Barlette — Restaurant in Brookline

Absolutely terrible booking system and bad business practice. The owner canceled my reservation without notifying me and left me no choice but booking elsewhere.

I started reaching out via email to secure my booking in January 2024 for my March birthday (March 22nd 2024 Friday). At that time - this place did not have an online bookings system set up so everything had to be done via email.

I emailed the Owner/Bartender Rachel in January 2024 to inquire about a booking in March to celebrate my 30th birthday. After a couple of emails back and forth with Rachel (Owner/Bartender). She told me I was all set with my reservation. I even emailed back to double check if there was anything I needed to complete and I got no reply from the owner.

About a month ago (Early March) I emailed Rachel (Owner/Bartender) to make sure if I was all set with my reservation. I got no reply. So I decided to email her again and after one week she finally responded and told me: ”Unfortunately, due to a special event, we will be closed to the public on Friday, March 22nd.” I was very confused and asked if Rachel was able to hop on a quick phone call with me but she didn’t pick up. She finally replied via email and told me in order to have a Guaranteed Reservation I could only book through a private party.

Which I was not told at the beginning when I first inquired in January 2024. I would have gone through private booking if I knew that would be the only way to secure a reservation. At that time - I was given the choice to book 7 seats at the bar or go through private (more expensive). So I went with regular service.

Rachel (Owner/Bartender) said they were all booked for the weekend of March 22nd 2024 (Friday) and March 23rd 2024 (Saturday) my only option left will be March 21st 2024 (Thursday).

My questions are: Why was I not notified at the beginning if booking a private party is the only way to secure a so-called “RESERVATION”?

Why was I not notified when my “RESERVATION” was forced to be canceled? Instead I had to reach out a couple times!!!! Imagine showing up to the bar on the event date and was told I was canceled at the door - It would have been worse.

I reached out months in advance for a reason because this place looks interesting and it would be an amazing idea to spend some quality time with friends and celebrate my 30th birthday. I am writing this here today because I don’t want anyone to have gone through the same thing I've been through. I wish the owner would have done a better job in communicating and responding to your customers/potential customers. (Even the regular booking ones not just the private...

Let me tell you about this magical place. I went with a friend one chilly weekend evening and was immediately blown away by the vibes. Barlette’s cozy corner of the Brookline Arcade Building is a dream. Fun wallpaper, moody lighting, interesting bric-à-brac all add to the illusion that one is stepping into a secret and special place. Owner Rachel and her staff were warm and welcoming. They walked us through the process of mixing our own cocktails and encouraged our creativity with spirit choices and mixers. I thoroughly enjoyed the hands on experience and spent the whole evening peppering Rachel with questions about the concept, execution, and practicalities of running this kind of establishment. I was so impressed with it all that my friend and I decided immediately that we wanted to throw a private event in their space. We sent an inquiry email from the bar and that was when the real magic began.

We decided on a Miss Congeniality viewing/Galentine’s Party for 15 of our fave girlies. Rachel along with her partner Emily (of Cobble fame/deliciousness) crafted a cocktail and food menu that perfectly paired with the food and drinks of the movie. An outstanding beet dip (one guest raved that they wanted to bathe in it!), mini wagyu sliders, stuffed dates, a pizza cocktail and so much more! It was all out of this world.

They were able to source a projector screen for us so while our friends enjoyed the genius food and drink concoctions, we played the movie on the wall. It was truly the best party I have even thrown, all thanks to the efforts of Rachel and Emily.

At the end of the night there was laughter and tears of gratitude and love all around. It wouldn’t have been possible without all of the creativity, hard work, and magic of the Barlette crew. I’m already thinking of more party ideas for the future.

Go to Barlette for a fun, fancy night on the town, but also, consider them for your private party needs. They are the best of the best of the best. Big genius brains, huge genius heart. A...

Small speakeasy spot with the right vibes and a short list of seasonal & classic cocktails.

Dropped by for drinks early Friday evening. Tucked into a corner of the Arcade building, this spot was small, cozy, and filled up fast. We had one of the nooks—definitely worth reserving (only 3 available). By 6pm, it was already packed.

We skipped the classics and went for their seasonal cocktails. One unique detail: they let you customize any drink with your choice of base spirit. Nice concept, but most of what we tried unfortunately leaned more generic than memorable.

Our favorite of the evening was the Blazing Banana. We went with a tequila base, which gave it a crisp, clean finish that paired well with the fruity profile. More mango-forward than anything—bright, juicy, with a chili lime salt rim that added the right amount of kick. Banana showed up faintly on the nose but disappeared fast. Not what we expected, but it worked.

The other three were more generic. Espresso Martini had a clean and easygoing with a neutral finish, but a tad too sweet for my taste. Strawberry Old-Fashioned had the backbone of a classic old-fashioned but finished with a syrupy sweetness that lingered longer than it should have. Not poorly made, just a bit unbalanced. Fortunate Fruitlets was the least interesting. Essentially a berry seltzer with a splash of booze. Not much more to say.

Overall, worth a visit for the ambiance alone. Since they’re only open a few days a week, getting a nook might not be easy, but if you come in before 5:30, there might be some open spots at the bar.

Favorite: Blazing Banana Solid: Espresso Martini, Strawberry old-fashioned Decent:...