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Categories: American (New), Music Venues [Edit]
Neighborhood: FenwayFenway Park (Green)
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I have to agree with most of the other reviews here. The cocktail list is excellent. The Sloth (Manhattan) was made to perfection with Rye. The menu is small, but has a little bit of everything. I will definitely be back for food and drink.
Also, the music club section is very cool. The staff is friendly, the prices are reasonable, the decor is cool. My only complaint is that the acoustic weren't great. It kind of sounding like bands jamming in someone's basement, rather than a proper music venue. Other than that, Church is a winner.
Dirt advises you to check it out.
I spent some time in this bar on Halloween. The (live) music was awesome, and the bartenders were working their faces off.
I got a hot shot (a glass fresh from the dishwasher) of whiskey that almost made me throw-the-F-up, but the PBR tall-boys were cold and served with a smile.
Hard to judge a place from one experience, and harder because it was Halloween. Still...
I give Church my blessing.
I've only been to the club side of Church. What I will say about the restaurant side is it looks pristine with earth tone colors (Dwight Schrute, eat your heart out) and I wouldn't mind dining there someday.
Anyhow, I went to see a metal show late one evening. Kilmarnock Street is eerily quiet at night, and then you have the hoppin' Church club that can be heard from down the street. I had no idea what to expect - didn't know if it was going to be a hole-in-the-wall place, if it would be classy or grungy, really nothing at all.
The bar is right by the door and is big enough for a dozen people maybe. They have good beer on tap too. There are also several high tables and chairs scattered around as well as booth seating if I recall. The place is bigger than it looks and there's ample space in front of the stage. Now it was kind of dark inside as most bars are, but from what I could tell the club was in good shape. The atmosphere was incredible. The buzz in the air and the freedom to walk around was comfortable. And it seemed like anything goes at this club - during the show (metal, mind you) people were throwing themselves around, knocking over tables, grabbing the microphone stand during sets, and other jackass stuff. Let me get in on some of that action! Nothing was really out of control, though.
I'll definitely be going back to Church for more live music and maybe for some food too.
I only came here for brunch and I'm so glad I did. The atmosphere was super laid-back and relaxing, which was exactly what I want on a cool sunny autumn morning/afternoon. We sat at the bar and were pleasantly greeted by our bartender who was very knowledgeable and helpful when it came to answering our questions about their offerings.
I had the "Toad in a hole" french toast along with the fruit and granola which came with cheese blintzes. Both were fantastic! I will gladly stop back in here for brunch again.
(Insert cheesy one liner about church brunch and religion here)
I've been here a couple of times. Once for dinner and drinks on a girls night about a year ago. I don't remember the menu wowing me and did think things were pricey and the food not the best. The drink menu was themed to be Gothic, like the 7 deadly martini list, and the atmosphere played up on the same theme... dark ambiance, not too many windows. I thought they could play this up a little more with gargoyles or something. On the 2nd side where the bands play was just a dark bar with a crummy stage and pool table.
Most recently I was here for a Halloween party. I thought this would be a great spot given the theme, but again, thought they could play it up more. Also, the area in front of the stage (where the DJ was) didn't lend itself to a great dance floor.
For what it is I thought it was okay. The bartenders were nice and friendly.
I just don't think the bar's name really goes with what you get.
My brothers and sisters, REPENT! from the over-priced and character-less dining that exists in the Fenway, and confess your sins committed at other eateries by way of a brew and some mac & cheese at Church. This humble independent establishment specializes in al fresco on warm, sunny days, and reminds me dearly of the kind of cafés I would frequent "the morning after" during my college stint. They even serve a bloody good Bloody Mary to help you convert from your sinful behavior the night before.
The menu is nothing fancy, but reasonably priced, particularly for the Fenway. Other reviews might cast the mac & cheese into damnation, but I happen to be a fan. I have tried several entrees and sammiches at this minster of mastication and find that there is something for everyone to enjoy, no matter what your religion.
Been here 4 times this month, I guess you could say I've taken a liking to it. Twice for brunch, twice for dinner. Each time the food was excellent. Such a unique blend of flavors and spice. My parents had brisket and bread pudding. At first we thought the sauce was some kind of whipped light cheese complimented by a sweet brown sauce. Our taste buds finally realized it was not in fact cheese but a pureed vegetable. In the region of a radish or other root vegetable and it was delicious. Prices are more than reasonable for these fantastic dishes. You'll notice there's no salt or pepper on the tables. That's because nothing needs it!
The only thing this place has going is its name, and maybe its cocktails named after the 7 deadly sins. We got a group together to go try this place and everyone ordered their drinks. I originally wanted the "Lust" but after the waiter described how heavily sweet it was and that most people who order it don't finish it, I decided to go with the Envy (Hendrick's Gin, some lemon, and a sugared cucumber on the rim). It was pretty good.
I also thought their mac & cheese with chorizo looked good, especially when it came out in its own cast-iron skillet. But looks can be deceiving. I ordered the half-order ($8) as opposed to the full order ($18). What the difference was, I can't tell you. It was not noticeable to me even after comparing it to my friend who got the full order. The pasta was dry, there was barely any cheese, and the chorizo had no flavor. How does one mess up mac & cheese? I don't know. I also ordered the cuban sandwich for my fiance to take home. That was just okay as well. There was just something off. Oh well...in my opinion, go elsewhere for food, but come for the drinks.
Simply put this is a wonderful establishment.
The dinner menu is wonderful, and changes seasonally. They grow their own herbs in the for use in their dishes and it shows. There is a wonderful combination and variety of culinary flavors and inspirations in their menus and specials. I have tried 90% of the menu and 90% of what I have tried is very good. The nice thing about their dinner menu is that it is fearless in combining flavors, texture, and plating that displays the beauty of the ingredients they are showcasing in the dish. It is always nice to find a comfortable and inviting place that has a chef who can actually use interesting ingredients and flavor combinations instead of most chefs who try to dance on the edge with combinations without truly knowing how to balance, combine, and display the internal beauty of the foods they are cooking with.
I have a problem with lunch: The burgers are too good. i cannot get beyond them. There are 6 of them, and I want them all, and have yet to get other items.
The bar menu kicks ass...plain and simple. The piri piri shrimp, Kobe sliders, onion rings with spicy ketchup, and everything else is a home run. Some of the best damn food to nosh on with a cocktail or beer int he whole city.
Brunch: The Eggs Benedict id top notch, but it is the flapjacks that set this restaurant apart from other brunches. They have created a new standard of excellence without adding too much crap to the meal to hide the fact that the pancakes are to die for. They also keep some amazing kind of omelet demigod in that kitchen. I have never had an omelet cooked to this level or anywhere near it in my life. I have had omelets all over the globe and not a single one is a quarter as good as this. It is not fair that they only do brunch on the weekends. And to top it all off to have a homemade bacon-infused vodka with a great bloody Mary mix garnished with a hot tomato wrapped in bacon as a garnish send my inner fat kid into a whirlwind of glutenous ecstasy.
If they did not already have everything going on they have the jedi-master of drinks in the house. Their seven deadly sins are phenomenal, and so are the drink specials. It is not that they have some crazy drinks that make you fall off of your seat it is that every damn drink on the menu is worthy of a top 5 drink in it's category. It is the excellent consistency that is so great. They also have a nice wine and beer selection. The only issue is that the food sometimes takes a little while to show up, but it is well worth the wait.
Then there is the club side of the place. Great atmosphere, great sound, same bar menu, same drinks, and a great time. The music variety is great, and the fact that you can hear almost anything is nice, because a lot of musicians who have been pushed out of Boston as small clubs close can find a home here.
Went to Church a few nights ago and I wasn't overly impressed. There were high and low points to the meal.
The bread here is abysmal. Stale bread is never a pleasure and this bread must have been sitting out for several days before being served to our table. The crunchy crackers that came with the bread were tasty with a bit of spice.
Next--my mixed greens salad. A few of us ordered this and all of us liked it. Tasty pickled onions and not doused in salad dressing makes this salad one to remember. I ordered the "crispy" chicken from the menu and found myself disappointed. The chicken was way too salty and not crispy at all. Even though the chicken was cooked well the soggy skin and limp asparagus took away from the dish.
I also ordered dessert, a banana bread split, which was pretty good. Our waitress was very nice and fairly attentive. The drink menu looked great but I stuck with beer.
I don't think I'd rush back to Church anytime soon. The bad outweighed the good by too much.
Church struggles with its identity as a schizophrenic neighborhood joint-cum-club trying moderately hard to be a dining destination and appealing live music venue. Because the two parts of Church are separated by a thick, brick wall, the only thing the the club and restaurant actually seem to share is a name.
What would actually make Church - the restaurant - a destination would be plussed-up imagination with both the beers on tap (what can I say, I like 'em craft and I like 'em big) and the menu (crowd-pleasin' average execution of greatest hits, though very reasonably priced).
Bread, which should disappear from restaurants given the usually iffy quality and the unnecessary calories, should be banned from all restaurants. Church's bread is no exception - their bread has got to go. The bread basket - served, happily, with butter - needs a facelift. Dry Italian-style bread shares a seat at the table with ribbons of crunchy crackers. While not the most inspired crackers, they show up the bread - sadly dry and flavorless - by a factor of 20. No joke.
The servers were kind, present, and helpful. Food arrived promptly. I would have felt better about the experience if there was something about Church that set it apart from every other mid-range restaurant in the city, but nothing comes to mind. Although they were running a summer menu, there didn't seem to be anything local on offer. It always kills me when a restaurant, striving to be the go-to place in a neighborhood, fails to cultivate a relationship with local farmers during our brief but bright summer growing season. A pity, really, because Church's menu could have benefited from more local ingredients.
We went to see our friends' band play last night. Arrived early to eat -- I was starving! -- and overall we weren't disappointed. It was a gorgeous evening so we took advantage of the restaurant's outdoor seating. As we made our way through our meal various friends arrived and joined us at our table, at adjacent tables, or just hung out on the sidewalk chatting with us. The waitstaff didn't put up a fuss about this (on the other hand, they weren't that crowded). This made me like the waitstaff.
The food was quite good, although my hunger might have predisposed me to like anything that filled me up at that point. I had the pressed lemon chicken entree, satisfying and tasty. We split a bowl of roasted veggie gazpacho soup to start, and that was lovely. The bread basket they gave us featured good herbed butter paired with weirdly stale bread. Huh.
Then over to the club side for the show. Nice space. Good bar. I'd return.
I came here for dinner last night on a blind date. It was awful and awkward. The date, not Church.
So, notwithstanding all the bad things about the person sitting across from me, I'd probably consider coming here again.
He suggested this place for the Seven Deadly Sins cocktails which didn't really spark my interest -- I'm not a big drinker (can we say uber lightweight? One shot and I'm dizzy dolly talking to strangers and breaking all modes of general decorum). I managed to indulge in Envy and chuckled at how cliche it was for the drink to be green.
At any rate, I'm rather disappointed with the lack of selections on the dinner menu. I'd consider the pricing a little bit high, but forgive it for the general ambiance -- I've seen nothing aesthetically comparable in Fenway.
I settled on pressed fried chicken which was juicy and accompanied by broccoli rabe (which was perfectly tart!) and mashed potatoes with giant chunks of garlic which I ingested a few times on accident -- maybe it was subconsciously intentional? I really wanted to scare away the boy I was with.
I'd come here again if I were in the area, but I wouldn't trek here from my digs in the South End.
Not bad, but not exceptionally great either. It might be fun with a lot of friends -- which, as a Boston newbie, I am seriously lacking!
Tomato salad ($9) was comprised of two giant frost damaged tomatoes, each cut in a few pieces and covered with olive oil, crumbled cheese etc. Empanadas tasted like they were from Trader Joes and had been microwaved. My glass of wine was good though. Maybe it was an off night for them? I had a much better experience at this restaurant a couple years ago... I will say the staff was friendly. I will revise if I encounter better food on a future occasion.
Came here with 3 other people for dinner on a Sunday night. We walked in to an empty restaurant around 7pm. We took a look at the menus. The drink menu was very creative. The seven deadly sins cocktails were neat. But at $10 a pop we avoided them and just went for some rum and cokes and mojitos. The dinner menu was tasteful. It wasn't too large and had something for everyone. For appetizers we decided to start with the duck spring rolls, shrimp ceviche and asparagus tart.
The duck spring rolls were my favorite. They were served on top of lo mein. The rolls were moist, with good flavor, wrapped in egg roll skin.
The asparagus tart was second. It came out warm on a flatbread with goat cheese and chopped asparagus with caramelized onions. I love warm goat cheese on anything so especially like it.
The shrimp ceviche was gross. The sauce it was in was thick and sour, the shrimp was mushy. I took one bite and was ready to send it back.
For my entree I got the mac and cheese with chorizo. It arrived in a small cast iron skillet, topped with ritz cracker crumbs. The addition of chorizo gave it a kick. It could of been cheesier though. It also had too much truffle oil drizzled on it which gave me mostly oily bites. It was priced at $17.
The other diners got the skirt steak, which was said to be good, and the pressed chicken which got good reviews. All the presentations were neat, on square plates with the food carefully laid out.
Service was excellent, as we were the only table, we got all the waitress's attention. On the way out we stopped on the club side to see the band. We were told it was hardcore and it sure was, headbanging and all.
I probably wouldn't put Church at a top place for dinner. But if your in the area, its definitely one of the better options besides the Fenway bars. There is also an outdoor patio.
Picture it: gorgeous sunny day; beautiful outdoor setting; cocktails, apps and dreams.
My best gay and I went there with the intention of grabbing a drink. We were there for HOURS, sipping our drinks and watching hobos' antics on the other side of the fence!
Seriously...what a perfect place! We had a GREAT waiter (wish I remembered his name), the drinks arrived promptly, and we feasted on several martinis, Ipswich clams and some truly delicious ahi tuna tacos. Mmmmm.
And watching hobos walk by and ask patrons for drinks -- and WATCHING A GIRL GIVE HIM HER MARTINI, which he downed in a second, and watching the guy at the next table go out to buy him booze, in hospital scrubs, no less -- made this place hilarious!
Love the atmosphere, food and drinks. Can't wait to go back!
I live right up the street from Church, and I'm so happy to have it there! They have a great drink menu (the seven deadly sins - classic!) and a solid brunch on the weekends. There's not a ton of selection in their dinner menu, but the food is really good and well cooked. Sometimes the portions can be tiny on some of their "fancier" stuff, but it's still worth it.
All in all, SUCH a great neighborhood place. Great staff, really friendly and fun, and a fantastic bartender.
So, stopped by after looking at an apt around the corner. Because of Church, I am taking the apartment just to live by it.
Lunchtime- got the french toast with an egg in the middle. Asked for it eggy, which the server accomodated without complaint.
Probably the best french toast I have EVER HAD in Boston. It's french toast, real maple, sunny side up egg in the middle, a big gob of marscapone cream and bacon. Ayum.
Then, because I decided to take the apartment, I got the chocolate flourless cake to celebrate. Also, the best I have EVER HAD. Both were really good, the service was really nice and they put up with me on the cell phone the entire meal debating the apartment situation with a friend.
Chocolate cake and FT are on like every menu in Boston- I've probably had these items in over twenty establishments since living in Boston. Church wins on both. And, ultra inexpensive. The whole thing was like $20 w/coffee?
I'm going back, and it's going to be frequent.
More of a 3.5ish than a 3.
This place is pretty nice. It's new and clean, with interesting decor, and it's pretty comfortable for a bar. The drink selection is solid and the prices are reasonable.
There are a few plasma TVs over the bar to watch the games, and the stage and performance area is nice. There's a pretty good variety of musical acts during the week so there's something for all different tastes, although I honestly haven't liked most of the bands I've heard there.
My main problem with the place is that the general vibe is kind of lame. Nobody seems to be really paying attention to the bands and every song is greeted with a sort of muted, polite, distant applause.
Also, each time I've seen bands there the mix has sounded a little weird - like the microphone quality is almost TOO good, so you can hear every individual component too well instead of hearing a good blend.
All in all, it's a nice place to sit down in for a few hours and have a drink while hearing some decent music, but it's not a great rock club nor is it a cool local pub.
I don't see what it's niche is in the crowded Fenway bar scene, but i do hope it sticks around, just because it's aesthetically pleasing enough to be a nice change of pace from some of the older dives.
Bloody Mary's at brunch...the best!!! Nice neighborhood bar with a fun theme and great cocktails. Food is fair but the drinks are excellent.
Pretty nice bar to see local bands. It's spacious with tables, and a lot cleaner than many of the other area bars that feature local bands. Pretty good beer selection, too.
For food, I ordered the macaroni and cheese. It came in two sizes, and I ordered the small for $7. It was a great deal for old seven bucks. It came in a little skillet and it was really dense. I couldn't finish the whole thing. Really cheesy and creamy. It had crumbled crackers on top, which wasn't my favorite, but it was still good and very filling!
Haven't eaten here, but I like it as a music venue. Space is small and intimate, yet it's pretty easy to get away from the crowd in the bar area. The bar also has a pool table, which is nice to wrap up a night with. The bar is well stocked and, every time I go, tends to have a beer or two that I've never heard of, but is a good one.
Their covers are pretty much on par with the rest of the small venues around town. I'm not a fan of them, but there aren't really any alternatives. The music can be hit or miss like any rock venue; just be sure to check the site before heading over to make sure it's up your alley.
Church is a pretty ok venue - given the variety of other places in Boston it's generally not my first choice. That being said, there are quite a few nights where you can hang out and see live music without paying a cover. Not such a bad deal. The space is larger inside than it looks from without - but I don't totally get the name. The sound is also pretty ok but not phenomenal. There's tacky graffiti all over the inside of the bathrooms too but overall the place is too clean for me to really buy the wannabe grit facade.
Shockingly, the last time I was there, loads of preppy just out of college dude-bros were there sipping martinis (there seems to be an impressive array) while trying to impress ladies who looked like younger versions of those chicks on Brett Michael's show.
All in all it's not a terrible venue but it's for sure not someplace that I'd go out of my way to get to. Three stars seems appropriate - though my sentiment is largely, "meh," two stars just seems too dramatic - especially for a place that does live music without cover.
Oh, on another note - booking seems to be kind of tricky. I tried to contact Church via their website a little over a year ago when I was working with a few bands to do a benefit show. Most venues responded to me pretty quickly but I never heard from Church - whether their site misdirected me or they just weren't interested, I'm not sure...perhaps prospective performers need to go by phone or it's one of those places where you really need to know someone.
Went here to see a show a few months back. The band playing were a West Coast art-rock outfit that rarely tours as their heyday was 20 years ago, and I had been a big fan then, so this was a big deal for me. The Church was a decent venue to see a show. It had lots of cushy stools and booths to sit down, which I appreciated as I was pretty tired from having seen some other shows the night before and earlier that week. It didn't look as fancy as the publicity pictures posted to this Yelp site are making it look though - the ambience was definitely "divey rock club" as opposed to "hip restaurant." Which was too bad as I might have liked some good food, but I don't think they were serving at that hour. Acoustics were reasonably decent, and the staff seemed cool enough. I can't say anything about the booze because I was a tad broke and refrained from drinking.
My biggest problem with this place was that there didn't seem to be any other restaurants, bars, late night businesses, nearby operating when the shows let out. The club's street runs into a main drag that seemed to be mostly gas stations and closed office buildings, and there were some sketch characters loitering around. As a lone showgoer, and particularly in a strange city, I like my clubs to be located in a busier area so there's some activity around when I walk out and it's not so dark and lonely. The lack of late night activity had me worried about finding a cab, but fortunately there appeared to be some sort of cab garage or cab dispatch a couple blocks from the club, so there were more cabs coming and going than I expected and I was able to flag one down. Overall, I'd go back, but next time I'd prefer to drive, be escorted by a local person, or else go in the daytime.
When my friend, Matt, suggested we do brunch at Church, I was a little confused. But, if this is what church is all about --- count me in!
They had some tasty-tasty pancakes and a great dining area which was perfect for catching up and enjoying some good food. They even have skim milk to add to your coffee! WOO! I look forward to coming back and giving their other meals a shot.
It was a nice day in Boston, so 5 co-workers and I decided to do lunch outside.
We walked over to Church and experienced HORRIBLY slow service. Only 70% of the patio tables were occupied and NO ONE was inside so I'm not sure what the problem was.
We sat around for 10 minutes or so before the waiter took our drink order. Then maybe 15 minutes later we realized that we hadn't placed our lunch orders yet. I got up from the table and went inside to speak to the host. The waiter came right over. We waited another 30 minutes before we saw the waiter and had to order it to go.
I asked for the $9 tomato salad that had maybe a small full tomato and taseteless feta. Thoroughly unimpressive. I wouldn't go back.
Church is exactly the reason I couldn't move out of the Fens! I started frequenting Church for Sunday brunch and was instantly addicted. The drinks are delish, the staff is friendly, I wish my house was decorated like the restaurant, and they have some pretty good live bands on the bar side.
Def check it out for brunch... that is where it's at... the bloody marys(maries??? I have always wondered) rock ( the bacon-vodka bloody has a deep-fried bacon-wrapped cherry tomato garnish!!!) and they have an omelette ninja in their kitchen. oh oh oh and the french fries!!!!!!!!!! mmmmmm!!!
I really can't say enough good things about Church!
Checked out a buddy's show here tonight and was compelled to write a review (and yes, I admit its hard to judge a venue after show...)
A few things: A pool table smack dab in the middle of the room - talk about performance anxiety - no chance i'd be able to shoot pool with 30 people watching (or standing in the vicinity...pretending not to judge my pool abilities)
Hip place w/ hip people - remember to wear your Fri/Saturday night best when attending functions here or you'll look like me (I was wearing a hoodie, okay).
Most importantly (why i was compelled to write this review...): i almost got all the way home (snowy conditions, mind you) and then noticed I didn't have my wallet. I drove all the way back to where i parked and retraced my steps back to church. Went in and started crawling around on the ground looking for it. Finally - i asked the bartender and she handed it to me. Thank god for honest people. Some would say it was cuz we were at "church"?
My band played here a few months ago. The stage set up is really good and they have a good lighting system. A lot of floor space infront of the stage and you look out to the bar, pool tables, and some dining tables on the sides.
Before going on I had the Beef Empanadas which were pretty good, and a few drinks that I paid less for than what I thought I'd have to, being in Boston.
A-OK venue! I'd like to play here again.
I visited the club side last night for the first time for a Boston Babydolls event, and the club was OK, but nothing special enough to make me trek across the river of my own free will.
If you visit the web site, you'll see that they list their specialty menu of Seven Deadly Sins cocktails. Be warned: they DO NOT offer these cocktails on the club side, *only* in the restaurant. Quite the shame, since the theme of the Babydolls show was The Seven Deadly Sins. The Manhattan I ordered instead was super heavy on the bourbon, light on the Vermouth, and zero on the cherry; it was entirely too early (8:30pm) in the night for the bar to be out of cherries and the bartender to be running around like a crazy person.
The sound management could've been better. Recorded music was played for the first opening act and for all of the Babydolls when they finally came on, and it was a bit too loud for such a small space. For the band that performed in between, it was all tuba and horns (they're loud already!), you could barely hear the really complicated finger strums of the guitarist (he was kind of the artist of the band), and you couldn't hear the accordion at all. And anytime the MC took the mic, there was a problem with the balance between the background music and his voice; the MC actually had to tell the sound person to take the organ down a few notches.
It would've been way classier if the flat screens closer to the stage had been turned off for the performances. I realize it's a bar, and the Series was on, but in that small a space, the light projects everywhere, and the visuals were really distracting from the show.
I'll throw in an extra star for free and easy parking out back, and the fact that the $5 bar menu looked pretty interesting (sadly, it's not listed on their site, but it did include stuff like meatloaf sliders w/cheddar and jalapeno relish and fried calamari), even though we didn't have any.
Perhaps restaurant and club second chance updates are in my future. We'll see.
I like Church alot, restaurant and bar side alike. I started coming here last summer when Thornton's (RIP) would close at midnight(ish) and always had a good time. I like the 7 deadly sins variety of martinis (the Vanity is MO tasty) and their mac n' cheese is really good too. I came here for a $5 beer and bourbon night, and I somehow racked up a bill of around $80, so I obviously don't remember much, but it's cool of them to offer it. There is a bourbon dinner coming up that I'm pretty excited about. I always see cool people and bands here, it's mostly regulars, or at least it has been when I've been there, and the crowd is generally pretty chill.
Oh and guy who sometimes works the door is dreamy. Tattoos, shaved head, ass kicker boots....le sigh. Next time I'll try not to get so wasted on bourbon that I accidentally keep jabbing him in the ass with my pool stick.
A venue for catching some good local original music that doesn't require the B Line? I'm there!
Of course you should check the concert calendar and the bands' myspace pages before you go, since no venue can have good acts all of the time, but I was very pleasantly surprised last time I was here. I checked out the alt country festival that was going on the weekend before last and discovered there was a facet of country music I could actually enjoy.
I agree with many of the comments below that covers stink, but the covers are pretty on par with other bars in the area, especially if you average in the shows they have that are free.
I've only been a few times but the crowd seems to vary with the type of show, but it's reliably a good scene with interesting friendly people to talk to.
Well, it's a diverse holy land that's for sure. The food is amazing, well-priced considering the quality of what you get (upscale for about $15 a plate), the waitstaff is fantastic and very nice, and the drinks are GREAT. Beware of "the special" - a PBR and a shot of whiskey for $5 - it'll take you down!
The first time I went, there was a german death metal band playing and I was absolutely blasted so that was just fine with me
The second time was for 'Stache Wednesday - funkadelic
The third time there was an awesome bluegrass group attired in flannel and overalls....
I mean it's damn eclectic which makes it so fantastic. This is my neighborhood haunt - it's 1/2 block down the street fro my current residence in Fenway and I tend to frequent it more often when we're a complete hot mess as an end-of-the-night venue, which it's a fantastic place for. It would be hard to feel out of place here no matter what you wore or how you acted since the crowd is always such a grab bag anyway. :) Love going to Church on the weekends! Oh, make sure to hit up their Redemption Brunch on Saturday and Sundays - SOOOOO Good!!
This is a review for the restaurant part of Church.
My best pal and I decided we had been starved enough during lunch and deserved a good meal and cocktails.
Church did not disappoint in either case.
The food is fairly low priced and you can get some of the dishes as half plates.
I got the salad (simple with decent balsamic dressing) and a 1/2 order of mac and cheese with chorizo which I shared. The mac and cheese was served in a sizzling iron skillet with toasted bread crumbs on top. It was a tasty combo of parmesan and cheddar that combined well with the chorizo. I would order it again.
My dinner companion had the tuna tartar tacos (tasty and well seasoned despite the red onions) and the papardelle with a meaty sauce. I have to say his papardelle was really tasty with butter, sage, pancetta and beef. I would order this dish as an entree for certain. It was hearty, simple, and tasty and good for a cold night.
Cocktail wise, I was pretty pleased with Envy (kiwi and Vodka) and Vanity (ruby red, vodka, prosecco or sparkling wine -- my favorite). My companion had wrath which he enjoyed.
All in all, combine a nice atmosphere, decent decor, and enough parking, it was a pleasant experience.
Cold Gansett tall boys-hooray! Used to go here a lot when it was the Linwood. This was our first time in since it became Church and we only went to the club side, sat at the bar and had some drinks and apps before a sox game. The staff was great, apps were meh, except the kobe beef sliders, these were perfection at every level-perfectly cooked meat, little crispy onions, fantastic bun and a side of basil aioli that I want served with everything I eat from now on. A-OK!
Didn't have dinner here so can't comment on that, but the live music was good. The sound was perfect as we were able to enjoy the music but still maintain a conversation without resorting to charades. It was a little hard to find seating, although not impossibly crowded (could still beeline it to the bar in no time). Drinks were so-so.... $7 for a weak Jack & Coke or $4 for a CAN of Bud Lite is a bit much, imo, especially after already shelling out $10 cover. Very chill atmosphere. I'd come back for the music.
Oh, and they get bonus points for the hilarious graffiti on the bathroom wall:
Here's to the stork that brings beautiful babies
Here's to the crow that brings ugly babies
And here's to the swallow that brings no babies at all
I thought this place was such a cute idea and theme! It was really fun and the 7 deadly sin cocktails were delish... I would def recommend Lust!
I have been here three times as I also live very close by and enjoy that a nice comfortable place like this is so close. I most likely will return again because I felt the staff was nice and friendly. The breakfast/brunch and the one dinner we had once was just alright. I was a bit surprised they didn't have jelly for my English muffin.
Some suggestions; 1. Fix one of the broken tables before you start continually sitting people in them (as we saw happen after we had explained it was broken) 2. Jelly, if you are serving toast etc..at least you could do is stash a few jellies around the kitchen. 3. Bring the price point down a bit to match the quality.
I look forward to coming in and listening to a live show soon.
Thanks for reading.
Church gets 3 stars:
1 for being right around the corner.
1 for having pool.
1 for being right around the--oh wait...
The food is blah, the service is blah, and their specialty drinks sound sooo much better than they actually taste. If I'm going to spend $20 on dinner and a drink, I want to feel like it was money well spent. I've been to Church 3 times and every time I'm left with the same question: Why did I ever come here?
Restaurant aside, the bar behind it's not bad. Pool's cool and they have decent live music. The crowd is usually decent and it's not a bad place to hang out for some beers.
I just moved to the Fenway and heard a lot about this place. The atmosphere is pretty casual and the staff was exceptional. I had one of their signature deadly sin drinks SLOTH (it was a re-imagined manhattan) that was perfect. The food was decent. I didn't really go for the food and just grabbed a burger.
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