1928 Beacon Hill

We’re about to take you inside a true hidden jewel in the city of Boston. Because tucked away on Mount Vernon Street in Beacon Hill, you’ll find 1928 Restaurant.

Beacon Hill is such an iconic, historic neighborhood. And so is this location. The restaurant was originally built as part of a hotel back in the 1920’s. It’s been a number of different restaurants since then. But a few years ago, it was completely restored and renovated into the absolutely beautiful space you see now.

Owner Kristin Jenkins ran an antiques business before she got into the restaurant business. So she certainly has an eye for design. There’s a bunch of original artwork and even wallpaper from the original restaurant. And that’s juxtaposed with a lot of modern touches, from the tables to the ceilings… right down to the lighting and fresh flowers. I’d call it a classic supper club / speakeasy vibe with a new Boston twist.

And what about the food? Well, to go along with the theme, you can expect a lot of classic American fair. It’s not too fancy, it’s not too fussy, it’s just tasty, traditional cuisine. So by design, this is the kind of neighborhood restaurant where you can dine once or twice a week.

Let’s start off with some seafood, shall we? And I think the ultimate way to kick off a meal is with a Seafood Tower. 1928’s version is definitely a show-stopper. We’re talking three tiers of the ocean’s bounty. Huge cocktail shrimp. An entire cracked, chilled lobster. Local oysters on the half shell. Mussels, scallops, fresh tuna, even jumbo lump crab. Gimme this and a bottle of wine, and I’m basically good to go. But wait, there’s more! More seafood to be exact.

Check out the crab cakes. You get two to order, they’re nice and plump. And these babies are made with crab, crab, and more crab. Not a lot of filler or binder, you can actually see the big hunks of meat in there, so you’re really getting that sweet crab flavor. And it’s served over a housemade Bearnaise aioli for an extra layer of flavor and creaminess.

There’s also a really light and refreshing tuna crudo. So this is made with fresh-sliced tuna sashimi, some citrus, some peppers, it’s presented on the shell. Ok, so it’s kind of fancy, but definitely tasty. And we’ll get back to the seafood in a minute, but now I want to beef things up a bit.

This is the signature 1928 Burger and it is a beauty to behold. It starts with a fresh-ground, grass fed sirloin patty. That’s topped with American cheese, pickles, and housemade aioli, along with some lettuce and tomatoes on a perfectly toasted bun. Just an absolutely exceptional burger, and to make it even better, it comes with a side of super-thin, hand-cut shoestring French fries.

Another good option for meat eaters is the lamb. Specifically, it’s a domestic Rack of Lamb, so you’re getting five nice, thick chops. They’re cooked to a perfect medium rare. (I mean, I think it’s perfect, but you can get it more well done if you want… even though you’d be wrong). And it’s pistachio crusted, which really adds to the flavor.

Now, I know there a million place to get clam chowder in Boston. But 1928 does it a bit differently. This is the Fisherman’s New England clam chowder. And the first thing you’ll notice, is that there are actual full manila clams in there, shells and all, so you know they’re super fresh. And they’re swimming in a broth that also has braised leeks, smoked cod, and Russet potatoes. So as they say, it’s a soup that eats like a meal.

But the greatest meal of all might be this one: The Lobster Pasta. This isn’t just some pasta with lobster mixed in, this an entire, fresh New England lobster. Tail, claws, legs, everything. And that’s stuffed with linguini. So, the pasta is cooked with some white wine, butter, cherry tomatoes, and greens, it goes right into the body of the lobster, so every bite bursts with sweetness and freshness and it’s the perfect combination of Italian cuisine and New England cooking.

And speaking of New England, what could be more classic than a lobster roll? Well, at 1928, they have something called a Lobster Pull-Apart. So, this has a cold lobster salad that gets diced up a bit so it’s easy to eat. Instead of just plain mayo, they mix it with some housemade tarragon aioli. And it’s served inside of some toasted Hawaiian rolls that are sort of stuck together. But if you want to share it, you can easily “pull it apart”, see? Pretty genius. And, it comes with some thick-cut, homemade potato chips.

Finish off your meal with their signature Key Lime Pie, which is always a good choice especially after eating seafood. And there you have it… I gave you approximately nineteen hundred and twenty-eight reasons to eat at 1928 Beacon Hill.