51 Lincoln2nd visitThis was my second visit to 51 Lincoln, the first one being a couple of years ago. The restaurant happens to be within walking distance of my friend's house in Newton Highlands, yet she had never been there. She was favorably impressed with the facilities, bar, food and service. There was just one glitch. My friend ordered the sirloin. The server said it would be 25 minutes for the steak. 40 minutes later we still had not been served our main courses and we had to flag down the server who told us it would be another five minutes. The food was good when it appeared (scallops and mahi mahi as well as the sirloin), but we felt rushed because we were going to a concert and had made a reservation which should have given us plenty of time.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMVery nice service, a bit overpricedIt was a fun diner. The cheeses are totally overpriced but still delicious.
Room was a bit noisy but it was a game night so the bar on the side surely Didn t help.
Overall a nice restaurant.
Our diner for two has cost 140 with one glass of wine and no desert .6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently greatThis is aneighborhood restaturant for us. The food and service are consistently good. The noise level can be quite high, which can negatively impact conversation. The cocktails change, and this time they seemed a bit too precious for us, so we had wine instead. We will continue to come regularly.6/13/2013 12:00:00 AMA real findWe will definitely come back again, and bring friends. The wine list is not long, but nevertheless carefully constructed and full of interesting wines. Love the "bin end" deals at the end.6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMInviting and responsibleOur party of four booked a 7:30 table for a Saturday evening. We arrived a few minutes early and were shown immediately to our table. Our waiter Eddie was informed, efficient, and very pleasant. We were all pleased with our appetizers and main courses: a fish special, duck, and scallops. Even though waitstaff was very busy, they delivered the drinks and food at an appropriate place. One small complaint: the dessert menu seemed limited but the two we chose were fine. This restaurant delivers a totally satisfying experience. Noise level is a bit "energetic," but manageable. Obviously there are more expensive and more elegant restaurants, but 51 Lincoln has the right relationship between price and quality of food and service.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMThe watermelon "steak" saladThe watermelon "steak" salad is unique and absolutely wonderful! Besides that, we have been here several times and have found every dish excellently prepared.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMLovelyGreat food. Terrific atmosphere. Great place to take someone if you want them to feel special.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGood placeWe all enjoyed our food. Service was a little slow and our side dish never came6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWell doneFrom start to finish, this was an enjoyable experience... again. From the welcome to the decor to the waitstaff to the service to the drinks to the appetizers to the food to the dessert to the coffee to paying the bill... all was well done. Thank you!5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMFifty-Yum LincolnThe menu is rather limited but every option is delicious the noise level can be a bit loud as well This visit we had several salads Caesar with delicious white anchovies and simple salad which was large enough to share. The charcuterie is great with house cured meats and cheese from wasiks. The homemade pasta special with fiddleheads and wild mushrooms was great although I would like to have seen some more variety of fungus not just Crimini
the bolognese was great as always. A good choice to share for a starter. Hake was fresh and flakey and chef accommodated special side requests. Shrimp entre was excellent. Desserts warm chocolate chip cookies and apricot ice cream both outstanding and a good cup of coffee and espresso5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMStill good!I have always had a consistently good meal at 51 Lincoln but was a little nervous this time since 4 people I work with had all eaten "just OK" meals there just a few weeks before. However, as usual our meals were excellent and our server, who had just finished her training and was waiting tables her first night on her own, was excellent! The place was packed so I assume others still enjoy 51 Lincoln as well. Recommend.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect neighborhood spot51 Lincoln is the kind of restaurant that a community like Newton is lucky to have. It's got great food, great atmosphere - festive, relaxed - and an excellent location. Worth repeat visits with family and friends.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWatermelonYou really need to try the grilled watermelon steak. It sounds unlikely, it looks unlikely, and it is a marvelous creation. The food is at a consistently high level but the watermelon steak is worthy of mention all by itself....which is why I am mentioning it.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMFood is always 5-star!51 Lincoln is one of my neighborhood faves. The choices are fresh and tasty ... not over-sauced. This time had the "chicken under a brick" ... ummm, fantastic. Had teh accompanying polenta fries which were also excellent.
They make a great martini ... make reservations well in advance!5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat find in the neighborhood.Loved stumbling upon this neighborhood bistro. Great atmosphere. Loved the food. Only negative was rushed service.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMSoft Shell Crabs RockEvery May, the season of the soft shell crab, 51 Lincoln's chef has a different soft shell crab special everyday. The preparations are novel and interesting. The regular menu and other specials are also available, but it's worth the trip for the crabs. Their web site tells you what they are doing with the crabs each day.
All good!5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat great foodWas very happy with 51 Lincoln - Watermelon "Steak" was a great appetizer, and the soft-shelled crab special was divine. The server was excellent too. Great place in Newton Highlands!5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMAdd this to the rotationThis is definitely a place to revisit, you can tell by the seasonally adjusted menu they love what they do.
Don't miss the house made Charcuterie plate
Pickled Smoked Pork Sausage,Sirloin Salami, Jalapeno Chicken Liver Pate (a little light on the Jalapeno buut Pate was excellent)
Chicken under brick classic dish executed well and local Hake dish with Garlic pesto and Sping Peas was a light fresh spring Gem.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMneighborhood gemgreat food - for a suburban location...better than most downtown spots. Food cooked to order ..menu doesn't change but they add great fresh specials...had soft shell crabs and duck that worked just right! Will go back again in the near future...wine list too is great with the menu.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experience as usual--foodGreat experience as usual--food and service. Service is very personal and we're always made to feel welcome.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was excellent andThe food was excellent and the service was attentive and helpful. It was pretty noisy so sometimes hard to hear conversation at the table. A great restaurant.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMAs in past reviews, I am hesitantTo tell any more people what a fabulous place this is.
The best mixed drink known: their Scarlet Martini, the best Chicken Under a Brick west of Florence, best Ceasar Salad, Theiir Watermelon Steak is not reproducable by humans and fabulous, and as smoky and nonvegetarian tasking as someting grown from a seed can get.
YadaYada...don't go. Its hard enough to get in as it is.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMDownstairsWalking in, 51 Lincoln was noisy and crowded. We were escorted to the downstairs room, 4 tables only, very quiet and lovely. Service initially seemed a bit slow but rectified itself. A lovely evening with exquisite food. Particularly liked the Hake and the Poblano Chili soup.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways interesting foodWent there for their May soft shell crab special. The night we were there they were serving deep fried crabs with Thai peanut noodles and a poached egg. Both crabs and noodles were very good, but I never could figure out why there was a poached egg included. It just didn't seem to fit.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst impression - excellent!We read some great reviews about 51 Lincoln and wanted to try it out. Food, service were excellent. Ambience is casual chic. Would recommend it highly.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMJust excellent. Great food,Just excellent. Great food, cooked to perfection, no-fuss, and not remotely inaccessible. Just good, good, elegant food.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMA very pleasant late reservationA very pleasant late reservation meal that included a very nice glass of Malbec before sitting for dinner. The food was delicious and the servce excellent. I particularly liked the chicken under a brick and the pulled pork "donut" appetiser.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMMy third trip and it was stillMy third trip and it was still fabulous. This place has the local neighborhood vibe, but with super high end food. I love the combination of casual setting with an outstanding kitchen; it is just what I would want to open if I had my own restaurant. The Perfect Green Salad is just that - perfect. We actually would have been satisfied with the sweet cream butter (which appears to be mixed with honey and sea salt crystals), slathered on the bread and topped with their tomato jam. But adding the duck entree, and a huge bowl of Chef's Rigatoni Bolognese, and it does not get much better. I had a special evening out with my 13 year old son, and it was just wonderful, especially since he is a real food lover. Highly recommended.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was fairly originalThe food was fairly original and quite good. A bit pricey for a local, neighborhood restaurant, but not outrageously so, given the quality of the cooking. Not someplace for a weekly dinner, but very good for any special occasion. Small, intimate, if not romantic, atmosphere.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had an awesome dinner.We had an awesome dinner. The watermelon "steak" appetizer and the pasta with Bolognese are two dishes that stand out. Be sure to try them both!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThe marsopone cheese cakeThe marsopone cheese cake with lemon curd is to die for.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding!Our favorite area restaurant , without a doubt. Also a place we enjoy sharing with others, knowing they too will enjoy it.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat food, and attentive,great food, and attentive, friendly service. First visit there. Chef came out to introduce himself and make sure everything was ok. He sent out complementary soup, which was delicious and a nice touch.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding meal and service.Outstanding meal and service. Looking forward to my next visit!4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMTuesday Night Dinner??We were 4 guys getting together to celebrate a birthday on a Tuesday night-normally a slow and boring night.As well because of schedules etc. we had a reservation for 8:30 p.m.Sounds like a recipe for disaster but we had a great night due to a little help from Nate our waiter but especially from Fernanda.We had never eaten together before so we were struggling over what to order.Fernanda showed up at the table and suggested a few things she was working on.Wow.Lobster bisque to die for-a beautiful color and a distinctive flavor worthy of much praise.She also suggested the Rigatoni with Rabbitt which we all had and that topped the Lobster bisque.Perfect pasta but more importantly the Ragu was distinctive as well as sublime.Thanks,David4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went to 51 Lincoln forWe went to 51 Lincoln for my birthday in December, and liked it so much we came back for our anniversary. Food is delicious, nice atmosphere. Good for special occasions since it's a little pricey.4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMOur reservation was very early,Our reservation was very early, so the restaurant was less than half full. Later in the evening it was probably a lot noisier. One entree was terrific, and the other was good. The service was very good. I'd recommend 51 Lincoln to anybody, although it's a little pricey.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a lovely family dinnerWe had a lovely family dinner here. My only complaint was the noise. We had a loud table next to us and it was very hard to hear conversation at our table. The restaurant needs to install some sound absorbers to help with is problem because it is clear it is always jammed full with happy diners.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was delicious andThe food was delicious and well-presented. The service was conscientious without intrusiveness. The tomato jelly served with the bread course was delightful BUT the white bread had the consistency of Wonder bread.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMA group of 4 went to 51 LincolnA group of 4 went to 51 Lincoln and had such a scrumptious meal. The waiter came promptly and let us know the specials of the day, he also asked if anyone in the party had any food allergies or restrictions, which was nice since we did shave a few. The waiter was able to answer all of our questions/ concerns with such ease, is was as if he knew not only the menu itself but what was possible in the kitchen for substitutions. Only once was he stumped and he excused himself and came back with an answer from the kitchen. I was impressed since this was a 7pm reservation on a Saturday night, not the slowest meal time. Each meal was a joy to eat! Highly recommend the watermelon steak!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMSmall neighborhood restaurantSmall neighborhood restaurant with bar translates into a very loud restaurant, with excellent food. We had a 6:30 reservation on Friday night and were seated promptly. Restaurant was about 1/4 full and bar tables were about half full. You could have a conversation with the table and hear the wait staff. By 7:30pm the place was packed and you could barely have a conversation at the table or hear the wait staff.
The food was excellent. We started with the excellent Watermelon appetizer. Very hard to describe, but it is worth trying. I also had the Liver Pate appetizer which was awesome. The beef tenderloin was excellent, but expensive at $48 with no sides. The flatten chicken was also excellent. Polenta Fries were a big hit.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMI had a whole fish that wasI had a whole fish that was out of this world!!! I moaned through the entire meal!!3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMIt's always good, especiallyIt's always good, especially the delicious food. This time we had to wait a bit long before being served.EG3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMWe are regulars here and whatWe are regulars here and what we really love in addition to the food is the way they have created a warm,welcoming spot in our neighborhood.It's a genuinely friendly place.This time was a bit more special-we walked to the restaurant on Friday May 8.Our local weatherman had measured 14 inches of snow and the crowd was a bit thin.As a result the chef de Cuisine,Fernanda had a chance to come out from the kitchen and talk a bit with the customers.A charming confident young lady who quickly engaged us in a discussion of the food and the special appetizer,hake croquettes with chicory leaves which we thoroughly enjoyed.A great spot and we are headed back next wekend.3/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat spot.Ate at the bar which is a great spot. Food as always was typically atypical..just wonderful!! My bartender was dour and unfriendly. This is the second time I have experienced this attitude with her, so I do not plan on returning to the bar if she is there. Elsewise this is unquestionably one of the best restaurants I have found anywhere in the suburbs or elsewhere. Just terrific and unusual fresh food choices, preparation and presentation.1/29/2013 12:00:00 AM