Waypoint

"Waypoint in between Central Square and Harvard Square offers $1 oysters one way or another every day of the week. Order them Monday to Thursday 5 to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 to 7 p.m. at the bar only, and Sunday all day in all dining areas." - Celina Colby, Erika Adams, Rachel Leah Blumenthal

"Walking into a dark room and having friends and family yell “Surprise!” can be pretty lame three consecutive years in a row. Convince them to take you to Waypoint in Harvard Square instead, where there are much better surprises. There’s a lot of seafood on the menu, but none of it is what you would expect. Order the tuna crudo, and it’ll come with scallions, sesame, and chili crips. The cast-iron salmon is served with cici beans, torched grapes, and lemon. Each dish will keep everyone guessing, and that’s definitely safer when the lights are turned on." - joel ang, dan secatore, tanya edwards

"It’s possible that, during your brief time here, someone in your group gets sick of seafood before anyone else does. When that happens, head to Waypoint in Harvard Square, which is one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in the city, and one that you should be trying to see anyway - especially if you’ve ever wanted to visit six different bookstores in one afternoon. Split the clam pizza, uni bucatini, and a lot of absinthe cocktails and everyone will be happy." - dan secatore

"If your friend wanted to go to Legal’s for some clam chowder or a lobster roll, then we need to warn you that Waypoint doesn’t have either. But that’s exactly why this Harvard Square spot is one of Boston’s most interesting seafood restaurants. Waypoint is a big, crowded space filled with people drinking absinthe cocktails and generally having a great time. Grab some crudo and the lobster tail with chili garlic oil, and let them learn for themselves how much better seafood can be without coleslaw or oyster crackers." - dan secatore

"Waypoint is a big restaurant that always feels like a party, thanks mostly to all the people drinking absinthe cocktails. It’s a seafood spot, but one where you get things like uni bucatini and octopus meatballs instead of baked scrod, which makes it a great place to take someone who doesn’t think they like traditional seafood. If no one you’re with is into fish and you ended up here by mistake, you’ll still be good if you explore the pizza menu." - dan secatore