I have no idea why we haven't tried AKA Bistro before now ?! We stopped in for lunch and are thrilled to have found another EXCELLENT "local" place for dinner or lunch I was a little skeptical about the French/Japanese fusion (no idea why now that I think about it) but was excited to find a really nicely put together menu/options. We had a couple of apps (soup and "scallion pancake"), grilled salad and Cold Ramen - excellent flavors, nicely plated, professionally served and BIG portions I was really surprised to see. Jessica was our server at lunch and again exceptionally professional and on point. They have an outdoor patio (covered = nicely done) and and excellent dining room - part open kitchen (counter style so to speak) and a nice little bar. Ohh Yea did I mention the food is flipping great! If not, well you get the point, if you haven't tried AKA Bistro do not wait like we did (not any longer, we plan on being back for dinner SOON).
(5)
Vin L.
I came here with my wife for our anniversary based on a Fortune Magazine list of 200 best restaurants in the country. We had high expectations. The food did not disappoint, the drinks were really good. The service was lacking. It was a quiet Friday night in the summer. More people were sitting at the out door patio than inside, where we were. We felt a little ignored. I understand there is a fine line between overbearingly attentive and forgotten about. We felt forgotten. Some people might enjoy that type of service- never having a conversation interrupted; all the time in the world to sit and talk. I was with my wife, I was hungry and needed a constant flow of drinks to tolerate an anniversary dinner. Food was good.
(3)
Ebonique F.
Really good quality food. Staff was amazing and extremely friendly along with knowledgable of the menu. Some of the customers were a bit stuffy but overall, good food & good service!
(4)
Katie G.
Went last night for drinks and appetizers. Overall my impression was that it seemed pretentious and overpriced. I only ordered one thing, though, so I can't really say that for certain. I was just so shocked by the small size of the one item I DID order that I had to write a review. I'm attaching a pic of my $15 salmon sashimi. It was laughably small and not even good-- all the stuff they put on it ruined the clean taste of the fish. :(
(2)
Marika R.
We bought the groupon for the 7 course meal. Food tasted good but time required between courses was very long. After one bite of oyster, next course took about 20 minutes, and continued this way for 2 long hours. The 5th course was a runny poached egg on a bed of greens. Not what I would have expected. Service being very slow, made for a long and arduous evening. I would opt for the regular menu if I were to go again. Even with a Groupon, we ended up spending almost $150. for 2 of us. A bit steep for something that is supposed to be a "deal."
(2)
Karen W.
The food served here is interesting and elegant. The ingredients are fresh and presentation is lovely. Prices are ok for quality though not a cheap lunch. My main complaint is the service. The waitresses seemed harried and having to please the owner referred to by the waitress as " the French guy". He is also the bartender and didn't seen in any rush to prepare our drinks. I might go back for the food but didn't like the feel of the service.
(3)
Travis B.
Sitting on the patio on a breezy, sunny day was a great midday break. I went against my gut feeling to order the chirashi at a French bistro, but could not resist. It was average and the cuts of fish were a bit small for the price point. The waitress and waiter were both talkative, friendly, and on top of their knowledge of the dishes and made the meal even more relaxing.
(3)
Gregory R.
We love AKA Bistro! The food is excellent and the service is very nice. Definitely leave some room for their deserts (they are delicious, especially their eclairs) and make a reservation, especially if you're coming at a busy time (e.g., Saturday night).
(5)
Bob H.
7 course dinner was one of the best meals I have ever had. Everything was different and delicious
(5)
Shannon F.
My husband and I went here last night for their 7 course tasting menu, using a Groupon we purchased. First, the place was beautiful inside and had a great ambiance. Our meal was delicious! We had no idea what was going to be served, as it's decided by the chef. The first 5 courses were very small- bite size, but good. They included Japanese dishes such as sashimi, seared Spanish mackerel and bean curd and tofu in a pea emulsion. The 6th course was the main dish- short rib and hanger steak. It was delicious! Incredibly tender and flavorful. We each had a drink- mine was really good- fairly priced and strong. My husband wasn't crazy about the dirty martini, but it wasn't terrible. The dessert was a delicious almond cake with a chocolate ganache and raspberry sorbet. We had coffee with dessert and it was unusually good for restaurant coffee. A huge plus- the waitstaff and bus staff were incredibly nice and attentive. Our waitress, Yassamin, was very helpful in answering any questions and provided great service. While the main menu does look quite pricey, we were looking at the dishes being served to neighboring tables and they looked delicious and had decent portion sizes. We will definitely return!
(4)
Jay D.
This is the most awkward restaurant I've ever been to. Stopped here for a drink before an event bc it was literally the only place in the area we could find. You know when you go somewhere and afterward you ask your SO, "was it me or was that weird and awkward?" And they say "totally! I thought it was me". Well, that was this place. The extremely angry girl standing right in front of us making lists but not offering a 'hello' was a little weird too.
(2)
Olivia C.
Bread is amazing. Coffee is spot on. My omelette was great. My French toast was to die for. I love how he coffee comes with a little cookie (makes my day every time). Service is meh and food isn't necessarily anything mind blowing but all my experiences eating here have been good. Menu and dining room is a little small and pretty pricey. Worth checking out.
(4)
April H.
Brunch here on a Saturday was a delight! The recently remodeled dining area is comfortable and relaxing. The staff is, as always, attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. During our visit we enjoyed the pastry assortment. Several different delectable baked goods threatened our appetites, so we only sampled, but oh - so good!! My dad ordered the special of the day omelet, and enjoyed his asparagus and goat cheese filled entree - it was so large, he couldn't finish it. The baby spinach salad my stepmom ordered arrived in a beautifully unusual bowl, slanted so as to present the salad as if a fresh gift for the occasion. She especially enjoyed the pickled radishes- she's still raving about them!! I had the salmon confit salad with crispy lotus root and was delighted with my choice. Perfectly cooked, moist and flavorful salmon nestled on a bed of field greens, lightly dressed, with an adorable hard-boiled quail egg loitering close by- and absolutely delicious. We split a strawberry-rhubarb tart type dessert that was beautifully presented and just fantastic. Wonderfully strong and rich coffee rounded off the meal, and our leftovers were promptly packed in environmentally friendly Togo containers- no styrofoam here!! Our server, Brendan, and the rest of the staff were always close at hand, refilling waters and speedily returning with any items we requested. Top notch dining and reasonably priced at brunch- don't be discouraged if you cannot get a reservation; Aka only accepts limited reservations so that people walking in can get a table as well. (Plans are underway to enclose the patio area, which will please those of us who love to dine outdoors.) A real gem!!!
(5)
Karyn V.
Sushi and French, it is a bit confused. The food is slightly above average. For the price, we expected better. The patio is nice to sit on. We probably will go back at some point, but only to dine outside on a nice day without having to drive far from the house.
(3)
Roger M.
This was one of the best meals I have ever eaten. The food is Japanese-French inspired. Meaning that traditional dishes are creatively prepared. And, each one was a home run. Here are two examples: 1. FRENCH EXAMPLE: The Coquilles St. Jacques was prepared in a delicate lobster sauce with with edamame in traditional beurre blanc, instead of flour and cream. (I must tell you that the scallops were perfectly prepared.) Yum (and healthy!) 2. JAPANESE EXAMPLE: The tuna tatare was presented as a Japanese style hand roll. But, there was no rice and, instead of seaweed, it was wrapped in a cucumber. My wife raves about the Lincoln Tartelette (vegetables, olive tapenade, cherries tomato and anchovy aïoli). And, the desert was heavenly. The service was really outstanding. The staff knew everything well and could discuss in detail. It seems as if they have been working together for years. Do not miss coming here. (A rare 5 stars from me!)
(5)
Lisa K.
We chose AKA Bistro for a 25-person brunch during a wedding weekend and are very happy that we did. Christian and his staff were a delight to work with and did everything they could to ensure that our event proceeded smoothly during and long after we finished eating. We were fortunate to be able to use the patio as the weather was nice - it's a lovely setting for a brunch. The breads are beyond delicious and every guest was happy with his/her entree. They even prepared little menus for the event as we wanted to limit the choices. The wait staff was helpful and kept our drinks and water filled. Many thanks to everyone at AKA Bistro and we highly recommend the restaurant for both food and professionalism.
(5)
Sara M.
My sweetie and I came here for a special dinner - a 7-course tasting via groupon. We walked out in agreement that it was the most interesting dinner we have ever had. When we entered, we were immediately seated and our server was aware of the groupon and helped us choose some bubbly to start. We actually had 2 servers, and both were great. Service was traditional. with crumbing, asking to clear, new silverware etc. The bread is amazing - little baguettes and rosemary brioche...so good, we had seconds. The first four courses were sashimi - oyster, locally sourced fish with jalapeno and jalapeno flowers, fish with sesame oil and tuna with a balsamic reduction. The sesame oil was my favorite, I wish I could remember what type of fish they were. Each course was very creative, but small, and left us wanting. The first course was one oyster, with uni and foam, very, very briny, but delicious. We also had a lovely bottle of white that paired nicely with help from our server. As an aside, the wine list was all French as far as I could see, and a felt a little like a poisson out of water. The next two courses were French - a salad with grilled peach, peach pickle and tempura-fried olives. Tasty, but left something to be desired. The final savory course was the duck. I love duck, and this was tasty, albeit under-cooked. My boyfriend and I tend to eat our meats less cooked than others, so for less adventurous eaters, this might have been too much. The chard it came with was very tasty as well. Finally, the dessert was chocolate three ways: mousse, ice cream and brioche. The dessert brioche dry and crumbly. too dry to enjoy, and the other two desserts on the plate were garnished with smaller pieces of the same thing. I loved the ice cream and mousse. server kept telling us how casual the place was, we were dressed up and felt a little foolish. Overall, a nice dinner, but portions were small, and I left feeling a little underwhelmed. I hope to go back sometimes and try some other things the next time I am in the area.
(3)
John W.
What a wonderful low keyed restaurant. The owner accompanied the presentation of every plate, and showed he really cared. All of our dishes were excellent and my personal favorite was the fusion dim sum with the pork belly/pickled radish with and exquisite spicy citrus sauce. This restaurant should be on a show.
(5)
Susan C.
French-Japanese Fusion? How interesting! Went here for dinner last week with a few friends. It was a bit of a drive from Boston through rush hour traffic, but well worth it. The food and service was excellent! We ordered off their Restaurant Week menu, so all of the items may not be available on their regular menu, but if you see these items as a nightly special or otherwise, I would highly recommend: their jarred chicken liver mousse/pate, steak, and passion fruit bavarois. The mousse was absolute heaven, smooth, luscious, and meaty tasting. Steak was well cooked and nicely seasoned. But the star of the meal had to be the bavarois (it looks like a panna cotta), it was light, airy, subtly sweet and very refreshing. I just wish this place was closer to Boston so I don't have to drive another 45 minutes to go back.
(5)
TinoX T.
The Sushi Bar is Okay but the Price is So Expensive,The French restaurant is Delicious but like I said it's Expensive. Not Worth it......
(2)
Scott M.
Best Sushi outside of Boston - PERIOD.. Don't come here looking for big American style portions. You come to AKA to experience Japanese style sushi. This is a class A place. Take a seat at the bar and let Chef Chris make you amazing dishes that are going to blow you away. The portions are small but extremely high quality - like you will find in Japan. Think of this place as the Jiro Dreams of Sushi USA edition. You go to AKA for quality over quantity. If your looking for someplace that exceeds your expectations of quality fish - order up the Hamachi, Toro Tartar or Hawaiian Poke and be amazed. Very highly recommended. If you don't understand quality over quantity... Well I can't help you. :-)
(5)
Jack B.
This place has great, surprising food. I love the cocktails. The outdoor seating is wonderful, and they now have a huge awning and mosquito netting. And it's in Lincoln, where it has no competition.
(5)
Amica M.
Been here 3 times. Disappointing and overpriced in my opinion. No other real restaurant in Lincoln. We both got seafood dishes with a broth or a braise. The flavors did not seem complex enough. The bread, however, was outstanding. Another time I got a lobster and grapefruit salad; $18 and it was not interesting and there were 3 small bites. I don't mind paying good money for good food. I get bummed when I pay good money for mediocre food.
(2)
Wendy S.
Fantastic! So glad that this restaurant was able to remodel, and reopen! The food was interesting, and delicious. The service was fabulous (attentive, but never felt rushed). The atmosphere was lively, and comfortable. A great night out, we will be going back to Aka Bistro again soon!
(5)
Deb C.
Went for Brunch for the first time. Our waitress was delightfully helpful. The menu was great. One recommendation would be to print the special Dim Sum's. Everything was delicious
(4)
K A.
We had brunch here on Sunday. Everything was delicious. Everyone I know who has eaten here says it is only so so but everyone in our party loved their meal. We had: the quiche lorraine, omelet, mac and cheese, pork dumplings, croque madame, pain perdu, lemon tart.
(5)
Jim S.
The service was terrific, very knowledgable waitress on both the food and the winelist. Nice ambience. The food was good, certainly not superb. Biggest complaint was size of the portions, at least for the moules-frites ($19) and the steak-frites ($27). Mussels had a great flavor, but by the time you take all those shells away, not too much there, and the steak was pretty small too. Tons of very good french fries on the above dishes tried to make them look bigger, but that's a lot of money for fries. The meat was adequate but who could tell with a big glob of some heavy sauce on it. One of our party, did however have a pork cutlet dish which was very large. They also have a lot of Asian stuff, so you would probably need several visits to get the true character of the place - my comments are directed to the "French Bistro" side of the house. Salads were simple and adequate. Very very lightly dressed. We skipped dessert. Some good wines on the winelist, but all French and none exactly cheap. Lincoln is a very well-to-do community with a very small commercial center, and this place seems to be the only game in town. I guess they know what the clientele can afford.
(3)
Gregg S.
I really wanted to like Aka. French with a sashimi twist? Moule frites? Onglette? Frisee with lardon and poached egg? Sign me up! The reality was rather disappointing. Service was indifferent at best, despite being nearly empty at 7pm on a Monday. I had to catch the bartender's attention to refill my club soda. Oh, and charging $3.50 for an 8oz seltzer, straight from the bottle, is bad enough. Charging another $3.50 for a refill - without mentioning the cost - is not ok. An order of edamame took over 15 minutes to arrive. The advertised fleur de sel was nowhere to be found. The moule frites should have been great, but weren't. The portion of both the mussels and fries was quite generous. The frites were decent. Other than the ones swimming in sauce at the bottom, the mussels were fairly bland. Unfortunately, half were barely cooked, and almost a third were inedible or unopened. I had to spit out several. I sent the order back. And now I'm worried I'll be spending my evening running for the bathroom. I understand - bad shellfish can happen. It shouldn't at a sashimi bar, but it can. A good restaurant should absolutely want to know when something like that is wrong and to talk to the customer. It's one thing if your steak is overcooked. When it's potentially bad seafood...speaking to the customer should be a requirement. Instead...the waiter was mildly apologetic, and he did take it off the bill, but didn't seem overly concerned when I pointed out all the undercooked or inedible mussels and that I'd spit out several. He asked if I wanted anything else and didn't get that I was repulsed by the food. The chef "was Informed" but never came over to speak to me, despite my sitting at the bar 5 feet from from where he was working. The manager glanced at me when the waiter told him, but didn't say anything to me as I walked past them. I hate writing such a bad review, especially mentioning bad shellfish. Anything more than a cursory effort at talking to me about it would have gone along way to improve my opinion. A good restaurant is more than its food.
(2)
Monique S.
The atmosphere is nice, definitely not kid friendly. I had the salmon sashimi appetizer which was overpriced for the amount of sashimi you get. The presentation of it was terrible, three tiny servings on a massive platter. I also had the Beef duo with hangar steak and short rib. The hanger steak was delicious, but the short rib was a little dry.
(3)
Chris C.
Re-opened after Flooding in December 2013. AKA has come back Boston Strong. Christian greeted everyone with grace and French flair, and injected an air of celebration in being back. The food will still take you over the center field wall, and you will rejoice that sleepy Lincoln got its culinary spirit back.
(5)
Michael S.
Mostly good experiences and they have an interesting menu for the 'burbs. I have been a half dozen times... I usually order the more French vs Japanese. I personally love creative menus and embrace the east-west fusion...but, if you are into Americanized meat and 'taters: don't come. (You wont enjoy it ...and..... you'll ruin it for the rest of us with your complaining.) So close to loosing the 4th star, though... they've have had a few misses on certain dishes, which always leaves me wanting them to do something a bit different. With some tweaks and more consistency, this could be a great restaurant. I do love the patio for lunch...and prices are reasonable.
(4)
Vina A.
Japanese and French? Yes please! BUT AKA ? most likely NEVER AGAIN.. well, maybe for a 10$ itsy bitsy glass of wine. People in the town of Lincoln must be starved for fine dining venues to give this place such high reviews. Have some more gustatory dignity and stop giving a place like this so much money. The canard was alright but salty, the fois nothing amazing either. Japanese side with the combo platter was not worth it. Over $3 for a 1 inch long sliver, and I do mean sliver, of fish? The flavors were there, delicious but seriously, as one person said it, the 85$ portion may have been OK if we were 3 feet tall. Could have used fewer sauces too - confusing and unnecessary. And the real kicker that just killed the place for me was that the spatzele was not spatzele. It was hard, oily dough. Just imagine over frying a funnel cake and then shaking it in a bag of salt. That's what you get. HORRIBLE. Oh, and never sit outside past sundown. Got 10 mosquito bites on my bottom strait through the chair and skirt within 15 minutes. At least someone had a good meal that night!
(1)
Joanne G.
Asian Fusion in Lincoln. I had the ginger carrot soup, and japanese roasted veggie. It was ok. Their bread was kickin'. Would I go back? Not necessarily.
(3)
Kate M.
I was surprised to experience AKA's pour policy - instead of the typical dividing of a bottle of wine into four glasses, AKA divided the bottle by 8! We paid $12 for a three-ounce glass of chardonnay. So to have my usual out-to-dinner two glasses of wine, I would have to order four glasses and pay $96 for a moderate inexpensive wine. The food was very good. But the huge wine margins will keep me from ever going again. Pour a normal glass of wine! $12 a glass was appropriate, for double the glass they served. Shame shame
(2)
Susan F.
OPEN again as of May 5! New menu (keeping old favorites) and as wonderful as ever. We love the cocktails, the wine list, the fresh-baked breads, and have enjoyed both the Japanese and the French sides of the menu. Desserts are okay--but the real delight is the main courses. We had the sashimi dinner once (pricy for us) and it was absolutely divine. Have also loved the steak, the roast chicken, the moules frites, and all the fish entrees.
(5)
J. Ted S.
I went for the first time just recently and I thought AKA was great. The service was really outstanding - like an army of servants catering to your every need. I had bone marrow, salmon salad, a fantastic roasted cod, and the blueberry lemon tart. Funny that you have to go to the one restaurant in Lincoln for fine dining if you live in Lexington or Concord (80 Thoreau is good too).
(5)
MingPey L.
well at the beginning it might be a bit confusing, a sushi bar in side a french bistro restaurant, but it work together rather well, especially you can get the best of both world, the lobster dish from the bistro side is amazing, great portion for a reasonable price, steam mussel is another dish that has enough portion to be shared as a 4 ppl appetizer. great beer and wine selection, of course there's the sake as well. the sushi bar is amazing as well, if you ever been to uni while chris was there you will already have an idea what kind of amazing food you will be getting. always ask your waiter if there's any special fish they got in store for you. its definitely worth the drive.
(5)
David T.
Excellent brunch IS possible in the suburbs!! An often overlooked weekend meal that, for suburbanites, has historically been regulated to the all-you-can-eat buffets at the local Marriott has finally been executed with style and perfection! One day I will be able to afford to live in Lincoln. Until then, at least there is a quaint bistro nestled in the forest (actually its in a shopping center but a 1/2 mile in any direction is pretty much the forest) from which I can enjoy an outstanding meal in a lovely setting. The service was top-notch from the moment we walked in until the moment we waddled our gluttonous selves out the door. Our waiter, busboy, and bread server (yes 3 different people assisted us on our 45 min through foodie heaven) were extremely attentive without being overbearing and obnoxious. Water seemed to appear out of nowhere as soon as the glass showed the possibility of being close to empty but not once did it feel as if people were hovering. Now to the food: **Assiette de charcuterie ($12): After our trip to Spain transformed the bf into a lover of cured meats, he could not resist himself when he spotted this on the menu. Various hams, salami and pig's feet terrine were served with toasted bread, pearl onions, cornichons and Dijon mustard. This was not only delicious but was also thoughtfully presented in a traditionally Euro manner...on a simple cutting board. **Omelette Basquaise ($10): Perfectly cooked thick omelette (almost like a quiche actually but with no crust) with potato and chorizo. Nice texture with a mild taste. Served with a side a field greens that the bf devoured from my plate (yes I am bad when it comes to eating all of my veggies). **Petit Dejeuner ($12): Basket of 5 house-made pastries served with coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice. The pain au chocolat was the standout here but all (brioche, croissant, madeleine) were tasty and very fresh. Orange juice was sweet and had the perfect slight amount of pulp. After only 4 months in business, AKA Bistro has raised the standard for suburban dining; an accomplishment that some places struggle with for years. I look forward to returning for dinner in order to see what other delights, both French and Japanese, are in store. Messieurs Chung, Touche & Santos: merci beaucoup!
(5)
Anna M.
First trip to AKA Bistro and unfortunately not going back. Here's why: We order: my friend asks wants the fois gras and the halibut. The server says they are out of the fois. She orders the bone marrow. The server comes back to tell us they are out of the bone marrow and the halibut as well. Seriously? I worked as cook in a kitchen, I understand you want to keep food costs down but running out of the three things someone orders at 7:30pm is ridiculous. I ordered soda water. It is completely flat, I have to ask for another one. Part of the frustration with this which i didn't realize until the bill came is the soda water (from a soda gun not a fancy brand) was $3.50! That is insane! It's tap water! We also ordered champagne which didn't come until after the appetizers. Our server, although friendly, was very disorganized. The meal: Appetizers- The tuna tartare: it was fine, I liked the spice but it was very mayonaisey and the tuna was hard to taste. $15 was very pricey. The beet salad: outstanding. the beets were sweet and delicious. a great salad. Main- Mussels with salad:The mussels were pretty bad. I know when you order mussels every now and then there is always one or two that has a bad taste; not the fault of the restaurant. These mussels all had a bad taste. neither my friend nor I could get through them. Overall it just wasn't good. The beets as I mentioned were great but they didn't make up for the subpar main course, the less than thrilling tuna tartare and the disjointed service. This was my first and last trip to AKA.
(2)
Sebastien P.
Aka Bistro re opened today May 5th!!!
(5)
Chantelle D.
My Dad and I decided to throw my Mom a surprise birthday dinner just cuz (we're nice like that!) and since AKA Bistro was the first (and only!) restaurant in Lincoln, we thought we'd try it out for this special occasion. Already warned by some of our guests that AKA books up quickly, I called the restaurant hoping to secure a 10 person reservation for a Thursday night. I spoke with Christian, the General Manager, who was AMAZING during the entire process. He secured us a round table perfect for our group. He helped me pick out items from the main menu for our guests and even printed out personalized menus with my Mom's name for the night. I also pre-selected champagne and wine which was served attentively by our lovely waitress throughout the meal. While the service already out did itself before we even got there, it was just as exceptional during our dinner. But let's get to the good stuff: the food! If you love escargots, it was perhaps the best I've ever tasted. The pig's feet terrine was amazing - and such a big portion, we actually took some of it home! I also tried the cod fillet and the mussels and frites for the main entrees which were perfectly cooked. Thanks to Christian and his team, our entire party had such a memorable and happy night. So much so, that when we left to go home, my Mom started crying in the car because she "couldn't have asked for a better birthday!" Happy Mom = Happy CK! We already can't wait to go back and try their lunch menu on the outdoor patio.
(5)
Greg W.
I like Aka, and wish I loved Aka. There are not many good restaurants in this area (80 Thoreau is one of the few). Aka's menu is unique and there are a few dishes worth trying. I have been a few times, mainly because I live so close. But I find myself looking for something better.
(3)
Rachel G.
This review is for Sunday brunch. Great service, pretty good food, but probably more than a little overpriced. We started with the pastries- the brioche was moist and buttery; the cinnamon sugar-topped muffin-like thing was a little dry but covered in sugar so I couldn't really complain much; the croissant and pain au chocolat both flaky and golden but almost unbearably buttery (oil was quite literally dripping out of the former). As far as drinks go they don't have any liquor, so the Bloody Mary drinkers in our group were resigned to mimosas. I can't complain, though, as mine was top-notch and pretty decently-sized-- it was served in a tumbler instead of a champagne flute. Those in our group that stuck with coffee weren't left out of the beverage fun--each cup came with a little chocolate cookie. Yum. As for entrees, I stuck with the Japanese side and had the spicy shrimp salad. The menu description said it would include green papayas, but mine only had (a whole boatload of) shredded cucumbers and precisely 5 shrimp, all drenched in a mildly spicy, tart, and a little fishy-tasting mango sauce. I wouldn't order it again, but it wasn't bad. I also split that weekend's dim sum special--scallion pancakes--with my boyfriend. We were both expecting something along the lines of a latke, but these pancakes were almost exact replicas of Navajo fry bread, except with scallions mixed in the dough before they were deep fried. Delicious (who doesn't like fried dough?), but definitely not what we thought we'd signed up for. Those in our group that chose items from the French side of the menu were not disappointed, with the French toast coming out as a clear winner for best dish ordered. All in all, AKA bistro was tasty and filling, but not necessarily worth the $140 it cost for 2 mimosas, 2 coffees, some breads, and 4 entrees.
(3)
Leo j. R.
A.k.a. awful! Came in for Sunday brunch. Seated on a banquette covered with crumbs-not a good start! Pastries weren't available so I had a croque monsieur. Let's just say the chef was liberal with the salt; not only was the sandwich salty but the accompanying salad, too. Speaking of the salad , it looked like it came from a supermarket bag o' spring greens days after it expired, as it included some rather slimy leaves. None of this poorly prepared food was cheap, especially in light of the half-hearted service. And why in the world would they play loud techno music before noon? I won't be back.
(1)
Luciana S.
The food was incredible! Had the terrine de fois gras with brioche, perfectly served and moules frites for entree. Ah and you must try their desserts. Everything cooked to perfection. Great wine list and service was very attentive and accommodating - we were sitting outside but asked to be moved inside because of the mosquitos. Reason for 4 stars was the decor. The bar looked fine but the main dining area looks too busy. The color changing panel is tacky. The reason for saying this is because the amazing food deserves a better design. But at the end is all about the food and the chef is superb. I would go back in a minute.
(4)
Shirley M.
My husband and I have dined here 3 times before. The food has been consistently delicious and service has ranged from okay to very good. I chose Aka for my birthday dinner this evening. I knew it was a slight risk given that winter storm 'Nemo' had resolved just 10 hours prior, but assumed Aka would not be open if unable to function. Boy was I wrong. We had just been seated when our waitress jumped into details about being extremely short staffed. While I can appreciate the need to give customers a head's up it didn't stop there. Aka was out of the first 2 wines we ordered, which was blamed on the storm. The storm lasted 24 hours, but okay. The salad and appetizer arrived at the same time, again blamed on the storm. Again, not sure how the storm prevented our waitress from holding the salad. Reaching over salad plates to taste the prosciutto and house pates felt clumsy. The meats were flavorful and the arugula/endives salad was pleasing. The mesclun salad was unimpressive. My entree of mussels and fries was savory, a large serving that could easily be shared by two. My husband had the salmon with lentils. The lentils were tasty. The salmon was not fresh, which was disappointing. We had the creme caramel for desert which was nothing special. Our bill was pricey as expected but not startling. As we handed the check back to our waitress she informed us that while she had been "running around like a chicken with [her] head cut off" she had inadvertently billed our desert to someone else and would need to add on. This was just plain awkward and left us feeling like we were at the 99 in Concord. Aka is one of the most expensive restaurants in the suburbs. The minimum expectation is good service and amazing food. Snow should not have be used repeatedly as an excuse. If a lovely meal was not possible due to snow, Aka should not have opened it's doors. This was not an enjoyable birthday meal and I'm left feeling regretful. While we have enjoyed Aka in the past the pace of the meal, unprofessional service, and food that was a mixed bag will keep us from returning.
(1)
Dta E.
Good place for dessert and has nice ambiance. The service is a slow but they have some good selections on the menu. Not the best place you will ever eat but definitely decent.
(4)
Laura W.
Lincoln is so lucky to have the AKA Bistro! Truffled mac & cheese! Does it get any better?!? An eclectic menu with a fantastic wine selection. I've dined there many times, met friend and family there and would highly recommend it. I have yet to try their cheese night and I'm looking forward to it.
(5)
Bob P.
I guess I'm in the minority. My wife and I were underwhelmed, and quite frankly confused by the French/Sushi approach. Why exactly those two cuisines? For $60 a head for dinner and wine (no apps or desert), I expected a bit more. But the place was packed and gets rave reviews. Maybe if I liked goose liver more..... The menu itself was a little annoying, with all the dish names written in French as if to say "Well you shouldn't be eating here if you don't Parlez Francais".
(3)
Alex M.
re-opened (on may 5, 2014)
(4)
Nikki B.
We were chomping at the bit to try AKA Bistro since Boston.com named it one of the 10 best new restaurants in 2011. Our reservation happened to fall on the hottest day of the year, and we arrived to find the air conditioning out of commission. So, I suppress the memory of spending my evening dripping in sweat while I write this review. (Frankly, if it were my restaurant, I'd have paid the incremental $200 emergency repair fee.) The wine selection was interesting, and I was surprised to see so many options on the menu. Unfortunately, they were out of half. On a Thursday night? Shame. We started with the Salmon Tartar and Scallop Ceviche, and they were amazing! I still think about that ceviche... YUM. We followed it up with the Grilled Hanger Steak and Sauteed Lobster. Both were outstanding. (Except the sauteed vegetables that came with the hanger steak curiously resembled more of a meatloaf.) Overall, really, really, really delicious food. Three stars, because the service was abominable. ABOMINABLE. It was so bad, we tipped our bus boy for helping to take our orders and tapping our server on the shoulder when we needed him. Because the food was so wonderful, we'll be back for a more casual evening (but with crossed fingers that the service is a million times better).
(3)
S M.
Another night at AKA does not fail to deliver! ThIs time, we sat in front of the sushi chef. He had arrived late as he had come from Watertown and the lock-down after the terror incident had just been lifted. He apologized for not having much to work with. We said we would be happy with whatever he could create. And WOW-what a feast of amazing sushi-no idea what it all was, just that it was inventive, with delicious flavors that came in waves in your mouth. And btw, the poke there is the best, and I have sampled poke al ver the country and in Hawaii. This poke out does Alan Wong! The food is delicious, the service is great-and all tucked away in this sleepy town. We are very lucky.
(4)
Nicolas S.
Great place! Definitely worth checking out of you're in the area. Went there for brunch and really enjoyed the food and the place.
(4)
Baking M.
AKA Bistro is a French Bistro with a Japanese sushi bar within the restaurant. The dishes are not fusion cuisine, there are two separate menus. "Aka," pronounced "ah-kah," means red in Japanese. We were quite excited to try AKA Bistro because we are so fond of both cuisines and both co-owners have had the pleasure of working directly with Ken Oringer. In advance, we knew we were going to try the French menu over Japanese one. The 30 minute drive to Lincoln was scenic and peaceful. The quaint town is charming, green and was a refreshing change from Boston. There was a spacious parking lot directly in the rear and a small farmer's market right next to the restaurant. We really were intrigued by the sculptures in the front of the restaurant. Our favorite was the metal dandelion. It would be great to find out who the sculptor or artist is. The overall ambiance, lighting and cute paintings in the entrance of the restaurant was inviting. The clientele in the outdoor seating were couples and mostly families enjoying the sun and comfortable weather. The alfresco outdoor seating was completely full on our visit. In the main dining are was an older, local suburban demographic. One of the best aspects of AKA Bistro is the chic, French music. I felt as if Carla Bruni's whispery voice was oozing sophistication. At most bistros we have been to, including Aquitaine, Gaslight, La Voile, Bouchee, Marliave and Sel de la Terre, the music is oftentimes not French, usually American Top 40s pop or strictly instrumental, so the French music was a pleasant and welcome surprise. I also liked the red fabric in the booths. It added a nice bright color to the calm interior. From the get-go our waitress gave us full disclosure that the restaurant was out of smoothies, ginger mint lemonade and the omelette basque. The menu has quite a selection and already we eyed the chocolate mousse and creme brulee for dessert. The waitress Jessica also mentioned there was a tuna tartar pizza appetizer for $13 which was on the Japanese menu. I ordered a sencha green tea (there was the other option of rice green tea). Because the restaurant was understaffed, another waiter, stepped in to help out. He was very friendly, pleasant and admitted he was new and coming in on his day off. It was so nice out, that most customers sat outside, while the dining room was partially full. We were served a mini baguette, although the french bread was not toasted, it was chewy. We would have loved if the baguette was slightly warm so the already creamy soft butter would melt further. I notice the servers made sure each table had additional bread if requested. The service was a bit slow, albeit because we had a new server, and the restaurant was exceptionally busy in the outdoor seating area. We ended up waiting 45 minutes for our appetizer of duck salad and tart. We really liked the tartelette alsacienne $10. The puff was crispy, warm and there was a nice balance of sweet carmelized onions, cheese and bacon crumbles. The thin layer of creme fraiche was a nice touch. We would definitely get this again. We also had the duck salad. The bountiful salad had a nice vinaigrette and little cherry tomatoes. We really enjoyed the duck gizzards, they had a nice flavor and were well executed. The duck leg itself was well seasoned and very moist meat. However, it was a bit fatty and could have been rendered more or the skin crisped up. The foie was rich and as you would imagine. The Kro magnon burger was a bit underwhelming because of the size of the bun $18. The bun itself was so gigantic and it literally made the burger diminutive. The homemade fries filled the entire plate and were soft on the inside, perfectly seasoned, but half of them were crispy. The foie terrine, tomato confit and sweet onions were a nice touch to the burger. Although we asked for the burger to be cooked to medium rare, but we received a medium well burger. Our waiter did check in if the food was good, but we didn't bother to speak up about the temperature because the meat was still very juicy and moist. I had the Saint jacques Poelees, poleta et laitue braisee $26. The scallops were sauteed, well seasoned, they could have be seared longer for a better crust. My favorite part of the entree was the polenta. It was memorable and was fantastically crispy. I really liked the bell pepper creme fraiche and the vegetables and protein was sourced locally. In addition, the presentation was quite artistic. I remember exclaiming how beautiful it was. The kale although had a nice sheen from the oil, was a bit too oily. AKA Bistro has many specials that customers can take advantage of weekly, such as a Monday-Thursday 1/2 roasted chicken, a Monday 5 course dinner, Jazz Thursdays, and an upcoming farm-to-table 4 course meal featuring Blue Heron Farms. Just call ahead to make sure they are still running a
(3)
Lady T.
Went for Sunday brunch, Delicious! Eggs Benedict was perfect, hollandaise was the exact blend of lemon, butter , yummy! Great home fries and super good coffee! Service gets an A plus too.
(5)
Lethargic W.
I wanted to like this place so much. It's not far from where home and has a ton of potential. Stuck with the French side of the menu. Bibb salad = good Pork tenderloin = tough, not that interesting Cod fritters = bad Mussels = good Service = SLOW. Beer list = good, but expensive. I'm sorry, $9? Wine list = good, but expensive and wines by the glass are freaking tiny. The options are limited in the burbs, I wanted to love this place, but I don't and may only be able to go back once to try the asian side of the menu. This experience left me wondering how I dropped $125 on an average meal with slow service.
(2)
Anna M.
AKA Bistro is my number one recommendation to all my friends in the area. Every time I've been with my husband, we have been shocked by the warm, personal service and awesome food. Our last time there, I had the butternut squash soup to start, and it was great. It was creamy and flavorful. The only thing I can complain about is that I was so full after just the soup. My husband had the portabella frites as an appetizer, and loved them also. The sauces weren't our favorite, although I enjoyed the miso, but the frites were good enough alone. My entree was the steak, which was phenomenal. The butter and herbs ontop were melt-in-my-mouth good. It was perfectly cooked, medium rare, and with TONS of fries, which I had to take home because I was so full. My husband's Halibut was great, he said. If you go, be sure to try the dark chocolate mousse. It is to die for. We enjoyed our knowledgeable waiter and the comfortable atmosphere. The music was a little loud, but so was the dining room. The hostess asked us if everything was OK as we left, and I let her know it was perfect. I look forward to coming back soon!
(5)
Georgina C.
What a wonderful suburban gem! We began our lunch with homemade French bread and a light white wine. I ordered an incredibly fresh homemade vegetable pesto soup. It was delicious! My entree, a ham and cheese quiche was delectable and feeling a bit naughty, I had a side of fries. They were without a doubt the best I'd tasted in quite some time. This is definitely one of my favorite french restaurants within the outskirts of Boston.
(5)
Maddie S.
I don't know why it took me so long to get this place which is not far from me. My sister and I used a Gift Certificate I bought on Bidding for Good and were very pleasantly surprised by the food, the service and the atmosphere. We ordered from the French side but I will want to go back to try the Japanese. I had the poulet, since I was just coming off a bland diet, and it was superb and flavorful, almost as good as my French mother-in-law's! (Of course she had that extra pinch of love). The bread had the authentic French taste, not easy to find. I will definitely go back.
(4)
Thierry V.
A good French restaurant with real French dishes cooked to perfection. One of a few places where you can bring your friends visiting from France and impress them (without having to pay Lespalier prices). The mixed menu with Japanese mix is a plus. Pastries, of course, are great, esp. the eclairs. The ability to sit outside is a good plus in the summer. Service is friendly. Worth the trip from Boston for a nice family meal.
(5)
Anna K.
We held our rehearsal dinner for about 20 people here on the outside patio in June, since we were getting married at the Codman Estate around the corner. AKA Bistro couldnt have been more helpful in making the dinner come off without a hitch -- the service was perfect, the food delicious, the outside patio lovely. I highly recommend working with them for any small evet!
(5)
Rainer F.
Hard to believe that it took me so long to discover this neighborhood gem. My wife and I had a very enjoyable dinner, and we'll certainly be back again. Ambiance was very nice, the noise level low. Unlike the experience other reviewers had, our waiter was very friendly and attentive. My wife's appetizer, the tuna tartare in a cucumber cornet, was unique in presentation and excellent in taste. I equally enjoyed the Rock Shrimp Tempura, a small pyramid of popcorn style shrimp covered in a tasty sauce with a nice kick. My wife claimed the scallops she had for an entree were the best she ever had. My main course, the squid basquaise, was quite good but had seen perhaps a bit too much butter. The meal was wrapped up by two great desserts, the creme brulee, and the pear tarte tatin. Definitely a nice addition to the restaurant scene in the Western suburbs.
(4)
Nayiri B.
I am so excited about this place and I couldn't disagree more with the poor reviews. First, it is great to have access to a more upscale restaurant in the Lincoln/Weston area without having to go all the way to Concord or Wellesley. Second, I was skeptical about the French/Japanese blended menu but they do it great. I sampled a lot of their food (was dining with a big party) and all of it was subperb. Loved the duck terrine, the poke was perfect, the frisee salad with bacon and poached egg so tasty, and the moules frites made for a great entree. Don't think I have ever had such perfect french fries - honestly the best I have had in my life. The tuna tartare was sub-par (too mayonnaise-ey) but the other items more than compensated. Wine/champagne list was ample. Did not try desserts. The server did seem a little disorganized at first - the restaurant was crowded and the waiter was overwhelmed. That said, he really warmed up and by the end of our meal and we thought he did a great job with our large party. The price is high but I feel like you are paying for good food and for the luxury of having such a great restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Couldn't stop talking about it and can't wait to go there again.
(4)
Jim F.
After reading some of the good reviews about AKA Bistro on Yelp, I decided to book a reservation for Sunday brunch, and I was not disappointed. I give it five stars for food quality and presentation, and four stars for the ambiance, which is good by suburban standards but not quite up to the elegant atmosphere of a true 5-star restaurant. I ordered the poached eggs with lobster in puff pastry, and it was incredibly good. The puff pastry was light and flaky, the lobster was tender like a song, and the sauce flavorful and delicious. The presentation of the dish was enough to make me wish that I had brought my camera. I recommend this choice without reservation. We also ordered a fresh vegetable omelet, which included very fresh in-season vegetables with a flavorful sauce. The latter comes with potatoes, but you can replace it with a salad if you'd like. There were many small touches worth mentioning. The coffee was served in a quite attractive cup and saucer combination. The corner table we sat at was private, and was custom made to fit the not-quite orthogonal walls, showing the attention to detail that typifies this place. The glasses that our mimosas were served in were tapered and not tippy like so many champagne glasses are. For dessert we shared a creme caramel that was memorably good, and that's saying something because, well, just about everybody does creme caramel pretty well. The bottom was coated with freshly grated vanilla bean, the texture had the richness and creaminess that you hope for but have learned to not expect, and the glazed top had just the right crunch in addition to being beautiful to look at. Note: alcohol is not served until noon, so if you plan on having mimosas, then you may want to time your reservation accordingly.
(4)
Will N.
Great Place! I was very impressed with the service and the dining experience. The food was the best meal I had in a long time. Chris & Christian really make you feel welcome, even on the busiest of nights. I'd surely go more often if I lived closer. So I guess if I had a gripe it would be that it is away from Boston, but that hasn't stopped them..it was as busy as it could be when I was there. Definitely try the snails and the scallops...!!!!
(5)
Stockton M.
French menu has comfort food but somewhat salty and overbearing Japanese menu has very very high prices for not so much action - the fish was bland and overwhelmed by sauces. The environment is nice but could be more comfortable. Brunch, alternatively, is quite nice. Tries to be too many things - comfortable, lunch-relaxed; mild and spiced. I'm not just referring to the mixture of cuisines. I think the prices need to fall to make this worth going back.
(2)
Rick H.
It is terrific to have a restaurant of this quality in our neighborhood. Fresh sashimi. Wonderful food.
(4)
Kathy B.
The food is quite good, although the Japanese French fusion is probably a misnomer - more like you can choose French style or Japanese style, and my husband and I had one of each. Frankly, I think the Japanese style wins - a little more innovative and delicate, but I've had good French entrees here before. The desserts have been pretty amazing - a passionfruit pudding was out of this world deliciious. The route 2 corridor has only a few good restaurants (given the wealth in the area, I'm not sure why) and this would be one of them.
(4)
Tatsu I.
Last week it was still very much under construction, so I was shocked to see it operating tonight. Very brisk business. As some of you may know, this is Lincoln's first restaurant, it's simply earth-moving in the land of ice cream and netflix, the wealthiest liberal town in the U.S. To be getting some of the Boston's best talent in chef Chris Chung and Christian both from Uni/Clio, and Christophe Carlos is a stroke of fortune, life may never be the same here. If they try opening a 2nd restaurant here, people will take up arms during town meetings. The space looks great and fits in with the natural surroundings of gorgeous Lincoln. I'm sure they will be handsomely rewarded for their efforts. I'm looking forward to eating more French food, especially after having some excellent dishes my recent Japan trip. I'm happy that Chris is trying a new kind of farm-raised Bluefin Tuna, called Kindai. (This is very recent technology, thought to be impossible before. As of 2008, Japan shipped literally 3 fish a week to the U.S., now up to 20 a week as of 2010. It takes 2 years to grow one and just hatching the eggs took Japan's best universities years to figure out.) It's important not to support/eat Bluefin Tuna as it's perilously endangered. (Normal sushi places do not serve Bluefin, it is way too expensive and rare, so your spicy tuna rolls are excepted.) The two sides, french and sashimi, are separate menus with separate chefs. You can sit in the expansive dining area or at the expansive sashimi bar and order from either menu, of course.
(5)
Mrs. P.
It was fine, though I think the chef was having an off night. Great menu, and best foie gras I have ever had, but the duck was oversalted, the mousse a little flavorless. I have heard great things about this restaurant, so I chalk it up to an off night.
(3)
Nina W.
Huh huh huh, oui oui oui, Bienvenue a mon review! Aka Bistro is a fun, slightly posh dining experience. GO in a group for greater effect. BRING A GPS ! Its very very easy to miss....as its nestled in the woods. Don't you love hidden treasures - then show off to your friends that you discovered this place. The food is not only tasty, but unique - for example, with scallops I got this interesting 'casserole' on the side made with butternut squash and chickpea powder... WHOOOOAAA so good for your taste buds. The food is on the heavy side, after all its French cuisine. Butter beware for those watching their waistlines. The tuna confit is a 3 oz portion as the very friendly chef in the open air part of the kitchen told me, but its leathal as any confit is (tuna is sunk in olive oil and marinated then cooked while still in the oil.) The presentation of the food is what will also blow you away, trust me on this one. A word on the sushi: I only ordered the sashimi and the order was TINY - I probably got less than 2 ounces of raw fish. I don't recommend the Japanese part of this restaurant. GO and think of me... Love, Nunes
(4)
Margaret O.
Boston came to the 'burbs!!! AKA Bistro opened tonight. My husband and I have been waiting for months and it was well worth the wait. AKA Bistro servers Japanese and Provencal food. It's not fusion, it's either/or. Both a really really good - my husband had Japanese and I had French. His "Innovative sashimi" plate was absolutely exceptional. My Provencal tart appetizer was excellent and my mussels very good. The apple tart we shared for dessert was another prize winner. Service was friendly and plentiful if a bit disorganized - but it's opening night. The atmosphere is as you might expect for something called a Bistro run by a pair from Boston spots Uni and Clio. It's refined but informal. Wear your jeans.
(5)
Ellen G.
I recently returned to AKA Bistro for lunch with some very discriminating cousins from Santa Monica, CA. They were impressed! Lunch at AKA Bistro is as transformative experience as dinner. Eating on the brick patio under an umbrella, I wasn't sure whether I was in Lincoln or somewhere in the Perigord region of France. The food never ceases to amaze. So simple, yet so evocative. The Perigordian salad is as satisfying at lunch as it is at dinner. The poached egg in homemade brioche is ethereal, a bit of sunshine snuggled in a nest of delicious dough. The only criticism: although it was a sight to behold, the perfectly formed pyramid of rock shrimp tempura with fried shallots and prosciutto "dust" was a bit monotonous without any accompaniment. Even the desserts, which were variations on French standards, were standouts. A cream puff filled with lavender cream transported me to Provence. The crepes with lemon cream made my heart skip a beat. We dined outside for over two hours. For a minute or two I really thought I was in France.
(5)
Lesley B.
Being a local I was sure to be there on the first day, and succeeded :)The first impression was very nice, warm and fitting to the surroundings, the layout & atmosphere matched that of this charming little town. There is a wraparound couch on the street side with chairs as well, and on the parking lot side there is a sushi bar area with a high top table for dropping in. I went with my boyfriend and we sat in the booth area and both opted for French items. I started with the curly endive salad with bacon and poached egg. It was incredible. An egg poached like only the French can do it. I couldn't believe how good it was, I think it must be one of the best items on the menu although quite a simple choice. He had the pate and loved it, however I'm not a pate person (I tried it and it was very good actually, but its not something I go for). I then had the mussels & frites and that was delicious but far too large of an entree. He had the coq au vin and it was divine, I must add that this was served in a crock that was so adorable you almost wanted to jump in yourself, really just the most darling thing. We had a great bottle of wine and totally enjoyed ourselves. The prices were reasonable for what you are getting. Really an excellent value for the quality of food. I feel guilty living so close to something this good. The whole night I couldn't quite get over the fact that I was sitting in Lincoln eating this exquisite meal. Looking forward to going back again and try some sushi. Sushi in Lincoln! Lincoln?! I just can't get over it. Le sigh...
(5)
Alexander G.
I did some growing up in Lincoln. This is only somewhat pertinent to my review because I favor this town and it's protected woodlands, mixture of historic architecture and nature. While doing just that, I passed by AKA Bistro on a bicycle ride through the area and was struck by the idea of enjoying my second anniversary with my wife while eating outside, enjoying good food and beautiful Lincoln. To execute my plan I did something men like myself usually don't do. I planned ahead. I made reservations and I specifically requested on this special night that we were to be seated outside. I even made this reservation a day early. Things were panning out great because the night was gorgeous. Upon arrival I told the hostess who I was and she grabbed menus and lead us to our seats... inside. Before we sat I reminded her that we were to be seated outside. I had talked to the same woman on the phone the day before. She remembered but recounted incorrectly that I told her " I wanted to eat outside only if there was no space inside" That was her interpretation. I asked her why I would request such a thing because it made no sense. She had no answer and was clearly in the wrong. All the outdoor seats were full and the wait was approximately an hour. Normally I couldn't care less about this stuff but this was supposed to be a special dinner and I already felt like leaving. My wonderful wife urged me to relax and we drank a couple of beers. Bread was slow to come, about 15 minutes. I thought again about leaving. We ordered steak frites, we both ordered them rare. I'm not as adventurous as the menu allowed me to be. They were good. They weren't rare they were medium. Fries were okay. Food was essentially "okay." I think that CODA in Boston has some of the best Steak Frites around so base my comparison on that. $26 dollars these were not. I think also that a place with service like we experienced is lucky that they are in Lincoln and not Boston. If the experience of not respecting a reservation wasn't looming over me I would give AKA Bistro 3 or 4 stars. Unfortunately customers like myself hardly ever talk about the good stuff when they feel wronged.
(2)
Anne L.
We live nearby and tried this out for Restaurant Week. I wanted to like it, but wouldn't go back. The good 1. Provencal tart with tomato confit, caramelized onion and fresh goat cheese. The crust was flakey and the flavors good. 2. The bread: their own french bread and Iggy's rolls 3. Hangar steak was cooked perfectly, as were the veggies. 4. They use locally grown fresh produce 5. Service was attentive The bad 1. Over priced for the regular menu 2. Baby octopus and mussels bouillabaisse was bland. And pickles in it?? Huh? 3. Chocolate mousse was nothing special 4. Noisy restaurant. We sat outside and braved the mosquitoes (they did have bottles of Off around for the outdoor patrons) In short, this just wasn't worth another visit. Too bad, because it's Lincoln's only fine dining option.
(2)
mary d.
We went for lunch and it wasn't busy. There was only 1 waitress as far as I could see, serving 6 or 7 tables with the help of a bus boy. We waited quite a while for her to arrive and answer our questions about the menu. After placing our orders we discovered they were out of one of the dishes. Disappointing, but we munched on some very tasty french rolls while waiting for our meals. One meal arrived....about 15 or 20 minutes later the waitress realized only one of us had food. She came over and told us it would be 5 minutes before the other meal came out. Seriously? There were no refills on water or bread although my friend was starving. I really liked the menu, the food was very good. I want to try more dishes....but I have never had such bad service. I guess you shouldn't go hungry because you might be waiting a while...or maybe they do take out.
(3)
R L.
Took my team there for dinner a few weeks ago and it was just outstanding. The menu is very unique which I like. My team raved about each of their meals. I had the pork tenderloin which was tenderized, coated and fried to perfection. The sushi apps before hand were a special (not on the menu) and they were absolutely terrific. I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Mike V.
Awesome lunch at AKA Bistro today. And a super great owner. Tres Francais! I will definitely come back and try dinner next time I am in the Lincoln/Waltham area.
(5)
Bets H.
I was very disappointed in my lunch at AKA Bistro. I should have sent it back, because it was not as promised. I chose the Salade Nicoise with homemade, slow cooked tuna. What I was served was a mostly green salad with 3 tiny cubes of potato, no green beans, and brown canned tuna. My dining companion chose Croque Monsieur. What was served was a ham and cheese melt, no bechamel sauce. We regretted our choices and have no plans to return. FYI- Croque monsieur is served with Bechamel or Mornay sauce. Croque Madame is served with a poached or fried egg on top.
(2)
J F.
So the food completely exceeded my expectations. I thought it would be another cheesy Nobu wannabe with foie gras sushi. Not so! The food was actually spectacular. Really on a different level. Service was pretty poor, but it didn't matter for our group. We may have been distracted b/c we were a group and were having fun, but the food really was amazing. The sea bass special was really outstanding, as was the sashimi. We ordered many things and all was good. It was a little strange though how everyone got a Western menu but there was only one Japanese menu for the table. I'm definitely going back!
(5)
Renee B.
I had high hopes and wanted this to be better. How could I not like it I love sushi and I adore french food? So we started with a sushi platter and paid extra money to get more exotic fish - um no. Salmon, Tuna - all the usuals. The sauces on the sashimi were very good but it still was not worth double. Maybe it was pure quantity but that is not what the waitress said so I was disappointed. We were still hungry so we decided on two appetizers - albeit they were a bit risky as we had no idea if we would like them but we thought we would try - Pig Feet Terrine and Bone Marrow with Salt. The Terrine was bland and completely unremarkable. The bone marrow - I didn't like it but Sal did. The wine was quite good, but the size of the pour was pretty small. They have a bar but it is not real bar, more just a counter. We got there late 9:00 and they close at 10:00. The whole last half hour they were not just getting ready to close ..they were shutting down. So i spent a lot of money, got rushed and had meh food.
(2)
Philip G.
Bring earplugs. Despite the fact that the average customer is a 55-year-old Millionaire for Obama (i.e., Lincoln resident), the interior is as noisy as a bar in the Fenway on a Friday night filled with college kids. Eating outdoors on the terrace would seem like a solution, but we were there later in the day and the mosquitoes were ravenous. Prices are high, but the food is good.
(3)
James K.
Had a birthday dinner here this weekend. The service was excellent-- efficient and attentive--contrary to a couple of the recent entries on the board. The food was very good, with portions on the French side of the menu more than ample. My wife ordered from the Japanese side. The food seemed better prepared on that side, and we shared and found it quite delicious. I'm no foodie, but I had a really good experience and highly recommend AKA Bistro.
(5)
Al R.
Tried this restaurant today and it was great. Taste is perfect, presentation is nice, portions are a good size and the prices are not too high. I will go again.
(5)
Pito S.
I thought the food was pretty good but really overpriced. The Menu very confusing.
(3)
E W.
Magically the planets align, providing a babysitter so the wife and I can leave the kidlets -- who aren't for the moment ill or fearful of being put in front of the toob -- for a couple of hours. Wine list is heavily French (as to be expected), and of good size for a restaurant in this location. There is also an extensive sake offering which we sadly decline to sample on this visit (sorry -- we're losers and it was a weeknight. Did I mention the kids?) Two heavy tomes of menus are presented upon arrival --one French and one Japanese. These aren't your couple o' appetizers, salads and entrees -- the selections are many and we were a bit overwhelmed. (It will be interesting to see how long they can maintain the sheer number of selections, or if they will pare down over time). The dishes are unique as well -- this isn't your mother's crab roll or duck l'orange type of options. My mind spinning at sheer number of selections (or was it the wine?), I opted for the Japanese "Taste of AKA", which is essentially a tasting menu of four Japanese dishes, two French dishes, plus dessert. Wife went with the more traditional salad/appetizer/entree from the French menu. Overall, we found the food very good. Probably not the best meal we've ever had, but quite excellent. Flavors are subtle yet distinct, and the Japanese offerings had some uncommon pairings that worked well. Service was very accommodating without being obtrusive and we were comped some dessert wine when the smoke alarm went off at the beginning of the meal. Despite dealing with two quite different orders, the kitchen managed to time delivery of the courses just right so we both weren't rushed or waiting for a long time. Prices are a bit high to make this a recurring favorite, however. Granted, the tasting menu was $90 sans wine, but anytime you see sashimi combination offerings exceeding $100, this isn't Ginza (nor should it be). Regardless, I could easily spend $100 per person, which is out of our budget range to make this a regular thing. AKA Bistro is certainly worth visiting at least once for the experience -- it reminds me a little bit of a suburban version of Radius. At least there's ample free parking and, since it's Lincoln, you don't have to get all dressied-up. If I win lotto or get another big tax refund, we might be back.
(4)
Acton G.
This is the second time I've come here. The first time was OK, interesting menu. The Steak Frites were good, nothing outstanding but good. The Bone marrow and Foie were good. The second time, it could have been much better. Slower than normal service in every aspect. The beer selection is ok. The wine pour is very light, and after switching to ginger ale after a beer, I was suprised to see that a soda is $3.00! I suggest finding a good asian and a good french place, and you'll get a better selection of food, and get better service.
(2)
Gabriele M.
Decent place. Good quality food
(4)
BostonBestEats X.
Went for Easter Sunday brunch, but only now getting to this post. I was impressed, and think this place has a lot of potential for the area (smack in the middle of Lincoln Center in a small strip mall with plenty of parking). Everything was impeccable, but on the non-flashy, basic, traditional side. The space is attractive but small and L-shaped, with the kitchen and sushi bar around the corner from the main dining room. There were several tables with umbrellas out front, which were fully occupied thanks to the warm weather. The main room has plenty of windows, but of course the view is nothing special, just the road running through Lincoln Center near the train tracks and the buildings across the street (in fact the train whistle was pretty loud!). There are not that many tables so it isn't too cramped, with a continuous bench running around the edge, so every table is a mix of bench and chair seating. I have to say, it is pretty LOUD space. When we arrived at Noon, most of the patrons were outside and only 3 tables were occupied inside, but it was still noticeably loud. Now, we were at table #35 (more on this later!), which is a 2-top in the far corner of the dining room as far from the kitchen as we could get, so the sound from the kitchen may have been bouncing off the wall at the base of the "L" and focusing on our table, I don't know. But we could make out the conversations in the kitchen! There were 3 choices for brunch, either 3-course ($35) or 4-course ($45) prix fixe menus. This was a one-off brunch, and apparently they won't be offering weekend brunch for a few more months. We went with the 4-course: App: Smoked salmon with wasabi creme fraiche and micro sliced radish and greens -- a nice dish, a bit on the small side, with high-quality smoked salmon. Salad: Here was our first encounter with first-week jitters (this was the 7th day they were open, and I gathered the first day for our excellent, friendly waiter). The menu listed a rather boring sounding endive and goat cheese salad. But another server, not our waiter, brought us two dishes of steamed whole shelled shrimp on an avocado mold with a "French" sauce. Delicious, perhaps the best dish overall, but not the salad we were supposed to get, which we only remembered after referring to the menu we had kept at our side. In fact, this was the appetizer for the 3-course brunch, and given it was surely more expensive than the correct salad, we obviously made out like bandits. But I did point the mistake out to our waiter. What had happened? Off our waiter goes to the kitchen, and because of the above mentioned "sound relection", we could hear the entire conversation to occured. Turns out he had told them to "fire 35", which they thought meant the $35 3-course as opposed to table 35 where we sat! As I said, no complaints about this mistake at our end. Main: We had one of each of the two choices. The grilled split lobster on diced celery root with chanterelles and lobster sauce was wonderful. The rack of lamb (3 chops) served on a bed of au gratin potatoes with a grilled breaded tomato was perfectly cooked, but really lacked anything distinctive to take it beyond just well-made. Dessert: "Easter Cake". Now in my from Ireland, Irish-Catholic heritage there isn't anything called Easter Cake, so I'm not sure what I was expecting. What we got was a small piece of cake that was a cross between a firm Christmas fruit cake with currants and cranberries and a frosted rum cake. Actually pretty tasty. The next first-week jitters came when Christian, the French co-owner, stopped by our table and asked, "I understand from your waiter that you would like to try the Sauternes?" I guess I wasn't thinking quickly enough, so I said "Uh, sure!" Then I flagged down our waiter, who said Christian was actually getting our table confused with another. But to his credit, he still came back with a small taste (they are using Riedel-like "O" stem-less wine glasses, which I don't generally like) of light Sauternes. Again, we seemed to be having all the mistakes going in our favor, which made up for the noise (which was also going in our direction). Wine: We went with a nice Cote de Nuit, which went well with the lamb and wasn't bad with the lobster. Overall, a small wine list, with no recognizable producers, but it definitely seemed interesting and worth exploring. From the lecture Christian gave the table next to us on the Sauternes, I suspect he's put some thought into making creative selections. Can't say what the mark-up was not recognizing any names. But most of the bottles were in the $30-80 range, so definitely focusing on moderate prices as opposed to name dropping. Overall, impressed with the well-crafted food, although I think they could use a bit more punch to take some of the dishes to the next level. Of course this wasn't the regular menu. Will definitely be going back to try the sushi.They need to do something about noise & pick up the pace. Slainte!
(4)
Deanna V.
It was a dream come true for me to have a restaurant serving my two favorite cuisines - sushi and French bistro - settle in to the neighboring town. For the kitchen to be THAT great, well, I was suddenly Metrowest's most grateful occupant. (Apologies for only now posting this review.) I'd been there thrice when we decided to truly test the graciousness of the service: we piled our four kids into the car (cleaned up first, of course) and arrived, fingers crossed, with no reservations. AKA was packed, yet they found space for the six of us at the vast sushi bar. Both owners, most likely astounded that our brood has both the palate and appetites of Wall Street bankers, smiled and watched over us, making sure we were happy all of the time. The top-shelf cold sake didn't hurt. Choosing a perfect 50-50 split of classic French and startlingly innovative sushi appetizers and entrees, the evening ended with an old favorite - baked Alaska - conjuring wonderful childhood memories for me; the variety presented started the children off on culinary journeys of their own. Thank you, AKA Bistro owners and staff. It was a glorious night we will never forget.
(5)
Jason R.
Summary: loud, poor service, inconsistent French food, good-to-excellent Japanese food. Just got back from our 2nd visit. The service wasn't great the first time and it was worse this time. The waiter clearly didn't have a very good handle on the English language. Responses to our questions often didn't answer our question. My wife ordered the Omakase and he tried to get her to order an extra entree 3 times. My wife had to remind him multiple times that she didn't want the standard Omakase desert. We had to ask for many things that most nice restaurants offer or provide. Oh, and, to top it off, the dining room got very loud as they filled-up. I can live with mediocre service if the food is good. Unfortunately, I ordered from the French part of the menu. Butternut squash soup was decent, but very underseasoned and too cream-y for my taste (would you like some butternut squash with your cream?). Pig foot terrine was so bad we had to send it back. It tasted like plain gelatin, even after a generous dose of salt. I've had plenty of great-tasting terrines. I don't know what they were thinking with this one. Last was the veal sweetbreads with mushrooms and potatoes. The mushrooms were great---cooked enough to bring out flavor and seasoned properly. The sweetbreads were overcooked and underseasoned. The potatoes were boiled without salt and (again) underseasoned. The accompanying "sauce" was (again) too cream-y. Don't get me wrong. I love cream. But, I also believe in "balance" in cuisine. Whoever was cooking the French menu this night didn't seem to understand the concept of "balance". My wife made the smart choice and got the Omakase. Price-y and small portion sizes, but very good. All of the fish was tender and flavorful. Some of the accompaniments were okay, such as a sweet/mango-flavored dish (didn't combine very well with the fish). Other combinations were excellent, such as a savory combination of which I'm forgetting the ingredients. But, it was on-par with the best sushi places in Boston. I suspect that one may be able to have a great experience here if you only order Japanese and sit at the bar or sit in the dining room at an unpopular time (were were there Sat night 6-8pm).
(2)
Mabel N.
This is a wonderful place. I was very impressed with the service and the dining experience. Try the snails and the scallops entree...!!!! It was awesome. We didn't have a chance to try the sushi but we'll go back soon.
(4)
Sher V.
I live only a few miles away from this place and didn't even know a restaurant was coming to the area until my good friend took me there. It's tucked away next to the post office (right next to Donnelan's grocery store). There is no sign on the restaurant itself, so it could be easy to miss. The atmosphere is great... very chic and reminds you of an upscale Boston restaurant. The lighting is perfect and the decor is really classy. On the evening we went all tables were full. I was glad that we had reservations. The food and service was amazing. The chef came to our table, which I very much appreciated. He made some great recommendations. I started with the seaweed salad and had the lobster salad for dinner. Both were amazing. I HIGHLY recommend this place!!
(5)
Craig S.
This is a must frequent restaurant a short drive from Boston. We decided to go for Easter brunch thinking it would be rough just opening a week ago and boy were we wrong. The service was excellent, the menu was exceptional, and the ambiance perfect. The meal stated with some amazing smoked salmon on bed of wasabi type sauce with micro-greens (great amuse bouche). Second course was an endive salad with pickled radish and some other items (simply amazing). The main course was lamb with two creative and tasty sides (some of the best scalloped potatoes I have ever had and a grilled tomato with great topping). The lamb was perfect and so delicious. The tomato was so simple but yet delicious and packed with flavor. My wife had the grilled lobster which had am amazing sauce with diced celery root. We literally lapped all of the sauce up with this great bread (they also have this amazingly creamy butter). The wine list is exceptional and my kir royal was perfect (nice beverage selection). The normal menu looks simply amazing with foie gras, pigs feet, soup de poisson, frog legs, toasted country bread (with bone marrow) and so many other provencal style traditional french choices. Couple this menu with world class sashimi and you have one of the best restaurants to land north of the city in quite some time. I am seriously impressed and will be back here regularly. I will seriously be back monthly as the prices are great for this style of food.
(5)
B F.
We went for Restaurant Week--had had brunch there once and that was pretty good. Dinner was a disappointment--the chicory salad had no pears in it and no dressing really. The hangar steak was ok but 'root vegetables' turned out to be underdone carrots (some were virtually raw). It was very hot and uncomfortable. Not really a fun time. The wait staff was really good though and the breaad was excellent. It just didn't meet the expectations we had. I would recommend 80 Thoreau instead!!
(2)
Chris B.
I took my father-in-law to AKA for his birthday and when he said "this is maybe the finest restaurant in Boston" I was relived because he can be picky and spends a lot of time in Paris (same difference,no?). It was months ago but I remember the seared foie gras app being delicious and, a very generous portion. My scallop entree and the sweetbreads 'pot au feu' were both excellent main courses. A berry tart was tasty and again a large serving. We stuck to the French side of the menu but I'm sure the sushi is top-notch. One reviewer, who said, that if he wanted Clio-sized portions he would go to Clio seems of the mark. I was on the staff of Clio when it opened and worked there for 3&1/2 years so I feel confident in stating that, I doubt, many AKA customers laugh uncontrollably at the the portions served them. Working with Christian Touche was one of the pleasures of Clio but, if he is the lobster wielding madman mentioned in one review, I would have to agree that Jerry Lewis exerted undue influence on the French national psyche. Dara was our waitress and did a great job. Definitely a special occasion place for most. The main negative is it's location in the small mall by the commuter -rail line but, I guess, that if you want to be in Lincoln there are not many options for restaurant space.
(5)
Kim H.
I've been here twice and always had great food and good service. I always order from the Japanese menu, which I think has some of the most creative sashimi/sushi I've had in a long time and can be compared to Oishi and nobu. Fun to sit at the sushi bar and watch the food being prepared. Very glad its in the neighborhood.
(4)
Ken S.
Had a "restaurant week" dinner last night. The food was good, not great. The service was friendly and prompt. The noise level was very high, making conversation a challenge.
(3)
Roger W.
We had a lovely meal at AKA last night. Food and service were both very good, the restaurant provides a very pleasant ambiance. The seared foie gras appetizer was to die for and the lamb stew was delicious. The sweetbreads and wild mushrooms were good, but without the complexity and richness that one might expect. The apple crepe for dessert was very good. The "bordeaux superior" by the glass I had was a disappointment, it wasn't corked, but it wasn't quite right either. Perhaps it was just not very good. We'll be happy to go back and sample more of the menu, AKA is a welcome addition to our neighborhood.
(4)
Gael B.
AWESOME!Never been to a place like this in Boston..the french side reminds me of home(France) the foie gras is outstanding...and the japanese side is great too.....Worth the drive out of Boston ..great atmosphere and service too!!!
(5)
Matthias J.
I have been at AKA four times in the past year, twice for dinner and twice for brunch. I really wanted to love this place, but I can't make myself get beyond just liking it OK. Dishes are a mixed bag, some really good, others nothing special. The whole Japanese/French cuisine sounds attractive until you are confronted with the fact, that on each table, half of the diners will have one menu that has the whole French selection and only highlights the most popular Japanese dishes while the others will get another one (of a different color at least) that is the reverse. You'll find yourself in a game of "go fish" with your dinner partners. "Do you have the such and such dish on your menu? No, let me see that." On the Japanese side of the selections, portions are miniscule. Service is basic. Prices are quite high ($6 for an espresso). One detail that I found of very bad taste, is that you have to pass the discarded trays from Iggy's bakery (Cambridge, MA) on the way to the restroom, leaving you wondering what other supposedly French pastries that you thought were house made, were actually only just repackaged from somewhere else and marked up 300%. Finally, the 20% group gratuity seems to apply, even if your group of 6 includes two babies that don't order anything.
Finally, we went to AKA albeit for lunch today, with our 3.5 year old and had a fantastic brunch. My husband had the Croque Madame, I had the Poke Sashimi and Miso Soup and my son had the Mac N Cheese, but ate most of my husbands. It was great. The coffee was super and my son loved the ginger lemonade (which is not for most kids) Normally I would never order fish on a Sunday but the flash freezer makes that possible. The one downside was by the time we got there the restaurant was out of the Dim Sum, Hanger Steak, Frisee salad and Hijiki but what they did serve was fantastic and I do not say that readily. The fact that they do run out proves high-turn over and assures fresh ingredients. The staff was great and while the ambiance could be updated, I don't really care - the food is super. Recently transplanted here from Manhattan, I am used to great food and this family friendly spot (our kid eats at restaurants with no problem) will be a common haunt for us. THANK YOU AKA! See you soon for dinner.
(5)
Denise M.
I have been meaning to try AKA Bistro in Lincoln. I was disappointed by the sterile atmosphere. It felt like you were in a converted office unit and it lacked character and it wasn't appealing. The wait staff seemed impatient and anxious for us to order coming over several times over the course of 5 minutes. Having said that, the food was delicious, niceley presented and came to the table on hot plates. The wine we selected was enjoyable. They serve beer and wine only. We ordered from the French menu however they have a Japenese menu which is interesting. When you factor in everything, we expected a better dining experience therefore we felt it was overpriced.
(3)
Veronica B.
Just had lunch here with a couple of friends. It was outstanding. We each had the lunch menu. Everything was presented beautifully and very tasty. The avocado and shrimp salad was fantastic.
(4)
J. H.
As a local, I was hoping for a Bistro, not a "dining experience". Driving into Boston is 15 minutes from Lincoln, so while we are "in the country" we are not exactly removed. I just can't see myself or my family spending $150-200 for a dinner of frogs legs for the children. Call me crazy but my kids just aren't into frogs legs and escargot. (The kids menu is so contrived). And they don't want to tell people what they ate at AKA ( as mentioned in the press.) I wish the owners well, but once the glow wears off the nights are long and the locals won't be coming to AKA. There are great restaurants in Waltham which are affordable and great tasting. There is also good sushi if you are willing to drive 20 minutes. I think AKA will do well during the Summer months though, since they have a terrace (oh excuse me a terasse). I guess some people really do still spend $200 bucks on dinner without blinking. For them, this might just be the place. I laughed when people said it was good value for the money. I found it outrageously expensive.
(1)
Lisa P.
Our appetizer was the charcuterie plate -- the waitress served it without condiments. I asked for mustard -- the mustard arrived; everything was fine. When we were almost finished, the waitress came with the condiments tray: cornichons, pickled onions and coarse mustard and told us they'd send another platter home with us because the original hadn't been served with the proper accompaniments. Fast forward to when it was time to leave. I paid the check and inquired about the promised charcuterie. The waitress disappeared. The manager came with a little container of cornichons, I explained what had happened. She proceeded to tell me how to eat charcuterie, blah, blah, blah (not with condiments, evidently) and said she wouldn't honor what the server had said and replied "I can offer you a cup of coffee." RUDE. I told her I wasn't trying to bargain or to get something for nothing -- I was just inquiring about what had been offered! I've lived in Lincoln for more than a decade, have been to Paris twice in the past 5 years, and eat in the best restaurants in Boston and New York -- I don't need her rude instruction on how to eat charcuterie or to spend a pretty penny and be made to feel like a beggar.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Mike C.
I have no idea why we haven't tried AKA Bistro before now ?! We stopped in for lunch and are thrilled to have found another EXCELLENT "local" place for dinner or lunch I was a little skeptical about the French/Japanese fusion (no idea why now that I think about it) but was excited to find a really nicely put together menu/options. We had a couple of apps (soup and "scallion pancake"), grilled salad and Cold Ramen - excellent flavors, nicely plated, professionally served and BIG portions I was really surprised to see. Jessica was our server at lunch and again exceptionally professional and on point. They have an outdoor patio (covered = nicely done) and and excellent dining room - part open kitchen (counter style so to speak) and a nice little bar. Ohh Yea did I mention the food is flipping great! If not, well you get the point, if you haven't tried AKA Bistro do not wait like we did (not any longer, we plan on being back for dinner SOON).
(5)Vin L.
I came here with my wife for our anniversary based on a Fortune Magazine list of 200 best restaurants in the country. We had high expectations. The food did not disappoint, the drinks were really good. The service was lacking. It was a quiet Friday night in the summer. More people were sitting at the out door patio than inside, where we were. We felt a little ignored. I understand there is a fine line between overbearingly attentive and forgotten about. We felt forgotten. Some people might enjoy that type of service- never having a conversation interrupted; all the time in the world to sit and talk. I was with my wife, I was hungry and needed a constant flow of drinks to tolerate an anniversary dinner. Food was good.
(3)Ebonique F.
Really good quality food. Staff was amazing and extremely friendly along with knowledgable of the menu. Some of the customers were a bit stuffy but overall, good food & good service!
(4)Katie G.
Went last night for drinks and appetizers. Overall my impression was that it seemed pretentious and overpriced. I only ordered one thing, though, so I can't really say that for certain. I was just so shocked by the small size of the one item I DID order that I had to write a review. I'm attaching a pic of my $15 salmon sashimi. It was laughably small and not even good-- all the stuff they put on it ruined the clean taste of the fish. :(
(2)Marika R.
We bought the groupon for the 7 course meal. Food tasted good but time required between courses was very long. After one bite of oyster, next course took about 20 minutes, and continued this way for 2 long hours. The 5th course was a runny poached egg on a bed of greens. Not what I would have expected. Service being very slow, made for a long and arduous evening. I would opt for the regular menu if I were to go again. Even with a Groupon, we ended up spending almost $150. for 2 of us. A bit steep for something that is supposed to be a "deal."
(2)Karen W.
The food served here is interesting and elegant. The ingredients are fresh and presentation is lovely. Prices are ok for quality though not a cheap lunch. My main complaint is the service. The waitresses seemed harried and having to please the owner referred to by the waitress as " the French guy". He is also the bartender and didn't seen in any rush to prepare our drinks. I might go back for the food but didn't like the feel of the service.
(3)Travis B.
Sitting on the patio on a breezy, sunny day was a great midday break. I went against my gut feeling to order the chirashi at a French bistro, but could not resist. It was average and the cuts of fish were a bit small for the price point. The waitress and waiter were both talkative, friendly, and on top of their knowledge of the dishes and made the meal even more relaxing.
(3)Gregory R.
We love AKA Bistro! The food is excellent and the service is very nice. Definitely leave some room for their deserts (they are delicious, especially their eclairs) and make a reservation, especially if you're coming at a busy time (e.g., Saturday night).
(5)Bob H.
7 course dinner was one of the best meals I have ever had. Everything was different and delicious
(5)Shannon F.
My husband and I went here last night for their 7 course tasting menu, using a Groupon we purchased. First, the place was beautiful inside and had a great ambiance. Our meal was delicious! We had no idea what was going to be served, as it's decided by the chef. The first 5 courses were very small- bite size, but good. They included Japanese dishes such as sashimi, seared Spanish mackerel and bean curd and tofu in a pea emulsion. The 6th course was the main dish- short rib and hanger steak. It was delicious! Incredibly tender and flavorful. We each had a drink- mine was really good- fairly priced and strong. My husband wasn't crazy about the dirty martini, but it wasn't terrible. The dessert was a delicious almond cake with a chocolate ganache and raspberry sorbet. We had coffee with dessert and it was unusually good for restaurant coffee. A huge plus- the waitstaff and bus staff were incredibly nice and attentive. Our waitress, Yassamin, was very helpful in answering any questions and provided great service. While the main menu does look quite pricey, we were looking at the dishes being served to neighboring tables and they looked delicious and had decent portion sizes. We will definitely return!
(4)Jay D.
This is the most awkward restaurant I've ever been to. Stopped here for a drink before an event bc it was literally the only place in the area we could find. You know when you go somewhere and afterward you ask your SO, "was it me or was that weird and awkward?" And they say "totally! I thought it was me". Well, that was this place. The extremely angry girl standing right in front of us making lists but not offering a 'hello' was a little weird too.
(2)Olivia C.
Bread is amazing. Coffee is spot on. My omelette was great. My French toast was to die for. I love how he coffee comes with a little cookie (makes my day every time). Service is meh and food isn't necessarily anything mind blowing but all my experiences eating here have been good. Menu and dining room is a little small and pretty pricey. Worth checking out.
(4)April H.
Brunch here on a Saturday was a delight! The recently remodeled dining area is comfortable and relaxing. The staff is, as always, attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. During our visit we enjoyed the pastry assortment. Several different delectable baked goods threatened our appetites, so we only sampled, but oh - so good!! My dad ordered the special of the day omelet, and enjoyed his asparagus and goat cheese filled entree - it was so large, he couldn't finish it. The baby spinach salad my stepmom ordered arrived in a beautifully unusual bowl, slanted so as to present the salad as if a fresh gift for the occasion. She especially enjoyed the pickled radishes- she's still raving about them!! I had the salmon confit salad with crispy lotus root and was delighted with my choice. Perfectly cooked, moist and flavorful salmon nestled on a bed of field greens, lightly dressed, with an adorable hard-boiled quail egg loitering close by- and absolutely delicious. We split a strawberry-rhubarb tart type dessert that was beautifully presented and just fantastic. Wonderfully strong and rich coffee rounded off the meal, and our leftovers were promptly packed in environmentally friendly Togo containers- no styrofoam here!! Our server, Brendan, and the rest of the staff were always close at hand, refilling waters and speedily returning with any items we requested. Top notch dining and reasonably priced at brunch- don't be discouraged if you cannot get a reservation; Aka only accepts limited reservations so that people walking in can get a table as well. (Plans are underway to enclose the patio area, which will please those of us who love to dine outdoors.) A real gem!!!
(5)Karyn V.
Sushi and French, it is a bit confused. The food is slightly above average. For the price, we expected better. The patio is nice to sit on. We probably will go back at some point, but only to dine outside on a nice day without having to drive far from the house.
(3)Roger M.
This was one of the best meals I have ever eaten. The food is Japanese-French inspired. Meaning that traditional dishes are creatively prepared. And, each one was a home run. Here are two examples: 1. FRENCH EXAMPLE: The Coquilles St. Jacques was prepared in a delicate lobster sauce with with edamame in traditional beurre blanc, instead of flour and cream. (I must tell you that the scallops were perfectly prepared.) Yum (and healthy!) 2. JAPANESE EXAMPLE: The tuna tatare was presented as a Japanese style hand roll. But, there was no rice and, instead of seaweed, it was wrapped in a cucumber. My wife raves about the Lincoln Tartelette (vegetables, olive tapenade, cherries tomato and anchovy aïoli). And, the desert was heavenly. The service was really outstanding. The staff knew everything well and could discuss in detail. It seems as if they have been working together for years. Do not miss coming here. (A rare 5 stars from me!)
(5)Lisa K.
We chose AKA Bistro for a 25-person brunch during a wedding weekend and are very happy that we did. Christian and his staff were a delight to work with and did everything they could to ensure that our event proceeded smoothly during and long after we finished eating. We were fortunate to be able to use the patio as the weather was nice - it's a lovely setting for a brunch. The breads are beyond delicious and every guest was happy with his/her entree. They even prepared little menus for the event as we wanted to limit the choices. The wait staff was helpful and kept our drinks and water filled. Many thanks to everyone at AKA Bistro and we highly recommend the restaurant for both food and professionalism.
(5)Sara M.
My sweetie and I came here for a special dinner - a 7-course tasting via groupon. We walked out in agreement that it was the most interesting dinner we have ever had. When we entered, we were immediately seated and our server was aware of the groupon and helped us choose some bubbly to start. We actually had 2 servers, and both were great. Service was traditional. with crumbing, asking to clear, new silverware etc. The bread is amazing - little baguettes and rosemary brioche...so good, we had seconds. The first four courses were sashimi - oyster, locally sourced fish with jalapeno and jalapeno flowers, fish with sesame oil and tuna with a balsamic reduction. The sesame oil was my favorite, I wish I could remember what type of fish they were. Each course was very creative, but small, and left us wanting. The first course was one oyster, with uni and foam, very, very briny, but delicious. We also had a lovely bottle of white that paired nicely with help from our server. As an aside, the wine list was all French as far as I could see, and a felt a little like a poisson out of water. The next two courses were French - a salad with grilled peach, peach pickle and tempura-fried olives. Tasty, but left something to be desired. The final savory course was the duck. I love duck, and this was tasty, albeit under-cooked. My boyfriend and I tend to eat our meats less cooked than others, so for less adventurous eaters, this might have been too much. The chard it came with was very tasty as well. Finally, the dessert was chocolate three ways: mousse, ice cream and brioche. The dessert brioche dry and crumbly. too dry to enjoy, and the other two desserts on the plate were garnished with smaller pieces of the same thing. I loved the ice cream and mousse. server kept telling us how casual the place was, we were dressed up and felt a little foolish. Overall, a nice dinner, but portions were small, and I left feeling a little underwhelmed. I hope to go back sometimes and try some other things the next time I am in the area.
(3)John W.
What a wonderful low keyed restaurant. The owner accompanied the presentation of every plate, and showed he really cared. All of our dishes were excellent and my personal favorite was the fusion dim sum with the pork belly/pickled radish with and exquisite spicy citrus sauce. This restaurant should be on a show.
(5)Susan C.
French-Japanese Fusion? How interesting! Went here for dinner last week with a few friends. It was a bit of a drive from Boston through rush hour traffic, but well worth it. The food and service was excellent! We ordered off their Restaurant Week menu, so all of the items may not be available on their regular menu, but if you see these items as a nightly special or otherwise, I would highly recommend: their jarred chicken liver mousse/pate, steak, and passion fruit bavarois. The mousse was absolute heaven, smooth, luscious, and meaty tasting. Steak was well cooked and nicely seasoned. But the star of the meal had to be the bavarois (it looks like a panna cotta), it was light, airy, subtly sweet and very refreshing. I just wish this place was closer to Boston so I don't have to drive another 45 minutes to go back.
(5)TinoX T.
The Sushi Bar is Okay but the Price is So Expensive,The French restaurant is Delicious but like I said it's Expensive. Not Worth it......
(2)Scott M.
Best Sushi outside of Boston - PERIOD.. Don't come here looking for big American style portions. You come to AKA to experience Japanese style sushi. This is a class A place. Take a seat at the bar and let Chef Chris make you amazing dishes that are going to blow you away. The portions are small but extremely high quality - like you will find in Japan. Think of this place as the Jiro Dreams of Sushi USA edition. You go to AKA for quality over quantity. If your looking for someplace that exceeds your expectations of quality fish - order up the Hamachi, Toro Tartar or Hawaiian Poke and be amazed. Very highly recommended. If you don't understand quality over quantity... Well I can't help you. :-)
(5)Jack B.
This place has great, surprising food. I love the cocktails. The outdoor seating is wonderful, and they now have a huge awning and mosquito netting. And it's in Lincoln, where it has no competition.
(5)Amica M.
Been here 3 times. Disappointing and overpriced in my opinion. No other real restaurant in Lincoln. We both got seafood dishes with a broth or a braise. The flavors did not seem complex enough. The bread, however, was outstanding. Another time I got a lobster and grapefruit salad; $18 and it was not interesting and there were 3 small bites. I don't mind paying good money for good food. I get bummed when I pay good money for mediocre food.
(2)Wendy S.
Fantastic! So glad that this restaurant was able to remodel, and reopen! The food was interesting, and delicious. The service was fabulous (attentive, but never felt rushed). The atmosphere was lively, and comfortable. A great night out, we will be going back to Aka Bistro again soon!
(5)Deb C.
Went for Brunch for the first time. Our waitress was delightfully helpful. The menu was great. One recommendation would be to print the special Dim Sum's. Everything was delicious
(4)K A.
We had brunch here on Sunday. Everything was delicious. Everyone I know who has eaten here says it is only so so but everyone in our party loved their meal. We had: the quiche lorraine, omelet, mac and cheese, pork dumplings, croque madame, pain perdu, lemon tart.
(5)Jim S.
The service was terrific, very knowledgable waitress on both the food and the winelist. Nice ambience. The food was good, certainly not superb. Biggest complaint was size of the portions, at least for the moules-frites ($19) and the steak-frites ($27). Mussels had a great flavor, but by the time you take all those shells away, not too much there, and the steak was pretty small too. Tons of very good french fries on the above dishes tried to make them look bigger, but that's a lot of money for fries. The meat was adequate but who could tell with a big glob of some heavy sauce on it. One of our party, did however have a pork cutlet dish which was very large. They also have a lot of Asian stuff, so you would probably need several visits to get the true character of the place - my comments are directed to the "French Bistro" side of the house. Salads were simple and adequate. Very very lightly dressed. We skipped dessert. Some good wines on the winelist, but all French and none exactly cheap. Lincoln is a very well-to-do community with a very small commercial center, and this place seems to be the only game in town. I guess they know what the clientele can afford.
(3)Gregg S.
I really wanted to like Aka. French with a sashimi twist? Moule frites? Onglette? Frisee with lardon and poached egg? Sign me up! The reality was rather disappointing. Service was indifferent at best, despite being nearly empty at 7pm on a Monday. I had to catch the bartender's attention to refill my club soda. Oh, and charging $3.50 for an 8oz seltzer, straight from the bottle, is bad enough. Charging another $3.50 for a refill - without mentioning the cost - is not ok. An order of edamame took over 15 minutes to arrive. The advertised fleur de sel was nowhere to be found. The moule frites should have been great, but weren't. The portion of both the mussels and fries was quite generous. The frites were decent. Other than the ones swimming in sauce at the bottom, the mussels were fairly bland. Unfortunately, half were barely cooked, and almost a third were inedible or unopened. I had to spit out several. I sent the order back. And now I'm worried I'll be spending my evening running for the bathroom. I understand - bad shellfish can happen. It shouldn't at a sashimi bar, but it can. A good restaurant should absolutely want to know when something like that is wrong and to talk to the customer. It's one thing if your steak is overcooked. When it's potentially bad seafood...speaking to the customer should be a requirement. Instead...the waiter was mildly apologetic, and he did take it off the bill, but didn't seem overly concerned when I pointed out all the undercooked or inedible mussels and that I'd spit out several. He asked if I wanted anything else and didn't get that I was repulsed by the food. The chef "was Informed" but never came over to speak to me, despite my sitting at the bar 5 feet from from where he was working. The manager glanced at me when the waiter told him, but didn't say anything to me as I walked past them. I hate writing such a bad review, especially mentioning bad shellfish. Anything more than a cursory effort at talking to me about it would have gone along way to improve my opinion. A good restaurant is more than its food.
(2)Monique S.
The atmosphere is nice, definitely not kid friendly. I had the salmon sashimi appetizer which was overpriced for the amount of sashimi you get. The presentation of it was terrible, three tiny servings on a massive platter. I also had the Beef duo with hangar steak and short rib. The hanger steak was delicious, but the short rib was a little dry.
(3)Chris C.
Re-opened after Flooding in December 2013. AKA has come back Boston Strong. Christian greeted everyone with grace and French flair, and injected an air of celebration in being back. The food will still take you over the center field wall, and you will rejoice that sleepy Lincoln got its culinary spirit back.
(5)Michael S.
Mostly good experiences and they have an interesting menu for the 'burbs. I have been a half dozen times... I usually order the more French vs Japanese. I personally love creative menus and embrace the east-west fusion...but, if you are into Americanized meat and 'taters: don't come. (You wont enjoy it ...and..... you'll ruin it for the rest of us with your complaining.) So close to loosing the 4th star, though... they've have had a few misses on certain dishes, which always leaves me wanting them to do something a bit different. With some tweaks and more consistency, this could be a great restaurant. I do love the patio for lunch...and prices are reasonable.
(4)Vina A.
Japanese and French? Yes please! BUT AKA ? most likely NEVER AGAIN.. well, maybe for a 10$ itsy bitsy glass of wine. People in the town of Lincoln must be starved for fine dining venues to give this place such high reviews. Have some more gustatory dignity and stop giving a place like this so much money. The canard was alright but salty, the fois nothing amazing either. Japanese side with the combo platter was not worth it. Over $3 for a 1 inch long sliver, and I do mean sliver, of fish? The flavors were there, delicious but seriously, as one person said it, the 85$ portion may have been OK if we were 3 feet tall. Could have used fewer sauces too - confusing and unnecessary. And the real kicker that just killed the place for me was that the spatzele was not spatzele. It was hard, oily dough. Just imagine over frying a funnel cake and then shaking it in a bag of salt. That's what you get. HORRIBLE. Oh, and never sit outside past sundown. Got 10 mosquito bites on my bottom strait through the chair and skirt within 15 minutes. At least someone had a good meal that night!
(1)Joanne G.
Asian Fusion in Lincoln. I had the ginger carrot soup, and japanese roasted veggie. It was ok. Their bread was kickin'. Would I go back? Not necessarily.
(3)Kate M.
I was surprised to experience AKA's pour policy - instead of the typical dividing of a bottle of wine into four glasses, AKA divided the bottle by 8! We paid $12 for a three-ounce glass of chardonnay. So to have my usual out-to-dinner two glasses of wine, I would have to order four glasses and pay $96 for a moderate inexpensive wine. The food was very good. But the huge wine margins will keep me from ever going again. Pour a normal glass of wine! $12 a glass was appropriate, for double the glass they served. Shame shame
(2)Susan F.
OPEN again as of May 5! New menu (keeping old favorites) and as wonderful as ever. We love the cocktails, the wine list, the fresh-baked breads, and have enjoyed both the Japanese and the French sides of the menu. Desserts are okay--but the real delight is the main courses. We had the sashimi dinner once (pricy for us) and it was absolutely divine. Have also loved the steak, the roast chicken, the moules frites, and all the fish entrees.
(5)J. Ted S.
I went for the first time just recently and I thought AKA was great. The service was really outstanding - like an army of servants catering to your every need. I had bone marrow, salmon salad, a fantastic roasted cod, and the blueberry lemon tart. Funny that you have to go to the one restaurant in Lincoln for fine dining if you live in Lexington or Concord (80 Thoreau is good too).
(5)MingPey L.
well at the beginning it might be a bit confusing, a sushi bar in side a french bistro restaurant, but it work together rather well, especially you can get the best of both world, the lobster dish from the bistro side is amazing, great portion for a reasonable price, steam mussel is another dish that has enough portion to be shared as a 4 ppl appetizer. great beer and wine selection, of course there's the sake as well. the sushi bar is amazing as well, if you ever been to uni while chris was there you will already have an idea what kind of amazing food you will be getting. always ask your waiter if there's any special fish they got in store for you. its definitely worth the drive.
(5)David T.
Excellent brunch IS possible in the suburbs!! An often overlooked weekend meal that, for suburbanites, has historically been regulated to the all-you-can-eat buffets at the local Marriott has finally been executed with style and perfection! One day I will be able to afford to live in Lincoln. Until then, at least there is a quaint bistro nestled in the forest (actually its in a shopping center but a 1/2 mile in any direction is pretty much the forest) from which I can enjoy an outstanding meal in a lovely setting. The service was top-notch from the moment we walked in until the moment we waddled our gluttonous selves out the door. Our waiter, busboy, and bread server (yes 3 different people assisted us on our 45 min through foodie heaven) were extremely attentive without being overbearing and obnoxious. Water seemed to appear out of nowhere as soon as the glass showed the possibility of being close to empty but not once did it feel as if people were hovering. Now to the food: **Assiette de charcuterie ($12): After our trip to Spain transformed the bf into a lover of cured meats, he could not resist himself when he spotted this on the menu. Various hams, salami and pig's feet terrine were served with toasted bread, pearl onions, cornichons and Dijon mustard. This was not only delicious but was also thoughtfully presented in a traditionally Euro manner...on a simple cutting board. **Omelette Basquaise ($10): Perfectly cooked thick omelette (almost like a quiche actually but with no crust) with potato and chorizo. Nice texture with a mild taste. Served with a side a field greens that the bf devoured from my plate (yes I am bad when it comes to eating all of my veggies). **Petit Dejeuner ($12): Basket of 5 house-made pastries served with coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice. The pain au chocolat was the standout here but all (brioche, croissant, madeleine) were tasty and very fresh. Orange juice was sweet and had the perfect slight amount of pulp. After only 4 months in business, AKA Bistro has raised the standard for suburban dining; an accomplishment that some places struggle with for years. I look forward to returning for dinner in order to see what other delights, both French and Japanese, are in store. Messieurs Chung, Touche & Santos: merci beaucoup!
(5)Anna M.
First trip to AKA Bistro and unfortunately not going back. Here's why: We order: my friend asks wants the fois gras and the halibut. The server says they are out of the fois. She orders the bone marrow. The server comes back to tell us they are out of the bone marrow and the halibut as well. Seriously? I worked as cook in a kitchen, I understand you want to keep food costs down but running out of the three things someone orders at 7:30pm is ridiculous. I ordered soda water. It is completely flat, I have to ask for another one. Part of the frustration with this which i didn't realize until the bill came is the soda water (from a soda gun not a fancy brand) was $3.50! That is insane! It's tap water! We also ordered champagne which didn't come until after the appetizers. Our server, although friendly, was very disorganized. The meal: Appetizers- The tuna tartare: it was fine, I liked the spice but it was very mayonaisey and the tuna was hard to taste. $15 was very pricey. The beet salad: outstanding. the beets were sweet and delicious. a great salad. Main- Mussels with salad:The mussels were pretty bad. I know when you order mussels every now and then there is always one or two that has a bad taste; not the fault of the restaurant. These mussels all had a bad taste. neither my friend nor I could get through them. Overall it just wasn't good. The beets as I mentioned were great but they didn't make up for the subpar main course, the less than thrilling tuna tartare and the disjointed service. This was my first and last trip to AKA.
(2)Sebastien P.
Aka Bistro re opened today May 5th!!!
(5)Chantelle D.
My Dad and I decided to throw my Mom a surprise birthday dinner just cuz (we're nice like that!) and since AKA Bistro was the first (and only!) restaurant in Lincoln, we thought we'd try it out for this special occasion. Already warned by some of our guests that AKA books up quickly, I called the restaurant hoping to secure a 10 person reservation for a Thursday night. I spoke with Christian, the General Manager, who was AMAZING during the entire process. He secured us a round table perfect for our group. He helped me pick out items from the main menu for our guests and even printed out personalized menus with my Mom's name for the night. I also pre-selected champagne and wine which was served attentively by our lovely waitress throughout the meal. While the service already out did itself before we even got there, it was just as exceptional during our dinner. But let's get to the good stuff: the food! If you love escargots, it was perhaps the best I've ever tasted. The pig's feet terrine was amazing - and such a big portion, we actually took some of it home! I also tried the cod fillet and the mussels and frites for the main entrees which were perfectly cooked. Thanks to Christian and his team, our entire party had such a memorable and happy night. So much so, that when we left to go home, my Mom started crying in the car because she "couldn't have asked for a better birthday!" Happy Mom = Happy CK! We already can't wait to go back and try their lunch menu on the outdoor patio.
(5)Greg W.
I like Aka, and wish I loved Aka. There are not many good restaurants in this area (80 Thoreau is one of the few). Aka's menu is unique and there are a few dishes worth trying. I have been a few times, mainly because I live so close. But I find myself looking for something better.
(3)Rachel G.
This review is for Sunday brunch. Great service, pretty good food, but probably more than a little overpriced. We started with the pastries- the brioche was moist and buttery; the cinnamon sugar-topped muffin-like thing was a little dry but covered in sugar so I couldn't really complain much; the croissant and pain au chocolat both flaky and golden but almost unbearably buttery (oil was quite literally dripping out of the former). As far as drinks go they don't have any liquor, so the Bloody Mary drinkers in our group were resigned to mimosas. I can't complain, though, as mine was top-notch and pretty decently-sized-- it was served in a tumbler instead of a champagne flute. Those in our group that stuck with coffee weren't left out of the beverage fun--each cup came with a little chocolate cookie. Yum. As for entrees, I stuck with the Japanese side and had the spicy shrimp salad. The menu description said it would include green papayas, but mine only had (a whole boatload of) shredded cucumbers and precisely 5 shrimp, all drenched in a mildly spicy, tart, and a little fishy-tasting mango sauce. I wouldn't order it again, but it wasn't bad. I also split that weekend's dim sum special--scallion pancakes--with my boyfriend. We were both expecting something along the lines of a latke, but these pancakes were almost exact replicas of Navajo fry bread, except with scallions mixed in the dough before they were deep fried. Delicious (who doesn't like fried dough?), but definitely not what we thought we'd signed up for. Those in our group that chose items from the French side of the menu were not disappointed, with the French toast coming out as a clear winner for best dish ordered. All in all, AKA bistro was tasty and filling, but not necessarily worth the $140 it cost for 2 mimosas, 2 coffees, some breads, and 4 entrees.
(3)Leo j. R.
A.k.a. awful! Came in for Sunday brunch. Seated on a banquette covered with crumbs-not a good start! Pastries weren't available so I had a croque monsieur. Let's just say the chef was liberal with the salt; not only was the sandwich salty but the accompanying salad, too. Speaking of the salad , it looked like it came from a supermarket bag o' spring greens days after it expired, as it included some rather slimy leaves. None of this poorly prepared food was cheap, especially in light of the half-hearted service. And why in the world would they play loud techno music before noon? I won't be back.
(1)Luciana S.
The food was incredible! Had the terrine de fois gras with brioche, perfectly served and moules frites for entree. Ah and you must try their desserts. Everything cooked to perfection. Great wine list and service was very attentive and accommodating - we were sitting outside but asked to be moved inside because of the mosquitos. Reason for 4 stars was the decor. The bar looked fine but the main dining area looks too busy. The color changing panel is tacky. The reason for saying this is because the amazing food deserves a better design. But at the end is all about the food and the chef is superb. I would go back in a minute.
(4)Shirley M.
My husband and I have dined here 3 times before. The food has been consistently delicious and service has ranged from okay to very good. I chose Aka for my birthday dinner this evening. I knew it was a slight risk given that winter storm 'Nemo' had resolved just 10 hours prior, but assumed Aka would not be open if unable to function. Boy was I wrong. We had just been seated when our waitress jumped into details about being extremely short staffed. While I can appreciate the need to give customers a head's up it didn't stop there. Aka was out of the first 2 wines we ordered, which was blamed on the storm. The storm lasted 24 hours, but okay. The salad and appetizer arrived at the same time, again blamed on the storm. Again, not sure how the storm prevented our waitress from holding the salad. Reaching over salad plates to taste the prosciutto and house pates felt clumsy. The meats were flavorful and the arugula/endives salad was pleasing. The mesclun salad was unimpressive. My entree of mussels and fries was savory, a large serving that could easily be shared by two. My husband had the salmon with lentils. The lentils were tasty. The salmon was not fresh, which was disappointing. We had the creme caramel for desert which was nothing special. Our bill was pricey as expected but not startling. As we handed the check back to our waitress she informed us that while she had been "running around like a chicken with [her] head cut off" she had inadvertently billed our desert to someone else and would need to add on. This was just plain awkward and left us feeling like we were at the 99 in Concord. Aka is one of the most expensive restaurants in the suburbs. The minimum expectation is good service and amazing food. Snow should not have be used repeatedly as an excuse. If a lovely meal was not possible due to snow, Aka should not have opened it's doors. This was not an enjoyable birthday meal and I'm left feeling regretful. While we have enjoyed Aka in the past the pace of the meal, unprofessional service, and food that was a mixed bag will keep us from returning.
(1)Dta E.
Good place for dessert and has nice ambiance. The service is a slow but they have some good selections on the menu. Not the best place you will ever eat but definitely decent.
(4)Laura W.
Lincoln is so lucky to have the AKA Bistro! Truffled mac & cheese! Does it get any better?!? An eclectic menu with a fantastic wine selection. I've dined there many times, met friend and family there and would highly recommend it. I have yet to try their cheese night and I'm looking forward to it.
(5)Bob P.
I guess I'm in the minority. My wife and I were underwhelmed, and quite frankly confused by the French/Sushi approach. Why exactly those two cuisines? For $60 a head for dinner and wine (no apps or desert), I expected a bit more. But the place was packed and gets rave reviews. Maybe if I liked goose liver more..... The menu itself was a little annoying, with all the dish names written in French as if to say "Well you shouldn't be eating here if you don't Parlez Francais".
(3)Alex M.
re-opened (on may 5, 2014)
(4)Nikki B.
We were chomping at the bit to try AKA Bistro since Boston.com named it one of the 10 best new restaurants in 2011. Our reservation happened to fall on the hottest day of the year, and we arrived to find the air conditioning out of commission. So, I suppress the memory of spending my evening dripping in sweat while I write this review. (Frankly, if it were my restaurant, I'd have paid the incremental $200 emergency repair fee.) The wine selection was interesting, and I was surprised to see so many options on the menu. Unfortunately, they were out of half. On a Thursday night? Shame. We started with the Salmon Tartar and Scallop Ceviche, and they were amazing! I still think about that ceviche... YUM. We followed it up with the Grilled Hanger Steak and Sauteed Lobster. Both were outstanding. (Except the sauteed vegetables that came with the hanger steak curiously resembled more of a meatloaf.) Overall, really, really, really delicious food. Three stars, because the service was abominable. ABOMINABLE. It was so bad, we tipped our bus boy for helping to take our orders and tapping our server on the shoulder when we needed him. Because the food was so wonderful, we'll be back for a more casual evening (but with crossed fingers that the service is a million times better).
(3)S M.
Another night at AKA does not fail to deliver! ThIs time, we sat in front of the sushi chef. He had arrived late as he had come from Watertown and the lock-down after the terror incident had just been lifted. He apologized for not having much to work with. We said we would be happy with whatever he could create. And WOW-what a feast of amazing sushi-no idea what it all was, just that it was inventive, with delicious flavors that came in waves in your mouth. And btw, the poke there is the best, and I have sampled poke al ver the country and in Hawaii. This poke out does Alan Wong! The food is delicious, the service is great-and all tucked away in this sleepy town. We are very lucky.
(4)Nicolas S.
Great place! Definitely worth checking out of you're in the area. Went there for brunch and really enjoyed the food and the place.
(4)Baking M.
AKA Bistro is a French Bistro with a Japanese sushi bar within the restaurant. The dishes are not fusion cuisine, there are two separate menus. "Aka," pronounced "ah-kah," means red in Japanese. We were quite excited to try AKA Bistro because we are so fond of both cuisines and both co-owners have had the pleasure of working directly with Ken Oringer. In advance, we knew we were going to try the French menu over Japanese one. The 30 minute drive to Lincoln was scenic and peaceful. The quaint town is charming, green and was a refreshing change from Boston. There was a spacious parking lot directly in the rear and a small farmer's market right next to the restaurant. We really were intrigued by the sculptures in the front of the restaurant. Our favorite was the metal dandelion. It would be great to find out who the sculptor or artist is. The overall ambiance, lighting and cute paintings in the entrance of the restaurant was inviting. The clientele in the outdoor seating were couples and mostly families enjoying the sun and comfortable weather. The alfresco outdoor seating was completely full on our visit. In the main dining are was an older, local suburban demographic. One of the best aspects of AKA Bistro is the chic, French music. I felt as if Carla Bruni's whispery voice was oozing sophistication. At most bistros we have been to, including Aquitaine, Gaslight, La Voile, Bouchee, Marliave and Sel de la Terre, the music is oftentimes not French, usually American Top 40s pop or strictly instrumental, so the French music was a pleasant and welcome surprise. I also liked the red fabric in the booths. It added a nice bright color to the calm interior. From the get-go our waitress gave us full disclosure that the restaurant was out of smoothies, ginger mint lemonade and the omelette basque. The menu has quite a selection and already we eyed the chocolate mousse and creme brulee for dessert. The waitress Jessica also mentioned there was a tuna tartar pizza appetizer for $13 which was on the Japanese menu. I ordered a sencha green tea (there was the other option of rice green tea). Because the restaurant was understaffed, another waiter, stepped in to help out. He was very friendly, pleasant and admitted he was new and coming in on his day off. It was so nice out, that most customers sat outside, while the dining room was partially full. We were served a mini baguette, although the french bread was not toasted, it was chewy. We would have loved if the baguette was slightly warm so the already creamy soft butter would melt further. I notice the servers made sure each table had additional bread if requested. The service was a bit slow, albeit because we had a new server, and the restaurant was exceptionally busy in the outdoor seating area. We ended up waiting 45 minutes for our appetizer of duck salad and tart. We really liked the tartelette alsacienne $10. The puff was crispy, warm and there was a nice balance of sweet carmelized onions, cheese and bacon crumbles. The thin layer of creme fraiche was a nice touch. We would definitely get this again. We also had the duck salad. The bountiful salad had a nice vinaigrette and little cherry tomatoes. We really enjoyed the duck gizzards, they had a nice flavor and were well executed. The duck leg itself was well seasoned and very moist meat. However, it was a bit fatty and could have been rendered more or the skin crisped up. The foie was rich and as you would imagine. The Kro magnon burger was a bit underwhelming because of the size of the bun $18. The bun itself was so gigantic and it literally made the burger diminutive. The homemade fries filled the entire plate and were soft on the inside, perfectly seasoned, but half of them were crispy. The foie terrine, tomato confit and sweet onions were a nice touch to the burger. Although we asked for the burger to be cooked to medium rare, but we received a medium well burger. Our waiter did check in if the food was good, but we didn't bother to speak up about the temperature because the meat was still very juicy and moist. I had the Saint jacques Poelees, poleta et laitue braisee $26. The scallops were sauteed, well seasoned, they could have be seared longer for a better crust. My favorite part of the entree was the polenta. It was memorable and was fantastically crispy. I really liked the bell pepper creme fraiche and the vegetables and protein was sourced locally. In addition, the presentation was quite artistic. I remember exclaiming how beautiful it was. The kale although had a nice sheen from the oil, was a bit too oily. AKA Bistro has many specials that customers can take advantage of weekly, such as a Monday-Thursday 1/2 roasted chicken, a Monday 5 course dinner, Jazz Thursdays, and an upcoming farm-to-table 4 course meal featuring Blue Heron Farms. Just call ahead to make sure they are still running a
(3)Lady T.
Went for Sunday brunch, Delicious! Eggs Benedict was perfect, hollandaise was the exact blend of lemon, butter , yummy! Great home fries and super good coffee! Service gets an A plus too.
(5)Lethargic W.
I wanted to like this place so much. It's not far from where home and has a ton of potential. Stuck with the French side of the menu. Bibb salad = good Pork tenderloin = tough, not that interesting Cod fritters = bad Mussels = good Service = SLOW. Beer list = good, but expensive. I'm sorry, $9? Wine list = good, but expensive and wines by the glass are freaking tiny. The options are limited in the burbs, I wanted to love this place, but I don't and may only be able to go back once to try the asian side of the menu. This experience left me wondering how I dropped $125 on an average meal with slow service.
(2)Anna M.
AKA Bistro is my number one recommendation to all my friends in the area. Every time I've been with my husband, we have been shocked by the warm, personal service and awesome food. Our last time there, I had the butternut squash soup to start, and it was great. It was creamy and flavorful. The only thing I can complain about is that I was so full after just the soup. My husband had the portabella frites as an appetizer, and loved them also. The sauces weren't our favorite, although I enjoyed the miso, but the frites were good enough alone. My entree was the steak, which was phenomenal. The butter and herbs ontop were melt-in-my-mouth good. It was perfectly cooked, medium rare, and with TONS of fries, which I had to take home because I was so full. My husband's Halibut was great, he said. If you go, be sure to try the dark chocolate mousse. It is to die for. We enjoyed our knowledgeable waiter and the comfortable atmosphere. The music was a little loud, but so was the dining room. The hostess asked us if everything was OK as we left, and I let her know it was perfect. I look forward to coming back soon!
(5)Georgina C.
What a wonderful suburban gem! We began our lunch with homemade French bread and a light white wine. I ordered an incredibly fresh homemade vegetable pesto soup. It was delicious! My entree, a ham and cheese quiche was delectable and feeling a bit naughty, I had a side of fries. They were without a doubt the best I'd tasted in quite some time. This is definitely one of my favorite french restaurants within the outskirts of Boston.
(5)Maddie S.
I don't know why it took me so long to get this place which is not far from me. My sister and I used a Gift Certificate I bought on Bidding for Good and were very pleasantly surprised by the food, the service and the atmosphere. We ordered from the French side but I will want to go back to try the Japanese. I had the poulet, since I was just coming off a bland diet, and it was superb and flavorful, almost as good as my French mother-in-law's! (Of course she had that extra pinch of love). The bread had the authentic French taste, not easy to find. I will definitely go back.
(4)Thierry V.
A good French restaurant with real French dishes cooked to perfection. One of a few places where you can bring your friends visiting from France and impress them (without having to pay Lespalier prices). The mixed menu with Japanese mix is a plus. Pastries, of course, are great, esp. the eclairs. The ability to sit outside is a good plus in the summer. Service is friendly. Worth the trip from Boston for a nice family meal.
(5)Anna K.
We held our rehearsal dinner for about 20 people here on the outside patio in June, since we were getting married at the Codman Estate around the corner. AKA Bistro couldnt have been more helpful in making the dinner come off without a hitch -- the service was perfect, the food delicious, the outside patio lovely. I highly recommend working with them for any small evet!
(5)Rainer F.
Hard to believe that it took me so long to discover this neighborhood gem. My wife and I had a very enjoyable dinner, and we'll certainly be back again. Ambiance was very nice, the noise level low. Unlike the experience other reviewers had, our waiter was very friendly and attentive. My wife's appetizer, the tuna tartare in a cucumber cornet, was unique in presentation and excellent in taste. I equally enjoyed the Rock Shrimp Tempura, a small pyramid of popcorn style shrimp covered in a tasty sauce with a nice kick. My wife claimed the scallops she had for an entree were the best she ever had. My main course, the squid basquaise, was quite good but had seen perhaps a bit too much butter. The meal was wrapped up by two great desserts, the creme brulee, and the pear tarte tatin. Definitely a nice addition to the restaurant scene in the Western suburbs.
(4)Nayiri B.
I am so excited about this place and I couldn't disagree more with the poor reviews. First, it is great to have access to a more upscale restaurant in the Lincoln/Weston area without having to go all the way to Concord or Wellesley. Second, I was skeptical about the French/Japanese blended menu but they do it great. I sampled a lot of their food (was dining with a big party) and all of it was subperb. Loved the duck terrine, the poke was perfect, the frisee salad with bacon and poached egg so tasty, and the moules frites made for a great entree. Don't think I have ever had such perfect french fries - honestly the best I have had in my life. The tuna tartare was sub-par (too mayonnaise-ey) but the other items more than compensated. Wine/champagne list was ample. Did not try desserts. The server did seem a little disorganized at first - the restaurant was crowded and the waiter was overwhelmed. That said, he really warmed up and by the end of our meal and we thought he did a great job with our large party. The price is high but I feel like you are paying for good food and for the luxury of having such a great restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Couldn't stop talking about it and can't wait to go there again.
(4)Jim F.
After reading some of the good reviews about AKA Bistro on Yelp, I decided to book a reservation for Sunday brunch, and I was not disappointed. I give it five stars for food quality and presentation, and four stars for the ambiance, which is good by suburban standards but not quite up to the elegant atmosphere of a true 5-star restaurant. I ordered the poached eggs with lobster in puff pastry, and it was incredibly good. The puff pastry was light and flaky, the lobster was tender like a song, and the sauce flavorful and delicious. The presentation of the dish was enough to make me wish that I had brought my camera. I recommend this choice without reservation. We also ordered a fresh vegetable omelet, which included very fresh in-season vegetables with a flavorful sauce. The latter comes with potatoes, but you can replace it with a salad if you'd like. There were many small touches worth mentioning. The coffee was served in a quite attractive cup and saucer combination. The corner table we sat at was private, and was custom made to fit the not-quite orthogonal walls, showing the attention to detail that typifies this place. The glasses that our mimosas were served in were tapered and not tippy like so many champagne glasses are. For dessert we shared a creme caramel that was memorably good, and that's saying something because, well, just about everybody does creme caramel pretty well. The bottom was coated with freshly grated vanilla bean, the texture had the richness and creaminess that you hope for but have learned to not expect, and the glazed top had just the right crunch in addition to being beautiful to look at. Note: alcohol is not served until noon, so if you plan on having mimosas, then you may want to time your reservation accordingly.
(4)Will N.
Great Place! I was very impressed with the service and the dining experience. The food was the best meal I had in a long time. Chris & Christian really make you feel welcome, even on the busiest of nights. I'd surely go more often if I lived closer. So I guess if I had a gripe it would be that it is away from Boston, but that hasn't stopped them..it was as busy as it could be when I was there. Definitely try the snails and the scallops...!!!!
(5)Stockton M.
French menu has comfort food but somewhat salty and overbearing Japanese menu has very very high prices for not so much action - the fish was bland and overwhelmed by sauces. The environment is nice but could be more comfortable. Brunch, alternatively, is quite nice. Tries to be too many things - comfortable, lunch-relaxed; mild and spiced. I'm not just referring to the mixture of cuisines. I think the prices need to fall to make this worth going back.
(2)Rick H.
It is terrific to have a restaurant of this quality in our neighborhood. Fresh sashimi. Wonderful food.
(4)Kathy B.
The food is quite good, although the Japanese French fusion is probably a misnomer - more like you can choose French style or Japanese style, and my husband and I had one of each. Frankly, I think the Japanese style wins - a little more innovative and delicate, but I've had good French entrees here before. The desserts have been pretty amazing - a passionfruit pudding was out of this world deliciious. The route 2 corridor has only a few good restaurants (given the wealth in the area, I'm not sure why) and this would be one of them.
(4)Tatsu I.
Last week it was still very much under construction, so I was shocked to see it operating tonight. Very brisk business. As some of you may know, this is Lincoln's first restaurant, it's simply earth-moving in the land of ice cream and netflix, the wealthiest liberal town in the U.S. To be getting some of the Boston's best talent in chef Chris Chung and Christian both from Uni/Clio, and Christophe Carlos is a stroke of fortune, life may never be the same here. If they try opening a 2nd restaurant here, people will take up arms during town meetings. The space looks great and fits in with the natural surroundings of gorgeous Lincoln. I'm sure they will be handsomely rewarded for their efforts. I'm looking forward to eating more French food, especially after having some excellent dishes my recent Japan trip. I'm happy that Chris is trying a new kind of farm-raised Bluefin Tuna, called Kindai. (This is very recent technology, thought to be impossible before. As of 2008, Japan shipped literally 3 fish a week to the U.S., now up to 20 a week as of 2010. It takes 2 years to grow one and just hatching the eggs took Japan's best universities years to figure out.) It's important not to support/eat Bluefin Tuna as it's perilously endangered. (Normal sushi places do not serve Bluefin, it is way too expensive and rare, so your spicy tuna rolls are excepted.) The two sides, french and sashimi, are separate menus with separate chefs. You can sit in the expansive dining area or at the expansive sashimi bar and order from either menu, of course.
(5)Mrs. P.
It was fine, though I think the chef was having an off night. Great menu, and best foie gras I have ever had, but the duck was oversalted, the mousse a little flavorless. I have heard great things about this restaurant, so I chalk it up to an off night.
(3)Nina W.
Huh huh huh, oui oui oui, Bienvenue a mon review! Aka Bistro is a fun, slightly posh dining experience. GO in a group for greater effect. BRING A GPS ! Its very very easy to miss....as its nestled in the woods. Don't you love hidden treasures - then show off to your friends that you discovered this place. The food is not only tasty, but unique - for example, with scallops I got this interesting 'casserole' on the side made with butternut squash and chickpea powder... WHOOOOAAA so good for your taste buds. The food is on the heavy side, after all its French cuisine. Butter beware for those watching their waistlines. The tuna confit is a 3 oz portion as the very friendly chef in the open air part of the kitchen told me, but its leathal as any confit is (tuna is sunk in olive oil and marinated then cooked while still in the oil.) The presentation of the food is what will also blow you away, trust me on this one. A word on the sushi: I only ordered the sashimi and the order was TINY - I probably got less than 2 ounces of raw fish. I don't recommend the Japanese part of this restaurant. GO and think of me... Love, Nunes
(4)Margaret O.
Boston came to the 'burbs!!! AKA Bistro opened tonight. My husband and I have been waiting for months and it was well worth the wait. AKA Bistro servers Japanese and Provencal food. It's not fusion, it's either/or. Both a really really good - my husband had Japanese and I had French. His "Innovative sashimi" plate was absolutely exceptional. My Provencal tart appetizer was excellent and my mussels very good. The apple tart we shared for dessert was another prize winner. Service was friendly and plentiful if a bit disorganized - but it's opening night. The atmosphere is as you might expect for something called a Bistro run by a pair from Boston spots Uni and Clio. It's refined but informal. Wear your jeans.
(5)Ellen G.
I recently returned to AKA Bistro for lunch with some very discriminating cousins from Santa Monica, CA. They were impressed! Lunch at AKA Bistro is as transformative experience as dinner. Eating on the brick patio under an umbrella, I wasn't sure whether I was in Lincoln or somewhere in the Perigord region of France. The food never ceases to amaze. So simple, yet so evocative. The Perigordian salad is as satisfying at lunch as it is at dinner. The poached egg in homemade brioche is ethereal, a bit of sunshine snuggled in a nest of delicious dough. The only criticism: although it was a sight to behold, the perfectly formed pyramid of rock shrimp tempura with fried shallots and prosciutto "dust" was a bit monotonous without any accompaniment. Even the desserts, which were variations on French standards, were standouts. A cream puff filled with lavender cream transported me to Provence. The crepes with lemon cream made my heart skip a beat. We dined outside for over two hours. For a minute or two I really thought I was in France.
(5)Lesley B.
Being a local I was sure to be there on the first day, and succeeded :)The first impression was very nice, warm and fitting to the surroundings, the layout & atmosphere matched that of this charming little town. There is a wraparound couch on the street side with chairs as well, and on the parking lot side there is a sushi bar area with a high top table for dropping in. I went with my boyfriend and we sat in the booth area and both opted for French items. I started with the curly endive salad with bacon and poached egg. It was incredible. An egg poached like only the French can do it. I couldn't believe how good it was, I think it must be one of the best items on the menu although quite a simple choice. He had the pate and loved it, however I'm not a pate person (I tried it and it was very good actually, but its not something I go for). I then had the mussels & frites and that was delicious but far too large of an entree. He had the coq au vin and it was divine, I must add that this was served in a crock that was so adorable you almost wanted to jump in yourself, really just the most darling thing. We had a great bottle of wine and totally enjoyed ourselves. The prices were reasonable for what you are getting. Really an excellent value for the quality of food. I feel guilty living so close to something this good. The whole night I couldn't quite get over the fact that I was sitting in Lincoln eating this exquisite meal. Looking forward to going back again and try some sushi. Sushi in Lincoln! Lincoln?! I just can't get over it. Le sigh...
(5)Alexander G.
I did some growing up in Lincoln. This is only somewhat pertinent to my review because I favor this town and it's protected woodlands, mixture of historic architecture and nature. While doing just that, I passed by AKA Bistro on a bicycle ride through the area and was struck by the idea of enjoying my second anniversary with my wife while eating outside, enjoying good food and beautiful Lincoln. To execute my plan I did something men like myself usually don't do. I planned ahead. I made reservations and I specifically requested on this special night that we were to be seated outside. I even made this reservation a day early. Things were panning out great because the night was gorgeous. Upon arrival I told the hostess who I was and she grabbed menus and lead us to our seats... inside. Before we sat I reminded her that we were to be seated outside. I had talked to the same woman on the phone the day before. She remembered but recounted incorrectly that I told her " I wanted to eat outside only if there was no space inside" That was her interpretation. I asked her why I would request such a thing because it made no sense. She had no answer and was clearly in the wrong. All the outdoor seats were full and the wait was approximately an hour. Normally I couldn't care less about this stuff but this was supposed to be a special dinner and I already felt like leaving. My wonderful wife urged me to relax and we drank a couple of beers. Bread was slow to come, about 15 minutes. I thought again about leaving. We ordered steak frites, we both ordered them rare. I'm not as adventurous as the menu allowed me to be. They were good. They weren't rare they were medium. Fries were okay. Food was essentially "okay." I think that CODA in Boston has some of the best Steak Frites around so base my comparison on that. $26 dollars these were not. I think also that a place with service like we experienced is lucky that they are in Lincoln and not Boston. If the experience of not respecting a reservation wasn't looming over me I would give AKA Bistro 3 or 4 stars. Unfortunately customers like myself hardly ever talk about the good stuff when they feel wronged.
(2)Anne L.
We live nearby and tried this out for Restaurant Week. I wanted to like it, but wouldn't go back. The good 1. Provencal tart with tomato confit, caramelized onion and fresh goat cheese. The crust was flakey and the flavors good. 2. The bread: their own french bread and Iggy's rolls 3. Hangar steak was cooked perfectly, as were the veggies. 4. They use locally grown fresh produce 5. Service was attentive The bad 1. Over priced for the regular menu 2. Baby octopus and mussels bouillabaisse was bland. And pickles in it?? Huh? 3. Chocolate mousse was nothing special 4. Noisy restaurant. We sat outside and braved the mosquitoes (they did have bottles of Off around for the outdoor patrons) In short, this just wasn't worth another visit. Too bad, because it's Lincoln's only fine dining option.
(2)mary d.
We went for lunch and it wasn't busy. There was only 1 waitress as far as I could see, serving 6 or 7 tables with the help of a bus boy. We waited quite a while for her to arrive and answer our questions about the menu. After placing our orders we discovered they were out of one of the dishes. Disappointing, but we munched on some very tasty french rolls while waiting for our meals. One meal arrived....about 15 or 20 minutes later the waitress realized only one of us had food. She came over and told us it would be 5 minutes before the other meal came out. Seriously? There were no refills on water or bread although my friend was starving. I really liked the menu, the food was very good. I want to try more dishes....but I have never had such bad service. I guess you shouldn't go hungry because you might be waiting a while...or maybe they do take out.
(3)R L.
Took my team there for dinner a few weeks ago and it was just outstanding. The menu is very unique which I like. My team raved about each of their meals. I had the pork tenderloin which was tenderized, coated and fried to perfection. The sushi apps before hand were a special (not on the menu) and they were absolutely terrific. I highly recommend this place!
(5)Mike V.
Awesome lunch at AKA Bistro today. And a super great owner. Tres Francais! I will definitely come back and try dinner next time I am in the Lincoln/Waltham area.
(5)Bets H.
I was very disappointed in my lunch at AKA Bistro. I should have sent it back, because it was not as promised. I chose the Salade Nicoise with homemade, slow cooked tuna. What I was served was a mostly green salad with 3 tiny cubes of potato, no green beans, and brown canned tuna. My dining companion chose Croque Monsieur. What was served was a ham and cheese melt, no bechamel sauce. We regretted our choices and have no plans to return. FYI- Croque monsieur is served with Bechamel or Mornay sauce. Croque Madame is served with a poached or fried egg on top.
(2)J F.
So the food completely exceeded my expectations. I thought it would be another cheesy Nobu wannabe with foie gras sushi. Not so! The food was actually spectacular. Really on a different level. Service was pretty poor, but it didn't matter for our group. We may have been distracted b/c we were a group and were having fun, but the food really was amazing. The sea bass special was really outstanding, as was the sashimi. We ordered many things and all was good. It was a little strange though how everyone got a Western menu but there was only one Japanese menu for the table. I'm definitely going back!
(5)Renee B.
I had high hopes and wanted this to be better. How could I not like it I love sushi and I adore french food? So we started with a sushi platter and paid extra money to get more exotic fish - um no. Salmon, Tuna - all the usuals. The sauces on the sashimi were very good but it still was not worth double. Maybe it was pure quantity but that is not what the waitress said so I was disappointed. We were still hungry so we decided on two appetizers - albeit they were a bit risky as we had no idea if we would like them but we thought we would try - Pig Feet Terrine and Bone Marrow with Salt. The Terrine was bland and completely unremarkable. The bone marrow - I didn't like it but Sal did. The wine was quite good, but the size of the pour was pretty small. They have a bar but it is not real bar, more just a counter. We got there late 9:00 and they close at 10:00. The whole last half hour they were not just getting ready to close ..they were shutting down. So i spent a lot of money, got rushed and had meh food.
(2)Philip G.
Bring earplugs. Despite the fact that the average customer is a 55-year-old Millionaire for Obama (i.e., Lincoln resident), the interior is as noisy as a bar in the Fenway on a Friday night filled with college kids. Eating outdoors on the terrace would seem like a solution, but we were there later in the day and the mosquitoes were ravenous. Prices are high, but the food is good.
(3)James K.
Had a birthday dinner here this weekend. The service was excellent-- efficient and attentive--contrary to a couple of the recent entries on the board. The food was very good, with portions on the French side of the menu more than ample. My wife ordered from the Japanese side. The food seemed better prepared on that side, and we shared and found it quite delicious. I'm no foodie, but I had a really good experience and highly recommend AKA Bistro.
(5)Al R.
Tried this restaurant today and it was great. Taste is perfect, presentation is nice, portions are a good size and the prices are not too high. I will go again.
(5)Pito S.
I thought the food was pretty good but really overpriced. The Menu very confusing.
(3)E W.
Magically the planets align, providing a babysitter so the wife and I can leave the kidlets -- who aren't for the moment ill or fearful of being put in front of the toob -- for a couple of hours. Wine list is heavily French (as to be expected), and of good size for a restaurant in this location. There is also an extensive sake offering which we sadly decline to sample on this visit (sorry -- we're losers and it was a weeknight. Did I mention the kids?) Two heavy tomes of menus are presented upon arrival --one French and one Japanese. These aren't your couple o' appetizers, salads and entrees -- the selections are many and we were a bit overwhelmed. (It will be interesting to see how long they can maintain the sheer number of selections, or if they will pare down over time). The dishes are unique as well -- this isn't your mother's crab roll or duck l'orange type of options. My mind spinning at sheer number of selections (or was it the wine?), I opted for the Japanese "Taste of AKA", which is essentially a tasting menu of four Japanese dishes, two French dishes, plus dessert. Wife went with the more traditional salad/appetizer/entree from the French menu. Overall, we found the food very good. Probably not the best meal we've ever had, but quite excellent. Flavors are subtle yet distinct, and the Japanese offerings had some uncommon pairings that worked well. Service was very accommodating without being obtrusive and we were comped some dessert wine when the smoke alarm went off at the beginning of the meal. Despite dealing with two quite different orders, the kitchen managed to time delivery of the courses just right so we both weren't rushed or waiting for a long time. Prices are a bit high to make this a recurring favorite, however. Granted, the tasting menu was $90 sans wine, but anytime you see sashimi combination offerings exceeding $100, this isn't Ginza (nor should it be). Regardless, I could easily spend $100 per person, which is out of our budget range to make this a regular thing. AKA Bistro is certainly worth visiting at least once for the experience -- it reminds me a little bit of a suburban version of Radius. At least there's ample free parking and, since it's Lincoln, you don't have to get all dressied-up. If I win lotto or get another big tax refund, we might be back.
(4)Acton G.
This is the second time I've come here. The first time was OK, interesting menu. The Steak Frites were good, nothing outstanding but good. The Bone marrow and Foie were good. The second time, it could have been much better. Slower than normal service in every aspect. The beer selection is ok. The wine pour is very light, and after switching to ginger ale after a beer, I was suprised to see that a soda is $3.00! I suggest finding a good asian and a good french place, and you'll get a better selection of food, and get better service.
(2)Gabriele M.
Decent place. Good quality food
(4)BostonBestEats X.
Went for Easter Sunday brunch, but only now getting to this post. I was impressed, and think this place has a lot of potential for the area (smack in the middle of Lincoln Center in a small strip mall with plenty of parking). Everything was impeccable, but on the non-flashy, basic, traditional side. The space is attractive but small and L-shaped, with the kitchen and sushi bar around the corner from the main dining room. There were several tables with umbrellas out front, which were fully occupied thanks to the warm weather. The main room has plenty of windows, but of course the view is nothing special, just the road running through Lincoln Center near the train tracks and the buildings across the street (in fact the train whistle was pretty loud!). There are not that many tables so it isn't too cramped, with a continuous bench running around the edge, so every table is a mix of bench and chair seating. I have to say, it is pretty LOUD space. When we arrived at Noon, most of the patrons were outside and only 3 tables were occupied inside, but it was still noticeably loud. Now, we were at table #35 (more on this later!), which is a 2-top in the far corner of the dining room as far from the kitchen as we could get, so the sound from the kitchen may have been bouncing off the wall at the base of the "L" and focusing on our table, I don't know. But we could make out the conversations in the kitchen! There were 3 choices for brunch, either 3-course ($35) or 4-course ($45) prix fixe menus. This was a one-off brunch, and apparently they won't be offering weekend brunch for a few more months. We went with the 4-course: App: Smoked salmon with wasabi creme fraiche and micro sliced radish and greens -- a nice dish, a bit on the small side, with high-quality smoked salmon. Salad: Here was our first encounter with first-week jitters (this was the 7th day they were open, and I gathered the first day for our excellent, friendly waiter). The menu listed a rather boring sounding endive and goat cheese salad. But another server, not our waiter, brought us two dishes of steamed whole shelled shrimp on an avocado mold with a "French" sauce. Delicious, perhaps the best dish overall, but not the salad we were supposed to get, which we only remembered after referring to the menu we had kept at our side. In fact, this was the appetizer for the 3-course brunch, and given it was surely more expensive than the correct salad, we obviously made out like bandits. But I did point the mistake out to our waiter. What had happened? Off our waiter goes to the kitchen, and because of the above mentioned "sound relection", we could hear the entire conversation to occured. Turns out he had told them to "fire 35", which they thought meant the $35 3-course as opposed to table 35 where we sat! As I said, no complaints about this mistake at our end. Main: We had one of each of the two choices. The grilled split lobster on diced celery root with chanterelles and lobster sauce was wonderful. The rack of lamb (3 chops) served on a bed of au gratin potatoes with a grilled breaded tomato was perfectly cooked, but really lacked anything distinctive to take it beyond just well-made. Dessert: "Easter Cake". Now in my from Ireland, Irish-Catholic heritage there isn't anything called Easter Cake, so I'm not sure what I was expecting. What we got was a small piece of cake that was a cross between a firm Christmas fruit cake with currants and cranberries and a frosted rum cake. Actually pretty tasty. The next first-week jitters came when Christian, the French co-owner, stopped by our table and asked, "I understand from your waiter that you would like to try the Sauternes?" I guess I wasn't thinking quickly enough, so I said "Uh, sure!" Then I flagged down our waiter, who said Christian was actually getting our table confused with another. But to his credit, he still came back with a small taste (they are using Riedel-like "O" stem-less wine glasses, which I don't generally like) of light Sauternes. Again, we seemed to be having all the mistakes going in our favor, which made up for the noise (which was also going in our direction). Wine: We went with a nice Cote de Nuit, which went well with the lamb and wasn't bad with the lobster. Overall, a small wine list, with no recognizable producers, but it definitely seemed interesting and worth exploring. From the lecture Christian gave the table next to us on the Sauternes, I suspect he's put some thought into making creative selections. Can't say what the mark-up was not recognizing any names. But most of the bottles were in the $30-80 range, so definitely focusing on moderate prices as opposed to name dropping. Overall, impressed with the well-crafted food, although I think they could use a bit more punch to take some of the dishes to the next level. Of course this wasn't the regular menu. Will definitely be going back to try the sushi.They need to do something about noise & pick up the pace. Slainte!
(4)Deanna V.
It was a dream come true for me to have a restaurant serving my two favorite cuisines - sushi and French bistro - settle in to the neighboring town. For the kitchen to be THAT great, well, I was suddenly Metrowest's most grateful occupant. (Apologies for only now posting this review.) I'd been there thrice when we decided to truly test the graciousness of the service: we piled our four kids into the car (cleaned up first, of course) and arrived, fingers crossed, with no reservations. AKA was packed, yet they found space for the six of us at the vast sushi bar. Both owners, most likely astounded that our brood has both the palate and appetites of Wall Street bankers, smiled and watched over us, making sure we were happy all of the time. The top-shelf cold sake didn't hurt. Choosing a perfect 50-50 split of classic French and startlingly innovative sushi appetizers and entrees, the evening ended with an old favorite - baked Alaska - conjuring wonderful childhood memories for me; the variety presented started the children off on culinary journeys of their own. Thank you, AKA Bistro owners and staff. It was a glorious night we will never forget.
(5)Jason R.
Summary: loud, poor service, inconsistent French food, good-to-excellent Japanese food. Just got back from our 2nd visit. The service wasn't great the first time and it was worse this time. The waiter clearly didn't have a very good handle on the English language. Responses to our questions often didn't answer our question. My wife ordered the Omakase and he tried to get her to order an extra entree 3 times. My wife had to remind him multiple times that she didn't want the standard Omakase desert. We had to ask for many things that most nice restaurants offer or provide. Oh, and, to top it off, the dining room got very loud as they filled-up. I can live with mediocre service if the food is good. Unfortunately, I ordered from the French part of the menu. Butternut squash soup was decent, but very underseasoned and too cream-y for my taste (would you like some butternut squash with your cream?). Pig foot terrine was so bad we had to send it back. It tasted like plain gelatin, even after a generous dose of salt. I've had plenty of great-tasting terrines. I don't know what they were thinking with this one. Last was the veal sweetbreads with mushrooms and potatoes. The mushrooms were great---cooked enough to bring out flavor and seasoned properly. The sweetbreads were overcooked and underseasoned. The potatoes were boiled without salt and (again) underseasoned. The accompanying "sauce" was (again) too cream-y. Don't get me wrong. I love cream. But, I also believe in "balance" in cuisine. Whoever was cooking the French menu this night didn't seem to understand the concept of "balance". My wife made the smart choice and got the Omakase. Price-y and small portion sizes, but very good. All of the fish was tender and flavorful. Some of the accompaniments were okay, such as a sweet/mango-flavored dish (didn't combine very well with the fish). Other combinations were excellent, such as a savory combination of which I'm forgetting the ingredients. But, it was on-par with the best sushi places in Boston. I suspect that one may be able to have a great experience here if you only order Japanese and sit at the bar or sit in the dining room at an unpopular time (were were there Sat night 6-8pm).
(2)Mabel N.
This is a wonderful place. I was very impressed with the service and the dining experience. Try the snails and the scallops entree...!!!! It was awesome. We didn't have a chance to try the sushi but we'll go back soon.
(4)Sher V.
I live only a few miles away from this place and didn't even know a restaurant was coming to the area until my good friend took me there. It's tucked away next to the post office (right next to Donnelan's grocery store). There is no sign on the restaurant itself, so it could be easy to miss. The atmosphere is great... very chic and reminds you of an upscale Boston restaurant. The lighting is perfect and the decor is really classy. On the evening we went all tables were full. I was glad that we had reservations. The food and service was amazing. The chef came to our table, which I very much appreciated. He made some great recommendations. I started with the seaweed salad and had the lobster salad for dinner. Both were amazing. I HIGHLY recommend this place!!
(5)Craig S.
This is a must frequent restaurant a short drive from Boston. We decided to go for Easter brunch thinking it would be rough just opening a week ago and boy were we wrong. The service was excellent, the menu was exceptional, and the ambiance perfect. The meal stated with some amazing smoked salmon on bed of wasabi type sauce with micro-greens (great amuse bouche). Second course was an endive salad with pickled radish and some other items (simply amazing). The main course was lamb with two creative and tasty sides (some of the best scalloped potatoes I have ever had and a grilled tomato with great topping). The lamb was perfect and so delicious. The tomato was so simple but yet delicious and packed with flavor. My wife had the grilled lobster which had am amazing sauce with diced celery root. We literally lapped all of the sauce up with this great bread (they also have this amazingly creamy butter). The wine list is exceptional and my kir royal was perfect (nice beverage selection). The normal menu looks simply amazing with foie gras, pigs feet, soup de poisson, frog legs, toasted country bread (with bone marrow) and so many other provencal style traditional french choices. Couple this menu with world class sashimi and you have one of the best restaurants to land north of the city in quite some time. I am seriously impressed and will be back here regularly. I will seriously be back monthly as the prices are great for this style of food.
(5)B F.
We went for Restaurant Week--had had brunch there once and that was pretty good. Dinner was a disappointment--the chicory salad had no pears in it and no dressing really. The hangar steak was ok but 'root vegetables' turned out to be underdone carrots (some were virtually raw). It was very hot and uncomfortable. Not really a fun time. The wait staff was really good though and the breaad was excellent. It just didn't meet the expectations we had. I would recommend 80 Thoreau instead!!
(2)Chris B.
I took my father-in-law to AKA for his birthday and when he said "this is maybe the finest restaurant in Boston" I was relived because he can be picky and spends a lot of time in Paris (same difference,no?). It was months ago but I remember the seared foie gras app being delicious and, a very generous portion. My scallop entree and the sweetbreads 'pot au feu' were both excellent main courses. A berry tart was tasty and again a large serving. We stuck to the French side of the menu but I'm sure the sushi is top-notch. One reviewer, who said, that if he wanted Clio-sized portions he would go to Clio seems of the mark. I was on the staff of Clio when it opened and worked there for 3&1/2 years so I feel confident in stating that, I doubt, many AKA customers laugh uncontrollably at the the portions served them. Working with Christian Touche was one of the pleasures of Clio but, if he is the lobster wielding madman mentioned in one review, I would have to agree that Jerry Lewis exerted undue influence on the French national psyche. Dara was our waitress and did a great job. Definitely a special occasion place for most. The main negative is it's location in the small mall by the commuter -rail line but, I guess, that if you want to be in Lincoln there are not many options for restaurant space.
(5)Kim H.
I've been here twice and always had great food and good service. I always order from the Japanese menu, which I think has some of the most creative sashimi/sushi I've had in a long time and can be compared to Oishi and nobu. Fun to sit at the sushi bar and watch the food being prepared. Very glad its in the neighborhood.
(4)Ken S.
Had a "restaurant week" dinner last night. The food was good, not great. The service was friendly and prompt. The noise level was very high, making conversation a challenge.
(3)Roger W.
We had a lovely meal at AKA last night. Food and service were both very good, the restaurant provides a very pleasant ambiance. The seared foie gras appetizer was to die for and the lamb stew was delicious. The sweetbreads and wild mushrooms were good, but without the complexity and richness that one might expect. The apple crepe for dessert was very good. The "bordeaux superior" by the glass I had was a disappointment, it wasn't corked, but it wasn't quite right either. Perhaps it was just not very good. We'll be happy to go back and sample more of the menu, AKA is a welcome addition to our neighborhood.
(4)Gael B.
AWESOME!Never been to a place like this in Boston..the french side reminds me of home(France) the foie gras is outstanding...and the japanese side is great too.....Worth the drive out of Boston ..great atmosphere and service too!!!
(5)Matthias J.
I have been at AKA four times in the past year, twice for dinner and twice for brunch. I really wanted to love this place, but I can't make myself get beyond just liking it OK. Dishes are a mixed bag, some really good, others nothing special. The whole Japanese/French cuisine sounds attractive until you are confronted with the fact, that on each table, half of the diners will have one menu that has the whole French selection and only highlights the most popular Japanese dishes while the others will get another one (of a different color at least) that is the reverse. You'll find yourself in a game of "go fish" with your dinner partners. "Do you have the such and such dish on your menu? No, let me see that." On the Japanese side of the selections, portions are miniscule. Service is basic. Prices are quite high ($6 for an espresso). One detail that I found of very bad taste, is that you have to pass the discarded trays from Iggy's bakery (Cambridge, MA) on the way to the restroom, leaving you wondering what other supposedly French pastries that you thought were house made, were actually only just repackaged from somewhere else and marked up 300%. Finally, the 20% group gratuity seems to apply, even if your group of 6 includes two babies that don't order anything.
(3)dusty c.
I rarely take the trouble to write a review but this time I had such an exceptional lunch and the wait staff were so gracious that I'm happy to take the time for a compliment. My friend and I shared three dishes and I was the only one to opt for a drink since the Ginger hot sake on a cold day sounded glorious. And it was! Apparently they make their own pressed Ginger simple syrup and heat a small sake cup full of this with what looked to be an unfiltered sake (hard to tell because the bottle she showed me was slightly frosted). Filtered or not, this concoction was Amazing. Then we split the salmon sashimi and a shrimp, papaya mango salad in a light chili dressing. Again, superb presentation and quality. Finally we split the tartar on a tempura portobello, sorry can't remember the French name for this but an American term would be "excellent" and exotic too. Because we had just come from a visit to the DeCordova Museum we had a coupon for a complimentary dessert which they graciously honored. I have never seen such a large, delicious vanilla creme brûlée in my life. Easily two ramekins in size with fragrant slices of perfectly ripe strawberries (I hate adding fruit just for decoration that is flat and tasteless. These were definitely not either of those things). All in all very reasonable for the high quality, the obvious artistry, and very shareable portions. Bravo AKA. Nice to know such a great bistro exists in the burbs. Please keep it up and hanks too to that very sweet waitress who went out of her way to find a light for my friend's nicotine habit. Above and beyond the call of duty!
(5)Debra K.
Finally, we went to AKA albeit for lunch today, with our 3.5 year old and had a fantastic brunch. My husband had the Croque Madame, I had the Poke Sashimi and Miso Soup and my son had the Mac N Cheese, but ate most of my husbands. It was great. The coffee was super and my son loved the ginger lemonade (which is not for most kids) Normally I would never order fish on a Sunday but the flash freezer makes that possible. The one downside was by the time we got there the restaurant was out of the Dim Sum, Hanger Steak, Frisee salad and Hijiki but what they did serve was fantastic and I do not say that readily. The fact that they do run out proves high-turn over and assures fresh ingredients. The staff was great and while the ambiance could be updated, I don't really care - the food is super. Recently transplanted here from Manhattan, I am used to great food and this family friendly spot (our kid eats at restaurants with no problem) will be a common haunt for us. THANK YOU AKA! See you soon for dinner.
(5)Denise M.
I have been meaning to try AKA Bistro in Lincoln. I was disappointed by the sterile atmosphere. It felt like you were in a converted office unit and it lacked character and it wasn't appealing. The wait staff seemed impatient and anxious for us to order coming over several times over the course of 5 minutes. Having said that, the food was delicious, niceley presented and came to the table on hot plates. The wine we selected was enjoyable. They serve beer and wine only. We ordered from the French menu however they have a Japenese menu which is interesting. When you factor in everything, we expected a better dining experience therefore we felt it was overpriced.
(3)Veronica B.
Just had lunch here with a couple of friends. It was outstanding. We each had the lunch menu. Everything was presented beautifully and very tasty. The avocado and shrimp salad was fantastic.
(4)J. H.
As a local, I was hoping for a Bistro, not a "dining experience". Driving into Boston is 15 minutes from Lincoln, so while we are "in the country" we are not exactly removed. I just can't see myself or my family spending $150-200 for a dinner of frogs legs for the children. Call me crazy but my kids just aren't into frogs legs and escargot. (The kids menu is so contrived). And they don't want to tell people what they ate at AKA ( as mentioned in the press.) I wish the owners well, but once the glow wears off the nights are long and the locals won't be coming to AKA. There are great restaurants in Waltham which are affordable and great tasting. There is also good sushi if you are willing to drive 20 minutes. I think AKA will do well during the Summer months though, since they have a terrace (oh excuse me a terasse). I guess some people really do still spend $200 bucks on dinner without blinking. For them, this might just be the place. I laughed when people said it was good value for the money. I found it outrageously expensive.
(1)Lisa P.
Our appetizer was the charcuterie plate -- the waitress served it without condiments. I asked for mustard -- the mustard arrived; everything was fine. When we were almost finished, the waitress came with the condiments tray: cornichons, pickled onions and coarse mustard and told us they'd send another platter home with us because the original hadn't been served with the proper accompaniments. Fast forward to when it was time to leave. I paid the check and inquired about the promised charcuterie. The waitress disappeared. The manager came with a little container of cornichons, I explained what had happened. She proceeded to tell me how to eat charcuterie, blah, blah, blah (not with condiments, evidently) and said she wouldn't honor what the server had said and replied "I can offer you a cup of coffee." RUDE. I told her I wasn't trying to bargain or to get something for nothing -- I was just inquiring about what had been offered! I've lived in Lincoln for more than a decade, have been to Paris twice in the past 5 years, and eat in the best restaurants in Boston and New York -- I don't need her rude instruction on how to eat charcuterie or to spend a pretty penny and be made to feel like a beggar.
(1)shelly T.
I wanted to try Aka Bistro because I liked the idea of having both sashimi and also having the option of ordering dinner from the French bistro menu. I decided the best way was to order an appetizer from the sashimi menu and an entrée of something very French! I started with the Spicy tuna tataki with foie gras and my friend had the Hawaiian Poke. My dish was pretty amazing but I was prepared that it might be small because of the extravagant ingredients. It was really not that small and it was so worth it. The Hawaiian poke arrived in a small bowl full of cubed fresh tuna in a sauce of ginger, soy and whatever else made it so delicious. Thank goodness there was enough to share! For my main course, I had the seared duck breast with green olive juice. The duck was cooked perfectly and the accompaniment of green olives was something I had never had before although the waitress told us it was a very traditional dish in Provence. The service was very good. It is a casual restaurant with great food. No airs about it
(5)