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Buckley's Steakhouse
Category: Restaurants Steakhouses Steakhouses [Edit]
438 Daniel Webster HwyMerrimack, NH 03054
(603) 424-0995
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 5 pm - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
41 reviews for Buckley's Steakhouse
Review Highlights
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"...my boyfriend had the cowboy steak, which was quite large..." In 3 reviews -
"...had the special, a black forest cake, and I had pecan pie." In 3 reviews -
"...cozy, great menu and wine list, great waitstaff and great..." In 3 reviews
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41 reviews in English
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Review from Jenn W.
Nashua, NH
5/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Dinner in the tavern is always a treat. On our last visit, when my husband ordered a Belgian ale, a staff member came over to talk to him about beer and recommend a new beer they had just gotten in. My husband and our friend both tried the suggested beer (called Matilda) and enjoyed it.
I ordered a mushroom swiss burger and onion rings. My burger was cooked as I requested--rare, not over done. The onion rings were amazingly light and crisp. I've also had (and love) their sweet potato fries.
I appreciate the knowledgeable staff and the good service, as well as consistently great food. -
Review from Kevin C.
Merrimack, NH
4/9/2012 9 Check-ins Here
I have been a customer of Buckley's since they opened their doors in 2005.
The food, service and staff are the reasons why this is another successful restaurant for Mr. Buckley.
Always greeted by a warm smile, a delicious menu, creative specials, seasonal cocktails and a great wine list, you know you are in for a nice meal when you visit Buckley's.
While I enjoy the tavern, with it's warm feel, the restaurant is nicely decorated and has a rustic feel to it. (the tavern dates to the 1800s)
Form burgers and drinks, to a great steak with an outstanding wine, you cannot go wrong on any menu items.
I would recommend Buckley's. -
Review from cood-n-gus M.
Manchester, NH
1/14/2012
A sigh of relief!
After a disappointing meal at Copper Door in Bedford recently it was suggested we try Buckley's in Merrimack; a place that has been around for a while (2005), and oddly we'd never tried. Boy, are we glad we did! 4 meals, and 4 very, very happy customers.
The restaurant is retrofit into an historic home and features multiple and separated "rooms" for dining, as well as a nice Tavern with a bar and tvs. We had reservations and ate in one of the rooms with 4 tables total.
Two of us had the Buttermilk Chicken, I chose the Buckley's Great Burger, and another had the Beef Tip Stroganoff. It was a toss-up as to who out-ordered who. As a self-proclaimed "burger connoisseur" I am the toughest critic there may be, and as I savored the last bites of Buckley's best I declared I was the winner! Then I tried the chicken, then the Stroganoff ... wow, a tough call. The burger was cooked to perfection, moist, and freshly hand-packed with sirloin from their popular steaks; and the onion rings were phenomenal, crispy and thick. The chicken was done with a nice homestyle buttermilk breading, and the stroganoff a homemade pasta and rich mushroom sauce with quality stew beef.
The service was terrific and highly attentive which included multiple food runners, and timely plate clearing. We will definitely be back!
Of note: The Tavern does not take reservations and has a slightly different menu.Comment from Michael B. of Buckley's Steakhouse 1/14/2012
Glad you enjoyed your visit! Just a note, we do offer our… More » -
Review from loren f.
Bedford, NH
4/18/2012
We went to Buckley's for the first time at the recommendation of a neighbor who told us about the prime rib sandwich, so we ate in the bar.
We started with the home-fried chips and dip (bacon horseradish) and got drinks. The martini my wife got was phenomenal - coconut vodka, hand-squeezed watermelon juice, and maybe one other ingredient... it was called the Paradise Found.
We split the buttermilk fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans, as well as the prime rib sandwich with fries. Both were about as good as they come, and I'd put the fried chicken on par with that at Cotton in Manchester. The prime rib sandwich featured thinly sliced prime rib and tangy sauce, on a New England frankfurter roll. The prime rib melted in my mouth - awesome.
Service was spot on until the end of the meal and the check could have come more quickly, but our server was very friendly and very attentive. -
Review from Sandy V.
New Boston, NH
1/21/2012 2 Check-ins Here
If you want great food, classic New England atmosphere and friendly service Buckley's Steakhouse is the place to go. I have been dining at Buckley's for years. You can choose to sit in the main dining area for a more traditional setting or in the bar area for a more cozy tavern feel. If you sit at the bar know that Karen will remember your name, David will find you a perfectly unique beer and Melissa will make you smile.
My favorite in the restaurant dinner is the filet mignon with the red wine demi-glace. My favorite after work at the bar dinner is the Buckley's Great Burger with a Brooklyn Brown ale. -
Review from Ed H.
Nashua, NH
11/13/2011
A lot of people around southern New Hampshire rave about Buckley's, putting it on the same level as Ruth's Chris. Though I would debate that claim, I went in expecting a great steak but came away not so impressed. The atmosphere inside is warm and exudes an idyllic New England charm. The signature steak at this establishment is the "Cowboy Steak", a bone-in ribeye that is cooked on a wood grill. I got mine medium-rare.
When my dish came out, the steak looked about right for its size/weight and permeated an appetizing aroma. The house marinade is one of the best things about the dish - there just wasn't enough of it slathered on top. As soon as I cut in and saw the meat, I knew this was going to be a good but overall disappointing experience. My steak was definitely overcooked for a medium-rare, with a good chunk of the inside well-done to a grayish color. Personally, I enjoy eating steak when I can fully savor the meat. It's very hard to do this when it has the same texture as rubber.
Other portions of the meat were medium at best, so I have to give Buckley's two stars. Maybe it was left on the grill too long, who knows. This type of mistake can kill a dining experience. -
Review from Lindsay F.
East Merrimack, NH
Updated - 1/18/2012 16 Check-ins Here
I just wanted to add another THANK YOU to those at Buckley's last night, especially Melissa & Tim! We decided to celebrate our 3rd Anniversary at Buckley's, because that is typically our go-to place for special occasions. The staff there was incredible. Everything from our Tempura fried Lobster app, to our meal of a Cowboy Steak for Hubby, Sugar Cured steak for me, and lastly the Chocolate Mousse for dessert, was perfection. Whoever says this place doesn't know a steak, clearly they are the ones with issues. Do us a favor and save the tables for people who appreciate the wonderfulness of Buckley's Great Steaks! Again, thank you all for a lovely evening!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/12/2010
For my husband's homecoming & new job, I decided to treat him out to our favorite restaurant for… Read more »
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Review from Phillip D.
Merrimack, NH
2/12/2012
Very good steak house. The food is well prepared and the menu has some nice options beside steak. Even the hamburger is fantastic. The desserts are also very good - I don't know if they make them on site but we shared three at our table last time and they wer all delicious.
If I have once complaint, the seating is a little u comfortable. The atmosphere is lovely - an old farmhouse and tables are spaced apart nicely. It is just the hard chairs I would like replaced so you can enjoy a leisurely meal.
I have eaten at the restaurant many times and have held several corporate team meals at Buckleys along with client dinners. You won't be disappointed. -
Review from G C.
Nashua, NH
6/1/2011
Buckley's Great Steaks seems like a really nice place at first glance. On weekends, it's packed -- it's definitely a popular spot. The staff are extremely nice and helpful, the atmosphere is a sort of a relaxed elegance, and the food is good.
Honestly? I expected it to be a bit better than it was. Everything was just fine, but it was really nothing spectacular -- and really, with such simple and awesome menu items, I kind of expected it to be really, really delicious. I left feeling a bit underwhelmed. -
Review from Harry H.
Manchester, NH
3/27/2012
Best steak in NH as far as I'm concerned, and probably the best steak I've had in New England. The filet is so tender, I didn't even need to cut it with a knife. The sugar-cured sirloin is delicious as well. The onion rings are freaking fantastic and worth the trip by themselves. They're large and panko-crusted, so extremely crunchy. I would suggest if you get the appetizer order of onion rings, make sure that you have a party of at least 4 because the portion is huge! If there are just two of you, I'd definitely recommend just getting the side order of rings as an appetizer. I think Buckley's is a great value, too, because you get a tasty side included with your steak. This is contrary to a number of steak places where everything is a la carte. Just writing this review has me anticipating my next meal here!
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Review from Jim H.
Nashua, NH
11/3/2011
The best thing about this restaurant is the building, and the comfortable yet upscale atmosphere it provides for a dining experience. The worst thing about this restaurant is that it does not offer a good value compared to other less expensive options in the area.
The steaks are mostly choice grade, wet aged, thicker cuts of grain fed beef, with the two exceptions being one prime boneless NY sirloin and one choice "dry aged" boneless NY sirloin (although they do not dry age it in house and it doesn't taste like dried age beef either). The beef is therefore comparable to many of the Boston area steak houses that offer the same wet aged, choice and prime cuts, yet at a slightly higher price. In this regard, Buckley's is a better value compared to those establishments.
Buckley's tends to cook their thicker bone-in ribeyes better than their boneless steaks. So if you want your boneless NY sirloin cooked medium rare, you may want to order it rare instead. I have ordered this steak medium rare and received a medium to medium well piece of meat that was not cooked to uniform doneness - probably because they did not let the steak sit at room temperature for any considerable length of time before cooking it.
Most of the sides I've tried have been mediocre to fair, but a few were quite bad - their mushy boiled-to-death asparagus being one that comes to mind. Further, they offer the smallest side portions I have ever seen at an expensive steak house. For example, usually steak house sides are so large they can be shared by at least two people, this is not the case here. Also, only one small side and a sauce is included with your meal. So if you like eating both a starch and a vegetable with your steak, plan on spending about $62 for your entre alone. Add in a couple cocktails or glasses of wine, a salad and a dessert and you're up to around $100 per head with tax and tip.
Many of the sauces do not taste homemade to me, especially the hollandaise and béarnaise sauces, which taste like they're straight out of a Knorr packet. I also very much doubt their demi glaces are made from scratch, as I have a hard time believing anyone is making homemade veal/beef stock in that kitchen.
Considering you can replicate this meal at home (with better sides) for about 1/8 the cost or go to one of chain steak houses for a very similar meal at about 1/2 the price, I would steer clear of Buckley's if you are value conscious or like to cook at home. -
Review from Lisa J.
Nashua, NH
10/31/2010
This is one of our favorite "special occasion" places. We went this Saturday night to celebrate the end of some very long weeks at work.
The food is so amazing. Although the steaks are excellent, I could eat a meal just on the appetizer menu and the sides.
We started with the Wagu beef appetizer, 3 oz of the most tender beef we've ever had. We also got the onion ring appetizer - the small basket, and it was more than enough. This place knows its way around an onion ring. Tempura fried! The oysters are also worth mentioning. I didn't order them this time but they're great!
For dinner, my boyfriend had the cowboy steak, which was quite large and flavorful. I got the steak special, the tender, and it was very good. I also got a side of spaetzle, which I love! So good and buttery!
For dessert, my boyfriend had the baked alaska, which was unique in that it wasn't a pie but an individual stack of cake & ice cream and merangue surrounding it. I had the "small bite" of flourless cake with caramel whipped cream. Yum! Very chocolatey and just enough dessert, considering I also had an espresso martini.
For drinks, I had a great merlot by 14 Hands, and an espresso martini that tasted like a mudslide.
Our waitress was really nice and enthusastic. She had great recommendations for the appetizer and drink choices.
The prices are reasonable for a steak house, but we always end up spending more because of the great apps, drinks, and desserts.
An excellent meal!! -
Review from Steve A.
Tyngsboro, MA
2/23/2011
We booked a reservation for Valentine's Day, and were able to get a prime time seating at 7:00.
The first thing I noticed was that even for Valentine's Day, the restaurant didn't seem that busy at all. We were seated immediately - I even felt a little rushed to get to the table. The entire time we were seated, there were empty tables visible. I was surprised that they weren't busier.
The food was really good. You'll note that I didn't say it was ridiculously insane and that I was willing to give up all my worldly possessions for it. The soups we got to start were quite good, but I don't know that they were 200% better than other bisques and soups I've had for half as much money. Now, I will say that the fillet I had and the sugar-cured sirloin my wife had were great - and possibly the best steak I've had. The sides were okay - nothing to sell the farm for, but pretty good potatoes and green beans nevertheless. The dessert was really good, the carrot cake was well presented and had a neat ice cream "frosting" layer. Creative. The chocolate cake they had on special was nothing really special. It was chocolate cake. The end.
The service was good, but not exceptional, and for a steak dinner of almost $200, I tend to expect exceptional service. It didn't feel any better than I've gotten at a moderately priced restaurant. There was nothing WRONG with it, there just wasn't anything that went above and beyond, I guess.
The dining room atmosphere was nice. It had a nice fireplace in the room were were in, and because each dining area is smaller, it makes the whole restaurant feel quaint, though I feel like it's much larger than it appears. I don't remember any music, which is nice, because that means it was at a reasonable volume for dinner.
I think the bottom line is that the food was very, very good, but not particularly special enough to warrant the high price, and coupled with the good, but not great service, I can't give it a four or five star rating.
Before you go saying that I'm some sort of pauper that can't cope with anything more expensive or sophisticated than Applebee's, please know that I don't mind shelling out $600 on a dinner, and have done so repeatedly. You can have value at that price, it's just that each aspect has to be delightful and exemplary. The only part of the evening that I can guarantee was jaw dropping was my beautiful wife across the table from me, and that, blissfully, is free.
We may be back, but we'll be cautious about what we order. Again, the three star rating is a reflection of quality and value. The former is there in droves, but the latter is lacking, I think. -
Review from Beth P.
Merrimack, NH
5/20/2011
Buckely's Steakhouse is our normal go to for special celebrations. We usually get the same items off of the menu. I get the the Wedge salad and my husband gets the Classic Caesar salad both of which have always made with fresh ingredients. We get the same steaks, I get the New York Sirloin and he gets the Cowboy steak. These steaks have always been cooked to perfection, not over seasoned and always serviced warm. The steaks are so tender and juicy but if you choose you can get a side sauce for the sirloin.
We have always had great experiences with the staff as well. Waiters and waitresses are very diligent, through and check in enough to fill up our glass but not so much that they overwhelming.
They have a nice variety for their wine list and I have always enjoyed their selection of red wines. I normally pick my own but a couple of times I have asked their opinions on what to get to compliment my steak and they truly made a great pick!
Over all this is the best steakhouse outside of Boston. Clean, cozy, great menu and wine list, great waitstaff and great quality food. It is a bit pricey but its worth the money to spoil yourself on a great meal! -
Review from Erin S.
Westford, MA
3/10/2012
Great food and atmosphere
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Review from Robert B.
Bedford, NH
11/26/2011
Buckleys is great! Tim the manager goes out of his way to greet and talk to everyone. Karen and David are awesome bartenders who know their wine, and the menus . Try to go here at least once a month.
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Review from Adam F.
Windham, NH
8/1/2011
If you read one of these reviews that says that the steaks were great and the food quality was superior....these are people who don't get out to good restaurants. The quality is far inferior to good steak houses in Boston. I'd even say that Hanover Street Chop House in Manchester makes this place look like an Outback Steakhouse.
Stay away from here if you are looking for a meal that matches the price you are spending. If money is not important to you, you can get an ok steak, but you can get the same quality at one of the chain steakhouses for half the price. -
Review from Ian W.
6/9/2007 1 photo
To celebrate my 300th review, I went out with my buddy and friend (the younger guy) for a Friday night dinner at Buckley's. All of my friends and associates have been raving about Buckley's for having the best steaks in NH, way better than up the street. The food and drinks here are on the pricier side, average entree around $25-$35.
The restaurant and tavern is housed in an old house (early 1800s) with two floors of dining with the tavern (live music) on the first floor with typical colonial decor, framed pictures on the walls, old hardwood floors, and area rugs. The dining tables are covered with white table cloth with linen napkins, silverware, and water glasses. Light background music can be heard. This is a good place to take a date, the right atmosphere.
We had an 8:00 PM reservation and we were seated in an upstairs dining room. A young man came over and offered us Pellegrino ($4.50/liter) and then our server came over to our table with warm bread and butter and explained the food offerings and drinks since it was our first visit. We ordered Grey Goose Martinis ($9 each), beer and soda.
For appetizers, my buddy ordered half dozen raw Oysters on the Half Shell with dipping sauces ($12), sweet and fresh. My friend ordered a Caesar Salad ($7), very good. I had a Chopped Mixed Salad ($8) with mesclun greens, cucumbers, tomato, red onion, chick peas, red pepper & beets all tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette, a great mix. We were also offered fresh ground black pepper on the salads.
For dinner, my buddy had the Slow Roasted 12oz Prime Rib ($24) with au jus and asparagus, which was cooked to his liking (as rare as they can serve it) with little fat to trim. The server even offered to pour the au jus on his Prime Rib. My friend had the 8 oz Filet Mignon ($28) with asparagus with hollandaise, very good. To sample other meats, I had the Buckley's Mixed Grill ($25) marinated wood grilled tenderloin tips, grilled chicken, house made andoulle sausage, rice pilaf, and a half tomato garnish, everything was cooked to perfection and delish!!! I also had a side of spaetzle ($5), which were pan fried and seasoned after boiling.
For desserts, my buddy ordered a Trio of Sorbets (3 small scoops placed into thin sweet cookie shells and drenched in a syrup) with an espresso. My friend had the Chocolate Gateau, very sweet and rich with a cappuccino. I really enjoyed the Bourbon Pecan Pie served hot in small bowl was very sweet with lots of pecans, very flaky crust and topped with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, a great ending to an excellent meal.
Overall, the meal we had was excellent from start to finish. All of the food we ordered was tasty including the great tender cuts of meats. The staff here showed class and were very welcoming. Our server had to go back and forth up and down the stairs between the kitchen/tavern and our table. The service here was very professional and efficient, from the good recommendations given on the food, drinks, & desserts, to the clearing the table of dishes and brushing the small food particles from the table cloth (not much since we were very good!!). We would definitely return here for those special dinners.Listed in: My Favorite Restaurants in…
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Review from Bethany B.
Worcester, MA
7/10/2008
I read all of these reviews before we had dinner last night at Buckley's. Hell, they were the reason that I suggested that we eat here. I was expecting to be "wowed" with my dinner here. It simply didn't happen. Perhaps the heat had gotten to the kitchen staff. I don't know. I usually go into great detail about my dining experiences but I don't even care to this time. I'll just point out some key items.
1) Tips and Shrimp Scampi- tips were tasty and cooked as ordered however scampi needs garlic and there was NONE in this dish. It was also the color of a medium roux -more jambalaya than scampi. Very bland. (This was my dish)
2) no lemon flavor to the Hollandaise at all -- it's a key ingredient and I should be able to taste it
3) Pomme frites are traditionally thinner and crispier than what we were served (but maybe this is their interpretation)
4) Hash browns with bacon bits are not Rosti potatoes
5) French Onion soup was ok but lacked any beefy flavor in the broth whatsoever ( they must have beef bones kickin' around that they could have roasted off and made stock from, right?)
The best part of an expensive dinner out shouldn't be the onion rings. Now I chose not to have wine at this dinner however the red that the server (Melissa, top notch) recommended was loved by Mom and Dad. So my recollection of the meal is not hazy in anyway and I'm not a smoker so my tastebuds are all accounted for. This place didn't cut it last night. Sorry. -
Review from B S.
Kates Corner, MA
10/2/2011
Not my favorite place, but it is convenient. Personally, I would never recommend this restaurant for a special occasion, but it is fine for a quick bite & a couple of martini's in the bar area. But don't order the tenderloin toast it tastes as disgusting as it looks! .
I think it is over priced and completely over rated. And the staff's attitude just annoys me, they act like they are working in an upscale place, humorous actually. -
Review from Jon B.
Nashua, NH
9/11/2011
Tried Buckley's for the first time yesterday...overall, very disappointing experience. We did make a good wine choice, but it went downhill from there. I think we'll stick with either MT's or Surf from now on.
1. French onion soup - arrived with a hair in it...eww
2. NY Sirloin (strip) - ordered medium rare, came medium at best...had a very "charred" flavor to it
3. Side of garlic mashed - just ok
I wil say the service was great from the moment we arrived. However, this does not make up for a horrible $200 meal. -
Review from Evan C.
Washington, DC
10/1/2009
I'll let other people discuss the main dining room in more detail, I'd like to focus more on their tavern. But before I do, I will say that the dining room is as good as any you'll find outside of the very, very best and for almost half the price.
The tavern though, is a hidden gem within this hidden gem. The barroom has a rustic, relaxing warmth and while tables and a fancy bar take up the majority of the space, there is a nice sofa area in the back corner perfect for after-work drinks.
They have a nice selection of seasonal cocktails. They aren't cheap (about $9 each), but they're worth it. My girlfriend had an awesome white sangria that had eldeflower in it that was particularly good.
While you have the option of ordering off their main menu, there is plenty on the tavern menu to get along with. While the items on the menu - burgers, wings, chicken, meatloaf - are things you'll find at most places, they're really a step up here.
I love a good burger and the Buckley's Great Burger ($9) is probably the best I've ever had (excluding In n' Out, but that's a different story). Juicy, smokey, juicy, rich and juicy. Potato roll was a nice touch too, held up to the burger nicely. I used to think that the Barley House in Concord does the best burger in New Hampshire, but this one puts it to shame. I also had the crispiest onion rings ever, a dollar more than fries, but again, worth it.
My girlfriend had almond crusted chicken that came with mashed potatoes, green beans and a cheese sauce that was all delicious. The one knock on it was that the beans felt like a bit of an afterthought. Also, don't worry about portions. She got the half-order size for $11 and still had enough left over for lunch the next day.
As for dessert. She had the special, a black forest cake, and I had pecan pie. Both were good, but didn't live up to the rest of the meal. The best dessert is probably the donuts and coffee creme brulee, easily enough for two people.
Two other important tips:
1 - While the steaks are more expensive ($25-$35), you can ask to share it. The chef will divide the meat just before they send it out. The portions are big enough to be more than satisfied and it saves a bundle.
2 - BE AWARE. We were completely charmed by our waitress and she sold my girlfriend and I on a bottle of wine that they were recommending. Perhaps it was naivety, but we got it. $50 later we weren't necessarily regretting the idea, but we definitely felt taken in. Peruse the wine list and make your own decision based on your own tastes and budget. This goes for the specials in general, the wait staff push them pretty hard.
Long story short, it's a great place. The tavern is about the same price as any half-decent bar/restaurant but the quality is miles better. Burgers are particularly good, drinks are tasty but a bit of a spurge, and service is very friendly. For New Hampshire, this is about as good as it gets.Listed in: Best Burgers in New Hampshire
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Review from Michelle S.
Hubbardston, MA
5/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
We'd been looking for a new steak place to go to when I happened upon Buckley's. It's a nice place and on the night we went, it was the first nice day we'd had in a long stretch so we decided to take some back roads to get there. It was a nice drive which had us arrive at a comfortable atmosphered restaurant. I had a hard time chosing between the menu and one of the specials. There was a sirlion tip pizza appetizer special and a veal medallion atop biscuits and gravy dinner special. Since we'd never been here before, I decided to stick with the menu. We started with the shrimp bruschetta which was jumbo shrimp atop mozzerella topped crostini with a tomato based chutney. The three crostinis were sitting on baby field greens. They were excellent and just the perfect size for an appetizer - not too heavy. I got the 8oz filet au poivre and my partner got the Prime NY Strip with bernaise on the side. We shared the garlic mashed and onion ring sides. My partner's steak was the bomb! It was seared perfectly and to the right temperature and had magnificent flavor. The bernaise was excellent as well - thick and creamy. My first impression of my steak was odd. The waitress requests that you cut into your steak as she's standing there (something I must say I don't like) and as I stabbed into the steak, it appeared to deflate. The tall standing filet simply smooshed down and kind of spread out. I thought for sure it was not cooked to med rare and would be purple but it actually ended up being more like med (over cooked) and the softness was simply the texture of the steak. I'd never had a steak like that. The pepper crust was excellent as was the port demi-glace that surrounded the steak. I did eat the entire steak so it wasn't awful but not super appealing. The garlic mashed were a bit dry but good none-the-less and the onion rings were piping hot, coated in panko and served with a house-made cherry pepper ranch dressing.
For dessert, I got their version of "coffee and doughnuts" which was a huge cup of espresso creme brulee with a side of mini doughnut holes and a cup of whipped cream. It was to die for. My partner got the chocolate mousse and it too was simply fabulous.
I really like Buckley's as it's not pretentious and has good food. We'll be back but I think I'll try a different type of steak next time. In fact, I've already got my eye on the sugar-cured NY Strip! -
Review from Bob P.
Billerica, MA
6/30/2011
Rarely do you find a place that gets everything right.
Their bar is a great place to wait for your whole group to show up. Their bourbon and scotch lists are impressive, and the bartenders are quite knowledgeable about them. The bartenders will also let you sample a whole bunch of wines if you're having trouble picking out a bottle for the table.
The atmosphere in the dining room is upscale without being snooty. You don't have to wear a jacket or tie, but you wouldn't look odd if you did. The waitstaff is similarly formal yet friendly.
The food is fantastic. You start the meal with a basket of bread on the table, and they'll keep refilling it for you, which is dangerous because the honey bread is addicting. Crab cake appetizer was moist and delicious, steak was cooked perfectly to order, and the dessert was great too. The after-dinner coffee is very bold and is served in big bowl-like cups.
I wish the prices were lower so I could go back more often, but it is what it is. -
Review from Melissa W.
Pepperell, MA
3/1/2008
I am a vegetarian and I wanted to go here for my 30th birthday. My partner loves the steaks here. I love the onion rings. They always have a vegetarian pasta on the menu. Definetely pricey, but worth it for special occasions.
Reservations recommended. -
Review from David B.
5/19/2008
After trying the other two restaurants in the owner's triad (Michael Timothy's and Surf) we figured we had to give Buckley's a try. I'm happy to say, they scored three for three!
We've seen the signs for Merrimack from the highway so were curious to check it out, We were surprised that Buckley's is the center of town. Although a nice building, not much to rave about the town. We enjoyed the warm tones of the walls, the cow art and the animal heads...good "steak house" ambiance. The food largely matched the decor, warm, solid and well executed.
After reading other Yelpers reviews of the onion rings, had to try them. My partner had the chopped salad. The onion rings were quite good, especially with the pepper ranch dipping sauce. I enjoyed them but they are not the best I ever had. Also, the portion size was huge...enough for four people. My partner thought the salad was just okay. As expected, they excelled at their hearty slabs o' beef. I had the garlic and coffee rib eye and my partner the teriyaki top sirloin. Both dishes were cooked as we requested and the accompanying sauces were wonderful. The coffee/maple didn't really stand out, but it was still good. Their creamed spinach is fabUlous!
Their desserts are also quite good. My partner had his old stand by, pecan pie, which he declared was excellent. Whatever I had was good, but must not have made a huge impression, because I can't remember what I ordered!
Although it proved a pricey night, we enjoyed the food and ambiance. Micheal Buckley's accomplishments within the dining scene of southern New Hampshire is laudable. So, if you are in the area, get yourself down to the told tavern and have a big ol' slab of tasty beef! -
Review from warren w.
Concord, MA
9/19/2009
I took one of my staffs here for a celebration dinner which included a total I think about 60 people. I had no idea where I was going and until today didn't know it was owned by the group the operates Michael Timothy's in Nashua. So up Daniel Webster I go, my GM Larry had chosen this place as a good spot to celebrate and I was late.
I arrive and am accosted by a former employee and my memory is now so bad that I must have invited her up to the dinner "because I thought she still worked for me and oh no she was terminated for some terrible offense." Well I got out of the situation somehow.
Up I go to the dance room which is from the 1800's when dances were actually held in the rectangular well lit room with a great ambience. Service was impeccable with drinks being raced to the multiple tables and appetizers coming out faster than expected.
I did a very flavorful wedge salad followed by a lobster bisque that was also very good and then some of the best seared tuna in a pepper crust and wasabi sauce that was perfect. My staff nailed steaks of all sizes, cuts and temperature. They ate like cavemen. .....cavewomen. You know it's good when it gets quiet.
I don't remember dessert nor do I participate in these anymore but I do remember the wines being very well chosen and the white being chilled perfectly.
The Tavern which I peaked into on the way in looked very cool and the main restaurant as well. This restaurant group is very good and committed. I've read pricing might be high...I guess by Southern NH standards but not by Boston or elsewhere. Good food and service tends to command top dollar. I recommend this spot and am I fan. -
Review from Dayna B.
Merrimack, NH
11/26/2011
We don't generally eat in, so no comment on the staff or environment. However we love to have take out from there. We always have the burgers and onion rings. Tonight I had the buttermilk chicken sandwich and it was delish. Two in my party had french fries and I was envious.
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Review from Kenta K.
Nashua, NH
9/5/2011
I was treating my father out to a steak dinner for his birthday and we both ordered medium-rare dry aged NY sirloins. Both were cooked just about right, but could have been slightly more rare, but that's not the problem. The meat was bland and extremely tough. At first I thought it was a mistake and I was tempted to send the steaks back, but two steaks that tough? It just didn't seem to make sense so we assumed this is what Buckley's thinks a "Great Steak" should be. We both spent a majority of our evening sawing through our steaks and making jokes about the food. We had to abuse the sauces provided because they were pretty tasteless. My brother's steak, while more tender wasn't cooked as he asked. He'd asked for it to be charred and it came out minus any char what so ever. I think only my mom lucked out and her filet mignon was passable. Moving on, the sides were completely forgettable. I had the creamed spinach which was bland. I also tried a bit of roasted tomato and parmesean risotto from my brother. The risotto was very overcooked and pasty. The only good things about our dinner were the oysters and the bottle of wine we'd ordered. I suppose the atmosphere and service were good however three out of our 4 steaks ordered that night were lacking. I'll never go back to Buckley's. At this point, to get a decent steak I'll have to resort to chains such as Ruth's Chris, but at least I won't have to bring an electric knife with me.
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Review from Cameron W.
Merrimack, NH
7/2/2011
The service was amazing as was the food. The ambiance is perfect for any occasion. Cozy and intimate. I'll be back for sure.
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Review from Laura D.
Manchester, NH
6/12/2011
I had heard great things about Buckley's steakhouse and that may be why I was slightly disappointed in the end.
The waitstaff were very attentive and friendly but the service was very slow between courses (it took about a half hour between aps and main course).
The pear martini was wonderful along with the french onion soup. However, I ordered the 8 oz filet medium, and it came back closer to well done in 75% of the steak. The strange thing was how they managed to cook it so unevenly, I have never had a steak come out like this one did. My date's steak was not cooked correctly either and he ended up with a lot of fat in his filet. It was great that a side came with the steak, as steakhouses are normally a la carte. I had a side of the creamed spinach which was amazing and the parmesan risotto was just okay. The side of potato hash that my date had was horribly dry and tasteless, it was like bad breakfast potatoes.
I know that every cook has rough nights, but the steak didn't seem like the highest quality and the sides were hit and miss. As this was my first impression of the restaurant we will not likely return. I would rather go to one of the chain steakhouses in MA like Flemings, Mortons, etc or even Hanover Street over going back to Buckley's. -
Review from Suzanne G.
Dunstable, MA
11/2/2009
My husband and I called to make reservations for later that Saturday evening and were surprised to get the time of our choosing. That was nice. (It was halloween night, so maybe that accounts for a bit of a lag in people going out to eat.)
Anyway, we had been here before when the place first opened and were moderately impressed, but at that time we were seated near a very loud obnoxious group which had a negative impact on our first experience. But that was not really the fault of the restaurant, so we gave it another try.
We shared the baked oysters appetizer--four lovely oyters wrapped in slivers of prosciuto, served in their shells with a bit white sauce, lemon wedges, parsley. Quite delish.
The bread was really tasty, an assortment of white crusty and some kind of sweet raisiny goodness.
Then dinner: husband had the 8oz filet mignon which he requested rare. It was kind of 'American' rare, not bloody practically raw the way he likes it and the way rare is served in France. Still mooing. when the server came back to ask if it had been cooked to his order, he told her it was actually cooked a bit more than he liked, she offered to take it back, but in the interest of time he said it was okay and he should have ordered it very rare.
I ordered the mixed grill which was a roasted chicken breast with a delcious glaze on the skin, a Greek sausage, and several steak tips. My side was an order of hand-cut fries which were too good. My dinner portion was substantial; I took half of my dinner home.
We had a lovely bottle of Clancy cab shiraz. Perfect.
It was a very good dinner in a relaxing atmosphere. -
Review from Melissa M.
Manchester, NH
1/15/2011
I loved the quality of the meats at Buckley's, as well as the knowledge of the staff. I highly recommend the Prime cut beef, and all the sides were fantastic, too.
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Review from Dave B.
Waltham, MA
5/2/2007
You will not find a better steak anywhere. Expect to pay $30-40 per entree and expect to cry for the cow who sacrificed his life to bring you such joy.
Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Victor G.
Amherst, NH
7/7/2008
A first rate steakhouse which illustrates that quality can be had for a price. The other reviewers covered the experience well. I'll add that there is a nice bar which is most useful for a cocktail before dinner, if one can find a seat. It is quite crowded before dinner. After dinner, the place clears out incongruously. If you want to extend dinner conversation over a cocktail, you'll be the only person there.
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Review from Laurie K.
Amherst, NH
5/7/2010 1 Check-in Here
Three tops. Tim the manager was rude and not accommodating. Food was good and service was great.
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Review from JENNA B.
San Diego, CA
12/9/2008
I'm not much of a steak person, but this place was good! The setting was very intimate and comfortable. The service was great, considering I was with a large group of colleagues and I had high maintenance food critics at our table. The wine selection was wonderful and our waitress recommended the perfect wine to complement our meal. Definitely a must try!
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Review from Louis P.
Peabody, MA
2/7/2010
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
Their food is SOOOO GOOD!!!! Definately worth the price! I love their beet salad... yummy... Their filet is probably one of the "BEST" I've had... I'd say this place is better than most steak houses in Boston... Even if you live in MASSACHUSETTS, it's worth driving up to Merrimack, NH to eat here...
Definately recommend!!!!!!! -
Review from Terry T.
Nashua, NH
6/27/2010
I've been here twice and honestly, it's been mixed.
The first time was a date night out with the wife. I ordered my steak (filet) rare, and ended up with a medium-medium well steak. The waiter agreed it was overcooked but did not offer to get a new steak out, and besides it would have taken too long since my wife's meal was already ready.
For a steak that was overcooked, the filet was very juicy and I ate most of it. For their error we were given a free dessert which unfortunately we did not enjoy (it was too rich and sweet).
From my point of view it's criminal to mis-cook a steak. Perhaps it's due to my time living in Texas but you just don't make those kinds of errors in a steakhouse. Compounded that it was a special night out for us made the whole thing disappointing.
What bumped my review rating up to 3 stars is that I went back there with my local Dads group and had a burger at the bar which was quite tasty, albeit pricey.
I'll try to give the place another shot in a few weeks or so, but it's disappointing to have this sort of experience at a restaurant I was looking forward to going to -
Review from Mrs S.
East Merrimack, NH
8/16/2010
Ok yelpers, we havent been very good about doing our reviews, been A LOT of places lately, but we just had to give you our 5 STAR review of Buckleys!! O.M.G. what a PERFECT dinner. Now keep in mind we came here 2 years ago for Valentine's Day and were left unimpressed, especially for what they charge for a good steak. So it has taken us a while to try it out again. This experience was COMPLETELY different. We wanted to sit in the Tavern area of the restaurant, as I have been wanting to try one of their award winning burgers and just thought it would be a better setting. We got a lovely window seat, water and bread right away, but not just any ole bread, two really tasty kinds, (unsure what) with whipped butter, now I have to say a lot of restaurants seem to like to serve cold butter, that could tear your bread apart before you even eat it, boy do we hate that, so yes I rant just about the whipped butter. Our waitress, Sam (Samantha) was on point with everything. Knew what she was talking about and gave great descriptions/her personal recommendations, unpretentious is always welcomed! We made a selection from the wide variety on the wine list, Snoquamie Riesling, (it was sooooo gooood) she did a great job describing how this would taste also. We both ordered the Buffalo Blue Burger I believe it was called, splash of Buffalo sauce with Blue Cheese, we were worried it might be too spicy, but she said if we could handle just a tinge, then we would like it. BOY did we ever!! It was perfectly cooked, and their hand cut fries sealed the deal. OH WAIT how could I forget our starter, French Onion Soup, HANDS DOWN the BEST Fr. O I have EVER had, with Fontina cheese, not heavy on the onions, just perfect in every single way. We asked to split it, which they gladly accommodated, and it's a good thing we did, as our "split portions" were a good size. Dessert was their Chocolate Moose thingy, YUMMMM again just perfect. Ok, now that I have written an entire chapter, I will quickly end this with a PERFECT 10 OUT OF 10. I even made sure the manager knew what an asset of a waitress he has in Sam, one of the best waitresses we have had in a while. Can not wait to go back
