Stephanie's - Two Thumbs Down Yet Again!
Stephanie's
Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116

I have never been a big fan of Stephanie’s on Newbury St; my latest trip only reinforced this fact. My prep school was having a dinner for a few local young alumni in the area, and chose Stephanie’s as the place to meet, drink and eat. I will never understand the pretentious atmosphere of this restaurant that wants so desperately to be Sonsie and fails every step of the way. (and please, I am not even a big Sonsie fan!) The staff acts as if Stephanie’s is the finest, most renowned dining establishment on the eastern seaboard, rather than a restaurant that capitalizes on their patio and location to fill the seats.

Our group was small, only 6, and we all didn’t arrive together. The staff at Stephanie’s refused to seat us until all arrived, a policy which I can sometimes understand. Yet, this was not me waiting for a few stray friends. This night was a formal school function and I had no way of contacting the others in our group. Even after I explained this fact to the very rude hostess, she still refused to seat us and said that if the other members of our party came they would be seated separately.

The food, as always, was inoffensive. I had steak frites and was neither blown away nor repulsed – the meal was simply middle of the road. I think that is the best way to describe Stephanie’s; it is middle of the road. Normally its meritocracy would not bother me so much, but the arrogance and self-importance of the staff creates an unpleasant restaurant.

Go for the patio and maybe for a drink. A quick sandwich at lunch, if Sonsie and Armani are full can be in order, but the dinnertime food doesn’t cut it on Newbury Street. Boston is a city of many great restaurants, and Stephanie’s is not one of them.