Finally! I’ve long been waiting for the Regal Beagle to open in Brookline’s Coolidge Corner, ever since I heard about it on Grub Street Boston (my favorite website for the latest and greatest Boston food news). You wouldn’t believe how ridiculously excited I was to check this place out. It finally opened tonight (after a few delays) and I knew I had to get there right away.
I’ve lived in the Coolidge Corner neighborhood for over 4 years now and, while I love the diverse food choices, I’ve never really found a spot that’s exactly my kind of place. I’ve always wanted a place with a bar, but not a sports or college bar. A spot I can go hang out at with my friends, but that’s also suitable for a date. A place with good food, but with options for all appetites and budgets. A restaurant that’s classy, but not stuffy.
Welcome, Regal Beagle. The answer to all my wants. You might recognize the name as a throwback to the neighborhood bar on Three’s Company. But the name and friendly vibe are all the two spots really seem to have in common. When we walked into the Regal Beagle tonight, we were greeted by two very nice hostesses who seemed genuinely excited for the grand opening of the restaurant.
There was about a 10 minute wait for a table, so they gave us menus and we took a seat in the waiting area. While we were waiting, another waitress came by to take our drink order.
The Regal Beagle has a pretty nice drink list; a wide selection of craft beers (but they really should have beer glasses instead of serving their beer in water glasses) and several fun cocktails too. I had the Girl Next Door, which was Absolut Ruby Red, Orange Liqueur, Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice and Castellar Cava Brut. It was perfectly fruity and refreshing.
The menu consists of bar bites (which can be ordered as appetizers at the table), appetizers, and entrees. I love this because you can sit down and have a nice meal, or just pop in for a quick inexpensive bite if you just want something small.
For an appetizer, we ordered the Pumpkin Hummus with cucumber, red onion, feta, zahtar spice, and pita chips. It hit the spot as a small appetizer; creamy and flavorful, but the pumpkin and spices weren’t over-powering.
For my meal, I couldn’t resist the Scallops, pan-seared with pistachio brittle crust, butternut squash risotto, and dried cherry glaze. Oh my God. Some may call it a little bit excessive, but I thought this dish was absolutely perfect for a nice autumn night. It was incredibly flavorful and I loved every bite of it. Every bite, I was trying to get a little bit of each part of the dish on my fork- a little scallop, risotto, squash, and cherry. And yes, I ate every single bite of this dish.
Chris ordered the Mac ‘N’ Cheese with buttery Ritz cracker and sea salt crust. Before we even sat down, the waitress said she loved it and a diner sitting at the table next to us said his friend had just tried and loved it. Mac and cheese is a no brainer when to it comes to wanting comfort food, but it’s also something that restaurants tend to get wrong a lot. The Regal Beagle did an excellent job with their mac and cheese; it was deliciously creamy and they used a nice sharp cheese. It was a tad bit salty (but at least we know it was delicious sea salt) and could have used a bit of an extra bang. Perhaps a bacon or pancetta option? Or maybe even a seasonal veggie. Don’t get me wrong, the mac and cheese was totally delectable; but didn’t really compare to the scallops. I can’t get over the scallops.
We really didn’t need dessert and we almost didn’t get it, but then we decided we had to try something. It was between the Pumpkin Creme Brulee and White Chocolate Bread Pudding with banana and blueberries. The bread pudding won out and we were soo happy we ordered dessert because it was another incredibly warm, comfort-food dessert full of flavor. Again, every bite was gone.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant, too. It’s dimly lit with booths lining the walls of the narrow and long room. It was a tad bit noisy tonight, but the bar is set back in the restaurant and away from most of the tables, which is a very good thing.
The service was quite good, especially for it being their first night open to the public. It was slightly slow at times, but we actually expected it to be much slower and hectic. Everything seemed pretty well under control.
In case you can’t already tell, I’m extremely excited the Regal Beagle has come to my neighborhood. I will definitely be heading back soon either for another meal, a few bar bites, or just a couple drinks. It’s clear why they named the bar Regal Beagle; they’re hoping it will become everyone’s favorite neighborhood spot. And I have a feeling it will.
The Regal Beagle
308 Harvard St.
Brookline, MA 02446
Follow them on Twitter at @BeagleBrookline
Check out their full menu here.
[Sues]
Nice addition to Brookline. Besides the lack of proper beer glassware I have no complaints. The food and atmosphere were excellent.
I know what you mean on the neighborhood eatery! I live in Beacon Hill and there isn’t one that is quite right. Maybe RB will come here next and bring their pumpkin hummus? It sounds fabulous!
Thanks for the review! Impressive that they did so well for opening night – I usually stay away from a new place for a while, just in case. And you’re totally right – RB fills a void in the Coolidge Corner scene – can’t wait to get over there to try it out!
scallops look amazing – though, i might only be able to do a small portion of that. YUUUUUMMM
Great review although I don’t know how you passed on the pumpkin dessert. I would have insisted on splitting both
I can’t wait to check it out!
ooh, sounds like another place to add to my list! now i need to start eating out
Thanks so much for posting the review – I now know I simply HAVE to try it!
I’m super jealous–I lived in Coolidge Corner for a year and had the same problem finding that perfect restaurant (ended up eating WAY too many meals at the Coolidge Corner Clubhouse!) That drink looks SO good too–i LOVE grapefruit!
Nice! Coolidge Corner definitely needs more places to eat besides The Clubhouse
I’ll have to check this out. That macaroni and cheese looks right up my ally!
Pumpkin humus looks amazing!
ahh!! i can’t wait to go. SO glad to have another bar in the area. =)
Looks delicious. Whenever we’re in the coolidge area we usually end up at zaftig’s or fugaku. Both are favorites of mine.
My wife and I also ate there last night (opening night). I completely agree with you on the scallops – what a great dish! I tried their burger, which was good, not spectacular, and the fries had sat around too long before getting to the table. But hey, it was opening night, I can cut them some slack.
The appetizers were weaker though. We had the tuna tartare and pork belly, both of which were just OK and could have used more flavor. The tartare had sweetness from mango but needed something savory (maybe a touch of wasabi?) to balance it, and the pork was rich but bland.
I love the bar area, very cozy and comfortable, and the staff were all friendly and had things well under control, especially considering it was their first night open.
I cannot WAIT to try that mac n cheese & the pumpkin creme brulee! It’s times like this when I really miss fall & Boston!
I am so excited that a place like this has finally come to Coolidge Corner!! Giving it a try over the weekend and can’t wait to taste that Mac and Cheese!
Checked out The Beagle after reading your post. Thanks for the recommendation!
Also, love your site design!
My husband and I tried Regal Beagle on Saturday for drinks and snacks at the bar – it was great! There is limited bar seating, and standing was a little awkward because the space is so narrow, but seats opened up shortly after we arrived. I tried a glass of sauvignon blanc, perfectly acceptable, and then the Girl Next Door (on your recommendation!). It was delicious! We split an assortment of bar snacks – blue cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon (my favorite!), crab rangoon empanadas, pumpkin hummus and lobster sliders. They were all delicious – thanks so much for the tip!