Phillips Old Colony House

I would give it 0 if I could.
We had Erica B as a server and this was the most disappointing meal I’ve had in as long as I can remember!
We were referred by our hotel to eat here for good Boston fare as we have one night here in between our honeymoon in Germany and our flight back to Dallas in the morning and it began with warm (at best) clam chowder which we ate because we haven’t had a chance to eat since before our two flights today.
Then, a long time later our salads came WITH our entrée with more dressing than lettuce (we left them almost untouched) and then the «stuffed shrimp» which would have been better at a fast food place. More oil and butter with breading than shrimp and the seafood filling it was said to have and the «lobster sauce» must have been the separating oil it was drowning in.
HERE IS WHERE I ALMOST LOST IT:
I left a note for Erica on the receipt because little did she know, I am a bartender who works for the W Hotel chain and my fiancé is a steak chef at Del Friscos and for all who don’t know, that is a 5 star steak restaurant.
I left a note because I never complain and I will NEVER make a scene in a restaurant. I simply stated that the food was sub par and the soup was cold but gave it with my credit card because I didn’t expect anything but maybe an apology.
We have no reason to be cheap.
Her response, which still has me baffled and furious, was to not only ignore the note, not get a manager or apologize, but to THROW IT AWAY, replace it with a new receipt and get this:
«Have fun in Boston!!!» In the most snide voice she could muster. (I know, not shocking, given her grungy appearance and below average service)
Do not go here unless expensive, horrible food is your taste.
What a joke. Sad, really.

This is a review of the Banquet Halls. In particular, the one downstairs near the bar/​restaurant. Dismal looking, run down restrooms, server staff look bored, tired, no life in them. Food mediocre, either no flavor or too salty. Gravy like cement full of sodium so much to mask its lousy flavor. Roast beef, chewy. Fish, immediate stomach ache hour later and into next morning. Doors around hall near restrooms that say exit are grimey dirty, need paint. OVER PRICED drinks! $ 10.35 for a White Russian? WTH is that? Are we in an upscale Boston hotel? Ridiculous! What’s the .35 cents for? The glass? Lol! It was a ONE drink night! Must be the only banquet hall in area and cheap because I don’t know WHY you would rent it OR have their food. Oh and one toilet restroom IN the hall that lock is broken! And restroom near restaurant old, run down and dirty. Toilets plug up. Phillips, shape up or close down. Guetto looking clientele in the bar. Good luck.

Made a reservation for Mother’s Day. No where on the site could I find anything about Mother’s Day brunch. When making a reservation for 20 it was never said to us that the price was almost doubled for Mother’s Day. So I never thought about it. The service was ok. Slow. Very slow. The buffet was ok. Looked the exact same as when I’ve been before for a non-​holiday. When we received the bill the price per person was just about doubled. We called the manager over who was rude and had his phone ready to go to show us what was on the site because I know others complained. I was curious to why it wasn’t that busy. The site changed their info after I made a reservation. I even went on a few times before and the price was always $ 22. I’m fine with paying what the price was but not when I’m not aware. It’s was not worth $ 35 +tip in the least. Especially for my elderly mom who just had an omelette. I will not be returning back there for any event. I just think they put the price on there that day. I’m curious if this happened to any one else?

Great place and very nice atmostphere

My company selected this rather remote location to house employees on our short layover at the hotel next door. Seven or eight rooms nightly are reserved for us, and often we go over for a beverage, appetizer or dinner.
The first few times I experienced this place, Orlando was one of the most amazing, professional and accomodating bar/​waitperson in New England. I could come in alone, order dinner from him, sit in a quiet corner at the bar and be out in about 30 – 40 minutes. He made suggestions and even talked the kitchen staff into serving me lobster rolls way past the 10pm cutoff. He understood business and he understood cultivating relationships with regulars. In my many years of travel I had not tipped 50% until I met him.
Viola! Now there is a rather surly woman who acts as if she is doing you a favor by (finally) paying attention to you. She rolled her eyes when asked for a menu, pushed it toward me as her presentation of it, and made a point of not returning for 10 minutes. Needless to say, I left and went elsewhere.
Last Sunday night my entourage and I chose to stay outside, enjoying the breeze and the beautiful fireplace. We all ordered more than we had expected and enjoyed the food for the most part. The complimentary clam chowder (courtesy of a hotel coupon) was OK, but the consistency was akin to gravy. It was free so no complaints there. I loved the mussels and talked the rest of my non-​New Englander companions into trying them. We all sopped up what remained of the sauce with the outstanding hot rolls our wait person presented. When it came to the calamari the kitchen fell flat. Lightly breaded itself would have been more than pleasing but someone decided to plop some banana peppers AND cheese on top of it. The seafood taste was obscured by the peppers and the cheese made the consistency of the calamari disdainful. The whole thing looked like baby poo and I cannot imagine how the executive chef thought this would be appealing.
It is difficult to cook shellfish — the balance between overcooking and undercooking is an instant. Both of the shellfish dishes were cooked adequately but the extra steps were mis-​steps. Let well enough alone for god’s sake! A sprinkling of Old Bay would be quite enough to make the calmari work (along with a sprinkling of salt); some fresh dill in the mussel juice would be a lovely addition. Who inhaled, I wonder?
The wait person — a lovely young woman whose name I forget — made the glitches acceptable. Until the snows fall, I prefer to sit outside with my peeps rather than endure the created chaos inside.
The owner must not read these things; I understand his son now runs the operation. True to any family business generation II takes it all for granted and often runs things into the ground. The bartender/​evil one must be sleeping with him because she would be fired in any other scenario.
Is this going to be the next Anthony’s Pier 4, which recently closed due to sonny’s mismanagement and abuse of employees? I certainly hope not. We’ll see Sunday night and update.

I have to agree with ER concerning Phillips Old Colony House… we also had a bereavement luncheon that we prepaid and not as many people as we expected attended… we also asked to take the food home and were told «absolutely not» it is against the board of health rules… which makes no sense since you can take leftovers home from any restaurant. In any case they still refused, at which time I said to them.“then all of this food better be thrown away, I don’t want to come back later today and find any of this as specials on your menu.” The next time we needed a place for a bereavement luncheon we went to The Tavern at Granite Links Golf Club and they were wonderful and very accommodating.

Right now as it stands… My hubby and his family and I went to eat at the grill. and while most of the family had the cheeseburger meal with fries…(two of us had fish meals both different!) While I thought that the food tasted pretty good. We all ended up with food poisoning… hubby was the most sick in the whole group who went!!! We were only in Boston for about three to four days. and I was worried we would NOT make it to the airport because hubby was more ill than I was. but, we are STILL both sick! It has lasted a bit longer than I would have preferred!!! I asked my step son to report it to the restaurant. and they said that they would «do something about it».but, now I am thinking that I will call the Health Department. and this is NOT because I would like this place to be closed down… rather that I would loove for them to look INTO the issues at hand. and CHANGE what needs to be changed. and to KEEP the place running well, as it always has been!!! I have heard good things about this place. but in order for it to stay in working condition and in «good standings» with the public etc. they need to be more «ON TOP OF IT!!!»

What a disappointing night. We decided to try Phillips Old Colony after passing by it so many times. Had an average meal where the entrees arrived on top of the apps (but that can be overlooked). Wanted a second drink, but never saw the waitress until we were done Several other service snafu’s that don’t need to be listed here. THEN we discovered that she added 18% gratuity to the bill. We were a party of 3. When questioned she told me it «was complicated» and generally when the bill is over 100 they add gratuity (the bill was only over 100 AFTER she added the gratuity). AND then when talking to the manager, she claimed that I pushed her. It was such a horrible ending to an average experience.
So the lesson is, if you have to eat here, watch your bill carefully. Way too expensive for what they’re serving and for the horrible service. Drive 10 minutes to anywhere else.

I’ve grown up in the area and the Phillips Old Colony House has been the go-​to restaurant/​function venue for my family when we want good food and a nice atmosphere.
They’ve changed things recently where the Freeport Tavern is now the main dining area. This area and name change means that the menu is slightly more diverse and less expensive than when there was only the Dining Room option. But, the food is still yummy. You can count on them to deliver New England staples like clam chowder and fish and chips. Their salads are crisp and fresh, too. My favorite, though, has to be the salmon. It’s always cooked perfectly and comes with the richest, smoothest mashed potatoes you can imagine and delectable asparagus.
The brunch is worth going to as well. It’s a buffet, so it’s pricey. From what I remember, it’s somewhere in the $ 20 range. But, if you’re really, really hungry, it’s worth it. They have juices, coffee, pastries, toast, bagels, french toast, an omelette station as well as a carving station and some pasta choices if you’re leaning more towards lunch. There’s always some sort of dessert selection if you’re hankering for something sweet.
All in all, it’s a nice restaurant with quality food, good waitstaff and decent prices. If you’re in the area, I’d recommend that you try it.

Paula is the best bartender ever!

The food was decent, but the wait was absurd (40 minutes) for a walk-​in of two from one of the hotels next door. Sure it was rainy, and sure there was some conference in the Ramada, but is having only two wait staff knowing this appropriate? (the Ramada, the Days Inn, the candy shop, the bowling alley, and probably a couple things around are all run by the same family)
The food, on the other hand, was very good. Loved all the breads, and my salmon was great! A pleasant surprise out in Dorchester!

Went here today (finally) for the Easter Sunday brunch buffet. $ 24.95 a pop.
It was «okay». Plenty of yummy looking lunch selections, fruits, an omelet station, carving stations with prime rib and lamb, breakfast items, etc. Some of the dishes were lukewarm, though.
The food was unremarkable, but certainly edible. Pleasant and efficient service.
The place definitely looks like «old» New England, even though they’ve recently tried to renovate. Now, it just looks like renovated old Yankee/​New England. Kinda charming, in a weird way.
There aren’t many buffets in Boston, and I understand this is a little cheaper on non-​holidays.
I’ll definitely go back, as I love breakfast /​brunch buffets.

(review dated ¹²⁄₀₇):
somewhere i would never think of going if not suggested by one of the friends in the group, and we were right next to it at boston bowl.
food’s great. everything looked good (even the ones i didn’t try). before the food came, we had bread (warm!), and then we had flattened corn bread. that’s very nice of them.
my french union soup was a bit disappointing, though. the consommé is good, but the cheese wasn’t what i’m used to. it is mozzarella, but it tasted somewhat off. i can’t decide whether it tasted like swiss or american. it was just… different.
gorgonzola salad w/​steak tips was spectacular! balsamic vinaigrette dressing suits the beef well; steak is cooked as ordered and there were quite a few chunks! i gave two pieces away and still had MORE THAN ENOUGH for myself (and to wrap home too). next day i re-​heated the steak in oven and over-​cooked it a little (was medium rare before), but it was still soft (not too chewy) and tasted very good w/​the vinaigrette & seasoning well soaked into the meat.
the two salmon dishes that my friends ordered – crusted salmon and salmon fillet w/​chardonnay beurre blanc sauce & risotto – both looked fantastic. tried the crusted salmon: wasn’t too overcooked – could be a bit less done but it’s not too dry either. salmon fillet has grill «marks» that’s at least 2 mm deep. you literally see the surface charred AND bumpy. another friend ordered a grilled shrimp w/​lobster risotto: shrimps looked almost translucent, and it’s a good thing unless you like to chew on paper.
waiter service was ok but not spectacular. i had one very thirsty friend who asked to have his glass filled 5+ times during the course of the meal, and while our waitress went to fetch more water, we were thinking if she would put the whole pitcher down like other casual dining joints do. as he was just commenting that probably not in a place like this, a pitcher sat right down next to him. i mean it’s a funny episode, not a complaint.
but then when it’s time to pay our bill, the waitress was nowhere to be found. took her long to re-​appear from nowhere (there were at most 5 if not 3 tables occupied in the WHOLE establishment at the moment), we had to wave her down to give us the bill. then she was busy talking to someone sitting behind the pole, and couldn’t come back for the next 15 minutes to pick up our bill. as we left i was wondering if she was serving a regular or an old friend so she got carried away, but it was just one of the owners/​ppl from management who’s folding napkins!
do i have too high expectations or service just dropped universally in this millennium?
:)

I tried this place today for the brunch buffet and was not disappointed, aside from the service. They had a great spread with everything from fruit, eggs benedict, sausage and bacon, waffles, omelet station to tasty roasted chicken, carved turkey and pork, yummy mac and cheese, salads and desserts. The service however, not so good. We were seated quickly, but weren’t offered drinks until my friend and I were almost finished with round one. Once we were finished with our pig-​out session it took 15 minutes to get our check and ANOTHER 15 to bring us the receipt. I will most definitely go back at some point because the food was so good, but I think I’ll ask the hostess for water and the server for the check before I even start eating.

Great Clam Chowder.
The Prime Rib was good.
Nothing too exciting. Unless, like I did, you pour clam chowder over your head and run through the restaurant yelling «The British are coming!»
What a great night.

What do you expect for $ 17.95 a person at a brunch buffet? I think I expected maybe a bit more… but the subsequent question remains: Should I have?
For twenty-​moneys-​ish, you get orange juice and coffee served by a waitress/​waiter. You get some yummy entrees like stuffed chicken, turkey with gravy, and quiche. The staff attending to the entrees, however? Not so helpful. Scoff at you when you ask if there is pork in any of the dishes, in fact. And very few of the entrees were labeled. Points docked for you, Phil.
There is an omelet man and there is an array of fruits, waffles, desserts, etc. But I wanted a crepes man (or woman) or something else custom that made me feel as though this was something other than a cha-​cha-​cha through the bacon and eggs line at the continental breaky at the Days Inn.
I brought my two best human food vacuums with me. I think that made the experience more gratifying. They hoover up food and then they hoover up more. They get the most bang for their buck. That made me feel good.
I, on the other hand, am probably not a good candidate for best-​buck-​bang-​at-​the-​buffet. Yeah. It’s true I’m eating for two these days, but that doesn’t mean I can eat from the trough like a voracious cow. I still eat reasonable portions and it’s rare that I go back for seconds.
Here’s what: twenty moneys-​ish is not a whole lot to spend on a meal, especially within Boston city limits. However, it seems a lot to spend on brunch, even an all-​you-​can-​eat buffet that was not as spectacular as I might have hoped.
Phillips Old Colony House is full of Yankee charm. So where was it in the food? Clearly it eluded me.

Traditional spot for brunch. If you have never experienced some of the old Boston «stuffiness» just go there. It is a good excuse to get out of the city, the brunch buffett is one of the best of Boston and after that you can go visit the JFK Library!