The Bancroft

One of the best restaurant’s out side of Boston
Great bar, great menu and great décor

We had dinner on a Sunday night to celebrate a birthday. The décor was swank and the hostess greeted us right away. We had a reservation and were seated promptly. It was a relaxed service, the wait staff were attentive but not pushy. We ordered 2 appetizers: oysters (fresh and well dressed) and the steak tatare (delicious). For the entrees, among the five of us, we ordered 3 filet (s) and 2 ribeyes; we shared sides: fries, mushrooms, asparagus, and mashed potatoes. They all arrived the same time and cooked to order. Mine was the Ribeye, cooked Medium/​Medium rare and it was as exactly how I like it. We ordered the bimblimies (sp?), they are little fried donuts with a raspberry sauce.
I would definitely go back, maybe try the Tomahawk, all by myself!

This place is awesome. We usually grab a seat at the bar, order some appetizers and some of their wonderful cocktails, then call it a night.

Had a great dinner! Had reservation and was seated promptly. Great décor! Seeing the Phantom Gourmet, I knew I wanted to try the Tomahawk Chop. Skipped apps and ordered the Tomahawk and a side of sautéed mushrooms. I shared this with my friend since it’s designed for 2. Ordered the Richard Dastardly cocktail. I’m not a drinker but my friend looked very happy drinking it.
The steak came out whole and we were given the option of cutting it ourselves or have it done by the kitchen team. I wanted a presentation so asked if the kitchen could do the cutting. Came back expertly cut and was perfect. Asked for a medium rare and it came as ordered. Presented on a board with crispy polenta, some peppers and cioppolini onions. I love meat right off the bone. So much flavor. Since this is a rather large cut we also were treated to some small pieces that were medium. Those pieces had a very nice crust to them. The mushrooms were a perfect accompaniment to the steak. I would definitely order this again!
All in all it was a fantastic meal. Parking was a bit tight but they do have complimentary valet. I will definitely go back.

The Bancroft:
The ambiance captures that of a timeless steakhouse with a touch of modern. Despite being busy it still didn’t have a crowded feel, probably in part due to the high ceilings and appropriately spaced seating.
The service and the drink menu were both a notch above and make this 5 stars as opposed to four. When my wife asked for a recommendation instead of the old 1 – 2, the waiter took a good two minutes to give detailed descriptions of dishes he felt strongly about.
The food also impressed. Highlight was the filet which was buttery, lightly seasoned (hint of sweet and salty) and cooked to perfection. The mushroom ravioli was superb, the crab cake was good but had a lot going on with two sauces plus an avocado mash on top; the reality is it might have been better with less extras on the plate. The creamy spinach had a nice presentation but average flavor, serviceable but not recommended. The fries came with a great ketchup which was worthy of note.
Unilocal should go ahead and add the fourth $$$$ because the reality is that this is a high end steak house and will run around 100 per person with an app entrée side and two drinks each. Well worth the price tag though.
If you are in the area I strongly recommend checking out The Bancroft

My all time favorite. This is my happy place. Atmosphere is spot on, service is impeccable and the food is always top notch. Don’t not try here!

I used the Bancroft’s Warhol room for a corporate event in January 2016. Stacy, the event coordinator, was very helpful and accommodating from the beginning, working with me to tweak the prix fixe menu to better serve our mostly vegetarian diners. The room was a great size for our 53 guests (maybe just a smidge too tight; 50 would have been the magic number), and the ability to close off the room was much appreciated, as we held a presentation before lunch was served. Our waiters were vigilant and quick to respond to guests’ requests, and the ease with which such a large group was served was impressive.
The food was delicious! The squash bisque was perfection, and the baby lettuce herb salad’s dressing was raved about. Of the main courses — skirt steak, vegetable risotto, mushroom ravioli, and baked chicken — there was not one complaint. The steak was cooked wonderfully, the risotto flavorful, the ravioli cooked in an amazing cream sauce, and the chicken moist.
A VIP guest contacted me afterwards, saying «the place was gorgeous, and the food was great!» I can’t wait to stop in as a regular diner soon!

Updating my review — The Bancroft stole my heart, and is now one of my top-​5 protein places. The meal top-​to-​bottom was incredible, the service outstanding, and the atmosphere both comfortable and elegant.
I had to try the wedge again — what I’d raved about my previous visit — and it was equally as delicious. I could have used more bacon (isn’t that always the way?), but it was well made up for with delicious fresh bleu cheese.
The skirt steak??? WOW. So flavorful, so moist! Truly amazing. The grits and chipotle butter totally made the dish perfection.
The filet mignon was also incredible, and although I thought to myself «steak sauce with my expensive steak?», I tried it… and loved it! Sparingly, of course! (You don’t want to lose the flavor of your delicious steak in a steak sauce.) I’d agree with some previous reviews that by attempting to char the outside they seem to get the steak a tad over the requested temperature (assume resting is to blame). But knowing that, you can adjust your order appropriately to get your steak perfect.
I want to come back every weekend and try everything on their menu!

Don’t think twice! Take the fillet!
Good size. Nice sides. The polenta good but salty so watch out…
The place have really good service and great environment!
Nice night out with friends or date

I have been waiting to get a chance to taste what The Bancroft had to offer for a while now. I’ve heard so many good things and was happy to get a chance on my 50^th b’day. I will start off by saying that the décor inside is top notch. The lighting is very good, and so you can actually see what you are eating.
My two friends ordered the fish and chips, and they were very happy with them. My wife ordered the pork chops, and it came out still snorting in the mud. It was sooo way undercooked! They did bring out another one for her, but really, it was pretty much after we all ate. At least they did the decent thing and took it off the bill. Also, while were eating, the waitress brought out a cup of clam chowder for my wife so she had something to eat. My wife said the chowder wasn’t that good. And now for my meal. I ordered the 16oz Rib eye steak. Well it was good, but not great. I’ve actually had a better steak at Frank’s in Cambridge (the sizzler).
The wait staff was very good, and on point. For my b’day they did bring out free desserts for us, which was very nice.
In conclusion I will have to say we were a little disappointed because our expectations were very high. Next time, I will go back to the other really good steakhouse in Burlington.

Damn good food.
Made a reservation for a Monday eve at 730 for four people.
We were taken right on time — what a nice upbeat place I thought to myself as we went to get seated.
They originally tried to seat us at a table right next to the kitchen (and my reservation had specifically asked for a quieter table) but then moved us to a front table by the window. Awesome!
What a menu– not extensive but very thought provoking as you try to decide what to have.
We had the prosciuto and fig platter thingy and the crab cakes as well as the cheese salad (cant remember the name) and caesar salads– both of which were shared and brought in individual servings (I liked that a lot)
yum– o for all we ate.
Two filets, one duck and one salmon at our table– all expertly crafted and presented.
I have to say the only thing I didnt like was that sides were a la carte– and the price of a meal at a normal every day restaurant.
Even the profiteroles for dessert were tasty.
Our bill with tip was about $ 400– BUT we had drinks and a bottle of wine as well as our food.
Cant afford to do that again any time soon but def a great place for a special occasion!

Such an amazing place to have dinner. Décor and service was above and beyond!
Let me start off with their décor; it was stunning. They had separate function rooms and their plate settings were beautiful. Everything had their logo on it.
Next their service; our waiter was Eliot and he was extremely nice and professional. He gave us many suggestions of food and Everything came out quick and at the right time.
And finally, the food. We started off with the crab cake and it was absolutely delicious. I’ve never tasted a crab cake as good and flavorful like this before. For entrees I had the filet mignon and it was extremely tender and melted in my mouth. And for dessert we got the apple crisp and chocolate cake. Both were divine. I loved the homemade ice cream with the coffee syrup on the chocolate cake.
Overall this place left an amazing impression! This will forever be my go to place for dinners, I love it!

Décor, service and food… fabulously fabulous. Jumbo Crab Cake: the real deal.
Wedge salad with the BEST blue cheese.
Prisoner wine.
The 28 day aged Rib Eye… Holy Magolies, Thank You Bancroft.

Very upscale and delicious restaurant that provides quality food. Even the soft, warm, buttery bread sprinkled with a dash of salt at the beginning was incredibly. I went with my team company, so I guess I didn’t take prices into consideration and we ordered quite a lot. The seafood tower came with lots of clams, oysters, giant shrimp, and lobster tails. The proscuitto with fig appetizer was bursting with flavor.
For my entrée I got the prime rib-​eye. I don’t know how much I would have liked it had I paid for it out of pocket because it is $ 48, which to me I don’t know if it would have been worth it. It was good, but VERY fatty. It also did not come with any sides. The mashed potatoes were very buttery and smooth.
I got the lava cake with ice cream for dessert and while good, it wasn’t mind-​blowing. It was just presented nicely.
Drinks were flowing. I got one special drink that had strawberry, thyme, and elderflower. Very good, but again, pricey.
Overall, it’s better than Capital Grille.

Wow. Went here for a work dinner and it was amazing. The service was attentive and the food was great. My only complaint is that some of us waited over 10 minutes for our drinks becuase «the bartender got overwhelmed»… but if that’s your worst complaint, that is a good sign.
We started with apps — Wellfleet oysters and steak tartar. Both were ah-​maze-​ing. For an entrée I got the 8oz filet with mashed potatoes, it was all melt in your mouth delicious. Even the rolls we started with were incredible!!!
The atmosphere is fancy but relaxed. I wouldn’t show up in sweats, but I was wearing jeans with a blouse and heels and fit in just fine. They have beautiful chandeliers and really did a beautiful job decorating. At night, the lighting is dim, very romantic. They played a lot of Beatles and other old classics (LOVE)!! I told my hubby that we have to go there on our next date night!
Parking was easy, plenty of spaces to choose from. They also have a valet if you are feeling extra fancy.
I brought leftovers home, and even re-​heated, my husband said they were delicious.
If I could give 10 stars I would.

Wow, located in a new complex with Wegman’s, King’s, and a few other eateries, Bancroft impresses. The modern design is open, upscale but not pretentious, and the floor is divided into various dining areas that flow seamlessly into each other. Server was quick to approach the table and was attentive throughout. The menu is classic American and of course had a varied selection of steaks at relatively steep price points.
The boy opted for the brick chicken and I the lobster risotto. The chicken was good though I’ve had better, Quarry in Hingham and even Spazio in Braintree come to mind. Risotto was the right consistency, but the peas were too hard and it came with half of a small lobster’s tail. Portions were right — though at Boston prices, I would not expect any less.
Too far of a drive for just good food, but a solid option for those in the area looking for a romantic night out.

The Bancroft gets the coveted 5-​stars which I rarely give out.
I was originally going to have steak in NYC during my trip down New England and NYC, but after reading the reviews for this place, I decided to try the steak from The Bancroft instead. Thankfully, this place is only 5 minutes from my hotel in Lexington!
This place is humongous, open concept, and felt quite futuristic. Not surprisingly the place has only been open for a year, hence why everything felt so modern. Immediately when we looked at the menu, the tomahawk steak attracted us. Since it was 40oz, I decided to share it with my mom and dad, and we ordered the seafood tower and Boston clam chowder as starters.
The clam chowder was easily the best I’ve ever had, and I was a little surprised it’s in none of the best clam chowder lists in Boston. If there’s places where the clam chowder is even better, I wouldn’t even hesitate to try it. The seafood tower was also very good, with a good sampling of raw oysters, clams, shrimps, and lobster that all tasted delicious. Finally, the tomahawk steak was grilled perfectly medium, just as requested. In fact, when the tomahawk steak arrived, there’s an indication on the platter that the steak is cooked medium. Despite its thickness, it was grilled perfectly to the point we didn’t need to send it back. Well worth the $ 85 to share if you ask me.
Service is excellent the entire way; the waiter even apologized to us at first because the table we had was not balanced, but honestly that wasn’t necessary. He also fixed up the table for us, which we were grateful for. We eventually left a very nice tip for him.
I have only written 11 5-​star reviews out of my 696 reviews so far. This will be my 697^th review and 12^th 5-​star review.

The Bancroft might just be the best around. Period.
I’ve eaten as so many great places where the food is top notch, but typically the service doesn’t leave as much of a last impression. At The Bancroft, the food was outstanding, and so was the service.
Our waiter Bob not only was friendly, helpful, accommodating, and attentive, but he genuinely seemed pleased to be serving us. I was set on ordering something else on the menu, but my curiosity about why the Steak Au Piovre was the only thing in the menu in a different color font (turns out that do it wine instead of cognac — and it’s the chef’s favorite dish) led me to ask about it. His own personal enjoyment of a dish came through so well in his recommendation that I actually ordered instead, and I’m glad I did. Literally an above and beyond experience — the only thing they didn’t do for me was actually put the food into my mouth.
The Bancroft also sports one of the largest and most interesting cocktail menu. The Painkiller was a delicious cousin of the Pina Colada with some added Orange, served in a Hawaiian glass. My wife enjoyed her Blood Orange Sangria, and I was happy to see that when I asked for a glass of Bourbon on the rocks that I was instead offered a «king’s cube» instead of traditional rocks.
It was very difficult to choose starters or even a salad as everything on the menu caught my eye. Unfortunately, I know I have eyes bigger than my stomach so I forced myself to settle on the Baked Clams with bacon crumb and the Wild Arugula and Treviso salad with Balsamic and Fried Goat Cheese. It was the goat cheese that sold me on the salad and it was so much better than my tastebuds had anticipated. Lightly crisp on the outside and warm, creamy, tangy, and salty on the inside. They also have a raw bar, and I was definitely tempted to order the Shrimp Cocktail.
For entrée I did end up with the Steak Au Piovre as recommended, which arrived perfectly medium-​rare as I had requested. The red wine reduction was delicious and slightly acidic and refreshing while the bone marrow it’s served with was buttery, brothy, and savory. Sides are a la carte, so I decided to get the bag of French fries to try the house made ketchup and fried Rosemary.
To end, we had a made-​to-​order chocolate cake with a warm espresso cream center, served with vanilla gelato. But truly you couldn’t go wrong with anything on the dessert menu…
Or really the entire menu for that matter. There wasn’t a single item that didn’t sound delicious, or if it didn’t immediately strike my own palette at a glance, it was at least interesting enough that I’d gladly give it a try. This goes for everything from cocktails, to entrees and everything in between.
I also found the décor to be a mismatched mix of rustic and modern that just somehow worked perfectly to create a setting and atmosphere that could fit any occasion or mood — romantic, business, or trendy.
I’ll say it again, The Bancroft might be unrivaled when you measure the full dining experience. Makes me rethink all of my other five star reviews.

Gosh! I really want to give the Bancroft an outstanding 5 star-​review but I just can’t…
This suburban steakhouse is just right off the highway down from the Burlington Mall. Go shopping, check out a movie, and then top off the night here with some amazing food. The Bancroft is located in a little plaza so there is plenty of parking; complimentary valet is also available.
Came here for a small graduation party of around 20. They have a private area upstairs that overlooks the restaurant. Though it’s not enclosed and quiet, I thought it was a nice space to dine and you can still hear everyone talk.
Moving on! Let’s get to the food
Starters:
–Fried Whole-​Belly Clams: These small to mid-​sized clams were coated nicely in a light, crisp batter. They were filled with flavor. Quality seafood
–Sauteed Nantucket Sea Scallops: Wow, this dish was amazing. The scallops were sweet, nice, and tender. The sweet parsnip purée went really well with it.
–Raw Oysters: Not sure where these are from but boy were they good! Loved how they used fresh wasabi in addition to the horseradish
Sides:
–Fries– How can you go wrong with fries? If you bred the old BK fries with McDonald’s this is what would come out. Felt like they tried to get fancy with their own ketchup though. I think regular ketchup would’ve been better.
–Asparagus– That truffle butter though! Crisp and cooked to perfection.
–Creamed Spinach– If you put a fried egg on anything, it’d taste good, right? Never seen this combination before but it was the real deal.
–Sauteed Mushrooms– They definitely put crack in this, so bomb.
DISAPPOINTING Entrée
–28 Day Prime Aged Rib Eye: Although the texture was there, this may have been the blandest steak I’ve ever had. For being a steak house, I expected a lot more in this steak. If I didn’t get the steak sauce, I would’ve hated this.
If only this steak was better, I would’ve given the Bancroft and easy 5 stars

Can you fall in love with a place over a single salad? I did. Who are you to question love?
The Lobster Cobb is plated precisely, and incorporates a balance of perfectly executed components that prove themselves a chorus in every bite. Two claws worth of fresh NE lobster, poached tender and drizzled with a house green goddess, beside costars atop chopped and dressed greens. The thick rashers of quality bacon. The wonderfully soft boiled egg. The ripe, lush avocado.
Yes, it’s $ 21 — The Bancroft gives every nod to a find dining experience, from the ambiance, extensive wine cellar (or at least a very influential view) and impeccable service — but it truly eats like a entrée, and the rich, herbal and textured amalgamation won’t have you questioning the price tag.
My only suggestion would be a lighter application of chives. Radishes bring the peppery crunch, as do the sparse but effective red onions. It’s already and floral, herb-​forward dish — those green onions could be cut back.
My midday requirements steered me away from their exceedingly intriguing cocktail menu. Looks like an evening return is in the works.