The food was ok and the cooking temperature was screwed up. The waitress gave us new meals and gave us a few beers! She more than made up for the experience. I appreciate it and would return for appetizers and alcohol. Don’t go with food…
Perri V.
Place rating: 4 Newton Highlands, MA
I didn’t come here to eat, so I can’t speak to that, but it is a great spot to meet up for drinks. There are lots of little nooks if you are hoping for a more private space, but if you’re out with a bunch of people, there’s still enough room for a larger group. The beer selection is a little disappointing, but other than that it’s a pretty good place.
Alex S.
Place rating: 4 Watertown, MA
I don’t remember ever eating here. But they pour a good pint, the crowd is lively and it’s a great place to meet friends, talk and listen to some music
Michelle D.
Place rating: 1 Allston, MA
One weekday lunch at Porter Belly’s tells me all I need to know. Perhaps the Guinness is a great pour, perhaps this rumored live music night is outstanding, perhaps it’s the favorite hang of a certain Brighton subculture that overlooks all the negative because all their friends are around. Look, I get it. In college my friends and I «owned» one of the crappiest pubs in a blighted New York suburb that today you’d have to pay me to step foot into, let alone drink from one of the glasses. A friend and I met up for lunch at Porter Belly’s on a summer Tuesday. At noon there was no one seated at any table, though the bar was holding up a rowdy group of men who appeared to have nothing else to do during a work day. They were drinking and watching a game on TV, hooting a little too loud when somebody did something clever with a ball. The good: my Porter Belly Salad was very nice, loaded with tasty roasted mushrooms, tomatoes, and big chunks of grilled red onion, dressed in a tangy olive oil & lime dressing. It comes topped with filet mignon tips, which I requested, and got, rare. It was delicious. My friend ordered a chicken sandwich and fries, she said it was good. The bad: – No unsweetened iced tea. Sweetened only. – No coffee. NOCOFFEE. Guys, seriously, set up a Keurig and stock some basic dark roast and decaf K-cups. This no-coffee thing is surely an embarrassment, isn’t it? – Snippy waitress provided decent but terse service. No warmth nor welcome whatsoever, which she either doesn’t realize makes a diner feel like a problem instead of a customer, or else she just doesn’t give a hoot. I can get a good salad with steak on top anywhere, including next door at Esperia, so I think I’m all set with Porter Belly’s.
Maggy E.
Place rating: 4 West Roxbury, MA
This has got to be the BEST Irish pub in boston! We absolutely love the food here! I know they aren’t a craft beer establishment, but adding a couple more crafty selections would push this place to five stars. It’s adorable. Quaint. IRISH! Local.
Tom S.
Place rating: 5 Newton Upper Falls, MA
This place is a true gem. I feel very comfortable there. All of the staff is very nice, no one is stuck up. they have a couple nooks to sit in where you really have your own space so thats cool. Great place to go, no snobs, no judging, cold beer, great food.
Colleen Q.
Place rating: 4 Eliot, ME
This was my place with my BFF(before she moved away). It was our spot with reasonably priced food and drinks. Would recommend to others!
Lisa G.
Place rating: 1 Allston, MA
Food decent, drinks fine. Had a bartender who I believe was named Sean. Came in for the evening shift and started verbally attacking some girls who had been there for a bit. They were joking around with each other and minding their own business, and he started yelling«f you» and calling them«idiots» and being completely degrading because apparently one made a joke about about the cash tips sitting on the bar that he didn’t like. One was trying to explain her well intentions for about 20 mins and after degrading her for the whole time, she was bawling. Don’t think the food and drinks are good enough for anyone to deserve that. If you’re in a client service profession, you can’t let a bad day of your own impact the treatment of your customers.
Lauren G.
Place rating: 2 Portsmouth, NH
This review is just for food, not nightlife which may be great. Just came in for brunch/lunch at noon on a Saturday with 4 friends. Unilocal listed a brunch menu but when we arrived we were told that they don’t do breakfast or brunch. Maybe just Sundays? We ordered Bloody Mary’s, two vodka one bourbon. I don’t drink them but my friends said they were bland and the olives were bad. We were told they were also out of coffee. One person ordered the Irish hot chocolate and did say it was good. We chose to leave and go somewhere else for food.
Kelley H.
Place rating: 5 Boston, MA
My go to place when in the city for dinner and my St. Patty’s Day bar! The staff make you feel at home they are just lovely!
Liz L.
Place rating: 4 Boston, MA
One of my favorite local places. They have a variety of tasty burgers and beers. They also have live bands and djs as well, shows are typically thurs-sun. Some of the staff is fresh off the plane from Ireland.(who uses boats for long distance travels these days) I’ve never been disappointed with my food, and there are some nice coves you can sit in for smallish groups.
Annie K.
Place rating: 3 Los Angeles, CA
Adorable, quaint, and cozy interior, I was so excited to get a quiet Monday night dinner with a friend here! Quiet, it was not. A group of people were screaming for no reason and faced no repercussions. There was EDM music blasting in the background that matched neither my mood nor the mood of the bar. Our waitress was a little snippy but was attentive and our food was good but my salad was overdressed. They could stand to get a few more beers on tap! Overall, it was a decent dining experience but I would definitely go back on another night to give it another chance.
Chris M.
Place rating: 5 Royal Oak, MI
It’s a really decent Irish Pub. Some of the bartenders are off the boat and the rest are just plain friendly. I truly love a good beer and whiskey but have never actually had a drop here. I come for lunch when I can get away for a bit. I may very well be in love with their Chicken Curry and Fries. Hand cut steroid sized fries with really tasty Curry, makes for a bit of a stomach issued work day but I would eat this a few times a week if I lived in Boston. I do struggle with beer prices in Boston and I know that we are spoiled in Michigan with quality and price but one of these days I’ll have a proper drink here.
Michelle J.
Place rating: 5 Waltham, MA
I love this place! Here’s why: — Amazing staff(friendly, helpful, fun) — Live music, good variety and it’s always fantastic — Fun crowd, always end up having a great night when I stop in — One time I got a Guinness glass with my name engraved in it(yay promos!) — Laid back atmosphere And lots more… Really you should just go! It’s going to be a good time.
Rae S.
Place rating: 4 Brighton, MA
I had my parents in town, and after having lived in the UK for a few years, we wanted to visit a place with a touch of an authentic pub. We passed by on a walk and saw the gorgeous flowers on the windowsill, so we had to stop in and check it out. After reading past reviews, were weren’t sure what to expect. I can say, and my very picky parents as well, that we were thoroughly impressed. They had a menu of dinner specials but also a few authentic pub favorites. My family and I settled on the chicken curry, fish n chips, and a pork roast dinner. The food did take a bit of time to arrive, however we were able to enjoy a round of drinks and the Irish bartender’s company.(He even comped some drinks later due to our wait). The food was worth it for sure! The portions were great and I almost felt like I was back in the UK with the flavors and the great pub chips(fries). Definitely worth a try for yourself if you’re looking for a pub experience.
Nancy K.
Place rating: 4 Brighton, MA
I like Porter Belly’s. The beer is always cold and they have a decent variety on tap. The food is decent. The staff are funny and friendly. It’s a pretty relaxed place. Good neighborhood spot to have a relaxed beer in an unpretentious crowd.
Andrea T.
Place rating: 4 Nantasket Beach, MA
Pro: burgers, fries, draft beer poured correctly, cheap beer buckets, fantastic deal Con: kitchen can be seen from bar and after watching that show«Bar Rescue» i feel that if they pull that equiptment up we may see some crazy stuff because it was slighly dirty around the edges
Dave R.
Place rating: 1 Brighton, MA
I’ve never felt so compelled to write a Unilocal review. Went here for«Traditional Irish Breakfast» on 3⁄17. First off, if you’re going to make a habit of selling breakfast, consider having coffee. No coffee, tea only. Now, the breakfast… Let me start by saying I’ve enjoyed an Irish breakfast at several other locations around Boston and this was quite disappointing. Let’s start with the brown bread… There is no brown bread. You get toast. Ok, here are your options of toast: white. Here are your options of jam for your toast: butter. The home fries are your basic run-of-the-mill, probably frozen, uninspired and unseasoned steak French fries. The bangers seemed like your basic breakfast links. The rashers were ok. Nothing spectacular. A little dry and bland The fried tomato was … Absent. The baked beans were poured out amorphously upon the plate and mediocre. The black and white pudding looked sad… One small piece of black and one disturbing-looking piece of white. They tasted so-so, perhaps a little over-burdened with sodium. The eggs were cooked well, over easy. Though for two eggs, I only had one yoke(?). I was able to have a bloody PBR. I was presented a glass of PBR and a glass of Mary mix to mix myself. Which is ok since they’d never heard of one before. Their Mary mix was ok, a little light on the spice and horseradish. The Guinness was a good pour and creamy. The service was … Present. The four top got their full compliment of food before the two of us did, after arriving a good 10 – 15 minutes after us. The waitress did apologize for that though. Overall, I wouldn’t return. The Irish Breakfast was pretty much just breakfast, and not even a very good one. There are much better Irish breakfasts to be had in and around Boston.
Marissa S.
Place rating: 5 Brighton, MA
Three words. Get. A. Burger. Seriously, their burgers are killer, but, then again, all of their food is great. This is one of my favorite places to go in Brighton Center. It’s convenient, it is inviting, and it has great food and drink. It has a very authentic air to it as well and is popular among the Irish in the area. I just really enjoy the atmosphere. What I like best about it, is Porter Belly’s is a great place to go for a fun night out or a quiet dinner. I love stopping in there after a long day at work for a pint and to get some reading done. Right after work it’s quiet and I never get harassed, which is huge when you’re a woman in a bar alone. It’s small and the seating is limited, but it’s cozy and I’ve never not been able to get a seat. The service is a little bit slow, especially when it comes to food, but that’s because they have such a small kitchen and, in my opinion, it’s well worth the wait.
Keith l.
Place rating: 1 Boston, MA
I wish someone had punched me in the junk right before I walked in here, so then I had to go the dick hospital instead of eating here. It took an hour to get a burger and a buffalo chicken wrap, in an empty pub. Server stood around chatting with the other servers and the kitchen staff while we waited. And waited. No apology or explanation for the long wait when the food arrived. Don’t worry, my burger was lukewarm with burnt bacon and my date’s wrap was drowned in blue cheese dressing. Consider this review me punching you in the crotch. You’re welcome.