I really, so really want to like this place. Their Mac n' Cheese is delicious, for sure, and they do have a great beer selection. However, the service has just sucked every time I've come (admittedly only two times). Both times, my fiancé and I were left waiting for ages just to be seated - with absolutely no apologies given. This last time, on Friday, we waited for nearly an hour and fifteen minutes just to be seated - a good forty minutes longer than they'd said the wait would be. The food was still good once we got it, but our appetites dwindled when we noticed that the group next to us horrifyingly had a cockroach visitor along the wall next to them. I'm sure the place is clean, passes laws, etc but this combined w/everything else just confirmed that I won't be returning. The sad thing is that we will be moving literally around the corner in September, which would ideally be perfect. Sad.
Review Source:What a great meal. Â Lots of beer choices and as far as we could tell - all are terrific.
The Mussels appetizer portion was plenty for one person and included Fries - almost too much to eat for $9 (in Boston?)
Really enjoyed the food, atmosphere and service. Â Would definitely go again!
Everyone loves the Publick House
Seriously, everyone loves the Publick House. This is a fantastic place for drinks and dinner year-round. It has tons of beer on tap and the food is delicious. They have cheese plates, fresh salads, and a bunch of entree and sandwich options. My personal favorite dinner option is the veggie burger, made in-house (yum), but I also really love getting a cheese plate and sitting in their outside seating. They have some of the only outdoor seating in Brookline--and not much, at that. It is picnic table-style (only outside, not inside!), but so nice on a spring/summer day. Because it is such a popular spot, it gets crowded, so if you like your space get there on the early side.
No shots. No pitchers.
I went here to celebrate my girlfriend's graduation. I was impressed by the two bars, massive foreign craft beer menu, and food menu. The cocktails are strong and generous. They have great glassware, and a note on the menu to not steal them. I'd recommend this place for anyone looking to enjoy beer outside of the light lager comfort zone.
As a relatively new fan of Belgian beers, I'm pretty happy I found this place. They have an excellent selection of Belgian beers in all price ranges and places of origin (U.S. and international). The staff seems knowledgble but I haven't picked their brains yet about the beers so that's up to you to determine. The place can get pretty crowded so finding a seat at the main bar at the entrance can be tough. The tables are usually available and there are usually seats on the more "traditional" bar on the other side (no TV on that side so if you want to see "the game" you're out of luck). There is also  seating outside if that's something you like. The food isn't stunning but it's good. Small plates are good and the traditional Belgian bar staple of mussels are nice. Overall a nice attempt at recreating an authentic Belgian beer hall.
P.S.: One of the bartenders is a White Sox fan which wins points with me.
Delicious- their lobster Mac & cheese is every bit the decadent, creamy, cheesy, lobster-y, orecchiette pasta goodness that everyone says it is! Â Lots of interesting and yummy sounding options for appetizers, as well as entrees...selections ever toward a slightly high end comfort food theme. Â Extensive beer list...they had several options of the type I always drink- Belgian blonde/white ales.
Pub atmosphere with a few picnic tables outside for patio seating as well. Â Efficient staff turns tables pretty quickly, which is good b/c every time I've been here, the place is packed. Â Street parking in this area is hit or miss, and first come first serve.
One of the best beer selections in the city! Friendly staff, always willing to answer questions or suggest beers.
As for food -- their mac & cheese is AMAZING (but be careful with the hot baking dish, more than one friend has gotten burned by it). Gooey, cheesy, delicious, carbs. And you can add whatever you want to it (although I generally stick to straight up cheese). Burger and fries are pretty solid as well, although there are better nearby (The Abbey). The fish sandwich is good, too.
It can get really busy around the weekend, so grab seats at the bar if you can find them.
What happened to this place? Used to be great; now, I find the food nasty, got food poisoning from them and they charged my credit card tip when i left the tip in cash. Not cool guys. Overpriced and cutting too many corners to make your buck.
I came here at 4:50PM one afternoon to grab a beer but because they don't open until 5, they wouldn't let me in. Lots of staff was already there, at the open window, a step away from me, they avoided eye contact, wouldn't say hi or come back at 5, nothing. Clearly don't want my business.
I used to be a regular, not anymore. I'm done with this place. Go across the street to the Abbey. That's a great place with much friendlier servers, bartender and FRESH food that won't make you sick.
Cheers.
I'm definitely a big fan of this place. The food was great and the beer selection awesome.
The Publick House has a great atmosphere and dark, warm decor. I would come back just for drinks or just for food and for sure both! I had a Belgian seafood stew. It was a tomato based stew that was fantastic with the toasted bread. We also had frites on the side, which were amazing. The garlic aoli is bomb, along with the chipotle sauce.
The beer selection has a great combination of things you would see anywhere to those for far off Belgian to very local breweries who's distribution may make it only to Boston and close surrounding areas. I'm glad to have had a local point out some really great Boston beers.
Cheers!
It is the best beer bar in boston... knowledgeable bartenders...great bar food...lovely decor...it epitomizes a european pub...my personal favs are the schneider weisse and the weihenstephaner  beers apart from all their belgian beers...oh yeah they also have the best fries in boston and it is never too crowded
Review Source:I have now gone to the Publick House twice and I left both times wanting a bit more from the experience.
Pros of this place are: great bartenders who are very knowledgeable about their extensive beer selection, and a nice casual neighborhood vibe at the bar. And of course the mac and cheese - amazing, with a wide range of choices of things to add in to make it your own style.
Now here's the issue...they are very strict about the fact that you have to "order dinner" if you sit at a table. However, this policy is obviously very difficult to enforce and is a complete turn-off right when you come in. It makes the host staff seem stuck up to have to say this to people, and I'm not sure that the policy really has it's intended effect. Furthermore, a group of people can easily spend as much (or more) on few rounds of drinks and some apps as it would cost to "order dinner" but it's unclear why this is not ok. The time I went with a group and sat at a table, I found the service to be slow, and the waitress seemed to be annoyed that we weren't ordering our food fast enough...Went back a second time last night. Ended up with the same general impression as the first time but decided not to wait long enough to be seated at the table that we promised to order dinner at.
Bottom line - some of the most wonderful mac and cheese anywhere, so I'd go back if I'm craving that but probably won't otherwise make this a regular destination.
Ok I've been to the Publick House twice, once three years ago, and ,once last Saturday. Both times it never really lived up to the hype I always hear.
Their beer selection is top notch, and always has been. They definitely know their beers, and our waitress was very knowledgeable about the drinks we were ordering which was great.
As far as the food: Three years ago I got the trappist meatloaf. It was good, not really amazing or anything but it was good. I also remember it burning the roof of my mouth because it was so hot temperature wise. Saturday night we got the monk frites, and BBQ pork belly for appetizers. The monk frites were pretty delicious; it's like eating a whole container of the bottom of an order of good fries you get from a burger place. That small crispy type of fries. The BBQ pork belly was pretty good. The bed of grits it sat on were delicious, and the meat itself was more on the porky side, and less on the bacony side if you know what I mean (compare with Sweet Cheeks' pork belly). Â For my main I got the Mac and Cheese, and I don't know what I expect from Mac and Cheese to make it amazing, but this one was pretty good. Really cheesy which is always great, and they give you a number of options for add ins (that each cost). However; its not like it was so great that I'm dying to go back or anything. I got mine with caramelized onions, and bacon.
Prepare to wait your wait chest off for a table though, and the place gets packed. We got there at 7pm on a Saturday, and waited about an hour and fifteen for a table. Jimmy's across the street has a decent beer selection for the wait.
All in all I would give it a 3.5 if possible, but that isn't possible on yelp, and I think it deserves better than a 3. So I rounded to a 4.
Don't drink and drive
Well Publick House, you would've gotten four stars, except then you charged my credit card 20% more than you should've, didn't return my call when I left a voicemail asking for help remedying that, spoke to someone days later who said it would be fixed in a few days, and here we are weeks later with no money returned to me and no call back. So now your poor customer service has knocked you down tithe lowest possible rating for me. Such a shame.
You also put us at the worst table (by the window across from the bar), so I guess it was a doomed experience from there.
This place is right down the street from my apartment, and even closer to the apartment I'll be living in starting in September, which makes me an extremely happy girl! The inside of the restaurant is quite large, the bar is huge and the seating area is really spread out so you don't feel like you're on top of your neighbor. The beer list is expansive and includes Allagash White, so they definitely had me at hello here.
I get the veggie burger with a fried egg, chipotle mayo, and cheese. Getting a veggie burger is always a gamble at any restaurant, sometimes you end up with some morningstar-esque pattie, other times it completely falls apart and tastes strange, and on rare occasion, you get a winner. At the Publick House, there is definitely a winner. The chipotle mayo is actually spicy, which is an added treat.
One of the first times I came here, the service was a bit shoddy, the waitress didn't write down our orders, and we all added things onto our orders. She had to come back to the table a few times to clarify, and then our order came out wrong. She then fixed our order, but that order came out wrong too. We acted like everything was okay and just swapped sides and plates until it seemed like we each almost had what we had ordered. She did, however, not charge us for the beers, which was nice. The other times I've been back, the service has been fine, so I'm hopeful that this was just a fluke and not the norm. This will definitely become one of my new hangouts once I move closer.
I want to give this place more stars. The beer is amazing, the food is amazing, the location is great, but what I can't get past is the attitude of the waters and waitresses. My boyfriend and I are obsessed with beer, and very knowledgeable on local and craft brews. But despite this, the staff still has this elite temperament. I applaud that they don't offer shots, but I heard about a sign they had on St. Patty's that basically spoke down to those people who order car bombs. We get it, you're a top-notch beer place. But there's no need to be such assholes about it. Let your great beer selection and fantastic food do the cocky thing for you, cause the menu and drinks truly speak for themselves!
Review Source:Publick House gives you a taste of Belgium with a touch of American influence
They have a fantastic beer selection, most of which you've probably never heard of. But thats ok, because your waiter and bar tender can help you navigate the tome that they call a menu. If you're serious about your beer, then this is the place for you. And of course for those of you who enjoy a good beer
The Publick House also has great Belgian pub fare
-Moules Frites, were soft and chewy. they offer different sauces and variations. I had it with herbed garlic butter, which added a good blend of flavor. its also served with a side of Belgian frites with truffle ketchup which was delightful
-Mac and cheese, this was ordered at the behest of fellow yelpers. Very cheesy and thick, with a lot of options to add-on. Portions are big to begin with. It was good, but nothing to rave about.
Good beer menu, good food, good times
Huge fan of Publick House for it's location and selection. Price is the only reason I'm knocking off a star, but I must say, every time go, at least one of my drinks is paid for by somebody else, and they (staff and patrons, alike) treated us VERY nicely on my roommate's birthday. :)
Every beer is delicious, even the ones I cannot pronounce, and the staff is very knowledgeable and quick to offer a good recommendation. That being said, if you don't like beer, I don't really understand coming here. Go to the wine bar the next block down.
The food is also fantastic. I had the marinated steak tips with mashed potatoes, because I like the classics, but well-executed. It was amazing and worth every penny. Sometimes ya just gotta treat yourself.
It does get pretty packed on Fridays and Saturdays, so I try to avoid those nights. It's not horrible, but it makes it difficult to pour over the beer menu, ask questions and truly appreciate what you're ordering.
Good atmosphere and an interesting array of people.
The Publick House is a good time! Great beer selection, yummy appetizers, that's all I really need to have great time.....And so I did.
It does get packed on weekend nights, but you meet lots of interesting people. Also, the bartenders were great at picking out beers that I may like. They were very successful.
This place is awesome!! I've been here for casual drinks and dinner, both of which are great! They place is into the Belgium theme, which I totally love!
The selection of beers is pretty large, as most of the other reviewers have commented on. Again, I love Belgian beer so their separate section of Belgian beers really drew me in. The bartenders were all really nice and attentive as well!
The food is also so delicious. I had their short rib grilled cheese, which was so delicious and incredibly filling (could only eat half). Considering I got two meals out of it, I'd say it was totally worth it. Their fries are also good and they have a great selection of dipping sauces you can choose to enjoy them with. I don't normally like mustard, but their beer mustard was really good and their chipotle mayo was soooo good. Again, split them with a friend and had enough to eat later that night (such a good late night snack).
Between the atmosphere, food, drinks and prices, I'll be back here plenty more times!
Most of the praises this place deserves I'm sure have been said by many other Yelpers. Primarily, great beer, and lots of it!
Despite an overwhelming crowd, the waitstaff did great. We did have to get put on a waiting list, but the host took our number and so we were free to spend the next half hour wherever we wished.
Our waiter in particular was cool as a cucumber, and knowledgable to boot! He seemed to know every ingredient in the kitchen. I came to Publick House with the hope that their veggie burger -- acclaimed by many -- would be vegan. Unfortunately, it's made with egg. I ended up getting the mixed greens with added avocado, decent and huge. I also split the monk's frites with a friend, cooked in vegetable oil instead of the usual lard. The only sauce I could get with them was the truffle ketchup, but that was plenty tasty! No complaints there.
If ever there came a day where they found something other than egg to bind their veggie burger, I would doubtless become a regular. As it is, I'll probably stop by every now and then for booze and fries. Ain't nothin' wrong with that.
This place is always pact any day of the week so that means they must be doing something good. I have only had food there once (mac and cheese) which I wasn't too wowed about..last night my GF and I went there for a beer. We were gonna go to the Abbey but it was pact-that place always is especially on the weekends(I ll review the Abbey soon) now back to the Public House.
They have a huge selection of beer so maybe that's why so many people go there otherwise I don't see what the fuss is all about. It's a big bar, very divey looking and a lot of young professionals from Brookline and kids from Brighton go there. The beer is not very cheap-we got charged $15 for a cider and a German beer on draft.
I guess if you like beer it's a good spot but I would recommend Washington Tavern which is across the street and the food is OUTSTANDING and the place is much better looking!!
So overall, it is a really crowded place.
I went here last night with an old law school buddy and I woke up this morning knowing I immediately had to review it...
This. Place. Is. Awesome.
The beer list is long and tasty. For the life of me I'm not sure I can remember what the beer I was drinking was called, but it had something to do with a pear tree, I think.
The food, oh God the food. I had the bacon wrapped salmon which was unreal. It was on the specials list and I mean c'mon: it's bacon and salmon, two of the major food groups. It was perfectly cooked and delicious.
My friend got a brisket sandwich which was also out if this world and I tried some of his lady friend's Mac and cheese which was super tasty.
Honestly, I'm not sure if you have to read my entire review- I'm just gushing at this point. I love this bar. I love it the way I'm suppose to love family or friends.
I guess to be objective I'll state the things I didn't like: we waited an hour to be seated. Â It was also prime time in a Friday night in Boston. They told us it was an hour wait and we waited pretty much an hour. We went to the bar and had drinks and in no time we were sitting.
Yea, that's pretty much the only thing I didn't like. This place gives you a great meal, awesome beer, and you know what? It's just a fun place to go. I cannot wait to take my lady friend here because I think only she could get as excited about this place as I am.
Aside from the loudness, crazy wait, and relatively unfriendly other patrons, I like this spot. Â I've been twice now, and I'm always amazed at how crowded this place is. Â I know that it's near a variety of colleges and all, but it seems to draw in a vast crowd from college kids to families to seniors. Â Obviously this means the food is good! Â I have been quite happy with everything I have eaten there (the cheese platter was a staple at both of my meals there!). Â
We only had to wait about 30 min during the last visit and sat at the bar during our wait time. Â I have to say that the bartenders (aside from one) were not very friendly and seemed to avoid patrons rather than to help them. Â Case in point...I had to go to the other bar to get service after waiting at the first bar for a while. Â
In any case, the food is good, drinks are reasonably priced, pours are generous, and (aside from most of the bartenders), the staff is friendly. Â
Food - 4 (get the cuban!)
Service - 3
Atmosphere - 4
Value - 4
Bathrooms - 4
A haven for beer lovers and college students alike, The Publick House lives up to it's name!
We came her for beer, Â Their selection did not disappoint. Â Any time you can find a few IPA's on tap and another 3 times as many in bottles you know you're in a great place that is going to have something for just about everyone in your group. Â What's more, The Publick House does it in a non-pretentious manner!
We came in a little after 12 am in the summer on a week night and the place was packed. Â The food we saw coming out of the kitchen all looked good, so we will probably plan accordingly next time.
This is one of those places that I want to transport to my neighborhood!