When is the newly renovated stockyard opening??

[Illtryanything]

When is the newly renovated Stockyard opening???

[kimfair1]

Decided we'd give it a go this past Friday night, as the heat made thinking about cooking oppressive. The most amazing thing is that they basically did not change a thing. I mean NOTHING! The tables, rugs, bar, chairs, everything is the same. The only noticeable difference was that the newer room up front has been converted to wine storage, and they had the side bar closed (which they often did in the past).
As for the food, the shrimp cocktail was good, but pricey at $4 a shrimp (U-10). The French Onion soup was the cheesiest I've had in a while (if that floats your boat), and was fine. Both sirloins were cooked to a perfect medium rare. Mashed potatoes were nothing to write home about, and grilled asparagus were grilled a bit too long, and were too limp. The steaks ranged from $27 (steak frites) $28 the sirloins to $45 for a bone in filet. Unlike the old Stockyard, the ala carte steakhouse model is now in force. Sides are $5 and were plenty big enough to share. We tried the house made (i don't think so) blueberry pie with "vanilla bean ice cream", which was the single worst scoop of "ice cream" I've ever had. Icy, flavorless like ice milk, it was an embarrassment. Apart from never ordering dessert there again, I'd go back when I'm in the mood for some apps, or a sirloin, but it won't be as often as at the old place.

[libertywharf]

Doesn't sound like I would like to try it. Started going here when they opened. I like croutons in my French onion soup.

[lergnom]

Am I the only one who sees this location and thus the restaurant as a real estate play: wait until the big development gets closer or even built and that site is worth a lot. If it can pay some or all of the bills until then ...

[libertywharf]

New Balance would be the one making the big offer.

[SLL1065]

I was last there soon after it changed hands. IMHO it has gone downhill in all areas. I haven't been back since.

[gourmaniac]

Thanks for taking the hit. I walked in a few weeks back and noticed that nothing had changed decor wise but the prices were astonishingly high given the environment. I enjoyed this place back in the day when it was cheap and cheerful but hardly a destination and not for destination prices.

[kimfair1]

Yeah, it was never stellar, but easy for the wife and I to pop into (we live less than 1/2 mile away), and cheap. Price for 4 cocktails, 1 cup soup, 4 shrimp, 2 sirloins, mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, slice of pie, the bill was nearly $200 with tip. Nowhere near worth the price.

[hotoynoodle]

that's about what it would cost at any of the tonier steakhouses in-town. spendy for that neck of the woods, fer sure.

[kimfair1]

I know. The beauty of the old Stockyard was that almost the exact meal we had on Friday for almost $200 would have been $100 max plus tip. And the dessert would have been better as they had a killer rice pudding.

[hotoynoodle]

i know the guys running it were at abe & louie's for about... ever. until shortly after tavistock took over copley prices in allston?

how crowded was it ?

[kimfair1]

It was packed. The bar always was, since WGBH is right across the street, and they have such a huge parking lot. The wait for a regular table was 45 minutes, but we got a high top in the bar area right away. Tommy Heinsohn seemed to be enjoying his steak when we left!

[libertywharf]

In the day it was a great place to be. I bet New Balance keeps them busy now and the plans by nb to put a commuter rail stop there, will not hurt.

[pinehurst]

Great googly moogly! the prices!!!!

[Gabatta]

I'm shocked they didn't update the space. I just assumed they would/had.

[Small Plates]

It is completely updated. It just has the same layout. All the finishes and furnishings are new. They just did not change the layout.

[kimfair1]

Have you been, and did you go before, because if they are new, I can't believe they found another seller of rope edge tables with gold pieces and shells under polyurethane! Seriously, even the neon bathroom signs are the same. What did you think was different, because everything was the same to my eye. Look at this picture from the new website. Don't tell me the table in this picture is new , and not the same exact tables they had before.

http://stockyardrestaurant.com/?page_...

[hotoynoodle]

omg!! those tables. maybe they bought them from anthony's pier 4?

[Small Plates]

Honestly, I had only been one time before - but I was talking to Michael Conlin (the owner) when I was there, and he said they had completely updated the furnishings but kept the layout the same. I just looked at your picture - that table is old - but they used to have wedding reception-y chairs - not booths.

[kimfair1]

No, they had booths as well. We used to go 2-3 times a year for the past 20 years or so as it was cheap, convenient, and walking distance away. I didn't notice if the booths on the left when you first entered were there, but I saw many of the old rope edge tables still being used. The booths along the back edge of the restaurant (near the back bar which they are using for private events) may have been replaced, but if so with booths that look exactly the same (right down to the leather color). I don't begrudge them for re-using stuff, I just thought it odd that so little had changed when it had been closed for so long. Due to the incredibly jacked up prices, I doubt we'll be going there nearly as much as we did in the past, but with WGBH, New Balance, and the new train station being put in on Guest Street, I don't think they'll be hurting for business.

[trufflehound]

Boston Business Journal reports the restaurant's Yelp page says January 31.

[kimfair1]

Signs are up advertising for help on the restaurant, so it should be pretty soon.

[CookieLee]

AFAIK, they've only just started working on the reno within the last month.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/stockyard-res...

Says it will reopen on 1/31/13.