Bar 'Cino Brookline — Restaurant in Brookline

⭐⭐⭐ "OK" Bar 'Cino Brookline: A Rushed Dining Experience with Hits and Misses 🍴🎭

My partner and I were excited to celebrate a special milestone at Bar 'Cino Brookline during Restaurant Week. 💑 While the evening had its moments, the overall experience left us feeling a bit underwhelmed. 😕

Service 🙋‍♂️ The service at Bar 'Cino was the biggest letdown of the night. 😔 It felt like they were rushing us through our meal, with entrees arriving mere moments after our appetizers. 😳 The pacing was so off that we wondered if they were microwaving our food! 🤨 Part of the joy of dining out is savoring the experience, but it seemed like they just wanted to turn over our table. 😞 Things did settle down a bit after the entrees, but the initial rush left a sour taste. 😒

Decor 🎨 Bar 'Cino's decor is a bright spot, with contemporary art adorning the walls and a sleek, centrally-located bar. 🖼️🍸 The space feels modern and inviting, suitable for a variety of occasions, from family dinners to date nights. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦💑 The ambiance is pleasant, but it couldn't quite make up for the rushed service. 😕

Food 🍽️ The food at Bar 'Cino was a mixed bag. 🎲 We enjoyed the braised meatballs, but the grilled sweet potato was undercooked, with a hard center. 🍠 The margherita grilled pizza boasted a super-thin crust, which was tasty but not particularly memorable. 🍕 The bavette steak, while flavorful, suffered from uneven temperature, with cooler spots in the middle. 🥩 The real standout was dessert – the zabaglione and griddled olive oil pound cake was a delightful end to the meal. 🍰😋

In Retrospect 🤔 Our visit to Bar 'Cino Brookline during Restaurant Week was a roller coaster of highs and lows. 🎢 While the food had its moments, the rushed service overshadowed the experience. 😞 The decor and ambiance were pleasant, but not enough to compensate for the pacing issues. 😕 If you're looking for a leisurely dining experience where you can savor each course, Bar 'Cino might not be the best choice. 🙅‍♂️ However, if you're in the mood for a quick bite with some hit-or-miss dishes, it could be worth a try. 🤷‍♂️

Final Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐ - "OK" Bar 'Cino Brookline: A rushed dining experience that leaves you wanting more (time to enjoy...

I recently dined at Bar 'Cino in Brookline and had an overall pleasant experience, until an incident occurred towards the end of our meal. An older woman who worked at Bar 'Cinco, possibly a hostess, approached our table and abruptly informed us that there were people waiting to be seated. What troubled us was the inconsistency in her approach, as she did not approach other tables that had been there for a longer time. This left us feeling unfairly treated and raised concerns about potential racial bias. We sincerely hope that Bar 'Cino addresses this issue by providing training to their staff to ensure that all customers are treated with respect and fairness.

• UPDATE *

I recently revisited Bar 'Cino in Brookline, and I am delighted to update my review following an exceptional resolution to the previous incident. The general manager reached out to me personally after reading my initial review, and I must commend their swift response and commitment to customer satisfaction.

Upon our return, my party and I were warmly greeted and seated promptly. From the moment we sat down, the staff made every effort to ensure our dining experience was memorable. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. Each menu item we ordered was skillfully prepared, bursting with flavors, and beautifully presented. The attention to detail and the use of high-quality ingredients were evident in every bite.

I must express my sincere appreciation to the general manager and the entire staff at Bar 'Cino for going above and beyond to address the concerns raised in my previous review. Their commitment to rectifying the situation and ensuring customer satisfaction is commendable. It is clear that they take feedback seriously and strive to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all patrons.

Thank you once again to the general manager, Anthony, and the entire team at Bar 'Cino for transforming a challenging situation into a truly exceptional...

This is the first time I've been to the Brookline location and I'm comparing it to the Watertown location. The manager and hostess were very friendly and the restaurant is modern and sleek. Our waiter started off with a bit of an attitude when we asked him if we could do four separate checks (something that I requested on my reservation). He eventually agreed with the condition that we didn't change seats. We laughed at the request and agreed even though we had no intention of changing seats. He took our drink order and two of the women ordered an appetizer. He also brought us some bread, but then he disappeared for quite a while before coming back to take our food order. When I said that I wanted the Kale Caesar Salad, he gave me a look like, really, is that it. However, he gave me that look before I could finish telling him that I also wanted the Frito Misto. Two of the other women shared two dishes and they were nice about splitting them for them. However, one of the dishes was the Tagliatelle with added chicken. When the dish came one woman had about five small pieces of chicken and the other woman had no chicken. I guess they only give you 4 oz of chicken and I'm guessing that's measured pre-cooked. Our waiter resolved the lack of chicken issue and became nicer as the dinner went on. But I have to say, our initial impression wasn't that good. My Frito Misto also didn't come with a grilled half lemon like it does at the Watertown location and it was not worth mentioning when I realized; despite the fact that I love the grilled lemon. I will definitely go back to the Watertown location because I absolutely love everything about the food and the service there, but I'm not sure that I will go back to the...