I was going to say that this is the best thing I found in Boston, but it's NOT in Boston, it's in Cambridge. So Boston, you lose again!
You can tell a true irish pub with this dish - chips with curry sauce. THEY HAD IT and it was amazing. That is all I needed to be sold on The Druid. Thank you for having a true Irish pub (with a true Irish waiter mind you), and single shots that could count as doubles anywhere else.
This is the best place for Irish pub food in Cambridge. In particular, I like the bangers and mash, shepherds pie, beef stew, and fish and chips (which is served up with traditional fanfare, steaming hot inside a sack made of newspaper). Ok so I listed most of the entrees on the menu, but that just means most everything is wonderful and authentic (well, except they use Chinese newspaper).
The beer selection is average, but they have the staples. They are standard price and nothing to write home about.
I'm conflicted about rating the ambiance. On one hand, our waitress was exceptionally diligent and skilled. She was friendly even to the fellows at the table to our right, who would have been exact copies of the asinine Harvard d-bags from the bar scene in Good Will Hunting had they been more attractive. She was patient with the group of oblivious Asian kids who dumped all of their bags at the table to our left--the largest of maybe five in the tiny bar and the only one as yet unoccupied--and spent the rest of their time sitting at the bar. She remained stoic in the face of the belligerent hockey fan who hollered after every. Single. Goal. She did crack a smile when his team lost, though, possibly the most gracefully understated display of schadenfreude I've ever witnessed. Despite all this, she served everyone with speed and accuracy.
So yes, on one hand there is a kind, competent, Irish-accented wait staff, but on the other, your fellow patrons might include some irritating types. I think the food and the service tip the balance in the positive direction for me, but it's a mixed bag. So you just gotta ask yourself: how d'ya like them apples?
Have yet to find anything that hasn't been extremely tasty on the menu. Some of my favorites include the fish and chips, chicken tenders, oxtail soup and scallop salad.
The portions are quite large and can easily be enough for two people or two meals.
The  place is quite small and there could be a wait during lunch hours. Keep in mind that the kitchen closes at around 10, so don't go in expecting to order a burger at midnight.
Nice atmosphere and good place to get a drink. The Shephard's pie which one of my friends loves, I found too strange. It is soupy with lamb chunks like a stew and a  dollap of mashed potatoes on top. Very different from the many I have had.
They had live Irish music the night I was there
This is our favorite neighbor bar. Â We have probably been here a hundred times over the past few years and have never had a bad experience. Â The whole staff from the owner Mikey to all the bartenders and kitchen staff are always super nice and friendly.
The drinks are all reasonably priced and there's a nice selection of bottled and draft beers. Â The food is outstanding! Â Whenever we bring people here for the first time they are always surprised by the quality of food at this unassuming Irish pub. Â Go big and get one of the entrees. Â The steaks and chops are excellent but they also have one of the best burgers in town and the mussels are always fresh and delicious.
I really can't say enough nice things about this place. Â If you live in Cambridge and haven't been here yet what are you waiting for???
So, when we walked in here there were no spots at the bar but there were some empty tables, and we had just come from a place where a few of us had eaten dinner, so we asked the bartender if we could take a table just for drinks. "Will you being having a lot of drinks? Because if so, go right ahead." Lovely.
The waitress actually wasn't as keen on our sitting without eating, unfortunately (SPOILER ALERT: it all works out in the end). So we ordered some solid food to keep our hostess happy and went on about drinking our beers and assorted beverages. Small beer selection, but a couple nice things, and obviously the obligatory Guinness on tap. Drinks went down easy, and the waitress quickly warmed to us as we are all very charming people and our hearts are of solid gold. Our smiles shine like diamonds. Our words wash over you like a summer's rain.
But enough about me.
BEEF STEW, bro. So damn good. Better than my own, and I've got some stew cred in my neck of the woods. Also, curry fries? Why is this not more of a thing around here? They are excellent. And also fries are great dipped in stew, if you were wondering. The chicken soup was good from the small taste I had, and the Caesar salad was green. I was so enamored with the stew that I am set on getting back here to try the burger in the near future. Also I'd like to get there a bit earlier to nab a bar seat because I'm not really a table kind of guy.
But yeah. They want you to eat dinner at the tables, and I assure you that it is no great hardship. Just dig in and you will also be smiling rainbows and singing phoenix song before long.
Best. Veggie. Burger. Â Ever.
I hear the fish and chips are good. Â I hear it's a nice little place to have a drink. Â I enjoy hearing the Irish accents (swoon). Â But the veggie burger, oh, the veggie burger: Â don't know what's in it, and I'm 98% sure it's not healthy, but it's damn tasty.
I docked a star for not offering it during brunch/lunch on weekends.
I entered an Englishman. But I left with a wee bit o the Irish in me.
You know what I mean... Get your mind out of the gutter. I had Guinness and irish whiskey.
The Druid is a great little irish pub. I wish it was in my neighborhood because I felt so at home there. The food was good, the drink was good and the atmosphere was great. The place has a nice vibe. There seemed to be a lot of regulars at the bar and others stopping in to pick up carry out orders. It was very comfortable.
My friends and I really enjoyed it and will be back again for sure.
The girlfriend and I love this place.
Great, if busy atmosphere and a super friendly staff earn three stars alone.
They really deserve another two stars for having the best straight up, high quality pub food I may have ever had. It's not "a take" on pub food, it really is just pub food done really well. One of the better ribeyes I've had and at a great price.
The only two knocks I have on this place is the lack of a beer selection. Would be great not to go to bukowskis if I wanted a decent IPA in Inman. Also, the one time we tried going to brunch here was absolutely awful, as in better off at IHOP awful. A lot of that had to do with a staff I wasn't used to seeing there.
I've never ordered beef stew in a restaurant. I probably never will again. But the beef stew i ordered at The Druid was one of the most amazing things I've ever tasted. Can't miss.
The staff is super friendly, but the place tends to be insanely crowded, or at least has been every time I've gone. While at the bar waiting for a table, I couldn't find a place to stand that wasn't in someone's way. Â So not a good option if you're in a hurry. Set aside some time. Â You'll be glad you did.
The staff were nice, but under staffed and overwhelmed. Â The clientele is terrible yuppies. Â We went there on a Tuesday night, and it was a disaster. Â I am viably pregnant and asked how long to sit and was told 20 minutes. Â When the bar stool opened up behind me a guy and his girlfriend practically knocked me over to get to it. Â When a table finally partially came open(we had five it was a table for two/maybe three), the staff let the people sitting next to it add more people to their table making it impossible for us to sit. Â When we complained the staff just stared at us and said that was our table. Â We walked out and went to Trina's. Â Much better.
Review Source:Came here last night for drinks and dinner. Â Great atmosphere, nice cozy pub. Â Veggie burger and salad were great. Â Probably one of the best veggie burgers I've ever had. Â They don't have cider on tap, but the bottled cider they did have was great (Magner's). Â It was crazy busy but the service was still phenomenal. Â We were actually sitting in the corner booth closest to the window where you're barely seen and could have been easily ignored but happy we were not :) Â We'll be back :)
Review Source:In and out in 25 minutes. And this is a GOOD thing. My friend and I came here for a super quick drink and bite as we had to be somewhere in 30 minutes. We got our drinks (beers are mostly microbrew but they had Miller products) and then the most delicious chicken fingers I've ever tasted.
The chicken was tender and the breading was amazing, I'm wondering what breadcrumbs they use because they were de-lic-ious. And $7.
Do it. Amazing. I can't wait to go again.
Good beer selection, laid back crowd and decent beer prices make this place a good choice to stop in for a pint at. The bartenders are very considerate. Someone vomited near the front door and they started lighting incense all around the bar to clear the smell. I can't say it was totally effective but its the thought that counts.
Review Source:This place is truly a gem. The night I was there had live irish music, which everyone at the bar seemed to enjoy. The server was great, and the food was DELICIOUS. Everyone liked their meals, and the beers were cold, and the atmosphere was just really pleasant. Definitely would return.
Review Source:I really love this bar. They serve a great pint of Guinness which gives it HUGE street cred as an Irish bar. When you sell as much of it as they do there is a good chance that the keg is freshly tapped. No old beer here that's for sure. Bartenders do a fantastic job getting you a refill quickly without giving you a lot of foam. WIN. Also the food here is really good too. Menu is small but everything on there is top notch. Calamari, stew, steak, burger. Take your pick and you won't be disappointed. Music is yet another bonus of the place. I've been there when they have a dj. This local guy with long hair who is well known in the area. Kinda Matasyahu meets Cat Stevens on the wheels of steel. I've seen him at Middlesex Lounge too. Worth hearing wherever he is.
Shout out to Paul the Bartender!
This review is based not on their food or drinks (which I've always thought were great, having lived nearby and visited regularly for several years) but on my last visit a few months ago. I've wondered repeatedly whether or not to post, but ultimately I still feel a bit dismayed that it happened and it seems worth sharing.
I came in with my girlfriend on a Tuesday evening in the spring. The place was full and there was a wait for tables so we grabbed two seats at the bar when they opened up. People sat down either at the same time or shortly after we did at seats nearby. They were all given menus and their drink orders were taken. My girlfriend and I were never once acknowledged by either bartender, nor offered menus or asked whether we'd like something to drink. It didn't seem like the bartenders were more overwhelmed than any other busy night, and I didn't notice other patrons being overlooked. My girlfriend (a woman of color) and I sat for a full 10 minutes at the bar, chatting and catching up on our workdays and wondering what was going on - I've never had this experience before when coming in with friends or by myself. My efforts to make eye contact with both bartenders went unnoticed and at some point another patron looked over as if to confirm what I had noticed - that we were the only ones not being served.
The only thing I can assume, and I'm always VERY reluctant to do so, is that the guys behind the bar did not want a mixed race lesbian couple in their establishment. Whether or not it was a conscious effort to ignore us, I felt completely unwelcome and we decided to leave in favor of another spot down the block.
I hope no one else has this experience and that it's an isolated case (or better yet, a misunderstanding, though I'm doubtful of that). Still, the Druid has lost my business and that of several friends.
Five stars is a rarity but I had the ultimate meal at a locally owned, feel-good pub in Inman Square and I cannot recommend this place more.
The staff was so friendly and attentive I wish I could take them home with me.
My friend and I split the lamb Shepard's Pie and the fish and chips. The fish and chips came out in a newspaper (not touching it though obviously) which added to the presentation and the fries were slathered with rosemary. Yum!
The Shepard's Pie was awesome. Just enough lamb chucks with sweet potatoes and topped with superb mashed potatoes. No fillers, just deliciousness. Was piping hot, beautifully presented, and in the end, every drop was consumed.
Prices are a little higher than your average pub but the quality is why it's worth it. With an array of alcoholic options, at this classic Irish pub I couldn't say no to a Guinness and enjoyed it with my classic Irish meal. I felt right at home in this place.
We missed the live music by a few minutes but I definitely will be coming back here to try the rest of the delicious menu, especially eying the fish chowder.
Was craving comfort food and a good beer last night so I convinced my partner to take me to The Druid. Perfect choice!
We showed up around 8pm, hang around at the bar for 10 minute before being seated at a table. Ordered my favorite thing on the menu, the chicken and veggie soup. So simple, delicious, and filling and only $7. Partner got the steak with mashed potatoes and green beans. It was HUGE and cooked a near perfect medium rare, so hard for some places to get right. No really this steak was like three meals worth of steak and delicious.
Drink service could have been a little faster but their food quality, atmosphere and prices really just can't be beat. And no one does a simple chicken veggie soup like they do.
Trivia night here is a blast. Â Lots of MIT and Harvard nerds, which I consider a plus. Â I usually try to arrive around 7:30 to grab a table and some food and beers before things get rolling around 8:30 or 9. Â Service gets seriously spotty during trivia simply because there are so many people in there. Â I have no idea how they keep track, and they do an admirable job, but I still find the Boston pub waitstaff thing confusing. Â Like, why can't I simply order and pay for my drinks in cash, one at a time?
As for the food: The fish & chips are great if a bit expensive for the portion size, fish sandwich is delicious and pretty cheap, except it's served on plain white wonder bread, by design (the menu lists it this way). Â WTF? Â It would be about a million times better if they simply put it on a real bun of some kind. Â I've seen my friends demolish the mussels, too. Â
Really good beer selection, too! Â (Rapscallion and Franziskaner on draft? Â Hello.)
Despite living all the way over in JP, I make the trek to The Druid because it really is a great destination.
Hype.
The Druid has it, and can absolutely and completely back it up.
I'm used to paying the premium price for brews that pubs, taverns, and the like normally charge on the other side of the Charles. Â But the more-than-fair prices that Druid offers are extremely welcome. Â And hey, they've got Affligem on tap. Â Good looks, guys.
The food is pretty freakin' superb too. Â Right now, they've got their signature Lamb Burger on special, and I really think they need to add this to the menu. Â Savory, spicy, and perfectly cooked -- I loved this from the first bite to the last. Â I also had a chance to try the Hearty Beef Stew (the beef melts in your mouth and cuts like butter), the Irish Sausage, Beans & Mash (drool) and the Shepherd's Pie. Â Everything was phenomenal...and don't even get me started on the brown bread...I think my Irish ancestry was even full after that meal.
To top it off, the waitstaff, equipped with off-the-boat Irish accents and authenticity, were awesome. Â Polite, friendly, and accommodating, these guys really topped off my Druid experience perfectly. Â I honestly felt like I was in an authentic Dublin tavern for a little over an hour that Saturday evening.
To put it simply: The Druid is can't-miss Boston eats.
Yeah! finally had the opportunity to try this place again, and guess what, that was great again! We had the Shepherd pie and the beef stew. Both awesome, very cooked and lots of flavors. Tender meat. Great Irish pub dinner. I must say I couldn't finish the pie! first time in my life... remember I am not a princess but BOY! that was filling. So I could carry on the experience the day after.
Again, great place, nice and quiet-ish pub. You got to try it.
The Druid is the best Irish pub in the Boston area. The food is amazing (burger is in the top 3 I've ever had), diverse beer selection and the friendliest service in town! I've never had anything less than a great experience here.
It tends to get crazy busy around 6pm everyday, and it can be hard to get a table, but it's worth the wait! Even during busy times, the service never lags, and the pub attracts a pretty chill crowd. They have Irish music on Saturday afternoons too!
Brags (+): Tasty warm drink during the wintertime was nice (wine with spices? forgot the name). Also, the staff was super friendly.
Beats (-): Really dim red lighting... makes it kind of hard to see. The burger was almost OK, but the main deal breaker was that the bun of was not toasted. COME ON! Seriously, that's like rule #1. So the burger overall was mostly meh.
Variance (~): Constant Irish(?) violin playing. Adds to the pub atmosphere but if you're sitting close by, I imagine it might get pretty annoying
Best pub in Boston. Mikey and his staff are friendly and fun. I seriously jones for the fish sandwich- its amazing. The bread is always soft and fresh and you can't go wrong with either the sides- awesome fries and/or a lightly salted salad. Yum. The veggie burger and chicken salad sandwich are great as well.
It tends to get really crowded, especially on weekend nights, so get there at a reasonable hour if you want to get a seat. Weekend days are best- enjoy your pint, chat with the regulars, and relax. You may even see Cindy Crawford,Mikey's leading lady. :)
This place is the perfect location for a cold pint and a  warm bite on a snowy winter night!
I have noticed some unfamiliar faces in the kitchen that have coincided with a drop in food quality. Â I once though the burger was the most underrated burger in town. Â However, they no longer take the time to grill the bun, cook the onions, put their house mayonnaise on it or even form the patty nicely. Â I ordered the steak and the sauce on it was very, very watery. Â I haven't given up yet but I am definitely monitoring the quality issues at this beloved pub of mine; Â to me its simply The Pub as opposed to The Druid Pub.
PS, Â what is with the fancy french fry holder instead of the bowl of proper thick cut chips?
Good food. Â Good prices. Â Trivia on Wednesday nights makes this a fun place. Â
For food, my buddy and I had the mussels as an app. Â For an entree, I got the lamb kebab. Â My friend got the burger. Â Lamb kebab was pretty tasty. Â Definitely recommend it. Â Service was ok for this type of establishment. Â As the server was taking away the plate of mussel, my coat and I got a good dose of the sauce leftover from the mussels. Other than the spill, it was a good experience.
Trivia starts at 9 on Wednesdays. Â It usually finishes by 11pm. Â It gets way too cramped around 8 as people are piling in to get a seat for trivia. Â Tables that usually seat two people were now seating four. Â First prize is all the cash that is collected for trivia. Â Last place gets shots. Â There is also prizes for 2nd and 3rd place. Â You can have teams of up to 5, but we saw some a team of 7 that took first place that night.
We stumbled in here while looking for a quick place to get a bite to eat on our way from MIT to Harvard, preferably some place to watch the NFL (husband's request). Â There were a couple groups in here but mainly quiet during the early games (Patriots played at 4pm).
We split their fries, a side salad and their fish sandwich. Â Wow that thing is gigantic, so glad we split it. Â Really friendly bartenders and awesome Halloween decor going on in there. Â Loved the ghosts hanging from the ceiling. Â Seemed like it would be a good time at night too, very happy to have randomly walked in!
Strange, unfortunate veggie burger, tasted of lemon.
Dreary fries served with a runny unremarkable curry sauce I did not bother to finish.
One of the worst trivia experiences in Cambridge.
- Blatant cheating rewarded
- Overcrowding requires early arrival
- Disaster of a sound system necessitates shouting to be heard
- Late start just straight up aggravating
The bread was pretty good. I was reasonably happy with the beer list.
On the recommendation of Rebecca S, we ventured to The Druid on a cold, rainy evening to fill our bellies with Irish fare and some of that sudsy stuff.
I was already familiar with their interesting beer menu but when it came to the food, I was a first-timer. And unlike most first-timers, I was not left disappointed or bewildered. The fish and chips, sans chips sub their much-talked-about mashed potatoes (for small additional fee) not only came in a portion size fit for a fattie, it was so surpisingly good from teh fresh, soft bread to the crisp and season-battered fish, to the perfect amount of tartar sauce) I finished the whole thing. And all of the potatoes. Â Go ahead, call me a fattie.
The crowd slowed the service down a bit (I think our lovely waitress had to handle the entire place!), but we were more than understanding, as she was really down-t-earth and helped to broker the deal in getting the kitchen to sub out our 'chips' for a side of mashed.
Solid grub, plenty of brews, neighborhoody service and a bustling atmosphere dotted with live Irish music and makes The Druid an easy choice for a casual meal with (a small group of) friends.
You'll see it on the drink menu and contemplate... There is no need.. everybody needs a little bit of it in their lives... It's the ....
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- one star because if you can't get a seat when it's busy... it gets awkward standing in the middle with that fairy light thing hanging over you.
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