One amazing experience, one decent one, and one terrible. Never know what you're going to get. My first and second visits to CPHOB was outstanding. After work on a Friday evening, and then that same night to meet friends. The bartenders Chad and Sean were very friendly to my group and me, interacted with us, mixed very elaborate off-the-menu drinks to suit out palates, and overall presented us with a great experience. So great, in fact, that I had to come back two more times over the next two days, just to show off this new spot to different friends. Saturday night, dinner and drinks for four. Casual service, wasn't exceptional but I can deal with the wait time for fine-crafted drinks and delicious food. The burger was great, the steak and fried oyster was good, and my whiskey-drinking friends really enjoyed themselves. Waitress Rhiannon was nice enough, and there was really nothing bad or absolutely amazing to say - just a good night. The place definitely gets a coolness factor for shaving cubes of ice into spheres which fit perfectly into the whiskey glass for optimal cooling/melting. Sunday night was another visit with different friends, before a concert on Landsowne. The barback Jess from Friday night was bartending, and she was painfully slow and ill-informed about how to make drinks from the menu. The other bartender greeted my group of four guys with "she'll be taking care of you, because I wait on the chicks, and she waits on the dudes." I thought this was incredibly un-friendly and rude. My buddies were definitely taken aback, and I was embarrassed to have raved about CPHOB and brought them there. The guy offered to text Sean - who had made an incredible cocktail on Friday - to find out the measurements, but when I listed the ingredients he said that was too complicated and walked away. Jess was under the impression that he'd texted for the drink, so I was left waiting for over 20 mins thirsty and unhappy. Finally, we got us all some drinks and things were alright. The bar grew ever more busy, and the haphazard bartenders took 10-15 mins per drink, per person. It was kind of ridiculous. The last straws came when we ordered food and a last round, waited - no joke - 20 mins before asking for the check (we had a concert to go to), when Jess said she'd ordered the wrong food items, and didn't even realize she forgot our last round of drinks. Suffice to say, if my first visit had been like this one, there would not be a repeat. However, due to a great first visit, I will probably return for a final evaluation, although hesitantly. read more

Word of Caution... When you come here, BEFORE you sit down, ask the hostess if they are cooking a pig at that time. If they say 'yes', turn around and run. If you are hungry or in a rush (going to a Sox game, a show at HoB, etc), this will not be a pleasant, relaxing dining experience. The food is good, not great...I had the pork belly the first time I was there and it was okay--I can cook it better at home on my Big Green Egg but that's neither here nor there. The fried oysters were inedibly salty. Yesterday I had the slider, I mean burger, for $16, and it was good, but it's tiny. I don't know, this place could be a LOT better. It has all the potential and a great decor inside, but I've been twice now (both times they were making the pig) and we have had two very similar experiences. I don't think I will be coming back for a third time...way better options in the city without having to worry if a party of 10 is going to bring the restaurant to a standstill. read more

I've eaten at this restaurant twice and twice is enough for me to know I never want to come back. I showed up on a Saturday night and wanted to get a few drinks at the bar before having dinner so I put my name on the wait list. Everything was going fine at the bar, good beer list, plenty of other options, friendly and attentive bartender. I informed the host that I had people joining me for dinner in about an hour. About 55 minutes later I was informed my table would be given away since my party could not be sat until it was complete and then it would be another hour until I could get a table. Luckily another table decided to leave quickly after that so we only had to wait about 20 minutes. Not a huge deal, but miserable service by the host giving my table away to a group that just walked in after I was waiting for an hour. Once we sat down I was again pleased by the quality of the server. However the food was another story. For the price point I was very disappointed in the food. The flavor was fine, although everything was very salty, but the portions were laughable. The "Double Portion" of the gnocchi was about 4 bites of salty potato gel and the lamb shoulder would have fit on a slider roll. Overall this place is decent, but the price point on everything is outrageous for what you get. There are much better options in the area. read more

Stood at the bar and 3 bartenders ignored us. We left.

This might be the best restaurant experience I've had all year! Everything was perfect, from the atmosphere and waitstaff to the food and drinks. We were seated very quickly, despite not having a reservation on a busy Friday night and immediately ordered drinks. They were great and SUPER yummy! After a delicious app of a half-dozen oysters, I had the salmon on quinoa and my boyfriend had the duck on stew. Both were EXCELLENT dishes - I would highly recommend either to anyone enjoying their dining experience here. We wanted to try more, so we then ordered the starter mussels, which were divine. Dessert was scrumptious - a toffee cake with chantilly cream on top. On the sweet side of desserts, but it was a perfect contrast to the heavier dishes we had before. Finally, we ended the meal with simple coffee. Throughout this whole experience, our waiter Sal was phenomenal! Swooped in right when we needed him without hovering and his suggestions were spot on for every course and the drinks. I can't recommend this place (and Sal) highly enough - definitely will be returning for my next special occassion. read more

I would always come here with my sister whenever I come to Boston. Food and drinks are very delicious. The ambiance of this place is very chill and the bartenders and the waiters are very friendly and cool. I always have a good time here. read more

Wonderful experience! We came before the Zac Brown Band Concert. We had a great waiter named Sal. The service was incredible and timely. The food was delicious and each bite melted in your mouth. I highly recommend this restaurant! read more

Food is good, drinks are good. Solid seafood, good old fashioned, nice whisky flights. Sal was by far one of the nicest waiters I've ever had. read more

After reading the previous reviews, we fully expected a long wait and horrible service, yet a great meal at Citizens. We had such a wonderful time I decided to make this my first Yelp. We walked in at about 7:30 last night (a thursday) and were told it would take about an hour for a table. Having heard great things about the drinks, we found a little elbow room at the bar and checked out the menu. I feel like I need to defend the bartender with the black rimmed glasses. He could not have been more helpful. He moved supplies around the bar so we would have space, apologized for it being cramped, and was totally on top of our drink orders. He even helped us move over when we a better spot opened up. All of the staff was very nice. One of the other bartenders took a few minutes to explain a very cool machine that shaved blocks of ice into spheres, and the reasons behind using them, and discuss scotch with my husband. After a few drinks and about 45 minutes, we were given a table (we had turned down seats at the oyster bar 15 minutes earlier). We had a waitress within 3 minutes of sitting down and dinner went great. My husband had the chicken livers and a bowl of white bean and bacon soup that he loved. He also had the beef ribs which he liked, but said they were a bit rich after his starters. He said if he had had them first he would have loved them more. I had 3 Wellfleet oysters, 3 little necks and three shrimp from the raw bar that were terrific. For my entree I had the tuna burger which was outstanding. It could have maybe used a side of fries or something, but I have to say I was so full it was probably good they weren't there. We split the toffee bread pudding for dessert, very good, not sickeningly sweet, fresh whipped cream. It was a little drier than I usually like, but it tasted great. We will be back! read more

Kid friendly (there's board games at the bar!), great staff and fantastic food and beer options!

Went here for dinner with some friends before going out and it was a 2 hour wait so we stood at the bar. I realized I had forgotten my wallet so I didn't drink but just hung out there and waited with my friends. It was a 2 hr wait and when seats opened up at the bar we decided to eat at the bar. I cheerfully asked the bartender if I could have a food menu and he told me I was lucky he was even letting sit there. Ok I get it, I don't have an ID but 1. lose the attitude and 2. I just wanted some food. After being floored by his rude response I laughed and asked him if it was still ok to eat there which he then responded 'you wouldn't even be let in places without an id so what makes this any different.' Applebees servers liquor and I can order a burger at the bar. I'm 30, and it was 7pm, lets all bring it down a notch. We decided to go elsewhere but they got us a table just as we were about to leave. As for the food, they were SO accommodating to our different gluten restrictions. The waiter was very nice about that. Clams were good and so was the chicken but EVERYTHING was swimming in butter. In the case of brussel sprouts and other vegetables, less is usually more. The only times I plan throwing back a stick of butter for dinner is usually at a carnival or movie theaters. It makes me feel like their hiding something behind the fat. It wasn't bad, just heavy. Nice ambiance and a good looking crowd but I'll probably steer clear of this place unless I'm looking for another smack down of life lessons from a 22 y/o bartender on an ego trip. read more

This place is wonderful- GREAT cocktail selections, GREAT scotch and whiskey (and they have an ice ball machine!), and AMAZING burgers- soooo juicy- definitely get it with the stilton cheese--- YUMMY!! It's small inside, but cute.... I've always gotten lucky with a seat at the bar, but because of its proximity to Fenway, not everyone can be that lucky all the time and you'll get stuck standing! I hate that it is so expensive, but the things I get are always good, so I'll pay, but I just cant come that often! Also, I'm not entirely impressed with their other food choices... nothing ever sounds that good to me, so I always get the burger.... which, like I said, is amazing, so I dont mind! So while I wish it was cheaper, less crowded, and had more food options... I'm still happy with Citizen and will keep coming back! It's a great addition to Fenway area because it's so classy and different! read more

I have NEVER been to this Citizens Public House And Oysters, and with my 10 seconds encounter on the phone with the most insincere rude male on the phone- he finalized my decision if I ever want to come here ever. I know it's a last minute reservation for 25 people on a friday night and I totally understand if the host or even the manager themself cannot move mountains for such a large party- but its the way you handle the guests whether on the phone or in person. I asked politely and wasn't acting snobby about it, but the guys tone over the phone... was so hopeless and lazy! I asked if I could make a reservation and he said "sure, how many people?" And right when I said 25 people he just sounded so sarcastic and was like "25?! Nope cannot." Really? No sincerity or apology- better yet he didn't care to even put me on hold to ask a manager on duty! That's what I meant about lazy! They open at 5PM and I called at 4:55PM and that's their opening shift attitude already and how they will represent a place they work at- poor hospitality service. Now I understand all the other 1 star reviews. This guy just didn't make an effort and it is pretty disappointing especially from a group of 25 PEOPLE who has NEVER been here before! I expected more... I wish my review evaluated everything about this place from food to atmosphere to service overall, but the host is the first person through the entrance door to the phone who will ALWAYS give off the first impression and him in particular needs to really work on his customer friendly service. read more

Very good food and the staff is now friendly and capable.

I went there with another friend about 10 days back. Drinks are good, they have a interesting collection. Most of Bartenders seemed nice, except one of the bartenders named Rich. He was unpleasant and pestering the female customers the whole time instead of doing his job. His language was obscene and unnecessarily loud. He made a lot of the customers feel uncomfortable. Thereby creating an unpleasant experience at this restaurant. read more

I went here for the 10 person or more pig roast dinner. For $70 (pig dinner, dessert and booze) I expected a LOT more. The food was very mediocre, we got seated at what my friend described as "Denny's style seating" where they cramped all 11 of us into a tiny little booth on the side...and the pig itself was not good. The skin had this weird texture. I had hoped it'd be crispy pig skin, but it was this nasty leathery texture I couldn't even bite through it. It seemed the only okay part of the pig were the fried ears and intestines. The sides were merely just okay as well... the potato gratin that came with our pig dinner was uber salty and the rest of it was just not good. My friends also did a pig dinner on another night and they said they loved it and the pig skin was crispy so I don't know maybe we caught them on an "off" night. But personally, I don't think great restaurants ever have "off" nights which is why I'm giving this place a 2. read more

Since I work nearby, and was dying to try this place, I rounded up 5 work mates and we headed here last night after work for some much needed destressing. We arrived when they opened, at 5PM. The tables were empty, the bar about 1/4 full. We were greeted by the hostess, and we asked for a table since we were going to drink and have apps/food. The hostess just looked down her nose at us, and offered us cramped seats at the bar. When I asked why we couldnt have one of the many empty tables, she said, let me check because they had many reservations coming in. So we watched her go back to stacking menus and basically ignoring our request. I asked her again for a table, and she pushed us towards the bar. As people came in, and seats at the bar started filling up, we figured we better grab the last 5 seats before we had no place to sit. It basically sucked for conversation, and the bar is right at the door so it was cold and drafty as people came and went. So we ordered drinks, and checked out the menu. The place is cozy and dark. I had to use the light from my phone to read the menu, and found their wines by the glass offerings very limited. Our bartender was very nice, so I ordered the beet salad and a couple shrimp, but my order came out a good 15 minutes before my friends burgers. At this stage it is about 6:30PM and I noticed some of the tables were still empty, but the very small bar area was packed. I also noticed the hostess was very friendly to certain groups, and not to others. Interesting. So all in all we enjoyed our food, and our drinks, and I would definitely come back maybe on a quieter night, and hopefully not when that particular hostess was working--she cost this place a few stars. read more

I went here with a group of about 10 of us. The food was okay but the drinks were a disgrace. We first all ordered a round. Two of us sent our drinks back multiple times with no improvement. One of us just ordered extra shots because it was very clear that they weren't changing anything. We complained numerous times and after the meal the manager never came over to apologize or discount our bill even though he was very aware of the situation. I went to the bar again with a different group of people recently and every single one of us sent our drinks back. I ordered a martini (which is pretty much all vodka) and couldn't taste a thing. I asked that a different bartender remake it and it was better, but for the amount of vodka out in, was definitely still not very strong. I am shocked that a restaurant can get away with this. I would not only never recommend this restaurant, I will warn people to make sure they never step through this door unless they want to spend 14$ on water. read more

Went here on a Wednesday night to meet a couple friends for drinks and dinner. Was thinking of making a reservation given how small the place is, but apparently they only take reservations for parties of 6 or more. So I figured how bad could it be on a Wednesday night? But I got there and was told it would be an hour long wait! Let me just back things up a bit to when I first walked in...First impression of service was not a great one. I was clearly standing there waiting for a hostess to appear when an older couple came in after me and also stood there waiting. The hostess came by and seated them right away so I can only hope that they were part of a larger party with reservations. But instead of returning to me, the hostess just walked away and left me standing there, still waiting. I finally had to step in front of another employee and literally almost wave my hand at her. After we found out it would be an hour wait, we decided to grab a few seats at the bar. Service there was MUCH better. The bartender actually heard me chatting about the drinks on the menu and had my cocktail of choice set down in front of me before I even ordered it. Quick alcohol service. I love it. I ordered two apps as my meal - mussels (which were a daily special on the board) and the baby beet salad. Both were pretty good, although I would have preferred maybe a light vinaigrette or dressing on the beets. The mussels were delicious though! They even came with a side of melted butter to dip into, probably adding about 1,000 more calories to my meal but I'm okay with that. I'd say it was one of the better mussel dishes I've had. Bartender tells me they usually have it on Wednesdays so I'll be sure to come back on another Wednesday. Overall, very good spot for food and/or drinks and it doesn't hurt that it's 3 blocks from my apartment. Not sure it's an easy place to just drop into for dinner given how long the wait it though. And although I didn't mind sitting at the bar, others may disagree because some of the seats are directly in front of the door so you do have to deal with a cold draft every time someone walks in. I think the only complaint I have is the hostess service. With the upscale menu that Citizen offers, it wouldn't hurt if you paid your patrons a little more attention when they walk in. read more

I went there recently before another Red Sox loss. (That's unusual these days. Yea, right.) It didn't look like anything special from the outside. I went in and promptly got seated. My friend was late, so I ordered a small salad. I can't say how good it was, because I am not generally a rabbit food type of guy. When my friend showed up, she got a half dozen oysters. There were three different kinds. She seemed to enjoy them immensely. After that she ordered the Beef Filet, and I got the Beef Brisket in a chorizo and sweet corn spoon bread. Not that I knew what spoon bread was when I ordered it. It is a sauce, sort of. Try it, it is really good. Anyway, both her Filet and my Brisket were flat out amazing. They both were sooo tender and flavorful. I was blown away. Our server, Andreea was busy, but she did a super job. Knowledgable about the menu, friendly and not obtrusive. I would recommend this place, and I will definitely go back again. read more

I strongly recommend that this restaurant remove the "fresh linguine" off the menu. I had it last night, and it was absolutely horrible. Don't know why I didn't just send it back-was in a hurry to dash off to James Taylor concert at Fenway. Others in my party enjoyed their food, but this pasta dish is not worthy of being on any menu ever. read more

We ordered the fried pickles for starters based on past reviews. Unfortunately we couldn't get through 2 entire chips. They were super salty. The waitress was gracious, alerted the chef and took off the salty batch of pickles. They were super thin like potato chips. I'll be back to try them again. The sirloin and tuna burger were cooked to perfection. Simple and delicious. The fries were tasty but I'm not a fan of cabbage so I can't objectively comment on the cole slaw. We were too full to try the toffee bread pudding, but next time. Did I mention the kick ass service? I'm not giving 5 stars only bc we were seated at the oyster bar and space was a bit tight... And the pickles. But I'll be back for round 2. read more

Seemed a bit touristy...skip the small plates and get the burger...fried oyster appetizer made up of 4 oysters was a joke

We had the seafood platter for two - wonderful! Cozy place on a cold day. Friendly service. I'm gluten free and it was not a problem.

The food was mediocre-We started with fish tacos and I had the cod. I'm not a beer drinker so perhaps I shouldn't be drinking wine in a pub but the first glass of wine that I ordered tasted like the bottle had been open for several days. I sent it back. Our server was inattentive...I had to wait for about 15 minutes for him to finish up his personal conversation with the bartender before I could get my replacement (only slightly better) glass of wine. Meh to this place. I won't be going back. read more

Good beer selection, delicious oysters, good service. Would go back next time I'm in the area. I thought they handled the crowd of the ND-BC game pretty well. read more

Sat outside on a cloudy evening after a sox/yanks game. Oysters were delicious. Beer selection was decent. Waitress service was good but slow. The burger and the mussels were just okay. Overall, not a bad meal but nothing to write home about. For the price I think the take home message is "just okay". Stick to drinks and apps. Burgers across the street will be half the price and twice the taste. read more

The service was so bad...I used to like this place...now it is a place to go if you want to be ignored and laugh at when you voice a complaint. Worst experience ever... read more

Thursday night, 7pm. They told us 20 minutes. 100 minutes later as we were about to walk out the door (after a mediocre "ideal" Manhattan, scotch on the rocks and a glass of wine all for 45 dollars), they begged us to stay. We ordered... 2 dozen oysters and mains. 25 minutes for the oysters (because they are so hard to prepare). They were good, but just as we got started... our mains appeared! The food was pretty decent, but between the unnecessarily long wait and terrible service, I will never go here again. Over-priced and overstylized, the Fenway does not need this BS. read more

We had a pig roast for 16 people last night and it was a great experience. The management accommodated our special needs and requests -- from food allergies to table configuration -- and were very helpful when it came to selecting wines ahead of time. When I arrived, everything was ready, and both Arie, the manager, and Jackie, our waitress, knew what the plan was and were very welcoming. Our group ranged in age from 11 to about 65, and everyone ate well and had a good time. The food was delicious and plentiful, and Jackie's service was perfect -- timed well, attentive but unobtrusive. The family style meal worked very well for our group. And two of us even found room to share a yummy sticky toffee bread pudding for dessert. The whole experience could not have been better. read more

I've been to Citizen Public House on multiple occasions and its always this extremely ambivalent experience. First off the good: Great selection of beers and especially whiskies. Their Scotch list is decent but not necessarily remarkable. The food is also generally pretty good. The bad: The service is HORRIBLE. I've been there 5 times and each time it is impossible to get a table. This most recent time we went on a weeknight relatively early at 6PM (on a day when it was snowing) and the restaurant was completely empty except for the bar. I was meeting with some friends for drinks and appetizers (party of 5) and they refused to seat us at a table because we weren't ordering full dinners and that supposedly the tables were "reserved for parties of 6." We ended up sitting at the "dinner" portion of the bar after some negotiating (which shouldn't even be necessary). Between the 5 of us getting multiple rounds of drinks and appetizers, our bar tab was comparable to a dinner check and the waitress received a full 20% tip since this nonsense was none of her doing. The kicker is they started seating people (parties of 2) at the tables that were supposedly reserved for "parties of 6"...and the restaurant was still half empty! so I'm not sure why they wouldn't seat us at a table. The hostess was rude, belligerent, and arrogant. She lied that all the open tables were supposedly "reserved" when none of them were. For the record, this was on 11/7/12 and she probably deserves to be fired if the management ever reads these reviews. This is a gastropub, not a Michelin three star restaurant. A repeatedly poor experience every time I go, but the only reason I ever find myself at Citizen Public House is because of the location. Bottom line: Good drinks and food. Ridiculously and incomprehensibly appalling service. Would never go back again. read more

We went last night to have a drink and the bartender that served us there was the rudest bartender I have ever met. He was horrible, unaccommodating, and incredibly rude to one of the girls in our group. Spoke with the manager - Tommy - and he apologized for the disgusting way the bartender treated us but I am never coming here again and no one should. read more

The best meals I have had in Boston have been here. You owe it to yourself to check this place out. Oh, and the drinks are great, as is the staff. read more

This place is near Fenway so on game day it's hard to get a table here unless you'd like to sit at the bar. The Oysters and drinks are exceptional here. This was our Go-To spot. read more

How is this place less than 4 stars? This boggles my mind... Outdoor patio seating + fantastic meaty burger + great dishes across the board + prime location = at least 4 stars. For starters, we got the Meatball Slider and Smoked Mussels. Both were mmmtastic. The Slider was tender, flavorful and fairly substantial for $5. The Smoked Mussels are a must! Generous portion, addictive smokiness and salty melted butter. Yum. I've had 4 burgers in the past week. Citizen's Ground Sirloin Burger is definitely in the top 2, and for sure in the top 2 burgers I've had in Boston. I like my burgers perfectly ratio'd, although I love an extra fat patty. The burger is really about the meat, isn't it? So as long as the bun and extras hold up, I'm happy. Citizen's burger is 99% there. The patty was perfectly seasoned, juicy, tender and beefy. The bun held its own. The lettuce was fresh and sized just right. The onion and tomato were sliced thin and easy to bite through but I'd prefer a little more of each next time. I forgot to say that I wanted bleu cheese, so I got the cheddar default. I couldn't quite taste the cheddar, as you really need a lot of sharp cheddar to counter that patty. Bleu cheese for sure next time. The fries were spot on. Hand-cut with varying lengths, crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside inside. Awww yis. The Trout a la Plancha was also a hit. Cooked just right to melt in your mouth, surrounded by grilled toasts to soak up the tomato-based sauce. We also got a whiskey flight, which was fun and informative. I'm used to drinking watered down whiskey on the rocks, so whiskey straight up is harsh on my taste buds. Baby steps... Service was a mix...our guy was very attentive and awesome overall, but the delivery of our food was a bit off. Our Slider came after our entrees and our Mussels were forgotten. All good, though, our waiter was kind enough to comp the Mussels for us. Overall, thoughtful service that can be improved a bit. read more

This place was very good for a family dinner on Memorial Day weekend. My family was staying down the street so this was convenient walking distance from our hotel. There were only 2 other tables occupied when we arrived at 7 PM on a Sunday night, so we were a little concerned at first that we had made a bad choice. But by the time we left, all the outdoor tables were filled and many of the indoor tables were as well. We ordered the salmon entree, the cod entree, the cobb salad and a side of brussel sprouts. Salmon was delicious- cooked perfectly and the beet side was very interesting and good. I wished there had been some sort of other side/carb served with it though. The cod entree was absolutely delicious but a bit small- also needed another side to be served with it. It was not filling enough for my dad. The brussel sprouts were delicious! Service was ok, they seemed a bit confused at times but overall we had a great time. Patio seating was lovely. read more

I've stopped by a few times and have only ever had the warm ricotta and a few drinks. I've always sat at the bar. Since I get out of work at 4:00pm, I get there by the time the doors open and the place is pretty empty. The bartenders have a too-cool-for-the-room vibe. They will actually stand with their backs to the customers for minutes. They seem apathetic. I don't find that appealing. If the service was better, I'd make it a regular place. read more

This place knows booze. The music is a little loud, though the tracks are well chosen - 90s hip hop ftw. Didn't have food but I'll be back to try the chicken skin sandwich for sure. Decent prices too. read more

Cool atmosphere. REALLY long wait time. 1 hr wait when told it would be 20 min. Only takes reservations for 6 or more. Was in a bad mood when finally seated. That's never a good sign. Food was pretty good.in the end. read more

Maura gave a great dessert recommendation. The toffee bread pudding is delicious! Her lipstick is on point and she seems to have great interpersonal skills. read more