My experience at Branch Line was mixed... the good was good enough that I'd gladly give them a second chance if I lived in Boston. Service was excellent, attentive and prompt. Cocktails were innovative and good. The burrata and pear salad was one of the best salads I've had in the last few years, with a bright citrus dressing that beautifully balanced citrus sweetness with savory elements like cumin and pepper. The sugar snap pea salad was refreshing and lovely. The Berkshire pork chop, on the other hand, was a failure. I should mention as a caveat that when the two of us were seated, another table of nearly 20 had recently been seated, plus there was a private event with roughly 40 people in the patio tent. So the kitchen was stressed. But if Branch Line is going to accept large parties, it needs to be able to handle them without the quality of the food suffering. About that pork chop: we ordered medium-well, but it arrived completely well-done. Although it was still moist, it was a VERY odd, translucent gray color that was reminiscent of fat and very off-putting. This color and texture ran through the entire (quite thick) chop. It definitely had the feel of something that had been over-marinated, then kept far too long in a sous-vide bath before being lightly pan-seared before serving. It tasted good enough, but I can't call it a good pork chop. It's served with "mustard cream sauce, sauerkraut and latke." The first two are accurate. But --note to management-- in no way is a thin wafer of hash browns a "latke." Not even with creative license. If you're going to appropriate culturally-specific dishes, at least do them right. Otherwise, call it what it is: a "crispy potato wafer," or something like that. Calling that dish a latke is like serving a beet and feta salad and calling it borscht just because it has beets and a dairy component. read more

Branch Line - Berkshire pork chop. Note the oddly gray color of the meat (the left tip in photo), which ran through the entire 'medium well' chop. - New American Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

the ambiance here was beautiful with really nice lighting both inside and outside the restaurant. the service was very nice and helpful, too. we ordered the sugar snap pea salad and the whole piri piri chicken, which came with a side of garlic fries. i wasn't crazy about the piri piri sauce or the fries, but the chicken was maybe the most tender i've ever had. the salad was also so crisp and flavorful, i loved it even though i don't even like snap peas! would definitely come back if i were in boston/the area again but i'd probably get their chicken with their house sauce instead next time. read more

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We get the peri peri half rotisserie chicken to go here at least once a week. It is SO good. Highly recommend getting the Caesar salad and Brussel sprouts as your sides as well. When you order to go, it's only around $25 for all 3 of them (the super platter). read more

Me and my partner got the Croque Monsieur at the Branch Line for brunch and spent the next 3 days in food poison hell. While I understand it may be hard to pin point food poisoning to specific place; the timing, lack of shared meals in the days prior and the symptoms appearing at the same time point to the source being the sandwich we both had. not trying to claim that if you eat here you'll get food poisoning but felt like reporting my experience was worth it! read more

Great brunch food! We all tried different items and were very happy with our choices. Crab cakes were good but I would try something else next time. I was eyeing the strawberry shortcake and will definitely be back to try it! You read more

food was great and ambiance was very nice. friendly and helpful staff. looking forward to coming again

Cool vibe inside and it isn't that big so it was nice and cozy on a cold night. I liked the bar and the open kitchen and the service was great! We got the chips and dip (delicious) and the warm pretzel (a little dry) to start and then I got the Cobb Salad w Rotisserie Chicken and my friend got the Piri Piri Chicken - both really good! I've had the Sugar Snap Pea Salad at Shy Bird so I know that's really good too even thought we didn't order it this time. Had to end with the brownie sundae which was very decadent. Overall a great experience! read more

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Really, Really, Really...We met a restaurant client from the west coast here who arrived early and sat outside in the "fire lane" outside the front door - not in the outdoor court to the west. Clients choice, no biggie...we're early, no biggie. Waiter arrives with a trainee. REALLY, this is dinner not lunch. For the price...$100+ with tip one should be offered SEAMLESS service...not referring to our wives as "guys". OK, OK, the meal...main course $20 - $40 per; add a side $15 -20 ... this after $12+ for a drink ... let alone wine. Food ...mussels - SMALL(Immature), Chard - SANDY...(clearly not rinsed), Service - PATCHY. All of it served in a questionable fire lane exit from the restaurant. REALLY... read more

Dinner with a colleague at Branch Line and we had a great time. I was early and sat at the bar for a bit with a beer and my laptop for a bit. Service there was excellent and we were there long enough for bartenders to swap out.. For dinner, we got the Rotisserie Drippings to start. Holy smokes. This is literally a bowl with the stuff that drips off their rotisserie chicken. With their absolutely excellent bread, it was amazing. Really delicious and yummy. My colleague ended up finishing it off with a spoon. Wow. Main courses, we both got the prime rib (which I understand is no longer on the menu). A reasonable cut of meat here, served with roast potatoes. Tasty. The plating was a little odd, as they used a cooking pan that had an inch-high rim. This made slicing the steak a little interesting. For sides, rotisserie cauliflower (good), roasted carrots (a little overdone) and a broccoli rabe with shaved parmesan (good). Branch Line is buried in the back of what's now an office campus and was formerly a factory and warehouse sort of thing. Good luck finding it, my Uber driver took a bit of circling. Round number review. This is my 1300th review of 2018! read more

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This is my fave. I got the mushroom risotto and my husband got the chicken. The service was warm and friendly. The ambiance is classy and clean. I love it here and will come again. read more

Generally, this place is OK, but I just had a cauliflower shawarma pita from there and it was just AWFUL. Boiled boring cauliflower in yogurt in lavash. It was gross. I'm so tired of terrible vegetarian options. How about running these by a real vegetarian? read more

I come here maybe once a month or every other month. The food is amazing, I have tried a sandwhich once which I didn't like but since then I have always stuck with the pairi pairi chicken and it's so good. The rosemary fries are a great side. We usually get the whole bird which feeds two of us and get to take a lot home. Nick the bartender is great! read more

Branch Line - Whole bird pairi pairi chicken - New American Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

Great place to have dinner. Tasty burger, friendly staff and nice decorations. Nice location too

Good environment, great food and friendly staff. I enjoyed everything about this wonderful restaurant.

Really good chicken and sides ! The potatoes r my favorite! A lot of good options. So glad they extended the bar!! Great outdoor covered patio read more

Another delicious meal! Friendly and attentive staff, good drinks (the mocktail was incredible!!), and the chicken, fries and salad were excellent. If I were to nit pick, the chicken drippings were ok, not great. Last time, I remember them being the best thing ever. But the overall meal was superb and we'll definitely come back. read more

This is my go to restaurant in Watertown. Whenever someone asks me for a recommendation in Watertown, I always steer them here. The food is solid and hearty. The sugar snap pea salad is a healthy alternative to the other heartier dishes. Always get the chicken or the drippings if you can. They are known for their delectable rotisseries here. The rotisserie cauliflower is awesome as well. They also have a great rotating selection of draft beers and wines. Can't go wrong here and i love the outdoor patio for the summer time as well as winter time (they have it enclosed with heating!). The bill can add up but that's because the drinks are yummy and the food is so delicious that you end up eating more than you want. read more

This is one of those places that you wish you'd known about all along. Amazing ownership and management group, executing on the cutting edge of food and beverage. State of the art draft system, thoughtful food items, and poised staff. I love Branchline and hope that you will, too! read more

Our favorite local restaurant! We absolutely love Nick at the bar! Have never had a bad experience here and the food and drinks are always on point read more

Tucked way in the back of the quickly expanding Arsenal Yards, Branch Line is a great sit down restaurant with a long bar for the after work crowd. Short but very tasty menu we had a lovely butternut squash risotto, and steelhead trout with celery root. Drinks were very good and they have a mocktail selection. There's a free parking garage a short walk from the restaurant. read more

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Good chicken soup, but needed some salt and pepper. Tasty chimichurri on the short ribs (kalbi style), although very pricey. Very little rib meat for a $15 appetizer. Beer selection pretty good but the pricing was very high. Service efficient and quick. Service line is in the dining room and it was weird to see they were allowing customers to go up with their kids to look around. Kids are great, but not hanging over food going to customers. Drippings sound fun for your bread, but they needed some seasoning as well. read more

Branch Line - Chicken Soup - New American Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

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Excellent food, good local beer selection, and well made cocktails. Best chicken and waffles I've had in a while. Nice outdoor seating. Great staff interactions at both the tables and at the bar the last three times I've been. read more

I've been here a few times and always thought it was ok, and the highlight has always been the sweet pea salad. This time we had the chicken soup with Thai basil to start with, followed by the roast salmon, and chicken peri peri entree. The chicken soup was so unbalanced and bland, as well as being served Luke warm, I don't know how they have the nerve to serve this. The entrees were almost as bland despite the very appetizing descriptions. It's a pity as I love the space, it's airy, open and sophisticated, and I love the menu, but the food often disappoints. read more

I enjoyed my experience at Branch line, beautiful place and the food is very tasty especially the rotisserie chicken!

Branchline offers an upscale lunch option to the Arsenal on the Charles campus and a very preferable option to Panera at a slight premium. My rating is primarily reflective of the value offered at the price point and also the service is superb and super fast for the lunchtime crowd. Worried about a sit-down taking too long? Just let your server know you're in a rush and they'll get you in and out just about as fast as Panera can but with a much better dish no matter what you order. I always recommend anything with their rotisserie chicken in the dish as that is their claim to fame, and for good reason. The skin is super crispy for rotisserie and herb-rubbed (not as crispy as fried, but that's just the nature of the cooking style unfortunately) with the meat (I had the quarter chicken - breast selection) super juicy and tender. However, if chicken is not your thing I have not had anything on the menu that is sub-par or disappointing and I've had a lot of the lunch options available (I have not been here for dinner). They deliver great lunch options at reasonable prices and the service is impeccable compared to similarly priced lunch places around that are chains (Shake Shack, Chipotle, or Panera). We could have easily been in and out in less than 35 minutes but chose to sit around and enjoy the last of our hot tea before heading to the next meeting. If you are looking for a good lunch spot that isn't SUPER fancy - hit up Branchline! It's been our company's go-to place for business lunches and everyone has had nothing but good things to say about the experience. read more

Bountiful positive reviews made me curious to try out Branch Line for lunch. The price point is more expensive than La Casa Pedro's next door for the same portion size but it's a different type of cuisine. Our server recommended the fried potatoes, one of their signature appetizers. It was so tasty! Highlight of our meal. We were picking at the scraps near the end. For entrees I ordered the Seared Tuna, which comes in a salad type format on a bed of lettuce and corn with avocado and eggs. My dining companion ordered the lamb skewers. The portion size is not gigantic where you'd feel over stuffed or would be asking for a to-go bag. My tuna was just slightly off... but not enough so to ask for a replacement. (I couldn't dawdle as I had to return to work soon after.) It just did not taste as fresh as I was used to from other restaurants. In fact it was mostly tasteless! I would not order he tuna again but probably go for a simpler dish in the future. Branch Line unfortunately was not as memorable as I hoped. There are several other options in the area and in Newton. Parking is also quite hectic during the weekdays (fighting for spaces with employees who work on campus). read more

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Atmosphere, good food, excellent drink, what's not to love! I get the pea salad every time I go. The drippings and iggy's bread is also a favorite! read more

Food is good. Classic American. Service is also good here. My parents come here almost every week and its very consistent. The ambiance is nice. The decor is really nice too. It's very clean. They also have many outside tables so if you're still paranoid about covid (like my mother) then you have options to dine outside if you want. read more

Good vibes and fun ambience. I've been here once in the winter and once in the summer, so I've captured both of Branchline's scenes: the cozy winter with a friends and the laid-back summer evening with fiancé. I even sat outdoors for the summer visit! Highly recommend the broccolini - an item I had during both visits and clearly, it was so good the first time that I came back for a second. A comprehensive selection of craft beers and other libations. Great entree items - something for everyone on the menu. One of Watertown's finer establishments. Will be back. read more

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This had been on the list to try for a while. Outdoor tent was a nice atmosphere, waitress was nice enough, food and drinks were just fine. Nothing too memorable from the pretzel, garlic fries, cobb salad, mushroom or eggplant sandwiches. Food and drink menu are limited compared to other nearby spots. read more

Three of us ate here after spending the day at the Head of the Charles. I thought the menu looked appealing so we decided to try it out. I asked the waiter about the size of the whole chicken and I was told it was big enough for 4 people to share. Just for the record, it's not. The whole chicken is enough for two young adults to share. We also ordered the mashed potatoes and the macaroni & cheese with peas. I was surprised when the waiter said that we should order more sides but we added an additional order of mashed potatoes. When the food came, I was surprised to see that the portion of potatoes was about 3/4 of a cup. $8 for 3/4 of a cup of mashed potatoes?!?! A 5lb bag of potatoes is $3.49 retail. 6oz is $8? I get that there are other costs involved but seriously, that's being miserly. The service was fine and matched what you would expect from this type of restaurant. It did feel a little rushed to me. I have to note that I ordered a cocktail which was fine but when I had a quarter of it left the waiter asked if I would like another. When I said no thank you, he took the drink I hadn't finished. Who does that? The restaurant itself is nice. It's not loud and it's not crowded or cramped. It's very light and airy. Overall, I had higher expectations for this place. I think they have the opportunity to be a great place but they aren't there yet. I would like to see them be more transparent about their menu. Let people know the portion sizes are small. It's hard to make appropriate decisions about what to order if you have never been there before. read more

I have always liked this restaurant but the last two times I have dined here I thought the food quality had gone down - I hoped it was a fluke. Went last night and I had the rotisserie chicken which was quite dry. My teenagers ordered mac and cheese and both complained it didn't taste like anything (I tried, it didn't - they did take them off the bill). My husband had the red fish and he liked it, but it was a whole fish with bones which was not stated on the menu, nor did our server mention that. The shaved pea salad was delicious. We also had the olive starter which was good. My soda was brought to me in a can, and my husband was charged $3.00 for a second iced tea. Usually iced tea is refilled at no cost at local restaurants. It's a fun atmosphere and you can sit outside which is really nice but it's very expensive for mediocre food. Costco rotisserie chickens are $4.99 and way better than the $25 1/2 chicken I had last night. I will give them another try but I'm starting to loose hope. read more

We had a late afternoon soccer game nearby and lucked into finding this place. Really nice decor, and even though it was busy, it was easy to converse, which was nice. Nice menu, simple, but good options. The boys had sticky ribs - nice sized appetizer and very tasty. We got comped bread and "chicken drippings," which was basically sticking bread into rich chicken broth. Not my thing, but the guys liked it. (I'm not a dunker). Two of us chose steak, one went with the roast chicken. The steak came with mashed potatoes, crispy shallots on top and parsley. Fantastic flavor and perfectly cooked. Paired with a lovely Pinot Noir, I was as happy as could be. The chicken looked terrific and was immensely enjoyed by my husband. Victor was our server and did a lovely job taking care of us. If we are in the neighborhood again, this will be our go to place! read more

We held a company event here and it was awesome! Service was excellent and the food was delicious. We had the sugar snap pea salad, the marinated lamb skewers,olives, cheese, mini chicken sandwiches, and chips! The tzatziki was delicious! We were set up outside and had a tent for the food. Our waitress was extremely nice and came over several times to check on everyone. We played bocce after eating so that was a fun as well. Highly recommend! I'm also curious about their roasted chicken. I've heard rave reviews from my friends! read more

Branch Line - Appetizer spread! - New American Near Me - Watertown, Massachusetts

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Obie was an incredible server for our passover meal at Branch Line! He accommodated everyone in our large party and checked with all food allergies and speaking of, the food was absolutely delicious. There was something for everyone and everything was cooked to perfection. Thank you Branch Line and thank you Obie! read more

Horrible experience. Had a reservation, waited 45 minutes and was then offered bar seats. Declining those the "manager" then decided to verbally berate my party until the owner came over to calm her down. Absolute mess. Would not recommend this poorly run, disrespectful establishment. Left without sitting down. read more

It is been a while since last time I ate there. Food was overall good, but not my favorite. Service was good, I liked the patio it gave a nice ambiance ! read more

If you're looking for awesome food and a beautifully-designed space (the latter of which is lacking in some newer Boston-area restaurants) -- check out Branch Line. More importantly, if you're missing the vibe of Eastern Standard and the kindness and general excellence of Garrett Harker and his restaurants - you'll find both here as well. Branch Line's food is awesome, and its patio is really impressive, even on a cool night. Ideal location for folks in the burbs or in the city. Lots of new things also being built/opened right around here. Easy to park right out front for free. read more

We met friends at Branch Line over the weekend. We were able to get last minute reservations in the heated tent which was very comfortable and it was easy to hear each other talking. The tables had enough space between them so it didn't seem crowded even though I think all the tables were full. Service was good. We had steak frites and salmon with mustard maple glaze, both were very good. The wine and beer went well with our dishes. We'd certainly do this again. read more

Such a lovely evening at Branch Line! I brought a friend from out of town and sat on the patio. The service was wonderful and our server asked one of the bartenders to tell us about the wine menu. His suggestion was perfect for our meal! The food was delicious as always. We had the drippings and I had the piri piri chicken for the first time which was excellent. I can't wait to go back! read more