Going out tonight. Looking near Back Bay around Newbury St. Help!

[zh123]

I am taking someone out tonight in the Back Bay area near Newbury Street and I am looking to spend $10-$20 per dish. As of right now I am deciding between Max Brenner, 5 Napkin Burger, or Cafeteria. Which would you choose? And I am 100% open to new ideas if you think there is some place better!

All the help is appreciated!

[Foodie_BBQ]

Please don't go to Max Brenners. The real food was terrible and the desserts were too sweet for my 6 year old. Also, their hot chocolate didn't taste like chocolate. Overdone, underskilled food. There simply must be better than this.

Parish is a great suggestion for this request. I would also add Sonsie - all of the pasta, salads, and pizzas are in the $10-20 range with fish/meat in the $20-30 range (above OPs range, granted).

[nightsky]

What was the union dispute going on with Max Brenner's? There were picketers all while it was being set up.

[tammyh]

Parish Cafe? I haven't looked at CH threads for this place, but I like going to see how creative the sandwich concoctions can get.

[C. Hamster]

I'd also nix those choices,zh123.

Chili Duck
Douzo
Brasserie Jo
Coda
Salty Pig

[hotoynoodle]

add cafe jaffa to this.

[C. Hamster]

Yes, do. It's great.

[mkfisher]

That's a pretty rough list.

Some places you could look at that are a little better: Back Bay Social Club, Sel de la Terre, The Rattlesnake and Tapeo. That list is all over the map in terms of price and atmosphere, but check out the menus and pick one that sounds good.

[hotoynoodle]

getting out of any of these places is tough for under $20. just the burgers are all about $15, and that's without a drink.

[mkfisher]

OP said $10-20 per dish. Also made no mention of drinks. SDLT burger is $14 I believe. Rattlesnake has tons of stuff around $10. You could do 2 tapas each at Tapeo for $15 or so. BBSC has a couple of $14 entrees. Even with a 5 dollar beer at any of these places you're out at $20 before the tip. The one thing that wouldn't work is the BBSC burger, which is priced at a laughable $22

[hotoynoodle]

the last few times i had to eat at the snake and tapeo, i felt like they owed me money, lol.

[mkfisher]

The Rattlesnake does a decent job at serving solid bar food. It's obviously nothing more than that, but there are worse places (see Max Brenner and Cafeteria) to grab a meal.

Tapeo again isn't perfect, but the menu is awfully similar to their new outpost Kika in Kendall Square that has gotten some decent reviews lately.

[LeoLioness]

I've never been and just took a look at BBSC's menu....so the burger is one of the priciest entrees? Weird. Anyone have it?

[hotoynoodle]

they opened during that frenzied time of $20+ burgers all over everybody's "comfort food menus" -- a la post 390, stoddard's, etc. burgers at the most expensive steakhouses are cheaper and made with prime beef.

i refuse to order a burger at that price unless it is cooked by carnivorous pixies and then mama-bird fed to me, bit, by bit.

[tammyh]

how about the "Kenny Mother Effin' Powers" burger at The Gallows??

poutine, burger and pulled pork ... http://blogs.bostonmagazine.com/chowd...

feeds two!

[hotoynoodle]

the sight of that made me faint. good gawd. no thanks! lol.

[Beachowolfe]

The BBSC burger is delicious.

LOL @ hotoy for talking down on something w/o having ever eaten it. Your opinion is useless.

[hotoynoodle]

i made no comment on the quality of the burger, merely that it crosses my line in the sand. <shrugs>. ymmv. more for you then, lol.

[opinionatedchef]

i don't know these places but if no CHs jump in here, you might want to do a CH'search' using the 3 diff restnt names. 5 Napkins has had positives but alot of negs, so beware.