Eastern Standard Kitchen and Drinks — Restaurant in Boston

Old ES was my favorite restaurant and I dined their dozens of times. I mourned the loss of Eastern Standard when it closed. It was the jewel of Boston dining. So I was thrilled to hear it was reopening and eagerly awaited my return visit.

I'm sorry to say it's less than a shadow of its former self. Growing pains? Maybe, but a lot of things were egregious. On our visit, we had cold soup, and a chillier reception by a waiter who had absolutely no interest in serving us. Heartbreaking when you consider ES's previous service standards were legendary. We were not off to a good start when our waiter pretended not to know what a child was and suggested I order my young children things from the adult menu. I am 99% sure that the old ES had at least a grilled cheese available if you had the audacity to bring your children out to dinner with you (we went at 5 PM on a Sunday and were surrounded by other diners with children, so perhaps ES should consider adding a children's menu after all!) I ordered them the fettucine alfredo which my daughter refused to eat. I thought she was being ridiculous, then I tried it. It was CRUNCHY. It had clearly been poorly made, and then sat under a heat lamp for an indeterminate period. I have never had fettucine alfredo that was this inedible.

Our fish was overcooked and tough, our soup was cold, my steak frites underseasoned and swimming in a greasy lake of butter. Our drinks were good, but the staff was clearly uninformed about the bar menu (another tragedy, considering cocktails were ES's other claim to fame). I asked for a drink that had been INVENTED at Eastern Standard. They didn't know what it was (which was fine, I made it clear I was happy to order something else) but offered to make it for me and even asked me to write down the recipe, which I actually had! They forgot the garnish, which was forgivable in other circumstances (even though it's an essential part of the drink, I had written it down, and I would have preferred something else if they couldn't do it...also it was nutmeg which a decent bar and restaurant should have) but I had to wait 60 minutes for a (simple!) daiquari-style cocktail, which was not. Also no apology for the time it took to make the drink, no 'welcome back!' or 'thank you for coming in!' when I told multiple servers how much we had loved Eastern Standard, how it had been my favorite restaurant, how many times I had been in (every birthday, celebration, special occasion for years).

The new space is terrible. Old ES had high ceilings, a big open dining room, a dramatic staircase behind the raw bar, a big beautiful open bar. They've clearly tried to maintain some of the same design elements but the result is it looks like they didn't have enough money to decorate properly. It looks like a generic hotel bar anywhere in the country (maybe this matches the new anonymous business park plaza location :/) and it's depressing. The leather banquettes were uncomfortable. For half the price, it would have been a disappointing meal. For what we paid it was an...

If I ever get pregnant, I'm going become a regular at ES, so I can sit at a classy bar with a delicious drink in my hand and still feel like a real person. The drink menu has a section of mocktails that sound almost as fun as the real thing. Almost. But since I'm not even close to being preggers, I obviously didn't go for those.

Went on a Saturday night during a Sox game so that there was a slight lull in patrons. Grabbed two prime seats at the bar where we could see all the action. The atmosphere is chic and lively. The kind of place where you can stay for a good few hours and make a night of it. Which is exactly what we did.

When it comes to cocktails, it's all about the progression. As a dark and stormy lover, I started out with a Patriot Sling since it features rum and ginger beer but also kicks it up a notch with the citrusy tones of lemon and the slight sweetness of honey. Ahoy, matey. Next up was the Metamorphosis, which my drinking companion informed me was always a crowd pleaser. This also rocks lemon and honey, but the Czech liquor adds a unique, herby element. I can see why the crowds are pleased. The last drink I got was the Ponce de Leon, which I don't even think is listed on the menu. A strong, rum-based drink, it rocks hints of orange and vanilla and happiness.

These aren't the kinds of drinks you guzzle down. We were seated at this bar for nearly 4 hours, taking our sweet time and enjoying the atmosphere. However, the crowd radically changed once the Sox game ended. It was interesting the hear patrons, now crowding around us trying to get the busy bartenders' attentions, ordering standard beers and screwdrivers. Why don't you go over to Lansdowne instead? The noise level also increased a few decibels, and combined with the music, we found ourselves nearly shouting at some points.

Did I mention that these drinks are strong? I won't have been able to gracefully leave my chair if I don't get some food in my system stat, so we look over the menu and decide to split some Steak Tartare. After we order, the bartender places white napkins on the bar in front of us and puts down a plate of two little buns of deliciously chewy, sea salt-sprinkled bread with some whipped butter. This service is super impressive, considering how busy they are, how long we've been occupying these bar seats, and how little food we've ordered. The steak tartare is brought out with crispy sliced baguette as well as thin fries. The portion is great for two to share, and the flavor and texture of the meat is divine. Salty, fresh perfection, the tartare is the ideal alcohol-absorbing accompaniment.

At $10-12 per cocktail, the prices are reasonable considering the restaurant's location and atmosphere as well as the quality of offerings and service. Sit at the bar. Get some food. It won't be a cheap night, but it will definitely be an enjoyable one. As long as you manage to avoid those...

I was really looking forward to trying Eastern Standard at their new spot since I absolutely loved the original location. Unfortunately, this visit left me feeling pretty disappointed …I’m giving it 2 stars, though I honestly considered 3, the less than hospitable support staff anf poor burger, I couldnt do it.

The good news is we got seated early(nice terrace!) despite them being slammed all week with show crowds. I totally get that everyone’s probably exhaustedhaving worked in restaurants for 15 years myself from bus boy to GM, I know how brutal those rushes can be.

Our server was genuinely fantastic throughout the entire meal, which definitely saved the experience. However, the food runners were a different story. After waiting about 15 minutes for our drinks, I asked one of them for a straw and never saw her again. When our appetizers came out - cod fritters and shrimp cocktail - the runner literally dumped the shrimp, ice and all, right onto our table and started walking away. When I politely asked for a replate, I got an “I guess I can do that” with major attitude. Not exactly what you’d expect from an upscale place.

The replacement shrimp were honestly pretty disappointing quality-wise. Row 34 absolutely destroys them in comparison. The cod fritters were solid thoughgood flavor and nice presentation.

For mains, we split the mixed greens with grilled chicken. It was fine ..the goat cheese was good and the blackened chicken had nice flavor. They were thoughtful enough to split the burger for us, but again, the food runner just dropped everything off without a word, even after we thanked her.

That burger was probably the biggest letdown of the night. For what I’m assuming is a major profit driver for them, it was surprisingly bland and small. I’ve honestly had better burgers at Tasty Burger.

Another small tidbit, I asked a female server the direction to the restroom and it was the most bothersome question for her, I do not understand I asked so politely!

The one thing that really redeemed the evening was our server bringing out a dessert with a candle since we were celebrating a belated bday. The brownie with caramel ice cream was actually really good.

Look, I get it ..restaurant margins are brutal these days and keeping the lights on is tough enough without spending extra time training support staff on basic hospitality. Also coupled with noone wants to work. They seem to be doing well with their current approach, and maybe that’s what works for their business model. But personally, I won’t be back. There are too many other great spots in the area to explore instead.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Very much regret canceling reservation to Eventide. Pleasantries and guest driven hospitality would have saved...