It was my first night in Boston and a co-worker took me here for dinner. I am vegan and he said they had vegan options - I checked before and saw the couscous dish with eggplant that was vegetarian and seemed like it was probably vegan-friendly too. I ordered it and asked the waitress to make sure it was dairy-free and she said of course, no problem. And I thought it was delicious!! The eggplant was yummy, seriously. I was super happy and satisfied - no wimpy salad hunger here! When I read reviews I was wary, but I was pleasantly surprised! Especially since I'm from Portland, OR, one of the most vegan-friendly places around. As other reviewers have stated, very cool atmosphere as well. Win-win! read more

Went for dinnet, Meh, I thought the venue was beautiful but the food was okay at best. There was an hour wait to see the next band and they weren't that good. Temper your expectations! read more

Things didn't start off great when we were seated at the upstairs bar for dinner when the entire restaurant was empty. This was with a reservation also! I was very ready to forgive atmosphere for a good meal but unfortunately the evening did not get any better. The menu looks fantastic and very inventive but the execution was poor at best. I had the Zatar tuna which tasted like black pepper. My wife had the swordfish which was by far the worst dish anyone in our party ordered. It came on a giant bed of arugula which wasn't even listed in the description. Strangely enough the arugula was the best part of the dish! The meal was very expensive and incredibly bland. It is an interesting building and the bar is definitely lively (if you like paying $8 for a beer). Overall I would skip it and go to any one of the great restaurants nearby. read more

I went to jazz brunch with a group of 7 people. Our table ordered the short rib grilled cheese, the prime burger, feta and spinach omelette, French toast, and quiche. We started our meal with bloody Mary's that were spicy and definitely not just a bottle of mix and some vodka. The edges of the glasses are rimmed with Old Bay and salt. I would go back any Sunday and hang out- take time to enjoy the music, atmosphere and food! read more

We had a great dinner at Beehive tonight. Four of us had the duck, moussaka, pasta and hanger steak. For an app we shared the ricotta with rhubarb compote and grilled bread. Everything was delicious. The service was very good, atmosphere was nice and reggae band was just the perfect touch! Would definitely come back!! read more

Delightful delicious pre-theater dinner; my "doggie bag" was not returned to me promptly, and, in my rush to get to the theater next door, I forgot to ask for it. I returned intermission. Although it had been thrown away, the manager arranged for the chef to make me a whole new duck breast to take home. Very classey! I cannot wait to return!! read more

Loved the food, the live music and the ambience... service was great too...pretty crowded and takes a while to get a table with reservation too...is pretty loud but that's expected with live band...loved the place overall! read more

So we came for Sunday brunch with a party of 4. The food was good, the drinks were good but the service was disappointing. The service started off on the right track but then out of the blue we were told that we needed to leave because they needed to sit a bigger party. We were still ordering drinks! In all my years of going to brunch in Boston, I have never been told that we need to leave. We aren't cheap customers and we weren't done ordering. We will never return and I will never recommend it. There are too many better places in Boston for brunch. I am telling everybody I know about this. read more

I have been taking my family to the Beehive for Easter Brunch for the past 5 years. It was always a fantastic event, and although pricey, the food, service, entertainment and overall atmosphere made it worth the expense. Unfortunately this year was something completely different. The menu is getting a bit tired, more expensive and smaller, and the service was poor and unfriendly from the hostesses to the wait staff. 30 minutes after we ordered, my wife was informed that they no longer had the dish she ordered, and she had to choose something different ... Not to mention we were already informed of another item they ran out of! When our food finally did arrive, it was served cold and our children were already finished with their meal. I get the feeling they just gave up trying. The combination of an expensive meal with poor unfriendly service, running out of selections, long wait for the food and the fact it was cold when finally delivered makes this the last time we come here. This is a sad fact as it was becoming a nice Easter tradition that was spoiled this year. We will find another place that continues to work hard to earn our business. read more

One word delicious!!! The ambiance and the whole vibe is so magnificent; will def come back again!

I was very disappointed. The food was mediocre at best, the drinks were unimaginative. The staff was okay, not snoody but not exactly friendly either. The atmosphere was okay downstairs but nothing exciting upstairs. The music was nothing special. And then there was the crowd... If you like overweight 40 year-old accountants this is the spot for you. read more

Not that greatest spot for food. Cool vibe and atmosphere but my eggs Benedict was quite honestly less than average and my boyfriends French toast wasn't served with syrup. Super expensive for mediocre food. read more

this restaurant is a really good place if youre in the mood for something a little different. they have some really interesting things on their menu, including roast mustard and herb pork and corn souffle. the space can be a little loud if youre planning on eating and having a nice dinner conversation though. in my opinion, this place is better suited as a bar than a restaurant. its a really good option if youre looking for a unique experience and a bar with a little more character than many other typical boston bars. im definitely of the fan of the atmosphere if youre just looking at this place from a bar perspective. they often have live music, and its a fun place to see friends, grab a drink, and have a good time. the drinks are a little expensive, but they are usually pretty strong and for what you get, i dont think its too much different in price than other places in the area. i would definitely recommend their mint julep, which i think that they are known for...its delicious! read more

Time warp! I stepped in to this place and immediately felt like I was in a 40s movie and ready to swing dance to the big band sound! It has amazing decor, a swingin jazzy live band, and super fun atmosphere. Must experience! read more

first night in boston with no sleep in about 36hrs & invited to a yelp event... sure i'm down. i thank god that i had written down the address, as i'm sure it would have taken me awhile to find this place. their sign in a blank black rectangle with a little characterized B in the left corner (no you're other left). eli, one of the managers, was great. he lovingly showed me my way down to the basement (cellar if you're fancy) & told me a bit about the place. all the art is for sale. they have jazz that goes on after 9p (usually). they serve food here, though you definitely need a reservation - seems they have met their quota of hipsters. the music is solid though i didn't stick around for the live show- so no comment on their selection of bands. the drinks are expensive (all of 'em) so make sure you cleared your credit card bill if you thinkin about tossin a few back. my gimlet could have been stronger, though in a hipster environment i always expect skimpage from the tenders. would i come here again? probably not, unless friends really wanted to go or someone else was paying for the drinks. hey, it's not the people or the drinks or the environment; i blame it on cost=fun ratio. a dolla makes me holla. though a dolla doesn't work at the beehive, try a minimum of 9. read more

Food is sub par...BUT (big BUT) the decor/atmosphere is like no other. Think underground speakeasy. Exactly what a jazz club should be. Intimate Stage and tables. Drinks are delicious...try the carrot margarita with the black salt rim. read more

this is my favorite hangout in boston. (coming from NY, the only funky places in boston really are parts of cambridge, JP and south end). the beehive is a very refreshing place to hang out in, because of the lack of funky raw bars in boston in my opinion. the crowd is not full of annoying hipsters, but usually 30somethings who really enjoy good music. granted the drinks are a little $$$, but it's worth it. the music is always really good (whether its african-jazz or blues or rockabilly) and the people are really interesting. the bathrooms are very overstimulating with that crazy wall and stall painting. the bathrooms are always clean and the stalls always have TP! which is a plus. no one likes sitting in a stall and realizing you need to ask the person next to you for some. but anyway. the line definitely sucks. it gets really long sometimes. and once i had a dinner reservation for 10:00 and didn't get seated til 11:30 (which sucked). but i'll let it slide and give the beehive 5 stars anyway. just because this is the swinging-est place in boston. every time i have guests visiting, this is where i take them. the end. read more

The Beehive has a unique atmosphere with an excellent menu. It's not really big but everything is delicious. I love jazz and its was even better to have perfectly cooked duck and listen music. Also if you are a meat person i recommend duck and don't get scared when they will bring you HUGE knife with it. I'm serious you can kill somebody with it :) And couscous with chicken, lamb and vegetables is delicious. The only funny part is that serve it on pan not on a plate so feel kind of funny when you see first time :) As appetizers clams was great. Fresh and perfectly fried. Love it. Its a pit pricey but it worth it.The stuff is very friendly and know their job. Only one big minus is parking. That was our first time visiting this restaurant and girls on front ask you if you've been before or no. And it was really disappointing when we was trying to get our car from valet parking they told us to wait at least 15 min and when outside 15 degree it's not a lot of pleasure. read more

Unfortunately we got here right after the band was over but our bartender was highly entertaining. All i told him is that I wanted gin and he made me the perfect drink, with grapefruit juice and all. It was late on a Monday night so it wasn't hopping but I like the decor and the set-up. Definitely going back next time I am in Boston read more

Meat markets with fake jazz and average expensive food do not excite me.

Great place, great music and the staff was extremely sharp.

on decor and ambiance alone...this spot should get a five....the live music is pretty dope and the "underground" level was pleasing.... but....and its a big but..... im a true Bostonian, provincial to the bone, and because this place its a bit pretentious...in a "sex in the city" kind of way...i just....can't...do it. point and case: they made us wait like ten minutes for a table even thought they were open tables everywhere....and for for god sake its a restaurant (!) and they have a bouncer....and towards the end of our night...the waiter told us to hurry because he wanted to sit a party of ten (i.e leave), and finally, and this is a personal one...every time I am in the south end i can't help but feel a little creepy because the gentrification has totally forced my people out (i know this is personal and i can't hold it against the beehive or any other establishment in the south end...but im saying...i can't help what i feel)....so that withstanding, they still only deserve a three. the food was decent, just decent (note: the FRITES were excellent). the drinks were good, but a bit pricey for the amount. would i go again, sure would i bring friends, yes it's a worth a tap of the charlie, si peace, and i am out read more

I came here a while back for a friend's birthday party, I believe it was a party of 8. I've never had so much fun as part of a large party at a restaurant. Things didn't go so smoothly when we first arrived; we couldn't be seated until we had all expected members of our party present. That was a lot less painful than it could've been, since the bar was right there. We ordered cocktails and stood around in a circle. Hah... cute, I guess. I ordered a cocktail with Godiva chocolate liqueur that sounded pretty exciting. It was good, but not as smooth as I expected. Since then, I've mixed Godiva liqueur at home with almond milk and liked the results better. Such is life. Luckily, I had a Ginger Kitty cocktail during dinner and it was fantastic. Once we were seated, we had a blast. Cocktails and wine flying everywhere! Our server was nice, attentive, and had a good personality, without being bubbly (you're faking, and if you're not, that's weird... stop it). I really liked that she didn't seem to feel the least bit rushed, even though the place was packed. Basically: I liked this chick. She was happy to take pictures of our silly, tipsy group on our cameras. The atmosphere was not too loud, which is surprising considering how huge and bustling this place was. Not to say we never had to ask our friends to repeat themselves. But it wasn't overwhelming, and I get overwhelmed by things like that easily. There was a performance going on in the distance, and it was the perfect volume and style for background music. Now for the food... THE FOOD, AAHH. I'm in love! I believe my dish was something with salmon and lobster, and a rich creamy sauce containing things I love. I'm vegetarian, but I'll be lenient at restaurants and practice some pescetarianism. Then after a few drinks, I verged into "Oohh let me take JUST ONE BITE of your pork. Because it's not like I'm affecting the industry, you already bought it! And you're gonna eat it all! Oh, and your veal! And your chicken! And your steak! OM NOM NOM NOM!" Um, ah, yeah... awkward. But tasty as hell. Sshh, don't tell my other friends. For dessert, we ordered several options to share among the table. One of them was this absolutely ridiculous mapley buttery souffle type of deal. We were stabbing at it like rabid, starved wolves and it was gone in literally 20 seconds. If it's not there when I go back, I'll cry. read more

love the decor and atmosphere here, everything meshes well and i loved the band playing! came here on a Wednesday night and I ordered from the restaurant week menu, so did about 3 other girls in my group. As an appetizer i got the grape leaves with lamb and tzakiki sauce.. so good! my sis got the peirogies and said they were good too. For an entree I decided to get the salmon with cucumber, kale and quinoa salad (all of my favorite things). i loveedddddd this dish to the point of me completely wiping the plate clean. they serve it was smoked gouda cheese i think, and it was to die for. dessert i got the maple bread pudding which was too good. i wish i coulda taken one home with me. the other girls at my table got the coconut lime cheesecake, and im not a pib fan of coconut or lime in my desserts but i tasted it and it was also scrumptious. and our waiter was funny and sweet and knew a lot about the menu! want to come back for their famous brunch at some point read more

My girlfriend Alex and I ate brunch at the Beehive in May before a Red Sox game. We had the most incredible challah French toast with Chantilly cream. It's difficult to find the words to express how perfect the French toast was - doughy, gooey inside; brown sugary/cinnamon deep fried exterior; Chantilly cream and berries drizzled across the top. A culinary achievement of the highest order. It has recently come to my attention that the Beehive no longer serves the French toast. Something about seasonality and it being a "winter dish." My only response to this is that the chef and or staff must literally be on drugs, and/or clinically insane. In my bewilderment, I feel like Will Ferrel on crazy pills. As such - and so is my concern of this news - that I cannot return to the city of Boston or offer the Beehive anything more than a one-star rating until the time at which this is remedied. P read more

Loved our cozy table close to the stage! Although it was loud, there were pleasant intermissions which allowed for conversing with friends. Food was tasty and servers were attentive! Highly recommend the spring salad with salmon. read more

worth the trek out to the south end. the jazz music is fantastic and the comfort cuisine will make you feel at home. If you aren't on a diet go to The Beehive. They have generous portions and love to add cheese.. although, it's always expensive, delicious, refined cheese. yom. read more

Okay, so. I've heard amazing things about this place for a long time and we happened to be seeing a show next door, so we ate here. The patio is really nice. The host was really nice. The waitress was a little lacking in the personality department, but she was probably tired. Overall, I'd say skip it. We paid $105 for dinner for two and even by Boston standards, that's pretty steep for casual dinner and honestly was not worth the money. We had: Calamari - Crunchy, but nothing to write home about. Lacking in flavor. Big Dinner Salad w/Steak - There was nothing big about this. Eating it was difficult because it was a pretty thin layer of chopped lettuce on a plate. The steak was a decent portion, but the salad was $24. This was in no way a $24 entree. Shortrib Grilled Cheese - This was good, maybe a little soggy, but good. Lemon Sorbet - .... You can't mess up sorbet. The Beehive Honey Brew - No real hints of honey, basically Miller Light. Maybe I'd go back for brunch? read more

the beehive has most everything i love in a bar, so it already was looking prime for a 5 star review right as the night kicked off. somewhat tucked away in a corner, only the small red legged B on the sign tipped me off that we were there. the decor keeps up that ode-to-a-speakeasy theme: dimly lit with scattered mini crystal chandeliers, dark wood, and various pieces of art. we were a little early and waiting on the rest of our party, so we hopped over to the bar to have a drink in the meantime. the cocktail list was relatively interesting and unique. i enjoyed their spin on a mint julep, and the sunset wheat beer - in its honeycomb-style, grenade-esque, huge-and-hearty 12 oz mug - was the true find of the night - delicious! but the really interesting story starts when the bf decided to switch from cocktails to whiskey, ordering a knob creek from the bartender. the guy sitting next to us turns around and says, "pff, you don't want the knob creek. see that bottle over there (points to a bottle of whiskey with an obnoxious bright orange label and a cartoon of an old dude)? that's what you want - that's old grand-dad. just as good, half the price." the bf, who had already been served his knob creek at that point, just said, "ok, thanks, I'll keep that in mind." "nah, we'll do a taste test," the man says, flagging down the bartender. "pour him a taste of old grand-dad, with a splash of water." he continues, "i keep this whiskey in the front row of the bar because it's really just as good, and it's what my dad and granddad used to drink back in west virginia." ... "oh right, yeah," he says, as realizes he hasn't mentioned up til now, "i own this place." so the bf tastes the two whiskeys side by side, and says, "hey! it really is just as good!" and made that his drink of choice for the remainder of the evening. and in exchange for humoring him and participating in the taste test, the owner shared some cool details about the bar with us (did you know that the acorn lights come from the dedham mental institution? or that the banister around the stairs was taken out of someone's backyard in somerville? how about that the bar itself was made by his friend, an artist, out of all salvaged wood - if you look to the left side there's even an old ruler). another facet of our experience that i think may have been unique in comparison to the norm was that since it was raining pretty hard, the place was less crowded than usual, and we got to sit right next to the stage for the live jazz even though not all of us were having dinner. the one of us who did order food got the grilled cheese + shortrib sandwich, which looked and smelled awesome, and was paired with a tangy, delightful coleslaw. the music was good, and i was intrigued by the backdrop of cascading ruffles of seemingly salvaged and mismatched fabrics - it was quirky, eyecatching, and totally appropriate for the venue. all in all, i thoroughly relished my experience at the beehive. we used to tease a coworker of mine because the same day she came in raving about this place, Boston.com published an article entitled something like, "The Beehive: THE place for 30-somethings" (she's 24). but now that i've been - and really want to go back - i guess i can't bust her balls anymore. read more

The beehive is a great place to go out in the South End! The decor and atmosphere are cool and fun and there is always live music and entertainment to enjoy. It draws in a nice crowd and drinks are good. I've heard the food is just ok, but their appetizers sound tasty and they have Poutine so I'm sold. read more

So it took me a few visits before I hit my Beehive groove. My first trip involved a snooty doorman paired with an absentminded waiter and finished with an extremely over cooked chicken dish. I'm talking sawdust in the mouth. My second foray involved watered down gin and tonics and sickly sweet side cars. When it was suggested on the third time, I rolled my eyes, but gamely went ahead. Well, he was paying, it seemed only appropriate. And thank the big guy upstairs that I'm a money hungry ho, because this meal was fantastic! The duck and jalapeno risotto was one of those hallelujah moments for me. For a good 15 minutes, I virtually ignored both my date and my drink while I gazed lovingly at each forkful that approached my mouth. Luckily there was a pretty lady in a plunging red dress singing her heart out on stage to distract him. Our waitress was fantastic, anticipating all our needs, refilling both water and booze in a timely manner, and laughing when I ordered a carafe of wine and she brought two glasses. Ah no, he doesn't drink wine. That's all for me mamacita. Imagine our surprise when at the end of the meal she told us that she was technically still training and this was her first night "alone" on the floor. Kudos! Future ventures have shown that the short rib grilled cheese is a devilishly decadent delight, the sage frites are a perfect cocktail absorber, and the shrimp cocktail is the absolute in light bar snacking. But in truth, my heart still belongs to the duck risotto. Over the past year, I've seen the staff steadily improve, from the now smiling and gracious doormen to the competent and friendly wait staff. Even the cocktail quality has seen a much needed boost. The myriad of performers that come through here are both talented and interesting. There's always someone playing an instrument I've never seen before, always a song that captivates even if I don't understand the language. After a rocky start, Beehive and I have come to an understanding. Even if I do pay for my own meals now. read more

Beehive is a great option for a night out with friends. I love their cocktail selection and I have been consistently impressed with their food. I went with a group of 6 for my birthday and we sat right in front of the jazz band downstairs. It was really loud, but we expected that when making the reservation. The mussels and calamari were really good. I got the steak frites and it was cooked perfectly. Our waitress was also awesome, super friendly and made our night even better. I'll be back to the Beehive next time I'm in the south end. read more

Food was amazing. I had the skirt stake frites. Delicious. Wine was good. We sat right up front in front of the jazz band which was great. Except the staff/management were a little snobby. Pulling chairs away, upset at misunderstandings. But the food and entertainment is what u go for. read more

I really enjoyed the atmosphere here. I was here a few weeks ago for the live music; they an exceptional artist (I think his name was something along the lines of King Russell). The drinks were great! I had a simple margarita and gin and tonic. I also tried their fritters and those were quite tasty too. The only reason why I can't give them five stars is because one of the bartenders put his finger in our drink and tried taking away my plate of fritters for some odd reason. read more

Easily one of my favorite places in the South End, and probably in the entire city of Boston. Sure it's expensive, but it's got a great vibe and a lovely staff. The inside is border-line hipster, but has enough quirks and interesting art pieces to make it worth it. I went here for Bastille Day back in July and all the waiter's were having a blast wearing the complimentary berets and black and white striped shirts. They have awesome events (I went to an art show there last week), live music, and great food and drink. Plus it's right off the Mass Ave stop. If you haven't gone, go. read more

Brunch: Was skeptical as they only had one "sweet" dish available (the french toast) but wow was it good. Nothing fancy, just perfectly done, with real maple syrups without an extra charge. My friends got a quiche and omelette, and good lord their portions are huge. The best part though - the music. The only thing that could make it better is if they had couches on which you could recline after your meal, as the combo of a belly full of delicious brunch + the delicious jazz = zzzzzzzzzzz read more

As a vegetarian they had no food options for me at all. The drinks were good but overpriced (as they are everywhere in Boston). Great live music. Popular place for young professionals. read more

Boston's new hip locale in the South End. It was the site of the boiler room and storage area for the Cyclorama. It took 2 and a half years to renovate and man did they do a good job. Place looks like it belongs in NYC, not Boston. I went there for the music, don't go for other reasons. The apps are better than the entrees, service is ok, the wine list is ok and a bit weird but the ambiance is awesome. SKIP going on the weekend because everyone else goes. Check it out on Tuesday nights as that's when Berklee students perform. Like Wally's, when you get the students you never know what to expect but talent. read more

Wowza, a hidden gem which my wife & I will be back, plenty of seats for dining patrons like us, the bar was crowded and buzzing the live music had a Nice variety of songs. The food was some of Boston's best, we were able to park on the street outside, read more

I should preface this by saying I went here for dinner both times on weeknights and didn't wait in line, so my review may not reflect what others experience at peak hours. That said, I've been to the Beehive twice. The first time was a company party and we had the upstairs reserved for dinner. They had a special menu planned for us. I split the appetizer options with a co-worker. The mixed-greens salad was very good. I'm not a salad person, but it was very fresh and flavorful. We also had fried calamari, which was very good with the homemade tartar sauce. My meal was a leg of chicken, served with mashed potatoes. The meat was so tender, I didn't even need a knife to pull it off the bone. The servings were big, and necessitated a doggie-bag. The cheesecake dessert was also big, I'd say two servings-worth. Very rich, but I have to say, a little disappointing. They only had a few beers to choose from, which was too bad. *EDIT* They added more, but are overpriced for what you're getting. Many beers are only offered in 12 or 20 oz. - Why not pints? Overall, a good experience, though we left before the music began. I recommend sitting downstairs for the music, unless you can get a table right near the balcony. My table was closer to the door - we couldn't see or hear the band and got draft and noise from the entrance. My second experience was downstairs for a college alumni dinner. The atmosphere is much different. Much more of a buzz, pardon the pun. The artwork is more prevalent, lighting much more intimate. I had the bone-in pork chop, which was HUGE. It was served with a gravy-sauce with fries and was just awesome. One of those meals that you just want to keep eating, well after you've realized your gut can't handle it . Our server was a witty friendly guy, who fit well with the atmosphere and the crowd they cater to. The artwork is interesting and for sale. Though, I don't have much need for a 3ft by 5ft painting of the word "plenty" in block letters. Especially since it costs $7,500. There is artwork everywhere except the men's room. The men's room has graffiti, mostly in the form of intellectual or philosophical quotes. I sort of expected a more creative urinal, but I guess that's a bit much to ask. Overall, I give it 4 stars for the food, but have to come short of the 5th because it's a little too cool and hip for me. I prefer a bit less trendy and South-Endy a place. read more