Laurel Grill & Bar

I was here last week for lunch and it was great. It was fairly empty for a Friday afternoon, but the service and food were great.
We started with the calamari appetizer (7.99) which was absolutely delicious. While the calamari was great, what really put this dish over was the amazing dipping sauce. The sauce was so good I wanted to slather it all over the bread.
I ordered the lobster and bacon mac & cheese ($ 11.99) and it was delicious. Usually lobster mac & cheese comes out a bit tasteless but I thought it was great. Very tasty. Fair warning though, they are very light on the lobster and bacon. I think there was one lobster claw total and half a fried bacon strip diced into the dish.
My friend ordered the Mediterranean Salad and we were surprised by how large it was. In addition, the olives are pitted which is always nice.
While the food itself was great, my only quibble is that the bread in the bread basket was cold and that the butter packets were straight out of the fridge. It’s a small quibble because frozen butter is hard to spread on cold bread.
Otherwise, I totally recommend this place!

My dinner group ate there recently and there were mixed reviews on the food and service, but all agreed on the horrible truth that Tim’s steak dinner «was overcooked … twice» and «chefs should be flogged in public for overcooking good beef.» Making matters worse «nothing was comped» for the error (s). «As with their other restaurant, 5 Burner (a former FF with the worst scores EVER) this place just doesn’t live up to its potential.»
I had the jambalaya special, which was well spiced, but all the fish was overcooked and rubbery. It’s what i’m used to at Laural, and what the above reviews bear out — nothing here is ever inedible, but it’s never very good either.
Laurel used to do «everything $ 10 pricing» back a few years ago, and back then the food WAS either better, or seemed better because it was cheap. But for the current level of food, there is MUCH better food to be had at the same price point. (Try Coda around the corner and down the street on Columbus instead.)
And a note about the overdone steak. Fine, kitchen’s screw up sometimes. First of all, the waitress had to be flagged down to be asked to have the streak redone (I saw it — the «medium rare» was uniformly grey — at best medium well.) So she politely said she’d have it redone. And then brought back a SMALLER steak cooked to about the same doneness.
She had the diner cut it, check it, and could see that it was underdone. When he hesitatingly replied «eh… it’s fine» in an obviously «it’s really not fine, but i’m sick of dealing with you» tone, she happily said «OK great» and left.
The dinner was organized by someone else, so I did’nt feel i could jump in and ask for somethig comped (they weren’t going to comp the most expensive thing on the menu, but they should have comped SOMETHING.) You shoudn’t have to ask, because they knew they screwed up.
It just shows an overall sloppiness and disregard for the customers, that’s even more in evidence at 6 Burner. Seriously, Laural really doesn’t deserve to survive on this level of service and food quality.

So Eric’s work is nice and takes his entire department out to dinner sometimes and this year the group had dinner in the private dining room at the Laurel Grill & Bar. Eric headed to the restaurant with a group from work, and found it tucked away on Berkley Street just a few blocks from his office. The location is great, where it’s not quite in the busy Newbury Street or Boston Common areas, but is still easily accessible by foot or the T (Arlington/​Back Bay). The décor is homey and Eric immediately felt comfortable when he entered. The fully stocked bar and small dining room would lend to a great date spot or a casual meal with friends.
The food was very good, with a pre-​established menu being presented for the group. Once the wine was poured and Eric decided on the lobster bisque, which was the best he’s ever had (it was his first bowl ever). The bisque was creamy yet light, not too salty, and had a perfect hint of lobster flavor. the bisque was followed by a stuffed beef tenderloin. The beef itself was cooked perfectly, and the sides were quickly devoured; however, the stuffed portion was a cheese mixture that was chunky and unappitizing (but the flavors blended nicely, so Eric still ate it… and felt okay the next day). For dessert, Eric obviously went with the chocolate option which was delicious.
In short: Good meal, good prices, good location, and we will probably head back!

We loved the ambience. Our waitress however was… an alcoholic. I swear. party girl. She forgot my wine 3 times.
Hubby had the Lobster Bisque which was quite good. I had something that I can’t remember what it was except it didn’t have much flair or flavor. Maybe that is why I can’t remember it. OR, maybe I had 3 glasses of wine (no, I didn’t…)
I don’t know what to really say about this place except I might try it again, it was just lacking the night we went.

When we sat down, we were presented with the regular dinner menu, so I asked about the three course dinner — aha! The $ 19.99 three course prix fix «Comfort Menu» then magically appears. However, bread never makes an appearance at our table. But since we all end up being way full, it was no biggie.
As my starter, I selected the Lobster Bisque ($ 4.99 on the regular menu), which was nice and thick with bits and chunks of lobster here and there. As an entrée, two of us shared the Artichoke & Spinach Risotto, Roasted Fennel, Parmesan, Feta, Balsamic Reduction Drizzle ($ 16.99) and Tender Turkey Meatloaf, House made Sweet Potato Fries, Sauteed Broccoli, Marinara Sauce ($ 14.99). The risotto was nice and creamy with highly visible veggies. The meatloaf was a hefty portion with diced carrots peppered within. It had a good flavor, but was probably a bit high on the breadcrumbs. The sweet potato wedges were more roasted than fries, decent but definitely misnamed. The broccoli still retained color and bite. Of the two, the creamy risotto was deemed the winner by my co-​eater.
Dessert was presented as a thick triangle of rich brownie topped with a scoop of purchased (I asked, and was told it wasn’t made in house) vanilla ice cream, and a drizzle of chocolate sauce and caramel sauce. Laurels House made Brownie Sundae was a sweet rich finish to the meal.
Service was pretty good, with props for asking if he could take the soup back to the kitchen and bring out a fresh one later since the last member of our group was still MIA.

Laurel has delicious, fun drinks (Raspberry Rickey, Cherry Bomb, Ginger Fizz) with good food.
Located in the Back Bay area, the interior had this Cape Cod/​Newport house setting. It does have that comfort feel and it felt like you were about to feast on a family dinner. The restaurant is split in half with the bar on one side and the dining room on the other side.
We tried their cost effective pre-​fixe dinner menu which is available even on the weekends.
Service was ok, our waiter was efficient but what urked me was the food runners/​bussers handed a couple of my friends their plates rather than taking a few steps to the left and place the plate on the table. Their lackluster effort lingered onto a couple of the dishes. The lobster mac and cheese was bland but had good chunks of lobster in it. The burger was huge with a nice chunk of cheese. The meatloaf was all burnt on the bottom and the chicken was good but could have used something else to make it pop.
I would try it again but it was an ok experience overall.

Just visited last night for a big group dinner and couldn’t be more happy with the place. This was in large part because my night didn’t end in unpleasant sticker shock (as is often the case when dining out in a big group)
The restaurant is just a few blocks off Newberry and is a charmingly decorated restaurant. It feels nicer than your average dinner out (it has table cloths, for one) but still comfortably casual (jeans totally ok).
The best part though — a $ 19.99 3-​course prix fixe menu EVERY night of the week for DINNER! There were a number of tasty options on the menu — appetizers were a choice of soups and salads; main courses range from roast chicken to burgers to risotto and dessert was a choice of sundaes /​ice creams. Hardly the stuff of high-​minded super-​upscale dining, but the nice setting, crowd-​pleasing favorites and ample portions were a hit.
I had the Caesar salad, artichoke /​spinach risotto and brownie sundae. The Caesar salad was pretty normal, but the risotto was stand-​out. There were lots of chunks of artichoke and spinach — so it had the illusion of being moderately healthy (minus the butter, cream, cheese that of course also went in). The dessert was decadent — a delicious brownie with vanilla ice cream. Perfect end to a comfort food dinner.
A few quibbles: Servers had no idea who ordered what, so when the food came out, they basically just walked around the table calling out «who got the roast chicken?» Our party was large (11) but not huge… they should be able to remember who ordered what. Also, while they advertise their prix fixe menu on a sign outside and on their website, they don’t bring the menus to the table and just give you the a la carte menu (you have to ask to see the prix fixe menu). While I can appreciate wanting to upsell you, they should do so with the quality of their food /​offerings, not by omitting choice.
Overall though, a crowd-​pleasing place for a group dinner that will satisfy everyone and not break the bank.

3.75 stars out of 5. If there is one word I can describe my entire experience at this restaurant, I would say decent. Not decent as in «great», but decent as in «adequate». I went to this restaurant on a Sunday evening with my dad after wanting to explore some restaurants in the Back Bay/​South End area. After looking at the «Laurel 3-​Course Frugal Prix Fix Comfort Menu», we decided to eat at this place for a Sunday night dinner. According to the restaurant’s website, this menu is available 7 days a week for dinner until further notice. For around $ 20 per person, you can get an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. Here is what we got:
First Course:
Lobster Bisque
Entrée Courses:
Tender Turkey Meatloaf, house made Sweet Potato Fries, Sauteed Broccoli, Marinara Sauce
Honey Glazed Organic Free Range Rotisserie Chicken, Mashed Potato, Sauteed Mini Carrots & Broccoli
Dessert:
Laurel’s House Made Brownie Sundae — This consists of a slice of brownie cake, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the top, doused with hot fudge and caramel. Some whipped cream and a small piece of strawberry were added as a garnish.
The Lobster Bisque, and the Entrée Courses we ordered should also be available on the regular dinner menu. The price of the Lobster Bisque is $ 5 on the regular menu while the Entrée Courses are $ 15 each, which meant that we got a slightly better deal by ordering from the Prix Fix menu than from the regular dinner menu. I ordered the Turkey Meatloaf as the Entrée Course while my dad ordered the Rotisserie Chicken.
I thought the Lobster Bisque was pretty good, the lobster was thick, chunky and meaty, and the soup itself was not too watery. As for my Entrée, the plate was huge! Each slab of meatloaf was (using really rough estimates) approximately 15 cm long and 7 cm wide, and there were two slabs of meatloaf. The meatloaf tasted okay, more like a few tiny steps above an ordinary meatloaf, but it went well with the marinara sauce. The sauteed broccoli was really tasty. It was definitely not overcooked or undercooked. As for the sweet potato fries, they did not have much of a salted spice to it that I was looking for, but it still tasted good. A slight crisp on the outside and a soft, chewy, and delicious taste on the inside. The portions were great, I was not able to finish the meatloaf, and I took one slab home.
I was able to sample parts of my dad’s entrée. The Rotisserie Chicken’s meat was a tiny bit dry, but it sufficiently tasted decent thanks to the sweet honey glaze. It was not spectacular chicken, but good and somewhat tasty chicken. The mashed potatoes were well made, almost creamy, and had a delicious taste to it, but it was not amazing mashed potatoes. Despite the fact it was not amazing, it was good mashed potatoes anyway. My dad thought the entire dinner was just okay.
As for the dessert, it was really good. While the strawberry was not too juicy, the whipped cream made the strawberry even tastier. The brownie cake was really warm, almost tasted like it was fresh out of the oven. It was soft, sweet, and had a thick chocolate taste. The ice cream was sweet, cold, soft, and creamy, and served as an excellent counter to the thickness of the brownie already in my mouth. The dessert definitely made my dinner enjoyable.
The server was nice, and service overall was above satisfactory. The place also provided bread and I though the bread was not really fresh, but almost plain. It tasted okay with the butter. I really liked the ambiance of the restaurant. Looking at the interior, eating on the wooden tables, and sitting on the almost soft chairs gave me a really tiny feeling that I was not eating at a 20^th Century contemporary restaurant, but in a really upscale tavern dating back from the late 18^th Century. Well, almost.
So overall, great ambiance, but only decent food, a fairly decent price, and decent service. This is not a bad choice if you really want a three course dinner under $ 25.

It was a dreary Friday night, and I was craving a burger. After tweeting to both BostonTweet and EatBoston for a burger place in the South End, I finally pulled up the Unilocal app to do my own research.
NADA.
That’s what I got. Talk of brunch and Bellinis but no talk of burgers. Too bad I couldn’t do a search within a restaurant on my iPhone Unilocal app. I aborted the mission and said, «Let’s just check out Laurel.» It was close-​by. Bonus. I also remembered them marketing their $ 19.99 prix fix menu. Perfect. Did they have a burger? Yep!
We arrived shortly after 7 p.m. and were promptly seated. Diego, our server, was spectacular. He recommended the chicken soup, which was delicious; he was absolutely right. My date, feeling under the weather, opted to share my prix fixe fixings. Fair enough.
Here’s what I ordered for $ 19.99:
Starter: Chicken Soup
Entrée: Medium Rare Burger (came with bleu cheese melted on top, a delicious toasted bun & great french fries)
Dessert: Brownie Sundae (which I ate all of)
I also had a glass of wine and my date had a beer.
Since it was my idea, I treated. Tab came to $ 50+ with tip. Diego earned a hefty tip with his attentiveness, recommendations and charm.
I was surprised by this place, to be honest. The décor reminds me of something you’d see on the vineyard or cape — not a hop skip from downtown Boston. But I liked it. I can see why other Unilocalers mentioned receptions here. They have the room and the atmosphere for such events.
Would I return? Yes. It may not be my number one choice, but when it’s a dreary Friday night and you want a burger, this is definitely a great option for you in the Back Bay/​South End area. I was not disappointed whatsoever in the food, the service or the value.

Great dinner spot! We made online reservations thru their website and I was able to get a dinner for two reservation, for 8:00pm on a Saturday night, only a couple of hours in advance! I was a little confused about the dress code, even though it says casual on Unilocal the linen table cloths and dimmed lighting makes you think it’s more dressy. But you’re totally cool in jeans and sweater.
So we sat right down and knew we were going for the 3 courses for $ 19.99! What an amazing deal. Especially because they had lobster on the menu.
I really wanted the roasted chicken but I overheard the waitress telling the adjacent table that they only had one more chicken in the back: (Very disappoining but I got over it and ordered the Lobster bisque, Lobster mac-​n-​cheese and the chocolaty dessert (I can’t remember exactly what it was, but it was very delicious). Everything was amazing! Next time I don’t think I’ll do creamy lobster dishes back to back but everything was really good.
My friend ordered the burger with the home made fries. And as everything else in this restaurants was it continued the tradition as being AMAZING! I agree with other Unilocalers, it’s one of the best deals in Boston!

As I sat at the bar waiting for my date and enjoying a Basil Hayden with ginger, the boys across the bar talked about the gay cruise they went on. Apparently, there was a Newlywed Game type thing, where a lesbian couple who had been together 2 years won by a landslide against all these male couples who had been together 10+ years. Good start, Laurel!
So, we had a 7:00 reservation and were seated immediately. We ordered a crab, spinach and artichoke dip which we totally housed. We were starvayng! We then moved on to our entrees, I got a delicious bass with brussel sprouts and baby potatoes and my gf got a swordfish special with green beans and jasmine rice. Both were freaking amazing, and less than 20 bucks! Since my gf is a strong activist for dessert, we also ordered the carrot cake, which was hearty and included a nice pineapple base and delightful cream cheese frosting. This meal is the stuff that dreams are made of. It was the inspiration for the song, Carly Simon went here before she wrote it, I think.
The only gripe I have is that the bread that came to the table wasn’t warm, but how princess is that?

I’ve worked on and around Berkeley Street for years and I never knew this place existed until I went out to lunch with a few coworkers. Lunch was very affordable and the atmosphere was straight up delightful. It actually reminded me a ton of some places I visited in Charleston, SC.
My lunch was delicious. I got the Mediterranean salad, which incorporates all of my favorite foods (feta cheese, hummus, artichoke, olives) as well as lettuce, tomato and onion. It was filling and healthy. My coworkers went for burgers and they looked awesome.
I will definitely be back!

We wanted to check this place out to use as a rehearsal dinner venue in the future so we made a little lunch date. It’s a cute little pretentious restaurant on the Back Bay /​South End line. and it seriously just screams rehearsal dinner.
We got the BBQ Burger (BBQ Sauce, Crispy Bacon, Cheddar Cheese) and the Grilled Chicken Breast Burger with Provolone, Roasted Peppers, Housemade Marinara. The BBQ Burger wasn’t modified but I changed mine up. The Grilled Chicken Burger isn’t like a ground patty, it’s just a grilled chicken breast. I had them top it with melted crumbled Garlic & Herb cheese, leave off the marinara and a side of mayo for a tiny spread. Seriously. Awesome.
A grilled chicken sandwich is usually just a grilled chicken sandwich. This place took it to the next level topping it all off with a fresh onion roll and changing it to my liking. And it was amazing. The side of crispy fries and balsamicy side salad finished off the meal. The boy said his BBQ burger was perfect.
Also, there was SO much food for two people for less than $ 20 for lunch. Almost an hour after clearing my plate. I’m still uttering «I’m never eating again.»
The décor is good, the service was great, the prices were right, and the portions were huge. This place is going to be a great place to feed a big party.

We had a whale of a time finding Laurel; coming from the Boston Public Library, it looked closer on the map than it actually ended up being. Nevertheless, we’re happy we finally found it. We arrived at around 8 on a Thursday sans reservations, but were promptly seated at a fantastic table by the window. The restaurant is decorated rather nicely, but dress is casual. Our waitress was friendly enough.
Best of all, they’re featuring a $ 20 «frugal» prix fix menu, featuring an appetizer, entrée and dessert for the low, low price of Andrew Jackson. Drink-​wise, I was enraptured by the Old Fashioned. Now I normally like my whisky just on the rocks, but having been seduced by the elegance of Mad Men, I thought it was neat that they were featuring Don Draper’s favorite drink. It was decent (I usually can’t stand mixers) and totally not worth the price, it did make me feel retro-​cool for about an hour. The girlfriend went with a glass of Riesling, not badly priced.
For the appetizers, we went with a house salad and a corn tomato soup. The salad was solid, as they often are, but the soup was absolutely delicious and my favorite part of the meal. It tasted like a fusion between marinara sauce and chicken tortilla soup (two of my favorite foods).
For the entrée, I was eyeing the turkey meatloaf but was disappointed when I was informed they were out for the night. Strange, but true. Instead, I picked the honey glazed rotisserie chicken. The white meat was slightly dry, but the dark meat areas were perfectly moistened, and the crispy honey skin was great. The best part of the dish was the sweet potato mash, which I gobbled right up. The girlfriend had her eyes on the lobster mac and cheese all the way, and I was lucky to stick a fork in to sample it.
For dessert, we did one of each: the brownie and the sorbet. Both were quite tasty.
With our drinks, three courses, and the ambiance, our quick dinner plan ended up extending to almost two hours, but we didn’t mind in the slightest. Final note: the bar area was pretty packed as we left.

3.5 stars. Very reasonable — all entrees are under $ 20, except the specials apparently. The beef tenderloin was $ 21, so close enough. It was very good and tender. The mashed potatoes it was served with were delicious, but probably not good for you as it was loaded with butter, yum! Lobster risotto was pretty good, but a little bland. It would be perfect if the sauce was slightly creamier. The ginger martini was delicious.

A great find in Back Bay for both lunch and dinner.
The lunch menu is cheap but tastes expensive, no entrees over $ 20! They were very accomodating to a last minute large group reservation and were flexible with our custom requests. The atmosphere is classy, but not snobby.
The crab, spinach and artichoke dip, calamari, and the fresh soups were great. In my large party everyone was satisfied. Their specials are great and experimental, but their menu items made my mouth water as well. The lobster risotto was great too. If you are unsure the waitstaff will be eager to offer their opinion if asked.
They were also very fast which was great since we had to get back to work pretty quickly during the lunch time rush.

There was a time when I would have given Laurel a 5, but I feel like they’ve slipped over time. While the restaurant is still reasonably priced, it’s not as frugal as it used to be (though, I get it — you’ve got to turn a profit). The problem for me is that, over time, the prices have gone up while the food quality and cleanliness/​upkeep of the space has slipped.
If you go during the day, you especially notice it, but either way you can see that the place just needs some TLC. A lot of the chairs are rickety, the carpet is stained, the walls have scrapes and dirt and need a fresh coat of paint, the menus are often just worn and dirty. It just feels like the place needs to be sterilized and have some basic repairs done.
The food is hit or miss. When everything was $ 10.00, it was ok. But, now at often $ 20.00 or more a plate, it shouldn’t be.
NOTE: I would have given this three stars, because to me 2 does seem a little harsh — but I’m trying to stick with Unilocal’s guidance and 3 stars is «A-​OK» and I don’t think it is A-​OK. So, I went with 2 (the «Meh. I’ve experienced better» option.

Severely disappointed.
I came here recently with a large party (about 12 of us) for a friend’s birthday – Unilocaler Tori G.
I’ll start with the good:
1 Star for pretty tasty drinks, although the mixed drink I had tasted rather weak.
1 Star for delicious food. I ordered a special entrée – a spinach and mozzarella ravioli with chicken and sun dried tomatoes that I happily inhaled.
The bad:
We had reservations for 8:30. The first members of our party arrived early and sat at the bar awaiting our arrival. The rest of us showed up at or a little after 8:30 and joined the group for drinks as we waited for our table.
FORTY-​FIVE MINUTES LATER we were seated after another large party finally left. I understand that restaurants can’t always compensate for instances like this, but their lack of acknowledgment of the mishap was extremely unprofessional.
The staff didn’t even keep us to date on the status of our table, but instead left us waiting. There was no apology (neither verbal nor tangible) from anyone either. If you’re running behind, simple updates on the situation are expected. A free drink, dessert, or anything else isn’t necessary, but appreciated as an acknowledgment to your mistake.
The service was adequate, but not friendly. I felt our waitress was more robotic in her tasks than personable in her service.
And the décor? Ugh. I felt like it was unsure of itself. The bar area seemed a bit colonial and charming. While the dining room area tried to be more modern. In the end, I felt like i was in a Howard Johnson lobby eating my complimentary breakfast.
The food is great. But let’s match the atmosphere and service to that and I will surely give you at least 4 stars.
Oh, and I found it comical that they didn’t forget to add the automatic gratuity to the bill. I guess for large parties, you always have to pay the undeserved tips.

The bf took me here for Valentine’s day over the weekend. The place was pretty empty but he had picked out a nice table in the corner. Our server was really attentive (the whole staff was actually). For drinks, we got a bottle of the Riesling (it had a really long name), which was VERY sweet.
We started with the calamari and the asian noodle salad. I wasn’t impressed with the calamari (some pieces were more chewy than others) but the asian noodle salad was cool because it had lettuce wraps. The dipping sauce for the calamari was bland as well.
For entrees, I got the salmon, he got a veggie dish. Presentation was nice, but my food was just ok. I don’t know if I was having an off night, but it didn’t taste great. He liked his meal, though. The portions are big, so you are getting your $$ worth.
For dessert, we split the chocolate trifle and I had a cup of tea. This was the highlight of the meal. The trifle was great and the tea was perfect with it.
It wasn’t a crazy expensive night, so it’s good to try it once. I doubt I’d go back as I wasn’t in love with the food though.

Went here with Steve (first vegetarian boyfriend!) on our first date two months ago– I should have written my review then, memory is a little rusty now. I have been a bit distracted since that first ‘hello’!
The menu was much less vegetarian-​friendly than S had remembered it to be, but he ended up with the Zebra Striped Riccotta & Spinach Ravioli (Julienne Vegetables, Caramelized Onions, Tomatoes, Fresh Herb White Wine Vegetable Broth) (tasty!) and I had a Risotto special minus the chicken (tasty flavors– sun-​dried tomatoes and artichokes– but very balsamic vinegar-​y) where I reaffirmed my love for risotto. Bread was good, service was good. We shared the chocolate trifle for dessert (delicious, though couldn’t finish it between the two of us… or maybe we were both just trying to be polite?).
The food was good, but the restaurant didn’t overly impress me. My dinner date, however, did. Expect more veg restaurant reviews.