To me, they are a different dish than Buffs wings, which I also enjoy. If I were meeting up with old friends and wanted to have a couple of beers while licking honey-hot sauce off my fingers, I would go to Buffs. If I wanted to try something unique and see a chef cook a traditional dish in a new way, I would order Moxie Wings.

Speaking of unhealth-i-ly delicious... When I ordered the Moxie wings the server described them as confit then grilled. I can't think of a less healthy way to cook them. First time having them, and they were tasty as hell.

No literal timer. Just a well delivered comment that they had to be out by 7PM to free up a reserved table.

On a related note, I heard them offer diners a table with a one hour timer on it last week. Never seen that before. The couple was also offered seats at the bar, but chose the hour long table instead. The host was professional in delivering the option, and the couple took him up on it. Good service in a non-obvious way.

The fish place is called Fresh Catch, and is good for simple fish dishes and really basic sushi (if you set your expectations at mid-level). There's a sign that says they now do breakfast, but I haven't tried it yet.

There is also a take-out Italian place called Antonia's with great home-made italian lunch items like chicken parm and lasagna. There are some tables there as well.

Cafe on the Common is the best I've found for breakfast in the area. It's definitely a greasy spoon type place (nothing gourmet), but they do a good job and are very friendly.

About 15 minutes up 495 in Wrentham there is a large outlet mall that people love. Commonwealth BBQ is about 2 miles from the mall, and serves very good (getting better over time) takeout BBQ from an old drive-up building.

About 10 minutes North on 95 there is an outpost of the well known small-chain of Sichuan Gourmet restaurants in Sharon. The food is great there, and they will guide you to the real Sichuan dishes if you ask.

Tavolino is an easy place for a range of appetites and mid-sized groups. Lots of big tables. Service at Davios is excellent and I think the food (steak and pasta, mostly) is worth the high price. CBS Scene food isn't great, but if you have kids there are distractions everywhere for them. My kids really like it there. If you go, order simple dishes that they can't mess up.

I really like the scones at Ride Studio Cafe in Lexington. Since it doesn't sound like you'll be competing with them (unless you're planning to provide excellent drip coffee), you may want to ask where they get theirs from. Nice folks in there.

Quebrada would be my other suggestion, but also on your list. Never had Nashoba Brook scones, but I know they deliver their bread to several supermarkets including WF.

To wrap up the solo week thread... I had my first dinner at Strip Ts on Wednesday. I had only gone for lunch previously. I went with a friend, but there are definitely good and bad seats for solo dining. We sat in the last two counter seats on the far right (near the stairs to the bathroom) and faced a wall. That would be very isolating if solo. Same for the window seats. No problem getting a stool at 6PM on a Wed. We ordered 9 dishes and created our own tasting. Wonderful culinary experience with maybe 7 hits (chaat papri, fried chicken, steamed lemon cake were the highlights) and 2 misses (tilefish was a bit too raw in the center, rice pudding was nothing special). Overall, great meal.

Last night I punted after five straight dinners out and had a nice, simple bowl of pho ga from Pho and Spice in Waltham. Hit the spot.

Thanks for all the suggestions from MC Slim (tried Steel and Rye) and enhf94 (tried Sportello). Pemma - Vine Brook is in queue. Many left for next time I get a night out solo.

Non-traditional suggestion, but I had the chicken lollipops at West on Centre a few weeks back and they were awesome. They push the meat up the (drumstick) bone so they are clean to grab, hence the lollipop name. Meaty, tasty, pricey. $12 and it might have been 8 or 10 drumsticks. They come in Honey BBQ and Buffalo.

Yes to Madrid - Love Neptune, but I wouldn't be there until 6PM or so. Seats left at that point? Any nights better than others? I would typically go with my wife on a Summer evening and walk around the NE waiting for our table.

Pemma - Will add Vine Brook to my list - that's very close to work.

Day 3 included stops at Ba Le for a couple of sandwiches. The shredded pork was perhaps the best I've had, but the meatball was a sloppy mess with confused flavors. Mayo and drippy sauce on a Bahn Mi? Good peppers on both. Will try the cold cut next time. Any Dot Ave places do better with meatballs? I typically like them as a filling.

Thanks to MC Slim for the Steel and Rye suggestion. Hadn't heard of it previously, and it hit the spot last night. I went with my dad (so no bar / solo relevant comments), and had the turkish flavored lamb meatballs in a deep tomato sauce with yogurt and a lighly cooked (poached? sous vide?) egg followed by the salmon with Maine shrimp and black eyed peas. Both had well developed, deep flavors that were completely different from each other. Good beer selection (Sixpoint Bengali and a Belhaven can for me; Dad had an Allagash) and great anadama bread. Highly recommend.

BTW... I've had Maine shrimp twice this week and they were completely different animals. The head and shell on fried shrimp I had at Eventide in Portland were about the size of my pinky, with shells soft enough to eat. The Maine shrimp at S&R were about the size of a quarter, with the shell off - maybe 1/3 the size of the Portland shrimp. Two different sizes of the same catch? Different species / locations?

To add to the OP... My family headed south for a warm school vacation week, while I'm up here solo. Let the adventure begin! Some Southern NE / Northern NE stops in the first day, but none that far from Boston.

Day 1 - dropped off in Providence. Hit Nicks on Broadway for an awesome breakfast. Eggs and (all homemade) black beans, chicken sausage, salsa, and tortillas. Tough to top for breakfast.

Met a friend late afternoon Saturday and headed north to go skiing. Stopped in Portland for dinner at Eventide Oyster Bar - could form a trifecta with Neptune and ICOB if in Boston. I'll post more on the NNE board, but there was a least one solo diner enjoying her meal and talking with the crowd.

On the way home we hit Popovers in Portsmouth. Fresh, top ingredient sandwiches (I had smoked salmon and egg, my friend had a Cuban panini) and their warm pretzels with crab dip is a great side dish. They have beer, but it's counter service.

Sunday night I tried my first of the great suggestions in this thread. Sportello was an easy Sunday night stop in - lots of seats and really good service since only half full. Good Belgian Red Ale (aged beer that was between beer and wine in flavor) to start. Went with the non-traditional minestrone - the safron broth and amaranth grains had great flavor/texture, but the veggies were near raw. I'm sure that's intentional, but I didn't "get" it. Tasted good, but felt like a miss. I quickly forgot about the minestrone when I dug into the Braised Rabbit Strozzapretti, with rich broth below chewy pasta. Not a ton of meat for the price, but the flavor was out of this world. Definitely recommend for a solo midweek stop.

More to come...

Great suggestions. I'll post back as I try them - hope to hit a few next week.

I just searched for past threads on this topic, and seems time for a refresh. In the past I've had great solo bar meals at (no surprise) Craigie, ICOB, Coppa, Oleana, Strip Ts, Hungry Mother, and Highland Kitchen. I like the combination of friendly bartenders, small plate specialties, and (mostly) buzzing atmospheres at those places.

I'm looking to expand my horizons and / or check out some newer places. I work up in Burlington and live south of Boston, so basically anywhere in Boston, Cambridge or inside 128 works for me.

Suggestions?

Generally really like Tremont 647, but they did a terrible job serving my family when we booked that room. The staff was unnattentive and ignored us for portions of our meal. The kitchen also served our brunch in waves, which made our kids crazy watching the adults eating while they waited.

Recommend it for 2, but not 10.

The Penny Candy Store in Sharon... They are listed for order on the website in both small and large quantities. Searched for "Neapolitan" to find them. Call to see if they have them in stock.

Second for La Morra. That was my thought when I read the OP. Very romantic space and the food is great.

Thanks for the Broadway Bistro suggestion. That's where I went. It was practically empty at 6PM, but all bar seats were full by 7PM for future reference. I'll check out the Dorrance next time, and skip the now finis Tini (well written Bob W).

I'm heading into Providence for a solo dinner tomorrow night on my way to pick up my wife at PVD. Where is the best place to sit solo at the bar? I'm thinking Farmstead, Broadway Bistro, or Chez Pascal, but haven't been to any of them. Will I be able to get a seat at 6PM or so and eat comfortably at any / all? Other suggestions? Last time I had this situation, I ate at Nick's and enjoyed it, but want to try somewhere new.

I had a decent (tasting) pastrami sandwich from the Arlington branch about a month ago. While it tasted good when eaten with a fork and knife, it wasn't a well executed sandwich. I resolved to stick to the basics there after that.

Of course now I'm locked into to three more Groupon supported lunches, so may have to poke around the menu a little.

I wouldn't worry about weekend crowds. I've been between 6 and 8PM on weekend nights, and never had more than one or two orders ahead of mine. I've also never had trouble getting one of the 4 or 5 picnic tables (that are big enough to share).

The ribs were good on my last visit, but there is still a lot of inconsistency in other dishes. I liked the cornbread on one trip, but thought it was dry and crumbly on a another. The brisket was dry and grey on one trip, and on another it was good, but still a bit low on moisture. The pulled pork was better last time - more smoke and less grey. Haven't tried the wings or sausage yet. The chili kinda tastes like Italian stewed tomatoes with beans and ground meat thrown in. I really like the fries - nothing special (likely frozen to start) but cooked well. So I'll go with... A two meat combo with Ribs, Pulled Pork, Fries, and Beans.

Anyone else have favorites from this place? Anyone tried the fried pickle chips? Still rooting for them, hoping for consistency, and willing to go since they're getting better.

Update to above. I was there about 2 weeks ago and the rib spice rub and smoke flavor were near perfection. Good meaty ribs too. No sauce needed to enjoy, although I eventually dipped since I like their sauce.

Second Oishii Chestnut Hill. Listed and unlisted (ask) specials are where you find the treasures.

When I read the Guy Fieri's review, I thought I would never have an experience that bad. Sure enough, one week later...

LaStoria owners, have you ever eaten at your restaurant in Stoughton? Have you shuffled up the stairs past overcrowded tables and bumped fellow diners? Did you eat the food? Did it live up to your expectations?

Did the hostess offer you a menu to choose your food from? After 10 minutes of sitting without menus, did your server start reading the specials from her book without even noticing that you didn't have menus? Did she then ignore your table for 15 minutes because there were no menus available in the restaurant. Did another server when asked for menus offer the excuse, "there are menus on practically every table right now," and then walk straight past one of his own tables that was ready to order?

How does your restaurant decide which tables get bread? Is there a selection process? A lottery?

When asked if the special Frutti De Mar could be served with red sauce instead of cream sauce, did your server offer to check with the kitchen and then never get back to you? Was that ultimately unnecessary since Frutti De Mar with red sauce is on the regular menu? Was that mystery only solved after the menus were delivered by a busboy to your table 30 minutes after you were seated?

How long do empty water glasses typically sit on the tables? Is that something one of the many empty handed servers walking by could have taken care of? Is there a one glass of water per person maximum at your restaurant?

When your server finally took your order after 45 minutes of sitting and you mentioned that you were starving, would that have been a good time to bring the bread? And did your server overrule your request to bring out the salad and soup before the appetizer making you wait to eat even longer? At that point, did your wife consider eating the empty water glass lemon slices before threatening to eat your head?

Did you question what the calamari did to deserve that treatment? Were you concerned that the restaurant was angry at the poor squid? And did you worry that they were punishing them by cooking them for a protracted period in underheated oil? Was their goal to serve a plate-sized piece of calamari like a bloomin' onion that must be pried apart?

NOTE: After one bite each, we sent back the calamari and told the waitress we were abandoning our meal. We left a $10 bill to pay for one flat draft beer and we left the table.

And when you asked the same hostess to get the manager so you could complain, was she able to find a manager? Did she even know where to look? Was she overwhelmed by which task to attempt next: seating a table or finding the manager? Did the other hostess offer to help her? Did hostess one then ignore the manager request and walk a group of four to a two-top table right in front of you before walking them back to the host stand confused?

Did you then just walk out the door and head to a local pizza joint that couldn't possibly do a worse job at the basic functions of operating a restaurant?

I agree that Maynard does not make this list...

Thai Chili is the "good" Thai restaurant in Maynard. Their ramen that comes with lunch is excellent. The other Thai restaurant is totally average. El Huipel is fine, but not destination worthy. The Indian restaurant (Monsoon?) is also at the ok level. I've never been, but people used to rave about Cast Iron Kitchen. Still the case? Blue Coyote is also very good for a local bar/grill spot. Beyond that there are lots of lunch spots to support those that work at the mill.

I'm from Sharon, and didn't add it due to SG, plus:

Indian - Coriander
Coffee/Pastries - French Memories (sister to Cafe Vanille)
Mangia - Good pizza finally!
Charlies - Hole in the wall jewish style deli that's very good food (if a bit rundown).
Mick Morgans is also technically in Sharon (sandwiched between Walpole and Foxboro on Rte. 1) and is a decent bar for a small chain.

Tough to complain with that list for a small town that had almost none of those places 5 years ago.

There's a good prepared food / deli called Off Centre in Weston. Also, Coach Grill is right on the line with Wayland. For a tiny town center, that's not bad.

I'll second a few and add a couple...

Lester's is a very good BBQ joint about 3 miles up 3A. Ask the shuttle driver nicely. They serve beer and have a TV or two so you can sit and eat there, but it's mostly a takeout place.

Blue Stove is great for interesting small plates. Really unexpected quality and taste for a restaurant inside a Nordstrom. 1 mile to the mall

Tavern on the Square is a good bar. It's a small chain with a lively crowd and quite average bar food. Stick to the basics. Less than a mile.

Gourmet India is indeed very good Indian takeout. Everything is well prepared and flavorful. After writing that, I'll probably grab lunch there. 1 mile to the mall.

L'Andana is an easy restaurant to recommend. I've referred to their steak with a starter of pasta bolognese as one of my favorite meals anywhere. Great bread and decent bar for a solo trip. Expensive. A half mile, but not the nicest walk.

Masa is about 3 miles south on route 3 and is a really good Southwestern restaurant. Another easy recommendation. Ask the shuttle driver nicely.

B. Good is a local burger chain that focuses on farm to table meats and veggies. It's pretty good and in the same plaza as Chipotle, Starbucks, and a very generic Froyo place. Less than a mile.

I'm not a fan of Escadrille. What about L'Andana or Coach Grill for same type of menu / price range? I'm sure both would be done up for December.

I'm also a Barry's fan, but can I throw Zaftigs into the mix? They do a great job at the lox plate. If a nice day, I may recommend that you pickup the lox plate, send Mr. Swank down the street to Kupel's for (better than Zaftigs) bagels and head up to Summit Park to picnic with a view of the city.

Also, just checked the menu, and apparently their Natick location has 10 smoked fish options. Anyone been tried their selection? I've only been to Brookline.

I was going to recommend Commonwealth BBQ when I first saw this thread, but held back because I don't think they are quite there yet. I also disagree with your assertion that it's is on the same level as Blue Ribbon. I'm rooting for improvement over time since the staff are very nice and there is no other BBQ in the area, but it's not great.

On my first trip there, I couldn't distinguish the pulled pork from the brisket - both were grey, dry, and stringy. On my second trip, the ribs and pork were both moist, but needed heavy sauce since they had no smoke or rub flavor. The sides were also very bland - not a lot of flavor. On a positive note: nice people, good value for size of meal, and the sauces were quite good.

I'll keep trying it since it's convenient to home and they do a decent job, but I don't think it helps to throw accolades their way until they deserve them.