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The Federal, Waltham, MA

The Federal

4.7
4.7
993 Reviews
$50 and over
Steakhouse
74 Tower Rd, Waltham, MA 02451-1022

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 16 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for business meals
  • Neighborhood gem
The Federal is an exciting seafood and chophouse with scratch-made, chef driven modern Italian inspired food. The restaurant is upscale, affordable, comfortable, and relaxed.

Come and explore our wine list where new age and old world meet. Our wine list is curated by co-owner/managing partner David Alphonse and features wines from around the world with a focus on Italian and old world selections. We have a great selection of new world wines as well.

We feature two adjoining private dining rooms and a seasonal covered patio.

Located in Waltham, MA in the Market Basket Plaza, we look forward to serving you soon.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Steakhouse, Italian, Contemporary Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Fri 11:30 am–4:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Joel Portillo
  • Private party facilities
    Please contact Erika@the-federalrestaurant.com regarding any private events! We have plenty of versatile indoor and outdoor space available for parties of all sizes.
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Waltham
  • Cross street
    Main Street
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Public transit
    Bus Route 70, Main Shopping Center @ Marshall's stop
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 993 people are saying

The Federal reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Federal offers a delightful dining experience with a menu that impresses with its "amazing Italian pastas," "fantastic steaks," and "extra meaty jumbo shrimp cocktail." Patrons rave about the "outstanding" service, particularly mentioning attentive servers like Amanda and Mariah. Ideal for date nights or special occasions, The Federal promises a memorable visit.
993 Reviews
  1. Jim VIP

    Greater Boston9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always excellent food and service, today was no exception! Wonderful restaurant in which to spend a holiday or special event.

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  2. Kryska VIP

    Denver12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Recommended by a friend and we live out of town. Excellent food, great customer service, and great atmosphere.

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  3. Foodfav VIP

    Greater Boston19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    We have recently become consistent diners at the Federal. The menu is a mix of amazing Italian pastas with great steaks and seafood. I have not disliked anything. I have tried. Best pasta and clams I have had in a while! Look forward to going again!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Michelle VIP

    Greater Boston21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was excellent. The jumbo shrimp cocktail was extra meaty. The beet and goat cheese salad was delicious . The swordfish was prepared well and very tasty. Would highly recommend!

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  5. Rudolf

    Greater Boston2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I had a great date there, everything was perfect. Food, cocktails, wine and our waitress was attentive. 10 out of 10!recommend

    Is this helpful?

  6. Sjnw

    Greater Boston9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was great, service very good ! - waiter very accommodating!

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  7. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston1 review

    3.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    For a reputed chop restaurant both steak orders were poorly done and sent back to the kitchen. The clam sauce was tasteless for another diner in the party. Overall value was not good.

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  8. suzanne VIP

    Greater Boston229 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was our first time dining at the Federal. All four of us enjoyed our entrees. The salads and starters were as delicious as the deserts. Our server was attentive and friendly. We will be back!

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was fantastic but nothing compared to the waitress. I took my fiancée for his birthday and we will definitely be making this a regular date night spot. Can’t wait to return!

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  10. Patricia VIP

    Greater Boston4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 1, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 2
    The decor was subpar. Not a very comfortable setting

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Federal offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (781) 373-1245.

The Federal is rated 4.7 stars by 993 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Greater Boston
  4. Boston
  5. Waltham

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 16 times today
Google Map for The Federal

74 Tower Rd, Waltham, MA 02451-1022

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Main Street
  • Neighborhood
    Waltham
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Fri 11:30 am–4:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Steakhouse, Italian, Contemporary Italian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Public transit
    Bus Route 70, Main Shopping Center @ Marshall's stop
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Joel Portillo
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    Please contact Erika@the-federalrestaurant.com regarding any private events! We have plenty of versatile indoor and outdoor space available for parties of all sizes.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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