50 Best Pubs near Waltham

“I recommend anything but the calzones. I’ve ordered food a bunch of times from Franco’s, a few times in person and 3 times via Grubhub. All 3 times I ordered through Grubhub I chose a calzone. The first time the calzone was cooked fantastically, but the last 2 times it was raw dough in the middle where the folds are. The last time I ordered a calzone which happened to be raw in the middle I just threw it away because I didn’t have time to make a complaint. I ordered another calzone tonight hoping it was just a fluke (New cook? Just super busy and overlooked? Whatever, we all make mistakes NBD) since everything else in my order was perfect. When it arrived I checked the calzone and it was raw again. I made the decision to call the restaurant to let them know and to see if I could send it back for something different. The man on the phone told me I was wrong and that he cooked it himself and it wasn’t raw because “he checked”. I told him it most certainly was raw and that I was hoping for an exchange. He said he couldn’t do anything for me and I’d have to call Grubhub about that. He said I’d have to go in person to exchange it. I said “okay fine I guess I’ll call Grubhub” and then he said something I couldn’t understand and hung up on me. I’m really disappointed. I frequent Franco’s for karaoke and spend money at the bar and restaurant often enough to expect a fair exchange and some decent customer service when I need it. I asked for his help and he offered me nothing. Order anything else but the calzones unless you like your dough to be raw, I guess? I HIGHLY recommend the jalapeño poppers though. They’re always perfect and a surprisingly good size.“

“Nice place and amazing. 😀“

“We had the Biria chicken tacos, ordered a 2nd round cuz they were so good! I had a strawberry margarita - was delicious. Vibe was great around 1100 after a concert at the House of Blues. Will def be back !“

“Excellent vibe, great food selection and cold Guinness 👍🏼👍🏼“

“Great atmosphere,great food,reasonable“

“The Dooliner has a wonderful neighborhood atmosphere, great food and friendly service. Highly recommended!“

“Small beer selection, wine and a bar. But they were great, super friendly, and the food was good.“

“everything was wonderful!“

“Love the Town Tavern! The atmosphere is relaxing & comfortable! The staff is knowledgeable & attentive! The food is DELICIOUS! (And the portions are large). Highly recommend this restaurant!!!“

“So great! Thank you for being the neighborhood friendly place you are to a family in need of getting out of the house. We really appreciated the warm welcome and hospitality. We’ll see you next weekend for sure! - Sara & Matthew West (cute son Graham)“

“This was a great pub. Very cozy and welcoming right from the start. Our primary bartender was smiles and hellos from the moment you walk in the door. We had some amazing food and drinks while visiting this wonderful establishment. I know without a doubt that this is on our list of favorites while in Boston.“

“Great food and great service“

“If you’re looking for the best place to eat in Needham, Cook is unequivocally it. The quality of the food is outstanding, and the only thing that rivals it is the exceptional service from the entire staff.

A special shoutout to Johnny. His genuine commitment to making every guest’s experience a great one is first class.

Cook has set the standard for what a neighborhood restaurant should be. In my opinion, it’s the best restaurant in Needham. It isn’t even close!“

“Best wings and ribs I have ever tasted!!“

“Love the vibe! Great place to just get a drink, or eat to your heart's content. I have been holding Twisted Networking- Somerville, MA for a while in the side room- awesome! #askjo“

“Great atmosphere and great folks working there!“

“When my uncle passed away, he left clear instructions that he did NOT want a traditional memorial service. He wanted his friends to get together and have beers. Joe and the other owners COULD NOT have been more accommodating. They helped every step of the way through this challenging time. They are incredible people, and I could not be happier with how the event turned out. I will be a lifelong supporter of Distraction, as will every single person who attended that evening. I can not thank them enough.“

“Hidden gem! Classic bar with insanely good cocktails and food but keeping it real. Beet salad could compete with any high end restaurant. Smash burger and fries - no words. Oh pickle plate is a must - classic sweet to the unexpected root veg and snow pea mix. Great beers new and old. The bartender Mike brings it. He's cool and chill and makes the best subtle recommendations. Great fun to talk with. Great music, great vibe. Already planing a trip back for the reuben. Simple menu done right.“

“My wife and I came here to get a quick bite and some drinks and watch some World Cup. The servers were incredible and the food was delicious. We ordered the Salmon salad and the salmon was fresh and juicy. We also had the pretzel with their spicy mustard which was awesome. I had an IPA followed by the 75 bees which is a perfect drink in this hot weather. Not too alcoholic and sweet. My wife had the Hibiscus lemonade and she swears that’s one of the best lemonade’s she’s had in a long time. Super awesome place to visit“

“I enjoy going to Costellos with my Fiancée“

“Thank you for the lovely evening! A vibrant place in Bergamo Well done“

“Roger's Pub is on the Babson College campus so it's a small out of the way place that I think you will like. The food is a step above your everyday pub food. The staff is great and it's a really great place to hold a catered event. Check it out. You will be surprised.“

“Get those awesome skins back…..“

“Went out for suppa Friday night.Sat at bar and we had our beers and menu within a few minutes.Our cocktail server was named Emily.She was very friendly and energetic.We ordered the fresh cut buffalo chicken tenders.They were juicy, tender and pulled apart easily.Just enough heat to tickle ur tongue ,but not too hot to produce beads of sweat on your forehead.The Onion soup had lots of sweet onions, giving it a thick consistency and had two large croutons topped with Irish cheddar cheese. $7 dollars for this crock of soup,it was delicious.For entree ,I got beer battered fish.The haddock came out as a whole fillet.The batter was golden brown with a nice thin crust.The fish had a great flavor and flaky texture definitely fresh.It was so good.Came with coleslaw and a huge pile of fries.I saw a couple of pizzas come by me and they looked tempting for next visit.So over all it was a delicious suppa , service was excellent and the newly renovated place looks great.If you like to support your local neighborhood family run restaurants ,I would highly recommend! Enjoy“

“Great atmosphere. Fun place to have drink and meet nice people.“

“Hosted a family funeral coalition for 40. The food was great. The menu had something for everyone. Accommodated special requests. Service was excellent. They made event planning very easy on the family and it was very much appreciated. Would highly recommend. Thank you to the whole Menotomy crew.“

“Voted best Dive Bar. Locals were very friendly! We had a great time.“

“The food is alright, but some dishes were kind of bland, so I had to season it myself. The service was superb. We left a very nice tip. They have a huge selections of beer, which is great and a good atmosphere. I wish that the menu had better selection and all of the food was well seasoned. We will go there again.“

“This is our local establishment, and we have been here regularly. The food is consistently good with ample portions. Enjoyable soundtrack 1960s. Most recently, we arrived at 6:15, didn't get the menu or water for 20 minutes (there was only one other table dining). But the place was freezing - everyone in the place was wearing coats, one woman wore mittens between bites!“

“Went there last night after daughter's graduation with her boyfriend's family and her other friends. The bar was loud and very busy as expected but the servers and hosts were kind enough to accommodate us. But it was one particular bartender of Asian origin (I am an Asian myself) who was flustered the entire time we were there and we were not even ordering from her. It was a different bartender who was nice. And when I wanted to close the tab, she asked me something I couldn't hear and when I asked her again, she snapped so viciously, I was aghast. That was beyond rude and more like a criminal behavior towards a patron. I didn’t escalate it and left quickly but this perhaps is a repeat behavior from her and her attitude didn’t seem new. I hope the management/owners take notice of this. The way she behaved and looked flustered the entire time warrants termination, no less. This has nothing to do with the pub, the servers and bartender there are nice, except that one person who shouldn't have been employed.“

“Their family meal options from Sun - Thurs are fantastic! Great way to feed a family during the week. The meatballs are absolutely delicious!“

“was in a last week Food was great and Denice waited on us. She was so attentive and so friendly. Such a great server! I will definitely be back and hope we get her again.“

“Stopped by because wanted to play a game of pool with a friend.
They have 5 full sized nice pool tables.

Got wings, burger & steak tips for food.

Everything was really really good.

Very impressed and will definitely be back.“

“Good service! Great food!“

“Master McGrath's is not your Downtown Boston or Newbury Street gentrified bougie hangout. It's for the blue collars, the working folk, and for a pint and a shot or some simple cocktails.

Nothing fancy but then it doesn't need it either. Great neighborhood spot full of regulars who know how to use TouchTunes.

Trivia nights are every other Thursday (watch their instagram for updates @master.mcgraths). Always a blast!!

For food, they are currently working on getting their brand new pizza oven up and running. For now, you can order food delivered there (tons of places nearby) or bring your own. There's no table service but all of the bartenders are attentive and know what they're doing.

TO NOTE: This is a CASH ONLY bar. There's an ATM on site and several others in the vicinity.

Parking is on River st (FREE street parking) or there are a couple of small lots nearby. If going on the weekend, you can also park at Rockland Trust after 5 without fear of being towed.

Stop by for the best pint of Guiness in Boston, watch the game on their 7 TVs, cozy up by the electric fireplace, or sit at the bar and chat with the locals. They/we've all got stories!“

“Great drinks! Relaxing atmosphere!“

“Fun place with a lot of great beer choices“

“Love this place. Food is really good, they have a huge list of craft beers, the staff is always super nice and attentive.“

“Dave Dj'd our wedding on 9th August 2024 he was brilliant and kept our guests up on their feet. Thankyou for your part in our special day 👍“

“Great service food was super and nice atmosphere“

“We went to the 99 post graduation of my daughter today. Angela was our waitress and she was absolutely wonderful! So much care was taken! Very grateful to her for a wonderful experience!“

“Good food great atmosphere always a lively atmosphere!!“

“Been coming here for a decade. Hands down the best small venue in Boston.“

“Good food, atmospheric; good selection of seasonal beers/ales. Can get very busy during peak dining hours.“

“As an observing customer to Bobbie Grime's review below just thought I would say Geoff, David, Maryssa and Suzy and the whole kitchen staff went above and beyond to ensure this planned group were satisfied regardless of the time. It's nice to observe at least some of the staff care about customers.“

“The peopl here are just lovely. Great homestyle food fresh g]fast and reasonable.“

“I really liked the PULL FOR CHARITY. Baramor donates $3 every pint poured to the non-profit charity. It’s a great way to donate.“

“Fun place!!! Friendly bartender!!“

“Great time before the concert at MGM at Fenway. Alex Anthony was here with live music of our times. That was a nice surprise. He’s good! Great food too. Extra bonus that it’s so close to the venue.“