This will be my regular watering hole for Central.
I dropped in here with a good friend who lived for many years in Dublin. His response to our Saturday brunch was 'I hadn't had a meal like that since Ireland.'
If that's not enough said for you, here's my two cents: not all the time, but I love a place where you can get a beer without service that gives a damn. There's a sense of calm in inattentive service, and I mean that.
This place balances great beer on tap with a healthy amount of whiskey and a fun, southern-twang of a menu, including some mean catfish.
If you're at a similar place that I am, where you love the social scene in Central but you're not in the single scene of Brick & Mortar or Green Street, Plough & Star is a good spot to be.
All in all, go forth un-needy people. Your home awaits.
I'm giving this place one star due to a recent change in management. Keep reading and I'll explain.
Local bands have been playing at this venue for years, bringing in a huge crowd of beer drinkers and diners. Music is the #1 draw for bars like this one, who depend on music lovers and groupies for a high percentage of their business. Some bands have played here for years and have a well-known following.
That said, it is extremely important we treat our local musicians and artist with love and respect. After all, for all the happiness and good cheer they bring, they aren't padding their pockets with a whole lot of money.
In addition to a small stipend for their efforts, band members who play at the Plough have in the past always gotten $2 drinks and free sandwiches off the menu at the end of the evening. It has been a tradition for years, and a nice way of saying thank you for having played so hard and sung your butts off all evening.
Yet, suddenly new management comes in and where do they cut costs? Sandwiches. No more for the bands. Sorry, if you want a Cuban sandwich and fries after bringing in all those patrons who buy our food and drinks, you'll have to pay full price ($14) along with tax and tip like everyone else. That probably comes to a total of $20, half of what one band member makes for an entire evening.
Seriously, how much does it cost this place to serve a sandwich at cost to the people who literally bring them all of their business?
On top of the "no sandwich" kick in the pants, the "new management" has also told all the bands that, hey, we are watching you and if you don't bring in enough patrons and money for us, we are going to stop asking you to come back.
Basically, the bands and musicians in this establishment are now treated like dirt just because that's the way some new person thinks a business should be run.
Well, I got news for you Plough and Stars, your new management is leaving a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of old time regulars. The local bands have deep, deep roots in this town. We care about our local artists a lot. And if you can't be nice to them, we are happy to take our beer dollars to Sally's, Toad, Bull McCabes or one of the other fantastic dive bars throughout Cambridge and Somerville.
I think I hear the music calling, and it is calling me elsewhere.
Lovelovelove with the Cuban here. It's a heart-clogging work of staggering genius, although it's been too, too long and I miss its crusty grandeur. The live music is bumping and the snug interior fits just the right amount of showered-a-few-days-ago folk fanz (myself included, Judgey Wudgey).
So what's a down and dirty, überearthy pub doing slinging bougie brunch fare that struggles to keep up with its price tag? Couldn't tell you. It's like a switch gets flipped and the powers-that-be want to capitalize on America's largest margin meal with Cantabrigians who sleep on infinity thread count sheets. Does not compute.
My pork confit hash tasted fine as a whole, but the smokey protein was penned by a metric pigload of undercooked, grease-soaked potato shreds. The eggs were small and overdone; the roasted garlic hollandaise had broken. Maybe an off day? The purveyors of such a fine Cuban, I'd like to hope so.
One bite of her plain French toast and we agreed: it's French toast. So how did this pairing, with soft drinks, creep up to $40 when all is said and done? Sticker shocked for a meal that could have been worth it, but wasn't even close.
I've never been more divided on two faces of the same business. Two stars for the brunch, 5 for the nightlife/Cuban combo netting a 3.5 total.
This place is surprisingly charming and cozy, despite the fact that, from the outside, it looks like every other bar on this strip of Mass Ave.
On a particularly lazy Saturday night, after having taken an accidental multi-hour afternoon/evening nap, my boyfriend and I found ourselves awake (but still lazy), groggy, and starving. Â 10:00pm? What's open at that time that's not cheap takeout or a loud/crazy bar? Â Not wanting to walk more than 7 steps, we wandered into this place, expecting it to be a hot mess of twenty-somethings-trying-to-relive-college and nearly-thirty-somethings-trying-to-trick-college-Âgirls-into-going-home-with-them. Â After all, that happens nearly everywhere in Central. Â Porter, too...not as much in Harvard, as they like to keep it classy.
We hoped, at the very least, we can order something to go and minimize the drunken crazy happening around us. Â Much to our surprise (maybe it was too early in the evening for the shit-show to begin, or maybe this is just a nice little neighborhood bar), this place was warm (but not sweaty), buzzing (but not screaming), and cozy (but not cramped). Â We decided to take our food to go anyway, but as it was being prepared, we sat at a small table against the wall of the small, long restaurant/bar, and had a couple beers.
The wait staff is friendly, the bartenders are friendly, the place really isn't skeevy like many places around it, and it provided a great atmosphere to nurse our post-nap saturday haze for a little while longer. Â The food came out in fewer than 15 minutes, and though we took it to go, it was still hot and fresh when we got back home to devour it in bed...err...consume it at the kitchen table like normal human beings.
good beer, decent food
One star goes to the atmosphere and the cool local's vibe. A second star goes for the extensive beer list that is offered. In terms of food, it's eh. In terms of service, it's total crap. We came here for brunch and sat for about an hr looking at the cool decor and random (stripper?) pole that was in the bar. After smelling hot food around us for over 30 mins, we tried to wave down a waitress - that took about another 15 mins. After we inquired about our food, the waitress took another 5 mins running around and avoiding us. 50 mins after we placed the food order, we were informed by the waitress that their computers had gone down and that the kitchen was backed up with food orders. I understand that things happen but don't you think you should voluntarily inform the customers before the customers ask? They did take a plate off the bill but overall, the brunch experience was very meh. Aside from the food being late, we had to repeatedly ask for things. We had to ask for a refill on the coffee, more water, etc. The waitress did not seem very apologetic about the wait and never came to ask about how the food was. For service, this place defin gets no stars. They do offer live music and I look forward to coming here for a beer or two. However for brunch, I might go to the cellar.
Review Source:I know this is probably an unpopular sentiment, but I just really don't like this place. Â I know it has a ton of tradition and is a unique spot in Cambridge, but it just wasn't for me. Â It's nice that they have live music, but that's about it. Â The food was gross, the seats are uncomfortable, and the lighting is bad. Â I think this place is having a bit of an identity crisis. Â It doesn't know whether it should be an Irish pub or part of the hipster music scene.
Review Source:Amazing, amazing, amazing! I went here for brunch on Sunday and the food was just great! We had to wait about 20 min. because of a huge group but that was totally fine. We ended up getting 2 free drinks because of the wait. Our server was super nice as was the rest of the staff. Our drinks were great as were our poached eggs and nutella french toast. I will be back soon for sure!!
Review Source:Met a group of friends here on a Thursday night and was very pleasantly surprised. The $5 cover for the live band threw me off at first, but the night more than made up for it. The place was small but more cozy than claustrophobic, and we managed to get a few tables in the corner where we could talk while enjoying the band. Fun eclectic crowd
Pros: Good live music, nice cozy environment, clean bathroom!
Cons: Inconvenient location bet/ Harvard Square & Central
Though a bit disappointed by my Irish coffee, I enjoyed the place and the music. Â
It is a cozy and laid back place with some good live music and a good selection of beer. Â Not sure about the food but the portions look huge. Â It is also not super crowded or loud like some bars, which makes it quite nice. Â For the atmosphere and the live music, I for sure will be coming back:-).
Great Bar. Â Have been going here for years. Â Love stopping in when I am visiting from the west coast. Â The owner/chef Brennan is great. Â The food is excellent. Â Whatever is on special - try it!
Last time I was in they had live music. Â Well worth the $5 cover. Â
My only complaint was the mid 30s, bald bartender who was a huge c*ckbl*cker. Â In my days as a bartender I was always trying to facilitate customers meeting each other...this guy tries to get all of the girls for himself. Â He likes to hover and interrupt conversations.
Order the specials....stay away from Baldy the bartender!
The Plough & Stars is cozy and intimate. It may get packed but I ain't ever seen that. I tend to forget to go here but it's typically just what I'm looking for. You can buy a few drinks or some food without getting all overwhelmed by large amounts of people. There are many types of beer and there's often a decent band playing. It's becoming my Sunday brunch go to-sit by the bar and I've never had a wait. Delicious traditional breakfast!
Review Source:Came in on Sunday morning before football games with a group of 8 people.
Food was great - had an omelette and it was what you'd expect. Filling. Irish coffees were fantastic.
Service, however, was terrible. I really hate it when people quote "Well, that's our policy."
I was the first one in the group to arrive, and they told me that they wouldn't be able to seat us (at the one larger table in the small dining area). No problem. Within about 5-10 minutes 6 others showed up, and since we were just waiting on one, we asked if we could sit. They told us no, we had to wait until our entire party arrived. Apparently 7 of 8 isn't a quorum. I asked the girl if a party of 6 showed up while we were waiting on our last person, would they get the table? She said yes, because they'd have their whole party. Thankfully, it didn't come to that, because some serious profanities would've been hurled.
At the end, we went to split the check 8 ways. Our waiter said "we can't split the bill 8 ways, we can only split it 3 or 4 ways. That's our policy." And then said "well, we can't split it 8 ways because our computer is really old." Â Whatever. Apparently in an effort to clear this large table, he wanted us all on one check. But it ended up taking literally 40 minutes to finish up and pay because some of us had to go to an ATM down the street.
Hopefully in the future they ask at the outset "Are you on separate checks or all together?" Â The waiter even had the nerve to come back and say "I don't know why you guys are so upset, I've been running around all morning for you." Â Haha!
I think I was mostly bitter because the delay caused us to not get a spot at the bar for the Giants-Bengals game, but still. Be accommodating and I'd come back again for solid omelettes and Irish coffees.
This review is only for their Sunday brunch. This is a cozy little pub that serves a limited brunch menu full of classics like poached eggs and big Irish breakfast platters. The clientele skews a bit older than other watering holes in the neighborhood. You won't feel out of place if you have a sincere 40-something beard and not a 20-something ironic one.
The staff works their butts off by all appearances but it still takes a while to get your meal. We love the Big Star plate, the poached eggs, and the Nutella french toast with Grand Marnier. Prices are reasonable. The canned music is much too loud for the room. If the management is reading this, consider turning the volume down.
On Sunday evenings, the P & S has two important things: fried chicken and Frank Morey.
The fried chicken can be had a la carte with sides, or in set meals. Sides include collard greens, cheese grits, and some other stuff you don't need to have. :-) The chicken pieces a wee bit small, but intensely flavored and very juicy. Most especially, they have an incredibly tasty crispy skin. It's salty and peppery and exactly *right* on the palate. There are little cubes of sweet (not buttermilk) cornbread which serve as a pleasant palate cleanser between pieces of chicken.
The fried catfish (also served on Sunday nights) is pan-fried, not battered, and has a sort of blackened vibe to it. I've only had one bite, so I cannot speak more to it. Just get the chicken, people.
I've also had nice things to eat on other nights -- some sort of flank steak, maybe? And the fries are also very good. As others have pointed out, the beer selection is small but well curated and changing; there are enough interesting things to keep beer geeks happy. They also make other drinks -- I've just never had any of those.
As for the Frank Morey part, he's a blues musician on guitar and harmonica playing with a standing bass and a percussionist. He does covers of old blues (and I mean 1920's old) and some other classics in a gravelly voice. He's good, and the venue is a good fit for him; intimate enough and a little rough around the edges, like the music.
I've found all the staff charming and helpful, though they sometimes get busy when the place is very full. Full disclosure -- I've only been to the P & S with a friend who is friends with the owners, so that might be a factor, Â but honestly, they all seem very nice and I've never seen anyone treated rudely. I have seen *patrons* behave rudely, but that's not the staff.
Well, 2 1/2 stars...
I've eaten here twice now. The first time was for dinner with a friend. We ordered the cheeseburger and the mussels. The cheeseburger was fine, they cooked it pretty rare at my request. She said the mussels were average.
The second time I visited with a party of five. Two of the group members arrived first, and since no one was in the restaurant they sat in the window nook that would accommodate our group. After sitting there a few minutes the bartender made them move to the back of the restaurant for no reason. It wasn't reserved and no one else was there!
So we're all together in the back, a bit irked but whatever. I already know what I want because I went to the website to look at the menu. The waitress brings us menus that are 50% different than what is online, so what my BF and I wanted to eat wasn't available anymore. The waitress said they changed their menu a little while ago. Well WTF it STILL hasn't been changed online as of today!
The food is average, some items a bit pricey for what you get.
The fries are delicious.
I will not come here again.
This place is not sure it is still a pub, our waitress was irritated that we sat ourselves down - but there was no sign to say we should wait to be seated and it is a pub. Â Service was efficient, but abrupt.
The food however, is excellent for our Saturday lunch. Â The catfish fillet is recommended. Â
Best for small groups, as it is a small place with small tables.
I love this tiny little Irish pub! Great brunch! The food here is really good actually even for lunch or appetizers in the evening with your drinks! The atmosphere is great and the service is wonderful.
It's always a stop on any good pubcrawl in Cambridge and for good reason! Also prices are reasonable. Pop on in!
Just read over other recent yelpers... yelps. Funny how bars are sorta expected to be these frou frou restaurants now.
This is a bar people, in Cambridge, where there are more million dollar homes per mile than in anywhere else in the states. And it's a local establishment, which means you have to get to know it, it's rhythms it's employees to get the best out of it.
End of rant.
My parents first met here almost 40 years ago, they were in line outside, my Mum 6'2" Dad 5"11, they were going in to hear a band and dance. This place is tiny! Like get to know the very best of a person in one sweet smell tiny. They have music and they have food, but you come here because it has this magic of being in a great place to hang out.
Beer is good but it's still Cbridge so it going to be expensive, food is good but try the smaller things when it's slow and the more popular things when it's busy.
I try and go here every time I am home, it's been around for at least 50 years, nobel laureates and the Kennedy's probably were too snobby to come here then, and they didn't know what they were missing.
And please google the name of the bar before you get in there.
Plough & Stars was rumored to have a good Cuban, so I figured I'd go and check it out. I went on a Tuesday night. Most of the tables were empty and the bar was 3/4 full. I went in, feeling slightly out of place, because it's obvious this is much more of a hipster bar, and I was by myself, but whatever.
I asked for a Magners and a Cuban sandwich. Cuban was nothing to write home about. On my search for the best cuban in boston, it ranks mediocre to low. It tasted kind of freezer burnt, and it wasn't really fresh pressed hot. It was more like someone smashed it together because the bread was crumbly and flaky. It was kind of tasteless in comparison to some of the other awesome cubans I've had.
Also, $6.00 Magners? Really? It's not even like it's the big bottle. I can get the same one for $4.00 down the street.
Add a star for great company at the bar, a girl whose band frequently plays there.
Add another star for the unique fries. Generally I don't like fries ) But these ones were actually good. They are spiced with almost a curry spice.
No need to go back, I can do without the limited draft beer selection and overpriced food, $13.00 for a mediocre Cuban is absurd.
FRICKIN' LOVE THIS PLACE.
I've been here for brunch and a night out, and both experiences were so enjoyable. It's a small, intimate, and cozy venue. Plus the beer's good and the staff is chill.
Brunch - small menu, delicious choices. We got the cuban sandwich and the poached eggs. The sandwich was made perfectly; most notably, the lightly melted cheese and the crunchy, tasty pickles that rounded it off nicely. The eggs came with a pork-confit hash (yum) and a garlic hollandaise sauce (YUM). Their drink special was a chipotle bloody mary with bacon garnish, which wasn't amazing but worth a try.
Also - I'm SO TIRED of going out to bars with mad bros and drunk bitches! The Plough and Stars is a fantastic place for an 'alternative' night out, especially if you are into live music. It gets bonus points for being one of the only places where you can find a decent rockabilly band! What a gem.
Okay, so I'm not normally a patron of bar centered establishments, so I'm not sure if the experience I had was normal or out of the norm for such places.
As I was in the area, I decided to stop at The Plough & Stars for a quick bite after work. Â It is located on a corner down the block from the Republik mentioned in another review. Â It is a rather small and narrow space with a bar set against the long inner wall, with perhaps 8 tables set around it along the exterior walls. Â A waitress told me to sit anywhere, so I jumped on to a stool along the bar.
There were at least 4 staff folk around, but getting anyone's attention was tough since it was noisy and they seemed to have friends enjoying their attention.
When I go out to eat at a non-counter type spot, I'm used to being started off with a menu and some water without needing to ask for them. Â Here, I had to ask for a menu. Â Then I had to work to get someone's attention in order to place my order, to get some water, to get my bill, and to pay/get change. Â Once I was able to get someone's attention each time though, the interaction was pleasant. Â And when my food arrived hot from the kitchen, I was quickly provided with a napkin and utensils, and a bottle of ketchup.
Turns out the night of my visit was a special circus night of some sort, so they had a shorter menu available (so no garlic green beans that I was hoping to try) and folks working on setting up a swing.
What I was able to order was the Cuban Sandwich $8.50 and an order of fries $5. Â They both arrived hot in paper serving baskets. Â The sandwich was tasty but a bit blackened along one edge (which I crumbled off), and perhaps a tad overpriced for what it was since it came with just a simple pickle and no fries or cole slaw or other some such side dish. Â The fries were a large portion, and would have been fine shared by 3. Â However they lacked an exterior crisp, so I didn't care for them, despite the special touch of the seasoning.
It is really 2.5 star from this first time experience, but I rounded up because a waitress helped me to get the attention of the fella who gave me the bill when she saw me holding the bill and the money expectantly while I was trying to get him to see me.
The ladies room was not the smallest I've ever been in, but it was rather closet-like. Â But I have to give props for the placement of the double-hook between the sink and the toilet.
I would have given this place three stars were it not for their rancid, vile, undrinkable coffee. Asked for a Splenda, and the waitress snootily replied that they don't have Splenda. Â Okay, but NO sugar-free sweeteners at all?! Â Nope. Â No apology, no explanation. Â Well, ex-CUSE me!
Cute, homey decor, if a bit cramped. Â We had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, and got jostled by the waitresses each time they passed.
Food is a bit overpriced for what it is: The bangers - $4.50 extra for three smallish ones- Â are not true bangers but more like greasy breakfast sausages, and semi-burnt. Â $4.50 for a glass of allegedly fresh-squeezed OJ. Â Yeah, fresh out of a big plastic jug - pah! Â The toast is crusty and jagged and flavorless. Â Oh, and with no butter provided.
It confounds me that so many folks have given such glowing reviews - have standards dipped so low? Â I mean, you can get much better food - and without the 'tude - for half the price at most ordinary diners.
Then we get the bill, and my husband puts down his Amex card. Â The waitress come back with a snippy, "Um, we only take Visa or Master Card." Â My husband says he could have sworn there was an Amex logo on the black bill holder. Â Sure enough, the waitress comes back with the bill - and it is indeed in a case with an AMEX logo, and the words, "We welcome American Express card." on the cover. So you think she could have been a bit less snooty! Â
As my friend said, maybe we caught them on an off day. . . In the meantime they should get rid of their "We welcome Amex" signs and spring for some Splenda. Â And maybe find some wait staff without the 'tude.
Oh Beer. How I love you. Let me count the ways.
1. Beer for lunch.
2. Beer and burger for lunch.
3. Beer and meat pie for dinner.
4. Beer after work
5. Beer on weekend before going out
6. Beer on weekend after going out
7. Beer served by pretty girls with nice smiles.
I am a big fan of beer. The Plough and Stars gives me all the beer I want in exchange for these green pieces of paper everyone likes so much. The food is spectacular for lunch, and very good for dinner. It truly shines where most darkish pubs do, when you and your friends are having a great time sharing pitchers and ordering appetizers.
I worked down the street, and frequented it often. Now I work a lot further down the street, and miss it dearly.
Awesome brunch. We stumbled on Plough and Stars when all the other trendy brunch spots required a long wait time.
I ordered the poached eggs with pork-confit hash. This is the best eggs benedict I've ever had. The hollandaise sauce has garlic in it. Creamy, thick, tons of it. The hash was awesome and drenched in hollandaise. The eggs were poached perfectly and English muffins were grilled just right. It was a huge mess and I ate the entire thing. Worth $12.50.
My boyfriend got the Cubano sandwich which he also enjoyed. I took a bite and stole his pickle and can confirm its a great sandwich.
We did not order any alcohol but I'm tempted to try the bloody marys. The coffee will wake you up instantaneously and yep, refills are free.
I ordered a side of home fries which I sadly couldn't finish. But they're the good kind (red potatoes, onions mixed in).
Service was also great - just attentive enough and they didn't kick us out when we wanted to linger over our coffee refills.
I could probably write a 4 paragraph review on how much I love the Plough & Stars- but I doubt anyone will read it. SO, instead I will summarize what I would have written into bullets and sub-bullets:
-Treasure of Central Square
-Finger lickin' garlicky green beans (beats typical fries 10 to 1)
-FRIES with curry powder- aint nothin' more to say
-Best pint of Guinness in Cambridge as declared by my 100% Irish coworker
-Warm, friendly service (even when they seem understaffed)
-Favorite lunch spot for comfort food fans
  - e.g. gumbo, fish tacos, fried chicken sandwich
  - if they have a LUNCH SPECIAL, order it.
-Five star food at less than 5 star prices
I support your choice in eating/drinking/enjoying here.
I am not now, nor have ever been a hipster. Â Goth? Â A little. Â Punk? Yes. Fop? Abso-fabu-lutely! Â But a hipster? Â No. Â I live and die by my personal motto, "If you see a mustache, punch it." Â So you can imagine how difficult it was for me to leave my can of Raid [hey it kills pests like ants, roaches and hipsters. Â STOPS EM DEAD!] at home and head to a watering hole where I was surrounded by ironic fashions to enjoy an Irish breakfast.
But ohhhhhhhhh did I enjoy it! Â Let me tell you. . .
Black and white puddings were ENORMOUS and tasty! The rasher and bangers were delish, the eggs were scrambled just as the customer ordered and the tea flowed freely! Â I didn't have to wait too long either and the waitress was prompt and very attentive.
As for after dark, I've been here before for a few shows, and while I think the venue is a bit small for all the noise the bands sometimes make (max 60 people. Â Yeah 60. . it says on on the wall). the bar the bartenders are still solid, the shows are good, and I always managed to have fun.
Even if I do hate pabst.
. . . fucking hipsters.
I really really, like really wanted this place to have better food, because food aside this is a 4 star establishment. It is so relaxing to hang out in here with friends, grab a beer off of their small but pretty awesome tap list which always has some rotating specials, in this darkly lit pub like feel of a bar.
But I got their pizza special with arugula, blue cheese, green apple, and fig, only that pizza was so overcooked. Like crunchy. I am all about thin crusts, but no one likes a super crunchy pizza. And where was my green apples? I swear there was none on there. And you could have put a little  more blue cheese goodness on there  too. So ya. Not too pumped about that.
We also got the fish of the day tacos which came with scallops which is awesome. Scallops in tacos at a pub heh. But for $10, those two small street size tacos are definitely not enough for  dinner, and they didn't even put cilantro on them. I mean it is a taco, and taco's like cilantro. Trust me.
Lastly, the cuban sandwich came with super duper tasty seasoned fries, but for a sandwich listed as "totally pressed" it was definitely not panini style and was way too much bread for the average person to handle. The meat itself and all that was good, but just way way too much bread. And their special pork loin was also pretty good, but those house made curry sweet potato chips, although inventive, were just way too salty, and I love salt. The duck leg appetizer, although also $10 and small, was pretty tasty and came with house made sauerkraut that I found myself stealing pieces of from the boys in our group  who were sharing it.
So really I enjoyed my beers, my company and the ambiance, but since this place is around the corner from my house perhaps I will give the food another shot later on, in which I hope an updated review is in store...
..the kind of place that you drop into for a quick bite, intending to zip home and finish some errands like a responsible adult, but wind up raving about the fantastic, juicy cheese-burger, so much better than you expected and only $10, and checking your watch (it's 2 p.m.) and planning on leaving in a second but then hank williams comes on the speakers, and the bartender suggests mehbeh you'd like a whiskey with that hank, and then you do, and then you're a little toasted and thinking it's WITHOUT DOUBT time to go, but a man from mississippi wearing coveralls, a peg-leg, a smile, and a good story walks in, and then you have some laughs and reminisce about home, and then you just CAN'T stop talking to the bartender, and then you wake up without a shoe at 7 pm and eat dinner and act normal..... almost like it never happened..
(dinner here is great as well- excellent roast chicken, yummy fiddle-head ferns and green beans, a pretty solid gumbo and music every single durn' night)
We had a great time on a Saturday night here! My Cambridge buddy couldn't believe they had Old Speckled Hen on tap, and we each got a nice pour of this English red ale. P&S has a great beer selection and we were introduced to a nice Irish whiskey, Kilbeggan, by the nice Irish bartender. Bar staff was quick with a refill, friendly, and dressed up like old-fashioned bar tenders.
The night we went there was a great country band (see pics) that mixed it up with covers from Hank Williams, Bob Wills, to a sound that was slightly "jam band" but still country. Great entertainment all night.
Plough & Stars has a small but diverse menu that we did not get to try. It had shrimp skewers, braised short ribs, and the like. The tables were full all night, and I could see making a night of it here! Dinner and a Show!
If my grandfather was still alive, him and I would have hit up the Plough and Stars on a weekly basis. He would have absolutely loved this place. The old world decor of a no frills Irish pub with a Guinness stew that will make you dance in the streets to a string quartet jamming out "o' danny boy".
He was always fond of a delicious pint, a whiskey on the rocks and a good story. I can see it now...
Sunday Brunch consisting of bangers, mash, and tall pint -- while beautiful traditional Gaelic music set the background to my grandfather's stories of  escapades when he was my age that  always finished with "but of course, it was a different time back then".
Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
With all the warm and fuzzy holidays coming up.. I thought I;d finally muster up and write about the Plough. What took me so long? Wait a minute.. you don't even know if I've even been there for real so why should you care .. Yelp takes a lot of trust...
Each time we stop in.. we wish upon the pretty yellow star on the logo that they would bring back the burger with fried egg on top. It was so delicious that it took up a good 1 hour conversation with the local postmen on the cozy bar stool.s
It seems the menu follows the seasons and my multiple personality(Oops did I say that outloud?) and changes all the time. Everything is so fresh and made with care that the trust issue at the Plough is something you just give way to.. wholeheartedly. Order away.. and when the waitress asks you "are you all set?" you can say "I'm all set" because you really are and not because every server in Boston asks if you are all set like you are some VCR.
BRUNCH from 12-3PM on Saturday's and Sunday's. Good to know? Heck yeah. Last week we were doing some crazy happy dances when we got to the front door.. on the chalk board outside .. they annouced a live out of nowhere Sunday gospel jazz lineup.. which included Eilen Jewell (my favorite local artist)... I's found gold!
Plus the queen bee Jennifer and her always sweet efficient staff made the packed up restaurant bar into a smooth sailing experience. She more than welcomed our party of 5 to squish into a corner nook,.. and told us how well behaved we were at the end. haha.
The Irish breakfast and omelettes (mushroom&gruyere) never fail. Also their twist of fancy version of egg's benedict has a great hollanaise sauce.
It gets a little too packed and stuffy for my liking sometimes.. but that's when I just say thanks a million and bounce. No hard feelings.
I just went here for the first time since its reopening, and now I just wished that I lived a LOT closer. Like, right upstairs closer... because this is an awesome pub! They have an amazing selection of beers (well, all the ones that I want to drink, at least. How did they know?!), and the food is fantastic. I also love the red walls and the decor... so pretty.
The bartender was very friendly and wasn't pushy about getting us another drink, which I always hate. Very relaxed, low-key atmosphere, with everyone drinking and eating and having a good time, which is all I ever need. And they have the BEST mac and cheese dish this side of the Charles. I crave it all the time!!! So cheesy, with bacon and tomato bits mixed it... and then baked with crumbs on top... YUM.
I've just recently come to la-la-love this place. Â Good beer, nice setting, great music. Â It ain't the biggest of places so it can tend to get a bit crowded, especially on Fri and Sat nights. Â So grab a table if you can and sit back and enjoy some of that old timey music.
This place and Tir Na Nog are the last of a dying breed -- great pubs with good live music. Â The Plough & Stars will probably charge you like three bucks at the door if they do have live music going on -- but don't let that deter you as I'm sure it'll be worth it. Â I even witnessed guys and gals dancing hand in hand here!
I'm told they even occasionally have good food here -- but I've never managed to show up at the right times or with an empty stomach, but I trust my sources. Â And you should trust me, and check this place out on your next excursion.
The Plough has now reopened, and is a great place to stop by if you're in the area. Â They make fantastic sandwiches - better & greasier than I would have ever imagined. Â I haven't yet experienced the music scene, but rumor has it that G. Love played here frequently before ramping up in popularity. Â
A great addition to the dead spot between Central and Harvard Squares.