Banyan Bar + Refuge

Name: Banyan Bar + Refuge
Address: 553 Tremont St, Boston, MA, United States, 02116
Telephone: (617) 556-4211
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

1053 Reviews

$31 to $50

Asian

Top Tags:

Explore a bold beverage and food menu at Banyan Bar + Refuge, where Southeast Asia meets New England. Expect to find sweet, salty, sour, and spicy tastes in fascinating combinations. Great music, a casual vibe, and attentive service also await you on our extensive patio in the historic South End. If you prefer to dine at home, the food at Banyan travels well and eats even better when you order one of our craft cocktails to go. The option to order from our carefully curated wine and beer selection is also available. All reservations are being taken for indoors.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 3, 2022

7:00 PM

Booked 52 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(617) 556-4211

Other options

Order online

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Asian, Gastro Pub
Hours of operation
Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Phone number
(617) 556-4211
Website
http://www.banyanboston.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Private party facilities
For pricing, and availability please inquire through our website.
Private party contact
Elena Todisco : (617) 556-4211

Location
553 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116
Neighborhood
South End
Cross street
Clarendon Street
Parking details
Street parking is available.
Public transit
Back Bay
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

The Best Ramen in Boston

Popular dishes

Pork Belly Bao***$14.00
pork belly, shaved onion, pineapple, peanuts, cilantro
Mushroom Bao$16.00
braised shiitake mushrooms, charred scallions, hoisin, fried shallots
Kfc Bao**$10.00
tempura cauliflower, sweet + spicy sauce, green onion
Avocado Bao**$10.00
crispy avocado, bbq sauce, shaved onion, pickles

Cold

Garlic Cucumbers$8.00
cucumber, soy-ginger dressing, lemon, sesame
Fresh Roll Cups** ***$10.00
bibb lettuce, cucumber, shrimp, mint, basil, cilantro, peanut sauce
Overnight Oats***$6.00
cup chilled oats, coconut milk, honey, maple syrup, pineapple, pineapple jelly
Heirloom Tomato Salad**$16.00
heirloom cherry tomatoes, house-made tofu-ricotta curds, olive oil, black vinegar, shiso leaves, sea salt

Hot

Lobster Rangoon***$14.00
lobster cream cheese filled wontons
Pork Muffin* ***$10.00
griddled corn muffin, bbq pulled pork, smashed avocado, pickled onions, chili threads, cilantro, fried egg
Breakfast Musubi* *** ^$10.00
griddled rice cake, chinese sausage, sunny side egg, kombu, cilantro
Brunch Weenies* ** ^^$10.00
sweet + spicy glazed chinese sausage, roasted potatoes, green onion, fried egg

Mains

Avo-Edamame Toast*$14.00
texas toast, edamame spread, tahini, avocado, chili, cilantro, cured egg yolk, fried egg
Banyan Benedict* ^$16.00
griddled bao, pork belly, poached egg, sriracha hollandaise, cilantro, homefries
Breakfast Sandwich*$14.00
Blackbird Doughnuts® everything bagel doughnut, fried egg, american cheese, homefries
Dan Dan Noodles$16.00
spicy szechuan chicken ragu, ramen noodles, scallion
French Toast Sticks$10.00
deep-fried custard soaked texas toast, cinnamon + powdered sugar, maple syrup
Skillet Frittata ^^$10.00
creamy eggs, cream cheese, red bell pepper, onion, scallion, sourdough toast
Two Egg Plate* ** ^^ ^^^$10.00
two eggs served sunny side up, fried, over easy or scrambled | sourdough toast, choice of bacon, chinese sausage or avocado
Our Way Burger* ***$17.00
flat patty, american cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, pickles, french fries

What 1,053 people are saying

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
4.6Service
4.8Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Boston
Great for outdoor dining

Sort by

Filters

OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall3food2service5ambience5
The food was not great
KD
KateD
St. Louis
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful dinner at Banyan. The cocktails were delicious! Food was yummy, and the happy hour deals can’t be beat!
MN
MNBOS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was amazing! We got the Short Rib Bao to begin. It is $15 for two, which for two college students is a shock at first, but they were so worth it!!! So delicious! Then we got the Ahi Poke bowl and the Dan Dan noodles, which were again delicious. The tuna was incredibly fresh. The service was very nice - we got there about 15 minutes early and they were able to seat us then (it was Monday and we would’ve been fine waiting but it was still nice). All our servers were very nice and we got our food in good time. No rush to get out the door either, so we got to enjoy our time! It was a great night!
m
msmj2
New England
23 reviews
vip
4.0
23 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience4
First time dinning, excellent! Pork belly bao bun omg, so good! can't wait to return and try another and well as try more menu items. Thank you
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
We made a late reservation and were extremely happy with the accommodation as well as food. Thanks very tasty!
TM
TsungM
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on November 18, 2022
overall2food1service3ambience5
We live around here and have always noted this restaurant has been so busy every Friday and Saturday nights. We finally got a spot to have dinner here yesterday (Friday night). The food was disappointing. Pork dumpling has super thick skin and scallion pancake was so hard that it felt like crackers (without scallions). The pepper shrimp and pork ribs were definitely over cooked. K fries was ok but it seems more “creative” than delicious. The crab Rangoon dip was slightly under seasoned but probably the only good dish of a 125-dollar meal for two. I would not likely to return here again unfortunately. We had high hopes but was disappointed.
GW
GregW
New England
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful food and beverages with very attentive service
Banyan Bar + RefugeResponded on November 19, 2022Hey Greg! I'm so glad that you had a wonderful time at my restaurant this week! We hope to see you again soon! Best, Sean M General Manager
R
Ronnie
New England
20 reviews
vip
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on November 15, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Everyone here always gets an A+ from the manager to the servers to the host/hostesses, bartenders and the entire kitchen staff - it’s always a winner
Banyan Bar + RefugeResponded on November 19, 2022Hi Ronnie! Thanks for the great review, and I'm so glad to see that you had a great time at the restaurant recently! We hope to see you again soon! Best, Sean M General Manager
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 12, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience5
So delicious but very salty! Not a bad thing just be prepared to need a lot of water. Phenomenal though!
T
Taylor
New England
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on November 5, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious food! My mother and I loved our experience at Banyan. The food was so tasty and the service was wonderful. The manager even stopped by our table to check in and chat between our apps and entrees. We will be returning!
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
9 reviews
vip
4.0
9 reviews
Dined on November 5, 2022
overall4food5service5ambience3
Great place but insanely loud. I’ll sit outside next time or go at lunch.
A
Anon
Philadelphia
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on November 5, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
I have to say, I have been here a handful of times and keep coming back and it somehow gets better each time. Let me start by saying they have the best patio (I think we had the last weekend in Boston) w/ gorgeous twinkle lights. They constantly switch up their cocktails and flavorful appetizers which is very unique and keeps things interesting. We celebrated our friends’ birthdays tonight and the manager personally brought over dessert w/ candles in it. Our server Kaylee was so attentive and helped us order the perfect amount of dishes for 8 people. I’m bummed it’s getting cold because I would choose to sit here every weekend if I could. I wish we took pics of our dishes but we will next time! Oh Ps the coconut calamari and sticky chicken are a must!
Banyan Bar + RefugeResponded on November 6, 2022Hello! Thank you so much for your kind review, I'm so glad to hear that you had a great time with us on Friday Night, and got to enjoy some of the last warm weather of the season!
R
Rachel
New England
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 4, 2022
overall4food4service3ambience5
I took a couple of friends to Banyan who had never been there and they loved the food! We felt very rushed by the server which knocked the experience a bit, but other than that, we had a good time!
JC
JessicaC
Savannah
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on November 4, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience5
Overall some dishes were yummy than others - absolutely loved all the buns and the Dan Dan noodles. The broccolini just had way too much stuff on top to enjoy. Cocktails were also on point.
Banyan Bar + RefugeResponded on November 6, 2022HI Jessica! Thanks for the feedback! I'm so glad you had a good time in the restaurant this weekend! I hope we get to see you again soon! Best, Sean M General Manager
F
Francis
Pittsburgh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 4, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Really enjoyed the patio on a beautiful and warm night in November, which they opened just for this weekend. We arrived early for our reservation so we stopped in for a drink at the bar; the bartenders quickly greeted us with friendly service and waters. I had the Wildfire which is a well balanced tequila mezcal cocktail…you gotta try it. For dinner, we ordered two rounds as they have tons of options for sharing which we prefer and they also have plates for one person to enjoy solo. The cucumbers, seared tuna, and especially the lobster bao are to die for and so flavorful. The waitress even asked if we wanted to add on bao to accommodate the amount of people in our party - the service and staff are thoughtful and well-trained! We also ordered the k-fries, sticky chicken, and lettuce cups. All were perfect for sharing and sitting at the table on a beautiful warm fall night on the patio with my close friends was SUCH a memorable and enjoyable night. The place was packed and their interior is so nice as well. It’s hard to find restaurants where the vibe is just always spot on, but Banyan Bar and Refuge is now one of my favorite places to go. We also people watched for a little bit to soak in the patio, as other tables on the patio all had smiles on their faces and staff were all checking in with their tables accordingly - the staff here must burn a lot of calories running food back and forth and making sure service is top notch. Respect. Can’t wait to come back as their menu changed seasonally and it’s a perfect fusion restaurant that should be a staple in the south end.
Banyan Bar + RefugeResponded on November 6, 2022Hi Francis! I'm so glad to hear that you had a wonderful evening with us on Friday! We are also LOVING the new K-Fries and Crispy Rice Lettuce Cups, so it's wonderful you had a chance to enjoy them! Best, Sean M General Manager
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 4, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic service, great food, and beautiful place to be
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 26, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The ambiance takes the cake here, not only are you warmly greeted at the front desk, but the music and feel of the restaurant is lively and welcoming. Audrey at the front desk deserves a shout out, they were extremely personable! Now I am a snob when it comes to drinks, but if you have not tried their barrel aged Negroni you are absolutely missing out. Very balanced and BEST Negroni in Boston, believe me I’ve tried a lot. Service wise there was always someone there to help me if needed and dirty plates were cleared near immediately which left me comfortable to enjoy the other dishes I ordered. (I ordered a lot!) I again have a second shout out to Dash my server who was always present with recommendations or any assistance needed. It shows she cares about where she works! Now the food, one of my favorite things this restaurant does is changes the menu often to not only what is seasonal, but to what is appealing for this area. The neighborhood feel this restaurant gives off is tremendous and shows that they actually care about their guests. A must have would be the tuna crispy rice, mushu pork jicama tacos, and kimchi grilled cheese. Each dish I had was fresh, seasoned perfectly, and I left super full! But never miss out on the stoners delight dessert, peanut butter, banana, fluff; what more could you ask for!
Banyan Bar + RefugeResponded on October 29, 2022Hello! I am so glad that you had an excellent time in our restaurant this week! We hope to see you again soon! Best, Sean M General Manager
F
Francis
Pittsburgh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 25, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Banyan is a great neighborhood spot with probably the best patio in the neighborhood. Their interior is also fun, hip, and larger than I expected. The service is friendly and prompt, and the food and drinks are top notch and a great value as compared to other areas in the south end. The smashed cucumbers are a must to start off. You really can’t go wrong with ordering anything off the constantly changing menu - especially the fried fish with the sauce from the salt and pepper shrimp. Solid happy hour specials too - really good dumplings. Drinks are all really good and unique - give me a gallon of the wildfire and im all set. Or a few glasses of the vinho verde. Keep an eye out for their specials - the food is never anything pretentious, just well executed, fresh, hot, and seasoned well. There are a few reviews where people say things are overseasoned but come try for yourself to experience actual well balanced flavor and enjoy with a few friends. Wish they had more of an extensive dessert menu but really no complaints. Whenever im in the south end ill try and stop by.
Banyan Bar + RefugeResponded on October 26, 2022Hi Danny! I'm so glad that you've enjoyed your many experiences at Banyan! We greatly appreciate your kind words, and look forward to seeing you again soon. Best, Sean M General Manager
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 25, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Went here on a date and the experience was amazing. The staff was friendly and attentive. The smashed cucumbers were my boyfriend’s favorite thing, he won’t stop talking about them. My favorite was the Thai Chicken Cabbage Rolls. All the food we ordered was amazing, really can’t go wrong. For a drink get the Quickening. This will become a regular spot for us.
Banyan Bar + RefugeResponded on November 6, 2022Hello! Thank you so much for your kind review! I'm so glad you and your boyfriend had a great time dining with us. And I have to agree, the smashed cucumbers are a smash hit! Best, Sean M General Manager
F
Family
New England
5 reviews
vip
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on October 24, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience5
Great place to meet for a drink. The dumplings/spring roll deal is fantastic - fresh, tasty and good deal! Generally awesome drink selection too. Only complaint is that the drinks are all pretty sweet. The cocktails are pre-mixed so you can’t get them modified (I didn’t want any extra simple syrup and they all have that).
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 23, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
What a treat! From start to finish, what a fun experience. Food was delish (get the baby gem salad and the dan dan noodles), love that they do cocktails on tap, and I had fun banter with both my server and the manager. They also were happy to customize a drink for me. Can’t wait to return!
Banyan Bar + RefugeResponded on October 25, 2022Hello! I'm so glad to hear that you had an excellent experience in our restaurant last night! We hope to see you again very soon! -Sean M General Manager
OT
OpenTable Diner
Charlotte
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on October 23, 2022
overall2food3service1ambience5
Food was ok but not worth the prices. Service was slow, perhaps they were understaffed that night. It was our first time so I was hoping for some recommendations, but the server didn’t seem familiar with the menu. Since we got no sake recommendations, we ordered one thinking we’d split it and see if we liked it, but she assumed we wanted 2 and brought us 2 opened bottles and no sake cups to drink out of. We wanted to send one back but she ran away so fast and took long to come back, we just drank the mediocre sake. We both got the poke bowl which was ok, but when the tables food next to us came out we were regretting our order. The noodle dish they ordered looked way better. Maybe we had bad luck but it was too expensive for us to want to go back and try again.
KG
KellyG
New York Area
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on October 23, 2022
overall2food3service1ambience2
One person's dish came 45 minutes after the rest of the group's meals, and another dish had crispy rice that was rock hard - we had to send it back.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 22, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best meal we’ve had in Boston!
A
Addie
New England
11 reviews
vip
3.0
11 reviews
Dined on October 21, 2022
overall3food2service4ambience5
Great ambiance as always, but the food was just OK and I’ve had an upset stomach for several days following… might just treat this as a good place for drinks and not for food.
JG
JoseG
Montreal
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on October 16, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience4
I was surprised by this restaurant. Food is above average. We got the Baos, Pork Ribs, Shrimp, and cauliflower. Nothing spectacular, but all solid appetizers. Drinks were good and the ambience and services were excellent.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 15, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We sat outside which was very pleasant. The food was delicious!
LG
LizG
New England
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 14, 2022
overall3food3service3ambience3
Only ok. I had been before they opened the whole patio, food and service was much better then. Service was slow and food was luke warm by the time it got to us.
GB
GraemeB
Philadelphia
3 reviews
vip
1.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 14, 2022
overall1food1service5ambience5
Food was over seasoned. All of it.
R
R55555
West Palm Beach
31 reviews
vip
3.0
31 reviews
Dined on October 13, 2022
overall3food2service4ambience4
Food was average at best - no better than an order-at-the counter pan Asian place. The atmosphere is hip and nice.
YR
YvonneR
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 9, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Beautiful dining room, great cocktails, friendly service. Ordered the bao and Dan Dan noodles made vegan and was really happy with the choices. Will be returning!
P
Phoebe38
New England
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on October 7, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience4
Perfect location for the theaters right there. V pleasant outdoors, good service. Food quality is mixed and it's pricy for what it is. I recommend it for what it is, not for an outstanding dining experience.
k
kris
New England
10 reviews
vip
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on October 7, 2022
overall4food3service5ambience5
Good ambiance outside, fun cocktails, and good service. We loved the pork wontons and scallion pancakes. The fried rice wasn’t very flavorful. Not a huge fan of the cabbage chicken, or veggie dumplings. The manager was nice and came over to talk to our table.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 6, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great experience. Jimmy was terrific
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 6, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Phenomenal all around
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 5, 2022
overall5food4service5ambience5
We had a wonderful experience! One of their employees stopped by just to say hello and upon learning it was our first time at the restaurant, brought us a complimentary dish for us to try. We were seated in a quieter side room which was great for our party. Very tasty meal and drinks!
I
Igboston
New England
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 5, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent service and food. The manager and the waitress did everything thing they could to make sure we were comfortable and well taken care of. Food was excellent too! We will be back
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 5, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience4
Beautiful dining room with friendly service and great food. We did have to wait a bit between plates coming out but we were not in a rush so it was not a big deal
CS
CiaranS
Philadelphia
2 reviews
vip
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 4, 2022
overall4food5service3ambience4
The food was really good, very original flavors and well done. The drinks were definitely unique and creative but kind of hit or miss. Overall the meal was very enjoyable and the ambiance of the restaurant was great. Our only complaint was the off-putting presence of the manager (I assume). He hovered over our table, had kind of an unsettling affect, and we heard him speaking extremely rudely to the rest of the staff.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 1, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great date spot. Food was amazing. Must try the Bao Buns.
Banyan Bar + RefugeResponded on November 6, 2022Hello! Thank you so much for your kind review! I'm so glad that you had a great time dining with us, and we hope to see you again soon! Best, Sean M General Manager

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Contactless payment available
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Banyan Bar + Refuge using the Order Online button. Banyan Bar + Refuge also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (617) 556-4211.

Banyan Bar + Refuge is rated 4.7 stars by 1053 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 3, 2022

7:00 PM

Booked 52 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(617) 556-4211

Other options

Order online

553 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116

Additional information

Cross street
Clarendon Street
Neighborhood
South End
Hours of operation
Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Cuisines
Asian, Gastro Pub
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Street parking is available.
Public transit
Back Bay
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.banyanboston.com/
Phone number
(617) 556-4211
Private party facilities
For pricing, and availability please inquire through our website.
Private party contact
Elena Todisco : (617) 556-4211

Featured in

The Best Ramen in Boston

Banyan Bar + Refuge

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Other options

Additional information

The Best Ramen in Boston

Avocado Bao

Dan Dan Noodles

Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl

Bao Buns

Pork Belly Bao***$14.00

Mushroom Bao$16.00

Kfc Bao**$10.00

Avocado Bao**$10.00

Cold

Garlic Cucumbers$8.00

Fresh Roll Cups** ***$10.00

Overnight Oats***$6.00

Heirloom Tomato Salad**$16.00

Hot

Lobster Rangoon***$14.00

Pork Muffin* ***$10.00

Breakfast Musubi* *** ^$10.00

Brunch Weenies* ** ^^$10.00

Mains

Avo-Edamame Toast*$14.00

Banyan Benedict* ^$16.00

Breakfast Sandwich*$14.00

Dan Dan Noodles$16.00

French Toast Sticks$10.00

Skillet Frittata ^^$10.00

Two Egg Plate* ** ^^ ^^^$10.00

Our Way Burger* ***$17.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Sort by

Filters

Cleaning & sanitizing

Physical distancing

Screening

FAQs

Does Banyan Bar + Refuge offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Banyan Bar + Refuge restaurant rated?

Is Banyan Bar + Refuge currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Other options

Additional information

Featured in

The Best Ramen in Boston

Fresh Roll Cups *$10.00