Blue Room

09/21/08

disppointing not sure what the hype is?

by CanWeTawk at Citysearch

We had three app's. The "signature" cheese plate. Sadly we were looking for the cheese on the plate, not nearly as "special" as the server described it. The Lobster soup was tepid. The organic greens fortunately were fine. Entrees; the Tilapia was very salty, the duck was very good, the pasta special (being kind) uneventful and bland. The dessert, a blueberry cobbler was dry and shouldn't have been served to anyone but a homeless person, the chocolate eclairs were yummy. The service was OK however we felt very hurried as our server rushed around. Yes,we didn't "want" for anything but it felt as though our waiter was "rushing" to tell us the specials and each time he came to the table it felt to us as if he "had to be somewhere else", the waiter was young and seemed more concerned about getting to the next table than providing us with a welcome, hospitable tone. Not much for "hospitality"..... . Was it an off night? Were they understaffed? Should we be more forgiving....Hmmmm?? Neither of the prior excuses mattered to us when we got the bill which came out to about $70 pp. Paying that kind of money you expect so much more than one gets at a sandwich shop. From the moment we entered the restaurant we felt tension in the air as everyone was rushing around....Eeek, it made us feel anxious. Over-all the staff was polite and well mannered but our server didn't seem to have the time to notice that we left much of our food on our plate. If he did notice he didn't ask why. Here's our question, Why Go Back????

02/15/08

Horrible Service, Subpar Food

by veryblue at Citysearch

We had a reservation to the Blue Room for this first time on Friday. When we arrived we were seated at a table (which was not even close to level) right in the path of all the waiter traffic even though other tables were open. The waitress mumbled as we ordered our Sangria "22", which was a watered down version of what you would get at the local dive. We were pleased with the appetizers, but when our entrees arrived, I could not even take a second bite of the rubbery cod. Additionally, our entrees looked very peculiar since all of the sauce kept sliding to one side of the plate (of course the slanted table was to blame for that). The staff that came by to clear the table was not our waitress and did not ask us about our meal. By the time our waitress finally came around to bring us the dessert menus, we figured we would simply make up for the horrible meal with dessert. The waitress came back to take our dessert orders 20 minutes later (after serving another table 4 times) and by then they had lost all chance to redeem themselves. We will certainly not be returning to The Blue Room.

• Pros: Ambience
• Cons: Food does not match value, very poor service

02/15/08

Very dependable American cuisine with a few pleasant surprises

by phlordsfo at Citysearch

I definitely would recommend the Blue Room and would go back, though it's not at the absolute top of my list due to a few inconsistencies in our night. The dining room is quite pleasant, but the awkward layout means there are a lot of bad tables... from booths that make for strange pairings of couples who don't know each other within close proximity and facing each other, to tables near the very cold front door and others near the multiple kitchen and bar entrances, it seems like your odds are pretty good of getting a so-so table. We were close to a service area and the kitchen, but it wasn't so bad. The service was pretty good, most of the time, but some staff were terse (including the hostess) and not even that receptive to my party's "thank yous." Our waitress was very friendly and did a good job, though the kitchen was slow in getting our desserts out,and annoyingingly, two of our four dinner entrees came a few minutes later than the first two. The menu offered a delightful array of seafood and a pretty good selection of meat. My medium rare muscovy duck breast with wild rice was just as i expected. Not overly innovative, but incredibly rich and dependably good. My friend's cod "tasted kind of like fish sticks." But the other two fish entrees were very well received. The goat cheese pizza with roasted nuts was a good starter, as was the perfectly seasoned venison sausage. We waited for a long time for our desserts, but agreed that they were very well made albeit unoriginal. The creme brulee was actually made interesting with some cardamom, and the cream cheese tart thing was quite sweet and good, especially well paired with a rich caramel sauce and graham cracker cookie crust. As I've found with many Boston restaurants like this, the food is very good and somewhat creative, but it's not earth shattering. It would have been in the late 90s, but not now. Would be nice to have seen some more innovation, but the quality was top notch.

• Pros: Extensive wine list (tho pricey), reliable and diverse menu
• Cons: Slightly inconsistent service, quite a few crummy tables

03/31/07

extremely disappointing service and food

by twomangosteens at Citysearch

We went to the Blue Room for the first time on a busy Saturday night after hearing some good reviews about the restaurant. However, we were seated right by the door, less than a foot away from the people next to us and behind us. The server was impersonal and not friendly at all, acting as if we were an additional burden to him - he told us the food would take up to 40 minutes. The tuna was ok, but somewhat cold with some undercooked rice. The mahi mahi was cold and undercooked inside, and the combination with mango salad, black beans and plantain cake was not a great-tasting combination. The dessert (poached pear) was also cold, so we were not sure if the food was prepared as it should have been prepared or if the server was slow. We were so disappointed with the overall atmosphere/food- we never want to return again.

12/06/06

All time favorite

by bolete at Citysearch

I have been going to the Blue Room for the past 6 years that I have lived in Boston and have never been disappointed. The food is a sure thing - always just really solid. The room is cozy and still fun (not stuffy). It is an all occasion restaurant - I have been there with colleagues, for family celebrations and on a sleepy Sunday after the movies. In a city filled with mediocrity I always find myself returning here rather than risking it. Even after I have tried some of the new places I always find myself back at the Blue Room.

12/06/06

Acclaimed modern American cuisine and lively surroundings make this Kendall Square's destination restaurant.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
The Blue Room's award-winning cuisine has long been a favorite among local foodies and eager tourists. But the restaurant's atmosphere--loads of local art, a bustling open kitchen and an upbeat, three-sided bar--is worth the trip alone. The famously colorful Sunday brunch is all the more enjoyable when the weather allows diners to enjoy the outdoor patio. Attentive servers are pleased to discuss the menu's intricacies.

The Food
The menu changes every few weeks, due in part to an affinity for seasonal ingredients. Depending on when you visit, the modern American menu may have Caribbean (deliciously sweet fried plantains), Asian (spicy stir-fried greens), and Latin (piquant Chipotle-lime glazed tuna with avocado salsa and a black bean cake) touches, with missteps few and far between. Leave room for tantalizing homemade desserts, including warm chocolate cake with cinnamon cream or a juicy roasted pear with vanilla bean ice cream.

09/17/06

RUDE WAITRESS AND CANNOT HANDLE BUSY NIGHTS

by meb4215 at Citysearch

Had never been to Blue Room before, we showed up a bit early for our reservation, but they accomadated which was very nice. Then we waited for about fifteen minutes to even see a waitress, who when she showed up asked, "Wanna drink?" We asked one question and when she realized we were a bit torn over what to order, promptly walked away and did not return until we asked a bus girl to go get her. When we ordered, she announced, "ITs gonna be at leat 35 minutes for your food." Well, we figured at least she was honest. We actually got them a bit quicker than that - but we only get 3 out of the 4 meals and we had to wait about ten minutes for our 4th to get his food. The food was great - I will defintely say that, but the service continued to be horrible. We could not get refills on drinks and waited forever to get a check.

I think on a week night or less busy night - this restaurant might be great, but would avoid on weekend nights.

09/04/06

Awful experience made worse by staff and management's total lack of interest in the customer or the product

by bermudaonion at Citysearch

Well, the Blue Room's reign supreme is officially over. After two semi poor experiences, gave it one more shot. Wines by the glass were dead (no cork; days old?). Long long delays every step of the way, waiting for order to be taken, drinks, wine, even when we asked for bill, told we needed to wait while waiter got drinks for the next table. Food arrived literally ice cold; told us oven was broken. Took back both of our food; returned husband's half gone, both put under broiler, completely overcooked, meat was grey and like stew meat. Little to no apology (felt as if we were the bad guys / squeeky wheels). NO EFFORT to make it right; that was the key. Probably have spent close to $5,000. at the Blue Room over many years, and like Julia Child, counted it among our favorites. We will never go back again, and will spread the word about our experience. Again, not so much all of the errors, but the lack of caring about the customer, so evident every step of the way. The ultimate indignancy, after all that, could not get the check or the waiter to take our payment and got to wait another inordinate amount of time to pay for an awful experience. What a shame. Go to a good restaurant where there is a committment to the product and the customer, most anywhere would do that better than the Blue Room does. Last experience included surly woman at desk; friend who tried to book an event changed restaurant because of nasty woman on phone.

• Pros: None any more
• Cons: Customer service; rudeness; lack of care

08/13/06

Most horrific experience - rude and unaccomodating hostesses, terrible atmospher, esp for business meals

by mthai001 at Citysearch

If you want to be jamped into tables where you practically sit on the your neighbors' laps and be part of their conversations, or vice versa, then this is the place you. My colleague and I met for dinner after work and requested a quiet table. The hostess gave us a table in the booth where we were 2 feet away from the neighboring table. It's either we talk and they listen to our conversation or we shut up and listen to them talk. We requested to move to the next booth where there is no one. They moved us, however, two minutes later, they sat another couple in the same booth. We complaint to the manager and the respsonse we got was that is all the table that they have... although I pointed out to him that there are plenty of 4 tops in the middle of the dinning room that are not being used. He told us that those are for party of 4. By the end of our meals, the tables for 4 remains empty.

This is bad business practice. I will not go back there again if it is the only restaurant open. As matter and fact, I will let all my colleagues know NOT to go to the Blue Room. They could have had a repeat customer on business account!

As for the food, it's decent, but with that kind of atmosphere and treatment, it can transform any decent meal into a horrible experience. I would not eat there again even if they pay me.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Most unaccomodating

07/24/06

Visit Reggie at the bar !

by ppedini at Citysearch

The Blue Room has been a haven for Boston area foodies who seek creative, beautifully prepared Mediterranean specialties and stylish comfort food in an atmosphere that seems to be all things to all people. You can be dressed up or casual, you will always fit in. The appetizers are sublime...the wine list changes often and is always a good value. The dining patio is a great experience. The wait staff is professional and knowledgable, the managment are accessible and friendly. The back dining room is ideal for a company party or rehearsal dinner (in my case).

I was disturbed by the apparent lack of sophistication exhibited by some of the other reviewers. Anyone who refers to the BR's food as "too gourmet" is not qualified to dine in a restaurant like the Blue Room. It is, in fact, the understated nature of the menu and the venue that distinguishes the Blue Room from many of its Boston competitors. We current and former Cantabrigians have always marveled at the desire of some patrons to rush downtown and spend $150 per person for dinner, when they can dine in casual elegance in the Blue Room for less than half that cost.

• Pros: Very cool vibe
• Cons: Parking can be challenging