Markoh's in Ayer is fantastic, but Cal is the secret weapon. His Old Fashioneds are so good they should come with instructions and maybe a seatbelt. I took one sip and suddenly understood jazz. He's quick, he's sharp, and he's got the kind of personality that makes you forget you only stopped in for "one drink." Food's great, drinks are next-level, and Cal keeps the whole place running smoother than it has any right to. Five stars. Highly recommend before the rest of the world discovers him. read more

Markoh's On Main - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

This town went from Union coffee roasters to this place? I'm baffled. The owner and staff seem nice enough but I've seen them openly do weird off-putting things like eating ingredients while preparing someone's sandwich. Then, when my sandwich and a friend's were ready, the aloof sandwich artisan (who appears to also one of only two staff members) forgot to tell me and went on with her enthralling conversation with the only other staff member for ten minutes. I was pleased that she was in such a good mood and living her #BestLlife and is #Blessed. But TBPH, she kind of put me in a bad mood because she made us late with her aloof, informal, and lax system. F- for the coffee "program" here. This place makes Marylou's look bourgeois. read more

We've been here a few times since we moved into the area. The breakfast sandwiches are okay but the coffee is really not very good. I would not recommend coming here if you want good coffee. read more

Nice little soup/salad/sandwich place in downtown Ayer. Can't vouch for dinner. Friendly staff

This little spot opened up in November 2022 and I'm so glad something opened for coffee around here. The commuter train is a few steps away and I don't doubt they get a lot of that business now. They have breakfast all day, lunch items and I'm not sure if they are open later? You can buy whole bean coffee/tea The coffee drinks are made well and they have a lot of flavorings to put in your drinks. Yes you can get an iced tea. Staff & owner(s) seem to be in hand and are helpful and friendly. The inside is warm and welcoming and they have additional seating in the other area as well and outdoor as well. Prices are fare and basically what you would spend at a Starbucks. Support a local place instead. It's worth a visit. read more

Markoh's On Main - Inside - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

This is a very open and comfortable coffee shop. Food is good and service is quick. It's located by the rail trail in Ayer so very convenient location. Always plenty of parking on the street or behind the bldg. read more

Looking for a good coffee, right before a concert, Sierra Hull, at Groton Hill Music. Checked Yelp, which I always do, and I was directed to Markoh's for a good coffee. Well, it turns out that Markoh's is a bar, coffee shop, and pub, but the coffee bar was closed. After chatting with a very friendly lady, someone came out to take our order. I was with my wife's brother, a coffee aficionado, and someone came out and said he'd make us a coffee. Yes! What a great cup of coffee. What a great vibe! They have live music. Check it out, get a coffee, or a great cocktail! read more

Outstanding service! Food was great! One of our party god overcooked food but they redeemed it and it was worth the wait! Highly recommend. Great ambiance! read more

First impressions were a small, quiet, upscale, pub with a comfortable vibe. It was very comfortable, a hint of incense as we entered made me realise this was something different. We picked a table in the back as a duet was setting up (more later), and were greeted by a smile from the server who brought menus and took drinks orders. I picked a shandy on tap (delicious), my wife had a 4 Roses and coke, our friend had a glass of wine. Then I noticed signs for infused spirits, done in house. I had a vanilla and honey bourbon after dinner that was really nice, but want to go back try the habanero tequila. For starters we had a plate of crispy pot stickers served with a nice dipping sauce with kick. We all had the corn chowder, that gets a big recommendation from me ... delicious. I was torn on dinner because the menu has a lot of choices; small plates, "sammichs", poutine-style, and large plates. I went with the New York steak and chose local mushrooms rather than veg and it was worth every penny. My wife had the short rib poutine, I stole a cheese curd with some sauce from the ribs and YUM! Dessert was a custard dishes. Mine has an espresso liqueur, while my wife's had strawberries. Served in large champagne glasses, these looked like cocktails and were a perfect way to have a light but flavourful dessert Our server was terrific. Friendly, willing to make suggestions, and answered questions about the menu items. She was attentive without hovering and made us feel very comfortable. The bartender, (Markoh perhaps?) was friendly and kept an eye on everything. Drinks were solid and reasonably priced. Oh the duet. I am not a fan of live music while I dine in general as it tends to be played too loud. BUT, the music was at a reasonable level so we could enjoy it and still have a conversation. The guys were really good, played and sang well, and were joined on some songs by a young lady with a nice voice as well. We will be back. read more

Markoh's On Main - New York steak with locally sourced mushrooms - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

Markoh's on Main is a hidden gem. Cozy, affordable and quality food, what else is there? I struggle to describe the charm of the restaurant. I suppose it starts with its overall location in a beautiful, historic building that spans two blocks. The interior decor is interestingly eclectic. The menu is varied and we have enjoyed a few of its offerings. I particularly appreciate the value in the 1/4 pound "smash burger" for $6.50. I am a simple eater that does not enjoy paying large sums of money just to eat. I have had the burger several times and fully enjoy it. The bar is comfortable to sit at. They have an unbelievable deal on Tuesdays. BOGO on sandwiches and poutine. My wife has enjoyed an order of poutine and my hamburger was free. What a deal! It's such a great deal, I actually feel guilty. Adding to Markoh's on Main's uniqueness, a separate room connected to the main restaurant is dedicated to being a coffee shop and breakfast/lunch spot. Again, also very cozy. (Main restaurant is only open for dinner) The offerings for breakfast and lunch are vast. Today, I went to the lunch portion of the business and had an egg and cheese on a plain bagel. It was excellent. I had a simple unsweetened iced tea, however, they have a wide variety of fancy coffee drink options available. Again, prices are very reasonable. read more

Service is awful prices are sky high 4.20 for 1 muffin and it doesn't even look appealing Coffees take 30min or more to get ! Don't waste your time only 1 employee at all times to do everything Never anyone in there food must be old Beware ! Save your money go-to Tinys around the corner for home cook food fast ! read more

The good: I liked the nostalgia of the old Browns Drug Store from way back when. That's about it... The bad: First off, we got the vibe from our server that she really hates her job there and it's the last place she wanted to be. Second, Half the stuff on the menu wasn't available because they said they were changing their menu. So why not cross it off?? Third, the nickel and dime thing is a little excessive. My girlfriend got the crispy chicken blt Caesar wrap. Sounds like a big hearty wrap, Right? Not even close. It looked like a miserable premade thing you'd get at McDonald's. It also came with no sides. Fries were an extra $3.50 on top of $13.00 for the wrap. I got a Greek salad with chicken on it. At first it looked decent and was good until I got into the excessive watery dressing underneath everything. Maybe we will give this one more try after they figure out their menu. read more

Good food and great coffee at the wake n bake! Cute shop with fun furniture, quick and lovely service.

This place is fantastic. Anyone that doesn't give it at least 4 stars is a troll. The staff is great, the variety is awesome, food is great and the coffee is great. It's a fantastic place and we go there all the time. Nice and quiet. If you haven't gone you should and if you do go, keep coming back. read more

Funky ambience that I like. Mediocre breakfast at best. I've been there only once and will go back for another great cup of coffee and maybe one of their delicious-looking pastries. read more

This is a new place in Ayer, brought to us from the Markoh "dynasty" of restaurants. And what a welcome business! They offer a varied menu (pastries, breakfast sandwiches and standards like biscuits and gravy, plus lunch sandwiches and burgers) along with delicious coffee and a comfortable seating area. I'm all about the "vibe" when I select my cafes and this one was right on the money as a place where I could feel comfortable and linger. Speaking of money: the prices are reasonable, which doesn't happen often in Massachusetts. And with a location near the commuter train, they offer a great chance to grab that last-minute coffee and snack before boarding. read more

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I don't usually write reviews but this place deserves it!My friend and I were starving so we chose the closest place to us. The staff there was awesome, atmosphere and music was great, the food was tasty and well priced. A very pleasant surprise for two people picking a random restaurant! I would highly recommend this place and will be back! read more

Markoh's On Main - Little Shorty (Braised Short Ribs and Parmesan Risotto) - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

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Great food, great service. This place has more of a cafe vibe to it than a typical white cloth affair, but it has a ton of small town charm and I personally loved it. I loved the menu too, a good mix to make anyone happy. We had garlic bread, the big shorty (short ribs over Parmesan risotto), filet mignon, and the tiramisu, all amazing. read more

This place is amazing. We've been coming to this cool cafe for about six months now since we're new to the area. Their espresso has a nice smooth full body profile and their iced lattes are very balanced when you add a flavor option to them, not too sweet not watered down at all.Their biscuits and gravy are where it's at hands down.and if you get a sandwich on their homemade bread it's just so delectable and the toppings are evenly portioned and fresh. Whenever we phone in a to go order it's always prompt and quickly made. Service is great, clean nice cozy atmosphere. This place is a nice gem to find, hope it stays forever it's one of our favorite comfort food stops read more

Went back last night for the Open Mike. I think the $5.00 options are interesting and the $5.00 burger on Wednesdays seems like the deal of the week. Bartender is a good guy and he makes his own infused tequila and bourbon. The vibe is just a little odd and the place smells like it's rotting from a recent flood. They could use about a 1/2 dozen dehumidifiers. read more

Great food, cold beer. Plus $5.00 deal. We paid buffalo wings and fries no more than $10. The best part about this place is the customer service the managers are extremely hands on. I love this place ! read more

Markoh's On Main - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

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What a fantastic lunch experience. The menu has something for everyone and the service was awesome. In addition to a delicious meal, we had a delightful waitress, Rachel. She was extremely welcoming, friendly and helpful. I will definitely be back! read more

Markoh's On Main - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

Relaxed atmosphere with good music and a very welcoming vibe! Best Burgers around

Plenty of selections on the menu, and great beers to choose from. Love these old buildings, they have alot of character. Will definitely keep coming back! read more

Quirky joint..live music... 5.00 burgers on wednesdays... great drinks...atmosphere a 9 food a 10.....fun side trip outside the normal 495 loop...sister store Lucia's Tavola has kick ass Italian too....just down the block read more

Markoh's On Main - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

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Food is good, not great. Very slow to come out. It would be a 1 star but if you come on a certain night where the food is discounted that is worth one extra star. read more

Met here for lunch to catch up with a friend back in August 2018, forgot to write review but here it is now. Been wanting to eat here for a while now since the menu sounded delicious. The menu was correct! I've eaten at Lucias Tavola which are the same owners as Markoh's. I got my favorite salad with my favorite fish. Mother Earth and salmon on top. I forgot to ask without cheese but was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it. Staff was excellent and food terrific. My friend had the chicken Caesar salad and enjoyed it as well. Clean plate club here. Will definitely return! Thank you very much everyone at Markoh's. read more

Fettuccini Alfredo is pretty awesome! Service a tad slow but waitstaff and bar staff very nice. Live music at a perfect volume and great atmosphere, intimate and cozy. read more

Let's call the whole thing off... ...You like excruciatingly slow service and I like prompt service. ...You like hiring random bartenders who over-share they have virtually no qualifications and I like bartenders who know the menu and can make a Manhattan. ...You like serving meals with constant substitutions, cooked improperly and I like food that is served as listed on the menu, cooked properly. Let's call the whole thing off... I've tried, five, maybe six times. I just can't try any more - there are too many other places with quality of service and consistently good food - which oddly enough is your sister restaurant about 100' feet away... Let's call the whole thing off...We'll still be friends, I'll wave as I drive by. read more

Amazing food, amazing service, etc etc etc Out of this world! Definitely check it out! read more

Very disappointed. We ate there for the first time tonight. It was not busy at all, so there was no excuses for the service issues we had. We seated ourselves after waiting for a few minutes and no one apparently saw us. No one spoke to us or came to the table for over 5 minutes, so I got us some menus. After a few more minutes, a man stopped over and welcomed us, and determined we would like ice water. Again, several minutes passed before bread and water arrived. Eventually our server, a pleasant but spacey young woman came over to get it going. She took our order, which included a beer, was interrupted during the process by the "manager", who didn't know where an order belonged, then she had to back track on our order as she forgot some of the order. She left the menus on the table, so I had to go and put them back where I initially got them from! Food took much longer than it should have considering how slow the place was, and when it came out, my partner had to remind her of the beer. She was apologetic, but did not really get how annoying this was. Beer arrived as we were already started. She did not return to our table until we were long done, never came to see how everything was, if we wanted another drink, more water, nothing. Again, it was NOT busy tonight. I will say, we all enjoyed our very over priced food; it was tasty and well cooked, but for the service and the portions, it is not a good value and we will not return. If you want great food AND service, go to The Bull Run. It's worth the prices and you'll have leftovers for lunch the next day. read more

Went here last Friday night with my husband & 9 year old son. The setting is very cozy. Even though they do not take reservations for dinner (unless a big party), the owner saved us a table after she saw my post on their Facebook page. Delicious & warm rustic bread with herbed butter was put on the table Peppadew appetizer was recommended by the waitress - very tasty. Raw tuna appetizer was delicious - smaller version of the dinner entree - served with soy & also a tomato-ginger purée. Son's"s hamburger was finished which means it was yummy - husband took a bite & agreed. Came with homemade Parmesan-salted chips. My filet mignon was "like buttah". The blue cheese was not a brûlée (as described in the menu) - we brought this to owner's attention. Hubby's braised pork shank was done to perfection. Crime brûlée for dessert was good - not amazing but not as spectacular as rest of the meal. Had a super tasty bottle of wine -Gundlach Bundschu - that we rarely ever find around here. Looking forward to returning to this new bistro! Quite a pleasant surprise in our neck of the woods. Highly recommended!!! read more

We decided to try this restaurant since we had eaten at the associated Italian restaurant on the same block and enjoyed it on several occasions. In spite of the spotty reviews the close location tilted the scales in favor of a try out. The food was actually good albeit very pricey for small portions. No complaints really. Nothing super special either. Unfortunately pretty much everything else did not meet with expectations. As multiple reviews here and in the press have mentioned, the food takes forever to come out of the kitchen. I skipped eating dessert just because I didn't want to extend my already too lengthy stay. The waitress was very pleasant and well meaning but not very professional. When she placed our order she put in the wrong entree for my wife which was doubly annoying because of the long wait time from the kitchen. The owner intervened and got the replacement entree out fairly quickly so its clear they can improve their turnaround if they saw the need. To us the thing that killed a positive experience was the environment. The bigger dining area was set-up with a single huge table and anyone not part of that function was seated in the dining room/bar area. Just like with their Italian sister restaurant this room is small and crowded such that you alternate between being too warm because of all the humans around you and too cold every time the front door opens, giving you a blast of cold air from the outside. On this night the bar was at least 3 deep with 20-30 patrons who crowed against the dining area giving you the feeling some stranger was standing over you while you were eating. On top of that parking is becoming a challenge in downtown Ayer. What the owners are trying to do is admirable, but the execution is not up to par and this place has been open quite a while so we had hoped that they had worked out the kinks. With a 3rd associated restaurant online this week (with a shared kitchen) and a 4th slated to open soon in the next block its not looking good. ...oh and the $$ is not accurate. This is actually quite an expensive place with the special entree going for $38 on the night we dined. read more

Thoroughly enjoyed Markoh's! Celebrated my son's birthday here - it was his choice. So glad we did! Service was great - the waitress put up with all family's questions and jokes. She even gave my son a "happy birthday beer" on her! Our food was quite good as well - no complaints from any one. The one minor problem was that they did not have a lot of vegetarian options and were all out of the one item they did offer which left salad as the only option. The salad was very good and it wouldn't stop any of us from going back! If they can come up with more veggie options for my son's girl friend, we'll give it a 5 star review! read more

Staff is very nice. I ordered a cheese plate and it was basically a bunch of deli meat and a very small amount of cheese. Restaurant is in an older building but has a very unpleasant smell to it read more

Fried chicken dinner-- lol--- they don't know what it should be. We went to Markoh's on Main on Thursday for their special fried chicken dinner and had really been looking forward to it. The atmosphere was nice-- vintage building spiffed up but overall-- what a disappointment. When we asked the waitress to describe the special fried chicken dinner-- she said it was a Belgian waffle, with chicken tenders and strawberries on top served with maple syrup. Do these people even know what a fried chicken dinner is? We left in disgust without ordering and will not go back. Too bad. read more

My friends and I went here last night and while the atmosphere was nice and the burger was great, the truffle fries and service were a huge disappointment. I figured I'd treat myself and spend the extra $3 for truffle fries, but when they arrived I realized the only difference between my truffle fries and my friend's regular fries was some sprinkled Parmesan cheese and scallions on top....I felt somewhat misled because they just tasted like normal fries. When I asked the waitress, she said they also had truffle salt on them, instead of truffle oil. I would never have spent the extra money if I knew that. $3 doesn't sound like a lot but the burger and fries were already $12 so it felt unnecessary expensive. Also, the server came by a lot in the beginning but the food took forever to come out and then my friend wanted another beer but didn't see any servers for a good long while. Just a little disappointing. The food was good, but just not great enough to justify the high prices. I feel much the same about this place as their sister restaurant, Lucias Tavola. Decent food but I would feel more in awe if I didn't have to dump so much money into one meal. read more

Our family has always enjoyed the food, cheerful service and live music at Markoh's (and Lucia's) and more recently, the takeout. In picking up takeout this evening, was impressed with the lovely outdoor dining set up. Nicely spaced and charming ambiance. Upon returning home, enjoyed the best lobster roll of all time. Generous portion of perfectly prepared tail and claw meat, a bit of shredded lettuce, very lightly dressed on perfectly toasted, lightly buttered bun. Awesome! read more

Nice decor, good service. Daily specials. Delicious food. read more

Markoh's On Main - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

Just skip this epic disappointment . Food is rushed and low quality and it was like no one knew what they were supposed to be doing...all new staff? cooks too? where was someone in charge? read more