Sandrine's Bistro

This beautiful glass-enclosed restaurant nestled on Holyoke Street offers a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of busy Harvard Square. Sandrine's specializes in delightful cuisine from the Alsace region of France, a vineyard area on the border of Germany's Black Forest. Their signature dish is the irresistible tarte flambee (flammekueche), a light pizza-like baked flatbread filled with savory toppings like smoky bacon or salmon, with caramelized onions, creamy fromage blanc and asparagus. Other notable entrees include the prosciutto tartine, an open faced sandwich with fresh mozzarella, tomato and a pesto served with pitch perfect pommes frites; and the Trout Grenobloise, pan seared fish with capers, spinach and mushrooms. Wash it all down with a selection from their extensive wine list. And for dessert try the rich and decadent kougelhopf, a flowerless chocolate cake with caramel and vanilla ice cream.

Posted 01/20/09

Beginning with the hostess's cold greeting our experience never rebounded. If you like to pay for pretention then this is the place for you. The filet mignon was inedible as it was overcooked: requested medium it was served well-done and charred. The management responded with an offer for complimentary dessert, a short offer considering the whole dining experience was uncomfortable and drawn-out; in the end they did recognize that they were at fault. In general the food rested on its appearance where it did not follow up on taste. This was inline with Sandrine's in general: from the superficial gesture of leaving sparkling water at the table (and then charging you for it) to the paper tablecloths and cheap decor.

Pros: Asparagus

Cons: Everything else

Posted 11/10/07

We were able to get a table at the last minute on a weekend night during Restaurant Week. The hostess rather icily informed us that they were fully booked and reservations were required. However, the proprietress, who was standing nearby, overheard and interceded. She was very welcoming, found space and we were looking forward to a terrific evening.

Fifteen minutes after being seated, our waitress finally stopped by. She was abrupt, clearly not happy about something (Restaurant Week perhaps?) and absolutely not qualified to work in a restaurant of this level. Our menus were snatched away as we were ordering. She then leaned over and yanked the wine list from my husband's hands while he was mid-sentence ordering a wine. After taking bringing the wine, she disappeared for the remainder of the meal. Our meal was served by an assortment of other servers/bus boys. At the end of the meal, the waitress reappeared with the check, wordlessly slapped it on the table and left. Someone else picked it up to run the credit card.

The Restaurant Week menu was rather dull (seared tuna that looked pasty and very unappetizing - a diner at a nearby table sent his back - and a roasted poussin). My lobster of the day from the regular menu was significantly better (baked with a very interesting anise sauce and a wonderful roasted root vegetable melange with fresh figs).

Perhaps this is a restaurant to avoid during Restaurant Week. However, I can only rate this restaurant based on my experience during this week. We'll be back to give this place another try in the hope that we caught them on an off night.

Pros: the owner makes you feel welcome

Cons: wait staff could use more training

Posted 08/20/06

Outstanding food and service. Very interesting menu and appetizers and entrees served as elegantly as one could ask for. The ambiance of the dining room was measured by its classic elegance, and the environment clean and refined. The quality of the food was superb, and there was a broad enough selection for palates of all tastes. Desserts were tasty and a thing of beauty to see. The service was impeccable and the servers not overbearing.
This is a great place to celebrate any special occasion;guests and hosts will never be disappointed.

Posted 06/20/06

My wife and I suddenly found ourselve able to make a quick dinner plan when our child was off for an evening at a friend's house. Sandrine's was the closest place with an available reservation on short notice.

A rainy night, we parked in the underground lot just next door. The room was warm and romantic; the service friendly and efficient. While the food was just a shade better than "ok" and the prices a notch too high, it was still such a nice experience that we would be pleased to return if atmosphere was the primary objective.

Pros: ambience, location

Cons: a bit pricey, food fine, not great

Posted 11/20/05

The restaurant was very accommodating when it came to seating our large group. My grilled romaine lettuce salad was pretty good, but my duck entree was just so-so: it was lukewarm and the best part was the mushroom risotto underneath. For dessert I had the chocolate cake with caramel center: it was a bit heavy but delicious.

Pros: service, ambience

Cons: expensive, so-so food

Posted 10/29/05

Looking to try something new, we recently dined at Sandrine's restaurant in Harvard Square. I don't speak French, and we were all both new to Alsatian cuisine, so the menu was a little confusing at first. Our waitress patiently explained everything from flammekueche (alsatian flatbread) to choucroute (sauerkraut). Our food was wonderful, we shared a proscuitto and pear flammekeuche and mussels to start, then a rack of lamb and choucroute. We forwent a bottle of wine and instead sampled some of the alsatian white wines sold by the glass and a pinot noir. my favorite was the very dry but fruity Riesling, perfect for a hot summers day. I would particularly recommend sandrine's bistro for those looking for a chic and inventive dining experience.

Pros: service, atmosphere, presentation

Cons: pricey, large portions

Posted 07/14/05

The best thing about this restaurant is an absolutely gorgeous fron door, and a very nice decor overall. The service was OK. The food was very very ordinary and not even close to being worth the very steep prices. The garlic roasted checked reminded me of cafeteria qaulity chicken. I am used to the fact that in expensive restaurants chicken can be prepared exceptionally well. The duck breast in the scallops and duck breast offering was hard to cut and even harder to chew, inedible. The famed chacrute, tasted very ordinary and again reminded us again of high school cafeteria quality. We couldn't believe that each appetizer cost aroung $16 and an entees hovered around $30. How does this restaurant stay in business? How does it get some good reviews? I am perplexed. Overall not worth the money or the calories.

Pros: nice decor

Cons: hugely disappointing

Posted 05/29/05

Food was great. Food was expensive. Servings were small. Then the bill came for a party of 2 and an 18% gratuity was added. The server never mentioned this, and I am sure she wouldn't have if we added another 20% on top of that. I wonder how many people fell victim to this scam. Simply put, this was insulting and I will not be returning.

Pros: Good food, Clean

Cons: Service

Posted 02/13/05

My friends and i recently took advantage of restaurant week, and had a great meal at Sandrines. The food was fantastic,and the wine list was amazing. The friendly staff,and great ambience made for a memorable evening.
I HIGHLY recommend Sandrines to anyone who is looking for a great dinner out in Harvard sq.
Gwen,Ramond,and Amy, keep up the great work!

Posted 10/04/04

The purpose of restaurant week is to allow a restaurant to showcase their food during a time period where restaurant attendance is traditionally slow. I have been a fan of restaurant week and have enjoyed being a guest at many participating restaurants. This year I had the pleasure of eating at Icarus, Sandrine's, La La Rohk and Via Matta. However, to my disappointment, Sandrine's quality of food, service and ambiance fell below average in comparison to other participating restaurants. From Sandrine's prix fixe menu, I chose the soup and pork medallions. Surprisingly, the pork medallions was not the delicate dish that I expected, but rather a piece of chared pork on top of french fries. The meal was very bland, not at all fitting of a $$$$ restaurant. I will gladly return to the other restaurants, but would urge Sandrine's not to participate in restaurant week in the future.

Posted 08/26/04

We recently dined at Sandrine's for restaurant. We found out the chef was serving his signature lobster martini as an entree selection. I have to say it was absolutely wonderful. My husband had the pork and it was equally as good. Our only draw back was an very loud and disturbing table in the small dining room we were in. They were very clearly unhappy with thier $30.04 meal and were very articulate about it. I don't know what people expect for $30.04 but, I have to say, we were thrilled. If you ever have a chance to dine downstairs, TAKE IT! It was very romantic and you could hear each other talk. I guess the unfortunate part is you can hear others as well!

Posted 08/25/04

Went to Sandrines for restaurant week after reading so many great reviews. My group of 6 paid $300 to eat in the basement...where it seemed tables had been set up just for the event (while the regular diners ate in the grand dining room on the first floor). The prefix menu had only 4 possible combinations of appetizer and entree (2 each). None of the items on the restaurant week menu were included on the regular menu. Honestly, I felt a bit cheated. The items we did order were of VERY poor quality--uninspiring side salad and charred pork chops on top of french fries. It is unfortunate because restaurant week is an opportunity to attract new customers, and I feel that the poor showing at Sandrines has turned off at least 6 possible repeat diners.

Posted 08/23/04

OK.....I have to say I'm not a pro on french cusine. But I really enjoy dining here. I didn't know this place was this good at first, I just happened to notice it since it's right across my dorm, so I think I'd like to give it a try. And it was a fabulous experience. The service is really nice, nice waitress explaning the menu for me. I had chicken for the entree, it was like the best chicken I've ever had even though it's a little too much for me to finish. I also had Fresh Berry Tarte for dessert, it was delicious!! I really like this place, great atmosphere and all that, will definitely go again to try some other great dishes

Pros: food, price, service

Posted 08/07/04

This is definitely one of the best restaurants I've ever dined at. The atmosphere is charming and warm, and the food surpassed all my expectations, which were already quite high to begin with. Our waitress was courteous and friendly, even laughing at herself when she got a bit tongue-tied describing the specials. We split a traditional flammekueche as an appetizer, I had the roasted venison tenderloin, and my girlfriend had something from the spring menu. We finished with the delicious chocolate cake, and left feeling very satisfied but not weighed down by the meal. I would not hesitate to recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Pros: food, decor, service

Cons: pricey

Posted 04/12/03

The meal at Sandrine's was one of the best dining experiences I have had in a long time. The traditional Alsation cuisine was magnificient and the incredible service made the night perfect. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to all of my friends

Pros: Romantic, Value, Service

Posted 02/08/03

What a magnificiant dining experience that we had last week between the wonderful food and the terrific service it was a night to remember. It was a real treat to dine at a restaurant owned and operated by a french master chef.

Posted 02/08/03

A very romantic place, where one can truly enjoy French food and wine as one would in a very good restaurant in France. Raymond, the Chef, is as real as you can be; nothing there looks like it has been framed and repackaged for American consumption

Posted 01/06/03

French food with an Alsatian flair. Waiter took the time to explain items specific to the region and did a great job reviewing the specials. Interesting blend of accompaniments. Reasonably priced for a high end place. Good dessarts, too.

Posted 07/18/02

I loved the live music and the wine list--good value and variety.

Posted 07/17/02

Great selection of appetizers, entrees & wines. We paticularly enjoyed the summer fare: a bit lighter & incorporated seasonal items. Lamb chops & duck melt in our mouths. Avacado stuffed with crab and the escargot were fanstatic for apps. Our waiter had the good graces to attend to our needs when warranted and to let us enjoy our food and wine in peace when we wanted. Great all around. Neat French accents in the decor.

Pros: Food, Wine list, decor

Cons: parking

Posted 07/17/02

After recently dining at Sandrine's for the first time, my wife and I were very pleased. Few places in Boston ACTUALLY live up to the expectations we see in the press and guidebooks!! Besides the wonderful food and polite, knowledgable service, I really got a kick out of the wine list. The price range is great ( seemed to be between 24$ and 120$) and seems to cover all the important bases. I will definitely be back.

Posted 07/14/02

I went out with a close friend and decided to try your establishment. The rack of lamb of mouthwatering delicious. The wine we chose with our meal complimented the food. The service was non-stop. There would be no hesitation to visit your restaurant for another delighful evening, and I will surely recommend Sandrine's to anyone of interest to dine in Cambridge.
Thank you very much!

Karen & Jayne

Posted 07/14/02

I truly enjoyed my dinner at this restaurant. The menu was not too pricy as compared to others and the food was nice and light. I had the simple green salade with a truffle dressing and the Grilled Tuna. All the ingredients were very fresh and you could taste all the flavors. The wine list was outstanding (all but a few bottles were French!). We had a wonderful bottle for $30! A true find at a restaurant of this caliber. The service was outstanding as well.

I would highly recommend it.

Pros: romantic, service, good value

Cons: parking

Posted 07/08/02