Very disappointing. We are regular customers and have had pleasant experiences in the past but not this time around. Went in for brunch and walked out after 15-20 minutes with no service. Seven tables and about 6 at the bar with a waitstaff of 3 including bartender. One waitress just walked by us 5-6 times no acknowledgement and then would hang at the register for 5 minutes. They would have 3 serve one table and the bartender start small talk with the table for what went on for 5 minutes. The other waitress just kept going up and down the stairs and could carry more than a plate with a fork at one time. Sad Post Review...I want to emphasize that this post is relevant to brunch and not reflective of lunch/dinner service read more

I would have given this place 3 or 4 stars based on the food, but the service was substandard. We had reservations for 7:30 but waited until 8 to be seated and were then seated downstairs at a high table with backless stools. One of our party had a bad back and asked for a bar stool because it had a back (the downstairs bar was empty), but was told that "the bar tender won't let us" swap the bar stools for the backless high stools. So bottom line: we waited 30 minutes to eat uncomfortably, but at least the bartender was happy. The food was tasty. I had the ceasar salad (with actual anchovies!) with lobster mac and cheese. A lot of their dishes are that kind of altered Americana food, and not original, but at least well done. The prices were just so so for the fare. I think these guys need to stop breathing their own smoke and realize they have a slightly better than average restaurant that needs to try harder on the service front. read more

Stopped in with a friend on a Wednesday night around 9. Though there were a couple tables open and we were seated right away, it was still pretty busy! Not much room at the bar. Their kitchen is open late and you can keep it small ordering a side or app or get one of their tasty sounding entrees. We'd eaten so we had a side and some wine. You can expect a glass of wine to run you $10. They also have beer and cocktails. It's pretty dim inside (would probably make for a good date spot) just as a heads up but quiet enough for good conversation. Paul was our server and engaged in some interesting conversation with us while also providing great service. All in all, I'd definitely return for a late night drink with a friend! read more

WOW. Okay a few things. Service was 5 stars. We were downstairs and had Ashley as our waitress (she was delightful!) with a helpful hand from Tito, who was managing. He made us feel like VIPs, he cured my hiccups in 30 seconds, and kept that water coming! Impressive wine selection. One of the featured whites was actually a rose, and the other was a sauv blanc, both of which were delightful. I also had a glass of chardonnay from sonoma valley and it was one of the best chardonnays I've ever had. Compliments to the chef- Sean- the cod entree with the potato gratin was last-meal worthy. Seriously, get it with a side of the shredded brussels sprouts and it's almost an other-worldly experience. We also had the mushroom pate (delicious), the smoked haddock avocado gazpacho (also tasty), the chicken drumsticks (sweet and spicy- nice flavor combo), the skillet swiss chard and bleu cheese gratin, and the scallops dish. Holy moly, I'd rate them all between a 4 and 5. The cod with the side of sprouts was my absolute favorite, the scallops tasted fresh, but the pairing with fried rice was a little off. I liked the fried rice, I just think maybe they should be separate dishes. And if I had to choose, the scallops were the winner of that plate. I will be back to try more of the menu (and/or just get that cod with the sprouts again... I think I've found a new obsession). Thanks for the hospitality!! read more

Middling service and food with a good drink selection. We ordered the American poutine, along with the beef brisket and the hangar steak. The poutine had BBQ on it, which was bland, and collared greens which were so wet that they soaked through the fries. The same issue with the brisket - the collared greens overtook the entire plate, while the brisket itself was overly fatty. The hangar steak was tasty and we ended up just splitting that. I don't know if it was because we were sitting outside, but we had a hard time getting a hold of our server and had to keep asking for a drink menu. We also had to sit with our dirty appetizer plates through eating our entrees. Good place to grab a drink, but not somewhere to get dinner. read more

I visited The Abbey on several occasions on a visit to Cambridge and found it to be a solid, reliable and friendly place for a meal. The first visit was sub-par. I ordered scallops and some wine. The Riesling left a lot to be desired. As I was waiting for my food I got an aggressive tap on the shoulder and turned around, a bit startled and half expecting to be sucker punched... it was a waitress with my food. Couldn't she have been more gentle? The scallops were salty and soft, not properly seared. The fried rice they came with was a real disappointment... the kind of American rice that I hate (not identifiable as jasmin, basmati, japanese, etc.) with some bland vegetables, really nothing resembling fried rice. But I'm glad I returned. The second time the wine was good, the steak was great, and I had a lovely meal. I returned another time with a group and tried the pan roasted cod, which was also good. Ultimately its a nice spot, a go-to with decent food and drink. I really only write this review as a way of hinting to the kitchen, if they read these dumb yelp reviews which are basically irrelevant, that they should probably take those scallops of the menu and really reconsider the dish before putting it back out there. read more

The space is beautiful and the service is perfect. The bartender and the waitstaff are informative and generally awesome. The place is impeccable and decently priced. However, the food leaves something to be desired. A very obvious menu and average execution. Main gripe : "lump" crab cakes when you cut into them look like they went through a blender. Zero lump crab meat there. Disappointing. read more

Went in on a whim after one Of those conversations: "what do you want to eat" "I don't care what do you want" Love the decor and ambiance In the bar area. service was pretty slow, took our server a while to show up. I had the bolognese which was delicious. I'm eating my leftovers now and it's just as tasty as last night. Girlfriend had the macaroni and was unimpressed. She is vegetarian and was hoping to love it But it just lacked flavor and all I tasted was the cast iron it came in. read more

I lived in Cleveland Circle for many years and the Washington Sq Tavern was a staple with my group. Then, some of the staff saw that there was another space available and, since the WST guys were totally cool with it, they opened the Abbey. You will see a lot of similarity in the menus because they were created by the same chef. The atmosphere is always cool/chill and the food yummy. In recent years I live on "the other side" of the river, so when I was getting my nails done in Porter and saw The Abbey sign ... could it be??? I popped my head in to confirm the second location of a beloved haunt. Dear Haters ... first off ... they have been in this new space for three months. The first 2-3 months that a new place gets rolling there are invariably some hiccups. I was just there last night and the food was just right and the service spectacular. Secondly, several reviews list "salt" as a gripe. Restaurants are always heavy-handed with stuff like salt and butter. Watch Gorden Ramsey on TV for fuck's sake. If you don't like salt, or are sensitive, then it's your job to speak up when you're ordering. Third ... noise? The focal point both up and downstairs is the bar. It is a classic "gastropub" owned by some Irish lads. I expect it to be busy, full of drinkers having a good time. Loud is a part of that. It is not a quiet, romantic date spot. =D The biggest win is how HUGE this new space is ... Brookline is teeny-weeny. :) read more

Always a good experience at the Abbey. Great staff starting with the bar tenders. Great pub menu and they often have very good specials. Kitchen is open late too. Great vibe there too, friendly people, nice mix. read more

Went here on Sunday for an early dinner. It was great! Sampled several of the cocktails, they were tasty, great for Spring, and not too weak or small. As well as a good price (only $10, not the old $11 or $12 or $14 that have been creeping up lately). The food was very tasty. Lamb lollipops were a couple of fine lamb chops, a nice snack to kick off the meal. The bison bolognese was very tasty. You can tell they are trying to do a good job here. It's not just a pile of wet noodles with a puddle of liquid at the bottom of the plate. Well cooked and put together with a delicious meaty sauce. The linguine was clearly freshly made too. The location seems a bit small, but there did appear to be something going on downstairs that may be allowing for much more attendance. It's great having such a classy establishment available nearby without having to venture into the throngs of Harvard Square! read more

Went here for lunch on a Saturday with my elderly Parents. Ordered medium hamburgers and they came well done. Service was slow. Otherwise the ambiance was nice and the air conditioning was cranking- in a good way as it was a super hot summer day. read more

Love this place. Great food and I love the season rotation of items and specials on the menu.

Rating: 3.5. I was there a week ago. We arrived early as there are no reservations. However, I was with friends and waited 10 minutes for a table while seeing there were many open. It's confusing, I was told there are " call aheads". The food was good, the service was average. The hostess very apologetic about "call aheads". The drinks were tasty but --the usual for a new bar. DP read more

for a place called the abbey i was really expecting a top tier beer list and was very underwhelmed by the overly local selection and almost complete lack of Belgian offerings (I think i saw Orval but that was it). The food was very average, I had the bar pizza and rice balls which were both ok but i probably wouldn't order either again. the marinara sauce resembled something that would come from a dominos pizza side for bread sticks (or a jar) more than something i would expect from a restaurant. read more

Usually solid food at The Abbey and decent atmosphere but today's visit was just terrible. Ate lunch outside and was blasted with hammering and drilling from the roof being replaced. The work was about 15 -20 feet from our table.. The sounds echoed so loudly that it was uncomfortable to sit and try to talk. Left with a splitting headache. I hope the owner is more considerate of his guest next time. read more

Didn't really have a great experience here, though it was partly a lack of research and misplaced expectations rather than anything else. I was expecting a fairly upscale American dining establishment. Instead, it's a bar-oriented restaurant with a pretty low-key menu. That's hardly a bad thing in and of itself, but it's just... eh. The food feels like a series of upscale twists on generic dishes, which is actually totally fine, except the "upscale" part includes the tiny sides/small portions part of upscale restaurants, which is disappointing. A few minuses for: -A really confusing and ambiguous entrance/seating thing. There's no reception desk, and you just end up hovering nonsensically in the upstairs dining area until someone decides to seat you. Maybe. -A lot of the other reviews talk about how great the service is, but early on a Saturday (like 5:30ish), we kept getting bounced around multiple waiters, who were clearly frazzled and rushed. Not mean or improper or doing poorly at their jobs or anything, but not the kind of collected professionalism you'd figure. This place probably works a lot better as a semi-intimate bar experience with some food served at the bar over drinks. Given that that's not an experience I'm generally interested in having, welp. My bad. read more

Very meh. 3 deviled egg halves for $4? The only good thing about them was the tiniest smidgen of bacon. The burger is okay--meat isn't bland, but not flavorful either. Bread was stale. Wouldn't come back here read more

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This is probably more like 3.5 stars. We came in the night before Thanksgiving and received a very hearty greeting, but that could be because it was absolutely dead. Our server was charming and I really love the space. I decided to nibble on a few apps since I wasn't starving and wanted to save up the food intake for the next day. I tried the cheeseburger spring rolls, the deviled egg and the brussels sprouts. The only thing that wasn't fairly good was the brussels sprouts. They were actually pretty bland. I could have made better on my own. Definitely a cozy space, but not much of a stand out compared to other restaurants in the area. read more

Really liked this place. Very intimate setting, cool, dark interior. It's the perfect spot to grab a few drinks with friends. The bartenders were super friendly and attentive. We got here early evening which was good because we easily snagged seats at the bar. It started getting busier around 6:45/7PM (to be expected).For drinks we both had the skinny gingerman- YUM. A great gin and ginger beer concoction. I also had a slumbrew draft and my friend had another local craft beer. They have a solid beer selection. We didn't eat a full dinner but shared apps. We had the falafel which was AMAZING. Get this app. It's extremely tasty and the butternut squash and farro salad was the second plate. This was light but filling. You can definitely share it. The farro, butternut squash and apple combination was superb. I will be back to try other apps and possibly dinner. I'm happy to know there is another good spot in Cambridge to grab drinks and apps. read more

The Abbey has a cool-ish vibe. The mood lighting... I don't know. It's a place I don't quite jive. It okay to be in the down low. Their mixed drinks are acceptable. But the bartender is cool as fuck. With the Abbey I can be amenable. To be great it needs a nip and tuck. read more

It's loud in the space. It's also relatively dark. The cheeseburger egg roll ($5) is a novelty worth trying - crispy phylo dough encapsulating ground beef and cheese. The confit duck leg ($13) is tender and rendered well. Crisp skin with succulent meat stands up well to the apple "hash." The $24 Bavette steak is tiny, 5oz maybe? Many a hamburger I have had with more teeth than this steak. Cooked properly to medium rare, the good quality meat was purely not present in copious enough quantities. A Cornish game hen ($20) dusted with ras el hanout - this particular mix is heavy with turmeric and cinnamon - is juicy, tender and slightly crisp on the skin. A parsnip purée is silky smooth, creamy. Drinks are standard if not on the smallish size. Service is friendly but they will not bring you a glass of alcohol (let's call it a shot) to your table. The manager could not say whether they would pour one at the bar but apparently that's not the kind of "image" they want to perpetuate, whatever that means exactly, I'm not sure. It is, after all, a restaurant that has a bar that serves hard liquor - I prefer mine neat. It's a step up from Addis Red Sea anyhow. read more

Grabbed a bite and drink there last night with my husband. We are from out of town and could see this was a neighborhood favorite. Great vibe. Bartenders knew their customers and they made us feel like locals as we chatted with them at the bar. We had the smoked cod croquettes and the PEI mussels with the coconut green curry broth. The smoked cod was good but the mussels were outstanding. We asked for more bread to sop up the delicious broth. Thanks for the great dining experience. We will come again. read more

This is a nice location, nice staff, has a neighborhood feel, however, the food is so mediocre. My grilled chicken sandwich arrived on dry ciabatta bread with a small piece of chicken and 2 haphazardly thrown on avocados. The combo could have been better if the bread was brushed with olive oil and then heated a bit and there was enough avocado with each bite (I believe that's the theory of sandwiches--you always taste all the ingredients with each bite). I was disappointed. read more

I have been here twice and both times the food and service were impressive. FOOD: I have tried the mussels (which is my favorite menu item so far), gnocchi, burger, and blood sausage with chicken liver. All the items I have had thus far are very rich in flavor. Heavy. However, they are, for the most part, delicious. My favorite is the sautéed mussels--it comes with squid ink (?) rice and chorizo. The sauce is a little different from the more typical, white wine sauce. It is not subtle. DRINKS: I have had the Channel Lox and Julep. Channel Lox is too lemony, so that was weird. The Abbey Julep is light and summery. Good selection of drinks overall. SERVICE: Excellent. The first time I was here with some friends there was a bit of confusion with regard to special requests. The manager was incredibly apologetic and comped our group's entire meal, which was a greatly appreciated gesture. The second time, we came as a large group of 10+ people and the staff did a wonderful job accommodating all of us. The servers were friendly and helpful. Considering how there is a dearth of restaurants in Porter Square, I am glad the Abbey is a new option. I will definitely be back. read more

One of the best meals I've ever had in Cambridge ... Disclaimer: I ate here on a Saturday night, a few days after having my wisdom teeth out. So after a steady diet of soup, jello, and ice cream, I was ready to eat something delicious. We started with the crab cakes, which came with a tasty side salad. The dish was covered with a somewhat spicy aioli, which provided the perfect pairing. The cakes were light, airy, and delicious. The other couple in our party went with the arugula and pear salad, which they said was delightful. For meals, the table ordered the chicken breast (moist and tender), the bison bolognese (plentiful, with a nice spice), the cod (tender, and paired with a scrumptious potato and scallion pancake), and the lobster and spring pea mac and cheese (cheesy, tender lobster, good portion size). There wasn't a morsel left when the waiter took our plates. And a good selection of wines provided nice complements to the dishes. We then enjoyed some after-dinner drinks and the apple crisp, which was a large portion. The drinks were probably a dollar or two more than they needed to be, but the food was a dollar or two less than usual for the area, so it balanced itself out. The only negative: The wait staff, which was very attentive, seemed eager to get us out the door. I understand the need to turn tables, but we felt a bit rushed. We're moving from the area so probably won't be back soon, but we'll definitely make another stop when we're visiting friends in the future. read more

Cool ambience and great service. Drinks are good but food was just okay. We had their deviled eggs, mussels, mushroom risotto, and grilled flatbread. read more

If you come and are offered to sit in the basement, do it. Super private and service was so quick, even to the point where the waiter kept making jokes about it with us since there was nobody else down there. Brussels sprouts and caprese appetizers were incredible and everyone enjoyed the food they got read more

I walk by this place several times a week on my way to work and for weeks I kept thinking I should try it. I've now been twice (once for lunch, once for dinner) and had a great experience on both occasions. It's a really lovely space: classy, but feels casual. I know other reviewers have complained about it being noisy, but I didn't find this to be the case, even during dinner when the restaurant was full. (During lunch it was almost *too* quiet.) Service was attentive and friendly both times. The food is very good! At lunch I had the burger, which came with salad greens and a heaping portion of hand-cut fries. A good amount of food for the price. The prices for the dinner items are higher...maybe slightly too high considering the portion sizes. The risotto with tomatoes, asparagus, and pecorino was delicious! Our table also split an order of the fried halloumi cheese with yogurt sauce (so good!) and the truffle fries. I can't say that the truffle fries tasted any different from the regular fries I had had with my previous meal, but they were still good. I look forward to trying some of the other menu items, including the flatbread pizza. Some of the other things on the menu had us scratching our heads (cheeseburger egg roll?). All in all, great little place. read more

My first review! Let me just say GREAT SPACE! Large beautiful windows with tons of natural light! I just loved being in there....and you would never know it from outside but they have a downstairs ( although we didn't make it down but who knew!) We sat at nice smallish natural wood bar. Great bar service! Just the the right amount banter and spot on service! They even let the bf save a seat for me as I running a few minutes late. Luckily it was right before before the crowd. Which it did get busy. It was Friday right after work.... Now the food and drink! We were just getting a few small plates and drinks, but we WILL back for dinner. The Bison Bolognese looked amazing! I got the cucumber lemonade. It was muddled cucumber, gin, lemon and super refreshing with the right amount of kick. Just what I wanted after a long work week. They had a good beer selection and interesting cocktail list. Now the food! From the small plates we shared... the cheeseburger and candied bacon egg roll. It had a great sauce and definitely didn't suck! And the roasted red pepper,goat cheese and linguica arancini balls-um.....yum! It was all just really delicious We got an appetizer as well....Oven baked Brie,caramelized onions,apples and crostini.-JUST GET IT! read more

Creative and delicious cuisine. Excellent bar staff.

My overall food experience at the Abbey was just OK. After reading other reviews, I had expected the food to be better. My husband and I shared: (a) pretzel sticks with fondue sauce - just so so. they don't give enough cheese sauce (b) shredded brussels sprouts - highlight of the meal. worth trying! (c) pan roasted cauliflower - oily but some burnt pieces were surprisingly good (d) grass-fed burger - tastes like an average burger...but costs $15... so for the money I would try something else The other delicious item was actually the free house made bread and hummus. I would have been happy just paying for a full basket of bread and a tub of hummus! read more

I really wanted to give this restaurant 5 stars because my friend and I just went there for lunch and the food was fantastic. We had mixed greens salad, the sides of Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and the mussels. They were all fantastic and would order again. The couple on the other side of us had French Fries and they smelled delicious. Sadly the reason for the 3 stars is our waitress was beyond rude from the minute we sat down to when I walked inside to try to pay the bill. When we were first seated and I asked if she could turn on the outside heater she snapped NO as if I had just made the most unreasonable request. To be clear, I was fine with the restaurant not turning it on but I didn't like her abruptness. I didn't say anything and hoped her attitude would improve. (Later when other diners asked, a different waiter, he explained in a much friendlier tone that it had to do with fire marshal ). Also when my friend asked if the waitress could wipe down the table, this was meet with same frostiness and treated as if we were over the top in our demands ( she said something about not having 6 foot arms and we simply got up so she could get closer to the table) When my friend asked for sweetener for her ice tea, it took forever to get and then it was simple syrup and not the artificial sweetener she wanted. The waitress won't know this because she never came back and asked how was everything. She never offered me more water or check to see if we wanted coffee or dessert or anything else. (I did but since she just ghosted us I gave up trying to order them) We didn't see her again till I got fed up waiting for the check and went inside and looked for her. So hopefully if you go, you won't get the server we had and will enjoy the wonderful food. read more

Recommended by coworker of Abbey in Brookline, was planning to go to the one in Brookline last night but was told they couldn't take reservation and would be a half hour wait, so my friend and I went to the one in Porter Square instead. It was pretty cold inside especially there are seats right under the AC. Our waiter was pretty friendly. Ambiance was casual and there is a bar table, and people speak pretty loud makes it hard to talk. We ordered the cod cake(recommend by our waiter), mussels as appetizer. Cod cake is pretty good. And I got Bison Bolognese and my friend got the duck confit gnocchi. Both the two entrees are WAY TOO SALTY. Have to drink a lot of water. Maybe the one in Brookline serves better Bison Bolognese that is not salt. as when I yelp the place, I saw many people recommend it. read more

We went to The Abbey on a Saturday night after hearing word on the street (literally) that it was a great restaurant. We were seated downstairs, which was inviting and cozy. There are several tables downstairs as well as a bar. We were waited upon immediately, and decided on the crab dip for an app. It was delicious! For entrees, he ordered the bison bolognese while I chose the clam and pancetta flatbread. Unfortunately, the flatbread was a bit too spicy for my taste (I have a sensitive palate and am not a fan of spicy foods). The waitress went to the kitchen to ask if the flatbread could be made less spicy, but the clams on it had spices mixed in. Instead, our waitress removed the dish from our bill but let us keep it (since my boyfriend loves spice food). To replace it, I ordered the wild mushroom pate on grilled ciabatta, which was very good. While the food would earn four stars, it's the great service that got five stars. Our waitress was very accommodating and extremely nice, and I love the fact that she put forth the effort to make our meal pleasant. I'll be returning to try the restaurant's other (less spicy) dishes as well as their drinks soon! read more

The Abbey probably doesn't need my review because the food is of such high quality that the other reviews must be great. Went here with friends used to high end New York restaurants. The Abbey held its own. Seated downstairs at the end of December the room was gently lit by fairy lights. We did't get any apps. 2 of us got the boneless short ribs. It was a good 8 oz of pure meat which is unusual for short ribs. Deliciously braised, the taste is unique to this meat. The only reason this review isn't 5 stars is because mine didn't come with any jus so I had to ask for some. That made all the difference. I had mine on garlicky broccolini because I don't eat carbs but it usually comes on mashed potatoes with a side of asparagus. Our friends had the hanger steak and frites and the fish and chips. Steph couldn't stop raving about how wonderful the steak was--cooked perfectly and with a delicious sauce. She also said the fries were beyond delicious, with a natural potato flavor and crispy right to the end. Sal's fish and chips were wonderfully cooked and flavored with the fish breaded and fried until it was a perfect brown. They all shared the dessert special of bread pudding which was excellent. Highly recommended. read more

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Delicious dinner, great service with a nice ambiance. Really liked the daiquiris with Old Monk rum, arugula salad with grilled pear, and delicious grilled short rib panini with horseradish aioli. The panini was a special and I really hope they make it often! read more

Worst place I've ever been. Tall fat guy with a bad hairline refused to serve me and my group because we weren't regulars. Told us to get the f out for literally no reason. We were sober and just trying to get a drink. Worst bar in Boston hands down. read more

Great atmosphere and outdoor seating. Food and service is good. Great for late night dining!

Ok choose your own adventure time: a. Are you in the mood to feel a bit refined, drink a cocktail, eat some perfectly cooked salmon? Don't mind spending money? Or b. Are you feeling too lazy to cook and looking for a chill spot to eat a good burger and drink some beer, without breaking the bank? If you're feeling a, the Abbey is the place for you! If b--walk down the street to Cambridge Common. The Abbey is reliably good. They provide filling portions of very well cooked, tasty food. The salmon is always delicious, and the truffle fries are addicting. Cocktails also quite good. That said, I don't find myself going here too often; for me, it's a bit too pricey and dark/intense for a casual dinner, but not quite special enough for a fancy dinner. read more