Turner Fisheries Sustainable Seafood Restaurant Review {Kids Eat Free!}

If you live in the Boston area or you're coming to visit with your kids, I have the perfect place you may want to check out for dinner. Every evening before 7 pm children eat a free meal with the purchase of an adult entree at Turner Fisheries, a sustainable seafood restaurant located at the Westin hotel in Copley Square. Don't worry, if your kids aren't into seafood, there are plenty of other options for them as well!

Turner Fisheries has been around for a while, I still remember taking photos in their beautifully lit lobby in my wedding gown, after our wedding six years ago. It's a beautifully designed dining space as well, with large seven foot high French Cafe windows and a cozy atmosphere. We had a little booth seat below, from experience I recommend dining at 5 on a weekday, it was perfect with kids since we didn't disturb anyone and it isn't too close to bedtime. Without kids, it's a perfect spot for a date with your spouse!

I am a huge fan of seafood, but as a family on a pretty tight budget, it is rare we have it for dinner. So I was excited to say the least! Moreover, I love that Turner Fisheries takes great care in serving only the most sustainable seafood available. Ranging from local, line caught fish off the U.S. East Coast and Canada (PEI), to imported ingredients from Europe - where, as we know, many of their food production practices are a lot more Eco-friendly than here in the U.S. Sourcing, of course, varies season to season and depends on local fisheries. We had a brief chat with Chef Armand Toutaint and I can tell you that he knows his seafood!

The menu has a wonderful variety of seafood dishes, it was really hard to choose. Here is what we ordered, including photos that are worth more than words:

Starters:

Grilled Oysters | maitake mushroom riesling cream $15

Seared Diver Scallops | brandy back mission fig reduction $15

Entrees:

Kids Entree: Baked Haddock with rice (we substituted for mashed potatoes) and green beans (free/$7)

Lobster Thermidor | cured tomato hollandaise, gruyere Market Price (~$50)

Seafood Risotto | maine lobster, bay scallop, Caribbean shrimp, littleneck clams, mussels, reggiano parmesan $35

The appetizers were scrumptious, a delicate blend of ingredients to delight the taste buds. A teaser to leave enough room for the generously sized entrees. Both the oysters and scallops (above) were tantalizing. 

As we devoured the starters, Baby E enjoyed her entree at her own pace. She can be picky at times. "I don't want this, I like the red fish", she said referring to salmon. We ended up eating her haddock, though she happily enjoyed the mashed potatoes and green beans - her favorites. 

My husband had the Lobster Thermidor (below), which I tried, it was truly out of this world! The lobster meat creates an amazing combination with the hollandaise and gruyere. If I had to describe it in three words, it would be rich, creamy, and refined. Beautifully served as well. If you love lobster but aren't particularly crazy about the processes cracking the shell to get the meat out - this dish is for you!

I enjoyed the Seafood Risotto (below), filled with a variety of goodies of the sea. I'm the kind of person that likes to try a little of everything. It was just a tad too salty for my taste, but keep in mind that I'm the person that skips salt altogether sometimes when cooking, so I'm sure it would be fine for the average person. If you can't decide on one particular type of seafood to try, this dish gives you a taste of lobster, scallops, shrimp, mussels, and clams. It's a very generous portion, even big enough for two people. Baby T tried some of the creamy risotto and enjoyed it, even without a single tooth yet!

The downside of dining with kids - they will not let you eat dessert! They were so done being patient, we had to escape as soon as we finished our entrees. Keep that in mind if you are dining with kids, you might want to order dessert to-go ahead of time, so that it is ready when you need to leave. 

Turner Fisheries is a seafood gem in Boston and I am not surprised that it has been awarded as the "Best Seafood Restaurant" by Boston's People's Choice Awards. I highly recommend checking it out, whether you are dining with kids to take advantage of the Kids Eat Free special or for a romantic evening with your spouse!

Visit the Turner Fisheries Website

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Disclaimer: I did not receive payment for this review. I did receive a complimentary dinner for review purposes. All opinions are my own.