311883 Mon Jul 24 17:42:07 -0700 2006 10 12 Boston Area 0 1763564 Visiting from LA on biz -- looking for a great place where solo diners feel comfortable. Best sushi always works but other alternatives welcomed. Thanks in advance. Mon Jul 24 17:42:07 -0700 2006 14327 glengarry 1 1763594 Tons of great places to dine solo comfortably at the bar. In what part of town are you staying? Mon Jul 24 17:51:34 -0700 2006 1763564 10143 MC Slim JB 1 1763714 Some of the spots where I go and dine solo are B&G Oysters in the South End or Douzo for sushi. I often sit at the bar with friends at the Butcher Shop or Hamersley's, both also in the South End and both usually have people dining solo. Mon Jul 24 18:31:18 -0700 2006 1763564 12702 lissy 1 1763774 Good ideas above. I would add three Cambridge choices. Rendezvous and Central Kitchen in Central Square and the Blue room in Kendall Square. Mon Jul 24 18:52:57 -0700 2006 1763564 21331 BostonZest 1 1764063 Uni is a great small sushi bar. Here's a good review with pics: http://oad.typepad.com/oa/2005/12/uni_is_the_best.html#more Mon Jul 24 20:12:46 -0700 2006 1763564 18264 steinpilz 2 1766534 Is it me, or are those photos from Uni some of the most unappetizing ones I have ever seen? I've never been to Uni, so I don't know if it's a combination of the plating and the photo quality, or both. Tue Jul 25 19:12:46 -0700 2006 1764063 13295 a l i c e 3 1767685 That's from an interesting blog, by an entertainment-industry guy who routinely drops $500 on dinner, and documents it all. He travels a lot, spends a lot of time in high-end restaurants, and has very strong, snotty opinions. He doesn't come across as a very nice man (did I mention he's on the non-talent side of show business?), but his food and wine reviewing is plenty entertaining, some of it reflecting real knowledge and passion. The bad photos he probably takes himself with his phone or a consumer-grade camera he totes around for the purpose. Despite the crappy photos, I think Uni does a very nice job, though I don't consider it the best restaurant in Boston, as this guy does. It offers high-quality sashimi, including a lot of ingredients and combinations you don't see very often, at very high prices. It's not at all hard to drop $100 on a meal for one here. I have to say I no longer enjoy dining or cocktails at the bar at Clio, as the Uni odors waft upstairs, not pleasant if you're not sitting at the sashimi bar downstairs. Wed Jul 26 03:36:44 -0700 2006 1766534 10143 MC Slim JB 1 1766482 Fugakyu in Brookline Village for sushi. In Back Bay, you should be good at Davio's bar at Arlington St and Stuart St. Tue Jul 25 18:56:08 -0700 2006 1763564 17228 adams_jo 1 1767302 I often eat alone at the bar at 224 in Dorchester, the Japanese places in Porter Exchange and the Upstairs on the Square. For lunch the bar at Harvest in Harvard Sq and Les Zygomates near South Station are nice. Love Hamersley's too but would caution against the Butcher Shop on Fri/Sat due to the Bacherlorette Party cackle that seems to erupt from you fellow diners. Wow, I look really lonely! Look at all the places I eat at by myself! sniff sniff. Wed Jul 26 00:04:01 -0700 2006 1763564 20717 sailormouth 1 1767459 Thanks for all the recs. Only 1 night to eat out, so I tried Hamersley's. Very good meal. Grilled fresh sardines with just the right amount of garlic to accent the fish, followed by fresh tasty King Salmon with the nut in the almond risotto. All with a nice glass of crisp Chablis. When I got there, the bar was crowded, so I ate at one of the 2 tables in the bar area. By halfway thru the meal, I had the whole bar area to myself. All in all, very nice and friendly service. Thanks again. Wed Jul 26 01:31:00 -0700 2006 1763564 14327 glengarry 2 1767652 Sounds like you made a very good choice. Thanks for the update, and for asking for recs. Wed Jul 26 03:19:47 -0700 2006 1767459 18264 steinpilz