- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Abigail's Restaurant
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
291 3rd StCambridge, MA 02142
Neighborhoods: East Cambridge, Kendall Square/MIT
(617) 945-9086
- Nearest Transit:
-
Main St @ Kendall Station - Red Line (64, 68, 85, CT2)
Kendall/mit Station - Inbound (Red Line)
Kendall/mit Station - Outbound (Red Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 1 am
Sat 5 pm - 1 am
Sun 11 am - 1 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Validated
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
97 reviews for Abigail's Restaurant
Review Highlights
-
"The Gouda fries speak for themselves." In 12 reviews -
"The Sweet Corn Bisque was delightfully light." In 2 reviews
-
"My husband had the BBQ pork shoulder sandwich." In 2 reviews
Loading...
97 reviews in English
-
Review from Angela A.
Somerville, MA
5/19/2012
Kendall Square is kind of a dead zone, so it's nice to have Abigail's as a summer booze option.
We've come twice: the first time we sat inside, had very complicated martinis made very very custom to order, and were served by a bartender who was a cross between Jeff Goldblum and Stephen Toblowsky ("Ned? Ned Ryerson!?!" from Groundhog Day). That is, he was very very funny. Once I was 1.5 martinis in, I was LOLing too hard at his dry jokes to be able to order what I wanted: JUST SOME PIE. I still chuckle at that memory. And I have very fond feelings for Abigail's because of that bartender.
Anyway, the second time was a warm Friday afternoon in May, when the whole place turned bier garten-ish. This was a bit more miss: you "had" to order food to be able to sit outside (gouda fries it is!), and I don't like having obligations like that. But so be it. A couple Wachusett Blueberrys and all was well again.
Food is good, but maybe not worth the price. I had a lamb sandwich which was not great. I feel guilty saying this though, since they have this wonderful thing on the menu where you buy a six-pack for the kitchen staff. What a great idea! I kind of want to do it next time just to pay it forward/generate some goodwill in the world. -
Review from Paul R.
Holliston, MA
5/23/2012
I waited on this review until I;d been in a few times. I always eat at the bar, which is a beautiful space and very comfortable. It was my last meal there that really caught my attention. I jumped on the duck charcuterie plate, which had an array of very interesting tidbits: a little liver, some interesting sides, a rillette I think, but most striking was the cured duck breast, fat on, that was served like a fine ham: thin slices fanned across the plate - this was very good. I followed the duck up with a marrow bone, very nicely done and satisfying, with very good toast points.
I have one well meaning suggestion for Abigail's: if you are going to stamp out an awning emblazoned "Oysters" you really need to keep more then 2 types on hand, and I'd dump the bland and uninteresting Island Creek brand for something of better quality. Also, train your staff to know the difference - on one visit I asked which variety were being used for the fried oysters, and was told "the big ones". Hard to take given the pricing on these.
Regardless, I can't wait to go back and cruise the new menu (I just checked online and it looks very good).Listed in: Cambridge restaurants
-
Review from Elena Y.
5/13/2012
After a movie at 1 Kendall Square, my friends and I took a short walk (perhaps 10-15 min) to Abigail's. We sat outside at a nice table and had good service. The outisde seating is facing a main street so it isn't really picturesque yet it was prettty low-key and quiet on a Saturday evening. It has a big city vibe without the attitude.
My friends and I also got the gouda fries and weren't that impressed. Essentially it's french fries with a cheesey sauce and bacon bits. For some reason we thought they were fries made out of gouda cheese. It was tasty enough (we did polish it off) but not what we expected.
I ordered the steak salad although good, it was pricey ($13) for a such a small serving. We stayed for a couple of hours and they never felt pushed to finish and leave. -
Review from Peter T.
Washington, DC
5/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Kendall Sq seems like it's still a bit hit or miss regarding eateries. Stopped in here for a quick dinner before heading off to a concert. Had the bouillabaisse, which was tasty, but just not terribly exciting. Overall an average experience.
-
Review from Eunice E.
3/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been to Abigail's twice now, and each time, I am happy I came here.
The first time I ate here was at the bar--which is super long, and super cool, because the raw bar is right there in front of you, and you can people-watch from the windows that span the entire length of the bar. I remember being impressed with their food the first time, and the second time... I was just as thrilled.
The last time I went to Abigails, my dinner partners and I shared a plate of their gouda fries -- very yum. They each had sandwiches, and I had their Apple Salad, and all of us left full and content. When you're here, be sure to try out their cocktails--I tried both their Cucumber Rose and their Pimm's Cup (I'm always so delighted to see this on menus!), and both were delectable. Expertly concocted.
The ambiance is swanky--it feels like eating inside a DC metro, but it's quite clean and chic. I will definitely come again, and keep recommending this place! (I still need to try their BBQ Brunch, too!) -
Review from Jamie G.
3/18/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Wow, I was SO impressed with this place! It is very cute inside, very contemporary, very clean, easy street parking because it's a bit outside of Kendall, incredibly friendly service. Perhaps because it was new, or because it was a nice day out, or because St Patricks Day festivities were in full swing, Sunday brunch at 1pm was nearly empty! We made reservations but didn't need them, and decided to sit at the bar because that's my new preferred seating location. They have a great selection of cocktails and local beers on tap (they had Harpoon Vermont Spruce Tip! I dont see that very often!) They also have a very interesting brunch menu with some kind of southern/BBQ inspiration/twist to almost all of the items.
For a drink, I tried an Uptown side car: Remy Martin, Cointreau, lemon juice, sugared grenadine rim. The rim was a nice touch, but the drink was a tad lemony for me.
For food, we had a breakfast appetizer (one of my new favorite things) ... the banana bread-- which was a huge warm slice with whipped creamand fruit. A great sweet treat to start off with! For "main course" I had the Pulled pork hash- with beans, collards, two eggs, griddled cornbread. It was so good I ate practically all of it (which I totally regretted later) but I couldnt help it.... sooo delicious.
Would love to come back here and try all of their other selections!
PS: All they really need now is outdoor seating! -
Review from Megan C.
3/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Spacious contemporary, clean + great place to have a drink
I have to say, based on service alone both at the bar and at my table during lunch this is a 5 star restaurant. I can be a pretty picky eater and they were more than happy to accomodate me. The drinks were phenomenal, the food was good, and there seemed to be enough variety for everyone.
After reading several reviews, I have to admit I was a little worried when my dining partner suggested the place. I ordered the pulled pork without the bun and a side of bib lettuce to wrap my pork in with a side of extra sauce. Thank goodness I ordered the extra sauce, apparently their North Carolina pulled pork doesn't have as much sauce as a typical slathered pulled pork sandwich. The pickles were good, the coleslaw on the side was GREAT it didn't have an overwhelming amount of mayo which was nice, it was lite and with a little salt and a little fresh lemon I was in business. My friend had a salad with shrimp, though it looked a little smaller than I thought it would the quality of the greens was apparent.
The seaweed salad was good, a little surprised to see it on the menu here, but I'm not going to complain because I always love seaweed salad. This neighborhood really needed something other than the restaurants that it had open late night. I felt it was limited before. At least now you don't have to just have pizza.
I asked to try a tobacco onion, which apparently has nothing to do with tobacco that must have simply been the name, but it was unavailable as it used to come on a menu item that is no longer here.
The oysters that I had were incredibly fresh! Well fleet oysters that are local to mass, were delicious. The Northern Cross Not chewy :) but still liked the flavor more of the well fleet. Look carefully for any shells btw I didn't notice any in mine but I always look. The evening bartenders are very personable, they seem to take care of the people who were there. I really enjoyed my time here.
Date Rating: 5
Pick up Scale: 5
Strong Suggestion: have a drink, try the well fleet oysters, and enjoy the people watching. -
Review from Tristan P.
Boston, MA
5/7/2012
Watch your wallet!
Had a few drinks at the bar on a not-so-busy night. Bartenders seemed more interested in watching the game than serving drinks. Waited 15min to be asked if they could get us something and then another 10 for them to pour two glasses of wine. When the bill came I left the a 10% tip ($2.50) for what I felt was really poor service, however, when my credit card statement came I saw that they had increased it to $9.50.
Not only is the service here bad, but it appears that stealing from customers is acceptable. Save your money and go some place that isn't going to rob you. -
Review from Mark M.
Cambridge, MA
5/21/2012
Horrible service! Went here on a Sunday evening with a 7:30 dinner reservation for party of five. Restaurant was empty and still waited 40 minutes for a first round of drinks (and they weren't complicated: gin+tonic, wine, etc). Appetizers took another 10 minutes to show up even though also not complicated (oysters). Food was mediocre and overpriced. Will never go back here for a meal. Might check out happy hour deals at the bar if they have them but that's about it.
-
Review from Saba N.
Updated - 3/1/2012
So I have been to Abigails quite a few times now. I really like all the food I've had... portions are a little small but nonetheless, very tasty. The service has gone down hill though. Every time I come it takes longer and longer to order/get my check/etc.
Still, I'm a regular and come back quite often. The sandwiches are really delicious and reasonably priced. I'm a big fan of the lamb. A win in my book.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/26/2011
Note: this review is based solely on the bar scene and the french fries :)
I came here with some… Read more »
-
-
Review from Becky M.
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Found Abigail's when walking by from the Kendall Sq red line. NOTE: we only had drinks at the bar -- no food.
My BF likes a whiskey drink -- so he tried the Mr. Grant and the Kentucky Waterfall. There was debate with bartenders of which he liked more. It was undecided since he was happy with both.
I was in the mood for a more fruit-based beverage, so I tried the Cranberry Lemon Drop and the Starf**ker. The former tasting mildly like pink lemonade with a sugared rim and the latter simple deliciousness.
The bar is polished beautifully -- but exposes the grain of the log it was cut from. GORGEOUS. If I have a bar in my home ever -- I'd want it to be like that.
The bartenders were both friendly and willing to chat without staying too long.
Overall a great spot.Listed in: Day Trippin'
-
Review from mike y.
Boston, MA
2/1/2012
Liked the setup. Waiter was great.
parking could be better. not enough street parking / meter.
Went for lunch. So ate light.
Braised oxtail pot pie...was very good
our table ordered : roasted bone marrow ...first time.. was okay.. can't compare it to others
ordered a bloody mary.. not good ..was missing ingredients ..i've had better
i would go again ..not good for groups -
Review from Shaina P.
Updated - 12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was pleased with my latest solo visit to Abigail's. Sick with cold and sick of the office, I sauntered over for a little pick-me-up. Without first seeing the full complement of heated cocktails on the menu, I immediately requested a hot toddy, which they were happy to make happen for me. A clove-impaled lemon wedge topped off a muted sweet mix of warmed water, honey, and Jameson, and perked me right up.
To slow the alcohol-to-cold-head reaction, I ordered the bone marrow app for myself. Hopefully, the patrons next to me weren't mortified when a caveman sized bone was delivered before me overflowing with deliciously soft, roasted marrow with a perfect number of toast points. It really hit the spot.Listed in: My Cambridge: the…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/1/2011
Who isn't a sucker for a new restaurant? I sure am.
New restaurant + beer = clean taps pouring… Read more »
-
-
Review from Jon P.
East Cambridge, Boston, MA
1/6/2012
This is my new favorite place in Kendall Square, great bar, service, and drinks for reasonable prices. I have only had the Gouda fries and raw bar, both were delicious. Perfect date spot and place to hang with friends or family, not the best place to watch a game because the TV's are almost hidden, which isn't a bad thing sometimes.
Highly recommended. -
Review from Milz G.
Boston, MA
5/10/2012
Great food, cool place, decent service.
-
Review from Danan R.
3/5/2012
The lamb ribs in the orange glaze are just delicious. I still miss them after almost 2 years. They are incredibly tender and slow-raosted to flavorful perfection. If you eat here, they are a must-try. The marrow bone app is also a good option. The burger is just okay; Mr. Bartley's is only a few stops away on the T so I would much rather go there for my burger. However, the small plates here are very good. Highly advise just pairing 2 for a meal rather than getting an entree.
-
Review from Jeremy K.
Comfortably nested in Kendall Square, across the street from Za and adjacent to the Voltage coffee shop, Abigail is the area's second newest restaurant, topped only by Catalyst. Considering that the entire area is going through somewhat of an uplifting gentrification - something that has been rather exciting as this is my old neighborhood, where I lived for over five years...
Anyways, Abigail's is a modern restaurant serving rather small but well executed menu. There's a surprising amount of seafood-inspired dishes including two of the specials that our waiter mentioned. Being allergic, I had to skip past that.
We decided to try and find an appetizer that we could share - After searching and asking for a waiter's help, we concluded that the only two, easily sharable apps available to us were either going to be the Gouda fries ($9) or the 3 cheeses plates ($14). We decided to fore-go the second one and get the fries and just instants later, a pipping hot plate of fries arrived, with a side of chicken gravy in it's own little receptacle and some bacon sprinkled on top. The fries were surprisingly good but the chicken gravy didn't add much to the dish. It was almost like a weird poutine minus the cheese. The Gouda wasn't very present in the dish though. It was great for sharing however we were a tad disappointing that they didn't have more options available.
They did however have some nice appetizers in there, including a bone marrow one ($8) that I must check out at some point, one featuring a smoked turkey wing ($9) and various others. Note however that the cheapest of appetizers will run you at least $8 which is a bit steep, especially for small plates. However their raw bar is much more affordable.
For my entree, being hungry and tired from a long day at work, I decided to treat myself to something a bit more gourmet than their selection of sandwiches and instead ordered up from their dinner entrees section which is only made available after 5PM. I ordered up their pork and polenta dish ($19) which featured three pieces of pork: a piece of pork belly, some loin and some roast shoulder, all served over a heaping serving of creamy, rich and delicious polenta and with a spoonful of brandy & prune mostarda. The prune which was sweet wasn't overwhelming and added some nice flavors to the dish and paired well with both the pork and polenta. I was impressed.
I must first start and say that the polenta was absolutely delicious. It was flavorful, creamy, had a great texture and was comforting while not being overwhelmingly rich. Great execution right there. My pork was also pretty tasty and was both moist and juicy. I would have liked a bit more of a sear on the belly but still devoured it. God bless that big that sacrificed itself - it was definitely a noble-worthy way to go for that animal.
I proceeded to wash my meal down with a Pils beer from Victory Brewing and left the restaurant both happy and full, as did my dining companions.
All in all, I strongly believe that Abigail has a solid base and a great menu despite a few flaws. Service could have been slightly better and it was pretty loud in there but overall the value and quality of the food and the pace of the kitchen made for a very pleasant experience. I'm going to give them a chance to settle in, but looking past those flaws the place definitely has some great potential and I cannot wait to return in the near future for more meals. Welcome to Kendall. -
Review from Nat T.
Cambridge, MA
11/18/2011
Stopped in for dinner at the bar after work. Cocktail and food menu is pretty decent, and we liked what we ordered. Nice to have some evening options in Kendall Square, finally.
I think the bar tender had more drinks than I did though, doing shots with his buddies who were sitting next to us. That'd be cool at a dive, but damned obnoxious when paying $75 for dinner. The whole "I know what you want better than you do" attitude is played out too, just make the drink and hand it over.
Also $15 for six oysters? Maybe in Vegas, but we ain't that far from the ocean here in Cambridge. -
Review from Stephen T.
Cambridge, MA
11/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Up-front notice: this review covers the raw bar only. I did not get the chance to try the other dishes.
Oysters: The oysters were served well, on a half shell on ice with both mignonette and cocktail sauce. Some weren't cut clean from the shell and were a bit dirty. The taste was pretty good, nice and briny. They only had a hint of fishiness, which is acceptable. Overall decent oysters but maybe not worth the 1/2 dozen for $15 price.
Little Neck Clams: Sub-par at best. They were quite small and fishy-tasting. I judge them inadequate.
Crab Claw: Terrible. Pre-cooked, cold, dry, and old. Do not get the crab claws. $3.50 for one of these is ridiculous.
I give the raw bar at Abigail's 3 stars simply for the oysters. If you take out the oysters, it drops to 1 star.
If you live around Third street, this is a really convenient place grab a drink in a nicer setting. The bar is made in large planks of untrimmed wood, giving the place a decent atmosphere. Go for drinks, not the clams. -
Review from Alex G.
Braintree, MA
10/25/2011
I hate to be that guy who straight pans a place for one bad experience, but it was bad enough that I feel compelled to leave a stinging review.
I ordered my sirloin medium-rare, and received it well done. I sent it back, and then spent a significant amount of time staring at my wife eating her meal. In fairness, they provided me a cup of minestrone that I didn't want.
The nail in the coffin, though, was when I received the second steak. The maître d' summarily served the plate and then left before I could cut into it to find that it was also overdone. Simply unbelievable. I've occasionally had restaurants serve me a steak that's still mooing in response to a complaint of overcooked meat, but at least they got the message.
The waitress asked if I was satisfied with the replacement; I informed her that I was not, and she kind of shrugged and gave me a pained look of apology. The bill came with everything at full price (less the cost of the cup of minestrone - what a deal!). I paid the bill, left a reasonable tip because it wasn't the waitress' fault, and wrote a note on the back of the slip informing them that I'd be leaving a negative review on Yelp and that I would not be coming back. -
Review from Dessa R.
12/26/2011
I had a totally pleasant experience at Abigail's. As with so many restaurants in the Boston area, the tables were nestled just a bit too close together for me to feel entirely comfortable though.
We tried the gouda fries that were mentioned in many of the reviews, which were better than I expected; sort of like a play on poutine, I think-- a winning combination. The fries were obviously hand cut and fresh, the gouda high quality, and the gravy warm and tasty.
One reviewer called the burger a "gourmet Big Mac." I would like to second that brilliant notion. MUCH better quality than lowly fast food, of course, but definitely reminiscent of a casual type burger. I had a single patty (8$), which was pretty small, even for my modest appetite. I'd imagine most people should double up if they want a full belly. -
Review from Emily G.
10/6/2011
What the Hell is a Tobacco Onion? The Tale of a Disappointing Meal:
I'd consider myself rather easy to please. I've waited tables and was god-awful at it so I give a ton of leniency to the waitstaff. Our server was somewhat out of it when taking our orders, but that's NBD. Maybe she was crafting a way to break up with her loser boyfriend. I pass no judgment.
We started off with two of the small plates as appetizers - Gouda Fries with Bacon were fairly underwhelming with the limply fried potatoes already in sog city upon arrival from a gooey yet flavorless cheese sauce. The second dish, a large bowl mussels in pernod is where things got questionable. At least 1/3rd of them were either completely shut or open at most millimeter wide, too terrifying to even consider eating. When our server collected our dishes, I politely informed her of the botched bivalves, only to be met with a response of, "oh, you couldn't get into them? I'll let the kitchen know." The lack of apology was perplexing, and my dining partner speculated our server didn't really understand the problem.
Entrees were similarly lackluster, an unappealing gray roast beef sandwich and a bland "BBQ" pork shoulder with a paltry allotment of bleu cheese, a nearly absent sauce, and the aforementioned tobacco onions - which are onion strings, nothing more. As we picked listlessly at the overdressed side salads, the only positive we identified were our drinks, a classic French 75 and a draught beer.
Everything aside, I would have probably made another effort at Abigail's, but I was flummoxed when we paid the bill without a single apology from the server, or a manager coming over to speak about the mussels incident. A simple acknowledgment of the problem would have been enough for me to make a return, but there are too many quality dining spots in the area for me to patronize those unconcerned with their paying customers. -
Review from Mark W.
Somerville, MA
3/14/2012
Abigail's is a great place to stop in for a quick drink and bite at the bar. Very clean and modern, I stopped in for lunch yesterday and had a good experience. One of the few places that you can find Murphy's Irish stout on tap. My burger was perfectly cooked and was complemented well with the side salad. The Gouda fries with the chicken gravy was delicious and servers as a great snack while having a drink, definitely get them. Bartender was attentive but not overbearing and the prices are reasonable.
-
Review from Richard C.
Boston, MA
2/22/2012
Unless you ditch the notion that a burger has to taste, look or feel a certain way, you're missing the point. It doesn't make a difference if it's big, small, grilled or griddled, the only thing that's important is that it tastes good. After all, isn't that really what we're judging? A heftier price tag may make you think twice, but if it's $20 and it's incredible, who really cares? Lucky for you, the burger at Abigail's costs a mere $9, ($13 if you want to "double down" with an extra patty) and is a satisfying, unpretentious offering. Clearly a lot of thought went into this burger, but they weren't foolish into trying to gussy up a classic burger. No, it's not Shake Shack or In-N-Out, but it is a successful, thin burger that is more akin to a Big Mac than anything else. But that's not its downfall, it's more a testament to its attributes.
I suppose if Big Mac's or fast-food burgers aren't your thing, this may not be the burger for you. Topped with a special sauce, iceberg lettuce and American Cheese, it's eerily similar to the Golden Arches classic, but in the best way possible. While everyone else in Boston is trying to put their stamp on the gourmet burger, it's refreshing to see a place like Abigail's take a chance with an underdog. It's not without flaws, however, and although it is comforting, it's hardly slapping you in the face with beef. The slim burger has flecks of pink throughout, and has a good attack of juices, and is a far cry from the greasiness that is the downfall of other burgers of its kind. The melted American cheese brings adequate creaminess to the sandwich, and the cooling special sauce (basically a Thousand Island type spread) balances it all out. The choice of a Martin's Potato Roll is no accident, it works perfectly for a burger of this size for obvious reasons; it's soft, not too squishy and has enough structure to fit the patty and not fall apart. But the burger is mostly understated; it's delicious in its own way, but nothing is over-the-top and it almost leaves you wanting more. Doubling down with an extra patty seems to do the trick, as is the case with any burger, more beef makes everything better. It's a neat little package, contained and flavorful, it's hardly messy but it hardly matters. The lack of a good crust on the surface of the burger was a minor letdown, as any caramelization could have gone a long way. The hand-cut fries are good and crispy with a soft and fluffy inside, although the crispiness is fleeting, eat 'em quickly or you run the risk of a less than perfect fry, but eating them fast shouldn't be an issue.
Overall the burger is solid, it won't blow you away but it certainly does't make you wish you had some massive pile of over-cooked beef on a stale Brioche bun either. It's a great version of what it is, nothing new or ground-breaking, just good, and that's all that matters to me. -
Review from J. B.
Wayland, MA
9/30/2011
The bartenders were friendly, the waitress was great, the pork chop was delicious. However, I'll never go back.
What is it with restaurants lately that equate noise level with a good time? Hard surfaces that reflect and amplify the noise until nobody can hear anything seems to be the new norm. Abigails makes it worse with a curved back wall that concentrates the bar noise right into the dining booths. It's like an MIT acoustics experiment gone bad. We all had a headache by the time we left!
Nobody wants to live in a morgue but this is too extreme to endure. I'll be back when there are fabrics and carpeting to tone down the roar. -
Review from Cyndi C.
Quincy, MA
9/9/2011
Got to try this place last night with a group of friends- what an experience!!
Atmosphere was different than I imagined, but modern, sleek, yet comfortable.
Drinks menu is amazing- good prices for delicious cocktails. I got the Stone Rose, highly recommend it if you like ginger beer and brandy. Didn't think this combo was going to work, but it did so I had two.
For starters, our table did a few of the small plates, gouda fries- AMAZING- a cheese sauce with chicken gravy and bits of bacon- by the time you inhale the fries there's this beautiful cheese sauce/soup at the bottom of the bowl I just wanted to lick it clean, but I was with company, so that could've been weird. We also got the chicken livers, which I loved, but that's only because I like liver, if you don't like liver, don't try it. Chicken and mushroom skewers were also quite tasty.
I ordered the bbq pulled pork sandwich with the salad- SO GOOD!! The pulled pork was perfect, topped with some cheese (I think blue cheese, but don't quite remember), and fried onion strings and bbq sauce. The salad was even amazing- dressed perfectly, and the croutons were so insane- you could tell they made them in-house probably with their own housemade bread.
My friends got the mussels and the veggie burger and couldn't get enough of each. I tried the mussels and they were amazing. The sauce was so perfect- garlicky, buttery, oniony, I just dipped the crostini it came with in the sauce, it was so, so good.
For dessert the table ordered the flourless chocolate cake, perfect consistency of a brownie. I don't like sweets, but I give this dessert a thumbs up. My friend also ordered the ricotta pie and said it was delicious.
Overall, I definitely intend to go back here for more food- I really want to try the brisket and the roasted marrow bones- there's a few things I can say no too, and marrow bones is one of them.
Definite great addition to the Kendall area, am looking forward to my next meal there. -
Review from Brian D.
Cambridge, MA
3/13/2012
Stopped by here last week before a flight out to the west coast and decided to have a few drinks and dinner. I sat at the bar and had the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, a half dozen oysters and braised pork shank. Oysters were fresh and the beer was cold. As for the pork shank, it was good, but not great. All and all, I'll be back, and service was great.
-
Review from Katherine D.
Seattle, WA
2/5/2012
Stopped in for dinner on a Saturday night around 9 and was able to snag a seat at the bar. The hostess was friendly, and offered to hang my coat on the rack. Decor is minimal, and the lighting is nice. I had some stupendous cocktails while I mulled over the menu. Nice focus on seafood, but decided to go with the pork shank. It was falling off the bone and scrumptious with a nice side of mashed potatoes. The menu described them as "fluffy" which set my hopes high, and they delivered! Reasonably priced delicious food and attentive service make this place a winner.
-
Review from Vivian L.
Cambridge, MA
9/21/2011
Went here today with a large group. The restaurant was very nice about accommodating us even though there was limited seating, and they were always attentive to our table (in particular getting us drinks). The server recommended some appetizers to use, one of them being uni (sea urchin). It was fresh, nicely seasoned, and served beautifully. Appearance counts, of course ;)
I ordered the Grilled Veggie Burger, which comes with your choice of mixed greens or fries. The burger itself was actually rather hard to eat -- it's rather large and the veggie patty was thicker than the breadbuns. The mozzarella was unfortunately not as melted as I would have liked, but the tomato jam was delicious. The veggie patty itself wasn't horrible but I've definitely had better -- it was very apparent that it was a mishmash of vegetables instead of attempting to imitate the consistency of regular meat, which I would have appreciated. The fries were your standard fare - nothing too fancy but definitely not bad.
Not a bad experience; the restaurant is definitely a bit pricey but for the types of food they serve (mainly seafood), it's not too shabby. Still can't tell if they're trying to go for the high-class fine dining experience or more of an after-work dinner type thing. If the latter, I'd raise an eyebrow to the price. If the former... boy, were we all underdressed. -
Review from Shirley Y.
Cambridge, MA
1/14/2012
this elegant eatery is set in the new space built at the third street apartments, which provides them with high ceilings and beautiful mood lighting. i have been wanting to try this place ever since i heard that it was being built, opening with a luscious menu of oysters among complex entrees and a fantastic and inventive old-school cocktail menu.
little did i know until i finally made my way there well after the opening that the bar manager is none other than my old bartender, rob, from the now-defunct bside lounge. no wonder. it was great to see such familiarity, professionalism, memory and generosity again. bside, if you have never been, never forgets your name. and rob did not forget me either, welcoming me and my friend with a fragrant appetizer of smoked shrimp. yum.
needless to say, the cocktails are wonderful. the vast cocktail menu [it takes up two pages of the menu] is separated into different sections depending on the patron's mood, from bubbly, to more classic cocktails. great beer selection from the tap as well. the food is wonderfully done as well, although i prefer the dinner menu to the lunch. lunch consists of mostly sandwiches, whereas the dinner menu consists of richer meals, which is my preference. i still do not understand the american obsession of sandwiches.
obviously will return back here again as much as i can, as it is on par with other kendall square restaurants that have been around for a while, such as hungry mother, and accompanying other new restos in the area, such as firebrand saints, hopefully making kendall square area a dining destination! -
Review from Blair H.
8/19/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Pros: (Before Hos) A shot and a beer for $8...and...umm...stuff.
Cons: Cheap, flimsy buns on the burger and pulled pork. It looked like a white-castle burger for $8. The brisket burger was a bit dry and got my mayo parachute when I was almost done. Got charged $12 for the $11 sammich. Service was brisk, but not really in a good way. The salt marsh was a salty saline soup with the table salt they used in lieu of rock salt.
I've gone twice, and I'll have to check it out again before I recommend it to the boss-man for a company outing. I can be understanding of the new venue shake-down, and I'll be happy to revise my position sometime. -
Review from Katy F.
Boston, MA
10/13/2011
I'd categorize this place as an app and drink spot only. Everything else was just eh.
Waitstaff: Very friendly. But not very prompt. Failed to tell us what they were out of out (arctic char, sigh.) and never mentioned the specials (one of which was a seafood bouillabaisse that I absolutely would have ordered if I had known it were on the menu.) Almost too fast with refilling drinks --- I know, I know, when is that a bad thing? -- Well, when you're 3 sips into a glass of wine and they're asking if you want another, it just feels...awkward.
Appetizers: YUM. The Sweet Corn Bisque was delightfully light. Was expecting a heavy cream base, but wasn't heavy at all. Very tasty. Mussels, a little grainy but the taste of the broth was out of this world. The Gouda fries speak for themselves. Can you ever go wrong with glorified cheese fries?
Entrees: Green Bean Sandwich: I didn't try this personally, but my buddy thought it was good. Ahi Tuna: Overdone. Tuna should be rare, this was medium plus. The panzanella salad it came with though was fantastic. Pork Chop: Tiny. When I order a pork chop I want it to be Flintstones style, the size of a small dinosaur. This was maybe the size of a deck of cards. Maybe. The spinach was so tough it was inedible. I'm not even convinced it was cooked. Wouldn't be surprised if the chef just plopped the chop on top of raw spinach and hoped the heat would steam it a bit. I was particularly excited about the dumpling side, but again was disappointed. FAR too dense. An addition of sauce would have helped to moisten this up, but since I didn't have it, I improvised by dipping the dumpling in the leftover mussel broth. It helped, but not enough to make me want to eat more than one.
Desserts: Sound a lot better than they taste. The flourless chocolate cake tasted like most flourless chocolate cakes, i.e., like a warm brownie. And while I had high hopes for the ricotta pie, it was more of a cheesecake that could have used a lot more of the chocolate ganache I was promised. It was drizzled on, lightly, while I prefer my dessert (and hands, and body, and mouth...) swimming in ganache.
Final verdict, I probably wouldn't go back. And if I did, it'd be for apps and wine only. -
Review from Kate M.
Boston, MA
8/24/2011
Very disappointing.
First the good: I liked the modern, clean decor, it fits well in the surroundings of Kendall Square/MIT. The BBQ'd chicken livers to start (one of their small plates) were tasty - although the hubby is pretty sure they were deep-fried, not BBQ'd. The drinks were fabulous! The bartender is doing it right; shame about everyone else, really ...
The rest of the food was pretty bad/sad. I had the sweetcorn bisque. Very watery, and far too sweet. Pretty much inedible. I also had the panzanella salad. There were three tiny morsels of mozzarella on top - nowhere near enough for the dish - and the tomatoes (what should have been the star of the dish) were ... mealy? If you don't have amazing raw ingredients to work with, don't offer a dish like this. The garlic croutons tasted of burnt garlic. And so did my mouth for the rest of the night.
My husband had the BBQ pork shoulder sandwich. Again, not BBQ'd, and such a shame, because the meat was completely lacking in flavor. The only things you could taste were the BBQ sauce (this does not make a dish BBQ!!) and the blue cheese.
Our server was ... odd. And not very good. But my main complaint was just that she seemed lacking in any kind of human warmth. I usually get chatty with my server - this chick was COLD. She also served me a cup of soup (I asked for - and was charged for - a bowl). But maybe she knew how bad it was and was just trying to save me ... :)
If this place wasn't so new, I'd be hard-pressed to give it more than 1 star. But I'm nice. And the drinks were really good. -
Review from Phil S.
Cambridge, MA
8/20/2011
We really want this restaurant to succeed because Kendall needs good food, but it does need a little bit of work.
My girlfriend and I went to Abigail's for the first time tonight. We tried last night with a group of six but we were told by the hostess that there was a 30 minute wait since they were swamped that night. Clearly that must've been the case since we were left waiting - alone - at the entrance for 5-10 minutes before anyone spoke to us.
Tonight, we tried again and got a table for two. The host was very professional, even asking us which table we wanted, the one in the middle or the the one in the corner. We asked for the one in the corner and so was confused when we were taken to the one in the middle. No biggie, just strange. Perhaps the host couldn't hear us over the loud restaurant.
Speaking of, the sound in this place was way to loud for the number of people there. The music should be switched to a genre that has less variation from peak to peak. Often there seemed to be no music, then all of a sudden loud music. Pick some new tunes and play them lower. You could also try to put something in your place that absorbs sound. It's really loud right now.
After we were seated, we noticed that the table was rather wobbly. Props to the waitress for fixing it with a smile when we pointed it out.
We ordered fried oysters, a chicken salad, a steak and a veggie burger. The fried oysters were excellent.The veggie burger had frilly toothpicks, which seemed tacky for a place that charges $28 entrees. No toothpicks please. The steak was good, one shade overcooked, but good. Fat probably needed to be trimmed a bit.
At one point the waitress - as she was taking our bread plates away - looked at my empty cup and asked if I wanted another. When I declined, she walked off without my cup, leaving it as the only thing on the table.
Bread plates kept whizzing by me, so I asked for some bread. Bread comes, and it was okay. Nothing special, but perfectly functional.
About the restaurant, the dividers are a bit high, they should be brought down 6 inches so people can see out the window or raised so they block things out. As of now, it's a weird middle ground and I'm tempted to hide and look out the window in alternation.
We had our food wrapped up, but it was brought back in a bag with the dessert menu. Again, kinda weird. They should have brought it back with the check. We balanced it on the divider while we ate our dessert.
Dessert was good. We ordered a flourless chocolate cake with sour cherry sauce and sweet cream ice cream, which was tasty, but...it wasn't a flourless chocolate cake, the sauce was decidedly raspberry, and the ice cream was more along the lines of chocolate hazelnut. Perhaps it was indeed flourless, but it was more like a fudge brownie. Complete with that light-brown brownie crust. Again, it was tasty but, c'mon, update the menu or at least have the waitress note the changes. When the check was brought, we noticed that they had accidentally left the cake off the bill.
Abigails needs to figure out what they want to be. Is it going to be the neighborhood after-work hangout or the fine-dining restaurant that it seems to aspire to? If it wants to be the former, then it needs to lower its prices. If it wants to be a fine-dining establishment, then it needs to step up its game. Right now it's trying to do two things and it's failing at both. -
Review from Jimbeau W.
Southborough, MA
3/31/2012
This is kind of a specialty place, probably in keeping with the neighborhood which is local office workers for lunch and condo dwellers for dinner. But within the limitations inherent in that demographic, this is a GOOD place. Very cool bar with numerous interesting beer choices (not like Mead Hall of course but what could be?) several nice wines by the glass and not astonishingly overpriced, and an eclectic menu.The food is surprisingly good, quite inventive and deserves and gets high marks. I've seen some comments about small portions but I've made a meal from an appetizer here so I don't necessarily agree. Reasonably casual sophisticated atmosphere in keeping with the local flavor so this definitely is a casual after work or lunch place, not probably a date choice, at least not in the hazy halcyon early days of dating. Good service, efficient setup. I like it. Especially that view of the street from the bar. Reminds me of a pedestrian version of the bar at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago.
-
Review from Jawann S.
Cambridge, MA
11/27/2011
Went to this place for Sunday BBQ Brunch this morning and I only have one word: damn. My friends and I have been on a brunch tour for the last few months and this is probably the best combination of food and drinks that we've had yet.
The cocktail list is great, very creative and well-executed. The special was a Ghost of Mary made with filtered bloody Mary mix. Bomb. The Bloody Maria and El Mariachi are both made with tequila and are delicious, if you're into that kind of thing (I am).
We had the Smoked Duck Eggs "Binney" and the Brunch Burger with a Sweet Chili Corn Cake on the side. Binney was poached eggs on cornbread and duck confit, topped with hollandaise sauce. Each component was made well, especially the duck. I was a little ambivalent, but the duck tasted more like bacon. Brunch burger was a burger with Canadian bacon, fried egg, and hollandaise. This was awesome too, and I'd never seen something like it on a menu before. Loved the Corn Cake and was sad we only ordered one.
All in all, a great experience. Already looking forward to going back for dinner.
Do yourself a favor and sit at the bar, those guys are hilarious. -
Review from Arthur M.
2/10/2012
I went for brunch with my girlfriend. Parking was easy on Sunday morning, and Kendall Square was looking good. She had a bloody mary and the duck benedict, I had oysters and the pork hash. I enjoyed the collared greens that came with both dishes. I saw a lot of old friends from the ECG. Loved it.
-
Review from Matthias T.
Somerville, MA
10/12/2011
First thing, right out the gate: BEST VEGGIE BURGER. That is my overwhelming impression from my first visit. Everything else was good, foodwise, but the veggie burger was an in-house prepared, bright green veggie burger. I and my fellow pescatarian diner agreed. My lunch was fine, and our appetizer of scallops was first rate.
Service was impeccable, 5 stars for the excellent, uncomplaining, well-mannered and helpful waitstaff. Worth coming back for just for them.
Great place for lunch, great place for a business lunch.
Oh, one shitty thing: they were playing a freaking Traveling Wilburys album on repeat while we were there. Execrable. -
Review from Jason C.
Boston, MA
9/1/2011
As you can tell by my previous reviews, I'm pretty much a prick and don't give a place 5 stars unless it is remarkable in some respect..
Anyway, I can't say enough about how good my experience at Abigail's was.
To start:
The staff are outstanding. They made you feel right at home from instant you walk. in. The hostess, the server, the bartender and even the owner Sarah (who seemed to greet every costumer) made you feel very welcomed...and the place was packed.
The music is top notch. The staff bring in their own vinyl and the choices are perfect. I like Hall and Oats and Ian Durry... a lot.
The food:
Aps: Guoda fries with bacon. ...dangerously fucking rad.
Oysters: Outstanding and huge.
Entres:
The way I judge a restaurant is by how well their steak tastes medium rare. The grass feed rib eye really got me going. It was massive, delicious and cooked perfectly.
The drinks. WOW! The bartender knows what t he is doing.
WELL DONE!
Oh and PS:, to Nancy P: there is obviously a reason why you were sitting alone. -
Review from Andrew S.
Boston, MA
12/7/2011
I have been twice (we recently moved to the area), both times I have been underwhelmed. The most recent visit I had the risotto and it was undercooked and had NO taste. It was actually kinda gross.
Basically, if you are going out to dinner with your gf/bf/whoever and you are going to spend $50-$75 (including cocktails) there are other places in Cambridge/Boston that are way better...
* side note, I have heard from a few people the brunch is decent....
