1928 Beacon Hill — Restaurant in Boston

Disappointing for sure. And I will unfortunately predict this restaurant will not last unless drastic operational changes are made. I ate there on a Sunday, December, 19th. 1st notable observation was the Co-owner boozing it up as early as 4:30 pm. That's not a good sign in any restaurant, especially a new one.

The Bartender was swamped and had very little support. It took 15 minutes to get a menu because she was so backed up and dealing with kitchen issues and a slew of custom cocktails with no barback help. The Kitchen neglected to tell her about several items missing that evening off the menu, but patrons were allowed to order these dishes and when the food came out, they were missing the primary ingredient; like the shrimp on a shrimp salad! And if the patron did not speak up, it was charged on their bill, but later removed.

I sat down long enough for 2 sets of couples to pass through their meals and a larger group nearby for drinks and appetizers. All had sub-optimal to poor experiences when it involved food service. And we do not need another watering hole in Beacon Hill.

The co-owner (male) mainly socialized with a few select patrons and never asked others about their dining experience. He spent most of his time boisterously talking about the origins of the restaurant and was oblivious to the crumbling customer experiences around him. He also was drinking quite heavily and that is not a good thing. Usually you might see an owner having a single cocktail, but at the end of the shift, not near the start of peak time, or when there were so many known issues happening. There were many miscommunications from the kitchen and new staffing issues noted and the waiters did not know the table numbers (albeit it is all so new). You can tell there was no chemistry between the wait staff, co-owner and Bartender. No positive energy, just flat. The Bartender was doing as good a job as can be and was quite skilled. I found the menu was disappointing as a 2nd year vegan-vegetarian, (but will eat fish) there was little to choose from. In an upscale area with food conscious people, this will be a detriment to them. The two couples that were next to me, both had wilted salad greens swimming in an unremarkable dressing and other sub-optimal dishes, except for their burger. The salad greens were also wilted my tuna tartar appetizer. Though the tuna tartar was tasty, it was notably missing a few signature ingredients described in the dish and it could have used a few more chips (were these home made or from a bag, I am left wondering?). I was so hungry and needing something else, but with limited menu choices forced to order the broiled vegetables side dish. I found these to be perfectly seasoned with sea salt and cooked through texture-wise, but arrived barely luke warm at the table. They also could have additionally used some flavoring like rosemary or thyme. The last couple stayed after I departed and texted me later it took 2.5 hrs to get their main dinner, (granted it was a steak), that is still unacceptable. The co-owner, then sat himself at another large dinner party (in the middle of their table acting like the center of attention!) continuing to booze it up while the rest of the restaurant was barely operating at scale. He could have stepped up, got behind the bar and or helped run or re-direct food from the kitchen. He could have also better communicated what items are out of stock and he could have paid attention to more patrons than the select few he chose. I loved the interior and decor and might stop by again to see if the experience will be different. I encourage others to offer up honest and unbiased feedback to prevent this restaurant from failure when our neighborhood needs them more than ever....

First and foremost this place is dream, more literally than figuratively. Nestled in residential Beacon Hill, I struggle to put my finger exactly how to describe this place. Is it a lounge? Is it a dinner party? Is it a Cuban hotel lobby or a prohibition era speakeasy? Whatever it is, it's unlike anything I've experienced before, and the atmosphere alone is worth a visit.

The cocktails are fantastic. I've yet to taste one that isn't perfectly well-balanced. Their bourbon-based riffs on classics such as Manhattans or Old-Fashioneds stand out as unique and inventive in ways where other riffs feel more like the standard version. I can tell I'm drinking something different, but it doesn't stray too far from the classics I've come to love with time. I was disappointed to notice they don't have any riff on a standard martini (vodka or gin), something that really would suit the vibe of this place well. Not that the omission is worth a ding, I'm just curious what their elevated take would be. I'm sure they'd make a killer martini if you ask for one, though. Selfishly I'm only writing this on this review in case they take note and one day it appears on the menu. Guilty as charged.

The food is just as good as their drinks, however there are definitely items that stand out more than others. I suspect this might impact some of the other reviews on here that only give the food 4/5 stars. However, what I tasted during my most recent visit was firmly worthy of all 5/5. The Bolognese is the best I've ever had, even compared to more 'dedicated Italian places.' The pork belly was to die for. We were also brought an off-the menu cod-fritter that the Chef was "working on." Work no harder, Chef. This was the highlight of the night for me. I would go back just for that dish alone, and hope I can find it somewhere in Boston again one day.

I appreciate that they specified on the menu that ordering appetizers and entrees at once is helpful for them. They made sure to note everything is made from scratch in the kitchen. This not only elevates the experience, but it also expectation sets in case there's a delay.

Speaking of 'from scratch,' my date has celiac and sometimes dining with her can be challenging. Not only was our server knowledgeable on specifics such as cross-contamination, but they seemed ready and able to modify cooking methods on the fly. Rather than say "oh I'm sorry we use a frier for the pork belly and thus can't make that for you." They said, "Chef is willing to pan fry it for you just with the caveat that it will be slightly different than originally intended." This kind of flexibility and personalization not only speaks volumes to the quality of what's going on behind the scenes, but it most importantly makes for a safe and inclusive dining experience.

I will say that on a few occasions, we did not have this same incredible experience, but after raising a few concerns last time, management went above and beyond in their response, and they are clearly striving for perfection. They are well on track on achieving that. If they can maintain this level of service and consistency during peak business hours, 1928 will remain a premier dining experience in Boston.

1928 is firmly worth a visit if you're in town, and it has cemented itself on my roster of places I'll continue to take friends and family when I want to show them something...

An overall disappointing evening, even though the restaurant is lovely and nicely decorated. I had requested a relatively quiet table in the lounge for my husband's birthday; we were seated at the end of the banquette toward the door where it was very active, and we were close to several tables of other diners. Being in the "lounge," I should have figured it would be super loud, but I didn't: my bad, even prior to 7 pm it was. It wasn't the ambiance I had hoped for, but I didn't know the space. Our server was very professional and accommodating but holding down many positions, as we saw her bartending as well. The cocktails were excellent, as was the wine by the glass we chose. For the food: the fried oysters were more like a cornmeal fritter with minced oysters - not whole fried oysters; the best part of this dish was the tartar sauce. The steak with the steak frites was perfectly cooked and tender, however, the menu stated it came with greens, but instead came with sautéed broccoli, carrots, and Brussels sprouts; when asked, the server checked and was told that a substitution was made because the greens were not available. This should have been told to me before ordering because I may have changed my order, having not chosen a salad appetizer. The cod was slightly undercooked, which is a tricky fish to get right. The baked potato side was disappointing in that it had been prematurely pre-prepared, and wasn't adequately rehydrated with fresh cheese, butter or sour cream to make it that anticipated decadent treat. By the end of the meal we were eager to leave, even without a birthday dessert or toast (don't expect any acknowledgement of a special occasion); it was time to wander out and find another spot to...