The Banks Fish House
Published September 5, 2022
After resting from our afternoon exploring the South Boston Waterfront and Chinatown, we researched and made a reservation for our last dinner in Boston.
My one goal for the trip was to have a seafood dinner. Every time we left to explore Back Bay, we walked past Saltie Girl. I thought for sure that this was the seafood restaurant we should visit to wrap up our trip.
After exploring their menu, I wasn’t sure that Saltie Girl offered enough dishes that we would enjoy. Yes, they had the lobster roll, which was the main dish we wanted for the meal, but I didn’t see any appetizers that excited me. I started to explore other restaurants in the area and that’s when I found The Banks Fish House.
The Banks Fish House
We made a 6 o’clock reservation and walked from Marlborough Street to Stuart Street.
A warm summer wind pushed us along the sidewalks, where shoppers and workers moseyed along. I loved Boston’s pace, which was different from the hurried, anxious speed of New York City.
We passed the beautiful Trinity Church on our way to The Banks Fish House. I wish I had considered stopping into the ornate churches throughout the area during our stay.
We were several blocks from The Banks Fish House, but the walk was a straight shot and soon we arrived at the pretty glass-front corner of The Banks Fish House.
The Banks Fish House | Interior Design
We entered through the revolving door. The hostess stand was on the left, closest to the raw bar.
We were early for our reservation, but the hostess sat us anyway. Luckily, we ate an early dinner, so most of the restaurant was empty, except for the bar.
The room was divided by an electric fireplace. I loved the interlaced tile of the bar area that transitioned into warm hardwood floors in the dining room. All the seating in the restaurant was elevated, including the booth that we sat in.
As a food blogger, I was thrilled with our seat. We were the last booth on the back wall of the restaurant, so I had the full view of the dining room, bar, and entrance.
I loved the large windows in the space and the blend of clean design and warm tones that made the space inviting.
The Banks Fish House Menu
The horizontally designed menu was laminated and organized by category. I liked the layout with The Banks’ logo in the middle and the specials outlined in a bright color.
We also had a mini menu for the raw bar, where you could fill in the number of oysters, seafood towers, or caviar you wanted.
I knew I wanted to try one or two oysters plus another appetizer. We asked our waiter for direction on the different types of oysters and where they were from. He told us about the difference in their size and taste. I appreciated that the menu provided a description under each oyster to give you an idea of its flavor.
Appetizers
Oysters | $18.00
We selected 2 Island Creek Oysters and 2 Kumamoto Oysters. Traditionally one would order 1/2 a dozen or a dozen oysters, but since this was my boyfriend’s first time trying oysters, and I was unsure that I could eat a dozen if he didn’t like them, we each started with 2 and decided that we would order more if we wanted them.
We wanted to try an oyster local to the area and our waiter recommended the Island Creek oyster. The menu described it as, “Medium salinity, some sweetness, hint of seaweed, buttery, mossy.” If my memory serves me, this was the smaller of the two oysters we selected. This oyster had a strong salty flavor. The texture was smooth and buttery, but the flavor was powerful and I was not a big fan of this one.
The Kumamoto oyster was my favorite. The menu described it as, “Mild brininess, bright sweet flavors, honeydew finish.” I could’ve eaten 1/2 a dozen of the Kumamoto oysters, but since we had another appetizer on the way, we decided to wait before we ordered any more oysters.
What I liked about this appetizer — besides the quality and freshness — was the various vinaigrettes and cocktail sauce that one could add on top of the oyster. I knew that the oyster liquor would offer its own unique flavor, so I wanted to try that as is before I added horseradish or vinegar to it.
Salmon Belly Crudo | $19.00
We wanted to try another seafood appetizer that was light and refreshing.
The salmon belly crudo had almonds, coconut, cilantro, and a yuzu kosho vinaigrette. This plate had at least 6-8 slides of salmon. The almonds and coconut offered an amazing texture and nuttiness to the bright vinaigrette. I thought this was a perfect appetizer for the summer.
Entree
Lobster Roll | $38.00
My foodie goal for Boston was to have a lobster roll. I knew that any lobster roll we had in the past, would not compare to a Boston Lobster Roll.
I knew that The Banks Fish House’s lobster roll was going to be amazing because we could select whether to have it served hot or cold. Personally, I think served hot with warmed butter is the way to go, so that’s what my boyfriend and I ordered.
The roll was glorious — golden and crisp like the outside of a grilled cheese. Both of our rolls were stuffed with chunks of lobster meat, which was tender and rich. I loved the warmed cup of butter for dipping or pouring over the sandwich. The side of chips were a nice addition as well — they were fresh, warm, and crunchy.
Despite our light appetizers, this was a filling sandwich, especially for how rich it was. In the end, I didn’t eat all of the bread, and instead dunked the lobster meat in the butter. It was delicious.
Dessert
Dessert completes a meal for me. I wanted to wrap up our last dinner in Boston with dessert. The dessert menu was one page and featured the pastry chef at The Banks Fish House.
The theme for our meal was light, so it was an easy choice to decide which dessert to go with.
Lemon Blueberry Cake | $15.00
The lemon blueberry cake featured white tea cake, lemon lavender curd, blueberry compote, and earl grey ice cream.
The earl grey ice cream sold this dessert for me. The plating was gorgeous. The dessert had the perfect harmony of textures — cold ice cream, soft cake, bright lemon and blueberry flavors, crunchy almonds and smooth white chocolate.
Its dainty size was great to finish the meal, especially after the rich lobster rolls.
My Recommendation
I would give our visit to The Banks Fish House a 10/10 for the following:
Decor and Design
I adore the interior design of The Banks Fish House. The space is bright and inviting with a great layout to the room. The room has a blend of classic details like the orb lighting and interwoven tile, with modern touches like the branded menus and leather chairs.
Service
Our waiter was fantastic. He offered expert knowledge of the menu and gave us great recommendations for our oysters. He checked back several times throughout our meal and ensured we had everything we needed. We didn’t have to ask for anything. I appreciate that attention to detail and thorough yet friendly service.
Food
What can I say, the meal at The Banks Fish House was perfect. From the oysters, to the bright salmon crudo. Our lobster rolls were everything I wanted during our visit to Boston. Dessert was the literal icing on the cake to finish out a fabulous meal and trip.
Charles River Esplanade
To complete our last evening in Boston, we walked down to the Charles River Esplanade.
We passed by the beautiful churches and brownstone style homes of Back Bay. The warm breeze was fierce, and I wondered if the cloudy sky would rain.
The summer weather had the local gardens in full bloom, which we enjoyed as we searched for the bridge over the highway toward the Charles River Esplanade.
We crossed a bridge that brought us to the main pathway of the Esplanade. Tons of runners, dog owners, friends, and couples gathered throughout the space. Food trucks and picnic tables for a beer garden were mobbed with groups of people. Picnics spread out on the dock near the water. One couple hung a hammock in the two trees and swung facing the city across the water.
We watched the sailboats and kayakers putter along the water as the sun set. The park closed at dusk, so we eventually made our way back across the highway, saying goodbye to the quiet Back Bay neighborhood in preparation for the next morning, when we headed back home.
Boston Adventures
That’s a wrap on the 9-part series featuring our vacation in Concord and Boston, Massachusetts. You can visit the Massachusetts section of my website to catch up on any of the posts.
If you’ve followed this series, tell me about your favorite restaurant or adventure from this trip, or if you have any recommendations for places I should visit the next time I’m in Boston.
Stay tuned for more restaurant reviews and travel recommendations on the blog!
