The Biltmore Bar & Grille

The Biltmore Bar & GrilleThe Biltmore Bar & Grille
The Biltmore Bar & GrilleThe Biltmore Bar & Grille
Bar, Eatery

1205 Chestnut St
Newton, Massachusetts, 02464-1308
United States

(617) 340-7835 | map
thebiltmoregrill.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.88
Reviews:
6
Ratings:
10
pDev:
6.19%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by EnronCFO:
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Reviewed by EnronCFO from Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +4.4%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.25
Solid bar/pub in the suburbs, reminds me a smaller Amesbury Ale House. Sports on TV, affordable menu, and solid tap list. Went in not expecting much, but was met with a very impressive tap list for a place in Newton that is not known as a beer destination. Had a Grey Sail Flying Jenny and Stillwater Stateside Saison, each were $6 and served in proper glassware. Roughly 20-25 taps and pricing was quite reasonable. Had some interesting finds like Chimay Cinq Cents, Long Trail Brown Bag series, and Lagunitas Boston Fusion, to go with more standard taps like Rogue Dead Guy or Gritty's Black Fly. And of course PBR. Not a beer bar by any means, as we were finishing up there was a group of guys that looked like they came from the golf course (although it was 10PM) and asked if they could get Stella. Bartender said no, but offered up similar alternatives. My wife had a cocktail and a bourbon, which were priced appropriately and the cocktail was well made. Only snacked on an order of popcorn chicken, which was good, but I'm not going to rate their food on that alone. The menu was diverse and had some solid bar food offerings, including charcuterie options. Overall, a nice surprise in Newton and a place I will definitely visit again.
Aug 17, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.96 by InspectorBob from New Jersey

Oct 01, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by mrob22278 from Maine

Jul 28, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by mbonugli from Maine

Jun 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Resuin from Massachusetts

Oct 26, 2013
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Reviewed by SunDevilBeer from Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +4.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Visited with mine & another family recently, with some little ones in tow.

Located in the casual Upper Falls section of Newton, an historic manufacturing area. Building is dated in a good way & oozed charm. Nice guilded ceiling & sturdy worn tables. Very comfy.

Service was attentive throughout, & our server was very respectable to the little ones, even on a busy Saturday evening.

Upscale pub grub is the name of the game here, with a slight southern flair. All food was scratch-made & tasty...I had the chicken & waffle dish & really enjoyed it.

Solid, reasonably priced beer list. Wide selection of good IPA's like Green Flash, Lagunitas, DFH90, Mojo on tap. Also some decent Belgian beers & local/regional specialty beers like Pretty Things & Clown Shoes.

After dinner the dads retired to the bar to concentrate on the beers. Solid, friendly, quick service @ the bar - a nice break from the normal douchiness that prevails at most Boston beer bars.

Definitely recommend for those in Metro West. I may even become a semi-regular here.
Jan 18, 2012
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Reviewed by bjoyce12 from Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +7.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
Great local spot for exceptional food and an excellent beverage selection. Not too many places will have both PBR and Dogfish on tap. Plus fried pickles and pickled eggs as bar snacks. Not really a lounge; more like a very good restaurant with a bar stocked by someone who knows what they're doing. Menu pairs entrees with recommended beer accompaniment very well.

I've eaten there twice and both times the food was excellent. Also have a brunch with live music. The one weekend night I stopped by, bar was hopping with a band in the corner and deep selection of on tap brews.
Oct 19, 2010
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Reviewed by morebeergood from Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
My wife and I stopped here on Friday afternoon for lunch. A decent crowd inside around 1:30 PM for a weekday. I really like the look of this place. Outside, there is a brick facade with large windows facing the street. Inside, it has a really cool old Prohibition era vibe to it. An antique gas pump greets you when you walk in. Really old and funky decorations on the walls. And the hammered copper ceiling looks original and pretty badass. Large bar in the middle, with a dining room on the side. We sat at at small table on the bar side. Our waitress was quick, but she seemed a bit aloof and spacey. Beer selection was excellent, as this place seems to pride itself on their craft beer lineup. Notables on tap: CBC, Brooklyn, Wormtown (nice!), Ommegang, Cisco x 2, Southampton x 2, Pretty Things, DFH, Gritty's, etc. Plus, they had about 5-6 Belgians on tap. There were a few beers priced at $5.50, but most were $7-$10. Beer prices were on the high side. I had the chicken salad sandwich with a Southampton Keller Pils, and my wife had a chicken & avocado sandwich with a Southampton Hop Sun. We both enjoyed our meals. Now that we know that this place is only about a 10-15 minute drive for us, I can see us returning here for dinner or to hang out at the bar.
Aug 22, 2010
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Reviewed by jermar from Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -10.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3
This place has a great selection of draft beers, but does skimp on the pours. Whereas some places like The Roadhouse will handle high ABV drafts by pouring less (11 oz) but keeping the price the same as for a pint of lower ABV beer, this place pours only 8oz (25cl) and charges much more than what they charge for a 16oz pour of a lower ABV draft. I paid $9 for an 8oz pour of Chimay, which comes to $18 a pint -- outrageous!

The food is high-end pub/bistro style food which has been fine. I especially enjoy the deep fried arthichoke hearts.
Dec 07, 2009
Photo of hudsonvalleyslim
Reviewed by hudsonvalleyslim from Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -12.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 2 | food: 4
Saturday night, my first visit in a several years, the Biltmore ('The Elvis') has gone upscale. It's been a watering hole since 1921, Prohibition, and now offers some tasty food and a fine selection of brews, crafts & Belgians. I had a Founders Breakfast Stout and a Hennepin.

Foods a tad pricey ($12 burger) for me but Newton is a well to do town. The calimari ($9) was excellent. The waitstaff was attentive and friendly. And a good place to watch sports, with many huge screens front and center.

One peeve. We kinda go on a bit about 'short pours' in this forum, but this was one for the books. My buddy got a Founders Breakfast Stout served in a large snifter filled halfway. We wondered if this was a proper pour and couldn't corner the waitress to ask. Oh well... A while later I ordered one and we'd have our answer. A different waitress pulled it, approached us, looked down at the glass, turned around and poured a bit down the sink. Served me the same amount as my buddy got.

This was disturbing on way too many levels.

If I'm back in a quieter time I'll inquire and report. But otherwise a solid place with an excellent beer list. Quality & service were very good, but a bit beyond my financial embarrassment.

I'd probably rate this a B-. It won't be a regular stop, but is a local option in a town with few great beer bars.

UPDATE December 2012: I like this place and their selection of brews, friendly help, etc., so I won't rag on 'em too bad. I come here every coupla months and drag some friends along as well. The beers are overpriced, but I'm willing now and again. But I noticed they've gone to the 14oz 'pint glasses'. In my little mind this indicates that the bean counters are calling the shots. Anyways, I adjusted my rating downward and hope that in the future they have more respect for beer advocates.
Nov 26, 2009
The Biltmore Bar & Grille in Newton, MA
Place rating: 3.88 out of 5 with 10 ratings