Sonsie

Sonsie, nestled in the heart of Boston's Back Bay neighborhood, is a vibrant and bustling restaurant offering a delightful blend of European-inspired cuisine and a chic, inviting atmosphere. Known for its lively ambiance, this iconic spot attracts locals and visitors alike.
Upon stepping inside Sonsie, you're greeted by an energetic atmosphere filled with the buzz of conversation and the clinking of glasses. The restaurant's interior boasts a cozy yet stylish decor, featuring exposed brick walls, candlelit tables, and large windows overlooking Newbury Street, making it an ideal spot for people-watching.
Service at Sonsie is attentive and friendly, adding to the overall enjoyable dining experience. The staff is knowledgeable about the menu and can offer recommendations based on personal preferences.

Our second time here was a freezing cold evening. The hostess asked where we would like to sit. The front had a nice view of the street, but I was concerned about the cold coming in. She went out and closed the outer door so when the interior door opened, we were not cold. I ordered a special: scallops surrounded with French fries. The wait staff made this unusual recommendation. The shrimp dish was excellent.

I had an amazing time at Sonsie. Visited this restaurant a couple days ago for dinner and they had the sweetest waiters. Our waiter was so attentive it was almost as if he never left our side! If our drinks were low he would top us off, he cleared the dishes off right away and always asked if everything was to our liking, all while attending other tables! We never had to wait long or search for him when we needed something. I could go on and on about the service but I'll wrap it up by saying he was the best waiter anyone could ask for. I honestly can't tell you the last time I had such good service.

Now onto the food, we started off with the crispy calamari and pork belly bao. My friend had the pork belly bao and loved it, I had the crispy calamari and it was okay. I felt like it lacked a bit of flavor but the texture was amazing, very crispy. But my friend tried the calamari and liked it so much he got a plate to-go! Later we ordered two steak frites, one 4 each. This was the highlight of my meal. The steak was size-able and palatable if you add a bit of salt and pepper and the fries were good. I even ordered an extra side of fries. At this point we were stuffed but we were having such a good time we didn't want to leave so we moved on to the desert, I got the vanilla ice cream and my friend ordered the chocolate bread pudding. The ice cream was nice, and my friend said the chocolate bread pudding was delightful!

Oh the atmosphere was nice but nothing really stood out to me.

My only regret from this visit is that I didn't take more pictures lol but honestly you should go to Sonsie yourself and enjoy yourself. Hopefully you have a blast like we did. Can't wait to visit again one day.

We had cocktails and dinner last night. The weather was nice and all the windows were open. Such a nice vibe. We started with fried calamari to share. For dinner I had tuna nicoise and my husband had pork Milanese. We also got some crispy fries which were great. All dishes were exactly what we had hoped for. My husband had a Maine beer Lunch which is a favorite of his. Our server was very attentive. Can’t wait to go back!!

We came here for the oyster happy hour and will definitely be back. Great food and value. Our waiter was Dilan and we received exceptional service. He even took the time to recommend things for us to do. We had a great time here and at the museum, thanks!

One of my favorite restaurants in all of Boston. I've dined here a dozen times and always had a great experience. The servers are all super friendly and do a great job. The menu constantly has new options and varies by what is in season. 100% recommend!

Had some wonderful thin mint martinis and a dessert to close out the night - while that was great our wonderful waitress Ariele made it even better. She was amazing with recommendations and cared about our experience - anyone would be lucky to have her as their waitress.

Great night out :)

My group and I came to Sonsie after the 2024 marathon! The manager, Dawn made an announcement in the restaurant that I finished the marathon and the entire restaurant erupted with cheering and applause! Hands down, the best place to go any time, but especially post marathon!!!

Now in its fourth decade, Sonsie is both a success story and a highlight of the Back Bay. It might even be 'iconic' now, given that it is that rare Boston restaurant that is a 'scene,' but it never got too big, too popular or too snobby. My first legal drink in Boston was at Sonsie in 1994. I moved to New York in 1995. Every time I go back to Sonsie, it is pretty much the same excellent New American restaurant that Boston simply didn't have enough of in the early 1990s. New York is full of places like this. Not the case in Boston's Back Bay. This is a prime brunch spot. It is a reliable New American. I would be nutty enough to compare it to other well-known restaurants like News Cafe in Miami Beach or The Odeon in New York. It's now a standard. You tell your friends you got a brunch reservation at Sonsie, no one is going to be disappointed. And when the French doors are open, Sonsie is at its best. I can't recommend this place enough.

I went there multiple times for brunch.
Most plates are very delicious and good in portion. But I did not like their avocado toast style, too much tomato sauce.
Anyway, I d bring anyone visiting Boston to this place for brunch, very safe decision!

Edit April 2023: Apprently they changed the avocado toast, it looks like a more common and delicious combination of ingredients.
Also adding photos of the croque monsieur and blueberry gem salad that we had this time, they were all great.

Great Service, Nice Ambiente and great food. Always a Spot when searching for Lunch or dinner in Boston.

reliable place for dinner, never really have any issues—usually bring visiting friends here. usually a busy and loud place around dinnertime.

If you’re looking for a solid spot to enjoy a meal on Newbury Street, you have to check out Sonsie!

Sonsie has an incredible menu full of international cuisine. They utilize a brick-oven to bake their pizzas and focaccia. The menu is incredibly unique and there is something for everyone!

The menu offers a wide variety from a variety of cuisines. They offer a great selection of small plates on the dinner menu. Fresh oysters and tuna tartare is on the menu for the seafood aficionados!

They also boast about their house-made Gyoza/Dumplings. They have three varieties: pork & ginger, lemongrass chicken, & shiitake mushroom with kale. The gyoza is made fresh in-house! The sesame soy sauce is highly recommended for dipping!

In addition to that, they also offer hand-stretched, brick-oven pizzas and focaccia. If you’re in the mood for a larger meal, they have a solid selection of pastas, seafood, roasted chicken, burgers, and more!

If you’re a dessert person, the menu is a bit limited in that regard. They also have a small selection of soup, salads, and sides.

We decided to stop in to enjoy dinner on their outdoor patio. Unfortunately, they had moved service to inside with the French-doors open. It was like sitting outside, the breeze was phenomenal.

The music was bumping and the bar/restaurant got more busy the later it got! They do offer a late-night menu that consists of their brick-oven pizzas & their House-Made Gyoza Dumplings. They’re one of the few spots in the area that serves this late.

We started with the Crispy Calamari to share. The portion was generous. The Crispy Calamari was cooked perfectly, not overdone or chewy like many places. It was served with giardinaire and a cucumber-yogurt sauce.

The cucumber-yogurt sauce truly elevated the dish. I actually requested our server complement the chef, as it was a new twist on the menu item. We LOVED it.

We also ordered a “Margherita” pizza to share. The pizzas here are hand-stretched and baked in a brick oven. I have never seen a crust so thin, it is phenomenal!

They utilize house-made, fresh mozzarella on the pizza. The sauce is fresh san marzano tomato. They finish it off with fresh basil. A typical pizza here is six-slices.

Their beverage/mixology program is also spectacular. We both ordered “The Dana”. Citron vodka, lemoncello crema in a glass with a sugar rim. The drink hit all the right notes, incredibly smooth and delicious. Mixed perfectly!

The service was top-notch. The waitress was excellent, always ensuring we were well taken care of and that our water glasses stayed full. She was quick and efficient. She even checked to ensure nobody had any food allergies. Due to the amazing service AND food, we will certainly make this one of our regular spots! The service is spectacular!

The service and quality of the food TRULY earned 5-Stars. If you’re looking for a late night bite & a solid beverage, they’re open until 1AM on Saturdays!

Great restaurant on upper Newbury Street. Try to go on a warm evening-the entire front of the restaurant opens to the street! The calamari was delicious. I really liked the Pork Milanese with greens. And they have Maine Beer Company’s Lunch-what beer drinking person doesn’t love that!

Amazing breakfast pizza and good drinks. Sat in the back. Had great service this place is definitely worth checking out. We got there before 10 by the time we left the whole front was full.

We had such a wonderful dinner at Sonsie! The Mee Krob Thai Noodles were incredible - I will be dreaming of them for months! Menu has great variety (with plenty of gf options), and everything we tried/shared was fantastic. Great cocktails and wine options. Atmosphere is sophisticated but laidback, vibe is lively but not rowdy. Service was impeccable. This will a a must-do for us when we are in Boston!

Great light fare, great atmosphere, great service. I ordered a bunch oysters, drinks, and just enjoyed people-watching. Ana was wonderful. The perfect place for drinks and food before shopping on Newbury!

The food exceeded both our expectations! Definitely on the pricier end but worth the experience. The ambiance inside was perfect for a date—the lighting, setup, etc! We ordered the tuna tartare, autumn pizza, and roasted bone marrow all of which were SO good.
We especially liked the autumn pizza which had a lot of flavorful, unique toppings which went well with the super thin crust. The tuna tartare was also extremely fresh and the dressing was delicious! Super impressed overall.
The service was especially slow despite there not being many customers, but our server was very nice.

Great music soundtrack and the service is top-notch.

Came for breakfast on Father's Day and the food was delicious. Specifically, the french toast was amazing, I'd highly recommend if you're a french toast fan! We also ordered the Croque Monseur, which was a fun try but not the best thing on the menu in our opinion!

Unfortunately, the service was slow but they were very friendly people! A must-try if you're visiting Newbury Street and I'd definitely come back.