The first time I ever heard of the silhouette my brother was visiting and went in there and told me it smelt funny. I ended up moving a two minute walk from it when I was 21, went in, realized it didn't smell, and it's been a staple bar for me ever since. I joke that major events in my social life only occur at the Sil. This is the first place me and one of my closest friends ever hung out together. This is also where my now fiancé and I had our very first date. Pitchers of Narragansett are cheap and fresh. there's darts in the back room where my friends and I never have trouble getting a board to play on. They have a jukebox, big buck hunter, and a pool table. While the bathroom usually leaves a lot to be desired, the bar itself is relatively clean for a dive. The patrons keep to themselves and the bartenders are nice. I suggest coming any time of the week other than on Friday and Saturdays nights when college is in session since that is when college kids form a line down the street for cheap beer. It's cash only but with it you get endless popcorn and a bizarre setting to fall in love like I did. read more

Silhouette Lounge - We even took our engagement photos here - ha. - Dive Bars Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

Still my favorite dive and overall Boston bar but because of intangible biased. Used to be $2 pbrs couple years back. Now 3.75. Not the end of the world. Still cool amalgam of people guess it's just the cost of doing business. While a few other still $1 pints downtown. Don't lose your soul Sil! Will always love it here though. read more

In a world void of dive bars with grungy decor and a floor littered with tallboys...well, Boston being the world and this particular bar being the encyclopedic quintessence of the Allston stank. But man, do I love it. It's tough to find a spot in Boston with this character and a matching pricepoint. This is one of the few cities where there are such an abundance of high-class moneydumps that you will find a line outside of a divebar. The beer is cheap as hell, the music is loud (metal is welcome), and the people aren't your clean-cut Boston bargoers. They've got an old pool table, jukebox, buck hunter, and an entire room dedicated to darts. Venture away from the games and you've got yourself a standard few hightops along with some booths. Don't forget to grab yourself some free popcorn. One of my top spots in the Brighton-Allston area I would always recommend dropping in on a bar night (cross over the street to the Model Cafe for another similar stop). Grab your cooking pot - throw in a few jacket patches from 80' punks, a few heavy metal albums, a crushed 'Gansett can, and a few cigarette butts - bring to a boil, stir, and serve cold. That's the Silhouette Lounge. read more

Going here makes me realize how much I hate Pabst. Well, I hate Pabst from the tap. Back in PA, most bars I went to had Yuengling and those always seemed to be the taps that were never cleaned and gave me the worst "morning afters." And the Pabst here is like that. The next day is rough coming from all angles. Pool here is okay but you sort of feel like you're in the way of people watching House or whatever goofy hour-long drama is on TV. And the lighting above it feels like the fire of a thousand suns. And outside of the bathrooms, it smells like fresh ass but I guess that's on a case-by-case basis, or rather an ass-by-ass basis. What's great about this place is their little fenced-in smoking area. You can't turn your head without heeding one of their "Don't open this gate," "No drinks outside," or "Put your cigarettes out in the proper receptacle" laminated signs in jazzy fonts. I feel like one of the signs should say "Trivia Tuesdays" or "Wings--10 cents on Thursday" (why is there no cents symbol on a keyboard?) Regardless, this place is nice and open with free darts and popcorn. It's like the basement away from your folks you always dreamed of but with less nudie magazines (i.e. none). read more

It's so divey it's good! They have Big Buck Hunter. They have darts. They have pool. AND THEY HAVE POPCORN! I hear they have cheap beer. SoCo & Coke was $5.75. read more

My friend took me here on a Friday Night. There was quite the mix of people, from hipster-ish kids to old men, hippie-looking dudes and college folk. - 20oz PBR was $2. - Before I went to the bathroom a dude at the pool table promised me "it stinks like fresh ass in there" and he was right. - They have a menu of Chinese food, for no apparent reason. The Rangoons looked good, but I had just eaten. - They served free popcorn. We drank our beer, chatted with people smoking outside, and generally just a relaxing and pleasant time. I wish they would open one next door to my building, but who am I kidding? The Silhouette is one of a kind. read more

I never have been able to figure out the enormous appeal of this place. I like a good dive bar (or at least I thought I did), but this just isn't doing it for me. One time there was a fellow in some sort of holiday cardigan that was sitting at the bar. As I walked by him, he handed me a plastic cup of PBR and said something relatively incomprehensible about my eyes, or maybe my forehead. I had a momentary lapse of reason and thought, "Why not? I haven't had one since freshman year of college." A PBR, that is, utterly muddled conversations with Allston Admirers are somewhat more common occurences. One sip and I immediately felt ashamed about the whole thing; I can't drink this stuff, and I don't care how cheap it is, I'm terribly claustrophobic, I bathe twice a day, and I'd rather hold it for a few hours than ever go in that bathroom. At least in the South you could smoke in the dive bars, kind of masking the terrible, terrible smell. I don't play darts or pool, so that's certainly part of the problem. I'd say if you don't either, you may as well just keep walking. If you're similarly claustrophobic, hike up the street to the Model -- the obnoxious hipster quotient is a bit higher, but you can at least breathe there thanks to a slightly more open layout. Perhaps I've only been to the Silhouette at peak hours, but I always feel on the verge of panic because of how difficult it is to get around. My Allston days truly are over. read more

This is an awesome bar if you want to drink with dudes from every band i hate, inhale urine, and have sex with an ugly girl. They have pitchers of beer and popcorn. If i had the choice between waiting in line to get in here or tongue kissing an aids patient I would reach for my binaca. Wear your best denim top adorned in patches of bands you like. People who use the term "hipster" should be eradicated. read more

For dive bars this is as good as it gets. Pitchers of Nastygansett or PBR for $8. Darts in the back. Gloriously graffitied restrooms: My favorite: "Keep Allston Shitty!" Fall-down drunk clientele. Charmingly gruff bearded bartenders cooking mountains of the saltiest popcorn I've ever encountered. Seriously it's like they send each batch of popcorn on a voyage on an old clipper ship and they dangle mesh bags of popcorn over the side to get the sea spray. That's what it's like. Good thing the beer is so cheap. Burger King is right next door too, in case you get a late night craving. Who are you to judge if you're at the Sil? If you're gonna dive, dive deep. read more

If you're going to be a dirty, pretty mess, do it well. And do it here. You'd be sorely mistaken if you call this place a "lounge." I'm not even sure that it does cocktails aside from MAYBE a Jack and Diet. So most of their name is a lie. Do we trust? Yes. Yes, we trust. What does Silhouette do well? Cheap-ass beer: $7 pitchers of PBR and Miller High Life, served with crumpled plastic cups to perch precariously on the edge of a table or to grit in your teeth while you annihilate poor woodland creatures with a plastic gun. Also, free, free popcorn. More free popcorn than you can shake a stick at. Why would you shake a stick at free popcorn? That's just plain bizarre. The bathrooms look and smell like a sewer, and the door to the ladies' room doesn't close all the way. Ah well. No one can see straight in this place anyway. The inside is as divey as you could wish. Kind of looks like this fire hall my Pop-Pop used to go to in Macungie, PA ... that name is totally, 100% real ... according to Wiki, it's from the Lenape for "bear swamp" or "feeding place of the Bears" ... anyway, Silhouette looks like a smokey old VFW, even though you can't smoke in it. There are probably veterans, though, because this place attracts individuals from every walk of life. (I didn't see many hipsters but I also can't tell the difference between hipsters and skinny people who may also work in factories.) Feeding place of the Bears, indeed. I love Silhouette. read more

Best dive on the Allston/Brighton end of Boston. My favorite dive of all time, I pretty much lived in the second booth from the door for about a year. I proposed marriage to one of my best friends while kneeling on the floor of the Sil, with a straw wrapper twisted into a ring. You can guess what her answer was... If you are like me and you love sketchy, dirty, dark places with cheap beer and free popcorn, then go here! They also have darts, a pool table, a jukebox, Buck Hunter, and an enclosed smoking area out back (but don't take your drinks with you!) If you are looking for a clean place with clean bathrooms, appetizers, dance music, and lots of girls wearing the exact same outfit (black mini skirt, ugly yet slutty shirt, and heels that they can't walk in), then don't go here!!! Also keep in mind, no food here and cash only. The Sil is also a great place to chill on weeknights when it's a little less crowded with hipsters. (Sorry, hipsters, I'm doing my best to learn how to co-exist.) read more

You can hide in the dart room and ring the little bell behind the bar for more free popcorn and more pitchers of PBR. I'm sorry, but I think that has got to be the coolest thing in all of Allston. read more

Best bar in Allston, hands down. $7 Pitchers of PBR + Free Popcorn + Dartboards? How can you go wrong. Beer is beer, just get drunk! read more

Come here if you are cool.. or think you're cool. Nothing more than a meathead hipster joint that serves beer. They have a pool table, but you might have to fight to get a turn (guilty). They also have a side room for darts, which is in decent shape. Don't get me wrong, free popcorn is a huge plus and I've returned to this bar a huge amount of times but the air is just so pretentious it lingers. read more

DO NOT GO HERE. Horrible bouncer that was grabbing young ladies and dragging them out by their purse straps and arms without warning because he failed to check their IDs at the door. Then persuaded to verbally degrade one at the door and taunt her with the fact that the manager wasn't going to do anything because she was his mother. read more

*Sigh* I'm going to try to keep my review short because I've been coming here so long that I can't pack all of the stuff I want to say into a review. Free popcorn and relatively cheap beer for the Boston area. They have darts and a pool table. Most of the house darts are fubar and the boards aren't a hell of a lot better. They have all the greatest beers in the world ( Keep in mind I drink "piss beer" so best is 'Gansett PBR and High Life). This place is not a dive bar, dive bars are poorly lit, have sketchy clientele and are dirty. I prefer to think of it as a neighborhood bar because it's friendly and clean as far as bars go. To be fair I haven't been here on a weekend in a couple of years but I assume it's still the same as the weekdays but harder to find a seat. 4 stars because I'm love this bar but hate the influx of temporary Bostonians (College students) read more

If you know anything about me, you know that dives are typically where I choose to get my drink on, for a variety of reasons. Silhouette is the diviest of the dives, and oh, how I love it. -There is no pretense at this bar. It's a place with lots of wood, bar games (hi, darts and pool?), dim lighting, and cheap beer. -There's a nice mix of patrons: college kids, locals, whatever demographic I fall into, etc. -Prompt service. -Did I mention cheap beer? Yeah, what's up, $2 PBR? -Sticky seats redolent of past spilled beers. The only drawback is the fact that it's cash-only, which can be a pain for people like me who don't carry much cash due to forgetting to hit the ATM and must rely on their debit/credit cards all the time. There is an ATM by the entrance, but surely its fees are ass-rape-tastic. So make sure you remember to hit the ATM beforehand; $20 will do you good, unless you have a heavy drinking problem, in which case I'd suggest that you have bigger problems than a cash-only bar. read more

Hungover Yelper. The Silhouette is a dive, but every now and again you need a good dive bar to bring you back to center. $2 Narragansett drafts. Good quality pool table and dart boards. People watching. Note the following: It's like 5,000 degrees in there so wear a t-shirt Cash only! There is a ATM a block down the street if you are a girl, employ the buddy system. The locals can get a little randy. If you have darts, bring them. They only have two sets of house darts. Ok I'm going back to bed. read more

I love this bar, undoubtedly my favorite in Boston. It's got a good atmosphere, no matter what day I go there I'm sure to run into one of my friends or make new friends. It's got darts and free popcorn and best of all, now it has a surprisingly good menu of chinese food! Try the crab rangoons and scallion pancakes. read more

Let me give you the highlights: FREE POPCORN (when you know with all of that salt on it, that it really just makes you thirstier making you drink more making you buy more making you drunk more ha), $7 PBR pitchers, and KENO! Yup, if you like those things paired with a dive bar feel, this is the spot for you in Allston. It isn't the cleanest of places, it isn't a place to bring mom or dad when they come to visit, but if you like good cheap fun, this is your stop. But it is definitely a hipster spot too and they fill up pretty quick! Our group of 4 were some of the last ones to be let in before they hit capacity. But I mean why wouldn't you want to come here? They also have darts and some video games too! But really why spend money on those games when you can play grown up bingo/keno at your table. We won money here, so maybe that makes it a lucky spot too heh We'll see next time we show up here when hopefully we can be stronger and practice more will power against that tasty mctasty free popcorn of theirs :-) read more

The Sil is a crummy post-shift hangout across the street from the factory (I mean, remember when people's dads worked at factories?) that was somehow transplanted into the heart of student ghetto for whatever reason. OK, I'm kidding--as we should all try and remember, Allston isn't just about spoiled brat kids living in pseudo-slum conditions so they don't have to worry about property damage when they toss grocery carts across the street and throw bottles off rooftops. There actually does exist a ton of actual, working people in the neighborhood, and it's not just BU grads B-Lining into the financial district every morning. The Silhouette, like The Penalty Box on Causeway Street, is like when you find bits of wrought-iron fence sticking out of crooked trees in streetcorner gardens. That said, I admit that it's presumptous to assign that kind of black and white social landmark status to the Sil. The place is now run by a 20-something bunch of customers at this point who go there, I like to believe at least, because the other bars in Allston are generally terrible places to spend your time and money. There are always dusty dudes in there just off a stint fixing air conditioners (maybe perpetually off that stint, who knows). Class tourists taking a break from their laptop Facebook accounts and grad school applications. TVs in the corners. Popcorn machine. Bizarre Chinese menu. Deep booths and wet, glossy countertops. Bathrooms wedged into corners with a tacky urine glaze on the floor tiles. Free darts in the back room to get stupid with. It's not an amazing place, but its lack of pretension scores points. It's generally cheap and easy and a quiet enough place to get a seat and hang out comfortably with people on weeknights. Weekends are a bit pushy, but it's the least of evils considering the obvious douche-centrals across the street, the bleak (but still ok) confines of the Model, and the sadly overcrowded and yuppified Deep Ellum (thanks a lot, Yelp!). read more

I knew I would love it in here - I walk by every single day and can just feel the cheap-'n'-cheerful vibes emanating from the building. Finally the hubby and I went in on Saturday night and it did not disappoint. A beer and a wine for $6! My Sutter Home white wine came in a fun-size bottle and definitely gave me a glass and a half's worth of vino. There's a pool table, darts, free popcorn, lots of places to sit, and regulars of every ilk. I was having so much fun just getting a good old fashioned buzz on and bullshitting about the future of democracy in America with my SO. Everything a dive bar should be - the Silhouette is destined to be my local from now on. read more

The Swillow! With popcorn, pool and darts, how can you go wrong? This dive is always good to bring friends, especially when in search of a place in walking distance (if you live in Allston / Brighton, that is). read more

What do you get when you throw together some beer, some hipsters, some oldies but goodies (both music and people..), and a room dedicated to darts? You get a pretty damn entertaining night, and they'll even throw in some free popcorn. The Sil (as the locals call it) is definitely the place to go if you're looking for a textbook dive bar with cheap pitchers and an extremely laid-back atmosphere. You can't quite categorize the "type" of people that go here because it's such a broad range. You'll find the skinny-jean wearing hipster boy standing within 10 feet of the guy who looks like he could be President of the Harley-Davidson fan club while he flirts with the blonde, skinny girl you knew back in college and didn't think she actually spoke. Ok..maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit, but you get the hint. Everyone and anyone goes to The Sil just to unwind, relax, and toss back a few without any judgement. It's a grungy good time, in the best way. read more

A true local paradise . I've been coming here for about 9-10 years and i have only fallen more in love with the sil. If you don't like dive bars stay away get some free dinner read more

I don't think I understand what a dive bar is. Cause I wouldn't necessarily describe Silhouette as a dive. I would def say it's not swank. But it's not disgusting. It's just different. It mostly reminds me of bars from my hometown. Where you have the weird mix of townies and hipsters. I'm mostly a fan of cheap PBR and the popcorn is always nice. I love the bartenders and how they are not particularly cute or young. But they're pleasant AND surly. The bathroom is a little nast. But the crowd is chill and the beer is cold. Maybe I should investigate "dives" more. Hmm. Science project!! read more

Oh the Silhouette Lounge: I loved this place. It's dirty and cheap, they have pool, darts and are full of hipsters. I've been here on several occasions, normally when I've had too much to drink, usually after 11:30pm. It's always been a great time. However, the past 2 times I've tried to go to the "wet", they denied my entrance. Maybe I came too early? Maybe my outfit wasn't black, or tight, or scene enough? Maybe I didn't show off enough of my tattoos? Maybe I did something one of my drunken nights that didn't allow me back? Whatever the reason was - telling me you are over capacity when I can see open bar stools and room to do cartwheels is bullsh*t. And this happened TWICE! I'll probably update this review with more stars and a good story if I ever try to go again and succeed at getting in. But for now, I'm bitter. read more

Employees are rude. Not worth a visit. Bouncer and bartender treated us with zero respect.

This is pretty much the only bar in which I feel at home. Of course, it's dirty and devoid of anything even remotely resembling a frill, but as another reviewer mentioned, it's also devoid of attitude. You come here to drink, and having had drinks to mingle with the very diverse crowd, throw some darts, eat some popcorn and so on. As for the beer, well, PBR is the drink of choice, but if you keep your eyes peeled, they'll often have some better brews for ridiculously cheap. At one point they had pints of #9 for three bucks - awfully cheap for Boston. At a bunch of other bars I feel like I don't fit in. I'm not frat boy enough for the Sunset, not fancy enough for the hipster bars in Central Square, not rich enough for those awful spots on Boylston, and so on. Nobody is out of place at the Silhouette. And did I mention the cheap beer and free popcorn? What more do you want from a bar? read more

When i peered in to this place i was a little apprehensive...i loved it already. I think it had more to do with what i was wearing (dress shoes, designer jeans, dress shirt) compared to what the patrons were (demin jackets with matching denim shorts, 10 year old sports jerseys and ripped sleeveless sweatshirts) An interesting cornucopia of local flavor....like the galley of pirate ship is the best way i can describe it. Then the Sid Vicous meets Blondie meets Anthrax crowd walked in and sat around the wobbliest table in the joint (you'd have to be almost upset to not have your table wobble in a dive right?) and i could just taste the salitness. By midnight the crowd looked like the 70's and 80's had a torrid love affair, got married, and adopted the 90's. The best dive crowd i've ever seen. Of course it wouldn't also be a dive without the complete grittiness. My table was dirty, the bathroom smelled like piss, had no soap, and was wallpapered in grafitti. I was also foolish enough to actually reference the beer display above the bar when deciding on a bottle. "Oh, that's old...we don't have most of those anymore". The bartender open the kitchen fridge they use to store the imports and has me choose. I paid for my beers (cash only...another dive check off ) and was of course i was asked if i would "like a pickle?" After figuring i had indeed heard her correctly i replied "Um, no thanks, maybe next time." Dive bar connoisseurs, people-watchers, and those who find themselves spending all night in line to get in to the Tavern in the Square alike should venture here! read more

The Sil is everything that is great about a dive bar, without any of the things that suck about some dive bars. It's not sanitized and "ironic" but you're not going to get hairy eyeballs from the regular barflies either. Fast, feisty and friendly service, not unlike that of any great greasy spoon diner. The cheapest drinks in Allston, darts, pool, jukebox, popcorn - what more can you ask for? Sure, the bathrooms are dirty and full of fruit flies, so what? A dozen years ago, when I hit legal drinking age, there were plenty of establishments where you could enter with $20 (or even less) and leave in no condition to get behind the wheel of a car. Now, those bars are rare. Even the cheap beers at the Model have topped $3 now. But at the Sil, it's business as usual, with cheap PBR pitchers and delicious Nova Schin cans for 2 measly bucks a pop. read more

YESSS I celebrated my 21st birthday here. I got wasted off of cheap pitchers of PBR (classy, I know) It was a really chill, dive-y, fun spot from what I remember... Oh also, FREE POPCORN. Doesn't get better than that. read more

Classic Allston Bar (C. A. B.) I lived near here the summer of 2003 (Greylock Avenue represent!). I had just graduated from college, and this was right nearby. However, I only went there twice. The first time, I was with my buddy and we ordered some fries and chicken fingers. Pretty tasty, and somebody at the bar grabbed one of my fries without asking. Odd, but that kind of sums up the neighborly feel here. The second time I went with 2 female friends, neither of whom I had relations with, and ended up roughing up 2 clowns outside near the ATM. We had gone to another bar after our pitcher at the Sil, so on the walk home, these dudes were harrassing us, so I slammed both of them against the window of the ATM. One of the dudes who lived next door to me on Greylock that summer said he thought it was a gay bar, and I didn't agree with him at the time, and still don't. Definitely gay friendly, it's anyone-friendly in here. I can see why a visit here on a certain night or day might cause one to think that. Go here, drink, and avoid the Kells like the fuckin plague!!! read more

A few years back we used to live right behind the Silhouette. Our bedroom window looked right into the dart room (that was pre-patio/"Famous Joe's") so it was all too easy to check for a free board and meander over on a Friday night. It's pretty much the definition of a "neighborhood drinking establishment"; cheap drinks, a jukebox stocked with classic rock, free popcorn, old wooden booths (where you can indeed order Chinese food) and a little pool table. Recently, the Allston hipsters have been popping up more frequently (because dive bars + colored converse & vintage t-shirts with crinkly scarves say "i tried really hard to look too cool to care" and that look is always in...) but I doubt it will ever be popular enough to have a line at the door and a wait for your drink. Overall, a great place to chill in Allston. Especially if you like popcorn :) read more

This is easily one of my top 5 favorite bars in the Boston area. It seems to win dive bar of the year every year, so apparently lots of others feel the same way, especially given that it's always crowded even on a Tuesday night (though I think there was a dart tournament that night...) And speaking of...DARTS! I'd never really been into darts before coming here, but that's the main draw for me. That and the jukebox. I think I royally pissed off at least one person while standing in front of the thing trying to figure out what the hell I want to play - damn you search function! So everyone mentions their cheap beer, which is cool, but being the beer snob that I am I tend to opt for the pricier and tastier beers, white russians, or what-have-you. And for the record, Irene is officially my favorite bartender. And don't forget the free salty popcorn that only serves to make you buy more beer (and of course make you hungry for more popcorn). Should be 4.5 stars. Minus half a star for no door on the men's room stall. Not that I've needed it yet, as there is a Burger King next door, but still... read more

If you want an 8$ pitcher of Pabst you should go to the silhouette lounge. If you yearn to wear tight pants and eat free popcorn, go to the silhouette lounge. If you only have a credit card on you, get cash first. Thankfully you won't need much because drinks are cheap. If you want to drink in a spotless bar and urinate in a clean bathroom don't go here. I'm giving this place a 3* because the pluses and minuses wash out. I'll gladly keep coming back thought because the drinks are cheap. They always give me a frosty glass with friendly service. read more

I wanted to hate this place, because it's sooo hipster, but it's actually kind of great little dive bar. There's pool and darts (why don't more bars have darts!?), and the beer is super cheap. People there tend to be friendly, not high horse hipsters. There is free popcorn... gross when sober, sooooooooo good when drunk. Keep Allston shitty! read more

D-R-U-N-K! that's what I get for little money. Too many college age kids for me now, but it's a good place for a one night stand with a rocker. read more

I was having the time of my life waving to people on the street outside. My friends and I were having a blast until one lady flipped us off. We returned the favor and the bouncer immediately came up to us and called us "tertiary assholes." He told us to get out of his establishment and as good citizens we did not argue. I had no idea that standing up for ourselves after 2.5 hours of playful fun made us "tertiary assholes." I will never bring my business back to this hole in the wall for as long as I am in the Boston area. read more

Don your faded Bon Jovi shirt, ripped jeans and just hang out. Honestly, no one cares here. The Sil is comfortable and awesome. They have pool, popcorn, Buck Hunter, darts, offer you mixed drinks in a large pint glass or a smaller cocktail glass and still serve pitchers . What more could you possible want on a weeknight? They serve greasy Chinese food, seriously. It is pretty good though and damn convenient when you've been throwing back whiskey's and PBRs all night. read more