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Categories: American (New), Breakfast & Brunch, Pizza, Pubs [Edit]
Neighborhood: Jamaica PlainForest Hills (Orange)
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Brunch yummm..
Great service. Friendly, efficient, fast.
On a Sunday morning by 11 am they were pretty busy, but not crowded.
We both had omelets with PERFECTLY toasted toast and little potato wedges that were mouth watering.
Also, note. They can't serve alcohol til after 11am. Our waitress was AWESOME. She put in our drink orders right before 11 and we were drinking by 11:01 am.
If you like grapefruit juice, get the Ruby Red Wakeup Call..mmmm champagne, splash of cranberry and shot of ruby red infused vodka.
The regular mimosa is also refreshing and wonderful.
Omelets can be prepared exactly the way you want. I recommend egg whites with red peppers, mozzarella and broccoli.
ALL of the brunch items looked delicious.
We will certainly be back for another great brunch!
This was a difficult review.. if i had written this a year or two ago i surely would have rated dogwood at 4 stars.. the aura in the restaurant is nice, there is plenty of seating, the bar is cozy yet refreshing (especially with the nice draft selection). the pizza is some of the better pizza in boston. i used to live a block away and would frequent dogwood and have tried every pizza on the menu. a majority of them are superior to what you can find elsewhere in boston.
box score: 2 people, 1 appetizer, 2 drinks (wine and beer), 2 entre: 58 with tip and tax... if the entre was better i would have gone for dessert.
i recently visited dogwood with a companion, we decided to dine in and order something other than pizza, just to try it out. i've NEVER complained about a beer from the tap before (not even PBR) but i'll make my first complaint, sigh. i had the pumpkin porter, it was ok, not heavy enough for a porter, not enough pumkin to warrant the lightness, i mean, it wasn't a bad beer, just not a good one.. the waitress asked if i wanted the rim sugar and cinnamoned, of course i said, and there is the mistake. the rim came back with too little sugar and cinnamon, it just looked like it was whipped up, no care went into it from the bar tender. yeah, this may be lame, but i take my beer seriously.
for appetizer i got the spinach artichoke cheese dip with homemade chips.. the chef must have a hardon for ritz crackers because the cheese dip was covered in crumbled ritz crackers.. not very appealing. the dip was ok, not worth the 9 dollars at all, especially not if topped with ritz crackers.
but before we could even dip 2 chips EACH.. our entres came out.. tsk tsk tsk.. i've worked in food service for a good portion of my childhood, you need to wait 15 minutes for the entre to come out, we had under 6 or 7 mins tops.
my companion had the steak sandwhich special and unfortunately i forgot to ask how it was... i was too immersed in other conversation. she finished almost all of it so it couldn't have been that bad.
i LOVE mac n cheese and i really couldn't order anything else when i read mac n cheese. i was soooooo disappointed. again, the mac n cheese was covered in RITZ crackers.. give me a break.. that's not "breadcrumbs".. the dish itself lacked flavor, was way too soupy and you barely had any. the salad served with it was just thrown on the dish, there was no culinary art behind the salad, although i did enjoy the sprouts on there..
seriously, dogwood ONLY gets 3 stars because their pizza is fantastic, otherwise i would give it 2 stars after the piss poor food i was served tonight.
if i could offer dogwood some advice, drop the mac n cheese and anything that really isn't at least par with your pizza and you'll rocket to a consistent 4 star restaurant.. 5 stars for those who don't have much of a pallet.
After a long day, myself and a friend were looking for something easy and simple for dinner. Beer and comfort food, the order of the day, so she suggested the Dogwood.
It's a nice comfortable place, obviously very family oriented (cute, frolicking kids and unhappy screaming kids in equal measure, but what are you going to do? i mean apart from giving them beer. but really, would that be so wrong? i'm told that in fact it would be. never mind, their loss.)
Anyway, the service is extremely friendly, and prompt. i applaud them for their innovation of broccoli poppers, because broccoli is the mightiest of all vegetables, whose powers increase when teamed up with cheddar cheese and then fried. The macaroni and cheese was merely okay, but i think some of that was 'cause it was a little too dark a shade of oven-browned.
As advertised, it was a comfy place to sit and eat and drink and i like doing all of those things.
I like the Dogwood. Believe me, it brightens the neighborhood, especially being across from the Forest Hills T-stop. The thin crust pizza is good. You can watch a game on TV, or get away from the noise if you like. It's cool like that.
My friend and I called in for a To Go Pizza and ordered the "Birch". The person taking the order was very polite and went out of her way to make sure we knew it was a sauceless pizza. She told us we could add sauce and we decided to.
When we got there they had the wrong pizza made for us (A "Naughty Pine"). The To Go waitress girl was the one who noticed (we probably would not have noticed til we got home). She apologized politely, told us they would make our order, that we could take the other pizza, have free drinks while we waited, and she would refund us 100%.
We got $30 worth of pizza and a Harpoon IPA for free. But that's not all...
The pizza was delicious. Very thin and great tasting crust with great toppings. I loved both the Naughty Pine and Birch (very fruity Sun Dried tomatoes). They went above and beyond for making a mistake with our order (I would have been satisfied with paying and taking both pizzas).
Loved the Dogwood Cafe. Lived literally up the block from it. Went here sometimes 3x a day. First the service is hit or miss. Most times hit but when they first started to get busy you could tell they were flustered. The waitresses are great. Lots of times remembered my favorite wine or beer.
Now the food- again hit or miss. The calamari is THE BEST I've ever had. And I'm italian and make my own calamari. The pizza is outstanding. The meatloaf an amazing standby.
The pasta.... eh this is where it gets tricky. No matter what pasta dish I got it always seemed bland. Super bland. Not even salt and cheese could save it.
So go enjoy the Dogwood just skip the pasta. Desserts were also great! Brunch is also good. Great bloody mary.
Wait, two reviews in three days?
Yeah. I went back because we still don't have a functioning apartment after moving in right around the corner from this place. So we skipped Forest Hills Pizza and headed in from some brick oven style pizza.
For a large pizza, we were stuffed and only had one skinny slice over half a pie. We got the Magnolia, I believe with chicken, pesto, mozzerella and garlic. The garlic was severely lacking, but I liked the flavored chicken, the fact that it was a white pizza (no red sauce) and I liked the amount of cheese to topping ratio.
Jill is a stellar waitress. We will be back, lots. Especially in the next two weeks until our kitchen is finished!
The Dogwood is a flat out 4 star experience. It lacks that something truly amazing that warrants a… Read more »
what? i can't believe all these good reviews. throwing in my two cents (or two stars) just to even out the scale a little.
overpriced - YES.
pretentious - YES.
service - i mean, NOT GOOD.
when i go into a restaurant i want to hear "Yes!"
can i sit in that booth? "NO"
can i take those onions off my sandwich? "NO"
can i get someone to help me find the pizza i ordered for pick up? "NO"
what, are you kidding? i'm paying too much for booze, too much for food (though admittedly, lots of things on the menu are TASTY: veggie burger, mussels, meatloaf sandwich, salads, pizzas, almost everything is pretty tasty) i better be able to sit wherever i please and i better have a server who says YES YES YES, or is at least around when i need them.
this restaurant isn't that great, maybe 3 stars, and minus one extra star for being the VERY LAST THING this neighborhood needs. tinted windows. seriously, everytime i walk by them i laugh at how ridiculous they are.
I live just around the corner from The Dogwood, so I go there often. The food is great! They pizzas are wonderful- they have a food-fired brick oven. They also have a wonderful selection of beer and wine. There's something for everyone on their extensive menu.
They are a bit expensive, but you don't mind forking out a little more munz than usual, you won't regret it.
The live music is usually pretty good in there, but the recorded music they play SUCKS. It's the one thing that perplexes me about that place. Somehow they choose the crappiest, suckiest 90s music to play over the speakers. Usually it's not on too loud, and after a few beers, you tune it out.
I'm always surprised to walk into The Dogwood and see all the white families having dinner; I think to myself, "where did they come from?" But I can't blame them for trooping it to Forest Hills - it definitely reminds me of being a kid and going out to eat with my parents - and they have folksy live music that the kids get up and dance to - so cute! If you're looking for less of a family vibe, the bar side is more youngish with sports playing on the tv's.
Ambiance aside, the food is good, the prices are fair, the bar selection is diverse and the warm blondie with ice cream is delish. (I stay away from their blueberry pie - for all the hype, it's more like blueberry soup with a sugary crust). We usually get the veggie burger with a side of mash. The burger itself is nothing too special, but the bun is impressive, they include sprouts with the lettuce-tomatoes-onions and the dill aioli makes it happen. Plus, the pickle on the side is actually worth mentioning, and the garlic mash as an alternative to f-fries makes it seem a bit more grown-up of a dinner.
Aside from having one of my favorite veggie burger plates in Boston, the salads are probably the best thing on the menu for vegetarians (and non-veg's too). I haven't tried much else on the menu - the pizza toppings are good, but the crust isn't my favorite - too crackery. Last time I went I had the mac-n-cheese - very creamy and with cracker crumbs on top - not quite what I was in the mood for.
So why the high rating despite not a ton of super-high rating offerings? It's the perfect "let's drive ten minutes, not spend too much money, not cook dinner and just have something easy and satisfying for dinner" place. What can I say - I'm a creature of habit!
A diamond in the rough, if you will. This Cafe is right across the street from the infamous Forest Hills Orange stop in Jamaica Plain.
The staff here was consistently friendly and helpful through all the times we came here. The food is great - very customizable pizza, tasty specials, good appetizers, and good desserts. If you like pie, you MUST get the blueberry pie here. Its sinfully good. It might be a controlled substance....be careful.
The beer selection here is also very solid. The TVs are properly placed to peek at games without feeling tooo sports-bar. Prices are fair, and its close to the T if you come out of the city, or close enough to walk if you are a cool kid in JP.
The menu is great, there's something for everyone on it. We had the pizza and I definitely recommend that. The beer and drink list is very impressive and the prices are good too. Our bartender was kind of rude, and she acted like we were putting her out when we asked for another round. We were eating at the bar and there was good music playing too. I would have given more stars if the bartender wasn't having issues that night.
They put your pizza on a stand. Something about that tickles me. It reminds me of the Dear Departed European in the North End.
Other than that? Pretty good pizza, though I make a better crust. Too expensive, too.
I like the Dogwood Cafe. Not as much as Christopher's Cambridge, mind you, but I like it. The atmosphere is a little dark and a tad like being on the inside of an old boat, which is kind of cool if that's your thing.
I would categorize the Dogwood as perfectly fine bar and grill fair. The only reason it gets 4 stars instead of 3 is because they simply have the best Veggie-burger anywhere ever. It's super-tasty, for those of you who like veggie burgers that are just that -- veggie burgers (not trying to be meat in any way).
I can always count on them for Stovepipe Porter, and they have a great selection of other beers, many microbrews. The salads are good, the fries are good. I hear from my meat-eating boyfriend that the sandwiches and meat-burgers are totally fine. I know some folks who have ordered the seafood and found it quite satisfying. I also hear good things about the steak sandwich.
Note to vegetarians: not TONS of options here, but I highly recommend the veggie burger.
Avoid the potstickers. They are terrible.
Dear Dogwood,
Listen. You're across from the Forest Hills T station. Settle down now.
I know your windows are tinted, that you have that cute little logo, and that you paint the place every five minutes. And yes, you've got some nice decorations inside, a very cozy atmosphere, and serve up a delicious blueberry beer. But...
Your prices are just too high. On more than one occasion, I've asked for ingredients to be left off of my sandwich (simple things, too!) and have been told it can't be done. Why? Because much of the food is pre-made. And pretty average anyway. That's cool--but that also means you need to stop charging so much.
Also, I just think it's a little ridiculous to prevent people from sitting at a table if they're not going to order food--especially if they're going to drop some loot on a few cocktails (which, to be fair, end up costing the same, if not more, than dinner would). I could understand this if the place is crowded...but you do this even when the restaurant is half empty. Or three-quarters empty.
Your whole vibe is a bit pretentious--and rather ironic, all things considered. And you could be a little less abrasive, on the whole. I always feel rather unwanted here.
This place is awesome. It's the perfect place for a casual, cozy night out. I swear I see the same faces here each time I go, both in the staff and patrons. It's got a very neighborhoody feel inside even though it's in a crappy part of town across from scary Forest Hills T stop.
The menu is comfort food and is consistantly good. The pizzas are better than any delivery place around and they're made in a hot wood fire oven - to die for.
The brunch is great too! A must try is their Monte Cristo - it's amazing. Wash it down with an extra spicy Bloody Mary and you've got the perfect Sunday morning.
Stopped in for a pizza and potato skins. Skins were your typical fried variety, and the pizza came out almost right after the appetizer was served (I hate this).
Pizza was decent, not a world beater, and if I lived in JP then perhaps I'd frequent this place more, but I wouldn't label this a destination place. Inordinately high amount of young children dining for a Saturday night, but that's fine. They also have live acoustic music playing all the standards. Service was good.
Have made this a regular place dinner and a couple drinks.Friday and Saturday evenings there is acoustic music which makes this even better. Daily specials are a great change from the regular menu.Staff are friendly and accommodating,has proven itself to be a great place for lunch or dinner ,
Tried Dogwood Cafe for first time. The place has a comfortable and warm atmosphere. Great long bar… Read more »
Great food, great atmosphere. I went here with a friend on a Saturday and there was a packed bar, live music, and lots of little kids in the seating area. To my shock, none of this proved annoying: kids were rapt with the food, musician was enjoyable, and bar patrons were well-behaved. Food and beer selections were varied and tasted great. Portion sizes are reasonable, which is selfishly frustrating, because the food is good enough to leave you wanting more. I recall some signs on the wall proclaiming the blueberry pie to be award-winning; I wasn't floored by it, but it was certainly very good, and you've gotta appreciate a restaurant that lets you finish off a meal with a nice big slice of blueberry pie. Great for dates and for families, a rare -- and winning -- combination.
Why did I have it my head that this place was a run-down dive bar? So untrue. Had brunch at The Dogwood over the weekend and will surely be back- great selection of breakfast items, amazing pancakes (and you can order a single pancake as a side!), and fun day-drinks. Did I mention that the staff is super friendly and helpful, and the interior is spotless and doesn't have the smelly beer scent that most bars/pubs just can't kick? What a great find!
The Dogwood scores points with me for consistently great service, being a great escape from Hyde Park Ave., and for taking such a gamble opening their doors to the neighborhood. For those who won't remember, the location used to be an awful dive bar which didn't exactly improve on the neighborhood's value.
From wait and bar staff to kitchen and management, all who work at The Dogwood seem to be great. They definitely value service and appreciate guests. This is what should be expected at any, but especially a neighborhood restaurant.
I've only had one bad experience with The Dogwood, but it was terrible. I returned several nights after having a wonderful meal, expecting the same thing. What I received was a burger that seemed as though it was rolled in sea salt. This was the only meal I ever wanted to send back.
I've noticed a lot of inconsistencies when I frequent The Dogwood, but its never been as bad as this one experience (about two months ago). I can live with presentation and portions varying a bit, but would never excuse such a terrible meal again.
I'm not burnt on The Dogwood. I think it's a great place with minor flaws.
Great brunch. Nice bar. I'd rather have a table, though.
No points off for being busy and making me wait once in a while - That's a great thing for them. Don't expect to have a drink at the bar if you're waiting on a table, though. Its not really a lounge area.
The Dogwood probably won't be a destination for anybody coming from downtown, but is a great addition to the immediate neighborhood and will remind people used to eating on Centre St. that there are great local alternatives.
I've been here a few times. It's near my house, and it's always banging with people on the weekends and nights. I see it as more of a local bar/restaurant, where the people here seem to be more regulars, enjoying their favorite dish and in a what I would call a pretty well organize atmosphere. I do really enjoy the dark wood walls, and the organization of the bar on one side, and the dining area on the other. I do love their brick over pizzas, and most of the food/drinks that I've gotten there have been pretty well prepared.
I went there the other day with my parents, who are big food reviewers and they always enjoy going to the places I like to frequent. They are always critical with their orders and specific with what they want. My mom always wants her food hot hot, and my step father always wants his freshly brewed iced tea. Both which seem to be a problem every time we go out. I just kinda chuckle about it, but when i asked if they had earl grey tea and was told yes, and got lipton tea, I had to send it back. Paying $2.50 for a cup of lipton black tea isn't worth it, and some of their dishes are overpriced, but i guess you pay for that for atmosphere.
I've gone there in the summer and they make a pretty decent Margarita, and my dinners and sandwiches have always been interesting. I was a little thrown back when the bartender one night didn't know how to make three of the drinks I went through, and at that point I just got a whiskey ginger ale.
This place is pretty reasonable, but I think if you really want an elegant experience, this sometimes crowded venue can be an easy pass by. go early, and scope the scene if you want a quiet dining experience.
In comparison to our experience at Bon Savor, Dogwood was a much better choice. Save your itty slices of mediocre french toast, Dogwood is my new City Limits Diner equivalent for Boston. We arrived around 12:30 and were seated immediately by a friendly waitress in a booth in the larger of the two rooms and promptly served up two glasses of freshly SQUOZEN orange juice.
Specials included pumpkin pancakes and crabcake eggs benne. We went with the latter paired with the mexican breakfast pizza. You tell me anything is Mexican inspired on a breakfast menu and I'm sold. Breakfast quesa, burrito, huervos rancheros, Nadya y Alejandro sandwiched between a biscuit....ay dios mio. We weren't terribly impressed with the benne, maybe it's because we were expecting something a lil different, and for me the poached egg when it leaked into the crabcake sort of ruined the texture and made me feel like it was undercooked. The breakfast pizza on the other hand was SOLID GOLD. A thin brick oven crust, topped with scramby eggs, red onion, cilantro, tomato, scallion, salsa, monterey and cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. It was a fairly large size as well, we probably could've shared that and still made it out alive.
The table next to us was served the wrong omelet, and a side of pork sausage instead of turkey....which was a little disconcerting because I think the patron might have been vegetarian (save the exception of the turkey sausage). In the waitresses defense, you can't xray an omelet and sausage pretty much looks like sausage. Either way, about $33 later and we were on our way out with full bellies and leftover breakfast pizza.
We'll definitely be back to try their standard pizzas as well, which brag combinations of italian sausage, ricotta, and mozzarella as well as goat cheese, spinach, and caramelized onion.
Good bar-type food, nice atmosphere and decent drink selection.
Brunch is one of those weird service blackholes. For the most part, customers partaking in brunch have usually over-imbibed the night before, and as such, are looking for a laid back, comfort food type munch-fest, usually paired with one (two, twelve) hair-of-the-dog medicinal beverages. Languid conversations about the shenanigans embarked on the night before allow for lapses in server face time, which is good, as most brunch servers probably over-imbibed last night themselves.
Moral: I take brunch service with a grain of salt (or a shot of tequila. Whatever).
But then there are the times when the service goes beyond the actual, "crap, I need another drink, where is she?", and ventures into the "she is blatantly not listening to a word we say" realm. And in that realm, is Dogwood's brunch.
Our last brunch visit was a service nightmare from start to finish. Upon being sat, we waited. And waited. And waited. At one point, a dining companion pointed out that the person we thought might be our waitress (we weren't certain...because in the 10 minutes we'd been seated, no one had come by), looked like she had just had a huge order come out of the kitchen as we were sat. No biggie, we were in full story telling mode, and weren't yet parched enough to warrant aggravation. Finally, a few minutes later, she bopped on over. Drink orders placed, we got down to discussing our food orders. One breakfast pizza, one burger with BBQ sauce on the side, and one make-your-own-omelette, with tomatoes, olives, and cheese. Throughout the ordering process, it becomes a bit obvious that she's not really listening, but whatevs, our order is simple, so onward ho!
Drinks arrive, and wow, the ruby red mimosa (mimosa with shot of ruby red grey goose, and a splash of cran) was EXACTLY what we needed. Delivered by the hostess, we said thanks, and got to sippin. Shortly after, the same hostess delivered our food. Thanks helpful hostess! Greedily staring at the large portions (seriously, they don't mess around with size), we started to dig in. Um...the burger can't be picked up. Wonder why? A little investigating shows that ladles of BBQ sauce have been poured ON the burger, soaking through into a meaty saucy mess. Blech. Oh well, that's why we have forks, right? The first cut of the omelette reveals onions. Hmmm. Ok, maybe a small mistake? Nope, further fork action shows that it's essentially a pile of onions, with a little egg and tomato thrown in (where are you olives? where are you cheese?).
At least the breakfast pizza was good.
What else is there to say? We only saw our waitress one more time, and at this point, it was fruitless to complain. The hostess had brought us a few more rounds, and to be honest, we were now focusing more on our vitamin C intake (excuses for afternoon drinking abound) than a full meal. Maybe the kitchen messed up, maybe there was a communication breakdown, who knows? Thousands of reasons could be to blame, but none were discovered because our waitress didn't really care.
This won't stop me from going to the Dogwood, but it's become enough of an increasingly prevalent problem to put pause in the decision to travel to JP.
Dogwood has become a mainstay of my brunch circuit. I have been there a few times for dinner as well, and while both are good I prefer breakfast. The menu has a lot of comfort food with a stepped up twist. They have a rotating list of craft beers and special dishes which keeps thing lively. Worth checking out.
I am a very big big fan of the dogwood cafe and I have been coming here for years.
When I was pregnant I constantly craved the food here and I was never disappointed at anytime with the service.
The last time I was here I had a delicious meal of Diver scallops and butternut squash risotto, it was mmmmm, mmmmmm, mmmmmm, DELICIOUS!!!!!!
THINGS I TOTALLY RECOMMEND:
chicken & shrimp picatta
Shrimp scampi
Magnolia pizza
pizza with- carmelized onion, ricotta and bbq chicken(my specialty!)
Had brunch here today.
It was Sunday morning, and pretty empty. We were seated in a side of the restaurant that was pretty much empty, and had a charming waitress whose phone went off while taking our order. It sounded like Tinkerbell, which made us wonder whether or not faeries were making our food.
The Belgian Waffle came with impressively fresh fruit and the home fries, heavily spiced and salted, ate more like french fries, but in a good way.
My girlfriend got stuffed french toast. It was really excellent and flavorful. All the food was incredibly filling.
The feel of the room was really nice, too. It was calm and welcoming, with really nice dark wood and brick walls and gorgeous long windows.
The only downside was the coffee. It wasn't bad, just sort of weak.
We'll definitely go again.
Ah, Dogwood. A cubic-zirconia-in-the-rough for the Forest Hills area. I have to think that the reviews to-date (or at least the four star rating it has right now) are based on relative comparisons to the rest of the area's offerings. If you don't want Budweiser or a slice/sub to-go, then it is, after all, the only real restaurant around. But that doesn't mean it's actually good.
First of all, everything seems slightly overpriced for what it is. Second, the place gives off this vibe that it might think it's a lot cooler than it really is. When I first moved to the area, I didn't go in because I didn't know what to make of the "proper dress required" sign in front of a business with completely tinted windows. Now I realize that it's just confused; it's nowhere near fancy enough or hip enough to back up that first impression.
The pizzas are the specialty but I've never really cared about any of them. It seems like one flavor always completely dominates the rest. Nothing about any of the entrees I've ordered has ever stood out as something special, unusual, or particularly well-executed.
The brunch menu is lacking, but does have the one thing I've ever been impressed by: Breakfast Pizza. Sausage, bacon, and eggs on a crispy thin-crust works really well (and also reheats in the oven well later).
As much as I like the Breakfast Pizza, last time I was there for brunch I tried the Mexican Pizza, which, as I recall was something like: eggs, onion, salsa, sour cream, and a couple cheeses. I asked if the sour cream came on the side, was assured it did, then it came with with a giant glob in the center. The crust (especially in the center) was frighteningly soggy and limp and the whole thing just tasted awful. After eating maybe 20% of it, I had to put it aside. The server points, "done?", I say "yeah, wasn't a big fan", she smiles, leaves, returns with the check, I pay the bill and eat a bagel at Java Jo's.
It's 3am and I felt compelled to write a couple Yelp reviews....why? I'm not outraged at or delighted by the Dogwood, but this had to be written now. Interesting.
I like the Dogwood. It recently got a face lift on the outside, and is warm, cozy and inviting on the inside with deep colored wood and local art. The food is consistent- everything on the menu is alright- I have tried mostly everything because I live about 200 feet away from the restaurant. There is nothing on the menu I would consider to be fantastic, or even REALLY good- it's all relatively generic- but that being said, everything is good. I have never gotten anything disgusting. I would say that for the quality of food and the portions, it is a bit expensive- but a major plus is the live music on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The wait staff has always been pleasant and moderately attentive, they have a good knack for not bothering you too much while still coming around to check if you need a drink refill and whatnot- they have a good balance down.
It's a pretty good spot for a first date or a dinner with some old friends. Just an overall solid restaurant.
At the foot of the Arboretum you will find the aptly named Dogwood Cafe. Though it's more of a bar/grill, so maybe they only have the first half right.
Parking's aplenty either street side or in the back lot. Also, being adjacent to Forest Hills makes it super convenient for us T commuters. The Dogwood has a funky atmosphere. Exposed brick, dim lighting, a big bar, and 3 flatscreens for sports viewing. They have an excellent selection of beers, wines, and a full bar if you're in search of a cocktail.
Adding to the atmosphere is original artwork from talented local artists, and acoustic folk singers on Fridays and Saturdays.
Pizzas are droolworthy - choose from their prefab 14 specialty pizzas or get creative with their 34 delicious toppings (here's a sampling: carmelized onion, hot cherry and roasted red peppers, ricotta and goat cheese, italian sausage and prosciutto). Burgers are yummy, I love when medium is done right. Steak tips are pretty tasty also and come in naked, cajun, barbeque and terriyaki varieties. My experience with the pasta dishes and other entrees has been meh, but I don't venture from the bar staples often.
Service spans the average to good scale (though I haven't been for brunch). GREAT take-out option for commuters. Stroll in, place your order and grab a beer while you wait. When in the mood for beers, burgers, and pizza, I'm a very big fan. Look for the 160lb guy in glasses taking on a whole large pie.
MEH.
That's my general reaction when it's suggested I eat here. It's simply okay. The drinks aren't very strong, the appetizers aren't very creative or flavorful and the entrees usually disappoint me. The pizza, however, is pretty darn good. Whenever I can get ricotta and caramelized onions on a pizza I am a happy kid. I have never had the dessert so I can't say. They have a martini called the "Boston Pops" it's got pop rocks on the rim. It's full of giggles but drink it fast.
Once I came here and my boyfriend got a coffee. He dumped a little container of cream in and it was the consistency of snot. Thus, we didn't return for about a year or so. He was that scarred by the experience.
When I go to Dogwood, it is Sunday, 12ish. I am hungover, sluggish. For me, brunch isn't the time to critique service. If the mimosa takes a minute longer to get to my table or I get toast instead of an english muffin, it's not a big deal because I am tired, enjoying my company and conversation, and don't have a stick up my ass. I understand and respect that the people who work the morning brunch shifts are probably the same people who would love to be doing what I am doing on a Sunday morning, but, alas, have to cater to my pancake wishes.
I get three things at the Dogwood for brunch. 1) two eggs scrambled, wheat toast, homefries, no meat. 2) banana pancakes. 3) breakfast pizza. Since the first two are straightforward (and straight delicious) I'll detail the third, breakfast pizza. Some people cringe at the thought, but oh man, it is good. Flatbread style pizza crust topped with scrambled egg, cheese, bacon, sausage, seasoned, crispy homefries and, if you're me, you dip it all in the king of tomato sauces: ketchup. I can't love the breakfast pizza enough.
Drinks are all good, mimosas, bellinis, although I often opt for chocolate milk because on a hungover, sleepy Sunday, I become a child and seek only foods that can replicate a hug for the tummy. I've never had a bad meal or spent more than $20 at the Dogwood.
Above average beer selection and fun cocktails paired with incredibly delicious and well priced food that is also just a little adventurous, which I love. I had apple cider sangria last fall when I was in there. I love seasonal drinks. I also love fresh cider. And mmmm their brunch. Pizza for breakfast, yes please! I was reluctant to write a review about this place because I like to think it is my favorite hidden gem. It is where I bring out of town guests to show them what JP is all about. The inside is warm and cozy. It really is a very "neighborhoody" place so don't be surprised to young families dining next to recent college grads. But again - it just adds to the charm. Keep up the great work Dogwood. (And keep this one on the DL please, I don't like having to wait to sit down)
Great place. The acoustic music definitely enhances the pub atmosphere. After a long stressful week of work it is definitely a stress reliever. They have a friendly staff and laid back atmosphere.
We ordered a pizza and some dumplings so I can't speak to the entrees. I don't think I would make a special trip to visit the Dogwood, but if you are in the neighborhood and hungry it is a good bet.
I think Monday is the night to go here. It wasn't crowded - or maybe that's because we went at 8. I have been a few times and have only tried 1 pizza but that's because I LOVE it (the Dogwood). I think the personal pizza - which is on the big side for a personal - is reasonably priced since you get dinner and tomorrow's breakfast out of it. Service is good, parking surprisingly easy. And the T's right across the street if you want to have a few beers.
Every time I come here I think to myself, "Why do I keep going to Doyle's on Sunday mornings and afternoons when I'm miserably hung over?" The service at The Dogwood is a million times better. The drinks are a million times better. The food is a million, billion, trillion times better. It doesn't have to be all that pricey, either. Today I ordered a single egg, a deliiiicious blueberry pancake, and a coffee and it all came to about six or seven bucks.
I guess the word has gotten out about how great this place is for brunch, because it seems to get more and more crowded every time I make it over there. Also, there are always a ton of kids there- and after spending my whole week taking care of other peoples' children, the last thing I want on a morning after a crazy night out is to have some kid tug on my skirt while I'm trying to rally and to have to wash my hands at a sink next to a trash can full of smelly diapers.
Avoid the tall tables by the bar like the plague. Each one has a light dangling over it almost at eye level that's brutally bright. I spent my entire brunch today wearing sunglasses. Of course, I *did* drink about a trillion beers last night, so it's not entirely their fault....
My friend fell in love with this place while on a quest to try all the pumpkin beers he could. I liked it for its pizza. until they gave me the pretty bad customer service and a pretty crappy pizza on Superbowl Sunday.
I would have understood if the restaurant had been really busy (they weren't), but I think they were more interested in watching the game then serving the customers. I might go back but so far it's been 7 months so I dunno..
I've only been for brunch but it's great.
It has replaced Doyles as my brunch spot. The food is not nearly as greasy and the service is better.
I don't know how much of a selling point this is to most people but I am in love with the fact that I can get raisin bread.
Parents seem to like to go for brunch as well. the last thing i need while nursing a hangover or hell any morning, is a screeching/screaming small child. Other than that I am happy.
The food here is really ordinary. The jalapeno poppers are yummy.
Beware of nights when they have live music, its hard to hear your date.
Come Unwind - One Olive at a…
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Show Tune Tues & iThursdays
Neighborhood: Dorchester
Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain
Category: French
Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain
Category: Diners
Neighborhood: Jamaica Plain
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
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