The Fireplace
- Nearest Transit:
Washington Square (Green)
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
74 Reviews for The Fireplace
The Fireplace is one of my go-to restaurants in Brookline, especially for their brunch. No matter how many times I've been, I ALWAYS order the eggs benedict because it's SO good. But I've heard the crispy duck hash is also delish as is the challah french toast.
I've only been once for dinner and don't remember what I had remember being really, really impressed. They also have really, really good mojitos. I love the blueberry one!
I think I just really enjoy the atmosphere of this place and the waitstaff is always super friendly.
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OK. I'm adding a star, because I was thinking back, and really all the food I have had here has been really good. And the bread is good before dinner. The wine is good. The service is pretty good. I like the outdoor seating, but wish there was more.. although this isn't their fault, as there just isn't really any more space.
I had a goat cheese salad once that was really nice, which I just remembered about yesterday. Oh, and part of my added star is the wicked hot bartender with the tattoos. Although watch yourself on regulars night, as he has quite a cougar following, and they'll throw you the daggar eyes merely because you are younger and prettier than them, whether or not you have any interest in this man. Oh, and on Thursdays, they have live music of the Latin variety which is fun.
But I will never take back the fact that the guys in the kitchen freak me out.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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05/20/2008
I don't know. I don't mind going. If I'm with my parents. I don't like the open kitchen, because the… Read more »
WOW.
My dad took me out here last night; we sat outside for the first 30 minutes or so, until a massive thunderstorm hit. At that point, we'd already ordered a cheese plate (me) and mussels (him), both of which were incredible (the cheese I selected was a Tomme, and the mussels were cooked in an almond/lemon sauce - YUMM!). The staff kindly came out into the rain and carried all our stuff in, despite our protests.
Once inside, seated by the faux-fireplace (candles, no real fire - although reports lead me to believe that's just a summer thing), we ordered shrimp and haddock chowder (also unbelievably excellent) and I had another Allagash. Our server and the bartender were both incredibly kind, and the atmosphere is perfect - just cozy enough but not too squished. Apparently there are jazz and Latin nights - must get to checking that out!
One thing I don't get about Brookline is their idiotic outdoor smoking policy - no smoking within 25 feet of buildings...so when you're on the patio, with no one else around, you can't even smoke. Stupid. But not Fireplace's fault by any means.
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I am still beaming from the fantastic time we had at the fireplace last night. We were a table of 10 celebrating a Birthday and the whole evening went by very smoothly. While waiting for the rest of the group we enjoyed a couple drinks by the bar... I took the suggestion of some Yelp reviewers and tried the pomegranate blackberry margarita. Wow.. refreshing and punchy! It definitely set me in a good mood for the rest of the night :)
When the rest of my pals arrived we were seated immediately and were well attended during the length of the meal. The bread is delicious by the way... a warm biscuity type that required no buttering in my opinion. For appetizers I highly recommend the mussels. They are sizable, succulent, and extremely savory. The cheese platter is a great appetizer as well.. we picked the Camembert from column a and I cannot recall the cheese from column b... though I know it ends in '-doodle.' Good quality cheese with a perfect cracker and fruit accompaniment.
The entrees were terrific as well. For filling portions, order their signature maple glazed half-chicken dish or the porterhouse porkchop. Sea scallops were the special that night and they were delicately seared to perfection. After two bottles of wine and all that food we unfortunately did not have room for dessert, so I can't comment on that. I will definitely try out the sweets on my next occasion there.
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I've eaten here several times and likely will not be going back any time soon: the reason--some total "d-bag" "a-hole" decided to take his shoes and his socks off while seated in the outdoor patio area having dinner (with a date no less!) to the extreme consternation of all in the immediate environment (and I'm sure the traffic on Beacon St. as well). The offending shoes and socks were deposited squarely on the ground in painful plain view of all! Management: where were you on this? The food is generally very good (although somewhat overpriced for the quality/quantity of the servings). I would give 3 /12 stars for the food and the (somewhat spotty) service, but management does bear a level of responsibility to ensure that patrons paying top dollar for dinner are not totally grossed and skeeved out by ignorant, classless morons. And it was a busy Saturday night no less. Call it barefoot on Beacon Street in Brookline!
I LOVE this place. It is my newfound favorite brunch spot, in fact. Dinner is great, from the atmosphere to the food and drinks. Unfortunately it does get busy and you might have to wait. Its not as expensive as you'd think, and the locally sourced food is all outstandingly fresh. And the beer selection - top notch. They have Cisco Whale's Tale on tap.. love it.
Brunch though - oooh man. "Crispy Duck Hash". These words bounce around my head constantly, and I constantly look for reasons to go eat it. There are other great things on the menu as well - from eggs benedict to spit roasted chicken BLTs and crispy french toast.. but whatever - give me DUCK with fried eggs on top and you have won my heart.
Service is generally good - however sit at the bar on the weekends and hang out with the best bartender I've encountered in the city. Great guy and he knows not just the drinks, but the food as well. Oh, and the owner is likely to swing by, too - nice guy.
The bathroom is pretty cool too - worth a visit if only to wash your hands.
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Cute and nice inside and the fire does create a cozy atmosphere and glowing ambiance. The menu is interesting... I got something like "Roasted Half Chicken with mashed potatoes & sage brown butter" thinking that it would be those things, yet separate... but it's all infused together. Disappointed until I took a bite and... amazing!! Would never think to put some of these things together but they have, and they've done it well. Food is a little pricey... probably would go back for a special occasion or a nice date. If you haven't been here before, you should try it.
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Nobody puts Trishie in a corner. Well, maybe The Fireplace does. And what a cold corner it was.
I went to The Fireplace during Restaurant Week. My friend and I came earlier than our reservation and we were promptly seated. Our table was in the corner right by the stairs that lead to the elevated dining area. It probably had the worst lighting in the place.. not romantic candlelit dim like emerging from the cave dim. And even though we were right by the fire, I was freezing.. and I'm not one of those chicks that's easily cold. Our waitress was cute. Bubbly, helpful, and generally nice. The bus boy/helper waiter/water guy was also pretty awesome.. checking our table frequently, but not disturbing conversation. For some reason, I got a strange vibe from the rest of the wait staff, I don't know. There was a guy going around greeting people and asking how they were and he never made it to our table. Meh
On to the food. The soup was a mushroom something or other? Served warm.. it may have cooled off quickly due to my chilly seat. It was pretty good, probably would have been better hot. The main dish.. was beef brisket with a sort of polenta. AMAZING. The dessert was a pound cake sandwich with mulled dried fruits. Hmmm.. wasn't really digging it. Not really my taste and too heavy. At the end of the meal, my friend and I regretted our restaurant week menu decision. We should have just ordered the beef! Oh well.
The Fireplace is a green restaurant (has recycling, doesn't use styrofoam etc). They have jazz and latin nights weekly, so maybe I'll stop back in if I'm in the area. We shall see. As for atmosphere, the place reminds me of a lodge with the fire going and the seating. The walls are adorned with pictures of Boston basketball/baseball teams. Seems like a strange mish mash to me.
OH and I almost forgot. An extra star because either the owner or one of the chefs stopped by one of the fundraisers I was involved with last fall. He offered to throw a dinner party in someone's home. Then when the bidding reached a lull, he threw in a scotch tasting! We got a couple thousand from that. It was supremely generous and very classy of him. Scotch = classy. Always.
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I wound up here after my impatient crew did not want to wait to eat at Publick House and Washington Square Tavern down the block.... oh, I was mumbling obscenities under my breath as I really and truly didn't understand why we couldn't just wait for the good food at the other places... why we would submit to a sub-par restaurant simply due to less wait time! I begrudgingly sat at the bar with my friends and we ordered our meals. Them, a meat dish. Me, a pasta dish. And then a small portion of food came on a rather large plate, and I groaned and moaned and made some more sarcastic comments. And then I ate my food.
Oops.
That'll teach me to be bitchy! Sometimes it pays to be impatient. I would have never found this place otherwise and I'm glad I did. The food was delightful, the service even more so, and my friends and I had a great experience. Cheers.
Great cocktails and great service ( they gave us a free round because THEY felt the food took too long!) The spit roasted 1/2 chicken with sage brown butter and mashed potatoes is one of the best birds I have ever had in my entire life! I will be back!
Yesterday afternoon my girlfriend and I went to the Fireplace for their twice monthly events called Fireside Chats. We were very excited because yesterday's Fireside Chat was all about New England microbrews paired with small plates of food. My girlfriend loves beer - that's why we picked this particular Fireside Chat. The atmosphere was great and we were seated by the fireplace, and very much looking forward to our experience. I love the warm paint colors, layout and large, yet cozy atmosphere.
Then we noticed that the beers they were putting out were all Sam Adams varieties. Now, I'll be the first to admit that I love Sam Adams beer and think they're a great company. But I live a five minute walk from their brewery and also happen to get free Sam Adams products fairly regularly through one of my clients.
I think the Fireside Restaurant was cheating by making "New England Microbrews" all about Sam Adams when that's a Boston-based company with a local tour, and there are a trillion other New England Microbrews that most of us haven't sampled.
So, all this to say that we left before our Fireside Chat began and did not taste the food or sample the beer.
We're going back for the Reisling Fireside Chat in July and I'll edit then.
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It was crowded because of restaurant week, but our server was on point and made it seem like we were all by ourselves. The food was good, and I especially like the Green/sustainable focus!!! Again, our server was good... and we all know how rare that is.
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Good: The wine-tasting that was going on while I was there for the mid-day menu seemed really cool.
Bad: The mid-day menu seems like a good value, but the pizza I ordered was completely mediocre and extremely salty.
Good: The quahog (another word for clam, I discovered) chowder is to die for!
Bad: I can't think of another bad thing. But I had a pattern going, so...
Good: It's a very romantic restaurant!
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The crispy potato gnocchi with roasted tomato basil sauce, sauted spinach, asiago cheese & toasted pine nuts was fantastic. My broiled sea bass with a green pea puree, porcini mushrooms & garlic confit emulsion was outstanding. For drinks we went with a simple Finger Lakes Riesling, and I had a Whales Tale IPA.
Our server was polite, responsive and genuinely funny without being overbearing.
Overall - a pleasant experience.
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How does it go?
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.
Yeah, I'm giving it two stars since the food is at least edible. Nothing here is outstanding, and the service was the worst.
There will not be a third time.
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I have been very disappointed in this restaurant since its conception. The wine tastings are a waste of time and money especially with the food served along side the beverage and the lunches/dinners are overpriced for being what they are. For example, my niece once ordered a hamburger well-done and they charred the outside of the burger. I've had buffalo wings from the bar menu and the wings were not crisp. I doubt I'll go there again.
See the picture for this spot? See the fireplace? That's The Fireplace. See the space right in front of the fire? That's our table. See the right side of my face? Me neither. It melted. Which is fine, it's cold outside.
It was World AIDS Day that brought my date and I to The Fireplace. They take part in a restaurant campaign that delivers proceeds to the AIDS Action Committee of Boston. Little did we know it was only for a specialty drink and not the entire menu. You've won this round, Fireplace. Two please.
Reservation for 8:30 - parked in the private lot at 8:35. They were running a bit behind, but perhaps we'd like a drink at the b.. yesplz. She had the Pomegranate Blackberry Margarita, and I went with the Macintosh Apple. Both had freshly muddled fruit and top shelf spirits. Good form.
Table's ready - fireside. Looking around, I see couples and business acquaintances and first dates and Dasher and Dancer. Romantic, cozy, rustic. Surprised to find the walls stagskull-free. Not complaining, just saying.
The menu is impressive and adventurous. We started with savory Cape Cod mussels in a garlic almond broth. Two slices of grilled toast. Toss the silver to the side; we dug in hands first and used the bread to soak up the love jus.
Main courses were picked even before we got there - Sea scallops in a caramel-corn glaze with corn puree and corn-riddled mashed potatoes. Served on a maize plate with a shot of sour mash whiskey. Microwave on HIGH for 2-2 1/2 minutes or until 2 seconds between pops. I'm now somehow related to Orville Redenbacher.
Speaking of: http://www.youtube.com...
He died in 95.
-shudder-
The other plate consisted of fried ricotta gnocchi with an army of roasted tomatoes and garlic cloves. Both entrees were corn delicious but the flavor corn of the scallops triumcornphed.
The service lived up to expectations, which Yelp recon set pretty low. The bartender seemed perturbed and our server had an in-your-face enthusiasm coupled with reckless nonchalance.
"You done there?"
Still nuzzling the ice cubes.
"Ok man, keep nuzzling."
"Done now or still nuzzling?"
- stone face -
Later he referred to the dessert cocktails as "chick drinks." Not offensive, per se, just out of place and slightly abrasive. Speaking of! She slurped her white chocolate martini while I nuzzled my hot mulled cider. Inner fire - flame on.
All in all, a pleasant experience and a delicious meal. The service could use some stoking (!) for the full five. That aside, add this joint to your List of winter dinner dates.
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This is how I feel about the Fireplace:
http://www.youtube.com...
/end review.
Ok, so the local picture makes the Fireplace look like its part of a pueblo, but the atmosphere is actually really intimate and rrrrr...romantic. Aw fuck, what happened to my icequeen heart.
I think it melted somewhere 20 minutes into our fabulous dinner where we were seated at the VIP table in front of the actual fireplace, I guess this is a table people call ahead for. We had come here after learning about their World AIDS Day drink special where a portion of the proceeds would go to the AIDS Action Committee of Boston. Whowouldathunk that you could drink alchie and be a good doobie at the same time?
I started off with a Pomgegranate Blackberry Margarita which was the first of many awesome decisions made that evening. Fresh fruit et al professionally muddled into my beverage, amazing. Note:don't wear white, or wear a bib.
Boy went for a Macintosh Apple martini that was pretty good, but tasted like someone fell asleep whilst pouring the Apple pucker into the glass, a bit overwhelming.
Still roasting by the fire, they brought out warm bread and mussels with garlic almond broth which was life changing. Expertly prepared, and I didn't encounter too many closed/vacant mussels. Do it, but may I caution on the side of staying away from too much bread as you don't want to fill up before the main course....
-drumroll-
Get this. Sea scallops, with a caramel popcorn glaze, corn sauce, atop mashed potatoes laced with heaps of sauteed corn. Christ. It was amazing. Like fork dropping amazing.
The scallops were perfect, as was everything else about the dish. Just....get it. Kk? K.
We also ordered some crispy ricotta gnocchi with a pile o' tomato/veggie goodness. I was mildly upset with myself that I had beasted so much of the corn, that this dish lay by the wayside for me because it was just so good. I never do leftovers, so its carcass went to the trash Gods, along with the cheese grits we ordered which were nothing good to speak of. I'll overlook them though. The reason the grits were meh, was because they were extremely bland. Erase erase. Don't even think about it.
The grapefruit AIDs benefit drink was a bit too tart for my liking, but I did it for the kids
For dessert I had a white chocolate martini which was a frothy melange of whitechocolate goodness and chocolate syrup. How could you go wrong? You can't!
The waitstaff kind of left something to be desired and judging from the other reviews..this is no big surprise. The bartender spent most of her night in an alcove Stage Left ragging on the rest of her coworkers, and our server was kind of a ....chump for lack of a better word. He was very curt with me when boy was AFK and when he came by to recommend things for him to have for dessert...he steered him towards brandys and whiskeys...because cocktails..."are chick drinks" after I had just ordered one. Listen-I don't think someone that looks like A Kid in King Arthurs Court should be giving anyone advice on being more virile since he probably lost his virginity in costume to mr. mistoffelees' understudy in the Brookline community production of CATS. Chumpenstein.
BUT I didn't let him ruin my time. The crowd seemed the mostly be comprised of couples....albeit odd ones...like the rhinoplasty gang at 4 o'clock, or the Star Trek voyager at 1, or even the attempt at Mary Kate boho vagabond chick at 11. Great spot, no one I'd rather melt my face off with.
-makes biscuits-
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So, I'm not going to beat around the bush here... this place is kinda sorta a little bit sucky.
We went for lunch on a Saturday, it was maybe, 75% full and the service was just bad. Forgetful, neglectful, inaccurate and slow. They got my order for soup wrong, but we were getting hungry so I told them to forget the soup and just move on to the next course. I didn't want to delay the main course coming out...
We waited five more minutes (and it had taken me a good while before someone would come over to take the wrong soup away) and then, volia! the correct soup arrived. Apparently they wanted me to have my soup. So, ok I had the soup and I said just bring out the mains whenever they're ready.
They weren't ready for a while... a long while. We all had burgers (I know, I know, but it wasn't intentional and they were all slightly different) and they seemed to take a surprisingly long time to make and were a little cooled by time they got to us.
We waited again for the condiments some of the diners had requested to arrive before we started eating and by this point I think we were all a little deflated with the place.
In the end, none of us finished our burgers (too greasy/fatty - which, normally doesn't bother me) and no one really ate the fries.
So, would I try this place again? Only to see if my experience that day was a freak random occurrence of bad service and mediocre food. If it ends up being a great second trip, I swear, I'll amend this post. Until then... Boooo.
Great place. Cool atmosphere for a date. Reserve the table next to the Fireplace, it is quite romantic. Food was solid and service was awesome.
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The Fireplace used to be one of my favorite restaurants in the area to have a nice sit down meal for a special occasion. It's always been good but over the years it's just become less and less appealing, the food doesn't seem to be as good as I first remember, and the prices seem to be going up for less. I'm still a fan and would go back if someone on the menu really intrigued me, but so far lately it's just hasn't been doing it for me. I give if 4 instead of 3 stars because I really dig that they use 888 products, by far my favorite distiller in the world, to make their cocktails with.
We came here for our pre holiday brunch with the fam. The service was good, the bread was so awesome. I think after we finished our basket of bread and tricked the bus boy into giving us each another piece they got a little grumpy, but I wouldn't spread that bread around either- I would keep it all locked up for myself.....
Anyway, most of the food was super good. My caper and salmon pizza was kind of intense for me. And who really think a Bellini is made with peach schnapps? It was a cute place with easy parking and a nice way to relax in Bean town with the fam.
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So I've been to the Fireplace only twice even though I live right down the street. I'm just not wowed by the food for the price.
The drinks were ok, the food was ok and the service was ok. I don't know about you, but I'm not paying more money than usual for "ok".
My peeps and I ran across the street to drown our sorrows of a disappointing meal at Washington Sq. Tavern. Much better option for the night!
Holy Mackerel, what a disaster.
1. You pay far too much for far too little. I personally don't care if the menu is "new". That doesn't make the items within worth more money. We are not talking about cars here.
2. We waited 30 minutes for bread.
3. We waited another 10 before hearing that they were sold out of what I ordered.
4. Ten minutes later we decided to leave.
The whole time, I saw the owner, Jim, walking around bussing tables and looking very depressed. It was not busy.
Sad experience. They gave us our cheese plate for free and offered brunch on the house, but no thanks... we live far too close to the Centre Street Cafe to be wooed by potential brunch experiences.
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Very, very disappointing. I went there for brunch once and ordered waffles. The waffle was quite good, HOWEVER, it was not a full waffle! It was HALF a waffle artfully arranged on the plate. I left hungry. I should not be hungry after brunch. I won't go back there. There are better options for brunch in and around Boston where I could get a FULL waffle for the price that I got a mere half at The Fireplace.
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Very Romantic setting with delicious food. Menu is very easy to order from with staples such as chicken, steak and pork. Restaurant is lit up with candles and the service was first class. Good selection of wine and cocktails.The prices are high but well worth it if you want to impress a special someone for an important occassion.
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Great place! Good food, very cozy and romantic, and the food was impeccable, as was the service. I'll be back in the winter!
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I visited this place for the first time last night despite it being literally just round the corner, and I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised! Great atmosphere inside, lovely and cosy, and the service was impeccable. The courses were nicely paced and we didn't feel rushed or hassled, and they brought out extra plates for us to share our courses without being asked. The menu has a good range of options, from lighter options for those with smaller appetites to bigger places. It is pricey, but the food was absolutely fantastic - really great flavours and beautifully presented. The cocktails we also ordered were great. The one thing that would definitely keep me coming back is the Bread and butter pudding with drunken raisins. Drunken raisins - what an absolutely genius idea. I am a bread and butter pudding obsessive, and this is the best one I have ever tasted. Even the waitress was drooling in envy. This would be a great spot to come for a special occasion or a date!
Its a solid neighborhood restaurant serving "stick to your ribs comfort food". Its a wonderful place to be on a chilly New England night when you want some hearty fare. The flavors are strong, but it can become too much before you finish your order. This chef is known for big flavors, it is my opinion that proper restrain needs to be applied when several strong flavors are on one dish. One example is the Seared Sea Scallops with BBQ Pulled Pork, Corn Pure & Corn Nuts appetizer. It is delicious on the first few bites, but since all three of the main ingredients are rich and high in oil content, it became too filling.
I do not consider this place as a fine dining establishment, but rather a very high end diner.
My dining experience was quite pleasant....to start we ordered the New England Artisanal Cheeses, Homemade Garlic Crackers, and Tasty Little Garnishes.....mmm very very yum..and certainly warmed up an appetite with our wine... I was dissapointed to hear they only served american wine....upon asking if they served only american..my waiter..who was a complete douche for the remainder of the evening..was ..like "ohhh no ...we ooonly serve American"...unh wait did I offend someones patriotism....honestly wateva....I tried to stay content and happy with some great company of friends..and the food...TheGrilled Lamb Steak & Fig Demi Sauce, Served with Garlicky Wilted Spinach and Golden Brown Red Bliss Potatoes...seemed to be a popular choice at the table..and was quite good...very tender....although could have used a little more ummph...
I definately like the atmosphere..warm..inviting..the fireplace is definately romantic n cozy...we need more venues in Boston with a fireplace...seriously...brings in that New England charm during the winter....I felt the menu was a little overpriced..and my waiter was such a boob...otherwise..id tick this at least fourstars...!!
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Right after my traumatic Bebe Spa experience, I went with my companion to the Fireplace. It was perfect for the dreary, rainy day because we were seated right next to the fireplace!
I wanted a brunch meal so I ordered duck hash which came with two fried eggs and toast. It was delish and went down perfectly with their coffee which was also excellent.
Unfortunately, my friend did not have a great eating experience as she specifically ordered an egg omelet and they brought her a chicken salad. I suppose it was all within the same meat group but really. Thankfully, the manager came by to check on us and removed her meal from the bill.
Otherwise, it was great food with a great atmosphere.
The only reason I don't give this restaurant 5 stars is because of the price. If I felt like I was getting more than I paid for I would bump it up but it really does hurt your wallet. Although it is certainly worth it.
I ordered the The Fireplace Signature Spit-Roasted Half Chicken with Mashed Potatoes & Sage Brown Butter. Who doesn't love mashed potatoes covered in butter? I also had a side of Mushroom Bread Pudding. Okay, I am a pig! I know! My friend ordered the Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Arugula, Orange Segments, Mashed Potato & Vanilla-Citrus Sauce and a Mixed Green Salad with Cherry Tomatoes & Malt Vinaigrette. Neither of us offered to share with the other because we were enjoying our meals too much! I must say, it was the perfect meal. I loved every moment of it. Also, I used a coupon from restaurant.com so our bill went from $80 to $55 (We also had wine). Much more reasonable!
Also, I love the atmosphere. Our waiter was so nice AND cute! It's not a pretentious type of restaurant even though the food is top quality and the prices are fairly high. I didn't feel self conscious having an animated conversation and enjoying a good meal like I might in a more snooty establishment.
I recommend this restaurant 1) if you have a restaurant.com coupon 2) if your parents are paying or 3) if you have something to celebrate and money isn't an issue. Or I guess just if you have money in general. Ha!
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This is a great little place in Washington Square. My friend and her fiancee live across the street so we walked there with a group including a friend visiting from out of state.
We went (hungover) for brunch on a Sunday and we were all pleasantly surprised with the decor, and upscale selection of brunch options. We were able to sit outside and enjoy the nice weather. Our waiter was very nice, attentive and he gave us great advice on what to order, but it did take a little too long to finally get our meals.
Would definitely go back again and maybe see what they offer for dinner options.
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Solid spot in Washington Square, Brookline. Good, simple food like roast chicken, grilled fish, etc., all prepared beautifully in a nice cozy space with open kitchen and (you guessed it!) a fireplace! Service is on point, location is right off of the Washington Square T stop on the C line, and the food and drink is elegantly accessible and well done. They recently added an outdoor seating area along the sidewalk on Washington Street as well for the summer, but I haven't done much more than walk by it on my way to other spots in the area.
I would give this place 4 stars, but it loses one for the price...which is a bit steep for the area.
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The first thing that stood out about this place was its warm decor and the friendliness of the staff. Every person working at this restaurant greeted us with a smile, which is, unfortunately, a very hard thing to come by these days.
We were seated quite easily at 1PM on a Sunday afternoon. My friend ordered the Challah French Toast and I settled on the Corn Waffles. The food isn't quite comparable to the price, though very well presented (I've uploaded a picture of the Corn Waffles). However, I was so thoroughly impressed with the service that I gave 5 stars. Our waters were filled three times, and I noticed the manager going from inspecting food in the kitchen, to picking up random trash on the floor, to going from table to table and asking us how we were enjoying our brunch.
It sounds a little overboard when I'm writing about it, but it wasn't overbearing, and I certainly felt that the owner/manager was concerned about the feel of the restaurant. I feel that he set an important precedence for the rest of the staff, who were equally as attentive and friendly.
Though the menu is fancy, we were dressed kinda drab because we were planning to go kayaking afterwards, and didn't feel uncomfortable at all. I probably would dress a little nicer for dinner though.
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Okay... 3 1/2 stars.
The Fireplace makes a pretty good attempt at the whole gourmet brunch thing. However, nothing can satisfy me like a Zaftigs brunch can. So, unfortunately, this place will have to move down the bench.
Brunch was quite pricy. Almost stupidly so. I ordered the omlette ($9!) and it was pretty good-- standard. Nothing too flashy. Didn't come with ANYTHING though. C'mon people, throw a few homefries on there. Not that you care, but I was GOING to order the corn waffles, but the idea of rum whilst suffering from a massive hangover was definitely not a good life decision. So, IF I go back (which, you know... I might), I'll order that.
The decor, however, was TRES ROMANTIQUE! I can just imagine this place at night. Slinking over to a booth by the fire, cooing in your lover's ear as you both down bottles of wine and feed each other oysters... ugh.
So, in summation-- good for a night of romance, not good for hanging out with the buds. The Publick House (next door) is the place to be if the latter is your only option.
ALSO!!: Just an FYI, the place doesn't open until 11 am on Saturdays. So, yeah, my friend and I spent a good 15 minutes standing awkwardly outside...
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It's taken me some time to warm up to the Fireplace, no pun intended. The first few times I went, I was underwhelmed by the food and impassive about the atmosphere. But as time has gone by, the food has made a dramatic improvement and I've grown very fond of the cozy dining room.
I actually think that, based on my most recent meals, their food is possibly the best I've had in Brookline. I've always found the service to be friendly and very accommodating and the food usually comes quickly. The produce is especially good, and the kitchen folks know their way around a vegetable (which is sometimes less common than you might think). I also find their menu to offer lighter, healthier choices, which I really appreciate.
Although several people have indicated that this isn't a place to bring kids, I have been here with very young children and had a lovely meal. They had a high chair, and were happy to have us.
My only piece of advice is to ask for a table upstairs on a cold night, rather than opting to sit near the fireplace. Every time the door opens, the lower part of the dining room gets blasted with icy air. Not fun.
My group of friends and I went here for the New Years Day Pajama brunch. I was a little disappointed more people didn't show up in their pajamas since my friends and I were all decked out, but no matter. We got there on time and were seated right away.
My first impression of the place was--hey this isn't so bad. It was a comfortable more upscale restaurant--medium-sized. The decor was nothing spectacular but then again spectacular would seem really out of place in Washington Square. I liked the open kitchen so you could see the cooks preparing the food.
Our waiter came out after we had looked at the menus and he was refined and nice- he wasn't offensive nor overly personal--just efficent. My friends ordered the duck hash, some ordered the Crispy corn waffles with rum, bananas, brown sugar & apple cider syrup. I also chose to get the Lobster Bisque on the special brunch menu.
The bisque was quite good--roasted corn, a delicious cream soup--very tasty and appealing.
I agree that the coffee was really bland--it also had a kind of bitter taste to it?
Our meal took awhile to come out and when it did, the food looked great--loved the duck hash--great taste but the Crispy Corn waffle was soggy. I was expecting a crunch taste and instead it tasted like they let it sit for 30-40 minutes--which was unfortunate. It wasn't awful exactly just not wowing either.
After we ate, we all agreed it was just ok. I also think that the price didn't match the flavor or the size of the dish.
Then, we didn't see our waiter for about 45 minutes. I actually stood up and looked for him and saw he was working the bar, so I sat down and while we were waiting--the manager came up. Nice guy. He talked to us for a little while and told us to enter a contest to win a gingerbread house. However, we still didn't have our bill.
Finally! He appeared again and we paid and got the heck out of there. We had our brunch at 1:30 and didn't get out of there until 4pm if that tells you anything about the service on a full/busy day. I had a great time with my friends but I probably wouldn't go back here again without lots and lots of encouragement.
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the food was good, and it has a nice atmosphere, we went with a group of people, somehow our waitress overhear