Hamersley's Bistro

05/25/09

A little short of expectations.

by LorrieP at Citysearch

We had looked forward to trying Hamersley's for quite sometime; it promised to be a little quieter than the typical South end bar and restaurant scene. We started with a terrific Washington red, bread and an olive tasting, but would have liked a few more minutes to enjoy that before our soft-shell crab appetizer came, which was fine but not outstanding. We had barely finished that before our entrees came. Mine was actually very good. I had oven-baked polenta topped with gorgonzola with sundried tomatoes and olives. However, my boyfriend ordered a steak medium rare, and it definitely came medium-well, with nearly spreadable asparagus, which is a major strike against this restaurant since that particular entree cost $36. Desserts were good, but while I was using the ladies' room, my boyfriend witnessed an argument between a waiter and a busboy. Not professional at all.

Overall, the food was delicious and the place is beautiful, but the experience was not quite worth what we paid for it.

• Pros: Great wine, good vegetarian options
• Cons: Overcooked and overpriced.

02/16/09

Great Food, Great Patio

by cfdelaune at Citysearch

I went in the summer and got to sit outside. Because it is right on the sidewalk, it has a great bistro feel to it. The food was superb, great service, no complaints at all. It was pricey, but not overly so. Definitely worth checking out. I'll go back again.

• Pros: Food, Scene

05/22/08

Listen to the hype

by foodiegirl31 at Citysearch

I listened to the hype and dined on the patio at Hamersley's last summer for the 1st time. I found it to be ok but not great. I have since given it 5 more tries to see if it can redeem itself as I now live around the corner from the restaurant. How thrilled I am that all 5 times I have been impressed. I have dined in the bar, on the patio, in the restaurant and have yet to be disappointed. The bartenders are wonderful, the waitstaff is so incredibly professional and the food is executed perfectly. Yes, the prices may be a tad high but if that is the only thing working against this place....long live Hamersley's!

• Pros: Food, decor, ambiance, SERVICE
• Cons: Price, parking, potentially long waiting list

11/20/07

Too Much Hype

by cookwithoutakitchen at Citysearch

I found Hamersley?s bistro to be a vexing and confusing experience. It seems to me that the restaurant is torn between reality and aspiration. Hamersley?s, by all outward appearances and advertisements, aspires to be a four or five star restaurant. In reality it falls well short of this goal on a number of fronts.

Upon entrance last Friday night the girls at the door presented themselves as indifferent to our arrival and after informing them of our reservation they seemed generally confused about what the next step was. Our waiter seemed similarly unwelcoming and confused, as a simple wine question took 20 minutes to answer. It should be noted that the wine list is entirely uninspired and doesn?t contain anything you can?t buy on your own so this might not be a focus there.

I will say that the food was solid; the kitchen is technically proficient and provided us with above average fare. It is unfortunate that it gets hidden behind the service and general demeanor of the staff.

All in all Hamersley?s is a good restaurant, and one worth visiting. But don?t look for an experience that will make you want to move to Boston, a decent restaurant in Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, etc. would be a better use of $200 per couple.

• Pros: the food is solid but not amazing
• Cons: Wine List

06/29/07

Delightful

by willow496 at Citysearch

This was my second visit to Hamersley's Bistro and I couldn't have enjoyed it more. We dined outside in the evening. The atmosphere was relaxed and, when the light garlands came on, magical. I tasted my son's soft shell crab appetizer . . .very fresh and perfectly cooked. I had the mussels in saffron cream sauce. The mussels were tender and the sauce had a perfect consistency. The saffron was subtle enough not to mask the flavor of the mussels but rather complemented it. For my entree I had the trout with crab and pea shoots in tarragon cream sauce. Fresh, perfectly cooked, again with a masterful blending of ingredients for taste and textural enjoyment. A request for a bit more sauce was promptly honored. The two sides we picked, the garlic mashed potato cake and asparagus with garlic and parmesan arrived hot and flavorful. The food was served at an efficient though leisurely pace and at the correct temperature. Service was gracious and accommodating. The whole experience was a delight. Alas, I live in FL so will have to wait for my next visit , but I absolutely will dine there again!