I agree with a few other reviewers regarding the limited menu and small portion size. I would also like to add the food does not come out hot, all our entrees came out luke warm to cold. The duck bolognese was a huge disappointment, it was small portions, duck was ground to the point it could have been hamburger meat taste wise, and to top it off served cold. Mussels were actually served lukewarm to cold..What is that all about?? And again, small portions, along with two small pieces of soggy bread...But the worst was the stew, the meat was so tough, I literally could not cut its and took it home to give to my dog...But on a positive note broth had good flavor and it was at least served hot...Server was very nice and attentive. Place has a lot of ambiance and great beer selection for sure. I will be back for beer only and sit at the bar. read more

Worth the trip. Went to The Keep for the first time. Order a beer and an aperol spritz ... perfect summer drink - tasted great and perfect garnish. Wife got mussels for dinner and they made her a small side Caesar salad on the side. Both were delicious. Salad perfectly dressed and the mussels had a slight spice and very tasty accompanied with crusty bread for dipping. I ordered the gumbo with shrimp and andouille sausage. When it arrived I couldn't find the sausage. Called the server and she acknowledged it was in fact missing. She sent back and then the chef came out to apologize. I thought that was a class move on his part. Hey we all make mistakes I said. It came back perfectly and tasted as good as it looked. Just the right amount of spice and full of flavor. Loaded this time with local andouille sausage. The server surprised us and told us a carrot cake was coming out for the trouble. Wow... perfect way to end the dinner. It was moist and not to sweet, flavorful and vanilla ice cream on the side finished it off. I am bringing my kids back for sure. You need to check this place out / eat local food. I will again for sure. read more

The Keep - Gumbo Yumbo - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

We have been in here a handful of times and every visit is cozy and delicious. A hidden gem to take visitors when we want to stay local.

4 of us had very good appetizers (chicken wings and beet salad), great burgers and Gumbo. Taps not re-open just yet due to COVID but good selection of craft beer in cans. Prices quite reasonable. Nice ambiance and vibe. Really good place! read more

Ice cold vodka martini with large cocktail olives! Thank you for the hospitality at the bar!

The place was super cute, they were definitely busy and not a lot of waiters working. Food and drinks took a long time to come, my dish was ok, I got steak and fries, steak didn't taste like anything worth $30 that's for sure. read more

The ambience is amazing, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, however the portions are very small. The Gnocchi is not more than 8 bites worth of food. We got the salmon and the duck. The salmon was over cooked, dry, although the presentation was great. The duck was ground and honestly I couldn't tell the difference between it and homemade spaghetti aside from it being $25. The espresso martini was great. Would recommend going here for drinks and although we didn't have them, perhaps the burgers - which is something The Keep is known for. I myself probably will not come back here, as I think you can get more value for your money elsewhere. read more

The drinks were delicious and unique. We ordered martinis and the dry rub chicken wings to start. Every table around us seemed to be ordering them. My companion loved them. They weren't my cup of tea. I found them to be too dry and the rub gritty. My companion ordered the pork cutlet and mashed potatoes and could not finish it. It was too bland. It took a while to get a servers attention to ask for salt and pepper to try and make it palpable. They gave us the pepper in a little dish like it was poured from the spice bottle. I ordered the flank steak but again not seasoned well. There won't be a return visit. read more

Great date night spot. Amazing cocktails, yummy small plates, and attentive service. Enjoyed the vibe.

Con is hot and makes the best whiskey drinks. Best bathrooms and carrot cake!!!!!!! We love Con xoxoxoxo read more

The Keep - Con is hot and he makes the best whiskey drinks. Best bathrooms and carrot cake - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Loved this little gem of a restaurant! Been a few times and loved the food very consistent...quality price and perfect selection. Flank steak wow and Loved the Salmon appetizer and seriously the best wings I've ever had. A giant high end whiskey selection perfect for one fancy dinner drink for me. read more

Two beers, $20 with tip. C'mon guys, this isn't Boston. Nice whiskey selection, but only those hedge fund guys in the Financial District can pay for them. Are you sure you're in the right place? read more

Stopped into bar after a work dinner for a drink, wish we had eaten here instead! This really isn't a just a whiskey bar it's a cocktail bar on whiskey steroids. The tequila selection was almost equally as strong. I ended up ordering the house wings which had an intense flavor and were perfectly cooked. Like I said I wish I had saved a bigger appetite, menu was solid and the food coming out looks great. The owner came over and offered me a sniffer of any whiskey on the menu I was interested in, I small talked with some locals.....every town needs a place like this. I'll back every time in area. read more

Had a great time drinking and eating at the bar. Nick the bartender makes a great bourbon old fashion. The pork belly sliders were awesome and the dry rub wings were good and tasty. Tried the oatmeal breakfast stout which was nice. The flank steak was seasoned well but was a little tough. The salmon was also a great dish. Friends had the brick chicken and loved it. read more

my go-to spot for when im craving some 10/10 gumbo (which is usually once a week, honestly...) service is always quick and extremely helpful! their signature cocktails are also great and full of really unique flavor combos so there's something for everyone. even just on an aesthetic level, the interior is GORG! hoping this place doesn't get TOO popular because i'm NOT gonna share my gumbo :( (but also, it really really deserves the hype!) read more

This place is great! Food and staff equally impressive. Love the local flavor and the cheese plate is soooo good. Drinks are always fun and inventive. Upscale without being stuffy. You must go. The craft beer selection and bartender knowledge of it was surprising. read more

This place is great!! The food is well prepared, and with yummy selections. The staff are friendly and talented. I love the atmosphere and parking was easy. All in all I highly recommend trying this place out even if its a car ride away! The name "the Keep" is apparently from "Game of Thrones" so fans need to go find out why!! read more

Chill spot with great people. Their food is well priced for what you get! I'll definitely be going back

They keep it real, quality food, great beer and whiskey selection. One of the better / higher quality establishments in Lowell.

Solid recommendation, Yelp! Loved the Stardust cocktail, cheese and pickle plate, and the perfectly roast chicken I had tonight. Service was excellent, too. read more

This is a very quaint establishment. The atmosphere is rustic but not at all uncomfortable. Although the presentation of their plates are more gourmet than I expected, the food looks and great as it tastes. The service is very down to earth. I would definitely repeat a visit to this business. read more

Good beer selection including local and west coast craft beers. Friendly staff and great atmosphere. Right on Gorham street near Downtown Lowell. I had the pork belly sliders and the Keep salad, both amazing and very fresh tasting. Portions are reasonable, just enough food to feel satiated and not overfull. A water container is on the table when you sit down so you don't have to keep asking for more water (always a nice plus!) It looked like they had a pretty extensive bourbon/whiskey list as well. This will be my new regular spot. read more

Went there for first time other day. Refreshing to see such an extensive whiskey and beer selection in Lowell. Food was great too, burger paired beautifully with the beer the bartender suggested. Sat at the bar to eat, cocktails were made perfectly and the wings were some of the best dry rub I've had in awhile. read more

Absolutely blew me away. I was not expecting nearly as great quality or service as we received. The staff was kind and helpful, and the food was out of this world. You can taste how fresh the food is. We had the cheese and pickled combo starter plate, wings, vegetable risotto, and the steak and frits. Absolutely everything was exquisite. As for drinks, we had the solstice and the life alive. Both also great quality, well crafted beverages. Would highly recommend to anyone and everyone! read more

We had a great time at The Keep. Our server was very helpful and took great care of us. For an appetizer, we enjoyed the dry rub wings, very tasty! For our entrees, we had their burger, flank steak, gumbo, and roasted chicken. All the food was great. You won't be disappointed you went. read more

Excellent! Drinks were fantastic as was the food and service. The maple old fashion was one of a kind. I ordered the gumbo, spicy and full of shrimp and sausage. My wife had the grilled chicken salad and the kitchen actually grilled up two pieces of chicken for her to choose from. We will be coming back here for sure. Thank you read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Lowell. The food and atmosphere is fabulous! Highly recommend.

Just had the pasta Dish badda Bing badda boom !!! Freakin amazing ... seems as if they have a true Italian culture in the kitchen with this dish the Gnocchetti AL Contadino is a must for local pasta lovers .. Vito in the kitchen definitely puts his love into his craft read more

This place is honestly such a refreshing change of pace from the bouncy clubs around Lowell. Great decor and vibe, I've never been to a restaurant as genuine and kind as this place. Hospitality is the name of the game here, and I'm clown away with how kind and generous the workers are. read more

We tried The Keep after searching on Yelp for somewhere new to go. It's great !!! Service was classy. Nice fresh rose on every table. Food is delicious!! We had steak frites and a hamburger. And wow - we would do it again. A nice flight of this weeks featured craft beers and a glass is wine - lots of options ! Local meats and cheeses offered, craft cocktails, great date night place :) read more

The menu is pickles, pickles, and more pickles. The other three menu items are stew, eowww, a $15 hamburger., and they were out of salmon. That's it. Please improve your menu. That's it. That's all I have to say. read more

I've gotta tell ya, there's not much to dislike about this place. Yeah, it's got a big whiskey selection, and some of those lower end ones cost a little more, but the overall price point makes sense. Elijah Craig for $9? I'll certainly take it. And the food is ON. POINT. Very well priced for the area, so splurge a little on the drink but come for the food and you'll leave happy as hell. The kitchen is also fast and well timed for multiple courses as well, a rare touch. Michael, Luteh, Con and Meg are all more than able to take good care of you at the bar, and the servers are friendly as well. Make this a stop while you're in Lowell, and you'll leave happier than you walked in. read more

The Keep is a hidden gem in the heart of Lowell. The employees were delightful, friendly and happy to make sure we were taken care of. We have been looking at the menu for sometime now and finally committed to ordering takeout. We ordered the Brick Chicken which was cooked perfectly. It was tender, juicy and very flavorful. We also got the Keep Burger which was cooked to our specifications. The hand cut fries were absolutely delicious. They have craft beers and cocktails to go-an added bonus when you can't eat out. The restaurant is cozy and we can't wait until we can eat there in person. Thanks for a fantastic meal!! read more

Great service, great food and relaxed environment! Very romantic setting for couples! Must try!

Excellent food and great selection of craft brews, duck bolognese phenomenal, brick chicken amazing! Worth the trip!!

Fantastic atmosphere, great appetizers, awesome dinner, tasty desert.... what more can I say! Even the drinks were special. Sent txts to my friends with pics. - highly recommended!!! read more

The drink mastery and effort they put into your drinks is second to none! The food is delicious and the live acts are amazing! Great Friday Saturday spot to come hang with friends and meet new ones! Great beer, wine and mixed drink selections! And did I mention the bartenders are phenomenal?!! read more

Excellent service , great ambiance, amazing food could be the best restaurant in Lowell right now I had the Steak frites which was cooked perfectly and my wife had the Brick chicken that came so close to perfection delusions grander could be entertained read more

The Keep - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

They know how to cook a burger! I ordered it medium and it was perfect, not many places can do the same. Fries and beer were amazing too. Their dry rub on the wings was unique and I never tried it before, highly recommend! read more

I want to like this more and we'll probably give it another shot. Love the feel of the place: the music and comfortable setting. But the service was way off. One person running about so maybe short staffed that night. I had the herb roasted cauliflower with romesco sauce which is a great concept. But not seasoned well and came off as bland. I had the steak frites next. Again, where's the seasoning? I'm developing a distrust for chefs who under season the dish, and then the place doesn't have salt and pepper on the table. You get the sense some low sodium zealot is running the place. Might try again. I want to like it. read more