Another few years, another handful of visits, and pretty much the same deal as before, with pretty much the same strengths and weaknesses. -- Outstanding wings. The sauces are sharp, the skins are just crisp enough, the marinade runs deep, and the interiors are juicy. The whole package with the ranch or blue cheese works very well. -- Good burger. They're loyal members of the smash brigade, and while I prefer a thicker burger, their double smash is very good. The meat is seasoned, it has a nice texture, the bun is soft and pliable, and the condiments add flavor galore. The bacon aioli is rich, creamy, and provides a salty dimension. My one criticism (aside from whether they're truly textbook smashburgers or in name only) is that the beef sometimes gets lost in the generously applied condiments and pillowy bun. But I'll say it again: good burger. -- Superb onion rings. This is a new one, and you can get them as a $5 side or as a $2.00 upgrade from fries with your burger. Thin, crisp, well browned and a little bit greasy. Oh, and a generous allotment with your burger. -- Good beer selection. They don't have all the latest sexy IPAs, but they do have a bunch, plus good deals on some of the more traditional bottles. -- High prices. Everything's still more expensive than it really ought to be, even by today's restaurant pricing standards, but lately maybe less so, only because others have caught up to them, but it is noticeable. -- Shaky service. It's not so much that the servers are slow, error-prone or rude (although I had one very rude moment), but more a matter of being consistently undermanned. Typically one person handles both bar and tables during weekday lunches, and two plus a bartender at night. Lots of waiting and empty glasses. read more

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We stopped here for dinner because we were going to see a friend in a play nearby. Because of the reviews we ordered the steak and cheese egg rolls and on glad we did because they were amazing. You definitely have to try those. My wife and mother got the grown up grilled cheese and I got the spicy smash burger with truffle fries. Everything was great but because we ate the egg rolls too start and because they bring you popcorn as soon as you sit down, we couldn't finish our meals, but we took them home because the food was great. The only reason it's 4 stars from me and not 5 is because every restaurant should bring you water as soon as you sit. The popcorn is nice, but water is a must. Plenty of parking and nice environment and I saw they have an open mic Monday night. If we lived near by I might have gone and check it out. What I know is if we are ever on the area, we will be going back. read more

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Stopped here for a quiet stopover. Service was very friendly. Not many vegetarian options. The Mediterranean platter was good. read more

The Pleasant Cafe - Fireside mocha - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

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Went for lunch. Friendly staff and the food was amazing. Got the BLT sandwich on sourdough bread with fries. The sandwich was very tasty, and the fries were so good. read more

The food was good,however it is pricy tho. Chicken wings apps was 20$ and Entrees were over 30$. The vibe tho was more of a sports bar cafe and drinks were actually cheaper considering the food was pricy. I'd prob just come back for martinis and that's it really. I just don't think their food should be overpriced for something mediocre. read more

The Pleasant Cafe - Nashville hot chicken - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

My sister and I recently went to lunch here with our mom who recently turned 89. Just for fun, we took the commuter rail as it is a very short walk and my mom has mobility issues. The waitress was so kind and personable and it really made the experience so nice for my mom. The portions were enormous and I would say a good value. The restaurant is immaculate as well. read more

Nice spot in Ayer. Stopped off on the way home from the movies to Leominster. Great beer selection and Guinness ($12)on draft. $3 PBR drafts is a nice touch. Only tried the chicken tenders w Carolina bbq sauce. Delicious. Can't wait to have them again. Great vibe, keno and popcorn. Solid spot. Lil pricey but still solid. read more

The Pleasant Cafe - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

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Nice place in downtown Ayer. This place has gone through many faces over the years. Really happy with this inclination. Really good food with a laid back atmosphere. Good beer selection. You won't be sorry. Stop in and give it a try. read more

Service was good. I also enjoyed the atmosphere however, the pricing seem to be extremely high for the quality. Food was average. Probably I'm not going to return. read more

What can I say.about this amazing place. The pizzas are thin crust and juicy slices with lots of sauce and cheese. Other meals especially their specials are great food and prices. Our go to place for pizza and for groups read more

For the second year in the row they hosted our team after a tournament. They do such a good job with a big party. Great service and food. So easy to deal with. Highly recommend for an easy night out. read more

The food took over an hour and was pretty simple, the food smelled horrible and was disgusting my mom couldn't even eat three bites of her soup before having to leave the restaurant because she had to throw up, service was bad because our waiter was giving cold looks just for ordering and hated us before we even sat down, even the ambiance was painful to sit through it felt strict and was probably the loudest restaurant I've ever been too read more

The food was amazing and Max, our server was excellent. We had the Steak and Cheese egg rolls for an appetizer, and they were great. We also had a burger and the French dip and they were great. We got the truffle fries and the onion strings. The truffle fries were very truffley, and the onion strings were made in house and were yummy and were served with a southwest sauce that was better than the bloomin' onion sauce at Outback. The decor is simple, but the food is complex and excellent. Highly recommend. read more

Wow! What a surprise! I am a first timer to this restaurant. We had the best server, Max! He was super helpful giving us suggestions (which were all spot on) and was so attentive. We started with cocktails that were not on the menu, old fashions with buffalo trace that were perfectly crafted. The steak and cheese egg rolls were super yummy. I had the Mack burger and the first bite was that wow moment you want when you are going out to eat. It was difficult to choose what to get from the menu because everything sounded so great. I loved the laid back pub vibe too. We will be back! read more

Is there such a thing as upscale casual? The atmosphere is comfortable, new & nicely decorated. I especially enjoyed looking at the photos of Pleasant Cafe history. We popped in to grab a bite & watch the game. Yes, they are now open on Sunday!! The bar has a good selection & 24 beers on tap. We had a draft beer & Orange Cinnamon Martini. The martini was very good. For lunch, we had a Smash burger with onion strings. The strings were more like rings but delicious. Also, we had the Harvest Salad with Nashville Hot chicken. I enjoyed the salad a lot. The various flavors blended nicely. The chicken may not have matched the salad, but it worked for me! Overall, I was pleased with this dining experience and I will be back. Nice job on the new place, Pleasant Cafe! read more

The Pleasant Cafe - Orange cinnamon martini - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

Wow, finally a good restaurant with excellent food that does not over charge. Great service, keno and a comfortable yet fun atmosphere. I was there on a Sunday afternoon with my daughter. The bar looks fun and I plan on heading back next weekend to check it out. Note-entrance is on the side. read more

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So, we biked here because Google recommended it for Sunday Brunch; Dear Google, they serve neither. In essence, it's a bar -- many beer pulls, rubber floor (!), maybe 15 tables, inexpensive decor, and an unusually expensive limited menu (e.g. $13 for kids menu chicken tenders, $20 for a club sandwich and an up-charge (!) if you want any side vegetables with it. The only thing served with the overpriced entrees is potatoes chips & watermelon. No bread, just a small dish of popcorn. Service is fine; one server for whole restaurant. Portions are large. Served spicy wing sauce with children's tenders. Food mediocre. All fried. Few veggies. "Out of" lemonade -- only drinks for kids is milk, apple juice or sodas. Honestly, probably every restaurant in Ayer is better food, service -- and cheaper. read more

I've been here a few times and the food never disappoints! Max, our server, made our experience even better! Highly recommend!

Max was awesome! Super attentive! Great experience, good food. Glad we came, will definitely come back.

Not only that is expensive it also tastes really bad... hard as a rock grilled cheese and the fried pickle the batter was off. Shut down and don't cook anymore. read more

The Pleasant Cafe - Gross - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

Food is good but a little pricey for what it is $19 burgers I got at flatbread ($20) and it was ok all the toppings in the middle and 2 slices on ends with nothing on them and it's small I was good but small for the price They did not offer us the ice cream that went with kids meals so we just left Should have got the steak tips(29)? The lace cake (10) tastes burnt and came with a hoodie cup Also lots of Maynard MA themed decor you in Ayer now with Ayer customers I'd probably go again read more

Great time at the Pleasant Cafe! Max was an awesome server! Ice cold PBR's, can't beat it! read more

The Pleasant Cafe - Ice cold PBR, for $4! - New American Near Me - Ayer, Massachusetts

Love this place! They can accommodate big parties, have amazing cocktails and the food is awesome. The smash burger is so so good and we love Charlotte at the bar!! Our daughter is obsessed with try grown up grilled cheese. Down to earth, family friendly pub! read more

The kitchen closes at 8, even on weekends. We arrived around 8:15 on Friday, ordered two very pricey beers, only then was told the kitchen had already closed. Disappointing to say the least. read more

Went to the restaurant hankering for a burger. Unfortunately it wasnt all that good. Small, warm not hot paired with fries that were hot but pale. We'll go back as the place does try to please & it's convenient and try other items but get our burger fix elsewhere. read more

Still Carlins. We were seated right behind the hostess stand and ordered the pretzel bites right away. About ten minutes later, we ordered our meals. 35 minutes after ordering the appetizer, it arrived. 15 seconds later, our meals were there too. Directly across from us was a large garbage can that the servers were scraping all the dirty plates into (gross!) and the service bar - where someone was sitting, eating and drinking - with their food and drinks on the mat where the bartender was putting up drinks (also gross). The bar was not full; this is where someone (clearly a "regular") came in and scooted their bar stool over to. The tomatoes - in the middle of August had zero flavor - and the rest of the food was mediocre at best. Had high hopes when this opened but will not be going back read more

What a pleasant place to find in Ayer! Our server was so friendly and fun to talk to. The burgers we had were delicious and filling. When back in the area, we will definitely stop again! read more

Pretty disappointing overall. The vibe inside is kinda depressing and dark. Ordered the Nashville chicken sandwich with a side Caesar salad for lunch takeout today. The salad was ridiculously overdressed and very sloppily thrown into the takeout container, dressing slathered on the outside of the box. Really stale croutons. The sandwich was pretty subpar and underwhelming. Two stars because the sandwich was warm and edible. But I don't think I'll be coming back to this spot. read more

Great experience at The Pleasant View! Wings and meal was very good and service was great! We really enjoyed the atmosphere! I would definitely go back again! read more

$35 for fish and chips that had almost no fish, was mostly breading, and had overcooked end pieces is actually insulting. Everything was way over-salted. Molten lava cake was tiny and dry, and the ice cream it came with was freezer burnt and flavorless. I'm disappointed that this was so bad because I've had a decent meal here in the past and was hoping for better. Wish I could get my money back. read more

I had a decent experience here, stopped in for dinner while on business travel to Devens. Service was really good. I had the tacos, which were quite good, and the New England Clam Chowder was really great. Nothing to complain about, just a really solid meal. I'd certainly go back. read more

We took our family of 6 here recently and had a great time. Our server, Charlotte, was attentive and very engaging with our kids. Food was fresh and great, they had a healthy tap list for me and cocktail list for my wife. We all left happy and full, which was great. We plan on heading back soon. read more

My boyfriend and I tried this place for the first time tonight and we were not disappointed! The food is delicious, the drinks are awesome, and the staff and service are exceptional! Neither of us can wait to go back!! The setting is also comfortable, friendly, and the other clientele are not rambunctious or off-putting. This is an all around gem!! read more

Service and food are outstanding. I love the chang in menu per season!!! Bar is too notch with fun specialty drinks. Go check this place out!!!! read more

I have ordered to go here twice since moving in a convenient distance from this restaurant. I ordered the chicken tenders they were crispy but need seasoning. The sauce they were tossed in was a little too sweet. Second time i ordered a burger. It was mediocre but not bad. The crown jewel of this place is the crumb cake!!! You MUST TRY THE CRUMB CAKE!!! The staff is friendly and the restaurant is clean. The bar looks welcoming they have A LOT of beer on tap. read more

Food, drinks, staff, all fantastic! The espresso martini and any of the flatbreads are always by go to!

A fun place with fast, friendly service. My wife and went for a late dinner not realizing we were arriving just as the kitchen was about to close but they told us don't worry about it. We placed our order and the food arrived quickly. Each appetizer was tasty and hot. My only complaint was my entree, a chicken Cesar wrap. It tasted great but was really light in the chicken department. I'm chalking up to the timing but otherwise a great local place for a beer and a bite. read more

I am very happy there is now a Pleasant Cafe location in Ayer! I finally made it there last night, and am happy to report my experience is on par with my visits to the Maynard restaurant. Our server was very nice and attentive. I had Maynard Mai-tai and a Bahama Mama - both quite tasty. My fiancé tried both the white and red sangria - she was pleased with them. She ordered a Little Mack burger, and I got the Big Mack. They were both cooked well, seasoned nicely, and came to the table nice and hot. I will definitely make this location of the Pleasant Cafe a regular stop. One minor criticism - The lights in the back room are WAY too bright. I felt like I was being interrogated at a police station, not having a relaxing meal. I hope they can install a dimmer and bring the lighting down to a more intimate level. read more

This place is amazing been going here for 30 plus years. Foods always on point. Staff is awesome always polite