After a busy day at the office, everyone wants to get away to someplace comfortable where they can flop out on a couch, grab a tasty beverage and some satisfying food, and just relax. In Boston, that place is The Living Room.
Set along the seashore near Columbus Park, Quincy Market and the North End, the Living Room brings together people and tastes from all over the city and far beyond. With a menu that has been built based on popular demand and donated recipes from friends and neighbors, The Living Room has something for everyone and a lot that may sound familiar but that is always prepared with chef Matt Piuma’s special flair and flavor. From the delicious nutrient delivery of their twice-baked sweet potato and mussels Saganaki to the decadent s’mores, chocolate-dipped bananas and warm peanut butter Rice Krispie treats, the Living Room offers all the comfort of home with many dishes even your mom or significant other might have trouble delivering but that they surely would be happy to share with you.
As diverse as the menu is, so too is the setting. Outside is a seaside patio on which summer drink specials and good times abound. Inside, couches snuggle up against burly bricks, sleek marble panels and a curvaceous, aquarium-backed bar that elicits the outside area. Even the art collection is quirky! Everything and everyone is welcome at The Living Room and, despite the diversity, it all comes and works together quite well.
By day, The Living Room offers great lunches and a good place to get away for a bit. At night, the dinner and drinks crowd arrives and the DJ deck and corner piano turn The Living Room into a happenin’ hot spot where the ties get loosened and people get tight on handcrafted cocktails, an impressive wine list, over 25 martini choices and other liquid legends like the signature “LR” sangria and Wolfberry lemonade. On weekends, a further dimension of fun is added as The Living Room hosts its famed Pajama Party Brunch, at which staff and guests alike roll out of bed and get the day rolling with brunch classics and lunch hits as well as some innovative offerings like funnel cake, a build-your-own burger bar and a set of “eye-opener” drinks that are sure to lint brush the hair of the dog that bit you.
While the patio and main room are always up for fun, there is also a semi-secluded space for those who want to set themselves apart at least a bit. With its darker, smoother leather couches and more brass and glass, the reservation-only “Den” ups the sleek without getting pretentious. Through September 5, this manicured man (and woman) cave will become a draft day “war room” for fans of fantasy football. As they take in all the coverage provided by NFL Network on multiple HD screens, gridiron grandmasters can enjoy free wi-fi while also enjoying the Room’s famed “Pigskin Platter” which includes loads of wings, nachos and (of course) pigs in a blanket.
After the Madden-minded mayhem calms down, guests will be invited back to the comfy confines of The Living Room with a whole new season of favorites (including a new martini of the month and other drink specials) as well as fan favorite standbys like the delish fish tacos with cucumber and Napa cabbage slaw, the avocado tempura, the popular Mediterranean salad with house-made hummus, the chicken club sandwich with all the fixin’s, the mac & cheese (with or without ham, sausage, broccoli, bacon, or mushrooms), the wasabi chile-topped grilled tuna sandwich and pan-seared tuna entrée with peppers, green beans, spinach and spicy peanut sauce.
As the folks at The Room know that Bostonians work hard, they keep the kitchen open until after midnight on weekend nights and until 1am Sunday through Wednesday. So if you just finished a big project and want to go celebrate or just need a mid-day break from the rat race to take in the salt air or the big game, The Living Room is a great spot to get away without having to go far away.
The Living Room
101 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA
617 723 5101
www.thelivingroomboston.com