Best Restaurants for Birthdays in Arlington

My wife and I reserved the recommended two weeks ahead of time. I was not able to find the exact time we wanted (6 PM) but we were able to accommodate the 8:15. We showed up a little early. Everyone was great. Food was awesome. My wife had the pasta and scallops. I had the rare dish, wild hare. We shared the affogato. All of it excellent!

This restaurant & bar is probably the most upscale in Arlington without any “stuffy” feeling/vibe. Darker lighting (with small table lights to see menu) makes for a nice ambience. I have been here several times for lunch and dinner. My favs are the chicken sausage flatbread, Bourbon steak tips, Bolognese, beet salad. The burger beef is high quality and cooked perfectly but tends to lack flavor (tried twice); a simple touch of salt and pepper would make it tastier. Some Thursdays they have live jazz. Cocktails are made well. Service has always been super — attentive and friendly. Will continue to go back a couple times a month.

Another wonderful meal and evening at Pammy’s, this time for a birthday celebration with a party of 5. Price-Fixe menu was great. I loved the Cobia and Squid Ink gnocchi. I was too full to complete the lumache, but took it home and it was excellent the next day. The lamb saddle, yakitori chicken and lasagna also got excellent reviews. Our server was knowledgeable, helpful and attentive.

Dali is a small family-run place. It is just a hidden gem in Sommerville. The food and service were outstanding, we could not have a better celebration of our 2 birthdays. We return to Dali every time we have a chance. Lovely place and very affordable.

We sat at the bar—beautiful ambiance. Great drink offerings and the Bao was both cute AND delicious. Reasonably priced glassware available to buy, which is fun for collectors