Eastern Standard

A good brasserie is not a paean to fine French cuisine — though great eats should be in ample supply. Nor is it a flash-in-the-pan hot spot that's busy one month, empty the next. It's a bustling, reliable restaurant where everyone — foodies, tourists, business travelers, sports fans — feels welcome. No place does all-occasion fun better than Eastern Standard, which, five years after takeoff, is still filled noon to night with revelers catching the Sox game and regularsdining at the bar on an expansive menu (raw bar, burgers, salads, charcuterie) that’s only gotten better with time. RUNNER-UP Gaslight