My rating is only for the food and drink -- the staff were very nice. The food and drink were just terrible. The food seems to be concocted from "pre-prepared" stuff. The smell of the fryolator and Melfry is really strong as you enter the restaurant. My chicken fajita flatbread had nothing "fajita" about it. It was made with breaded chunks of chicken breast. No flavor. Super boring. My drink was watery. I can see how the place is popular, though. The bar was busy. There are not a lot of restaurants in the area. If they got a chef and cut out the pre-made stuff I am sure they could do better with the menu. read more

We went here for a quick bit because we were in the area. The food was ok and it took VERY long for us to get our food when we only ordered a turkey burger and grilled cheese. The only good thing was that our waitress was funny and nice. read more

First time here tonight and it was wonderful and a good atmosphere. Huge kid menu and great beverages. Would definitely come back.

FHP is meh. Chicken digits were tasty and crispy and were the star. The place is loud. High chairs with toddlers and families and the background music is barely discernible due to so much noise (Is this Blues Travelers? No, I think it's Van Halen?). Be prepared for service that is "the usual" -forgot my beer, waitress had to be flagged down by means of flagging down other staff members to flag her down, food and check took forever to come over, just no service -basically the same story most anywhere you go these days. Going out to eat is supposed to be a pleasure and relaxing. Not at FHP, just kinda a madhouse. The prices are high. Ten bucks for sliders that are just nonfresh, crumbly store-bought buns and some tomato slices with lettuce and you assemble 'em. Also, chips and salsa was crappy store-bought stuff and the chips were all smashed up, bottom-of-the-bag remnants. Come on FHP, that's unacceptable. If you're on the fly this place will do, but otherwise don't make a special trip here. Cook at home peeps -you have the skills. read more

First House Pub - Chicken digits. - Pubs Near Me - Winchester, Massachusetts

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Ordered from UberEats. Was excited that I could get some decent food delivered on a very busy night. It was a bit pricy but hey why not splurge, we don't get delivery often. After a 40 min wait (which I didn't mind since it is what was quoted) the food was delivered. We only got 2 out of 3 items. We had ordered a salad, Mac and cheese which came with a side salad and a burger. Only the dinner salad and burger came. The Mac and Cheese and side salad were missing. Not even in the bag. So one person was left without a meal. Despite the salad being good and the burger being enjoyable, I'm not sure we will splurge like that again. read more

We stumbled across this attractive place after a Saturday afternoon event at local bookstore. Baked haddock sandwich at $12.95 was delicious, but its sesame bun underwhelmed. Agree with comments on service - friendly, but refills were not and we couldn't get someone to cash us out as it got busier, so we switched to cash for quicker exit. Tight quarters on high top tables and TVs on wall, but they didn't dominate atmosphere. Would consider returning. read more

The first time I came it the First House, they had just opened. I don't remember why, but I was very disappointed at the time. Fast forward to this weekend, when we decided to give this place another try. I'm so glad we did! The food was very good. Portions are HUGE! Service was quick and friendly. Really, I can't find anything negative to say, except the salad was so wilted and sad. Hence, 4 stars rather than 5. We will definitely return! read more

The lobster salad and lobster roll were excellent. Generous portion of lobster and not loaded with mayo.

So many things that could be great....so many things that aren't-and yet management fails to step in to correct some basic things that prevent this restaurant from becoming a mainstay in Winchester. We've been going here for about a year now, as regulars, and have noticed quite a few things: First off, the food. The food can be hit or miss. I've had a great amount of good meals here, and others have just fallen short, with the staff not apologizing for anything. Inconsistency seems to be the staff's goal, which they excel at. When you order wings, you might get them cooked perfectly or dry without any sauce...it's random. Burgers have always been overcooked, so I avoid those. Wings have been great 9/10 times, with the exception being the last time we ordered them...2 orders of honey hot wings. When we looked at the receipt, the bartender requested them cooked "well done" and they definitely were...we never asked for that. Another hit on their menu-they changed their menu from having pizza to having flatbread...it turns out that their pizza oven broke and they were too cheap to fix the oven, so they serve flatbread instead...guess what-it sucks. Pay the cash to fix your oven instead of changing you menu-the pizza was one of the best things you had. Second, the service. Mike is an awesome bartender-quick and attentive and happy to help, he does his job. Everyone else pales in comparison. Jay, after knowing us for a year, continued to screw up our order. Cassie is awesome at her job, as well. Third, the ambiance. Ok, it's Winchester...a family town. I don't expect graffiti from some 7 graders in the bathroom, yet there it is...take the time to take the sharpie-graffiti off the wall, guys. Fourth, the beer. They've tried to get some decent taps in there, but have failed. Mike gave us some surveys to fill out on what beers we liked most, but nothing came of them. Instead, Harpoon and Sam still owns a few taps and there's nothing special about the place. Regarding mixed drinks, I've seen Jay use bagged sugar for and old fashioned....um, it's called a pub, so just try and get some draft beer and call it a day. Overall, it fills a small niche but there are plenty of voids that remain in this place. People in the bar are just phoning it in, collecting a paycheck, and going through the motions. We were regulars for almost a year, and never got anything comped, not to say it's a requirement, but we were never appreciated for our repeat business, but almost expected to show up. We won't be back here. I can get the same or better food, better beer, lower or equal prices, and better service, in any direction I look to. Sorry First House Pub...you're second hand in my book. read more

The Burger was Perfect, fries were also! Place was very clean and the service was excellent. Priced very reasonably. Best Burger in Town.

Consistently good bar food with a wide menu and great friendly service. The salads, wings, and sandwiches in particular are all very good.

Arrived on a Monday night about 7:30pm. Not too busy. We ordered the 1/2 pound Bacon Cheeseburger with Sweet Potato fries and grilled Asparagus and the Baked Haddock also with grilled Asparagus and a Spring salad was included. Drinks: Rum & Pepsi. All of it was outstanding, prepared perfectly and very flavorful. Service was warm and professional. Price was reasonable. We definitely will be coming here again. read more

First House Pub - Pubs Near Me - Winchester, Massachusetts

Really like this place! The food is excellent. I got the black bean burger which was very tasty (I am a vegetarian so I sample a LOT of veggie burgers at restaurants - this was one of the better ones I've had). Everyone else at the table enjoyed their entrees as well. Our waitress was pretty flaky. We're not a high maintenance group so it wasn't a big deal, but with a pickier group of people I could imagine they would have gotten pretty annoyed. I'll definitely come back here! But probably sit at the bar next time. read more

Took my wife and boys out for dinner for her birthday and we were quickly helped to a table. The restaurant wasn't busy yet, so we were helped without a wait. We put in the kids order for a cheese pizza, hot dog, and apple sauce. My wife and I split house nachos with chili and the house burger. Don't understand why, but the nachos were listed as a special even though it was in their normal menu for a cheaper price. Pizza- the pub style flatbread pizza was just slightly better than frozen supermarket pizza. The boys didn't mind although they mention the crust was super crispy. It came out COLD. Hotdog- good hot dog, but the bun had cheese residue from something else they must have been cooking on the griddle. Applesauce- probably a Mott type brand. Couldn't tell because they removed the cover and put in a plastic spoon. Nacho's with chili- decent nachos with cheese, olives, peppers, tomatoes, and sour cream. Limited meat from the chili and a ton of red beans. Have had better. House Burger- eh...first try was overdone and COLD. Sesame seed bun was squished and burnt. We sent it back but had to ask the front of the restaurant since our waitress became busy at this time. With kids getting restless we ate the burger as soon as it came out. To the waitress credit she offered a drink on the house, but we were dying to get out because our 4, 3, and 1 year olds were done eating. She could have taken it off the bill since we did get two beers!!! We also didn't have a single water refill and no one came and collected our plates. I don't think we'll be heading back there without first trying the other pubs around the area. We were hoping for more as the atmosphere is nice. read more

I am a Winchester native. When the First House Pub arrived, I sighed. Usually new businesses in Winchester have a hard time. The town is insular and people are loyal to their brands. I recall a Spanish restaurant named Azafran that evaporated soon after it was opened. First House Pub, however, has had an incredible effect on the downtown scene. Let me start with the staff: Ben, the bartender, is a friendly and funny fellow. He will talk your ear off about sports, politics, the world, and life. They do not make a lot of bartenders like him in Boston. Ben makes you feel welcome and remembers your name - a nice touch in the age of Faecbook and Internet anonymity. The waitstaff are all very sweet and easy to work with. They check in constantly to see if you need another beer and to ask how the food is, but are not intrusive on your meal. The food? Stellar! My faves are the steak and cheese wrap, the LIFE CHANGING quesadilla, the beef n' bleu salad, and of course the buffalo wings. The onion rings are HUGE, sweet, and always perfectly cooked. The Clam Chowder is an excellent choice as well. It comes piping hot with crackers. Throw in a little black pepper and you are good to go! People from all over the area gather here. The place is a-buzz with conversation, life, and laughter every time I walk in. I have NEVER had a bad time at the First House Pub and do not think that I ever will. You should get off your "black horse" and get over to FHP ASAP. I need to grab myself one of their FHP Member Mugs.... Those things are sweet! And they pay for themselves if you visit frequently enough. Listen folks - I have been to bars in fourteen countries. I've had Ouzo with the Greeks, grappa with the Italians, and sangria with the Spaniards. So, take it from an experienced world traveler and sampler of much good food and spirits over the years: Make the FIrst House Pub "first" in your book. You will love the fare they offer. Cheers to Ben and the whole Staff. I am on my way down for a quesadilla as we speak.... read more

The food has improved, and they've stood the test of time, gaining a consistent clientele. A nice, low-key bar option in Winchester!

Spontaneous lunch stop and found a welcoming atmosphere, excellent service and unique and delicious selection of menu options. The lobster roll was one of the best I have had. Very generous and delicious. The grilled chicken pesto panini Was also superb. Definitely a place to recommend. read more

Hit this spot with girlfriends from town after a show. Sat at the bar and had some great white wine. The bartenders (Jay!) are awesome and make it worth the trip. Super friendly and attentive compared to other bars in Winchester. Has some apps, definitely pub food but the prices are great. It was a little bit loud but if you're looking for something more quiet, I'd recommend the Waterfield Kitchen. Another great addition to this town. Will most definitely will go back to FHP. read more

Great staff, great service, great space normally. Now with outdoor seating and takeout options. Don't miss French Dip Fridays!

My family loves ordering from here. The baked haddock is excellent, cheeseburgers are so juicy and yummy. The only thing we didn't like there was the macaroni and cheese. Give it a try. read more

Today I decided to venture into First House Pub for lunch. I had heard good things and finally got to experience it for myself. The pub has a great atmosphere and a very welcoming bar. The staff were attentive and greeted me as soon as I walked in the door. I ordered the black bean burger with a side salad. It came with all the fixings that I've come to expect (lettuce, onion, pickles, tomato). I was really impressed with the size of the burger. It was a nice, thick patty and was more than filling. I would definitely order it again. If you're in the area, looking for great service and delicious food at a fair price, I would recommend giving First House Pub a try. read more

Food is good, service not so much. The atmosphere is not great either. It feels more like a cheap chain restaurant than a neighborhood pub. Needs some booths. It took so long for everything ... To get seated, to take our order, to get the food. It was frustrating. We are really hoping the kinks can get worked out so this place stays alive. It has great potential! read more

Really like this place. Fun bartenders. Awesome Wings. Great beer. They have Bluepoint Toasted Lager on tap!

Food is delicious, staff is attentive and friendly, and they also have an unbelievable selection of beers. They also have a $5 burger deal on Mondays, which is great since their burgers are amazing. Great atmosphere, great place to watch sports too, would definitely recommend. read more

Awesome service from the minute we put our name in! 8 of us were seated rather quickly! The menu is amazing! Not pub grub- really tasty food!! Dad had a lobster salad with so much lobster!!! Burgers were done to perfection and varied sides were great!!! Mac and cheese was a big hit with the kids!!! Would have given 10 stars if it were an option!!! Thanks for a great meal!! read more

OK, maybe this is a 4 star place. Food good, taps excellent for this sleepy town, staff friendly. It is just not "great", which is what a 5 star should connote. Still, my favorite place in town for a friendly, good, not pretentious visit.If you are after style, this place is not your destination. If you are after substance and chill, this does it. Highly recommended. read more

Our go to pub 2mi from the house. Great staff, food is pretty good, beer list is perfect, atmosphere is pub style. Keep doing like that!

We love first house pub! The food is delicious! burgers tater tots!!! The gold fever wings! And when they have it the lobster roll is mmmm mmm good! The staff is awesome. It's a great lunch spot, night out , girls night out, couples , or great place to go with kids. And when you keep going back they make you feel welcome. A++++++ read more

When in a few weeks ago and was hoping for the best. We got a seat right away and our server was very pleasant. However, I unrolled my napkin and the fork and knife were filthy. I ordered the French onion soup I had no utensils so I asked for a soupspoon and the young man who is delivering the food handed me a a teaspoon and it was filthy too. Now, I wasn't looking for fine dining but clean utensils is pretty basic and a bare minimum expectation. The soup was ok, too salty and with no bread in the onion soup, just cheese on top. I also ordered chicken wings which were good, but not worth a special trip. My friend got a burger and she was happy with it. I do agree with the other reviews that it is a very loud place, but it wasn't bothersome to me. It's okay if you want to just have a beer and hang out locally, but I wouldn't make a special trip from another town. Its just ok. read more

Great little local place! The location is great, right in the middle of a charming town center with lots within walking distance. We came for lunch on a holiday Monday and it was moderately busy, but we were seated right away. We noticed lots of families with young kids there. The menu had a good variety of sandwiches, salads, and bar appetizers. My husband had a burger and I had the BLT club, and both were tasty and reasonably priced (about nine dollars). Our server, Dee, was really friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was sports bar, with a few TV's, but they weren't distracting. Bathrooms were clean. read more

Hope the beer is good because the food is not. Subpar and over salted. Think its under new owner because the pizza used to be decent. Now it is like glorified Elios. I would almost guarantee that the pizza sauce is out of a can. read more

Came in and immediately felt like I was in a pub where everyone knew everyone else. Great atmosphere and very friendly staff. Food came out quick and hot, and went down even faster! Delicious wings and the basic burger was great. Definitely would recommend to anyone looking for pub food. read more

First House Pub - Great tap selection and really enjoy the FHP beer club mug! - Pubs Near Me - Winchester, Massachusetts

First time at First House Pub. It was a Thursday night. There was live music, a man on guitar or keyboards singing covers. It was pleasant. The place was full, but not crowded. Found a seat at the bar right away, and by the time my friend got there 20 minutes later, there was another empty seat next to mine. If we wanted a table or had group of 4+, then we would have to wait. The room was noisy, but not too loud for us to carry on a conversation. The sausage pizza was delicious, not as good as Folino's (Shelburne, VT) but I'd order it again. There was a decent selection of local beers, but I would like to see an emphasis on smaller local brewers like Idle Hands and Night Shift instead of the so many from Harpoon and Sam Adams. I'd also like to see more sours and dark ales; it was mostly IPAs and Pale Ales. The online draft list was representative, but not the same as what they had on tap. There were several taps of Harpoon and Sam Adams, and one each of Night Shift, Blue Point, Lagunitas, Goose Island, Slumbrew, Maine Beer Co, Guinness, Stella Artois, Downeast Cider, Angry Orchard Cider. read more

The bartenders are very friendly and fantastic at this pub, perfect for this neighborhood pub's venue. The food has been surprising good since its opening. Although Winchester is only 15 mins drive to the back bay (without traffic) and a 20 mins train ride to North Station, this place has been a good alterative when one wants to avoid making a trip to downtown bars. I would describe my past meals here as Whole Foods Market ingredients cooked by caring chefs. However, the food seems to have dived this weekend, Saturday and Sunday. Seafood, grilled entrees and salads were much worse both in quality of ingredients and cooking. I do hope that this trend won't continue as there is a real need for good pubs in this area. read more

Great change from the black horse. Welcoming bartenders, on top of the fact that they are friendly and created the cheers atmosphere.

Really nice place! Enjoyed our time there. But I feel while in the evenings with the live music... they should rethink the lighting. Dim it. Feels like a deli read more

Dropped in on a Wednesday evening for my first time here. Place was about half full and was playing Led Zeppelin, place looks cool but is small in size. Welcomed by the waitress and was promptly ushered to a table. Drinks: Plenty of pub grub options on the menu and a good selection of local brews. Subtract one star for being out of guiness. Food: Had $5 wings and skins (daily special) to start off with. Wings were fried and tossed in sauce. Got both the gold fever and buffalo style. They were just ok, wings were dry and sauce was nothing special. Kind of disappointed as I easily could see myself being a Wednesday night regular. Bummer. Taking another star off. Got the spicy shrimp tacos which is quite misleading. There was zero spicyness which I mentioned to the waitress, she agreed and said it was a common response. Minus another star. Others in my party got the haddock which they liked, chicken which was ok and the steak tips which also I was told were just ok. On the positive side, fries are crispy. Prices: specials are priced right, dinners are in the 15-22 range. Summary: I came away disappointed as I wanted this to be the "close to home new yummy place to go" . I will give it possibly another shot at some point. read more

I know they are pretty new so maybe they'll get better. Service was friendly, but slow and forgetful. Ordered a Moscow Mule (by some other name) and the ginger beer was flat and had no lime. Burger tasted exactly like a Whopper. No reason to go back, but may give them another shot in the future. read more

My husband and I came here after a wake. We needed our spirits lifted and that is exactly what happened! Ben and the other two bartenders (one who came from Black Horse Tavern and the other, I want to say was named Dennis) were so incredibly friendly and knowledgable. They made us feel as though we'd been there a hundred times. It's how you want to feel at a local pub! We sat at the bar (so I cannot speak for table service) but they always made sure we had a fresh drink and that the service/food was good! We had great conversation and can't wait to go back! It is very busy (which is why there is noise) but for a brand new restaurant, that's not a bad thing! Be happy for the restaurant and it's owners - and be patient! Happy to have FHP in the neighborhood! We'll be back very soon! read more

The food was OK, but would have been much better dining experience if I had earplugs !!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too noisy to enjoy the meal. . . . even for a pub ! read more