COOK

Just finished up an excellent brunch at COOK. Eggs Benedict, southwestern omelette, cocktails, mimosas, homefries, mixed green salads… all executed exceptionally!
I’ve been here a handful of times and I really like the way they offer up high quality food and drinks in a casual setting. The menu options are interesting and the prices are fair.
Make reservations if you want a table because they book fast, but you can usually grab a seat at the bar or counter.

Great food. Great staff. Many dishes are pricey for what you get. Others worth every penny:-). Nice selection of cocktails. I personally could do without the three widescreen TVs in such a small space, but during a game I guess it’s nice if you love sports.

Meh. Nothing we ordered achieved the level of «delicious.» 3.5 stars overall, minus 0.5 for the price (too high for the mediocre quality).

Where do I begin? I went to eat at COOK last night for the first time and I’m still daydreaming about everything I ate, trying to think of an excuse to drive the hour plus drive back to Newton to experience this magic again. OK, so, a group of us had to be in Watertown last night to try on bridesmaid dresses. About a week ago I started to look up some places nearby where we could go to eat (and have much needed drinks after trying on 8 million dresses). COOK came highly recommended by you, my fellow wonderful Unilocalers. Thank you, you lovely people. I made a reservation for the 6 of us, which was highly recommended because this place gets packed! Even on a weeknight. Do you know why you need a reservation on a weeknight? Well, probably for many reasons, but the best reason I can think of is CARAMEL. BACON. POPCORN. You guys… Did you read that? Do you understand how much this changes my life? I don’t think you do until you taste it. I can’t even find words to describe how amazing this is, but I’ll try. First, I don’t even like your typical popcorn factory type caramel popcorn. It’s just kind of meh. This is a whole other level so forget about your regular popcorn. The cooks at Cook are not regular, ok? They’re magicians. The popcorn is sweet and spicy and crunchy and salty and then you get a big chunk of bacon, that is also coated in this deliciousness. We loved it so much that all 6 of us got an order to take home. I ate this stuff for breakfast this morning. This is serious. Just go eat the popcorn. Contrary to what you may think after reading my love letter to the popcorn, we did partake in some other things, too. Truffle fries — on point. Chips and dips — delish! (Homemade Cajun corn chips with excellent guac and salsa that wasn’t saucy but more like pica de gallo. So good.) Most of us got drinks too. I got the Fair Weather Fling: Bombay Sapphire gin, St. Germain, lime, grapefruit, and prosecco. It was delicious. A few got the Black Key Mojito, which was also very tasty and had fresh muddled blackberries. And one got something I don’t see on the menu so maybe a special? It was a margarita that had some spice in it. It was so tasty and not too spicy at all. After stuffing myself with apps and my drink, I didn’t want a full meal so I ordered two shrimp tacos from the appetizer list. Perfect choice. The tacos are small but perfect to pair with apps or a salad. The tacos were fantastic. Shrimp was fried in a yummy batter but wasn’t heavy at all; it made for a great light meal. There was a drizzle of aji crema– a spicy creamy sauce. But I liked that it wasn’t drenched… It was a small amount that added the perfect kick. There was also avocado and red onion on the tacos. I also got to try a bite of my sister’s mushroom flatbread which was really good! Everyone was happy with everything they ate. Everything was seriously perfect. I need to go back as soon as possible.

To be honest, I came here one weekend because I wanted to try a new brunch place and it had good Unilocal reviews. I don’t live in the area, but I figured, based on what others had said, it might be worth the trip. Parking was easy near the restaurant, so I was happy to try something new.
On first impressions, this place is great. It is a large open room with industrial accents. We walked in just before a brunch rush came, so we were promptly seated. I can image that on most weekends though, this place gets pretty busy.
We sat down, ordered, coffee, and looked over the menu. The coffee was great. We were a little underwhelmed with the options of the menu, but eventually we decided on our entrees. I had the smoked salmon benedict. It was perfect. The hollandaise was delicious and the potatoes were outstanding. I could eat those home fries with every meal – perfectly crispy without being too dry. My friend had the chorizo flatbread though, and we were a little disappointed. The flavors were flat, and it was lacking in some flavor. It was a little bit dry… maybe even overcooked.
Overall, this place was a fun place to try, but I don’t know that I would recommend traveling from another area of Boston to check it out. My meal was great, but my friend’s was not so good – overall, an average of three stars.

It was just okay. Nothing too impressive on the menu, and absurdly over-​priced. Went for lunch and the boyfriend got a burger and 1 Corona in a bottle, and I got a draft beer and a $ 5 shrimp taco from the appetizer menu. Somehow the bill was still just under $ 40. So many other great places in the area, I would rather pass next time.

What a gem, I’m so impressed. Found this place on Unilocal,and it steered me correctly again :) We got the house made soda, caramel bacon popcorn, spinach falafel, kale salad with steak… Everything was amazing. Can’t wait to be back to try more. Love the décor, and the waitress Nyeri and bartender Jesse were awesome. Best mojito!

I went here for dinner on a Sunday, and was given the option to wait for an hour or sit at the bar, so I’d recommend making a reservation even if you don’t think you’ll need one. But they do full menu service at the bar, so that’s nice. Good beer selection if you like craft beer. I wish there were a few more entrée options, but the food was really good.
The kale salad here is amazing– it’s the same as at Tryst, and is so great. Very lemony and fresh. Even if you don’t usually like kale, you will probably like this salad. I ordered the salmon for dinner, which came with squash and bok choy, and all of it was well cooked and delicious. The bourbon caramel oatmeal cookie sundae was also really good, though I wish it had been warm, since it’s served in a skillet.
Overall, service was quick and good and the food was delicious. I’d definitely recommend Cook, and I hope to go back and try brunch or a flatbread.

Went to COOK. for the first time a few weeks ago with the Hubby. We initially wanted to try something new, and had saw this place on Unilocal,so we decided to try it out.
It is a cozy little restaurant with a modern vibe. I ordered a white sangria and Hubby got a pumpkin beer. The sangria was gigantic! It was refreshing and delicious. We shared 3 plates: The NFC which is the ultimate comfort food — fried chicken, gravy and biscuit. The house made cheese raviolis which were served with a delicious aioli. We also got the truffle fries which I loved.
It was about 9pm on a Friday night so the place was a bit busy. Our waitress was wonderful and friendly. We enjoyed our food and drinks and will definitely be back!

I can here for a Sunday brunch with a friend, I live very close to Cook and thought I would give it a try. Got in with no issue, as other places were packed so we can here. We were seated very quickly at a high top, but we didn’t request it. The reason I bring this up is that it took forever for someone to come and serve on us. At the end it was the bartender, as that was his section. If we sat at the bar section ourselves I wouldn’t be complaining, but the hostess sat us and didn’t mention anything.
We ordered 2 Bloody Mary’s, they were great! They use a habanero infused vodka, which has a nice kick to it. No shrimp or bacon in it, a basic Mary, but the extra kick is nice.
We both ordered the mushroom omelet, which sounds boring, but the flavors are to die for. The omelet is a very large portion stuffed with mushrooms, spinach, caramelized onions and gruyère cheese. The cheese bring this omelet to another level. The dish also comes with potatoes and a small mixed green salad. I’ve never seen a salad with an omelet before, but I like it. On the side we ordered bacon and fruit, both at extra cost. A good dish of mixed fruit, and the bacon was cooked well, but nothing special.
No the bad parts. I ordered a double espresso, when I got it and took a sip the cup was full of coffee grinds, disgusting! I asked for a new one, and the women next to us said the same thing happened to her, how do you mess up coffee, especially during brunch! When we got the bill I was shocked, twice. First the espresso was still on the bill, not cool. But second and most importantly the bill was $ 71! We had breakfast and 2 drinks, $ 71 is crazy.
The flavors are good, service needs improvement and the menu needs a sharpened pencil to adjust the price.

I’ve been on a real COOK kick lately. The food and service is always fabulous. I do recommend making a reservation since it can get a bit crowded on a Friday or Saturday night but there always seems to be space at the bar if you don’t have one.
I’m on a personal mission to try each one of their flatbreads (the Seared Tuna is my favorite so far) so I haven’t ventured too much into the Entrees section. Although my boyfriend claims the bolognese is one of his favorites. The fried calamari is always my go-​to starter. It’s just too good not to get every time.
I wish they had a better wine list (hence the 4 stars) but their cocktails are pretty yummy and the beer list is excellent and seems to change seasonally.

Second time I’ve been there and really love this place!
Favorites: Shrimp tacos, fries (regular), kale salad and oatmeal and ice cream dessert, drinks
Pass on the Lobster slider, wasn’t very flavorful. Tear. The flat iron steak and polenta is really great, Husby has ordered this twice. Seriously, the oatmeal cookie dessert is amazing! It comes out all warm, crispy and chewy with a scoop of ice cream. I was dreaming about it after my initial visit. Kale salad is surprisingly tasty, tried it after reading all the reviews and it’s no lie! Even if you’re not a huge veggie person, TRY it, you will be converted.
Great kids menu! And love the crayons & holder they give to the kiddos.
Parking can be issue depending on time of day. Don’t forget there’s more metered parking spots on the other side of the light.
Make reservations, this place is small so you need them!

COOK is not far from the Airbnb place we’re staying at, so we figured we would give it a go.
I had the charred broccoli and popcorn (2 separate appetizers). What a great mix of flavour and bold tastes throughout!
The charred broccoli had a great combination of tang and garlic with a hint of the grill char. Definitely a great dish.
The popcorn is on another level. It’s mixed with bacon, caramel, and salt. Easily one of the best popcorn dishes I’ve ever had!
Heck, we may even be going back before we leave Boston. :)

Checked out COOK with my friends and the inside had a very modern feel to it with a rustic touch. We didn’t have to wait long for a table, but it does seem to get pretty packed during the evenings so make sure you buffer some time in case there is a wait.
Our service there was below average; our waitress didn’t seem very enthusiastic about her work so it kind of made the evening less enjoyable. She was not very friendly and did not put any effort in when serving us; in fact, eventually it appeared that she told a coworker to take over the tables that she was responsible for. I highly value service and did not find our waitress to be very welcoming or professional. However, to be fair, the other waiters and waitresses at COOK seemed a lot more friendly so I can’t generalize COOK’s service based on just one individual.
Food was slightly above average — nothing very unique about their dishes, but the quality and quantity were pretty reasonable for the price. I ordered the chicken Cobb salad with balsamic vinaigrette and the ingredients were fresh and delicious, but overall, it just tasted like something I’ve had before elsewhere. So although the salad was good, I was not very impressed since there was nothing that really set it apart from other Cobb salads I’ve had.
I’d give our service a 2 – 2.5 and the food a 3.5. Overall, it was a good experience, but I really really just wish our service was better during our dinner.

It’s about time I tried this place. Been meaning to come here for months. HOLY DELICIOUS!
We started with the sweet and spicy peanuts which was a HUGE portion for 5 bucks. Needless to say we ate them all. Very good bar snack.
My friend got the Kale Salad and shrimp taco. The Kale salad, per everyone’s reviews was the best I have ever had. Better than Joe’s which I know I write about often. Not super big so I would not just order that as your meal but very good. The dressing was homemade and used a very high end vinegar. YUM!
The fish taco was good but a little too fried for my taste. Again, good value in my opinion.
I had the Cobb salad which was also smaller than I had hoped for. I was still hungry at the end of it. Very fresh and good. Another different homemade dressing that was so delicious you didn’t really need too much of it.
Bartenders were both super nice and patient with our indecisiveness. Also friendly and helpful letting my friend sample a few wines. Get here before 6pm if you want a seat at the bar. Even on a Tuesday, it fills up fast!!!
Can’t wait to go back!

Wow. The food and service here are excellent. We reserved a table for 14 people for Sunday brunch. By the time we left the place was packed and there was a wait. The restaurant itself looks pretty trendy.
Get the country biscuits and gravy. This is an elevated version, with smooth sausage and mushroom gravy served over two soft, buttery biscuits, and topped with two eggs and asparagus. It’s one of the best breakfast plates I’ve ever had.
You also can’t go wrong with the peach cobbler french toast or the blueberry ricotta pancakes. They are very generous with their sides of bacon as well. Portions are filling, and everything is cooked and presented beautifully. Service was very attentive and helpful. If I lived near here, I’d be here every weekend… maybe every day.

Probably a bad idea to come here on a Sunday for brunch with no reservation. Pretty much impossible for us to get a seat unless we did bar seating. We had to wait awhile for bar seating, and when an area with 4 had opened up (we had 5), we were hoping we would be able to squeeze another chair in. But unfortunately they wouldn’t allow us to. Makes sense, it blocks walkways.
Food: pretty good. I got the veggie eggs Benedict and other people had gotten steak and eggs, the salmon eggs Benedict, and an omelet. All yummy. The veggie eggs Benedict has a great tomato holland wise which was intriguing and delicious. The home fries were perfectly crispy.
Service was quick. Place is small though so you kind of feel like you’re in the way whether you’re sitting and eating or standing to wait for a table. I would be interested in trying their food for lunch or dinner. We had sat on the bar side facing the pizza oven and they were making homemade tortilla chips that looked awesome.

I’m sticking with my 4.5 stars stance, but I’ve bumped it from 4 stars to 5 because it’s the proper rating if I have to pick between the two. This place is nearly perfect, and since I started coming here a year ago it’s gotten better. I just feel it’s right on the edge of perfection but not all the way there. Perhaps I’m being too nit-​picky here… but truly, this place is incredible.
I’ve got my usuals here — NFC is still as delicious as ever. It’s admittedly the homemade biscuit and gravy that makes it amazing. The other day I got their crispy pork belly appetizer which was done perfectly! Truly crispy on the outside and moist on the inside… letting the pork melt on my tongue. and the smoked cheddar pupusa (a Salvadoran take on an arepa tortilla) was downright delicious. I wish that came as a dinner-​sized portion!!!

My girlfriend and I were attending another Paint Bar event but this time we were going to Newton to paint! We went right from work and planned on getting a bite to eat beforehand. We did not really know where we were going to eat but we just parked and walked up and down the street until we stumbled about this place to eat. It looked pretty slow inside which made us think it would be good because we only had 45 minutes to find a place to eat before the Paint Bar started.
When we walked in, I fell in love with the whole place — The colors, the tables, the lighting and decorations. The vibe was incredible! Everyone who worked there was SUPER welcoming! They sat us right away and brought waters to our table. Our waiter came over introduced himself and asked if we have been to Cook before and since we haven’t, he explained the menu to us and also gave us a little history about when Cook opened up.
I highly recommend starting off with the Truffle Fries!!! They were so delicious and when you dip it in the aioli sauce, it makes it taste that much better! It is a big bowl of fries for the small price! Following that, we shared the Wild Mushroom Flatbread, and yet again, it was OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! Another HIGHLY suggested menu item to order and to taste for yourself!

Small menu, but it’s clear they focus on perfecting a few dishes.
Flatbreads are awesome. Pot roast was superb as well. Tried a lobster slider, which was just ok. Meatball appetizer was ok as well. Truffle fries looked delicious but we didn’t get them. Next time!
Parking in metered spots across the street. Make a reservation.