Clink

Had high expectations but was very disappointed.... beginning with the arrogant hostess. Food was pricey and the menu was trying to appear overly sophisticated. The waiter was efficient and attentive though. Would not recommend or return to this restaurant..

Pros: Service was mercifully fast

Cons: Snotty hostess/average food/high price

Posted 08/02/09

I've been to Clink now 5 times for dinner with large parties. I'm going back again this weekend with a large party. For me, consistency is key...and Clink has been amazingly consistent. Drinks cold and good...dinner perfect and the service has been great...from the fresh faced cutie at the Hostess Desk to the Server...good all around. The only thing that is not my cup of tea is the location of the Ladies Room...(which is a football field away) and the fact that between Alibi (the downstairs bar) and The Liberty Hotel Lobby...there seems to be a bit of a 'meat head' scene later in the evening...and it's not attractive. Otherwise Clink itself...great spot!

Pros: consistent service

Cons: ladies room is near Pluto

Posted 03/09/09

Horrendous isnt even the word to describe the food! The atomsphere is the only thing keeping this place going. The waiter was an android with NO personality and could barely speak to us. The main course was bland, over priced and small. A complete waste of money!

Pros: history of the building, the atmosphere and bar in the lobby

Cons: THE FOOD, THE WAITSTAFF

Posted 02/28/09

The ambiance is great but the service and food are substandard. We were seated at 7:00 and our main course did not arrive until 8:40. (The restaurant was not full!) Two members of our group were served lukewarm meat. The portions were ridiculously small. This was the second that I dined at Clink and both times were a disappointment, if not a disaster. Never again.

Pros: Atmosphere

Cons: Food quality, portion size

Posted 08/31/08

Ok...I went in expecting the worst. Brunch in a hotel (buffet)...clear sign of expecting bad food. However, I was completely surprised by my experience there. If you are hungry, would like an upscale brunch, and have $35 (tip not included)...you can plow through a great deal of food.

They have a menu you can order of off (all included in the buffet price). Made to order. The steak and egg was excellent. Duck confit hash..very good. Prawns...excellent. You can order as many items off the menu as you want. (Very cost effective). Don't be confused, the menu items are included in the buffet price.

Besides the menu, you can also visit the buffet line. Pastries, salmon & bagels, pancakes, waffles, fruit, desserts, etc.

Now don't get me wrong. As a high end brunch, I'm sure you can find better. But, if you can account for price and taste, it will be hard to find to any better. You will leave stuffed.

Pros: Brunch!

Posted 08/31/08

Horrible food, horrible service, and a horribly high priced!
Had friends in town, so I wanted to show them Boston's new trendy hotspot. First we sat there for almost 30 mins before being served anything. It was as if, the servers had something better to do than bring out ordered drinks. To top it all of, the food was probably the worst I've had in Boston.
Very expensive, unattentive, just plain bad.

Pros: The bar in the lobby had a great vibe

Cons: Bad food, at $17 for a martini is ridiculous

Posted 08/26/08

I am a 20 year veteran of the boston bar scene and found Liberty to be right in line with the current, short lived hip place to be. The bar crowd there is good. If you are looking for a place to meet professionals, this is a good place to go until the next place is the place to go. Some of the bartenders are good, polite and welcoming but I have had terrible experiences with some others. There are a few that need to be reminded that their job is to make everyone's stay there as enjoyable as can be. Instead I saw too many instances of, 'this is my bar and you will take what i give you if you are lucky.' Unfortunately, bartender entitlement is far too common in boston which keeps me going back to my usual places where they treat me with the respect a paying customer deserves.

Posted 08/16/08

The bar atmosphere in the lobby of the Liberty Hotel was warm and inviting. The service was great although the South African Meritage tasted chalky. Once inside Clink, things deteriorated pretty quickly. The atmosphere was very nice. The service was not. I can't rate the food because after waiting 45 minutes to be seated, we waited an hour and fifteen minutes before walking out...never to see our entrees. The waiter was more interested in the two teenie boppers at the next table than getting a tip that night. It's amazing that they spent all that money on renovations with no thought to service.

Pros: Atmosphere was great

Cons: Service was not.

Posted 07/17/08

I went to the Liberty Hotel on a Friday night to go to Clink for drinks. Upon arrival there was a line at the door to get in; there are two lines at the door which are not labeled. One line is for Alibi and the other for Clink, so make sure you know what you are standing in line for. After about a 45 min wait we were able to get our 8 person party upstairs to Clink. There was plenty of room in the lobby which makes me think the line was just for show. We were able to get a sofa with a couple tables which had a server. Cocktails were around 14 dollars, the atmosphere was great. A good place to chat with friends as it was never too loud. Seemed like a good date spot as well as a place to find cougars.

Pros: great ambience, not too loud

Cons: line system

Posted 05/02/08

I recently went to Clink with some friends from out of town. I thought it may be impressive if I brought them to some place nice. They were more than impressed with not only clink but the entire liberty hotel. They actually wished they had stayed there, and they will stay there next time. We all thought the decor was great and the service went above and beyond. There were a few clitches in the night but thats expected with a newer restaurant. If you're looking for a great night out or you want to impress out of towners this is the place.

Pros: atmosphere, service

Cons: nothing

Posted 04/23/08

Honestly I feel really bad giving any place just one star but this place really doesn't deserve more than that. The server and staff were really nice - not knowledgeable but she tried. It's totally overpriced and even if the food was less expensive it wouldn't be worth it. Tuna tartar was not fresh. It was just chopped up fish with nothing else - not even sauce on a piece of french bread like a bruschetta. Stripped bass was over cooked, dry and cold. Raw oysters ($3 a piece) were delicious - kudos to the chef.

Pros: beautiful lobby interior

Cons: The food stinks!

Posted 04/01/08

While I love their wine list their prices are not only obnoxious but their food stinks. Nothing is good on the menu and there is no food served at the Alibi bar so if food is not what you deisre and your wallet is full of cash - clink is ok.

Posted 03/26/08

I went to Clink with a friend of mine hoping for a great culinary experience, unfortunately, it wasn't t. We got the fried mac and cheese appetizer, which was tasty, but I think that would be a difficult dish to mess up. We also got a small cheese plate and olives to munch on that were delicious, but required no cooking skill. We had to wait quite a long time for the entrees, I had the lamb and my friend got the scallops. The lamb was cooked well, but the flavor was lacking for a braised shank. The scallop entree lacked flavor as well and the foam on the dish was unappetizing, however, I don't like the consistency of foam on most dishes. Since the food wasn't nothing spectacular, I was pretty disappointed when we received the bill which was high (about $200 for 2). Also, during much of our entree course the restaurant filled with smoke from the open kitchen and the fire alarm went off for a good 10 minutes. The manager was walking around the restaurant the entire time and did not apologize to one customer, and our waitress did not apologize either. We could barely hear ourselves think for 10 minutes. We went to have an after dinner drink downstairs at Alibi, great bar and made up for much of the experience upstairs.

Pros: The ambience of the hotel and restaurant are great without the fire alarm, Close to the T, Food has potential

Cons: Overpriced, need some work on service

Posted 02/26/08

My husband and I had heard great things about Clink and the Liberty Hotel in general. We werent able to get reservations for two weeks in a row so on Wednesday night, looking for an early dinner we got 5:30 reservations. Some friends asked to join us but when I called they said they could not bump our reservation to 4 as they were totally booked. Hmmm this place must be great! I was thinking so we told our friends and another couple to meet us after dinner for drinks. We arrived a few minutes late due to traffic and were shocked to see the entire resaurant completely empty!! They seated us right away and we found the cocktail menu and dinner menu interesting and fun (cocktails are pricey though). Our waiter was great and we ordered a couple of the snacks including some huge wellfleet oysters, and the oxtail which was fantastic! Then we ordered a few of the plates to share which were not great, the lobster risotto was salty and they used the less desirable claw meat instead of tail, and the yellowtail was just bizarre with a vanilla drizzle? and a strange tasteless salad. Our bill was $130 and we didn't get any entrees. By the time we were ready to move to the bar, the "fully booked" restaurant was still half empty!? We got a great seat out in the lobby/bar area which is amazing, they did a fantastic job converting this old building while retaining all of the character. There was a band playing that was fantastic but not too overly distracting from our conversation. After a few drinks with our friends we decided to call it a night and were shocked when we gave the valet our ticket and he requested $32!!!! for the valet!!! We told him that we ate at the resaurant and he said we needed a stamp which no one told or offered us and then told us it didn't matter as we had been there over 3 hours!! Overall, I would say take people to the bar and show them the building but don't bother with dinner and watch out for the valet!

Pros: Atmosphere, bar/lounge area, good drinks

Cons: pricey, inconsistent food, $32 valet!!!

Posted 02/14/08

The venue itself makes it worthwhile to check out. My group did not eat but instead met for drinks as sort of a kick-off to a friends birthday. The bar area had a mix of people in tuxes and some in jeans- it was close to the holidays so perhaps the tuxes were for a Christmas-oriented party or something. Anyway, I was expecting pretentious peeps and challenging drink lines but neither were the case. Folks sitting at the bar let my wife and I right in to get our beverages and the general atmosphere was much less stuffy than I had anticipated. The cons were the fact that the bar area sort of leaves you out in the middle of people but looking over a railing and watching folks come up the escalator is always good for a laugh when conversation dies. The enormous vaulted ceiling and converted prison feel made it a unique experience and while I wouldn't spend the night there it's a cool location worth checking out for a few early night drinks.

Posted 12/14/07

Trendy and Clever. The Liberty Hotel was converted from an old Boston Prison built in 1851 or thereabouts, and "The Clink" is the bar/lounge inside! I went here on a Friday night w/ friends, and had a fabulous time. Atmosphere is trendy/sophisticated. Some patrons were dressed up, but most wore jeans with a dressier shirt, girls in heels, guys in button-downs. Drinks were high priced--$14 and more for a 3 ingredient cocktail, but they were well made, and original. Great date place, or casual/fun night with friends. If you're there in the evening, dont forget to check out "Alibi" downstairs-- cute club w/ exposed brink, iron bars, and celebrity mug-shots plastered around the walls! Last call is just after 1:00

Pros: Fun, Trendy, Clever

Cons: Drinks are expensive

Posted 11/25/07

I was really disappointed with Clink. The lobster bisque I was so excited about arrived in a shot glass without a spoon. It was way to hot to shoot and had a weird after taste. Also, I was confused about the "large plates" and got my own not expecting it to be way too big for one person. They even had to pour the wine into a beaker. Why not just put it in a glass? The whole meal was confusing and lacked focus. It seemed like it was just trying too hard. Also, the service was increadibly slow - it took them 10 minutes to seat us, 45 minutes for the first course, and 30 minutes for half of our second courses to arrive. (The other half arrived 5 minutes later.) Go to Clink if you want to eat fried macaroni and cheese and listen to techno music. Don't go there if you're a food snob like me.

Pros: Parking, Dessert

Cons: Service is slow, food is mediocre, music is annoying

Posted 11/14/07

It's a very cool atmosphere to eat -- brick walls with jail bars serving as doorways -- and a bar that is set in the concourse, so it's open and under the main skylight of the hotel. But once you get over those cool intricacies, the food is just ok. Our tuna ceviche was not truly a ceviche, and our Ipswich clams were ok but great. Of a smaller note, our appetizers came 10-15 minutes apart, unless that's part of the tapas idea. Our dinner was seared scallops and braised short ribs. Both dishes came out cold -- and we sent them back (first time I've ever done this) -- and were returned...warmer, but not hot. There was minimal apologies from the wait staff and certainly no visit by the manager. The scallops were bland, and the short rib was really tasty but again, served lukewarm. The scallops were definitely not worth $21but the ribs were well-priced for $26 (again, other than that it was cold). On a smaller note, since I'm a snob, we did not get a full complement of bread and butter as we noticed other tables did.

Overall, it's worth going for some of the small plates and a drink at the bar, just to check it out, because it is a beautifully reconstructed building. But pass on dinner, there are so many better places to eat in Boston.

Pros: Atmosphere, unique environment

Cons: average service, our food was cold, food was only ok

Posted 10/28/07

We went here last night with a group of 5. The waiter warned us that the portions were small but I was still surprised at the tiny portions when they arrived. The polenta was good but it was about 2 tablespoons! Literally!
The beef and shortribs were good as stated above but we left feeling hungry and jipped. We ordered a lot of food for the entrees after the waiter warned us again. The chef needs to take a lesson from Gordon Ramsay, and trim the menu with just good, simple food that doesn't have a "theme" or lots of accessories. I wouldn't recommend it for large crowds b/c of the tiny portions. It might be good for two people b/c your only splitting it two ways.

Posted 10/06/07

We visited Clink about two weeks ago, and had a great experience. We were trying to decide where to host a series of corporate dinners, and decided to try it first. First and foremost, the service was timely and they seemed very knowledgeable -- definitely personable.

The food is tapas, with a few entree items which are also meant for sharing. If you like eclectic, interesting choices, I think Clink is perfect -- it's a great place if you don't mind trying a few new things every time you visit the same restaurant, never gets old. If you're expecting a 'typical' tapas restaurant that borders on mexican food, this isn't for you.

All in all, I'd highly recommend it.

Pros: eclectic choices, awesome service, great wine list, great date/romantic ambience

Cons: can get expensive quickly, but worth it.

Posted 10/01/07

My friends and I were really excited to try Clink. It seemed like it had so much potential - a beautiful and grand lobby, interesting "jail" themed restaurant. Unfortunately, that was about it. Service was slow and the food was pretty unmemorable. Some specifics to illustrate my point:
First, we sat down at 8. Our first dish (this is tapas style) was served to us at 8:45, the next at 9:15, the next course after that was at 9:45. We were still really hungry because we didn't know how large the plates were going to be so we ordered several dishes and joked that we wouldn't get them until 10. We were pretty close. At 10:15 our last dish finally came. During this time, the waiter had only come to our table once to check on us.
Second, the food was pretty forgettable and pricey for what we were getting. We also ordered ceviche, beef grilled on a hot stone and short ribs. Why it took about 1.5 hours to get raw beef and a hot stone is a bit baffling. After all, aren't we, the customers, doing the cooking ourselves? Although not all was bad...the short ribs were pretty tasty. But everything else was bland.
We left 3 hours later feeling dissatisfied and hungry. If you do decide to go, I would recommend waiting a few more months until the restaurant figures our their food and service.

Pros: Good short ribs

Cons: Unimpressive food and service

Posted 09/27/07