Ostra Profile Photo - Restaurants in Boston MA
Ostra

Restaurants
 Boston, 02116

Send Message
Show Phone Number
Do you own or operate Ostra? Claim this listing now. Claim this business

About

Ostra, Spanish for oyster, is a contemporary Mediterranean seafood restaurant from chef and owner Jamie Mammano, opened in November 2013 at One Charles Street South. The kitchen buys seafood from New England, the Mediterranean and elsewhere and keeps the preparations light, so the fish carries the plate. The James Beard Foundation named Ostra a semifinalist for Outstanding Hospitality in its 2026 awards.

It suits a celebration dinner, a business meal or a seafood lover who wants a formal dining room rather than a casual oyster bar. The restaurant describes its location as Park Square and Back Bay, by Boston Common, and the dress code is business casual.

What to order

The menu opens with raw bar oysters from Massachusetts and Maine, crudo and tartares, and a selection of Petrossian caviar. The dish most associated with the restaurant is the salt-crusted branzino for two, which takes about 50 minutes, so order it early. Other mains include local monkfish, a Valenciana-style paella with Maine lobster and chorizo, broiled twin Maine lobsters, and a short list of steaks for anyone at the table who would rather not eat fish.

The room

The dining room has high ceilings, saddle-leather banquettes and large black-and-white ocean photographs, with a marble bar and a piano lounge beside it. It seats 136 in the dining room, 26 in the lounge and 14 at the bar, and the bar opens half an hour before the dining room, so it also works for a drink without a full dinner.

Private dining

The private room seats up to 48 for lunch or dinner and holds 70 for a cocktail reception; the lounge suits smaller receptions, and the main dining room can be bought out for up to 150.

Sister venues

Ostra's owners, Columbus Hospitality Group, also run the French Mediterranean restaurant Mistral on Columbus Avenue and the hotel XV Beacon on Beacon Hill.

Sources: Ostra, about, fact sheet, hours, menu, private events, James Beard Foundation. Checked September 27, 2026.

Get Directions View Larger Map

Contact Information

Company Name
Ostra
Phone Number
Show Phone Number
Location
1 Charles Street South
Boston, 02116

We may earn a commission from links on this page, at no cost to you. Disclosure

Visit Website Reserve a Table View Menu

About Ostra

Quick answer: Ostra is a restaurant at 1 Charles Street South, Boston, MA 02116. Contemporary Mediterranean seafood at One Charles Street South since 2013: raw bar, caviar, salt-crusted branzino for two and a piano lounge.

Last updated

Ostra, Spanish for oyster, is a contemporary Mediterranean seafood restaurant from chef and owner Jamie Mammano, opened in November 2013 at One Charles Street South. The kitchen buys seafood from New England, the Mediterranean and elsewhere and keeps the preparations light, so the fish carries the plate. The James Beard Foundation named Ostra a semifinalist for Outstanding Hospitality in its 2026 awards.

It suits a celebration dinner, a business meal or a seafood lover who wants a formal dining room rather than a casual oyster bar. The restaurant describes its location as Park Square and Back Bay, by Boston Common, and the dress code is business casual.

What to order

The menu opens with raw bar oysters from Massachusetts and Maine, crudo and tartares, and a selection of Petrossian caviar. The dish most associated with the restaurant is the salt-crusted branzino for two, which takes about 50 minutes, so order it early. Other mains include local monkfish, a Valenciana-style paella with Maine lobster and chorizo, broiled twin Maine lobsters, and a short list of steaks for anyone at the table who would rather not eat fish.

The room

The dining room has high ceilings, saddle-leather banquettes and large black-and-white ocean photographs, with a marble bar and a piano lounge beside it. It seats 136 in the dining room, 26 in the lounge and 14 at the bar, and the bar opens half an hour before the dining room, so it also works for a drink without a full dinner.

Private dining

The private room seats up to 48 for lunch or dinner and holds 70 for a cocktail reception; the lounge suits smaller receptions, and the main dining room can be bought out for up to 150.

Sister venues

Ostra's owners, Columbus Hospitality Group, also run the French Mediterranean restaurant Mistral on Columbus Avenue and the hotel XV Beacon on Beacon Hill.

Sources: Ostra, about, fact sheet, hours, menu, private events, James Beard Foundation. Checked September 27, 2026.

Restaurants Seafood Fine Dining Back Bay restaurants
Show Phone Number

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Where is Ostra?+
At One Charles Street South, Boston, MA 02116, in the Park Square area where Back Bay meets Boston Common.
Q. What are the opening hours?+
The restaurant's hours page lists the main dining room Sunday to Thursday from 5:30 p.m., with last seating at 8 p.m. and the kitchen closing at 8:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The bar opens at 5 p.m. and closes at 10:30 p.m. or 11 p.m. Its fact sheet gives slightly different times, so confirm when you book.
Q. Do I need a reservation?+
Reservations are strongly encouraged. Book through OpenTable, which the restaurant's reservations page uses, or call 617-421-1200.
Q. Is there a dress code?+
Yes. Ostra's dress code is business casual.
Q. How long does the salt-crusted branzino take?+
The menu asks you to allow 50 minutes for the salt-crusted branzino, which serves two.
Q. Is there parking?+
Valet parking is $30, with pick-up on the Charles Street South side. The restaurant does not validate at nearby garages but recommends the Revere garage at 200 Stuart Street or the Motor Mart garage at 201 Stuart Street.
Q. Does Ostra offer car service?+
Yes. Complimentary car service is provided on request within a two-mile radius of the restaurant, seven days a week, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weeknights and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Q. Can Ostra host a private event?+
Yes. The private room seats up to 48 guests for lunch or dinner or 70 for a cocktail reception, and the main dining room can be booked for up to 150.
Q. Has Ostra won any awards?+
The James Beard Foundation listed Ostra as a semifinalist for Outstanding Hospitality in its 2026 Restaurant and Chef Awards. It did not advance to the nominee list.

Things to do

Book a Boston experience

See all Boston tours