Sonsie

05/22/2008 Posted by foodiegirl31

I keep going to Sonsie hoping that their clientele will smarten-up and become more polite and less pretentious. Their food is fantastic, their waitstaff is quite good and their bartenders do a decent job at handling their almost always packed bar on the weekends. Unfortunately what keeps me from becoming a regular is the attitude of most of the men wearing Armani suits and women who are over-dressed and wearing too much makeup. The clientele here will bump into you, spill a drink on you, not excuse themselves but rather look at you as if they are wondering why an average Bostonian would be there. I'd say, go on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon because the food and service are worth it but compeletely avoid Friday and Saturday nights.

Pros: Great food and wine, good service, nice ambience

Cons: Clientele, clientele, clientele

04/13/2008 Posted by daveomumm35

My girlfriend and I went out to a special dinner on a Friday night and both were impressed with service and quality of the meal. A good balance is struck between sophisticated and non-pretentious, aspects of the plate seem to be there for a reason. I was most impressed with an on a whim visit for lunch in the cafe. Quick seating and a fantastic Cuban sandwich. A must try on Newbury.

Pros: Quality of Ingredients-Service

Cons: Price

04/09/2008 Posted by Ceo08

The food is great, the service is great, the people watching is some of the best on Newbury, what more could you ask for! In my opinion, you really get the value for your money here. Every time I have eaten here, the meal has been fantastic from start to finish. The menu changes with the season, usually incorporating some key ingredient (such as tomatos, mushrooms, etc.), but it's not overly trendy. You can really see the attention to detail in preparing the dishes. Desserts are great too!! (Highly highly recommend the chocolate bread pudding...homemade whipped cream--AMAZING!)

Pros: awesome food, great service, good value

Cons: kinda cramped, very busy on weekends

02/08/2008 Posted by Boston240

We have been coming here for years. We love sitting and watching people go by. The food and service is great but it is the location that makes it.

02/06/2008 Posted by misty75

I go to Sonsie on a weekly basis and have been for the last 2 years since I moved to the city. I usually go to the upstairs bar and really enjoy the drinks, food, and of course the hot bartenders. I never even knew there was a bar downstairs until the other night. I heard what sounded like a party coming from the "winebar". I peeked my head in and was suprised to see the room full of people having a great time. The crowd was slightly younger then the upstairs, and the music was different too. I really liked the scene, it was very hip and struck a balance between being classy and intimate, yet fun and exciting. There of course were two cute bartenders behind the bar, which pretty much sealed the deal for me. I think I have a new place to go in Boston even though I've been coming here for years......

02/04/2008 Posted by carol334

A host with a rude attitude, fake tan and a bad silk tie = A poor start to the evening An infused Vodka drink that tastes like what my daughter drinks in college= Headache in a glass Our preoccupied and way too pretentious waitress = A bearable annoyance thanks to the food. The food = THE only reason to ever be caught in Sonsie.

11/28/2007 Posted by bostonsailor08

Sonsie is one of my personal favorite eateries when doing my shopping on Newbury St. I've been at least 6 times in the past year and it's always superb. The waiting is a tad slow but one hardly notices it because you're absorbed in the european ambiance, watching people walk by, and the loud music. Great for lunc, great for dinner, very trendy.

Pros: inventive menu, trendy, no kids

Cons: bit slow waiting staff, loud music

11/09/2007 Posted by chrisana

My boyfriend and I go out to nice dinners around the city every Friday night. A few weeks ago we decided to go to Sonsie. I was somewhat wary due to reviews I'd read about the service, but the chef sounded so amazing so we decided to go anyway. The first BAD SIGN was our reception from the host. In fact, although we'd had a reservation, there was no table ready for us. The host did not bother to look up from his table list to tell us this. He ordered, not asked, us to take a seat. When our table was ready we met the only friendly staff member we were lucky enough to interact with that evening, the woman who lead us to our table. From there we were faced with an absolutely AWFUL WAITRESS named BRIANNA. (Actually, she never introduced herself; I made sure to read her name on the receipt at the end of the night.) Her first rude gesture was when she checked our IDs. She looked at my boyfriend’s and handed it back. She then took mine, checked the date, looked for the magnetic strip and then proceeded to bend it (!) before handing it back. She was a terror the entire evening, never checking-in to make sure that everything was satisfactory, asking for my boyfriend's orders first and serving him first as well (contrary to the etiquette of every nice restaurant that I have ever eaten in), and removing our plates and glasses without asking if we had finished (and at times we hadn't and had to ask for dishes back). The food was amazing but this could not serve as a saving grace in a place that was unwelcoming, rude and pretentious. If you do find yourself here, perhaps drawn to uncivilized behavior, make sure to use your restroom first. At Sonsie they are filthy (both the men's and women's), and of the three stalls in the ladies room (in this large multi-roomed establishment) only two were in working order. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone, but if you're absolutely determined to try the food, perhaps you should inquire about take-out.

Pros: Great Food

Cons: Rude staff, Dirty Restrooms, Bad Mojitos

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

10/03/2007 Posted by kalani2226

Over the summer a friend invited me to dinner, which happened to be at Sonsie. I hadn't been to the night time hot spot in few years. For the first few years it was open there was no hotter spot, but no place can stay "the Hottest". New places opened and i went there. So this summer i went and had, I think, the bluefish. It was good but not to my taste while everyone else liked their food. Our waiter helped us choose wine that was good, not great and the scene was fun but not magical. Then i heard about a new fall menu so i decided to check it out. From the moment i walked in the place was buzzing. People were everywhere and everyone seemed to be having the best time of anywhere I've been in a while. It was like a new wave had taken over! We had a few drinks at the bar while we waited for our table and the drinks were really great and the bartenders, maybe the best i've seen in a while. Then at the table we tried a variety of apple appetizers (mind blowing) and our server was everywhere at once. Anytime i thought about wanting something it was there. Our food was paired so well for us, and with a fun intimate attitude. Towards the end of the night a manager came over and spoke to us for a while, adding a really nice personal touch to the night. While there, it felt like a combination of being a guest in someones home and a VIP at the hottest club. I really think something must have changed because this was not the same experience i had over the summer. While that was good, this was amazing.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

09/17/2007 Posted by l_scully

I've been to Sonsie maybe three or four times with different people and the food here is always good. It's of course on the pricier end, but I'd say that almost every meal I've had here is worth every penny I paid for it, which for me is unusual. The service is usually pretty good and waitstaff are nice. With that said, the place does have a somewhat pretentious air about it, and many of the patrons seem rather snooty. The cafe area at the front of the restaurant feels somewhat cramped with tables being very small and a little too close to one another. I'll have to try seating in the back sometime. All that said and done though, kudos to the chef, Bill Poirier. The food alone I give 5 stars. He knows how to take what seems to be the most random of flavors and ingredients and turn it into something incredible. It's very obvious he cares a lot about each dish that leaves the kitchen and the satisfaction of every customer. Will definitely be eating here again.

Pros: Food is worth every penny you pay for it.

Cons: A bit pretentious and cafe seating is cramped.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful