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Anthony's Pier 4 Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
140 Northern Ave(at B St)
Boston, MA 02210
Neighborhoods: Waterfront, South Boston
(617) 482-6262
- Nearest Transit:
-
B St @ Seaport Blvd (459)
Seaport Blvd @ World Trade Center Opp. Seaport Htl (4)
Seaport Blvd @ Seaport Hotel (171, 4, 448, 449, 459)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 10 am - 11 pm
Sat-Sun 12 pm - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Touristy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
174 reviews for Anthony's Pier 4 Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Popovers were delicious and the view great." In 33 reviews -
"nice old school atmosphere, right on the water, great views." In 7 reviews -
"The lobster bisque is so yummy." In 23 reviews
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174 reviews in English
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Review from Steven B.
Westford, MA
4/1/2012
Friday night at Anthony's and I had a blast. We went restaurant week and I showed up a bit early. Plenty of free parking and valet service right up next to the door. I walked in and up to a stately bar with a great view over a few tables but out on the water. Dry cold martini - Grey Goose L'organge and some chat with the bar tender past the time quickly.
The gang showed up and we went for restaurant week menu. A thick and rich clam chowder, a calamari and shrimp America over jasmine rice and baked Alaska for $33. The wine menu was fine and found a Stag's Leap Artimis only moderately overpriced.
I have to say the waiters are not young, but attentive and I wished for nothing. Yes, this is not nouveau and it may be that I am a bit older than most yelpers, but I did enjoy the time here and would return in a year or two. -
Review from Eva M.
Boston, MA
3/26/2012
Pro: Location, view, history
Con: Bland & overpriced food, outdated interior, general atmosphere is quite depressing, waitstaff isn't very pleasant
Never coming back here -
Review from Robin S.
Weymouth, MA
5/7/2012
Went here for lunch after going to the ICA. The place is SO dated-- from the waitstaff wardrobe to the serveware. It's funny how nothing has been updated but yet people keep coming back. It almost felt like I was having my last meal aboard the Titanic!
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Review from Linda N.
Quincy, MA
3/29/2012
Honestly I rated 2 stars because one star seems mean. A couple of my friends and I came here for restaurant week to check it out. Well, it was insanely dead inside just as it looks, DEAD! Dislike the vibe and feel of the place all in all. Food was ok. I make better dishes than that...whipped together in 15 mins! Sad to say...
The bus boy kept walking around to see whens the right time to ask if we are done. At one point he reached in ready to grab the plate then half way decided not to take it, Really? I guess he just wanted to finish his shift and go home being it was around 10pm. That's understandable. Idk if I would be back. Maybe summer time when I can seat outside by the watefront. -
Review from Greg G.
Belmont, MA
4/29/2012
Great location right on the water. The lobster roll was one of the best I've had, and I am a frequent visitor of Hampton Beach. They serve popovers that are amazing. If you don't know what a popover is, look it up, nobody can not love these things. It is a nice wide open atmosphere, and a great place to enjoy some goodseafood.
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Review from Rickie F.
Caldwell, NJ
11/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
No. No no no no no. Just--no. Don't eat at this restaurant if your life depends on it. I was there some months ago and i still regret it. I was at the convention center, and a staff member suggested my coworkers and I try this restaurant. If I could go back in time and slap that staff member, I would.
The atmosphere is dark, dank, and cavernous. This giant restaurant was empty but for a few tables at a time when it should have been hopping with dinner service. Do they do better business on weekends when couples go out on dates? I hope not--this restaurant alone is probably responsible for 10% of the divorces in Massachusetts.
The food ranged from uninspired to terrible. My scrod was merely overcooked, while one coworker's shellfish made her actively sick the next day.
The service was terrible--the waiter was either new or in the grips of dementia, because he couldn't properly describe a single item on the menu. I wanted to know which fish on the menu were caught locally, but I had to explain myself at least five times before he understood what I was asking, and I'm still not sure he ever really answered the question.
The kicker came at the end of the meal, when my coworkers ordered coffee and I, a tea drinker, asked for tea. The waiter asked me if Lipton was okay, and I, assuming that was all they carried, said yes. Not three minutes after my cup of hot Lipton was in front of me, another diner at a nearby table ordered tea for himself. That table's waiter promptly returned with a wooden box filled with a dozen bagged tea selections. My eyes bugged out--if they had a tea selection, why didn't I get to pick from it? It's only tea, but combined with the rest of the terrible dining experience, it made me livid.
There are so many restaurants in Boston that are worth your time and money, so please, skip this one. It's just not worth it. -
Review from Matthew H.
Braintree, MA
11/15/2011
First of all - this place IS old, which could be it's charm but instead makes it feel like you're in a crypt.
The staff feels so uptight, rude and downright bunty (take your pick on that one) that you just want to slap them.
The food was above average, provided average takes into account every single restaurant including fast food. If you're just looking to restaurants in this price range than it was a sour disappointment.
I had never been before but heard it was THE place to get seafood for out-of-towners but I can unquestionably say I will never be back unless they change management. -
Review from Hazel P.
Boston, MA
3/22/2012
I ate at this restaurant for Boston Restaurant Week 2012. Dinner is a 3 course meal and so you get the starter of a soup or salad, the main course and then dessert. I was satisfied with my Lobster bisque soup but when it came to my main course meal which I chose the Shrimp & Calamari a l'Americaine served with jasmine rice. It sounds good but it was gross and very SALTY. I think I drank more water than I actually ate my food. It was made in a bean like sauce and the calamari tasted really bad as if they did not clean it before putting it in the sauce. I was not satisfied with my mean and upset I still had to pay for it.
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Review from Fonda T.
Redondo Beach, CA
10/4/2011
After a 5-hour flight, my family and I were excited to try some good seafood in Boston. At the recommendation of an airport attendent, we went to try Anthony's Pier 4. We ended up walking out because we could not believe how rude the FOH wait staff was. We were underdressed for their restaurant ambience (which was nice), but that did not warrant being treated so rudely.
I've worked in the restaurant business for almost a decade, and I've eaten at some amazing places, including the French Laundry. Sometimes the food is worth it, even if the service is subpar. In the case of Anthony's Pier 4, it just wasn't worth it to try. My only hope in writing this review is that management would provide some serious customer service training to their FOH staff. -
Review from Sarah C.
Marlborough, MA
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here with 3 girlfriends during restaurant week. I have never been here and thought it would be a great time to try it.
I ordered the Lobster Bisque, Lobster Casserole and Kahlua chocolate mousse. The bisque was very good but as the other reviewer said it seemed to lack any chunks of lobster. The lobster casserole (which was an additional $10 charge on top of the rest. week price) was very good too with tons of big chunks of lobster. Although the casserole was good it was not much of a casserole to me but more like a corn chowder base with lobster and then baked with cheese on top. It was very watery and hard to eat. The chocolate mousse seemed like something I made at home out of a Jell-O box - very disappointing.
I did take into consideration the other reviewer about the filet mignons being overcooked. I am glad I did not order one because both of the people in my party that ordered them had theirs come out overcooked. If you order a steak medium rare and it comes out cooked well - would not be acceptable to me! My friends didn't seem to mind though and said it was still very tasty. Two of them also ordered the blueberry pie which they said was disappointing. When it came out it looked like it would be a warm pie with ice cream melting on top but it was just a cold pie with melting ice cream.
The waiter we had was probably in his late 60's but seemed to do a fairly good job although towards the end he seemed to be rushing us. We were not in a rush to leave and were just trying to catch up with each other!
I really like that they have their own separate free parking lot. They do have valet for a small fee too but on a Monday night valet is definitely not needed. It was really nice sitting next to the windows and seeing all of the sailboats and other boats passing by.Listed in: Sarah's reviews
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Review from Jes. C.
Albany, NY
9/1/2011
Several in our group were thrilled when the popovers came out, but most of us didn't know what they were. Rest assured, next time they are available we will all be just as happy to see them.
I have no complaints about Anthony's Pier 4. We were a very large group, celebrating the successful end of a grueling week. We were loud and maybe even bordering on obnoxious, but our waiter took it all with good humor. He was helpful and informative when it came to questions about the menu, and all of our food arrived together, fresh and hot and tasty.
The views are very nice, overlooking the harbor, and we all enjoyed watching the various boats coming and going, and speculating on what they might be carrying or where they were headed. The decor is a little overwhelming. Each time I looked at my surroundings, I found something else that caught my eye.
So why not a 5-star review? Because it's tacky. The uniforms are sailor-ish on the men and pilgrim-ish on the women. It seems sort of like the theme restaurant, but it falls short of a fully consistent theme.
But the food is good and the service is top-notch. I have no real complaints and would visit again.... as long as someone else is paying again. -
Review from Liz K.
Brookline, MA
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
The place is so old! it's cool to see the photos of all of the famous people that visited, but it's kind of overkill. Like the previous reviews, the decor is just so outdated. The view is very nice and the staff was friendly. I don't see what they hype about popovers is, I didn't know what they were and they just tasted like bland bread to me.
If you want to feel like you've stepped back in time to a 1970s yacht club, then go here. -
Review from Jaz M.
Back Bay, Boston, MA
10/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went here on a special date with my SO. The menu was overpriced for the quality. I ordered salmon with 2 sides (rice pilaf and potatoes). It's not hard to get a nicely tasting salmon going if you cook it correctly.
The ambiance was nice, but didn't have a feel of a 'private restaurant' but more of a buffet because of its open layout.
My SO ordered the dessert when we ordered our meal knowing that creme brulee takes about 30 minutes to make. This was intentional so our dessert would be ready and not make us have to wait too long. Our waiter did not put in the order at the correct time (sometime half-way through our meal could've been good) he tried to play it off as if we hadn't ordered dessert when we had already specified. Now mind you we'd been sitting there for a good hour. We waited about another 45, I kid you not, the dessert took too long so we asked for the check and left after the waiter insisted it was going to be out right away...yea that's what he said 30 mins ago I told my SO.
The food left much to be desired for and it was overpriced for the quality. Needless to say I rather go elsewhere with my money. -
Review from Susan C.
8/20/2011
This place is a tourist trap, and I definitely would have never tried it but for my friend chose it for her going away dinner. I had thought about going to Anthony's Pier 4 in the past but shied away due to the bad reviews.
Ditto to the reviewer below who said the decor reminds one of the movie Titanic. I liked it though, looked very classic, and the interior view of the ocean is beautiful. This place has a lot of promise (the location is great and plenty of parking), but the quality of the food needs to be addressed by the owners.
The best part of the meal was the bread and popovers. The popovers were hot, eggy, and great with a pat of butter. Sadly, it all went downhill from there.
I ordered off their Restaurant Week menu and got the Shrimp with Couscous salad, the Filet Mignon, and the Blueberry Pie, but I also got to try all of the other items on their RW menu ala my friends. For my salad, it was overcooked and bland. The couscous and the shrimp were all mushy, like they had prepared the salad the morning of or the day before, and it had little to no flavor, i.e. very bland. I tried my friend's bisque, which is supposed to be famous, and it was like drinking straight Roux with a tinge of lobster flavor. There were no lobster chunks in the bisque that I could gather, and just about everyone who ordered the bisque in our party did not like it. I didn't try the chowder, but my friend said it was okay, but also said that it was on par with campbells.
For entrees, my filet was alright. The meat was very tender, and I liked the roasted potatoes and zucchini it came with, but again, the sauce on the steak was very bland. I had to spruce it up on my own with salt and pepper. My friend got the salmon, and it was overcooked. What a waste of salmon, it looked the consistency of canned tuna, and again it was served with another thick and creamy bland sauce. My other friend got the lobster bake, and that was pretty tasty, so I would probably recommend that, but stay away from the salmon unless you like catfood.
I got the blueberry pie for dessert, which again Anthony's is supposed to be famous for. Lets just say supermarket pie is better and leave it at that.
I was $60 poorer when I left and very disappointed.
Gordon Ramsay, if you're reading this, please give Anthony's a restaurant menu makeover ASAP. -
Review from Bill E.
8/11/2011
Went here with a friend that was in town visiting. We were seated right away, the decor is so outdated, and so are the waiters uniforms. We ordered a platter from the raw bar and everything was just fine, the bread came out and we had a pop over and that was pretty good. For my main course I had the Halibut, it needed some seasoning for the sauce and my friend had the scrod and said the sauce also needed some salt.
For dessert we both had souffles, mine was chocolate and pretty good and my friend had gran marnier, but couldn't really taste the gran marnier.
Great view though! -
Review from T W.
Cambridge, MA
7/24/2011
Sorry, Anthony, this place is STRUGGLING compared to the one in Swampscott, MA. We called to make a reservation here only to learn that they had no more 7 30 openings, however on Open Table we saw one -- so book it.
We arrived at around 6 45 to get a drink on the terrace. A nice space with chairs overlooking the water, we ordered our drinks from inside because the bartender who was SUPPOSED to be outside was not there... smoke break perhaps?
After we were seated at our table--a table for 6 made for a table of 4--we were greeted by our nearly 70 year old almost about to drop dead waiter. He hardly spoke English (I think he was Italian) and he was irritated that we were not quick enough with our order. They were also completely out of crab, something they should have told us from the START but failed to mention.
The food was good--I got a gazpacho & salad--however it was sad how factory like the place is. Forks and lobster shell are flying (that is NO JOKE) because they work so fast to bring out heaping plates of food for their tables of 20 filled with obese tourists from Saugus, MA.
Overall, not a fan and have no plans to go back :( Sorry! -
Review from Ediz C.
Brookline, MA
Updated - 8/29/2011
I guess the restaurant now deserves a 2 star rating upgrade since I have the report from the City of Boston's health inspectors findings (note that the change in star rating is not because I have re-visited the restaurant).
For those who doesn't want to read the 2 line report:
"No violations found/no cause for a case"
and a little more description is below:
"Visited establishment and found no evidence of rodents inside or outside of establishment. The chef mentioned to me that the establishment just hired a new extermination company about a 2 weeks ago. There were some holes in the cement near the dumpster and the condenser and the exterminator was due back some time this week to cement and fill these holes."
So I guess I have been having a bad trip and just randomly seeing 4 legged critters in the dining room. But what can one do other than taking the appropriate action to report and hope for an honest report. Nevertheless, thank you to city of Boston for actually sending an inspector for the complaint, and thank you for inspecting the establishment.
And now you can dine with ease: the place is free of rodents according to the report.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/23/2011
Dining with the RATS:
I wish my fist review wasn't on how bad a place was; but I don't think I can… Read more »
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Review from Bim L.
Los Angeles, CA
8/26/2011
I was here after my First Communion, over 30 years ago. Last time I was here was 10 or more years ago. It wasn't Mothers Day - maybe the day before or after - whatever, we were there to celebrate Mothers Day. Myself, my brother, my mom walk in, the place is empty, but the guy seats us in the middle of the restaurant, so I ask if we can have a table by the window. He says he'll go ask.
Ask? The place is empty.
So I say to my mom and bro, "Let's just go to Jimmy's." I guess the guy heard me because he shortly returns with Anthony, who calls me aside and says, "Sir...why don't do you go to Jimmy's." So we did, and we sat by the window and had a fresh, delicious seafood meal. (I had the fried clams.)
Five stars for sending me to the right place for delicious fried clams and for giving me the story to tell about the one time I was bounced from a fancy restaurant by the owner! -
Review from Pitbull D.
Hedgesville, WV
6/26/2011
Came here for a family get together and we had the Lynn Room reserved for the evening.
Clam chowder was excellent. I had non-native but fresh softshell crabs (from MD)...three for the entree. Nicely done.
Some relatives had the prime rib, and it looked superb. Wife had the "medium sized" lobster, and she raved about it being boiled just right.
They have had a lot of celebrity guests over the years and their photos are posted in the main entry. -
Review from Anthony C.
Quincy, MA
2/15/2011
A review on a website similar to Yelp once noted something about this restaurant that I believe is dead on. The reviewer notes: "lots of bucks put down for not enough 'bang' at this place."
Let me start by saying that I will never go back. I would hardly take the time to write a negative review if I didn't feel like my experience was unreasonably awful. I will also note that there are restaurants that have food poisoned guests of mine that I have given two stars in online reviews. With that in mind, one star. Here's why...
The food is overpriced. This is universally true. Look up the menu. There's nothing particularly bold, and the quality (this you'll have to take our word for if you're reading pre-visit) is nothing special. It's not so much that the food is bad... it's just that you could get better food at the Stockyard Restaurant in Brighton, and similar food at any 99 Restaurant... both at a lower price.
The real sin here is the service. When I last visited, I was part of a small group of family members. While I am a younger person and was in dress-casual, I am a discrete, generous tipper with reasonable expectations. The young man on water service got $10 from me just for being exceptionally tactful and careful filling water. However the manager and hosts/hostesses were ignorant and rude.
They refused to sit our party (with elderly guests) because one person hadn't arrived. That was the day of her graduation which took place down the block (as was well known by all local businesses), and she was being held back for some administrative issues. We had to wait outside because it was too busy, and when our last family member arrived we were told we'd missed our reservation because our full party wasn't there at the correct time.
When I grew impatient and tried to follow up after an older family member already gave up, I was met with immense disrespect, literally brushed off to take another customer mid-sentence by a manager and host.
Good thing these employees aren't being compensated to provide customer service. Oh wait...
And like I said, from there on out, it was reasonable service by the waitstaff, and mediocre food. Yes, it has a bit of old-fashioned charm and it sits on the waterfront. But then again, Fort Point is the new hot spot (the "new waterfront" if you will), and some of the classic Boston panache comes across as dated and haggard.
Never again, Pier 4. I can't, in good conscience, ever give you any more of my money. There are just too many other better places to eat both in terms of food quality as well as service. It is my hope that you undergo a drastic shift in on-site management or close and let a better restaurateur move in. -
Review from Anna B.
Manhattan, NY
6/2/2011
MAJOR FAIL!
While this place has a lot of history and the views are great, the food was really just awful. incredibly overpriced and drenched in oil. the lobster bisque was very creamy and tasted burnt. the calamari was chewy and obviously not fresh. The Dover Sole was literally fried in batter and slapped on a plate - 30 bucks? You have to be kidding me. I will never visit or recommend this place to anyone. I am embarrassed to have taken an out of town guest there for a "quintessential Boston experience"....that, it was most certainly not. You can't coast on your reputation if your food is terrible. After a while, the consumer will certainly catch on. -
Review from A J.
Boston, MA
5/9/2011
STAY CLEAR! MEDIOCRE, WAAAY OVERPRICED WITH MAJOR ATTITUDE
amazing views, horrible attitude from the hosts. The attitude from the staff (with the exception of the waitress) was out of hand. This is NOT fine dining anymore guys so get over yourselves. It;s mediocre at best on par with any two star seafood restaurant. When the old man was at the helm it was a different story. All the properties and restaurants were purchased and founded by Anthony who passed away years ago. That entitled attitude will (and obviously is) slowly going to kill Bostons iconic restaurant. Look on the website and you see old black and white photos of movie stars, politicians and great sport figures. Are any of the photos recent? Anthony's WAS a Boston icon built by a respected man who was a consummate gentleman. Those following in his footsteps need to reschool themselves and their staff to learn the lessons of their mentor.
We had a rude host named Robert?? who's hair should have been in a pony tail or under a net. His attitude was that of a 4 year old who lost their lolli, he looked near 60. Take a nicely layed out place that has amazing views on the water looking out on Boston..., why, of all days would it be virtually EMPTY on Mother;s Day? that one fact should speak louder than any review here...
Don't waste your money. You want fine dining? make the trip into the city and go to Troquet, Mistral or even the Summer Shack if you want a perfectly cooked Lobster and steamers (Jasper hasnt lost his touch). You want a great view? take Mom to Top of the Hub, the food is far better than it was 10 years ago. The folks at Anthony's Pier 4 (atleast the Swamscott location) don't give two shits about your business which is clearly evident from the minute you walk through the door.
Sit back and watch this establishment bury itself! -
Review from C R.
Norfolk, MA
2/6/2011
In a word: POPOVERS!
Anthony's Pier 4 is a Boston institution.
This place has been here since the earth cooled. I remember going there as a young kid back in the early 70's; all dressed up after church or for some special celebration. It was fancy back when fancy meant EVERYONE dressed up to go out. There were Cadillacs and Lincolns everywhere. Anthony (the owner) used to have his Jaguars and Ferrari's parked up front. They even had bathroom attendants back then.
Fast forward to 2010. It's more of a museum now - faded pictures of long-dead celebrities line the walls and staircase. The design and most of the decor remains untouched - still that 1950's nautical theme - although they've FINALLY done a few renovations to touch things up. (In the late 80s and 90's the place looked very, very tired.)
The wine list is with out a doubt THE best in Boston. They have one of the biggest and oldest wine cellars in Boston. The menu is traditional and the food is simple but good; prime rib, dover sole, lobster, etc. The menu is and always has been very expensive.
Popovers are a signature staple @ Anthony's: its a hot, freshly baked bread (that resembles a muffin), hard on the outside, warm and almost gooey on the inside. You slice it, stick an entire pat of butter inside, let it melt for a few seconds and then eat it up. This is something that EVERYONE must eat at least once in their lif
Much of the staff has been there for a long time; most are all from the "old" country. (I believe Anthony was a native of Albania and much of his staff come from there). They're a quiet, unpretentious and accommodating staff.
Of all the restaurants in the world - this may not be the best - but is one you must try before you die. -
Review from Brandon Y.
Minneapolis, MN
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Anthony's is one of those "mainstay" Boston establishments that looks and feels like it's been around forever. Turns out this place has. In fact, our server told us he had been there since the late 70's (that's dedication). Despite visits by the pope and Lando carlissian (no joke) I found the food to be a little...blah. I had seared scallops in a lemon caper sauce which came out oily and over cooked. For the price I would have also liked a larger scallop and not the small ones they served me. All in all the atmosphere was great as was the view of the harbor and probably a place to check out whilst in Boston.
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Review from Valerie V.
Boston, MA
6/19/2011
I guess I normally agree with the majority,...but not in this case it would seem. I was here for Father's Day dinner with my future in-laws and fiance and we all had wonderful food and nice service. It was a nice surprise after having seen all the negative Yelp on Pier 4.
We were having a longer meal than we normally would; an appetizer course, a salad course, entrees, and dessert. We had cocktails as well as white wine. We never felt rushed out so that was great. Our server, Andrew, was super attentive and had lots of good recommendations. Some of the food highlights: the clam chowder, the Blue Point oysters, the Halibut entree, the soft shell crabs, and the Baked Alaska. And of course, the popovers!!!
The restaurant has a spectacular view of the city and of the harbor which makes it a great spot the bring tourists or people that don't get into the city often. Is the food innovative or the decor hip? Absolutely not. But all five people in my group really enjoyed the food, cocktails, and overall experience. If you want nice seafood with a great view of the city, Pier 4 is a great spot. -
Review from ali g.
Lexington, MA
7/11/2011
Had a fantastic meal out on the sunny deck on a beautiful July evening. Away from the noise of the local establishments, Anthony's Pier 4 is like stepping into a time warp. In fact, I think the moment you cross the little bridge inside the building you are instantly transported back into the Days of Yore where waiters wore tuxedos and short coats and dining is an art form, not just throwing food into your mouth. My experience was like a dream.
We savored our wine while deciding on an appetizer which we settled on mussels and escargot. While waiting for our appetizer, we appreciated the warm breads and iced butter (so it doesn't melt in the hot sun) along with marinated mushrooms in a marinade so rich with flavor, you need to soak it up with your bread. Halfway through our appetizer, we were treated with piping hot popovers served from a waitress wearing a black 'servers' outfit complete with a dainty white collar.
Watching the sunset and airplanes take off in the distance was a nice background view. There was no screaming children, no annoying background music just a peaceful meal in the company of friends. The nearby tables were close but far enough away where you do not have to listen to their conversations.
Our meals arrived shortly thereafter and certainly met our expectations: Shrimp Scampi, Grilled Swordfish & Lobster Savannah. Just delicious. Everything was cooked to perfection and exactly what we wanted.
Anthony's Pier 4 deserves more respect than it gets these days. However, I will say that it could use a bit of an upgrade with some of it's decor (Not the photographs of famous patrons- those are classic), but perhaps an upgrade on rugs and the little things like that. All in all, an experience and one that will not be forgotten. -
Review from Anne R.
5/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
What do you do in the middle of the day when you're wandering around between the World Trade Pier and ICA? Swing into a bit of history by visiting Anthony's Pier 4. There's definitely a world-gone-by era as you step inside and are greeted by walls covered with previous celebrity visitors photos and servers in red jackets, cuffed shirts, and suit pants. Add the nautical decor with fabrics that may not have been updated since anti-smoking laws were established in Boston, and you have yourself a "classic."
We didn't go for the full sit down meal- just opted for a drink at the bar. After our drinks were served, we were given some classic Ritz Crackers & Spreadable Cheese in ample supply- a nice little gesture to accompany a drink at the bar. The drinks were strong and pricey, but well balanced and they offer the hard to find and fragrant Absolut Boston vodka. The bartender was friendly and may have only known the words "Thank You", but that was enough for a pleasant experience. The clam chowder is some of the best I've had in Boston- not too thick or thin and full of flavor but not overly salted.
Our little two drink and one shared chowder lunch ended up being around $30 with tip. Hey- someone has to pay for all those red jackets to get dry cleaned! -
Review from Ellie W.
3/20/2011
There's a reason everyone compares this to sitting in a dining room of the Titanic (well, maybe AFTER it sank). It may as well be--this place reminds me of visiting an ELDERLY HOME, only with food. The decor desperately needs a tune up. It's an old restaurant with lots of history, but the aged carpet and creaky wooden floors shouldn't be part of it.
We were seated promptly upon arrival, which was no surprise, seeing as how the dining room was only a quarter full. I think I felt the souls of people who dined here and would never return.
I expected a nice basket of warm bread as we waited for our food, but we had to ask several times before they brought us bread (AFTER our first course was served, whatttt?). We all groaned and held our loud grumbling stomachs for 20 minutes. REAL SEXY.
The lobster bisque and filet were ok, but the ambiance was really lacking. It took me awhile to pinpoint what was so odd, but I finally figured it out--there's no music at all, so all you hear is the sound of forks and knives clanging against porcelain plates, and it sounds like a cafeteria.
Where Anthony's could be one of those nostalgic and classic "old Boston"-type restaurants, it instead comes off musty and out of touch. I wouldn't want to take any friends here--the food isn't good enough to justify the old folks' home-feel of it.... -
Review from EricaLynn J.
Oaklyn, NJ
8/25/2010
Walking into Anthony's Pier 4 is like walking into a scene from a time where none of us reading this were even twinkles in our parents' eyes. It's borderline amusing, to be honest. And because it's also a huge place, you can't get away from the bizarre. Everywhere you look, everywhere you turn, something will catch your eye that makes you wonder how you got there mere steps from modern day Seaport area Boston.
I highly suggest that if you are even just slightly a fan of lobster bisque to please please please order the lobster bisque at Anthony's. I was actually hesitant to try it because of all the hype surrounding it (served to Presidents at inaugurations, winner of various awards, all that jazz) because what can live up to such fanfare? This stuff. I was so pleasantly and ecstatically wrong to doubt it at any point and in any way.
I'll tell you exactly how good it was: I left some over. And for me, that is the first indication that it has completely won me over. It was almost as if it was so delicious that I never want it to be done. And finally as my meal came out - and then my dessert - I had to let it go. But not without falling in love with it a little.
My entree - a shrimp and scallop bake with corn and tomatoes, was also exquisite and every bite better than the last. Everything was prepared well, though I was a bit taken aback by the fact that my meal was over within a half hour. Three courses. And everything was out rapidly, so much so that I felt that the waitstaff was almost trying to usher us out as quickly as they could to accommodate a ton of people.
The views at Anthony's are top-notch, but only if you get to sit by the windows! That's only about 10% of the restaurant, so it's not really guaranteed that you'll get a good spot. Most likely you will be at a table that is practically on top of other diners.... but people watching is part of the experience, so I don't think you'll mind. -
Review from Mike B.
Washington, DC
4/12/2011
Accentuate the positive!
Anthony's former executive chef, Larry Welch, was recruited by Clyde's of Tyson's Corner, VA, back in 1980, to help open one of DC's first, and still very successful, high-end restaurants. I can now see why...
Yes, this IS a time-warp dining experience taking one back to an early 1960s glam wharf-style restaurant. The decor, staff uniforms, menu and service is certainly old-school which carries a comfortable and nostalgic air.
Be sure to get an order of hot popovers (aka Yorkshire pudding without the beef drippings) with your meal.
The rich clear-broth fish chowder is excellent. The lobster roll was fresh and creamy but bland. Desserts are worth considering.
Older Boston folks still hold this place near and dear. -
Review from Andrew H.
South San Francisco, CA
11/3/2010 1 photo
The wife and I are visiting from California. I'm glad we were recommended this place. The decor was fun, not fancy. The pictures of previous famous guests were also very fun to peruse.
Pop over bread and marinated mushrooms come with the table. Both were very tasty.
I had clam chowda, medium lobster with potato, pumpkin pie for dessert, gin/tonic and pinot grigio for drinks.
Wifey had pellegrino water, watercress salad, scallops, cauliflower, coffee. Total damage with tip, $165.
I would come back if visiting again. -
Review from Gee T.
4/17/2011
Other than the fact that half the restaurant was over 80, this was a cool place. You can imagine the Kennedys et al hanging out here in the 60's. It needs a good paint job and you have to feel for the employess that wear the ridiculous costumes but otherwise, it was pretty good.
We were a table of 8.
8 apps, no complaints.
8 main dishes, only one complaint and that was from a French chef complaining about his bouillabaisse soup. I wouldn't eat that if you paid me so I'll take his word for it that it wasn't up to par. I will say though that my roast beef was 9.8 out of 10 and the guy next to me said his halibut was an 11 on 10, best piece of fish he ever had. The rest of the plates were varied but no complaints other than Frenchy.
4 desserts, all good.
It was Saturday night, the place must sit at least 600 people and it was jam packed. I know, I know, tourist trap and all that but that many tourists????
I would certainly go here again and I probably will when I'm in Boston again in a few weeks.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
ps Order a large beer as my semi-alcoholic friend did at the table. I won't tell you the rest but just do. it's worth watching the reaction from all the tables around you. -
Review from Nicole K.
Quincy, MA
8/27/2011 1 photo
I was sorry to see Anthony's get dogged so badly on some of these reviews! Thankfully I didn't read them before I got there. I went for the first time during Restaurant Week with my in-laws from NH because they wanted seafood for lunch. I looked up their menu for restaurant week and it looked fab so I booked a table for us. I ordered the Caesar Salad, the Lobster roll, and Blueberry pie for dessert. The Lobster roll was very meaty and the Blueberry Pie brought me to tears because it reminded me of my grandmother's homemade pie. They definitely didn't skimp on the meals due to restaurant week...the portions were huge! I thought our waiter was very attentive but let us relax throughout our meal. Anthony's has old school decor but that's what gives it character! We left happy and full...and my in-laws were impressed. 'Nuff said :)
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Review from Amy D.
Framingham, MA
9/12/2011
9/11/11
Had an amazing dinner at Anthony's tonight, it has been so long since our family has had an outing there. Very expensive but well worth the food and service! Our waiter was wonderful, very engaging, happy to answer our questions, and kept up with our family full of wise-asses. The food was delicious, came out in a timely manner, and it was HOT! The popovers were smokin hot and delicious as ever. The restaurant was quite empty, which is a shame, everyone should come back to Anthony's for a special evening out if it's in your budget. Sit out on the side patio and have a drink before you eat, very pleasant to watch a sunset over Boston. -
Review from Bassel A.
Boston, MA
4/11/2011
Might be the worst restaurant I have been to.
Service - So bad. SO BAD! First time in my life I did not tip the waiter. I have gotten bad service in the past and I always still tip because the waiter could be having a bad day. This place was pathetic.
I can't say enough about our waiter and how awful he was.
Also they were changing the cloth on the table next to us and they fanned the cloth material and all the cotton debris went into our food and hair. It was so gross. The busboy did apologize but still, talk about a stupid rookie mistake.
The food was very blah. I would never go back here again. -
Review from Heather B.
Cambridge, MA
1/22/2012
Anthony's Pier 4 is the perfect candidate for Robert Irvine's Restaurant Impossible. Be prepared to experience a serious time warp when you enter this place, want to go back to 1980 and pay 2012 prices? Come here for dinner. I was in the area with a friend and we wanted some seafood and thought to give this place a whirl. Bad decision. The decor is 1980 and the food is average, quite possibly the same menu from 1980-1990. I had the leek and potato soup with crispy (read: burned) leeks as a garnish and we shared the crab cake entree. The soup was average and the crispy leeks were disgusting. The crab cakes were hefty with crab and the mayo was good but not spectacular and definitely NOT worth $29.95 (for two cakes!!). This place is way overpriced, the service is good but stuffy, red and white tuxedo jackets on the men and formal black and white outfits on the women. I'm surprised that we were allowed in the restaurant dressed in jeans and snow boots. But then again, there were only two other people the massive dining room!!
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Review from Lubs Y.
San Jose, CA
2/11/2011
This place is old school fancy schmancy...like someone else mentioned in their review, I felt like I was sitting in the dining room of the Titanic. The servers are dressed up, complete with bow ties. There's even a lady in a old maid-like outfit with a basket of popovers, serving them one by one to each guest.
The restaurant is huge and has some great views of the water. The food is pretty mediocre though, which probably explains why it wasn't so busy on a Friday night. I ordered the lobster casserole, which was extremely creamy and heavy. The sauce overpowered the lobster and there was too much pasta as well. I took home the leftovers, but never ended up eating it. -
Review from DJ M.
Feasterville-Trevose, PA
5/5/2008 4 photos
The parking lot is huge and I mean huge. The restaurant, at the end of this huge lot, is huge. Let's face it, everything about Anthony's is huge!
Most everyone mentioned the huge gallery of celebrities photos adorning the walls, what they did not mention is those celebrities dined at Anthony's Pier 4! I have dined there many times and saw many celebrities. I once remember Peter Falk ( Columbo ) coming in and the owner instructed the waiters to bring him all kinds of food and he turned it down, wanting to order his own, perhaps? But, it is obviously a big deal to them and therefore the pics on the walls.
No one mentioned the huge lobster tank as you walk in. If you order one, they ask what approximate size you want, then they bring it to the table and ask how you would like it prepared and then it goes to the kitchen.
You might frown at the prices a bit, but they are not so huge when you take into account the setting and beautiful harbor views. The bar is set up very nicely, it is up one step and surrounded by floor length windows, as is the restaurant ( or should I say, the main restaurant, because there are many more rooms upstairs). Back to the bar, where not only can you feel very comfortable waiting for your table, but they have a raw bar set up, as well!
I love their food! I do, I do. Yes, the popovers are huge and hot and you open one up, put a pat of butter in it, close it up and gently shake it and voilà .. HEAVEN is in your hand!
The Newburg is one of the best you can find..excuse me, can you even find a good Newburg these days?
I highly recommend the lobster bisque, the clam chowder ( it is not the best I have ever had, but darn close ), the baked clams, escargots, oysters Rockefeller are outstanding, They are known for their Bouillabaisse and the creamy fish chowder, which has local cod and sole with potatoes, onions, celery and fish broth.
The lobster Savannah is fabulous, as are the lobster Newburg and the stuffed lobster. They also have a clam bake with lobster, shrimp, clams and mussels. The Finnan & Haddie is smoked and so very delicious and where on earth can you get it but here, where?
A lot of the food is prepared or finished off table side, like the Dover Sole which is so moist and flaky. They de-bone it and filet it for you right in front of your eyes.
It's not all about the seafood, they have six different salads, steak frites, veal chops, rack of lamb, filet mignon and three sizes and types of a NY strip. The sides are fairly typical of what you would find in a good steak house like asparagus with hollandaise, but the ratatouille provencale has me in love.
Let's talk about the service. I have noticed two things, they have two teams, one is a front server and one is a back server. How can you be lacking service when they are reinforcing it? I have never had poor service here or wanted for anything.
When in Boston, go to Anthony's Pier 4, you won't regret it! As for me, I am a huge fan!!
The restaurant is wheelchair accessible. -
Review from Jeffrey H.
Washington, DC
9/11/2009
Following an afternoon of fanny pack tourism with one of my many ladies, we decided to stroll into Anthony's Pier 4 for an early dinner. There was about an hour long wait in the restaurant, no surprise since thousands of people had flocked to the waterfront for the Tall Ships event, so we kept ourselves busy by browsing the endless amount of celebrity photos/autographs littering the walls.
Eventually we were seated outside on the deck which had a gorgeous view of the water, city, and boats passing by. The space itself is rather dated - I felt like I was "Baby" at the country club in "Dirty Dancing." From the tacky waiter tuxedos to the wood panelling and 1970's "sun room" style furniture, this place was in desperate need of an upgrade.
The food prices were steep, so I sampled a couple small items off the menu. Clam Chowder, a side salad, and onion rings. Oh, and a rum and diet coke. Hoi. The Clam Chowder was average, the side salad was hotel buffet-ish, and the onion rings were greasy and crumbly. Eventually I was just eating hot onion slices as the fried essence would simply crumble back onto the plate - almost easier to eat with a spoon?
Overall the food was somewhat of a disaster - although I will say enjoyed the complimentary bread...woo.friggin.hoo. Judging by the bill at the end of the meal, it is safe to assume we were paying for the view and not so much the meal. It is also safe to assume that I would never go back. -
Review from Julie R.
Marlborough, MA
8/18/2011
I went here for restaurant week. When we walked in, I asked if we could sit outside. We were told "they were not seating outside". It was a beautiful warm summer night. What a waste. We were brought into the dining room which reminded me of the movie Titatanic. The waitstaff in their snazzy "boat cruise" attire were all buzzing around which made me nervous. The tables are very close together so there was a lot of bumping into things, and people when we were trying to get the heck out of there.
The food was not so great. The lobster bisque was very, very salty. They state it was served at 3 presidential inagurations. Im guessing those presidents had very high blood pressure after eating this.
I ordered salmon that came with peas and red bliss potatos. Nothing impressive as I could have made this at home. The peas were pretty good, though it is hard to screw up peas. I got the chocolate mousse for dessert. Yeah, nothing to write home about.
I am sad that I wasted a restaurant week opportunity on this restaurant.
