for the scene. Here is the key: you need to visit Red Lantern on Sunday through Wednesday. On those nights, you can really enjoy the restaurant. Thursday nights are borderline. Stay the hell out of there on Friday and Saturday nights, unless you enjoy wall-to-wall douchebags who wear too much cologne and who spend way too much time looking in the mirror to see if they look cool. They don't.
(4)Lydia H.
The first time I went here, I had the Hot & Sour Soup at my friend's recommendation, and it was excellent. Delicious, with lots of tofu and veggies-- a meal in itself. The second time, I tried the Sliced Chicken (hoisin and yogurt marinade, coconut green curry vegetables), and it was a bit heavier than I was hoping it would be-- too much creamy yogurt and curry sauce. The third time, I went back to the Hot & Sour Soup and also had the Chopped Salad. The salad dressing, unfortunately, was a bit flavorless, so I felt like I was just eating a pile of lettuce with some chopped vegetables thrown in. So, I guess I'll stick with the Hot & Sour Soup. And maybe a Flaming Shot or two.
(3)Jacqueline C.
Went to dinner here last night with my husband and another couple and really liked it! Of course, it helps when you hear that famous people flock to the place and then Bob Kraft sits at the table next to you...but I digress. Very cool ambiance and the food was really good. Not really, really good - but really good. We had gotten some tips ahead of time which proved to be true and which I will share with you: go heavy on the apps, they are amazing. Especially the lobster rangoon, the rock shrimp and the duck buns. The sushi is also really good - really good. But the apps are amazing. The server was nice, a tad strange, but nice. When I questioned him on ordering a mai tai or one of their signature drinks he reminded me you can get a mai tai anywhere. Got it. I followed the advice in ordering for dinner and stayed away from anything I could get at the local Chinese restaurant. The most memorable and highly praised sushi pieces were the Ronin and the tuna tempura. I also ordered one of their signature cocktails (in lieu of that mai tai) which was uber sweet and a non-event. I'm not a sake fan so I am not sure what other direction i could have gone for this dinner but the food was fabulous and it just didn't turn into one of those nights where I accidentally drank too much because the drinks were so scrumptious. I would definitely go back here. Super for girls night out, dinner with friends or even a work dinner.
(4)Carlos V.
Went on a Saturday Night and this Bar was packed! The drinks were strong, tons of beautiful people (including my date!)... You just can't help to really enjoy the atmosphere!
(4)Jennifer Y.
I went here for a friends bday party a group of like 10 people. We had table near bar. Ultra modern, great sushi, a must have for big groups the Yin & Yang scorpion bowls. They are humungous cocktail glasses one infused w rum the other w vodka. Loved the atmosphere. The music was a nice fusion of blends, more uptempo as night progresses, a restaurant for all age groups over 21. Only one downfall is if u get table by bar expect people from bar to try to sit or lean on your cushiony leather seating area. Bar gets overly crowded as 75% of place is seated. Decor is facinating !
(5)J. N.
Second time here, both times were great. Highly recommend the duck buns (first time having them - yum), rock shrimp tempura is awesome, enjoyed the sushi but pass on the chicken lettuce wraps. Great cocktails, super vibe at the bar later on. It's definitely a bit of a scene but very fun on a Saturday night.
(4)S. M. S.
Didn't eat, just had drinks and loved the place--EXCEPT FOR THE F*CKING TV IN THE BAR! "If you want to be the Buddakan of Boston--YOU CAN'T HAVE THE TV ON!" And if someone wants to watch the Sox that bad they should just stay home...
(2)K C.
We went to Red Lantern tonight to redeem a Travelzoo voucher that included 2 cocktails and $88 worth of food. We arrived about 10 minutes before our reservation and were seated immediately. Our server, Jarrett, stopped by right away to greet us and bring us our menus. He came back just a couple of minutes later with water and to walk us through the menus. He made some fantastic recommendations and we followed almost all of them (in fact the best things we had - the lobster rangoon, the black widow and green tea tuna rolls, and the shrimp yakiudon noodles - were all ordered at his recommendation). Everything was very prompt - our drinks arrived within a few minutes (the lychee martini is DELICIOUS), the appetizers shortly after that, and even though we ordered our noodles and sushi at the same time, Jarrett staggered them perfectly so we were just finishing our sushi rolls when the noodles arrived. We had a great experience - fantastic food, tasty drinks, and exemplary service, With or without another voucher, I'm quite sure we'll return.
(4)Lizzie E.
LOVE Red Lantern. Great atmosphere, great food, great service. I've been here before, but last Friday I went here for a nice dinner with a few friends I hadn't seen in awhile. We had a wonderful evening catching up, a lovely dinner, and a DELICIOUS scorpion bowl! Our waiter was quick with recommendations and very personable. Overall, it set the perfect tone for the rest of our evening. It's nice to do something classy for once.
(4)Diana O.
This is a great place to go and have a good time. The food was delicious. It was my first time at Red Lantern and it was a great experience. The waitress gave us good suggestions on what was good there. Overall great service, nice atmosphere, and friendly staff. I would deffinatly go back!
(5)Molly K.
I have to say that I had to downgrade the stars because the seating was awful. We had made a reservation and we were seated very promptly but at a table that was more like a bar table then one to sit down and eat dinner. There were 2 seats on a low bench and 2 very high chairs that you could not pull up to the table as there was no space under the table to put your legs. I am petite and I ended up with a horrible back ache. It was an awful awkward position to be forced to eat in what would have been an enjoyable meal. We did some shared plates and the highlights was the drunken noodle dish which unlike other versions came with a thin vermicelli type of noddle - easily the favorite dish of the table. Sea bass was good and a chicken curry dish. Not so exciting was the calamari and a crunchy tuna roll. Drinks were a bit weak and not super big either...with a normal Boston charge. I would recommend based on the food but make sure you ask for a normal table!
(2)Kaitlyn J.
Overpriced food that hasn't hit the right balance in "fusion". For example, the rock shrimp tempura tastes too heavy, even without the sauce. The food just isn't that good, which is too bad, because there is so much potential! The drinks are your standard trendy drinks, including scorpion bowls. Attracts your usual trendy crowd.
(2)Anik M.
The service, ambiance and food were excellent.
(4)Aaqila A.
Great food. Great atmosphere. A little pricey, but it was worth it. Nice vibe.
(4)Alison H.
Tried Red Lantern with 4 friends for a birthday dinner last night. I split my review into service and food since I had polar opposite experiences with the two areas. SERVICE We had a reservation for 7:30 and myself and one other person arrived early and checked in with the hosts. The rest of our party arrived on time and yet 7:30 came and went with no service. We stood in the bar waiting, staring at several open tables that would fit us. People walked in and were taken right to their tables and still we stood. We checked in with the hostess a few times and were told 5 minutes each time. When we were finally seated closer to 8, I asked the hostess to please send a manager over. No manager. My friend passed the host stand later in the evening and again requested that a manager be sent over. No manager. Finally, we asked our server at the end of our meal and a manager materialized. The birthday girl explained our experience and the manager apologized, brought us over dessert wine and some desserts and once again apologized. Ever notice you get free dessert when you don't want it? They attempted to make up for it but it didn't feel sincere and frankly, I'd rather just get proper service to start with than showy desserts to make up for it. FOOD They were very accommodating in making a vegetarian version of the drunken noodles for me and it was delicious and just spicy enough. Everyone else really enjoyed their dishes including the street noodles, veggie fried rice and sushi. I had the lantern tea for a drink and it was good, a little sweet but I probably should have paid more attention to the ingredients. The martinis and cocktails were not super strong so not sure if they're deceptive or cheap on the booze. Overall, had a 'meh' experience. It is a great atmosphere inside and the decor is interesting but the pretentiousness of some of the staff just shoots the place in the foot. Frankly, it's like PF Chang's snobby cousin.
(3)Y. H.
Used my GiltCity coupon last night and had a surprisingly great meal. I usually balk at trendy asian restaurants with subpar food (compared to Chinatown) and inflated prices, but Red Lantern does not disappoint. Decor is amazing - nothing like it in Boston - and food portions were all very big. We enjoyed our signature cocktail (orange blossom), the singapore noodles (very good and huge!), crunchy roll, and chinese doughnuts (amazing!). The hostesses were not too friendly, but our waitress was great. Pretty pricey, so good thing I had the coupon, but worth another trip, especially for a girls night!
(4)Libby L.
1st time - went here for a b-day dinner. Atmosphere, apps and sushi were awesome but the hot entrees and service were terrible. 3 of my friends had the Wagyu Beef - TERRIBLE - tastes and looks like leather. If you're interested in Meat - try Capital Grille or Smith & Wollensky's at the Seaport - better for the $$$$$. 44-Dollars are you NUTS :( :( I had one of the fish entree - very small portion for the price and the taste was overpowered by the sauce - plain GROSS!!!...
(2)Jonathan D.
The cocktails were excellent, especially the ginger one. The steak and noodle dish was a bit hard to eat. My wife went with the lobster and it tasted good but wasnt exactly lazy lobster as advertised. It was a ton of food though. The lettuce wraps were fine as an app. We preferred the beans.
(3)Laura G.
I had been eying the opening of Red Lantern and awaiting its arrival for some time. When the time came to finally check it out, I was beyond excited. The interior is definitely amazing. Trendy, sleek, whatever you want to call it. Boston definitely needs more places like this. It's sort of like our version of Tao in NYC. My friends agreed it might be cool to have small dance space to amp up the nightlife appeal since it is open til 2am anyways. Walked in around 10pm on a Friday night, no wait for a table for three. Score. There were a bunch of girls milling around the host station, all wearing a bit too much make up and exuding a bit of an attitude. Not really the way you want to be greeted. There was definitely not a need for that many bodies at a host stand with no wait, either. Anyway, I finally meet up with my friends and we sit down. About 15 minutes goes by and no sign of a server. Finally after about twenty minutes go by, someone casually drops by and asks us if we want drinks. Yea we do. We order their version of the scorpion bowl which is a whopping $44 dollars before tax. The drink arrives, and comes in what looks like a giant flower vase, with three straws. We each take a sip. Weak. As in tastes like all juice. I've had scorpion bowls before. They're for people who want to get shitty. They're not for those who want a fruity ass drink with little to no alcohol. When the server comes back to take our food order, we inquire about the $44 beverage that seemingly has no booze in it. He tells us, and this is a direct quote, that "if we can taste the alcohol in it, then that means there is something wrong with the drink and that the bartenders made it incorrectly". I still fail to comprehend this concept. A drink should taste like a drink, nevermind a scorpion bowl which should taste like fuckery in a glass. I couldn't understand why this server didn't think alcoholic beverages shouldn't taste as such. He didn't really offer any remedy to the situation, so we were disappointed to say the least. He kind of stood at our table awkwardly after this conversation happened and wasn't sure if he should stay or go. The whole vibe was strange. All I know is this scorpion bowl barely had three tiny girls with low tolerances tipsy by the end of our meal. We order. One of my friends was a vegetarian and had an extremely hard time finding something on the menu that would work for her. We asked if they serve tofu to substitute for meat. They said no. What kind of Asian restaurant has no tofu? However, in all honesty, I really have no sympathy for vegetarians so she made due and that was not the restaurant's fault. We ordered the lo mein, tik tok chicken, fried rice and one appetizer that is escaping me at the moment. We asked for it all to come out together. The food arrives. Separately. Nevertheless, we are starving and begin eating. The food was pretty good, nothing spectacular. A step above your standard Chinese fare, and probably a step below what you'd find in Chinatown. And it is not cheap. The beef lo mein cost $18. I am accustomed to Boston prices and am always willing to pay more for better quality, but I found this place to be a bit overpriced for what you get. One of my major pet peeves is when a server will fail to come by once the food comes out and ask you if you need anything or inquire if everything was prepared properly. Not once did he come by to check in. Finally we receive the check. The bill was split between two cards, and my friend left explicit direction to pay the remainder of the balance of the check in cash. This verbiage was chosen for a reason. She did not say "the bill is all set" or "keep the change" or anything of that nature. We get the bill back, and instead of receiving $10 in change that should have happened, apparently he assumed this was part of his tip and took it. Under no circumstances is this considered ok. As a server, you don't just assume that the money leftover is your tip and pocket it. That's basically stealing. Plus, the service was awful so I don't know why he was assuming that was part of the tip. We go to the manager and explain the situation. He was nice enough, and got the money back from the server. He also explained that our server happened to be one of their "star servers". In the back of my mind I was thinking what a shame. He wasn't friendly, in fact he was downright socially awkward, didn't listen to our ordering instructions, made no attempt to work with us when we weren't happy with what came out, and then stole money on top of it all. The manager didn't make any attempt to comp anything, but he did apologize. I was surprised that with a new restaurant and a new clientele that he did not do more to rectify the situation. All in all, this place is pretty on the outside and gets style points and not much else. hopefully they get it together.
(2)Cee L.
I would give Red Lantern a 3.5 if I could. First and foremost, the decor is stunning and it has nice ambiance. I came here for dinner last week. We arrived 15 mins early for our 10:15 reservation, and we didn't get seated until closer to 10:45pm. The place was packed with people at the bar and people kept coming and going. At one point we saw James Beluschi from According to Jim. We had a clear view of the dining room and we saw a couple of empty tables, but we still didn't get seated until later. Not really sure why, but moving on to the food: I ordered the Terriyaki Noodle Steak, and my friends ordered the Coconut Curry Chicken, Half Baked and Crunchy Roll. We all split Duck Buns, which were amazing. I think those were the best part of our meal. Succulent juicy pieces of duck and they were quite tasty. My terriyaki noodle steak was okay - there were good amounts of tender steak, but it wasn't anything special. I was not wowed by it. The terriyaki sauce with the noodles tasted a little too sweet, sort of like something you would eat at a fast food place like Panda Express...which was kind of disappointing. The Coconut curry dish was alright, nothing to write home about. The sushi was actually pretty good . Our waitress sort of disappeared halfway through the meal, and it took a while to find her. Overall it was a decent experience, but I don't think it lived up to our expectations.
(3)Pierce D.
The lobster rangoon was amazing, as were the spring rolls. However, the Tic Tok Chicken tasted like battered chicken covered in ketchup. It was obviously not ketchup, but it tasted like it. Thoroughly disappointing considering how great the apps were.
(3)Elizabeth M.
My 18 year old daughter recommended this restaurant because she had been here for a birthday party. We came for Mothers Day and it was fabulous! The atmosphere is wonderful! This is the old Bertucci building with high ceilings and lots of lanterns. There is a great bar area so my husband and I will be back for a date night night. The food was fabulous! They told us that since our calamari was late to arrive at the table ( did not even notice that it was late), they would not charge us for the appetizer. They then brought another calamari app for free and they brought us a free entree even though the service was great! What a great evening. This restaurant is right off the Mass Pike so an easy ride home from metro west. Oh yes, David Ortiz was also there.
(5)Hussam B.
If you want a place with a nice atmosphere and you aren't picky with food. then this is a place to visit. My review is based on the food which is average or even below average. We were a party of 7 and we all ordered and shared our dishes. Non of the dishes i tried were good. That is why I gave this place 1 star.
(1)Willy L.
Wanted to love it- but food is really only mediocre at best. Service and drinks were fine and decore was nice. Would not go back.
(2)meghan c.
Food was good and a nice ambiance but at the end of the meal I felt like I had overpaid for pf changs. I like pf changs, I just dont like paying extra for pf changs in a different restaurant
(3)Thuy L.
PROS: Decor, great space, good cocktails, yummy appetizers, friendly staff, bartenders, music CONS: Food, slow service, price, noise The food is completely overpriced and the service is SOOOOO SLLLOOOWWW!!! I made reservations at 6pm based on everyone's advice here in order to make an event at 7:30pm. The reservations had to be altered a little to add another friend. There were sooo many tables open, it was like I could have played musical chairs with the whole restaurant. Instead of telling us to wait in the bar until they figured out what to do or where to seat us, the host/hostess had us waiting in the atria for about 10-15 minutes without even a glance at us. Needless to say, after waiting to be seated despite the number of open tables, the amount of time it took to get the food out, and the bill, I didn't make the event. We didn't get out of there until 8:45pm. YIKES, almost 3 hours for a couple of small plates and sushi. If you are planning on going to an event or meeting someone after dinner, plan 2-3 hours for dinner. The food is completely overpriced more so than P.F. Chang's and is completely mediocre. $22 for some Singapre street noodles, really? I think PF Chang's is way better and is only $13. My friends and I started off with the duck bun and the pork spare ribs. These are definitely worth trying, the pork ribs were pretty tasty. We also ordered some sushi: dressed hamachi, the tuna tempura roll, and the smoking lantern. Boy, I wish we just stuck with the appetizers. The dressed hamachi was really "fishy" and the waiter and the manager claimed that that was how it was supposed to taste. I've definitely had hamachi MANY MANY times before. They were very accommodating and took it off our bill and gave us a pineapple dessert on the house. The tuna tempura roll was a little chewy and lacked flavor, meanwhile the smoking lantern comes out with a bowl filled with smoke. It literally tasted like someone took a hit from a joint, and let the smoke billow on top of the sushi. Neither of these were my favorite. I will admit that their Suma cocktail was probably their only saving grace.
(2)Alicia C.
This place is like a really hot guy/girl that is incredibly boring. You want to like him/her because they are so beautiful, but there is no substance. I should caveat this review by saying that I absolutely love Asian food, especially Thai, so my standards are high. Red Lantern reminds me of Tao (NYC taorestaurant.com ) My advice is to order apps (dumplings were good) and sushi. Don't bother with the street noodles (ugh, so bland) and the tik tok chicken (bland and not crispy enough). Also - I am from NYC and I found the prices to be high for the quality of the food. Great sake list though.
(2)Tahani R.
Very cool place, love the decor & the food was incredible! Our server was very attentive. Pricey, but worth every penny, I ate the filet mignon with bok choy, my meal was beyond great, the filet was cooked perfectly.
(5)D. M.
I'm a huge fan of their fried rice menu. It's cheap, good and the portions are huge! The drinks are excellent as well!
(4)Jen B.
I took my 20 year old here for her birthday. She loved the food and the atmosphere was great. It feels very "Vegas Style" to us (everything is big and open). It was nice to be able to see everyone working in the open kitchen and the chef check every dish before it was sent out to the table. Our waitress was fun and very accommodating.
(4)George T.
Nice decor, decent drinks, bad food, bad service. When we got there we were told that the sushi bar sitting is first come first serve, then we were asked to wait at the bar and were assured that as soon as the sits open up the hostess will let us know and we'll be sited. Well.. within an hour I watched from the bar as multiple sits opened up and occupied by the people who just walked in, but not once we were approached by any of the hostesses even through during that hour I reminded them twice that we are still waiting. We ended up eating at the lounge area and the food was a big disappointment. We still go to RL for drinks, but after eating there on three different occasions finally decided that the food is consistently bad.
(2)Andrea P.
This was the first place I went out to eat when I first moved to Boston. It is a great place for a group of people or a birthday party. It reminded me of a trendy version of PF Changs except the food was not as great...however, I would recommend this place to anyone visiting Boston or if you just want a fun night out with a group of friends. The service was amazing and I would rate the food 3.5 out of 5. Over all great restaurant! :)
(4)Benjamin P.
Red Lantern needs to turn down the music and turn up the food. While the overall ambiance was interesting, yelling over the music to speak to your fellow diners became annoying. The menu and food seemed Disney-like, showy and aspirational but not quite as impressive as hoped. The tuna served in the sushi was not fresh. The sparerib dish was missing flavor and basically beef with broccoli anywhere else. Chow fun was surprisingly good as was the striped bass, but maybe because everything else was so unimpressive. The only "hot" thing about this restaurant was the very cute busboy who at least added something interesting to this otherwise quotidian repast.
(2)Chris T.
Really cool space although it slightly reminded me of an upscale PF Changs. The food was excellent. I highly recommend the Lobster Dumplings. Really nice drink menu. The Grass Fed Mule was tasty and refreshing (and strong). Definitely worth checking out if you are thinking about it.
(4)Stephen E.
The crunchy roll was the best plate of sushi I have ever had and the person I was with agreed. Was the perfect temperature, taste and texture. I know its rude to look at other peoples food but I couldnt help myself when we went here because everything looked so good. Make sure you call in for a reservation. Cant wait to go back.
(5)Jennifer J.
Went back last night for my first meal. I ate with my bf at the bar so not 100% dining experience. I live in the South End and he lives in the Back Bay so Red Lantern is nicely located for us to meet, and the bar really feels nice, and adult. We split a couple of appetizers. The gyoza were great and the lobster rangoons were addictive. After that we had some chicken fried rice and split a steak. The rice was clean and really flavorful. I could eat it everyday. The steak was good but honestly I wanted the whole fish but my bf is not a fish eater. The steak was tasty but again not my style. The service at the bar was friendly and efficient, and the space has a cool vibe. The crowd was very good looking and well dressed. Even my steak eating bf commented that the crowd was very good looking. I am having dinner on Saturday night with 9 of my girlfriends so more to follow.
(5)Clare F.
The boy and I passed Red Lantern a few weeks ago, as it was in the last stages of renovation and decoration. "That place looks pretty cool." Fast forward to his birthday. This much-hyped restaurant was reviewed everywhere and featured in Boston's Daily Candy, so he chose it for the group night out. I called Thursday and was able to get reservations for six and five (we were eleven all together). I specifically requested tables next to each other. When we were ready to be seated, the hosts split up, and it became clear that we would not be sat together. I would not have minded so much if the man I spoke with had assured me my request would be possible. So I politely told the manager and he said they would see what they could do. The group waited another half hour (by that time it was almost an hour after our reservation time so it was a good thing the dudes enjoyed the drinks and were able to take over a portion of the bar). I went to the host desk and asked about the table. They said that they had to open the private dining room to accommodate our group and allow for more room that night, so they had needed time to set it up. If we were ready and closed out at the bar, they would be able to seat us within a few minutes. Great. Just TELL me that. Yes, it looked as though we were enjoying ourselves at the bar (and we were), but an update would have been nice. The one sour note of the evening. On to the food and drinks. I had a Singapore sling and then considered how quickly I consumed it and how little it tasted like anything alcoholic. Absolutely delicious, but I wouldn't recommend pounding multiple Slings. I switched to my usual St. Germaine cocktail, which never fails to impress as long as the bartender knows how to make a drink not on the menu. The group of 11 ordered SEVERAL appetizers for the table. Apps are a little small and we had to get a few orders of some things for people who didn't get a taste of something. The lobster rangoon and tempura fried green beans were definitely standouts. The rangoon was HEAVENLY and I seriously considered ordering a plate all for myself for my main dish. The fried green beans came with three different sauces - herb, sweet and spicey. Herb was refreshing. Sweet was what I was most interested in (originally I thought I had to choose, but it came with all three). Spicy was a Siracha infused mayo. It only had a small bit of zing, which was great for me because I have a low tolerance for spice, but if others are looking for additional bite they may want to request hot sauce for the table. Everyone at the table loved their main dishes. Three of us got the fried rice which, after looking at some of the prices on the menu, is the steal of the restaurant. The portions were huuuuuuuuuge and delightful. Rice fried in sesame oil with veggies and your choice of protein (I got scallop.) Between apps and cocktails already in our bellies, no one was able to finish their fried rice. Another person raved about the beef with broccoli, saying that one has come to expect beef in that dish to be tough, but hers was mouthwatering and tender. The waiter was uncomplainingly able to deal with cash and several credit cards. The decor was unbelievable. High ceilings, exposed brick and beams, hardwood floor and paper lanterns (red, obviously) hanging from the ceiling. Bar bathrooms were onesies with larger facilities down stairs. Since this was Red Lantern's first weekend I would love to return in a month or so to see how the place has progressed. Upon returning I will likely sit at the bar if there is room and eat lobster rangoon to my heart's content.
(4)Colleen H.
Ugh, I wanted to give this place 3.5 stars, but It won't let me. Definately more that 3, but a teeny bit shy of 4, but I'l be generous. I really like the atmosphere here. Went here with 3 girlfirend, and the bar was a great spot to mingle. Food--alright--nothing truely amazing, but I'm likely to go back, so maybe it needs a second chance. We had an amazing waiter, very attentive all night, and you know how ladies at dinner can be, 4 hours, lot's of drinks, it can go on and on. But we were more than generous with him. I liked that we didn't feel rushed at all, evne though I know they were busy and had people waiting. Maybe next time I'll just go for the bar, but either way, this place is getting a few more visits from me.
(4)Sara Z.
I would go there again in a heart beat! Loved everything about it...the food, the atmosphere, the waiters! :)
(5)Aga S.
Red Lantern... what can I write about this beautiful, hip, Back Bay restaurant/lounge? I have been to Red Lantern countless times; I have gone there for drinks, appetizers, dinner and birthday parties and I have yet to be disappointed. The ambiance takes your breath away; the high ceilings, beautiful bar, tasteful statues of Buddha and other orient-inspired decorations take you on a journey to the Far East. The music played at Red Lantern does not quite match the oriental theme, still it creates a very vibrant and trendy atmosphere - for a second you may even feel as you just walked into a trendy eatery in New York or Hong Kong. Managers and remaining staff are always very friendly and accommodating. In terms of food and drinks, there are plenty of really great menu items to choose from. From cocktail list I highly recommend you try the Dragon Fire (if you like cocktails with a spicy kick); if you are looking for something more fruity, try the Bamboo Juice, Mai Tai or the Shanghai Street Sangria. If you are looking for a snack, try the Duck Buns or Spicy Lettuce Wraps. If you are looking for something more filling - try the Chilean Sea Bass entree - it's delicious!
(4)David G.
I have to agree with most people on this site.....its quite a spectacle. Food is amazing, if the service is slightly sub par, but that is to be expected at any new "scene" venue. Pricy, but this is again expected. Reservations are difficult, so call ahead. In general, Id definately go again.
(4)Lala L.
Great ambiance. Great food. Awesome strong drinks. I'll definitely be back.
(4)Zyna P.
I came here last night for my sister's birthday. We bought plenty of drinks & sushi. Our bartendress did an awesome job by serving us until closing. The sushi cost more than I usually pay but overall it was delicious. I figured a night out in BOSTON with a 5 STAR atmosphere made the prices reasonable. Niemitz Design Group Inc did an excellent job on designing the place. I hope the owner can expand this location by adding a dance floor because there were times that we wanted more room to dance to the music so badly. Definitely would love to come back for drinks.
(4)Lauren M.
I'd say this is the best restaurant in Boston! Walking in, you feel more like you're in Vegas, New York, or some place in Asia. The high ceilings, huge Buddah statues, and abundant red lanterns create a sexy, swanky vibe. The music is kind of trancey, or a deeper house music. The crowd is one of the best looking in the city, whether you're dining with large groups or chilling at the bar. The food is absolutely exceptional; my boyfriend is a commercial fisherman and he says this is some of the best fish he's tasted. Whether you're going for drinks (try the drink that they light on fire), appetizers (the sushi, once again, is top-knotch), or just looking for a spin on your traditional asian cuisine, you won't be disappointed here. I've been several times, and have never been disappointed. For as good as the food, drinks, and overall atmosphere of this place provide, you'll be pleasantly surprised when you see your bill. I would have paid even more; it is just that good! Make reservations well in advance to ensure seating.
(5)Sharon B.
I love this place. The decor is great and I dig the atmosphere for a chill dinner/drinks place. We started off at the bar for drinks and I had a great Geisha martini. We had a reservation and our friends were a little late but they still sat us as soon as they got in. The group of us tried a handful of different apps - the green bean tempura is delicious with 3 dipping sauces, the rock bottom shrimp basically a bang bang shrimp dish is AMAZING, I would come here just to get that. We also tried the lobster rangoon which was also delicious. Sushi was really good. For entrees the table got some rice and noodle dishes which were ok - apps/sushi/drinks seemed to be a lot better though. I'll be back!
(5)Whiterock R.
good service and great food. Considering we were with a toddler on a friday night. Little bit too dark. Hard to see the food. Reason we went there was because it was raining and we quickly had to get in somewhere.
(3)Patricia B.
Loved the decor. For all the wait staff running around service was a bit slow. Delish food! Only order the lettuce wrap app if you like spicy food
(4)Matthew T.
Over priced and the food is not very good. This was the first restaurant we ate at after moving to Boston and we were very excited to go there because the reviews we read seemed mostly positive and our friends who took us there raved. The menu is creative, but that isn't enough if the food isn't delicious. We each got an appi and a main and my wife and I just were not impressed with the flavors. It seems like they are trying too hard to make dishes that are complex Chinese fusion in style and are instead creating confused plates that miss the mark. I love Chinese food and I love gourmet food but this place does not mesh the two cuisines/styles. Unfortunately, the bottom line is that Red Lantern does not live up to its hype. If I'm gonna spend 100+ per person on dinner, I expect more from a restaurant. On a positive point, the service was very good and the restaurant is nicely decorated.
(2)Tanya C.
Awesome! Very friendly staff. Amazing food and cocktails. We went in with out a reservation and they totally went above and beyond to accomodate us. The decor is Fab! We will def be back again and again! .
(5)Cindy K.
Red Lantern has potential. The decor and atmosphere are fun and up tempo, definitely a bit of a buzz in the air. Service was excellent, timely but not intrusive. Only problem is the food is really not very good and it is very expensive -- a poor combination. I have been there twice now and I really want to like the place because it is fun, but the food is really substandard. Had the lobster ran goons on both visits and they are good, though you only get 4 for $14. Also tried the lettuce cups. They are hard to eat since everyone needs to make their own. Lettuce was all torn to shred before anyone could effectively make a cup out of it and everyone has handling the food extensively. Not ideal. The pork mixture was tasty but very soupy. Boneless spareribs came highly recommended by our server and were incredibly overlook and had zero flavor -- dry as a bone. The sushi was ok at best. One in our group had two basic rolls (spicy tuna with cucumber) and they were small but otherwise fine. I had the "pressed sushi" with smoked salmon and mango. This was terrible. It is a very dense square block consisting almost entirely of rice with a single piece of smoked salmon in the idle. MIT had some chopped mango on top. I could not eat it at all, completely flavorless and definitely not worth the money. This place could be terrific -- they have it all going for them. Interesting menu, great decor, focus on good service. They just need to improve the quality of the food. If they do, I will gladly be back!
(2)Shaye S.
the food in here is authentic and delicious! although our party have figured out it is actually more alike a lounge than a typical restaurant. the waiter in our table was extremely helpful and we enjoyed the meal here even though is was pricey. Definitely go with friends, the light here is dim and the atmosphere is very chill.
(4)Vanna V.
My boyfriend and I went to Red Lantern for date night. The atmosphere was really cool, the Asian food was fantastic the staff was friendly and enjoyable. Highly recommended!
(5)David I.
This is one of the best asian fusion restaurants I have ever eaten at. The service was great and the food was even better. The crunchy roll and lobster rangoon are must-trys. The trendy atmosphere and chic decor makes this restaurant one of Boston's best. I would highly recommend coming here for dinner or even just for a drink at the bar.
(5)Cristina L.
I've been to Red Lantern twice so far in the last month and expect I will be returning soon. I had drinks at the bar with friends one night and dinner with my husband on another. It has a really trendy atmosphere with a good mix of people. Overall good feeling when entering with very helpful hostesses. I did not expect such a good crowd being that it is hidden so well but the bar side was comfortably filled with people. It was easy to get drinks and they were actually good. Dinner was exceptional. We had the Wood Fired Skewers and an assortment of rolls for an appetizer, both very good. I had the Lo Mein and my husband has the Mongolian Steak. Mine was excellent, but my husbands was a little under cooked. He wanted medium rare but it came out a little rare. Not a huge deal considering he loved it. Either way, I would definitely recommend this place no matter what the occasion.
(4)Christine P.
I'm a total fan of Red Lantern. I went here with 3 girlfriends for my birthday and loved it. We sat in the lounge area and had drinks before sitting for dinner. Unfortunately the only reservation they had was for 5:30pm. When we sat, the hostess sat us up on the other level which was a little less appealing than the main floor. I am not usually picky and hate to complain but I did ask to be moved to a different table, it just seemed "more fun" on the main floor where the kitchen was. They couldn't accommodate that but it didn't deter the evening. Our waitress let us know the portions were big and shareable but we were hungry and ordered 2 apps, 2 plates of sushi and we all got a noodle dish. I got the Singapore Street which was $25 (maybe a bit pricey for noodles) but delicious and totally could have been split. They weren't what I expected which was the wide flat noodles, but instead more spaghetti like. But delish. The sushi was awesome. I could have just eaten that, it was really good. For dessert we got the Japanese donuts which are like bignese (not sure how to spell that) and AWESOME! The dipping sauce was fantastic, they were sooo good. I would definitely go back there, it seemed like a good place. Oh and I had friends in town and was trying to think of a great place to go and everyone loved the ambiance. For all the food and drinks and dessert it ended up being about $60 per person which I thought was completely reasonable for Boston.
(4)Noemi G.
We had the lobster rangoons which were ok, nothing to brag about. The calamari was exquisite! Nice and crunchy and it it had this super tasty glaze on top that gave it just the right kick of spicy. For entrees we had the lobster rolls which were amazing! No need to dip in soy sauce as the glaze on top of the roll was delicious. My husband had the steak lo mein which he loved! I had a bite and agreed, the steak was well cooked and tasty. I ordered edamame but they never brought it, so the service could have been much more faster and efficient. We actually had two waiters for some reason but they would disappear for a really long time. For desert, the creme brûlée trio- very good! Since we were there for so long we missed our movie show time so we decided to hang out at the bar and watch game 5 celtics vs heat. I ordered a martini called Geysha and oh man it was delicious! The atmosphere was great and it was a great overall experience. Only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because of the slow waiters.
(4)Marnie S.
I found my new favorite spot. RED LANTERN. I was there for the first night the kitchen and staff were serving guests. The room is amazing. As I walked through the large tall wood doors, the tall ceilings, and Asian decor caught my eye. There is seating both at the bar as well as at small tables with comfortable wrapped couches. The appetizers and martinis were delicious. I had the Sumo Express and loved it. The sushi, lettuce wraps, and lobster rangoons were amazing. A great room with the open kitchen in the center with a wok stations. You can see the entire room from almost every seat in the restaurant. The staff were all very warm and attentive. I can't wait to go back and karaoke downstairs...
(5)Floranne P.
Went on a Tuesday night, 9:30 with a Gilt City Coupon. Lot's of people there for a late week night and very cool music playing in the back ground. Atmosphere reminded me of Tao at the Venetian in Vegas - very chic. We ordered the Singapore Street Noodles for $22 which came in a giant bowl and the 3 of us could barely finish what was the most fragrant but at the same time delicate noodles ever! Next came the sushi: the Crunchy Roll from salmon and crab with some crispy panko. It was so great, my friend went back the next night. We ended up not using the coupon so we could expense it and come back soon. Really memorable and fabulous place!
(5)Kate H.
I had a really fun dinner here a couple of weeks ago with two friends. Our server was a little goofy but really helpful & attentive, and the menu was really creative & different. The drinks were awesome, the food was good - not the best sushi that I've had but really good - and the place just has a fun, energetic vibe. I will totally go back.
(4)Michael S.
Went last night for first time and was very impressed with the space. They did a very nice job on the buildout. Was a little taken aback when they said there was no coat check this evening, it had dropped into the 30s and I was not sure why they would not just have it open. Regardless, we were seated at a great 4 top by the front windows and had a great view of dining room. We ordered a round of cocktails and began to look through menu. Drinks came and was a bit disappointed. No olives in the martini, no lime in the gimlet and no cherry in the Manhattan, also the straight up Manhattan was warm. Food came and it was delicious. We shared as a table and had the lobster Rangoon, rock shrimp, lettuce wraps, drunken noodles, chicken lo mein and a lobster roll. Someone at our table got a tuna and seaweed salad special as well. All was very good, but the service was nothing great. Or waitress was very nice and attentive, but the food runners and busses were not on same page, we had to ask for a couple of things we ordered a couple of times and as mentioned earlier, the bar tenders are not the best. For dessert the table had a pineapple bread pudding that was very good, crime brûlée trio that was average and a special chocolate bread pudding that was not good at all. Overall I am excited to go back. I would like to go to sushi bar and try more of their sushi, and I would not mind trying more of the dim sum, maybe for Sunday brunch.
(4)Noria M.
Went here on a recent Sunday night, soon after it opened. It's a beautiful, dramatic space, with tons of -- you guessed it -- red lanterns hanging from the rafters. It was like Shanghai circa 1940 with modern influences (like the huge open kitchen). Great drink menu --I actually had the bartender mix me something that was non-alcoholic and it was insanely delicious and made me miss alcohol not one bit. The food was very good, highlights were the dumplings, fried edamame, lobster rangoon, avocado salad and peking duck. I would come back with my girlfriends for a night on the town, it's the kind of place you go when you want to have fun (really great music, and sexy ambiance) and share a bunch of plates. The place also has a cool bar that I did not hang out at, but I would.
(4)d m.
The decor is well done, the lighting designer deserves kudos. Service was ok, but my place setting had no utensils and no one noticed. That was forgiveable. But the food was a dissapointment. Got two things: the lobster rangoon which were very good, and the calamari which was terrible. It was giant pieces of fried squid with no seasoning, no sauce, no nothing. The only other thing on the plate were pieces of raw ginger and slices of scorching hot raw peppers. If I had put a fork full of that in my mouth I would have been literally injured. Pretty bad dish.
(2)John D.
WOW!!!!! A fabulous new addition to Boston's restaurant scene. Dined on Thursday evening with a friend and entered one of the most beautiful, dramatic dining / lounge spaces in Boston. Whomever designed the space deserves an award, so gorgeous! We ordered a variety of appetizers and LOVED every dish we ordered. The avacado/crab salad was amazing served with a relish of red caviar. The fried pork dumplings were delicious and cooked perfectly crisp and floating on a pond of soy/ginger/scallion. Wanted to lick the plate! We also tried the pork buns that were stuffed with incredibly delicious shredded pork infused with just the right amount of savory and sweet seasonings. We also had the pork spareribs that are served off the bone and beautiully seasoned and perfectly cooked. Just to get off the pig, we also orderd an entree of glazed noodles served with strips of steak that was so delicious! We were so full we had one bite each and a coin toss for the take home container. Lastly, we had the pineapple bread pudding served with coconut ice cream. YUMMMMM!! Lovely evening, wonderful service, and a vibrant diverse crowd. You will LOVE The Red Lantern.
(5)Jane S.
god, this place is so offensive since hanging a red lantern is a sign of prostitution in china i have to point out that noone is calling a bar Whorehouse and filling it full of Jesus statues it is just really inappropriate to fill a bar with statues of the Buddha i was just speechless- we turned and walked out after 5 minutes
(1)Shiva M.
Nice decor which fails to cover up mediocre and overpriced food. Appetizers are yummy, but main entrees are nothing impressive. Does not live up to the hype. P.F. Chang's is just as good and a better value.
(2)Wesley C.
great atmosphere, vibe, and SERVICE. But the food is........ i dont know what it is? the fresh roll and the calamari are some of the worst i ever had. rice noodle and dumplings are just rice noodle and dumplings not thing special. if u are going to charge $18 and $12 for rice noodle and dumplings they better be more than ordinary. wine list is very over priced and the cocktails needs some adjustments. this joint certainly has the prudential to be the tao of vegas, or the buddahkkan of new york. it just needs a lot of polish on it's cuisine.
(3)Sarah R.
Hosted my birthday dinner here in their private dining room on a Monday night. Kerry, my contact person was super easy to deal with throughout the whole process of booking the event. She responded almost instantly to all of my emails and explained everything very clearly. No questions were left unanswered and I was pleased that the night went exactly as expected. There were 20 of us for dinner and the private dining room was perfect. I chose to seat everyone at a long table, though was able to choose other options. We had 2-3 waiters, and one contact person for the event, which was great. The room was too warm and they adjusted the temp right away. For food, we started with vegetable spring rolls, chicken lettuce wraps, and fried beans. The spring rolls were awesome! I could have eaten those alone all night, the sauce was great. The lettuce wraps were just ok. The sauce tasted a little weird, but if you added the extra brown sauce it ws good. The fried beans totally lacked in flavor unless you used the dipping sauce, which only one out of the three was good. Then we had salad, which was good, pretty standard. For entrees we had pork fried rice and the tik tok chicken. The rice was good, nothing spectacular, but I definitely ate my share. The tik tok chicken was delishhhh. It was nice and crispy, good white meat chicken, and the orangey sauce was yummy. Overall, great experience, and will come back to try the regular menu.
(4)Shilpa S.
Right.. Well my review is based upon my high expectations due to all the great things I heard about this place. For months I was told how comparable it is to Tao, its "upscale" crowd and nice ambiance. Although the interior is relatively nice- suspended lanterns, buddha statues etc. the venue is mainly comprised of a large dining area. The bar has limited space and can accommodate only so many people. Consequently, the line was stagnant from 930 onwards since the bar was PACKED. My friend had arrived at that time and ended up waiting an hour to be admitted. (Though I got there 915 and was in 2 mins later.) Perhaps the initial hype will quell and with that less wait. To their credit- the drinks were well made and strong. The dining scene looked cool and we will come back for the food as it looked great. To my dismay though- although the venue touts an ethnic theme- the place itself lacks diversity, and is pretty stuffy. Stanhope St.- once known for the international crowd has now become very WASP-y.
(3)Special E.
My first disclaimer is that I rarely eat asian style foods so I cannot comment on the merits of the food per se. That said, I haven't found many dining rooms and lounges that match the ambience of the Red Lantern. Simply put, it is cool. Beautiful people hang out in beautiful surroundings and that's what you'll find here. I dined with my two college aged children and they didn't look at their cell phone at all during the evening until just before I paid the bill (my barometer for keeping their interest) They people watched and commented on the background music and the decor. Our server was very attentive and had some good recommendations. I'll leave the actual food reviews to others for the reason mentioned above but I will be back. It would be an excellent location for large groups...business or celebratory.
(5)Jacki F.
I really enjoyed Red Lantern. I went this Saturday with a couple of my girl friends. Got there around 830, thankfully we made a reservation, because it was pretty busy. By the time we left there seemed to be a pretty long wait for a table. I really enjoyed the ambiance, with there exposed brick walls and asian/Buddha themed décor. It seems like a better, sexier version of PF Changs. I enjoyed the Shanghai Sangria, which I thought was delicious! Much better than the sangria you have at most places. Tastes less juicy and more like liquor and wine. For dinner we ordered four dishes and split them amongst the group of the four of us. The lo mein, fried rice and lettuce wraps were delicious and perfect for sharing. Much better than your average Chinese place, tasted fresher and less greasy. We also had the crispy vegetable rolls, which probably aren't made for sharing with more than 2 people as there are only 4 rolls and they are on the smaller side, but still incredibly tasty! Didn't have any room for desert, but I really want to try the tempura banana and the Asian place on crème brulee. I am also intrigued to try one of their scorpion bowls. Surprisingly the bill wasn't bad at all! With the 4 dishes we ordered and one drink each the bill was only 30 bucks each (including 20% tip). I would definitely go back again!
(4)eliza b.
I am a fan! Work in Copley Square and this is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Very elegant surroundings, pleasant staff, drinks are unique & delicious. Delcious Asian influenced appetizers, noodle dishes, sushi. A little pricey; but a fun evening was had by all!
(4)Jennifer M.
Was at Red Lantern again for a going away party and the staff and kitchen hit it out of the park! Apps and cocktails were amazing, sushi super fresh, the drinks delicious, the staff super attentive, and the management was totally hands on serving trays of food. keep up the great work!
(5)Helen B.
Beautiful restaurant. I always liked it when it was Bertucci's but now it is so beautiful and cool. I went with a friend who is vegan (sort of) and we ordered all very low-cal seafood items, mostly appetizers, that were very good, very enjoyable. The waiter was very good and pleasant (which I have not experienced in a long time). I want to go back with a large group - seems like it would be fun.
(4)J F.
great ambiance....good food! Great place for a group. Def will be back!
(4)Carolyn B.
Big Night Entertainment Group knocks it out of the park again! I was fortunate enough to attend the pre opening event and completely fell in love. With venues like Shrine, Scorpion Bar, the Estate, and High Rollers, the bar was set high. Red Lantern exceeded my expectations. Red Lantern has filled a void in the Boston restauraunt scene. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Gerald G.
Had on eo the best dining experience last night, a place with very cool energy. The type of eatery that the South End/ Back Bay has needed for so long. The owner hit it perfect.
(5)Chris H.
First of all, this is a very trendy looking restaurant/lounge. For the prices that they charge, I expected a better meal than what we had. My wife and I went here last night for dinner after purchasing a Travelzoo deal for dinner. It was a Monday night after work so obviously the restaurant is empty besides a couple of other tables. We started off with drinks and they were both good. We started off with the chicken wrap, it was ok, nothing to write home about. We also ordered the crunchy roll, spicy tuna roll and the rock shrimp roll for sushi and an order of the bulgogi. Lets start off with the sushi. The spicy tuna roll has to be the worse spicy tuna roll I have ever eaten and I've been to cheap sushi restaurants that was better than this. The crunchy roll however was delicious. The fatty salmon was smooth and buttery. The rock shrimp roll was mediocre. So now onto the bulgogi if you can even call it bulgogi. Instead of thinly sliced beef, we received slabs and chunks of beef. The coloring on the beef looked suspect so we didn't bother eating it. Parts of it were gray and purplish and it looked like it was cooked from old beef that sat out. The waiter stopped by after we were done eating and noticed that the "bulgogi" was untouched and we told him that it didn't look right. Since this was a Travelzoo deal he wasn't unable to take it off the bill but offered us desert which we declined. For a restaurant that wants to charge hefty prices for entrees, they should at least serve some edible food. Oh yeah, I totally forgot to mention that the kimchee that came with the bulgogi was the worst kimchee ever. It was dry and had no flavor at all. No brininess or spiciness at all. How can you mess up kimchee? I don't think I'll ever go back to Red Lantern or Empire for food. If I ever go back, I would only go there for drinks and that is highly unlikely as well. I left disappointed, I could have spent that $100 elsewhere and enjoy a better meal.
(2)HC F.
Top Knotch Cocktails- I am surprised people complain about the prices- I think it is reasonable- You get what you pay for. Great food! Great Portions! Awesome date night experiance also attended a private party - the service was great and the cocktails flowed!!!
(4)Alz S.
Although the ambiance here was fun, the service was mediocre and the menu was misleading. I expected that by ordering "Drunken Noodles," I would receive exactly that: those wide flat noodles that are spicy and normally fantastic. Instead, I received thinner noodles that were not spicy at all. As an "Asian fusion" restaurant they should take greater care to not mislead drunken noodle enthusiasts. I will not be returning here.
(1)Nuala G.
UPDATE TO THE BELOW REVIEW: My friend contacted the manager regarding the extra tip and he was super nice. Apologized profusely and said that the wait staff are supposed to let customers know when the tip is already included in the bill. She was credited back the extra $80 to her card. For this I have moved my rating to 4 stars! I came here for dinner with a few co-workers. We had made the reservation for 10 people at 5:45pm. We arrived a little late (around 5:55pm), and only had a party of 7 (not 10). In any case the place was dead. The hostess told us to maybe get a drink at the bar as she would have to re-set the table (it took them forever). They were putting us in the corner of the restaurant away from everything else when a friend stepped up and asked if we could sit in the main area of the restaurant (as the decor is so nice). They gave us a huge round table that was way too big for us. In any case we stuck with it. They have a good selection of drinks. I drink beer but my friends had cocktails. A few ordered the scorpion bowl which is for 4 people. They said it was a little too sweet. For apps we ordered egg rolls, lettuce wraps, and lobster rangoons (all were delish). I found they didn't have a good variety for entree's. They had plenty of sushi to order but expensive. I ended up getting the scallop fried rice which was really good (but pretty much a big bowl of carbs). There wasn't much else on the menu that appealed to me. Now this is why I only gave 3 stars. The bill came and it was $350. One girl in our party put it on her credit card. Now I understand when there are groups of 8 or more they automatically add 20% tip. We only had 5 people for dinner (as the other 2 only stayed for a drink then left). My friend added an extra $80 on the tab (not noticing 20% was already on the bill). The waiter didn't say a thing. She only realized this after she had left the restaurant. I told her to call the manager and ask to have the $80 put back on her card. Not sure if she has or not. I was very turned off by this. I think this is a dishonest waiter!! PS. In the past at other restaurants I have made the same mistake and the waitress was so quick to tell me it was already covered.
(4)Mils K.
love the decor and ambience. we weren't' planning to eat there, but rather just start off with drinks then head elsewhere. well, ended up eating here and found it pretty good. the $7 plates on Mondays are a good deal. there signature cocktails are tasty. we had one with siracha. it paired well with the fried rice. wine list just ok sushi was fresh. i think this place is idea for groups. loved the dim lighting, loungey feel with an asian theme.
(3)Glutenfree G.
Great place for drinks and dancing. Not the usual college crowd. Mostly 24+ and professionals.
(4)Jeremy B.
Everything was amazing! Great service!
(5)Aga K.
Soooo my company had a Xmas party there recently and I finally had an opportunity to try maaaaany exciting appetizers and sushi. First I need to mention that service was more than pleasant, very attentive and courteous ! Appetizers kept coming in many forms shapes and flavours...here I have to give A+ to a duck app which was given out in Asian spoons and was a hit on that cold December night. Crab Rangoon was fresh crunchy and very fresh! Finally originally served sushi ... Well my limit is usually 8 rolls but I think I set the new record these evening and had about 12!!!! No regrets tho!
(4)Annie L.
I took my parents here the day after Thanksgiving to take a break from turkey. The room is stylish and impressive, with a sleek design and fashionable staff. We started off with the lobster rangoon and lettuce wraps. The lobster rangoon were great(but I am an admitted rangoon freak...I will always order them if they're an option on the menu), but pricey for little discernible lobster. The lettuce wraps were tasty and plentiful for an app. My father and I both got the surf and turf, which is an 8 oz filet and lobster tail. Very tasty and cooked medium rare as requested. My boyfriend got the bacon-wrapped filet which came out much more medium rare than the requested medium well, but he didn't want to send it back. The lobster mashed potatoes were very tasty. My mom got the hoisin sliced chicken, which was a huge portion, and she found it delicious (after admitting she only really ever gets sweet and sour chicken). We didn't try the sushi at all, but it seemed interesting. It was a fun scene, and I would likely return. We didn't try the scorpion bowls we saw going by, but we were happy with the bottle of wine we had.
(4)