Smith & Wollensky - Wellesley — Restaurant in Wellesley

I would like to thank the staff at Smith & Wollensky Burlington for an amazing dining experience tonight. My wife and I had never been to their establishment before and decided to dine there for our Valentines night dinner. We have enjoyed many high end steakhouses over the years but we were treated to such an enjoyable meal that it rates among the very top of them all.

We started with the warm rolls with butter. The finishing salt on them was perfect.

Next was the burrata appetizer with prosciutto. Fantastic, though we do think there should be more than four crostinis to be able to enjoy it all. This was our only suggestion for the entire meal.

Next we enjoyed their Caesar salad. We loved the parmesan cheese crunchies. The salad wasnt over dressed but just right.

I ordered a bone in rib eye that was wet aged, peppercorn crusted, with a brandy peppercorn sauce. It was tender, flavorful, cooked perfectly and had a wonderful crust. My wife ordered a filet of beef with lump crab meat and a hollandaise sauce and it came with asparagus. Again the cook was perfect and fork tender. The crab was moist and tender. She ordered a glass of super tuscan red which she loved.

We shared one side, the truffled baked mac and cheese. Now we both love baked mac and theirs did not disappoint. Theirs was extremely creamy and rich where most places are drier and lack flavor. Not here. A fantastic side to go with my steak.

We also shared a skillet brownie/cookie with ice cream. The skillet gave the dish a nice crusty crunchy bottom that was great.

The food was expertly served and the attention that our server Aaron gave us made us feel like we were the only ones there. Everyone who came to our table greeted us with smiles and a welcoming attitude asking if there was anything they could do. They shared stories about the food and their personal favorites. It really made the evening. The manager checked in several times with us to ensure everything was to our satisfaction. The food was fantastic, but honestly, on a busy night such as it was for dining, you would have never known it by the way the staff engaged with us. This truly made the meal.

Thank-you, we will certainly...

Experienced in fine dining with particular regard to high end steakhouse restaurants. Of note, a steakhouse should nail true to temperature and be forthcoming on taking and presenting an order. Smith and Wollensky upholds an American reputation noted to high quality. Our server at the bar was attentive and personable. Bartender service (only one of three interacted with us) was personalized and rizzed. Orders were placed. The steak temperatures on both orders came out completely incorrect and were noted, returned and remade. No notification other than “we will bring them back”. When they were brought back one was as described and the other completely rarer (both requested medium-rare). It was insisted that the one we thought was rarer was medium rare although it was very rarer looking than the other medium rare dish we ordered beside it. Nonetheless, they were different but anyone knows you can always cook a steak up. Then we were told they couldn’t cook it up except to medium and over what was requested. At which point to our frustration and the order was cancelled. We made reservations at a steakhouse that cannot cook a steak at the requested temperature. We went without one meal and shared the other. We had hoped this would be a landing place for us to receive a fine meal as we are working class people earning a nice night out. We frequent other restaurants in the same class and caliber and frankly some much more cost effective, family owned and oriented places that know and care about their people. Sorry to say we will not be back. Seems they expect that the name will carry them through but we believe that what you see is...

Dropped by on Father's day for lunch.

We did not have a reservation, so were seated at the high-tops (at the bar). At 12:30 there were two tables in use outside and we were the second at the bar. The restaurant was not busy... Fifteen minutes later, there were apologies for neglecting us, explaining it was very busy and the kitchen was overwelmed. They took an order; Surf and turf for two $150 (keep it simple). The manager came by after 20 minutes and offered to comp up a first round at the bar. I don't really drink and it is not clear what one might drink with surf and turf; white wine, red wine, shiraz, fog cutter... The latter might have improved things. A different waiter brought sweet bread, slathered in sweet whipped butter. Half an hour in we were served: two dry lobster tails, nicely prepared, 6 steak tips and four little potatoes, served on a bed of saute parsley, with lemon. The greeter brought it, with a caution that the plate was hot. Unfortunately the lobster tail was not. We had butter knives and bread dishes and asked for plates. A while later another waiter came by and looked with amazement and announced, we needed plates. He brought plates and steak knives. The cold dry lobster tail (probably farm grown) was OK. The steak tips were tasty, as were the little potatoes. We declined desert. After an hour we asked for the check and when it arrived, $200 was presented. The waiter suggested no change? I asked for a moment to consider and left a 20% tip. As we left the dining room room was still empty.

This was a definitive...