I really really liked this place! Part of it is the ambiance and the fact that I never knew it was there, like at all. there is no sign but you feel like you are walking into a scene from a movie in some ways. not in the super glamorous sense but the atmosphere is like a real pub should be with the splash or dark wood and leather. Really a  great spot to have a drink and dinner. Very classy. The pimms is a must have here - its as if a fair kissed your tongue. Delicious.
Review Source:Holy crap. SO good.
I had a Pimm's and the short ribs. Died and went to heaven. The BF had really good local beers and the pork tenderloin - honestly the best pork I've ever had.
Really cool atmosphere, amazingly nice staff. One star off for the crazy prices, but it's great for a special date.
We had an excellent meal here. I had been twice before and it was good and fun but it turns out they are getting even better. The cocktails (and I love a good cocktail) are fun and adventurous and we tried a couple - delicious. Â The food is even more solid. Â To start we had a rillette of duck - it had a layer of cherry (not quite preserves but you get the idea) on the bottom - served with some crispy toasted country bread. Really fantastic. Â The salad and fish were perfected cooked and have just enough touch of "different" to make you remember them. Â Service - it was a quiet night but our waitress was just present enough to take care of us but allow us to have a very fun personal conversation.
Review Source:Quiet, dark, delicious. Â I went here last night and met my friend for a drink. Â Ended up staying for an order of amazing sliders. Â Grassfed, tomato confit, caramelized onion, cheese and these three delectable beauties were so yummy. Â Served with fries and I got a Berkshire Brewing Company Steel Rail Pale Ale (my fave BBC beer).
Desmond was a wonderful bartender who made me a drink based on something sweet. Â He asked me if I liked gin. Â I told him "gin is my blood type.
:)
He ended up making me something called a Silver Surfer which was amazing. Â Gin, lemon, ice and I don't know what else but it was tasty and hit the spot.
A nice way to polish off a good meal and end a workday.
I will definitely be back A LOT!
Sliders, a nice bartender, a cool atmosphere, a COMFORTABLE bar, reasonable prices, clean bathroom.
This place was made for me!
So I had heard cool things about this place, I'm in Davis Sq. all the time and had only been to saloon once, I was with my 2 Swedish cousins they're twins.  One of them had their ID the other one didn't so we weren't allowed in....99.9999% of the time I would side with the door guy in these matters, I understand they are protecting the business, etc.  BUT THEY ARE TWINS!!  Anyways no biggie there, I still intended on checking the place out so when I had some old college friends come to town to visit  I suggested meeting up there.  I believe this was on St. Patrick's Day but when we arrived it wasn't to busy and our party was seated pretty promptly.  The decor and the vibe of the place are great, early century speakeasy, dark wood,  low lights, great selection of spirits, mediocre selection of beers.  Our server was a mess, she was extremely theatrical and seemed like she was in an altered state of mind, I'm not saying she was intoxicated, she may have just been a little cray in general but she really seemed like she thought she was in 1920's Paris or Chicago.  Full on.  She was really nice but hella ostentatious and we were just trying to have a couple cocktails and catch up.  But whatever, she was doing her thing.  At Saloon they are known for their handcrafted cocktails so all four of us ordered a cocktail and a beer.  She went to put in our drinks and came back literally 4 times to re-verify what we had ordered.  20 minutes later our drinks arrived, or really half of our drinks arrived because she forgot half & of the half of the drinks that we actually delivered  half of them were the wrong drinks.  I was pretty pissed since I had suggested this place to friends I hadn't seen in a while, plus it was  quarter past 12 by the time we got our first round all correctly, bar close is 1am in Somerville so we didn't want to try to hop to another bar, find a table for 4 and order maybe for last call. Â
So quick synopsis, awesome space, very cool vibe, great selection of spirits/mixed drinks, underwhelming beer selection, very confused theatrical table service during this experience resulting in our receiving the wrong drinks. Â Considering we were paying $12-$14 a drink (pretty expensive as far as Somerville goes) I just expected a lot more. Â I might go back but I'll post up at the bar, there's a lot of other legit options for decent table service in the hood.
Since I drink bourbon on a fairly consistent basis, a buddy of mine suggested I drop in and give "Saloon" a try while I visited Boston. Â Needless to say, his advice was golden! Â Since so many people have written about the merits of this place, I will summarize my observations via the "bullet-point" approach...
Positives:
-Remarkable selection and value for bourbons and beer (15 on tap)
-Basement decor is warm/comforting
-Staff is knowledgeable, personable and out to ensure your experience is a wonderful one
Negatives:
-Saloon doesn't have a "sign" out front of its establishment... As a result, you might easily overlook this establishment if only "walking the beat".
I was hoping for more...
I love cocktails, I love hard-to-find bars, and I love Prohibition-style bars...but I did not love Saloon. Sigh.
It was really really loud, service was friendly but painfully slow, and the cocktails were good, but not good enough to put up with the noise and the service. It seems like a good place to go with a group, but maybe not a first choice.
I would give it another shot. Hopefully my experience wasn't the usual.
Absolutely love this place!!! It is in a weird spot and I've walked right by it numerous times and never knew it was there! Major props to my friend who showed me this place!
It has a great vibe to it and a very unique atmosphere. The bartenders really know what they're doing. I haven't had an actual meal here but I have had there chocolate lava cake which is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! I've actually gone there twice just to have that cake!! hahaha
Definitely will be recommending this place to friends and will be back soon! :)
They have an interesting and original cocktail list, and the bartenders are really cool. Â It does get very busy on Friday and Saturday but you still get your drinks fast once you maneuver yourself in front of the bar. Â The owner is a really cool irish fellow who can sometimes be seen drinking a beer with the partons on a slow night, and he was kind enough to answer all my questions about the place!
Review Source:5 stars for drinks (try the Ward 44)
5 stars for apps (the charcuterie plate, the deviled eggs, AND the stuffed peppers)
5 stars for ambiance
5 stars for the bartenders
3.5 for entrees - small, a little overpriced and good for a bar but not good enough for a gastropub.
The only bad thing about this place is their female hostess. Â She is rude and very often confused and overwhelmed. Â She made is wait to tell her we had a reservation while she shouted at someone on the phone about something or other (it sounded like an order of cupcakes). Â We stood there for over 5 minutes while she argued with this guy! Â And that's not the only time she has been rude. Â I go quite often with friends and I've never had one nice experience with her. Â Good thing the rest of the staff are lovely.
I've only been for drinks, so I can't rate the food.
I've had a bunch of good experiences, a few ok ones. They make good drinks (the older gentleman bartender makes a great old fashioned) but they aren't fantastic at going off the cuff if you order something even remotely obscure. Also the bartender was pretty drunk the last time I went- what other excuse do you have for flipping a bottle and trying to look fancy, and then dropping it on the bar so it shatters on the woman who's drink you're making (luckily not me, but the woman next to me).
Pretty friendly though. Great for during the week drinks- they get a bit overwhelmed on weekends and pay less attention to the quality of their drinks at that point.
Saloon is an underground mysterious bar located right in the heart of Davis Square. It is sort of like a speakeasy so I had a little trouble finding it the first time around. It is literally located right below a movie theater sign. There are several parking spots on elm street and highland avenue so that should not be an issue.
Ambiance: Since there are not any real signs, you have to guess the location, open the door and hope you guessed right. As you walk into the Saloon, you gallivant down the stairs and enter a dark and gloomy room. It has an earthy classic look with dark wood, brick walls and leather furniture....Elegant and mysterious.
The menu is written on brown paper to give it that old fashioned look. I like that they only have a handful of items on the menu, as this implies that all of these items are their specialties.
I ordered the partisian gnocchi which was served with portabella mushrooms. The gnocchi was actually very delicious. I was shocked since most bars don't have the best food. I must say I was quite impressed.
Overall, I had a lovely experience at Saloon. This is the type of place where I would want to bring people visiting me from out of town. It has such a mysterious ambiance with solid food. If you live in Davis or Porter Square and you have not yet visited Saloon, you are missing out!
My first time coming to Saloon, I walked past the place probably six times before finally working up the nerve to call them and say "OK, I give up, where the F*CK are you guys hiding!?" Â Speakeasy style means you gotta know where it is to go there. Â Yes, you have to go through the door to the Somerville Theater, and at the bottom of the stairs, take a left. Â
So.
Inside, you're greeted by the underground spacious, yet cozy brick-facade room with soft lighting, brass fixtures and a lovely wooden bar. Â Tables are tucked into niches, and booths are situated in corners to make you feel like you're commanding the room. Â The room just oozes Rat Pack-era charm with a 2013 vibe that makes you feel positively post-hip.
High Quality Cocktails are, of course, de jure at Saloon, as the name would imply. Â Order a city-best sidecar, with a trace of a sugared rim on the up glass. Â 120 whiskies, a cocktail menu longer than some tax codes, and a wine list replete with quality selections by the glass make this a destination for drinkers.
Turning to the food, the house made charcuterie is on par with other restaurants that have discovered a new audience for offal. Â Order the platter and don't think twice. The Devils on Horseback - bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with feta - are pure angel tears. Â A great appetizer to share. The $5.00 bread and butter is good, but not worth adding as a menu item. Â
Your entree selection is really what it's all about here. Â The duo of duck is excellent, a lovely, well-prepared breast and confit croquette with red cabbage and black lentils. You can't miss with the minute steak, which comes out tender and amazingly flavorful. Â The pot-a-feu is somewhat disappointing - underseasoned, and tasting a bit like it came from mom's crock-pot.
The dessert menu changes daily, so listen up after dinner for all you sweet tooths.
Sadly, the one regular complaint I have at Saloon is with the service. Â They're creating an atmosphere of chill, laid-back, relaxed - I get it. Â But even on (rare) nights when the room isn't packed to the rafters, service is slow, glasses stay empty on tables for long stretches, and the overly-involved monologues each server delivers at the table all add up to a real E-ticket wait time.
However, don't let the few bumps dissuade you from the great time that is a trip to Saloon! Make a reservation for the dinner hour, or pop in late night; you won't regret it.
Good first experience at Saloon. Â The atmosphere is very cool - they play the prohibition vibe up nicely; the place if not easy to even find from the street, you have to go down a flight of stairs, dark inside with heavy wood walls, almost feels like you need a password to get in! Â Cocktails menu is great, whiskey selection awesome, beer selection OK. Â Service was solid, food was good not great. Â I'll go back for the drinks if nothing else.
Review Source:I don't write a lot of reviews, but when I do, I tend to be...negative? Holy crap, I don't give anyone good reviews!
Well that, my friends, is about to change. An old friend from undergrad popped into town last night, and we decided to hit up Davis Square. After walking past the entrance, we settled on Saloon. I had been there before for drinks, but never had the food. I am glad we gave it a try.
I had the minute steak (upgraded to the aged steak) which was flavorful and tender. However, the French fries weren't anything special, the kitchen accidentally left off the Shallot Jam (which I didn't even notice until 2/3 of the way finished with the dish) AND the broccoli rabe tasted water-logged.
Hold on a minute here...you may be asking yourself, "It sounds like the guy hated the place - so why did he give it four stars?" To be perfectly honest, our server was nice, the manager popped in to say hello, and we walked in at 8pm on a Thursday night and were seated immediately. Sure, the drinks are a bit overpriced and I won't come running back for the food anywhere in the near future, but we were treated with respect (the waitress seemed authentically thrilled to be serving us) and we didn't leave hungry. I have no complaints (yes that's right, for once..........)
My girlfriend ordered the duck two ways, and our friend ordered the grassfed beef sliders, which they shared. Both seemed pleased. Last night was a win.
Our server was GREAT!!
The drinks were good.
The food needs help! Â Minute steak was cold, the fries were way to salty and soggy and the broccoli rabe was undercooked. Â The trio of sliders = old dried out brioche rolls and beyond well done beef patties. Â The beef neck croquette had no flavor, the beef was mushy and watery. Â On the up side the Beer Battered Pickled Peppers and Devils on Horseback were amazing.
This place is cool, in every sense. Â First of all, it's underground. Â Literally. Â The entrance is beneath the old theater sign in Davis Square, and the only indication of its presence are the bouncers by the door and the line of eager and trendy patrons waiting to get in. Â Come for the whisky, but don't leave without trying the food. Â
The aesthetic is chic with brown paper menus and dim lighting adding to the dark atmosphere. Â Definitely the setting for self-indulgence. Â The prices are admittedly pretty steep for small servings (you won't find many college students eating here), but the flavors make up for the small plates. Â A fantastic addition to the increasingly hip Davis Square.
I came for the whisky and was not disappointed. Loved the overall atmosphere, friendly bar staff. Most memorable food was the cucumbers as palate cleansers.
Single Malt Scotch Whisky Variety:
Their whisky selection is small but well-crafted. Looked like a pretty decent bourbon menu though.
How much for a dram?
Average prices for the selection, light on the inexpensive options (min $12)
Mind the meniscus:
Seem to measure their shots, you'll get a precise, standard shot.
The bartender always lives:
The fellow I got knew his bourbons a bit better than his Scotch but very friendly indeed
The gem:
Lagavulin Distiller's Edition 1995, double matured
If I could give Saloon ten stars, I would do so gladly.
My partner of 12 years proposed a few months ago and we wanted a very small wedding with a few close friends in attendance. I thought of the Foundry for my reception and Brian, the manager of Saloon suggested a room in the back for a private gathering. He gave me an extremely fair price for a sit down dinner and champagne toast. He attended to my every need and answered every question I had. Heck, he even had the chef make me a vegan dinner **even though they don't typically have vegan items on the menu** so I could sample what they could offer me. Even better, the chef came out to talk to me about the dish and offer other suggestions.
My wedding reception was a dream. I could not have asked for anything better. The staff was incredibly attentive and made sure to keep other bar guests away from our private area. In fact, I don't think I have enough words in my vocabulary to state how kind the waitstaff were to me and all of my guests. Brian checked on me about a thousand times. I felt at home at Saloon and all of my guests loved our reception.
Come to Saloon and come often. You will be treated like a Queen. The back room is much quieter than you would expect. You will be taken care of and they will not gouge you on the price of dinner. I wish I could have a reception every day, just so I could give Saloon my business each time.
I love you Saloon. Brian, you are an incredibly professional guy! Thanks for making my wedding day special!
A bit pricy, but after a bite into the bacon wrapped cheese-stuffed figs and I was sold for life. I have never had anything so delicious and my tastebuds are still quivering from the sheer memory of it. I ordered a mixed cocktail called the Maple Leaf, which I thought was excellently made, although, it turns out to be the girliest bourbon mixed drink I've ever had the pleasure of trying (so I have some mixed feelings about it). I was a bit disappointed by the cheese platter; I thought there would be multiple cheese options, but there were only two blocks of the same, equally delicious goat cheese (forgive my shoddy memory for the name).
The best part of the whole evening would be the staff; our waitress was extremely friendly and took great care of us despite our boisterous nature. Overall, I had a great time eating here and would definitely come again once my wallet recovers.
Food: 4 stars
Price: 3 stars
Staff: 5 stars
Saloon has a really beautiful and classy/old school feel to it. My first impression walking into this place was the beautiful wooden bar and warm brick and brown colors. Based on decor alone, it feels like one of those places you would go for a nightcap before heading to bed. Although the inside feels different from many other places in Boston, the yuppie crowd is probably similar between here, Drink and Brick & Mortar.
If you enjoy scotch-based mixed drinks, Saloon does it well. Being a Game of Thrones fan, I was amused to see a drink called "Winter Wolf" on the menu and had to order it immediately. Can't comment on the food since I haven't tried it.
My only complaint about this place is it gets pretty loud. It's a combination of low ceilings/echo-y room and lots and lots of people. If it weren't quite so crowded, I'd come back anytime!
A couple of years ago the speakeasy trend reignited in Boston. Saloon opened a little over a year ago and seemed like the cool thing to do in Davis. Sadly, almost everything else is cooler.
There is so much potential with this bar, but the execution is just...off. I wish SOOO much that this wasn't the case. The space is absolutely beautiful and the smell walking down the stairs to the bar is divine (think cedar, cigar ashes and a touch of real musk. In short it smells like a  man). The food is actually very good, but like most people I come here to drink. This is where the enchantment stops.
The drinks are pricey, but that's to be expected with craft cocktails. Unfortunately, these are anything but crafty. I often feel like most of the specials are neither imaginative or all too tasty. To date, I've only had one drink I've really liked (but was still not blown away by) here and it involved a butt-load of green chartreuse, which I can ingest probably to no end.
If the staff at Back Bar worked here, it would be a perfect marriage. But unlike most marriages in MA, this one won't likely happen.
Even though this place is toootally a Cool Kids Contest and is located in one of my least favorite neighborhoods, I still like it. Because, despite the handlebar mustachioed patrons, the people who work here are genuinely nice and create a very welcoming atmosphere. An extensive, impressive bourbon list sure doesn't hurt either. I love bourbon. I ordered something called the Gentleman's Buck, which is simply bourbon, bitters, and ginger beer. I drink it at home all the time, but here I can have any kind of bourbon I want! It was perfect, as were the other drinks I sampled at the table. The bar/ drinks here are incredibly good, and are best described by this Portlandia sketch- <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DC_zGNmYtRS0%26sns%3Dem&s=18f98abb5ff7b1be9dea69473b69b42d1e8be0ed401e6e77b3a2029ef4ac0100" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
I didn't eat anything here, other than my friend's birthday cake. Which the Saloon staff were great about serving. I'm sure there was a fee, as is reasonable for the plates and effort put forth by the server. And that's the thing I keep coming back to. We had a huge group. At least 15 people, who were coming and going at random. And the staff accommodated us happily and was quite accessible considering the place was quite busy. They even snagged us another table next to ours when our group expanded unexpectedly. Having the foresight and good sense not to sit another party at that table when the diners paid the check means something to me. Way to go, nice hipsters!
The liquor menu here is about 80% whiskey, but I've always stuck to the house cocktails. My favorite is the Green Thumb (tequila, cucumber, lime, rosemary, ginger beer) which is fantastically fresh.
I've learned not to go to Saloon with more than two friends, and even then, not with an expectation of conversation. The low ceiling, dark wood, and brick walls are beautiful, but it's so loud down there!
I go to Saloon for one or two great drinks (they're pricey) and an evening of people watching.
Great ambiance and fantastic drinks. If you like whiskeys of any sort, you'll love the drinks here. Bartenders are knowledgeable and put hard work into making their specialty drinks.
I've also had them make unique drinks for me and was pleased with the results.
The menu is a bit limited but the things I have tried were tasty. The pickled peppers are awesome- try them!
Occasionally on the weekends there can be a wait outside, but it is definitely worth it.
Like everything in Davis, there always seems to be a line on the weekends. Having a weeknight with nothing to do, we decided to sneak on in. While it gives off the vibe of a speakeasy with dark wood and leather throughout the place, the menu doesn't mimic the feel. The mixed drinks were decent and standard Boston prices. The menu fell flat though with not too much excitement from my party.
The bartenders are nice and know their drinks and mixology, but overall seem to try too hard with innovation. And like other places in Somerville, do you really think it acceptable to charge that much for a cheap beer? Seeing the sticker price makes me miss the old days with Razzys and the like.
Going to The Saloon Restaurant in Davis Square.
made me realize what is wrong with most new Davis square
restaurants they are superficial. Like a kid dressing in it's mothers best clothes: the idea of being a grownup is there, but still something is missing. They try too hard and not enough at the same time.
We went on Saturday walked through the door and noticed there were a lot of stairs to go down, with my Ma's bum knee we not happy to see this, then we noticed a few hand made signs pointing to the elevator "yay!" we labyrinth down to the hostess stand and a man starts yelling at us!?
THIS IS NO WAY TO GREET YOUR CUSTOMERS! He yells that this is not an entrance and we are trying to sneak in. We were are all adults all over 35 we made reservations. Who at our age makes reservations and "sneaks" in a restaurant?
The decor conveys an old timey English gentleman's club with lovely wood and leather if they turned down the music a bit kicked everyone out added a fireplace, books and good scotch we would have been in our fancy uncles library. Oh, did I mention they also had an out of place disco ball.
The spirt menu looked very promising (to the drinkers in the group) until we noticed the "Hipster Beer" category where they were charging almost 6$ for a can of what ever crappy beer they stole from a hobo grandpa about 10 years ago.
Our service was off and on. Our waitress tried to impress us by memorizing all the specials, this would have been more impressive if we were not sitting in font of the special board.
Our appetizer of short ribs were delicious, but cold we sent them back to get reheated and they came back room temperature.
When our plates were cleared after the appetizer the bus boy placed our dirty forks and knifes on our napkins leaving the napkins dirty and useless.
I was told the minute steaks were delicious, and the fries were too salty. My gnocchi was tasteless when the waitress cleared the table she asked if I wanted to keep the leftovers I told her that the food did not taste good and nothing was done we were not comped nor any apologies were given.
If the Saloon just wants to be a bar/club (It does look like a great bar and from other reviews I may return for just drinks) they should remove their dinner menu. If they also want to be a fancy type restaurant, they should train their staff better. Have some more pride in your food and service. As a cook I was trained to taste and temp any foods that left my station. As a server I was trained to give attentive service and if things do not go as plan(mistakes happen) I was told to make it right.
--
I put off a Saloon review for a long time. I've been here probably 6-7 times or so but just didn't know exactly what to say. I guess that explains the 3 stars.
I've been here on a date, with a friend, with a group of friends, and with my boyfriend (the date happened before the boyfriend, no scandal here). So, basically I've been here in all sorts of social situations. Each time I am faced with mehhhhhh.
I will say, don't bring a date here if it is one of your first dates. It's just way too crowded, way too loud and just not the best environment to get to know someone. Come here with your friends, but if you are all single, it isn't the place to scope out men (I don't know about scoping women because I don't swing that way). If you come with a group of friends, know that you won't be able to stand comfortably together (I say stand because getting a table is laughable) and it will be loud and you will yell over each other.
The space itself isn't tiny, I mean by appearances it looks spacious. Maybe because it is such a popular place does it feel small once you are in there. Everytime I have been it has been crowded. I've been early in the evening and I've been in the middle and near to closing. Always crowded. Granted, this was always on a weekend evening, so that is probably my problem.
As others mention, the inside is nice. Very old school feel. By old school I mean 1920. Lots of wood. Dark wood. In fact, it is DARK in there. Another reason the social aspect is difficult for me.
The drinks are good. They are creative, and the bartenders make good cocktails. No argument there. They are pricey though. The food is decent, but don't look for a full meal type of situation here (unless this has changed). It is more of a small plate type of thing.
I am sure you are asking why I keep going back. It is more of a "I'm in Davis Sq, and want a drink. Let's just go here." I admit though that I go a lot less now as each experience is the same. I know I am being harsh and it isn't terrible by any means, I guess I just realized it just isn't the vibe I want in a bar. But, try for yourself and see what you think.
Been here twice.
Weeknite ( 1st month it opened ) and wknd nite ( recently )
better to go on a weeknite. more chill.
the ambiance is more suited for a speak-easy bar / lounge.
with that said... they should get rid of the lunch and dinner menus.
They should go with small plates and apps.
Dinner crowd makes the place too loud and crazy.
Felt so crowded.
I think it's gotten to a point that everyone knows about this place so it's too noisy and crowded now.
Won't be coming back until this place slows down a bit.
Great selection on tap ( beer) and love the selection of liquers.
Very creative with the cocktails ..requires a patron to be open minded and adventurous.
I have always despised whiskey. Until I found this place.
I moved to the area not too long ago and was turned onto this place by a coworker. He said it was like a hidden, southwestern speakeasy where the bartenders wore suspenders. And let me tell you, I like a challenge just as much as I like bartenders in suspenders. So my fiancé and I went out to find it.
We walked down the stairs beneath the theater and found ourselves in a dimly lit bar area with plenty of character. The only things missing were those saloon doors you see in cowboy movies. Our bartender WAS wearing suspenders, and promptly greeted us with menus and suggestions. I had some sort of specialty cocktail, and my fiancé had the Revolver (per my coworker's recommendation). My cocktail took a back seat to the Revolver, even though it had whiskey in it. It's amazing and it's a kick in the pants. Take a walk on the wild side and try that thing.
The only thing I've eaten at Saloon is the cheese plate. It's good, but only comes with one cheese - so if you don't like the daily selection, you're out of luck. A few pieces of toasted baguette and a few fruit slices accompany the cheese. Quite frankly, it's not enough to pair with the main attraction. That, plus the fact that they have such a small menu, is the reason I'm taking off one star.
You'll definitely see me here for post-work drinks a few times a month.
Love the atmosphere and the drinks, and loved the huge round table we got (pretty easily fit 7 or 8 of us) from which we could see the whole rest of the place.
Did not like the food/menu at all and I'm pretty adventurous with food and not usually overly hard to please. Also found the hostess and waiter unwelcoming/cold (one of those "WELL IS THE WHOLE PARTY HERE?" when you walk in kind of attitudes).
Still, for the atmosphere and drinks I would probably come once in a while if I lived closer. Since I don't, I don't think I'd make the effort to go back.
I'm updating this review because I think I wrote my original two star review when I was cranky or hungover.
This place rocks. The ambience is great, the drinks are strong and creative and the french fries are fabulous. Like mouth wateringly good. The staff also knows me at this point, mostly because I once fell down the stairs here.
That's the only negative thing about Saloon. Those goddamn stairs.
Great bartenders here - they know it all. Â Great drinks. Â Great underground location.
Feels like something you'd find hidden in NYC...Except you're in Davis Square in Somerville!
My favorite part (believe it or not) is the "sign" - just one lightbulb with a tiny logo letting you know where to go in.
We started coming here pretty soon after they opened. I loved the vibe of the place and the extensive beer and whiskey/scotch list. The Kentucky bourbon barrel ale is delicious. I don't like that they serve wine in little glasses that look like they should hold orange juice for breakfast. Why not a regular wine glass and a larger pour? I know it's not really your "thing" but us wine drinkers would appreciate a proper glass.
The food is great - much better than Foundry IMO. It's just more interesting and better tasting. I loved one of the original items on the menu - the pork belly, baked beans and brown bread - super tasty. I was skeptical to try it, but ended up loving it. They do seem to switch up the menu every few months (which I like) - some things I've tried are ok, some I've really loved. Over the summer it was great coming here because it was less crowded and the specials were consistently good. The sliders were so tasty with the pickled onions (the new fall sliders I don't like as much and haven't been cooked as well).
Service can be a bit slow - it just kind of depends. The music is sometimes on WAY too loud and you have to shout to hear the person across or next to you. Would be nice if they turned it down a bit. And depending where you sit it can be so dark you need your iphone to read the menu. But overall, we've had decent service, and good food/beer. And before 2 weeks ago - I would have probably given the place 4 or 5 stars...
However, the last time we came here after we were done eating (food had been good) - I noticed a mouse run across a very dark back corner of the restaurant. I felt sick after seeing that. How do I know they aren't contaminating the food? I don't know if they knew about it and were doing something about it, or perhaps it was the first time this little critter appeared and they didn't know yet? I wanted to say something, but I was so thrown off by it we just paid the bill and left. The mouse freaked me out and we haven't gone back. It saddens me too because this was my go to place in Davis.
Cool spot!
While it is a cocktail and whiskey bar (speakeasy), I only had a beer, so I can't really speak to that. Â But the drinks did look good. Â
The atmosphere was really fun. Â Dark and intimate without losing its sense of fun, Saloon hosts table and bar seating, and some standing room. Â Admittedly, the evening was far more enjoyable from our table than my impression of the standing spots, but that's just me. Â Saloon had a distinctly different feel from other bars in the area which was a nice change of pace for an evening. Â If you see that doorway, take a walk down the stairs; definitely worth trying at least once.
You might need to bust out your glasses for this one, folks. Â Glance up and there is a small little light with the black logo of Saloon splashed across it. Â
My first experience here was during a Yelp bar crawl. Â I showed up late and opened up the large, heavy wood door and descended the stairs into Saloon. Â The crowd was thinning out and moving on to another stop but I just couldn't leave this place yet. Â The space is gorgeous. Â The dim light glimmers off the rich leather and dark wood. Â The decor is impeccable yet somehow manages to still make you feel at home. Â
The service was excellent. Â Derek, our bartender, was wonderful. Â He whipped up some rockin' tequila rickeys and gave us some great recommendations. Â We ordered up the fried peppers with boursain cheese. Â They were one of the best bar appetizers I have had in quite some time. Â
My favorite thing, surprisingly, was not booze or fried food related. (SHOCKING) Derek was off making a little cherry coke when one of the ladies I was with noticed and asked what he was whipping up. Â He smirked and walked away. Â Derek came back with three cherry cokes for us to try. Â Fantastic service. Â All of the bartenders were friendly, chatted us up and were knowledgable about the menu.
They have oyster specials Sunday - Wednesday for the happy hour crowd. Â I will certainly be back for that.
Do you often imagine yourself as a character on Mad Men?
Do you call pool halls "billiard rooms"?
Do you like the idea of a cigar bar but without all the smoking?
Do you forget your date's name but remember every variety of whiskey you drank the night you brought her home?
Right this way, sir.
Saloon, you are everything I want you to be. You have a list of whiskeys with three price categories: Standard Pour, Old-Fashioned, and Manhattan. Unlike your sister restaurant above, televisions are not on your menu. You even added Parisian Gnocchi to your menu since the first time my vegetarian self walked in your dimly-lit eatery. You are doing everything right.
If you like being punched in the face by someones eyes immediately upon entering a place, then you will love it here. I adore their non nonchalant-ness of making your drink and hopefully snapping their suspenders on the way.
Get whiskey, for the love of Zeus, get a whiskey drink. The amount of leather in this place calls for it. I have not ordered food here yet, but have come here on multiple occasions to get sloppy and wearing hats, which you're not supposed to wear. The Nay Sayer was good (I think, it was quite far into the night...) But you absolutely can't go wrong with anything these guys make (make sure to order from the surly bartender with the mustache, assuming there's only one with a mustache).
Don't complain about the line, or the crowd, or that they stared at you for 10 seconds after you said "Apple-tini". You get the hint this ain't quite Joshua Tree, and that's exactly my kinda place.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,916 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
