The Boston Sail Loft

I love this place! Every time I come to Boston to the waterfront I come to this place. The service is fast their food is always good and their prices are pretty good for a restaurant in Boston.

Ok. Disappointed. It’s not a nice place. It’s very casual! Very casual, yet prices are high end? We ordered bloody Mary’s and the celery was not even standing up… it looked dead/sad…we sent them back. We ordered calamari, clam chowder, seafood portofino, and a steamed lobster. The calamari and chowder were good… nothing special though. My portofino had waaaaay too many capers in it bc it was salty. I would order it with half the amount of capers. My hubby’s lobster was over cooked and rubbery. I mean come on, you’re on the harbor… cook the lobster right. We spent $ 100. I wouldn’t be mad if the place wasnt so two faced with it’s image. It seems beautiful and nice and you walk in and it’s just casual but then expensive? Idk… if you’re looking for a casual day lunch of fish and chips with a beer this place will do… anything outside of that… it won’t work. I gave 3 stars bc the server and managers were very nice and wonderful to us.

As everyone has said. Amazingly delicious chowder. The atmosphere is casual and cozy, right on the water. However when we were there it was so dark and they didn’t turn the lights up so it felt like a back room bar room. Their selection for on tap beer was also a bit disappointing.
I had a chicken Caesar salad which was so-​so. My boyfriend had the lobster Mac and cheese with a side salad which he said was very good. Rich & creamy & full chunks of meat, including 2 whole lobster claws. You get bread with your meal which was very good.
Our waitress was sweet but neglected us at points. Didn’t really check in to see if we needed anything, we had to flag her down a few times.
Overall, pretty average experience. We will definitely be back for their knock-​out chowder & casual waterfront atmosphere, probably during the day for lunch, it’s not really a dinner spot for us.

The place is cozy and lovely, the staff are really nice and the service is prompt! The food though is just OK, except for clam chowder which is GREAT!

The triple platter is a steal– I would get this every time I come in. The portion size is large, and the buffalo tenders are super saucy. Tried the clam chowder soup. It was alright but I thought I had too much of a certain taste to it (maybe it was chives? I don’t remember bc it was months ago). The steak was decent, they def over cooked it though. Mushrooms went well with it and the fries were on point.
Sat at the bar so I can’t speak too much about the service. Bartenders were nice though

Five stars is a direct reflection of the staff. We had a party of 6 adults and 2 children and were killing time before our friends flight. They had 2 possible tables that had received their checks but were taking their time. Fine with us as we walked the neighborhood it being 68 degrees on the day after thanksgiving. It took these tables an hour to leave and the staff couldn’t have been more apologetic or helpful. They bought a round of drinks and put our order in ahead of time. Cajun chicken sandwich was the fish and chips were awesome. View of inner harbour is beautiful

Service was terrible. Our waitress was constantly at the station with the other employees.
The lobster on top of my fish entrée tasted like paint.

This place had one of the best clam chowders I have ever had in my life! The food is a bit over priced but huge portions, delicious food, and friendly service make it worth it! I’ll definitely be back when in Boston.

A very unassuming seafood joint in the North End. We had the to try the chowder, of course. And being new to Boston, I’ve quickly learned you can throw a rock and hit a place that claims to have «Boston’s best chowder.» However this place actually lived up to the hype. It’s served in an overflowing mug with oyster crackers. It’s the first time I’ve ever not added pepper to my chowder. This one is nicely seasoned. For entrees we ordered fish and chips and steamed lobster with mussels. The fish and chips were good, but the fries were actually the highlight! Get fries here people! As far as the lobster, for $ 23 (special for Monday) it was a steal. It was a good size and very fresh. I assumed I’d have a small size of mussels but there was a huge portion! Also very fresh, no gritty-​ness to then at all. Top it all off with Sam’s Oktoberfest on tap, and it felt like the start to a perfect New England fall.

Highlights:
— Friendly staff and prompt service
— Clam chowder. This is the clam chowder that should be the face of Boston.
— French fries: so crispy and the perfect amount of potatoes inside.
This is a ‘bar and café’ according to the restaurant. It’s a little confusing on that end since we were enjoying our nice Saturday lunch by the windows (the ‘café’ part). And just 10 feet away there was a large (and loud) crowd by the bar enjoying their drinks. But I couldn’t hate on that because the food was just so good.
This is a small restaurant, with an even smaller restrooms. The establishment lives up to its Sail Loft name — highly recommend a charming Boston experience (seafood, clam chowder, loud people, access to alcohol, and old buildings).

Decided to check this place out to taste their infamous clam chowder. Ever since my traumatic experience at 3Buoys Seafood Shanty & Grille in Portland, ME, I became very skeptical when it comes to any restaurant that claims to make delicious clam chowder. But my wife remembered tasting their chowder in the past and not being that bad so we decided to give this place a try despite my high skepticism. When we arrived at the restaurant, I wasn’t too thrilled by the way it looked on the outside. There weren’t any fancy decorations or signs that attracted you to the restaurant. However, when we went inside, we were immediately greeted and led to our table. Our waitress was super friendly, polite, and very helpful.
I ordered the fried clam plate (market price and it came about to be $ 29.99). My wife ordered the fish sandwich which was only about $ 10. We both shared a bowl of clam chowder. I was really impressed with their clam chowder. It was super thick, I tasted actual clams in every bite, and it was very flavorful. It was so very delicious YUM! (3Buoys, THIS IS HOW YOU MAKE CLAM CHOWDER!!!)
I enjoyed my fried clam plate as well. Clams were huge and I was actually pretty full by the end of my meal. I thought it was a bit overpriced at $ 29.99 but because it tasted so good, I didn’t mind paying that. My wife’s fish sandwich was also on the spot as well.
Overall, I really enjoyed my dining experience at TBSL and I will most definitely be coming back to try their other dishes!!!

Had lunch there and enjoyed the view of the harbor. We had the lobster roll and the Cajun combo. Both were very good. Service was good also.

The food was delicious. Service was great. Its right on the water so you’re also paying for the location. I’d go again and get the whole bowl of clam chowder next time. Yum!

Nice view, didn’t try the food but still enjoyed going with friends while they had a few beers !
The only thing I didn’t like its very small place ! And if your sitting at the bar where they hang there glasses is awfully dirty and has grease smug in everything from the seafood ! Also staff was eating while was working they where eating where the bartender makes the drinks and drops it off for the waiters ! After seeing them eating and working at the same time putting food in get mouth then touching someone’s order that’s why we didn’t eat anything there very unprofessional !

We thought this place was perfect! We just wanted a little lunch before our ferry ride. This restaurant was recommended to us by our Über driver and we are glad we went.
Food was excellent. The clam chowder is a must.
If you’re in the area and love seafood you should stop in!
Service was a lil slow but other than that no complaints.

Steps to give any guest a bad experience.
1. Forget to write down our reservation.
2. Assure you’ll get us in at reservation time, seat us 25 min after.
3. In front of your patrons bus their used glass, rinse it in cold water and… wait for it… HANG IT RIGHT BACK UP!!! LOOK AT ALL THE GLASSES HANGING IN FRONT OF YOU AT THE BAR. AT LEAST 30% OF THEM HAVE LIP MARKS ON THEM! Is that not one of the most disgusting things you’ve ever heard? If they do that in front of you can you imagine what they do in the kitchen? Ugh. Makes me shudder.

Umm… I think this has to be the best restaurant I’ve ever been to in Boston. Came here while visiting Boston with my family and I can’t forget it. The place is kind of small, but we were able to get seated right away with reservations. The service is amazing; the waiters are all so nice. And of course, the food was amazing too!
Our family ordered calamari and mussels as the appetizer. OMG I have never seen a restaurant give so many mussels, and they were all delicious! We ordered clam chowder too and I’m not a big fan of clam chowder but this one was really good. It wasn’t too salty or too creamy. it was just perfect. And they give you a lot too! For the main entrée, we ordered lobsters, a fried seafood plate and a grilled seafood plate. The lobster was amazing! I couldn’t stop thinking about the lobster and kept talking about it even after I left Boston. I wanna go back and have some again.

You never knew how much you needed clam chowder in your life until after you’ve eaten this one. I had clam chowder at Union the night before, and my expectations were low on what to expect.
Now this… I never knew this is how clam chowder is supposed to taste! They offset the richness by dumping tons and tons of dill in it, so you could eat this cup forever and not notice until all of its cream and fat glued straight to your butt and thighs. Super thick and rich with tons of clams.
Got the lobster roll, and while it is slightly smaller in size, there wasn’t much filler at all or tons of sauce– it was a purist’s lobster roll, and it was served with fresh fries.
My Amiga got the lobster Mac and cheese, and it was delicious. Not too oversalted, a bread crumb crust on top, and a little gooey. (Even more gooey would be preferable, but it was fantastic.)
I definitely ate every bite of both my soup and entrée. It hurt, but it hurt sooooo good. Will be back.

Excellent dinner! Make sure you make reservation. Very popular with locals and tourists. Highly recommend the single lobster (1 ¼ lb) with the mussels.
Restaurant is on the wharf with great view.

Love this place — a slice of Cape Cod in the middle of Boston. The staff is really friendly, the food is great and the drinks are stiff.
I recommend the fish sandwich and the chowder is really good too.
They also have a juke box that you can play thru an app on your phone.
Perfect place to sit by the window, catch a sea breeze and enjoy some fish!