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American Craft - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Restaurants American (New) Nightlife Bars American (Traditional), American (New), Bars [Edit]
1700 Beacon StBrookline, MA 02445
(617) 487-4290
- Nearest Transit:
-
Tappan St - Outbound (Green Line)
Tappan St - Inbound (Green Line)
Dean Rd - Inbound (Green Line)
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- 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:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
200 reviews for American Craft
Review Highlights
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"...less stressful than the Publick House, so it was definitely..." In 57 reviews -
"The beer selection alone earns this place 5 stars." In 52 reviews -
"The outdoor seating area is great & a lot of fun." In 17 reviews
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200 reviews in English
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Review from Tess G.
Brookline, MA
1/9/2012
I'm writing this as someone who lives in the neighborhood and comes here quite frequently. All the times I've been there the waitstaff has been great! The one time my roommate and I can after someone broke into our apartment, our waitress was great, and provided some comic relief along with good beers and juicy hamburgers!
Another time I came on a date and we stayed for more than two hours. When we were indecisive in the beginning about what we wanted to drink, our waitress brought over a couple samples. We had apps, dinner and dessert at which no time I felt like we were being rushed.
I've had the Market Salad with chicken, Turkey burger, hamburger, and the Turkey & Avocado sandwich. If I was going to go back right now, I'd probably go with the Turkey & Avocado sandwich. -
Review from Maria G.
Boston, MA
1/22/2012
Worst experience. My boyfriend and I went to dinner around 8:00, both the pork and steak were "out" on a Friday night. Ridiculous. He ordered the mussels appetizer for dinner and I got a burger. Both were COLD when they got to our table. It was so disappointing- my "medium rare" burger was raw and cold. The waitress came and asked how things were, he sent his mussels back which they threw back in a skillet versus throwing a new batch in. The mussels then came back over-cooked.
I was really expecting a great meal because the Publick House is amazing but we wanted to give this place a chance. Will never go back again!
American Craft will not be missed but Barcelona will be welcomed with open arms! -
Review from Hayley M.
Updated - 1/16/2012
So I went to American Craft last night, which coincidentally was their last night open for business. I didn't know it was the last night until a few hours into my visit, but even before I found out, I wanted to write an update to my previous review.
There is a huge difference between bad servers and bad service. Sometimes you get someone on their off night. I have bad days and I can assume servers have bad days. However, what American Craft failed on was bad service. Always. From the beginning until the very last night of its existence.
I found out last night that a friend of mine inquired about having the rehearsal dinner there for his wedding back in September. He lives a block away and figured it would be easy for him to host a cocktail hour at his apartment and then walk over. They said no immediately. He asked if they even wanted to run some numbers, give him a minimum cost or a price per head. At some point, it would have been profitable for American Craft to host his entire family. Regardless, they said no without even computing a price. So they lost out on what would have been a huge gain.
So last night, since I wasn't there for the rehearsal dinner rejection...
Bad service. Again. We had a party for about 10 people and we could not get waited on by our waiter. I could have been on fire and no one from American Craft would even notice. We resorted to walking up to the bar to get drinks. A friend asked if they were having any specials on drinks as it was the last night. He was coldly told no.
Good thing for our waiter they added the tip onto the check, because there is no way we would have given him 18%.
Goodbye, American Craft. I liked the idea of you, but I truly won't miss you. In a world of hits and misses, you were an absolute miss. I only hope the tapas and wine bar going in will be a hit, 'cause you can't beat that location.Listed in: Best Brookline
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/22/2011
Oh man, did I want to like this place.
Here are two stories of American Craft experiences.
1) It was… Read more »
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Review from Lynda M.
11/27/2011
Never was a big fan, slow service and meh food. Seems like they are closing soon anyway,...can anything ever stay open in that space??
Barcelona Wine Bar Plans to Move into American Craft Space in Brookline
As mentioned in an earlier article here, a group behind several Spanish tapas restaurants and taquerias/tequila bars in Connecticut, New York, and Georgia are planning to open a location in the Boston area, and it appears that one space that they are looking at is currently home to an American restaurant and beer bar.
According to the Brookline TAB and Wicked Local, the Barcelona Restaurant Group is interested in opening a branch of the Barcelona Restaurant and Wine Bar in Brookline, apparently taking over the space on Beacon Street where American Craft resides. American Craft is owned by the same person who is behind The Publick House (just east of American Craft on Beacon Street) as well as the now-closed Roadhouse Restaurant, which was in the same space as American Craft until it closed in the winter of 2010. The article mentions that while a spokesperson for Barcelona Restaurant and Wine Bar says that the company is indeed hoping to open in the American Craft space, the owner of American Craft and The Publick House did not respond to calls from the newspaper about whether American Craft may be moving elsewhere or simply closing.
Barcelona Restaurant and Wine Bar first started out in 1995, while its sister restaurant Bar Taco was introduced in 2010. The former can be found in Fairfield, Greenwich, New Haven, South Norwalk, Stamford, and West Hartford, CT, as well as Atlanta, GA, while the latter can be found in Stamford, CT, and Port Chester, NY.
[November 23 update: This has just been confirmed; Barcelona will indeed be taking over American Craft and has town approval to transfer the liquor license, though it still needs the state's approval. Construction on Barcelona is expected to begin next spring, with the restaurant looking to open in the middle of 2012.] -
Review from Allison S.
Dorchester, MA
10/30/2011
I came here with a party of 9 on a Friday night. No wait, make that a party of 7. Sorry again, party of only 5. Sigh. They were able to accommodate us with whatever size party we had, which was nice. However, I got the feeling that they were going to have a hard time making up one big table of 9. Or 7.
We ended up eating in the bar, and it was pretty spacious. There was a TV in each corner of the bar and tons of seating around the bar, as well as at tables surrounding the bar.
We ordered a few drinks and were not disappointed with their selection. I did wish that they had more than one pumpkin beer available, but that's just being picky. I was quite happy with my Allagash White.
Next, came the food. Almost everything on the menu sounded good. We opted for the cheese platter to start, which came with three HUGE hunks of cheese, 2 pieces of bread, some raisins and what I think was honey. We were absolutely surprised at the amount of cheese that was provided with this appetizer. After that, I wasn't even that hungry for dinner.
So, I ordered some appetizers and shared them with my friend. We went with the chive fries, the pork sliders and the fried pumpkin and sage ravioli. I have to say that I was a little disappointed with the quality of the food. Everything sounded so tasty and delicious on the menu, but we felt that when it arrived, our food was just....mediocre.
The real question is: would I come back? And the answer: Sure, but only if I was already in the area, wanted some drinks and Publick House was too crowded. -
Review from Ken V.
Boston, MA
Updated - 11/7/2011
What happened to AmCraft? I had to bump my 5 star rating down to 4 star rating after my last visit (and i go there at least once a month, if not considerably more). The lighting is much brighter now, which would be fine if it didn't drown out the cool light fixtures and make the place feel small. It used to feel cozy, now it just feels cramped. The extra lighting also does nothing for the gold walls, which once felt cool but now look gaudy.
Some other new changes that bummed me out: no more cocktail menu (although they did keep the spirits list thankfully), they're limiting each check to 2 credit cards maximum (can no longer recommend this place for groups), and their draft list seems considerably smaller than before. with its big sister the publick house just up the street, this was the place for a little more elbow room and a nice cocktail selection. these little things add up! womp wommmp, what happened to my favorite neighborhood restaurant? i know you guys read this!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/24/2010
Pretty much re-iterating whateveryone else is saying. The food, drink menu, and decor have all been… Read more »
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Review from julie h.
Brookline, MA
Updated - 6/27/2011
I just wonder if anyone else who wrote a review of this place received a nasty email in response? Like this one I got from David C.
"Your shit is transparent you fucking loser. Go fuck yourself and get a fucking life shitbag and tell Jim hello from all of us."
Real nice, American Craft, real nice. I have no idea who Jim is by the way.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/6/2010
I really want to like this place. It's in my neighborhood has great service and a great beer and… Read more »
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Review from Jenny M.
Brighton, MA
10/20/2011
Love American Craft. Great beer selection with a menu that defines by origin and type, and delicious food with fresh ingredients. Some of our favorites include:
- The burgers (even the turkey ones), served on a glistening, flavorful Hi-Rise bun and a la carte toppings galore
- The chicken confit sandwich with bacon fried chicken skin (yes) and onion jam (sadly seasonal -- not listed right now)
- The dry-rubbed roasted chicken wings -- flavorful, crispy and tender, with just the right amount of sauce on the side (you don't even really need it)
- The Market Salad -- changes contents with the seasons, but somehow always delicious, with a unique melding of flavors.
One star knocked off because sometimes the service is slow, but the food is worth the wait. -
Review from Sean W.
Brookline, MA
10/14/2011
Dogfish 120 minute on draft, Founders Breakfast Stout, and 38 other top notch beers. Often times the only decision I need to make is, should I walk the .25 to American Craft or to Publick House. The food is great, waitstaff and bartenders are friendly and will help you find a beer you will like.
I love this place. -
Review from Caleb K.
Boston, MA
11/16/2011
Service: Was excellent - we were seated in the bar area and the bartender served us promptly and in a friendly but professional way. No complaints here whatsoever.
Drinks: Were as good as expected, but good craft beer has become pretty common throughout the area. Not taking any points away for the strength of their selection but not adding any, either.
Food: This is where it gets really bad. So bad that I was compelled to write my first review on Yelp to share how bad it was. My wife had the 'pork and beans' entree. The beans were not cooked all the way through. They were hard, even almost-crunchy. The pork was fine but the dish as a whole was somewhat bland. But those beans! How can you serve hard beans in a 'pork and beans' dish? This implies no one even tasted it at any point before serving it. Do you have a chef? A head-cook? How does this make it to the table?
I had the burger, medium rare. It was medium rare, but the meat was almost flavorless. But horror of horrors - the bun was stale. Here's the thing - if you want to serve a burger on a big, fluffy challah roll fine. I would prefer it was on something else, but I'll eat it. But a big, fluffy, STALE challah role? Gross and unacceptable. The fries were pretty good but I couldn't shake the often-reminded experience of feeling stale bread scrape across my tongue. I ripped the top half of the bun off to tone-down the grossness but this was only moderately successful.
On our walk home my wife and I made a rule: we may stop by for a drink every now and then, but we will never eat at American Craft again. -
Review from Cliff B.
Nashua, NH
Updated - 9/15/2011
VERY slow business for a Wednesday night. Not a good sign. Where are all the customers? The Chive Fries tasted a bit "old"... old potatoes? I guess the best word for it is "bland". The salad seemed to be created haphazardly and contained an unusually high amount of unwanted / non-leafy lettuce parts. The Beef Burger with cheddar and fried egg was good.
Still an outstanding collection of draft and bottled beer to choose from. A Dogfish Head... YAY.
The server was friendly and attentive.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/9/2011
Allagash White on draft... huge craft beer selection. Can't tell you about the food... I just drank… Read more »
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Review from D C.
Brighton, MA
8/27/2011
Went to American Craft tonight with a group of girl friends, a little unsure, based on the reviews. First off, it's incredibly pretentious to not put your prices on your menu, so I am marking them down for that!
We didn't have a wait at all for our party of five, on a Saturday night, but it was early, and rainy out. We ordered the chive fries with blue cheese fondue ($8) as a starter; the fries were great, hand-cut and well-seasoned, but the blue cheese "fondue" had the texture of onion dip but an over-powering, kind of off flavor.. We aren't big drinkers, but I was glad to see a couple of ciders on their menu.
I had the half-chicken with red bliss potatoes and asparagus ($16), and it was delicious, really juicy and a very generous portion. There were only four spears of asparagus, which was a little disappointing, but the chicken definitely made up for that. Companions had the spinach salad (pretty impossible to mess up), swordfish sandwich (she said it was a little tough/dry), and pasta primavera (the sauce was really flavorful, but the pasta was undercooked), so they were all a little meh regarding their dishes.
Our server was very attentive, and the other staff made a point of wishing us a good evening as we left. No one gave us a hard time for lingering long after our bill was paid to chat. It wasn't very busy, so we didn't have the noise issue other reviewers mentioned. I would go back to American Craft to try another dish, I was pleased with the experience!
*they have no dessert menu.. The server said they usually offer truffles, but were waiting for a shipment to come in. -
Review from Adam C.
7/21/2011
When Roadhouse shut down (I think they had trouble getting a permit for the BBQ smoker or something), I had hoped maybe American Craft could reinvent itself as a gastropub and become a worthwhile beer destination. This is the type of place that I should like (good-to-great beers, ambitious food, not-a-dive atmosphere, enough space not to be smashed in)....but I just don't and for that reason I almost never make the effort to go here despite frequently solid draft lineups.
The food isn't a total abomination but for the prices I promise you can do a lot better in Boston. What really kills the appeal is, as others have noticed, the general attitude of service. Look, if the beers are good enough I am willing to tolerate a fair degree of indifference from the serving staff. But the attitude seems to be one of "I'm bothered by having to make any effort whatsoever and I'd rather you just leave".
You're left with the impression the staff would just prefer to have the place to themselves and hang out. I've been there on empty off-hours and it was the exact same. "Oh, the draft you ordered is at the back bar...ughhhh I guess I'll get it for you if you really insist..."
Congrats AC staff, I promise I won't inconvenience you further. -
Review from Leah D.
Brookline, MA
Updated - 9/9/2011
I've been back to American Craft a few times since I live nearby and every time it has been wonderful.
I recenty had the chicken salad sandwich and it was the best sandwich I have ever tasted. Big chunks of moist chicken, good balance of sweet and tangy mayo sauce and bits of celery and onion to add that nice crunch.
They took the duck confit off the menu for summer, which was sad...but summer is basically over so I'll back.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/29/2010
I got a groupon for this place. It was just okay for me.
We got the chive fries with the cheese dip… Read more »
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Review from Ella P.
Boston, MA
6/9/2011
I was extremely excited to enjoy the outdoor patio with a friend during the really nice weather. We'd been here before and loved their burgers. Unfortunately, this time our experience went from bad to worse to is this really happening.
It was a really hot evening, so we decided to get a bottle of white wine as it's generally served chilled. Not here... The wine was definitely room temperature, and Pinot Grigio does not taste particularly good when warm. We complained to the waitress and she gave us a frozen bottle cooler, which helped for the 2nd half of the bottle.
Both of us ordered burgers, which was a mistake. Mine was fine, but my friend's was dry. However, that wasn't even the issue.
When another waitress was putting my plate on the table she knocked over my full glass of wine onto the table. She apologized profusely and ran off to get a towel. After cleaning up the mess, she asked if we need anything else. I had to ask her to replace my glass (shouldn't they offer it? I wasn't the one who knocked it over). She said of course, and I did promptly receive a full glass of (luckily chilled) wine.
Then things got bad. We shortly discovered that my friend's iPhone stopped working. Turns out, some of the wine got onto her phone as well and the speaker stopped working. Speaker phone worked, but she couldn't hear anything unless she had the phone on speaker. We told this to our waitress who got the manager. He wanted to take her phone, reset it, and try charging it (because a full battery makes the speaker suddenly work after water damage?). Although this didn't make much sense, she complied. About 10 minutes later, he came back with her still broken phone and told her to come back the next day if it's still not working.
Now, we were in hurry at this point. When the waitress brought the (full) bill (with no deductions for them royally screwing up), we asked her to have the manager write a note or something so my friend could prove 24 hours later that it was not her fault and that this happened. She went to the back, didn't take our credit cards with her, came back and told us that the manager's name is Derek and he would be there the next day. My friend asked again (and she was very nice this whole time) for a note or some sort of written documentation. We also had to tell her to take our cards as we were in a rush and she didn't seem to remember that we had the bill on the table. We never did receive the note, and my friend will be back there tonight. Hopefully, there won't be more issues.Listed in: Stay Away
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Review from Jessica G.
Boston, MA
8/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
I would give this place one star, but I am feeling particularly generous today.
Oftentimes, as I walk down Beacon Street, I feel compelled to warn people NOT to order the food. The menu items, in theory sound Absolutely Fabulous. However, bland to just-plain-BAD flavor is what was delivered (at least in terms of the chicken skin sandwich and burger that we ordered. Yep even the expensive fries were pretty bad).
The four beers we ordered were good, however they were delivered near the room temperature side. I don't think they have THAT kind of European intent. Hopefully it was a temporary cooler malfunction.
It's truly a shame, since its neighbor The Publick House is a true gem, both in terms of beer selection AND food.
If Gordon Ramsey could fix the food here, they would have SUCH potential. -
Review from kate s.
ALLSTON, MA
3/25/2011
I'm seriously disappointed in American Craft. I might give them another chance some day, but right now I'm angry and I believe people should know about it.
It's my birthday. I wanted to go out with some friends and drink good beer and have a nice time, but I knew everywhere would be packed on a Friday, and there are very few casual, fun, beer-drinking places that take reservations. I was thinking Publick House, but I knew they would be packed, so when I saw that American Craft took reservations, I was excited. I made the reservation on Tuesday, for Friday night, 6 people, 7pm. Friday at 4:15 they call to cancel my reservation because they have some big group coming in and the girl who took my reservation on the phone didn't check.
I've been looking forward to this all week. And now it's too late to make a reservation anywhere else. Poor form, American Craft. -
Review from Bill M.
East Watertown, MA
4/19/2011
I went here with my Girlfriend because, to be quite frank, I we thought it was The Publick House.
Why did we think it was the Publick House and not know it was a different Restaurant? Well, there was no sign saying what restaurant it was outside.
We were seated, and a half a star automatically comes off because it has pepsi products.
A star comes off because of the overall service. It was slow to sit us down (there were tables available in the main restaurant part but the hostess was too busy busing tables). The waitress was okay, but I started to realize....
...if you don't order an actual alcoholic beverage in places like this, they seem to give a shit less about you.
The place was loud. They had TV's up but you couldn't hear them. They didn't even bother putting captioning on them since you couldn't hear them. Also I saw two of the TV's weren't actually on.
Food, we had the P.E.I Mussels. They were...okay. They hype all of the flavors that they put them in, and I didn't taste anything. Somehow even the tomatoes and jalapenos they put in it tasted like...nothing.
My girlfriend and I both had the beef burger. She loved hers cause it was able to get avacado, feta, and Mushrooms. The green salad she got seemed to be haphazardly tossed in the plate, and I thought it was just lettuce until she got to the bottom of it where there were a couple of half slices of cucumber and a tomato.
I had the burger with bacon and chedder. Of course there was no such thing as regular mayo. I didn't like the fact that mayo on the burger cost an additional buck. Come'on guys, it's mayo. I also had the Frites, and I realized...
Any place that calls Fries Frites, stay away, they always taste like crap. This includes the same type of Fries at John Harvard's and Russell House (except Russell House has superior service and other menu items that seem spiffy to try in the future).
Overall, Meh does sum it up right. Would I go there again? No, especially since I am unlikely to be in that area again after next month. Could you pay me to go there again? Depends. Are you also buying dinner and are you going to treat me for Starbucks afterwards? -
Review from kate g.
Brookline, MA
6/5/2011
Wandered into American Craft, delicate from a long night out on Friday and looking to faceplant in some delicious food.
We came at 3 o'clock (Saturday) and had no problem getting a picnic table outside. Following a gluten-free diet, I fully expected the alcohol list to be exclusively beer, and the food to be breaded, beer-battered and all those words that make food my nemesis.
When we checked out the drinks menu, we were pleasantly surprised to find tons of choices for independently distilled whiskies, bourbons, and vodkas. So exciting was this fact, that my curiousity ALMOST overtook my nausea, but I opted for a diet pepsi instead.
We got the chicken wings for an appetizer-- roasted to perfection, served with grain mustard that I may or may not have started eating plain with my fork. I can't remember if that was because it was good or I was just starving. Probably, both.
Lunch was a burger for the guy (looked divine) and a field green salad for me-- with artichoke, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and bacon. Woulda loved more bacon, obviously, but my arteries are thanking me today.
Great service, chilled out atmosphere-- and this is all from a non-Beerie (beer head? beerisseur? is there an equivalent of wino? Alcoholic?) -
Review from Lauren V.
Updated - 2/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
As I mentioned in my previous review returning to American Craft was dependent on two variables: proximity and an empty stomach.
Well with those two requirements fulfilled the boyf and I headed there one cold Saturday evening. After being ignored for a solid minute by the hostess who was very engrossed in stacking menus and avoiding eye contact, we were sat by a drafty window. When asked if we could move, she simply said "Uh, no" and walked away. Huh.
The waitress came to greet us and we asked her if we could move. She very graciously said yes and pointed us to Incompetent Hostess. Given her abruptness and tangible air of condescension, we weren't thrilled about further interaction, but queued up at the hostess stand anyway. She sat one couple and then took off to the back of the restaurant. Leaving not just us, but two bemused groups ahead of us, waiting to be sat. After a couple of minutes, one group left and we were hot on their heels.
American Craft, you are not so incredible that diners will willingly put up with rude "service". Check yourself. Oh, and chuck the chick with the unwarranted superiority complex.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/28/2010
Dropped in for lunch for no other reason than we happened to be walking by and were hungry.
For a… Read more »
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Review from Michelle S.
Oakland, CA
Lemme tell you what I like about New England better than the Bay Area. Yes, look, I'm not bitching about snow and crappy Mexican food. I'm actually having GOOD things to say.
When you date in the Bay Area, there's a pretty strong chance that a girl like me is going to meet a man who's prissier than I am. I mean, I clean up nicely and I'm rather girly and all. At least, I think so anyway. But I've managed to come across some men who are "prettier" than I am. They take longer than me to get ready to go out...and I'm the one who wears (some) makeup and curls her hair! They manicure their nails more than I do. And some of them like to remind me that they and other women find them soooooo good-looking. As if they're telling ME that I'M the lucky one to be with THEM. Bitch pleeze.***
Not surprisingly, they raise eyebrows when they order the vodka-based drink and I order the bourbon-based drink.
But on the East Coast, girls are allowed to drink whiskey. More men drink whiskey. And, so far, I've not met too many men who are like "WTF?!" when I order it.
The problem is that my favorite one is hard to find out here. I'd have better luck finding unicorns that barf rainbows and crap gold coins.
Until last night......
American Craft is the first restaurant/bar I've found (I mean, I could be looking a little harder, but still) that carries my favorite bourbon. My beloved Bulliet. One of the best bourbons ever. It smells so sweet and rich and it feels like you're giving your insides a hug when you taste it.
And American Craft has it.
I didn't try the food, but will soon.
They need to heat their bathrooms though. Seriously. A tiny-ass space heater is not going to warm up that bathroom if it's 20 degrees outside.
***Who am I kidding?! I would do some pretty embarrassing and degrading things to be able to watch Tim Lincecum brush his hair. *swoon* -
Review from Richard F.
Malden, MA
2/28/2011
2.5 stars because it's somewhere between just OK and Meh...
Friend wanted to go here for birthday dinner on Saturday night.
The place was filled with families and their babies. Odd.
Our waiter was lame. No name. No asking us if we had any questions. No suggestions. Super slow. Wish I knew his name. He was sh!tty. This place is nice and could be awesome, should be awesome, considering how expensive it is, but it's not awesome.
2 of our friends ordered the exact same dish - the rigatoni bolagnese or whatever it's called. I ordered the duck 2 ways and the birthday boy ordered a fish special.
We also ordered the fries, the steak and cheese rolls, and the short ribs as Apps. All the apps were really really good, though everything was sorta salty.
Our entrees arrive. The 2 pasta dishes (remember they ordered the exact same thing) arrived completely different. One of them actually had the reddish/creamy sauce on it with not that much meat, and the other one was dry and had a ton of meat on it. Someone f*cked up.
Birthday boy's fish special he said was good, but the fish piece was miniscule and had a gigantic portion of potato underneath that was crazy salty. Hmmm
My Duck was really good, but again crazy salty. The menu also said that it was going to be served with a sauce. My sauce consisted of about 8 berries sprinkled on top of the sliced duck. Not a sauce. Not fancy. Not worth $30.
The beer menu is good, if you want to drink.
Don't forget though, there's babies and families around. So don't get too drunk. -
Review from John P.
Cambridge, MA
7/18/2011
I wanted to love this place. Fantastic beer menu, including a rare Aztec chili beer (no joke!). Excellent selection of gastropub cuisine. Outdoor seating. Great location in Brookline. And if someone invited me back here, I wouldn't stay home.
But the service: eh.
We had a party of seven on a Saturday. Three of us showed up first, so the server took our drink orders. When we wanted to order appetizers (so as not to starve while waiting for the rest of our crew), we were waiting. When we wanted to finally place a food order, we were waiting. After we placed our food order, we were waiting. When we wanted to get the check, we were waiting. And waiting.
This wouldn't have been as big of a deal were it not for little details being missed. Like bringing out our appetizers, but not any plates or silver. The service was never bad - it was just slow enough to be noticed.
I understand that service is the hardest thing to get right at any restaurant. And a Saturday night crowd can be busy. But that's the sort of thing I grade on. I liked the food and the beer just fine, and I'll come back if any of y'all want to take me. But it's not setting my heart on fire.
Protip: shortribs off the appetizer menu. So tender. Meat falling off the bone. Just perfect. -
Review from K. M.
Brookline, MA
1/22/2011
I had high hopes for this spin-off of the Publick House (like I did for its ill-fated predecessor, the Roadhouse). I didn't even manage to make it through the door before these were crushed.
One of the members of our party has a gluten allergy, so I called in advance to get an idea of what menu items were safe. Working a busy restaurant can be tough, so I was patient throughout but the staff and management were neither able nor willing to help. At one point in the conversation, I suggested maybe something like the mussels could be made gluten free:
Me: "I'm looking at your menu now. Could the 'P.E.I. Mussels' be prepared without gluten?"
"Well, what can't be in it?"
Me: (pausing) "...gluten."
I understand not every employee would be acquainted with the ins and outs of every allergy, but an allergic reaction to gluten can be serious. How is it that between the waitstaff, the cooks, and the management not a single person is informed about food allergies?
This restaurant seems to suffer from the Publick House's formula of good beer and terrible service and management. But maybe they'll get it right in a year or two when they try to reinvent the space again. -
Review from Brendan D.
Boston, MA
7/21/2011
I've been to AmCraft a LOT in the past few years since it's been open. For about two thirds of my trips here this was my original destination and the other third has usually been times when I've tried to go to Publick House only to be turned off by the hour to hour and a half wait for a table. I was ready to come on and give this place 5 stars but after reading a lot of the other reviews I stopped to think about things and came to the conclusion this place is a solid 4 star neighborhood bar. Here's why:
+The beer menu is extensive but not overwhelming. As the name suggests, you will find pretty much only American "craft" beers. If you're not a beer snob, that's fine. Neither am I and I can always find something I like. The AmCraft selection is generally well balanced between IPAs, pale ales, brown ales, and the more wacky varieties that my dining companions usually drink.
+The place is huge and although the waiting can be up to 45 minutes at peak times, you can usually get seated very quickly.
+This is the place to watch sports in Washington Square. There are numerous HD TVs at both the upper bar and lower bar and almost every seat has a good view of at least one of them.
+Easily the best al fresco setup in the neighborhood. The building is set back from Beacon street enough to have a deep patio and plenty of distance from the road so you're not sucking down car fumes along with your beer.
Here's where I think they can improve:
-The bartenders are a genial bunch (with one or two exceptions), but I will say that the service behind the bar could use some improvement. I sit at the bar a lot to watch sports and I've had more than a few experiences where I've been totally ignored for a substantial amount of time. I know bartending can get hectic and if the bartender doesn't have a minute to take my dinner order I'm fine with that, but at least placate me with a beer while I'm waiting!
-$6.25 beers. I personally think a beer should cost five dollars but I understand that this is craft beer that doesn't have the benefit of large manufacturing and distribution channels so I don't mind the extra dollar to help defray the overhead, but the .25 is just really inconvenient and annoying.
All in all, I think American Craft provides a lot of what the neighborhood was lacking and hope it continues doing well. -
Review from Artemis A.
ALLSTON, MA
1/14/2012
been here 3 times. service was so bad last 2 times, I will not be returning. They have an amazing list of craft beers. The food menu is exceptional, slightly on the heavy side. One cool unique thing they have is beer flavored chocolate truffles from seasonal micro brews. Once again the service was so bad I would not recommend.
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Review from Bret C.
6/29/2011
So I understand most establishments that have been here in the past haven't done too well. I thought the Roadhouse was okay - but only went once.
Gave it a shot as American Craft a few days ago - and I liked it a lot! The outdoor seating on Beacon Street is a blast. And the food was unique and pretty solid. Things like the grilled cheese that sound simple were taken up a notch and ended up being very good.
Service was a bit slow - both at the bar before and outside - but this is an easy fix. The basics of the restaurant are great. I'll absolutely be back again. -
Review from Alison Z.
Las Vegas, NV
Updated - 5/31/2011
I used to love this place. But the food has taken a serious turn for the worse, at least on the vegetarian side. I've been there MANY times and tried just about everything I can on the menu. Always disappointing, sometimes downright bad. Which is a shame, because they are clearly trying to offer a lot of options, but can't execute any of them well.
The veggie burger is a mushy mess, the salads and risotto beyond bland. Fries are good, but it's not quite a meal...They need to go back to the drawing board if they want to keep non-meat eaters coming back. Good beer though!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/29/2010
Absolutely LOVE this place. The atmosphere is awesome, there's plenty metered parking nearby and… Read more »
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Review from Margot G.
Boston, MA
1/3/2011
This place is owned by the same people as Publick House and Publick House Provisions. When choosing between Publick House and American Craft provisions, the choice comes down to the ambiance and crowd your looking to hang out with. The beer selection is amazing at both, the service is similarly brilliant, the price tag is similar (though American Craft may be a tiny bit more). The main difference is that American Craft is more of a sit down dinner restaurant that serves excellent pub fare. Generally it's not as long as a wait as Publick House, which is why it gets a one star lead.
I think the best way to think about it is that if you are up for a night out with a bunch of college-age kids, head to Publick House. If you're thinking about dinner and maybe have your parents or colleagues or someone whose conversation you might like to hear, American Craft is your venue!
Drink up! -
Review from Somers K.
Allston-Brighton, MA
Updated - 2/22/2011
I'm not updating based on one experience, but rather many. I always have a good time at American Craft. My parents and I try to go a couple of times a month, and we always leave happy. My boyfriend wonders why we never try something new, but why would we when AC is close by and perfect? The burgers (my fave) are so good, the beer list is the best in town, and the service is excellent. By now, I know several of the staff members, and they always take such good care of us. Most of the staff is very knowledgeable about the beer, so try asking them to help you pair your meal with a beer; it's worth it.
I also have to give a special shout out to a dish I recently had. The special short rib was to die for. Served with haricots verts over mashed potatoes, it was a perfect dish. The meat was so tender, I didn't use my knife once. If you see this, get it! Also, be sure to consider all the specials, as they're almost always great.
Still wish they had their steak tips special, and a dessert menu would be nice, but other than that, American Craft can't be beat.Listed in: Burger Life
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/22/2010
This is one of my favorite haunts in my neighborhood. While it is in some ways similar to its sister… Read more »
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Review from Andrew F.
Waltham, MA
2/28/2011
I went here for a craft beer tweet-up and again with the Brookline Chamber of Commerce.
Great selection of craft beers and spirits.
Really fun, cool, and knowledgeable staff.
Fantastic food.
Everything you'd expect given its relation to The Publick House. This is a must for beer lovers. -
Review from Daniel P.
Boston, MA
2/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
The was made to order...rare, bleeding, mooing...with goat cheese and mushrooms and pesto...OMG
I can't remember which beers I had but they were delicious. Great service, we only waited about two minutes and there were six of us! If I ever finally move to Brookline, this will be a regular thing. -
Review from Margaret L.
Jamaica Plain, MA
5/8/2011
Beer list: excellent.
Whiskey list: excellent.
Service: shit.
Price: Seriously!? The food is good but not *that* good.
Will I go there again? Probably, but just for the beer. -
Review from Brendan D.
Kensington, MD
3/7/2011
(4.5)
I was quite impressed with American Craft. Obviously as the name implies, there is a heavy emphasis on craft beer here in both draft and bottle. A well selected draft list (about 50?) is complemented by the bottle seclection as well. Seemed to be an emphasis on the Northeast area brewers, which makes sense really.
The food is excellent as well. I had the steak frites, and would be hard pressed to order anything else on a return visit. It needed no trimming whatsoever but still posessed a good amount of marbling. It came in a garlic, spice demi glaze which made an excellent dipping sauce for the parmesan, truffle oil frites. Oh yes, they were excellent.
My girlfreind had a grilled cheese which looked to be mostly bread, and not enough cheese. I think she ordered the wrong thing. Another in our party had a short rib sandwich which looked pretty awesome.
Excellent meal and service, would happily return my next trip in the Brookline area. -
Review from Karen C.
Boston, MA
10/22/2010 ROTD 6/10/2011
American Craft makes me SO HOPPY!
IIIIIIIIIIIII LOOOOOOOOVEEEE THIIIIIISSSS PLAAAAAAACEEEEEEE!!!
I love coming here with a big group of friends
I love coming here with a date
I love coming here and sitting at the bar, people watching, alone
I love the mussels
I love the beer
I love the fries
I love the ruben sandwich
I love the pumpkin beer that tastes like a big gingerbread house in my mouth
I love the cute bartender who flirts with me
I love that I can walk home
American Craft, I love everything about you, NO STOUT ABOUT IT! Will you marry me?Listed in: Flex Your Mussels
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Review from Megan S.
12/26/2010
I hesitate to give this place five stars, since really, their slow service deserves three, but vegi burger and awesome beer list deserve 6 stars, so that makes it 5.
First, the beer. Wonderful selection, well described with knowledgeable staff. Come ready to drop some dough on your drinks and love every sip of it.
Second, the vegi burger. It is holy crap AMAZING!! I told my server it was the best vegi burger I've ever had and he said he's a meat eater, but totally orders the vegi burger all the time. How's that for an endorsement? I've since converted many beef burger lovers to this thing. Hand-cut fries are pretty good too.
Hot tip: Coming here on Friday or Saturday? Make a reservation or wait you'll have to wait an hour. -
Review from Kelsey F.
12/19/2010
I live right down the street from American Craft and have walked by a million times so thought it was about time to check it out!
A few friends and I went on a Saturday night at about 7:30. There was about a 25 minute wait but there were open seats at the bar so waited there. They have a huge beer selection just like their sister restuarant, Publick House. As I am not an avid beer drinker I asked the bartender for some suggestions. He definitely knew what he was talking about and steered me in the right direction.
We got seated at a high table in the bar area which was cool. We started with the zuchini fritters which were really good! For my meal I got the turkey burger and I will say I think its one of the best I've ever had! It is seasoned with thyme and some other deliciousness. The hand cut fries were also really good. The portion size of them was a bit over whelming and I definitely left there stuffed!Listed in: Date At Eight
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Review from Dave A.
Wareham, MA
Updated - 12/31/2010
Well, the third time's a charm. We decided to give them another try and had a totally different experience -- very positive. We came in only for drinks this time, and sat at the bar. The bartender was friendly and attentive, and was able to help us with our selections. She offered us a taste of some of the beers before we decided, which was very nice. Overall, I would say it was a 4-5 star experience, so the 3-stars is an average over our 3 times there.
After my last review, the manager e-mailed me and invited us to come back, have a beer, and talk with him. Unforunately, we did not have a chance to do so, but we appreciated his offer nonetheless. The two noticable improvements were the friendliness of the staff and the addition of descriptions of the beverages (beers, bourbons, etc.) which was not there the previous two times. The bartender seemed to be knowledgable about most of the selections as well. I loved their extensive bourbon choices.
We will definitely be back.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/12/2010
We have been to American Craft twice, but have not been happy on either occasion. We sat at the bar… Read more »
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Review from Hilary D.
5/2/2011
I've been to American Craft twice, and I like the atmosphere. I sat at the bar both times, so I can't comment on table service, but the service is a little slow. The bartenders themselves know what they're doing and do their jobs well, but I have to question whose bright idea it was to have only one bartender at the back bar on a Friday night when the place was jam-packed.
As far as their offerings, they have beers galore, which is great for beer drinkers like me. Also, their wine list features many reasonably priced bottles. The food was delicious - I highly recommend the turkey burger. Some places can't handle turkey burgers and serve seasoned hockey pucks on buns, but American Craft's turkey burger is juicy and flavorful.
If you go on a slow night you'll be taken care of well, but if you go when it's crowded, order your second beer as soon as you're halfway through your first. -
Review from Marcus R.
Brookline, MA
10/28/2010
I've been here twice now and I really enjoyed it. It's a welcome addition to a part of town that's dominated by sushi.
On my first visit, my companion and I split the mussels and they were excellent. I always love a big bowl of mussels in spicy broth. I then had the roasted turkey sandwich with bacon and opted for the side salad instead of fries. The bread is thick cut and perfect. The construction and flavors were just what I expected and the light vinaigrette on the salad was perfect. My friend had the grilled teriyaki tofu...no comment.
On my second visit, I had the braised short rib sandwich. My god, it was incredible. I didn't care for the pickled cabbage it was garnished with, but again the side salad was a perfect substitution for the fries. My friend got the same roasted turkey sandwich I had on my last visit and he loved it.
And then the beer... If you're into American-made Belgians, this is your place. If you like American Pale Ales, this is your place. If you like high alcohol content Imperials, this is your place. The only bummer was that they were out of all pumpkin ales on tap. They go quick, so you've got to go frequently to get in on the seasonal action.
Two big TVs in the front bar made for good NFL viewing on a Sunday afternoon. Free wi-fi allowed us to check our fantasy football scores at will. Good times all around.
