i live up the street and never have a horrible time there. Between Darts, Buck Hunter, Boobie game ( damn chuckles) and great prices you really cant go wrong. Â pbr, bud light, and bud drafts are all 2.50.
smells like moth balls, but that will go away after 1 drink. the bartenders can be rude at some point, just make sure you tip them well and they will be attentive.
during the week you never know that will happen. during the weekend you know it will be a shit show. the party wont start until 12am, and if you are lucky they wont kick you out until 2:30. Â Everyone is nice there and the customers range from 20 something hipster, 40+ dudes and their biddies, and the thugs that will only sit on the right side of the bar!
a must, because its hilarious. meet me there!
Everybody in this bar reminds me of my dad except they don't try to talk to me about, like, the role of umbrellas in the battle of Guadalcanal or something. In fact, they don't try to talk to me at all, which is kind of fine by me even though I'm a bit of a social butterfly.
Cheap enough beer. Some TVs I guess. Maybe a Buck Hunter but who knows.
Intensely brightly lit. In case you really want to see... something.
I would return with neither reservations nor enthusiasm.
Good things come in more shapes, sizes, flavors, odors, and neighborhoods that you can shake a stick at. Going to the Fireside is like an old man ranting out loud 'Take that Jamaica Plain, you good-fer-nuthin pile of what-have-you'. When you decide to go to Fireside the following will likely be true:
1. you do not need a fancy dinner, a slice of pie from down the street or a bag or three of bar chips will do
2. you know where you are headed, your friends couch
3. you care not for making a bartender make a fancy drink
4. townies do not scare you
5. you have a hight tolerance for tomfoolery
6. you enjoy not being overcharged for drinks and swill beer
7. you swear like a truck driver or at least don't mind if those around swear as such
8. the last time you read a fashion magazine you were in a dentists office in the 8th grade
9. you will have lost your hat, gloves and or wallet
10. you are not against playing horribly at darts or Big Buck Hunter, loudly, in front of a crowd
Miss you Fireside. Wish I had you in my life beyond Friday nights.
A hidden gem in JP.
Different atmosphere to Foleys downtown, but a fun place for a couple of cheap pints and some darts. Lots of booths, and Dave will play chess with you too.
Also, if you don't normally read the newspaper, or only read the Boston Globe, there's always a copy of today's Herald for you to read, and see a different political point of view.
Nice TV set up with a round bar for casual TV watching.
Are you walking home from the T late at night, already drunk, and you think, "Man I need another drink?" Â
Do not show your sorry self at some self-respecting bar and lay down money for a drink you'll barely taste anyways. Â Just go here. Have your PBR and then drag yourself home. Â You'll be glad you did in the morning.
This place is cool. I was raised in Rozzi and never went in here till two years ago. I been told about old MBTA workers hanging here over the years from Arborway, sounds like cheers. They had a pinball machine, two dart boards and was not crowded, relaxing and easy going. Very divy and old school looking.. not many places like this in Boston anymore.
Review Source:Came in here to escape the storm. Â The bar was completely empty, but we found out we were on the wrong side, the restaurant side. Â
After waiting a while to order food, we decided to go to the bar side. Â There were quite a few people there.
There is no service in the bar area. So you have to  go to the bar to order or ask for the check, typical of many bars.
They have a Jukebox. Â So you're at the mercy of other people's tastes unless you pay up.
The fries are fresh cut and delicious. The burgers are juicy and the bun is the perfect texture, not too hard and not too soft.
I'll definitely go back.
Solid 4. Â We were at the Dogwood one sat night and were falling asleep in there so we decided to get some darts and drinks going. Â What a fun place - throw some money in the juke and get twice as many drinks as bars downtown - cheap beers 2.25 PBR drafts. Â Fun folks playing darts and definitely regulars are the ones whe make the bar stools so worked in.
I'll be back - for shiz.
I guess I'm old.
I read great things about this place, and felt pretty confident about choosing this place for a quick after-party drink in the neighborhood. Â Plus it shares a name with one of my favorite old-school boilermaker spots in the South End.
They do not deserve to use the name "JJ Foley's".
I mean, don't get me wrong - it's no Parotta's Alpine Lodge (do a Yelp search, you'll see what I'm talking about) but it's not far off. Â Oddly, it shares one other important characteristic with that sleaze parlor - two of the words in the name of the business are lies.
The atmosphere was imported, brick by brick, from a decomissioned VFW hall. The surly bartender is straight out of "Surly Bartender Monthly". It smells vaguely like a burning shoe.
And it's full of f*cking hipsters. Â
Yeah, you can buy a PBR with sofa change here, but you can do that almost anywhere these days.
Coincidentally, "almost anywhere" is my answer to the question "Where would you rather drink than JJ Foley's Fireside Tavern".
eek!
I live 500 feet from this place and I've been unfortunate enough to stumble in after early evening binge drinking with my roommates. Â It seems like a good idea when you've had a couple beers already but any other time and it's an easily avoided mistake.
I mean, if you really love the smell of bowling alleys (yeah, don't ask me why but that is what it smells like in there) Â and the company of a riveting crowd of 3 men in their 50's at 11 30 on a Friday night, then maybe you really would like this place. Â It's just not for me. Â The cheap beer isn't worth it.
Also, this midget guy named Ed tried to pick a fight/hit on my girlfriend/annoy the shit out of me when i was there. Â He actually tried to lure me away from my girlfriend by asking me to come outside with him. Â He was a super creeper.
But to be fair, the bartender is a nice guy.
The bar itself is pretty freaking cool. Â It is like walking into a time warp and the drinks are pretty damn cheap. Â Not much of a selection, but who cares, as long as you get drunk.
The problems with the Fireside are with the clientele and the bartender. Â The clientele is half pathetic old alcoholic men who start drinking at 9AM, half dbag hippsters who think they are so unique even though they appear just like everyone else in JP. Â The bartender, Dave, tries to hard. Â He wants to be everyones friend. Â I am sorry, when I am in here with my friends just trying to have a drink I do not need an old dude asking me personal questions. Â
So to sum things up, 2 stars.
no food! Â flat PBR drafts. Â Used to have a killer jukebox with the bartenders own mix cds in it. Â now they have one of those electronic pieces of crap jukes but it's cool cause Dave gives me money to play his Cyndi Lauper songs. Â 2 dart boards, bowling video game (more fun than it sounds), foggy washed out, projection tv the size of a flat bed truck (no high def BS here!) Â Letterman on weeknights, SNL on saturdays and every redsox game during baseball season. Â
A bar is what you make it.  Been reading so many piss poor reviews from people saying  the fireside is either depressing cause of all the old drunks or too trendy cause of all the hipsters.  well which one is it guys?  I havent been there in a while but i never remembered hipsters hanging out there, unless a hipster is a 50 year old dude from hyde park wearing an "I'd rather be sailing" trucker hat and a pack of marlborough reds rolled up in his sleeve.  oh my god, i think i just had an epiphany.
Bottom lime. Â Fireside is cool. Â All ages, all races, all types of people, drinking $2 beers and playing electronic bowling game in harmony. Â If you want an apple martini, go to the south end or applebees or better yet, go kill yourself. Â Also not "sketchy" so move back to brookline or whatever lame ass town you're from. Â who uses the term "hot mess" anyways? gross.
it's rare these days - especially in the midst of this particularly dreadful Boston winter - that I venture beyond the Cambridge/Somerville border. however, when a friend of mine dropped the following tidbits: "dive bar," "$2.25 pints of PBR" and "awesome jukebox," I jumped on the orange line and was whisked away to JP like Cinderella in her pumpkin coach, on the way to the ball.
I was thrilled immediately. upon approaching the bar I was treated to a drunk middle aged woman attempting to depart ("C-O-A-T! where is my COAT??!), an ACTUAL fireplace (it's not just a catchy name, folks), Â and a sprawling banner saying "God Bless America." thankfully, the Fireside is authentic, and not just a douchey hipster-populated joint posing as a "dive." (Silhouette, as much as I love you, I'm looking squarely in your direction).
the beers were cheap! the company was great! SNL was playing on the teevee! there was a titty hunt machine! (that's Erotic Photo Hunt, to the novice) and an actual phone booth, from which my friend attempted to call me, but alas, it spit out her quarters.
and oh, the jukebox. many a dollar was spent on crafting the perfect playlist - which consisted mainly of 90's dance hits - which were then interspersed with the musical choices of our patrons: mostly crap-metal and far too much Dropkick Murphys for my own personal liking.
it turns out that I may just have to venture out beyond my comfortable Camberville borders again, very soon.
too many hot mess hipsters trying to make this an awesome place. Â I'm sorry a bar that opens at 9am w/ a line of old men to get in deserves to be re looked at.
every time i walked past here on my way home it ranked of piss and beer and old men would stare at me w/ their alcoholic eyes, hoping someone would save their soul.
What is our society thinking.
I've seen way to many girls pukin' and chain smoking outside of this joint.....sometimes i wish it went away and turned into a cute little breakfast diner...
I'm writing this on the eight-year anniversary of my move to Boston. If you've spent that much time here, think about what's changed since 2000, in JP especially - the bars I learned to drink in are mostly gone, the people I drank with then have long since moved away. (MOURN U TILL I JOIN U TRIPLE DS ;_;)
But the Fireside? The Fireside will outlive us all. Dave will outlive us all. The two guys intently shooting dice for two hours the other night? Assuming one of them doesn't end up stumbling into Klassy Kuts bleeding to death over a big cee-lo loss, those dudes will outlive us all too.
If you've got a problem with bars with $2 drafts and a working phone booth, you're either lying or wrong. You get the sense that if they had a kitchen, they'd still call them "freedom fries." Â I'm totally okay with that.
You've got to love the list on the wall labeled "Beer Specials". You're not in Sunset grill when your decision is narrowed down to PBR, Coors Light, Highlife, or Bud. Do not ask for any locally brewed craft beers or Belgian ales. On a Sunday night there was more punks and heshers than I've ever seen assembled in one Boston drinking establishment (even more than O'Brians). I really like the set up in this bar because its way too big. Â Everyone is friendly and I could see myself getting intoxicated here while I wait for another good song to come on the jukebox.
Review Source:Townies who hold the bathroom key, metal heads, Brookline young adults, and just people, drinking and talking together. Non-ironic beards mix with ironic beers.
JJ's Jamaica Plain has a classic horseshoe bar shape that brings you right in with Dave the old man bartender that everyone seems to know and like. Lots of tables and space to talk , too.
Good late night dive right across from the Forest Hills station in JP. First time at this JP spot, reminds me of the old Triple Ds.
My friends play darts, classic rock on the jukebox, erotic video memory game, and brand new virtual bowling game--
I didn't notice if there is an actual fireside here, I'll be back for a break from the fast-paced Milky Way type scene---
This place smells like your grandmother's basement--kind of a mixture of age, dust, and unseen mold. When you walk past the front door, the scent drifts onto Hyde Park Avenue; this, among other things, is the reason I lived in Forest Hills for almost two years before setting foot into JJ Foley's. What a mistake! In no time at all, the bar has become one of my favorite places in JP for five very good reasons: Dave (the best bartender in the universe), darts, well-poured Guinness, low prices, and an awesome location.
JJ Foley's is definitely a no frills sort of drinking establishment...or, to be less politically correct, it's just a dive. They don't serve food (other than little bags of chips and pretzels); 50% of the crowd, even on weekends, consists of super friendly neighborhood regulars who are often wasted by 4pm; the decor is out-dated and definitely resembles a Knights of Columbus; and there's a fake fire place. It's probably exactly what you'd expect when walking by. Only, somehow, a great time is always had by all.
Foley's is a wonderful place to hang out with friends, meet your neighbors, listen to some great music (they have juke box, so you can take control if need be), play a few games of darts, and throw back a couple of pints.
I never thought I'd say it, but I really like this place. Maybe even love it. Kind of a lot.
My God, what a dive. It's fantastic though. Someone else on here says that "you either get it or you don't", and that's true. Also true are the descriptions of it as "sleazy", "sad", and "pathetic", but so what? This place is REAL, it's unpretentious (hard to find around these parts) cheap and just good old fashioned fun. Yes, they have an electric fire. Also I'm pretty sure those kids in the parking lot are selling drugs.
Review Source:At the risk of sounding like a complete tool, I just have to say this: you either "get" Foley's Fireside, or you don't.
If you do, you love it for its dartboards, jukebox, scuzzball-fabulous decor, cheap drinks, interesting regulars and most especially for Dave, the awesomest bartender ever (Tim and Carl are cool, too).
If you don't, too bad. Go drink at The Dogwood, James' Gate, or some other yupscale JP "pub."
Believe me, we won't miss you.
Barry Melrose would fit in here.
Lots of awkwardly used open space - Great for high kicks and fist pumps.
Fake Fireplace - Great for putting the moves on that thing you're talking to.
Telephone Booth - Call someone who cares, townie!
Peninsular Bar - You could have every patron in the bar lying horizontally on the bar and still have no problem getting served. Â Thinking of J.J.'s patrons horizontally is frickin' gross, by the way.
Cheap Beer - Drink Up, Throw Some Bucks, What the Fuck!
To sum up in 3 words: Â "Romp Room Bar".
Oh and I really liked it.
It's time for another list review.
1. If you are a girl you will have to ask for a key to pee. Â I do not understand why bars do this. Â Why can dudes just walk in and piss all over the place but those of us blessed enough not to have a hideous appendage sticking out of our crotch have to use a key to take a fucking piss?
2. Â This place reminds me of Northglenn, CO's Moose Lodge #2166. Â I had my first job ever there- serving prime rib, rocky mountain oysters and burritos to old men that would say, "Hey sweetie pie, can I get some more decaf?" and tip me $0.50 for my troubles. Â Judy, the cook, would chain smoke in the kitchen and swear like a sailor. Â Best. Job. Ever.
3. Â Naked. Â Lady. Â Hunt.
4. Â Period. Â Full Stop. Â Period.
5. Husband (Alex R.) is always, without fail, wicked pissed when he is here. Â He usually cannot stand straight after leaving.
6. Â It is very hard to catch a cab. Â I've walked all the way down Washington St. to Egleston Square from this joint. Â I can tell you it is neither amusing or fun.
7. Â Cheap drinks. Â But don't expect much selection- there is no cider. Â No wine. Â Nothing I really drink except tequila and vodka. Not that I'm complainin'.
8. Â Unflattering light. Â Do not bring a new date here. Â Wait at least a year before allowing people you want to have sex with to see you in this light.
9. Â Cash only!
10. Â Pink hats and yah-doods need not apply. Â I will personally kick your ass if I see you there. Â Just do us all a favor and stay at Gypsy Bar with your own kind.
11. Â Fake fireplace. Â Awesome.
The best place in the world to end up at as the last stop on a bar crawl. Â If you're not drunk enough to fall over at least a couple of times, you're not me and I don't trust you.
As far as I can remember there is wood and cheap booze and it reminds me of my father-in-law's Moose Lodge, which is a great thing to remind me of. Â I've never actually been here when I was anything approaching sober, so for all I know it doesn't exist, but I've been told I had a great time here loads of times and that's good enough for me. Â
And it should be good enough for you, too. Â You've had a great time here loads of times. Â You should go back. Â Not sober, though.
Anyone who can't figure out how to have a good time in this place is a wet blanket.
The best part hands down about the Fireside is Dave, the regular bartender (although Carl, the part time bartender, is pretty swell too). Dave has a memory like a steel trap and remembers the name of every person who comes in there more than a couple of times. He is a veritable encyclopedia of sports knowledge, on both the college and professional levels. For example, if your favorite college basketball team is a semi-obscure non-local one, he will most likely shock you by knowing who their best point guard was during a random year in the eighties even if they never made a name for themselves in the NBA, or by relating a great story about the one time they got to the championship game way back in nineteen tickity-two. Dave is probably my favorite bartender in any bar of all time, and trust me, I've got the bar patronizing experience to say that's a huge compliment. Dave puts up with a lot of crap from annoying kids and he's still one of the nicest folks in JP, and he's a total saint for it.
If fraternizing with bartenders isn't your bag, the Fireside Tavern holds many more charms for you. The bar is shaped like a U, so you can't help but talk to people around you. This makes the Fireside one of the best bars for people watching and meeting random strangers. There are always local sports games on TV, and the Fireside regulars really get into it, which can be pretty intense. There's an internet jukebox and if you're nice Dave will turn it on for you once the important games are over. If you don't like sports or talking to strangers there's a video poker machine with dirty Playboy games on it. Boobies!
Warnings: If you sit in the table in the corner under the big screen TV you're liable to get nailed by a drunkard hurling darts around. Also, try your best not to lock yourself in the women's bathroom. And if you see someone buy a drink and not leave Dave a tip, be sure to flip them off for me and everyone else who loves him.
There are soo many damn stories I could write here....but im going to tell you one. Â
   We had a Birthday party at this bar once, I dont even remember whos it was, I think Jeremy's, he was REAL close with Dave, I was only chummy with Dave, but Jeremy...well, they were close.  anyway, my friends and I decided to get some shots of J&B whisky, it was well into the night, and we wanted to go out with a bang,  so Dave pours us some shots.  Jon was in the bathroom, when he returned, he found us having just taken said shot without him, and discussing the odd consistency of it.....it was a little chunky..thick, like small tapioca or something.  someone held up jons shot to the light, and Lo!  it was filled with flies! and I do mean filled, like at least 100 flies.  a group dry-wretch spread through the crowd like the fuck-word at a bible convention.  Needless to say, Jon did the shot anyway, why waste perfectly good whiskey, especially when all your friends just did it anyway, noones judging here pal, no siree.  the next time Jon and I were there, I ordered a shot of J&B, "hold the flies" I said to Dave.  He didnt even flinch, just called me a pussy, and fetched a fresh bottle.  Its things like this that make this place awesome, the little things...
Cozy, wonderful and perfect are words I would never use to describe this bar. Â Instead I would opt for sad, pathetic and filthy. Â And this despite the fact that my friend Carl bartends here. Â The bar is disgusting, the beer selection is sad, the place looks like a run down crack house (at least what they look like on TV). Â In fact I really hope that this bar gets made into an actual crack house, or a starbucks. Â There is a difference between a bar having "character or charm", and just being a shithole. Â Which explains why on any given night, there are about 3 people inside. Â Other than that I have no strong feelings on the subject.
Review Source:Walk in the door, look to your left, see that thing between the dart boards under the coin operated countertop video game machine, what is that? It seems to be glowing and giving off heat, but it is electric and plugged into the wall, you can see the power cord, running around the base of the wall to the outlet. Is that? Could that be? Yes it is that is the fireplace, and why they call it J.J. Foleys Fireside Tavern.
The electric fireplace is typical of the ambiance of this place, old school booths and bar stools, horseshoe shaped bar, they even have a payphone with a phone booth. Electric fireplace and interesting atmosphere aside, this place is full of characters, and proves the old adage that just because you are a character, doesn't mean you have character. But the neighborhood people who frequent this bar and drink the $2 drafts definitely add to the experience of going the fireside.
If you take this bar for what it is, a neighborhood hangout with cheap beer, you won't be disappointed. But if you are expecting to hold it up to the same standards of other Irish bars in the city or even the standards of the other J.J. Foley establishments you will be disappointed. But hey, they have $2 drafts which is an automatic 3 star rating in my book, they also have darts and some interesting people as a bonus. I don't think they could do any amount of work could get me to give this place 5 stars, and changing it in any way would cause me to lament the loss of a neighborhood watering hole, so Foleys here you are stuck in limbo. Will I go back, of course, I will probably be there at some time any given month with regularity.
I'd give it 6 stars if I could. Whitney pretty much sums it up. The best part of the bar is Dave. He's is the man and will ask questions / make fun of you if you don't stop in at least once a week.
So one night I'm looking in the phone book to call the Fireside and call the "other" JJ Foley's to get their number. Â The bartender says in a moody tone "there is no Foley's in Forest Hills". Well screw them, they think they're sooo cool and hip by disowning the Fireside. We don't want their crowd and we don't need them. Â
Anyway if your deciding between the PBR and Bud Light (both $2) go with the Bud. I usually go with PBR but its been a little stale of late.
JJ Foley's Fireside Tavern is the most cozy, wonderful, and perfect bar in all of Boston. I must admit, I am even hesitating to write this review, lest Foley's become the place to be. Foley's is not that kind of bar. The bathroom smells funny, the decor is old and stained and sometimes burned, and the most exciting technological development is the digital jukebox. Instead, it is the best damn neighborhood bar in the world.
Dave, the bartender, remembers you and will even yell at you if you put on "Sympathy for the Devil" (but "Street Fighting Man" and "Dead Flowers" are acceptable Stones choices). A shot of whiskey is more like a small glass of whiskey, and even though I grew up in the south attending derby parties, the Kentucky Derby Day that I'll remember the most was the one I spent at Foley's, where the woman who won the pool bought everyone a round. That ACTUALLY happened. People are friendly, the drinks are potent, and there is a fireplace. If the concept for Cheers is where everyone knows your name, Foley's is the actual bar where this happens.
The Fireside was the very first place I went to when I moved to Boston. How crazy is that? My roommate and I were so excited after seeing it; we were sure it would become our newest and greatest watering hole. And you know what? After he went crazy and I kicked him out, whereupon he moved to Somerville, he STILL goes drinking at the Fireside.
The clientele is decidedly 'special'. Typically frequented by your old school Irishmen and sports-obsessed forty-somethings--these are the people you're most likely to notice walking in. Yet the bar also draws Forest Hills' younger collegiate and working set as well. They make for a nice change of pace around the place, especially as far as the jukebox goes. Once it starts, the old-timers groan about how they can't hear the sports broadcast anymore. But sometimes, if they're feeling especially frisky, you can get an impromptu dance out of them, or a solid hour of Jeff Beck songs to remind you of your dad and his weird drunk friends.
Now, Sean says the place serves pizza but they in fact do NOT. I wonder if he was confused by the number of drunk folks who like to offer up their leftovers, or maybe it was just a special occasion. Anyhow, at one point there were hot dogs to be had but that machine has gone the way of the dinosaur.
No, the Fireside won't give you pizza but it will give you lots and lots of character. You might leave scratching your head for days wondering what kept you there for so long and why you want to go back. No, there isn't anything magical about the decor--the place is pretty Flintstonian including, as mentioned, the vintage phone booth (which also has a fan inside!). But the beers & cocktails are so cheap that you owe it to yourself to stop in. The bartenders are kooky, talkative, and will treat you like a suspect for ten minutes if they've never seen you before. Don't get mad, this is Forest Hills. It's just the way.
I swear I'm not doing this place enough justice. It merits its own documentary.
So this place kind of owns the market for folks looking for a bar to duck into on the Hyde Park Ave area of JP. Â Located conveniently across the street from the Forest Hills T stop, it's the go-to place if you don't want to deal with the formality of The Dogwood.
Many laughs have been had by the fact that they call themselves the Fireside because they have a fake fireplace. Â I seem to recall that sometimes there would be some high school production value of a fan and some red cellophane going on but that might have been my imagination. Â At any rate, on a cold winter night this place can still warm you up.
The dart board was always the main attraction to this place. Â Besides this and the projection TV that can get fired up during game-time, there isn't much in the way of incentive or ambiance. Â Let's just say the feminine touch has alluded this place. Â Which is probably just for the best, as the regulars here -- and oh, you'll see them -- seem to like it just fine the way it is. Â With it's wood paneling, tiny covered up windows where the light of day, struggle as it might, will fail to pierce through, and a nice spot for your dog to curl up on the floor by your feet (there was always a dog hanging out). Â Oh, and they have an old fashioned phone booth -- one with a door and light that goes on when you close it behind you. Â You know, to take care of your business.
Another special treat the Fireside offers is slices of pizza. Â Now the story goes that the slices (sicilian style) actually come from the pizza joint a couple doors down from the Fireside. Â There is a back room to the Fireside, and they might be able to keep the slices warm, or warm them up, back there, maybe with a toaster oven or something -- but I assure you they do not make any pizzas on premises. Â But I can tell you, in a pinch, after some marathon darting(?) those slices can come in handy.
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