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- Nearest Transit:
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Chestnut St @ Elliot St (59)
Oak St @ Elliot St (59)
Chestnut St @ Pennsylvania Ave (59)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 1 am
Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
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$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
60 reviews for Dunn Gaherins Food And Spirit
Review Highlights
"I crave the sweet potato fries all the time."
(in 9 reviews)
"My staple after work drinks spot."
(in 3 reviews)
"I am very partial to the buffalo chicken wrap."
(in 3 reviews)
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60 reviews in English
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Review from Artemis A.
ALLSTON, MA
1/23/2012
Great Place To Eat and or Drink
Menu is a creative pub food style menu, all the things you'd expect to see with their own twist. I recently had sunday brunch. the "paddy made benny" blew me away. Their hollindaise sauce was perfect, and they use traditional brown bread from the celtic bakery in newton center which melts in your mouth. I ate at bar and had great service. Definately would recommend. This is no dive, but a classy, clean pub serving the fine-tuned pallate. -
Review from Kimberly S.
Needham Heights, MA
1/15/2012
The food is so delicious! You'll want to become a regular!
The entire staff is friendly, fast, and knowledgeable about the food.
They also keep the place impeccably clean! -
Review from Leah G.
Newton, MA
1/10/2012
The top 3 things I like about this place are the food, the waiters, and it's affordable.
My family likes it as much as I do.
My sister loved the burgers. -
Review from Kristine M.
West Newton, MA
12/17/2011
Great place. Accommodating, kid-friendly, and warm. We went for the first time yesterday, and there was a short wait, but they offered us drinks while we waited. My son had a great time - he colored as he waited, he loved the food of the children's menu, and they brought him an ice cream sandwich for dessert. Santa was even there when we went!
My tuna melt was great, my husband enjoyed his burger, and our friends liked the meatloaf. There was a good beer selection, too.
I've lived in Newton for 6 1/2 years - I'm not sure why it took us so long to check this place out. I'm a fan. Nice atmosphere, too. Made me feel like I was on vacation in the mountains somewhere.
Oh, also they asked us if it was our first time there and when we said yes, they brought us warm "welcome" cookies for dessert! -
Review from Christine K.
Boston, MA
1/16/2012
We went here for the first time yesterday and had a wonderful time! The servers were extremely friendly and seemed genuinely excited that we were first-time customers. It was mid-afternoon, so we were offered our choice of tables (near the televisions for the game, or quieter in the back). We decided to split a larger-sized beer as our initial drink choice, and the server was nice enough to bring it to us in two glasses. Both of us chose burgers, which were delicious, but the real standout were the eggplant fries with parmesan cheese and marinara -- total genius. The service was great throughout, and at the end they sent us home with two coasters as a first-time customer gift. Can't wait to go back!
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Review from Alex M.
Wellesley, MA
1/12/2012
One of my faves in the area. Always-friendly staff, good beers on tap and yummy, affordable food. They remodeled it over the past 18 months or so, so it's bigger and brighter than it used to be. This helps you get a table quicker too. Small parking lot, but lots of street parking too. If you're looking for a chill place for good food without going broke in Newton, this is the spot.
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Review from Aly L.
Newton, MA
1/5/2012
My boyfriend lives near here so he frequents this place a lot. I've gone a couple times and have enjoyed it each time. There is plenty of parking (in the lot, street or lot across the street). The waitresses are all very friendly. My only complaint is that it is too popular and there is often a wait! I enjoy sitting at the bar (also difficult to get a seat) and I love that they serve bowls of popcorn or cheese puffs. I feel like no one does that anymore, so it's a great touch! As for the food, I haven't ordered anything I didn't like! My favorite so far is the seafood fra diavlo which is delicious. Very generous portions! The steak tips are great too. My boyfriend loves the Paddys Melt! This place is definitely a locals favorite!
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Review from Liza L.
Newton, MA
1/1/2012
THE VEGAN BURGER WITH VEGGIE TOPPING. OMNOMNOM. nom.
The only downside to this place is that it can be VERY crowded for dinner. But that's because it's popular grâce à the food, the friendly service, the fact that groups of friends seem to love to meet up here, the alcohol in various lovely forms... -
Review from Nicole V.
8/28/2011
As the go-to lunch place at work, I have been to Dunn-Gaherins more times than I have been to any other burger place.
I guess it's technically an Irish pub with great pub food. Occasionally I have strayed from the burgers. Their tuna melt is more than popular with my coworkers and the list of daily specials always has something eye catching. I've never heard anyone be disappointed with anything, but I'm still going to recommend putting technicalities aside and call it a burger place.
I started off ordering the regular burger, but have since progressed to the turkey burger. I love a good turkey burger that can stand on it's own. I have had it plain, but the toppings here are great. Most recently I had the veggie (caramelized onions, spinach, roasted red peppers, and blue cheese subbed for smoked gouda cheese), but the mushroom & swiss or north ender have never let me down either.
The real winners here are the sides. Not being a huge french fry person, I normally sub out. This used to be the hardest part of my meal decision but recently I discovered a new love. I'm sorry delicious sweet potato fries, perfectly crisp onion rings, and indulgent garlic mashed potatoes, but you cannot hold a candle to the eggplant fries. Individually sliced eggplant pieces fried to perfection and sprinkled with parm? Ohhhh myyyy gooooooodness. My delicious burger was totally neglected as I indulged in this side of perfection. I cannot recommend them high enough. Seriously.
I'm sure I will be back again as I work my way around the menu. I might even have to come after work after seeing a sign for Harpoon Pumpkin on my most recent trip...Listed in: Workin' in Wellesley
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Review from Emerlyn G.
Newton, MA
6/28/2011
Just moved to Newton, MA! Came to this place as my first restaurant in the area, and was generally satisfied with the experience. Beautiful atmosphere, staff is very friendly and helpful. They even had someone out in the (small) parking lot directing people to park (remember to back into the spot though, apparently that's how you're supposed to do it...) and welcoming people into the pub. I ordered the bacon and blue cheese turkey burger with sweet potato fries, and I thought it was delicious. They had a relatively small selection of beers on tap, but a larger selection for bottled.
Felt very welcomed there, which was a nice change of pace. We were even thanked graciously by multiple staff members as we were leaving (which, in my opinion, is pretty rare. Maybe I'm just hanging out in too many seedy places? :P)
Anyway, I will be back here soon to check out the rest of the menu. -
Review from Meghan B.
Boston, MA
5/11/2011
This place wins the friendliest staff award, hands down. And the food is consistently awesome... what more can you ask for, really.
Parking can be a bit of an issue but not enough that it should keep anyone away from this place. For the love of mike - they have eggplant parm FRIES. That's right... eggplant parm, in french-fry form, with a marinara dipping sauce. Genius. -
Review from David C.
Newton, MA
12/10/2011
Great place, I had the meatloaf it was really good. Everyone was super friendly and nice, seriously people were really nice, kind of left us with a warm welcome feeling ; can't wait to go back!! Lee-Ann and Victoria were terrific waitresses too!
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Review from Katrina F.
Scottsdale, AZ
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
They have great IPAs!
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Review from Onca S.
Framingham, MA
10/4/2011
Enjoyed a nice atmosphere and a delicious meal, service was pleasant and food far exceeded expectations. I would certainly go back. Among the 12 beers on tap, I chose and kicked back a couple Otter Creek Oktoberfests, which was offered in 16 or 20 oz. They had more then one vegetarian option, a vegan burger which came with smoked guda (obviously optional per request) but hardly vegan, still best I've ever had. Smoked guda is my favorite all-time cheese for burgers. Had the option for one of two kinds of french fries, cole slaw, or rice pilaf, which I chose the latter. Proportions were large. Definitely a good place to stop in, with a couple friends. There is a bar and also ample seating. I had to ask about their music selection, which I was informed was Pandora, every song was among my favorites. No room for improvement, here.
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Review from Rachel K.
7/29/2011
This place is a little off the beaten path, but is a favorite lunch & after-work drinks spot amongst my coworkers. They are the ones who introduced me to Dunn-gaherins, having worked at my company longer than I. The service is above and beyond excellent for an Irish pub. The owners are extremely friendly and will bend over backwards for any customer of theirs. The owner will greet you outside, help you park your car, and get you a table before you even walk inside! All of the bartenders and waitresses have been trained to give top notch service as well. Having worked in the industry, I can tell that the owners and managers of this establishment really care about their business and their customers. This is the main reason I like this place. The food is also pretty good, definitely above your average bar's standards. There is something on the menu for everyone @ Dun-gaherins.
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Review from Bruce B.
Newton, MA
12/8/2011
Have been here twice for dinner and once for lunch. Food and service has been excellent both times. Biggest negative is its too popular and the wait for seating can be long. Despite the Irish-sounding name, the menu is strictly American. We just moved to Newton a few months ago. Dunn Gaherin is the second closest restaurant to our home, and it is one of the few restaurants we have found so far that we know we will go back to again and again. If there were half-stars, I would have given it 4-1/2.
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Review from Rebecca W.
Newton, MA
8/28/2011
My friend took me here for the first time during the dinner hour on a Saturday night. Despite the crowd the staff was beyond attentive, especially our amazing server, Jess. Both she and the manager were extremely helpful with accommodating my gluten allergy, especially when she informed me the restaurant offered gluten free pasta, something I didn't see on the menu. The whole experience was perfect, especially Jess's bringing me and my friend D-G coasters because I couldn't have the traditional cookie treat for first time customers. There need to be more places like this Dunn-Gaherins, I am so glad I was introduced to it.
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Review from will r.
Boston, MA
8/24/2011
Visited this past saturday afternoon with my girlfriend. Our waitress, Meg, was great with beer and food pairing advise. As well as a great overall experience. Thanks!
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Review from Kristen S.
Boston, MA
8/3/2011
I think this place is Great! The service is amazing food and drinks are really good. It is my favorite spot to go for lunch with co-workers and it would definitely be my local hangout if I lived in the area. The owners really care about their customers. Everytime I have been there the male owner has offered to park my car and get me a table before I reach the door. The female owner checks every table to make sure things are perfect! I can't say enough good things about this restaurant.
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Review from Anastasia R.
Cambridge, MA
12/17/2008
The 5 Stars of Dunn-Gaherins:
5.) Festive, Friendly and Irish.
4.) While you are waiting for a table, you can order your entire meal and they will just bring it to you where ever you are, bar or dining room.
3.) At least half the people sitting at the bar had ordered an entree, and I found out why when the food hit my taste buds.
2.) Clean Bathroom.
1.) Not a skinny waitress in sight = great food.
We ordered the calamari... in an Irish Pub...
It was the best calamari I've had in Boston, which surprised the hell out of me. Light batter, tasty sauce, not over cooked or too chewy. Good sign.
There were 4 of us and we each ordered a different entree. I had salmon, Kelly G. got the pork chops, Dougie D. got the Lamb tips, and Joe S. got the Lasagna. Not a dish on the table was lacking in flavor, the proportions were perfect, and everyone loved what they got.
Then we had to order dessert, and there was this vaguely described chocolate dish on the menu. We asked our waitress to tell us about it, and she was like, "It's chewy... chocolaty... crunchy, and warm with whipped cream." Not feeling that we had really gained any more information from the conversation, we decided to order it. It turned out to be a disk shaped, semi solid of brownie batter-like chocolate...something served warm with whipped cream. Weird. And delicious. Like any good lesbian, my conflicted emotions will bring me back.
5 Stars! -
Review from Steve s.
MA
2/3/2007
Call me sentimental. Boston has certainly evolved its bar/restaurant scene over the last 10 years. Unfortunately, most bars have invested more into atmosphere and the latest cosmo or martini concoction.
How about a place to serve...a beer?
For the old timers out there, D-G used to be Lewis', an old bucket of blood joint in the middle of Newton Lower Falls. Its safe to say that D-G is anything but. It is an interesting lay-out with a dimly lit rectangular bar in the front and an informal dining area in the back.
The most surprising part of this experience was the service. I expect this level of service at Tremont, Sibling or Union. From the hostess to the waitresses to the bartenders, all young girls BTW not that it matters, they were all friendly, attentive and efficient.
The food is good as well. I had a tuna wrap with sweet potato fries(YUM). The beer was refreshingly cold. This bar is a hidden gem in the Newton area...definitely deserves a peek
On a side note, actually saw some people I knew from high school. When did I get so old? -
Review from Jamie S.
Arlington, VA
4/1/2006
This Irish pub has a bar section as well as a more family friendly dining area. The booths are wooden with pillows and cushions, the tables have little journals where you can write messages, sort of a interesting guest book idea. Waitresses and waiters typically speak with an accent which I'm pretty sure to be genuine. :)
Do NOT come here if you are vegetarian...there isn't anything on the menu that is specifically vegetarian.
I decided to give this restaurant four stars because what it does do -- American favorites such as marinated sirloin steak tips, twin chicken breasts, some seafood and the burgers and large array of pub appetizers -- it does extremely well. Each entree is served with a choice of two generous sides. Since they aren't aiming to be health conscious or vegetarian-- I didn't these were fair items to use in judging.
The dessert menu is nice. They do have some chocolate free options, but they are well known for their chocolate decadence which is a chocolate cake with fudge inside and drizzled outside with fresh whipped cream.
The atmosphere is what I enjoyed most. While my dining companions enjoyed their dinners, I also found a few things to enjoy as well...they just weren't entirely on my plate. :) Dunn-Gaherins won't rush you out the door and pillowed booths make it easy to settle into a deep conversation. -
Review from rob c.
3/27/2007
I lived in Upper Falls for 6 years, three blocks away, no less, and it took me four of those years to actually manage to go to Dunn-Gaherins. And of course (especially now that I've moved), I'm kicking myself for it. One night we went there after getting back from a ball game, and it was literally right in time for last call, Despite that, not only did they they happily pour us a round of the black stuff, but they brought us a couple bowls of yummy snacks to boot. Entirely typical; the people that run this place are the nicest folks in the world.
It's no wonder that it's a menace to traffic on many nights, and that Fridays in summer have people waiting all over their front porch. They're closed Mondays, if I remember correctly, though.
The food is excellent--their hamburgers are probably the best I've had outside of the city. The appetizers are solid. The beer selection is superb. They work hard to accommodate larger groups (i.e. more than 6), but you will be in for a wait if you have more than four, probably. The crowd's good, too; this is a place where even if you can't see the TV, you'll know if the Red Sox are winning.
One of the very best I've been to. -
Review from A B L.
Needham, MA
Updated - 5/26/2010
My second visit to Dunn-gaherins wasn't great. The food was overcooked. When we asked for baskets of popcorn for our table, they brought us popcorn crumbs, with a few fully popped kernels on top to hide the mess below. Really?? I guess the beer was cold...
While we have at least one positive experience at Dg, our friends who were dining with us that night do not...so, unfortunately, I don't think that they'll be returning.
I still like the vibe - I think we'll eat in the bar area if we come back.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/29/2010
Open, airy bar/restaurant with a fun atmosphere. We were here on a Friday night for drinks and… Read more »
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Review from Greg M.
South Windsor, CT
4/23/2010
I'd never been anywhere with eggplant fries, but it turns out they're awesome! They also have fantastic sweet potato fries, so make sure everyone in your party gets something different.
Parking is a bit sparse, so you'll probably have to park on one of the nearby side streets. -
Review from Kara L.
Hopkinton, MA
7/22/2010
It was Wednesday night so there was hardly anyone in there. They had lots of TVs which seemed to keep everyone inside entertained and therefore quiet.
We somehow managed to have two waitresses who both kept checking on us separately (?)
The eggplant fries were delicious. I keep thinking about them.
Everything else, steak tips, mashed potatoes, cheeseburger was OK, nothing I haven't had better other places. -
Review from Gwen F.
Buffalo, NY
5/9/2008
The staff here is awesome. More than once, either the manager or the owner came by, just to ask how everything was. They keep blank journals at each table so guests can leave reviews, musings, greetings, etc (I bet reading those would be anthropologically fascinating).
The food has always been excellent - try the bubbly dip. And of course, they make a good martini.Listed in: Duh, Winning!
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Review from holly m.
4/10/2007 4 Check-ins Here
I live within walking distance of this place, and have for almost 2 years, and hardly ever went here. Seems incredibly silly to me now. It is a great little Irish bar right in Newton Upper Falls. The employees are super sweet and friendly...even when I got into an arguement with a friend. We were not agreeing when sitting at the bar one night and then the bartender came over and settled our disagreement. Yeah! That was amazing. And my friend and I still go there often.
The burgers are great and I love the little journals on the tables, super cute. Everyone comes here from office workers to construction workers to families. Its a great neighborhood spot for everyone. I love my 'hood!Listed in: Upper Falls/Highlands
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Review from David L.
Allston, MA
9/11/2008
After tennis during the summer, we usually end up at a bar in the Newton area, and that bar is almost always Dunn Gaherin's!
They're tucked away a little bit away from Rt 9 but it's not that difficult to get to.
The service here is fantastic, the food is tasty and reasonably priced, and they have a great beer selection! Lately, I've been fixated with the sirloin wrap and the wraps are something that I haven't seen anywhere else, it seems that they're either put on a grill or a sandwich press, which really adds to the food! -
Review from Monica A.
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
9/18/2010
We went there last night and was waited on by Kaitlyn. It was FANTASTIC!! I got a turkey burger that was really delicious and my husband got the buffalo chicken wrap and said it was really good, not too spicy, just right. My daughter got a kids mini hamburger and it was the same size as mine! It also was a REAL burger, not a hockey puck like kids sometimes get. We also got Sammy Octoberfest and it was served at the perfect temp. Not too cold, not too warm. Yummy!
Kaitlyn was very attentative and spoke directly to my daughter. It was lovely. We will definitely be returning! -
Review from Lauren v.
4/22/2008 1 Check-in Here
I love this place. This is about the only perk as far as working in Wellesley: proximity to Dunn Gaherin's. Truth be told, it was actually during an office outing that I discovered this place. The service here is great. There was a bit of a wait, but to accommodate us, the owner handed out menus and took our orders so that our meals could be cooked as we waited. After sitting down, lunch was served in about ten minutes. Pretty awesome. Not to say that the owner is the only attentive one, each server and busser I have ever had there was phenomenal. Clearing plates, filling waters. Great.
The food is also great. They have all sort of fries (regular, spicy, eggplant, sweet potato...) and I love me some fries! I am very partial to the buffalo chicken wrap. It is so tasty and packed so perfect that you don't end up wearing the blue cheese and buffalo sauce. The brie wontons are also delicious. And I can never resist them despite my sensitivity to lactose. The pastrami sandwich is also very good, the pastrami is very tender and juicy.
It is small, but if there's a wait- it's well worth it. -
Review from Kerri O.
Updated - 4/2/2009
Update: ate again, and went lighter with the blackbean and sausage soup. Yummy! Perfect for a rainy day. Got a salad, too. Also good.
Even better was the bartender, who was really nice to me.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/26/2009
I only ate here once, but did a bunch of gandering at other meals coming out of the kitchen. They… Read more »
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Review from Nicole L.
Brighton, MA
5/28/2011
Great atmosphere and friendly staff! The food is good as well! I eat here fairly often and have yet to be let down.
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Review from Carrie M.
Arlington, MA
6/27/2007
Table of 8, all special requests with their meals, waitress remembers everything and the food arrives with no problems. Fantastic!
Great place for lunch, pretty big menu and with sandwiches they let you pick your sides. Try the eggplant fries, they're so good, as are the sweet potato fries.
Only downside is the place can get very busy and it can be hard to move around. Oh, and for those trying to slightly watch what they eat, you will be surrounded by a lot of friend goodness, and fried food is my weakness! -
Review from Danny S.
Littleton, MA
4/26/2011
Wow, couldn't think of a better place in the Wellesley area to grab a few beers and some food. The food is great, the santa fe chicken pasta is amazing and then the steak tips with buffalo sauce really just does it for me. The beer selection is not bad for the size of the pub and they have 20 oz beers on draft which is always nice. Workers are real friendly and very attentitive. Lots ot tv's to watch a sports game. Just an all around great atmosphere and terrific place
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Review from Daniel L.
Boston, MA
11/4/2009
I love Dunn-Gaherin's. Admittedly, I'm spoiled since the pub is a minute's walk from my house. However, Dunn's is the perfect place to go when I want to catch the game and have a Guinness and a burger.
The prices are reasonable, but some dishes aren't cheap. Expect ~$5 for draft beer and $8-9 bucks for a burger with fries. The sweet potato fries are the best, and I usually get those instead of regular fries. Some of the dinner entrees are in the $15-20 range. The menu selection is a lot better than most people expect from a pub. For appetizers, get the brie wontons, calamari, potato skins or the nachos. Warning, the nachos are huge! Good entrees that I like are the sirloin tips and the potato-encrusted salmon. I think their burgers are the best deal, and I'm partial to the North Ender and Everything burgers. The sirloin wrap is really tasty too. Overall, you will get a good meal at DG's.
There are also appetizer specials from 3-6pm, and apparently Sunday brunch is now available as of November 1st. I definitely will be trying that out!
Another great thing about Dunn-Gaherin's is the waitstaff. They are friendly and try their best to remember your name when you come back. The owners Seana and Bob are extremely friendly, and they even invited me to their Thanksgiving morning get-together at the pub! I always come in feeling welcome and leave satisfied and happy. What more can you ask for?!Listed in: Food & Drink outside of Boston, Get Your Booze On!
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Review from Brad B.
Stamford, CT
1/4/2010
Great place!
Met up with some good friends for a night of fun and faire. This was the place to do it!
Had Guinness on tap (obviously) and enjoyed a few while I enjoyed my dinner.
Good food, simple. Had a Hawaiian chicken sandwich with seasoned fries. It was good, and just what I was looking for.
I am giving it 4 stars, cause my buddy comes here a lot for drinks, and he says its a good time.
Would recommend!
Cheers! -
Review from Doug H.
North Attleboro, MA
5/31/2006
This used to be a local favorite of my office friends until our business moved. It was a once-a-week trip to have their tuna melts or burgers. I have never had a bad thing here, and look forward to an opportunity to visit again.
Park on the street if you can; getting in and out of the parking lot is a tight squeeze. -
Review from Ben M.
Yarmouth, ME
3/27/2010
Just stumbled on this place, thanks to Yelp, and will certainly be a nice evening break when I'm on campus at Babson for school. A group of us just recently enjoyed a comfortable meal, while watching the NCAA tournament on the large flat screens throughout the place.
Wide variety on the menu, full bar with the normal Boston beers on tap.
Ordered the turkey tips, and they were tender and spicy. Great mix between upscale pub food and hearty restaurant entrees. -
Review from Jose G.
Newtonville, MA
3/11/2010
Overall very good experience for the following reasons:
1. Service is very friendly and attentive
2. Food is mighty tasty - i have come here twice and ordered the vegetarian special 2x and a turkey BLT wrap. Both were very tasty.
3. Reasonably priced.
What stops the big "D's" from getting a 5
1. Parking can be a challenge
2. I'm a big fan of wings both boneless and bone-in. My wife and i ordered the boneless wings and found out they were grilled. Granted a lot more healthier however i was expecting deep fried deliciousness.
Overall great place and strongly recommended
