The Abbey

It was good, probably won’t go back soon but was not a bad meal.

get the bison bolognese. just trust me. I wish i had.
I came here with a friend and we like to try new restaurants. I got the mushroom mac and cheese… which was just okay. Too much mushroom (and that’s coming from a mushroom lover). On the other hand, the lamb pops, crispy pork belly, truffle fries, and bison bolognese were FANTASTIC.
Definitely coming back. and it’s awesome because it’s right around the corner from my place. Sweet!

Absolutely love this place. The staff, menu and ambiance are perfect. However, there is an older male patron who constantly harasses the younger female clientele. So much so that it is beginning to deter me from spending time and money there. The bartenders are extremely attentive and are certainly aware of this person’s presence. I would advise them to discourage his constant advances toward other patrons as it is beginning to dissuade me and other people from coming to the bar.

Very good food, creative menu, great atmosphere. I will definitley be going again in the near future.

We come here often, and it’s always great. Good food, good drinks, no fuss. And the ONLY time we had an issue with a meal, they took it off the bill AND gave us a gift card to come back. Great neighborhood joint.

Oh this place is sooo good!
the food was fantastic, their Poutine which was lamb with a special sauce was beyond delicious. I really enjoyed my burger, the steak was good and we liked the mussels.
The service was ok.
The only point is that it was a little dark for eating food. The light was ok if you sat at the bar for a drink but it was dark if you are seated on the table for food.

After much deliberation, our group decided to designate The Abbey for our dinner venue. I was thrilled to see a menu which accommodated dietary restrictions. The service was accommodating, warm, and prompt.
All of my dining companions unanimously selected the bison Bolognese. I was the outlier who opted for the coq au vin with duck fat fingerling potatoes. Everyone was satisfied with their entrée.
My friends were craving dessert and after dinner drinks. Do know that their menu doesn’t offer dessert options. One need not mark The Abbey off his or her list as it’s feasible to go to Barcelona afterwards. We did so at the recommendation of our waiter.

I love going here for lunch. Easy parking, nice atmosphere, great food. Easy to linger over a meal with a friend — not rushed, just right. The menu seems to have changed to lighter fare and sandwiches for lunch which I really appreciate. A great local spot.

Delicious food! Wonderful service! Easy parking! It was a cool mixed crowd and very busy, but weirdly not super loud. Highly recommend.

The Abbey sells me on their name alone. It brings the idea of elegance, beauty, femininity, all of which it is. It is very intimate, small, busy and cozy. It is dark with little distinction from one table to the next aside from shadows from the candles and peoples voices. There is probably only enough seating for 25 people, with another 10 or so at the bar. The ambiance is romantic, mysterious and enticing. It’s the type of place that before you order, you know your meal is going to be excellent.
The drink menu is refreshing, with creative mixtures and flavors. The drinks were very strong. What is famous there is the bison bolognese, which someone in my group got and doted. I got the roasted cod which was cooked to perfection, with the most delicious cream sauce ever. I was overly impressed, but not surprised. As I said, it’s the type of place where you can order anything and know it is going to be superb.

Small but super chill bar and restaurant with good drinks and food. I have been many times and would recommend it. Its a bit dark with a dark wood feel and tends to get crowded but a solid joint with a good cocktail menu and good dinner items.

Everything about The Abbey feels right. Okay, the congested nature of a small space bursting at the seams due to its humble ingestion of its own popularity can cause fidget-​inducing frustration while waiting for a table.
But everything else is stellar.
The much lauded bison bolognese ($ 20) is every bit the rock star its promo posters proclaim. Steak frites ($ 23) feature a perfectly medium-​rare hanger cut made impossibly tender through kitchen magic, and layered in a fine portion over crisp and salty fries. Slather on a little Madeira sauce, serve up a bottle of Monk’s Flemish sour ($ 8) and we’re golden. Platinum even.
With a comfort heavy menu (oh hoi lamb neck poutine!) and a stellar beer list, too many visits will leave you in a permanent food coma, so venture responsibly. But if you happen upon a coveted two-​top and your date stands you up, drop me a line.

Everything is AWESOME! A nice place to casually eat and enjoy a drink. I like coming here for «me time». Pretty small so I wouldn’t recommend big groups.
The End. Xo

One of the first stops when I’m in Brookline? Bison Bolognese at Abbey’s. Sounds exotic, tastes phenomenal! This dish never fails to hit the spot when I’m looking for something savory and satisfying.
I recommend coming during lunch time for food, their menu is less costly and serves around the same portion. Their service is wonderful, filled with smiling faces.
Also, they have grilled cheese and tomato bisque available only during lunch– mm! Who can give up that childhood signature dish?

The Abbey is still a stand-​out in Washington Square. The bison bolognese is absolutely phenomenal and even at $ 20/​plate, I keep coming back for more. There’s just something about it that is so flavorful and aromatic, almost wine-​y and There are daily specials on constant rotation and they’re usually pretty good. The charred Caesar salad is a popular app, featuring a head of grilled romaine lettuce and whole anchovies on top. The dish is pretty salty, but delicious. I love their burger too, juicy, large and served with fries and amazing mayonnaise dipping sauce. (On that note — the side of truffle fries + sauce is equally delicious)
Each meal is served with bread, hummus and olive oil and the atmosphere is cozy and casual. The place is pretty small, but they make the most of it and even have two bar stools looking into the kitchen for a neat «chef’s table» vantage point if you wish to be seated there.

Absolutely love the Abbey. The atmosphere is cozy and warm — you walk in and think that you are sort of walking into a bar back in time especially when its a cold Boston day. The food is solid and decently priced for the area — try the cod. The drinks are good. The service is good. All in all it’s a great atmosphere and very good food. Highly recommend. A fun place for a group or for a date.

I have been here almost a year ago. It’s overall a pleasant place with nice decoration, an okay selection of food and good service. It is a great place to have a drink with a friend over some snacks.
The day I went there, I was not very hungry, so I ordered a Ceasar salad. I got a grilled WHOLE romaine with some dressing on it. I was surprised and amused. But, it was good.

For all you Avatar the Last Airbender fans (I am a certainly one of them) you might not be too thrilled by the fact that their bison bolognese dish is fantastic since Appa, our adored flying bison in the TV show, is everyone’s favorite! But jokes aside, this dish seriously is probably one of the best I’ve had in Boston. I would come back for it every other day if it didn’t make me go broke.
The pasta appears to me made in house and is perfectly prepared al dente… and pairing that with the bison just elevates the dish to parts unknown. Traditionally I’m not a huge fan of red sauce, but this dish is probably one of the few exceptions. The dish also has a slight kick to it, which I always enjoy in my food. So if you want to try something bold and different, come to The Abbey and order their bison bolognese!
Note: If possible, come for lunch because their dinner menu is the same as lunch just more expensive and you get the same portion size according to our waiter.

Come to The Abbey for delicious, affordable, creative fare, and you will be rewarded. The truffle fries are as good as advertised, and a steal for portion size and $ 5 price tag. Many places would charge twice that given how trendy truffle fries are at the moment. The bison bolognese is a stunner – a hearty, heaping portion of pasta with deep flavor from the meat, topped off with a ridiculous mountain of shredded cheese. Not feeling in the mood for a full meal? Share a couple of appetizers or the pizza special of the day. I’ve yet to try something I haven’t liked immensely.
P. S. I swear Mariska Hargitay has been moonlighting as a server here. If you’ve ever wanted to be waited on by Olivia Benson from Law & Order SVU, now’s your chance!

Good — not bad or great.
If the restaurant was not around so many greats in Washington Square, it’d probably standout more.
That being said, the food here was very good. I especially appreciated their crisp on the outside – moist on the inside shoestring fries. When’s the last time you had a good shoestring fry outside of a rockabilly joint? They deliver.
I had the special pulled pork BBQ (pic below) and it was plentiful, juicy, and savory. They didn’t overdo the BBQ sauce, wasn’t too salty, and the coleslaw was just crunchy and milky enough to fit a la southern style.
My companion had the tuna sandwich. Certainly don’t order if you’re not into the tuna and rye combo — for many the rye stands out too much. Unfortunately the tuna was a little dry. There wasn’t any creamy-​like topping on it, either. Creamy condiment/​mayo and tuna to many is blasphemy — but the sandwich either needed to be more moist or make up for it with the said condiment.
We sat outside on a nice day and availability isn’t bad here. The inner bar area seemed to be fun and the architecture/​décor was nice. Prices are reasonable. Wait staff were a little too european for my taste. I only saw my original waiter once and everyone else seemed to be helping each other out but made for some long wait times between water refills, being done and wanting the check, and order time to entrée on a not-​so-​busy lunch afternoon.
I’d come back if I friend desired to check it out but not craving anything specific or overly excited to return – just too many other great options around the area.

The Abbey had a great atmosphere, solid beer list, and some really interesting dishes. While I had a full dinner this time, I think if I were to go back I would focus on drinks and small plates. It seemed like a nice date spot, and there looked like there was outdoor seating that would be nice in the summer. Also a two-​person table overlooking the kitchen!
While it was a bit loud, it was rarely too hard to hear or talk over. The lighting was great, the tables were solid wood, and somehow the vibe was not TOO hipster. Our server was always attentive but never in the way. Our table ordered the lamb lollipops, beet risotto, cod, and flatbread. Everything was very good, but the lamb lollipops and the sauce for the cod were standouts. The value wasn’t great, which is why next time I would probably go for appetizers and drinks.
They don’t serve dessert here, just as an FYI — BUT there is an Emack & Bolio’s just down the street, so you’re totally covered. They also don’t take reservations, but they’re open late; so show up on the early side or the late side to be safe.