Field & Vine

I've been on a fine dining rampage lately, and when I saw pictures of Field & Vine, it looked promising. As soon as you see the entrance, you can already tell that this is a unique restaurant. The inside is dimly lit, creating an intimate, sophisticated ambiance. The centerpiece is the vines that loop the open bar/kitchen. The plates are tapas, and our server recommended five dishes for two people. - Scallop tostada: The raw scallops were fresh but on the smaller side. The flavors were well balanced, and the crunchy tostada nicely juxtaposed the soft scallops. - Beef tartare: The beef tartare was also fresh, but there wasn't that much for the price. It came with a bowl of house chips, which tasted fine, but the ratio of chips to beef tartare could have been better. - Cheddar scallion cornbread: This is supposedly the crowd favorite. The cornbread was very soft and had a nice flavor, but I don't think it compares to the black sea cornbread from Sarma, which I had eaten recently and is now my standard for cornbread. I liked the miso butter more than the actual cornbread. - Smoked beets: I liked the sweetness of the beets and the crunch of the sunchoke chips. I didn't really taste the almond coffee cream. - Grilled swordfish: This was the main dish and a huge letdown. It was very bland and not worth the price. I would have rather paid for two smaller plates instead. For dessert, we ordered the ice cream sandwich and the lemon verbena panna cotta. I liked both, but the ice cream sandwich was definitely the star of the night. The cocoa nib macaron was crumbly but had a nice bite, and the semifreddo was delicious. I also liked that it came with two, which made it easy to share. Service: This is what made me debate between 3 stars vs. 4. Our server was friendly and frequently checked in on us throughout the night. However, it reached a point where we kept being asked if we were done with our plates, which clearly still had food on them, which made it obvious that we were being rushed. Reservations are booked for 2-hour stays, and we were less than 1.5 hours in at that point and working on our final bites. There were also others around us who had been seated before us and were still eating, but it was too loud to hear if they were getting the same treatment. We were mindful of the time limit and were pacing ourselves accordingly, so it didn't feel great to be rushed like that. Additionally, there is a 20% gratuity that gets automatically added, which didn't sit well because it allows for situations as described above. I always tip, and I don't have any qualms about the kitchen administration fee, as that is becoming the norm, but an automatic gratuity regardless of party size is not common. Overall, Field & Vine didn't meet my expectations, but I do think the interior is special, and I enjoyed the ice cream sandwich so much that I would recommend this place just so others can try that one dish.

Excellent food here, with a wide variety of different flavors, some of which I couldn't even identify on my own! Excellent spot if you are looking to try many things, or if you want to have a good time with friends or family. I would have never known that this establishment was here if it weren't for the raving reviews online. The only issue was that the music was quite loud, which made it difficult for me as a hard of hearing person. TLDR: Would definitely go here again, It's a great spot.

Wow! We have to say that is the best dinner in Boston we’ve had to-date. The service was great, ambience was great, and the food!!! Excellent. It seemed every course got better and better as the evening went on. Sadly, we were too full for dessert this trip but we will be back. Specific standouts were the delicata squash, the sweet potato, monkfish schnitzel, and the cider pork! Thank you for a wonderful evening. I hope the staff knows they are appreciated, they deserve it.

Really good food made with local ingredients. They have a special wine in support of locals (this one was Vermont's). Very busy, we sat at the bar and could see that everyone was working at speed and 'waltz' around each other in a tight space. Great venue, excellent service (who gave us extra help on menus when needed). cornbread, pork chops and fish schnitzel were particularly outstanding!

Don’t be off-put by the alley entrance or the grunge decor. It’s about the food. And the food here is unique, fun, and delicious. The menu items reflect the chef's version of something you may be familiar with. For example, we had Chedder Scallion Cornbread with miso butter. Nothing like any cornbread in the South – but wonderful. We also had Tomato Tart and Monkfish Schnitzel. We sat at the bar overlooking the kitchen and our server was terrific. Give it a try.

Simply one of the best meals that I've had in Boston! Field & Vine is a farm-to-table, small plates New American restaurant tucked away in a corner of Union Square in Somerville. Each of the eight dishes we ordered was delicious, creative, and unique; the service was perfect; and the decor was beautiful. Do your best to try as much of the menu as possible (including the desserts) - the menu changes often, so a given dish may not be available the next time you visit.