This has to be in the top 3 most stupid bars in the Boston area. Luckily it's in Cambridge. The only suggestion I would have for improving this dump is to tear it down and build some lab space for Harvard. The least they could have done was chuckled at my comment when I first sat down "Joe sent me". Instead that opened the floodgates to insults being flung at me and my comfort dog who did nothing but provide me comfort. We will not be going back. read more

Joe Sent Me - The look of disappointment - Pubs Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Yelpers I feel like we back Baby!! Although a sista did not snap any pics, trust me the food was legit! I originally went to the Waltham location years ago & remember not a welcoming feel. Jenn was our Waitress/Bartender, we arrived on a random Monday evening with my teen niece. The crowd was mix from regular neighborhood folk, 20s to families. I was with 2 other diners and the both got Burgers 1 with BBQ, the other with BBQ + Bacon and I went with a Salmon Fall Salad. Now y'all know I don't do Salads that thing with Hittin w/butternut squash, goat cheese cranberries you know all the healthy ish! Cajun fries were Bangin, Burgers were made to perfection. TBH shout out to the Chef, staff & Jenn who held down on a chill Monday!! #nopics #gettheburger #fish #cocktails read more

OH EM GEEE! SUCH A BOMB PLACE. Me and my aunt and her partner brought me here and we met Jen. She was such a sweet waiter and a friendly woman. I'm going to be going college soon and my aunt said this restaurant is the type college kids go to. And Jen really said "it's a safe place. Not a place where you need to worry about drinks getting mixed with, no weird business." Such a wonderful place. Amazing food, amazing music, amazing aesthetic, and overal an amazing restaurant. I got the boiler making mutter, my aunt got the salad with salmon (I'm not good with fish names) and her partner got the chefs burger. read more

See all

Very friendly service. Came on a Friday night. Food was delicious and well presented. Burger was one of the best we've ever tasted, juicy and delicious. I personally loved the fish & chips; it wasn't greasy and had a really lovely flavor (not salty, with a hint of cinnamon or something like that), fries were perfect and the coleslaw was light, not too much mayo. So happy we discovered this neighborhood spot. Will be back! read more

Joe Sent Me - a hamburger and fries on a plate - Pubs Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

See all

How have I not reviewed my regular spot?! I eat here at least once a week, usually twice. I can't find a food they don't make deliciously! They have talented cooks in the kitchen, for sure. The bartendresses are divine! They have so many regulars for good reason. If you're in North Cambridge - go!! read more

We've been there eight times since moving in nearby. My wife has gotten the Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich five of those. I, too have had it, and it's delicious. This is chicken done perfectly: lightly batter fried, a flavorful sauce and excellent cole slaw. I'm trying to try the entire menu. Love the burgers (big selection), fries, tator tots, Cuban sandwich ... pretty much everything, including a fabulous Winter Salad. The cook qualifies as a chef. The staff are super friendly and the ambience is classic corner neighborhood pub. read more

Joe Sent Me.... home miserable. Nasty, flavorless food. Horrible mixed drinks. Really disappointed. We had a mojito & 2 margaritas that tasted like water, and then our food tasted like a few TV dinners heated halfheartedly by a teenager. read more

I am very disappointed with the service at this place. We ordered Veggie Quesadilla and Fries along with a few drinks. Drinks were watery. The order took almost an hour to arrive after asking for it multiple times. NOTE that lot of tables were empty. Food was not bad as the service though. read more

Not super impressed. It's a cute neighborhood bar. Loud music. Loud people watching sports. Not my style but if you want to go somewhere loud and have a drink and some bar food this place might be for you. read more

Joe Sent Me - the inside of a restaurant - Pubs Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Joe sent me is a great local bar to grab a drink or watch a game at. In all honesty, there really isn't all that much that makes Joe Sent me stand out, but that is part of its appeal. It is a nice simple place with decent service, music at a reasonable volume and a fair selection of drinks. There are plenty of TVs that are tuned to local Boston sports. This is my go-to "I'd like to have a conversation and a drink sort of bar." I've brought multiple out of town friends here to catch up and hang out. Dip in and check it out. read more

Joe Sent Me - Pubs Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

See all

This place is very underwhelming. Aggressively mediocre. Food is never better than OK. Staff is polite. Very meh.

Drinks: Damn good beers on tap. The Jack's Abby Copper Legend hit perfect! Smooth and refreshing. Food: Hands down one of the best burgers I've hand in a long time. If you aren't stopping by here at least once on your visit to town you're wrong! Thank you "Joe Sent Me"! I will definitely be back. read more

Great neighborhood place - great food - awesome service. You will feel right at home.

This place is cool. I never knew it existed. Went in for Trivia night. I didnt get a chance to eat do not sure what the food is like. But atmosphere is cool, tons of TVs for game watching. I will def return tho read more

I love this bar. And when I say that, I really mean it. I'm a Brit who moved to Boston 2 years ago and was looking for a lounge outside of my home that felt like a cosy English pub. I found it. Sure, you'll run into some characters there - it's a real neighborhood bar! But the staff are great, the food is rock solid, and whatever game you're looking to watch is always on one of the TVs. It's the sort of bar that Anthony Bourdain would have encouraged you to stray into and drink a beer and say hi to someone you never met before. Finally, Sandy, who runs the place, is just about the nicest guy you'll meet. I recently moved away from the area but whenever I'm close I always swing by for a pint. There's something special about Joes. read more

Hop'd in for a few drinks here on our way back to the hotel. Danny the bartender reminded me one of my buddies. Ambiance was great , other people at the bar were nice to chat with. Nice little spot. Pricing was good too. Happy holidays from Texas read more

Joe's take on the prohibition theme is pure camp, but it's not the only restaurant in its vicinity where the inside is decorated to look like you are outside. In general, it is a fun neighborhood bar. It caters to an older, more local crowd than that of Davis Square proper, so it makes for a nice break from the yuppie hipster vibes emanating from just a quarter mile away. They also serve excellent pub food. It is down to earth, satisfying and inexpensive. I especially like their burgers. They have a wide selection, and are as good if not better than some burger restaurants in town. They also have a bunch of tropical drinks served in fish bowls. These are tasty and strong, but served responsibly. The menu stipulates that you can only purchase one for sharing, and one pair can order no more than two a night. The servers are friendly though not always on top of things. The clientele seems to be really outgoing too. The last couple times my barmates and I have been there, we've gotten into some pretty interesting conversations with random drunk couples. read more

Joe Sent Me - Pubs Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

See all

Went on a Friday evening around 6. Plenty of tables available- both inside and outside. We sat outside. Waitress came out promptly. Ordered an alcohol strawberry lemonade and a beer. Nice beer and drink list. Had fried pickles and poutine as appetizer. Poutine was very tasty. Fried pickles were perfectly fried. Order the Rocky Mountain Way burger with sweet potato fries and Castaway burger with tater tots. Both were a bit over the medium that we ordered but were very tasty and "all over your chin" juicy. Finished every last bit. The sweet potatoes fries were a tad undercooked but still good. They offer Cajun fries as well for sides. We chose to mix it up a little bit and they were very accommodating- Cajun tater tots!!! OMG were these amazing. Perfectly cooked tater tots woth just the right amount of cajun- not too little and not too much. Ask for these if you want something different and delicious. Overall good service, good drinks, and good food. We'll definitely be back and recommend it to others. read more

Food: 2 stars Service: 3 stars Came here on a Saturday night. A friend won a raffle where we got unlimited free apps (to the chef's discretion on which apps) which brought about 10-15 people there to enjoy the free apps and pay for our own beer. They have about 5-8 decent beers on tap. They were very accommodating of our large group, helping us move tables. However, they promised apps at 7pm and brought them out at 7:40pm. We had 2 types of buffalo chicken pizza, wings, fried pickles, and chips and salsa. Everything basically tasted like frozen food. Would come here again for free apps, but not if I was paying for anything more than beer. read more

It looks like a glorified dive bar, but the kitchen is excellent. The bar food has long had a really good reputation, but it has gotten even better... even stellar. Joe Sent Me now has the most outrageous, wonderful, yet reasonably priced brunch in Greater Boston (10:30-2:30 Saturday and Sunday). They hired Michelle, a former chef from Tryst in Arlington, and she is doing miraculous things with eggs and other breakfast fare. read more

See all

Horrible place run by and filled with some of the worst people. Used to go to this place a lot with my boyfriend since it's near our place. We sat at the bar and this guy "Anthony(?)" who sat next to me keeps loudly interrupting our conversations despite us giving clear signs we did not want to talk to him. When my boyfriend went to the bathroom he kept pestering me and when ignored he started making racist jokes ("You Chinese?", "welcome to America"). We asked the bartender to intervene since he's clearly drunk and disruptive but guess what? he's a regular and friend with the cook so it's cool if he's harassing other customers. Absolutely embarrassing how this place is run. Toilet was dirty. Drinks and food are mediocre at best and kinda expensive for what you get. There's zero shortage of taverns in this area so take your business to somewhere you won't get harassed by creepy entitled men. read more

Joe's is a great neighborhood bar. Great food, friendly staff. Great place to have events anytime of year or just to watch a game. Trivia nights on Tuesday and Wednesday always a plus! I stop by at least once a week. read more

So I have been going to this place every Monday for the last year. It was a basic 3 star bar, nothing to write home about. But over the last month or so it has gone way downhill. Food orders incorrect, wrong checks for our group, music too loud, no music, bathroom always dirty etc. not sure what happened but it got worse than the dive it used to be. The group had been going here for years every Monday night. After several weeks of bad service last week was out last visit. We're switching bars and be taking our 4-12 people's worth of weekly business elsewhere. read more

This is the perfect quientensial neighborhood bar. The new TV upgrade makes it that much nicer to watch a game. The pub food is better than average, the staff is usually quite friendly and the drinks are reasonably priced. Trivia Nights are an added local bonus. read more

A decent local chain (well two restaurants - does that make it a chain or a link? I usually get something off the burger menu. They use Angus beef, and usually is done to specification. What is also nice, and what many don't get: the cole slaw! Nicely spiced, peppery, fresh, cole slaw! Try this in lieu of the fatty fries. The fish and chips are excellent as well, crispy fish, filling. Nicely placed televisions with two feeds makes it possible to watch two sporting events at once. Servers / bartenders are chatty to appropriate level. The special cocktails are a bit too sweet, but for once in a while they are nice. All in all, a laid-back bar food joint, good drinks, and easy-going. Beware of trivia night - a little more difficult to get a table then. read more

Looking for lunch after my son's hockey game in Waltham. Have passed by this place in the past and wanted to try it. Not hugely crowded for a Sunday during a Pats game. Looked like a many locals at the bar. We settled into a booth to watch the game and each had a burger and fries. Burger was among the best I've had in quite a while - fresh, tasty and cooked exactly as ordered. The bun was also very fresh and toasted. The fries look handmade and were also some of the best in recent memory; very crispy and addictive. Got two orders of buffalo wings (30 cents per wing during the game.) I am very particular about my wings and compare all to the gold standard (the now-defunct Division 16 in Boston.) These were really good; spicy but not nuclear, and crispy as ordered (did not like being charged $1.00 for carrots and celery. Come on folks, are you kidding me?) Overall, very reasonably-priced and a great neighborhood spot. Will be back soon! read more

Service here is always ok. Apparently trivia night is popular as the crowd grew and the server became too busy to fill drinks or make sure our meal was ok. I've had wings burgers fish pulled pork and a shrimp appetizer which all tasted well. Tonight I had steak tips and shrimp. The tips were cooked medium well as requested. The 3 shrimp were grilled nicely although I requested fried shrimp. I didn't trip since it was only 3 shrimp. The fries were good but I think most of mine were bottom of the bag crumbs. The strawberry and lemonade margarita was good and served in a pint glass. My friend had the north ender burger and enjoyed it but prefers Christopher's down the street. This place is too close to not come back plus the food isn't awful but it's reasonably priced. I look forward to brunch soon. read more

I can never find a place to play darts. I'm not even a good dart player, in fact, I'm awful, but I have fun drinking a beer and playing darts and trash talking my opponent. My friend Joe and I went to Joe Sent Me in Cambridge and it was exactly what I was looking for. It's a bit out of the way - but bustling inside. It's got a 20's/30's theme... yummy burgers... There is one in Waltham too - this one is a bit more centrally located and very crowded for after work drinks. read more

Joe Sent Me - Pubs Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

See all

Great neighborhood bar that definitely recognizes regulars. Can get pretty loud (especially on trivia night) and the wait for service sometimes drags out. But hey, it's a bar and the food is great. Lots of beers on tap, and extensive menu. Highlights: fried pickles, buffalo wings, burger. read more

Went here last night to get drinks and some food. Let me start off by saying the 40 cent wings are ok...but we waited nearly 30-40 minutes to get them. All of our food took around 30-40 minutes to come. We were a party of 4 and there were two other people there besides us. The drinks were very weak, and the staff kept cutting off the jukebox after I had put money in to play songs. Slow service, weak drinks, inconsiderate staff. Would never go again, read more

This is a low quality local pub with correspondent clientele. The service at this place is very bad. The only advice I can give is to stay away from this place. Likely there is a number of bars and restaurants nearby. read more

Has the pleasure of meeting a few colleagues here last night for drinks and a quick bite. This place has a nice relaxed vibe to it and a convenient Mass Ave location. Our server was nice but constantly dropped the ball by forgetting drinks and forgetting to put in an order of nachos for the table. When we finally got the nachos they were unimpressive and down right soggy. Some of us ended up eating the sopping mess with forks. I'd like to think I caught this place on a bad night. The two servers seemed pretty overwhelmed and the place was pretty busy. Will I be back? Of course this is a cool little neighborhood joint although next time I'll sit at the bar and stick with the draft menu. read more

Joe's food is all tasty, elevated, pub fare, but I had to write a Yelp review after having the fish-and-chips because it was honestly the best I've ever had. The fish was fresh, the batter was super light (a dusting instead of a dredge), and the grease was nowhere to be found. Even the Cajun fries were awesome - none of that greasy coating that often comes with spicy fries - just fries and spice. It almost felt... healthy. Joe's is a great place to watch a game. My whole fam loves the Sunday brunch. Yup, it's totally a 5-star pub and it's exactly what my town needs... read more

I went to this bar (probably the closest one to my apartment) with a serious hankering for nachos and big-screen TVs to watch the Sox game. Finding one out of two isn't bad. They have no nachos. This is shocking to me. I could also tell that the bartender is used to saying "NO" when people ask for them because there was no way I was talking him into finding some chips and melting cheese on top. However, the atmosphere, menus and martinis quickly made up for the lack of nachos. It's the perfect local bar to watch the game, and I'm sure it will soon become one of my favorite new "spots." Here's why... I love the setup of this place. Not only do they have the main bar facing the nice flat TVs, but there's a second bar/counter beyond that, in the space just off of the area where you enter, where you can see just as well. Plus, there are TVs all over the place! As a wannabe-martini connoisseur, the Joe Tinis quickly caught my eye. I went right for the Key Lime Pie, which involves a mix of Malibu, Midori and pineapple juice (ah pineapple...) and comes out looking like a mint-colored milk shake. This went down a little too easy. I had two in about 20 minutes. They also have those mega-sized drinks for groups to share and a good beer selection. Whatever kind of bevy you're looking for, you'll find something you'll like. Aside from the missing nachos, the menu has a great selection of apps, sandwiches and entrees. I tried the buffalo wings (very tasty!) and the fries (need to be crispier). I can't wait to go back for dinner to test out some more... read more

I'm about as local to Joe's as you can get, and it is a terrific local. The staff is friendly, the prices reasonable and the food is great for pub grub- while the menu sports some unexpected twists. Great place to catch a game, have a meal on the patio, play pub trivia, whatever. The ONLY thing that makes Joe's less then a 4, is the confusingly slow food service time. Even when not busy, prepare to wait 25-30 for a couple of burgers. The burgers are bombtastic; but unless the cow is slaughtered, butchered, prepped and grilled upon order- a burger should take 15 mins tops. Whatever- I'm typically not in a rush, and when the burger comes, you wont be disappointed. If you fancy some heat, ask for the Diablo sauce. Little bit of smoke and a whole lot of habanero- great on wings or the chicken sando. Toasty. read more

Turkey Burger and Fried Pickle? Cool??? Their beer and wine list is great and food is,well Pub food. Try their Caramel Delight Martini. Holy mother freekin YUMMERS I can't go to the one in Waltham, since that is where people who graduated from my High school hang out or work at-too bad since they have a patio Cambridge location has trivia, nice Flat screens and way more space. bartenders are total hotties. I can only describe JSM as a chain like pub. A lot of Uggs, Coach and tight man shirts..... Mixed in with locals and hip people.....I can't identify with any of the three but I always feel like this is a chill place with cool vibe. I would not plan a night in advance here, nor go out of my way. Just a nice place to unexpectedly stop in if you are thirsty or hungry. read more

I went in here with friends because we'd been told they have margaritas in scorpion bowls, and, hey, how could we resist that? They did, indeed, have four mixed drinks available in big bowls (Joe bowls), and we were happy with them (though the marg was just from sour mix, so no match for Rudy's), and the burgers were, as other reviews promised, excellent. However, I think we got the worst service here that I've had in a decade. The food took almost an hour to arrive (and we heard other tables complaining similarly), and when it did, one of the dishes a friend had ordered simply didn't come out. The server didn't notice, and it took us several minutes to flag her down to ask about it. Without apologizing, she asked what my friend had ordered, went to check on it, and came back to say "it didn't get put in." She promised it would be out in 5 minutes. Fifteen minutes later, we had to flag her down to ask about it again. At no point were we offered an apology, and it was only when we complained that she offered to comp us one of the drinks. Because the rest of us had long finished eating, we gave up on the last dish and got the check at that point. This is a great case of an instance where good customer service would have guaranteed repeat business, but lousy service guarantees I won't be back. read more

When it's hot outside, there is nothing better than a juicy burger and an icy cold beer--unless it comes with a side of fried pickles, of course! Tucked away on an oft-forgotten stretch of Mass Ave. in North Cambridge is Joe Sent Me, a neighborhood bar long known for their exceptional burgers. A cozy bar greets you on the way in, and other high tables line up opposite, separating the bar from the regular tables. The dcor is fun and quirky, but the main feature is the five flat screen televisions that line the room--a great place to cheer on the Sox over a frosty glass of ale. Harkening back to the times when speakeasies were referred to as "Joe Sent Me" (used as a password to gain entry); the bar offers up a decent selection of beer, wine and mixed drinks. Unfortunately, on a recent night that I was there, they had switched out the beer that I usually ordered for a blueberry offering and the two other options I wanted were unavailable, although they were still showing on the chalkboard above the bar. You wouldn't expect to find good cocktails in a bar of this nature, but surprisingly, their martinis are quite tasty. My favorite is the "Flirtini," a combination of Absolut, strawberry liqueur, and Grand Marnier, with cranberry and pineapple juices ($8). You can even order a variety of "Joe's Bowls," flavorful mixed drinks for two. The menu consists primarily of appetizers you would expect to find at a bar: chicken quesadillas ($6.95), chicken fingers ($6.95), and mini cheese burgers ($7.95), but there are also a few surprises--for starters, the tasty Bazooka Joe's fried pickles ($6.50) which are the perfect combination of sour and crunchy. You can also sample some mediocre fried spring rolls ($6.95) or instead, opt for the best thing on the app menu, Cousin Joe's Kickin' Chicken Wings, in your choice of buffalo, BBQ, teriyaki, or Diablo (Hot). There are two sizes, the 10 or the 20 piece. If you go for the larger size, make sure you have a very healthy appetite--these wings aren't tiny! There are salads for the more health conscious, but the size and the dressings are definitely not conducive for weight watchers. Still, they probably pack on fewer pounds than the other entrees, especially since you won't be chowing down on Joe's excellent fries. Check out the Cocamo Joe's Luau Salad ($7.95), one of the many Hawaiian themed items on the menu. The grilled teriyaki chicken on a bed of lettuce, with garden veggies, crispy wontons and grilled pineapple is sure to hit the spot. Just ask for your spicy Thai peanut dressing on the side. Joe Sent Me is really known for their burgers but you can also choose between a variety of wraps, sandwiches and a handful of main entrees. The Bayou Joe's pulled pork sandwich has a nice smoky flavor. If you order the pulled pork wrap (which we ended up with because of a server mess-up--both are $7.95) you'll find it comes with coleslaw, which some people either love or hate. "Joe" Mamma's steak wrap ($8.95) is a fine alternative to a burger with tender grilled steak, sauted peppers, onions and mushrooms. While it's nice that Joe Sent Me has a well-rounded menu, I have to wonder why anyone would even bother with the other entrees when the burgers and fries are so good? My favorite is the Hawaii Five -Joe ($8.50), loaded with pineapple, bacon, Swiss and teriyaki. Messy but it definitely falls into the finger-licking good category. The Joltin' Joe's Boilermaker ($7.95) is one of the best on the menu, a thick, juicy burger topped with BBQ ale sauce, bacon and cheddar. For a spicy twist, check out Joe Frazier's Blackened Blue ($7.95), Cajun-spiced and topped with bleu cheese. Service is often spotty but given the nature of the establishment, it can be forgiven--to an extent. Waiting 30 minutes for appetizers to arrive only five minutes before the entre is annoying. When I was last there, tables didn't get cleared until a newly arrived customer had to ask for someone to clean them off. We were happy when the customers next to us left so we could switch away from our overly-wobbly table. Yet, all those annoyances didn't take away from the fact that we left fully, and completely, satiated. read more

Stopped in for lunch after a round of golf just outside of town. Wonderful. Delicious. Soothing. Laid-back. I had been to Joe Sent Me before but this lunch experience sealed the deal for me. We were immediately served fantastic Spaten Octoberfest brew and had just enough time to relax and take in the ambiance before the burger arrived. The Boilermaker was supposed to be medium-rare and was actually medium-well but the slight overcooking didn't matter - it was perfect! Cajun fries to liven up the side and boom! read more

After 10 years in this great city, I have become accustomed to things in New England that just don't exist in the south. Like a Spa (aka convenience store), a packy, half sour pickles instead of dill, tonic means soda, and never once have I seen a boston baked bean (but it's a candy down south). And maybe something I should now put into this category is deep fried pickles. who came up with this? and since I saw it on the menu here first, I always refer to their menu as "good food, great turkey burgers, but fried pickles - wtf" but to be honest, it's the only complaint about the place (and not really even a complaint - more of an observation). Overall the mood is casual, the bartenders are friendly, the TVs are plentiful, and the place always feels lively but not packed (at least not the dozen or so times I have been there). It's the place where I would be a regular if it weren't such a decent hike from where I live - and that's a testament to the place - it has to have the feel like "I could be comfortable coming in here often and it not get old" - a lot of places don't have that - this place does. read more