Went here for the first time last Friday night and liked it a lot. I wish I was in Brighton more because I'd definately come by. It's a townie bar but not the sketchy townies, more like actual Irish/old Boston people that are pretty friendly. There is also a jute box and they have cider from a Cambridge company. Â I like how the bar is circular so there is plenty of room to order your drink without having to fight for a spot. Â And the back area is great for a big party.
Review Source:If you want an authentic Irish Pub, this is the place. Â I went in with a guy from Germany so he didn't get any shock waves, I am part Irish and my best uncle in the world was off the boat from Cork so I grew up learning a lot about the Irish. We would sing seafaring songs, dance jjgs, make fishing nets, splice ropes, and thankfully he was not big in the drinking department, although he did stash a bottle of Irish Mist for special occasions.
Anyway, I waked in there and my uncle was sitting on every stool, I could hear the thick Irish Brogue and see the hard life faces of the working and retired men. Â The older gent next to me was quick to start a conversation with us and he bought us a beer and told us some of his life story.
If I am ever in that area again, I will surely stop by for a cold one.
The Irish Village (or the IV as my roomies and I refer to it) is crawling distance from my apartment, which makes it the perfect place to end a night... or begin a night for that matter.  I typically only go on Friday and Saturday  nights - bonus points for those Saturdays when they bring in a DJ (unofficially dubbed DJ Dance Party by me and the roomies). Â
The crowd is always an interesting mix of local Irish expats, older couples, heavy metal enthusiasts with neck tattoos, and 20-somethings who either stumbled in randomly, or are in-the-know of this diamond in the rough. Â On a busy night there might be about 20 people, but probably less, which makes it a great place for avoiding crowded 'meat market' type bars, and a great place to have actual conversations with interesting people.
There is no food served here, but you can bring in  your own.  I recommend the pizza shop next door (which closes really early for being next door to a pub) or the Tedeshi's across the street.  This is not a bar for girlie drinks, which are typically my go to for adult beverages. That being said, the bartenders will make a Cosmo with minimal mocking, so that's nice.  Oh, and the best part - drinks are super cheap. Â
They have a dart board (and hold at least two dart championship trophies), big buck hunter (safari edition!), and have a classy lounge area in the back of the place (it is small, but arguably the classiest section of the joint). Â
This pub has a really nice, neighborly vibe to it that I just haven't found in other Boston bars.
K, so I was wondering if other people come here to have weird encounters with strangers.
It sure seems like I do!
Though not by choice, I seem to find myself stuck in long, awkward conversations with people I'd never met when I drink at this bar.
It's a neighborhood hangout for a few of my friends, and draft beers are cheap, and it's dark in there, so for the most part it's a win--but it seems to attract lonely locals.
The last one I met was a broker at a local firm who may prove to be useful for rental referrals. But not sure if the hour it took out of my life was worth it.
My advice? Stop in if you're looking for a cheap pint. But disguise yourself in sunglasses (or nasty sweats?) and do NOT make eye contact with anyone. And don't have conversations others can hear, if you don't want them jumping in. And tip the staff well. They must deal with some serious crazies.
Reputed for being the best Guinness pour in the area, the IV is cool little hole in the wall that falls into the catergory "it is what it is." Â Moderately priced drinks, dark irish pub atmosphere, mix of Irish dudes and locals, super friendly bartenders. Â No food, but I saw some folks bringing in pizza from next door. Â Certainly a place I will frequent again and again.
Review Source:The Good: The beer selection. These guys have a lot going on tap, including perhaps my favorite beer on earth, Allagash White. Other exotic brews from about the region are featured too. For the cheapies, they have Naragansett on tap, which I believe is only $2.50 a pint at all times. Bartenders are nice, knowledgeable, and quick.
Big marks for just being a cool bar all around. It's not big, but it's got a nice centrally located bar, tables all around, dartboards and a jukebox, etc. The bathrooms were a little disgusting, but that probably had more to do with the clientele than the efforts of the cleaning crew.
The Bad & Ugly: The throng of LOWLIVES that pervade this place. It's really too bad too... I woulda stuck around for more than one beer if not for the degenerate morons that yell, puke, and pass out here...
That's a true story, not an exaggeration. While present, A 40-something man with a beer gut and a bald head fell off his barstool, broke the barstool, and laid supine on the floor in an alcoholic stupor. After several minutes of having his body ravaged and humiliated by his buddies, he was mercilessly woken up by a series of punches, kicks, and wrestling moves.
"The Boston Defibrillator," as I like to call it.
Stay on the other side of the bar from the riff raff, and you'll be fine.
The Irish Village... this place has been around way too long. How does it stay in business? So depressing. Same 4 or 5 old guys out front having their smokes day in and day out, milking beers and being OVER SERVED. Believe me I work across town so I drive by and I have seen many guys literally falling over on the street and trying to stuff their key in their ignition. I guess the license board just looks the other way? Must know some of the D-4 boys I guess.
Not that there is worse than that, but as for the place itself... I have questions about the owner (?). Fat bald guy. Lets just say... well... weirdo. Super unfriendly and gives girls kind of (more than kind of) the creeps. Its why most of the women in the area head to Deep Ellum, Devlins and The Corrib. Every place has a better vibe at about the same prices. OK Deep Ellum is a bit more expensive than other local places but the beers are better and they do have the PBR option I guess.
Back to the "IV" they now call it. Ha. So hip! Â What happened to that heavyset female bartender from a few years ago? I will say to be fair... the place has gotten 80% better since she stopped stiffing drinks there. Hopefully her claddagh has finally been turned around and she is in a better mood? Not sure how you can screw up pouring a guiness but, she could! Yeesh.
In summary WAY WAY to many other places in walking distance that are better in every single category.
Sorry not a hater just curious how some places stay open. Cheers!
This is an off-beat place, but overall I'm into it. Â It's definitely my favorite stumbling distance bar. Â It's affordable and has a great beer selection (notch, pretty things, oskar blues). Â bartenders can be hit or miss. Â some are great, others ignore you if youre not a super regular, typical small-town brighton. Â They don't serve food but you can bring some and they will even give you hot sauce. Â Buck Hunter, darts, juke. Â Love the nook behind the bar. Â The biggest negative is the music, like the sound system having a maddening buzzing sound or a DJ who sets up and opens his set with Mr. Jones (really?) Â Might be better off sticking to the juke (or hiring me).
Review Source:This bar is right near my new apartment and I will definitely be frequenting it! It was low key on a Saturday night which is great but they still had a dj who played a wide variety of music. The staff was very friendly and attentive overall low key casual local bar, and strong drinks!
Review Source:As far as bars go, this place has everything, except for food, which makes it a real "bar." Â The beer selection is so surprisingly good for a small place in the middle of Market Street. Â Example of the beers on tap include Goose Island IPA, Wachusett Green Monsta IPA, and Pretty Things Jack D'Or. Â And all pints are about $4-5. Â There are some more unusual beers in cans, as well. Â And the liquor selection is great. Â
There are dart boards, lounge chairs, and various sports games, including football/soccer. Â There is certainly an international feel here, which is great too. Â The bartenders are friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to give beer tastes. Â And although there is no food, it's fine to bring it from other places and eat there. Â
Perfect local pub for having a brew with some friends.
The Irish village is a lovely little place to grab a drink. The bar staff are friendly and the place itself is clean and cosy. It's dark inside, with dark wood bar counters, and hints of cherry red everywhere making it feel warm and comfortable. The beer selection is adequate and they pour a great Guinness. It's one of my favorite bars in the area.
Review Source:After a grueling day at work, my two friends and I decided it was completely necessary to throw back a few and let the day unwind around us. Being in Brighton Center, our options were rather plentiful, with Green Briar, the Brighton Beer Garden, and Porter Belly's being right around the corner. After much deliberation, we sauntered down Market St. to the Irish Village, which just so happened to be the furthest bar out of all our choices.
Once inside, we realized it really was a Sunday, with most of the place being empty, with a small section of the bar filled with a few locals. As I walked in, I got pretty excited noticing the Big Buck Hunter, as that is my go to drunk game.
Although it was slow, the bartender was nowhere in sight, and didn't show up for about ten minutes. However, once back behind the bar, he was hastily taking our orders. Their options ranged from your typical Irish brews (duhr!) to your harder to find porters. Even though the liquor display glowed an amazing off blue, I decided to stick with beer.
After putting a couple back, the ambiance of the place started to settle in, with the oak bar giving off that warmth that I look for. Adding to the atmosphere was the occasional selection from the jukebox that managed to pull me further in, ranging from Thin Lizzy's "Jailbreak" to that obvious Dropkick Murphy's tune.
The bartender wasn't one of those, "yeah I'll listen to your drivel" sort of guys, and kept mostly to himself, though he was certainly on top of things when it came to replacing our empty beer bottles with fresh cold ones. Though it's occasionally nice to find that bartender that doesn't mind talking your ear off, I definitely appreciate just being able to sit and enjoy the company of friends and the ambiance.
While our day definitely got the ending it deserved and needed, I don't exactly see myself coming back to the Irish Village unless my day happened to end in Brighton Center. While the decor and layout was certainly inviting and warm, the crowd itself left something to be desired. I will certainly be back on a busier night to see if the vibe given off from the crowd differs, but until then, the Irish Village will rest as a decent memory.
I'll admit, during the first 6 months of my tenure in Brighton, I avoided the Irish Village and made jokes behind it's back. Â But now that I stepped out of my Judgy Mcjudgerson box and actually went to the Irish Village, I am sold. Â Low key, cheap/strong drinks, warm atmosphere... and all the bartenders from the other local bars come here...which should tell you something. Â They also have a ridiculously cool alcove with old man smoking chairs in it - which is just awesome.
Now don't tell anyone else, because dammit, they will ruin it.
Also- no food - but don't be lazy, just walk over to the Brighton House of Pizza and bring it back (practically the next building over.)
The Irish Village has really grown on me. Inevitably, any group function at my apartment empties out into the IV.
A chalkboard listing beers and a chalkboard listing wines plus liquors and cordials ensures that everyone can find something they like. For the more finicky, there is Buck Hunter or darts. For those who don't mind being the only ones dancing in a fairly mellow pub, there is a jukebox. For those animal-lovers, I've even seen dogs in here. Unfortunately, for those who like to eat, there is no food served but it's the IRISH Village, stick to a liquid diet, okay?
I lived in Brighton over the summer, and IV was about a 20 minute walk from my apartment. Despite there being numerous bars that were closer, I always found myself parked at the bar at IV. Why?
1) Cheap drinks/great selection
2) Warm, inviting atmosphere
3) Terrifically friendly bartenders
4) Enough TVs to keep you attention if you're there to watch something, but not too many to distract you
5) Killer digital jukebox
6) Friendly patrons
7) Always has a few people in it, but never crowded
8) They let you bring in food from the pizza place next door
I'm sure there's plenty more, those were just off the top of my head.
I was there my first night in Boston and my last night, as well and several dozen in between. I was almost always there by myself, but I never felt alone. This is exactly the kind of bar I want to be in all the time. The first thing I do next time I'm in Boston is head back to IV for a pint.
Cheers!
I'm actually a bit apprehensive to write this about my neighborhood bar; after all, I don't want this place to suddenly get crowded and lose part of it's appeal! Â To sum it up: this is the hangout bar I've been looking for all my life! Â It's small, simple, they have good beers on tap, and I never have to fight a crowd. Â To be honest, it's almost impossible to tell the difference between a Tuesday night and a Saturday night here. Â There's a great mix of populations here, as college students and professionals seem to blend with the working class. Â
Why not 5 stars? Well, as a friend pointed out, other than the mandatory Guinness on tap, they don't seem to have anything heavier than an IPA on tap or in bottle - while I happen to be an IPA kinda guy, their beer list may not suit all tastes.
Overall, come down, have a pint, but blindfold your friends so they don't know how they got there and can't return again, so as to ruin my hangout!
Easily my favorite bar in Boston. Â Part of that is that it's only about two blocks away from my apartment, but the Brighton Beer Garden isn't much further and I think that one is douchey.
First of all, good beer selection, good liquor selection, and some wines (they serve from half bottles so that it stays fresh, but I think it limits them). Â Bartenders are friendly, attentive, but not aggressive. Â Plenty of seating, with booths on one side, stools around the bar, and a small comfortable lounge area (seats maybe 6-8) in the back. Â It also has darts, a digital jukebox, and Big Buck Hunter. Â And it's very reasonably priced. Â
I always feel comfortable and welcomed when there, and it's a great bar to actually talk to people in. Â Whenever friends come to visit I always make sure to take them here.
Hells yes. This is the kind of place every neighborhood should have at least two of. Â It's a decent-looking place that pours a good pint; the bartender is an affable sort, the prices are reasonable, there's a dartboard, plenty of seats, and big TVs if there's a good game on.
Seriously. It makes me wish I lived in Brighton so I could come back here on a more regular basis.
If you ever find yourself with a case of heartburn, just ask the bartender Jody for a shot or two of peppermint schnapps. Â Tell him I told you. :)
After a few particularly cranky Yelp reviews this week I'm happy to be writing one for a place that really made my night. The Irish Village is a few steps down the road from my boyfriend's house. I knew he liked to pop in here from time to time but I'd never been myself.
I did know that it was a fairly welcoming place - I used to walk by on the way home from my old job every night and the regulars hanging out smoking would often wave or say "hey."
Last night, well after midnight, we weren't ready to call it a night yet so down to the Irish Village we sauntered. We got there about a half hour before last call and I was immediately beaming due to the impressive list of brews on tap and in the bottle. In fact the taps looked like my champion list of brews - there was Franziskaner, Spatten, Leinenkugel (boyfriend's favorite), Stella, and many others.
A nice chat in the dark wood bar and our evening was complete. The staff made sure to come by one more time before last call and then off we went. This place will likely be my new local for sure.
I've only been once, but I'll definitely be going back. Everyone is very friendly. Excellent beer selection and supposedly the best Guiness pour in New England. If you're looking for a posh scene, this isn't it. But if you're ready to belly up to the bar with a good beer and a good conversation, you're all set!
Review Source:Last Thursday night my friends and I Â were all about convenience. Convenience = not having to go by cab or public transit, and not having to hit up the ATM. So we walked to the closest bar, which was Irish Village.
Before walking in I expected it to be like it's fellow Brighton Center Irish pub, the Green Briar. Low and behold I was not attacked by sweaty, drunk, Irish men with accents so thick it kills your buzz. Star. However the bar was a bit smelly but I figured that was an even trade. They had a coat rack by the door. Another star. (Doesn't take much, huh?)
An okay selection of beers on tap and a nice little lounge area in back that sticks out like a sore thumb, but nice to have another choice than just bar stools. One more star.
Doubt I'd come on a weekend (that's when the above mentioned group is probably there) but when you're in the mood for an easy night out and live in the area, this place does okay at delivering.
LOVE this bar!! Seriouzly, it's the only bar in Boston I ever consistently went to. Maybe it was the nice corner booths, maybe it was the installation of the enormous HD TVs, maybe it was the always extra strong whiskey sours I drank there, maybe it was the company of the same 1-2 people I tended to venture there with. Â Or maybe it was the variety of bartenders I met there ... from the grumpy guys who refused to believe I was 21 even after I showed my ID, to the one who told me to take my drink to go on Thanksgiving ... I loved them all. I still have the glass from that night, and I'll never forget walking up market st with a whiskey sour with two straws in my hand.
The IV is full of memories. And they make a mean whiskey sour. Sometimes they host parties and you can steal the party food as you exit. Delish! The beers are always cold, there's bound to be an irish rouge sounding in the air, and the jukebox blasts out only the finest pop music around. Â It was my favorite lip-synching and drinking spot, and should be cherished for years to come.
This place still gets 5 stars from me (and my soon to be hubby). Thank you for being a stone's throw stagger home for us, for having affordable drink prices, a good wine list (half bottles--so cheap), for letting us bring in a couple slices from Brighton House, having staff for being friendly and attentive, having lots of TVs, and having comfy booths and seats. I do have to question the cash only rule seen posted in a recent review--I have been coming here for years and have always used my debit and credit cards. Â Maybe it is because they know me? Hmmm---doubtful!
Review Source:One word... comfortable.
I was very comfortable in my nook at the booth. Although this booth wasn't designed for shorties, I was happy that I could lay across the booth and watch the game.
WOW talk about a good friggin' pour!!! Now... I originally wanted some wine, but apparently they don't sell wine by the glass here. Instead, they're by the bottle. So... unfortunately, I did have to lower their rating because of it.
But I do like the vibes in here. It's low-key. The clientele keeps to themselves for the most part. The staff is friendly and make a mean drink. The bathrooms are clean. And towards the back it actually kinda reminded me of a saloon slash living room. I could really get comfortable here, except there was no TV in that section. But I wouldn't mind planting my big ole butt in that leather seat and drinking my blues away.
Seriously, the perfect place to watch a game or two if you're not interested in dealing with a crowded bar. Plus they have Big Buck Safari!
But beware - CA$H only!
Definitely have enjoyed my stops by the IV. I really like the vibe its very chill, my kinda place. Very solid beer selection and they even have Arrogant Bastard which is dominant and may be about the best beer name in the world. Barkeeps have been friendly and receptive to me even though I am not an attractive female with a large rack. I loved about every song I heard from the juke box as well, not to mention the nice array of flat screens for viewing ball games. This for me is always huge. My only knock would be on one occasion there was a real lack of chicas, which could have just been a timing issue. I need to go here more often!
Review Source:This could quite possibly be the bar I have always been looking for. Â A medium sized bar with deep cherry wood and dark red curtains delight the sense of sight. Â The sense of sound is filled with standard top 40 songs, that are not loud at all. Â The bartenders are charming and Native Irish folk. Â They did run out of Sam White but I can't blame them. Â They had multiple stalls in the bathroom -- AND THEY WERE CLEAN!! Â The malibu and pineapple juice was the best I have ever had. I stayed there from approximately 9pm-11:30pm on a Friday night. Â Go here for beers, wine and cocktails. Â Keep in mind they do not have any food, just beverages which is something that most bars don't do anymore. Â According to my boyfriend, I got very drunk and annoying after imbibing here but it was a Friday night, can you blame me? Â I am a bit hungover now and found a few unidentified drunken bruises on me, but whaev the drinks and the crowd was good.
Review Source:Ahhh... back in the day this place was a real dive complete with laminate countertops and $2.50 pints. Â A drinkers bar...
But times have changed and things get cleaned-up. Â I really like the Village now with its rich wooden bar, nice selection of beer, great bartenders, and good crowd. Â However, I'd be lying if I said on a very crowded Thursday night that I didn't miss the old dive that was the Irish Village.
We love the Irish Village! Here are a few reasons:
1. Jody, our favorite bartender
2. Authentic Irish flavor
3. Low-key atmosphere but still plenty of entertainment
4. Good selection of beer, in both bottle and draft
5. Hello - we can walk there!
If you're looking for a good place to stop in, have a drink, or make a longer night of it on the weekends... Irish Village is a solid choice.
We'll see you there!
Irish Village was one of the earliest stops of my DJ career and I spent every Friday night here for almost a year. It definately is not a DJ spot and I don't know why they kept having us back even though the regulars clearly didn't like us at all. In fact we were actually told to "stop playing black music" at one point, so clearly I was absolutely miserable by the end. The one redeeming quality is the staff who were always very sweet to us. Luckliy they moved us over to the much cooler and more fun Redline  where I have been playing ever since.
Review Source:When I heard the Boston Herald rated this the number one irish bar around I thought it would be the kind of place with alot of postiche "old country" crap on the walls and a shamrock string hanging above the bar with a bartender who talks like hes from jersey..
But in reality, it wasnt that at all.
Its somewhat dark inside, wood finished with a small place off in the back where an old guy or 4 play some irish, folk and classic country. The old guys really are the only bells and whistles the place has aside from no cover and decent bathrooms.
Guiness is 4 dollars a pint which was worth the trek out from "Allston Village", and High Life's are 2.50 a bottle. Age range was slightly older, late 20's to late 40's.
My father's an irishman so I vaguely looked the part, yet everytime I opened my connecticut native mouth I even felt out of place, but not unwelcomed. Even my pakistani friend who came with didnt draw too many xenophobic glances.
The style was low key to wholesome, no wild out of control sloppy party central, some white trash couples and working class guys at the bar with numerous tables occupied by round redfaced patriarches, their wives, friends and early 30's something kids and in laws. Maybe a small group of college students or euro's thrown in the mix towards the back on the high stools.
I think there was an area further in the back with a round shaped couch or two, but I only end up there as a stop in bar hopping nights so I learn not to trust my own memory.
All cliches nearly nonexsistent, it really was just a bar- that happens to be full of straight-off-the-island-and-into-the-bottle irish people.
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