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Banyan Bar + Refuge, Boston, MA

Banyan Bar + Refuge

4.7
4.7
1367 Reviews
$31 to $50
Asian

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 28 times today
  • Good for groups
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Neighborhood gem
Indulge in a captivating culinary journey at Banyan Bar + Refuge, a fusion of Southeast Asian and New England flavors. Our menu boasts a tantalizing array of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy creations that promise to delight your palate. Immerse yourself in a delightful atmosphere filled with great music and a relaxed ambiance as you enjoy the historic South End.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Asian, Gastro Pub
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (617) 556-4211
  • Website
    http://www.banyanboston.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Private party facilities
    For pricing, and availability please inquire through our website.
  • Location
    553 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116
  • Neighborhood
    South End
  • Cross street
    Clarendon Street
  • Parking details
    Street parking is available.
  • Public transit
    Back Bay
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Menu

Snacks To Start

  • Korean Carrot Salad$8.00

    gochujang, sesame, lime

    • Edamame$8.00

      Garlic-soy

      • Shishito Peppers$10.00

        Ponzu, furikake

        • Smashed Cucumbers

          Ginger-soy sauce, chili crisp, lemon

          • French Fries$6.00

            Sea Salt

            • Marinated Tofu Feta$8.00

              Miso, lemon, herbs, EVOO

              Cold Plates

              • Ahi Tuna Crispy Rice$20.00

                ahi tuna, crispy rice cakes, sriracha, scallions, unagi sauce

                • Ahi Tuna Tartare $20.00

                  raw ahi tuna, pickled mango, avocado, chips

                  • Thai Shrimp Ceviche Lettuce Wrap (gf)$18.00

                    shrimp, lettuce, garlic, cilantro, onion, lime, peanut, soy

                    • Miso Caesar Salad (gf*, vg)$16.00

                      Napa cabbage, kale, miso caesar dressing, parmesan, cured egg yolk, breadcrumbs

                      • Snow Pea Salad$15.00

                        Butter lettuce, watermelon + french radish, tofu "feta", sesame-ginger dressing

                        Hot Plates

                        • Salt + Pepper Shrimp (gf)$22.00

                          crispy wok-fried shrimp, green onion, jalapeño, Indonesian sauce (spicy)

                          • Green Curry Mussels$23.00

                            Coconut milk, Thai chilis, basil, cilantro, lime

                            • Sticky Chicken$21.00

                              crispy chicken thighs, sweet garlic + soy glaze, miso-scallion ranch

                              • Veggie Wonton (vg)$14.00

                                carrots, corn, cream cheese, scallions, soy sauce, thai chili sauce

                                • Oko-Style Brussels Sprouts (v*)$18.00

                                  roasted brussels sprouts, vegan miso aioli, furikake, okonomiyaki sauce, bonito flake

                                  • Coconut Calamari (gf)$19.00

                                    fried calamari, toasted coconut, makrut lime + thai chili aioli

                                    • Mushu Pork Taco$15.00

                                      Scallions pancake, chimichurri

                                      • Lobster Rangoon$18.00

                                        lobster, corn, cream cheese, scallions, thai chili sauce

                                        • Mapo-Tofu Empanada$15.00

                                          Pork belly, chili sauce, stracciatella

                                          • Thai Chili Cauliflower (vg)$17.00

                                            roasted cauliflower, Thai-chili butter, edamame pureé, lime, scallions, cilantro, mint, crunchy shallots

                                            • Chili Garlic Green Beans$12.00

                                              Chili-garlic sauce

                                              Bao Buns

                                              • Lobster Bao$23.00

                                                chilled lobster, mayo, lemon, scallions, onion, celery

                                                • KFC Bao (vg, v*)$13.00

                                                  fried cauliflower, sweet+spicy sauce, scallions

                                                  • Avocado Bao (vg, v*)$14.00

                                                    crispy avocado, bbq sauce, onion, pickles

                                                    • Fried Chicken Bao$15.00

                                                      crispy fried chicken thighs, Korean style sweet + spicy glaze, pickles

                                                      • Pork Belly Bao$15.00

                                                        pork belly, shaved onion, pineapple, peanuts, cilantro

                                                        • Fried Oyster Bao$16.00

                                                          Thai chili-makrut lime, mango slaw

                                                          Noodles

                                                          • Soba Noodle Salad$15.00

                                                            Red cabbage, beets, carrots, snow peas, cilantro, cabbage, watermelon radish, peanut sauce

                                                            • Dan Dan Noodles$23.00

                                                              Spicy szechuan chicken ragu, lo mein noodles, peanuts

                                                              Large Format

                                                              • Whole Fried Fish (gf)$29.00

                                                                crispy whole fried fish, sweet + spicy glaze

                                                                Last updated: April 18, 2024

                                                                What 1,367 people are saying

                                                                Overall ratings and reviews

                                                                Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

                                                                4.7
                                                                4.7 based on recent ratings
                                                                • 4.6Food
                                                                • 4.6Service
                                                                • 4.8Ambience
                                                                • 4.3Value

                                                                Noise • Moderate

                                                                Review summary

                                                                AI-generated from verified diner reviews
                                                                Banyan Bar + Refuge offers an exciting fusion of Asian-inspired cuisine with a creative twist, making it a standout in Boston's dining scene. The menu is "exceptional," featuring dishes like pork bao buns and ahi tuna on crispy rice. Guests rave about the "friendly, knowledgeable staff" and "vibrant" atmosphere, especially on the delightful patio. The restaurant's cocktails are as impressive as its food, with unique combinations that guests love. Despite some occasional service hiccups, the overall experience is consistently celebrated as "amazing" and "unforgettable." Perfect for both casual outings and special celebrations.

                                                                1,367 Reviews

                                                                1. Brittany

                                                                  Raleigh

                                                                  7 reviews

                                                                  5.0

                                                                  7 reviews

                                                                  Dined 1 day ago

                                                                  1. Overall 5
                                                                  2. Food 5
                                                                  3. Service 5
                                                                  4. Ambience 5
                                                                  This place is a 10/10. I would recommend it to my friends. The daily happy hour is awesome and the portions were good, too. 10 dumplings for $5! I will take that any day! John was also a great waiter!

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                                                                2. Julie

                                                                  VIP

                                                                  Greater Boston

                                                                  82 reviews

                                                                  5.0

                                                                  82 reviews

                                                                  Dined on December 26, 2024

                                                                  1. Overall 5
                                                                  2. Food 5
                                                                  3. Service 5
                                                                  4. Ambience 5
                                                                  Always a wonderful experience with yummy interesting food!

                                                                  Is this helpful?

                                                                3. Michael

                                                                  Greater Boston

                                                                  2 reviews

                                                                  3.0

                                                                  2 reviews

                                                                  Dined on December 22, 2024

                                                                  1. Overall 3
                                                                  2. Food 3
                                                                  3. Service 4
                                                                  4. Ambience 3
                                                                  The vegetarian options rely on spice for flavor, so if you don't like spicy food, try something else.

                                                                  Is this helpful?

                                                                4. Peter

                                                                  VIP

                                                                  Greater Boston

                                                                  5 reviews

                                                                  5.0

                                                                  5 reviews

                                                                  Dined on December 21, 2024

                                                                  1. Overall 5
                                                                  2. Food 5
                                                                  3. Service 4
                                                                  4. Ambience 4
                                                                  Food was varied, eclectic, creative, but not overly complicated. No dish was less than fantastic. Also, best octopus I’ve ever had. Restaurant was slightly drafty, but not enough to be uncomfortable, and the night I was there it was 15F and windy outside. So I wouldn’t worry about that too much. It was awesome.

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                                                                5. OpenTable Diner

                                                                  Greater Boston

                                                                  2 reviews

                                                                  3.0

                                                                  2 reviews

                                                                  Dined on December 14, 2024

                                                                  1. Overall 3
                                                                  2. Food 5
                                                                  3. Service 5
                                                                  4. Ambience 5
                                                                  Had to wait a while for the table even with a reservation but the manager was super nice about it and made up for it with a free appetizer. Food, service, and vibes were great as always

                                                                  Is this helpful?

                                                                6. Luke

                                                                  VIP

                                                                  San Francisco

                                                                  1 review

                                                                  4.0

                                                                  1 review

                                                                  Dined on December 12, 2024

                                                                  1. Overall 4
                                                                  2. Food 5
                                                                  3. Service 3
                                                                  4. Ambience 4
                                                                  Seating experience and service could have been faster/more organized

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                                                                7. Colin

                                                                  Greater Boston

                                                                  2 reviews

                                                                  5.0

                                                                  2 reviews

                                                                  Dined on November 23, 2024

                                                                  1. Overall 5
                                                                  2. Food 5
                                                                  3. Service 5
                                                                  4. Ambience 4
                                                                  great food, service, and drinks. Only complaint was that a party at a nearby table was taking multiple photos with point and shoot camera with flash, and with the dark lighting, it hurt the vibe

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                                                                8. steve

                                                                  VIP

                                                                  Greater Boston

                                                                  5 reviews

                                                                  5.0

                                                                  5 reviews

                                                                  Dined on November 22, 2024

                                                                  1. Overall 5
                                                                  2. Food 4
                                                                  3. Service 5
                                                                  4. Ambience 4
                                                                  Great Food and excellent service. The menu is unusual and thoughtful. We had a great time.

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                                                                9. Marc

                                                                  VIP

                                                                  Baltimore

                                                                  76 reviews

                                                                  5.0

                                                                  76 reviews

                                                                  Dined on November 17, 2024

                                                                  1. Overall 5
                                                                  2. Food 5
                                                                  3. Service 5
                                                                  4. Ambience 5
                                                                  Great food and overall experience. Place was jumping on a Saturday night but they still seated us on time and the overall service was great.

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                                                                10. Basak

                                                                  Greater Boston

                                                                  4 reviews

                                                                  3.0

                                                                  4 reviews

                                                                  Dined on November 16, 2024

                                                                  1. Overall 3
                                                                  2. Food 2
                                                                  3. Service 4
                                                                  4. Ambience 4
                                                                  We have been to Banyan several times before but the quality of the food seemed to have declined over time. Everything we ordered was mediocre at best. Vegetable wontons were so bland as if they were coming from a cheep fast food store. The texture of the octopus was off and the sauce was like BBQ sauce, which was odd. The soba noodles were the worst. They had this peanut sauce covering them and you cant taste anything but this peanut sauce. It is a shame, we used to like this restaurant but it was a disappointment. Service was good though.

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                                                                FAQs

                                                                Banyan Bar + Refuge offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (617) 556-4211.

                                                                Banyan Bar + Refuge is rated 4.7 stars by 1367 OpenTable diners.

                                                                Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

                                                                Make a reservation

                                                                2 people
                                                                7:00 PM
                                                                Booked 28 times today

                                                                Order delivery or takeout

                                                                Google Map for Banyan Bar + Refuge

                                                                553 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116

                                                                Dining areas

                                                                Additional information

                                                                • Cross street
                                                                  Clarendon Street
                                                                • Neighborhood
                                                                  South End
                                                                • Hours of operation
                                                                  Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
                                                                • Price
                                                                  $31 to $50
                                                                • Cuisines
                                                                  Asian, Gastro Pub
                                                                • Dining style
                                                                  Casual Dining
                                                                • Dress code
                                                                  Smart Casual
                                                                • Parking details
                                                                  Street parking is available.
                                                                • Public transit
                                                                  Back Bay
                                                                • Payment options
                                                                  AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
                                                                • Additional
                                                                  Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
                                                                • Website
                                                                  http://www.banyanboston.com/
                                                                • Phone number
                                                                  (617) 556-4211
                                                                • Private party facilities
                                                                  For pricing, and availability please inquire through our website.

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