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    The Independent

    3.6 (471 reviews)
    ModerateBars, New American
    Open 12:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 1 month ago

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    The Independent Photos

    THE INDEPENDENT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Reviews With Photos

    Amanda D.

    Met expectations. Super cute interior and a chill gastropub/sports bar vibe. Food was decent, menu imaginative for the neighborhood but not the region. Guinness served in a frosted glass, as well as a Jameson neat. Mildly disappointing as this is bartender 101. Service was slower than what I would have liked to see, but it was pleasant. Probably would have ordered more if we were taken care of. A single gender neutral bathroom. Love the gender neutral, but not the single option. JFC, what happens when there is a full house?

    Akshita P.

    Had drinks and played cards since this place was on our walk back from Prospect Hill Park. Great that it is open until 1am! Service was awesome, very personable staff. We also were half in pajamas and no one made a comment even though they are meant to be upscale:)

    Sam L.

    Great spot to get burgers and mussels! Beer selection here is unlike anywhere else I've been in the area!

    Thin Lassi cocktail
    Ann C.

    This is a place I will SURELY return to! We randomly stumbled upon this place while waiting for Urban Axes and it did not disappoint. We bought chips with French onion dip and Mac and cheese - both were filling and flavorful. However my favorite thing on the menu is the Thin Lassi cocktail. It's the BEST cocktail I've ever had - looks like ice water but is bursting with so many flavors at once including mango lassi, coconut, cardamom, lime, and saffron. It was like a party in a glass leaving you wanting moOur waitress was extremely polite and tended to all our needs as well!

    Green tea shot
    Alice D.

    Came here with a large group on a Friday evening and they seated us within 10 minutes despite not having a reservation - very accommodating and kind! The service was pretty patient and quick with getting us drinks and such. I appreciated the kindness and efficiency while the drinks were pretty well priced and tasty. The shots we got went down pretty easily and the vibe of the place overall was relaxing but fun, great for a night out! Overall, I definitely wouldn't hesitate to come back if in the area again. I enjoyed my time and would recommend this place for some late night drinks and a good time!

    Dee C.

    I am not sure what this place is like as far as hanging out, and for drinks, it looks like it could potentially be a great spot. Because it's so beautiful inside it's so spacious, the decor is absolutely gorgeous. They have inadequate amount of staff, however during my visit there weren't many people in there so I don't know what the serving ratio is. I would highly advise against the food, I guess I can't speak for all of it but I did have the I'll tell you right now fish and chips and the chicken sandwich and both were very disappointing. The batter on the fish and chips is so greasy and has this weird like taste to it. The french fries are delicious, though. And the crispy chicken sandwich I don't know it tastes like they fried in an oil that's been used way too many times. Our server was okay. I'm not the best at hospitality, but she was attentive. Another thing I disliked was my food was brought out before my daughters, I always think that's weird because I would like to eat the same time as a person that I'm there with. So once my food comes out, I have to wait for her to come out, and then mine is cold. I'm just sitting there. But the server did take note and asked why her food wasn't there at the same time, so maybe it was just the kitchen issue. They have a big drink list, so if you're going to drink, I would say go for it because it does look like that kind of spot.

    Poutine plus bacon
    Tiia G.

    Love the indo, great neighborhood spot, food is delicious and bar staff is great (shout out to John and CJ)

    Guiness
    Brian S.

    I had a beer and took a picture of it to share some of the cheers and make the moment last a little longer! What happens before or after are of no consequence to the here and now, just the people you share The Independent moment, and that moment alone, with!

    Calamari
    Caitlyn F.

    This is a great place for drinks and I love the apps! Food was so good, we started with the calamari and the meze platter which came with marinated feta, black bean hummus, beat tzatziki, pickles, and pitas. Afterwards we decided to split the gnocchi and the poutine. Everything was delicious but the meze platter blew us away and was the favorite of the meal. We had never tried anything quite like it and though we weren't sure what to expect, loved it! In addition to highly recommending that, I urge you to sample some of their cocktails. We started with an Irish Old Fashion and then I had a Crown Heights Sour. The Crown Heights Sour was one of my favorite drinks I've had out, it was a rye base with a red wine float. Love the creativity and the patio atmosphere. Looking forward to coming back soon.

    Pork tostadas and Brussels dish
    Olga S.

    We came here for a nice night out and had a pretty good time! The drinks were tasty and potent, and the food was good. My favorite drink here is the Santa Clarita, but the sangria is pretty bad. For food, the ploughman's platter and pork tostadas were amazing! The brussel dish was a bit undercooked, and the calamari were okay. Overall, pretty decent place, but didn't blow me out of the water.

    Veggie burger, tasty but a bit dry

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    5 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Business owner information

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    Jessica W.

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    1 year ago

    Really good burgers, excellent service, nice and welcoming place. Easy parking in the back

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    1 year ago

    Excellent food. Amazing staff. Put the Ram Jam cocktail on the permanent spring menu!

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    4 years ago

    Drinks were good, food is decent, prices are high. The cocktail with lavender was tasty.

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    Page 1 of 12

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    I was very pleasantly surprised by the dinner we had at The Helmand! We arrived on a weeknight and…read moreit was very busy, but luckily the staff were able to still seat us right away. Our table was right next to a huge wood-fired oven where we could see the fresh table bread being made which was pretty cool. We ordered 3 items off the menu, 2 appetizers (Aushak and Mantwo) and 1 main dish (lamb kebab). I've never had Afghan food before, so the ingredients and flavors used in each dish were very unique to me, but everything worked very well. The Aushak in particular was the most surprising.. they called it "ravioli", but it was more dumpling-esque to me, which an interesting bolognese-like sauce with yogurt. You wouldn't think those flavors would work together but they really do. The Mantwo also paired very nicely with the Aushak, with more of an earthy taste to it. The lamb kebab was also very tasty, though it wasn't anything super unique. The free bread for the table was also a surprising highlight, as we got to try various different dipping sauces (which we then also used to supplement the kebab). Service was attentive, the ambiance of the restaurant was nice, and overall really enjoyed our dinner here.

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    The Warren Tavern - Fresh. Crispy. Camera Ready Calamari.

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    We were looking for a late night spot to grab drinks after a show at The Garden. Thankfully Warren…read moreTavern was open until 1am and was the perfect spot. I loved the historical aspect of it and the fact it has so much history including George Washington having drinks here. Have to love the historical buildings that have been in operation for so long in the New England region. At least late at night it had dive bar vibes and had more people than I expected for a late night Monday. We grabbed a table for our party of 5 and bartender brought us the drinks menus. They had a great variety available and we all were able to enjoy two drinks before they closed. My wife enjoyed two blood orange margaritas and I had a grey tea old fashioned and a take on an espresso martini that featured an addition of Guinness in it. All of the cocktails were well made with friendly service from the bartender. Due to stopping in for late night drinks I cannot speak to the food. I would definitely return for both the drinks and overall vibes. Our entire party loved the music selection being played too. Worth your time to visit for sure!

    My daughter and I stumbled into Warren Tavern on a Friday after she picked me up from the Greyhound…read morestation not realizing we had picked the oldest taverns in Mass.- just chasing their $1 happy hr oysters. It felt like history the moment we walked in: cozy, warmly lit, with worn wood that's clearly seen centuries. Our server, Cookie, was a gem- he was pleasant and attentive without hovering. Food-wise, it was mostly a miss. The oysters (which we found out were from NY ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) were puny. My kid's clam chowder- that's made without bacon was too thick and floury. The fried calamari, though, had a standout tangy, spicy glaze that we loved- but the coating was on the thick side. The vibe is nice as was the service- just wished the food was better.

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    The Independent - bars - Updated May 2026

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