Alcove — Restaurant in Boston

We recently visited Alcove, a modern American restaurant on Lovejoy Wharf in Boston’s West End, to celebrate our anniversary. With its warm ambiance, stunning views of the Zakim Bridge, and convenient location near TD Garden, it was the perfect setting for a special evening. The staff made our night even more memorable by surprising us with complimentary Prosecco—a thoughtful touch that set the tone for an exceptional dining experience.

One of the things we loved about Alcove was the menu’s smaller plate options, which made it easy to try several dishes and share them around the table. We started with the Grilled Octopus, which was tender, smoky, and perfectly cooked, though we wished the portion was a bit larger for the price. The Prosciutto Bites were an instant favorite, offering a fun twist on mozzarella sticks, with salty prosciutto wrapped around gooey, melty cheese. The Confit Duck Leg was a standout, cooked to perfection with rich, fall-off-the-bone tenderness, while the Alcove Wings were flavorful and easy to enjoy. The Alcove Burger was fresh and hearty, complemented by some of the best crispy, golden fries we’ve had in a while. Another highlight was the Shrimp + Pork Dumplings, served in a French onion broth that was so rich and savory it elevated the entire dish.

The cocktails were just as impressive. We enjoyed a perfectly balanced Cosmopolitan, and the Autopilot—a creative mix of bourbon, pumpkin jam, and egg white—was smooth, seasonal, and delightful.

While a few dishes, like the octopus, felt slightly overpriced, the opportunity to sample and share so many expertly crafted plates made the overall experience well worth it. Alcove’s inviting atmosphere, thoughtful service, and high-quality food and drinks make it an excellent choice for any occasion. Whether you’re heading to TD Garden or simply looking for a memorable dining experience with a view, Alcove is a spot we...

Was initially very excited about trying Alcove out. We went on a blazing hot sunny day and were seated in a corner (away from everyone else) without an umbrella. There were 6 of us (including a 7 year old and my INFANT child). Everyone else was seated in shadier areas with umbrellas. I immediately asked for an umbrella because sitting under the hot sun was not an option for us. They were able to grab us one, however given that we were a larger group, the umbrella barely covered half of us.

We looked around and noticed there were 4 umbrellas not being used and asked if it was possible to give us 1 more. The hostess got really snappy with us and said the policy is 1 per table (although we were a larger group of people) and that they need those umbrellas for people who sit there. I found that odd considering she was more than willing to seat us (the ONLY brown people there at the time) at a table WITHOUT an umbrella in the first place. We asked to speak with the manager and she (also in a snappy way) repeated the policy. So by then we had just ordered drinks and decided we would get the bill and eat elsewhere since they weren’t being accommodating at all.

The more I thought about it, the more upset I got with the stupid policy and realized the RACIAL DYNAMICS at play. The hostess and manager where white and we were Latinx. They probably thought we weren’t going to tip well so they didn’t even bother to be accommodating. I’m so glad we ended up down the street where we were treated EXPONENTIALLY BETTER and tipped our awesome waitress 22%.

We will not be returning to Alcove ever again and I’ll be sure to let everyone I know about the terrible service we received. The ONLY reason I’m rating it a 2 and not a 1 is because the sangria was decent and that was about the ONLY...

I’m not going to argue that Alcove’s food is great because I ‘like’ it… who am I?

Everybody has their own sense of taste, their own cultural roots and preferences - but - I know enough to say that the cuisine is eclectic and genius, and visionary. Whoever is behind the design of this cooking, the range of wisdom that goes into its creation, knows very well what they’re doing, has been around, maybe the globe, and has talent, a smart palate and a wide palette, and divine sense of balance in taste and ingredients.

On a summer evening, nice weather, around sunset, the experience is peak and sublime. Unforgettable.

My only quibbles are the pushiness of the establishment in 2 ways - one, given that it’s basically a tapas place (small plates), the menu has advice to order 3-4 plates per person. OK, if it was a typical tapas place where you get one scallop or 2 chicken wings, or one pork rib - but each plate is about as much as a main dish in Paris or Tokyo. 3 large scallops, six healthy wings, 5 ribs (or so). They seem to assume that all Americans are either gluttonous or wealthy (we are neither). For our family of 3 adults (college kid), we ordered 2 meat, 2 fish, 2 veggie. Every plate was better than the next, and we could barely finish. Next time, 3 plates for 2 of us is going to do the trick.

The other quibble is, they’ve enclosed a large chunk of outdoor space, ringed with planters and pub lights, on Lovejoy Wharf. Speaking as a neighborhood person who passes by there on the regular, it seems they’re biting off quite a chunk of what appears to be public space, or possibly a right-of-way. They could pull it in a touch and not be appearing to block pedestrian traffic quite as much as they do. Highly...