Chiara Bistro

Excellent food, went there for the 1st time last night, had the Chicken, my wife got the Pork Chop, both were excellent, nice atmosphere, I would highly recommend this family owned restaurant.

Chaira Bistro – Westwood, MA – 5/25/2016 As I stood here taking photos I was approached by Steve the owner wondering what I was doing… He has a long history in cuisine… Formerly an Executive Chef at a Country Club, this is his first venture as an owner… On the outside… Much curb appeal between the colors and out door patio on the right… When you walk in, beautiful earthy tones of red, brown and greens… And wood… Wooden tables and chairs… Beams in the ceiling… Bar… Open kitchen and floor… Square and rectangular lighting thruout… The tables… Beautifully set… The linen… The flatware… The arrangement of the glasses… Everything has its place yet there is an elegant casual ambiance… My server, Tracy describes the dishes with such passion and really paints a picture of exactly what's going to be placed in front of you… I count on her recommendations for a fabulous meal… She's an amazing assert to this restaurant and it's quite obvious she loves what she does! They bring out a nice assortment of sliced beads… Trying to cut back on carbs I only had one piece but let me tell you… It was delicious! Hand-Crafted Potato Gnocchi Bolognese… Daily hand rolled potato gnocchi with a generous portion of red wine braised short rib and wild boar tossed with house made tomato ragout separately as to maintain full integrity of tomato fruit acids… Finished with a nutty, salty aged sheep’s milk pecorino… Square instead of the usual round and with a sauce unmatched the the competitors… The time they take to slow cook the sauce sets this Bolognese apart from most any I've had… And for the main this evening… Their take on Arctic Char… Tender, earthy, sweet filet of Char pan seared to a perfect medium with exceptionally crispy salt & pepper skin… All this mouthwatering wonderfulness sits atop a silky smooth honeyed yellow turnip purée… The purée is complimented with sautéed wild mushrooms & frisée to highlight the natural earth in the fish… To further delight the palate, add in some tender-crisp asparagus for a green garden element and a lemony sorrel pesto making this the absolute perfect springtime dish! Although the dessert menu looked deliciously sinful, I opted to finish with my signature cappuccino and be a good boy… Rich in flavour and perfect in body and head… Tracy, not wanting me to miss out on even the smallest morsel of dessert brought out a coconut macaroon and a dark chocolate truffle with the cappuccino… Now that's attention to detail.. Wonderful setting, attentive and passionate service make this a must dine in restaurant and one I will undoubtedly come back to for years to come! Bravo! Thank you for making it fun…

Delicious local restaurant. Calls itself Mediterranean, but anyone can find something they will love here. Mussels, steak, fish, lamb, chicken, salads, and a lovely selection of wines and cocktails. Great neighborhood place.

There w a large group on a Sunday early evening. Reserved space (20 or more of us) that was not isolated by a door or barrier yet felt well contained. Very attentive wait staff. Responsive to requests based on food sensitivities. Main course was a chicken dish w risotto. Flavorful, chicken really tender. I could eat that meal 5x a week and be quite happy. Owner was helping out with some of the attention at the table, but unobtrusively. I wouldn't have known who he was unless a person near me had pointed him out. He and staff read the event and were professional and unobtrusive. I bet for a more raucous group of extended family the owner would have been more in the fore, connecting. Truly, truly reminded me of small osteria or trattoria in less touristic places in Tuscuny, Umbria.

We had a fabulous meal, perfectly prepared and served. Everyone in the birthday celebration was very pleased. Thank you Chiara.

I higley recommend this restaurant. Our waitress Tracey, went above and beyond, also her attentiveness and her outgoing personality made it more special. We even got a visit from the owner a Steve, who checked in on us, to make sure we were satisfied with our meal. This place is a Gem!!!

Fantastic vegan meal at this upscale mainstream restaurant! Went to dinner last night with another couple, and I was the only vegan in the group. Pleasantly surprised to find that the regular menu had, without any modifications needed, a fantastic vegan gazpacho and, for dessert, a quite elegant vegan chocolate cake, with a picturesque scoop of berry sorbet, citrus gelee and other refined touches. For a vegan entrée, the menu indicates the chef will put something together based on vegetables and starches on the regular menu. While that description raised a red flag, it was unwarranted. The dish I received reflected a lot of thought and was visually appealing. There was seasoned quinoa, super thin asparagus, a variety of small tomatoes, cooked spinach, olives, roasted summer squash, and it was delicious.

Amazing food and service. We went in a Friday night and everything was served immediately. We ordered all but one dessert and they were all amazing. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

We've frequented Chiara Bistro for many years. The food is always fresh, very creative and never boring. My wife has seafood allergies and on a weeknight, they kindly offered to pan fry french fries for her, knowing that they large fryer couldn't be used due to dual use for fish dishes. The wine list is extensive and while I'm not a vegan, I witnessed a patron next to me getting what looked like a delicious dish created just to accommodate her. The service is very good and whether you're ordering meat or fish, you can be guaranteed that it will be cooked to perfection. It's also great that the kitchen is all open for patron viewing. Watching them cook in near silence is almost like watching a carefully choreographed dance. Strongly recommended for special occasions or just when you'd like to treat yourself to a wonderful meal!

Chiara is is the best restaurant outside of the city and better than most there as well. As a professional Chef, I can be as critical as anyone but in my experience, I have honestly never been disappointed in any dish served. Knowing Chef Steve LaCount’s background, it’s no surprise that the restaurant he opened over 10 years ago is still new in style, menus and service. I am always happy to recommend this exceptional restaurant. Nick Schiarizzi Chef Lecturer BU School Of Hospitality

Phenomenally good food, wide selection, excellent wine list, comfortable ambience and excellent service. The owners, Steve LaCount (former head chef at The Country Club in Brookline) and his wife are actively involved in running the restaurant and make the rounds of the tables in the evening (Note: Chiara is only open for dinner). You will pay Boston prices for the food here, but you will receive in turn a higher-quality experience. Be sure to book a table, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights, as the restaurant is not huge. Very highly recommended.

Recently had a party of ten in the private back room, preset appetizers and then a custom menu. Food was exceptional and service was warm and inviting. The whole restaurant had a great vibe and the food could not have been better.

We had reservations for 6 people last night at 6:30, when we arrived our table was ready. The food and service were top shelve. We started with salads and appetizers, the salads were very tasty and the hummus plate was also very good. All of the meals were a hit, all of the plates were completely cleaned when we finished. BUT the hit of the evening was the gnocchi in a bolognese sauce. The gnocchi were pillowy soft, the sauce has a amazing tomatoe flavor (tomatoe sauce that had been simmere for hours), there were large chucks of soft and flavorful tasty meat. There is an extensive wine list and some reasonable wine choices. We finished with the carrot cake and home made gelato, also a hit. We will add Chiara to our list of restaurants to dine in the burbs and HIGHLY recommend you stop in.

Great restaurant for when you don't want to travel into Boston. They have their own parking lot which always a plus. I spontaneously went here for dinner with my fiance last night. The ambiance was very nice. Server was very attentive. We had cocktails, crab&lobster cake for appetizer, I had the duck and she had the pork chop. Everything was cooked perfect and flavorful.

Top notch. Thank you for making this happen in the burbs...specifically Westwood. Chiara could easily fit in the South End of Boston or Cambridge. Blows the local competition away. Ownership and staff probably are the reason why. They make a real effort. Friendly, professional service. Creative menus. Nice drink options. Exceptional food. Any offering will safely range from very good to great. A very reliable experience. We like to make reservations, and they work smoothly. We wish Chiara continued success.

A hidden gem... The food: excellent food at a reasonable price, which is far and above all other restaurants in the area. You'd have to go deep into Boston to find similar quality food the calamari was amazing, and beats every other place in the area (trust me, we've tried it everywhere). It's perfect. We had the scallops which were perfectly cooked, and the burger which was a bit pricey but very good. The only downside, we didn't find the special cocktails all that terrific, maybe good, but not great. This would be the only area for improvement, but not a showstopper as the wine options were fine.

I love this place, it's a real gem! Fabulous house made cocktails (hope the tarragon pineapple infusion stays on the menu forever), friendly wait staff with the wisdom to offer just the right amount of attention, and good food that is prepared expertly and served sumptuously - the French onion soup! short rib gnocchi!, and oh, that duck!. No skimping! Have to get back here more often.

Terrific experience; great service and excellent food: lamb lollichop was larger than I expected (bonus) and cooked perfectly, as was my steak and my companion's burger. We were headed to a show so could not stay for dessert but I'll be back. A hidden gem for sure!

Excellent experience! This restaurant is a must try. The food was spectacular, they had the most tender octopus I have ever tasted. The short rib gnocchi was incredible. The drinks were amazing as well, jalapeño pineapple margaritas were on point.

This is our go-to place. There's a wonderful wine list. There's always creative appetizers. Any of the main dishes are good I've eaten nearly everything once. The goat cheesecake is particularly amazing. Also the assortment of cookies is good for sharing. The duck is also always perfectly cooked which is one of my favorite dishes.

Food was excellent. When we went we had the duck, pork chops, scallops and chicken. Had some calamari for an appetizer. Everything was delicious. Atmosphere was casual but at the same time had an air of sophistication. Staff was very attentive. It is a bit pricey. For that reason it’s not something I would do all the time but for that special night out or just a change of pace from your standby local place it is definitely worth it.

I love this restaurant. The food was delicious the vibe was great and our waiter Matt..phenomenal!!! We loved him. He made the whole experience honestly. I'm so happy we made the choice to come here. Thanks Matt for really sealing the deal. All the recommendations were spot on. I truly loved it and would highly recommend. Will definitely come back.

I have decided this is one of my favorite restaurants in the Boston area. I have dinned here twice with work colleagues and I have not been disappointed. Excellent atmosphere, wonderful menu, with well presented and perfectly cooked food. Our host recommended the lamb and he was absolutely right to do so. One of the best lamb dishes I’ve had in while. Your choice of a comfortable bar area with high tops or the more formal white cloth restaurant. Either way you get great service.

Really great experience with everything from the service, to the food, to the drinks. Their commitment to quality was evident when a second order of calamari arrived at our table while we were halfway through the first order. Apparently the chef wasn’t happy with how the first one came out so he sent another to the table. We were 100% satisfied with the first one but happily accepted the second one and appreciated their attention to detail. We’ll be back!

Last Thursday evening, we hosted a wedding rehearsal dinner for 23 people at Chiara Bistro. Every detail was outstanding and our guests overwhelmingly enjoyed themselves. Many remarked that it was the best dinner they had ever had. The food was absolutely delicious, the service was impeccable and we were so pleased with our evening. Many thanks to Gabriella who helped us choose our menu and plan the evening, and of course, many thanks as well to the chef and servers who made this such a special night.

Quite possibly my favorite restaurant out there. The food is excellent and what impresses me the most is the consistency. I've been coming here for years and it's a positive experience every single time. They change the menu often to keep things fresh and the new additions are always great. Excellent drinks as well. The staff are all fantastic too. Really can't say enough good things about this place.

Calamari was perfect, the garlic aioli complimented by the flavor of the banana peppers was spot on. The gnocchi with short rib Bolognese was off the charts wonderful.

Very tasty, food tastes fresh. Very accommodating and friendly staff. Potions are average. Quite pricey.

Very got food paired with slightly sub-par service for a restaurant at this price level. If they did some work bringing their waitstaff up a level, it would be a must-go spot in the suburbs.

The server and food was exceptional. However the design of restaurant amplified the noise level. Overall a fantastic place to dine.

Great food and quaint. The menu was small but there was something for everyone. I found this place by searching the Phantom Gourmet and thought it was a great find and easy to get to. I will definitely return.

Very good food that is trying a bit too hard. Has potential to be great, but inconsistency in the food and a disconnect in the kitchen hold Chiara back. I have had exceptional and disappointing meals here. I sent back a (ruined) Creme Brulee and the expo chef wouldn't even acknowledge my server's feedback. The prix fixe menu is more about discount then showcasing their creativity and capabilities. Cooks need to step up to hook the real foodies.

Food was good. The appetizer and dinner were excellent but the dessert (the shortcake dessert) was very dry. They make a drink named the whiskey orchard that I loved.

Food was very well presented, but average. Would give it 3.5 stars if I could have. Sat in the private room in the back which was awesome. Really good service too.

Was good , but I expected exceptional. My wife loved her scallops. The gnocchi was just okay. Ambience &staff were awesome.

I'm vegetarian, and there are no vegetarian options. I ended up getting sick from too rich food, cooked with a lot of butter and cream. All of the food they offered touched other dishes. Food was very expensive. My cousin ordered steak and vegetables. Had a martini, and we shared appetizer and dessert. Her martini was $12, and her meal 87!!! She wasn't satisfied with it.

The service was great. The food was well cooked American food. I think you can find a more unique experience at the same price point but if you are looking for consistent quality with familiar recipes and flavors this is a good spot. I would go back again if invited but Im more likely to try a different restaurant in the area when picking myself

Chiara's food is good, as is the ambience. I went last night and had the duck breast which was cooked perfectly, but the kitchen seemed to have a problem with timing. When the food came out, my companion's salmon was very well cooked and hot. My duck was barely warm. Obviously, they had to hold my dish until the salmon was done. Another issue was that three different people tried to clear our table while I was still eating. Finally, my companion's plate was cleared, again while I was still eating. I know most people wouldn't care, but as an industry professional, this kind of rush to turn the table bothers me, especially at these prices and when there were other open tables. I guess their management wants tables turned as quickly as possible.

I had high hopes for this as my neighborhood restaurant. Tried it twice. Food was never more than luke warm, italian dishes were mediocre and service indifferent. No reason to go back.

Sat at bar. Then order salad. Which was good. Small menu. Over priced. In my opinion. Was ignored by bartender. Even a wealthy man commented on the upity class and terrible service. And to top it off. I'm sitting in the go xxx portal now, with food poisoning, either from the meat in the risotto or the pork chop. In the hospital at 4am. 0 stars for me.