Kaia — Restaurant in Boston

New Mediterranean spot with stunning ambiance, but flavors that need refining.

As the latest gem in Xenia Hospitality’s portfolio, Kaia arrived with high expectations—especially for people like me who have long admired their other restaurants. Drawing inspiration from the Aegean region, Kaia aims to transport diners to the sun-soaked shores of Santorini, with a menu featuring grilled fish and seafood dishes. The ambiance certainly captured the Mediterranean dream, but sadly, the flavors were slightly off.

With fond memories of Bar Vlaha’s taramosalata, we couldn’t resist starting with the bread and taramosalata duo. The bread was great—pillowy and warm, with a hint of oregano that gently unfurled across the palate. The taramosalata, however, was way too salty. While its creamy texture and rich carp roe flavors were pleasant, the saltiness was overwhelming, and it was hard to imagine pairing it with caviar without completely drowning out the delicacy.

The following two dishes, Lamb Carpaccio and Sea Bream Crudo, were the highlights of the meal. In the former, the lamb’s delicate, creamy softness was elevated by a subtle mustard fragrance, which added just the right amount of heat and acidity. Nestled in a lightly sweet squash broth, the sea bream crudo showcased its pristine quality, while nutty toppings and a pop of blueberry created an utterly satisfying combo.

Of the mezze we ordered, only thing good was the Dakos. The combination of earthy beets and sweet persimmon initially seemed unremarkable, but the vegan feta surprisingly tied the flavors together with its creamy texture. While it lacked the briny punch of traditional feta, its subtlety added an elegance to the dish.

The Squid was satisfying but uninspired—a straightforward pairing of squid and tomato sauce. The Cod Cheeks, on the other hand, seemed interesting with seaweed and Kritamo-infused foam, but the execution went off course; the dish was overwhelmingly salty. The Lamb Gyro was perhaps the most disappointing. While the lamb’s crispy edges were nice, it didn’t justify the price tag. For what was essentially a standard gyro, I couldn’t help but feel I could have had something equally satisfying (and far less costly) from street carts in New York.

The Pogoto was thankfully the perfect finale to the meal. The roasted berries and wine sauce brought a rich, velvety depth that paired beautifully with the light, icy texture of the ice cream. The Loukoumades, however, were mediocre. If I return, it would likely be to try their grilled fish, which seems more promising. As for the mezze, I’m not convinced they’re worth a...

Kaia certainly lived up to my expectations.

Walked up and had the door opened for me and my group, immediately greeted and sat down at our tables. Huge tables so nothing is crowded (I personally love this, especially if there are big dishes, which there are). Lighting is brighter than I imagined. Comfortable Seating as well.

Service is one of their best traits at this restaurant. Everyone is making sure you’re comfortable and organized. They’ll make sure to keep your water glass full, your napkin folded and your hunger satisfied. The detail is hard to not notice.

Let’s talk about the food. Everything was delicious and gone in less than 2 minutes after being placed on our table…. Lol

The menu is split up into Caviar, Raw, Meze, Whole fish and Dessert. Very authentic. Amazing presentation. Cooks know what they’re doing, that’s very clear.

Here’s what I got:

Raw: -Crudo (daily preparation): Extremely fresh, great way to start your meal.

Meze: -Kopanisti (Smokey flavor, exceeded expectations) -Broccolini: Aioli was mouthwatering. -Potato: So goodddd, I needed more though… -Lobster: Can see this being one of their bestsellers. Really good, get the full… you’ll want it. -Octopus: Perfectly done.

Whole fish: -Grilled fish: Honestly, I need one for myself alone. This was one of my favorite things I’ve gotten in Boston for seafood. They caught up a fresh herb bouquet on it with a lemon butter sauce. Actually spectacular. Definitely get this.

*Need to try the Caviar section next time I’m back.

Now, of course Drinks/ Wine. You genuinely can’t be here and not get a drink. The wine director did his big one. Incredible selection. Such flavorful and quality wine /cocktails. Need to work my way through their drink/ wine list.

Wrapping up with Dessert. “You could come here and just get the dessert and you’d be satisfied.” I remember hearing that before I had even arrived at the restaurant. Here to say, I agree.

Rich, light, creamy, mouth watering. All of the above. Need all of them right now tbh. Special shout out: Loukoumades and Kormos. I have to try the others …

Overall, Kaia is giving these other restaurants a run for their money. Really great Greek food. Service and detail. Details all the way from when you walk in, sit down, go to the bathroom and leave). I’d recommend for a night out with Family, With Clients and Date night. Price is right for the level of quality but get ready to spend!!

Randy was our server, he did an excellent job at making sure we were taken care of, thank you...

I had a disappointing experience at Kaia with my party of 3. This started with what I thought was a misleading reservation process through opentable. You first pick the date/time, and then select from the available options for types of tables. When I did this, I saw just one option available, which said "Outdoor" in black font and "Patio Bar" in grey font. I (mistakenly) assumed that with this single option displayed, that all indoor seating was taken, and that the only available option was a table outside at the area called "Patio Bar." Instead, this meant that it was literally a reservation at the bar in the patio, and that all of the high top and lounge tables in the patio were taken too. Honestly I'm surprised they are even reserving bar seats, which are usually first-come first-served at most places. Moreover, why would they offer reservations for more than 2 people at the bar. It makes no sense for a group of 3+ to sit at the bar.

Once we sat down, I then learned that this patio bar is probably the least comfortable bar that I have sat at in my life. It looks great, but there is very little space from the edge of the counter to the bar itself, giving you maybe 3 inches of leg room (not nearly enough). This ergonomic situation, coupled with the difficulty of trying to have a conversation with my friends while sitting in a row at the bar, led us to scooch our seats out a little bit and turn inwards. We were then assertively told we needed to push back in due to "fire safety issues" (which is a little odd given that we were in a completely open patio area with multiple exit points to the outside world). I therefore spent the dinner unable to hear my friends, and with my knees shoved against this ridiculous bar.

As for the positives, everything we ate was as good as I would have expected. The ambiance was also great, both in the patio area and inside. The prices are high, but not more than other similar restaurants in Boston.

I would be willing to return, but would strongly recommend that they provide more clarity on their reservation platform, with descriptions of what people are booking. For example, when picking "patio bar," specify that these will be "seats at the bar." In my opinion, the bar really should be first-come first-served, especially since you need to put a credit card down for a reservation, and if you realize that it's too uncomfortable for you, you're...