Pretty much the best food and drinks you can get in Somerville for the price. Also, I would give up my first-born child for their chocolate pudding. We've had it a lot and there's a small variance in pudding consistency but the combination of impossibly thick yet smooth pudding, whipped cream and caramel-y crunch of the peanut brittle is to die for. read more

My favorite restaurant in Somerville! I love everything about Highland Kitchen. I've eaten here many times and always enjoyed had an excellent time. I really appreciate how their menu accommodates any level of hunger, ranging from great little snacks to full entrees and everything in between. I high recommend the gnocchi with short rib ragu, caesar salad, mussels, and pulled pork. The drink menu is also creative and well-priced. Finally, the decor manages to be a bit hipsterish while staying cozy, friendly, and inviting. With one exception, I've always had great service here. Be prepared for a wait, however! Live music on Sunday nights is also quite fun! read more

I'm a frequent Yelper and it takes a lot to get 5 stars from me. This is the best restaurant in Somerville. Eclectic menu, everything is always fantastic, the drinks are good, the beer selection is good, the wait staff is friendly and the devils on horseback are the best side dish ever. The goat stew is worth going back for again and again and again...and I will. 10 stars if I could. read more

Nothing bad comes out of this place! Friendly staff, great menu, awesome drinks/beer. Chocolate pudding is best I have ever had. Don't walk, run. read more

Two thumbs up- the atmosphere, the food, the staff -- faubulous! LOVE BUFFALO SHRIMP!!

Highland Kitchen is absolutely wonderful. Sunday Brunch is worth the wait. Live music, beignets, and fried chicken is all divine. If you go for dinner, be sure to get the Buffalo Brussel Sprouts. I swear, I've had dreams about that app. read more

Fantastic food! Pancakes and Shrimp and grits easily the best orders for brunch. Phenomenal dinner menu as well. Prompt and pleasant service, highly recommended! read more

Simply the best place ever. If I lived around the corner I would be here every day. Only thing that could make this place better would be a more comprehensive draft list. read more

Had brunch here with my son. He had Heuvos and I had the smoked pork hash. Both were awesome. Service was great and prices very reasonable. Will come back for sure! read more

One of my favorite restaurants here (and one of the only Boston restaurants I can honestly call objectively good). I don't think I've ever had anything here that wasn't tasty, and by this point (I live practically around the corner) I've tried virtually everything on the menu. Great New American food, with some interesting twists, and nice staff, vibe, decor, etc. Only downside is that it gets exceptionally busy on weekend nights, but this can be mitigated if you go a bit earlier. read more

Don't eat there unless you want to get ripped off !!! Way overpriced. !! I ordered the vegetarian Mushroom Oela or something like that. $18bucks. Couldn't identify anything on the plate when it arrived, It had no taste whatsoever. Waiter said everyone orders it. It was awful.. 5 forkfuls later it was done. Only reason I didn't send it back was my father was paying the bill and I didn't want to upset him. Food overpriced way overpriced and the place is too loud also. Cant hear yourself and you have to yell to be heard. Bad setup. They come off like they are something special when they are far from it. Plenty of other places to go. Skip it and the rippoff prices.... read more

Food is sub-par at best. The cook obviously tries to serve "interesting" dishes at the expense of good food. Coconut + goat? Sounds weird? It is. And it's not good. I've been here a dozen times with friends who rave about the place yet always say whatever dish they got must be an experimental one they are "working" on (read: not great). Staff is competent, crowd is the most self-conscious I've ever, ever, ever seen, music is too loud, bar staff is competent, prices are high for tiny portions. If you get roped into going here by your annoying hipster friends stick with the burger or small portion of steak tips. read more

We take our kids to Highland Kitchen most Friday evenings. By 5:30 the place if packed with families enjoying a relatively adult space. The food is very good, the cocktails are even better, and the service is fantastic. HK is a kind of hipster joint in the style of an old english pub: good fare for everyone and a staff that understands it has a very different clientele at different points in the evening. read more

By far my favorite place to eat in Somerville. Love this place. Great ambience, great service, and great food. Only issue is I wish less people knew about it.. They are always so busy! :) read more

Awesome food. My favorites are the bluefish cakes and goat stew. Definitely get dessert. The bread pudding and pecan pie are delicious. Great cocktails and service. A hot tip: order to go. It's quick and easy and you save a few dollars by skipping drinks and gratuity. If you're going for brunch get there at least 15 minutes prior to opening otherwise you'll have a long wait. read more

I came for dinner with a friend on a Saturday night with no reservation, so there was a 45-minute wait.. We ended up getting drinks and sitting at the bar, and the time passed so quickly sipping on my delicious quickly that I was surprised when we got called for our table. We didn't want to break the bank, so we ordered 4 appetizers to share: the kale salad, the grilled cheese/tomato soup, the fish cake, and the buffalo brussels sprouts. All were delicious! The highlight was actually the fish cake, which was unexpected. The service was good - the food came quickly and they kept our drinks full. My only real complaint is that the music is WAY too loud. It's as loud as the loudest bar you've been to so it's really hard to have a dinner-volume conversation. Other than that, definitely enjoyed the food and the experience and will be glad to go back! read more

My family and I eat at Highland three to four times a month. By now all the staff know are names. The food is great and the servers are the best around. We have never had a bad expierence. read more

First visit after reading many reviews of this restaurant. I went with my adult son on an early Tuesday night. The food was wonderful!.We had 2 appetizers; the fried calamari and the baby artichokes that were delicious. The calamari was done perfectly.....no rubbery texture and the smoked tomato dipping sauce was superb. Dinner was Spring vegetable risotto for me and my son had a bowl of seafood gumbo. Again, delicious. The service was prompt and friendly. Empty dishes cleared without asking and water refilled when low. My only disappointment was the small serving of house wine for $6.50....Also, the place fills up really fast and you will not be seated for dinner unless the entire party is at the door. read more

Note: My review is just of the food. However, I did have a few comments about the service, etc. The food is very standard, nothing special. I would have given a slightly higher rating if it had been slightly less expensive. A lot of it is grill food that could get a reasonable facsimile of at Mike's in Davis. It was rather expensive for what it was. It's very, very loud, which is fine. The one thing that I found irritating was how tremendously unfriendly and unkind they are to people with kids. They make it very, very, very clear they don't want you there. It's absurd because the place is so loud. There is simply no way a kid could be a disruption. It's deafening in there. So the main reason is that they want to be a hipster joint and you will be destroying their street cred with your baby and your stroller. It bugs me primarily because: This is Somerville. Our street cred is to be laid back and unpretentious and that's what MAKES us cool. Get over yourselves, Highland Kitchen. (Oh, now I'm having second thoughts because of the amazing jukebox. This is possibly the best music collection in any jukebox, anywhere.) I'll be happy to change this review if they go to some kind of hipster re-education camp and try to absorb the Somerville ethos more directly. read more

The food is okay but the line is always incredibly long and it is nearly impossible to get a drink from the bar. The papparedelle bolognese is tasty but for the price you can get way more pasta that is just as good at Dave's Fresh Pasta in Davis. read more

Called ahead the weekend before - planning for a Birthday dinner for 6... yes I know they don't have reservations but were told come in early on the day- around 5:00 (it was a Tuesday) and we will for sure put a table together for you...the person on the phone even said "So can I tell my manager to expect a party of 6 for Tuesday night??" sooooo we came to Somerville at 5:00 PM on that Tuesday to physically confirm "YES" we are coming tonight. Said we would be in at 8:00 PM. No problem they said! Arrived at 8:00 - hostess said" great you're here!" we'll put a table together for you. Waited an hour and a half - standing around looking at tables for 2 and then 4, continually checking in, yes yes we are working on it we are assured. At 9:30 left - walked out feeling neglected and unhappy. No attempt was made to apologize or try to keep us there even though we'd been waiting an hour and a half and it was for a Birthday dinner - we went to Assembly square and had a great dinner at Earl's Kitchen! So disappointed in their lack of concern for their customers. Yes, you are popular now but with hospitality like this - maybe not for long. Too bad! read more

The food was good, service terrible. We were seated at a table in the middle for two, elbow on elbow with neighbor tables, although a better table on the wall was available. I dealt with three different waitresses, had to remind them of my second beer order. We felt they were trying to turn tables quickly. When I asked the password for Highland Kitchen wifi, I was informed it was not for customers. Dear restaurant owners: when this is your policy, choose a generic names. This just makes your customers angry. read more

Great local spot near Harvard. Delicious calamari appetizer. Our party ordered jambalaya, fish and chips, and a cheeseburger and all were excellent. Get there early on weekends, it got packed and pretty loud right after we arrived around 5:20. read more

Awesome food and even better brunch! Great live music.The wait is long, but totally worth it- I'd recommend getting to the restaurant half an hour before it opens and trying to get into the first seating. My favorite is the shrimp and grits but seems like you can't really go wrong with anything! read more

Amazing. The Goat stew was excellent. Fried plantains were a great side. Very solid fried chicken. And you have to try the buffalo Brussels sprouts. Yum. Ps Tyler was a great waiter. Worth the trip to Somerville read more

Another great restaurant in Somerville. No matter when you go it is always crowded but the food is worth the wait. Gnocchi is unlike any thing I have had in the past. If you want a unique Cuban sandwich try the Cuban Reuben. A unique app "Smoked Bluefish Cakes", We always sit a the bar; the bartenders are very attentive and knowledgeable about their Craft Brew selection. Parking is always an issue but expected in an urban environment. read more

Three of us went to Highland Kitchen for dinner this evening. We ordered the ricotta and mozzarella fritters, the jambalaya, the catfish po' boy, and the fish and chips. The fritters were amazing. The catfish po' boy was delicious, but it was a bit messy to eat. The fish had a nice crispy crust and tasted fresh. The fries were so-so. The jambalaya was well seasoned and tasty. I'd come here again. read more

I love this place. It never disappoints. Yes, the wait sucks and there is always a wait. But it's always worth it. Went this past weekend for maybe the 4th time and it was superb. Had the curry mussels (delicious), the bolognese (amazing), and my husband had the goat stew (also amazing). Complex flavors. This is comfort food at the very top of the game. Also the service here is impeccable. If you want to see a waitstaff that operate so cool, calm, and collected and get the job done without attitude, this is it. From top to bottom, you can't beat Highland. read more

There's no doubt about it that the Highland Kitchen is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. It also definitely hits several of the marks it aims to as a restaurant and bar, but it's hardly the godsend most reviewers seem to think it is. A lot of serious drinkers ( and not the kind that frequented it's previous incarnation as Devlins or farther back, Virgies ), and fans of the classic cocktail can easily spot the holes in the bar menu. From missing proper bitters here and there to an over stocking of some very useless tequila, the bar seems propped up on an attitude of "less pants, more banjo" on the jukebox, and the laurels/accomplishments of older business ventures undertaken by it's staff. Again, it's assuredly a welcome addition to the neighborhood and while I am thankful it's here, I am also thankful that there is another bar/restaurant in Union Square that has provided a proven blueprint for HK to follow and emulate. read more

not as impressed as others by this place. went on a recommendation of an old pal who used to live nearby,pretty bland food.we did however a very nice waitress which i guess compensates somewhat for the rubber like fish and chips.but not enough to return read more

My brother arrived and signed in for a table of 3 last Monday night. He was told there would be a 30 minute wait, we arrived 15 minutes later since we live very close by. It seems we had lost our table and there would be a minimum of a 45 minute wait. Why not the next available table ? We all live nearby but have never been treated this shabbily, add to this that parking is iffy and that it was my birthday dinner and you have just lost three repeat customers. read more

This is where I took my son for his birthday celebration after the disastrous lunch at Beacon Grille. It was as incredible as it has been everytime we go. My son had the short rib appetizer.., fabulous, I had the mussels and they were very good. I had skate and it was served with lightly sauted spinach and fried yukon. The skate was tender, perfectly cooked and not greasy, the spinach complemented the fish perfectly. My son had breaded pork chops which had been marinated in buttermilk, they were tender and very savory, served with braised kale and mashed potatoes. We chose a bottle of Pinot Noir with a smoked undertone but light enough to be enjoyed with the skate. The banana bread putting was sinful, less so the chocolate pudding. The drinks were refreshing and incredibly good. The place is small and the tables are too close for private conversations, the staff is five star all the way; attentive but not intrusive, the menu' is limited but with choices for everyone. Anyone that is in the mood for GOOD FOOD in a friendly atmosphere should make an effort to try it. I also know that they were voted best of Boston.....a well deserved accreditation. Thanks the them my son's celebration of his birthday turned out to be a success. read more

Great small local place. Menu changes seasonally but keeps many of the greatest hits (the gnocchi app, the buffalo brussels sprouts, the catfish po' boy). Friendly staff and fantastic bartenders. Can be crowded right at dinner time, but plenty of room if you sneak in a little early/late. Love the brunch on Sunday with live bluegrass. My favorite local hangout. read more

Great cocktails, interesting, well-prepared, fresh food! My favorite regular restaurant outside of Boston proper. Not great for intimate conversations, but perfect for parties & celebrations!! read more

Here is an update to my previous review (below). I feel it only fair to actually review the restaurant now that I actually got a table and ate there. As before - there was a plate of attitude served up along with the food. While standing around for an hour at the bar on a Tuesday night waiting for our table - pleasantly chatting and having drinks with friends. Two seats became available at the bar right in front of us. I motioned to my wife and my buddies girlfriend to have a seat. The bartender intervened and said the seats were already taken and two people from down the bar swooped in and sat. Then the bartender began to chat with the couple in a very familiar way - no doubt his friends. NOT COOL. It was reflected in the tip. Sorry to the other bartender who was nice to us- talk to your buddy about it. Dinner was good. Standard sort of southern comfort food. I assume the attitude comes from being a big fish in a little pond. No such attitude over at Trina's in Inman Square. Always nice. The food isn't worth the wait when the attitude is factored in. The food however is good. Previous review: I can't really give a food review because we didn't get past the 1 hour of waiting around at the bar. It was Friday and busy - as you would expect. The problem we had was that we were told an hour plus when we got in and after an hour of being there we were then told it would be an hour and a half more. We left immediately. Shame too it looked like a cool place to hang out. Trina's in Inman Square next time for sure. read more

Love this spot. Portion sizes are crazy so make sure you come hungry!!! Never had a bad meal here. Buffalo fried brussel sprouts.... YUM!

Dont belive the hype. The waitress' probably do a good job serving, but the bartenders hate their job and their life. So they dont want to deal with you. Go there if you have a table but dont go there if you want to sit at the bar! read more

Highland Kitchen has the best fried chicken I've had outside the former Confederate states; it's only available on Monday and that's all I've ever had so I can't say anything else about the rest of the menu. Service is decent but it can easily get crowded and when it does the noise level is pretty bad. read more

Great spot for weekend brunch in Spring Hill. Live bluegrass music, great servers, and their homemade ginger beer is unreal. Lines can be long but I would without a doubt say it's worth the wait. read more

If you can find a better restaurant in the Boston/Cambridge/Somerville, I'm quite certain this place is better. My husband and I eat her constantly, take our out-of-town guests here, and hangout with friends often. We have never once, since the restaurant's inception had a bad experience. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable about how each item is prepared, and serve as perfect for guides to their extensive cocktail, beer, and wine options. Joe at the bar makes one heck of a martini. For food, their pulled pork sandwich is out of this world, the fries are spectacular, the brussel sprouts will even convert those who say that hate sprouts. Above all, the staff here has hardly changed since they opened. For a restaurant in the Boston-area, that's almost unheard of. Get there early, because the line forms pretty much at 5:30 for dinner, and wait times can sound outrageous, but it is worth every second. I promise. read more