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Back Bay Social Club
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
867 Boylston St(between Fairfield St & Gloucester St)
Boston, MA 02116
Neighborhood: Back Bay
(617) 247-3200
- Nearest Transit:
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Boylston St Opp Gloucester St (170, 193, 39, 55)
Dalton St @ Boylston St (39, 55)
Ring Rd @ Boylston St (9)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 2 am
Fri 4 pm - 2 am
Sat-Sun 10 am - 2 am
- 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:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
147 reviews for Back Bay Social Club
Review Highlights
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"The sweet caramelized onions and sharp cheddar were a..." In 3 reviews -
"The Frito Misto was perfect and the Social burger (thank..." In 5 reviews -
"Anyway, the real gem was my chicken and waffles." In 7 reviews
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147 reviews in English
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Review from Philip C.
Medford, MA
1/24/2012
Holler at your burger:
Haters gonna hate, lovers gonna love
The Social Burger with smothered onions, sharp cheddar and fries
Definitely is high above
Most other burgers in Boston
It is what it is. The first time I came to BBSC I ordered the burger and as far as I'm concerned there's no reason to order anything else on the menu. It's no secret that this burger is one of the most delicious in this fine city and since it's done so right I need to enjoy it every time. -
Review from Katherine D.
Seattle, WA
4/12/2012
3 visits with wildly different impressions.
The decor is nice, the booths are comfy, and I appreciate the uniforms. Those are concretes that are not changing.
Visit 1: I had an adorable spectacled mustachioed barkeep fix me a delicious and well balanced Final Ward while I played Wing-Lady to my already plastered friend. Started off with very high marks
Visit 2: St. Patrick's Day. I don't like to judge on overwhelmingly busy days, but it was not the crowd or the slow service that irked me. We ordered 2 drinks that came to $14, handed the lady barkeep a $20 and watched her drop our change into the tip jar without hesitation. Maybe that stuff flies with drunken frat boys, but my paramour and I left.
Visit 3: We finally sat for dinner. There were some order snafus that were handled brilliantly. The meatloaf sliders were good, the cheese plate is nice with a great honey, drinks were great. I tried the fabled burger and thought it was more like a meatloaf than a burger. I only ate half and it sat heavy in my stomach like a brick, so much so that I did not take home the remaining portion. It was accompanied by pretty sad fries as well.
I think I'd try it again because the menu looks promising, and I want to find my adorable male barkeep again so I can savor a great green drink.Listed in: Getting spoiled
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Review from Sasha R.
Dartmouth, MA
2/14/2012
Back Bay Social Club? I thought it would be the type of place where I'd have to call people "Buffy" and "Chad" and wear my polo collar turned up. But it's actually a crowded loud restobar where the young and hip come to meet up. Also, it would seem according to the name that they would have New England or Boston food. You know, clam chowder, lobster, baked beans, something like that. But you'll actually find a soul food fusion menu. Waffles and chicken? Grits? Blackened something or other?
The crowd's average age had a bimodal peak: 21-25 and 38 and up, with a gap for those with small children, who don't go to such places.
The service was spotty, but they were apologetic.
Great people watching, too. Little packs of girls and guys on the prowl - I alwasy enjoy that.
A decent experience for a rare night out. -
Review from Jocy C.
Millbrae, CA
2/10/2012
Probably closer to $$$ but the food was good pub grub. A main and glass of wine came out to $45pp.
-Waffle and Chicken was very good as expected, but a unique find in boston
-mussels were normal
-burgers good
nothing phenomenal but good, just slightly over priced. The restaurant had a good laid back vibe that does a nice transition to casual drinks. the checkered floor, dim lighting and slight loud music makes it a great spot for a large crowd, but a little hard to chat with a large group -
Review from Kate L.
Chelsea, MA
Updated - 5/15/2012
This place must be going downhill. It was DEAD on the gorgeous Saturday afternoon we just had. So we snagged a table outside which was nice, right in the sun and surprisingly not loud for its location. Service was ok.. informative about the wine which was tasty. But our chicken cesar salads took an HOUR! All we got was an apology and nothing else! There were also anchovies on the salads which I feel like should be mentioned... and the dressing was fishy! Generous portion and good enough to eat but only b/c we were famished.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/1/2011
People say the menu is limited but I always have a good time here. Never been for dinner but ate… Read more »
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Review from Allegra M.
Milton, MA
1/13/2012
My girlfriends and I went to Back Bay Social Club (BBSC) last Friday night for the first time and had a lot of fun. The bar wasn't very crowded, but I think that was because it was considerably early in the evening. Ambiance is very low key, with low lighting, rich colors, and dark wood throughout. Bartenders and waitstaff wear plaid-stripped shirts, giving the otherwise "old world interior" a bohemian and laid back feeling. This is NOT a college-crowd bar - think more along the lines of the "after-work drinkers" and late-20's to early-40-somthing's having a nice night with friends.
BBSC has a surprisingly nice selection of beers on draught, and some unique vintage cocktails for someone who is living on the edge...or someone in need of a libation with Fernet or Cynar as an ingredient (if you don't know what they are, you may be better off!)
Our bartender, Patrick, was seemed like a character out of a TV sitcom - he had a ton of witty stories and remembered the specifics of our original drink order so that all we had to ask for was "another round."
We didn't have any food, but the menu looks kind of fun ("meat candy" as an appetizer????).
I would definitely go back to BBSC again for a drink or two. I don't think its the kind of place that you could spend the entire night at, but it set a solid tone for our girls night out evening. -
Review from Anne W.
2/6/2012
This place is okay in terms of a bar.. it's crowded.. filled with the same general pushing and shoving you would expect in Boston downtown. No dancing.. it's just too crowded. But.. the best selling point of this place is their delicious cucumber something.. I think the drink is called "ummm.. something." Great strong drink.. unique.. loved it.
In fact all their drinks are strong.. that's why I love this place. Bathrooms are downstairs so hopefully you are not too clumsy when you drink. -
Review from Christine P.
Attleboro, MA
4/1/2012
Had a casual business dinner here and it was ok. The guys all got burgers (which looked phenomenal) but I had to stay away from the red meat and instead got the Lobster Pot Pie. It was definitely good, but nothing that blew me out of the water. I would give it another shot though because the food I did try was good and I'd be interested in trying the burger at some point. Service and atmosphere were just ok, and that impacted rating.
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Review from Paula P.
3/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
The other reviews about this place are pretty accurate- the music is SO loud and it really is more of a bar scene. We had dinner reservations at 8pm on Friday. It was like 200 degrees upstairs and like 60 degrees downstairs. Basically I was sweating through my meal which was terrible. However, the food was fantastic. We had some kind of frito mito appetizer which was so yummy! I had the roasted chicken for dinner and whatever seasonings they are doing for the chicken make the tastebuds in my mouth come alive! The seasonings weren't just on the skin like sometimes happens, but they actually soaked into the chicken breast meat. SO yummy. Hubby had the gumbo which he said was pretty great too.
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Review from Cat S.
Boston, MA
12/19/2011
Came here for a girl's dinner not knowing what to expect (rare, because I'm the biggest menu researcher known to man).
Had a delish fall-inspired cider martini with cinnamon apple chips - extremely good balance of strong/tasty and I'm usually a mixed-drink wimp.
The bread was really good from what I remember, and we also ordered a goat cheese app from the cheese offerings. Can't really go wrong with goat cheese.
Service was great - our waiter was attentive and took time to explain some options that we had questions about. More on the service in a minute...
Wasn't positive on what to get until the recitation of the nightly special - SOLD!
Pan seared cilantro tequila shrimp over chipotle mashed sweet potatoes with a side of bacon braised collard greens. O. M. G. This was AMAZINGGGG. All three of us instantly changed our orders and asked if we could all get the special.
The server came back and said that there were only 2 (!) orders left of the special but that since we were so enthusiastic about it, that he had asked the cook to make an exception...and the cook gave us his portion so that we were all able to have one! Yay.
Anyways, the food was amazing and we all basically licked our plates. I'd highly suggest adding it to the normal menu because it was so delicious. -
Review from Ross R.
Allston-Brighton, MA
12/27/2011
Took my friend Mari out here for her birthday last week. It was a Monday night, we walked in, and it was a half hour wait...Was not expecting that, but I think they had a bunch of big holiday parties dining so wutevs. We grabbed some seats at the bar instead.
Cool vibe. Really dark and mahogany a plenty. They were doing a promo called the 12 Drinks of Christmas. That day was Jameson steeped in strawberry, rhubarb, raspberry etc. simple syrup. It was delicious. We had 4 each and we were drruuunnnnk.
Food time: Instead of getting entrees we opted for 4 different apps. Had the Meatloaf Sliders, Stuffed and Fried Jalapenos, Pork and Pinapple, and Honey Chicken Wings. All were pretty solid, however nothing that wowed me too much.
The bartender was friendly and very attentive, and also entered us into a raffle to win a Jameson snowboard (kewl?). She ended up winning it, which is fun I guess. Weeee.
Definitely worth checking out. Next time i'll have to try the $22 burger. -
Review from Jeff F.
3/25/2012
Can't believe it's been 14 years since I've been in this space. Back Bay Social is a great option for drinks or dinner. Mussels and burger were both solid. I'd definitely come back in here to explore more of the menu.
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Review from Lisa S.
My friends and I came here for brunch last weekend. We had a 12pm reservation, but when we got there it wasn't that crowded, so I don't think the reservation was necessary. We got seated and I ordered 2 fried eggs over easy ($10)- as did one of my friends- and the other ordered an omelet ($12). I ordered an iced tea and we all also ordered mimosas, and the waitress recommended a special mimosa with orange-flavored vodka and all this other stuff. Since I don't believe in messing with a good thing, I opted for the regular mimosa, but one of my friends chose to get the special one. The menu looked tasty and had a variety of things to choose from, and the service was solid- the waitress was quick to refill my iced tea glass every time it was empty.
While we were waiting, they brought us corn bread with butter, which was tasty. Then we got our mimosas, and mine was delicious. However, my friend's special mimosa was basically undrinkable- it tasted like pure sour vodka. We all tried it at the table and we all thought it was disgusting (note: we spent most of our college years doing shots of 99 bananas- so you can imagine what this tasted like). The waitress could tell we hated the drink, so she brought us some extra OJ to mix in it and make it less strong, which helped. The 3 of us all worked on drinking it, but could only finish about half by the end of the meal, at which point it was almost palatable. Moral of the story: stick with regular mimosas.
When our eggs came, my plate looked pretty sad (picture uploaded). I had 2 eggs, which were actually done over medium/hard (pretty much no liquid came out when I cut into them), 4 pieces of bacon, 1 piece of toast, and maybe 1/2-3/4 cup of potatoes. They didn't ask us what kind of toast we wanted, and we were just given wheat toast. I've had double the food for half the price, which tasted better, at most other places I've been to for brunch.
Two of us had mostly finished our brunch, but one of us was still eating when the guy came to clear the plates. He took our plates and then- while my friend was still chewing and holding his fork and knife in his hand- asked him if he was finished with his plate. After my friend said no, the guy cleared most of the rest of the table. This is one of my pet peeves, and I also think it's rude- this meant that my friend now had the only plate at an empty table, and was trying to finish it as quickly as he could because he felt rushed.
Overall for brunch: I'd be back again if I was in the area and someone else suggested it, but overall our meal was fairly forgetful. Pros- great location, good menu, good normal mimosas, quick service, moderately priced. Cons- meh on the actual brunch food, gross special mimosa, overenthusiastic table clearing. -
Review from Matt M.
3/19/2012
If you're going to come here, make sure to order the Social Burger. It may be $22, but its absolutely fantastic. The meat is good quality, but the real twist on the burger here is the caramelized onions, which are reduced almost to a mush and compliment the burger so well. While it looks like the burger does not have much cheese, the amount is just right, as it blends into the onion and meat flavors perfectly to round out the dish. While I don't generally view a hamburger as a piece of culinary art, they do take them to another level at this place.
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Review from Robyn R.
Boston, MA
1/7/2012
Never dined here, but would say that their "bar/lounge" set up sucks. Play some better music, tell your bartenders to not act so "entitled" or busy, because let's be honest - their job is to pour drinks.
If they aren't into it, maybe you should find some better servers. Because ugly/fat/hot/skinny/rich/pretty or trashy..... you need to serve them and give good service.
Otherwise, you're a trend. -
Review from Gonzalo B.
Boston, MA
3/13/2012
Picked this over Towne in the middle of a Saturday afternoonsie. Not too busy, which was fine with us. Waitress was good and smiling and pleasant. Later, in the middle of our meal the hostess and her very flattering outfit stopped by to check how things were. I like that. Had the frito misto (SP?) appetizer, mix of seafood in a creamy and bit spicy sauce, very nice but wish there was a bit more. Felt a lil' bit o chintzy size-wise. It's seafood, it's Boston, get some, give some...
One good reason not to have the much-alluded to $22 smackers burger is if you don't eat meat. That would certainly be a reason. I got the eggplant panini sangwich and it was a pretty good sangwich. Eggplant can be iffy sometimes if'n they leave on the skin or it's bitter or has seeds...this was done right, and had some tangy cheese -goat cheese methinks, and roasted peppers and not bad bread. Said sangwich comes with a side o' salade I'm spellin' it with an 'e' on the end today I know it's wrong, but still. We got us a bag o' fries on the side and it was a pleasant bunch o thin taters piled high in the paper bag. My luncheon pardner had her a caesar salade with some chicken whoa there nelly that's a biggy salade you got there pardner and some decent dressin' she says and was purdy moist and toothesome. Nice wine nice beer nice place nice location - spotless bathrooms as well... -
Review from Ethan M.
Boston, MA
3/11/2012
Not sure why everyone is so hyped up about this place. Its just Vinny Testas and Vinny Ts with even lower lighting.
We reserved a table for a party of five on Friday at 9PM. We arrived on time only for the hostess to tell us that the we would be seated in 10mins. This meant that our table was not even reserved for us. We then had to wait for an hour before we could actually sit down. While waiting I had the God Father drink (I had to explain to the bartender that it was whiskey and Amaretto. This should have been learned in Bartender 101) which cost $13. $13!!! What the hell. During dinner my drink was magically $10. Maybe the top floor is on a different currency than the bottom.
At dinner we had the duck panini for appetizer and for the main course we had the burger, chicken and waffles, chicken gumbo and the steamed muscles. The duck tasted great but we were disappointed with the dinner. First the price of food was insane. The burger and the chicken and waffles were good but not worth the price being charged. The gumbo and muscles in cream sauce were tasteless. We only ate it because we spent a fortune on it.
I suggest stay away and try some of the other places around Boylston St. as there are many better restaurants. This is just a wanna be high class and over priced joint. -
Review from Fred S.
Boston, MA
12/26/2011
Previously we debated between here and Towne across the street for some dinner. As we like to try new places, we went to Back Bay Social Club prior to Christmas for a nice dinner.
If you miss Vinny T's (the old occupant of the space), you'll recognize that not a lot changed. The layout is virtually identical, I think the big lighted sign pointing downstairs was even there before if memory serves.
The food was nothing special. I had the rib eye, my friend had the strip steak on special after she decided this was probably not a place for a one off like the gumbo. The prices are pricey, the cheapest bottle of Pinot Noir on the menu was $47-48.. the prices did not match the experience.
A coworker remarked before we went that she had been there when it was newly opened, and that "maybe it's changed since then" but all in all it was a fairly forgettable evening. The couple next to us each got the burgers which were featured on Phantom Gourmet... still not sure I'd spend $22 on a burger though.
We had a chocolate tart for dessert, again nothing to die for. Won't be in a rush to hurry back, there's better for same/less $ in the area. -
Review from Heath M.
Updated - 8/1/2011
My grandparents were visiting and I wanted to think of someplace they would like, after much deliberation I picked the Back Bay Social Club.
Wow. This place went down the proverbial chute.
First, they changed a very successful menu. They still have old menu items, like the chicken and waffles, as periodic specials. Unfortunately, the chef seems to not only struggle with the new items, but also the old standby items too.
For the starter I ordered the heirloom tomato and grilled olives with naan. Naan should be spongy, buttery and moist but this naan was dry and charred (and don't even get me started on the two miniscule triangles that I got). The heirloom tomatoes would have been OK ... if the cores had been removed.
On the entrees, everyone had the same complaint: All the proteins that hit the table were dry.
Pity we weren't. They had the doors open on a 90-degree day with 98% humidity, overwhelming the HVAC's ability to cool and dehumidify the restaurant. The music was cranked, rendering any dinner conversation impossible (note: if it isn't Friday, you don't need the Friday volume).
On a relatively slow Monday night our entrees took an hour.
Saving grace: the waiter was far more patient than he should ever have been. My grandparents and aunt ran the waiter into the weeds and he was so helpful. Because of that, the BBSC gets to retain one more star -- I was tempted to downgrade to one.
All and all, I'm really afraid this place has jumped the shark in a way so epic it makes Cousin Oliver and everyone on Roseanne's a lesbian seem like cause for optimism. I hope they turn it around, but maybe it's time to put this place in a snow globe and call it quits?1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/12/2011
More than anything, you're looking at a refreshed take on the standard bar and grill format with… Read more »
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Review from Ulli R.
Boston, MA
9/19/2011
Kind of hovering between 2 and 3 stars.
It was all just super average....ok, so let me change it to three.
One thing I noted: Barely any of the appetizer items re easy to share. Come one guys, SOCIAL, right? Salads? No thanks. I went with a group of 6 and I was the only one who thought her meal was good. the $20 burger apparently is NOT worth $20 according to two other members and the monkfish...I won't lie, was so small, I thought it was a joke. I had some good vegetarian pasta dish that worked for me.
Overall "meh". Not going to run there again anytime soon. -
Review from Kyle D.
Wakefield, MA
11/21/2011
Ahhh...the Back Bay Social Club.. the tale of two restaurants...the lost work of Dickens. In my opinion, it isn't very social. This place tries to act cool with the hip old school music and social club interior, but I just did not appreciate the backless barstools that prevented me from hanging my coat, and I thought that was tres uncool.
When I arrived for lunch, a party was leaving and there were only two women there. I orded the mushroom BLT and awaited my meal. I waited over 10 minutes for a simple sandwhich. However, it was very delicious with good bacon and high quality mushrooms on some tasty toasted sourdough bread.
Even though I arrived after the two women, they received their food after I finished my food. They waited well over 20 minutes. When the place was virtually empty. I noticed when the bartender went downstairs to get the food for me and later for the other party, it seems like she spent too much time down there each time. My sandwhich was 11 dollars, with tax and soda it came to 15 even.
Conclusion, this is dual restaurant personality. Inspired sandwhich, uninspired lackluster service. I may go back for that sandwhich sometime, but I won't go back for anything else. Because if you can't deliver a sandwhich on time, you can't deliver anything else on time. Everything else is going to take more time than the sandwhich. One trip a season is enough for me. -
Review from Aaron G.
Boston, MA
12/28/2011
This review is based on a dinner I had here.
I ate here with two friends on a moderately busy Tuesday night. Right from the start, our waiter was pretty attentive; he came over as soon as we were seated and asked for our drink orders. The drinks came back promptly, and my gin and tonic was strong and the lime was actually pretty fresh. Unfortunately, the rest of the night was downhill from there.
Next, our waiter took our food order and promptly disappeared for 15 minutes. When he came back, he interrupted our conversation to tell us he had forgotten what we had ordered. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and assumed he hadn't just wandered off...perhaps the kitchen lost his order?
Anyways, our food arrived. My lobster pot pie seemed reasonably priced at 24$, given that it had a lot of real lobster meat, but the 20$ burger my friend ordered looked less appetizing than a 10$ UBurger.
At this point, though, I can only assume that our waiter signed up for a contest with the other employees to see who could herd their table out the door the fastest. Every five minutes our waiter was popping his head in, asking if we were finished with our drink or plate. My plate is half full and my fork is currently ferrying a piece of lobster to my mouth...do I look like I'm finished eating?
Anyways, I finally gave up and surrendered the remaining 25% of my meal, and the check was deposited instantly on the table. In addition, a lot of the little details were off; subsequent rounds of the same drink arrived in different glasses, water glasses sat empty for much of the meal, and so on.
This might have been understandable (but not excusable) if we had been camping out for a few hours on a busy night, but there were several free tables, plenty of waiters, and we weren't at the restaurant for more than an hour start to finish.
I would still go here for a drink, and our experience certainly wasn't heinous, but I would not a meal here again. -
Review from Christopher M.
Somerville, MA
6/11/2011 ROTD 10/5/2011
Back Bay Social Club- the name conjures images of upper middle class white guys sucking on cigars, sipping over-hyped, over-priced, underwhelming scotch while loosely knotted tied drape lazily over the excess fabric of their shirts. Standing outside staring at the sign, I could already hear the conversations that must take place behind those walls. Conversations that center around the Redsox, Bruins, Patriots, the occasional dip into drunken politics and economics.
My stomach churned.
My heart raced.
I opened the door.
I braced for impact.
I slid past the hostess trying not to make contact with anyone.
I entered the downstairs.
I perused them menu.
I ordered a cocktail.
I took a sip.
I. . . I kinda like this place.
And then the alcohol started kicking in. It started in on me slowly, but five minutes after completion of one drink, I knew I was done. So I sat, staring longingly into my martini glass, pondering the universe. I stuck my tongue in my cheek, scrunched my brow, and nodded . . .
It's not that I stood corrected, I was so enamored with my beverage that the president himself could have sat next to me and I wouldn't have noticed.
But my drink, and overall drink menu were so good that I
just
didn't
notice. -
Review from Dan P.
Chelsea, MA
10/12/2011
Stop 3 on my Best Burgers of Boston tour and this made me ponder.
This burger was amazing. I went durning lunch, a little later in the day and was one of maybe 3 people there that wasn't applying for a job there.
I sat at the bar and ordered the burger. This has to be a tie with the burger I had a Cragie on Main. It was so juicy and the meat was great. You could see and taste the quality. The only thing lacking was the fries.
Don't get me wrong, the fries are good, but not as good as the burger, or fries that I've had at other place. The burger alone is worth the trip. Yes it might be expensive, but trust me when I say, you will not leave disappointed, or hungry after having one. -
Review from Alex B.
Back Bay Social is the perfect place to hang out with friends and "be social". I have been here a few times to grab a glass of wine and some apps. What I have found is that my servers and bartenders have always been super friendly and the food is so yummy.
They have a huge downstairs area that is great for networking events and their patio is a great place to relax and have a drink on a warm summer evening.
The highlights for me have definitely been their truffle butter popcorn ($5), kobe meatball sliders ($8), the candied meat (kielbasa and pineapple) for $9, and their pretzel bread with the beer cheese dip ($8). However, I am very interested to try their doughnut sandwich off their brunch menu and their farm chicken for dinner which I heard was delicious.
I was a little turned off by the fact that there's no overlap on their menu. For example, I couldn't get a salad during snack time (4-5 PM). Also $21 for a burger and fries? No thank you. I will be taking my burger business elsewhere.
While this place does have a few downsides I think it is great that it helps to alleviate some of the grit many Boylston Bars while not being too pretentious. -
Review from Rachel K.
1/15/2012
This place is filled with pretentious people trying to be cooler than they actually are. It's too bad as this is a great location on Boylston, and they did a great job remodeling the previous Vinny T's. They do have a nice assortment of appetizers for late night drinking, and a fairly creative drink menu. Service here has been good, but something about the lay-out of this place is not good for mingling. BBSC has potential but maybe put up a sign saying "NO d-bags allowed."
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Review from M W.
9/5/2011
Great food. Great service (by a particularly handsome waiter...Arvid...who was actually laughed at my silly joke about marrying the meat candy and cheating on it with the Frito Misto ;0)
We just had to try the meat candy (amazing!)....Thanks Phantom Gourmet!
We tried a variety of cheeses: Champlain triple cream (1. Menu typos annoy me and show a lack of attention to detail...let's fix this on the online menu-...this was a beautiful brie which went well with all of the accoutrements (honeycomb, fig jam, raisin bread, etc)
The pungent White Buck was pretty awesomely sharp and funky!
The Mimolette had an interesting toffee finish which kept catching me by surprise. I was pleased.
The Frito Misto was perfect and the Social burger (thank goodness we split it) was to die for...moist, cooked to a perfect medium rare, filling and topped with perfectly caramelized onions and sharp cheese! Washed that down with 2 or 4 glasses of prosecco and I was in heaven!
I am looking forward to returning to try the lighter side of the menu and more great people watching while the weather permits! -
Review from Beth G.
East Watertown, MA
2/8/2012
My first dinner there a few weeks ago was good. The food is fun, spicy enough, moderately priced and convenient to where I work. Waiter was very good. I took a group of 11 last night and they seated us downstairs by the bar and it was so loud that you could barely hear the person sitting next to you. I heard the table of 10 before us walked out it was so loud. During dinner as the bar toned down (just a bit) they turned the music up. I think the restaurant should turn the downstairs into a bar and leave the dining upstairs. I will not hurry back unless it is a quiet week day night. My ears are still ringing!
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Review from Chris C.
5/11/2011
My dinner group reviewed BBSC thusly:
Has a "dimly lit" "basement rec room feel" that didn't deliver on our "high expectations," as smart-phones were needed "to read the menu" at our "Liliputian-sized dining table". On the "somewhat limited" menu, "Bland pan-roasted chicken" and "bloody awful chicken and waffles" were juxtaposed against "terrific" roasted beet salad and "a nice selection of charcuterie". "Attentive enough"service couldn't save us from the overall feeling that "we wont' be back."
Dinner's full comments are below....
"I had high expectations for the BBSC, but have to admit I was disappointed. Although the atmosphere upstairs seemed pleasant, the downstairs was just plain dark, but not in the good, intimate way. It felt more like a basement rec room - a vast space with some stuff thrown into it to make it seem more interesting, and then lights turned down low to hide all of the imperfections. When you see an entire table using their mobile phones to light up the menu just so they can read it, you know there's a problem. Food was adequate, though my pan roasted chicken was bland (or perhaps I am forever spoiled by Hammersley's roast chicken). Service was attentive, however, promptly replacing silverware that was dropped on the floor because a) our place settings were too crowded together, and b) it was too dark to see the silverware and everyone kept accidentally knocking them on to the floor! "
"dark rec room vibe, amd really bland food - I can make better at home! I go out to get better atmosphere and food Than I can make myself- this wasn't it!"
" - Food: 3 - The appitizer was a nice selection of pates but the chicken and waffles was bloody awful, it was smothered in a really sweet BBQ sauce that overpowered everything else
- Service: 4 - Good but not great, the waiter was attentive enough and kind of cute.
- Decor: 3 - I think, I couldn't see anything
- Overall: 2 - wouldn't be rushing to go back but the drinks were good."
"Food was good, service was attentive, but the room itself was way too dark and the restaurant as a whole had no concept tying it all together. There's an opportunity to make it a much better space."
"The menu seemed a tad limited in selections and everyone already said it was dark."
"My food and drink was good but certainly nothing to write home about."
"After the 20 minutes of low lighting eye adjustment, the décor was less than stellar. The table was a bit Lilliputian in size and was not suited for 10 men. I had a roasted beet salad that was terrific and the spring onion ravioli which were quite tasty. Service was well rounded."
And another note from Sluggo: Does anyone else find burgers and sandwiches served on wooden planks or cutting boards disgustingly unhygenic?
FOLLOWUP:
Shortly after this review posted, I got the following note (edited for lenth, but you get the gist) from the marketing manager for the Lyons Group, gotta give them props for followthrough:
"I am sorry that your group didn't have a wonderful time. Please know that we take your feedback very seriously and are working to rectify the issues you pointed out in your review. The fact that you had anything less than wonderful experience is unacceptable to us and I would like invite you back in to try us again. We truly value our guests and I hope you would give us another chance." -
Review from Johnna M.
4/12/2011 ROTD 6/11/2011
I'll be honest, it took me awhile to get behind Team Back Bay Social Club. I've been here a ton and never quite got the hype. That's because I was doing it wrong and approaching it from entirely the wrong angle. It took a killer hangover and a two mile walk to Boylston street for me to finally be hungry and desperate enough to understand the error of my ways and start living life in a whole new light. Take it from me-at a place offering such dishes as The Treatment (chicken, waffles, bacon, eggs), The Donut Sandwich (fried eggs, bacon, and cheddar between TWO DONUTS) and MEAT CANDY (I'll leave this to your imagination), please avoid the egg white spinach scramble or granola and yogurt and go straight for the Big Guy...
The Social Burger.
Served on a wooden platter with a dish of fantastic fries and tangy house made mustard sauce, this burger was cooked (or not cooked) to a beautiful, bloody, medium rare perfection. It's completely no frills with only a little bit of cheddar and grilled onions decorating it, but that is completely fine because the real star here is that glorious grass fed beef. I've always been impressed with their cocktail and Bloody Mary menu but as Jimmy Buffett once said, such a beast can only be appropriately accompanied with a cold draft beer (and their draft list is great too). You can also get the "other burger" (zzz lettuce tomato, weak) but that will clearly make you..lesser than.
The staff, from the hostess to the waiters to the busboys, are extremely attentive, fun, and inexplicably dressed as lumberjacks. However, I must assure you the possibly suggestive comment coming from me when the meal was over clearly only referred to my one true love, the social burger.
"I'd just love to take this big, beautiful, guy home with me!"
I did. (and it was every bit as fantastic three hours later)Listed in: Girl, you fancy.
-
Review from Zach W.
Boston, MA
6/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I like taking dead sea animals and shoving them in my mouth. Then I chew the shit out of 'em and swallow and repeat. Sometimes I mix in dead plant life that has been deep fried. I like to top it off with liquid that has eukaryotic microorganism poop (aka alcohol).
Fortunately, BBSC has all of these things.....Mussels and Fries (Moules Frites) and booze. And, better than just having them, they make them all really tasty.
Moules frites - good mussels, decent sauce but was a little too brothy (wish it was a little thicker and more flavorful). Fries were solid and perfectly crisp.
Booze - solid cocktail program with reasonably knowledgeable bartenders....they don't always measure so some drinks come out a lil too sweet sometimes but they generally do a great job and know their stuff or are willing to ask.
Service - Meh....not horrible, not amazing.....
I'll be back to destroy some more dead sea animals and yeast poop. -
Review from Moo S.
4/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Surprisingly, my casual dinner at their bar was one of the better meals of my Boston trip.
Sat down with a nice glass of vino. Ordered the Kobe beef sliders, which came with a little bowl of tomato soup for dipping. Yay! Anytime you encourage dipping, I'm giving you an automatic A+!
The star of the show was the beet salad. I know what you're thinking - a beet salad at the bar? It was great combo of yellow beets, goat cheese, arugula, and walnuts. Delish and nicely presented too.
I also watched a couple next to me (obviously a first-date arrangement) marvel over "how many napkins the bartender was giving them." I watched the bartender place a napkin (folded into a triangle as a placemat) in front of the guy three times (this was in addition to the regular napkins wrapped around utensils). The first time, the guy put it on his lap. The second time, the guy put it on his right thigh (shifting the first napkin onto his left thigh), the third time, he gave it to the girl (how sweet!) remarking, "They keep giving them to me." Thankfully, by the fourth napkin, he realized that it was supposed to be left on the table. As you can imagine, this was a major exercise in tongue-biting for me.
Service was attentive and friendly and the entertainment factor was a major plus, it being my first dinner in town. -
Review from Jackie H.
Quincy, MA
6/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went here for my birthday dinner with my sisters and a family friend. I've never been to this restaurant before and hadn't really heard much about it, but definitely wanted to try somewhere "new" (well to me).
While waiting for our table we grabbed a few drinks downstairs. While the bartender was nice, the bar was small and there really wasn't a good variety of beer. And! Could you please invest in a dimmer? It was so dark that I had to use my cell phone's flashlight app to look at the menu/wine list. Ridiculous!
The main dining area was nice, didn't feel too crowded, lighting was better thankfully. The food was good, I especially liked the meat candy and the kobe sliders. They were tasty. I'd go back for another try... -
Review from Chris M.
5/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Any bar and grill that throws(hosts) a kentucky derby watch party, gets 5 stars in my book.
I went here for the SBS KY derby party... there were mint juleps flowing. Horses on the TV, and wicked friendly staff and bartenders.
The only thing I didn't like was that i couldn't order a mojito for my friend (who doesn't like bourbon) because they were saving all the mint for the juleps. I dunno, if you got mint use it?
Other than that the service was awesome. Andrew (i think) even put up with my questions and ramblings when we sat down for dinner. He recommended the chicken and waffles, and well, how can you go wrong with fried chicken, belgium waffle, and maple bbq sauce. It was like having fancy hangover food without the hangover (and waffle house).
Good times had by all, and i'll be back. -
Review from Andrew K.
Somerville, MA
5/31/2011
Delicious burger! They use top grade ground meat and cook it to perfection covered with perfectly caramelized cheddar cheese. The fries that are served in a brown paper bag next to it are very tasty as well. I couldn't clear my plate of all the food, because we started the meal with the Rhode Islan Frito Misto which had fried scallops, shrimp, and squid mixed with spicy peppers and garlic. The different flavors worked so well together we devoured the plate and sopped up the excess garlic butter with the complimentary bread.
Well done BBSC I'm excited for my next visit. -
Review from Carlos V.
Boston, MA
1/11/2012
Everyone raves about the burger... and it IS the best one I ever ate. The fries are really good too.
My wife got something else... and it looked/tasted OK... the BURGER and a High Life is the meal of choice at this spot.! -
Review from Bethany F.
Newton, MA
6/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Meat candy: check.
Patio: check.
Decent draft beer: check.
Swanky decor and prohibition-style basement: check.
I went here to grab drinks with a friend and was pleasantly surprised. Awesome location too. Makes me wish I worked in Back Bay and could just stop by after work once in a while.
Can't say much about the food since we only got an app - MEAT CANDY. I don't care who you are, or where you're from, but if you see something on a menu called 'meat candy', you better order it. -
Review from H. G.
Boston, MA
10/26/2011
So I've had the "fancy" burger here. Three different times. It has varied from pretty good to fantastic. The last time I went here though it took forever for it to come out. 30 minutes maybe? When it came, we didn't act annoyed or complain. I'm not big on giving waiters and waitresses a hard time. Anyway, a few minutes later, the hostess comes over and tells us she's comping the burger because of our wait. Customer service like that is rare and deserves to be commended.
-
Review from Anthony C.
Quincy, MA
4/1/2011
My fiancee, having been to Back Bay Social Club before, suggested that we try it one night. We started with some cocktails, and the Rhode Island Style Frito Misto - lightly fried calamari tossed with garlic butter and peppadew peppers. It was quite delicious. The table bread was good as well!
Our server really took great care of us, never letting us go hungry or thirsty, and bringing out hot meals right from the kitchen. She made great recommendations about the menu, and kept replenishing our water and well-made cocktails.
For our main courses, I went with a recommendation to try the The Social Burger, a delicious, juicy burger smothered in grilled onions and sharp cheddar. It came with a heaping helping of fries for $21, a little steep... but the burger is easily one of my favorites. It is quite substantial, and the medium-rare to medium that I requested was dead perfect, seared with more juice inside than expected. A pleasant surprise! She went with the salmon, and enjoyed it very much. Full as we were, we resolved to try the Flourless Chocolate Cake. Delicious as well!
Overall, I think it's slightly overpriced but delicious food. I personally would rather pay a few dollars more for a meal (than it's worth) to be overwhelmed than pay the expected price and be underwhelmed (which is all too common).
As for the fiancee's opinion as a repeat customer? She says it's good food, but a little pricey for the fare. Her main discontent is that she feels that a number of dishes are saltier than expected. -
Review from Heather G.
Boston, MA
2/16/2011
Hype: Ruining Heather G.'s meals since 2005.
Sadly, I fell victim to the hype of the BBSC burger - I went in one night during a blizzard (which blizzard? Never can tell this year) and my date and I were basically the only people in the restaurant. I was not sure if it was because of this that we got such great service, but the waiter was on-his-game the entire evening.
I ordered a martini with extra olives, and the "extra olives" bit came on an additional skewer fashioned to a lemon wedge and balanced intricately on a champagne glass. My shock-and-awe at this olive art was met with the waiter explaining that "the bartenders like to have a little fun". It was cute and clearly a slow night!
For dinner, we started with the pretzel bites (sausage wrapped with pretzel) that are no longer on the menu, but the kitchen will make on request. The sausage did not taste homemade and the chef was heavy on the salt (making these basically inedible unless some of the crystals were brushed off). Post-salt-modification, they were certainly a good choice for a bar-bite to accompany your beer, but I wouldn't order them again pre-dinner to accompany my gin.
I ordered the BBSC burger, which was cooked to my specs (rare) and came out thick and juicy. The bun stood up well to the grease, but the burger was otherwise pretty bland.
The fries are thin-cut and crispy, and come with a tangy, garlicky-lemony aioli which is like crack in a condiment dish.
My date ordered steak frites, which came with the same, delicious fries (easily the best part of the meal, excluding my Hendrick's), but the hollendaise that accompanied the steak was waxy and bland. Though the steak was cooked perfectly to his request, the dish lacked any flair and was also, largely, bland.
***Last night, on a subsequent visit, a friend and i sat at the bar to celebrate her new unemployment. It was, again, a slow night, but the service at the bar was equally stellar to the service I received on the previous visit. Apparently, the staff here is just extremely well-trained. I went back for my tasty, crispy pommes frites and crack-dip, and my friend ordered lightly-fried biegnets with chocolate dipping sauce. Both items were delicious, but let's be honest, you could fry a shoe and I'd love it.
Our food was delayed due to some sort of "kitchen error", so we were comped for our items and received a free glass of prosecco. This was an unnecessary but very impressive move by the staff, and indicated they actually care about making and keeping "regulars". The $20 investment they made in us last night will certainly return them multiples of that in revenue, because I will certainly be back often.
Side-note: the bartenders here are gorgeous. Ladies, if you want someone beautiful to flirt with while you're grabbing drinks with your friends, this is the place.
