Came here for the St. Patrick's Day festivities. Bought a ticket for the 5 pm show and was initially displeased with the reduced menu options (no "regular" shepherds pie). That said, I found happiness with the corned beef and cabbage; specifically the corned beef and the carrots. They were top notch. Excellent venue for intimate music and an awesome craft beer selection. read more

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The Burren is a neighborhood institution, as well as supposedly the most romantic spot in Somerville for all the first dates and meet-cutes it's hosted. Seriously. Boston.com dubbed it the "Love Pub" (the article is a hoot and, for once, not hidden behind a paywall). When we went in early February, the Burren was indeed decked out in its best Valentine's Day finery, with on-theme drink specials. The wooden benches were not super comfortable. The food is your standard bar/pub options with an Irish twist (beef Guinness stew, shepherd pie), and come in various shades of fried battered gold. We went with the basket of fries, which I loved - perfect wedge shape, nice crispiness - though the Brussel sprouts were so doused in sauce that I couldn't discern any other flavor. There's a front bar area and a back with live music. Overall, it's a dive bar fit for any number of occasions but, if you're coming by car on Fri-Sat, highly recommend coming early so you can find a spot in this neighborhood. There are some parking lots on Grove as well as metered options further down Elm. read more

We are pleased to easily get a table mid-afternoon on a Sunday. This place has a great Irish pub vibe. Lots of drink choices including a number of well-known, Irish beers and ales. The food was disappointing except for the basic shepherd's pie. The fish and chips had the thickest batter coating I've ever seen. My egg sandwich which included a bit of Irish sausage a paper-thin rasher (Irish bacon) and an egg was underwhelming. Finally, the pizza with chicken was dry. I know don't ask me why they ordered pizza in Irish restaurant. The drinks were good and the service was friendly and we were not rushed. It was great to hear some Irish music emanating from a group of people playing together as you walked in the door. I'd definitely return for drinks and music. read more

The Burren - American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Came in here when it wasn't busy at all and was pleasantly surprised by the food! The decor inside is festive and the seating is basic but spacious. We got the Mediterranean snack plate appetizer, stew, and lamb burger. Everything had decent flavor and decent portion sizing! Service was also pretty quick and friendly. read more

The Burren - Guinness Beef Stew - American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Cool place to hangout get some food and drinks and if you go all the way to the back room you can also see some cool bands play! We went to see one of our favorite local cover bands "Broken Heels" play there. And it was awesome! The room is not that big and it does get packed on a Friday night, so we had to work our way through all the way to the front. The band was great and after a while we got to work our way to the left side of the stage so we were right next to the lead guitarist and our friend Clinton the rockstar and see him playing and him see us too! It was cool to rock out with them. We left around midnight but apparently they got till after 1 am. For parking we got SpotHero parking in a lot behind one of the residential buildings nearby only a short walk away. There was a $5 cover charge which is not too bad. Overall good experience! read more

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Everyone in the Boston/Somerville/Cambridge area needs to visit The Burren at least once in their life. You can't live in or visit the area and not go -- it's a true local staple. The front is a cozy pub with live music and afriendly vibe, while the back turns into a lively dance space that's perfect if you're in the mood for something more energetic (and absolutely chaotic). The food is decent, the bar is standard, but the overall experience is what makes it special. Like I said, everyone should go at least once. read more

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Went to a show here tonight, and bought tickets online yesterday. I feel like the ticket prices are somewhat fraudulent...they are advertised as $22, but there was a $1.25 "convenience fee" and a $2.95 "processing fee" added for no apparent reason. If they were being honest they should just say tickets are $26.50, as these fees are mandatory. I live nearby and have walked in to the front room here a few times on random evenings with a group of people. Every time, we turn around and walk out immediately, usually ending up at the Elm Street Taproom. It's just too crowded in The Burren and too loud to have a conversation. Having been a couple times, I have to say the back room is my least-favorite concert venue I've ever been to. The paint on the uncomfortable wooden benches and the metal poles holding up the ceiling is largely worn off, and the tables are beat up. The place has needed a renovation for decades. Tonight's show was so packed they seated the two of us at a table that was already full of 4-5 people eating their dinner, and I ended up in a chair with my back to the stage, of which I had an incomplete view anyway because we were against the same wall that's the back wall of the stage. It was overly warm with too many people in a small room, and I wanted to go home as soon as we got there. There was no menu or anything and my husband tried and failed to order at the bar, so I ended up eating a snack I brought with me while waiting for the show to start. Fortunately a waiter did eventually come by, and the dinner food was far better than you'd expect from a dive bar. But overall I think this place needs to be like 50%-100% bigger to fit the number of tickets they sell. read more

Burren is a vibe. They won't let me just leave the review at that, but I think that's the best description of it. It's homey in a kind of run-down maybe you'll get splinters from the table kind of way. It's cozy in the way overpriced tapas places in South End aren't. It's just kind of a nice place to hang out. With Sligo closed, this is the best divey option in the area and it fills a desperate need in a square overrun with genericness. Five stars for that. read more

I've only been at night for drinks + live music and I love it! There is usually a cash cover when bands are playing but on summer nights when the Tufts students are gone it's less likely. I recently went on a slower night and was able to try their featured cocktail as well as the "Irish flower". Both were delicious and a reasonable price. Overall I would recommend visiting, especially for the live music! read more

Bouncer wouldn't let us in for recycling cans. Clearly not environmentally friendly. Would recommend anywhere else maybe somewhere closer to the city not worth the drive read more

Proper Irish pub with great live music in back. Classics like fish n chips, shepherds pie, beef stew come with large portions. Our Irish server gave great recommendations for our Ireland trip. A cornerstone of David square. read more

Amazing buffalo wings - they would be the best in NYC if they were here, & not in Somerville. Also - REALLY good clam chowder, made from scratch in-house. They also have an awesome & fresh German pils on tap, & very clean tap lines. Very friendly staff & great service. Cons: very very loud at the bar area, music is not good, & crowd is VERY white. (Sorry - no pix - I was too hungry & the food was too good) read more

A favorite of mine since 2004!! Perfect old school setting. Great staff!!!! Great atmosphere! Traditional Irish music/ musicians in front, bands in the back! Great Beer selection!! Excellent food and options!! Young or old, family or solo, highly recommended!! Best tasting Guinness on tap in the US (yes, there is a difference). Would sit for hours indulging in Guinness and listening to traditional Irish musicians when I lived in Davis, my kid loved the experience growing up!!!! read more

The drinks are not bad, however the bouncer and one of the bartenders are extremely rude and disrespectful. I left right after that encounter. Never again read more

Bouncer pushed me last night. Watched them make a girl cry. Truly the worst experience have had at a bar in awhile

Cool vibe inside! I got the grilled chicken pesto sandwich and it was good! It was a pretty big piece of chicken that was even bigger than the bun!! The ends were a tad bit dry but overall it wasn't bad and I liked the pesto flavor. The fries were good with it too. I also got a nice peer cider that was yummy! They have live music which I wasn't able to experience but I'll definitely be going again for dinner and a show read more

Nice pub for a quick drink or an evening with friends. Live music many nights. The seasonal cranberry mimosa was fantastic! We'll be back now that we've found this little gem. read more

The Burren - American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

The Guiness beef stew - one of my fav dishes from old days, was TERRRIBLE on Sunday night. There was ONE piece of beef in the stew. No kidding, this is not a vegetarian dish for God's sake. Lame. Can't believe it's come to this. The Burren now has lame food. It's a shame. I wish Johnny D's was still open. Sigh..... read more

This is an A+ gem of a pub in Davis Square. There is live music every night, and that often includes live Irish music. There are two big bars to belly up to so the service is good. I have not eaten food there, but it appears to be traditional Irish and American fare. Very few darkies. read more

The Burren - American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This probably has no bearing on this review but in the mid 90's I saw a film called, "Next Stop, Wonderland" which is one of my favorite movies. One of my burning memories are The Burren's pub scenes where all the characters socialized via drinking, conversation and ruminating on life's mysteries. From this spawned my lifetime interest in both craft beer and bossa nova jazz. This past summer I had a chance to venture up East and this bar was quickly put on the itinerary. Nostalgia is a very powerful emotion and just seeing the facade made me pine for that time. Massachusetts, at least this part reminded me of Austin, Texas times a hundred. I'm sure if you are a local you already have a plan as how to maneuver through this town. But to the out of towner parking is pretty nonexistent. After circling around the bar for an infinity a parking spot was finally secured. Seeing this place on film then firsthand were two different experiences. Firstly there is an outdoor patio which made it feel like this could be in any town. Secondly once inside it was all the things I imagined. It felt like a rustic Irish pub with a lived in history and lore. Sure we have similar style pubs in my hometown of San Antonio, Texas. It's just for me all the touches: the wooden floors, pictures of The Chieftains and the bar area which reminded me of "Cheers" are all the hallmarks of a New England pub. Since I got here shortly after the bar had opened the place wasn't too busy. The tapmaster, who was working the place alone seated me. This is where I must interject on the service, it was absolutely superb. I say this as he was doing quadruple duty moving from one table to the next. Taking orders. Cleaning tables. Then checking out tickets. When he made his way to my table he was all smiles. Typically before I have even stepped into any establishment I have already surveyed their menu. I knew precisely what I wanted. Instead of ordering a Guinness Stout, which is a customary in an Irish Pub I opted for a pint of Samuel Adams. It reminded me of the ones they had in the film. In addition I settled on the Guinness Beef Stew with accompanying Irish Soda bread. No sooner did I order it did the food come out. The serving was ginormous. The stew itself was really good particularly for pub fare. It was a big bowl with chunks of meat the size of New Hampshire. Was the food good or was I swept up in the moment? The Burren was by far the highlight of my trip to New England. It's an Irish Pub with a storied history alongside awesome service in an unassuming place. As far as bar food is concerned it was really good. Was my experience blurred by the passage of time? By nostalgia? Maybe a smidge. However this pub delivered on all accounts. Next time I come around these parts I'm hitting this place up. And I'm gonna sing "Danny Boy" with the two older Irish gentlemen with a Sammy and Guinness in tow. read more

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Chicken Nachos 3.75/5 Backroom is a great venue to catch a performance! Decent selection of drinks and appetizers Went here to support a friend's performance of a first album release. The restaurant itself has a good layout for performances as well as a place to dine. There is outdoor patio seating to enjoy when the weather is nice and the performance area has a room inside that is separate from the indoor dining area so if you want to dine-in for a full meal without a performance you can. Good service. Staff had checked on our table before the performance started and during the performance to make sure we had everything we needed. The backroom (performance area) can be quite loud, but even then the staff was still attentive to taking orders and collecting plates. read more

The Burren was the first restaurant in Dave Squar back in the 90s. it is still a center of the culture of the square for musicians, families, friends, couples, et al. There is the standard Irish fare and bar food too. I particularly like the daily vegetable specials that intrigue me. Pared with a good beer, cocktail, or mediocre wine, it is a happening place. The staff is always delightful, many Irish, and with the occasional punk thrown in. They have Caddie Night, where people with all manner of music practice Celtic music. (Fun to listen to and watch). The staff is very competent, and often, there is an outstanding bartender. This night our waitress was straight out but did manage to provide the niceties, and when two friends joined us took it in stride. The bag room is a music venue where we went, and it was packed. They were pumping out the cocktails and bees steady for over an hour. I never had to wait too long. The clientele is a metropolitan mix of Americans and Europeans. This place is Pub Culture at its best in the city. The food is good and filling. And the drinks just wash it down nicely as the melodies and conversation fill the room. read more

The Burren - Open music practice on Sundays! - American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

the spot for nightlife outside of the city. best live music in both the front and back rooms. to go to for a traditional irish bar. friendly staff. does get very crowded at night. read more

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Nothing super outstanding about this place. It is big which makes it a lot easier to get a seat. If you're not eating just park at the bar as it's easy to get refills with the friendly staff. We'd probably utilize this pub as the start of a pub crawl. read more

The Burren - American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Ok so the food is pretty mid but this is one of the only places I'd go just for the atmosphere. Drink is cheap (relatively) and on Friday/Saturday night there's no better place to go. Irish band in the front, cover band in the back, fantastic time every time. read more

It was a dark and rainy night, the perfect time to grab some authentic Irish comfort food. Delivered of course because we're not about to walk in the rain. We ordered Shepard's pie, Guinness stew, and Bangers & Mash. These were their "most popular" options and we wanted to give them all a shot. 5/5 for the Shepard's pie which was savory, tasty, and exactly what you want for comfort food. It didn't actually come in a pie and I'm curious if eating it there would change anything. Regardless, this was my favorite dish. 3/5 Guiness stew. Thought the meat did not seem tender, but had decent flavor. I think it was alright but probably would not get it again. 4/5 Bangers & Mash, overall very tasty but a little too salty for my liking. The sausage was delicious and the different vegetables and taste blended well. I would get this again if in the mood. Overall the food was delicious and although I'm not an Irish food expert I would say it captured the essence. read more

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Bangers and mash does not disappoint. The bangers are so tasty and the temperature of the food is exactly how I like it...hot. This is my 2nd time ordering Bangers and Mash and I'm happy. read more

The Burren has some good food! I know it has its faults and can look kinda grubby but this place is the best all around bar to hang and hear amazing Irish music and enjoy a pub vibe and chat or read or hang out with family. It's always cheekily decorated for every holiday and the front tables, framed by cottagey-looking windows and the outdoor seating in nice weather make it the perfect hang. This is what the pubs are like in Ireland. I love hanging out and hearing the musicians and have had some good bites here like the Mediterranean sampler plate and steak fries and Guinness beef stew. I didn't love the black bean burger. It was ok but kinda mushy and the bun wasn't super fresh. I will have to try the shepherds pie and massive nachos sometime! read more

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I love the Burren. The food is terrific (fish n chips is my favorite), the atmosphere is cozy and welcoming and the service is better than decent. Plus, there's music a lot of the time and the prices are still some of the most reasonable around. read more

Stay away from the food & you'll be OK. Their drinks & the service were both top notch, and the atmosphere was classic Boston Irish Pub with some history added in. Definitely a charming, atmospheric kind of place where you can down a few properly poured pints, and maybe a good whiskey, while chatting it up with friends. They also had a band playing that was pretty good, but were kind enough to move my friend and I to the back section so we could talk away from the loud music. However, the fish and chips were.... soooo disappointing. Just don't. Worse than frozen food - lumpy, gluey, greasy. And a huge portion size, so I felt terrible about wasting it, too. Eek. read more

Always a fun time at the Burren, especially on event nights in the back. Expect it to be super crowded and for it to take a while to get drinks or go to the bathroom. Musical events and artists are primarily geared towards a Caucasian audience, but what isn't in Boston? Minus 1 for cleanliness - it's always sticky somewhere at the Burren! read more

Sat on patio - waited and waited for a server - no one showed in 15 minutes so we choose a new location

Best Irish Pub in Somerville! A probably poured Guinness and their shepherds pie is heaven read more

One of the best bars you'll find in Boston if not the country. Great music from talented musicians--the place is owned by musicians--and there are no TVs, just friends. The service is excellent, and the staff are local legends. Brendan's as kind a bartender as you'll find, Harry is always affable, Peadar is a riot, Kristen is genuine and chill, Rachel and Amy are a cut above, Brian will coax a smile outta you, etc. The servers are sweet and care about what they're doing. The food is good too! Bring your family, bring your friends, you'll have a great time at the Burren, I promise read more

Bouncer refused entry to my friend because of his "baggy eyes" after he hadn't drank a single drink before arrival. He wouldn't change his decision even after my friend had a full fledged conversation with him. Totally unfair and arbitrary. read more

Bouncer arbitrarily and rudely denied my friend. Made an inappropriate comment about my friend's appearance. Cited certain genetic features as reason for denying entry. It was totally unacceptable behavior and has turned several big fans of the establishment off of the Burren entirely read more

Classic pub. Patrons and staff were really friendly. Live music and real draught Guinness; what more could you want?

Trivia Monday is very fun in the back room. Doors open at 7 but trivia starts at 8, definitely get there as soon as possible to secure my spot. I ordered the salmon which was surprisingly good, not dry at all, a nice healthy option. Would go back. read more

Such a fun spot! Definitely what you can expect of pub food--we thought the best item was the steak sandwich. Drinks were good--especially enjoyed the sour beer. Best part of the burren is the live music!! Fun atmosphere with friends read more

The Burren - Sour beer - American Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Overcrowded neighborhood college bar where non gimme-any-drink-in-any-cup crowd gathers alike. Not sure if it this many folks are there every sat night or was it 2nd Saturday's. The live music was good and they knew how to put up a show even when their sound was pretty off. Would like to be back on a quieter time. Over all a fun place to be. read more