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Just walk right into these restaurants
We’ve all been there — Friday night dinner or Sunday brunch rolls around, and it’s looking challenging to get a last-minute reservation. Lucky for you, there are plenty of superb restaurants in the Boston area that don’t take reservations. Embrace spontaneity at these 8 spots.
Read MoreThe (mostly) no-reservation policy at Dear Annie is part of the casual, communal charm that makes it one of the best wine bars in the Boston area. The team puts a few seats up on Resy each night, but the majority of the space is reserved for walk-ins. Besides great wine, expect a locally sourced pescatarian menu that adapts to the season.
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Try the pupusas and the nachos at this casual East Boston neighborhood spot. Mi Pueblito opens every day from morning to evening, making a spontaneous no-reservation brunch and dinner outings a possibility.
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Of the three Daily Catch locations, the North End and Brookline are both walk-in only. When full, expect to queue up outside this seafood restaurant, but some incredible calamari and squid ink pasta await inside. (Note: The North End location is cash-only.)
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Tucked onto Brookline Street in Cambridge, this family-run, cash-only restaurant can get busy during weekend brunch hours, so be prepared to wait in the line outside. But baklava pancakes and vegetable-accented Benedicts will ultimately be on the menu.
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A recent addition to Allston, Szechuan Mountain House is an upscale Sichuan restaurant that hits all the right notes, from the tingling la-zi chicken to the savory, collagen-rich pig trotter soup. There are no reservations needed, but there may be a line on busy nights, as it’s been quite popular since its opening last fall.
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What’s not to love about Anchovies? This no-reservations mainstay of the South End serves up hearty Italian American plates like chicken Parm and fried ravioli. Plus, each cocktail order comes with the poured drink and anything left over in the cocktail shaker.
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While Ganko Ittetsu is first-come, first-serve, this Sapporo-style ramen shop also has a Yelp waitlist option for monitoring the wait time and to reserve a place in line if you’re within a mile from the restaurant. It’s nestled into the Arcade building in Coolidge Corner, and serve a range of traditional and modern ramen varieties.
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Walk right into this cheery Mexican restaurant, run by the same team behind Somerville’s Tu Y Yo, for lunch or dinner any day of the week. Once you’re settled inside, order up a feast of tamales, tacos, cochinita pibil, hearty carne guisada, and more. Abuela’s Table snagged a Boston Globe award for best comfort food in 2024, and it lives up to the hype.
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The (mostly) no-reservation policy at Dear Annie is part of the casual, communal charm that makes it one of the best wine bars in the Boston area. The team puts a few seats up on Resy each night, but the majority of the space is reserved for walk-ins. Besides great wine, expect a locally sourced pescatarian menu that adapts to the season.
Try the pupusas and the nachos at this casual East Boston neighborhood spot. Mi Pueblito opens every day from morning to evening, making a spontaneous no-reservation brunch and dinner outings a possibility.
Of the three Daily Catch locations, the North End and Brookline are both walk-in only. When full, expect to queue up outside this seafood restaurant, but some incredible calamari and squid ink pasta await inside. (Note: The North End location is cash-only.)
Tucked onto Brookline Street in Cambridge, this family-run, cash-only restaurant can get busy during weekend brunch hours, so be prepared to wait in the line outside. But baklava pancakes and vegetable-accented Benedicts will ultimately be on the menu.
A recent addition to Allston, Szechuan Mountain House is an upscale Sichuan restaurant that hits all the right notes, from the tingling la-zi chicken to the savory, collagen-rich pig trotter soup. There are no reservations needed, but there may be a line on busy nights, as it’s been quite popular since its opening last fall.
What’s not to love about Anchovies? This no-reservations mainstay of the South End serves up hearty Italian American plates like chicken Parm and fried ravioli. Plus, each cocktail order comes with the poured drink and anything left over in the cocktail shaker.
While Ganko Ittetsu is first-come, first-serve, this Sapporo-style ramen shop also has a Yelp waitlist option for monitoring the wait time and to reserve a place in line if you’re within a mile from the restaurant. It’s nestled into the Arcade building in Coolidge Corner, and serve a range of traditional and modern ramen varieties.
Walk right into this cheery Mexican restaurant, run by the same team behind Somerville’s Tu Y Yo, for lunch or dinner any day of the week. Once you’re settled inside, order up a feast of tamales, tacos, cochinita pibil, hearty carne guisada, and more. Abuela’s Table snagged a Boston Globe award for best comfort food in 2024, and it lives up to the hype.
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