Bar Vlaha

Name: Bar Vlaha
Address: 1653 Beacon St, Brookline, MA, United States, 02445-4505
Telephone: (617) 906-8556
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.8

4.8 (986)

$31 to $50

Greek

1653 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02445-4505

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 7, 2025

11:00 PM

Booked 84 times today

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions
Charming

Bar Vlaha invites you to explore the authentic flavors of Vlach cuisine in the heart of Brookline. Experience a warm atmosphere reminiscent of a traditional Greek home, filled with vibrant textiles and the aroma of hearty dishes. Our menu showcases the rich culinary heritage of the nomadic Vlach people, featuring locally sourced, seasonal ingredients prepared using rustic techniques like charcoal grilling and open-fire cooking. Delight in freshly baked bread with goat milk butter, savory spreads like kopanisti and melitzanosalata, and succulent wild boar with lemon potatoes, reflecting the Vlach's deep connection to nature. Bar Vlaha is not just a restaurant; it’s a cultural journey into the heart of Greece, celebrating its people and traditions. Gather around the table and let Bar Vlaha transport you to a world of flavor and hospitality.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Greek
Hours of operation
Daily 5:00 pm–12:00 am Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm
Phone number
(617) 906-8556
Website
https://barvlaha.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Brendan Pelley
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Location
1653 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02445-4505
Neighborhood
Brookline
Cross street
Washington St
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
C Line Washington Square
Additional
Vegan

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What 986 people are saying

Bar Vlaha reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Bar Vlaha delivers an exceptional dining experience with "outstanding" Greek cuisine, "fantastic" service, and a "sleek, contemporary" ambiance. The dishes, inspired by central Greece, are "authentic" and "delicious," with generous portions. Guests commend the "friendly and attentive" staff and the "wonderful" menu that includes standout items like lamb chops and spreads.

986 Reviews

J
Jake VIP
Greater Boston20 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
You don’t go to Bar Vlaha for clichés. There’s no Santorini-blue decor or tourist-friendly platters. This place reaches deeper. Past the postcard islands into the forests and hills of Northern Greece, where Vlach shepherds turned necessity into the roots of Greek cooking. The room is alive. Not loud, not forced. Just humming. Art lines the walls with the ease of a place that knows who it is. You half expect someone’s grandmother to walk out of the kitchen, towel in hand, to refill your plate. It smells like smoke, lemon, and fire-roasted memory. We started with the Karpouzi 2.0, a strange but brilliant tequila drink with watermelon shrub, sunchoke, and a feta-boukovo foam that somehow worked. The Opuntia Swizzle was just as wild, mixing prickly pear, mandarin, bergamot, and a wink of tequila. Drinks that didn’t ask permission. The manitaria—crispy oyster mushrooms with parsley salad—was simple and confident. The smoked eel had edge. Served with sourdough and kapparosalata, it brought salt and smoke with no apologies. Then came the mains. The karavides was subtle and elegant, with crayfish, ouzo, tomato, fennel, and orzo. A dish that tasted like a coastal breeze. The agriogourouno, wild boar shoulder braised in red wine with warm spices and hilopites, grounded the meal. Rich, tender, and deeply satisfying. Service was warm. The staff knew the specials by heart, brought a complimentary birthday shot from the birthplace of chewing gum, and kept things flowing without ever hovering. They forgot the bread, though. A simple slip, but we missed a few great dipping moments. I sat facing the wall while my guest took in the scene. I left curious, not full. Like I’d tasted the beginning of something I want to know better. Bar Vlaha isn’t a one-and-done. It’s a place worth returning to, not just for the food, but for the story it’s telling.
Bar VlahaResponded 1 day ago
Efcharistó Jake! That’s exactly what we hope for — a taste of home, wherever home may be. From the first sip of krasi to the last bite of meze, we want every moment to feel wrapped in true Greek filoxenía. Na ‘ste kala, and see you again soon!
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Tiffany VIP
Greater Boston20 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Outstanding in ever way-- food, service, environment-- all stunning.
Bar VlahaResponded 2 days ago
Efcharistó poli, Tiffany! It means a lot to hear that. At Bar Vlaha, we aim to share the lesser-known traditions of Greek cooking — the kind that comes from shepherds, open fires, and mountain villages. We’re honored you experienced that. Na 'ste kala!
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M
Michael VIP
Greater Boston44 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Wonderful experience. All the food we had was absolutely delicious.
Bar VlahaResponded 4 days ago
Kaliméra and efcharistó poli! Your words mean everything to us. At Bar Vlaha, we pride ourselves on not just serving food — but sharing stories, culture, and the spirit of filoxenía. We’re honored to have shared that with you. Come back anytime — there’s always a seat waiting for you.
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A
Andy
Greater Boston21 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
First time dining and really enjoyed the food. We had the Xeli appetizer (eel), Melitzana Yiahni (eggplant), Arno Aston Souvla (lamb), and the Kronos (dark chocolate) and all were delicious. Portions were good as well. Nick, our server, gets a shout out for great service. Highly recommended!
Bar VlahaResponded 6 days ago
Efcharistó poli, Andy! It means a lot to hear that. At Bar Vlaha, we aim to share the lesser-known traditions of Greek cooking — the kind that comes from shepherds, open fires, and mountain villages. We’re honored you experienced that. Na 'ste kala!
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s
susan
Greater Boston1 review
5.0
Dined on June 28, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
First time at Bar Vlaha at 7:45, Saturday night. Last-minute reservations are nearly impossible to get, but I think I snagged a recent cancellation. We were seated promptly. After our meal, all members of our party of 4 agreed that this restaurant's popularity is well-deserved. We began by sharing 2 appetizers- zucchini-feta fritters (3) and dolmades (4). Both were delicious; one member of our party thought that ordering 2 of the dolmades plates would make a perfectly fine dinner. (Pet peeve: why do restaurants have appetizers in a set of 3? It doesn't work for either 2 or 4 people.) We went family-style on four dishes, and each of us had our own favorites: I found the wild boar shoulder a bit salty for my taste, but it was my husband's favorite. A friend liked the braised beef cheeks the best; another the Spanakopita (a close second for me); and I decided the simple crayfish/orzo dish hit the spot. Service was fast, friendly, efficient - impeccable. Can't wait to come again!
Bar VlahaResponded on June 30, 2025
Efcharistó poly! We love bringing lesser-known flavors to the table, and nothing pairs better with meze than a little tsipouro and a lot of filoxenía. Glad you enjoyed your visit — na perásis panta ómorfa!
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M
Meagan
Greater Boston2 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 28, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The food is amazing! All family style, fresh and delicious. I can’t wait to return with friends so we can try out even more dishes.
Bar VlahaResponded on June 30, 2025
Efcharistó poly! We love bringing lesser-known flavors to the table, and nothing pairs better with meze than a little tsipouro and a lot of filoxenía. Glad you enjoyed your visit — na perásis panta ómorfa!
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H
Heidi
Greater Boston10 reviews
4.0
Dined on June 28, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great servers and fun ambiance although it was very loud as it’s a small space. The tables are also so close we could overhear the neighboring tables entire converations. Loved our starters but wish there was a little more detail on the dishes or help understanding what the main (traditional) dishes were actually going to be. I got the eggplant traditional dish and had no idea it was a sort of lasagna with potato as the noodles instead of pasta. Wasn’t really to my taste as the potato fully overpowered the eggplant which was cooked beautifully but I couldn’t taste. My boyfriend’s grilled pork was wonderful. The staff did ask if we had questions on the menu and we did ask questions on ingredients but I guess I interpreted the dish as something different. The baklava we got was really dry. No honey suffusing the layers only a tiny bit on the bottom. It wasn’t good, unfortunately. The olive oil ice cream however was divine. Wine was excellent and at first I was hesitant about drinking my wine from a highball glass but it contributed to the homey vibe and I got into it. Price a bit high. I think if you’re looking for hearty charcoal grilled interesting Greek fare you’ll love it. Vegetarians may have a hard time finding something flavorful.
Bar VlahaResponded on June 30, 2025
Thank you from the heart — efcharistó! That care comes from honoring the Vlach traditions and cooking with intention, seasonality, and fire. We’re so glad you felt it, and we’d be proud to welcome you back again soon.
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M
Marika
Philadelphia County1 review
5.0
Dined on June 28, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Hands down one of the best restaurants in the Greater Boston Area. The food at Bar Vlaha is true to the cuisine of central Greece and provides a traditional dining experience with fresh twists. The wine list has great Greek wines and the cocktails are fun and tasty! The village bread takes like the bread my yiayia (grandmother) used to make. My family especially loved the spreads. None of the spreads were too salty or too garlicky, which is nice for pickier eaters. With all the food, you can tell the ingredients are fresh and of good quality. The service is also exceptional. Whenever a platter was finished or a jug of water needed replenishing, a staff member immediately came by to take care of the matter. Our waiter, Sean, stopped by a number of times to check in on us, though it didn't feel excessive or intrusive. He also recommended wines that the pickier people at our table really liked. Additionally, the last time we went was to celebrate a birthday, and the staff reached out before hand to ask what the birthday person's name is and added a candle to our dessert. The ambience of the restaurant is quite nice. The interior is a sleek, contemporary design with rustic elements. I love the wall containing photographs of people wearing traditional Greek clothing. They showcase outfits from Central Greece, where the food takes inspiration from. They also have a wall of embroidery hoops with actual traditional Greek embroidery designs! The venue is nicely sized, especially for parties ranging from 1-6 patrons. I highly recommend this restaurant. It's great for date nights, showing people around town, and special occasions.
Bar VlahaResponded on June 30, 2025
Efcharistó poli, Marika! It means a lot to hear that. At Bar Vlaha, we aim to share the lesser-known traditions of Greek cooking — the kind that comes from shepherds, open fires, and mountain villages. We’re honored you experienced that. Na 'ste kala!
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P
Pedro
New York City2 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 28, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent brunch food, authentically Greek and absolutely delicious. Very generous portions.
Bar VlahaResponded on June 28, 2025
Efcharistó poli, Pedro! We set out to honor the Vlach people — the nomads and shepherds who shaped Greek cooking long before it was defined by the islands. We’re grateful you embraced that journey with us. Kali orexi until next time!
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g
george VIP
Coastal Georgia2 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 27, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great experience as always at Bar Vlaha! Food was excellent and service by Jorge was even better. Brought friends who were first-timers and they loved it.
Bar VlahaResponded on June 28, 2025
Efcharistó poly! We love bringing lesser-known flavors to the table, and nothing pairs better with meze than a little tsipouro and a lot of filoxenía. Glad you enjoyed your visit — na perásis panta ómorfa!
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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Bar Vlaha using the Order Direct button in Additional Information section.

Bar Vlaha is rated 4.8 stars by 986 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 7, 2025

11:00 PM

Booked 84 times today

1653 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02445-4505

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Washington St
Neighborhood
Brookline
Hours of operation
Daily 5:00 pm–12:00 am Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Greek
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
C Line Washington Square
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Brendan Pelley
Additional
Vegan
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Website
https://barvlaha.com/
Phone number
(617) 906-8556

Bar Vlaha

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Menu

What 986 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does Bar Vlaha offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Bar Vlaha restaurant rated?

Is Bar Vlaha currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information