Very solid pub all around. Good drink selection, excellent food and live music every night. Some of the menu options are a little lackluster but some of the dinner options are the definition of comfort food when it chilly or wet (like it would be in the UK!)
The music selection is always fun and I never hesitate to take someone there if we're looking for an easy night out.
This is a good spot to listen to some live must and get a good pint of Guinness. It's one of my favorite spots in Boston generally speaking. It's very traditionally irish including the live jame session. The staff here is generally good, meaning I get my beers quickly. i never eat here, but love to drink here.
Review Source:I've been here a few times now and it's always a fun experience. My last visit was awesome, the weather was perfect and we got to sit outside. Me and my friend both ordered the burger and fries, both were outstanding. Mine was cooked perfectly medium and talk about juicy!! It's handsdown one of the best burgers you can get in the surrounding Boston area. I had my first pint of Sam summer of the season, icy cold and delicious! Our waitress was super friendly, on point and had a killer Irish accent.
They had local musicians playing Irish folk music inside and that day they also had a local artist fair in the back room where I scored some sweet new water color paintings by Joshua Porterfield. Â
The Burren is a great place to go with friends to enjoy good food, good music and good company.
I'd give it 1 star if it weren't for the atmosphere. Let me start by saying that the atmosphere there is FANTASTIC. Very musical, casual, open area.
However, I don't remember ever being treated so poorly by a wait staff in my life. When I was walking in one of the waitresses slammed the door open and nearly hit me in the face. She just kept going. Luckily me and my friend got her as our waitress. The place was very busy and it looked like she and another girl were the only wait staff, but the other girl was treating her guests very nicely. This girl, our waitress, barked at us and pretty much threw our food on the table and walked off. I ordered a buffalo chicken wrap and specifically asked if it had bleu cheese on it. She said it came on the side. I asked for ranch and told her it was because I am allergic to bleu cheese. I love buffalo chicken so I always make sure to make this clear wherever I go. So when she slams the food down on the table and I take a few bites, I quickly realize that I just ate bleu cheese. Subsequently, I spent the next 10 minutes in the bathroom throwing up. I had to leave my friend in the restaurant to pay the bill. He later told me that the waitress denied me ever saying I was allergic to the bleu cheese, and even went so far to go back to the kitchen staff and ask them if what they gave me was bleu cheese and not ranch, as if I was lying about getting served bleu cheese. Eventually they took the sandwich off of the bill. I would never go there again, and it sucks, because it looked like a very cool place.
My experience at The Burren has varied hugely over the last couple of years.
When I first came to town, I was so excited to find a place that hosted cover bands - and decent cover bands, not terrible ones. Â I have a special place in my heart for Cover Up! and for Red Square, especially. Â I used to bring groups of 20+ here on a monthly basis to boogie for these bands, as it reminded me of my Madison days, and always made for a good time.
Their brunch isn't terrible, but there are other places in the area where you can get much better food. Â Their food is all fine for standard Irish pub fare, but it wouldn't be my first pick of a restaurant. Â Their biggest draw for everything is their music. Â The music in the back, the live music in the front - I especially like the Saturday afternoon jam group with banjos and mandolins and the like.
But friends, I can't do the Burren anymore. Â Not at night, not in the back. Â It is packed beyond belief, the kids there are douchey and bro-y, and while I'd come back for the music, I'm too old for the scene. Â A place that used to be at the top of my evening-out list has sunk below the middle, and while maybe it's been the same all along and maybe it's just me that's changed, the 5-star feel I used to get from The Burren is now a 3-star feel, at best.
Another Somerville haunt that I can't believe I haven't rated yet.
The Burren is probably one of the most authentic Irish pubs in Greater Boston: it attracts a little bit of everything and everyone, as you might expect a local watering hole in Ireland to. I can't imagine going on a Friday or Saturday night when cover bands play in the back room and they charge a cover, but I do love it on a Sunday afternoon or even a weeknight when you can hear some traditional Irish music or other more acoustic style musicians in the front room with not cover. I've eaten here once (back in 2009) and vowed never to do so again, but they always have Smithwick's on tap, so there's really nothing to complain about : )
Saturday night, party of 6, seated right away at 8pm. It's a typical Irish-like pub when you walk in. Nothing fancy. But at least the rats don't bother you.
On this night they had some sort of bluegrass band playing up front. They were a bit loud for being as good as they were - but they were fun, so that's cool. That's the nice thing about bluegrass, you don't have to be that great to be fun.
I've also been there many a night for bands in the back playing all sorts of covers - those are always a lot of fun!
Food:
-Sangria: sweet, a bit like fruit juice, not super flavorful
-Balsamic chicken: suggested by the waitress, lots of dressing/sauce, quite tasty, on top of mashed potatoes - definitely good
-Bangers and mash: bangers were great, though tiny. Mash were tasty, seasoned and with cheese
-Fish and chips: lots of breading and very fried. Not much seasoning. Chips were thick and decent. Not very seasoned.
-Mixed green salad: decent little salad, could be bigger for the cost (restaurants make SO much money off salads)
-Black bean burger: tasted like beans held together by a bean paste. My friend quite enjoyed it
-Greek salad: enjoyed
The Burren...
I think I love this place for different reasons than most.
1) the out door patio seating on the street
2) The MUSSELS ARE SO GOOD....Beer and cream sauce.. $5.95 for LUNCH... with bread!!?!? common now.. get with the program!
I think one of my favorite things to do in Davis SQ. is sitting outside drinking Sam Summer and eating mussels
The service,, eh.. once I came with 6 people and everyone was forced to buy a dish of food. We could not split apps, or just order beer. I thought that was a bit ridic seeing how we were going to keep the drinks coming.
Inside: not really my scene, dark, old school Irish, and not really feeling the music.
Not that there is anything wrong with that, but im good..
Worth the trip for some good beers, outside atmosphere and to flex on some mussels!!
This Irish pub, is as good as it gets here, as far as us Yanks should be concerned. Tommy McCarthy has hit a home run with the Burren, bringing music, food, community, and drink to the Boston area with this local favorite. A good portion of the staff is from the auld sod, too.
If you're in the area, this is a 'must visit'.
I love The Burren! Â Everyone loves The Burren! Â I've been here twice, and I love it more and more every time I come. Â Last night, the server I had was literally the sweetest and best server I've had in the longest time that I can remember. Â She was very patient with my order (think Meg Ryan from when Harry Met Sally), and my food was perfect!
I love the vegan options. Â I got a the walnut salad with Thai Peanut Dressing on the side. Â Oh my goodness- that dressing! Â I wanted to go in the back and steal about 5 pints of it! Â SO GOOD. Â Ask for a side of it no matter what you get. Â Seriously. Â And you're welcome.
Taking away a star because, as my friend said when we walked in last night, "Wow, it smells like piss in here." -__-
I come to Boston once a month for work, and every time I'm there I make a point of hitting the Burren for lunch at least once. The clam chowder is easily the best I've ever had, to the point that I've only tried a few other things on the menu, since I always get the chowder. Staff is friendly, the environment cozy, and all in all it's a great place.
Review Source:I like the Burren - good beer selection, good, live music, okay bar food. A dark, dingy feel appropriate for an Irish pub tucked away in Davis Square.
Was disappointed by the service recently though. A group of friends and I grabbed a couple tables to have food and drinks. The waitress asked us to order from her if we were sitting but also mentioned that we could order from the bar. Understandably, to avoid confusion, and because she had to leave early, one friend paid for her drink at the bar itself and told the waitress. At the end of the night, though, the waitress claimed she hadn't paid (which we confirmed she did) and that we should instead pay her again. She'd also expected a friend with a $30 tab to leave a $10 tip.
I understand it's not an easy job but think there should be an either/or. Either let patrons order from the bar individually or don't when you also have table service. But willing to give it another chance.
I've been to The Burren many a time, from meeting friends for casual drinks to going to their old '80s cover band night in the back room to popping in for a break during the annual Sci Fi Movie Marathon (over at the Somerville Theatre). Â It's fine. Â It's okay. Â It's nothing particularly special, but it's a fine place to go. Â They recently reduced their beer list and cut out my all time favorite beer (Young's Double Chocolate Stout)... but whatever, it is what it is. That happens.
This last time I went (on Sunday 2/17/13, during this year's Sci Fi marathon), two things bummed me out:
1) We went in for dinner and drinks.  I ordered the greek salad.  The description on the menu described what  would expect from a greek salad- kalamata olives, feta cheese, greek dressing, peppers and other miscellaneous veggies.  What I got was dry lettuce (not even nice romaine), cheese that may have been low grade feta at a stretch, but didn't taste like much of anything, particularly feta, a side of dressing that was greek-ish (?) and canned black olives.  Now, an Irish bar serving a greek salad... that actually sounds about right.  But the description was highly misleading, and the salad was way overpriced for what I got.  My fiancé loved his crab cakes and my other two friends loved their soups, so the food isn't all bad, but they really need to either revamp or reexamine that greek salad.
2) Later in the evening, an hour before closing, I needed a break from the marathon.  Two months ago, my best friend passed away unexpectedly and, obviously, I'm still recovering and dealing with my grief.  One of the movies triggered a reaction and I needed to go get a beer and talk to my fiancé. So we walked back over to the Burren, ordered a Guinness each, and started talking it out.  I was crying, but trying to keep it discreet so as not to make anyone uncomfortable.  Where we sat down, there was a significant draft, so we decided to move to a corner table.  I noticed the bouncer keeping an eye on me, but thought little of it, except that he seemed uncomfortable/annoyed for some reason.  So as my fiancé and I talked out what I was feeling and I cried, I noticed the bouncer kept coming over and keeping an eye on us.  Then, when it was last call, he came over and told us we needed to wrap it up.  Mind you, the entire bar area was full, as were several tables.  We were the ONLY ones he spoke to.  Then, as soon as we took the last sips of our drinks, he came over to us and, in an exasperated tone, said "okay, it's time for you to get out of here". Â
Now, I'm not an unreasonable person. Â I worked in the serving industry. Â I KNOW how annoying it is when people won't leave after closing. Â So I try my hardest not to put waitstaff, bartenders or bouncers in that position. Â And if we were the last remaining people in the bar and it was properly past closing, I would understand his exasperation and take the fault on ourselves. Â But that wasn't the case. Â Again, the bar was full and NO ONE else at that point had so much as gotten the beginnings of a heave ho, let alone the last and final, annoyed "OKAY time to get out". Â I don't know what he thought was going on, whether he thought I was "over served" (I wasn't even tipsy, mind you), or if he thought I was getting broken up with and that if he didn't kick us out right then, it might drag on too long past closing... or if he is just uncomfortable with crying women in general? Â But either way, I was rather upset that this bouncer's attention was so pointedly focused on us. Â If the attention was equally spread to everyone left in the bar and he was just very prompt with his duties as bouncer, I would understand. Â But the difference in his timing and his focused persistence was what really threw me as both odd, and left me with a very bad taste in my mouth. Â
So, in future years, I might stop in for a beer during the marathon again if I can't find anywhere else. Â But I certainly won't make any effort to come any other time of the year- in fact, if it's suggested by a friend, I will probably suggest we go elsewhere.
I am half Irish and grew up in one of the stereotypical Irish Catholic families overrun with cousins, beer, whiskey and delicious hearty food.
When I first moved to Boston I thought I would find pubs overflowing with my brethern who also appreciated a nice frothy pint and a robust shepard's pie with some Irish Soda Bread.
Right? WRONG. Chicken fingers as far as the eye could see and more Bud Lights than you could shake a stick at.
Enter, The Burren. Dark and cavernous, without feeling gross and dreary. Every time I walk in I feel like I'm about to go hang out with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf (nerd alert!) especially on Sundays when they have awesome live bluegrass. It's a great way to wind down the weekend, for sure.
The food is pub food, but they have some legit Irish staples. My favorite is the Guinness Beef stew. Huge chunks of beef, potato, carrot, onion and celery in a deliciousthick, salty, stewy broth, served with dark Irish bread. Yum! The shepard's pie is also awesome, especially if you love mashed potatoes, which the cook clearly does.
Now for the booze, the peeps here know how to pour a damn Guinness. As a former bartender I know it's a pain in the ass, especially when there's one hundred thirsty drunks in front of you, but these chaps do it with aplumb. There's a great whiskey selection and the bartenders usually know their stuff. The only problem with the staff (and this isn't always a bad thing) is that their relationship with the "Regulars" sometimes gets in the way of their service. Also...put down your damn iPhones people. This is your job!
Anyway, I love the Burren. I always expect one of my drunken cousins to come stumbling out of the bathroom everytime I go in there.
I don't know what to say about this place because I don't feel that strongly but it's alright. It is your typical Irish pub (that really goes all out w/the Christmas decorations!) and they have a decent beer list. It is not froofy but it is not a dive either. It seems like the place you'd go and people would know your name, there would be regulars, etc. They had a Magners pear w/ginger which I thoroughly enjoyed and had never had before. I went w/my brother who had a fish plate w/friends and I didn't eat the fish but the fries were good. I am a picky fry eater and I didn't think I'd like them by the looks of them but I was pleasantly surprised.
I discovered the "back room" when I asked if there was an ATM. Not sure if this is a dance place or live music place at night but it was empty at the time and not being used but it really made the place a lot bigger, which is probably a good thing on weekends.
The crowd was a mix of people in their 20s, to couples with babies to some interesting characters.
A good place to go if you want to chill and grab a drink.
Can't speak to quality of drinks. The bartender was nice but it took me about 25 minutes to get his attention to get the bill. This was annoying because I had a place to be! Luckily my lovely brother & his best friend ended up just paying for me so I could head out since it was taking so long.
It's such a shame to update my review and have to give The Burren 1 star.
We came in here for lunch.. and there was a huge party before us so we suspect that's what took our food so long. But how long you ask? around 30-40 minutes with virtually no apology. But let's rewind.
Upon coming in, we order water and drinks. We dont get anything for about 10 minutes. Thats a REALLY long time when you're thirsty, and getting drinks to the table should be an instant thing (I would know, I'm a server). So after being thoroughly ignored, we finally get our drinks and then we give our orders. This is when the 30-40 minute wait comes in. The food is definitely not worth this wait, I can tell you that off the bat.... during our ridiculous waiting time, we had finished our drinks, and no one came to refill them until AFTER the food hit the table. Even then, they refill without adding new ice, so it was just luke warm beverages to accompany our delayed meal. Also, the side dressing was wrong... To top it off, we got a pathetic apology from our server, who didn't even seem genuinely sorry AND there was no visit to our table from a manager or anything done to our bill.
HORRIBLE customer service. Definitely not coming back for a long time, if ever. And it's a shame, since I now live in this area and wanted to make The Burren part of a routine :(
The Burren is my favorite local haunt in Davis Square. They have great live music whether it be different types of bands in the back bar or the always entertaining Irish music in the front bar. The bar staff is friendly and hilarious plus they know how to PROPERLY pour a Guinness.
The food here is really good too and the dim light atmosphere makes it a nice date nook. There are no TVs here but that is done for a reason, most Irish bars wont have TVs to encourage conversation between strangers and not just have everyone slugging beers and drooling at a TV mindlessly. However if there is a big sporting event on they will bring in a TV for the front but that is the only exception.
Looking for a good time any night of the week but even more so the weekends? Go check out The Burren!
I came here with Jade R. two days ago for lunch.
Wow! Super inexpensive. Which wasnt a total shock because it is a Irish pub/dive bar feel to it. But for those prices you expect gross food, and it was not.
I really liked the Mozzarella sticks that I ordered. They were super gooey and the marinara was yummy for dipping. Def would order these again.
I got the large mixed green salad only $5 and it was definitely large! There were a couple pieces of lettuce that had turned bad. Which happens sometimes, but it is definitely un appetizing.
My friend got the Tuna Wrap, see enjoyed it. Took the other half to go.
Also LIVE music! Very cool.
This place is awesome! Ended up here last night to escape from the Bruins game and was happy about it. The bartenders were friendly and helpful, the beer selection was fine, and the atmosphere was awesome (although it was a Wednesday night). I'm a big fan of quiet places where people can hear each other talk and the Burren delivered.
Totally unassuming on the outside, this place seems like a great place to go for live music AND they had trivia night going on in the back when I entered.
Excited to go back.
It's St. Patrick's Day, and for me, that means the Burren, the largest pourer of Guiness in North America (its true)!!!!
Walk in, and its a place of contrasts, the fiddlers and traditional Irish pub band in the front, and the punk rockers rule in the Back Room. Either way, the beer is flowing, and the Irish breakfasts keep coming. The Irish breakfast is a combination of fried black and white puddings, eggs, bangers, and toast for a rather pricey $12. The bangers are sweeter and thinner than your average sausage, but just as nice. The puddings are made with actual blood and pork intestine, nicely fried to counteract the tinny taste from the pig blood (relax, its not nearly as gross as it sounds). The eggs were a big overcooked, and the toast was plain jane. The beans were nice as well, but didn't really meshe with anything on the plate.
The music was great that morning, as it always is, and if you get there early enough you avoid the cover, and you can use that money to buy a perfectly poured Guiness (though if you want a good Irish stout, get a Murphy's).
Erin Go Bragh!
It's loud and crowded and when you decide to exit the bar, from the Back Room, that journey is a 20 minute trek through the longest exit-path/hallway of my life.
Live music all the time! Great for finding awesome cover bands, local acts, etc.
Food is GOOD. Beer is GOOD. Prices are FINE.
Come early before the crowds, leave when you no longer have enough room to stand.
Fun! Need to come here more often.
My friend and I came here for the free comedy show that plays every Wednesday, which features local comedians. Â I can't speak for any other night, but good god, you should come here on Wednesdays.
The first thing I saw when I walked into the bar made me do a doubletake. Â It was a table of what looked like coal miners (overalls, plaid, beards, vaguely dirty looking) playing really catchy folk music. Â There was an upright bass, a violin, and I thought I saw someone playing a jug. Â Turns out they were the entertainment for the front half of the bar, with the comedy show in the back. Â We wandered into the back, though I have to tell you, I really kind of wanted to hang out with those coal miners. Â They looked like a lot of fun.
In the back is a pretty open area with a stage and a bar. Â It was exactly the way you'd expect a comedy show to go - comedians went up, tried to make you laugh, some succeeded, some failed, everyone was drinking. Â The comedians were decent, but the audience very forgiving for the most part. Â Typical drink selection, decent prices. Â A very, very pregnant woman came on stage and I'm not going to lie, I thought it was a little dicey. Â Maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but women 8.75 months pregnant should not be hanging out in dingy bars telling jokes to strangers.
Lastly, some inbred mouth-breathing Masshole came onstage and made a shitty Lloyd from Entourage joke about yours truly. Â I've been putting up with that kind of idle ching-chong ping-pong nonsense since I was 5, so it was really just annoying more than anything else. Â But Dan Moy, the half-chinese bartender built like a brick shithouse (seriously dude was like 8 feet tall and just as wide) took offense. Â And he gave me a free beer. Â So take that, racism.
It's a nice bar; I liked what I ordered, which was a draught harpoon IPA and potato leek soup. Â The latter arrived with a 3/4 inch slice of what I suppose might have been irish soda bread. Â It was actually quite good too (slightly moist, both chewy and crumbly), and accompanied the soup honorably. Â The bartender was attentive but not excessively so, and brought ice water with soup without my asking which was much appreciated. Â
As for the scene, I believe 20 somethings had the slight majority but there was a a full range of ages. Â Friendly, casual, sociable neighborhood vibes.
Decor was warm, lots of thick worn wood. Â Fairly clean. Â Bar stools comfortable, though not cushioned. Â Music was a not-too-loud-but-clearly-audible celtic mix. Â I came before live music started though.
TLDR: nice, friendly irish bar.
We stopped here yesterday on a Zombie Pub Crawl. Â Mind you they were pre-warned for weeks we were coming with 25+ people. Â We sat down at two tables. This was the third out of 4 bars we would be stopping at on our Zombie Pub Crawl.
We saved out appetites so we COULD EAT HERE! Â The table next to our two tables opened up so we asked if we could have it for our other guests. Â The waitress was absolutely rude and screamed at us: "WE HAD TO EAT HERE!!" Mind you it was our intention in the first place. Â Never mind the 25+ we just brought into your establishment to drink alcohol in. Â She had an attitude from the minute we walked in the place. Â Mind you, We did nothing to her to be treated rudely..
Don't tell us it's alright to put you on our route for our Zombie crawl if you're going to treat your customers like crap. Â We had a fantastic day until we got to your establishment. Â We decided NOT to eat at your restaurant and leave and walk across the street to The Joshua Tree! Â The last stop of our Crawl where we were treated like royalty and not treated like trash that just walked off the street.. Â They treated us with respect and courtesy. Â Maybe you should really re-train your staff...I wouldn't be caught dead entering your establishment again..EVEN AS A ZOMBIE....
I'm sorry, WHA HAPPEN? Â I'm having trouble hearing you. I went to the Burren Saturday night to see Red Square. Since then, I've had a slowly-dissipating-but-not-quite-vanishing ringing in my ears; and, you know what? IT WAS WORTH IT.
The first time I visited the Burren with my friend Laura J, we drunkenly wandered in on a whim one Saturday night and stumbled into the back room -- which we quickly learned is cover band hea-ben. Since then, I've been back more often than I'd like to admit.
How can I resist? The staff is always friendly, the drinks are reasonably priced and when I'm in dire need of food in my belly, the tasty friendly's-style chicken fingers off the bar menu do the trick! Yes, this place can get insanely crowded and I often leave sweatier than I do when I exit BSC. However, if you're willing to throw some 'bows and toss some hos when necessary, a good time can be had by all.
After a few years, The Burren is still near and dear to my dive-bar-loving heart. To illustrate my point, tonight several things went down:
1. Buffalo chicken fingers (guilty pleasure goodness in my belly)
2. Several pints of Harpoon IPA (standard)
3. Cans of PBR (shame)
4. A serious dance marathon courtesy of super-rad cover band, Red Square (bad ass)
5. A wedding reception (no, for real)
That last one isn't a joke. A real-life bride and groom had their wedding reception on a Friday night at The Burren. The groom even got up on stage and made a toast in between the band's songs, kissing his new bride in front of all our friends and quite a few random college kids and drunken locals. Everyone applauded. Including me.
No, no, no.
There are several qualities that warrant a decent review, but the Burren jumped on the failboat with the first drink I ordered.
They watered down my martini. Â That's it, game over, sorry, but the princess is in another castle. Â I actually watched them add water. Â
To some of us, the martini is a sacred thing. Â I call foul!
I arrived on a Saturday night at 9:20pm to beat the cover charge, which begins at 9:30. The bouncers charged me anyway, informing me that it in fact starts at "9:15...ish". Â When I suggested that they would claim it started five minutes before whatever time I might have gotten there, I got a snicker in response. Impressive. Strike one.
At the bar, I ordered Jack Daniels, neat. Â It was $6 -- no big deal, except that what I got was no more than an ounce of whiskey. Â Fantastic. Â After observing a few mixed drinks being poured, I discovered mixed drinks were the only way to go here. Â Apparently if you like your alcohol sans fruit, ice, and a straw, you're SOL at the Burren. Â Strike two.
After waiting an hour for the band to set up as the crowd filled in a bit, I hoped that maybe the music would liven up the experience. Â Sadly, my last hope was dashed as the band led off with Uncle Kracker's "Follow Me." Â I cut my losses and left immediately.
So to recap... I paid a cover to some douchey bouncers for the opportunity to get ripped off at the bar and listen to an Uncle Kracker cover band. Â Can't wait to do it again.
I could give 3 stars as I don't dislike this place, but there's absolutely nothing to impress me therefore I deducted 1 star.
Rather than food or drink, I vividly remember this place because of an incident that occurred to me in Thanksgiving weekend of 2004.
I went to the bathroom. A dude was using urinal facing the wall(obviously) so I used the toilet. Then I headed for the sink to wash my hands and I could still see the dude on the mirror still taking leak. When he turned around, I went "Holy shit! Matt Damon!". Yes... It was indeed Matt f*ckin' Damon. Although I was done with washing my hands, I prolonged it just to see if I could make a small talk out of him. But!
....He walked out without washing his hands.....
I sprung into action, grabbed his right shoulder from behind and said "Mr. Bourne.... you need to wash your hands...." Â
Well.. that was what went through in my head. I didn't spring into action. I merely saw him off walking out of the bathroom without washing his hands. I didn't want him to pull off "Jason Bourne" maneuver  on me. I probably need to write a screen play for another sequel "The Bourne Insanitary" or something.....
I hate The Burren.
I used to come to this hellhole every Thursday in grad school to see the "Swingin' Johnsons," a mediocre 60s-70s-80s cover band. Â At first it was cool - Hey! Â Let's have fun! Â Woo! Â Fun! Â Yeah! Â Cover band!
Then it slowly dawned on me that by coming here on a Thursday you're hanging out with a bunch of brain-dead ex-fratboys who are trying desperately to recapture their misspent youth of tricking ugly girls to sleep with them. Â The unacknowledged misery, misogyny and self-loathing oozes out of the musty back room.
Everyone here is so irrationally chipper and happy, it makes me ill. Â You're all deluded people! Â No one could be happy at hearing "Brown Eyed Girl" or "Band on the Run" for the eight millionth time! Â I'm sorry to burst your bubbles. Â No, wait, I'm not.
The front room isn't any less annoying, not because of the music (traditional Irish, which is fine) but because of the dingbats trying to imitate Riverdance. Â You aren't Michael (or Michelle) Flatley! Â Stop trying!
Finally, this horrid place apparently refused to give a gig last week to Culan's Hounds, an Irish-Punk-Roots band from San Francisco that is really good. Â For shame.
ILL-NAMED, SORRY EXCUSE FOR A PUB
The actual Burren in Ireland is a barren expanse of stone and solitude, an eerily silent, tree-less landscape that lends itself to peace and contemplation. Â The Burren is Boston is quite the opposite. Â
This pub reminds me of a noisy, overcrowded frat party complete with blaring music, elbow bumping, and throngs of people competing with each other to get the attention of the bartenders. Â Live music is generally a plus, but the sound system and the mix is simply awful leading to a deafening cacophony that will definitely make you want to move on to your next destination.
My roomie was chatted up by a Leprechaun here. So it really is an Irish bar. Granted, it was Halloween and he was in the full green Leprechaun outfit but he was Irish, he did have a very thick accent and he most definitely did have ginger hair. What he did lack was his Lucky Charms - my roomie wasn't interested. Poor guy.
Anyway, that was a good night at the Burren. A proper party with a typical pub band and everyone in great costumes for Halloween - even a set of matching Oompa Loompas. But most other nights I've been there it's not been as much fun. It's usually too noisy for conversation, too dark for sign language and too full of look-at-me Tufts girls to feel like a really good Irish bar.
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