Allium

Impeccable, imaginative meal. Steak frites medium rare with the best fries I’ve had in a long time. Beet salad with blood orange, grape fruit and what we think was mustard greens, plated deliciously. Worth the drive from Westport Ct! Tables hewn from a single ancient tree. Staff attentive and efficient.

Weird experience here. Made Valentine’s Day reservations at least two weeks in advance. Didn’t get seated until over 30 min after our reservation time. We heard this place was good for «small plates» so we ordered a few to share. One was an entrée that our waiter suggested we get to share. Got the popcorn right away which was good. 15 min later came out second plate. Then another 15 – 20 came two more. And then finally another 30 minutes later came our last two. We didn’t order anything that took too long to cook. two of them were salads, one was fish tacos and one was falafel. We watched 3 tables of people around us who were seated at the same time as us or after get their meals way faster than us along with their bills. The salads were both pretty good, the falafel was not good. Fish tacos were also kinda boring.
Wouldn’t recommend this for small plates unless it’s a different menu. Not enough options for vegetarians besides salad. One salad we ordered had Brussels sprouts in the description and when it came there were NONE.

I thoroughly enjoyed sitting at the bar, very friendly atmosphere, which delivers wonderful cuisine and a very unique wine list. The bartender Billy is an artist and fun to watch. I highly recommend being there on a Tuesday night when the local chefs and foodies come in.

Very nice. The mussels were excellent, as was the kale salad. Nice atmosphere, good service. Recommended.

4 ½ stars would be more accurate but they deserve to be rounded up. Loved the food and the ambience. Out of all of our road trips/​small town fine dinning explorations, this ranked 2^nd out of many. (Curate in Asheville, NC being #1) We both agreed that the burrata small plate was going to be committed to long term memory until at least late in our life. Only 35 at the moment. Everything was perfectly executed, salted, seared, and presented. Remarkable which is why all the remarks. The only thing lacking a smidge was personality from our server but she was pretty ok and didn’t distract us from having a great meal in a super cute small mountain town. Disclaimer; I don’t throw around ‘super cute’ lightly.
Other things ordered; Chicken with squash and carrots. Chicken skin colored and crisped so damn nicely! Fried Skate fillet with parsnip purée, hazelnuts and cauliflower. What a flavor combo. Shishito peppers! Coffee and apple/​pear chrisp. 100%!

Allium would mark our very first meal in GB so we were looking forward to what the Berkshire food scene has to offer. While the service was excellent – knowledgable and enthusiastic, and the ambience cozy but industrial, I was left with mixed feelings about the food and drink. I usually order wine with dinner but their «wine by the glass» selection was very limited – (a chianti, a Pinot and one other I can’t remember) so I decided on a Jacks alley Oktoberfest which was sweet and nutty and delicious – all was quickly forgiven. On to apps – we got the cornmeal crusted RI squid which came with a big lemon half (bring on the acid!) and a generous side of aoli sauce (can’t skimp on the fatty condiments!). This dish is basically calamari but rather than using flour, the squid is coated in cornmeal. I found the texture with this substitute to be heavier and crunchier than flour. There is a delicate balance between tender squid and deep fried coating – they bring out the best in one another when said balance is accomplished. sadly I don’t think allium’s chef got this one right as the cornmeal itself was far too crunchy and dry, thereby masking what could have been a succulent squid. Again, with enough aoli sauce though, everything is better, so all was forgiven once more. My husband and I both ordered the flat iron steak (medium rare) and while this usually goes against my religion (variety is the key to a long happy marriage if yenno what I’m sayin’), i had no regrets. The steak arrived perfectly sliced on a bed of Swiss chard and Napa cabbage (lightly flavored and not overcooked). The duck fat roasted potatoes were perfectly crisped and salted. And the balsamic glaze further balanced the richness of this dish. My one gripe about the steak was that it arrived cold. Perhaps it had been sitting out waiting to be taken to our table for quite some time? Unclear. But that did not detract from the medley of flavors. No room for dessert but our waitress gave us two butter chocolate cookies along with the bill – a reasonable sum after all that we had ordered. So all in all, I was torn between 3 – 4 stars. My gripes are small but they add up. I will come back again though because honestly I wanted to give this place a higher rating and I think they have it in them.

I didn’t have a good experience here with the food or service.
Regarding the food, I had the bone marrow and there was hardly any bone marrow. And it was clear that that dish and others on the menu were just copies of trendy restaurant dishes in the big cities. Nothing new or unique here. My fish entrée was decent, no complaints about that. But my wife is vegan and we came here because the menu explicitly states they make accommodations for vegetarians and vegans. Well, there was one vegetarian dish among the entrees and the waiter said it can’t be made vegan. So no, they don’t make accommodations for vegans.
Finally, the waiter seemed like he didn’t care at all. At one point I had to get up and walk over to him to get his attention and he didn’t seem to care that I needed anything at all.
Whatever happened to the good restaurants in the berkshires?

Varied menu of small plates and entrees. Both the olive snack and the Japanese peppers were very tasty, though the peppers were a bit oily. My wild mushroom «Bolognese» pasta was wonderful, and I’m no vegetarian. Nice wine list with three choices of rose. Helpful, knowledgeable service on food, wine and bourbon.

Allium has the most creative chef in the Berkshires. Her dishes have bursts of spectacular flavor. All the small plates with vegetables, grains etc. are delish. We are frequent visitors. Love the ambience too!

Excellent menu featuring local producers. Attentive service. Appreciate the variety of small plates offered.

Almost everything about this evening at Allium was a disappointment. The place is cute, and it’s possible to have a conversation over your meal. However… The service was unacceptable and the $ 38 veal chop (wh/​wasn’t even on the bone) was overcooked and fatty. Everybody at the table was unhappy w what arrived. We won’t be returning!!!

Manhattan grade restaurant with exceptional delicious food! Servers attentive and friendly, excellent food.

dinner recently, interesting place with a pretty crowded bar… service was pleasant… menu consists of maybe 5 main course items and a number of small bites… we decided to go the small bites way which perhaps was a mistake as we left hungry… we did have the hen of the woods mushrooms which were excellent as were the fried onions, the soup (squash) was good as was the pork belly but for 14 $ you need a piece bigger than my thumb… drinks were good and it was nice sitting in the window watching great barrington!!!

We sat at the bar at 6 PM on a Sunday. The bartender was really pleasant! I wish I had taken note of his name to thank him specifically. He made really good recommendations and we ordered his suggestions — the special, which was a scotch egg, and the pork tacos. We also got the chicken liver mousse. The mousse was a very generous portion.
We asked for the tacos without sirracha on one of them and when it came out with it on he asked us if it was OK or if he should get it corrected. Usually this would bother me but I really appreciated his sincere apology and quick correction. Everyone makes mistakes and he handled it like a perfect gentleman. (Note: I am admittedly extremely, annoyingly picky about service.)
All the food was delicious and the ambiance was very nice. The cocktail I ordered was fantastic as well. Portions wise, these are «small plates» but are actually very filling. We were coming off a long day of skiing and 3 small plates was plenty for 2 people. I will absolutely be going back any time I am in town.

I would say 4.5 stars. Generally, I’m not impressed with pricey restaurants. Rarely do I find that they’re a good value. I didn’t feel that way about this place at all. I had three dishes, all excellent, and my guest decided on an ice cream desert which was also fantastic. Lots of people seemed to complain about the service in their reviews, which gave me pause before making a reservation, but I have no gripes whatsoever. They were there enough, but not too much. They were pleasant and knowledgeable about the food when we had questions. I’d go back in a second.

With better service, this likely would have been 5 stars. Considering that our visit was January 2^nd, perhaps we ought to elevate our rating considering staffing challenges for this day.
Once the hostess came over to ask if we wanted anything to drink (recognizing that this should have been done at least 5 minutes previously), we ordered a glass of the Italian Rosso (a blend of Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolectto) and the Tempranillo. The rosso was fruity and tasty and as we would soon learn a great accompaniment to the entrée. The wait for service was taken up by trying to decide what to order. Of the 8 entrees, we could have ordered all of them from the way they sounded and from the aromas wafting throughout the restaurant.
We began with the Faro Salad. It was great. It was a combination of faro, arugula, shaved pecorino, toasted pistachios, radishes, basil, cucumbers (and arguably fennel — the waitress didn’t think that was in it). It was fresh and refreshing. It was also quite large, and could have been a meal in itself if paired with something else.
We both got the Porchetta Rabbit. And, boy are we glad that we did. The rabbit was roasted/​braised, deboned, and then wrapped in prosciutto, rubbed with black pepper and fennel and seared. It was served over a ragout of three different types of beans, that were fresh and nicely crunchy. Also included in the mix was Swiss Chard, and some lemony herbs (lemon thyme? lemon basil?). This was a fantastic dish and what I wish I would have gotten at Bibou two weeks earlier.
The space was nice and open. Service was their one weak spot.
Would definitely return.

Allium is a nice restaurant at the top of Railroad Street in the center of Great Barrington. It has a very nice location, décor, bar and of course food. I have eaten here twice and both times were very nice experiences. They have a varied menu so you can find something you will like. I hope to eat there in the warm weather when they open the large front windows. It always seemed to have been cold when I was there. Good stuff. Give Allium a try.

My mother, to our waiter Jason: «It’s my daughter’s 30^th birthday. She Unilocal,and she’s REALLLLLY good at it!»
(Cue me attempting to crawl under the table and hide…)
Aside from (what I suppose is a necessary) motherly embarrassment, this was a top notch meal and experience from start to finish.
I’ve been to Allium for drinks in the past with friends, and those were pleasant experiences in themselves. Celebrating my birthday with my parents, I finally got an opportunity to sample their glorious menu that I’ve been excited to try for quite some time. We started off with some drinks. Mama went for a nice Pinor Noir blend, Papa went for a drink with a name that alludes me at the moment. All I know is that it was potent with tequila, lemon rind, and smoked paprika. I was excited to order a hearty and unfiltered Downeast Hard Cider. For plates, we shared a bowl of pumpkin soup with pepitas and orange oil. (Yes, my parents and I share bowls of soup as appetizers quite frequently. We’re cool like that.) There was a slight warm hint of curry that just brought everything in that bowl together. We also split a plate of burrata with delicata squash rings and purée, fried sage leaves, and pomegranate seeds. It was a perfect autumnal spin on a perfectly creamy and tangy plate of burrata. (Of note: fried sage leaves are spectacular!)
Onto the main courses, Papa got duck breast with Brussels sprouts. Mama got hanger steak with blue potatoes. I was classy and got the burger and fries. All of the meats were cooked perfectly; duck can be tricky in the toughness department at times, but this duck was cooked per the chef’s recommendations, medium rare, and it was lovely. The steak pretty much melted in my mouth. My burger, Neff Ground Shortrib + Brisket with cheese, lettuce, pickles and bacon jam with a side of French fries, was perfectly cooked as well. The bacon jam was surprisingly sweeter than I expected, as most bacon jams I’ve had have been smokier and more savory. No complaints, however! I loved it.
We did not get a chance to sample the surely excellent desserts, as mis padres had a birthday cake ready for me at their house (…awwww…), but we did get some coffee and tea to end our meals. I was pleased with a selection of Harney teas, and coffee is served in a French press at the table, yielding about two cups each for my parents.
The staff was incredibly gracious, kind, knowledgeable, and personable. Shout out to Jason, who said I could not mention him in my review unless it was good. Lucky him: He was great! Extra points to him for being a former Manhattanite and knowing where I meant when I said I lived in Inwood. Ha!
Took me a few years, but I’m glad I finally got a meal here. It surely will not be my last.
Pro Tip: Make a reservation for about 5:30 p.m. on a Saturday if you can. I’m glad my parents and I did the «early bird special», because that place filled up by about 6:30!

If 2.5 stars was an option, that’s what I would give it.
The interior is very well done but the service and food left something to be desired.
Upon walking in, we were greeted by a not so friendly hostess who told us we can wait until our reservation to be put at a table… Our reservation was at 8:30pm and it was then 8:25pm. I gave them the benefit of the doubt thinking that it must have been packed inside — it wasn’t, there were numerous tables available that ironically stayed empty all night. At approximately 8:31pm, a snobby woman came over to seat us, who then insisted we sit down quickly so she can take one of our menus away. Our actual server was great though, so that was a relief.
Once seated, we were told that a decent amount of items of the menu were already no longer available, so that was a bit of a bummer.
We ended up ordering the steamed pork buns, deviled eggs, salmon (large plate) and the panzanella salad for dinner. The pork buns were pretty good, the salad and salmon were very forgettable, but the bacon jam in the deviled eggs were very overpowering — it was all I tasted.
For dessert we got the coconut cream pie which was delightfully tasty. And as far as drinks go, the Bee Sting was great although on our second round it was far more spicy than the first drink.
All in all, the food was good but not amazing. If there was better service or just people who didn’t make me feel like I was being judged, I might come back. But I doubt I will ever return to Allium.

We last visited Allium 5 or 7 years ago, and remember it being pretty good, but not terribly memorable. Our visit this evening was nearly flawless and quite memorable.
Located on the right side of the top of Railroad Street, Allium strikes all of the right notes in a warm and casual, yet sophisticated setting.
SERVICE — Our server was present, without being smothering. She gave us some great recommendations and paced the meal well. We elected to share our apps, and not only did she bring 2 small plates for the salad, but she served two separate split soups.
FOOD
Local Corn Soup with Pork Belly Croutons — Delicious, pure corn (not cream-​based) soup with several yummy pork belly croutons and basil oil. Great flavor profile. When you really enjoy a hot soup in late July, it must be good!
Kale Salad — Well-​dressed salad (lemon vinaigrette) with parmesan cheese and apples. Kale was chopped and stood up well to the pungent dressing.
Pork Carnitas Tacos — 2 soft tacos (shared plate) that were nicely sized. Really great spice to the tacos on the back-​end of each bite.
Daire Burger — HOLY MOLY!!! This is one of the best burgers I’ve had in years. The meat was a mixture of brisket and short rib = juicy burger. Small sliced pickles provided a briny crunch, but the bacon jam, oh the bacon jam! I normally like some ketchup on my medium rare burger, but to have put ketchup on this burger would have been a sacrilege. Yummy, bacony goodness that I could have eaten out of a giant jar. DO NOT PUT ANYTHING ON THIS BURGER! It’s perfect on its own. The frites were crispy and well-​salted.
Coconut Cream Pie — We really couldn’t decide on a dessert; they all looked great. Our server pushed us in the direction of the coconut pie and man did she do us right. Coconut and marcona almond ice cream on top of meringue with salted pie crumbs spread around the plate. A perfect end to a perfect meal.
It may have been years between my first two visits to Allium, but with tonight’s experience, I see more visits to this restaurant in the near future.