Smith & Wollensky
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Overall Rating: Sick Meals (84 out of 100)
101 Arlington Street
Boston, MA 02116
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Phone: 617-423-1112
Smith & Wollensky is a national steakhouse chain with locations in Chicago, Miami Beach, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Columbus, Houston, New York, Washington DC, and Boston. The stunning Boston location, "The Castle" at Park Plaza, is a prominent stone and brick medieval structure.
Smith & Wollensky serves superb steak in a supreme dining environment. However, superfluous prices stop us from coming back on a regular basis.
Our History at Smith & Wollensky
We have dined at Smith & Wollensky in Las Vegas, Miami, New York, and Boston. Our most recent Boston visit was on a Saturday at 6:30pm.
Appetizers
Appetizers include Wollensky's famous split pea soup, crab cake, a thin crust pizza, and tomato & bufala mozzarella salad. Exquisite seafood bouquets include lobster, oysters, shrimp, muscles, clams, and lump crabmeat. The bouquets are available in two sizes at whopping price points - $54 for the Charlie Smith bouquet and $99 for the Ralph Wollensky bouquet. Otherwise, appetizers range from $6 for the split pea soup to $28 for a crab cake for two.
At the suggestion of our waiter, we shared the tomato & bufala salad for $13 - a beefy stack of juicy tomato slices, fresh mozzarella, and aromatic basil.
In the past, Smith & Wollensky served a basket of soft pretzels - a SickMeals.com favorite. Over time, this basket diversified, and it is no longer a basket at all. Freshly baked biscuits greeted us on this visit. The biscuits were OK, but the pretzels were beloved. Bring them back!
Rating: 8.9
Main Dishes
The New York Times referred to Smith & Wollensky as "a steakhouse to end all arguments". It's hard to disagree, but you pay dearly. Prices range from $36 for a 10oz filet mignon to $44 for a bone-in ribeye or bone-in New York cut sirloin. A porterhouse for two is available for $88. Other entree options include lobster tail, grilled seafood, and roast prime rib. Delicious sides are served family-style and include highly-recommended whipped potatoes, creamed spinach, and sauteed mushrooms. The sides go for $8.
We enjoyed a juicy 14oz filet mignon for $40. At Smith & Wollensky, the steak never disappoints. The fillet mignon is available au poivre, oscar style, gorgonzola crusted, cajun seasoned, or simply grilled.
In addition, at our waiter's suggestion, we decided to try the Tristan Island 10oz lobster tail. Unfortunately, the lobster was a monstrous disappointment. It was not sweet as advertised. It was rubbery. And the seafood stuffing seemed like a smattering of dry bread crumbs. All for $59!
Rating: 7
Drinks
Smith & Wollensky mixed delightful cosmos and martinis. Most mixed drinks fall in the $10-$12 range. An extensive wine list features 650 U.S. wines including selections from Robert Mondavi, Harlan, Hanzell, and Jordan.
Rating: 8.5
Service
We received professional but unenthusiastic service. Repeated visits to Smith & Wollensky in Las Vegas and Miami were magical experiences - and top-shelf service played a paramount role. Despite lavish accommodations and impeccable ambiance, the Boston experience does not quite match up.
Rating: 7.9
Ambiance
Four floors include mammoth, roaring fireplaces, magnificent chandeliers, and miles of mahogany. You truly feel as though you are dining among royalty.
Rating: 9.5
Et Cetera
Trivia: Charlie Smith and Ralph Wollensky are fictional characters.
Menu: Check out the dinner menu
Reservations: Smith & Wollensky is on OpenTable
Transportation: Take the Green Line to Arlington or valet for $16.
Dress: Business Casual
Hours: Smith & Wollensky serves dinner Monday through Thursday from 5:30 PM to 10:00PM; Friday from 5:30pm to 11:00pm; Saturday from 4:30PM to 11:00PM; and Sunday from 4:30pm to 10:00PM.
Labels: Sick-Meals, Smith-and-Wollensky, Steakhouse, Theater-District
