Address: | 1648 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02445, USA |
Phone: | +1 617-277-2880 |
Site: | thepublickhousebeerbar.com |
Rating: | 4.4 |
Working: | 5PM–2AM 5PM–2AM 5PM–2AM 5PM–2AM 5PM–2AM 12PM–2AM 12PM–2AM |
OM
Omar Buhidma
Peerless. Seriously. Less on tap than The Flying Saucer and fewer bottles than Sunset; but really only just - and everything on the beer menus noteworthy. Actually, everything on EVERY menu is noteworthy. The foods truly exceptional in taste, quality, presentation, and innovativeness. A bit on the warm and filling side for a hot summers day; but dont let that stop you - I cant say enough good things about this place. Some notes to be aware of: no longer open for lunch and it gets busy at dinner. If you can snag a table before six, you wont have any sort of wait - if you wait till after, you could end up cooling your heels a bit. Price is upper-mid tier (and worth every penny). Also, if youre visiting alone, or arent planning on eating - grab a seat at the bar in the alcove to the left of the main door. This used to be called "The Monks Cell" and youre still more likely to get personal attention from the bartender, if youre in a talkative mood and have an informed beer palate.
A
A Private User
The beer selection was all depth and no breadth. They had a ton of obscure, pricey beers in the big bottles but a stingy selection of American microbrews. For example, having only one beer from Sierra Nevada but four from an obscure Belgian producer ($20+ a bottle, of course). Not that there is anything wrong with going for the exotic stuff, but I (and many other people I suspect) view those as a very once-in-a-while kind of purchase. You need some staple beers to get people to come back every week, rather than every couple of months. Unfortunately this review is a postmortem, the store is now gone. I wish it wasnt, but I cant say Im surprised.
AL
Alexandra Bailey
Ive never been so insulted by a manager at a restaurant. Weve eaten here countless times and arrived to have a nice dinner with a few friends. After finding out that all of us needed to be present to be seated, we complained to the hostess since this was never our experience in the past. We werent being rude or obnoxious but she apparently got the manager who insulted us and asked us to leave, stating that he did not need our business and had plenty of other customers. Well I hope you dont treat all your customers like you treated us- we wont be coming back. Had a great dinner at The Abbey across the street instead.
NA
Nathan Green
Theres fries and theres fries: The Monks Fries here (hand-cut yukon golds dusted with sea salt, served in a paper cone with choice of dips) were excellent, while the thick-spear fries that came with House Smoked Pastrami Rachel (w/gruyere, sauerkraut, 1000 island dressing, marble rye) were dry and bland, although the sandwich was good. Belgian Meatballs (pork, veal, and beef, braised onion, Belgian endive, Duvel Gravy---bring your own serving spoon) were very good. Our Jacks Abby brew helped solidify the PH reputation for top-notch crafts. Service folks were very nice; vibes are great. ACTUAL RATING: 3.5.
WI
Winthrop Piper
Five stars for the beer list, without question. Trillium on tap, high end large-format stuff, and a wide variety of styles from throughout the world. Food is good but not spectacular; thus the 4-star overall rating. I cant speak to the authenticity of its Belgian-ness, but it is enjoyable. Dont try ordering simple cocktails though - theres a substantially snobby vibe amongst some of the bartenders. Even an old-fashioned will have you looked at with an expression of "why did you come here for that?"... in fairness, if youre going to the Publick House, you /should/ be ordering beer.
JT
JT Buzanga
If you are a craft beer fan the Publick House is a must. They put great care into their beer list and offer a huge variety. Bartenders and staff are very knowledgeable and extremely friendly. The food is great too! Frites are awesome and you really cant go wrong with the entrees. Also, they have a separate gluten free menu, which does include the frites. They are fried in their own fryer! The place fills up pretty quick on the weekends and can get pretty loud. Expect a wait Friday and Saturday night during prime time.
BR
Brian Dubois
The beer selection is great. Youre not limited to belgian beers but you should definitely give them a try. We were really impressed to find bottles of Marriage Parfait lambic, which I have never seen before in north america. The food is even better. My partners Waterzooie was as good as she remembered from her time in Belgium. The giant baguette that accompanied her stew was a nice surprise and perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. My moules frites - with a cider sauce - was delicious and filling.
JI
Jill Silverberg
Great spot for those who live in between Coolidge Corner and Cleveland Circle and just want a change of scene. Very big space with plenty of seating though do be mindful of when you are thinking about arriving. Either getting there early on a weekend night or calling ahead might be wise; this place does fill up fast. Drinks and food are all very good without be too expensive. The mac and cheese is one of my favorites in all of the city and they have a decent assortment of hard ciders as well (my go-to drink).
A
A Private User
I loved this place before everyone and their mother discovered it. I remember making my dinner time earlier and earlier to prevent long wait times (from "gotta get there before 7:30" to "before 6:00, or the wait will be an hour.") The food is spectacular and the beers are always amazing. Go for an early dinner on a weeknight for the fastest service. Now that I live across the country, I have dreams of their macaroni and cheese. I still have not found somewhere with a beer selection the rivals the Public House.
AL
Alexander Grabau
Disappointing meal last night. Ive been going there off and on for many years and probably wont go back. Very rushed service, waitress had a cold or something and was coughing. We were served incomplete cheeseboard (no crackers as advertised just stale bread). Sandwich and fries that seemed very Sysco with an average hunk of chicken flanked with soggy bacon. Belgian Frites have perhaps left the building. Hopefully they dont become just another bar with slightly better than average bar food.
A
A Private User
By far our go-to local spot for a great beer selection and solid high-end pub food. The only downsides? Outdoor dining atmosphere leaves much to be desired (one of Washington Squares overall low points), and it gets packed in here *fast* on the weekends. Were still mourning the closing of American Craft, which was in an overall nicer spacer just down the road. Publick House does appear to have finally picked up a couple nice high-def TVs from its former sister restaurant, though.
PA
Patrick Grossmann
Not only has this merchant billed a wrong amount on my credit card (70% overcharge), the representatives appeared to be annoyed by bringing this topic on the table. While I was left with a promise of handing this over to the manager for a week, the response of the hostess on the telephone tonight was an particularly unpleasant, irritating, and rude experience. Due to the service alone I am not returning, and so my friends I went there together with.
KR
Kricket Feeney
The Publick House was awarded the "Best Frites in Boston" in 2011... a dish they have since modified into a far less delicious version. While the brews are to boot and the selection is lengthy, the wait staff here really could use some improvement. They often stick you in a corner and forget about you. Considering the amount of time you wait and wait for a table, the neglect by the wait staff is insult to injury!