Pros: Gorgeous views, great chowder, nice washrooms, took our time and we were not rushed. Cons: Oysters poorly shucked, very tightly packed on patio. Verdict: Would recommend.
(4)
Kymberly G.
Cant really complain about the food itself. It was acceptable, but nothing to really rave about. They do have a pretty good Healthy Harbor Protein Shake that I could have. But everything we had was pretty much run-of-the-mill with somewhat bland flavors and not a lot into the presentation. Service was also nothing to really complain about... just fine, but nothing over the top or special. It was pretty annoying for them to tell us it would be a 20 minute wait when the majority of the tables were empty and they had waitstaff just standing around. The hostess was less than welcoming on each of our visits to the place, too. Sad really, since we were guests at the hotel and the rest of the place was overboard in friendly and fast service. My thoughts are that we wouldnt go out of our way to eat here if we were not staying at the hotel and it wasnt so convenient (especially with comped meals from our concierge). The movie on the dock they do on Friday nights is kind of fun, but get there by mid afternoon if you expect to get a seat outside to view the movie from.
(3)
Lucy W.
Another great upscale place for a pit stop. I stopped in here for a warm beverage and dessert during my stroll along the waterfront. I enjoyed the fragrant peppermint tea and carrot cake. The ambiance is similar to what I would think an upscale yacht club would be, right down to the hotel or business lunch clientele in navy jackets that were dining during my stop. The view of Boston Harbor is beautiful. The lobby and common areas of the hotel feature a lot of old maps from the 1700s and 1800s...you definitely need to check them out.
Too bad that Sea Grill is on a downward trajectory. 5-stars are long gone. 1. Two orders of oysters weren't what we were told we would get - Katama- no thanks - who advertise Katama or any other blue point cannot be an oyster fan - Wellfleets - not what was served - my best guess PEI In any case getting wrongly label food is not acceptable 2. My wine choice was not available. The backup selection was from a different year than listed 3. Bread is plenty full but quality has declined 4. All dishes lost texture. The vegetables that came with my scallops were tasteless. The scallops were okay, but not enough for a higher rating. 5. I skipped dessert but I heard that the shortbread was awful 6. Service has become very fuzzy 7. The $48 bottle of wine showed up at $75 on the bill which is not acceptable (and was corrected after I complained)
(2)
Nick S.
A place you can live without. Does it have ambiance....of course, on the water at what you'd think is a good hotel. Server was very nice and there ends my positives. Getting a table on the patio is a shell game they play with very little finesse. There is a matter of fact attitude of "this is my area" and even if empty you can't get in. Funny thing is if you call for q reservation they won't take one for the patio....but when you get there, and it's empty , you still can't sit there. Go figure. Nice atmosphere, average food IMO, but even if it was great, I hated their attitude and policy enough to never go there again. They HAVE to know this...they choose to operate like this IMO.
(3)
Samantha L.
Though definitely not a cheap or casual meal, this was a great spot to spend a thoughtful and leisurely outing with friends and their newborn where this would be the only event of the afternoon. It was the first week of April, so the outside seating had not yet begun, however the window views of the harbor were still pretty remarkable from indoors. The menu was seafood heavy and, as mentioned, on the pricey side, but also very delicious and fresh, and the service was excellent. I had the Maine lobster salad on a Challah roll, and it was delicious. The haddock sandwich got rave reviews from my fellow diner, as did the calamari. If only they validated parking...
(4)
Ryan W.
Up until the last 2-3 years if you asked me where to get some good seafood in Boston my list would have been fairly short. Now there are quite a few more solid options out there (Row 34, Island Creek, Ostra and the various new Legal's). Rowes Wharf Sea Grille isn't the best seafood restaurant in Boston and it's not on the cutting edge of culinary trends BUT it is most definitely a place I would recommend to someone who is looking for a classic Boston seafood experience. OH and you won't have to make a reservation a month in advance to get a table here on a Saturday night. The ambiance and decor of the Sea Grille echoes that of the Boston Harbor Hotel, old world charm (blue blood Brahmin white people on yachts). The service from the time you are greeted at the host stand until you get the check is 100% professional and proficient. Our waiter was great with recommendations and was able to accommodate a few special requests. The wine list is very well put together and there are plenty of good/unique options by the glass. Our waiter let us try a few different wines before we committed which was nice. All of their drinks are $1-2 more than they would be in normal restaurants. It's $6 for a Budweiser (the King of Beers) and $7-8 for all other beers. The cocktails are $13-15, which I wouldn't mind paying if I was sitting on the patio and it was 75 degrees and sunny, but I wouldn't want to pay that if I was hanging out at the bar with Todd and Muffy. The food is very good, but not the best. My wife and I have eaten here twice and I enjoyed my food both times but she was kind of whatever about her food. I've had the halibut entree (as opposed to simply grilled) and the salmon entree. I highly recommend the salmon entree which came in a red sauce with Portuguese chorizo and white beans. My wife has the crab topped haddock and and the simply grilled tuna with double vegetables. Both of her dishes were executed well, but she didn't really enjoy either of them. When we left here we felt satisfied, but not full like we had just stuffed our faces, which is a result of their food being fairly healthy and light. If you only have a few glasses of wine and one appetizer to share, it is possible to eat here for less than $100 before tip. Enjoy!
(4)
Ashley M.
Ambiance is really nice. We went on a Friday night while they were setting up for the free movie night. Food was fine-overpriced for what was served. Paying for the view. May have been a better lunch choice. Parking garages were very expensive around the area as well.
(3)
Shannon B.
Extremely slow service (got there at 8pm, didn't get bill until 10:30) and only mediocre food. Aside from dessert, that was very good. The ambiance is nice and the wait staff, while slow and inattentive, were all very friendly but that does not justify the high prices on food. I would not recommend this restaurant.
(2)
Amica M.
We popped in while walking the Harborwalk. It was past lunch, but we were on a mission for lobster rolls. The young hostess was very gracious and checked with the kitchen about whether it would be possible to get a lobster roll. They said okay. We really enjoyed the lobster roll, which was abundant and delicious. There were lots of fries, which we didn't need. And dressed watercress with local tomatoes. The waitperson was also very gracious. It was pretty pricey, but when the food and service live up to it, then it is worth it to me.
(4)
Eric M.
Rowes Wharf Sea Grille is "OK". There is really no other way for me to describe it. The service was very nice, so that's a good place to start. The food was very average. We ordered the tuna tartar as an appetizer and there was almost as much avocado as there was tuna. It tasted good once we separated the fish and the avocado. The ceviche was equally average, it wasn't bad tasting but there was nothing overly appealing about it. The radishes did not go well with the rest of the flavors. Both of the entrees were decent, no complaints just average preparation and quality; we ordered the salmon and the halibut. Everything was more expensive than it needed to be but that is likely because it is inside a hotel. This included the wine which was below average on quality and above average on price. Glasses cost $10-15 and the wines on the menu cost about that for a bottle in the liquor store...which is significantly more than the usual markup at a restaurant.
(3)
J B.
Unfortunately, like most places with an amazing view - that's what you are paying for, not the quality of food. I had their sirloin, which came out as steak tips on a skewer; not what I was expecting. Everything on the plate was extraordinarily bland - its called salt and pepper folks; please use it. My friends had the same comments of their fish dishes. Our server was very pleasant, and attentive. The wine list was short, but reasonable. I would come back for the live band and outdoor seating again, but I'd only nosh on some fries, and eat elsewhere afterwards.
(2)
Be B.
Over charged my credit card for the reason of "this how it is nowadays." I paid for the foods and the tips of 19%. When I go home I realized my credit card is being charged $17 dollars more than what I wanted to paid with tips. So I called the manerger. His explaination is " this is how it is when you put this on your credit card we charge you 25% more in advance for every customers. You're not. The only one. We usually credit back to you afterward." Oh really. What wouldn't you feed me 25% of foods in advanced and at the end I return them back to you if it's unnecessary? I'll definitely seek for other places for more of a fair trade.
(1)
Emily U.
Excellent food, great service, and the perfect ambiance. We really enjoyed our meal here. It was a bit on the pricey side, but reasonable for the quality of the food. However, it was certainly not worth the extra $40 for parking. I would give this restaurant 5 stars if they validated parking for lunch. Assuming that they would, we parked in the hotel parking garage, which has to have some of the highest rates in the city ($38 for 1 hour and 20 minutes). We inquired about validating when we were getting ready to leave to find that they only validate for dinner. We had only parked downstairs to give this restaurant business and left once our meal was finished. Please consider validating for customers in the future.
(4)
Harry A.
A classic seafood restaurant. We ordered 3 different things and they all were delicious. The service was great as was the cocktails. We especially liked that it was quiet enough for conversation. The decor was old seaport and we had a view of the harbor.
(5)
Matthew B.
I hate being a Debby Downer on meal reviews, but this place is the pits. Starting on a good note: Unlike other reviewers, we had wonderful service. It's just the food they delivered didn't do the trick. The nutshell of my group's experience: * Scallops were overcooked (took a thorough knife cut to get in there) * The rice was undercooked (how do you mess up rice?) * The duck was dry and slightly overcooked (1/4 slices were good) * All cocktails ordered were disappointing at best * It's so loud in there, even when reasonably empty, that having more than 4 people at the table ensures you can't have a decent conversation with everyone One more positive note: the mussels appetizer was tasty. Now back to the reality of it -- if you're charging top-shelf prices, you better have a top-shelf meal. Rowes didn't come close. There are too many incredible restaurants in this city to go here. Especially at this price range.
(2)
Geri V.
The sisters and I went for tea time.. Not what we expected for "tea time" or shall I say what we weren't accustomed to for tea time. The food was mediocre.. Can't even remember what was the best thing I ate... The place was noisy... There's a bar and people were actually yelling and cheering while watching a sports game.. I'm all for it BUT not while people are suppose to have a nice low key ambience for tea! The 2 stars is because we each got to have our own tea pot... Yea not all places do that.. My green tea was kinda gross.. Had a cup and that was about it.. Nothing else to brag about.
(2)
Stacy G.
We went here for dessert and a few drinks after dinner. We had the hot chocolate cake which was really good and came with delicious ice cream. We also had 2 glasses of wine which came recommended from our server Adrian. He was extremely knowledgeable and told us about wine pairings they do. There's also a great view. We'll definitely be back!
(5)
Ralph V.
I have dined in many restaurants in the Greater Boston area but rarely write a review of my experience. I am compelled to tell all of the superb service my wife and I received this weekend from Susan V. She was attentive, charming and had many excellent suggestions which we enjoyed thoroughly! I expect good service from a fine establishment such as yours but the genuine, sincere hospitality Susan demonstrates must be recognized. Please let her know how much I appreciated her service and we will be back. Kind regards, Ralph Vitiello
(5)
Fateh S.
Great restaurant by the harbor. Best to get a table outside if the weather is good. Service is good both inside and outside. Personally love to eat outside. Make sure to have reservations as the restaurant fills up quickly.
(5)
Vivian C.
Looks like the prices for the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille afternoon tea has gone up since the mid 2011's Yelps of basic tea $18.50, and The Harbor Tea $26 with a glass of prosecco. According to their website the basic tea is now called The Harbor Tea $24.00 for a small pot of tea and the Delights selection, while the Champagne Tea $32.00 is their basic tea started off with a celebratory glass of Piper Heidsieck Champagne, and freshly cut strawberries with Devonshire cream. That's a $5.50 (30%) increase over a 9 month period (since June/July 2011) for their basic tea selection. From their website: Start off your journey of Afternoon Tea with two selections of warmed scones; Macadamia Currant and Lemon Poppy Seed. Pick from various pastry breads served with Clotted Devonshire Cream, Fresh Berries and Cookies. Next, savor our assortment of finger sandwiches featuring Maple Smoked Salmon and Melted Fennel Cream, Maine Lobster and Lemon Salad, Griddled Vermont Cheddar and Spinach Triangle, and Egg Salad Duet. To finish your tea, indulge in our compilation of enticing French Pastries. Including; Chocolate Boston Cream Profiteroles and Assorted Fruit Tartlettes. The actual menu was pretty much the same as advertised with the exception of an egg mousse sandwich in place of the egg salad duet, and the fruit tartlettes being MIA. The scones course was individually plated with a generous scoop of clotted cream, with the sweets and sandwiches served in tiered towers of 3 plates. The scones were each a good sized biscuit, but I ate them all slathered with strawberry jam and the generous scoop of clotted cream cause I was hungry, having skipped lunch in interest of afternoon tea. While portions were each individually small, altogether it was quite a lot of food (2 scones, 8 sweets, 4 savories). None of us finished our portion, but that was fine since we could ask for plastic take-out containers to take home any remnants. The tea service began at 2:30pm, which was about when they were willing to begin seating us. For our rather large party, we were charged $31 flat apiece, inclusive of taxes and tip, and asked to confirm the number of seats several days in advance. Service was a little slow to start, which also explained the utter decimation of my pair of scones. The tea followed a bit later in individual pots after our choices of tea had time to steep. Give yourself 2.5 hours plus to just enjoy this interlude from life with your friends. Everything tasted pretty good, with personal favorites being the raspberry mousse, all three sandwiches, and the cheesecake. Even the carrot cake was good, being rather moist and tasty below the creamy frosting. Yes, a rather nice break from normal life. But too bad the prices have jumped so significantly over such a short period of time. They used to be the best value for afternoon tea in the area, but it would take some investigating to see if they still deserve that title. For local tea options with both sweet & savory: The Inn at Harvard Square $19.95 Dorset Cafe of Wellesley $20.50 The Courtyard Restaurant at the BPL $22.50 The Tea Leaf of Waltham $23 according to Groupon MFA Elegant Tea $25 (plus price of MFA Admission) mfa.org/programs/special… Rowes Wharf Sea Grille $24 Upstairs at the Square $28 Langham Hotel $30 Concord's Colonial Inn $30 Four Seasons $32 M Bar & Lounge (or is it the lobby?) at The Mandarin Oriental $35 L'Espalier at The Mandarin Oriental $36 Taj Boston $35 Special Teas of Northborough $16 11/2012 - A deal for $49 - Decadent Afternoon Tea for 2 at Rowes Wharf, Reg. $78 caught my eye... but not the "Great deal!" sort of catch my eye, but more like the "Wait, how much did it cost me?" type. I checked out my review and yes, the normal price was $24 just earlier this year. I then checked out the restaurant's site and saw that The Harvest Tea was now $39.00, Available through Nov 29. Okay, note to self - avoid afternoon tea here during the holidays. 5/2013 - Another deal for $49 ($78 value) for afternoon tea for two popped up, so I checked out their current price at roweswharfseagrille.com/… So, the new regular price for their Afternoon Harbor Tea is now $39. A $15 increase - wowzers! (as a point of reference, TAJ Boston now offers tea for $42 according to their online menu - tajhotels.com/Luxury/Cit… , a $7 increase since I checked the first time) 11/2013 - A new local afternoon tea option is the "Tiffin at The Langham" afternoon tea served daily from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. for $30 (or $45 for the addition of a Maine lobster salad Mary Rose and a Glass of Moët & Chandon or Roeder Estate rose), while sadly Upstairs on the Square will be bid a fond adieu at the end of this year. There's also the Battery Lounge, located in the hotel lobby of the Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel, where it is $39pp from 2-4:30pm. 9/2014 - Susu in Wellesley $29
(3)
Tim S.
I went for dinner on 8/18/14. Everything was very good, food, service and drinks. It just that $350 for two people with good wine it was not special enough. It's definitely a fancy lunch place with a view. I prefer a darker, cozier environment for special occasions.
(3)
Victoria S.
I went here for restaurant week with a friend, and I was expecting better since there were fairly good review. First of all, I wasn't aware this place was in a hotel. It's pretty small place with annoying flicking fake candles. As for the food, I ordered the Maine Lobster Bisque, Grilled Prime Filet Mignon, and the Dark Chocolate Pave. The bisque was terrible. It was a nasty mixture of oily water, with one small shrimp dumpling. I would expect to have at least a few more, or why bother putting it in the bisque. The filet was good quality beef. Pretty surprising because this is seafood place. The potato cake was a bit weird, I would have preferred mashed potatoes instead. The dark chocolate was decent, but not the best. The peppermint ice cream didn't have much of a peppermint taste and soon became washed out by the chocolate taste. The service was good, we always had our water glasses filled when necessary. There wasn't much waiting time between our dishes. I feel like the place was overstaffed because there was many servers just standing by the kitchen door watching us eat.
(2)
Jingyao Z.
The table was graced with pink petals when we arrived there. The view of Harber made a day special. The passion fruit flavor tea was good for girls although I like white and black tea usually. Great service and great afternoon tea worthy trying.
(5)
Fred M.
Had a very enjoyable lunch with a delicious chowder and beautifully prepared fresh salmon. Very nice setting, nice harbor view, terrific service. Pricey but not considering the location and setting.
(4)
Mengchen D.
I had a great afternoon with my friend in here. Good for service and the beautiful view of the harbor. But the food was a little disappointed. All desserts in the bottom were too sweet. I thought the afternoon tea is overprice( $49 for each including tips and tax)
(3)
Meghan M.
Some of the worst service I've experienced in a long while, made worse by the fact that the service at the hotel is phenomenal. We arrived around 3 wanting to grab a drink and a snack. We were seated right away at a table by the window with a lovely view. I ordered a glass of prosecco, which was a lovely, generous pour. That was where "lovely" ended. There was food caked to the glass brought out with my significant other's beer. When he apologetically asked for a new glass, the server brought back the same glass, just rinsed off. We had perused the menus and did not see our server again for over 20 minutes. When he came back, probably close to a half hour later, he removed the menus and walked away without a word. So odd. We then had to ask another waiter for the check after sitting there for another 20 minutes, with empty glasses. Ridiculous. The hotel should try to figure out how to staff this place up with a better grade of servers...unfortunately, it taints the perfection of the hotel.
(1)
Elena E.
Went on a Friday night for the outdoor movie. We were a party of 3 and arrived at 6:15. The movies start around 8:30pm but if you want to be guaranteed a table it's best to get there before 6:30pm as most people eat dinner and then stay for the movie. We got a great seat with a perfect view of the screen. The waitress was fine with us taking our time to space out the courses since we were going to be there for so long. She was extremely nice about letting us sample some of the wines from the wine list until we found one we liked. And she was also accommodating about making substitutions on the menu. Overall the food was fine but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. It was a nice setting for dinner and the movie but food itself wasn't anything special. Mixed drinks were very very expensive glasses of juice so I'd suggest sticking to wine/beer. Also, they don't bring the bread basket unless you know to ask for it. The corn bread was great so definitely ask!
(3)
Manas K.
What makes a restraunt good and memorable is not only the food but also the Service. This restraunt was great in both. Good food and very knowledgeable & personable staff. We were catching up with old friends someone recommended this place for the exceptional harbor view and I am so glad we finished our day in this place. Not only the view was amazing but what made our experience amazing was the food and the people. Susan ( our wait staff) & Angad ( Manager on duty) were exceptional in their service. Susan was attentive and had excellent suggestions, thank you Susan for recommending the scallops and baby lamb chops they were amazing. Not knowing much about wines we asked the manager Angad to help us pair our Lobsters with Wine. He made sure we sample some wines before we liked the one we wanted. Although the restraunt was packed, it never felt they were rushing us . They were always attentive not only to our needs but also for our kids. The courses were spaced appropriately. All of us had a great time. Thank you Susan & Angad . Whenever we will visit Boston, we would definitely go to this restraunt.
(5)
Ruth R.
A Boston treat on a beautiful summer Thursday night dining on the terrace overlooking Boston Harbor and listening to some wonderful jazz from a floating stage . We were 7 friends getting together for a dinner on the waterfront. I will recommend the Sea Grille with some caveats ......best in the summer....best on the terrace...and be ready to pay for it. The Oysters, Lamb, Pasta, Tuna Tartare were excellent as was the Key Lime Pie. The service was excellent. This has been at least a yearly event for us ,,,always a treat during the concert season. I must add that we did like it better and would recommend it with more stars if they would offer more casual and less expensive choices in addition to their full menu!
(3)
Jesse S.
Excellent meal and service tonight. Simce we are in the northeast mama Joyce and I shared Maine lobster - it was delish- for a true New England meal, this place is a MUST!
(5)
Tarah N.
My friend and I used a groupon here yesterday ($35 for $60 worth of food-alcohol excluded). We sat at the bar and made small talk with the bartender before looking at the menu and deciding what we wanted. We privately discussed cost of things and what we wanted. The bartender piped in and mentioned he heard us and our whole discussion. Eavesdropping on your customers is not professional. If he had only done this once it would have been fine but he did it several times. We whispered to each other what we were going to get and he heard that as well! Talk about a lack of privacy! Beware if you sit at the bar...I wouldn't discuss anything that is personal to you as Jeremy the bartender will hear you. Aside from that the food was good but too expensive...but maybe the whole eavesdropping left a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended).
It was my birthday last and I choose this restaurant in spite of some mixed reviews. I was glad I did. The fish - we had the crab topped haddock- was perfectly cooked. The sangria, strawberry short cake and cappuccino were excellent and so was the service. Esteban- I think that was his name - our waiter was wonderful and so were the rest of the very attentive staff. The Boston harbor view was a treat and so was this restaurant. I would go there again.
(4)
lizzie b.
Went here for a delicious meal. It's gorgeous by the harbor! + Mini corn breads before the meal. + Mussels were delicious with buttered toasted bread, tomatoes, and shallots + Delicious grilled salmon with vegetables - It was my BIRTHDAY and I told them, and they didn't bring me even a piece of chocolate or a candle. Way to make me feel special. - Salmon was slightly undercooked. - Bread rolls lackluster. - Table is long and only one person has the view.
(4)
Dawn A.
I have been here twice now. Once was a work event that was beyond awesome. We were seated during the Summer in the City music series with Toni Lynn Washington for blues. It was the perfect summer night. We had a beautiful table overlooking the band. The food was good, the music was awesome and the service was amazing. I had the best (and most expensive) dang chicken sandwich I've had in a long time. The fries weren't impressive and I skipped them after a few bites (one star off for the fries!). The grilled chicken sandwich was very tasty, though. All of the plates at my table looked good. If you are looking for a place to go to really soak in the beauty of Boston dining al fresco, you can't beat this place especially when there is a music event going on. We had a big group of swing dancers near us that looked like they were having so much fun that we wanted to join them. Another occasion, I had the arrancini with vegetables. It was good, but a little bit more sauce on the side would have been appreciated.
(4)
Kelsey C.
This review is only for the afternoon tea. The Fall Harvest is a little feast for the cost of a dozen roses, and the best part is that Rowes even scatters some rose petals on the table, so technically, you save money... The Scones are a classic with clotted cream and jam. The Coffeecake under the scones may look little but they're dense and filling. They're a challenge after those scones, but with such small portions, why not indulge? The bite-sized "Sandwiches" are rife with fresh smoked salmon, a light lobster salad, and other tasty tidbits. End your meal with a festive bite of Cheesecake or a spiced morsel of Pumpkin Pie. The Salted Caramel Profiterole is a gooey little 3-bite wonder that I insist you eat. My only cautionary advice for afternoon tea is to make sure you bring people you like because the leisurely lull of a tea service, also known as slow service, is not one that allows you to make a quick getaway.
(4)
Chuck E.
Right on the water in the seaport. Can be confusing to find the place. But once you're there it's top shelf food and service. Organic steak is the best steak I've ever had, red wine sauce is a must. Bacon wrapped scallops were cooked perfectly. Excellent service.
(5)
Keith H.
Everyone at our table enjoyed our apps and dinner. Halibut and Risotto was really good. Biggest downside was the service....very slow. We had no water and no cocktails on several occasions. Tables arrived after us and got bread served....some on their second round before we got any at our table. We were a table if 6 and got one basket while other tables receiving 3 and 4 baskets. When apps were served, they did not place to the correct person. No biggie once we corrected them. This place was recommend by our local relatives (included in our party). We were expecting so much more but it was kind of a disappointment because of the lack of attention. Too many 'extras' just walking around and not being proactive checking on the tables.
(3)
Demi L.
I recently went for dinner with my boyfriend and we had an amazing experience! Comfortable table for two by the window with a water view. The ambiance was relaxing and the service was great as well. We had the mussels and caprese salad as our appetizers (delicious). For our entrees, I had grilled salmon with seasonal vegetables and rice. My boyfriend had the haddock. We cleaned our plates, it was so good. For desert we ordered the carrot cake- unbelievable. I can't wait to come back here!
(5)
Mindy M.
Been here three times. It's overpriced and just a few steps above mediocre and I'd gladly go back any day for the tables with a view. Makes it all worth it.
(3)
Sarah G.
You know a place is nice when you walk in and they ask for your name for the table even if you aren't staying there and continue using it throughout your entire meal. That is classy status. And for how pricey breakfast is, no wonder they make you feel classy here. They have amazing sailboat paintings on the wall that almost look 3D, and those fancy satin covered chairs with those royalty like arms on them. Yup, you are having breakfast in the Boston Harvard Hotel ha ha The coffee was fine by almost $4 a cup! And their OJ was almost tangerine like which was tasty. But eggs florentine for $15 and for how it tasted didn't quite make my wallet that happy. My brother liked his french toast which came with honestly some of the largest blackberries I have ever seen. They were MASSIVE. And my mom got the American breakfast which was $24 but included coffee and oj, but then just bacon, eggs, and a few potatoes. So ya. The ambiance was very nice--water view, etc. but was it really worth every dollar? Not really. But it was fine.
(3)
Heywood J.
Bland, bland, bland. We had a fairly large group (11 people). Service was spot on throughout the evening, but there was just no way to make up for the weal food effort.
(2)
Rene' Y.
I took my sister there for an afternoon tea servce on a Sunday. The last serving time is at 4 p.m. I made a reservation 4 hours prior arriving. When we got there, our table was already set up by the window with a great view. White table cloth with yellow rose petals on top. Inside the restaurant, there are many boat paintings, such a classic New England decor. I love the atmosphere, light and airy! We had the Champgane tea, which is basically upgraded "Harbor Tea" with the additional Champgane, sliced strawberries and Devonshire cream. The pasties were delicious and nice selections of tea. Our waitress was helpful and friendly so we felt very welcome. It was such a great experiences that I will certainly be going back and bring more girlfriends with me.
(5)
Nina H.
Overall, their tea set is fine. But I dislike those petal in the table, which looks like rubbish even though it's real petal. Their serve is bad. Some waiters just ignore my need, except the guy who severs for my table. I hardly find that guy. So I have to waste a lot of time. They just take extra 3 dollar from my card without my permission . I didn't want to go again.
(1)
Jim C.
Top notch service, great views, high quality well-prepared food. I thought the price was reasonable for both the quality and location. I had the simply grilled swordfish and it was perfectly done. Thank you!
(5)
Laura C.
had the clam chowder (just ok) Sea Grille Tossed Salad, Jonah Crabmeat, Avocado, Tomato, Capers and Horseradish Dressing (yummy, but skimpy on the crabmeat) service was fine friends had grilled fish plates (why do restaurants say it's grilled if it is really pan seared?) All three had different fish, and all three said it was wonderful
(4)
Lisa S.
A few weeks ago, I made a reservation for 4 people for afternoon tea. When they asked about food allergies, I told them that we had 1 vegetarian. A different friend couldn't make it last-minute, so she called the morning of and changed the 2:30pm reservation from 4 people to 3 people. When we showed up, they were confused because they thought 4 people were coming at 3pm. They also said they hadn't prepared vegetarian food because we hadn't told them ahead of time... not a great start. The table was sprinkled with yellow rose petals. We sat by the window, which had a great view, but the table was quite warm. The basic tea was $18.50, but we chose The Harbor Tea ($26) with a glass of prosecco. The waitress was nice, but service was a bit slow. After the prosecco, we received strawberries and cream, then pots of tea, and finally the main attraction- tiered plates full of goodies! The top tier had small scones, which were either chocolate chip or cranberry. They were tasty, but I wish the scones were bigger and unflavored (too many sweet foods!). There was jelly and honey, but no butter. There were 3 scones of each type, and 8 pieces of coffee cake (2 flavors). The coffee cake was tasty but also sweet. The second tier held sandwiches. They brought out a small plate for the vegetarian with 3 egg sandwiches (each 'sandwich' was a circle about 2" in diameter). Then on the tiered plate, they put 2 of each sandwich- even the tomato & mozzarella, which my friend could have eaten. Nobody liked the egg salad, but we thought the other sandwiches were quite good and unique.The bottom tier held desserts- including pound cake with chocolate, cheesecake, a strawberry pastry, and an amazing pecan thing. The strawberry and the pecan desserts were standouts- the rest were too rich for us. Overall, we were a bit disappointed with tea, but it wasn't bad- just not awesome. There was too much sweet food, the service was a bit awkward and slow from when I made the reservation to the end of the meal, and the room was a bit on the warm side. However, the food was quite good and unique (minus the egg salad), the prosecco was tasty, and we got a great view of the Harbor. I'm glad we went to afternoon tea here at least once, but I'm not sure I'd pick it again over some more traditional tea places in Boston.
(3)
Michael C.
I can say, if nothing else, the view here on the patio on a nice summer day is amazing. It would be impressive for business lunches and tourists. A great way to enjoy Boston's waterfront. Obviously as you can tell by the name they serve mostly seafood. I went with a Fried Fish Sandwich, it tasted good and the fish seemed to be fresh not frozen. The fish is quite oversized for the bun which makes it a little more difficult to eat without a fork and knife.
(4)
Rosie I.
For starting, everything was very cute. Paintings of boats and blue-and-orange ceilings. We really liked how the clam chowder appetizer came with a clam shell in the middle, even though the clam chowder itself was so-so. The starter rolls were cute, too. Regular rolls and small cornbread muffins. Soup of the Day Lobster Bisque was excellent. Entrees and Sandwiches were good to. Cheese sandwich thing was very good, as well as Lobster Roll, which was excellent. Loved how it came with a mini salad. Scallops were somewhat tasteless. Desert was great. Carrot cake was not very good. Strawberry shortcake was excellent, although unexpected presentation/looks. Hot chocolate cake was great. Blueberry Mousse was fantastic. The lemon sorbet that came with it was the best lemon sorbet we've ever had. Nice and cool and delicious and refreshing. The desert presentations were amazing. Service was great. Our waiter, Chol, was awesome. Chol would get a ten out of five star rating. However, we didn't really like that there were about three cameras overhead staring down at our table. Could do without. Overall, we would definitely recommend the restaurant.
(5)
Katie L.
Don't, don't, don't go here for tea. You'll be pretty disappointed. The tea was just alright tasting, you're in the restaurant part near the bar (so you're not getting too relaxing of a setting) and they don't even pour your first cup for you. The fare was okay, not bad, but not awesome either (like one should expect). For $40 per person, you'd think it would have been better (the food and the experience). My cousin and I were extremely disappointed, and we won't be returning.
(2)
Andrew R.
Review of Afternoon Tea: I highly recommend this place if you must do afternoon tea in Boston. It's the least expensive of any place around (at $18.50 a head) and it comes with all you'd expect of afternoon tea. Though perhaps you may expect larger scones. The service was excellent, the tea was great, and the food was better than average - unique even. The finger sandwiches were where it got fancy. Salmon with caviar, shrimp on avocado, egg salad on a chewy wheat puff bread that looked like it was filled with something but wasn't, and then boring old turkey and cheese. Desserts weren't bad either. The highlights (of 5) being the fruit tart and coconut macaroon. Plus great views of the harbor. If I wasn't so cheap I'd be here every day.
(5)
Julie K.
Came here for lunch with family (they picked). Food was okay. Clam chowder was the standout, my lobster roll was fine but a little heavy on the grated onion in the dressing. French fries were phenomenal, I could've eaten my weight in those suckers. For dessert, I had the strawberry shortcake which was light and really lovely. Cocktails were definitely hit or miss. Service was good, up until shift change when we were completely forgotten. And prices were very high for lunch. The decor inside is lovely though (we sat outside). I wouldn't be back.
(2)
Alan C.
Had lunch here and got an outside table. This was a special occasion so I expected to shell out some cash. Ambiance was good and service was excellent. But the biggest attraction for me was the Monkfish. It was prepared well and exceeded my expectations. I have not had a better tasting monkfish in a while. I don't expect to be going again until next time I've got the money but it's still in my list of good eats.
(5)
Kel S.
For $24, I'd like more lobster meat and less mayo. Also, the challah roll may be something different, but lobster rolls are meant to be served on hot dog buns. No frills. The outside seating, service, cocktails and view were wonderful. The fact that they let my dog stay near me was also great, but the food left something to be desired.
(3)
Jenelle J.
Hit or miss - though can't complain about the view. Ate here for brunch outside, overlooking the boats. Cute patio with umbrellas. Lots of wedding guests milling around which made for fun people watching. The food - was well, all over the place. Coffee - solidly strong. Corned beef - one of the better ones we've had in some time. Although the crepes - way below quality for this level of restaurant. Asked to swap them out for some eggs which was cheerfully done, although the eggs were from the buffet and needless to say, I've had much better. Hoping they can step up their game in the kitchen because I'd want to come back for another summertime brunch sometime soon!
(3)
Michael R.
Yeah, restaurant week was a helluva long time ago, but here's my take on my RW Spring 2012 experience. First, the New England Clam Chowder- Thankfully it was a true chowder, not a soup. Flavorful, big chunks of clam, although it was a little cold when it came to the table. My favorite part of the meal. Next, the Lemon and Herb Chicken Breast. Yeah, yeah, Chicken at a "sea grille", I know it's not the house specialty, but it was solid. Herbs weren't overpowering. Portion size was a bit undersized for the price as well. Lastly, dessert - Dark Chocolate Fudge cake with Raspberry Compote. Pretty standard for an upscale dessert. I've had the same thing a number of times, and the quality's right up there with all the rest. The real star here is the raspberry compote -- I tossed the idea around in my head of asking for a pitcher; it was the perfect combo of sweet and tart. The service was solid as well, especially since we had a full table of young twenty-somethings. Sometimes we'll get the "college kid" treatment, but I didn't feel like that was the case here. Good experience overall.
(3)
Cindy K.
Don't come here for Sunday brunch unless you want to wait a half hour to get water and a menu. For a high-end hotel restaurant, I expect a lot more with customer service and we were so frustrated and fed up that we left without ordering.
(1)
Hao Yun C.
Charge extra tip by themselves! We paid the bill including 18% tip on credit card. However, after I got home, I checked my bill, it was 5 dollars more than what I had signed, and it happened on 5 other friends's credit card who went there with me also! Can't believe thatï¼so illegally!
(1)
Josephine L.
This is a review for their afternoon tea only: Amazing. Experience. I've had afternoon tea in many cities including in Mother England herself (London, Oxford, Bath) and while my favorite all-time experience is probably Bath, I'd have to say RWSG's is the best I've had in the US so far. First off, it's way more affordable than afternoon tea at ritzy, swanky hotels (which, unfortunately, are usually the only places you can get traditional English afternoon tea on this continent). I'm used to the price tag being $30 for the standard pot of tea + 3 trays of food combo. Add cheese or wine? Expect to pay close to $50. At RWSG, it's $18.50 for the traditional combo, and only goes as high as $30 if you want sparkling champagne and strawberries in addition. Nice! The restaurant is lovely, with a terrace overlooking the waterfront. For afternoon tea, they leave fresh rose petals on the tables in what has to be one of my favorite decorating touches. The tea list offers a good amount of tried and true favorites, and more unique kinds, thus satisfying the tea-lover within me. And the food! Oh, the food! If the top-notch service, intriguing tea selection and beautiful interior didn't win me over, this surely would have. They give so much more than other places that charge twice as much, and everything is made perfectly! The starter tray: Traditionally contains a few scones, Devonshire cream and butter. Yeah, well, RWSG threw in slices of blueberry cake, chocolate chip cake, marshmallow-y cookies, AND fresh, sliced strawberries in addition! The scones (blueberry and cheese) were moist, and the cakes were light and fluffy. Mmm! The sandwich tray: I have never seen so many different creations on an afternoon tea tray! In fact, these weren't so much sandwiches as things on top of bread slices. Not that I was complaining. Let's see if I can remember all of them: smoked salmon on wheat with a little dab of cream, egg salad on top of hard-boiled egg white on white, a delicious tomato sauce-y type spread on two (including one circular slice of bread), salami on wheat , probably a few more I'm forgetting, and in the middle of everything, a strawberry and peanut butter tart! The dessert tray: Not to be outdone by the two trays above it, this little trooper featured moist chocolate cake, lemon cheesecake, carrot cake, mousse cake and one or two other items I can't remember because I was too busy devouring everything in sight. By far, the best afternoon tea experience I've had in these United States.
(5)
Prabal D.
This place was pretty disappointing. The service was horrible, we could barely get our waters refilled. The manager was in the restaurant but neglected the customers and hung out with friends of his at the bar for an hour until we finally called him over. To his credit he apologize and comp'd us our drinks but it wasn't enough to make me ever want to go back there, but I will give him an extra star for that. The food was just ok as well. It's a great location and has a lot of potential but fails to meet the expectations. Not recommended
(2)
Sridevi K.
Exceptionally great place for seating outside..waterfront, live band on a summer evening. Great drinks.. the service is usually great, though if you have a large group, be prepared for delays. THe service staff is very courteous and were apologizing for the slowness when we had a big group. THe fish dishes are all exceptionally tasty. We mostly tried the list under 'fresh catch' and they were all good. Desserts are a-ok
(4)
Kelly C.
There are so many other places better than here! I wouldn't even bother for the view (it's completely blocked by yachts and the gazebo) You can stare at John Henry's Yacht all night though... our food was not good. Aps were the veggie spring rolls - bland and weirdly shaped. I felt like a cow chewing grass while eating it. Coconut shrimp with mango chutney - Not a spec of coconut to speak of and the "mango" tasted suspiciously like pineapple. Finally, the crab rangood - were the best of the bunch, right out of the fryer... Most of the table had either the scallops (which were cooked perfectly and were HUGE) that came with black quinoa and some BLAND squash puree. AKA baby food. or fish( I forget which one...they said it was alright... Just flavorless....
(2)
James F.
Dined outdoors here during the 'Movies by Moonlight' showing of 'Some Like it Hot' (The movie gets 5 stars). Let's break this down scientifically - Setting: I couldn't tell if the part of the patio we were seated on was normally seating for the grill, or just something they had added for the special event. There's a smaller seating area closer to the building, which seems more 'permanent'. Really, what is there to complain about when you have a beautiful hotel behind you and scenic ocean views in front of you. Bonus points for the two yachts nearby to admire and be jealous of. Food: Dining with some friends, we spread out a few appetizers and entrees over the course of the movie. The clam chowder (app) was surprisingly large, and i'm told quite tastey. The burger was sizeable and very well prepared. Similar for the chicken sandwich. Prices were a bit on the high side, but it seemed to be an event-specific menu, so not particularly unexpected. Drinks: The sangria is highly recommended. Service: Wait staff was nothing to write home about (probably the reason for 3 stars rather than 4), and there was some sort of issue when paying the bill. We were splitting it between 2 credit cards and cash, and then planning to tip on the cards. There seemed to be some sort of mis-communication, as the waiter split the bill between the two cards and assumed that the cash was his tip. Maybe an honest mistake, maybe not - but the amount of cash would have been an exorbitant tip considering the total bill. It all got worked out, but did take a while, and left a bit of a bad taste in our mouths.
(3)
Jolene S.
The Sea Grille adjoins the Boston Harbor Hotel. The food and service were excellent. Except for the fact that we missed out on "Some Like It Hot" outside and had to wait a ridiculously long time for a table, I really can't complain. We ordered the wild mushroom, toasted pine nut, and baby spinach crumbled goat cheese salad (very simple--salty and would probably skip next time), shaved pork with Korean red pepper sauce stir fried rice appetizer (delectable--would definitely order again), and pan roasted halibut, saffron risotto mantecato and shaved zucchini entree(enjoyed the risotto more than the fish, would try another dish next time). My dining companion enjoyed the pinot grigio. I felt very full after our meal here. It was a bit of an indulgence, but for a meal with a view of the harbor on a nice occasion, I would recommend that you try the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille.
(3)
Michelle B.
They have great clam chowder. We went to the Halloween Tea and had a blast! Recommend this place for a cocktail & snack.
(4)
Abbi B.
Recently I ordered a Wedge salad, which I have had previously, but this time for take out during my hectic work day. Being a lactose intolerant person, I requested a salad that represented that (no cheese no dressing), but I unfortunately, I received something which resembled a salad. It was doused in dressing and had a vast amount of cheese. While I understand these mistakes can happen, and that I should have taken the time to examine the salad before I left the restaurant, I was even more disappointed by the lack of response by the BHH Sea Grille management team. I had contacted their team in hopes of at least recognition of the mistake, but received not even a response to my email. Furthermore, my schedule did not allow me to run back to the grille to get a replacement salad, so I had to resort to eating from the vending machine after buying a $20 salad. Very upsetting.
(1)
Amy L.
I had the afternoon tea, which lasted from 2:30 - 4:00 pm (although I think they said 2 pm on their website but when I called they said 2:30). Arrived a bit early, restrooms are near the bar area (walk into it and it's right at the entrance). Reached the restaurant around 2:20 ish and were seated within a few minutes. Service: 4 stars. We had a great server who was really nice about taking our orders and serving us. He even offered to help mix two teas together for my friend. Don't know if this is customary, but usually the server pours our tea for us at least for the first cup, but not for here. The lady taking reservations by phone was very courteous and confirmed with us the day before. Restaurant: location was pretty good. The view is obstructed by boats and this building structure (it wasn't amazing), but it was pretty nice to glimpse the bay area (my friend had the better seat). We had a bit of trouble finding it, but were assisted by the same lady (it's inside the Boston Harbor Hotel, near the back). Table Settings: lots of white, was very clean and everything washed thoroughly. Nothing really special, though I was very disappointed they didn't scatter flower petals like the pictures from other reviewers. Oh well... Jam and honey were placed on a plate to share (although we had our own separate containers - these were the mini jars used by other hotels). They had nice tea strainers Food: My friend got the champagne tea, while I got the harbor tea (mine was $24, hers was $32). Results: Champagne (some sort of rose type - excellent, apparently), strawberries and cream (our server gave me an extra serving, free of charge; the dish was itself not very good, the cream was not good, the strawberries a bit sour or old). We both got two scones each (still warm and excellently made), two pastry cakes (liked how they weren't very sweet but only alright), four sandwiches (there were passable, and the ingredients weren't very fresh), four mini desserts (same idea as the sandwiches). The presentation overall was excellent. Tea: I got the blue flower earl grey, which was great at first but left a dry and rather nasty aftertaste when it got too strong (couldn't control how long it was seeped), my friend got a mixture of green tea (which was good but not great). Overall, great presentation and service (4). Food averaged between okay and great (2.5). Not overly disappointed but I wouldn't come back there again.
(3)
Anna I.
Took my friend big sis for afternoon tea at the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille. I concur with other yelpers it used to be more of a deal. But still for $24 it is reasonable for all that you get. We were seated at 4pm (last seating time) and the space was not packed on a Sunday afternoon. We loved the scattered yellow roses. Our server Zachary "Bo" was charming and attentive. We both enjoyed our teas the citron green tea and passion fruit. I liked the lemony smell but lightness of the green tea. The passion fruit even when it steeped longer was not too strong or bitter. I enjoyed its sweetness. We both opted for the Harbor Tea $24 and the only difference from the Champagne Tea was the Champagne at $32 which we both did not need. Straight from the website: "Start off your journey of Afternoon Tea with two selections of warmed scones; Macadamia Currant and Lemon Poppy Seed. Pick from various pastry breads served with Clotted Devonshire Cream, Fresh Berries and Cookies. Next, savor our assortment of finger sandwiches featuring Maple Smoked Salmon and Melted Fennel Cream, Maine Lobster and Lemon Salad, Griddled Vermont Cheddar and Spinach Triangle, and Egg Salad Duet. To finish your tea, indulge in our compilation of enticing French Pastries. Including; Chocolate Boston Cream Profiteroles and Assorted Fruit Tartlettes." We enjoyed the lovely warmed scones not too dry and with the light Devonshire cream with the sweet sliced strawberries for decoration. We had a apple strudel cake under one scone and I forgot the other one. Both were moist and delicious. The cookies were nothing spectacular but very tiny. We enjoyed the griddled Vermont Cheddar and Spinach Triangle (yummy and good quality cheese) we were recommended to eat first. The Lobster salad sandwich was nice. The Maple Smoked Salmon and melted fennel cream was delicious and flavorful. There egg salad was more fluffy and piped not your typical mom's egg salad and we enjoyed it. As for our desserts, there were no fruit tartlettes or Boston Profiteroles but what we got was nice. We got a chocolate cup/cookie filled with chocolate, Blueberry mousse cake and light fluffy cheese cake with a caramel swirl. When asking for more hot water, we got a new teapot. (Caused for awkward pouring and a little mess at the table). We loved the spaciousness and the blues and nautical theme. Plus our window table seat was nice. Not the best views with other outdoor patio tables but still the afternoon light was lovely. Definitely more on the affordable tilt with great value for the food. Parking is problematic in that area and it costs $18 all day on Sunday (for now) in their garage. Not the most traditional afternoon tea but definitely enjoyable and delicious.
(4)
Carly L.
Had breakfast buffet here on a Saturday morning. View is great. Food is mediocre. Something I would expect from free breakfast at Comfort Inn. Yup, its that bad.
(2)
Enza D.
Great Location (Outdoor), Great Cocktails and Great Food! The white Sangria is pretty fabulous and you can have it by the glass or pitcher which is perfect on a nice summer day. I also can't wait to go again to try the kiwi mojito (yumm). To start we tried the crag ragoons which were delicious. I had the lobster sandwich which was served with fries and it was awesome! Lots of fresh lobster meat with minimal mayo served of challah bread. My friend had the burger and was equally impressed. I would absolutely recommend this place for lunch and outdoor cocktails!
(5)
K. E.
Came for restaurant week and will probably be back. The first thing that hits you is the decor. This is one beautiful restaurant. The harbor views don't really need much of a description either. In addition to the RW menu items, we ordered the seafood platter for 4 and thoroughly enjoyed every bite. The clam chowder was great and a little untraditional with huge chunks of potato. The yellowfin tartar with avocado mousse and miso glaze was memorable. I'd come back for this. Before the entrees arrived, the waiter brought over a complimentary crab salad amuse bouche. It didn't blow our socks off, but we love the extra effort. Why don't more restaurants do little things like this to make customers smile? We all ordered the grilled cod entree. Unfortunately this was this biggest disappointment of the night but it wasn't horrible. You just can't grill a piece of fish this thin. Don't even try. It was on the dry side but I liked the charred flavor. It was served with steamed vegetables and jasmine rice that were done well. Desserts were good too. I wish my piece of banana bread pudding was bigger! I might come back for lunch or brunch. I'd love to sit on the patio when it's warmer, too.
(4)
Sara M.
I came here for lunch and was amazed by the impeccable service. I recommend the tuna nicoise, my bartender Tom suggested it and went so far to check in the kitchen and see how fresh the tuna was. Along with the red wines they have and the chocolate bombe, lunch was amazing! I enjoyed myself and would go back on an afternoon when Tom was there.
(5)
M J.
this place is all about the patio, though i may have been once for tea, years ago. it's a great spot on the water with excellent, fancy hotel type service and good food. pricey and parking is a bit of a disaster. also, it's a bit of an island, on the harbor, but not in a neighborhood, so there's nowhere to go before or after unless you're ready to trek for blocks first, and through a decent amount of traffic.
(4)
Cammy T.
The price increases for Valentine's Day ($45 - I believe - per adult.) You have three tiers: scones, sandwiches, and small petit fours with a pot of tea. I have been to many high tea places in Boston but I really adore this place because of the harbour front view. It's not the best but reasonable for a small city.
(3)
Amanda J.
As everyone who reads my reviews knows, we LOVE breakfast buffets. We finally tried out Rowes Wharf Sea Grille for theirs. It's really great! You have your choice of hot and cold buffet items (the standard scrambled eggs, bacon, cereal, oatmeal, etc) but also any egg, pancake, french toast or waffle dish of your choice made to order fresh just for you. We always order a waffle and eggs benedict...coffee and tea is great and the fresh squeezed OJ is worth the calories for sure. You can't beat the views - especially on a sunny day. It's $27.50 pp I believe - totally worth it. There is no sense of hurriedness, so take your time, fill up and enjoy the view :)
(4)
JessIca W.
I had afternoon tea here last Sunday with one of my friends. Afternoon tea is something I really look forward to since it's not something I normally splurge on and there aren't a million places in Boston the offer afternoon tea, so we were really excited to go. Our reservation was for 2:45, but we arrived around 2:15 and were told that we would be seated around 2:30 as they were still getting the tables ready. We checked back in at 2:30 and were told by a different hostess that she would call us when our table was ready and that she would call us around 2:45. Glancing at the half empty dining room, we were a bit confused, but went to sit down on the couches for 15 more minutes. 2:45 came and no word from the hostess, so we went up to her and without looking to even see if or table was ready, she said 'your table isn't ready yet.' what!?!? ReAlly???Well...just as quickly as she said that, she decided to turn around and realized that indeed, the table we had been waiting for, was in fact ready! We get to the table and immediately, I knew it wasn't going to be good. It was directly horizontal to the double doors that lead to the back patio of the restaurant. Which meant that whenever the waiters came in and out of those doors carrying food, water, or whatever and didnt take the time to close the door behind them, the wind would gush in and blow whatever rose petals were on the table and my already crazy messy hair all over the place...AND it was breezy and cold that day, so this gush of wind every 30 seconds was not welcome. Even after flagging down a host and hostess at least 3 times to remind the wait staff to close the doors behind them, I was freezing my butt off. We ordered our tea and our food came...which was fine - not spectacular but nothing to complain about - but WHERE was my tea?! They had forgotten to bring it...umm...we ARE at afternoon TEA, aren't we? So...our food was sitting on the table for at least 5 minutes sans tea...really weird...AND they had to ask what kind of tea we had ordered again - like they had totally forgotten about it?! I mean...it came out 3 minutes after they asked what tea we ordered for the second time, but still...I expected better service from the BHH. Between the missing tea and the wind that left me freezing...it left much to be desired. Not even the rose petals on the table could make it better.
(2)
David V.
We came to the Sea Grille for a drink after work. We first started with a pitcher of the white wine sangria...but to our dismay it tasted of soap. The waiter told us that they use ginger seltzer to top off the drink and that other customers noted that flavor as well. They kindly took it away and exchanged our drinks...as well as giving us a delightful bowl of snacks! The coconut margarita was sooo delicious and refreshing!
(4)
Andrea T.
This review is about the service which is very very bad...Our particular server Kaitlin ignored us and was extremely slow, and if u can believe it, took a break in the middle of our service, We found out from another server that she left for a break directly after we had ordered another glass of wine and didn't come back for over 25 minutes. Unbelievable. She didn't even tell the other servers where she went.. We hoped we would never see her again, but after her break she came back, and we had a painfully slow, apathetic finish to our family lunch with her. She and the female matride that afternoon put a HUGE damper on our lunch. The Intercontinental Hotel is pretty much right next store and has fantastic restaurants and unbelievable service Rumba Bar and Meil Boston are both exellent with great service
(2)
Bex M.
Afternoon Tea @Boston Harbor Hotel I was so excited to go out for afternoon tea, my very first time! After reading books (think Pride and Prejudice and Miss Marple), I've always imagined myself living in that era where ladies were ladies - such elegance and dainty little things, having high tea and going out to the ball. Afternoon tea is a chance to play dress up and get together to gossip, I mean to reminisce about life and to talk about the future. I was a little disappointed that it was at the Sea Grille and not in an elegant tea room, but we did have a view of the water (and the Odyssey) and nautical decor of blue and white with vibrant yellow flowers was well and simply done. We ordered the pink champagne tea and its accompanying delights. Everything was so cute from the food to the teacups to the utensils. I ordered the Tea Bouquet organic infusion, made from antioxidants, with notes of honey, caramel, and citrus. I'm not a fan if caramel so I asked the waiter to make my tea sans caramel and he said that it doesnt have any caramel. So why is it in the description? (hmm) I loved all the dainty little finger foods that came out on three tiers. They were all very pleasing to the eyes and to the palette. One of my favorites, the maple smoked salmon on rye. I was a little disappointed that I didn't see cucumber sandwiches though. The apertif- nice and bubbly, the tea and food - exquisite, the service - impeccable.
(5)
Mary C.
One of my favorite things to do was to come to tea here. That was several years ago. I've strayed away from this place due to terrible service and my most recent experience there. Last time I went my fork was dirty, not just left over food that got stuck during a run in the wash, but it was dirty, like someone ate with it, and they just recycled it without washing. Then the more disgusting part so they lay flower petals on the table... and I pushed them over and what I saw what looked to me like a long light brown pubic hair stuck on the table, to give this place the benefit of the doubt, it could've been an armpit hair, or a REALLY REALLY long arm hair. It was coarse and curly. I just can't bring myself to go back here.
(2)
Janet G.
The view is great. I've been here a couple times. This time my family and I came for the Mother's Day Afternoon Tea. I haven't tried afternoon tea anywhere else in Boston. Ok, not as great as London of course, but a very enjoyable time. Because it was a special occassion, there was a harpist playing, which was definitely a plus. My mom loved it. There was champagne included and a nice selection of teas. Since I can't have dairy, they accommadated very nicely. The rest of my family enjoyed the three-tiered display complete with scones, cookies, sandwiches, and desserts. The decor was nice and the atmosphere was very relaxing. The servers were really friendly. Towards the end it was a little odd to see them kind of huddled together chatting, forgetting about us. But once I flagged them down, they all jumped to help us at once. At the end of the brunch, all moms got potted flowers. Our server gave me one too :-) $50 is kind of a lot, but its definitely something unique and memorable for Boston
(4)
Alice C.
Restaurant Week dinner review only- As we were late in making dinner reservations before a trip to Boston, this remained one of our only options for RW on a Friday evening. The most reasonable reservation time on OpenTable was 9pm, which was a little annoying seeing as how the restaurant was less than half full when we arrived around 8:40.. However, the hostess had no issue seating us before our actual reservation time. The location of the restaurant is right by the waterfront, which makes it a great romantic dinner spot, especially if you are able to snag a table by the window. However, note that it's inside a hotel.. we didn't know that at first, so it was a little hard to find. The food itself was okay-- while the options were all taken from their original menu, I feel like they could've chosen some of the more interesting entrees. I had the simply grilled daily catch (rainbow trout) while my boyfriend had the filet mignon. Both were not bad, but also nothing orgasmic. The lobster ravioli from the first course wasn't good, but I did like the cornbread that came with my clam chowder and in the bread basket (which the waiter refilled for us-- bonus points since I do love my carbs mmm). Desserts were also okay. Even though I opted for a pretty standard chocolate mousse torte, there were a few seasonal options (like the spiced pumpkin creme brulee and apple cider panna cotta) which is nice yet it feels slightly out of place seeing as how it's mid-March. Overall, service was okay. When I called for directions, the person who answered the phone was a tad rude.. but our waiter was very nice, as was the hostess.
(3)
Marlene R.
Enjoyed the Afternoon Tea on a summer Saturday and it was a fun time for the 4 of us. It was not too crowded when we arrived. The table was graced with yellow rose petals and our friendly server Adrian handed us menus when we were seated. We each ordered our own special pot of tea (there are black, green and herbal teas from which to choose). Soon, our 3 tiered assortment of sweet and savory treats appeared. Smoked salmon, grilled cheese, egg salad mousse and crabmeat salad were the savory selections. Each were about one bite, but very delectable and full flavored. The scones (currant and lemon poppy) were yummy-doughy, crumbly, just perfect. There were small coffee cakes, a raspberry mousse and chocolate cake, to name just a few of the delicious treats. We couldn't finish all of it! For $24 each, it was a very lovely way to spend a splendid afternoon.
(5)
Bru B.
Traveling from Philly to Boston to celebrate wife's b-day. Big mistake making a dinner reservation at Rowes Wharf Sea Grille. They wanted a $25 cutting fee for the cake we're bringing from Philly. Yea, 3 slices = $25. The Manager said they charge this so that the waitress gets "something". Excuse me? It is a dinner, what is he thinking we had no plans to tip? STAY AWAY!
(1)
J S.
[This is a review for my Restaurant Week dinner experience.] I came here with a few girlfriends to have a nice seafood dinner outing for Restaurant Week after looking over the dinner menu for this restaurant. I was a bit disappointed though that some of the items featured in the menu on the Restaurant Week website did not match with the menu they gave us (I was really looking forward to the oysters that were mentioned, and most of the desserts were different as well). I ordered the yellowfin tuna tartar with avocado puree, the grilled daily catch of the day (halibut) on a bed of ginger rice and vegetables, and the maple walnut cheesecake. The tuna tartar was delicious, but I wasn't a big fan of the avocado puree with the yellowfin tuna. As for the grilled halibut, I found it very dry with no real flavor to it. I was expecting more, especially from a seafood restaurant. The vegetables however nicely balanced the dryness and blandness of the fish. I'd say the cheesecake was my favorite part of the whole meal. The cheesecake was light in texture but rich in taste. It had a very thanksgiving/fall-esque feel to it, although out of place seasonally, it was still very nice and delicious. Overall, I would not recommend this place for Restaurant Week. I can't quite speak for the food outside of the RW menu, but if the food during RW is a reflection of the food at the restaurant, then I would certainly go elsewhere for better quality seafood. Ambience overall is nice, and the paintings on the wall are beautiful.
(3)
Heather R.
With lots of tasty trucks in the neighborhood, I was excited to try this concept (a takeaway stand spinoff of the upscale hotel restaurant). In a word: mediocre. Convenience: I arrived at 1 pm (with service between 11 am and 2 pm) but there were no other customers queued, a stray kitchen cart and ice-cream treats freezer barricading the order window. A polite cashier in a crisp uniform took the order, and I suppose it was an elegant touch to put the credit card receipt in a little folder, but I rather like the convenience of those unpretentious and tech-savvy vendors down the block with their iPhone credit card readers and droid LevelUp scanners. While made fresh, it took over ten minutes to fulfill the fried fish sandwich. At least I could chat with my lunch date; if I were just taking out, I'd have been disappointed by the delay. The order was packed to carry in a white paper bag with a plastic pack of fork, knife, and napkin (without the complimentary salt and pepper packs *foreshadow*) besides a few branded paper cocktail napkins. The best part may have been eating it on the InterContinental landscaped lawn lounge along the Harborwalk. Food: I expected a meal slightly more costly based on the fine dining affiliation and location, but also with the extra attention to detail that entails. Alas, I've had better clam chowder: the base was a little thin and the potatoes a little large and the clams (while tender) a little scarce and the whole needed a good shot of pepper. The haddock sandwich was good but not great: the fish filet was almost too generous (broke in half and stacked double on the bun), freshly battered and fried to order, but needed a good shot of salt. Add lettuce finely shredded and two slices of ripe sweet tomato to a standard bun and a smear of underwhelming caper tartar (I like mine good and frosted, so probably should have said so) and it's a sandwich you probably won't regret, but neither remember nor repeat. I would consider going back for the seafood wrap, though $14 is a splurge for lunch, but I might not make it past all the fun, fast, cheap and easy summer alternatives that line the path. Call me pedestrian!
(3)
L L.
I made reservations for an afternoon tea on a non-holiday Monday. We all ordered the fall harvest tea sets ($32) each, and my mother and boyfriend had Blue Flower Earl Grey tea, and I had Huan Shan Sunset. The pots are individual and loose leaf, and he teas smelled amazing and tasted wonderful. The food itself was hit or miss. It came in a 3 tier stack. top tier: solid cakes, clotted cream, strawberries, coconut macaroons, and brown sugar cookies. The cream and berries were good, but the solid cakes were like a supermarket bakery cake. Heavy, dense, and sucked the moisture out of your mouth. The cookies were nothing special. middle tier: rounds of toast with toppings: egg mousse, smoked salmon, and lobster salad. I didn't eat a lobster salad one; the boyfriend took mine since he hates eggs. The egg mousse was odd. It was the yolk and white cooked separately and whipped to be fluffy. The yolk didn't have the rich taste of egg yolk anymore, and the egg white was slightly vinegary tasting, like what you get when you mess up on a pavlova. Tasteless. The smoked salmon with a bit of caviar and cream was spot-on though. 3rd tier: chocolate cake, raspberry mousse something, carrot cake. The chocolate cake and raspberry mousse items were great. The carrot cake was nothing special, although nice and moist. on the side were current and lemon poppyseed scones. Both were good with really nice layers on the scones. There were small jars of strawberry jam, marmalade, grape jelly, and honey to eat with them. The room was gorgeous, the ambiance was nice, and the tea was fantastic. I think it was worth the money, even if some of the food was not impressive.
(4)
M S.
Great recovery for lapses in service - I went in for tea one afternoon for what I was hoping to be a lovely catch up with a girlfriend of mine. I was very disappointed in both the food and the service. The tea pastries tasted as though they had been sitting out for quite some time and then had been reheated in a microwave. The service took forever (it took us almost 30 minutes to be seated, despite having a reservation and the restaurant being relatively empty), and our server was incredibly inattentive. HOWEVER, when I brought the lapses in service to the attention of the supervisor Angad, he listened carefully and handled the situation very professionally. He invited us back for dinner. We went back last night and our experience was the complete opposite of what we had originally experienced. The food was delicious, but more importantly the staff was so attentive and warm. They completely changed my perception of the restaurant. Mistakes happen, but it is the recovery that truly shows the service style of a place. They recovered very nicely and I most certainly will be be back.
(4)
Sheila D.
Went to this restaurant for some pampering, view and fine dining. Out door seating was cramped and loud. We were caught between to conversations.....one very opinionated and the other depressing. Service was good yet the food was only mediocre considering the price. Swordfish was dry and the steak was fatty and tasteless.
(3)
Michael P.
Good for business lunches. Clean, classic decor. Seafood is fresh and high quality but the food is generally uninspiring. A healthy feel good meal is the tuna nicoise salad. I've never had dinner here so I can't opine there. Also - I'd say it isn't cheap. The scallops are also quite good.
(3)
Melissa W.
This is a great place for a romantic dinner on the waterfront. The location is perfect. Loved the outdoor patio, and there was a live band playing. The service was friendly, but not overly helpful... I had to ask for a to-go box twice for example. I ordered the clam chowder (amazing) and the swordfish "medallions" (which was more like a full steak) which was cooked perfectly, but didn't go well with the curry sauce that it came with. It was served on a bed of plain white rice, a couple carrots and some baby bok choy. I would expect more for $28, but luckily I wasn't paying. I do highly recommend the bar thats inside the Boston Harbor hotel... we had drinks there afterward and it was a quiet, cozy place for an after-dinner drink..
(3)
Gail V.
This is called "The Rowes Wharf Sea Grille" now. This is the cafe attached to the Rowes Wharf hotel. It is right around the corner from the huge open air arch at Rowes Wharf on the water side. You can sit inside or out, but the outside seating is definitely the draw. You sit out on the harbor walk and since the hotel is between you and the traffic on the street, it is beautiful and relaxing. The view is to the east and you look out over a marina filled with luxury yachts and the pavillion building. The walk along the harbor is fantastic on a nice night. It sits on the historical Rowes Wharf built in the early 1700's, but the hotel and buildings themselves were all built in the late 80's so its in good shape and is nicely kept. There are open air concerts on a floating stage and an outdoor movie series that they do here during the summer which are a lot of fun, but you should be aware of what nights they are doing those as seating is first come first serve at the cafe (no reservations) and it gets crowded. Even so, if you have to wait, walking along the harbor walk is great way to spend the time, or the Rowes Wharf bar, tucked back in the corner of the hotel, is dark and comfortable with their couches and chairs, and makes a pretty fine cocktail. Their staff is very friendly and will check the list at the cafe outside periodically for you to see how much longer the wait will be. Most people don't know about it, but there's an observation area on the 9th floor, the Forester Rotunda, that you can get to through the hotel that is open to the public and offers a beautiful view of the harbor. The food is outstanding. Its not a huge menu but what they have is very good with lots of regional specialties. We go there mostly for appetizers and cocktails, but I've eaten dinner there several times and never been disappointed. Their seafood is great, especially the lobster. The wine list is extensive and their cocktails are great. For appetizers their guacamole and homemade chips are among the best I've ever had. (and that's saying something since I used to live in Dallas). Their specialty pizzas are good and so is their sushi. Rowes Wharf Water Transport is directly in front of the hotel and offers transportaion to other waterfront parts of Boston & Charlestown, as well as the airport and the Harbor Islands. In my personal opinion, on a nice night, this is one of the nicest al fresco dining spots in Boston.
(5)
Jenna C.
Upscale but not snobbishly so. Crisp white tablecloths drape tables facing huge windows that afford a beautiful view of the waterfront. You can get even closer if you choose to sit on the patio. I went here around 1:30 PM, and there were definitely many businessmen and women from the nearby Financial District there on their "power lunches." I had the sushi-grade tuna (so fresh I wondered if the fish hadn't been caught that very morning) and the waiter gave a recommendation for a great pinot grigio. Service was wonderful. The food came out quickly, and there was always someone to refill your water glass the moment you sipped away the last drop. I emphasize the close proximity of this restaurant to the waterfront as being one of the biggest benefits as it allows for the chance to take a post-dinner walk. Perfect for a date.
(5)
Michael S.
Afternoon tea was overpriced and stingy on the clotted cream. The scones were not bad, but more like biscuits. Waiter was confused that we made a reservation for two but only wanted the champagne tea for one (I drink tea, she drinks champagne). Go for the swanky atmosphere, not because it's a good high tea.
(2)
tavia m.
I went here for the Sunday afternoon tea service, so this is my review of that particular offering by the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille. It is a really great value for tea, ranging from $18 for the regular tea service of tea, desserts and sandwiches. You can upgrade to regular or pink champagne for $26 or $30, respectively. There is a variety of teas to pick from and our waiter was happy to recommend some of the more popular types. I ordered the Citroen Green, which was wonderful. We also had a nut allergy with us and the kitchen staff was wonderful in accommodating her and making sure she had an equal amount of dessert and sandwiches. It was great! The service was excellent and attentive. It was a pleasant atmosphere with lots of sunlight and a beautiful view of the Harbor. The only thing I have to complain about, is that we were specifically told that parking was validated for the Sea Grille, and that was not the case. They would not validate for parking and that was extremely aggravating. If you're going to tell someone parking is validated, then validate it!!!
(4)
M D.
Enjoyed a recent afternoon lunch at The Rowes Wharf Sea Grill at The Boston Harbor Hotel. Outside dining is a must. Service was a bit slow and unprofessional, but friendly enough to keep you from getting overly irritated. I believe the server was new, young and inexperienced. The Ahi tuna I had was good, albeit average, but the pear tomatoes accompanying it truly made it special. I would stop by again due to location, but it won't be on the top of my list.
(3)
Diane D.
If you want good fish and a spectacular view, this is the place to go. We have had dinner here twice now and each time, our fish was delicious. The second time, there were four of us and between us, we had: swordfish, halibut, salmon, and catfish. All were cooked perfectly and with interesting/delicious flavorings. Highly recommend.
(4)
Heather G.
My boss and I come here for breakfast every time we are celebrating something. They have the best eggs benedict I have had in the city. The hollendaise is delicious, the eggs perfectly poached, and it is served with simple breakfast potatoes and grilled asparagus. YUM. The only gripe is that they don't toast the english muffin enough, so it gets a bit soggy part-way through the meal. I have since wised-up to this and now ask them to extra-toast my muffin. No harm, no foul. The only other breakfast item I've had is the bagel with smoked salmon and capers, which is delicious but not remarkable enough for me to order it again. The service is obviously impeccable here, and if you go early in the morning and sit by the window, you get a great view of the harbor with the boats coming in, and the gazebo with the sun coming up overhead. The ambiance is fantastic and the service cannot be beat. I have been for dinner and had the burger and the margherita pizza, which were both unremarkable, so I stick to breakfast at this place.
(4)
Melanie P.
I am on the rocks about this restaurant and for some reason, I don't know why but what brought me here was restaurant week.... Location: Inside the Boston Harbor Hotel overlooking the water. In terms of arrival, you are better to valet or pay for garage parking (just under the hotel) rather than search through all of downtown for a parking spot. Reservations: It would be respectful but not necessary. I went on a Wednesday evening and the place was less than half way full. There is potential for it being busy on Fri-Saturday nights, during lunch time, and during special occasions. I think that any other night of the week, you can walk right in but there seems to be an old school restaurant etiquette in making reservations here (so it seems). Ambiance: Classy, dressy, professional, romantic, and matches the view of the harbor. The restaurant seems to ride on the fact that they are overlooking the harbor so I felt like everything was green, blue, and white. From the blue dim lighting, to the executive looking green Parsons chairs, blue rug, and waiters' attire, I felt like I was at a hotel restaurant in Sea World, Orlando. Unfortunately with respect to my younger generation, the ambiance was somewhat cheesy BUT the parents/grandparents would love it! Food / Presentation: I finished my plate... it was that GOOD!! As mentioned, I decided to eat here for restaurant week. Since I am not a fan to commercial restaurants, I felt that this had the best selections and was the most appealing when sorting through all the participating restaurant menus. In addition, I find that most restaurants cut down in the areas of presentation, serving size, and quality during this time but not here... they did everything perfect and treated the experience and their guests (me) with respect. I felt good eating, paying and leaving... The menu had a approximately 5 appetizers to choose from but I chose the cherrystones to start off my meal. When the dish came out, my eyes widened. They were HUGE and each shell (9 I think) was atop of ice with seaweed to garnish the side. I was impressed with the presentation and my selection. The other individuals that I went with had the oysters and it was presented in the same manner. I dabbled and tried one--I would absolutely recommend those as well. They were just as good as the cherrystones. For my main course, I ordered the Filet Mignon. I would recommend getting it medium rare because it was cooked to perfection. Last year, I ate at Ruth Chris Steakhouse for restaurant week and ordered the same but their meat was overcooked, fried (burnt), and not that good. This on the other hand was perfect. The meat was tender to the bite. The presentation (again) was eloquent. Just under the steak was a vegetable medley simmered in a brown gravy sauce. The sauce was a perfect addition to the steak because I felt that it kept the bottom moist as I cut into it each time. The others I went with had the catch of the day which ended up being halibut. It was good but found it to be sort of dry. It came with rice and a vegetable (string green beans I believe). The halibut pieces were enormous and again the presentation was impressive. For desert, we each ordered a different dish. I ordered the cheesecake which I found to be bland and tasteless, the two other girls ordered the pear Brule and dark chocolate espresso pie. I was most impressed by the dark chocolate espresso pit but that could just be because of my taste buds. Price: it was restaurant week so for me, who cares... $30/pre fixed dinner The prices can be high but for the quality of food, professionalism of the staff, the view, and its location, I can fully understand why it is so much to eat here. However, I was glad to pay just $30 for my three course surf and turf meal. Overall: I'm impressed. The waiter (without charge) gave us a wine tasting to match our meals. I thought that was a great way to win us over and his suggestions paired perfectly with our meals. The food and its presentation were impressive but the ambiance was cheesy which is why I rated it a 4 out of 5. I probably won't be back here anytime soon but if I have family in town that is fitting to the age group, I will definitely recommend.
(4)
Andrea M.
We have eaten at the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille many times since Rowes Wharf was constructed in the early 80's. We have lived on Boston's Waterfront for years and then moved to the suburbs after having children. We ate at the Sea Grille today with our youngest daughter in college. The salads were among the worst we have ever eaten. The hamburger was nothing more than ordinary. We will never eat there again. A very disappoining lunch after a nice day in town. The North End would have been a smarter choice.
(1)
Jennifer A.
LOVED IT! The table was set exactly like the Tea pic on the website. They serve High Tea from 2:30pm-4pm daily (unlike many other Boston Hotel restaurants that only do Tea Thursday-Sunday). They ask that you call ahead for reservations - which is fine because when we got there the whole table was set up with beautiful yellow rose petals on the table. My 3 yr old daughter came along for the ride and they gave her sparkling apple juice with a little plate of her own treats and they didn't even charge for her! Along with an excellent assortment of teas, there was a 3 tiered plate with the top plate delicious crumb cakes, the middle tier was finger sandwiches and the bottom tier were desserts. Cost: tea+3 tiered plate for $18.50; add champagne and it's $26; add pink champagne and it's $30 (all cheaper than the other Teas in Boston); It was all excellent, the tea was delicious, the atmosphere couldn't have been better (we were seated at the window overlooking the harbor) and the service was great. A great place to take guests who are in town visiting - or for a fun lunch with the girls. They do not validate parking, but do valet, there are several parking garages or you can take the Blue line to Aquarium and walk a quick block. Dress can be casual. Here is the detailed Afternoon Tea menu: roweswharfseagrille.com/…
(5)
Danielle S.
My boyfriend brought me here for my birthday dinner and while the food we had (for the most part) was excellent... the service was lacking. Our only complaint with the food was that the oysters came uncut from the shell. Maybe we were just being picky, but I have ordered oysters in many places around boston and they have NEVER come still stuck to the shell. We asked to have them cut from the shell, especially since the only form of knife we had was a butter knife. When they came back they still were not completely detached and there were shell bits now in the oyster. The manager's reasoning was to keep the "integrity" of the oyster... I think it is just because they didn't have anyone who knew how to prepare them properly. For the great food we had the sea bass with black rice and the halibut with saffron risotto and zucchini. I had the halibut, which was really excellent and made up for some of the issues with the service. Plus, for dessert we split the strawberry rhubarb crisp with cinnamon ice cream and it was delicious! As for the service... it took 15 minutes to get water to the table. The waiter came to take our drink order and my boyfriend said we'd like to get some water, and though there was another waiter with our waiter (who knows why) they didn't go get it for us, but just continued to stand there waiting for us to order our drinks. So I order my drink, the waiter interrupts my boyfriend to give us the specials, then asks if we need more time with the menu. My boyfriend says... well I'd like a drink too. My boyfriend also found a bone in his fish and brought it to the attention of the manager, who's response was "that does happen." The biggest problem with the service was that there were like 20 people waiting on a very small dining room. It looked like every table had two waiters and at one point I counted 11 waiters, 3 managers, and 3 bartenders. They kept asking how we were enjoying our dining experience and I came close to saying "I could be enjoying my dining experience if you would leave us alone for two minutes to have a conversation." If it wasn't for this crappy service this would be a four star rating.
(2)
Andrea S.
We ate here to get a seat to see the summer outdoor movie. In theory, this was a good plan. It's really the value I didn't like. The waiters and waitresses were funny, nice, and engaged. But the menu was only ok, and everything was way overpriced. Starting with the $14 dollar cocktails and getting worse from there. I doubt I'll return.
(2)
Danny F.
I come here for afternoon tea. All the time! Although not quite the best afternoon tea I have had in the US (that honor goes to The Peninsula in Chicago), certainly the best for the shockingly low price of under $20 per person. Plus, there is the fantastic harbour view. Anyway, it is hard to describe afternoon tea...you get three tiers of food: 1) scones & pastries, 2) finger sandwiches, and 3) desserts. Everything at BHH is a total delight. Actually scratch that. Everything is AMAZING!!! There is nothing I would improve, and I love the fact that you can sit there for as long as you want. So I usually have a tiny breakfast, and then afternoon tea substitutes my lunch AND dinner. I honestly cannot think of another way to spend lazy afternoons in Boston.
(5)
Tina D.
I decided to switch it up one weekend and hosted a book club event here during their afternoon tea time. I called a few days in advance to give a headcount, but said that is was just an estimate because I wouldn't know for sure until that day. When we arrived, the table was ready and we all sat down. Of course, not everyone showed up and the waitress told me that since they prepare the food in advance, we would have to pay for the empty seat. That is very annoying because they didn't mention that at the time I made the reservation. We all ordered our teas and they were brought out fairly quickly. We all had our own little pots, but it was a bit of a fight to ask for more hot water. Two of the girls ordered the chamomile mint mix, and one girl ended up with just chamomile while the other only had mint. My chai tasted fine, but it was not brought out with any milk as indicated on the menu. They were able to accommodate for our gluten free guest, which was a nice surprise. The pastries and tea sandwiches were delicious! I have no complaints there. At the end of the meal, the waitress said that we wouldn't have to pay for the extra setting after all (I can only imagine someone else must have sat down without a reservation). I don't know if I would come here again for tea. It was a bit chaotic and slightly overpriced.
(2)
cath e.
Courtney McCall, gracious and informed , gave practical realistic advice for arranging a wedding shower. The view, the gracious service, the delicious food--- it is a winner . The nay sayers will probably give heaven 2 stars **LOL
(4)
Mike G.
Everything was great, including the service. Soups were awesome - clam chowder and potato leek soup of the day. Haddock sandwich was tasty and the cole slaw is very unique - no mayo! Also loved the crispy fries. Great view of the harbor and good drinks. Overall a very nice experience, but gave only 4 starts b/c it didn't blow us away.
(4)
Y O.
amazing tuna tartare. the lime flavor used in the avocado was like a firework. but my side of bok choy was gritty. it's not hard to give it a quick rinse before cooking....
(2)
Paul L.
We went specifically for the afternoon tea. Several of the food offerings were out of this world, truly memorable. The tea was first rate, and the service impeccable. A wonderful experience! Thanks, Rowes Wharf, for continuing this gracious tradition!
(5)
Arestia R.
I did it once and that's good enough for me. You see, in the summer, there are movies outside at the Rowes Wharf and everyone sits on the tables outside, enjoying dinner and the movie. My friends and I thought, What fun! And made some reservations. While it was nice on the patio, the food just didn't measure up. Everything was just ok and it wasn't exactly cheap and the drinks were overpriced. With so many wonderful restaurants in Boston for the same price, I can't imagine spending money here again. Next time, I'll stick to the hatch shell movies.
(2)
William R.
We had a party of 5 where several of the people just ordered two appetizers. The fish special was very good. I especially like the swordfish that was cooked in a light curry sauce. The service was good except that for the price of the wine I would have expected the wait staff to periodically fill the glass. This brings me to the major issue with the restaurant. The out of sight markup on the wines. Having been in the business I recognize their is a cost in holding wines and providing the service but a 500% markup is over the top. I should have called and see if they had a corkage fee.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Garage Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Quiet Music : Live Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Wed, Fri Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Derek D.
Pros: Gorgeous views, great chowder, nice washrooms, took our time and we were not rushed. Cons: Oysters poorly shucked, very tightly packed on patio. Verdict: Would recommend.
(4)Kymberly G.
Cant really complain about the food itself. It was acceptable, but nothing to really rave about. They do have a pretty good Healthy Harbor Protein Shake that I could have. But everything we had was pretty much run-of-the-mill with somewhat bland flavors and not a lot into the presentation. Service was also nothing to really complain about... just fine, but nothing over the top or special. It was pretty annoying for them to tell us it would be a 20 minute wait when the majority of the tables were empty and they had waitstaff just standing around. The hostess was less than welcoming on each of our visits to the place, too. Sad really, since we were guests at the hotel and the rest of the place was overboard in friendly and fast service. My thoughts are that we wouldnt go out of our way to eat here if we were not staying at the hotel and it wasnt so convenient (especially with comped meals from our concierge). The movie on the dock they do on Friday nights is kind of fun, but get there by mid afternoon if you expect to get a seat outside to view the movie from.
(3)Lucy W.
Another great upscale place for a pit stop. I stopped in here for a warm beverage and dessert during my stroll along the waterfront. I enjoyed the fragrant peppermint tea and carrot cake. The ambiance is similar to what I would think an upscale yacht club would be, right down to the hotel or business lunch clientele in navy jackets that were dining during my stop. The view of Boston Harbor is beautiful. The lobby and common areas of the hotel feature a lot of old maps from the 1700s and 1800s...you definitely need to check them out.
(4)Janine R.
DO NOT EAT ANY RAW SEAFOOD HERE. I ate here last night and have been a regular customer throughout the three years I've lived in Boston. I got food poisoning from the yellowtail ceviche, besides being a weird, off tasting dish, it also made me violent ill after eating it. For the sake of your appetite, I won't go into detail. I also sent back the tuna tartare dish because the fish tasted terrible and the avocado purée on top tasted like a kitchen refrigerator. I absolutely love avocados so this purée was a big disappointment and how do you ruin avocados? Their menu needs some serious revamping. The menu is limited and doesn't have a good selection. I'm also now worried about the quality of the seafood as I aforementioned. If you are daring and want to take a chance on the raw seafood dishes, be prepared to eat your raw fish lukewarm. The one star is for the beautiful view. Also the bar seems to produce good drinks. In general, the price you pay isn't worth it. Also most of their seafood is farmed and not wild. Thanks for helping me lose five pounds, Rowe Sea Grill!
(1)Manfred S.
Too bad that Sea Grill is on a downward trajectory. 5-stars are long gone. 1. Two orders of oysters weren't what we were told we would get - Katama- no thanks - who advertise Katama or any other blue point cannot be an oyster fan - Wellfleets - not what was served - my best guess PEI In any case getting wrongly label food is not acceptable 2. My wine choice was not available. The backup selection was from a different year than listed 3. Bread is plenty full but quality has declined 4. All dishes lost texture. The vegetables that came with my scallops were tasteless. The scallops were okay, but not enough for a higher rating. 5. I skipped dessert but I heard that the shortbread was awful 6. Service has become very fuzzy 7. The $48 bottle of wine showed up at $75 on the bill which is not acceptable (and was corrected after I complained)
(2)Nick S.
A place you can live without. Does it have ambiance....of course, on the water at what you'd think is a good hotel. Server was very nice and there ends my positives. Getting a table on the patio is a shell game they play with very little finesse. There is a matter of fact attitude of "this is my area" and even if empty you can't get in. Funny thing is if you call for q reservation they won't take one for the patio....but when you get there, and it's empty , you still can't sit there. Go figure. Nice atmosphere, average food IMO, but even if it was great, I hated their attitude and policy enough to never go there again. They HAVE to know this...they choose to operate like this IMO.
(3)Samantha L.
Though definitely not a cheap or casual meal, this was a great spot to spend a thoughtful and leisurely outing with friends and their newborn where this would be the only event of the afternoon. It was the first week of April, so the outside seating had not yet begun, however the window views of the harbor were still pretty remarkable from indoors. The menu was seafood heavy and, as mentioned, on the pricey side, but also very delicious and fresh, and the service was excellent. I had the Maine lobster salad on a Challah roll, and it was delicious. The haddock sandwich got rave reviews from my fellow diner, as did the calamari. If only they validated parking...
(4)Ryan W.
Up until the last 2-3 years if you asked me where to get some good seafood in Boston my list would have been fairly short. Now there are quite a few more solid options out there (Row 34, Island Creek, Ostra and the various new Legal's). Rowes Wharf Sea Grille isn't the best seafood restaurant in Boston and it's not on the cutting edge of culinary trends BUT it is most definitely a place I would recommend to someone who is looking for a classic Boston seafood experience. OH and you won't have to make a reservation a month in advance to get a table here on a Saturday night. The ambiance and decor of the Sea Grille echoes that of the Boston Harbor Hotel, old world charm (blue blood Brahmin white people on yachts). The service from the time you are greeted at the host stand until you get the check is 100% professional and proficient. Our waiter was great with recommendations and was able to accommodate a few special requests. The wine list is very well put together and there are plenty of good/unique options by the glass. Our waiter let us try a few different wines before we committed which was nice. All of their drinks are $1-2 more than they would be in normal restaurants. It's $6 for a Budweiser (the King of Beers) and $7-8 for all other beers. The cocktails are $13-15, which I wouldn't mind paying if I was sitting on the patio and it was 75 degrees and sunny, but I wouldn't want to pay that if I was hanging out at the bar with Todd and Muffy. The food is very good, but not the best. My wife and I have eaten here twice and I enjoyed my food both times but she was kind of whatever about her food. I've had the halibut entree (as opposed to simply grilled) and the salmon entree. I highly recommend the salmon entree which came in a red sauce with Portuguese chorizo and white beans. My wife has the crab topped haddock and and the simply grilled tuna with double vegetables. Both of her dishes were executed well, but she didn't really enjoy either of them. When we left here we felt satisfied, but not full like we had just stuffed our faces, which is a result of their food being fairly healthy and light. If you only have a few glasses of wine and one appetizer to share, it is possible to eat here for less than $100 before tip. Enjoy!
(4)Ashley M.
Ambiance is really nice. We went on a Friday night while they were setting up for the free movie night. Food was fine-overpriced for what was served. Paying for the view. May have been a better lunch choice. Parking garages were very expensive around the area as well.
(3)Shannon B.
Extremely slow service (got there at 8pm, didn't get bill until 10:30) and only mediocre food. Aside from dessert, that was very good. The ambiance is nice and the wait staff, while slow and inattentive, were all very friendly but that does not justify the high prices on food. I would not recommend this restaurant.
(2)Amica M.
We popped in while walking the Harborwalk. It was past lunch, but we were on a mission for lobster rolls. The young hostess was very gracious and checked with the kitchen about whether it would be possible to get a lobster roll. They said okay. We really enjoyed the lobster roll, which was abundant and delicious. There were lots of fries, which we didn't need. And dressed watercress with local tomatoes. The waitperson was also very gracious. It was pretty pricey, but when the food and service live up to it, then it is worth it to me.
(4)Eric M.
Rowes Wharf Sea Grille is "OK". There is really no other way for me to describe it. The service was very nice, so that's a good place to start. The food was very average. We ordered the tuna tartar as an appetizer and there was almost as much avocado as there was tuna. It tasted good once we separated the fish and the avocado. The ceviche was equally average, it wasn't bad tasting but there was nothing overly appealing about it. The radishes did not go well with the rest of the flavors. Both of the entrees were decent, no complaints just average preparation and quality; we ordered the salmon and the halibut. Everything was more expensive than it needed to be but that is likely because it is inside a hotel. This included the wine which was below average on quality and above average on price. Glasses cost $10-15 and the wines on the menu cost about that for a bottle in the liquor store...which is significantly more than the usual markup at a restaurant.
(3)J B.
Unfortunately, like most places with an amazing view - that's what you are paying for, not the quality of food. I had their sirloin, which came out as steak tips on a skewer; not what I was expecting. Everything on the plate was extraordinarily bland - its called salt and pepper folks; please use it. My friends had the same comments of their fish dishes. Our server was very pleasant, and attentive. The wine list was short, but reasonable. I would come back for the live band and outdoor seating again, but I'd only nosh on some fries, and eat elsewhere afterwards.
(2)Be B.
Over charged my credit card for the reason of "this how it is nowadays." I paid for the foods and the tips of 19%. When I go home I realized my credit card is being charged $17 dollars more than what I wanted to paid with tips. So I called the manerger. His explaination is " this is how it is when you put this on your credit card we charge you 25% more in advance for every customers. You're not. The only one. We usually credit back to you afterward." Oh really. What wouldn't you feed me 25% of foods in advanced and at the end I return them back to you if it's unnecessary? I'll definitely seek for other places for more of a fair trade.
(1)Emily U.
Excellent food, great service, and the perfect ambiance. We really enjoyed our meal here. It was a bit on the pricey side, but reasonable for the quality of the food. However, it was certainly not worth the extra $40 for parking. I would give this restaurant 5 stars if they validated parking for lunch. Assuming that they would, we parked in the hotel parking garage, which has to have some of the highest rates in the city ($38 for 1 hour and 20 minutes). We inquired about validating when we were getting ready to leave to find that they only validate for dinner. We had only parked downstairs to give this restaurant business and left once our meal was finished. Please consider validating for customers in the future.
(4)Harry A.
A classic seafood restaurant. We ordered 3 different things and they all were delicious. The service was great as was the cocktails. We especially liked that it was quiet enough for conversation. The decor was old seaport and we had a view of the harbor.
(5)Matthew B.
I hate being a Debby Downer on meal reviews, but this place is the pits. Starting on a good note: Unlike other reviewers, we had wonderful service. It's just the food they delivered didn't do the trick. The nutshell of my group's experience: * Scallops were overcooked (took a thorough knife cut to get in there) * The rice was undercooked (how do you mess up rice?) * The duck was dry and slightly overcooked (1/4 slices were good) * All cocktails ordered were disappointing at best * It's so loud in there, even when reasonably empty, that having more than 4 people at the table ensures you can't have a decent conversation with everyone One more positive note: the mussels appetizer was tasty. Now back to the reality of it -- if you're charging top-shelf prices, you better have a top-shelf meal. Rowes didn't come close. There are too many incredible restaurants in this city to go here. Especially at this price range.
(2)Geri V.
The sisters and I went for tea time.. Not what we expected for "tea time" or shall I say what we weren't accustomed to for tea time. The food was mediocre.. Can't even remember what was the best thing I ate... The place was noisy... There's a bar and people were actually yelling and cheering while watching a sports game.. I'm all for it BUT not while people are suppose to have a nice low key ambience for tea! The 2 stars is because we each got to have our own tea pot... Yea not all places do that.. My green tea was kinda gross.. Had a cup and that was about it.. Nothing else to brag about.
(2)Stacy G.
We went here for dessert and a few drinks after dinner. We had the hot chocolate cake which was really good and came with delicious ice cream. We also had 2 glasses of wine which came recommended from our server Adrian. He was extremely knowledgeable and told us about wine pairings they do. There's also a great view. We'll definitely be back!
(5)Ralph V.
I have dined in many restaurants in the Greater Boston area but rarely write a review of my experience. I am compelled to tell all of the superb service my wife and I received this weekend from Susan V. She was attentive, charming and had many excellent suggestions which we enjoyed thoroughly! I expect good service from a fine establishment such as yours but the genuine, sincere hospitality Susan demonstrates must be recognized. Please let her know how much I appreciated her service and we will be back. Kind regards, Ralph Vitiello
(5)Fateh S.
Great restaurant by the harbor. Best to get a table outside if the weather is good. Service is good both inside and outside. Personally love to eat outside. Make sure to have reservations as the restaurant fills up quickly.
(5)Vivian C.
Looks like the prices for the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille afternoon tea has gone up since the mid 2011's Yelps of basic tea $18.50, and The Harbor Tea $26 with a glass of prosecco. According to their website the basic tea is now called The Harbor Tea $24.00 for a small pot of tea and the Delights selection, while the Champagne Tea $32.00 is their basic tea started off with a celebratory glass of Piper Heidsieck Champagne, and freshly cut strawberries with Devonshire cream. That's a $5.50 (30%) increase over a 9 month period (since June/July 2011) for their basic tea selection. From their website: Start off your journey of Afternoon Tea with two selections of warmed scones; Macadamia Currant and Lemon Poppy Seed. Pick from various pastry breads served with Clotted Devonshire Cream, Fresh Berries and Cookies. Next, savor our assortment of finger sandwiches featuring Maple Smoked Salmon and Melted Fennel Cream, Maine Lobster and Lemon Salad, Griddled Vermont Cheddar and Spinach Triangle, and Egg Salad Duet. To finish your tea, indulge in our compilation of enticing French Pastries. Including; Chocolate Boston Cream Profiteroles and Assorted Fruit Tartlettes. The actual menu was pretty much the same as advertised with the exception of an egg mousse sandwich in place of the egg salad duet, and the fruit tartlettes being MIA. The scones course was individually plated with a generous scoop of clotted cream, with the sweets and sandwiches served in tiered towers of 3 plates. The scones were each a good sized biscuit, but I ate them all slathered with strawberry jam and the generous scoop of clotted cream cause I was hungry, having skipped lunch in interest of afternoon tea. While portions were each individually small, altogether it was quite a lot of food (2 scones, 8 sweets, 4 savories). None of us finished our portion, but that was fine since we could ask for plastic take-out containers to take home any remnants. The tea service began at 2:30pm, which was about when they were willing to begin seating us. For our rather large party, we were charged $31 flat apiece, inclusive of taxes and tip, and asked to confirm the number of seats several days in advance. Service was a little slow to start, which also explained the utter decimation of my pair of scones. The tea followed a bit later in individual pots after our choices of tea had time to steep. Give yourself 2.5 hours plus to just enjoy this interlude from life with your friends. Everything tasted pretty good, with personal favorites being the raspberry mousse, all three sandwiches, and the cheesecake. Even the carrot cake was good, being rather moist and tasty below the creamy frosting. Yes, a rather nice break from normal life. But too bad the prices have jumped so significantly over such a short period of time. They used to be the best value for afternoon tea in the area, but it would take some investigating to see if they still deserve that title. For local tea options with both sweet & savory: The Inn at Harvard Square $19.95 Dorset Cafe of Wellesley $20.50 The Courtyard Restaurant at the BPL $22.50 The Tea Leaf of Waltham $23 according to Groupon MFA Elegant Tea $25 (plus price of MFA Admission) mfa.org/programs/special… Rowes Wharf Sea Grille $24 Upstairs at the Square $28 Langham Hotel $30 Concord's Colonial Inn $30 Four Seasons $32 M Bar & Lounge (or is it the lobby?) at The Mandarin Oriental $35 L'Espalier at The Mandarin Oriental $36 Taj Boston $35 Special Teas of Northborough $16 11/2012 - A deal for $49 - Decadent Afternoon Tea for 2 at Rowes Wharf, Reg. $78 caught my eye... but not the "Great deal!" sort of catch my eye, but more like the "Wait, how much did it cost me?" type. I checked out my review and yes, the normal price was $24 just earlier this year. I then checked out the restaurant's site and saw that The Harvest Tea was now $39.00, Available through Nov 29. Okay, note to self - avoid afternoon tea here during the holidays. 5/2013 - Another deal for $49 ($78 value) for afternoon tea for two popped up, so I checked out their current price at roweswharfseagrille.com/… So, the new regular price for their Afternoon Harbor Tea is now $39. A $15 increase - wowzers! (as a point of reference, TAJ Boston now offers tea for $42 according to their online menu - tajhotels.com/Luxury/Cit… , a $7 increase since I checked the first time) 11/2013 - A new local afternoon tea option is the "Tiffin at The Langham" afternoon tea served daily from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. for $30 (or $45 for the addition of a Maine lobster salad Mary Rose and a Glass of Moët & Chandon or Roeder Estate rose), while sadly Upstairs on the Square will be bid a fond adieu at the end of this year. There's also the Battery Lounge, located in the hotel lobby of the Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel, where it is $39pp from 2-4:30pm. 9/2014 - Susu in Wellesley $29
(3)Tim S.
I went for dinner on 8/18/14. Everything was very good, food, service and drinks. It just that $350 for two people with good wine it was not special enough. It's definitely a fancy lunch place with a view. I prefer a darker, cozier environment for special occasions.
(3)Victoria S.
I went here for restaurant week with a friend, and I was expecting better since there were fairly good review. First of all, I wasn't aware this place was in a hotel. It's pretty small place with annoying flicking fake candles. As for the food, I ordered the Maine Lobster Bisque, Grilled Prime Filet Mignon, and the Dark Chocolate Pave. The bisque was terrible. It was a nasty mixture of oily water, with one small shrimp dumpling. I would expect to have at least a few more, or why bother putting it in the bisque. The filet was good quality beef. Pretty surprising because this is seafood place. The potato cake was a bit weird, I would have preferred mashed potatoes instead. The dark chocolate was decent, but not the best. The peppermint ice cream didn't have much of a peppermint taste and soon became washed out by the chocolate taste. The service was good, we always had our water glasses filled when necessary. There wasn't much waiting time between our dishes. I feel like the place was overstaffed because there was many servers just standing by the kitchen door watching us eat.
(2)Jingyao Z.
The table was graced with pink petals when we arrived there. The view of Harber made a day special. The passion fruit flavor tea was good for girls although I like white and black tea usually. Great service and great afternoon tea worthy trying.
(5)Fred M.
Had a very enjoyable lunch with a delicious chowder and beautifully prepared fresh salmon. Very nice setting, nice harbor view, terrific service. Pricey but not considering the location and setting.
(4)Mengchen D.
I had a great afternoon with my friend in here. Good for service and the beautiful view of the harbor. But the food was a little disappointed. All desserts in the bottom were too sweet. I thought the afternoon tea is overprice( $49 for each including tips and tax)
(3)Meghan M.
Some of the worst service I've experienced in a long while, made worse by the fact that the service at the hotel is phenomenal. We arrived around 3 wanting to grab a drink and a snack. We were seated right away at a table by the window with a lovely view. I ordered a glass of prosecco, which was a lovely, generous pour. That was where "lovely" ended. There was food caked to the glass brought out with my significant other's beer. When he apologetically asked for a new glass, the server brought back the same glass, just rinsed off. We had perused the menus and did not see our server again for over 20 minutes. When he came back, probably close to a half hour later, he removed the menus and walked away without a word. So odd. We then had to ask another waiter for the check after sitting there for another 20 minutes, with empty glasses. Ridiculous. The hotel should try to figure out how to staff this place up with a better grade of servers...unfortunately, it taints the perfection of the hotel.
(1)Elena E.
Went on a Friday night for the outdoor movie. We were a party of 3 and arrived at 6:15. The movies start around 8:30pm but if you want to be guaranteed a table it's best to get there before 6:30pm as most people eat dinner and then stay for the movie. We got a great seat with a perfect view of the screen. The waitress was fine with us taking our time to space out the courses since we were going to be there for so long. She was extremely nice about letting us sample some of the wines from the wine list until we found one we liked. And she was also accommodating about making substitutions on the menu. Overall the food was fine but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. It was a nice setting for dinner and the movie but food itself wasn't anything special. Mixed drinks were very very expensive glasses of juice so I'd suggest sticking to wine/beer. Also, they don't bring the bread basket unless you know to ask for it. The corn bread was great so definitely ask!
(3)Manas K.
What makes a restraunt good and memorable is not only the food but also the Service. This restraunt was great in both. Good food and very knowledgeable & personable staff. We were catching up with old friends someone recommended this place for the exceptional harbor view and I am so glad we finished our day in this place. Not only the view was amazing but what made our experience amazing was the food and the people. Susan ( our wait staff) & Angad ( Manager on duty) were exceptional in their service. Susan was attentive and had excellent suggestions, thank you Susan for recommending the scallops and baby lamb chops they were amazing. Not knowing much about wines we asked the manager Angad to help us pair our Lobsters with Wine. He made sure we sample some wines before we liked the one we wanted. Although the restraunt was packed, it never felt they were rushing us . They were always attentive not only to our needs but also for our kids. The courses were spaced appropriately. All of us had a great time. Thank you Susan & Angad . Whenever we will visit Boston, we would definitely go to this restraunt.
(5)Ruth R.
A Boston treat on a beautiful summer Thursday night dining on the terrace overlooking Boston Harbor and listening to some wonderful jazz from a floating stage . We were 7 friends getting together for a dinner on the waterfront. I will recommend the Sea Grille with some caveats ......best in the summer....best on the terrace...and be ready to pay for it. The Oysters, Lamb, Pasta, Tuna Tartare were excellent as was the Key Lime Pie. The service was excellent. This has been at least a yearly event for us ,,,always a treat during the concert season. I must add that we did like it better and would recommend it with more stars if they would offer more casual and less expensive choices in addition to their full menu!
(3)Jesse S.
Excellent meal and service tonight. Simce we are in the northeast mama Joyce and I shared Maine lobster - it was delish- for a true New England meal, this place is a MUST!
(5)Tarah N.
My friend and I used a groupon here yesterday ($35 for $60 worth of food-alcohol excluded). We sat at the bar and made small talk with the bartender before looking at the menu and deciding what we wanted. We privately discussed cost of things and what we wanted. The bartender piped in and mentioned he heard us and our whole discussion. Eavesdropping on your customers is not professional. If he had only done this once it would have been fine but he did it several times. We whispered to each other what we were going to get and he heard that as well! Talk about a lack of privacy! Beware if you sit at the bar...I wouldn't discuss anything that is personal to you as Jeremy the bartender will hear you. Aside from that the food was good but too expensive...but maybe the whole eavesdropping left a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended).
(3)Saadet A.
We came here for the first time yesterday. The atmosphere was really nice inside, and pretty comfortable outside except for the fact that all the tables are squeezed in somewhat close. To start off, I had the red sangria. It was on the sweet and weak side, and my fiancé had vodka and cranberry which he was happy with. We ordered oysters, little necks, and shrimp cocktail. The little necks were really sandy. I was so disappointed. This can be expected, but for the price, they should be more careful. The shrimp was delicious. I had the tomato and mozzarella, which was nothing to rave about. We also had a mixed green salad which I thought was good, but my fiancé thought it was bitter. Now, for the entrees... I had the salmon with the white beans. It was good, but nothing spectacular. The fish wasn't seasoned and lacked flavor. I have had better portions with more flavor and for less. Portions were small. I never finish my entrees, and I was still hungry when I was done. My fiancé had the haddock topped with crab or lobster, can't really remember. I had a bite and it was tasty. The views are great, and the atmosphere is nice, but I wasn't crazy about the food, and would probably not go back. I was disappointed because of a few things. For starters, the server didn't let us know that they were out of the coconut mussels, which I really wanted to try. They offered no daily specials which really isn't that big of a deal, but is always a nice bonus. The service wasn't really that great. From the hostess to the server, I didn't experience any hospitality. It wasn't that anything was so wrong that it was awful, but there was nothing special about the place.
(2)Marisel P.
It was my birthday last and I choose this restaurant in spite of some mixed reviews. I was glad I did. The fish - we had the crab topped haddock- was perfectly cooked. The sangria, strawberry short cake and cappuccino were excellent and so was the service. Esteban- I think that was his name - our waiter was wonderful and so were the rest of the very attentive staff. The Boston harbor view was a treat and so was this restaurant. I would go there again.
(4)lizzie b.
Went here for a delicious meal. It's gorgeous by the harbor! + Mini corn breads before the meal. + Mussels were delicious with buttered toasted bread, tomatoes, and shallots + Delicious grilled salmon with vegetables - It was my BIRTHDAY and I told them, and they didn't bring me even a piece of chocolate or a candle. Way to make me feel special. - Salmon was slightly undercooked. - Bread rolls lackluster. - Table is long and only one person has the view.
(4)Dawn A.
I have been here twice now. Once was a work event that was beyond awesome. We were seated during the Summer in the City music series with Toni Lynn Washington for blues. It was the perfect summer night. We had a beautiful table overlooking the band. The food was good, the music was awesome and the service was amazing. I had the best (and most expensive) dang chicken sandwich I've had in a long time. The fries weren't impressive and I skipped them after a few bites (one star off for the fries!). The grilled chicken sandwich was very tasty, though. All of the plates at my table looked good. If you are looking for a place to go to really soak in the beauty of Boston dining al fresco, you can't beat this place especially when there is a music event going on. We had a big group of swing dancers near us that looked like they were having so much fun that we wanted to join them. Another occasion, I had the arrancini with vegetables. It was good, but a little bit more sauce on the side would have been appreciated.
(4)Kelsey C.
This review is only for the afternoon tea. The Fall Harvest is a little feast for the cost of a dozen roses, and the best part is that Rowes even scatters some rose petals on the table, so technically, you save money... The Scones are a classic with clotted cream and jam. The Coffeecake under the scones may look little but they're dense and filling. They're a challenge after those scones, but with such small portions, why not indulge? The bite-sized "Sandwiches" are rife with fresh smoked salmon, a light lobster salad, and other tasty tidbits. End your meal with a festive bite of Cheesecake or a spiced morsel of Pumpkin Pie. The Salted Caramel Profiterole is a gooey little 3-bite wonder that I insist you eat. My only cautionary advice for afternoon tea is to make sure you bring people you like because the leisurely lull of a tea service, also known as slow service, is not one that allows you to make a quick getaway.
(4)Chuck E.
Right on the water in the seaport. Can be confusing to find the place. But once you're there it's top shelf food and service. Organic steak is the best steak I've ever had, red wine sauce is a must. Bacon wrapped scallops were cooked perfectly. Excellent service.
(5)Keith H.
Everyone at our table enjoyed our apps and dinner. Halibut and Risotto was really good. Biggest downside was the service....very slow. We had no water and no cocktails on several occasions. Tables arrived after us and got bread served....some on their second round before we got any at our table. We were a table if 6 and got one basket while other tables receiving 3 and 4 baskets. When apps were served, they did not place to the correct person. No biggie once we corrected them. This place was recommend by our local relatives (included in our party). We were expecting so much more but it was kind of a disappointment because of the lack of attention. Too many 'extras' just walking around and not being proactive checking on the tables.
(3)Demi L.
I recently went for dinner with my boyfriend and we had an amazing experience! Comfortable table for two by the window with a water view. The ambiance was relaxing and the service was great as well. We had the mussels and caprese salad as our appetizers (delicious). For our entrees, I had grilled salmon with seasonal vegetables and rice. My boyfriend had the haddock. We cleaned our plates, it was so good. For desert we ordered the carrot cake- unbelievable. I can't wait to come back here!
(5)Mindy M.
Been here three times. It's overpriced and just a few steps above mediocre and I'd gladly go back any day for the tables with a view. Makes it all worth it.
(3)Sarah G.
You know a place is nice when you walk in and they ask for your name for the table even if you aren't staying there and continue using it throughout your entire meal. That is classy status. And for how pricey breakfast is, no wonder they make you feel classy here. They have amazing sailboat paintings on the wall that almost look 3D, and those fancy satin covered chairs with those royalty like arms on them. Yup, you are having breakfast in the Boston Harvard Hotel ha ha The coffee was fine by almost $4 a cup! And their OJ was almost tangerine like which was tasty. But eggs florentine for $15 and for how it tasted didn't quite make my wallet that happy. My brother liked his french toast which came with honestly some of the largest blackberries I have ever seen. They were MASSIVE. And my mom got the American breakfast which was $24 but included coffee and oj, but then just bacon, eggs, and a few potatoes. So ya. The ambiance was very nice--water view, etc. but was it really worth every dollar? Not really. But it was fine.
(3)Heywood J.
Bland, bland, bland. We had a fairly large group (11 people). Service was spot on throughout the evening, but there was just no way to make up for the weal food effort.
(2)Rene' Y.
I took my sister there for an afternoon tea servce on a Sunday. The last serving time is at 4 p.m. I made a reservation 4 hours prior arriving. When we got there, our table was already set up by the window with a great view. White table cloth with yellow rose petals on top. Inside the restaurant, there are many boat paintings, such a classic New England decor. I love the atmosphere, light and airy! We had the Champgane tea, which is basically upgraded "Harbor Tea" with the additional Champgane, sliced strawberries and Devonshire cream. The pasties were delicious and nice selections of tea. Our waitress was helpful and friendly so we felt very welcome. It was such a great experiences that I will certainly be going back and bring more girlfriends with me.
(5)Nina H.
Overall, their tea set is fine. But I dislike those petal in the table, which looks like rubbish even though it's real petal. Their serve is bad. Some waiters just ignore my need, except the guy who severs for my table. I hardly find that guy. So I have to waste a lot of time. They just take extra 3 dollar from my card without my permission . I didn't want to go again.
(1)Jim C.
Top notch service, great views, high quality well-prepared food. I thought the price was reasonable for both the quality and location. I had the simply grilled swordfish and it was perfectly done. Thank you!
(5)Laura C.
had the clam chowder (just ok) Sea Grille Tossed Salad, Jonah Crabmeat, Avocado, Tomato, Capers and Horseradish Dressing (yummy, but skimpy on the crabmeat) service was fine friends had grilled fish plates (why do restaurants say it's grilled if it is really pan seared?) All three had different fish, and all three said it was wonderful
(4)Lisa S.
A few weeks ago, I made a reservation for 4 people for afternoon tea. When they asked about food allergies, I told them that we had 1 vegetarian. A different friend couldn't make it last-minute, so she called the morning of and changed the 2:30pm reservation from 4 people to 3 people. When we showed up, they were confused because they thought 4 people were coming at 3pm. They also said they hadn't prepared vegetarian food because we hadn't told them ahead of time... not a great start. The table was sprinkled with yellow rose petals. We sat by the window, which had a great view, but the table was quite warm. The basic tea was $18.50, but we chose The Harbor Tea ($26) with a glass of prosecco. The waitress was nice, but service was a bit slow. After the prosecco, we received strawberries and cream, then pots of tea, and finally the main attraction- tiered plates full of goodies! The top tier had small scones, which were either chocolate chip or cranberry. They were tasty, but I wish the scones were bigger and unflavored (too many sweet foods!). There was jelly and honey, but no butter. There were 3 scones of each type, and 8 pieces of coffee cake (2 flavors). The coffee cake was tasty but also sweet. The second tier held sandwiches. They brought out a small plate for the vegetarian with 3 egg sandwiches (each 'sandwich' was a circle about 2" in diameter). Then on the tiered plate, they put 2 of each sandwich- even the tomato & mozzarella, which my friend could have eaten. Nobody liked the egg salad, but we thought the other sandwiches were quite good and unique.The bottom tier held desserts- including pound cake with chocolate, cheesecake, a strawberry pastry, and an amazing pecan thing. The strawberry and the pecan desserts were standouts- the rest were too rich for us. Overall, we were a bit disappointed with tea, but it wasn't bad- just not awesome. There was too much sweet food, the service was a bit awkward and slow from when I made the reservation to the end of the meal, and the room was a bit on the warm side. However, the food was quite good and unique (minus the egg salad), the prosecco was tasty, and we got a great view of the Harbor. I'm glad we went to afternoon tea here at least once, but I'm not sure I'd pick it again over some more traditional tea places in Boston.
(3)Michael C.
I can say, if nothing else, the view here on the patio on a nice summer day is amazing. It would be impressive for business lunches and tourists. A great way to enjoy Boston's waterfront. Obviously as you can tell by the name they serve mostly seafood. I went with a Fried Fish Sandwich, it tasted good and the fish seemed to be fresh not frozen. The fish is quite oversized for the bun which makes it a little more difficult to eat without a fork and knife.
(4)Rosie I.
For starting, everything was very cute. Paintings of boats and blue-and-orange ceilings. We really liked how the clam chowder appetizer came with a clam shell in the middle, even though the clam chowder itself was so-so. The starter rolls were cute, too. Regular rolls and small cornbread muffins. Soup of the Day Lobster Bisque was excellent. Entrees and Sandwiches were good to. Cheese sandwich thing was very good, as well as Lobster Roll, which was excellent. Loved how it came with a mini salad. Scallops were somewhat tasteless. Desert was great. Carrot cake was not very good. Strawberry shortcake was excellent, although unexpected presentation/looks. Hot chocolate cake was great. Blueberry Mousse was fantastic. The lemon sorbet that came with it was the best lemon sorbet we've ever had. Nice and cool and delicious and refreshing. The desert presentations were amazing. Service was great. Our waiter, Chol, was awesome. Chol would get a ten out of five star rating. However, we didn't really like that there were about three cameras overhead staring down at our table. Could do without. Overall, we would definitely recommend the restaurant.
(5)Katie L.
Don't, don't, don't go here for tea. You'll be pretty disappointed. The tea was just alright tasting, you're in the restaurant part near the bar (so you're not getting too relaxing of a setting) and they don't even pour your first cup for you. The fare was okay, not bad, but not awesome either (like one should expect). For $40 per person, you'd think it would have been better (the food and the experience). My cousin and I were extremely disappointed, and we won't be returning.
(2)Andrew R.
Review of Afternoon Tea: I highly recommend this place if you must do afternoon tea in Boston. It's the least expensive of any place around (at $18.50 a head) and it comes with all you'd expect of afternoon tea. Though perhaps you may expect larger scones. The service was excellent, the tea was great, and the food was better than average - unique even. The finger sandwiches were where it got fancy. Salmon with caviar, shrimp on avocado, egg salad on a chewy wheat puff bread that looked like it was filled with something but wasn't, and then boring old turkey and cheese. Desserts weren't bad either. The highlights (of 5) being the fruit tart and coconut macaroon. Plus great views of the harbor. If I wasn't so cheap I'd be here every day.
(5)Julie K.
Came here for lunch with family (they picked). Food was okay. Clam chowder was the standout, my lobster roll was fine but a little heavy on the grated onion in the dressing. French fries were phenomenal, I could've eaten my weight in those suckers. For dessert, I had the strawberry shortcake which was light and really lovely. Cocktails were definitely hit or miss. Service was good, up until shift change when we were completely forgotten. And prices were very high for lunch. The decor inside is lovely though (we sat outside). I wouldn't be back.
(2)Alan C.
Had lunch here and got an outside table. This was a special occasion so I expected to shell out some cash. Ambiance was good and service was excellent. But the biggest attraction for me was the Monkfish. It was prepared well and exceeded my expectations. I have not had a better tasting monkfish in a while. I don't expect to be going again until next time I've got the money but it's still in my list of good eats.
(5)Kel S.
For $24, I'd like more lobster meat and less mayo. Also, the challah roll may be something different, but lobster rolls are meant to be served on hot dog buns. No frills. The outside seating, service, cocktails and view were wonderful. The fact that they let my dog stay near me was also great, but the food left something to be desired.
(3)Jenelle J.
Hit or miss - though can't complain about the view. Ate here for brunch outside, overlooking the boats. Cute patio with umbrellas. Lots of wedding guests milling around which made for fun people watching. The food - was well, all over the place. Coffee - solidly strong. Corned beef - one of the better ones we've had in some time. Although the crepes - way below quality for this level of restaurant. Asked to swap them out for some eggs which was cheerfully done, although the eggs were from the buffet and needless to say, I've had much better. Hoping they can step up their game in the kitchen because I'd want to come back for another summertime brunch sometime soon!
(3)Michael R.
Yeah, restaurant week was a helluva long time ago, but here's my take on my RW Spring 2012 experience. First, the New England Clam Chowder- Thankfully it was a true chowder, not a soup. Flavorful, big chunks of clam, although it was a little cold when it came to the table. My favorite part of the meal. Next, the Lemon and Herb Chicken Breast. Yeah, yeah, Chicken at a "sea grille", I know it's not the house specialty, but it was solid. Herbs weren't overpowering. Portion size was a bit undersized for the price as well. Lastly, dessert - Dark Chocolate Fudge cake with Raspberry Compote. Pretty standard for an upscale dessert. I've had the same thing a number of times, and the quality's right up there with all the rest. The real star here is the raspberry compote -- I tossed the idea around in my head of asking for a pitcher; it was the perfect combo of sweet and tart. The service was solid as well, especially since we had a full table of young twenty-somethings. Sometimes we'll get the "college kid" treatment, but I didn't feel like that was the case here. Good experience overall.
(3)Cindy K.
Don't come here for Sunday brunch unless you want to wait a half hour to get water and a menu. For a high-end hotel restaurant, I expect a lot more with customer service and we were so frustrated and fed up that we left without ordering.
(1)Hao Yun C.
Charge extra tip by themselves! We paid the bill including 18% tip on credit card. However, after I got home, I checked my bill, it was 5 dollars more than what I had signed, and it happened on 5 other friends's credit card who went there with me also! Can't believe thatï¼so illegally!
(1)Josephine L.
This is a review for their afternoon tea only: Amazing. Experience. I've had afternoon tea in many cities including in Mother England herself (London, Oxford, Bath) and while my favorite all-time experience is probably Bath, I'd have to say RWSG's is the best I've had in the US so far. First off, it's way more affordable than afternoon tea at ritzy, swanky hotels (which, unfortunately, are usually the only places you can get traditional English afternoon tea on this continent). I'm used to the price tag being $30 for the standard pot of tea + 3 trays of food combo. Add cheese or wine? Expect to pay close to $50. At RWSG, it's $18.50 for the traditional combo, and only goes as high as $30 if you want sparkling champagne and strawberries in addition. Nice! The restaurant is lovely, with a terrace overlooking the waterfront. For afternoon tea, they leave fresh rose petals on the tables in what has to be one of my favorite decorating touches. The tea list offers a good amount of tried and true favorites, and more unique kinds, thus satisfying the tea-lover within me. And the food! Oh, the food! If the top-notch service, intriguing tea selection and beautiful interior didn't win me over, this surely would have. They give so much more than other places that charge twice as much, and everything is made perfectly! The starter tray: Traditionally contains a few scones, Devonshire cream and butter. Yeah, well, RWSG threw in slices of blueberry cake, chocolate chip cake, marshmallow-y cookies, AND fresh, sliced strawberries in addition! The scones (blueberry and cheese) were moist, and the cakes were light and fluffy. Mmm! The sandwich tray: I have never seen so many different creations on an afternoon tea tray! In fact, these weren't so much sandwiches as things on top of bread slices. Not that I was complaining. Let's see if I can remember all of them: smoked salmon on wheat with a little dab of cream, egg salad on top of hard-boiled egg white on white, a delicious tomato sauce-y type spread on two (including one circular slice of bread), salami on wheat , probably a few more I'm forgetting, and in the middle of everything, a strawberry and peanut butter tart! The dessert tray: Not to be outdone by the two trays above it, this little trooper featured moist chocolate cake, lemon cheesecake, carrot cake, mousse cake and one or two other items I can't remember because I was too busy devouring everything in sight. By far, the best afternoon tea experience I've had in these United States.
(5)Prabal D.
This place was pretty disappointing. The service was horrible, we could barely get our waters refilled. The manager was in the restaurant but neglected the customers and hung out with friends of his at the bar for an hour until we finally called him over. To his credit he apologize and comp'd us our drinks but it wasn't enough to make me ever want to go back there, but I will give him an extra star for that. The food was just ok as well. It's a great location and has a lot of potential but fails to meet the expectations. Not recommended
(2)Sridevi K.
Exceptionally great place for seating outside..waterfront, live band on a summer evening. Great drinks.. the service is usually great, though if you have a large group, be prepared for delays. THe service staff is very courteous and were apologizing for the slowness when we had a big group. THe fish dishes are all exceptionally tasty. We mostly tried the list under 'fresh catch' and they were all good. Desserts are a-ok
(4)Kelly C.
There are so many other places better than here! I wouldn't even bother for the view (it's completely blocked by yachts and the gazebo) You can stare at John Henry's Yacht all night though... our food was not good. Aps were the veggie spring rolls - bland and weirdly shaped. I felt like a cow chewing grass while eating it. Coconut shrimp with mango chutney - Not a spec of coconut to speak of and the "mango" tasted suspiciously like pineapple. Finally, the crab rangood - were the best of the bunch, right out of the fryer... Most of the table had either the scallops (which were cooked perfectly and were HUGE) that came with black quinoa and some BLAND squash puree. AKA baby food. or fish( I forget which one...they said it was alright... Just flavorless....
(2)James F.
Dined outdoors here during the 'Movies by Moonlight' showing of 'Some Like it Hot' (The movie gets 5 stars). Let's break this down scientifically - Setting: I couldn't tell if the part of the patio we were seated on was normally seating for the grill, or just something they had added for the special event. There's a smaller seating area closer to the building, which seems more 'permanent'. Really, what is there to complain about when you have a beautiful hotel behind you and scenic ocean views in front of you. Bonus points for the two yachts nearby to admire and be jealous of. Food: Dining with some friends, we spread out a few appetizers and entrees over the course of the movie. The clam chowder (app) was surprisingly large, and i'm told quite tastey. The burger was sizeable and very well prepared. Similar for the chicken sandwich. Prices were a bit on the high side, but it seemed to be an event-specific menu, so not particularly unexpected. Drinks: The sangria is highly recommended. Service: Wait staff was nothing to write home about (probably the reason for 3 stars rather than 4), and there was some sort of issue when paying the bill. We were splitting it between 2 credit cards and cash, and then planning to tip on the cards. There seemed to be some sort of mis-communication, as the waiter split the bill between the two cards and assumed that the cash was his tip. Maybe an honest mistake, maybe not - but the amount of cash would have been an exorbitant tip considering the total bill. It all got worked out, but did take a while, and left a bit of a bad taste in our mouths.
(3)Jolene S.
The Sea Grille adjoins the Boston Harbor Hotel. The food and service were excellent. Except for the fact that we missed out on "Some Like It Hot" outside and had to wait a ridiculously long time for a table, I really can't complain. We ordered the wild mushroom, toasted pine nut, and baby spinach crumbled goat cheese salad (very simple--salty and would probably skip next time), shaved pork with Korean red pepper sauce stir fried rice appetizer (delectable--would definitely order again), and pan roasted halibut, saffron risotto mantecato and shaved zucchini entree(enjoyed the risotto more than the fish, would try another dish next time). My dining companion enjoyed the pinot grigio. I felt very full after our meal here. It was a bit of an indulgence, but for a meal with a view of the harbor on a nice occasion, I would recommend that you try the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille.
(3)Michelle B.
They have great clam chowder. We went to the Halloween Tea and had a blast! Recommend this place for a cocktail & snack.
(4)Abbi B.
Recently I ordered a Wedge salad, which I have had previously, but this time for take out during my hectic work day. Being a lactose intolerant person, I requested a salad that represented that (no cheese no dressing), but I unfortunately, I received something which resembled a salad. It was doused in dressing and had a vast amount of cheese. While I understand these mistakes can happen, and that I should have taken the time to examine the salad before I left the restaurant, I was even more disappointed by the lack of response by the BHH Sea Grille management team. I had contacted their team in hopes of at least recognition of the mistake, but received not even a response to my email. Furthermore, my schedule did not allow me to run back to the grille to get a replacement salad, so I had to resort to eating from the vending machine after buying a $20 salad. Very upsetting.
(1)Amy L.
I had the afternoon tea, which lasted from 2:30 - 4:00 pm (although I think they said 2 pm on their website but when I called they said 2:30). Arrived a bit early, restrooms are near the bar area (walk into it and it's right at the entrance). Reached the restaurant around 2:20 ish and were seated within a few minutes. Service: 4 stars. We had a great server who was really nice about taking our orders and serving us. He even offered to help mix two teas together for my friend. Don't know if this is customary, but usually the server pours our tea for us at least for the first cup, but not for here. The lady taking reservations by phone was very courteous and confirmed with us the day before. Restaurant: location was pretty good. The view is obstructed by boats and this building structure (it wasn't amazing), but it was pretty nice to glimpse the bay area (my friend had the better seat). We had a bit of trouble finding it, but were assisted by the same lady (it's inside the Boston Harbor Hotel, near the back). Table Settings: lots of white, was very clean and everything washed thoroughly. Nothing really special, though I was very disappointed they didn't scatter flower petals like the pictures from other reviewers. Oh well... Jam and honey were placed on a plate to share (although we had our own separate containers - these were the mini jars used by other hotels). They had nice tea strainers Food: My friend got the champagne tea, while I got the harbor tea (mine was $24, hers was $32). Results: Champagne (some sort of rose type - excellent, apparently), strawberries and cream (our server gave me an extra serving, free of charge; the dish was itself not very good, the cream was not good, the strawberries a bit sour or old). We both got two scones each (still warm and excellently made), two pastry cakes (liked how they weren't very sweet but only alright), four sandwiches (there were passable, and the ingredients weren't very fresh), four mini desserts (same idea as the sandwiches). The presentation overall was excellent. Tea: I got the blue flower earl grey, which was great at first but left a dry and rather nasty aftertaste when it got too strong (couldn't control how long it was seeped), my friend got a mixture of green tea (which was good but not great). Overall, great presentation and service (4). Food averaged between okay and great (2.5). Not overly disappointed but I wouldn't come back there again.
(3)Anna I.
Took my friend big sis for afternoon tea at the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille. I concur with other yelpers it used to be more of a deal. But still for $24 it is reasonable for all that you get. We were seated at 4pm (last seating time) and the space was not packed on a Sunday afternoon. We loved the scattered yellow roses. Our server Zachary "Bo" was charming and attentive. We both enjoyed our teas the citron green tea and passion fruit. I liked the lemony smell but lightness of the green tea. The passion fruit even when it steeped longer was not too strong or bitter. I enjoyed its sweetness. We both opted for the Harbor Tea $24 and the only difference from the Champagne Tea was the Champagne at $32 which we both did not need. Straight from the website: "Start off your journey of Afternoon Tea with two selections of warmed scones; Macadamia Currant and Lemon Poppy Seed. Pick from various pastry breads served with Clotted Devonshire Cream, Fresh Berries and Cookies. Next, savor our assortment of finger sandwiches featuring Maple Smoked Salmon and Melted Fennel Cream, Maine Lobster and Lemon Salad, Griddled Vermont Cheddar and Spinach Triangle, and Egg Salad Duet. To finish your tea, indulge in our compilation of enticing French Pastries. Including; Chocolate Boston Cream Profiteroles and Assorted Fruit Tartlettes." We enjoyed the lovely warmed scones not too dry and with the light Devonshire cream with the sweet sliced strawberries for decoration. We had a apple strudel cake under one scone and I forgot the other one. Both were moist and delicious. The cookies were nothing spectacular but very tiny. We enjoyed the griddled Vermont Cheddar and Spinach Triangle (yummy and good quality cheese) we were recommended to eat first. The Lobster salad sandwich was nice. The Maple Smoked Salmon and melted fennel cream was delicious and flavorful. There egg salad was more fluffy and piped not your typical mom's egg salad and we enjoyed it. As for our desserts, there were no fruit tartlettes or Boston Profiteroles but what we got was nice. We got a chocolate cup/cookie filled with chocolate, Blueberry mousse cake and light fluffy cheese cake with a caramel swirl. When asking for more hot water, we got a new teapot. (Caused for awkward pouring and a little mess at the table). We loved the spaciousness and the blues and nautical theme. Plus our window table seat was nice. Not the best views with other outdoor patio tables but still the afternoon light was lovely. Definitely more on the affordable tilt with great value for the food. Parking is problematic in that area and it costs $18 all day on Sunday (for now) in their garage. Not the most traditional afternoon tea but definitely enjoyable and delicious.
(4)Carly L.
Had breakfast buffet here on a Saturday morning. View is great. Food is mediocre. Something I would expect from free breakfast at Comfort Inn. Yup, its that bad.
(2)Enza D.
Great Location (Outdoor), Great Cocktails and Great Food! The white Sangria is pretty fabulous and you can have it by the glass or pitcher which is perfect on a nice summer day. I also can't wait to go again to try the kiwi mojito (yumm). To start we tried the crag ragoons which were delicious. I had the lobster sandwich which was served with fries and it was awesome! Lots of fresh lobster meat with minimal mayo served of challah bread. My friend had the burger and was equally impressed. I would absolutely recommend this place for lunch and outdoor cocktails!
(5)K. E.
Came for restaurant week and will probably be back. The first thing that hits you is the decor. This is one beautiful restaurant. The harbor views don't really need much of a description either. In addition to the RW menu items, we ordered the seafood platter for 4 and thoroughly enjoyed every bite. The clam chowder was great and a little untraditional with huge chunks of potato. The yellowfin tartar with avocado mousse and miso glaze was memorable. I'd come back for this. Before the entrees arrived, the waiter brought over a complimentary crab salad amuse bouche. It didn't blow our socks off, but we love the extra effort. Why don't more restaurants do little things like this to make customers smile? We all ordered the grilled cod entree. Unfortunately this was this biggest disappointment of the night but it wasn't horrible. You just can't grill a piece of fish this thin. Don't even try. It was on the dry side but I liked the charred flavor. It was served with steamed vegetables and jasmine rice that were done well. Desserts were good too. I wish my piece of banana bread pudding was bigger! I might come back for lunch or brunch. I'd love to sit on the patio when it's warmer, too.
(4)Sara M.
I came here for lunch and was amazed by the impeccable service. I recommend the tuna nicoise, my bartender Tom suggested it and went so far to check in the kitchen and see how fresh the tuna was. Along with the red wines they have and the chocolate bombe, lunch was amazing! I enjoyed myself and would go back on an afternoon when Tom was there.
(5)M J.
this place is all about the patio, though i may have been once for tea, years ago. it's a great spot on the water with excellent, fancy hotel type service and good food. pricey and parking is a bit of a disaster. also, it's a bit of an island, on the harbor, but not in a neighborhood, so there's nowhere to go before or after unless you're ready to trek for blocks first, and through a decent amount of traffic.
(4)Cammy T.
The price increases for Valentine's Day ($45 - I believe - per adult.) You have three tiers: scones, sandwiches, and small petit fours with a pot of tea. I have been to many high tea places in Boston but I really adore this place because of the harbour front view. It's not the best but reasonable for a small city.
(3)Amanda J.
As everyone who reads my reviews knows, we LOVE breakfast buffets. We finally tried out Rowes Wharf Sea Grille for theirs. It's really great! You have your choice of hot and cold buffet items (the standard scrambled eggs, bacon, cereal, oatmeal, etc) but also any egg, pancake, french toast or waffle dish of your choice made to order fresh just for you. We always order a waffle and eggs benedict...coffee and tea is great and the fresh squeezed OJ is worth the calories for sure. You can't beat the views - especially on a sunny day. It's $27.50 pp I believe - totally worth it. There is no sense of hurriedness, so take your time, fill up and enjoy the view :)
(4)JessIca W.
I had afternoon tea here last Sunday with one of my friends. Afternoon tea is something I really look forward to since it's not something I normally splurge on and there aren't a million places in Boston the offer afternoon tea, so we were really excited to go. Our reservation was for 2:45, but we arrived around 2:15 and were told that we would be seated around 2:30 as they were still getting the tables ready. We checked back in at 2:30 and were told by a different hostess that she would call us when our table was ready and that she would call us around 2:45. Glancing at the half empty dining room, we were a bit confused, but went to sit down on the couches for 15 more minutes. 2:45 came and no word from the hostess, so we went up to her and without looking to even see if or table was ready, she said 'your table isn't ready yet.' what!?!? ReAlly???Well...just as quickly as she said that, she decided to turn around and realized that indeed, the table we had been waiting for, was in fact ready! We get to the table and immediately, I knew it wasn't going to be good. It was directly horizontal to the double doors that lead to the back patio of the restaurant. Which meant that whenever the waiters came in and out of those doors carrying food, water, or whatever and didnt take the time to close the door behind them, the wind would gush in and blow whatever rose petals were on the table and my already crazy messy hair all over the place...AND it was breezy and cold that day, so this gush of wind every 30 seconds was not welcome. Even after flagging down a host and hostess at least 3 times to remind the wait staff to close the doors behind them, I was freezing my butt off. We ordered our tea and our food came...which was fine - not spectacular but nothing to complain about - but WHERE was my tea?! They had forgotten to bring it...umm...we ARE at afternoon TEA, aren't we? So...our food was sitting on the table for at least 5 minutes sans tea...really weird...AND they had to ask what kind of tea we had ordered again - like they had totally forgotten about it?! I mean...it came out 3 minutes after they asked what tea we ordered for the second time, but still...I expected better service from the BHH. Between the missing tea and the wind that left me freezing...it left much to be desired. Not even the rose petals on the table could make it better.
(2)David V.
We came to the Sea Grille for a drink after work. We first started with a pitcher of the white wine sangria...but to our dismay it tasted of soap. The waiter told us that they use ginger seltzer to top off the drink and that other customers noted that flavor as well. They kindly took it away and exchanged our drinks...as well as giving us a delightful bowl of snacks! The coconut margarita was sooo delicious and refreshing!
(4)Andrea T.
This review is about the service which is very very bad...Our particular server Kaitlin ignored us and was extremely slow, and if u can believe it, took a break in the middle of our service, We found out from another server that she left for a break directly after we had ordered another glass of wine and didn't come back for over 25 minutes. Unbelievable. She didn't even tell the other servers where she went.. We hoped we would never see her again, but after her break she came back, and we had a painfully slow, apathetic finish to our family lunch with her. She and the female matride that afternoon put a HUGE damper on our lunch. The Intercontinental Hotel is pretty much right next store and has fantastic restaurants and unbelievable service Rumba Bar and Meil Boston are both exellent with great service
(2)Bex M.
Afternoon Tea @Boston Harbor Hotel I was so excited to go out for afternoon tea, my very first time! After reading books (think Pride and Prejudice and Miss Marple), I've always imagined myself living in that era where ladies were ladies - such elegance and dainty little things, having high tea and going out to the ball. Afternoon tea is a chance to play dress up and get together to gossip, I mean to reminisce about life and to talk about the future. I was a little disappointed that it was at the Sea Grille and not in an elegant tea room, but we did have a view of the water (and the Odyssey) and nautical decor of blue and white with vibrant yellow flowers was well and simply done. We ordered the pink champagne tea and its accompanying delights. Everything was so cute from the food to the teacups to the utensils. I ordered the Tea Bouquet organic infusion, made from antioxidants, with notes of honey, caramel, and citrus. I'm not a fan if caramel so I asked the waiter to make my tea sans caramel and he said that it doesnt have any caramel. So why is it in the description? (hmm) I loved all the dainty little finger foods that came out on three tiers. They were all very pleasing to the eyes and to the palette. One of my favorites, the maple smoked salmon on rye. I was a little disappointed that I didn't see cucumber sandwiches though. The apertif- nice and bubbly, the tea and food - exquisite, the service - impeccable.
(5)Mary C.
One of my favorite things to do was to come to tea here. That was several years ago. I've strayed away from this place due to terrible service and my most recent experience there. Last time I went my fork was dirty, not just left over food that got stuck during a run in the wash, but it was dirty, like someone ate with it, and they just recycled it without washing. Then the more disgusting part so they lay flower petals on the table... and I pushed them over and what I saw what looked to me like a long light brown pubic hair stuck on the table, to give this place the benefit of the doubt, it could've been an armpit hair, or a REALLY REALLY long arm hair. It was coarse and curly. I just can't bring myself to go back here.
(2)Janet G.
The view is great. I've been here a couple times. This time my family and I came for the Mother's Day Afternoon Tea. I haven't tried afternoon tea anywhere else in Boston. Ok, not as great as London of course, but a very enjoyable time. Because it was a special occassion, there was a harpist playing, which was definitely a plus. My mom loved it. There was champagne included and a nice selection of teas. Since I can't have dairy, they accommadated very nicely. The rest of my family enjoyed the three-tiered display complete with scones, cookies, sandwiches, and desserts. The decor was nice and the atmosphere was very relaxing. The servers were really friendly. Towards the end it was a little odd to see them kind of huddled together chatting, forgetting about us. But once I flagged them down, they all jumped to help us at once. At the end of the brunch, all moms got potted flowers. Our server gave me one too :-) $50 is kind of a lot, but its definitely something unique and memorable for Boston
(4)Alice C.
Restaurant Week dinner review only- As we were late in making dinner reservations before a trip to Boston, this remained one of our only options for RW on a Friday evening. The most reasonable reservation time on OpenTable was 9pm, which was a little annoying seeing as how the restaurant was less than half full when we arrived around 8:40.. However, the hostess had no issue seating us before our actual reservation time. The location of the restaurant is right by the waterfront, which makes it a great romantic dinner spot, especially if you are able to snag a table by the window. However, note that it's inside a hotel.. we didn't know that at first, so it was a little hard to find. The food itself was okay-- while the options were all taken from their original menu, I feel like they could've chosen some of the more interesting entrees. I had the simply grilled daily catch (rainbow trout) while my boyfriend had the filet mignon. Both were not bad, but also nothing orgasmic. The lobster ravioli from the first course wasn't good, but I did like the cornbread that came with my clam chowder and in the bread basket (which the waiter refilled for us-- bonus points since I do love my carbs mmm). Desserts were also okay. Even though I opted for a pretty standard chocolate mousse torte, there were a few seasonal options (like the spiced pumpkin creme brulee and apple cider panna cotta) which is nice yet it feels slightly out of place seeing as how it's mid-March. Overall, service was okay. When I called for directions, the person who answered the phone was a tad rude.. but our waiter was very nice, as was the hostess.
(3)Marlene R.
Enjoyed the Afternoon Tea on a summer Saturday and it was a fun time for the 4 of us. It was not too crowded when we arrived. The table was graced with yellow rose petals and our friendly server Adrian handed us menus when we were seated. We each ordered our own special pot of tea (there are black, green and herbal teas from which to choose). Soon, our 3 tiered assortment of sweet and savory treats appeared. Smoked salmon, grilled cheese, egg salad mousse and crabmeat salad were the savory selections. Each were about one bite, but very delectable and full flavored. The scones (currant and lemon poppy) were yummy-doughy, crumbly, just perfect. There were small coffee cakes, a raspberry mousse and chocolate cake, to name just a few of the delicious treats. We couldn't finish all of it! For $24 each, it was a very lovely way to spend a splendid afternoon.
(5)Bru B.
Traveling from Philly to Boston to celebrate wife's b-day. Big mistake making a dinner reservation at Rowes Wharf Sea Grille. They wanted a $25 cutting fee for the cake we're bringing from Philly. Yea, 3 slices = $25. The Manager said they charge this so that the waitress gets "something". Excuse me? It is a dinner, what is he thinking we had no plans to tip? STAY AWAY!
(1)J S.
[This is a review for my Restaurant Week dinner experience.] I came here with a few girlfriends to have a nice seafood dinner outing for Restaurant Week after looking over the dinner menu for this restaurant. I was a bit disappointed though that some of the items featured in the menu on the Restaurant Week website did not match with the menu they gave us (I was really looking forward to the oysters that were mentioned, and most of the desserts were different as well). I ordered the yellowfin tuna tartar with avocado puree, the grilled daily catch of the day (halibut) on a bed of ginger rice and vegetables, and the maple walnut cheesecake. The tuna tartar was delicious, but I wasn't a big fan of the avocado puree with the yellowfin tuna. As for the grilled halibut, I found it very dry with no real flavor to it. I was expecting more, especially from a seafood restaurant. The vegetables however nicely balanced the dryness and blandness of the fish. I'd say the cheesecake was my favorite part of the whole meal. The cheesecake was light in texture but rich in taste. It had a very thanksgiving/fall-esque feel to it, although out of place seasonally, it was still very nice and delicious. Overall, I would not recommend this place for Restaurant Week. I can't quite speak for the food outside of the RW menu, but if the food during RW is a reflection of the food at the restaurant, then I would certainly go elsewhere for better quality seafood. Ambience overall is nice, and the paintings on the wall are beautiful.
(3)Heather R.
With lots of tasty trucks in the neighborhood, I was excited to try this concept (a takeaway stand spinoff of the upscale hotel restaurant). In a word: mediocre. Convenience: I arrived at 1 pm (with service between 11 am and 2 pm) but there were no other customers queued, a stray kitchen cart and ice-cream treats freezer barricading the order window. A polite cashier in a crisp uniform took the order, and I suppose it was an elegant touch to put the credit card receipt in a little folder, but I rather like the convenience of those unpretentious and tech-savvy vendors down the block with their iPhone credit card readers and droid LevelUp scanners. While made fresh, it took over ten minutes to fulfill the fried fish sandwich. At least I could chat with my lunch date; if I were just taking out, I'd have been disappointed by the delay. The order was packed to carry in a white paper bag with a plastic pack of fork, knife, and napkin (without the complimentary salt and pepper packs *foreshadow*) besides a few branded paper cocktail napkins. The best part may have been eating it on the InterContinental landscaped lawn lounge along the Harborwalk. Food: I expected a meal slightly more costly based on the fine dining affiliation and location, but also with the extra attention to detail that entails. Alas, I've had better clam chowder: the base was a little thin and the potatoes a little large and the clams (while tender) a little scarce and the whole needed a good shot of pepper. The haddock sandwich was good but not great: the fish filet was almost too generous (broke in half and stacked double on the bun), freshly battered and fried to order, but needed a good shot of salt. Add lettuce finely shredded and two slices of ripe sweet tomato to a standard bun and a smear of underwhelming caper tartar (I like mine good and frosted, so probably should have said so) and it's a sandwich you probably won't regret, but neither remember nor repeat. I would consider going back for the seafood wrap, though $14 is a splurge for lunch, but I might not make it past all the fun, fast, cheap and easy summer alternatives that line the path. Call me pedestrian!
(3)L L.
I made reservations for an afternoon tea on a non-holiday Monday. We all ordered the fall harvest tea sets ($32) each, and my mother and boyfriend had Blue Flower Earl Grey tea, and I had Huan Shan Sunset. The pots are individual and loose leaf, and he teas smelled amazing and tasted wonderful. The food itself was hit or miss. It came in a 3 tier stack. top tier: solid cakes, clotted cream, strawberries, coconut macaroons, and brown sugar cookies. The cream and berries were good, but the solid cakes were like a supermarket bakery cake. Heavy, dense, and sucked the moisture out of your mouth. The cookies were nothing special. middle tier: rounds of toast with toppings: egg mousse, smoked salmon, and lobster salad. I didn't eat a lobster salad one; the boyfriend took mine since he hates eggs. The egg mousse was odd. It was the yolk and white cooked separately and whipped to be fluffy. The yolk didn't have the rich taste of egg yolk anymore, and the egg white was slightly vinegary tasting, like what you get when you mess up on a pavlova. Tasteless. The smoked salmon with a bit of caviar and cream was spot-on though. 3rd tier: chocolate cake, raspberry mousse something, carrot cake. The chocolate cake and raspberry mousse items were great. The carrot cake was nothing special, although nice and moist. on the side were current and lemon poppyseed scones. Both were good with really nice layers on the scones. There were small jars of strawberry jam, marmalade, grape jelly, and honey to eat with them. The room was gorgeous, the ambiance was nice, and the tea was fantastic. I think it was worth the money, even if some of the food was not impressive.
(4)M S.
Great recovery for lapses in service - I went in for tea one afternoon for what I was hoping to be a lovely catch up with a girlfriend of mine. I was very disappointed in both the food and the service. The tea pastries tasted as though they had been sitting out for quite some time and then had been reheated in a microwave. The service took forever (it took us almost 30 minutes to be seated, despite having a reservation and the restaurant being relatively empty), and our server was incredibly inattentive. HOWEVER, when I brought the lapses in service to the attention of the supervisor Angad, he listened carefully and handled the situation very professionally. He invited us back for dinner. We went back last night and our experience was the complete opposite of what we had originally experienced. The food was delicious, but more importantly the staff was so attentive and warm. They completely changed my perception of the restaurant. Mistakes happen, but it is the recovery that truly shows the service style of a place. They recovered very nicely and I most certainly will be be back.
(4)Sheila D.
Went to this restaurant for some pampering, view and fine dining. Out door seating was cramped and loud. We were caught between to conversations.....one very opinionated and the other depressing. Service was good yet the food was only mediocre considering the price. Swordfish was dry and the steak was fatty and tasteless.
(3)Michael P.
Good for business lunches. Clean, classic decor. Seafood is fresh and high quality but the food is generally uninspiring. A healthy feel good meal is the tuna nicoise salad. I've never had dinner here so I can't opine there. Also - I'd say it isn't cheap. The scallops are also quite good.
(3)Melissa W.
This is a great place for a romantic dinner on the waterfront. The location is perfect. Loved the outdoor patio, and there was a live band playing. The service was friendly, but not overly helpful... I had to ask for a to-go box twice for example. I ordered the clam chowder (amazing) and the swordfish "medallions" (which was more like a full steak) which was cooked perfectly, but didn't go well with the curry sauce that it came with. It was served on a bed of plain white rice, a couple carrots and some baby bok choy. I would expect more for $28, but luckily I wasn't paying. I do highly recommend the bar thats inside the Boston Harbor hotel... we had drinks there afterward and it was a quiet, cozy place for an after-dinner drink..
(3)Gail V.
This is called "The Rowes Wharf Sea Grille" now. This is the cafe attached to the Rowes Wharf hotel. It is right around the corner from the huge open air arch at Rowes Wharf on the water side. You can sit inside or out, but the outside seating is definitely the draw. You sit out on the harbor walk and since the hotel is between you and the traffic on the street, it is beautiful and relaxing. The view is to the east and you look out over a marina filled with luxury yachts and the pavillion building. The walk along the harbor is fantastic on a nice night. It sits on the historical Rowes Wharf built in the early 1700's, but the hotel and buildings themselves were all built in the late 80's so its in good shape and is nicely kept. There are open air concerts on a floating stage and an outdoor movie series that they do here during the summer which are a lot of fun, but you should be aware of what nights they are doing those as seating is first come first serve at the cafe (no reservations) and it gets crowded. Even so, if you have to wait, walking along the harbor walk is great way to spend the time, or the Rowes Wharf bar, tucked back in the corner of the hotel, is dark and comfortable with their couches and chairs, and makes a pretty fine cocktail. Their staff is very friendly and will check the list at the cafe outside periodically for you to see how much longer the wait will be. Most people don't know about it, but there's an observation area on the 9th floor, the Forester Rotunda, that you can get to through the hotel that is open to the public and offers a beautiful view of the harbor. The food is outstanding. Its not a huge menu but what they have is very good with lots of regional specialties. We go there mostly for appetizers and cocktails, but I've eaten dinner there several times and never been disappointed. Their seafood is great, especially the lobster. The wine list is extensive and their cocktails are great. For appetizers their guacamole and homemade chips are among the best I've ever had. (and that's saying something since I used to live in Dallas). Their specialty pizzas are good and so is their sushi. Rowes Wharf Water Transport is directly in front of the hotel and offers transportaion to other waterfront parts of Boston & Charlestown, as well as the airport and the Harbor Islands. In my personal opinion, on a nice night, this is one of the nicest al fresco dining spots in Boston.
(5)Jenna C.
Upscale but not snobbishly so. Crisp white tablecloths drape tables facing huge windows that afford a beautiful view of the waterfront. You can get even closer if you choose to sit on the patio. I went here around 1:30 PM, and there were definitely many businessmen and women from the nearby Financial District there on their "power lunches." I had the sushi-grade tuna (so fresh I wondered if the fish hadn't been caught that very morning) and the waiter gave a recommendation for a great pinot grigio. Service was wonderful. The food came out quickly, and there was always someone to refill your water glass the moment you sipped away the last drop. I emphasize the close proximity of this restaurant to the waterfront as being one of the biggest benefits as it allows for the chance to take a post-dinner walk. Perfect for a date.
(5)Michael S.
Afternoon tea was overpriced and stingy on the clotted cream. The scones were not bad, but more like biscuits. Waiter was confused that we made a reservation for two but only wanted the champagne tea for one (I drink tea, she drinks champagne). Go for the swanky atmosphere, not because it's a good high tea.
(2)tavia m.
I went here for the Sunday afternoon tea service, so this is my review of that particular offering by the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille. It is a really great value for tea, ranging from $18 for the regular tea service of tea, desserts and sandwiches. You can upgrade to regular or pink champagne for $26 or $30, respectively. There is a variety of teas to pick from and our waiter was happy to recommend some of the more popular types. I ordered the Citroen Green, which was wonderful. We also had a nut allergy with us and the kitchen staff was wonderful in accommodating her and making sure she had an equal amount of dessert and sandwiches. It was great! The service was excellent and attentive. It was a pleasant atmosphere with lots of sunlight and a beautiful view of the Harbor. The only thing I have to complain about, is that we were specifically told that parking was validated for the Sea Grille, and that was not the case. They would not validate for parking and that was extremely aggravating. If you're going to tell someone parking is validated, then validate it!!!
(4)M D.
Enjoyed a recent afternoon lunch at The Rowes Wharf Sea Grill at The Boston Harbor Hotel. Outside dining is a must. Service was a bit slow and unprofessional, but friendly enough to keep you from getting overly irritated. I believe the server was new, young and inexperienced. The Ahi tuna I had was good, albeit average, but the pear tomatoes accompanying it truly made it special. I would stop by again due to location, but it won't be on the top of my list.
(3)Diane D.
If you want good fish and a spectacular view, this is the place to go. We have had dinner here twice now and each time, our fish was delicious. The second time, there were four of us and between us, we had: swordfish, halibut, salmon, and catfish. All were cooked perfectly and with interesting/delicious flavorings. Highly recommend.
(4)Heather G.
My boss and I come here for breakfast every time we are celebrating something. They have the best eggs benedict I have had in the city. The hollendaise is delicious, the eggs perfectly poached, and it is served with simple breakfast potatoes and grilled asparagus. YUM. The only gripe is that they don't toast the english muffin enough, so it gets a bit soggy part-way through the meal. I have since wised-up to this and now ask them to extra-toast my muffin. No harm, no foul. The only other breakfast item I've had is the bagel with smoked salmon and capers, which is delicious but not remarkable enough for me to order it again. The service is obviously impeccable here, and if you go early in the morning and sit by the window, you get a great view of the harbor with the boats coming in, and the gazebo with the sun coming up overhead. The ambiance is fantastic and the service cannot be beat. I have been for dinner and had the burger and the margherita pizza, which were both unremarkable, so I stick to breakfast at this place.
(4)Melanie P.
I am on the rocks about this restaurant and for some reason, I don't know why but what brought me here was restaurant week.... Location: Inside the Boston Harbor Hotel overlooking the water. In terms of arrival, you are better to valet or pay for garage parking (just under the hotel) rather than search through all of downtown for a parking spot. Reservations: It would be respectful but not necessary. I went on a Wednesday evening and the place was less than half way full. There is potential for it being busy on Fri-Saturday nights, during lunch time, and during special occasions. I think that any other night of the week, you can walk right in but there seems to be an old school restaurant etiquette in making reservations here (so it seems). Ambiance: Classy, dressy, professional, romantic, and matches the view of the harbor. The restaurant seems to ride on the fact that they are overlooking the harbor so I felt like everything was green, blue, and white. From the blue dim lighting, to the executive looking green Parsons chairs, blue rug, and waiters' attire, I felt like I was at a hotel restaurant in Sea World, Orlando. Unfortunately with respect to my younger generation, the ambiance was somewhat cheesy BUT the parents/grandparents would love it! Food / Presentation: I finished my plate... it was that GOOD!! As mentioned, I decided to eat here for restaurant week. Since I am not a fan to commercial restaurants, I felt that this had the best selections and was the most appealing when sorting through all the participating restaurant menus. In addition, I find that most restaurants cut down in the areas of presentation, serving size, and quality during this time but not here... they did everything perfect and treated the experience and their guests (me) with respect. I felt good eating, paying and leaving... The menu had a approximately 5 appetizers to choose from but I chose the cherrystones to start off my meal. When the dish came out, my eyes widened. They were HUGE and each shell (9 I think) was atop of ice with seaweed to garnish the side. I was impressed with the presentation and my selection. The other individuals that I went with had the oysters and it was presented in the same manner. I dabbled and tried one--I would absolutely recommend those as well. They were just as good as the cherrystones. For my main course, I ordered the Filet Mignon. I would recommend getting it medium rare because it was cooked to perfection. Last year, I ate at Ruth Chris Steakhouse for restaurant week and ordered the same but their meat was overcooked, fried (burnt), and not that good. This on the other hand was perfect. The meat was tender to the bite. The presentation (again) was eloquent. Just under the steak was a vegetable medley simmered in a brown gravy sauce. The sauce was a perfect addition to the steak because I felt that it kept the bottom moist as I cut into it each time. The others I went with had the catch of the day which ended up being halibut. It was good but found it to be sort of dry. It came with rice and a vegetable (string green beans I believe). The halibut pieces were enormous and again the presentation was impressive. For desert, we each ordered a different dish. I ordered the cheesecake which I found to be bland and tasteless, the two other girls ordered the pear Brule and dark chocolate espresso pie. I was most impressed by the dark chocolate espresso pit but that could just be because of my taste buds. Price: it was restaurant week so for me, who cares... $30/pre fixed dinner The prices can be high but for the quality of food, professionalism of the staff, the view, and its location, I can fully understand why it is so much to eat here. However, I was glad to pay just $30 for my three course surf and turf meal. Overall: I'm impressed. The waiter (without charge) gave us a wine tasting to match our meals. I thought that was a great way to win us over and his suggestions paired perfectly with our meals. The food and its presentation were impressive but the ambiance was cheesy which is why I rated it a 4 out of 5. I probably won't be back here anytime soon but if I have family in town that is fitting to the age group, I will definitely recommend.
(4)Andrea M.
We have eaten at the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille many times since Rowes Wharf was constructed in the early 80's. We have lived on Boston's Waterfront for years and then moved to the suburbs after having children. We ate at the Sea Grille today with our youngest daughter in college. The salads were among the worst we have ever eaten. The hamburger was nothing more than ordinary. We will never eat there again. A very disappoining lunch after a nice day in town. The North End would have been a smarter choice.
(1)Jennifer A.
LOVED IT! The table was set exactly like the Tea pic on the website. They serve High Tea from 2:30pm-4pm daily (unlike many other Boston Hotel restaurants that only do Tea Thursday-Sunday). They ask that you call ahead for reservations - which is fine because when we got there the whole table was set up with beautiful yellow rose petals on the table. My 3 yr old daughter came along for the ride and they gave her sparkling apple juice with a little plate of her own treats and they didn't even charge for her! Along with an excellent assortment of teas, there was a 3 tiered plate with the top plate delicious crumb cakes, the middle tier was finger sandwiches and the bottom tier were desserts. Cost: tea+3 tiered plate for $18.50; add champagne and it's $26; add pink champagne and it's $30 (all cheaper than the other Teas in Boston); It was all excellent, the tea was delicious, the atmosphere couldn't have been better (we were seated at the window overlooking the harbor) and the service was great. A great place to take guests who are in town visiting - or for a fun lunch with the girls. They do not validate parking, but do valet, there are several parking garages or you can take the Blue line to Aquarium and walk a quick block. Dress can be casual. Here is the detailed Afternoon Tea menu: roweswharfseagrille.com/…
(5)Danielle S.
My boyfriend brought me here for my birthday dinner and while the food we had (for the most part) was excellent... the service was lacking. Our only complaint with the food was that the oysters came uncut from the shell. Maybe we were just being picky, but I have ordered oysters in many places around boston and they have NEVER come still stuck to the shell. We asked to have them cut from the shell, especially since the only form of knife we had was a butter knife. When they came back they still were not completely detached and there were shell bits now in the oyster. The manager's reasoning was to keep the "integrity" of the oyster... I think it is just because they didn't have anyone who knew how to prepare them properly. For the great food we had the sea bass with black rice and the halibut with saffron risotto and zucchini. I had the halibut, which was really excellent and made up for some of the issues with the service. Plus, for dessert we split the strawberry rhubarb crisp with cinnamon ice cream and it was delicious! As for the service... it took 15 minutes to get water to the table. The waiter came to take our drink order and my boyfriend said we'd like to get some water, and though there was another waiter with our waiter (who knows why) they didn't go get it for us, but just continued to stand there waiting for us to order our drinks. So I order my drink, the waiter interrupts my boyfriend to give us the specials, then asks if we need more time with the menu. My boyfriend says... well I'd like a drink too. My boyfriend also found a bone in his fish and brought it to the attention of the manager, who's response was "that does happen." The biggest problem with the service was that there were like 20 people waiting on a very small dining room. It looked like every table had two waiters and at one point I counted 11 waiters, 3 managers, and 3 bartenders. They kept asking how we were enjoying our dining experience and I came close to saying "I could be enjoying my dining experience if you would leave us alone for two minutes to have a conversation." If it wasn't for this crappy service this would be a four star rating.
(2)Andrea S.
We ate here to get a seat to see the summer outdoor movie. In theory, this was a good plan. It's really the value I didn't like. The waiters and waitresses were funny, nice, and engaged. But the menu was only ok, and everything was way overpriced. Starting with the $14 dollar cocktails and getting worse from there. I doubt I'll return.
(2)Danny F.
I come here for afternoon tea. All the time! Although not quite the best afternoon tea I have had in the US (that honor goes to The Peninsula in Chicago), certainly the best for the shockingly low price of under $20 per person. Plus, there is the fantastic harbour view. Anyway, it is hard to describe afternoon tea...you get three tiers of food: 1) scones & pastries, 2) finger sandwiches, and 3) desserts. Everything at BHH is a total delight. Actually scratch that. Everything is AMAZING!!! There is nothing I would improve, and I love the fact that you can sit there for as long as you want. So I usually have a tiny breakfast, and then afternoon tea substitutes my lunch AND dinner. I honestly cannot think of another way to spend lazy afternoons in Boston.
(5)Tina D.
I decided to switch it up one weekend and hosted a book club event here during their afternoon tea time. I called a few days in advance to give a headcount, but said that is was just an estimate because I wouldn't know for sure until that day. When we arrived, the table was ready and we all sat down. Of course, not everyone showed up and the waitress told me that since they prepare the food in advance, we would have to pay for the empty seat. That is very annoying because they didn't mention that at the time I made the reservation. We all ordered our teas and they were brought out fairly quickly. We all had our own little pots, but it was a bit of a fight to ask for more hot water. Two of the girls ordered the chamomile mint mix, and one girl ended up with just chamomile while the other only had mint. My chai tasted fine, but it was not brought out with any milk as indicated on the menu. They were able to accommodate for our gluten free guest, which was a nice surprise. The pastries and tea sandwiches were delicious! I have no complaints there. At the end of the meal, the waitress said that we wouldn't have to pay for the extra setting after all (I can only imagine someone else must have sat down without a reservation). I don't know if I would come here again for tea. It was a bit chaotic and slightly overpriced.
(2)cath e.
Courtney McCall, gracious and informed , gave practical realistic advice for arranging a wedding shower. The view, the gracious service, the delicious food--- it is a winner . The nay sayers will probably give heaven 2 stars **LOL
(4)Mike G.
Everything was great, including the service. Soups were awesome - clam chowder and potato leek soup of the day. Haddock sandwich was tasty and the cole slaw is very unique - no mayo! Also loved the crispy fries. Great view of the harbor and good drinks. Overall a very nice experience, but gave only 4 starts b/c it didn't blow us away.
(4)Y O.
amazing tuna tartare. the lime flavor used in the avocado was like a firework. but my side of bok choy was gritty. it's not hard to give it a quick rinse before cooking....
(2)Paul L.
We went specifically for the afternoon tea. Several of the food offerings were out of this world, truly memorable. The tea was first rate, and the service impeccable. A wonderful experience! Thanks, Rowes Wharf, for continuing this gracious tradition!
(5)Arestia R.
I did it once and that's good enough for me. You see, in the summer, there are movies outside at the Rowes Wharf and everyone sits on the tables outside, enjoying dinner and the movie. My friends and I thought, What fun! And made some reservations. While it was nice on the patio, the food just didn't measure up. Everything was just ok and it wasn't exactly cheap and the drinks were overpriced. With so many wonderful restaurants in Boston for the same price, I can't imagine spending money here again. Next time, I'll stick to the hatch shell movies.
(2)William R.
We had a party of 5 where several of the people just ordered two appetizers. The fish special was very good. I especially like the swordfish that was cooked in a light curry sauce. The service was good except that for the price of the wine I would have expected the wait staff to periodically fill the glass. This brings me to the major issue with the restaurant. The out of sight markup on the wines. Having been in the business I recognize their is a cost in holding wines and providing the service but a 500% markup is over the top. I should have called and see if they had a corkage fee.
(4)