Lineage Restaurant

I arrived at about 5:10 on a Tuesday, with no reservation. There was one couple at a table, and another couple arrived at the same time as I. I was greeted with ""Are you here for dinner?"" which I thought was a bit strange. Ambiance was attempting ""stark modern,"" but lacked lighting, color, seating design or anything else to give it the drama ""stark"" needs. On the other hand, I went for the food, and it was excellent... starting with a perfect vodka martini (""Lineage Martini"") with a curly twist. $9.50 The half dozen oysters were $14, and were opened and served perfectly... no bits of shell, oyster liquor was retained in the shells, chilled exactly right, and fresh, plump and sweet. I could have made a meal of appetizers alone... so many with descriptions that made them very appealing. I settled on the ""white"" pizza. Delicate crust with just the right amount of toppings. I ordered salmon, and Jason (knowledgeable and attentive server) asked how I wanted it cooked. I asked that it be cooked to chef's preference. It arrived hot, and slightly crusty on the exterior and the interior was just on the cooked side of rare... perfect, again. It had a wonderful smokey aroma, lightly salted and succulent. (I don't remember the accompanying vegetables, but my plate was absolutely clean when I finished.) For dessert, I had pear upside down cake... good, but not rave-worthy... and rooibus tea. By 6:15, I was ready to go, and the place was packed, with people waiting near the door. It looked like it was getting hectic. Glad I went early. Pros: I was comfortable as a single diner, and I saw several others. Excellent food. Cons: Ambience needs a lot of work. more

My husband and I went there for a romantic dinner, and were not disappointed! We were seated almost immediately (with a reservation) and got great service all night. The appetizers were divine. We tried the lobster and sausage plate (sounds strange, but this is no ordinary sausage. I *loved* it.) and the oyster plate (best I've ever had). My scallop entree was quite good, maybe a little too hearty for the warm night we visited. The highlight of the night, though was the ending - the butterscotch pudding and the pumpkin cheese cake. I know they're celebrated for the pudding, but the cheesecake was what won my heart.\r more

My friends and I are frequent diners at Lineage and our visits to this restaurant are never less than fabulous so I decided to show them some support. Their food is absolutely amazing and the service is impeccable, everytime! The food and wine is upscale and delicious, but with unexpectedly low prices. Also, the servers are different than the servers at most restaurants because they are not snobby, but instead are friendly and informative. Futhermore, their menu changes daily so we always have variety. Last night I had the Bay Scallops from Nantucket for an appetizer and the New York Steak for my entree and both were amazing as always. Definitely try the butterscotch pudding!!!! Pros: ummm... everything! Cons: Hard to find one more

The night started off poorly when we were not seated for over 40 minutes after our reservation, and the hostess seemed to take exception to our inquiries regarding when we would be seated. The bread looked fantastic, but our waiter forgot to bring us any until we requested it well after our appetizers had reached the table. Although we were seated by 8:30, they were already out of several menu items. Three orders of fish (halibut, swordfish, and scallops) were all overcooked and the pumpkin risotto might have been Kraft Easy Mac and Cheese. A very expensive mistake. Do yourself a favor and go to Red Lobster. Pros: Wine Cons: Service, Food, Price more

My fiance and I went to Lineage after reading some rave reviews in various Boston publications and the food lived up to my expectations! I had an excellent corn soup with really tasty ""beignets""; a nice juxtaposition of sweet (corn) and salty (beignets) food. The roasted chicken was fantastic, both tender and flavorful. Contrary to some of the reviews on Citysearch, the service that night was good. Our waitress was very friendly and everything arrived according to what we ordered. The only downside was that the dining room was extremely warm, even though it was a chilly night outside. They had the doors open, but did not seem to have central air. Also, the inside dining room is very sparsely decorated, but for the prices on the menu, the food was excellent! more

My husband and I had dinner at Lineage last night. We had made reservations and were seated promptly. We both ordered appetizers which we really enjoyed but both of our entrees were terrible. I ordered the Cod, it had no taste, and neither did the risotto or vegetables that accompanied it. My husbands chicken was not cooked all the way through and was also flavorless.\r The waitress apologized and a manager came by to offer us a desert on the house. With so many wonderful restaurants in Brookline we will definitely not return to Lineage.\r Pros: Great location Cons: Food more

The food was very good to excellent in a nice-looking if austere restaurant. But the service was so bad that we may not go back. The problems:\r \r 1. We were practically shooed out of our seats at the bar so they could seat diners there. And there was no offer to transfer our tab from the bar to the table.\r \r 2. We were served a glass, and then a whole bottle, of champagne, that was warm. No apologies for the glass, although it was replaced, and then we were assured that the bottle had been ""in the chiller all day."" If that was true, the chiller is not working.\r \r 3. We were not served bread until after the appetizers had arrived.\r \r 4. Staff was aloof and generally unfriendly. A little smile goes a long way.\r \r 5. Friends of ours who happened to be there at the same time were not seated within 40 minutes of their reservation, and left the restauarant. The staff did not apologize, offer drinks or hors d'oeuvres, or do any of the things that a good service restaurant should do when it has such a situation (with a party of six no less).\r \r That being said, the pizza appetizer was excellent. Pros: the food Cons: the service; cramped table for four more

Lineage amazingly had a table for two during a busy Thursday evening at peak hours and offered an inspired menu of both incredibly tasty appetizers (try the warm figs with blue cheese which would better be served as a dessert choice!) and the best tuna tartare ever. However as I was enjoying the priciest entree on the menu ( three tender sea scallops on mushroom risotto at $27), I noticed that at the two ajoining tables where patrons had ordered the very same dish, they had four scallops on their plates. With such a pricey entree, order sizes should be consistent since I felt cheated though felt ridiculous mentioning this to the wait person after the fact. If I ever order scallops or shrimp here ever again, I will certainly ask ""how many."" Desserts were yummy and worth the price and calories. Avoid on the weekends however when reservations run late. Pros: inspired menu, delicious preparation, good wine list Cons: inconsistent serving sizes, crowded, uninspired room more

I dined there last night. The food and service were excellent. The menu changes daily -- seafood items are a highlight. I had the scallops. My friend had steak. We shared the butterscotch pudding - which was devine. Can't wait to try it out for brunch. It was a busy night and there were no tables available so we happily ate at the bar. Next time we'll make reservation.\r more

The coffee was excellent, the food was in just the right portion sizes to be filling and the service was prompt but unobtrusive. I had the Lineage burger, which was cooked to perfection with a side of french fries that had a distinctive smoky salty flavor. I tasted my partner's salmon hash with poached eggs and found it equally good. Pros: Prompt service, perfect portion sizes, beautifully prepared dishes Cons: A bit warm seated by the windows on a sunny day more

No ambience, poor seating (could not get into my seat without asking someone to get out of their seat) uninspired food (my pea soup was a rough pea puree, my pork chop was thin & dry, although I requested medium, the dessert was excellent), at average pricing. Service was fine. Poor wine selection. My wife enjoyed her salad, but felt her crab was different, but not above average. None in our party of six felt they would return. Pros: service Cons: parking, seating, ambience more

First time at lineage;clean lines of the restaurant reflect the food to come. Went at the begining of May and happily the menu featured the fresh ingradients you are looking for after the comfort food of winter. Somewhat pricey. Pros: comfortable, service Cons: price more

My first experience at Lineage resteraunt definitly wont be my last. It was great food, with a menu that offers something for everyone. The duck canaloni appetizer was mouth watering and the salmon with orzo, perfectly pan seared and fresh. Dessert was amazing as well. The vanilla frap and butterscotch pudding are must orders! I look forward to spreading the word about this new resteraunt. Pros: very good service, excellent food, comfortable Cons: not cheap more