On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Win Roadhouse gift certificates or other great prizes…
Announced 1 week agoTappan Street (Green)
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Fri. 4:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
"The food here is Smooooken.. I needed a place to take my best friend, in town from Ohio, and her husband too. They love Southern cooking so…" read more »
Loading...
Their braised ribs were so reminiscent of the Publick House's ribs, it brought the shimmer of a tear to my eye. FINALLY! THEY'RE BACK! They're saucy and sweet, and the meat is falling off the bone. Way too much for even 2 people to finish.
The bartenders are still brusque, and the service less than perfunctory. My buddy asked for a re-pour since the bartender had used a hot glass, and we all know that a hot glass + cold beer = warm beer. When the bartender did it again the second time, he just shrugged and gave up. Meh.
I wonder if they do take out? Food without attitude might make all the difference.
Considering the overall appeal and success of Publick House - I was excited to head to Roadhouse when it opened. My first mistake was thinking it was a BBQ joint...my second mistake was sticking around.
We sat at the bar since there were no available tables...which is totally fine. The beer list is impressive (though not as substantial as Publick House). The bar is probably the most poorly constructed thing I've ever seen. It couldn't have been more than 1 1/2 feet wide. The two bartenders working it couldn't move around each other unless one bent over backwards to let the other pass. It was ridiculous to watch and I can imagine it gets cramped and uncomfortable. Anyway - said bartender sidles on over and I order a brew and we decide to start with some onion rings. Very fast, onion rings and beer are in front of us and we dig in. Here is my recollection of ordering my entree:
Bartender: What can I get ya?
Me: I'll have the Cajun Fried Chicken.
Bartender: We're out of chicken.
Me: How can you be out of chicken?
Bartender: Sorry. We're out.
Me: Fine. I'll have a burger.
1 hour later...eating cold onion rings and nursing my 2nd beer...I still haven't gotten said burger. Everyone else at the bar got there's - and one couple even ordered, ate, and left after arriving 20 minutes after us. My friend flags the bartender: "Um, it's been an hour, where's our food"...and the bartender says "oh, you have been sitting here awhile, huh?" What? Seriously? No sh*it, Sherlock! Bartender comes back..."the kitchen lost your ticket. Your food will be out shortly."
Did I believe him for a second? No. He forgot to put our order in. Dammit. First I didn't get my chicken. Now, I have to wait another 20 minutes for a burger I didn't really want in the first place!? I shouldn't have stuck around...but I did. My friend's ribs were dry...my burger was mediocre. The only saving grace here is the beer - so save yourself a few bucks and just sit at the bar for a brew.
People thought this was:
.awful.
.great beer selection.
.awful awful food.
Besides the fact that they no longer have smoked bbq ribs, hence Brookline boycotting the smoker (??) I guess that's Brookline for you, not sure how a town can petition to remove a smoker from a restaurant but I do know this place won't last on the quality of food they are serving.
Went for a birthday gathering for around 13 people on Sunday, bill total: $500+ Was it worth it? Hell NO. Do not order the chicken tortilla soup, there are pieces of "chicken" in there that look like animal intestines, I kid not! And the "bowl" of soup for $7.99 was more like a cup of soup. The "steak" tacos looked like pieces of kibble 'n bits in a taco shell with some lettuce and a few other toppings to disguise the "steak". Honestly, you can get better quality steak tacos at Taco Bell, and I don't even promote fast food chains.
Publick House = yes!
Roadhouse = NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
People thought this was:
I had high hopes for this sister restaurant of the Publick House, but what I got was a terrible disappointment. While my review should be tempered by the fact that it is new, it none the less, has a long way to go. The only thing that spared it a single star was the beer selection. Otherwise my trip was an overpriced exercise in how not to run a restaurant.
The service was less than attentive and when I did receive it, it was only to let me know that my first choice in meals was out. Then minutes later I had to learn that my second choice was not done and wouldn't be for another hour. So I settled on a disappointing third choice and should have sent it back.
The menu is BBQ but its less than inspired and pricier than one would expect for such comfort food. I would recommend this place only if you can't find a seat at the Publick House for a drink, otherwise visit one of the many other BBQ restaurants around the city for a much better meal.
This restaurant used to be great when they had the smoker. I was thrilled to have really good bbq in the area. Since the menu change, however, I've been incredibly disappointed. I had the enchiladas, and they were terrible. The "mexican rice" was just smushy white rice with some kind of red sauce drizzled on top, the refried beans weren't very good, and the enchilada itself was weird and flavorless. Such a disappointment.
The bar is just as good as always, so I'll go back to the bar, but I won't be ordering food again unless the old menu comes back. :(
I actually generally like this place as a bar... it's never too crowded (looking at you, Publick House) and has a fantastic beer selection (Scrumpy's Cider will change your life, trust me) plus a generally chill, casual vibe to it which I dig. Living nearby, we've frequented it often for drinks and have been perfectly satisfied meeting up with friends and catching up over some good beers.
However, I haven't had the food since it first opened so I can't comment on the restaurant portion (friends I've been with have though, and each hasn't been totally disappointed but not totally thrilled either). I did have the pulled pork way back when Roadhouse first opened and wasn't a fan, but that was a long time ago, pre-smoker departure so I'm not sure it can even still apply. Not really planning on trying the food either based on the reviews here (and the plethora of other good restaurants in the area... why Roadhouse does not have the same delicious food as Publick House, the world will never know), but will definitely continue to frequent the bar.
I am not sure A-OK fits but two stars is too harsh. The first time I ate here I was not impressed. Friday night (BC parents weekend, everyplace is packed and a complete zoo) we ended up at the Roadhouse figuring it was the least likely to be packed. Good assumption but it does say something about the place. It appears however they have improved their operations since my first review.
Beer is king here, they are very stingy with their drinks. A martini here barely qualifies as a drink and a not very good one at that. Stick to the brews; you will be much happier.
Food is decent and service was both quick and efficient. The menu is not really a BBQ menu but more a collection of pub type dishes with a few BBQ like dishes tossed in to the mix. If other places are packed or you are simply too lazy or pressed for time to look for another place to eat, the Roadhouse works. Just don't expect too much. And be prepared for the bill. Food prices here are no deal.
Stopped in Saturday after walking to City Side and finding it is still closed for renovation. My… Read more »
Besides my wife eating plastic and getting cut on a broken glass... the Onion Rings are great.
I'd only go back for drinks and onion rings. Just make sure to check your glass first.
The first thing to know about Roadhouse is that it's not your traditional BBQ place. I was actually hoping for that, something new along the lines of Blue Ribbon and Redbones, but Roadhouse is much more a mixed menu of BBQ influenced Mexican and Cajun. That's not a bad thing, it's just not what I was looking for. And, selfishly, I was looking for the Publick people to tempt me with another BBQ-done-right option in the Boston area, since I feel like there are so few.
I like the interior; it's very open with lots of TVs for sports, but it feels comforting and not crowded or sports bar-ish. The patio is nice too, and they have a pretty separate and big bar area.
The service was VERY good. Our waiter was really friendly and stayed pretty close by to our table to take care of us. Granted it wasn't particularly busy when we were there (7pm on a Friday...that was a little suspicious), but I don't imagine the quality goes down much from that.
The menu is huge so I think ratings couple probably easily go up or down from mine depending on what is ordered, but our food was fine. It wasn't impressive and it wasn't bad. I had the pulled pork sandwich and my friend had the jumbalaya. I love that they give you the choice of sweet potato fries for no extra charge. They were yummy; again, not the best, not the worst. The pulled pork sandwich was good - the bun was not soggy, though I think the sandwich could have used a little extra flavor/sauce. The jumbalaya was fine (sensing a trend?) but I thought the spice was overpowering. It's not that it was too spicy (i like hot food) but I could only actually taste the flavor of the dish for 3 or 4 seconds before my mouth was overcome with spiciness. I think there's a better way to balance spicy food than this dish.
So Roadhouse is fine. If you're in the area, or you want a good beer selection that's a little more American focused than the Publick house, in a comfortable atmosphere, this could be a good place. I probably won't go back.
Points for gluten free drink options! They have the same offerings as their neighbor down the street, Publick House.
Green's Discovery Ale and Quest Ale are available and yummy. But come in a huge bottle, beware! They have several ciders available as well.
Haven't tried the food, so I can't comment. The scene was sort of dead when my friends and I got there on a Saturday night around 9:30, so that was odd, but hardly the restaurant's fault.
People thought this was:
When our waiter said she had a table for us (6 people) and she walked us outside and said "oops I was wrong" I knew this was goiing to be a bad experience all together! As we looked around there were no people waiting in line and there must of been 10 empty tables! At first I thought "oh maybe they take reservations" but then we learned your entire party had to be there to be seated. So finally we sat down and at first the waitress seems like she was going to be good. Took our food and drink orders and we waited....waited some more...and again some more. Finally the food comes out 40 minutes later and it could be reasonable if the place was packed...but sadly it was 9:30pm and half their tables were full.
The food was not too bad but not sure if it's worth a 40 minute wait! At least the place was decently clean and the picnic tables outside is a cute addition to the look!
People thought this was:
Some people say you should judge a BBQ joint based on its meat. I don't disagree with this assessment, but places that serve BBQ in New England are usually some of the few places you can get other staples of Southern cuisine. I'm talking about fried okra, hush puppies, and biscuits.
I didn't try the biscuits at Roadhouse, but I did try their fried okra and hush puppies. The okra was good - better than I've gotten at other comparable places in the Boston area - but there was a very slight bit of okra's trademark slimy texture left after each bite. The hush puppies were delicious.
As my main dish, I got the pulled BBQ chicken, which is one of my favorite dishes (aside from brisket) at any BBQ joint. Roadhouse's offering was a little dry, but a generous addition of the sauce provided on the table made all the difference. My friend got a half rack of pork ribs. I didn't try them, but he said that the flavor was very good, though most of the individual ribs didn't have as much meat as he had expected. On the up side, the meat wasn't falling of the bone - I guess that's a personal preference, but he likes it that way. We both got coleslaw on the side, which was very good, and surprisingly un-mayonnaise-y.
I was a little surprised by the beer selection. Some offerings were unusual and interesting, but several beers I'd expected to see on the list weren't there. Unfortunately, their only cider is Harpoon, which is fine, but Woodchuck is better. I was disappointed not to see UFO at all.
On a Wednesday night around 6 pm there was no wait for a table, though it did get a bit crowded later. Our server was funny and friendly, and definitely didn't rush us. Service was pretty quick, and while this isn't the absolute best BBQ I've ever had, I'll come back if I'm in the neighborhood.
People thought this was:
I went to this place craving BBQ.....what I got was a tiny menu devoid of BBQ items because they had to shut down their smoker. I give this place about 6 months tops before IT shuts down. The two page menu consisted of some random apps, a "here and there" section of mostly Mexican items (wtf), and a Sandwich section that was mostly fish items. Feel free to drop the BBQ from your name anytime Roadhouse.
The beer selection was impressive but Publick House down the street has that covered. Overall the food was decent and if you're in the mood for mexican or fish, you'll be happy. The service was friendly too but nothing really makes this place stand out.
People thought this was:
Wow - ribs are still the best. Can't believe others don't think so
The Roadhouse's pork ribs were the tenderest, most delicious ribs I have ever tasted... and I live for ribs.
The Roadhouse has gotten a lot of bad reviews on this site and I avoided it because of them. Well, yesterday I braved it anyway. My wife and 4-month old went for an early alfresco dinner and found a nice table for two on the patio.
The waiter knew his stuff and was very helpful, friendly and attentive. He never bugged us and was always around when we needed him. He also knew a LOT about beer - excellent.
The new menu was more tex-mex than it used to be, but there was so much controversy over that smoker and Yelpers didn't like the old menu anyway. This menu is unpretentious, down-to-earth and delicious. Better than before.
We started with the quesidilla's with crawfish. They were a little thin, but a solid 7/10. I got the full rack of braised ribs which were fall-off-the-bone tender and amazingly delicious. My wife got the pulled pork sandwich which she loved, and a side of collard greens. Now collard greens are collared greens, right? Wrong! These had huge chunks of pork mixed in and were out of this world!!
The beer menu was terrific, all the food was fresh and hot and I give this 5-stars. Let it be known that the new Roadhouse is better than ever.
ps, I signed up for Yelp* just to write this review - that's how good my experience was.
People thought this was:
The Roadhouse's pork ribs were the tenderest, most delicious ribs I have ever tasted... and I live… Read more »
I kind of want to give this place 4 stars because everyone I was with seemed to really enjoy it. But I thought my meal was just okay. I had the brisket sandwich with sweet potato fries. The brisket itself was very tender and had a nice smokiness, but the portion was small and the overall flavor was a bit lacking. The barbeque sauce on the table helped a little. But in general, everything lacked heat and the layers of flavor I expect from good bbq. The fries were okay, kind of nubby.
On the other hand, the beer selection is top-notch! They have something like 40 taps of great american microbrews, from Allagash to Victory. I didn't order anything to drink because we were going to the beer festival the next day and I wanted to maintain peak hydration.
People thought this was:
I recently went back to Roadhouse and they completely changed the menu! No more beef ribs or other BBQ items because they no longer have a smoker. Apparently, the neighborhood was complaining so now we all suffer from no delicious food.
I tried to conceal my disappointment and ask the server what happened but he didn't seem very helpful or friendly (not to mention he forgot my Diet Coke). I ordered the fried chicken since my fiance had it previously and he said it was pretty good. Well, they changed that too - for the worse. It was a whole half chicken that was broasted instead of fried. I was expecting breading and crunchy deliciousness. Instead, they coated the outside with too many spices and the inside was not that flavorful - so it was too big of a contrast. Also, good thing I know how to carve a chicken otherwise I never would have figured out how to eat it!
I was very disappointed in the meal and wish that they could have stuck with the last menu change. I won't be going back anytime soon and would rather save my money for Soulfire.
People thought this was:
I have gone to Roadhouse multiple times and it has become a favorite local spot. The beer selection… Read more »
In my opinion, this place kills the Publick House! I know many people see it the other way around....But this is fresh, new, clean space. It's got BBQ. Great drink selection. You can eat inside or outside. Can't lose.
Not sure why everyone sees it as being mediocre, but I had a great experience here. BBQ was solid. Fairly simple menu that potentially could be expanded a bit. Friendly and fast service with good food as the end result.
I'll certainly be back.
People thought this was:
Wow. The absolute most pathetic take on BBQ I have ever seen. I had a pulled pork sandwich that tasted like a dirty sponge. Good beer list, lame ass applebees/yee haw ambiance. No.
People thought this was:
I love the outdoor seating here. Seems like more and more places in and around Boston are opening up patio seating.
Service is fair and food is pretty good. Their beer selection is the highlight though. So many types of great beers. Both in bottles and on tap.
So, weird thing...
They have 2 bars inside the restaurant, but have certain beers at certain bars. However, ALL the beers are posted at each bar without differentiation. You'll have to walk across the restaurant to the other bar if your choose poorly off the menu above the bar. [[ Correction: this happened to me on the day I visited, but I have been informed that normally a bartender or server will bring it to you no matter which bar you order from - which is great to hear. I'm assuming it was just a fluke for my experience. ]]
I'd say about 3.5 stars, but I'm not having a huge inclination to go very often, so I'll round down to 3. Still good though, and I recommend a visit.
If you do happen to go for trivia on Sunday nights, the MC is very rude and insults people over the mic. Just to give you a heads up. This didn't go into my rating, as he is not part of the restaurant or staff.
People thought this was:
Roadhouse opens tomorrow! They weren't even listed on Yelp yet... so I need to get them up to stir… Read more »
Beer selection is good. BBQ is good too. It's no bargain but whatevs... it's good. Atmosphere is pretty benign, waitstaff is good. HUSHPUPPIES!
I can't really make up my mind about this place. I've been here a couple times and I still don't know. The idea of it is fantastic - barbecue joint with craft beer - sounds ideal! They do have a great choice, only I really hate that there's different kind of beers at each bar, so if your friends are hanging out at the top bar and the beer you want is at the lower bar, guess where you have to walk to?
The menu is good and I must say, I quite enjoyed their sweet potato fries, but our salads were soggy and the mac and cheese was terrible. I think I need to get meat?
Also, we went to trivia here and we pretty much like to think we're trivia experts. The host was slow and talked to much on top of that, so it felt epically long.
I think I need to go again and hopefully it'll help to make up my mind.
People thought this was:
Roadhouse Craft Beer & BBQ caters to not one, but two food cults that have passionate and hypercritical followers, and succeeds at both marvelously.
The owners have had some experience with the craft beer part. In running one of the best beer bars in the country, The Publick House, they know how to curate and manage an impressive beer selection. They don't relent at Roadhouse, having 40 beers on an impeccable tap list between their two bars and even more on a bottle list. For the uninitiated, I can imagine that the list looks a little daunting, but during a recent visit, I found a beer style that even I, someone who brews his own beer, didn't know. The waiter was a great help. Like at their other place, the owners get their waitstaff to know their beer to help those folks that aren't as geeky as I am.
Barbecue is something that Roadhouse had to work on, but now does as good as anyone in the area. Last fall, I was not impressed with them. Their ribs were tough and wings tasteless and service way too lax. They've made a 180 turn with the hiring of Jake from the old Jake's Boss BBQ in JP. The ribs are tender and flavorful, pulled pork and brisket are still a little dry but that's alleviated by their great sauce on the table now. Service is really prompt now (probably due to better planning, since you don't exactly cook BBQ to order) with ribs leaving the kitchen on time.
Service is knowledgeable but friendly... with a waitress even apologizing for the wait for the check due to her patiently explaining to another patron about what a craw fish was (I can imagine if you don't know what one is, you probably don't want a plate of mud bugs dumped in front of you).
The place's ambiance has seen a big upgrade too, with the once stark walls painted warm burgundies. Curtains and Christmas lights cozy up the place along with a great mural on their 'top' bar. Their taste in music is as almost as good as their taste in beer. If your looking for kitschy country music and faux-hillbilly and neon lighted blues crap on the wall like at other barbecue places in the area, you'll be disappointed. Now that summer's coming soon, Roadhouse now sports a 50 seater beer garden out on the sidewalk.
Yelp's given this place a hard time, and deservedly so. But it's time to come back and appreciate the lesson the management has learned. After trying to be great at two incredibly hard things to be good at, they've got it right. The beer's always been good, and the barbecue and service is finally top notch.
People thought this was:
A BBQ place that doesn't serve BBQ? Some raw deal with Brookline neighbors complaining about the smoke. All in all, skip it. The food was lousy and way salty. Head to publick house instead.
It's my twenty eighth birthday. For a treat, I wanted to go to the Roadhouse, Public's House patch of Southern BBQ and beer in Brookline. I ventured here to find good American beer and yes, vegetarian BBQ... it's possible. I love how the Roadhouse captures the parallels of rock'n'roll debauchery and southern soul cuisine. Ever have a fried pickle? You're at the right place.
I wanted to try their catch of the day: fried fish, the most decadent of southern cuisine. I, like the commis grad student, couldn't afford to go out to eat every night. Now, I am ordering the season's catch with cajun spice and sinful goodness. I'm glad that I have the luxury of treating myself in a time of being stint.
One tiny chomp and my tongue goes numb. The adrenalin of the meal is evaporating as quickly as my tastebuds. I smell something off now. This is the only thing I ever spat out. It was involuntary. My friends also notice the stench from my plate.
As far as I can make out, the fish isn't fresh. It's Saturday, not a Monday where in the restaurant business is common knowledge the worst day to order fish. I send back the order. The manager reassures me that he wouldn't serve anything that wasn't fresh. I'm not reassured. He does a walk of denial over to the kitchen with my rancid fish, exchanging my meal for a veggie burger with smiling politeness. Round II, I was happy, all was good again.
People thought this was:
Great beer selection and the taps are well maintained. But the real reason for my 5 stars is that this is only place in Boston that plays ALL the RUGBY matches played around the world and doesn't have a cover charge.
Plus the food is decent.
Since my colleague and i were early to arrive at the Roadhouse on a Friday afternoon, and killing time before a friend joined us, we were systematically perusing the beer list and carefully considering the most important decision of the day. The ensuing discussion made it especially clear why so many were so excited about the folks from the Publick House opening a similar establishment--the waitress' knowledge of the (numerous) beers on tap was predictably deep and broad.
Two strong beers in, it was time to eat, and it's hard to think of something that's more enticing to the pleasantly buzzed than barbecued meat and its accoutrements. The barbecue is very solid, and the side of mac and cheese was the best idea ever, 'cause i could drown it in more barbecue sauce. because barbecue sauce is the über-condiment.
Anyway, the Roadhouse is not cheap, and between a meal and the beer, it is far from the cheapest outing, but after the first pint it totally doesn't matter; there is no saying no to the smell of barbecued meat at that point.
People thought this was:
They just lost their smoker because the town was being difficult BUT the braised pork ribs are still very good. The pulled pork sandwich and jalapeño cornbread are fantastic. The staff and beers are great as well. We just had them cater a party for us and the food was a hit. They actually gave us way more than we expected and we ended up giving a lot away to friends. I think Roadhouse is definitely the best option in the Boston area for BBQ.
People thought this was:
With a 35 minute wait we headed to the bar.
Service was a slow start but finished strong as we waited with out even an acknowledgment but after we ordered food and drink we were good.
BBQ limited menu but good.
Lots of beer. LOTS
What kind of ribs do you like slow cooked beef or pork?
Went with the pork and was impressed except for the last end piece. A bit crusty and dry and shouldn't have ended up on my plate.
The sides were good; corn bread thumbs up, and hush puppies no complaints.
Great decor with a lot of dark wood and red accents. I'd come here again and order something different.
Let me just say- vegan dinner options at a BBQ joint makes me very happy!!! And lots of veggie options that are not french fries and a crummy salad.
Walked to cityside this past weekend, but its still not open yet. So we kept walking and figured we would give the owner's of the publick house new restaurant a try.
Pleasantly surprised. Walked in at around 8pm and was seated immediately.
Fried pickles: breading had a bit of trouble staying on, but love fried pickles and a rare find in boston
Veggie ragout: delicious! flavorful and just enough food. roasted pine nuts added depth to the mix of spinach, portobellos and tomatoes.
Pork ribs w/ mac and cheese: carnivore fiance thought the ribs were delicious, a tad bit dry, like they had been smoked and reheated in the oven, but decided the overall flavor was excellent, better than smokin joes. mac and cheese was poor, which make me sad after having tasty mac and cheese at the publick house-- it tasted like flour.
Will definitely go back when the outdoor beer garden opens!
People thought this was:
I wanted this place to be good so badly. But it wasn't.
My experience and anticipation were long and involved. I anticipated Roadhouse's opening with much fervor. When a friend of mine received an online notification saying it was opening that Thursday, we decided to make a plan to go later that weekend. Mad plans with a bunch of friends to meet there on Sunday. When we arrived, low and behold there was a sign on the door that said closed. Oops! Misinformation can be a bitch.
Finally a couple weeks later, even after reading numerous bad reviews on yelp, I set a second date to check it out. We arrived, and no tables were available for two. This was in line with my expectations to wait anyhow. Thankfully they offered that we could sit at the bar instead. Typically this is a good choice for a party of two, and the service is faster and more prompt since you are constantly facing your server. This was not the case though.
We ordered beers and onion rings. They both came quickly. At the same time we ordered our entrees. My girlfriend ordered the BBQ chicken. The response was, "sorry, we're out of the chicken" curious. I ordered the ribs.
After we had ordered two other couples had been seated at either side of us at the bar. They ordered. Their food came. Our entrees had still not come... Still not stressing, because we still had plenty of onion rings to chew on. Normally I would flag the bartender to check on things, but at some point this had gone on so long, we decided we would just wait and see what transpired. Over the course of an hour from when we sat down, the bartender never checked in with us, even after our beers had been long finished. Eventually, I stopped him as he was scooting around, and tried to find out what the deal was. He gave us a look that made me think he was confused as to why we were even at his bar.
This goes on and on. Eventually we got our food. The ribs were very meh. Dry, not tender, and the sauce was pretty dull as well. Now, I'm not a BBQ expert, but I'm also aware that it's not rocket science to make ribs that are enjoyable.
People thought this was:
Great concept, great location, great design, great beer selection, but the food is an absolute joke. Probably not a bad place to grab a beer and sit outside, but with the Publick House just down the street, I don't know why you'd bother. Such a waste of space IMHO, the only good things they do can already be had at the Publick House.
A note to the owners. Go to take a look at the Border Cafe in Harvard SQ, create an exact clone of it in your current location and you will have a line out the door every weekend, I guarantee!
People thought this was:
Living in Washington Square, I had read the earlier reviews and waited on visiting until they had some time to iron out the issues. Publick house has always been solid and I figured they would solve food quality issues rather quickly. Our service was fast and attentive and the beer selection was impressive. Those with pulled pork sandwich found them dry and without flavor and the chicken sandwich got a so-so vote. The sweat potato fries were good but grew squishy in their own oil. I do love fried pickles but these were the stronger variety that have a more intense flavor than your usual deli pickle. They were cooked well but not what I had in the past.
Not a horror story but it is down my list.
People thought this was:
First let me say, I'm not a meat-eater, so my review won't even touch it. I had a lovely salad which was expensive, but also enormous.
What I wasn't crazy about was the service. 15 minutes for a drink? And really, you left our finished food on the table for nearly 2 hours? You never could find a second to swing by and pick it up?
Also, we sat at a communal table and I can't even tell you how many times they brought over dishes that simply were not ours and tried to put them down. Such spotty service.
I think I'll pass next time.
The curse of northern BBQ rears its unsavory head once again. We have meat, spices, and smoke up here, but no one seems to be able to make them all get along together (maybe Blue Ribbon, but they don't sell beer). Or maybe Roadhouse is trying to do their own take on things. Maybe they should cut it out.
1. Fried okra: Look, I'm all about reinterpreting the classics if there's a good reason to do so. Roadhouse's reinterpretation of fried okra is densely breaded whole pods. If you're goal is to under-cook the okra and retain all of the slimy starch, then this is a great technique. Me, I like it cooked and the starch rendered (or whatever you call the process of cooking the starch out). Stick with the traditional preparation.
2. Pulled pork: This was billed as traditional pulled pork with a Carolina vinegar sauce. Awesome. They got the consistency of the meat right, but I couldn't even taste the sauce--just pepper. If you're calling it Carolina vinegar sauce, make it taste like Carolina vinegar sauce.
3. Chopped salad: Dressed with a chipotle ranch concoction, this attempts to be a bold, assertive dinner salad. But a dinner salad is still a salad. My wife ordered this and could only eat about ten bites before being overwhelmed by the chili. She likes spicy food, but all there was to stand up to the chili was lettuce--and let's face it: lettuce is kind of a wuss.
4. Chopped brisket: Solid, smokey brisket with a decent (I think Memphis-style) sauce.
5. Side of collards: Fantastic.
6. Sweet potato fries: Fine, but sweet potato fries are never a make or break food for evaluating a restaurant in my opinion.
Otherwise, I was happy. The staff was excellent--not just attentive, but really cool and friendly. The music's great but it's too loud for a restaurant.
WHAT?
IT'S TOO LOUD FOR A RESTAURANT!
OH. ABOUT NINE IN THE MORNING!
--So if they turned the volume down a bit I'd come here more often. Authentic BBQ would be a bonus, but in a BBQ-cursed town you have to come to accept that your settle for less or go without.
People thought this was:
Not good, not bad. Beer selection was ok, don't know about the food because they stop serving ridiculously early and we didn't have time to order. Service was slow, and by several different people which is annoying. I am not surprised at the poor service, since they are owned by the Publick House. We went for trivia, and they said normally we would have to eat in order to play trivia, but they would make this one exception because they were slow. That is a really lame requirement, if you ask me, especially considering our drinks were well over three figures.
Also, the pigs painted on the wall made me very sad. When I eat barbecue (not that I did, but if I had had the chance), I don't want to be staring right at drawings of pigs being boiled to death with apples in their mouthes and glassy white eyes. Yes, they're cartoon drawings, but it made me very sad. I am not sure I could eat there if they faced me in that direction again!
Very expensive drinks, but some are very high alcohol content so it is worth it for some of the drinks. But for the most part, they are over priced. I won't be going back.
I've held off on a review of the Roadhouse, cautiously optimistic that the cries of barbeque heresy by fellow Yelpers would be assuaged by improvements to the menu or changes in staff. I found it sad that the same tireless workers who birthed The Publick House have had such a rough start bringing quality BBQ to the Brookline area.
Perhaps Roadhouse would have better luck if the entirety of their waitstaff carried the same level of honesty as my waiter last Wednesday. After recommending some hoppy IPAs for a friend visiting from the West Coast, we ordered the cactus salad and the pulled pork plate with a side of sweet potato salad. Staring blankly for a minute, our waiter offered his condolences, saying a) that the cactus salad was no longer on the menu because it was gross and only offered for the novelty of eating cacti and b) that the sweet potato salad was the most god-awful disgusting side anyone had ever dreamed of concocting, ever - even after six or seven different attempts at a recipe.
So noted. We adjusted our orders accordingly and were happy with the burger and bowl of chili, neither of which could be called gross or god-awful. Great beer was poured and, ultimately, good food was had. A satisfying meal delivered with brutal honesty? The Roadhouse is ok in my book.
People thought this was:
Really?! Only 3 stars? Not too many things make me sad but this does...
I've only been twice but have eaten both times and have been the happy recipient of many a well-recommended beer by the waitstaff. I found the pulled pork to be melt-in-my mouth tender and oh so tangy and juicy and my buddies were happy with their dishes, too. Plus, they've got okra! OKRA!
I guess my only "negative" experience was when they mislabeled a high gravity beer as a 5.6% and gave me an entire pint of the 8.9% bad boy....and I of course I had three of them in an hour and a half. Aside from asking my friends terribly personal questions about their sex lives in public like an inebriated Oprah I guess there was no harm in that, now was there? I had a good time at least :)
People thought this was:
Ever since Brent took over in the kitchen, this place has really turned around. The recipes seem to be improving all the time, and the quality is a night and day difference. The hand cut sweet potato fries are out of this world, and both the pulled pork and brisket are fork tender and full of flavor. (Unfortunately, the cole slaw still sucks, but I'm from the midwest, so your mileage may vary.)
It's been a great place to drink since opening day, but now I'd call it a great place to eat as well.
People thought this was:
This is their first week of business, so I cut them some slack with 2 stars. As you would expect… Read more »
I'm appalled by the low score on this baby. Thus, I'm giving it a five...just to raise up the rating.
The food I had was simply amazing. Really wonderful onion rings--like the best I've had in a while, and the smoked ketchup that came with them was fantastic. For my entree, I had their burger. I'm not a huge fan of BBQ, but I tried my bf's pulled pork and was pleasantly surprised. I replaced my fries with some potato salad, the result of which was the happiest girl on Beacon St. My friend's side of mac and cheese was to die for, and the sausage platter came with some vinegary greens to cut through the richness/fattiness of the sausage. Oh! And it had pretty little cornichons. Nom.
For serious: this 'ish rox.
The service was totally fine, and friendly. I was truly bowled over by this place. I think it might have something to do with the fact that I'm always on the look out for a tiny-bit upscale American food. And that, my friends, is precisely what Roadhouse is.
People thought this was:
Lame. I really wanted to like the restaurant. They have a great big patio and a huge beer list and would be a welcome addition to the neighborhood. But service was slow, the entire wait staff, from the hostess to the bussers seemed discombobulated, and the food was mediocre at best. I know the owner had to give up his smoker recently, but the new Bayou, Beer and Baja theme seems like a sterilized Applebee's menu. My draft beer (at the recommendation of our waitress) was a little flat and sort of dish soapy. And everything is expensive- I had shrimp (5 small shrimp) and grits (undercooked) with cornbread (1 piece that was broken and crumbled, looked already eaten) for $22, not including my draft beer for $6.25. I'm not sure the Roadhouse is worth a second visit.
People thought this was:
Sunday and Monday $12 Entrees!
Neighborhood: Charlestown
Special Offer: Box Office…
Neighborhood: Central Square
Brookline, MA
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Brookline Village
Category: Barbeque
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
Category: Barbeque
Brookline, MA
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Arlington Center
Category: Barbeque
Places to enjoy one of my favorite activities -…
Here's the list you've all been waiting for: where…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
I like vegetables. The fiance likes meat. Here is…
Places to go if you are dining with 6 or more…
Mac and chz is da bomb!! Here are some places…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
