This place was good, I would try it again!
We started with nacho's which were ok, they could have used more sour cream or salsa and the chips were sort of stale but they were edible.
I had the chicken melt which was delicious, the rest of the table had a  burger, steak tips and a burger melt and all were good.
Service was good and restaurant looked clean and well taken care of. Â Looking forward to trying again!
Looking for an Irish pub, but don't wanna deal with the douchebags in Lowell? Come down 3a to Billerica to this place. The staff was friendly and helpful. The food is spectacular for pub fare. The beer selection is limited, but they pour a damn fine pint of Guinness (and serve bottles of Magners which is rare). It can be a local hang out during the week, but no one will give you much static. The "Somerville with Trees" is gone.
Review Source:I'm not sure why there are so many bad reviews on here. I went here with a party of 20, so obviously we put them to the test.
I thought the food was very good, I had a Lamb special they were offering and I thought the Lamb was of the finest quality, and cooked to perfection. Everything from the appetizers to the main course, to the desert was exceptional.
I thought the staff did an excellent job considering the size of our party, everyone got there food at the same time, and no one complained of it being cold.
I thought they had a very good bar area, with a good list of beers, I do think for an Irish Bar/Restaurant, they should step up their list of craft beers.
All in all, I had a good experience, and would defiantly go back
This is the third year we have gone to the Emerald Rose for Thanksgiving dinner. Â the first year was terrific, the second just so so and the third (this year) not so great.
The food wasn't that warm, the soup was tasteless and they now charge extra for the dessert with the turkey dinner.! Â Just not the place it used to be!!
Fabulous night. Overall the food is good, the bar is awesome. The music was very enjoyable. But what made the night were our bartenders Jamie and Danielle. Their service, smiles and attitudes were what made tonight so special. Thanks guys we had a great time.
This is definitely one of my favorite places.
The steak tip appetizer is not to be missed. The wings are okay but nothing to write home about.
I like this place but I think it tries to be fancier than it is. The inside of the building is very Irish tavern style (few windows, lots of wood). The kind where I remember getting looks in Ireland because I was not related to anyone at the bar. The wait staff was very helpful though and very patient. For some reason I can't put my finger on I can't see myself going there regularly.
Review Source:Just had dinner at the Emerald Rose. The service was fair... To put it mildly, the food was TERRIBLE. Â Started out with Onion soup. Tasted like heavily salted Motor Oil.
I had the Baked Stuffed Haddock. Tasted like it was steamed. Cole slaw was bland and tasted like it was sitting for quite a while.... My friend had the Crusted Pork  Loin.
Had a Gamey taste to it. Â Also past its due date. No apple sauce available. Â We expressed our dissatisfaction with the onion soup. However, after that it was "uncle" lets force down what we can tolerate and Not Come Back!
I sincerely doubt that this was an isolated bad meal and would not even consider returning..
Do yourself a favor and pass on this highly over-rated Choke and Puke and enjoy a good meal elsewhere.
This is only a late night review. Â
It was close to St. Patty's day when we ventured into this establishment. Â The scene was festive and seemed very fun. Â As we walked in, there was a band playing some traditional Irish songs and everyone was having a good time. Â We were told we could sit anywhere...
Once we took a seat, we noticed a waitress walking around. Â She did not seem to notice us and no other wait staff was available besides a busy bartender. Â I caught the attention of the waitress and she said someone would be out to help us...not quite true. Â We ended up ordering our food up at the bar and basically, waiting our own table. Â
The burgers were ok....I've definitely had better. Â
I liked the atmosphere, though I wish I would've liked the service and food more. Â I could see this place's allure in this town though. Â
I'm nowhere near anymore, and I'm not going to remember this place nor come back.
One of the best meals I had in the surrounding Boston area. Â The seafood jambalaya was excellent! Â Piles upon piles of food, I couldn't come close to finishing my meal. Â Beer was excellent. Â Atmosphere is superb, tv's showcasing sporting events, a huge bar with a large selection of beer and alcohol, and friendly and attentive wait staff. Â I highly recommend dropping in! I know I'll be back one day!
Review Source:Came by on Labor Day for lunch. The weather was beautiful so we sat outside. We had a great server (Donna) although her name tag said Jessica (haha). I had the chicken avocado sandwich and my SO had the nachos (with chili). All very good and excellent mojitos.
We'll definitely come back.
Stopped by the Emerald Rose on Sunday (3/6) , this is my 2nd time there in as many months. Food is amazing !! Hats off to Bob Murray (Cafe Escadrille) and his partners fror maintaing the high quality reputation for food, drink and service. I was in the habit of stopping by the "ER" for drinks and live entertainment but had not sampled the food. On this visit had a traditional turkey dinner that was just outstanding. As a starter, I am normally in the habit of ordering a cup of their homemade chili, I am a big fan, but ordered it to go because I chose to start with a shrimp cocktail.GF had the scallops and bacon, and tips and dips app accompanied with the ER salad, all three were exceptional.
OK, here is why the review is a 4 and not a 5 : I have been eating shrimp cocktail since my Dad bought me my first one around 1966 at the old Union Oyster House on Canal Street near the garden. (the one that burned down). So you could say aside from chinese food, I consider myself a connoisseur of the shrimp cocktail. As you know most shrimp cocktails are priced per shrimp, so a $1.75 shrimp is a certain size and a $2.25 per shrimp is larger.In addition, shrimp pricing in the suburbs compared to downtown Boston is also different. So when ER charged $2.25 per shrimp and they are located outside of Boston, I expected and oversized, top of the curve shrimp. What I got was at best a $1.50-$1.75 shrimp. This may seem petty, but keep in mind, I ordered 4 of them, some people would order 5. So  you are overpaying $2.00-$2.50.
Also : serve some sauce with these overpriced shrimp, don't spread the limited amount of sauce over the lettuce. Presentaion was nice, but the customer ALWAYS wants more sauce.
I'll be checking back !!
A nice place with good food and service, but hardly an Irish pub. The menu offers only a small handful of Irish fare amid a mix of typical pub food and more upscale offerings.
All in all, a worthwhile place for food, drinks and maybe some live music. However, if you're looking for an Irish pub, this isn't the place.
Literally the only decent place I could find in the area that didn't feel like I was walking into a mall. Â (which, um, is the entire town of Burlington)
I was on a mission for Nachos and draft beer and found them here. Â The nachos were pile of guilty pleasures: cheese, salsa and salty, crunchy chips.
I also have a really odd obsession with stuffed mushrooms and they not only have them here but they are quite yummy.
There is a triva night, cover bands and overall a fun and spacious place for a beer and some bar food. Â Don't wear a tux unless it is a T-shirt tux or a canadian one (jean jacket over dungarees!)
The Emerald Rose warm, inviting Irish pub. There is a large bar in which live bands can play and there is also a dining room.
We went on a Saturday night and there was a cover band playing. It wasn't that bad. Kinda cheesy but not horrible. The beer selection is great. They had my two favorite beers on tap, Sea dog and New Castle and they even scooped blueberries in the Sea Dog.
The bread was yummy. They had white roll and raisin rolls and a sweet cream butter. We got the nachos as a starter and they were pretty decent nachos. Melty cheese and salsa. The salsa could have been a bit spicier but other than that it was good.
What makes this a 4 star review is the Fried Calamari. It was really bad... so bad that the person who ordered it had to send it back.
However, my dish was really good. I got the Irish Seafood Stew. There were big sea scallops, shrimp and haddock in a leek, tomato, and fennel broth. It reminded me of something my Irish Nana would have made. It was wicked yummy.
Emerald Rose has delicious food and is always packed with people on weekends. I actually wouldn't even recommend going there on the weekends unless you get there early for a seat at the bar or a table because if not it is next to impossible to get near the bar to order a drink.
Drinks are good but on the more expensive side.
Fun atmosphere and good music playing.
Im glad Billerica has the Rose, its become a staple for me and my friends. The reason to go is not for the food, or service but for the large bar area where you can meet and greet the entire town of Billerica on a Thursday night.
Although I am giving this 3 stars I want to mention that I have had one of the worst experiances with a server here in my entire life! I was a server for 3 years so I cut a lot of them slack, but this lady was the biggest b*tch I have ever encountered, and she was horrible at her job.
Walking in to the Emerald Rose, I thought it was a bit fancy at first but it happens to be just right.
My first experience was with the bar menu. Appetizers and a glorious selection of beers on tap. I opted for a Shipyard Pumpkinhead, which the delightfully dipped the edge of the glass in cinnamon and sugar before pouring this work of perfection. Delicious!
The apps are average price for most chain restaurants, but clearly the put much more of an effort into preparing them. Buffalo tenders and steak tips were to die for. The tips were buttery and melted in your mouth.
I couldn't resist, so a week later hit up the dining area for a full meal and yet again treated myself to the tips, with a side of rice pilaf and a dinner salad. Perfection.
I love The Rose! Â They have GREAT beer - a nice variety on tap and in bottles. Â It also changes so there is always something new to taste. Â That said, there is also a decent wine list. When you order by the bottle, the wine list becomes even more interesting. Â (I would give them 5 stars if I could have Malbec by the glass.)
I generally have gone here after work or late night. The appetizers are always delicious; even the nachos and spinach dip taste fresh and not at all greasy, which you might not expect at a neighborhood pub.
The Rose also has a large bar area and it's generally possible to get a seat or even a table.
Points for having a huge bar area. The exterior is clean, nicely updated, and well-lit (more on that later). The bar's counter-top is enormous and is nearly the full length of the major room. There was a bachelorette party going on and many guys from the neighborhood. Now imagine two Asian girls chilling by themselves and huge muscular guys trying to buy them drinks, and then moments later, inviting them to a pool hall/party afterward. Okay, that was me and a friend. Apparently they haven't seen Asian girls before because these guys circled around the restaurant 4 times as my friend and I said our goodbyes. Trust me, I jumped into my car tout de suite.
The apricot beer was yummy.
Okay, looks like I'm doing MA reviews today. Â I just keep remembering all of these awesome places I've been to back home. Â They deserve a good vote from an avid fan. Â So, The Rose is definitely a diamond in the rough, or maybe "a rose among thorns" (heh heh). Â It's not a terribly obvious little place, and I only knew of it thanks to my friend Tim and his family's dedication to holding up their bar.
This place has a beautiful, giant rectangular bar in the middle of the restaurant. Â There's always been space at the bar when I've gone, and so the boys and I would settle in on a stool and wait for a bartender. Â We've never waited long here and were always well taken care of. Â
The first drink I ever had here was at the suggestion of Mr. Bartender, a Black Cherry. Â This is hands down one of my favorite drinks, but you can't find it everywhere. Â Guinness layered over Sam Adams Cherry Wheat (and I've never found another bar to carry Cherry Wheat, except maybe Sunset in Allston). Â I was hooked!
The food here is scrumptious, to say the least. Â Potato Skins and Emerald Rose Nachos are all fantastic. Â But the Guinness BBQ Glazed Baby Back Ribs are where it's at. Â The meat slid right off the bone and into my tummy. Â
Great food, great beer, great conversation. Â If you're ever looking for a place to close out at, this is it!
I went here for beer on a Friday night recently. They didn't have a band that evening, so it was just a regular bar with lots of room. Bartenders were nice, but the beer was served warmer than I would have liked. The beer was also more expensive than I would have liked, but whatever.
The only thing remarkable about this place was the police presence. First, let me say that this is quite possibly the tamest bar I've ever been in. I would have (almost) felt safe leaving my wallet on the bar while I went to the bathroom. So I thought it was highly strange that they have an armed, uniformed Billerica cop stationed in the front lobby, another cop outside, and when I left, a third cop did a drive by. Extremely weird considering at MicKee's I've never once seen a cop.
We were really hoping to like this place...
We had the Spinach Artichoke Dip for an appetizer, I had the Panko Mustard Crusted Chicken and my husband had the Pan Seared Salmon for an entree.
Dip was "ok" didn't really notice any artichokes.
The Chicken didnt have any mustard flavor, the "crust" was kind of soggy & was served with a big scoop of butter on top (gross)... both of us had the mashed potatoes... they were oddly greyish-yellow colored and didn't taste like mashed potatoes - tasted like they added something to it or used some sort of pre-made mix... either way it wasnt good and I didn't know it was hard to make good mashed potatoes.
The vegetables were overcooked and mushy.
Pretty disappointing - the dining room was definitely respectable looking, but the food was not enough to make us want to go back again.
Went there to eaton a few occassions. Â Never blown away. Â Last time I went there thought I would get a good corned beef sandwich, it being an "Irish Pub:. Â Sandwich was VERY thin. Â I asked the waitperson about it. Â She took the sandwich back to the kitchen and returned with the bad news that the cook told her the amount of meat is weighed and my sandwich conformed. Â She wasn't sympathetic, but rather coldly returned my sandwich. Â Great service, huh? Â NEVER AGAIN!
Review Source:Hubby & I used to live in Burlington and we went to the Emerald Rose pretty frequently for dinner. Â We've now moved up toward Lowell so it's a longer drive, but we still go occasionally. Â When we were in Burlington, it was a great neighborhood option for us on a Friday or Saturday night when we were hungry, wanted a decent meal and didn't wanna wait for 1-3 hours at some restaurant with a buzzer in hand. Â The bar side of the Rose can get crowded on the weekends, but the dining room usually has little to no wait. Â I think the longest we ever waited was 15 minutes for a table...and that was a particularly busy night for them.
Interestingly, for a traditional 'Irish Bar', it's nothing of what would come to mind. Â It's actually very nicely decorated (esp. the dining room) with hard wood all over and is cozy. Â Almost everytime we go, there's a multi-generational family meal going on which says a lot about the restaurant's ability to make everyone comfortable.
Service is okay - sometimes great and sometimes mediocre would be a compliment. Â It seems to be hit or miss. Â I think they've had some turnover lately and have hired some servers with little or no restaurant experience so our last few times haven't been 'great', but not horrible either.
Something that impresses me is their ability to have a menu that isn't crazy overwhelming (like, say, Cheesecake Factory which is ridiculously huge), but they still manage to have something for everyone. Â They've got the traditional Irish fare, but also a lot of other options. Â I almost always get the Emerald Rose salad (with chicken) which is my perfect salad if I were to design one. Â Hubby has tried all kinds of things from the prime rib to lamb to seafood and rarely has any complaint.
The Emerald Rose is a decent Irish restaurant/bar in the heart of picturesque Billerica. Â I've been there many times for lunch, dinner, and nightlife and have always been satisifed. Â Never blown away, but satisfied, hence, three stars.
I think the food here is generally pretty good, but nothing overly memorable. Â The chicken pot pie is one of my favorites here, as are the fish and chips. Â Last time I went, they were running a special on the New York sirloin strip that I took advantage of, but unfortunately my steak came out overcooked. Â Meh, you win some, you lose some. Â I can say, however, that I've never left this restaurant with any negative feelings towards my meal--I've just never had a meal so good that I'd rave about it to my coworkers the next day. Â Â
The bar scene here always seems to be lively, much of the time with some kind of live entertainment going on. Â They've got a decent number of beers on tap and a variety of whiskey/Scotch if that's your thing. Â The martini list seems to be very heavy on the sweet fruity/desserty drinks. Â They do have a full bar, so they can make anything you want, but I'm a sucker for the ease of choosing from the cocktail list wherever I go, so it'd be nice to see one or two specialty martinis that aren't so girly. Â I mean, despite its relative upscaleness, this is still an Irish bar and come on, I have an image to maintain. Â *Grunts and scratches himself to reaffirm manliness as he writes this*
Service here is pretty good. Â I've encountered surly servers and sweet servers. Â No matter what the demeanor, though, I've always found them to be very efficient, whether I'm out with friends out for leisurely dinner and cocktails or my department of 35 or so at work descends upon them like locusts at lunchtime.
Overall, a solid three stars. Â As long as I'm living and working in this area, I'm sure I'll be back here again.
Ok, here it goes. This place is bitter sweet. Here is a stab in the dark. The location is pretty good located on 3A. From the outside it is a pretty building. The inside is a cross between Irish fine dining and and Irish Dive. I guess you can call it borderline Irish Fine diving. Anyway OK so the food is pretty good but not always consist ant. The specials are usually pretty good and you cant go wrong with a good ole fashioned Irish appetizer. The drinks are fair and the beer is coldish if that make sense. The service is just OK they seem to be all about you at first and it slowly dies off. The booths are very comfy and the bar is very welcoming. If you are looking for above average Irish fare this is the place to come.
Review Source:I've always liked everything I ate here for lunch-- usually a Cobb salad, which has always  been fresh and big and tasty.
I don't know what's up with the guy who said their menu is tiny; look for yourself online, it's not a bad selection! Maybe it was just that nothing on it appealed to him?
I will say that the last time I was here we didn't like our waitress, an older Blonde named Deborah I think. She was sour enough that a friend I was with said she wouldn't be back because of her.
I work one town away and this is pretty central to people in Lowell, Burlington, and, certainly Billerica too. Menu is mostly the same kinds of semi-Irish pub food that diners can find somewhere in every town between Boston and Worcester. Beer selection is pretty generous and prices for both alcoholic beverages and food are relatively reasonable. It's a good sized pub and never seems to get overly packed. Nothing especially stands out about the Emerald Rose, but nothing really disqualifies it as a good lunch or dinner selection either.
Review Source:If we could do half stars then I would give them a 3.5.
The staff was extremely friendly and very available. I sat outside on the patio and was the only person out there for most of my meal. Two different waitresses were out there ever few minutes just to be available if I needed anything.
The food was very tasty. I got the country fried chicken. It comes with coleslaw, but I asked them to hold that. My waitress offered to put some fresh veggies on the plate instead. I thought that was very nice of her. The chicken was great, but the one odd thing was the shape. It was pounded thin, Â but sliced in a way to make it into a rectangle. I found that a little odd. The mashed potatoes and veggies were quite tasty.
This place is like 3.5 stars, because it's slightly better than 3, but I'm not sure it totally deserves a 4. I'm feeling indecisive so I will go with 3 to be on the safe side.
When I was younger and worked for what is now a failed .com company nearby - my co-workers and I spent many, many lunches/dinners here drinking several pints and eating pretty tasty food. Maybe that's why the company failed? we were too busy eating and drinking? ha ha
But seriously it was fantastic then. They had homemade potato chips, awesome apps, decent meals, and Guinness ice cream - which was sooooo good. After that company went under I ate there less because it wasn't as close to where I work now.
About once a month or so (maybe slightly less frequent now) I meet up with old friends for a drink and dinner here. They have Murphy's Amber on Tap (which is fantastic!!), great Guinness, Smithwicks, as well as all the standards. I feel like it's not quite as good as I remember it, but it's not bad either.
For apps: potato skins, nachos, and the spinach and artichoke dip are great. For dinner usually I get the lobster roll or the emerald rose salad topped with lobster meat and balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
But hey for the 'burbs, this place isn't bad at all. I've frequently eaten here on a Friday night too and have always gotten a seat with minimal wait (if any) - which is great in the 'burbs. The places closer to the Burlington Mall get 2 hour waits (insane!) This is a good place for after work on Friday for a few drinks / apps with friends (if you work nearby).
In the winter the bar has a cozy fireplace you can sit and eat in front of - and in the warmer months they have outdoor seating.
Bar:
Great place to meet after work. Â Slightly more expensive, but far and above any bar in the area. Â I recommend a Smithwicks (pronounced 'Smitticks') with a Guinness head.
Restaurant:
Irish soada bread is no where near the real thing (think raisin bread)..but it might be that way on purpose, I'm not sure. Â Appetizers are all good, nachos are amazing. Â For dinner the Shepard's Pie is a well prepared dish...just watch out because it is extremely hot.
They also have a late night menu, which serves food until 12 if you are out late.
Also as an "Irish guy", I'd say this passes the test. Â Some room for improvement, but overall great drinks atmosphere and food.
Last night, I went to this restaurant for the first time. Being an Irish girl, and having this place in my hometown excited me. The potato skins appetizers were delicious, and this intrigued me for the dinner ahead. When I got my salad, the ranch dressing was so salty, it made me  nautious and I could not finish it. In addition, my turkey dinner I got as the main course all tasted like it was cooked in the same pot. There was very little flavor to it. However, the service was good and the atmosphere was genuine. I would maybe go there for a drink (great beer, wine, and cocktail selection) or dessert, but probably not for dinner.
Review Source: