OAK Long Bar + Kitchen 138 Saint James Avenue, Boston, MA 02116

"The restaurant is located off a busy street. They only offer street parking and a garage near by. It is inside a hotel with a beautiful atmosphere and great 50-60s styled decour. Reservation is a must or chances of getting a place to eat or drink will be slim. During my visit the bar was pack and guest were close enough to rub elbows and bump into each other. The wait time is so long that a few guests tried to steal some tables that were reserved for someone else. They were asked to immediately leave as the tables were reversed for someone else. My server Jose was the worst server I have ever dealt with. He rushed us through order our meal and completely ignored my request for dessert and instead brought us the check to pay. The food was mediocre and over priced. I order a grilled octopus and mac and cheese and it left very little to be desired. I was still hungry after my meal. The mac and cheese was bland and flavourless. As a pescatarian there was only three options available to eat on the entire menu. As a guest with a reservation that was booked weeks in advance I was very disappointed at the treatment we received. 10/10 would not recommend."

"I debated giving a 3 or a 4. It’s always crowded and hard to get a seat at the bar. If you do, the service is decent but if you don’t things move way too slow. Almost so slow it’s worth deducting two stars. On top of that the hostesses are always unfriendly. I know they have a ton of business but their attitude is that they don’t need anyone else so good luck to you. Their late night menu is painfully small just burgers and fries. Would it be so hard to have a dessert so I could stop in for a treat and a night cap. I did get the burger and fries and it was good. Decently big burger with good sauce. I always enjoy the cocktails there. Bottom line, if you can get a seat at the bar, it’s a great place for a late night drink, otherwise the service can be slow and less than friendly. I’d give it a 3 but I keep going back so I guess it deserves a 4."

"If you’re looking for some of the most unique craft cocktails in the Back Bay, you have to visit Oak Long Bar + Kitchen. It is upscale, so I highly recommend dressing accordingly and leaving the kids at home. The Oak Long Bar + Kitchen is located inside of the Five-Star, Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. The property is very upscale and offers stunning, historic design and architecture. You’ll be amazed by the historic, gold-flake ceilings and marble throughout. We decided to stop in for lunch while heading to the Copley Square farmers market. Unfortunately, we were unaware that the market was temporarily moved to a new location. I was hungry and figured we’d enjoy the day and grab some lunch/early dinner. We stopped in while the lunch menu was still available. We were seated right away near the long bar and the fire place. The ceilings and architecture of the historic room is incredible. They were reasonably busy for lunch and the bar filled up quickly. This is certainly the place to come to close a deal or discuss business over craft-cocktails. They offer an incredible cocktail program and that is where they truly shine. We started with the “Pie in the Sky”. It is made with Tito’s, Falernum, Passionfruit, Lime, and Agave. The cocktail program offers expertly-mixed, smooth, and incredibly unique craft-cocktails. They also offer a solid selection of craft and local beers and they do offer a solid fine wine selection. If you aren’t big on alcohol, they do offer unique and creative “mocktails”. If you’re looking for a delicious lunch, they have you covered. They offer a small, but solid selection of appetizers, soup, salad, pizza, and entrées. My only complaint is I do wish they offered a larger selection of options. I also wish they offered more seafood options and an upscale raw bar. We started with the “Blue Hill Mussels”. They were prepared in a plum tomato sauce with ‘nduja, sweet chilies, and adorned with potato straws. They were hands-down some of the best mussels I have ever had. They were incredibly large, probably the largest I’ve ever had. They were cooked perfectly and they were incredibly flavorful. The sauce was bursting with flavor and a slight kick of heat! The fresh grilled bread on-top was PERFECT for dipping and soaking up the delicious sauce. For my main course, I decided to get their Burger. I’ve had it before and it is the most flavorful and juicy burger in Boston. It comes with smoked bacon, bibb lettuce, red onion jam, sharp Vermont cheese, and aioli. I am not sure what the secret is, but it is bursting with flavor and juice. The flavors all come together and just hit right! It comes out piping hot and the fries are the perfect pairing. They cook the burger perfectly to your liking. The service is Five-Star level. Our waitress was phenomenal and ensured any questions we had were answered. She made some great recommendations and ensured all our needs were met. I’d highly recommend Oak + Long Bar to tourists, hotel guests, and locals alike. The food and craft-cocktails are phenomenal. I love how they incorporate local and craft ingredients into their dishes and cocktails."

"Boasting high arched ceilings and classic décor in a historic building, OAK Long Bar offers an undeniably opulent environment for an evening cocktail. The bar chairs, large and exceptionally comfortable, further enhance the ambience. Unfortunately, the food did not live up to the grandeur of the setting. With dishes often feeling like overpriced hotel fare, the culinary experience was more of a miss than a hit. None of the dishes particularly stood out, and I found the Whole Grilled Haddock to be particularly disappointing. Given the hefty price tag, I had higher expectations in terms of both quality and portion size, but the fish was dry and lacked any inspired flavor. On a more positive note, the Beef Tartare, Cajun Shrimp, and Wild Mushroom & Truffle Pizza were relatively better, though not exceptional. To their credit, the service was prompt and professional, offering a silver lining to the dining experience. While the bar at OAK Long Bar is worth revisiting for a casual drink, the culinary offerings left a lot to be desired. I'd recommend the venue for a memorable drink but wouldn't return specifically for the food."