This review is for the Brookline location of The Abbey. The Abbey doesn't do reservations or call ahead. We showed up around 6:00ish on a Saturday night and were told there was a 20 - 30 minute wait. We were welcome to sit at the bar, but there was no place for four people to sit together, so we lurked near the door and chatted, ducked customers walking in and out and staff taking orders, running food and clearing plates. It's a small space when all the tables are full and people are a few deep at the bar, but that just added to the ambiance. I was seated facing the wall so I didn't see quite how busy it got, but the noise was at "lively" level. We could still have a conversation but needed to speak up to be heard across the table. We were able to snag a table after about 30 minutes. The basics first: The drinks, food and service were fantastic! This is our second time here, the first being ages ago when they had the covered tables outside early in the pandemic. I've been wanting to come back forever, but don't usually get to this part of Brookline. I need to change that or head to Cambridge too! I started with a winter sangria (red wine, brandy, spiced rum, apricot and allspice) that was delicious. They have a pretty extensive gluten free menu, which is nice. My friend wanted the GF pasta Bolognese, but she is dairy free to so that was not an option. We ordered two of the slow-braised short rib "French dip" egg rolls with gruyere, horseradish aioli, and red wine demi for the table. Loved this! I never finish apps and I inhaled this. I was fine with that, I could just put my main in a take home container. We also got the black kale & Brussels sprouts salad, avocado, pepitas, Crispy bacon, and a fried duck egg. Even if you think you don't like kale and or Brussels sprouts, get this dish! I got the "Thanksgiving" panini (house roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, cheddar, arugula, cranberry aioli, hand-cut fries). It was delicious and can't wait for the leftovers. The hanger steak frites came topped with watercress and a madeira sauce. It was the most tender steak that I've ever had. For sides my friends also ordered shredded Brussels sprouts and pan roasted cauliflower with capers and pecorino as sides. Not to be missed are the hand cut fries that are the embodiment of French fries perfection. They are a must order, either plain or with truffles and cheese. Fried potato nirvana! As I said, the place was packed, but service was attentive and Ty (sp?), our server made sure allergy info was provided to the kitchen. He made great suggestions for items to try. The Brookline location does not serve dessert (sad panda) but the Cambridge location does. Good to note for next time! Did I mention that the kitchen is open until 1:30 AM every night? Perfect for late night bites.
Lisa Mayer
My son and I went for a late lunch; not the best experience. The waiter handed us the menus and stated, "The only thing we're out of is the stew." Not a problem. My son ordered curried eggs and the French dip egg roll, I ordered the mussels. "I think we're out of the mussels." Wait.....but you just said.......Instead I had the cheeseburger/fries cooked medium and a side salad, requested dressing on the side. It took awhile for the food to come, surprising since there were only 3 other people in the pub. My plate arrives and it's missing fries, and the salad came dressed and no pepitas. I cut open my burger to find it bright pink, not medium. I asked for it to be cooked a little more, and it easily took 15minutes, when it should have been 5 max. It wasn't because they made a new one, I hate wasting food and made a point in telling them to just cook it a little more. By the time my burger arrived, my son had finished his lunch. About those fries? The mix-up was probably a good thing. I could see a big mound of precooked fries in the kitchen. Since it was 3:00, who knows how long they had been sitting there. The staff was friendly enough, and the food was okay, but I probably won't return. Especially since the errors happened when the restaurant was practically empty.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 2
Avery Castle
Staff were very kind and helpful even when busy! The vibe and atmosphere were top notchDietary restrictions: Allergie friendly
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cheri Lyon
If you are coming down, the food is great it has a true pub feel… just be sure you come in the late afternoon or evening. The women who bartend and serve food during the day send most of their time on their phones texting, drinking Guinness and chatting with locals they know.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 1
karlens joseph
It was past 10 and we didn’t have much hope in finding a decent spot to dine at last Saturday but “The Abbey” came through! Food and drinks were good and the vibe was amazing.My only regret is that I could try more of their options. Below is what we had for food:- Grilled Corn & Roasted Jalapeno Rangoons- Local Mushroom & Herbed Ricotta Empanada- Grilled Organic Chicken Sandwich
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gert D.
The specials are worth getting always. The food is delicious and drinks are good. ambience is nice and great for dates. After coming here about a dozen times I've never had an issue with their service and they're the only ones who are open and still serve great food past midnight. They get a 6/5 stars.
Stacy G
The food was great & the service was really good too. The truffle fries are a must try!
Ana Valle
Can we hear for dinner. was impressed by their unique and tasty drinks. Also a lot of very good food options. The kale and brussel sprout salad was so tasty. Definitely a solid option in the neighborhood!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jane Seitz
We visit when we are in BostonThe bison bolognese never disappointsIts small often crowded inside us small but worth the trip for
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bob B.
Guys killed it! Came in at 1130pm after a difficult shift at work. Met with a hearty hello and service immediately. Fresh hot made to order delicious food at 1130... not lying! It will be my late night go to every time when I'm in the area.
Cozy and inviting atmosphere, excellent cocktails, food that is consistently superb, plus friendly and attentive staff. This place never disappoints.
Kerry Brown
Consistently great food, drinks, and service - wonderful experience every time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Herman Saksono
One of nicest local bar in Boston with great food and drinks. Not your standard bar fare. Every dish is exciting.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Hasan
Good cozy
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sophie T.
Located right on Beacon Street in Brookline makes it very easy to walk to, take the bus, train, or park at a street meter. The inside is small but cozy. Not too big, but not too small either. The space seems like it could be fun at night to grab a drink here with some friends. I definitely want to check it again out at dinner and also after dinnertime. I came for lunch and got the Thanksgiving Panini and there was definitely crunch in every bite, but it was a little messy to eat. It comes with thick slices of turkey, topped with cranberry, stuffing, melted cheese, and arugula. It felt more like turkey and stuffing with cheese. I wasn't getting the full Thanksgiving effect in every bite. The fries were good, but nothing special. If you're into thin stringy fries then this is your place. The menu itself is pretty adventurous so it's worth mentioning that the options lean more towards an acquired taste when you come here.
This review is for the Brookline location of The Abbey. The Abbey doesn't do reservations or call ahead. We showed up around 6:00ish on a Saturday night and were told there was a 20 - 30 minute wait. We were welcome to sit at the bar, but there was no place for four people to sit together, so we lurked near the door and chatted, ducked customers walking in and out and staff taking orders, running food and clearing plates. It's a small space when all the tables are full and people are a few deep at the bar, but that just added to the ambiance. I was seated facing the wall so I didn't see quite how busy it got, but the noise was at "lively" level. We could still have a conversation but needed to speak up to be heard across the table. We were able to snag a table after about 30 minutes. The basics first: The drinks, food and service were fantastic! This is our second time here, the first being ages ago when they had the covered tables outside early in the pandemic. I've been wanting to come back forever, but don't usually get to this part of Brookline. I need to change that or head to Cambridge too! I started with a winter sangria (red wine, brandy, spiced rum, apricot and allspice) that was delicious. They have a pretty extensive gluten free menu, which is nice. My friend wanted the GF pasta Bolognese, but she is dairy free to so that was not an option. We ordered two of the slow-braised short rib "French dip" egg rolls with gruyere, horseradish aioli, and red wine demi for the table. Loved this! I never finish apps and I inhaled this. I was fine with that, I could just put my main in a take home container. We also got the black kale & Brussels sprouts salad, avocado, pepitas, Crispy bacon, and a fried duck egg. Even if you think you don't like kale and or Brussels sprouts, get this dish! I got the "Thanksgiving" panini (house roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, cheddar, arugula, cranberry aioli, hand-cut fries). It was delicious and can't wait for the leftovers. The hanger steak frites came topped with watercress and a madeira sauce. It was the most tender steak that I've ever had. For sides my friends also ordered shredded Brussels sprouts and pan roasted cauliflower with capers and pecorino as sides. Not to be missed are the hand cut fries that are the embodiment of French fries perfection. They are a must order, either plain or with truffles and cheese. Fried potato nirvana! As I said, the place was packed, but service was attentive and Ty (sp?), our server made sure allergy info was provided to the kitchen. He made great suggestions for items to try. The Brookline location does not serve dessert (sad panda) but the Cambridge location does. Good to note for next time! Did I mention that the kitchen is open until 1:30 AM every night? Perfect for late night bites.
My son and I went for a late lunch; not the best experience. The waiter handed us the menus and stated, "The only thing we're out of is the stew." Not a problem. My son ordered curried eggs and the French dip egg roll, I ordered the mussels. "I think we're out of the mussels." Wait.....but you just said.......Instead I had the cheeseburger/fries cooked medium and a side salad, requested dressing on the side. It took awhile for the food to come, surprising since there were only 3 other people in the pub. My plate arrives and it's missing fries, and the salad came dressed and no pepitas. I cut open my burger to find it bright pink, not medium. I asked for it to be cooked a little more, and it easily took 15minutes, when it should have been 5 max. It wasn't because they made a new one, I hate wasting food and made a point in telling them to just cook it a little more. By the time my burger arrived, my son had finished his lunch. About those fries? The mix-up was probably a good thing. I could see a big mound of precooked fries in the kitchen. Since it was 3:00, who knows how long they had been sitting there. The staff was friendly enough, and the food was okay, but I probably won't return. Especially since the errors happened when the restaurant was practically empty.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 2
Staff were very kind and helpful even when busy! The vibe and atmosphere were top notchDietary restrictions: Allergie friendly
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
If you are coming down, the food is great it has a true pub feel… just be sure you come in the late afternoon or evening. The women who bartend and serve food during the day send most of their time on their phones texting, drinking Guinness and chatting with locals they know.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 1
It was past 10 and we didn’t have much hope in finding a decent spot to dine at last Saturday but “The Abbey” came through! Food and drinks were good and the vibe was amazing.My only regret is that I could try more of their options. Below is what we had for food:- Grilled Corn & Roasted Jalapeno Rangoons- Local Mushroom & Herbed Ricotta Empanada- Grilled Organic Chicken Sandwich
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The specials are worth getting always. The food is delicious and drinks are good. ambience is nice and great for dates. After coming here about a dozen times I've never had an issue with their service and they're the only ones who are open and still serve great food past midnight. They get a 6/5 stars.
The food was great & the service was really good too. The truffle fries are a must try!
Can we hear for dinner. was impressed by their unique and tasty drinks. Also a lot of very good food options. The kale and brussel sprout salad was so tasty. Definitely a solid option in the neighborhood!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We visit when we are in BostonThe bison bolognese never disappointsIts small often crowded inside us small but worth the trip for
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Guys killed it! Came in at 1130pm after a difficult shift at work. Met with a hearty hello and service immediately. Fresh hot made to order delicious food at 1130... not lying! It will be my late night go to every time when I'm in the area.
Restaurantji Recommends
Cozy and inviting atmosphere, excellent cocktails, food that is consistently superb, plus friendly and attentive staff. This place never disappoints.
Consistently great food, drinks, and service - wonderful experience every time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of nicest local bar in Boston with great food and drinks. Not your standard bar fare. Every dish is exciting.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good cozy
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Located right on Beacon Street in Brookline makes it very easy to walk to, take the bus, train, or park at a street meter. The inside is small but cozy. Not too big, but not too small either. The space seems like it could be fun at night to grab a drink here with some friends. I definitely want to check it again out at dinner and also after dinnertime. I came for lunch and got the Thanksgiving Panini and there was definitely crunch in every bite, but it was a little messy to eat. It comes with thick slices of turkey, topped with cranberry, stuffing, melted cheese, and arugula. It felt more like turkey and stuffing with cheese. I wasn't getting the full Thanksgiving effect in every bite. The fries were good, but nothing special. If you're into thin stringy fries then this is your place. The menu itself is pretty adventurous so it's worth mentioning that the options lean more towards an acquired taste when you come here.