With a palate of rich, jewel-like colors, cushy booth seating, a grand open kitchen, handcrafted light fixtures and magnificent floor to ceiling windows, the artful ambience enhances the universally appealing food. Servers in bistro aprons add to the urbane atmosphere where diners are as welcome in business suits as they are in jeans, or casual and windblown from rowing on the nearby Charles River.
"I was absolutely astounded by the level of service. I loved this place before I had any food. You can tell how great a place is by the bread, and they definitely took their time with that. If you get a chance, try the chirizo flat bread. Good golly Ms. Molly you should try it!"
Dined on 03/29/2013
2011
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"From the tender arancini to what may be the BEST creme brulee I have ever had, the entire evening was fantastic. Outgoing, knowledgeable staff; friendly valet too! Thank you!"
Dined on 03/23/2013
2005
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic
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"The restaurant had overall pretty good service, as our waiter was friendly and attentive. The remainder of our experience was disapointing. The booth we were placed in had an uncomfortable seat on my side. I ordered a cheeseburger that was not very good at all. The meat tasted like a frozen burger patty and was unseasoned. The tomato soup was thick like pasta sauce and not very good. My wife had a flatbread entree that was ok, and my child had a grilled cheese that was the best tasting item on our table. Taking everything into consideration I unfortunately will not be returning."
Dined on 5/12/2013
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"Nice service and kid friendly, good fries, nice pizza. the lobster slider is marginal, and too salty. it does not taste like fresh lobster. the view is pretty and you can carry a conversation without screaming. I would come here again for fries and drinks, but maybe not food."
Dined on 5/10/2013
Special Features: kid-friendly
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"Atmosphere was great; lovely, contemporary interior with lots of personality. Just the right level of noise; personality without being loud. Our food got mixed reviews. Salads were very good - flavorful, fresh, imaginative. Desserts were also really good - we tried bread pudding and creme brulee. Both were excellent. Arancini were heavy and drowned in cheese/sauce, which isn't particularly authentic - more like italian/american cuisine than italian. Entrees were good but nothing to write home about. Scallops were fine but risotto was overcooked + peas were undercooked. T bone steak (cut of the night) was very good. Steak Frites was just OK. All in all a solid experience but not particularly good + probably not worth the price."
Dined on 04/20/2013
2006
Special Features: vibrant bar scene
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"The food was fantastic. We came here for restaurant week and were NOT disappointed. My friend and I split the lobster meal. SO glad we split it! There was so much food! They brought us lobster bisque and lobster sliders. Then we got lobster risotto and topped it off with a creme brulee (the BEST creme brulee I've ever had). Delicious. We will definitely be back."
Dined on 03/28/2013
2012
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"I had 10 people for Easter Brunch including 4 children. The price for the kids was $10.00 and appropriate I thought for the Easter Brunch (and that is why I first chose this restaurant) The adult price was $40 and I didn't feel that the brunch measured up to charge $40. We had a reservation at 1:00 pm and I felt that the food was at its end and to be quite frank it was a rather small brunch for the price. The food was good. Nothing great. The service was good but really by the time we got there things were winding down however if you are going to accept a reservation at a specific time it should have the same abundance and quality of a reservation at 11 am."
Dined on 03/31/2013
2007
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"We came in for Easter Brunch. My salmon eggs benedict was delicious, and the roasted potatoes amazing. My friend loved her salad. My mother got the lamb from the Easter brunch buffet. She said it was cooked perfectly, and loved the rice side dish it came with. The only negative was that there was not a gravy for the lamb, and the rice side dish ran out before she was able to get seconds. Other than that, service was great, we liked the ambiance, and we would all recommend this restaurant!"
Dined on 03/31/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, kid-friendly, special occasion
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"After both hosting meetings and having private meals at the Marlowe and Bambara, I was extremely disappointed with our brunch on Sunday. The server was inattentive - please do not ask your diners how your meal is and turn away half way through asking the question so the response is met with the server's back. The eggs benedict was nondescript, close to hard boiled and appeared to have been under the heatlamp for some time; the burger was ~1/3 smaller than the size of the bun which made it look like the kitchen found the last scraps of meat in the larder; the server forgot to deliver a side order of bacon, and when asked for both it and ketchup, still took ~5-10 minutes to deliver (after having been brought to the wrong table."
Dined on 03/30/2013
2009
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"The Easter Brunch at Bambara was our first experience at the restaurant. Things did not get off to a great start as after we were seated, it took at least 6-7 minutes before a server came over to us (even though we could see several who were not actively waiting on any tables, just chatting to each other). After we were finally greeted, things were okay. The food was good, though we noticed that there were no signs labeling any of the dishes being served at the brunch. It would have been good for example to know what type of meat was in one particular dish (it was lamb) before hand. Also, they kept running out of things like the smoked salmon and then it took a while before those platters were refilled. Overall, very nice atmosphere."
Dined on 03/31/2013
2012
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"Went in for Restaurant Week to try something new and was pleasantly suprised; pretty diverse menu for the event and the food was very good; wasn't too busy that night but server wasn't very attentive to the table so service was mediocre at best; otherwise a very good experience."
Dined on 03/27/2013
2013
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"Noticed the wood table that had crumbs from customers before me. When dessert came , more crumbs on the table and never picked up. The food is ordinary. The sandwiches are like any sandwich, nothing special.
Banana bread pudding was a plain pudding with bananas in cut sizes placed on top of the budding. Ordinary. I was there yesterday at Restaurant Week for lunch.
I ate lunch at Scampo - wonderful at the Restaurant Week"
Dined on 03/25/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups
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"Bambara is a good restaurant. Probably a very Good restaurant. Went for restaurant week. I had a Braised Pork Shank... My gfriend has Fettuccini Bolegnese. Both were really good. Not Earth shattering. Very good place!"
Dined on 03/17/2013
2009
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"This was my second visit to Bambara in 4 years or so. While the service was attentive, the food was just about average. I thought the tomato soup was very good, but the chicken sandwich was just below average. It wasn't especially flavorful nor was it juicy. The condiments used didn't add anything extra to the meal. I am unlikely to return for a meal. I didn't have any drinks so I can't evaluate the selection or the bartender. I may return but it would be to sample the drink selection at the bar."
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"The lobster dinner was a big disappointment. The soup and appetizer were superb. But with bits of lobster in both the bisque and sliders we expected chunks in the risotto. The bits in the risotto were even smaller than in the previous two courses. For a $48 lobster dinner there should be large chunks of claw and tail meat, not the little scraps used in cheap restaurants."
Dined on 03/17/2013
2012
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"We met at Bambara with some friends from southern MA because it was easy to find and convenient parking. The ambiance is okay, the staff friendly and attentive, and the food just ordinary.Three of us had the steak special - adjusted as to sides and the chef was happily accomodating. The steak was flavorful but not particularly tender. The fries were very good. One diner had the cod and he announced it was good, not great. Sorbets were delicious for dessert and a nice selection of flavors. The wine list is limited but good. I would recommend Bambara as a good place to meet if one isn't looking for gourmet food."
Dined on 03/01/2013
2006
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, kid-friendly
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"Valet service was quick, greeting us with a warm "welcome" - efficiently handling all logistics. Amazing how something so well-done sets the tone. '25 mins late, but hostess smiled-handled like a pro. Our server Anna allowed us to linger as long as needed. Restaurant is beautiful; a cozy romantic setting. Anna was excellent-always there when needed,checking on us throughout the evening. Braised Scallops were fantastic as was Helen's Beef Stew. Salads fresh & creative. Deserts were lovely, also beautifully fresh and well-presented. Bill, the manager stopped by to chat, such a warm friendly touch. Upon departure the car was waiting for us without being requested. Kimptons knows how to do it right: a memorable evening, OUR NEW #1 SPOT!!!"
Dined on 02/22/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, late-night find, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, great for lunch, hot spot
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"I've been here a few times and have always had a great experience. Apps and food are always good, and they make great cocktails with fresh ingredients. The ambiance is nice, a little trendy and fun! Check this place out :)"
Dined on 02/15/2013
2008
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"Food was incredibly good. Each of us thoroughly enjoyed our entrees; yellow tail, pot roast and scrod were the picks and all wanted to lick the plate clean! The balance of flavors on the plate was amazing everything making up a deep, complex & satisfying melange. For desert we were surprised by a free sampling of the date cake(pudding) which was incredible, and this from women who are chocoholics, and ordered the chocolate cake to share, but left it unfinished to devour the date confection. The draw back was our waiter who did not listen to us, had to be flagged down energetically to get water and asked how we liked our food soon after it arrived and then disappeared. However, the manager was very solicitous."
Dined on 02/13/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, romantic
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"My wife and I went for the Valentine's Day Prix Fix menu. It was delicious, and there was a lot of food. The service was excellent. Our waiter was very personable and made sure we had a terrific evening. I would highly recommend!"
Dined on 02/14/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, special occasion
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"We stayed over at the Marlowe the weekend of the 2013 blizzard so the staff was limited that weeekend . They did an outstanding job . We sat near a very large and loud table so our dinner was not as quiet as hoped but still a great overall experience . Food was awesome and would definitely recommend and will go again."
Dined on 02/09/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, special occasion
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"Delicious! The guacamole was not as good as usual, which was a huge surprise since it's always been outstanding. I'm assuming this was a very rare exception."
Dined on 02/07/2013
2009
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