The Beehive
Location: 541 Tremont Street, Boston (Map)
Chef: Adam Halberg
Opened: May 2007
Cuisine: Mediterranean-style bistro
Expect to spend: $40+
Dress: Casual, professional or dressy
Setting: Brick bohemian underground
Bar/lounge: Yes
Parking: Valet, street or nearby lot
Restaurant's Web site: The Beehive
Foodie Chick Review
Date: Dined in June, drank in July, 2007
Occasion: Miscellaneous
Highlights: Some seriously mouthwatering food and enjoyable music
Lowlights: Hype and hands-on pushy waitstaff
Overall: Loved the food because an insider told me exactly what to get. I'm over the rest.
Part 1
After getting word from one of my favorite bartenders several months ago that a new restaurant would be opening, I couldn't wait to line up. As it turned out, I was in Chicago on business on opening night, so I postponed my visit for a night when I knew one of my top foodie chick cohorts was available and said bartender would be working his new shift. Always good to know someone who can point out all of a restaurant's bests.
So I finally arrived to the somewhat hyped -- at the time -- new South End bistro. I met my friend shortly after leaving the office only to find we had about a 10-minute wait for a table. It actually turned out to be a 30-minute wait, but by then we'd found seats at the bar downstairs.
The restaurant has a unique setting with lots of warm woods, exposed brick and heavy red draperies, a bar and dining loft upstairs that looks down onto a semi sectioned off band area, where you can dine or sit and enjoy live jazz or a cabaret show, which all takes place beside a brighter second bar and dining area.
After settling in the back corner of that downstairs bar, we ordered drinks -- whatever our bartender wanted to make us -- and asked him to suggest some appetizers. We ended up with the Fried Oysters and Calamari with Spicy Avacado and a fried asparagus salad, which, sadly, does not appear on the online menu at the moment. I would be devastated if they really did remove it from the menu. I never would have ordered it myself, but now that I've tried the fried vegetable concoction, which included fried lemon slices, goat cheese and fresh greens, I don' t know what I'd do if I couldn't have it again. The oysters and calamari were also good, but we could have easily fought over that salad. Who would have thought?
For dinner, also following the bartender's suggestion, I ordered the Grilled Chicken with Halloumi Cheese and Bread Salad, as well as the Beehive Frites with Sage and Sea Salt. Aside from a meal I had at Union Bar & Grille (coming in a future review), this was the best dinner I had at a restaurant so far this summer. I ordered the grilled chicken thinking I was getting just grilled chicken; I admit I do not look much at the menu when I'm getting suggestions from a trusted foodie source. The chicken arrived looking grilled to perfection aside my giant plate of large frites that are not quite like any I've tried before.
Taking my first bite of that chicken, I thought I'd gone to some sort of butter heaven. Every bite tasted juicy, rich and fattening = so good. Turns out, there was actually a layer of halloumi cheese underneath the skin. It blended in with the meat so it took me a minute to realize exactly what I was eating. I couldn't get enough of it, and I talked about it so much that people sitting nearby turned to ask what I ordered that was so good, at which point I listed just about everything I had. Not to mention, even after finishing my entree and stuffing myself to the gills, I kept eating those salty sage fries.
I finally forced myself to stop eating, since I truly had no space to spare, then I went and ordered dessert. Of course. Hearing I like anything with pear in it, our bartender broke out the Belle de Brillet and poured me a snifter, then he brought out the berry cobbler I ordered. He actually said he didn't like any of the desserts yet. I should have taken his word for it. The cobbler was bitterly sweet and burnt on the sides. Oh, well. Can't all be perfect.
Part 2
After that first experience, I talked up the place to everyone I know. I went on and on about how great it all was, and even psyched myself for a return visit.
Then all the news articles appeared, including the one in the Boston Globe: The Place To Be (Over 30).
That's when I probably should have held my tongue.
Some of my other Foodie Chicks recounted stories about lines out the door, hostesses that wouldn't let them even see the downstairs and general overcrowding. I would expect that of a club, but this place is trying to be a restaurant/bistro. I'm not sure they started out intending to get that nightclub label, but that is exactly what they are getting, and the people who work there are giving up the attitude to boot, which I experienced first hand on my second visit.
Following a birthday dinner at Masa in July, I encouraged all of my dining companions to walk over to The Beehive to continue the celebration. We arrived prior to the rush because we were still able to walk downstairs, though I didn't actually stop to check in with the hostess looming around the staircase. We just beelined straight down the stairs to the bar.
Of course, there were no seats immediately available this time, and the crowd around the bar was about three people deep. It would be less congested if not for the dining tables practically right up on the barstools in some places. Forces the question, do they want to be a club or a restaurant? I finally reached the bar and ordered drinks. This time my bartender wasn't around so I asked whoever I could flag down for a mohito, which turned out to be possibly the worst mohito I've ever had. Heavy on the syrup, light on the mint, lots of awful. I didn't get through five sips of it before I gave up and moved on to water. I was driving anyway.
Not even five minutes later the bouncer asked us to move. Although there's a wide open space between the dining tables that leads straight to the bar, that space can't be taken up by more than a certain number of people apparently. So, we moved from our semi spacious spot around to the crowded side of the bar. That's where we met the waitstaff, who promptly manhandled us repeatedly. As they passed, in order to make it known that they were passing, they put their hands on our backs and held us from moving or pushed us back to give them more space. This happened every single time someone walked by, even though there was enough space for two people to pass side by side. I did not appreciate the interaction and became increasingly annoyed. Even when we were able to get barstools after about a half hour of standing there, we were still pushed back -- that's just one person deep from the bar.
Maybe they should reconsider the extra tables they have in that area. Or maybe they should teach the waitstaff to be accepting of both their dining and lounge patrons. Or maybe they should just teach them not to push people, like most learned back in grade school.
Overall, I didn't like my drink, I didn't like strange arrangement, I didn't like feeling constantly in the way -- even when I had a seat -- and I didn't like that just about everyone working that night seemed pissed off or put out. I was disappointed in the whole experience and honestly couldn't wait to leave. The one highlight was the live band; one of the players came over to thank us for clapping. Good of The Beehive to showcase bands that a lot of people wouldn't normally see, but it's sad when the band makes you feel more welcome than any one of The Beehive employees.
Now, I'm done talking about it, and I won't be returning until long after the hype wears off and the egos settle down.
Chef: Adam Halberg
Opened: May 2007
Cuisine: Mediterranean-style bistro
Expect to spend: $40+
Dress: Casual, professional or dressy
Setting: Brick bohemian underground
Bar/lounge: Yes
Parking: Valet, street or nearby lot
Restaurant's Web site: The Beehive
Foodie Chick Review
Date: Dined in June, drank in July, 2007
Occasion: Miscellaneous
Highlights: Some seriously mouthwatering food and enjoyable music
Lowlights: Hype and hands-on pushy waitstaff
Overall: Loved the food because an insider told me exactly what to get. I'm over the rest.
Part 1
After getting word from one of my favorite bartenders several months ago that a new restaurant would be opening, I couldn't wait to line up. As it turned out, I was in Chicago on business on opening night, so I postponed my visit for a night when I knew one of my top foodie chick cohorts was available and said bartender would be working his new shift. Always good to know someone who can point out all of a restaurant's bests.
So I finally arrived to the somewhat hyped -- at the time -- new South End bistro. I met my friend shortly after leaving the office only to find we had about a 10-minute wait for a table. It actually turned out to be a 30-minute wait, but by then we'd found seats at the bar downstairs.
The restaurant has a unique setting with lots of warm woods, exposed brick and heavy red draperies, a bar and dining loft upstairs that looks down onto a semi sectioned off band area, where you can dine or sit and enjoy live jazz or a cabaret show, which all takes place beside a brighter second bar and dining area.
After settling in the back corner of that downstairs bar, we ordered drinks -- whatever our bartender wanted to make us -- and asked him to suggest some appetizers. We ended up with the Fried Oysters and Calamari with Spicy Avacado and a fried asparagus salad, which, sadly, does not appear on the online menu at the moment. I would be devastated if they really did remove it from the menu. I never would have ordered it myself, but now that I've tried the fried vegetable concoction, which included fried lemon slices, goat cheese and fresh greens, I don' t know what I'd do if I couldn't have it again. The oysters and calamari were also good, but we could have easily fought over that salad. Who would have thought?
For dinner, also following the bartender's suggestion, I ordered the Grilled Chicken with Halloumi Cheese and Bread Salad, as well as the Beehive Frites with Sage and Sea Salt. Aside from a meal I had at Union Bar & Grille (coming in a future review), this was the best dinner I had at a restaurant so far this summer. I ordered the grilled chicken thinking I was getting just grilled chicken; I admit I do not look much at the menu when I'm getting suggestions from a trusted foodie source. The chicken arrived looking grilled to perfection aside my giant plate of large frites that are not quite like any I've tried before.
Taking my first bite of that chicken, I thought I'd gone to some sort of butter heaven. Every bite tasted juicy, rich and fattening = so good. Turns out, there was actually a layer of halloumi cheese underneath the skin. It blended in with the meat so it took me a minute to realize exactly what I was eating. I couldn't get enough of it, and I talked about it so much that people sitting nearby turned to ask what I ordered that was so good, at which point I listed just about everything I had. Not to mention, even after finishing my entree and stuffing myself to the gills, I kept eating those salty sage fries.
I finally forced myself to stop eating, since I truly had no space to spare, then I went and ordered dessert. Of course. Hearing I like anything with pear in it, our bartender broke out the Belle de Brillet and poured me a snifter, then he brought out the berry cobbler I ordered. He actually said he didn't like any of the desserts yet. I should have taken his word for it. The cobbler was bitterly sweet and burnt on the sides. Oh, well. Can't all be perfect.
Part 2
After that first experience, I talked up the place to everyone I know. I went on and on about how great it all was, and even psyched myself for a return visit.
Then all the news articles appeared, including the one in the Boston Globe: The Place To Be (Over 30).
That's when I probably should have held my tongue.
Some of my other Foodie Chicks recounted stories about lines out the door, hostesses that wouldn't let them even see the downstairs and general overcrowding. I would expect that of a club, but this place is trying to be a restaurant/bistro. I'm not sure they started out intending to get that nightclub label, but that is exactly what they are getting, and the people who work there are giving up the attitude to boot, which I experienced first hand on my second visit.
Following a birthday dinner at Masa in July, I encouraged all of my dining companions to walk over to The Beehive to continue the celebration. We arrived prior to the rush because we were still able to walk downstairs, though I didn't actually stop to check in with the hostess looming around the staircase. We just beelined straight down the stairs to the bar.
Of course, there were no seats immediately available this time, and the crowd around the bar was about three people deep. It would be less congested if not for the dining tables practically right up on the barstools in some places. Forces the question, do they want to be a club or a restaurant? I finally reached the bar and ordered drinks. This time my bartender wasn't around so I asked whoever I could flag down for a mohito, which turned out to be possibly the worst mohito I've ever had. Heavy on the syrup, light on the mint, lots of awful. I didn't get through five sips of it before I gave up and moved on to water. I was driving anyway.
Not even five minutes later the bouncer asked us to move. Although there's a wide open space between the dining tables that leads straight to the bar, that space can't be taken up by more than a certain number of people apparently. So, we moved from our semi spacious spot around to the crowded side of the bar. That's where we met the waitstaff, who promptly manhandled us repeatedly. As they passed, in order to make it known that they were passing, they put their hands on our backs and held us from moving or pushed us back to give them more space. This happened every single time someone walked by, even though there was enough space for two people to pass side by side. I did not appreciate the interaction and became increasingly annoyed. Even when we were able to get barstools after about a half hour of standing there, we were still pushed back -- that's just one person deep from the bar.
Maybe they should reconsider the extra tables they have in that area. Or maybe they should teach the waitstaff to be accepting of both their dining and lounge patrons. Or maybe they should just teach them not to push people, like most learned back in grade school.
Overall, I didn't like my drink, I didn't like strange arrangement, I didn't like feeling constantly in the way -- even when I had a seat -- and I didn't like that just about everyone working that night seemed pissed off or put out. I was disappointed in the whole experience and honestly couldn't wait to leave. The one highlight was the live band; one of the players came over to thank us for clapping. Good of The Beehive to showcase bands that a lot of people wouldn't normally see, but it's sad when the band makes you feel more welcome than any one of The Beehive employees.
Now, I'm done talking about it, and I won't be returning until long after the hype wears off and the egos settle down.
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