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Scollay Square
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Canadian (Traditional) Seafood, Canadian (Traditional) [Edit]
21 Beacon St(between Bowdoin St & Somerset St)
Boston, MA 02108
Neighbourhoods: Downtown, Beacon Hill
(617) 742-4900
- Nearest Transit:
-
Beacon St @ Park St (43, 55)
Tremont St @ Beacon St (191, 192, 193)
Tremont St Opp Winter St (191, 192, 193, 277, 43, 55)
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 11:30 am - 10 pm
Thu-Fri 11:30 am - 11 pm
Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 11 am - 9 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
150 reviews for Scollay Square
Review Highlights
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"Lobster Mac n' cheese-- lobster was great-- not too chewy." In 20 reviews -
"Three words: Bloody Mary Bar." In 8 reviews -
"...ahi tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes was plate licking good." In 4 reviews
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150 reviews in English
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Review from Jenny H.
Great food, great ambience. A solid place to eat in Boston.
Their scallops with risotto were AMAZING- wow, perfectly sweet and caramelized crispy on the outside on top of a creamy risotto and greens. Some of the best scallops I've had.
I liked the scallops better than my dish, which was pretty good too. Ahi tuna steak seared, two pieces on top of wasabi mashed potatoes (this was really spicy but added a good element to the dish) with greens, the chili sauce and sesame oil were KEY to give this dish some good flavor.
My friend's shrimp pasta dish was really good too, a good, zesty, cheesey tomato sauce with generous pieces of fresh shrimp. We got their mac and cheese as an appetizer with truffle oil and prosciutto, I liked how the prosciutto was really chunky and it was corkscrew pasta. Not oven-baked but tossed in the cheese sauce with toasted breadcrumbs on top.
Very good place. -
Review from Tracey F.
Boston, MA
5/14/2012
Prior to going to see The Avengers (awesome movie) last weekend my friend and I took a little lunch jaunt over to Scollay Square. It has been years since I have been there so was looking forward to trying it again.
The restaurant is located in an historic building on Beacon Street and has a nice patio out front. Sadly, it was a little too chilly to sit outside. Immediately upon arrive you notice that Scollay Square has a warm, inviting feel about it. The restaurant is relatively small with areas blocked off by old dark wood and a long bar that runs the length of the top end of the restaurant. Waiters are in black and white and the place feels very old Boston. We were seated in one of the corners on this relatively busy Saturday lunch time.
The lunch menu is standard American comfort food but with some twists with everything from burgers and sandwiches to some alternative entrees like Miso Glazed Salmon and Thai Chicken & Shrimp. I wasn't sure what I wanted but the Fish & Chips definitely piqued my interest. I first cautioned the waiter (jokingly) that I was British and that if he says the Fish & Chips are good then they had better be. It was all in good fun and they were indeed good. My chips were crispy on the outside and soft and mushy on the inside, just how I like them. The fish, broken up into smaller pieces tasted freshly and crisply battered and fried with flaky, buttery white fish. A side of interesting tasting tartar sauce and ketchup and
My friend ordered the Maine Lobster roll, which she said was delicious with big chunky sweet pieces of lobster but a little too much mayo and sadly there were a few shells in the roll. She did manage to eat almost all of it and overall was quite happy.
We obviously left our diets at the door when we looked at the menu.
Service at Scollay Square is very friendly and efficient. We never had to ask for soda refills and we were politely checked in on a number of times throughout our lunch, which was very nice. There was a smile for everyone that walked in the door.
A great place for lunch. Now I need to check it out for dinner. -
Review from Marissa S.
Salem, MA
4/15/2012
Getting here isn't easy and parking is limited so if you are meeting friends leave yourself a little extra time. We didn't sit outside but they have a great outdoor patio.
For a starter, I had the Grilled Parma Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Fresh Mozzarella and Balsamic Syrup..YUM! People often mess up cooking asparagus, this was crisp and flavorful. For my brunch entree I had the Monterey Jack & Portabella Omelette served with Hash Browns and Lemon Dressed Greens. I'll be honest, I don't know what came over me when I ordered that. I really dislike mushrooms and would never have normally ordered it but I just felt like an omelet. I'm so glad I did because it was delicious! The egg was nice and fluffy the hashbrowns were crisp and the greens were a nice addition for brunch. The mushrooms, you might ask, I actually liked them! For dessert I ordered their strawberry shortcake. Wow. Good.
Everything was very fresh and tasted like it was just made -- meaning it hadn't been sitting under a warmer or anything. If you are looking for a fun brunch location downtown I would highly recommend Scollay Square.
Full Disclosure: I Attended a brunch event here with Boston Brunchers (http://www.bostonbrunc...) which means my meal was complimentary, however, this review is 100% my own thoughts of the experience. -
Review from Jill S.
South Boston, Boston, MA
5/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Real good buff chicken dip! Fun atmosphere..nice if you can sit on the patio. Salad with steak tips is delicious as well.
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Review from Jamie G.
4/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
I really enjoyed my time here and can't wait to come back!
My reason for the visit was the Mad Men premiere costume party they were throwing. For $30, we got 2 cocktails, passed appetizers, and 2 hr TV watching, with the sound on and the show on all their TVs. The cocktails were delicious- I had the Old Fashioneds... they were made perfectly, made with Woodford Reserve- a delicious whiskey. Then later I had woodford reserve on the rocks with a twist of orange. Also delicious. All the passed apps were delicious too- chicken skewers, fresh baked potato chips, etc. The staff were incredibly friendly, especially our bartender. I hope to come back every Sunday, because they will have the TVs on for Mad Men viewing. Win. -
Review from Jay V.
Bozeman, MT
4/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Seared tuna and wasabi mashed potatos were amazing..service was above and beyond great, always smiling and available to help.
A+ for Scollay's its food and staff. -
Review from Alicia S.
Boston restaurant search at 3pm on a cloudy Sunday afternoon.
Beacon Hill, $-$$, American (Traditional), Open Now
Result: Scollay Square.
We walked into the joint at 4pm (still considered lunch) and took a seat. One Boston Lager later we had the Goat Cheese appetizer & Lobster Mac and Cheese in front of us. Hello!
The Goat Cheese Appetizer was a tasty little delight (see Laura J.'s review for the description that convinced my sister to order it. Yum...thank ya lady!) but we needed more bread! Not a problem, more was grilled up & brought to us right away. We split the Lobster M&C which was just fine for the portion size and it being lunch. The lobster pieces are small but that's fine because they're in every bite! Curly noodles, cheesy-cheese and a creamy drippy mess of delish...just what the doctor ordered. -
Review from Katie W.
Boston, MA
2/18/2012
HOLY BUFFALO--between the buff chix dip with crispy chips or the mac and cheese, this is the place to come to satisfy your buffalo craving!! I could legit drink the buffalo chicken dip--we came as a large group and ordered one for the table...lets just say it didn't stand a chance. Next I split the buffalo chicken mac and cheese and it was perfection! They use cellentani pasta, my personal favorite for mac and cheese, the swirl of the pasta is large enough to pick up the cheesy buffalo goodness while still having a great texture.
Will def be back for my buffalo fix! -
Review from Leslie W.
Boston, MA
4/11/2012
Best brunch in Boston! Make your own bloody bar! So happy that it is warming up so I can sit outside enjoying the perfect bloody mary (cause I made it myself) and eating Rice Krispie french toast!
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Review from Aaron K.
1/6/2012
Really great eggs benedict plate. Came here for brunch over the fall after spending the morning in the common/public garden and walking around beacon hill. This place did not disappoint food wise. Eggs benedict was perfect with what seemed like a homemade hollandaise. Their hash browns are killer! It also came with a small side salad with a nice light lemon dressing. 10$ in this location for this food was a steal. Love it and would come back next time I'm in the area. Fiance's french toast left a little to be desired as the bread was a little flat (I like thick bread personally).
Service was a miss as we had to flag down our waitress to place our order. Then a server brought me the wrong benedict (they brought me lobster and I had ordered traditional). They gave mine to someone else. I didn't eat anything off my plate and they brought it to the customer that ordered it. Mine was already dug into and they made me a new plate.....I ended up eating after my fiance had already finished. No comps for the mistake and I was pretty peeved, but the food still won me over in the end. I will go back and up this rating if the service improves. If you make a huge screw up like this you should offer some type of comp for the inconvenience. -
Review from Melissa F.
Boston, MA
1/6/2012
My friend and I came here for a hearty breakfast before heading to the Harpoon brewery. I love brunch, mostly because I don't get to have it often, so when I get to it better be damn good or I will be one unhappy customer. Ended up picking Scollay Square and I was so glad I did. Love the decor with the old pictures on the walls. Gives the place a lot of charm.
We were seated quickly and placed our order since we were both starving. We both got the Scollay Square Breakfast and ate the whole thing. Their coffee is really good too (strong just how I like it. Had like 3 cups) We didn't try the bloody mary bar since we were going to be drinking beer later, but I definitely will try it next time I go. It was quite an impressive spread with all the different hot sauces and fixings.
They have very reasonable prices and you get a lot of food. I'm a fan and will be returning -
Review from Jimbeau W.
Southborough, MA
3/31/2012
We like this place. Enough in fact that we signed up for their dining club card. Everything's done right here: excellent (okay, a superlative can't hurt--really excellent)martini, super appetizers (goat cheese a definite choice), delicious and unusual entrees well prepared and seasoned, well presented and well timed. Trained, friendly, ,informative wait staff who haven't fallen victim to the Boston "you're lucky I even approach your table" server attitude, even though this place is next to XV Beacon, which is a reasonably prestigious address. The atmosphere is just casual enough to be comfortable any time, any way you're dressed--straight from the office in suit & tie corporate camouflage or in jeans.
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Review from Colleen S.
Kingston, MA
3/30/2012
It was such a nice treat treat to get back in to this space after about 20 years. i used to live in the building and would go to the former space occupier The Black Goose. Little has changed in ways of the decor and I ran in to several regulars from years ago. Service was sloppy. I went with the burger because it was that type of day, the burger was huge, bun was freshly made and toasted, burger was pretty undercooked though, had to be sent back, by the time it arrived my lunch mates had already finished. Thank fully we were not in a rush, so I took my time and enjoyed my meal. My new job is 2 doors down so I really look forward to long leisurely lunches on the patio come Spring & Summer, great people watching spot.
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Review from Paula H.
Houston, TX
3/29/2012
Delicious steak tips and potato lasagna! Sangria was tasty
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Review from Kelly K.
Rochester, NY
3/26/2012 Seated via OpenTable
The scallops were amazing. Portion sizes are just right - not overwhelming and not stingy. I also tried my friend's wasabi potatoes and tuna steak (rare) and it had amazing flavor. The service was a little slow, but very friendly,and it was lovely to sit on the patio on a gorgeous spring evening.
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Review from Jason M.
11/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Put me in the list of people who don't get this place.
It's inexpensive.
It's high quality food.
It's in a great location.
It's got a decent atmosphere.
So when you go there, why does it look like Armageddon happen and my boyfriend and I are the only ones left (except for the hostess, waitress, cook and bartender)?
It deserves a better crowd. A lot of Yelpers complain about Scollay Square being hit or miss in terms of quality... apparently, we had a good night.
I can vouch for the oven roasted goat cheese and the mac & cheese with prosciutto & tuffle oil. The boyfriend ordered the fish & chips. Everything was tasty, pipping hot, creative and rather inexpensive. Our kind (and quiet) waitress informed us next time we dine, we'll order the arborio crusted calamari.
I like it when people tell me what to do. Especially if what they tell me what to do is delicious. I like it even more so if I have to check twice to make sure I'm spelling arborio correctly. -
Review from Ellen C.
2/26/2012
Yummmmmmmm. Seriously. Yummmmmmmm.
This restaurant is great - it's intimate and can work as a date place. But it's still casual and fun for friends who are just getting together. It's got a great vibe to it and the area it's in is absolutely charming. The neighborhood is one of those places you would just want to settle down in and raise those kids in.
We ordered different entrees and tried everything, and there was not ONE dish that we didn't think tasted anything less than delicious. Ranking them, let's talk about the best from start to finish. Scallops & leek risotto was fabulous. The seared scallops were done perfectly - seared with this caramelized, pan fried outside and medium to rare center. The scallops' sweetness paired so well with the savory leek risotto, which was also done to perfection with its seasoning, its doneness, its creaminess. Seared tuna with wasabi potatoes and spinach was YUM. The only thing that I would comment on is the fact that they don't really mix in the wasabi completely, so there will be times when you get more green than you would like in your mashed potatoes. But when you get a bite with the tuna, a well mixed bit of potatoes, and some spinach? Along with some chili and sesame oil at the bottom of the plate, it's fantastic especially the quality of the tuna. As a sushi lover, this was awesome. Blackened swordfish over jalapeno potatoes was surprising tender and fresh. I generally dislike swordfish due to its rubbery texture when it's even slightly overdone, but this dish was fantastic. The jalapeno potato pieces combined with the tender swordfish were flavored to the nines, delicious. The lobster mac n' cheese was okay. I didn't taste the lobster but the mac n'cheese itself was well seasoned and the cheese was quality, but I'm not a HUGE fan of mac n' cheese so this dish didn't really blow me away.
Either way, when I come back to Boston, I would absolutely come back to this restaurant, especially on a date! -
Review from Diana C.
12/5/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I'm a tad disappointed as I had high hopes based on the reviews.
ATMOSPHERE: decor is dated. Definitely not a classy feel - the tv's playing at the bar made me feel like I was in a sports bar. Lot of older folks eating at this restaurant as well.
SERVICE: nice waitress/hostess but I agree with another reviewer that they get really annoying after a while because they check in on you every 5 minutes, interrupting the conversations.
Also there was one time when another staff member came to clean plates off our table and we said we were still working on some fries - she kinda flipped out. She went to the waitress angrily who was standing behind us and said 'I thought you said they were done!' That made us really uncomfortable.
After we paid for the bill, we stayed to chat. There was absolutely no service from them whatsoever even though our cups were empty. I guess that's not a huge deal but I thought it was a little rude. We gave them like a 20% tip so it wasn't like we were stingy.
FOOD:
it came out really fast which was good!
lobster mac and cheese: my friends said they could make it better themselves. very watery and not creamy enough.
fish and chips: very good! flaked nicely. very crispy. comes w/ cole slaw and fries.
calamari: different kick with the banana peppers, but other than that nothing special
scallops: slightly overcooked but really good taste - whatever spices they used it worked.Listed in: Boston
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Review from Natalie B.
Boston, MA
3/11/2012
3 stars = just okay.
Although I'm a native Massachusetts resident, longtime Boston-proper, I had never been to Scollay Square and because I had a Rue La La coupon to use, it was a must-do. I checked out the website before making the reservation and it looked cozy and unique and somewhat retro, so I had high-hopes. I have the say that the pictures do it some justice, because it's a bit more dark and crowded and less cozy, in real life. It's, actually, a bit cold feeling.
We arrived with a reservation and were seated shortly thereafter. We ordered wine and martinis, which were all served quickly and the service was generally fine with nothing out of the ordinary - for better or worse.
It's really the food/price that substantiates the rating of this review. We ordered the goat cheese appetizer which was fine, other than the bruschetta-type topping being more like canned tomato sauce with pureed tomatoes. The goat cheese was tasty but the topping itself wasn't very good. For dinner, we ordered the buffalo chicken mac-n-cheese and my partner found it to be good, as did I. My meal, however, left something to be desired. I had the Bay Scallops with spinach and risotto. The scallops were small (although they are bay, so...) and despite size, they were overcooked and dry. The risotto was oily and starts to separate on your plate and the spinach was SALTY - quite, quite salty. For the price tag ($29, I believe? 23?) it did not live up to the expectations and I found myself eating more of my boyfriends meal than my own.
Across the board, for the environment and the quality of the food (at least, in my experience) I feel as though the menu is overpriced. Perhaps focusing on what they do well (mac/cheese and other more bar-style items) and less on trying to force a price tag the kitchen can't support would be a wise choice. Service = fine. Environment = fine (although somewhat deceptive based on photos) - and anyplace that's going to charge what they do should not have multiple TVs displaying sports around the restaurant. Food = leaves something to be desired. -
Review from Saba N.
10/31/2011
Had a great time here! When I first walked in.. I was a little skeptical. Although we arrived pretty early.. it was a ghost town. never a good sign. The decor also wasn't really my taste, so I kind of figured I stumbled upon the lamest restaurant in all of beacon hill.
Boy, was I wrong.
First of all, my drink was amazing. Blackberry Bramble. If you like gin, and you like fresh fruit.. GET THIS.
The food was all really good as well.The seafood was cooked properly and really flavorful. I didn't feel like it was the freshest stuff, but not the worst I've ever had. The lobster mac and cheese is divine (I think really its the cheese sauce that does it for me.. the lobster was just eh). I also had a fantastic dessert.
All in all, I was totally happy with this place. I wasn't blown away by any one bite of food, but I also didn't dislike anything. It definitely filled up around 9, and the prices were pretty reasonable. Although it's not exactly my taste, I would come back again. -
Review from Liana P.
Los Angeles, CA
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
AMAZING FOOD!
I fell so in love with this place but I am so sad that it's in Boston and NOT in Los Angeles.
The prices are great the food is amazing
MUST try the mac and cheese!!!
If I ever return back to Boston I am def coming back here. -
Review from Angela K.
9/16/2011
Four stars is a little high.. but 3 would be too low.
Most of their menu is probably way to pricey for my standards but there were some pretty decent brunch deals.
Got the stuffed french toast.. very yummy!!
Ordered a side a potatoes, decent but not 'amazing'. My companions fries were definitely pretty tasty though.
He seemed to enjoy his lobster roll, but made no proclamations about it being absolutely amazing.
We lucked out and came in on a very busy day so the service was attentive and the meal was prepared very quickly. Since there was hardly anyone inside, it was a nice quiet relaxing meal. I wasn't blown away by the decor but the place is definitely pretty nice and clean inside. -
Review from Amber M.
Boston, MA
8/18/2011
I went here the first night I moved to Beacon Hill. I was having dinner solo and Rachael and my server provided superb service! I went back and Rachael made a point to remember my name, and even where I was sitting! Checking in on my throughout my meal, making sure I was enjoying everything.
Since then I have had drinks at the bar, gone for brunch, dinner with my parents, ordered take out and recommended it to friends. Everyone always ends up happy raving about the fantastic food and atmosphere.
Just the other day I went for drinks and apps on the patio. Our server Eddie was engaging, funny and patient! I had my capture code, but didn't know how to work it, so he walked me through it on my cell phone. He also made a point to thank us as we left.
Keep up the great work guys! -
Review from Eric T.
Milford, CT
3/6/2012
It's not amazing, but is surprisingly good--surprisingly because when we walked in I expected little and was quite pleasantly surprised. Fish and chips, Mac and cheese, buffalo chicken sliders, all very good. Chocolate chip cookie sliders, pretty good but not amazing cookies. French fries were the only disappointment.
Overall very reliably good. -
Review from Alan G.
Quincy, MA
2/14/2012
Went for lunch for the first time. Pesto gnocchi with grilled chicken special was really good, perfectly sized portion. Quick service and reasonably priced. I'll go back.
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Review from Becca L.
7/27/2011
My colleagues and I are in town for a conference and were out and about downtown when we decided to have dinner. We typed into Yelp - seafood and Scollay was a nearby option.
The food was surprisingly decent. Everyone was pleased with their meal. The price is decent from what I can tell but it's the first restaurant I've been to in Boston.
We ordered:
Lobster Mac n Cheese
Seared Ahi
Steak Tips
Beet and goat cheese salad
The lobster mac n cheese was good but heavy. We felt like mac n cheese was more of a side dish than a main course.
Seared ahi - surprisingly good (served with a side of wasabi mashed potatoes)
Steak tips - they were ok. The sauteed spinach on the side was WAAY salty, the side potato lasagna was alright and the steak was cooked well. I prefer my meat on the rare side.
Service was Meh at best. -
Review from Jodi G.
Watertown, MA
4/14/2012
Food is good here, service is OK. I came here for brunch with my guy and the service was "meh" considering almost everyone was sitting outside on such a gorgeous Saturday. They messed up the most simple thing in my order (no whipped cream on my fruit please?), and neglected to tell us that the reason why the coffee hasn't come out in the 20 minutes since we ordered it, was because they were brewing a new pot. OK, I like it fresh, but let us know because we thought she forgot about us. Dinner is good too, I just with they had some more vegetarian options other than their rice + veggies dish. It's good, I just with there were more of a variety.
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Review from Albert B.
Boston, MA
10/24/2011
Why is this place never busy? Beats me.
Great location. Prices are reasonable. Scallop appetizer is fantastic. Steak is comparable to any high-end restaurant in Boston at a fraction of the cost. I recommend sitting outside if the weather is nice. -
Review from Yolanda R.
Boston, MA
2/6/2012
Love the S. Square! Just can't figure out why I need a steak knife for my lobster Benedict. What's up w/the English muffins?
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Review from Andrew R.
5/16/2011 ROTD 9/7/2011
Whatever you do, no matter what, any time you're here, day or night, at all hours of the day, regardless of what else is going on either in your life or around you at that moment, never hesitate, not for a second, not for a fraction of a second, never hesitate to order the Miso Salmon.
No grammatically error-prone run-on sentence could possibly express that sentiment better. -
Review from Teresa T.
1/6/2012
Scollay Square gives a lot of bang for the buck. I do like the decor despite what others have felt - an old school, historic dark feel w/ a bright stainless steel bright kitchen. Ordered the steak bennedict with coffee and orange juice. I did see quite a few people ordering mimosas and heading to the bloody mary bar (will have to make a note to go back to try one). Orange juice left little to be desired but the steak bennedict and coffee were good. Prices were very reasonable and service was sufficient but not mind blowing. I would come back for a laid back casual atmosphere.
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Review from Heather G.
Boston, MA
Updated - 5/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Gah! Why is Scollay Square so hit-or-miss!? I can't take it anymore - it's not consistently "good" enough that I think the rating, for me, lands at 2 stars overall.
Popped in for dinner with my boyfriend the other night - we wanted something casual without being dive-y, and tasty without breaking the bank. I thought back to my last SS experience and thought this would, again, be a good option. Sadly, though the service was on-point, the food was not.
To branch-out on my menu exploration, we went with three items not previously-tried by us. Perhaps I'd just chosen the best items on the menu last time, so this visit was sure to disappoint. Perhaps they were having a bad night. Or maybe, just maybe, this is just the TJ Maxx of restaurants - a hit-or-miss experience where you could leave full and happy, or empty and disappointed.
We started with a couple of Hendrick's martinis and an order of calamari, which was THE highlight of the meal. I suggest, if you want to maximize your experience here, wait til it's warm enough to sit on the patio, head on over for some warm-summer-evening cocktails, and munch on some crispy, light, fried calamari.
My date and I ordered a cheeseburger (rare) and the lobster mac. The mac had an option to add a side of greens for $3 (which I went for simply to balance out the heaviness of the rest of our cheesy and fried goodies), but the greens turned out to be a child's-fist-sized portion of about 10 dressed leaves, sadly piled to the side of the serving dish. If this is a $3 portion, then the $1.99 Trader Joe's mixed-green bags should actually sell for $45. It was embarrassing to see what I spent $3 on. Please, if you get the mac&cheese, do NOT opt-in for the $3 side of greens. The lobster mac itself ($16) was creamy yet still light, though it had very sparse lobster-chunks (sparse: about 4 for the entire $16 bowl).
The burger came cooked closer to well-done than rare, but was still really juicy, as though lots of butter was added while cooking to keep it moist while the precious meat was being cooked to its death. Oddly, it had a too-perfect patty shape, and my boyfriend informed me that apparently some places order pre-ground, pre-formed patties and then add butter to the cooking to add flavor and moisture. I DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE whether Scollay Square does this. What I mean to say is that I suspected, given the juicy/greasy level of the totally-cooked-through-burger and the patty's symmetry. As per usual, the burger bun was chewy and delicious - this one never lets me down.
The fries had an off-night, as some were served well-cooked, and others were nearly raw inside (though not frozen...rather, just warm and still-potato-y and hard).
Our server - Brett? Brad? - he was hilarious. Jovial, chatty (but not too chatty), friendly (but didn't linger), entertaining. That man was ON HIS GAME.
Was this just a REALLY off night? I don't know, perhaps. Am I being too picky? I don't think so. SO, i guess my recommendation would be to stop by for a delicious martini and some calamari on the patio and check out this scene, but consider dinner elsewhere.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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7/22/2010
3.5 stars. I was asked by the manager to consider trying Scollay Square again, as they'd gone… Read more »
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Review from Cindy W.
5/30/2011
Was able to be seated in a big group on the patio on a holiday weekend without any problems. The shade was fantastic on a hot day but the above AC unit dripped water on some our guests. Wait staff was very friendly but they took their time in bringing out our drinks, which included watered down dark and stormies.
The food was excellent. Prosciutto truffle oil mac and cheese was divine. The seared ahi tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes was plate licking good! All of the apps and entrees arrived very quickly. Leave room for the fresh homebaked ice cream cookie sandwich with hot fudge.
After such a delicious meal and wonderful evening disaster and incompetence struck. It takes 15 min. to get the waitress to bring our check and another 10 min for it to arrive and over 45 mins and 2 visits to check on the processing before we can sign our bill. We did not receive drinks or other accommodations during our wait. 30 mins. into our 45 min. wait and after checking on our bill (first time), we finally were notified by our waitress that their manager could not operate their POS system to split a check evenly. I've seen this successfully done at every establishment from the Four Seasons to the golden arches.
I would have loved to recommend Scollay to everyone BUT realistically I can only recommend it to people who enjoy waiting for over an hour without food or drinks and don't have places to go later in the evening. -
Review from Alyssa S.
Boston, MA
4/5/2012
I love the brunch here. The staff is friendly and they have a nice selection of sweet and savory brunch choices. Great drinks too!
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Review from Justin B.
8/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good service and large portions my meal at Scollay Square was delightful. Causal ambiance with a patio makes this central location a go to place if your hungry. The steak was good but I recommend the onion soup as it was delicious.
$55 for two plus tip. -
Review from TheBiggestJuiciestPiece a.
Boston, MA
8/24/2011
Food is excessively heavy and the drinks and service were mediocre.
Looks like a good place to grab a few beers after work and maybe a few dishes, but for nothing more.
We ordered the buffalo chicken dip, which had indistinguishable clumps of protein (I am still not sure if it was tofu imitating chicken or chicken imitating tofu). The guacamole was good.
For entrees I ordered the broiled scallops and my friend ordered the haddock. The haddock was over-cooked and dry. The scallops were overly breaded, the breading was "raw", soggy bread crumbs. It was quite unappetizing.
I cannot recommend this to anyone. It was embarrassing to have brought my friend here. I am dumbfounded as to how this place has gotten so many good reviews. -
Review from Kristin M.
Boston, MA
6/13/2011
Saturday morning, rainy and dreary, gearing up for the Pride parade and festivities. Started our day off with brunch and cocktails at Scollay Square.
Friends had mimosas and I tried the glorious 'make your own' bloody mary bar - generous vodka pour, about 30 hot sauces and accoutrements to make the drink my own. Delish.
Server was great (we were the only table at the time), food was served within about 15 minutes of ordering. Egg sandwiches were huge (2 eggs each) and really better eaten with a knife and fork. Hash browns were the hit of the table. I preferred the lemon dressed greens.
Brunch prices were about $12 each and rightfully so.
Cozy seating, floor to ceiling windows makes it great for people watching, central location makes it a perfect place to meet friends from different neighborhoods.
Happy with our experience, we'll surely be back. -
Review from Luci T.
Went here on a Friday night, great outdoor seating. The wait staff wasnt as attentive as they could be, but not bad either.
We started with the buffalo chicken and Kobe sliders, and then shared the miso salmon. All were quite tasty, and large portion sizes. We had the chocolate cookie sliders for dessert and OH MY was it good. -
Review from Heidi X.
Boston, MA
6/24/2011
Excellent variety of martinis, decent wine list.
The calamari is a must try starter - cooked just right, and served with a tantalizing spread of sweet tomatoes and sliced jalapeno and banana peppers. Swordfish, seared tuna, and drunken shrimp entrees are hits with my group. Entree sizes are large, but if you can't manage dessert on your own, get some to share. The red velvet cake and cookie sliders are to die for.
Service levels are generally good, although it gets much better during the weekends when the restaurant is more well staffed. Nevertheless, I've brought my 8 month old baby along for dinner twice and we were very well taken care of on both occasions. -
Review from Hayley M.
2/5/2011 ROTD 6/26/2011
Perfect spot for a leisurely lunch. Went in with a friend, it was 3:00 pm on a Saturday and the first two spots we went to were closed. My friend used to eat lunch there all the time when she worked in the area.
We started off with the edamame. It had a soy/miso glaze and white and black sesame seeds. It was amazing. I have eaten a truckload of edamame in my life and have never tried anything but plain ol' salted. Kudos for the creativity, Scollay Square.
I had the ahi tuna salad, which came with a dressing remarkably similar to the edamame. It also had some ginger, wanton strips, and yummy seaweed salad on top. It was really good! That's all I can say. Light but filling and very satisfying.
Glad Scollay Square was open this afternoon! People gotta eat, even in the off hours.Listed in: ROTD in the USA!
