Clerys — Restaurant in Boston

I was with my best friend, her boyfriend, my husband, and my best friend has a service animal. We were coming to the bar for drinks before dinner. This encounter occurred on or about 7:30pm on November 5, 2022.

The host asked us if the dog was a service animal, and we said yes. The host told us that the dog either needed to have a service vest on (which the dog does at all times) OR that he needed to see paperwork for the dog. The host said that this was a new rule in the state of Massachusetts per the health department.

The host moved very aggressively and loudly toward us when we told him politely that we don’t have any national paperwork for the service dog. I said “if you look at the dog right now, you’ll see the blue vest that says ‘SERVICE DOG, DO NOT PET’” and he quickly backed off and said he was sorry he didn’t see the vest. But then proceeded to continue to say that he is allowed to legally ask for proof of paperwork for the service animal because he has “seen it before”, and continued to rant about it. His rant was completely incoherent. My friend was in shock, as we all were, at how aggressive this man was about a service animal. My friend trains service animals, and has done so professionally for years.

There was no sign posted anywhere in visible sight regarding this new law about service animals. Per Mass.Gov, “People are not required to possess any certification or identification for a service animal. Service animals are not required to wear a vest or a badge.” And “An individual with a disability accompanied by a service animal may not be asked to provide documentation of a disability, to answer questions regarding his or her disability, or to have the service animal demonstrate its work.”

While I cannot seem to locate anything online regarding a change in law about service animals, I firmly believe if a law has been recently changed, there should be a posting of it in the establishment in the event that people are unaware. I also believe that if a law has been recently changed, then staff should be well versed in it enough to be able to articulate in a professional manner what the law is without aggression. I am incredibly disappointed in...

Clerys, located at 113 Dartmouth St, Boston, MA 02116, is a popular haunt for young professionals and college students alike, just a stone's throw away from Back Bay Station. My alma mater hosted an event here before.

Overall Service: 3.34/5 Foods: 2.5/5, Service: 4/5, Ambiance: 3.5/5, Cleanliness: 3.5/5

With multiple bars, including a separate dance floor on the lower level, it can accommodate a sizeable crowd of up to 393 people (according to the staff). The place tends to get packed post-9pm on weekends, but it maintains a more relaxed vibe during weekdays. The friendly staff, especially the bartenders, add to the welcoming atmosphere. A tip: if you're yearning for a seat, scout the areas with large TVs; most patrons prefer to queue up for the dance floor.

When it comes to foods, unfortunately, Clerys didn't quite hit the mark here. The chicken wings, despite their reputation on the menu, were a disappointment. Overcooked and dry, they left my taste buds longing for more. The garlic parmesan sauce, too, fell short, barely coating the wings and leaving the flavor flat. Maybe it was my bad luck. A silver lining was found in the Bee Sting sauce, boasting hot honey, garlic, and red chili – a tantalizing combination. My wish is that they'd be more generous with the celery and carrot accompaniments given the portion size.

The potstickers, well, they were just okay, nothing that set them apart from your average Chinese takeout. On a brighter note, the cocktails at Clerys did manage to salvage our evening, offering a tasty respite.

Areas of improvements: (1) Clerys could benefit from some quality control in the kitchen to elevate their food offerings. (2) When the place gets crowded, the restroom can become less...

Never before had I been treated so rudely by a bartender. Before I start I just want to mention the utmost important it is for me to treat bartenders/waiters etc with respect. The server gave us some lukewarm drinks for which I proceeded to ask for ice. Once the bartender came she gave me 2 small ice cubes, is the most inattentive and disengaged manner and left. As this was not enough ice I stayed there to wait for her to come back again. When she came back I asked her for more ice and she took the cup with 2 ices cubes and threw it to the trash, like if I didn't deserve them anymore. She then asked me why I needed ice for, to which the answer is obvious, but still her job is to serve customers, not question them on their orders. Anyways, she finally proceeded to give me enough ice, again serving it in an angry manner. I said thank you and she started leaving. I turned to my friend, and told him "What an attitude" (which was true), and unfortunately was overheard by the bartender. She then went out of her way to step outside of the bar area, harass me, started shouting in front of my friends and threaten me that she was going to have me kicked out of the bar for no good reason. I decided to be the better person and simply say I was sorry. She left. This situation was embarrassing for me but even more so for her. Her behavior was clearly out of line and her temperament clearly had to do with something else, and she was definitely not having a good day, but that is no excuse to treat customers like that. I will not be going back there again...