Yeah, we lived in Gloucester for a few years. Miss it a lot. Miss being able to go here regularly, too. At risk of using the term "dive bar" rather than being pretentious with "rustic" or "lots of character", it's easily the BEST bar in Gloucester with a good kitchen and a staff of characters;and colorful patrons as well). The menu is small, but there are some very inventive dishes that you might be surprised at; e.g. a lox and cream cheese plate with capers. It's a great place to hang out, watch a game or Saturday afternoon movie, or catch live music or just go for a quiet drink. Highest recommendation from a former bar hopping fun loving guy. read more

We came to Gloucester again for a friend's birthday party and had an evening free to do whatever we wanted so of course we went back to Rhumb Line. We walked in and they had a live band playing some good tunes. We found some seats at the bar and made some friends next to us that just moved to the neighborhood. This place has such a fun vibe and welcoming bartenders. This time a lady named Molly helped us and was awesome. Again, we didn't try the food because we ate right before we got there but the couple next to us got the burger and it looked delicious. She said that was the only thing she has gotten there and loves it. Such a cute place and again, if we are back in Gloucester, we will stop in again. read more

Rhumb Line Restaurant - Drinks - American Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

Bar maids are mean and rude to customers its to bad because the place is convenient to commuter rail,needs new management !

This is your typical "dive bar" - good "bar food", decent drinks, friendly vibe and excellent live music.

This place is a gem. Great live music nightly. Every Tuesday an amazing Blue Grass band plays. Great food! Excellent service! Very fortunate to have a place like this in Gloucester. read more

Excellent in every way; food, music, other guests, service...,just a great place! Music every night!

The Rhumb Line is delightful, homey, and non-pretentious. My partner and friend went in for some g+ts in a post beach sun daze and enjoyed the cool dim bar, warm staff, and fun live acoustic set. This is a neighborhood gem. Long Live the Rhumb Line! Oh and the $10 were an absolute score. #twinning read more

Rhumb Line Restaurant - Rhumb Line Love - American Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

Somehow cozy and exciting. Live music every week. Quality bands. Mellow interesting crowd. One of the very best bars in Glosta.

Great place with fun atmosphere. I had the best onion soup ever. There was a long simmered flavor of the caramelized onion, and topped with a generous amount of quality melted cheese. The lobster roll was full of fresh meat, with crunchy celery to add body. We all were happy with our local seafood based meals. I also went at night when it was hopping. It was easy to find. There is an upstairs room too. Friendly and efficient staff too. read more

Rhumb Line Restaurant - Greatest Onion Soup - American Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

My friend and I went to hear a band play. Every special they had that was worth ordering was "out". Your choices were apps, salad, chicken, or a burger. I got the burger (medium rare) and my friend got the chicken. Her chicken was totally charred and my burger was grey. The waitress was totally nonexistent. Couldn't get another drink to save my life. I had one soda in 2.5 hours! We had to track her down to get and pay the bill! Only came over to the table once and just grabbed the plates without even trying to ask us if we needed anything. Don't you go to a bar to get drinks? I'm not sure how she was a bartender or a waitress. read more

I've been here twice, both times after work mid-week. I didn't eat because I didn't realize they served food at that time - no other customer was eating, and neither bartender asked me if I wanted anything (I just figured it was dinner only, or lunch only, or some other time that wasn't when I was there at that moment). Not a big deal. The first time I went in, the bartender was really nice. Asked if I was new in town (I am) and whether I liked it (I do!). My beer had a fruit fly or 6 in the glass, but she quickly gave me a fresh one. Other customers weren't friendly or unfriendly - it was almost as if I wasn't there even though I attempted to make conversation here and there. The second time I went in, people were less than friendly. The man sitting in the seat next to me even asked "Are you lost? Or just waiting for the train?" I just kind of laughed it off - I'm not shy and can hold my own, but it just kind of went downhill from there. I got up to use the restroom (leaving my keys and phone on the table, along with an almost but not quite half-full bottle of beer) and when I came back, it was gone. The bartender said he thought I was done...and at that point I was. The beer choices are pretty standard, with a couple of commercial microbrews thrown in (such as Magic Hat). The place could be cleaner - I know it's not a 4-star restaurant, and that's cool. I dig those dark, dive-y places that the yuppies tend to avoid. But the bathroom was pretty nasty for 5:15 on a Wednesday afternoon, and I don't like fruit flies in my #9. read more

Stuff they have: *Decent tap list *Delicious fries of the uber-crispy variety *Buffalo chicken tenders that made our corner of the table swoon *Cinnamon Sugar on the rims of your Shipyard Pumpkinhead *A healthy love (or at least acceptance) for day drinking! Stuff they don't: *Televisions Come here for drinks and bites if you're in the area. Word has it they have good live music on nights & weekends. Worked out as a great midday stop for our party of 9. Just don't expect to catch college football on the big screen. But don't worry- no one is judging while you pound beers and scream at your ESPN smartphone app (cough cough Damien S.) read more

I don't fully recall being here, but that's not the point. The Gansett was plentiful, the cuban sangwich was stellar, the fries ruled, and the band played The Specials by request. There were five of us. We were loud. We were rowdy. We may have peed out in front of the place. Our collective tab was $250. I got hit on by the Golden Girls. I can't wait to go back again. This meets Uncle Juggernaut's seal of approval. read more

WOOOHOOOO!!!! I rarely get to up this way but if I lived in the Gloucester area, I would see myself becoming a townie and a regular here. The sights, the sounds, the food, the boooooze... you had me at it all. The drinks are strong, the nachos were good. Hey, says a lot from me. The live music I saw that night, incredible! It was a Grateful Dead group, such a great vibe. Hopefully I find myself up that way again. read more

Ok, the bhumb line, scum line, rummy or whatever you want to call it is great. Rachelle already gave us a pretty extensive review. The food here is pretty good. I like the wings and the burgers. Yeah, the draft beer selection isnt wicked extensive, but certainly there is something there for your taste. I like the magic hat #9 draft. Theres plenty of bottles also. A dark and stormy or 3 will get your motor running also if thats your thing. There are food specials throughout the week, prime rib on wednesdays I think and lobster rolls on saturdays among other things. Sports games occasionally are put on the big projector screen. Parking can be somewhat difficult. In a pinch I will park at the train station and pay the 3 bucks or whatever it is. The music that the Rhumb Line typically has is pretty good, with regular acts such as Fly Amero and Dave Sag. It WILL be busy when there is live music, get in early for a table and you will be very happy. Im not sure how the Rhumb line profile got the $$$$ price range rating, which is "splurge: over $61". I set it at $$ and we will see if it sticks or not. The price rating is supposed to be for a meal, a drink and a tip... not the cost of going on half a bender. read more

Love this place more every time I come. Great old school bar where most people know each other yet if you don't know anyone you don't feel unwelcome. Awesome French onion soup!!! Better wine list than most pubs & the music is a bonus. read more

Enjoy your experience at The Rhumbline, understand its name and have a love for the sea. "In navigation, a rhumb line (or loxodrome) is a line crossing all meridians of longitude at the same angle, i.e. a path derived from a defined initial bearing. That is, upon taking an initial bearing, one proceeds along the same bearing, without changing the direction as measured relative to true north." In the ever changing ebb and flow of time, The Ruhmline has always remained consistent. If you're looking for a burger that is hardy or local fair at a reasonable price, this is the place. It's real, pure, simple, comfortable, and most of all, honest. It's where you can stop at the end of the day and, find spirited conversation, paired with cold beer and good food. On a weekend you can let your hair down to some great sounds; it's also a local place that has always been welcoming to new comers. The bar is framed by massive exposed post and beams, the wood floors are worn, adding charm of days gone by. If you've ever want to be a part of the past and present at the same time, here it is. It's a real New England Pub, and they do not pretend to be more than that. The staff is friendly, courteous and on the mark. read more

cuban sandwich cuban sandwich cuban sandwich cuban sandwich i call this place the bhumb line, but only because i think it's funny. if you're looking for a legit taste of gloucester, come on down. the smallish-but-varied menu will please everyone, and the specials board (which seems to offer almost as much as the regular menu) will take care of any left-out cravings. my dad and stepmom are regulars here. the service for them is impeccable; it's a "NORM!" situation where everyone knows their names. as for me, i definitely think the waitstaff is consistently attentive regardless of whether or not you're a regular. i went in with my boyfriend about an hour before my parents got there the other day. there was a new-ish waitress there who wasn't familiar with me, but i still received great care. it took a bit of time before she came over to our table but once she made her first visit, we were never left with an empty drink. she was very accomodating, especially because we had to wait so long to order our meals due to the late arrival of the rest of our party. in the past, i've sometimes thought the waitresses didn't come around enough, but i think that's because my parents are never in a rush, spending a few hours relaxing. the food is very consistent here. due to the smallish menu, i think this allows the chef(s?) to make extremely high-quality food more often. although i've never had it, handfuls of people have told me the french onion soup (a frequent special) is amazing. the soups always tend to be well-flavored. the nachos are popular, most likely due to the massive pile of goodness that comes out of the kitchen. the potato skins are standard but delicious. these are all decently priced, too. the grilled chicken sandwiches are great. they offer a few options, and i recommend the cajun chicken. the chicken san miguel is delicious, too; this is a grilled chicken sandwich with cheese and guacamole. the guacamole is made with sour cream, so be careful if you are lactose intolerant/don't like sour cream. they make a san miguel burger, too, which i'm sure is awesome. sharon's delight is usually a big hit at my dinner table; this is an english muffin topped with turkey, swiss cheese, mayo (ew), and bacon. the salads are good, but i find them to be a bit small for the cost (give or take $8, depending on your toppings). much like the burgers, i find that my steak tip salads in the past have been a bit overcooked, as in if i ask for medium rare, it tends to be medium well or well done. the actual steak has a great taste, though. there aren't a lot of dressing choices but i'm not a huge dressing person anyway. the cuban is my personal favorite. hooooo-ly crap. the cuban is ham and pork with swiss, mustard, and pickles grilled and pressed on french bread. this is probably one of the best sandwiches in general i've ever eaten, but DEFINITELY the best cuban i've ever experienced. every inch of bread is filled with ingredients and there's something about the pressing of the sandwich that makes it fantastic. the draft beer selection is not my favorite, but has enough options. there are more bottle options but i'm not always super excited about that selection, either. i always end up with the wachusett blueberry draft (and yes, i'm aware this is a total lady beer and is a bit embarassing cause i'm not a lady about beer). the mixed drinks will probably knock you on your ass. they're good. there's always live music on a weekend night. this makes for a very loud experience, so don't plan on having deep discussions after 9 p.m. on a friday night. it can get crowded, too. the place is small so this is to be expected. in the winter bring a couple layers, because almost all the tables are in direct line of the door and are very drafty. there are two or three tables out of 7 or 8 that aren't super cold. just have a couple drinks and you'll be fine. i picked up the tab the other night and, for four people, it was $64. this included 5 or 6 beers, a gin and tonic, a glass of white wine, soup, a side of fries, and three sandwiches (with fries, which are shoestringy and yummy). oh, and one of the sandwiches had sweet potato fries, which are a (frequent) special and i think cost extra. not bad for the amount of stuff we got. come hang with the locals at the rhumb line. good food, good times. just don't expect a lot of choices if you're on a diet. read more

Went for the first and last time. The good,,Onion soup was great. Ned Nugent and DreadLocks bands were great. Waitress was non existent, two drinks were horrible never mind the wait,one other drink was un drinkable due to high alcohol content. Then waited an hour For bill and had to go to bartender to get it (WAITRESS Disappeared) and even that was wrong. Never again. read more

Love this place. It is not somewhere I would describe as a family place but we brought our kids for the early show on sat this week. I realize most people would frown on that and we got a few looks, but the food is good and they love live music as much as we do. The music was great as was the atmosphere. There are very few places kids are allowed on a sat night with live music! Will be back with and without the kids! read more

Great burgers, great entertainment and cramped quarters. You gotta love this place. The drinks are always really really good, and the bartenders are always quick and nice. Gotta love this place! read more

Don't bother with this place unless you're a local. The service was terrible and borderline hostile. The drinks were cheap liquor at inflated prices. Great local musicians the only reason why we stayed to finish them. Too bad that the place came so highly recommended by locals who encouraged us to drop in and that we walked a mile in the rain to get there based on that. Very disappointed. Won't be going back. read more

Great food fantastic live music. Real authentic Gloucester. I'll be back. Wednesday night's they have a musician named fly he is real fly

Always a good time. Food was surprising tasty which I never order since I always just go for drinks. Now, the drinks, they are on the strong side and I can't complain. Staff is usually pretty friendly and I like that they are lively a have different things on different nights. read more

Early Show Saturday; exceptional food, large portion of fresh fish and lasagna; music with Brian King and guess made a perfect evening.

I've been here dozens of times, the place is packed full of Yankee charm, that & they were open on christmas eve, perfect for a quick pint after a long drive & before embracing droves of children read more

The best music you will hear anywhere. Wed/Thurs are fantastic and the weekends are really great.

Closed at 2:15 PM. No hours listed on web page, no hours listed on door or window. Yelpers show it as open from 11:00 on. My first visit, disappointed. read more

had a quick dinner here the other night before a meeting - a burger with cheddar and fries. i love this place because it's a local joint and even though i'm not a 'regular', i feel like one. this is a great local bar and the burger was cooked as requested and had a nice char-broiled flavour. the service was very accommodating without being intrusive. they also have great live music nearly every night - fly amero from orleans is there every wednesday night with a 'special guest'. it's a local institution. the decor is wood, brass, and well worn in. comfy. read more

great if you go for lunch. horrid if you go to hear music. you trip over the wires or dancefloor, not sure what it was but I was not able to get by to go to the rest room. it was so loud and the music was BAD. everyone thought they were a music expert, or they were drunk and dancing lamely. it is way too SMALL. expand or get a better layout. read more

Food is great, as is the service. Every time I eat I'm a member of the clean plate club.

Great food, drink, staff, and entertainment. A locals bar, but enjoyable! Parking could be tricky but usually end up with a close spot. Have been there on promotional nights with up and coming liquors. Received some cool t-shirts and shots! Overall, good place to stop in for a bite and drinks. read more

Although I've only been a customer for the past handful of years, the Rhumb Line has a long and storied tradition behind it. People who grew up in Gloucester are well aware of the place, and not only through word of mouth, but from personal experience you can bet. Still, it has an amazingly intimate feel when you step in to the place and take a seat in one of the booths or at a table with a view of the music. On Wednesdays Fly Amero is hosting the acoustic music for the evening, and always has a talented guest to showcase and play along with. The chance to watch, hear and converse with Fly and his guests on Wednesdays is a big reason why I enjoy going there on Wednesdays so much, but I've been there on other nights too, and the talent and the staff at the Rhumb Line is always top of the line. I remember walking into the place one night soon after moving to Gloucester and hearing a band doing a David Bowie song (Young Americans), and I kind of groaned because I really didn't expect some local band doing a good job on a David Bowie song, but that shows that you're never too old to learn something new - it turns out the band was Groove Therapy (which is a really rocking local band) and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It's kind of amazing that a place with such a long, vibrant history is still going strong what with all the changing circumstances over the years, and I think the credit goes to the management of the Rhumb Line and the artists like Fly who perform there and nurture the young local talent who are given the opportunity to join them at such a great venue to listen and share. I also like the food! read more

Great drinks and food.very reasonable prices. People are are always friendly and the live music 7 nights a week is fantastic. Lots of daily specials, prime rib, grilled scallops etc, very diverse menu with great appetizers nachos,potato skins,wings,etc. Cuban sandwich and burgers are a couple of my favorites. i would recommend the rhumb line for a great meal at a great price and some fantastic entertainment any night of the week. read more

Such a great bar! Food is delish, drinks are great, and the help is fantastic!!! 5 stars!!!

This place is awesome! Great drinks, great live music EVERY night! bartenders are professionals and awesome at what they do. and food is great too! french onion soup is by far the best around, also the nachos are pretty amazing :) a great local spot! it's hard to beat this place for a drink/food/music/atmosphere/reasonable prices combination... in fact, it's impossible to beat it! read more

The drinks and music are superb! I go there when there's a band I like playing and I usually have a good time. Be prepared for rudeness from the bartender (he's usually there - fellow with a mustache who tends to wear Hawaiian-type shirts). Almost every time I've been there, he has been snarky to me, to the band or to other customers. But that is my only complaint! All the rest of the staff is terrific and it's a great place to listen to local music and have a reasonably priced drink. read more

The Rhummy is a great hang for live music. I lived in Manhattan's Greenwich Village for 5 yrs and the Rhumb Line rivals all the live music clubs I used to frequent. Great food, fun and interesting mix of people. read more