Review: Amar

What were your first impressions when you arrived?

If someone still thinks that Boston is all Dunkin' and Marky Mark, take them here. There's a reason that international luxury brand Raffles chose Boston for its debut North America location in 2023. Located just off the 17th story lobby, this glittering, sexy space offers truly epic views of the John Hancock tower and surrounding cityscape. Real estate aside, the opening of Amar is truly a special moment for Boston: it's a homecoming for chef George Mendes, a New England native who earned his Michelin stars after an illustrious career in New York City; and it also represents the first time that Portuguese cooking is represented in Boston's fine dining scene.

What’s the crowd like?

It's a glamorous crowd filled with jet setters, date nighters, and anyone looking to sample chef Mendes' buzzworthy fare. Tables are generously spaced from each other, so even when the dining room is at capacity, your meal feels like almost like a semi-private experience.

What should we be drinking?

Cocktail lovers, beer enthusiasts, and oenophiles alike will be pleased. The tight cocktail list integrates Portuguese spirits where possible, such as Amarguinha almond liqueur and Ginjinha berry liqueur. Beers include several locally made craft favorites like Night Shift Brewing and Maine Beer Company. And the robust wine list—which features a number of options by the glass—skews European, and more specifically skews Portuguese. There are also two exquisite cocktails on the menu, as well as a non-alcoholic IPA from Athletic Brewing.

Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss.

Chef Mendes cooks with authenticity, heart, and the kind of obsessive attention to detail that a Raffles-endorsed restaurant would demand. Yes, he cares about sourcing the best Rohan duck and the best grass-fed beef, but he also cares about finding the best olive oils and fleurs de sel that accompany each piece of house-made sourdough. His menu ranges from the inventive (such as Uni Toast with Maine sea urchin, cauliflower and shiso on milk bread), to the just-perfectly-prepared traditional (such as the Arroz de Mariscos for two, a Portuguese take on paella).

And how did the front-of-house folks treat you?

At a time when so many restaurants everywhere propagate a type of service that's meant to be warm and familiar, it feels refreshing to experience the fine-tuned, carefully-cultivated precision of Amar's service. Waters are refilled in the blink of an eye, and crumbs carefully scraped off the table between courses. You'll be ready to throw down your 20% (maybe more) without hesitation.

What’s the real-real on why we’re coming here?

The cuisine, the service, and the atmosphere here are pure poetry. In many ways, Amar represents what Boston is all about: that without embracing the past, there would be no way to arrive at such a wondrous—and utterly delicious—present.