It's difficult these days to share concerns about bad restaurant experiences when the world is falling apart, but here's my story with this joint; I recently ate lunch and sat at a picnic-like table in the bar. The table is designed for outdoor use and has horizontal slats. No placemats were put in front of us, so, as we ate, all we could see was the absolute filth, crumbs and food stuck in between the slats of this table. It was like I was eating in a disgusting alley way...so gross. Meanwhile, the crab roll I was served had not one ounce of flavor. No salt, very little binding agent/oil, and no acid (like maybe a squirt of lemon). It was beyond bland and utterly uninspired. The other sandwich was the same...BORING and flavorless. As I gagged down the food, I could not get over the specks of old food and dirt looking up at me while eating. At end of meal, I paid bill and tipped 20%. Then asked to speak to a manager. The lovely hostess asked what the problem was and I showed her. She then asked if I still wanted to speak to the manager and I said yes. She disappeared, and 5 minutes later came back to tell me the manager was 'unavailable'. This was at lunch time...NO MANAGER was around! Sure. If there's no manager present during lunch, you don't have a manager. SO, that's it for me with Legals. We're breaking up for good. Inconsistent, expensive and, again, uninspired. And don't get me started on the bathroom locations in relation to the bar seating. Poor design and forethought. Legal's is living off an old reputation and it stinks because I used to love this place on the regular. I know these are first world problems, but sayonara Legals, never again. P.S. I feel so good getting this off my chest cuz I was beside myself after spending nearly $100.00 for 2 people for lunch!
Garrett Van Siclen
Market downstairs is what it use to be, suspect the same is true for the restaurant
Private
The appetizers came very quickly(almost as the waiter left our table )and while we were eating them they started bringing the main courses we had to return them to the kitchen. We felt rushed. Then while eating the main course they started sweeping the floor and it was only 8 pm and there were many tables with diners still at the restaurant. It wasn't that they were sweeping the floor under a messy table, but at other areas also. Then when we asked for the check, the broom was left standing on a chair next to our table. We never had such an experience at any restaurant or at this Legal where we are regular customers
Eli Gelfand
Best legal seafoods
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Tanner Trapp
Excellent food with average service.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Phillip Page
"After frequenting Leagle Seafood for the past 30 years, I can confidently say that my recent experience was beyond disappointing. From the exasperating event planning process, spearheaded by Jessica, who seems to evade responsibility, to the lackluster service from the waitstaff, whose primary concern appears to be their tips rather than guest satisfaction, and culminating in an encounter with the ineffectual manager, Amy ( that shuld be fired on the spot ) , it's evident that professionalism is sorely lacking at this establishment.During a recent family birthday celebration, what should have been a joyous occasion turned into a nightmare. Not only did we encounter indifference from the staff, but upon realizing we had left a gift containing money, the response from management was downright appalling. Despite our pleas, they refused to provide access to security footage, leaving us feeling utterly disregarded and betrayed.Attempts to address these grievances were met with further frustration, as promises of follow-up from both the manager Emmy at Chestnut hill location and the secretary in the headquarters office proved to be empty gestures. It's disheartening to witness such disregard for customer satisfaction and basic decency.In summary, Leagle Seafood's slogan may boast freshness, but the reality is far from it. It's evident that systemic issues plague this establishment, from top to bottom. Until significant changes are made, I cannot in good conscience recommend it to anyone."
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
keithm
Well I started out with the clam chowder which is good as always. Nice to see it looks like they've thinned it out a little bit because of times it used to be like parts you can literally stand your spoon up in it. This was much better. Richard had the house salad which was excellent give legal Sea foods a lot of credit their salads are usually top of the line. I had Anna's baked haddock used to be called Baked Schcrod. a few years back. Richard had the grilled assortment which is very good. Quality is generally pretty good as always there's been some times in the past actually before the pandemic when there was some real issues but it looks like they're doing a good job of straightening it out with the new ownership. The one thing I will say I think the price of the lobsters are absolutely outrageous. I'm sorry $79 for a one and a half pound lobster is ridiculous. I can go out to a lot of seafood restaurants and do the twin lobsters for about 45.
Zadeh
I had a reservation and had to wait quite a bit and when it was time they gave us a table right in the middle of the traffic. I asked if we can sit at a booth that was empty but they said they had reserved it for another couple who arrived after me. The lady who was helping us with this was rude and did not offer any reason for why she had to prefer the other couple over us. Also we were a party of 4 and had to sit at a small table while they gave the booth to the couple who were obviously not using the whole space. Our server was very nice but the food there is pretty ordinary. I ordered a lobster roll but the lobster meat was dry, tasted bland and looked old. Fired clams were mostly greasy breading. Definitely nothing worth the fancy prices they charge.
F M.
Last night was the BEST time at Legal Seafoods in Chestnut Hill! First time ever - the 2 Twin Lobsters for $29 Leap Day special - and the place was packed - but the staff was so professional and handled the crowd like there were no people waiting - it was a happy place to be, even if you were waiting, and EVERYONE was there! My Mom is 102.5 years old - we sat in the lounge/bar area - our favorite - with all the windows and lights - it adds to the ambience - and the staff - like the hostess station - had everything working like clockwork - everyone had their jobs to do - and it was a well orchestrated machine! No one seemed stressed - they had over 500 reservations last night - and it was just a typical night at Legals - the customers fully enjoyed a relaxed, fun evening and most people ate the lobsters galore - how could you pass that up?!!!! My 102.5 year old Mom at 1 Full lobster and 3 additional tails (I am a claws/body girl) - that is 4 tails she devoured! We were both having such a magical time - working our lobsters, great conversation and eating the sweet meat and succulent juices of these amazing lobsters - and needing a bath afterwards! Thanks to all the people at Legals that made this fun night possible for us - Amy, Ann, my friend Charlie, the hostesses, the waiters, the clean up staff, the servers, the cooks and everyone else behind the scenes that made this Lobster event so wonderful for all of us customers - it was an evening above and beyond our highest expectations! Thanks for this special event and the sweet memories I made with my Mom!!!!
KatD
When I signed up for the special deal -- 2 lobsters for $29! -- my thought was that my husband and I would share the 2 lobsters. Imagine my surprise when we EACH got 2 lobsters! For this non-lobster lover, it was a lot. It was still a great deal, but not clear that this was what we'd be eating. Our waitress was amazing -- I wish I'd gotten her name! She was kind, fast, and helpful. Our table was small and against a wall, which wasn't very nice. We pulled it out a few inches, and our lovely waitress brought the wine in a bucket stand, very helpful. Also, we ordered 2 caesar salads but only got 1 -- later rectified. So ... maybe a comedy of misunderstandings, but an excellent meal. We left very happy.
We had a reservation. Unfortunately we did not have an option to sit in a booth. However the waiter was friendly, attentive and very knowledgeable. The ceilings are high which adds to the feeling of spaciousness, however it creates a rather noisy environment. The food was okay and the fries were plentiful. Like all restaurants today the prices are high however expected. The days of budget dining are over. I would go back, next time I would request a booth.
RichardS
Everything was great, salad very fresh, chowder very clammy, salmon delicious. But the lobster roll was dry, the lobster meat was stale, too old. I know good lobster when I get it. This was not it. I should have sent it back.
Chaz
Have loved the food and service here over the years, but both felt like they had fallen off on this visit, which is unfortunate. Server was nice, but a little confused and slow, and the food was not as good as in the past.
MiguelH
When it was sold, the quality was not the same and I stopped going there. Lately I've been there several times and am very happy with the improvement I saw! New good entrees, loved the Tuna on cilantro Jasmin rice, the wedge salad with salmon bacon was excellent! And a healthier choice, grilled octopus appy was a nice portion and with a great olive tapenade! Kids menus is new and very good with generous portions. Wine selection reduced substantially from the past, and prices are high. Sancerre glass 19 ... Tayler was very good and accommodating bringing kids food fast! I. General excelent night dinner with good service
FranW
Waiter affected our enjoyment: removed bread plate before finished, never brought additional hot water for tea as requested, removed rice dish without asking re: take home, plopped the take home container for fish on table and couldn't figure out what to do with the bag. Perfunctory rather than welcoming.
It's difficult these days to share concerns about bad restaurant experiences when the world is falling apart, but here's my story with this joint; I recently ate lunch and sat at a picnic-like table in the bar. The table is designed for outdoor use and has horizontal slats. No placemats were put in front of us, so, as we ate, all we could see was the absolute filth, crumbs and food stuck in between the slats of this table. It was like I was eating in a disgusting alley way...so gross. Meanwhile, the crab roll I was served had not one ounce of flavor. No salt, very little binding agent/oil, and no acid (like maybe a squirt of lemon). It was beyond bland and utterly uninspired. The other sandwich was the same...BORING and flavorless. As I gagged down the food, I could not get over the specks of old food and dirt looking up at me while eating. At end of meal, I paid bill and tipped 20%. Then asked to speak to a manager. The lovely hostess asked what the problem was and I showed her. She then asked if I still wanted to speak to the manager and I said yes. She disappeared, and 5 minutes later came back to tell me the manager was 'unavailable'. This was at lunch time...NO MANAGER was around! Sure. If there's no manager present during lunch, you don't have a manager. SO, that's it for me with Legals. We're breaking up for good. Inconsistent, expensive and, again, uninspired. And don't get me started on the bathroom locations in relation to the bar seating. Poor design and forethought. Legal's is living off an old reputation and it stinks because I used to love this place on the regular. I know these are first world problems, but sayonara Legals, never again. P.S. I feel so good getting this off my chest cuz I was beside myself after spending nearly $100.00 for 2 people for lunch!
Market downstairs is what it use to be, suspect the same is true for the restaurant
The appetizers came very quickly(almost as the waiter left our table )and while we were eating them they started bringing the main courses we had to return them to the kitchen. We felt rushed. Then while eating the main course they started sweeping the floor and it was only 8 pm and there were many tables with diners still at the restaurant. It wasn't that they were sweeping the floor under a messy table, but at other areas also. Then when we asked for the check, the broom was left standing on a chair next to our table. We never had such an experience at any restaurant or at this Legal where we are regular customers
Best legal seafoods
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Excellent food with average service.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
"After frequenting Leagle Seafood for the past 30 years, I can confidently say that my recent experience was beyond disappointing. From the exasperating event planning process, spearheaded by Jessica, who seems to evade responsibility, to the lackluster service from the waitstaff, whose primary concern appears to be their tips rather than guest satisfaction, and culminating in an encounter with the ineffectual manager, Amy ( that shuld be fired on the spot ) , it's evident that professionalism is sorely lacking at this establishment.During a recent family birthday celebration, what should have been a joyous occasion turned into a nightmare. Not only did we encounter indifference from the staff, but upon realizing we had left a gift containing money, the response from management was downright appalling. Despite our pleas, they refused to provide access to security footage, leaving us feeling utterly disregarded and betrayed.Attempts to address these grievances were met with further frustration, as promises of follow-up from both the manager Emmy at Chestnut hill location and the secretary in the headquarters office proved to be empty gestures. It's disheartening to witness such disregard for customer satisfaction and basic decency.In summary, Leagle Seafood's slogan may boast freshness, but the reality is far from it. It's evident that systemic issues plague this establishment, from top to bottom. Until significant changes are made, I cannot in good conscience recommend it to anyone."
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Well I started out with the clam chowder which is good as always. Nice to see it looks like they've thinned it out a little bit because of times it used to be like parts you can literally stand your spoon up in it. This was much better. Richard had the house salad which was excellent give legal Sea foods a lot of credit their salads are usually top of the line. I had Anna's baked haddock used to be called Baked Schcrod. a few years back. Richard had the grilled assortment which is very good. Quality is generally pretty good as always there's been some times in the past actually before the pandemic when there was some real issues but it looks like they're doing a good job of straightening it out with the new ownership. The one thing I will say I think the price of the lobsters are absolutely outrageous. I'm sorry $79 for a one and a half pound lobster is ridiculous. I can go out to a lot of seafood restaurants and do the twin lobsters for about 45.
I had a reservation and had to wait quite a bit and when it was time they gave us a table right in the middle of the traffic. I asked if we can sit at a booth that was empty but they said they had reserved it for another couple who arrived after me. The lady who was helping us with this was rude and did not offer any reason for why she had to prefer the other couple over us. Also we were a party of 4 and had to sit at a small table while they gave the booth to the couple who were obviously not using the whole space. Our server was very nice but the food there is pretty ordinary. I ordered a lobster roll but the lobster meat was dry, tasted bland and looked old. Fired clams were mostly greasy breading. Definitely nothing worth the fancy prices they charge.
Last night was the BEST time at Legal Seafoods in Chestnut Hill! First time ever - the 2 Twin Lobsters for $29 Leap Day special - and the place was packed - but the staff was so professional and handled the crowd like there were no people waiting - it was a happy place to be, even if you were waiting, and EVERYONE was there! My Mom is 102.5 years old - we sat in the lounge/bar area - our favorite - with all the windows and lights - it adds to the ambience - and the staff - like the hostess station - had everything working like clockwork - everyone had their jobs to do - and it was a well orchestrated machine! No one seemed stressed - they had over 500 reservations last night - and it was just a typical night at Legals - the customers fully enjoyed a relaxed, fun evening and most people ate the lobsters galore - how could you pass that up?!!!! My 102.5 year old Mom at 1 Full lobster and 3 additional tails (I am a claws/body girl) - that is 4 tails she devoured! We were both having such a magical time - working our lobsters, great conversation and eating the sweet meat and succulent juices of these amazing lobsters - and needing a bath afterwards! Thanks to all the people at Legals that made this fun night possible for us - Amy, Ann, my friend Charlie, the hostesses, the waiters, the clean up staff, the servers, the cooks and everyone else behind the scenes that made this Lobster event so wonderful for all of us customers - it was an evening above and beyond our highest expectations! Thanks for this special event and the sweet memories I made with my Mom!!!!
When I signed up for the special deal -- 2 lobsters for $29! -- my thought was that my husband and I would share the 2 lobsters. Imagine my surprise when we EACH got 2 lobsters! For this non-lobster lover, it was a lot. It was still a great deal, but not clear that this was what we'd be eating. Our waitress was amazing -- I wish I'd gotten her name! She was kind, fast, and helpful. Our table was small and against a wall, which wasn't very nice. We pulled it out a few inches, and our lovely waitress brought the wine in a bucket stand, very helpful. Also, we ordered 2 caesar salads but only got 1 -- later rectified. So ... maybe a comedy of misunderstandings, but an excellent meal. We left very happy.
Restaurantji Recommends
We had a reservation. Unfortunately we did not have an option to sit in a booth. However the waiter was friendly, attentive and very knowledgeable. The ceilings are high which adds to the feeling of spaciousness, however it creates a rather noisy environment. The food was okay and the fries were plentiful. Like all restaurants today the prices are high however expected. The days of budget dining are over. I would go back, next time I would request a booth.
Everything was great, salad very fresh, chowder very clammy, salmon delicious. But the lobster roll was dry, the lobster meat was stale, too old. I know good lobster when I get it. This was not it. I should have sent it back.
Have loved the food and service here over the years, but both felt like they had fallen off on this visit, which is unfortunate. Server was nice, but a little confused and slow, and the food was not as good as in the past.
When it was sold, the quality was not the same and I stopped going there. Lately I've been there several times and am very happy with the improvement I saw! New good entrees, loved the Tuna on cilantro Jasmin rice, the wedge salad with salmon bacon was excellent! And a healthier choice, grilled octopus appy was a nice portion and with a great olive tapenade! Kids menus is new and very good with generous portions. Wine selection reduced substantially from the past, and prices are high. Sancerre glass 19 ... Tayler was very good and accommodating bringing kids food fast! I. General excelent night dinner with good service
Waiter affected our enjoyment: removed bread plate before finished, never brought additional hot water for tea as requested, removed rice dish without asking re: take home, plopped the take home container for fish on table and couldn't figure out what to do with the bag. Perfunctory rather than welcoming.