Coolidge Corner Clubhouse — Restaurant in Brookline

It was 3:00pm and I was hungry. Having had my fill this year already of baristas with attitude who can't make a simple espresso with a splash of water without screwing up the order, I decided, since I was in Brookline, to give the Cooldige Corner Clubhouse a shot. I should have known it would be trouble when I walked in. I was the only person in the dining room. I asked the bartender if I could sit (I thought they might be closed) and she said, "oh, ya', ya', sit wherever you want." Then I heard her tell someone that there was a person in the dining room. It took someone five minutes for someone to acknoldge me. My waitress took my order and disappeared. When she brought my meal and a $6.50 bottle of bear (there are no prices on the drink menu...jeez...thanks) I asked for a frosted mug to go with it. She brough back a metal cup. My head almost exploded. She replaced it with a wet glass. My head exploded, but I kept my cool. Thanked her, in fact. My 10oz. burger $12.99 (why don't you just call it $13???) was pre-cooked and just barely re-heated on the grill, grease coagulating on the surface. I kept my mouth shut. The red onion looked like it had been cut earlier in the week and was discolored. I didn't say a word. The onion rings ($1 extra) were cold and mushy (what!@!@!), and were served with a horseradish sauce that was more mayonaise than horseradish. I didn't object. The Blue Cheese crumbles ($2 extra) tasted like American Cheese and barely covered the center of the burger. Folks, you can buy an 8oz container of Blue Cheese crumbles at Market Basket for $4 that would cover 20 burgers and tastes like Blue Cheese. Didn't complain one words worth. A side of guacamole ($2) the size of a small dolop tasted like they had watered it down and whipped it for bulk. I ate it in silence. My waitress disappeared again until I was almost through with my meal and asked if everything was alright. I didn't have the heart to tell her she would probably starve if she stayed at that job. No, I suffered in silence the entire meal. I was hungry and had to get back to work. So instead, I wrote this nasty assed, one star review. I would give the Coolidge Corner Clubhouse NO STARS if that were a choice, but it isn't. If you're the owner of this place and are reading this review, there is no exaggeration or hyperbole. I have no axe to grind. I just wanted a nice hot, fat, juicy burger for $25.00!!!!!!!!!!!! Wake up and do something to fix your establishment, please. And while you're at it, a refund...

I used to regularly stop by this spot on my way home from work for a beer and food because they have decent food - However one night the bartender Kate got my order wrong .she was distracted with male customers clearly prioritizing them first- the food I received wasn’t even anything they had on the menu. I politely said this is wrong- She Doubled down, argued and I ended up paying twice what I wanted for food I didn’t want.Cold pork on nachos with salsa? Like what? I ordered loaded tator tots. Her attitude was horrible so I didn’t tip because her tip went to cover the now double bill I had to pay due to her mistake and poor attitude. I usually tip - I have with every visit to that point. I don’t tip people who are blatantly rude. When I returned a couple weeks later - the same girl Kate the bartender was working and immediately went to the group of regulars at the end of the bar where they all openly discussed me and pointed at me . She continued to walk by me serving everyone around me. I asked for the play off game to be put on and she refused unless I could tell her a channel … at a sports bar during nba finals… another regular put the game on when he seen she was upset with me for asking. She continued to ignore me . I flagged her for a beer. She gave it . No conversation. Severely rude and very tense environment so finally I called her out for her behavior. Where she showed more attitude and told me that because the clubhouse only pays her $4 an hour she doesn’t serve or prioritize anyone who doesn’t tip . Even though I have tipped this girl and others in the past. I explained she’s not entitled to my money if she’s going to be rude to me . She gathered with the group of regulars at the end of the bar where they all continued to talk about me. So I used to spend around $35-$60 dollars a week here I won’t return. My suggestion is give your bartender a raise because she’s begging for tips from customers regardless of service . $4 an hour in Brookline seems pretty crazy. Bartended and waitressed the majority of my life- as well as managed restaurants. Still never made less than $7 an hour with tips. Still never refused service to customers who didn’t tip because it’s a business. Being better at customer service is also a good way to encourage a tip. If I was only making $4 an hour I’d skip...

Shockingly bad service which made for an awkward and inadequate experience. I ordered food and 15 minutes after it arrived I hadn't been checked in on, hadn't been offered another drink, had no water, et cetera . . .but the server and another worker came and stood across from my table talking about video games for several minutes. Did they think I was going to dine and dash? Why would 2 workers ignore a customer actively dining, but stand chit chatting facing them? If they have 5 minutes to talk video games, surely they can offer a customer water or other items to order. At the very least, someone could have asked once about my order and/or offered more. I worked as a bartender for a decade. I can't imagine acting this way when my livelihood depends on tips, or even just being so rude to another human. I expected to buy a somewhat overpriced meal, and that's what I signed up for. I did expect at least decent service, or just basic courtesy. Food was good - not great, but I read the reviews and was on board for that. Side note: the atmosphere inside seemed nice, and the bartender also seemed friendly and competent in contrast. It's a VERY rare occasion where I tip less than 20%, even for mediocre service. I tipped 15% which I'm sure is most than most people would have in that situation.

It's noteworthy that the bathrooms are tiny and hard to navigate for an ambulatory person of any size. Anyone requiring a cane, chair, or other ambulatory needs would be unable to utilize a restroom.

In summary: When serving patrons, a few moments make the difference in your pay. Pretend to care for 3 sentences worth of...