The food I've tried at Audobon Circle has ranged from good to great. The kale salad with butternut squash? Phenomenal, plus makes you feel like a healthy choice champ. The tomato-mozzarella-eggplant panino is another solid choice; it felt a bit under-stuffed at first but turned out to have just the right amount of filling. Falling in the merely good category was the white bean dip with grilled bread; tasty, but definitely something I could easily whip up at home.
The beer list had several interesting choices, but I felt like it didn't cover a great range of styles. When we most recently went, the beers were focused on summer styles, so heavy on the wheats and lagers.
So: Good food, interesting beer list. Why only three stars? The service was really lackluster. From the hostess, to the bartender, to the waitress, everyone was slow as molasses. I would be nervous to come here if I were on a schedule.
That said, I'd definitely give it another go when time was not an issue.
Our friends brought us here and we were fairly disappointed. The location is great and the patio is very nice, but the experience was terrible.
It started off with the little things like the waitress taking ages to come to our table and then mixing up the drink orders. We even had to reorder the iced tea that she had completely forgotten about.
The food was the real let down. The menu specifically says that the bean burger comes with a chipotle mayo, and the waitress went out of her wait to confirm that my wife wanted it. When the dish came out,however, no mayo and a very dry burger as a result.
My pressed reuben was even worse. A reuben is pretty straightforward: rye, swiss, corned beef, slaw and dressing. This sandwich left out the slaw and the dressing - leaving me with a dry $11 corned beef and swiss. I hope this was another mistake by the kitchen, because otherwise the dish has no place on any menu.
Make sure to check twice before telling the server that "everything is fine"!
Huge fan. Been living in the neighborhood for three years and the friendly staff made me and my wife feel welcome. It honestly feels like old school service, the manager would say hi and chat with us in a way that seemed genuine. This is something I'm not used to in Boston, especially from the robotic servers/managers in Fenway.
Many of the bartenders had the same attitude. Their hospitality always made me bring guests there for a few drinks if not dinner.
The food is not mind blowing but thoughtful and solid. They recently added dry rubbed grilled wings that have been a hit, and will shake things up seasonally. The chicken sandwich with homemade sriracha mustard is my go-to. I rarely leave unsatisfied.
This is a place where you can expect great reliable service and comfortable atmosphere. Would highly recommend for a date or a quick bite.
I came here with some friends who have been in the Boston area for quite some time. It was one of those rare occasions in my 1L life where I took Friday evening off to enjoy food with great friends, roommate, and boyfriend. I want to start off with singing it's praises because despite the 3 star rating I'm giving it, there are highlights. I love the atmosphere of this place; it's located off the C line (near fenway) or its a short walk from BU Central off the B line. I definitely recommend this for any guy who's trying to impress a girl on a first date in Beantown. As a matter of fact, that's where my two good friends first met :D Cute story aside, the light is dim but not so dark where you're in search of your reading glasses to read what's on the menu or using your other senses to locate things on the table and various company you are dining with. It's the perfect atmosphere for first dates or gathering of friends who haven't seen each other in awhile. When we first sat down, I noticed the menu and how cute it was; it wasn't overwhelming the way some restaurants are with 10 pages you have to flip through and then a separate menu for drinks. While I love variety, I also didn't sign up to be overwhelmed and flustered on my night out. I digress; ok so onto the meat of this review...the food was good; I got their potstickers to start which was presented in a Chinese carton to go box form. You have to dig through the veggies but I promise the dumplings are down there! I thought they were well made; it was juicy and had the right combinations of pork and vegetables. I also particularly liked the sauce that accompanied it. For entrees, my boyfriend and I split their pressed turkey and asian coleslaw and marinated grilled chicken and roasted potatoes. I really enjoyed the pressed turkey and the asian coleslaw was just cabbage with a vinaigrette dressing; the dressing had a nice tang but the coleslaw can be a little bit more imaginative than just cabbage on a plate.
I didnt try the marinated grilled chicken because I was already full from my half of the turkey sandwich. A friend of mine got their spicy turkey chili which I've read was suppose to be delicious; however, when I took a bite, I was less than impressed. First, where was the spiciness? Second, did the chef forget to flavor the darn thing? Third, it looked like poop in a bowl with beans sticking out. The roasted potatoes were wonderfully done, but then again Audubon, if you messed that up, you dont deserve to be a restaurant in Boston.
Let's talk about the service. If you read my reviews, you know my pet peeve is BAD SERVICE. The waitress started off great then where did she go? smoke a cig? indefinite break? I'm not sure! I just know she was gone *POOF* disappeared from our table. When I have to stop other servers to ask for a refill on my water (?!), you are done in my book. You are dismissed for the night and from my life. What irked me the most is that she "automatically" included 20% gratuity just because we had a table of 6. Granted, I get when you have big parties and the restaurant's busy, you still deserve your 20%. However, when you do jack, the restaurant isn't busy, and our table is only 6 people (5/6 of which are the most chill customers and clients you'll get?), no you don't deserve that 20% at all.
Audubon: you can do better
Wow! Dinner at Audubon Circle was a great experience. The customer service was great and food excellent. The Mussels Garlic Tomato and Bread plate and Beet Salad was delicious. If you're looking for a trendy hot spot, to hangout and chill with friend, this restaurant bar is for you.
I will be back for Sunday brunch.
I went here for brunch on Sunday at 12:10PM, and didn't receive my food til 1:20PM. Need I say more!?
First of all, the place wasn't busy. There were still a few tables open when we walked in, and the two big parties there were about to leave.
My friend and I walked in with big appetites, and we knew what we wanted to order because we had reviewed the menu before leaving our apt. I order an orange juice and a water when we sit down, and the orange juice came right away, but the water took about..30minutes extra. Then the waitress brought our utensils, but my knife had a piece of food stuck on the knife. I asked the waitress to bring another set of utensils, but it took her at least 15 minutes to bring the other set. 5 minutes later she comes back and tries to clean up the CLEAN set, not the dirty set of utensils. I don't think she was very attentive to our table.
What annoyed me the most though, is that the two parties that arrived and order food AFTER us, received their food before us. One of guests on the other tables ordered the same EXACT dish as I did. How does it make sense that she received her food first? My friend whom I was with ordered a breakfast sandwich, and I'm sure that can't be the reason our food was taking long.
When the food came out, it was mediocre at best. BUT other restaurants wouldn't serve their food cold. Both of our dishes came out cold.
I will not return here again.
Audubon Circle is wonderful! Favorites include the mussels, pot stickers (with lotus root! yum!), and kale salad with butternut squash. Great cocktails, classy atmosphere -- and when it's nice outside, the bamboo-lined space in the back is pretty special.
But Audubon, what's happened to your mussels lately? They used to be served in the most delicious thick, chunky, aromatic, garlicky tomato sauce accented with a few plump kalamata olives swimming at the bottom of the dish and garnished with thinly sliced scallions. Seriously, my favorite mussels ever. Now the sauce is much thinner, almost like a broth, sometimes overly salty. Sometimes you get olives, sometimes you don't. Still pretty tasty, because the recipe was just that good to start with, but -- please bring back the original mussels!
We had a great time and delicious meal there!  I included more information and pictures in my blog - <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmuchadoaboutsomethin.blogspot.com%2F2013%2F01%2Fdate-night-audubon-circle-and-lorelei.html&s=272dff37b7d6111566c770920ed4b8537804ae23d92f3a03553932730374e2ae" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://muchadoaboutsomet…</a>
Review Source:Met up with a friend over at Audubon Circle the other night before the movies and I had never heard of this place and wasn't a whole lot familiar with it. Â Most times I am in this area I am over at An Tua Nua.
The place is very laid back and casual, and at night intimate.  It will from what  I am told, fill up for Red Sox games. We were there Friday night before seeing Sinister at the Fenway Cinema.  I showed up because the Green Line is horrible. So I ended up being late.
The place was dead when I arrived. I walked in and the girl I was meeting was sitting at table, probably thinking '' About F'n time". There were a few at the bar and a few others at tables.
The food/drink menu is very simple and pretty good. She was putting down cocktails like they were her job. I settled for beer. They were out of BBC Oktoberfest which sucked, so I settled on a Fisherman's Ale which is a great strong beer. Â Bitter and refreshing beer w a nice hop to it. Â Made me feel like I had just reeled in a big bass. Â Next I tried the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. Another nice strong beer with a little bit of citrus taste to it at the end. It's a strong beer but it will fill you up. Â The cocktails looked pretty good, I was hoping she would offer me a sip but it did not happen.
We ordered a few appetizers. I wasn't feeling a big meal and I could tell she was hungry. You don't wanna give a woman cocktails and wine without some food in her.  Been down that road too many times and it's never fun.  We ended up getting the audubon spicy wings, which were decent, not the best wings but they were ok.  Could of been more crispier and the sauce was too watery. We also got white bean purée, grilled bread.  I was always picky about my hummus, but this stuff was great. The bread they served it on was very good.  I made a joke about bringing the rest home if I had some Tupperware with me. I guess I found it to be funnier than she did. Â
I had like 3 beers, she had like 15 cocktails and a few glasses of wine. Â Â So it was more like 5 drinks she had. With the two appetizers and drinks the tab came to around $90. Â It was like a fifth date, so we split.
So I would come back here again, Â probably not with a dude, but i'd bring a date here. Â They do have one tv very high up in the corner of the bar and the bathrooms are unisex ( both men and women use it, if you didn't know). Â After a few drinks and you hear a girl say Unisex, you might hear it like 'You N I Sex' Â in bathroom'
Of any spot that seems right up my alley in form and function, Audubon Circle has sat on the to-do list the longest. Unjustly so, as their menu reads like a creative culinary combination of what's in my fridge, and I'm a huge fan of the Cambridge1 vibe.
So on an early Friday evening, the gal and I sauntered our way over hill, through dale to catch a half-empty Audubon Circle and chalkboard artwork describing (and illustrating) the Kobe Beef Lobster Dog. Part pooch, part pesce, all mouthwatering. Mermaids are so 1984, Darryl Hannah.
And so it was. After an unnecessarily long time-to-greeting, I ordered a Bebbo (gin, honey, orange, lemon, cherry) to her albariño and we started with the potstickers ($9) and a local burrata salad ($12). Both winners, the stickers were packed in tendercrisp veggies and stuffed with flavorful pork, and the creamy burrata played well with fat slices of ugly heirloom tomatoes. Great start...
... interrupted minutes later with the clustered tabling of our main courses. Call it a minor peeve, but timing on these things is essential and 100% preventable. The two-top isn't necessarily the most spacious and so there was a prolonged awkward moment of Sophie's Choice - finish the apps or sacrifice for freshly served entrees. We opted for the latter, reaching out Titanic-style for the last bite of luscious cheese.
We chose poorly. My lobster dog (half a kobe frank with a scoop of mayo-heavy lobster salad on a grilled NE hot dog roll, $14) is all it promises, just underwhelmingly so, further masked by The Mayo Show. My side of asian slaw was equally lackluster.
The nail in the coffin came after an accidental spill of her wine. By no means an expectation of a complimentary replacement glass (it was our fault), we weren't asked if she'd like another, rather commenting was "it looks like you wet your pants." I can understand a miss of a dish, but coupled with absent service who sporadically appeared to stack courses and point out the obvious with nary an effort towards rectification, Audubon Circle splits the scale at 2.5.
This is a chill bar near Fenway, definitely more low key compared to bars right in Fenway if you are looking for a laid back spot. The food was okay but the drinks were pretty good. Â We tried to strawberry mojito which was delicious. The martinis are really good too!
We had the Bolognese Tagliatelle which was the best dish we ordered. The Crabmeat Avocado sort of tasted like tuna. The Steak Tacos were not that fresh...when we picked up the soft taco everything just fell apart. The Potato Salad was amazing though! The Corn Bread side we had was just okay not very fresh either.
Again, I would probably stop by for drinks with friends but maybe not for dinner again.
Thursday night found me in the Bean for a dear friend's engagement party.  The restaurant name lead me to believe that there would either be family dining booths, or earthy and delicious foods (earthy deliciousness won out).  A trendy-o(rganic) crowd gathered in an au natural space (hardwood on the floor, wall, seating and slate/stone table tops and drinking bars).  Low light and highs ceilings yields a bit of a noisy room, but order another round and you'll slide right into your comfort zone.  There is a large skylight in the ceiling (love it!) and, for even an even more earthy connection, you may choose to sip cocktails/dine on the patio (*the night we visited it was humid and the patio smelled like there was a damp dumpster in close proximity - not favored by festive fête-farers).  Instead we milled about/pulled stools up to the large slate island which had been fashioned into rather odd pointed shape (several people received a  surprise poke-in-the-side from the tapered edge).
Wait staff was laid back and pleasant. Â Food arrived in a timely manner (especially for a large group), and drinks were refilled frequently (a little rough on the wallet at 10$ a pop for cocktails, and nearly the same for beer).
MY BEV: "Kiwi Cucumber Gimlet" : gin, kiwi, cucumber - sounds odd, tasted fabulously refreshing. Â Also tried a grapefruit juice G&T (perhaps a new favorite!)
MY ORDER: the Bean Burger with swiss (and potatoes on the side! - 11$). Â After the dish was placed in front of me it was a full 4min before the apologetic waitress hurriedly returned to our table to swap "my" plate with a friend down the table (fortunately 1: I hadn't taken a bite, and 2: I'm not a devoted vegetarian). Â No worries! Â Bite into a LARGE bean burger on soft bready bun. Â Flavorful, but very very messy (sauce, beans, and lettuce ended up everywhere - couldn't put the sandwich down for fear of it losing its form and, therefore, the ability to resume my nomitude).
It's a cool little place and there was plenty of parking (or: the Fenway T-stop is right down the street). Â Definitely worth a try for those seeking well-prepared burger/sandwiches (salads looked a little light for their pricetag), and certainly a great place to grab a strawberry mojito! Â I just may return to try their famed vegetable pot stickers and grab another gin gimlet (perhaps for lunch next time, with hope that noon yields a quieter dining experience).
A nice little neighborhood spot. Although it's on the BU campus and a stone's throw away from Fenway, you won't see many undergrads or sports fans in here (a big plus for me). It has a good casual-but-classy atmosphere, and is a good choice for a pre- or post-theater/whatever drink.
For last night's post-movie outing, I tried a watermelon-mint martini, which was really refreshing and barely tasted of alcohol (good thing or bad thing?). They had a decent beer list, a small mix on tap and a nice but small range of bottles, normal prices (martini was only $10).
We also got the bean dip to snack on, and I loved the bread it came with... 3 giant pieces cut into fourths, just off the grill so they were nice and hot and toasty/char-ry, perfect for spreads. The bean dip itself was OK, but I would have preferred more of a pronounced flavor of garlic or something, it seemed too much on the bland side for me (but was a decent value for $6). I'd been for dinner in the past a while back and remember enjoying my sandwich, so my food impressions here are a bit scattered. Not sure I'd come specifically for food when Elephant Walk is a block away, but would happily return for a drink or two.
Great spot for cheap eats with a great beer selection. Â The menu is small but everything that I've tried has been really good.
What I order most....
Tuscan Bread with White Bean paste
Potsticker Box (they reduced the portion here recently, used to be good to share,
now it's a little less so)
Hot Pressed Turkey and Bacon
The Burger
They can CRANK the AC here...dress accordingly.
It can get crowed an weekend night and around sox games, so be prepared to wait
during those times.
Does anyone else feel like they are on the set of a cooking show when they are sitting at the bar? Everything is hidden behind cabinets and it's just you, the chalkboard menu, and the bartender. Make your move.
After learning that the BU pub was for BU students/staff/faculty only (lame), I was in search of a place close to campus and my options were limited, but Audubon was the perfect surprise. What a change of pace to find a watering hole in Boston that has menu options besides chowder and steak tips. The crowd looked like a sophisticated gathering of BU upperclassmen. I didn't see any runoff from the Fenway area, so you're safe with a Yankees hat on, unless hats are frowned upon. It sort of had that vibe.
I was really digging the grilled cheese and tomato soup combo as a nice comfort food option. Moms across America make a better grilled cheese, but the tomato soup was out of the world. It's the first time in my life that I have finished the entire bowl. Well done.
I recommend it to the 21 to 40 years old, business-casual crowd.
The Audubon has a nice relaxing atmosphere, with a small but nice outdoor patio. My personal favorite order is the spicy margarita on the rocks w salt!  the drink is smooth as fire but oh so refreshing :) If you like a little sizzle, this jalapeno infused tequila will make your day! The food has also been absolutely scrumptious every visit. From the grilled shrimp  to crab cakes to the chicken sandwich w roasted tomatoes and mozz... soo good! I would recommend this place to anyone, a bit $$ but worth every drop/morsel!
Service is also very friendly and efficient. These chefs def know what they are doing! PROPS! :)
I got the pan seared atlantic salmon, savory spaetzle and brussel sprouts. Absolutely cooked to perfection. WARNING NON-PORK EATERS! There is pork in this dish as they cut up bacon pieces along with the spaetzle and sprouts. This should probably be indicated on the menu.
Back to me drooling about the food, this place is pretty fantastic. The shrimp appetizer was delicious. Not too salty, juicy and fresh, and not too saucy (important). I don't even like shrimp and I stole as many as I could from my unsuspecting friend.
The decor is sharp, clean lines, wooden/dark/leather furnish. The bar is a little overwhelming like other reviews have stated. This would probably be annoying on a busy night. Try to ignore this and just push your appetizer plate towards your date - this will distract them.
Audubon Circle, you're so chic. You probably think you're cooler than me.
I wouldn't call this a destination spot, but if you find yourself in the Fenway/Kenmore area and want something classier than fast food but perhaps not quite so classy as the Eastern Standard, this is reliably good. Drinks on the pricey side, but they're quite good; limited beer choices. I actually appreciate that they keep their food menu short, and everything on it is decent. The apps are generously-portioned to share, or in some cases make up a small meal in themselves.
Potsticker box is a killer app. Best thing I have ever had, hands down, is a new addition there: a kale salad with both fresh and crispy kale, roasted butternut squash, and ground almonds. Gorgeous. The service tends to be efficient but not that friendly, and the ambience is weirdly stuck somewhere between upscale and sports bar. I will also never understand the big table in the middle of the dining room that has an end so pointy I am shocked drunk people don't regularly impale themselves upon it.
Ever since reading Amanda L's awesome blog review of Audubon Circle, I've been wanting to try. Never realizing it was a restaurant (whenever I saw the sign, I thought it was the bike shop!), I have been missing out on this place for years.
I met a colleague there Wednesday night. Neither of us was super hungry, so we decided to split some appetizers (I LOVE apps).
Based on Amanda's review, I wanted to get the cheese plate, but my fellow dinner wasn't feeling it, so we went for another of Amanda's recommendations: the white bean purée with grilled bread. The slices of bread, with beautiful grill marks, were super crunchy on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside. The purée was very nice. I enjoyed this, but it wouldn't be my first choice in the future.
We took a while to decide between the audubon potsticker box  and the basket of steamed veggie dumplings. We decided on the potstickers because in the past, I haven't liked steamed veggie dumplings. They came out in a Chinese takeout box, and it took us several minutes of searching through some (delicious) veggies before we found the potstickers! I actually said "are there any potstickers in here??" We finally found them (I think there were only 5, but thought the waiter said there were 6) and they were DELISH. They are pan-fried, but so lightly. They were basically the perfect potsticker (gyoza, NOT dumpling) - the skin was thin but did not fall apart, and the pork filling was flavorful and tender. They were somewhat oily, as were the red peppers, peapods, water chestnuts and radishes (I think?) that accompanied them. But not in a gross, greasy way.
To end, we HAD to split the chevre cheesecake with an oreo crumb. How could we not? This is WORTH the calories, and that is exactly what I told the couple next to us, when they asked what exactly we were eating and was it as delicious as it looked. Yes, it was.
Our waiter was SO nice and patient. He came over 2 times before we even looked at the menus and each time he said "take your time" and slipped away.
My colleague told me they own Cambridge 1 too, which I could totally see in the decor.
I would love to come back to Audubon for dinner - and brunch, now that they serve it!
Great combination of hip surroundings, spot-on food, and snobby/pretty waitresses earn this place 4 stars. If the prices were a little more reasonable they'd be at 5 stars pretty easily.
They were mostly accommodating with our large party (half of which arrived a bit late). A few where-the-hell-is-the-rest-of-your-party stares, but that's too be expected in a place with limited seating. I was just happy to be back in almost-Boston with friends I hadn't seen in a long time, so the attitude was easily forgotten.
I'd put this place on your date-list and stop by soon. It's already popular so call ahead.
Grilled cheese with bacon and warm tomato bisque. Pretty much a perfect comfort food combo that could warm anyone's soul.
Well the bisque definitely was that. It was amazing actually. The perfect consistency and the perfect balance of flavor, that bisque was just awesome.
But the grilled cheese that came with it was small and was basically bread....there was hardly any  cheese in it and I paid $1 extra for bacon and there wasn't really that much bacony goodness either. I was expecting more from melted cheese on carbs, but Audobon, you fell a little short there.
Good thing our waitress was hilarious. She joked around with us and was super nice, so that's a plus. Matt J. also very much liked his mozzarella eggplant sandwich served with a side salad, Neil C. said his duck on his duck salad was cooked to perfection too. Anna B. got their turkey sandwich panini which she loved the bread, but picked around the cabbage in her side salad, plus they forgot to add the lettuce in her sandwich like she asked.
Really a 3.5 star place, but rounded down for not making a good enough grilled cheese ha But the place itself is cute, dimly lit and has a nice overall style to it, so I would say try it  out.
Have I seriously never reviewed Audubon Circle? Â That seems just so.... wrong
First off, I live across the street. Â That makes this place criminally easy for me. Â If I didn't love to cook I would be a happily intoxicated regular. Â I still probably end up here at least once every three weeks but it's pretty hard not to.
Second is going to be the drinks. Â Mixed drinks are delicious and stiff which happens to be just the way I like them. Â I don't mind paying $10 when I can taste the liquor in my drink. Â Mr. Audubon Circle Bartender, I like your style. Â For non-liquor drinkers, tap beers are only $5. Â Certainly not bad in the state of no drink specials (I seriously want to review the entire state of MA and give it 0 stars just for that... but that rant shall be saved for another day).
Third: ambiance and overall "cool" setting. Â I dare you to describe this place any other way. Â I love the whole setting; if I had high ceilings and an unlimited budget, this is how I would want my kitchen/dining room to look. See also: effortlessly, simplistically, cool. Â Yup, I just used the word cool twice. Â With the weather about to turn back around (again - thank you for your moodiness mother nature) I definitely recommend the outdoor seating in the back. Â It's highly underused and tranquil. Â I love it.
Best for last: food. Â I love the food here. Â My favorite is still the gazpacho (can't wait for that to be back in season) or the mussels. Â I asked the waitress once if she would judge me if I drank the sauce the mussels were in. Â She laughed and walked away. Â I was just about to do it when she came back with extra grilled bread and a spoon. Â Easily +349820348 points in my book. Â The white bean dip, cucumber/tom/mozz salad, pot sticker box, burger, and grilled sandwiches shouldn't be missed either. Â I've pretty much loved everything and don't think you can go wrong. Â I personally think ordering lots of little plates and splitting with someone is the best way to go.
Conclusion: Thank you Audubon Circle for being my fantastic "go to" bar. Â Double thanks for being so awesome that people offer to come back. Â The effortlessness on my behalf is phenomenal. Â If only I could be as cool as you...
I'm going to level with you: Audoban is, quite frankly, the shit! Â I live right across the street and hop over here whenever I'm in the mood for a stellar meal and a stiff drink.
I've tried everything on the menu and let me tell you, it's all good. Â The crabcakes? Dear god, save me from myself. Â The white bean dip is awesome and comes with crispy toast. Â The edamame is done just right.
My favorite thing on the menu, by far, the fucking burger- and I don't even eat red meat. Â The beef they use must come from royal cows and the pepper jack and ketchup adds a bit of a spicy twist. Â Granted, it comes with roasted potatoes and not french fries but they are still absolutely delish.
A few times the staff has been slightly 'salty,' if you will, with me when I've asked for a table but promptly apologized.
Also, they have a craft beer menu that rotates on the regular.
In the summer, there's a back patio that's secluded and charming.
Dude, as your friend, you've gotta try this spot.
The best bacon cheeseburger I've had in my life was created at Audubon circle. For a bar the food here is well above average, I''ve been coming here for over 5 years and I've never had a bad meal. The homefries and spicy ketchup has to be sprinkled with crack because its too addictive.
During baseball and basketball Playoffs they get a good size crowd in there but despite its close proximity to Fenway park its not really a sports bar and they only have one TV, and they never turn the volume of the tv up over the music. so your better off going to a bar somewhere on near yawkey way or Landsdowne st
Very Miracle of Science-esque (which makes sense given that it's under the same ownership), down to the consistency of the burger bun and quality of the burger itself. Â
4.5 stars for impeccable execution:
1) The handwriting on the chalkboards is the perfect elementary school teacher style. Â
2) The medium rare burger actually comes out medium rare.
3) The roasted potatoes that come out with the burger are delish.
4) The cheese options for the burger include asiago and blue.
5) Beer & wine selection = solid.
This is exactly the kind of place I would open if I ever had the opportunity to own my own restaurant. Â Now, I have no skills, mind you. Â None. Â I can cook all of three items total, I can manage a bunch of law folks but not an entire restaurant full of... customers and waiters and bartenders, oh my!.... oh, and I don't have the money. Â But if I did, if I had all of that, all those skills... I'd model my masterpiece after the likes of Audubon Circle.
I love the dark, mysterious decor, and I love the long, narrow bar that seems neverending and inviting, and the upscale vibe that makes its way throughout the place, even though it's actually a pretty bare-boned space amidst one of the busiest streets in Boston that can be run rampant with baseball fans pouring out of Fenway after games....
The white bean puree is outstanding, and the appetizer portion is enough for two to share easily. Â The fettuccine bolognese and the grilled salmon with fennel are my go-to entrees, both fantastic and delicious, but the real prize actually goes to the pork schnitzel. Â Â I have no idea how they make it so well, but let's just say that 'mouthwatering' is a term I do not throw around lightly and I now have to procure myself some paper towels for my desk, if you know what I mean.
The drinks are strong (though expensive - you do get what you pay for) and the wine list is pretty stellar, though certainly if you're going there *just* for drinks, you may not fall in love with anything about it. Â My advice would be to skip that stuff, though, and go for the beer - always some good brews on tap and some surprises from time to time that are sure to make you smile.
The backyard patio provided the destination for a dinner date with my heterosexual life partner. I really enjoyed the mixture of zen garden and urban setting as the bamboo lining met with the brick of surrounding buildings.
The food was decent - I ordered myself a pressed turkey sandwich which was served with some Asian slaw and mustard on the side. The sandwich was nothing more than what I could make myself with the George Foreman I don't have. The slaw was good - I always enjoy a good slaw.
One thing to note was the speed of the service - so fast it was as if I had just handed the menu back over to the waitress as she was placing my sandwich in front of my pie hole - nicely done. For dessert we ordered some cheesecake which was drizzled with a raspberry sauce - the cake tasted like it had been recently frozen and the sauce was a bit too tart for my liking - dessert fail.
The interior was dimly lit with clean and modern styling - a very romantic date spot I would say. But beware while you exit, if Ms. Ligaya hadn't pointed out the extremely sharp triangular table lurking in the darkness, my tummy would have made a collision impact leaving me looking like this... <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnicolemagne.com%2Fblog%2Fimages%2FDeath%2FDeath_Becomes_Her_3.jpg&s=b82b0559a527b15adb54ea9d50b35949c6acee9df4066fda91f6f7133714f560" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://nicolemagne.com/b…</a>
So I was driving home last night, listening to a self-made CD, and up came "Naked Eye" by Luscious Jackson...and it always makes me think of Audubon Circle.
Many moons ago, I was dating a GREAT guy. Â Good looking, in awesome shape, very intelligent, and knew all the right things to say and do. Â The night I met him, he was wearing a turtleneck sweater, which is kind of a turn on for me. Â Of all my conquests when I lived in Boston, he was one of the better ones...but he was Jewish and I am not, so it kind of died.
Our first real "alone" date, he took me to Audubon.  I couldn't get over what a good vibe it had.  I noticed that  Boston can be a town of pretentious eateries, all of them cockier than the next, trying to outdo each other in exotic food/decor/patrons.
Audubon is definitely tries, but not offensively so. Â I adored their burgers with brie, and found that any date would look good with the lighting and decor. Â The staff was usually friendly...taking the time to help me remember the song playing that I couldn't remember by Luscious Jackson.
I was skeptical due to Fenway proximity. Â With no immediately discernible flat screen for "the game," (a Boston ubiquity) the personality of Audubon Circle puts the rowdy sports scene out of site and out of mind. Â
Dim lighting, design austerity and seductive wood paneling carve out a cave of hip repose. Â Not too loud, testosterone fueled, or trying too hard, mildly creative cocktails and gossippy whisperings about the immediate randoms are without better vessel in Kenmore.
Possibly great for a first date or simply to avoid sports, Audubon Circle has all the stuff that turns off the Sox jocks and turns on the relaxation aficionado.
Audubon is an excellent, low-key spot for tasty foodstuffs, good service, outdoor seating, and stylish decor. For Kenmore Square, it's the place to go to avoid sox fans and college students.
Slate tabletops, polished wood paneling, interesting lighting... it feels a lot like Miracle of Science- probably because it's owned by the same people.
I highly recommend their Grilled Tuscan Bread with White Bean Dip. Also they've had a Bourdeux in stock for the last year that's really tops. Â
As a final note, I'd like to mention their spotless, polished-wood bathrooms. This is the mark of good management and a clean kitchen.
Did you know there is a patio in the back?
No really! During one of my past visits I had a friend bet me money there was NO patio because they had been coming so long and never knew it existed! Well its almost spring and I figure it I start thinking like spring aka patios, it will come even faster! Well, a girl can dream :)
As for food, surprisingly lots of options for vegetarians. I am a big fan of the portabello salad and the veggie burger. Back in the day when I still ate meat I loved the shrimp apatizer.
WARNING: Be very careful when you decide to hit up this awesome joint. It can be great for a date on some of the more low key nights, but you have to watch out for the Red Sox schedule. Its steps away form the park and in the bat of an eye can be filled to the brim with beer guzzling guys in red and blue. In my book it looses 2 stars, maybe 3 when packed with Sox fans.
I was silly enough not to think about that last night and luckily arrived at 7pm just as the afternoon game crowd was heading out the door.
It just seemed funny that the first thing the waitress said to my (Indian) dining companion when he asked about the Texas chili is "It's not spicy."
Yeah, that killed it for us.. errr... Â him more.
This is one of the first places I bookmarked on Yelp and have been meaning to go here for a long time now. Â Reading about the delicious sandwiches so much, I finally got a green apple pressed sandwich with green salad on the side. Â
The sandwich- it's not amazing, but I like it. Â It could use some more fillings [green apples] definitely, because when you pressed pressed sammies, things get compacted down. Â With little fillings to begin with, it practically wilted down to a miniscule amount. Â
My suggestion: Â Scoop up your green salad INto the sandwich, instead of having on the side. Â Trust me, it'll taste a lot better. Â
Overall: not a dining destination, but stop by if you're in the neighborhood for lunch. Â The other vegetarian burger (a beanie one) i tried was okay too, but still not great.
.............................. (3.5 Stars)
Cute and hip little spot for weekday cocktail or bite to eat. Â I used to live just down the street and frequented Audubon Circle regularly.
The atmosphere is dark, with hip music playing not too loudly.  The crowd is a good mix of hipster types, BU kids and sports fans.  The menu is awesome.  I recommend everything really.  My favorites were the calamari  and quesadillas (yes, I eat quesadillas).  Veggie burgers are pretty fab too.
For a low key, casual but hip dining experience, try Audubon Circle!
I like this bar - a lot. I first saw it when I was a visitor and thought it looked like it might cost an arm and a leg to eat at. But all those months later I turned up here for a lunch date and was pleasantly surprised to find good food, great service and a wonderful atmosphere that is anything but snooty and everything but uncool. Also the burger here is probably the best I've had yet in my months in Boston - it was damn damn good.
So a month goes by and another date tells me she wants to take me to somewhere good I've not been before and she suggests Audubon...
Me: "I've never been to Audubon - what is it?" (lying through my email teeth)
And so I got my second bite at the Audubon cherry and it's just as good in the evenings. Potstickers and cocktails - me like.
This is one restaurant/bar that I forgot to put onto my Boston's Coolest Bars list. It's hip and it doesn't know it or it's so hip that doesn't need to know.
The food is inexpensive and creative and served by a laid back yet on-the-ball staff. You will also find some of the best burgers in the city here. The bartenders have a relaxed friendliness to them and the chalkboard beer list is almost perfectly diverse without being overwhelming. The cherry wood minimalistic atmosphere completes the picture for the unpretentious crowd to enjoy themselves. Whether for a meal, drinks or date, check this place out. Or hell, go by yourself and meet some of the cool folks!
I had a seriously yummy sandwich here - but it was pretty small and it cost $8 which sort of turns me off the place. Â That said, the atmosphere was cool, the music was great, and the drinks were good. Â Besides, truthfully, my date paid, so I guess I can't complain.
(Update: now that I think about it, the sandwich came with a salad too.... so my price complaint was completely unjustified. Â Rock on Audubon!)
(Update, 1 yr later: I now only come here for drinks, and one time a wine glass spontaneously broke in my hand. Â But it was actually pretty sweet because my wine had been almost gone, but they gave me a whole fresh glass to replace it. Â Is a drunk person more or less likely to sue for negligent use of defective glassware?)
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