Hamersley's Bistro

We had looked forward to trying Hamersley's for quite sometime; it promised to be a little quieter than the typical South end bar and restaurant scene. We started with a terrific Washington red, bread and an olive tasting, but would have liked a few more minutes to enjoy that before our soft-shell crab appetizer came, which was fine but not outstanding. We had barely finished that before our entrees came. Mine was actually very good. I had oven-baked polenta topped with gorgonzola with sundried tomatoes and olives. However, my boyfriend ordered a steak medium rare, and it definitely came medium-well, with nearly spreadable asparagus, which is a major strike against this restaurant since that particular entree cost $36. Desserts were good, but while I was using the ladies' room, my boyfriend witnessed an argument between a waiter and a busboy. Not professional at all. Overall, the food was delicious and the place is beautiful, but the experience was not quite worth what we paid for it. Pros: Great wine, good vegetarian options Cons: Overcooked and overpriced. more

I went in the summer and got to sit outside. Because it is right on the sidewalk, it has a great bistro feel to it. The food was superb, great service, no complaints at all. It was pricey, but not overly so. Definitely worth checking out. I'll go back again. Pros: Food, Scene more

I listened to the hype and dined on the patio at Hamersley's last summer for the 1st time. I found it to be ok but not great. I have since given it 5 more tries to see if it can redeem itself as I now live around the corner from the restaurant. How thrilled I am that all 5 times I have been impressed. I have dined in the bar, on the patio, in the restaurant and have yet to be disappointed. The bartenders are wonderful, the waitstaff is so incredibly professional and the food is executed perfectly. Yes, the prices may be a tad high but if that is the only thing working against this place....long live Hamersley's! Pros: Food, decor, ambiance, SERVICE Cons: Price, parking, potentially long waiting list more

I found Hamersley?s bistro to be a vexing and confusing experience. It seems to me that the restaurant is torn between reality and aspiration. Hamersley?s, by all outward appearances and advertisements, aspires to be a four or five star restaurant. In reality it falls well short of this goal on a number of fronts.\r \r Upon entrance last Friday night the girls at the door presented themselves as indifferent to our arrival and after informing them of our reservation they seemed generally confused about what the next step was. Our waiter seemed similarly unwelcoming and confused, as a simple wine question took 20 minutes to answer. It should be noted that the wine list is entirely uninspired and doesn?t contain anything you can?t buy on your own so this might not be a focus there.\r \r I will say that the food was solid; the kitchen is technically proficient and provided us with above average fare. It is unfortunate that it gets hidden behind the service and general demeanor of the staff.\r \r All in all Hamersley?s is a good restaurant, and one worth visiting. But don?t look for an experience that will make you want to move to Boston, a decent restaurant in Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, etc. would be a better use of $200 per couple.\r Pros: the food is solid but not amazing Cons: Wine List more

my favorite restaurant in boston, hands-down. very clean, great service, food was impeccable and delicious.... more

my favorite restaurant in boston, hands-down. very clean, great service, food was impeccable and delicious. only complaint is that they ran out of ... more

This was my second visit to Hamersley's Bistro and I couldn't have enjoyed it more. We dined outside in the evening. The atmosphere was relaxed and, when the light garlands came on, magical. I tasted my son's soft shell crab appetizer . . .very fresh and perfectly cooked. I had the mussels in saffron cream sauce. The mussels were tender and the sauce had a perfect consistency. The saffron was subtle enough not to mask the flavor of the mussels but rather complemented it. For my entree I had the trout with crab and pea shoots in tarragon cream sauce. Fresh, perfectly cooked, again with a masterful blending of ingredients for taste and textural enjoyment. A request for a bit more sauce was promptly honored. The two sides we picked, the garlic mashed potato cake and asparagus with garlic and parmesan arrived hot and flavorful. The food was served at an efficient though leisurely pace and at the correct temperature. Service was gracious and accommodating. The whole experience was a delight. Alas, I live in FL so will have to wait for my next visit , but I absolutely will dine there again! more

Hamersley's is one of the best restaurants in Boston. Outstanding food and service. I highly recommend this restaurant. Pros: Outstanding food and atmosphere Cons: Price more

for the s.end, this is as good as it gets. entrees are in the high 20s. the chicken is amazing. i could eat there every night. more

My partner and I went here after hearing so much about how great the place is supposed to be. I must say, I was let down. First, we were seated at a table with a cash register and silverware drawer right next to it. This is just poor design for such a nice place. The result was that the waiter casually would start talking from the register and then walk around to finish taking the order. Busboys did the same thing. Our bread was cold and not that flavorful - the focaccia seemed so outdated as a bread choice, let alone the bland wheat bread of some sort. I must say that the sauteed mushroom and toast appetizer was stunningly good, with earthy diverse mushrooms complemented by the garlic spread on toast that melted in my mouth. It was served piping hot and was all around perfect. The saffron mussel tort was an interesting idea and quite well executed. My cassoulet was pretty good, but it lacked a solid flavor base, and salt did not seem to be the solution. Nonetheless, it served its purpose. The leek and lobster stew, on the other hand, was a disappointment. The lobster was satisfactory, but the sauce of the stew tasted like some sort of lumpy bisque rejected from Legal. It was greasy, and while it had some hint of leaks, it was unclear what else I was supposed to be tasting. Cream? Butter? Maybe some sherry? Who knows. By this point in time, we had given up the pretense of pretending to enjoy our dinner at one of Boston's ""best"" restaurants. We recognized that we had a bad table. We saw food served with good timing, but no real effort to make it a quality experience. I should not have to listen to silverware clinking in an adjacent service area when I pay this much - let alone when a service person is dumping a pile of it on an adjacent table before he sets it. There are better ways to spend your money and better places to enjoy superb bistro food. Had we had a better table, at least I could have said the atmosphere was nice. Pros: Good location, generally nice dining room Cons: Some really awful tables. So-so service. Inconsistent food. more

I went here with my wife for our anniversary after reading great things. The food was SPECTACULAR! I could not have asked for anything better. The service was great as well. Call ahead if you get a chance and ask to sit outside. Also make sure that you get dessert it was wonderful. I have been to many nice places in America and will put this up with anywhere. One small complaint was that our wine was bad, but they gladly accepted it back and quickly got us another bottle. This will be a MUST DO on every visit I make to the Boston area in the future. Anyone not rating this a perfect 10 is crazy!!!! more

Great great spot. I just moved to Boston after 10 years in San Francisco so I feel that I have pretty high culinary standards. Hamersley's blew past my expectations. The food was outstanding. The atmosphere was very pleasant and the service was great. I had the justifiably famous roasted chicken and my wife had the duck confit. We added a side of creamed spinach and some chocolate cake for desert. All were terrific. This place couldn't rate higher in my book. Thanks! more

My husband took me here to celebrate my B-day last Sunday and what a treat it was! Everything I ordered was excellent - Grilled Mushroom and Garlic Sandwich was just delicious (enough for two to share), Sliced Duck Breast in Black Vinegar Sauce was simply melting in my mouth (I actually found it to be better than their house specialty Roast Chicken ordered by my husband), and Souffléed Lemon Custard was very good as well. The servers and all the staff were super efficient while very friendly. The atmosphere was relaxing and inviting. Pros: food, service more

My fiance and I traveled to Boston for the first time over 4th of July weekend, 2005. We dined at Hamersley's on a Friday night in the courtyard. It was romantic and the food was to die for. I had the pork and strawberry shortcake for dessert. Everything was fresh and tasty. We will be back the next time we are in Boston. more

Hamersley's changes it's menu seasonally, I never fails to delight with creative and exceptionally fresh ingredients sourced locally. Chef and owner Gordon Hamersley knows his regulars and, unlike so many Boston fine dining establishments, the 'celebrity chef' is quite content working his own kitchen. The fact that the so many of his servers have been with him 5+ years is a testament to the food, the management and the loyal (and complementary!) customers. Pros: Seasonal Menu, Excellent service, Valet Parking more

Very pleasant restaurant- friendly staff, not stuffy or arrogant at all. The torchon of Foie Gras rivals that of Laduree in Paris. Meat tends to be a bit salty. Like most bistros in France, tables are small and by American standard one might feel a bit squeezed together. Pros: Good for family/kids Cons: Small Tables more

This restaurant was absolutlely wonderful. The food is amazing and the environment is not stuffy. They definitely make you feel at home and new foodies won't be intimidated by the waiters or the environment. Make a reservation otherwise, you won't get in. One of Boston's best! more

Not the Hamersley's I remember from a visit a couple of years ago. So-so food and run of the mill service. They're still packin 'em in though. Guess it doesn't matter. Pros: pleasant atmosphere Cons: no surprises more

Our first time here was a wonderful experience. The legendery roast chicken was to die for! The fish cooked to perfection. We told our server we were going to the theatre after dinner, and he said that he would get us a cab when we were ready--he literally went outside into the street to hail one for us! more

Just went this weekend, much anticipated. Had duck confit app which was amazing. Wife had monkfish which had a good sauce but fish was only OK. I had stuffed veal which again was excellent. Did not like country decor and ""rustic"" look. Service was not good. No name from waiter. Seemed to hurry us. Did not seem happy we were asking questions/details about dinners. If you do not mind being a number the food is worth at least one trip. I found prices in line. Pros: Food Quality, Reasonable Cons: Service, decor more