went in Sunday during btw brunch and dinner, sat at the bar, ordered a drink, asked about one of the specials, was told they were subject to change, ok, no problem, told by the bartender/waitress that she would check, never came back, another bartender/waiter came back, 10 minutes later, told me the chef wasn't around, ok...strange - never came back, never asked if I wanted anything else, meanwhile I turn around and see a table being served - food. Â Crap customer service
Review Source:Not gonna lie - without a few key elements, The Independent is 2-stars for me. Â However, a few things, they do absolutely perfectly.
After Atwood's was inexplicably closed for a random private afternoon party, we made a game-time decision to take my family and the in-laws (all in town for our graduation and to get drenched in a monsoon for 12 straight hours) to The Independent, partly because it was close by, partly because it had ample space to seat us (it was empty at 5:30pm on a Graduation Friday in a monsoon), partly because the food was "normal" (my stepdad mainly sticks to things he recognizes), but mostly because it was near the highway, and my family is eerily obsessed with self-positioning for a quick exit.
SO, parents, in-laws, sisters, and sisters' significant others in tow, we rolled up, parked out back (free parking after 5 in the office lot behind the building), strolled in, were seated immediately, and proceeded to receive impeccable service start to finish.
That is Pro 1, I suppose. Â The service is fantastic. Â The poor guy had to deal with an eclectic table of odd food requests and questions, indecisive beer snobs, and the entire party smelling like wet dog from sitting in a puddle all day. Â
Pro 2 is the beer list itself. Â It's insane. Â Long, all-encompassing, and gleefully free of shit-beer, there is something for everyone here. Had I not already spent 2 entire weeks pounding brews on vacation, I could have tackled a few more, but drinker beware: some of these pack an ABV punch.
Pro 3, if you're wondering, is the fries, but we will get to that.
We started with some oysters. Â Fresh, salty, brine-y, and from PEI, these were as you'd expect from oysters...so I'm not sure a restaurant can get too much credit for that! Â
We had an order of deviled eggs but, a $5 for two eggs (halved), this seemed like a huge rip off. Â Aside from the bacon crumbles on top, these tasted just like the ones I make at home, no twist or anything (for a twist, try the deviled eggs at Hungry Mother...they're insane). Â I wouldn't order them if I were you - save the $5 and put it towards a tastier app.
On to entrees:
The fried chicken came highly recommended - it was thickly-breaded chicken cutlet, deep fried to a crispy brown, and served with mac and cheese and greens. Â Looking at this plate, it's not what you'd expect when you ordered a "fried chicken dinner" because the chicken was not greasy, crunchy, crispy, or boned (is the opposite of de-boned boned? You get my point). Chicken fail. Â The greens were sauteed in garlic and, though a bit oily, were a nice try at a southern dish. Mac and cheese lacked any flavor, cheesiness, cream (really, anything that makes it fattening and delicious), and the entire dish, an attempt at "southern", disappointed.
The broccoli and bacon mac and cheese ($11) was a small portion, served in a cast iron skillet, and again, like the pasta above, lacked cheesiness. Â The bacon added a richness that the cheese was unable to, but the broccoli didn't seem to belong there at all. Â Overall, a bland dish that I could have done without.
The burger, ordered medium rare, came out well-done, and thus it was very dry and tough to eat. Â The burger experience would have been completely forgettable if it wasn't for the fries. Â
Ohhh the fries.
We cheated and snuck a glimpse of the fries on someone else's plate when we walked in, so we knew that the side-of-fries with the burger just wouldn't be enough. Â We ordered another side of fries, and it came heaping with a tiny pot of garlic aioli.
Two things you need to do when you come here: 1. get the side of fries, even if your meal comes with fries. Â Trust me. Â 2. ask them for like 7 more pots of garlic aioli.
These two steps, along with the delicious beer you'll order when you sit down, will SALVAGE your meal here. Â Without these things, The Independent serves food a bit bland, generic, and, while a good try, sort of falls short. Â With these things, however, you can have a nice, casual evening at the bar with your closest friends, and not hate yourself for dropping cash on a subpar meal.
Dinner.of.fries. Â 'Nuff said.
The Indo always seems like a good idea: new American fare, killer cocktail list, please-all diversity, gastropubesque. It's the inconsistency that really buries it in the pile.
Normally, I'm not a huge fan of the pros/cons list, but in some environments (greasy spoons and everypubs), it's really the only way to lay down the facts.
+ Deviled eggs flavor: tangy, firm and heavily salted. Dig the cuke platters to keep them upright, and bring a little texture to the party.
+ Gnocchi with short rib: eating this dish is like coming out of the rain and sliding in to a warm, thick robe. A robe made of braised meat. Gravy slippers.
+ The cocktails. Go with one from the specialty list and it's a ne'erfail. Honolulu Dogfight? Alright. Calamity Jane? Okayne.
+ Service. Top notch. Incredibly on point without hovering.
- Deviled eggs price. Two eggs halved for $5? All-Star Sandwich Bar does a picnic version and slings 1.5 ova for $0.99. Maybe it doesn't run the con anywhere else on the menuohwait. $8 for a wedge salad. Suckered.
- The calamari. Just... awful. Imbalanced, overcooked and almost rancid. Actually had to send it back. Bad plate? Won't chance it again.
- Sirloin salad. The played-out combination of Bibb lettuce, blue cheese, avocado and tomato serving as a bed for protein would be fine and dandy, if it were executed well. The steak is rimmed with fat, most definitely precooked and sliced cold; the cherry toms are underripe and mealy in a handful of salad. Portioned for kids, priced for adults ($12). Nope.
Methinks I'll be sticking it out at the bar for the next journey 'round Union Square, but with options like Precinct, Bronwyn and backbar closer to front of mind, I'm not sure when that next drink may come.
Brunch on Saturday is not that easy to find so I decided to give this place a try. Bottom line - will not repeat for brunch. Food was unimpressive and the service was bad enough for me to tip only 10%.
Grilled grapefruit sounded more interesting than it was. The grapefruit was not separated from the rind and I was not given a grapefruit spoon - nor was there one to be acquired. I got the job done with a knife and spoon, but I was not paying to prepare food myself.
Steak and eggs looked good, but the steak was dry and quite tough to cut. It cried for steak sauce and after waiting a long enough to get the waiter's attention for my eggs to get cold (which was absurd, the place was not busy), I was told there was no steak sauce. He did bring me a BBQ sauce, which was tasty and helped revive the now cold, tough steak.
Potatoes were not home fries, they were small wedges that were deep fried. Basicly large overcooked french fries, very dry and.. are you sensing a theme here?
The bread was iggy's sourdough and quite delicious, served with some tiny frustrating butter packs that were impossible to open and by the time I spread them on the toast, the toast was no longer warm.
It's quite noisy, even with just a few people, definitely not a place to go if you want to hear each other.
I've been here before just to get drinks and as a noisy, trendy bar, it's fine. I'm not sure if I'd give the regular menu a try, but I'll definitely avoid the brunch menu in the future.
What's my favorite thing about The Independent?
It could be the drinks. I had a few cocktails here and they were all phenomenal, Â reasonably priced, and the menu had a well played speakeasy theme. I appreciate a strong cocktail to appease my inner alcoholic while also making me seem sophisticated.
It could be the beer selection. Second only so far to Five Horses Tavern. A beer menu means nothing to me unless I don't recognize at least half of the beers listed.
Or it could be the food. Everything I ordered was covered in cheese, so there's a good possibility that it was the food.
Reasons I didn't give it 5 stars:
- I need bread. If you see me borderline funneling gin, pass me some bread.
- Also, I don't own a car. So The Independent loses half a star because it's not located outside my front door (where everything with good food and alcohol should ideally be located).
Went here with a large group after a poetry reading and was blown away! The restaurant itself is cozy and comfy, the service was great and it's not horribly pricey. The best part is the food, though. I ordered the fish tacos and they were delectable. Nice and spicy and fresh! My husband ordered the mac and cheese and it too was good. In order to keep my daughter busy I ordered her the chocolate bread pudding and it was ALSO amazing! They also have a good selection of beer. I will probably not make it back because it's an eight hour drive from my house, but if you get a chance, go!
Review Source:Very solid, fun place to go. I'll definitely go again. I'd go out of my way for those mussels.
Good things
-The mussels were some of the best I've had in Boston. I go out of my way to try them pretty much everywhere I go and I can't really remember many good places.
-the mac and cheese with broccoli and bacon bits was so good I tried making it at home. Drool.
-Pricing is reasonable.
-Union square is darling.
Bad things
-I didn't love the "vibe" or scene or crowd - but honestly, I am really not into sports and it's a sports bar.
The Independent has been high on my list since I moved to Somerville in August 2012 (however, it has been there because I heard / thought it was a great lesbian bar and I wanted to take my housemate there -- it is not. However, the food is great, so go anyways).
I went for brunch on a Sunday and was super impressed. The drinks were great and the food was even better. I ordered a veggie burger with french fries (a classic American move I would say) and I was not expecting anything too great (could be due to the fact that I was hung over and/or decided it is always best to go in with no expectations).
When the waitress, who was super sweet, came out with my veggie burger I thought it was going to be the worst! It looked burnt and disgusting; however, that is the opposite of the truth! Filled with flavor and spices! Hooray. The brunch was amazing... I wish my hung over brain remembered what my friends ordered, but it was good, please trust me on this.
Besides that, the interior of the restaurant was great -- definitely set off a great vibe. The place smells like hops (which was great) and reminded me of a cute Irish gig.
Go here, do it.
Somerville has no shortage of great pubs in the area, and despite the number, all of them are different levels of experience, good and not so good.
One of the better ones, if you find yourself in the Somerville area, is The Independent. With a nice rustic looking pub feel, this is a good place to go, specifically if you are in a brunch-y mood. Â
The maple bacon donuts are a good choice to start it off. Â Can we just take a minute and recognize the beauty of that delight? Maple. Bacon. Donut. In the same sentence, no less. If you are a fan of sweet, savory and salty, this is for you.
The Irish breakfast was the meal of choice for anyone who wants a traditional meal in an Irish pub or just something new to try. Chock full of puddings (more meat mashup than pudding) baked beans, grilled tomato, Irish bacon, Irish bread and sausage, there is enough meat here to put you in a food coma. Â Nice, tasty and warm, its a great way to start a day, or pregame for a nap, anyways. Â My girlfriend ordered the delectable french toast, which was more than we could handle at the time. Â Big pieces, they were soft and delicious, as French Toast needs to be. As we couldn't finish them, they ended up warming up nicely for a snack later in the day.
If you do decide to do brunch, don't make the mistake of showing up too early. Â The staff was in full stride as we were finishing up. Showing up at 11 on a weekend for brunch might a bit too early for the staff there. Â It was a bit off putting having one person serving a whole room, but I can understand that it might have been one of those places that really doesn't get going until later in the day. Â
Anyways, The Independent is definitely a good place for brunch. I would be curious to see it fares later in the day with lunch and dinner. Nonetheless, its a great place to check out.
I love a good dining experience and I was hoping that this place would be my go-to neighborhood spot because it seemed cool enough and the menu looks good. I have been here 3 or 4 times and given it more than a fair shot, but I wouldn't recommend it.
If the food was better I might be able to put up with the horrible service, but it isn't so I won't be going back. I've been here a few times, once for dinner and a couple times for brunch, because it's close to my place and you can usually get a table. And while the hostess and wait staff are very nice, they are completely inattentive and unaccommodating. Each time I've been here I've waited about 15-20 minutes before someone even came over to my table to give us water or say hello. The food takes forever to come out and when it comes out hot it is decent, but it is often room temperature or cold (which is a deal-breaker when you're talking about eggs or a burger)
The last time I was here my girlfriend got cold potatoes with her breakfast and then when we asked for new ones the server asked her to scrape the rest of her sandwich onto a side plate so that she could microwave the cold potatoes. Having worked as a server for 5+ years, this was pretty irritating. It took us more than an hour and a half to eat and leave from the time we got there and they weren't even that busy.
The final straw: Â I just checked my credit card statement and they charged me $5 more in tip than I added to my card receipt (which was a generous 18% considering how miserable the experience was).
I will definitely not be going back.
I love bars in which you can actually have a conversation. When I can't hear the person sitting next to me, I tend to drink more because heck, what else am I going to do? Although drinking more isn't always a bad thing I'd rather enjoy my drink, which I can do here.
The beer selection is great, which makes you want to keep trying them and you can talk with your friends which makes you want to stay longer. All good things. Independent, I'll be seeing you again.
So disappointing! Â Went this week during a very quiet time - the service was SO slow (took almost 10 mins for them to bring my beer) and the food was terrible. Â The Turkey Osso Bucco was supposed to come with risotto. Â Last time I checked, seasoned sticky rice and risotto are two very different dishes. Â Not to mention, the chef forgot to put the sauce on the dish. Â Our waiter brought it out after we asked.
I have to admit, I'm pretty bummed... I've had good experiences, but over the past year, the service has gotten slower and slower. Â I'll be taking the Independent off my 'go-to' list.
I can't speak for the food, but this is a solid enough spot for some drinks with friends. Â The signature cocktails were generally well-made with lovely initial notes of fig in the Arabesque contrasting with a somewhat weak Grapefruit Gimlet. Â I enjoyed my Manhattan, but it came at quite a premium ($15) for Black Maple Hill bourbon. Â Being a ways out, there are closer, better places for cocktails that come at a lower cost.
Review Source:Made it here for the first time last night and am looking forward to going back in the near future.
The draft list is very solid and reasonably priced with a nice balance of local and imported brews. The menu looked fine, but the long list of specials looked even better. Went with the paella ($18) which was pretty tasty and boasted a healthy serving of mussels. I would've liked to see some more shrimp and sausage, but overall I'm definitely not complaining. Â Pro tip: ask for hot sauce if you want to spice up your paella.
Also noshed on some bleu cheese fries that my friend ordered as a side. Fries were crispy, but the bleu cheese wasn't really what we were expecting. It was basically bleu cheese salad dressing as opposed to melty crumbles/chunks of cheese. Regardless, pretty good app.
Overall, I'm excited to try some more of their menu and see what else The Indo has to offer.
Met friends here for brunch and it was worth the hike! The waitress was really friendly and the whole vibe was mellow, Sunday morning, living is easy sort of thing, while keeping us well fed and hydrated. The food was outstanding - the menu options were super appealing. Sometimes brunch menus are all the same damn thing, but half of the menu here was unique and also very tempting. Also, seriously people, maple bacon donuts?! My mimosa was fab, my coffee was fab, my cozy booth was fab, everything was great. Also, the bathrooms were clean and they had a changing table! Yay!
Review Source:Good atmosphere and mix of people. Food is tasty and they have a solid beer selection. Favorite dinner item is the Fried Chicken and Mac & Cheese, damn good!
I like that the place is split (with a wall) from the dining area and bar. Overall, if you you'd like a chill place to grab dinner/brunch I recommended coming here.
I really like this place! I know nothing about bars and am not a big drinker, but this place is cozy, the food is good, the service is really great and the drinks are cool! I think they have 2 different drinks w/ lavendar-honey, which both taste really good =D
the food is not bad, either.. had a steak salad, hubby's had oysters, etc. i recommend this place!
The Independent in Union Square is easily one of my favorite restaurants and bars in the Somerville/Cambridge area. No matter what time of the day it is; a good meal and drink is just an order away. They have a ton of beer on draft, a foodie-friendly menu, and cute guys. What else could you want in a bar and restaurant?
Popped over to Union for brunch this past weekend and ordered a bacon, egg and cheese on a croissant. It was fattening and delicious!
Much, much better than expected. Extremely perfect "perfect" Manhattans.
Oysters were not wellfleet or island creeks (where, oh where were they from, I can't remember.) excellent, meaty, sweet.
Roasted beet salad was fresh and crisp.
Fried chicken was giant - an entire half a bird, breast and thigh were deboned - but moist, crisp and wonderful. Excl lent crumb batter.
Mac and cheese consisted of fusilli with a rich, creamy blend of cheddar, Parmesan.
Sitting on the "quiet" restaurant side, you may even be able to hear yourself think.
Very impressed, very unexpected.
Best food of my trip to Boston and Long Island this week. The Independent was a terrific find. I started off with a citrusy cocktail. The cocktail list is extensive and mildly innovative. I wanted to try them all.
I had four raw Wellfleet oysters to start. The accompanying sauce was good. Oh, and I was given a tiny (espresso size) cup of chowder to round out my seafood experience (live in NM) and it was delicious, each bite comforting and warm.
The waiter suggested the trout and I'm so glad I listened to him. It was crispy, moist, cooked perfectly, seasoned just enough. It was topped with a summer salad of cucumber, tomato, slivered red onions, and avocado. The salad could use some lime juice!
For dessert ;) I had the Hemingway Daiquiri. Another good choice.
The atmosphere was perfect for a bar/restaurant. The lighting was low but warm and inviting. Leather booths and plenty of tables. The game was playing at the bar. Â I didn't want to leave.
Maybe when I realized the restaurant I wanted to go to was closed, I should have headed home for dinner but instead I marched on and we ended up here for dinner. Mistake.
I will say that the beer selection was pretty good and my dinner date was a fan of the cocktail offerings. We ordered up a dozen oysters (Wellfleets, as always) and were of course satisfied (because it's hard to mess up cracking open an oyster). When picking our dinner entrees, I was excited to see what looked like an interesting mix of options. I opted for paella and my date ordered the bbq chicken.
The bbq chicken entree was bland and the bacon potato salad it came with was more mayo flavored than anything else. My paella was completely unappetizing. It came out a neon yellow color and overall tasted like fridge leftovers that had been thrown together and reheated in a microwave. The shrimp were gummy, the sausage was flavorless, and the mussels were dry. I ate about three bites before I couldn't handle another bite.
Because I hate leaving food on the table, we got things packed up, hoping we could remix them someway later instead of letting them go to waste. We should have let them go to waste. Came home to look at the leftovers the next day and found that the waitress had packed in empty mussel shells and shrimp tails in the takeout container with the food. Seriously? Gross and beyond ridiculous.
Needless to say, we will not be coming back. There are plenty of other places around Somerville with a good beer list and raw wellfleets where I know I can trust the entrees as well.
Another decent bar. A-OK really describes how I feel about both Precinct and the Independent. Thumbs up, guys. Â (o o) =b
Thing is, I *never* go here to drink. I prefer precinct for drinking and in fact have never felt inclined to drink on Indy's tiny bar side as it always smells like BO. I love this place for it's food. They have great burgers, really succulent, juicy, don't-really-care-if-this-raw-burger-ruins-my-Âmorning-and-underwear good. The grass-fed? muah. Thinking about it makes me want to go get one now if it weren't $14. All the food I see flying by me smells and looks incredible. My roommate got some pasta thing, I don't really remember what (I was in the throes of food euphoria), and the little bit I ate when he went to the bathroom was great.
Their beer selection is pretty good and they have all the right glasses so I guess that's pretty great, right? I got a strong beer once by mistake and that was sort of undrinkable but strong beer often tastes like battery acid distilled in rubbing alcohol.
The Independent has become our go-to neighborhood pub for drinks and food. Their cocktail menu is creative, I've never had a bad drink there, and they also have an extensive beer list. The menu is upscale pub food, so the prices aren't cheap, but they're reasonable for the quality of the food. I've had the prime rib dinner, the clam chowder, the heirloom beet salad, and the fried chicken dinner, and they were all excellent, except for the mac'n'cheese side on the fried chicken, which was weirdly bland (not enough cheese). The mussels with habanero broth were delicious and came with good toasty bread to soak up the sauce. The portion of mussels was large for an appetizer (enough that three ladies could share easily).
It can get a bit busy on weekend nights but the full menu is available on both sides. I'd prefer to eat on the restaurant side because the booths are comfy, but if you get a good table on the pub side it's not bad.
I've had dinner at the Independent but never sat on the bar side. Kinda small and claustrophobic to me. Unisex bathroom on the bar side is pretty icky especially after a guy spend ten minutes in there emptying all of the contents in his lower digestive tract. THANKS BUDDY! UGH! Draft selection is interesting and pretty big but I wanted a Heineken Light. When I asked if they carried it I got the abrupt NO. Kinda pissed me off the way he said it. I also got the typical "We got Amstel Light". DUDE IT'S NOTHING LIKE HL!!! So I stare at the draft beer menu and ask what my friends are getting. Mojitos and Cosmos. No thanks. I ask the guy to surprise me with a white ale. Whatever I got it was good and was not so angry anymore with the barkeep.
Very loud with the DJ. Hard to have a conversation.
Parking stinks!!!
Amazing: mussles, beer selection, chowder, French onion soup and sandwiches... Oh and fresh and tasty raw oysters too! This place is a win win!
Also, the bar area behind the velvet curtain is more casual and dim lit, the other side is for more dining and catching a game at the bar there... Both work just an FYI... But no matter where you sit, it will be a great dining and drinking experience!
I used to love the Independent. I live in the neighborhood, and they have a few go-to dishes for me: the artichoke dip is superb, and I love the gnocchi with fresh veggies. I also think their cocktails are great; I'm a big fan of their Kentucky Buck. But the last few times I've gone, the service has been so abysmal I'm considering crossing the place off my list for a while.
A couple of weeks ago, my friend and I ordered an appetizer that never arrived. When our dinners came out, we told the server to take it off our bill. No biggie. But then we had to ask three times to get some bread (finally flagging down a server other than ours), could not get our server's attention for drink refills, and finally my friend had to get up to ask for the check.
The same thing happened with the same exact server last night. Another friend and I ordered drinks. They came quickly, but ... is the Independent now serving drinks in smaller glasses, or is it me? We ordered that yummy artichoke dip appy. Next thing we knew, our dinners were there! When we asked the server about it, he claimed he didn't hear me order the appetizer! Trust me, I don't mumble - and he'd nodded and pretended to write it down. After that, it took me forever to get a second drink, and to flag our server over for a dessert menu. We finally asked another server for the menu. The dessert took so long to come out that we almost cancelled the order and asked for the check, but then dessert arrived - a cold brick of chocolate bread pudding that looked like a brownie. Not exactly what I'd been envisioning.
After we'd finished eating, we had to suspend our conversation to put all our effort into getting our server's attention so the check could be delivered and we could finally leave. We'd arrived at 6. It was now 8:30 pm. There was a crowd of people waiting for tables. We would have been done by 8 and someone else would have had our table if our server had paid us even minimal attention, but no. When the server finally came over, he looked at the remains of the bread pudding brick and said, "Oh, you're not done," and started to walk away. We both screamed, "No! Come back!" Quite loudly. That got his attention. We asked for the check "as soon as possible," and he did manage to get it to us, finally.
So, service going downhill and food standards slipping. There are way too many great places in Union Square these days for the Independent to get away with this. I'll be taking my business elsewhere for the foreseeable future.
I've been coming to the Independent for many, many moons. I do recommend it, but I feel like it's been getting more inconsistent as time goes on. Big pros: awesome bartenders, fun atmosphere (particularly on the bar side, I don't care for the proper restaurant as much), generally solid food. Big cons: Often waaaay too loud, high prices.
Their relatively recent executive-chef switch drove up menu prices further, and frankly, I don't think they're quite the gastro-pub those prices would suggest. The food is VERY good for a pub, but for the entree prices (more than $20, in many cases) I'd pick walking-distance Bergamot any day of the week. That being said, the last time i ordered a pan-roasted chicken with brussels and spaetzle, it was probably the best spaetzle I've ever had. Apps are consistently yummy. Burgers, hit or miss; for some reason, the burgers at sister restaurant the Precinct seem to be superior.
Service varies. Brunch is generally worse, and a recent brunch hit rock-bottom. Orders took forever, drinks went unfilled and occasionally even drink *orders* went unfilled, poached eggs were served hard (!) while other food came cold, and at the end of the meal, not even a single drink--say, the Bloody Maria my fiance was brought instead of the Bloody Mary which he had ordered--was comped. One of our table of six asked gently if perhaps they could do so in recognition of the general failure that had been service. At that point, the manager did come over and gave us a small gift certificate towards a future visit. Nice, but a bit of a cop-out. If you go for brunch, though, make sure you order the maple-bacon doughnuts, which are more like delicious bacony french toast.
By now, it's official - the Independent is my new neighborhood spot. I love stopping in the pub after work or just to have a fun night out. The place is great for a well-made cocktail, a diverse beer list, and tasty meals to nibble on. I find the prices are affordable for the quality and quantity received. And the service is excellent; the bartenders are always more than willing to pour you a taste of something, be it their fig-infused bourbon or a new beer on tap, to see if you'd like it enough for a full pour. I adore the Arabesque cocktail, perfect for those chillier evenings or just when you want something strong and tasty to sip on.
I've snacked on various things across the menu: the deviled eggs and fried brussel sprouts stand out as favorites. I had the gnocchi for dinner once and enjoyed the freshness of the sauce that didn't weigh the gnocchi down, and my friends loved the steak salad and the cod. No rush, even when the room is packed, or when you want to sit in the corner with a glass of wine and a book - just enjoy the atmosphere and a delightful drinking and dining experience.
I was walking around the area with my parents and nothing else was looking remotely appealing, so we tried this place.
We came Sunday afternoon around noon, and we were seated immediately.
I had the veggie burger, which was outstanding. Â I think it was deep fried! Â It came with fries which were awesomely crispy.
My parents had the French toast and eggs and bacon.
Our meal was fantastic and the service was solid as well.
Uncooked and worm-ridden food, child-like portions, and the discomfort of having to sit on pleather-ripped chairs. Â This is what you'll get at The Independent, a restaurant/bar that is an embarrassment to Somerville, the state, and our country. Â Even if you are a person who likes to say "I'll eat anything," you'll surely disagree after a meal here. Â
My unfortunate night at The Independent started with my unkempt host/waiter/server sitting me at a booth with ripped pleather upholestry. Â Plenty of other non-ripped seats were available, but I guess they were saving them in case the mayor stopped by. Â I tried to overlook this non-charming imperfection, but the ripped pleather rid on my Nat bits all night, making sitting uncomfortable. Â I wanted to ask my bearded server for a seat change, but I didn't want to upset this depressed soul who was obviously ashamed of his employment selection. Â
While the booth was terrible, the food was even worse. Â I ordered the deviled eggs with bacon/cucumbers, which were of low-end grocery store quality. While this would turn out to be the best part of the meal, I take offense to the fact that they charged $5 for only two eggs. Â For dinner I had the sirloin salad and my hot date of the night had the salmon salad. Â Tastes disgusting is the only phrase that could describe both of them. Â The sirloin was fatty and the salmon was EXTREMELY undercooked. Â My date actually had to go to the doctor later that week and was told she had worms - no doubt courtesy of The Independent's salmon. Â
Financially, I really advise against ordering the salads. Â While they are priced as dinner items - these salads are appetizer portions! Â I have a bird stomach, and even I was not close to full. Â In fact, after leaving The Independent, I strolled over to the nearby Subway and got some five dollar footlongs (hehe) to curb my hunger.
I used to love the word "Independent." Â It invoked in me emotions of freedom, strength, and that great song from Ms. Beyonce Knowles. Â One night at The Independent in Somerville, however, forever ruined my association with the word. Tell me someone is very independent, and now I'll only think of the grossest restaurant experience I've ever had.
This is definitely a neighborhood bar, but not a dive bar. Â I came here this past weekend and was thanking my lucky stars we didn't go into Boston (for several reasons)
1.It was a two minute walk back to our destination and when you are holding someone up, it helps
2. The waitress was on top of it. She even brought carafes of much needed water and put up with our shenanigans
3. It is small, but has enough space for a medium size group - oh and there was no dancing. I was happy for that, because sometimes you want to just actually talk to the people you are with
4. There is a bus stop right outside - so you don't have to drive
5. Â The bartender is mad cool and for that matter quick
6. Cheap.
I'll be back, sans the Bachelorette debauchery.
In the words of Remember The Titans, the movie made famous by Denzel Washington:
"Left Side. Strong Side."
God bless the Independent. Ever since I left Brookline, I've been hurting something terrible for a place that mixes delicious food with beer pleasure. The Publick House was my haunt and I guzzled down many beers there, happily and with gusto, but now I live in Somerville. I needed a new haunt. I needed the Independent (pub side)
I love that I can have dinner here at 8pm on a Friday night (with 4 other people) without having to wait -- I sit down, I enjoy some delicious beers and snack on tasty appetizers. The Trout Balls were tasty and warm, the Mushroom dip was creamy and comforting, and the Steak & Cheese on toasted bread was scrumptious. I ordered a steak and the fries were quite tasty, I snacked happily on them while enjoying my small albeit, perfectly cooked fillet.
Our waitress kept the beers coming and I felt totally comfortable. And it's only a short 87 bus ride away. I will probably haunt this place for many times to come. The beer list is substantial, and frequently changes, features a lot of amazing American craft beers with a few Belgian & German highlights. The bar is dark, comfortable and cold. Though it probably needs a few more tables, they have a lot of space between the bar and the pub-side seating. You could probably have a happy little event here considering it's rarely crowded.
I could see how you would feel a little uncomfortable if you went to the other side of the restaurant. It's too white, too clean and well, too -- YUPPIE.
But the pub is a perfect place to go with your lover, friend, small group of favorites. Will return, happily. Â It's more jeans and a hoodie, and much more desirable when you've got such a sweet beer selection.
I still am salivating over the Rouge's Hazelnut Brown Nectar and that delicious steak. So Yum.
This review is for The Independent as a watering hole, as I've never eaten here.
The bar area is wonderful, with a cozy, effortlessly artsy feel to it. Being in Union, it's not an overly crowded bar, but the kind of place where you can almost always get a seat.
The selection of beers on tap is PHENOMENAL, and frankly impresses me beyond my wildest dreams. They have 16 beers on tap at all times. Some stand-out beers included: Rogue Dead Guy (I miss Oregon!!!), Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout (have I died and gone to beer heaven?), Chimay, Stone Pale Ale, Berkshire Pale Ale, and Sixpoint (a yummy craft ale from Brooklyn).
I mean, really. With a quality beer list like this, I could drink here every night. That would be bad for my liver, but great for my soul.
Oh, and this past Friday, while my boyfriend and I sat sipping our brews and people watching, we fell in love with the scene. A gaggle of preps on one end of the bar, the bartender in a Texas t-shirt and rocking a porn 'stache, the DJ mixing indie/jazz/metal/techno/soul (I made up that genre for lack of other explanation) and gazing at the ceiling from his corner booth, and of course, the requisite skinny hipster couple in the corner making out for over an hour.
As a bar, this spot is dynamite.
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