Tried this bar a couple of times but found it a turn off. Â The owner's wife is a real winner, acts like she's the queen of the world. Â Food's kinda blah, beer list isn't much and the same crowd is there all the time. Â Guess it's OK if you're from Watertown and don't want to try anything new or meet new people. Â In a couple of years everybody in the place will be in wheelchairs or walkers. Bottom line it's an old peoples place.
Review Source:Donohue's is a good local sports pub. Â Of course it is not fancy. Â So lets go to the food. Â They do a great job. Â Burgers, sandwiches and appetizers are great pub food. Â The food is 4 stars for pub food. Â I had the homemade sausage sandwich which was great.
Why 3 stars? Â I was surprised at the lack of beer selection. Â Usually I am here for lunch so I do not even look at the beers. Â Went there for dinner and did not care for the beer selection. Â I do consider myself something of a beer snob so take that into account but I thought it was still a small beer selection. Â Service was slow for dinner (not lunch). Â They said there was a party in the back room that backed up the kitchen. Â Not my fault.
I go to Donohue's on a near weekly basis for trivia on Wednesday evenings which is actually both a lot of fun and very well hosted. I actually remember meetings my friends there and having done zero research about this place - from the outside it seemed like just another generic Irish-themed bar that would serve some Guinness and some mediocre bar food. I was completely wrong.
Actually Donohue's excels at a lot of things. It's spacious, there's a solid number of televisions and the place serves up some great food. I've had it all. Their burgers, their pastas, their sandwiches, you name it, I've had it. And so have my friends. We actually eat there when we go to trivia and a lot of us look forward to digging in. Not only that but their food is actually priced pretty fairly and comes quickly. Add to that a pretty decent beer selection (although they have no printed list which drives me nuts) and decent service and it's basically become one of my favorite spots in Watertown, if not my favorite.
They also have a pretty decently sized patio in the back where people can lounge out and relax while downing a couple of cold ones and there's also a ton of events taking place there on a near daily basis. While I have yet to attend any of those except for trivia, I'm definitely considering it in the near future. And as far as trivia goes, the host, Michael is outstanding and one of the many reasons we only go there now - Don't believe me? Check out his Yelp ratings over at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/michael-o-neill-boston">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
Overall the place is clean, stands apart from all of the generic pubs by providing a great experience both on the side of service and on the food and drinks and it's definitely a winner in my book. Like I said, my only complaint is that I have to ask our waitress to name their craft beers every week because it's not printed anywhere. Why not add a printed sheet with the menus? It would simplify everything.
Oh and did I mention that they have food specials for every day of the week including weekends? Prime rib dinner on Saturday and Sunday is only $13.95. They also have half priced appetizers after 9:30PM until the kitchen closes every single day. And that's just a few of the many deals they have. Awesome!
Donohue's is a great local bar with very tasty food, a good selection of beers and enough TVs that you can see whatever game you might want to watch (and several you probably don't care about.) Â
I've heard they do an excellent Irish brunch on Sundays though I have yet to experience it. Â I will update my review when I do.
Great sports bar. Tv's EVERYWHERE! Works for me being a big sports fan and all. Kind of cramped set up on one side. Difficult to maneuver towards the bar. Heineken Light available. YES! $5.25 for said Heineken Light. NO! Cmon now this isn't Cambridge? Normally $4-4.50 everywhere I go that's a bar. Restaurants always charge a little more but the name of this place says it all. BAR and Grill.
Cool room for big parties in the back. That's where we were. The staff was great and very attentive!
Broken door lock on one of the women's bathroom stalls.
You can't go wrong at Donohue's for the most part. The beers are cold and delicious, and served in any method you can imagine. Towers of at least 15 beers (you must have 4 people in your party though to get these), pitchers, by the glass, and of course bottled. I am not sure about cans, but who cares??
It's a great place to watch a game, but it does fill up for big games like any good sports bar. They have tons of tvs, so you are never too far away from one.
The food is standard pub fare, and its done well. The nachos are good, but the best thing here in my opinion, are the wings. They will cook them however you want (well done is how we go...crispy is best) with a few sauce choices. The sandwiches are good as well, although I have never tried an entree. I like the steak and cheese, prime rib sandwich or the homemade sausage.
The staff is always friendly and helpful, and the vibe is a good neighborhood bar that makes you feel welcome.
The only thing that is stopping me from giving them another star is the lack of peanuts. You could always count on a few bowls of peanuts with your beers, and they were good too. Of course, they got rid of them recently because of allergies people were having to them. When as a society are we going to stop adjusting to everyone's needs and issues? If you are allergic to nuts, go elsewhere or don't have any. This is how we weed out the weak in life!
Bring back the nuts Donohue's...PLEASE!!!
Checked out Donohue's on a whim because my friend and I were in a trivia-playing mood last Sunday. Â Glad we did! It was a fun atmosphere for trivia, and the host did a good job. I was glad to order a Wachusett Blueberry and have actual blueberries in it! Â Too many bars skimp on that. Â Ended up seeing some old college friends there, as well. Â I'll definitely check out the food next time.
Review Source:I really dont get the love for this place.
Dont get me wrong, its a fine place to watch the game and the service is good. However, the food is horrible. The shepherd's pie was medicore at best. I had better at every other pub I have ever been at. The prime rib is beyond terrible. The cook should be arrested for serving it.
Stop by for a few drinks to watch the game but do so after eating elsewhere.
Groupon Now pointed me in the direction of Donohue's and I was pretty happy with what I found. Â The place is located at the end of this very nondescript street and I never would have found it otherwise. Â It's a typical sports bar. Â Good food - I stuck with typical pub fare (burger, fries, mozzarella sticks). Â Decent service; a little slower than I would have liked but overall good. Â I went for lunch in the middle of the day. Â There were people there but it wasn't crowded. Â They had a ton of good deals on drinks and such (wings on gamedays, etc), but alas I could not partake of the cheap pitchers that day. Â Next time I will though - gotta get the full experience!
On-street metered parking, so bring quarters. Â I don't know that neighborhood very well, so there might be free on-street somewhere else, but directly in front of and across from the place was all metered.
Reasonable prices (especially with GrouponNow), decent food, decent service, good drink deals and a chill atmosphere make this a place I will most likely go back to.
Food - Pretty much any time of day, you can go into Donohue's and get a great meal. Â They have good bloody mary's to go with some of the best breakfast burritos around if you're in for breakfast. Â They have a good list of sandwiches and paninis for lunch (Southwest Chicken Panini FTW!). Â They have a ton of different entrees for dinner as well. Â They have specials and themed nights (Taco Tuesday!). Â The appetizers are great. Â They do onion rings nice and thick, the way onion rings are meant to be done. Â
Drinks - They have a pretty decent beer selection with a few atypical selections (Goose Island comes to mind, but I know there are others). Â The cocktails are usually a little on the strong side but very tasty. Â They do make a mean Bloody Mary, as I already mentioned. Â Good beer specials too. Â
Atmosphere - Sports bar-esque. Â 360 degrees of TVs. Â There's gotta be a dozen or more TVs in the main room, and I don't sit in the back room as much, but I think that has at least 6 or 7 as well. Â They recently opened a patio, which I haven't been to yet, but I do love me a good patio. Â They have Keno in there - so you can win your meal! Â
Waitstaff - Always quick, friendly, and attentive.
That about sums it up. Â It's always easy to find parking ether on Bigelow or Nichols St. Â Wanna watch a game and get served some tasty food in Watertown? Â Donohue's is your place.
Ahhh Donohues.....
This is, without a doubt, the best Sports Bar and Grill in the area. I have seen some great moments in Boston sports and at a FRACTION of the cost of those overpriced, overblown sports themed bars. (coughcough..game on, cask and redone horribly...coughcough)
Towers of draft beer and great food. Laid back as it gets. Great staff, great owner.
Go watch a game! Or check out the new patio in the back. Say hi to JD. Dance on a table. You will dig it.
A little spot I'm glad I found. Will make you a quick lunch in a rush, or serve you delicious ales all night during Trivia (Weds and Sund). they have Goose Island IPA... someone loves me.
Try: Soup and sandwich at lunch ( a beer if you are feeling naughty).
Try: Nachos or a never-ending pasta at dinner. More beer, please.
Donahue's is a great place to slam a burger and watch a game. The outside appearance is a little off-putting but it's a friendly, neighborhood pub with suprisingly good food and awesome service. Both the bartenders and waitstaff are personable and accommodating.
Watertown obviously has a pretty weak bar selection but this is a solid choice for a weeknight rendevous with Buck Hunter or a place to share a pitcher and do an Irish Jig. I have yet to try 21 Nickels but why fix what isn't broken?
Donahues is a townie bar with cheap beer and pretty good food. While I have been here many times this is a great place to catch a game and hang out with friends.
It is very laid back. I really like the boneless wings because they are not coated in breading they are just chicken which I really like. They give you a heaping portion and it is good to share with a group. I have had the quesadillas and nachos as well many times and those are good as well.
They tend to have good beers on tap that they switch out regularly. They also make some pretty delicious mixed drinks.
I have never been to 21 Nickels or Donohue's and only frequented Conley's a few times. Â I wanted to see what the local bar scene has to offer since we could probably walk here when the weather is nice.
We met another couple here for dinner and drinks, strangely it was their choice even though we live in Watertown and they don't. Â I chose a beer on tap that was a bit too hoppy for my tastes but still pretty good. Â Our server was very friendly and did a good job keeping our thirst sated. Â It certainly was not crowded but the people in there were locals.
I ordered up the prime rib dinner, which is a steal at $12.95. Â Once I got the side salad, I had a hunch all the food was going to be good. Â The lettuce was crisp, the veggies were fresh, and it was quite large. Â When the prime rib came out, itwas not chewy or tough like it can be at other bars/pubs. Â While I would have liked horseradish, the au jus was not too salty. Â The garlic mashed potatoes were homemade and delicious. Â I was very happy with my meal and made mental plans to come back soon.
I believe everyone enjoyed their food and drinks. Â The atmosphere was casual and the people friendly. Â I could see us doing this again multiple times.
When you got it, you got it, and this bar's got it: good beer for low prices, bad beer for low prices, great bartenders, good food, and regulars playing Keno.
The atmosphere is comfy, cozy Boston-Irish-wonderful. Â There are TVs all around. Â The bartender was very friendly and knew all the regulars. Â Excellent.
Despite some hesitation, I ordered the prime rib quesadilla. Â And, you know, it was good! Â Nothing special, just prime rib and some cheese, with guac and sour cream on the side. Â I appreciate the simpleness. Â
And with Goose Island IPA on tap, I was happy.
If future visits prove to be as good as my first visit here, a fifth star there shall be.
So, we used to be 21 Nickels people. We haven't been there for a while because Donohue's is, lately, more our speed. And because these two bars are practically next-door to each other, one can't help but make comparisons.
Donohue's crowd is older, and more laid-back. Both bars get crazy on the weekends, but I prefer the shorter two bars of Donohue's to the long gauntlet of Nickel's; one can walk through the place with out having to say "excuse me" with every step. The bartenders' favorite CDs seem to be more 90's rock (which on one Monday night was Martin Sexton's "Black Sheep", taking me way back. In a related note: nobody minds if you sing along at the bar).
Tap selection is more limited, and also more adventurous. For example, on a recent visit, there was only one IPA, but it was Goose Island (very tasty). And there are surprises like Kona's Pipeline Porter. In opposition to the menu at Nickels', Donohue's isn't all that creative; however, it is solid, even expected bar food, and the quality ranges from decent to really good. A favorite is the Cajun Chicken Sammich. $1.50 taco night is cheap and wonderful. Â
The decor is that of a college dive, wood paneling and beer posters all over the wall. Waitresses and bartenders are friendly, especially if you say "hello" first. Definitely acknowledge the regulars with a nod or a "hello", too, because that makes all the difference in feeling comfortable at a place like Donohue's.
One bar is not better than the other, especially talking about going out for dinner and beers at the beginning of the week. But Donohue's has a more casual, relaxed vibe - and that's often appealing.
Can't believe I haven't given Donohue's a review yet. Let me start off by saying it is an awesome bar with cool bartenders and waitstaff. I leave about 5 minutes from here, so it's super convenient.
The food is off the hook and they have my favorite beer on tap (Hoegaarden). It never gets old. Always fun. They have trivia nights and live music on occasion.
Also love being able to choose which side to hang on depending on whether I'm in the mood for low key or my usual crazy night :)
Solid sports pub in east watertown. the food is meh, but the beer selection aint' bad and they've got every game a man could ask for.
Check out their coupons on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FRestaurant.com&s=0aab4cbd731f3d3b0d1453050d3abc56a8c80bd214e25469c7555b750dca8a51" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Restaurant.com</a>. You can get $25 worth of food for $10. Awesome.
Did you know Donohue's serves breakfast? Â I'm a little hesitant to spread the word; on a Saturday or Sunday morning you drive past the Deluxe Town Diner and see all those people standing outside waiting for a table, but just keep driving two more blocks and you'll be able to walk right in to Donohue's and sit right down at a table. Â Even with little kids in tow ... it doesn't feel like a bar at this time of day, and there are plenty of other families having breakfast there as well. Â
And it's a quite decent breakfast at diner prices (actually, much less than that famous diner down the street). Â And did I mention that they serve very good Bloody Marys? Â They do.
OK, so it's not the funky little diner down the street. Â It's dark and pub-like inside, and there are a million TVs all on at the same time. Â The coffee is definitely not the best in town -- your basic Bunn-o-matic swill. Â Some tasty French roast would be a real asset.
But to be able to get in and seated right away makes this place a hidden gem. Â Just don't tell too many people about it.
I'll give Donohue's 4-stars for being in Watertown (that's an upgrade). It's a pretty decent sports bar with a HUGE screen in the right room. The menu is huge and the food is better than one would anticipate for a sports bar.
The lobster roll and ribs, I recommend. The lobster roll is simple as it should be with a butter-toasted roll, lobster meat and a tad of mayo. Â The ribs weren't fall-off-the-bone but were meaty, moist and tasty. The coleslaw that came with my ribs was a bit too bitter as there was too much red cabbage that was cut in large pieces. My friend had some fish with broccoli - I didn't try the fish but the broccoli was excellent.
They have a great beer list and make sure to get Jack's Pumpkin Ale before the end of the season. They serve it in a glass rimmed with sugar and cinnamon. They also have Firefly Tea Vodka - make sure to get it with lemonade (AKA - Arnold Palmer).
One drawback was that they charged us extra for another ramekin of blue cheese dressing for the boneless wings which came with minimal  dressing to begin with.
Great neighborhood pub. Minus one star for being in Watertown.
Food is decent but the draw of this place is the beer tower. The Root Beer drink is great too. It will knock you on your butt.
Minus another star for being all about Springfield State, ehck western Mass.
All in all, not bad, and I will be back again.
Granted, I've only lived in MASS for a few months now, but Donahue's is slowing becoming my favorite watering hole.
Who can resist a $28 beer tower that has, oh, slightly less than 1 billion ounces of beer?!?! Â TV's are a plenty and if there's any sports game playing within a 2 million mile radius, they're sure to be showing it. Â
The food is tastey and affordable...try the SW chicken panini. Can't decide if you fries or onion rings as a side dish---no worries, you can get both! Â Mmm-mm. Â And though I've yet to frequent either of em (keyword YET), they have karaoke on Thursdays, free wings on Friday (3pm-6pm) and trivia Sunday nights. Â
Good digs.
I really want to give this place more stars. The food's great, the wait staff is great, it's got a laid back atmosphere. The beer list isn't good but there is something for everyone (there was even a beer for me. Only one, but a good one).
I'll start with 5 stars and explain my deductions:
1 star off for the beer list. There really was only one beer that I'd get there, the longshore IPA. They had Hoegarten, Smithwicks, Guiness and Stella, though, which is great for people who drink those beers.
2 stars off for having televisions in every direction. You just can't escape them. Why? Why do you need 15 televisions in such a small area? I mean, I like watching sports at a bar as much as the next guy, but I don't need to see every game everywhere ever. And being the kind of person easily  distracted by flashing lights, it made it difficult to have a conversation.
I give them a 1 star bonus for really good service.
Price was reasonable given the quality of food.
In the final analysis, this could be a great place if they turned off 2/3rds of the TVs and expanded their list of beer. Mostly ti's the TVs for me. If you're looking for a bar in Watertown to watch the game, grab a bite to eat, and get a drink, look no further. I guess its also great for trivia (we left just as it started) and comedy, but I can't vouch for that. For a nice quiet night out with that special someone (or just a night out with someone) there's better places.
This place is unbelievable! Â The food is great, and the drinks are even better!
The wings are what you should come here for! Â I think they still might have 10 cent wing nights on Mondays (maybe Sundays too, but I can't remember), which make it well worth coming here! Â They get messy, but if you want to impress the waitstaff, don't ask for extra napkins.
The only gripe I have with this place is its too much of a local's bar. Â Don't come here if you want to hit on chicks. Â Don't spend a weekend night boozing here. Â This is more of a "I feel like getting a few beers in me on a weekday" or "damn I'm hungry!" joint.
This is a good place to watch a game as long as you get a booth/table. Â There isn't much room for standing around, otherwise. Â TVs and projectors are everywhere, and they turn up the sound.
I was happy with the service. Â It was open seating when I went, no hostess, so don't wait to be seated. Â The waitress was friendly and easy enough to get a hold of if you needed something.
The food was typical pub grub, but it all looked good. Â I ordered a sampler so I could try a few options (wings, fingers, onion rings), and none of it disappointed. Â They have cheap swill here ($2.50 Bud drafts), and they serve a 10-glass pitcher if you're so inclined (no discount because we're in MA, but still cool).
One criticism I have is that it appears to be a tough area for parking, especially considering it's Watertown.
5 stars as far as sports bars go. Â Highly recommended.
Anyone who gives this place less than 4 stars is crazy.
Food: The best bar food around bar none (pun absolutely intended). Â There isn't anything on the menu that I have tried that I haven't liked.
Drinks: Â Good beer selection at a reasonable price. Â Yes, its slightly (wish I could italicize that) more expensive than comparable places but that's made up for in other areas.
Service: Â Its generally really good. Â The servers try hard. Â Often the place is so busy at unexpected times that they just get overwhelmed. Â Its not infrequent that large groups just show up out of the blue. Â I'm often in those groups.
Atmosphere: Â Its a friendly place with a mix of locals and local professionals myself being in the latter category. Â JD, the owner, is often there and engaging with anyone who chats him up. Â He's serious about running a good business and runs lots of charity events. Â There are numerous flatscreen TVs to watch the games. Â Its a great crowd for sports as everyone is engaged in what's going on.
Best Deal: Â Between 3 and 6 you can get a free pound of wings with a pitcher of beer.
It's all about the peni-uts. Donahue's has peanuts at its bar, and dang, such a simple food tastes no more delicious than when you're slugging down a beer, elbow to elbow with your marketing agency co-workers and watertown locals.
We disregard crappy and boring Pedro's. We forget about 21Nickels. Buff's is way too crowded. Donahue's is "the" place for us after work whenever we decide we haven't seen enough of each other during the day. The service is decent, the prices are fair, they have beer towers, and offer a good selection of appetizers if you tire of nuts.
The two rooms are small, and not usually packed (unless peeps from Athena Health crash the party). There are a ton of TVs for you sports nuts (ha! nuts!).
So. Next time you have a job in Watertown and a thirst for some libations, head over to Donahue's. Man. Anyone up for a beer right now (1:43 PM on Friday)?
I'm not gonna lie to you, I'm a sucker for an authentic Irish bar.
You know, one where families bring their kids and old men drink whiskey like it's water and they just completed a marathon.
One where the band is singing songs you find yourself singing along and you don't even know when you learned the words. ("...crying cockles and mussels alive, alive oh")
Oh wait, now you remember, you learned those songs back when the catholic grade school you went to celebrated St. Patrick's Day in style!
Back when you put on a big show and you all wore green and sang all the old favorites about overalls in Mrs. Murphy's chowder and Danny Boy.
You felt special because your mom put lots of curls in your hair and a big green bow and even put a little of her rouge & lipstick on you.
But you were jealous of the girls who took Irish step dancing and got to wear those amazing dresses and got all of the attention.
Anyway, that's what I loved about being at Donahue's the other night. The songs brought back all of those memories. The good and the bad.
Donahue's has everything I need in a bar, except for Coors Light. Â The food is decent, the beers are cold and quickly replaced, the waitresses couldn't be cuter. Â Trivia every Wednesday, "the fun starts at eight," a sign says, classic.
So long as you go at popular hours the help is great, less popular times and the service diminshes a bit.
I have tried 21 Nichols (nickels?) across the street, but prefer the larger more friendly atmosphere at Donahue's. Â In addition it is my opinion that 21 Nichols should be called the $1.05 as that would be far more clever and get me to go there more often to respect their creativity. Â Instead they took their address as the name. Â Mules.
This place is good to watch the game, but 21 Nickel's around the corner is a better neighborhood bar in my opinion.
Generally, people really prefer either this place or the Nick, but once people chose they rarely frequent the other place.
So judge for yourself, they are only 40 feet apart.
Went there for dinner on a weeknight. Â The food was horrible. Â The stake tips were incredibly salty and practically unedable. Â My friend ordered fish and had the same thing to say. Â The place wasn't very crowded on the night we went but they had a DJ that was blasting hip hop and hosting a trivia game, which everyone was clearly very annoyed by. Â Probably a good place to get a beer and watch a game, but avoid getting dinner here.
Review Source:THE BEST BURGER IN BOSTON
and believe me, I've tried a few!
This place is a Watertown institution. If you're looking to get a pitcher of beer, an inexpensive lunch, or just some all around good bar food, this place is worth checking out.
Tons of TV's for watching games (again- if you're into that sort of thing ;-) Triva nights. And I heard they have a full breakfast menu on the weekends.
I'm pretty loyal to any place that serves the best burger around. Stop in, you might get loyal too.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,916 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
