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Categories: Steakhouses, Meat Shops, Wineries
Neighborhood: South EndUnion Park St (Silver)
Back Bay (Orange)
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The Butcher Shop was recommended to me by a former Bostonian and I decided to bring 3 fellow coworkers here since we were all in town on a business trip. We arrived relatively early on a Monday evening and sat at the corner of the bar and proceeded to have a truly amazing dining experience.
We shared the steak tartar appetizer (melt in your mouth goodness) and the buffalo mozzarella that was the best I have ever had. Our entres included perfectly cooked meatballs (crispy outside, soft juicy inside), lamb chops (which I didn't get a chance to taste), and two of the guys ordered the stuffed pork chops. Ever since they ate those pork chops, neither one has stopped talking about them. Seriously, they're beginning to get on my nerves with the amount of praise they have lavished on those cuts of meat this week.
About halfway through our meal we had the additional pleasure of having the owner of the place, Charlie, sit down next to us at the bar and give us the inside scoop behind the Butcher Shop and his other restaurants around town. He really impressed me with how much passion he has for running a great restaurant and it was a delight to get to know him. The man also knows how to make a great recommendation for after dinner drinks. The nearby Franklin Cafe was excellent and just what we were looking for to finish off the night.
You are not a vegetarian (and definitely not vegan) and there's this grade-A hottie that you want to take out and impress. (Said hottie, need I even say it? Eats Meat). You want it to be clear to her (him, whatever) that this is a Date and you are Serious. There's no gray area here - you are going hard and also hopefully going home (with her). You don't want to commit to a whole meal (cover your ass a little here) - wine, some small plates, good convo. This is the place for you.
Chic but approachable, a little fancy without being snooty, small and fun, not overly "romantic" or "grotto-esque" - it's a playful and tasty little winner.
Peruse the wine list. Ask what the "Godello of the Day-O" is (but say it go-day-o and not go-dell-o). Get some wine - look interested when they pour you a taste.
Ask for bread service. Be prepared for a fantastic, grassy olive oil (comment on it) and some sea salted butter with it. Yum!
Order anything off the menu (seriously, it all looks amazing).
Sit back, be yourself, and have fun - are sparks flying yet? I think you might get lucky tonight.
My first time at Butcher Shop and already I can't wait to go back. It is not your typical restaurant with tables on the main floor (though there are some). Most of it is bar seating or bars at the window. My friend and I walked in not knowing that they took reservations, so we waited by the "chopping block" for about 30 minutes before we were seated but really it was just another excuse to drink some fine wine pre-dinner. Service was great--our server was very knowledgable about their wines, and was able to match our descriptions ot their different wines.
We ordered the steak tartare, the ratatouille, and the lamb parfalle. All were absolutely excellent but I must say that the steak tartare was my favorite. I am a big fan of the owners other restaurants as well (Drink & B&G Oyster).
Awesome service. The food was amazing (especially the steak tartar). Delicous wines, too. Definitely worth checking out!
I have never had a bad meal at the Butcher Shop. It's the pinnacle place to land when you are searching for a warm atmosphere on a chilly New England night. I recommend staying away on the busier evenings (Thurs - Sat) as the wait can be quite lengthy.
My absolute fav's are their Bordeaux by the glass paired with the steak tartar (a very generous serving). The pate and cheese plates are to die for, as well as their new butcher case ala carte menu (like grilled Hangar steak, NY strip, pork, braised short ribs, and a selection of sauces and side dishes like wilted spinach and a grilled whole Spanish onion).
You really can't go wrong, another Barbara Lynch solid eatery.
When my boyfriend said he wanted steak for his birthday dinner, I struggled to get enthused about a steakhouse. I have to REALLY be in the mood to enjoy a steakhouse or else I'll hate it - kind of like a Kate Hudson movie. And then I remembered the awesome lunch I'd had last month at The Butcher Shop, and it was like, "We were going to show you 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' but instead you'll see 'House of Yes.' Enjoy."
It wasn't very crowded around 6:30 on a Thursday. It got much more crowded but people were seated pretty quickly, which surprised me given how small the place is. Karen is a goddess among waitresses - friendly, attentive, and she made us feel like we were her favorite customers EVER.
We started with fried green tomatoes - it should go without saying that fried green tomatoes are frigging delicious. You don't need me to tell you this, people. I had the duck with savoy cabbage and asian pears - the duck was crisp and salty and the cabbage and pears provided a good earthy background to let the duck flavor stand out. BF had a steak (I can't remember what kind - I believe the cuts change nightly?) and it was so good. Lots of great flavor, really tender. Excellent.
Then came the bleu cheese. Because every good meal needs a bleu cheese course. And even though we said we were full, Karen gave us a few minutes with our espresso then came back with chocolate mousse, saying she knew we'd want it. And we totally did.
I had a few glasses of the Red Cat, which I had the last time I went and I really like it. REALLY like it. BF had a white wine that I can't remember, but I'm hoping he'll post a review also and name it (hint hint, darling) because it was really good.
All in all excellent food, amazing service, and while pricey, not nearly as expensive as I'd anticipated. We'll be back. Oh yes. We WILL be back.
I have a confession. The review you are about to read (turn back now if you so choose) was written under the influence of an unlimited budget. For reasons I'll not disclose, I didn't have to think much about cost on my first trip to The Butcher Shop, but honestly it didn't directly influence my rating - it simply gave me the opportunity to try MORE DELICIOUSNESS in one sitting.
Location - South End. I love the South End. Great people watching, and large picture windows can only help that cause. The Butcher Shop feels at the same time rustic and homey. High class and casual. Our waiter, Matt, was wonderfully awesome. We sat down around 3pm and he was holding down the whole place on his own, pretty much. He was friendly, frequent, and knowledgable about both the wine and food. What more could you want? I love meeting new people, waitstaff is no exception. No one gets a bigger tip than those who make me feel like I leave with a new friend.
Okay but lets get to the meat of the story (pun very much intended. awful, I know). We started with a bottle of rose and the cheese plate. Now, Matt actually took the time to read us the list of cheeses they had ($5 each) and explain them one by one, giving us his thoughts when we asked. We picked 5 and I cheered a little inside my head (yaaaay cheese!). Then came the "bread basket". Bread, butter with what I believe was fleur de sel sprinkled across, and a thin but ample layer of honey in a shallow ramekin. We were instructed to dip the knife DOWN in the butter, so as to get only a little salt, and then spread the honey across that atop our bread. Done and done. Good call Barbara Lynch.
As good cheese plates tend to do, this one made me almost flip my shit, and I promptly ended up with a business card listing 3 of my favorites. Formaggio here I come! We then moved on, and I had the gazpacho while my dining companion had the buffalo mozzarella. The gazpacho was really interesting - not very traditional, very heavily spiced with indian spices. I definitely enjoyed it, though it caught me off guard.
I put my order in for the burger just before they stopped serving the lunch menu, to make sure I got to try what had been professed to me to be the best burger in boston. We got some red wine to go with, and after just the right amount of time had gone by, out came our main courses. The bf had the tenderloin with a herbed bacon butter and just about fell off his chair when he tried the first bite. My burger was, indeed, phenomenal. Cooked PERFECTLY (medium rare thank you) on an amazing bun, with grafton cheddar, bacon, and some delicious house sauce. I was so sad to be so freakin' full, but I ate as much of that as I possibly could, and melted into a puddle of gluttony with every bite.
Alright at this point I feel like I'm typing just to read myself talk, so I'll wrap it up. We got a pretty amazing chocolate cookie on the house, but lemon curd is one of my favorite things in the history of all food, so I had to go overboard and order dessert. I was NOT disappointed. Om nom nom.
So, The Butcher Shop is definitely worth it - I would have gladly paid full price for everything we got (though probably would have ordered a bit more modestly). A little over 4 hours after arriving, we stumbled out into the lovely summer wednesday evening. The end.
Seriously, without a doubt, my new favorite place to get my red meat groove on. I love that I don't have to go to a stuffy steakhouse anymore--The Butcher Shop is where it's at. Yes, it takes a little bit of perseverance to dine here; they don't take reservations, it is small, and if you are lucky enough to get seated, you'll be perched at a high-top table, not kicked back in a plush leather booth. But good things come to those who wait and this place does not disappoint. Whether you're a flank, hanger, or NY strip kinda gal/guy, you'll love the made-to-order type options where you get to choose your sauce from decadent choices like one that literally tastes like French Onion soup (the perfect description, courtesy of the bartender).
And speaking of the bartender, I don't know who she is or where she came from (a little restaurant angel sent from heaven, perhaps), but she totally blew us away with her knowledge of every little thing on the menu, wine list, and then some. Yes, this is how things should be, but they so often aren't! She helped us pick our meats, sauces, sides, cheese, and wine. Then, just when we thought there weren't any more opportunities for good restaurant etiquette to come shining through, she poured us a bottle of dessert wine to keep us happy while we waited for her to run our credit card through.
It is the little touches that go above and beyond your expectations that make a person, and a place, stand out. The Butcher Shop embodies this philosophy. For a place that has raw meat hanging on display, it says a lot that the details are what got my attention.
First time at the Butcher Shop and enjoyed it. Ate the Hot Dog and it was really good, sweet with some peppery flavor - but I warn you SUPER BIG! enough for two. My friends enjoyed the pate and tartine, salumi plate and a grilled chicken with greens salad. Pace of service was slow, nice casual atmosphere - well worth the try!
Just went back and just as good. Squab and lamb loin chop were good. The flavor of the butternut squash didn't come through the butternut squash risotto very much, but still good. I love that the main items on the dinner menu change so often.
Before I get to the food, which is why The Butcher Shop gets four stars, I have to warn you about… Read more »
Another fantastic South End eatery. If you can get past the fresh bread, salted butter and honey spread (I can't, which is my problem), the food is fresh and incredibly tasty. My favorites are the steak tartare and salumi plate. I also hear their hot dog is out of this world.
Their wine is also very unique and delicious. I had the Riesling which was perfect on a hot, summer evening.
Did I mention the bread, butter and honey????
Great place to come for some wine and appetizers....or even a full meal. I love the South End and am dying to move there, but until then, I just frequent great places like this.
After reading the reviews, my friends and I finally made our way to the Butcher SHop for dinner.
The restaurant as many have mentioned, is very small, its best to come in group of 2-3. and do expect to wait a little bit-
After 45 minutes, we were seated - and during that 45 minutes, I was practically salivating at the wonderful display of pates they had. Naturally we ordered the pates and the meat plate for appetizers. it was delicious. Especially the pate, definitely worth trying.
The meat itself was alright, but then the hummus on the side was outstanding. I must have ate about a whole loaf of bread. Yumm!
The entrees on the whole were more disappointing. I wanted to try the lamb leg, but they were out, so they replaced it with lamb chops. My lamb came out good, but nothing spectacular. My friends' crispy duck was way too salty, almost inedible.
My advice? Come early, do the tapas and enjoy a fine glass of wine.
3.7.09
After being told there was 2 1/2 hour wait at Toro (another Boston fav), we walked down the street to The Butcher Shop. I'd been waiting to try one of Barbara Lynch's restaurants forever and a day, so I gladly ducked in out of the rain.
First, let me say.. there were very difficult eating circumstances.. I was wearing heels and the 'butcher counter' was a little too low for my comfort, however, ambience-wise, every other aspect was dead on. The service was good, not great.. and oftentimes found myself wondering around the restaurant in search of someone to order more food from.. but then, that brings us to The Food.
We shared the BUFFALO MOZZARELLA (big, gorgeous hunks of fresh mozzarella served with marinated peppers), ASSORTED CROSTINI (three different spreads, the eggplant was best), STEAK TARTARE (one of the favorites), ANTIPASTI DELLA CASA (another favorite, the five or six meat selections were divine, esp the prosciutto), two MIMOLETTE RISOTTO, and the FARFALLE BOLOGNESE. Everything was fresh; everything was perfect. Portions were large, wine was flowing - we enjoyed a bottle of riesling and, from the same vintner, a bottle of Gewürztraminer, which far triumphed the former at the same reasonable price of $60 a pop.
I would recommend this as a place to go with a small group (even though finding a space will prove more difficult, it's worth waiting) rather than on a date. I think the first-date couple felt rather awkward next to our rambunctious party of five. Furthermore, hungry, when they saw the mountains of food we were able to order.
I'm not too sure about this one. I think I have to try it again before it goes on a love or hate list.
Love the soda bread and sea salt butter. They didn't have much of a beer list, but had a an array of wine options.
I had the hanger steak with caramelized onions. Portions were big. Good quality meat but the sauce was a bit too sweet for a meat dish. Also had the froi grois which was bland on its own but ok with the berry sauce that it came with on the side.
Staff was very friendly and prices are average. Will come back for another try.
Interesting place indeed. Small bar area adjacent to a butcher's block/fridge section. You can be sure that your meats will be fresh here. The steak tartare that they do, for example, is as lucky as a cow can get these days. Super-excellent gourmet food without all of the gaudy pretension.
Also, once, my friend convinced the people sitting around us at the bar for brunch that I was the Phantom Gourmet. Gasps all around.
I've gotta say....I went into the Butcher Shop with fairly high expectations and.....they somehow managed to exceed them! :)
I loved this place down to every last detail: the simple/clean/stylish decor, the fun/lively energy, the friendly & accomodating staff, the cute little fridge packed with homemade goodies (sausages, salads, meats, etc) for purchase.....and the FOOD...oh my goodness gracious...the food...where do I begin?~~~
Overall, everyone at my table was extremely impressed with everything they ordered (including my 2 yr old nephew who couldn't stop raving about how well his wine paired with his Cheerios ;) - however, I should mention that bringing a child to this establishment is not recommended! :)
I started off with the pate/terrine trio as my appetizer which was accompanied by 3 adorable little sides: cornichons, pickled baby onions and port wine jelly cubes. All of the pates/terrines were absolutely amazing - but I think my favorite was the one baked in pastry (beef wellington style!). The pates came with various breads on which to spread them - including an Irish Soda Bread that tasted amazing with just a simple slathering of their creamy, salted butter and a drizzle of the local grower's honey that was brought to our table...who knew such a simple combo could taste so damn good? Needless to say, we purchased a jar of honey to take home to try and recreate the experience.
For my entree, I had the Ribeye steak which was cooked to a perfect medium-rare per my request (I'll never understand the people who order their steaks well-done but I guess to each, his own). Every bite was perfectly seasoned, juicy and succulent....and just when I didn't think it could get any better...it did as I washed it down with my ice-cold La Fin du Monde. :)
Naturally, I welcomed myself to the other dishes at the table...including the Crispy 1/2 Duck and the Farfalle Bolognese...both of which were ridiculously delicious and prepared perfectly.
I will definitely make it a point to go back to the Butcher Shop again (through rain, sleet, and/or snow :) when I'm back in Boston...I also want to try B&G Oysters which I've read great things about...
Barbara Lynch has got a good thing goin' on!!
This review is WAY overdue but I think the food coma I was in after visiting The Butcher Shop is just fading now.
We picked this place for Restaurant Week with no real reason (except my boyfriend is 100% a carnivore...). We were incredibly early on a friday but they seated us easily with a nice people watching view. It's clearly a place that knows it's hip but I'm cool with that. Our waitress was really helpful and brought us a few treats as is the restaurant week custom... and that's when it happened...
Everything we ate at The Butcher Shop was fantastic.. stupid good in the words of my dining companion. Basic brown bread with butter, honey, and sea salt was mind altering! We got the mini antipasto platter on a whim when it wafted by our table. We got beef and pork main dishes and shared a side of decadent polenta. Chocolate hazelnut mousse for dessert and tons of wine.
I will note it's the most I've spent on a dinner in Boston but it's also the best meal I've had here. Everything was great - both the seasoning and just the basic skill that was shown in cooking.
F, I have to go back.
Last week I visited Boston to help my sister move, and freeing up some spare time, met up with a friend to go eat dinner. As mutual meat lovers, we were pretty excited about this (I mean, name alone). Unfortunately, it was not quite what we expected.
We had: the bread, marinated olives, hot dog a la maison, tenderloin topped with corn and fennel salsa, and apricot pork chop. Unfortunately, we couldn't try the wine, but that's the problem with being underage. Bread was decent, but really nice with the salted butter and honey--a winning combination. Olives were of good quality and pretty enjoyable, also in a nicely sized proportion. The hot dog, while supposedly excellent (we read our Yelp reviews before going into this), was really just okay, maybe good, but not a culinary sensation by any means. The tenderloin was the night's biggest disappointment. You'd expect a steakhouse called "The Butcher Shop" to know how to do a piece of meat justice, but it was really overcooked. We ordered medium rare and ended up with something medium, barely even pink in the middle. The corn and fennel salsa on top also left something to be desired, but maybe I just don't like corn that much...perhaps the beef jus would have been a better accompaniment. Saved the best for last though! The pork chop. OH. MY. I really like some fat on my meat and they gave it to me. Seriously the most tender, flavorful pork chop I can ever remember having and I just...my mouth salivates as I think about it, and I don't even like apricots! I wanted to tear the meat off the bone myself, but I left that to my friend. SO good!
Ambiance was nice too. Sitting on high chairs in a cool little shop with good service. It's also fun to watch people as they prepare meats in the open area charcuterie; a lot of people coming in for dinner would stand and watch or take pictures. It's quite an enjoyable experience in that aspect.
However, there's an overall 3 for not being mindblowing. There may have been one SHINING light in the night (I have serious pork chop love now), but it couldn't overcome my disappointment in having a steak overcooked like that. It's good, but don't have your expectations too high when you go. Just sort of enjoy the atmosphere, I guess.
I went to The Butcher Shop last week during Restaurant Week, and boy was I impressed. The decor is very clean and minimalistic, which is personally my favorite type of dining environment. The wait staff was attentive and friendly. The wine was delicious, and the waitress was knowledgeable when asked for a recommendation.
The food itself was amazing. Since it was Restaurant Week, they had a dealio where you get three courses for around $30. The spicy tomato soup was orgasmic, the steak was the best I've ever had in Boston, and the chocolate mousse was like eating a cloud of deliciousness. The portions were each perfectly sized so you could get just enough without feeling stuffed, which allows you to fully appreciate each course.
Oh, and I almost forgot. The soda bread (or something like it) that they give you with honey and sea salt butter will make your taste buds explode in a fit of ridiculousness. Me and my friend literally commented on how good the bread was for at least 15 minutes, which says a lot considering how amazing everything else was.
Writing about this place has made me long for it once again. I'm going right now. I better see you there! (this isn't just a corny closing line... I'm really going. I wouldn't lie to you).
Now this place is cool!
Talk about a night vs. day experience between here and Franklin Cafe.
The vibe was more relaxed and intimate, even though they were still serving dinner (like FC was). We were told we couldn't grab a seat at the bar, unless we were going to order dinner. Okay, so they share the same rule - Order dinner and get a seat; don't and end up standing.
At least there's this giant butcher block to stand around. As well as a huge "meat locker" to oogle.
Service was fast and friendly. We weren't 5 minutes at the butcher block before the bartender came over and told us we could saddle up to his bar after all, since there was plenty of tables opening up for future diners. Excellent.
We grabbed some seats and ordered a couple Peronis. This place is definitely conducive to conversation. We had a great time.
Next time I think I'll order the Chimay!
Yuck! My wife and I live in the neighborhood and decided to try Butchers for dinner one night. Although the people were very nice and the restaurant has great atmosphere I thought the food was really sub-par considering the very expensive price. The very polite bar tendress recommended some pasta dish that was a bizarre mix of weird pasts, peas, pancetta, and what tasted like brown gravy and looked like dirty dishwater. My wife's steak was fatty and had a lot or grissel. There were some nice parts to the meal like the soup, salad, and wine. But 100$'s for that? There are about twenty restaurants within three blocks, all of which have better food for better prices. Never going back with so many other good choices nearby. Beware.
We passed by this place probably a year ago, and always talked about going here. Well, we finally went last week and it was absolutely lovely.
The restaurant is really small and can get crowded very easily. We were seated pretty quickly because we had reservations, but also I think because we came at the right time and there weren't many people waiting. The waiting area is in the back, which I guess you could call their butcher table, because you can see a wall of meats in glass-doored fridges and the staff slicing up patrons' selected meats. We were seated at the bar, which gave us a great view to people watch Tremont St.
It was restaurant week, but we opted to order off the regular menu and the specials instead. My friend got the hot dog a la maison, one of their signature items, a play on the traditional hot dogs and chips, but made with sausage and comte cheese. It was super tasty and kind of fun. They have their specials written on a wall behind the bar, and I went for the ribeye because it had been ages since I'd had one, though the flank steak and duck a l'orange looked tempting as well. The ribeye was perfectly cooked (love perfectly cooked steak) and was smothered in a sublime cheese sauce. For dessert we got the mousse with candied hazelnuts, which was rich, smooth, and lovely.
They also have a great wine list, and this is where I give them the most props. The server/bartender that waited on us was uber knowledgeable about all the wines on the menu. The wines we chose for ourselves that evening were spectacular. Definitely would love to visit this fabulous place again.
Had lunch with a friend here on a nice, Sunday afternoon. We sat at the bar and had a great bartender who was friendly and attentive and chatty (but not too chatty). They were actually having an issue with their ovens - they weren't working - and the bartender was completely honest about it, they had some delicious specials instead - I had a wild mushroom sandwich that seriously rocked my world. Our food was going to take a little while (it was early) - so the bartender, again, was honest about it and asked us if we had time to wait, plied us with more drinks, and gave us a free appetizer.
Am in love with this place. Good, honest, friendly service - frankly the amazing wild mushroom sandwich was just the icing on the cake!
This is a fun place in south end to meet a friend or 2 for a casual dinner and some wine. The space is small and intimate, and I love the attention you get from the staff in such a tiny space. People watching on Tremont is also very amusing on the weekends.
My friend and I each had a couple of glasses of wine and shared some appetizers. The pasta was amazingly satisfying - cooked perfectly in texture and flavor. There are a lot of good salad and appetizer selections that were perfect for nibbling and pairing with wines. I could linger here all night.
I also love how there's a refrigerated case of sauces, butters, and other goodies that you can purchase to go after your meal. You can also go next door to Plum produce for some very unique local produce.
Came here once for restaurant week in the winter and once during Marathon Monday weekend. Restaurant week - small small portions, but amazing hanger steak. Marathon Monday - amazing. I had the duck and it was great even as leftovers. Wasn't crazy about the lentils we had on the side. Everyone's red meat was flavorful and rich. The people behind the bar really know what they're doing. All in all, a pretty great spot. Only downside - no reservations.
Had the sparkling red Italian wine which goes great with any meat (I had the TBS Burger and onion rings for $18, expensive but yummy).
Olives are a great starter particularly if you pair them with a nice cheese plate. We had the Manchester goat cheese (Vermont, local produce) and the St Michel (Switzerland, cow).
The toasted hazelnut chocolate mousse is a good finale for a great lunch.
I am very disappointed in myself for never having tried Steak Tartare before. Among all the amazing things I ate at the Butcher Shop, it topped the list, and my more Tartare-savvy dining companion said it was the best she'd had.
The atmosphere is great, though I'm not a big fan of tall tables and would prefer to sit at ground level. Our waiter gave some excellent wine pairing suggestions for each course, and the service was very attentive and well paced, despite there being quite a line of people waiting to share in the meaty joy.
I ordered a perfect pork tenderloin and the NY strip steak was also excellent. The only downer of the meal was the roasted fennel nonsense side dish which was both skimpy and not very warm upon arrival. Guess it serves us right for ordering something non-meat-based at a place called The Butcher Shop.
So skip the veggies, stick with the meat, and for the love of God order the tartare. For a starter, maybe substitute the charcuterie, which looked great but we were too stuffed to try.
Minus one star for the silly seating and lousy fennel, but this place definitely has 5-star potential.
Where can you order a Chimay on Tap, and get a raw leg of lamb to take home? Um, the Butcher Shop!
Yes, fresh meat hangs in the meat locker at this restaurant/bar/pub/butcher. Surprisingly the prices are pretty good for their cuts of meat, I expected it be overpriced. They do serve food here, but I only drank, so I can only say a place with Chimay on tap is a friend of mine.
Overall The Butcher Shop has a great vibe, with a large wooden butcher table where you can place you drink, to the old meat cutting equipment on display, and the hanging sausages through out the kitchen, this place is a carnivore's heaven. It helps you can have a few drinks, Be wary of the Beer Goggles for meat, all of sudden that Cut of Prime Rib looks pretty healthy. ;)
excellent eats. b lynch does it again. went early on a sat. night and was seated immediately. all tables are bar style, high- with stool type chairs.
very small space, mostly a bar and semi-butcher shop in the rear. wait staff was efficient but somewhat cool. everything we ate was delicious.
will definitely return.
Mmm. Beefy.
Scale 1 = poor, 5 = outstanding
CUSTOMER SERVICE: 4 -- no sign of the regular South End too-trendy-for-their-own-good bar staff -- these folks are actually nice.
FOOD: 4 -- if you want to sit at a nice bar and eat great food, this is the place.
AMBIANCE: 4 -- see above.
VALUE: 4 -- pricey but worth it.
The Butcher Shop: South End Hopping stop #1.
I've been trying to cut down on my red meat, so how did I find myself at a place where they hang cow bits in the corner of the dining room? I don't know, but all I can say is that I'm rethinking my commitment...
We got here just after 4:30, so I believe we missed out on whatever deal they got going on in the early evening. Our server, who reminded me of a way cooler version of Dr. Taub from "House," confidently made some recommendations and we eventually went with the house red wine, an appley beer and the "city's best" steak tartare.
He started us off with the whole bread thing, but this was no ordinary, uh, bread thing. It came with the most delicious butter (I love my butter) with sea salt and another little bowl of honey from Vermont. Put the two together and you have the most delicious bite of bread you've ever tasted.
The steak tartare came with pickled onions on the side, and I think four little triangles of toast. My brother said he could tell that the meat was chopped, and not ground, and the proportions of ingredients, which a lot of restaurants play around with and don't get right, was just right. Delicious.
What impressed me just as much as the steak tartare was the concept and atmosphere of this place. I loved being able to just sit for a few minutes, order a thing or two, and then leave without offending anyone.
Let me start by saying that I love cured meats of all varieties. If it's a pork product cured with salt, basically I'm in. So, it should come as no surprise that the Butcher Shop is my idea of a good time. Throw in some delicious wine or beer and add a little South End atmosphere and you have a great evening. I've been here a few times and usually get appetizers of cured meats, and/or cheeses.
On my most recent trip, I started by sharing the Antipasti with my lovely wife. Everything was delicious and the server did a good job of explaining all the selections. We also split a Bibb salad which had a great dressing on it. I ended with the braised pork and it was pretty good, although the peas it was served over were a bit hard.
My only gripe is that the dinner menu is a bit skimpy in terms of the entrees. Outside of that, this is a great place for dinner or wine and cheese.
A tiny restaurant with a unique theme and amazing pates. However, my duck entree was too salty to the point that it was almost inedible. One should visit pre-dinner for pates and wine.
i went here for brunch once, a bit over a year ago.
i still think about it. it was that good.
they had a soft scramble with homemade sausage hash. it was absolutely phenomenal. the tartare? true quality. they even brought some pate as a little early bird bonus, and it was awesome too.
and i never say this, but you should ask them for a glass of the chocolate milk if you're feeling decadent. the best chocolate milk i've ever had in my life. i felt a bit silly ordering it but definitely didn't regret it. rich and delicious.
The Butcher Shop is the second Barbara Lynch restaurant I have visited (The first being No. 9 Park) and is definitely more my type of place.
The Butcher Shop is in a great location. Parking is ample and it is easily accessible from the Pru area or via Mass Ave. It was fairly busy for a Tuesday night, but my date and I were seated right away. The restaurant itself had a really cool feel due to the in house butcher shop. It was darkly lit and felt upscale and maybe even slightly romantic, despite the fact that we were surrounded by cuts of dead cow.
The waitstaff was friendly and helpful. We had a few questions on some dishes and they took the time to answer them all.
Like Lynch's other places, the wine list was fantastic. I had a Bordeaux and it was out of this world. I could have drank about 5 of them, but hey, I was too busy trying (and failing!) to impress a date. My date had a white of some sort, but all white wines taste bad to me, so I probably can't comment on that.
Even the pre-dinner bread was great. Irish soda bread with some sort of honey-sugar thing? Sign me up. Although I would suggest not drinking a dry wine afterward, the soda bread and wine made my mouth very dry.
The main draw of the Butcher Shop for me was the Steak Tartare. Ah, sweet, sweet raw meat. How I love thee.
And it didn't fail to deliver.
It was heavenly. Just amazing. In fact, forget that - there are simply no words to describe how good it was. I've had Steak Tartare at other nice places like the Capitol Grille, and this makes them look like McDonalds. In fact, McDonalds might even be too nice, let's call it Pizza Hut instead.
In addition to the Steak Tartare, we had the Hot Dog a la Maison, the Parisian Gnocchi and a hangar steak which is no longer on the menu.
Lynch really has Gnocchi down, I tried the prune Gnocchi at No. 9 Park and was blown away. I am used to the traditional Gnocchi Sorrentina so this was a really nice change. The texture was perfect, they got it just right, not too hard and not to soggy. Any Gnocchi fan knows how horrendous a poorly cooked Gnocchi is. Ugh.
The Hangar steak was tender and delightfully flavorful. It was a nice compliment to the raw meat. I rarely find flavorful cuts of meat anymore, but this was fantastic.
And lastly the Hot Dog a la Maison. Ah, yeah. By this point I was a little full, amazingly. The Hot Dog was more of a sausage as compared to your "traditional" Hot Dog you would get at Fenway. It was mild and tasty, but didn't blow me away. It was also a little on the oily side. It came with a side of potato chips, which were pretty good, but again, not fantastic.
So here is where my date went wrong and I hope this is at least funny to some of you: So by the time we got about halfway through the Hot Dog, we both ended up pretty full. My date turned to me and said "I dare you to eat the rest of that Hot Dog in one bite". So me, in my infinite stupidity said "Duh, sure!" Well anyway, I did it, and almost made it, then 3/4 of the way through, I didn't feel so hot. Then I felt downright sick. I excused myself and prompted ran downstairs to throw up. She and the waiter got a good laugh out of that, but for some reason she won't return my calls anymore. Weird!
Anyway, to summarize, the Butcher shop has (so far) the best Steak Tartare in the city, an awesome setting and a fantastic wine list. 5 stars all around, although bring your AmEx Centurion card, cause a great Steak Tartare sure ain't cheap. But oh man, is it worth it.
Just don't try to eat the Hot Dog in one bite.
excellent atmosphere at night w/ tremont street views. waitress suggested a real tasty wine. menu pricey and it comes with ..nothing! i ordered the roast duck conft that was quite delicious. i think i know having lived in france 8 yrs and chased duck confit in (duck centrals) toulouse, perigord, paris and strasbourg. friends roast prime rib was juicy and cooked just the right side of meduim.
but am not used to ordering dinner and just gettng in this case... a drumstick. no greens, polenta, potato gratin. you had to order side dishes but menu or the server didn't indicate that. in fact, this is the only restaurant i've experienced this in a lifetime of eating, from sea to shining sea! will come back, not soon though. boston is studded with choices equally tasty. and with a full plate!
love the concept of it being an actual butcher shop and a restaurant. The meals are small and great to mix and match. Great place to have a one-on-one dinner but I think large groups would be hard for them to accomodate. I've never had to wait to sit (usually have a friend who will go there earlier than me to put our name on the list) but I gather that they do not take reservations and the wait can be a little long. I haven't had the hot dog dish yet but it looks spectacular.
If you don't mind standing around the butcher block table sipping wine and eating tasty appetizers while waiting for a table, then you'll love this place. We had to wait at least an hour and the server kept coming over apologizing for the wait and giving us free wine. If you like meat and wine, this is place to go. The steak tar tare is delicious. I was introduced to it at the BS and fell in love. Their pate is to die for. And of course their wines are wonderful. I've even been for lunch and the hot dog was great. One of my favorite places. I wish I could just hang out there all night.
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Category: Wine Bars
Cambridge, MA
Category: Meat Shops
Neighborhood: South End
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: South End
Category: Seafood
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