Hamersley’s Bistro

We were fortunate to be able to make a reservation for a week or so before they closed, and happily it was everything it was cracked up to be.
Once upon a time, my wife took the liberty of dictating to me what sides I should order at Sweet Cheeks, the better to complete her own vision of what her meal should be. Needless to say, i gave her endless amounts of crap for this. You see, she suffers from Menu Confrontational Anxiety, which is a thing i just made up and am selling chartreuse ribbons to raise awareness of. She can’t figure out what she wants to order because she wants to order all the things. Can’t eat them, of course, because she sucks at eating. But she’s paralyzed in the face of the decision. Imagine the pressure of not just ordering at a fancy restaurant, but one that’s closing imminently. Her. Only. Chance.
So I gave her special dispensation to tell me what to order. i had the chicken and she ha a really good steak dish (which would’ve been my first choice, but hey). They were both superb in ways that my McDonald’s-trained palate can barely articulate, but what was more impressive was they comfy-​institutionally-​fancyness of the whole place. An ease at being ready to welcome people for whom this was a Big Night Out and corporate fat cats barely noticing another expensive meal, and in particular a clear solicitousness of the former. Working stiffs like us who all ate ramen the rest of the week in penance appreciate that sort of thing.
That’s the sort of thing that makes a place beloved, so i’m so glad we got to experience it.

I wanted to try this place out, so while my dad was resting and watching TV I walked over here. It was a little over a 20 minute walk and I asked some People cuz I didn’t know my way around but I eventually found it. I chose this restaurant for a late night bite to pay respect (plus the Food intrigued me, it was either coming here or dining at Troquet on Boylston Street. I made the right Choice). I dined here 2 weeks prior to their closing. I walked in said my name and the hostess told me to wait a couple minutes cuz another couple were waiting at the Bar for there table, once they were sat I was Sat and the Hostess hung up my Jacket for Me.
I sat at the bar and the Bartender (I think his name was Tim) who was filling Wine and Martini glasses and getting them out to the Customers Posthaste, the atmosphere was very Fancy (known for French Cuisine) Tim brought over some bread (Focaccia, Wheat and Garlic Bread, I only had a few bites of each cuz I didn’t want to fill up on Bread). I started with a glass of Wine: Chinon, Jean-​Maurice Raffault, Loire, 2012 Rose (In the description it says — Crisp and Refreshing with Herbal Scented Fruits and Strong Mineral Notes. When I first sipped it I could taste those Fruits I think its Apples and Raspberries and I tasted those Mineral notes in the back of my Throat when I swallowed they were really strong, so one small sip at a time).
For my Appetizer I started with the Curried Cauliflower Soup (with Yogurt, Carrots and a sprinkling of Chives, I told them to leave the Raisins Off, I find them Disgusting) I tasted the Nuttiness of the Cauliflower and the I loved heat from the Spices (he said it was Cayenne, Cumin, Coriander, Saffron, Tumeric, Paprika, Salt and Pepper) and the Dollop of Yogurt in the center to help tame some of that heat and cool down your mouth, some crunch from the Carrots and a hint of Pepper from the Chives.
For my Entrée I got one of Their Signatures, The Spicy Halibut (I didn’t get the Roast Chicken and I know its their most Popular Dish so I got their 2^nd Popular Dish) it came with Roasted Clams, Mustard Greens (Braised in Bacon), Chilean Butter Beans and Black Trumpet Mushrooms. This beautiful piece of fish came out with this lovely Crimson crust (the spice was Cayenne, Fennel Seed, White & Black Pepper, Sugar, Paprika, Cumin and Salt), I cut into it and the fish was Cooked Perfectly and it was so Good, Succulent Clams, the Mustard Greens were spot on (who doesn’t like anything cooked in Bacon), Beans were buttery and the Mushrooms where Soft and Tender.
For Dessert I got the Soufleed Lemon Custard with a Blueberry Compote (I told them to leave off the Sugar Cookie. That custard was Sweet and Tart, Light and Fluffy, the Compote went perfect with it, Nice combination of Flavors. 2 things I was interested in and should’ve got but didn’t were the Mini Wild Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Sandwich Amuse-​Bouche and a side of Roasted Celery Root with Apple Butter. The Food and Service were nice and the People were Friendly.
Gordon Hamersley did a Phenomenal Job, I was going ask to get a picture with him but they said he left 7 Minutes after I finished my Dessert (Oh Well). What I didn’t know was that Gordon was a James Beard Award Winner, won for Best Chef Northeast in 1995 (Now I’m glad I picked this place). I know that this was a one time Experience but I enjoyed It. For 27 Years Gordon & Fiona have been serving up Contemporary French Food to the People of Boston (and Visitors from other Cities). I wish you guys Good Luck in your Next Project. Hopefully if you open a new restaurant I’ll dine at it. Thanks Again !!!

Upon learning that the restaurant will be closing, I decided to check out this famous bistro that once served the President.
For a Friday night at 8:15pm the restaurant was packed and quite loud. I opted to sit outside. It was a lot more quiet and the Christmas lights were intertwined along the fence — how romantic.
I ordered the Wild King Salmon Baked in Parchment with Tomatoes, Corn, Snap Peas, Leeks and Potatoes, $ 39. This was served with the salmon in the sealed parchment paper. The server cuts it in front of you and the aroma of the delicious salmon hits you.
Creamed Spinach with Garlic and Parmesan, $ 8: I wish I had this when I was a kid… I would’ve probably ate more vegetables if I did :)

Went in w/​pretty big expectations, due to glowing reviews, but thought it fell quite short. Full disclosure: no one had the chicken — maybe that was our mistake.
The duck confit app was amazing; I will say that. My wife had the halibut and I the pork, and we were both underwhelmed by it. My pork was dry, a little over, and under salted. All of the accompaniments were tasty though. After the disappointing entrée, we decided to have dessert elsewhere.
Add this to the list of places who can’t seem to make a proper Old Fashioned to save their lives; muddled fruit and a splash of soda water!!! What am I — a 22 year old? Our waitress was also one of the worst servers I’ve had in the city: she was rude, inattentive to our wine/​water needs, and was overbearingly rushing us (and the patio was only about 65% attended).
I bid you farewell.

As a very recent transplant from DC, I have no conception of the history behind Hamersley’s nor the nostalgia that other reviewers may have. Please keep in mind that my review is based on the value of the food alone. Mediocre food for absurd prices.
My boyfriend brought me here for a surprise birthday dinner yesterday, after doing his due diligence on Unilocal and picking out what he thought would be a fantastic restaurant — after all, there are so many 5 star reviews! Spoiler alert: we were very disappointed by the end of our dinner.
Unimpressed with the very unimaginative cocktail list, I ordered a glass of the Côtes du Rhôné Rosé, which was a nice light choice for dinner. My boyfriend ordered a French 75 — an uncommon drink, but thankfully the bartender seemed to be familiar with it. However, he was NOT familiar with the very basic idea that you never include the bitter pith and rind in a lemon peel garnish. It ruined what would have been otherwise a great (and unreasonably expensive drink).
Based on Unilocal’s recommendations, we ordered the following:
Crispy duck confit with cardamom-​scented peaches, roasted cipollinis, and sauternes glaze:
The oh-​so-​crispy skin provided a nice contrast to the perfectly tender duck meat. We loved the duck so much that we were picking the meat clean off the bone. The sweet grilled peaches paired perfectly with the savory duck, though I could not taste any of the cardamom scent. The choice of balsamic dressed greens on the plate seemed somewhat out of place. The cipollini onions were slightly raw in the middle. Is it worth $ 21? Probably not.
Roast chicken with garlic, lemon, and parsley:
Ah, their signature dish. The Unilocal reviews I skimmed through all raved about this, and rightfully so. The chicken was roasted well — the meat was very juicy, the lemon and herb seasoning well-​balanced, and the skin also crispy. It is not worth $ 27.50 though — with a little Google-​fu, a dutch oven, and less than $ 10 worth of ingredients, I have made a similar dish at a fraction of the price.
Grilled Vermont Quail with Green Herb Risotto, Provencal Vegetables, and Pecorino Romano Cheese:
I loved the Vermont Quail — they seem to do well with cooking poultry and ensuring that the meat is very juicy and tender. The Green Herb Risotto was alright, but the Provencal Vegetables cast a spotlight onto the chef’s crutch of grilling. Alright, the grilled peaches with the duck confit was a great idea, but it seemed like overkill to grill all of the Provencal vegetables, when a simple braise in tomato sauce would have been fine. Definitely not worth dropping $ 31 for.
They gifted us a lemon sorbet with raspberry coulis for my birthday — again, an unremarkable dish. The raspberry coulis, a prime opportunity for flavor experimentation, was quite ordinary (identical to one I made myself), and the lemon sorbet quite nice. The mint garnish did not fit in.
If it were not for the birthday dessert, I would not have gotten dessert here at all. I have a notorious sweet tooth, and the mediocre quality of the food and sky-​high prices were such a turn off that I had just wanted to leave by the end.
Like the cocktail list, the plating style throughout dinner was antiquated. The herbs used for garnish were thrown on as an afterthought and inbalanced the dish overwhelming the rest of the plates when eaten in conjunction.
Save your money and go elsewhere in the month before this place closes.

Writing this review just makes me sad. Hamersley’s Bistro will be closing this year in October and it is a South End staple. This elegant restaurant serves amazingly beautiful, yet simple food.
Since the restaurant is closing I have to get in as many visits as my wallet will let me. My boyfriend and I went the other night for a celebratory dinner (survived ⁹⁄₁ moving, yay!). Our server was prompt and very helpful. He was quick to offer advice on the wine menu or thoughts dinner menu.
For dinner my boyfriend ordered a steak and I ordered the roasted chicken. This is probably the only restaurant where I would ever pay above $ 20 for roasted chicken — it’s that good. The meat is so tender, flavorful and super filling. I’m not a huge red meat fan, but my boyfriend’s steak was TO-​DIE-​FOR. It was perfectly seasoned and downright delicious. We also shared a side of the creamed spinach, which was fine, but I’m still intrigued by the potato cake.
Dessert was out of this world. We shared the Blueberry Buckle (something I had grown up on, so I loved the nostalgia). My boyfriend prefers chocolate but absolutely loved this dish. It came out hot and the blueberries were so fresh. The lemon sorbet on the side melted beautifully over the hot buckle and added a refreshing element to the plate.
Go to Hamersley’s while you can! The food is relatively pricey but worth every delicious penny.

What can I say about Hamersley’s that hasn’t already been said. The food is excellent, and while it is a bit pricey, you get what you pay for.
We sat outside on a beautiful summer night and thoroughly enjoyed our meal.
We started with cocktails from the special cocktail list. I had some variation of a Manhattan my friend had a lemoncello style martini. Both were very good.
We shared the duck confit appetizer which was excellent.
For entrees I had the pan roasted lobster and my friend had the famous roast chicken with garlic. Both were amazingly delicious. We shared the garlicky mashed potato cakes and the creamed spinach with garlic and parmesan for sides. Both were decent, but nothing to write home about.
The restaurant also has a very nice wine selection. We opted for the Bandol Château Pradeaux Rose. It was lovely.
Our server did a nice job and the staff was generally attentive.
The only thing I didn’t really care for was when we asked for an extra chair so I could keep my (large) purse in clear view (given we were seated outdoors), the server said he needed the chair for potential customers. This would be fine except that there were 10+ other chairs available in the outdoor patio. it just seemed a little foolish to take my chair, but not a huge deal… just strange.
Overall, I was very pleased with this dining experience. I’ve eaten here before and I can certainly appreciate the consistency in excellent food.

We celebrated our second wedding anniversary at Hamersley’s Bistro and it was a fantastic choice. Everything was great from start to finish — the service, the food, the décor. It’s definitely a must-​try.
I ordered the Irish Honey cocktail which was very good. To start we each had the mini wild mushroom and roasted garlic sandwich. The mushrooms were fresh and everything worked well together. After that we moved along to the lobster waffle appetizer. It was great and it was a good portion of lobster.
My wife got the Wild King Salmon baked in parchment. It came out still in the wrapping and they cut it open for you. It was cooked perfectly, and everything was delicious. I went with the chicken because I was advised it was a popular choice. It was very good, and the lemon worked well. We also shared the garlic mashed potato cake.
For dessert we went with the orange-​pineapple upside down cake with melon sorbet. It comes with a few bites of cantaloupe. You cannot tell the difference between the fresh cantaloupe and the sorbet, that’s how good it was.
Overall, you should definitely try this place out, and it’s perfect for a special occasion.

Excellent food, but a bit pricey. Very nice area now, and the service was excellent. Nice wine list. Everyone in our party was very happy with the food.

You don’t often get a great experience like we did at this restaurant. We started off sitting inside you the window. It was the perfect balance of climate control and light from the outside. We placed orders of roast chicken, salmon and salad and were pleasantly surprised by the bread selection brought to the table. After devouring all the bread and very soft butter, we proceeded to the salad. The salad was delicious with tomatoes, avocado, and feta cheese. Although they didn’t have the hummus as listed on the menu online, it was okay. As soon as the main course came out we were in heaven. The roast chicken was perfect and the roasted potatoes that came with it was done just right, I wish they were more. The salmon came wrapped in parchment paper which was cut off by hand by the way there for the stainless steel scissor the he so artfully pulled out of his pocket upon arrival the table.
They filled the waters like pros and it was overall a great evening well worth the price paid. I highly recommend this restaurant for a nice evening out.

Beautiful setting and impeccable service. But for the price of their entrees ($ 25 – 43) I’d expect WOW food. My steak was «meh» as was my friend’s salmon. Only standout was the chicken (surprisingly). We tried three desserts. Only liked the upside down cake. Strawberry shortcake was too dry.

Hamersley’s was one of the less-​than-​handful of restaurants in the quarter mile radius that had vegetarian options and didn’t act snooty.
It has outdoor seating which is a big plus on a beautiful summer day in Boston.
We were here last Sunday for brunch and they kindly accommodated our dietary needs. We ordered a grilled cheese which was sooooooooo delicious and they also chopped the edges off — woohoo!!!
The waffles with fresh fruit was equally tasty
We also ordered a plate of grilled vegetables which were well done and tasted yummy.
The staff was friendly and paid attention to us while we enjoyed our brunch and made sure we were taken care of.

After a lazy 10 minute stroll from the hotel, we arrived at Hamersley. This is a beautiful restaurant. It looks like a home really with its open kitchen and all tables laid out in one big dining room space. This place had beautiful décor as well. The dark wood ceiling beams were a great contrast to the white table cloths. This one was one tight fit with tables almost on top of each other. But, they pulled it off. I love restaurants like these!
As for the food, we were a party of 10 so we had almost the entire menu as a group. As a whole we ordered the Spicy Halibut and Clam Roast with Bacon Braised Greens w/​White Beans and Black Trumpet Mushrooms (perfect!), the Roast Chicken with Garlic, Lemon and Parsley (very good!), and the Pork Chop (excellent!). But the winner, the one that three of us ordered and loved the most was the Young Spring Lamb Three Ways with Fig and Black Olive Risotto w/​White Wine and Rosemary Sauce. This one was phenomenal!!!
I didn’t have an appetizer or dessert (had a big lunch!) but everyone said they enjoyed theirs very much.
As for wine, another Boston restaurant that does not allow you to bring your own wine. So, I ordered a Heitz Cellars «Trailside Vineyard» Cabernet. There were only 4 cabs on the menu and this one was reasonably priced at $ 148 (retail — $ 69).
Overall, loved the ambiance, décor, service and just great meal experience. Throw in the fact that we were 10 people and they sat us in a round table (always a plus as it promotes conversation) and this one was a killer dinner. Will be back for sure!

I love this place and the vibe and the customer service is excellent. I can see why this is a 5 star place but I’m giving it 3 stars because I think the food has been average. I’ve been here on 2 occasions for brunch so maybe it’s just because brunch isn’t their thing.
My first brunch experience a few months ago for a friend’s birthday was 4 stars. Everything on the menu sounded AMAZING and I had a hard time deciding what to get. I ended up getting the sweet potato and venison hash. I remember I was just slightly disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, it was really good, but I think I just expected more.
I went again on Sunday with my parents and I was REALLY disappointed. The menu was totally boring. My brother and I both got the poached egg + shaved country ham. It was average. I mean don’t get me wrong, the food was good, but it wasn’t anything special and I could’ve gotten this elsewhere for half the price.
My mom got the waffles — again, average.
My dad got a «simple skillet breakfast» which was EXACTLY that. Very simple… scrambled eggs, home fries, and I think bacon or some other protein and toast. The eggs were fluffy and well cooked, but the dish was just not worth $ 15. I joked with my dad to say they are charging $ 10 to serve it in a skillet.
The food was good, but for brunch this place is just average. I am willing to go back for dinner since it seems like that’s their specialty, but if you’re considering brunch, consider elsewhere.

Absolutely delicious
Favorites:
Scallop entrée
Roast Chicken
Deviled Eggs
Duck Confit
Very elegant restaurant with bar

I’ve had Hammersly’s on my shortlist for 5 years and finally had the opportunity to eat dinner there last Friday. Fantastic execution from the salad to the entrees and ultimately dessert. Here’s the rundown:
— Mixed Greens w/​Crispy Goat Cheese — perfect
— Marinated Shrimp w/​Celery Root and Apple Salad — good
— Seared Sea Scallops w/​Roasted Apple, Sweet Potato Gnocchi & Brussels Sprouts — perfect
— Roast Chicken with Garlic, Lemon and Parsley — frustratingly exceptional since this reminds you what chicken should taste like, but almost never does
We almost passed on dessert because we both thought «Warm Pecan Pie w/​Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream» and «Warm Sticky Toffee Bread Pudding w/​Vanilla Ice Cream» weren’t really going to do it for us. We were wrong. If more pecan pie and bread budding tasted like this, I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss — exceptional.
I’m looking forward to getting back here soon
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Follow up visit (May 2014):
— Ate too many and loved it — Warm Marinated Olives with Garlic, Orange and Rosemary
— Miss — Young Spring Lamb Three Ways with Fig and Black Olive Risotto
— Excellent but a bit light on the portion — Charred Calamari Salad with Spring Vegetables
— Nailed it — Grilled and Marinated Asparagus with Hard-​Cooked Egg, Shaved Parmesan and Pickled Spanish Anchovy

We arrived at Hammersley’s thanks to fellow Unilocalers who had noted that it is a vegan-​friendly restaurant. Surprisingly, there aren’t too many vegan options in Boston, so it was a nice surprise to learn that Hammersley’s would fit the bill.
I have not been to there in over a decade, but it was nice to be back. We were greeted by the friendly hosts and seated promptly. The dining room is warmly lit and decorated and very comfortable.
We started with the beet salad, which includes beets and beet greens along with horseradish dressing. We thought the dressing could have been kicked up a few notches, but overall it was a great combination.
What was really exciting was the sugar pumpkin entrée. It wasn’t the usual vegetarian/​vegan afterthought, but an excellently prepared dish. The pumpkin half was cooked just right, filled with ‘ancient grains,’ and topped with romesco sauce, all of which makes for an outstanding combination. Roasted vegetables surround the pumpkin on the plate. They were drizzled with a sauce that we almost thought had cream, but it was pickled pumpkin with pumpkin seeds. Believe me, it was exceptional.
Our waitress was very friendly and helpful and noted that the apple cake could be a vegan dessert minus the ice cream. Instead, it was served with cranberry/​pear/​maple sorbet. That sounds like an odd combination of flavors, but they work together well and were a nice complement to the apple cake. Another option was a sorbet trio including the above flavor.
While our dinner was outstanding, I was leaning towards a four-​star review. One of our requests did not make it to the table. Once we flagged down our server, she apologized and then let us know that the sorbet plate was comped because of the oversight. In my opinion, this is the right thing to do and what makes a very good restaurant great. Of course, the best thing would be to avoid oversights, but it happens to the best of us, right?
So, if you’re looking for fine dining experience, head to Hammersley’s. Over the past 20 years, it has been consistently been named as one of Boston’s top restaurants. And now it has lived up to the vegan-​friendly Unilocal help!

Great spot if you only want to grab dessert. You can sit at the bar and get a pumpkin bread pudding. It will not disappoint. Delicious ice cream, soaked prunes. A masterpiece.

We often come here to celebrate special occasions and Hamersley’s never disappoints. I think that prices here are more reasonable than other South End and downtown Boston restaurants and the food is fantastic, as is the service. Our entrees of duck and rabbit were great and fig, prosciutto and pistachio plate as a starter was so good!
I think my favorite thing is always the desserts. They always highlight seasonal produce in all their dishes. Wine list is wonderful and includes half bottles which is a nice option. 2 entrees, 2 desserts, 2 cocktails, ½ bottle of wine, and a starter to share all came to $ 140 (before tip). If we weren’t celebrating, we probably would spend around $ 100… but we couldn’t resist trying more menu items.

Everyone raves about the roast chicken at Hamersley’s, but for your money you’d be better off going to Citizen Public House and indulging in their organic, pan-​seared version. That’s not to say the chicken at Hamersley’s isn’t delicious – it’s simply overpriced, as is much of their «bistro» menu. My friends treated me for my birthday, and I felt more than a little guilty.
Ok, griping aside, it really was a fabulous meal. Jason’s pates and terrines were fun and innovative, and the succulent duck confit fell right off the bone. Lamb served three ways followed, and a plate of seared scallops and foie gras threatened to steal the show. Desserts were uniformly excellent (I’d recommend the caramelized pineapple with mint sorbet if you, like me, enjoy the contrast of savory and sweet).
Service was curt and not the least bit welcoming, that is until our waiter realized we were there to do some serious damage. What gives? Treat me like a valued customer from the moment I walk in, not when i start to spend money, and I guarantee you’ll get yourself a better tip.